Phylogeny and taxonomy of two new species in Dictyosporiaceae (Pleosporales, Dothideomycetes) from Guizhou, China.

Two novel species within the family Dictyosporiaceae are described and illustrated from terrestrial habitats on dead culms of bamboo and an unidentified plant, respectively. Through morphological comparisons and the multi-locus phylogenetic analyses of combined LSU, ITS, SSU, and tef1-α sequence dataset, two species, Gregaritheciumbambusicola, Pseudocoleophomaparaphysoidea are identified. Phylogenetically, both species clustered into a monophyletic clade with strong bootstrap support. Gregaritheciumbambusicola sp. nov. can be distinguished from other species within the genus based on its almost straight ascospores. Pseudocoleophomaparaphysoidea sp. nov. differs from other species in its conidiogenous cells intermixed with paraphyses, longer conidiogenous cells and larger conidia. The identification of this lineage contributes to our understanding of the classification of Dictyosporiaceae.

Conversion and fate of waste Li-ion battery electrolyte in a two-stage thermal treatment process.

Disposal of electrolytes from waste lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) has gained much more attention with the growing application of LIBs, yet handling spent electrolyte is challengeable due to its high toxicity and the lack of established methods. In this study, a novel two-stage thermal process was developed for treating residual electrolytes resulted from spent lithium-ion batteries. The conversion of fluorophosphate and organic matter in oily electrolyte during low-temperature rotation distillation was investigated. The distribution and migration of the concentrated electrolytes were studied and the corresponding reaction mechanisms were elucidated. Additionally, the influence of alkali on the fixation of fluorine and phosphate was further examined. The results indicated that hydrolyzed carbonate esters and lithium in the electrolyte could combine to form Li2CO3 and the hydrolysable hexafluorophosphate was proven to be stable in the concentrated electrolyte (45 rpm/85 °C, 30 min). It was found that CO2, CO, CH4, and H2 were the primary pyrolysis gases, while the pyrolysis oil consisted of extremely flammable substances formed by the dissociation and recombination of chemical bonds in the electrolyte solvent. After pyrolysis at 300 °C, fluorine and phosphate were present in the form of sodium fluoride and sodium phosphate. The stability of the residue was enhanced, and the environmental risk was reduced. By adding alkali (KOH/Ca(OH)2, 20 %), hexafluorophosphate in the electrolyte was transformed into fluoride and phosphate in the residue, thereby reducing the device's corrosion from fluorine-containing gas. This study provides a viable approach for managing the residual electrolyte in the waste lithium battery recovery process.

Pyroptosis Signature Gene CHMP4B Regulates Microglia Pyroptosis by Inhibiting GSDMD in Alzheimer's Disease.

In this study, we aimed to work through the key genes involved in the process of pyroptosis in Alzheimer's disease (AD) to identify potential biomarkers using bioinformatics technology and further explore the underlying molecular mechanisms. The transcriptome data of brain tissue in AD patients were screened from the GEO database, and pyroptosis-related genes were analyzed. The functions of differential genes were analyzed by enrichment analysis and protein-protein interaction. The diagnostic model was established using LASSO and logistic regression analysis, and the correlation of clinical data was analyzed. Based on single-cell analysis of brain tissues of patients with AD, immunofluorescence and western blotting were used to explore the key cells affected by the hub gene. After GSEA, qRT-PCR, western blotting, LDH, ROS, and JC-1 were used to investigate the potential mechanism of the hub gene on pyroptosis. A total of 15 pyroptosis differentially expressed genes were identified. A prediction model consisting of six genes was established by LASSO and logistic regression analysis, and the area under the curve was up to 0.81. As a hub gene, CHMP4B was negatively correlated with the severity of AD. CHMP4B expression was decreased in the hippocampal tissue of patients with AD and mice. Single-cell analysis showed that CHMP4B was downregulated in AD microglia. Overexpression of CHMP4B reduced the release of LDH and ROS and restored mitochondrial membrane potential, thereby alleviating the inflammatory response during microglial pyroptosis. In summary, CHMP4B as a hub gene provides a new strategy for the diagnosis and treatment of AD.

