Implementation of point-of-care platforms for rapid detection of porcine circovirus type 2.

BACKGROUND: Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) infection is ubiquitous around the world. Diagnosis of the porcine circovirus-associated disease requires clinic-pathological elements together with the quantification of viral loads. Furthermore, given pig farms in regions lacking access to sufficient laboratory equipment, developing diagnostic devices with high accuracy, accessibility, and affordability is a necessity. OBJECTIVES: This study aims to investigate two newly developed diagnostic tools that may satisfy these criteria. METHODS: We collected 250 specimens, including 170 PCV2-positive and 80 PCV2-negative samples. The standard diagnosis and cycle threshold (Ct) values were determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Then, two point-of-care (POC) diagnostic platforms, convective polymerase chain reaction (cPCR, qualitative assay: positive or negative results are shown) and EZtargex (quantitative assay: Ct values are shown), were examined and analyzed. RESULTS: The sensitivity and specificity of cPCR were 88.23% and 100%, respectively; the sensitivity and specificity of EZtargex were 87.65% and 100%, respectively. These assays also showed excellent concordance compared with the qPCR assay (κ = 0.828 for cPCR and κ = 0.820 for EZtargex). The statistical analysis showed a great diagnostic power of the EZtargex assay to discriminate between samples with different levels of positivity. CONCLUSIONS: The two point-of-care diagnostic platforms are accurate, rapid, convenient and require little training for PCV2 diagnosis. These POC platforms can discriminate viral loads to predict the clinical status of the animals. The current study provided evidence that these diagnostics were applicable with high sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of PCV2 infection in the field.

Predictors of urinary heavy metal concentrations among pregnant women in Jinan, China.

BACKGROUND: Toxic heavy metal exposure and insufficiency or excess of essential heavy metals may have negative effects on pregnant women's health and fetal growth. To date, the predictors of pregnant women's heavy metal exposure levels remain unclear and vary with different regions. The study intended to explore potential predictors of exposure to heavy metals individually and high co-exposure to heavy metal mixtures. METHODS: We recruited 298 pregnant women in first trimester from prenatal clinics in Jinan, Shandong Province, China, and collected spot urine samples and questionnaire data on their demographic characteristics, lifestyle habits, consumption of food and dietary supplement, and residential environment. All urine samples were analyzed for seven heavy metals: cobalt (Co), molybdenum (Mo), strontium (Sr), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb) and mercury (Hg). RESULTS: Factors associated with single heavy metal concentration were as follows: a) urinary As, Sr and Cd increased with women's age respectively; b) pregnant women with higher monthly household income per capita had lower Sr and Mo levels; c) pregnant women with intermittent folic acid supplementation and those not taking tap water as domestic drinking water had lower Sr concentrations; d) Cd was positively linked with consumption frequency of rice; e) Hg was adversely related to consumption frequency of egg and the women who took purified water as domestic drinking water had lower Hg exposure. In addition, pregnant women's age was positively associated with odds of high co-exposure to Co, As, Sr, Mo, Cd and Pb; while those with an educational level of college had lower odds of high exposure to such a metal mixture compared with those whose educational levels were lower than high school. CONCLUSION: Predictors of single urinary heavy metal concentration included pregnant women's age (As, Sr and Cd), monthly household income per capita (Sr and Mo), folic acid supplementation (Sr), rice consumption frequency (Cd), egg consumption frequency (Hg) and the type of domestic drinking water (Sr and Hg). Pregnant women with older age, lower educational level tended to have high co-exposure to Co, As, Sr, Mo, Cd and Pb.

TG-interacting factor 1 regulates mitotic clonal expansion during adipocyte differentiation.

