Catalytic performance and mechanism study of the isomerization of 2,5-dichlorotoluene to 2,4-dichlorotoluene.

This work investigates the influence of catalyst HZSM-5 on the isomerization of 2,5-dichlorotoluene (2,5-DCT) to produce 2,4-dichlorotoluene (2,4-DCT). We observe that hydrothermal treatment leads to a decrease in total acidity and Brønsted/Lewis ratio of HZSM-5 while generating new secondary pores. These characteristics result in excellent selectivity for post-hydrothermal modified HZSM-5 in the isomerization reaction from 2,5-DCT to 2,4-DCT. Under atmospheric pressure at 350 °C, unmodified HZSM-5 achieves a selectivity of 66.4% for producing 2,4-DCT, however after hydrothermal modification the selectivity increases to 78.7%. Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations explore the thermodynamic aspects of adsorption between the HZSM-5 surface and 2,4-DCT. The kinetic perspective investigates the mechanism involving proton attack on the methyl group of 2,5-DCT followed by rearrangement leading to formation of 2,4-DCT during isomerization. The consistency between simulation and experimental results provides evidence for the feasibility of isomerizing 2,5-DCT to 2,4-DCT. This work fills the gap in the low value-added product 2,5-DCT isomer conversion, indicating its significant practical application potential and provides a valuable reference and guidelines for industrial research in this field.

Construction of an ER stress-related prognostic signature for predicting prognosis and screening the effective anti-tumor drug in osteosarcoma.

BACKGROUND: Osteosarcoma is the most common malignant primary bone tumor in infants and adolescents. The lack of understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying osteosarcoma progression and metastasis has contributed to a plateau in the development of current therapies. Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress has emerged as a significant contributor to the malignant progression of tumors, but its potential regulatory mechanisms in osteosarcoma progression remain unknown. METHODS: In this study, we collected RNA sequencing and clinical data of osteosarcoma from The TCGA, GSE21257, and GSE33382 cohorts. Differentially expressed analysis and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression analysis were conducted to identify prognostic genes and construct an ER stress-related prognostic signature (ERSRPS). Survival analysis and time dependent ROC analysis were performed to evaluate the predictive performance of the constructed prognostic signature. The "ESTIMATE" package and ssGSEA algorithm were utilized to evaluate the differences in immune cells infiltration between the groups. Cell-based assays, including CCK-8, colony formation, and transwell assays and co-culture system were performed to assess the effects of the target gene and small molecular drug in osteosarcoma. Animal models were employed to assess the anti-osteosarcoma effects of small molecular drug. RESULTS: Five genes (BLC2, MAGEA3, MAP3K5, STC2, TXNDC12) were identified to construct an ERSRPS. The ER stress-related gene Stanniocalcin 2 (STC2) was identified as a risk gene in this signature. Additionally, STC2 knockdown significantly inhibited osteosarcoma cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Furthermore, the ER stress-related gene STC2 was found to downregulate the expression of MHC-I molecules in osteosarcoma cells, and mediate immune responses through influencing the infiltration and modulating the function of CD8+ T cells. Patients categorized by risk scores showed distinct immune status, and immunotherapy response. ISOX was subsequently identified and validated as an effective anti-osteosarcoma drug through a combination of CMap database screening and in vitro and in vivo experiments. CONCLUSION: The ERSRPS may guide personalized treatment decisions for osteosarcoma, and ISOX holds promise for repurposing in osteosarcoma treatment.

FBXO5-mediated RNF183 degradation prevents endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced apoptosis and promotes colon cancer progression.

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress induces the unfolded protein response (UPR), and prolonged ER stress leads to cell apoptosis. Despite increasing research in this area, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we discover that ER stress upregulates the UPR signaling pathway while downregulating E2F target gene expression and inhibiting the G2/M phase transition. Prolonged ER stress decreases the mRNA levels of E2F2, which specifically regulates the expression of F-Box Protein 5(FBXO5), an F-box protein that functions as an inhibitor of the anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C) ubiquitin ligase complex. Depletion of FBXO5 results in increased ER stress-induced apoptosis and decreased expression of proteins related to PERK/IRE1α/ATF6 signaling. Overexpression of FBXO5 wild-type (not its ΔF-box mutant) alleviates apoptosis and the expression of the C/EBP Homologous Protein (CHOP)/ATF. Mechanistically, we find that FBXO5 directly binds to and promotes the ubiquitin-dependent degradation of RNF183, which acts as a ubiquitin E3 ligase in regulating ER stress-induced apoptosis. Reversal of the apoptosis defects caused by FBXO5 deficiency in colorectal cancer cells can be achieved by knocking down RNF183 in FBXO5-deficient cells. Functionally, we observed significant upregulation of FBXO5 in colon cancer tissues, and its silencing suppresses tumor occurrence in vivo. Therefore, our study highlights the critical role of the FBXO5/RNF183 axis in ER stress regulation and identifies a potential therapeutic target for colon cancer treatment.

