Enhancement of hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis for methane production by nano zero-valent iron in soils.

Nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) is attracting increasing attention as the most commonly used environmental remediation material. However, given the high surface area and strong reducing capabilities of nZVI, there is a lack of understanding regarding its effects on the complex anaerobic methane production process in flooded soils. To elucidate the mechanism of CH4 production in soil exposed to nZVI, paddy soil was collected and subjected to anaerobic culture under continuous flooding conditions, with various dosages of nZVI applied. The results showed that the introduction of nZVI into anaerobic flooded rice paddy systems promoted microbial utilization of acetate and carbon dioxide as carbon sources for methane production, ultimately leading to increased methane production. Following the introduction of nZVI into the soil, there was a rapid increase in hydrogen levels in the headspace, surpassing that of the control group. The hydrogen levels in both the experimental and control groups were depleted by the 29th day of culture. These findings suggest that nZVI exposure facilitates the enrichment of hydrogenotrophic methanogens, providing them with a favorable environment for growth. Additionally, it affected soil physicochemical properties by increasing pH and electrical conductivity. The metagenomic analysis further indicates that under exposure to nZVI, hydrogenotrophic methanogens, particularly Methanobacteriaceae and Methanocellaceae, were enriched. The relative abundance of genes such as mcrA and mcrB associated with methane production was increased. This study provides important theoretical insights into the response of key microbes, functional genes, and methane production pathways to nZVI during anaerobic methane production in rice paddy soils, offering fundamental insights into the long-term fate and risks associated with the introduction of nZVI into soils.

Responses of methane production and methanogenic pathways to polystyrene nanoplastics exposure in paddy soil.

Nanoplastics (NPs) have attracted increasing attention within terrestrial ecosystems. However, our understanding of their impacts on the intricate anaerobic methanogenesis processes occurring in paddy soils microbial communities remains limited with respect to nanoplastics shape, function, and metabolic effects. Herein, we explored the effects of polystyrene nanoplastics (PS-NPs) and microplastics (PS-MPs) on anaerobic methanogenesis in a typical paddy soil. The results show that PS-NPs delayed methane production and the time to reach peak acetate content in incubation process of paddy soils, and the methanogenic rate increased rapidly after 13 days, with a maximum increase of 87.97%. However, PS-MPs had no marked effect on CH4, CO2 and acetate production. In addition, PS-NPs affected soil physicochemical properties by reducing pH and increasing electrical conductivity. Acetoclastic methanogens were enriched and the relative abundance of the genes ackA, pta, ACSS, cdhC, cdhD and cdhE in the acetoclastic pathways were significantly increased under PS-NPs exposure. In addition, PS-MPs had significant effect on the microbial community structure but no effect on methanogenic pathways of the paddy soils. This study provides important insights into the response of key microorganisms, functional genes and methanogenesis pathways to NPs during anaerobic methanogenesis in paddy soils.

Single-cell RNA sequencing for the study of kidney disease.

The kidney is an important organ for maintaining normal metabolism and stabilising the internal environment, in which, the heterogeneity of cell types has hindered the progress in understanding the mechanisms underlying kidney disease. In recent years the application of single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) in nephrology has developed rapidly. In this review, we summarized the technical platform related to scRNA-seq and the role of this technology in investigating the onset and development of kidney diseases, starting from several common kidney diseases (mainly including lupus nephritis, renal cell carcinoma, diabetic nephropathy and acute kidney injury), and provide a reference for the application of scRNA-seq in the study of kidney disease diagnosis, treatment and prognosis.

Effect of Tiaoshen Changzhi acupuncture on behavior and striatum ΔFosB in rats with levodopa-induced dyskinesias.

