Liver sinusoidal endothelial S1pr2 regulates experimental liver fibrosis through YAP/TGF-ß signaling pathway.

The hepatic vascular niche plays an important role in the pathological process of liver fibrosis. Liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs) predominantly compose hepatic vascular niches. Endothelial cell (EC)-expressing sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor 2 (S1pr2) plays an essential role in the regulation of vascular functions. Nevertheless, it remains unknown whether liver LSEC-S1pr2 might modulate pathological liver fibrosis. In this study, liver fibrosis was induced by hepatotoxin carbon tetrachloride (CCl4 ). The expression of S1pr2 is significantly downregulated in liver sinusoidal endothelial cells after CCl4 treatment. The loss of S1pr2 in LSECs significantly alleviated liver fibrosis after chronic insult, whereas the overexpression of S1pr2 in LSECs accentuated liver fibrogenesis. In vivo experiments further revealed that the deficiency of S1pr2 in LSECs dampened hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation, while overexpression of S1pr2 in LSECs enhanced HSC activation with more extracellular matrix component production. Mechanistically, LSEC-S1pr2 activates the YAP signaling pathway to potentiate the transactivation of TGF-ß, which acts on HSCs in a paracrine manner, and thus aggravated liver fibrosis. Taken together, our results uncover a novel pathological mechanism of liver fibrosis in which LSEC-S1pr2 plays an important role in modulating the development of liver fibrosis, providing a future novel therapy target against liver fibrogenesis.

A promising electrochemical sensor based on PVP-induced shape control of a hydrothermally synthesized layered structured vanadium disulfide for the sensitive detection of a sulfamethoxazole antibiotic.

The presence of sulfamethoxazole (SMX) in natural waters has become a significant concern recently because of its detrimental effects on human health and the ecological environment. To address this issue, it is of utmost urgency to develop a reliable method that can determine SMX at ultra-low levels. In our research, we utilized PVP-induced shape control of a hydrothermal synthesis method to fabricate layer-like structured VS2, and employed it as an electrode modification material to prepare an electrochemical sensor for the sensitive determination of SMX. Thus, our prepared VS2 electrodes exhibited a linear range of 0.06-10.0 µM and a limit of detection (LOD) as low as 47.0 nM (S/N = 3) towards SMX detection. Additionally, the electrochemical sensor presented good agreement with the HPLC method, and afforded perfect recovery results (97.4-106.8%) in the practical analysis. The results validated the detection accuracy of VS2 electrodes, and demonstrated their successful applicability toward the sensitive determination of SMX in natural waters. In conclusion, this research provides a promising approach for the development of electrochemical sensors based on VS2 composite materials.

Effect of abscisic acid on selenium uptake and growth of Cyphomandra betacea Sendt. (Solanum betaceum Cav.) seedlings under selenium stress.

Improvement of selenium (Se) uptake in fruit tree can improve the source of food Se for humans. In this study, the effect of various abscisic acid (ABA) concentrations on the Se uptake in Cyphomandra betacea Sendt. (Solanum betaceum Cav.) seedlings was studied under Se stress. Only the concentration of 20 µmol/L ABA promoted the growth of C. betacea seedlings by increasing the biomass and regulating the resistance physiology under Se stress. ABA also increased the Se content in C. betacea seedlings under Se stress. The concentration of ABA at 20 µmol/L got the maximum root Se and shoot Se contents, which increased by 76.64% and 55.83%, respectively, compared with the control. Correlation and grey relational analyses showed that the peroxidase activity and proline content had the first two closest relationship with the shoot Se content. This study shows that ABA can promote the Se uptake in C. betacea under Se stress, and the concentration of 20 µmol/L ABA is the optimum for Se uptake and growth of C. betacea.

Under selenium (Se) stress, abscisic acid (ABA) promotes the Se uptake in Cyphomandra betacea Sendt. (Solanum betaceum Cav.) seedlings, but only the concentration of 20 µmol/L ABA promotes the growth of C. betacea seedlings. The shoot Se content is most closely correlated with the peroxidase activity and proline content. This study shows that ABA can promote the Se uptake in C. betacea under Se stress.

A novel [1, 2, 4]triazolo[5,1-b]quinazoline derivative as a fluorescent probe for highly selective detection of Fe3+ ions.

