Simultaneous Detection of Adenosine-to-Inosine Editing and N6-Methyladenosine at Identical RNA Sites through Deamination-Assisted Reverse Transcription Stalling.

Adenosine-to-inosine (A-to-I) editing and N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modifications are pivotal RNA modifications with widespread functional significance in physiological and pathological processes. Although significant effort has been dedicated to developing methodologies for identifying and quantifying these modifications, traditional approaches have often focused on each modification independently, neglecting the potential co-occurrence of A-to-I editing and m6A modifications at the same adenosine residues. This limitation has constrained our understanding of the intricate regulatory mechanisms governing RNA function and the interplay between different types of RNA modifications. To address this gap, we introduced an innovative technique called deamination-assisted reverse transcription stalling (DARTS), specifically designed for the simultaneous quantification of A-to-I editing and m6A at the same RNA sites. DARTS leverages the selective deamination activity of the engineered TadA-TadA8e protein, which converts adenosine residues to inosine, in combination with the unique property of Bst 2.0 DNA polymerase, which stalls when encountering inosine during reverse transcription. This approach enables the accurate quantification of A-to-I editing, m6A, and unmodified adenosine at identical RNA sites. The DARTS method is remarkable for its ability to directly quantify two distinct types of RNA modifications simultaneously, a capability that has remained largely unexplored in the field of RNA biology. By facilitating a comprehensive analysis of the co-occurrence and interaction between A-to-I editing and m6A modifications, DARTS opens new avenues for exploring the complex regulatory networks modulated by different RNA modifications.

Polyvinyl Chloride-Based Luminescent Downshifting Film with High Flame Retardancy and Excellent UV Resistance for Silicon Solar Cells.

Solar power generation, as a clean energy source, has significant potential for development. This work reports the recent efforts to address the challenge of low power conversion efficiency in photovoltaic devices by proposing the fabrication of a luminescence downshifting layer using polyvinyl chloride (PVC) with added fluorescent dots to enhance light utilization. A photoluminescent microsphere (HCPAM) is synthesized by cross-linking hexachlorocyclotriphosphazene, 2-iminobenzimidazoline, and polyethyleneimine. Low addition of HCPAM can improve the fire safety of PVC films, raising the limiting oxygen index of PVC to 32.4% and reducing the total heat release and smoke production rate values by 14.5% and 42.9%, respectively. Additionally, modified PVC film remains a transparency of 88% and shows down-conversion light properties. When the PVC+1%HCPAM film is applied to the solar cell, the short-circuit current density increases from 42.3 to 43.8 mA cm-2, resulting in a 7.0% enhancement in power conversion efficiency. HCPAM also effectively delays the photooxidative aging of PVC, particularly at a 3% content, maintaining the surface morphology and optical properties of PVC samples during ultraviolet aging. This study offers an innovative strategy to enhance the fire and UV-resistant performance of PVC films and expand their applications in protecting and efficiently utilizing photovoltaic devices.

EEG-FRM: a neural network based familiar and unfamiliar face EEG recognition method.

Recognizing familiar faces holds great value in various fields such as medicine, criminal investigation, and lie detection. In this paper, we designed a Complex Trial Protocol-based familiar and unfamiliar face recognition experiment that using self-face information, and collected EEG data from 147 subjects. A novel neural network-based method, the EEG-based Face Recognition Model (EEG-FRM), is proposed in this paper for cross-subject familiar/unfamiliar face recognition, which combines a multi-scale convolutional classification network with the maximum probability mechanism to realize individual face recognition. The multi-scale convolutional neural network extracts temporal information and spatial features from the EEG data, the attention module and supervised contrastive learning module are employed to promote the classification performance. Experimental results on the dataset reveal that familiar face stimuli could evoke significant P300 responses, mainly concentrated in the parietal lobe and nearby regions. Our proposed model achieved impressive results, with a balanced accuracy of 85.64%, a true positive rate of 73.23%, and a false positive rate of 1.96% on the collected dataset, outperforming other compared methods. The experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness and superiority of our proposed model.

Review of Vision-Based Environmental Perception for Lower-Limb Exoskeleton Robots.

