Kinematic analysis of the human body during sit-to-stand in healthy young adults

Sit-to-stand (STS) motion is one of the most important and energy-consuming basic motions in everyday life. Kinematic analysis provides information regarding what strategy or motion pattern is used by the healthy people, and through which, we can understand and obtain the law of the STS motion. The objective of this article is to study the law of STS motion through the experiment to determine a suitable description of STS motion in healthy adults, so as to provide a starting point and bases for future design and control of STS assistive devices.Thirty healthy adult subjects participated in this study and carried out STS motion experiment of standing up naturally. The STS motions were recorded using a high-definition camera. The experimentally collected kinematic data and a link segment model of the human body were used to obtain the coordinates of joints and to calculate the coordinates, velocity, and momentum of center of gravity; the postures of human body during STS are also obtained. The relationship between human body parameters and motion parameters is analyzed by using Pearson correlation method.The STS motion is divided into 4 phases; the phases are differentiated in terms of STS motion characteristics and postures, and momentum of center of gravity of human body. The main factors determining the differences in STS motion among individuals are horizontal distance between hip joint and ankle joint, lower leg length, thigh length, and the length of the transition period. The horizontal distance between hip joint and ankle joint is positively correlated with the duration from motion begin to trunk stops flexing forward (P = .021 < .05), but not so with the duration from motion begin to the end of phase 2 (P = .15 > .05).The results suggest that when designing the sit-to-stand assistive devices, one should pay attention to the whole-body posture control in STS motion, such as the posture guidance of trunk and lower leg, and should carry out specific training according to different STS phases. Sit-to-stand assistive devices should provide the same horizontal distance between hip joint and ankle joint for different individuals during the STS motion. Transition period should be properly controlled, and the degree of freedom of the lower leg should not be limited.

Behavior and mechanism of different fraction lead leach with several typical sulfate lixiviants in the weathered crust elution-deposited rare earth ore

Recently, some new leaching agents without ammonium, such as magnesium sulfate (MgSO₄) and aluminum sulfate [Al₂(SO₄)₃], have been developed to eliminate ammonia nitrogen pollution in in situ mining process of the weathered crust elution-deposited rare earth ore (WCED-REO), but they might cause heavy metal contamination. In this study, characteristics and mechanisms of different fractions of lead (Pb) released by (NH₄)₂SO₄, MgSO₄ and Al₂(SO₄)₃ leaching agents were investigated using batch experiments and column leaching tests. The experimental results showed that the amounts of Pb released by the different leaching agents followed the trend of Al₂(SO₄)₃ > (NH₄)₂SO₄ > MgSO₄ under the same total cationic charge, and both the acid extractable and reducible fractions of Pb were released. The release of acid extractable fraction Pb was related to the cation hydration radius of NH₄⁺, Mg²⁺, and Al³⁺, whereas the release of reducible fraction Pb was mainly influenced by the concentration of H⁺, especially at pH < 4.0. Furthermore, column leaching tests indicated that pH has little effect on the Pb contents of different fractions released by (NH₄)₂SO₄ and MgSO₄ in leaching the WCED-REO. Although Al₂(SO₄)₃ released the largest contents of rare earth and Pb in leachate, the content of residual acid extractable fraction Pb in soil was the most after water injection (simulating the cleaning process after mining). This work can provide a scientific method and theoretical basis for comprehensively assessing the environmental impact of new leaching agents on WCED-REO mining.

[Analysis of blood components of Yougui Yin in normal rats and rats with kidney deficiency caused by adenine based on UPLC-MS technology]

Based on the serum medicinal method, this study aims to investigate the migrating components of Yougui Yin in the blood after intragastric administration, and to provide reference for the basic research of its pharmacodynamics. The kidney deficiency rat model was replicated by adenine method. Normal rats and model rats were administered orally for a single gavage of Yougui Yin. The components in blood were rapidly analyzed and identified by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography/quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-TOF-MS) and multiple reaction monitoring(MRM), and the migrating components in blood of Yougui Yin were explored by multivariate statistical analysis. The results showed that there were 42 characteristic peaks in the plasma of normal rats by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS technology and 13 chemical components were identified, including 6 alkaloids, 2 flavonoids, 2 triterpenoid saponins, 1 iridoid, 1 phenylpropanoid and 1 monoterpenoid. There were 22 characteristic peaks in the plasma of kidney-deficiency rats, and 12 chemical components were identified, including 2 iridoids, 6 alkaloids, 2 flavonoids, 1 monoterpenoid and 1 triterpenoid saponin. Verbascoside, isoacteoside, acteoside, pinoresinoldiglucoside, loganin and morroniside were identified by MRM both in the plasma of normal rats and kidney-deficiency rats. Compared with 85 monomer components in Yougui Yin, 17 common prototype components were found by UPLC-MS in the plasma of normal rats and kidney deficiency rats, including verbascoside, isoacteoside, acteoside, rehmapicrogenin derived from Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata, pinoresinol diglucoside and geniposidic acid from Eucommiea Cortex, loganin and morroniside derived from Corni Fructus, mesaconine, benzoylmesaconine, benzoylaconitine, benzoylhypacoitine, mesaconitine, aconitine derived from Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata, liquiritin, isoliquiritin and glycyrrhizic acid derived from Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma. Thirty-one metabolites of medicinal ingredients not found in the plasma of adenine-induced kidney deficiency rats were also detected in the plasma of normal rats. Twelve metabolites of medicinal materials not found in the plasma of normal rats were detected in the plasma of kidney deficiency rats. The results of the study provide reference for explaining the material basis and mechanism of Yougui Yin in the treatment of kidney deficiency.

CO-STAR: Surgical conversion feasibility trial of sintilimab (PD-1 inhibitor) combined with Nab-PTX, S-1 and apatinib for the first-line treatment of stage IV gastric cancer (GC)

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Background: Chemotherapy and PD-1 inhibitor have shown significant clinical benefits in first-line treatment of GC, overall survival was still dismal. The surgical intervention with curative or life prolonging intention was evaluated as feasible for stage IV GC from clinical trials and retrospective cohorts. Our previous study of cytotoxic chemotherapy (S-1 & PTX) in combination with multi-targets anti-angiogenic TKIs illustrated increased response and R0 resection rate. Given the enhanced response from chemo, PD-1 and TKIs regimens, this trial was designed to assess the feasibility of surgical conversion from this combination in stage IV GC. Methods: This is a prospective, single-arm, single-center, phase II trial. Eligible criteria were treatment naïve, histopathologically confirmed stage IV (AJCC8th) and ECOG PS 0-1 GC adenocarcinoma. Pts were given with sintilimab (200mg, iv, d1) combined with Nab-PTX (w/o peritoneal spread: 260 mg/m2, iv, d1; w/ peritoneal spread: 180 mg/m2, iv, d1 and 80 mg/m2, ip, d1), S-1 (60mg, po, bid, d1-14), and apatinib (250mg, po, qd) every 3 wks. Tumor response was assessed every 2-4 cycles by radiologic imaging and MDT was employed to determine surgical feasibility. Safety run-in was employed in the first 3+3 pts by DLTs to determine the tolerability. The primary endpoint was ORR and R0 surgical conversion rate. Results: 42 pts were enrolled up to 2/2021. The median follow-up was 3.5m (range 0.7-11.3). The median age was 56 yrs (range 31-72), male was 47.6%, and PS 1 was 31.0%. The metastatic factors were characterized as No.16 lymph nodes 54.8% (23), liver 23.8% (10), peritoneum 40.5% (17), Krukenberg 2.4% (1), and extensive metastases (≥2 organs) 42.9% (18). No DLT occurred in initial 6 pts. Of 36 evaluable pts, ORR was 61.1% and DCR was 97.2%. Surgical conversion was currently identified in 18 pts with 94.4% (17) R0 resection, and the R0 surgical conversion rate was 47.2% (17/36). Median treatment cycle in converted pts was 4. 22.2% (4/18) pts achieved pathological complete response (TRG 0), and 27.8% (5/18) pts had major response (TRG 0-1). The most common AEs were grade 1-2, and 1 SAE of hemorrhage grade 4 occurred. No increase of anastomotic leakage, hemorrhage, and abdominal infection, and no surgery caused death and complication caused second operation occurred. The median postoperative length of stay was 9.5d (range 6-16). Conclusions: These preliminary results showed favorable tumor response and acceptable tolerability for potential surgical resection. Sintilimab, doublet chemotherapy, and apatinib might offer an opportunity of cure for stage IV gastric cancer. Trial ID: NCT04267549. Clinical trial information: NCT04267549. [Table: see text]

