Response surface optimization of sludge dewatering process: synergistic enhancement by ultrasonic, chitosan and sludge-based biochar.

Due to the colloidal stability, the high compressibility and the high hydration of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), it is difficult to efficiently dehydrate sludge. In order to enhance sludge dewatering, the process of ultrasonic (US) cracking, chitosan (CTS) re-flocculation and sludge-based biochar (SBB) skeleton adsorption of water-holding substances to regulate sludge dewaterability was proposed. Based on the response surface method, the prediction model of the specific resistance to filtration (SRF) and sludge cake moisture content (MC) was established. The US cracking time and the dosage of CTS and SBB were optimized. The results showed that the optimal parameters of the three were 5.08 s, 10.1 mg/g dry solids (DS) and 0.477 g/g DS, respectively. Meantime, the SRF and MC were 5.4125 × 1011 m/kg and 76.8123%, which significantly improved the sludge dewaterability. According to the variance analysis, it is found that the fitting degree of SRF and MC model is good, which also confirms that there is significant interaction and synergy between US, CTS and SBB, and the contribution of CTS and SBB is greater. Moreover, the process significantly improves the sludge's calorific value and makes its combustion more durable.

[Cloning and expression analysis of wpHSP90 gene from Whitmania pigra at different temperatures].

HSP90 is a widely distributed molecular chaperone that participates in a variety of cellular processes and plays an important role in the meiosis of germ cells. However, its role in the gonadal development of hermaphroditic Whitmania pigra is not yet clear. To explore the effect of HSP90 on the germ cell development of Wh. Pigra, this study cloned the wpHSP90 gene, performed bioinformatics analysis, and measured its expression levels. The results showed that the cloned wpHSP90 was 2 592 bp in length, with an open reading frame(ORF) of 2 373 bp, encoding 790 amino acids. Prediction analysis revealed 85 phosphorylation modification sites on serine, threonine, and tyrosine residues of the wpHSP90 protein. Structural domain prediction and multiple sequence alignment results showed that wpHSP90 contained two conserved domains of HSP90 and exhibited the highest homology with Helobdella robusta, with a sequence similarity of 80.72%. RT-qPCR results showed that the relative expression level of wpHSP90 in the gonads of 5-month-old Wh. pigra was positively correlated with temperature within the range of 12 ℃ to 28 ℃. The expression level in the female gonads was significantly higher than in the male gonads and correlated with the trend of germ cell development in the ovaries and testes. In conclusion, wpHSP90 may be involved in regulating the development of germ cells, particularly oocytes, in Wh. pigra. This study provides a reference for further research on the gonadal development mechanism in Wh. pigra.

Performances and enhanced mechanisms of nitrogen removal in a submerged membrane bioreactor coupled sponge iron system.

Sponge iron is a potential material for nitrogen removal, but lack of a study about nitrogen removal in a membrane bioreactor (MBR) coupled with sponge iron. The performances and mechanisms of nitrogen removal of SI-MBR were investigated and compared it with that in GAC-MBR. The results showed that the average rate of organic matter removal in the SI-MBR was 92.74%, which was higher than that in the GAC-MBR (87.48%). And the average effluent NO2--N and NO3--N concentration in the SI-MBR (0.02 mg/L and 3.73 mg/L) was lower than that in the GAC-MBR (0.05 mg/L and 7.51 mg/L). Meanwhile, the highest nitrification rate and denitrification rate was respectively 3.544 ± 0.25 mg/(g VSS·h) and 6.643 ± 0.2 mg/(g VSS·h) in the SI-MBR, which was higher than that (3.094 ± 0.25 mg/(g VSS·h) and (6.376 ± 0.2 mg/(g VSS·h)) in the GAC-MBR. Additionally, the bacterial activities (e.g., DHA activity and respiratory activity) were obviously enhanced through the iron ion from sponge iron. The bacterial community in the SI-MBR system was more richness and diverse than that in the GAC-MBR. Ultimately, the mechanisms of enhanced biological nitrogen removal with sponge iron in MBR were analyzed. On the surface of sponge iron, the DIRB and FOB could use the iron ion from sponge iron as the electron transfer to improve the nitrogen and organic removal. With sponge iron, there is not only the nitrification bacteria and heterotrophic denitrifying microorganism enriched, but also the autotrophic denitrifying bacteria abounded obviously. The autotrophic denitrifying bacteria could use Fe(II) as an electron donor to achieve denitrification and enhance the nitrogen removal.

