Green Tea Polyphenol (-)-Epicatechin Pretreatment Mitigates Hepatic Steatosis in an In Vitro MASLD Model.

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), previously known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), is becoming more prominent globally due to an increase in the prevalence of obesity, dyslipidemia, and type 2 diabetes. A great deal of studies have proposed potential treatments for MASLD, with few of them demonstrating promising results. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential effects of (-)-epicatechin (EPI) on the development of MASLD in an in vitro model using the HepG2 cell line by determining the metabolic viability of the cells and the levels of PPARα, PPARγ, and GSH. HepG2 cells were pretreated with 10, 30, 50, and 100 µM EPI for 4 h to assess the potential effects of EPI on lipid metabolism. A MASLD cell culture model was established using HepG2 hepatocytes which were exposed to 1.5 mM oleic acid (OA) for 24 h. Moreover, colorimetric MTS assay was used in order to determine the metabolic viability of the cells, PPARα and PPARγ protein levels were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and lipid accumulation was visualized using the Oil Red O Staining method. Also, the levels of intracellular glutathione (GSH) were measured to determine the level of oxidative stress. EPI was shown to increase the metabolic viability of the cells treated with OA. The metabolic viability of HepG2 cells, after 24 h incubation with OA, was significantly decreased, with a metabolic viability of 71%, compared to the cells pretreated with EPI, where the metabolic viability was 74-86% with respect to the concentration of EPI used in the experiment. Furthermore, the levels of PPARα, PPARγ, and GSH exhibited a decrease in response to increasing EPI concentrations. Pretreatment with EPI has demonstrated a great effect on the levels of PPARα, PPARγ, and GSH in vitro. Therefore, considering that EPI mediates lipid metabolism in MASLD, it should be considered a promising hepatoprotective agent in future research.

Photosynthetic mechanisms underlying NaCl-induced salinity tolerance in rice (Oryza sativa).

BACKGROUND: Salinity stress is an environmental constraint that normally develops concurrently under field conditions, resulting in drastic limitation of rice plant growth and grain productivity. The objective of this study was to explore the alleviating effects of NaCl pre-treatment on rice seedlings as well as the salt tolerance mechanisms by evaluating morph-physiological traits. RESULTS: Variety Huanghuazhan, either soaked in distilled water or 25 mg/L Prohexadione calcium (Pro-Ca), were first hardened with varying concentrations of NaCl solutions (0 and 50 mM NaCl), and then subjected to varying degrees of salt stress (0 and 100 mM NaCl), indicated by S0, S1, S2 and S3, respectively. Growth analysis suggested that NaCl-pretreatment improved the root/shoot ratio in water-soaked rice plant at DAP 0. Data related to the reaction center density, photosynthetic electron transport efficiency, trapping efficiency were compared before (CK) using performance Index (PIabs). Compared to S2 (Pro-Ca-S2) treatment, PIabs did not show any difference with plants pre-treated with NaCl (S3 or Pro-Ca-S3). Rather than PIabs, significant difference was found in photosynthetic electron transport efficiency (ΨEo). The ΨEo value in Pro-S2 was significantly lowered as compared to Pro-S3 treatment at DAP 7, and the decrease rate was about 6.5%. Correlation analysis indicated leaf PIabs was weak correlated with plant biomass while the quantum yield for reduction of the PSI end electron acceptors, trapped energy flux per reaction center and PSII antenna size displayed strong positive correlation with biomass. Additional analysis revealed that 100 mM NaCl significantly reduced leaf linear electron flux under low-light conditions, regardless of whether seedlings had been pre-treated with 50 mM NaCl or not. CONCLUSIONS: NaCl-induced salt tolerance was related to the robust photosynthetic machinery.

Deciphering the Metal-Support Interaction of Au/ZnO Catalyst Induced by H2 and O2 Pretreatment.

Metal-support interaction (MSI) provides great possibilities to tune the activity, selectivity, and stability of heterogeneous catalysts. Herein, the Au/ZnO catalyst is prepared by commercial ZnO and chloroauric acid, and the structure evolution of the catalyst pretreated by H2 and O2 gas at varied temperature is investigated to provide mechanistic insights of MSI. It is found that the H2 treatment at 300 °C and above can induce the formation of both the ZnOx overlayer and bulk Au-Zn alloy. In contrast, the O2 treatment can form the ZnOx overlayer at 500 °C and above without the formation of Au-Zn alloy. It is also revealed that the ZnOx overlayer is dynamically stable (permeable), which can provide access for reactant molecules during the reaction process. And, the Au-Zn alloy can recover to Au and ZnO under the CO oxidation reaction condition, which can be deemed as a re-activation process that endows H2 -treated samples with the superior activity and stability.

