Effect of long reaction distance on gas composition from organic-rich shale pyrolysis under high-temperature steam environment

When high-temperature steam is used as a medium to pyrolyze organic-rich shale,water steam not only acts as heat transfer but also participates in the chemical reaction of organic matter pyrolysis,thus affecting the generation law and release characteristics of gas products.In this study,based on a long-distance reaction system of organic-rich shale pyrolysis via steam injection,the effects of steam temperature and reaction distance on gas product composition are analyzed in depth and compared with other pyrolysis processes.The advantages of organic-rich shale pyrolysis via steam injection are then evaluated.The volume concentration of hydrogen in the gas product obtained via the steam injection pyrolysis of organic-rich shale is the highest,which is more than 60%.The hydrogen content increases as the reaction distance is extended;however,the rate of increase changes gradually.Increasing the reaction distance from 800 to 4000 mm increases the hydrogen content from 34.91%to 69.68%and from 63.13%to 78.61%when the steam temperature is 500°C and 555°C,respectively.However,the higher the heat injection temperature,the smaller the reaction distance required to form a high concentration hydrogen pyrolysis environment(hydrogen concentration>60%).When the steam pyrolysis temperature is increased from 500°C to 555°C,the reaction distance required to form a high concentration of hydrogen is reduced from 3800 to 800 mm.Compared with the direct retorting process,the volume concentration of hydrogen obtained from high-temperature steam pyrolysis of organic-rich shale is 8.82 and 10.72 times that of the commonly used Fushun and Kivite furnaces,respectively.The pyrolysis of organic-rich shale via steam injection is a pyrolysis process in a hydrogen-rich environment.

Simultaneous heterotrophic nitrification and aerobic denitrification at high initial phenol concentration by isolated bacterium Diaphorobacter sp. PD-7

A strain capable of phenol degradation, heterotrophic nitrification and aerobic denitrification was isolated from activated sludge of coking-plant wastewater ponds under aerobic condition. Based on its morphology, physiology,biochemical analysis and phylogenetic characteristics, the isolate was identified as Diaphorobacter sp. PD-7.Biodegradation tests of phenol showed that the maximum phenol degradation occurred at the late phase of exponential growth stages, with 1400 mg·L-1phenol completely degraded within 85 h. Diaphorobacter sp. PD-7accumulated a vast quantity of phenol hydroxylase in this physiological phase, ensuring that the cells quickly utilize phenol as a sole carbon and energy source. The kinetic behavior of Diaphorobacter sp. PD-7 in batch cultures was investigated over a wide range of initial phenol concentrations(0–1400 mg·L-1) by using the Haldane model,which adequately describes the dynamic behavior of phenol biodegradation by strain Diaphorobacter sp. PD-7. At initial phenol concentration of 1400 mg·L-1, batch experiments(0.25 L flask) of nitrogen removal under aerobic condition gave almost entirely removal of 120.69 mg·L-1ammonium nitrogen within 75 h, while nitrate nitrogen removal reached 91% within 65 h. Moreover, hydroxylamine oxidase, periplasmic nitrate reductase and nitrite reductase were successfully expressed in the isolate.

QTL analysis across multiple environments reveals promising chromosome regions associated with yield-related traits in maize under drought conditions

Drought is one of the most critical abiotic stresses influencing maize yield. Improving maize cultivars with drought tolerance using marker-assisted selection requires a better understanding of its genetic basis. In this study, a doubled haploid(DH) population consisting of 217 lines was created by crossing the inbred lines Han 21(drought-tolerant) and Ye 478(drought-sensitive). The population was genotyped with a 6 K SNP assay and 756 SNP(single nucleotide polymorphism) markers were used to construct a linkage map with a length of 1344 c M. Grain yield(GY), ear setting percentage(ESP), and anthesis–silking interval(ASI) were recorded in seven environments under well-watered(WW) and water-stressed(WS) regimes. High phenotypic variation was observed for all traits under both water regimes. Using the LSMEAN(least-squares mean) values from all environments for each trait, 18 QTL were detected, with 9 associated with the WW and 9 with the WS regime. Four chromosome regions,Chr. 3: 219.8–223.7 Mb, Chr. 5: 191.5–194.7 Mb, Chr. 7: 132.2–135.6 Mb, and Chr. 10: 88.2–89.4 Mb, harbored at least 2 QTL in each region, and QTL co-located in a region inherited favorable alleles from the same parent. A set of 64 drought-tolerant BC_3F_6 lines showed preferential accumulation of the favorable alleles in these four regions, supporting an association between the four regions and maize drought tolerance. QTL-by-environment interaction analysis revealed 28 ed QTL(environment-dependent QTL) associated with the WS regime and 22 associated with the WW regime for GY, ESP, and ASI. All WS QTL and55.6% of WW QTL were located in the ed QTL regions. The hotspot genomic regions identified in this work will support further fine mapping and marker-assisted breeding of drought-tolerant maize.

