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Rechargeable lithium–oxygen (Li–O2) batteries are known for their ultrahigh theoretical energy density among chemical batteries. However, the low catalytic activity and poor stability of the cathode catalyst are the root issues limiting their practical applications. In this work, a design strategy to enhance the catalytic activity of the TiC material was devised by C surface modification. The carbon-coated core–shell TiC@C nanomaterial was designed, which combined the good electrical conductivity and low density of carbon materials with the excellent catalysis of TiC. The calculated catalytic activities of TiC (100) with and without C coating were compared by first-principles calculations, showing that the TiC (100)@C surface has a lower ORR/OER overpotential. The C layer enhances the conductivity of the TiC (100) surface significantly. This work fully demonstrates the synergistic catalysis of TiC material and C coating, which not only effectively accelerates the practical process by improving the charging and discharging kinetic rate of Li–O2batteries but also provides an efficient catalyst design strategy for other energy-catalytic industries.

IMPORTANCE: Comparisons are limited for immediate-intensive and delayed-intensive statin for secondary stroke prevention and neuroprotection in patients with acute mild ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) from atherosclerosis. OBJECTIVE: To estimate whether immediate-intensive statin therapy is safe and can lower the risk of recurrent stroke compared with delayed-intensive statin in patients with acute mild ischemic stroke or high-risk TIA from atherosclerosis. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: The Intensive Statin and Antiplatelet Therapy for High-Risk Intracranial or Extracranial Atherosclerosis (INSPIRES) trial, a double-blind, placebo-controlled, 2 × 2 factorial, randomized clinical trial enrolled patients from September 2018 to October 2022. The trial was conducted at 222 hospitals in China. Patients aged 35 to 80 years with mild ischemic stroke or high-risk TIA of presumed atherosclerosis within 72 hours of symptom onset were assessed. INTERVENTIONS: Patients were randomly assigned to receive immediate-intensive atorvastatin (80 mg daily on days 1-21; 40 mg daily on days 22-90) or 3-day delayed treatment (placebo for days 1-3, followed by placebo and atorvastatin, 40 mg daily on days 4-21, and then atorvastatin, 40 mg daily on days 22-90). MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The primary efficacy outcome was new stroke within 90 days, and a secondary efficacy outcome was poor functional outcome. Moderate to severe bleeding was the primary safety outcome. RESULTS: A total of 11 431 patients were assessed for eligibility, and 6100 patients (median [IQR] age, 65 [57-71] years; 3915 men [64.2%]) were enrolled, with 3050 assigned to each treatment group. Within 90 days, new stroke occurred in 245 patients (8.1%) in the immediate-intensive statin group and 256 patients (8.4%) in the delayed group (hazard ratio, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.80-1.13). Poor functional outcome occurred in 299 patients (9.8%) and 348 patients (11.4%) in the immediate-intensive and delayed-intensive statin groups, respectively (odds ratio, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.71-0.98). Moderate to severe bleeding occurred in 23 of 3050 patients (0.8%) and 17 of 3050 patients (0.6%), in the immediate-intensive and delayed-intensive statin groups, respectively. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Immediate-intensive statin initiated within 72 hours did not reduce the risk of stroke within 90 days and may be associated with improved functional outcomes without significant difference in moderate to severe bleeding, compared with 3-day delayed-intensive statin in Chinese patients with acute mild ischemic stroke or TIA from atherosclerosis. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03635749

Aminophenyl sulfone compounds (ASCs) are widely used in various fields, such as the pharmaceutical and textile industries. ASCs and their primary acetylation products are inevitably discharged into the environment. However, the high toxicity of ASCs could be released from the deacetylation of acetylation products. Still, the occurrence and ecological risks of ASCs and their acetylation products remain largely unknown. Here, we integrated all of the existing ASCs based on the core structure, together with their potential acetylation products, to establish a database covering 1105 compounds. By combining the database with R programming, 45 ASCs, sulfonamides, and their acetylation products were identified in the influent and effluent of 19 municipal wastewater treatment plants in 4 cities of China. 13 of them were detected for the first time in the aquatic environment, and 12 acetylation products were newly identified. The cumulative concentrations of 45 compounds in the influent and effluent were in the range of 231–9.96 × 103and 26–2.70 × 103ng/L, respectively. The proportion of the unrecognized compounds accounted for 60.6% of the influent and 62.8% of the effluent. Furthermore, nearly half of the ASCs (46.7%), other sulfonamides (49.9%), and their acetylation products (46.2%) were discharged from the effluent, posing a low-to-medium risk to aquatic organisms. The results provide a guideline for future monitoring programs, particularly for sulfadiazine and dronedarone, and emphasize that the ecological risk of ASCs, sulfonamides, and their acetylation products needs to be considered in the aquatic environment.

Diamond is considered the most promising next-generation semiconductor material due to its excellent physical characteristics. It has been more than three decades since the discovery of a special structure named n-diamond. However, despite extensive efforts, its crystallographic structure and properties are still unclear. Here, we show that subdisordered structures in diamond provide an explanation for the structural feature of n-diamond. Monocrystalline diamond with subdisordered structures is synthesized via the chemical vapor deposition method. Atomic-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy characterizations combined with the picometer-precision peak finder technology and diffraction simulations reveal that picometer-scale shifts of atoms within cells of diamond govern the subdisordered structures. First-principles calculations indicate that the bandgap of diamond decreases rapidly with increasing shifting distance, in accordance with experimental results. These findings clarify the crystallographic structure and electronic properties of n-diamond and provide new insights into the bandgap adjustment in diamond.

