Exploring the microbe-mediated biological processes of BTEX and toxic metal(loid)s in aging petrochemical landfills.

Aging petrochemical landfills serve as reservoirs of inorganic and organic contaminants, posing potential risks of contamination to the surrounding environment. Identifying the pollution characteristics and elucidating the translocation/ transformation processes of typical contaminants in aging petrochemical landfills are crucial yet challenging endeavors. In this study, we employed a combination of chemical analysis and microbial metagenomic technologies to investigate the pollution characteristics of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX) as well as metal(loid)s in a representative aging landfill, surrounding soils, and underlying groundwater. Furthermore, we aimed to explore their transformations driven by microbial activity. Our findings revealed widespread distribution of metal(loid)s, including Cd, Ni, Cu, As, Mn, Pb, and Zn, in these environmental media, surpassing soil background values and posing potential ecological risks. Additionally, microbial processes were observed to contribute significantly to the degradation of BTEX compounds and the transformation of metal(loid)s in landfills and surrounding soils, with identified microbial communities and functions playing key roles. Notably, co-occurrence network analysis unveiled the coexistence of functional genes associated with BTEX degradation and metal(loid) transformation, driven primarily by As, Ni, and Cd. These results shed light on the co-selection of resistance traits against BTEX and metal(loid) contaminants in soil microbial consortia under co-contamination scenarios, supporting microbial adaptive evolution in aging petrochemical landfills. The insights gained from this study enhance our understanding of characteristic pollutants and microbial transformation processes in aging landfills, thereby facilitating improved landfill management and contamination remediation strategies.

Quantitative expression of LNAPL pollutant concentrations in capillary zone by coupling multiple environmental factors based on random forest algorithm.

The capillary zone plays a crucial role in migration and transformation of pollutants. Light nonaqueous liquids (LNAPLs) have become the main organic pollutant in soil and groundwater environments. However, few studies have focused on the concentration distribution characteristics and quantitative expression of LNAPL pollutants within capillary zone. In this study, we conducted a sandbox-migration experiment using diesel oil as a typical LNAPL pollutant, with the capillary zone of silty sand as the research object. The variation characteristics of LNAPL pollutants (total petroleum hydrocarbon) concentration and environmental factors (moisture content, electrical conductivity, pH, and oxidationreduction potential) were essentially consistent at different locations with the same height. These characteristics differed within range of 10.0-50.0 cm and above 60.0 cm from groundwater. A model for quantitative expression of concentrations was constructed by coupling multiple environmental factors of 968 sets-7744 data via random forest algorithm. The goodness of fit (R2) for both training and test sets was greater than 0.90, and the mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) was less than 16.00 %. The absolute values of relative errors in predicting concentrations at characteristic points were less than 15.00 %. The constructed model can accurately and quantitatively express and predict concentrations in capillary zone.

