Evolution of Physicochemical Structure of Waste Cotton Fiber (Hydrochar) During Hydrothermal Carbonation

To study the hydrothermal behavior of cotton fiber, the carbonization process and structural evolution of discarded or waste cotton fiber (WCF) under hydrothermal conditions were investigated using microcrystalline cellulose (MCC), and glucose was used as a model compound. Results showed that high temperature was beneficial for the hydrolysis of discarded cotton fiber, and the yield of sugar was 4.5%, which was lower than that of MCC (6.51%). WCF and MCC were carbonized at 240–~260°C and 220–~240°C, respectively, whereas the carbonization temperature of glucose was lower than 220°C. The C/O ratios of WCF and glucose hydrothermal products were 5.79 and 5.85, respectively. The three kinds of hydrothermal carbonization products had similar crystal structures and oxygen-containing functional groups. The carbonized products of WCF contained many irregular particles, while the main products of glucose carbonization were 0.5-mm-sized carbon microspheres (CMSs). Results showed that glucose was an important intermediate in WCF carbonization and that there were two main pathways of hydrothermal carbonization of cotton fibers: some cotton fibers were completely hydrolyzed into glucose accompanied by nucleation and then the growth of CMSs. For the other part, the glucose ring of the oligosaccharide, formed by the incomplete hydrolysis of cotton fibers under hydrothermal conditions of high temperature and pressure, breaks and then forms particulate matter

Clinical Characteristics of Peripheral Neuropathy in Eosinophilic Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis: A Retrospective Single-Center Study in China

Objective. To investigate clinical features, independent associated factors, treatment, and outcome of patients with peripheral neuropathy (PN) in eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA). Methods. We retrospectively analyzed clinical data of 110 EGPA patients from 2007 to 2019 in Peking Union Medical College Hospital. The independent factors associated with PN in EGPA were analyzed with univariate and multivariate logistic regressions. Results. In EGPA with PN, paresthesia and muscle weakness were observed in 82% and 33% of patients, respectively. Both the upper and lower limbs were involved in 51% of patients. 30% of EGPA patients had symmetrical multiple peripheral neuropathy, whereas only 16.4% presented with mononeuritis multiplex. Compared to patients without PN, patients with PN had a higher erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, rheumatoid factor, Birmingham vasculitis activity score (BVAS), and positivity of myeloperoxidase-antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (MPO-ANCA). Regarding manifestations, patients with PN tended to develop weight loss and arthritis or joint pain. Notably, ANCA positivity, arthritis or joint pain, and higher BVAS were found to be independent associated factors for PN in EGPA. Patients with PN more frequently need glucocorticoid pulses and intravenous infusion of cyclophosphamide. With the longest follow-up of 11.0 years, we found that age and cardiac involvement were risk factors for survival, and female was the protective factor. Conclusion. PN in EGPA frequently displays with symmetrical multiple peripheral neuropathy in China. Positive ANCA, arthritis or joint pain, and higher BVAS are the independent associated factors of PN in EGPA. Glucocorticoids with immunosuppressants are vital therapeutic strategy

Combining Next Generation Sequencing with Bulked Segregant Analysis to Fine Map a Stem Moisture Locus in Sorghum (<i>Sorghum bicolor</i> L. Moench)

<div><p>Sorghum is one of the most promising bioenergy crops. Stem juice yield, together with stem sugar concentration, determines sugar yield in sweet sorghum. Bulked segregant analysis (BSA) is a gene mapping technique for identifying genomic regions containing genetic loci affecting a trait of interest that when combined with deep sequencing could effectively accelerate the gene mapping process. In this study, a dry stem sorghum landrace was characterized and the stem water controlling locus, <i>qSW6</i>, was fine mapped using QTL analysis and the combined BSA and deep sequencing technologies. Results showed that: (i) In sorghum variety Jiliang 2, stem water content was around 80% before flowering stage. It dropped to 75% during grain filling with little difference between different internodes. In landrace G21, stem water content keeps dropping after the flag leaf stage. The drop from 71% at flowering time progressed to 60% at grain filling time. Large differences exist between different internodes with the lowest (51%) at the 7^th and 8^th internodes at dough stage. (ii) A quantitative trait locus (QTL) controlling stem water content mapped on chromosome 6 between SSR markers Ch6-2 and gpsb069 explained about 34.7-56.9% of the phenotypic variation for the 5^th to 10^th internodes, respectively. (iii) BSA and deep sequencing analysis narrowed the associated region to 339 kb containing 38 putative genes. The results could help reveal molecular mechanisms underlying juice yield of sorghum and thus to improve total sugar yield.</p></div

Identification of differentiated markers.

<p>The physical positions (in megabases) are denoted on the X axis. The putative associated genomic region is arrowed.</p

Chromosome distribution of differentiated markers.

<p>Chromosome distribution of differentiated markers.</p

Stem moisture changes of Jiliang 2 and G21 at different growing stages.

<p>The growing stages are flag leaf stage (top leaf fully developed), heading stage (spike fully sprouted), flowering stage, grain filling stage, dough stage (kernel well formed and filled with starch) and maturity stage.</p

Linkage map of the region harboring <i>qSW6</i> on chromosome 6 in the “G21/Jiliang 2” F₂ mapping population.

<p>The genetic distances (cM) between adjacent markers are shown on the left, whereas the names of mapped markers are on the right. The trait was calculated with five different internodes (internode 6–10, in different color), respectively. The LOD scores are indicated on the right of the linkage map. <i>qSW6</i> was positioned between markers Ch6-2 and gpsb069.</p

Gene Ontology (GO) analysis of the candidate genes using AgriGO.

<p>Each box shows the GO term number, the <i>p</i>-value in parenthesis, and GO term. The first pair of numerals represents the number of genes in the input list associated with that GO term and the number of genes in the input list. The second pair of numerals represents the number of genes associated with the particular GO term in the sorghum database and the total number of sorghum genes with GO annotations in the sorghum database. The box colors indicates levels of statistical significance with yellow = 0.05; orange = e-05 and red = e-09.</p

The distribution of markers on each chromosome.

<p>The distribution of markers on each chromosome.</p

Enriched GO categories of the candidate genes in the target region.

<p>Abbreviation: P: biological process; C: celluar component; F: molecular function; FDR: false-discovery rate</p><p>Enriched GO categories of the candidate genes in the target region.</p