Ceramide metabolism-related prognostic signature and immunosuppressive function of ST3GAL1 in osteosarcoma.

Osteosarcoma is the most common primary malignant bone tumor with elevated disability and mortality rates in children and adolescents and the therapeutic effect for osteosarcoma has remained stagnant in the past 30 years. Emerging evidence has shown ceramide metabolism plays a vital role in tumor progression, but its mechanisms in osteosarcoma progression remain unknown. Through consensus clustering and LASSO regression analysis based on the osteosarcoma cohorts from TARGET database, we constructed a ceramide metabolism-related prognostic signature including ten genes for osteosarcoma, with ST3GAL1 exhibiting the highest hazard ratio. Biological signatures analysis demonstrated that ceramide metabolism was associated with immune-related pathways, immune cell infiltration and the expression of immune checkpoint genes. Single-cell profiling revealed that ceramide metabolism was enriched in myeloid, osteoblast and mesenchymal cells. The interaction between TAMs and CD8+ T cells played an essential role in osteosarcoma. ST3GAL1 regulated the SPP1-CD44 interaction between TAMs and CD8+ T cells and IL-10 secretion in TAMs through α2,3 sialic acid receptors, which inhibited CD8+ T cell function. IHC analysis showed that ST3GAL1 expression correlated with the prognosis of osteosarcoma patients. Co-culture assay revealed that upregulation of ST3GAL1 in tumor cells regulated the differentiation of TAMs and cytokine secretion. Collectively, our findings demonstrated that ceramide metabolism was associated with clinical outcome in osteosarcoma. ST3GAL1 facilitated tumor progression through regulating tumor immune microenvironment, providing a feasible therapeutic approach for patients with osteosarcoma.

Effects of NLRP3 on implants placement. / NLRP3ç‚Žç—‡å°ä½“å¯¹ç§æ¤ä½“æ¤å ¥çš„å½±å“.

Bone stability is precisely controlled by osteoclast-mediated bone resorption and osteoblast-mediated bone formation. When the balance is broken, the integrity of the bone structure will be destroyed. Inflammasomes are important protein complexes in response to pathogen-related molecular models or injury-related molecular models, which can promote the activation and secretion of proinflammatory cytokines and activate a local inflammatory response. NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein (NLRP) 3 inflammasome can promote bone resorption through the activation of the proinflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-18 and the induction of caspase-1-mediated pyroptosis. Inhibiting the production of NLRP3 inflammasome may be beneficial to improve comfort and bone stability. The presence of metal particles and microorganisms around implants can activate NLRP3 and promote bone absorption. NLRP3 inflammasome plays an important role in the maintenance of bone stability around implants, however, most studies focus on orthopedic implants and periodontitis. This article reviews the effects of NLRP3 inflammasome on bone formation, resorption and pain induced by implants, and the possibility of NLRP3 as a target for preventing peri-implantitis is discussed.

Associations between cortical bone-to-implant contact and microstructure derived from CBCT and implant primary stability.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the associations between the cortical bone-to-implant contact (CBIC), bone microstructure derived from cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT), and the primary stability of the implant. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-two patients with 65 implants were enrolled in this study. The peak insertion torque values (ITVs) were measured during implant insertion, and the implant stability quotient (ISQ) values were measured immediately after implant placement and 3 months after surgery. The profiles of the peri-implant bone structure were outlined using the volumetric reconstruction of the CBCTs and superimposition of the virtual models, and the features of CBIC and bone microstructure parameters were measured. The linear mixed effects model and generalized estimating equation were used to explore the predictors for implant primary stability. RESULTS: The average ITV, baseline, and secondary ISQ values were 31.44 ± 6.54 N·cm, 73.34 ± 7.39, and 80.32 ± 4.58, respectively. Statistically significant correlations were found between ITV and surface area of CBIC (r = .340, p = .006), bone volume fraction (r = .294, p = .017), and bone surface fraction (r = -.278, p = .039). Implants with buccolingual CBIC had a higher ITV than implants without CBIC (p = .016). None of the parameters were associated with baseline and secondary ISQ values in generalized estimating equation analysis (all p > .05). CONCLUSIONS: Within the limitations of the study, preoperative CBCT measurements might enable the prediction of ITV and therefore of implant primary stability values.