Soil pollution with heavy metals has become a global issue that can be addressed via immobilization through the application of biochar. In the present study, we hypothesized that biochar derived from bamboo helps mitigate the toxicity of chromium (Cr) in wheat plants grown in soil contaminated with Cr at 0, 50, 100, and 200 mg kg−1. The biochar produced was brittle, porous, and alkaline with a surface area of 46.93 m2g−1and pore size of 0.04 cm3g−1. The elemental composition of biochar was carbon (C = 77.63%), oxygen (O = 18.32%), hydrogen (H = 2.81%), calcium (N = 1.07%), and sulfur (S = 0.17%) determined through energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy revealed the occurrence of carboxylic or phenolic, aliphatic, amide, and aromatic groups. The results of the toxicity study revealed that the interaction of various concentrations of Cr and biochar was significant for shoot and root biomass because both the parameters were sensitive to Cr at higher concentrations. For instance, Cr concentration with 50, 100, and 200 mg kg−1reduced shoot dry biomass by 30.54%, 45.45%, and 69.94%; root dry biomass by 26.40%, 43.39%, and 57.14%; carotenoid contents by 5.50%, 25.86%, and 24.92%; stomatal conductance by 23.46%, 35.60%, and 44.34%; photosynthetic rate by 12.11%, 25.59%, and 40.16%; LRWC by 7.01%, 15.12%, and 26.52%; intercellular concentration by 10.95%, 20.73%, and 35.335%. In addition, wheat growth parameters such as proline and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents were increased in the presence of Cr in the range of 4.93 to 102.46% in roots, while 20 to 81.86% in shoots. Similarly, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) activities in roots were enhanced in the range of 7.26 to 84.81% and 34.63 to 93.74%, and 15.63 to 76.73% and 77.25 to 190.86% in shoots after the exposure of wheat plants to Cr at 50, 100, and 200 mg kg−1. On the other hand, catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POD) activities in shoots were significantly reduced upon exposure to Cr at 100 and 200 mg kg−1suggesting that it was beyond the capacity of these antioxidants to scavenge reactive species. It was noted that biochar application at 10% significantly (P< 0.05) reduced MDA, proline contents, SOD, CAT, POX, and H2O2activities in roots and shoots alleviating Cr toxicity at lower levels of treatments. Therefore, the present study concluded that strict measures should be taken for the removal of Cr from wastewater before they are discharged and used for irrigation purposes because the toxic effects of Cr were not completely alleviated at higher levels of Cr in the presence of biochar.

Breeding new and sustainable crop cultivars of high yields and desirable traits has been a major challenge for ensuring food security for the growing global human population. For polyploid crops such as wheat, introducing genetic variation from wild relatives of its subgenomes is a key strategy to improve the quality of their breeding pools. Over the past decades, considerable progress has been made in speed breeding, genome sequencing, high-throughput phenotyping and genomics-assisted breeding, which now allows us to realize whole-genome introgression from wild relatives to modern crops. Here, we present a standardized protocol to rapidly introgress the entire genome of Aegilops tauschii, the progenitor of the D subgenome of bread wheat, into elite wheat backgrounds. This protocol integrates multiple modern high-throughput technologies and includes three major phases: development of synthetic octaploid wheat, generation of hexaploid A. tauschii–wheat introgression lines (A-WIs) and homozygosis of the generated A-WIs. Our approach readily generates stable introgression lines in 2 y, thus greatly accelerating the generation of A-WIs and the introduction of desirable genes from A. tauschiito wheat cultivars. These A-WIs are valuable for wheat-breeding programs and functional gene discovery. The current protocol can be easily modified and used for introgressing the genomes of wild relatives to other polyploid crops.

The intrusion of obstacles onto railway tracks presents a significant threat to train safety, characterized by sudden and unpredictable occurrences. With China leading the world in high-speed rail mileage, ensuring railway security is paramount. The current laser monitoring technologies suffer from high false alarm rates and unreliable intrusion identification. This study addresses these issues by investigating high-resolution laser monitoring technology for railway obstacles, focusing on key parameters such as monitoring range and resolution. We propose an enhanced non-uniform laser scanning method, developing a laser monitoring system that reduces the obstacle false alarm rate to 2.00%, significantly lower than the 20% standard (TJ/GW135-2015). This rate is the best record for laser monitoring systems on China Railway. Our system operates seamlessly in all weather conditions, providing superior accuracy, resolution, and identification efficiency. It is the only 3D LiDAR system certified by the China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. (Certificate No. [2023] 008). Over three years, our system has been deployed at numerous points along various lines managed by the China State Railway Group, accumulating a dataset of 300,000 observations. This extensive deployment has significantly enhanced railway safety. The development and implementation of our railway laser monitoring system represent a substantial advancement in railway safety technology. Its low false alarm rate (2.00%), high accuracy (20 cm × 20 cm × 20 cm), and robust performance in diverse conditions underscore its potential for widespread adoption, promising to enhance railway safety in China and internationally.

Pipeline transportation plays a key role in energy security and economic development, and the accurate localization of leak points significantly reduces environmental pollution and economic losses. This article proposes a pipeline leak localization method based on the ensemble empirical modal decomposition algorithm with the Hilbert spectrum analysis (EEMD-HT) and the leakage-grading resolution strategy. The method classifies the pipeline leakage level by the adaptive pressure threshold and uses the acoustic signal as the basis for leak localization. At the same time, the leakage-grading resolution strategy is proposed for the leak localization problem in different leak conditions of pipelines to use the most applicable leak localization method for different leak classes. The method can improve the accuracy of the localization results, using the complementary nature of acoustic pressure signals and the high sensitivity of acoustic signals. This article uses the Hilbert spectral analysis combined with the EEMD as a noise reduction tool. First, the acoustic signal is decomposed by the EEMD to obtain a series of intrinsic mode functions (IMFs) and the residual terms; then, the Hilbert spectral analysis is performed on the above components and residual terms to obtain the instantaneous energy spectrum of each component; finally, the original signal is reconstructed by analyzing the instantaneous energy change of each IMF and the residual at the signal inflection point and screening the effective components to complete the signal noise reduction. The experimental results show that the average localization error of this method is 6.75% in the small leakage condition of the short transmission pipeline and 0.34% and 0.16% in the medium condition and large leakage condition, respectively.

