Objective Quantification Technique and Widely Targeted Metabolomics-Based Analysis of the Effects of Different Saccharidation Processes on Preserved French Plums.

Vacuum saccharification significantly affected the flavor and color of preserved French plums. However, the correlation between color, flavor, and metabolites remains unclear. Metabolites contribute significantly to enhancing the taste and overall quality of preserved French plums. This study aimed to investigate the distinctive metabolites in samples from various stages of the processing of preserved French plums. The PCF4 exhibited the highest appearance, overall taste, and chroma. Furthermore, utilizing UPLC and ESI-Q TRAP-MS/MS, a comprehensive examination of the metabolome in the processing of preserved French plums was conducted. A total of 1776 metabolites were analyzed. Using WGCNA, we explored metabolites associated with sensory features through 10 modules. Based on this, building the correlation of modules and objective quantification metrics yielded three key modules. After screening for 151 differentiated metabolites, amino acids, and their derivatives, phenolic acids, flavonoids, organic acids, and other groups were identified as key differentiators. The response of differential metabolites to stress influenced the taste and color properties of preserved prunes. Based on these analyses, six important metabolic pathways were identified. This study identified changes in the sensory properties of sugar-stained preserved prunes and their association with metabolite composition, providing a scientific basis for future work to improve the quality of prune processing.

The climate changes promoted the chloroplast genomic evolution of Dendrobium orchids among multiple photosynthetic pathways.

Dendrobium orchids have multiple photosynthetic pathways, which can be used as a model system for studying the evolution of crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM). In this study, based on the results of the net photosynthetic rates (Pn), we classified Dendrobium species into three photosynthetic pathways, then employed and compared their chloroplast genomes. The Dendrobium chloroplast genomes have typical quartile structures, ranging from 150,841-153,038 bp. The apparent differences in GC content, sequence variability, and IR junctions of SSC/IRB junctions (JSBs) were measured within chloroplast genomes among different photosynthetic pathways. The phylogenetic analysis has revealed multiple independent CAM origins among the selected Dendrobium species. After counting insertions and deletions (InDels), we found that the occurrence rates and distribution densities among different photosynthetic pathways were inconsistent. Moreover, the evolution patterns of chloroplast genes in Dendrobium among three photosynthetic pathways were also diversified. Considering the diversified genome structure variations and the evolution patterns of protein-coding genes among Dendrobium species, we proposed that the evolution of the chloroplast genomes was disproportional among different photosynthetic pathways. Furthermore, climatic correlation revealed that temperature and precipitation have influenced the distribution among different photosynthetic pathways and promoted the foundation of CAM pathway in Dendrobium orchids. Based on our study, we provided not only new insights into the CAM evolution of Dendrobium but also provided beneficial genetic data resources for the further systematical study of Dendrobium.

Mitochondrial genome comparison and phylogenetic analysis of Dendrobium (Orchidaceae) based on whole mitogenomes.

BACKGROUND: Mitochondrial genomes are essential for deciphering the unique evolutionary history of seed plants. However, the rules of their extreme variation in genomic size, multi-chromosomal structure, and foreign sequences remain unresolved in most plant lineages, which further hindered the application of mitogenomes in phylogenetic analyses. RESULTS: Here, we took Dendrobium (Orchidaceae) which shows the great divergence of morphology and difficulty in species taxonomy as the study focus. We first de novo assembled two complete mitogenomes of Dendrobium wilsonii and Dendrobium henanense that were 763,005 bp and 807,551 bp long with multichromosomal structures. To understand the evolution of Dendrobium mitogenomes, we compared them with those of four other orchid species. The results showed great variations of repetitive and chloroplast-derived sequences in Dendrobium mitogenomes. Moreover, the intergenic content of Dendrobium mitogenomes has undergone expansion during evolution. We also newly sequenced mitogenomes of 26 Dendrobium species and reconstructed phylogenetic relationships of Dendrobium based on genomic mitochondrial and plastid data. The results indicated that the existence of chloroplast-derived sequences made the mitochondrial phylogeny display partial characteristics of the plastid phylogeny. Additionally, the mitochondrial phylogeny provided new insights into the phylogenetic relationships of Dendrobium species. CONCLUSIONS: Our study revealed the evolution of Dendrobium mitogenomes and the potential of mitogenomes in deciphering phylogenetic relationships at low taxonomic levels.

