Partial denitrifying phosphorus removal coupling with anammox (PDPRA) enables synergistic removal of C, N, and P nutrients from municipal wastewater: A year-round pilot-scale evaluation

Applying anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) in municipal wastewater treatment plants (MWWTPs) can unlock significant energy and resource savings. However, its practical implementation encounters significant challenges, particularly due to its limited compatibility with carbon and phosphorus removal processes. This study established a pilot-scale plant featuring a modified anaerobic-anoxic-oxic (A2O) process and operated continuously for 385 days, treating municipal wastewater of 50 m3/d. For the first time, we propose a novel concept of partial denitrifying phosphorus removal coupling with anammox (PDPRA), leveraging denitrifying phosphorus-accumulating organisms (DPAOs) as NO2- suppliers for anammox. 15N stable isotope tracing revealed that the PDPRA enabled an anammox reaction rate of 6.14 ± 0.18 μmol-N/(L·h), contributing 57.4 % to total inorganic nitrogen (TIN) removal. Metagenomic sequencing and 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing unveiled the co-existence and co-prosperity of anammox bacteria and DPAOs, with Candidatus Brocadia being highly enriched in the anoxic biofilms at a relative abundance of 2.46 ± 0.52 %. Finally, the PDPRA facilitated the synergistic conversion and removal of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus nutrients, achieving remarkable removal efficiencies of chemical oxygen demand (COD, 83.5 ± 5.3 %), NH4+ (99.8 ± 0.7 %), TIN (77.1 ± 3.6 %), and PO43- (99.3 ± 1.6 %), even under challenging operational conditions such as low temperature of 11.7 °C. The PDPRA offers a promising solution for reconciling the mainstream anammox and the carbon and phosphorus removal, shedding fresh light on the paradigm shift of MWWTPs in the near future.

Carbon-Restricted Anoxic Zone as an Overlooked Anammox Hotspot in Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plants

The anoxic zone serves as the core functional unit in municipal wastewater treatment plants (MWWTPs). Unfortunately, in most cases, the downstream range of the anoxic zone is severely lacking in available organic carbon and thus contributes little to the removal of nutrients. This undesirable range is termed the "carbon-restricted anoxic zone", representing an insurmountable drawback for traditional MWWTPs. This study uncovers a previously overlooked role for the carbon-restricted anoxic zone: a hotspot for anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox). In a continuous-flow pilot-scale plant treating municipal wastewater (55 m3/d), virgin biocarriers were introduced into the carbon-restricted anoxic zone (downstream 25% of the anoxic zone with BOD5 of 5.9 ± 2.3 mg/L). During the 517-day monitoring, anammox bacteria highly self-enriched within the biofilms, with absolute and relative abundance reaching up to (9.4 ± 0.1) × 109 copies/g-VSS and 6.17% (Candidatus Brocadia), respectively. 15N isotopic tracing confirmed that anammox overwhelmingly dominated nitrogen metabolism, responsible for 92.5% of nitrogen removal. Following this upgrade, the contribution ratio of the carbon-restricted anoxic zone to total nitrogen removal increased from 9.2 ± 4.1% to 19.2 ± 4.2% (P < 0.001), while its N2O emission flux decreased by 84.5% (P < 0.001). These findings challenge stereotypes about the carbon-restricted anoxic zone and highlight the multiple environmental implications of this newfound anammox hotspot.

[Preliminary studies on the role of mast cells in the phenotype and immune activation of type 2 inflammatory cytokine release of atopic dermatitis]

Objective: To investigate the role of mast cells in atopic dermatitis (AD) phenotype and the immune activation of type 2 inflammatory cytokine release. Methods: Nine AD skin samples were obtained from the Department of Dermatology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, and nine healthy skin control samples were obtained from the surgical excision of excess normal skin by orthopedic surgery, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, which were subjected to toluidine blue staining and fluorescence staining to clarify the mast cell degranulation activation status of the AD skin lesions. We investigated whether MC903 could directly activate mast cells in vivo through the toe swelling and exudation assay in wild-type mice; we constructed the MC903-AD model using wild-type and KitW-sh/W-sh mast cell-deficient mice in order to investigate whether mast cells affected the phenotype, histopathology, and the level of type 2 inflammatory factors in AD mice; we extracted mouse peritoneal mast cells and the ability of MC903 to activate mast cells to release inflammatory mediators in vitro was explored by calcium imaging, tryptase and β-aminohexokinase release assays, and MCP-1 and CXCL-2 release assays. Results: The number of degranulated mast cells in an activated state was increased in skin lesions of AD patients compared to healthy controls, with (5.40±1.14) and (2.20±0.84), respectively (P<0.001). KitW-sh/W-sh mast cell-deficient AD mice had an attenuated phenotype with ADI scores of (5.50±1.05), compared to wild-type AD mice with (10.00±0.89) (P<0.001). The release of type 2 inflammatory factors in wild-type AD mice was higher than those in KitW-sh/W-sh mast cell-deficient AD mice, with IL-4 levels of (29.50±1.87) and (15.33±1.86) pg/mg (P<0.001), IL-13 levels were (6.32±0.25) and (3.93±0.22) pg/mg (P<0.001), IL-31 levels were (9.73±0.38) and (6.89±0.27) pg/mg (P<0.001), and TSLP levels were (206.00±4.43) and (99.00±4.86) pg/mg (P<0.001), respectively. MC903 could cause mast cell activation in wild-type mice, leading to increased swelling and exudation in the toes of mice, and MC903 could activate mast cells in vitro, leading to increased degranulation and release of inflammatory factors such as MCP-1 and CXCL-2. Conclusions: The number of activated mast cells was increased in skin lesions of AD patients than in healthy controls. KitW-sh/W-sh mast cell-deficient AD mice showed significantly reduced phenotype, histopathology, and type 2 inflammatory factor levels compared with wild-type AD mice. MC903 activates mast cells in vivo and in vitro. Mast cells play a key role in AD phenotype and immune activation.