Lycium barbarum glycopeptide promotes neuroprotection in ET-1 mediated retinal ganglion cell degeneration.

BACKGROUND: Vascular dysregulation is one of the major risk factors of glaucoma, and endothelin-1 (ET-1) may have a role in the pathogenesis of vascular-related glaucoma. Fruit extract from Lycium Barbarum (LB) exhibits anti-ageing and multitarget mechanisms in protecting retinal ganglion cells (RGC) in various animal models. To investigate the therapeutic efficacy of LB glycoproteins (LbGP) in ET-1 induced RGC degeneration, LbGP was applied under pre- and posttreatment conditions to an ET-1 mouse model. Retina structural and functional outcomes were characterised using clinical-based techniques. METHODS: Adult C57BL/6 mice were randomly allocated into four experimental groups, namely vehicle control (n = 9), LbGP-Pretreatment (n = 8), LbGP-Posttreatment (day 1) (n = 8) and LbGP-Posttreatment (day 5) (n = 7). Oral administration of LbGP 1 mg/Kg or PBS for vehicle control was given once daily. Pre- and posttreatment (day 1 or 5) were commenced at 1 week before and 1 or 5 days after intravitreal injections, respectively, and were continued until postinjection day 28. Effects of treatment on retinal structure and functions were evaluated using optical coherence tomography (OCT), doppler OCT and electroretinogram measurements at baseline, post-injection days 10 and 28. RGC survival was evaluated by using RBPMS immunostaining on retinal wholemounts. RESULTS: ET-1 injection in vehicle control induced transient reductions in arterial flow and retinal functions, leading to significant RNFL thinning and RGC loss at day 28. Although ET-1 induced a transient loss in blood flow or retinal functions in all LbGP groups, LbGP treatments facilitated better restoration of retinal flow and retinal functions as compared with the vehicle control. Also, all three LbGP treatment groups (i.e. pre- and posttreatments from days 1 or 5) significantly preserved thRNFL thickness and RGC densities. No significant difference in protective effects was observed among the three LbGP treatment groups. CONCLUSION: LbGP demonstrated neuroprotective effects in a mouse model of ET-1 induced RGC degeneration, with treatment applied either as a pretreatment, immediate or delayed posttreatment. LbGP treatment promoted a better restoration of retinal blood flow, and protected the RNFL, RGC density and retinal functions. This study showed the translational potential of LB as complementary treatment for glaucoma management.

Pretreatment drug resistance among people living with HIV from 2018 to 2022 in Guangzhou, China.

The presence of pretreatment drug resistance (PDR) is posing an increasing threat to HIV control. Here we investigated drug resistance mutations (DRMs) and PDR among 6831 HIV-infected individuals from 2018 to 2022 in Guangzhou, China. DRMs were detected among 24.5% of the patients. The overall prevalence of PDR was 7.4%, with resistance rate to nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) being 1.3%, nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) 4.8%, and protease inhibitor (PI) 1.4%. Abacavir (0.8%) resistance was the most common in NRTI, followed by resistance to emtricitabine (0.6%), lamivudine (0.6%), and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (0.3%). In NNRTI, nevirapine (3.7%) resistance was the most common, followed by efavirenz (3.5%) and rilpivirine (3.4%). Among PI, resistance to tipranavir (0.8%), nelfinavir (0.6%), fosamprenavir (0.2%) and lopinavir (0.1%) was most frequent. Annual prevalence of PDR showed an increase trend from 2018 to 2022, although not significant. In the multivariable logistic regression model, hepatitis B surface antigen positivity, circulating recombinant form (CRF) 55_01B, CRF08_BC, CRF59_01B, and subtype B were demonstrated as associated risk factors for PDR. The overall prevalence of PDR in Guangzhou was moderate, with relatively severe NNRTI resistance. Therefore, it remains crucial to continue monitoring PDR among newly diagnosed HIV-infected individuals.

Importance of Adequate Surgical Local Control in Fusion-Negative Para-Testicular Rhabdomyosarcoma: Data From the Cooperative Weichteilsarkom Studiengruppe Trials (CWS-96 and CWS-2002P) and the European Soft Tissue Sarcoma Registry (SoTiSaR).