Morphological, physiological, and secondary metabolic responses of Taraxacum officinale to salt stress.

Salt stress has a major effect on growth and secondary metabolism in medicinal plants, however, the effect of salt stress on Taraxacum officinale F. H. Wigg. is still scarce. In this study, we evaluated the effects of salt stress on the physiology, morphology, phenolic acid accumulation, and expression of genes involved in phenolic acid biosynthesis in T. officinale. We found that plants grew well at 1 g kg-1 NaCl, and the state of photosystem Ⅱ (PSⅡ) and the organization of the chloroplasts at 0.5 g kg-1 NaCl showed no significant differences compared with the control. However, 2 g kg-1 and 4 g kg-1 NaCl inhibited growth and accelerated leaf senescence. At 4 g kg-1 NaCl, the fresh and dry weights decreased to 28% and 42% of the control, while chlorosis and necrosis were observed on the leaves. Furthermore, up-regulation of the expression of ToC3'H corresponded with an increase in the levels of caffeoylquinic acids (chlorogenic acid and isochlorogenic acid A) at NaCl concentration ≤ 1 g kg-1. Expressions of four phenolic acid biosynthesis genes, ToC4H, To4CL, ToHCT, and ToHQT, were down-regulated with increasing NaCl concentrations, consistent with the observed decreases in caftaric and cichoric acids. In summary, cultivation of T. officinale under mild salt stress (NaCl ≤ 1 g kg-1) is feasible and facilitates the accumulation of caffeoylquinic acids; thus this species may be recommended for saline soils.

Stereoselective Synthesis of Tetrasubstituted Olefins via Visible-Light-Promoted Iodine-Mediated Homo-Coupling of Diazo.

A visible-light-promoted iodine-mediated homo-coupling of diazo was first described. A series of tetrasubstituted olefins were synthesized in high yields and with low to high Z-selectivities from phenyldiazoacetates. For 3-diazooxindoles, isoindigo derivatives were provided in moderate to high yields and with excellent E-selectivities. Experimental results showed that the reaction proceeded through a diiodo intermediate. The synthetic usefulness of this reaction was illustrated by the synthesis of maleimide derivatives and dispiro epoxy.

Power Batteries Health Monitoring: A Magnetic Imaging Method Based on Magnetoelectric Sensors.

With the popularity of electric vehicles, the ever-increasing demand for high-capacity batteries highlights the need for monitoring the health status of batteries. In this article, we proposed a magnetic imaging technique (MIT) to investigate the health status of power batteries nondestructively. This technique is based on a magnetic sensor array, which consists of a 16-channel high-performance magnetoelectric sensor, and the noise equivalent magnetic induction (NEB) of each channel reaches 3-5 pT/Hz1/2@10 Hz. The distribution of the magnetic field is imaged by scanning the magnetic field variation of different positions on the surface. Therefore, the areas of magnetic anomalies are identified by distinguishing different magnetic field abnormal results. and it may be possible to classify the battery failure, so as to put forward suggestions on the use of the battery. This magnetic imaging method expands the application field of this high-performance magnetoelectric sensor and contributes to the battery's safety monitoring. Meanwhile, it may also act as an important role in other nondestructive testing fields.

Silica nanoparticles cause spermatogenesis dysfunction in mice via inducing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis.

The widespread use of silica nanoparticles (SiNPs) has increased the risk of human exposure, which raised concerns about their adverse effects on human health, especially the reproductive system. Previous studies have shown that SiNPs could cause damage to reproductive organs, but the specific mechanism is still unclear. In this study, to investigate the underlying mechanism of male reproductive toxicity induced by SiNPs, 40 male mice at the age of 8 weeks were divided into two groups and then intraperitoneally injected with vehicle control or 10 mg/kg SiNPs per day for one week. The results showed that SiNPs could damage testicular structure, perturb spermatogenesis and reduce serum testosterone levels, leading to a decrease in sperm quality and quantity. In addition, the ROS level in the testis of exposed mice was significantly increased, followed by imbalance of the oxidative redox status. Further study revealed that exposure to SiNPs led to cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, as shown by downregulation of the expression of positive cell cycle regulators and the activation of TNF-α/TNFR Ⅰ-mediated apoptotic pathway. The results demonstrated that SiNPs could cause testicles injure via inducing oxidative stress and DNA damage which led to cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, and thereby resulting in spermatogenic dysfunction.

