Effects of magnesium sulfate combined with labetalol on inflammatory stress and pregnancy outcome of patients with gestational hypertension.

Gestational hypertension (GH) is a common disorder during pregnancy that can cause adverse pregnancy outcomes. In the present study, magnesium sulfate (MgSO4) combined with labetalol was used for clinical treatment. Randomized controlled trial was conducted in 100 patients with GH, documented in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (Taicang TCM Hospital) grouped into the experimental (Expt) and control (Ctrl) groups (n=50 cases/group). The Ctrl group was treated with MgSO4, whereas the Expt group was treated with MgSO4 + labetalol. The systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) in the Expt group were not significantly different from those in the Ctrl group (P>0.05). By contrast, the SBP and DBP were significantly lower after treatment than those before treatment in both groups (P<0.05). Whole blood viscosity, plasma viscosity and hematocrit were significantly lower in the Expt group compared with those in the Ctrl group after treatment (P<0.05). High mobility group box-1 protein, homocysteine and serum cystatin C levels in the Expt group were also markedly lower than those in the Ctrl group after treatment (P<0.05). In the Expt group, the rate of spontaneous vaginal delivery was much higher, whereas the rates of cesarean section and postpartum hemorrhage were markedly lower than those in the Ctrl group (P<0.05). The occurrence of fetal intrauterine distress, placental abruption, neonatal asphyxia, premature birth and neonatal death were also significantly lower in the Expt group than those in the Ctrl group (P<0.05). In conclusion, MgSO4 + labetalol could improve inflammatory stress and the hemodynamics of patients with GH, and may have a marked antihypertensive effect. Thus, it may improve pregnancy outcome and reduce perinatal complications.

Development and Validation of a Fusion Model Based on Carotid Plaques and White Matter Lesion Burden Imaging Characteristics to Evaluate Ischemic Stroke Severity in Symptomatic Patients.

BACKGROUND: The diagnostic value of carotid plaque characteristics based on higher-resolution vessel wall MRI (HRVW-MRI) combined with white matter lesion (WML) burden for the risk of ischemic stroke is unclear. PURPOSE: To combine carotid plaque features and WML burden to construct a hybrid model for evaluating ischemic stroke severity and prognosis in patients with symptomatic carotid artery stenosis. STUDY TYPE: Retrospective. SUBJECTS: One hundred and ninty-three patients with least one confirmed carotid atherosclerotic stenosis ≥30% and cerebrovascular symptoms within the last 2 weeks (136 in the training cohort and 57 in the test cohort). FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE: 3.0T, T2-weighted fluid attenuated inversion recovery (T2-FLAIR) and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI); HRVW-MRI: 3D T1-weighted variable flip angle fast spin-echo sequences (VISTA), T2-weighted VISTA, simultaneous noncontrast angiography and intraplaque hemorrhage (SNAP), and contrast-enhanced T1-VISTA. ASSESSMENT: The following features of the plaques or vessel wall were assessed by three MRI readers independently: calcification (CA), intraplaque hemorrhage (IPH), lipid-rich necrotic core (LRNC), ulceration, plaque enhancement (PE), maximum vessel diameter (Max VD), maximum wall thickness (Max WT), total vessel area (TVA), lumen area (LA), plaque volume, and lumen stenosis. WMLs were graded visually and categorized as absent-to-mild WMLs (Fazekas score 0-2) or moderate-severe WMLs (Fazekas score 3-6). WML volumes were quantified using a semiautomated volumetric analysis program. Modified Rankin scores (mRS) were assessed at 90 days, following an outpatient interview, or by telephone. STATISTICAL TESTS: LASSO-logistic regression analysis was performed to construct a model. The performance of the model was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses, calibration curves, decision curve analyses, and clinical imaging curves. Conditional logistic regression analysis was used to explore the associations between the hybrid model-derived score and the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score at 90 days. RESULTS: The model was constructed using five selected features, including IPH, plaque enhancement, ulceration, NWI, and total Fazekas score in deep WMLs (DWMLs). The hybrid model yielded an area under the curve of 0.92 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.87-0.97) in the training cohort and 0.88 (0.80-0.96) in the test cohort. Furthermore, the hybrid model-derived score (odds ratio = 1.28; 95% CI 1.06-1.53) was independently associated with the mRS score 90 days after stroke. DATA CONCLUSIONS: The hybrid model constructed using MRI plaque characteristics and WML burden has potential to be an effective noninvasive method of assessing ischemic stroke severity. The model-derived score has promising utility in judging neurological function recovery. TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 2.

