红树林沉积物聚乙烯降解菌的筛选和降解特性

【目的】探究湛江市麻章区红树林沉积物中微生物对聚乙烯(PE)塑料的降解特性,丰富红树林塑料降解菌种类。【方法】在湛江市麻章区红树林的高、中、低潮带随机选取9个样点,并采用五点采样法从红树林表层2~5 cm的沉积物中取样。将采集到的沉积物样本在以聚乙烯为唯一碳源的无机盐培养基中进行富集、分离、纯化,以筛选出能够降解PE的菌株,并通过显微形态分析、分子鉴定等方法确定其种属;通过测定生长曲线、失重率、以及分析官能团变化来验证菌株对PE塑料的降解性能。【结果与结论】从沉积物中共筛选出K1-1、K1-2和K1-3三株PE降解能力较强的菌,分别为威尼斯不动杆菌(Acinetobacter venetianus)、Pseudomonas juntendi和维德曼芽孢杆菌(Bacillus wiedmannii)。在120 d的培养周期中,这些菌株的生长曲线均呈抛物线形态。经三株菌作用后,PE表面生成羟基,并形成氨基和羟基化合物,羟基取代羰基,导致PE表观和内部结构明显改变。经120 d处理后,PE膜的失重率分别为6.42%、5.38%和5.73%,其中K1-1菌株处理后PE塑料的失重率相较于目前报道的红树林沉积物中最高降解效率菌株Bacillus gottheilii处理后塑料的失重率提升3.55%。威尼斯不动杆菌(A.venetianus)在PE塑料降解上具有一定潜力,这丰富了湛江红树林沉积物中PE降解菌的种类,为PE塑料的生物降解提供理论支持。

Understanding the oxidation chemistry of Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x)(MXene)sheets and their catalytic performances

Transition metal carbides and nitrides(MXenes)nanosheets are attractive two-dimensional(2D)materials,but they suffer from oxidation/degradation issues during storage and/or applications due to their sensitivity to water and oxygen.Despite the great research progress,the exact oxidation kinetics of Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x)(MXene)and their final products after oxidation are not fully understood.Herein,we systematically tracked the oxidation process of few-layer Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x) nanosheets in an aqueous solution at room temperature over several weeks.We also studied the oxidation effects on the electrocatalytic properties of Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x) for hydrogen evolution reaction and found that the overpotential to achieve a current density of 10 mA cm^(-2)increases from 0.435 to 0.877 V after three weeks of degradation,followed by improvement to stabilized values of around 0.40 V after eight weeks.These results suggest that severely oxidized MXene could be a promising candidate for designing efficient catalysts.According to our detailed experimental characterization and theoretical calculations,unlike previous studies,black titanium oxide is formed as the final product in addition to white Ti(IV)oxide and disordered carbons after the complete oxidation of Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x).This work presents significant advancements in better understanding of 2D Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x)(MXene)oxidation and enhances the prospects of this material for various applications.

The History of Controlling and Treating Infectious Diseases in Ancient China

Infectious diseases are the common enemies of mankind.In the course of historical development,they persistently threaten human health and safety.Even today,despite the developments in medical science,we cannot escape the fear and suffering caused by infectious diseases.Whether in ancient or modern times,the source of infection,route of transmission,and a susceptible population are the three key conditions for the prevalence and spread of infectious diseases.All factors closely related to these three conditions can affect the prevalence of infectious diseases.China is one of the cradles of world civilization.The ancient people accumulated a great deal of experience and lessons in the long struggle against infectious diseases.In the face of the current threat posed by widespread infectious disease,it is imperative to review and summarize ancient Chinese ideas and health policies on epidemic prevention and control to inspire contemporary efforts in the prevention and control of infectious disease.The combination of prevention-oriented epidemic prevention ideology and traditional medicine provides valuable insights,especially for impoverished and medically underserved regions.