The exoskeleton robot is a wearable electromechanical device inspired by animal exoskeletons. It combines technologies such as sensing, control, information, and mobile computing, enhancing human physical abilities and assisting in rehabilitation training. In recent years, with the development of visual sensors and deep learning, the environmental perception of exoskeletons has drawn widespread attention in the industry. Environmental perception can provide exoskeletons with a certain level of autonomous perception and decision-making ability, enhance their stability and safety in complex environments, and improve the human-machine-environment interaction loop. This paper provides a review of environmental perception and its related technologies of lower-limb exoskeleton robots. First, we briefly introduce the visual sensors and control system. Second, we analyze and summarize the key technologies of environmental perception, including related datasets, detection of critical terrains, and environment-oriented adaptive gait planning. Finally, we analyze the current factors limiting the development of exoskeleton environmental perception and propose future directions.

Cyclic (Alkyl)(Amino)Carbene-Iminoboryl Compounds with Three Formal Oxidation States.

BN/CC isosterism is an effective strategy to build hybrid functional molecules with unique properties. In contrast to the alkynyl iminium salts derived from cyclic (alkyl)(amino)carbenes (CAACs) that feature only one reversible reduction wave, the isoelectronic cationic CAAC-iminoboryl adducts could be singly and doubly reduced smoothly. Both the resultant neutral radical and anionic azaborataallenes bear NBC-mixed allenic structures. The former radical has a high spin-density of 0.55e at CCAAC carbon, yet exhibits formal boron-centered radical reactivity. The latter azaborataallenes feature the nucleophilic CCAAC center and polar N(δ-)═B(δ+)═C(δ-) unit, and readily undergo nucleophilic substitution, isocyanide insertion, dipolar addition and cycloaddition reactions etc. The N-substituents have been shown to have a significant influence on the solid-state structure, thermal stability, and reactivity of azaborataallenes. This work showcases the allenic BN-unsaturated species as versatile building blocks in organic synthesis.

Tracking the Immediate and Short-Term Effects of Continuous Theta Burst Stimulation on Dynamic Brain States.

Continuous Theta Burst Stimulation (cTBS) has been shown to modulate cortical oscillations and induce cortical inhibitory effects. Electroencephalography (EEG) studies have shown some immediate effects of cTBS on brain activity. To investigate both immediate effects and short-term effects of cTBS on dynamic brain changes, cTBS was applied to 22 healthy participants over their left motor cortex. We recorded eyes-open, resting-state EEG and performance in the Nine-Hole Peg Test (NHPT) before cTBS, immediately after cTBS, and 80 minutes after cTBS. We identified nine states using a Hidden Markov Model (HMM)-based approach to describe the process of dynamic brain changes. The spatial activation, temporal profiles of HMM states and behavioral performance of NHPT were assessed and compared. cTBS altered the temporal profiles of S1-S5 immediately after cTBS and the temporal profiles of S5, S6 and S7 80 min after cTBS. Moreover, cTBS improved motor function of the left hand. State 1 was characterized as the activation of right occipito-temporal area, and NHPT behavioral performance of the left hand positively correlated with the occurrence of state 1, and negatively correlated with the interval time of state 1 after cTBS. The transitions between S1 or S7 and other states showed dynamic reconfiguration during after-effect sustained time after cTBS. These results suggest that the dynamic characteristics of state 1 are potential biomarkers for characterizing the aftereffect changes of cTBS.