There is growing evidence that the transformation products of emerging contaminants in foodstuffs may pose a health risk to humans. However, the exact identities, levels, and estimated dietary intake (EDI) of neonicotinoid transformation products in crops remain poorly understood. We established an extended suspect screening strategy to investigate neonicotinoid insecticides and their transformation products in retail cowpea from 11 cities in Hainan Province, China. Forty-nine transformation products were identified in retail cowpea, of which 22–36 were found in 98.6% of the samples. Notably, 31 new transformation products were derived from new processes or a combination of different transformation processes. The mean concentrations of neonicotinoids and nine of the transformation products (with authentic standards) were in the ranges of 0.0824–5.34 and 0.0636–1.50 ng/g, respectively. The cumulative EDIs of the quantified transformation products were lower than those of parent neonicotinoids with the exception of clothianidin desmethyl, which had a ratio of 1157%. However, the coexistence of the other 40 transformation products (without authentic standards) in cowpea suggested that the exposure risk from all of the transformation products might be higher. This study demonstrated that pesticide transformation products should be considered in food chain risk assessments and included in future regulatory management.

Anaerobic bacteria infections remain a major threat to humans. Oxidative stress mediated by photodynamic therapy (PDT) has shown great potential in antimicrobial applications, attributing to its controllability and non-resistance. However, the hypoxic infection microenvironment severely compromises the therapeutic outcomes. Here, we designed a nanoplatform comprising the initiator of alkyl radicals(R·), 2,2′-azobis[2-(2-imidazolin-2-yl)propane] dihydrochloride (AIPH) -loaded oxidized mesoporous carbon nanoparticles (OMCN) and then coated with a phase change material (PCM) nanoparticle for oxygen-independent PDT to combat anaerobic infections. Upon near-infrared (NIR) light irradiation, OMCN mediates the generation of heat to melt PCM, which could trigger the liberation and decomposition of AIPH to produce R· and further induce the oxidative damage to bacteria, and cooperate with optothermal effects to eradicate anaerobic bacteria. As results, the nanoplatform displays strong synergistic antibacterial behavior, effectively eliminating anaerobic Propionibacterium acnes(P. acnes) in vitro under hypoxic conditions, and successfully treating P. acnes-infected cutaneous abscess in mice models. Moreover, no distinct toxicity appears through the entire course of treatment. Collectively, this light-activated oxygen-independent PDT offers a novel approach to combat anaerobic bacteria infections.

The development of flexible crystalline materials with a bending-induced fluorescence shift (BIFS) remains a challenge. The flexible crystals with BIFS properties reported so far are mainly realized by chemical structures with a planar conformation or a special donor-π-acceptor configuration. Here, BIFS is simultaneously achieved in the straight-shaped (Cry-S) and naturally curved (Cry-NC) crystal prepared by a halogenated diaminoterephthalate derivative with a nonplanar conformation. Cry-S displays an obviously reversible red-shifted fluorescence (∼20 nm) in the bent position compared with its original (undeformed) state. In contrast to the naturally curved position (undeformed), Cry-NC similarly shows a red shift (∼16 nm) at its acutely bent position (deformed). In addition, Cry-S and Cry-NC can be reversibly bent in a wide temperature range from – 6 to 180 °C under mechanical external force. It is hoped that this work would facilitate the design of BIFS materials and their applications in the field of mechanically stimulated light sensors.

Desvenlafaxine succinate is a selective serotonin–norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor for the treatment of major depressive disorder. The pharmacokinetic profile of desvenlafaxine succinate at the clinically recommended dose of 50 mg in Chinese healthy subjects has been reported rarely. The objective of this study was to evaluate the pharmacokinetics and bioequivalence of desvenlafaxine succinate in Chinese healthy subjects. A single‐dose, open‐label, randomized, two‐way crossover study with a 7‐day washout period was conducted. A total of 88 individuals were incorporated to show bioequivalence of a generic and a reference drug, with 48 individuals in the fasting state and 40 receiving a high‐fat diet. Finally, 46 and 38 individuals completed the fasting and the fed study, respectively. The 90% confidence intervals of the adjusted geometric mean ratios for maximum plasma concentration, area under the concentration–time curve from time zero to the last measurable concentration, and area under the concentration–time curve from time zero to infinity all fell in the bioequivalent interval of 80%–125% in both the fasting and fed states. A total of 33 adverse events were reported, and all were mild or moderate in severity. In summary, the generic and reference formulations were bioequivalent, with no observable safety differences in the fasting/fed state.

Herein, we report a blue visible-light-promoted approach for preparing a variety of α-substituted γ-ketoester derivatives through carbene insertion and the decarbonylation of enaminones and diazoesters. These reactions use readily available starting materials and transition-metal-free, eco-friendly procedures that are amenable to gram-scale synthesis and wide functional group tolerance. This methodology may be useful for constructing polysubstituted heterocycles with potential biological activity.

Planar perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have been extensively researched as a promising photovoltaic technology, wherein the electron extraction and transfer play a crucial role in the power conversion efficiency (PCE). Here, we proposed a ligand-engineered deposition strategy based on the coordination ability of ligands (e.g., tartaric acid) to regulate TiO2film and interfacial structure. This strategy can effectively inhibit particle aggregation of TiO2film through the steric hindrance of assembled ligands. Furthermore, the decreased interfacial contact impedance and enhanced electron extraction are achieved between TiO2and perovskite, due to the smooth topography and cross-linked structure formed by tartaric acid that bonds with Ti and Pb atoms. Accordingly, an impressive PCE of 24.8% with a fill factor exceeding 0.83 is successfully obtained, which is the highest PCE among TiO2-based planar PSCs reported so far. In addition, unencapsulated PSCs can maintain ∼95% of initial efficiency upon exposure to ambient air for 2,000 h.

