Environmental behaviors and toxic mechanisms of engineered nanomaterials in soil.

Engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) are inevitably released into the environment with the exponential application of nanotechnology. Parts of ENMs eventually accumulate in the soil environment leading to potential adverse effects on soil ecology, crop production, and human health. Therefore, the safety application of ENMs on soil has been widely discussed in recent years. More detailed safety information and potential soil environmental risks are urgently needed. However, most of the studies on the environmental effects of metal-based ENMs have been limited to single-species experiments, ecosystem processes, or abiotic processes. The present review formulated the source and the behaviors of the ENMs in soil, and the potential effects of single and co-exposure ENMs on soil microorganisms, soil fauna, and plants were introduced. The toxicity mechanism of ENMs to soil organisms was also reviewed including oxidative stress, the release of toxic metal ions, and physical contact. Soil properties affect the transport, transformation, and toxicity of ENMs. Toxic mechanisms of ENMs include oxidative stress, ion release, and physical contact. Joint toxic effects occur through adsorption, photodegradation, and loading. Besides, future research should focus on the toxic effects of ENMs at the food chain levels, the effects of ENMs on plant whole-lifecycle, and the co-exposure and long-term toxicity effects. A fast and accurate toxicity evaluation system and model method are urgently needed to solve the current difficulties. It is of great significance for the sustainable development of ENMs to provide the theoretical basis for the ecological risk assessment and environmental management of ENMs.

Acidic Leucine-Rich Nuclear Protein Phosphatase 32B Promotes Prostate Adenocarcinoma Cell Progression by Regulating Apoptosis and Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition.

Objective: This work aimed to investigate the expression of acidic leucine-rich nuclear protein phosphatase 32B (ANP32B) in prostate adenocarcinoma (PRAD) and evaluate the effect of ANP32B on the proliferation of prostate adenocarcinoma cells. Methods: We evaluated the expression of ANP32B in PRAD tissues and cells compared to the controls obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). siRNA targeting ANP32B was transfected into DU145 cells to knockdown the ANP32B expression and plasmids carrying ANP32B coding region were used to overexpress ANP32B in PC3 cells. We analyze the knockdown or overexpression efficiency of ANP32B with quantitative reverse-transcription PCR (RT-qPCR) and Western blot. CCK-8 assay, cell colony formation assay, transwell assay, and EdU labeling were performed to investigate the function of ANP32B on the progression of PRAD. Finally, the expression of the cell cycle marker, apoptosis marker, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) marker were detected by Western blot. Results: ANP32B expression was upregulated in PRAD samples compared to normal samples. Exogenous ANP32B overexpression promoted cell viability, cell colony formation, 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) incorporation, and cell migration. Inhibition of ANP32B suppressed cell proliferation, growth, and migration. At the molecular level, the genes promoting cell growth and migration, including cyclin D1 and N-cadherin, were significantly upregulated after ANP32B overexpression, whereas those inhibiting cell growth and migration such as cleaved caspase 3 and E-cadherin were downregulated. Conclusion: The tumor-promoting function of ANP32B can be attributed to its capacity to facilitate cell progression, and it may be considered as a therapeutic marker for PRAD therapy.

Mitigating Jahn-Teller Effect in Layered Cathode Material Via Interstitial Doping for High-Performance Sodium-Ion Batteries.

Layered transition metal oxides are promising cathode materials for sodium-ion batteries due to their high energy density and appropriate operating potential. However, the poor structural stability is a major drawback to their widespread application. To address this issue, B3+ is successfully introduced into the tetrahedral site of Na0.67 Fe0.5 Mn0.5 O2 , demonstrating the effectiveness of small-radius ion doping in improving electrochemical performance. The obtained Na0.67 Fe0.5 Mn0.5 B0.04 O2 exhibits excellent cycling performance with 88.8% capacity retention after 100 cycles at 1 C and prominent rate performance. The structure-property relationship is constructed subsequently by neutron powder diffraction, in situ X-ray diffraction and X-ray absorption spectroscopy, which reveal that the Jahn-Teller distortion and the consequent P2-P2' phase transformation are effectively mitigated because of the occupancy of B3+ at the interstitial site. Furthermore, it is found that the transition metal layers are stabilized and the transition metal dissolution are suppressed, resulting in excellent cycling performance. Besides, the prominent rate performance is attributed to the enhanced diffusion kinetics associated with the rearrangement of Na+ . This work provides novel insight into the action mechanism of interstitial site doping and demonstrates a universal approach to improve the electrochemical properties of P2-type manganese-based sodium cathode materials.

