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Larsucosterol, a potent endogenous epigenetic regulator, has been reported to play a significant role in lipid metabolism, inflammatory responses, and cell survival. The administration of larsucosterol has demonstrated a reduction in lipid accumulation within hepatocytes and the attenuation of inflammatory responses induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and TNFα in macrophages, alleviating LPS- and acetaminophen (ATMP)-induced multiple organ injury, and decreasing mortalities in animal models. Results from phase 1 and 2 clinical trials have shown that larsucosterol has potential as a biomedicine for the treatment of acute and chronic liver diseases. Recent evidence suggests that larsucosterol is a promising candidate for treating alcohol-associated hepatitis with positive results from a phase 2a clinical trial, and for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) from a phase 1b clinical trial. In this review, we present a culmination of our recent research efforts spanning two decades. We summarize the discovery, physiological and pharmacological mechanisms, and clinical applications of larsucosterol. Furthermore, we elucidate the pathophysiological pathways of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver diseases (MASLD), metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), and acute liver injuries. A central focus of the review is the exploration of the therapeutic potential of larsucosterol in treating life-threatening conditions, including acetaminophen overdose, endotoxin shock, MASLD, MASH, hepatectomy, and alcoholic hepatitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Chinese Loess Plateau has undergone extensive revegetation to restore degraded land and enhance carbon sequestration. However, soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestrated in the soil profiles of deep-rooted plants has not been fully studied. Here, we investigated the SOC within a 0–23 m profile in farmlands and apple orchards converted from farmlands with different ages (A5, <5 years; A10, ~10 years; A15, ~15 years; A20, >20 years) and the controlling factors on three loess tablelands (Changwu, Qingyang, and Luochuan). The results show that SOC stocks among farmlands and orchards showed no significant difference (p = 0.88); however, SOC stocks showed a trend with tree ages, i.e., a decrease for A5 and A10 but an increase for A15 and A20. For the vertical variability, the SOC stock was the highest within 0–1 m, regardless of the standing age; however, the SOC stock in this layer only accounted for 8.8% of the total SOC stock (97.93 ± 9.18 kg m−2). Climate accounted for 82% of the variations and controlled the changes in SOC in the 0–1 m range, while soil texture dominated the SOC in the soil below 1 m, accounting for 57% of the SOC variations. The variations in SOC in the thick, unsaturated zones provide implications for future land use management and the sustainability of apple orchards in arid regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first synthesis of unnatural β2,3,3‐amino acids with a spirocyclic backbone by one‐pot protocol has been presented. This reaction features wide functional group tolerance and feasibility of post‐functionalization of natural products and biologically important molecules. Novel dipeptide and tripeptide structures were assembled using this newly developed β2,3,3‐amino acid in high efficiency. The combination of C−H activation and C−C cleavage for the synthesis of β‐amino acids would trigger more promising synthetic routes for this compound. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taking into account the effects of the immune response and delay, and complexity on HIV-1 transmission, a multiscale AIDS/HIV-1 model is formulated in this paper. The multiscale model is described by a within-host fast time model with intracellular delay and immune delay, and a between-host slow time model with latency delay. The dynamics of the fast time model is analyzed, and includes the stability of equilibria and properties of Hopf bifurcation. Further, for the coupled slow time model without an immune response, the basic reproduction number R 0 h is defined, which determines whether the model may have zero, one, or two positive equilibria under different conditions. This implies that the slow time model demonstrates more complex dynamic behaviors, including saddle-node bifurcation, backward bifurcation, and Hopf bifurcation. For the other case, that is, the coupled slow time model with an immune response, the threshold dynamics, based on the basic reproduction number R ˜ 0 h , is rigorously investigated. More specifically, if R ˜ 0 h < 1 , the disease-free equilibrium is globally asymptotically stable; if R ˜ 0 h > 1 , the model exhibits a unique endemic equilibrium that is globally asymptotically stable. With regard to the coupled slow time model with an immune response and stable periodic solution, the basic reproduction number R 0 is derived, which serves as a threshold value determining whether the disease will die out or lead to periodic oscillations in its prevalence. The research results suggest that the disease is more easily controlled when hosts have an extensive immune response and the time required for new immune particles to emerge in response to antigenic stimulation is within a certain range. Finally, numerical simulations are presented to validate the main results and provide some recommendations for controlling the spread of HIV-1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DNA polymerases are important enzymes that synthesize DNA molecules and therefore are critical to various scientific fields as essential components of in vitro DNA synthesis reactions, including PCR. Modern diagnostics, molecular biology, and genetic engineering require DNA polymerases with improved performance. This study aimed to obtain and characterize a new CL7-Taq fusion DNA polymerase, in which the DNA coding sequence of Taq DNA polymerase was fused with that of CL7, a variant of CE7 (Colicin E7 DNase) from Escherichia coli. The resulting novel recombinant open reading frame was cloned and expressed in E. coli. The recombinant CL7-Taq protein exhibited excellent thermostability, extension rate, sensitivity, and resistance to PCR inhibitors. Our results showed that the sensitivity of CL7-Taq DNA polymerase was 100-fold higher than that of wild-type Taq, which required a template concentration of at least 1.8 × 105 nM. Moreover, the extension rate of CL7-Taq was 4 kb/min, which remarkably exceeded the rate of Taq DNA polymerase (2 kb/min). Furthermore, the CL7 fusion protein showed increased resistance to inhibitors of DNA amplification, including lactoferrin, heparin, and blood. Single-cope human genomic targets were readily available from whole blood, and pretreatment to purify the template DNA was not required. Thus, this is a novel enzyme that improved the properties of Taq DNA polymerase, and thus may have wide application in molecular biology and diagnostics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new type of experiment that aims to determine the optimal quantities of a sequence of factors is eliciting considerable attention in medical science, bioengineering, and many other disciplines. Such studies require the simultaneous optimization of both quantities and sequence orders of several components which are called quantitative-sequence (QS) factors. Given the large and semi-discrete solution spaces in such experiments, efficiently identifying optimal or near-optimal solutions by using a small number of experimental trials is a nontrivial task. To address this challenge, we propose a novel active learning approach, called QS-learning, to enable effective modeling and efficient optimization for experiments with QS factors. QS-learning consists of three parts: a novel mapping-based additive Gaussian process (MaGP) model, an efficient global optimization scheme (QS-EGO), and a new class of optimal designs (QS-design). The theoretical properties of the proposed method are investigated, and optimization techniques using analytical gradients are developed. The performance of the proposed method is demonstrated via a real drug experiment on lymphoma treatment and several simulation studies. for this article are available online. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trichoderma harzianum is a well-known biological control strain and a mycoparasite of Rhizoctonia solani. To explore the mechanisms of mycoparasitism, the genome and transcriptome of T. harzianum T4 were both assembled and analyzed in this study. The genome of T. harzianum T4 was assembled into 106 scaffolds, sized 41.25 Mb, and annotated with a total of 8118 predicted genes. We analyzed the transcriptome of T. harzianum T4 against R. solani in a dual culture in three culture periods: before contact (BC), during contact (C), and after contact (AC). Transcriptome sequencing identified 1092, 1222, and 2046 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), respectively. These DEGs, which are involved in pathogen recognition and signal transduction, hydrolase, transporters, antibiosis, and defense-related functional genes, are significantly upregulated in the mycoparasitism process. The results of genome and transcriptome analysis indicated that the mycoparasitism process of T. harzianum T4 was very complex. T. harzianum successfully recognizes and invades host cells and kills plant pathogens by regulating various DEGs at different culture periods. The relative expression levels of the 26 upregulated DEGs were confirmed by RT-qPCR to validate the reliability of the transcriptome data. The results provide insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying T. harzianum T4's mycoparasitic processes, and they provide a potential molecular target for the biological control mechanism of T. harzianum T4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sarcoplasmic/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase 2 (SERCA2) is critical in maintaining Ca2+ homeostasis. The cysteine 674 (C674) is the key redox regulatory cysteine in regulating SERCA2 activity, which is irreversibly oxidized in the renal cortex of hypertensive mice. We have reported that the substitution of C674 by serine causes SERCA2 dysfunction and increases blood pressure by induction of endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS). This study is to explore whether the dysfunction of SERCA2 causes hypertension by interrupting mitochondrial homeostasis and inducing oxidative stress. We used heterozygous SERCA2 C674S gene mutation knock-in (SKI) mice, where one copy of C674 was substituted by serine to represent partial C674 oxidation. In renal proximal tubule (RPT) cells, the substitution of C674 by serine decreased mitochondrial Ca2+ content, increased mitochondrial membrane potential, ATP content, and reactive oxygen species (ROS), which could be reversed by ERS inhibitor 4-phenylbutyric acid or SERCA2 agonist CDN1163. In SKI RPT cells, the redox modulator Tempol alleviated oxidative stress, downregulated the protein expression of ERS markers and soluble epoxide hydrolase, upregulated the protein expression of dopamine D1 receptor, and reduced Na+/K+- ATPase activity. In SKI mice, SERCA2 agonists CDN1163 and [6]-Gingerol, or the redox modulator Tempol increased urine output and lowered blood pressure. The irreversible oxidation of C674 is not only an indicator of increased ROS, but also further inducing oxidative stress to cause hypertension. Activation of SERCA2 or inhibition of oxidative stress is beneficial to alleviate hypertension caused by SERCA2 dysfunction. [Display omitted] • SERCA2 is the key to controlling mitochondrial homeostasis. • SERCA2 dysfunction causes hypertension by inducing oxidative stress in renal cortex. • Direct evidence of SERCA activators lower blood pressure caused by SERCA2 dysfunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a key component of rotating machinery power transmission system, rolling bearings in gas turbines are often required to serve in complex working conditions such as the high speed, the heavy load, the variable load, the variable rotational speed, and so on. The signals of bearing failures are easily drowned out by strong background noise and disturbances of related components. In the mechanical transmission system, the signals of bearing failures are easily submerged by the strong background noise and the disturbance of related components, especially for the composite bearing failures, which seriously hinders the effective identification of the vibration characteristics of the bearing operating state and increases the difficulty of fault diagnosis. In order to investigate the impact of interference on the bearing, through the establishment of rolling bearing composite fault vibration model, analyze the relationship between the vibration signals caused by different types of bearing failures and the corresponding vibration characteristics, to reveal the transmission system of the parts of the perturbation of the main multi-interference factors on the bearing fault signal influence law. The experimental verification shows that disturbance yp(t) caused by the sum of gear meshing frequency, and installation errors of the shaft, and coupling in the transmission system and background noise ni(t), which makes the fault frequency relatively weak and difficult to observe, and makes it difficult to accurately separate the fault information of the bearing. It provides a theoretical basis to solve the problem of damage identification and fault diagnosis of rolling bearings under multi-interference state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trichoderma harzianum is a well-known biological control agent (BCA) that shows great potential in controlling many pathogenic fungi. To screen for genes associated with mycoparasitism, we sequenced and analyzed the transcriptome of T. harzianum T4 grown in dual culture with Colletotrichum musae. We analyzed differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of Trichoderma harzianum T4 in three different culture periods: before contact (BC), during contact (C) and after contact (AC). A total of 1453 genes were significantly differentially expressed compared to when T. harzianum T4 was cultured alone. During the three periods of double culture of T. harzianum T4 with C. musae, 74, 516, and 548 genes were up-regulated, respectively, and 11, 315, and 216 genes were down-regulated, respectively. The DEGs were screened using GO and KEGG enrichment analyses combined with differential expression multiples. Six gene categories related to mycoparasitism were screened: (a) pathogen recognition and signal transduction, (b) hydrolases, (c) ribosomal proteins and secreted proteins, (d) multidrug-resistant proteins and transporters, (e) heat shock proteins and detoxification, and (f) oxidative stress and antibiotics-related genes. The expression levels of 24 up-regulated genes during T. harzianum T4’s antagonistic interaction with C. musae were detected via real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). This study provided information on the transcriptional expression of T. harzianum T4 against C. musae. These results may help us to further understand the mechanism of mycoparasitism, which can provide a potential molecular target for improving the biological control capacity of T. harzianum T4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bisphenol A (BPA), a prevalent organic pollutant found in wastewater environment, is notorious for its resistance to natural degradation, raising significant ecological and human health concerns. In this study, a "signal-on" photoelectrochemical aptasensing system was designed for detecting BPA in real water samples with high specificity and sensitivity. One-dimensional (1D) β-FeOOH nanobelts were synthesized on a two-dimensional (2D) porous carbon nitride (g-C 3 N 4) through an in-situ growth procedure. The β-FeOOH/g-C 3 N 4 nanocomposites demonstrated superior photoelectric conversion efficiency due to several factors: (i) The 1D nanobelt-like structure of β-FeOOH shortens the charge transfer path within the nanocomposite, enabling directional and rapid migration of photoinduced charges from the interior to the surface. (ii) β-FeOOH possesses strong visible absorption capabilities, enhancing the utilization of g-C 3 N 4 under photoexcitation, resulting in the generation of numerous photo-induced carriers. (iii) The in-situ formation of the β-FeOOH/g-C 3 N 4 heterojunction establishes an intimate interfacial contact, facilitating the rapid separation and transfer of charges between β-FeOOH and g-C 3 N 4. A photoelectrochemical aptasensing platform based on the photoactive material of β-FeOOH/g-C 3 N 4 detects BPA with reduced photocurrent owing to the presence of BPA-aptamer macromolecules on the electrode surface. This BPA detection system exhibits excellent linearity over a wide concentration range from 10 pM to 10 nM, with high sensitivity (a detection limit of 3.5 pM), stability, specificity, and repeatability. Furthermore, this research offers a straightforward and rapid sensing platform for monitoring BPA enriched water environments. • 1D-FeOOH nanobelts on 2D g-C 3 N 4 was designed to detect trace Bisphenol A. • The efficiency of photoelectric conversion was enhanced by the unique structure. • The BPA detection system exhibits excellent linearity and high sensitivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Depression is a psychiatric disorder associated with multiple factors including microglia-mediated neuroinflammation. Although atractylodin exerted a variety of biological activities, however the effect of atractylodin on neuroinflammation-related depression was still unclear. In this study, the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced mouse model was used to explore the antidepressant effects and molecular mechanisms of atractylodin. The results showed that atractylodin increased sugar preference, also reduced immobility time in FST and TST. Further study showed atractylodin reduced the oxidative stress and the activation of microglia in mouse hippocampus, also inhibited the level of cytokine release, especially IL-1β. The results of western blotting showed that atractylodin significantly inhibited the expression of NLRP3 and pro-IL1β via inhibition of NF-κB pathway. Our studies showed that atractylodin upregulated BDNF/Akt pathway in mouse hippocampus. Therefore, this study firstly indicated that atractylodin can ameliorate lipopolysaccharide-induced depressive-like behaviors in mice through reducing neuroinflammation and neuronal damage, and its molecular mechanism may be associated with the decrease of the expression of NLRP3 inflammasome and upregulation of BDNF/Akt pathway. • Atractylodin ameliorated lipopolysaccharide-induced depressive-like behaviors in mice. • Atractylodin significantly reduced the oxidative stress. • Atractylodin significantly inhibited the expression of NLRP3 and Pro-IL1β. • Atractylodin significantly inhibited NF-κB signaling pathway. • Atractylodin increased BDNF/Akt signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Water-nitrate coupling is explored under farmland and apple orchards • Large water deficit and nitrate accumulation are observed under apple orchards • Water deficit and nitrate accumulation are spatiotemporally asynchronous • Soil properties significantly affect water-nitrate coupling in deep soils Understanding the relationship between water and nitrate in soils is critical to agricultural production and aquifer vulnerability assessments, especially in regions with intensive agricultural activities and thick unsaturated zones. Deep soils usually record long-term variations in coupling water and nitrate processes, influenced by multiple environmental factors. As such, this study aims to investigate water and nitrate-nitrogen (NO 3 –−N) contents and their relationships in soil profiles of 13–23 m deep under farmland and