This study aims to study the effffects of Tiaoshen Changzhi acupuncture on behavior and striatum ΔFosB in rats with Levodopa-induced Dyskinesias (LIDs). In this experimental study, Levodopa-induced Dyskinesia (LID) rat models were established by 6-OHDA double-target injection and randomly assigned to six groups, with ten rats in each group. The rats were subjected to difffferent interventions for 28 days, and their behavior was observed. Additionally, the content of ΔFosB, a marker of neuronal activation, in the rat striatum was detected by immunohistochemistry and qRT-PCR. In contrallateral rotation behavior experiment and AIM experiment, the score of the model group was significantly increased, compared with the model group, the score of the Western medicine group, the ordinary acupuncture group and the Tiaoshen Changzhi group was significantly decreased (P < 0.01), the score of the Western medicine group and the Tiaoshen Changzhi group was significantly lower than the ordinary acupuncture group (P < 0.01), there was no statistical significance between the Western medicine group and the Tiaoshen Changzhi group (P>0.05). In the left forelimb function test, the score of the model group was significantly decreased, and compared with the model group, the left forelimb function score of the Western medicine group, the ordinary acupuncture group and the Tiaoshen Changzhi group were significantly increased (P < 0.01). The left forelimb function score of the Western medicine group and the Tiaoshen Changzhi group was higher than the ordinary acupuncture group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). There was no statistical significance between Western medicine group and Tiaoshen Changzhi group (P > 0.05). After treatment, the content of ΔFosB in the striatum of the Western medicine group, the ordinary acupuncture group and the Tiaoshen Changzhi acupuncture group all decreased, the Western medicine group was better than the ordinary acupuncture group (P < 0.01), and the Tiaoshen Changzhi acupuncture group was better than the ordinary acupuncture group (P < 0.05). Tiaoshen Changzhi acupuncture can improve the behavioral performance of LID rats, reduce abnormal involuntary movement and contralateral rotation behavior and enhance the motor function of the left forelimb of rats. One of its therapeutic mechanisms for LID may be to reduce the expression level of ΔFosB in the striatum of LID rats, thereby reducing the symptoms of LID rats.

Prediction of Photochemical Properties of Dissolved Organic Matter Using Machine Learning.

Apparent quantum yields (Φ) of photochemically produced reactive intermediates (PPRIs) formed by dissolved organic matter (DOM) are vital to element cycles and contaminant fates in surface water. Simultaneous determination of ΦPPRI values from numerous water samples through existing experimental methods is time consuming and ineffective. Herein, machine learning models were developed with a systematic data set including 1329 data points to predict the values of three ΦPPRIs (Φ3DOM*, Φ1O2, and Φ·OH) based on DOM spectral parameters, experimental conditions, and calculation parameters. The best predictive performances for Φ3DOM*, Φ1O2, and Φ·OH were achieved using the CatBoost model, which outperformed the traditional linear regression models. The significances of the wavelength range and spectral parameters on the three ΦPPRI predictions were revealed, suggesting that DOM with lower molecular weight, lower aromatic content, and a more autochthonous portion possessed higher ΦPPRIs. Chain models were constructed by adding the predicted Φ3DOM* as a new feature into the Φ1O2 and Φ·OH models, which consequently improved the predictive performance of Φ1O2 but worsened the Φ·OH prediction likely due to the complex formation pathways of ·OH. Overall, this study offered robust ΦPPRI prediction across interlaboratory differences and provided new insights into the relationship between PPRIs formation and DOM properties.

Inactivation mechanism of E. coli in water by enhanced photocatalysis under visible light irradiation.

Developing efficient and economical technologies for drinking water disinfection remains a challenge. We synthesized Ag/AgBr/LDH doped with various silver mass concentrations and explored its ability to inactivate E. coli under visible light irradiation (λ ≥ 400 nm). Our results indicated a total inactivation of E. coli (107 CFU·mL-1) within 80 min using 2 % Ag/AgBr/LDH in a laboratory-scale test. The method was evaluated for disinfecting three effluent samples collected from one drinking water treatment plant, covering representative water treatment processes. After five consecutive runs, the inactivation efficiency decreased slightly to 89 % in CFU·mL-1, indicating that the photocatalysts had excellent stability and reusability. The mechanisms were analyzed by combining chemical and biological methods. It was verified that singlet oxygen (1O2), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and photo-generated electrons (e-) were significant contributors to the inactivation process. Scanning electron microscopy images analysis showed the disruption of the membrane integrity of E. coli by photocatalytic oxidation. Internal component leakage and reduced enzyme activity were also observed in terms of K+ leakage, ß-galactosidase activity, and antioxidant enzyme activity. The results by the transcriptomic analysis implied that Ag/AgBr/LDH regulating the oxidative stress response and cell membrane damage related genes was the main inactivation mechanism.

