This study examined the spoken narrative skills of a group of bilingual Mandarin–English speaking 3–6-year-olds (
N
= 25) in Australia, using a remote online story-retell task. Bilingual ...preschoolers are an understudied population, especially those who are speaking typologically distinct languages such as Mandarin and English which have fewer structural overlaps compared to language pairs that are typologically closer, reducing cross-linguistic positive transfer. We examined these preschoolers’ spoken narrative skills as measured by macrostructures (the global organization of a story) and microstructures (linguistic structures, e.g., total number of utterances, nouns, verbs, phrases, and modifiers) across and within each language, and how various factors such as age and language experiences contribute to individual variability. The results indicate that our bilingual preschoolers acquired spoken narrative skills similarly across their two languages, i.e., showing similar patterns of productivity for macrostructure and microstructure elements in both of their two languages. While chronological age was positively correlated with macrostructures in both languages (showing developmental effects), there were no significant correlations between measures of language experiences and the measures of spoken narrative skills (no effects for language input/output). The findings suggest that although these preschoolers acquire two typologically diverse languages in different learning environments, Mandarin at home with highly educated parents, and English at preschool, they displayed similar levels of oral narrative skills as far as these macro−/micro-structure measures are concerned. This study provides further evidence for the feasibility of remote online assessment of preschoolers’ narrative skills.
A novel integrated bio-electrochemical system with sulfur autotrophic denitrification (SAD) and electrocoagulation (BESAD-EC) system was established to remove nitrate (NO3−-N) and phosphorus from ...contaminated groundwater. The impacts of a current intensity gradient on the system’s performance and microbial community were investigated. The results showed that NO3−-N and total phosphorus (TP) could be effectively removed with maximum NO3−-N reduction and TP removal efficiencies of 94.2% and 75.8% at current intensities of 200 and 400 mA, respectively. Lower current intensities could improve the removal efficiencies of NO3−-N (≤200 mA) and phosphorus (≤400 mA), while higher current intensity (600 mA) caused the inhibition of nutrients removal in the system. MiSeq sequencing analysis revealed that low electrical stimulation improved the diversity and richness of microbial community, while high electrical stimulation reduced their diversity and richness. The relative abundance of some genus involved in denitrification and phosphorus removal processes such as Rhizobium, Hydrogenophaga, Denitratisoma and Gemmobacter, significantly (P < 0.05) reduced under high current conditions. This could be one of the main reasons for the deterioration of denitrification and phosphorus removal performance. The results of this study could be helpful to enhance the nutrient removal performance of bio-electrochemical systems in groundwater treatment processes.
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•Suitable currents could improve the nutrient removal efficiencies.•Higher current intensity (600 mA) inhibited wastewater nutrient removal.•Currents changed the microbial diversity in a bio-electrochemical system.•Some genus involved in nitrate and phosphorus removal reduced under high currents.•Key genus Thiobacillus contributed to better denitrification performances.
The increasing use of cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO2 NPs) has caused concerns regarding their potential environmental risks. However, their effects on bacterial communities and network interactions ...in activated sludge process are still unclear. In this study, we carried out long-term exposure experiments (210 d) to investigate the influence of CeO2 NPs on wastewater treatment performance, bacterial community structure and network interactions in activated sludge systems. The results showed that long-term exposure to 1 mg/L CeO2 NPs induced the deterioration of denitrifying process, which was consistent with the inhibition of enzyme activities of nitrite oxidoreductase and nitrate reductase under CeO2 NPs. CeO2 NPs decreased the bacterial diversity and altered the overall bacterial community structure in activated sludge. Some dominant denitrifying bacteria, such as Flexibacter and Acinetobacter decreased significantly. Molecular ecological network analysis showed that CeO2 NPs decreased the network complexity of bacterial community, and probably promoted the competition in bacterial communities of activated sludge. These changes of denitrifying bacteria and the bacterial network may be relevant to the deterioration of denitrifying process. This study provides insights into how the bacteria community and their molecular ecological network respond to CeO2 NPs in activated sludge systems.
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•CeO2 NPs induced serious deterioration of denitrification.•CeO2 NPs inhibited the activities of NAR and NIR.•CeO2 NPs altered the overall structure of bacterial communities.•CeO2 NPs decreased the denitrifying genera of Flexibacter and Acinetobacter.•CeO2 NPs promoted the completion in the network of microbial communities.