Municipal solid waste, an overlooked route of transmission for the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2: a review.

Municipal solid waste could potentially transmit human pathogens during the collection, transport, handling, and disposal of waste. Workers and residents living in the vicinity of municipal solid waste collection or disposal sites are particularly susceptible, especially unprotected workers and waste pickers. Recent evidence suggests that municipal solid waste-mediated transmission can spread the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) to humans. Such risks, however, have received little attention from public health authorities so far and may present an under-investigated transmission route for SARS-CoV-2 and other infectious agents during pandemics. In this review, we provide a retrospective analysis of the challenges, practices, and policies on municipal solid waste management during the current pandemic, and scrutinize the recent case reports on the municipal solid waste-mediated transmission of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We found abrupt changes in quantity and composition of municipal solid wastes during the COVID-19. We detail pathways of exposure to SARS-CoV-2 and other pathogens carried on municipal solid wastes. We disclose evidence of pathogenic transmission by municipal solid waste to humans and animals. Assessments of current policies, gaps, and voluntary actions taken on municipal solid waste handling and disposal in the current pandemic are presented. We propose risk mitigation strategies and research priorities to alleviate the risk for humans and vectors exposed to municipal solid wastes.

General Synthesis of Amorphous PdM (M = Cu, Fe, Co, Ni) Alloy Nanowires for Boosting HCOOH Dehydrogenation.

Noble metal-based nanomaterials with amorphous structures are promising candidates for developing efficient electrocatalysts. However, their synthesis remains a significant challenge, especially under mild conditions. In this paper, we report a general strategy for preparing amorphous PdM nanowires (a-PdM NWs, M = Fe, Co, Ni, and Cu) at low temperatures by exploiting glassy non-noble metal (M) nuclei generated by special ligand adsorption as the amorphization dictator. When evaluated as electrocatalysts toward formic acid oxidation, a-PdCu NWs can deliver the mass and specific activities as high as 2.93 A/mgPd and 5.33 mA/cm2, respectively; these are the highest values for PdCu-based catalysts reported thus far, far surpassing the crystalline-dominant counterparts and commercial Pd/C. Theoretical calculations suggest that the outstanding catalytic performance of a-PdCu NWs arises from the amorphization-induced high surface reactivity, which can efficiently activate the chemically stable C-H bond and thereby significantly facilitate the dissociation of HCOOH.

Ethylene and salicylic acid synergistically accelerate leaf senescence in Arabidopsis.

The phytohormones ethylene and salicylic acid (SA) have long been known to promote senescence, but their interplay during this process remains elusive. Here we report the synergistic effects of ethylene and SA on promoting leaf senescence in Arabidopsis. EIN3, a key transcription factor of ethylene signaling, physically interacted with the core SA signaling regulator NPR1 in senescing leaves. EIN3 and NPR1 synergistically promoted the expression of the senescence-associated genes ORE1 and SAG29. The senescence phenotype was more delayed for the ein3eil1npr1 triple mutant than ein3eil1 or npr1 with ethylene or/and SA treatment. NPR1-promoted leaf senescence may depend on functional EIN3/EIL1.

The transcription factor ZmNAC126 accelerates leaf senescence downstream of the ethylene signalling pathway in maize.

Leaf senescence is an integral part of plant development, during which, nutrients are remobilized from senescent leaves to fast-growing organs. The initiation and progression dynamics of leaf senescence is therefore vital not only to the maximal accumulation of assimilates but also to the efficient remobilization of nutrients. Senescence is a finely tuned process that involves the action of a large number of transcription factors (TFs). The NAC TFs play critical roles in regulating leaf senescence in Arabidopsis, wheat, rice and tomato. Here, we identified a NAC TF, ZmNAC126 that is responsive to leaf senescence in maize. Ectopic overexpression of ZmNAC126 in Arabidopsis and maize enhanced chlorophyll degradation and promoted leaf senescence. Electrophoretic mobility shift and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays revealed that ZmNAC126 could directly bind to the promoters of major chlorophyll catabolic genes in maize. Dual-luciferase assay in maize protoplasts indicated that ZmNAC126 positively regulates these chlorophyll catabolic genes in maize. Moreover, ZmNAC126 could be induced by ethylene, and ZmEIN3, a major TF of ethylene signalling, could bind to its promoter to transactivate its expression. Taken together, ZmNAC126 may play a pivotal role in regulating natural and ethylene-triggered leaf senescence in maize.

