In the Western world, for deaf and hard-of-hearing children, hearing aids or cochlear implants are available to provide access to sound, with the overall goal of increasing their wellbeing. If and how this goal is achieved becomes increasingly multifarious when these children reach adolescence and young adulthood and start to participate in society in other ways. An approach to wellbeing that includes personal differences and the relative advantages and disadvantages that people have, is the capability approach, as developed by Nobel Prize laureate Amartya Sen. Capability is the set of real opportunities people have to do and be things they have reason to value. We interviewed 59 young people, aged 13 through 25, with cochlear implants (37) or hearing aids (22) to capture their capability. We found that their hearing devices enabled them to actively participate in a predominantly hearing society, with few differences between cochlear implant and hearing aid recipients. They did, however, report challenges associated with prejudices and expectations, and with feeling poorly understood, all of which appeared to impact their capability. Through the lens of capability, alleged differences between hearing aid and cochlear implant recipients began to fade. We discuss the implications for initiatives focused on the long-term support young recipients of hearing devices to meet their specific requirements over time. Deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) children who participate in hearing societies, may experience significant challenges in social, emotional, and psychological areas . When thTo meet the developmental tasks in a hearing society, these young people with hearing impairments experience specific challenges due to the impairment and technical limitations of the devices. Although speech perception in case of moderate hearing impairment with the use of hearing aids has been found comparable to that of profoundly hearing-impaired adolescents and young adults who use cochlear implants, the impact of these devices is distinct. For young people with cochlear implants, the auditory gain of the device is significantly larger, which might increase device dependency. This might effect this ability to lead a life of their own choosing and their requirements.The capability approach, developed by Nobel prize laureate Amartya Sen, is an approach to capture wellbeing . CapabilWe included 59 young people who received hearing aids (22) or cochlear implants (37). We selected participants with a minimal age of 12 years old and a maximum age of 25 years old. The characteristics of the participants are listed in We used a qualitative design  to capture capability. During a period of 2 years (2019 and 2020), patients were invited via mail to participate prior to their annual fitting of their hearing device and follow-up evaluation of their development in their out-patient clinic. The interviews were conducted in a consulting room in the out-patient clinic. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, 18 interviews were conducted digitally with a videoconference app (whereby). One participant used a sign language interpreter, while three participants were accompanied by their parents. The interviewer  had a background in psychology, was trained and experienced in qualitative research, and had not met participants earlier. Participants were informed before participating, and the goal of the research was reiterated prior to the interview. Interviews lasted between 30 and 50 min.To understand the nature and development of capability in DHH young people who use cochlear implants and/or hearing aids, we used a deductive qualitative approach. Through one-on-one interviews, we aimed to collect information on participants’ resources, conversion factors, functionings, and interests. We framed the interviews based on the methodology used by We deducted elements from the capability approach using directive content analysis, a methodological orientation using an existing theory . ResourcThe research ethics committee of the Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center states that the abovementioned study (reference number of the study: 2017-3684) does not fall within the remit of the Medical Research Involving Human Subjects Act (WMO).We structured the quotes of the respondents according to themes based on the impact of hearing loss and the value and limitations of hearing devices: what respondents articulated they gained in opportunities by device use, what wishes or preferences might have been adapted to cope, what preconceptions of others they experienced in societal situations, and what disadvantages they might have experienced. Gained opportunities relate to the increase in capability, while experienced disadvantages might indicate obstructions in resources or conversion factors. Their experienced preconceptions of others are a social conversion factor that is especially relevant during puberty and adolescence. Their adapted preferences could portray a certain degree of freedom, as some functionings might not have been available to them.The following will describe the capability of the respondents in two ways. First, we will present interview outcomes framed by the four themes: gained possibilities, adapted preferences, preconceptions of others, and experienced disadvantages. Per theme, we will attempt to portray the general findings, supported by specific quotes from respondents.Then, we will present an overview of the functionings, resources, conversion factors, and interests of the respondents. On a group level, a cochlear implant or hearing aid was the most obvious distinguishing factor between participants, as depicted in According to respondents, cochlear implants and hearing aids provide not only the ability to hear more and better , but also opportunities they feel they would not have had without it, such as their job . They feel they can communicate, but also have silence to relax .Interviewer: “What is the biggest advantage of having a cochlear implant?”“Well, sometimes I forget I’m deaf. That’s the greatest happiness I’ve had in my life. Some think you take away an identity, but for me it has given an identity. I could not have made it this far without it. I do not know what that would have been like, of course, but it’s been so nice for me. I get fair chances. For example, if you apply for a job, the chances of getting hired are a lot less if you are deaf. So, I do not report it either. And then I can show my skills during a job interview.” , student secondary vocational education).“I used to listen music only rarely. Five years ago, a new hearing aid. They threw in a ComPilot [wireless accessory]. When music was played, the correct tones were played. That has greatly increased my ability to listen to music. For example, I listened to a lot of Acda and the Munnik, very easy music to listen to for lyrics. And singing along. Because I did not care much for melody and beats. So, I also really hated instrumental music, classical music. While now, I’ll just listen to it all. I really listen to a lot of music now. Now I listen to everything together.” , student university education).Respondents from all participating ages found ways to deal with previously difficult hearing-related situations. They adapted their desires, but also learned in which situations they could thrive. For example, cycling at the back of a group so that voices come toward them from the front, thus facilitating perception, or taking strategic positions in a room that enable speech reading. They also asked teammates or friends for assistance during sport activities. Furthermore, one of them switched from working in a noisy bakery to stocking shelves.“Sometimes I feel like I really want to be hearing, but that feeling is fading more and more. Because in the past I was really like, ‘I would really like to be hearing’, but I did not know my own culture and what benefits and disadvantages we have. And now I’m less like I want to be hearing, I’m glad I’m deaf. Really a lot of benefits. Perfect sleep, you do not want to know.”—16-year-old female wears one cochlear implant (since 20 months of age), attends mainstream high school.“I also find myself enjoying it more when we are playing a game, because I feel more involved than when we are having a conversation. Of course, I also like to have a conversation, but I find it more fun to play a game.” , attends mainstream high school).“At first, I sat at the front of the class, but I did not like that. Now I sit at the back of the class, so that I can look into the class. Then I do not have to look around all the time to see where the sound is coming from. So, I have a little more of an overview of the class. Then I can pay more attention myself, because I do not have to look behind me.” , attends mainstream high school).Young DHH people shared experiences about living with cochlear implants and hearing aids, and the image and taboo hearing tools evoked. They said that everyone thinks in boxes, also in the deaf community; you are either with the deaf or the cochlear implants group.“But I do not want to be put in a box. I am well aware that I am hearing impaired. One time, while going out, a hearing-impaired girl asked why I wasn’t with hearing-impaired friends. Very weird. ‘You pretend to be something you are not’, she said. Almost aggressive. I think that’s such a label. I do not need that.” , student academic education).Also, people might overestimate or not understand what hearing tools can provide. While they lead to opportunities, there is still a lack of knowledge and awareness in society, participants said.Interviewer: “How do you notice the prejudices?”“The possibilities… With a cochlear implant you can certainly hear better. But that’s the pitfall. With a cochlear implant you cannot necessarily keep track of everything. It does not solve everything. My deaf community says that because of cochlear implants there are fewer deaf people. They think that with cochlear implants people know better because they can hear better, but they do not [know better].” , works as a nurse).There are certain disadvantages of living with hearing loss that came up more often than others. Hearing aids and cochlear implants are not waterproof, which can be problematic for sports (transpiration) or in the rain. Also, respondents said hearing through hearing technologies can be tiring, leading to headaches, or losing concentration. In addition, hearing assistive technologies enable hearing in otherwise challenging, adverse listening situations, though they are not always experienced as such. Respondents mentioned the inconvenience using these technologies in school, when they moved from one classroom to another with different teachers every hour. Others experienced technical malfunctioning or vulnerable hardware parts breaking. For these respondents, the proper use of hearing assistive technologies was difficult to realize, and assistive technologies were even considered a burden. One respondent said he believed he needed more motivation to achieve similar goals as typical-hearing people.