Efficient nitrite accumulation and elemental sulfur recovery in partial sulfide autotrophic denitrification system: Insights of seeding sludge, S/N ratio and flocculation strategy.

Partial sulfide autotrophic denitrification (PSAD) has been proposed as a promising process to achieve elemental sulfur recovery and nitrite accumulation, which is required for anaerobic ammonium oxidation reaction. This study investigated the effect of seeding sludge on the start-up performance of PSAD process, with different sludge taken from the oxidation zone (S-o) of wastewater treatment plants, partial denitrification reactor (S-), and anoxic/oxic reactor (S-). The results showed that the PSAD process could be achieved rapidly in three systems on day 22, 29 and 26, respectively.

Is Current Research on How Climate Change Impacts Global Food Security Really Objective?

Global food insecurity is becoming more severe under the threat of rising global carbon dioxide concentrations, increasing population, and shrinking farmlands and their degeneration. We acquired the ISI Web of Science platform for over 31 years (1988-2018) to review the research on how climate change impacts global food security, and then performed cluster analysis and research hotspot analysis with VosViewer software. We found there were two drawbacks that exist in the current research.

A digitalized isothermal nucleic acid testing platform based on a pump-free open droplet array microfluidic chip.

Digital PCR has shown great potential for quantitative nucleic acid testing (NAT), but most existing platforms are dependent on large auxiliary equipment (, vacuum pump, amplification instrument, fluorescence microscope) to achieve target dispersion, amplification, signal capture and result analysis. Such complex, expensive and bulky NAT platforms have limited their applications in resource-limited areas, especially for point-of-care testing (POCT). In this work, we designed a digital isothermal NAT platform based on a pump-free open droplet array microfluidic chip.

Head-on Collision of Two Nanodroplets on a Solid Surface: A Molecular Dynamics Simulation Study.

Most researchers focus on the collision of a single droplet with a solid surface, while it is common for a droplet to collide with a sessile droplet on a solid surface in reality. This study performed the head-on collision of two nanodroplets on a solid surface using the molecular dynamics simulation method. The effects of impact velocity, interaction intensity between solid and liquid atoms, and the solid fraction of the surface on the collision process are studied with independent simulation cases.

[The Effect of Novel Phosphodiesterase 4 Inhibitor ZL-n-91 to the Proliferation of Leukemia Cells].

Objective: To investigate the inhibitory effects of novel phosphodiesterase 4 inhibitor ZL-n-91 to the proliferation of leukemia cells L1210 and K562.

Methods: CCK-8 method was used to detect the effect of ZL-n-91 to the proliferation of L1210 and K562 cells, and the proliferation rate, IC were calculated. The effects of ZL-n-91 to the cycle of L1210 and K562 cells was detected by PE single staining, and the effects of ZL-n-91 to the apoptosis of L1210 and K562 cells was detected by PE/7AA-D double staining.

High-Speed Fabrication of All-Inkjet-Printed Organometallic Halide Perovskite Light-Emitting Diodes on Elastic Substrates.

Halide perovskites have great potential for use in high-performance light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and displays. Here, a perovskite LEDs (PeLEDs) fabricated directly on an elastomer substrate, in which every single layer in the device from bottom anode to top cathode is patterned solely using a highly scalable inkjet printing process, is reported. Compared to PeLEDs made using conventional microfabrication processes, the printing process significantly shortens the fabrication time by at least tenfold (from over 5 h to less than 25 min).

SBSA: an online service for somatic binding sequence annotation.

Efficient annotation of alterations in binding sequences of molecular regulators can help identify novel candidates for mechanisms study and offer original therapeutic hypotheses. In this work, we developed Somatic Binding Sequence Annotator (SBSA) as a full-capacity online tool to annotate altered binding motifs/sequences, addressing diverse types of genomic variants and molecular regulators. The genomic variants can be somatic mutation, single nucleotide polymorphism, RNA editing, etc.

A Portable Digital Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification Platform Based on Microgel Array and Hand-Held Reader.

Digital polymerase chain reaction (dPCR) has found widespread applications in molecular diagnosis of various diseases owing to its sensitive single-molecule detection capability. However, the existing dPCR platforms rely on the auxiliary procedure to disperse DNA samples, which needs complicated operation, expensive apparatus, and consumables. Besides, the complex and costly dPCR readers also impede the applications of dPCR for point-of-care testing (POCT).

Whole-Genome Sequencing Elucidates the Epidemiology of Multidrug-Resistant in an Intensive Care Unit.

The nosocomial pathogen is a frequent cause of healthcare-acquired infections, particularly in critically ill patients, and is of serious concern due to its potential for acquired multidrug resistance. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) is increasingly used to obtain a high-resolution view of relationships between isolates, which helps in controlling healthcare-acquired infections. Here, we conducted a retrospective study to identify epidemic situations and assess the percentage of transmission in intensive care units (ICUs).

Versatile cell-based assay for measuring DNA alkylation damage and its repair.

DNA alkylation damage induced by environmental carcinogens, chemotherapy drugs, or endogenous metabolites plays a central role in mutagenesis, carcinogenesis, and cancer therapy. Base excision repair (BER) is a conserved, front line DNA repair pathway that removes alkylation damage from DNA. The capacity of BER to repair DNA alkylation varies markedly between different cell types and tissues, which correlates with cancer risk and cellular responses to alkylation chemotherapy.

