CircMTA1 promotes glioblastoma angiogenesis by encoding MTA1-134aa.

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most malignant brain tumor with rapid angiogenesis. How to inhibit GBM angiogenesis is a key problem to be solved. To explore the targets of inhibiting GBM angiogenesis, this study confirmed that the expression of circMTA1 (hsa_circ_0033614) was significantly upregulated in human brain microvascular endothelial cells exposed to glioma cell-conditioned medium (GECs). The expression of circMTA1 in the cytoplasm was significantly higher than that in the nucleus. Upregulated circMTA1 in GECs can promote cell proliferation, migration, and tube formation. Further exploration of the circularization mechanism of circMTA1 confirmed that KHDRBS1 protein can bind to the upstream and downstream flanking sequences of circMTA1 and promote circMTA1 biogenesis by coordinating Alu element pairing. KHDRBS1 upregulated the proliferation, migration, and tube formation of GECs by promoting the biogenesis of circMTA1. CircMTA1 can encode the protein MTA1-134aa by internal ribosome entry site sequence-mediated translation mechanism, and promote the proliferation, migration, and tube formation of GECs through the encoded MTA1-134aa. This study provides a new target for inhibiting angiogenesis in brain GBM and a new strategy for improving the therapeutic efficacy of GBM.

Expression profiles and function prediction of tRNA-derived fragments in glioma.

BACKGROUND: Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most aggressive malignant primary brain tumor. The transfer RNA-derived fragments (tRFs) are a new group of small noncoding RNAs, which are dysregulated in many cancers. Until now, the expression and function of tRFs in glioma remain unknown. METHODS: The expression profiles of tRF subtypes were analyzed using the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA)-low-grade gliomas (LGG)/GBM dataset. The target genes of tRFs were subjected to Gene Ontology, Kyoto Encyclopedia and Gene set enrichment analysis of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analysis. The protein-protein interaction enrichment analysis was performed by STRING. QRT-PCR was performed to detect the expressions of tRFs in human glioma cell lines U87, U373, U251, and human astrocyte cell line SVG p12. Western blot assay was used to detect to the expression of S100A11. The interaction between tRF-19-R118LOJX and S100A11 mRNA 3'UTR was detected by dual-luciferase reporter assay. The effects of tRF-19-R118LOJX, tRF-19-6SM83OJX and S100A11 on the glioma cell proliferation, migration and in vitro vasculogenic mimicry formation ability were examined by CCK-8 proliferation assay, EdU assay, HoloMonitor cell migration assay and tube formation assay, respectively. RESULTS: tRF-19-R118LOJX and tRF-19-6SM83OJX are the most differentially expressed tRFs between LGG and GBM groups. The functional enrichment analysis showed that the target genes of tRF-19-R118LOJX and tRF-19-6SM83OJX are enriched in regulating blood vessel development. The upregulated target genes are linked to adverse survival outcomes in glioma patients. tRF-19-R118LOJX and tRF-19-6SM83OJX were identified to suppress glioma cell proliferation, migration, and in vitro vasculogenic mimicry formation. The mechanism of tRF-19-R118LOJX might be related to its function as an RNA silencer by targeting the S100A11 mRNA 3'UTR. CONCLUSION: tRFs would become novel diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets of glioma, and the mechanism might be related to its post-transcriptionally regulation of gene expression by targeting mRNA 3'UTR.

[Responses of blood parameters and hemoglobin subtypes in plateau zokors and plateau pikas to different altitude habitats].