[Effects of Wp-PKC on gonadal development of Whitmania pigra].

Protein kinase C(PKC) is a kind of kinase which is widely involved in cell proliferation and development. PKC(Wp-PKC) in Whitmania pigra body belongs to classic PKC. In order to investigate the effect of Wp-PKC on the development of Wh. pigra germ cells, 17ß-estradiol(17ß-E2)(100 ng·mL~(-1)) and methyltestosterone(MT)(150 µg·L~(-1)), 150 µg·L~(-1)(MT)+0.5 mg·L~(-1) PKC, 0.5 mg·L~(-1) PKC inhibitor were added to Wh. pigra culture water, and no addition group(control group) was added, and the effects on the development of Wh. pigra germ cells and the expression of Wp-PKC were observed. The results showed that: Wp-PKC in male gonads was always higher than that in female gonads; MT promoted the development of male gonads in Wh. pigra, while the expression of Wp-PKC was significantly higher than that in the control; 17ß-E2 promoted the development of female gonads in Wh. pigra and Wp-PKC expression significantly lower than that of the control; while the development of the female and male gonads in the PKC inhibitor group was inhibited, the expression of Wp-PKC was significantly lower than that of the control. In summary, Wp-PKC may promote the development of Wh. pigra, especially the development of male gonads.

[Cloning and expression analysis of protein kinase C gene from Whitmania pigra].

Protein kinase C(PKC) is a type of protein kinase widely involved in cell proliferation and development, but the developmental mechanism in the gonads of androgynous animals is still unclear. In order to explore the role of protein kinase C in the development of Whitmania pigra germ cells, the Wh. pigra PKC(Wp-PKC) gene was cloned, bioinformatics analysis was conducted, and fluorescent quantitative PCR was used to analyze the expression of female and male gonads. The results showed that:(1)The cloned Wp-PKC had a full length of 2 580 bp, a relative molecular weight of 76 555.19, and contains an open reading frame encoding 670 amino acids, Wp-PKC was closely related to Danio rerio PKC-α and rat PKC-γ. The similarity of amino acid sequence was 55% and 58%.(2)The protein encoded by Wp-PKC had no signal peptide and was a hydrophilic protein. The secondary structure is mainly composed of random coils, α-helices, extended chains, folds and folds, with the largest proportion of random coils and α-helices. Wp-PKC protein does not contain a transmembrane domain. Multiple sequence alignment and domain prediction analysis show that Wp-PKC contains 4 conserved domains of classical protein kinase C.(3)Fluorescence quantitative results showed that the expression of Wp-PKC in Wh. pigra gonads was positively correlated with the development of germ cells, and the expression in male gonads was significantly higher than that in female gonads. In summary, Wp-PKC is a classic PKC, and Wp-PKC may promote the development of Wh. pigra, especially the development of male gonads, and provide references for further research on the developmental mechanisms of Wh. pigra.

[Effects of light intensity on physio-biochemical characteristics of Chrysanthemum indicum].

By analyzing the effects of light intensity on the growth, physiological and biochemical characteristics of Chrysanthemum indicum, the light intensity suitable for the growth of Ch. indicum was revealed, which provided a reference for the planting of Ch. indicum. There were five treatment groups of Ch. indicum, which was planted under 100%, 80%, 60%, 40% and 20% all natural light intensity conditions, respectively. In the meantime, these indicators of photosynthetic physiology, such as relative growth, photosynthetic pigment content, photosynthetic parameters, and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters etc. were measured in the peak period of growth of Ch. indicum as well as related indicators of the protective enzyme system, and the ultrastructure of chloroplast was observed with the use of transmission electron microscope technique. In our study, the results showed that the leaves of Ch. indicum occurred yellow phenomenon in different degrees when Ch. indicum was placed at more than 80% of the total natural light intensity condition, the height and stem diameter of plant reached the maximum at 60% of the total natural light intensity. More importantly, the number of branches of Ch. indicum was significantly increased under the total natural light intensity of more than 60%. Both the content of photosynthetic pigment and net photosynthetic rate were negatively correlated with light intensity, while photosynthetic parameters and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters showed a trend of rising first and then decreasing with the decrease of light intensity. The physiological indexes of Ch.indicum including stomatal conductivity, intracellular CO_2 concentration, transpiration rate, water use efficiency and actual photochemical quantum yield of PS Ⅱ had been determined, and the results showed that all of them were at the highest level under 60% total natural light intensity condition. The chloroplast structure of Ch. indicum was not obviously abnormal under 60% and 80% total natural light intensity treatments, but the stroma lamella was broken under 100% total natural light intensity, and not only the number of chloroplast, but also the number and volume of starch grains were decreased significantly under 20% and 40% total natural light intensity. With the decrease of light intensity, the enzymes activities of SOD and CAT decreased, the activity of POD increased in the early stage and decreased in the later stage, and the content of MDA showed a decreasing trend. The analysis of results indicated that the Ch. indicum can grow under 20%-100% total natural light intensity, but the best growth condition was under 60% total natural light intensity.