[Analysis of prognostic factors of extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma treated with pegaspargase/L-asparaginase: a multicenter retrospective study]

Objective: To explore the prognostic factors of extracellular NK/T cell lymphoma (ENKTL) treated with pegaspargase/L-asparaginase. Methods: The clinical data of 656 ENKTL patients diagnosed at 11 medical centers in the Huaihai Lymphoma Working Group from March 2014 to April 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were randomly divided into two groups: a training set (460 cases) and a validation set (196 cases) at 7∶3, and the prognostic factors of the patients were analyzed. A prognostic scoring system was established, and the predictive performance of different models was compared. Results: Patients' median age was 46 (34, 57) years, with 456 males (69.5% ) and 561 nasal involvement (85.5% ). 203 patients (30.9% ) received a chemotherapy regimen based on L-asparaginase combined with anthracyclines, and the 5-year overall survival rate of patients treated with P-GEMOX regimen (pegaspargase+gemcitabine+oxaliplatin) was better than those treated with SMILE regimen (methotrexate+dexamethasone+cyclophosphamide+L-asparaginase+etoposide) (85.9% vs 63.8% ; P=0.004). The results of multivariate analysis showed that gender, CA stage, the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG PS) score, HGB, and EB virus DNA were independent influencing factors for the prognosis of ENKTL patients (P<0.05). In this study, the predictive performance of the prognostic factors is superior to the international prognostic index, Korean prognostic index, and prognostic index of natural killer lymphoma. Conclusion: Gender, CA stage, ECOG PS score, HGB, and EB virus DNA are prognostic factors for ENKTL patients treated with pegaspargase/L-asparaginase.

From hybrid process to pure biofilm anammox process: Suspended sludge biomass management contributing to high-level anammox enrichment in biofilms

The application of mainstream anammox is highly desirable for municipal wastewater treatment. However, enrichment of anammox bacteria (AnAOB) is challenging, particularly given the vicious competition from denitrifying bacteria (DB). Here, suspended sludge biomass management, a novel operational strategy for hybrid process (suspended sludge/biofilm), was investigated for 570 days based on a modified anaerobic-anoxic-oxic system treating municipal wastewater. By successively decreasing the suspended sludge concentration, the traditional hybrid process was successfully upgraded to a pure biofilm anammox process. During this process, both the nitrogen removal efficiency (NRE) and rate (NRR) were significantly improved (P < 0.001), from 62.1 ± 4.5% to 79.2 ± 3.9% and from 48.7 ± 9.7 to 62.3 ± 9.0 g N/(m³·d), respectively. Mainstream anammox was improved in the following: Candidatus Brocadia was enriched from 0.70% to 5.99% in anoxic biofilms [from (9.94 ± 0.99) × 10⁸ to (1.16 ± 0.01) × 10¹⁰ copies/g VSS, P < 0.001]; the in situ anammox reaction rate increased from 8.8 ± 1.9 to 45.5 ± 3.2 g N/(m³·d) (P < 0.001); the anammox contribution to nitrogen removal rose from 9.2 ± 2.8% to 67.1 ± 8.3% (P < 0.001). Core bacterial microbiome analysis, functional gene quantification, and a series of ex situ batch experiments demonstrated that the stepwise decreases in suspended sludge concentration effectively mitigated the vicious competition of DB against AnAOB, enabling high-level AnAOB enrichment. This study presents a straightforward and effective strategy for enriching AnAOB in municipal wastewater, shedding fresh light on the application and upgradation of mainstream anammox.

[Progress in methodology of the Global Burden of Disease Study and its impact on the disease burden of parasitic diseases]

Currently, the Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) is the most comprehensive, systematic, and largest-scale global observational epidemiological project, which measures the national, regional and global mortality and disability of diseases, injuries and risk factors that threaten human health using unified indicators, such as disability-adjusted life year. This review describes the development history, assessment process and methodological advances of GBD, and discusses the impact of GBD on the burden of parasitic diseases, aiming to provide insights into the widespread use of GBD.

[Temporal trends in disease burden of major human parasitic diseases in China from 1990 to 2019]

OBJECTIVE

To analysize the temporal trends in the disease burden of major human parasitic diseases in China from 1990 to 2019, so as to provide the evidence for improving the parasitic disease control strategy in China.

METHODS

The disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) of malaria, intestinal nematode infections, schistosomiasis, food-borne trematodiases, cysticercosis and echinococcosis in China from 1990 to 2019 were captured from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019 (GBD 2019), and age- and gender-specific DALYs of parasitic diseases were estimated. The temporal trends in DALYs of malaria, intestinal nematode infections, schistosomiasis, food-borne trematodiases, cysticercosis and echinococcosis were evaluated in China from 1990 to 2019 using average annual percent change (AAPC) with Joinpoint regression analysis.

RESULTS

The DALYs were 643 836.42 person-years due to food-borne trematodiases, 156 853.03 person-years due to cysticercosis, 79 764.62 person-years due to schistosomiasis, 70 989.73 person-years due to intestinal nematode infections, 4 258.61 person-years due to echinococcosis and 264.86 person-years due to malaria in China in 2019, respectively. The overall DALYs of six parasitic diseases were higher among men (546 441.93 person-years) than among women (409 525.33 person-years), and were greater among adults at ages of 14 to 65 years (684 780.84 person-years) than among children at 14 years and lower (35 437.38 person-years) and the elderly at ages of 65 years and older (235 749.04 person-years). During the period from 1990 to 2019, food-borne trematodiases were the leading cause of DALYs among the six parasitic diseases, and cysticercosis shifted from the fourth leading cause in 1990 to the second leading cause of DALYs in China in 2019, while intestinal nematode infections shifted from the second leading cause in 1990 to the fourth leading cause of DALYs in 2019. The DALYs of major human parasitic diseases appeared an overall tendency towards a decline in China from 1990 to 2019, with the fastest drop seen in DALYs due to malaria (AAPC = -19.6%, P = 0.003), followed by due to intestinal nematode infections (AAPC = -8.2%, P < 0.001) and schistosomiasis (AAPC = -3.1%, P < 0.001), and a slow decline was seen in the DALYs of food-borne trematodiases (AAPC = -1.0%, P < 0.001), while there were no significant decrease in the DALYs of echinococcosis (AAPC = -0.5%, P = 0.264) and the DALYs of cysticercosis appeared a tendency towards a rise (AAPC = 0.7%, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The disease burden of major human parasitic diseases appeared an overall tendency towards a decline in China from 1990 to 2019, with a high disease burden seen due to food-borne parasitic diseases, no remarkable reduction seen in echinococcosis, and a tendency towards a rise seen in cysticercosis. It is recommended to focus on echinococcosis control, and continue to consolidate the control achievements of other major human parasitic diseases in China; meanwhile, the surveillance and prevention of food-borne parasitic diseases should be reinforced.

