Compatibility of vivianite-crystallization pathway of phosphorus recovery with anaerobic digestion systems of thermally hydrolyzed sludge.

Phosphorus in sewage is mostly enriched in activated sludge in wastewater treatment plants, making excess sludge an appropriate material for phosphorus recovery. The potential of vivianite (Fe3(PO4)2·8H2O) crystallization-based phosphorus recovery during the anaerobic digestion of thermally hydrolyzed sludge was discussed with influences of organic compounds on the formation of vivianite crystals being investigated in detail. Bovine serum albumin, humic acids and alginate, as model compounds of proteins, humic acids and polysaccharides, all inhibited vivianite crystallization, with the influence of humic acids being the most significant. A sludge retention time of > 12 d for effective degradation of organic compounds and a certain degree of FeII excess are suggested to decrease the organics resulting inhibition. The results demonstrate the compatibility of vivianite-crystallization pathway of phosphorus recovery with anaerobic sludge digesters, and reveal the complexity of vivianite formation in the sludge with further research warranted to minimize the inhibitory influences.

The migrasome as a developmental learning paradigm in cell biology.

Migrasome is a newly discovered organelle composed of small vesicular structures enclosed in membrane structures. Since its discovery in 2014, migrasome has attracted increasing attention in cell biology due to its critical role in multiple disease processes. Its pivotal role in various disease processes, including cell migration, intercellular communication, removal of damaged mitochondria, embryogenesis localization, immune cell chemotaxis, and virus transmission, underscores its significance in biological systems. With research on migrasome steadily increasing, it becomes a unique resource for undergraduate cell biology education. For deeper understanding of migrasome, we applied a bibliometric approach. Here we conducted a comprehensive analysis of migrasome research by retrieving relevant literature from databases such as Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed using the keywords "migrasome" or "migrasomes." Employing CiteSpace software and Prism, we analyzed annual publication trends, identified core authors and institutions, assessed national contributions, examined keywords, and scrutinized highly cited literature related to migrasome research. This study presents a comprehensive overview of migrasome research, elucidating its literature characteristics, key contributors, research hotspots, and emerging trends. By shedding light on the current status and future trajectories of migrasome research, we aim to provide valuable insights for teachers in cell biology education. We propose for the integration of migrasome research into undergraduate curricula to enhance the understanding of cell biology among premedical, medical, and biomedical students, thereby fostering a deeper appreciation for the intricate mechanisms governing cellular behavior and disease processes.

Remarkable improvement of symptoms and signs of severe dry eye treated by ocular immersion hydrotherapy.

Key Clinical Message: Traditional treatment options are often insufficient in treating severe dry eyes caused by systemic diseases. This case demonstrates that ocular immersion hydrotherapy significantly alleviated symptoms and ocular surface inflammation in ocular graft-versus-host disease. Based on these findings, we propose it as a promising option for managing severe dry eye disease. Abstract: This case report investigates the efficacy of ocular immersion hydrotherapy (OIH) in treating severe dry eye secondary to ocular graft-versus-host disease (oGVHD). A 35-year-old female with a history of acute myeloid leukemia-M2 and subsequent hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) developed high-intensity oGVHD unresponsive to conventional treatments, including topical corticosteroids and lubricants. We introduced OIH, utilizing sterilized swimming goggles filled with intraocular irrigating solutions, providing a moist microenvironment for the ocular surface. Symptoms were significantly relieved after treatment. Corneal filaments and epithelial defects were significantly reduced, and in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM) demonstrated resolution of inflammation and reappearance of corneal nerves. This case indicates that OIH could be a promising therapeutic approach for severe dry eye conditions arising from oGVHD, particularly for patients refractory to traditional treatments. Further studies are warranted to elucidate the long-term benefits and mechanisms of OIH in oGVHD management.

An optimized EEGNet decoder for decoding motor image of four class fingers flexion.

As a cutting-edge technology of connecting biological brain and external devices, brain-computer interface (BCI) exhibits promising applications on extensive fields such as medical and military. As for the disable individuals with four limbs losing the motor functions, it is a potential treatment way to drive mechanical equipments by the means of non-invasive BCI, which is badly depended on the accuracy of the decoded electroencephalogram (EEG) singles. In this study, an explanatory convolutional neural network namely EEGNet based on SimAM attention module was proposed to enhance the accuracy of decoding the EEG singles of index and thumb fingers for both left and right hand using sensory motor rhythm (SMR). An average classification accuracy of 72.91% the data of eight healthy subjects was obtained, which were captured from the one second before finger movement to two seconds after action. Furthermore, the character of event-related desynchronization (ERD) and event related synchronization (ERS) of index and thumb fingers was also studied in this study. These findings have significant importance for controlling external devices or other rehabilitation equipment using BCI in a fine way.