neighboring apple orchards with different ages. Soil properties were considered to explore the individual effect of a single factor or combined effects of multiple factors by wavelet analysis and partial least squares path models. Compared with farmland, apple orchards had large water deficit and NO 3 –−N accumulation due to root water uptake and synthetic fertilizer inputs, with high spatiotemporal asynchrony in deep unsaturated zones. Specifically, water deficit and NO 3 –−N accumulation were respectively observed in relatively stable (5–15 m) and active layers (0–5 m, spatial asynchrony), with higher water deficit rates under young apple trees (e.g., 12 and 22 years old) but larger NO 3 –−N accumulation rates under old apple trees (e.g., 23–32 years old, temporal asynchrony), respectively. Under farmland and orchard, soil texture-organic carbon regulated soil water movement, while soil water-organic carbon affected nitrate transport and transformation processes, which further altered soil pH and electric conductivity conditions in deep vadose zones. The growth of apple trees leads to asynchronous water depletion and fertilizer accumulation in soils, and the > 20 years apple trees are limited by insufficient water despite the excessive fertilizer. The dried soil layers not only reduce potential groundwater recharge, but also prolong the residence time of nitrate bombs in thick unsaturated zones. This study provides essential information for sustainable management of vegetation and water resources, and benefits the complicated hydrological and biogeochemical cycles in thick vadose zones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Space-filling designs are crucial for computer experiments. The quality of a space-filling design can be appropriately reflected by its stratification properties. In a recent paper, Tian and Xu (Biometrika 109(2):489–501, 2022) introduced the concept of a space-filling pattern to properly characterize a design’s stratification properties on various grids. In this study, we generalize the space-filling pattern using arbitrary orthonormal contrasts. We also propose a new pattern called the two-dimensional projection pattern to capture the stratification properties of balanced designs in two dimensions more comprehensively. We derive some theoretical results for both patterns and show that they are easier to compute and apply to a wider range of designs. We further show the use of the two patterns in constructing space-filling designs based on existing strong orthogonal arrays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To alleviate the instability of renewable energy generation and reduce the cost of energy storage, a wind-photovoltaic-hybrid energy storage project that combines hydrogen storage and electric thermal storage has been developed. Selecting the appropriate location is essential. Therefore, a two-stage decision framework is proposed to select the optimal site. In the first stage, geographic information system is used to assess the suitability of the study area and identify potential locations. In the second stage, the large-scale group decision-making method is employed for further evaluation. Considering the uncertainty of information, the probabilistic linguistic term sets are used to describe evaluation information. Then, experts are clustered via transitive closure algorithm, the weights of the experts and the subgroups are calculated according to the similarity and the importance of experts, and the size of subgroups, respectively. Furthermore, the weight of the criteria is calculated by maximum deviation method. Finally, the improved tomada de decisaointerativa e multicritévio method is used to rank the feasible sites. To verify the practicability of the method, an empirical study is conducted in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Through sensitivity and comparative analyses, site A 3 is identified as the optimal location, which facilitates the layout of wind-photovoltaic-hybrid energy storage projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To alleviate the instability of renewable energy generation and reduce the cost of energy storage, a wind-photovoltaic-hybrid energy storage project that combines hydrogen storage and electric thermal storage has been developed. Selecting the appropriate location is essential. Therefore, a two-stage decision framework is proposed to select the optimal site. In the first stage, geographic information system is used to assess the suitability of the study area and identify potential locations. In the second stage, the large-scale group decision-making method is employed for further evaluation. Considering the uncertainty of information, the probabilistic linguistic term sets are used to describe evaluation information. Then, experts are clustered via transitive closure algorithm, the weights of the experts and the subgroups are calculated according to the similarity and the importance of experts, and the size of subgroups, respectively. Furthermore, the weight of the criteria is calculated by maximum deviation method. Finally, the improved tomada de decisaointerativa e multicritévio method is used to rank the feasible sites. To verify the practicability of the method, an empirical study is conducted in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Through sensitivity and comparative analyses, site A 3 is identified as the optimal location, which facilitates the layout of wind-photovoltaic-hybrid energy storage projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The water and organic carbon stored within unsaturated zones are crucial in terrestrial ecosystems; however, the coupling effects of deep soil water and organic carbon are still poorly documented. To explore the water-carbon coupling effects within soils under tree plantations, we investigated the water and organic carbon content to 20 m deep under cultivated farmland and orchards with apple trees of varying ages (5, 10, 15, 20, and 24 years) in the loess-covered region of China. A conditional process model was used to explore the impacts of vegetation and edaphic factors on the water-carbon coupling processes. Compared with farmland, young apple orchards (0–10 years) showed lower water deficit, but the soil water storage reduced by 21%− 32% under old apple orchards (15–24 years). The organic carbon content exhibited negligible variation among apple trees of different ages. However, the water-carbon coupling effects varied with apple tree ages. A positive correlation existed between water storage and organic carbon density under young apple orchards (p < 0.05), but a negative correlation was found between water deficit and organic carbon sequestration under old apple orchards (p < 0.01). The conditional process model suggested that the water-carbon coupling relationship under young apple orchards was primarily controlled by clay content due to lower root biomass, while that under old apple orchards was concurrently shaped by silt content and coarse roots because of the developed root system of apple trees. This study offers novel insights into the sustainable management of agriculture and tree plantations in regions with deep-rooted vegetation and thick unsaturated zones. [Display omitted] • We analyzed water and carbon coupling effects within 0–20 m under apple orchards. • Apple trees triggered large water deficit but little organic carbon variation. • Soil texture led to positive water and carbon effects under young apple orchards. • Plant root caused negative water and carbon effects under old apple orchards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immunomodulatory biomaterials are increasingly used in regenerative medicine. Biomimetic glycopeptide hydrogel is found to accelerate cutaneous wound healing by inducing macrophage M2‐type polarization, however, it is unclear whether this will possibly orchestrate a pro‐regenerative T cell immunity. Here the aim of this study is to elucidate the reparative T‐cell immune response in tissue regeneration by augmenting macrophage‐T cell crosstalk with a novel immunomodulatory glycopeptide hydrogel (termed as GRKgel) self‐assembled by mannose receptor‐binding glucomannan (GM) chemically grafted with RADA16‐conjugated T‐cell epitope. The glycopeptide can be phagocytized and processed by macrophages, which then presents peptides to naïve T cells and polarizes them into T helper 2 (TH2) cells through IL‐4‐dependent STAT6/GATA3 or c‐Maf pathways. Strikingly, full‐thickness skin wound repair in mice indicates a superior efficacy of GRKgel on restoring the pathological structure and hair follicle by provoking TH2 immune response, increasing the residence of M2 macrophages, as well as promoting angiogenesis at the local tissue environment. Furthermore, genomics results illustrates the role of GRKgel serving as an immunomodulatory niche, orchestrating immune cell crosstalk and promoting extracellular matrix (ECM) reconstruction. Collectively, this study highlights the significance of crosstalk between immune cells in evoking pro‐healing T‐cell immunity, providing a promising drug‐/cytokine‐free strategy for endogenous tissue regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alpha-ketoglutaric acid (α-KG), as an intermediate product of the tricarboxylic acid cycle, plays a crucial role in peptide and amino acid synthesis. In order to reduce costs and improve efficiency in the oxidative production of α-ketoglutaric acid, this study successfully synthesized and expressed L-glutamate oxidase (LGOXStr) from Streptomyces viridosporus R111 and catalase (KatGEsc) from Escherichia coli H736. Two immobilization methods and the conditions for one-step whole-cell catalysis of α-ketoglutaric acid were investigated. α-Ketoglutaric acid has broad applications in the pharmaceutical, food, and chemical industries. The specific research results are as follows: (1) By fusing the sfGFP tag, L-glutamate oxidase (LGOXStr r) and catalase (KatGEsc) were successfully anchored to the outer membrane of Escherichia coli