A review of metallurgical slags as catalysts in advanced oxidation processes for removal of refractory organic pollutants in wastewater.

With the rapid growth of the metallurgical industry, there is a significant increase in the production of metallurgical slags. The waste slags pose significant challenges for their disposal because of complex compositions, low utilization rates, and environmental toxicity. One promising approach is to utilize metallurgical slags as catalysts for treatment of refractory organic pollutants in wastewater through advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), achieving the objective of "treating waste with waste". This work provides a literature review of the source, production, and chemical composition of metallurgical slags, including steel slag, copper slag, electrolytic manganese residue, and red mud. It emphasizes the modification methods of metallurgical slags as catalysts and the application in AOPs for degradation of refractory organic pollutants. The reaction conditions, catalytic performance, and degradation mechanisms of organic pollutants using metallurgical slags are summarized. Studies have proved the feasibility of using metallurgical slags as catalysts for removing various pollutants by AOPs. The catalytic performance was significantly influenced by slags-derived catalysts, catalyst modification, and process factors. Future research should focus on addressing the safety and stability of catalysts, developing green and efficient modification methods, enhancing degradation efficiency, and implementing large-scale treatment of real wastewater. This work offers insights into the resource utilization of metallurgical slags and pollutant degradation in wastewater.

M6A2Target: a comprehensive database for targets of m6A writers, erasers and readers.

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most abundant posttranscriptional modification in mammalian mRNA molecules and has a crucial function in the regulation of many fundamental biological processes. The m6A modification is a dynamic and reversible process regulated by a series of writers, erasers and readers (WERs). Different WERs might have different functions, and even the same WER might function differently in different conditions, which are mostly due to different downstream genes being targeted by the WERs. Therefore, identification of the targets of WERs is particularly important for elucidating this dynamic modification. However, there is still no public repository to host the known targets of WERs. Therefore, we developed the m6A WER target gene database (m6A2Target) to provide a comprehensive resource of the targets of m6A WERs. M6A2Target provides a user-friendly interface to present WER targets in two different modules: 'Validated Targets', referred to as WER targets identified from low-throughput studies, and 'Potential Targets', including WER targets analyzed from high-throughput studies. Compared to other existing m6A-associated databases, m6A2Target is the first specific resource for m6A WER target genes. M6A2Target is freely accessible at http://m6a2target.canceromics.org.

N(6)-methyladenosine-binding protein YTHDF1 suppresses EBV replication and promotes EBV RNA decay.

N6 -methyladenosine (m6 A) modification of mRNA mediates diverse cellular and viral functions. Infection with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is causally associated with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), 10% of gastric carcinoma, and various B-cell lymphomas, in which the viral latent and lytic phases both play vital roles. Here, we show that EBV transcripts exhibit differential m6 A modification in human NPC biopsies, patient-derived xenograft tissues, and cells at different EBV infection stages. m6 A-modified EBV transcripts are recognized and destabilized by the YTHDF1 protein, which leads to the m6 A-dependent suppression of EBV infection and replication. Mechanistically, YTHDF1 hastens viral RNA decapping and mediates RNA decay by recruiting RNA degradation complexes, including ZAP, DDX17, and DCP2, thereby post-transcriptionally downregulating the expression of EBV genes. Taken together, our results reveal the critical roles of m6 A modifications and their reader YTHDF1 in EBV replication. These findings contribute novel targets for the treatment of EBV-associated cancers.

Identification of an N6-methyladenosine-mediated positive feedback loop that promotes Epstein-Barr virus infection.

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is among the most abundant mRNA modifications, particularly in eukaryotes, and is found in mammals, plants, and even some viruses. Although essential for the regulation of many biological processes, the exact role of m6A modification in virus-host interaction remains largely unknown. Here, using m6A -immunoprecipitation and sequencing, we find that Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection decreases the m6A modification of transcriptional factor KLF4 mRNA and subsequently increases its protein level. Mechanistically, EBV immediate-early protein BZLF1 interacts with the promoter of m6A methyltransferase METTL3, inhibiting its expression. Subsequently, the decrease of METTL3 reduces the level of KLF4 mRNA m6A modification, preventing its decay by the m6A reader protein YTHDF2. As a result, KLF4 protein level is upregulated and, in turn, promotes EBV infection of nasopharyngeal epithelial cells. Thus, our results suggest the existence of a positive feedback loop formed between EBV and host molecules via cellular mRNA m6A levels, and this feedback loop acts to facilitate viral infection. This mechanism contains multiple potential targets for controlling viral infectious diseases.

