The simultaneous removal of methylene blue (MB) and Ca2+ by recyclable adsorbents based the scales derived from coal gasification system.

The transformation of solid wastes from industrial production into effective adsorbents could significantly contribute to wastewater treatment. In this study, after acidizing and burning soft scale (SS) from coal gasification system, two magnetic adsorbents (mag-ASS and mag-BASS) were prepared via the combination of magnetite with ultrasonic, respectively. The treatment effects of mag-ASS and mag-BASS were then investigated for simulated wastewater containing macromolecular organic matter [i.e., methylene blue (MB)] and Ca2+. The results indicated that the pseudo second order kinetic, Elovich, Freundlich, Langmuir and Temkin model could well describe the adsorption behavior of MB and Ca2+ onto mag-ASS and mag-BASS. The maximum adsorption capacities of mag-ASS for MB and mag-BASS for Ca2+ were 600.53 mg/g and 102.54 mg/g, respectively. Surprisingly, the adsorption abilities of mag-ASS for MB and mag-BASS for Ca2+ show significantly higher than the others. The adsorption mechanisms of MB mainly included electrostatic interaction, π-π conjugate interaction and cation exchange, while those of Ca2+ were mainly electrostatic interaction and cation exchange. The diffusion of MB and Ca2+ onto the magnetic adsorbents might be controlled by the combined effects of intraparticle and liquid film diffusion. There was no significant reduction in adsorption capacity after 8 cycles of adsorption and desorption, indicating that SS-based magnetic adsorbents had good recyclability and stability. Moreover, the removal efficiency of mag-BASS for total hardness and total organic carbon in real coal gasification gray water (CGGW) was 82.60 and 64.10%, respectively. The treatment of CGGW and the resource of wastes would significantly promote the reasonable disposal of coal gasification scales.

Research progress on the physiological response and molecular mechanism of cold response in plants.

Low temperature is a critical environmental stress factor that restricts crop growth and geographical distribution, significantly impacting crop quality and yield. When plants are exposed to low temperatures, a series of changes occur in their external morphology and internal physiological and biochemical metabolism. This article comprehensively reviews the alterations and regulatory mechanisms of physiological and biochemical indices, such as membrane system stability, redox system, fatty acid content, photosynthesis, and osmoregulatory substances, in response to low-temperature stress in plants. Furthermore, we summarize recent research on signal transduction and regulatory pathways, phytohormones, epigenetic modifications, and other molecular mechanisms mediating the response to low temperatures in higher plants. In addition, we outline cultivation practices to improve plant cold resistance and highlight the cold-related genes used in molecular breeding. Last, we discuss future research directions, potential application prospects of plant cold resistance breeding, and recent significant breakthroughs in the research and application of cold resistance mechanisms.

pH/H2 O2 Cascade-Responsive Nanoparticles of Lipid-Like Prodrugs through Dynamic-Covalent and Coordination Interactions for Chemotherapy.

Traditional lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) suffer from low drug loading capacity (DLC), weak stability, and lack of responsiveness. Conventional approaches to address these issues involve the synthesis of lipid-prodrug by incorporating responsive covalent linkers. However, such approaches often result in suboptimal sensitivity for drug release and undermine therapeutic effectiveness. Herein, the study reports a fundamentally different concept for designing lipid-like prodrugs through boron-nitrogen (B-N) coordination and dynamic covalent interaction. The 5-fluorouracil-based lipid-like prodrugs, featuring a borate ester consisting of a glycerophosphoryl choline head and a boronic acid-modified 5Fu/dodecanamine complex tail, are used to prepare pH/H2 O2 cascade-responsive LNPs (5Fu-LNPs). The 5Fu-LNPs exhibit enhanced DLC and stability in a neutral physiological environment due to the B-N coordination and enhanced hydrophobicity. In tumors, acidic pH triggers the dissociation of B-N coordination to release prodrugs, which further responds to low H2 O2 concentrations to release drugs, showcasing a potent pH/H2 O2 -cascade-responsive property. Importantly, 5Fu-LNPs demonstrate greater antitumor efficiency and lower toxicity compared to the commercial 5Fu. These results highlight 5Fu-LNPs as a safer and more effective alternative to chemotherapy. This work presents a unique LNP fabrication strategy that can overcome the limitations of conventional LNPs and broaden the range of intelligent nanomaterial preparation techniques.