cells, achieving one-step whole-cell catalysis of α-ketoglutaric acid with a conversion efficiency of up to 75%. (2) Through the co-immobilization of LGOXStr and KatGEsc, optimization of the preparation parameters of immobilized cells, and exploration of the immobilization method using E.coli@ZIF-8, immobilized cells with conversion rates of over 60% were obtained even after 10 cycles of reuse. Under the optimal conditions, the production rate of α-ketoglutaric acid reached 96.7% in a 12 h reaction, which is 1.1 times that of E. coli@SA and 1.29 times that of free cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common type of malignant tumor of the central nervous system, characterized by aggressiveness, genetic instability, heterogenesis, and unpredictable clinical behavior. Disappointing results from the current clinical therapeutic methods have fueled a search for new therapeutic targets and treatment modalities. GBM is characterized by various genetic alterations, and RNA-based gene therapy has raised particular attention in GBM therapy. Here, we review the recent advances in engineered non-viral nanocarriers for RNA drug delivery to treat GBM. Therapeutic strategies concerning the brain-targeted delivery of various RNA drugs involving siRNA, microRNA, mRNA, ASO, and short-length RNA and the therapeutical mechanisms of these drugs to tackle the challenges of chemo-/radiotherapy resistance, recurrence, and incurable stem cell-like tumor cells of GBM are herein outlined. We also highlight the progress, prospects, and remaining challenges of non-viral nanocarriers-mediated RNA-based gene therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mg‐catalyzed [4+2] cycloaddition reactions between 2‐aminobenzaldehydes and ynones offered an array of 2‐arylquinoline motifs merged with a CF3‐acyl group. Furthermore, with Mg‐catalyzed [4+2] annulation as the key step, DDD107498, DDD102542, and Hit analogues were assembled. Finally, a computational study of the reaction mechanism was conducted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprising numerous subnuclei, the thalamus intricately interconnects the cortex and subcortex, orchestrating various facets of brain functions. Extracting personalized parcellation patterns for these subnuclei is crucial, as different thalamic nuclei play varying roles in cognition and serve as therapeutic targets for neuromodulation. However, accurately delineating the thalamic nuclei boundary at the individual level is challenging due to intersubject variability. In this study, we proposed a prior‐guided parcellation (PG‐par) method to achieve robust individualized thalamic parcellation based on a central‐boundary prior. We first constructed probabilistic atlas of thalamic nuclei using high‐quality diffusion MRI datasets based on the local diffusion characteristics. Subsequently, high‐probability voxels in the probabilistic atlas were utilized as prior guidance to train unique multiple classification models for each subject based on a multilayer perceptron. Finally, we employed the trained model to predict the parcellation labels for thalamic voxels and construct individualized thalamic parcellation. Through a test–retest assessment, the proposed prior‐guided individualized thalamic parcellation exhibited excellent reproducibility and the capacity to detect individual variability. Compared with group atlas registration and individual clustering parcellation, the proposed PG‐par demonstrated superior parcellation performance under different scanning protocols and clinic settings. Furthermore, the prior‐guided individualized parcellation exhibited better correspondence with the histological staining atlas. The proposed prior‐guided individualized thalamic parcellation method contributes to the personalized modeling of brain parcellation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An immune-related gene signature (IRGS) was established to better understand the molecular and immunologic characteristics of microsatellite instable (MSI) and microsatellite stable (MSS) endometrial carcinoma (EC), and provide potential immunotherapy directions for MSS patients. Top 20 immune-related hub genes were screened by weight gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA), and an IRGS was further established through Cox regression analysis. The molecular and immune characteristics were clarified in IRGS high and low risk groups. Expression and MS status validation of the IRGS were conducted through quantitative real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction (rt-qPCR) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) analysis. The IRGS includes 2 oncogenes (AGTR1 and HTR3C) and 2 tumor suppressor genes (CD3E and SERPIND1). Patients in IRGS high-risk group were more with MSS status, higher tumor grade, later FIGO stage, serous histology and elder ages compared with IRGS low-risk group (P < 0.05). Besides, patients in MSS group were more FIGO stages II–IV (42.7% vs. 26%), serous histology (35.7% vs. 5.3%) and with higher IRGS risk score (1.51 ± 3.11 vs. 1.02 ± 0.67) (P < 0.05) than patients in MSI group. Furthermore, patients in IRGS high-risk group had higher tumor purity, more Macrophages M1 and Macrophages M2 infiltrating, higher proportion of Macrophages M2 and Dendritic cells activated, lower proportion of T cells regulatory (Tregs), lower tumor mutation burden (TMB). Correspondingly, subjects in IRGS low-risk group had higher immunphenoscores than IRGS high-risk group. The relative mRNA level of AGTR1 and HTR3C were gradually increase, while CD3E and SERPIND1 were reversed in rt-qPCR. Through IHC experiments, AGTR1(69.2% vs 30%, P = 0.074) and HTR3C (76.9% vs 30%, P = 0.024) had higher positive staining rates in ECs than non-ECs. While SERPIND1 (84.6% vs 20%, P = 0.003) and CD3E (61.5% vs 40%, P = 0.000) had higher positive staining rates in non-ECs. IRGS is a potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for EC. IRGS low risk group might benefit from immune checkpoint inhibitors, while IRGS high risk group deserve other potential immunotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The oxidation roasting pretreatment process, which is a mature and dominant industrial practice for treating complex polymetallic gold deposits, has a low recovery of associated silver and exhibits an unclear reaction sequence. This study takes a silver-containing gold ore as the research object and investigates the effect of (i) sodium sulfite as an additive, (ii) main gold-bearing mineral pyrite, and (iii) gangue mineral quartz, on silver during the roasting process in roasting and leaching tests. Characterization techniques included scanning electron microscopy–energy dispersive spectroscopy analysis, and thermogravimetry–differential scanning calorimetry analysis. The results based on thermodynamic calculations and characterization show that the main reason for the low extraction of silver is that the calcined product (i.e., iron silicate) formed by the reaction between pyrite and quartz during the roasting process is mutually absorbed and wrapped with silver oxide. In addition, silver minerals decompose some iron sulfides and iron oxides under high-temperature conditions, promoting the reaction of iron and quartz to form iron silicate while strengthening the secondary encapsulation of silver by products of roasting, thus deteriorating the extraction of silver. The addition of sodium sulfite reduces the formation of iron silicate and increases the extraction of silver by directly promoting the conversion of pyrite to iron oxide. This study provides a theoretical basis for further improving the roasting and leaching of silver. • Addition of sodium sulfite to pyrite roasting improves silver extraction during cyanide leaching of the calcine. • Poor silver extraction appears to be related to silver lock up in iron silicate • Addition of sodium sulfite favours conversion of iron sulfides to sulfates and then to porous hematite (Fe 2 O 3). • Thermal decomposition of sodium sulfite provides SO 2 for sulfation and sodium oxide to react with silica to produce sodium silicate and minimise iron silicate formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Copper-based nanomaterials show considerable potential in the chemodynamic therapy of cancers. However, their clinical application is restricted by low catalytic activity in tumor microenvironment and copper-induced tumor angiogenesis. Herein, a novel copper-doxorubicin-anlotinib (CDA) nanoconjugate was constructed by the combination of copper-hydrazide coordination, hydrazone linkage and Schiff base bond. The CDA nanoconjugate consists of a copper-3,3′-dithiobis(propionohydrazide)-doxorubicin core and an anlotinib-hyaluronan shell. Benefiting from hyaluronan camouflage and abundant disulfide bonds and Cu2+, the CDA nanoconjugate possessed excellent tumor-targeting and glutathione-depleting abilities and enhanced chemodynamic efficacy. Released doxorubicin significantly improved copper-mediated chemodynamic therapy by upregulating nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase 4 expression to increase intracellular H 2 O 2 level. Furthermore, the nanoconjugate produced excessive •OH to induce lipid peroxidation and mitochondrial dysfunction, thus greatly elevating doxorubicin-mediated chemotherapy. Importantly, anlotinib effectively inhibited the angiogenic potential of copper ions. In a word, the CDA nanoconjugate is successfully constructed by combined coordination and pH-responsive linkages, and displays the great potential of copper-drug conjugate for targeted synergistic chemo/chemodynamic/antiangiogenic triple therapy against cancers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Breast cancer (BC) is the most prevalent malignant tumor worldwide among women, with the highest incidence rate. The mechanisms underlying nucleotide metabolism on biological functions in BC remain incompletely elucidated. Materials and Methods: We harnessed differentially expressed nucleotide metabolism-related genes from The Cancer Genome Atlas-BRCA, constructing a prognostic risk model through univariate Cox regression and LASSO regression analyses. A validation set and the GSE7390 dataset were used to validate the risk model. Clinical relevance, survival and prognosis, immune infiltration, functional enrichment, and drug sensitivity analyses were conducted. Results: Our findings identified four signature genes (DCTPP1, IFNG, SLC27A2, and MYH3) as nucleotide metabolism-related prognostic genes. Subsequently, patients were stratified into high- and low-risk groups, revealing the risk model's independence as a prognostic factor. Nomogram calibration underscored superior prediction accuracy. Gene Set Variation Analysis (GSVA) uncovered activated pathways in low-risk cohorts and mobilized pathways in high-risk cohorts. Distinctions in immune cells were noted between risk cohorts. Subsequent experiments validated that reducing SLC27A2 expression in BC cell lines or using the SLC27A2 inhibitor, Lipofermata, effectively inhibited tumor growth. Conclusions: We pinpointed four nucleotide metabolism-related prognostic genes, demonstrating promising accuracy as a risk prediction tool for patients with BC. SLC27A2 appears to be a potential therapeutic target for BC among these genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