Reproductive toxicity investigation of silica nanoparticles in male pubertal mice.

Silica nanoparticles (SiNPs), one of the most produced nanoparticles (NPs) in the world, are used in all aspects of life. The increased application of SiNPs, especially in medicine, has raised considerable concern regarding their toxicological impact. Previous studies have shown that SiNPs can pass through the reproductive barrier and cause reproductive organ dysfunction by destroying Sertoli cells, Leydig cells, and germ cells. However, little is known about the mechanism of SiNPs-induced reproductive toxicity. In the present study, 5-week-old male mice were intraperitoneally administered SiNPs per day for 1 week at a dose of 0.2 mg per mouse. The results showed that SiNPs could cause damage to the structure of the testis and the epididymis and change the reproductive organ coefficients, leading to decreases of 56.1% and 55.3% in the rates of sperm concentration and motility and an increase of 168.8% in the rate of sperm abnormality. Moreover, the serum testosterone level obviously decreased from 18.77 to 5.23 µg/ml after exposure, and the transcription statuses of some key genes involved in the synthesis and transport of testosterone in the testis were also affected. Additional experiments showed that SiNPs exposure during puberty induced oxidative stress and an inflammatory response, as shown by the changed activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), increased contents of malondialdehyde (MDA), and excess expression of proinflammatory factors, including TNF-α and IL-1ß. Furthermore, the administration of SiNPs caused DNA damage and cell apoptosis, which were presented by the increased apoptotic cells in the sections of testis and epididymis and activation of the TNF-α/TNFR I-mediated pro-apoptotic pathway. In conclusion, these results indicate that SiNPs exposure during puberty significantly damaged the structure and function of the testis and epididymis by inducing oxidative stress and cell apoptosis. This study provides novel insight into SiNPs-induced reproductive toxicity during puberty, which warrants a more careful assessment of SiNPs before their application in juvenile supplies.

Effect of drought on photosynthesis, total antioxidant capacity, bioactive component accumulation, and the transcriptome of Atractylodes lancea.

BACKGROUND: Atractylodes lancea (Thunb.) DC, a medicinal herb belonging to the Asteraceae family, often faces severe drought stress during its growth. Until now, there has been no research on the effect of drought stress on the quality formation of A. lancea. Therefore, the present study aimed to study the effects of drought stress on A. lancea through physical and chemical analysis, and to reveal the related molecular mechanisms via transcriptome analysis. RESULTS: The photosynthesis was markedly inhibited under drought stress. There were alterations to photosynthetic parameters (Pn, Gs, Ci) and chlorophyll fluorescence (Fv/Fm, NPQ), and the chlorophyll content decreased. Twenty genes encoding important regulatory enzymes in light and dark reactions, including the Rubisco gene of the Calvin cycle, were significantly downregulated. After exposure to drought stress for more than 4 days, the activities of four antioxidative enzymes (SOD, POD CAT and APX) began to decrease and continued to decrease with longer stress exposure. Meanwhile, most of the genes encoding antioxidative enzymes were downregulated significantly. The downregulation of 21 genes related to the respiratory electron transport chain indicated that the blocked electron transfer accelerated excessive ROS. The MDA content was significantly elevated. The above data showed that 15 days of drought stress caused serious oxidative damage to A. lancea. Drought stress not only reduced the size and dry weight of A. lancea, but also lowered the amount of total volatile oil and the content of the main bioactive components. The total volatile oil and atractylodin content decreased slightly, whereas the content of atractylon and ß-eudesmol decreased significantly. Moreover, ten significantly downregulated genes encoding sesquiterpene synthase were mainly expressed in rhizomes. CONCLUSIONS: After exposed to drought stress, the process of assimilation was affected by the destruction of photosynthesis; stress tolerance was impaired because of the inhibition of the antioxidative enzyme system; and bioactive component biosynthesis was hindered by the downregulation of sesquiterpene synthase-related gene expression. All these had negative impacts on the quality formation of A. lancea under drought stress.