Motor Behavior Regulation of Rat Robots Using Integrated Electrodes Stimulated by Micro-Nervous System.

As a cutting-edge technology, animal robots based on living organisms are being extensively studied, with potential for diverse applications in the fields of neuroscience, national security, and civil rescue. However, it remains a significant challenge to reliably control the animal robots with the objective of protecting their long-term survival, and this has seriously hindered their practical implementation. To address this issue, this work explored the use of a bio-friendly neurostimulation system that includes integrated stimulation electrodes together with a remote wireless stimulation circuit to control the moving behavior of rat robots. The integrated electrodes were implanted simultaneously in four stimulation sites, including the medial forebrain bundle (MFB) and primary somatosensory cortex, barrel field (S1BF). The control system was able to provide flexibility in adjusting the following four stimulation parameters: waveform, amplitude, frequency, and duration time. The optimized parameters facilitated the successful control of the rat's locomotion, including forward movement and left and right turns. After training for a few cycles, the rat robots could be guided along a designated route to complete the given mission in a maze. Moreover, it was found that the rat robots could survive for more than 20 days with the control system implanted. These findings will ensure the sustained and reliable operation of the rat robots, laying a robust foundation for advances in animal robot regulation technology.

Oxidized cellulose-filled double thermo/pH-sensitive hydrogel for local chemo-photothermal therapy in breast cancer.

Lumpectomy plus radiation is a treatment option offering better survival than conventional mastectomy for patients with early-stage breast cancer. However, successive radioactive therapy remains tedious and unsafe with severe adverse reactions and secondary injury. Herein, a composite hydrogel with pH- and photothermal double-sensitive activity is developed via physical crosslinking. The composite hydrogel incorporated with tempo-oxidized cellulose nanofiber (TOCN), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and a polydopamine (PDA) coating for photothermal therapy (PTT) triggered in situ release of doxorubicin (DOX) drug was utilized to optimize postoperative strategies of malignant tumors inhibition. The incorporation of TOCN significantly affects the performance of composite hydrogels. The best-performing TOCN/PVA7 was selected for drug loading and polydopamine coating by rational design. In vitro studies have demonstrated that the composite hydrogel exhibited high NIR photothermal conversion efficiency, benign cytotoxicity to L929 cells, pH-dependent release profiles, and strong MCF-7 cell inhibitory effects. Then the TOCN/PVA7-PDA@DOX hydrogel is implanted into the tumor resection cavity for local in vivo chemo-photothermal synergistical therapy to ablate residue tumor tissues. Overall, this work suggests that such a chemo-photothermal hydrogel delivery system has great potential as a promising tool for the postsurgical management of breast cancer.

Tailored chitosan/glycerol micropatterned composite dressings by 3D printing for improved wound healing.

Wound infection control is a primary clinical concern nowadays. Various innovative solutions have been developed to fabricate adaptable wound dressings with better control of infected wound healing. This work presents a facile approach by leveraging 3D printing to fabricate chitosan/glycerol into composite dressings with tailored micropatterns to improve wound healing. The bioinks of chitosan/glycerol were investigated as suitable for 3D printing. Then, three tailored micropatterns (i.e., sheet, strip, and mesh) with precise geometry control were 3D printed onto a commercial dressing to fabricate the micropatterned composite dressings. In vitro and in vivo studies indicate that these micropatterned dressings could speed up wound healing due to their increased water uptake capacity (up to ca. 16-fold@2 min), benign cytotoxicity (76.7 % to 90.4 % of cell viability), minor hemolytic activity (<1 %), faster blood coagulation effects (within 76.3 s), low blood coagulation index (14.5 % to 18.7 % @ 6 min), enhanced antibacterial properties (81.0 % to 86.1 % against S. aureus, 83.7 % to 96.5 % against E. coli), and effective inhibition of wound inflammation factors of IL-1ß and TNF-α. Such tailored micropatterned composite dressing is facile to obtain, highly reproducible, and cost-efficient, making it a promising implication for improved and personalized contaminated wound healing.

Lattice thermal conductivity of embedded nanoparticle composites: the role of particle size distribution.