Use of thermally modified waste concrete powder for removal of Pb (II) from wastewater: Effects and mechanism

Exploring effective uses of waste concrete powder (WCP), produced from recycling of construction & demolition waste is beneficial to the environment and sustainable development. In this study, WCP was first treated thermally to enhance the ability to remove Pb (II) from aqueous solutions. The experimental results revealed that the thermal treatment could enhance adsorption capacity due to modification of calcium bonding and pore structure of WCP. Preparation parameters such as temperature, particle size, and water-cement ratio were investigated to obtain the optimal operational conditions. Batch adsorption experiments were performed to explore influence factors of pH (1.00-6.00), ionic strength (0.05-2 mol/L), dosage (2-50 g/L), and temperature (25-45 °C). The pseudo-second-order kinetics model could adequately describe the adsorption process, and the Langmuir model was capable to predict the isotherm data well in the low concentration region (C₀ < 500 mg/L). The maximum uptake capacity for Pb (II) calculated by Langmuir model at 25, 35 and 45 °C were 46.02, 38.58 and 30.01 mg/g respectively, and the removal rate of Pb (II) was 92.96% at a dosage of 50 g/L (C₀ = 1000 mg/L). Precipitation, ion exchange, and surface complexation were identified to be the main mechanisms of Pb (II) adsorption through microscopic investigation by SEM-EDX, XRD, FTIR, XPS, and BET inspections. The study confirms that the WCP after thermal modification, can be selected as a promising adsorbent for the high performance and eco-friendliness.

Sustainable advances on phosphorus utilization in soil via addition of biochar and humic substances

The intervention of human in phosphorus pool seems to be a vicious circle. The rapid population growth leads to the global food shortage, which leads to the massive use of phosphate fertilizer and the continuous exploitation of phosphate rocks. With the massive loss and fixation of phosphate fertilizer in the soil, the unavailable phosphorus in the soil becomes superfluous, while the phosphate mineral resources turn to scarce. Interestingly, exogenous carbonaceous materials, notably, biochar and humic substances, have been widely used as soil conditioners in agricultural production up to date, among other actions to interfere with the balance between the different phosphate species, which offer effective roles for increasing soil available phosphorus. This article reviews the regulation mechanisms of biochar and humic substances on phosphorus availability and circulation, including improving soil physicochemical characteristics, regulating microbial community structure, and directly interacting with phosphorus to affect the fate of phosphorus in soil. Finally, the prospects for future research directions are made, and it is hoped that the review of this article can arouse people's attention to the current plight of agricultural production and provide some methods for improving the efficiency of phosphate fertilizer use in the future.

Evaluation of the effectiveness of VOC-contaminated soil preparation based on AHP-CRITIC-TOPSIS model

Currently, several methods have been adopted for the laboratory preparation of artificial volatile organic compound (VOC) contaminated soils (VCSs). However, it remains unclear whether the prepared contaminated soils are homogenous. In this study, two representative VOCs, toluene and perchloroethylene, were separately mixed with a kaolin-based soil using six preparation methods. Thereafter, the homogeneity and recovery of the contaminated kaolin prepared using these methods were determined and analyzed. The six procedures were quantitatively assessed according to the comprehensive evaluation mathematical model (AHP-CRITIC-TOPSIS), and the final score order of the different procedures was: A > C > E > B > F > D. Additionally, the qualitative evaluation of the procedures was performed based on the phase transformation and mass transfer during the mixing processes. Based on these discussions, method A, which was considered to be optimal, was then adopted for further investigations with various natural soils. The results showed that this optimal method could be applied to natural soils and revealed that the adsorption-related characteristics of natural soils, including total organic carbon, specific surface area, pore volume, pH, plastic limit, particle size, and mineral composition, influenced the homogeneity and recovery through mass transfer. In addition, it was also observed that the chemical properties of VOCs, including molecular structure, vapor pressure, and the octanol/water partition coefficient, could also affect the effectiveness of sample recovery. Through this study, researchers can prepare VCSs with excellent homogeneity and low loss rates to conduct standardized tests for technology development.

GSTZ1 sensitizes hepatocellular carcinoma cells to sorafenib-induced ferroptosis via inhibition of NRF2/GPX4 axis

Increasing evidence supports that ferroptosis plays an important role in tumor growth inhibition. Sorafenib, originally identified as an inhibitor of multiple oncogenic kinases, has been shown to induce ferroptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, some hepatoma cell lines are less sensitive to sorafenib-induced ferroptotic cell death. Glutathione S-transferase zeta 1 (GSTZ1), an enzyme in the catabolism of phenylalanine, suppresses the expression of the master regulator of cellular redox homeostasis nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2). This study aimed to investigate the role and underlying molecular mechanisms of GSTZ1 in sorafenib-induced ferroptosis in HCC. GSTZ1 was significantly downregulated in sorafenib-resistant hepatoma cells. Mechanistically, GSTZ1 depletion enhanced the activation of the NRF2 pathway and increased the glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) level, thereby suppressing sorafenib-induced ferroptosis. The combination of sorafenib and RSL3, a GPX4 inhibitor, significantly inhibited GSTZ1-deficient cell viability and promoted ferroptosis and increased ectopic iron and lipid peroxides. In vivo, the combination of sorafenib and RSL3 had a synergic therapeutic effect on HCC progression in Gstz1^-/- mice. In conclusion, this finding demonstrates that GSTZ1 enhanced sorafenib-induced ferroptosis by inhibiting the NRF2/GPX4 axis in HCC cells. Combination therapy of sorafenib and GPX4 inhibitor RSL3 may be a promising strategy in HCC treatment.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of indazole derivatives as anti-cancer agents

Several FDA approved small molecule anti-cancer drugs contain indazole scaffolds. Here, we report the design, synthesis and biological evaluation of a series of indazole derivatives. In vitro antiproliferative activity screening showed that compound 2f had potent growth inhibitory activity against several cancer cell lines (IC₅₀ = 0.23–1.15 μM). Treatment of the breast cancer cell line 4T1 with 2f inhibited cell proliferation and colony formation. 2f dose-dependently promoted the apoptosis of 4T1 cells, which was connected with the upregulation of cleaved caspase-3 and Bax, and downregulation of Bcl-2. 2f also decreased the mitochondrial membrane potential and increased the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in 4T1 cells. Additionally, treatment with 2f disrupted 4T1 cells migration and invasion, and the reduction of matrix metalloproteinase metalloproteinase-9 (MMP9) and increase of tissue inhibitor matrix metalloproteinase 2 (TIMP2) were also observed. Moreover, 2f could suppress the growth of the 4T1 tumor model without obvious side effects in vivo. Taken together, these results identified 2f as a potential small molecule anti-cancer agent.

One of the synthesized indazole derivatives, 2f, displayed inhibitory activities against proliferation, migration and invasion of breast cancer cell line 4T1, with the potential of inducing cell apoptosis, and suppressing tumor growth in vivo.

