Hydrochar-Supported NiFe2O4Nanosheets with a Tailored Microstructure for Enhanced CO2Photoreduction to Syngas.

Constructing high-efficiency composite photocatalysts with enhanced charge transfer and a rapid surface catalytic reaction has recently received significant attention. Herein, a hydrochar-mediated NiFe2O4 nanosheet (C/NFO) composite was rationally constructed by a simple hydrothermal method. Intimate interface contacts and chemical interactions between hydrochar and NFO were formed. The prepared C/NFO samples exhibited remarkable visible-light-driven catalytic CO2 reduction properties under mild reaction conditions with Ru(bpy)32+ sensitization. As the optimized sample, 16%-C/NFO achieved a 4-fold enhancement of CO production (17.49 µmol/h) compared with that of pure NFO. The C/NFO samples demonstrated good activity and structural stability in the CO2 photoreduction system. The carbon source of CO derived from CO2 was verified through isotopic labeling experiments using 13CO2. In situ photoluminescence and electrochemical characterizations confirmed the role of electron transfer intermediates of C/NFO. The synergistic effect of the nanosheet-like structure of NFO, combined with the surface functional groups of hydrochar, facilitated an exceptionally high rate of charge transfer and exposed abundant active adsorption sites for CO2, thereby promoting the efficient separation of photogenerated charge carriers and enhancing photocatalytic activity for CO2 reduction. This study presents a promising strategy for the rational design of hydrochar coupled with transition metal compound catalysts for efficient CO2 photoreduction.

Cross-linked Sodium Hyaluronate Gel with PLLA-b-PEG Microsphere for Facial Contouring in Chinese: A Retrospective Study.

BACKGROUND: In Asia, the demand for cosmetic facial treatments has surged due to technological advancements, increased social acceptability, and affordability. Poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) fillers, known for their biocompatibility and biodegradability, have emerged as a popular choice for facial contouring, yet studies specifically addressing their use in Asian populations are scarce. METHODS: This retrospective study examined 30 Chinese patients who underwent facial contouring with PLLA fillers, focusing on product composition, injection techniques, and safety measures. A comprehensive clinical evaluation was performed, including the Global Aesthetic Improvement Scale (GAIS) and Global Impression of Change Scale (GICS) for effectiveness and patient satisfaction, respectively. RESULTS: No significant difference in GAIS scores was observed between injectors and blinded evaluators over a 12-month period, indicating consistent effectiveness. Patient satisfaction remained high, with GICS scores reflecting positive outcomes. The safety profile was favorable, with no serious adverse events reported. The study highlighted the importance of anatomical knowledge to avoid complications, particularly in areas prone to blindness. CONCLUSIONS: PLLA fillers offer a safe, effective option for facial contour correction in the Asian population, achieving high patient satisfaction and maintaining results over time. The study underscores the need for tailored approaches in cosmetic procedures for Asians, considering their unique facial structures and aesthetic goals. Further research with larger, multicenter cohorts is recommended to validate these findings and explore long-term effects. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE III: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Developing an early warning system for detecting sepsis in patients with trauma.

The purpose of this study was to analyse the risk factors for sepsis in patients with trauma and develop a new scoring system for predicting sepsis in patients with trauma based on these risk factors. This will provide a simple and effective early warning method for the rapid and accurate detection and evaluation of the probability of sepsis in patients with trauma to assist in planning timely clinical interventions. We undertook a retrospective analysis of the clinical data of 216 patients with trauma who were admitted to the emergency intensive care unit of the emergency medicine department of the Hebei Medical University Third Hospital, China, between November 2017 and October 2022. We conducted a preliminary screening of the relevant factors using univariate logistic regression analysis and included those factors with a p value of <0.075 in the multivariate logistic regression analysis, from which the risk factors were screened and assigned, and obtained a total score, which was the sepsis early warning score. The incidence of sepsis in patients in the intensive care unit with trauma was 36.9%, and the mortality rate due to sepsis was 19.4%. We found statistically significant differences in several factors for patients with sepsis. The risk factors for sepsis in patients with trauma were the activated partial thromboplastin time, the New Injury Severity Score, growth differentiation factor-15 levels, shock, mechanical ventilation and the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the sepsis early warning score for predicting sepsis in patients with trauma was 0.725. When the cutoff value of the early warning score was set at 5.0 points, the sensitivity was 69.9% and the specificity was 60.3%. The incidence of sepsis in patients with trauma can be reduced by closely monitoring patients' hemodynamics, implementing adequate fluid resuscitation promptly and by early removal of the catheter to minimize the duration of unnecessary invasive mechanical ventilation. In this study, we found that the use of the sepsis early warning score helped in a more accurate and effective evaluation of the prognosis of patients with trauma.

