Arsenic distribution characteristics and release mechanisms in aquaculture lake sediments.

It is well known that aquaculture can alter the microenvironments of lakes at sediment-water interface (SWI). However, the main mechanisms underlying the effects of aquaculture activities on arsenic (As) transformations are still unclear. In this context, the present study aims to investigate the variations in the sediment As contents in Yangcheng Lake, as well as to assess its chemical transformations, release fluxes, and release mechanisms. The results showed substantial spatial differences in the dissolved As concentrations in the sediment pore water. The As release fluxes at the SWI ranged from 1.32 to 112.09 µg/L, with an average value of 33.68 µg/L. In addition, the highest As fluxes were observed in the aquaculture areas. The transformation of crystalline hydrous Fe oxide-bound As to adsorbed-As in the aquaculture lake sediments increased the ability of As release. The Partial least squares path modeling results demonstrated the great contributions of organic matter (OM) to the As transformations by influencing the sediment microbial communities and Fe/Mn minerals. The changes in the As fractionation and competing adsorption increased the dissolved As concentrations in the 0-10 mm surface sediment. Non-specifically and specifically adsorbed As were the major sources of dissolved As in the sediments. Specifically, microbial reduction of As[V] and dissolution of Fe oxides increased the dissolved As concentrations at the SWI (20 to -20 mm). The results of the current study highlight the positive enhancement effects of aquaculture on As release from sediments.

Impact of nomenclature as metabolic associated steatotic liver disease on steatotic liver disease prevalence and screening: a prospective population survey in Asians.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The introduction of the latest nomenclature, metabolic associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), proposed by the multi-society without Asian society consensus statement, aims to redefine the diagnostic criteria for metabolic associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD). However, its effect on the epidemiology in Asia remains unclear. METHOD: We conducted a population-based cross-sectional survey on fatty liver disease using multistage stratified random sampling of participants from Guangzhou, a representative area in China (ChiCTR2000033376). Demographic, socioeconomic, lifestyle, and laboratory data were collected. Hepatic steatosis and the severity of fibrosis were assessed using FibroScan. RESULTS: A total of 7388 individuals were recruited, the proportion of which meeting the definitions for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), MAFLD, and MASLD were 2359 (31.9%), 2666 (36.1%), and 2240 (30.3%), respectively. One hundred and twenty (1.6%) patients had cryptogenic SLD, and 537 (7.3%) patients were diagnosed with MetALD. MASLD did not significantly differ from NAFLD and MAFLD, except that MAFLD patients had a lower proportion of males, hypertension, and diabetes and were less likely to consume tea (P < 0.05). Both cryptogenic SLD and MASLD non-MAFLD patients exhibited milder hepatic steatosis and a lower frequency of liver injury than NAFLD, MAFLD, or MASLD patients (all P < 0.05). An increased HOMA-IR (adjusted OR: 1.33, 95% CI: 1.10-2.03) was associated with higher risk of moderate-to-severe steatosis for MASLD non-MAFLD patients, while consuming more cups of tea (P for trend = 0.015) showed inverse associations. CONCLUSION: Irrespective of terminology used is that fatty liver disease is highly prevalent in the Han Chinese population. Differences in insulin resistance and lifestyle risk factors are associated with redefinition disparities.

Contrasting effects of a traditional material of polyaluminum chloride and an emerging material of lanthanum carbonate capping on sediment internal phosphorus immobilization.

Polyaluminum chloride (PAC) is a traditional material used for immobilizing sediment internal phosphorus (P) in field-scale experiment. Lanthanum carbonate (LC) is an emerging material which have been used in immobilizing sediment internal P in laboratory. To promote LC in practice, the premise is that it does have advantages over traditional material when used. Herein, a 90-day incubation experiment was conducted comparing the effectiveness and mechanism of LC and PAC capping in controlling sediment internal P. The results of isotherm experiment and XPS analysis indicated that the adsorption mechanism of P onto LC and PAC involved ligand exchange and formation of inner-sphere La/Al-O-P complexes. The incubation experiment revealed that PAC capping was more effective in reducing pore water soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP), exhibiting a reduction of up to 81.32 % but showed a decrease trend. However, LC capping resulted in a reduction of pore water SRP up to 52.84 % and maintained stability. On average, LC and PAC capping reduced SRP flux by 0.27 and 0.32 µg·m-2d-1, respectively relative to the control sediment. Moreover, LC capping facilitated the formation of Fe(III)/Mn(IV) oxyhydroxides, leading to an increased P adsorption, whereas PAC capping facilitated the reduction of Fe(III)/Mn(IV) minerals with P release. Additionally, LC capping resulted in the reduction of a higher ratio of mobile P/TP to stable P forms than PAC capping, as compared to the control. In contrast to PAC capping which converted mobile P to stable NaOH-rP, LC capping transformed mobile P and NaOH-rP into more stable HCl-P and ResP. Both LC and PAC capping caused variations in sediment bacterial communities. Nevertheless, PAC capping heightened the risk of Co, Ni, Cu, and Pb releases in sediment compared to LC capping. In summary, this study suggested that LC capping surpassed PAC capping in immobilizing sediment internal P.