Obesity is one of the significant health challenges in the world and is highly associated with abnormal adipogenesis. TG-interacting factor 1 (TGIF1) is essential for differentiating murine adipocytes and human adipose tissue-derived stem cells. However, the mode of action needs to be better elucidated. To investigate the roles of TGIF1 in differentiation in-depth, CRISPR/Cas9 knockout technology was performed to generate TGIF1-silenced preadipocytes. The absence of TGIF1 in 3 T3-F442A preadipocytes abolished lipid accumulation throughout the differentiation using Oil Red O staining. Conversely, we established 3 T3-F442A preadipocytes stably expressing TGIF1 and doxycycline-inducible TGIF1 in TGIF1-silenced 3 T3-F442A preadipocytes. Remarkably, the induction of TGIF1 by doxycycline during the initial differentiation phase successfully promoted lipid accumulation in TGIF1-silenced 3 T3-F442A cells. We further explored the mechanisms of TGIF1 in early differentiation. We demonstrated that TGIF1 promoted the mitotic clonal expansion via upregulation of CCAAT/enhancer-binding proteins ß expression, interruption with peroxisome proliferators activated receptor γ downstream regulation, and inhibition of p27kip1 expression. In conclusion, we strengthen the pivotal roles of TGIF1 in early differentiation, which might contribute to resolving obesity-associated metabolic syndromes.

Associations of environmental factors with neurodegeneration: An exposome-wide Mendelian randomization investigation.

Neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) remain a global health challenge. Previous studies have reported potential links between environmental factors and NDDs, however, findings remain controversial across studies and elusive to be interpreted as evidence of robust causal associations. In this study, we comprehensively explored the causal associations of the common environmental factors with major NDDs including Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and multiple sclerosis (MS), based on updated large-scale genome-wide association study data through two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) approach. Our results indicated that, overall, 28 significant sets of exposure-outcome causal association evidence were detected, 12 of which were previously underestimated and newly identified, including average weekly beer plus cider intake, strenuous sports or other exercises, diastolic blood pressure, and body fat percentage with AD, alcohol intake frequency with PD, apolipoprotein B, systolic blood pressure, and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) with ALS, and alcohol intake frequency, hip circumference, forced vital capacity, and FEV1 with MS. Moreover, the causal effects of several environmental factors on NDDs were found to overlap. From a triangulation perspective, our investigation provided insights into understanding the associations of environmental factors with NDDs, providing causality-oriented evidence to establish the risk profile of NDDs.

Heterlimnius luyashanensis sp. n. and Zaitzevia triangularis sp. n. from Shanxi Province, China (Coleoptera: Elmidae).

Two new species, Heterlimnius luyashanensis sp. n. and Zaitzevia triangularis sp. n. are described from Shanxi Province, China. The genus Heterlimnius Hinton, 1935 and Zaitzevia Champion, 1923 are reported from Shanxi Province for the first time. Heterlimnius luyashanensis sp. n. belonging to the Heterlimnius trachys species group has the following characteristics: 1. anterior margin of pronotum strongly produced anteriad; 2. median longitudinal sulcus of pronotum extends from basal 0.3 to 0.8. Zaitzevia triangularis sp. n. has a larger body size and a triangular apex of penis.

Phosphorylation of TG-interacting factor 1 at carboxyl-terminal sites in response to insulin regulates adipocyte differentiation.

TG-interacting factor 1 (TGIF1) contributes to the differentiation of murine white preadipocyte and human adipose tissue-derived stem cells; however, its regulation is not well elucidated. Insulin is a component of the adipogenic cocktail that induces ERK signaling. TGIF1 phosphorylation and sustained stability in response to insulin were reduced through the use of specific MEK inhibitor U0126. Mutagenesis at T235 or T239 residue of TGIF1 in preadipocytes led to dephosphorylation of TGIF1. The reduced TGIF1 stability resulted in an increase in p27kip1 expression, a decrease in phosphorylated Rb expression and cellular proliferation, and a reduced accumulation of lipids compared to the TGIF1-overexpressed cells. These findings highlight that insulin/ERK-driven phosphorylation of the T235 or T239 residue at TGIF1 is crucial for adipocyte differentiation.

Ginsenoside Rg3 decreases breast cancer stem-like phenotypes through impairing MYC mRNA stability.

Breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs) are responsible for breast cancer metastasis, recurrence and treatment resistance, all of which make BCSCs potential drivers of breast cancer aggression. Ginsenoside Rg3, a traditional Chinese herbal medicine, was reported to have multiple antitumor functions. Here, we revealed a novel effect of Rg3 on BCSCs. Rg3 inhibits breast cancer cell viability in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Importantly, Rg3 suppressed mammosphere formation, reduced the expression of stemness-related transcription factors, including c-Myc, Oct4, Sox2 and Lin28, and diminished ALDH(+) populations. Moreover, tumor-bearing mice treated with Rg3 exhibited robust delay of tumor growth and a decrease in tumor-initiating frequency. In addition, we found that Rg3 suppressed breast cancer stem-like properties mainly through inhibiting MYC expression. Mechanistically, Rg3 accelerated the degradation of MYC mRNA by enhancing the expression of the let-7 family, which was demonstrated to bind to the MYC 3' untranslated region (UTR). In conclusion, our findings reveal the remarkable suppressive effect of Rg3 on BCSCs, suggesting that Rg3 is a promising therapeutic treatment for breast cancer.

Ononin promotes radiosensitivity in lung cancer by inhibiting HIF-1α/VEGF pathway.

BACKGROUND: In our previous study, we provided evidence that Astragalus mongholicus Bunge(AM) and its extracts possess a protective capability against radiation-induced damage, potentially mediated through the reduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO). However, we were pleasantly surprised to discover during our experimentation that AM not only offers protection against radiation damage but also exhibits a radiation sensitization effect. This effect may be attributed to a specific small molecule present in AM known as ononin. Currently, radiation sensitizers are predominantly found in nitrazole drugs and nanomaterials, with no existing reports on the radiation sensitization properties of ononin, nor its underlying mechanism. PURPOSE: This study aims to investigate the sensitization effect of the small molecule ononin derived from AM on lung cancer radiotherapy, elucidating its specific molecular mechanism of action. Additionally, the safety profile of combining astragalus small molecule ononin with radiation therapy will be evaluated. METHODS: The effective concentration of ononin was determined through cell survival experiments, and the impact of ononin combined with varying doses of radiation on lung cancer cells was observed using CCK-8 and cell cloning experiments. The apoptotic effect of ononin combined with radiation on lung cancer cells was assessed using Hochester staining, flow cytometry, and WB assay. Additionally, WB and immunofluorescence analysis were conducted to investigate the influence of ononin on HIF-1α/VEGF pathway. Furthermore, Molecular Dynamics Simulation was employed to validate the targeted binding ability of ononin and HIF-1α. A lung cancer cell line was established to investigate the effects of knockdown and overexpression of HIF-1α. Subsequently, the experiment was repeated using tumor bearing nude mice and C57BL/6 mouse models in an in vivo study. Tumor volume was measured using a vernier caliper, while HE, immunohistochemistry, and immunofluorescence techniques were employed to observe the effects of ononin combined with radiation on tumor morphology, proliferation, and apoptosis. Additionally, Immunofluorescence was employed to examine the impact of ononin on HIF-1α/VEGF pathway in vivo, and its effect on liver function in mice was assessed through biochemistry analysis. RESULTS: At a concentration of 25 µM, ononin did not affect the proliferation of lung epithelial cells but inhibited the survival of lung cancer cells. In vitro experiments demonstrated that the combination of ononin and radiation could effectively inhibit the growth of lung cancer cells, induce apoptosis, and suppress the excessive activation of the Hypoxia inducible factor 1 alpha/Vascular endothelial growth factor pathway. In vivo experiments showed that the combination of ononin and radiation reduced the size and proliferation of lung cancer tumors, promoted cancer cell apoptosis, mitigated abnormal activation of the Hypoxia inducible factor 1 alpha pathway, and protected against liver function damage. CONCLUSION: This study provides evidence that the combination of AM and its small molecule ononin can enhance the sensitivity of lung cancer to radiation. Additionally, it has been observed that this combination can specifically target HIF-1α and exert its effects. Notably, ononin exhibits the unique ability to protect liver function from damage while simultaneously enhancing the tumor-killing effects of radiation, thereby demonstrating a synergistic and detoxifying role in tumor radiotherapy. These findings contribute to the establishment of a solid basis for the development of novel radiation sensitizers derived from traditional Chinese medicine.

Fine tuning of porphyrin based-paddlewheel framework by imidazole derivative to boost electrochemiluminescence performance.