Vapochromic separation of toluene and pyridine azeotropes using adaptive macrocycle co-crystals.

The separation of toluene (Tol) and pyridine (Py) azeotropes is significant in the chemical industry. Herein, we present a new method for the energy-efficient separation of Tol and Py using pillar[5]arene-based adaptive macrocycle co-crystals (MCCs) that can selectively separate Py from a Py/Tol equimolar mixture with 99.2% purity, accompanied by vapochromic behavior from white to yellow.

Metabolic landscape of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma informs a novel kynurenine/Siglec-15 axis in immune escape.

BACKGROUND: Metabolic reprograming and immune escape are two hallmarks of cancer. However, how metabolic disorders drive immune escape in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) remains unclear. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the metabolic landscape of HNSCC and its mechanism of driving immune escape. METHODS: Analysis of paired tumor tissues and adjacent normal tissues from 69 HNSCC patients was performed using liquid/gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and RNA-sequencing. The tumor-promoting function of kynurenine (Kyn) was explored in vitro and in vivo. The downstream target of Kyn was investigated in CD8+ T cells. The regulation of CD8+ T cells was investigated after Siglec-15 overexpression in vivo. An engineering nanoparticle was established to deliver Siglec-15 small interfering RNA (siS15), and its association with immunotherapy response were investigated. The association between Siglec-15 and CD8+ programmed cell death 1 (PD-1)+ T cells was analyzed in a HNSCC patient cohort. RESULTS: A total of 178 metabolites showed significant dysregulation in HNSCC, including carbohydrates, lipids and lipid-like molecules, and amino acids. Among these, amino acid metabolism was the most significantly altered, especially Kyn, which promoted tumor proliferation and metastasis. In addition, most immune checkpoint molecules were upregulated in Kyn-high patients based on RNA-sequencing. Furthermore, tumor-derived Kyn was transferred into CD8+ T cells and induced T cell functional exhaustion, and blocking Kyn transporters restored its killing activity. Accroding to the results, mechanistically, Kyn transcriptionally regulated the expression of Siglec-15 via aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), and overexpression of Siglec-15 promoted immune escape by suppressing T cell infiltration and activation. Targeting AhR in vivo reduced Kyn-mediated Siglec-15 expression and promoted intratumoral CD8+ T cell infiltration and killing capacity. Finally, a NH2-modified mesoporous silica nanoparticle was designed to deliver siS15, which restored CD8+ T cell function status and enhanced anti-PD-1 efficacy in tumor-bearing immunocompetent mice. Clinically, Siglec-15 was positively correlated with AhR expression and CD8+PD-1+ T cell infiltration in HNSCC tissues. CONCLUSIONS: The findings describe the metabolic landscape of HNSCC comprehensively and reveal that the Kyn/Siglec-15 axis may be a novel potential immunometabolism mechanism, providing a promising therapeutic strategy for cancers.

[Construction of the Whole Process Management Model of Hospice and Palliative Care Outpatient Clinic].

Objective To construct a scientific and practical management model of the hospice and palliative care outpatient clinic and provide a reference for the operation and development of the outpatient clinic. Methods The basic framework of the whole process management model of hospice and palliative care outpatient clinic was determined preliminarily by literature analysis,qualitative interviews and experts group meetings.Two rounds of consultation were conducted among 18 experts in hospice and palliative care and medical-nursing combined outpatient service by the Delphi method. Results The questionnaire response rates of the two rounds of expert consultation were both 100% and the authority coefficients of the two rounds of expert consultation were 0.88 and 0.91,respectively.Finally,the whole process management model of hospice and palliative care outpatient clinic was constructed,which was composed of three first-level indicators including staff composition,work structure and effect evaluation,5 second-level indicators and 62 third-level indicators. Conclusion The constructed whole process management model is scientific,innovative and continuous,which can provide a reference for the operation and development of the hospice and palliative care outpatient clinic.

New insights into the stipitate hydnoid fungi Sarcodon, Hydnellum, and the formerly informally defined Neosarcodon, with emphasis on the edible species marketed in Southwest China.