Surfactant-sodium dodecyl sulfate enhanced degradation of polystyrene microplastics with an energy-saving electrochemical advanced oxidation process (EAOP) strategy.

Microplastics have been identified as a kind of emerging pollutant with potential ecological risks, and it is an urgent endeavor to find proper technologies for their remediation. Electrochemical advanced oxidation process (EAOP) technology has exhibited robust performance in the removal of various refractory organic pollutants. In this study, we explored a new remediation strategy for polystyrene microplastics (PS MPs), introducing sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) to enhance its degradation performance in boron-doped diamond (BDD) anode adopted EAOP. At first, we investigated the degradation behaviors of SDS in the BDD electrolysis. According to the SDS half-life under various current densities, the SDS addition strategy into EAOP is proposed; that is, supplement SDS to 500 mg/L at every half-life during electrolysis except the last cycle. Results indicated that SDS addition greatly enhanced MPs degradation rate in 72 h of EAOP, about 1.35-2.29 times higher than that in BDD electrolysis alone. The SDS assisted EAOP also led to more obvious changes in the particle size, morphology, and functional groups of the MPs. After treatment, a variety of alkyl-cleavage and oxidation products were identified, which attributed to the strong attack of oxidants (i.e., persulfate) on the MPs. The enhanced persulfate generation and oxidants adsorption on MPs can explain the enhancement effect in the EAOP strategy. Cost analysis results showed the surfactant only accounts for < 0.05% of the total operating costs in the SDS assisted EAOP. In general, the current study provided new insight into the effective way to improve the EAOP efficiency of microplastics.

Metal-Free Regioselective Hydrophosphorodithioation of Spirovinylcyclopropyl Oxindoles: Rapid Access to Allyl Dialkylphosphorodithioates.

Phosphorodithioates are important substructures due to their great use in bioactive compounds and functional materials. A metal-free 1,5-addition of spirovinylcyclopropyl oxindoles have been developed by choosing P4S10 and alcohol as nucleophiles through the regioselective ring-opening of spirovinylcyclopropyl oxindoles. This method provides access to allylic organothiophosphates with high efficiency, wide functional group tolerance, good chemo- and regioselectivity, and E-selectivity. 1,3-Addition products were also prepared in high yield. Furthermore, the resulting organothiophosphates could be readily transformed into other allylic derivatives.

A dynamic analysis of the relationship between investor sentiment and stock market realized volatility: Evidence from China.

Investor sentiment is a research focus in behavior finance. This paper chooses five proxy variables according to China's reality and uses a two-step principal component analysis to construct an investor sentiment index. The five proxy variables are the number of new stock accounts, turnover ratio, margin balance, net active purchasing amount, and investor attention. In the final part of this study, using the price data from the Shanghai and Shenzhen Security Exchange, this paper investigates the dynamic relationship between investor sentiment and stock market realized volatility based on the thermal optimal path. The empirical results show that when the market fluctuates severely, investor sentiment leads stock market realized volatility over one or two steps. The prediction power is also checked. The results indicate that investor sentiment indeed forecasts the realized volatility. This research supports regulators and financial institutions in taking advanced measures.

Iodine-Catalyzed Aerobic Oxidation of Spirovinylcyclopropyl Oxindoles to Form Spiro-1,2-dioxolanes Diastereoselectively.

A novel method of iodine-catalyzed aerobic oxidation with spirovinylcyclopropyl oxindoles under mild conditions has been described. A series of spiro-1,2-dioxolanes were prepared in good to excellent yields and considerable diastereoselectivities. The new approach is operationally simple, scalable, and tolerant of various functional groups.