[Effects of constant temperature on growth and gonad development of overwintering Whitmania pigra].

The present study was conducted to explore the effect of constant temperature overwintering on the growth, gonadal development and internal quality of the Wh. pigra which were in overwintering period. Wh. pigra which in overwintering period were placed in light incubator at 21 ℃, and the Wh. pigra that overwintered under natural conditions were used as control. That the changes of growth performance, gonad index, internal quality of two groups of Wh. pigra were measured at the end of the overwintering. Simultaneously the tissue slice technique was used to observe the morphological structure of the spermary and ovary of the two groups. The results showed that the body weight of constant temperature overwintering Wh. pigra which were placed in light incubator at 21 ℃ was 2.35 times that of natural overwintering Wh. pigra which overwintered under natural conditions, and the weight of female gonads of the Wh. pigra which were placed in light incubator at 21 ℃ was 11.54% higher than that of Wh. pigra which overwintered under natural conditions, and the weight of male gonads of the Wh. pigra which were placed in light incubator at 21 ℃ was 48.33% higher than that of the Wh. pigra which overwintered under natural conditions. At the same time, that vitellogenesis cells and film forming cells which in ovarian vesicles were significantly higher than those of the Wh. pigra which overwintered under natural conditions, and that spermatogonia and primary spermatocytes which in seminal vesicle were significantly higher than those of Wh. pigra which overwintered under natural conditions. Most important of all, the anti-thrombin activity of Wh. pigra which were placed in light incubator at 21 ℃ increased by 27.85% compared with the Wh. pigra that overwintered under natural conditions. In conclusion, that constant temperature can promote the growth, the development of sperm and egg cells, and the increase of anti-thrombin activity of Wh. pigra which were in overwintering period.

Chemical and Sensory Characterization of Cabernet Sauvignon Wines from the Chinese Loess Plateau Region.

In this study, the aroma profiles of Cabernet Sauvignon wines from a new grape growing region, Loess Plateau, China, were established by gas chromatography⁻olfactometry, gas chromatography⁻mass spectrometry and sensory analysis. The sensory profiles of wines form five different young vineyards in the Loess Plateau region were obtained by descriptive analysis. Blackcurrant (p < 0.01), pear and dried plum (p < 0.05), mushroom, smoked and green pepper (p < 0.1) had significant differences on the five vineyards. A total of 76 odor-active aroma compounds were identified in the wines, and 45 volatile compounds were selected as those having the greatest impact on the aroma components and these were quantitated by five different methods. In addition, the correlation model of the Loess Plateau region's sensory characteristics and aroma compounds was established by partial least squares regression (PLSR) to determine the influence of various aroma active substances on aroma attributes.

[Effects of MT on growth and gonad development of natural overwintering Whitmania pigra].