“But I have to persevere, because actually, as a hearing-impaired person, you simply need more motivation wanting to achieve the same as a good hearing person.” , student secondary vocational education).“I really like listening to music. I also tried to make music myself, then with recorder lessons, but I just cannot do that with my hearing. Singing seems like a lot of fun, but I cannot do that either. And I’m not that much into painting or drawing.” , attends mainstream high school).Interviewer: “Did you use hearing assistive technologies in high school?”“In the beginning, yes. But you notice that it was developed by hearing people. May sound weird. But hearing assistive equipment is very much… All you hear is the teacher. It’s like the teacher is yelling in your ear. At least that’s how I experience it. This is also the case with hearing aids, for example. When I am talking, it points at someone. That seems very useful, but in reality, it really is worthless. Because it does not do you any good.” , student secondary vocational education).Interviewer: “What is the biggest disadvantage of having a cochlear implant?”“Well, the hearing on batteries, I find that so annoying.” , works as an electrician).The input from the respondents led to an overview of functionings, resources, conversion factors, and interests that fits the participated DHH young people see . For thiDespite differences in devices to remediate the effects of hearing loss , the presented data tell a notably consistent story. With a few exceptions, young people who experienced hearing loss and the subsequent treatment and guidance describe similar daily activities (functionings), requisite resources, personal, social, and environmental conversion factors, and interests. Interviewees shared details about their daily lives, both hearing-related and otherwise. In most aspects of their lives, their hearing loss manifested. They went to school or had jobs, but they needed additional resources, such as hearing-assistive-technologies. They met with friends, but not always with friends from school for participants attending special education, as they lived further away. They went to bars, festivals, parties, and the cinema, but environmental noise complicated conversations. They played sports, but they relied on teammates for communication. They rode their bike, but rain or wind decreased sound perception. They expressed desires to being able to take phone calls in noise, which can be difficult. They enjoy time in silence (without their hearing devices) but would like to be able to participate in group conversations more easily. They listened to music but really enjoyed it with a direct input in their hearing device.Three insights emerged from our study, which we will consider before discussing limitations, implications, and the conclusion.Firstly, through the lens of capability, alleged differences between hearing aid and cochlear implant recipients began to fade. Previous studies evaluating daily lives of hearing aid and cochlear implant users observed varied results on activities and quality of life. In Sweden, researchers found similar functioning in daily situations between young hearing aid and cochlear implant users , though Secondly, quotes that were obtained only from either young people with hearing aids or cochlear implants were sparse, although worth discussing briefly. One hearing aid user mentioned a strategy for receiving information. Instead of sitting up close to her teacher, one girl preferred the overview she had sitting in the back of class, seeing who talked. Unique to cochlear implant users was how they coped with the external parts of the device . They told how its appearance could result in shame or inconvenience, for example. One person strikingly illustrated how his sense of hearing depended on a device. “Hearing on batteries” was how he experienced dealing with it. Also, one cochlear implant user expressed her desire for more career opportunities. A past study did suggest that young cochlear implant users, although well integrated into the hearing world, had a significantly lower correspondence between career aspiration and actual occupation .Thirdly, it seems that many challenges DHH young people encountered were not exclusively related to having difficulties hearing sounds, but rather to external perceptions and prejudices. They mentioned “not wanting to be different,” “not being labeled,” “being overestimated,” and “dealing with others’ perceptions.” And while hearing peers seemed to lack understanding, members of the Deaf community could be dismissive as well. These societal issues, related to acceptance and prejudices, are often raised by the Deaf community . EllingtWe acknowledge the potential biases that accompany our study design. Our broad inclusion criteria resulted in a highly heterogeneous research sample with a broad variety of contexts and personal histories. Also, being interviewed through video from home (as 18 participants were) could have impacted communication, although it did not lead to substantive issues. The COVID-19 regulations also prevented including a reference group of typical-hearing peers and complicated collecting information on clinical context , which could have provided more insights on participants interview outcomes. We therefore cannot attribute causality to hearing aids or cochlear implants and capability, nor did we intend to. How DHH adolescents view themselves heavily depends on their context (such as ethnicity and culture), making studies with these target groups difficult to compare and extrapolate . HoweverFirst, the subject of evaluation of young people with cochlear implants and hearing aids is often focused on clinical outcomes , health-Secondly, as capability might not differ significantly between users of cochlear implants and hearing aids, the efforts to strengthen their capability might be combined too. Respondents from both groups seemed to desire more awareness about living with hearing loss in their personal environment, in addition to a more informed public perception of hearing devices. The capability approach is, more than anything, a normative framework born from the realm of justice. Therefore, programs and interventions addressing these societal action points have a distinct moral value and should be supported as such.Young DHH people who use either cochlear implants or hearing aids reported perceiving opportunities through the use of these hearing devices they would not have without them. Their hearing devices enabled them access to a predominately hearing society, in which they actively participated. Unfortunately, these young people explicitly express feelings of uncertainty and falling short when they compare themselves to typical-hearing peers. When application of hearing devices aims to improve wellbeing and to prevent psychosocial problems, monitoring the development of a stable identity in DHH young people is essential. In their own perspective, these young people advocate more awareness of and insights in hearing loss in the broader society. An important practical issue is the weakness and limitations of the hardware. For initiatives focused on supporting DHH young people, these results are of considerable interest. In addition, manufacturers of hearing devices and hearing assistive technologies can benefit from feedback from these users too.Traditional wellbeing evaluations of health interventions are often top-down, summative assessments aimed to facilitate cost-effectiveness or patient satisfaction. In our view, the current study shows how a formative focus on the development of wellbeing in terms of capability can lead to clues for personalized care, societal action points, and conversation topics for anyone involved with DDH young people. These subjects blur the line between care and policy, between responsibility and justice.wouter.rijke@radboudumc.nl.The datasets presented in this article are not readily available because the interviews contain highly personal and sensitive information, which we do not have the permission to share beyond this manuscript. Requests to access the datasets should be directed to The studies involving human participants were reviewed and approved by Medical Ethical Committee Radboudumc. Written informed consent to participate in this study was provided by the participants’ legal guardian/next of kin.AV, ML, GW, CW, and WR contributed to conception and design of the study. WR collected and managed data and wrote the first draft of the manuscript. AV, ML, CW, and WR performed statistical analysis. HK and GW wrote sections of the manuscript. All authors contributed to the article and approved the submitted version.This research was financially supported by the Auditory-Communicative Programme Board, ZonMw.The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.


