Recovery of nutrients from fish sludge to enhance the growth of microalga Chlorella sorokiniana CMBB276.

Intensive aquaculture production generates large amounts of sludge. This waste could be considered as a potential source of nutrients that can be recovered and utilized. Little attention has been paid to nutrient recovery from fish sludge. In this study, bioconversion of sludge was evaluated in lab scale under anaerobic (AN), facultative anaerobic (FA) and aerobic (AE) conditions. After 40 days of fermentation, AN recovered the highest values of dissolved total nitrogen (82.7 mg L-1), while AE showed the highest dissolved total phosphorus (11.8 mg L-1) and the highest reduction of total suspended solids (36.0 %). Microbial analysis showed that AN exhibited a distinct bacterial community than that of FA and AE. Furthermore, C. sorokiniana grown in AN effluents collected after 12 days of fermentation achieved the highest biomass production (1.96 g L-1). These results suggest that AN has the best potential to recover nutrients from sludge for production of C. sorokiniana.

Integrated machine learning reveals aquatic biological integrity patterns in semi-arid watersheds.

Semi-arid regions present unique challenges for maintaining aquatic biological integrity due to their complex evolutionary mechanisms. Uncovering the spatial patterns of aquatic biological integrity in these areas is a challenging research task, especially under the compound environmental stress. Our goal is to address this issue with a scientifically rigorous approach. This study aims to explore the spatial analysis and diagnosis method of aquatic biological based on the combination of machine learning and statistical analysis, so as to reveal the spatial differentiation patterns and causes of changes of aquatic biological integrity in semi-arid regions. To this end, we have introduced an innovative approach that combines XGBoost-SHAP and Fuzzy C-means clustering (FCM), we successfully identified and diagnosed the spatial variations of aquatic biological integrity in the Wei River Basin (WRB). The study reveals significant spatial variations in species number, diversity, and aquatic biological integrity of phytoplankton, serving as a testament to the multifaceted responses of biological communities under the intricate tapestry of environmental gradients. Delving into the depths of the XGBoost-SHAP algorithm, we discerned that Annual average Temperature (AT) stands as the pivotal driver steering the spatial divergence of the Phytoplankton Integrity Index (P-IBI), casting a positive influence on P-IBI when AT is below 11.8 °C. The intricate interactions between hydrological variables (VF and RW) and AT, as well as between water quality parameters (WT, NO3-N, TP, COD) and AT, collectively sculpt the spatial distribution of P-IBI. The fusion of XGBoost-SHAP with FCM unveils pronounced north-south gradient disparities in aquatic biological integrity across the watershed, segmenting the region into four distinct zones. This establishes scientific boundary conditions for the conservation strategies and management practices of aquatic ecosystems in the region, and its flexibility is applicable to the analysis of spatial heterogeneity in other complex environmental contexts.

Bioinformatics analysis for constructing a cellular senescence-related age-related macular degeneration diagnostic model and identifying relevant disease subtypes to guide treatment.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a condition causing progressive central vision loss. Growing evidence suggests a link between cellular senescence and AMD. However, the exact mechanism by which cellular senescence leads to AMD remains unclear. Employing machine learning, we established an AMD diagnostic model. Through unsupervised clustering, two distinct AMD subtypes were identified. GO, KEGG, and GSVA analyses explored the diverse biological functions associated with the two subtypes. By WGCNA, we constructed a coexpression network of differential genes between the subtypes, revealing the regulatory role of hub genes at the level of transcription factors and miRNAs. We identified 5 genes associated with inflammation for the construction of the AMD diagnostic model. Additionally, we observed that the level of cellular senescence and pathways related to programmed cell death (PCD), such as ferroptosis, necroptosis, and pyroptosis, exhibited higher expression levels in subtype B than A. Immune microenvironments also differed between the subtypes, indicating potentially distinct pathogenic mechanisms and therapeutic targets. In summary, by leveraging cellular senescence-associated gene expression, we developed an AMD diagnostic model. Furthermore, we identified two subtypes with varying expression patterns of senescence genes, revealing their differential roles in programmed cell death, disease progression, and immune microenvironments within AMD.