P2Y1 receptor in Alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimer’s disease is the most frequent form of dementia characterized by the deposition of amyloid-beta plaques and neurofibrillary tangles consisting of hyperphosphorylated tau.Targeting amyloid-beta plaques has been a primary direction for developing Alzheimer’s disease treatments in the last decades.However,existing drugs targeting amyloid-beta plaques have not fully yielded the expected results in the clinic,necessitating the exploration of alternative therapeutic strategies.Increasing evidence unravels that astrocyte morphology and function alter in the brain of Alzheimer’s disease patients,with dysregulated astrocytic purinergic receptors,particularly the P2Y1 receptor,all of which constitute the pathophysiology of Alzheimer’s disease.These receptors are not only crucial for maintaining normal astrocyte function but are also highly implicated in neuroinflammation in Alzheimer’s disease.This review delves into recent insights into the association between P2Y1 receptor and Alzheimer’s disease to underscore the potential neuroprotective role of P2Y1 receptor in Alzheimer’s disease by mitigating neuroinflammation,thus offering promising avenues for developing drugs for Alzheimer’s disease and potentially contributing to the development of more effective treatments.

综述:核小体液-液相分离中早期形核过程的分子结构

研究揭示,核小体阵列在体外具有液-液相分离(liquid⁃liquid phase separation,LLPS)的内在特性,被认为在体内引导染色质区域的结构变化。然而,对于形成的异质凝聚物在分子水平的结构研究,长期以来受到技术限制,从而阻碍了研究人员对核小体液-液相分离的深入理解。为了解决这一难题,张蒙等运用先进的冷冻电子断层扫描技术(Cryo⁃electron tomography,Cryo⁃ET)、结合单分子电子断层重构(individual⁃particle electron tomography,IPET)和基于深度学习的分割技术,确定了液-液相分离在不同阶段的凝聚物的分子组织结构。该研究揭示,核小体的液-液相分离过程涉及到两个主要步骤:首先,旋节分解形成不规则的凝聚物;然后,这些凝聚物经过一个不稳定的过渡阶段,转化为更紧凑的球状核,进一步通过聚集更多旋节材料或与其它球状凝聚物的融合,逐渐形成更大的球状聚集体。此外,连接组蛋白H1催化旋节向球状凝聚物转变的速率,比旋节分解速度快出十倍以上。因此,推测这种转变可能涉及到核小体疏水表面的暴露,进而改变了核小体之间的相互作用。这些发现为染色质从间期结构向中期结构转变提供了新的物理机制线索。

Benzydamine hydrochloride ameliorates ethanol-induced inflammation in RAW 264.7 macrophages by stabilizing redox homeostasis

Objective:To evaluate the protective effect of benzydamine hydrochloride against ethanol-induced oxidative stress and inflammation in RAW 264.7 macrophages.Methods:RAW 264.7 macrophages were treated with ethanol(100 mM)and benzydamine hydrochloride(7.5μM).The imflammatory status was confirmed by measuring pro-(TNF-αand IL-6)and anti-inflammatory(IL-10)cytokines through ELISA and RT-PCR assays.Reactive oxygen species generation and mitochondrial membrane potential were investigated to study the protective role of benzydamine hydrochloride against ethanol-induced oxidative stress.Apoptosis detection was also investigated using flow cytometry and acridine orange/ethidium bromide staining.Results:Benzydamine hydrochloride significantly decreased the secretion of TNF-αand IL-6,as well as the generation of reactive oxygen species inside the cells,thereby stabilizing the mitochondrial membrane potential and reducing DNA fragmentation.The ethanol-induced cellular necrosis was also reversed by the administration of benzydamine hydrochloride.Conclusions:Benzydamine hydrochloride ameliorates ethanol-induced cell apoptosis and inflammation in RAW macrophages.

