As a concept that emerged in Europe, a bio-district is an area where different actors work together for the innovative and integrated transformation of rural food systems and the sustainable ...management of local resources, based on the principles of organic farming and with farmers playing a central role. Traditional Chinese villages represent sustainable models for the management of rural food systems and natural resources, developed by indigenous peoples who have been in “dialogue” with the land over millennia and adapted to specific geographical and ecological environments. These models encompass well-established edible green infrastructure (EGI) ecological structures, rich in indigenous knowledge and understanding of the environment that support food supply and regional ecological sustainability. Our case study focuses on a well-preserved village of the Dong ethnic group in southwest China, which maintains traditional livelihoods and a local food system. We used field surveys, interviews, participatory mapping to propose an EGI model of the traditional Dong village, which comprises the following key elements: the “rice-fish-duck” cycle as a key factor of traditional livelihoods, the hierarchical ecological structure of “households-groups-village,” and corresponding management models. This study aims to comprehensively understand the knowledge of sustainable food systems and natural resource management derived from traditional China. It achieves this by theoretically analyzing the traditional village EGI that has evolved over China’s thousand-year agricultural civilization. The objective is to apply this understanding to the construction of bio-districts in rural China. EGI model in traditional villages worldwide have the potential to offer lessons from millennium-old indigenous agricultural systems, which may have relevance for current environmental and food crises faced by our industrialized world, the construction of bio-districts and organic regions, and the sustainable management of local resources.
To explore the interrelationships between structural and functional changes as well as the potential neurotransmitter profile alterations in drug-naïve benign childhood epilepsy with central-temporal ...spikes (BECTS) patients.OBJECTIVESTo explore the interrelationships between structural and functional changes as well as the potential neurotransmitter profile alterations in drug-naïve benign childhood epilepsy with central-temporal spikes (BECTS) patients.Structural magnetic resonance imaging (sMRI) and resting-state functional MRI data from 20 drug-naïve BECTS patients and 33 healthy controls (HCs) were acquired. Parallel independent component analysis (P-ICA) was used to identify covarying components among gray matter volume (GMV) maps and fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF) maps. Furthermore, we explored the spatial correlations between GMV/fALFF changes derived from P-ICA and neurotransmitter maps in JuSpace toolbox.METHODSStructural magnetic resonance imaging (sMRI) and resting-state functional MRI data from 20 drug-naïve BECTS patients and 33 healthy controls (HCs) were acquired. Parallel independent component analysis (P-ICA) was used to identify covarying components among gray matter volume (GMV) maps and fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF) maps. Furthermore, we explored the spatial correlations between GMV/fALFF changes derived from P-ICA and neurotransmitter maps in JuSpace toolbox.A significantly positive correlation (p < 0.001) was identified between one structural component (GMV_IC6) and one functional component (fALFF_IC4), which showed significant group differences between drug-naïve BECTS patients and HCs (GMV_IC6: p < 0.01; fALFF_IC4: p < 0.001). GMV_IC6 showed increased GMV in the frontal lobe, temporal lobe, thalamus, and precentral gyrus as well as fALFF_IC4 had enhanced fALFF in the cerebellum in drug-naïve BECTS patients compared to HCs. Moreover, significant correlations between GMV alterations in GMV_IC6 and the serotonin (5HT1a: p < 0.001; 5HT2a: p < 0.001), norepinephrine (NAT: p < 0.001) and glutamate systems (mGluR5: p < 0.001) as well as between fALFF alterations in fALFF_IC4 and the norepinephrine system (NAT: p < 0.001) were detected.RESULTSA significantly positive correlation (p < 0.001) was identified between one structural component (GMV_IC6) and one functional component (fALFF_IC4), which showed significant group differences between drug-naïve BECTS patients and HCs (GMV_IC6: p < 0.01; fALFF_IC4: p < 0.001). GMV_IC6 showed increased GMV in the frontal lobe, temporal lobe, thalamus, and precentral gyrus as well as fALFF_IC4 had enhanced fALFF in the cerebellum in drug-naïve BECTS patients compared to HCs. Moreover, significant correlations between GMV alterations in GMV_IC6 and the serotonin (5HT1a: p < 0.001; 5HT2a: p < 0.001), norepinephrine (NAT: p < 0.001) and glutamate systems (mGluR5: p < 0.001) as well as between fALFF alterations in fALFF_IC4 and the norepinephrine system (NAT: p < 0.001) were detected.The current findings suggest co-altered structural/functional components that reflect the correlation of language and motor networks as well as associated with the serotonergic, noradrenergic, and glutamatergic neurotransmitter systems.CONCLUSIONThe current findings suggest co-altered structural/functional components that reflect the correlation of language and motor networks as well as associated with the serotonergic, noradrenergic, and glutamatergic neurotransmitter systems.The relationship between anatomical brain structure and intrinsic neural activity was evaluated using a multimodal fusion analysis and neurotransmitters which might provide an important window into the multimodal neural and underlying molecular mechanisms of benign childhood epilepsy with central-temporal spikes.CLINICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENTThe relationship between anatomical brain structure and intrinsic neural activity was evaluated using a multimodal fusion analysis and neurotransmitters which might provide an important window into the multimodal neural and underlying molecular mechanisms of benign childhood epilepsy with central-temporal spikes.Structure-function relationships in drug-naïve benign childhood epilepsy with central-temporal spikes (BECTS) patients were explored. The interrelated structure-function components were found and correlated with the serotonin, norepinephrine, and glutamate systems. Co-altered structural/functional components reflect the correlation of language and motor networks and correlate with the specific neurotransmitter systems.KEY POINTSStructure-function relationships in drug-naïve benign childhood epilepsy with central-temporal spikes (BECTS) patients were explored. The interrelated structure-function components were found and correlated with the serotonin, norepinephrine, and glutamate systems. Co-altered structural/functional components reflect the correlation of language and motor networks and correlate with the specific neurotransmitter systems.