The glycemic gap as a prognostic indicator in cardiogenic shock: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Stress-induced hyperglycemia (SIH) is associated with poor outcomes in cardiogenic shock (CS), and there have been inconsistent results among patients with or without diabetes mellitus (DM). The glycemic gap (GG) is derived by subtracting A1c-derived average glucose from blood glucose levels; it is a superior indicator of SIH. We aimed to explore the role of GG in the outcomes of patients with CS. METHODS: Data on patients diagnosed with CS were extracted from the MIMIC-IV v2.0 database to investigate the relationship between GG and 30-day mortality (Number of absolute GG subjects = 359; Number of relative GG subjects = 357). CS patients from the Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University were enrolled to explore the correlation between GG and lactic acid (Number of absolute GG subjects = 252; Number of relative GG subjects = 251). Multivariate analysis, propensity score-matched (PSM) analysis, inverse probability treatment weighting (IPTW), and Pearson correlation analysis were applied. RESULTS: Absolute GG was associated with 30-day all-cause mortality in CS patients (HRadjusted: 1.779 95% CI: 1.137-2.783; HRPSM: 1.954 95% CI: 1.186-3.220; HRIPTW: 1.634 95% CI: 1.213-2.202). The higher the absolute GG level, the higher the lactic acid level (ßadjusted: 1.448 95% CI: 0.474-2.423). A similar trend existed in relative GG (HRadjusted: 1.562 95% CI: 1.003-2.432; HRPSM: 1.790 95% CI: 1.127-2.845; HRIPTW: 1.740 95% CI: 1.287-2.352; ßadjusted:1.294 95% CI: 0.369-2.219). Subgroup analysis showed that the relationship existed irrespective of DM. The area under the curve of GG combined with the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) for 30-day all-cause mortality was higher than that of GCS (absolute GG: 0.689 vs. 0.637; relative GG: 0.688 vs. 0.633). GG was positively related to the triglyceride-glucose index. Kaplan-Meier curves revealed that groups of higher GG with DM had the worst outcomes. The outcomes differed among races and GG levels (all P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with CS, absolute and relative GGs were associated with increased 30-day all-cause mortality, regardless of DM. The relationship was stable after multivariate Cox regression analysis, PSM, and IPTW analysis. Furthermore, they reflect the severity of CS to some extent. Hyperlactatemia and insulin resistance may underlie the relationship between stress-induced hyperglycemia and poor outcomes in CS patients. They both improve the predictive efficacy of the GCS.

Development of an integrated framework for dissecting source-oriented ecological and health risks of heavy metals in soils.

Heavy metals (HMs) in soils pose significant risks on ecosystem and human health. To design targeted regulatory measures for mitigating and controlling the risk, it is necessary to accurately identify the pollution sources and environmental risks of soil HMs, as well as to reveal the linkages between them. To date, yet systematic investigation aimed at deciphering the links between source apportionment of soil HMs and their associated environmental risks is still lacking. To fill the gap, an integrated framework has been developed in this study and applied for dissecting the source-sink relationship and source-oriented ecological and health risks of soil HMs in Shanxi, a province with rich coal resource, in which long-term coal mining activities in history has resulted in soil HMs pollution and unavoidably posed environmental risks. Two advanced receptor models, multivariate curve resolution alternating least squares based on maximum likelihood principal component analysis (MCR-ALS/MLPCA) and multilinear engine 2 (ME2), have been employed for apportioning the potential sources, and their apportionment results are jointly incorporated into a modified ecological risk index and a probabilistic health risk assessment model for identifying the source-oriented ecological and health risks posed by soil metals. The results show that the soils in study area have been polluted by HMs (i.e., Cd, Cr, Hg and As) to varying degrees. Industrial activities (35%-35.8%), agricultural activities (11.1%-20.5%), atmospheric deposition (10.5%-13%) and mix source (31.5%-42.6%) are apportioned as the main contributors of soil HMs in the area. The source-oriented ecological risk assessment suggests Hg has presented significant ecological risk and largely contributed by the sources from atmospheric deposition and industrial activities. The source-oriented health risk assessment shows the non-carcinogenic hazard level and carcinogenic risk posed by soil HMs in the study area are acceptable. Relatively, industrial activities and mix source have contributed more on the health risks.

Cytotoxicity evaluation of organophosphorus flame retardants using electrochemical biosensors and elucidation of associated toxic mechanisms.