Dynamic neural reconfiguration for distinct strategies during competitive social interactions.

Information exchange between brain regions is key to understanding information processing for social decision-making, but most analyses ignore its dynamic nature. New insights on this dynamic might help us to uncover the neural correlates of social cognition in the healthy population and also to understand the malfunctioning neural computations underlying dysfunctional social behavior in patients with mental disorders. In this work, we used a multi-round bargaining game to detect switches between distinct bargaining strategies in a cohort of 76 healthy participants. These switches were uncovered by dynamic behavioral modeling using the hidden Markov model. Proposing a novel model of dynamic effective connectivity to estimate the information flow between key brain regions, we found a stronger interaction between the right temporoparietal junction (rTPJ) and the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (rDLPFC) for the strategic deception compared with the social heuristic strategies. The level of deception was associated with the information flow from the Brodmann area 10 to the rTPJ, and this association was modulated by the rTPJ-to-rDLPFC information flow. These findings suggest that dynamic bargaining strategy is supported by dynamic reconfiguration of the rDLPFC-and-rTPJ interaction during competitive social interactions.

Modulating CoFeOX Nanosheets Towards Enhanced CO2 Photoreduction to Syngas: Effect of Calcination Temperature and Mixed-Valence Multi-Metals.

CoFeOX nanosheets were synthesized by a facile coprecipitation and calcination method. The effect of calcination temperature on the crystal texture, morphology and surface areas of CoFeOX were fully explored. CoFeOX sample calcined at 600 °C (CoFeOX -600) showed superior catalytic performance for the reduction of CO2 under visible light. Compared with the pure Ru(bpy)3 2+ -sensitized CO2 reduction system, the CoFeOX -added system achieved 19-fold enhancement of CO production (45.7 µmol/h). The mixed valence state and nanosheet-like structure of CoFeOX cocatalyst support its ultra-high charge transfer and abundant CO2 active adsorption sites exposure, which promote the separation of photogenerated charges, and thus improve the photocatalytic CO2 reduction activity. Carbon source of CO from CO2 was verified by 13 CO2 isotopic labelling experiment. Repeated activity experiments confirmed the good stability of CoFeOX in the CO2 photoreduction system. This work would provide prospective insights into developing novel cost-effective, efficient, and durable non-precious metal cocatalysts to improve the efficiency of photocatalytic reduction of CO2 .

Effects of MicroRNA-206 on Osteosarcoma Cell Proliferation, Apoptosis, Migration and Invasion by Targeting ANXA2 Through the AKT Signaling Pathway.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: This study aimed to investigate the mechanism by which microRNA-206 (miR-206) affects the proliferation, apoptosis, migration and invasion of osteosarcoma (OS) cells by targeting ANXA2 via the AKT signaling pathway. METHODS: A total of 132 OS tissues and 120 osteochondroma tissues were examined in this study. The targeting relationship between miR-206 and ANXA2 was verified with a dual-luciferase reporter assay. The miR-206 expression and ANXA2, AKT, PARP, FASN, Survivin, Bax, Mcl-1 and Bcl-1 mRNA and protein expression in the above two groups were examined by qRT-PCR and western blotting. The cultured OS cells were divided into 6 groups: a blank group, negative control (NC) group, miR-206 mimic group, miR-206 inhibitor group, si-ANXA2 group and miR-206 inhibitor + si-ANXA2 group. Cell cycle and apoptosis were assessed by flow cytometry, cell migration was examined with a wound-healing assay, and cell invasion was assessed with a Transwell assay. Pearson correlation analysis was used to determine the correlation between ANXA2 mRNA expression and miR-206 expression in OS. RESULTS: OS tissues exhibited increased mRNA and protein expression of ANXA2, AKT, PARP, FASN, Survivin, Mcl-1 and Bcl-2; decreased miR-206 expression; and decreased Bax mRNA and protein expression. ANXA2 mRNA expression was strongly negatively correlated with miR-206 expression in OS. ANXA2 was found to be a miR-206 target gene. In the miR-206 mimic group and the si-ANXA2 group, the mRNA and protein expression of ANXA2, AKT, PARP, FASN, Survivin, Mcl-1 and Bcl-1 decreased markedly, cell proliferation was inhibited, apoptosis was promoted, higher cell growth in G1 phase and decreased growth in S phase was detected, and decreased cell migration and invasion were observed compared with those in the blank group. CONCLUSION: The current results demonstrate that miR-206 overexpression inhibits OS cell proliferation, migration and invasion and promotes apoptosis through targeting ANXA2 by blocking the AKT signaling pathway.