WRKY transcription factors play a central role in controlling plant organ senescence; however, it is unclear whether and how they regulate petal senescence in the widely grown ornamental plant tulip (Tulipa gesneriana). In this study, we report that TgWRKY75 promotes petal senescence by enhancing the synthesis of both abscisic acid (ABA) and salicylic acid (SA) in tulip and in transgenic Arabidopsis. The expression level of TgWRKY75 was up-regulated in senescent petals, and exogenous ABA or SA treatment induced its expression. The endogenous contents of ABA and SA significantly increased during petal senescence and in response to TgWRKY75 overexpression. Two SA synthesis-related genes, TgICS1 and TgPAL1 , were identified as direct targets of TgWRKY75, which binds to their promoters. In parallel, TgWRKY75 activated the expression of the ABA biosynthesis-related gene TgNCED3 via directly binding to its promoter region. Site mutation of the W-box core motif located in the promoters of TgICS1 , TgPAL1 , and TgNCED3 eliminated their interactions with TgWRKY75. In summary, our study demonstrates a dual regulation of ABA and SA biosynthesis by TgWRKY75, revealing a synergistic process of tulip petal senescence through feedback regulation between TgWRKY75 and the accumulation of ABA and SA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solid-state bonding is paramount in joining dissimilar materials, often combined with metal forming, such as forging, rolling and extrusion, to fabricate composites with a designed structure. Owing to its superior mechanical properties and low density, the carbon steel/Ti composite structure is attractive in automotive and aerospace industries but is difficult to fabricate due to the decarburization of carbon steel's faying surface. In this work, a carbon steel/Ti6Al4V composite structure was first fabricated via a forge-bonding method with the assistance of a Ni coating layer. Results show that the Ni layer on the faying surfaces precludes the decarburization of the steel and the growth of the TiC phase so as to improve the bonding quality. Meanwhile, the in-situ eutectic reaction between the Ni layer and β -Ti was observed. As a result, a seamless bonded interface with the total elimination of the Ni layer can be obtained. The bonding strength was examined to establish the relationship between bonding windows, microstructure and the resulting mechanical properties. An experimentally validated thermal-mechanical finite element model was also developed to understand the process-dependent interface evolution. This work opens a new avenue for fabricating carbon steel/Ti6Al4V composite, extending the flexibility of achieving complex structures by combining solid-state bonding with other metal-forming technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the serious health threats due to wide use of organophosphorus pesticides (OPPs) have been experimentally claimed to be remediated by probiotic microorganisms in various food and organism models, the interactions between OPPs and probiotics in the natural wetland ecosystem was rarely investigated. This study delves into the spatial and temporal distribution, contamination levels of OPPs in the Baiyangdian region, the diversity of probiotic communities in varying environmental contexts, and the potential connection with OPPs on these probiotics. In typical shallow lake wetland ecosystem—Baiyangdian lake in north China, eight OPPs were identified in the lake sediments, even though their detection rates were generally low. Malathion exhibited the highest average content among these pesticides (9.51 ng/g), followed by fenitrothion (6.70 ng/g). Conversely, chlorpyrifos had the lowest detection rate at only 2.14%. The region near Nanliu Zhuang (F10), significantly influenced by human activities, displayed the highest concentration of total OPPs (136.82 ng/g). A total of 145 probiotic species spanning 78 genera were identified in Baiyangdian sediments. Our analysis underscores the relations of environmental factors such as phosphatase activity, pH, and electrical conductivity (EC) with probiotic community. Notably, several high-abundance probiotics including Pseudomonas chlororaphis , Clostridium sp., Lactobacillus fermentum , and Pseudomonas putida , etc., which were reported to exhibit significant potential for the degradation of OPPs, showed strongly correlations with OPPs in the Baiyangdian lake sediments. The outcomes of this research offer valuable insights into the spatiotemporal dynamics of OPPs in natural large lake wetland and the probability of their in-situ residue bioremediation through the phosphatase pathway mediated by probiotic such as Lactic acid bacteria in soils/sediments contaminated with OPPs. [Display omitted] • Human heavily influenced site Nanliu Zhuang (F10) showed highest OPPs concentration. • Most of the detected values of the major OPPs exceeded the corresponding MRL. • Quinalphos, diazinon, fenitrithion, parathion-methyl, and malathion were main OPPs that influence probiotic communities. • Phosphatase activity, pH and EC were key factors linking probiotic communities beside OPPs. • Main probiotics Clostridium sp. and Lactobacillus fermentum played potential roles in pesticide degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cronobacter sakazakii (C. sakazakii) is a common food-borne pathogen that induces meningitis, sepsis, and necrotizing enterocolitis, primarily in newborns and infants. Iron plays a pivotal role in the growth of cells and biofilm formation. However, the effects of hemin (ferric ion donor) on C. sakazakii cells are scarcely known. Here, we explored the effect of ferric ions on the growth of planktonic C. sakazakii , biofilm formation, and swarming motility by crystal violet staining (CVS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), and swarming assay. Our study demonstrated that ferric ions facilitated the growth of planktonic C. sakazakii , while hemin at concentrations ranging from 50 to 800 μmol/L promoted biofilm formation and at concentrations between 50 and 200 μmol/L enhanced the swarming motility of C. sakazakii. Furthermore, high hemin concentrations (400–800 μmol/L) were found to reduce flagellar length, as confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). These findings indicated that ferric ions mediated the swarming motility of C. sakazakii by regulating flagellar assembly. Finally, transcriptomic analysis of C. sakazakii was performed at hemin concentrations of 0, 50, and 200 μmol/L, which revealed that several genes associated with iron transport and metabolism, and flagellar assembly were essential for the survival of C. sakazakii under hemin treatment. Our findings revealed the molecular basis of ferric ions on C. sakazakii growth and biofilm formation, thus providing a novel perspective for its prevention and control. • Ferric ions stimulated the growth of planktonic C. sakazakii. • Ferric ions promoted the biofilm formation of C. sakazakii. • Ferric ions affected C. sakazakii swarming motility by regulating flagellar assembly. • Ferric ion-mediated biofilm formation was closely related to swarming motility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current work examines the effect of 316 L steel's microstructure, which is modified through varying scanning angles with the sample surface (HNS (0°), INS (45°), and VNS (90°)) in the selective laser melting (SLM) method and through surface mechanical attrition treatment (SMAT), on its high-temperature oxidation behaviour (at 600–800 °C) is investigated. We have obtained a deeper understanding of the steel's oxidation behaviour by applying various characterisation techniques. The SMATed steel has a ∼ 1000 μm thick deformed layer containing a gradient microstructure, and its topmost layer contains fine twins and nanograins (∼30 nm). The hardness of this surface is ∼1.65 times the non-treated steel's hardness. All samples follow a parabolic rate law during oxidation. The VNS sample unveils the slowest oxidation rate amid the non-treated samples. SMAT increases the activation energy of oxidation. The distribution of elements across the oxidised samples' cross-section shows discontinuous Cr spreading within the oxide layer on the non-treated samples; however, the deformed samples show uniform distribution. Unlike non-SMATed samples, a minute decline in Cr and Mn content is observed underneath the oxide layer on the SMATed samples, confirming their enhanced outward diffusion. The oxide layer on SMATed samples has more Cr- and Mn-rich oxides. These oxides occupy the grain boundaries of the oxidised non-SMATed surfaces, where the micro-pores and cracks are present. Conversely, oxidised SMATed surfaces display uniform, defect-free