APPLICATION OF CLAYS TO REMOVAL OF RED TIDE ORGANISMS I. COAGULATION OF RED TIDE ORGANISMS WITH CLAYS

Coagulation of red tide organism cells with clays is discussed in theory and the effects of some factors on it are studied. A quantitative model is presented which describes how the coagulation varies with pH in solution. According to the model, within the pH-range between pHzpcb, and pHzpcb, VR is negative and the coagulation is strong and strongest at pH = (pHzpca + pHzpcb)/2. It is also demonstrated that when the diameter of clay particles is close to that of cells, the collision probability is low, resulting in weaker coagulation. The model results have been corroborated by experiments and so are scientific and theoretical bases for application.

APPLICATION OF CLAYS TO REMOVAL OF RED TIDE ORGANISMS II. COAGULATION OF DIFFERENT SPECIES OF RED TIDE ORGANISMS WITH MONTMORILLONITE AND EFFECT OF CLAY PRETREATMENT

Study on the coagulation of four species of red tide organisms (Nitzschia pungens, Skeletonema costatum, Prorocentrum minimum and Noctiluca scintillans) with montmorillonite, and the effect of montmorillonite pretreatment on the coagulation shows that the capability for montmorillonite to coagulate with them is in the order: N. pungens > S. costatum > P. minimum > N. scintillans. The coagulation is discussed from the aspects of the structure, shape, size, movement, habit, etc. of different species and the results are explained theoretically. The experimental results also indicate that the treatment of montmorillonite with acid can enhance its coagulating capability. This is due to the fact that A1(OH2)6+3, exchanged from the clay lattice by hydrogen ion H+, forms hydroxy-aluminum polymers on the surface of the montmorillonite. The hydroxy-aluminum polymers positively charge and increase the positive characteristic of the clay surface, and also serves as a bridge between adjacent surfaces of particles. These two functions enhance the montmorillonite's capability for coagulating with the organism cells.

APPLICATION OF CLAYS TO REMOVAL OF RED TIDE ORGANISMS III. THE COAGULATION OF KAOLIN ON RED TIDE ORGANISMS*

This article reports studies on the coagulation of kaolin(from Wuxian, Jiangsu, China) on various red tide organisms, and the observation for the first time that the coagulation of kaolin is much greater than that of montmorillonite so that kaolin is a more effective clay for removing red tide organisms. The authors' theoretical explanation and analysis by a mathematical-physical model prove that compared to montmorillonite. kaolin has greater attraction for organism cells and therefore greater coagulation capabil-ity. This project's studies on the effects of pH and acid-treatment show that the acid-treatment does not have much influence on the kaolin system; whereas the effect of pH on the kaolin system is the same as that on the montmorillonite system.

Organic geochemical,petrographic and palynological characterization of claystones of the Palaeogene Toraja Formation,and oil seeps in the Enrekang Sub-basin,south Sulawesi,Indonesia:Implications for hydrocarbon source rock potential

An organic geochemical,petrographical,and palynological evaluation was conducted on 30 claystone outcrop samples of the Toraja Formation,along with a geochemical analysis of an oil seep in the Enrekang Sub-basin.The aim of the study was to determine the correlation between oil and source rock in terms of age,depositional environment,organic material sources,and maturity level.The total organic carbon content of the claystone samples varies from 0.03 to 4.52 wt%,which are classified as poor to excellent.The claystones are immature to post-mature with a mixture of TypeⅡandⅢkerogen.Their vitrinite reflectance values range from 0.47 to 4.52%Ro.The samples of Toraja Formation rock and the oil seep source rock might have a similar depositional environment,a deltaic marine depositional setting with high oxidizing conditions.Organic material sources for rock and oil samples are dominated by terrestrial input.The oil is inferred to have originated from the Paleogene source rocks,which correlates in age with the Toraja Formation.The recovered palynomorphs from the studied rock samples suggest a late Eocene to Oligocene age with a strong terrestrial influence of shallow marine depositional setting.The biomarker analysis shows that the rock samples have a more substantial contribution from the terrigenous higher plants,while the oil sample indicates a higher degree of marine influence.The maturity levels are also different between the oil(peak mature)and the analyzed rock samples(immature).It is inferred that the oil seep source rock is equivalent to the analyzed rock sample but more mature,having been deposited under more marine conditions.The oil seep source rock is not exposed and is located in the deeper part of the basin.A deeper marine facies(i.e.distal delta front and prodelta facies)in front of the distributary mouth bar within a delta is interpreted as the source rock of the oil seep sample.