Silencing of dehydrin CaDHN1 diminishes tolerance to multiple abiotic stresses in Capsicum annuum L.

KEY MESSAGE: We cloned a dehydrins gene CaDHN1 from pepper and the expression of CaDHN1 was markedly upregulated by cold, salt, osmotic stresses and salicylic acid (SA) treatment. Dehydrins (DHNs) are a subfamily of group 2 late embryogenesis-abundant (LEA) proteins that are thought to play an important role in enhancing abiotic stress tolerance in plants. In this study, a DHN EST (Expressed Sequence Tag) was obtained from 6 to 8 true leaves seedlings of pepper cv P70 (Capsicum annuum L.) by our laboratory. However, the DHN gene in pepper was not well characterized. According to this EST sequence, we isolated a DHN gene, designated as CaDHN1, and investigated the response and expression of this gene under various stresses. Our results indicated that CaDHN1 has the DHN-specific and conserved K- and S- domain and encodes 219 amino acids. Phylogenetic analysis showed that CaDHN1 belonged to the SKn subgroup. Tissue expression profile analysis revealed that CaDH N1 was expressed predominantly in fruits and flowers. The expression of CaDHN1 was markedly upregulated in response to cold, salt, osmotic stresses and salicylic acid (SA) treatment, but no significant change by abscisic acid (ABA) and heavy metals treatment. Loss of function of CaDHN1 using the virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) technique led to decreased tolerance to cold-, salt- and osmotic-induced stresses. Overall, these results suggest that CaDHN1 plays an important role in regulating the abiotic stress resistance in pepper plants.

Extensive diversity of Rickettsiales bacteria in two species of ticks from China and the evolution of the Rickettsiales.

BACKGROUND: Bacteria of the order Rickettsiales (Alphaproteobacteria) are obligate intracellular parasites that infect species from virtually every major eukaryotic lineage. Several rickettsial genera harbor species that are significant emerging and re-emerging pathogens of humans. As species of Rickettsiales are associated with an extremely diverse host range, a better understanding of the historical associations between these bacteria and their hosts will provide important information on their evolutionary trajectories and, particularly, their potential emergence as pathogens. RESULTS: Nine species of Rickettsiales (two in the genus Rickettsia, three in the genus Anaplasma, and four in the genus Ehrlichia) were identified in two species of hard ticks (Dermacentor nuttalli and Hyalomma asiaticum) from two geographic regions in Xinjiang through genetic analyses of 16S rRNA, gltA, and groEL gene sequences. Notably, two lineages of Ehrlichia and one lineage of Anaplasma were distinct from any known Rickettsiales, suggesting the presence of potentially novel species in ticks in Xinjiang. Our phylogenetic analyses revealed some topological differences between the phylogenies of the bacteria and their vectors, which led us to marginally reject a model of exclusive bacteria-vector co-divergence. CONCLUSIONS: Ticks are an important natural reservoir of many diverse species of Rickettsiales. In this work, we identified a single tick species that harbors multiple species of Rickettsiales, and uncovered extensive genetic diversity of these bacteria in two tick species from Xinjiang. Both bacteria-vector co-divergence and cross-species transmission appear to have played important roles in Rickettsiales evolution.