Organic-mineral colloids regulate the migration and fractionation of rare earth elements in groundwater systems impacted by ion-adsorption deposits mining in South China.

Ion-adsorption rare earth element (REE) deposits distributed in the subtropics provide a rich global source of REEs, but in situ injection of REEs extractant into the mine can result in leachate being leaked into the surrounding groundwater systems. Due to the lack of understanding of REE speciation distribution, particularly colloidal characteristics in a mining area, the risks of REEs migration caused by in situ leaching of ion-adsorption REE deposits has not been concerned. Here, ultrafiltration and asymmetric flow field-flow fractionation coupled with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (AF4-ICP-MS) were integrated to characterize the size and composition of REEs in leachate and groundwater from mining catchments in South China. Results show that REEs were associated with four fractions: 1) the <1 kDa fraction including dissolved REEs; 2) the 1 - 100 kDa nano-colloidal fraction containing organic compounds; 3) the 100 kDa - 220 nm fine colloids including organic-mineral (Fe, Mn and Al (oxy)hydroxides and clay minerals); 4) the >220 nm coarse colloids and acid soluble particles (ASPs) comprising minerals. Influenced by the ion exchange effect of in situ leaching, REEs in leachate were mostly dissolved (79 %). The pH of the groundwater far from the mine site was increased (5.8 - 7.3), the fine organic-mineral colloids (46 % - 80 %) were the main vectors of transport for REEs. Further analysis by AF4 revealed that the fine colloids can be divided into mineral-rich (F1, 100 kDa - 120 nm) and organic matter-rich (F2, 120 - 220 nm) populations. The main colloids associated with REEs shifted from F1 (64 % ∼ 76 %) to F2 (50 % ∼ 52 %) away from the mining area. For F1 and F2, the metal/C molar ratio decreased away from the mining area and middle to heavy REE enrichment was presented. According to the REE fractionation, organic matter was the predominant component capable of binding REEs in fine colloids. Overall, our results indicate that REEs in the groundwater system shifted from the dissolved to the colloidal phase in a catchment affected by in situ leaching, and organic-mineral colloids play an important role in facilitating the migration of REEs.

A novel linear B cell epitope of the canine coronavirus nucleocapsid protein identified by a monoclonal antibody.

The infection of canine coronavirus (CCoV) causes a highly contagious disease in dogs with acute gastroenteritis. The efficient serological diagnostics is critical for controlling the disease caused by CCoV. Nucleocapsid (N) protein of CCoV is an important target for developing serological approaches. However, little is known about the antigenic sites in the N protein of CCoV. In this study, we generated a monoclonal antibody (mAb) against the N protein of CCoV, designated as 13E8, through the fusion of the sp2/0 cells with the spleen cells from a mouse immunized with the purified recombinant GST-N protein. Epitope mapping revealed that mAb 13E8 recognized a novel linear B cell epitope in N protein at 294-314aa (named as EP-13E8) by using a serial of truncated N protein through Western blot and ELISA. Sequence analysis showed that the sequence of EP-13E8 was highly conserved (100 %) among different CCoV strains analyzed, but exhibited a low similarity (31.8-63.6 %) with the responding sequence in other coronaviruses of the same genus such as FCoV, PEDV and HCoV except for TGEV (95.5 % identity). Structural assay suggested that the epitope of EP-13E8 were located in the close proximity on the surface of the N protein. Overall, the mAb 13E8 against N protein generated and its epitope EP-13E8 identified here paid the way for further developing epitope-based serological diagnostics for CCoV.