Epidemiology and Clonal Spread Evidence of Carbapenem-Resistant Organisms in the Center of Care and Protection of Orphaned Children, Vietnam

Objective: To determine the prevalence of colonization and transmission of carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative organisms in order to develop of an effective infection prevention program. Design: Cross-sectional study with carbapenem-resistant organisms (CRO) colonization detection from the fecal specimens of 20 Health Care Workers (HCWs) and 67 residents and 175 random environment specimens from September 2022 to September 2023. Setting: A Care and Protection Centre of Orphaned Children in South of HCM City. Participants: It included 20 HCWs, 67 residents, and 175 randomly collected environmental specimens. Method: Rectal and environmental swabs were collected from 20 HCWs, 67 residents (most of them were children), and 175 environmental specimens. MELAB Chromogenic CARBA agar plates, Card NID, and NMIC-500 CPO of the BD Phoenix TM Automated Microbiology System and whole genome sequencing (WGS) were the tests to screen, confirm CROs, respectively and determine CRO colonization and transmission between HCWs, residents, and the environment. Result: We detected 36 CRO isolates, including 6, 11 and 19 CROs found in 6 HCWs, 10 residents and 19 environments. The prevalence of detectable CRO was 30% (6/20) in HCWs, 14.92% (10/67) in residents, and 10.86% (19/175) in environmental swabs in our study. WGS demonstrated CRO colonization and transmission with the clonal spread of E. coli and A. nosocomialis, among HCWs and residents (children). Conclusion: Significant CRO colonization and transmission was evident in HCWs, residents, and the center environment. Cleaning and disinfection of the environment and performing regular hand hygiene are priorities to reduce the risk of CRO colonization and transmission.

Fractal dimensions of flocs between clay particles and HAB organisms

The impact of harmful algal blooms （HABs） on public health and related economics have been increasing in many coastal regions of the world. Sedimentation of algal cells through flocculation with clay particles is a promising strategy for controlling HABs. Previous studies found that removal efficiency （RE） was influenced by many factors, including clay type and concentration, algal growth stage, and physiological aspects of HAB cells. To estimate the effect of morphological characteristics of the aggregates on HAB cell removal, fractal dimensions were measured and the RE of three species of HAB organism, Heterosigma akashiwo, Alexandrium tamarense, and Skeletonema eostatum, by original clay and modified clay, was determined. For all HAB species, the modified clay had a higher RE than original clay. For the original clay, the two-dimensional fractal dimension （D2） was 1.92 and three-dimensional ffactal dimension （D3） 2.81, while for the modified clay, D2 was 1.84 and D3 was 2.50. The addition of polyaluminum chloride （PAC1） lead to a decrease of the repulsive barrier between clay particles, and resulted in lower D2 and D3. Due to the decrease of D3, and the increase of the effective sticking coefficient, the flocculation rate between modified clay particles and HAB organisms increased, and thus resulted in a high RE. The fractal dimensions of flocs differed in HAB species with different cell morphologies. For example, Alexandrium tamarense cells are ellipsoidal, and the D3 and D2 of flocs were the highest, while for Skeletonema costatum, which has filamentous cells, the D3 and D2 of flocs were the lowest.