A Fine Analysis of Zn Species Structure and Distribution in Zn/ZSM-5 Catalysts by Linear Combination Fitting Analysis of XANES Spectra.

Investigating the distribution of different Zn species on Zn-containing zeolite catalysts is crucial for identifying the active sites and establishing the relationship between the catalyst's structure and its activity in the process of ethylene aromatization. By utilizing X-ray absorption near edge spectra (XANES) of various reference samples, this study employed linear combination fitting (LCF) analysis on XANES spectra of real samples to accurately measure the changes in the distribution of Zn species in Zn-containing HZSM-5 zeolites under different Zn sources and loadings. The results showed that ZnOH+, ZnO clusters, and ZnO crystalline structures coexist in Zn/HZSM-5 catalysts prepared through physical mixing and incipient wet impregnation methods. A similar trend was observed for catalysts prepared using different methods, with an increase in Zn content resulting in a decrease in the proportion of ZnOH+ and a significant increase in the amount of larger ZnO crystals. Furthermore, ZnO clusters were confined within the zeolite pores. The findings of this study established a direct correlation between the amount of ZnOH+ determined through LCF analysis and both the rate of hydrogen production and the rate of aromatics formation, providing strong evidence for the catalytic role of ZnOH+ as an active center for dehydrogenation, which plays a key role in promoting the formation of aromatics. The method of LCF analysis on XANES spectra allows for the determination of the local structure of Zn species, facilitating a more precise analysis based on the distribution of these species. This method not only provides detailed information about the Zn species but also enhances the accuracy of the overall analysis.

Enhancement of the dimethyl ether carbonylation activation via regulating acid sites distribution in FER zeolite framework.

The carbonylation of dimethyl ether (DME) with CO is a key step for ethanol synthesis from syngas, but traditional mordenite (MOR) zeolite shows low catalytic stability. Herein, various FER zeolite nanosheets were prepared with four types of organic templates. The catalytic performance of FER in DME carbonylation is strongly dependent on the location of strong acid site in framework, which can be effectively regulated by altering organic template. FER-MORP sample synthesized with morpholine shows the highest DME conversion of 53%, thus, giving a methyl acetate space-time yield (STYMA) of 0.889 mmol g-1 h-1. DFT calculation, NH3-IR, 1H/27Al/29Si MAS NMR, and in situ DRIFTS results indicate that morpholine directs more Al species, or strong Brønsted acid sites (BAS), to locate in 8-membered ring (8-MR) channels, which not only enhances carbonylation activity but also suppresses formation of coke species. The catalytic performance is well maintained within 4 repeated recycles (∼460 h).

Integrative transcriptomic profiling of mRNA, miRNA, circRNA, and lncRNA in alveolar macrophages isolated from PRRSV-infected porcine.

Introduction: The porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) continues to pose a significant threat to the global swine industry, attributed largely to its immunosuppressive properties and the chronic nature of its infection. The absence of effective vaccines and therapeutics amplifies the urgency to deepen our comprehension of PRRSV's intricate pathogenic mechanisms. Previous transcriptomic studies, although informative, are partially constrained by their predominant reliance on in vitro models or lack of long-term infections. Moreover, the role of circular RNAs (circRNAs) during PRRSV invasion is yet to be elucidated. Methods: In this study, we employed an in vivo approach, exposing piglets to a PRRSV challenge over varied durations of 3, 7, or 21 days. Subsequently, porcine alveolar macrophages were isolated for a comprehensive transcriptomic investigation, examining the expression patterns of mRNAs, miRNAs, circRNAs, and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). Results: Differentially expressed RNAs from all four categories were identified, underscoring the dynamic interplay among these RNA species during PRRSV infection. Functional enrichment analyses indicate that these differentially expressed RNAs, as well as their target genes, play a pivotal role in immune related pathways. For the first time, we integrated circRNAs into the lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA relationship, constructing a competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network. Our findings highlight the immune-related genes, CTLA4 and SAMHD1, as well as their associated miRNAs, lncRNAs, and circRNAs, suggesting potential therapeutic targets for PRRS. Importantly, we corroborated the expression patterns of selected RNAs through RT-qPCR, ensuring consistency with our transcriptomic sequencing data. Discussion: This study sheds lights on the intricate RNA interplay during PRRSV infection and provides a solid foundation for future therapeutic strategizing.

