Single cell analyses reveal the PD-1 blockade response-related immune features in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background: Immunotherapy has demonstrated its potential to improve the prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); however, patients' responses to immunotherapy vary a lot. A comparative analysis of the tumor microenvironment (TME) in responders and non-responders is expected to unveil the mechanisms responsible for the immunotherapy resistance and provide potential treatment targets. Methods: We performed sequencing analyses using 10x Genomics technology on six HCC patients who responded to anti-PD-1 therapy and one HCC patient who did not respond. Additionally, we obtained single cell data from untreated, responsive, and nonresponsive HCC patients from public databases, and used part of the datasets as a validation cohort. These data were integrated using algorithms such as Harmony. An independent validation cohort was established. Furthermore, we performed spatial transcriptomic sequencing on the tumor adjacent tissues of three HCC responsive patients using 10x Genomics spatial transcriptomic technology. Additionally, we analyzed data about three HCC patients obtained from public databases. Finally, we validated our conclusions using immunofluorescence, flow cytometry, and in vivo experiments. Results: Our findings confirmed the presence of "immune barrier" partially accounting for the limited efficacy of immunotherapy. Our analysis revealed a significant increase in TREM2+ Macrophages among non-responsive patients expressing multiple immunosuppressive signals. anti-Csf1r monoclonal antibodies effectively eliminated these macrophages and augmented the therapeutic effects of anti-PD-1 therapy. TCR+ Macrophages possessed direct tumor-killing capabilities. IL1B+ cDC2 was the primary functional subtype of cDC2 cells. Absence of THEMIShi CD8+ T subtypes might diminish immunotherapeutic effects. Furthermore, CD8+ T cells entered a state of stress after anti-PD-1 treatment, which might be associated with CD8+ T cell exhaustion and senescence. Conclusions: The profiles of immune TMEs showed differences in HCC patients responsive, non-responsive and untreated. These differences might explain the discounted efficacy of immunotherapy in some HCC patients. The cells and molecules, which we found to carry unique capabilities, may be targeted to enhance immunotherapeutic outcomes in patients with HCC.

Evaluation of chemical components and quality in Xinhui Chenpi (Citrus reticulata 'Chachi') with two different storage times by GC-MS and UPLC.

Xinhui Chenpi (XHCP) is a well-known type of Chenpi (CP) widely used as both a Chinese herb and a food ingredient. While previous studies have explored how the quality of CP changes over time, there has been limited research specifically on XHCP. This study aims to assess the chemical components and quality of XHCP based on total flavonoid content (TF), antioxidant activity (AA), and color value (CV) at two stages: freshly harvested (XHCP-0Y) and after 3 years of storage (XHCP-3Y). Thirty-eight common volatile compounds were identified, and the content of 17 compounds among them, nine nonvolatile compounds, which included one alkaloid (synephrine), three phenolic acids (PA, protocatechuic acid, vanillic acid, and ferulic acid), and five flavonoids (narirutin, hesperidin, sinensetin, nobiletin, and tangeretin), were firstly detected by the newly developed gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer (GC-MS) and ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) methods. Compared to XHCP-0Y, the content of 17 volatile compounds and synephrine decreased in XHCP-3Y to varying degrees, while the content of PA, five flavonoids, TF, AA, and CV increased. The reduction of dryness caused by volatile compounds and the enhancement of efficacy related to PA, flavonoids, and AA suggested improved quality of XHCP after 3 years of storage. The methods developed in this study show promise for evaluating the quality of XHCP during the aging process.

Cation-Triggered Growth of Nanowires for Enhanced Oxygen Evolution Reaction.

The oxygen evolution reaction (OER), which occurs in a variety of energy-related devices, necessitates optimization of the reaction pathways for efficient and scalable deployment. Nevertheless, fully harnessing the advanced structure of synthetic electrocatalysts remains a significant challenge due to the inevitable surface reconstruction process during OER. Here we present an efficient and flexible method to control the surface reconstruction process by engineering an electrolyte containing trace Co2+ cation. This controllable reconstruction process enhances fast charge transfer, facilitates electroactive species transport, and exposes the inner active site, significantly improving the OER kinetics. An impressive 60% increase in current density at an applied potential of 2.2 V (vs RHE) confirms its remarkable contribution to the performance. The identification of cation-triggered reconstruction for the formation of a well-defined surface provides a novel insight into understanding electrolyte engineering and offers a viable pathway to address activity and stable concerns in electrocatalysts.