Cognitive functions following initiation of antipsychotic medication in adolescents and adults at clinical high risk for psychosis: a naturalistic sub group analysis using the MATRICS consensus cognitive battery.

BACKGROUND: The effects of antipsychotic (AP) medications on cognitive functions in individuals at clinical high-risk (CHR) of psychosis are poorly understood. This study compared the effects of AP treatment on cognitive improvement in CHR adolescents and adults. METHODS: A total of 327 CHR participants, with an age range of 13 to 45 years, who underwent baseline neuropsychological assessments and a 1-year clinical follow-up were included. Participants with CHR were categorized into four groups based on their age: adolescents (aged < 18) and adults (aged ≥ 18), as well as their antipsychotic medication status (AP+ or AP-). Therefore, the four groups were defined as Adolescent-AP-, Adolescent-AP+, Adult-AP-, and Adult-AP+. RESULTS: During the follow-up, 231 CHR patients received AP treatment, 94 converted to psychosis, and 161 completed the 1-year follow-up. The Adolescent-AP+ group had more positive symptoms, lower general functions, and cognitive impairments than the Adolescent-AP- group at baseline, but no significant differences were observed among adults. The Adolescent-AP+ group showed a significant increase in the risk of conversion to psychosis (p < 0.001) compared to the Adolescent-AP- group. The Adult-AP+ group showed a decreasing trend in the risk of conversion (p = 0.088) compared to the Adult-AP- group. The Adolescent-AP- group had greater improvement in general functions (p < 0.001), neuropsychological assessment battery mazes (p = 0.025), and brief visuospatial memory test-revised (p = 0.020), as well as a greater decrease in positive symptoms (p < 0.001) at follow-up compared to the Adolescent-AP+ group. No significant differences were observed among adults. CONCLUSIONS: Early use of AP was not associated with a positive effect on cognitive function in CHR adolescents. Instead, the absence of AP treatment was associated with better cognitive recovery, suggesting that AP exposure might not be the preferred choice for cognitive recovery in CHR adolescents, but may be more reasonable for use in adults.

Long-term dietary exposure to 2,2',4,4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-47) reduced feeding in common carp (Cyprinus carpio): Via the JAK-STAT signaling pathway.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are widely present in water ecosystems where they pose a significant threat to aquatic life, but our knowledge about how PBDEs affect feeding is limited. Therefore, this study explored the effects of continuous dietary exposure to 2,2',4,4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-47) (40 and 4000 ng/g) on the feeding in common carp (Cyprinus carpio) and the underlying mechanism. BDE-47 significantly decreased the food intake of carp. Transcriptome analysis of brain tissue showed that BDE-47 mainly affected the nervous, immune, and endocrine systems. Further examination of the expression levels of appetite factors in the brain revealed that BDE-47 caused dysregulation of appetite factors expressions such as agrp, pomc, cart, etc. In addition, the JAK-STAT signaling pathway was activated under BDE-47 exposure. It can be concluded from these findings that BDE-47 activated the JAK-STAT signaling pathway, causing imbalanced expression of appetite factors, leading to disordered feeding behavior and decreased food intake in carp. These results provide an important reference for a more comprehensive understanding of the hazards posed by BDE-47 on animal feeding and the associated mechanisms.

Race-specific coregulatory and transcriptomic profiles associated with DNA methylation and androgen receptor in prostate cancer.