Etching-Assisted Route to Heterophase Au Nanowires with Multiple Types of Active Surface Sites for Silane Oxidation.

The construction of multiple types of active sites on the surface of a metallic catalyst can markedly enhance its catalytic activity toward specific reactions. Here, we show that heterophase gold nanowires (Au NWs) with multiple types of active surface sites can be synthesized using an etching-assisted process, yielding the highest reported turnover frequency (TOF) for Au catalysts toward the silane oxidation reaction by far. We use synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) and aberration-corrected (scanning) transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to show that the Au NWs contain heterophase structures, planar defects, and surface steps. Moreover, the contribution to the catalytic performance from each type of active sites was clarified. Surface steps on the Au NW catalysts, which were identified using aberration-corrected (scanning) TEM, were shown to play the most important role in enhancing the catalytic performance. By using synchrotron PXRD, it was shown that a small ratio of metastable phases within Au NWs can enhance catalytic activity by a factor of 1.35, providing a further route to improve catalytic activity. Of the three types of surface active sites, surface terminations of planar defects such as twin boundaries (TB) and stacking faults (SF) are less active than metastable phases and surface steps for Au catalysts toward the silane oxidation reaction. Such an etching-assisted synthesis of heterophase Au NWs promises to open new possibilities for catalysis, plasmonic, optics, and electrical applications.

A Literature Review: Geometric Methods and Their Applications in Human-Related Analysis.

Geometric features, such as the topological and manifold properties, are utilized to extract geometric properties. Geometric methods that exploit the applications of geometrics, e.g., geometric features, are widely used in computer graphics and computer vision problems. This review presents a literature review on geometric concepts, geometric methods, and their applications in human-related analysis, e.g., human shape analysis, human pose analysis, and human action analysis. This review proposes to categorize geometric methods based on the scope of the geometric properties that are extracted: object-oriented geometric methods, feature-oriented geometric methods, and routine-based geometric methods. Considering the broad applications of deep learning methods, this review also studies geometric deep learning, which has recently become a popular topic of research. Validation datasets are collected, and method performances are collected and compared. Finally, research trends and possible research topics are discussed.

Creation of Controllable High-Density Defects in Silver Nanowires for Enhanced Catalytic Property.

Structural defects have been proven to determine many of the materials' properties. Here, we demonstrate a unique approach to the creation of Ag nanowires with high-density defects through controllable nanoparticles coalescence in one-dimensional pores of mesoporous silica. The density of defects can be easily adjusted by tuning the annealing temperature during synthetic process. The high-density defects promote the adsorption and activation of more reactants on the surface of Ag nanowires during catalytic reactions. As a result, the as-prepared Ag nanowires exhibit enhanced activities in catalyzing dehydrogenative coupling reaction of silane in terms of apparent activation energy and turnover frequency (TOF). We show further that the silane conversion rate can be enhanced by maximizing the defect density and thus the number of active sites on the Ag nanowires, reaching a remarkable TOF of 8288 h(-1), which represents the highest TOF that has been achieved by far on Ag catalysts. This work not only proves the important role of structural defects in catalysis but also provides a new and general strategy for constructing high-density defects in metal catalysts.

Comparative Study of the Effects of Dietary-Free and -Bound Nε-Carboxymethyllysine on Gut Microbiota and Intestinal Barrier.

Nε-carboxymethyllysine (CML) is produced by a nonenzymatic reaction between reducing sugar and ε-amino group of lysine in food and exists as free and bound forms with varying digestibility and absorption properties in vivo, causing diverse interactions with gut microbiota. The effects of different forms of dietary CML on the gut microbiota and intestinal barrier of mice were explored. Mice were exposed to free and bound CML for 12 weeks, and colonic morphology, gut microbiota, fecal short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), intestinal barrier, and receptor for AGE (RAGE) signaling cascades were measured. The results indicated that dietary-free CML increased the relative abundance of SCFA-producing genera including Blautia, Faecalibacterium, Agathobacter, and Roseburia. In contrast, dietary-bound CML mainly increased the relative abundance of Akkermansia. Moreover, dietary-free and -bound CML promoted the gene and protein expression of zonula occludens-1 and claudin-1. Additionally, the intake of free and bound CML caused an upregulation of RAGE expression but did not activate downstream inflammatory pathways due to the upregulation of oligosaccharyl transferase complex protein 48 (AGER1) expression, indicating a delicate balance between protective and proinflammatory effects in vivo. Dietary-free and -bound CML could modulate the gut microbiota community and increase tight-junction expression, and dietary-free CML might exert a higher potential benefit on gut microbiota and SCFAs than dietary-bound CML.