Specific detection of Phytophthora parasitica by recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) assays based on a unique multi-copy genomic sequence.

Phytophthora parasitica is a highly destructive oomycete plant pathogen that is capable of infecting a wide range of hosts including many agricultural cash crops, fruit trees, and ornamental garden plants. One of the most important diseases caused by P. parasitica worldwide is black shank of tobacco. Rapid, sensitive, and specific pathogen detection is crucial for early rapid diagnosis which can facilitate effective disease management. In this study, we used a genomics approach to identify repeated sequences in the genome of P. parasitica by genome sequence alignment, and identified a 203 bp P. parasitica-specific sequence, PpM34, that is present in 31-60 copies in the genome. The P. parasitica genome-specificity of PpM34 was supported by PCR amplification of 24 genetically diverse strains of P. parasitica, 32 strains representing twelve other Phytophthora species, one Pythium specie, six fungal species and three bacterial species, all of which are plant pathogens. Our PCR and real-time PCR assays showed that the PpM34 sequence was highly sensitive in specifically detecting P. parasitica. Finally, we developed a PpM34-based high-efficiency Recombinase Polymerase Amplification (RPA) assay, which allowed us to specifically detect as little as 1 pg of P. parasitica total DNA from both pure cultures and infected Nicotiana benthamiana at 39°C using a fluorometric thermal cycler. The sensitivity, specificity, convenience and rapidity of this assay represents a major improvement for early diagnosis of P. parasitica infection.

Effects of geographic isolation on the Bulbophyllum chloroplast genomes.

BACKGROUND: Because chloroplast (cp) genome has more conserved structures than nuclear genome and mitochondrial genome, it is a useful tool in estimating the phylogenetic relationships of plants. With a series of researches for cp genomes, there have been comprehensive understandings about the cp genome features. The genus Bulbophyllum widely distributed in Asia, South America, Australia and other places. Therefore, it is an excellent type genus for studying the effects of geographic isolation. RESULTS: In this study, the cp genomes of nine Bulbophyllum orchids were newly sequenced and assembled using the next-generation sequencing technology. Based on 19 Asian (AN) and eight South American (SA) Bulbophyllum orchids, the cp genome features of AN clade and SA clade were compared. Comparative analysis showed that there were considerable differences in overall cp genome features between two clades in three aspects, including basic cp genome features, SSC/IRB junctions (JSBs) and mutational hotspots. The phylogenetic analysis and divergence time estimation results showed that the AN clade has diverged from the SA clade in the late Oligocene (21.50-30.12 mya). After estimating the occurrence rates of the insertions and deletions (InDels), we found that the change trends of cp genome structures between two clades were different under geographic isolation. Finally, we compared selective pressures on cp genes and found that long-term geographic isolation made AN and SA Bulbophyllum cp genes evolved variably. CONCLUSION: The results revealed that the overall structural characteristics of Bulbophyllum cp genomes diverged during the long-term geographic isolation, and the crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) pathway may play an important role in the Bulbophyllum species evolution.

Evolution patterns of NBS genes in the genus Dendrobium and NBS-LRR gene expression in D. officinale by salicylic acid treatment.