BACKGROUND: Prostate cancer is a significant health concern, particularly among African American (AA) men who exhibit higher incidence and mortality compared to European American (EA) men. Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying these disparities is imperative for enhancing clinical management and achieving better outcomes. METHODS: Employing a multi-omics approach, we analyzed prostate cancer in both AA and EA men. Using Illumina methylation arrays and RNA sequencing, we investigated DNA methylation and gene expression in tumor and non-tumor prostate tissues. Additionally, Boolean analysis was utilized to unravel complex networks contributing to racial disparities in prostate cancer. RESULTS: When comparing tumor and adjacent non-tumor prostate tissues, we found that DNA hypermethylated regions are enriched for PRC2/H3K27me3 pathways and EZH2/SUZ12 cofactors. Olfactory/ribosomal pathways and distinct cofactors, including CTCF and KMT2A, were enriched in DNA hypomethylated regions in prostate tumors from AA men. We identified race-specific inverse associations of DNA methylation with expression of several androgen receptor (AR) associated genes, including the GATA family of transcription factors and TRIM63. This suggests that race-specific dysregulation of the AR signaling pathway exists in prostate cancer. To investigate the effect of AR inhibition on race-specific gene expression changes, we generated in-silico patient-specific prostate cancer Boolean networks. Our simulations revealed prolonged AR inhibition causes significant dysregulation of TGF-ß, IDH1, and cell cycle pathways specifically in AA prostate cancer. We further quantified global gene expression changes, which revealed differential expression of genes related to microtubules, immune function, and TMPRSS2-fusion pathways, specifically in prostate tumors of AA men. Enrichment of these pathways significantly correlated with an altered risk of disease progression in a race-specific manner. CONCLUSIONS: Our study reveals unique signaling networks underlying prostate cancer biology in AA and EA men, offering potential insights for clinical management strategies tailored to specific racial groups. Targeting AR and associated pathways could be particularly beneficial in addressing the disparities observed in prostate cancer outcomes in the context of AA and EA men. Further investigation into these identified pathways may lead to the development of personalized therapeutic approaches to improve outcomes for prostate cancer patients across different racial backgrounds.

Green- and Blue-Emitting Tb3+-Activated Linde Type A Zeolite-Derived Boro-Aluminosilicate Glass for Deep UV Detection/Imaging.

Tb3+-activated LTA zeolite-derived boro-aluminosilicate glass samples with a composition of xTb2O3-68(Na2O-Al2O3-SiO2)-32B2O3 (x = 0.2, 1.0 and 10 extra wt%) were prepared using the melt-quenching method. The emission spectra recorded upon ultraviolet (UV) excitation with two different wavelengths of 193 and 378 nm showed blue light (5D3 to 7FJ=6,5,4 and 5D4 to 7F6 transitions of Tb3+) and green light (5D4 to 7F5 transition of Tb3+) emissions with comparable intensities up to a Tb3+ concentration of 10 extra wt%. Of note, the mean decay times of the green luminescence of the glass samples were relatively fast (<20 µs). The synthesized glass has potential in applications concerning UV imaging, UV detection, and plasma display panels.

Weakened hydrological oscillation period increased the frequency of river algal blooms.

The evolution of riverine aquatic ecosystems typically exhibits notable characteristic with cumulative, enduring, and hysteresis. Exploring the non-linear response of riverine ecology to long-term hydrological fluctuations become a major challenge in contemporary interdisciplinary research. In response to the critical issue of frequent river algal blooms in the lower Han River, which is impacted by Asian largest inter-basin water diversion project. We identified the non-linear response of eco-hydrology across various time scales through the integration of Continuous Wavelet Transform (CWT) and Inverse Wavelet Transform (IWT). Our study revealed that: 1) Over the past half century, the hydrological regime in the lower Han river showed a significant downward trend, and existed three significant hydrological oscillation periods (HOPs), including the short-scale Intra-AC (180 days), the medium-scale AC (365 days, the first major period), and the long-scale Inter-AC (2500 days), the variation of Inter-AC changed most dramatically. 2) We further found that the Inter-AC variation of hydrology is more closely related to the formation of river algal blooms in the Han River, and when the hydrological Inter-AC shows steady state or downward trend, the frequency of algal blooms in the lower Han River increases significantly. 3) The river algal blooms in the lower Han River is a cumulative consequence to the long-term hydrological influences. Weakened hydrological Inter-AC is more likely to increase the frequency of river algal blooms, and 10-years Inter-AC cumulation increased the frequency by 60%. Therefore, the weaken of long-scale HOP will significantly increase the frequency of river algal blooms in the future. This study received a critical scientific insight and aimed at provide guidance for the optimization of ecological management within the framework of national large-scale water conservation.

Childhood maltreatment and personality disorders in adolescents and adults with psychotic or non-psychotic disorders.

