Biochar-mediated remediation of low-density polyethylene microplastic-polluted soil-plant systems: Role of phosphorus and protist community responses.

While the prevalent utilization of plastic products has enabled social advancement, the concomitant microplastics (MPs) pollution presents a serious threat to environmental security and public health. Protists, as regulators of soil microorganisms, are also capable of responding most rapidly to changes in the soil environment. The amelioration mechanisms of biochar in the soil-plant systems polluted by low-density polyethylene microplastics (LDPE-MPs) and the response of protist communities in the soil-plant systems polluted by MPs remain unclear.

Investigating the diagnostic and prognostic significance of genes related to fatty acid metabolism in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most prevalent and lethal cancers worldwide, with death rates increasing by approximately 2-3% per year. The high mortality and poor prognosis of HCC are primarily due to inaccurate early diagnosis and lack of monitoring when liver transplantation is not feasible. Fatty acid (FA) metabolism is a critical metabolic pathway that provides energy and signaling factors in cancer, particularly in HCC, and promotes malignancy.

Thoracic spine infection caused by : A case report and review of literature.

Background: The clinical incidence of spinal infection is gradually increasing, and its onset is insidious, easily leading to missed diagnosis and misdiagnosis, which may lead to serious complications such as nervous system dysfunction, spinal instability and/or deformity, and cause a huge burden on society and families. Early identification of the causative agent and precision medicine will greatly reduce the suffering of patients. At present, the main pathogenic bacteria that cause spinal infection are , Streptococcus, Pneumococcus, , and Klebsiella.

Phosphorus fertiliser application mitigates the negative effects of microplastic on soil microbes and rice growth.

Soil microplastics (MPs) have attracted widespread attention recently. Most studies have explored how soil MPs affect the soil's physicochemical parameters, matter circulation, and soil microbial community assembly. Similarly, a key concern in agricultural development has been the use of phosphorus (P) fertiliser, which is essential for plant health and development.

HFD-exacerbated Metabolic Side Effects of Olanzapine Are Suppressed by ER Stress Inhibitor.

Objective: Numerous schizophrenic patients are suffering from obesity primarily attributed to antipsychotic medication and poor dietary habits. This study investigated the progressive deterioration of olanzapine-induced metabolic disorders in the presence of a high-fat diet (HFD) and explored the involvement of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress.

Methods: Female Sprague-Dawley rats fed on a standard chow diet or HFD were treated with olanzapine (3 mg/kg/day) and the ER stress inhibitor 4-phenylbutyric acid (4-PBA, 1 and 0.

Effect of different types of biochar on soil properties and functional microbial communities in rhizosphere and bulk soils and their relationship with CH and NO emissions.

Biochar as an agricultural soil amendment plays vital roles in mediating methane (CH) and nitrous oxide (NO) emissions in soils. The link between different types of biochar, bulk soil, and rhizosphere microbial communities in relation to CH and NO emissions is being investigated in this study. The rice pot experiment was conducted using biochar at two temperatures (300°C and 500°C) in combination with three biochar levels (0, 2, 10% w/w).

Electrical conductivity of melts: implications for conductivity anomalies in the Earth's mantle.

Magmatic liquids, including silicate and carbonate melts, are principal agents of mass and heat transfer in the Earth and terrestrial planets, and they play a crucial role in various geodynamic processes and in Earth's evolution. Electrical conductivity data of these melts elucidate the cause of electrical anomalies in Earth's interior and shed light on the melt structure. With the improvement in high-pressure experimental techniques and theoretical simulations, major progress has been made on this front in the past several decades.

Evaluation of a Spinosad Controlled-Release Formulation Based on Chitosan Carrier: Insecticidal Activity against (L.) Larvae and Dissipation Behavior in Soil.

Controlled-release pesticide formulations using natural polymers as carriers are highly desirable owing to their good biocompatibility, biodegradability, and improved pesticide utilization. In this study, the application potential of our previously prepared spinosad/chitosan controlled-release suspension (SCCS) was evaluated through both toxicity and dissipation tests. A comparison with the spinosad suspension concentrate and the commercial spinosad emulsion in water showed that the insecticidal activity of SCCS against larvae displayed the best quick-acting performance as well as long-term efficacy of more than 20 days.