BACKGROUND: Dendrobium officinale Kimura et Migo, which contains rich polysaccharides, flavonoids and alkaloids, is a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) with important economic benefits, while various pathogens have brought huge losses to its industrialization. NBS gene family is the largest class of plant disease resistance (R) genes, proteins of which are widely distributed in the upstream and downstream of the plant immune systems and are responsible for receiving infection signals and regulating gene expression respectively. It is of great significance for the subsequent disease resistance breeding of D. officinale to identify NBS genes by using the newly published high-quality chromosome-level D. officinale genome. RESULTS: In this study, a total of 655 NBS genes were uncovered from the genomes of D. officinale, D. nobile, D. chrysotoxum, V. planifolia, A. shenzhenica, P. equestris and A. thaliana. The phylogenetic results of CNL-type protein sequences showed that orchid NBS-LRR genes have significantly degenerated on branches a and b. The Dendrobium NBS gene homology analysis showed that the Dendrobium NBS genes have two obvious characteristics: type changing and NB-ARC domain degeneration. Because the NBS-LRR genes have both NB-ARC and LRR domains, 22 D. officinale NBS-LRR genes were used for subsequent analyses, such as gene structures, conserved motifs, cis-elements and functional annotation analyses. All these results suggested that D. officinale NBS-LRR genes take part in the ETI system, plant hormone signal transduction pathway and Ras signaling pathway. Finally, there were 1,677 DEGs identified from the salicylic acid (SA) treatment transcriptome data of D. officinale. Among them, six NBS-LRR genes (Dof013264, Dof020566, Dof019188, Dof019191, Dof020138 and Dof020707) were significantly up-regulated. However, only Dof020138 was closely related to other pathways from the results of WGCNA, such as pathogen identification pathways, MAPK signaling pathways, plant hormone signal transduction pathways, biosynthetic pathways and energy metabolism pathways. CONCLUSION: Our results revealed that the NBS gene degenerations are common in the genus Dendrobium, which is the main reason for the diversity of NBS genes, and the NBS-LRR genes generally take part in D. officinale ETI system and signal transduction pathways. In addition, the D. officinale NBS-LRR gene Dof020138, which may have an important breeding value, is indirectly activated by SA in the ETI system.

Identification and profiling of Sogatella furcifera microRNAs and their potential roles in regulating the developmental transitions of nymph-adult.

Sogatella furcifera is one of the most serious insect pests that affect rice in Asia. One class of small RNAs (sRNAs; ~22 nt long) is miRNAs, which participate in various biological processes by regulating the expression of target genes in a spatiotemporal manner. However, the role of miRNAs in nymph-to-adult transition in S. furcifera remains unknown. In this study, we sequenced sRNA libraries of S. furcifera prepared from individuals at three different developmental stages (pre-moult, moulting and early adult). A total of 253 miRNAs (134 known and 119 novel) were identified, of which 12 were differentially expressed during the nymph-to-adult developmental transition. Moreover, Real time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) analysis revealed that all 12 miRNAs were differentially expressed among five different nymph tissues and 14 different developmental stages (first to fifth instar nymphs and 1-day-old adults). Injection of miR-2a-2 mimic/antagomir and miR-305-5p-1 mimic/antagomir into 1-day-old fifth instar nymphs significantly increased the mortality rate. In addition, a defective moulting phenotype was observed in nymphs injected with miR-2a-2 and miR-305-5p-1, suggesting that these miRNAs are involved in S. furcifera nymph-adult transition. In conclusion, these results reveal the function of critical miRNAs in S. furcifera nymph-adult transition, and also provide novel potential targets of insecticides for the long-term sustainable management of S. furcifera.