Introduction: While the attention to personality disorders (PD) and childhood maltreatment (CM) has grown in recent years, there remains limited understanding of the prevalence and distinctions of PD and CM in clinical populations of Chinese adolescents in comparison to adults. Methods: A total of 1,417 participants were consecutively sampled from patients diagnosed with either psychotic or non-psychotic disorders in the psychiatric and psycho-counseling clinics at Shanghai Mental Health Center. The participants were categorized into two groups based on their age: adolescents (aged 15-21 years) and adults (aged 22-35 years). PDs were evaluated using a self-reported personality diagnostic questionnaire and a structured clinical interview, while CMs were assessed using the Chinese version of the Child Trauma Questionnaire Short Form. Results: When comparing self-reported PD traits and CM between adolescents and adults, differences emerge. Adolescents, particularly in the psychotic disorder group, exhibit more pronounced schizotypal PD traits (p=0.029), and this pattern extends to non-psychotic disorders (p<0.001). Adolescents in the non-psychotic disorder group also report higher levels of emotional abuse (p=0.014), with a notable trend in physical abuse experiences compared to adults (p=0.057). Furthermore, the most prevalent PDs in the clinical sample are avoidant, borderline, and obsessive-compulsive PDs. Among patients with psychotic disorders, adolescents exhibit higher rates of schizoid, schizotypal, and obsessive-compulsive PDs compared to adults. Logistic regression analyses highlight distinct predictors for psychotic and non-psychotic disorders in adolescents and adults. Discussion: The findings emphasize distinct differences in PDs and CMs between adolescent and adult groups, shedding light on their potential roles in psychotic and non-psychotic disorders.

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation can improve negative symptoms and/or neurocognitive impairments in the first psychosis episode: A randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: Negative symptoms and neurocognitive impairments in psychosis correlate with their severity. Currently, there is no satisfactory treatment. We aimed to evaluate and compare the effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation(rTMS) on negative symptoms and neurocognitive impairments in patients in first-episode of psychosis(FEP) in a randomized controlled trial(RCT). METHOD: This is a single-site RCT of 85 patients with FEP. Patients were randomized to receive a 4-week course of active(n = 45) or sham rTMS(n = 40). Factor analysis was applied to a cross-sectional dataset of 744 FEP patients who completed negative symptom evaluation and neurocognitive battery tests. Two independent dimensions were generated and used for the K-means cluster analysis to produce sub-clusters. rTMS of 1-Hz was delivered to the right orbitofrontal(OFC) cortex. RESULTS: Two distinct dimensional factors of neurocognitive functions(factor-1) and negative symptoms(factor-2), and three clusters with distinctive features were generated. Significant improvements in factor-1 and factor-2 were observed after 4-weeks of rTMS treatment in both the active and sham rTMS groups. The repeated-measures analysis of variance revealed a significant effect of time×group(F = 5.594, p = 0.021, η2 = 0.073) on factor-2, but no effect of time×group on factor-1. Only improvements in negative symptoms were significantly different between the active and sham rTMS groups(p = 0.028). Patients in cluster-3 characterized by extensive negative symptoms, showed greater improvement in the active rTMS group than in the sham rTMS group. CONCLUSIONS: The 1-Hz right OFC cortex rTMS is more effective in reducing negative symptoms than neurocognitive impairments. It is especially effective in patients with dominantly negative symptoms in FEP.

Huperzine A ameliorates neurological deficits after spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage through endothelial cell pyroptosis inhibition.

Spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is a kind of hemorrhagic stroke which causes neurological deficits in survivors. Huperzine A has a neuroprotective effect, but its role in SAH is unclear. Therefore, we explore the effect of Huperzine A on neurological deficits induced by SAH and the related mechanism. In this study, Evans blue assay, TUNEL staining, immunofluorescence, western blot analysis, and ELISA are conducted. We find that Huperzine A can improve neurological deficits and inhibit the apoptosis of nerve cells in SAH rats. Huperzine A treatment can improve the upregulation of brain water content, damage of blood-brain barrier, fibrinogen and matrix metalloprotein 9 expressions and the downregulation of ZO-1 and occludin expressions induced by SAH. Huperzine A inhibit the expressions of proteins involved in pyroptosis in endothelial cells in SAH rats. The increase in MDA content and decrease in SOD activity in SAH rats can be partly reversed by Huperzine A. The ROS inducer H 2O 2 can induce pyroptosis and inhibit the expressions of ZO-1 and occludin in endothelial cells, which can be blocked by Huperzine A. In addition, the increase in the entry of p65 into the nucleus in endothelial cells can be partly reversed by Huperzine A. Huperzine A may delay the damage of blood-brain barrier in SAH rats by inhibiting oxidative stress-mediated pyroptosis and tight junction protein expression downregulation through the NF-κB pathway. Overall, Huperzine A may have clinical value for treating SAH.