Exosomal microRNA-588 from M2 polarized macrophages contributes to cisplatin resistance of gastric cancer cells.

Background: Gastric cancer is a prevalent malignant cancer with a high incidence and significantly affects the health of modern people globally. Cisplatin (DDP) is one of the most common and effective chemotherapies for patients with gastric cancer, but DDP resistance remains a severe clinical challenge.

Aim: To explore the function of M2 polarized macrophages-derived exosomal microRNA (miR)-588 in the modulation of DDP resistance of gastric cancer cells.

Olanzapine Induces Inflammation and Immune Response via Activating ER Stress in the Rat Prefrontal Cortex.

Objective: Antipsychotics, in particular olanzapine, are first-line medications for schizophrenia. The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is an important region for antipsychotics' therapeutic effects. The PFC inflammatory and immune pathways are associated with schizophrenia pathogenesis.

Multiple Roles of Mesoporous Silica in Safe Pesticide Application by Nanotechnology: A Review.

Pollution related to pesticides has become a global problem due to their low utilization and non-targeting application, and nanotechnology has shown great potential in promoting sustainable agriculture. Nowadays, mesoporous silica-based nanomaterials have garnered immense attention for improving the efficacy and safety of pesticides due to their distinctive advantages of low toxicity, high thermal and chemical stability, and particularly size tunability and versatile functionality. Based on the introduction of the structure and synthesis of different types of mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs), the multiple roles of mesoporous silica in safe pesticide application using nanotechnology are discussed in this Review: (i) as nanocarrier for sustained/controlled delivery of pesticides, (ii) as adsorbent for enrichment or removal of pesticides in aqueous media, (iii) as support of catalysts for degradation of pesticide contaminants, and (iv) as support of sensors for detection of pesticides.

Effect of preoperative jaundice on long-term prognosis of gallbladder carcinoma with radical resection.

Purposes: This study was designed to evaluate the effect of preoperative jaundice on long-term prognosis of gallbladder carcinoma (GBC) after radical resection (R0).

Methods: A total of 267 GBC patients who underwent R0 resection from January 2004 to December 2014 were enrolled, including 54 patients with preoperative jaundice and 213 patients without jaundice. The clinicopathological parameters between the two groups were compared, and the correlation between preoperative jaundice and the long-term prognosis was furtherly analyzed.

The Effect of Cognitive Impairment on the Prognosis of Major Depressive Disorder.

The study recruited 168 patients diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD). The nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and Perceived Deficits Questionnaire for Depression (PDQ-D) were lower and the Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST) was higher in the community volunteers than those in MDD patients. Depression-related scores (17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale [HAMD-17], Clinical Global Impressions-Severity of Illness Scale [CGI-S], and PHQ-9), functioning-related scores (Sheehan Disability Scale [SDS]), and Work Efficiency and Activity Damage-Specific Health Problems questionnaire work productivity loss were decreased, and the quality of life-related scores (European Quality of life-5 Dimensions [EQ-5D] utility score) were increased in the MDD patients.

Transarterial chemoembolization versus percutaneous microwave coagulation therapy for recurrent unresectable intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: Development of a prognostic nomogram.

Background: Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) and percutaneous microwave coagulation therapy (PMCT) are commonly used to treat intrahepatic recurrent liver cancers. However, there is no information regarding their effectiveness in patients with recurrent intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) after resection.

Methods: A total of 275 patients with localized recurrent ICC who received either TACE (n = 183) or PMCT (n = 92) were studied.

[Temporal-spatial Distribution of Nitrogen and Phosphorus Nutrients in Lake Taihu Based on Geostatistical Analysis].

It is of great significance to investigate the spatio-temporal variation in nitrogen and phosphorus nutrients as a mechanism for controlling the sudden increase of algae in eutrophic water. Based on the geostatistical analysis, we studied the sources and occurring forms of nitrogen and phosphorus in different areas of Lake Taihu-a large shallow and eutrophic lake in China. We also examined the spatial distribution of the type of nutrient restriction and its reason by monitoring the sites seasonally from August 2014 to May 2015.