Characteristics of biotrickling filter system for hydrogen sulfide removal with seasonal temperature variations: A strategy for low temperature conditions

The impact of temperature on the biological removal of hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) from air is critical to its effective application in cold regions or seasons. This study investigated the effect of seasonal temperature variations (7-30 °C) on the H₂S removal performance of a biotrickling filter system, with an effective H₂S elimination capacity of 98.1 g/m³/h (removal efficiency = 83.1 %) achieved at temperatures of 10-12 °C. Biofilm growth was found to be accelerated by increased secretion of extracellular polymeric substances, enhanced biofilm adhesion capacity and relatively high levels of elemental sulfur accumulation, which help to retain heat within the filter bed under cold conditions. High-throughput sequencing showed that the psychrotolerant sulfur-oxidizing bacterium (SOB) Metallibacterium was gradually enriched (54.8 %) at temperatures below 15 °C. The major pathways of sulfur metabolism under low temperature conditions were determined based on the detection of enzymes related to sulfur metabolism. Finally, a strategy to enrich Metallibacterium was proposed to promote the application of biodesulfurization under low temperature conditions.

Adding organics to enrich mixotrophic sulfur-oxidizing bacteria under extremely acidic conditions-A novel strategy to enhance hydrogen sulfide removal

Biotreatment of high load hydrogen sulfide (H2S) can lead to rapid acidification of a bioreactor, which greatly challenges the application of bio-desulfurization technology. In this study, the bio-desulfurization performance was improved by enriching acidophilic mixotrophic sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (SOB) by adding organics under extremely acidic conditions (pH < 1.0). A biotrickling filter (BTF) for the removal of H2S was established and operated under pH < 1.0 for 420 days. In the autotrophic period, the maximum H2S elimination capacity (ECmax-H2S) was 135.8 g/m3/h with biofilm mass remaining within 11.1 g/L-BTF. The autotrophic SOB bacterium Acidithiobacillus was dominant (62.1 %). When glucose was added to the BTF system, ECmax-H2S increased by 272 % to 464.3 g/m3/h as biofilm mass increased to 22.3 g/L-BTF. The acidophilic mixotrophic SOB bacteria Mycobacterium (78.4 %) and Alicyclobacillus (20.7 %) were enriched while Acidithiobacillus was gradually eliminated (<0.1 %). Furthermore, the major sulfur metabolism pathways were identified to explore the desulfurization mechanism under extremely acidic conditions. To maintain optimal desulfurization performance and avoid biofilm overgrowth in the BTF system, biofilm mass should be maintained within 20-22 g/L-BTF. This can be achieved by adding 1.0 g/L-BTF glucose every 20 days under a load rate of H2S in 50-90 g/m3/h and a trickling liquid velocity of 1.8 m/h. Extremely acidic conditions eliminated non-aciduric microorganisms so that the addition of organics can increase the abundance of acidophilic mixotrophic SOB (>99 %), thus offering a novel strategy for enhancing H2S removal.

The effect of biofilm growth on the sulfur oxidation pathway and the synergy of microorganisms in desulfurization reactors under different pH conditions

Biofilm growth affects the oxygen transfer in biofilm and thus the oxidation pathway of sulfur and the synergy of microorganisms. In this study, the effect of biofilm growth on the oxidation pathway of H₂S and the synergy of microorganisms in desulfurization reactors under different pH conditions was first discussed to enhance the understanding of desulfurization process. A biotrickling filter (BTF) was operated for 168 days under acidic condition (pH<4.7) and 32 days under alkaline condition (7.0 <pH<10.2). In acidic period, the average growth mass (AGM) of biofilm was 0.04 g/L-BTF/d, and most of S-H₂S was converted to S-SO₄^2- (>89.0%). In alkaline period, the AGM raised to 0.97 g/L-BTF/d, and 77.0% of S-H₂S was transferred to elemental sulfur (S⁰) and polysulfanes (R-S_x-R) accumulated in biofilm. The increase of biofilm and sulfur-oxidizing bacteria activity limited the oxygen transfer in alkaline biofilm, leading to the accumulation of S⁰ and the emergence of an obligate anaerobe- Acetoanaerobium (8.1%). The formation of R-S_x-R may be due to the reaction of S⁰ with thiols produced by a thiol-producing bacterium- Pseudomonas (6.7%). The uneven distribution of oxygen in biofilm caused by biofilm growth complicated the transfer pathway of sulfur and the synergy of microorganisms in desulfurization system.

Extremely acidic condition (pH<1.0) as a novel strategy to achieve high-efficient hydrogen sulfide removal in biotrickling filter: Biomass accumulation, sulfur oxidation pathway and microbial analysis

Extremely acidic conditions (pH < 1.0) during hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) biotreatment significantly reduce the cost of pH regulation; however, there remain challenges to its applications. The present study investigated the H₂S removal and biomass variations in biotrickling filter (BTF) under long-term highly acidic conditions. A BTF operated for 144 days at pH 0.5-1.0 achieved an H₂S elimination capacity (EC) of 109.9 g/(m³·h) (removal efficiency = 97.0%) at an empty bed retention time of 20 s, with an average biomass concentration at 20.6 g/L-BTF. The biomass concentration at neutral pH increased from 22.3 to 49.5 g/L-BTF within 28 days. In this case, elemental sulfur (S⁰) accumulated due to insufficient oxygen transfer in biofilm, which aggravated the BTF blockage problem. After long-term domestication under extremely acidic conditions, a mixotrophic acidophilic sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (SOB) Alicyclobacillus (abundance 55.4%) were enriched in the extremely acidic biofilm, while non-aciduric bacteria were eliminated, which maintained the balance of biofilm thickness. Biofilm with optimum thickness ensured oxygen transfer and H₂S oxidation, avoiding the accumulation of S⁰. The BTF performance improved due to the enrichment of active mixotrophic SOB with high abundance under extremely acidic conditions. The mixotrophic SOB is expected to be further enriched under extremely acidic conditions by adding carbohydrates to enhance H₂S removal.