Three cancers in the renal pelvis, bladder, and colon: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Multiple primary cancers are rare occurrences that can involve either metachronous or synchronous development. It is particularly rare for an individual to have more than two primary cancers. In this report, we present a case study of an elderly man who was diagnosed with three heterochronous cancers in the renal pelvis, bladder, and colon. CASE SUMMARY: On December 30, 2014, a 51-year-old Chinese man was admitted to our hospital with complaints of intermittent painless gross hematuria for the preceding week. A computed tomography (CT) scan revealed wall thickening in the left ureter's upper segment, while a CT urography revealed a left renal pelvis tumor. A successful laparoscopic radical resection of the left renal pelvis tumor was subsequently performed at Shanghai Zhongshan Hospital in January 2015. The pathological findings after the surgery revealed a low-grade papillary urothelial carcinoma of the renal pelvis. The final pathological tumor stage was pT1N0M0. After surgery, this patient received 6 cycles of intravenous chemotherapy with gemcitabine and carboplatin, as well as bladder infusion therapy with gemcitabine. On December 18, 2017, the patient was admitted once again to our hospital with a one-day history of painless gross hematuria. A CT scan showed the presence of a space-occupying lesion on the posterior wall of bladder. Cystoscopic examination revealed multiple tumors in the bladder and right cutaneous ureterostomy was performed under general anesthesia on December 29, 2017. The postoperative pathological findings disclosed multifocal papillary urothelial carcinoma of the bladder (maximum size 3.7 cm × 2.6 cm). The bladder cancer was considered a metastasis of the renal pelvis cancer after surgery. The pathological tumor stage was pT1N0M1. The patient refused chemotherapy after surgery. After another six years, the patient returned on February 28, 2023, complaining of periumbilical pain that had lasted six days. This time, a CT scan of the abdomen showed a tumor in the ascending colon, but a subsequent colonoscopy examination indicated a tumor in the descending colon. On March 12, 2023, a subtotal colectomy and an ileosigmoidal anastomosis were carried out under general anesthesia. Postoperative pathological findings revealed that all three tumors were adenocarcinomas. The final pathological tumor stage was pT3N0M0. The patient had an uneventful postoperative recovery and was discharged without complications. CONCLUSION: The case of this elderly man presents a rare occurrence of metachronous primary cancers in the renal pelvis and colon. Bladder cancer is considered a metastasis of renal pelvis cancer after surgery. Optimal treatment can be implemented by evaluating the patient's histological features, clinical history, and tumor distribution correctly.

NIR Plasmonic Nanozymes: Synergistic Enhancement Mechanism and Multi-Modal Anti-Infection Applications of MXene/MOFs.

Nanozymes are considered as the promising antimicrobial agents due to the enzyme-like activity for chemo-dynamic therapy (CDT). However, it remains a challenge to develop novel nanozyme systems for achieving stimuli-responsive, and efficient nanozyme catalysis with multimodal synergistic enhancement. In this work, a near-infrared (NIR) plasmonic-enhanced nanozyme catalysis and photothermal performance for effective antimicrobial applications are proposed. A Ti3 C2 MXene/Fe-MOFs composite (MXM) with NIR plasmonic-enhanced CDT combined with photothermal properties is successfully developed by loading metal-organic framework (MOF) nanozymes onto Ti3 C2 MXene. The mechanism of NIR induced localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR)-enhanced CDT and photothermal therapy (PTT) is well explained through activation energy (Ea ), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), fluorescence analysis experiments, and finite element simulation. It reveals that MXene nanosheets exhibit NIR plasmon exciters and generate hot electrons that can transfer to the surface of Fe-MOFs, promoting the Fenton reaction and enhances CDT. While the photothermal heating of MXene produced by LSPR can also boost the CDT of Fe-MOFs under NIR irradiation. Both in vitro and in vivo experimental results demonstrate that LSPR-induced MXM system has outstanding antimicrobial properties, can promote angiogenesis and collagen deposition, leading to the accelerated wound healing.