Non-Destructive Identification of Naturally Aged Alfalfa Seeds via Multispectral Imaging Analysis.

Seed aging detection and viable seed prediction are of great significance in alfalfa seed production, but traditional methods are disposable and destructive. Therefore, the establishment of a rapid and non-destructive seed screening method is necessary in seed industry and research. In this study, we used multispectral imaging technology to collect morphological features and spectral traits of aging alfalfa seeds with different storage years.

Cu-Zn bimetal ZIFs derived nanowhisker zero-valent copper decorated ZnO nanocomposites induced oxygen activation for high-efficiency iodide elimination.

Studies on the elimination of iodide anions (I) by Cu-based adsorbents have been conducted for decades, however its unsatisfactory adsorption performance and its non-reusability are still the main obstacles for large-scale practical applications. Here, an efficient technique was proposed for the elimination of iodide using nanowhisker zero-valent copper (nwZVC) decorated ZnO nanocomposites obtained by two steps pyrolysis of Cu-Zn bimetal ZIFs precursors. The as-synthesized materials were extensively characterized and the results clearly revealed that nanoscale ZVC were well-dispersed in the ZnO matrix, and the morphology and the amount of nanoscale ZVC could be tuned by adjusting the molar ratio of Cu/Zn in ZIF precursors.

Single-step-fabricated disordered metasurfaces for enhanced light extraction from LEDs.

While total internal reflection (TIR) lays the foundation for many important applications, foremost fibre optics that revolutionised information technologies, it is undesirable in some other applications such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs), which are a backbone for energy-efficient light sources. In the case of LEDs, TIR prevents photons from escaping the constituent high-index materials. Advances in material science have led to good efficiencies in generating photons from electron-hole pairs, making light extraction the bottleneck of the overall efficiency of LEDs.

Clinical efficacy of aspirin combination treatment in the treatment of coronary heart disease and its effect on inflammatory factors: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: As the mainstay treatment for coronary heart disease (CHD), aspirin alone is reported to be less effective than in combination when treating CHD. The aim of this analysis was to systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of aspirin in combination with other drugs for the treatment of CHD, as well as its effect on the levels of inflammatory factors.

Methods: Electronic databases were searched from 2011 to 2021 and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on aspirin in CHD patients were included in our study.

CTCF binding modulates UV damage formation to promote mutation hot spots in melanoma.

Somatic mutations in DNA-binding sites for CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF) are significantly elevated in many cancers. Prior analysis has suggested that elevated mutation rates at CTCF-binding sites in skin cancers are a consequence of the CTCF-cohesin complex inhibiting repair of UV damage. Here, we show that CTCF binding modulates the formation of UV damage to induce mutation hot spots.

The Role of 17β-Estrogen in Escherichia coli Adhesion on Human Vaginal Epithelial Cells via FAK Phosphorylation.

Estrogen, the predominant sex hormone, has been found to be related to the occurrence of vaginal infectious diseases. However, its role in the occurrence and development of bacterial vaginitis caused by Escherichia coli is still unclear. The objective of this study was to investigate the role of 17β-estrogen in E.

ACBD3 is up-regulated in gastric cancer and promotes cell cycle G1-to-S transition in an AKT-dependent manner.

It has been reported that ACBD3 is closely related to the malignant process of cells, but its role in gastric cancer has not been elucidated. This study aims to investigate the expression and function of ACBD3 in human gastric cancer. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database were selected to analyze mRNA levels of ACBD3 in gastric cancer tissues and normal gastric epithelial tissues.

Behavior Characteristics and Risk for Metabolic Syndrome Among Women in Rural Communities in China.

Background: Rapid economic growth and lifestyle changes in China have resulted in increased metabolic syndrome (MetS) rates. Few investigators have examined sex-specific risk factors and the role of menopause, stress, and sleep on MetS among women in China.

Objective: In this study, we aimed to identify the risk factors for MetS among women in rural China.

LncRNA SNHG12 regulates ox-LDL-induced endothelial cell injury by the miR-218-5p/IGF2 axis in atherosclerosis.

Atherosclerosis (AS) is a cardiovascular disorder accompanied by endothelial dysfunction. Extensive evidence demonstrates the regulatory functions of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in cardiovascular disease, including AS. Here, the function of lncRNA small nucleolar RNA host gene 12 (SNHG12) in AS progression was investigated.

Genome-Wide Identification of GRAS Gene Family and Their Responses to Abiotic Stress in .

Alfalfa () is a high-quality legume forage crop worldwide, and alfalfa production is often threatened by abiotic environmental stresses. GRAS proteins are important transcription factors that play a vital role in plant development, as well as in response to environmental stress. In this study, the availability of alfalfa genome "Zhongmu No.

Risk Perception and Coping Behavior of Construction Workers on Occupational Health Risks-A Case Study of Nanjing, China.

To reduce harm caused by occupational health risks of construction workers exposed to working environments, especially those for interior decoration, it is crucial for them to actively recognize and prevent these risks. Therefore, how to improve their occupational health risks perception and regulate their coping behaviors should be of great concern. However, most prior studies target construction worker safety, and little research focuses on risk analysis from the psychological level of workers.