Corrigendum to: An 88-year-old Man with Rare Giant Liposarcoma of the Scrotum.

A typographical error has appeared in the ethical acceptance number in the manuscript titled "An 88-year-old Man with Rare Giant Liposarcoma of the Scrotum", 2024; 20: e310823220564 [1]. Original: This study was approved by the ethics committees of Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University (2023- P2-110-02) and conducted by the Declaration of Helsinki. Corrected: This study was approved by the ethics committees of Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University (2024- P2-073) and conducted by the Declaration of Helsinki. The original article can be found online at https://www.eurekaselect.com/article/134182.

Human Health Risk Assessment of Elevated Fe and Mn Intake in Groundwater in Yangtze Catchment.

Globally, it has been reported that groundwater contains elevated levels of Fe and Mn. However, the risk of prolonged exposure to groundwater with elevated Fe and Mn was often ignored due to their much lower carcinogenic risk. To assess the human health risk of elevated Fe and Mn intake in groundwater, 1863 groundwater samples from the Yangtze catchment, a densely populated and economically prosperous area of China, were collected in this study. The spatial distributions of Fe and Mn in groundwater were investigated by the geographic information system (GIS) and their health risk assessment was done. The results indicated that 38.6% and 50.3% of the groundwater samples were defined as "elevated/high" levels for Fe and Mn, respectively, exceeding 0.3 and 0.1 mg/L (World Health Organization guidelines). Moreover, in the groundwater of Yangtze Catchment, the order of Fe and Mn contents is followed by upper< middle< lower. Based on the calculated hazard index (HI), HIadult and HIchild were in a range of 0-4.91 and 0-11.07, respectively. There was an area of 3,483 and 35,523 km2 with a non-carcinogenic risk from Fe and Mn, correspondingly. The numbers of affected adults and children were about 3,018,066 and 2,775,007, respectively. It means that 0.20% and 2.00% of the study area or 0.64% and 0.59% of the total population will suffer health risks from Fe and Mn intake in groundwater, respectively. Therefore, a significant basis for groundwater safety in the Yangtze catchment and similar areas was provided in this study.

Enhancement of the viability of T cells electroporated with DNA via osmotic dampening of the DNA-sensing cGAS-STING pathway.

Viral delivery of DNA for the targeted reprogramming of human T cells can lead to random genomic integration, and electroporation is inefficient and can be toxic. Here we show that electroporation-induced toxicity in primary human T cells is mediated by the cytosolic pathway cGAS-STING (cyclic guanosine monophosphate-adenosine monophosphate (cGAMP) synthase-stimulator of interferon genes). We also show that an isotonic buffer, identified by screening electroporation conditions, that reduces cGAS-STING surveillance allowed for the production of chimaeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells with up to 20-fold higher CAR T cell numbers than standard electroporation and with higher antitumour activity in vivo than lentivirally generated CAR T cells. The osmotic pressure of the electroporation buffer dampened cGAS-DNA interactions, affecting the production of the STING activator 2'3'-cGAMP. The buffer also led to superior efficiencies in the transfection of therapeutically relevant primary T cells and human haematopoietic stem cells. Our findings may facilitate the optimization of electroporation-mediated DNA delivery for the production of genome-engineered T cells.

Characterization of a thermostable Cas12a ortholog.

CRISPR-Cas12a has been used for genome editing and molecular diagnosis. The well-studied Cas12a orthologs have a T-rich PAM and are usually categorized as non-thermally stable enzymes. Here, we identified a new Cas12a ortholog from Clostridium thermobutyricum, which survives at 60 °C. This Cas12a ortholog is named as CtCas12a and exhibits low sequence similarity to the known Cas12a family members. CtCas12a is active in a wide temperature range from 17 to 77 °C. Moreover, this ortholog has a relaxed PAM of YYV (Y=C or T, V = A or C or G). We optimized the conditions for trans-cleavage and enabled its detection of nucleic acids. CtCas12a executed genome editing in human cells and generated up to 26% indel formation in the EGFP locus. With the ability to be active at high temperatures as well as having a relaxed PAM sequence, CtCas12a holds potential to be further engineered for pathogen detection and editing a wide range of genomic sequences.

