Sustainable wheat straw pretreatment process by self-produced and cyclical crude lactic acid.

The purpose of this study was to investigate an environmentally friendly and recyclable pretreatment approach that would enhance the enzymatic digestibility of wheat straw. Wheat straw was pretreated using self-produced crude lactic acid obtained from enzymatic hydrolysate fermentation by Bacillus coagulans. Experimentally, crude lactic acid at low concentration could achieve a pretreatment effect comparable to that of commercial lactic acid. After pretreatment at 180 °C for 60 min with 2.0 % crude lactic acid, hemicellulose could be effectively separated and high recovery of cellulose was ensured, achieving cellulose recovery rate of 95.5 % and hemicellulose removal rate of 92.7 %. Excellent enzymatic hydrolysis was accomplished with a glucose yield of 99.7 %. Moreover, the crude lactic acid demonstrated acceptable pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis performance even after three repeated cycles. This not only effectively utilizes the pretreatment solution, but also offers insights into biomass pretreatment using other fermentable acids.

Biological Valorization of Lignin-Derived Aromatics in Hydrolysate to Protocatechuic Acid by Engineered Pseudomonas putida KT2440.

Alongside fermentable sugars, weak acids, and furan derivatives, lignocellulosic hydrolysates contain non-negligible amounts of lignin-derived aromatic compounds. The biological funnel of lignin offers a new strategy for the "natural" production of protocatechuic acid (PCA). Herein, Pseudomonas putida KT2440 was engineered to produce PCA from lignin-derived monomers in hydrolysates by knocking out protocatechuate 3,4-dioxygenase and overexpressing vanillate-O-demethylase endogenously, while acetic acid was used for cell growth. The sugar catabolism was further blocked to prevent the loss of fermentable sugar. Using the engineered strain, a total of 253.88 mg/L of PCA was obtained with a yield of 70.85% from corncob hydrolysate 1. The highest titer of 433.72 mg/L of PCA was achieved using corncob hydrolysate 2 without any additional nutrients. This study highlights the potential ability of engineered strains to address the challenges of PCA production from lignocellulosic hydrolysate, providing novel insights into the utilization of hydrolysates.

Nonmetallic modified zero-valent iron for remediating halogenated organic compounds and heavy metals: A comprehensive review.

Zero Valent Iron (ZVI), an ideal reductant treating persistent pollutants, is hampered by issues like corrosion, passivation, and suboptimal utilization. Recent advancements in nonmetallic modified ZVI (NM-ZVI) show promising potential in circumventing these challenges by modifying ZVI's surface and internal physicochemical properties. Despite its promise, a thorough synthesis of research advancements in this domain remains elusive. Here we review the innovative methodologies, regulatory principles, and reduction-centric mechanisms underpinning NM-ZVI's effectiveness against two prevalent persistent pollutants: halogenated organic compounds and heavy metals. We start by evaluating different nonmetallic modification techniques, such as liquid-phase reduction, mechanical ball milling, and pyrolysis, and their respective advantages. The discussion progresses towards a critical analysis of current strategies and mechanisms used for NM-ZVI to enhance its reactivity, electron selectivity, and electron utilization efficiency. This is achieved by optimizing the elemental compositions, content ratios, lattice constants, hydrophobicity, and conductivity. Furthermore, we propose novel approaches for augmenting NM-ZVI's capability to address complex pollution challenges. This review highlights NM-ZVI's potential as an alternative to remediate water environments contaminated with halogenated organic compounds or heavy metals, contributing to the broader discourse on green remediation technologies.

Association Between Neurodegenerative Diseases and an Increased Risk of Epilepsy Based on Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms: A Mendelian Randomization Study.