Untargeted and targeted gingival metabolome in rodents reveal metabolic links between high-fat diet-induced obesity and periodontitis.

AIM: To characterize gingival metabolome in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity in mice with/without periodontitis. METHODS: HFD-induced obesity mouse model was established by 16-week feeding, and a lean control group was fed with low-fat diet (n = 21/group). Both models were induced for periodontitis on the left sides by molar ligation for 10 days, whereas the right sides were used as controls. Gingival metabolome and arginine metabolism were analysed by non-targeted/targeted liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. RESULTS: Of 2247 reference features, presence of periodontitis altered 165 in lean versus 885 in HFD mice; and HFD altered 525 in absence versus 1435 in presence of periodontitis. Compared with healthy condition, periodontitis and HFD had distinct effects on gingival metabolome. Metabolomic impacts of periodontitis were generally greater in HFD mice versus lean controls. K-medoids clustering showed that HFD amplified the impacts of periodontitis on gingival metabolome in both intensity and extensity. Ten metabolic pathways were enriched, including 2 specific to periodontitis, 5 specific to HFD and 3 shared ones. Targeted validation on arginine metabolism confirmed the additive effects between HFD and periodontitis. CONCLUSION: The obese population consuming excessive HFD display amplified metabolic response to periodontitis, presenting a metabolic susceptibility to exacerbated periodontal destruction.

Succession of the Resident Soil Microbial Community in Response to Periodic Inoculations.

To maintain the beneficial effects of microbial inoculants on plants and soil, repeated inoculation represents a promising option. Until now, the impacts of one-off inoculation on the native microbiome have been explored, but it remains unclear how long and to what extent the periodic inoculations would affect the succession of the resident microbiome in bulk soil. Here, we examined the dynamic responses of plant growth, soil functions, and the resident bacterial community in the bulk soil to periodic inoculations of phosphate-solubilizing and N2-fixing bacteria alone or in combination. Compared to single-strain inoculation, coinoculation better stimulated plant growth and soil nutrients. However, the benefits from inoculants did not increase with repeated inoculations and were not maintained after transplantation to a different site. In response to microbial inoculants, three patterns of shifts in the bacterial composition were observed: fold increase, fold decrease, and resilience. The periodic inoculations impacted the succession course of resident bacterial communities in bulk soil, mainly driven by changes in soil pH and nitrate, resulting in the development of three main cluster types throughout the investigation. The single and mixed inoculants transiently modulated the variation in the resident community in association with soil pH and the C/N ratio, but finally, the community established and showed resilience to subsequent inoculations. Consequently, the necessity of repeated inoculations should be reconsidered, and while the different microbial inoculants showed distinct impacts on resident microbiome succession, the communities ultimately exhibited resilience.IMPORTANCE Introducing beneficial microbes to the plant-soil system is an environmentally friendly approach to improve the crop yield and soil environment. Numerous studies have attempted to reveal the impacts of inoculation on the rhizosphere microbiome. However, little is known about the effectiveness of periodic inoculations on soil functioning. In addition, the long-term impact of repeated inoculations on the native community remains unclear. Here, we track the succession traits of the resident microbiome in the bulk soil across a growing season and identify the taxon clusters that respond differently to periodic inoculation. Crucially, we compare the development of the resident community composition with and without inoculation, thus providing new insight into the interactions between resident microbes and intruders. Finally, we conclude that initial inoculation plays a more important role in influencing the whole system, and the native microbial community exhibits traits of resilience, but no resistance, to the subsequent inoculations.

Micro-CT analysis of hyperuricemia on alveolar bone destruction caused by short-term periodontal infection in mice / 口腔疾病防治