New Insights into the Role of Natural Organic Matter in Fe-Cr Coprecipitation: Importance of Molecular Selectivity.

Coprecipitation of Fe/Cr hydroxides with natural organic matter (NOM) is an important pathway for Cr immobilization. However, the role of NOM in coprecipitation is still controversial due to its molecular heterogeneity and diversity. This study focused on the molecular selectivity of NOM toward Fe/Cr coprecipitates to uncover the fate of Cr via Fourier transform-ion cyclotron resonance-mass spectrometry (FT-ICR-MS). The results showed that the significant effects of Suwannee River NOM (SRNOM) on Cr immobilization and stability of the Fe/Cr coprecipitates did not merely depend on the adsorption of SRNOM on Fe/Cr hydroxides. FT-ICR-MS spectra suggested that two pathways of molecular selectivity of SRNOM in the coprecipitation affected Cr immobilization. Polycyclic aromatics and polyphenolic compounds in SRNOM preferentially adsorbed on the Fe/Cr hydroxide nanoparticles, which provided extra binding sites and promoted the aggregation. Notably, some specific compounds (i.e., polyphenolic compounds and highly unsaturated phenolic compounds), less unsaturated and more oxygenated than those adsorbed on Fe/Cr hydroxide nanoparticles, were preferentially incorporated into the insoluble Cr-organic complexes in the coprecipitates. Kendrick mass defect analysis revealed that the insoluble Cr-organic complexes contained fewer carbonylated homologous compounds. More importantly, the spatial distribution of insoluble Cr-organic complexes was strongly related to Cr immobilization and stability of the Fe/Cr-NOM coprecipitates. The molecular information of the Fe/Cr-NOM coprecipitates would be beneficial for a better understanding of the transport and fate of Cr and exploration of the related remediation strategy.

Exploring the Potential of Flow-Induced Vibration Energy Harvesting Using a Corrugated Hyperstructure Bluff Body.

Fluid-induced vibration is a common phenomenon in fluid-structure interaction. A flow-induced vibrational energy harvester based on a corrugated hyperstructure bluff body which can improve energy collection efficiency under low wind speeds is proposed in this paper. CFD simulation of the proposed energy harvester was carried out with COMSOL Multiphysics. The flow field around the harvester and the output voltage in different flow velocities is discussed and validated with experiments. Simulation results show that the proposed harvester has an improved harvesting efficiency and higher output voltage. Experimental results show that the output voltage amplitude of the harvester increased by 189% under 2 m/s wind speed.

[Effect of acupuncture combined with infantile tuina on intestinal flora in children with tic disorders].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of acupuncture combined with infantile tuina on intestinal flora and its efficacy in children with tic disorders (TD), and to explore its mechanism. METHODS: A total of 15 children with TD were recruited as an observation group and 10 healthy children as a healthy control group. Regulating spleen and stomach acupuncture combined with infantile tuina were received in the observation group. First, acupuncture was applied to Zhongwan (CV 12), Tianshu (ST 25), Guanyuan (CV 4), Hegu (LI 4), Zusanli (ST 36), etc., and then abdominal massage and other tuina techniques were applied, once a day, 6 times a week, 2 weeks as a course of treatment, a total of 2 courses of treatment were required. No intervention was given in the healthy control group. In the observation group, Yale global tic severity scale (YGTSS) score and TCM syndrome score were compared before treatment and after 1 and 2 courses of treatment. 16S rRNA sequencing technology was used to detect the intestinal flora in the healthy control group and before and after treatment in the observation group. RESULTS: After 1 and 2 courses of treatment, the scores of YGTSS and TCM syndrome in the observation group were lower than those before treatment (P<0.01, P<0.05). Compared with the healthy control group, the number of operational taxonomic units (OTU) and indexes of Chao1, Sobs, Ace and Shannon were decreased in the observation group before treatment (P<0.05, P<0.01). Compared with before treatment, the number of OTU and indexes of Chao1, Sobs, Ace and Shannon were increased in the observation group after treatment (P<0.01, P<0.05). Compared with the healthy control group, the relative abundance of Firmicutes in the observation group before treatment was decreased (P<0.001), while the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes, Bacteroides and Erysipelatoclostridium was increased (P<0.001, P<0.05). Compared with before treatment, the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes in the observation group was decreased (P<0.001) after treatment, while the relative abundance of Actinobacteria, Bifidobacterium and Atopobium was increased (P<0.05, P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Acupuncture combined with infantile tuina based on the principle of regulating spleen and stomach could effectively improve TD symptoms in children, which may be related to regulating the diversity of intestinal flora, increasing beneficial bacteria, maintaining intestinal microecological balance, and playing a role in improving neurological disorders.