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to assess the impact that the quality of primary and subsequent surgeries has on the survival of patients with para-testicular rhabdomyosarcoma (PTRMS). METHODS: Patients with localized (IRS I-III) and metastatic (IRS IV) PTRMS were enrolled in the two Cooperative Weichteilsarkom Studiengruppe (CWS) trials (CWS-96, CWS-2002P) and the Soft Tissue Sarcoma Registry (SoTiSaR). RESULTS: Among 196 patients (median age, 8.4 years), 106 (54.1%) had primary complete resection. Image-defined lymph node (LN) disease was detected in 21 (11.5%) patients in the localized cohort and 12 (92.3%) patients in the metastatic cohort. The 5-year event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) were respectively 87.3% and 94.0% for the patients with localized PTRMS and 46.2% and 42.2% for the patients with metastatic PTRMS. Protocol violations during the primary surgery (PV-PS) were observed in 70 (42%) of the IRS I-III patients. This resulted in higher rates of R1/R2 resections (n = 53 [76%] vs n = 20 [21%]; p < 0.001) with a need for pretreatment re-excision (PRE) (n = 50 [83%] vs n = 10 [17%]; p < 0.001) compared with the patients undergoing correct primary surgery. Protocol violations during PRE occurred for 13 (20%) patients. Although PV-PS did not influence the 5-year EFS or OS in the localized PTRMS cohort, the unadjusted log-rank test showed that R status after PRE is a prognostic factor for 5-year OS (R1 vs R0 [81.8% vs 97.6%]; p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: The quality of surgical local control in PTRMS is unsatisfactory. Emphasis should be placed on evaluating the resection status after PRE in further clinical trials.

Enrichment of low-abundance osteopontin in bovine milk via reciprocating free-flow isoelectric focusing.

Osteopontin (OPN) in milk plays an important role in intestinal and brain development in early infancy, and great attention has been focused on OPN isolation to add extra OPN in infant formula. However, large-scale OPN isolation is limited by the low efficiency of sample pretreatment. Herein, we utilized preparative reciprocating free-flow isoelectric focusing (RFFIEF) to showcase the enrichment of low-abundance OPN in bovine milk, which contained an extremely high concentration of unwanted proteins. The reciprocating IEF format and the design of the multi-channel collector allowed us to enrich OPN in 1 L milk within 6 h. We removed 97.5% of unwanted proteins and obtained an enrichment factor of 11. Thus, our RFFIEF method can be applied to the preparative pretreatment of the large-scale milk sample and potentially improve the efficiency of downstream OPN purification.

Modification of the electrokinetic motion of microalgae through light illumination for viability assessment.

The viability detection of microalgae with the electrokinetic (EK) technique shows vast applications in the biology and maritime industry. However, due to the slight variations in the EK properties between alive and dead microalgae cells, the accuracy and practicability of this technique is limited. In this paper, the light illumination pretreatment was conducted to modify the EK velocity of microalgae for enhancing the EK difference. The effects of the illumination time and light color on the EK velocities of Chlorella vulgaris and Isochrysis galbana were systematically measured, and the EK differences between alive and dead cells were calculated and compared. The results indicate that under light illumination, the photosynthesis of the alive cells leads to the amplification of the zeta potential, leading toward increase in the EK difference along with the illumination time. By using light with different color spectra to treat the microalgae, it was found that the EK difference changes with the light color according to the following order: white light > red light > blue light > green light. The difference in EK potential with exposure to white light treatment surpasses over 10-fold in comparison to those without such treatment. The light pretreatment technique, as illustrated in this study, offers an advantageous strategy to enhance the EK difference between living and dead cells, proving beneficial in the field of microalgae biotechnology.

Pretreatment prediction for IVF outcomes: generalized applicable model or centre-specific model?

STUDY QUESTION: What was the performance of different pretreatment prediction models for IVF, which were developed based on UK/US population (McLernon 2016 model, Luke model, Dhillon model, and McLernon 2022 model), in wider populations? SUMMARY ANSWER: For a patient in China, the published pretreatment prediction models based on the UK/US population provide similar discriminatory power with reasonable AUCs and underestimated predictions. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: Several pretreatment prediction models for IVF allow patients and clinicians to estimate the cumulative probability of live birth in a cycle before the treatment, but they are mostly based on the population of Europe or the USA, and their performance and applicability in the countries and regions beyond these regions are largely unknown. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION: A total of 26 382 Chinese patients underwent oocyte pick-up cycles between January 2013 and December 2020. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS: UK/US model performance was externally validated according to the coefficients and intercepts they provided. Centre-specific models were established with XGboost, Lasso, and generalized linear model algorithms. Discriminatory power and calibration of the models were compared as the forms of the AUC of the Receiver Operator Characteristic and calibration curves. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE: The AUCs for McLernon 2016 model, Luke model, Dhillon model, and McLernon 2022 model were 0.69 (95% CI 0.68-0.69), 0.67 (95% CI 0.67-0.68), 0.69 (95% CI 0.68-0.69), and 0.67 (95% CI 0.67-0.68), respectively. The centre-specific yielded an AUC of 0.71 (95% CI 0.71-0.72) with key predictors including age, duration of infertility, and endocrine parameters. All external models suggested underestimation. Among the external models, the rescaled McLernon 2022 model demonstrated the best calibration (Slope 1.12, intercept 0.06). LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION: The study is limited by its single-centre design and may not be representative elsewhere. Only per-complete cycle validation was carried out to provide a similar framework to compare different models in the sample population. Newer predictors, such as AMH, were not used. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS: Existing pretreatment prediction models for IVF may be used to provide useful discriminatory power in populations different from those on which they were developed. However, models based on newer more relevant datasets may provide better calibrations. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S): This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [grant number 22176159], the Xiamen Medical Advantage Subspecialty Construction Project [grant number 2018296], and the Special Fund for Clinical and Scientific Research of Chinese Medical Association [grant number 18010360765]. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: N/A.