In recent years, organophosphorus flame retardants (OPFRs) have been widely used as substitutes for brominated flame retardants with excellent properties, and their initial toxicological effects on the water ecosystem and human health have gradually emerged. However, to date, research on the cytotoxicity and health risks of OPFRs is still limited. Therefore, this study aims to systematically explore the cytotoxic effects and toxic mechanisms of OPFRs on cells. Human liver cancer (HepG2) cells were adopted as an ideal model for toxicity evaluation due to their rapid growth and metabolism. This study proposes a sensitive electrochemical cell-based sensor constructed on a graphitized multi-walled carbon nanotube/ionic liquid/gold nanoparticle-modified electrode. The sensor was used to detect the cytotoxicity of tri(2-butylxyethyl) phosphate (TBEP), tributyl phosphate (TnBP), triphenyl phosphate (TPhP), tri(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TDCIPP), tri(2-chloropropyl) phosphate (TCPP) and tri(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP) in the liquid medium, providing insight into their toxicity in water environments. The half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of TBEP, TnBP, TPhP, TDCIPP, TCPP and TCEP on HepG2 cells were 179.4, 194.9, 219.8, 339.4, 511.8 and 859.0 µM, respectively. Additionally, the cytotoxic mechanism of six OPFRs was discussed from the perspective of oxidative stress and apoptosis, and four indexes were correlated with toxicity. Furthermore, transcriptome sequencing was conducted, followed by a thorough analysis of the obtained sequencing results. This analysis demonstrated a significant enrichment of the p53 and PPAR pathways, both of which are closely associated with oxidative stress and apoptosis. This study presents a simplified and efficient technique for conducting in vitro toxicity studies on organophosphorus flame retardants in a water environment. Moreover, it establishes a scientific foundation for further investigation into the mechanisms of cytotoxicity associated with these compounds.

Clinicopathological association of CD93 expression in gastric adenocarcinoma.

AIMS: CD93 was recently identified as a promising therapeutic target for angiogenesis blockade in various tumors. Herein, we aimed to investigate the expression and clinicopathological significance of CD93 in gastric adenocarcinoma. METHODS: The gene expression of CD93 gastric adenocarcinoma was assessed using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) dataset. We then analyzed CD93 expression in 404 cases of gastric adenocarcinoma using immunohistochemistry. Clinicopathological associations and prognostic implications of CD93 expression were further investigated. RESULTS: Using the TCGA dataset, we observed a significantly elevated CD93 gene expression in gastric adenocarcinoma compared to normal gastric tissues. The immunohistochemistry assay revealed a highly variable CD93 expression among patients with gastric adenocarcinoma, consistently demonstrating higher intratumor expression than in adjacent normal tissues. Notably, CD93 was predominantly expressed on the membrane of CD31+ vascular endothelial cells. Furthermore, patients with higher CD93 expression demonstrated significantly poorer overall survival. Accordingly, higher CD93 expression was associated with deeper invasion and a higher possibility of lymph node metastasis and developing tumor thrombus. Cox proportional hazards regression suggested CD93 expression was an independent predictor for the prognosis of patients with gastric adenocarcinoma. CONCLUSIONS: Our study revealed a significantly higher CD93 expression in gastric adenocarcinoma when compared with adjacent normal gastric tissues, and demonstrated its predominant expression on vascular endothelial cells. Our findings also highlighted the clinicopathological significance of CD93 in gastric adenocarcinoma, shedding light on a potential therapeutic target.

Deciphering the pollution risks, sources and their links of heavy metals in soils.

Heavy metals in soils pose serious ecological and health risks. To make efficient strategies for mitigating the underlying hazards, it is critical to reveal the pollution sources and their links with the risks. Researchers have investigated source identification and risk evaluation of heavy metals in soils, yet few have systematically deciphered the source-sink relationship of soil metals and the links between source apportionment and risk assessment. In the study, an integrated technological framework has been proposed to address the gaps, and applied to characterize the pollution risks, sources and their links of soil metals in a typical coal resource city in China. The assessment using geochemical tool and ecological risk index shows the soils in study area are polluted by Cd, Hg, Cr, As and Pb in varied degrees, and particularly, Cd and Hg present significant ecological risk. Two advanced receptor models (multivariate curve resolution-weighted alternating least-squares and multilinear engine 2) are comparatively applied for apportioning the potential sources of soil metals, and the results suggest the two models have identified similar sources (r2 > 0.90), including agricultural activities, atmospheric depositions and industrial discharges with contributions of 35.5 %-38.3 %, 30.3 %-35.1 %, and 26.6 %-34.1 %, respectively. Then, apportionment results of the two models are jointly employed for evaluating the source-specific health risks of metals in the environment using a probabilistic risk assessment model. The risk levels within the area are overall acceptable or tolerable, and relatively, the industrial discharges present higher contribution on the non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks of soil metals to public. Findings will help the managers to design targeted policies for reducing the risks of soil metals, and the framework proposed provides a useful guideline to better understand the source-risk relationship of soil metals in other environments worldwide.