Simultaneous immobilization of sediment internal phosphorus, arsenic and tungsten by lanthanum carbonate capping.

In this study, lanthanum carbonate (LC) was selected as a capping agent to examine its effectiveness in immobilizing sediment internal phosphorus (P), arsenic (As) and tungsten (W). With a 180-day incubation experiment, it was determined that LC capping efficiently reduced the concentrations of soluble reactive P (SRP), soluble As and soluble W in pore water, with the highest reduction rate of 83.39%, 56.21% and 68.52%, respectively. The primary mechanisms involved in the adsorption of P, As and W by LC were precipitation reactions and ligand exchange. Additionally, P, As and W were immobilized by LC capping through the transformation of fractions from mobile and less stable forms to more stable forms. Furthermore, LC capping led to an increase in the Eh value, which promoted the oxidation of soluble Fe (Ⅱ) and soluble Mn. The significantly positive correlation and synchronized variations observed between SRP, soluble As, soluble W, and soluble Fe (II) indicated that the effects of LC on Fe redox played a crucial role in immobilizing sediment internal P, As and W. However, the oxidation of Mn, promoted by LC, played a more significant role in immobilizing sediment internal As than P and W. These effects resulted in LC capping achieving the highest reduction of SRP, soluble As and soluble W flux at 145.22, 22.19, and 0.58 µg m-2d-1. It is of note that LC capping did not lead to an elevated release hazard of Co, Ni, Cu, and Pb, barring Cd. Besides, LC capping did not modify the entire microbial communities in the sediment, but altered the proportional representation of specific microorganisms. Generally, LC has potential as a capping agent capable of simultaneously immobilizing sediment internal P, As and W.

Degradation of algae promotes the release of arsenic from sediments under high-sulfate conditions.

Sulfate concentrations in eutrophic waters continue to increase; however, the transformations of arsenic (As) in sediments under these conditions are unclear. In this study, we constructed a series of microcosms to investigate the effect of algal degradation on As transformations in sediments with high sulfate concentrations. The results showed that both the elevated sulfate levels and algal degradation enhanced the release of As from sediments to the overlying water, and degradation of algal in the presence of elevated sulfate levels could further contribute to As release. Sulfate competed with arsenate for adsorption in the sediments, leading to As desorption, while algal degradation created a strongly anaerobic environment, leading to the loss of the redox layer in the surface sediments. With high sulfate, algal degradation enhanced sulfate reduction, and sulfur caused the formation of thioarsenates, which may cause re-dissolution of the arsenides, enhancing As mobility by changing the As speciation. The results of sedimentary As speciation analysis indicated that elevated sulfur levels and algal degradation led to a shift of As from Fe2O3/oxyhydroxide-bound state to specifically adsorbed state at the sediment water interface. This study indicated that algal degradation increases the risk of As pollution in sulfate-enriched eutrophic waters.

Lake shrinkage-induced terrestrial ecological environmental quality degradation in a semiarid lake basin.