Ultra-sensitive photoelectrochemical biosensor for determination of African swine fever virus based on surface plasmon resonance.

Sensitive and specific detection of African swine fever virus (ASFV) is crucial for agricultural production and economic development due to the mortality and infectivity. In this study, a bismuth induced enhanced photoelectrochemical (PEC) biosensor based on in-situ loop mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) was constructed using deposited bismuth nanoparticles loaded bismuth oxycarbonate (Bi/(BiO)2CO3) as photoactive material, using primers designed according to LAMP as recognition elements, and using in-situ LAMP to achieve nucleic acid amplification of target genes. As the Bi induced surface plasmon resonance (SPR) effect, enhanced light captures and effective electron hole separation, it could effectively enhance the photoelectric activity, so the prepared Bi/(BiO)2CO3 nanohybrid had higher photocurrent intensity and good stability. The constructed PEC biosensor has realized the detection of ASFV in real samples with good sensitivity, specificity and repeatability. In the range from 1.0 × 10-13 to 1.0 × 10-7 g/L, the photoelectric current decreased with the increase of the concentration of ASFV, and the detection limit was 3.0 × 10-14 g/L (about 0.048 copies/µL). Combining the advantages of LAMP with the excellent performance of PEC, it provides a simple, economical and efficient method for nucleic acid diagnosis, and also provides a new idea for biosensor detection.

Protective effects of hsa_circ_0072568 on interleukin­1ß­stimulated human chondrocytes are mediated via the miR­382­5p/TOP1 axis.

Circular RNA (circRNA) dysregulation has been linked to osteoarthritis (OA). The present study investigated the involvement of hsa_circ_0072568 (circ0072568) in OA. The expression of circ0072568 was detected in OA tissues and interleukin (IL)-1ß-stimulated human chondrocytes. After performing dual-luciferase reporter and RNA immunoprecipitation assays, MTT, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and western blot analysis were used to assess the functions of circ0072568 in IL-1ß-induced inflammation in chondrocytes in vitro. Circ0072568 was inhibited in OA tissues and the cell model in vitro. Circ0072568 overexpression protected the chondrocytes against IL-1ß-induced inflammation and extracellular matrix (ECM) breakdown. Circ0072568 directly attached to microRNA (miR)-382-5p and enhanced the production of topoisomerase 1 (TOP1). Furthermore, miR-382-5p overexpression or TOP1 knockdown attenuated the effects of circ0072568 in IL-1ß-stimulated human chondrocytes. On the whole, the present study demonstrates that the Circ0072568/miR-382-5p/TOP1 axis is involved in inflammation and ECM degradation in OA. These findings may contribute to the development of potential therapeutic strategies for OA.

Transcriptome Profiling of Vero E6 Cells during Original Parental or Cell-Attenuated Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus Infection.

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) has led to significant economic losses in the global porcine industry since the emergence of variant strains in 2010. The high mutability of coronaviruses endows PEDV with the ability to evade the host immune response, which impairs the effectiveness of vaccines. In our previous study, we generated a highly cell-passaged PEDV strain, CT-P120, which showed promise as a live attenuated vaccine candidate by providing satisfactory protection against variant PEDV infection in piglets. However, the mechanism by which the attenuated CT-P120 adapts to cells during passage, resulting in increased replication efficiency, remains unclear. To address this question, we conducted a comparative transcriptomic analysis of Vero E6 cells infected with either the original parental strain (CT-P10) or the cell-attenuated strain (CT-P120) of PEDV at 6, 12, and 24 h post-infection. Compared to CT-P10, CT-P120 infection resulted in a significant decrease in the number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) at each time point. Functional enrichment analysis of genes revealed the activation of various innate immune-related pathways by CT-P10, notably attenuated during CT-P120 infection. To validate these results, we selected eight genes (TRAF3, IRF3, IFNL1, ISG15, NFKB1, MAP2K3, IL1A, and CCL2) involved in antiviral processes and confirmed their mRNA expression patterns using RT-qPCR, in line with the transcriptomic data. Subsequent protein-level analysis of selected genes via Western blotting and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay corroborated these results, reinforcing the robustness of our findings. Collectively, our research elucidates the strategies underpinning PEDV attenuation and immune evasion, providing invaluable insights for the development of effective PEDV vaccines.