Snare combined with endoclips in endoscopic submucosal dissection with mucosal traction for gastroesophageal neoplasia.

Background And Aim: Mucosal traction as a "second hand" in endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is very helpful for ESD operators. The efficacy of using a snare combined with endoclips to assist in ESD (SC-ESD) was evaluated whether it could achieve peroral external traction (PET) and peroral internal traction (PIT) and real-time adjustment of mucosal traction position. This study aimed to preliminarily evaluate its feasibility.

Expansion and differentiation of human hepatocyte-derived liver progenitor-like cells and their use for the study of hepatotropic pathogens.

The study of pathophysiological mechanisms in human liver disease has been constrained by the inability to expand primary hepatocytes in vitro while maintaining proliferative capacity and metabolic function. We and others have previously shown that mouse mature hepatocytes can be converted to liver progenitor-like cells in vitro with defined chemical factors. Here we describe a protocol achieving efficient conversion of human primary hepatocytes into liver progenitor-like cells (HepLPCs) through delivery of developmentally relevant cues, including NAD -dependent deacetylase SIRT1 signaling.

[Fluorescence Characteristics and Environmental Significance of Organic Matter in the Northern Part of Lake Taihu in Spring and Winter].

Organic matter (OM), rich in carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and other biogenic elements, has numerous geochemical and ecological functions in all kinds of water bodies, and is highly valued in ecological studies of both marine and inland environments. The formation, transformation, and fate of OM, and its accompanying nutrient regeneration process are key links in the biogeochemical cycling of nutrients in aquatic ecosystems. Furthermore OM, as a provider of nutrients, also plays a very significant role during the outbreak of algal blooms in inland lakes.

[Fluorescent Characteristics and Environmental Significance of Particulate Organic Matter in Lake Taihu, China].

Thirty-two samples were collected from eight typical areas in Lake Taihu. Three-dimensional excitation-emission matrix fluorescence spectra (EEMs) and a parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) were applied to investigate the fluorescence properties, the sources, and environmental significance of particulate organic matter (POM) from the overlying water in Lake Taihu in summer. Differences in fluorescence characteristics between POM and DOM (dissolved organic matter), and that in POM between the grass lake and the algal lake were further examined.

Case-control study of the efficacy of retrogastric Roux-en-Y choledochojejunostomy.

The traditional, retrocolic/antegastric Roux-en-Y choledochojejunostomy is technically complicated, and the incidence of postoperative complications remains high. Here we report the outcome of 59 consecutively treated patients (, SG) that underwent a new choledochojejunostomy method in which the jejunal loop is passed behind the antrum pyloricum (retrogastric route). A retrospective comparison was made between this group of patients and 187 patients (, CG) that underwent conventional Roux-en-Y choledochojejunostomy (antegastric route).

Choline Kinase α Mediates Interactions Between the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor and Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 2 in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells to Promote Drug Resistance and Xenograft Tumor Progression.

Background & Aims: Choline kinase α (CHKA) catalyzes conversion of choline to phosphocholine and can contribute to carcinogenesis. Little is known about the role of CHKA in the pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods: We performed whole-exome and transcriptome sequence analyses of 9 paired HCC and non-tumor-adjacent tissues.

Serum ApoB levels in depressive patients: associated with cognitive deficits.

Cognitive deficits have been regarded as one of the most significant clinical symptoms of depressive disorder. Accumulating evidence has shown that apolipoprotein B (ApoB) levels, which are responsible for inducing neurodegeneration, may be involved in cognitive deficits. This study examines cognitive deficits, and the correlation of serum ApoB levels with cognitive deficits of depressive disorder.

STAT3 overexpression promotes metastasis in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and correlates negatively with surgical outcome.

Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) promotes tumor progression in many types of cancer. In this study, we analyzed the prognostic value of this marker in human intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). Using real-time PCR, western blot and immunohistochemistry assays, we found that STAT3 is overexpressed in ICC patients.