Lake water environmental problems caused by lake shrinkage in semiarid zones have attracted widespread attention, but few studies have quantified the impact of lake shrinkage on the terrestrial ecological environmental quality of watersheds. In this study, remote sensing image inversion, digital elevation modeling, and statistical analysis were applied to explore the impact of Lake Daihai shrinkage on the terrestrial ecological environmental quality of its receding water areas from 1986 to 2019. The results showed that the area of Lake Daihai shrank from 170.7 km2 in 1961 to 50.67 km2 in 2019, a shrinkage of 70.32%. The average annual shrinkage was 2.07 km2 during the period of 1986-2019 (r = -0.99, p < 0.01). The main conclusions of this study are as follows: The mean remote sensing ecological index values decreased significantly from 0.628 in 1986 to 0.441 in 2019 (r = -0.78, p < 0.05), which means that the terrestrial ecological environmental quality of the water receding area degraded from a good grade to a moderate grade. The increase in water use by residents in the basin was an important reason for the shrinkage of Lake Dahai. Approximately 90% of the wetlands in the receding water areas formed after the shrinkage of Lake Daihai were converted to farmland by local residents, which significantly degraded the terrestrial ecological environmental quality of these areas from good to moderate grade over the 34-year period (r = -0.83, p < 0.05). Correlation analysis indicated that the remote sensing ecological index was positively correlated with lake area (r = 0.85, p < 0.01). The results indicate that steps should be taken to decrease the impact of human activities on the terrestrial ecological environmental quality of lake basins in semiarid zones.

Comparison of clinical outcome between day 5 and day 6 single blastocyst transfers in cycles undergoing preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy.

OBJECTIVE: In vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment has gradually adopted the practice of culturing embryos until the blastocyst stage on the D5 or D6 as the standard approach. PGT-A is commonly used in vitro fertilization (IVF). This study aimed to evaluate the clinical outcomes of frozen embryo transfers (FETs) using single blastocyst transfers (SBTs) on the fifth (D5) or sixth (D6) day of development in cycles that underwent preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The patients who had at least one euploid or mosaic blastocyst of good quality determined by PGT-A results and received single embryo transfer (SET) cycles were included in the study. In this study, the live birth rate (LBR) and neonatal outcomes were compared after the transfer of single biopsied D5 and D6 blastocysts in frozen embryo transfer (FET) cycles. RESULTS: A total of 527 frozen-thawed blastocyst transfer (FET) cycles (8449 biopsied embryos were analyzed). No significant difference in the implantation rate (IR), clinical pregnancy rate (CPR), and live birth rate (LBR) between the transfers of D5 and D6 blastocysts. Birth weight was the only perinatal outcome that showed a significant difference between the D5 and D6 groups. CONCLUSION: The study confirmed that the transfer of a single euploid or mosaic blastocyst, regardless of whether it was on the fifth (D5) or sixth (D6) day of development, can lead to promising clinical results.

A combined study on Vallisneria spiralis and lanthanum modified bentonite to immobilize arsenic in sediments.

Submerged plants and lanthanum-modified bentonite (LMB) have important applications for the remediation of contaminated sediments; however, their combined effect on arsenic (As) removal has not been comprehensively evaluated. In this study, the physicochemical properties and changes in soluble As in sediments treated with LMB, Vallisneria spiralis (V. spiralis), and LMB + V. spiralis were observed at three time points (days 15, 35, and 66), and the changes in microbial and As species in sediments on day 66 were analyzed. LMB + V. spiralis treatment was the most effective for As removal. On day 66, the average concentrations of soluble As at a depth of 0-100 mm decreased by 12.71%, 48.81%, and 59.73% following treatment with LMB, V. spiralis, and LMB + V. spiralis, respectively. Further analysis showed that LMB is more effective at removing As(V) than V. spiralis, while V. spiralis is more effective at removing As(III), and the combination of LMB + V. spiralis is more effective for removing both As(III) and As(V) than individual LMB and V. spiralis treatments. LMB + V. spiralis enhanced the transformation of mobile As to Fe2O3/oxyhydroxide-bound As in sediments and the activity of As-oxidizing microorganisms. LMB promoted the growth of V. spiralis and enhanced the removal of As. This study indicates that this combination is an effective method for removing mobile As from sediments, and could effectively inhibit the release of As from sediments to overlying water.

Uncovering the Inhibitory Molecular Mechanism of Pomegranate Peel to Urinary Bladder Urothelial Carcinoma Using Proteomics Techniques.

Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) fruit demonstrates the repressive effectiveness of many tumors. Our previous studies showed that the PEP (pomegranate peel extract) E2 fraction obtained from the ethyl acetate layer of the pomegranate peel's ethanol extract exhibited the highest inhibitory activities to induce Urinary bladder urothelial carcinoma (UBUC) cell apoptosis. The ethyl acetate layer could lower the volume and weight of T24 tumors and initiate apoptosis in nude mice xenografted bladder tumors. In this study, we intended to clarify the inhibitory molecular process of Taiwanese local pomegranate peel to urinary bladder urothelial carcinoma using a proteomics strategy. Gel-based proteomics (two-dimensional gel electrophoresis coupled with tandem mass spectrometry) was used to get an insight into the molecular mechanisms initiated by PEPE2 to evoke bladder cancer cell apoptosis. We found eleven down-regulated and eight up-regulated proteins in PEPE2-treated T24 cells. Our results implied that these PEPE2-dysregulated proteins belong to cell apoptosis, cell proliferation, death receptor signaling, JAK/STAT signaling, the PPAR pathway, the PPARα/RXR α pathway, Rho family GTPase signaling, and RhoGDI signaling. In addition, HSP90 and PTP1B proteins, associated with apoptosis, were de-regulated in xenografted bladder tumors in nude mice fed with an ethyl acetate layer of ethanol extract. The findings above implied that pomegranate might be a potential chemopreventive resource for UBUC carcinogenesis.

Metabolic benefits of changing sedentary lifestyles in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

This study seeks to evaluate the effects of a reversal of sedentary lifestyles on the improvement of metabolic profiles in patients with NAFLD. The PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and CNKI databases were searched up to May 15, 2021. Ten randomized controlled trials on changes in the sedentary lifestyle of patients with NAFLD were included in the analysis. Data from self-controlled case arms of randomized controlled trials investigating sedentary lifestyle alterations were extracted, and the effect size was reported as the MD and 95% CI. A total of 455 participants in 10 studies met the selection criteria. The results showed that changing a sedentary lifestyle can significantly improve ALT [MD = 4.35 (U/L), 95% CI: 0.53, 8.17], CHOL [MD = 0.31 (mmol/L), 95% CI: 0.19, 0.43], TG [MD = 0.22 (mmol/L), 95% CI: 0.10~0.34], LDL-C [MD = 0.30 (mmol/L), 95% CI: 0.02, 0.57], fasting blood glucose [MD = 0.17 (mmol/L), 95% CI: 0.03, 0.31], insulin [MD = 3.23 (pmol/L), 95% CI: 1.37~5.08], and HOMA-IR levels (MD = 0.39, 95% CI: 0.15, 0.63). Changing sedentary lifestyle can also significantly improve body mass index (BMI) [MD = 1.12 (kg/m2), 95% CI: 0.66, 0.58], body fat (%) [MD = 0.34 (%), 95% CI: 0.13, 0.55] and VO2peak levels [MD = -4.00 (mL/kg/min), 95% CI: -5.93, -2.06]. No differences in AST or GGT were noted before or after lifestyle changes. Altering a sedentary lifestyle to a lifestyle with regular exercise can slightly improve the levels of liver enzymes, blood lipids, blood glucose, insulin resistance, and body mass index in NAFLD patients.

Novel metabolic classification for extrahepatic complication of metabolic associated fatty liver disease: A data-driven cluster analysis with international validation.

BACKGROUND: Traditional classification systems of metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) do not account for the high rate of extrahepatic complications. To create a new classification of MAFLD using metabolic parameters to identify risks of complications more accurately. METHODS: The retrospective study included MAFLD patients from the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University for model development, and the model was validated respectively using Chinese cohort and UK Biobank database. Cluster analysis with k-means cluster was built using age, body mass index (BMI), glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), total cholesterol/high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) ratio, triglyceride, and lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] levels. Cox regression models were used to compare the risk of type 2 diabetes (T2DM), chronic heart disease (CHD), stroke and mortality between the clusters. RESULTS: 1038 MAFLD patients from cross-sectional population were recruited for the model derivation, with 10,451 cases (33.4 % of MAFLD) from Chinese cohort and 304,141 cases (34.9 % of MAFLD, 1010 cases with magnetic resonance imaging proton density fat fraction measurement [MRI-PDFF]) from the international cohort validated. Five replicable clusters of MAFLD patients were identified: Cluster 1(mild obesity and dyslipidemia-related), Cluster 2 (age related), Cluster 3 (severe insulin resistance-related), Cluster 4[high Lp(a)-related], and Cluster 5 (severe mixed hyperlipidemia-related). Patients in different clusters exhibited differences in the development of T2DM, CHD, stroke and all-causes mortality. Patients in Cluster 3 had significantly worst survival outcomes and higher risks of T2DM and CVD than those in other clusters. CONCLUSION: The novel classification offers improved discrimination of new-onset MAFLD patients with different metabolic complications.