Construction of a novel cuproptosis-related gene signature for predicting prognosis and estimating tumor immune microenvironment status in papillary thyroid carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Cuproptosis, a new form of programmed cell death, has been recently reported to be closely related to tumor progression. However, the significance of cuproptosis-related genes (CRGs) in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is still unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the role of the CRG signature in prognosis prediction and immunotherapeutic effect estimation in patients with PTC. METHODS: RNA-seq data and the corresponding clinical information of patients with PTC were obtained from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases. Comprehensive analyses, namely, consensus clustering, immune analyses, functional enrichment, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator-multivariate Cox regression, and nomogram analysis, were performed to identify new molecular subgroups, determine the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) status of the identified subgroups, and construct a clinical model. Independent verification cohort data and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was performed to validate the expression of specific prognosis-related and differentially expressed CRGs (P-DECRGs). RESULTS: In the TCGA database, 476 patients with PTC who had complete clinical and follow-up information were included. Among 135 CRGs, 21 were identified as P-DECRGs. Two molecular subgroups with significantly different disease-free survival and TIME statuses were identified based on these 21 P-DECRGs. The differentially expressed genes between the two subgroups were mainly associated with immune regulation. The risk model and nomogram were constructed based on four specific P-DECRGs and validated as accurate prognostic predictions and TIME status estimation for PTC by TCGA and GEO verification cohorts. Finally, the qPCR results of 20 PTC and paracancerous thyroid tissues validated those in the TCGA database. CONCLUSIONS: Four specific P-DECRGs in PTC were identified, and a clinical model based on them was established, which may be helpful for individualized immunotherapeutic strategies and prognostic prediction in patients with PTC.

Silencing of Decapentaplegic (Dpp) gene inhibited the wing expansion in the white-backed planthopper, Sogatella furcifera (Horváth) (Hemiptera: Delphacidae).

The Decapentaplegic gene controls wing patterning and spreading by regulating downstream genes in many insect species. However, the molecular characteristics, expression, and biological function of Dpp in Sogatella furcifera remain poorly understood. In this study, we cloned the Dpp gene from S. furcifera and examined its expression levels in different development stages, wing typed adults, and tissues. Then, the function of SfDpp gene was analyzed using an RNA interference (RNAi)-based approach. The results showed that the full-length complementary DNA  of the SfDpp gene consists of 1034 bp and contains a 954-bp open reading frame encoding 317 amino acids. SfDpp has a transforming growth factor-ß (TGF-ß) propeptide superfamily domain and a TGF-ß superfamily domain, typical of members of the TGF-ß superfamily. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction showed that the expression of SfDpp reached its highest expression level 40 min after eclosion. RNAi-based gene silencing inhibited transcript levels of the corresponding messenger RNA in S. furcifera nymphs injected with double-stranded RNA of SfDpp and resulted in death of 29.17% and 26.67% of 4th and 5th instar nymphs, respectively. The wing deformity rate of the adults was 74.12% and 3.41% after SfDpp gene silencing in 4th and 5th instar nymphs, respectively. Examining wing development-associated genes showed that two target genes of Dpp (Vestigial and Spalt) were both dramatically downregulated after SfDpp was silenced. Our results demonstrate that downregulated SfDpp in early development causes wing expansion failure in S. furcifera. Thus, Dpp may be a target gene for restricting the migration of rice-damaging planthoppers.

Ultrasound-enhanced catalytic degradation of simulated dye wastewater using waste printed circuit boards: catalytic performance and artificial neuron network-based simulation.

Recent developments of heterogeneous advanced oxidation for refractory organic contaminants and catalysts made of solid waste have attracted much attention. In this work, waste printed circuit board (wPCB) was used for catalytic degradation of simulated textile wastewater enhanced by ultrasound. Catalytic degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) and methylene blue (MB) was conducted in the presence of H2O2. Effect of ultrasound, wPCB, H2O2, pH, and dye concentration was investigated by single factor experiments. The growing catalytic efficiency was determined by ultrasound. The removal efficiency of MB and RhB are influenced by wPCB, H2O2, pH, and dye concentration. Degradation efficiency is accelerated with increasing wPCB dosage and H2O2 and decreasing dye concentration. Effective degradation of MB and RhB is obtained under broader pH region, attractively at neutral pH. Under optimal conditions, MB removal reaches 98.83% at 90 min while RhB removal reaches 99.57% at 80 min. Hydroxyl radicals play an important role in catalytic process. Tentative mechanism for catalytic degradation of MB and RhB are discussed based on multiple characterizations. Superior reusability of wPCB proves that wPCB is highly durable catalyst. Due to low cost and high efficiency, wPCB is attractive as effective catalyst for treatment of organic wastewater. Artificial neuron network-based (ANN) simulation, as a widely used artificial intelligence algorithm, was one of preferred methods for the wastewater treatment due to its unique properties in solving complex processes. An ANN model was designed for the prediction of the performance of ultrasound-enhanced catalytic degradation with a high R value (0.99).