Thermal degradation behavior of raw and torrefied cedar is monitored by thermogravimetry analysis. The results show that carbon structure varied during torrefaction has a significant effect on thermal degradation of cedar. Some unstable oxygen functional groups, such as C1 of hemicellulose, β-O-4 linked bonds, and amorphous C6 of cellulose, are decomposed at mild torrefaction of torrefied temperature ≤ 200 °C. The temperature of maximum weight loss rate increases from 348 °C of raw cedar to 373 °C of C-200. The amorphous cellulose is partly re-crystallized at moderate torrefaction of torrefied temperature 200–250 °C. The aromaticity of torrefied cedar increases from 0.45 of C-200 to 0.73 of C-250. The covalent bond in the side chain of aromatic rings in cedar was further broken during torrefaction at severe torrefaction of torrefied temperature 250–300 °C. The area percentage of DTG mainly signed at 387 °C of C-300. The proton aromatic carbon increases from 12.35% of C-250 to 21.69% of C-300. These results will further facilitate the utilization of biomass for replacing fossil fuel to drive carbon neutrality.Torrefaction is an effective method for upgrading biomass. Cedar torrefaction is carried out in a fixed bed reactor at the temperature of 200–300 °C. The structural parameters are obtained from elemental analysis and  Biomass is the only renewable energy with carbon resource that can be an alternative to fossil fuel for producing chemicals and materials ,2. MeanwTorrefaction is considered as a widely used technology for optimizing the fuel quality , pyrolys2, CO, and H2O is enhanced during combustion pretreated by torrefaction [2 during combustion of biomass, and the combustion slags also exhibited favorable potentials for soil regulation [Compared with raw biomass, torrefied biomass has a higher calorific value with higher energy density due to increased carbon contents and decreased oxygen contents. Torrefied biomass with easier grindability and hydrophobicity can reduce the cost of storage and transformation. The pyrolysis behavior of torrefied biomass is similar to high-volatile coal . Torrefaefaction . Integragulation .13C-NMR analysis of torrefied corncobs to show that the devolatilization, crosslinking, and charring of corncobs during torrefaction could be responsible for the bio-oil yield penalties. Previous research showed structural variation in biomass components influenced by temperature, atmosphere, and duration during torrefaction. Oxidative torrefaction [13C-NMR and the presence of functional groups could be analyzed by FTIR to predict subsequent conversion behavior [Torrefaction is carried out at the temperature range of 200–300 °C. In that temperature range, hemicelluloses decompose but there is only slight decomposition of cellulose and lignin performed on account of inherent difference in the structures of the three components . The strefaction ,21 promoefaction . Torrefaefaction ,24 is a behavior ,26. The 13C-NMR with a peak-fitting method. Thermal degradation was analyzed using DTG curves for further verifying the bond fracture properties with the increasing temperature. These results will guide industrial preparation of biomass solid fuel from wood wastes.The objective of this study was to obtain detailed structural information available to infer mechanism among biomass microstructural evolution at the temperature range of 200–300 °C during torrefaction monitored by solid A representative wood waste, cedar, was selected from southeast of Anhui province in China. It was triturated to <0.2 mm and stored in desiccator. The proximate analysis was monitored according to standard methods shown in our previous paper : moistur2 was injected into the reactor at a flow rate of 90 mL/min to create an inert environment and remove the high temperature torrefied gas. The torrefied cedar samples were designated, per their process temperatures, as C-200, C-225, C-250, C-275, and C-300.Torrefaction of cedar was carried out in a vertical, 800 mm × 40 mm diameter quartz tubular reactor. The samples were placed in the middle 200 mm of the reactor, where temperature was most uniform. An amount of 5 g of cedar was placed in the reactor and heated at 10 °C/min to a setpoint of 200, 225, 250, 275, or 300 °C for 30 min. An exhaust tube was connected to the bottom of the reactor with three levels of ice bath condensation. N13C NMR experiments of raw and torrefied cedar were performed on an Agilent 600 DD2 spectrometer at a resonance frequency of 150.15 MHz. 13C NMR spectra were recorded with spinning rate of 15 kHz with a 4 mm probe at room temperature using a solid cross polarization/magic angle spinning (CP/MAS) probe, the total suppression of sidebands sequence (TOSS). The measurement conditions were as follows: the contact time was 1 ms, with a recycle delay of 5 s and the scan number was 2048.TG of raw and torrefied cedar is analyzed using a Pyris 1 TGA from Perkin Elmer, Waltham, MA, USA. Samples of 15 mg were heated from ambient temperature to 100 °C for 1 h to remove free water, then from 100 °C to torrefied temperatures keeping 30 min by heating rate of 10 °C/min to obtain torrefied cedar. Finally, samples were heated from the torrefaction setpoint temperature to 900 °C by heating rates of 10 °C/min to calculate kinetic parameters, with carrier gas by a 99.999% helium (He) flowing at 20 mL/min for an inert environment. The temperature corresponding to the maximum weight loss rate of the samples were determined from the first derivative of the weight loss curve with respect to temperature (DTG). The peak clusters in DTG curves contained various bond cleavage in raw and torrefied cedar. For interpreting the detailed data, the peak separation and quantitative calculation were performed using a curve-fitting program of Origin 9.1 by gaussian method.daf and Cdaf proposed by Van Krevelen [Upon the torrefaction process, both hydrogen index and oxygen index decrease. The hydrophilic ability of biomass decreases as the result of decrease in O/C. The chemical stability is higher when both indexes decrease. The torrefied cedar is expected to be more resistant to degradation. The fuel with low H/C and low O/C, left region of the plot, correspond to high maturity fuel. The other index assessed the maturity of the biomass, aromaticity, could be calculated by traditional empirical formula according to VKrevelen  shown inSeen from 13C-NMR. The fitting curves in 13C-NMR spectra are shown in The detailed structural evolution is monitored by 13C-NMR spectra corresponding to all the different carbons of the main wood components rely on the results of many our previous studies [From  studies  shown inThe quantitative analyses of the NMR spectra by curve-fitting method shown in For lignin, the main degradation is the cleavage of side chains and demethoxylation. The proton aromatic carbon in lignin assigned at 122 ppm and nonetherified syringyl unit assigned at 132 ppm increase remarkably, indicating that the demethoxylation is dominant reaction during torrefaction. Demethoxylation of syringyls is expected to lead to an increase in guaiacyls at a low temperature range for torrefaction which contribute to area variation of signal 2 and 3 . Above 2al-Cal, Car-Car, Car-Cal, Car-O, Cal=Cal, Cal-O, and Cal=O bonds [Biomass pyrolysis, comprised of radical generation by cleavage of covalent bond, generates free radicals and product formation by radical fragments coupling ,31. Biom=O bonds . The cleal-Cal in hydro-carbonates and side chains of aromatics in lignin during primary pyrolysis. The stable Car-Car, and Cal=O bonds may be broken at a higher pyrolysis temperature. The DTG curves in al-Cal bonds with bond energy range of 295–325 kJ/mol [al-Cal bonds at about 370–390 °C, associated with cellulose pyrolysis and weak aromatic side chain breakage. Peak 5 can be assigned to stable oxygen functional group such as C=O conjugated to aromatic rings at 445–510 °C. Peak 6 is the breakage of strong aromatic side chains and Peak 7 represents condensation of aromatic rings. The parameters of curve fitting operation, i.e., peak temperature (Tp) and peak area (Ap), calculated from m) increases with the torrefied temperature. Decomposition of unstable oxygen functional groups in hemicellulose leads to peak 1 and 2 of DTG fitting curves. The area percentage of peak 2 decreases from 29.94% of raw cedar to 0 of C-300 consistent with signal 7 and 10 decreasing. Peak 3 and 4 is the main cellulose decomposition. The unstable amorphous cellulose is decomposed preferentially. The amorphous cellulose in raw cedar is highest and oxygen carbon in raw cedar is higher than other torrefied cedar so that the maximum weight loss rate signed in peak 3 and Tm is the lowest. With the torrefaction processing, the amorphous cellulose is partly re-crystallized according to peak area at Tm. The Tm increases to 387 °C of C-250. Peaks 5, 6, and 7 indicate the thermal degradation of aromatic rings in lignin. The area percentage increases with the increasing temperature of torrefaction due to enhancement of aromatic rings in lignin during torrefaction.Seen from data in According to the gradient on the dot in Van Krevelen diagram, torrefaction of cedar can divide into three steps in the temperature range of 200–300 °C, shown in 2. Hydrogen bonds in cedar have been rearranged. The area percentage of DTG at Peak 2 decreases from 29.94% to 18.48%. However, the carboxyl carbon in hemicellulose increasing from 3.49% to 9.66% indicates that mild torrefaction has a little rearrangement of bond in hemicellulose. The area percentage of DTG at Peak 1 changes a little. The Tm increases from 348 °C to 373 °C.First, with the torrefied temperature ≤ 200 °C, called mild torrefaction, the H/C decreases from 1.62 to 1.23 and O/C from 0.49 to 0.42. A little unstable oxygen functional groups with weak bond energy, such as C1 of hemicellulose, β-O-4 linked bonds, and amorphous C6 of cellulose, are decomposed to form COSecond, at a torrefied temperature 200–250 °C, called moderate torrefaction, the H/C decreases from 1.23 to 0.87 and O/C from 0.42 to 0.19. The number of oxygen functional groups are decomposed unceasingly. The amorphous C4 and C6 of cellulose decreases. The crystalline C6 increases at 200 °C and crystalline C4 increases at 250 °C, then decreases at a higher torrefied temperature. The amorphous cellulose is partly re-crystallized during torrefaction at this stage. The aliphatic carbon increases with the oxygen functional group decomposition. The aromaticity of torrefied cedar increases from 0.45 to 0.73.Third, at a torrefied temperature of 250–300 °C, called severe torrefaction, the H/C decreases from 0.87 to 0.76 and O/C from 0.19 to 0.10. The covalent bond further broken during torrefaction. The aliphatic carbon and crystalline cellulose decreases in cedar. The area percentage of DTG mainly signed at Peak 4. The proton aromatic carbon increases remarkably. The side chains of aromatic carbon in cedar decreases.Torrefaction improves the energy quality of cedar. Structural evolution on torrefaction of cedar can divide into three steps in the temperature range of 200–300 °C, which has a significant effect on thermal degradation.m increases from 348 to 373 °C.Above all, at a torrefied temperature ≤ 200 °C, called mild torrefaction, the O/C decreases a little. Part of the unstable oxygen functional groups, such as C1 of hemicellulose, β-O-4 linked bonds, and amorphous C6 of cellulose, are decomposed. The area percentage of DTG at Peak 2 decreases from 29.94 to 18.48%. The TNext, at a torrefied temperature 200–250 °C, called moderate torrefaction, the number of oxygen functional groups are decomposed unceasingly. The amorphous cellulose is partly re-crystallized during torrefaction. The aromaticity of torrefied cedar increases from 0.45 to 0.73.Finally, at a torrefied temperature 250–300 °C, called severe torrefaction, the covalent bond in side chain of aromatic carbon in cedar further broken during torrefaction. The aliphatic carbon and crystalline in cedar cellulose decreases. The area percentage of DTG mainly signed at 387 °C. The proton aromatic carbon increases remarkably.These results will further facilitate the utilization of biomass for replacing fossil fuel to drive carbon neutrality.