Size-transformable nanoparticles with sequentially triggered drug release and enhanced penetration for anticancer therapy

There are several limitations to the application of nanoparticles in the treatment of cancer,including their low drug loading,poor colloidal stability,insufficient tumor penetration,and uncontrolled release of the drug.Herein,gelatin/laponite(LP)/doxorubicin(GLD)nanoparticles are developed by crosslinking LP with gelatin for doxorubicin delivery.GLD shows high doxorubicin encapsulation efficacy(99%)and strong colloidal stability,as seen from the unchanged size over the past 21 days and reduced protein absorption by 48-fold compared with unmodified laponite/doxorubicin nanoparticles.When gelatin from 115 nm GLD reaches the tumor site,matrix metallopeptidase-2(MMP-2)from the tumor environment breaks it down to release smaller 40 nm LP nanoparticles for effective tumor cell endocytosis.As demonstrated by superior penetration in both in vitro three-dimensional(3D)tumor spheroids(138-fold increase compared to the free drug)and in vivo tumor models.The intracellular low pH and MMP-2 further cause doxorubicin release after endocytosis by tumor cells,leading to a higher inhibitory potential against cancer cells.The improved anticancer effectiveness and strong in vivo biocompatibility of GLD have been confirmed using a mouse tumor-bearing model.MMP-2/pH sequentially triggered anticancer drug delivery is made possible by the logical design of tumor-penetrating GLD,offering a useful method for anticancer therapy.

Immunotherapy as adjuvant therapy for a patient with adenosquamous carcinoma of the intrahepatic bile duct:A case report and literature review

Adenosquamous carcinoma(ASC)is a rare histological type of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma,which includes both adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma.The clinical features,physical examination,routine laboratory tests,and imaging examinations of patients with ASC are nonspecific.ASC is easily misdiagnosed as hepatocellular carcinoma,and patients with ASC always have a poor prognosis.This study reports a patient with ASC who was diagnosed based on pathological results,underwent surgical resection,and received postoperative chemotherapy(gemcitabine plus cisplatin)combined with immunotherapy(sintilimab).During the 1-year follow-up,the patient was in good condition,and no signs of cancer recurrence were noted.This case highlights that surgical resection and chemotherapy combined with immunotherapy may be feasible for patients with ASC.

Trends in point-of-care ultrasound protocols in the emergency department and intensive care unit:a review

Together with the development of the focused assessment with sonography for trauma protocol for ultrasound in trauma patients,point-of-care ultrasound is widely used in the field of emergency and critical care medicine.Researchers have established several classic operating protocols for different diseases,such as acute respiratory failure,shock,and cardiac arrest,in the emergency department and intensive care unit.With further development in the portability and popularity of ultrasonic equipment,it is expected to be used as a new type of technology for physical examination,including inspection,palpation,percussion,auscultation,and insonation,which will improve the clinical medicine practice in the future.