Epilepsy is a common neurological disorder characterized by transient brain dysfunction, attributed to a multitude of factors. The purpose of this study is to explore whether neurodegenerative diseases, specifically Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and multiple sclerosis (MS), have a causal effect on epilepsy. Mendelian randomization (MR) methods were used to analyze the causal association between neurodegenerative diseases (AD, PD, ALS, and MS) and epilepsy based on single nucleotide polymorphisms from genome-wide association studies, including inverse-variance weighted, weighted median, MR-Egger, and weighted mode methods. The reliability and stability of the MR analysis results were assessed by the MR-Egger intercept, MR-PRESSO, and heterogeneity tests. Forty-three SNPs were selected for the MR analysis of MS and epilepsy. The inverse-variance weighted method showed a significant causal association between MS and increased risk of epilepsy (odds ratio 1.046; 95% confidence interval 1.001-1.093; P = 0.043). However, AD (P = 0.986), PD (P = 0.894), and ALS (P = 0.533) were not causally associated with epilepsy. Sensitivity analysis showed that the results were robust. The MR study confirmed the causal relationship between genetically predicted MS and epilepsy but did not support the causal relationship between genetically predicted AD, PD, and ALS on epilepsy.

Promoting microbial fermentation in lignocellulosic hydrolysates by removal of inhibitors using MTES and PEI-modified chitosan-chitin nanofiber hybrid aerogel.

To further enhance the removal efficiency for furanic and phenolic compounds in lignocellulosic hydrolysates, a new detoxification strategy was proposed, which retained fermentable sugars and promoted the growth and metabolism of subsequent bacteria. The best adsorbent (P/M-CCA) was prepared by hybrid chitosan-chitin nanofiber, graft modification with polyethylenimine, and silanization with methyl triethoxylsilane in order. Taken corn cob hydrolysate as object, the removal rates of HMF and furfural were 85.1 % and 99.0 %, respectively. The removal rates of six out of nine phenolic inhibitors were 100 %, and the other three were more than 65 %. Even better, the retention rates of glucose and xylose were both 100 %. In contrast to no growth in undetoxified hydrolysates, Bacillus coagulans grew normally in detoxified hydrolysates, and lactic acid reached 19.1 g/L after 12 h fermentation. P/M-CCA achieves both removal of multiple inhibitors and retain sugars, which would promote the valorization of highly toxic lignocellulosic hydrolysates.

Analysis of Changes in KPS Scores and Imaging Signs in Deep Brain Gliomas by DWI Combined with Intraoperative Ultrasound Resection.

Objective: This study investigates the efficacy of DWI combined with intraoperative ultrasound for deep brain glioma treatment, analyzing changes in Karnofsky performance status (KPS) scores and imaging signs. Objectives include elucidating the approach's advantages, addressing knowledge gaps, and contributing insights into its effectiveness for enhancing deep brain glioma management. Methods: In this retrospective study, we analyzed a total of 346 patients with deep brain glioma who underwent surgical treatment at our hospital from July 2015 to January 2022. After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, 310 patients were selected and categorized into a control group (n = 150) and an observation group (n = 160) based on different auxiliary techniques of surgical treatment. The degree of resection and Karnofsky performance status (KPS) scores were assessed at 1 day preoperatively, 1 week, and 1 month postoperatively for both groups. Additionally, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of DWI and ultrasound imaging signs among patients with different grades of deep brain glioma. The study duration covered the specified period, and statistical analyses were performed to evaluate the outcomes. Results: In our study, the observation group demonstrated significantly improved resection degrees, with a total resection rate of 82.50% compared to the control group's 65.33%. Preoperative Karnofsky performance status scores showed no significant difference between groups (P > .05), but postoperative scores at 1 week and 1 month were significantly higher in the observation group (P < .05). Intraoperative ultrasound and DWI revealed distinct imaging signs differentiating low-grade and high-grade patients. These results highlight the efficacy of DWI combined with intraoperative ultrasound resection in enhancing resection outcomes and influencing postoperative Karnofsky performance status. Conclusions: DWI combined with intraoperative ultrasonic resection in deep brain glioma has a significant effect, with specific imaging signs, which can effectively improve the total resection rate and KPS score, and is worthy of clinical promotion. DWI combined with intraoperative ultrasound has important clinical significance in the resection of deep brain gliomas. The better resection results and improved postoperative Karnofsky performance-status score that we observed suggest a possible benefit in patient outcomes, which could influence treatment strategies. The precise imaging signs identified by this method provide valuable guidance for targeted and effective tumor resection.

Subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation in primary Meige syndrome: motor and non-motor outcomes.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) has emerged as a promising treatment for movement disorders. This prospective study aims to evaluate the effects of bilateral subthalamic nucleus DBS (STN-DBS) on motor and non-motor symptoms in patients with primary Meige syndrome. METHODS: Thirty patients who underwent bilateral STN-DBS between April 2017 and June 2020 were included. Standardized and validated scales were utilized to assess the severity of dystonia, health-related quality of life, sleep, cognitive function and mental status at baseline and at 1 year and 3 years after neurostimulation. RESULTS: The Burke-Fahn-Marsden Dystonia Rating Scale movement scores showed a mean improvement of 63.0% and 66.8% at 1 year and 3 years, respectively, after neurostimulation. Similarly, the Burke-Fahn-Marsden Dystonia Rating Scale disability scores improved by 60.8% and 63.3% at the same time points. Postoperative quality of life demonstrated a significant and sustained improvement throughout the follow-up period. However, cognitive function, mental status, sleep quality and other neuropsychological functions did not change after 3 years of neurostimulation. Eight adverse events occurred in six patients, but no deaths or permanent sequelae were reported. CONCLUSIONS: Bilateral STN-DBS is a safe and effective alternative treatment for primary Meige syndrome, leading to improvements in motor function and quality of life. Nevertheless, it did not yield significant amelioration in cognitive, mental, sleep status and other neuropsychological functions after 3 years of neurostimulation.

Achieving efficient and rapid high-solids enzymatic hydrolysis for producing high titer ethanol with the assistance of di-rhamnolipids.

High-solids enzymatic hydrolysis is the premise of obtaining high concentration ethanol by fermentation. In this study, corn stover was first pretreated with formic acid under mild conditions, and more than 70 % of xylan and lignin were removed within the first hour. 173.0 g/L glucose was achieved from total 30 % solid of the pretreated corn stover via fed-batch mode. Moreover, the glucose concentration rose to 194.5 g/L and the hydrolysis time was significantly reduced by 42.9 % with the addition of di-rhamnolipid. On this basis, 89.1 g/L ethanol was obtained by fermentation, and the presence of di-rhamnolipid had no negative effect on fermentation. The effective conversion of corn stover to high titer ethanol provides support for the conversion of stover to ethanol in industrial production.

ß-Galactosidase: a traditional enzyme given multiple roles through protein engineering.

ß-Galactosidases are crucial carbohydrate-active enzymes that naturally catalyze the hydrolysis of galactoside bonds in oligo- and disaccharides. These enzymes are commonly used to degrade lactose and produce low-lactose and lactose-free dairy products that are beneficial for lactose-intolerant people. ß-galactosidases exhibit transgalactosylation activity, and they have been employed in the synthesis of galactose-containing compounds such as galactooligosaccharides. However, most ß-galactosidases have intrinsic limitations, such as low transglycosylation efficiency, significant product inhibition effects, weak thermal stability, and a narrow substrate spectrum, which greatly hinder their applications. Enzyme engineering offers a solution for optimizing their catalytic performance. The study of the enzyme's structure paves the way toward explaining catalytic mechanisms and increasing the efficiency of enzyme engineering. In this review, the structure features of ß-galactosidases from different glycosyl hydrolase families and the catalytic mechanisms are summarized in detail to offer guidance for protein engineering. The properties and applications of ß-galactosidases are discussed. Additionally, the latest progress in ß-galactosidase engineering and the strategies employed are highlighted. Based on the combined analysis of structure information and catalytic mechanisms, the ultimate goal of this review is to furnish a thorough direction for ß-galactosidases engineering and promote their application in the food and dairy industries.

Solvent-Free Buchwald-Hartwig Amination of Heteroaryl Chlorides by N-Heterocyclic Carbene-Palladium Complex (SIPr)Ph2Pd(cin)Cl at Room Temperature.