Tracing COVID-19 drugs in the environment: Are we focusing on the right environmental compartment?

The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic led to over 770 million confirmed cases, straining public healthcare systems and necessitating extensive and prolonged use of synthetic chemical drugs around the globe for medical treatment and symptom relief. Concerns have arisen regarding the massive release of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and their metabolites into the environment, particularly through domestic sewage. While discussions surrounding this issue have primarily centered on their discharge into aquatic environments, particularly through treated effluent from municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), one often overlooked aspect is the terrestrial environment as a significant receptor of pharmaceutical-laden waste. This occurs through the disposal of sewage sludge, for instance, by applying biosolids to land or non-compliant disposal of sewage sludge, in addition to the routine disposal of expired and unused medications in municipal solid wastes. In this article, we surveyed sixteen approved pharmaceuticals for treating COVID-19 and bacterial co-infections, along with their primary metabolites. For this, we delved into their physiochemical properties, ecological toxicities, environmental persistence, and fate within municipal WWTPs. Emphasis was given on lipophilic substances with log Kow >3.0, which are more likely to be found in sewage sludge at significant factions (25.2%-75.0%) of their inputs in raw sewage and subsequently enter the terrestrial environment through land application of biosolids, e.g., 43% in the United States and as high as 96% in Ireland or non-compliant practices of sewage sludge disposal in developing communities, such as open dumping and land application without prior anaerobic digestion. The available evidence underscores the importance of adequately treating and disposing of sewage sludge before its final disposal or land application in an epidemic or pandemic scenario, as mismanaged sewage sludge could be a significant vector for releasing pharmaceutical compounds and their metabolites into the terrestrial environment.

Comparative review on microbial electrochemical technologies for resource recovery from wastewater towards circular economy and carbon neutrality.

Newly arising concepts such as the circular economy and carbon neutrality motivate resource recovery from wastewater. This paper reviews and discusses state-of-the-art microbial electrochemical technologies (METs), specifically microbial fuel cells (MFCs), microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) and microbial recycling cells (MRCs), which enable energy generation and nutrient recovery from wastewater. Mechanisms, key factors, applications, and limitations are compared and discussed. METs are effective in energy conversion, demonstrating advantages, drawbacks and future potential as specific scenarios. MECs and MRCs exhibited greater potential for simultaneous nutrient recovery, and MRCs offer the best scaling-up potential and efficient mineral recovery. Research on METs should be more concerned with lifespan of materials, secondary pollutants reduction and scaled-up benchmark systems. More up-scaled application cases are expected for cost structures comparison and life cycle assessment of METs. This review could direct the follow-up research, development and successful implementation of METs for resource recovery from wastewater.

A "two-step" assay based on electro-activation for rapid determination of methylglyoxal in honey and beer.

Methylglyoxal (MGO), a dicarbonyl compound in living organism, food and environment, has been associated with disease diagnosis and human health. The current electrochemical detection methods rely on the use of advanced materials. In this work, a non-advanced materials "two-step" assay including electrode electro-activation and MGO detection was developed. In the section of electro-activation, an activation method of GCE for MGO detection was established; and the composition changes on GCE surface caused by electro-activation, including functional groups and surface defects, have been carefully studied. The effect of carbonyl and surface defects induced by electro-activation on MGO detection was discussed. In section of MGO detection, the raise of background current caused by electro-activation was minimized by background subtraction; and the effect of interferences can be weakened by adjusting pH. The MGO signal on proposed activated GCE improved 20-fold than bare GCE. The recoveries were 72.38-109.16% in honey and beer, and RSDs were 0.24-9.63% without significant difference with HPLC method and comparable with advanced material modified sensors.

Granulomatous Inflammation of Greater Omentum Caused by a Migrating Fishbone.