Precise tuning the structure of catalytic center is of great importance for the construction of enhanced electrochemiluminescence (ECL) emitters and the development of ECL amplification strategies, which is a key factor in improving the sensitivity of biosensors. In this work, we report the enhanced ECL emitters based on the porphyrin-based paddlewheel framework (PPF) with axial coordinated imidazole-like ligands (PPF/X, X = 2-methylimidazole (MeIm), imidazole (Im), benzimidazole (BIM)). In this system, the electron-donating ability of the axial ligands is positively correlated to its coordination ability to the paddlewheel units and the catalytic ability of the axially coordinated paddlewheel units. In addition, the electrochemical and ECL behavior of PPF/X (X = MeIm, Im, BIM) with different axial coordinated ligands are explored.

Histological chorioamnionitis and pathological stages on very preterm infant outcomes.

AIMS: Histological chorioamnionitis (HCA) is a condition linked to preterm birth and neonatal infection and its relationship with various pathological stages in extremely preterm neonates, and with their associated short- and long-term consequences, remains a subject of research. This study investigated the connection between different pathological stages of HCA and both short-term complications and long-term outcomes in preterm infants born at or before 32 weeks of gestational age. METHODS: Preterm infants born at ≤ 32 weeks of gestation who underwent placental pathology evaluation and were followed-up at 18-24 months of corrected age were included. Neonates were classified based on their exposure to HCA and were further subdivided into different groups according to maternal inflammatory responses (MIR) and fetal inflammatory responses (FIR) stages. We compared short-term complications during their hospital stay between the HCA-exposed and -unexposed groups and examined the influence of HCA stages on long-term outcomes. RESULTS: The HCA group exhibited distinct characteristics such as higher rates of premature rupture of membranes > 18 h, reduced amniotic fluid, early-onset sepsis, bronchopulmonary dysplasia and intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH) grades III-IV (P < 0.05). The moderate-severe HCA group displayed lower gestational age, lower birth weight and higher incidence of IVH (grades III-IV) and preterm sepsis compared with the mild HCA group (P < 0.05). After adjusting for confounders, the MIR stages 2-3 group showed associations with cognitive impairment and cerebral palsy (P < 0.05), and the FIR stages 2-3 group also showed poor long-term outcomes and cognitive impairment (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Moderate-severe HCA was associated with increased early-onset sepsis, severe IVH and poor long-term outcomes, including cognitive impairment and cerebral palsy. Vigilant prevention strategies are warranted for severe HCA cases in order to mitigate poorer clinical outcomes.

Cleaner production evaluation system for textile industry: An empirical study from LCA perspectives.

The contradiction between the rapid textile expansion and intensive energy consumption, highly environmental pollution calls for the adoption of cleaner production (CP). However, current evaluation system mainly targeted on CP at production stage, guidance and support on the life cycle assessment is still in its infancy. Meanwhile few studies brought the combination of water conservation and carbon reduction into considerations. This study compared the existing CP evaluation systems including guidelines for the whole industry, standards for textile industry and indicators for the dyeing and finishing sector by quantifying the differences of indicator score compositions. Comparisons analysis from six aspects suggested that all the evaluation systems had relevant indicators regarding "pollutant emissions". "Management", "process equipment and techniques" and "resource and energy consumption" have also been well concerned while "product characteristic" seemed to be overlooked at current stage. From the perspective of whole life cycle, the key of textile processing is the "printing and dyeing" (44.23 %) followed by "fabric manufacturing"(28.85 %) and setting (15.38 %). With regards to the environmental impacts, resources depletion gained the highest attention since their indicator scores reached up to 25.71 %, 18.47 % and 20.62 % for EMAS, ERG 2018 and HJ-1852006. Cleaner production awareness and social impact also played significant roles in ISO 14031:2021 and WMG. Subsequently, a set of new comprehensive CP evaluation indicator system was established, including 3 scopes and 7 goals. The newly-built indicator system incorporated with life cycle perspectives gave a powerful tool to measure the CP level in textile industry and of CP will benefit from water reuse and energy utilization with high efficiency.