METTL14 regulates M6A methylation-modified primary miR-19a to promote cardiovascular endothelial cell proliferation and invasion

OBJECTIVE

Increasing evidence indicated that N6-methyl-adenosine (M6A) played a key role in a variety of pathophysiological processes. Methylases could promote the processing of mature mi-RNA in a M6A-dependent manner, thereby participating in the pathological cells' occurrence and development. However, the regulatory mechanism of M6A in atherosclerosis (AS) was still unclear.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Quantificational Real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to detect the relative expression levels of M6A, methyltransferase, demethylase transferase, miR-19a and other mi-RNA in atherosclerotic vascular endothelial cells (ASVEC). Cell Counting Kit (CCK8) was used to detect cell proliferation, the expression of PCNA was measured by Western Blot (WB) and qRT-PCR. Transwell assays were used to detect the invasion ability of ASVEC. Co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) was used to detect the binding of METTL14 to DGCR8. RNA Immunoprecipitation (RIP) was used to detect the binding of METTL14 to miR-19a.

RESULTS

M6A modification levels and METTL14 methylation transferase were significantly overexpressed in ASVEC. Silencing METTL14 inhibited the proliferation and invasion of ASVEC. Low expression of METTL14 suppressed the binding of methylated RNA and RNA splicing related protein DGCR8. Moreover, silencing METTL14 significantly inhibited the expression of miR-19a while promoted the expression of primary pre-miR-19a. However, high expression of METTL14 obviously increased the expression of DGCR8 and methylated m6A. Furthermore, silencing miR-19a inhibited the proliferation and invasion of ASVEC.

CONCLUSIONS

METTL14 increased the M6A modification of pri-miR-19a and promoted the processing of mature miR-19a, thus promoting the proliferation and invasion of ASVEC. These results suggested that METTL14/ M6A/ miR-19a signaling pathway may be a new target for atherosclerosis treatment.

Alkaline modification of the acid residue of incinerated sewage sludge ash after phosphorus recovery for heavy metal removal from aqueous solutions

Enriched in phosphorus, sewage sludge ash has been extensively studied and applied as a secondary source for phosphorus recovery. Wet extraction, especially acid washing, is one of the most feasible methods to recover phosphorus from the ash due to its ease of operation, high efficiency and low cost. However, the management of the resultant acid residue was seldom addressed. In this study, special focus was paid to the reuse and recycling of the acid residue by an alkaline activation method. Its adsorption performance towards four different heavy metals in aqueous solutions was evaluated by batch and fixed-bed column adsorption experiments. The obtained material showed a high BET specific area (98.29 m²/g) and a total pore volume (0.114 cm³/g), and effectively removed Cd(II), Cu(II), Pb(II) and Zn(II) from aqueous solutions with the maximum adsorption capacity of around 26.8, 22.2, 53.3 and 13.5 mg/g respectively. It could be loaded in a fixed-bed column to continuously remove heavy metals especially for Pb(II). The proposed method to recycle the acid residue makes the wet extraction methods designing to recover phosphorus from incinerated sewage sludge complete without the generation of waste, which contributes to circular economy and a sustainable future.

On-surface preparation of coordinated lanthanide-transition-metal clusters

The study of lanthanide (Ln)-transition-metal (TM) heterometallic clusters which play key roles in various high-tech applications is a rapid growing field of research. Despite the achievement of numerous Ln-TM cluster compounds comprising one Ln atom, the synthesis of Ln-TM clusters containing multiple Ln atoms remains challenging. Here, we present the preparation and self-assembly of a series of Au-bridged heterometallic clusters containing multiple cerium (Ce) atoms via on-surface coordination. By employing different pyridine and nitrile ligands, the ordered coordination assemblies of clusters containing 2, 3 and 4 Ce atoms bridged by Au adatoms are achieved on Au(111) and Au(100), as revealed by scanning tunneling microscopy. Density functional theory calculations uncover the indispensable role of the bridging Au adatoms in constructing the multi-Ce-containing clusters by connecting the Ce atoms via unsupported Ce-Au bonds. These findings demonstrate on-surface coordination as an efficient strategy for preparation and organization of the multi-Ln-containing heterometallic clusters.

Reconstituting neurovascular unit with primary neural stem cells and brain microvascular endothelial cells in three-dimensional matrix

Neurovascular dysfunction is a primary or secondary cause in the pathogenesis of several cerebrovascular and neurodegenerative disorders, including stroke. Therefore, the overall protection of the neurovascular unit (NVU) is a promising therapeutic strategy for various neurovascular diseases. However, the complexity of the NVU limits the study of the pathological mechanisms of neurovascular dysfunction. Reconstituting the in vitro NVU is important for the pathological study and drug screening of neurovascular diseases. In this study, we generated a spontaneously assembled three‐dimensional NVU (3D NVU) by employing the primary neural stem cells and brain microvascular endothelial cells in a Matrigel extracellular matrix platform. This novel model exhibits the fundamental structures and features of the NVU, including neurons, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, vascular‐like structures, and blood–brain barrier‐like characteristics. Additionally, under oxygen‐glucose deprivation, the 3D NVU exhibits the neurovascular‐ or oxidative stress‐related pathological characteristics of cerebral ischemia and the injuries can be mitigated, respectively, by supplementing with the vascular endothelial growth factor or edaravone, which demonstrated that the availability of 3D NVU in ischemic stroke modeling. Finally, the 3D NVU promoted the angiogenesis and neurogenesis in the brain of cerebral ischemia rats. We expect that the proposed in vitro 3D NVU model will be widely used to investigate the relationships between angiogenesis and neurogenesis and to study the pathology and pharmacology of neurovascular diseases.

MiR-216b regulates the tumorigenesis of gastric cancer by targeting PXN

BACKGROUND

Accumulating evidence has demonstrated that microRNAs (miRNAs) are associated with tumorigenesis. miR-216b can play a vital role in the genesis and development of gastric cancer (GC), and its molecular mechanisms require further elucidation.

METHODS

The biological effects of miR-216b in GC cells were investigated by MTT, transwell assays, and cell cycle. Western blot and luciferase assay were performed to demonstrate the direct binding of miR-216b on PXN 3'UTR. Furthermore, MTT, colony formation assays, transwell assays, and flow cytometry analysis, as well as xenograft mice model, were used to measure the effects of miR-216b-PXN on GC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion indicated by in vitro and in vivo.

RESULTS

Our results showed that miR-216b acted as a tumor suppressor in GC progression. miR-216b overexpression suppressed GC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in vitro. Luciferase reporter assays identified paxillin (PXN) as a novel target gene of miR-216b. PXN overexpression could partially rescue miR-216b-induced the inhibitory effects in GC cells. Besides, overexpression of miR-216b contributed to the activation of PI3K/AKT signaling via partly regulating PXN in GC cells.

CONCLUSIONS

The above results showed that miR-216b could offer a novel therapeutic avenue by targeting PXN in GC.