Mitochondrial transfer from bone mesenchymal stem cells protects against tendinopathy both in vitro and in vivo.

BACKGROUND: Although mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been effective in tendinopathy, the mechanisms by which MSCs promote tendon healing have not been fully elucidated. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that MSCs transfer mitochondria to injured tenocytes in vitro and in vivo to protect against Achilles tendinopathy (AT). METHODS: Bone marrow MSCs and H2O2-injured tenocytes were co-cultured, and mitochondrial transfer was visualized by MitoTracker dye staining. Mitochondrial function, including mitochondrial membrane potential, oxygen consumption rate, and adenosine triphosphate content, was quantified in sorted tenocytes. Tenocyte proliferation, apoptosis, oxidative stress, and inflammation were analyzed. Furthermore, a collagenase type I-induced rat AT model was used to detect mitochondrial transfer in tissues and evaluate Achilles tendon healing. RESULTS: MSCs successfully donated healthy mitochondria to in vitro and in vivo damaged tenocytes. Interestingly, mitochondrial transfer was almost completely blocked by co-treatment with cytochalasin B. Transfer of MSC-derived mitochondria decreased apoptosis, promoted proliferation, and restored mitochondrial function in H2O2-induced tenocytes. A decrease in reactive oxygen species and pro-inflammatory cytokine levels (interleukin-6 and -1ß) was observed. In vivo, mitochondrial transfer from MSCs improved the expression of tendon-specific markers (scleraxis, tenascin C, and tenomodulin) and decreased the infiltration of inflammatory cells into the tendon. In addition, the fibers of the tendon tissue were neatly arranged and the structure of the tendon was remodeled. Inhibition of mitochondrial transfer by cytochalasin B abrogated the therapeutic efficacy of MSCs in tenocytes and tendon tissues. CONCLUSIONS: MSCs rescued distressed tenocytes from apoptosis by transferring mitochondria. This provides evidence that mitochondrial transfer is one mechanism by which MSCs exert their therapeutic effects on damaged tenocytes.

Necroptosis-Related Modification Patterns Depict the Tumor Microenvironment, Redox Stress Landscape, and Prognosis of Ovarian Cancer.

Necroptosis is one of programmed cell death discovered recently, which involves in tumorigenesis, cancer metastasis, and immune reaction. We studied the necroptosis-related genes (NRGs) in ovarian cancer (OV) tissues using data from public databases, which separated into two NRGclusters. Patients in cluster A would have severe clinical characteristics, poor prognosis, and worse tumor microenvironment infiltration characteristics. The NRG score was achieved through the Cox analysis, along with a construction of a prognostic model. People with lower risk score would have better prognosis, lower expression of redox related genes, higher immunogenicity, and better effect on immunotherapy. In addition, the NRG score was closely related to cancer stem cell index, copy number variations, tumor mutation load, and chemosensitivity. We built a nomogram to enhance clinical application of the signature. These outcomes can help use know the function of NRGs in OV and provide new ideas for evaluating clinical outcome and developing more effective treatment protocols.

Investigation of the medium-term effect of osteoprotegerin/bone morphogenetic protein 2 combining with collagen sponges on tendon-bone healing in a rabbit.

