Lumican promotes calcific aortic valve disease through H3 histone lactylation.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Valve interstitial cells (VICs) undergo a transition to intermediate state cells before ultimately transforming into the osteogenic cell population, which is a pivotal cellular process in calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD). Herein, this study successfully delineated the stages of VIC osteogenic transformation and elucidated a novel key regulatory role of lumican (LUM) in this process. METHODS: Single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) from nine human aortic valves was used to characterize the pathological switch process and identify key regulatory factors. The in vitro, ex vivo, in vivo, and double knockout mice were constructed to further unravel the calcification-promoting effect of LUM. Moreover, the multi-omic approaches were employed to analyse the molecular mechanism of LUM in CAVD. RESULTS: ScRNA-seq successfully delineated the process of VIC pathological transformation and highlighted the significance of LUM as a novel molecule in this process. The pro-calcification role of LUM is confirmed on the in vitro, ex vivo, in vivo level, and ApoE-/-//LUM-/- double knockout mice. The LUM induces osteogenesis in VICs via activation of inflammatory pathways and augmentation of cellular glycolysis, resulting in the accumulation of lactate. Subsequent investigation has unveiled a novel LUM driving histone modification, lactylation, which plays a role in facilitating valve calcification. More importantly, this study has identified two specific sites of histone lactylation, namely, H3K14la and H3K9la, which have been found to facilitate the process of calcification. The confirmation of these modification sites' association with the expression of calcific genes Runx2 and BMP2 has been achieved through ChIP-PCR analysis. CONCLUSIONS: The study presents novel findings, being the first to establish the involvement of lumican in mediating H3 histone lactylation, thus facilitating the development of aortic valve calcification. Consequently, lumican would be a promising therapeutic target for intervention in the treatment of CAVD.

A network meta-analysis of the effectiveness of different basic preconditioning regiments in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate and compare the effects of basic preconditioning regimens Bu/Cy, Cy/TBI and Flu/Bu for the treatment of patients in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. METHODS: It comprised exploring the published literature in the databases of PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science, using suitable keywords pertaining to various basic pretreatments Bu/Cy, Cy/TBI, and Flu/Bu, prior to allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, and then extracting the searched outcome indicators of Overall Survival (OS) and survival (herein represented as OS and survival). Further, the results were estimated with meta-analysis using R, where the incidence of GVHD was reported in odds ratio (OR) with its 95% confidence interval (95%CI). RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: A total of 14 papers were included in this study, including 1436 cases were treated with Bu/Cy, 1816 cases with Cy/TBI, and 549 cases with Flu/Bu in the preconditioning regimen. After OS was the outcome pooled, compared with Flu/Bu in the preconditioning group, the results (Cy/TBI HR = 1.12 (95% Cl:1.04,1.61), Bu/Cy HR = 1.24 (95% Cl. 1.13,2.06)) showed that Flu/Bu preconditioning regimen significantly improved the overall survival rate of allogeneic HSCT patients. With the incidence of GVHD as the outcome summary, compared with Flu/Bu in the pretreatment group, the results (Cy/TBI HR = 1.24 (95% Cl:1.12, 1.82), Bu/Cy HR = 1.14 (95% Cl. 1.03, 2.12)) indicated that Flu/Bu in the pretreatment regimen group also significantly reduced the incidence of GVHD after allogeneic HSCT. CONCLUSION: Patients who received the basal preconditioning regimen Flu/Bu before allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation had the lowest hazard ratio for overall survival (OS) development. This indicates that the use of the basal preconditioning regimen Flu/Bu for the treatment of patients was the most effective, although the quality of the studies included needs to be confirmed by high-quality randomized controlled trials.

Number of Premature Ventricular Complexes Predicts Long-Term Outcomes in Patients with Persistent Atrial Fibrillation.