Chlorophyta and Streptophyta that confer resistance against a wide range of abiotic pressures acquired from microbes through independent HGTs. These genes encode proteins contributed to toxic metal resistance , osmotic and drought stress resistance , acid resistance , heat and cold stress resistance , oxidative stress resistance , DNA damage resistance , and organic pollutant resistance . Phylogenetic analyses have supported the HGT inferences as the plant lineages are all clustering closely with distant microbial lineages. Deep-learning-based protein structure prediction and analyses, in combination with expression assessment based on codon adaption index (CAI) further corroborated the functionality and expressivity of the HGT genes in plant genomes. A case-study applying fold comparison and molecular dynamics (MD) of the HGT-driven CytP450 gave a more detailed illustration on the resemblance and evolutionary linkage between the plant recipient and microbial donor sequences. Together, the microbe-originated HGT genes identified in plant genomes and their participation in abiotic pressures resistance indicate a more profound impact of HGT on the adaptive evolution of plants.Colonization by beneficial microbes can enhance plant tolerance to abiotic stresses. However, there are still many unknown fields regarding the beneficial plant-microbe interactions. In this study, we have assessed the amount or impact of horizontal gene transfer (HGT)-derived genes in plants that have potentials to confer abiotic stress resistance. We have identified a total of 235 gene entries in fourteen high-quality plant genomes belonging to phyla  Plants, the most profoundly distributed lineage on earth, possess the remarkable abilities to convert solar energy into bio-matter and produce oxygen while consume the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide. At the same time, plants have to face the frequent offense of inhospitable abiotic stresses caused by the constant fluctuations of global climate since plants cannot “run away” from them. The challenging conditions like drought, radiation, nutrient deficiencies, temperature extremes (cold and heat), metal ion toxicity, salinity and organic pollution are typical abiotic stress factors that plants frequently encounter . These avia the omnipresent HGT process (Physcomitrella patens is suggested to acquire from bacteria acyl-activating enzyme 18 (AAE18)/flavin monooxygenase (YUC3) for auxin biosynthesis, guanine deaminase, allantoate amidohydrolase and ureidoglycolate amidohydrolase associated with purine degradation, as well as subtilases for protein degradation , were obtained through HGT from nearby soil bacteria , referring to the exchange of genetic material between distant lineages, is considered as an effective mechanism to spread evolutionary success in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes . Studies process . It is s process . Here ar process ; The secradation . Besidesbacteria . HoweverViridiplantae) within Phyla Chlorophyta and Streptophyta, and tried to uncover and scrutinize putative microbe-originated HGT genes that are associated with abiotic stress resistance in these genomes employing a combination of methods previously showed to be highly effective in identifying HGT between distantly related species  within phyla Chlorophyta and Streptophyta chosen for downstream analyses is provided in https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.20530083.v1. Detailed descriptions are provided in the following subsections.Detailed information of the fourteen high-quality eukaryotic plant genomes covering major plant taxa  of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, and magnesium and cobalt transport protein (CorA) of Volvox carteri. As expected, all these suggested HGT genes in plant genomes are clustering with homologues of cross-phylum microbial taxa (putative HGT donors). To be specific, it is illustrated in the well-supported phylogenetic tree constructed with not-exclusive top BLASTP hit entries that: ChrA of Ricinus communis (eudicots) and several green algae  bear significant resemblance to the homologues of vast Proteobacteria and Firmicutes lineages   are completely nested within in bacterial taxa , a pattern indicative of cross-kingdom HGT  are closely clustering with fungal lineages   are clustering adjacent to bacterial taxa , indicating strong HGT signals  of +/proline symporter, chloride channel protein and potassium/proton antiporter) and two organic osmolyte biosynthesis enzymes (choline dehydrogenase BetA and sarcosine oxidase SoxA). These genes are correspondent to two mechanisms of osmotic stress resistance: maintaining cellular ion homeostasis and recruitment of compatible solutes  to stabilize proteins. These compatible solutes can also protect against drought, heat or cold stresses  and dTDP-D-glucose 4,6-dehydratase (RmlB) from Chlorella variabilis , and remotely with CPA1 from cyanobacteria and actinobacteria  in the vicinity of those of fungi   clustering with several homologues of other green algae , are embedded in branches derived from archaeal taxa of phylum Euryarchaeota  and high G+C Gram-positive bacterial taxa , suggesting the occurrence of cross-phylum HGT. Finally, the phylogenetic tree of RmlB indicates that Chlorella virus Acanthocystis turfacea has facilitated the transitions of RmlB encoding genes  from riabilis Figure 2ng genes .2-fixing efficiency resulted from malfunction of heat-liable Rubisco under heat-stress conditions  on plants. To cope with such conditions, gene inventions and expansions of heat/cold shock factor gene families into plant genomes are constantly happening during adaptive evolution . In thisnditions .Chlamydomonas, Tetrabaena, Edaphochlamys, Volvox) and eudicots (Erigeron canadensis) . The second tested gene is heat shock protein Hsp20  is located in the well-supported tree of Hsp20 next to various bacterial taxa . The final case present the phylogeny of typical cold-shock protein CspA that promotes the correct folding of RNA molecules  are in close homology to CspA proteins from Betaproteobacteria lineages  , which might supply reductant NADPH to defend against oxidative stress (Chlorella variabilis) that converts phytoene into antioxidant carotene, a homocysteine S-methyltransferase (in Volvox carteri) that generates antioxidant methionine, as well as genes related to biosynthesis of antioxidant vitamins thiamine and cobalamin in multiple plants (Oxidative stress resulting from the excessive generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that damage cellular biomolecules, including proteins, DNA, lipids, and carbohydrates, is the usual consequence of miscellaneous abiotic stresses in plants mentioned above  and charophytic algae Klebsormidium are embedded in those from fungi , which indicated that the green algae might have gained peroxiredoxin genes through gene exchange from nearby fungi  is placed in the vicinity of multiple bacterial lineages   are enveloped by those from multiple bacterial lineages , again, suggesting the cross-kingdom HGT of GST genes among such taxa , showing strong HGT signs Figure 3Environmental pH is considered as an important factor for plants since it influences soil physical, chemical properties and nutrient availability and thereby affects plant inner homeostasis and growth . InteresVolvox carteri  and basic amino acid/polyamine antiporter (YhdG) in Physcomitrella patens (mosses), to test the reliability of the HGT inference , the most likely cross-phylum HGT donor(s), and also, remotely associated with a cluster of Bacteria . Likewise, the well-supported phylogenetic tree of YhdG showed that homologues of Physcomitrella, closely clustering with homologues of other mosses , liverworts (Marchantia spp.), and a green plant (Klebsormidium nitens), are nested within homologues of fungi  and bacteria , strongly indicating that cross-phylum HGTs might contribute to the spread of YhdG from microbes to plants  in nference Figure 4https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.20530083.v1). For example, we have also found in the reconstructed phylogeny of UvrD, a DNA helicase involved in excision repair of UV-induced DNA damage, that green algae homologues  are placed in the vicinity of homologues from cross-phylum Streptomyces spp. (fungi), which indicated the occurrence of HGT event  contain Rad25, a DNA helicase required for DNA repair and RNA polymerase II transcription, which is in close sequence homology to that from fungi   light radiation due to long-term sun exposure, which would induce oxidative damage and cross-links (DNA–protein or DNA–DNA). The accumulation of such damages in the plant would ultimately cause genomic instability and cell death . Apart fhttps://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.20530083.v1). The most commonly-seen HGT enzyme of these, cytochrome P450 , is a group of oxygenase enzymes that can catalyze the catabolism of a wide range of organic pollutants using oxygen as the electron acceptor, undergoing various detoxification reaction, including hydroxylation, N-, O-, S-dealkylation, sulfurization, epoxidation, deamination, desulfurization, dehalogenation, peroxidation, and N- oxide reduction .Organic soil pollution discharged by anthropogenic processes like herbicides overuse and chemical waste mismanagement can threaten the life of plants, and the association of endophytic or mycorrhizal microbes with host plants can reduce the harmful effect of organic pollutants to plant . Intereseduction . In addieduction  were fouChlamydomonas reinhardtii (XP_001698815) as query and constructed with not-exclusive top 100 BLASTP hit entries showed that CytP450 homologues of green algae , along with several homologues from eudicots , are placed in the neighborhood of homologues from cyanobacteria , clearly indicating the occurrence of cross-kingdom HGT events that have facilitated the acquisitions and spread of organic pollutant catabolism enzyme CytP450 from lower-grade microbial lineages to various plant taxa  calculation for prediction on gene expression potential of the abiotic stress resistance genes on the other hand.https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.20530026.v1. The TM-align-based comparison showed that the predicted models from both methods (AlphaFold2 and RoseTTAFold) agreed well with each other, giving an average pairwise TM-score of 0.80 (TM-score > 0.5 indicates similar fold), indicating that our protein structural models are very reliable. We further used such protein models as inputs of the deep-learning-driven structure-based protein functional annotation program DeepFRI (https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.20530083.v1), strongly indicating that most of the aforementioned