[Therapeutic effect of Lingze Tablets on benign prostatic hyperplasia in rats: An exploration based on the VEGFA/TNF/IL-6 signaling pathway].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the mechanism of Lingze Tablets (LZT) acting on BPH in rats based on the VEGFA/TNF/IL-6 signaling pathway. METHODS: We equally randomized 30 SPF SD male rats into five groups, normal control, BPH model control, low-dose LZT, medium-dose LZT and high-dose LZT, and established a BPH model in the latter four groups by induction with non-castrate testosterone propionate. After the modeling, we treated the rats in the normal and model groups by intragastrical administration of physiological saline, and those in the latter three groups with low-, medium-, and high-dose LZT respectively, all for 28 successive days. Then we collected the prostate tissue from the animals for observation of the changes in the prostatic indexes and histomorphology, detected the expressions of the proteins related to the VEGFA/TNF/IL-6 signaling pathway, and compared the data obtained among different groups. RESULTS: Compared with the normal controls, the rats in the model control group showed significant prostatic hyperplasia, markedly increased prostatic index (ï¼»0.84 ± 0.01ï¼½ g, P<0.05), thickness of the prostatic epithelia and infiltration of the luminal area, and dramatically up-regulated protein expressions of VEGFA (0.60 ± 0.02, P< 0.05), TNF (0.76 ± 0.02, P< 0.05) and IL-6 (0.64 ± 0.02, P< 0.05). In comparison with the model controls, the rats in the low-, medium- and high-dose LZT groups exhibited significantly decreased prostatic indexes (ï¼»0.76 ± 0.02ï¼½ g, ï¼»0.58 ± 0.02ï¼½ g and ï¼»0.52 0.01ï¼½ g, all P< 0.05), improved prostatic histomorphology, and down-regulated expressions of VEGFA (0.45 ± 0.01, 0.35 ± 0.01 and 0.31 ± 0.02, all P< 0.05), TNF (0.45 ± 0.01, 0.33 ± 0.01 and 0.27 ± 0.01, all P< 0.01) and IL-6 (0.44 ± 0.01, 0.36 ± 0.01 and 0.30 ± 0.01, all P< 0.01) in a dose-dependent manner. CONCLUSION: LZT produces therapeutic effect on BPH by negatively regulating the VEGFA/TNF/IL-6 signaling pathway, reducing the expression levels of VEGFA, TNF and IL-6 proteins, and regulating cell proliferation, apoptosis and inflammatory response.

Single-atom catalysts activate persulfate to degrade emerging organic contaminants in aqueous environments.

Single-atom catalysts (SACs) exhibit outstanding catalytic activity due to their highly dispersed metal centers. Activating persulfates (PS) with SACs can generate various reactive oxygen species (ROS) to efficiently degrade emerging organic contaminants (EOCs) in aqueous environments, offering unique advantages such as high reaction rates and excellent stability. This technique has been extensively researched and holds enormous potential applications. In this paper, we comprehensively elaborated on the synthesis methods of SACs and their limitations, and factors influencing the catalytic performance of SACs, including metal center characteristics, coordination environment, and types of substrates. We also analyzed practical considerations for application. Subsequently, we discussed the mechanism of SACs activating PS for EOCs degradation, encompassing adsorption processes, radical pathways, and non-radical pathways. Finally, we provide prospects and outline our vision for future research, aiming to guide advancements in applying this technique.

Optimizing enzyme properties to enhance dihydroxyacetone production via methylglyoxal biosensor development.