CrossICC: iterative consensus clustering of cross-platform gene expression data without adjusting batch effect.

Unsupervised clustering of high-throughput gene expression data is widely adopted for cancer subtyping. However, cancer subtypes derived from a single dataset are usually not applicable across multiple datasets from different platforms. Merging different datasets is necessary to determine accurate and applicable cancer subtypes but is still embarrassing due to the batch effect. CrossICC is an R package designed for the unsupervised clustering of gene expression data from multiple datasets/platforms without the requirement of batch effect adjustment. CrossICC utilizes an iterative strategy to derive the optimal gene signature and cluster numbers from a consensus similarity matrix generated by consensus clustering. This package also provides abundant functions to visualize the identified subtypes and evaluate subtyping performance. We expected that CrossICC could be used to discover the robust cancer subtypes with significant translational implications in personalized care for cancer patients. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION: The package is implemented in R and available at GitHub (https://github.com/bioinformatist/CrossICC) and Bioconductor (http://bioconductor.org/packages/release/bioc/html/CrossICC.html) under the GPL v3 License.

Corrigendum to "Evaluation of different air distribution systems in a commercial airliner cabin in terms of comfort and COVID-19 infection risk" Build. Environ., Volume 208, January 2022, 108590.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.buildenv.2021.108590.].

Evaluation of different air distribution systems in a commercial airliner cabin in terms of comfort and COVID-19 infection risk.

The air distribution system in an airliner plays a key role in maintaining a comfortable and healthy environment in the aircraft cabin. To evaluate the performance of a novel displacement ventilation (DV) system and a traditional mixing ventilation (MV) system in an airliner cabin, this study conducted experiments and simulations in a seven-row cabin mockup. This investigation used ultrasonic anemometers and T-thermocouples to measure the air velocity, temperature and distribution of 1 µm and 5 µm particles. Simulation verifications were performed for these operating conditions, and additional scenarios with different occurrence source locations were also simulated. This study combined the Wells-Riley equation with a real case based on a COVID-19 outbreak among passengers on a long-distance bus to obtain the COVID-19 quanta value. Through an evaluation of the airflow organization, thermal comfort, and risk of COVID-19 infection, the two ventilation systems were compared. This investigation found that polydisperse particles should be used to calculate the risk of infection in airliner cabins. In addition, at the beginning of the pandemic, the infection risk with DV was lower than that with MV. In the middle and late stages of the epidemic, the infection risk with MV can be reduced when passengers wear masks, leading to an infection risk approximately equal to that of DV.

Influencing factors in the simulation of airflow and particle transportation in aircraft cabins by CFD.

To control the transport of particles such as the SARS-CoV-2 virus in airliner cabins, which is a significant concern for the flying public, effective ventilation systems are essential. Validated computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models are frequently and effectively used to investigate air distribution and contaminant transportation. The complex geometry and airflow characteristics in airliner cabins pose a challenge to numerical CFD validation. The objective of this investigation was to identify accurate and affordable validation processes for studying the airflow field and particulate contaminant distribution in airliner cabins during the design process for different ventilation systems. This study quantitatively evaluated the effects of ventilation system, turbulence model, particle simulation method, geometry simplification, and boundary condition assignment on airflow and particulate distributions in airliner cabins with either a mixing ventilation (MV) system or a displacement ventilation (DV) system calculated by CFD. The results showed that among four turbulence models, the standard k-ε, RNG k-ε, realizable k-ε and SST k-ω models, the prediction by the realizable k-ε model agreed most closely with the experimental data. Meanwhile, the steady Eulerian method provided a reasonable prediction of the particle concentration field with low computing cost. The computational domain should be simplified differently for the DV system and the MV system with consideration of the simulation accuracy and computing cost. For more accurate modeling results, the boundary conditions should be assigned in greater detail, taking into account the uniformity on the boundary.