Estimation of Supply and Demand for Cardiologists in Korea.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to estimate the supply and demand for cardiologists in Korea and provide evidence for healthcare policy to ensure a stable and adequate workforce for optimal cardiovascular disease management. METHODS: Past trends of inflow and outflow of cardiologists were used to make crude projections, which were then adjusted based on demands of services to obtain final projections. Inflow of cardiologists was estimated using second-order polynomial regression and demand for cardiology care was estimated using linear regression. RESULTS: There were 1,139 active cardiologists who were under the age of 65 in clinical practice in Korea. The estimated number of cardiologists from 2022 to 2040 showed that the number of cardiologists would peak at 1,344 in 2032 and gradually decrease thereafter. We also estimated an increase of 947,811 cases of heart-related procedures annually from 2023 to 2032. The number of heart-related procedures per cardiologist would increase 1.4 times from 12,964 in 2023 to 17,862 in 2032. The estimated number of emergency patients per cardiologist under 50 years old would almost double from 544 in 2022 to 987 in 2032. CONCLUSIONS: We expect significant shortage of cardiologists in Korea within the next 10 years. The number of emergency patients per cardiologist will increase by nearly 50%, leading to high individual workload for cardiologists. To prevent this imbalance between supply and demand, an organized and collective approach by the specialty of cardiology is imperative to produce a balanced workforce.

Effect of ionic liquids as mobile phase additives on retention behaviors of G-quadruplexes in reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography.

G-quadruplexes (G4s) play an important role in a variety of biological processes and have extensive application prospects. Due to the significance of G4s in physiology and biosensing, studies on G4s have attracted much attention, stimulating the development or improvement of methods for G4 structures and polymorphism analysis. In this work, ionic liquids (ILs) were involved as mobile phase additives in reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) to analyse G4s with various conformations for the first time. How ILs affected the retention behaviors of G4s was investigated comprehensively. It was found that the addition of ILs markedly enhanced G4 retention, along with obvious amelioration on chromatographic peak shapes and separation. The influence of pH of mobile phase and types of ILs were also included in order to acquire an in-depth understanding. It appeared that the effect of ILs on G4 retention behaviors was the result of a combination of various interactions between G4s with the hydrophobic stationary phase and with the IL-containing mobile phase, where ion pair mechanism and enhanced hydrophobic interaction dominated. The findings of this work revealed that ILs could effectively improve the separation of G4s in RP-HPLC, which was conducive to G4 structural analysis, especially for G4s polymorphism elucidation.

Inactivation of pentraxin 3 suppresses M2-like macrophage activity and immunosuppression in colon cancer.

BACKGROUND: The tumor microenvironment is characterized by inflammation-like and immunosuppression situations. Although cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are among the major stromal cell types in various solid cancers, including colon cancer, the interactions between CAFs and immune cells remains largely uncharacterized. Pentraxin 3 (PTX3) is responsive to proinflammatory cytokines and modulates immunity and tissue remodeling, but its involvement in tumor progression appears to be context-dependent and is unclear. METHODS: Open-access databases were utilized to examine the association of PTX3 expression and the fibroblast signature in colon cancer. Loss-of-function assays, including studies in tamoxifen-induced Ptx3 knockout mice and treatment with an anti-PTX3 neutralizing antibody (WHC-001), were conducted to assess the involvement of PTX3 in colon cancer progression as well as its immunosuppressive effect. Finally, bioinformatic analyses and in vitro assays were performed to reveal the downstream effectors and decipher the involvement of the CREB1/CEBPB axis in response to PTX3 and PTX3-induced promotion of M2 macrophage polarization. RESULTS: Clinically, higher PTX3 expression was positively correlated with fibroblasts and inflammatory response signatures and associated with a poor survival outcome in colon cancer patients. Blockade of PTX3 significantly reduced stromal cell-mediated tumor development. The decrease of the M2 macrophage population and an increase of the cytotoxic CD8+ T-cell population were observed following PTX3 inactivation in allografted colon tumors. We further revealed that activation of cyclic AMP-responsive element-binding protein 1 (CREB1) mediated the PTX3-induced promotion of M2 macrophage polarization. CONCLUSIONS: PTX3 contributes to stromal cell-mediated protumor immunity by increasing M2-like macrophage polarization, and inhibition of PTX3 with WHC-001 is a potential therapeutic strategy for colon cancer.