A novel [1, 2, 4]triazolo[5,1-b]quinazoline fluorescent probe (VIi) for Fe3+ was developed, featuring with rapid response (< 5 s) and specific selectivity to Fe3+, low detection limit (1.3 × 10-5 M), as well as the ability to resist interference of chelating agent (e.g. EDTA). VIi-based fluorescent test paper can quickly recognize Fe3+ under irradiation at the wavelength of 365 nm. The fluorescence probe VIi has potential application prospects for the detection of Fe3+ in real circumstance.

A New Pathway for the Synthesis of Ketones from Aldehydes and Sulfonylhydrazones: Is Diazo the Key Intermediate?

A new pathway via a cyclic intermediate for the synthesis of ketones from aldehydes and sulfonylhydrazone derivatives under basic conditions is proposed. Several control experiments were performed along with analysis of the mass spectra and in-situ IR spectra of the reaction mixture. Inspired by the new mechanism, an efficient and scalable method for homologation of aldehydes to ketones was developed. A wide variety of target ketones were obtained in yields of 42-95 % by simply heating the 3-(trifluoromethyl)benzene sulfonylhydrazones (3-(Tfsyl)hydrazone) for 2 h at 110 °C with aldehydes and with K2 CO3 and DMSO as base and solvent, respectively.

Design, synthesis, anticonvulsant activity and structure-activity relationships of novel 7-Azaindole derivatives.

In search of new-structure compounds with good anticonvulsant activity and low neurotoxicity, a series of 3-(1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine)-7-azaindole derivatives was designed and synthesized. Their anticonvulsant activities were evaluated by maximal electroshock (MES) and pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) test, and neurotoxicity was determined by the rotary rod method. In the PTZ-induced epilepsy model, compounds 4i, 4p and 5 k showed significant anticonvulsant activities with ED50 values at 30.55 mg/kg, 19.72 mg/kg and 25.46 mg/kg, respectively. However, these compounds did not show any anticonvulsant activity in the MES model. More importantly, these compounds have lower neurotoxicity with protective index (PI = TD50/ED50) values at 8.58, 10.29 and 7.41, respectively. In order to obtain a clearer structure-activity relationship, more compounds were designed rationally based on 4i, 4p and 5 k and their anticonvulsant activities were evaluated on PTZ models. The results demonstrated that the N-atom at the 7-position of the 7-azaindole and the double-bond in the 1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine skeleton was essential for antiepileptic activities.

Synthesis of 19-hydroxyprogesterone and insights into the ring-opening mechanism of the 6,19-epoxy bridge.

An efficient and scalable process for the synthesis of 19-hydroxyprogesterone was obtained through seven steps with 34.5% total yield, which is much higher than the process reported in the literature (11.0% total yield). The plausible ring-opening mechanism of 6,19-epoxy bridge in compound 7 was first proposed and the structures of intermediates were supported by the LC-MS analysis of the reaction mixture.

Phosphorus removal from wastewater using Ca-modified attapulgite: Fixed-bed column performance and breakthrough curves analysis.

The adsorbent calcium-modified attapulgite (Ca-GAT) prepared by calcium chloride modification and high temperature treatment (700 °C) has proved to remove phosphorus in low-concentration phosphorus wastewater in batch adsorption experiments. Dynamic adsorption performance and industrial application potential still need further determination. This study explored the effects of various parameters on the dynamic phosphorus adsorption, including initial phosphate concentration (2-10 mg/L), flow rate (1-3 mL/min) and adsorption bed height (2-6 cm). Phosphorus adsorption ability improved and the breakthrough time increased with the increase of bed height, flow rate, and a decrease in initial phosphorus concentration. Breakthrough curves fitted four models, the Adams-Bohart, Thomas, Yoon-Nelson and Bed depth service time (BDST). The maximum adsorption amount determined by the Thomas model obtained 13.477 mg/g. The saturated fixed-bed column were regenerated with NaOH, NaOH + NaCl and HCl, among which 0.5 mol/L NaOH had the best regeneration effect. During the utilization of a large fixed-bed to treat the actual membrane bioreactor (MBR) effluent, the breakthrough point (0.5 mg/L) was obtained after 177 h. These results implied that Ca-GAT had an application potential for the treatment of low-concentration phosphorus wastewater (2 mg/L).