Screening of Polyphosphate Accumulating Organisms and Their Phosphorus Removal Performance

[Objectives]To study the phosphorus removal performance of phosphate accumulating organisms(PAOs).[Methods]Activated sludge from domestic sewage treatment plant was used as the strain source,and phosphate accumulating organisms were screened by plate streaking method and dilution coating plate method.Six kinds of excellent phosphate accumulating organisms were obtained by metachromatic granule staining experiment,total phosphorus experiment and simulated sewage phosphorus removal experiment to assist the observation of bac-terial morphology and experiment of phosphorus removal capacity.In addition,the influencing factors of phosphorus removal capacity(nitrogen source,trace metal ions)were analyzed.[Results]In the case of simulated sewage,the phosphorus removal rate of strain b was the highest,reaching 66.25%,while the phosphorus removal rate of strain e and f was about 10%lower than that of the phosphorus uptake experiment.[Conclusions]This study is expected to provide a theoretical reference for the gradual optimization of the screening method of phosphorus re-moval bacteria in domestic sewage treatment.

Incidence, risk factors and clinical outcome of multidrug-resistant organisms after heart transplantation

BACKGROUND Transplant recipients commonly harbor multidrug-resistant organisms(MDROs),as a result of frequent hospital admissions and increased exposure to antimi-crobials and invasive procedures.AIM To investigate the impact of patient demographic and clinical characteristics on MDRO acquisition,as well as the impact of MDRO acquisition on intensive care unit(ICU)and hospital length of stay,and on ICU mortality and 1-year mortality post heart transplantation.METHODS This retrospective cohort study analyzed 98 consecutive heart transplant patients over a ten-year period(2013-2022)in a single transplantation center.Data was collected regarding MDROs commonly encountered in critical care.RESULTS Among the 98 transplanted patients(70%male),about a third(32%)acquired or already harbored MDROs upon transplantation(MDRO group),while two thirds did not(MDRO-free group).The prevalent MDROs were Acinetobacter baumannii(14%),Pseudomonas aeruginosa(12%)and Klebsiella pneumoniae(11%).Compared to MDRO-free patients,the MDRO group was characterized by higher body mass index(P=0.002),higher rates of renal failure(P=0.017),primary graft dysfunction(10%vs 4.5%,P=0.001),surgical re-exploration(34%vs 14%,P=0.017),mechanical circulatory support(47%vs 26%P=0.037)and renal replacement therapy(28%vs 9%,P=0.014),as well as longer extracorporeal circulation time(median 210 vs 161 min,P=0.003).The median length of stay was longer in the MDRO group,namely ICU stay was 16 vs 9 d in the MDRO-free group(P=0.001),and hospital stay was 38 vs 28 d(P=0.006),while 1-year mortality was higher(28%vs 7.6%,log-rank-χ2:7.34).CONCLUSION Following heart transplantation,a predominance of Gram-negative MDROs was noted.MDRO acquisition was associated with higher complication rates,prolonged ICU and total hospital stay,and higher post-transplantation mortality.

Multilevel analysis of the central-peripheral-target organ pathway:contributing to recovery after peripheral nerve injury

Peripheral nerve injury is a common neurological condition that often leads to severe functional limitations and disabilities.Research on the pathogenesis of peripheral nerve injury has focused on pathological changes at individual injury sites,neglecting multilevel pathological analysis of the overall nervous system and target organs.This has led to restrictions on current therapeutic approaches.In this paper,we first summarize the potential mechanisms of peripheral nerve injury from a holistic perspective,covering the central nervous system,peripheral nervous system,and target organs.After peripheral nerve injury,the cortical plasticity of the brain is altered due to damage to and regeneration of peripheral nerves;changes such as neuronal apoptosis and axonal demyelination occur in the spinal cord.The nerve will undergo axonal regeneration,activation of Schwann cells,inflammatory response,and vascular system regeneration at the injury site.Corresponding damage to target organs can occur,including skeletal muscle atrophy and sensory receptor disruption.We then provide a brief review of the research advances in therapeutic approaches to peripheral nerve injury.The main current treatments are conducted passively and include physical factor rehabilitation,pharmacological treatments,cell-based therapies,and physical exercise.However,most treatments only partially address the problem and cannot complete the systematic recovery of the entire central nervous system-peripheral nervous system-target organ pathway.Therefore,we should further explore multilevel treatment options that produce effective,long-lasting results,perhaps requiring a combination of passive(traditional)and active(novel)treatment methods to stimulate rehabilitation at the central-peripheral-target organ levels to achieve better functional recovery.