Graphitized carbon (GC) nanocages have been successfully prepared via a sustainable carbon powder buried-type Ni catalysis-growth technology from Tween-80 molecule precursor. The GC nanocages are ...used as support for the further construction of GC/Pd electrocatalyst towards ethanol oxidation reaction. The material structures and surface morphologies are studied by XRD, SEM and TEM techniques. The electrochemical properties are investigated by CV, LSV, EIS and CP techniques. The results showed that GC nanocages have good graphited structure and plentiful opening gaps, and the Pd nanoparticles were evenly distributed on the inner and outer surfaces of GC nanocages. The GC/Pd electrocatalyst exhibits excellent electrocatalytic performance towards ethanol oxidation. The positive scanning peak current density of GC/Pd electrode is up to 1612 A/g Pd in 1.0 mol/L NaOH +1.0 mol/L ethanol electrolyte, which is much higher than those (500–1100 A/g Pd) of traditional Pd electrodes supported with carbon nanotubes or graphene nanosheets.
Newly graphitized carbon nanocages/palladium (GC/Pd) nanoparticles electrocatalyst material with high catalytic activity bas been successfully fabricated towards ethanol oxidation reaction. Display omitted
•Newly graphitized carbon (GC) nanocages support material is successfully fabricated.•A sustainable Ni catalysis-growth method from Tween-80 molecule precursor is proposed.•The GC nanocages have favorable graphited carbon structure and plentiful opening gaps.•Pd nanoparticles are evenly distributed on the inner and outer surfaces of GC nanocages.•The peak current density of GC/Pd is up to 1612 A/g Pd for the ethanol oxidation reaction.
The poor immunogenicity of solid tumors limits the efficacy ofanti-programmed cell death protein 1 (anti-PD1)-based immune checkpoint blockade (ICB); thus, less than 30% of patients with cancer ...exhibit a response. Currently, there is still a lack of effective strategies for improving tumor immunogenicity.
The antitumor effect of ultrasound-stimulated nanobubbles (USNBs) alone and in combination with an anti-PD1 antibody was evaluated in RM1 (prostate cancer), MC38 (colon cancer) and B16 (melanoma) xenograft mouse models. The phenotypes of antigen-presenting cells and CD8+ T cells were evaluated by flow cytometry. Damage-associated molecular pattern (DAMP) release, antigen release and tumor cell necrosis were assessed via western blot, flow cytometry, transmission electron microscopy and confocal microscopy.
USNB promoted the infiltration and antitumor activity of CD8+ T cells. The combination of USNB and anti-PD1 blockade improved systemic antitumor immunity and resulted in an abscopal effect and long-term immune memory protection after complete tumor remission. Mechanistically, tumor-targeting USNB induced tumor cell necrosis through an ultrasound-mediated cavitation effect, which significantly increased DAMP release and tumor antigen presentation, consequently sensitizing tumors to ICB treatment.
The administration of USNB increased tumor immunogenicity by remodeling the tumor-immune microenvironment, providing a promising strategy for sensitizing poorly immunogenic solid tumors to immunotherapy in the clinic.
Liver metastasis is the major reason for most of colorectal cancer (CRC) related deaths. Accumulating evidence indicates that CRC patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are at a ...greater risk of developing liver metastasis. With the growing prevalence of NAFLD, a better understanding of the molecular mechanism in NAFLD-driven CRC liver metastasis is needed. In this study, we demonstrated that NAFLD facilitated CRC liver metastasis as a metabolic disorder and promoted the stemness of metastatic CRC cells for their colonization and outgrowth in hepatic niches. Metabolically, the lipid-rich microenvironment in NAFLD activated de novo palmitate biosynthesis in metastatic CRC cells via upregulating fatty acid synthase (FASN). Moreover, increased intracellular palmitate bioavailability promoted EGFR palmitoylation to enhance its protein stability and plasma membrane localization. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the FDA-approved FASN inhibitor orlistat could reduce NAFLD-activated endogenous palmitate production, thus inhibiting palmitoylation of EGFR to suppress CRC cell stemness and restrict liver metastasis in synergy with conventional chemotherapy. These findings reveal that the NAFLD metabolic microenvironment boosts endogenous palmitate biosynthesis in metastatic CRC cells and promotes cell stemness via EGFR palmitoylation, and FASN inhibitor orlistat could be a candidate adjuvant drug to suppress liver metastasis in CRC patients with NAFLD.
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