Biodegradation of Di-n-butyl phthalate in rhizosphere and growth-promoting effect of Cucumis sativus Linn. by a novel Pseudomonas sp. DNB-S1.

Plant associated-bacteria can facilitate the host plant in overcoming contaminant-induced stress responses as well as improve plant development and growth. In this study, a successful approach was reported to reduce the Dibutyl phthalate (DBP) levels of polluted soil and, consequently, to improve cucumber growth. DBP suppressed development of cucumber seedings significantly, damage sub-cellular of root, especially the biomembrane system, and affected the microbial community structures of the soil. When DBP was applied at a concentration of 5 mg/kg to cucumber seedlings inoculated with degrading strain DNB-S1, the DBP residue in roots was very low. When the cucumber plants were exposed to DBP stress over 20 and 40 mg/kg DBP, the DBP residues in the roots inoculated with degrading strain DNB-S1 were reduced by 36.5% and 40.42% respectively, compared with the non-inoculation group. Moreover, DBP dissipation in rhizosphere soil is accelerated through inoculation with DNB-S1 which could effectively relieve the pressure of DBP stress on plant. The dry weight of cucumber roots inoculated with DBP-degrading bacterium was higher than that of non-inoculated seedlings. According to ultrastructural micrographs, the DBP-degrading bacteria could considerably alleviate the damaging effect of DBP on cucumber root cell organs. The application of strain DNB-S1 could efficiently alleviated the stress of DBP on the microbial community structure.

Are biodegradable mulch films a sustainable solution to microplastic mulch film pollution? A biogeochemical perspective.

Mulch film residue contributes significantly to global plastic pollution, and consequently biodegradable mulch films (BDMs) are being adopted as a solution. BDMs decompose relatively quickly, but their complete biodegradation requires suitable conditions that are difficult to achieve in nature, causing biodegradable microplastics (bio-MPs) to be more likely to accumulate in soil than traditional microplastics (MPs). If BDMs are to be considered as a sustainable solution, long-term and in-depth studies to investigate the impact of bio-MPs on the biogeochemical processes are vital to agroecosystems operation and ecosystem services supply. Although bio-MP-derived carbon can potentially convert into biomass during decomposition, its contribution to soil carbon stocks is insignificant. Instead, given their biodegradability, bio-MPs can result in greater alterations of soil biodiversity and community composition. Their high carbon-nitrogen ratios may also significantly regulate various processes involved in the natural decomposition and transformation of soil organic matter, including the reduction of nutrient availability and increase in greenhouse gas emissions. Soil ecosystems are complex organic entities interconnected by disturbance-feedback mechanisms. Given the prevailing knowledge gaps regarding the impact of bio-MPs on soil biogeochemical cycles and ecosystem balance, this study emphasized the safety and sustainability assessment of bio-MPs and the prevailing comprehensive challenges.

The mechanism of DEHP degradation by the combined action of biochar and Arthrobacter sp. JQ-1: Mechanisms insight from bacteria viability, degradation efficiency and changes in extracellular environment.

Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) has been widely detected in soil, water, and sediment as a priority control pollutant. Immobilized microorganism technology is gradually mature and applied in production. Biochar prepared from agricultural wastes is an excellent immobilized carrier because of its porous structure and abundant functional groups. Environmental acidification was caused by degrading bacteria Arthrobacter sp. JQ-1 (JQ-1) respiration and acidic metabolites during DEHP degradation, which affected the passage life of microorganisms and the removal efficiency of DEHP. The mechanism of DEHP degradation by the combined action of JQ-1 and corn straw biochar (BC) at 600 °C was investigated, and bacterial viability, microenvironmental changes, and kinetic tests were performed in this research. Compared with biodegradation group alone, the degradation rate of DEHP in 1% biochar unloaded and loaded with JQ-1 increased by 18.3% and 30.9%, and its half-life decreased to 23.90 h and 11.95h, a reduction of 31.37 h. The percentage of detected living JQ-1 increased as biochar content increased when loading capacity was less than 1%. In which, (JQ-1-BC2) group was 4.1% higher than (JQ-1-BC1) group. Biochar has the ability to neutralize acidifying environmental pH due to its alkaline functional groups, including lactone group, -OH, -COO-. 1% biochar loaded with JQ-1 increased the pH of the microenvironment by 0.57 and alkaline phosphatase (AKP) activity by 0.0063 U·mL-1, which promoted the reduction of PA. Study suggested that biochar loaded with JQ-1 could simultaneously adsorb and degrade DEHP during the process of DEHP removal. Biochar could be used as a biological stimulant to increase abundance and metabolism, enhance the utilization of DEHP by JQ-1. Biochar (1% (w/v)) loaded with JQ-1 as DEHP removal material showed good performance. Biochar not only as an immobilized carrier, but also as a biostimulant, providing an effective strategy for the collaborative remediation of PAEs contaminated.