Global transplantation:Lessons from organ transplantation organizations worldwide

Although national transplant organizations share common visions and goals,the creation of a unified global organization remains impractical.Differences in ethnicity,culture,religion,and education shape local practices and infrastructure,making the establishment of a single global entity unfeasible.Even with these social disparities aside,logistical factors such as time and distance between organ procurement and transplantation sites pose significant challenges.While technological advancements have extended organ preservation times,they have yet to support the demands of transcontinental transplantations effectively.This review presents a comparative analysis of the structures,operational frameworks,policies,and legislation governing various transplant organizations around the world.Key differences pertain to the administration of these organizations,trends in organ donation,and organ allocation policies,which reflect the financial,cultural,and religious diversity across different regions.While a global transplant organization may be out of reach,agreeing on best practices for the benefit of patients is essential.

Molecular Structure Tailoring of Organic Spacers for High‑Performance Ruddlesden–Popper Perovskite Solar Cells

Layer-structured Ruddlesden–Popper(RP)perovskites(RPPs)with decent stability have captured the imagination of the photovoltaic research community and bring hope for boosting the development of perovskite solar cell(PSC)technology.However,two-dimensional(2D)or quasi-2D RP PSCs are encountered with some challenges of the large exciton binding energy,blocked charge transport and poor film quality,which restrict their photovoltaic performance.Fortunately,these issues can be readily resolved by rationally designing spacer cations of RPPs.This review mainly focuses on how to design the molecular structures of organic spacers and aims to endow RPPs with outstanding photovoltaic applications.We firstly elucidated the important roles of organic spacers in impacting crystallization kinetics,charge transporting ability and stability of RPPs.Then we brought three aspects to attention for designing organic spacers.Finally,we presented the specific molecular structure design strategies for organic spacers of RPPs aiming to improve photovoltaic performance of RP PSCs.These proposed strategies in this review will provide new avenues to develop novel organic spacers for RPPs and advance the development of RPP photovoltaic technology for future applications.

Porous Organic Cage‑Based Quasi‑Solid‑State Electrolyte with Cavity‑Induced Anion‑Trapping Effect for Long‑Life Lithium Metal Batteries

Porous organic cages(POCs)with permanent porosity and excellent host–guest property hold great potentials in regulating ion transport behavior,yet their feasibility as solid-state electrolytes has never been testified in a practical battery.Herein,we design and fabricate a quasi-solid-state electrolyte(QSSE)based on a POC to enable the stable operation of Li-metal batteries(LMBs).Benefiting from the ordered channels and cavity-induced anion-trapping effect of POC,the resulting POC-based QSSE exhibits a high Li+transference number of 0.67 and a high ionic conductivity of 1.25×10^(−4) S cm^(−1) with a low activation energy of 0.17 eV.These allow for homogeneous Li deposition and highly reversible Li plating/stripping for over 2000 h.As a proof of concept,the LMB assembled with POC-based QSSE demonstrates extremely stable cycling performance with 85%capacity retention after 1000 cycles.Therefore,our work demonstrates the practical applicability of POC as SSEs for LMBs and could be extended to other energy-storage systems,such as Na and K batteries.