The prevalence and risk factors of rheumatoid arthritis-associated interstitial lung disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is the most widespread and fatal pulmonary complication of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Existing knowledge on the prevalence and risk factors of rheumatoid arthritis-associated interstitial lung disease (RA-ILD) is inconclusive. Therefore, we designed this review to address this gap. MATERIALS AND METHODS: To find relevant observational studies discussing the prevalence and/or risk factors of RA-ILD, EMBASE, Web of Science, PubMed, and the Cochrane Library were explored. The pooled odds ratios (ORs) / hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated with a fixed/ random effects model. While subgroup analysis, meta-regression analysis and sensitivity analysis were carried out to determine the sources of heterogeneity, the I2 statistic was utilized to assess between-studies heterogeneity. Funnel plots and Egger's test were employed to assess publication bias. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines, our review was conducted. RESULTS: A total of 56 studies with 11,851 RA-ILD patients were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled prevalence of RA-ILD was 18.7% (95% CI 15.8-21.6) with significant heterogeneity (I2 = 96.4%). The prevalence of RA-ILD was found to be more likely as a result of several identified factors, including male sex (ORs = 1.92 95% CI 1.70-2.16), older age (WMDs = 6.89, 95% CI 3.10-10.67), having a smoking history (ORs =1.91, 95% CI 1.48-2.47), pulmonary comorbidities predicted (HRs = 2.08, 95% CI 1.89-2.30), longer RA duration (ORs = 1.03, 95% CI 1.01-1.05), older age of RA onset (WMDs =4.46, 95% CI 0.63-8.29), positive RF (HRs = 1.15, 95%CI 0.75-1.77; ORs = 2.11, 95%CI 1.65-2.68), positive ACPA (ORs = 2.11, 95%CI 1.65-2.68), higher ESR (ORs = 1.008, 95%CI 1.002-1.014), moderate and high DAS28 (≥3.2) (ORs = 1.87, 95%CI 1.36-2.58), rheumatoid nodules (ORs = 1.87, 95% CI 1.18-2.98), LEF use (ORs = 1.42, 95%CI 1.08-1.87) and steroid use (HRs= 1.70, 1.13-2.55). The use of biological agents was a protective factor (HRs = 0.77, 95% CI 0.69-0.87). CONCLUSION(S): The pooled prevalence of RA-ILD in our study was approximately 18.7%. Furthermore, we identified 13 risk factors for RA-ILD, including male sex, older age, having a smoking history, pulmonary comorbidities, older age of RA onset, longer RA duration, positive RF, positive ACPA, higher ESR, moderate and high DAS28 (≥3.2), rheumatoid nodules, LEF use and steroid use. Additionally, biological agents use was a protective factor.

Peripheral Lymphocytes in Primary Liver Cancers: Elevated NK and CD8+ T Cells and Dysregulated Selenium Metabolism.

Peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs), which play a pivotal role in orchestrating the immune system, garner minimal attention in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). The impact of primary liver cancers on PBLs remains unexplored. In this study, flow cytometry facilitated the quantification of cell populations, while transcriptome of PBLs was executed utilizing 10× single-cell sequencing technology. Additionally, pertinent cases were curated from the GEO database. Subsequent bioinformatics and statistical analyses were conducted utilizing R (4.2.1) software. Elevated counts of NK cells and CD8+ T cells were observed in both ICC and HCC when compared to benign liver disease (BLD). In the multivariate Cox model, NK cells and CD8+ T cells emerged as independent risk factors for recurrence-free survival. Single-cell sequencing of PBLs uncovered the downregulation of TGFß signaling in tumor-derived CD8+ T cells. Pathway enrichment analysis, based on differential expression profiling, highlighted aberrations in selenium metabolism. Proteomic analysis of preoperative and postoperative peripheral blood samples from patients undergoing tumor resection revealed a significant upregulation of SELENBP1 and a significant downregulation of SEPP1. Primary liver cancer has a definite impact on PBLs, manifested by alterations in cellular quantities and selenoprotein metabolism.

Study on the clinical effect of percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic discectomy combined with annulus fibrosus repair in the treatment of single-segment lumbar disc herniation in young and middle-aged patients.