CeO2 NPs altered the overall bacterial communitie structure, and promoted the completion in the network of activated sludge bacterial communities.
The increasing use of cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO
NPs) has caused concerns regarding their potential environmental risks. However, their effects on bacterial communities and network interactions ...in activated sludge process are still unclear. In this study, we carried out long-term exposure experiments (210 d) to investigate the influence of CeO
NPs on wastewater treatment performance, bacterial community structure and network interactions in activated sludge systems. The results showed that long-term exposure to 1 mg/L CeO
NPs induced the deterioration of denitrifying process, which was consistent with the inhibition of enzyme activities of nitrite oxidoreductase and nitrate reductase under CeO
NPs. CeO
NPs decreased the bacterial diversity and altered the overall bacterial community structure in activated sludge. Some dominant denitrifying bacteria, such as Flexibacter and Acinetobacter decreased significantly. Molecular ecological network analysis showed that CeO
NPs decreased the network complexity of bacterial community, and probably promoted the competition in bacterial communities of activated sludge. These changes of denitrifying bacteria and the bacterial network may be relevant to the deterioration of denitrifying process. This study provides insights into how the bacteria community and their molecular ecological network respond to CeO
NPs in activated sludge systems.
This phase I clinical trial (NCT01935843) is to evaluate the safety, feasibility, and activity of chimeric antigen receptor-engineered T cell (CART) immunotherapy targeting human epidermal growth ...factor receptor 2 (HER2) in patients with advanced biliary tract cancers (BTCs) and pancreatic cancers (PCs). Eligible patients with HER2-positive (>50%) BTCs and PCs were enrolled in the trial. Well cultured CART-HER2 cells were infused following the conditioning treatment composed of nabpaclitaxel (100-200 mg/m 2) and cyclophosphamide (15-35 mg/kg). CAR transgene copy number in the peripheral blood was serially measured to monitor the expansion and persistence of CART-HER2 cells in vivo. Eleven enrolled patients received 1 to 2-cycle CARTHER2 cell infusion (median CAR + T cell 2.1 × 10 6/kg). The conditioning treatment resulted in mild-to-moderate fatigue, nausea/vomiting, myalgia/arthralgia, and lymphopenia. Except one grade-3 acute febrile syndrome and one abnormal elevation of transaminase (>9 ULN), adverse events related to the infusion of CART-HER2 cells were mild-to-moderate. Post-infusion toxicities included one case of reversible severe upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage which occurred in a patient with gastric antrum invaded by metastasis 11 days after the CART-HER2 cell infusion, and 2 cases of grade 1-2 delayed fever, accompanied by the release of C-reactive protein and interleukin-6. All patients were evaluable for assessment of clinical response, among which 1 obtained a 4.5-months partial response and 5 achieved stable disease. The median progression free survival was 4.8 months (range, 1.5-8.3 months). Finally, data from this study demonstrated the safety and feasibility of CART-HER2 immunotherapy, and showed encouraging signals of clinical activity.
Jujube (
Ziziphus jujuba
Mill.), a highly nutritious and functional fruit, is reported to have various health benefits and has been extensively planted worldwide, especially in China. Many studies ...have shown that bioactive components derived from jujube fruit have significant nutritional and potential biological effects. In this paper, the latest progress in research on major bioactive compounds obtained from jujube is reviewed, and the potential biological functions of jujube fruit resources are discussed. As a dietary supplement, jujube fruit is well recognized as a healthy food which contains a variety of bioactive substances, such as polysaccharides, polyphenols, amino acids, nucleotides, fatty acids, dietary fiber, alkaloids, and other nutrients. These nutrients and non-nutritive phytochemicals obtained from jujube fruit have physiological functions including anticancer, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-hyperlipidemic, anti-hyperglycemic, immunoregulatory, neuroprotective, sedative, and antiviral functions. Of note is that new constituents, including alkaloids, dietary fiber, and other bioactive substances, as well as the antiviral, hypoglycemic, lipid-lowering, and neuroprotective effects of jujube fruit, are systematically reviewed here for the first time. Meanwhile, problems affecting the exploitation of jujube fruit resources are discussed and further research directions proposed. Therefore, this review provides a useful bibliography for the future development of jujube-based products and the utilization of jujube nutritional components in functional foods.