An 88-year-old man with rare giant liposarcoma of the scrotum.

BACKGROUND: Liposarcoma (LPS) is a malignant mesenchymal tumor that mostly occurs in the extremities and retroperitoneum and rarely in the scrotum. CASE PRESENTATION: In this case report, we introduced a patient who was diagnosed with LPS in the scrotum. In his right scrotum, we found a large soft tissue mass, including fat and calcification. CONCLUSION: We reviewed the clinical, pathological and computed tomography (CT) features of patients diagnosed with LPS of the scrotum to help improve the understanding of the disease and the accuracy of diagnosis.

Cas12a-based one-pot SNP detection with high accuracy.

CRISPR-Cas12a based one-pot detection system has been used in nucleic acid detection and diagnosis. However, it is not sensitive enough to distinguish single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP), which has greatly restricted its application. To overcome these limitations, we engineered a LbCas12a variant with enhanced sensitivity against SNP, named seCas12a (sensitive Cas12a). SeCas12a-based one-pot SNP detection system is a versatile platform that could use both canonical and non-canonical PAM, and was almost not limited by mutation types to distinguish SNPs located between position 1 to 17. The use of truncated crRNA further improved SNP specificity of seCas12a. Mechanistically, we found only when the cis-cleavage was at low level between 0.01min-1 and 0.0006 min-1, a good signal-to-noise ratio can be achieved in one-pot test. SeCas12a-based one-pot SNP detection system was applied to detect pharmacogenomic SNPs in human clinical samples. Of thirteen donors tested in two different SNPs, the seCas12a mediated one-pot system could faithfully detect the SNPs in 30 min with 100% accuracy.

Induced transformation of antimony trioxide by Mn(II) oxidation and their co-transformed mechanism.

Antimony (Sb) is a toxic and carcinogenic element that often enters soil in the form of antimony trioxide (Sb2O3) and coexists with manganese (Mn) in weakly alkaline conditions. Mn oxides such as birnessite have been found to promote the oxidative dissolution of Sb2O3, but few researches concerned the co-transformations of Sb2O3 and Mn(II) in environment. This study investigated the mutual effect of abiotic oxidation of Mn(II) and the coupled oxidative dissolution of Sb2O3. The influencing factors, such as Mn(II) concentrations, pH and oxygen were also discussed. Furthermore, their co-transformed mechanism was also explored based on the analysis of Mn(II) oxidation products with or without Sb2O3 using XRD, SEM and XPS. The results showed that the oxidative dissolution of Sb2O3 was enhanced under higher pH and higher Mn(II) loadings. With a lower Mn(II) concentration such as 0.01 mmol/L Mn(II) at pH 9.0, the improved dissolution of Sb2O3 was attributed to the generation of dissolved intermediate Mn(III) species with strong oxidation capacity. However, under higher Mn(II) concentrations, both amorphous Mn(III) oxides and intermediate Mn(III) species were responsible for promoting the oxidative dissolution of Sb2O3. Most released Sb (∼72%) was immobilized by Mn oxides and Sb(V) was dominant in the adsorbed and dissolved total Sb. Meanwhile, the presence of Sb2O3 not only inhibited the removal of Mn(II) by reducing Mn(III) to Mn(II) but also affected the final products of Mn oxides. For example, amorphous Mn oxides were formed instead of crystalline Mn(III) oxides, such as MnOOH. Furthermore, rhodochrosite (MnCO3) was formed with the high Mn(II)/Sb2O3 ratio, but without being observed in the low Mn(II)/Sb2O3 ratio. The results of study could help provide more understanding about the fate of Sb in the environment and the redox transformation of Mn.

The influence of water level fluctuations on the migration and enrichment of phosphorus in an agricultural groundwater system, Jianghan Plain.