Pretreatment with luteal estradiol for programming antagonist cycles compared to no pretreatment in advanced age women stimulated with corifollitropin alfa: a non-inferiority randomized controlled trial.

STUDY QUESTION: Does luteal estradiol (E2) pretreatment give a similar number of retrieved oocytes compared to no-pretreatment in advanced-aged women stimulated with corifollitropin alfa in an antagonist protocol? SUMMARY ANSWER: Programming antagonist cycles with luteal E2 gave similar number of retrieved oocytes compared to no-pretreatment in women aged 38-42 years. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: Programming antagonist cycles with luteal E2 pretreatment is a valuable tool to organize the IVF procedure better and is safe without any known impact on cycle outcome. However, variable effects were observed on the number of retrieved oocytes depending on the treated population. In advanced-age women, recruitable follicles tend to decrease in number and to be more heterogeneous in size but it remains unclear if estradiol pretreatment could change the oocyte yield through its negative feed-back effect on FSH intercycle rise. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION: This non-blinded randomized controlled non-inferiority trial was conducted between 2016 and 2022 with centrally computerized randomization and concealed allocation. Participants were 324 women aged 38-42 years undergoing IVF treatment. The primary endpoint was the total number of retrieved oocytes. Statistical analysis was performed with one-sided alpha risk of 2.5% and 95% confidence interval (CI) with the non-inferiority of E2 pretreatment proved by a P value <0.025 and a lower delta margin of the CI within two oocytes compared to no pretreatment. Secondary endpoints were duration and total dosage of recombinant FSH, cancellation rate, percentage of oocyte pick-up (OPU) on working days, total number of metaphase II oocytes and obtained embryos, fresh transfer live birth rate, and cumulative live birth rate. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS: This multicentric study enrolled women with regular cycles, weight >50 kg and body mass index <32, IVF cycle 1-2. According to randomization, micronized estradiol 2 mg twice a day was started on days 20-24 and continued until Wednesday beyond the onset of menses followed by administration of corifollitropin alfa on Friday, i.e. stimulation (S)1 or from D1-3 of a natural cycle in unpretreated patients. GnRH antagonist was started at S6 and additional FSH at S8. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE: Basal characteristics were similar in patients randomized in E2 pretreated (n = 164) and non-pretreated (n = 160) groups (intended to treat (ITT) population). A total of 291 patients started treatment (per protocol (PP) population), 147 in E2 pretreated group with a mean number [SD] of pre-treatment days 9.8 [2.6] and 144 in the non-pretreated group. Despite advanced age, oocyte yields ranged from 0 to 29 in both groups with a median number of 6 retrieved oocytes in accordance with a mean anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) level above 1.2 ng/ml. We demonstrated the non-inferiority of E2 pretreatment with a mean difference of -0.1 oocyte 95% CI [-1.5; 1.3] P = 0.004 in the PP population and a mean difference of -0.44 oocyte [-1.84; 0.97] P = 0.014 in the ITT population. Oocyte retrieval was more often on working days in E2 pretreated patients (91.9 versus 74.2%, P < 0.001). In patients reaching OPU, the duration of stimulation was statistically significantly longer (11.7 [1.7] versus 10.8 [1.8] days, P < 0.001) and the extra FSH dosage in addition to corifollitropin alfa was statistically significantly higher (1040 [548] versus 778 [504] IU, P < 0.001) in E2 pretreated than non-pretreated patients. We did not observe any significant differences in the number of retrieved oocytes (8.4 [6.1] versus 9.1 [6.0]), in the number of Metaphase 2 oocytes (7 [5.5] versus 7.3 [5.2]) nor in the number of obtained embryos (5 [4.6] versus 5.2 [4.2]) in E2 pretreated patients compared to non-pretreated patients. The live birth rate after fresh transfer (16.2% versus 18.5%, respectively), and the cumulative live birth rate per patient (17.7% versus 22.9%, respectively) were similar in both groups. Among the PP population, 31.6% of patients fulfilled the criteria for group 4 of Poseïdon classification (AMH <1.2 ng/ml and/or antral follicle count <5). In this sub-group of patients, we observed in contrast a statistically higher number of retrieved oocytes in E2 pretreated patients compared to non-pretreated (5.1 [3.8] versus 3.4 [2.7], respectively, the mean difference of +1.7 oocyte [0.2; 3.2] P = 0.022) but without significant difference in the cumulative live birth rate per patient (15.7% versus 7.3%, respectively). LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION: Our stimulated women older than 38 years obtained a wide range of collected oocytes suggesting very different stages of ovarian aging in both groups. E2 pretreatment is more likely to increase oocyte yield at the stage of ovarian aging characterized by asynchrony of a reduced follicular cohort. Another limitation is the sample size in sub-group analysis of patients with AMH <1.2 ng/ml. Finally, the absence of placebo for pretreatment could also introduce possible bias. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS: Programming antagonist cycles with luteal E2 pretreatment seems a useful tool in advanced age women to better schedule oocyte retrievals on working days. However, the potential benefit of the number of collected oocytes remains to be demonstrated in a larger population displaying the characteristics of decreased ovarian reserve encountered in Poseïdon classification. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S): Research grant from (MSD) Organon, France. I.C., S.D., B.B., X.M., S.G., and C.J. have no conflict of interest with this study. I.C.D. declares fees as speaker from Merck KGaA, Gedeon Richter, MSD (Organon, France), Ferring, Theramex, and IBSA and participation on advisory board from Merck KGaA. I.C.D. also declares consulting fees, and travel and meeting support from Merck KGaA. N.M. declares grants paid to their institution from MSD (Organon, France); consulting fees from MSD (Organon, France), Ferring, and Merck KGaA; honoraria from Merck KGaA, General Electrics, Genevrier (IBSA Pharma), and Theramex; support for travel and meetings from Theramex, Merck KGaG, and Gedeon Richter; and equipment paid to their institution from Goodlife Pharma. N.C. declares grants from IBSA Pharma, Merck KGaA, Ferring, and Gedeon Richter; support for travel and meetings from IBSA Pharma, Merck KGaG, MSD (Organon, France), Gedeon Richter, and Theramex; and participation on advisory board from Merck KGaA. A.G.L. declares fees as speaker from Merck KGaA, Gedeon Richter, MSD (Organon, France), Ferring, Theramex, and IBSA. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02884245. TRIAL REGISTRATION DATE: 29 August 2016. DATE OF FIRST PATIENT'S ENROLMENT: 4 November 2016.