BACKGROUND: Dihydroxyacetone (DHA) stands as a crucial chemical material extensively utilized in the cosmetics industry. DHA production through the dephosphorylation of dihydroxyacetone phosphate, an intermediate product of the glycolysis pathway in Escherichia coli, presents a prospective alternative for industrial production. However, insights into the pivotal enzyme, dihydroxyacetone phosphate dephosphorylase (HdpA), remain limited for informed engineering. Consequently, the development of an efficient tool for high-throughput screening of HdpA hypermutants becomes imperative. RESULTS: This study introduces a methylglyoxal biosensor, based on the formaldehyde-responding regulator FrmR, for the selection of HdpA. Initial modifications involved the insertion of the FrmR binding site upstream of the -35 region and into the spacer region between the -10 and -35 regions of the constitutive promoter J23110. Although the hybrid promoter retained constitutive expression, expression of FrmR led to complete repression. The addition of 350 µM methylglyoxal promptly alleviated FrmR inhibition, enhancing promoter activity by more than 40-fold. The methylglyoxal biosensor system exhibited a gradual increase in fluorescence intensity with methylglyoxal concentrations ranging from 10 to 500 µM. Notably, the biosensor system responded to methylglyoxal spontaneously converted from added DHA, facilitating the separation of DHA producing and non-producing strains through flow cytometry sorting. Subsequently, the methylglyoxal biosensor was successfully applied to screen a library of HdpA mutants, identifying two strains harboring specific mutants 267G > T and D110G/G151C that showed improved DHA production by 68% and 114%, respectively. Expressing of these two HdpA mutants directly in a DHA-producing strain also increased DHA production from 1.45 to 1.92 and 2.29 g/L, respectively, demonstrating the enhanced enzyme properties of the HdpA mutants. CONCLUSIONS: The methylglyoxal biosensor offers a novel strategy for constructing genetically encoded biosensors and serves as a robust platform for indirectly determining DHA levels by responding to methylglyoxal. This property enables efficiently screening of HdpA hypermutants to enhance DHA production.

Development of a Novel Prognostic Model for Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Insights into Immune Cell Interactions and Drug Sensitivity.

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) presents a five-year survival rate below 20%, underscoring the need for improved prognostic markers. Our study analyzed ESCC-specific datasets to identify consistently differentially expressed genes. A Venn analysis followed by gene network interactions revealed 23 key genes, from which we built a prognostic model using the COX algorithm (p = 0.000245, 3-year AUC = 0.967). This model stratifies patients into risk groups, with high-risk individuals showing worse outcomes and lower chemotherapy sensitivity. Moreover, a link between risk scores and M2 macrophage infiltration, as well as significant correlations with immune checkpoint genes (e.g., SIGLEC15, PDCD1LG2, and HVCR2), was discovered. High-risk patients had lower Tumor Immune Dysfunction and Exclusion (TIDE) values, suggesting potential responsiveness to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy. Our efficient 23-gene prognostic model for ESCC indicates a dual utility in assessing prognosis and guiding therapeutic decisions, particularly in the context of ICB therapy for high-risk patients.

Identifying MS4A6A+ macrophages as potential contributors to the pathogenesis of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, periodontitis, and type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Purpose: Concrete epidemiological evidence has suggested the mutually-contributing effect respectively between nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and periodontitis (PD); however, their shared crosstalk mechanism remains an open issue. Method: The NAFLD, PD, and T2DM-related datasets were obtained from the NCBI GEO repository. Their common differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified and the functional enrichment analysis performed by the DAVID platform determined relevant biological processes and pathways. Then, the STRING database established a PPI network of such DEGs and topological analysis through Cytoscape 3.7.1 software along with the machine-learning analysis by the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) algorithm screened out hub characteristic genes. Their efficacy was validated by external datasets using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, and gene expression and location of the most robust one was determined using single-cell sequencing and immunohistochemical staining. Finally, the promising drugs were predicted through the CTD database, and the CB-DOCK 2 and Pymol platform mimicked molecular docking. Result: Intersection of differentially expressed genes from three datasets identified 25 shared DEGs of the three diseases, which were enriched in MHC II-mediated antigen presenting process. PPI network and LASSO machine-learning analysis determined 4 feature genes, of which the MS4A6A gene mainly expressed by macrophages was the hub gene and key immune cell type. Molecular docking simulation chosen fenretinide as the most promising medicant for MS4A6A+ macrophages. Conclusion: MS4A6A+ macrophages were suggested to be important immune-related mediators in the progression of NAFLD, PD, and T2DM pathologies.