BACKGROUND: Premature ventricular complexes (PVCs) are common electrocardiographic abnormalities and may be a prognosticator in predicting mortality in patients with structurally normal hearts or chronic heart diseases. Whether PVC burden was associated with mortality in patients with chronic atrial fibrillation (AF) remained unknown. We investigated the prognostic value of PVC burden in patients with persistent AF. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 24 h Holter recordings of 1767 patients with persistent AF was conducted. Clinical characteristics, 24 h average heart rate (HR), and PVC measures, including 24 h PVC burden and the presence of consecutive PVCs (including any PVC couplet, triplet, or non-sustained ventricular tachycardia) were examined for the prediction of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality using the Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS: After a median follow-up time of 30 months, 286 (16%) patients died and 1481 (84%) patients survived. Multivariate analysis revealed that age, heart failure, stroke, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor/angiotensin receptor blocker, beta-blocker, digoxin, oral anticoagulant use, and estimated glomerular filtration rate were significant baseline predictors of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality. Twenty-four-hour PVC burden and the presence of consecutive PVCs were significantly associated with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality after adjusting for significant clinical factors. When compared to the first quartile of PVC burden (<0.003%/day), the highest quartile (>0.3%/day) was significantly associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality (hazard ratio, 2.46; 95% CI, 1.77-3.42) and cardiovascular mortality (hazard ratio: 2.67; 95% CI, 1.76-4.06). CONCLUSIONS: Twenty-four-hour PVC burden is independently associated with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in patients with persistent AF.

Syntaxin6 contributes to hepatocellular carcinoma tumorigenesis via enhancing STAT3 phosphorylation.

BACKGROUND: Syntaxin6 (STX6) is a SNARE (Soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptors) protein complex located in the trans-Golgi network and endosomes, which is closely associated with a variety of intracellular membrane transport events. STX6 has been shown to be overexpressed in a variety of human malignant tumors such as esophageal, colorectal, and renal cell carcinomas, and participates in tumorigenesis and development. METHODS: Based on clinical public database and clinical liver samples analysis, the expression of STX6 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissues was investigated. The effects of STX6 on proliferation, migration and invasion of HCC cell in vitro and in vivo were evaluated through gain- and loss-of-function studies. We further performed RNA-seq analysis and protein interactome analysis, to further decifer the detailed mechanisms of STX6 in the regulation of the JAK-STAT pathway in HCC. RESULTS: STX6 expression was upregulated in HCC tissues and its expression was highly correlated with the high histological grade of the tumor. STX6 promoted HCC cell proliferation, migration and invasion both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, STX6 mediated tumor progression depending on promoting the activation of JAK-STAT signaling pathway. Receptor for activated protein kinase C (RACK1) as an essential adaptor protein mediating STX6 regulation of JAK-STAT pathway. Specifically, STX6 interacted with RACK1 and then recruited signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) to form a protein-binding complex and activates STAT3 transcriptional activity. CONCLUSIONS: This study provided a novel concept that STX6 exerted oncogenic effects by activating the STAT3 signaling pathway, and STX6 might be a promising therapeutic target for HCC.

Compound heterozygous variants of ANKFY1 in a child with infantile-onset proteinuria and movement disorder.

The ANKFY1 gene encodes a protein that belongs to double zinc finger proteins involved in endocytosis. Only one family with steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome has been reported carrying a homozygous variant in ANKFY1 so far. Here we describe the second case where a 13-year-old boy presented with infantile-onset proteinuria and movement disorder. Whole-exome sequencing showed compound heterozygous variants (NM_001330063.2: c.2753C>G; p.Ser918Ter, and c.3287-11_3287-10del) in ANKFY1. In vitro functional study revealed the two variants led to reduced protein expression level of ANKFY1. This is the first case of co-existence of renal and nervous system phenotypes in a child with variants in ANKFY1, suggesting that bi-allelic variants in ANKFY1 might be associated with a new neuro-renal syndrome.

A survey of knowledge, attitudes, and practices among paediatric intensive care unit nurses for preventing pressure injuries: An analysis of influencing factors.