中国2型糖尿病患者胰岛素注射笔用针头重复使用的影响因素研究（英文）

胰岛素注射方法不当是世界普遍存在的问题,它可以降低胰岛素治疗的效果,导致血糖控制不佳。本研究是一项多中心横断面的调查研究,于2015年11月到2015年12月在全国44家医院开展,对胰岛素注射笔的使用情况进行了调研。本研究采用非参数Kruskal-Walis检验和Mann Whitney U检验进行分析,采用多元logistic回归分析其影响因素。研究发现胰岛素注射笔用针头平均每个使用3.79次,最高重复使用达60次;其中年龄(P=0.029)、糖尿病病程(P≤0.001)和并发症数量(P≤0.001)与针头使用次数呈正相关;多元logistic回归对胰岛素注射笔用针头和针头使用依从性进行分析,结果显示年龄、收入水平、文化程度、婚姻状况、糖尿病病程、生活质量和药品费用对针头重复使用的影响显著。通过本次调查,发现重复使用胰岛素注射笔用针头的现象在中国很普遍。重复使用的次数与患者的人口学特征(收入水平,年龄,地区,文化程度,就业状况和自我照顾情况),健康相关因素(糖尿病病程、并发症和EQ-5D指数得分)和卫生服务利用(就诊次数,住院次数,药品费用)相关。

QTG-Seq Accelerates QTL Fine Mapping through QTL Partitioning and Whole-Genome Sequencing of Bulked Segregant Samples

Deciphering the genetic mechanisms underlying agronomic traits is of great importance for crop improvement. Most of these traits are controlled by multiple quantitative trait loci (QTLs), and identifying the underlying genes by conventional QTL fine-mapping is time-consuming and labor-intensive. Here, we devised a new method, named quantitative trait gene sequencing (QTG-seq), to accelerate QTL fine-mapping. QTGseq combines QTL partitioning to convert a quantitative trait into a near-qualitative trait, sequencing of bulked segregant pools from a large segregating population, and the use of a robust new algorithm for identifying candidate genes. Using QTG-seq, we fine-mapped a plant-height QTL in maize (Zea mays L.), qPH7, to a 300-kb genomic interval and verified that a gene encoding an NF-YC transcription factor was the functional gene. Functional analysis suggested that qPH7-encoding protein might influence plant height by interacting with a CO-like protein and an AP2 domain-containing protein. Selection footprint ana卜 ysis indicated that qPH7 was subject to strong selection during maize improvement. In summary, QTG-seq provides an efficient method for QTL fine-mapping in the era of “big data".

CD59 Silencing via Retrovirus-Mediated RNA Interference Enhanced Complement-Mediated Cell Damage in Ovary Cancer

CD59, belonging to membrane complement regulatory proteins （mCRPs）, inhibits the cytolytic activity of complement and is over-expressed in solid cancers, including ovary cancer. The aim of the present study was to construct recombinant retrovirus encoding shRNA targeted human CD59 and infect A2780 cells in order to investigate the relationship between decreased CD59 expression and tumorigenesis of ovary cancer, siCD59 and siCD59-C were successfully constructed and identified by PCR, restriction endonuclease analyses and DNA sequencing, respectively. The siCD59 was able to efficiently infect A2780 cells, which was confirmed by Western blotting. When incubated with fresh normal human serum （8%, v/v） for 1 h at 37℃, the cell viability was decreased and cell damage was increased in siCD59 infected A2780 cells compared to siCD59-C infected cells. This led to the activation of caspase-3. The apoptosis in siCD59 infected cells was shown with hypercondensed nuclei using Hoechst staining. Meanwhile, the weight of ovary tumor graft in nude mice was significantly decreased in siCD59 group compared to that of siCD59-C group. And the expression of CD59 protein in tumor tissue in siCD59 group was significantly decreased. These results suggested that CD59 silencing in ovary cancer cells v/a retrovirusmediated RNAi can enhance complement-mediated cell damage, inhibiting growth of ovary cancer. CD59 might be a potential target for gene therapy in ovary cancer. Cellular ＆ Molecular Immunology.