Ribonuclease A Family Member 2 Promotes the Malignant Progression of Glioma Through the PI3K/Akt Signaling Pathway.

The treatment of patients with glioma still faces many difficulties. To further optimize treatment, it is necessary to identify more accurate markers as treatment targets and predict prognostic indicators. RNASE2 was identified as a differentially expressed gene (DEG) in glioma tissues using bioinformatics analysis. In glioma microarrays, 31.21% (54/173) and 68.79% (119/173) patients showed low and high RNASE2 protein expression levels, respectively. RNASE2 protein levels were considerably correlated with age, WHO grade, relapse, and death. Both mRNA and protein levels were associated with the overall survival of patients with glioma. To investigate the role of RNASE2, it was overexpressed or silenced in glioma cells. RNASE2 overexpression promoted cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. In addition, its overexpression promoted the growth of subcutaneous tumors and lung metastasis of glioma cells. Key protein levels in the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway were upregulated by RNASE2 overexpression. In contrast, RNASE2 knockdown had the opposite effects. Furthermore, LY294002 blocked the effects of RNASE2 on the cell function of glioma cells. In conclusion, RNASE2 is a novel marker associated with the diagnosis and prognosis of patients with glioma, and it promotes the malignant progression of gliomas through the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

The Ability of Lipoprotein (a) Level to Predict Early Carotid Atherosclerosis Is Impaired in Patients With Advanced Liver Fibrosis Related to Metabolic-Associated Fatty Liver Disease.

INTRODUCTION: Hepatic fibrosis reduces the serum level of lipoprotein (a) (Lp(a)) and may affect its accuracy in cardiovascular disease prediction of metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD). We aimed to estimate the association between Lp(a) levels and the risk of carotid atherosclerosis in MAFLD patients with advanced fibrosis. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study enrolling 4,348 consecutive individuals (1,346 patients with MAFLD and 3,002 non-MAFLD patients) who were admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, and underwent abdominal and carotid ultrasonography from 2015 to 2021. Lp(a) levels, liver biochemical markers, metabolic indices, and anthropometric parameters were measured. Liver fat content and fibrosis severity were assessed by MRI-PDFF, using the NAFLD fibrosis score (NFS) and liver stiffness measurement (LSM) of two-dimensional shear wave elastography, respectively. RESULTS: There was an L-shaped relationship between Lp(a) levels and LSMs in patients with MAFLD, and Lp(a) levels had a different relationship with liver fat content in MAFLD patients with F1-2 versus those with F3-4. Non-MAFLD patients had higher levels of Lp(a) than MAFLD patients with or without advanced fibrosis (both P < 0.05). Lp(a) levels and degree of liver fibrosis were both positively correlated with carotid atherosclerosis in patients with MAFLD. Lp(a) levels performed well on carotid atherosclerosis risk prediction for non-MAFLD patients with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.819, which was significantly better than the carotid atherosclerosis risk prediction for MAFLD patients with NFS ≤ -1.836 (AUC: 0.781), NFS > -1.836 (AUC: 0.692), and LSM ≥ 9.0 kPa (AUC: 0.635) (all P < 0.05). DISCUSSION: Advanced liver fibrosis significantly reduces the predictive value of Lp(a) levels for the risk of carotid atherosclerosis in patients with MAFLD.

Lipid-Lowering Responses to Dyslipidemia Determine the Efficacy on Liver Enzymes in Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Fatty Liver Disease with Hepatic Injuries: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Purpose: Effective treatment of dyslipidemia with lipid-lowering agents is pivotal in the management of metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) for preventing cardiovascular complications. We explored the associations between improvements in liver injuries indicated by changes in transaminases and a reduction in lipid levels in MAFLD patients with dyslipidemia and elevated transaminases during lipid-lowering therapies. Methods: This prospective, cohort study enrolled consecutive MAFLD patients with hyperlipidemia and elevated transaminases. Patients were divided into a group receiving lipid-lowering agents and an age-, sex- and baseline lipid level-matched control group without receiving lipid-lowering agents. Clinical visits were performed at the 1st month and then every 3 months for 1 year. Results: This study included 541 MAFLD patients (lipid-lowering group: 325 patients; control group: 216 patients). Compared with controls, there was a substantially greater reduction in alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c) in the lipid-lowering group after 12 months (all P < 0.05). The decrease in ALT was positively correlated with the decrease in TC (r = 0.332), TG (r = 0.180), LDL-c (r = 0.253) and apolipoprotein E (ApoE) (r = 0.119), while the decrease in AST was positively correlated with the decrease in TC (r = 0.228) and LDL-c (r = 0.192) (all P<0.05). The greater range of reduction in blood lipids (TC/TG/LDL-c), the higher the transaminase and GGT normalization rate (all P<0.05). Multivariate analysis confirmed that a TG decrease of over 50% remained an independent predictor of transaminase and GGT normalization (OR 2.07, 95% CI 1.12-3.84, P=0.020). Conclusion: Lipid-lowering to target levels might be beneficial to liver injury improvements in MAFLD patients with dyslipidemia when receiving lipid-lowering agents.