Herein, we describe a Pd-catalyzed [2+3] cycloaddition/cross-coupling reaction of allenyl acetates for the Z/Eselective and diastereoselective synthesis of dendralene-functionalized dihydrofurans. Remarkably, mechanistic studies show the formation of an epoxide from a carbonyl bond via cycloaddition, which is practically and mechanistically significant for the construction of other bioactive heterocyclic epoxides. This research also revealed the utility and potential of allenic esters as C2 synthons and 1,2-biselectrophiles in cycloaddition reactions.

Phenylfluorenamine-functionalized poly(N-vinylcarbazole)s as novel non-conjugated polymers could be used as dopant-free HTMs in inverted quasi-2D PSCs, achieving excellent device PCE up to 18.44% as well as negligible hysteresis and favorable long-term stability.

The role of gut microbiota in terms of host health is becoming increasingly important. In this study, the comparative effects of tea polyphenols (TPs) on weight loss and lipid metabolism on conventionalized mice (CVZ) and pseudo germ-free (PGF) mice (treated with antibiotics) were investigated. Our findings revealed that high fat (HF) diet considerably increased the body weight, total fat and upsurge lipid indices in CVZ mice but PGF mice were not sensitive to the effect of HF diet as CVZ mice. After the dietary administration of TP, body weight, perirenal fat and epididymal fat, liver weight, glucose (GLU) level, total chloestrol (TC level), high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) level significantly lowered in PGF mice as compared to CVZ mice group. However, the area of fat cells and triglyceride (TG) level were significantly increased in PGF mice. In CVZ mice, TP intervention resulted in a considerable drop in the Firmicutes/Bacteroides ratio as compared to PGF mice. The intestinal flora of PGF mice was severely reduced after antibiotic treatment, while TP administration restored intestinal diversity; the abundance of Akkermansiaand Lactobacillusincreased, whereas the abundance of Enterobacteriaceae and Prevotellareduced. Overall, we can assume that PGF obese mice administered with TP have less anti-obesity effects compared to obese CVZ mice.

Image registration is a challenging NP-hard problem within the computer vision field. The differential evolutionary algorithm is a simple and efficient method to find the best among all the possible common parts of images. To improve the efficiency and accuracy of the registration, a knowledge-fusion-based differential evolution algorithm is proposed, which combines segmentation, gradient descent method, and hybrid selection strategy to enhance the exploration ability in the early stage and the exploitation ability in the later stage. The proposed algorithms have been implemented and tested with CEC2013 benchmark and real image data. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm is superior to the existing algorithms in terms of solution quality, convergence speed, and solution success rate.

ABSTRACTAcute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) is the most common malignant tumor in children with T-cell ALL (T-ALL), accounting for approximately 15% of all cases. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in the pathogenesis and progression of T-ALL. The present study aimed to explore the role and mechanism of action of lncRNA EBLN3P in T-ALL. We used quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (qRT-PCR) to determine the expression of lncRNA endogenous bornavirus-like nucleoprotein (EBLN3P), microRNA (miR)-655-3p, and the transcription level of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), and Western blot assay to quantify the protein expression level of cleaved-caspase3, caspase3, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), and MMP-9. The potential binding sites between lncRNA EBLN3P and miR-655-3p were predicted using StarBase, and the interaction was further verified by dual-luciferase reporter assay and RNA pull-down assay. The proliferation ability of Jurkat cells was detected using MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay, and their invasion and migration ability using transwell assay. Cell apoptosis was determined using flow cytometry (FCM) assay. The expression of lncRNA EBLN3P was upregulated while that of miR-655-3p was downregulated in human T-ALL cell lines and lncRNA EBLN3P negatively regulated miR-655-3p. LncRNA EBLN3P knockdown significantly inhibited proliferation, invasion, and migration of Jurkat cells and induced their apoptosis. Downregulating miR-655-3p reversed the effects of lncRNA EBLN3P knockdown on Jurkat cells. In conclusion, we confirmed for the first time that lncRNA EBLN3P is dysregulated in T-ALL cell lines, and lncRNA EBLN3P knockdown inhibited the malignant biological behaviors of T-ALL cells by up-regulating miR-655-3p.

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are highly porous crystalline polymers with uniform pores and large surface areas. Combined with their modular design principle and excellent properties, COFs are an ideal candidate for separation membranes. Liquid–liquid interfacial polymerization is a well-known approach to synthesize membranes by reacting two monomers at the interface. However, volatile organic solvents are usually used, which may disturb the liquid–liquid interface and affect the COF membrane crystallinity due to solvent evaporation. Simultaneously, the domain size of the organic solvent–water interface, named the reaction zone, can hardly be regulated, and the diffusion control of monomers for favorable crystallinity is only achieved in the water phase. These drawbacks may limit the widespread applications of liquid–liquid interfacial polymerization to synthesize diverse COF membranes with different functionalities. Here, we report a facile strategy to synthesize a series of imine-linked freestanding COF membranes with different thicknesses and morphologies at tunable ionic liquid (IL)–H2O interfaces. Due to the H-bonding of the catalysts with amine monomers and the high viscosity of the ILs, the diffusion of the monomers was simultaneously controlled in water and in ILs. This resulted in the exceptionally high crystallinity of freestanding COF membranes with a Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area up to 4.3 times of that synthesized at a dichloromethane–H2O interface. By varying the alkyl chain length of cations in the ILs, the interfacial region size and interfacial tension could be regulated to further improve the crystallinity of the COF membranes. As a result, the as-fabricated COF membranes exhibited ultrahigh permeance toward water and organic solvents and excellent selective rejection of dyes.