To explore the knowledge, attitudes and practice (KAP) status of preventing pressure injury among clinical nurses working in paediatric ICU, and to examine factors affecting nurses' KAP. A questionnaire survey was conducted among 1906 paediatric ICU nurses in 18 children's hospitals by convenience sampling method. The survey tools were self-designed general data questionnaire, KAP questionnaire for the prevention of pressure injury and the influencing factors were analysed. A total of 1906 valid questionnaires were collected. The scores of overall KPA, knowledge, attitudes, and practice were 101.24 ± 17.22, 20.62 ± 9.63, 54.93 ± 5.81and 25.67 ± 6.76, respectively. The results of multiple linear regression analysis showed that education background, professional title, age and specialist nurse were the main influencing factor of nurses' knowledge of preventing PI; education background and specialist nurse were the main influencing factors of nurses' attitudes of preventing PI; knowledge, attitudes and education background were the main influencing factors of nurses' practice of preventing PI. Paediatric ICU nurses have a positive attitude towards the prevention of PI, but their knowledge and practice need to be improved. According to different characteristics of nurses, nursing managers should carry out training on the knowledge of prevention of PI to establish a positive attitude, so as to drive the change of nursing practice and improve the nursing practice level of ICU nurses to prevent of PI.

Somatic KMT2D loss-of-function mutations in lung squamous cell carcinoma: a single-center cohort study.

Background: The significant progress has been made in targeted therapy for lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) in the past decade. Only few targeted therapeutics have yet been approved for the treatment of lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC). Several higher frequency of gene alterations are identified as potentially actionable in LUSC. Our work aimed to explore the complex interplay of multiple genetic alterations and pathways contributing to the pathogenesis of LUSC, with a very low frequency of a single driver molecular alterations to develop more effective therapeutic strategies in the future. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) data (approximately 600 genes) of 335 patients initially diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) at our institution between January 2019 and March 2023 and explored the somatic genome alteration difference between LUSC and LUAD. Results: We analyzed that the presence of loss-of-function (LoF) mutations (nonsense, frameshift, and splice-site variants) in histone-lysine N-methyltransferase 2D (KMT2D) was much more prevalent in LUSC (11/53, 20.8%) than in LUAD (6/282, 2.1%). Moreover, our data indicated TP53 co-mutated with KMT2D LoF in 90.9% (10/11) LUSC and 33.3% (2/6) LUAD. Notably, the mutation allele fraction (MAF) of KMT2D was very similar to that of TP53 in the co-mutated cases. Genomic profiling of driver gene mutations of NSCLC showed that 81.8% (9/11) of the patients with LUSC with KMT2D LoF mutations had PIK3CA amplification and/or FGFR1 amplification. Conclusions: Our results prompted that somatic LoF mutations of KMT2D occur frequently in LUSC, but are less frequent in LUAD and therefore may potentially contribute to the pathogenesis of LUSC. Concurrent TP53 mutations, FGFR1 amplification, and PIK3CA amplification are very common in LUSC cases with KMT2D LoF mutations. It needs more deeper investigation on the interplay of the genes and pathways and uses larger cohorts in the future.

Surgical procedures and complications in placement of totally implantable venous access port in pediatric hemophilia patients: A retrospective analysis.

This retrospective study at Beijing Children's Hospital (2020-2023) analyzed surgical procedures and complications in 24 pediatric hemophilia patients undergoing Totally Implantable Venous Access Port (TIVAP) insertion, primarily in the right jugular vein (RJV). We detailed the surgical process, including patient demographics and intraoperative imaging use. The choice of the RJV for TIVAP placement was influenced by its larger diameter and superficial anatomical position, potentially reducing risks like thrombosis and infection. Our findings support the RJV as a safer alternative for port placement in pediatric patients, aligning with current literature. Statistical analysis revealed no significant correlation between complications and baseline characteristics like weight and diagnosis type. However, the length of hospital stay and implant brand were significant risk factors for catheter or port displacement and removal. The limited patient number may introduce bias, suggesting a need for further studies with larger samples. Despite a 14.7 %-33 % complication rate and 5 port removals, the advantages of TIVAP, including reliable venous access, reduced discomfort, and treatment convenience, were evident. Most complications improved with symptomatic treatment, and there were no deaths due to port-related complications, underscoring the impact of TIVAP on improving pediatric hemophilia treatment.