Association between weight-adjusted-waist index and depression in US adults: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Current evidence implicates a significant association between depression and obesity and related metabolic dysfunction. The weight-adjusted-waist index (WWI) was recently identified as an ideal index that integrates total body fat, muscle mass, and bone mass. This study investigated the relationship between WWI and depressive symptoms in adults. METHODS: Participants from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2005-2018) were enrolled. Depressive symptom severity was measured with the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Survey-weighted multivariable logistic regression, subgroup analysis, and generalized additive models were used to determine the relationship between WWI and depressive symptoms. RESULTS: A total of 34,575 participants were included, with a mean WWI of 11.01; 2,979 participants were suspected of having depressive symptoms (PHQ-9 score ≥ 10). A significant positive association was identified between WWI and depressive symptoms (odds ratio = 1.416, 95 % confidence interval: 1.303-1.539, P < 0.0001). Subgroup analyses suggested that the association between WWI and depressive symptoms was stronger in individuals who were female, overweight, divorced, middle-aged or older (over 40 years old), and had diabetes. Furthermore, the non-linear multivariable regression revealed an inflection point for the WWI at 11.438, and the association was only significant when the WWI was higher than this point. LIMITATIONS: This study was retrospective and only included participants from the United States; therefore, further validation is needed from studies in other countries, especially middle-to-low-income countries, using longitudinal cohorts. CONCLUSIONS: This study identified a significant positive association between WWI and depressive symptoms.

Spatial distribution characteristics and degradation mechanism of microorganisms in n-hexadecane contaminated vadose zone.

The damage caused by petroleum hydrocarbon pollution to soil and groundwater environment is becoming increasingly significant. The vadose zone is the only way for petroleum hydrocarbon pollutants to leak from surface into groundwater. The spatial distribution characteristics of indigenous microorganisms in vadose zone, considering presence of capillary zones, have rarely been reported. To explore the spatial distribution characteristics of indigenous microorganisms in vadose zone contaminated by petroleum hydrocarbons, a one-dimensional column migration experiment was conducted using n-hexadecane as characteristic pollutant. Soil samples were collected periodically from different heights during experiment. Corresponding environmental factors were monitored online. The microbial community structure and spatial distribution characteristics of the cumulative relative abundance were systematically analyzed using 16S rRNA sequencing. In addition, the microbial degradation mechanism of n-hexadecane was analyzed using metabolomics. The results showed that presence of capillary zone had a strong retarding effect on n-hexadecane infiltration. Leaked pollutants were mainly concentrated in areas with strong capillary action. Infiltration and displacement of NAPL-phase pollutants were major driving force for change in moisture content (θ) and electric conductivity (EC) in vadose zone. The degradation by microorganisms results in a downward trend in potential of hydrogen (pH) and oxidation-reduction potential (ORP). Five petroleum hydrocarbon-degrading bacterial phyla and 11 degradable straight-chain alkane bacterial genera were detected. Microbial degradation was strong in the area near edge of capillary zone and locations of pollutant accumulation. Mainly Sphingomonas and Nocardioides bacteria were involved in microbial degradation of n-hexadecane. Single-end oxidation involved microbial degradation of n-hexadecane (C16H34). The oxygen consumed, hexadecanoic acid (C16H32O2) produced during this process, and release of hydrogen ions (H+) were the driving factors for reduction of ORP and pH. The vadose zone in this study considered presence of capillary zone, which was more in line with actual contaminated site conditions compared with previous studies. This study systematically elucidated vertical distribution characteristics of petroleum hydrocarbon pollutants and spatiotemporal variation characteristics of indigenous microorganisms in vadose zone considered presence of capillary zone. In addition, the n-hexadecane degradation mechanism was elucidated using metabolomics. This study provides theoretical support for development of natural attenuation remediation measures for petroleum-hydrocarbon-contaminated soil and groundwater.