The objectives of study were to explore the effects of exogenous methyltestosterone( MT) on the growth and gonadal development of overwintering Whitmania pigra. Before overwintering,0. 1,1. 0,10. 0,100. 0,150. 0 µg·L-1 of MT were added to the aquaculture water for 6 weeks. The changes of growth performance,gonad index,endogenous steroid hormones level and internal quality were measured after hibernate for 60 days. Then the tissue slice technique was used to observe the spermary( ovary) of Wh. pigra.The results showed that the body weight,survival rate and gonadal index increased first and then decreased with the increase of exogenous MT concentration; the male gland index was found the highest at the concentration of MT 10. 0 µg·L-1 and the female gland index was the highest at the concentration of MT 1. 0 µg·L-1. The survival rate of Wh. pigra peaked at the concentration of MT 10. 0 µg·L-1.The weight reaches a peak at a concentration of MT 100. 0 µg·L-1( P<0. 05). The number of primary spermatocytes in the testis was negatively correlated with the concentration of exogenous MT. The number of secondary spermatocytes and sperm cells increased first and then decreased. The concentration of secondary spermatocytes was the highest when the concentration of MT was 100. 0 µg·L-1.The number and volume of oocytes in the ovary and the yolk granules increased first and then decreased with the increase of exogenous MT concentration,and the highest was observed at the MT concentration of 100. 0 µg·L-1. The endogenous steroid hormone of Wh.pigra increased first and then decreased with the increase of exogenous MT concentration. The concentration of androgen and progesterone was the highest in MT 100. 0 µg·L-1 treatment( P<0. 05),and the concentration of estrogen was found the highest in MT 10. 0 µg·L-1 treatment( P<0. 05). After adding exogenous MT,Wh. pigra moisture content,acid-insoluble ash content,p H and anti-thrombin activity met the quality criterion of medicinal Wh. pigra in Chinese Pharmacopoeia( 2015 edition). In conclusion,the short-term addition of 1. 0-100. 0 µg·L-1 exogenous MT before hibernation can promote the growth,the development of sperm cells and the antithrombin activity of Wh. pigra.

[Effects of 17ß-E2 on growth and gonad development of overwintering Whitmania pigra].

The present study was conducted to explores the effects of short-term addition of 17ß-E2 on the growth,gonad development and internal quality of overwintering Whitmania pigra. Before overwintering,0. 0,1. 0,10. 0,25. 0,50. 0,100. 0 µg·L~(-1) of 17ß-E2 were added to the aquaculture water for 6 weeks and then hibernated for 60 days. The changes of growth performance,gonad index,morphological structure of spermary( ovary),endogenous steroid hormones level and internal quality were measured. The results showed that the body weight,weight gain rate,specific growth rate,female gonad index,oocyte development and endogenous estrogen level of the leech increased first and then decreased with the increase of the concentration of exogenous 17ß-E2,which were higher than those of the control group. The body weight,weight gain rate and specific growth rate of the leech at the concentration of 25 µg·L~(-1)17ß-E2 were significantly higher than those of the other groups( P<0. 05),oocyte development and endogenous estrogen levels were significantly higher than those of other groups at the concentration of 50 µg·L~(-1)( P<0. 05). When the concentration of exogenous 17ß-E2 was higher than 50 µg·L~(-1),the levels of male gonad index,spermatocyte development,endogenous androgen and progesterone were significantly inhibited( P< 0. 05). There was no significant difference in endogenous corticosteroid levels among the groups. In conclusion,short-term addition of exogenous 17ß-E2 of 10-25 µg·L~(-1) could promote the growth of overwintering leeches,oocyte development and antithrombin activity without inhibiting the development of male gonads.

Synthesis of KMnO4-treated magnetic graphene oxide nanocomposite (Fe3O4@GO/MnO x ) and its application for removing of Cu2+ ions from aqueous solution.

A magnetic KMnO4-treated graphene-oxide-based nanocomposite, Fe3O4@GO/MnO x , was synthesized through a facile hydrothermal technique. The properties of the Fe3O4@GO/MnO x nanocomposite were characterized by SEM, XRD and FTIR. Batch experiments showed that the maximum adsorption capacity calculated by the Langmuir model for Cu2+ was 62.65 mg g-1 at T = 303.15 K. Kinetics and XPS analysis also revealed that the mechanism of Cu2+ removal was mainly a chemical adsorption process involving both the MnO x particles and oxygen functional groups. The prepared Fe3O4@GO/MnO x was found to be an ideal adsorbent for the removal of Cu2+ ions due to the MnO x particle coating, and was easily separated using a magnetic field after utilization. Reusability studies imply that Fe3O4@GO/MnO x is a suitable material for heavy metal ion removal from aqueous solutions in real applications.