Interventional treatment of giant tracheal lymphoma under rigid bronchoscopy: A case report and literature review.

INTRODUCTION: Lymphoma can appear in all parts of the body and present with different symptoms. However, bronchial lymphoma is rare and can be misdiagnosed as airway malignancy or lung disease.Patient: An older adult woman with tracheal lymphoma experienced severe breathing difficulties, and chest computed tomography indicated severe narrowing of the airway. She did not respond to repeated antibiotic treatment, and she was eventually diagnosed with lymphoma based on pathology after surgical removal of the tumor. DIAGNOSIS: The patient received a diagnosis of thoracic tracheal stenosis due to intratracheal inflammatory granulomatous lesions or a tumor. INTERVENTIONS: Treatment involved the use of a high-frequency electrotome, freezing, and argon plasma coagulation. OUTCOMES: The patient reported improvements in dyspnea, cough, and other symptoms after the operation. The pathological results confirmed follicular lymphoma. Reexamination by fiberbronchoscopy indicated that the degree of stenosis in the middle and upper tracheal segments was significantly reduced following interventional therapy. CONCLUSION: Endoscopic interventional therapy can be an effective treatment for tracheal lymphoma.

Network-based analysis on the genes and their interactions reveals link between schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease.

Schizophrenia (SCZ) is a heterogeneous psychiatric disorder marked by impaired thinking, emotions, and behaviors. Studies have suggested a strong connection between SCZ and Alzheimer's disease (AD), however, controversies exist and the underlying mechanisms linking these two disorders remain largely unknown. Therefore, systematic studies of SCZ- and AD-related genes will provide valuable insights into the molecular features of these two diseases and their comorbidities. In this study, we obtained 331 SCZ-related genes, 650 AD-related genes, 65 shared genes between SCZ and AD. Enrichment analysis shown that these 65 shared genes were mainly involved in cognition, neural development, synaptic transmission, drug reactions, metabolic processes and immune related processes, suggesting a complex mechanism for the co-existence of SCZ and AD. In addition, we performed pathway enrichment analysis and found a total of 57 common pathways between SCZ and AD, which could be largely grouped into three modules: immune module, neurodevelopment module and cancer module. We eventually identified the potential disease-related genes whose interactions provide clues to the overlapping symptoms between SCZ and AD.

Relationship between ozone and air temperature in future conditions: A case study in sichuan basin, China.

The Sichuan Basin (SCB) is located in southwestern China and has a unique topography where ozone (O3) pollution is frequent during summer. Few studies have clarified the relationship between O3 and air temperature in SCB. Here, the SCB was divided into four major urban agglomerations. The weather research and forecasting model-community multiscale air quality model (WRF-CMAQ) was used to analyze the meteorology, spatial distribution characteristics of pollutants, and interactions among the urban agglomerations in the SCB. WRF-CMAQ was used to study the historical changes in the climate penalty factor (CPF) from 2015 to 2020 and the climate pathways under the SSP2-4.5 CPF in values in 2030 for the ambitious pollution NDC-goal scenario (NDC) and current-goals scenario (Current). The results show that the SCB is warmer in the summer months with prevailing northeasterly winds. Ozone accumulated in the western part of the SCB, and a high CPF of O3 concentration was most prominent in NW urban agglomeration, where the O3 concentration increased by 4.12-5.40 ppb for every 1 °C increase in air temperature. The observed CPF in the SCB in 2020 averaged 3.64 ppb/°C. The average CPF in the SCB in 2030 was 1.152 ppb/°C under the NDC scenario and 1.269 ppb/°C under the current scenario. This study is critical for understanding the relationship between O3 concentration and air temperature in China.

Effects of micro-bubble aeration on the pollutant removal and energy-efficient process in a floc-granule sludge coexistence system.