Polluted lake restoration to promote sustainability in the Yangtze River Basin, China.

China has made a concerted effort to successfully improve water quality of rivers, but lake water quality has not improved. Lakes require controls on both catchment external nutrient loads and in-lake internal loads, where nature-based solutions are coupled with engineered systems to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Varied Relationship of Lipid and Lipoprotein Profiles to Liver Fat Content in Phenotypes of Metabolic Associated Fatty Liver Disease.

Background: Progressive overloads of intrahepatic triglycerides are related to metabolic dysregulation of multiple lipid and lipoprotein profiles, but whether similar dose effects are found in each subtype of metabolic associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) remains unclear. We aimed to characterize the lipid profiles associated with liver fat content (LFC) in MAFLD patients who were overweight, lean/normal weight, or had diabetes. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study enrolling 1,182 consecutive participants (144 non-MAFLD and 1,038 MAFLD) who underwent MRI proton density fat fraction measurement (MRI-PDFF) from 2011 to 2020. Lipid and apolipoprotein profiles, free fatty acid (FFA), liver and metabolism parameters, and anthropometric measurements were also assessed. Results: MAFLD patients with type 2 diabetes or overweight/obesity had a higher proportion of abnormal lipid and lipoprotein profiles than those who were lean/normal weight. The degree of LFC had a positive correlation with total cholesterol, triglyceride, ApoB, and ApoE in patients with overweight/obesity and type 2 diabetes. In those with overweight/obesity, there were dose-response relationships between moderate-to-severe steatosis and total cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL-c, LDL-c, ApoB, ApoE, and Lp(a). A similar trend was observed for triglyceride in those with type 2 diabetes and for HDL-c in patients who were lean/normal weight (all p for trend <0.05). The combined model of relative lipid-related markers performed well in the prediction of moderate-to-severe steatosis (AUC: 0.762 for overweight/obesity; 0.742 for lean/normal weight). Conclusion: LFC was associated with lipid profiles, including triglyceride, LDL-c, ApoB, ApoE, and FFA. These relationships were varied by the phenotype of MAFLD according to its diagnostic flow.

Zirconium-Redox-Shuttled Cross-Electrophile Coupling of Aromatic and Heteroaromatic Halides.

Transition metal-catalyzed cross-electrophile coupling (XEC) is a powerful tool for forging C(sp2)-C(sp2) bonds in biaryl molecules from abundant aromatic halides. While syntheses of unsymmetrical biaryl compounds through multimetallic XEC is of high synthetic value, selective XEC of two heteroaromatic halides remains elusive and challenging. Herein we report a homogeneous XEC method which relies on a zirconaaziridine complex as a shuttle for dual palladium catalyzed processes. The zirconaaziridine-mediated palladium (ZAPd) catalyzed reaction shows excellent compatibility with various functional groups and diverse heteroaromatic scaffolds. In accord with density functional theory (DFT) calculations, a redox-transmetallation between the oxidative addition product and the zirconaaziridine is proposed as the crucial elementary step. Thus, cross-coupling selectivity using a single transition metal catalyst is controlled by the relative rate of oxidative addition of Pd(0) into the aromatic halide. Overall, the concept of a combined reducing and transmetallating agent offers opportunities for development of transition-metal reductive coupling catalysis.

PIKE-A promotes glioblastoma growth by driving PPP flux through increasing G6PD expression mediated by phosphorylation of STAT3.