HGT-originated abiotic stress resistance proteins can fold themselves into a correct, recognizable, and functional 3D topology. Furthermore, TM-align-based structural alignments of the 3D models of protein homologue from corresponding microbial donors built by the same deep-learning method (The outcoming models are available at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.20530026.v1) to the plant HGT-driven abiotic stress resistance proteins also reveal similar fold with a relatively high average pairwise TM-score of 0.72 (see https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.20530083.v1). To give more impression, we provided here a case study of the above-mentioned CytP450 from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii (Synechocystis sp. PCC) reveal a pair of folds showing highly identical topology with pairwise TM-score of 0.75 and average root mean square deviations (RMSD) of 1.99 Angstrom (Å). Resemblance was further found as we compared ligand-protein interaction patterns of these two structures by conducting classical molecular dynamics for 5 ns (https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.21008905.v1).We first tested if proteins encoded by such HGT-originated abiotic stress resistance genes in plant genomes can fold themselves into reasonable three-dimensional (3D) structures conveying acknowledged molecular functions. With the aid of the excellent deep-learning-driven structure prediction programs, AlphaFold2  and Rose DeepFRI  for funcDue to translational selection, genes with high expression level generally have a stronger codon bias than those expressed at lower levels . The codTogether, it means that the strategy of acquisitions of abiotic stress resistance genes by plants from microbes to enhance adaption might be successful and significant as far as our results corroborate.https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.20530083.v1). We have also applied in-silico approaches to verify the accuracy of blast-based HGT inference , the functionality of the 3D protein fold encoded by such HGT genes , and the expression potential of HGT genes .In this study, we have discovered an abundant repertoire of putative microbial-originated genes in 14 tested plant genomes that confer resistance to a wide range of abiotic stresses commonly encountered by plants, with the putative microbial HGT donors spanning from viruses, bacteria, fungi to protists (Burkholderiaceae (n=10). Members of Burkholderiaceae are characterized as plant-associated, which usually constitute the core floral community  generally have more HGT resistance genes than lower-grade Streptophyta taxa (e.g. Physcomitrella patens patens (moss), n=21), which outnumber those from high-grade land plant , n=14). Such richness of HGT genes associated with abiotic stress resistance especially those within the transition-stage lineages might have reflected a ring linking to the early adaption processes of plant to accomplish the colonization of land environment from aquatic. These HGT genes seem well-suited to combat abiotic factors more frequently encountered in land environments , in consistence with previous studies  is recommended as a still-pending and significant scientific question worthy of more in-depth ivestigations by the editorial of the journal Science in the article “So much more to know” , and we ommunity . Besides studies . The mec studies . Namely, mitosis .Concerns regarding such cross-lineage HGT genes might be the authenticity of both HGT direction and identification during the inference and the functionality of such HGT genes in the plant genomes. It has been argued that some of such HGT genes in the eukaryotic genome might result from endosymbiotic origin or contamination .Ricinus communis and green algae embedded within bacterial sequences. The most parsimonious explanation for this phylogenetic distribution is HGT from bacteria. Regarding the direction of the gene acquisition (microbe to plant instead of the reverse), it is ensured through the HGT detection pipeline IMGAP v.5.0 that only selects HGT candidate genes showing the best hits outside the taxonomic lineage of the tested genome , but with lower-scoring or no hits within the lineage of the tested genome. The precise method for identification of HGTs by the IMGAP pipeline has been expatiated by To alleviate these concerns, we have integrated into our study the “gold standard” verification for the detected HGT genes: that a particular gene has been gained through HGT from a different lineage would be phylogenetic incongruence, where an evolutionary tree for a specific protein family is distinct from the established organismal phylogeny . For exaChlamydomonas on the top of the tree to Coccomyxa inserted in the middle of the tree), again intertwined with branches leading to bacteria taxa. This suggested that such HGT events should be very likely actual since the probability that the said green algae’s genome sequences happen to contaminate simultaneously the same kind of DNA fragments in lab is minor.Furthermore, our supplemented phylogenetic analyses have also supported the direction of the predicted HGTs. As for excluding the possibility of false positive induced by contamination, we included in our analyses only high-quality complete (or near-complete) genome assemblies of plants Table 1,Orobanchaceae, Cuscuta and Rafflesia are being expressed  genome have a higher expression level than their native homologues, and in one case, the native copy was replaced by the foreign one  to illustrate the functionality of the HGT genes related to plant abiotic stress resistance. In line with our results, previous studies have experimentally verified that many horizontally transferred genes in plants xpressed . What’s eign one . In consIn summary, the microbe-originated HGT genes in plant genomes identified in our analyses and their participation in resistance against diverse abiotic pressures commonly encountered in land environments indicate a widespread and profound impact of HGT on the evolution of plants and other eukaryotes. Still, our analysis presented here is not exhaustive. We believe that the microbe-to-plant HGT cases discovered by far stand for only the tip of the profound evolutionary iceberg. As more and more genomic sequences of superior quality become available for wider lineage branches in the tree of plants, it is foreseeable that future research will provide us with a more exciting panorama illustrating both the extent and the evolutionary significance of HGT in plants thoroughly.Viridiplantae) within phyla Chlorophyta and Streptophyta, as listed in Fourteen high-quality eukaryotic plant genomes covering major plant taxa (clade http://www.phylogeny.fr/simple_phylogeny.cgi with the Maximum Likelihood (ML) method and 1,000 bootstrap replicates  and visualized with iTOL  was applied to calculate respective CAI values of HGT genes in plant genomes participating in resistance of diverse abiotic pressures with the EF-Tu gene (the elongation factors) as refence, which is supposed to be highly expressed across most organisms (Codon adaption index (CAI) was used as a numerical estimator of gene expression level , and corrganisms , as condrganisms . BesidesThe data presented in the study are available in the Genbank and IMG repositories under accession numbers provided in LL, and HY conceived and designed the research. LL, SP, ZW, TZ, HL, YX, JL and YL analyzed the data. LL wrote the manuscript. All authors contributed to the article and approved the submitted version.This research was supported by the key project of Science and Technology of Hunan Branch of China National Tobacco Corporation , the key research and development program of Hunan Province , the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) (No. 41807332), Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities of Central South University (no. 2022ZZTS0420) and Hunan International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Base of Environmental Microbiome and Application (No. 2018WK4019).We are grateful for resources from the High-Performance Computing Center of Central South University.Author ZW is employed by Zhangjiajie Tobacco Company of Hunan Province. Author TZ is employed by Hunan Urban and Rural Environmental Construction Co., Ltd. Authors YX and JL are employed by Chenzhou Tobacco Company of Hunan Province.The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.The authors declare that this study received funding from Science and Technology of Hunan Branch of China National Tobacco Corporation. The funder was not involved in the study design, collection, analysis, interpretation of data, the writing of this article, or the decision to submit it for publication.All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.


Performances improved as memory load decreased regardless of sensory modality (SM) and group factors. Theta EEG activation over the frontal area was proportionally influenced by task level; the left hemisphere (LH) showed greater activation in the gamma band, suggesting lateralization of VWM function regardless of SM. However, HCs showed stronger activation patterns in the LH than UCIs regardless of SM and in the parietal area (PA) during the most challenging audio condition. Linear regressions for gamma activation in the PA suggest the presence of a pattern-supporting auditory VWM only in HCs. Our findings seem to recognize gamma activation in the PA as the signature of effective auditory VWM. These results, although preliminary, highlight this EEG pattern as a possible cause of the variability found in VWM outcomes in deaf children, opening up new possibilities for interdisciplinary research and rehabilitation intervention.This pilot study investigates the neurophysiological patterns of visual and auditory verbal working memory (VWM) in unilateral cochlear implant users (UCIs). We compared the task-related electroencephalogram (EEG) power spectral density of 7- to 13-year-old UCIs ( It is well known that the relationship between hearing and language development is essential in the early years of a child’s life i.e., ,2). The . The 2])The benefits of cochlear implantation for restoring hearing and supporting the development of communication skills in prelingually deaf children are firmly established ,8,9, espEarly sensory experiences shape the neural circuitry of the auditory system, and there is a pronounced reduction in synaptic plasticity in the auditory cortex during early deafness . ElectroFew recent studies have investigated cortical activations through electroencephalography (EEG), a powerful, accessible and versatile neuroimaging tool for investigating human brain physiology, cognition and behavior ,43 in CIIn light of the scientific evidence