The combined effects of filter-feeding bivalves (Cristaria plicata) and submerged macrophytes (Hydrilla verticillate) on phytoplankton assemblages in nutrient-enriched freshwater mesocosms

Freshwater ecosystems are threatened by eutrophication, which causes persistent and harmful algal blooms. Filter-feeding bivalve mollusks and submerged macrophytes (SMs) alleviate the eutrophication effects by inhibiting phytoplankton biomass blooms. However, very little is known about whether and how the combined manipulation of filter-feeding bivalves and SMs control eutrophication and influence phytoplankton assemblages. Here, we performed a nutrient-enriched freshwater mesocosm experiment to assess the combined effects of the filter-feeding bivalve Cristaria plicata, a cockscomb pearl mussel, and the macrophyte Hydrilla verticillate on the biomass and composition of phytoplankton assemblages. We found that addition of C. plicata and H. verticillate decreased the water nutrient concentrations and suppressed overall phytoplankton biomass. Further, distinct differences in taxa between restoration and control treatments were observed and noticeably competitive exclusion of cyanobacteria in the restoration treatments occurred. An antagonistic interaction between filter-feeding bivalves and SMs was only detected for total cyanobacteria biomass demonstrating that a larger magnitude of SM restoration may override the effect of filter-feeding bivalves. Our results suggest that manipulation, through the addition of bivalves as grazers, associated with the restoration of SMs, is an efficient approach for reducing cyanobacterial blooms and alleviating eutrophication

Studies on biotransformation mechanism of Fusarium sp. C39 to enhance saponin content of Paridis Rhizoma

Paridis Rhizoma is a natural medicine with strong anti-tumor and anti-inflammatory activities. Our previous research have found that Fusarium sp. C39, an endophytic fungus isolated from Dioscorea nipponica which contains the similar chemical components, significantly increased the steroidal saponins content of Paridis Rhizoma by fermentation. In this study, the inhibitory effects of fermentated Paridis Rhizoma extract (PRE) on liver cancer cells (Hepal-6), cervical cancer cells (Hela), and lung cancer cells (A549) were determined to be stronger than that of the unfermented extract. For discovering the fermentation mechanism of PRE with Fusarium sp. C39, 36 components with obviously quantitative variations were screened out by UPLC-Q/TOF-MS and 53 key genes involved in the metabolic pathways of steroidal saponins were identified by transcriptome. On the basis of comprehensively analyzing information from the metabonomics and transcriptome, it can be speculated that the increase of spirostanol saponins and nuatigenin-type saponins enhanced the inhibitory effect of fermented PRE on cancer cell proliferation. Under the action of glycosidase, glycosyltransferase, oxidoreductases, and genes involved in sterol synthesis, strain C39 achieved the synthesis of diosgenin and the alteration of configurations, sugar chain and substituent of steroidal saponins. The research suggested a microbial transformation approach to increase the resource utilization and activity of Paris polyphylla

An integrated approach using ozone nanobubble and cyclodextrin inclusion complexation to enhance the removal of micropollutants

Ozone (O3) has been widely used for the elimination of recalcitrant micropollutants in aqueous environments, due to its strong oxidation ability. However, the utilization efficiency of O3 is constrained by its low solubility and short half-life during the treatment process. Herein, an integrated approach, using nanobubble technology and micro-environmental chemistry within cyclodextrin inclusion cavities, was studied in order to enhance the reactivity of ozonisation. Compared with traditional macrobubble aeration with O3 in water, nanobubble aeration achieved 1.7 times higher solubility of O3, and increased the mass transfer coefficient 4.7 times. Moreover, the addition of hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPβCD) further increased the stability of O3 through formation of an inclusion complex in its molecule-specific cavity. At a HPβCD:O3 molar ratio of 10:1, the lifespan of O3 reached 18 times longer than in a HPβCD-free O3 solution. Such approach accelerated the removal efficiency of the model micropollutant, 4-chlorophenol by 6.9 times, compared with conventional macrobubble ozonation. Examination of the HPβCD inclusion complex by UV-visible spectroscopy and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance analyses revealed that both O3 and 4-chlorophenol entered the HPβCD cavity, and Benesi-Hildebrand plots indicated a 1:1 stoichiometry of the host and guest compounds. Additionally, molecular docking simulations were conducted in order to confirm the formation of a ternary complex of HPβCD:4-chlorophenol:O3 and to determine the optimal inclusion mode. With these results, our study highlights the viability of the proposed integrated approach to enhance the ozonation of organic micropollutant