Chilling injury monitoring and intensity identification of dryland maize in Heilongjiang.

BACKGROUND: Accurate and timely access to large-scale crop damage information provides an essential reference for responding to agricultural disaster prevention and mitigation needs and ensuring food production security. The present study aimed to reveal the new characteristics of low-temperature cold damage to maize in the context of climate warming. Heilongjiang, one of the provinces with the highest latitude, the most significant climate change and the largest maize production in China, was taken as the study area. We combined meteorological stations and MODIS remote sensing data to spatially identify the occurrence and intensity of cold damage to maize based on the growing season temperature distance level index, as well as to assess the extent of cold damage. RESULTS: The main findings are: (i) The frequency and intensity range of cold damage in the growing season (May to September) in Heilongjiang Province from 1991 to 2020 against climate warming showed a decreasing trend. The average temperature from 1991 to 2000 was 17.777 °C, with seven occurrences of maize cold damage years, of which 5 years comprised widespread cold damage and 2 years comprised regional cold damage. The average temperature from 2000 to 2010 was 18.137 °C, with cold damage three times, of which 2 years comprised regional cold damage and 1 year comprised widespread cold damage. The average temperature from 2010 to 2020 was 18.130 °C, with one maize cold damage year occurring, which comprised regional cold damage. The frequency of maize chilling injury decreased significantly from 1991 to 2020, from 0.23 in 1991-2000 to 0.1 in 2000-2010 and, finally, to 0.03 in 2010-2020. (ii) The good consistency between MODIS_LST data and temperature data from meteorological stations suggests that MODIS_LST data can be used to build a temperature remote sensing estimation model for spatially extensive cold damage monitoring and intensity discrimination. (iii) Taking 2009 as an example of a large-scale cold damage year, the spatial discrimination of maize cold damage intensity shows that the spatial distribution of chilling injury intensity has no obvious geographical features. The intensity of cold damage was mainly mild cold damage. According to administrative regions, the scope of chilling injury was the largest in Mudanjiang City, Heihe City, and Jixi City, accounting for 91.56%, 86.25%, and 84.91%, respectively. The areas with the most extensive range of severe chilling injuries were the Great Khingan Mountains region, Heihe City, Mudanjiang City, Yichun City, and Jixi City. CONCLUSION: In the context of climate warming, the frequency and intensity range of maize cold damage showed a decreasing trend from 1991 to 2020 in Heilongjiang Province. The results of cold damage identification based on MODIS_LST data are accurate and can improve the spatial accuracy. The results of the present study provide a reference and guidance for dealing with the occurrence and defence of spatially refined cold damage. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Zinc Fertilizers Modified the Formation and Properties of Iron Plaque and Arsenic Accumulation in Rice (Oryza sativa L.) in a Life Cycle Study.

This study examined the effect of three forms of zinc fertilizers on arsenic (As) accumulation and speciation in rice tissues over the life cycle of this cereal crop in a paddy soil. The formation and properties of iron plaque on rice roots at the maximum tillering stage and the mature stage were also determined. Elevated As at 5 mg/kg markedly lowered the rice yield by 86%; however, 100 mg/kg Zn fertilizers significantly increased the rice yield by 354-686%, regardless of the Zn form. Interestingly, only Zn2+ significantly lowered the total As in rice grains by 17% to 3.5 mg/kg and As(III) by 64% to around 0.5 mg/kg. Zinc amendments substantially hindered and, in the case of zinc oxide bulk particles (ZnOBPs), fully prevented the crystallization of iron oxides (Fe3O4 and Fe2O3) and silicon oxide (SiO2) and altered the composition of iron plaques on rice roots. SiO2 was first reported to be a significant component of iron plaque. Overall, ZnOBPs, ZnO nanoparticles, and Zn2+ displayed significant yet distinctive effects on the properties of iron plaque and As accumulation in rice grains, providing a fresh perspective on the potentially unintended consequences of different Zn fertilizers on food safety.

Discovery of 7-alkyloxy- [1,2,4] triazolo[1,5-a] pyrimidine derivatives as selective positive modulators of GABAA1 and GABAA4 receptors with potent antiepileptic activity.

