13 research outputs found
Ammonium-assimilating microbiome: A halophilic biosystem rationally optimized by carbon to nitrogen ratios with stable nitrogen conversion and microbial structure
No full textThe contradiction between theoretical metabolism of ammonium assimilation and experiential understanding of conventional biosystems makes the rational optimization of the ammonium-assimilating microbiome through carbon to nitrogen (C/N) ratios perplexing. The effect of different C/N ratios on ammonium-assimilating biosystems was investigated in saline wastewater treatment. C/N ratios significantly hindered the nutrient removal efficiency, but ammonium-assimilating biosystems maintained functional stability in nitrogen conversions and microbial communities. With sufficient biomass, higher than 86% ammonium and 73% phosphorus were removed when C/N ratios were higher than 25. Ammonium assimilation dominated the nitrogen metabolism in all biosystems even under relatively low C/N ratios, evidenced by the extremely low abundances of nitrification functional genes. Different C/N ratios did not significantly change the bacterial community structure of ammonium-assimilating biosystems. It is anticipated that the ammonium-assimilating biosystem with advantages of clear metabolic pathway and easy optimization can be applied to nutrient removal and recovery in saline environments.Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository 'You share, we take care!' - Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public.Sanitary Engineerin
Self-assembly of ammonium assimilation microbiomes regulated by COD/N ratio
No full textMarine microorganisms have an inherent advantage in the treatment of saline wastewater due to their halophilic properties. Ammonium assimilation is the most important and common nitrogen conversion pathway in the ocean, which means that it may be a suitable nitrogen removal strategy under high salinity conditions. However, the targeted construction of engineering microbiomes with ammonium assimilation function for nitrogen recovery has not been realized. Here, we constructed four halophilic ammonium assimilation microbiomes from marine microbial community under varying chemical oxygen demand (COD) to nitrogen (COD/N) ratios. The regulation of COD/N ratio on microbial self-assembly was explored at the phenotypic, genetic, and microbial levels. The results of nitrogen balance tests, functional genes abundance and microbial community structure confirmed that the microbiomes regulated by different COD/N ratios all performed obligate ammonium assimilation functions. >93% of ammonium, 90% of TN, 98% of COD, and 82% of phosphorus were simultaneously removed by microbial assimilation under the COD/N ratio of 20. COD/N ratios significantly affected the self-assembly of microbiomes by selectively enriching heterotrophic microorganisms with different preference for organic carbon load. Additionally, the increase of COD/N ratio intensified the competition among species within the microbiome (the proportion of negative connections of microbial network increased from 5.0% to 24.4%), which may enhance the stability of community structure. Taken together, these findings can provide theoretical guidance for the construction and optimization of engineering microbiomes for synergistic nitrogen removal and recovery.Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository ‘You share, we take care!’ – Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public.Sanitary Engineerin
The Influence of Personal Evaluation and Social Support on Career Expectations of College Students
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This study aimed to investigate the factors influencing career expectations, determine the influence of college students’ personal ability on personal evaluation in the process of gaining employment, and further explore the impact of personal evaluation and social support on career expectations. This study used a random sampling method to administer questionnaires to final-year undergraduates majoring in the liberal arts, science, art, and sports at two Chinese universities. Career expectations were positively correlated with satisfaction. The preferred employer for graduates is a school. In selecting a career, college students believed that exerting their talents was most important. Personal evaluations had a significant effect on self-development in career expectations. The level of social support had a significant effect on prestige and welfare stability in career expectations.Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the factors influencing career expectations, determine the influence of college students’ personal ability on personal evaluation in the process of gaining employment, and further explore the impact of personal evaluation and social support on career expectations. This study used a random sampling method to administer questionnaires to final-year undergraduates majoring in the liberal arts, science, art, and sports at two Chinese universities. Career expectations were positively correlated with satisfaction. The preferred employer for graduates is a school. In selecting a career, college students believed that exerting their talents was most important. Personal evaluations had a significant effect on self-development in career expectations. The level of social support had a significant effect on prestige and welfare stability in career expectations
Intonation processing of interrogative words in Mandarin: an event-related potential study
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Intonation is the variation in pitch used in speech, which forms the premise of tonal and non-tonal languages. Interrogative words are words that introduce questions. Previous research lacks clarity regarding the specific cues used in the processing of word intonation. To address this gap, this study used the event-related potential electroencephalogram (EEG) research method to explore the intonation processing of tone two (mid-rising) interrogative words in Mandarin. For this, the word “shui,” meaning “who,” was selected as the experimental material. To avoid the influence of the environment, gender, and semantics, the Hum version, corresponding to the stimulus material, was also adopted for the experiment. This study used a passive oddball paradigm to examine the clues of intonation information processing in automatic cognitive processing through amplitude, latency, time window, and evoked location potential mismatch negativity. The standard stimulus was the declarative intonation with a high probability of occurrence (90%), and the deviant stimulus was the interrogative intonation with a low probability of occurrence (10%). In the time window of 370–450 ms, the mismatch negativity was found at the F3, F4, C3, Cz, and C4 channels. The findings show that, in the passive oddball paradigm, lexical semantics are essential for intonation processing at the pre-attentive level, which is dominated by the frontal and central areas of the brain. The results support the functional and comprehensive hypotheses that the processing of intonation is based on the function of language and that bilateral regions are involved in this processing. This study makes an important contribution by providing event-related potential evidence that lexical semantics plays a key role in the pre-attentive processing of intonation, as shown by the significant differences between semantic and non-semantic conditions.Abstract