Brain charts for the human lifespan

Over the past few decades, neuroimaging has become a ubiquitous tool in basic research and clinical studies of the human brain. However, no reference standards currently exist to quantify individual differences in neuroimaging metrics over time, in contrast to growth charts for anthropometric traits such as height and weight1. Here we assemble an interactive open resource to benchmark brain morphology derived from any current or future sample of MRI data ( http://www.brainchart.io/ ). With the goal of basing these reference charts on the largest and most inclusive dataset available, acknowledging limitations due to known biases of MRI studies relative to the diversity of the global population, we aggregated 123,984 MRI scans, across more than 100 primary studies, from 101,457 human participants between 115 days post-conception to 100 years of age. MRI metrics were quantified by centile scores, relative to non-linear trajectories2 of brain structural changes, and rates of change, over the lifespan. Brain charts identified previously unreported neurodevelopmental milestones3, showed high stability of individuals across longitudinal assessments, and demonstrated robustness to technical and methodological differences between primary studies. Centile scores showed increased heritability compared with non-centiled MRI phenotypes, and provided a standardized measure of atypical brain structure that revealed patterns of neuroanatomical variation across neurological and psychiatric disorders. In summary, brain charts are an essential step towards robust quantification of individual variation benchmarked to normative trajectories in multiple, commonly used neuroimaging phenotypes.

Sustainable upgrading of biological municipal wastewater treatment based on anammox: From microbial understanding to engineering application

Anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) has drawn increasing attention as a promising option to energy-neutral wastewater treatment. While anammox process still faces challenges in the low-strength and organics-contained municipal wastewater due to its susceptibility and the technical gaps in substrate supply. Effective strategies for extensive implementation of anammox in municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) remain poorly summarized. In view of the significance and necessity of introducing anammox into mainstream treatment, the growing understanding not only at level of microbial interactions but also on view of upgrading municipal WWTPs with anammox-based processes need to be considered urgently. In this review, the critical view and comprehensive analysis were offered from the perspective of microbial interactions within partial nitrification- and partial denitrification-based anammox processes. To minimize the microbial competition and enhance the cooperation among anammox bacteria and other functional bacteria, targeted control strategies were systematically evaluated. Based on the comprehensive overview of recent advances, the combination of flexible regulation of input organic carbon with anaerobic/oxic/anoxic process and the integration of sludge fermentation with anoxic biofilms in anaerobic/anoxic/oxic process were proposed as promising solutions to upgrade municipal WWTPs with anammox technology. Furthermore, a new perspective of coupling anammox with denitrifying dephosphatation was proposed as a promising method for in-depth nutrients removal from carbon-limit municipal wastewater in this study. This review provides the critical and comprehensive viewpoints on anammox engineering in municipal wastewater and paves the way for the anammox-based upgrading of municipal WWTPs.

Pilot-scale evaluation of partial denitrification/anammox on nitrogen removal from low COD/N real sewage based on a modified process

The nitrogen removal performance of a pilot-scale biosystem was significantly improved via partial denitrification/anammox (PD/A) in real sewage with low COD/N ratio. The modified pilot plant was designed as an anaerobic/anoxic/oxic (AAO) reactor combined with a biological aerated filter. The inoculation of biocarriers into anaerobic and anoxic zones enhanced anammox and the nitrogen removal performance. Despite a COD/N ratio of 3.1, effluent total inorganic nitrogen decreased from 17.1 to 9.8 mg N/L. The anoxic unit developed as the PD/A hotspot, which was associated with the enrichment of Ca. Brocadia (2.00%) and partial denitrification functional groups (OLB14, 13.50%; Thauera, 5.45%) in the anoxic-carrier biofilms and contributed 34.1% towards total nitrogen removal. Besides improving the PD/A process, enhanced denitrifying dephosphatation was simultaneously realized, suggesting that the integration of PD/A into this modified system is a promising approach to enhance nutrient removal of low COD/N wastewater.

Study of PWR hot leg creep rupture and RCS depressurization strategy during an SBO accident

Preventing the leakage of radioactive materials is important to nuclear safety. During a station blackout accident in pressurized water reactors, the hot leg creep rupture caused by hot leg countercurrent flow occurs before the reactor pressure vessel failure that caused by lower head rupture. The secondary fission products barrier is lost after hot leg creep rupture. An analysis for this phenomenon was done using the Modular Accident Analysis Program version 4.0.4 code. A station blackout accident for CPR1000 is simulated and the occurrence and influence of hot leg creep rupture phenomenon are analyzed in detail. After that, a sensitivity analysis of the opening of different pressurizer pilot-operated relief valves at five minutes after entering severe accident management guideline (before the hot leg creep rupture occurs) is studied. The results show that reactor pressure vessel failure time can be extended by at least 4 h if at least one pilot-operated relief valve is opened and direct containment heating phenomenon can be eliminated if at least two pilot-operated relief valves are opened.

LncRNA NEAT1 accelerates the occurrence and development of diabetic nephropathy by sponging miR-23c

OBJECTIVE

LncRNA nuclear enriched abundant transcript 1 (NEAT1) has been reported to play an oncogenic role in the occurrence and development of diabetic nephropathy (DN). The aim of our study was to investigate the potential mechanism by which NEAT1 facilitates the progression of DN.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Quantitative Real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was carried out to determine the abundance of NEAT1, kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1), neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), Cyclin D1, P38, apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 (ASK1), Fibronectin, α smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and miR-23c in the serum of DN patients, normal patients and mouse mesangial cells (MMCs). Cell proliferation was assessed by 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT), qRT-PCR and Western blot assays. Flow cytometry and Western blot were applied to measure apoptosis of MMCs. Cell fibrosis and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) were analyzed by qRT-PCR and Western blot. The binding sites between miR-23c and NEAT1 were predicted by starBase bioinformatics software, and the relationship was verified by dual-luciferase reporter assay.