[Anatomical partial lobectomy for the treatment of 3 336 cases of patients with lung nodule]

Objective: To explore the feasibility, safety and effectiveness of anatomical partial lobectomy. Methods: The clinical data of 3 336 patients with lung nodules underwent anatomical partial lobectomy in our center from November 2013 to November 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. We set the safety margin distance according to the imaging feature of the lesion. The surgeons then anatomically detached the major vessels and bronchus in this region, resected the targeted lung tissue along the plane, and completed the resection of anatomical pulmonary lobe and clean and sampling of systemic lymph nodules. Results: A total of 668 cases were multiple nodules and 2 668 cases were solitary pulmonary nodules. According to the postoperative pathological results, 283 cases were benign, 1 197 cases were preinvasive lesions (including 38 cases of atypical adenomatous hyperplasia, 445 cases of adenocarcinoma in situ and 714 cases of minimally invasive adenocarcinoma), 1 713 cases were invasive adenocarcinoma, 73 cases were non-adenocarcinoma and 70 cases were metastatic carcinoma. Among 1 786 invasive primary lung cancers, 11 cases received preoperative neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and their postoperative pathologic diagnoses were stage ypIA. Other 1 775 cases who did not receive postoperative neoadjuvant treatment included 1 587 cases in stage ⅠA, 112 cases in stage ⅠB, 3 cases in stage ⅡA, 18 cases in stage ⅡB, 37 cases in stage ⅢA, 9 cases in stage ⅢB, 9 cases in stage Ⅳ. The average operation time was (127.3±55.3) minutes, and the mean postoperative hospital stay was (4.8±2.4) days. The incidence rate of complications (grade>2) was 1.1%(38/3 336), and no death occurred during 30 days after operation. Conclusion: Anatomic partial lobectomy has good clinical applicability, safety and effectiveness, which is worthy of clinical application and recommendation.

The influence of soil particle size distribution and clay minerals on ammonium nitrogen in weathered crust elution-deposited rare earth tailing

Even after being abandoned for many years, a large number of weathered crust elution-deposited rare earth (WCED-RE) tailings continue to release ammonia nitrogen (AN) pollution into their surrounding environments. However, the influences of particle size distribution and clay minerals on AN pollution caused by these tailings have been insufficiently studied, and its causes are poorly understood. In this study, soil samples at different depths (5, 7, 9, 11 and 14 m) were collected from a rare earth tailing in Ganzhou City, Jiangxi Province, China. Particles were screened by size into six groups (2-1, 1-0.5, 0.5-0.25, 0.25-0.1, 0.1-0.075 and < 0.075 mm), and AN forms were extracted. The results showed that as soil particle size decreases, both soil specific surface area and clay content increase, leading to stronger AN enrichment ability. With increased sampling depth, the distribution of clay across the six particle fractions became more uniform, such that the accumulation of AN in soil with fine particle size was less obvious. Clay minerals with different capacities for AN enrichment vary with sampling depth. This variation is responsible for the profile of AN distribution in the mine, where AN first increases and then decreases as vertical depth is increased. Although AN content was highest at 11 m, water soluble AN content was higher in the upper part of the completely weathered layer (5 and 7 m), which poses a higher environmental risk. This study provides significant information to deepen our understanding of the distribution characteristics of AN and its main influencing factors, as well as a foundation for the prevention and remediation of nitrogen pollution from WCED-RE tailings.

Repurposing of antipsychotic trifluoperazine for treating brain metastasis, lung metastasis and bone metastasis of melanoma by disrupting autophagy flux

Targeted therapies and immunotherapy have brought substantial benefits to patients with melanoma. However, brain metastases remain the biggest threat to the survival and quality of life of melanoma patients. One of the major challenges to an effective therapy is the inability of drugs to penetrate the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Anti-schizophrenic drugs can cross the BBB, and many of them have demonstrated anti-cancer effects. Repurposing existing drugs for new clinical indications is an alluring strategy for anticancer drug discovery. Herein, we applied this strategy and screened a small collection of existing anti-schizophrenic drugs to use as anti-melanoma agents. Among them, trifluoperazine dihydrochloride (TFP) exhibited promising potencies for suppressing the growth and metastasis of melanoma, both in vitro and in vivo. TFP obviously suppressed the viability of melanoma cells within the micromolar range and inhibited the growth of melanoma in the subcutaneous mice models. Notably, intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration of TFP (40 mg/kg/day) obviously inhibited the growth of intra-carotid-injection established melanoma brain metastasis and extended the survival of brain metastasis-bearing mice. Moreover, TFP significantly suppressed lung metastasis and bone metastasis of melanoma in preclinical metastasis models. Mechanistically, TFP caused G0/G1 cell cycle arrest and mitochondrial-dependent intrinsic apoptosis of melanoma cells. In addition, TFP treatment increased the expression of microtubule associated protein 1 light chain 3 beta-II (LC3B-II) and p62 in vitro, suggesting an inhibition of autophagic flux. TFP decreased LysoTracker Red uptake after treatment, indicating impaired acidification of lysosomes. Moreover, the colocalization of LC3 with lysosomal-associated membrane protein 1 (LAMP1), a lysosome marker, was also suppressed after TFP treatment, suggesting that TFP might block the fusion of autophagosomes with lysosomes, which led to autophagosome accumulation. Taken together, our data highlight the potential of repurposing TFP as a new adjuvant drug for treating melanoma patients with brain, lung, and bone metastases.

A systematic assessment of aeration rate effect on aerobic degradation of municipal solid waste based on leachate chemical oxygen demand removal

Aeration is one mainstream technique to accelerate municipal solid waste (MSW) degradation in landfills. The determination of an appropriate aeration rate is critical to the design and operation of a landfill aeration system. In this study, we analyze 132 waste degradation tests reported in forty one studies in the literature. We use L min^-1 kg^-1 dry organic matter (L min^-1 kg^-1 DOM) as the uniform unit to quantify the aeration rates in all tests. The first order rate coefficient for chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal in leachate (k_COD) is selected as the parameter to characterize MSW degradation process. We further divide aerobic tests into five aerobic groups base on the respective aeration rates, i.e., <0.02, 0.02-0.1, 0.1-0.3, 0.3-1, and >1 L min^-1 kg^-1 DOM. With an increase in the aeration rate, the k_COD increases first and then decreases. The aeration rate between 0.1 and 0.3 L min^-1 kg^-1 DOM has the best enhancement on the k_COD. The k_COD values are not much higher than the anaerobic and semi-aerobic tests when the aeration rates are <0.1 L min^-1 kg^-1 DOM, because such aeration rates may be lower than the actual oxygen consumption rates. An aeration rate >0.3 L min^-1 kg^-1 DOM reduces the k_COD likely due to excess water evaporation and ventilation cooling. Among the analyzed results, the aeration rate is the most related to the k_COD in principal component analysis than the other factors, including liquid recirculation and addition, waste total density, waste degradation level, and waste initial temperature.

USP7, negatively regulated by miR-409-5p, aggravates hypoxia-induced cardiomyocyte injury

Hypoxia-induced apoptosis is linked to the pathogenesis of myocardial infarction (MI) and heart failure. Ubiquitin-specific peptidase 7 (USP7) is related to catabolic/pro-apoptotic signaling. However, its role in cardiomyocyte injury is unclear. In this study, we aimed to investigate the role and the underlying regulatory mechanism of USP7 in MI. H9c2 cardiomyocytes were cultured in hypoxia to establish an in vitro model of myocardial hypoxic/ischemic injury. Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were used to establish animal models with MI. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blot assays were performed to evaluate the expression levels of miR-409-5p, USP7, and p53, respectively. After USP7 and miR-409-5p were selectively regulated in H9c2 cells, the inflammatory response, apoptosis, and cell viability were detected by ELISA, flow cytometry, and MTT assay, respectively. The interaction between USP7 and miR-409-5p was determined by bioinformatics analysis, qRT-PCR, Western blot, and dual-luciferase reporter assay. LVEF, LVIDd, and LVIDs of rats after MI were also measured. USP7 expression was markedly elevated while miR-409-5p expression was significantly down-regulated in H9c2 cells under hypoxic culture. Augmentation of USP7 expression led to a dramatic promotion of hypoxia-induced apoptosis of cardiomyocytes, accompanied by an increase in the secretion of the cytokines IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-6. Myocardial injury markers LDH, cTnI, and CK-MB expressions were also increased. Besides, overexpression of USP7 aggravated left ventricular remodeling and decreased left ventricular function of the rats. Conversely, the up-regulation of miR-409-5p expression protected H9c2 cells from apoptosis and inhibited the release of cytokines and myocardial injury. Left ventricular remodeling and left ventricular function were also improved by miR-409-5p overexpression. Furthermore, USP7 was identified as a target of miR-409-5p and the overexpression of miR-409-5p reversed the effects of USP7 on H9c2 cells. USP7 exacerbates myocardial ischemic injury by promoting inflammation and apoptosis of cardiomyocytes, and the up-regulation of its expression is partly caused by the down-regulation of miR-409-5p expression.