Clinical and genomic characterization of neutral tumor evolution in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Recent studies suggest that a significant proportion of cancers undergo neutral tumor evolution. We applied neutral evolution model in HNSCC patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). To ensure the accuracy of classification results, a sample with the purity of tumor <0.7 was excluded. A tumor sample was considered to evolve neutrally if R2 ≥ 0.98. We found that about 16% of HNSCC patients undergo neutral tumor evolution. We showed that neutral evolution HNSCC patients have better prognosis and higher activities of immune response pathways, and the numbers of co-occurring mutation events and significantly positive selection mutations are significantly less than non-neutral evolution HNSCC patients. In conclusion, we described a comprehensive clinical and genomic characteristics of neutral tumor evolution in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC), and provided evidence that the evolution history of HNSCC has both clinical and biological implications.

Experimental evaluation of particle exposure at different seats in a single-aisle aircraft cabin.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, exposure to particles exhaled by infected passengers in commercial aircraft cabins has been a great concern. Currently, aircraft cabins adopt mixing ventilation. However, complete mixing may not be achieved, and thus the particle concentration in the respiratory zone may vary from seat to seat in a cabin. To evaluate the particle exposure in a typical single-aisle aircraft cabin, this investigation constructed an aircraft cabin mockup for experimental tests. Particles were released from a single source or dual sources at different seats to represent particles exhaled by infected passengers. The particle concentrations in the respiratory zones at various seats were measured and compared. The particle exposure was evaluated in both a cross section and a longitudinal section. Leaving the middle seat vacant to reduce particle exposure was also addressed. In addition, the velocity fields and air temperatures were measured to provide a better understanding of particle transport. It was found that the particle exposure at the window seat is always the lowest, regardless of the particle release locations. If the passenger seated in the middle does not release particles, his/her presence enhances the particle dispersion and thereby reduces the particle exposure for adjacent passengers. In the cabin mockup, the released particles can be transported across at least four rows of seats in the longitudinal direction.

METTL3 facilitates tumor progression via an m6A-IGF2BP2-dependent mechanism in colorectal carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Colorectal carcinoma (CRC) is one of the most common malignant tumors, and its main cause of death is tumor metastasis. RNA N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is an emerging regulatory mechanism for gene expression and methyltransferase-like 3 (METTL3) participates in tumor progression in several cancer types. However, its role in CRC remains unexplored. METHODS: Western blot, quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR) and immunohistochemical (IHC) were used to detect METTL3 expression in cell lines and patient tissues. Methylated RNA immunoprecipitation sequencing (MeRIP-seq) and transcriptomic RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) were used to screen the target genes of METTL3. The biological functions of METTL3 were investigated in vitro and in vivo. RNA pull-down and RNA immunoprecipitation assays were conducted to explore the specific binding of target genes. RNA stability assay was used to detect the half-lives of the downstream genes of METTL3. RESULTS: Using TCGA database, higher METTL3 expression was found in CRC metastatic tissues and was associated with a poor prognosis. MeRIP-seq revealed that SRY (sex determining region Y)-box 2 (SOX2) was the downstream gene of METTL3. METTL3 knockdown in CRC cells drastically inhibited cell self-renewal, stem cell frequency and migration in vitro and suppressed CRC tumorigenesis and metastasis in both cell-based models and PDX models. Mechanistically, methylated SOX2 transcripts, specifically the coding sequence (CDS) regions, were subsequently recognized by the specific m6A "reader", insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA binding protein 2 (IGF2BP2), to prevent SOX2 mRNA degradation. Further, SOX2 expression positively correlated with METTL3 and IGF2BP2 in CRC tissues. The combined IHC panel, including "writer", "reader", and "target", exhibited a better prognostic value for CRC patients than any of these components individually. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, our study revealed that METTL3, acting as an oncogene, maintained SOX2 expression through an m6A-IGF2BP2-dependent mechanism in CRC cells, and indicated a potential biomarker panel for prognostic prediction in CRC.

