We have developed an electrolysis approach that allows effective and uniform incorporation of sulfur inside the micropores of carbon nanosheets for advanced lithium–sulfur batteries. The ...sulfur–carbon hybrid can be prepared with a 70 wt % sulfur loading, in which no nonconductive sulfur agglomerations are formed. Because the incorporated sulfur is electrically connected to the carbon matrix in nature, the hybrid cathode shows excellent electrochemical performance, including a high reversible capacity, good rate capability, and good cycling stability, as compared to one prepared using the popular melt-diffusion method.
Microbial ammonia oxidation is vital to the nitrogen cycle. A biological process, called Dirammox (direct ammonia oxidation, NH3→NH2OH→N2), has been recently identified in Alcaligenes ammonioxydans ...and Alcaligenes faecalis. However, its transcriptional regulatory mechanism has not yet been fully elucidated. The present study characterized a new MocR‐like transcription factor DnfR that is involved in the Dirammox process in A. faecalis strain JQ135. The entire dnf cluster was composed of 10 genes and transcribed as five transcriptional units, that is, dnfIH, dnfR, dnfG, dnfABCDE and dnfF. DnfR activates the transcription of dnfIH, dnfG and dnfABCDE genes, and represses its own transcription. The intact 1506‐bp dnfR gene was required for activation of Dirammox. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays and DNase I footprinting analyses showed that DnfR has one binding site in the dnfH‐dnfR intergenic region and two binding sites in the dnfG‐dnfA intergenic region. Three binding sites of DnfR shared a 6‐bp repeated conserved sequence 5′‐GGTCTG‐N17‐GGTCTG‐3′ which was essential for the transcription of downstream target genes. Cysteine and glutamate act as possible effectors of DnfR to activate the transcription of transcriptional units of dnfG and dnfABCDE, respectively. This study provided new insights in the transcriptional regulation mechanism of Dirammox by DnfR in A. faecalis JQ135.
Summary
This study was to investigate the effects and mechanisms of pectic polysaccharides (PP) extracted from Rauvolfia verticillata (Lour.) Baill. var. hainanensis Tsiang on dextran sulphate sodium ...(DSS)‐induced ulcerative colitis (UC). Eighty female BALB/c mice were randomly divided into four groups: Control, DSS, DSS + salicylazosulfapyridine (SASP), and DSS+ PP. The disease activity index (DAI), overall physical activity, and blood stool were monitored daily to evaluate severity of UC. Histological scores of the colon were observed. The expression of nuclear factor κB (NF‐κB) and mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPKs) pathways in colon tissues and bone marrow‐derived dendritic cells (DCs) was assessed by western blot, immunohistochemistry, electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) and real time polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR). Cytokines were measured by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The overall physical activity, DAI and histological scores decreased in DSS+SASP and DSS+PP groups, compared with the DSS‐alone group. Also, tumour necrosis factor α (TNF‐α) and interleukin 6 (IL‐6) reduced significantly while the expression of IκBα was up‐regulated, extracellular signal‐regulated kinase (ERK), Jun N‐terminal kinase (JNK) and p38 were activated, in DSS+SASP and DSS+PP groups. PP inhibited activation of MAPKs and NF‐κB pathways in the bone‐marrow‐derived DCs. In conclusion, PP significantly ameliorated murine DSS‐induced UC model, via regulation of MAPKs and NF‐κB pathways in DCs.
Three previously undescribed griseofulvin derivatives, namely pochonichlamydins A–C, one small polyketide, namely pochonichlamydin D, together with nine known compounds, have been isolated from ...cultures of the fungus Pochonia chlamydosporia. Their structures with absolute configurations were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectrometric methods and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Dechlorogriseofulvin and griseofulvin exhibited inhibitory activities against Candida albicans at the concentration of 100 μM, with inhibition rates of 69.1% and 56.3%, respectively. Meanwhile, pochonichlamydin C showed mild cytotoxicity against the human cancer MCF-7 cell line with an IC50 value of 33.1 μM.
Griseofulvin derivatives and other polyketides have been isolated from the fungus Pochonia chlamydosporia. Some of them exhibited antifungal activity or cytotoxicity. Display omitted
•Five undescribed polyketides were isolated from Pochonia chlamydosporia.•Three structures were confirmed by X-ray diffraction.•Three compounds displayed anti-fungal or cytotoxic activities.