Nanoparticles embedded within a crystalline solid serve as impurity phonon scattering centers that reduce lattice thermal conductivity, a desirable result for thermoelectric applications. Most studies of thermal transport in nanoparticle-laden composite materials have assumed the nanoparticles to possess a single size. If there is a distribution of nanoparticle sizes, how is thermal conductivity affected? Moreover, is there a best nanoparticle size distribution to minimize thermal conductivity? In this work, we study the thermal conductivity of nanoparticle-laden composites through a molecular dynamics approach which naturally captures phonon scattering processes more rigorously than previously used analytical theories. From thermal transport simulations of a systematic variety of nanoparticle configurations, we empirically formulate how nanoparticle size distribution, particle number density, and volume fraction affect the lattice thermal conductivity. We find at volume fractions below 10%, the particle number density is by far the most impactful factor on thermal conductivity and at fractions above 10%, the effect of the size distribution and number density is minimal compared to the volume fraction. In fact, upon comparisons of configurations with the same particle number density and volume fractions, the lattice thermal conductivity of a single nanoparticle size can be lower than that of a size distribution which contradicts intuitions that a single size would attenuate phonon transport less than a spectrum of sizes. The random alloy, which can be considered as a single size configuration of maximum particle number density where the nanoparticle size is equal to the lattice constant, is the most performant in thermal conductivity reduction at volume fractions below 10%. We conclude that nanoparticle size distribution only plays a minor role in affecting lattice thermal conductivity with the particle number density and volume fraction being the more significant factors that should be considered in fabrication of nanoparticle-laden composites for potential improved thermoelectric performance.

Proteopathy Linked to Exon-Skipping Isoform of RGR-Opsin Contributes to the Pathogenesis of Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

Purpose: Proteopathy is believed to contribute to age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Much research indicates that AMD begins in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), which is associated with formation of extracellular drusen, a clinical hallmark of AMD. Human RPE produces a drusen-associated abnormal protein, the exon Ⅵ-skipping splice isoform of retinal G protein-coupled receptor (RGR-d). In this study, we investigate the detrimental effects of RGR-d on cultured cells and mouse retina. Methods: ARPE-19 cells were stably infected by lentivirus overexpressing RGR or RGR-d and were treated with MG132, sometimes combined with or without endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress inducer, tunicamycin. RGR and RGR-d protein expression, degeneration pathway, and potential cytotoxicity were explored. Homozygous RGR-d mice aged 8 or 14 months were fed with a high-fat diet for 3 months and then subjected to ocular examination and histopathology experiments. Results: We confirm that RGR-d is proteotoxic under various conditions. In ARPE-19 cells, RGR-d is misfolded and almost completely degraded via the ubiquitin-proteasome system. Unlike normal RGR, RGR-d increases ER stress, triggers the unfolded protein response, and exerts potent cytotoxicity. Aged RGR-d mice manifest disrupted RPE cell integrity, apoptotic photoreceptors, choroidal deposition of complement C3, and CD86+CD32+ proinflammatory cell infiltration into retina and RPE-choroid. Furthermore, the AMD-like phenotype of RGR-d mice can be aggravated by a high-fat diet. Conclusions: Our study confirmed the pathogenicity of the RGR splice isoform and corroborated a significant role of proteopathy in AMD. These findings may contribute to greater comprehension of the multifactorial causes of AMD.

Temporal-spatial distributions of road silt loadings and fugitive road dust emissions in Beijing from 2019 to 2020.

Road silt loading (sL) is an important parameter in the fugitive road dust (FRD) emissions. In this study, the improved Testing Re-entrained Aerosol Kinetic Emissions from Roads (TRAKER) combined with the AP-42 method was firstly developed to quickly measure and estimate the sLs of paved roads in Beijing, China. The annual average sLs in Beijing was 0.59±0.31 g/m2 in 2020, and decreased by 22.4% compared with that in 2019. The seasonal variations of sLs followed the order of spring > winter > summer > autumn in the two years. The seasonal mean road sLs on the same type road in the four seasons presented a decline trend from 2019 to 2020, especially on the Express way, decreasing 47.4%-72.7%. The road sLs on the different type roads in the same season followed the order of Major arterial ∼ Minor arterial ∼ Branch road > Express road, and Township road ∼ Country highway > Provincial highway ∼ National highway. The emission intensities of PM10 and PM2.5 from FRD in Beijing in 2020 were lower than those in 2019. The PM10 and PM2.5 emission intensities at the four planning areas in the two years all presented the order of the capital functional core area > the urban functional expansion area > the urban development new area > the ecological conservation and development area. The annual emissions of PM10 and PM2.5 from FRD in Beijing in 2020 were 74,886 ton and 18,118 ton, respectively, decreasing by ∼33.3% compared with those in 2019.

Roles of bile acids signaling in neuromodulation under physiological and pathological conditions.

