Lindane degradation in wet-dry cycling soil as affected by aging and microbial toxicity of biochar.

This study determined the degradation of lindane in soil amended with biochar to evaluate the effects of biochar aging and microbial toxicity. Two biochars were prepared at 400 and 600 °C (BC400 and BC600) and subjected to acid washing to remove nutrition (WBC400 and WBC600). After 89 days of incubation under the alternate "wet-dry" conditions, scanning electron microscopy showed that acid washing rendered biochars especially susceptible to aging with structural collapse and fragmentation, with less surface covering. Aging impeded the release of toxic substances in BC400 and BC600 with reduced toxicity to degrading microorganisms. Lindane degradation was somewhat stimulated by biochar nutrition but mainly inhibited by adsorption. Acid washing facilitated the release of toxic substances and additionally reduced lindane degradation. The variations in fatty acid saturation degree (SFA/UFA) in soils confirmed the microbial toxicity of 5% WBC400 > 5% BC400 > 5% BC600 > 5% WBC600. High-throughput DNA sequencing showed that biochar delayed the formation of dominant degrading microbial communities in soil. Lindane degradation was completed by joint Sphingomonas, Flaviolibacter, Parasegetibacter, Azoarcus, Bacillus and Anaerolinaea. These findings are helpful for better understanding the effect of biochar in soil on long-term degradation of persistent organic pollutants.

Enhanced removal of cadmium from wastewater with coupled biochar and Bacillus subtilis.

Shortcomings of individual biochar or microbial technologies often exist in heavy metal removal from wastewater and may be circumvented by coupled use of biochar and microorganisms. In this study, Bacillus subtilis and each of three biochars of different origins (corn stalk, peanut shell, and pine wood) were coupled forming composite systems to treat a cadmium (Cd, 50 mg/L) wastewater formulated with CdCl2 in batch tests. Biochar in composite system enhanced the activity and Cd adsorption of B. subtilis. Compared with single systems with Cd removal up to 33%, the composite system with corn stalk biochar showed up to 62% Cd removal, which was greater than the sum of respective single B. subtilis and biochar systems. Further analysis showed that the removal of Cd by the corn stalk composite system could be considered to consist of three successive stages, that is, the biochar-dominant adsorption stage, the B. subtilis-dominant adsorption stage, and the final biofilm formation stage. The final stage may have provided the composite system with the ability to achieve prolonged steady removal of Cd. The biochar-microorganism composite system shows a promising application for heavy metal wastewater treatment.

Prognostic potential of liver injury in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Liver injury (LI) has been frequently observed in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), whereas its prognostic value remains blurry. We attempted to appraise the prognostic effect of LI in patients with DCM. METHODS: This retrospective study included 523 patients with DCM. LI was defined as a threefold increase in aspartate transaminase (≥ 135 U/L) or alanine transaminase (≥ 180 U/L) or a twofold increase in total bilirubin (≥ 41 umol/L) during hospitalization. The population was segmented into non-liver injury (NLI) group and LI group based on liver function test data. To balance differences in covariates at baseline, 1:1 propensity score matching (PSM) was performed. RESULTS: Patients with LI had lower survival rate, compared with those with NLI (44.6% vs. 73.8%, P < 0.001). Similar results were also found in age (age > 50, 39.6% vs. 70.9%, P < 0.001; age ≤ 50, 51.3% vs. 79.5%, P < 0.001) and gender stratified analysis (male, 46.2% vs. 74.4%, P < 0.001; female 35.7% vs. 72.0%, P = 0.001). After PSM, the survival rate of patients with LI remained lower than those with NLI (44.6% vs. 64.1%, P = 0.019). Multivariable Cox regression analysis manifested that LI (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.692, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.194-2.398, P = 0.003; HR: 1.675, 95% CI 1.078-2.604, P = 0.022, respectively) showed potent predictive effect on all-cause mortality in patients with DCM, both before and after PSM. CONCLUSIONS: The occurrence of LI herald adverse outcomes in patients with DCM and attention to LI may be conducive to risk stratification and management.

Clinicopathologic features of pregnancy luteoma.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the clinicopathological characteristics, immunophenotype, histological occurrence, diagnosis, and differential diagnosis of ovarian luteoma tumor of pregnancy. METHODS: The clinical features, histomorphology, immunohistochemistry, and reticular fiber staining results of 18 cases of luteoma tumors of pregnancy were analyzed, and related published studies were reviewed. RESULTS: The 18 cases of luteoma tumors were all women who had undergone multiple pregnancies. The tumors were 1.3-15 cm in size and brownish yellow or reddish brown in color, with a soft texture. Microscopic examination revealed the eosinophilic cytoplasm of tumor cells and diffuse hyperplasia. The results of the immunohistochemical analysis were as follows: α-inhibin, AE1/AE3, CD99, and vimentin were positive, while epithelial membrane antigen, S-100, HMB45, and MelanA were negative. One case was positive for MelanA. The staining results of reticular fibers showed that the argyrophilic reticular fibers were black surrounding the tumor cell nests. CONCLUSIONS: Luteoma tumor of pregnancy is a rare tumor-like lesion mostly appearing in late pregnancy. The gross, immunohistochemical staining, and reticular fiber staining results may help diagnose this disease. The disease needs to be differentiated from other diseases.

Interaction with AEG-1 and MDM2 is associated with glioma development and progression and correlates with poor prognosis.

Glioma is the most common central nervous system tumor with poor prognosis. The AEG-1 (Astrocyte Elevated Gene 1) gene displays oncogenic characteristics, including proliferation, metastasis, chemoresistance, invasion, and evasion of apoptosis, and is strongly linked to the occurrence of glioma. Here, we elucidated the potential contribution of AEG-1 in human glioma pathogenesis. In glioma cells, AEG-1 could directly interact with Murine Double Minute-2 (MDM2) protein resulting in MDM2-p53-mediated cell proliferation and apoptosis. MDM2 is being revealed as an oncoprotein, which is involved in many human cancers progression. By immunohistochemical and a multivariate analysis, expressions of AEG-1 and MDM2 were elevated in glioma and high AEG-1 and MDM2 expressions were showed to be correlated with poor prognosis. AEG-1-MDM2 interaction prolonged stabilization of MDM2 where AEG-1 inhibited ubiquitination and subsequent proteasome-mediated degradation of MDM2 protein. Moreover, slicing AEG-1 blocked MDM2 expression and then impacted MDM2-p53 pathway that influenced cell proliferation and apoptosis. These findings uncover a novel AEG-1-MDM2 interplay by which AEG-1 augments glioma progression and reveal a viable potential therapy for the treatment of glioma patients.