Biological characteristics of a new long-chain fatty acid transport protein 1 from Trichinella spiralis and its participation in lipid metabolism, larval moulting, and development.

Long-chain fatty acid transport protein 1 (FATP1) is a member of the fatty acid transporter family. It facilitates transmembrane transport of fatty acids and participates in lipid metabolism. Lipids are essential components of the cell and organelle membranes of Trichinella spiralis. The nematode has lost the capacity to synthesise the necessary lipids de novo and has instead evolved to obtain fatty acids and their derivatives from its host. This study aims to ascertain the primary biological characteristics and roles of T. spiralis FATP1 (TsFATP1) in lipid metabolism, larval moulting, and the development of this nematode. The results show that TsFATP1 is highly expressed at enteral T. spiralis stages, mainly localised at the cuticle, the stichosome and the intrauterine embryos of the parasite. The silencing of the TsFATP1 gene by TsFATP1-specific dsRNA significantly decreases the expression levels of TsFATP1 in the worm. It reduces the contents of ATP, triglycerides, total cholesterol, and phospholipids both in vitro and in vivo. RNAi inhibits lipid metabolism, moulting, and the growth of this nematode. The results demonstrate that TsFATP1 plays an essential role in lipid metabolism, moulting, and the development of T. spiralis. It could also be a target candidate for the anti-Trichinella vaccine and drugs.

Target-based deep learning network surveillance of non-contrast computed tomography for small infarct core of acute ischemic stroke.

Purpose: Rapid diagnosis of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) is critical to achieve positive outcomes and prognosis. This study aimed to construct a model to automatically identify the infarct core based on non-contrast-enhanced CT images, especially for small infarcts. Methods: The baseline CT scans of AIS patients, who had DWI scans obtained within less than 2 h apart, were included in this retrospective study. A modified Target-based deep learning model of YOLOv5 was developed to detect infarctions on CT. Randomly selected CT images were used for testing and evaluated by neuroradiologists and the model, using the DWI as a reference standard. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and weighted kappa were calculated to assess the agreement. The paired chi-square test was used to compare the diagnostic efficacy of physician groups and automated models in subregions. p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Five hundred and eighty four AIS patients were enrolled in total, finally 275 cases were eligible. Modified YOLOv5 perform better with increased precision (0.82), recall (0.81) and mean average precision (0.79) than original YOLOv5. Model showed higher consistency to the DWI-ASPECTS scores (ICC = 0.669, κ = 0.447) than neuroradiologists (ICC = 0.452, κ = 0.247). The sensitivity (75.86% vs. 63.79%), specificity (98.87% vs. 95.02%), and accuracy (96.20% vs. 91.40%) were better than neuroradiologists. Automatic model had better diagnostic efficacy than physician diagnosis in the M6 region (p = 0.039). Conclusion: The deep learning model was able to detect small infarct core on CT images more accurately. It provided the infarct portion and extent, which is valuable in assessing the severity of disease and guiding treatment procedures.

CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout of the abdominal-B homeotic gene in the global pest, fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda).

The Homeotic complex (Hox) genes play a crucial role in determining segment identity and appendage morphology in bilaterian animals along the antero-posterior axis. Recent studies have expanded to agricultural pests such as fall armyworm (FAW), scientifically known as Spodoptera frugiperda J. E. Smith (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), which significantly threatens global agricultural productivity. However, the specific role of the hox gene Sfabd-B in FAW remains unexplored. This research investigates the spatial and temporal expression patterns of Sfabd-B in various tissues at different developmental stages using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Additionally, we explored the potential function of the Sfabd-B gene located in the FAW genome using CRISPR/Cas9 technology. The larval mutant phenotypes can be classified into three subgroups as compared with wild-type individuals, that is, an excess of pedis in the posterior abdomen, deficient pedis due to segmental fusion and deviations in the posterior abdominal segments. Importantly, significant differences in mutant phenotypes between male and female individuals were also evident during the pupal and adult phases. Notably, both the decapentaplegic (dpp) and cuticular protein 12 (cp 12) genes displayed a substantial marked decrease in expression levels in the copulatory organ of male mutants and the ovipositor of female mutants compared with the wild type. These findings highlight the importance of Sfabd-B in genital tract patterning, providing a potential target for improving genetic control.