Appraising the value of CircRNAs for the diagnosis and prognosis of esophageal squamous cell cancer: An updated meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to thoroughly assess the relevance of circular RNAs (circRNAs) in the diagnosis and prognosis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC)， and design a systematic review and meta-analysis. METHODS: Using Stata 14.0 software, a meta-analysis was carried out by looking for pertinent studies up to February 20, 2023, in the online databases PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and CNKI. The clinicopathologic and prognostic data were evaluated using the combined advantage ratio (OR) and combined hazard ratio (HR), respectively. The threshold effects and publication bias were quantified using Spearman's correlation and the Deeks funnel plot asymmetry tests, respectively. RESULTS: A total of 36 pertinent studies with a literature quality score of 7 or above were included in this study. Of them, 22 papers dealt with clinicopathological characterization, 15 dealt with prognostic analysis, and 13 dealt with diagnostic analysis. The findings demonstrated that high expression of upregulated circRNAs was associated with worse clinicopathological features (tumor size: OR=3.61, 95% CI:1.45-5.78; TNM stage: OR=2.12, 95% CI:1.41-2.83; lymph node metastasis: OR=2.87, 95% CI:1.67-4.07) and worse OS (HR=1.49, 95% CI:1.26-1.77). High downregulated circRNAs expression was linked to improved clinicopathologic characteristics (TNM staging: OR=0.35, 95% CI:0.13- 0.95) and longer survival (HR=0.48, 95% CI:0.27-0.84); combined sensitivity was 0.77 (95% CI: 0.71-0.82), specificity was 0.80 (95% CI:0.74-0.86), and area under the subject operating characteristic curve (AUC) was 0.86 (95% CI:0.82- 0.88). CONCLUSION: CircRNAs are useful for ESCC patient diagnosis and prognosis, and they are anticipated to be unique potential biomarkers for ESCC clinical diagnosis.

KIFC1 promotes proliferation and pseudo-bipolar division of ESCC through the transportation of Aurora B kinase.

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) accounts for over 90% of total in China, and the five-year survival rate for patients is less than 30%. Accordingly, the identification of novel, effective early diagnosis markers and therapeutic targets for ESCC is of paramount importance. KIFC1 has been identified as highly expressed in several types of cancer, although its prognostic value is inconsistent, and no research has been conducted specifically on its effect on ESCC. To investigate the expression and function of KIFC1 in ESCC, we conducted immunohistochemical staining on 30 pairs of para-carcinoma tissue and cancerous tissues, revealing a significant increase in KIFC1 expression in ESCC tissues. Using siRNA to knock down KIFC1 significantly reduced the proliferation of EC109 ESCC cells both in vitro and in vivo. Bioinformatics analysis revealed a highly significant positive correlation between KIFC1 overexpression and signaling pathways associated with tumor proliferation pathways. In EC109 cells, overexpression of KIFC1 significantly increased the rate of centrosome amplification and the likelihood of pseudo-bipolar division. Furthermore, the expression of KIFC1 and the rate of centrosome amplification in ESCC tissues were also positively correlated. In order to explore the underline molecular mechanisms, we identified, through proteomics, that KIFC1 binds to the protein Aurora B. The knockdown of KIFC1 significantly reduced the distribution of Aurora B on the metaphase plate and substantially inhibited the phosphorylation of its classical substrate, Histone H3. In conclusion, these findings indicate the potential utility of KIFC1 as both a tumor marker and a promising target for therapeutic interventions.

Response of microbial community to different media in start-up period of Annan constructed wetland in Beijing of China.