The plateau zokor (Myospalax baileyi) and plateau pika (Ochotona curzoniae) are native species unique to the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau with successful adaptation to the hypoxic environment. In this study, the number of red blood cells, hemoglobin concentration, mean hematocrit and mean volume of red blood cells were measured in plateau zokors and plateau pikas at different altitudes. Hemoglobin subtypes of two plateau animals were identified by mass spectrometry sequencing. The forward selection sites in two animals' hemoglobin subunits were analyzed by PAML4.8 program. Homologous modeling was used to analyze the effect of forward selection sites on the affinity of hemoglobin to oxygen. The adapting strategies of plateau zokors and plateau pikas to hypoxia at different altitudes were analyzed through comparing blood parameters between the two species. The results indicated that, with increasing altitudes, plateau zokors responded to hypoxia by increasing red blood cell count and decreasing red blood cell volume, while plateau pikas took the opposite strategies to plateau zokors. In erythrocytes of plateau pikas, both adult α2ß2 and fetal α2ε2 hemoglobins were identified, while erythrocytes of plateau zokors only had adult α2ß2 hemoglobin, however the affinities and the allosteric effects of the hemoglobin of plateau zokors were significantly higher than those of plateau pikas. Mechanistically, in the α and ß subunits of hemoglobin of plateau zokors and pikas, the numbers and the sites of the positively selected amino acids as well as the side chain groups polarities and orientations of the amino acids differed significantly, which may result in the difference of the affinities to oxygen of hemoglobin between plateau zokors and pikas. In conclusion, the adaptive mechanisms to respond to hypoxia in blood properties of plateau zokors and plateau pikas are species-specific.

[Comparison of the composition and content of pulmonary surfactant among plateau zokors, plateau pikas and rats].

In the present study, the composition and content of pulmonary surfactant (PS) were analyzed to explore the hypoxia adaptation mechanism in plateau zokors (Myospalax baileyi) and plateau pikas (Ochotona curzoniae). 36 plateau zokors and plateau pikas were trapped alive at the Laji Mountain in Guide County, Qinghai Province (at the altitude of about 3 600 m), and 36 Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were purchased from the experimental animal center of Lanzhou University (at the altitude of about 1 500 m). All animals were lavaged after laboratory anesthesia, the blood in lung tissues was fully washed out and the lung tissues were then taken out to obtain the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid by bronchoalveolar lavage. The composition and content of phospholipids in the PS of three different kinds of animals were analyzed by using high performance liquid chromatography; the protein composition, content and types in the PS were analyzed by G-250 Coomassie brilliant blue method, polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) and mass spectrometry; the dissolved oxygen in the PS solutions were determined by using dissolved oxygen electrode. The results showed that the total contents of phospholipids in the PS were successively increased among plateau zokors, plateau pikas and SD rats (P < 0.05), while the total content of proteins successively decreased (P < 0.05). There were five phospholipids identified in the PS, including linoleic palmitoylphosphatidylcholine (LPPC), dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC), phosphatidylglyerol (PG), phosphatidylinositol (PI) and phosphatidylserine (PSe), but the relative contents of these phospholipids were different. The relative content of LPPC was successively increased among plateau zokors, plateau pikas and SD rats (P < 0.01). The relative contents of DPPC, PG and PI in the PS of plateau zokors were significantly higher than those of plateau pikas (P < 0.01), while insignificant differences between plateau pikas and SD rats (P > 0.05). The relative content of PSe had no significant differences between plateau zokors and plateau pikas (P > 0.05), but both were significantly higher than that of SD rats (P < 0.01). The serum albumin (SA) was identified in the PS of three kinds of animals, including homologous tetramer protein containing heme, which is composed of hemoglobin ß subunit, in plateau zokors and plateau pikas. Immunoglobulin (Ig) heavy chain was found in PS of plateau zokors and SD rats. The content of Ig heavy chain in plateau zokor was significantly higher than that in SD rats (P < 0.01), and the content of protein containing heme was significantly higher than that in plateau pikas (P < 0.05). The amount of dissolved oxygen was successively decreased in the PS among plateau zokors, plateau pikas and SD rats (P < 0.01), but it was significantly higher than that in saline (P < 0.01). These results suggest that the total content of proteins in the PS of plateau zokors and plateau pikas was significantly higher, while the total content of phospholipids was significantly decreased. There were high content of homologous tetramer protein containing heme in the PS of plateau zokors and plateau pikas. The relative content of DPPC, the main component of phospholipids, was significantly increased in plateau zokors. The changes of PS component and content improve the adaptability of the two plateau animals in hypoxia environment.