BACKGROUND: Osteoprotegerin (OPG) and bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) could be administered sequentially to promote tendon-bone healing. There remain several unresolved issues in our previously published study: a) the release kinetics of OPG/BMP-2 from the OPG/BMP-2/collagen sponge (CS) combination in vitro remained unclear; b) the medium-term effect of the OPG/BMP-2/CS combination was not analyzed. Hence, we design this study to address the issues mentioned above. METHODS: 30 rabbits undergoing anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) with an Achilles tendon autograft randomly received one of the 3 delivery at the femoral and tibial tunnels: OPG/BMP-2, OPG/BMP-2/CS combination, and nothing (blank control). At 8 and 24 weeks post-surgery, the biomechanical tests and histologic analysis were used to evaluate the tendon-bone healing. RESULTS: In mechanical tests, the OPG/BMP-2/CS group showed a higher final failure load and stiffness than the other groups at 8 and 24 weeks. Additionally, the maximum stretching distance showed a decreasing trend. The mechanical failure pattern of samples shifted from a tunnel pull-away to a graft midsubstance rupture after OPG/BMP-2/CS-treated. From histological analysis, the OPG/BMP-2/CS treatment increased the amount of collagen fibers (collagen I and II) and promoted fibrocartilage attachment. CONCLUSION: CS as a carrier promotes the medium-term effect of OPG and BMP-2 on tendon-bone healing at the tendon-bone interface in a rabbit ACLR model. OPG, BMP-2 and CS were already applied in several clinical practice, but a further study of clinic use of OPG/BMP-2/CS is still needed.

Predicting the recurrence-free survival of phyllodes tumor of the breast: a nomogram based on clinicopathology features, treatment, and surgical margin.

Background: Grading based on histopathologic indicators cannot accurately assess the prognosis of phyllodes tumor (PT) of the breast. This article aimed to investigate the correlation between PT prognosis and clinicopathological features, treatment, and surgical margin. Methods: The clinicopathological data of patients with pathologically confirmed PT at our institution were retrospectively collected. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional risk models were employed to test the effects of different variables on the prognosis of PT. A nomogram to predict the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 10-year recurrence-free survival (RFS) of PT was proposed, and its discriminative ability and calibration were tested using the concordance index (C-index), area under the curve (AUC), and calibration plots. All statistical analyses were performed using R. Results: A total of 342 PT patients were included, including 242 benign (70.8%), 75 borderline (21.9%) and 25 malignant (7.3%) cases. The median follow-up period was 64.5 months (range, 3-179 months), 66 PT patients had local recurrence (LR), and four patients had distant metastasis. The 1-, 3-, 5-, and 10-year RFS of the PT patients were 90.8%, 81.8%, 78%, and 76.7%, respectively. Age, fibroadenoma (FA) surgery history, treatment, mitotic activity, and surgical margin were selected as the independent factors for PT prognosis. The nomogram showed good discriminative ability and calibration, as indicated by the C-index [0.78, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.75-0.11]. Conclusions: Independent predictors related to PT prognosis were selected to establish a nomogram for predicting the RFS of PT. This nomogram was able to objectively stratify PT patients into prognostic groups and performed well in the internal validation.

Monolayer LDH Nanosheets with Ultrahigh ICG Loading for Phototherapy and Ca2+-Induced Mitochondrial Membrane Potential Damage to Co-Enhance Cancer Immunotherapy.

Tumor recurrence and metastasis are the main causes of cancer mortality; traditional chemotherapeutic drugs have severe toxicity and side effects in cancer treatment. To overcome these issues, here, we present a pH-responsive, self-destructive intelligent nanoplatform for magnetic resonance/fluorescence dual-mode image-guided mitochondrial membrane potential damage (MMPD)/photodynamic (PDT)/photothermal (PTT)/immunotherapy for breast cancer treatment with external near infrared (NIR) light irradiation. To do so, we construct multifunctional monolayer-layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanosheets (MICaP), co-loading indocyanine green (ICG) with ultrahigh loading content realized via electrostatic interactions, and calcium phosphate (Ca3(PO4)2) coating via biomineralization. Such a combined therapy design is featured by the outstanding biocompatibility and provokes immunogenic cell death (ICD) of tumors toward cancer immunotherapy. The active transport of excess Ca2+ released from pH-sensitive Ca3(PO4)2 can induce MMPD of tumor cells to minimize oxygen consumption in the tumor microenvironment (TME). The presence of ICG not only generates singlet oxygen (1O2) to induce apoptosis by photodynamic therapy (PDT) but also initiates tumor cell necrosis by photothermal therapy (PTT) under near-infrared (NIR) light radiation. Eventually, the immune response generated by MMPD/PDT/PTT greatly promotes a cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) response that can limit tumor growth and metastasis. Both in vitro and in vivo studies indeed illustrate outstanding antitumor efficiency and outcomes. We anticipate that such precisely designed nanoformulations can contribute in a useful and advantageous way that is conducive to explore novel nanomedicines with notable values in antitumor therapy.