Sarcodon and Hydnellum are two ectomycorrhizal genera of important ecological and economic value in Southwest China, and they are common in the free markets in this region. It was estimated that more than 1,500 tonnes of them were sold as edible per year, but there was little information about the taxonomic placements of these edible mushrooms sold in the markets. Traditional concepts of the two genera have also been challenged recently, and circumscription of Sarcodon and the informally defined clade "Neosarcodon" remained unresolved. In the present study, specimens collected in the field and purchased from the markets in Southwest China were analyzed based on morphological characters and DNA sequences. Phylogeny of the traditional Sarcodon s. lat. and Hydnellum s. lat. was reconstructed from the combined internal transcribed spacer (ITS), nuclear large ribosomal subunit (nLSU) and RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (RPB2) dataset based on expanded samples to reevaluate the taxonomic placements of the two genera. In the present molecular analyses, four distinct clades were recovered and strongly supported: Hydnellum, Neosarcodon, Phellodon and Sarcodon. Neosarcodon is formally introduced as a generic name to include nine species previously placed in Sarcodon, and the delimitation of Sarcodon is revised based on phylogenetic and morphological studies. Phylogenetic analyses also revealed an unexpected species diversity (17 phylogenetic species) of Sarcodon and Hydnellum in the markets; nine phylogenetic species of Sarcodon and eight of Hydnellum were uncovered from the samples collected in the markets. Eight species were resolved in the traditional S. imbricatus complex, with S. imbricatus s.str. being the most common edible stipitate hydnoid fungal species. Three of the edible Hydnellum species (H. edulium, H. subalpinum, and H. subscabrosellum), and five separated from the S. imbricatus complex (Sarcodon flavidus, S. giganteus, S. neosquamosus, S. nigrosquamosus, and S. pseudoimbricatus), are described as new. Three new Chinese records (H. illudens, H. martioflavum, and H. versipelle), and the notable S. imbricatus and S. leucopus are also reported.

Home-based vs center-based exercise on patient-reported and performance-based outcomes for knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review with meta-analysis.

Background: Home-based exercise (HBE) represents an alternative to increase the accessibility of rehabilitation programs and relieve the burden on the health care system for people with knee osteoarthritis. Objectives: To summarize for the first time the effectiveness of HBE as compared to center-based exercise (CBE), both with and without HBE, on patient-reported and performance-based outcomes in people with KOA. Methods: Searches were conducted on PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, Web of Science, and Scopus until March 10, 2023, without date or language restrictions. Randomized controlled trials investigating HBE versus CBE or HBE combined with CBE for people with KOA were eligible. The primary outcomes were patient-reported: pain, physical disability, and quality of life. The secondary outcomes were performance-based: walking ability, lower limb muscle strength, and balance function. Risk of bias was assessed with the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool and quality of evidence according to the GRADE. Results: Eleven trials involving 956 participants were included. There was no difference in short-term pain (SMD, 0.22 [95% CI, -0.04 to 0.47], p = 0.09; I2 = 0%), physical disability (SMD, 0.17 [95% CI, -0.19 to 0.54], p = 0.35; I2 = 0%), walking ability (SMD, -0.21 [95% CI, -0.64 to 0.22], p = 0.33; I2 = 35%) and lower limb muscle strength (SMD, -0.24 [95% CI, -0.88 to 0.41], p = 0.47; I2 = 69%) between HBE and CBE. HBE combined with CBE has better benefits compared with HBE alone in short-term pain (SMD, 0.89 [95% CI, 0.60 to 1.17], p < 0.001; I2 = 11%) and physical disability (SMD, 0.25 [95% CI, 0.00 to 0.50], p = 0.05; I2 = 0%). Conclusion: Based on limited evidence, HBE is as effective as CBE on short-term pain, physical disability, walking ability, and lower limb muscle strength in people with knee osteoarthritis. Furthermore, combining HBE with CBE may enhance the overall efficacy of the intervention. Systematic review registration: PROSPERO, CRD42023416548.