Spatial Pattern Analysis of Heavy Metals in Beijing Agricultural Soils Based on Spatial Autocorrelation Statistics

This study explored the spatial pattern of heavy metals in Beijing agricultural soils using Moran’s I statistic of spatial autocorrelation. The global Moran’s I result showed that the spatial dependence of Cr, Ni, Zn, and Hg changed with different spatial weight matrixes, and they had significant and positive global spatial correlations based on distance weight. The spatial dependence of the four metals was scale-dependent on distance, but these scale effects existed within a threshold distance of 13 km, 32 km, 50 km, and 29 km, respectively for Cr, Ni, Zn, and Hg. The maximal spatial positive correlation range was 57 km, 70 km, 57 km, and 55 km for Cr, Ni, Zn, and Hg, respectively and these were not affected by sampling density. Local spatial autocorrelation analysis detected the locations of spatial clusters and spatial outliers and revealed that the pollution of these four metals occurred in significant High-high spatial clusters, Low-high, or even High-low spatial outliers. Thus, three major areas were identified and should be receiving more attention: the first was the northeast region of Beijing, where Cr, Zn, Ni, and Hg had significant increases. The second was the southeast region of Beijing where wastewater irrigation had strongly changed the content of metals, particularly of Cr and Zn, in soils. The third area was the urban fringe around city, where Hg showed a significant increase

Survival after radiofrequency ablation and/or chemotherapy for lung cancer and pulmonary metastases: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundRadiofrequency ablation (RFA) and chemotherapy are used to treat lung cancer or pulmonary metastases, but no direct comparison of overall survival (OS) has been published. The present study aimed to assess the OS of RFA and/or chemotherapy in patients with lung cancer or pulmonary metastases who were not candidates for surgical resection.MethodsTo identify relevant studies, the following databases were electronically searched from their inception to 31 March 2023: PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Scopus, Ovid, ScienceDirect, SinoMed, China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database, Chongqing VIP Chinese Science and Technology Periodical Database, Wanfang Database, LILACS, ClinicalTrials.gov, and Chictr.org. Manual retrieval was also conducted. We used published hazard ratios (HRs) if available or estimates from other survival data.ResultsA total of 1,387 participants from 14 trials were included in the final analysis. Patients treated with RFA combined with chemotherapy significantly improved OS compared with those treated with chemotherapy alone [HR 0.50, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.41–0.61; p < 0.00001], with an absolute difference at 12 months of 29.6% (95% CI 23.7–35.5), at 24 months of 19.2% (95% CI 10.1–28.2), and at 36 months of 22.9% (95% CI 12.0–33.7). No statistically significant difference was observed in the subgroups of case type, cancer type, chemotherapy drugs, and tumor size. The HR for OS with RFA plus chemotherapy vs. RFA alone was 0.53 (95% CI 0.41–0.70; p < 0.00001), corresponding to a 27.1% (95% CI 18.3–35.8), 31.0% (95% CI 19.9–41.9), and 24.9% (95% CI 15.0–34.7) absolute difference in survival at 12 months, 24 months, and 36 months, respectively. Subgroup analysis by geographic region and TNM stage showed that RFA combined with chemotherapy still significantly improved OS compared to RFA. The HR of RFA vs. chemotherapy was 0.98 (95% CI 0.60–1.60; p = 0.94), with an absolute difference at 12 months of 1.4% (95% CI -19.2 to 22.1), at 24 months of 7.8% (95% CI -11.3 to 26.8), and at 36 months of 0.3% (95% CI -13.2 to 13.8). The overall indirect comparison of OS for RFA vs. chemotherapy was 0.95 (95% CI 0.72–1.26; p = 0.74). Data on progression-free survival were not sufficiently reported.ConclusionRFA combined with chemotherapy might be a better treatment option for patients with lung cancer or pulmonary metastases than chemotherapy alone or RFA alone. The comparison between RFA and/or chemotherapy remains to be specifically tested.Systematic review registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?RecordID=335032, identifier CRD42022335032