available in the literature to date, the present study aims to investigate the impact of unilateral cochlear implant use in deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) children on the neurophysiological patterns underlying VWM processing of auditory and visual stimuli during an n-back task. The pioneering goal of the present study, which is comparing the EEG signals of DHH children unilateral CI users with a control group of hearing children, is to reveal the neurophysiological sensorial patterns of VWM. This is in order to explain the extreme behavioral variability found in this clinical group concerning this essential cognitive function. Findings could support an improved clinical and rehabilitative approach for these patients.Methods for recording and analysis in the current study follow those described in previous publications from our group ,45. An aThe sample size was determined by a power analysis before data collection using G*Power  . Given tDuring the EEG recording, participants performed two verbal n-back tasks  with difStimuli: verbal material consisted of auditory and visual stimuli, referring to seven consonants  already used in previous experimental protocols [rotocols ,62,63,64rotocols . To ensurotocols  were prerotocols  consisterotocols , transmiTask execution: Immediately after the stimuli presentation, participants in the ISI had to respond by pressing a previously reported key (D/K) on the keyboard to indicate whether the letter was a target (K) or a nontarget (D): thus, there was a behavioral response in either case. In the 0-back condition, the letter X was the target. In the 1-back condition, a letter was a target when it was the same as the one presented immediately before. In the 2-back condition, a letter was a target when it was the same as the two letters before. Participants received detailed instructions on how to perform the task correctly and a training session was undertaken before the practical measurement session to familiarize them with the experimental procedure.Task structure: load levels  were presented in six blocks (2 for each level) for each task . The blocks consisted of 21 randomized stimuli (30% target) [ target) . A baselProcedure: the participant was seated on a chair in an audiometric test room while the experimental design was fully explained. Participants were instructed to assume a comfortable position and avoid unnecessary movement to reduce muscular artefacts in the EEG signal. After each task phase, the participant indicated the perceived task difficulty (easy–medium–hard) on a stylized image; at the end of the entire experimental session, they were asked to rate which of the two tasks  was the most difficult.Performances were evaluated in terms of accuracy (ACC), calculated as the percentage of correct responses for each task condition . To integrate the correct answers and the reaction times  for each response, inverse efficiency score IES = RT/1-PE was calculated, where RT is the subject’s average RTs for correct answers (target/nontarget). PE is the subject’s proportion of errors for each condition. IES can be interpreted as the RT corrected for the number of errors committed .To record 20 EEG channels  referred to the participants’ earlobes, a digital ambulatory monitoring system  with a sampling frequency of 256 Hz was used. The impedance was kept below 10 kΩ, and a 50 Hz notch filter was then applied to remove power interference. EEG signals were initially band-pass filtered with a 5th order Butterworth band-pas filter 1–45 Hz) to reject continuous components and high-frequency interferences like such as muscular artefacts. The Fpz channel was used to eliminate eye-blink contributions by the REBLINCA algorithm  without  Hz to reBoth neuro and behavioral data were objects of statistical analysis in this study. The Shapiro–Wilk normality test  was applreported ,78. The reported , providereported .The overall ACC percentages were greater during all auditory n-back levels and increased with decreasing memory load for both HC and UCI. Furthermore, IES scores for both groups were higher during all levels of auditory n-back and decreased with decreasing memory load compared to visual n-back .p < 0.001, p < 0.001) and n2 (p < 0.001) load conditions  = 23.992, nditions .p = 0 < 001, p = 0.028, p = 0.002, p < 0.001 resp.) and between level 1 and 2-back (p = 0.024) and for the auditory compared to visual modality (p = 0.028) (p < 0.001).ANOVA results showed a statistically significant effect of both LOAD  = 30.351, = 0.028) . Furtherp = 0.014, p = 0.002)  = 4.852, = 0.002) .p = 0.043 p ≤ 0.001) except for the 0-video condition  = 3.499, ondition .p = 0.059, p = 0.052, Gamma activity also, regardless of conditions, was greater at the limit of significance in the left hemisphere than in the right  = 4.165 p = 0.010, p = 0.010, p = 0.002) and during video versus audio presentation (p = 0.008)  = 8.679 = 0.008) .2 = 0.506, R2 adjusted = 0.445) and during the audio task , while in UCI, a correlation is observed only between parietal gamma activation with current age for audio condition and not with behavioral data (r = 0.86). Furthermore, during the audio task, always considering the limitations of the analysis due to the numerosity and variability of the group, the simple linear regression analysis demonstrated a significant linear dependence between gamma oscillations in the parietal area and IES only for HC participants   .In the current pilot study, we analyzed behavioral and neural correlates of VWM processing during auditory and visual n-back tasks in normal hearing and DHH children unilateral cochlear implant users. To date, these measures have rarely been used in UCI children while being reported for the visual n-back task in hearing adult and children’s groups  worsens as the VWM load increases  in line Mental workload (WL) is a fundamental concept in the study of human performance, emerging from the observation that our cognitive system has a limited capacity to perform a cognitive task ,94. WL eTo infer the mental state of cognitive load in VWM, we combined the neurophysiological WI ,96 with Attentional processes activate engage frontal areas involved in the generation of theta oscillations ,99,100. Hemispheric functional specialization or functional asymmetry is a well-established characteristic of functional organization in the human brain. Verbal sound processing predominantly occurs in the left hemisphere, whereas nonverbal sound processing predominates in the right hemisphere . StudiesSince the present study used auditory and visual verbal stimuli during the n-back task, and the evidence that in the processing of speech signals, binaurally presented stimuli elicit more robust brain responses in the left hemisphere ,110, we The interpretation of results in terms of gamma inactivation in UCI would seem to be expressly validated during audio VWM by the activations found in the parietal area in the control group. In fact, in the parietal area, the HCs were significantly less active in the most challenging audio task than in the other conditions . MoreoveOverall, our findings confirm the role of gamma-band oscillations as candidates for the working memory function. Consistently, numerous studies observed the involvement of the gamma band in the perception and maintenance of the WM ,121,122.Additionally, the integration of binaural input occurs via coincident counters in the superior olivary complex -SOC  and thisThe regression analysis conducted on the UCI group finally confirms that the chronological age predicted just parietal gamma activity for audio VWM and is not predictive for video conditions . TherefoThis is the first study investigating differences in neurophysiological patterns between hearing and UCI children during a VWM task performed in two modalities . We obtained promising positive results that include the absence of differences in both behavioral performance and neurophysiological indicators of attention  and workload (WI) between the clinical group and controls. Although restricted to a small sample, these results can confirm the effectiveness of clinical and rehabilitation treatments for children with unilateral cochlear implants. However, the different recruitment between HC and UCI found in the parietal area for the auditory stimulation appears to be closely related to the representation of the senses at a cortical level and the different relationships found between EEG oscillations and the behavioral and biological data (current age) between HC and UCI, leading to the conclusion that the difference in activation in gamma frequency in the parietal areas can be the proper support to the auditory VWM. Thus, the synergy (absent in children with CI) between gamma activation and performance could be the reason for the extreme variability found in psychological assessments of VWM tasks in previous studies. Further studies exploring the heterogeneity of characteristics of CI users  could provide additional support for our findings and open up future directions of investigation.Finally, our findings, although preliminary and needing further investigations in larger samples, support evidence that EEG may hold promise in uncovering the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying the variability in VWM outcomes between HC and UCI. They may provide evidence of the activation of gamma in the parietal areas as a possible signature of neurophysiological support for auditory VWM, and to open both new lines of research on purely behavioral data, and extend existing and future rehabilitation pathways.