The Effectiveness of Exercise-Based Rehabilitation in People With Hand Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review With Meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effectiveness of exercise-based rehabilitation programs compared with nonexercise intervention or no intervention for people with hand osteoarthritis (OA). DESIGN: Intervention systematic review with meta-analysis. LITERATURE SEARCH: We searched 5 databases on July 23, 2023. STUDY SELECTION CRITERIA: We included randomized controlled trials that compared the effectiveness of rehabilitation programs that included an exercise component, with nonexercise intervention or no intervention for people with hand OA. DATA SYNTHESIS: Standardized mean differences (SMDs) were pooled using a random-effects model. The risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2.0 tool. The certainty of the evidence was evaluated using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations (GRADE) approach. RESULTS: Fourteen trials were included in the meta-analysis (n = 1341 participants). In the immediate term (<24 weeks), there was low-certainty evidence of an effect of exercise-based rehabilitation on improving pain (13 trials; SMD = -0.65; 95% CI: -1.06, -0.25), function (11 trials; SMD = -0.35; 95% CI: -0.54, -0.15), and grip strength (14 trials; SMD = 0.21; 95% CI: 0.03, 0.38). There was moderate-certainty evidence of an effect on reducing stiffness (7 trials; SMD = -0.33; 95% CI: -0.51, -0.16). There was low-certainty evidence of no effect on improving pinch strength and quality of life. For the long term (≥24 weeks), there was low-certainty evidence that exercise-based rehabilitation had no additional effect on improving pain, function, and stiffness. CONCLUSION: Exercise-based rehabilitation improved pain, function, stiffness, and grip strength in people with hand OA in the immediate term; the benefits were not maintained in the long term. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2024;54(7):1-11. Epub 20 March 2024. doi:10.2519/jospt.2024.12241.

Parallel-Forms Reliability and Minimal Detectable Change of the Four Telerehabilitation Version Mobility-Related Function Scales in Stroke Survivors.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the parallel-forms reliability, minimal detectable change with 95% confidence interval (MDC95), and feasibility of the 4 telerehabilitation version mobility-related function scales: Fugl-Meyer Assessment-lower extremity subscale (Tele-FMA-LE), Berg Balance Scale (Tele-BBS), Tinetti Performance Oriented Mobility Assessment-Gait subscale (Tele-POMA-G), and Rivermead Mobility Index (Tele-RMI). DESIGN: Reliability and agreement study and cross-sectional study. SETTING: Medical center. PARTICIPANTS: Stroke survivors' ability to independently walk 3 meters with assistive devices, age of ≥18 years for participants and their partners, stable physical condition, and absence of cognitive impairment (N=60). INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOMES MEASURES: Parallel-forms reliability and MDC95 of Tele-FMA-LE, Tele-BBS, Tele-POMA-G, and Tele-RMI. RESULTS: No significant differences (P>.05) were observed among the mean scores of the telerehabilitation version and face-to-face version mobility-related function scales. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) indicated good reliability for most scales, with Tele-FMA-LE, Tele-BBS, and Tele-RMI scores achieving values of 0.81, 0.78, and 0.84. Tele-POMA-G scores demonstrated moderate reliability (ICC=0.72). Weighted kappa (κw) showed good-to-excellent reliability for most individual items (κw>0.60). The MDCs of the Tele-FMA-LE, Tele-BBS, Tele-POMA-G, and Tele-RMI were 5.84, 8.10, 2.74, and 1.31, respectively. Bland-Altman analysis showed adequate agreement between tele-assessment and face-to-face assessment for all scales. The 5 dimensions affirm the robust feasibility of tele-assessment: assessment time, subjective fatigue perception, overall preference, participant satisfaction, and system usability. CONCLUSIONS: The study demonstrates good parallel-forms reliability, MDC, and promising feasibility of the 4 telerehabilitation version mobility-related function scales (Tele-FMA-LE, Tele-BBS, Tele-POMA-G, and Tele-RMI) in survivors of stroke.

Identifying the source and fate of boron in geothermal water: Evidence from B/Na and B isotopes.