The enrichment of phosphorus (P) in groundwater (GW) has been regarded as one of the most important sources of water eutrophication, but its sources and mechanisms have remained unclear. This study focused on hydraulic change show that drove the migration of P in an agricultural groundwater system, Jianghan Plain, Central China. Based on four rounds of field investigation over different seasons and across two consecutive years. Seasonable water table fluctuations (WLFs) reached 1.6 m and 3.8 m in GW and surface water (SW), respectively. Moreover, the concentrations of P in GW were obviously higher than those in SW where 54.1% of all GW samples presented higher content of P than the World Health Organization (WHO) limit of 0.4 mg/L with the highest one arriving to 1.97 mg/L. Although the trends and amplitudes varied at different points and depths, the spatial and temporal distribution of P corresponded with the local WLFs that were responsible for the enrichment of GW P. On the one hand, WLFs changed hydraulic conditions to enhance the migration of soluble P in the unsaturated zone into the aquifer. On the other hand, WLFs resulted in changes to the redox conditions or to the GW hydrochemical compositions, which promoted the dissolution of Fe or Mn containing P. These caused the release and enrichment of P in GW. Therefore, this study helps understand the geochemical cycling of P and improves GW management in the local GW system, Jianghan Plain.

The effects of colloidal Fe and Mn on P distribution in groundwater system of Jianghan Plain, China.

Many studies have confirmed groundwater phosphorus (P) enrichment by anthropogenic and geogenic sources. However, the effects of colloidal iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn) on the groundwater P distribution remain poorly-understood. This study investigated the spatial distribution of three forms of Fe, Mn, and P (particulate, colloidal, and truly soluble) in aquifers based on groundwater monitoring data and sediment core samples for the Jianghan Plain. High proportions of colloidal Fe, Mn, and P of up to 52%, 58%, and 76%, respectively were found in the phreatic and confined aquifers. Particulate and truly soluble P dominated the phreatic aquifer and the confined aquifer, respectively. However, the truly soluble Fe and Mn were dominant among the three forms in both the phreatic and confined aquifers. The distributions of Fe, Mn, and P in colloids and sediments were also studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). A comparison of the distributions of Fe, Mn, and P between site SD01 (riparian zones) and site SD02 (farmland) showed that both external inputs and the reduced release of Fe/Mn oxides/minerals from sediments contributed to the distributions of colloidal Fe, Mn, and P. Correlation analysis showed a strong relationship between colloidal Fe/Mn and P in both groundwater and sediment, implying that colloidal Fe/Mn play a role in regulating the distribution of P in the study area. This study provides a new understanding of the effects of colloidal Fe and Mn on the P distribution among the phreatic and confined aquifers.

DNA topology regulates PAM-Cas9 interaction and DNA unwinding to enable near-PAMless cleavage by thermophilic Cas9.

CRISPR-Cas9-mediated genome editing depends on PAM recognition to initiate DNA unwinding. PAM mutations can abolish Cas9 binding and prohibit editing. Here, we identified a Cas9 from the thermophile Alicyclobacillus tengchongensis for which the PAM interaction can be robustly regulated by DNA topology. AtCas9 has a relaxed PAM of N4CNNN and N4RNNA (R = A/G) and is able to bind but not cleave targets with mutated PAMs. When PAM-mutated DNA was in underwound topology, AtCas9 exhibited enhanced binding affinity and high cleavage activity. Mechanistically, AtCas9 has a unique loop motif, which docked into the DNA major groove, and this interaction can be regulated by DNA topology. More importantly, AtCas9 showed near-PAMless editing of supercoiled plasmid in E. coli. In mammalian cells, AtCas9 exhibited broad PAM preference to edit plasmid with up to 72% efficiency and effective base editing at four endogenous loci, representing a potentially powerful tool for near-PAMless editing.

Impact of manganese sulfide (MnS) oxygenation-induced oxidization on aqueous organic contaminants: Insight into the role of the hydroxyl radical (HO·).