Revascularization of superior mesenteric artery occlusion via the arc of Buhler: A case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND: To report revascularization of a superior mesenteric artery (SMA) ostial occlusion via the Arc of Buhler. CASE REPORT: A 62-year-old female presented with 2 months of recurrent abdominal distension and postprandial pain. Computed tomography angiography (CTA) revealed ostial occlusion of the SMA with distal perfusion via the Arc of Buhler (connecting the celiac trunk and SMA). Conventional endovascular techniques failed. A 0.014 guidewire was passed retrograde through the occlusion via the Arc of Buhler. The guidewire was captured from the femoral sheath and balloon angioplasty with stent placement was performed. The patient had complete symptom resolution post-procedure. CONCLUSIONS: Retrograde revascularization via the Arc of Buhler is an effective method for treating the initial segment occlusion of the SMA.

Ultrasound-assisted extraction of polyphenols from Phyllanthi Fructus: Comprehensive insights from extraction optimization and antioxidant activity.

Phyllanthi Fructus (PF) is a valuable botanical resource with a long history of traditional use, known for potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects attributed to its rich contents of bioactive compounds, particularly polyphenols. However, current extraction techniques limit the utilization of polyphenols from PF. This study aimed to achieve the maximum polyphenol yield and improve the antioxidant activity of PF extracts to promise PF's prospects for modern healthcare. Firstly, ultrasonic-assisted extraction (UAE) was employed to extract the polyphenols in PF and a combination of Plackett-Burman designs (PBD) and response surface methodology (RSM) was applied to optimize UAE's conditions. Next, cellular superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were used to assess the antioxidant activity of extracted polyphenols. Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled with Quadrupole Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF MS) was utilized to characterize polyphenol components in the PF extracts. Finally, network pharmacology and molecular docking analysis were performed to screen the potential target proteins of polyphenols from PF. As a result, the optimized polyphenol yield was 213.49 mg/g, and the antioxidant activities, measured by ability of DPPH scavenging, ABTS+ scavenging, and FRAP were 76.95 %, 2.24 mmol/g, 2.34 mmol/g, respectively. PF extracts also showed good antioxidant capabilities at cellular level. 26 polyphenol components were identified in the PF extracts. Among these, ellagic acid, myricetin, and eriodictyol may exert antioxidant effects by interacting with AKT serine/threonine kinase 1 (AKT1). In conclusion, our study provides valuable insights into the optimizing PF extraction and underscores its potential applications in enhancing natural polyphenols extraction using UAE with a combination of PBD and RSM. These findings offer a promising avenue for the development and utilization of PF, and could serve as a reference for similar extraction processes in the future.

Cathode materials for non-aqueous calcium rechargeable batteries.

Calcium rechargeable batteries based on divalent charge carriers have the potential to meet the future demands for large-scale energy storage applications, due to the crustal abundance of Ca element and the high capacity and high safety of Ca metal anodes. The discernible progress in electrolyte and anode materials has put calcium battery technology a step closer to practice. However, the pursuit of high-voltage, high-capacity and stable cathode materials had been formidable because of the sluggish ion migration kinetics and the instability of host lattices during Ca2+ insertion and extraction. Unlocking the potential of Ca rechargeable batteries particularly hinges on the strategic identification of high-performance cathode materials. Herein, this review summarizes the representative strategies to develop novel cathode materials that allow reversible accommodation of Ca2+ ions for high energy output. The cathode materials can be classified into intercalation-type (layered structure, polyanionic compounds, and Prussian blue analogues) and conversion-type (organic materials, sulfur, and oxygen). The scrutinization of their performances and drawbacks sheds light on the current stage of cathode material advancement and provides informative suggestions for future studies to develop advanced calcium rechargeable batteries with competitive performance.

Controllable amorphization and morphology engineering on mixed-valence MOFs for ultra-fast and high-stability near-pseudocapacitance Li+ storage.

Coulombic efficiency (CE) and rate capability are crucial parameters for advanced secondary batteries. Herein, for the first time, we report controllable amorphization and morphology engineering on mixed-valence Fe(II,III)-MOFs from the crystalline to amorphous state and micro-clustered to hollow nano-spherical geometry through valence manipulation by a dissolved oxygen-mediated pathway. The disordered structure and the hollow nanostructure can endow the MOFs with the highest initial CE (>80%) to date for MOF electrodes, and ultrafast and super-stable near-pseudocapacitance lithium storage. These findings can provide new ideas for the engineering of MOF systems for application in LIBs.

The chromosome-scale assembly of the Notopterygium incisum genome provides insight into the structural diversity of coumarins.