RESULTS

The enrichment of NEAT1 was elevated in the serum of DN patients and MMCs induced by high concentration of glucose. NEAT1 overexpression accelerated proliferation, fibrosis and EMT and restrained apoptosis of MMCs induced by high concentration of glucose. MiR-23c bound to NEAT1, and the inhibition of miR-23c counteracted the suppressive effect of NEAT1 depletion on proliferation, fibrosis and EMT of MMCs induced by high concentration glucose.

CONCLUSIONS

LncRNA NEAT1 promoted proliferation, fibrosis and EMT while impeded apoptosis of MMCs through sponging miR-23c. LncRNA NEAT1 and miR-23c might be underlying therapeutic targets for the treatment of DN.

Blood glucose fluctuations in patients with coronary heart disease and diabetes mellitus correlates with heart rate variability: A retrospective analysis of 210 cases

Aim

This retrospective analysis aims to evaluate the correlation between blood glucose fluctuation (BGF) and heart rate variability (HRV) in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Subjects and Methods

In total, 210 patients with CHD and T2DM from January 2014 to January 2019 admitted to Wenling Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine were enrolled in this study. Based on whether BGF existed, patients were allocated to BG control group and BG fluctuation group. The HRV parameters, frequency of adverse events, and Gensini score between groups were recorded and Pearson analysis was performed.

Results

Results displayed that no significant differences in age, gender, body mass index (BMI), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), alcohol consumption history, drinking history, or serum lipid were found between groups (P > 0.05 for all items). However, the BGF parameters were significantly higher while the HRV parameters were significantly lower in BG fluctuation group, compared with BG control group (P < 0.05 for all items). Pearson analysis showed that despite mean blood glucose (MBG) and mean amplitude of glycemic excursions (MAGE) both correlated with a standard deviation of NN intervals (SDNN) level, the correlation coefficient of MAGE-SDNN was much higher (-0.705 vs -0.185). Additionally, the frequencies of adverse events and Gensini scores were also significantly higher in the BG fluctuation group than the BG control group.

Conclusions

It suggests that BGF strongly correlated with HRV in patients with CHD and T2DM. It also provides experimental instructions for clinical practice.

Simultaneous methanethiol and dimethyl sulfide removal in a single-stage biotrickling filter packed with polyurethane foam: Performance, parameters and microbial community analysis

The bio-treatment of methanethiol (MT) and dimethyl sulfide (DMS), the most common sulfur compounds in odorous gas, is difficult due to the inhibition of DMS degradation by MT. This article investigated the treatment of MT and DMS odorous gas using a single-stage biotrickling filter (BTF) packed with polyurethane foam cubes that were inoculated with activated sludge from a sewage treatment plant operating an anaerobic/aerobic/oxic (AAO) process. The BTF system lasted for 161 days (with 9 days to startup) under an empty gas residence time of 39 s. The elimination capacities for MT and DMS were 85.2 g/m³/h (removal efficiency = 96.6%) and 6.4 g/m³/h (removal efficiency = 95.0%), respectively, and the maximal elimination capacities of MT and DMS were 119.7 g/m³/h and 7.3 g/m³/h, respectively. The optimal parameters were as follows: empty bed retention time, 39 s; pH, 6.1; recirculation medium flow rate, ≥1.2 m³/m²/h; temperature, 29-36 °C; and SO₄^2- concentration, < 2.0 g-SO₄^2-/L. Microbial community analysis revealed that spatial differentiation between MT-degrading bacteria and DMS-degrading bacteria enable the single-stage BTF can simultaneously remove MT and DMS. The activated sludge of AAO process can be used as the inoculation sludge to treating MT and DMS gas, which provides an important reference for the industrial application of treating odorous gas containing MT and DMS.

In situ enrichment of anammox bacteria in anoxic biofilms are possible due to the stable and long-term accumulation of nitrite during denitrification

In situ enrichment of anammox bacteria in anoxic biofilms has been observed, but the specific conditions for anammox competition with denitrification for nitrite are not yet fully understood. Therefore, an anoxic sequencing batch biofilm reactor (SBBR) was used to investigate nitrite production during denitrification. In each SBBR cycle, with nearly 80% of nitrate reduced in 3 h, over 9.7 mg/L nitrite was gradually accumulated and maintained for a long time, despite temperatures gradually decreasing from 32 to 5 ℃. The long-term existence of nitrite was due to the low biofilm nitrite reduction rate (1.2 mgN gVSS^-1 h^-1), which was about 10-fold less than the nitrate reduction rate. Accordingly, nitrite reduction via denitrifiers was continuously suppressed, which was favorable for nitrite reduction through the anammox pathway. Indeed, anammox bacteria were successfully enriched here (Candidatus_Brocadia, 0.1%). This study confirms the potential of anoxic biofilm in enriching anammox bacteria and provides insight into understanding.

[The prognostic significance of peripheral lymphocyte/monocyte ratio and PET-2 evaluation in adult Hodgkin's lymphoma]

目的

探讨淋巴细胞/单核细胞比值（LMR）及2个疗程后PET评价（PET-2）在成人霍奇金淋巴瘤（HL）中的预后价值。

方法

回顾性分析2007年1月至2016年3月南京医科大学第一附属医院133例初诊成人HL患者的临床资料。采用X-tile软件确定变量的最佳临界值，生存分析采用Kaplan-Meier法及Cox回归。

结果

133例HL患者中位年龄33（18~84）岁，男女比例1.9∶1。LMR最佳临界值为2.5，LMR<2.5组无进展生存（PFS）时间（P<0.001）和总生存（OS）时间（P<0.001）均较LMR ≥2.5组显著缩短。多因素生存分析显示LMR<2.5是HL患者PFS（HR=2.35，95%CI 1.36~4.07，P=0.002）和OS（HR=10.36，95%CI 2.35~45.66，P=0.002）的独立预后因素。56例患者的PET-2结果分析显示，PET-2阳性患者PFS明显差于PET-2阴性患者（P=0.022）。根据LMR和PET-2将患者分为PET-2阴性且LMR ≥2.5、PET-2阳性或LMR<2.5、PET-2阳性且LMR<2.5三组，三组间的PFS和OS差异均有统计学意义（P值分别为0.009和0.012）。