Bile acids (BA) are important physiological molecules not only mediating nutrients absorption and metabolism in peripheral tissues, but exerting neuromodulation effect in the central nerve system (CNS). The catabolism of cholesterol to BA occurs predominantly in the liver by the classical and alternative pathways, or in the brain initiated by the neuronal-specific enzyme CYP46A1 mediated pathway. Circulating BA could cross the blood brain barrier (BBB) and reach the CNS through passive diffusion or BA transporters. Brain BA might trigger direct signal through activating membrane and nucleus receptors or affecting activation of neurotransmitter receptors. Peripheral BA may also provide the indirect signal to the CNS via farnesoid X receptor (FXR) dependent fibroblast growth factor 15/19 (FGF15/19) pathway or takeda G protein coupled receptor 5 (TGR5) dependent glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) pathway. Under pathological conditions, alterations in BA metabolites have been discovered as potential pathogenic contributors in multiple neurological disorders. Attractively, hydrophilic ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), especially tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA) can exert neuroprotective roles by attenuating neuroinflammation, apoptosis, oxidative or endoplasmic reticulum stress, which provides promising therapeutic effects for treatment of neurological diseases. This review summarizes recent findings highlighting the metabolism, crosstalk between brain and periphery, and neurological functions of BA to elucidate the important role of BA signaling in the brain under both physiological and pathological conditions.

Elucidating cellular interactome of chikungunya virus identifies host dependency factors.

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a re-emerging mosquito-transmitted RNA virus causing joint and muscle pain. To better understand how CHIKV rewires the host cell and usurps host cell functions, we generated a systematic CHIKV-human protein-protein interaction map and revealed several novel connections that will inform further mechanistic studies. One of these novel interactions, between the viral protein E1 and STIP1 homology and U-box containing protein 1 (STUB1), was found to mediate ubiquitination of E1 and degrade E1 through the proteasome. Capsid associated with G3BP1, G3BP2 and AAA+ â€‹ATPase valosin-containing protein (VCP). Furthermore, VCP inhibitors blocked CHIKV infection, suggesting VCP could serve as a therapeutic target. Further work is required to fully understand the functional consequences of these interactions. Given that CHIKV proteins are conserved across alphaviruses, many virus-host protein-protein interactions identified in this study might also exist in other alphaviruses. Construction of interactome of CHIKV provides the basis for further studying the function of alphavirus biology.

Heterologous Expression and Function of Cholesterol Oxidase: A Review.

Cholesterol was first found in gallstones as an animal sterol; hence it is called cholesterol. Cholesterol oxidase is the chief enzyme in the process of cholesterol degradation. Its role is obtained by the coenzyme FAD, which catalyzes the isomerization and oxidation of cholesterol to produce cholesteric 4-ene-3-ketone and hydrogen peroxide at the same time. Recently, a great advance has been made in the discovery of the structure and function of cholesterol oxidase, and it has proven added value in clinical discovery, medical care, food and biopesticides development and other conditions. By recombinant DNA technology, we can insert the gene in the heterologous host. Heterologous expression (HE) is a successful methodology to produce enzymes for function studies and manufacturing applications, where Escherichia coli has been extensively used as a heterologous host because of its economical cultivation, rapid growth, and efficiency in offering exogenous genes. Heterologous expression of cholesterol oxidase has been considered for several microbial sources, such as Rhodococcus equi, Brevibacterium sp., Rhodococcus sp., Streptomyces coelicolor, Burkholderia cepacia ST-200, Chromobacterium, and Streptomyces spp. All related publications of numerous researchers and scholars were searched in ScienceDirect, Scopus, PubMed, and Google Scholar. In this article, the present situation and promotion of heterologous expression of cholesterol oxidase, the role of protease, and the perspective of its possible applications were reviewed.

Facilitated Photocatalytic Degradation of Rhodamine B over One-Step Synthesized Honeycomb-Like BiFeO3/g-C3N4 Catalyst.

In the present work, a facile one-step methodology was used to synthesize honeycomb-like BiFeO3/g-C3N4 composites, where the well-dispersed BiFeO3 strongly interacted with the hg-C3N4. The 10BiFeO3/hg-C3N4 could completely degrade RhB under visible light illumination within 60 min. The degradation rate constant was remarkably improved and approximately three times and seven times that of pristine hg-C3N4 and BiFeO3, respectively. This is ascribed to the following factors: (1) the unique honeycomb-like morphology facilitates the diffusion of the reactants and effectively improves the utilization of light energy by multiple reflections of light; (2) the charged dye molecules can be tightly bound to the spontaneous polarized BiFeO3 surface to form the Stern layer; (3) the Z-scheme heterojunction and the ferroelectric synergistically promoted the efficient separation and migration of the photogenerated charges. This method can synchronously tune the micro-nano structure, surface property, and internal field construction for g-C3N4-based photocatalysts, exhibiting outstanding potential in environmental purification.