Objective: To explore the clinical effect of percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic discectomy (PTED) combined with annulus fibrosus repair in the treatment of single-segment lumber disc herniation (LDH) in young and middle-aged patients. Methods: Ninty-six patients with single-segment LDH admitted to Baoding First Central Hospital from March 2021 to November 2022 were selected in the retrospective study. The patients were divided into endoscopic group and combined group according to different surgical methods. The surgical conditions, VAS score and ODI score the two groups of patients were compared, as well as the postoperative review results. Results: There were 50 patients in the endoscopic group the average operation time was 43.68 ± 10.77 minutes, the average intraoperative blood loss was 35.38 ± 10.02 ml, there were seven cases of surgical segment recurrence and 10 cases of postoperative intervertebral instability at the surgical segment. There were 46 patients in the combined group, the average operation time was 52.26 ± 8.39 minutes, the average intraoperative blood loss was 39.23 ± 9.02ml, there was one case of surgical segment recurrence and two cases of surgical segment intervertebral instability. The operation time (t=-4.328, P<0.01), postoperative recurrence cases (χ2=4.386, P<0.05) and intervertebral instability cases (χ2=5.366, P<0.05) of the two groups of patients). The difference was statistically significant. There was no significant difference in intraoperative blood loss between the two groups (t=-1.965, P>0.05). For six months after surgery, the differences in VAS and ODI scores between the two groups were statistically significant. In addition, there were statistically significant differences in the VAS scores and ODI scores of the two groups of patients at each time point after surgery compared with those before surgery (P<0.05). Conclusion: The clinical efficacy of PTED combined with annulus fibrosus repair showed better clinical efficacy than PTED alone, and it can reduce the occurrence of surgical segment recurrence and intervertebral instability, suggesting that PTED combined with annulus fibrosus repair may be worthy of promotion in clinical practice.

Enhancing Oral Mucosal Barrier, Mitigating Microinflammation, and Addressing Malnutrition in Dialysis Patients: The Impact of Tangerine Peel Lemon Glycerin.

Objective: This study investigates the efficacy of tangerine peel lemon glycerin extract oral spray in improving oral mucosal barrier, reducing microinflammation, and addressing malnutrition in maintenance dialysis (MHD) patients. Methods: Tangerine peel and dry lemon underwent glycerin extraction. From January 2021 to June 2022, 72 MHD patients with thirst were prospectively chosen at Sinopharm Gezhouba Central Hospital. Randomization divided them into an observation group (n=36) and a control group (n=36). Both received routine maintenance dialysis and chronic kidney disease management. Oral conditions were assessed using OHIP-14, a homemade visual thirst score scale, SFR, sAA, and saliva pH. Microinflammatory indexes (CRP, TNF-α, IL-6) and nutritional status indicators (Alb, PA, Hb) were measured. The observation group used 1ml of tangerine peel lemon glycerin extract with a pH value of 5.9~6.1 q6h, while the control group used 1ml of purified water q6h. Results: After 3 months, the observation group showed significant improvement in OHIP-14 and visual thirst score scale (P < .01). Saliva pH, CRP, TNF-α, and IL-6 levels decreased, and SAA activity, SFR, Alb, PA, and Hb levels increased significantly in the observation group compared to the control group (P < .01). Conclusions: Tangerine peel lemon glycerin spray demonstrates promise in improving the oral mucosal barrier, exhibiting antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties that mitigate microinflammation and malnutrition. This finding suggests a connection between oral health, systemic pathology, psychological state, and social adaptability.

Relationship between bedtime, nighttime sleep duration, and anxiety symptoms in preschoolers in China.

Background: Sleep problems in preschoolers are becoming increasingly prominent, and the association between sleep status and anxiety symptoms has attracted growing attention. However, studies investigating the relationship between bedtime and nighttime sleep duration in preschoolers and their anxiety symptoms remain scant. We used the large sample data from the Longhua Cohort Study of Children in Shenzhen, China (LCCS) to analyze the association between bedtime and sleep in preschoolers and their anxiety symptoms. Methods: A cross-sectional study of 69,138 preschoolers in Longhua District, Shenzhen, China was conducted in 2022. Data on sociodemographic characteristics of families, bedtime, nighttime sleep duration of preschoolers, and their anxiety symptoms (measured by the Spence Preschool Children Anxiety Scale) were collected through a structured questionnaire completed by the parents. Using binary logistic regression models, the relationship between bedtime, nighttime sleep duration, and childhood anxiety symptoms was examined. Results: The bedtimes of preschoolers were concentrated between 21:01-22:00 (52.41%). Among the preschoolers, 38.70% had bedtimes later than 22:00, and 75.49% had insufficient nighttime sleep duration. The positive screening rate for anxiety symptoms among preschoolers was 3.50%. After adjusting for confounding factors using binary logistic regression models, compared with preschoolers with bedtime ≤21:00, The OR (95%CI) values of anxiety in preschoolers with bedtime ≥23:01, 22:01-23:00 and 21:01-22:00 were 2.86 (2.21-3.69), 1.51 (1.27-1.79) and 1.48 (1.26-1.76), respectively. Compared with those with sufficient nighttime sleep duration, the OR (95%CI) of children with nighttime sleep duration less than 9 h was 1.36 (1.23-1.51). Conclusion: An association exists between bedtime and nighttime sleep duration in preschoolers and their anxiety symptoms. Preschoolers with 21:00 for bedtime and a nighttime sleep duration of 10 h may have lower anxiety symptoms. These findings support the importance of adequate sleep for preventing anxiety symptoms in children.