An Improved Ordinary State-Based Peridynamic Model for Granular Fractures in Cubic Crystals and the Effects of Crystal Orientations on Crack Propagation.

Material anisotropy caused by crystal orientation is an essential factor affecting the mechanical and fracture properties of crystal materials. This paper proposes an improved ordinary state-based peridynamic (OSB-PD) model to study the effect of arbitrary crystal orientation on the granular fracture in cubic crystals. Based on the periodicity of the equivalent elastic modulus of a cubic crystal, a periodic function regarding the crystal orientation is introduced into peridynamic material parameters, and a complete derivation process and expressions of correction factors are given. In addition, the derived parameters do not require additional coordinate transformation, simplifying the simulation process. Through convergence analysis, a regulating strategy to obtain the converged and accurate results of crack propagation paths is proposed. The effects of crystal orientations on crack initiation and propagation paths of single-crystal materials with different notch shapes (square, equilateral triangle, semi-circle) and sizes were studied. The results show that variations in crystal orientation can change the bifurcation, the number, and the propagation path direction of cracks. Under biaxial tensile loading, single crystals with semi-circular notches have the slowest crack initiation time and average propagation speed in most cases and are more resistant to fracture. Finally, the effects of grain anisotropy on dynamic fractures in polycrystalline materials under different grain boundary coefficients were studied. The decrease in grain anisotropy degree can reduce the microcracks in intergranular fracture and the crack propagation speed in transgranular fracture, respectively.

Self-Internal Standard Fluorescence for Ultrasensitive Detecting of mtDNA to Evaluate Matrilineal Genetic Defect Levels.

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is a unique genetic material characterized by maternal inheritance. It possesses a circular structure devoid of histone protection and exhibits low cellular abundance, which poses great challenges for its sensitive and selective detection at the living cell level. Herein, we have designed three bis-naphthylimide probes with varying linker lengths (NANn-OH, n = 0, 2, 6), facilitating the formation of distinct twisted or folded molecular conformations in the free state. These probes emit the red fluorescence around 627 nm with different fluorescence quantum yields (ΦNAN0-OH = 0.0016, ΦNAN2-OH = 0.0136, and ΦNAN6-OH = 0.0125). When encountering mtDNA (0.4-3.4 µg/mL), these probes undergo conformational changes depending on the length of the attached C-strand and exhibit a gradually increasing fluorescence signal around 453 nm. The fluorescence intensity increased to 13.5-fold, 1.9-fold, and 8.2-fold, respectively. Notably, the red fluorescence intensities around 627 nm remain constant throughout this process, thus serving as an inherent correction mechanism for proportional fluorescence signal enhancement to improve selectivity and sensitivity. NAN0-OH, NAN2-OH, and NAN6-OH showed good linearity for mtDNA in the range of 0.4-3.4 µg/mL with detection limits of LODNAN0-OH = 1.04 µg/mL, LODNAN2-OH = 1.10 µg/mL, and LODNAN6-OH = 1.15 µg/mL. Cellular experiments reveal that NAN6-OH effectively monitors curcumin-induced mtDNA damage in HepG-2 cells while enabling monitoring of genetic mtDNA damage. We anticipate that this tool holds significant potential for the precise evaluation of maternal genetic defects, thereby enhancing hypersensitive assessment in clinical medicine.

N, S co-doped carbon nanotubes loaded with Cu nanoclusters for efficient oxygen reduction reaction.

Developing highly superior precious-metal-free electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) are challenging and great significance. In this study, it is reported that an efficient ORR catalysts with N and S co-doped carbon nanotubes anchored to copper (Cu) nanoclusters by mechanical grinding and high temperature heat treatment. The obtained Cu-S1-N-C electrocatalysts exhibited a high ORR performance with an onset potential (Eonest) of 0.989 V and a half-wave potential (E1/2) of 0.905 V (vs. RHE) in alkaline electrolyte, which was superior to that of commercial Pt/C catalyst. In contrast to N doping alone, the defect structures and active species of the catalysts were optimized by precise modulation of S-atom doping, and moreover, the introduction of S-atoms provided more thiophene-sulfur active sites. This study provides an innovative idea for designing excellent ORR catalysts.

Causal relationship between immune cell phenotypes and risk of biliary tract cancer: evidence from Mendelian randomization analysis.