Manganese sulfide (MnS) has unique reactive abilities and can affect the fate and toxicity of contaminants in the natural environment, specifically sulfidic sediments that undergo biogeochemical changes due to natural and artificial processes. However, the effect of oxidization induced by the oxygenation of MnS on organic contaminants remains poorly understood. Herein, we revealed that the hydroxyl radical (HO·) was the dominant reactive oxidant for the rapid degradation of the assessed hydrophobic organic contaminants (including azo dye, nitroaromatic compounds, pesticide, and an endocrine disrupt chemical) during the oxygenation of MnS based on the competitive dynamic experiments, quenching experiments and electron spin resonance (ESR) methods. The removal rates of the assessed organic contaminants were significantly dependent on MnS dosage and co-solutes, including sediment humic acid, metal ions (Mn2+and Fe3+), and inorganic anions (PO43-and Cl-). HO· scavenging by sulfide and its oxidation products (e.g., elemental sulfur), rather than dissolved Mn2+, was responsible for the low utilization efficiency of HO· for the assessed contaminants. The contribution of the manganese oxide (MnO2) generated by the oxygenation of MnS to the examined degradation of contaminants could be neglected. Considered collectively, the reaction between H2O2 and MnO2 generated superoxide radicals (O2-·) which dominated the generation of HO· in an oxic MnS suspension. The results suggest that the impact of oxidization induced by the oxygenation of MnS on environmental contaminants should be of concern in both natural and engineered systems.

Mechanism of unactivated peroxymonosulfate-induced degradation of methyl parathion: Kinetics and transformation pathway.

Although various activated peroxymonosulfate (PMS) processes have been applied widely for the destruction of recalcitrant organics due to its high generation potential of various electrophiles reactive oxygen species (e.g., sulfate and hydroxyl radicals and singlet oxygen), non-radical-based PMS reactions with pollutants are poorly understood. Especially, relatively little information exists on the reactivity of PMS towards organic ester compounds such an organophosphorus pesticides (OPPs). Herein, we systematically studied the unactivated PMS-induced transformation of methyl parathion, a stubborn and toxic OPP. Specifically, direct reaction rather than electrophile radical-based oxidation was responsible for the rapid degradation of methyl parathion. The contribution of the produced singlet oxygen (1O2) from the self-decomposition of PMS to methyl parathion degradation can be neglected. The degradation rate constant (kobs) was strongly dependent on PMS loading and solution pH. The implication of the PMS reaction with methyl parathion for environment treatment was further evaluated by investigating the effects of common water matrices such as sediment humic acids, Cl-, and natural water. The identified metabolic products revealed that exposure to PMS resulted in hydrolysis and oxidation to methyl parathion. Further study demonstrated that PMS was also capable of effectively oxidizing other typical OPPs without explicit activation. This study provides novel insights into the reaction of methyl parathion with PMS, which indicate feasibility for the decontamination of OPP-contaminated environments.

[Bioavailability and Ecological Risk Assessment of Cadmium in the Sea-Land Interaction Sediments of the Pearl River Delta].

Cadmium (Cd) pollution poses a threat to human health, and research on Cd bioavailability as well as its ecological risk assessment can help prevent and mitigate Cd hazards. The enrichment characteristics and variability of Cd were investigated in sea-land interaction soil fractions and the associated environmental and ecological risks were evaluated using the accumulation index (Igeo), potential ecological hazard index (Er), and risk assessment coding (RAC). The results showed that:① The Cd content of miscellaneous fill material was typically lower than 0.3 mg·kg-1 and that of plain full was higher than 0.3 mg·kg-1. The Cd content of marine sediment was significantly higher than that of continental sediments, averaging 0.36 and 0.10 mg·kg-1, respectively. The concentration of Cd in marine sediments buried at shallow depths (<5 m) was generally higher than at greater depths (>5 m). ② There was a moderate correlation between Cd and CEC in artificial fill (Q4ml; correlation coefficient=0.52, P<0.05). There was a weak correlation between Cd and organic matter in the marine sediments (correlation coefficient=0.49, P<0.05). Total cadmium and the physical and chemical properties of soil had a significant influence on the fraction of soil cadmium. ③ The Igeo of artificially fill and marine sediment was dominated by the relationship 1 < Igeo < 2, which indicated a moderate level of pollution. The Er of artificial fill and marine sediment was mainly 80 < Er < 160, indicating a high potential ecological hazard. Soil acid-extractable Cd accounted for more than 50% of the total Cd in each drill hole, which generally indicated a very high potential ecological risk. These results provide a basis for environmental and agricultural decision-making and provide theoretical guidance for soil pollution investigations and remediation.