Tuning the Supramolecular Structures of Metal-Free Porphyrin via Surfactant Assisted Self-Assembly to Enhance Photocatalytic Performance.

Metal-free porphyrin with good planarity is beneficial to π-π stack interactions, which promotes electron coupling and the separation and transfer of photogenerated carriers. It is necessary to develop metal-free porphyrin-based photocatalysts and exploit the photocatalytic mechanism. Herein, metal-free porphyrin (5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-carboxyphenyl)porphyrin, TCPP) was self-assembled through an acid-based neutralization reaction and mixing dual-solvents under surfactants to form different aggregates. Morphology structures, optical and optoelectronic properties of the TCPP aggregates were characterized in detail. TCPP self-assemblies showed higher photocatalytic activities for the degradation of phenol under visible light than untreated TCPP powders, and the aggregates of nanorods formed through the acid-based neutralization reaction in the presence of hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) possessed 2.6 times more activity than the nanofiber aggregates formed through mixing dual-solvents. It was proved that self-assembly methods are crucial for controlling the aggregation of porphyrins to form different aggregations, which have a profound impact on the photocatalytic activity.

Three-Dimensional Structure of PANI/CdS NRs-SiO2 Hydrogel for Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution with High Activity and Stability.

Three-dimensional PANI/CdSNRs-SiO2 hydrogel (CdS NRs-PANI-SiO2) was synthesized by loading polyaniline (PANI) onto the semiconductor CdS nanorods (NRs) surface and loading the binary complex on SiO2 gel. The structure, optical properties, and electrochemical properties of the composite were studied in detail. The hydrogen production amount of CdS NRs-PANI (3%)-SiO2 (20%) increased in comparison with CdS NRs and reached 43.25 mmol/g in 3 h under visible light. The three-dimensional structure of SiO2 hydrogel increased the specific surface area of the catalyst, which was conducive to exposing more active sites of the catalyst. In addition, the conductive polymer PANI coated on CdS NRs played the role of conductive charge and effectively inhibited the photo-corrosion of CdS NRs. In addition, the recovery experiment showed that the recovery rate of the composite catalyst reached 90% and hydrogen production efficiency remained unchanged after five cycles, indicating that the composite catalyst had excellent stability.

Facile Fabrication of 3D Graphene⁻Silica Hydrogel Composite for Enhanced Removal of Mercury Ions.

Adsorption is a highly promising and widely used approach to remove Hg(II) ions from contaminated water. The key to this technology is exploring the effective adsorbent. The three-dimensional (3D) graphene as reduced graphene oxide hydrogel (rGH)-encapsulated silica gel (SG-PEI/rGH) was prepared by a moderate chemical reduction strategy using ascorbic acid. This composite structure was characterized by FTIR, XRD, and SEM analysis and used as adsorbents for Hg(II) ions. Its adsorption capacity toward Hg(II) ions was 266 mg/g and increased about 32% compared with the silica gel because of reduced graphene oxide hydrogel (rGH). Mechanism study showed that the high adsorption ability was due to the formation of an N⁻Hg complex with multi-amino groups on the surface of polyethyleneimine-modified silica gel (SG-PEI) and the rapid diffusion of adsorbed ions attributed to the rGH network structure. This composite SG-PEI/rGH would be a promising material for the removal of Hg(II) ions.

The Supramolecular Organogel Formed by Self-Assembly of Ursolic Acid Appended with Aromatic Rings.

Ursolic acid (UA) as a natural ursane-triterpenoid has rich pharmacological activities. We have found that it possesses aggregation properties and could self-assemble into organogels. Based on the aggregation property of ursolic acid in suitable solvents, its derivative appended with aromatic rings by amide groups was synthesized. The property of self-assembly into organogel was studied in this paper. The results revealed that this derivative could form supramolecular gel in halogenated benzene and also gelate chloroform in the presence of toluene or p-xylene. By Fourier-transform infrared spectra (FT-IR) and variable temperature proton nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H NMR), it was proved that intermolecular hydrogen bonding and π⁻π stacking interaction were the primary driving forces for the aggregation to form organogel.