Enhancing plastic biodegradation process: strategies and opportunities.

Plastic biodegradation has emerged as a sustainable approach and green alternative in handling the ever-increasing accumulation of plastic wastes in the environment. The complete biodegradation of polyethylene terephthalate is one of the most recent breakthroughs in the field of plastic biodegradation. Despite the success, the effective and complete biodegradation of a wide variety of plastics is still far from the practical implementation, and an on-going effort has been mainly devoted to the exploration of novel microorganisms and enzymes for plastic biodegradation. However, alternative strategies which enhance the existing biodegradation process should not be neglected in the continuous advancement of this field. Thus, this review highlights various strategies which have shown to improve the biodegradation of plastics, which include the pretreatment of plastics using UV irradiation, thermal, or chemical treatments to increase the susceptibility of plastics toward microbial action. Alternative pretreatment strategies are also suggested and compared with the existing techniques. Besides, the effects of additives such as pro-oxidants, natural polymers, and surfactants on plastic biodegradation are discussed. In addition, considerations governing the biodegradation performance, such as the formulation of biodegradation medium, cell-free biocatalysis, and physico-chemical properties of plastics, are addressed. Lastly, the challenges and future prospects for the advancement of plastic biodegradation are also highlighted.

Sustainable utilization of fruit and vegetable waste bioresources for bioplastics production.