Intonation is the variation in pitch used in speech, which forms the premise of tonal and non-tonal languages. Interrogative words are words that introduce questions. Previous research lacks clarity regarding the specific cues used in the processing of word intonation. To address this gap, this study used the event-related potential electroencephalogram (EEG) research method to explore the intonation processing of tone two (mid-rising) interrogative words in Mandarin. For this, the word “shui,” meaning “who,” was selected as the experimental material. To avoid the influence of the environment, gender, and semantics, the Hum version, corresponding to the stimulus material, was also adopted for the experiment. This study used a passive oddball paradigm to examine the clues of intonation information processing in automatic cognitive processing through amplitude, latency, time window, and evoked location potential mismatch negativity. The standard stimulus was the declarative intonation with a high probability of occurrence (90%), and the deviant stimulus was the interrogative intonation with a low probability of occurrence (10%). In the time window of 370–450 ms, the mismatch negativity was found at the F3, F4, C3, Cz, and C4 channels. The findings show that, in the passive oddball paradigm, lexical semantics are essential for intonation processing at the pre-attentive level, which is dominated by the frontal and central areas of the brain. The results support the functional and comprehensive hypotheses that the processing of intonation is based on the function of language and that bilateral regions are involved in this processing. This study makes an important contribution by providing event-related potential evidence that lexical semantics plays a key role in the pre-attentive processing of intonation, as shown by the significant differences between semantic and non-semantic conditions
Altered neural oscillation patterns and functional connectivity in postherpetic neuralgia: evidence from resting-state EEG
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Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is a debilitating chronic pain condition that significantly affects the quality of life, often leading to physical discomfort, emotional distress, and psychological comorbidities, such as depression and anxiety. This study aimed to systematically assess the neural oscillatory activity and functional connectivity patterns in patients with PHN using resting-state electroencephalography (EEG). Overall, 21 patients with PHN and 17 healthy controls participated in this study. Resting-state EEG data were collected and analyzed. Power spectrum density analysis was conducted to compare frequency band activity, and correlation analyses were used to examine associations between EEG power and psychological symptoms. Functional connectivity was assessed using the weighted phase lag index. Power spectrum density analysis revealed significantly higher EEG power across the delta, theta, alpha, beta, and gamma frequency bands in patients with PHN compared with controls. Correlation analyses indicated that delta and theta frequency band power were positively associated with the Beck Depression Inventory scores, whereas delta frequency band power was negatively correlated with the State Anxiety Inventory scores. Additionally, functional connectivity analysis demonstrated reduced gamma-band connectivity in patients with PHN, particularly in regions of the sensorimotor and pain modulation networks. These findings suggest that PHN is characterized by widespread hyperactivity in neural circuits, accompanied by disrupted interregional communication. These results provide valuable insights into the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying PHN and highlight potential biomarkers for developing targeted neuromodulatory treatments to alleviate pain and improve the psychological well-being of affected individuals.Abstract
Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is a debilitating chronic pain condition that significantly affects the quality of life, often leading to physical discomfort, emotional distress, and psychological comorbidities, such as depression and anxiety. This study aimed to systematically assess the neural oscillatory activity and functional connectivity patterns in patients with PHN using resting-state electroencephalography (EEG). Overall, 21 patients with PHN and 17 healthy controls participated in this study. Resting-state EEG data were collected and analyzed. Power spectrum density analysis was conducted to compare frequency band activity, and correlation analyses were used to examine associations between EEG power and psychological symptoms. Functional connectivity was assessed using the weighted phase lag index. Power spectrum density analysis revealed significantly higher EEG power across the delta, theta, alpha, beta, and gamma frequency bands in patients with PHN compared with controls. Correlation analyses indicated that delta and theta frequency band power were positively associated with the Beck Depression Inventory scores, whereas delta frequency band power was negatively correlated with the State Anxiety Inventory scores. Additionally, functional connectivity analysis demonstrated reduced gamma-band connectivity in patients with PHN, particularly in regions of the sensorimotor and pain modulation networks. These findings suggest that PHN is characterized by widespread hyperactivity in neural circuits, accompanied by disrupted interregional communication. These results provide valuable insights into the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying PHN and highlight potential biomarkers for developing targeted neuromodulatory treatments to alleviate pain and improve the psychological well-being of affected individuals