Dysregulation of ferroptosis may involve in the development of non-small-cell lung cancer in Xuanwei area.

The Xuanwei area of Yunnan Province, China, is one of the regions suffering from the highest occurrence and mortality rate of lung cancer in the world. Local residents tend to use bituminous coal as domestic fuel, which causes serious indoor air pollution and is established as the main carcinogen. After the local government carried out furnace and stove reform work, lung cancer rate including incidence and mortality among residents remains high. We herein wonder if there are specific mechanisms at protein level for the development of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in this area. We investigated the changes of protein profiling in tumour of the patients from Xuanwei area. Tandem mass tag (TMT) was employed to screen the differential proteins between carcinoma and para-carcinoma tissues. We identified a total of 422 differentially expressed proteins, among which 162 proteins were significantly up-regulated and 260 were downregulated compared to para-carcinoma tissues. Many of the differentially expressed proteins were related to extracellular matrix (ECM)-receptor interaction, focal adhesion, PI3K/AKT pathway and ferroptosis. Further experiments on the two differential proteins, thioredoxin 2 (TXN2) and haptoglobin (HP), showed that the change of their expressions could make the lung cancer cell lines more resistant to erastin or RSL-induced ferroptosis in vitro, and promote the growth of tumour in nude mice. In conclusion, this study revealed that aberrant regulation of ferroptosis may involve in the development of lung cancer in Xuanwei area.

Gene polymorphisms of SFTPB rs7316, rs9752 and PAOX rs1046175 affect the diagnostic value of plasma Pro-SFTPB and DAS in Chinese Han non-small-cell lung cancer patients.

Plasma pro-surfactant protein B (pro-SFTPB) and N1,N12-diacetylspermine (DAS) can be used as markers for the diagnosis of non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). Whether the genetic diversity affects the application value of Pro-SFTPB and DAS as a diagnostic marker for NSCLC is still unknown. This study aims to explore the relationship between SFTPB rs7316, rs9752 and PAOX rs1046175 gene polymorphisms and the diagnostic value of plasma Pro-SFTPB and DAS in patients with Chinese Han lung cancer. SFTPB rs7316, rs9752 and PAOX rs1046175 genotypes were analyzed by direct sequencing in 425 patients with NSCLC and 425 controls, and the levels of Pro-SFTPB and DAS in plasma were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The area under the curve (AUC) of the SFTPB rs7316 locus TT genotype for the diagnosis of NSCLC was 0.758, and the AUC of the TC/CC genotype for the diagnosis of NSCLC was 0.872. The AUC of the SFTPB rs9752 locus GG genotype for the diagnosis of NSCLC was 0.935, and the AUC of the GC/CC genotype for the diagnosis of NSCLC was 0.648. The AUC of the PAOX rs1046175 locus GG for the diagnosis of NSCLC was 0.669, and the AUC of the GC/CC genotype for the diagnosis of NSCLC was 0.749. In conclusion, SFTPB rs7316, rs9752, and PAOX rs1046175 gene polymorphisms affect the diagnostic value of plasma Pro-SFTPB and DAS in patients with Chinese Han NSCLC.

Down-regulating IL-6/GP130 targets improved the anti-tumor effects of 5-fluorouracil in colon cancer.

