Distribution of functional microorganisms and its significance for iron, sulphur, and nitrogen cycles in reservoir sediments

The biogeochemical cycles of sulphur(S),iron(Fe)and nitrogen(N)elements play a key role in the reservoir ecosystem.However,the spatial positioning and interrelationship of S,Fe and N cycles in the reservoir sediment profile have not been explored to a greater extent.Here,we measure the gradients of Fe^(2+),SO_(4)^(2-),NO_(3)^(-),NH_(4)^(+),DOC,TC and TN in the pore water of the sediment,and combining the vertical distribution of the functional microorganisms involved in S,Fe and N cyclings in the sediments to determine the redox stratification in the sediment.It is found that the geochemical gradient of S,Fe and N of the reservoir sedimentary column is mainly defined by the redox process involved in the related functional microorganisms.According to the type of electron acceptor,the sediment profile is divided into 3 redox intervals,namely aerobic respiration(0–10 cm),denitrification/iron reduction(10–28 cm)and sulfate reduction(28–32 cm).In the aerobic respiration zone,NH_(4)^(+)is oxidized by aerobic AOB to NO_(3)^(-)(0–5 cm),and Fe^(2+)is oxidized by microaerobic FeRB to Fe^(3+)(3–10 cm).In the denitrification/iron reduction zone,Acinetobacter and Pseudomonas,as the dominant NRB genera,may use nitrate as an electron acceptor to oxidize Fe^(2+)(11–16 cm).The dominant genera in SOB,such as Sulfururvum,Thiobacillus and Thioalkalispira,may use nitrate as an electron acceptor to oxidize sulfide,leading to SO_(4)^(2-)accumulation(14–24 cm).In the sulfate reduction zone,SO_(4)^(2-)is reduced by SRB.This study found that functional microorganisms forming comprehensive local ecological structures to adapt to changing geochemical conditions,and which would be potentially important for the degradation and preservation of C and the fate of many nutrients and contaminants in reservoirs.

Creatine kinase in the diagnosis and prognostic prediction of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis:a retrospective case-control study

Creatine kinase is a muscle enzyme that has been reported at various levels in different studies involving patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.In the present retrospective case-control study,we included 582 patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and 582 age-and sexmatched healthy controls.All amyotrophic lateral sclerosis participants received treatment in the Department of Neurology,West China Hospital,China,between May 2008 and December 2018.Serum creatine kinase levels in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis were significantly higher than those in healthy controls.Subgroup analysis revealed that serum creatine kinase levels in men were higher than those in women in both amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients and healthy controls.Compared with patients with bulbar-onset amyotrophic lateral sclerosis,patients with limb-onset amyotrophic lateral sclerosis had higher creatine kinase levels.Spearman's correlation analysis revealed that serum creatine kinase levels were not correlated with body mass index,Amyotrophic lateral Sclerosis Functional Rating ScaleRevised score,or progression rate.After adjusting for prognostic covariates,higher log creatine kinase values were correlated with higher overall survival in the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients.We also investigated the longitudinal changes in serum creatine kinase levels in 81 amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients;serum creatine kinase levels were decreased at the second blood test,which was sampled at least 6 months after the first blood test.Together,our results suggest that serum creatine kinase levels can be used as an independent factor for predicting the prognosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients.This study received ethical approval from the Ethics Committee of West China Hospital,China(approval No.2015(236))on December 23,2015.

Intervention study of finger-movement exercises and finger weight-lift training for improvement of handgrip strength among the very elderly

Objectives:To examine the effects of finger-movement exercises and finger weight-lift training on handgrip strength and Activities of Daily Living Scale(ADLS)values.Methods:A total of 80 very elderly adults(aged
80 years)were assigned to either an intervention group(n?40)or a control group(n?40).Subjects in the intervention group performed finger-movement exercises and weight-lift training for a period of 3 months,while subjects in the control group received no intervention,and were unaware of the interventions received in the other group.Results:After completing 3 months of finger-movement exercises and weight-lift training,the average handgrip strength of the 40 participants in the intervention group had increased by 2.1 kg,whereas that in the control group decreased by 0.27 kg(P<0.05).After receiving intervention,the number of subjects in the intervention group with an ADLS score>22 points decreased by 7.5%(P<0.05,vs.pre-intervention).Conclusions:The combined use interventionwith finger-movement exercises and proper finger weight-lift training improved the handgrip strength andADLS values of very elderly individuals.These rehabilitation exercisesmay be used to help the elderlymaintain their self-care abilities.

Tyrosine phosphatase SHP2 inhibitors in tumor-targeted therapies

Src homology containing protein tyrosine phosphatase 2(SHP2)represents a noteworthy target for various diseases,serving as a well-known oncogenic phosphatase in cancers.As a result of the low cell permeability and poor bioavailability,the traditional inhibitors targeting the protein tyrosine phosphate catalytic sites are generally suffered from unsatisfactory applied efficacy.Recently,a particularly large number of allosteric inhibitors with striking inhibitory potency on SHP2 have been identified.In particular,few clinical trials conducted have made significant progress on solid tumors by using SHP2 allosteric inhibitors.This review summarizes the development and structureeactivity relationship studies of the small-molecule SHP2 inhibitors for tumor therapies,with the purpose of assisting the future development of SHP2 inhibitors with improved selectivity,higher oral bioavailability and better physicochemical properties.

Matrix Image Method for Ranking Nonregular Fractional Factorial Designs

Nonregular fractional factorial designs such as Plackett-Burman designs and other orthogonal arrays are widely used in various screening experiments for their run size economy and flexibility. In this paper,we study matrix image theory and present a new method for distinguishing and assessing nonregular designs with complex alias structure, which works for all symmetrical and asymmetrical, regular and nonregular orthogonal arrays. Based on the matrix image theory, our proposed method captures orthogonality and projection properties. Empirical studies show that the proposed method has a more precise differentiation capacity when comparing with some other criteria.

Asymmetric synthesis of tetrahydropyran[3,2-c]quinolinones via an organocatalyzed formal[3+3]annulation of quinolinones and MBH 2-naphthoates of nitroolefin

An efficient asymmetric and enantio-swithchable organocatalytic[3+3]annulation reaction using MBH-2-naphthoates of nitroalkenes and 4-hydroxyquinolin-2(1H)-ones has been developed.Densely substituted tetrahydropyrano[3,2-c]qui noli nones scaffolds with two adjacent stereogenic centers are obtained with high yield(up to 95%yield)and good stereoselectivities(up to>20:1 dr and 96%ee)in an enantio-switchable manner.Furthermore,gram scale synthesis was achieved and the nitro group could easily transform into an amino group without any appreciable loss in the diastereo-and enantioselectivity.