Background: Biliary tract cancer stands as a prevalent illness, posing significant risks to human health, where immune cells are pivotal in both its development and recovery processes. Due to the diverse functionalities exhibited by different immune cell phenotypes within the organism, and the relatively limited research on their relationship with biliary tract cancer, this study employed Mendelian randomization (MR) to explore their potential association, thereby aiding in a better understanding of the causal link between immune cell phenotypes and biliary tract cancer. Methods: In this study, the causative association of 731 immunophenotype with biliary tract cancer was established using publicly accessible genome-wide association study (GWAS) genetic data through two-sample MR analysis. Sensitivity analyses assess horizontal pleiotropy and heterogeneity of the study findings. Results: Among the 731 immunophenotypes examined, a total of 26 immune cell phenotypes were found to exhibit positive results, indicating a significant association with the risk of biliary tract cancer. We confirmed that among these 26 types of immune cells, there are primarily 13 types of B cells; three types of classical dendritic cells (CDCs), including CD80 on myeloid DC, HLA DR on myeloid DC, and Myeloid DC %DC; one type of mature stage T cell,CD4RA on TD CD4+; six types of regulatory T cells; and three types of myeloid cells.

FBXO7 ubiquitinates PRMT1 to suppress serine synthesis and tumor growth in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Cancer cells are often addicted to serine synthesis to support growth. How serine synthesis is regulated in cancer is not well understood. We recently demonstrated protein arginine methyltransferase 1 (PRMT1) is upregulated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) to methylate and activate phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase (PHGDH), thereby promoting serine synthesis. However, the mechanisms underlying PRMT1 upregulation and regulation of PRMT1-PHGDH axis remain unclear. Here, we show the E3 ubiquitin ligase F-box-only protein 7 (FBXO7) inhibits serine synthesis in HCC by binding PRMT1, inducing lysine 37 ubiquitination, and promoting proteosomal degradation of PRMT1. FBXO7-mediated PRMT1 downregulation cripples PHGDH arginine methylation and activation, resulting in impaired serine synthesis, accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and inhibition of HCC cell growth. Notably, FBXO7 is significantly downregulated in human HCC tissues, and inversely associated with PRMT1 protein and PHGDH methylation level. Overall, our study provides mechanistic insights into the regulation of cancer serine synthesis by FBXO7-PRMT1-PHGDH axis, and will facilitate the development of serine-targeting strategies for cancer therapy.

Hydrogen-rich water alleviates constipation by attenuating oxidative stress through the sirtuin1/nuclear factor-erythroid-2-related factor 2/heme oxygenase-1 signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND: Constipation, a highly prevalent functional gastrointestinal disorder, induces a significant burden on the quality of patients' life and is associated with substantial healthcare expenditures. Therefore, identifying efficient therapeutic modalities for constipation is of paramount importance. Oxidative stress is a pivotal contributor to colonic dysmotility and is the underlying pathology responsible for constipation symptoms. Consequently, we postulate that hydrogen therapy, an emerging and promising intervention, can serve as a safe and efficacious treatment for constipation. AIM: To determine whether hydrogen-rich water (HRW) alleviates constipation and its potential mechanism. METHODS: Constipation models were established by orally loperamide to Sprague-Dawley rats. Rats freely consumed HRW, and were recorded their 24 h total stool weight, fecal water content, and charcoal propulsion rate. Fecal samples were subjected to 16S rDNA gene sequencing. Serum non-targeted metabolomic analysis, malondialdehyde, and superoxide dismutase levels were determined. Colonic tissues were stained with hematoxylin and eosin, Alcian blue-periodic acid-Schiff, reactive oxygen species (ROS) immunofluorescence, and immunohistochemistry for cell growth factor receptor kit (c-kit), PGP 9.5, sirtuin1 (SIRT1), nuclear factor-erythroid-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). Quantitative real-time PCR and western blot analysis were conducted to determine the expression level of SIRT1, Nrf2 and HO-1. A rescue experiment was conducted by intraperitoneally injecting the SIRT1 inhibitor, EX527, into constipated rats. NCM460 cells were induced with H2O2 and treated with the metabolites to evaluate ROS and SIRT1 expression. RESULTS: HRW alleviated constipation symptoms by improving the total amount of stool over 24 h, fecal water content, charcoal propulsion rate, thickness of the intestinal mucus layer, c-kit expression, and the number of intestinal neurons. HRW modulated intestinal microbiota imbalance and abnormalities in serum metabolism. HRW could also reduce intestinal oxidative stress through the SIRT1/Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway. This regulatory effect on oxidative stress was confirmed via an intraperitoneal injection of a SIRT1 inhibitor to constipated rats. The serum metabolites, ß-leucine (ß-Leu) and traumatic acid, were also found to attenuate H2O2-induced oxidative stress in NCM460 cells by up-regulating SIRT1. CONCLUSION: HRW attenuates constipation-associated intestinal oxidative stress via SIRT1/Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway, modulating gut microbiota and serum metabolites. ß-Leu and traumatic acid are potential metabolites that upregulate SIRT1 expression and reduce oxidative stress.