Recent studies have confirmed that IL-6/GP130 targets are closely associated with tumor growth, metastasis and drug resistance. 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) is the most common chemotherapeutic agent for colon cancer but is limited due to chemoresistance and high cytotoxicity. Bazedoxifene (BZA), a third-generation selective estrogen receptor modulator, was discovered by multiple ligand simultaneous docking and drug repositioning approaches to have a novel function as an IL-6/GP130 target inhibitor. Thus, we speculated that in colon cancer, the anti-tumor efficacy of 5-FU might be increased in combination with IL-6/GP130 inhibitors. CCK8 assay and colony formation assay were used to detect the cell proliferation and colony formation. We measured the IC50 value of 5-FU alone and in combination with BZA by cell viability inhibition. Cell migration and invasion ability were tested by scratch migration assays and transwell invasion assays. Flow cytometric analysis for cell apoptosis and cell cycle. Quantitative real-time PCR was used to detect Bad, Bcl-2 and Ki-67 mRNA expression and western blotting (WB) assay analyzed protein expression of Bad/Bcl-2 signaling pathway. Further mechanism study, WB analysis detected the key proteins level in IL-6/GP130 targets and JAK/STAT3, Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK, and PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. A colon cancer xenograft model was used to further confirm the efficacy of 5-FU and BZA in vivo. The GP130, P-STAT3, P-AKT, and P-ERK expression levels were detected by immunohistochemistry in the xenograft tumor. BZA markedly potentiates the anti-tumor function of 5-FU in vitro and in vivo. Conversely, 5-FU activation is reduced following exogenous IL-6 treatment in cells. Further mechanistic studies determined that BZA treatment enhanced 5-FU anti-tumor activation by inhibiting the IL-6/GP130 signaling pathway and the phosphorylation status of the downstream effectors AKT, ERK and STAT3. In contrast, IL-6 can attenuate 5-FU function via activating IL-6R/GP130 signaling and the P-AKT, P-ERK and P-STAT3 levels. This study firstly verifies that targeting IL-6/GP130 signaling can increase the anti-tumor function of 5-FU; in addition, this strategy can sensitize cancer cell drug sensitivity, implying that blocking IL-6/GP130 targets can reverse chemoresistance. Therefore, combining 5-FU and IL-6/GP130 target inhibitors may be a promising approach for cancer treatment.

Survival and prognostic analysis of preoperative inflammatory markers in patients undergoing surgical resection for laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: To estimate the prognostic value of inflammatory markers in patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC). METHODS: A total of 361 resected LSCC patients were included. The preoperative and postoperative neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and l actate dehydrogenase (LDH) were assessed. The Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox regression analysis were conducted on overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). RESULTS: Both Kaplan-Meier analysis and univariate analysis demonstrated significant prognostic value of preoperative and postoperative NLR, PLR and MLR. However, only preoperative ALP was predictive of OS and PFS, and LDH failed to be predictor of OS and PFS. The multivariate analysis showed that preoperative NLR (OS: HR = 1.64, 95%CI: 1.06-2.54, p = 0.026; PFS: HR = 1.52, 95%CI: 1.04-2.23, p = 0.029) and postoperative MLR (OS: HR = 2.02, 95%CI: 1.29-3.14, p = 0.002; PFS: HR = 1.57, 95%CI: 1.05-2.34, p = 0.026) were independently related with survival. CONCLUSIONS: The elevated preoperative NLR, PLR, MLR and ALP were significantly associated with worse survival and cancer progression. The preoperative NLR and postoperative MLR might be independent prognostic markers of OS and PFS in LSCC patients undergoing surgical resection.

[Research and Design of an Experimental Apparatus Based on the "Open Fireplace" in Xuanwei District].

Xuanwei district in Yunnan Province of China has pretty high incidence of lung cancer in China, even a- round the world. Studies have shown that there exists a close relationship between lung cancer and local indoor air pollution caused by Bituminous coal. Considering that the indoor air pollution in Xuanwei District is caused by "open fireplace", an indoor air pollution simulation system was designed, and an F344 rats lung damage model was estab- lished for this indoor air pollution fireplace. The model is based on indoor air pollution simulation system with signal multiplexer control and multi-channel acquisition, and mining PID algorithm was used for polynomial fitting to each test point, and a relatively constant PM2. 5 air pollution status was simulated. The results showed that the system could simulate a variety of states of air pollution, provide a new test method for evaluation of human injury caused by indoor air pollution and a new idea for the study of the incidence of lung cancer in Xuanwei district and other places.