Using the robust N-heterocyclic carbene-palladium complex (SIPr)Ph2Pd(cin)Cl, a highly efficient and easy-to-operate method has been developed at room temperature for the solvent-free Buchwald-Hartwig amination of heteroaryl chlorides with various amines. The amount of catalyst can be as low as 0.05 wt %. The system was demonstrated on 47 substrates and successfully applied to the synthesis of commercial pharmaceuticals and candidate drugs with high yields. Furthermore, the protocol can be used to prepare aniline derivatives on a multigram scale without yield loss.

Exploring the pharmacological mechanism of Wuzhuyu decoction on hepatocellular carcinoma using network pharmacology.

BACKGROUND: Wuzhuyu decoction, a traditional Chinese medicinal formula, is effective in treating hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). AIM: To explore the potential mechanism of action of Wuzhuyu decoction against HCC. METHODS: The active components of each Chinese herbal medicinal ingredient in Wuzhuyu decoction and their targets were obtained from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Database and Analysis Platform. HCC was used as a search query in GeneCards, Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man, Malacards, DisGeNET, Therapeutic Target Database, and Comparative Toxicogenomics Database. The overlapping targets of the Wuzhuyu decoction and HCC were defined, and then protein-protein interaction, Gene Ontology, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analyses were performed. CytoHubba was used to select hub genes, and their binding activities and key active components were verified using molecular docking. RESULTS: A total of 764 compounds, 77 active compounds, and 204 potential target genes were identified in Wuzhuyu decoction. For HCC, 9468 potential therapeutic target genes were identified by combining the results from the six databases and removing duplicates. A total of 179 overlapping targets of Wuzhuyu decoction and HCC were defined, including 10 hub genes (tumor necrosis factor, interleukin-6, AKT1, TP53, caspase-3, mitogen-activated protein kinase 1, epidermal growth factor receptor, MYC, mitogen-activated protein kinase 8, and JUN). There were six main active components (quercetin, kaempferol, ginsenoside Rh2, rutaecarpine, ß-carotene, and ß-sitosterol) that may act on hub genes to treat HCC in Wuzhuyu decoction. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analysis mainly involved the mitogen-activated protein kinase, p53, phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase-Akt, Janus kinase-signal transducer of activators of transcription, and Hippo signaling pathways. Further verification based on molecular docking results showed that the small molecule compounds (quercetin, kaempferol, ginsenoside Rh2, rutaecarpine, ß-carotene, and ß-sitosterol) contained in Wuzhuyu decoction generally have excellent binding affinity to the macromolecular target proteins encoded by the top 10 genes. CONCLUSION: This study revealed that Wuzhuyu decoction may be a latent multicomponent, multitarget, and multipathway treatment for HCC. It provided novel insights for verifying the mechanism of Wuzhuyu decoction in the treatment of HCC.

Addressing two major limitations in high-solids enzymatic hydrolysis by an ordered polyethylene glycol pre-incubated strategy: Rheological properties and lignin adsorption for enzyme.

High-solids enzymatic hydrolysis for biomass has currently received considerable interest. However, the solid effect during the process limits its economic feasibility. This work presented an ordered polyethylene glycol (PEG) pre-incubated strategy for enhancing the auxiliary effect of PEG in a high-solids enzymatic hydrolysis system. The substrate and enzyme were separately pre-incubated with PEG in this strategy. The ordered PEG pre-incubated strategies yielded a maximum glucose concentration of 166.6 g/L from 32 % (w/v) pretreated corncob with an enzymatic yield of 94.1 % by 72 h hydrolysis. Using this method, PEG not only lessened the lignin adsorption to cellulase but also altered particle rheological characteristics in the high-solids enzymatic hydrolysis system as a viscosity modifier. This study offered a new insight into the mechanism behind the PEG synergistic effect and would make it possible to achieve efficient high-solids loading hydrolysis in the commercial manufacture of cellulosic ethanol.

Platycodin D inhibits glioblastoma cell proliferation, migration, and invasion by regulating DEPDC1B-mediated epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition.