Dicalcium Silicate Induced Proinflammatory Responses through TLR2-Mediated NF-κB and JNK Pathways in the Murine RAW 264.7 Macrophage Cell Line.

Proinflammatory responses are important aspects of the immune response to biomaterials, which may cause peri-implantitis and implant shedding. The purpose of this study was to test the cytotoxicity and proinflammatory effects of dicalcium silicate particles on RAW 264.7 macrophages and to investigate the proinflammatory response mechanism induced by C2S and tricalcium phosphate (TCP). C2S and TCP particles were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy spectrum analysis (EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Cytotoxicity and apoptosis assays with C2S and TCP in the murine RAW 264.7 cell line were tested using the cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay and flow cytometry (FCM). The detection results showed that C2S and TCP particles had no obvious toxicity in RAW 264.7 cells and did not cause obvious apoptosis, although they both caused an oxidative stress response by producing ROS when the concentrations were at 100 µg/mL. C2S particles are likely to induce a proinflammatory response by inducing high TLR2, TNF-α mRNA, TNF-α proinflammatory cytokine, p-IκB, and p-JNK1 + JNK2 + JNK3 expression levels. When we added siRNA-TLR2-1, a significant reduction was observed. These findings support the theory that C2S particles induce proinflammatory responses through the TLR2-mediated NF-κB and JNK pathways in the murine RAW 264.7 macrophage cell line.

Characterization of medaka (Oryzias latipes) AHRs and the comparison of two model fishes-Medaka vs. zebrafish: The subform-specific sensitivity to dioxin.

Dioxins and the emerging dioxin-like compounds (DLCs) have recruited increasing concerns about their environmental contamination, toxicity, health impacts, and mechanisms. Based on the structural similarity of dioxins and many DLCs, their toxicity was predominantly mediated by the dioxin receptor (aryl hydrocarbon receptor, AHR) in animals (including human), which can be different in expression and function among species and then possibly produce the species-specific risk or toxicity. To date, characterizing the AHR of additional species other than human and rodents can increase the accuracy of toxicity/risk evaluation and increase knowledge about AHR biology. As a key model, the medaka AHR has not been clearly characterized. Through genome survey and phylogenetic analysis, we identified four AHRs (olaAHR1a, olaAHR1b, olaAHR2a, and olaAHR2b) and two ARNTs (olaARNT1 and olaARNT2). The medaka AHR pathway was conserved in expression in nine tested tissues, of which olaAHR2a represented the predominant subform with greater abundance. Medaka AHRs and ARNTs were functional and could be efficiently transactivated by the classical dioxin congener 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), although olaAHR1a did not seem to cooperate with olaARNT2. In terms of function/sensitivity, the EC50 values of medaka olaAHR1a (9.01 ± 1.43 nM), olaAHR1b (4.00 ± 1.10 nM), olaAHR2a (8.75 ± 3.34 nM), and olaAHR2b (3.06 ± 0.81 nM) showed slight differences; however, they were all at the nM level. The sensitivity of four medaka AHRs to TCDD was similar to that of zebrafish dreAHR2 (the dominant form, EC50 = 3.14 ± 4.19 nM), but these medaka AHRs were more sensitive than zebrafish dreAHR1b (EC50 = 27.05 ± 18.51 nM). The additional comparison also indicated that the EC50 values in various species were usually within the nM range, but AHRs of certain subforms/species can vary by one or two orders of magnitude. In summary, the present study will enhance the understanding of AHR and help improve research on the ecotoxicity of dioxins/DLCs.

Harnessing the power of natural minerals: A comprehensive review of their application as heterogeneous catalysts in advanced oxidation processes for organic pollutant degradation.