A stochastic network design problem for hazardous waste management.

Hazardous waste management is of paramount importance due to the potential threats posed to the environment and local residents. The design of a hazardous waste management system involves several important decisions, i.e., the determination of the locations and sizes of treatment, recycling and disposal facilities, and organizing the transportation of hazardous waste among different facilities. In this paper, we proposed a novel stochastic bi-objective mixed integer linear program (MILP) to support these decisions in order to reduce the population exposure to risk while simultaneously maintaining a high cost efficiency of the transportation and treatment of hazardous waste. Moreover, considering the inherent uncertainty within the planning horizon, the cost, demand and affected population are defined as stochastic parameters. A sample average approximation based goal programming (SAA-GP) approach is used to solve the mathematical model. The proposed model and solution method are validated through numerical experiments whose results show that uncertainty may not only affect the objective value but also lead to different strategic decisions in the network design of a hazardous waste management system. In this regard, the strategic decisions obtained by the stochastic model is more robust to the change of external environment. Finally, the model is applied in a real-world case study of healthcare waste management in Wuhan, China, in order to show its applicability.

Patterns of plant species richness along the drawdown zone of the Three Gorges Reservoir 5 years after submergence.

This study was conducted to understand the patterns of plant species richness in the Three Gorges Reservoir after 5 years after 175 m submergence. We hypothesized that hygrophyte and xerophyte species would show different species richness patterns, which was tested by collecting species composition and environmental variable data in 50 m long and 5 m wide transects in the drawdown zone from 145 m to 180 m. Xerophyte species richness (XSR) was highest in the middle of the drawdown zone, whereas hygrophyte species showed a continuous downward trend from 145 m to 180 m. Correlation analyses showed that the flooding period was significantly negatively correlated with the total species richness (TSR), XSR, and hygrophyte species richness (HSR). The TSR and XSR showed a significant positive correlation with soil type and a significant negative correlation with available K. HSR was significantly correlated with soil type and negatively correlated with ammonium N.

[The expression of the sperm-specific lactate dehydrogenase gene Ldh-c in plateau pika (Ochotona curzoniae) cardiac muscle and its effect on the anaerobic glycolysis].

The plateau pika (Ochotona curzoniae) has a strong adaptability to hypoxic plateau environment. We found that the sperm-specific lactate dehydrogenase (LDH-C4) gene Ldh-c expressed in plateau pika cardiac muscle. In order to shed light on the effect of LDH-C4 on the anaerobic glycolysis in plateau pika cardiac muscle, 20 pikas were randomly divided into the inhibitor group and the control group, and the sample size of each group was 10. The pikas of inhibitor group were injected with 1 mL 1 mol/L N-isopropyl oxamate, a specific LDH-C4 inhibitor, in biceps femoris muscle of hind legs, each leg with 500 µL. The pikas of control group were injected with the same volume of normal saline (0.9% NaCl). The mRNA and protein expression levels of Ldh-c gene in plateau pika cardiac muscle were determined by real-time PCR and Western blot. The activities of LDH, and the contents of lactate (LD) and ATP in cardiac muscle were compared between the inhibitor group and the control group. The results showed that 1) the expression levels of Ldh-c mRNA and protein were 0.47 ± 0.06 and 0.68 ± 0.08, respectively; 2) 30 min after injection of 1 mL 1 mol/L N-isopropyl oxamate in biceps femoris muscle, the concentration of N-isopropyl oxamate in blood was 0.08 mmol/L; 3) in cardiac muscle of the inhibitor group and the control group, the LDH activities were (6.18 ± 0.48) U/mg and (9.08 ± 0.58) U/mg, the contents of LD were (0.21 ± 0.03) mmol/g and (0.26 ± 0.04) mmol/g, and the contents of ATP were (4.40 ± 0.69) nmol/mg and (6.18 ± 0.73) nmol/mg (P < 0.01); 5) the inhibition rates of N-isopropyl oxamate to LDH, LD and ATP were 31.98%, 20.90% and 28.70%, respectively. The results suggest that Ldh-c expresses in cardiac muscle of plateau pika, and the pika cardiac muscle may get at least 28% ATP for its activities by LDH-C4 catalyzed anaerobic glycolysis, which reduces the dependence on oxygen and enhances the adaptation to the hypoxic environments.