Bacterial-induced mineralization (BIM) for soil solidification and heavy metal stabilization: A critical review

Solidification and stabilization (S/S) treatment via cement is common and effective for improving soil strength and stabilizing heavy metals in contaminated soils, but has certain drawbacks, such as high fossil energy consumption, big carbon footprint, poor chemical compatibility, and ambiguous long-term stability. This paper innovatively proposes bacterial-induced mineralization (BIM) as an eco-friendly and efficient S/S method. In the BIM-S/S treatment, life activities of bacteria produce minerals to cement the soil particles and fix the heavy metals. This review firstly summarizes the basic theories of BIM technology followed by the evaluation on remediation effects and long-term stability in terms of soil solidification and heavy metal stabilization. Then the factors in BIM-S/S application are reviewed. Emphasis is put on the comparison of the BIM-S/S effect with that of cement-based-S/S technology. It is concluded that BIM-S/S technology is promising with outstanding performance in sustainability. On the other hand, current limitations and deficiencies with this technology are identified finally, hereby the directions for future research are pointed to make a major advancement in the BIM-S/S technology.

Cytotoxic gelsedine-type indole alkaloids from Gelsemium elegans

A chemical investigation on the 95% ethanol extract of the aerial part of Gelsemium elegans resulted in the isolation of three new gelsedine-type indole alkaloids, 14β-hydroxygelselenidine (1), 11-methoxygelseziridine (2), and 14β-hydroxygelsedethenine (3). Structural elucidation of all the compounds was accomplished by spectral methods such as 1 D and 2 D NMR, IR, UV, and HRESIMS. The isolated compounds were tested in vitro for cytotoxic activities against five human non-small-cell lung cancer cell lines. Consequently, alkaloid 3 exhibited cytotoxic activities for all tested tumor cell lines with IC₅₀ values from 8.3 to 9.8 μM. [Formula: see text].

Catalpol protects vascular structure and promotes angiogenesis in cerebral ischemic rats by targeting HIF-1α/VEGF

BACKGROUND

The initial factor in the occurrence, development, and prognosis of cerebral ischemia is vascular dysfunction in the brain, and vascular remodeling of the brain is the key therapeutic target and strategy for ischemic tissue repair. Catalpol is the main active component of the radix of Rehmannia glutinosa Libosch, and it exhibits potential pleiotropic protective effects in many brain-related diseases, including stroke.

PURPOSE

The present study was designed to investigate whether catalpol protects vascular structure and promotes angiogenesis in cerebral ischemic rats and to identify its possible mechanisms in vivo and in vitro.

STUDY DESIGN

Cerebral ischemic rats and oxygen-glucose deprivation-exposed brain microvascular endothelial cells were used to study the therapeutic potential of catalpol in vivo and in vitro.

METHODS

First, neurological deficits, histopathological morphology, infarct volume, vascular morphology, vessel density, and angiogenesis in focal cerebral ischemic rats were observed to test the potential treatment effects of catalpol. Then, oxygen-glucose deprivation-exposed brain microvascular endothelial cells were used to mimic the pathological changes in vessels during ischemia to study the effects and possible mechanisms of catalpol in protecting vascular structure and promoting angiogenesis.

RESULTS

The in vivo results showed that catalpol reduced neurological deficit scores and infarct volume, protected vascular structure, and promoted angiogenesis in cerebral ischemic rats. The in vitro results showed that catalpol improved oxygen-glucose deprivation-induced damage and promoted proliferation, migration, and in vitro tube formation of brain microvascular endothelial cells. The HIF-1α (hypoxia-inducible factor 1α)/VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) pathway was activated by catalpol both in the brains of cerebral ischemic rats and in primary brain microvascular endothelial cells, and the activating effects of catalpol were inhibited by SU1498.

CONCLUSION

The results of both the in vivo and in vitro studies proved that catalpol protects vascular structure and promotes angiogenesis in focal cerebral ischemic rats and that the mechanism is dependent on HIF-1α/VEGF.

Adsorption of toluene on various natural soils: Influences of soil properties, mechanisms, and model

This study investigated toluene adsorption on natural soils. The linear partition model was found to represent the adsorption isotherm well (R² = 0.958-0.994), compared with the Freundlich model (R² = 0.901-0.991). Therefore, the coefficient, K_d, of the linear model indicated the adsorption capacity of soils A to F. Traditionally, K_d and the total organic carbon (TOC) content have a good linear relationship. However, this relationship was weak (correlation coefficient (r) = 0.689) when TOC values (8.43-12.9 mg/g) were low and close. To correct this deviation, this study investigated the influences of physicochemical properties, such as special surface area, mineral composition, functional groups, pH, and potentials. As soils B and C consisted of a large amount of active clayey minerals (69.4% kaolinite and 79.3% nacrite, respectively) and rich functional groups, they demonstrated the strongest adsorption capacity. Additionally, the r for pH-K_d, zeta potential-K_d, and redox potential-K_d were high, at 0.806, 0.914, and 0.932, respectively. To explore adsorption mechanisms, the adsorption thermodynamic parameter (enthalpy) was used initially to determine the forces. Combined with the analysis of soil properties, the mechanisms identified were hydrophobic interaction and hydrogen-pi bonding, involving co-adsorption with water molecules. Based on all studies, the properties were quantified and simplified by the plastic limit (PL), and TOC was simplified by soil organic matter (SOM). Then, PL and SOM were weighted by the entropy-weight method to obtain the determination factor, DF, a logarithmic parameter to replace TOC. Finally, a new model describing toluene adsorption on natural soils was established and expressed as K_d = 4.80 + 3.53DF. This new model had significantly improved the correlation between K_d and TOC (r = 0.933) and expanded the engineering adaptability.

Case Report: Surgical Intervention for Fasciolopsis buski Infection: A Literature Review

Fasciolopsis buski, also called the giant intestinal fluke, is the largest intestinal fluke of the zoonotic trematode parasites and found mainly in Southeast Asian countries, including China. Fasciolopsis buski infection was formerly a common health problem in many countries, but it is now rare. Typically, it can be cured by oral drugs, but some infected patients need surgical intervention because of the severity of their condition or because of an unclear diagnosis or even misdiagnosis. Here, we report a case of a 15-year-old girl from Guizhou Province, China, presenting with recurrent upper-middle abdominal pain that was misdiagnosed as a choledochal cyst. Through laparotomy combined with postoperative histopathological examination, the source of the pain was proven to be mechanical biliary obstruction caused by F. buski infection. In the past, mechanical obstruction, especially biliary obstruction, caused by F. buski infection leading to surgery was not uncommon, but it is very rare in modern society. Moreover, delayed treatment and misdiagnosis of parasitic infection can lead to severe consequences. Therefore, we reviewed the previous literature on F. buski infection treated by surgical operation and summarized the characteristics and therapeutic strategies of these cases to raise clinicians’ awareness of this rare infection.