Albino lethal 13, a chloroplast-imported protein required for chloroplast development in rice.

Chloroplasts play a vital role in plant growth and development, which are the main sites of photosynthesis and the production of hormones and metabolites. Despite their significance, the regulatory mechanisms governing chloroplast development remain unclear. In our investigation, we identified a rice mutant with defective chloroplasts in rice (Oryza sativa L.), named albino lethal 13 (osal13), which displayed a distinct albino phenotype in leaves, ultimately resulting in seedling lethality. Molecular cloning revealed that OsAL13 encodes a novel rice protein with no homologous gene or known conserved domain. This gene was located in the chloroplast and exhibited constitutive expression in various tissues, particularly in green tissues and regions of active cell growth. Our study's findings reveal that RNAi-mediated knockdown of OsAL13 led to a pronounced albino phenotype, reduced chlorophyll and carotenoid contents, a vesicle chloroplast structure, and a decrease in the expression of chloroplast-associated genes. Consequently, the pollen fertility and seed setting rate were lower compared with the wild type. In contrast, the overexpression of OsAL13 resulted in an increased photosynthetic rate, a higher total grain number per panicle, and enhanced levels of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) in the roots and gibberellin A3 (GA3) in the shoot. These outcomes provide new insights on the role of OsAL13 in regulating chloroplast development in rice.

Overexpression of miR-204-5p Alleviates Osteogenic Differentiation and Calcification of Human Aortic Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells by Targeting Calcium/Calmodulin-dependent Protein Kinase 1.

ABSTRACT: Vascular calcification (VC), a major complication in chronic kidney disease (CKD), is predominantly driven by osteoblastic differentiation. Recent studies have highlighted the crucial role of microRNAs in CKD's pathogenesis. Here, our research focused on the effects of miR-204-5p and its molecular mechanisms within VC. We initially found a notable decrease in miR-204-5p levels in human aortic vascular smooth muscle cells stimulated with inorganic phosphate, using this as a VC model in vitro. Following the overexpression of miR-204-5p, a decrease in VC was observed, as indicated by alizarin red S staining and measurements of calcium content. This decrease was accompanied by lower levels of the osteogenic marker, runt-related transcription factor 2, and higher levels of α-smooth muscle actin, a marker of contractility. Further investigation showed that calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase 1 (CAMK1), which is a predicted target of miR-204-5p, promotes VC. Conversely, overexpressing miR-204-5p reduced VC by suppressing CAMK1 activity. Overexpressing miR-204-5p also effectively mitigated aortic calcification in an in vivo rat model. In summary, our research indicated that targeting the miR-204-5p/CAMK1 pathway could be a viable strategy for mitigating VC in CKD patients.

Targeted Therapy of Tumors and Cancer Stem Cells based on Oxidant-Regulated Redox Pathway and its Mechanism.

A malignant tumor is a frequent and common disease that severely threatens human health. Many mechanisms, such as cell signaling pathway, anti-apoptosis mechanism, cell stemness, metabolism, and cell phenotype, have been studied to explain the reasons for chemotherapy, radioresistance, and tumor recurrences in antitumor treatment. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are important tumor cell subclasses that can potentially organize and regulate stem cell properties. Growing evidence suggests that CSCs can initiate tumors and constitute a significant factor in metastasis, recurrence, and treatment resistance. The inability to completely target and remove CSCs is a considerable obstacle in tumor treatment. Therefore, drugs and therapeutic strategies that can effectively intervene with CSCs are essential for the treatment of different tumor types. However, the current strategies and efficacy of targeted elimination of CSCs are very limited. Oxidative stress has been recognized to play a crucial role in cancer pathophysiology. Moreover, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and imbalance of the built-in cellular antioxidant defense system are hallmarks of tumor and cancer etiology. The current paper will focus on the regulation and mechanism behind oxidative stress in tumors and cancer stem cells and its tumor therapy applications. Additionally, the article discusses the role of CSCs in causing tumor treatment resistance and recurrence based on a redox perspective. The study also emphasizes that targeted modulation of oxidative stress in CSCs has great potential in tumor therapy, providing novel prospects for tumor therapy.