The release of untreated wastewater into water bodies has become a significant environmental concern, resulting in the accumulation of refractory organic pollutants that pose risks to human health and ecosystems. Wastewater treatment methods, including biological, physical, and chemical techniques, have limitations in achieving complete removal of the refractory pollutants. Chemical methods, particularly advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), have gained special attention for their strong oxidation capacity and minimal secondary pollution. Among the various catalysts used in AOPs, natural minerals offer distinct advantages, such as low cost, abundant resources, and environmental friendliness. Currently, the utilization of natural minerals as catalysts in AOPs lacks thorough investigation and review. This work addresses the need for a comprehensive review of natural minerals as catalysts in AOPs. The structural characteristics and catalytic performance of different natural minerals are discussed, emphasizing their specific roles in AOPs. Furthermore, the review analyzes the influence of process factors, including catalyst dosage, oxidant addition, pH value, and temperature, on the catalytic performance of natural minerals. Strategies for enhancing the catalytic efficiency of AOPs mediated by natural minerals are explored, mainly including physical fields, reductant addition, and cocatalyst utilization. The review also examines the practical application prospects and main challenges associated with the use of natural minerals as heterogeneous catalysts in AOPs. This work contributes to the development of sustainable and efficient approaches for organic pollutant degradation in wastewater.

Design and test of potato seeding apparatus based on double-layer seed picking scoop structure.

At present, potato seeders in China generally have poor uniformity of seed rows and high coefficients of variation in plant spacing during seed rows, causing difficulties for subsequent mechanized plant protection and harvesting. Based on the effect of seed discharge to analyze the sowing process, a potato seed discharger with a double-layer seed picking spoon structure was designed. By analyzing the seed discharging mechanism and its operation process, the shape and size structural parameters of the seed picking spoon were determined. Finite element simulation of the seed pickup process and seed carrying process of the seed discharging mechanism was carried out by EDEM software to determine the double-layer seed scoop scheme and the range of factors for subsequent tests. A two-factor test was conducted with seeding line speed and seed drop height as test factors, and plant spacing coefficient of variation and seed potato lateral offset dispersion as test indexes. The test results showed that the double-layer seeding spoon chain seeder reduced the coefficient of variation in plant spacing by 5.8%, and the dispersion in lateral offset by 5.5 mm, compared with the single seeding spoon seeder, when the seeding speed was 0.184 m/s and the height of falling seed was 9 cm.

Bioaccumulation and elimination, acute toxicity analysis and risk assessment of diflubenzuron in common carp (Cyprinus carpio).

Diflubenzuron has been applied in agriculture and aquaculture, and its residues in ecological environment and food chain could result in chronic exposure and long-term toxicity effects for human health. However, limited information is available regarding diflubenzuron levels in fish and associated risk assessment. This study performed the analysis for dynamic bioaccumulation and elimination distribution of diflubenzuron in carp tissues. The results indicated that diflubenzuron was absorbed and enriched by fish body along with higher enrichment in lipid-rich tissues of fish. The peak concentration in carp muscle reached 6-fold of diflubenzuron concentration in aquaculture water. The median lethal concentration (LC50) of diflubenzuron at 96 h was 12.29 mg/L, presented low toxicity to carp. Risk assessment results showed that the chronic risk from dietary exposure to diflubenzuron through carp consumption for Chinese residents of children and adolescents, adults and elderly people were acceptable, while posed a certain risk for young children. This study provided the reference for pollution control, risk assessment and scientific management of diflubenzuron.

Correlation of patients' demographics and clinical symptoms with temporomandibular disorders.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the correlation between basic characteristics and clinical features of patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMD). METHODS: The R language statistical tool was used to analyze the clinical information of 500 TMD patients, i.e., age, sex, joint noises, mouth opening pattern, and pain symptoms, as well as the results of the mandibular push-back test. A pairwise correlation analysis of each clinical feature was carried out. RESULTS: The highest incidence of TMD was observed in the age group of 20 to 30 years (240/500). Around 2/3 of the patients showed pain symptoms. Abnormal mouth opening patterns, joint noises, and temporomandibular joint synovitis (TMJS) were observed in 48.4, 65.4, and 34% of patients, respectively. CONCLUSION: Joint click and the corrected deviation of the mouth opening pattern are signs of early-stage TMD, whereas limited mouth opening and TMJS are indicators of progressive stage and complicated TMD.