A series of 7-alkoxy - [1,2,4] triazolo [1, 5-a] pyrimidine derivatives were designed and synthesized. Maximal electroshock (MES) and pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) tests were utilized to access their anticonvulsant activity. Most of the series of compounds exhibited significant anti-seizure effects. Further studies demonstrated that the anticonvulsant activity of these compounds mainly depended on their allosteric potentiation of GABAA receptors. Among them, compound 10c was picked for the mechanism study due to its potent activity. The compound is more sensitive to subunit configurations of synaptic α1ß2γ2 and extrasynaptic α4ß3δ GABAA receptors, but there were no effects on NMDA receptors and Nav1.2 sodium channels. Meanwhile, 10c acted on the sites of GABAA receptors distinct from commonly used anticonvulsants benzodiazepines and barbiturates. Furthermore, studies from native neurons demonstrated that compound 10c also potentiated the activity of native GABAA receptors and reduced action potential firings in cultured cortical neurons. Such structural compounds may lay a foundation for further designing novel antiepileptic molecules.

Nomogram for predicting advanced liver fibrosis and cirrhosis in patients with chronic liver disease.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to formulate a novel predictive nomogram to discriminate liver fibrosis stage in patients with chronic liver disease. METHODS: Nomograms were established based on the results of multivariate analysis. The predictive accuracy of the nomograms was assessed by ROC analysis and calibration. Decision curve analysis (DCA) was used to determine the clinical benefit of the nomograms. RESULTS: INR, platelets, and N-terminal propeptide type III collagen (PIIINP) were independent predictors for advanced liver fibrosis (≥ S3) and cirrhosis (S4) in patients with chronic liver disease in the training cohort. In the training set, the areas under the ROCs (AUROCs) of nomogram S3S4, APRI, FIB-4, and GPR for stage ≥ S3 were 0.83, 0.71, 0.68, and 0.74, respectively; the AUROCs of nomogram S4, APRI, FIB-4, and GPR for stage S4 were 0.88, 0.74, 0.78, and 0.79, respectively. The calibrations showed optimal agreement between the prediction by the established nomograms and actual observation. In the validation set, the AUROCs of nomogram S3S4, APRI, FIB-4, and GPR for stage ≥ S3 were 0.86, 0.79, 0.78, and 0.81, respectively; the AUROCs of nomogram S4, APRI, FIB-4, and GPR for stage S4 were 0.88, 0.77, 0.81, and 0.83, respectively. Furthermore, the decision curve analysis suggested that the nomograms represent better clinical benefits in both independent cohorts than APRI, FIB-4, and GPR. CONCLUSION: The constructed nomograms could be a superior tool for discriminating advanced fibrosis and cirrhosis in chronic liver disease.

Predictive performance of eLIFT for liver inflammation and fibrosis in chronic liver diseases.

Objective: The easy liver fibrosis test (eLIFT) is a novel predictor of liver fibrosis in chronic liver disease (CLD). This study aimed to evaluate the predictive value of the eLIFT for liver inflammation and fibrosis in CLD patients. Methods: We enrolled 1125 patients with CLD who underwent liver biopsy. The predictive accuracy for liver inflammation and fibrosis of the eLIFT was assessed and compared to that of the aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index (APRI), fibrosis-4 score (FIB-4), and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase-to-platelet ratio (GPR) by ROC (Receiver Operating Characteristic) analysis and decision curve analysis (DCA). Results: The areas under the ROC curves (AUROCs) of the eLIFT for assessing liver inflammation G ≥ 2 and G ≥ 3 were 0.77 (0.75-0.80) and 0.81 (0.79-0.84), with cut-offs of 8.0 and 11.0, respectively. The AUROCs of the eLIFT for predicting fibrosis stages S ≥ 2 and S4 were 0.72 (0.70-0.76) and 0.76 (0.72-0.80), with cut-offs of 9.0 and 10.0, respectively. In discriminating G≥2 inflammation, the AUROC of the eLIFT was better than that of the FIB-4, with no difference compared with the GPR, but lower than that of the APRI. When discriminating G≥3 inflammation, the AUROC of the eLIFT was comparable to that of the APRI and GPR but superior to that of the FIB-4. There were no significant differences between the four indexes for predicting S≥2 and S4. Conclusion: The eLIFT is a potentially useful noninvasive predictor of liver inflammation and fibrosis in patients with CLD.