An Unprecedented Efficiency with Approaching 21%Enabled by Additive‑Assisted Layer‑by‑Layer Processing in Organic Solar Cells

Recently published in Joule,Feng Liu and colleagues from Shanghai Jiaotong University reported a record-breaking 20.8%power conversion efficiency in organic solar cells(OSCs)with an interpenetrating fibril network active layer morphology,featuring a bulk p-in structure and proper vertical segregation achieved through additive-assisted layer-by-layer deposition.This optimized hierarchical gradient fibrillar morphology and optical management synergistically facilitates exciton diffusion,reduces recombination losses,and enhances light capture capability.This approach not only offers a solution to achieving high-efficiency devices but also demonstrates the potential for commercial applications of OSCs.

Machine learning in solid organ transplantation:Charting the evolving landscape

BACKGROUND Machine learning(ML),a major branch of artificial intelligence,has not only demonstrated the potential to significantly improve numerous sectors of healthcare but has also made significant contributions to the field of solid organ transplantation.ML provides revolutionary opportunities in areas such as donorrecipient matching,post-transplant monitoring,and patient care by automatically analyzing large amounts of data,identifying patterns,and forecasting outcomes.AIM To conduct a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of publications on the use of ML in transplantation to understand current research trends and their implications.METHODS On July 18,a thorough search strategy was used with the Web of Science database.ML and transplantation-related keywords were utilized.With the aid of the VOS viewer application,the identified articles were subjected to bibliometric variable analysis in order to determine publication counts,citation counts,contributing countries,and institutions,among other factors.RESULTS Of the 529 articles that were first identified,427 were deemed relevant for bibliometric analysis.A surge in publications was observed over the last four years,especially after 2018,signifying growing interest in this area.With 209 publications,the United States emerged as the top contributor.Notably,the"Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation"and the"American Journal of Transplantation"emerged as the leading journals,publishing the highest number of relevant articles.Frequent keyword searches revealed that patient survival,mortality,outcomes,allocation,and risk assessment were significant themes of focus.CONCLUSION The growing body of pertinent publications highlights ML's growing presence in the field of solid organ transplantation.This bibliometric analysis highlights the growing importance of ML in transplant research and highlights its exciting potential to change medical practices and enhance patient outcomes.Encouraging collaboration between significant contributors can potentially fast-track advancements in this interdisciplinary domain.

Efficacy of antimicrobials in preventing resistance in solid organ transplant recipients:A systematic review of clinical trials

BACKGROUND In the absence of effective antimicrobials,transplant surgery is not viable,and antirejection immunosuppressants cannot be administered,as resistant infections compromise the life-saving goal of organ transplantation.AIM To evaluate the efficacy of antimicrobials in preventing resistance in solid organ transplant recipients.METHODS A systematic review was conducted using a search methodology consistent with the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses.This review included randomized clinical trials that evaluated the efficacy of antimicrobial agents(prophylactic or therapeutic)aimed at preventing antimicrobial resistance.The search strategy involved analyzing multiple databases,including PubMed/MEDLINE,Web of Science,Embase,Scopus,and SciELO,as well as examining gray literature sources on Google Scholar.A comprehensive electronic database search was conducted from the databases’inception until May 2024,with no language restrictions.RESULTS After the final phase of the eligibility assessment,this systematic review ultimate-ly included 7 articles.A total of 2318 patients were studied.The most studied microorganisms were cytomegalovirus,although vancomycinresistant enterococci,Clostridioides difficile,and multidrug-resistant Enterobacterales were also analyzed.The antimicrobials used in the interventions were mainly maribavir,valganciclovir,gancic-lovir,and colistin-neomycin.Of concern,all clinical trials showed significant proportions of resistant microorga-nisms after the interventions,with no statistically significant differences between the groups(mean resistance 13.47%vs 14.39%),except for two studies that demonstrated greater efficacy of maribavir and valganciclovir(mean resistance 22.2%vs 41.1%in the control group;P<0.05).The total reported deaths in three clinical trials were 75,and there were 24 graft rejections in two studies.CONCLUSION All clinical trials reported significant proportions of antimicrobial-resistant microorganisms following interventions.More high-quality randomized clinical trials are needed to corroborate these results.