Hydrothermal treatment of alkaline red mud and sewage sludge: formation of a soil-like matrix.

Increasing attention has been focused on the comprehensive utilisation of alkaline red mud (RM) derived from the aluminium industry. Phytoremediation serves as an effective strategy, but it is limited by the drawbacks of red mud. This study proposed 'co-hydrothermally treating red mud and sewage sludge (SS)' for producing a soil-like matrix, and explored the impacts of SS addition on the characteristics of hydrothermal solid and liquid products of RM. The results showed that the introduction of SS could improve the characteristics of hydrothermal products, including pH, the particle aggregation, and organic components. During hydrothermal treatment, the acid components released from SS could neutralise the alkalinity of RM, reducing the pH of hydrothermal product from 10.1 (without SS) to and 8.2 (80% SS), respectively. With the increase of addition ratio of SS, the main range of particle size distribution in hydrothermal solid products changed from 0.1∼1 µm to 10∼100 µm, suggesting the positive role of SS in improving the particle aggregation. XRD analysis showed that the addition of SS hindered the mineral crystallization of RM during hydrothermal treatment, while FTIR and XPS analysis confirmed that SS could serve as a 'supply source' of organic components, which created favourable conditions for hydrothermal solid products as soil-like matrix. The addition ratio of SS presented the negative correlation with the pH value and positive relative with chemical oxygen demand of hydrothermal liquid products. The hydrothermal liquid product modified by SS was beneficial to further improve soil-like matrix. The strategy of co-hydrothermal treating RM and SS to produce the soil-like matrix could massively consume solid wastes, which is a prospective approach to deal with the trouble of the aluminium industry and sewage treatment plants.

CO2 emission prediction based on carbon verification data of 17 thermal power enterprises in Gansu Province.

The energy and power industry is an important field for CO2 emission reduction. The CO2 emitted by thermal power enterprises is a major cause of global climate change, and also a key challenge for China to achieve the goals of "carbon peaking and carbon neutrality." Therefore, it is essential to scientifically and accurately predict the CO2 emissions of key thermal power enterprises in the region. This will guide carbon reduction strategies and policy recommendations for leaders, and also provide a valuable reference for similar regions globally. This study utilizes the factor analysis method to extract the common factors influencing CO2 emissions based on the carbon verification data of 17 thermal power enterprises in Gansu Province. Additionally, the DISO (distance between indices of simulation and observation) index is employed to comprehensively evaluate three prediction models, namely multiple linear regression, support vector regression, and GA-BP neural network. Ultimately, this study provides a reasonable prediction of CO2 emissions for the aforementioned enterprises in Gansu Province. The results show that the three common factors obtained by factor analysis, namely energy consumption and output factor, energy quality factor, and energy efficiency factor, can effectively predict the CO2 emissions from thermal power enterprises. In the three prediction models, GA-BP neural network has the best overall performance with DISO value of 0.95, RMSE value of 11848.236, and MAE value of 7880.543. Over the period 2022-2030, CO2 emissions from 17 thermal power enterprises in Gansu Province are predicted to increase. Under the low-carbon, scenario baseline, and high-carbon scenarios, the CO2 emissions will reach 71.58 Mt, 79.25 Mt, and 87.97 Mt, respectively, by 2030.

Optimal cold storage protocol for Anisopteromalus calandrae (Howard) (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae), a biological control agent for coleopteran pests in stored products.