Yellow horn (Xanthoceras sorbifoliumBunge) is a woody oilseed tree species whose seed oil is rich in unsaturated fatty acids and rare neuronic acids, and can be used as a high-grade edible oil or as a feedstock for biodiesel production. However, the genetic mechanisms related to seed yield in yellow horn are not well elucidated. This study identified 2 164 863 SNP loci based on 222 genome-wide resequencing data of yellow horn germplasm. We conducted genome-wide association study (GWAS) analysis on three core traits (hundred-grain weight, single-fruit seed mass, and single-fruit seed number) that influence seed yield for the years 2022 and 2020, and identified 399 significant SNP loci. Among these loci, the Chr10_24013014 and Chr10_24012613 loci caught our attention due to their consistent associations across multiple analyses. Through Sanger sequencing, we validated the genotypes of these two loci across 16 germplasms, confirming their consistency with the GWAS analysis results. Downstream of these two significant loci, we identified a candidate gene encoding an AP2 transcription factor protein, which we named XsAP2. RT–qPCR analysis revealed high expression of the XsAP2gene in seeds, and a significant negative correlation between its expression levels and seed hundred-grain weight, as well as single-fruit seed mass, suggesting its potential role in the normal seed development process. Transgenic Arabidopsislines with the overexpressed XsAP2gene exhibited varying degrees of reduction in seed size, number of seeds per silique, and number of siliques per plant compared with wild-type Arabidopsis. Combining these results, we hypothesize that the XsAP2gene may have a negative regulatory effect on seed yield of yellow horn. These results provide a reference for the molecular breeding of high-yielding yellow horn.

Sanhan Huashi formula (SHHS), a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), has shown significant therapeutic effects on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in clinical settings. However, its specific mechanism and components still require further clarification. In vitroexperiments with Vero-E6 cells infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) demonstrated that SHHS effectively inhibited viral invasion and proliferation. Complementary in vivoexperiments using K18-human angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (hACE2) mice exposed to virus-like particles (VLPs) further confirmed that SHHS impeded SARS-CoV-2 entry. Although SHHS did not demonstrate direct antiviral effects in K18-hACE2 mice challenged with SARS-CoV-2, it significantly alleviated pathological damage and decreased the expression of chemokines such as C–C motif ligand (CCL)-2, CCL-3, C–X–C motif ligand (CXCL)-1, CXCL-6, CXCL-9, CXCL-10, and CXCL-11 in the lungs, suggesting that SHHS exerts immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effects via the CCL-2–CXCL axis. Additional research using a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury (ALI) and RAW264.7 cell model validated the ability of SHHS to reduce the levels of inflammatory biomarkers, including interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). Using advanced analytical techniques such as ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography coupled with linear trap quadrupole Orbitrap mass spectrometry (UHPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap-MS) and surface plasmon resonance (SPR), nodakenin was identified as a potent antiviral component of SHHS that targets the 3C-like protease (3CLpro), a finding supported by the hydrogen–deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (HDX-MS) and molecular docking analyses. Furthermore, nodakenin demonstrated a significant antiviral effect, reducing the viral load by more than 66%. This investigation reveals that SHHS can combat COVID-19 by inhibiting viral invasion and promoting anti-inflammatory effects.

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) have been widely suggested as contributors to the aquatic insect biomass decline, and their bioavailability is affected by engineered particles. However, the toxicity effects of emerging ionizable POPs mediated by differentially charged engineered nanoparticles on aquatic insects are unknown. In this study, 6:2 chlorinated polyfluoroalkyl ether sulfonate (F-53B, an emerging perfluoroalkyl acid alternative) was selected as a model emerging ionizable POP; the effect of differentially charged nanoplastics (NPs, 50 nm, 0.5 g/kg) on F-53B bioaccumulation and gut toxicity to Chironomus kiinensiswere investigated through histopathology, biochemical index, and gut microbiota analysis. The results showed that when the dissolved concentration of F-53B remained constant, the presence of NPs enhanced the adverse effects on larval growth, emergence, gut oxidative stress and inflammation induced by F-53B, and the enhancement caused by positively charged NP-associated F-53B was stronger than that caused by the negatively charged one. This was mainly because positively charged NPs, due to their greater adsorption capacity and higher bioavailable fraction of associated F-53B, increased the bioaccumulation of F-53B in larvae more significantly than negatively charged NPs. In addition, positively charged NPs interact more easily with gut biomembranes and microbes with a negative charge, further increasing the probability of F-53B interacting with gut biomembranes and microbiota and thereby aggravating gut damage and key microbial dysbacteriosis related to gut health. These findings demonstrate that the surface charge of NPs can regulate the bioaccumulation and toxicity of ionizable POPs to aquatic insects.

Purpose: The benefits of growth hormone (GH) therapy in Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) children are well established, but there is still considerable controversy regarding whether GH treatment can improve cognitive, motor, and behavioral development in PWS children. The objectives of this meta-analysis were to quantitatively evaluate the effects of GH on cognitive, motor function, and behavioral development in PWS children. Methods: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) examining the effects of GH on cognitive, motor, and behavioral development in PWS children were identified by searching the MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases. Intervention effects were represented by Hedges’g and pooled to calculate effect sizes using a random-effects model. Results: Ten relevant studies comprising data from 302 participants were finally included. We observed no significant difference in cognitive performance between the GH treatment group and the control group (p?=?0.197). GH treatment was shown to remarkably improve motor development in PWS children compared with the control treatment (p?&lt;?0.001), with moderate positive treatment effects (Hedges’g [95% CI]?=?0.71 [0.38, 1.03]). There were no significant differences between the GH group and the control group based on objective assessments of behavioral development (p?=?0.53). Conclusions: The meta-analysis suggested that GH treatment had a significantly positive effect on motor development, with moderate treatment effects in PWS children; however, there was no evidence of effects on cognitive or behavioral development.