结论

LMR<2.5是成人HL患者的独立预后不良因素。PET-2与LMR结合的预后价值可能更好。

A new locus regulating MICALL2 expression was identified for association with executive inhibition in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Impaired executive inhibition is a core deficit of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which is a common childhood-onset psychiatric disorder with high heritability. In this study, we performed a two-stage genome-wide association study of executive inhibition in ADHD in Han Chinese. We used the Stroop color-word interference test to evaluate executive inhibition. After quality control, 780 samples with phenotype and covariate data were included in the discovery stage, whereas 922 samples were included in the replication stage. We identified one new significant locus at 7p22.3 for the Stroop word interference time (rs11514810, P=3.42E-09 for discovery, P=0.01176 for replication and combined P=5.249E-09). Regulatory feature analysis and expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) data showed that this locus contributes to MICALL2 expression in the human brain. Most genes in the network interacting with MICALL2 were associated with psychiatric disorders. Furthermore, hyperactive-impulsive-like behavior was induced by reducing the expression of the zebrafish gene that is homologous to MICALL2, which could be rescued by tomoxetine (atomoxetine), a clinical medication for ADHD. Our results suggested that MICALL2 is a new susceptibility gene for executive inhibition deficiency related to hyperactive-impulsive behavior in ADHD, further emphasizing the possible role of neurodevelopmental genes in the pathogenic mechanism of ADHD.

Femtosecond electron-phonon lock-in by photoemission and x-ray free-electron laser

The interactions that lead to the emergence of superconductivity in iron-based materials remain a subject of debate. It has been suggested that electron-electron correlations enhance electron-phonon coupling in iron selenide (FeSe) and related pnictides, but direct experimental verification has been lacking. Here we show that the electron-phonon coupling strength in FeSe can be quantified by combining two time-domain experiments into a "coherent lock-in" measurement in the terahertz regime. X-ray diffraction tracks the light-induced femtosecond coherent lattice motion at a single phonon frequency, and photoemission monitors the subsequent coherent changes in the electronic band structure. Comparison with theory reveals a strong enhancement of the coupling strength in FeSe owing to correlation effects. Given that the electron-phonon coupling affects superconductivity exponentially, this enhancement highlights the importance of the cooperative interplay between electron-electron and electron-phonon interactions.

Coexistence of Replica Bands and Superconductivity in FeSe Monolayer Films

To elucidate the mechanisms behind the enhanced T_{c} in monolayer (1 ML) FeSe on SrTiO_{3} (STO), we grew highly strained 1 ML FeSe on the rectangular (100) face of rutile TiO_{2}, and observed the coexistence of replica bands and superconductivity with a T_{c} of 63 K. From the similar T_{c} between this system and 1ML FeSe on STO (001), we conclude that strain and dielectric constant are likely unimportant to the enhanced T_{c} in these systems. A systematic comparison of 1 ML FeSe on TiO_{2} with other systems in the FeSe family shows that while charge transfer alone can enhance T_{c}, it is only with the addition of interfacial electron-phonon coupling that T_{c} can be increased to the level seen in 1 ML FeSe on STO.

Origin of the low critical observing temperature of the quantum anomalous Hall effect in V-doped (Bi, Sb)2Te3 film

The experimental realization of the quantum anomalous Hall (QAH) effect in magnetically-doped (Bi, Sb)2Te3 films stands out as a landmark of modern condensed matter physics. However, ultra-low temperatures down to few tens of mK are needed to reach the quantization of Hall resistance, which is two orders of magnitude lower than the ferromagnetic phase transition temperature of the films. Here, we systematically study the band structure of V-doped (Bi, Sb)2Te3 thin films by angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) and show unambiguously that the bulk valence band (BVB) maximum lies higher in energy than the surface state Dirac point. Our results demonstrate clear evidence that localization of BVB carriers plays an active role and can account for the temperature discrepancy.

Characterization of Th17 and FoxP3(+) Treg Cells in Paediatric Psoriasis Patients

Psoriasis is one of the most common inflammatory skin conditions affecting both children and adults. Growing evidence indicates that T-helper 17 (Th17) cells and CD4(+) CD25(+) regulatory T (Treg) cells play an important role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. However, the relationship between Th17 and Treg cells and their dynamic variations in paediatric psoriasis remain unclear. In this study, we found that both Th17 and FoxP3(+) Treg cells and the ratio of Th17 to Treg cell frequency in the peripheral circulation were increased in patients with paediatric psoriasis and were positively correlated with the disease severity. The function of Treg to suppress CD4(+) CD25(-) T cell proliferation and IFN-γ secretion was impaired during the onset of psoriasis. After disease remission, both the Th17 and Treg cell frequencies were decreased, and the suppressive function of the Treg cells was obviously restored. However, neither Treg cells from the disease onset nor those after remission can regulate IL-17 secretion by CD4(+) T cells. These findings will further our understanding of the associations between Th17 and Treg cells in paediatric psoriasis and their influence on disease severity.

The self-similar character of the microscopic thermal fluctuation inside an argon-copper nanofluid

The microscopic thermal behavior inside an argon-copper nanofluid is investigated based on equilibrium molecular dynamics simulation. A self-similar structure appears in the signal of the microscopic heat current in the nanofluid system at the equilibrium state. The fractal dimension is calculated to mathematically quantify the self-similar structure. It is found that the fractal dimension increases with the thermal conductivity of the nanofluid. The relationship between the fractal dimension of the microscopic heat current and the thermal conductivity of the nanofluid serves as a link between the microscopic and macroscopic properties of the nanofluid.

U-shaped association of body mass index in early adulthood with unintentional mortality from injuries: a cohort study of Swedish men with 35 years of follow-up

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the dose-response association between body mass index (BMI) in young adulthood and the risk of mortality caused by unintentional injuries.

