Coordination of consolidated bioprocessing technology and carbon dioxide fixation to produce malic acid directly from plant biomass in Myceliophthora thermophila.

Background: Consolidated bioprocessing (CBP) technique is a promising strategy for biorefinery construction, producing bulk chemicals directly from plant biomass without extra hydrolysis steps. Fixing and channeling CO into carbon metabolism for increased carbon efficiency in producing value-added compounds is another strategy for cost-effective bio-manufacturing. It has not been reported whether these two strategies can be combined in one microbial platform.

Unraveling the unique butyrate re-assimilation mechanism of Clostridium sp. strain WK and the application of butanol production from red seaweed Gelidium amansii through a distinct acidolytic pretreatment.

Exploration of the algae-derived biobutanol synthesis has become one of the hotspots due to its highly cost-effective and environment-friendly features. In this study, a solventogenic strain Clostridium sp. strain WK produced 13.

Metal-Organic Frameworks for Ammonia-Based Thermal Energy Storage.

Recently, the application of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) in thermal energy storage has attracted increasing research interests. MOF-ammonia working pairs have been proposed for controlling/sensing the air quality, while no work has yet been reported on the immense potential of MOFs for thermal energy storage up till now. Herein, the feasibility of thermal energy storage using seven MOF-ammonia working pairs is experimentally assessed.

Harnessing features of adaptive NK cells to generate iPSC-derived NK cells for enhanced immunotherapy.

Select subsets of immune effector cells have the greatest propensity to mediate antitumor responses. However, procuring these subsets is challenging, and cell-based immunotherapy is hampered by limited effector-cell persistence and lack of on-demand availability. To address these limitations, we generated a triple-gene-edited induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC).

Enhanced methane production from waste activated sludge by potassium ferrate combined with ultrasound pretreatment.

This study explored the effect of potassium ferrate (PF) combined with ultrasound (US) pretreatment on methane generation from sludge by a series of experiments and simulations. Batch experiments showed that the pretreatment of PF coupled with US exhibited positively synergy on the methane yield. And by the pretreatment of 0.

Prenatal low-dose antibiotic exposure and children allergic diseases at 4 years of age: A prospective birth cohort study.

Background: Based on a medical record or questionnaire survey approach, previous epidemiological studies have investigated associations between maternal antibiotic exposure during pregnancy and childhood allergic diseases. However, biomonitoring studies on the prenatal low-dose antibiotic exposure, mainly from the environment and contaminated food, and in relation to children allergic diseases, are missing.

Objectives: This research aimed to examine the associations between prenatal low-dose antibiotic exposure measured at multiple time points and children current allergic diseases at 4 years of age.

Metabolic Engineering of for Efficient Biosynthesis of Lacto--tetraose Using a Novel β-1,3-Galactosyltransferase from .

Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) attract considerable interest in recent years because of their particular role in infant health. Lacto--tetraose (LNT), one of the most abundant HMOs, has been commercially added in the infant formula as a functional fortifier. In this study, a novel LNT-producing β-1,3-galactosyltransferase (β-1,3-GalT) from was screened from 14 putative candidates, and a highly LNT-producing metabolically engineered strain was constructed based on a previously constructed lacto--triose II (LNT II)-producing strain, by strengthening UDP-galactose synthesis and introduction of β-1,3-GalT.

Effect of cavitation jets on the physicochemical properties and structural characteristics of the okara protein.

The structural andphysicochemical properties of okara protein (OP) subjected to different cavitation jet (CJ) treatment times (0-15 min) were analyzed. In this study, the microstructure and apparent morphology of OP were analyzed by Raman spectrum, fluorescence spectrum, sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Physicochemical properties, such as emulsion ability (EA), emulsion stability index (ESI), foaming characteristics (FC), foaming stability (FS), and solubility analysis of the OPs, were characterized.

Increasing NADPH Availability for Xylitol Production via Pentose-Phosphate-Pathway Gene Overexpression and Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas-Pathway Gene Deletion in .

Cofactor availability is often a rate-limiting factor in the bioconversion of xylose to xylitol. The overexpression of pentose phosphate pathway genes and the deletion of Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas pathway genes can modulate the glucose metabolic flux and increase the intracellular NADPH supply, enabling cells to produce xylitol from corncob hydrolysates. The effects of and/or overexpression and , , and/or deletion on the intracellular redox environment and xylitol production were examined.