Gegen Qinlian Decoction(GQD), a traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) formula, has long been used for the treatment of common metabolic diseases, including type 2 diabetes mellitus. However, the main limitation of its wider application is ingredient complexity of this formula. Thus, it is critically important to identify the major active ingredients of GQD and to illustrate mechanisms underlying its action. Here, we compared the effects of GQD and berberine, a hypothetical key active pharmaceutical ingredient of GQD, on a diabetic rat model by comprehensive analyses of gut microbiota, short-chain fatty acids, proinflammatory cytokines, and ileum transcriptomics. Our results show that berberine and GQD had similar effects on lowering blood glucose levels, modulating gut microbiota, inducing ileal gene expression, as well as relieving systemic and local inflammation. As expected, both berberine and GQD treatment significantly altered the overall gut microbiota structure and enriched many butyrate-producing bacteria, including Faecalibacteriumand Roseburia, thereby attenuating intestinal inflammation and lowering glucose. Levels of short-chain fatty acids in rat feces were also significantly elevated after treatment with berberine or GQD. Moreover, concentration of serum proinflammatory cytokines and expression of immune-related genes, including Nfkb1, Stat1, and Ifnrg1, in pancreatic islets were significantly reduced after treatment. Our study demonstrates that the main effects of GQD can be attributed to berberine via modulating gut microbiota. The strategy employed would facilitate further standardization and widespread application of TCM in many diseases.

The spin forming parameters of bimetallic composite pipe were optimized by FEM and experiment, and the torque and the residual contact pressure were analyzed during forming process. Adoption of The orthogonal test of four factors and five levels to gain the optimal spinning parameters (δ= 0.16mm, Ψ = 0.4mm, β= 3.0∘, f = 0.5) and the effects of factors on analysis indicators under the condition of maximum residual contact pressure and small torque. The simulation results showed that the residual contact pressure was nearly 1MPa higher and the torque was lower about 160N·m than unoptimized results. It proved that the orthogonal test method was effective for the optimization of spinning parameters of bimetal composite tube. The accuracy of numerical simulation value was verified by the drawing experiment of the composite tube.

With the aim of investigating the guest-induced structural transformation and chirality switch of host–guest self-assembly at the liquid/solid interface, the molecular self-assembly configurations of 5-(benzyloxy)-isophthalic acid derivative (host) and coronene (guest) were studied at the interface of (S)-2-nonanol/highly oriented pyrolytic graphite by modeling and simulation. The molecular models were established based on scanning tunneling microscopy images. Molecular mechanics and molecular dynamics calculations were performed to calculate the adsorption energy, characteristic hydrogen-bonding parameters, surface density, host–guest interaction, and the structural evolution. It is observed that the structure undergoes a guest-induced responsive rearrangement from a honeycomb into a starfish structure, and the chirality is switchable after the addition of the guest. Furthermore, it is found that the underlying mechanisms of structure transformation and chirality switch are attributed to the roles of energy, size matching, and steric hindrance effect. This work can be utilized for the analogous host–guest self-assembly research and rational design of the host–guest system which can switch chirality.

Purpose: A clinical case presenting secondary amenorrhea accompanied by an adrenal adenoma and hyperprogesteronemia is described in this study. Methods: Selective catheterization and sampling of adrenal and ovarian veins were performed. Results: The source of hyperprogesteronemia was located in the right adrenal gland. A progesterone-producing tumor in the right adrenal gland was diagnosed and removed. Twenty-six days after tumor resection, menstruation occurred. Conclusions: Progesterone-producing tumors should be considered with the presence of an adrenal mass and hyperprogesteronemia. Combined adrenal and ovarian venous sampling may help to identify the source of progesterone secretion.

ABSTRACTThe seasonal influenza vaccine coverage remains suboptimal among children even though guardians expressed high willingness to vaccinate their children. This study aimed to determine the association between vaccine hesitancy and uptake to facilitate vaccination; thus, bridging the gap. A cross-sectional design, using stratified cluster random sampling, was conducted among guardians of 0–59-month-old Chinese children from July to October in 2019. A structural equation model was applied to explore the interrelationships between factors including vaccine hesitancy, vaccination, social influence, and relative knowledge among guardians. Of the 1,404 guardians, 326 were highly hesitant to vaccinate their children, 33.13% (108/326) of whom had vaccinated their children. Moreover, 517 and 561 guardians had moderate and low vaccine hesitancy, with corresponding vaccine coverage of 42.75% (221/517) and 47.95% (269/516). Guardians’ gender, age, and education level were demographic variables with significant moderating effects. Social influence considered impact of communities, family members, friends, neighbors, healthcare workers, bad vaccination experience and sense on price. Actual vaccine uptake was negatively significantly associated with hesitancy (β = -0.11, p < .001) with positive association with social influence (β = 0.61, p < .001). Vaccine hesitancy was negatively significantly associated with relative knowledge (β = -2.14, p < .001) and social influence (β = -1.09, p < .001). A gap is noted between cognitions and behaviors among children’s guardians regarding influenza vaccination. A comprehensive strategy including emphasizing benefits of the influenza vaccination, risk of infection, and ensuring high vaccine confidence among healthcare workers can help transform the willingness to engage in the behavior of vaccination.

ABSTRACTTeachers played an important role on the transmission of influenza in schools and communities. The study aims to investigate the influenza vaccination coverage and the factors determining flu vaccination acceptance among teachers in Hangzhou, China. A total of 1039 junior high school teachers in Hangzhou were recruited. The self-made questionnaire was used to investigate the influenza vaccine coverage among teachers and the influencing factors of influenza vaccination acceptance. Univariate analysis using the chi-square test and multivariable analysis using binary logistic regression were conducted to determine the relative predictors. The Influenza vaccine coverage among teachers was 5.9% (62/1039). 52.9% of teachers had the intention to receive influenza vaccine, 25.3% (247/977)/21.8% (213/977) of participants was hesitant/did not have the intention to get influenza vaccine. The top three sources for teachers to gain knowledge about influenza were website (72%), TV/radio (66.1%) and social media (58%). Whether get influenza vaccination before, knowledge about influenza and influenza vaccine, the beliefs for the likelihood of catching flu, the severity of getting flu, the effectiveness of influenza vaccine, the possibility of side effects after vaccination, and the troublesome of vaccination, doctors’ recommendation, as well as the situation of vaccination among other teachers were the associated factors of influenza vaccination acceptance. The influenza vaccination coverage was low but the intentions were relatively high among junior high school teachers. Future research should focus on the relationship between vaccination acceptance and behavior to increase influenza vaccination rates.