Microbial community, as the decomposers of constructed wetland (CW), plays crucial role in biodegradation and biotransformation of pollutants, nutrient cycling and the maintenance of ecosystem balance. In this study, 9 water samples, 6 sediment samples, and 8 plant samples were collected in Annan CW, which has the functions of water treatment and wetland culture park. The characteristics of microbial community structure in different media were illustrated by using of high-throughput sequencing-based metagenomics approach and statistical analysis. Meanwhile, this study identified and classified human pathogens in CW to avoid potential risks to human health. The results showed that dominant bacteria phyla in CW include Proteobacteria, Bacteroides, Actinobacteria, Firmicutes and Verrucomicrobia. The distribution of microorganisms in three media is different, but not significant. And the pH and DO profoundly affected microbe abundance, followed by water temperature. The microbial diversity in sediments is the highest, which is similar with the detection of human pathogens in sediments. Moreover, compared with Calamus, Lythrum salicaria and Reed, Scirpus tabernaemontani has fewer pathogenic microorganisms. The distribution of microorganisms in the CW is complex, and a variety of human pathogens are detected, which is more prone to create potential risks to human health and should receive additional attention.

Environmental stressors altered the groundwater microbiome and nitrogen cycling: A focus on influencing mechanisms and pathways.

Nitrogen cycling, as an important biogeochemical process in groundwater, strongly impacts the energy and matter flow of groundwater ecology. Phthalate esters (PAEs) were screened as key environmental stressors in the groundwater of Beijing, contributing to the alteration of microbial community structure and functions; thus, it could be deduced that these stressors might influence nitrogen cycling that is almost exclusively mediated by microorganisms. Identification of the influences of PAEs on groundwater nitrogen cycling and exploration of the potential influence mechanisms and pathways are vital but still challenging. This study explored the influence mechanisms and pathways of the environmental stressor PAE on nitrogen cycling in groundwater collected from a typical monitoring station in Beijing based on high-throughput sequencing and bioinformatics analysis combined with mediation analysis methods. The results suggested that among the 5 detected PAEs, dimethyl phthalate and diethyl phthalate significantly negatively impacted nitrogen cycling processes, especially nitrogen fixation and denitrification processes (p < 0.05), in groundwater. Their influences were fully or partially mediated by functional microorganisms, particularly assigned keystone genera (such as Dechloromonas, Aeromonas and Noviherbaspirillum), whose abundance was significantly inhibited by these PAEs via dysregulation of carbohydrate metabolism and activation of defense mechanisms. These findings confirmed that the influences of environmental stressors PAEs on nitrogen cycling in groundwater might be mediated by the "PAE stress-groundwater microbiome-nitrogen cycling alteration" pathway. This study may advance the understanding of the consequences of environmental stressors on groundwater ecology and support the ecological hazard assessment of groundwater stressors.

Sources and transformation of nitrogen in shallow aquifers with progressive water table recovery using geochemical and isotopic approaches.

Groundwater level recovery has a significant effect on the sources and transformation of nitrogen in groundwater, but there are still few studies on the influences of the water table on the sources and transformation of nitrogen in groundwater using field data. In this study, the changes in groundwater level, geochemical composition, and isotopic signatures of NO3- and NH4+ during a period of groundwater level recovery at a pilot site were analyzed in detail. The water table underwent progressive recovery of almost 1.6 m in 16 months. At a depth of 5.5 m below the surface, both low NH4+ and high NO3- appeared in the groundwater, whereas below that depth, both high NH4+ and low NO3- simultaneously appeared in the groundwater. The main sources of NO3- were manure and septic waste, and NH4+ fertilizers. The main sources of NH4+ were mineral fertilizers. The main transformation process were nitrification and denitrification at a depth of 5.5 m below the surface; below that depth, the main transformation processes were denitrification and dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA). This study provides a theoretical understanding of the relationship between the changing water table and nitrogen in groundwater level recovery areas.