Nowadays, rapidly increasing production, use and disposable of plastic products has become one of the utmost environmental issues. Our current circumstances in which the food supply chain is demonstrated as containing plastic particles and other plastic-based impurities, represents a significant health risk to humans, animals, and environmental alike. According to this point of view, biodegradable plastic material aims to produce a more sustainable and greener world with a lower ecological impact. Bioplastics are being investigated as an environmentally friendly candidate to address this problem and hence global bioplastic production has seen significant growth and expansion in recent years. This article focuses on a few critical issues that must be addressed for bioplastic production to become commercially viable. Although the reduction of fruit and vegetable waste biomass has an apparent value in terms of environmental benefits and sustainability, commercial success at industrial scale has remained flat. This is due to various factors, including biomass feedstocks, pretreatment technologies, enzymatic hydrolysis, and scale-up issues in the industry, all of which contribute to high capital and operating costs. This review paper summarizes the global overview of bioplastics derived from fruit and vegetable waste biomass. Furthermore, economic and technical challenges associated with industrialization and diverse applications of bioplastics in biomedical, agricultural, and food-packaging fields due to their excellent biocompatibility properties are reviewed.HighlightsReview of the diverse types and characteristics of sustainability of biobased plasticsImproved pretreatment technologies can develop to enhance greater yieldEnzyme hydrolysis process used for bioplastic extraction & hasten industrial scale-upFocus on technical challenges facing commercialized the bioplasticsDetailed discussion on the application for sustainability of biodegradable plastics.

Microbial alchemy: upcycling of brewery spent grains into high-value products through fermentation.

Spent grains are one of the lignocellulosic biomasses available in abundance, discarded by breweries as waste. The brewing process generates around 25-30% of waste in different forms and spent grains alone account for 80-85% of that waste, resulting in a significant global waste volume. Despite containing essential nutrients, i.e., carbohydrates, fibers, proteins, fatty acids, lipids, minerals, and vitamins, efficient and economically viable valorization of these grains is lacking. Microbial fermentation enables the valorization of spent grain biomass into numerous commercially valuable products used in energy, food, healthcare, and biomaterials. However, the process still needs more investigation to overcome challenges, such as transportation, cost-effective pretreatment, and fermentation strategy. to lower the product cost and to achieve market feasibility and customer affordability. This review summarizes the potential of spent grains valorization via microbial fermentation and associated challenges.

Molecular transmission network analysis reveals the challenge of HIV-1 in ageing patients in China: elderly people play a crucial role in the transmission of subtypes and high pretreatment drug resistance in developed Eastern China, 2019-2023.

BACKGROUND: The number and proportion of HIV/AIDS patients among older people are continuously and rapidly increasing in China. We conducted a detailed molecular epidemiological analysis of HIV-1 epidemic strains in a developed city in eastern China and found that elderly people play a crucial role in the transmission of subtypes and high pretreatment drug resistance (PDR). METHODS: A total of 1048 samples were obtained from 1129 (92.8%) newly confirmed HIV-1-positive and treatment-naive patients between 2019 and 2023. The 1316 bp target fragment of the pol gene was amplified by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT‒PCR) and nested PCR, and Maximum-likelihood (ML) phylogenetic trees and molecular transmission network were constructed to analyse the subtypes and transmission clusters. Molecular transmission network was visualized using Cytoscape with the distance threshold of 0.0075. PDR-associated mutations were determined according to the Stanford University HIV Drug Resistance Database. RESULTS: A total of 933 pol sequences (89.0%, 933/1048) were successfully obtained, and twelve HIV-1 subtypes were detected. CRF07_BC was the predominant subtype, accounting for 48.1% (449/933) of sequences, followed by CRF01_AE (29.4%, 274/933). A total of 398 individuals (42.7%, 398/933) formed 89 clusters in the network. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that age, nationality, subtype, and PDR were the most significant factors associated with clustering in the transmission network. The prevalence of PDR was 14.6% (136/933).PDR associated with non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (10.0%, 93/933) was much more common than that associated with nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (1.8%, 17/933) and protease inhibitors (3.2%, 30/933) (χ2 = 77.961, p < 0.001). The most frequent NNRTI mutations were K103N/S/KN/NS (52.2%, 71/136), which led to the highest proportion of high-level resistance to nevirapine and efavirenz (52.2%). CONCLUSIONS: Our study revealed the important influence of elderly people on CRF07_BC transmission and the high prevalence of PDR. The clustering of drug-resistant cases was significant, which suggested the potential for localized widespread transmission of drug-resistant strains. HIV screening and the determination of PDR are recommended for older patients to improve early detection and reduce treatment failure and second-generation transmission.

P2Y12 adenosine receptor inhibitors preloading among patients with non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndromes; insights from a nationwide multicenter registry.