Longitudinal assessment of peripheral organ metabolism and the gut microbiota in an APP/PS1 transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimer’s disease not only affects the brain,but also induces metabolic dysfunction in peripheral organs and alters the gut microbiota.The aim of this study was to investigate systemic changes that occur in Alzheimer’s disease,in particular the association between changes in peripheral organ metabolism,changes in gut microbial composition,and Alzheimer’s disease development.To do this,we analyzed peripheral organ metabolism and the gut microbiota in amyloid precursor protein-presenilin 1(APP/PS1)transgenic and control mice at 3,6,9,and 12 months of age.Twelve-month-old APP/PS1 mice exhibited cognitive impairment,Alzheimer’s disease-related brain changes,distinctive metabolic disturbances in peripheral organs and fecal samples(as detected by untargeted metabolomics sequencing),and substantial changes in gut microbial composition compared with younger APP/PS1 mice.Notably,a strong correlation emerged between the gut microbiota and kidney metabolism in APP/PS1 mice.These findings suggest that alterations in peripheral organ metabolism and the gut microbiota are closely related to Alzheimer’s disease development,indicating potential new directions for therapeutic strategies.

Safety Evaluation of Myricetin and Crude Extract from Myrica rubra Leaves on Non-target Organisms

[ Objective] The study aimed to supply important basis for developing environment-friendly pesticides with myricetin and crude extract of Myrica rubra leaves as effective components. [ Method] According to ＂Test guidelines for environmental safety evaluation on chemical pesticides＂, the toxicity of myricetin and crude extract of M. rubra leaves on non-target organisms was determined and the safety evaluation was carried out. [Result] MyriceUn and crude extract of M. rubra leaves had low toxicity on non-target organisms, such as earthworm, silkworm and soil microbes. Myricetin showed low toxicity and the crude extract of M. rubra leaves showed middle toxicity on tadpole. The high-concentration crude extract of M. rubra leaves had some antifeedant effect on silkworm. [ Conclusion] Myricetin and crude extract of M. rubra leaves had low toxicity on non-tar- get organisms in environment and they were relatively safe.

柑桔黄龙病病原——类细菌(Bacterium—like organism,BLO)的培养与性质

采用体外培养的方法首次从患柑桔黄龙病的柑桔树叶中分离并培养出柑桔黄龙病的病原——类细菌(BLO),测定了BLO最适培养条件及形状、大小和壁膜厚度.将培养出的BLO回接到指示植物长春花,2个月后长春花表现症状,且能重新培养出该BLO。健康柑桔树叶片及长春花均未培养出BLO。

Short-term Effects of Tillage Practices on Organic Carbon in Clay Loam Soil of Northeast China

A tillage experiment, consisting of moldboard plow （MP）, ridge tillage （RT）, and no-tillage （NT）, was performed in a randomized complete block design with four replicates to study the effect of 3-year tillage management on SOC content and its distribution in surface layer （30 cm） of a clay loam soil in northeast China. NT did not lead to significant increase of SOC in topsoil （0-5 cm） compared with MP and RT; however, the SOC content in NT soil was remarkably reduced at a depth of 5-20 cm. Accordingly, short-term （3-year） NT management tended to stratify SOC concentration, but not necessarily increase its storage in the plow layer for the soil.

Octoradiate Spiral Organisms in the Ediacaran of South China

Shales of the Ediacaran Doushantuo Formation of South China contain a new disc-shaped macrofossil, Eoandromeda octobrachiata, characterized by eight spiral arms that were probably housed within an outer membrane. Although the presence of eight radiating structures entails a resemblance to cnidarian octocorals as well as to ctenophores, direct homologies with these extant groups are unlikely. Instead we bring attention to the helicospiral morphology of newly reported embryos from the Doushantuo Formation, suggesting that the long-sought adults of the Ediacaran embryonic metazoans have finally been found.