Exosome-Associated Gene Signature for Predicting the Prognosis of Ovarian Cancer Patients.

Background: The exosome is of vital importance throughout the entire progression of cancer. Because of the lack of effective biomarkers in ovarian cancer (OV), we intend to investigate the connection between exosomes and tumor immune microenvironment to verify that exosome-related genes (ERGs) can precisely forecast the prognosis of OV patients. Methods: First, 117 ERGs in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) dataset were recognized. Afterwards, the risk signature consisting of four ERGs with prognostic significance was built by univariate Cox, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO), and multivariate Cox regression analysis. We also validated the risk signature by Kaplan-Meier analysis, receiver operating characteristic curve analysis and principal component analysis. Furthermore, gene set enrichment analysis was performed to compare the enrichment patterns between the two risk subgroups. The connections between the exosome-related gene risk score (ERGRS) and clinical features, immune infiltration, immune checkpoint-related genes, copy number variation, and drug sensitivity were explored. We also assessed the function of the ERGRS to forecast immunotherapeutic efficacy by immunophenoscore (IPS). Results: The high-risk group had a worse prognosis than the group with low risk. We verified that the established model possessed a relatively good prognostic value. Pathway enrichment analysis indicated that the genome-wide group with low risk was enriched in immune-related pathways. We discovered that resting dendritic cells and stromal scores were upregulated in patients with high risk in the TCGA and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) cohorts. Moreover, the expression of six common immune checkpoint inhibitor targets was assessed, which revealed that the expression levels of CD274 (PD-L1), PDCD1 (PD-1), and IDO1 in patients with high risk were lower than those in patients with low risk. Afterwards, the low-risk group had higher IPS across the four immunotherapies, implying that it had better effects of immunotherapies. Conclusion: Our study demonstrates that the exosome-related gene risk model is closely associated with immune infiltration. It can well forecast the prognosis of OV patients and guide the selection of immunotherapeutic strategies.

A Hypoxia Molecular Signature-Based Prognostic Model for Endometrial Cancer Patients.

Endometrial cancer has the highest incidence of uterine corpus cancer, the sixth most typical cancer in women until 2020. High recurrence rate and frequent adverse events were reported in either standard chemotherapy or combined therapy. Hence, developing precise diagnostic and prognostic approaches for endometrial cancer was on demand. Four hypoxia-related genes were screened for the EC prognostic model by the univariate, LASSO, and multivariate Cox regression analysis from the TCGA dataset. QT-PCR and functional annotation analysis were performed. Associations between predicted risk and immunotherapy and chemotherapy responses were investigated by evaluating expressions of immune checkpoint inhibitors, infiltrated immune cells, m6a regulators, and drug sensitivity. The ROC curve and calibration plot indicated a fair predictability of our prognostic nomogram model. NR3C1 amplification, along with IL-6 and SRPX suppressions, were detected in tumor. High stromal score and enriched infiltrated aDCs and B cells in the high-risk group supported the hypothesis of immune-deserted tumor. Hypoxia-related molecular subtypes of EC were then identified via the gene signature. Cluster 2 patients showed a significant sensitivity to Vinblastine. In summary, our hypoxia signature model accurately predicted the survival outcome of EC patients and assessed translational and transcriptional dysregulations to explore targets for precise medical treatment.

Structural characterization of a pectic polysaccharide from laoshan green tea and its inhibitory effects on the production of NO, TNF-α and IL-6.

A novel pectic polysaccharide, named GTPS3-1, was isolated and purified from Laoshan green tea polysaccharide (GTPS) through DEAE Sepharose Fast Flow and Sephacryl S-300 columns, its structure was characterized and its anti-inflammatory activity was explored. GTPS3-1, with a molecular weight of 26.05 kDa, was mainly composed of galacturonic acid, galactose, rhamnose and arabinose in a molar ratio of 4.72:2.5:1.68:1 on the basis of monosaccharide composition. Structural analysis results revealed that GTPS3-1 was a highly branched pectin consisting of →3)-Galp-(1→, →2)-Rhap-(1→, →3,5)-Araf-(1→, →3)-Rhap-(1→, GalpA-(1→, →3,4)-Galp-(1→, →4)-GalpA-(1→, →5)-Araf-(1→, →2,4)-Rhap-(1→, Rhap-(1→ and Araf-(1→ according to FT-IR, methylation and NMR analyses. In addition, GTPS3-1 inhibited the production of NO, TNF-α and IL-6 in a dose-dependent manner, which resulted in the amelioration of inflammatory injury in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells. These results would provide a theoretical basis for practical application of the novel polysaccharide as an anti-inflammatory adjuvant.