METHODS

We performed a cohort study including 7 43 398 men identified by linkage of the Multigeneration Register and the Military Service Conscription Register. Cox regression models were used to examine crude and adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) of the relationships between BMI at age 18-20 years and the risk of death from all unintentional injuries as well as from specific unintentional injuries. We then estimated the population attributable fractions (PAFs)-the proportion of unintentional deaths that was attributable to underweight, overweight and obesity in this population-based cohort.

RESULTS

During 35.9 years of follow-up, 6461 deaths occurred from unintentional injuries, including 3064 deaths from road injury, 978 from poisoning, 503 from falls, 243 from fire and 348 from drowning. Underweight subjects had a higher risk of mortality in all unintentional injuries (HR, 1.05; 95% CI, 1.03-1.10) and mortality in burns (HR, 1.65; 95% CI, 1.13-2.40) compared with BMI between 18.5 and 22.5 kg m(-2) (reference group). BMI >25 kg m(-2) was associated with increased risk of death from all unintentional injuries (HR, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.12-1.65) and road accidents (HR, 1.50; 95% CI, 1.14-1.97). Estimates of PAF suggested that 4.4% of the mortality in Swedish men caused by unintentional injuries could have been avoided if BMI values were kept between 18.5 and 22.5 kg m(-2).

CONCLUSIONS

A U-shaped association was observed between BMI and risk of unintentional death. Both underweight and overweight were associated with increased mortality risk for all unintentional injuries and for subtype causes. Our study suggests that BMI might be a significant target for preventive interventions on deaths caused by unintentional injuries.

Dietary acid load, kidney function, osteoporosis, and risk of fractures in elderly men and women

SUMMARY

Because kidney dysfunction reduces the ability to excrete dietary acid excess, we hypothesized that underlying kidney function may have confounded the mixed studies linking dietary acid load with the risk of osteoporosis and fractures in the community. In a relatively large survey of elderly men and women, we report that dietary acid load did neither associate with DEXA-estimated bone mineral density nor with fracture risk. Underlying kidney function did not modify these null findings. Our results do not support the dietary acid-base hypothesis of bone loss.

INTRODUCTION

Impaired renal function reduces the ability to excrete dietary acid excess. We here investigate the association between dietary acid load and bone mineral density (BMD), osteoporosis, and fracture risk by renal function status.

METHODS

An observational study was conducted in 861 community-dwelling 70-year-old men and women (49% men) with complete dietary data from the Prospective Investigation of the Vasculature in Uppsala Seniors (PIVUS). The exposure was dietary acid load as estimated from 7-day food records by the net endogenous acid production (NEAP) and potential renal acid load (PRAL) algorithms. Renal function assessed by cystatin C estimated glomerular filtration rate was reduced in 21% of the individuals. Study outcomes were BMD and osteoporosis state (assessed by DEXA) and time to fracture (median follow-up of 9.2 years).

RESULTS

In cross-section, dietary acid load had no significant associations with BMD or with the diagnosis of osteoporosis. During follow-up, 131 fractures were validated. Neither NEAP (adjusted hazard ratios (HR) (95% confidence interval (CI)), 1.01 (0.85-1.21), per 1 SD increment) nor PRAL (adjusted HR (95% CI), 1.07 (0.88-1.30), per 1 SD increment) associated with fracture risk. Further multivariate adjustment for kidney function or stratification by the presence of kidney disease did not modify these null associations.

CONCLUSIONS

The hypothesis that dietary acid load associates with reduced BMD or increased fracture risk was not supported by this study in community-dwelling elderly individuals. Renal function did not influence on this null finding.

Single nucleotide polymorphism in the neuroplastin locus associates with cortical thickness and intellectual ability in adolescents

Despite the recognition that cortical thickness is heritable and correlates with intellectual ability in children and adolescents, the genes contributing to individual differences in these traits remain unknown. We conducted a large-scale association study in 1583 adolescents to identify genes affecting cortical thickness. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs; n=54,837) within genes whose expression changed between stages of growth and differentiation of a human neural stem cell line were selected for association analyses with average cortical thickness. We identified a variant, rs7171755, associating with thinner cortex in the left hemisphere (P=1.12 × 10(-)(7)), particularly in the frontal and temporal lobes. Localized effects of this SNP on cortical thickness differently affected verbal and nonverbal intellectual abilities. The rs7171755 polymorphism acted in cis to affect expression in the human brain of the synaptic cell adhesion glycoprotein-encoding gene NPTN. We also found that cortical thickness and NPTN expression were on average higher in the right hemisphere, suggesting that asymmetric NPTN expression may render the left hemisphere more sensitive to the effects of NPTN mutations, accounting for the lateralized effect of rs7171755 found in our study. Altogether, our findings support a potential role for regional synaptic dysfunctions in forms of intellectual deficits.

Efficacy of hyperbaric oxygen on survival of random pattern skin flap in diabetic rats

OBJECTIVES

This study was designed to determine if hyperbaric oxygen improved random pattern skin flap survival in diabetic rats.

METHODS

Cranially-based, 4 x 10 cm dorsal skin flaps were raised in 38 diabetic rats induced by streptozocin (STZ). The animals were randomly divided equally into two groups. Group A was a control group observed in the room air and Group B was the experimental group, which received hyperbaric oxygen (HBO2) therapy. The HBO2 regimen consisted of 90 minutes of treatment with 100% O2 at 2.5 ATA (atmosphere absolute ATA) per day for 7 consecutive days. On the 7th postoperative day, we measured the necrotic flap area and the new growth number of capillary vessel and the granulation tissue thickness.

RESULTS

The percentage of necrosis flap area for group A was 50.5 +/- 10.5%; for group B it was 38.5 +/- 9.3%. The reduction in necrosis flap area was highly significant (p < 0.01) compared with controls. Also, new-growth capillary vessel and granulation tissue thickness were statistically different between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings of this study demonstrated beneficial effects of HBO2 in improving diabetic rat dorsal skin flap survival.