COVID-19 pandemic impact on ocular trauma in a tertiary hospital

AIM: To analyze the impact of the coronavirus disease- 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the presentation and characteristics of patients hospitalized for ocular trauma in a tertiary hospital in China between 2019 and 2020. METHODS: A retrospective case study was designed to collect information on all cases of ocular trauma in a tertiary hospital from 2019 to 2020 and compare differences in inpatients' data (age, sex, admission vision acuity, type of diagnosis, hospital stays, mechanism of injury and location of injury). RESULTS: The total number of patients admitted to the Ophthalmology Department was 883 (mean 73.58±11.25 patients per month) in 2019 and 714 (59.50±17.92 patients per month) in 2020. The injury number of in work was also the most within the four types of location in this two year (42.36% in 2019, 43.84% in 2020). The mean hospital stays were 12.66d in 2019 and 10.81d in 2020. The highest incidence of ocular trauma was the middle-aged (41-65y) groups in 2019 and 2020. The most common cause of ocular trauma was sharp object in 2019 (47.34%) and 2020 (47.58%). The mechanical ocular trauma reaches 98.98% in 2019 and 99.72% in 2020. CONCLUSION: The number of patients with ocular trauma decreased in 2020, but middle-aged (41-65y) are still high incident groups. Mechanical ocular trauma remains the leading cause of hospitalization for ocular trauma patients and the proportion of patients injured at home increases. It is necessary to arouse social attention and the public's awareness of eye trauma protection should be strengthened during the pandemic

RPS23RG1 modulates tau phosphorylation and axon outgrowth through regulating p35 proteasomal degradation