High level dissolved B, which poses risks to human health, has been widely observed in geothermal water. In the Guide Basin, NW China, a series of geothermal water samples along a fault show a wide range of B contents ranging from 3.14 to 8.33 mg/L, which are higher than the WHO Guideline value equaling 2.4 mg/L in drinking water. To identify the sources and fate of B, we conduct a comprehensive analysis of hydrochemistry and stable isotopes (D, 18O and 11B) of three thermal fields representing three stages of hydrogeochemical evolution (stages I, II and III). From stage I to III, there are trends of increasing mineral dissolution, which is supported by increasing mean reservoir temperature and concentrations of conservative elements (Cl, Na, K, Li and Si). Geothermal water in stage I with meteoric origin and the lowest reservoir temperature has the highest B/Na resulting from silicate dissolution and falls on the mixing line between granitoids and cold water on the plot of δ11B versus 1/B, showing the control of silicate dissolution. However, geothermal water in stage III has lower Ca, B Sr and B/Na than that in stage II. Because of the occurrence of other processes, geothermal water in stages II and III deviates from the LMWL. Compared with geothermal water in stage I, the increased Sr/Ca and decreased B/Ca show that B are removed by both coprecipitation and vapor separation. With the aid of B isotopes, we find vapor separation dominates in stage II, whereas carbonate precipitation dominates in stage III. Overall, a combined use of three isotopes (H, O and B) and three element ratios (B/Na, B/Ca and Sr/Ca) leads to a complete understanding of B cycle and hydrogeochemical evolution in hydrothermal systems.

[Mechanism study on the effect of androgen antagonism in prostate cancer].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the mechanism of tetrahydroxynonene (4-HNE) in the androgen antagonistic effect of prostate cancer through the androgen receptor (AR) - mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway. METHOD: Prostate cancer LNCaP cells were divided into wild-type group (NC, control group) and transfection group. The transfection group was further divided into empty vector transfection group (NC-L7 group) and GSTA4 gene transfection group (A0718, GSTA4-OE group). The GSTA4-OE group received LNCaP cell culture and GSTA4 plasmid transfection to construct LNCaP stable 4-HNE cell lines, while the control group received LNCaP cell culture without GSTA4 plasmid transfection. Stimulating prostate cancer cells with different concentrations of 4-HNE (0, 40, 80, 120µmol/L) to activate the AR signaling pathway, Western blot was used to detect the expression of AR, MAKp, AKT, and PKCα proteins. Sixty cases of prostate cancer tissues and sixty cases of benign prostatic hyperplasia tissues were selected. Immunohistochemical staining was used to determine the positive expression rate of 4-HNE in the aforementioned tissues. The correlation between the positive expression of 4-HNE and tumor Gleason grade, as well as the progression of prostate cancer to CRPC, was analyzed. RESULT: The level of 4-HNE in the GSTA4-OE group cells was inhibited. Western blot analysis showed that compared with the control group, the GSTA4-OE group had PKC in cells α The protein expression level significantly decreased (P<0.05), while the expression levels of AR and AKT proteins significantly increased (P<0.05). After treating prostate cancer cells with 40, 80, and 120µmol/L 4-HNE, compared with the control group, the expression level of AKT in the treatment group was significantly reduced (P<0.01), while the expression levels of MAKP (P<0.01), PKC (P<0.01), and AR (P<0.01) were significantly increased. The immunohistochemical results showed that the positive rate of 4-HNE was 5.0% in 60 cases of benign prostatic hyperplasia tissue and 63.3% in 60 cases of prostate cancer tissue, with a statistically significant difference (P<0.01). The positive rates of 4-HNE in Gleason grades 1-5 were 41.2%, 50.0%, 63.6%, 81.8%, and 100.0%, respectively. The higher the Gleason grade, the higher the positive rate of 4-HNE, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). During a follow-up period of 10-35 months, 33 patients advanced to CRCP, while 27 patients did not. The positive expression rate of 4-HNE in the two groups showed a statistically significant difference (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Under the action of 4-HNE, the expression of AR-MAPK pathway related proteins increase. 4-HNE may promote the progression of prostate cancer through the AR-MAPK pathway, and 4-HNE is expected to become a new therapeutic target for CRPC.