Objective
The predictive performances of CURB-65 and pneumonia severity index (PSI) were poor in patients with diabetes. This study aimed to develop a tool for predicting the short-term and long-term ...outcomes of CAP in patients with diabetes.
Methods
A retrospective study was conducted on 531 CAP patients with type 2 diabetes. The short-term outcome was in-hospital mortality. The long-term outcome was 24-month all-cause death. The APUA score was calculated according to the levels of Age (0-2 points), Pulse (0-2 points), Urea (0-2 points), and Albumin (0-4 points). The area under curves (AUCs) were used to evaluate the abilities of the APUA score for predicting short-term outcomes. Cox regression models were used for modeling relationships between the APUA score and 24-month mortality.
Results
The AUC of the APUA score for predicting in-hospital mortality was 0.807 in patients with type 2 diabetes (
P
<0.001). The AUC of the APUA score was higher than the AUCs of CURB-65 and PSI class (
P
<0.05). The long-term mortality increased with the risk stratification of the APUA score (low-risk group (0-1 points) 11.5%, intermediate risk group (2-4 points) 16.9%, high risk group (≥5 points) 28.8%,
P
<0.05). Compared with patients in the low-risk group, patients in the high-risk group had significantly increased risk of long-term death, HR (95%CI) was 2.093 (1.041~4.208,
P
=0.038).
Conclusion
The APUA score is a simple and accurate tool for predicting short-term and long-term outcomes of CAP patients with diabetes.
To investigate the association between abnormal serum magnesium levels and the prognosis of elderly patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on ...1381 elderly patients with CAP in the First Hospital of Qinhuangdao between January 2015 and December 2018. Serum magnesium concentrations in the range of 0.75-1.25 mmol/L were defined as normal. Patients were assigned into normal, hypomagnesemia, and hypermagnesemia groups. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality, indicating whether a patient died at the time of discharge from the hospital. The percentages of respiratory failure and mechanical ventilation were 18.6% and 10.6 % in the normal group, 29% and 16.5 % in the hypomagnesemia, and 42.9% and 35.7% in the hypermagnesemia groups. The occurrence of shock was 8.5% and 4.5% in the hypomagnesemia group and the normal group. The percentages of the length of stay at ICU were 14.9%, 18.8%, and 57.1% in the hypomagnesemia, normal, and hypermagnesemia groups. The in-hospital mortality rate was 5.3%, 9.1%, and 35.7% in the normal, hypomagnesemia, and hypermagnesemia groups, respectively. The results of univariate analysis showed that the in-hospital mortality in the hypomagnesemia group was 1.790 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.009∼3.176, P=0.046) times higher than that in the normal group; in the hypermagnesemia group, it was 9.947 (95% CI: 3.238-30.556, P<0.001) times higher than that in the normal group. The results of multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that after adjusting for gender, age, diabetes, heart failure, cerebrovascular disease, cancer, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), glucose, and CURB-65 score, in the hypomagnesemia group, the in-hospital mortality was 1.746 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.956∼3.186, P=0.070) times higher than that in the normal group, and 5.689 (95% CI: 1.583- 20.446, P=0.008) times higher in the hypermagnesemia group than that in the normal group. Abnormal serum magnesium levels are strongly associated with in-hospital mortality in elderly patients with CAP. The measurement of serum magnesium levels in elderly patients with CAP at admission may assist clinicians to determine the prognosis of such patients.
This study aimed to determine the relationship between hospital-acquired dysmagnesemia and in-hospital mortality in critically ill patients. A retrospective cohort study was conducted on critically ...ill patients who had normal serum magnesium levels on admission. Data were extracted from the Multiparameter Intelligent Monitoring in Intensive Care III database. The normal range of serum magnesium was 1.6-2.6 mg/dL. In-hospital serum magnesium levels were categorized based on the occurrence of hospital-acquired hypomagnesemia and hypermagnesemia. Hospital-acquired hypomagnesemia and hypermagnesemia in the same patient were defined as a patient with the lowest level of serum magnesium of <1.6 mg/dL and the highest level of serum magnesium of >2.6 mg/dL, respectively. The in-hospital outcomes were collected. The findings revealed that 27.2% of patients developed hospital-acquired dysmagnesemia. In-hospital mortalities were 8.8% in patients with persistently normal serum magnesium levels, 12.2% in patients with hospital-acquired hypomagnesemia only, 18.4% in patients with hospital-acquired hypermagnesemia only, and 20.6% in patients with both hospital-acquired hypomagnesemia and hypermagnesemia. Compared to patients with persistently normal serum magnesium in hospital, those with hospital-acquired hypermagnesemia only odds ratio (OR) = 1.346, P < 0.001 and those with both hospital-acquired hypomagnesemia and hypermagnesemia (OR = 1.333, P = 0.001) were significantly associated with higher in-hospital mortality. Hospital-acquired dysmagnesemia was common among critically ill patients. Hospital-acquired dysmagnesemia, especially hospital-acquired hypermagnesemia, was significantly associated with increased in-hospital mortality in critically ill patients.