The effects of vasonatrin peptide on random pattern skin flap survival.

BACKGROUND: A lot of methods have been intensively investigated to improve random skin flap survival. Decreasing inflammation and alleviating tissue injury have been reported to be effective in improving survival ratio. Vasonatrin peptide (VNP) is a chimera of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP). The current study demonstrates that VNP possesses the venodilating actions of CNP, the natriuretic actions of ANP, and the unique arterial vasodilating actions not associated with either ANP or CNP. However, its effects on skin flap survival have not been previously reported. METHODS: Sprague-Dawley rats, weighing 220 to 260 g, were randomly divided into 2 groups, namely, the VNP-treated group and the control group. Rectangular random dorsal skin flaps measuring 3 × 9 cm including the panniculus carnosus were elevated, then the flaps were sutured into their original places. In the VNP group, 0.1 mg/kg of VNP was administered intravenously (IV) after surgery and then daily for 3 days. In the control group, 1 mL/kg of saline was administered IV after surgery and then daily for 3 days. To observe the effects of VNP, blood perfusion, histopathological examination, the inflammatory mediators (tumor necrosis factor α, interleukin 1ß, and interferon γ), and biochemical analysis (malondialdehyde, glutathione, and myeloperoxidase) were detected and the flap viability was evaluated 7 days after surgery by measuring necrotic flap area and total flap area. RESULTS: The viability measurements showed the percentage of flap survival was increased in the VNP-treated group (76.53% ± 6.36%) as compared with the control group (61.12% ± 4.92%) (P < 0.05), and the histological and biochemical assays corroborated the data. The blood perfusion of flaps in the VNP-treated group was higher than the control group (P < 0.05). The inflammatory mediators (tumor necrosis factor α, interleukin 1ß, and interferon γ) were significantly lower in the VNP-treated group than the control group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This study found that VNP, which could elevate the tissue blood perfusion and mitigate the tissue damage and inflammatory reaction, is associated with a higher percentage of survival random pattern skin flap area.

Evaluation of water ecological health of Yanhe River based on benthic fauna integrity index.

Yanhe River Basin is located in the hilly gully area of the Loess Plateau with serious soil erosion. Strong human activities in the middle and lower reaches lead to fragile ecological environment. Soil erosion status varies among different geomorphic units within the watershed (loess liang hilly and gully region, loess mao hilly and gully region, and broken platform region). In this study, we surveyed the benthic community from the Yanhe River Basin in April (spring) and October (autumn) of 2021. To evaluate the water ecological health status of the watershed and investigate the effects of different geomorphic units on the benthic integrity of the benthos, we constructed the benthic-index of biotical integrity (B-IBI) based on the biological data. We identified a total of 113 species of 73 genera in 4 phyla of benthic fauna, with aquatic insects as the dominant taxa in both seasons. Through screening 26 candidate indicators, we found that the spring B-IBI consisted of three indicators: relative abundance of individuals of dominant taxonomic units, family biotic index (FBI), and relative abundance of predator individuals, and that autumn B-IBI was composed of the number of taxonomic units of Ephemeroptera, FBI value, and the relative abundance of predator individuals. Results of the B-IBI evaluation showed that 83.3% of the sampling sites in the upper mainstem and tributaries were at a healthy condition, while only 28.6% sampling sites in the middle and lower mainstem and tributaries were at a healthy condition. In addition, the health status of the watershed was better in spring than in autumn. The Kruskal-Wallis nonparametric tests showed that benthic density, species number, and B-IBI percentile scores in the fragmented loess area were significantly higher in spring than in autumn, and significantly lower in autumn than in the loess liang hilly and gully region and loess mao hilly and gully region, being mainly caused by the increasing erosion due to the concentrated rainfall in wet season. Results of the redundancy analysis showed that key environmental factors affecting benthic community structure in spring were boulder substrate, chlorophyll-a, oxidation reduction potential, turbidity, conductivity, and dissolved oxygen, and were nitrate-nitrogen, oxidation reduction potential, and pH in autumn.

Jianpi Gushen Huayu decoction ameliorated diabetic nephropathy through modulating metabolites in kidney, and inhibiting TLR4/NF-κB/NLRP3 and JNK/P38 pathways.