Identification of a biomarker for Bacillus thuringiensis strains with high toxicity against Spodoptera frugiperda based on insecticidal gene linkage analysis.

BACKGROUND: Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is a Gram-positive bacterium that produces various insecticidal proteins used to control insect pests. Spodoptera frugiperda is a global insect pest which causes serious damage to crops, but bio-insecticides currently available to control this pest have limited activity and so new ones are always being sought. In this study we have tested the hypothesis that a biomarker for strain toxicity could be found that would greatly facilitate the identification of new potential products. RESULTS: Using genomic sequencing data we constructed a linkage network of insecticidal genes from 1957 Bt genomes and found that four gene families, namely cry1A, cry1I, cry2A and vip3A, showed strong linkage. For 95 strains isolated from soil samples we assayed them for toxicity towards S. frugiperda and for the presence of the above gene families. All of the strains that showed high toxicity also contained a member of the vip3A gene family. Two of them were more toxic than a commercially available strain and genomic sequencing identified a number of potentially novel toxin-encoding genes. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of a vip3A gene in the genome of a Bt strain proved to be a strong indicator of toxicity towards S. frugiperda validating this biomarker approach as a strategy for future discovery programs. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Evodiamine encapsulated by hyaluronic acid modified zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 for tumor targeted therapy.

Evodiamine (EVO), a natural bioactive compound extracted from Evodia rutaecarpa, shows therapeutic ability against malignant melanoma. However, the poor solubility and bioavailability of EVO limit its clinical application. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have shown excellent physical and chemical properties and are widely used as drug delivery systems. Among them, zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) is a research popular material because of its unique properties, such as hydrothermal stability, non-toxicity, biocompatibility, and pH sensitivity. In this study, in order to load EVO, a drug carrier that hyaluronic acid (HA) modified zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) is synthesized. This drug carrier has shown drug loading with 6.2 ± 0.6%, and the nano drugs (EVO@ZIF-8/HA) have good dispersibility. Owing to the decoration HA of EVO@ZIF-8, the potential of the nano drugs is reversed from the positive charge to the negative charge, which is beneficial to blood circulation in vivo. Furthermore, because the CD44-expressing in tumor cells is excessed, the endocytosis and accumulation of nano drugs in tumor cells are beneficial to improvement. Compared with free EVO, EVO@ZIF-8/HA has shown a significantly improved anti-tumor efficacy in vitro and in vivo. In summary, the drug carrier effectively addresses the challenges that are caused by the strong hydrophobicity and low bioavailability of EVO, thereby targeted tumor therapy of EVO can be achieved.

V-Doped CoSe2 Nanowire Catalysts in a 3D-Structured Electrode for Durable Li-S Pouch Cells.

Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries have high theoretical energy density and are regarded as a promising candidate for next-generation energy storage systems. However, their practical applications are hindered by the slow kinetics of sulfur conversion and polysulfide shuttling. In particular, large-scale pouch cells show much poor cyclability. Here, we develop a high-efficiency catalyst of V-doped CoSe2 by studying the binary CoSe2-VSe2 system and confirming its effectiveness in accelerating polysulfide conversion. The coin cell tests reveal an initial capacity of 1414 mAh g-1 at 0.1 C and 1049 mAh g-1 at 1 C and demonstrate 1000 times cyclability with a decaying rate of 0.05% per cycle. Furthermore, the assembly and construction of pouch cells were optimized with monolithic three-dimensional (3D) electrodes and a multistacking strategy. Specifically, a 3D metallic scaffold (3MS) was developed to host V-doped CoSe2 nanowires and sulfur. In addition, Janus microspheres of C@TiO2 were synthesized to capture polar polysulfides with their polar part of TiO2 and adsorb nonpolar sulfur with their nonpolar part of carbon. By integrating with 3MS, C@TiO2 microspheres can block all ion channels of 3MS and only allow Li ions in and out. These integral designs and monolithic structures enable multistacking pouch cells with high cyclability. A high-loading pouch cell was demonstrated with a total capacity of 700 mAh. The cell can be cycled for 70 times with a capacity retention of 65.7%. In brief, this work provides an integral strategy of catalyst design and overall 3D assembly for practical Li-S batteries in a large pouch cell format.