A Monoclonal Antibody for Malaria Prevention.

Background: Additional interventions are needed to reduce the morbidity and mortality caused by malaria.

Methods: We conducted a two-part, phase 1 clinical trial to assess the safety and pharmacokinetics of CIS43LS, an antimalarial monoclonal antibody with an extended half-life, and its efficacy against infection with . Part A of the trial assessed the safety, initial side-effect profile, and pharmacokinetics of CIS43LS in healthy adults who had never had malaria.

One stone two birds: Biosynthesis of 3-hydroxypropionic acid from CO and syngas-derived acetic acid in .

Syngas, which contains large amount of CO as well as H and CO, can be convert to acetic acid chemically or biologically. Nowadays, acetic acid become a cost-effective nonfood-based carbon source for value-added biochemical production. In this study, acetic acid and CO were used as substrates for the biosynthesis of 3-hydroxypropionic acid (3-HP) in metabolically engineered carrying heterogeneous acetyl-CoA carboxylase (Acc) from and codon-optimized malonyl-CoA reductase (MCR) from .

Lower androgen levels promote abnormal cartilage development in female patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

Background: Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is a disease characterized by changes in the three-dimensional structure of the spine. Studies have shown that the development of AIS might be associated with genetic, biomechanics, endocrine factors and abnormal bone or cartilage development.

Methods: Blood samples collected from 301 female patients (161 females with AIS and 140 females without AIS) were used for genotyping.

Analysis of gender-specific associations between aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 () rs671 genetic polymorphisms and serum uric acid levels in Han Chinese.

Background: Serum uric acid (SUA) is influenced by lifestyle and genetics, and unbalanced SUA levels are linked to various common disorders. While the aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) rs671 polymorphism appears to be associated with SUA levels, the evidence remains inconclusive. The aim of this study was to examine the distribution of the ALDH2 rs671 polymorphism among Han Chinese in Beijing and determine the association between this polymorphism and SUA.

A new class of biochar-based slow-release phosphorus fertilizers with high water retention based on integrated co-pyrolysis and co-polymerization.

The development of slow-release phosphorus fertilizers (SRFs) with high water retention is of significance for modern agriculture. Herein, a new class of biochar-based SRFs are developed by an integrated co-pyrolysis and co-polymerization process (PSRFs). The water-retention performance and P slow-release behavior of PSRFs are evaluated, which are compared with other types of biochar-based SRFs derived from biochar-based phosphorus adsorption (MSRFs), co-pyrolysis of biomass-bentonite-nutrients (BSRFs), and the application of coating on BSRFs (CSRFs).

Influence of sodium alginate on the gelatinization, rheological, and retrogradation properties of rice starch.

Adding hydrocolloids into native starch is a secure and effective method of physical modification. In this study, the effect of sodium alginate (AG) on the gelatinization, rheological, and retrogradation properties of rice starch (RS) was investigated by measuring the pasting parameters, melting enthalpy (ΔH), rheological characteristic parameters, intensity ratio of 1047 cm to 1022 cm (R), and relative crystallinity (RC) of RS-AG blends. Rapid visco analysis shows that AG could significantly change the gelatinization parameters of RS.

Characterization of Burning Behaviors and Particulate Matter Emissions of Crop Straws Based on a Cone Calorimeter.

Crop residue burning is one of the major sources of particulate matter (PM) in the air. The burning behaviors and PM emissions of the three typical crop residues (rice straw, wheat straw, corn straw) in China were characterized by a cone calorimeter (CONE) coupled with a laser dust meter. The water-soluble compounds, carbonaceous content, and morphology of PM were measured by ion chromatography, elemental analyzer, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDS).

Solar-assisted isotropically thermoconductive sponge for highly viscous crude oil spill remediation.

Efficiently cleaning up high-viscosity crude oil spills is still a serious global problem. In this paper, a composite filler PPy-polydopamine/BN (PPB) with high photothermal effect and high thermal conductivity was first prepared. Then the polyurethane sponge is decorated with polydimethylsiloxane and PPB to obtain a solar-assisted isotropically thermoconductive adsorbent (PPB@PU), which exhibits remarkable stability and durable mechanical properties.