Reprogramming of energy metabolism is a hallmarkofcancer, and the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) is a major glucose metabolic pathway important for meeting the cellular demands of biosynthesis and anti-oxidant defense. Our previous study showed that phosphoinositide 3-kinase enhancer-activating Akt (PIKE-A) plays an important role in glioblastoma cell survival and growth under cellular energy stress condition. However, the crucial functions of PIKE-A in cancer energy metabolism are poorly understood.In the present study, we show that PIKE-A promotes DNA biosynthesis, NADPH production and inhibits reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, leading to increasing proliferation and growth of glioblastoma cell and suppressing cellular senescence. Mechanistically, PIKE-A binds to STAT3 and stimulates its phosphorylation mediated by tyrosine kinase Fyn, which enhances transcription of the rate-limitting enzyme glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) in the PPP. Finally, targeting PIKE-A-G6PD axis sensitizes glioblastoma to temozolomide (TMZ)treatment. This study reveals that STAT3 is a novel binding partner of PIKE-A which recruits Fyn to phosphorylate STAT3, contributing to the expression of G6PD, leading to promoting tumor growth and suppressing cellular senescence. Thus, the PIKE-A/STAT3/G6PD axis strongly links the PPP to carcinogenesis and may become a promising cancer therapeutic target.

Normalization of γ-glutamyl transferase levels is associated with better metabolic control in individuals with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

BACKGROUND: The normalization of liver biochemical parameters usually reflects the histological response to treatment for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Researchers have not clearly determined whether different liver enzymes exhibit various metabolic changes during the follow-up period in patients with NAFLD. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of patients with NAFLD who were receiving therapy from January 2011 to December 2019. Metabolism indexes, including glucose levels, lipid profiles, uric acid levels and liver biochemical parameters, were measured. Magnetic resonance imaging-based proton density fat fraction (MRI-PDFF) and liver ultrasound were used to evaluate steatosis. All patients received recommendations for lifestyle modifications and guideline-recommended pharmacological treatments with indications for drug therapy for metabolic abnormalities. RESULTS: Overall, 1048 patients with NAFLD were included and received lifestyle modification recommendations and pharmaceutical interventions, including 637 (60.7%) patients with abnormal GGT levels and 767 (73.2%) patients with abnormal ALT levels. Patients with concurrent ALT and GGT abnormalities presented higher levels of metabolism indexes and higher liver fat content than those in patients with single or no abnormalities. After 12 months of follow-up, the cumulative normalization rate of GGT was considerably lower than that of ALT (38% vs. 62%, P < 0.001). Greater weight loss resulted in higher cumulative normalization rates of GGT and ALT. Weight loss (OR = 1.21, 95% CI 1.11-1.32, P < 0.001), ALT normalization (OR = 2.75, 95% CI 1.41-5.36, P = 0.01) and lower TG and HOMA-IR values (OR = 2.03, 95% CI 1.11-3.71, P = 0.02; OR = 2.04, 95% CI 1.07-3.89, P = 0.03) were independent protective factors for GGT normalization. Elevated baseline GGT (OR = 0.99, 95% CI 0.98-0.99, P = 0.01) was a risk factor. CONCLUSIONS: For NAFLD patients with concurrently increased ALT and GGT levels, a lower normalization rate of GGT was observed, rather than ALT. Good control of weight and insulin resistance was a reliable predictor of GGT normalization.

Effects of nFe3O4 capping on phosphorus release from sediments in a eutrophic lake.

This study applied the techniques of high-resolution dialysis (HR-Peeper) and diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) to explore the effects and the behind mechanism for inhibition phosphorus (P) releasing from sediments by nFe3O4 capping. The highest decreasing rates of SRP and labile P (i.e., 49% and 47%, respectively) and the decreased flux of SRP showed that nFe3O4 capping can successfully control sediment internal P release. Adsorption by Fe(III) hydroxides with the oxidation of Fe(II) was one of the reasons for the decrease of P concentrations in nFe3O4 capping sediments. This was supported by the increase of Eh and significant negative correlation between Eh with Fe(II) (soluble and labile Fe(II)) and P (SRP and labile P) and significant positive correlation between Fe(II) and P in sediments by nFe3O4 capping. An outer-sphere complex between positively charged nFe3O4 surface groups and P formation was the other reason to decrease the concentrations of P in the nFe3O4 capping sediments. This was supported by the decrease of pH value in sediments by the capping of nFe3O4. This study shows that nFe3O4, when used as capping agent, can effectively control the sediment internal P release, which is expected to be used as a potential material for repairing lake eutrophication.