SphK-produced S1P in somatic cells is indispensable for LH-EGFR signaling-induced mouse oocyte maturation.

Germ cell division and differentiation require intimate contact and interaction with the surrounding somatic cells. Luteinizing hormone (LH) triggers epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like growth factors to promote oocyte maturation and developmental competence by activating EGF receptor (EGFR) in somatic cells. Here, we showed that LH-EGFR signaling-activated sphingosine kinases (SphK) in somatic cells. The activation of EGFR by EGF increased S1P and calcium levels in cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs), and decreased the binding affinity of natriuretic peptide receptor 2 (NPR2) for natriuretic peptide type C (NPPC) to release the cGMP-mediated meiotic arrest. These functions of EGF were blocked by the SphK inhibitor SKI-II, which could be reversed by the addition of S1P. S1P also activated the Akt/mTOR cascade reaction in oocytes and promoted targeting protein for Xklp2 (TPX2) accumulation and oocyte developmental competence. Specifically depleting Sphk1/2 in somatic cells reduced S1P levels and impaired oocyte meiotic maturation and developmental competence, resulting in complete female infertility. Collectively, SphK-produced S1P in somatic cells serves as a functional transmitter of LH-EGFR signaling from somatic cells to oocytes: acting on somatic cells to induce oocyte meiotic maturation, and acting on oocytes to improve oocyte developmental competence.

Interference between di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate and heavy metals (Cd and Cu) in a Mollisol during aging and mobilization.

Diffuse pollution of the soil by phthalates and heavy metals causes numerous concerns. Their respective fates when coexisting require further investigation. In this study, di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and Cd/Cu were used as subjects, focusing on their behavior in Mollisols under combined pollution based on their concentration, fractionation, and leaching. The results indicated that when the two pollutants coexist, the dissipation rate of DEHP in the soil decreased, and its half-life was extended from 30.81 to 40.53 (Cd) and 35.40 d (Cu). DEHP altered the distribution of Cd and Cu in the soil, and this effect persisted after most of the DEHP had degraded. Leaching tests showed that the interaction of DEHP with Cd and Cu hindered leaching during the first rainfall event, but as DEHP degraded and Cd/Cu stabilized, the trapped pollutants were gradually released in subsequent rainfall events. Additionally, to investigate the partitioning of pollutants between soil water and solid surfaces, a diffusion model of DEHP and metal ions on the surface of montmorillonite (high specific surface area adsorbents abundant in soils) was built using molecular dynamics simulations. Simulations revealed their density distribution on the clay surface increased synergistically, whereas their diffusion was antagonistic. This study provides basic data and theoretical support concerning the ecological risk assessment of combined phthalate and heavy metals pollution in soil.

Establishment and validation of an RNA binding protein-associated prognostic model for ovarian cancer.

BACKGROUND: Ovarian cancer (OC) is one of the most common gynecological malignant tumors worldwide, with high mortality and a poor prognosis. As the early symptoms of malignant ovarian tumors are not obvious, the cause of the disease is still unclear, and the patients' postoperative quality of life of decreases. Therefore, early diagnosis is a problem requiring an urgent solution. METHODS: We obtained the gene expression profiles of ovarian cancer and normal samples from TCGA and GTEx databases for differential expression analysis. From existing literature reports, we acquired the RNA-binding protein (RBP) list for the human species. Utilizing the online tool Starbase, we analyzed the interaction relationship between RBPs and their target genes and selected the modules of RBP target genes through Cytoscape. Finally, univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were used to determine the prognostic RBP signature. RESULTS: We obtained 527 differentially expressed RBPs, which were involved in many important cellular events, such as RNA splicing, the cell cycle, and so on. We predicted several target genes of RBPs, constructed the interaction network of RBPs and their target genes, and obtained many modules from the Cytoscape analysis. Functional enrichment of RBP target genes also includes these important biological processes. Through Cox regression analysis, OC prognostic RBPs were identified and a 10-RBP model constructed. Further analysis showed that the model has high accuracy and sensitivity in predicting the 3/5-year survival rate. CONCLUSIONS: Our study identified differentially expressed RBPs and their target genes in OC, and the results promote our understanding of the molecular mechanism of ovarian cancer. The current study could develop novel biomarkers for the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of OC and provide new ideas and prospects for future clinical research.

Rapidly degradation of di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate by Z-scheme Bi2O3/TiO2@reduced graphene oxide driven by simulated solar radiation.

Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is a priority environmental pollutant with carcinogenic, teratogenic, and mutagenic toxicity. Because it is widely used and ubiquitous in water, it is urgent to use a non-toxic, fast, and non-temperature dependent photocatalyst for degradation. Herein, a Z-scheme heterojunction composite catalyst consisting of Bi2O3 and TiO2 with reduced graphene oxide (rGO) as a two-dimensional template was designed and characterized. Under simulated solar radiation, the catalyst doped with 4% rGO presented the best photocatalytic DEHP (10 mg L-1) degradation at pH = 6, reaching 89% conversion in 90 min, and the degradation rate was 2.05 times higher than unmodified materials. The successful preparation of the Z-scheme junction enhanced the utilization of visible light region, thereby improving the DEHP's photocatalytic degradation performance. Subsequently, density functional theory (DFT) combined with GC-MS metabolite detection to propose a complete DEHP photocatalytic degradation mechanism. ·O2- and ·OH were detected as the primary reactive oxygen radicals involved in DEHP degradation, which easily attacked the O11 site with a high Fukui index (f0) through de-esterification, ß-oxidation, and hydroxylation. While satisfying the rapid degradation, the highly repeatable catalyst cleaved the aromatic ring so that DEHP achieved mineralization during the degradation process. Therefore, its ability to completely degrade was very promising for environmental remediation, especially in water treatment. Besides, there were only a few studies on the degradation mechanism and reaction pathway of DEHP under visible light, which provided a theoretical basis for the aromatic compounds' photocatalysis research.

Facilitating effect of heavy metals on di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate adsorption in soil: New evidence from adsorption experiment data and quantum chemical simulation.

In terms of researching and treating farmland pollution, interactions between organic and inorganic pollutants are very important aspects. Herein, the effects of heavy metals on di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) adsorption in soil were investigated. The presence of Cd2+/Cu2+ increased the adsorption capacity of DEHP (>23%) in a nonlinear manner. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy revealed that the stretching vibration of soil functional groups changed under different pollution combinations, while quantum chemical simulation, including an independent gradient model and localized orbital locator, proved that outer-orbital complexes could be formed by electrostatic interaction between Cd2+/Cu2+ and DEHP. The electron transfer process was analyzed by charge decomposition analyses, and these, combined with bond critical point analyses, revealed that metal ions reduced DEHP stability. The binding energy and binding free energy of different combinations were calculated and analyzed, using the key soil organic matter (SOM) information obtained through pyrolysis gas chromatography mass spectrometry. This effectively explained the adsorption behavior, and showed that SOM polar functional groups played an important role in the effect of heavy metals on DEHP adsorption. The study described here has provided a new basis for understanding the multiple interactions, accumulation, and transformation of pollutants in the soil.

[Bioinformatics analysis of expression and function of EXD3 gene in gastric cancer].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the differentially expressed genes between gastric cancer and normal gastric mucosa by bioinformatics analysis, identify the important gene participating in the occurrence and progression of gastric cancer, and predict the functions of these genes. METHODS: The gene expression microarray data GSE100935 (including 18 gastric cancer samples and normal gastric mucosal tissues) downloaded from the GEO expression profile database were analyzed using Morpheus to obtain the differentially expressed genes in gastric cancer, and a cluster analysis heat map was constructed. The online database UALCAN was used to obtain the expression levels of these differentially expressed genes in gastric cancer and normal gastric mucosa. The prognostic value of the differentially expressed genes in gastric cancer was evaluated with Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. GO functional enrichment analysis was performed using Fun-Rich software, and the STRING database was exploited to establish a PPI network for the differentially expressed genes. RESULTS: A total of 45119 differentially expressed genes were identified from GSE100935 microarray data. Analysis with UALCAN showed an obvious high expression of EXD3 gene in gastric cancer, and survival analysis suggested that a high expression level of EXD3 was associated with a poorer prognosis of the patients with gastric cancer. GO functional enrichment analysis found that the differentially expressed genes in gastric cancer were involved mainly in the regulation of nucleotide metabolism and the activity of transcription factors in the cancer cells. CONCLUSIONS: EXD3 may be a potential oncogene in gastric cancer possibly in relation to DNA damage repair. The up-regulation of EXD3 plays an important role in the development and prognosis of gastric cancer, and may serve as an important indicator for prognostic evaluation of the patients.

Downregulation of Long Non-coding RNA FALEC Inhibits Gastric Cancer Cell Migration and Invasion Through Impairing ECM1 Expression by Exerting Its Enhancer-Like Function.