Toxicological evaluation of TBBPA by common carp (Cyprinus carpio) about the in vivo/vitro disturbance of the AHR pathway.

Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) is a widely used plastic additive with high bioaccumulation potential and toxicity on both humans and wildlife. Currently, research on its ecotoxicity and the underlying mechanism is limited. Using common carp (Cyprinus carpio), we evaluated the toxicity of TBBPA, especially focusing on its alteration of a key metabolism-related pathway aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR), using in vivo/vitro assays and in silico simulation. The 96 h LC50 of TBBPA of common carp was 4.2 mg/L and belonged to the acute toxic level II. The bioaccumulation potential of TBBPA follows the role of liver > gill > brain and varies between 3- and 14-day exposure. On the AHR pathway respect, as expected, the metabolism-related cyp1a1 and cyp1b1 were upregulated in the liver and brain. Ahr2, the receptor, was also upregulated in the brain under TBBPA exposure. The alteration of gene expression was tissue-specific while the difference between 3- or 14-day exposure was minor. AHR inhibition assay indicated the 2, 3, 7, 8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD)-induced AHR transactivation can be inhibited by TBBPA suggesting it is not a potent agonist but a competitive antagonist. In silico analysis indicated TBBPA can be successfully docked into the binding cavity with similar poses but still have AHR-form-specific interactions. Molecular dynamics simulation proved TBBPA can be more flexible than the coplanar ligand TCDD, especially in ccaAHR1b with greater root-mean-square deviation (RMSD), of which TCDD-induced transactivation seemed not to be blocked by TBBPA. This research increased the understanding of TBBPA toxicity and alteration of the AHR pathway, and pointed out the need to perform additional toxicology evaluation of emerging contaminants, especially on non-model species.

Ambient nitrogen dioxide and cardiovascular diseases in rural regions: a time-series analyses using data from the new rural cooperative medical scheme in Fuyang, East China.

Most of studies relating ambient nitrogen dioxide (NO2) exposure to hospital admissions for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) were conducted among urban population. Whether and to what extent these results could be generalizable to rural population remains unknown. We addressed this question using data from the New Rural Cooperative Medical Scheme (NRCMS) in Fuyang, Anhui, China. Daily hospital admissions for total CVDs, ischaemic heart disease, heart failure, heart rhythm disturbances, ischaemic stroke, and haemorrhagic stroke in rural regions of Fuyang, China, were extracted from NRCMS between January 2015 and June 2017. A two-stage time-series analysis method was used to assess the associations between NO2 and CVD hospital admissions and the disease burden fractions attributable to NO2. In our study period, the average number (standard deviation) of hospital admissions per day were 488.2 (117.1) for total CVDs, 179.8 (45.6) for ischaemic heart disease, 7.0 (3.3) for heart rhythm disturbances, 13.2 (7.2) for heart failure, 267.9 (67.7) for ischaemic stroke, and 20.2 (6.4) for haemorrhagic stroke. The 10-µg/m3 increase of NO2 was related to an elevated risk of 1.9% (RR: 1.019, 95% CI: 1.005 to 1.032) for hospital admissions of total CVDs at lag0-2 days, 2.1% (1.021, 1.006 to 1.036) for ischaemic heart disease, and 2.1% (1.021, 1.006 to 1.035) for ischaemic stroke, respectively, while no significant association was observed between NO2 and hospital admissions for heart rhythm disturbances, heart failure, and haemorrhagic stroke. The attributable fractions of total CVDs, ischaemic heart disease, and ischaemic stroke to NO2 were 6.52% (1.87 to 10.94%), 7.31% (2.19 to 12.17%), and 7.12% (2.14 to 11.85%), respectively. Our findings suggest that CVD burdens in rural population are also partly attributed to short-term exposure to NO2. More studies across rural regions are required to replicate our findings.