The plateau zokors' learning and memory ability is related to the high expression levels of foxP2 in the brain.

Plateau zokor (Myospalax baileyi) is a subterranean mammal. Plateau zokor has high learning and memory ability, and can determine the location of blocking obstacles in their tunnels. Forkhead box p2 (FOXP2) is a transcription factor implicated in the neural control of orofacial coordination and sensory-motor integration, particularly with respect to learning, memory and vocalization. To explore the association of foxP2 with the high learning and memory ability of plateau zokor, the cDNA of foxP2 of plateau zokor was sequenced; by using plateau pika as control, the expression levels of foxP2 mRNA and FOXP2 protein in brain of plateau zokor were determined by real-time PCR and Western blot, respectively; and the location of FOXP2 protein in the brain of plateau zokor was determined by immunohistochemistry. The result showed that the cDNA sequence of plateau zokor foxP2 was similar to that of other mammals and the amino acid sequences showed a relatively high degree of conservation, with the exception of two particular amino acid substitutions [a Gln (Q)-to-His (H) change at position 231 and a Ser (S)-to-Ile (I) change at position 235]. Higher expression levels of foxP2 mRNA (3-fold higher) and FOXP2 protein (>2-fold higher) were detected in plateau zokor brain relative to plateau pika brain. In plateau zokor brain, FOXP2 protein was highly expressed in the cerebral cortex, thalamus and the striatum (a basal ganglia brain region). The results suggest that the high learning and memory ability of plateau zokor is related to the high expression levels of foxP2 in the brain.

[Effect of triptolide on iNOS and SP expressions in spinal dorsal horn and dorsal root ganglion of rats with adjuvant arthritis].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the analgesic effect of triptolide (TP) of high, middle and low doses on rats with adjuvant arthritis (AA), and the expressions of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and substance P (SP) in spinal dorsal horn and dorsal root ganglion (DRG) of corresponding sections, in order to discuss the possible mechanism for the analgesic effect of TP on rats with adjuvant arthritis. METHOD: Fifty SD rats were selected and randomly divided into the normal group (group A), the model group (group B), and TP low (group C), middle (group D), high (group E) dose groups. Except for the group A, all of the remaining groups were injected with 0.1 mL of Freund's complete adjuvant through their right rear toes to establish the model. At 14 d after the model establishment, rats in C, D and E groups were intraperitoneally injected with different doses of TP (0.1 mg x kg(-1) for the group C, 0.2 mg x kg(-1) for the group D, 0.4 mg x kg(-1) for the group E) once a day for 9 days. Then the 50% mechanical withdraw threshold (MWT) was determined. And the expressions of iNOS and SP in lumbar5 (L5) spinal dorsal horn and DRG were detected with the immunohistochemical method. RESULT: The 50% MWT of rats in the group B was significantly lower than that of the group A (P < 0.01). After being treated with TP, the Thermal withdrawal latencies of groups C, D and E were significantly higher than that of the group B (P < 0.01). TP could notably increase the MWT of AA rats, with a certain dose-effect relationship. The immunohistochemical results indicated that the iNOS and SP expressions significantly increased in the group B (P < 0.01), while the positive expression levels of iNOS and SP in groups C, D and E were significantly lower than that of the group B (P < 0.01), with a certain dose-effect relationship. CONCLUSION: TP shows a good analgesic effect on AA, and could inhibit the iNOS and SP expressions in spinal dorsal horn and DRG in rats with adjuvant arthritis, which may be one of action mechanisms for the analgesic effect of TP.

[Effect of Triptolide on expression of NMDAR1 and BSI-B4 binding sites in spinal dorsal horn and dorsal root ganglion in rats with adjuvant arthritis].