Tau蛋白病（Tauopathies）是由过度磷酸化的tau蛋白聚集形成神经纤维缠结为特征的一类神经退行性疾病，包括阿尔茨海默病（Alzheimer’s disease, AD）、进行性核上性麻痹（Progressive superanuclear palsy, PSP）、额颞叶痴呆（Frontotemporal dementia, FTD）等。随着全球社会结构的老龄化，tau蛋白病患者比率迅速增加，给个人和社会带来巨大的经济及精神负担。厦门大学神经科学研究所张云武教授团队最新发现RPS23RG1（RR1）的胞内羧基端区域能够与Cdk5激酶的激活蛋白p35的氨基端相互作用，介导p35的膜定位并影响其泛素化降解，从而调控在tau蛋白异常磷酸化过程中发挥重要作用的Cdk5激酶的活性。团队研究表明RPS23RG1通过其胞内羧基端与p35相互作用，介导p35膜结合和降解，从而抑制Cdk5活性，平衡tau磷酸化水平，促进轴突生长。此外，RPS23RG1的跨膜区与腺苷酸环化酶AC相互作用，抑制GSK3-β活性，同样控制tau过度磷酸化。提示RPS23RG1是改善tau过度磷酸化水平及治疗tau蛋白病的潜在靶点。 厦门大学医学院神经科学研究所博士后赵东栋为该研究第一作者，张云武教授为通讯作者。【Abstract】Tauopathies are a group of neurodegenerative diseases characterized by hyperphosphorylation of the microtubule-binding protein, tau, and typically feature axon impairment and synaptic dysfunction. Cyclin-dependent kinase5 (Cdk5) is a major tau kinase and its activity requires p35 or p25 regulatory subunits. P35 is subjected to rapid proteasomal degradation in its membrane-bound form and is cleaved by calpain under stress to a stable p25 form, leading to aberrant Cdk5 activation and tau hyperphosphorylation. The type Ib transmembrane protein RPS23RG1 has been implicated in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, physiological and pathological roles for RPS23RG1 in AD and other tauopathies are largely unclear. Herein, we observed retarded axon outgrowth, elevated p35 and p25 protein levels, and increased tau phosphorylation at major Cdk5 phosphorylation sites in Rps23rg1 knockout (KO) mice. Both downregulation of p35 and the Cdk5 inhibitor roscovitine attenuated tau hyperphosphorylation and axon outgrowth impairment in Rps23rg1 KO neurons. Interestingly, interactions between the RPS23RG1 carboxyl-terminus and p35 amino-terminus promoted p35 membrane distribution and proteasomal degradation. Moreover, P301L tau transgenic (Tg) mice showed increased tau hyperphosphorylation with reduced RPS23RG1 levels and impaired axon outgrowth. Overexpression of RPS23RG1 markedly attenuated tau hyperphosphorylation and axon outgrowth defects in P301L tau Tg neurons. Our results demonstrate the involvement of RPS23RG1 in tauopathy disorders, and implicate a role for RPS23RG1 in inhibiting tau hyperphosphorylation through homeostatic p35 degradation and suppression of Cdk5 activation. Reduced RPS23RG1 levels in tauopathy trigger aberrant Cdk5-p35 activation, consequent tau hyperphosphorylation, and axon outgrowth impairment, suggesting that RPS23RG1 may be a potential therapeutic target in tauopathy disorders.This work was supported by grants from National Key Research and Development Program of China (2016YFC1305903 and 2018YFC2000400 to Y-wZ), National Natural Science Foundation of China (81771377, U1705285, 91332112, and 81225008 to Y-wZ), Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (20720180049 to Y-wZ), the Fujian Provincial Health Commission-Education Department Joint Tackling Plan (WKJ2016-2-18 to F-rL), and Postdoctoral Science Foundation of China (2020M671948 to DZ)

The LAMOST Survey of Background Quasars in the Vicinity of the Andromeda and Triangulum Galaxies -- II. Results from the Commissioning Observations and the Pilot Surveys

We present new quasars discovered in the vicinity of the Andromeda and Triangulum galaxies with the LAMOST during the 2010 and 2011 observational seasons. Quasar candidates are selected based on the available SDSS, KPNO 4 m telescope, XSTPS optical, and WISE near infrared photometric data. We present 509 new quasars discovered in a stripe of ~135 sq. deg from M31 to M33 along the Giant Stellar Stream in the 2011 pilot survey datasets, and also 17 new quasars discovered in an area of ~100 sq. deg that covers the central region and the southeastern halo of M31 in the 2010 commissioning datasets. These 526 new quasars have i magnitudes ranging from 15.5 to 20.0, redshifts from 0.1 to 3.2. They represent a significant increase of the number of identified quasars in the vicinity of M31 and M33. There are now 26, 62 and 139 known quasars in this region of the sky with i magnitudes brighter than 17.0, 17.5 and 18.0 respectively, of which 5, 20 and 75 are newly-discovered. These bright quasars provide an invaluable collection with which to probe the kinematics and chemistry of the ISM/IGM in the Local Group of galaxies. A total of 93 quasars are now known with locations within 2.5 deg of M31, of which 73 are newly discovered. Tens of quasars are now known to be located behind the Giant Stellar Stream, and hundreds behind the extended halo and its associated substructures of M31. The much enlarged sample of known quasars in the vicinity of M31 and M33 can potentially be utilized to construct a perfect astrometric reference frame to measure the minute PMs of M31 and M33, along with the PMs of substructures associated with the Local Group of galaxies. Those PMs are some of the most fundamental properties of the Local Group.Comment: 26 pages, 6 figures, AJ accepte