BACKGROUND: Jianpi Gushen Huayu Decoction (JPGS) has been used to clinically treat diabetic nephropathy (DN) for many years. However, the protective mechanism of JPGS in treating DN remains unclear. AIM: To evaluate the therapeutic effects and the possible mechanism of JPGS on DN. METHODS: We first evaluated the therapeutic potential of JPGS on a DN mouse model. We then investigated the effect of JPGS on the renal metabolite levels of DN mice using non-targeted metabolomics. Furthermore, we examined the effects of JPGS on c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK)/P38-mediated apoptosis and the inflammatory responses mediated by toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB)/NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3). RESULTS: The ameliorative effects of JPGS on DN mice included the alleviation of renal injury and the control of inflammation and oxidative stress. Untargeted metabolomic analysis revealed that JPGS altered the metabolites of the kidneys in DN mice. A total of 51 differential metabolites were screened. Pathway analysis results indicated that nine pathways significantly changed between the control and model groups, while six pathways significantly altered between the model and JPGS groups. Pathways related to cysteine and methionine metabolism; alanine, tryptophan metabolism; aspartate and glutamate metabolism; and riboflavin metabolism were identified as the key pathways through which JPGS affects DN. Further experimental validation showed that JPGS treatment reduced the expression of TLR4/NF-κB/NLRP3 pathways and JNK/P38 pathway-mediated apoptosis related factors. CONCLUSION: JPGS could markedly treat mice with streptozotocin (STZ)-induced DN, which is possibly related to the regulation of several metabolic pathways found in kidneys. Furthermore, JPGS could improve kidney inflammatory responses and ameliorate kidney injuries in DN mice via the TLR4/NF-κB/NLRP3 pathway and inhibit JNK/P38 pathway-mediated apoptosis in DN mice.

Molecular characterization and expression analysis of Toll-like receptor 21 cDNA from Paralichthys olivaceus.

Toll-like receptor (TLR) is believed to play crucial role in host defense of pathogenic microbes in innate immune system. In the present study, the full-length cDNA of Paralichthys olivaceus Toll-like receptor 21 (Po-TLR21) was cloned by homology cloning and rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) technique. The Po-TLR21 cDNA sequence was 3687 bp, containing an open reading frame of 2922 bp encoding 973 amino acids. TMHMM and SMART program analysis indicated that protein contained one transmembrane domain, eighteen leucine-rich repeats (LRRs), and one Toll/IL-1 receptor homology domain (TIR). Multiple alignment analysis of the Po-TLR21 protein-coding sequence with other known TLR21 from grouper, pufferfish, zebrafish, cod, catfish, carp and chicken showed the homology of 67%, 63%, 54%, 52%, 51%, 49%, and 39%, respectively. The Po-TLR21 mRNA expression patterns were measured by real-time PCR. The results revealed that TLR21 is widely expressed in various tested healthy tissues, and highly expressed in spleen and gill. In vivo immunostimulation experiments revealed that expression of TLR21 is modulated by Vibrio anguillarum (V. anguillarum), CpG oligodeoxynucleotides (CpG ODN) and poly I:C. Moreover, the inhibitor of homodimerization of myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88) could significantly reduce the up-regulation of TLR21, MyD88, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) expression in CpG ODN or poly I:C-treated head kidney cells in vitro. These results indicate that TLR21 may be involved in the pathogen recognition in the early innate immune.