Ag3PO4@UMOFNs Core-Shell Structure: Two-Dimensional MOFs Promoted Photoinduced Charge Separation and Photocatalysis.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are a new type of functional material that is self-assembled by metal ions and organic ligands. In this paper, a bimetal-organic framework was synthesized and stripped into two-dimensional nanosheets structure via an ultrasonic method. We coated the UMOFNs (ultrathinning MOFs into two-dimensional nanosheets) on Ag3PO4 nanoparticles to obtain Ag3PO4@UMOFNs core-shell photocatalysts. Under visible-light irradiation, the degradation of phenol was 100% within 16 min, and the degradation of biphenyl A was 98.9% within 20 min via Ag3PO4@UMOFNs (5 wt %). These values were 1.6- and 1.8-times higher than Ag3PO4, respectively. The activity of the Ag3PO4@UMOFNs increased due to the synergistic effects. The π-π bonds of the organic ligands and weak interactions between UMOFNs and Ag3PO4 collectively promote charge transfer. In addition, matching energy-level structures and a sufficiently large contact area accelerate the separation of the photogenerated charges and improve the activity. This remarkably improves the photocatalytic activity.

X-11-5-27, a daidzein derivative, inhibits NLRP3 inflammasome activity via promoting autophagy.

NLRP3 inflammasome is a cytoplasmic multiprotein complex which plays a critical role in response to infection or injury, however, aberrant NLRP3 inflammasome activation is deleterious. In our study, we investigate the inhibitory effect of X-11-5-27, a daidzein derivative, on the NLRP3 inflammasome. The results showed that the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome was inhibited by X-11-5-27 in a dose-dependent manner, followed by a decrease in the cleavage of caspase-1 and maturation of IL-1ß. Furthermore, we found that X-11-5-27 significantly restrained the formation of NLRP3 inflammasome. At the same time, X-11-5-27 time- and dose-dependently decreased the production of ROS and superoxide. In addition, X-11-5-27 enhanced the activity of SOD to scavenge ROS release. This inhibitory effect of X-11-5-27 was due to the protection of mitochondrial homeostasis and was abolished after the treatment of rotenone. Notably, X-11-5-27 was found to trigger autophagy in macrophages, which in turn inhibited the NLRP3 inflammasome activation. Moreover, the phosphorylation states of the proteins in PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway were dramatically decreased after X-11-5-27 treatment. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that autophagy-mediated ROS reduction is responsible for X-11-5-27-induced NLRP3 flammasome inactivation. And these results may help guide decisions regarding the use of X-11-5-27 in relieving the inflammasome-driven hyper-inflammation.

Gen-27, a newly synthesized flavonoid, inhibits glycolysis and induces cell apoptosis via suppression of hexokinase II in human breast cancer cells.

We have previously reported that Gen-27, a newly synthesized flavonoid, exhibits anticancer effects against human colorectal cancer cells. In this study, we investigated the anticancer effects in human breast cancer cell lines and its underlying mechanisms. We demonstrated that Gen-27 inhibited the growth and proliferation of human breast cancer cells in concentration and time-dependent manners. It was found that Gen-27 induced mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis, characterized by the dissipation of mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm), cytochrome c (Cyt c) release from mitochondria to cytosol, activation of caspases and induction of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). In addition, Gen-27 inhibited the glycolysis in human breast cancer cells. After treatment with Gen-27, the expression of HKII was down-regulated, accompanied by weakened interaction of HKII and VDAC. Further research revealed that the induction of mitochondrial apoptosis was associated with the decrease of HKII expression by Gen-27. Finally, in vivo studies demonstrated that Gen-27 significantly suppressed the growth and promoted apoptosis of MDA-MB-231 breast cancer orthotopic tumors with low systemic toxicity. In conclusion, the results showed that Gen-27 had significant anticancer effects against human breast cancer and it may potentially be used as a novel anticancer agent for the treatment of breast cancer.