Autotrophic denitrification by nitrate-dependent Fe(II) oxidation in a continuous up-flow biofilter.

A continuous-upflow biofilter packed with sponge iron was constructed for nitrate removal under an anaerobic atmosphere. Microbacterium sp. W5, a nitrate reducing and Fe(II) oxidizing strain, was added to the biofilter as an inoculum. The best results were achieved when NO3 (-)-N concentration was 30 mg/L and Fe(2+) was 800 mg/L. Nitrite in influent would inhibit nitrate removal and aqueous Fe(2+) resulted in encrustation. Fe(II)EDTA would prevent cells from encrustation and the maximum nitrogen removal efficiency was about 90 % with Fe(II)EDTA level of 1100 mg/L. Nitrate reduction followed first-order reaction kinetics. Characteristics of biofilms were analyzed by X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy.

Microbial community in a hydrogenotrophic denitrification reactor based on pyrosequencing.

Effects of some key factors on hydrogenotrophic denitrification were investigated in lab-scale bioreactors. Results indicated that optimum biomass loading, pH value, temperature, nitrate loading, and C/N ratio in this study were optical density at 600 nm (OD600) of 0.173, 6.0∼7.0, 35 °C, 105 mg L(-1), and 30, respectively. To obtain a better understanding of microbial community in the bioreactors, the 454-pyrosequencing technology was used to characterize the 16S ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA) gene of bacteria in selected samples Y1 and Y2, in which a total of 62,559 effective sequences (36,445 in Y1 and 26,114 in Y2) were obtained. The taxonomic complexities in two samples were compared at phylum/class/genus levels. In total, 41 bacterial phyla, 43 bacterial classes, and 312 genera were detected, where phylum Firmicutes, class Clostridia were most abundant. Genus Proteiniclasticum was predominant among the top 100 genera. This work aims to add some novel insights into hydrogenotrophic denitrification process and its microbial community structures in bioreactors.

Biosorption of Cr(VI) ions from aqueous solutions by a newly isolated Bosea sp. strain Zer-1 from soil samples of a refuse processing plant.

The adsorption behavior of Cr(VI) ions from aqueous solution by a chromium-tolerant strain was studied through batch experiments. An isolate designated Zer-1 was identified as a species of Bosea on the basis of 16S rRNA results. It showed a maximum resistance to 550 mg·L(-1) Cr(VI). The effects of 3 important operating parameters, initial solution pH, initial Cr(VI) concentration, and biomass dose, were investigated by central composite design. On the basis of response surface methodology results, maximal removal efficiency of Cr(VI) was achieved under the following conditions: pH, 2.0; initial concentration of metal ions, 55 mg·L(-1); and biomass dose, 2.0 g·L(-1). Under the optimal conditions, the maximum removal efficiency of Cr(VI) ions was found to be nearly 98%. The experimental data exhibited a better fit with the Langmuir model than the Freundlich model. The biosorption mechanisms were investigated with pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, and intraparticle diffusion kinetics models. These results revealed that biosorption of Cr(VI) onto bacterial biomass could be an alternative method for the removal of metal ions from aqueous solution.

Aerobic denitrification by Pseudomonas stutzeri C3 incapable of heterotrophic nitrification.

An aerobic denitrifier was isolated from activated sludge and the isolate possessed an average nitrate removal efficiency of 95.8% in 24 h, with the maximum nitrite accumulation of 25.6 mg/l. The bacterium could not conduct heterotrophic nitrification. The results of PCR indicated that the strain lacked the gene of amoA. The phylogenetic tree indicated a clear evolutionary divergence that Pseudomonas stutzeri C3 belonged to the group of strains that could not exhibit ammonia oxidation.

Autotrophic denitrification with anaerobic Fe(2+) oxidation by a novel Pseudomonas sp. W1.