Modular Synthesis of Polysubstituted α-Phosphorylated Arenes via the Catellani Strategy.

In this paper, we described a palladium/norbornene-catalyzed ortho-C-H phosphormethylation of aryl iodides using XCH2P(O)RR', offering a reliable method for the modular synthesis of polysubstituted α-phosphorylated arenes. Alkenylation, hydrogenation, cyanation, methylation, and arylation were all viable termination steps compatible with the reaction. This method demonstrates excellent functional group tolerance and can be extended to the late-stage modification of bioactive molecules. Furthermore, the synthetic transformations of the products demonstrate the practical utility of this reaction.

Transcriptome Analysis Reveals the Venom Genes of the Ectoparasitoid Habrobracon hebetor (Hymenoptera: Braconidae).

The ectoparasitoid Habrobracon hebetor (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) exhibits a broad parasitic capability towards various lepidopteran pests, with venom serving as a crucial virulent factor ensuring successful parasitization and subsequent host mortality. Analyzing the constituents of its venom is essential for elucidating the mechanisms underlying efficient host killing by this parasitoid and for exploring potentially functional venom proteins. Through a transcriptomic analysis, a total of 34 venom proteins were identified within the venom of H. hebetor, encompassing known components such as serine protease, metalloproteinase, esterase, and serine protease inhibitors commonly present in parasitoid venoms. Unique components like paralytic protein and ion transport peptide-like were identified, possibly specific to certain parasitoids, along with novel proteins with uncharacterized functions. Spatial gene expression profiling of the identified venom proteins using transcriptomic data, corroborated by quantitative PCR validation for 13 randomly selected proteins, revealed abundant expression levels in the venom apparatus, affirming them as genuine venom components. Notably, the paralytic protein exhibited prominent expression, with the highest FPKM (fragments per kilobase of transcript per million fragments mapped) value of 24,704.87 in the venom apparatus, indicative of its significant role in successful parasitism by H. hebetor. The identification of these venom proteins establishes a foundation for the further exploration of bioactive agents for pest management strategies.

An 'activator-repressor' loop controls the anthocyanin biosynthesis in red-skinned pear.

The color of red-skinned pear (Pyrus spp.) is primarily attributed to accumulation of anthocyanins, which provide nutritional benefits for human health and are closely associated with the commercial value of fruits. Here, we reported the functional characterization of a R2R3-MYB repressor PyMYB107, which forms an 'activator-repressor' loop to control anthocyanin accumulation in the red-skinned pear. PyMYB107 overexpression inhibited anthocyanin biosynthesis in both pear calli and fruits, while virus-induced gene silencing of PyMYB107 increased anthocyanin accumulation in pear fruits. Furthermore, ectopic expression of PyMYB107 decreased anthocyanin accumulation in tomato, strawberry and tobacco. PyMYB107 can competitively bind to PybHLH3 with PyMYB10/MYB114, thereby suppressing the transcriptional activation of key anthocyanin biosynthesis genes, PyANS and PyUFGT. Site-directed mutagenesis showed that mutations within the R3 domain and EAR motif of PyMYB107 eliminated its repressive activity. Additionally, PyMYB107 exhibited a comparable expression pattern to PyMYB10/MYB114 and was transcriptionally activated by them. Our finding advanced comprehension of the repression mechanism underlying anthocyanin accumulation, providing valuable molecular insights into improving quality of pear fruits.

Oxidative stress induces extracellular vesicle release by upregulation of HEXB to facilitate tumour growth in experimental hepatocellular carcinoma.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) play a crucial role in triggering tumour-aggressive behaviours. However, the energetic process by which tumour cells produce EVs remains poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate the involvement of ß-hexosaminidase B (HEXB) in mediating EV release in response to oxidative stress, thereby promoting the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Mechanistically, reactive oxygen species (ROS) stimulate the nuclear translocation of transcription factor EB (TFEB), leading to the upregulation of both HEXB and its antisense lncRNA HEXB-AS. HEXB-AS can bind HEXB to form a protein/RNA complex, which elevates the protein stability of HEXB. The stabilized HEXB interacts with lysosome-associated membrane glycoprotein 1 (LAMP1), disrupting lysosome-multivesicular body (MVB) fusion, which protects EVs from degradation. Knockdown of HEXB efficiently inhibits EV release and curbs HCC growth both in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, targeting HEXB by M-31850 significantly inhibits HCC growth, especially when combined with GW4869, an inhibitor of exosome release. Our results underscore the critical role of HEXB as a modulator that promotes EV release during HCC development.