Influence of surface-water irrigation on the distribution of organophosphorus pesticides in soil-water systems, Jianghan Plain, central China.

Surface-water irrigation is one of the most important irrigation methods in areas with abundant surface water. Although this method of irrigation is both economical and convenient, many contaminants are also introduced into the soil-water systems such as organophosphorus pesticides (OPPs). To study the influence of surface-water irrigation on the distribution of OPPs in soil-water systems, 42 water samples (38 groundwater and four surface water) and 85 soil samples (78 profile soil samples and seven topsoil samples) were taken from Shahu in the Jianghan Plain, China. Shahu is a typical Chinese surface-water irrigation district. During sampling, three types of areas were considered: surface-water irrigated areas, groundwater-irrigated areas away from rivers, and non-irrigated areas adjacent to rivers. The results showed that the concentrations of OPPs in the groundwater and soil in the surface-water irrigated farmland were higher than those in groundwater-irrigated farmland. The groundwater flow field and surface-water irrigation were responsible for the OPPs. Thus, it is clear that the surface-water irrigation had a strong influence on the distribution of OPPs in soil-water systems. Principal component analysis for OPPs content in groundwater showed that the key influencing factors on the distribution of OPPs in groundwater were the groundwater flow field and current pesticide use.

Phenol driven changes onto MnO2 surface for efficient removal of methyl parathion: The role of adsorption.

Manganese oxides (MnO2), important environmental oxides, have drawn significant attention in areas such as detoxification of micro-hazardous organic contaminants with electron-donating functional groups such as -OH. However, studies on whether these oxidized processes might further impact the fate of some esters like organophosphorus pesticide (OPPs) remain poorly understood. Herein, we propose a new mechanism involved in the enhanced removal of methyl parathion in mixtures of MnO2 and phenol. Specifically, the removal of methyl parathion (up to 73.7%) was significantly higher for a binary system than for MnO2 alone (approximately 9.3%) and was primarily due to adsorption rather than degradation. The extent of methyl parathion adsorption was dependent significantly on pH, reactant loading and metal ion co-solutes (such as Ca2+, Mg2+, Fe3+ and Mn2+). Both spectroscopic (FT-IR, SEM-EDX and XPS) and chromatographic (LC/HRMS) analyses showed that the remarkable increase in the number of organics (e.g., polymers) onto the MnO2 surface dominated methyl parathion adsorption via hydrogen bonding, n-π and π-π interactions, van der Waals forces and pore-diffusion. The results from this study provided evidence for the role of manganese oxides in adsorption of methyl parathion in soil-aquatic environments involving phenolic compounds.

Perilipin 4 Protein: an Impending Target for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.

The pathogenesis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) might exist some relationships with the abnormal lipidomic metabolisms. Therefore, we observed and analyzed the alteration of perilipin 4 (PLIN 4) distribution in the anterior horns (AH); the central canals (CC) and its surrounding gray matter; the posterior horns (PH); and the anterior, lateral, and posterior funiculus (AF, LF, and PF) of the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar segments, as well as the alteration of PLIN 4 expression in the entire spinal cords at the pre-onset, onset, and progression stages of Tg(SOD1*G93A)1Gur (TG) mice and the same period of wild-type(WT) by fluorescent immunohistochemistry, the Western blot, and the image analysis. Results showed that the PLIN 4 distributions in the spinal AH, CC and its surrounding gray matter, PH, AF, and PF of the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar segments in the TG mice at the pre-onset, onset, and progression stages significantly increased compared with those at the same periods of WT mice; the gray matter was especially significant. No significant changes were detected in the LF. PLIN 4 extensively distributed in the neurons and the proliferation neural cells. The PLIN 4 distributions significantly gradually increased from the pre-onset to onset to progression stages, and significantly correlated with the gradual increase death of neural cells. Total PLIN 4 expression in the spinal cords of TG mice significantly increased from the pre-onset, to onset, and to progression stages compared with that in the WT mice. Our data suggested that the PLIN 4 distribution and expression alterations might participate in the death of neural cells in the pathogenesis of ALS through modulating the lipidomic metabolisms and the neural cell proliferation.