BACKGROUND: The safety and efficacy of treatment with P2Y12 adenosine-diphosphate receptor inhibitors (P2Y12-RI) before coronary angiography among patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndromes (NSTEACS) are questionable. AIMS: To assess the pretreatment rate with P2Y12-RI and its association with ischemic and bleeding risks among patients with NSTEACS. METHODS: The study comprised patients with NSTEACS referred for coronary angiography and included in the Acute Coronary Syndrome Israeli Surveys between 2013 and 2021. Patients were divided into two groups according to the timing of P2Y12-RI loading concerning coronary angiography: pretreatment and posttreatment. The primary endpoints were 30-day major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE; composite of cardiovascular mortality, myocardial infarction, stroke, stent thrombosis, and urgent revascularization) and 1-year all-cause mortality. RESULTS: Of 3076 patients, 2423 (78.8%) received pretreatment with a P2Y12-RI, and 653 (21.2%) received P2Y12-RI posttreatment. Prasugrel and ticagrelor were used more in the posttreatment group compared to the pretreatment group (16% vs. 6% and 38% vs. 25%, respectively, p < 0.001 for both). No difference was observed in the rate of 30-day MACE comparing pretreatment and posttreatment (5.3% vs. 2.2%, respectively, p = 0.62). A sensitivity analysis of 30-day MACE among patients from the 2021 survey demonstrated similar results (2.5% in the posttreatment group vs. 8.0% in the pretreatment group, p = 0.13). There were no differences in 1-year all-cause mortality rates between the pretreatment and posttreatment groups (4.8% vs. 3.8%, p = 0.31). CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with NSTEACS referred for an invasive strategy, the P2Y12-RI posttreatment strategy was associated with similar 30-day and 1-year MACE as the pretreatment strategy. These large-scale, multicenter, real-world data provide reassurance on the safety and efficacy of delaying P2Y12-IR until after coronary stratification to improve clinical decision-making.

Improvement of gram staining effect by ethanol pretreatment and quantization of staining image by unsupervised machine learning.

In this study, we propose an Ethanol Pretreatment Gram staining method that significantly enhances the color contrast of the stain, thereby improving the accuracy of judgement, and demonstrated the effectiveness of the modification by eliminating unaided-eye observational errors with unsupervised machine learning image analysis. By comparing the traditional Gram staining method with the improved method on various bacterial samples, results showed that the improved method offers distinct color contrast. Using multimodal assessment strategies, including unaided-eye observation, manual image segmentation, and advanced unsupervised machine learning automatic image segmentation, the practicality of ethanol pretreatment on Gram staining was comprehensively validated. In our quantitative analysis, the application of the CIEDE2000, and CMC color difference standards confirmed the significant effect of the method in enhancing the discrimination of Gram staining.This study not only improved the efficacy of Gram staining, but also provided a more accurate and standardized strategy for analyzing Gram staining results, which might provide an useful analytical tool in microbiological diagnostics.

Efficient flocculation pretreatment of coal gasification wastewater by halophilic bacterium Halovibrio variabilis TG-5.

The isolated halophilic bacterial strain Halovibrio variabilis TG-5 showed a good performance in the pretreatment of coal gasification wastewater. With the optimum culture conditions of pH = 7, a temperature of 46 °C, and a salinity of 15%, the chemical oxygen demand and volatile phenol content of pretreated wastewater were decreased to 1721 mg/L and 94 mg/L, respectively. The removal rates of chemical oxygen demand and volatile phenol were over 90% and 70%, respectively. At the optimum salinity conditions of 15%, the total yield of intracellular compatible solutes and the extracellular transient released yield under hypotonic conditions were increased to 6.88 g/L and 3.45 g/L, respectively. The essential compatible solutes such as L-lysine, L-valine, and betaine were important in flocculation mechanism in wastewater pretreatment. This study provided a new method for pretreating coal gasification wastewater by halophilic microorganisms, and revealed the crucial roles of compatible solutes in the flocculation process.

Enhancing cellulose acetate biodegradability in cigarette filters: an in-depth analysis of thermal alkaline pretreatment, microbial dynamics, and breakdown pathway prediction.