Copy number variants at 4q31.3 affecting the regulatory region of FBXW7 associated with neurodevelopmental delay.

Emerging research has demonstrated that genomic alterations disrupting topologically associated domains (TADs) and chromatin interactions underlie the pathogenic mechanisms of specific copy number variants (CNVs) in neurodevelopmental disorders. We report two patients with a de novo deletion and a duplication in chromosome 4q31, potentially causing FBX-related neurodevelopmental syndrome by affecting the regulatory region of FBXW7. High-throughput chromosome conformation capture (Hi-C) analysis using available capture data in neural progenitor cells revealed the rewiring of the TAD boundary close to FBXW7. Both patients exhibited facial dysmorphisms, cardiac and limb abnormalities, and neurodevelopmental delays, showing significant clinical overlap with previously reported FBXW7-related features. We also included an additional 10 patients with CNVs in the 4q31 region from the literature and the DECIPHER database for Hi-C analysis, which confirmed that disruption of the regulatory region of FBXW7 likely contributes to the developmental defects observed in these patients.

A plant NLR receptor employs ABA central regulator PP2C-SnRK2 to activate antiviral immunity.

Defence against pathogens relies on intracellular nucleotide-binding, leucine-rich repeat immune receptors (NLRs) in plants. Hormone signaling including abscisic acid (ABA) pathways are activated by NLRs and play pivotal roles in defence against different pathogens. However, little is known about how hormone signaling pathways are activated by plant immune receptors. Here, we report that a plant NLR Sw-5b mimics the behavior of the ABA receptor and directly employs the ABA central regulator PP2C-SnRK2 complex to activate an ABA-dependent defence against viral pathogens. PP2C4 interacts with and constitutively inhibits SnRK2.3/2.4. Behaving in a similar manner as the ABA receptor, pathogen effector ligand recognition triggers the conformational change of Sw-5b NLR that enables binding to PP2C4 via the NB domain. This receptor-PP2C4 binding interferes with the interaction between PP2C4 and SnRK2.3/2.4, thereby releasing SnRK2.3/2.4 from PP2C4 inhibition to activate an ABA-specific antiviral immunity. These findings provide important insights into the activation of hormone signaling pathways by plant immune receptors.

Soil quality and ecosystem multifunctionality after 13-year of organic and nitrogen fertilization.

Organic and mineral fertilization increase crop productivity, but their combined effects on soil quality index (SQI) and ecosystem multifunctionality (EMF, defined as the capacity of soils to simultaneously provide multiple functions and services) are not clear. We conducted a 13-year field trial in North China Plain to examine how five maize-derived organic fertilizers (straw, manure, compost, biogas residue, and biochar) at equal C input rate (3.2 t C ha-1), with or without nitrogen (N) fertilization influenced topsoil (0-15 cm) physico-chemical properties, activities of enzymes responsible for carbon (C), N, and phosphorus (P) cycling, as well as SQI and soil EMF. Organic fertilizers with or without N increased SQI by 51-187 % and EMF by 31-351 % through the enhancement of soil physical (mean weight diameter of soil aggregates) and chemical properties (C, N, and P contents) as well as C, N, and P acquisition enzyme activities, albeit the biochar effects were of minor importance. N application increased EMF compared to soil without N. Soil quality increased with EMF. Random forest analysis revealed that microbial biomass C and N, available P, permanganate oxidizable C, dissolved organic C and N, mean weight diameter of aggregates, hot water extractable C, and electrical conductivity were the main contributions to soil EMF. We conclude that application of maize-derived organic fertilizers, especially compost and straw, with optimal N fertilization is a plausible strategy to increase SQI and EMF under a wheat/maize system.