First-principles calculations were performed to investigate the catalytic activity of Ti2C MXene material as a potential cathode in Li–O2batteries. Stable non-, O-, F-, OH-terminated Ti2C MXenes are constructed to show the real state of Ti2C MXene monolayer in the experiment. Then, the interfacial models of LixO2(x= 4, 2, and 1) molecules adsorbed on Ti2C, Ti2CO2, Ti2CF2, and Ti2C(OH)2MXenes were used to simulate the structural evolution during discharging (oxygen reduction reaction, ORR) and charging (oxygen evolution reaction, OER) processes. The catalytic activity was quantitatively assessed by calculating the ORR and OER overpotentials. Among them, Ti2CO2MXene displays the best catalytic activity with the lowest ORR/OER/TOT overpotential, suggesting that O-terminated Ti2C MXene is more favorable for Li–O2batteries. This is because the Ti 3d orbital of the Ti2CO2surface is completely polarized near the Fermi level, showing strong oxidation capability toward O22–. These findings give a theoretical guidance for Ti2C MXene used in Li–O2batteries and widen the applications of MXene-based materials.

Long-acting growth hormone (GH) has been developed to address the noncompliance and decreased efficacy associated with daily GH injections. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of long-acting GH replacement therapy in children with short stature. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that investigated the efficacy and safety of long-acting GH therapy in children with short stature in comparison with daily GH injections were searched in Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. A random-effect model was used to pool data using mean difference and odds ratios (OR). (PROSPERO registration number: CRD42018111105). Seven relevant studies were finally included. Meta-analysis found there was no significant difference between high-dose long-acting GH and daily GH in terms of height velocity (HV) (mean difference (MD) = −0.10, 95% CI, −0.79 to 0.60, P= 0.79). Moreover, no significant difference was observed in height standard deviation scores (Ht SDS) between high-dose long-acting GH and daily GH (MD = −0.07, 95% CI, −0.18 to 0.03, P= 0.17). Treatment with high-dose long-acting GH significantly increased IGF-1 SDS when compared with daily GH (MD = 0.31, 95% CI, 0.06–0.56, P= 0.02). In safety assessment, no significant difference was observed in the incidence of adverse events between high-dose long-acting GH and daily GH (OR 1.42, 95% CI, 0.65–3.11, P= 0.38). There is no evidence to support differences in the effects of long-acting GH compared with those of daily GH. More RCTs that focus on the safety of high-dose long-acting GH treatment, especially the detection of adverse events caused by elevated levels of serum IGF-1, are needed in the future.

The effect of isolated maternal hypothyroxinaemia (IMH) on pregnancy complications and neonatal outcomes in human beings is still controversial.This was a retrospective cohort study based on the electronic medical register system. The records of women with a singleton pregnancy who sought antenatal examination between January 2014 and December 2015 at Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital were extracted from the electronic medical records system. Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxine (fT4) and anti-thyroperoxidase autoantibody (TPO-Ab) was measured before 20 gestational weeks, and a multiple logistic regression model was used to estimate the odds ratios of pregnancy complications and neonatal outcomes between euthyroid women and those with isolated hypothyroxinaemia.A total of 8173 women were included in this study, of whom 342 (4.18%) were diagnosed with IMH. Regression analysis showed that IMH diagnosed in the second trimester (13–20 weeks) was associated with an increased risk of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (OR = 2.66, 95% CI: 1.38–5.10) and placenta abruption (OR = 3.64, 95% CI: 1.07–12.41), but not with preterm delivery (OR = 1.09, 95% CI: 0.50–2.40), small or large gestational age of infant (OR = 0.91, 95% CI: 0.39–2.12; OR = 1.16, 95% CI: 0.72–1.86), macrosomia (OR = 1.71, 95% CI: 0.95–3.07), gestational diabetes mellitus (OR = 1.36, 95% CI: 0.86–2.15) and placenta previa (OR = 1.62, 95% CI: 0.39–7.37).IMH could be a risk factor for hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text.

Background: Considering the economic loss by columnaris disease in fish, a rapid, simpleto- use and visual detection technology for the detection of Flavobacterium columnare (F. columnare) is very important. Methods: This assay utilizes LAMP for F. columnare-specific target gene amplification, and the resulting LAMP amplicons were further analyzed by Immunochromatographic Strip (ICS) for the rapid visual detection of F. columnare. The performance of such method includeing specificity, sensitivity, repeatability and practical use were validated. Results: This assay demonstrated high specificity, repeatability and has a limit of detection of 2.5 102 F. columnare CFU. The reliability of this assay was further confirmed by the equencing and alignment of LAMP amplicon with the DNA sequence of F. columnare. The whole detection process was less than 50 min. Conclusion: The LAMP-ICS assay presented here is simple, rapid, and reliable. Moreover, it could be easily adapted to detect other fish pathogens, and it may be more suitable for future use in the resourcelimit region for the detection of fish pathogen on site.