Humanized anti‑TLR4 monoclonal antibody ameliorates lipopolysaccharide‑related acute kidney injury by inhibiting TLR4/NF‑κB signaling.

A humanized anti‑Toll‑like receptor 4 (TLR4) monoclonal antibody (mAb) was previously produced using phage antibody library technology, and it was found that the mAb could effectively ameliorate lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‑induced damage in macrophages. The present study investigated the protective effects exerted by the humanized anti‑TLR4 mAb against LPS‑induced acute kidney injury (AKI), as well as the underlying mechanisms. Female C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into four groups (n=8 per group): i) Control; ii) LPS; iii) LPS + humanized anti‑TLR4 mAb (1 µg/g); and iv) LPS + humanized anti‑TLR4 mAb (10 µg/g).

Longitudinal Single-Cell Dynamics of Chromatin Accessibility and Mitochondrial Mutations in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Mirror Disease History.

Unlabelled: While cancers evolve during disease progression and in response to therapy, temporal dynamics remain difficult to study in humans due to the lack of consistent barcodes marking individual clones in vivo. We employ mitochondrial single-cell assay for transposase-accessible chromatin with sequencing to profile 163,279 cells from 9 patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) collected across disease course and utilize mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations as natural genetic markers of cancer clones. We observe stable propagation of mtDNA mutations over years in the absence of strong selective pressure, indicating clonal persistence, but dramatic changes following tight bottlenecks, including disease transformation and relapse posttherapy, paralleled by acquisition of copy-number variants and changes in chromatin accessibility and gene expression.

In Vitro Propagation, Huperzine A Content and Antioxidant Activity of Three Genotypic .

is a traditional herb and endangered Chinese medicinal material, which has attracted much attention due to its production of Huperzine A (HupA). In vitro propagation of is considered a new way to relieve the resource pressure of . In this study, three different genotypic wild were used for in vitro propagation.

Wood Sponge Reinforced with Polyvinyl Alcohol for Sustainable Oil-Water Separation.

The excellent oil absorption capacity and sustainability advantages of adsorbent-type oil-absorbing products have become the primary method to deal with marine oil spills and organic pollution at this stage, especially aerogel products. However, this type of material also has some problems, such as secondary pollution during nanocellulose preparation. Lignin and hemicellulose were removed from the natural wood, and followed by the action of freeze drying, the wood sponge was prepared.

Metal/metalloid levels in hair of Shenzhen residents and the associated influencing factors.

129 Shenzhen residents' hair samples were collected and the metal/metalloid concentrations of Hg, As, Pb, Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, Zn, Fe and Ni were detected. Meanwhile, the relationships between metal/metalloid contents in human hair and gender, age, seafood diet habit, smoking habit, as well as the housing type (dwelling environment) were analyzed. Results showed that the average content of Hg, As, Pb, Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, Zn, Fe and Ni in human hair of Shenzhen residents was 0.

Biosynthesis of (R)-3-hydroxybutyric acid from syngas-derived acetate in engineered Escherichia coli.

Acetate is a potential non-food carbon source for industrial production, coping with the shortage of food-based feedstocks. (R)-3-hydroxybutyric acid (R-3HB) can be used as an important chiral intermediate in the fine chemical and pharmaceutical industry. In this study, the R-3HB biosynthesis pathway was successfully constructed when genes of β-ketothiolase (phaA), acetoacetyl-CoA reductase (phaB) from Ralstonia eutropha, and propionyl-CoA transferases (pct) from Clostridium beijerinckii 8052 were introducedinto Escherichia coli.

Extrafollicular IgD+ B cells generate IgE antibody secreting cells in the nasal mucosa.

Increased IgE is a typical feature of allergic rhinitis. Local class-switch recombination has been intimated but B cell precursors and mechanisms remain elusive. Here we describe the dynamics underlying the generation of IgE-antibody secreting cells (ASC) in human nasal polyps (NP), mucosal tissues rich in ASC without germinal centers (GC).

Association between aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 gene rs671 G>A polymorphism and alcoholic liver cirrhosis in southern Chinese Hakka population.

Background: Alcoholic liver cirrhosis (ALC) endangering people's health. The association between aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) gene polymorphisms and ALC is not clear. To analyze the relationship between ALDH2 and ALC among Hakka population in southern China.