Climate change dominates the interannual variation of carbon export efficiency in each season in the Northern Gulf of Mexico during 1998-2011.

Carbon export efficiency is a key indicator of the capacity of biological pump, but the controlling mechanism of the efficiency remains unclear. Our findings revealed that interannual variations in seasonal carbon export efficiency are determined by direct factors including riverine nutrient fluxes, stratification, residence time. These direct factors are finally attributed to two indirect factors (human activities and climate change). We quantified the absolute contributions of direct and indirect factors to carbon export efficiency. The results showed that the carbon export efficiency in the northern Gulf of Mexico in spring (summer; autumn; winter) was driven by human activities, which accounted for an absolute contribution of 16.02% (7.20%; 4.00%; 8.49%, respectively) through riverine nutrient fluxes, and by climate change, which accounted for an absolute contribution of 33.51% (21.43%; 25.73%; 15.80%, respectively) through stratification and water residence time. Moreover, carbon export efficiency could be predicted by MEI of 8 months earlier.

A coupling strategy combined with acid-hydrothermal and novel DES pretreatment: Enhancing biomethane yield under solid-state anaerobic digestion and efficiently producing xylo-oligosaccharides and recovered lignin from poplar waste.

Lignocellulose is an abundant renewable bio-macromolecular complex, which can be used to produce biomethane and other high-value products. The lignin, presents in lignocellulose is typically regarded as an inhibitor of anaerobic digestion. Therefore, it is crucial to develop a novel selective separation strategy to achieve efficient biomethane production and all-component utilization of biomass. Hence, a combination of two-step pretreatment and solid-state anaerobic digestion was employed to enhance the production of biomethane and to generate valuable chemicals from poplar waste. Optimal conditions (4 % acetic acid, 170 °C, and 40 min) resulted in 70.85 % xylan removal, yielding 50.28 % xylo-oligosaccharides. The effect of a strong acid 4-CSA-based novel three-constituent DES on delignification was investigated from 80 °C to 100 °C; the cellulose content of DES pretreated poplar increased from 64.11 % to 80.92 %, and the delignification rate increased from 49.0 % to 90.4 %. However, high delignification of the pretreated poplar (DES-100 and DES-110) led to a rapid accumulation of volatile organic acids during the hydrolysis and acidogenesis stages, resulting in methanogenesis inhibition. The highest biomethane yield of 208 L/kg VS was achieved with DES-80 (49.0 % delignification), representing a 148 % improvement compared over untreated poplar. This approach demonstrates the potential for comprehensive utilization of all components of biomass waste.

Psychometric properties of a Mandarin Chinese version of the Body Appreciation Scale-2 among Chinese adolescents.

In the present study, we explored the factor structure and psychometric properties of the Mandarin Chinese BAS-2 among adolescents residing in the Chinese mainland. Exploratory factor analysis in Study 1 (N = 790; 396 girls, 394 boys) supported the unidimensionality of the Mandarin Chinese BAS-2 among Chinese adolescents. Internal consistency reliability was upheld via McDonald's omega. Convergent validity was supported by its moderate-to-strong relationships with body satisfaction, functionality satisfaction, self-esteem, life satisfaction, positive affect, and negative affect, while its small-to-moderate correlation with social desirability provided somewhat weaker discriminant validity support. Criterion-related validity was upheld by its inverse correlation with eating disorder symptomatology and positive correlation with intuitive eating. It explained unique variance in self-esteem (for girls and boys), eating disorder symptomatology (for girls), and intuitive eating (for boys) beyond age, body satisfaction, and functionality satisfaction, providing incremental validity evidence. A subsample of 134 girls and 114 boys completed the Mandarin Chinese BAS-2 again after three months, and test-retest reliability was upheld. The confirmatory factor analysis in Study 2 (N = 337; 192 girls, 145 boys) replicated the unidimensional structure and supported measurement invariance across gender. Collectively, the present study supported the unidimensionality, reliability, and validity of the Mandarin Chinese BAS-2's scores among Chinese adolescents.