Regulation of Seed Vigor by Manipulation of Raffinose Family Oligosaccharides in Maize and Arabidopsis thaliana

Raffinose family oligosaccharides （RFOs） accumulate in seeds during maturation desiccation in many plant species. However, it remains unclear whether RFOs have a role in establishing seed vigor. GALACTINOL SYNTHASE （GOLS）, RAFFINOSE SYNTHASE （RS）, and STACHYOSE SYNTHASE （STS） are the enzymes responsible for RFO biosynthesis in plants. Interestingly, only raffinose is detected in maize seeds, and a unique maize RS gene （ZmRS） was identified. In this study, we found that two independent mutator （Mu）-interrupted zmrs lines, containing no raffinose but hyperaccumulating galactinol, have significantly reduced seed vigor, compared with null segregant controls. Unlike maize, Arabidopsis thaliana seeds contain several RFOs （raffinose, stachyose, and verbascose）. Manipulation of A. thaliana RFO content by overexpressing ZmGOLS2, ZmRS, or AtSTS demonstrated that co-overexpression of ZmGOLS2 and ZmRS, or overexpression of ZmGOLS2 alone, significantly increased the total content of RFOs and enhanced Arabidopsis seed vigor. Surprisingly, while overexpression of ZmRS increased seed raffinose content, its overexpression dramatically decreased seed vigor and reduced the seed amounts of galactinol, stachyose, and verbascose. In contrast, the atrs5 mutant seeds are similar to those of the wild type with regard to seed vigor and RFO content, except for stachyose, which accumulated in atrs5 seeds. Total RFOs, RFO/sucrose ratio, but not absolute individual RFO amounts, positively correlated with A. thaliana seed vigor, to which stachyose and verbascose contribute more than raffinose. Taken together, these re- sults provide new insights into regulatory mechanisms of seed vigor and reveal distinct requirement for RFOs in modulating seed vigor in a monocot and a dicot.

Effects of adding bulking agents on the biodrying of kitchen waste and the odor emissions produced

The effects of adding a bulking agent on the performance and odor emissions（ammonia and eight sulfur-containing odorous compounds） when biodrying kitchen waste were investigated. Three treatments were considered： the addition of either cornstalks（CS） or wood peat（WP） to kitchen waste as a bulking agent before biodrying, and a control treatment（CK）. The water-removal rates for CK, CS, and WP treatments were 0.35, 0.56, and0.43 kg/kg, respectively. Addition of bulking agents to kitchen waste produced less leachate,higher moisture-removal rates, and lower consumption of volatile solids. The CS treatment had the highest biodrying index（4.07）, and those for the WP and CK treatments were 3.67 and 1.97, respectively. Adding cornstalks or wood peat decreased NH3 emissions by 55.8%and 71.7%, respectively. Total sulfur losses were 3.6%–21.6% after 21 days biodrying, and H2 S and Me2 SS were the main（〉 95%） sulfur compounds released. The smallest amounts of sulfur-containing odorous compounds were emitted when cornstalks were added, and adding cornstalks and wood peat decreased total sulfur losses by 50.6%–64.8%.

The U6 Biogenesis-Like I Plays an Important Role in Maize Kernel and Seedling Development by Affecting the 3＇ End Processing of U6 snRNA

Regulation of gene expression at the post-transcriptional level is of crucial importance in the development of an organism. Here we present the characterization of a maize gene, U6 biogenesis-like 1 （UBL1）, which plays an important role in kernel and seedling development by influencing pre-mRNA splicing. The ubll mutant, exhibiting small kernel and weak seedling, was isolated from a Mutator-tagged population. Trans- genic complementation and three independent mutant alleles confirmed that UBL1, which encodes a putative RNA exonuclease belonging to the 2H phosphodiesterase superfamily, is responsible for the phenotype of ubll. We demonstrated that UBL1 possess the RNA exonuclease activity in vitro and found that loss of UBL1 function in ubll causes decreased level and abnormal 3＇ end constitution of snRNA U6, resulting in splicing defect of mRNAs. Through the in vitro and in vivo studies replacing two histidines with alanines in the H-X-T/S-X （X is a hydrophobic residue） motifs we demonstrated that these two motifs are essential for the normal function of UBL1. We further showed that the function of UBL1 may be conserved across a wide phylogenetic distance as the heterologous expression of maize UBL1 could complement the Arabidopsis ubll mutant.