BACKGROUND: Platycodin D (PD) is a potent bioactive constituent in the medicinal herb Platycodon grandiflorum. It has shown anticancer properties, particularly against glioblastoma (GB) and other human malignancies. DEPDC1B (DEP domain-containing protein 1B) is an oncogene associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). It is highly expressed in GB and correlated with tumor grade and patient prognosis. In this study, we investigated whether the antiglioma effect of PD was associated with downregulation of DEPDC1B. METHODS: Gene expression and clinical data were obtained from the China Glioma Genome Atlas and The Cancer Genome Atlas databases for glioma samples. In vitro experiments were conducted using Cell Counting Kit-8 and Transwell assays to assess the impact of PD on the proliferation, migration, and invasion of GB cells. mRNA and protein expression was evaluated using real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blotting, respectively. RESULTS: PD exerted inhibitory effects on the proliferation and motility of GB cells. PD downregulated DEPDC1B protein as well as several markers associated with EMT, namely N-cadherin, vimentin, and Snail. The suppressive effects of PD were enhanced when DEPDC1B was knocked down in GB cells, while overexpression of DEPDC1B in cells reversed the inhibitory effects of PD. CONCLUSION: PD exerts an antiglioma effect by regulating DEPDC1B-mediated EMT.

Removal of Cr (VI) and microbial community analysis in PCB wastewater treatment based on the BESI® process.

The treatment efficiency of Chromium (Cr)-containing Printed Circuit Board (PCB) wastewater is significantly hampered by the limited physiological activity of microorganisms when activated sludge is applied. In this study, the biodegradation and electron transfer based on sulfur metabolism in the integrated (BESI®) process use sulfur as the electron acceptor to achieve sulfate reduction and sulfide oxidation, leading to efficient removal of Cr. The concentrations of total Cr and Cr(VI) in the effluent were reduced to 0.5 mg/L and 0.1 mg/L, respectively, from an initial range of 25-32 mg/L in the influent. The removal of Cr (ΔC(Cr(VI))) mainly occurred in the Sulfate Reduction (SR) reactor, which was significantly correlated with the generation of sulphide ([Formula: see text]) (R2 = 0.9987). Meantime, analysis of the microbial community showed that Cr (VI) stress increased the diversity of the bacterial community in sludge. The presence of Clostridium (52.54% and 47.78%) in SR & Sulfide Oxidation (SO) reactor, along with the Synergistaceae (31.90%) and Trichococcus (26.59%) in aerobic reactor, might contribute to the gradient degradation of COD, resulting in a removal efficiency exceeding 80% when treating an influent with a concentration of 1000 mg/L. In addition, the main precipitation components in the SR reactor were identified by scanning electron microscope, indicating that Cr has been removed from wastewater as Cr(OH)3 precipitation. This study sheds light on the potential of using the BESI® process for the real PCB wastewater treatment.

Acute paraplegia after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage: Case report of a rare complication with a 2­year follow­up.

The current overall incidence of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is ~9/100,000 individuals/year and rupture of an intracranial aneurysm is the main cause of SAH, accounting for ~85% of cases. Only a small number of cases of paraplegia after intracranial aneurysmal SAH have so far been reported and its pathogenesis has remained to be fully elucidated. The present study reports the case of a patient with an aneurysm localized in the medial and inferior lateral wall of the C5 segment of the right internal carotid artery that was treated by coil interventional embolization. The muscle strength of both lower extremities of the patient was grade I and grade 0 before and after the operation, respectively. Lumbar and thoracic magnetic resonance imaging examinations revealed slight hematoma in the subarachnoid space below the L2 level. At two weeks after the operation, the muscle strength of both lower extremities was grade II, while the muscle strength was grade III and grade V at 30 and 60 days after the operation, respectively.

Rapid adaptive evolution of Bacillus coagulans to undetoxified corncob hydrolysates for lactic acid production and new insights into its high phenolic degradation.