Objective@# Establish a murine model for hyperuricemia (HU) and periodontitis to explore whether there is correlation between them and provide a basis for periodontal treatment.@*Methods@#Fourteen male KM mice were divided into 2 groups; the HU group (n=7) was fed food supplemented with potassium oxonate and uric acid, the NC group (n=7) was fed standard food, and the induction period was 35 days. On the 25th day, the molars on one side were ligated to induce periodontitis (P side), while the opposite was true for the control (C side). Baseline and terminal serum uric acid (UA) levels were detected, and alveolar bone resorption was analyzed by micro-CT.@*Results@#The serum UA level of HU mice was (112.94 ± 26.82 )mol/L, that of the NC group was (72.21 ± 19.95) μmol/L, and the difference in UA level was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The P side bone volume fractions of the HU and NC groups were( 29.01 ± 11.09)% and (29.56 ± 15.27)%, respectively, which were not significantly different (t=-0.072, P=0.944). The P side bone mineral densities of the HU and NC groups were(0.53 ± 0.16) g/cm3 and (0.52 ± 0.14) g/cm3, respectively, which were not significantly different (t=0.038, P=0.970). Additionally, there was no correlation between HU or serum UA and alveolar bone resorption (P > 0.05). @* Conclusion @#This research established a murine model for HU and periodontitis, but based on micro-CT analysis of alveolar bone, no relationship between HU or UA levels and periodontitis was found.

[Synergistic effects of organic fertilizer coupled with phosphate-solubilizing and nitrogen-fixing bacteria on nutrient characteristics of yellow-brown soil under carbon deficiency]. / æœ‰æœºè‚¥å’Œè§£ç£·å›ºæ°®èŒé æ–½å¯¹ç¼ºç¢³é»„æ£•å£¤å »åˆ†ç‰¹æ€§çš„ååŒæ•ˆåº”.

Understanding the dynamics of phosphate-solubilizing and N2-fixing bacteria on soil nutrient and related enzyme activity under different organic fertilizer proportions (OFP) could provide references for screening appropriate inoculant type, OFP, and fertilization period. Here, we set four OFP levels (mass ratio: 0%, 4%, 8%, 12%) and inoculated two phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (Bacillus megaterium, Pseudomonas fluorescens) and two N2-fixing bacteria (Azotobacter chroococcum, Azospirillum brasilence) in the subtropical yellow-brown barren soil. After a 60-day soil incubation under controlled conditions (28 ℃, darkness), we examined the impacts of single/mixed applications of beneficial bacteria on soil available nutrients and related enzyme activities at different OFP levels and different sampling times (3rd, 8th, 16th, 30th, 45th, 60th day). The results showed that soil available nutrient contents increased with the elevated OFP levels, and exhibited as 12%>8%>4%>0%. With the extension of culture time, soil nutrient contents in all treatments first increased and then decreased. Compared with the single application of organic fertilizer, combined application of organic fertilizer and bacterial inoculants resulted in higher and longer improvement of soil nutrient contents and enzyme activities. The effects of inoculants on soil nutrient properties varied across four OFP levels. When the OFP was low (0-4%), inoculation significantly increased soil available nutrient contents, with no the differences between inoculants at the initial stage. However, with the extension of the culture time and the elevation of OFP, phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (especially for B. megaterium) significantly increased available phosphorus content while N2-fixing bacteria (especially for A. brasilence) significantly increased available nitrogen content. The mixed inoculant with four strains showed phosphate-solubilizing effect on soil and performed better than the single application of phosphate-solubilizing bacteria, but without prominent effect on nitrogen fixation. Soil nutrient contents were positively correlated with enzyme activity, which was affected by both cultural time and carbon-nitrogen ratio. Bacterial inoculations could significantly increase nutrient contents in the short term, but the specific functions of beneficial bacteria on soil were highly dependent on organic carbon input and carbon-nitrogen ratio. Coupled application of inoculants and organic fertilizer at an appropriate OFP level (8%-12%) could increase and extend the soil-remediating effects, while the inoculation should be conducted with an interval of 45-60 days to ensure the survival rate and the consecutive effect on soil.

Hydrodynamic Modeling of Swirling Binary Mixture Gas-Particle Flows Using a Second-Order-Moment Turbulence Model.

The polydisperse behaviors of a binary ultralight-heavy mixture particle flow in a swirling axisymmetric chamber were investigated based on a developed second-order-moment gas-particle turbulent model. A binary particle Reynolds stress transport equation to depict the anisotropic interactions between gas-mixture particles and binary ultralight-heavy particles was established to close the governing equations. Hydrodynamic parameters, including particle number density, particle and gas velocities, and fluctuation velocities, Reynolds stress tensors, and their invariants, turbulent kinetic energy, and vortex structure, are numerically simulated. The detailed effects of the density, the diameter of the particle, the Stokes number, and the ultralight particle mass loading ratios on the flow status were studied. It is shown that normal and shear Reynolds stresses and kinetic turbulent energies of mixture particles have been redistributed, particularly, they are very sensitive to the mass loading ratios. Higher particle mass loading ratios enhanced the anisotropic characteristics. The particle number density at central regions of the farthest downstream is approximately three times larger than those of smaller mass loading ratios. Larger Stokes number particles reinforced the axial fluctuations up to 1.2 times that of the light particles, whereas ultralight particles increased tangential fluctuation to 2.5 times for axial ones.

