Field Test of Electrochemical Degradation and Oil-Removal Technology Used the Treatment of Wastewater Containing Polymer in Offshore Oilfield

Aimed at the current treatment status of the polymer-flooding wastewater in Bohai oilfield, electrochemical technology used for polymer-degradation and oil-removal was researched. It formed the process flow of cyclone mixed dosing → electrochemical removal oil → inclined tube removal oil → walnut shell filter, and a set of skid mounted wastewater containing polymer treatment plant was designed and manufactured, which was used for the field test of electrochemical treatment of wastewater containing polymer in offshore oilfield. The result shows that the oil removal rate of the electrochemical treatment process is over 98%, and the synergistic effect is significant especially used in conjunction with water clarifier of BHQ-04. When the amount of water clarifier is 50 - 150 mg/L, the oil content, the median particle diameter and the suspended solids content of the filtered water is 8 - 18 mg/L, 1.9 - 2.26 μm and 1.39 - 2.04 mg/L respectively, which reach the scene water quality standards for water injection.

Nuclear Aurora kinase A switches m^(6)A reader YTHDC1 to enhance an oncogenic RNA splicing of tumor suppressor RBM4

Aberrant RNA splicing produces alternative isoforms of genes to facilitate tumor progression,yet how this process is regulated by oncogenic signal remains largely unknown.Here,we unveil that non-canonical activation of nuclear AURKA promotes an oncogenic RNA splicing of tumor suppressor RBM4 directed by m^(6)A reader YTHDC1 in lung cancer.Nuclear translocation of AURKA is a prerequisite for RNA aberrant splicing,specifically triggering RBM4 splicing from the full isoform(RBM4-FL)to the short isoform(RBM4-S)in a kinase-independent manner.

New insights from the widening homogeneity perspective to target intratumor heterogeneity

Precision medicine has shed new light on the treatment of heterogeneous cancer patients.However,intratumor heterogeneity strongly constrains the clinical benefit of precision medicine.Thus,rethinking therapeutic strategies from a different facet within the precision medicine framework will not only diversify clinical interventions,but also provide an avenue for precision medicine.Here,we explore the current approaches for targeting intratumor hetero-geneity and their limitations.Furthermore,we propose a theoretical strategy with a“homogenization”feature based on iatrogenic evolutionary selection to target intratumor heterogeneity.

Quantitative Characterization of the Elasticity,Net Creep,and Swelling of the Intervertebral Disc:An In Vitro Experiment

During the in vitro creep of intervertebral discs,both applied loads and osmosis of solution influence their biomechanical behaviors.More specifically,the total displacement can be attributed to three parts:the elastic response during the loading period that results from instant tissue deformation;the nonlinear displacement during the creep period that is due to the poro-elastic fluid flow and visco-elastic deformation;and the swelling of discs that are affected by the osmolality.However,their respective contributions to the total displacement are unknown.To this end,this study aims to discern contributions of the above three parts in ex vivo experiments quantitively.Specimens were compressed for 4 h after 0.5 h preload.Displacement and strain were recorded and curve-fitted.The instant elastic displacement was positively related to the applied load,and its proportion rose from 18.09 to 21.46% as the load elevated.While the contribution of the net creep was inversely related to the applied load,dropping from 74.49 to 60.16%.An increase of 0.74 MPa of the osmolality induced a rise in displacement by 7.42-18.38%.Moreover,with the help of the non-contact measurement,researchers are able to know the contribution of each part quantitatively,which is of importance in understanding the creep mechanisms and developing biomaterials with mechanical mimicry of natural discs.

Transcriptomic but not genomic variability confers phenotype of breast cancer stem cells

Background:Breast cancer stem cells(BCSCs)are considered responsible for cancer relapse and drug resistance.Understanding the identity of BCSCs may open new avenues in breast cancer therapy.Although several discoveries have been made on BCSC characterization,the factors critical to the origination of BCSCs are largely unclear.This study aimed to determine whether genomic mutations contribute to the acquisition of cancer stem-like phenotype and to investigate the genetic and transcriptional features of BCSCs.Methods:We detected potential BCSC phenotype-associated mutation hotspot regions by using whole-genome sequencing on parental cancer cells and derived serial-generation spheres in increasing order of BCSC frequency,and then performed target deep DNA sequencing at bulk-cell and single-cell levels.To identify the transcriptional program associated with BCSCs,bulk-cell and single-cell RNA sequencing was performed.Results:By using whole-genome sequencing of bulk cells,potential BCSC phenotype-associated mutation hotspot regions were detected.Validation by target deep DNA sequencing,at both bulk-cell and single-cell levels,revealed no genetic changes specifically associated with BCSC phenotype.Moreover,single-cell RNA sequencing showed profound transcriptomic variability in cancer cells at the single-cell level that predicted BCSC features.Notably,this transcriptomic variability was enriched during the transcription of 74 genes,revealed as BCSC markers.Breast cancer patients with a high risk of relapse exhibited higher expression levels of these BCSC markers than those with a low risk of relapse,thereby highlighting the clinical significance of predicting breast cancer prognosis with these BCSC markers.Conclusions:Transcriptomic variability,not genetic mutations,distinguishes BCSCs from non-BCSCs.The identified 74 BCSC markers have the potential of becoming novel targets for breast cancer therapy.

Developments in diagnostic applications of saliva in human organ diseases

Saliva is one of the important body fluids that reflects normal internal characteristics and disease state of an individual.As a multi-composition oral fluid,has high potential for the surveillance of general health and disease,which contains various disease signal biomarkers and is non-invasive,convenient,fast and easy to be accepted by patients.At present,saliva is increasingly used as a biological fluid for diagnosis,monitoring systemic disease states and predicting disease progression,which has been verified.In this review,the molecular compositions and effectiveness of saliva as reliable biological fluid were discussed.Besides the latest research progress in the diagnosis of saliva related to 14 organs were reviewed.The factors affecting saliva diagnosis were discussed.The method to improve the accuracy of prediction through artificial intelligence combined with microfluidic chip was proposed,which laid the foundation for dealing with the prevention,diagnosis,and treatment of related diseases through saliva with great and long-term significance.