In the present study, a novel Pseudomonas sp. W1 was characterized in terms of its ability to perform nitrate removal coupled with anaerobic Fe⁻¹ oxidation under autotrophic growth condition. The effects of operating parameters with respect to the initial solution pH, temperature and initial Fe⁻¹ concentration on nitrate removal were investigated by central composite design. Based on the results of response surface methodology, the maximal nitrate removal efficiency was achieved under the following conditions: pH 7.0, temperature 30 °C and initial Fe⁻¹ concentration 1,100 mg L⁻¹. Under this optimal condition and with an initial NO(3)(-)-N concentration of 55 mg L⁻¹, this strain could remove NO(3)(-)-N with 90% reduction of NO(3)(-)-N, corresponding to oxidizing Fe⁻¹ with 71% oxidation of Fe⁻¹ after 7 days of incubation. The result of kinetic evaluation indicated that this bacterium showed significant substrate affinity to both NO(3)(-)-N and Fe⁻¹.

The synthesis of ectoine enhance the assimilation of ammonia nitrogen in hypersaline wastewater by the salt-tolerant assimilation bacteria sludge.

In contrast to nitrification-denitrification microorganisms that convert ammonia nitrogen in hypersaline wastewater into nitrogen for discharge, this research utilizes sludge enriched with salt-tolerant assimilation bacteria (STAB) to assimilate organic matter and ammonia nitrogen in hypersaline wastewater into ectoine - a biomass with high economic value and resistance to external osmotic pressure. The study investigates the relationship between the synthesis of ectoine and nitrogen removal efficiency of STAB sludge in three sequencing batch reactors (SBR) operated at different salinities (50, 75, and 100 g/L) and organic matter concentrations. The research reveals that, under low concentration carbon sources (TOC/N = 4, NH4+-N = 60 mg/L), the ammonia nitrogen removal efficiency of SBR reactors increased by 14.51 % and 17.25 % within 5 d and 2 d, respectively, when salinity increased from 50 g/L to 75 g/L and 100 g/L. Under high concentration carbon sources (TOC/N = 8, NH4+-N = 60 mg/L), the ammonia nitrogen removal efficiency of STAB sludge in the three reactors stabilized at 80.20 %, 76.71 %, and 72.87 %, and the total nitrogen removal efficiency was finally stabilized at 80.47 %, 73.15 %, and 65.53 %, respectively. The nitrogen removal performance by ammonium-assimilating of STAB sludge is more sustainable under low salinity, while it is more short-term explosive under high salinity. Moreover, the intracellular ectoine concentration of STAB sludge was found to be related to this behavior. Empirical formulas confirm that STAB sludge synthesizes ectoine from nutrients in wastewater through assimilation, and intracellular ectoine has a threshold defect (150 mg/gVss). The ectoine metabolism pathways of STAB sludge was constructed using the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG). The ammonia nitrogen in sewage is converted into glutamic acid under the action of assimilation genes. It then undergoes a tricarboxylic acid cycle to synthesize the crucial precursor of ectoine - aspartic acid. Subsequently, ectoine is produced through ectoine synthase. The findings suggest that when the synthesis of intracellular ectoine reaches saturation, it inhibits the continuous nitrogen removal performance of STAB sludge under high salinity. STAB sludge does not actively release ectoine through channels under stable external osmotic pressure.

Single-Cell RNA Sequencing Reveals Transcriptional Landscape of Neutrophils and Highlights the Role of TREM-1 in EAE.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Neutrophils, underestimated in multiple sclerosis (MS), are gaining increased attention for their significant functions in patients with MS and the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) animal model. However, the precise role of neutrophils in cervical lymph nodes (CLNs), the primary CNS-draining lymph nodes where the autoimmune response is initiated during the progression of EAE, remains poorly understood. METHODS: Applying single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), we constructed a comprehensive immune cell atlas of CLNs during development of EAE. Through this atlas, we concentrated on and uncovered the transcriptional landscape, phenotypic and functional heterogeneity of neutrophils, and their crosstalk with immune cells within CLNs in the neuroinflammatory processes in EAE. RESULTS: Notably, we observed a substantial increase in the neutrophil population in EAE mice, with a particular emphasis on the significant rise within the CLNs. Neutrophils in CLNs were categorized into 3 subtypes, and we explored the specific roles and developmental trajectories of each distinct neutrophil subtype. Neutrophils were found to engage in extensive interactions with other immune cells, playing crucial roles in T-cell activation. Moreover, our findings highlighted the strong migratory ability of neutrophils to CLNs, partly regulated by triggering the receptor expressed on myeloid cells 1 (TREM-1). Inhibiting TREM1 with LR12 prevents neutrophil migration both in vivo and in vitro. In addition, in patients with MS, we confirmed an increase in peripheral neutrophils with an upregulation of TREM-1. DISCUSSION: Our research provides a comprehensive and precise single-cell atlas of CLNs in EAE, highlighting the role of neutrophils in regulating the periphery immune response. In addition, TREM-1 emerged as an essential regulator of neutrophil migration to CLNs, holding promise as a potential therapeutic target in MS.