G-quadruplex ligands inhibit chikungunya virus replication.

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a mosquito-transmitted alphavirus affecting human health globally. G-quadruplex secondary structures attract great attention as potential targets for antiviral strategy. In this study, we show that the CHIKV genome possesses several conserved potential G-quadruplex sequences. G-quadruplex ligands BRACO-19 and TMPyP4 could stabilize the CHIKV G-quadruplex and inhibit the transcription of constructs containing CHIKV G-quadruplex sequences. Importantly, BRACO-19 and TMPyP4 suppress CHIKV replication. Our study not only reinforces the presence of viral G-quadruplex sequences but also suggests that targeting G-quadruplex structure could represent a novel strategy to inhibit CHIKV.

Progress on Poxvirus E3 Ubiquitin Ligases and Adaptor Proteins.

Poxviruses have evolved a variety of innate immunity evasion mechanisms, some of which involve poxvirus-encoded E3 ubiquitin ligases and adaptor proteins. Based on their functional domains and ubiquitin transfer mechanisms, these poxvirus-encoded E3 ubiquitin ligases and adaptor proteins can be divided into five categories: PRANC, ANK/BC, BBK, P28/RING, and MARCH proteins. Although the substrates of many poxvirus E3 ubiquitin ligases remain to be discovered, most of the identified substrates are components of the innate immune system. In this review, we discuss the current research progress on poxvirus-encoded E3 ubiquitin ligases and adaptor proteins to provide mechanistic insights into the interplay between these viruses and their hosts.

Self-Powered Acceleration Sensor Based on Multilayer Suspension Structure and TPU-RTV Film for Vibration Monitoring.

In this paper, we designed a triboelectric acceleration sensor with excellent multiple parameters. To more easily detect weak vibrations, the sensor was founded on a multilayer suspension structure. To effectively improve the electrical properties of the sensor, a surface roughening and internal doping friction film, which was refined with a room temperature vulcanized silicone rubber (RTV) and some thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU) powder in a certain proportion, was integrated into the structure. It was found that the optimization of the RTV film increases the open circuit voltage and short circuit current of the triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) by 223% and 227%, respectively. When the external vibration acceleration is less than 4 m/s2, the sensitivity and linearity are 1.996 V/(m/s2) and 0.999, respectively. Additionally, when it is in the range between 4 m/s2 and 15 m/s2, those are 23.082 V/(m/s2) and 0.975, respectively. Furthermore, the sensor was placed in a simulated truck vibration environment, and its self-powered monitoring ability validated by experiments in real time. The results show that the designed sensor has strong practical value in the field of monitoring mechanical vibration acceleration.

Dose-Related Structural Effects of Photodynamic Therapy on Rabbit Choroidal Structure.

INTRODUCTION: Photodynamic therapy with verteporfin (vPDT) has been shown to be effective against central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) and was the preferred therapeutic for CSC treatment. However, alterations in choroidal structure after PDT were reported, and these effects were dose-dependent. This study aimed to compare the changes in choroidal structure after PDT with different doses of verteporfin in rabbits and may provide individualized therapeutic guidance for patients who failed to respond to initial half-dose vPDT. METHODS: The full dose of verteporfin used in CSC was 6 mg/m2, which was used in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration. Laser fluence was 50 J/cm2 (irradiance, 600 mW/cm2, 83 s). There were 4 different dose groups in this study (100%, 70%, 50%, and 30%). The alterations were examined at 1 day, 1 week, and 1 month after vPDT using color fundus imaging, indocyanine green angiography, and histopathology analysis. RESULTS: Various degrees of choroidal alterations were demonstrated at different dose groups. Examinations on day 1 showed that gradually reduced verteporfin dose tended to decrease photochemical reactions to the choroid in terms of the number of occlusion vessels and area of the lesion. After 1 month, choroid vessel alteration persisted in high-dose groups (100% and 70%); nevertheless, alterations of low-dose groups (50% and 30%) returned to normal. CONCLUSIONS: vPDT can induce photochemical reactions of the choroid, high dose causes permanent change, and low dose causes recoverable change. The dose-dependent alterations need to be considered for the individual therapeutic plan according to the situation of a patient with CSC.