BACKGROUND: The demand for bioplastics has increased exponentially as they have emerged as alternatives to petrochemical plastics. However, there is a substantial lack of knowledge regarding bioplastic degradation. This study developed a novel pretreatment method to improve the accessibility of a bioplastic substrate for biodegradation. In this study, cellulose acetate, a bioplastic found in the world's most littered waste, e.g. cigarette filters, was selected as a potential substrate. Before anaerobic digestion, three thermal alkaline pretreatments: TA 30 °C, TA 90 °C, and TA 121 °C, were used to evaluate their effects on the chemical alterations of cellulose acetate. RESULT: The ester groups in cellulose acetate were significantly reduced by the TA 30 °C pretreatment, as seen by a decrease in C = O stretching vibrations and shortening of C - O stretches (1,270 ∼ 1,210 cm- 1), indicating effective removal of acetyl groups. This pretreatment significantly enhanced cellulose acetate biodegradability to a maximum of 91%, surpassing the previously reported cellulose acetate degradation. Methane production increased to 695.0 ± 4 mL/g of volatile solid after TA 30 °C pretreatment, indicating enhanced cellulose acetate accessibility to microorganisms, which resulted in superior biogas production compared to the control (306.0 ± 10 mL/g of volatile solid). Diverse microbes in the anaerobic digestion system included hydrolytic (AB240379_g, Acetomicrobium, FN436103_g, etc.), fermentative, and volatile fatty acids degrading bacteria (JF417922_g, AB274492_g, Coprothermobacter, etc.), with Methanobacterium and Methanothermobacter being the sole hydrogenotrophic methanogens in the anaerobic digestion system. Additionally, an attempt to predict the pathway for the effective degradation of cellulose acetate from the microbial community in different pretreatment conditions. CONCLUSIONS: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to estimate the maximum cellulose acetate degradation rate, with a simple and cost-effective pretreatment procedure. This approach holds promise for mitigating the environmental impact of cellulose acetate of cigarette filters and presents a sustainable and economically viable waste management strategy.

Predictive significance of pretreatment 18F-FDG PET volumetric parameters on survival outcomes in pediatric patients with locally advanced undifferentiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a rare pediatric cancer. Most children are first diagnosed with advanced locoregional disease. Identification of patients at higher risk of treatment failure is crucial as they may benefit from more aggressive initial treatment approaches. 18Fluorine-labeled fluoro-2-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography (18F-FDG PET) has shown promise as a prognostic tool for predicting outcomes. METHODS: Retrospective study of pediatric patients with locally advanced undifferentiated NPC who underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT prior to intial treatment. Predictive significance of metabolic PET parameters on survival outcomes were estimated. RESULTS: Thirty-two children were included, age range was 7.1-18 years at the time of diagnosis. The median follow-up duration was 46.1 months. Three patients (9.4%) were classified as AJCC stage IIb, 13 patients (40.6%) as stage IIIa, eight patients (25%) as stage IIIb, and eight patients (25%) as stage IVa. Our findings revealed that high whole-body metabolic tumor volume at the threshold of hepatic reference SUVmean (WB-MTV-HR) (>135 mL) was associated with significantly lower event-free survival (EFS) compared to the low WB-MTV-HR group (≤135 mL) (3-year EFS: 50% ± 18% vs. 82% ± 8%; p = .015). Additionally, the 3-year overall survival (OS) rates differed significantly between the high whole-body metabolic tumor volume at the threshold of an SUV of 2.5 isocontour (WB-MTV-2.5) group (MTV >74 mL) and the low WB-MTV-2.5 group (MTV ≤74 mL) (63% ± 18% vs. 100%; p = .021). CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that WB-MTV parameters could serve as significant prognostic factors for disease progression in pediatric patients with locally advanced undifferentiated NPC. However, further prospective studies with larger sample sizes are needed to validate these findings.

Effect of sandblasting and acid surface pretreatment on the specific capacitance of CuO nanostructures grown by hot water treatment for supercapacitor electrode applications.

Crystalline copper oxide (CuO) nanostructures with micro, nano, and micro-nano surface roughness were grown on Cu sheet substrates by a facile, scalable, low-cost, and low-temperature hot water treatment (HWT) method that simply involved immersing Cu sheet in DI water at 75 °C for 24 h without any chemical additives. Various morphological features and sizes of CuO nanostructures were tuned by using different surface pretreatment techniques including acid treatment, sandblasting, or a combination of those two. The surface morphology of the prepared samples was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy. The crystal structure of the CuO nanostructures was investigated by x-ray diffraction XRD and Raman spectroscopy. To study the pseudocapacitive behavior, their potential supercapacitor performance, and equivalent series resistance, electrochemical analysis was done by cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy for all the CuO/Cu samples in 1 M of Na2SO4electrolyte. Among all, the best supercapacitive performance was achieved for CuO/Cu samples pretreated with Sandblasting followed by Acid treatment resulting in a specific capacitance of about 104 F g-1. The electrode with the sandblasted + acid pretreated sample showed a maximum of ∼69% capacitive retention after 2000 consecutive cycles. Our results indicate that CuO nanostructures on Cu substrates prepared with different surface pretreatment conditions and grown by HWT can be promising electrodes for supercapacitor device applications.