INR-to-platelet ratio (INPR) as a novel noninvasive index for predicting liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B.

Objective: We aimed to investigate whether a novel noninvasive index, i.e., the international normalized ratio-to-platelet ratio (INPR), was a variable in determining liver fibrosis stage in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). Methods: A total of 543 treatment-naïve CHB patients were retrospectively enrolled. Liver histology was assessed according to the Metavir scoring scheme. All common demographic and clinical parameters were analyzed. Results: Based on routine clinical parameters (age, sex, HBeAg status, HBV DNA, hematological parameters, coagulation index, and liver biochemical indicators), a novel index, i.e., the INR-to-platelet ratio (INPR), was developed to magnify the unfavorable effects of liver fibrosis on INR and platelets. The AUCs of INPR for predicting significant fibrosis, advanced fibrosis, and cirrhosis were 0.74, 0.76 and 0.86, respectively. Compared with APRI, FIB-4, and GPR, the INPR had comparable predictive efficacy for significant fibrosis and better predictive performance for advanced fibrosis and cirrhosis. Conclusion: INPR could be an accurate, easily calculated and inexpensive index to assess liver fibrosis in patients with CHB. Further studies are needed to verify this indicator and compare it with other noninvasive methods for predicting liver fibrosis in CHB patients.

Identification of parameters in routine blood and coagulation tests related to the severity of COVID-19.

Objective: This study aimed to identify the predictive value of simple markers in routine blood and coagulation tests for the severity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Methods: A total of 311 consecutive COVID-19 patients, including 281 patients with mild/moderate COVID-19 and 30 patients with severe/life-threatening COVID-19, were retrospectively enrolled. Logistic modeling and ROC curve analyses were used to assess the indexes for identifying disease severity. Results: Lymphocyte and eosinophil counts of COVID-19 patients in the severe/life-threatening group were significantly lower than those of patients in the mild/moderate group (P < 0.001). Coagulation parameters, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) levels and procalcitonin levels were higher in the severe/life-threatening group compared with the mild/moderate group (all P < 0.05). Univariate and multivariate logistic models revealed that hsCRP and fibrinogen degradation products (FDPs) were predictors of severe COVID-19 (OR = 1.072, P = 0.036; and OR = 1.831, P = 0.036, respectively). The AUROCs of hsCRP and FDP for predicting severe/life-threatening COVID-19 were 0.850 and 0.766, respectively. The optimal cutoffs of hsCRP and FDP for the severe/life-threatening type of COVID-19 were 22.41 mg/L and 0.95 µg/ml, respectively. Conclusion: Serum CRP and FDP levels are positively related to the severity of COVID-19. This finding indicates that CRP and FDP levels may potentially be used as early predictors for severe illness and help physicians triage numerous patients in a short time.

Intertwined Carbon Nanotubes and Ag Nanowires Constructed by Simple Solution Blending as Sensitive and Stable Chloramphenicol Sensors.

Chloramphenicol (CAP) is a harmful compound associated with human hematopathy and neuritis, which was widely used as a broad-spectrum antibacterial agent in agriculture and aquaculture. Therefore, it is significant to detect CAP in aquatic environments. In this work, carbon nanotubes/silver nanowires (CNTs/AgNWs) composite electrodes were fabricated as the CAP sensor. Distinguished from in situ growing or chemical bonding noble metal nanomaterials on carbon, this CNTs/AgNWs composite was formed by simple solution blending. It was demonstrated that CNTs and AgNWs both contributed to the redox reaction of CAP in dynamics, and AgNWs was beneficial in thermodynamics as well. The proposed electrochemical sensor displayed a low detection limit of up to 0.08 µM and broad linear range of 0.1-100 µM for CAP. In addition, the CNTs/AgNWs electrodes exhibited good performance characteristics of repeatability and reproducibility, and proved suitable for CAP analysis in real water samples.