Fishbone is the most common ingested gastrointestinal foreign matter and is less than 1% perforate. However, a fishbone penetrating the gastrointestinal tract and causing granulomatous inflammation of the greater omentum with local suppuration is not common. Because of the nonspecific clinical symptoms, gastrointestinal perforation may be manifested only as dull abdominal pain, which is often ignored and timely clinical treatment may be delayed. We report a case of a 61-year male who experienced intermittent right median ventral abdominal pain for half a year. These symptoms were the result of granulomatous inflammation of the greater omentum with local suppuration caused by a migrating fishbone (3.5 cm in length). Finally, the fishbone was removed by exploratory laparotomy. Key Words: Fishbone, Gastrointestinal perforation, Greater omentum, Granulomatous inflammation, Laparotomy.

[Research progress of intramedullary lengthening nail technology].

OBJECTIVE: To review the research progress of intramedullary lengthening nail technology. METHODS: The foreign literature on the development history, types, advantages and disadvantages, indications and contraindications, complications, and effectiveness of intramedullary lengthening nail were reviewed and analyzed. RESULTS: The intramedullary lengthening nail system mainly includes mechanical type, electric motor drive type, and magnetic drive type. Compared with traditional external fixation and lengthening technology, the intramedullary lengthening nail technology has certain advantages in incidence of complications, bone healing, postoperative functional rehabilitation, incision aesthetics, convenience, and patient satisfaction. However, there are also shortcomings, such as pain, uncontrollable distraction rate, device failure, etc. In the clinical application of intramedullary lengthening nails for limb lengthening, the indications should be grasped reasonably, and the related complications should be prevented and treated. CONCLUSION: Intramedullary lengthening nails provide a new option for limb lengthening, and the initial effectiveness is good. It is one of the development direction of limb lengthening technology.

MiR-22-3p Suppresses Cell Migration and Invasion by Targeting PLAGL2 in Breast Cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of miR-22-3p in breast cancer and the mechanism of targeting PLAGL2 to inhibit the invasion and migration in human breast cancer. STUDY DESIGN: An experimental study. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY: Department of Oncology and Department of General Surgery, The People's Hospital of China Three Gorges University, China, from March 2019 to December 2020. METHODOLOGY: The miR-22-3p expression level in 41 paired human primary breast invasive ductal carcinoma tissues and para-cancer tissues was obtained by real-time fluorescence quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR (qRT-PCR). The effect of miR-22-3p on the proliferation of breast cancer cells was detected by growth curve method. Online software TargetScan was used to predict the target genes of miR-22-3p. The prediction results were verified by luciferase reporter gene assay and qRT⁃PCR. RESULTS: MiR-22-3p expression was significantly decreased in the breast cancer tissues than in para⁃carcinoma normal breast tissues (p<0.05). Over-expression of miR-22-3p can inhibit the proliferation of MCF-7 cells significantly. Pleomorphic adenoma gene-like protein 2(PLAGL2) is the predicted target gene of miR-22-3p. MiR-22-3p binds to its predicted target gene PLAGL2-3'UTR. The expression of miR-22-3p was negatively correlated with PLAGL2 in MCF-7 cells. CONCLUSION: MiR-22-3p could suppress the proliferation of breast cancer by targeting PLAGL2. This suggests that miR-22-3p may be a strategy of choice for targeted therapy of breast cancer. Key Words: Breast cancer, MiR-22-3p, PLAGL2, Cell proliferation.

Enhancing the Electrochemical Performance and Structural Stability of Ni-Rich Layered Cathode Materials via Dual-Site Doping.

Ni-rich layered cathode materials are considered as promising electrode materials for lithium ion batteries due to their high energy density and low cost. However, the low rate performance and poor electrochemical stability hinder the large-scale application of Ni-rich layered cathodes. In this work, both the rate performance and the structural stability of the Ni-rich layered cathode LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 are significantly improved via the dual-site doping of Nb on both lithium and transition-metal sites, as revealed by neutron diffraction results. The dual-site Nb-doped LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 delivers 202.8 mAh·g-1 with a capacity retention of 81% after 200 electrochemical cycles, which is much higher than that of pristine LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2. Moreover, a discharge capacity of 176 mAh·g-1 at 10C rate illustrates its remarkable rate capability. Through in situ X-ray diffraction and electronic transport property measurements, it was demonstrated that the achievement of dual-site doping in the Ni-rich layered cathode can not only suppress the Li/Ni disordering and facilitate the lithium ion transport process but also stabilize the layered structure against local collapse and structural distortion. This work adopts a dual-site-doping approach to enhance the electrochemical performance and structural stability of Ni-rich cathode materials, which could be extended as a universal modification strategy to improve the electrochemical performance of other cathode materials.