[Effects of chronic aluminum exposure on learning and memory and brain-derived nerve growth factor in rats].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of chronic aluminum exposure on the learning and memory abilities and brain-derived nerve growth factor (BDNF) in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. METHODS: Thirty-two male SD rats were randomly and equally divided into 4 groups: control group and high-, middle-, and low-dose exposure groups. The rats in high-, middle-, and low-dose exposure groups were fed with the feed mixed with AlCl(3) (120.0, 12.0, and 1.2 mg/kg, respectively), while the rats in control group were fed conventionally. After 6 months of feeding, brain aluminum levels were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry; Morris water maze was employed to test the learning and memory abilities; the expression and content of BDNF in brain tissue were measured by Western blot and enzyme-linked immuno sorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: The high- and middle-dose exposure groups had significantly higher brain aluminum levels than the control group (P<0.05). The Morris water maze test showed that the high- and middle-dose exposure groups had significantly prolonged escape latency (P<0.05), significantly prolonged time taken to first reach the target quadrant (P<0.01), and significantly decreased number of platform crossings and time spent in the target quadrant (P<0.05), as compared with the control group. The Western blot and ELISA showed that the expression and content of BDNF in brain tissue decreased as the dose of AlCl(3) increased, and they were significantly lower in the high- and middle-dose exposure groups than in the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Chronic aluminum exposure (12.0 and 120.0 mg/kg) can lead to cognitive dysfunction in rats, and the decreased expression of BDNF may be one of the mechanisms of learning and memory deficits induced by aluminum.

Characteristics of phytoplankton community and its influencing factors in the Yanhe River Basin, Northwest China.

Yanhe River is one of the important tributaries of the Yellow River, with a vital role in the maintenance of biodiversity and ecological conservation in the middle reaches of the Yellow River. In this study, we conducted a systematic aquatic ecological survey of the Yanhe River Basin in spring (April-May) and autumn (September-October) of 2021, with phytoplankton as indicator organism. A total of 33 sampling sections were selected in the mainstem, five first-class tributaries, and impounded water bodies (reservoir and check dam water bodies) of the Yanhe River Basin. The results showed that a total of 253 phytoplankton species, belonging to 7 phyla and 91 genera, were detected in the two surveys. Diatoms and green algae prevailed in spring (168 species), while diatoms and cyanobacteria dominated in autumn (179 species). The mean phytoplankton density and biomass were 316.07×104 cells·L-1 and 6.41 mg·L-1 in spring, and 69.56×104 cells·L-1 and 1.59 mg·L-1 in autumn, respectively. At the temporal scale, phytoplankton abundance in spring was higher than that in autumn. At the spatial scale, the phytoplankton abundance in the middle and lower reaches of the mainstream was higher than that in the upper reaches. Phytoplankton biomass in the impounded water bodies formed by dam interception was maintained at a high level, which was significantly higher than that in the mainstem and tributary water bodies in autumn. The phytoplankton diversity, as indicated by Shannon diversity index, Margalef richness index, and Pielou evenness index, in spring was greater than that in autumn. Phytoplankton diversity was greater in the trunk and tributary waters than that in impounded waters. The results of redundancy analysis showed that the key factors driving the phytoplankton community structure in spring were flow velocity, dissolved oxygen, nitrite nitrogen, and water depth. In contrast, the key driving factors in autumn were nitrate nitrogen, water depth, and dissolved oxygen.

Visible light activation of ferrate(VI) by oxygen doped ZnIn2S4/black phosphorus nanolayered heterostructure: Accelerated oxidation of trimethoprim.

The increasing consumption of antibiotics and their subsequent release to wastewater or groundwater and ultimately to the water supply (or drinking water) has great concerns. This paper presents a visible light (VL) activated ferrate(VI) (FeVIO42-, Fe(VI)) system to degrade the selected antibiotic, trimethoprim (TMP), efficiently. An oxygen doped ZnIn2S4 nanosheet (O-ZIS) coupled with a black phosphorus (BP) heterostructure (O-ZIS/BP), is fabricated by a simple electrostatic self-assembly method. The O-ZIS/BP photocatalyst is comprehensively characterized by surface and analytical techniques, which show superior separation efficiency of the photoinduced charge carriers in the heterostructure. A VL-O-ZIS/BP-Fe(VI) system achieves more than 80% removal in 1.0 min and complete removal of TMP in 3.0 min. Comparatively, only ⁓7% and ⁓24% of TMP are degraded by O-ZIS/BP and Fe(VI) in 1.0 min, respectively. The degradation experiments using probe molecules of reactive species and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) measurements reveal involvement of superoxide (O2-•), hydroxyl radical (•OH), and iron(V)/iron (IV) (FeV/FeIV) species in the mechanism of TMP degradation. Oxidized products of TMP are identified and reaction pathways are given. Theoretical calculations predict the initial attack on the TMP molecule by the reactive species in the VL-O-ZIS/BP-Fe(VI) system. The activation of Fe(VI) by VL-heterostructure photocatalysts accelerates the degradation of antibiotics, demonstrating its potential for water depollution.