The pretreatment effects of various target pollutant in real coal gasification gray water by coupling pulse electrocoagulation with chemical precipitation methods.

To prevent the scale formation in the equipments and pipelines after pre-treated coal gasification gray water (CGGW) entering the reuse system and reduce the influence of various pollutants in the effluent on subsequent biochemical treatment, this study presented a coupled use of pulse electrocoagulation (PEC) and chemical precipitation (CP) coupling method for the pretreatment of coal gasification gray water (CGGW). In addition, the operation parameters of PEC and the reaction conditions of PEC-CP were optimized based on iron plate as electrode and total hardness, turbidity and sludge yield as assessment indicators. Due to the formation of multi-hydroxyl iron by several minutes of pulse current, and the addition of pH regulator and coagulant aid, the efficient removal of various ions, hardness and turbidity was significantly reduced via various mechanism such as redox, precipitation, adsorption and coagulation reaction. The result indicated that under the optimal operation conditions, the total hardness, turbidity, and Fen+ of PEC-CP effluents were 275.0 mg/L, 3.0 NTU and 5.6 mg/L, respectively and sludge amount was 0.88 kg/m3. The removal rates of Si, B, Mn, Ba, COD, NPOC and NH4+-N by PEC-CP reached 80.0%, 75.4%, 97.0%, 99.8%, 35.0%, 33.6% and 23.8%, respectively. The present results suggested that the CGGW pretreatment effluents could be not only reused directly, but also greatly alleviate the scaling problem of water pipeline and coal gasification production facilities.

Contralateral prophylactic mastectomy for unilateral breast cancer in Chinese female population: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: Due to differences in socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds, the characteristics and prognosis of Asian female patients choosing contralateral prophylactic mastectomy (CPM) are likely to be different from Western patients. To fill the research gap of CPM in Asian populations, this study aims to explore the application trend, survival benefits, decision-making factors, and satisfaction of CPM based on the Chinese patients undergoing CPM. Methods: The 0-III stage unilateral breast cancer (UBC) patients who received breast surgery in the Chinese PLA General Hospital from 2005 to 2017 were selected. The surgical procedures included simple mastectomy (SM), nipple-sparing mastectomy (NSM), breast conserving surgery (BCS), and CPM. Cox proportional regression analyses and Kaplan-Meier (KM) curve were performed to compare the overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) rates between CPM group and unilateral mastectomy (UM) group. Proportional propensity score matching (PSM) with a 1:1 ratio was used to match the two groups and secondary survival analysis was performed. Logistic regression models were used to test predictive factors related to patients' CPM surgical decision-making. Results: Four thousand two hundred and seventy-six patients were included in the study, with 73 patients receiving CPM, 3,567 receiving SM, 151 receiving NSM, and 485 receiving BCS. CPM surgery was first used in 2007, with a peak application rate of 3.02% in 2016. Three thousand seven hundred and ninety-one patients were included in the survival analysis, with a median follow-up time of 66.60 months. Compared to UM patients, neither the KM survival curve nor Cox regression hazard analyses of CPM showed better OS (P=0.963; P=0.834). After PSM, CPM also did not exhibit significant survival benefits in OS (P=0.335) and DFS (P=0.409). The logistic regression analyses showed that NSM surgery and lower tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage were independent factors to promote the CPM decision-making of patients. The CPM group showed high overall satisfaction (84.9%) and relatively low appearance satisfaction (69.9%). Conclusions: CPM was practiced for the first time since 2007 in our hospital. CPM does not provide any OS and DFS benefits compared to UM and the appearance satisfaction procedure was relatively low. Therefore, clinicians should fully communicate with patients before surgery and be more cautious in giving CPM recommendations.