Neurological consequences of human calmodulin mutations

When calcium ions enter the cytosol,it is a stimulatory signal for cellular events.The calcium sensor calmodulin picks up the change in calcium concentration and relays this information to its more than 300 downstream interaction partners.In this way,calmodulin affects cellular processes such as fertilization,muscle contraction,neuronal firing,and apoptosis.That is,calmodulin is involved in(nearly)everything!The significance of calmodulin is emphasized by the fact that we all carry three different genes(CALM1,2,3)on different chromosomes that encode the exact same calmodulin protein,and these are all expressed in all cell types.Moreover,throughout vertebrate evolution,the protein sequence has remained completely unchanged.

Integrins and their potential roles in mammalian pregnancy

Integrins are a highly complex family of receptors that, when expressed on the surface of cells, can mediate reciprocal cell-to-cell and cell-to-extracellular matrix(ECM) interactions leading to assembly of integrin adhesion complexes(IACs) that initiate many signaling functions both at the membrane and deeper within the cytoplasm to coordinate processes including cell adhesion, migration, proliferation, survival, differentiation, and metabolism. All metazoan organisms possess integrins, and it is generally agreed that integrins were associated with the evolution of multicellularity, being essential for the association of cells with their neighbors and surroundings, during embryonic development and many aspects of cellular and molecular biology. Integrins have important roles in many aspects of embryonic development, normal physiology, and disease processes with a multitude of functions discovered and elucidated for integrins that directly influence many areas of biology and medicine, including mammalian pregnancy, in particular implantation of the blastocyst to the uterine wall, subsequent placentation and conceptus(embryo/fetus and associated placental membranes) development. This review provides a succinct overview of integrin structure, ligand binding, and signaling followed with a concise overview of embryonic development, implantation, and early placentation in pigs, sheep, humans, and mice as an example for rodents. A brief timeline of the initial localization of integrin subunits to the uterine luminal epithelium(LE) and conceptus trophoblast is then presented, followed by sequential summaries of integrin expression and function during gestation in pigs, sheep, humans, and rodents. As appropriate for this journal, summaries of integrin expression and function during gestation in pigs and sheep are in depth, whereas summaries for humans and rodents are brief. Because similar models to those illustrated in Fig. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 are present throughout the scientific literature, the illustrations in this manuscript are drafted as Viking imagery for entertainment purposes.

Alternative therapeutic strategies in diabetes management

Diabetes is a heterogeneous metabolic disease characterized by elevated blood glucose levels resulting from the destruction or malfunction of pancreaticβcells,insulin resistance in peripheral tissues,or both,and results in a non-sufficient production of insulin.To adjust blood glucose levels,diabetic patients need exogenous insulin administration together with medical nutrition therapy and physical activity.With the aim of improving insulin availability in diabetic patients as well as ameliorating diabetes comorbidities,different strategies have been investigated.The first approaches included enhancing endogenousβcell activity or transplanting new islets.The protocol for this kind of intervention has recently been optimized,leading to standardized procedures.It is indicated for diabetic patients with severe hypoglycemia,complicated by impaired hypoglycemia awareness or exacerbated glycemic lability.Transplantation has been associated with improvement in all comorbidities associated with diabetes,quality of life,and survival.However,different trials are ongoing to further improve the beneficial effects of transplantation.Furthermore,to overcome some limitations associated with the availability of islets/pancreas,alternative therapeutic strategies are under evaluation,such as the use of mesenchymal stem cells(MSCs)or induced pluripotent stem cells for transplantation.The cotransplantation of MSCs with islets has been successful,thus providing protection against proinflammatory cytokines and hypoxia through different mechanisms,including exosome release.The use of induced pluripotent stem cells is recent and requires further investigation.The advantages of MSC implantation have also included the improvement of diabetes-related comorbidities,such as wound healing.Despite the number of advantages of the direct injection of MSCs,new strategies involving biomaterials and scaffolds have been developed to improve the efficacy of mesenchymal cell delivery with promising results.In conclusion,this paper offered an overview of new alternative strategies for diabetes management while highlighting some limitations that will need to be overcome by future approaches.