How do sphingosine-1-phosphate affect immune cells to resolve inflammation?

Inflammation is an important immune response of the body. It is a physiological process of self-repair and defense against pathogens taken up by biological tissues when stimulated by damage factors such as trauma and infection. Inflammation is the main cause of high morbidity and mortality in most diseases and is the physiological basis of the disease. Targeted therapeutic strategies can achieve efficient toxicity clearance at the inflammatory site, reduce complications, and reduce mortality. Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), a lipid signaling molecule, is involved in immune cell transport by binding to S1P receptors (S1PRs). It plays a key role in innate and adaptive immune responses and is closely related to inflammation. In homeostasis, lymphocytes follow an S1P concentration gradient from the tissues into circulation. One widely accepted mechanism is that during the inflammatory immune response, the S1P gradient is altered, and lymphocytes are blocked from entering the circulation and are, therefore, unable to reach the inflammatory site. However, the full mechanism of its involvement in inflammation is not fully understood. This review focuses on bacterial and viral infections, autoimmune diseases, and immunological aspects of the Sphks/S1P/S1PRs signaling pathway, highlighting their role in promoting intradial-adaptive immune interactions. How S1P signaling is regulated in inflammation and how S1P shapes immune responses through immune cells are explained in detail. We teased apart the immune cell composition of S1P signaling and the critical role of S1P pathway modulators in the host inflammatory immune system. By understanding the role of S1P in the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases, we linked the genomic studies of S1P-targeted drugs in inflammatory diseases to provide a basis for targeted drug development.

Clinical significance of regional constructive and wasted work in patients receiving cardiac resynchronization therapy.

Background: Previous studies have shown that global constructive work (CW) and wasted work (WW) predict response to cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). This study evaluated the predictive value of regional CW and WW for reverse remodeling and clinical outcomes after CRT. Methods: We performed a prospective study involving 134 CRT candidates with left bundle branch block and left ventricular ejection fraction ≤35%. Global and regional CW and WW were calculated using pressure-strain loop analysis. CRT response was defined by reverse remodeling as a reduction of ≥15% in left ventricular end-systolic volume after six months. Results: At six-month follow-up, 92 (69%) patients responded to CRT. Of the regional CW and WW measures, lateral wall (LW) CW and septal WW were most strongly and significantly correlated with reverse remodeling. At multivariate analysis, LW CW and septal WW were both independent determinants of reverse remodeling. When LW CW and septal WW were included in the model, global CW and WW were not independently associated with reverse remodeling. LW CW and septal WW predicted reverse remodeling with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.783 (95% CI: 0.700-0.866) and 0.737 (95% CI: 0.644-0.831), respectively. Using both variables increased the AUC to 0.832 (95% CI: 0.755-0.908). Both LW CW ≤878 mmHg% (HR 2.01; 95% CI: 1.07-3.79) and septal WW ≤181 mmHg% (HR 2.60; 95% CI: 1.38-4.90) were significant predictors of combined death and HF hospitalization at two-year follow-up. Conclusion: LW CW and septal WW before CRT are important determinants of reverse remodeling and clinical outcomes.

Optimizing biochar application for enhanced cotton and sugar beet production in Xinjiang: a comprehensive study.