Cancer is a major threat to human health. Diagnosis and treatment using precision medicine is expected to be an effective method for preventing the initiation and progression of cancer. Although ...anatomical and functional imaging techniques such as radiography, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) have played an important role for accurate preoperative diagnostics, for the most part these techniques cannot be applied intraoperatively. Optical molecular imaging is a promising technique that provides a high degree of sensitivity and specificity in tumor margin detection. Furthermore, existing clinical applications have proven that optical molecular imaging is a powerful intraoperative tool for guiding surgeons performing precision procedures, thus enabling radical resection and improved survival rates. However, detection depth limitation exists in optical molecular imaging methods and further breakthroughs from optical to multi-modality intraoperative imaging methods are needed to develop more extensive and comprehensive intraoperative applications. Here, we review the current intraoperative optical molecular imaging technologies, focusing on contrast agents and surgical navigation systems, and then discuss the future prospects of multi-modality imaging technology for intraoperative imaging-guided cancer surgery.
Defluorination is essential to eliminate the antibiotic resistance and detrimental effects of florfenicol (C12H14Cl2FNO4S, FF), which is achievable by sulfidated nanoscale zerovalent iron (S-nZVI), ...yet a comprehensive understanding of the mechanism is lacking. Herein, we used experimental data and density functional theory calculations to demonstrate four dechlorination-promoted defluorination pathways of FF, depending on S-nZVI or not. FF was defluorinated in a rapid and then slow but continuous manner, accompanying a consecutive dechlorination to deschloro (dFF) and dideschloro FF (ddFF). Unexpectedly, the predominant defluorination occurs by spontaneous hydrolysis of ddFF to form the hydrolyzed byproduct (HO-ddFF), i.e., independent of S-nZVI, which is initiated by intramolecular attack from carbonyl O to alkyl F and is thus limited for FF and dFF owing to the diminished nucleophilicity by electron-withdrawing Cl. The removal of Cl also makes the reductive defluorination of ddFF by S-nZVI amenable. The other two minor but more rapid defluorination pathways occur in synergy with the dechlorination of FF and dFF, which are mediated by the reactive carbanion intermediates and generate HO-dFF and HO-ddFF, respectively. The reliability of these dechlorination-facilitated defluorination pathways was verified by the consistency of theoretical calculations with experimental data, providing valuable insights into the degradation of fluorinated contaminants.
Acquired resistance remains a limitation of the clinical use of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). Because exosomes, are important vesicles participating in intercellular communication, their contribution to the ...development of acquired 5-FU resistance needs to be elucidated. In this study, we aimed to examine the underlying mechanisms of exosomes from 5-FU resistant cells (RKO/R) in sustaining acquired 5-FU resistance in sensitive cells (RKO/P).
Exosomes from a 5-FU-resistant cell line (RKO/R) and its parental cell line RKO/P were isolated and co-cultured with 5-FU-sensitive cells. Real-time cellular analysis (RTCA) and FACS analysis were used to examine cell viability and apoptosis. Exosomal protein profiling was performed using shotgun proteomics. Inhibitors and siRNAs were applied to study the involvement of selected proteins in 5-FU resistance. The effect of exosomal p-STAT3 (Tyr705) on the caspase cascade was examined by western blotting (WB) and high content analysis. Xenograft models were established to determine whether exosomal p-STAT3 can induce 5-FU resistance in vivo.
Our results indicated that exosomes from RKO/R cells significantly promoted cell survival during 5-FU treatment. Proteomics and WB analysis results indicated that GSTP1 and p-STAT3 (Tyr705) were enriched in exosomes from RKO/R cells. Inhibition of p-STAT3 re-sensitized RKO/P cells to 5-FU via caspase cascade. Furthermore, p-STAT3 packaged by exosomes from RKO/R cells increased resistance of tumor cells to 5-FU in vivo.
Our results reveal a novel mechanism by which p-STAT3-containing exosomes contribute to acquired 5-FU resistance in CRC. This study suggests a new option for potentiating the 5-FU response and finding biomarkers for chemotherapy resistance.
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