Characterizing the remobilization flux of cadmium from pre-anthesis vegetative pools in rice during grain filling using an improved stable isotope labeling method.

A clear understanding of the allocation of Cd to grains is essential to manage the level of Cd in cereal diets effectively. Yet, debate remains over whether and how the pre-anthesis pools contribute to grain Cd accumulation, resulting in uncertainty regarding the need to control plant Cd uptake during vegetative growth. To this end, rice seedlings were exposed to 111Cd labeled solution until tillering, transplanted to unlabeled soils, and grown under open-air conditions. The remobilization of Cd derived from pre-anthesis vegetative pools was studied through the fluxes of 111Cd-enriched label among organs during grain filling. The 111Cd label was continuously allocated to the grain after anthesis. The lower leaves remobilized the Cd label during the earlier stage of grain development, which was allocated almost equally to the grains and husks + rachis. During the final stage, the Cd label was strongly remobilized from the roots and, less importantly, the internodes, which was strongly allocated to the nodes and, to a less extent, the grains. The results show that the pre-anthesis vegetative pools are an important source of Cd in rice grains. The lower leaves, internodes, and roots are the source organs, whereas the husks + rachis and nodes are the sinks competing with the grain for the remobilized Cd. This study provides insight into understanding the ecophysiological mechanism of Cd remobilization and setting agronomic measures for lowering grain Cd levels.

Plasma-Membrane-Localized Transporter NREET1 is Responsible for Rare Earth Element Uptake in Hyperaccumulator Dicranopteris linearis.

Rare earth elements (REEs) are critical for numerous modern technologies, and demand is increasing globally; however, production steps are resource-intensive and environmentally damaging. Some plant species are able to hyperaccumulate REEs, and understanding the biology behind this phenomenon could play a pivotal role in developing more environmentally friendly REE recovery technologies. Here, we identified a REE transporter NRAMP REE Transporter 1 (NREET1) from the REE hyperaccumulator fern Dicranopteris linearis. Although NREET1 belongs to the natural resistance-associated macrophage protein (NRAMP) family, it shares a low similarity with other NRAMP members. When expressed in yeast, NREET1 exhibited REE transport capacity, but it could not transport divalent metals, such as zinc, nickel, manganese, or iron. NREET1 is mainly expressed in D. linearis roots and predominantly localized in the plasma membrane. Expression studies in Arabidopsis thaliana revealed that NREET1 functions as a transporter mediating REE uptake and transfer from root cell walls into the cytoplasm. Moreover, NREET1 has a higher affinity for transporting light REEs compared to heavy REEs, which is consistent to the preferential enrichment of light REEs in field-grown D. linearis. We therefore conclude that NREET1 may play an important role in the uptake and consequently hyperaccumulation of REEs in D. linearis. These findings lay the foundation for the use of synthetic biology techniques to design and produce sustainable, plant-based REE recovery systems.

Rare earth elements detoxification mechanism in the hyperaccumulator Dicranopteris linearis: [silicon-pectin] matrix fixation.