Cr- and Mn-rich oxides with finer grains. Moreover, the SMATed layer remains reasonably stable during high-temperature oxidation (hardness drop ranges between ∼9 and ∼ 30%). [Display omitted] • The scanning approach in the SLM route impacts 316 L steel's microstructure. • Steel manufactured with 90° scanning unveils superior oxidation resistance. • The SMATed layer's microstructure improves the elements' migration in oxidation. • SMATed surface develops a uniform and defect-free oxide layer with finer grains. • SMAT-treated samples demonstrate outstanding thermal stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A series of Bi-modified bismuth oxyiodide composites were synthesized. • The pH strongly affects the composition, morphology and performance of composites. • Ascorbic acid can reduce Bi3+ to Bi, inhibit BiOI growth and help to form Bi 4 O 5 I 2. • The ternary Bi/BiOI/Bi 4 O 5 I 2 exhibits the highest photocatalytic activity. • An indirect Z-scheme ternary photocatalytic mechanism of BBI-AA-0.24 is proposed. Multi-heterojunction composites exhibit unparalleled superiority in light absorption and spatial separation of charges, but their synthesis remains a challenge. Herein, we report the one-step hydrothermal synthesis of Bi-modified bismuth oxyiodide composites by modulating the pH of the reaction system using ascorbic acid (AA) as reducing agent. The pH highly influences the composition, morphology and properties of the samples. AA can reduce Bi3+ to metallic Bi, inhibit grain growth of BiOI and help to form Bi 4 O 5 I 2 , thus realizing the one-step synthesis of ternary composites. The sample obtained at pH 6.5 and AA of 0.24 g is the BiOI/Bi/Bi 4 O 5 I 2 composites with flower-like hierarchical structure, which has the highest degradation efficiency for bisphenol A and RhB. In addition, formation mechanism of the composites was systematically researched based on the composition of intermediates, and an indirect Z-scheme photocatalytic mechanism of BBI-AA-0.24 based on the electronic bridge of metal Bi was proposed. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The wide application of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) for electric vehicles forebodes a future decommissioning tide of spent LIBs. Therefore, the recycling of spent LIBs has garnered significant attention, primarily due to the scarcity of resources and the detrimental effects of environmental pollution. However, traditional recycling technologies such as pyrometallurgy and hydrometallurgy methods are limited by their high energy consumption, high pollution, and complicated separation processes. Herein, we propose a novel and general approach to convert a series of spent LiNi1−x−yCoxMnyO2 (NCM) cathodes into Ni–Co–Mn hydroxide (NCM-OH) catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) using deep eutectic solvents to extract valuable metals, followed by an in situ precipitation process using oxalic acid and a final self-templating process in an alkaline solution. The NCM-OH catalyst obtained from the spent LiNi0.33Co0.33Mn0.33O2 cathode is found to possess a nanoflake-assembled microrod structure with a large surface area (385.8 m2 g−1) and high porosity, which is endowed with abundant active sites and gas channels for the electrocatalytic reaction and mass transfer process. As a result, the NCM-OH catalyst for the oxygen evolution reaction exhibits a low overpotential of 273 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm−2 with a Tafel slope of 50.46 mV dec−1 as well as satisfactory stability. The effect of the composition on the catalytic performance is also evaluated by comparing different Ni1−x−yCoxMny hydroxide catalysts derived from commercially prevailing spent cathodes. This work provides a promising strategy for recycling spent LIBs into electrocatalyst materials for the OER. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The success of the National Severe Storms Laboratory's (NSSL) experimental Warn-on-Forecast System (WoFS) to provide useful probabilistic guidance of severe and hazardous weather is mostly due to the frequent assimilation of observations, especially radar observations. Phased-array radar (PAR) technology, which is a potential candidate to replace the current U.S. operational radar network, would allow for even more rapid assimilation of radar observations by providing full-volumetric scans of the atmosphere every ∼1 min. Based on previous studies, more frequent PAR data assimilation can lead to improved forecasts, but it can also lead to ensemble underdispersion and suboptimal observation assimilation. The use of stochastic and perturbed parameter methods to increase ensemble spread is a potential solution to this problem. In this study, four stochastic and perturbed parameter methods are assessed using a 1-km-scale version of the WoFS and include the stochastic kinetic energy backscatter (SKEB) scheme, the physically based stochastic perturbation (PSP) scheme, a fixed perturbed parameters (FPP) method, and a novel surface-model scheme blending (SMSB) method. Using NSSL PAR observations from the 9 May 2016 tornado outbreak, experiments are conducted to assess the impact of the methods individually, in different combinations, and with different cycling intervals. The results from these experiments reveal the potential benefits of stochastic and perturbed parameter methods for future versions of the WoFS. Stochastic and perturbed parameter methods can lead to more skillful forecasts during periods of storm development. Moreover, a combination of multiple methods can result in more skillful forecasts than using a single method. Significance Statement: Phased-array radar technology allows for more frequent assimilation of radar observations into ensemble forecast systems like the experimental Warn-on-Forecast System. However, more frequent radar data assimilation can eventually cause issues for prediction systems due to the lack of ensemble spread. Thus, the purpose of this study is to explore the use of four stochastic and perturbed parameter methods in a next-generation Warn-on-Forecast System to generate ensemble spread and help prevent the issues from frequent radar data assimilation. Results from this study indicate the stochastic and perturbed parameter methods can improve forecasts of storms, especially during storm development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is the primary foodborne pathogen known to cause gastrointestinal infections in humans. Nevertheless, the molecular mechanisms of V. parahaemolyticus pathogenicity are not fully understood. Prophages carry virulence and antibiotic resistance genes commonly found in Vibrio populations, and they facilitate the spread of virulence and the emergence of pathogenic Vibrio strains. In this study, we characterized three such genes, VpaChn25_0713, VpaChn25_0714, and VpaChn25_RS25055, within the largest prophage gene cluster in V. parahaemolyticus CHN25. The deletion mutants ΔVpaChn25_RS25055, ΔVpaChn25_0713, ΔVpaChn25_0714, and ΔVpaChn25_RS25055-0713-0714 were derived with homologous recombination, and the complementary mutants ΔVpaChn25_0713-com, ΔVpaChn25_0714-com, ΔVpaChn25_RS25055-com, ΔVpaChn25_RS25055-0713-0714-com were also constructed. In the absence of the VpaChn25_RS25055, VpaChn25_0713, VpaChn25_0714, and VpaChn25_RS25055-0713-0714 genes, the mutants showed significant reductions in low-temperature survivability and biofilm formation (p < 0.001). The ΔVpaChn25_0713, ΔVpaChn25_RS25055, and ΔVpaChn25_RS25055-0713-0714 mutants were also significantly defective in swimming motility (p < 0.001). In the Caco-2 model, the above four mutants attenuated the cytotoxic effects of V. parahaemolyticus CHN25 on human intestinal epithelial cells (p < 0.01), especially the ΔVpaChn25_RS25055 and ΔVpaChn25_RS25055-0713-0714 mutants. Transcriptomic analysis showed that 15, 14, 8, and 11 metabolic pathways were changed in the ΔVpaChn25_RS25055, ΔVpaChn25_0713, ΔVpaChn25_0714, and ΔVpaChn25_RS25055-0713-0714 mutants, respectively. We labeled the VpaChn25_RS25055 gene with superfolder green fluorescent protein (sfGFP) and found it localized at both poles of the bacteria cell. In addition, we analyzed the evolutionary origins of the above genes. In summary, the prophage genes VpaChn25_0713, VpaChn25_0714, and VpaChn25_RS25055 enhance V. parahaemolyticus CHN25's survival in the environment and host. Our work improves the comprehension of the synergy between prophage-associated genes and the evolutionary process of V. parahaemolyticus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Astrophysical very high energy (VHE) gamma-rays (with energies >30 GeV) are believed to result almost exclusively from the interactions of populations of highly relativistic particles with ambient matter or photon fields. The study of these VHE photons therefore allows us to examine the processes of particle acceleration in the Universe, and the extreme environments in which they occur. Gamma-rays are also highly directional, making them useful for studying the origin, acceleration, propagation, and composition of cosmic rays. This study uses the Monte Carlo method to simulate the process of extensive air showers being initiated when primary incident γ -rays with energies ranging from 10 GeV to 5 TeV interact with the atmosphere. The ultimate goal is to investigate and analyze the properties and lateral density distributions of Cherenkov light at different altitudes. The simulation considers various energies and zenith angles. The results show that a hump in the lateral density distribution of Cherenkov light is a distinctive feature of a γ -initiated shower, with the hump becoming less prominent at higher energy levels and altitudes. These significant findings not only facilitate better fitting of experimental data obtained from actual extensive air showers but also assist with estimating readings from detectors, thus advancing our understanding of these processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An inverted AluYb8 insertion