Engineered Saccharomyces cerevisiae harbors xylose isomerase and xylose transporter improves co-fermentation of xylose and glucose for ethanol production.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae cannot assimilate xylose, second to glucose derived from lignocellulosic biomass. Here, the engineered S. cerevisiae strains INVSc-XI and INVSc-XI/XT were constructed using xylA and Xltr1p to co-utilize xylose and glucose, achieving economic viability and sustainable production of fuels. The xylose utilization rate of INVSc-XI/XT was 2.3-fold higher than that of INVSc-XI, indicating that overexpressing Xltr1p could further enhance xylose utilization. In mixed sugar media, a small amount of glucose enhanced the consumption of xylose by INVSc-XI/XT. Transcriptome analysis showed that glucose increased the upregulation of acetate of coenzyme A synthetase (ACS), alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), and transketolase (TKL) gene expression in INVSc-XI/XT, further promoting xylose utilization and ethanol yield. The highest ethanol titer of 2.91 g/L with a yield of 0.29 g/g at 96 h by INVSc-XI/XT was 56.9% and 63.0% of the theoretical ethanol yield from glucose and xylose, respectively. These results showed overexpression of xylA and Xltr1p is a promising strategy for improving xylose and glucose conversion to ethanol. Although the ability of strain INVSc-XI/XT to produce ethanol was not very satisfactory, glucose was discovered to influence xylose utilization in strain INVSc-XI/XT. Altering the glucose concentration is a promising strategy to improve the xylose and glucose co-utilization.

INVSc-XI and INVSc-XI/XT strains were newly constructed to utilize xylose and glucose.XylA, in combination with xylose transporter Xltr1p, enhances xylose consumption.A small amount of glucose enhanced xylose utilization in INVSc-XI/XT strain.The expression of ACS, ADH, and TKL genes is upregulated in the media containing mixed sugars.The highest ethanol yield of 0.29 g/g was produced in a 2-L scale-up fermenter.

Effectiveness of Zhong-Yong thinking based dialectical behavior therapy group skills training versus supportive group therapy for lowering suicidal risks in Chinese young adults: A randomized controlled trial with a 6-month follow-up.

BACKGROUND: Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is a first-line treatment for the prevention of suicide. Zhong-Yong thinking could be viewed as a Chinese way of dialectical thinking, has long been a culturally dictating thinking style in China. To enhance cultural adaptability, we integrated Zhong-Yong thinking into DBT group skills training and examined its efficacy in suicidal prevention compared with a supportive group therapy and a wait-list group in high-risk suicidal Chinese college students. METHODS: A total of 97 suicidal participants were randomized to either Zhong-Yong thinking based DBT group skills training (DBTZYT , n = 33), or supportive group therapy (SGT; n = 32), or wait-list group (WL; n = 32). DBTZYT was a 12-week program based on Zhong-Yong thinking instead of dialectical thinking, coaching participants mindfulness, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness. Supportive group therapy was a 12-week program aiming at improving interpersonal effectiveness and emotion regulation skills. Outcome measures were assessed at pre- and post-treatment and 6-month follow-up. RESULTS: At post-treatment measures, the levels of suicidal ideation, hopelessness, psychache symptoms, and general psychopathology had significantly decreased in both intervention groups; at the 6-month follow-up measures, the intervention effects were better maintained in the DBTZYT group rather than in the SGT group. Specifically, DBTZYT was more effective in relieving participants' long-term obsessive-compulsive, anxiety, hostility, phobic, psychotic, and additional symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Zhong-Yong thinking not only could integrate with DBT skills training in Chinese young adult population, but also has special strength in enhancing DBT's efficacy.