[Water Environment Characteristics and Water Quality Assessment of Typical Lakes in Inner Mongolia].

Lakes on the Inner Mongolia Plateau, located in the ecologically fragile area of the northern border of China, play a very important role in regulating the regional climate and ecological environment and maintaining biodiversity. Owing to the dual influence of natural factors and human factors, the lake water environment in Inner Mongolia is facing challenges. To clarify the overall water quality of lakes in Inner Mongolia, based on the water quality data of typical lakes in Inner Mongolia in autumn 2019(October-November) and summer 2021(July-August), the temporal and spatial variation in water quality was discussed, and the influence of different indexes on lake water quality was analyzed, and the key factors affecting lake water quality were identified. The results showed as follows:① the spatiotemporal distribution of multiple physicochemical indices of typical lakes in Inner Mongolia were different in the two seasons. On the time scale, the concentration of ammonia nitrogen(NH4+-N) and nitrite nitrogen(NO2--N) were lower in autumn than that in summer, whereas dissolved oxygen(DO) was higher in autumn than that in summer. On the spatial scale, the concentrations of total phosphorus(TP), total nitrogen(TN), chemical oxygen demand(COD), and salinity(Sal) and other indicators in the southwest lakes of Inner Mongolia were higher than those of lakes in the northeast, but the DO index showed the opposite trend. ② Dissolved total solids(TDS) was the main characteristic factor of water quality of typical lakes in Inner Mongolia. ③ The spatiotemporal distribution of lake water quality index(WQI) was significantly different. The lake water quality level decreased with the increase in TDS, and the lake water quality was better in autumn than that in summer.

Reduced BACE1 activity enhances clearance of myelin debris and regeneration of axons in the injured peripheral nervous system.

ß-Site amyloid precursor protein (APP) cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1) is an aspartyl protease best known for its role in generating the amyloid-ß peptides that are present in plaques of Alzheimer's disease. BACE1 has been an attractive target for drug development. In cultured embryonic neurons, BACE1-cleaved N-terminal APP is further processed to generate a fragment that can trigger axonal degeneration, suggesting a vital role for BACE1 in axonal health. In addition, BACE1 cleaves neuregulin 1 type III, a protein critical for myelination of peripheral axons by Schwann cells during development. Here, we asked whether axonal degeneration or axonal regeneration in adult nerves might be affected by inhibition or elimination of BACE1. We report that BACE1 knock-out and wild-type nerves degenerated at a similar rate after axotomy and to a similar extent in the experimental neuropathies produced by administration of paclitaxel and acrylamide. These data indicate N-APP is not the sole culprit in axonal degeneration in adult nerves. Unexpectedly, however, we observed that BACE1 knock-out mice had markedly enhanced clearance of axonal and myelin debris from degenerated fibers, accelerated axonal regeneration, and earlier reinnervation of neuromuscular junctions, compared with littermate controls. These observations were reproduced in part by pharmacological inhibition of BACE1. These data suggest BACE1 inhibition as a therapeutic approach to accelerate regeneration and recovery after peripheral nerve damage.

[Water Environmental Characteristics and Water Quality Assessment of Lakes in Tibetan Plateau].

Lakes are an important water resource and biological habitat in the Tibetan Plateau. Owing to the combined influence of climate, topography, and other natural factors as well as human factors, the water environment of the lakes on the Tibetan Plateau is facing more and more severe problems and challenges. To clarify the present status, distribution pattern, main characteristic factors of water quality, and important factors affecting the water quality of lakes on the Tibetan Plateau, the water environment of 12 typical lakes on the Tibet Plateau was investigated in summer (July-August) and autumn (October-November) in 2020. The field sampling and laboratory test data comprehensive analysis showed that:① several physical and chemical parameters of typical lakes on the Tibetan Plateau differed in spatiotemporal distribution. ② Salinity was the main characteristic of water quality in the typical lakes on the Tibetan Plateau. ③ The spatiotemporal distribution of lake eutrophication index showed little diversity and basically ranged from poor nutrition to moderate nutrition. The spatial and temporal distributions in the lake water quality index (WQI) were significantly different. The lake WQI grade decreased from "Moderate" to "Very poor" with the increase in salinity area, and the lake water quality in autumn was better than that in summer. ④ The spatiotemporal differences in lake water quality on the Tibetan Plateau were mainly controlled by precipitation, evapoconcentration, and human activities. This study will provide scientific basis for water environment protection and improvement of water ecosystems on the Tibetan Plateau.