OBJECTIVE: To study the analgesic effect of Triptolide(TP) in rats with adjuvant and the possible mechanism. METHODS: Fifty healthy SD rats were randomly divided into normal control group (group A), model group (group B), and low(group C), middle (group D) and high(group E) dose TP treatment groups. Except the group A, each group of rats were reared by toe intradermal injection of 0. 1 mL Freund's complete adjuvant. After 14 days,rats in the C, D and E groups were taken different doses (0. 1 mg/kg group C, 0. 2mg/kg group D, and 0. 4 mg/kg group E) by intraperitoneal injection of TP for 9 days, and then thermal withdrawal latency and the expression of NMDAR1 and BSI-B4 binding sites in lumbar5 (L5) spinal dorsal horn and DRG were detected. RESULTS: Thermal withdrawal latency of rats in group B was significantly lower than that of group A (P <0. 01), while those in group C, D and E were significantly higher than those in group B (P <0. 05 or P <0. 01). TP increased the thermal pain threshold by a quantity-effect relationship; NMDAR-1 and BSI-B4 binding sites expression levels were significantly increased in group B than those in group A (P <0. 01), while those in group C, D and E were lower than those in group B. CONCLUSION: Analgesic effect of TP is related to reducing levels of expression of NMDAR1 and BSI-B4 binding sites in spinal dorsal horn and DRG in rats with adjuvant arthritis.

Effect of sulfide on the nitrogen removal performance and microbial community of low-substrate Anammox process.

Anammox is one of the most innovative nitrogen removal technologies, while its functional bacteria-anaerobic ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AAOB) is sensitive to the impurities in the wastewater. In this study, the long-term effects of sulfide at different concentrations (0, 5, 10, 20, 30, 50, 25 mg L-1) on low substrate Anammox process were studied. The results showed that when the sulfide was 25-30 mg L-1, AAOB was well coupled with sulfide-denitrifying bacteria and the total nitrogen removal efficiency (TNRE) reached a maximum of 91.0%. The hydroxylamine oxidoreductase activity and Heme-c reached 1.678 EU g-1 SS and 0.0023 mmol g-1 SS, respectively, with the hzo and nosZ gene concentrations as 2.52 × 108 and 4.45 × 107 copies mL-1. 50 mg L-1 sulfide inhibited the nitrogen removal by AAOB, resulting in the TNRE decreasing to 81.7%. The experimental results provide a reference for the practical application of Anammox in treating sulfur-containing wastewater.

FXR1 stabilizes SNORD63 to regulate blood-tumor barrier permeability through SNORD63 mediated 2'-O-methylation of POU6F1.

How selectively increase blood-tumor barrier (BTB) permeability is crucial to enhance the delivery of chemotherapeutic agents to brain tumor tissues. In this study, we established in vitro models of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and BTB using endothelial cells (ECs) co-cultured with human astrocytes (AECs) and glioma cells (GECs), respectively. The findings revealed high expressions of the RNA-binding protein FXR1 and SNORD63 in GECs, where FXR1 was found to bind and stabilize SNORD63. Knockdown of FXR1 resulted in decreased expression of tight-junction-related proteins and increased BTB permeability by down-regulating SNORD63. SNORD63 played a role in mediating the 2'-O-methylation modification of POU6F1 mRNA, leading to the downregulation of POU6F1 protein expression. POU6F1 showed low expression in GECs and acted as a transcription factor to regulate BTB permeability by binding to the promoter regions of ZO-1, occludin, and claudin-5 mRNAs and negatively regulating their expressions. Finally, the targeted regulation of FXR1, SNORD63, and POU6F1 expressions, individually or in combination, effectively enhanced doxorubicin passage through the BTB and induced apoptosis in glioma cells. This study aims to elucidate the underlying mechanism of the FXR1/SNORD63/POU6F1 axis in regulating BTB permeability, offering a novel strategy to improve the efficacy of glioma chemotherapy.