The influence of wetting-drying alternation on methylmercury degradation in Guangzhou soil.

In one of our previous studies, the mechanisms of radical-initiated methylmercury (MeHg) degradation in soil with coexisting Fe and Cu have been reported. In this work, various environmental factors, including water table fluctuation, pH and major ions, are discussed to clarify the behavior of MeHg in subsurface environments. Soil column experiments were set up to simulate the degradation of MeHg in the soil with an iron-bearing mineral (annite), which has often undergone repeating wetting-drying cycles, resulting from the local climate. The results indicate that wetting-drying alternation can initiate MeHg degradation in the soil with the annite mineral. Additionally, the majority of the major ions (K+, Na+, Mg2+, Fe3+, Cl-, SO42-, NO3-) in the interstitial soil had little effect in the degradation of MeHg with the exception of Cu, which improved the degradation depending on the pH. At acidic pHs Cu increased the production of hydroxyl radical while at more alkaline pHs there was oxidation to Cu(III). The products including Hg(II) and Hg(0) of MeHg degradation were also identified in this work. This study reveals that the geochemical cycle of MeHg is closely linked to local climate and pedosphere processes.

Mechanisms of bisulfite/MnO2-accelerated transformation of methyl parathion.

Although bisulfite is able to activate manganese oxides for enhanced oxidation of organic contaminants with donor-electron functions, the removal mechanisms for some esters remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the bisulfite/MnO2-accelerated transformation of methyl parathion (MP), a recalcitrant and toxic organophosphorus pesticide (OPP). The removal rate constants of MP depended on pH, oxygen conditions, and the ratio between [HSO3-] and [MnO2]. MP transformation declined by 36% with the addition of pyrophosphate as a scavenging agent for Mn(III)aq. [Mn(OH)(SO3H)]+, a reactive intermediate, may be involved in enhancing the transformation of MP. The overall reaction can be divided into three distinct processes. The first process comprises two steps: the dissolution of MnO2 reduced by HSO3- and the formation of a Mn-sulfite complex by a relatively fast substitution-controlled process. The second process is much slower and forms a precursor organometallic complex between the MP and Mn(IV/III). The third process involves a series of redox/hydrolysis reactions via aqueous and surface reactions. The mechanisms of each process were interpreted using kinetic observation and product identification data. This study improved the fundamental understanding of the MnO2/HSO3- reaction process, thereby increasing the feasibility for remediating OPP pollution of the soil-water environment.

lncRNA CCAT1 promotes bladder cancer cell proliferation, migration and invasion

ABSTRACT Objective: To study the expression patterns of long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) colon cancer-associated transcript 1 (CCAT1) and the changes in cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration and invasion induced by silencing CCAT1 in bladder cancer cells. Materials and Methods: The expression levels of CCAT1 were determined using realtime quantitative polymerase chain reaction in cancerous tissues and paired normal tissues from 34 patients with bladder cancer. The relationship between clinical characteristics and CCAT1 expression was analyzed. And then we conducted cell experiments. Bladder urothelial carcinoma cell lines T24 and 5637 cells were transfected with CCAT1 small interfering RNA (siRNA) or scramble siRNA. Cell proliferation and apoptosis changes were determined using a Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay and a flow cytometry assay. Migration and invasion changes were measured using a wound healing assay and a trans-well assay. microRNAs (miRNAs) were predicted by Starbase 2.0, and their differential expression levels were studied. Results: CCAT1 was significantly upregulated in bladder cancer (P < 0.05). CCAT1 upregulation was positively related to tumor stage (P = 0.004), tumor grade (P = 0.001) and tumor size (P = 0.042). Cell proliferation, migration and invasion were promoted by abnormally expressed CCAT1. miRNAs miR-181b-5p, miR-152-3p, miR-24-3p, miR-148a-3p and miR-490-3p were potentially related to the aforementioned functions of CCAT1. Conclusion: CCAT1 plays an oncogenic role in urothelial carcinoma of the bladder. In addition, CCAT1 may be a potential therapeutic target in this cancer.