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been shown to play important roles in many human diseases. However, their functions and mechanisms in tumorigenesis and development remain largely unknown. Here, we demonstrated that focally amplified lncRNA in epithelial cancer (FALEC) was upregulated and significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis, TNM stage in gastric cancer (GC). Further experiments revealed that FALEC knockdown significantly inhibited GC cells migration and invasion in vitro. Mechanistic investigations demonstrated that small interfering RNA-induced silencing of FALEC decreased expression of the nearby gene extracellular matrix protein 1 (ECM1) in cis. Additionally, ECM1 and FALEC expression were positively correlated, and high levels of ECM1 predicted shorter survival time in GC patients. Our results suggest that the downregulation of FALEC significantly inhibited the migration and invasion of GC cells through impairing ECM1 expression by exerting an enhancer-like function. Our work provides valuable information and a novel promising target for developing new therapeutic strategies in GC.

Synthesis, spectral, and thermal characterizations of Ni(II) and Cu(II) beta-diketone complexes with thenoyltrifluoroacetone ligand.

Two kinds of nickel(II) and copper(II) beta-diketone complexes derived from thenoyltrifluoroacetone ligand with blue-violet light absorption were synthesized by reacting free ligand and different metal(II) ions in sodium methoxide solution. Their structures were postulated based on elemental analysis, ESI-MS, FT-IR spectra and UV-vis electronic absorption spectra. Smooth films on K9 glass substrates were prepared using the spin-coating method. Their solubility in organic solvents, absorption properties of thin film and thermal stability of these complexes were evaluated.

Spectroscopic and thermal properties of short wavelength metal (II) complexes containing alpha-isoxazolylazo-beta-diketones as co-ligands.

Two new azo dyes of alpha-isoxazolylazo-beta-diketones and their Ni(II) and Cu(II) complexes with blue-violet light wavelength were synthesized using a coupling component, different diazo components and metal (II) ions (Ni2+ and Cu2+). Based on the elemental analysis, MS spectra and FT-IR spectral analyses, azo dyes were unequivocally shown to exist as hydrazoketo and azoenol forms which were respectively obtained from the solution forms and from the solid forms. The action of sodium methoxide (NaOMe) on azo dyes in solutions converts hydrazoketo form into azoenol form, so azo dyes are coordinated with metal (II) ions as co-ligands in the azoenol forms. The solubility of all the compounds in common organic solvents such as 2,2,3,3-tetrafluoro-1-propanol (TFP) or chloroform (CHCl3) and absorption properties of spin-coating thin films were measured. The difference of absorption maxima from the complexes to their ligands was discussed. In addition, the TG analysis of the complexes was also determined, and their thermal stability was evaluated. It is found that these new metal (II) complexes had potential application for high-density digital versatile disc-recordable (HD-DVD-R) system due to their good solubility in organic solvents, reasonable and controllable absorption spectra in blue-violet light region and high thermal stability.

[Spectroscopy of alpha-isoxazoleazoxyl-beta-diketone derivatives and their tautomers].

In this paper, the IR and UV-Vis spectroscopy of five novel alpha-isoxazoleazoxyl-beta-diketone derivatives with different structures have been studied, and their keto-enol and azo-hydrazone tautomeric phenomena have been discussed. It was found that all compounds, which are in the solid or in the solution, exist in the form of hydrazodiketo and azoenol isomers. The authors can also see that there are two absorption bands which are in the range 246-262 nm and 326-339 nm, respectively, for all compounds in the UV spectra, and the intensities of long wavelength absorption bands which are attributed to azoenol forms are stronger than short wavelength absorption bands which are attributed to hydrazodiketo forms. This shows that the quantities of azoenol forms in the compounds are more than hydrazodiketo forms, and it may be due to that the varieties of the azoenol isomers can easily form six-membered rings structure in the form of intramolecular hydrogen bonding, and make chemical structures more stable.

Electrochemiluminescent behavior of melatonin and its important derivatives in the presence of Ru(bpy)(3)(2+).

Melatonin and some of its important derivatives were found to be able to enhance the ECL of Ru(bpy)(3)(2+) in an alkaline Britton-Robinson buffer solution. The optimum conditions for the enhanced ECL, such as the selection of applied potential mode, type of buffer solution, pH effect and effect of Ru(bpy)(3)(2+) concentration have been investigated in detail in this paper. Under the optimum conditions, the enhanced ECL is linear with the concentration of melatonin and its derivatives over the wide range, and the detection limit for these compounds was found to be in the range of 5.0x10(-8) to 1.0x10(-10)molL(-1). The proposed procedure was applied for the determination of drug in tablets with recoveries of 85-93%. A possible mechanism for the enhanced ECL of Ru(bpy)(3)(2+) by melatonin and its derivatives was proposed, and the relationship between molecular structure of melatonin and its derivatives and the enhanced ECL behavior was also discussed.