Anti-Classical Swine Fever Virus Strategies
No full textClassical swine fever (CSF), caused by CSF virus (CSFV), is a highly contagious swine disease with high morbidity and mortality, which has caused significant economic losses to the pig industry worldwide. Biosecurity measures and vaccination are the main methods for prevention and control of CSF since no specific drug is available for the effective treatment of CSF. Although a series of biosecurity and vaccination strategies have been developed to curb the outbreak events, it is still difficult to eliminate CSF in CSF-endemic and re-emerging areas. Thus, in addition to implementing enhanced biosecurity measures and exploring more effective CSF vaccines, other strategies are also needed for effectively controlling CSF. Currently, more and more research about anti-CSFV strategies was carried out by scientists, because of the great prospects and value of anti-CSFV strategies in the prevention and control of CSF. Additionally, studies on anti-CSFV strategies could be used as a reference for other viruses in the Flaviviridae family, such as hepatitis C virus, dengue virus, and Zika virus. In this review, we aim to summarize the research on anti-CSFV strategies. In detail, host proteins affecting CSFV replication, drug candidates with anti-CSFV effects, and RNA interference (RNAi) targeting CSFV viral genes were mentioned and the possible mechanisms related to anti-CSFV effects were also summarized
Preparation of yolk−shell structured Ag@Cu particles and their application in high performance electrochemical sensing of p−aminobenzoic acid
Get PDFIn this work, the Ag@Cu particles with yolk−shell nanostructure was prepared by facile solvothermal method, which was modified on glassy carbon electrode (GCE) to fabricate electrochemical sensor for the convenient and fast determination of p−aminobenzoic acid (pABA). The surface morphology and electrochemical properties of the as−prepared Ag@Cu nanocomposite modified electrode were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, chronocoulometry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Further, the electrochemical sensing of pABA was performed on the Ag@Cu/GCE using cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry techniques, showing high catalytic activity. Under the optimal conditions, the sensor exhibited wide linear range, high sensitivity and low detection limit of 0.315 μM for pABA. The developed sensor was also successfully applied for pABA detection in anesthetic and cosmetics with satisfactory results.The accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author
Contribution of dendritic cell immunoreceptor (DCIR) polymorphisms in susceptibility of systemic lupus erythematosus and primary Sjogren's syndrome
No full textDendritic cell immunoreceptor (DCIR) has previously shown an association with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in Caucasians and Han Chinese. This study was aimed to further investigate whether DCIR polymorphisms are novel susceptibility factors for other autoimmune diseases, i.e. systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and primary Sjogren's syndrome (SS). A total of 1502 patients with SLE, 476 patients with primary SS, and 1278 non-related healthy controls were enrolled in the study. The single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) rs2377422 and rs10840759 were genotyped using TaqMan assay. The differences in allelic and genotypic distribution between two groups were assessed using Pearson chi-square test, and logistic regression adjusting for age and sex, respectively. P-value <0.025 was considered statistically significant by Bonferroni correction. The SNP rs2377422 confers an increased susceptibility risk to both SLE (allele model: P= 7.65 x 10(-4), OR 1.20; genotype recessive model: P= 0.012, OR 1.29), and primary SS (allele model: P= 3.74 x 10(-4), OR 1.31; genotype dominant model: P= 1.62 x 10(-4), OR 2.02). There is no association between rs10840759 and SLE or primary SS. In conclusion, DCIR SNP rs2377422 is a novel genetic susceptibility factor for both SLE and primary SS. (c) 2015 American Society for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.National Key Basic Research Program of China (973 Program) [2014CB541901]; National Natural Science Foundation of China [81120108020, 31270914, 31470875]SCI(E)[email protected]
Preliminary Evaluation of Protective Efficacy of Inactivated Senecavirus A on Pigs
No full textSenecavirus A (SVA), formerly known as Seneca Valley virus (SVV), causes vesicular symptoms in adult pigs and acute death of neonatal piglets. This pathogen has emerged in major swine producing countries around the world and caused significant economic losses to the pig industry. Thus, it is necessary to develop strategies to prevent and control SVA infection. Herein, an SVA strain (named GD-ZYY02-2018) was isolated from a pig herd with vesicular symptoms in Guangdong province of China in 2018. The present study aimed to carry out the phylogenetic analysis of the GD-ZYY02-2018 strain, determine its pathogenicity in finishing pigs, and assess the protective efficacy of the inactivated GD-ZYY02-2018 strain against virus challenge. The results of phylogenetic analysis showed that the SVA GD-ZYY02-2018 strain belonged to the USA-like strains and had a close genetic relationship with recent Chinese SVA strains. Animal challenge experiment showed that 100-day-old pigs inoculated intranasally with SVA GD-ZYY02-2018 strain developed vesicular lesion, low fever, viremia, and virus shedding in feces. The immunization challenge experiment showed that pigs vaccinated with inactivated GD-ZYY02-2018 strain could produce a high titer of anti-SVA neutralizing antibody and no vesicular lesion, fever, viremia, and virus shedding in feces was observed in vaccinated pigs after challenge with GD-ZYY02-2018 strain, indicating that inactivated GD-ZYY02-2018 could protect finishing pigs against the challenge of homologous virus. In conclusion, preliminary results indicated that inactivated GD-ZYY02-2018 could be used as a candidate vaccine for in-depth research and might be conducive to the prevention and control of SVA infection
Correction: Li et al. Preliminary Evaluation of Protective Efficacy of Inactivated Senecavirus A on Pigs. Life 2021, 11, 157
No full textIn the original publication, there was a mistake in Figure 1B(b,c) as published [...