Annonaceous Acetogenins Synergistically Inhibit Hepatocellular Carcinoma with Sorafenib.

Sorafenib was first approved as the standard treatment for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Despite providing an advantage in terms of patient survival, sorafenib has shown poor clinical efficacy and severe side effects after long-term treatment. Thus, combination treatment is a potential way to increase the effectiveness and reduce the dose-limiting toxicity of sorafenib. Extracts of the seeds of Annona montana have shown synergistic antitumor activity with sorafenib, and seven annonaceous acetogenins, including three new acetogenins, muricin P (2), muricin Q (3), and muricin R (4), were isolated from the extracts by bioguided fractionation and showed synergy with sorafenib. The structures of these compounds were determined using spectroscopic and chemical methods. Annonacin (1) and muricin P (2), which reduced intracellular ATP levels and promoted apoptosis, exhibited synergistic cytotoxicity with sorafenib in vitro. In vivo, annonacin (1) displayed synergistic antitumor activity by promoting tumor cell apoptosis. Moreover, the potential mechanism of annonacin (1) was predicted by transcriptomic analysis, which suggested that SLC33A1 is a potential target in HCC. Annonacin (1) might be a novel candidate for combination therapy with sorafenib against advanced HCC.

Life Satisfaction Among Chinese Aged Workers: Interplay of Organizational Justice, Workplace Emotions, and Subjective Age Perception.

Introduction: Organizational justice, as a multifaceted construct, plays an essential role in shaping organizational behaviors vital for boosting productivity. Previous research has underlined its influential role in both task performance and organizational citizenship behaviors. Importantly, positive emotions stemming from perceptions of both distributive and procedural justice have been associated with heightened levels of life satisfaction. This study aimed to elucidate the mediating role of these emotions in the connection between organizational justice perceptions and life satisfaction. Methods: Participants (N= 588) in two waves of multisource data from fifteen private firms in China, have been aged workers from 40 to 60 years old. Results: The findings revealed a significant mediation effect of positive emotions linking employees' perceptions of justice and their overall life satisfaction. Discussion: In alignment with the Spill-over hypothesis, our findings underscore the importance of cultivating an equitable work environment. Such an environment does not only drive job-specific outcomes but also deeply influences employees' broader well-being and happiness. By grasping the intricacies of organizational justice and its myriad effects on employee satisfaction, organizations can devise precise interventions, thereby elevating both employee well-being and overall productivity.

Psychosocial markers of pre-hospital delay in patients with diabetic foot: A cross-sectional survey.

AIM: This study aimed to determine the psychosocial markers associated with pre-hospital delay among patients with diabetic foot (DF). DESIGN: This study has a cross-sectional design. METHODS: The participants completed a questionnaire including pre-hospital time, demographic characteristics, Social Support Rate Scale, Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire and Type D Personality Scale-14. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to explore independent associations with pre-hospital delay. RESULTS: Only 1.8% (3/164) of participants arrived at the hospital for medical care in 24 h of symptom onset. Patients with low utilization of social support (p = 0.029), low negative illness perceptions (p = 0.014) and high levels of negative affectivity (p = 0.009) are likely to arrive late at the clinic. Medical staff should pay attention to identifying diabetic patients' Type D personalities and take actions to improve their social support as well as illness perception, so as to reduce the occurrence of hospital delay. IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PROFESSION AND/OR PATIENT CARE: Psychosocial factors play a vital role in the delay in seeking medical treatment for patients with DF. Medical staff need to improve patients' illness perception as well as self-management ability through health education. Importantly, key family members provide an emotional and psychological support system for diabetic patients. Therefore, nurses need to work with family members together to give information and psychological support during family visits. Additionally, building and maintaining trust with patients is crucial to encouraging individuals to express their concerns and worries. In this case, nurses may identify patients' negative emotions and conduct timely intervention, so as to achieve favourable outcomes. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: This study used a convenience sample of 164 participants with DF recruited from the wound clinic of Northern Jiangsu People's Hospital and Yangzhou Hospital of TCM in China.