Chemokine (C-C motif) Ligand 6 Aggravates Hypoxia Reoxygenation-induced Apoptosis in H9c2 Cells Through Enhancing the Expression of Insulin-like Growth Factor 2-Antisense.

Chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 6 (CCL6), one of the small cytokines in the CC chemokine family, has been reported to involve in renal ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. However, the role of CCL-6 in myocardial I/R injury is nonelucidated. In this study, we used in vitro H9c2 cell model to investigate the overall contributions of CCL6 to myocardial I/R injury. We found the elevated level of CCL6 from the reanalysis of data set GSE-4105 and in hypoxia-reoxygenation (H/R)-injured H9c2 cells. CCL6 silencing attenuated the cardiomyocyte apoptosis induced by H/R injury, whereas exogenous CCL6 treatment aggravated the apoptosis of H/R-injured H9c2 cells. During CCL6 administration, the expression of numerous long noncoding RNAs was differentially regulated. Quantitative RT-Polymerase chain reaction assay demonstrated that insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2)-Antisense (AS) had the highest induction by CCL6 addition. IGF2-AS silencing alleviated the apoptosis of H/R-injured H9c2 cells. Collectively, we have identified a potential mechanism by which high expression of CCL6 contributes to the H/R-induced apoptosis in H9c2 cells through enhancing the expression of IGF2-AS. These findings also give evidence of the feasibility of CCL6 or long noncoding RNA IGF2-AS as a potential target for modulation or therapeutic intervention in myocardial I/R injury.

Copper-Catalyzed Asymmetric Hydroboration of 2 H-Chromenes Using a Chiral Diphosphine Ligand.

A highly regioselective asymmetric hydroboration of 2 H-chromenes catalyzed by the complex of CuCl and diphosphine ligand ( S, R)-DuanPhos has been realized under mild conditions to produce 3-boryl chromans, achieving good yields and excellent enantioselectivities up to 96% ee. This work provides an efficient approach to the synthesis of chiral 3-boryl chromans and derivatives.

Synthesis and in vitro anti-epileptic activities of novel [1,2,4]-triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidin-7(4H)-one derivatives.

In this investigation, eight novel 2,5-disubstituted [1,2,4]-triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidin-7(4H)-one and eight novel 2,5-disubstituted [1,2,4]-triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine amine derivatives were synthesized based on the novel marine natural product Essramycin. Their anti-epileptic activities were evaluated by 4-aminopyridine (4-AP)-induced hyper excitability model in primary cultured neocortical neurons. Five compounds with [1,2,4]-triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidin-7(4H)-one skeleton showed remarkable anti-epileptic activities. The preliminary structure-activity relationship (SAR) showed that the pyrimidine-7(4H)-one motif is the necessary "active core" of anti-epileptic activity. To understand the action mechanism of anti-epileptic activity of [1,2,4]-triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidin-7(4H)-one compounds, docking studies using the model of GABAA as docking scaffolds were performed and the docking results were in concordance with the experiment observations. [Formula: see text].

Insight into the distribution of metallic elements in membrane bioreactor: Influence of operational temperature and role of extracellular polymeric substances.

The distribution of metallic elements in a submerged membrane bioreactor (MBR) was revealed at different temperatures using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), and the role of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) was probed by integrating scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) over long-term operation. More metallic elements in the influent were captured by suspended sludge and built up in the fouling layer at lower temperature. The concentration of metallic elements in the effluent was 5.60mg/L at 10°C operational temperature, far lower than that in the influent (51.35mg/L). The total contents of metallic elements in suspended sludge and the membrane fouling layer increased to 40.20 and 52.19mg/g at 10°C compared to 35.14 and 32.45mg/g at 30°C, and were dominated by the organically bound fraction. The EPS contents in suspended sludge and membrane fouling layer sharply increased to 37.88 and 101.51mg/g at 10°C, compared to 16.87 and 30.03mg/g at 30°C. The increase in EPS content at lower temperature was responsible for the deposition of more metallic ions. The strong bridging between EPS and metallic elements at lower temperature enhanced the compactness of the fouling layer and further decreased membrane flux. This was helpful for understanding the mechanism of membrane fouling at different operational temperatures and the role of EPS, and also of significance for the design of cleaning strategies for fouled membranes after long-term operation.