Cantharellus cibarius, an ectomycorrhizal fungus belonging to the Basidiomycetes, has significant medicinal and edible value, economic importance, and ecological benefits. However, C. cibarius remains incapable of artificial cultivation, which is thought to be due to the presence of bacteria. Therefore, much research has focused on the relationship between C. cibarius and bacteria, but rare bacteria are frequently overlooked, and symbiotic pattern and assembly mechanism of the bacterial community associated with C. cibarius remain unknown. In this study, the assembly mechanism and driving factors of both abundant and rare bacterial communities of C. cibarius were revealed by the null model. The symbiotic pattern of the bacterial community was examined using a co-occurrence network. Metabolic functions and phenotypes of the abundant and rare bacteria were compared using METAGENassist2, and the impacts of abiotic variables on the diversity of abundant and rare bacteria were examined using partial least squares path modeling. In the fruiting body and mycosphere of C. cibarius, there was a higher proportion of specialist bacteria compared with generalist bacteria. Dispersal limitation dominated the assembly of abundant and rare bacterial communities in the fruiting body and mycosphere. However, pH, 1-octen-3-ol, and total phosphorus of the fruiting body were the main driving factors of bacterial community assembly in the fruiting body, while available nitrogen and total phosphorus of the soil affected the assembly process of the bacterial community in the mycosphere. Furthermore, bacterial co-occurrence patterns in the mycosphere may be more complex compared with those in the fruiting body. Unlike the specific potential functions of abundant bacteria, rare bacteria may provide supplementary or unique metabolic pathways (such as sulfite oxidizer and sulfur reducer) to enhance the ecological function of C. cibarius. Notably, while volatile organic compounds can reduce mycosphere bacterial diversity, they can increase fruiting body bacterial diversity. Findings from this study further, our understanding of C. cibarius-associated microbial ecology. The presence of bacteria and other foreign microorganisms in the spores and tissues of the fruiting body, which complicates the intricate symbiotic relationship between the fruiting body and host tree, is thought to be the primary reason why artificial cultivation of C. cibarius is challenging  to explore the co-occurrence patterns and metabolic functions of abundant and rare bacteria in the fruiting bodies and mycosphere of C. cibarius; (2) to reveal the assembly mechanism of bacterial taxa in the fruiting body and mycosphere of C. cibarius; (3) to analyze the regulatory effects of various environmental factors on the diversity of abundant and rare bacteria in fruiting bodies and mycosphere. We hypothesized that: (1) the symbiotic pattern of the bacterial community in the mycosphere is more complex than the fruiting body, and the rare bacteria have some unique or complementary potential functions. (2) The assembly of abundant and rare bacterial communities in fruiting bodies and mycosphere was dominated by stochastic processes, but also influenced by different environmental factors. (3) The diversity of abundant and rare bacteria in fruiting bodies and mycosphere may be regulated differently by the same environmental factors.This study used 12 fruiting bodies of 2.2.1.The fruiting bodies and mycosphere samples were collected in August 2021 from the forest-soil region of three plots in Guiyang, Guizhou, China see . The fun2.2.C. cibarius using the E.Z.N.A. ® soil DNA Kit  according to the manufacturer’s protocols. DNA concentration and purity were determined by NanoDrop 2000 UV-cis spectrophotometer . Variable V3-V4 regions of the 16S rRNA gene were amplified using the bacterial primers 338F (5′-ACTCCTACGGGAGGCAGCAG-3′) and 806R (5′-GGACTACHVGGGTWTCTAAT-3′) in the GeneAmp 9,700 PCR system . The conditions and mixtures for PCR amplification were referenced in our previous method , then compared with the SILVA 16S rRNA database (v138), setting the comparison threshold at 70% , mean annual rainfall (MAR), relative humidity (RH), and sunshine duration (SD) in 2021 were obtained from meteorological data provided by the China Meteorological Data Service Center2.4.C. cibarius. Therefore, these three VOCs were selected for analysis in this study. After the dried fruiting bodies were crushed, 0.5059 g was weighed into a 100-mL headspace injection bottle and 20 ml saturated sodium chloride solution was added. The extraction head was desorbed for 5 min (50/30 μm PDMS extraction head), inserted into the extraction bottle, and the headspace of 70°C water bath was extracted for 60 min at 1000 R/min speed. It was quickly inserted into the injection port of the gas chromatograph, desorbed at 250°C for 5 min, and simultaneously detected by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The chromatographic column was an Agilent HP-5MS elastic capillary column (30 m × 250 μm × 0.25 μm), and the column program was 40°C for 2 min; 5°C/min to 85°C for 2 min; 2°C/min to 110°C for 1 min; 3°C/min to 128°C for 1 min; 2°C/min to 145°C for 2 min; 5°C/min to 230°C for 8 min . The flow rate was 1.0 ml/min. The linear relationships were 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 μl of standard solution, and with the injection volume as the abscissa (X) and the peak area (Y) as the ordinate, standard curves were generated and the contents of various VOCs were calculated, respectively. Data of all indexes are shown in According to 2.5.B) index for the abundant and rare subcommunities . The B index considered habitat utilization based on species abundance and evenness at the metacommunity scale. Higher B-values indicate a wider niche breadth for species existing in more habitats; lower B-values indicate a narrower niche breadth for species in fewer habitats. We calculated the average niche breadth index (Bm) for all taxa of a bacterial community to indicate the habitat utilization and divided each sub-community with an average Bm value based on 100 Bootstraps. According to the emergence of OTUs and using the permutation algorithms as implemented in EcolUtils  and statistically significant (p < 0.01) OTUs are present in the network  and Community Richness  by Mothur software . ANOVA aThe metabolic functions, energy sources and biological relationships of abundant and rare bacteria in fruiting bodies and mycospheres soils were annotated based on METAGENassist2 . The phe3.3.1.After strict quality filtering, resulting sequences were gathered into OTUs with similarity ≥97%. In all, 3,456 OTUs and 2,165 OTUs were detected in the mycosphere and fruiting body, respectively. Although a large percentage of OTUs in fruiting bodies were recognized as rare taxa , they only made up 3.42% of the average relative abundance of each sample . In the C. cibarius, a heat tree was used to characterize the taxonomic information of the top 50 OTUs of abundant and rare bacteria in each sample. The abundant bacteria of the fruiting body (FAB) were mainly Proteobacteria, Acidobacteriota, and Patescibacteria at the phylum level, and Allorhizobium-Neorhizobium-Pararhizobium-Rhizobium, Burkholderia-caballeronia-paraburkholderia, Serratia and Chitinophaga were the dominant genera. The rare bacteria of the fruiting body (FRB) predominantly belonged to the phyla Planctomycetota, Firmicutes, and Actinobacteriota, and Jatrophihabitans, Sphingomonas, Paenibacillus, and Reyranella were the dominant genera  predominantly belonged to the phyla Verrucomicrobiota, Myxococcota, Bacteroidota, and Chloroflexi, and the dominant genera of rare bacteria included Chthoniobacter, Gemmatimonas, Cohnella, and Crossiella (The abundant bacteria of the mycosphere (MAB)were mainly Proteobacteria, Actinobacteriota, and Acidobacteriota at the phylum level, and the dominant genera of abundant bacteria included ossiella .p < 0.05) (p < 0.05) (p < 0.05) (p < 0.05)  –D. In bo < 0.05) . Additio < 0.05) , and the < 0.05) . Princip < 0.05) ,F.3.2.The null model shows the stochastic process for abundant and rare bacteria with a high relative contribution in the process of assembly . For insC. cibarius, the habitat specialization of the bacteria was examined. The niche breadth index of the OTU corresponding to the abundant and rare bacteria in the fruiting bodies and mycosphere, respectively, was estimated to further study the community structure. The niche breadth index of MAB was significantly higher than that of the FAB (p < 0.001) (p < 0.001)  . MAB (5.< 0.001) . Further< 0.001) . In the < 0.001) .To explore the major environmental factors that determined the assembly processes for abundant and rare taxa of the fruiting body and mycosphere, Mantel tests were conducted by comparing the βNTI values and each environmental variable (based on Euclidean distance matrices). The results suggested that many factors influenced the phylogenetic turnover of communities . The mai3.3.The co-occurrence networks of abundant and rare bacterial communities were further compared to assess their interactions. The results show that 107 nodes (OTUs) and 335 edges (correlations) were included in the samples of the fruiting body based on co-occurrence network analysis. Samples of the mycosphere contained 882 nodes and 7,825 edges. Other topological features were shown in 3.4.p < 0.05) and FRB  in the fruiting body. The diversity of both FAB  and FRB  was directly negatively impacted by the physicochemical properties of the fruiting bodies. However, the diversity of both FAB (0.033) and FRB (0.128) was positively impacted directly by VOCs  (p < 0.05) and MRB  in the mycosphere. The diversity of both MAB and MRB in the mycosphere was positively influenced by the soil physicochemical properties  . However, VOCs exhibited adverse direct impacts on the diversity of MAB  and MAB  in the mycosphere   ,B. Simil < 0.05) ,D.3.5.From the analysis of potential biological relationships, most of the abundant and rare bacteria in the fruiting bodies and mycosphere were free-living, and the proportions of FAB (31.3%) and FRB (29.0%) in the fruiting bodies were higher than those in the mycosphere . In addition, the proportion of symbiosis in the MAB was relatively high (11.9%), which was higher than that in other taxa . From th4.C. cibarius.Most studies on fruiting bodies and mycosphere at the moment concentrate on the dominant genera of abundant bacterial taxa . In this4.1.The abundant taxa have traditionally received the majority of attention in soil microbial studies since they are typically regarded as the most active and significant participants in the biogeochemical cycle . HoweverC. cibarius frequently contain Acidobacteriota as dominant taxa . This is consistent with our third hypothesis. Climate factors such as temperature, humidity, rainfall, and sunshine duration were reported as important factors affecting soil microbial diversity .The diversity of abundant and rare bacteria in the mycosphere of iversity . Similariversity . Howeveriversity . In relaiversity . Volvario-ionone . Data freproduce . In thiseproduce . TherefoThe datasets presented in this study can be found in online repositories. The names of the repository/repositories and accession number(s) can be found in the article/YH, YZ, and GZ: conceptualization and funding acquisition. WG, YR, and CD: data acquisition. QS, YB, ZH, and TY: formal analysis. WG: writing the first draft. YH and SD: writing, review, and editing the manuscript. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.This work was financially supported by “Hundred” Talent Projects of Guizhou Province (Qian Ke He [2020] 6005), the Project of Guizhou Province Science and Technology , the Natural Science Foundation of China , and Construction Program of Biology First-class Discipline in Guizhou (GNYL [2017] 009).The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.