Coumarins, derived from the phenylpropanoid pathway, represent one of the primary metabolites found in angiosperms. The alignment of the tetrahydropyran (THP) and tetrahydrofuran (THF) rings with the lactone structure results in the formation of at least four types of complex coumarins. However, the mechanisms underlying the structural diversity of coumarin remain poorly understood. Here, we report the chromosome-level genome assembly of Notopterygium incisum, spanning 1.64 Gb, with a contig N50 value of 22.7 Mb and 60,021 annotated protein-coding genes. Additionally, we identified the key enzymes responsible for shaping the structural diversity of coumarins, including two p-coumaroyl CoA 2'-hydroxylases crucial for simple coumarins basic skeleton architecture, two UbiA prenyltransferases responsible for angular or linear coumarins biosynthesis, and five CYP736 cyclases involved in THP and THF ring formation. Notably, two bifunctional enzymes capable of catalyzing both demethylsuberosin and osthenol were identified for the first time. Evolutionary analysis implies that tandem and ectopic duplications of the CYP736 subfamily, specifically arising in the Apiaceae, contributed to the structural diversity of coumarins in N. incisum. Conclusively, this study proposes a parallel evolution scenario for the complex coumarin biosynthetic pathway among different angiosperms and provides essential synthetic biology elements for the heterologous industrial production of coumarins.

Assessment of Five-Year Relative Survival of Patients With Endometrial Cancer: A Period Analysis.

Background: Endometrial cancer is one of the most common female cancers globally and in China. Although timely assessment of 5-year relative survival is crucial for guiding secondary prevention and early screening programs for endometrial cancer patients, those kinds of data are scarce in China. We aimed to provide a timely and accurate assessment of 5-year relative survival for patients with endometrial cancer from eastern China. Methods: Overall, 945 patients diagnosed with endometrial cancer during 2004 - 2018 from four cancer registries with high-quality data from Taizhou, eastern China were included. Period analysis was used to calculate 5-year relative survival for overall and the stratification by age at diagnosis and region. Model-based period analysis was used to predict the 5-year relative survival for the upcoming period of 2019 - 2023. Results: We found that 5-year relative survival during 2014 - 2018 reached 86.4% for overall, while urban areas had higher survival compared to rural areas (91.3% vs. 85.3%). Furthermore, there was a clear age gradient, decreasing from 89.3% for age < 55 years to 80.5% for age > 74 years. Predicted 5-year relative survival for the upcoming period 2019 - 2023 could reach 88.4%. Conclusions: We provide, a timely and accurate assessment of 5-year relative survival for patients with endometrial cancer from Taizhou, eastern China, reaching 86.4% for overall. Our finding has important implications for the overall evaluation of early detection and screening programs for patients with endometrial cancer in eastern China.

Epitranscriptomic regulation of lipid oxidation and liver fibrosis via ENPP1 mRNA m6A modification.

BACKGROUND: Dysregulated lipid oxidation occurs in several pathological processes characterized by cell proliferation and migration. Nonetheless, the molecular mechanism of lipid oxidation is not well appreciated in liver fibrosis, which is accompanied by enhanced fibroblast proliferation and migration. METHODS: We investigated the causes and consequences of lipid oxidation in liver fibrosis using cultured cells, animal models, and clinical samples. RESULTS: Increased ecto-nucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase (ENPP1) expression caused increased lipid oxidation, resulting in the proliferation and migration of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) that lead to liver fibrosis, whereas fibroblast-specific ENPP1 knockout reversing these results. Elevated ENPP1 and N6-methyladenosine (m6A) levels were associated with high expression of Wilms tumor 1 associated protein (WTAP). Mechanistically, WTAP-mediated m6A methylation of the 3'UTR of ENPP1 mRNA and induces its translation dependent of YTH domain family proteins 1 (YTHDF1). Additionally, ENPP1 could interact with hypoxia inducible lipid droplet associated (HILPDA) directly; overexpression of ENPP1 further recruits HILPDA-mediated lipid oxidation, thereby promotes HSCs proliferation and migration, while inhibition of ENPP1 expression produced the opposite effect. Clinically, increased expression of WTAP, YTHDF1, ENPP1, and HILPDA, and increased m6A mRNA content, enhanced lipid oxidation, and increased collagen deposition in human liver fibrosis tissues. CONCLUSIONS: We describe a novel mechanism in which WTAP catalyzes m6A methylation of ENPP1 in a YTHDF1-dependent manner to enhance lipid oxidation, promoting HSCs proliferation and migration and liver fibrosis.