Here, an adapted Bacillus coagulans (Weizmannia coagulans) strain CC17B-1 was developed for lignocellulosic lactic acid production through a short and rapid adaptive laboratory evolution technique. Without any detoxification, two actual corn cob hydrolysates from the factory were effectively fermented to lactic acid within 60 h. Strain CC17B-1 is capable of degrading all nine determined phenolic compounds in the hydrolysate, with the only exception being vanillic acid. Notably, its tolerances for ferulic acid and p-coumaric acid are the highest doses reported in anaerobic microbes. A proposed degradation pathway showed that strain CC17B-1 could convert phenolic aldehydes to phenolic alcohol and then further degrade them completely. This work provides new ideas for the microbe phenolic degradation pathway and paves the way for industrial lactic acid production from lignocellulosic biomass.

Nanocrystalline Alumina-Zirconia-Based Eutectic Ceramics Fabricated with High-Energy Beams: Principle, Solidification Techniques, Microstructure and Mechanical Properties.

Nanocrystalline alumina-zirconia-based eutectic ceramics fabricated with high-energy beams and composed of ultrafine, three-dimensionally entangled, single-crystal domains are a special category of eutectic oxides that exhibit exceptionally high-temperature mechanical properties, such as strength and toughness as well as creep resistance. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive review on the basic principles, advanced solidification processes, microstructure and mechanical properties of alumina-zirconia-based eutectic ceramics, with particular attention to the status of the art on a nanocrystalline scale. Some basic principles of coupled eutectic growth are first introduced based on previously reported models, followed by concise introduction of solidification techniques and the control strategy of solidification behavior from the processing variables. Then, the microstructural formation of nanoeutectic structure is elucidated with regard to different hierarchical scales, and mechanical properties such as hardness, flexural and tensile strength, fracture toughness and wear resistance are discussed in detail for a comparative study. Nanocrystalline alumina-zirconia-based eutectic ceramics with unique microstructural and compositional characteristics have been produced with high-energy beam-based processes, and in many cases, promising improvements in mechanical performance have been reported as contrasting with conventional eutectic ceramics.

Platycodin D suppresses proliferation, migration, and invasion of human glioblastoma cells through regulation of Skp2.

BACKGROUND: Platycodin D (PD) is a major bioactive component of Platycodon grandiflorum, a medicinal herb that is widely used in China, and is effective against various human cancers, including glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). S phase kinase-related protein 2 (Skp2) is oncogenic and overexpressed in various human tumors. It is highly expressed in GBM and its expression is correlated with tumor growth, drug resistance and poor prognosis. In this study, we investigated whether inhibition of glioma progression by PD is mediated by decreasing expression of Skp2. METHODS: Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) and Transwell assays were used to determine the effects of PD on GBM cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in vitro. mRNA and protein expression were determined by real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and western blotting, respectively. The U87 xenograft model was used to verify the anti-glioma effect of PD in vivo. Expression levels of Skp2 protein were analyzed by immunofluorescence staining. RESULTS: PD suppressed proliferation and motility of GBM cells in vitro. The expression of Skp2 in U87 and U251 cells was significantly reduced by PD. PD mainly decreased the cytoplasmic expression of Skp2 in glioma cells. Skp2 protein expression was downregulated by PD, resulting in upregulation of its downstream targets, p21and p27. The inhibitory effect of PD was enhanced by Skp2 knockdown in GBM cells and reversed in cells with Skp2 overexpression. CONCLUSION: PD suppresses glioma development by regulation of Skp2 in GBM cells.

In-depth investigation of formic acid pretreatment for various biomasses: Chemical properties, structural features, and enzymatic hydrolysis.

Formic acid pretreatment is a promising approach for fractionating biomass, and it has the advantages of efficient recycling and removal of hemicellulose and lignin. Biomass is one of the most plentiful resources on earth, yet its chemical structure differs significantly between woody and herbaceous biomass. The influence of formic acid pretreatment on the fractionation of woody and herbaceous biomasses, as well as changes in physical-chemical properties, was investigated in this study. The results indicated that formic acid is universal in the biorefinery of different biomass, however, herbaceous biomass had greater xylan and lignin removal than woody biomass (especially softwood). Formic acid pretreatment not only considerably improved the enzymatic efficiency of herbaceous biomass, but also had a good effect on the enzymatic efficiency of poplar. This study also found that the correlation between residual xylan content and enzymatic efficiency after pretreatment was much higher than that of lignin content.