Publications by authors named "N-L Sun"

Inspired by biosynthetic peptides, we investigate the chiral recognition properties of adenylate amidate (-aa-AMP, a potential analog of 5'-aa-AMP) in prebiotic peptide formation. Our findings demonstrate that -L-aa-AMP preferentially binds to L-aa, facilitating the formation of homochiral peptides, while -D-aa-AMP shows a preference for D-aa, thereby achieving homochirality in peptide synthesis. Collectively, these results enhance our understanding of the evolutionary origins of homochirality on prebiotic Earth.

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Background: A digital adaptation of the nine-hole peg test (9HPT) was developed with the potential to provide novel disability features for patients with multiple sclerosis (PwMS).

Objectives: The objectives were to evaluate the 9HPT features based on reliability, prognosis, and discrimination between treatment groups.

Methods: The MS partners Advancing Technology and Health Solutions (MS PATHS) cohort data were used to derive new features including completion time and speed.

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This research introduces a novel approach to achieve simultaneous nitrification-denitrification (SND) under dynamic load conditions using a cost-effective rope-type biofilm technology. The approach represents a significant advancement in wastewater treatment, particularly beneficial for remote and decentralized communities. The biofilm-based SND process was developed using a pilot-scale flow-through reactor by implementing upstream carbon management with constant-timer-based aeration control versus dynamic-sensor-based aeration control strategies.

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  • Cardiac ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury is a significant concern for heart disease, but there's currently no effective treatment to minimize this type of heart damage.
  • This study recruited patients with acute myocardial infarction to examine the impact of plasma RIPK3 levels before and after treatment, using both patient data and lab experiments on cells and mouse models.
  • Elevated RIPK3 levels post-treatment were linked to worse outcomes, and experiments showed that RIPK3 worsens heart injury by triggering inflammation, suggesting its role as a damaging molecule that could be targeted for therapy.
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  • Dual immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) using CTLA4 and PD-(L)1 inhibitors shows improved anti-tumor effectiveness and immune toxicity compared to PD-(L)1 inhibitors alone in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients.
  • Patients with mutations in STK11 and/or KEAP1 genes benefit more from the combination treatment compared to those receiving only PD-(L)1 inhibitors, as shown in the POSEIDON trial.
  • The loss of KEAP1 serves as a strong predictor for the success of dual ICB, as it leads to a more favorable outcome by changing the tumor's immune environment to better engage CD4 and CD8 T cells for anti-tumor activity. *
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Background: Atrial fibrillation GWAS (genome-wide association studies) identified significant associations for rs1152591 and linked variants in the gene encoding Nesprin-2, which connects the nuclear membrane with the cytoskeleton.

Methods: Reporter gene vector transfection and CRISPR-Cas9 editing were used to identify the causal variant regulating the expression of . After knockdown or overexpression in human stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes, nuclear phenotypes were assessed by imaging and atomic force microscopy.

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In this study, the effect of modulating fulvic acid (FA) concentrations (0, 25 and 50 mg/L) on nitrogen removal in a bioelectrochemical hydrogen autotrophic denitrification system (BHDS) was investigated. Results showed that FA increased the nitrate (NO-N) removal rate of the BHDSs from 37.8 to 46.

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PFOA has garnered heightened scrutiny for its impact on denitrification, especially given its frequent detection in secondary effluent discharged from wastewater treatment plants. However, it is still unclear what potential risk PFOA release poses to a typical advanced treatment process, especially the sulfur-based autotrophic denitrification (SAD) process. In this study, different PFOA concentration were tested to explore their impact on denitrification kinetics and microbial dynamic responses of the SAD process.

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We describe a nitrogen-specific detector (NSD) for aqueous mobile phase-based high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). It is based by means of total hydrophilic organic nitrogen detection. Separated analytes are photooxidized online and converted to nitrate, followed by an ultravilet absorbance detector.

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Background: The study aimed to examine the association between the systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), a contemporary metric of systemic inflammatory response, and biological aging, which are closely interconnected processes.

Methods: This cross-sectional study utilized 10 cycles of data from the NHANES database spanning from 1990 to 2018. The study examined the relationship between the SII index, calculated as P * N/L, where P represents preoperative peripheral platelet count, N represents neutrophil count, and L represents lymphocyte count, and biological aging.

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  • Clearance of damaged mitochondria through mitophagy is essential for cellular function, with RBX2 as a newly identified ubiquitin ligase affecting mitochondrial health, especially in the heart.
  • Depleting RBX2 impairs mitochondrial functions, increases cell death, and leads to heart diseases such as dilated cardiomyopathy due to the accumulation of damaged mitochondria.
  • The study reveals that RBX2 operates independently of Parkin, highlighting its critical role in mitochondrial maintenance and cardiac homeostasis through the stabilization of PINK1.
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The cost-effective and environment-friendly sulfur-driven autotrophic denitrification (SdAD) process has drawn significant attention for advanced nitrogen removal from low carbon-to-nitrogen (C/N) ratio wastewater in recent years. However, achieving efficient nitrogen removal and maintaining system stability of SdAD process in treating low C/N landfill leachate treatment have been a major challenge. In this study, a novel electrochemical-coupled sulfur-driven autotrophic denitrification (ESdAD) system was developed and compared with SdAD system through a long-term continuous study.

