Constipation is a prevalent gastrointestinal disorder affecting approximately 10% of the global population, significantly impacting patients’ physical and psychological health. Recent research underscores the close relationship between gut microbiota and constipation occurrence. However, consensus on the characteristic microbiota and metabolites associated with constipation remains elusive. To address this, we have initiated the Chinese Gut Motility Project (CGMP), a prospective cohort study focusing on Chinese patients with constipation, in collaboration with multiple hospitals in Shanghai and Jiangsu. This project aims to enroll at least 2000 patients with constipation and 500 healthy controls from several centers. Comprehensive data collection will include demographics, diet, lifestyle, medical history, mental health, and biological samples such as blood, stool, saliva, and biopsy tissue. Multi-omics analyses (metagenomics, metabolomics, and transcriptomics) will be performed to integrate various data types for an exhaustive analysis of constipation.<br/>The CGMP aims to establish a microbiota-based diagnostic system and predictive model for constipation, facilitating differentiation between constipated patients and non-constipated controls. This approach promises a novel, non-invasive method for clinical diagnosis of constipation. Additionally, personalized clinical and microbiota-targeted dietary intervention strategies will be developed based on gut microbiota characteristics for different types of constipation. Ultimately, a comprehensive microbiological diagnostic platform for constipation will be established offering new opportunities for precision medicine in the treatment and management of constipation.
As the second-largest hydropower station in the world in terms of installed capacity, the Baihetan Hydropower Station plays a crucial role in China’s West-East electricity transmission project. Located in the lower reaches of the Jinsha River, the dam site straddles Ningnan County in Sichuan Province and Qiaojia County in Yunnan Province in China, controlling a basin area of 430 300 km2 and covering 91% of the Jinsha River’s catchment. The total reservoir capacity of the Baihetan Hydropower Station is 20.627 billion cubic meter, and its total installed capacity is 16 000 MW. While the main function of the project is hydroelectric power generation, the project also addresses flood control and navigation, as well as promoting local economic and social development.
The main structures of the hydropower project include the water-retaining structure, flood-discharge and energy-dissipation facilities, and underground hydroelectric power-generation system. The water-retaining structure is a concrete double-curvature arch dam standing 289 m tall with a crest elevation of 834 m. The flood-discharge and energy-dissipation facilities, which have a maximum discharge capacity of 42 350 m3·s−1, consist of six spillways and seven deep outlets within the dam, three discharge tunnels on the left bank, and a plunge pool with an auxiliary weir located downstream of the dam. The underground water-conveyance and power-generation system, embedded on both banks of the Jinsha River, houses eight hydroelectric generators on each side, with a unit capacity of up to 1000 MW—the largest in the world.
Water quality system informatics (WQSI) is an emerging field that employs cybernetics to collect and digitize data associated with water quality. It involves monitoring the physical, chemical, and biological processes that affect water quality and the ecological impacts and interconnections within water quality systems. WQSI integrates theories and methods from water quality engineering, information engineering, and system control theory, enabling the intelligent management and control of water quality. This integration revolutionizes the understanding and management of water quality systems with greater precision and higher resolution. WQSI is a new stage of development in environmental engineering that is driven by the digital age. This work explores the fundamental concepts, research topics, and methods of WQSI and its features and potential to promote disciplinary development. The innovation and development of WQSI are crucial for driving the digital and intelligent transformation of national industry patterns in China, positioning China at the forefront of environmental engineering and ecological environment research on a global scale.
The prevalence of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) has increased markedly as the world population has aged. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been reported as novel regulators in diverse pathophysiological conditions. Here, we performed RNA-seq and observed that the lncRNA Zeb1os1 (zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 1, opposite strand 1), which is known as ZEB1-AS1 (zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 1 antisense 1) in humans, was upregulated in the aged mice hearts, senescent cardiomyocytes, and human blood from elderly individuals. The human blood ZEB1-AS1 level was positively relevant to human age but negatively relevant to peak E to peak A (E/A). Silencing Zeb1os1 ameliorated diastolic dysfunction and cardiac senescence in aged mice. On the other hand, Zeb1os1 overexpression triggered cardiac dysfunction resembling that observed in aged mice. Mechanistically, we provide compelling evidence that Zeb1os1 interacts with the transient receptor potential mucolipin 1 (TRPML1) for ubiquitination (UB)-mediated degradation. This process inhibits lysosomal Ca2+ efflux, impairing lysosome function. In addition, the functional domain of Zeb1os1, which contains the key nucleotides responsible for the pro-senescence property of full-length Zeb1os1 in cardiomyocytes. Together, these data suggest that Zeb1os1 is a potential target for ameliorating lysosomal dysfunction and aging-related cardiac impairment.