Potential of molecular chaperones for treating Alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimer’s disease(AD)is the most prevalent form of dementia,i.e.,progressive memory loss and profound cognitive dysfunction,resulting in a considerable societal burden.At the neuropathological level,the brains of AD patients exhibit amyloid-β(Aβ)plaques,neurofibrillary tangles,and neuroinflammation(Sala Frigerio and De Strooper,2016).

A cup of coffee for a brain long life

Coffee is one of the world's favorite and most popular beverages,the third most popular beverage after water and tea.For many people,it is an indispensable habit before going to work and a socialization tool for the rest of the day.In general,the average consum ption varies from 2 to6 cups per day.What are the health implications?Given this consum ption,the benefits are actually greater than the risks.This is the conclusion of a careful study published in the New England Journal of Medicine(van Dam et al.,2020).

A telomere-to-telomere genome assembly of Hongyingzi,a sorghum cultivar used for Chinese Baijiu production

Sorghum(Sorghum bicolor(L.)Moench)is a world cereal crop used in China for producing Baijiu,a distilled spirit.We report a telomere-to-telomere genome assembly of the Baijiu cultivar Hongyingzi,HYZ-T2T,using ultralong reads.The 10 chromosome pairs contained 33,462 genes,of which 93%were functionally annotated.The 20 telomeres and 10 centromeric regions on the HYZ-T2T chromosomes were predicted and two consecutive large inversions on chromosome 2 were characterized.A 65-gene reconstruction of the metabolic pathway of tannins,the flavor substances in Baijiu,was performed and may advance the breeding of sorghum cultivars for Baijiu production.

Improving the nutritional values of yellow mealworm Tenebrio molitor(Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) larvae as an animal feed ingredient: a review

Yellow mealworm larvae(YML;Tenebrio molitor) are considered as a valuable insect species for animal feed due to their high nutritional values and ability to grow under different substrates and rearing conditions. Advances in the understanding of entomophagy and animal nutrition over the past decades have propelled research areas toward testing multiple aspects of YML to exploit them better as animal feed sources. This review aims to summarize various approaches that could be exploited to maximize the nutritional values of YML as an animal feed ingredient. In addition, YML has the potential to be used as an antimicrobial or bioactive agent to improve animal health and immune function in production animals. The dynamics of the nutritional profile of YML can be influenced by multiple factors and should be taken into account when attempting to optimize the nutrient contents of YML as an animal feed ingredient. Specifically, the use of novel land-based and aquatic feeding resources, probiotics, and the exploitation of larval gut microbiomes as novel strategies can assist to maximize the nutritional potential of YML. Selection of relevant feed supplies, optimization of ambient conditions, the introduction of novel genetic selection procedures, and implementation of effective post-harvest processing may be required in the future to commercialize mealworm production. Furthermore, the use of appropriate agricultural practices and technological improvements within the mealworm production sector should be aimed at achieving both economic and environmental sustainability. The issues highlighted in this review could pave the way for future approaches to improve the nutritional value of YML.

New indices to balanceα-diversity against tree size inequality

The number and composition of species in a community can be quantified withα-diversity indices,including species richness(R),Simpson’s index(D),and the Shannon-Wiener index(H΄).In forest communities,there are large variations in tree size among species and individu-als of the same species,which result in differences in eco-logical processes and ecosystem functions.However,tree size inequality(TSI)has been largely neglected in studies using the available diversity indices.The TSI in the diameter at breast height(DBH)data for each of 99920 m×20 m forest census quadrats was quantified using the Gini index(GI),a measure of the inequality of size distribution.The generalized performance equation was used to describe the rotated and right-shifted Lorenz curve of the cumulative proportion of DBH and the cumulative proportion of number of trees per quadrat.We also examined the relationships ofα-diversity indices with the GI using correlation tests.The generalized performance equation effectively described the rotated and right-shifted Lorenz curve of DBH distributions,with most root-mean-square errors(990 out of 999 quadrats)being<0.0030.There were significant positive correlations between each of threeα-diversity indices(i.e.,R,D,and H’)and the GI.Nevertheless,the total abundance of trees in each quadrat did not significantly influence the GI.This means that the TSI increased with increasing spe-cies diversity.Thus,two new indices are proposed that can balanceα-diversity against the extent of TSI in the com-munity:(1−GI)×D,and(1−GI)×H’.These new indices were significantly correlated with the original D and H΄,and did not increase the extent of variation within each group of indices.This study presents a useful tool for quantifying both species diversity and the variation in tree sizes in forest communities,especially in the face of cumulative species loss under global climate change.