DCWPSO: particle swarm optimization with dynamic inertia weight updating and enhanced learning strategies.

Particle swarm optimization (PSO) stands as a prominent and robust meta-heuristic algorithm within swarm intelligence (SI). It originated in 1995 by simulating the foraging behavior of bird flocks. In recent years, numerous PSO variants have been proposed to address various optimization applications. However, the overall performance of these variants has not been deemed satisfactory. This article introduces a novel PSO variant, presenting three key contributions: First, a novel dynamic oscillation inertia weight is introduced to strike a balance between exploration and exploitation; Second, the utilization of cosine similarity and dynamic neighborhood strategy enhances both the quality of solution and the diversity of particle populations; Third, a unique worst-best example learning strategy is proposed to enhance the quality of the least favorable solution and consequently improving the overall population. The algorithm's validation is conducted using a test suite comprised of benchmarks from the CEC2014 and CEC2022 test suites on real-parameter single-objective optimization. The experimental results demonstrate the competitiveness of our algorithm against recently proposed state-of-the-art PSO variants and well-known algorithms.

Inhibition of ATP1V6G3 prompts hepatic stellate cell senescence with reducing ECM by activating Notch1 pathway to alleviate hepatic fibrosis.

Liver fibrosis is characterized by an excessive reparative response to various etiological factors, with the activated hepatic stellate cells (aHSCs) leading to extracellular matrix (ECM) accumulation. Senescence is a stable growth arrest, and the senescence of aHSCs is associated with the degradation of ECM and the regression of hepatic fibrosis, making it a promising approach for managing hepatic fibrosis. The role and specific mechanisms by which V-Type Proton ATPase Subunit G 3 (ATP6V1G3) influences senescence in activated HSCs during liver fibrosis remain unclear. Our preliminary results reveal upregulation of ATP6V1G3 in both human fibrotic livers and murine liver fibrosis models. Additionally, ATP6V1G3 inhibition induced senescence in aHSCs in vitro. Moreover, suppressing Notch1 reversed the senescence caused by ATP6V1G3 inhibition in HSCs. Thus, targeting ATP6V1G3, which appears to drive HSCs senescence through the Notch1 pathway, emerges as a potential therapeutic strategy for hepatic fibrosis.

Observation of clinical efficacy of acupuncture combined with bloodletting therapy and Qingwen Xiere decoction in mild to moderate COVID-19 patients. / é’ˆåˆºè”åˆåˆºè¡€åŠæ¸ ç˜Ÿæ³„çƒ­æ±¤å¯¹æ–°åž‹å† çŠ¶ç— æ¯’æ„ŸæŸ“è½»ä¸­åž‹æ‚£è€ ä¸´åºŠç–—æ•ˆè§‚å¯Ÿ.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of acupuncture combined with bloodletting therapy and Qingwen Xiere decoction in mild to moderate COVID-19 patients. METHODS: A total of 100 mild to moderate COVID-19 patients collected from December 2022 to February 2023 were randomly divided into control and observation groups, with 50 patients in each group. Patients in the control group received oral Qingwen Xiere decoction for 6 days. The observation group received acupuncture combined with bloodletting therapy in addition to oral Qingwen Xiere decoction, with the acupuncture (at Kongzui ï¼»LU6ï¼½, Hegu ï¼»LI4ï¼½, Quchi ï¼»LI11ï¼½, Feishu ï¼»BL13ï¼½, Zhongwan ï¼»CV12ï¼½, Qihai ï¼»CV6ï¼½, Yinlingquan ï¼»SP9ï¼½) administered 30 min each day for 6 days, and bloodletting (at Shaoshang ï¼»LU11ï¼½, Shangyang ï¼»LI1ï¼½, Dazhui ï¼»GV14ï¼½) administered every other day for 3 times. Traditional Chinese medicine syndrome scores and pulmonary CT scores were recorded before and after treatment. Serum contents of C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) were measured using ELISA. Anxiety and depression degree were assessed using the Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD) and Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA). Safety of the treatments was evaluated in both groups. RESULTS: Compared with before treatment, after treatment, the control group showed improvement in fever, dry cough, sore throat, and total traditional Chinese medicine syndrome scores (P<0.01), but no significant improvement in muscle pain or fatigue；the observation group showed significant improvement in total traditional Chinese medicine syndrome and individual symptoms scores (P<0.01)；both groups demonstrated reductions in pulmonary CT scores, HAMA score, HAMD score and serum contents of CRP and IL-6 (P<0.01)；serum TNF-α content significantly decreased in the observation group (P<0.01). All outcome measures were superior in the observation group to the control group (P<0.01, P<0.05). No adverse reactions were reported in either group. CONCLUSIONS: Acupuncture combined with bloodletting therapy and oral Qingwen Xiere decoction effectively improves clinical symptoms, alleviates pulmonary inflammatory injury, reduces inflammatory cytokine contents, and mitigates anxiety and depression in mild to moderate COVID-19 patients, and without adverse effects.