BACKGROUND: Optimizing biochar application is vital for enhancing crop production and ensuring sustainable agricultural production. A 3-year field experiment was established to explore the effects of varying the biochar application rate (BAR) on crop growth, quality, productivity and yields. BAR was set at 0, 10, 50 and 100 t ha-1 in 2018; 0, 10, 25, 50 and 100 t ha-1 in 2019; and 0, 10, 25 and 30 t ha-1 in 2020. Crop quality and growth status and production were evaluated using the dynamic technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution with the entropy weighted method (DTOPSIS-EW), principal component analysis (PCA), membership function analysis (MFA), gray relation analysis (GRA) and the fuzzy Borda combination evaluation method. RESULTS: Low-dose BAR (≤ 25 t ha-1 for cotton; ≤ 50 t ha-1 for sugar beet) effectively increased biomass, plant height, leaf area index (LAI), water and fertility (N, P and K) productivities, and yield. Biochar application increased the salt absorption and sugar content in sugar beet, with the most notable increases being 116.45% and 20.35%, respectively. Conversely, BAR had no significant effect on cotton fiber quality. The GRA method was the most appropriate for assessing crop growth and quality. The most indicative parameters for reflecting cotton and sugarbeet growth and quality status were biomass and LAI. The 10 t ha-1 BAR consistently produced the highest scores and was the most economically viable option, as evaluated by DTOPSIS-EW. CONCLUSION: The optimal biochar application strategy for improving cotton and sugar beet cultivation in Xinjiang, China, is 10 t ha-1 biochar applied continuously. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Enhanced extraction of heavy metals from gypsum-based hazardous waste by nanoscale sulfuric acid film at ambient conditions.

Low-cost, low-energy extraction of heavy metal(loid)s (HMs) from hazardous gypsum cake is the goal of the metallurgical industry to mitigate environmental risks and carbon emissions. However, current extracting routes of hydrometallurgy often suffer from great energy inputs and substantial chemical inputs. Here, we report a novel solid-like approach with low energy consumption and chemical input to extract HMs by thin films under ambient conditions. Through constructing a nanoscale sulfuric acid film (NSF) of ∼50 nm thickness on the surface of arsenic-bearing gypsum (ABG), 99.6% of arsenic can be removed, surpassing the 50.3% removal in bulk solution. In-situ X-ray diffraction, infrared spectral, and ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations demonstrate that NSF plays a dual role in promoting the phase transformation from gypsum to anhydrite and in changing the ionic species to prevent re-doping in anhydrite, which is not occurred in bulk solutions. The potential of the NSF is further validated in extracting other heavy metal(loid)s (e.g., Cu, Zn, and Cr) from synthetic and actual gypsum cake. With energy consumption and costs at 1/200 and 1/10 of traditional hydrometallurgy separately, this method offers an efficient and economical pathway for extracting HMs from heavy metal-bearing waste and recycling industrial solid waste.

Silymarin Synergizes with Antiviral Therapy in Hepatitis B Virus-Related Liver Cirrhosis: A Propensity Score Matching Multi-Institutional Study.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related liver cirrhosis (HBV-LC) presents a substantial mortality and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) risk. While antiviral therapy (AVT) is the standard, complete HBV clearance remains elusive and may not reduce the risk of death in patients with decompensated cirrhosis. Silymarin, a centuries-old herbal remedy, has shown promise against HBV infection and as an antifibrosis therapy. This study explores the potential of silymarin combined with AVT to reduce mortality and HCC incidence in patients with HBV-LC. This research, spanning from 2001 to 2019, entailed a multi-institutional retrospective cohort study which included 8447 HBV-LC patients all undergoing AVT. After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, the study comprised two cohorts: a case cohort receiving silymarin alongside AVT for at least 30 days, and a control cohort on AVT alone. Propensity score matching, based on baseline parameters including HBV-DNA levels, comorbidity, and an important LC medication, namely, non-selective ß-blockers, was employed to ensure balanced groups, resulting in 319 patients in each cohort for subsequent analyses. Overall mortality was the primary outcome, with HCC occurrence as a secondary outcome. Among 319 patients in both cohorts, the case cohort exhibited significant improvements in the international normalized ratio (INR), model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score and the Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) one year after the index date. A competing risk survival analysis demonstrated superior one-year and two-year mortality outcomes in the case cohort. However, no significant impact on one-year and two-year HCC occurrence was observed in either cohort. The combination of silymarin and AVT in HBV-LC patients demonstrated a synergistic effect, leading to decreased overall mortality and an improved comorbidity index. While the incidence of HCC remained unchanged, our results suggested promising potential for further clinical trials investigating the synergistic role of silymarin in the treatment of HBV-LC.