This study is aimed at assessing the relationship between maternal urinary triclosan (uTCS) exposure and the thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) level of infant cord blood.  This cross-sectional study was carried out in 2019-2020 in Isfahan, Iran, and 99 pregnant women participated in the study. Urine samples were collected after the 28th week of pregnancy, and the concentration of TCS was measured using GC/MS. The cord blood levels of TSH (CBL-TSH) were measured. The association between uTCS and CBL-TSH was examined based on the general linear model. μg/g Cr. uTCS was not associated with CBL-TSH after adjustment for covariates. A significant relationship was observed between CBL-TSH of neonates born to mothers who had given birth only once compared to mothers who had given birth twice or more times.  TCS was detected (≥0.01 ng/mL) in 100% of the urine samples, with the interquartile range (25%-75%) of uTCS levels 0.6-6.23  Maternal exposure to TCS did not affect the infant CBL-TSH. However, the high concentrations of TCS in maternal urinary samples indicate the necessity of more precise regulations to decrease the use of this chemical in the industry and increase public awareness about using TCS-free compounds. Triclosan (TCS) or 5-chloro-2-phenol is a synthetic lipid-soluble and broad-spectrum antimicrobial compound  which wiThe chemical structure of TCS is similar to estrogenic and androgenic endocrine disruptor chemicals (EDCs) such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), bisphenol A, and dioxins . Some stBecause pregnant women and their fetuses are vulnerable to endocrine disorders, understanding the exposure to particular contaminants such as TCS and their consequences in pregnant women is of particular importance. Thus, it is critical to study the pregnant women population given their sensitivity to environmental chemicals such as TCS. Therefore, this study is aimed at assessing the relationship between the maternal urinary concentration of TCS and CBL-TSH. This is the first study in Iran to examine the relationship between the concentration of uTCS in pregnant women and TSH in their infant umbilical cord as sensitive and vulnerable groups.This cross-sectional study approved by the Ethics Committee of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences was carried out in 2019-2020 as a substudy of the prospective epidemiological research studies in Iran (PERSIAN) birth cohort entitled “Isfahan Birth Cohort” (IBC). All participants signed informed consent for participation in the study. Detailed information about the study design, participants, and data collection method can be found in a previously published article . HoweverInclusion criteria are as follows: the participants (1) whose delivery was not emergency, (2) were randomly selected (based on a table of random numbers), (3) were informed about the objectives and protocols of the study and follow-up stages, (4) filled in the questionnaires, (5) had spot urinary and cord blood samples taken, (6) were reassured that their information would be kept confidential, (7) had been living in Isfahan for at least in last year, (8) were in the third trimester, and (9) intended to give birth in Isfahan hospitals.In this study, the exclusion criteria were chosen as Wang et al.'s study with some modifications. All participants with (a) a failure to provide a urine sample, (b) a history of smoking and alcohol consumption before and during pregnancy, and (c) having urine samples with creatinine levels ≤ 0.05 g/L and ≥3 g/L were excluded from the study . It shouThe data obtained from various questionnaires completed in the cohort designed by mothers in the third trimester were surveyed. These data include eating habits, body mass index (BMI), physical activity, age of mother, number of deliveries, supplementation use during pregnancy, gestational diseases , and environmental exposures (cosmetic use). Moreover, the infants' sexes were extracted from the completed questionnaires.First, 20 mL of pure morning urine was taken from each subject in the third trimester of pregnancy and collected in polyethylene containers. After, they were transferred to the laboratory and reserved at -70°C until analysis. In addition, to determine the creatinine levels, 5 mL of the sample was taken, and the rest was used to determine the TCS content.μL as the dispersant solvent) and trichloroethane (60 μL as the extracting solvent) was suddenly added to the sample, and it was centrifuged at 5000 rpm for 5 min. The extracted solution was transferred to a microtube with a syringe and then dried with N2 gas. Subsequently, 20 μL of the MTBSTFA derivative compound was added to the microtube and was mixed vigorously by a vortex, and the microtube was then placed in a water bath for 1 min at 60°C. Finally, 2 μL of the solution was injected into the GC/MS device  to determine the TCS concentration. The GC/MS apparatus had a 30 m long DM5-MS capillary column, a diameter of 0.25 mm, and an internal film thickness of 250 μm. The injector temperature was set at 280°C with a split ratio of 5 : 1, and the injection volume was 2 μL. The carrier gas flow rate was set at 1 mL/min. The initial oven temperature was 80°C for 1 min, which was increased to 270°C at 10°C per minute. A total run time of 22 min was obtained for each injection. To minimize dilution differences between urine samples, TCS concentrations were adjusted by creatinine levels. For this purpose, the levels of creatinine in the urine samples were determined by the Jaffe-kinetic method and an Alpha Classic-AT device in Isfahan University Jihad Medical Diagnostic Laboratory, and the concentration of TCS was expressed relative to creatinine.All solvents, standards, and derivatives, including 1,1,1-trichloroethane, methanol, N-(tert-butyldimethylsilyl)-N-methyltrifluoroacetamide (MTBSTFA) derivative compounds, and TCS standards, were purchased from Sigma-Aldrich Co., USA. To measure the concentration of TCS in urine, the dispersed liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME) method was employed, followed by gas chromatography equipped with a mass spectrometry detector (GC/MS) . BrieflyThe cord bloods were collected after the infants were delivered, and the umbilical cord was cut. The sampling was done by a trained midwife separating the infant from the placenta, immediately after clamping of the two sides of cord blood before the natural clotting process begins. After cleaning the cord with alcohol, 4 mL blood was collected from the vein and stored in an EDTA tube, mixed by inverting 4-5 times, and then transmitted to a reputable laboratory . The colAccording to ICH guidelines, all GC/MS methods should be approved for precision, accuracy, and linearity . The samQualitative data are expressed as frequency (percentage) and quantitative as mean ± SD. The statistical analysis results showed that TCS and TSH did not have a normal distribution. The GLM regression model with a gamma link was used to assess the relationship between the measured TCS concentration, TSH levels, and other variables, including lifestyle variables , pregnancy variables , age of mother, and environmental exposure to cosmetics. SPSS 20  was used for all statistical analyzes.2. The pregnant women used cosmetics and personal care products by 69.7% (n = 69) and 60.6% (n = 60), respectively. The results showed that 85 participants (86%) had low physical activity, and only about 14 participants (14.1%) had moderate-to-severe physical activity. Furthermore, 38 pregnant women (38.4%) had <2 deliveries, while 61 (61.6%) had >2. In terms of pregnancy disease, 11 mothers (11.1%) had hypothyroidism, and 8 (8.1%) had diabetes.The characteristics of mothers and their infants are presented in n = 99). The mean ± SD concentrations of TCS relative to creatinine and TSH were 4.81 ± 6.11 μg/g Cr and 8.96 ± 7.41 MIU/L, respectively.P value = 0.962). Moreover, there was a difference in the level of TSH in the umbilical cord of neonates born to mothers who had given birth only once  compared to mothers who had given birth two or more times . In other words, neonates born to mothers who had given birth only once had higher CBL-TSH.The relationship between CBL-TSH, uTCS concentration, and other variables was evaluated using the GLM regression model with gamma link . There wP value = 0.962). Therefore, few studies have examined the relationship between maternal uTCS concentration and CBL-TSH. The results of some of these are in accordance with the findings of this research. Wang et al. stated that there was no significant relationship between maternal uTCS concentration and cord blood FT4 or TSH concentration. They also presented a negative association between maternal uTCS and FT3 levels in cord blood [This study surveyed the possible association between the uTCS concentration of mothers and CBL-TSH. There was no significant correlation between increased maternal uTCS concentration and increase/decreased neonatal CBL-TSH . Furthermore, many previous studies said no significant difference between the CBL-TSH and the neonates' sex [In the present study, there was no association between infant sex and a decrease or increase in TSH concentration . In addition, other studies showed that BMI and maternal weight gain was not associated with CBL-TSH [In this study, it was not found a significant relationship between BMI and maternal age during pregnancy and TSH concentration  and hypothyroidism . In addition, in previous studies, there was no significant correlation between CBL-TSH with hypothyroidism and gestational diabetes [Generally, the activation of estrogen receptors can affect insulin resistance and glucose metabolism . Babies diabetes , 26. Furdiabetes , 25, 30.diabetes .P value = 0.014) in comparison with mothers who had more than one  with the concentration of TSH in the umbilical cord was found. In other words, mothers who gave birth once had higher levels of TSH in their fetal umbilical cord than mothers who gave birth twice or more. Similar to the findings of our study, several studies have reported an increase in the cord TSH level in first-born neonates compared to later-born ones [As previously stated, in the present study, a significant relationship between mothers who had a single delivery . TCS has been popular in the food packaging industry owing to its antimicrobial properties and is used in plastic materials to ensure the durability and safety of products. Because TCS can be released from the surface of materials used in packaging of food, it was removed from the EU list in March 2012 for use in food contact plastics [P value = 0.083).Cosmetic and healthcare products are important sources of human exposure to TCS . TCS hasplastics . The resμg/g Cr, which is lower than the other studies [ studies , 37. The studies .The main limitation of the current study was its cross-sectional design, which could not show the long-term effects of triclosan exposure on the health of mothers and infants from different aspects. Using spot urine samples, which may not reflect prolonged exposure, is another limitation of the present study. In addition to TSH, the association of TCS with other hormones such as T3 and T4 should be investigated, and a larger sample should be recruited to investigate this association. Significant limitations of such studies are participants' lack of cooperation with the research team and the time and costs of tests. We did not examine other potential factors related to the TSH level, e.g., thyroid antibodies, markers of inflammation, and genetic factors. However, our study was one of the first studies and can provide information for future studies with more sophisticated laboratory tests.In the present study, there was no significant association between maternal uTCS and CBL-TSH at the third trimester of pregnancy. Although maternal exposure to TCS may not affect infant CBL-TSH, given that these results are according to cross-sectional data, the results should be interpreted with caution. The significant concentration of TCS observed here necessitates more precise regulations in the industry to limit the use of this substance in products and the importance of public education for women of childbearing age to use alternative products that are TCS-free.