Surviving winter on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau: Extensive reversible protein phosphorylation plays a dominant role in regulating hypometabolism in hibernating Nanorana parkeri.

Changes in protein abundance and reversible protein phosphorylation (RPP) play important roles in regulating hypometabolism but have never been documented in overwintering frogs at high altitudes. To test the hypothesis that protein abundance and phosphorylation change in response to winter hibernation, we conducted a comprehensive and quantitative proteomic and phosphoproteomic analysis of the liver of the Xizang plateau frog, Nanorana parkeri, living on the Qinghai-Xizang (Tibet) Plateau (QTP). In total, 5 170 proteins and 5 695 phosphorylation sites in 1 938 proteins were quantified. Based on proteomic analysis, 674 differentially expressed proteins (438 up-regulated, 236 down-regulated) were screened in hibernating N. parkeri versus summer individuals. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that higher expressed proteins in winter were significantly enriched in immune-related signaling pathways, whereas lower expressed proteins were mainly involved in metabolic processes. A total of 4 251 modified sites (4 147 up-regulated, 104 down-regulated) belonging to 1 638 phosphoproteins (1 555 up-regulated, 83 down-regulated) were significantly changed in the liver. During hibernation, RPP regulated a diverse array of proteins involved in multiple functions, including metabolic enzymatic activity, ion transport, protein turnover, signal transduction, and alternative splicing. These changes contribute to enhancing protection, suppressing energy-consuming processes, and inducing metabolic depression. Moreover, the activities of phosphofructokinase, glutamate dehydrogenase, and ATPase were all significantly lower in winter compared to summer. In conclusion, our results support the hypothesis and demonstrate the importance of RPP as a regulatory mechanism when animals transition into a hypometabolic state.

Differences of glycolysis in skeletal muscle and lactate metabolism in liver between plateau zokor (Myospalax baileyi) and plateau pika (Ochotona curzoniae).

The plateau pika (Ochotona curzoniae) and plateau zokor (Myospalax baileyi) are specialized native species of the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau. The goal of this study was to examine physiological differences in skeletal muscle glycolysis and hepatic lactate metabolism between these two species. The partial sequence of pyruvate carboxylase (PC) gene was cloned and sequenced. The mRNA expression levels of PC and lactate dehydrogenases (LDH-A, LDH-B) were determined by real-time PCR. The enzymatic activity of PC was measured using malic acid coupling method. The concentration of lactic acid (LD) and the specific activities of LDH in liver and skeletal muscle of two species were measured. The different isoenzymes of LDH were determined by native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). The results showed that, (1) LDH-B mRNA level in skeletal muscle of plateau zokor was significantly higher than that of plateau pika (P < 0.01), but no differences was found at LDH-A mRNA levels between them (P > 0.05); (2) PC, LDH-A and LDH-B mRNA levels in liver of plateau pika were significantly higher than those of plateau zokor (P < 0.01); (3) The LDH activity and concentration of LD in skeletal muscle and liver, as well as the PC activity in liver of plateau pika were significantly higher than those of plateau zokor (P < 0.01); (4) The isoenzymatic spectrum of lactate dehydrogenase showed that the main LDH isoenzymes were LDH-A4, LDH-A3B and LDH-A2B2 in skeletal muscle of plateau pika, while the main LDH isoenzymes were LDH-AB3 and LDH-B4 in skeletal muscle of plateau zokor; the main isoenzymes were LDH-A3B, LDH-A2B2, LDH-AB3 and LDH-B4 in liver of plateau pika, while LDH-A4 was the only isoenzyme in liver of plateau zokor. These results indicate that the plateau pika gets most of its energy for sprint running through enhancing anaerobic glycolysis, producing more lactate in their skeletal muscle, and converting lactate into glucose and glycogen in the liver by enhancing gluconeogenesis. As a result, the plateau pika has a reduced dependence on oxygen in its hypoxic environment. In contrast, plateau zokor derives most of its energy used for digging activity by enhancing aerobic oxidation in their skeletal muscle, although they inhabit hypoxic underground burrows.