Dicranopteris linearis is the best-known hyperaccumulator species of rare earth elements (REEs) and silicon (Si), capable of dealing with toxic level of REEs. Hence, this study aimed to clarify how D. linearis leaves cope with excessive REE stress, and whether Si plays a role in REE detoxification. The results show that lanthanum (La - as a representative of the REEs) stress led to decreased biomass and an increase of metabolism related to leaf cell wall synthesis and modification. However, the La stress-induced responses, especially the increase of pectin-related gene expression level, pectin polysaccharides concentration, and methylesterase activity, could be mitigated by Si supply. Approximately 70% of the Si in D. linearis leaves interacted with the cell walls to form organosilicon Si-O-C linkages. The Si-modified cell walls contained more hydroxyl groups, leading to a more efficient REE retention compared to the Si-free ones. Moreover, this [Si-cell wall] matrix increased the pectin-La accumulation capacity by 64%, with no effect on hemicellulose-La and cellulose-La accumulation capacity. These results suggest that [Si-pectin] matrix fixation is key in REE detoxification in D. linearis, laying the foundation for the development of phytotechnological applications (e.g., REE phytomining) using this species in REE-contaminated sites.

Sex-dependent association analysis between serum uric acid and spontaneous hemorrhagic transformation in patients with ischemic stroke.

Objective: The association between serum uric acid (UA) and spontaneous hemorrhagic transformation (HT) has been seldom studied, and the role of UA in spontaneous HT remains unclear. This study aims to investigate the sex-dependent association between UA and spontaneous HT in patients with ischemic stroke. Method: We retrospectively included patients with ischemic stroke in a tertiary academic hospital between December 2016 and May 2020. Patients were included if they presented within 24 h after the onset of symptoms and did not receive reperfusion therapy. Spontaneous HT was determined by an independent evaluation of neuroimaging by three trained neurologists who were blinded to clinical data. A univariate analysis was performed to identify factors related to spontaneous HT. Four logistic regression models were established to adjust each factor and assess the association between UA and spontaneous HT. Results: A total of 769 patients were enrolled (64.6% were male patients and 3.9% had HT). After adjusting the confounders with a P < 0.05 (model A) in the univariate analysis, the ratio of UA and its interquartile range (RUI) was independently associated with spontaneous HT in male patients (OR: 1.85; 95% CI: 1.07-3.19; P = 0.028), but not in female patients (OR: 1.39; 95% CI: 0.28-6.82; P = 0.685). In models B-D, the results remain consistent with model A after the adjustment for other potential confounders. Conclusions: Higher serum UA was independently associated with a higher occurrence of spontaneous HT in male patients who were admitted within 24 h after the stroke onset without receiving reperfusion therapy.

Research on Vibration Energy Harvester Based on Two-Dimensional Acoustic Black Hole.

The wave energy focus effect of an acoustic black hole (ABH) is used for broadband vibration energy harvesting and boosts the harvested power. A vibration energy harvester based on two-dimensional ABH is proposed in this study, which consists of a rectangle plate with 2-D ABH and PZT film attached. The structure of ABH was designed and analyzed based on numerical simulation. The optimal parameters of the ABH were obtained, such as the power index, truncation thickness, cross-sectional length, and round table diameter, which were 3, 0.4 mm, 40 mm, and 24 mm, respectively. The quadratic velocity of the plate surface with ABH is up to 22.33 times that of a flat plate, and PZT film adheres to the corresponding positions of the ABH structure and plate structure, respectively. In the same condition, the average output power of a PZT with an ABH structure is higher than that of a flat plate under the same excitation-vibration condition.

CRISPR/Cas9 and Agrobacterium tumefaciens virulence proteins synergistically increase efficiency of precise genome editing via homology directed repair in plants.

CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing and Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated genetic transformation are widely-used plant biotechnology tools derived from bacterial immunity-related systems, each involving DNA modification. The Cas9 endonuclease introduces DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs), and the A. tumefaciens T-DNA is released by the VirD2 endonuclease assisted by VirDl and attached by VirE2, transferred to the plant nucleus and integrated into the genome. Here, we explored the potential for synergy between the two systems and found that Cas9 and three virulence (Vir) proteins achieve precise genome editing via the homology directed repair (HDR) pathway in tobacco and rice plants. Compared with Cas9T (Cas9, VirD1, VirE2) and CvD (Cas9-VirD2) systems, the HDR frequencies of a foreign GFPm gene in the CvDT system (Cas9-VirD2, VirD1, VirE2) increased 52-fold and 22-fold, respectively. Further optimization of the CvDT process with a donor linker (CvDTL) achieved a remarkable increase in the efficiency of HDR-mediated genome editing. Additionally, the HDR efficiency of the three rice endogenous genes ACETOLACTATE SYNTHASE (ALS), PHYTOENE DESATURASE (PDS), and NITROGEN TRANSPORTER 1.1 B (NRT1.1B) increased 24-, 32- and 16-fold, respectively, in the CvDTL system, compared with corresponding Cas9TL (Cas9T process with a donor linker). Our results suggest that collaboration between CRISPR/Cas9 and Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation can make great progress towards highly efficient and precise genome editing via the HDR pathway.

Insights into the Selective Transformation of Ceria Sulfation and Iron/Manganese Mineralization for Enhancing the Selective Recovery of Rare Earth Elements.

To cope with the urgent and unprecedented demands for rare earth elements (REEs) in sophisticated industries, increased attention has been paid to REE recovery from recycled streams. However, the similar geochemical behaviors of REEs and transition metals often result in poor separation performance due to nonselectivity. Here, a unique approach based on the selective transformation between ceria sulfation and iron/manganese mineralization was proposed, leading to the enhancement of the selective separation of REEs. The mechanism of the selective transformation of minerals could be ascribed to the distinct geochemical and metallurgical properties of ions, resulting in different combinations of cations and anions. According to hard-soft acid-base (HSAB) theory, the strong Lewis acid of Ce(III) was inclined to combine with the hard base of sulfates (SO42-), while the borderline acid of Fe(II)/Mn(II) prefers to interact with oxygen ions (O2-). Both in situ characterization and density functional theory (DFT) calculation further revealed that such selective transformation might trigger by the generation of an oxygen vacancy on the surface of CeO2, leading to the formation of Ce2(SO4)3 and Fe/Mn spinel. Although the electron density difference of the configurations (CeO2-x-SO4, Fe2O3-x-SO4, and MnO2-x-SO4) shared a similar direction of the electron transfer from the metals to the sulfate-based oxygen, the higher electron depletion of Ce (QCe = -1.91 e) than Fe (QFe = -1.66 e) and Mn (QMn = -1.64 e) indicated the higher stability in the Ce-O-S complex, resulting in the larger adsorption energy of CeO2-x-SO4 (-6.88 eV) compared with Fe2O3-x-SO4 (-3.10 eV) and MnO2-x-SO4 (-2.49 eV). This research provided new insights into the selective transformation of REEs and transition metals in pyrometallurgy and thus offered a new approach for the selective recovery of REEs from secondary resources.

Selective recovery of rare earth elements and value-added chemicals from the Dicranopteris linearis bio-ore produced by agromining using green fractionation.

The increasing demand for Rare Earth Elements (REEs) and the depletion of mineral resources motivate sustainable strategies for REE recovery from alternative unconventional sources, such as REE hyperaccumulator. The greatest impediment to REE agromining is the difficulty in the separation of REEs and other elements from the harvested biomass (bio-ore). Here, we develop a sulfuric acid assisted ethanol fractionation method for processing D. linearis bio-ore to produce the pure REE compounds and value-added chemicals. The results show that 94.5% of REEs and 87.4% of Ca remained in the solid phase, and most of the impurities (Al, Fe, Mg, and Mn) transferred to the liquid phase. Density functional theory calculations show that the water-cation bonds of REEs and Ca cations were broken more easily than the bonds of the cations of key impurities, causing lower solubility of REEs and Ca compounds. Subsequent separation and purification led to a REE-oxide (REO) product with a purity of 97.1% and a final recovery of 88.9%. In addition, lignin and phenols were obtained during organosolv fractionation coupled with a fast pyrolysis process. This new approach opens up the possibility for simultaneous selective recovery of REEs and to produce value-added chemicals from REE bio-ore refining.

