Large-scale genetic correlation studies explore the causal relationship and potential mechanism between gut microbiota and COVID-19-associated risks.

Recent observational studies suggest that gut microorganisms are involved in the onset and development of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), but the potential causal relationship behind them remains unclear. Exposure data were derived from the MiBioGen consortium, encompassing 211 gut microbiota (n = 18,340). The outcome data were sourced from the COVID-19 host genetics initiative (round 7), including COVID-19 severity (n = 1,086,211), hospitalization (n = 2,095,324), and susceptibility (n = 2,597,856).

Large-scale genome-wide association study to identify causal relationships and potential mediators between education and autoimmune diseases.

Objectives: Epidemiological studies suggested a potential connection between education and autoimmune disorders. This study investigated the possible cause-and-effect relationship using a Mendelian randomization approach.

Methods: We explored the causality between four education traits (n = 257,841~1,131,881) and 22 autoimmune diseases.

Polyhydroxyalkanoate-Modified Bacterium Regulates Biomass Structure and Promotes Synthesis of Carbon Materials for High-Performance Supercapacitors.

Biomass-derived carbons have been extensively explored as electrode materials in supercapacitors. However, the type of biomass selected and its specific structure affects the synthesis of the advanced biomass-derived carbon materials. A green and facile method for the synthesis of carbon material with nanoscale and microscale porous structures for supercapacitors has been developed, based on regulating the original cell structure of the bacterial strain.

Complementary effect of combined bacterial-chemical pretreatment to promote enzymatic digestibility of lignocellulose biomass.

Chemical pretreatment partially modified the structure of lignocellulose to enhance saccharification, leaving unaltered factors to limit further hydrolysis. To overcome these limitations, a biostrategy involving co-pretreatment combining bacteria with a chemical process was developed. A significant complementary effect was observed in specific co-pretreatments, e.

Use of bacteria for improving the lignocellulose biorefinery process: importance of pre-erosion.

Background: Biological pretreatment is an important alternative strategy for biorefining lignocellulose and has attracted increasing attention in recent years. However, current designs for this pretreatment mainly focus on using various white rot fungi, overlooking the bacteria. To the best of our knowledge, for the first time, we evaluated the potential contribution of bacteria to lignocellulose pretreatment, with and without a physicochemical process, based on the bacterial strain sp.

Pandoraea sp. B-6 assists the deep eutectic solvent pretreatment of rice straw via promoting lignin depolymerization.

Lignin depolymerization is a challenging process in biorefinery due to the recalcitrant and complex structure of lignin. This challenge was herein addressed via elaborating a new strategy of combining the bacterial strain Pandoraea sp. B-6 (hereafter B-6) with a deep eutectic solvent (DES) to pretreat rice straw (RS).

A bionic system with Fenton reaction and bacteria as a model for bioprocessing lignocellulosic biomass.

Background: The recalcitrance of lignocellulosic biomass offers a series of challenges for biochemical processing into biofuels and bio-products. For the first time, we address these challenges with a biomimetic system via a mild yet rapid Fenton reaction and lignocellulose-degrading bacterial strain B-8 (here after B-8) to pretreat the rice straw (RS) by mimicking the natural fungal invasion process. Here, we also elaborated the mechanism through conducting a systematic study of physicochemical changes before and after pretreatment.

Synergy of lignocelluloses pretreatment by sodium carbonate and bacterium to enhance enzymatic hydrolysis of rice straw.

We studied a new strategy for pretreatment of rice straw (RS) to enhance enzymatic hydrolysis under mild condition. This approach uses the synergy of sodium carbonate (NaCO) and the bacterial strain Cupriavidus basilensis B-8 (hereafter B-8). After synergistic NaCO and B-8 pretreatment (SNBP), the reducing sugar yield varied from 335.

Bacteria-enhanced dilute acid pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass.

Pretreatment is indispensable for the large-scale and low-cost bio-products production from lignocellulosic biomass. Herein, a new bacteria-enhanced dilute acid pretreatment (BE-DAP) strategy was introduced. Cupriavidus basilensis B-8 as a potential bacterium for lignin degradation was employed.

Determination of 4-tert-octylphenol in surface water samples of Jinan in China by solid phase extraction coupled with GC-MS.

Octylphenols, considered as xenoestrogens, mainly exist as 4-tert-octylphenol (OP) in aquatic environments. The high stability and accumulation of OP in aquatic systems have caused endocrine disruption. The OP in surface water in Jinan, China was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) coupled with solid phase extraction (SPE).

[Effects of Tai Chi exercise program on physical fitness, fall related perception and health status in institutionalized elders].

Purpose: The purpose was to identify the effects of a Tai Chi exercise program on physical fitness, fall related perception and health status among institutionalized elderly.

Methods: A quasi-experimental research was carried out with a nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design. There were 23 subjects in the experimental group and 24 in the control group.