A full-length cDNA coding for hydroperoxide lyase (CsHPL) was isolated from cucumber fruits of No. 26 (Southern China type) and No.14-1 (Northern China type), which differed significantly in fruit ...flavor. The deduced amino acid sequences of CsHPL from both lines show the same and significant similarity to known plant HPLs and contain typical conserved domains of HPLs. The recombinant CsHPL was confirmed to have 9/13-HPL enzymatic activity. Gene expression levels of CsHPL were measured in different organs, especially in fruits of different development stages of both lines. The HPL activities of fruit were identified basing on the catalytic action of crude enzyme extracts incubating with 13-HPOD (13-hydroperoxy-(9Z,12E)-octadecadienoic acid) and 13-HPOD + 9-HPOD (9-hydroperoxy-(10E,12Z)-octadecadienoic acid), and volatile reaction products were analyzed by GC-MS (gas chromatography-mass spectrometry). CsHPL gene expression in No. 26 fruit occurred earlier than that of total HPL enzyme activity and 13-HPL enzyme activity, and that in No. 14-1 fruit was consistent with total HPL enzyme activity and 9-HPL enzyme activity. 13-HPL enzyme activities decreased significantly and the 9-HPL enzyme activities increased significantly with fruit ripening in both lines, which accounted for the higher content of C6 aldehydes at 0-6 day post-anthesis (dpa) and higher content of C9 aldehydes at 9-12 dpa.
The oceans are facing global and irreversible pollution from microplastics, and China is not immune. In this mini-review, information on microplastics in four coastal waters of China and the natural ...and social environment of key basins were compiled. The results showed that microplastics were ubiquitous in the coastal waters, and the abundance and spatial distribution of microplastics varied significantly under different sampling methods. For trawl samples, microplastic abundance ranged from 0.045 to 1170.8 items m
, among which the coastal waters of the East China Sea were the most polluted. For filtered samples, microplastic abundance ranged from 46 to 63,600 items m
, and the coastal waters of the Yellow Sea were the most polluted. Meanwhile, human activities in basin were the key factors affecting microplastic pollution in coastal waters. The main terrestrial source in the coastal waters of the South China Sea was express packaging loss, whereas the main source in the other coastal waters was tyres and road markings wear from vehicle trip. The decoupling results of analytic hierarchy process showed that there was spatial heterogeneity in the impact of socio-economic and natural environmental factors in the basin on the distribution of microplastics in coastal waters. Among the five major basins, the impact weights of the latter were 20.00%, 83.34%, 66.66%, 50.00% and 25.00%, respectively. This study provides the first perspective of land-sea linkage to summarize the characteristics, sources and influencing factors of microplastics in Chinese coastal waters, providing ideas for reducing marine microplastic pollution from the source.
SnO2 shells with micromesopores are synthesized using the template sacrifice method from silica sphere templates. The pores and specific surface area are characterized with SEM, TEM, and BET ...absorptions. Sulfur is introduced into the SnO2 shells up to 66 wt % according to TGA results. Extra sulfur can only be located at the outer surface of SnO2, resulting in a drastically reduced specific surface area. Because of the unique structure, the S/SnO2 composites with 66 wt % sulfur content exhibit a high initial capacity of 1517 mA·h·g–1 at a current density of 0.2 C, and 1176 mA·h·g–1 at 0.5 C, and remaining capacity of 1176 and 736.6 mA·h·g–1 after 50 cycles, respectively. The performance is much better than that of pure sulfur or S/SnO2 at higher sulfur content. Better performance of S/SnO2 at 66 wt % is attributed to the micromesopores and the shell framework of SnO2, while the performance fading at higher sulfur content is owing to the coating of extra sulfur on the outer surface of SnO2 shells.
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