Interferon Regulatory Factor 5 Gene Polymorphisms and mRNA Expression Levels Are Associated with Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder.

Interferon regulatory factor 5 (IRF5) is a critical transcription factor in the toll-like receptor signaling pathway. It is associated with autoimmune disorders, such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and inflammatory bowel disease. However, the relationship between the functional single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of IRF5 and its mRNA expression level in patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder remains unclear. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between polymorphisms and mRNA expression levels of the IRF5 gene with the incidence of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) in northern Chinese Han people. Two loci of the IRF5 gene (rs2004640 and rs2280714) of 164 patients with NMOSD and 269 healthy subjects were genotyped using the multiple SNaPshot technique. The frequencies of alleles, genotypes, and haplotypes were compared. Stratified analysis was performed according to age, sex, AQP4 status, onset age, and Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score. The IRF5 mRNA levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of 64 NMOSD patients (32 patients in the acute stage and 32 patients in the remission stage) and 35 healthy subjects were detected by real-time PCR. The association of SNP polymorphisms with the mRNA expression level was determined by nonparametric tests. Allele and genotype frequency distributions of rs2004640 showed significant differences between both groups. Compared to healthy controls, the frequency of rs2004640 T allele markedly increased in patients (OR = 1.51, 95% CI = 1.09-2.08, P = 0.005). Minor allele T and GT genotype of rs2004640 that significantly increases the risk of NMOSD were discovered using genetic inheritance models (codominant, dominant, and overdominant) and haplotype analyses. Subsequent haplotype analyses revealed that the major haplotype "T-A" containing the risk alleles (the SNP sequence of the alleles was rs2004640 and rs2280714) had adverse effects on NMOSD. Based on the stratification analysis according to the EDSS score, the GT genotype frequency in the EDSS ≥ 4 group (38.2%) was markedly lower than that in the EDSS < 4 group (61.8%) (OR = 0.32, 95% CI = 0.15-0.68, P = 0.0054), with a significant difference. The IRF5 mRNA expression level was increased in NMOSD patients compared to that in normal subjects. IRF5 gene polymorphisms may be tightly associated with the genesis and progression of NMOSD in northern Chinese Han people. IRF5 mRNA expression was increased in patients with NMOSD and significantly increased in patients with acute phase. Perhaps IRF5 expression levels can be used as a predictor of disease activity in the future.

Photocatalytic removal of ammonia nitrogen from water: investigations and challenges for enhanced activity.

Ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N/NH4+-N) serves as a crucial chemical in biochemistry and fertilizer synthesis. However, it is also a toxic compound, posing risks from eutrophication to direct threats to human health. Ammonia nitrogen pollution pervades water sources, presenting a significant challenge. While several water treatment technologies exist, biological treatment, though widely used, has its limitations. Hence, green and efficient photocatalytic technology emerges as a promising solution. However, current monolithic semiconductor photocatalysts prove inadequate in controlling ammonia nitrogen pollution. Therefore, this review focuses on enhancing semiconductor photocatalysts' efficiency through modification, discussing four mechanisms: (1) mono-ionic modification; (2) metallic and non-metallic modification; (3) construct heterojunctions; and (4) enhancement of synergistic effects of multiple technologies. The influencing factors of photocatalytic ammonia nitrogen removal efficiency are also explored. Moreover, the review outlines the limitations of current photocatalytic pollution treatment and discusses future development trends and research challenges. Currently, the main products of ammonia nitrogen removal include NO3-, NO2-, and N2. To mitigate secondary pollution, the green process of converting ammonia nitrogen to N2 using photocatalysis emerges as a fundamental approach for future treatment. Overall, this review aims to deepen understanding of photocatalysis in ammonia nitrogen treatment and guide researchers toward widespread implementation of this endeavor.