Using Interactome Big Data to Crack Genetic Mysteries and Enhance Future Crop Breeding

The functional genes underlying phenotypic variation and their interactions represent“genetic mysteries”.Understanding and utilizing these genetic mysteries are key solutions for mitigating the current threats to agriculture posed by population growth and individual food preferences.Due to advances in highthroughput multi-omics technologies,we are stepping into an Interactome Big Data era that is certain to revolutionize genetic research.In this article,we provide a brief overview of current strategies to explore genetic mysteries.We then introduce the methods for constructing and analyzing the Interactome Big Data and summarize currently available interactome resources.Next,we discuss how Interactome Big Data can be used as a versatile tool to dissect genetic mysteries.We propose an integrated strategy that could revolutionize genetic research by combining Interactome Big Data with machine learning,which involves mining information hidden in Big Data to identify the genetic models or networks that control various traits,and also provide a detailed procedure for systematic dissection of genetic mysteries,Finally,we discuss three promising future breeding strategies utilizing the Interactome Big Data to improve crop yields and quality.

Enhancing Genetic Gain through Genomic Selection: From Livestock to Plants

Although long-term genetic gain has been achieved through increasing use of modern breeding methods and technologies,the rate of genetic gain needs to be accelerated to meet humanity’s demand for agricultural products.In this regard,genomic selection(GS)has been considered most promising for genetic improvement of the complex traits controlled by many genes each with minor effects.Livestock scientists pioneered GS application largely due to livestock’s significantly higher individual values and the greater reduction in generation interval that can be achieved in GS.Large-scale application of GS in plants can be achieved by refining field management to improve heritability estimation and prediction accuracy and developing optimum GS models with the consideration of genotype-by-environment interaction and non-additive effects,along with significant cost reduction.Moreover,it would be more effective to integrate GS with other breeding tools and platforms for accelerating the breeding process and thereby further enhancing genetic gain.In addition,establishing an open-source breeding network and developing transdisciplinary approaches would be essential in enhancing breeding efficiency for small-and medium-sized enterprises and agricultural research systems in developing countries.New strategies centered on GS for enhancing genetic gain need to be developed.

Hydroxyl,hydroperoxyl free radicals determination methods in atmosphere and troposphere

The hydroxyl radical(·OH)has a crucial function in the oxidation and removal of many atmospheric compounds that are harmful to health.Nevertheless,high reactivity,low atmospheric abundance,determination of hydroxyl,and hydroperoxyl radical’s quantity is very difficult.In the atmosphere and troposphere,hydroperoxyl radicals(HO_(2))are closely demanded in the chemical oxidation of the troposphere.But advances in technology have allowed researchers to improve the determination methods on the research of free radicals through some spectroscopic techniques.So far,several methods such as laser-induced fluorescence(LIF),high-performance liquid chromatography(HPLC),and chemical ionization mass spectroscopy have been identified and mostly used in determining the quantity of hydroxyl and hydroperoxyl radicals.In this systematic review,we have advised the use of scavenger as an advance for further researchers to circumvent some of these problems caused by free radicals.The primary goal of this review is to deepen our understanding of the functions of the most critical free radical(·OH,HO_(2))and also understand the currently used methods to quantify them in the atmosphere and troposphere.

Clinical practice guideline on liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma in China(2021 edition)

Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)is the main cause of cancer-related deaths in adult men under the age of 60 years in China.^([1])Liver transplantation(LT)is generally recognized as one of the most effective therapeutic approaches for end-stage liver diseases.LT guidelines for HCC were firstly launched in 2014 and were updated in 2018.Recently,further updates are required to adapt to the new situation of LT in China and to continue advancing the recommendations.(Full version in Supplementary file,http://links.lww.com/CM9/B362).