MIL-101(CuFe) Nanozymes with Excellent Peroxidase-like Activity for Simple, Accurate, and Visual Naked-Eye Detection of SARS-CoV-2.

The COVID-19 pandemic has spread to every corner of the world and seriously affected our health and daily activities in the past three years; thereby, it is still urgent to develop various simple, quick, and accurate methods for early detection of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) transmission. Nanozymes, a kind of nanomaterial with intrinsic enzyme-mimicking activity, have emerged as a suitable alternative for both therapy and diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2. Here, ultrasensitive and ultrafast MIL-101(CuFe)-CD147 biosensors are established for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 by a simple colorimetric method. A MIL-101(CuFe) metal-organic framework has excellent peroxidase-like activity due to the synergistic effect of Fe and Cu atoms. In addition, the MIL-101(CuFe)-CD147 biosensor shows great potential to detect the various variants of SARS-CoV-2 due to the universal receptor of CD147. The enzyme-based biosensor for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 achieves a very low limit of detection (about 3 PFU/mL) within 30 min. Therefore, the present method provides a new generation of an alternative approach for highly sensitive and visual diagnosis of COVID-19.

Heavy metal contamination affects the core microbiome and assembly processes in metal mine soils across Eastern China.

Mining activities in metal mine areas cause serious environmental pollution, thereby imposing stresses to soil ecosystems. Investigating the ecological pattern underlying contaminated soil microbial diversity is essential to understand ecosystem responses to environment changes. Here we collected 624 soil samples from 49 representative metal mines across eastern China and analyzed their soil microbial diversity and biogeographic patterns by using 16 S rRNA gene amplicons. The results showed that deterministic factors dominated in regulating the microbial community in non-contaminated and contaminated soils. Soil pH played a key role in climatic influences on the heavy metal-contaminated soil microbial community. A core microbiome consisting of 25 taxa, which could be employed for the restoration of contaminated soils, was identified. Unlike the non-contaminated soil, stochastic processes were important in shaping the heavy metal-contaminated soil microbial community. The largest source of variations in the soil microbial community was land use type. This result suggests that varied specific ecological remediation strategy ought to be developed for differed land use types. These findings will enhance our understanding of the microbial responses to anthropogenically induced environmental changes and will further help to improve the practices of soil heavy metal contamination remediation.

New insights into the origin of buckwheat cultivation in southwestern China from pollen data.

Buckwheat is an important crop which originated in China and spread widely across Eurasia. However, exactly where in China domestication took place remains controversial. Archaeological and palynological records suggest a longer cultivation history of buckwheat in northern China than in southwestern China, but this conflicts with phylogenetic evidence implicating southwestern China as the centre of origin and diversity of buckwheat. We investigate alternative methodologies for inferring the occurrence of buckwheat cultivation and suggest that relative abundance could provide a reliable measure for distinguishing between wild and cultivated buckwheat in both present-day and fossil samples. Approximately 12 800-yr palaeoecological record shows that Fagopyrum pollen occurred only infrequently before the early Holocene. As southwestern China entered the early agricultural period, c. 8000-7000 yr ago, a slight increase in abundance of Fagopyrum pollen was observed. Approximately 4000 yr ago, concurrent with the Pu minority beginning to develop dry-land agriculture, the abundance of Fagopyrum pollen increased significantly, suggesting the cultivation of this crop. Fagopyrum pollen rose to a maximum value c. 1270 yr ago, suggesting an intensification of agricultural activity. These findings fill a gap in the Fagopyrum pollen record in southwestern China and provide new indications that early cultivation may have occurred in this region.