Mitochondrial therapeutics and mitochondrial transfer for neurodegenerative diseases and aging

Mitochondrial dysfunction and neurodegeneration:Progressive neurodegenerative diseases affect a significant proportion of the population;in a single year,there are as many as 276 million disabilities and 9 million deaths as a result of neurological diseases.

Potential Secretory Transporters and Biosynthetic Precursors of Biological Nitrification Inhibitor 1,9-Decanediol in Rice as Revealed by Transcriptome and Metabolome Analyses

Biological nitrification inhibitors(BNIs)are released from plant roots and inhibit the nitrification activity of microorganisms in soils,reducing NO_(3)^(‒)leaching and N2O emissions,and increasing nitrogenuse efficiency(NUE).Several recent studies have focused on the identification of new BNIs,yet little is known about the genetic loci that govern their biosynthesis and secretion.We applied a combined transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis to investigate possible biosynthetic pathways and transporters involved in the biosynthesis and release of BNI 1,9-decanediol(1,9-D),which was previously identified in rice root exudates.Our results linked four fatty acids,icosapentaenoic acid,linoleate,norlinolenic acid,and polyhydroxy-α,ω-divarboxylic acid,with 1,9-D biosynthesis and three transporter families,namely the ATP-binding cassette protein family,the multidrug and toxic compound extrusion family,and the major facilitator superfamily,with 1,9-D release from roots into the soil medium.Our finding provided candidates for further work on the genes implicated in the biosynthesis and secretion of 1,9-D and pinpoint genetic loci for crop breeding to improve NUE by enhancing 1,9-D secretion,with the potential to reduce NO_(3)^(‒)leaching and N2O emissions from agricultural soils.

CO_(2)capture costs of chemical looping combustion of biomass:A comparison of natural and synthetic oxygen carrier

Chemical looping combustion has the potential to be an efficient and low-cost technology capable of contributing to the reduction of the atmospheric concentration of CO_(2) in order to reach the 1.5/2°C goal and mitigate climate change.In this process,a metal oxide is used as oxygen carrier in a dual fluidized bed to generate clean CO_(2) via combustion of biomass.Most commonly,natural ores or synthetic materials are used as oxygen carrier whereas both must meet special requirements for the conversion of solid fuels.Synthetic oxygen carriers are characterized by higher reactivity at the expense of higher costs versus the lower-cost natural ores.To determine the viability of both possibilities,a techno-economic comparison of a synthetic material based on manganese,iron,and copper to the natural ore ilmenite was conducted.The synthetic oxygen carrier was characterized and tested in a pilot plant,where high combustion efficiencies up to 98.4%and carbon capture rates up to 98.5%were reached.The techno-economic assessment resulted in CO_(2) capture costs of 75 and 40€/tCO_(2) for the synthetic and natural ore route respectively,whereas a sensitivity analysis showed the high impact of production costs and attrition rates of the synthetic material.The synthetic oxygen carrier could break even with the natural ore in case of lower production costs and attrition rates,which could be reached by adapting the production process and recycling material.By comparison to state-of-the-art technologies,it is demonstrated that both routes are viable and the capture cost of CO_(2) could be reduced by implementing the chemical looping combustion technology.