Macro CD5L+ deteriorates CD8+T cells exhaustion and impairs combination of Gemcitabine-Oxaliplatin-Lenvatinib-anti-PD1 therapy in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.

Intratumoral immune status influences tumor therapeutic response, but it remains largely unclear how the status determines therapies for patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Here, we examine the single-cell transcriptional and TCR profiles of 18 tumor tissues pre- and post- therapy of gemcitabine plus oxaliplatin, in combination with lenvatinib and anti-PD1 antibody for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. We find that high CD8 GZMB+ and CD8 proliferating proportions and a low Macro CD5L+ proportion predict good response to the therapy. In patients with a poor response, the CD8 GZMB+ and CD8 proliferating proportions are increased, but the CD8 GZMK+ proportion is decreased after the therapy. Transition of CD8 proliferating and CD8 GZMB+ to CD8 GZMK+ facilitates good response to the therapy, while Macro CD5L+-CD8 GZMB+ crosstalk impairs the response by increasing CTLA4 in CD8 GZMB+. Anti-CTLA4 antibody reverses resistance of the therapy in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Our data provide a resource for predicting response of the combination therapy and highlight the importance of CD8+T-cell status conversion and exhaustion induced by Macro CD5L+ in influencing the response, suggesting future avenues for cancer treatment optimization.

The silk gland proteome of Stenopsyche angustata provides insights into the underwater silk secretion.

Caddisworms (Trichoptera) spin adhesive silks to construct a variety of underwater composite structures. Many studies have focused on the fibroin heavy chain of caddisworm silk and found that it contains heavy phosphorylation to maintain a stable secondary structure. Besides fibroins, recent studies have also identified some new silk proteins within caddisworm silk. To better understand the silk composition and its secretion process, this study reports the silk gland proteome of a retreat-building caddisworm, Stenopsyche angustata Martynov (Trichoptera, Stenopsychidae). Using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), 2389 proteins were identified in the silk gland of S. angustata, among which 192 were predicted as secreted silk proteins. Twenty-nine proteins were found to be enriched in the front silk gland, whereas 109 proteins were enriched in the caudal silk gland. The fibroin heavy chain and nine uncharacterized silk proteins were identified as phosphorylated proteins. By analysing the sequence of the fibroin heavy chain, we found that it contains 13 Gly/Thr/Pro-rich regions, 12 Val/Ser/Arg-rich regions and a Gly/Arg/Thr-rich region. Three uncharacterized proteins were identified as sericin-like proteins due to their larger molecular weights, signal peptides and repetitive motifs rich in serine. This study provides valuable information for further clarifying the secretion and adhesion of underwater caddisworm silk.

Deciphering single-cell protein secretion and gene expressions by constructing cell-antibody conjugates.

Secreted proteins play critical roles in regulating immune responses, exerting cytotoxic effects on tumor cells, promoting inflammatory processes, and influencing cellular metabolism. Deciphering the intricate relationship between the heterogeneity of secreted proteins and their transcriptional states is pivotal in the study of cellular heterogeneity. Here we proposed a cell-antibody conjugate-based sequencing methodology (Cellab-seq) for joint characterization of secreted proteins and transcriptome. Cellab-seq utilizes a chemoenzymatic strategy to construct cell-antibody conjugates, which enables the capture of secreted proteins and their signal transduction with the incorporation of barcode detection antibodies. We applied Cellab-seq to investigate how gene expression influences the activity of secreted proteins in NK cells. Altogether, this strategy facilitates a nuanced understanding of cellular dynamics under diverse physiological conditions, ultimately contributing to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases.

Coagulation pretreatment coupled with indigenous microalgal-bacterial consortium system for on-site treatment of rural black wastewater.