Collective Spin Manipulation in Antiferroelastic Spin-Crossover Metallo-Supramolecular Chains

Coupled spin-crossover complexes in supramolecular systems feature rich spin phases that can exhibit collective behaviors. Here, we report on a molecular-level exploration of the spin phase and collective spin-crossover dynamics in metallo-supramolecular chains. Using scanning tunneling microscopy, spectroscopy, and density functional theory calculations, we identify an antiferroelastic phase in the metal-organic chains, where the Ni atoms coordinated by deprotonated tetrahydroxybenzene linkers on Au(111) are at a low-spin (S = 0) or a high-spin (S = 1) state alternately along the chains. We demonstrate that the spin phase is stabilized by the combined effects of intrachain interactions and substrate commensurability. The stability of the antiferroelastic structure drives the collective spin-state switching of multiple Ni atoms in the same chain in response to electron/hole tunneling to a Ni atom via a domino-like magnetostructural relaxation process. These results provide insights into the magnetostructural dynamics of the supramolecular structures, offering a route toward their spintronic manipulations.

Pollution characteristics of aromatic hydrocarbons in the groundwater of China

Much of the world's groundwater supply has been contaminated by aromatic hydrocarbons originating from anthropogenic sources. To study the occurrence and distribution characteristics of aromatic hydrocarbons in groundwater, 24 aromatic hydrocarbon compounds were selected: Five BTEX compounds (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, o-xylene, m-xylene, and p-xylene), 10 alkyl-substituted benzene, and 9 halogenated aromatics. These aromatic hydrocarbons were then analyzed from 355 samples collected from across China. Results indicated that aromatic hydrocarbons were detected in 59 out of 355 samples. Of the selected aromatic hydrocarbons, BTEX compounds were detected with high frequency and at low concentrations; comparatively, halogenated aromatics were detected with low frequency and at high concentrations. The aromatic hydrocarbon characteristics found in both karst and pore groundwater samples were then determined using their respective hydrogeological conditions and corresponding human activities. In karst groundwater, BTEX compounds were the most frequently detected aromatic hydrocarbon. The high detection frequencies of aromatic hydrocarbons were caused by their rapid migration, owing to the developed conduit system in the sampled karst area. The low concentrations of aromatic hydrocarbons in karst groundwater samples were caused by low-intensity human activity along with special hydrogeological conditions with higher redox potential and the unique compositions of aromatic hydrocarbons. Alkyl-substituted aromatics and halogenated aromatics were detected at higher concentrations in pore groundwater, owing to high-intensity human activity. Aromatic hydrocarbon pollution was gradually decreased along piedmont-alluvial plain-coast line, owing to a decrease in aquifer vulnerability. These were positively correlated with the size of the aquifer's particles. Samples with a high accumulative concentration of these aromatic hydrocarbons tended to occur in pore groundwater with a high concentration of either SO₄^2- or Cl^-.

[Clinical analysis of mediastinal lymph node dissection through sternotomy approach in the treatment of papillary thyroid carcinoma with mediastinal lymph node metastasis]

Objective: To investigate the rule of mediastinal lymph node metastasis of papillary thyroid carcinoma and the application of therapeutic mediastinal lymph node dissection through the sternotomy approach in the treatment of mediastinal lymph node metastasis of papillary thyroid carcinoma. Methods: All cases of papillary thyroid carcinoma with mediastinal lymph node metastasis treated through sternotomy cooperated by thoracic surgeons and head and neck surgeons from January 2006 to January 2017 in Cancer Hospital of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences were included in this study. The distribution, metastasis rate, metastasis degree, surgical method, surgical complications and postoperative survival of patients with mediastinal lymph node metastasis were retrospectively analyzed. Results: A total of 31 patients (16 males and 15 females) with papillary thyroid cancer with mediastinal lymph node metastasis, with a median age of 46 (19-65) years, were enrolled in the group. Partial upper sternotomy was used in 28 cases, and total sternotomy was used in 3 cases. The mediastinal lymph nodes of papillary thyroid carcinoma metastasized farthest to the station 6, and the lymph node metastasis rate of each group from high to low was: 2R (61%), 1R (39%), 3A (39%), 1L (16%), 2L (10%), 4R (10%), 5 (3%) and 6 (3%). No metastasis was observed in station 3P, 4L and 7. In addition, the degree of lymph node metastasis at station 2R was the highest, reaching 35% (77/219). Extra-nodal invasion of mediastinal metastatic lymph nodes in thyroid papillary carcinoma is common (23%), easily fuses into masses (23%) and invades peripheral vascular nerves (26%). Up to 29% of blood transfusions are required during or after surgery due to oozing or bleeding (9/31). The 1-, 3-, 5-and 10-year survival rates of patients undergoing surgical treatment were 94%, 94%, 87% and 81%, respectively. Conclusion: Papillary thyroid carcinoma can metastasize to almost all mediastinal lymph nodes except station 3P, 4L and 7. Radical mediastinal lymph node dissection through sternotomy is an effective method for the treatment of mediastinal lymph node metastasis of thyroid papillary carcinoma.

Identifying the hub gene in gastric cancer by bioinformatics analysis and in vitro experiments

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the main causes of the high death rate in the world. But the molecular mechanisms of GC carcinogenesis remain little known. This study aimed to identify novel promising biomarkers of GC and reveal its potential molecular mechanisms by integrating bioinformatics analysis. We screened the overlapped differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of TCGA and several GEO datasets. Among these DEGs, we used protein-protein interactions network analysis to recognize the hub genes. Moreover, functional enrichment analysis including GO and KEGG pathway analysis and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) were performed to study the role of DEGs and potential underlying mechanisms of GC. Based on integrated bioinformatics analysis, SERPINH1, COL1A2, COL8A1, COL4A1, COL5A1, COL12A1, and COL1A1 were screened as candidate diagnostic marker genes. In addition, SERPINH1 was identified as a core gene in the regulation of GC development. Furthermore, we confirmed that SERPINH1 could promote the proliferation, migration, and cell cycle of GC cells. Our present study demonstrated that SERPINH1 was a core therapeutic biomarker in the regulation of candidate genes involved in GC progression.

A Preliminary Study on the Establishment of the PDTX Model

Objective

The current study aims to explore the establishment of the patient-derived tumor xenograft (PDTX) model.

Materials and Methods

Twenty patients with gastric cancer, 10 males and 10 females, were enrolled in the current study. Firstly, the volume, invasion and metastasis of the xenografts were observed. Subsequently, the correlation between tumor tissues of the PDTX mouse model and the patients' primary tumor tissues was evaluated by pathological H&E staining and immunohistochemistry.

Results

The results showed that the PDTX models corresponding to 15 of the 20 patients were successfully established, and the success rate of PDTX model establishment was 75%. Furthermore, the PDTX models maintained the differentiation degree, morphological characteristics and structural characteristics of tumor cells.

Conclusion

A PDTX model can be used as a substitute for cancer patients in clinical practice and may be suitable for clinical pharmacodynamic screening and new drug development.

CEMIP regulates the proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells in atherosclerosis through the WNT–beta-catenin signaling pathway

In this study we investigated the regulatory role of cell-migration-inducing and hyaluronan-binding protein (CEMIP) in the proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). The mRNA and protein levels of CEMIP were upregulated in the plasma samples from patients with atherosclerosis, and in VSMCs stimulated with platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB), compared with plasma from healthy subjects and untreated VSMCs. Silencing CEMIP suppressed PDGF-BB-induced cell migration and proliferation in VSMCs, as determined using a Cell Counting Kit-8 assays, 5-ethynyl-2′-deocyuridine (EDU) assays, flow cytometry, wound healing assays, and Transwell assays. Overexpression of CEMIP promoted the proliferation and migration of VSMCs via activation of the Wnt–β-catenin signaling pathway and the upregulation of its target genes, including matrix metalloproteinase-2, matrix metalloproteinase-7, cyclin D1, and c-myc, whereas CEMIP deficiency showed the opposite effects. The knockdown of CEMIP in ApoE−/− mice by intravenous injection of lentiviral vector expressing si-CEMIP protected against high-fat-diet-induced atherosclerosis, as shown by the reduced aortic lesion areas, aortic sinus lesion areas, and the concentration of blood lipids compared with mice normally expressing CEMIP. These results demonstrated that CEMIP regulates the proliferation and migration of VSMCs in atherosclerosis by activating the WNT–β-catenin signaling pathway, which suggests the therapeutic potential of CEMIP for the management of atherosclerosis.