Trophic interactions as determinants of the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal community with cascading plant-promoting consequences.

BACKGROUND: The soil mycobiome is composed of a complex and diverse fungal community, which includes functionally diverse species ranging from plant pathogens to mutualists. Among the latter are arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) that provide phosphorous (P) to plants. While plant hosts and abiotic parameters are known to structure AMF communities, it remains largely unknown how higher trophic level organisms, including protists and nematodes, affect AMF abundance and community composition. RESULTS: Here, we explored the connections between AMF, fungivorous protists and nematodes that could partly reflect trophic interactions, and linked those to rhizosphere P dynamics and plant performance in a long-term manure application setting. Our results revealed that manure addition increased AMF biomass and the density of fungivorous nematodes, and tailored the community structures of AMF, fungivorous protists, and nematodes. We detected a higher abundance of AMF digested by the dominant fungivorous nematodes Aphelenchoides and Aphelenchus in high manure treatments compared to no manure and low manure treatments. Structural equation modeling combined with network analysis suggested that predation by fungivorous protists and nematodes stimulated AMF biomass and modified the AMF community composition. The mycorrhizal-fungivore interactions catalyzed AMF colonization and expression levels of the P transporter gene ZMPht1;6 in maize roots, which resulted in enhanced plant productivity. CONCLUSIONS: Our study highlights the importance of predation as a key element in shaping the composition and enhancing the biomass of AMF, leading to increased plant performance. As such, we clarify novel biological mechanism of the complex interactions between AMF, fungivorous protists, and nematodes in driving P absorption and plant performance. Video Abstract.

Pig-specific RNA editing during early embryo development revealed by genome-wide comparisons.

Posttranscriptional modification of mRNA sequences through RNA editing can increase transcriptome and proteome diversity in eukaryotes. Studies of fetal and adult tissues showed that adenosine-to-inosine RNA editing plays a crucial role in early human development, but there is a lack of global understanding of dynamic RNA editing during mammalian early embryonic development. Therefore, here we used RNA sequencing data from human, pig and mouse during early embryonic development to detect edited genes that may regulate stem cell pluripotency. We observed that although most of the RNA editing sites are located in intergenic, intron and UTR, a few editing sites are in coding regions and may result in nonsynonymous amino acid changes. Some editing sites are predicted to change the structure of a protein. We also report that HNF1A, TBX3, ACLY, ECI1 and ERDR1 are related to embryonic development and cell division.

Hyperuricemia as a potential plausible risk factor for periodontitis.

Elevated blood uric acid (UA) levels have been positively associated with the severity of periodontitis. It thus brings out a hypothesis that hyperuricemia, a pathological elevation of blood UA, might be a risk factor for periodontitis. Namely, periodontitis individuals with Hu might acquire more severe periodontal destruction compared to those without Hu. To support the hypothesis, four aspects of evidences are proposed. First, hyperuricemia and periodontitis share many metabolic and inflammatory comorbidities such as metabolic syndrome, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases which are commonly related to elevated UA levels and gout. Second, observational and interventional studies have found altered UA levels in blood and saliva in periodontitis patients or after periodontal treatment, suggesting an epidemiological connection between hyperuricemia and periodontitis. Third, plausible immuno-metabolic mechanisms by which hyperuricemia might promote the progression of periodontitis are suggested, such as impaired immune response, oxidative stress, pathological bone remodeling and dysbiosis. The last, our empirical data exhibited elevated UA levels in gingival tissue in periodontitis mice compared to controls. If the hypothesis is true, given the high prevalence of the two conditions, hyperuricemia would be a significant risk factor increasing the global burden of periodontal diseases. Evidences on a directional correlation between hyperuricemia and periodontitis are sparse. Longitudinal and experimental studies would be necessary to determine the magnitude of periodontal risk, if any, exacerbated by hyperuricemia and the underlying mechanisms.