[Response of vegetation to terrestrial water storage in Southwest China]. / 西南地区植被对陆地水储量的响应.

To explore the responses of vegetation growth to change in terrestrial water storage in Southwest China, we analyzed the change trend and relationship between vegetation and terrestrial water storage anomaly (TWSA) in Southwest China from January 2003 to December 2021 by using TWSA data of Gravity Recovery and Climate Experi-ment (GRACE) satellite and normalized differential vegetation index (NDVI) data. The results showed that NDVI in Southwest China during the study period showed an overall upward trend. Meanwhile, TWSA showed a significant downward trend in central and southern Tibet, and a significant upward trend in northwest Tibet and southeast region of Southwest China. Results of Pearson correlation analysis showed that there were significant spatial differences in responses of NDVI to TWSA changes in Southwest China. NDVI had a significant negative response to TWSA changes in most regions of Tibet, but a significant positive response to TWSA changes in most regions of southeast region of Southwest China. Such differences were driven by climate change and topography.

Drying kinetics and quality dynamics of ultrasound-assisted dried selenium-enriched germinated black rice.

Black rice is a functional food due to its higher protein, fiber, iron, antioxidant compounds, and other health benefits than traditional rice. The ultrasonic (US) pretreatments (10, 20, and 50 min) followed by hot-air drying (50, 60, and 70 °C) were applied to study the drying kinetics, mathematical modeling, thermodynamics, microstructure, bioactive profile, volatile compounds and to lock the nutritional composition of selenium-enriched germinated black rice (SeGBR). Ultrasonic-treated samples exhibited a 20.5% reduced drying time than control ones. The Hii model accurately describes the drying kinetics of SeGBR with the highest R2 (>0.997 to 1.00) among the fifteen studied models. The activation energy values in US-SeGBR varied from 3.97 to 13.90 kJ/mol, while the specific energy consumption ranged from 6.45 to 12.32 kWh/kg, which was lower than untreated. The obtained thermodynamic attributes of dried black rice revealed that the process was endothermic and non-spontaneous. Gallic acid, kaempferol, and cyanidin 3-glucoside were present in high concentrations in phenolics, flavonoids, and anthocyanins, respectively. The HS-SPME-GC-MS investigation detected and quantified 55 volatile compounds. The US-treated SeGBR had more volatile compounds, which may stimulate the release of more flavorful substances. The scanning electronic micrograph shows that the US-treated samples absorbed high water through several micro-cavities. Selenium concentration was significantly higher in US-treated samples at 50 °C than in control samples. In conclusion, ultrasound-assisted hot-air drying accelerated drying and improved SeGBR quality, which is crucial for the food industry and global promotion of this healthiest rice variety.

Enantioselective Michael addition of 3-aryloxindoles to a vinyl bisphosphonate ester catalyzed by a cinchona alkaloid derived thiourea catalyst.

A highly enantioselective Michael addition of 3-aryloxindole to vinyl bisphosphonate ester catalyzed by a cinchonidine derived thiourea catalyst has been investigated. The corresponding adducts, containing a chiral quaternary carbon center and geminal bisphosphonate ester fragment at the 3-position of the oxindole, were obtained in moderate to good yields (65-92%) and moderate to good enantioselectivities (up to 92% ee).

[Functional difference of malate-aspartate shuttle system in liver between plateau zokor (Myospalax baileyi) and plateau pika (Ochotona curzoniae)].