Selection of presale models for innovative products considering channel preferences and valuation differences.

To reduce financial pressure and operational risk, and improve match between supply and demand, an increasing number of enterprises are adopting presales to launch new products. In this context, this paper investigates three presale models for innovative products, namely, the no-presale model, the manufacturer presale model and the retailer presale model. A Hotelling model is used to describe the impact of channel preferences and valuation differences on the two-stage competition between innovative products. Aiming at evaluating the purchase behavior of consumers under three presale modes, a game optimization model is established to analyze the presale decision problem for innovative products under different presale entities. The research shows that: (1) Compared with no-presale, presales can help enterprises obtain more profits. The overall profit of the supply chain is optimal under the retailer presale mode. (2) When the difference in channel preferences is small, the manufacturer obtains the greatest profit by choosing the direct presale model. In contrast, the selection of different presale entities has a significant impact on product sales and supply chain enterprise profits. At this point, the manufacturer should choose the retailer presale model. (3) When the product valuation discount is high, the manufacturer can increase the spot and wholesale prices to induce consumers to choose the presale method to purchase the product. In the opposite situation, the manufacturer should lower the presale price to improve the presale utility of consumers and encourage them to participate in the presale. These conclusions provide more targeted suggestions for enterprises to formulate presale strategies, which can help them grasp market demand and improve market competitiveness.

Correlative relationship between body mass index and heart rate variability in psychiatric disorders.

OBJECTIVE: Indicators of heart rate variability (HRV) have been used to assess the autonomic activity. However, the influence of obesity on HRV in these patients remains to be determined. This study aimed to examine how obesity (measured with the body mass index [BMI]) affects HRV and determine whether the effect varies among different psychiatric disorders. We recruited 3159 consecutive patients, including 1744 with schizophrenia, 966 with mood disorders, and 449 with anxiety disorders. Patients were divided into four groups based on BMI: underweight (< 18.5), normal weight (18.5-23.9), overweight (24-27.9), and obese (≥ 28). The cardiovascular status was assessed using several time- and frequency-based HRV indicators, measured via electrocardiogram signals recorded for 5 min. The mean BMI of the participants was 23.6 ± 4.0. The patients in the overweight and obese groups were 29.4% and 13.6% of the total, respectively. The HRV indicators were higher in underweight and normal-weight patients than in the overweight and obese ones. After stratification based on the psychiatric diagnosis, the patients with mood disorders showed lower HRV than those with schizophrenia or anxiety disorder in the normal-weight group. In contrast, in the overweight and obese groups the patients with mood disorders showed higher HRV than those with the other disorders. The HRV variables were significantly associated with BMI, and higher BMI was associated with higher heart rates and lower HRV. These results indicate that weight gain in psychiatric disorders is associated with an imbalance in autonomic nerve activity. However, the relationship between autonomic activity, weight gain, and psychiatric disorders warrants further investigation.

Influence of Various Heat Treatments on Microstructures and Mechanical Properties of GH4099 Superalloy Produced by Laser Powder Bed Fusion.