Improper treatment of rural black wastewater (RBW) presents substantial challenges, including the wastage of resource, environmental contamination, and economic consequences. This study proposed an integrated process for RBW treatment, consisting of coagulation/flocculation (C/F) pretreatment and subsequent inoculation of indigenous microalgal-bacterial consortium (IMBC) for nitrogen recovery, namely C/F-IMBC process. Specifically, the optimal C/F conditions (polyaluminium chloride of 4 g/l, polyacrylamide of 50 mg/l, and pH of 6) were determined through a series of single-factor experiments, considering CN, turbidity, and dissolved organic matter (DOM) removal, economic cost, and potential influence on the water environment. Compared to the sole IMBC system for RBW treatment, the proposed C/F-IMBC process exhibited a remarkable 1.23-fold increase in microalgal growth and a substantial 17.6-22.6 % boost in nitrogen recovery. The altered RBW characteristic induced by C/F pretreatment was supposed to be responsible for the improved system performance. In particular, the abundance of DOM was decreased and its composition was simplified after C/F pretreatment, based on the analysis for excitation-emission matrices with parallel factor and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, thus eliminating the potential impacts of toxic DOM components (e.g., Bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate) on IMBC activity. It should also be noted that C/F pretreatment modified microbial community structure as well, thereby regulating the expression of nitrogen-related genes and enhancing the system nitrogen recovery capacity. For instance, the functional Cyanobacteria responsible for nutrient recovery was enriched by 1.95-fold and genes involved in the assimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonia pathway were increased by 1.52-fold. These fundamental findings are expected to offer insights into the improvement of DOM removal and nitrogen recovery for IMBC-based wastewater treatment system, and provide valuable guidance for the development of sustainable on-site RBW treatment technologies.

Physiological responses and molecular mechanism of Chlorella sorokiniana to surgical mask exudates in wastewater.

Microalgae-based bioremediation is likely to be challenged by the microplastics (MPs) in wastewater induced by the widely use of surgical masks (SMs) during COVID-19. However, such toxic impact was generally evaluated under high exposure concentrations of MPs, which was not in agreement with the actual wastewater environments. Therefore, this study investigated the microalgal cellular responses to the surgical mask exudates (SMEs) in wastewater and explored the underlying inhibitory mechanism from the molecular perspective. Specifically, 390 items/L SMEs (including 200 items/L MPs which was the actual MP level in wastewater) significantly inhibited nutrient uptake and photosynthetic activities interrupted peroxisome biogenesis and induced oxidative stress which destroyed the structure of cell membrane. Moreover, the SMEs exposure also affected carbon fixation pathways, suppressed ABC transporters while promoted oxidative phosphorylation processes for the ATP accumulation These comprehensive processes led to an 8.5% reduced microalgae growth and variations of cellular biocomponents including lipid, carbohydrate, and protein. The increased carotenoids and consumed unsaturated fatty acid were considered to alleviate the SMEs-induced stress, and the enhanced EPS secretion facilitated the homogeneous aggregation. These findings will enhance current understandings of the SMEs effects in wastewater on microalgae and further improve the practical relevance of microalgae wastewater bioremediation technology.

Single-cell and spatial architecture of primary liver cancer.

Primary liver cancer (PLC) poses a leading threat to human health, and its treatment options are limited. Meanwhile, the investigation of homogeneity and heterogeneity among PLCs remains challenging. Here, using single-cell RNA sequencing, spatial transcriptomic and bulk multi-omics, we elaborated a molecular architecture of 3 PLC types, namely hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) and combined hepatocellular-cholangiocarcinoma (CHC). Taking a high-resolution perspective, our observations revealed that CHC cells exhibit internally discordant phenotypes, whereas ICC and HCC exhibit distinct tumor-specific features. Specifically, ICC was found to be the primary source of cancer-associated fibroblasts, while HCC exhibited disrupted metabolism and greater individual heterogeneity of T cells. We further revealed a diversity of intermediate-state cells residing in the tumor-peritumor junctional zone, including a congregation of CPE+ intermediate-state endothelial cells (ECs), which harbored the molecular characteristics of tumor-associated ECs and normal ECs. This architecture offers insights into molecular characteristics of PLC microenvironment, and hints that the tumor-peritumor junctional zone could serve as a targeted region for precise therapeutical strategies.