Bioremediation of Textile Azo Dyes Amido Black 10B, Reactive Black 5, Reactive Blue 160 by Lentinus squarrosulus AF5 and Assessment of Toxicity of the Degraded Metabolites

Bioremediation is an eco-compatible and economical approach to counter textile dye menace. The isolated Lentinus squarrosulus AF5 was assessed for decolourization of textile azo dyes, and had shown ~93%, 88% and 70% decolorization of Reactive blue 160 (RB160), Reactive black 5 (RB5) and Amido black 10B (AB10B) respectively. Further analysis using UV-vis, HPLC, and FTIR, 1H NMR had shown the degradation of the dyes. Toxicity analysis of the metabolites was performed using seed germination and plant growth on two agriculturally important plants Guar (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba) and wheat (Triticum aestivum) as well as cytotoxicity analysis using the human keratinocyte cell line (HaCaT). The dye mix appeared inhibitory for seed germination (20% - 40%), whereas metabolites were non-inhibitory for germination. Treatment of HaCaT cells with of dye mix and metabolites led into 45% and ~100% of cell viability of HaCaT cells respectively. Therefore, metabolites following degradation of the dye mix were observed to be non-toxic.

Cisplatin-induced activation of TGF-βsignaling contributes to drug resistance

Growing evidence suggests an association between epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT),a hallmark of tumor malignancy,and chemoresistance to a number of anti-cancer drugs.However,the mechanism of EMT induction in the process of acquiring anti-cancer drug resistance remains unclear.To address this issue,we obtained a number of cisplatin-resistant clones from LoVo cells and found that almost all of them lost cell-cell contacts.In these clones,the epithelial marker E-cadherin was downregulated,whereas the mesenchymal marker N-cadherin was upregulated.Moreover,the expression of EMT-related transcription factors,including Slug,was elevated.On the other hand,the upregulation of other mesenchymal marker Vimentin was weak,suggesting that the mesenchymal-like phenotypic changes occurred in these cisplatin-resistant clones.These mesenchymal-like features of cisplatin-resistant clones were partially reversed to parental epithelial-like features by treatment with transforming growth factor-β(TGF-β)receptor kinase inhibitors,indicating that TGF-βsignaling is involved in cisplatin-induced the mesenchymallike phenotypic changes.Moreover,cisplatin was observed to enhance the secretion of TGF-βinto the culture media without influencing TGF-βgene transcription.These results suggest that cisplatin may induce the mesenchymal-like phenotypic changes by enhancing TGF-βsecretion,ultimately resulting in drug resistance.

Tuberculosis-diabetes comorbidities: Mechanistic insights for clinical considerations and treatment challenges

Tuberculosis(TB)remains a leading cause of death among infectious diseases,particularly in poor countries.Viral infections,multidrug-resistant and ex-tensively drug-resistant TB strains,as well as the coexistence of chronic illnesses such as diabetes mellitus(DM)greatly aggravate TB morbidity and mortality.DM[particularly type 2 DM(T2DM)]and TB have converged making their control even more challenging.Two contemporary global epidemics,TB-DM behaves like a syndemic,a synergistic confluence of two highly prevalent diseases.T2DM is a risk factor for developing more severe forms of multi-drug resistant-TB and TB recurrence after preventive treatment.Since a bidirectional relationship exists between TB and DM,it is necessary to concurrently treat both,and promote recommendations for the joint management of both diseases.There are also some drug-drug interactions resulting in adverse treatment outcomes in TB-DM patients including treatment failure,and reinfection.In addition,autophagy may play a role in these comorbidities.Therefore,the TB-DM comorbidities present several health challenges,requiring a focus on multidisciplinary collaboration and integrated strategies,to effectively deal with this double burden.To effectively manage the comorbidity,further screening in affected countries,more suitable drugs,and better treatment strategies are required.