The microstructures and mechanical properties of a γ'-strengthened nickel-based superalloy, GH4099, produced by laser powder bed fusion, at room temperature and 900 °C are investigated, followed by three various heat treatments. The as-built (AB) alloy consists of cellular/dendrite substructures within columnar grains aligning in <100> crystal orientation. No γ' phase is observed in the AB sample due to the relatively low content of Al +Ti. Following the standard solid solution treatment, the molten pool boundaries and cellular/dendrite substructures disappear, whilst the columnar grains remain. The transformation of columnar grains to equiaxed grains occurs through the primary solid solution treatment due to the recovery and recrystallization process. After aging at 850 °C for 480 min, the carbides in the three samples distributed at grain boundaries and within grains and the spherical γ' phase whose size is about 43 nm ± 16 nm develop in the standard solid solution + aging and primary solid solution + aging samples (SA and PA samples) while the bimodal size of cubic (181 nm ± 85 nm) and spherical (43 nm ± 16 nm) γ' precipitates is presented in the primary solid solution + secondary solid solution + aging sample (PSA samples). The uniaxial tensile tests are carried out at room temperature (RT) and 900 °C. The AB sample has the best RT ductility (~51% of elongation and ~67% of area reduction). Following the three heat treatments, the samples all acquire excellent RT tensile properties (>750 MPa of yield strengths and >32% of elongations). However, clear ductility dips and intergranular fracture modes occur during the 900 °C tensile tests, which could be related to carbide distribution and a change in the deformation mechanism.

Efficacy of acupuncture as an adjunctive treatment to patients with stable COPD: a multicenter, randomized, sham-controlled trial protocol.

BACKGROUND: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common respiratory disease and the third leading cause of death worldwide. Previous evidence has shown that acupuncture may be an effective complementary alternative therapy for stable COPD. However, large-sample, rigorously designed long-term follow-up studies still need to be completed. Notably, the relationship between the frequency of acupuncture and clinical efficacy in studies on acupuncture for stable COPD still needs further validation. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture for stable COPD and further investigate the dose-effect relationship of acupuncture. METHODS/DESIGN: This is a multicenter, randomized, controlled trial that uses central randomization to randomly allocate 550 participants in a 1:1:1:1:1 ratio to once a week acupuncture group, twice a week acupuncture group, three times a week acupuncture group, sham acupuncture group and waiting-list control group. The sham acupuncture group will receive placebo acupuncture treatments three times per week, and the waiting-list control group will not receive any form of acupuncture intervention. The study consists of a 2-week baseline, 12-week of treatment, and 52-week of follow-up. Patients with COPD between 40 to 80 years old who have received stable Western medication within the previous 3 months and have had at least 1 moderate or severe acute exacerbation within the past 1 year will be included in the study. Basic treatment will remain the same for all participants. The primary outcome is the proportion of responders at week 12. Secondary outcomes include the proportion of responders at week 64, change in the St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) Scale, change in the Modified-Medical Research Council (mMRC) Scale, change in the COPD Assessment Test (CAT) Scale, change in the Lung Function Screening Indicators (LFSI), change in the 6-min walk distance (6-MWD), change in Short-Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36) Scale, the number of moderate and severe acute exacerbations and adverse event rate during the follow-up period. DISCUSSION: This study will provide robust evidence on whether acupuncture is safe and effective for treating stable COPD. Meanwhile, comparing the differences in efficacy between different acupuncture frequencies will further promote the optimization of acupuncture for stable COPD. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2200058757), on April 16, 2022.

Promoting the disassemble and enzymatic saccharification of bamboo shoot shells via efficient hydrated alkaline deep eutectic solvent pretreatment.

Pretreatment is a key process restricting the development of biorefinery. This work developed a pretreatment process based on an ethanolamine/acetamide alkaline deep eutectic solvent (ADES). Under microwave assistance, pure ADES pretreatment at 100 °C for 10 min achieved 95.9 % delignification and 95.2 % hemicellulose removal of bamboo shoot shells (BSS). Further, when 75 % water was added to pure DES to prepare hydrated DES (75 %-HADES), impressive delignification (93.2 %), hemicellulose removal (92.2 %) and cellulose recovery (94.8 %) were still achieved. The cellulose digestibility of the 75 %-HADES pretreated solid residue was significantly increased from 12.2 % (the control) to 91.2 %. Meanwhile, the structural features of hemicellulose and lignin macromolecules fractionated by 75 %-HADES pretreatment were well preserved, offering opportunities for downstream utilization. Overall, this work proposes an effective pretreatment strategy with the potential to enable the utilization of all major components of bamboo shoot shells.