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Nitrite-dependent anaerobic methane oxidation (n-DAMO) is a novel denitrification process that simultaneously further removes and utilizes methane from anaerobic effluent from wastewater treatment plants. However, the metabolic activity of n-DAMO bacteria is relative low for practical application. In this study, conductive magnetite was added into lab-scale sequencing batch reactor inoculated with n-DAMO bacteria to study the influence on n-DAMO process.

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  • Microdeletions in the 16p11.2 chromosomal region are linked to autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other neurodevelopmental issues, with unclear mechanisms and no effective treatments available.
  • The study found that mice with 16p11.2 showed altered gut microbiota and low levels of the microbial metabolite indole-3-propionic acid (IPA), leading to social and cognitive deficits as well as changes in brain neuron activity.
  • Administering IPA improved behavior and brain function in these mice and increased phosphorylation of the protein ERK1, suggesting gut microbial metabolites play a significant role in the effects of 16p11.2 and could be a potential treatment for ASD.
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Frontal circuits play a critical role in motor, cognitive and affective processing, and their dysfunction may result in a variety of brain disorders. However, exactly which frontal domains mediate which (dys)functions remains largely elusive. We studied 534 deep brain stimulation electrodes implanted to treat four different brain disorders.

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The production of medium chain fatty acids (MCFAs) through chain elongation (CE) from organic wastes/wastewater has attracted much attention, while the effects of a common inhibitor-ammonia has not been elucidated. The mechanism of ammonia affecting CE was studied by metagenomic. The lag phase duration of caproate production was increased, and the maximum caproate production rate was decreased by 43.

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  • The study examined the relationship between omega-3 PUFAs and stroke risk across 29 global cohorts, focusing on total, ischemic, and hemorrhagic strokes.
  • Results showed that higher levels of eicosapentaenoic acid reduced the incidence of total and ischemic strokes by 17% and 18%, respectively, while docosahexaenoic acid also lowered these risks by 12% and 14%.
  • The findings indicate that although higher omega-3 PUFA levels are linked to reduced total and ischemic stroke risks, there is no effect on hemorrhagic strokes.
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The objective of this study was to compare the effect of freezing and heating treatment sequences on the biochemical properties and flavor of crab (Portunus trituberculatus) meat during freeze-thaw cycles. The results showed that pH, color, K and microstructure changes in the H-F group were not significant with increasing number of freeze-thaw cycles, but TVB-N values increased and WHC values decreased. However, with the increase in the number of freeze-thaw cycles, pH and WHC significantly decreased and TVB-N, L* and K values significantly increased in the C and F-H groups.

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Background: The pathogenesis of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) is multifactorial and growing evidence has indicated that hematological disorders are involved. Clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP) has recently been associated with an increased risk of both hematological malignancies and cardiovascular diseases. However, the prevalence and clinical relevance of CHIP in patients with CTEPH remains unclear.

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The poly(methacrylic acid) (PMAA) polymer stabilized silver nanoclusters Ag ( = 2-9), synthesized in aqueous solution by the selected light wavelength irradiation photolysis approach, have been functionalized with thiol and amine ligands and successfully transferred from aqueous to organic media. Low- or high-resolution positive mass spectra showed constant species composites with the molecular formula AgL [ = 2 to ∼9, L = butylmercaptan (CHS), thiolphenol (CHS), or dodecanethiol (CHS)] and proved that the molecules consist of deprotonated sulfur ligands in each species with one positive charge. Fourier transform infrared and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy are consistent, indicating deprotonated sulfur, while silver has a zero valence value.

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The effective hydrogen production in single-chamber microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) has been seriously challenged by various hydrogen consumers resulting in substantial hydrogen loss. In previous studies, the total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) has been used to inhibit certain hydrogen-consuming microorganisms to enhance hydrogen production in fermentation. In this study, we explored the feasibility of using source-separated urine to overcome hydrogen loss in the MEC, with the primary component responsible being TAN generated via urea hydrolysis.

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Elemental sulfur autotrophic denitrification (SAD) processes are temperature-sensitive, presenting a substantial challenge for the practical implementation of SAD bioreactors. In this study, a comprehensive methodology for designing and operating SAD bioreactors was developed, effectively managing fluctuations in nitrogen removal efficiency caused by seasonal temperature variations. Initially, the nitrate removal rate was correlated with simulated on-site temperature and nitrate loading, revealing correlation coefficients of k, k, k, and A as 5.

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The start-up efficiency of the elemental sulfur packing bioreactor (SPB) is constrained by the slow growth kinetics of autotrophic microorganisms, which is essentially optimized. This study aims to optimize start-up procedures and offer scientific guidance for the practical applications of SPB. Through comparing the start-up efficiencies under various conditions related to inoculation, backwashing, and EBCT, it was found that these conditions did not significantly influence start-up time, but they did impact denitrification performance in detail.

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Introduction: Convolutional neural network during endoscopy may facilitate evaluation of Helicobacter pylori infection without obtaining gastric biopsies. The aim of the study was to evaluate the diagnosis accuracy of a computer-aided decision support system for H. pylori infection (CADSS-HP) based on convolutional neural network under white-light endoscopy.

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