Regulation by GDI of RhoA/Rho-kinase-induced Ca2+ sensitization of smooth muscle myosin II

We characterized the role of guanine nucleotide dissociation inhibitor (GDI) in RhoA/Rho-kinase-mediated Ca2+ sensitization of smooth muscle. Endogenous contents (approximately 2-4 microM) of RhoA and RhoGDI were near stoichiometric, whereas a supraphysiological GDI concentration was required to relax Ca2+ sensitization of force by GTP and guanosine 5'-O-(3-thiotriphosphate) (GTPgammaS). GDI also inhibited Ca2+ sensitization by GTP. G14V RhoA, by alpha-adrenergic and muscarinic agonists, and extracted RhoA from membranes. GTPgammaS translocated Rho-kinase to a Triton X-114-extractable membrane fraction. GTP. G14V RhoA complexed with GDI also induced Ca2+ sensitization, probably through in vivo dissociation of GTP. RhoA from the complex, because it was reversed by addition of excess GDI. GDI did not inhibit Ca2+ sensitization by phorbol ester. Constitutively active Cdc42 and Rac1 inhibited Ca2+ sensitization by GTP. G14V RhoA. We conclude that 1) the most likely in vivo function of GDI is to prevent perpetual "recycling" of GDP. RhoA to GTP. RhoA; 2) nucleotide exchange (GTP for GDP) on complexed GDP. RhoA/GDI can precede translocation of RhoA to the membrane; 3) activation of Rho-kinase exposes a hydrophobic domain; and 4) Cdc42 and Rac1 can inhibit Ca2+ sensitization by activated GTP. RhoA.

[The effects of electric copper needle on venous thrombosis in the rat]

OBJECTIVE

In order to study the relation between the electric copper needle and venous thrombosis in the rat.

METHODS

90 rats were divided into two groups, each using either the superficial epigastric vein or the femoral vein for the experiment. The relations of voltage, current, electrifying time and venous thrombosis were studied and the histological changes were observed.

RESULTS

1. 1.4 V DC did not damage the vessel-nerve. 2. The current declined with time to 0.1 mA. 3. When the diameters of the copper needle and the vein were similar (P > 0.05), the thrombogenesis time was from 5.5 to 10.5 minutes. When the diameters of the copper needle and the vein were different (P < 0.05), the thrombogenesis time was from 7.5 to 17.5 minutes.

CONCLUSIONS

For the electric copper needle to get ideal treatment, the best voltage is 4 V DC for 5.5 to 10.5 minutes or 7.5 to 17.5 minutes.

Diphtheria toxin fused to granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor and Ara-C exert synergistic toxicity against human AML HL-60 cells

Human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor fused to truncated diphtheria toxin (DT388-GM-CSF) sensitized wild-type and Bcl2-overexpressing HL60 human leukemia cells to intoxication by Ara-C based on proliferation and clonogenic assays. The toxin/drug combination showed dramatic synergistic toxicity with combination indices of < 0.1. Synergy was not seen with two other protein synthesis inhibiting drugs--ricin and cycloheximide nor with GMCSF alone. No changes in Ara-C incorporation into cellular DNA or cell cycle occupancy were seen. As compared to exposure to DT388-GM-CSF or Ara-C alone, co-treatment produced significant increases in cytosolic accumulation of cytochrome c, a higher percentage of cells with loss of mitochondrial membrane potential and an increase in reactive oxygen species and morphologic changes of apoptosis, and a greater induction of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and DNA fragmentation factor 45 (DFF45) cleavage activities of caspase 3. Co-treatment did not significantly alter Bcl2, Bcl-xL, Bax or Fas receptor (FasR), but modestly increased Fas ligand (FasL) protein. These finding suggest that co-treatment with DT388-GM-CSF may lead to a lowered apoptotic threshold and clonogenic survival of human AML blasts due to Ara-C. These observations also suggest that clinical trials of combination therapy may be warranted in patients with AML.

Stimulation of breast cancer invasion and metastasis by synuclein gamma

We recently identified and cloned novel breast cancer-specific gene BCSG1 by direct differential cDNA sequencing. BCSG1 has a great sequence homology with the Alzheimer's disease related neural protein synuclein (SNC); thus, it was also named SNC-gamma. Overexpression of SNC-gamma in breast cancer cells leads to a significant increase in motility and invasiveness in vitro and a profound augmentation of metastasis in vivo. Our data suggest that this member of the neural protein SNCs might have important functions outside the central nervous system and may play a role in breast cancer progression.

The effects of the Rho-kinase inhibitor Y-27632 on arachidonic acid-, GTPgammaS-, and phorbol ester-induced Ca2+-sensitization of smooth muscle

The effects of the Rho-kinase inhibitor, Y-27632 [1] on Ca2+-sensitization of force induced by arachidonic acid (AA), phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PDBu), GTPgammaS, and by the stable thromboxane analog, 9,11-dideoxy-9alpha,11alpha-methanoepoxy-PGF2alpha (U-46619), were determined in alpha-toxin-permeabilized smooth muscles. Y-27632 relaxed (up to 99%) Ca2+-sensitization by GTPgammaS (10 microM) and U46619 (1 microM), but not by PDBu (20 microM), and reduced GTPgammaS-induced myosin light chain (MLC20) phosphorylation from 28% to 17% (P=0.002). GTPgammaS-induced force sensitization was inhibited by Y-27632 more potently when the inhibitor was added during the plateau of force than prior to stimulation. In alpha-toxin-permeabilized smooth muscle, Y-27632 inhibited AA (50 microM)-induced Ca2+-sensitization of force (by 66 +/- 1.3%) and reduced MLC20 phosphorylation. In contrast, Y-27632 did not relax force Ca2+-sensitized by AA in smooth muscle permeabilized with Triton X-100. We conclude that (i) AA induces Ca2+-sensitization through dual mechanisms, one mediated by Rho-kinase (or a related kinase), and (ii) Rho-kinase is not required for phorbol ester-induced Ca2+-sensitization.

[Quality standards of processed nutmegs]

The quality standards of nutmeg and its processed products were studied in such aspects as volatile oil content, extract determination, moisture content, microscopic characteristics, thin-layer chromatography, and so on. This provided a basis for drawing up the quality standards.