Seasonal variation characteristics of hydroxyl radical pollution and its potential formation mechanism during the daytime in Lanzhou

Hydroxyl free radicals(OH radicals) play the main role in atmospheric chemistry and their involving reactions are the dominant rate determining step in the formation of secondary fine particulate matter and in the removal of air pollutants from the atmosphere.In this paper,we studied the seasonal variation characteristics of OH radicals during the daytime in Lanzhou and explored the potential formation mechanism of high concentration OH radicals.We found that the OH radicals in four seasons was 2.7×106,2.6×106,3.1×106, and2.2×106 cm-3,respectively.Since the rainfall was concentrated in summer,the wet deposition had a significant effect on removing OH radicals.Among the four pollutants(including ozone(O3),volatile organic compounds(VOCs),nitrogen dioxide(NO2) and fine particulate matter(PM2.5)),the variation of OH radicals were closely related to ozone concentration especially in spring and summer.In autumn,the correlation between PM2.5 and OH radicals were the closest among the observing pollutants and its formation mechanism was different conventional regeneration pathway.In Event 1,high concentration of ozone was the main source of OH radicals;under the high humidity condition,except for ozone,the multiple factors including VOCs,NO2 and PM2.5 interplayed and leaded to the Event 2.

Integration of genomic selection with doubled-haploid evaluation in hybrid breeding: From GS 1.0 to GS 4.0 and beyond

DOUBLED-HAPLOID TECHNOLOGY FACES A GREAT CHALLENGE FOR HYBRID BREEDING,Ensuring food security for the ever-growing population is a common mission and a great challenge for agricultural scientists worldwide.Historically,advances in crop breeding and management practices have contributed substantially to crop productivity.Indeed,the substantial increase in global grain yields over the last eight decades is largely due to the adoption of hybrids.However,the rate of increase of hybrid yields began to slow down in the early 2000s,and since then,it has reached a plateau for many crops and regions(https://faostat.fao.org).Therefore,we must find solutions to accelerating genetic gain and boost hybrid development,for which developing new breeding technologies provides novel creative opportunities.

Prognostic Role and Potential Mechanisms of N6-methyladenosine-related Long Noncoding RNAs in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Background and Aims:Numerous studies have explored the important role of N6-methyladenosine(m^(6)A)in cancer.Nonetheless,the interaction between m^(6)A and long noncoding RNAs(lncRNAs)is poorly investigated.Herein,we systematically analyzed the role and prognostic value of m^(6)A-related lncRNAs in hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).Methods:The m^(6)A-related lncRNAs were identified based on the correlation coefficients with m^(6)A-related genes in HCC from The Cancer Genome Atlas.Subsequently,a novel risk score model was determined using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator Cox regression analyses.Univariate and multivariate Cox analyses were used to identify independent prog-nostic factors for overall survival(OS)of HCC;thereafter,a prognostic nomogram was constructed.Results:A total of 259 lncRNAs showed significant correlations with m^(6)A in HCC,while 29 lncRNAs had prognostic significance.Further,six critical m^(6)A-related lncRNAs(NRAV,SNHG3,KDM4A-AS1,AC074117.1,AC025176.1,and AL031985.3)were screened out to construct a novel risk score model which classified HCC patients into high-and low-risk groups.Survival analy-ses revealed that patients in the high-risk group exhibited worse OS,both in the training and validation groups.The risk score was also identified as an independent prognostic factor of OS,and a nomogram was established and verified with superior prediction capacity.Besides,the risk score signifi-cantly correlated with the expression of immune checkpoint genes and immune subtypes.Conclusions:These findings indicated the significant role of m^(6)A-related lncRNAs in HCC and the potential application of the novel risk score model for prognostic prediction.

Potential factors and mechanism of particulate matters explosive increase induced by free radicals oxidation

Atmospheric particulate pollution in China has attracted much public attention.Occasionally, the particle number concentration increases sharply in a short time period,which is defined as a "particulate matter explosive increase". Heavy particulate matter pollution not only reduces visibility but also has an adverse effect on human health. Hence,there is an urgent need to discover the causes of particulate matter explosive increase.During this campaign, the particle number concentration and free radicals were measured at a tall building on the campus of Lanzhou University of Technology. Additionally, we examined a series of chemicals to reproduce the observed particulate matter explosive increase in a smog chamber to determine its potential factors. Then, we analyzed the mechanism of particulate matter explosive increase in the presence of free radicals. We found that, among the potential inorganic and organic sources analyzed, a mixture of organic and SO_2 in the research region had a major effect on particulate matter explosive increase. Moreover, free radical oxidation has a large effect, especially in the formation of organic particulates.