[Comparison and analysis of clinical effects of total arthroscopic repair and arthroscopic-assisted small incision repair for the treatment of rotator cuff injury].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical effects of arthroscopic repair and arthroscopic-assisted small incision repair for the treatment of rotator cuff injury. METHODS: The clinical data of 86 patients with rotator cuff injury from January 2012 to January 2015 were analyzed retrospectively. All the patients were divided into two groups: arthroscopic assisted small incision repair group(group A) and arthroscopic repair group(group B). There were 46 patients in group A, including 25 males and 21 females, with an average age of (52.8±7.8) years old. And there were 40 patients in group B, including 23 males and 17 females, with an average age of (53.2±9.5) years old. Several indexes such as shoulder joint activity, muscle strength and ASES, UCLA and VAS scores were examined before and after operation to compare therapeutic effects between these two groups. RESULTS: All the patients were followed up, and the mean time was 20.8 months (ranged, 18 to 35 months). The results of patients in group A as follows: range of abduction motion of shoulder joint was (131.4±18.8)°, external rotation was (64.9±8.8)°, and internal rotation was(63.7±7.3)°. Results of patients in group B as follows: range of abduction motion of shoulder joint was(132.3±16.9), external rotation was(65.1±9.4)°, and internal rotation was(64.4±8.1)°. All the patients had better shoulder mobility than those before operation, but there were no significant differences between two groups after operation. Postoperative scores of patients in group A: ASES was 88.4±8.9, UCLA score was 29.6±3.6, VAS was 1.4±0.3; and in group B, the above scores were 89.5±9.6, 30.8±4.1 and 1.3±0.4 respectively. All the patients had better scores than those before operation, but there were no significant differences between two groups after operation. CONCLUSIONS: Arthroscopic repair and arthroscopic-assisted small incision for repair of rotator cuff injury has clinical curative effects to some extent, and these two methods could improve the safety and reliability of surgical treatment.

Synthesis and cytotoxicity evaluation of 3-amino-2-hydroxypropoxygenistein derivatives.

Soy isoflavones exhibit various biological activities, such as antioxidant, anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, and cardiovascular protective effects. The present study was designed to investigate the effects of sixteen synthesized 3-amino-2-hydroxypropoxy genistein derivatives on cell proliferation and activation of Nrf2 (Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2)/ARE (antioxidant response elements) pathway in human cancer cell lines. Most of the tested compounds exerted greater cytotoxic activity than genistein, as measured by MTT assay. Moreover, compound 8c showed the highest ARE-luciferase reporter activity among the test compounds. It strongly promoted Nrf2 nuclear translocation and up-regulated the expression of total Nrf2 and downstream targets NQO-1 and HO-1 at protein level. The present study may provide a basis for the application of isoflavone derivatives as Nrf2/ARE pathway inducers for cancer therapy and cancer prevention.

Synthesis and cytotoxicity evaluation of 3-amino-2-hydroxypropoxyisoflavone derivatives.

Soy isoflavones exert a wide variety of biological activities, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), a bZip transcription factor, plays a key role in soy isoflavones induced protection against oxidative stress and cancer. To obtain more effective isofavones, a series of 7,4'-bis-(3-amino-2-hydroxypropoxy), 7 or 4'-(3-amino-2-hydroxypropoxy) isoflavone derivatives have been synthesized as potential antitumor agents and Nrf2/ARE (antioxidant response element) activators. The cytotoxicity of these compounds in human cancer cell lines MDA-MB-231, HT-29, HCT116, HepG2 and 7402 was tested by MTT assay. In this study, the cytotoxicity of compound 3b exhibited highest cytotoxic activity and at the safety dose range, it also strongly up-regulated antioxidant response element (ARE)-luciferase reporter activity. In addition, compound 3b induced Nrf2 nuclear translocation and upregulated its downstream target genes NQO-1 and HO-1 at protein level. Taken together, our results suggest that compound 3b could be a potential agent for cancer themotherapy or cancer chemoprevention.