In-situ biodegradation of volatile organic compounds in landfill by sewage sludge modified waste-char

VOCs are the major harmful pollutants released from MSW landfills, which are toxicity to human health. In order to in-situ biodegradation of VOCs released from landfill, two novel laboratory-scale biocovers, including waste-char obtained from MSW pyrolysis (WC), and sewage sludge modified the WC (SWC), are used to degradate VOCs. The removal performances of VOCs as well as the bacterial community in the WC and SWC are investigated in a simulated landfill systems with the contrast experiment of a landfill cover soil (LCS) for 60 days. Meanwhile, the adsorption-biodegradation of VOCs model compounds over the LCS, WC, and SWC are also tested in fixed-bed adsorption reactor and in-situ FTIR. The VOCs removal efficiencies by the SWC are maintained above 85% for a long-term, much higher than that of the LCS and WC. The higher removal efficiencies and long-term stability for VOCs degradation in SWC are attributed to a strongly positive synergistic between adsorption and biodegradation that the gaseous VOCs released from MSW is effectively adsorbed by the SWC due to its higher VOCs adsorption capacity, and then the adsorbed-VOCs is converted into CO₂ and H₂O by the microorganisms that consuming the adsorbed-VOCs as energy and carbon sources. Subsequently, the decrease of the adsorbed-VOCs in SWC would also promote the transformation of the gaseous VOCs into the adsorbed VOCs and accelerate the growth of microorganisms by taking the adsorbed-VOCs as the energy and carbon source, resulted in a higher adsorption rate and degradation rate for VOCs.

In-situ biodegradation of harmful pollutants in landfill by sludge modified biochar used as biocover

MSW landfill releases a lot of harmful pollutants such as H₂S, NH₃, and VOCs. In this study, two laboratory-scale biocovers such as biochar (BC) derived from agricultural & forestry wastes (AFW) pyrolysis, and sludge modified the biochar (SBC) were designed and used to remove the harmful pollutants. In order to understand in-situ biodegradation mechanism of the harmful pollutants by the SBC, the removal performances of the harmful pollutants together with the bacterial community in the BC and SBC were investigated in simulated landfill systems for 60 days comparing with the contrast experiment of a landfill cover soil (LCS). Meanwhile, the adsorption capacities of representative harmful pollutants (hydrogen sulfide, toluene, acetone and chlorobenzene) in the LCS, BC, and SBC were also tested in a fixed bed reactor. The removal efficiencies of the harmful pollutants by the SBC ranged from 95.43% to 100.00%, which was much higher than that of the LCS. The adsorption capacities of the harmful pollutants in the SBC were 4 times higher than that of the LCS since the SBC exhibited higher BET surface and N-containing functional groups. Meanwhile, the biodegradation rates of the harmful pollutants in the SBC were also much higher than that of the LCS since the populations of the bacterial community in the SBC were more abundant due to its facilitating the growth and activity of microorganisms in the porous structure of the SBC. In addition, a synergistic combination of adsorption and biodegradation in the SBC that enhanced the reproduction rate of microorganisms by consuming the absorbed-pollutants as carbon sources, which also contributed to enhance the biodegradation rates of the harmful pollutants.

New insight into the removal of Cd(II) from aqueous solution by diatomite

Diatomite is an economical and environmentally friendly adsorbent, and its use has been applied widely for the treatment of water contaminated by heavy metals. Despite this, the mechanism for the removal of the heavy metal Cd(II) remains unclear. In this work, we explored the adsorption mechanism of Cd(II) by diatomite using batch experiment, and characterized the diatomite using scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectrometry, specific surface area, and pore size distribution analysis. Our results showed that, under the experimental conditions, the kinetic adsorption approached equilibrium within 5 min, and the Sips isotherm model was most suitable for data fitting. EDS characterization of the Cd-loaded diatomite indicated that Cd(II) was adsorbed onto the diatomite. Furthermore, desorption experiments showed that Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ in the diatomite caused an ion exchange interaction, and this was primarily responsible for Cd(II) adsorption. Moreover, we found that its contribution to the whole adsorption reaction could reach 80%, while the remainder of Cd(II) was probably trapped in the microporous structure of the diatomite. Additionally, our data indicated that the adsorption mechanism did not change significantly after regeneration. These results have provided special insight into the deep understanding of the mechanism of Cd(II) adsorption by diatomite, and could provide theoretical support and guidance for further development and application of diatomite in the treatment of Cd(II)-contaminated water. Graphical abstract.

Study on Pb release by several new lixiviants in weathered crust elution-deposited rare earth ore leaching process: Behavior and mechanism

New leaching agents could lead to a reduction in ammonia nitrogen pollution and the supplementation of soil nutrients during in-situ mining. They could also result in the release of even more toxic heavy metals, which has an impact on the environment as well as human health. In this study, column leaching experiments were used to simulate in-situ leaching, and the leaching behavior and fractional changes of lead in weathered crust elution-deposited rare earth ore by different leaching agents were studied. The experimental results showed that the amount of lead that was leached followed the order of CLA (60% CaCl₂ + 25% NH₄Cl + 15% MgSO₄) > (NH₄)₂SO₄ > MgSO₄. The lead leaching process was comprised of both an acceleration and deceleration stage that followed the first order kinetic model. The amount of Pb when using compound agent was the greatest most likely because of the presence of Cl^-. The soil heavy metal morphology test showed that the three leaching agents primarily leached acid extractable lead, and the compound leaching agent leached the greatest amount of acid extractable Pb, which mainly due to the presence of NH₄Cl. The reducible fraction was enriched in the direction of migration of the leachate, which was due to the presence of SO₄^2-. These results indicate that the introduction of leaching agents during the mining process pose a greater risk for the release of heavy metals and provide a theoretical basis for the prevention and remediation of heavy metal pollution in mining areas where new leaching agents were used.

You-Gui-Yin improved the reproductive dysfunction of male rats with chronic kidney disease via regulating the HIF1α-STAT5 pathway

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

You-Gui-Yin (YGY) is a famous Chinese traditional medicine compound that has been used to treat renal function diseases for more than 300 years. It is recorded in Jing Yue Quanshu, which was written by a famous medical scientist named Jiebing Zhang in the Ming Dynasty.

AIM OF THE STUDY

Reproductive dysfunction is one of the most serious complications of chronic kidney disease (CKD). The aim of this study was to observe the effect of You-Gui-Yin (YGY) on reproductive dysfunction of male rats with adenine-induced CKD and to determine if any effects occurred via regulation of the HIF1α-STAT5 pathway.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

UPLC-Q-TOF-MS was used to detect the main medicinal components and conduct quality control of YGY. A total of 60 rats were randomly divided into 2 groups: the NC group (10 rats) and the CKD model group (50 rats). The CKD model rats was established by administration of adenine 150 mg kg^-1 orally for 14 days. After that, the CKD rats were randomly divided into 5 groups: the CKD group, YGY (10 g kg^-1 group, 20 g kg^-1 group, 40 g kg^-1 group) and the GUI-LU-ER-XIAN-JIAO (GL) 10 g kg^-1 group with 10 rats in each group. From the 15th day to the 45th day rats were given 150 mg kg^-1 adenine orally every other day to maintain the model (except in the NC group). The YGY groups and the GL group were orally administered the relevant drug once per day for 30 days. The NC group and the CKD group were orally administered an equal volume of normal saline for 30 days. On the 45th day, the rats' sexual behavior index was tested. On the 46th day, the rats were sacrificed. Biochemical indexes, histopathological changes of the kidneys and testes, sperm morphology, sperm abnormality rate, and key proteins in the HIF1α-STAT5 pathway in the kidney and testis were detected.