To explore the adaptive mechanisms of plateau zokor (Myospalax baileyi) to the enduring digging activity in the hypoxic environment and of plateau pika (Ochotona curzoniae) to the sprint running activity, the functional differences of malate-aspartate shuttle system (MA) in liver of plateau zokor and plateau pika were studied. The ratio of liver weight to body weight, the parameters of mitochondria in hepatocyte and the contents of lactic acid in serum were measured; the open reading frame of cytoplasmic malate dehydrogenase (MDH1), mitochondrial malate dehydrogenase (MDH2), and the partial sequence of aspartate glutamate carrier (AGC) and oxoglutarate malate carrier (OMC) genes were cloned and sequenced; MDH1, MDH2, AGC and OMC mRNA levels were determined by real-time PCR; the specific activities of MDH1 and MDH2 in liver of plateau zokor and plateau pika were measured using enzymatic methods. The results showed that, (1) the ratio of liver weight to body weight, the number and the specific surface of mitochondria in hepatocyte of plateau zokor were markedly higher than those of plateau pika (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05), but the content of lactic acid in serum of plateau pika was significantly higher than that of plateau zokor (P < 0.01); (2) MDH1 and MDH2 mRNA levels as well as their enzymatic activities in liver of plateau zokor were significantly higher than those of plateau pika (P < 0.01 or 0.05), AGC mRNA level of the zokor was significantly higher than that of the pika (P < 0.01), while no difference was found at OMC mRNA level between them (P > 0.05); (3) mRNA level and enzymatic activity of MDH1 was significantly lower than those of MDH2 in the pika liver (P < 0.01), MDH1 mRNA level of plateau zokor was markedly higher than that of MDH2 (P < 0.01), but the activities had no difference between MDH1 and MDH2 in liver of the zokor (P > 0.05). These results indicate that the plateau zokor obtains ATP in the enduring digging activity by enhancing the function of MA, while plateau pika gets glycogen for their sprint running activity by increasing the process of gluconeogenesis. As a result, plateau pika converts the lactic acid quickly produced in their skeletal muscle by anaerobic glycolysis and reduces dependence on the oxygen.

Towards the smart and sustainable transformation of Reverse Logistics 4.0: a conceptualization and research agenda.

The recent advancement of digitalization and information and communication technology (ICT) has not only shifted the manufacturing paradigm towards the Fourth Industrial Revolution, namely Industry 4.0, but also provided opportunities for a smart logistics transformation. Despite studies have focused on improving the smartness, connectivity, and autonomy of isolated logistics operations with a primary focus on the forward channels, there is still a lack of a systematic conceptualization to guide the coming paradigm shift of reverse logistics, for instance, how "individualization" and "service innovation" should be interpreted in a smart reverse logistics context? To fill this gap, Reverse logistics 4.0 is defined, from a holistic perspective, in this paper to offer a systematic analysis of the technological impact of Industry 4.0 on reverse logistics. Based on the reported research and case studies from the literature, the conceptual framework of smart reverse logistics transformation is proposed to link Industry 4.0 enablers, smart service and operation transformation, and targeted sustainability goals. A smart reverse logistics architecture is also given to allow a high level of system integration enabled by intelligent devices and smart portals, autonomous robots, and advanced analytical tools, where the value of technological innovations can be exploited to solve various reverse logistics problems. Thus, the contribution of this research lies, through conceptual development, in presenting a clear roadmap and research agenda for the reverse logistics transformation in Industry 4.0.

The application of Industry 4.0 technologies in sustainable logistics: a systematic literature review (2012-2020) to explore future research opportunities.

Nowadays, the market competition becomes increasingly fierce due to diversified customer needs, stringent environmental requirements, and global competitors. One of the most important factors for companies to not only survive but also thrive in today's competitive market is their logistics performance. This paper aims, through a systematic literature analysis of 115 papers from 2012 to 2020, at presenting quantitative insights and comprehensive overviews of the current and future research landscapes of sustainable logistics in the Industry 4.0 era. The results show that Industry 4.0 technologies provide opportunities for improving the economic efficiency, environmental performance, and social impact of logistics sectors. However, several challenges arise with this technological transformation, i.e., trade-offs among different sustainability indicators, unclear benefits, lifecycle environmental impact, inequity issues, and technology maturity. Thus, to better tackle the current research gaps, future suggestions are given to focus on the balance among different sustainability indicators through the entire lifecycle, human-centric technological transformation, system integration and digital twin, semi-autonomous transportation solutions, smart reverse logistics, and so forth.