Oxidation of micropollutants by visible light active graphitic carbon nitride and ferrate(VI): Delineating the role of surface delocalized electrons.

The treatment of recalcitrant micropollutants in water remains challenging. Ferrate(VI) (FeVIO42-, Fe(VI)) has emerged as a green oxidant to oxidize organic molecules, however, its reactivity with recalcitrant micropollutants are sluggish. Our results demonstrate enhanced oxidation of carbamazepine (CBZ) by three types of visible light-responsive graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) photocatalyst in absence and presence of ferrate(VI) (FeVIO42-, Fe(VI)) under mild alkaline conditions. The g-C3N4 photocatalysts were prepared by thermal process using urea, thiourea, and melamine and were named as CN-U, CN-T, and CN-M, respectively. The degradation efficiency of CBZ, in both visible light-g-C3N4 and visible light-g-C3N4-FeVIO42- systems followed the order of CN-U > CN-T > CN-M. The mechanisms for this trend was elucidated by measuring physiochemical properties of the microstructures with various surface and analytical techniques. Results suggest the dominating role of specific surface area and surface delocalized electrons of microstructures in degrading CBZ. Crystallinity, morphology, and surface functional groups may not directly associate with CBZ degradation. The CN-U has higher specific surface area and surface delocalized electrons than CN-T and CN-M and therefore the highest degradation efficiency of CBZ. The surface electrons likely generated O2●- and 1O2 in the visible light-g-C3N4 system. The additional oxidants, FeV and FeIV in the visible light-g-C3N4- FeVIO42- system led to higher degradation efficiency than the visible light-g-C3N4 system. Results suggest that the surfaces of g-C3N4 may be prepared preferentially with high levels of delocalized electrons at the surface of microstructures to enhance degradation of micropollutants.

[Spatiotemporal variations of fish feeding guilds in Yellow River basin]. / 黄河流域鱼类食性同资源种团的时空变化.

Conservation of fish resources is the key to ecological protection and high-quality development of Yellow River basin. From 1960 to 2019, Yellow River basin distributed 201 fish species, belonging to 16 orders, 35 families. The species number of Cypriniformes was the largest (accounting for 60.7%), followed by Perciformes (accounting for 10.0%). From 1960 to 1980, there were 182 fish species belonging to 15 orders, 28 families. During 1980-2019, there were 112 species, belonging to 10 orders, 23 families. The total number of fish species in source area, midstream and downstream decreased significantly, while that in the upper reaches increased slightly. Jaccard's similarity index of source area, upstream, midstream and downstream between two periods were 34.2%, 46.0%, 42.4% and 35.7%, respectively. Based on feeding preference characteristic, fish species could be divided into eight feeding guilds: phytobenthivores, herbivores, phytoplanktivores, zooplanktivores, omnivorous, insectivores, zoobenthivores, and piscivores. Compared with the period from 1960 to 1980, the proportion of insectivores decreased significantly in the Yellow River basin during 1980-2019, while that of phytobenthivores, herbivores, phytoplanktivores, omnivorous and piscivores increased significantly. From 1960 to 1980, the proportion of insectivores was higher than other reaches at source area and upstream, then began to decrease along the river continuum from reaches with elevation of 2000-3000 m; while the proportion of piscivores was lower than other reaches at source area and upstream, then began to increase along the river continuum from reaches with elevation of 2000-3000 m. From 1980 to 2019, the proportion of insectivores decreased along river continuum from source area, and that of piscivores increased from source area to midstream but decreased in downstream. Development of cascade hydropower, water pollution, insufficient water flow, overfishing and invasion of alien fish were important factors causing the spatiotemporal variations of fish feeding guilds in Yellow River basin.