RESULTS

Thirteen components in the YGY extract were identified by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS for quality control of the YGY extract. The results of the biochemical and physiological tests validated the success of inducing CKD accompanied by reproductive dysfunction in rats. YGY significantly retarded the CKD progression and improved the hormone levels of male CKD rats. Sexual behavior tests showed YGY can significantly improve CKD rats' sexual function. In addition, the pathological changes of the kidney and testis, sperm abnormality rate and sperm morphological abnormalities of the CKD rats were reduced by YGY. Furthermore, decreased expression of HIF1α and EPO, and increased expression of p-EPOR (Tyr368), p-JAK2 (Tyr570) and p-STAT5 (Ser725) were observed in the kidney and the testis of the CKD rats. The YGY extract dramatically increased the expression of HIF1α and EPO, and decreased the expression of p-EPOR (Tyr368), p-JAK2 (Tyr570) and p-STAT5 (Ser725) to regulate key proteins in the HIF1α-STAT5 pathway of the kidney and testis.

CONCLUSIONS

YGY has obvious reversal effects on the abnormal symptoms of adenine-induced CKD and the abnormal symptoms of rats with hypothyroidism and male reproductive hypotension. Its mechanism is related to its ability to regulate the HIF1α-STAT5 pathway.

Association between alpha-synuclein (SNCA) rs11931074 variability and susceptibility to Parkinson's disease: an updated meta-analysis of 41,811 patients

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Parkinson's disease (PD) is one of the most common forms of neurodegenerative disorders, and its etiology remains unclear. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of alpha-synuclein (SNCA) have been found to be significantly associated with PD risk. In particular, the variant rs11931074 was found in one meta-analysis to appear to play a role in the occurrence of PD. This finding has been questioned in subsequent studies, however. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between PD risk and rs11931074 polymorphism.

METHODS

We performed a systematic online search, including PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and CNKI (China National Knowledge Infrastructure), aiming to identify case-control studies looking at the role of rs11931074 in PD. We performed calculations of pooled odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) to assess the associations, and subgroup meta-analyses to verify differences between various ethnicities of different study populations.

RESULTS

A total of 13 studies involving 13,403 cases and 28,408 controls met the inclusion criteria after assessment by two reviewers. Overall, there exists significant associations between SNCA rs11931074 polymorphism and the risk of PD under five genetic models (allele contrast model: T vs. G, OR = 1.28, 95% CI = 1.12-1.45, P = 0.0001; homozygote model: TG vs. GG, OR = 1.55, 95% CI = 1.17-2.05, P = 0.002; heterozygote model (TT vs. GG, OR = 1.23, 95% CI = 1.05-1.42, P = 0.009; dominant model: TG+TT vs. GG: OR = 1.25, 95% CI = 1.05-1.50, P = 0.01 and recessive model: TT vs. TG+GG: OR = 1.40, 95% CI = 1.18-1.68, P = 0.0002). When ethnicities were stratified, significant associations were found in the allelic, homozygote, and recessive models for Asians, and in the allelic model for Caucasians.

CONCLUSION

SNCA rs11931074 polymorphism is found to be associated with PD risk and this risk appears to be influenced by genetic status and ethnicity.

[Surgical treatment strategy for endograft infection after thoracic endovascular aortic repair]

Objective: To examine the results of surgical treatment for endograft infection after thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEAVR). Methods: Clinical data of 7 patients underwent surgical treatment for endograft infection after TEAVR at Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Changhai Hospital, the Navy Medical University between January 2016 and December 2018 were analyzed retrospectively. There were 6 males and 1 female, aging (51.5±16.7) years (range: 25 to 68 years). The origin of the aortic disease was descending aortic aneurysm in 5 cases, and Stanford B aortic dissection in 2 cases. Abdominal aorta below the level of the diaphragm was not involved in all patients. Two patients received "chimney technology" for left subclavian artery procedures. Time to infection was 5(3) months (M(Q(R))) (range: 1 to 24 months). Aortic endograft infection was diagnosed with a combination of microbiology (positive blood cultures, except one with mycotic), radiological evidence and clinical evidence of sepsis. Two patients suffered from aorto-esophageal fistula received emergency surgery, others were treated with elective surgery. Extra-anatomic prosthetic graft bypass was used for reconstruction of aorta, infected endogarft and aorta was removed, sac drainage was performed. Aorto-esophageal fistula was procedured according to the degree of lesions. All patients received antibiotics with specialist advice for 6 to 8 weeks. Results: One patient died due to septic shock. In the follow-time (range: 6 to 24 months), 1 patient suffered from thoracic infection in 3 months after surgery, an other patient got iliac abscess after a month. Conclusions: Endograft infection after TEAVR is high risk but may be curative. Appropriate selection of patients for infected endograft explantation could get a satisfied results.

Analysis of lncRNA-mRNA networks after MEK1/2 inhibition based on WGCNA in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) responds poorly to treatment. Efforts have been exerted to prolong the survival time of PDA, but the 5-year survival rates remain disappointing. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of PDA development is significant. MEK/ERK pathway signaling has been proven to be important in PDA. lncRNA-mRNA networks have become a vital part of molecular mechanisms in the MEK/ERK pathway. Herein, weighted gene coexpression network analysis was used to investigate the coexpressed lncRNA-mRNA networks in the MEK/ERK pathway based on GSE45765. Differently expressed long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) and messenger RNA (mRNA) were found and 10 modules were identified based on coexpression profiles. Gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes were then performed to analyze the coexpressed lncRNA and mRNA in different modules. PDA cells and tissues were used to validate the analysis results. Finally, we found that NONHSAT185150.1 and B4GALT6 were negatively correlated with MEK1/2. By analyzing GSE45765, the genome-wide profiles of lncRNA-mRNA network after MEK1/2 was established, which might aid the development of drug-targeting MEK1/2 and the investigation of diagnostic markers.

Antipsychotic Drug Trifluoperazine Suppresses Colorectal Cancer by Inducing G0/G1 Arrest and Apoptosis

Repurposing existing drugs for cancer treatment is an effective strategy. An approved antipsychotic drug, trifluoperazine (TFP), has been reported to have potential anticancer effects against several cancer types. Here, we investigated the effect and molecular mechanism of TFP in colorectal cancer (CRC). In vitro studies showed that TFP induced G0/G1 cell cycle arrest to dramatically inhibit CRC cell proliferation through downregulating cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) 2, CDK4, cyclin D1, and cyclin E and upregulating p27. TFP also induced apoptosis, decreased mitochondrial membrane potential, and increased reactive oxygen species levels in CRC cells, indicating that TFP induced mitochondria-mediated intrinsic apoptosis. Importantly, TFP significantly suppressed tumor growth in two CRC subcutaneous tumor models without side effects. Interestingly, TFP treatment increased the expression levels of programmed death-1 ligand 1 (PD-L1) in CRC cells and programmed death-1 (PD-1) in tumor-infiltrating CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, implying that the combination of TFP with an immune checkpoint inhibitor, such as an anti-PD-L1 or anti-PD-1 antibody, might have synergistic anticancer effects. Taken together, our study signifies that TFP is a novel treatment strategy for CRC and indicates the potential for using the combination treatment of TFP and immune checkpoint blockade to increase antitumor efficiency.