To investigate energy-saving approaches in wastewater treatment plants and decrease aeration energy consumption, this study successfully established a floc-granule coexistence system in a sequencing batch airlift reactor (SBAR) employing micro-bubble aeration. The analysis focused on granule formation and pollutant removal under various aeration intensities, and compared its performance with a traditional floc-based coarse-bubble aeration system. The results showed that granulation efficiency was positively associated with aeration intensity, which enhanced the secretion of extracellular polymeric substances (EPSs) and facilitated granule formation. The SBAR with the micro-aeration intensity of 30 mL·min-1 showed the best granulation performance (granulation efficiency 52.6%). In contrast to the floc-based system, the floc-granule coexistence system showed better treatment performance, and the best removal efficiencies of NH4+-N, TN, and TP were 100.0, 77.0, and 89.5%, respectively. The floc-granule coexistence system also enriched higher abundance of nutrients removal microbial species, such as Nitrosomonas (0.05-0.14%), Nitrospira (0.14-2.32%), Azoarcus (2.95-12.17%), Thauera (0.43-1.95%), and Paracoccus (0.76-2.89%). The energy-saving potential was evaluated, which indicated it is feasible for the micro-aeration floc-granule coexistence system to decrease the aeration consumption by 14.4% as well as improve the effluent.

The Interaction between SARS-CoV-2 Nucleocapsid Protein and UBC9 Inhibits MAVS Ubiquitination by Enhancing Its SUMOylation.

Severe COVID-19 patients exhibit impaired IFN-I response due to decreased IFN-ß production, allowing persistent viral load and exacerbated inflammation. While the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid (N) protein has been implicated in inhibiting innate immunity by interfering with IFN-ß signaling, the specific underlying mechanism still needs further investigation for a comprehensive understanding. This study reveals that the SARS-CoV-2 N protein enhances interaction between the human SUMO-conjugating enzyme UBC9 and MAVS. Increased MAVS-UBC9 interaction leads to enhanced SUMOylation of MAVS, inhibiting its ubiquitination, resulting in the inhibition of phosphorylation events involving IKKα, TBK1, and IRF3, thus disrupting IFN-ß signaling. This study highlights the role of the N protein of SARS-CoV-2 in modulating the innate immune response by affecting the MAVS SUMOylation and ubiquitination processes, leading to inhibition of the IFN-ß signaling pathway. These findings shed light on the complex mechanisms utilized by SARS-CoV-2 to manipulate the host's antiviral defenses and provide potential insights for developing targeted therapeutic strategies against severe COVID-19.

Potential health risks of foodborne performance-enhancing drugs in competitive sports.

Athletes need to consume a significant amount of energy during prolonged training and in high-intensity competition. It is necessary for them to take nutritional foods that recharge their bodies. However, in sporting events of recent years, both domestic and international, many positive drug tests are found to be caused by the ingestion of foods that contain performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs). As a result, the prevention and control of PEDs in food supply have drawn increasing attention. For better prevention and control, the first step is to understand the food contaminants -- PEDs. This study has categorized PEDs through their presence in animal-derived foods, plant-derived foods, and synthetic nutritional supplements in competitive sports. It investigates the potential risks of foodborne doping using techniques such as external addition and endogenous component analysis. This research explored the causes of PEDs in food and their negative effects on athletes and proposed measures to ensure the safety of nutritional substances in competitive sports. PEDs in animal-derived foods include ß-adrenergic agonists, anabolic steroids, and glucocorticoids, which can be found in meat and ox penis, amongst other food sources. In contrast, PEDs in plant-derived foods include alkaloids, higenamine, and zeranol, which can be found in coffee, tea, Sichuan pepper, custard apple, and cereal. Performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) that are often added to synthetic supplements include creatine, traditional Chinese herbs, 1, 3-dimethylbutylamine (DMAA), sibutramine, ephedrine, and methylhexanamine. Targeted anti-doping training should be provided to athletes. In addition, the latest domestic and international standards and regulations regarding PEDs or prohibited and restricted ingredients in foods should be tracked in real-time. The control list for performance-enhancing drugs in food should be continually updated and refined. Research on detection methods for performance-enhancing drugs in food should also be advanced. Moreover, market surveillance and law enforcement should be strengthened to ensure that sports foods meet national safety standards before they enter the market. This paper provides workable solutions to clarify the types and scope of performance-enhancing drugs in food, aiming to improve the prevention and control of PEDs in animal-derived foods, plant-derived foods, and supplements in major sporting events.