Synthesis of a deuterated disaccharide internal standard for LC-MS/MS quantitation of heparan sulfate in biological samples.

High levels of heparan sulfate (HS) are a marker for several mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS) disorders which are lysosomal storage diseases caused by genetic defects in HS-degrading enzymes. Quantitation of HS in biological samples is therefore critical for diagnosis and evaluating the efficacy of new therapies. Herein we present the efficient synthesis of a butylated GlcN-GlcA disaccharide and its deuterated derivative for use as an internal standard in a quantitative mass spectrometry-based assay for analysis of HS following butanolysis. The synthesis features the stereoselective 1,2-cis glycosylation of a GlcA acceptor with a 6-O-benzoyl-2-deoxy-2-azido thioglucoside donor.

Sandwiched naphthyl carbazole: Inversion Circularly Polarized Luminescence based on a pull-push electron valve strategy.

Inspired by circularly polarized luminescence (CPL), artificial CPL assembly has attracted intense attention. However, precise manipulation of chiral transfer from achiral and luminescent materials remains a formidable challenge. Two sandwiched carbazole and binaphthol derivatives composed of pyridine or trifluoride methyl benzene have been synthesized. Among R-1 and R-2, their spectra were found in the violet region, both in the solution and the film state. They exhibit the photoluminescence dissymmetry factors up to 1.4 × 10-3 for R-2 and an opposite value of -5.6 × 10-4 for R-1. Theoretical CPL and circular dichroism (CD) studies were in good agreement with the experimental data and deciphered their opposite signals by the transition electric and magnetic moment. Our study offers a strategy for studying the charge and chiral transfer.

More sensitive microbial responses to the interactive effects of warming and altered precipitation in subsoil than topsoil of an alpine grassland ecosystem.

Subsoil is a large organic carbon reservoir, storing more than half of the total soil organic carbon (SOC) globally. Conventionally, subsoil is assumed to not be susceptible to climate change, but recent studies document that climate change could significantly alter subsoil carbon cycling. However, little is known about subsoil microbial responses to the interactive effects of climate warming and altered precipitation. Here, we investigated carbon cycling and associated microbial responses in both subsoil (30-40 cm) and topsoil (0-10 cm) in a Tibetan alpine grassland over 4 years of warming and altered precipitation. Compared to the unchanged topsoil carbon (ß = .55, p = .587), subsoil carbon exhibited a stronger response to the interactive effect of warming and altered precipitation (ß = 2.04, p = .021), that is, warming decreased subsoil carbon content by 28.20% under decreased precipitation while warming increased subsoil carbon content by 18.02% under increased precipitation.Furthermore, 512 metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) were recovered, including representatives of phyla with poor genomic representation. Compared to only one changed topsoil MAG, 16 subsoil MAGs were significantly affected by altered precipitation, and 5 subsoil MAGs were significantly affected by the interactive effect of warming and precipitation. More than twice as many populations whose MAG abundances correlated significantly with the variations of carbon content, components and fluxes were observed in the subsoil than topsoil, suggesting their potential contribution in mediating subsoil carbon cycling. Collectively, our findings highlight the more sensitive responses of specific microbial lineages to the interactive effects of warming and altered precipitation in the subsoil than topsoil, and provide key information for predicting subsoil carbon cycling under future climate change scenarios.

A novel homozygous mutation of CFAP300 identified in a Chinese patient with primary ciliary dyskinesia and infertility.

Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is a clinically rare, genetically and phenotypically heterogeneous condition characterized by chronic respiratory tract infections, male infertility, tympanitis, and laterality abnormalities. PCD is typically resulted from variants in genes encoding assembly or structural proteins that are indispensable for the movement of motile cilia. Here, we identified a novel nonsense mutation, c.466G>T, in cilia- and flagella-associated protein 300 (CFAP300) resulting in a stop codon (p.Glu156 *) through whole-exome sequencing (WES). The proband had a PCD phenotype with laterality defects and immotile sperm flagella displaying a combined loss of the inner dynein arm (IDA) and outer dynein arm (ODA). Bioinformatic programs predicted that the mutation is deleterious. Successful pregnancy was achieved through intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Our results expand the spectrum of CFAP300 variants in PCD and provide reproductive guidance for infertile couples suffering from PCD caused by them.

Arterial stiffness is associated with new-onset chronic kidney disease.

Background: A potential independent association between arterial stiffness (AS) and the development of new-onset chronic kidney disease (CKD) has not been thoroughly examined. Patients and methods: A total of 6929 participants were collected from the Kailuan study. All participants were free of CKD at the baseline. The participants were divided into four groups based on their brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) values. Cox regression models were used to analyze the relationship between baPWV values and the risk of new-onset CKD. Results: Over the course of a 10.06-year follow-up period, a total of 962 cases of new-onset CKD were documented. Cox proportional hazards analyses showed that a higher baPWV quartile was linked to an increased risk of new-onset CKD. Conclusions: Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity has a strong correlation with the development of new-onset CKD. Therefore, baPWV can be considered an innovative indicator for predicting the occurrence of new-onset CKD.

Sustainable protein/polysaccharide aerogel for the simultaneous and efficient removal of multiple organic contaminants: Insights from DFT calculations and phenomenological mass-transfer modeling.

Wastewater contains various organic contaminants that pose great hazards to human health and the environment. A protein/polysaccharide-derived aerogel, namely, ICMA, was developed as a high-performance adsorbent for the simultaneous and efficient removal of diverse contaminants from wastewater, including melanoidin (MLE), Congo red (CR), and diclofenac (DIC). Metal organic framework (UiO-66-NH2), as a regulatory factor, significantly improved the porosity and pore volume of the ICMA to enhance the capture performance of contaminants. The ICMA exhibited outstanding adsorption efficiency owing to the incorporation of ample polyamine functional groups and its well-developed pore structure, large porosity and pore volume, and remarkable heat resistance. The equilibrium capture capacities of the ICMA were 1364, 2031, and 539 mg/g for MLE, CR, and DIC, respectively, with corresponding removal efficiencies all exceeding 90%. Furthermore, the ICMA can capture cationic dyes through MLE/CR/DIC-bridging interactions. After five cycles, the used ICMA can still maintain a high contaminant removal rate/amount, demonstrating good reusability. The classic adsorption model showed that the capture of contaminants by the ICMA is a double-layered and heterogeneous adsorption orientation. A brand new LWAMTM model demonstrated that the adsorption mass-transfer process is jointly determined by the external mass conveyance, pore diffusion, and adsorption on the active site. Multiple characterizations indicated that the contaminant adsorption onto the ICMA was mainly facilitated by charge interactions, with H-bonds playing a secondary role. Quantum chemical theory simulations further provide insights into the atomic-level mechanisms involved in the capture of contaminants. Hirshfeld surface analysis revealed that the ICMA functions as both an H-bond acceptor and a donor during contaminant adsorption. Scale-up and upgrade adsorption were performed to treat actual/simulated wastewater, establishing the groundwork for the industrial implementation of the ICMA.

Microbial communities reveal niche partitioning across the slope and bottom zones of the challenger deep.

Widespread marine microbiomes exhibit compositional and functional differentiation as a result of adaptation driven by environmental characteristics. We investigated the microbial communities in both seawater and sediments on the slope (7-9 km) and the bottom (9-11 km) of the Challenger Deep of the Mariana Trench to explore community differentiation. Both metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) and 16S rRNA amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) showed that the microbial composition in the seawater was similar to that of sediment on the slope, while distinct from that of sediment in the bottom. This scenario suggested a potentially stronger community interaction between seawater and sediment on the slope, which was further confirmed by community assembly and population movement analyses. The metagenomic analysis also indicates a specific stronger potential of nitrate reduction and sulphate assimilation in the bottom seawater, while more versatile nitrogen and sulphur cycling pathways occur on the slope, reflecting functional differentiations among communities in conjunction with environmental features. This work implies that microbial community differentiation occurred in the different hadal niches, and was likely an outcome of microbial adaptation to the extreme hadal trench environment, especially the associated hydrological and geological conditions, which should be considered and measured in situ in future studies.