BACKGROUND: Anisopteromalus calandrae (Howard) is a solitary ectoparasitoid with wide-ranging potential applications as a natural biological control agent against various coleopterous pests in food warehouses. Implementing an effective cold storage program is crucial for extending the shelf life of biological control agents and ensuring their stable and abundant supply. Herein, we attempted to determine the optimal cold storage conditions for Anisopteromalus calandrae by investigating the effect of cold storage at three different temperatures (7, 13, and 19 °C) for 7, 21, and 35 days on four developmental stages (late-instar larvae, early-stage pupae, mid-stage pupae, and 2-day-old adults). Additionally, we explored the maximum cold storage potential by observing early-stage pupae stored at 13 °C for various durations (30, 60, 90, 120, and 150 days). RESULTS: The most suitable cold storage temperature for the early-stage pupae of Anisopteromalus calandrae was 13 °C, and the highest adult emergence rate (98.3%) was after 90 days of storage at 13 °C. Furthermore, we did not find any significant effect on longevity (female: 44.3 days; male: 38.1 days) or fecundity (121.7 wasps). The female ratio ranged from 43.5% to 50.8%. More importantly, cold storage did not adversely affect the developmental duration or fecundity of the offspring. CONCLUSION: This study offers crucial insights for managing Anisopteromalus calandrae populations under laboratory conditions and lays the foundation for potential industrial production and development. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Treg-derived TGF-ß1 dampens cGAS-STING signaling to downregulate the expression of class I MHC complex in multiple myeloma.

Multiple myeloma (MM) progression involves diminished tumor antigen presentation and an immunosuppressive microenvironment, characterized by diminished expression of major histocompatibility complexes (MHC) class I molecule and elevated programmed death ligand 1 (PDL1) in MM cells, along with an enriched population of regulatory T cells (Tregs). To investigate Treg's influence on MM cells, we established a co-culture system using Tregs from MM patients and the MM cell lines (MM.1S and SK-MM-1) in vitro and assessed the effects of intervening in the relevant pathways connecting Tregs and MM cells in vivo. In vitro, Tregs induced transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-ß1) production, downregulated MHC I members, and increased PDL1 expression in MM cells. Treg-derived TGF-ß1 suppressed the cGAS-STING pathway, contributing to the loss of MHC I molecule expression and PDL1 upregulation. Correspondingly, neutralizing TGF-ß1 or activating the cGAS-STING pathway restored MHC I and PDL1 expression, effectively countering the pro-tumorigenic effect of Tregs on MM cells in vivo. These data elucidated how Tregs influence tumor antigen presentation and immunosuppressive signal in MM cells, potentially providing therapeutic strategies, such as neutralizing TGF-ß1 or activating the cGAS-STING pathway, to address the immune escape and immunosuppressive dynamics in MM.

miR-34a promotes the immunosuppressive function of multiple myeloma-associated macrophages by dampening the TLR-9 signaling.

BACKGROUND: Promising outcomes have been observed in multiple myeloma (MM) with the use of immunotherapies, specifically chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapy. However, a portion of MM patients do not respond to CAR-T therapy, and the reasons for this lack of response remain unclear. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of miR-34a on the immunosuppressive polarization of macrophages obtained from MM patients. METHODS: The levels of miR-34a and TLR9 (Toll-like receptor 9) were examined in macrophages obtained from both healthy individuals and patients with MM. ELISA was employed to investigate the cytokine profiles of the macrophage samples. Co-culture experiments were conducted to evaluate the immunomodulatory impact of MM-associated macrophages on CAR-T cells. RESULTS: There was an observed suppressed activation of macrophages and CD4+ T lymphocytes in the blood samples of MM patients. Overexpression of miR-34a in MM-associated macrophages dampened the TLR9 expression and impaired the inflammatory polarization. In both the co-culture system and an animal model, MM-associated macrophages suppressed the activity and tumoricidal effect of CAR-T cells in a miR-34a-dependent manner. CONCLUSION: The findings imply that targeting the macrophage miR-34a/TLR9 axis could potentially alleviate the immunosuppression associated with CAR-T therapy in MM patients.