The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade consisting of MKKK, MKK, and MPK plays an indispensable role in various plant physiological processes. Previously, we showed that phosphorylation of MabZIP21 by MaMPK6-3 is involved in banana fruit ripening, but the regulatory mechanism by which MKK controls banana fruit ripening remains unclear.Here, ripening-induced MaMKK1from banana fruit is characterized, and transiently overexpressing and silencing of MaMKK1in banana fruit accelerates and inhibits fruit ripening, respectively, possibly by influencing phosphorylation and activity of MPK. MaMKK1 interacts with and phosphorylates MaMPK6-3 and MaMPK11-4 mainly at the pTEpY residues, resulting in MPK activation. MaMPK11-4 phosphorylates MabZIP21 to elevate its transcriptional activation ability. Transgenic tomato fruit expressing MabZIP21ripen quickly with a concomitant increase in MabZIP21 phosphorylation. Additionally, MabZIP21 activates MaMPK11-4and MaMKK1transcription to form a regulatory feedback loop. Collectively, here we report a regulatory pathway of the MaMPK6-3/11-4-MabZIP21 module in controlling banana fruit ripening.

All 3d transition-metal carbides (3d-TMCs) in the NaCl structure have been constructed to compare the catalytic activities of Li–O2batteries by first-principles calculations. The interfacial catalytic models of LixO2(x= 4, 2, and 1) molecules adsorbed on 3d-TMC surfaces were used to simulate discharging (oxygen reduction reaction, ORR) and charging (oxygen evolution reaction, OER) processes. The calculated results indicate that the TiC surface has smaller ORR and OER overpotentials, which may be due to the maximum catalytic activity of 3d-TMCs. Taking overpotentials as the measurement of catalytic activity, some intrinsic properties related to catalytic activity are determined, including adsorption energies of Li and LiO2, surface energy, and binding energy of O. The catalytic activities of 3d-TMCs for ORR and OER are inversely proportional to the adsorption energies of Li and LiO2. The ORR overpotentials are proportional to the surface energies of 3d-TMC surfaces, but the relationship between OER overpotentials and the surface energies is not clear. TiC has a moderate binding energy of O atom. Additionally, when the bonding state tends to be saturated, namely, Fermi level happens to be in pseudogap, the catalytic activity reaches its maximum. By calculating ORR and OER overpotentials and establishing the correlation between catalytic activity and relevantly the intrinsic properties of 3d-TMCs, our investigation is helpful for screening and designing highly active catalysts to enhance ORR and OER in Li–O2batteries.

The oxidized TiC (100) surface has been constructed to compare the surface stability and catalytic performance with the pure TiC (100) surface in Li–O2battery by first-principles calculations. The stable oxidized surface was determined by calculating the formation energies of TiC (100) surface under various O coverage rates. The interfacial catalytic models of LixO2(x= 2, 1, and 0) molecules adsorbed on pristine and oxidized TiC (100) surface were used to simulate the OER process. The results of thermodynamics calculation indicate that the oxidized TiC (100) surface has smaller O2evolution barrier and lower charge voltage. The electron-withdrawing O layer plays an important role in increasing charge transfer from O2x–(x= 2, 1, and 0) to the substrate, which is helpful for O22–oxidation and Li–O bond activation. The theoretical results have well verified experimental findings of the oxidized TiC surface as the potential state of TiC cathode material in the Li–O2battery. The surface-modified strategy of the stronger electron-withdrawing layer is proposed to improve OER catalysis in the Li–O2battery, which provides a way for designing more active catalysts.

The 26S proteasome is the macromolecular machine responsible for ATP/ubiquitin dependent degradation. As aberration in proteasomal degradation has been implicated in many human diseases, structural analysis of the human 26S proteasome complex is essential to advance our understanding of its action and regulation mechanisms. In recent years, cross-linking mass spectrometry (XL-MS) has emerged as a powerful tool for elucidating structural topologies of large protein assemblies, with its unique capability of studying protein complexes in cells. To facilitate the identification of cross-linked peptides, we have previously developed a robust amine reactive sulfoxide-containing MS-cleavable cross-linker, disuccinimidyl sulfoxide (DSSO). To better understand the structure and regulation of the human 26S proteasome, we have established new DSSO-based in vivoand in vitroXL-MS workflows by coupling with HB-tag based affinity purification to comprehensively examine protein-protein interactions within the 26S proteasome. In total, we have identified 447 unique lysine-to-lysine linkages delineating 67 interprotein and 26 intraprotein interactions, representing the largest cross-link dataset for proteasome complexes. In combination with EM maps and computational modeling, the architecture of the 26S proteasome was determined to infer its structural dynamics. In particular, three proteasome subunits Rpn1, Rpn6, and Rpt6 displayed multiple conformations that have not been previously reported. Additionally, cross-links between proteasome subunits and 15 proteasome interacting proteins including 9 known and 6 novel ones have been determined to demonstrate their physical interactions at the amino acid level. Our results have provided new insights on the dynamics of the 26S human proteasome and the methodologies presented here can be applied to study other protein complexes.

Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK/MPK) cascades play crucial parts in plant growth, development processes, immune ability, and stress responses; however, the regulatory mechanism by which MAPK affects fruit ripening remains largely unexplored. Here, we reported that MaMPK14 cooperated with MaMYB4 to mediate postharvest banana fruit ripening. Transient overexpression of individual MaMPK14and MaMYB4in banana fruit delayed fruit ripening, confirming the negative roles in the ripening. The ripening negative regulator MaMYB4 could repress the transcription of genes associated with ethylene biosynthesis and fruit softening, such as MaACS1, MaXTH5, MaPG3, and MaEXPA15. Furthermore, MaMPK14 phosphorylated MaMYB4 at Ser160 via a direct interaction. Mutation at Ser160 of MaMYB4 reduced its interaction with MaMPK14 but did not affect its subcellular localization. Importantly, phosphorylation of MaMYB4 by MaMPK14 enhanced the MaMYB4-mediated transcriptional inhibition, binding strength, protein stability, and the repression of fruit ripening. Taken together, our results delineated the regulation pathway of MAPK module during banana fruit ripening, which involved the phosphorylation modification of MaMYB4 mediated by MaMPK14.