in the MUTYH intron 15 (AluYb8MUTYH variant) has been reported to be associated with reduced MUTYH1 expression and mitochondrial dysfunction with age. However, the underlying mechanism remains unknown. In this study, we identified a novel transcript associated with the AluYb8MUTYH variant, which revealed that this transcript is about 780 nucleotides in length with a poly-A tail, lacks protein-coding potential, referred to as lncMUTYH. The results from the reporter gene system confirmed that the lncMUTYH down-regulates MUTYH1 expression at the translational level. Site-directed mutagenesis on the 5′-terminal exon sequences of α-MUTYH and lncMUTYH constructs revealed that lncMUTYH can act as a trans-regulator that depends on the partial base pairing between its exonized AluYb8 sequence and the 5′UTR of α-MUTYH to impede MUTYH 1 expression. Furthermore, we have demonstrated a correlation between decreased mitochondrion-localized MUTYH1 caused by lncMUTYH and lowered levels of mitochondrial biological function indicators, such as mtDNA content, mitochondrial regulatory gene expression, oxygen consumption rate, ATP product, and mitochondrial respiratory capacity. Notably, we found that lncMUTYH inhibited the M2-like polarization of macrophages, and CD68/CD206-positive cell fractions were significantly lower in lncMUTYH ectopically expressing cells. The results confirmed that the AluYb8MUTYH-associated lncMUTYH, derived from an AluYb8 insertion mutation, acts as a trans-regulatory factor that inhibits the MUTYH1 protein expression, leading to a progressive mitochondrial dysfunction that may disrupt macrophage differentiation. In summary, lncMUTYH can contribute to AluYb8MUTYH-associated mitochondrial dysfunction with age and hamper the macrophage polarization process, potentially increasing the risk of developing age-related diseases. A novel non-coding RNA was identified derived from the AluYb8 insertion in the MUTYH gene, namely lncMUTYH. LncMUTYH selectively decreased the MUTYH1 protein localized in mitochondrial, which is dependent on the sequence and orientation derived from AluYb8 insertion. Overexpression of lncMUTYH dampens the mitochondrial function and M2-like polarization of macrophages, partly due to the suppression of the MUTYH1 protein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although numerous studies have linked asthma to air temperature and pollution, few studies have examined their interactive effects on asthma outpatient visits. This study investigated how air pollutants and their interactions with temperature affect asthma outpatient visits in a city in northern Chinaduring the time period 2018 - 2020.. As the results, 24,163 asthma outpatients were recorded, a 10-μg/m3 increase in PM10, PM2.5, SO2, and NO2 concentrations was associated with significant increases in visits of 3.47% (95% CI: 2.35%–4.60%), 0.83% (95% CI: 0.36%–1.30%), 3.17% (95% CI: 1.47%–4.90%), and 8.90% (95% CI: 6.09%–11.79%), respectively. The effect was stronger in females than males, and stronger in the elderly (≥65 years) than among the young. The interaction between low temperatures and high air pollution levels significantly increased the number of asthma outpatient visits. This study emphasizesthe importance of reducing air pollution in order to lessen the effects of cold. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is inextricably linked to various diseases, including liver cancer. Thus, detecting the content of AFP in biology has great significance in diagnosis, treatment, and intervention. Motivated by the urgent need for affordable and convenient electronic sensors in the analysis and detection of aqueous biological samples, we combined the solution-gated graphene transistor (SGGT) with the catalytic reaction of enzyme nanoprobes (HRP-AuNPs-Ab2) to accurately sense AFP. The SGGT immunosensor demonstrated high specificity and stability, excellent selectivity, and excessive linearity over a range of 4 ng/mL to 500 ng/mL, with the lower detection limit down to 1.03 ng/mL. Finally, clinical samples were successfully detected by the SGGT immunosensor, and the results were consistent with chemiluminescence methods that are popular in hospitals for detecting AFP. Notably, the SGGT immunosensor is also recyclable, so it has excellent potential for use in high-throughput detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rab GTPases not only play a crucial role in the exocytosis and membrane transport of all eukaryotic cells, but are also gradually being found to be involved in innate immunity in mammals. However, the immunological function of Rab3a in fish remains unclear. In this study, two members of Rab3a, CiRab3aa and CiRab3ab, were cloned from grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) for the first time. It was observed that CiRab3aa exhibited a prompt response to grass carp reovirus (GCRV) infection, and suppressing the expression of the CiRab3aa effectively inhibited GCRV replication, whereas the expression level of the CiRab3ab gene did not affect GCRV replication. Furthermore, overexpression of CiRab3aa significantly suppressed the mRNA levels of TLR9 , TNF-α , IL-1β , IL-6 , IL-10 , ERK , and IFN-I following stimulation with CpG ODN 1670 A, suggesting that CiRab3aa is a negative regulator of TLR9 signaling pathway. In conclusion, this study not only revealed functional differences between CiRab3aa and CiRab3ab in grass carp immunity, providing new sights into understanding their function in teleost fish, but also provided a new target for the treatment strategy of grass carp hemorrhagic disease. These results will help address the harm and economic losses caused by GCRV infection in grass carp breeding industry. • CiRab3aa and CiRab3ab genes were cloned and characterized in grass carp. • There are 7 amino acid differences in the Rab domain of Rab3aa and Rab3aa protein. • Knockdown of CiRab3aa significantly inhibited the replication of GCRV. • CiRab3aa was a negative regulator of the TLR9 signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neurodevelopmental cell communication plays a crucial role in neuroblastoma prognosis. However, determining the impact of these communication pathways on prognosis is challenging due to limited sample sizes and patchy clinical survival information of single cell RNA-seq data. To address this, we have developed the cell communication pathway prognostic model (CCPPM) in this study. CCPPM involves the identification of communication pathways through single-cell RNA-seq data, screening of prognosis-significant pathways using bulk RNA-seq data, conducting functional and attribute analysis of these pathways, and analyzing the post-effects of communication within these pathways. By employing the CCPPM, we have identified ten communication pathways significantly influencing neuroblastoma, all related to axongenesis and neural projection development, especially the BMP7-(BMPR1B-ACVR2B) communication pathway was found to promote tumor cell migration by activating the transcription factor SMAD1 and regulating UNK and MYCBP2. Notably, BMP7 expression was higher in neuroblastoma samples with distant metastases. In summary, CCPPM offers a novel approach to studying the influence of cell communication pathways on disease prognosis and identified detrimental communication pathways related to neurodevelopment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Flexible radiation protection materials with excellent comprehensive properties are greatly in demand. • Well-dispersed high-Z ions/particles in the flexible matrix are the preconditions for properties. • Natural polymers contain innate advantages to construct wearable materials against radiation. • This review covers synthetic and natural polymer-based materials for radiation protection. With the rapid development of nuclear science and technology, X-rays and γ-rays are widely used in the fields of medical, military, industry, etc. However, a prolonged accumulation of radiation dosage from high-energy ionizing radiation is hazardous to human health and the surrounding environment. Traditional bulk radiation-shielding materials are bulky, heavy, and unable to meet the requirements for protecting mobile targets. To solve this problem, numerous research efforts have been focused on blending radiation absorbents with synthetic or natural polymer substrates to design lightweight and wearable shielding materials. This review aims to present a comprehensive overview of flexible and wearable radiation protection materials. To provide a clear view for readers, we discuss to start with the radiation shielding mechanisms and materials design principles. Subsequently, the state-of-the-art works on protection materials, which include lead-containing and lead-free synthetic polymer-based materials, as well as natural polymer-based materials are summarized. Additionally, the challenges of synthetic polymer-based materials and their corresponding enhancement strategies are highlighted. Finally, the possible future research and development directions are indicated for the benefit of practitioners and researchers in the field of radiation protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porous graphitized biochar was synthesized from waste coconut shell utilizing microwave-assisted pyrolysis, with combination of KOH and KCl as activators. The activators s not only facilitated creation of porous and graphitized structure with high surface area, but also reduced the KOH corrosion as an impeding factor against KOH activation. The process further facilitates easy recovery and reuse of KCl for economic benefits. The biochar has few layers graphene structure and abundant pores with specific surface area of 2047 m2·g−1 and excellent adsorption capacity for tetracycline. An adsorption capacity as high as of 1033.06 mg·g−1, is phenomenal, not reported in open literature, which could be attributed to the adsorption mechanism of pore filling, electrostatic attraction, hydrogen bonding and π-π interaction. The work authenticates utilization of porous graphitized biochar as a novel adsorbent for treatment of wastewater streams with antibiotics, and an economical commercial alternative to the existing processes and adsorbents. [Display omitted] • Fast preparation of porous graphitized biochar by microwave assisted heating. • Joint activation KOH and KCl for formation of porous and graphitized structure. • 80% removal achieved in 15 minutes for 1250 mg/L tetracycline solution. • Biochar with novel tetracycline adsorption capacity of 1033.06 mg/g. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pollution, resulting from the use of gasoline and diesel fuels, presents an evident concern to environmental health and safety, contributing to greenhouse gases, smog, and a plethora of other hazards to everyday life. A variety of alternative energy sources and technologies are being considered towards the reduction of pollution from the use of fossil fuels, one such being natural gas. The bottleneck of technology for natural gas implementation is the storage and distribution at ambient condition with low-cost media. Activated carbon materials, having been further popularized for their adsorbent properties, have become established as a popular choice for natural gas storage thanks to their high pore volume and surface area and the abundant availability of carbon precursors. Herein, the synthesis of activated carbon monoliths and their application for methane adsorption, as it relates to natural gas storage, is described. Activated carbon monoliths from low-cost natural abundant precursors have become a popular choice for natural gas storage thanks to their high pore volume and surface area, and the abundant availability of carbon precursors. [Display omitted] • Natural gas use results in less pollution than that of gas and diesel fuel. • Activated carbons (ACs) have become a popular choice for natural gas adsorption. • Surface area, microporosity, and density are vital to natural gas adsorption. • Activated carbon monoliths (ACMs) can store larger amounts of gas than AC powders. • ACMs created from readily available biomaterials displayed decent natural gas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying disease-resistant and disease-susceptible materials in largemouth bass can provide fundamental analytical information for disease-resistant breeding research on this species. To date, no stable and effective artificial infection pathway has been established against largemouth bass virus (LMBV) in largemouth bass. In this study, using the pathogen at a concentration of 1.60 × 105 TCID50/mL, largemouth bass juveniles were infected using three different methods: muscle injection, feeding, and immersion. A comprehensive comparative study was conducted on parameters such as disease progression, viral load, pathological changes, and electron microscopy. The results revealed that the injection group experienced rapid mortality, with all individuals dying within 6 days after the infection. The feeding group showed minimal mortality, with an overall mortality rate of 28.57%. The immersion group reached its peak mortality on the 9th day after infection, with an accumulated mortality rate of 63.24%. Viral gene quantification results showed that while in the injection group muscles had the highest viral load followed by the liver and spleen, the other infection methods led to the highest viral loads in the liver and spleen. Tissue pathology and electron microscopy observations revealed that the liver and spleen exhibited the most significant pathological changes and were the easiest organs to detect viral particles, indicating that the liver and spleen are the primary target organs of LMBV in largemouth bass. In conclusion, this study suggests that immersing largemouth bass in LMBV at a concentration of 1.99 × 103 c/mL (diluted 80 times) closely mimics the natural infection rate, allowing for a clear differentiation between causes of death and survival, making it an almost non-invasive artificial infection method that closely resembles natural infection conditions. These findings can provide crucial support for the accurate identification of disease-resistant and disease-susceptible materials in largemouth bass and the breeding of disease-resistant varieties. • Immersing is an almost non-invasive artificial infection method. • Immersing closely resembles natural infection conditions. • Immersing can accurate identify disease-resistant and disease-susceptible fish. • Liver and spleen are the primary target organs of LMBV in largemouth bass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peroxiredoxins (Prxs) are a family of antioxidant enzymes crucial for shielding cells against oxidative damage from reactive oxygen species (ROS). In this study, we cloned and analyzed two grass carp peroxiredoxin genes, CiPrx5 and CiPrx6. These genes exhibited ubiquitous expression across all sampled tissues, with their expression levels significantly modulated upon exposure to grass carp reovirus (GCRV). CiPrx5 was localized in the mitochondria, while CiPrx6 was uniformly distributed in the whole cells. Transfection or transformation of CiPrx5 and CiPrx6 into fish cells or E. coli significantly enhanced host resistance to H 2 O 2 and heavy metals, leading to increased cell viability and reduced cell apoptosis rates. Furthermore, purified recombinant CiPrx5 and CiPrx6 proteins effectively protected DNA against oxidative damage. Notably, overexpression of both peroxiredoxins in fish cells effectively inhibited GCRV replication, reduced intracellular ROS levels induced by GCRV infection and H 2 O 2 treatment, and induced autophagy. Significantly, these functions of CiPrx5 and CiPrx6 in GCRV replication and ROS mitigation were abolished upon treatment with an autophagy inhibitor. In summation, our findings suggest that grass carp Prx5 and Prx6 promote autophagy to inhibit GCRV replication, decrease intracellular ROS, and provide protection against oxidative stress. • CiPrx5 and CiPrx6 enhance host resistance to H 2 O 2 and heavy metals. • Recombinant CiPrx5 and CiPrx6 proteins protect DNA against oxidative damage. • CiPrx5 and CiPrx6 inhibit GCRV replication, reduce ROS, and induce autophagy. • CiPrx5 and CiPrx6 mediate autophagy to inhibit GCRV replication and ROS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rayleigh-Bénard (R–B) laminar convection of a temperature-sensitive magnetic fluid (TSMF) with an immersed nonmagnetic particle in a square cavity heated from the bottom and subject to an external magnetic field is investigated experimentally and numerically, which restricts to the initial constant temperature and stationary flow fields with perfect thermal insulated wall condition. The flow and particle behaviors as well as the heat transfer characteristic are examined at different Ra (Ra < 4 × 104) and Ram (Ram = 0, 1.89 × 108, and 3.14 × 108). The magnetic field slightly precipitates the onset of convection and the transition of the flow pattern. The particle may influence the early flow development and the final flow pattern, depending on the initial location of the particle, Ra , and Ram. Over certain ranges of the parameters, the particle stabilizes the flow by shifting the higher flow mode (bicellular) to the lower one (unicellular) and improves the heat transfer performance. The numerical results confirm the experimental findings and provide more detailed behaviors of the flow and temperature fields as well as the particle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on our previous study in zebrafish, sinomenine was found to relieve foodborne enteritis through immunomodulation. To examine the protective effects of sinomenine on mucosal immunity in farmed fish species, a dietary inclusion study was conducted in grass carp juveniles by adding sinomenine to soybean meal feed. After a 5-week feeding trial to model foodborne enteritis, the gut and liver tissues were examined for histopathology, enteritis-related gene expression, transcriptome, and 16 s rRNA gene sequencing. The results demonstrated that including sinomenine in the diet at the concentration of 2 g/kg could prevent intestinal pathological changes, such as a decrease in the number of goblet cells and increased glycogen, induced by 40% soybean meal substitution. At the molecular level, the downregulated proinflammatory genes, together with upregulated anti-inflammatory genes (such as il10, il13, and tgfβ) were observed. At the omics level, for the DEGs, the downregulated intestinal pathway "phagosome" and term "platelet activation" indicated control of inflammation, while the upregulation of the "PPAR signaling pathway" in both the gut and liver, suggests enhanced immune homeostasis. For the mucosal surface in the sinomenine-supplemented group, we observed not only control of pathogenic Camparilobacterota and Aeromonas but also an increase in Actinobacteria, which may enhance mucosal immunity. Due to the influence of the gut-liver axis, hepatic metabolism was altered, particularly with an upregulation of "fatty acid degradation" and "tryptophan metabolism". Subsequently, the fish in the sinomenine group exhibited a significantly higher survival rate after a 7-day immersion challenge with Aeromonas hydrophila , with less inflammatory CD4 signals in the gills. Hepatic hypoxia and low respiratory efficiency in the gill may be a side effect. In summary, sinomenine demonstrated a protective effect on the mucosal immunity of the gut and gill, thereby preventing enteritis and subsequent bacteria challenges. Therefore, sinomenine could be employed in aquaculture as phytotherapy, at the very least through dietary supplementation in fish. • Sinomenine prevented the typical reduced number of goblet cells and increased glycogen in SBMIE in grass carp. • The intestinal effects were mainly modulations of phagosomes and platelets activation, as well as control of pathogens. • The hepatic effects were to enhance immune homeostasis, via fatty acid degradation and tryptophan metabolism. • More survivals and less inflammation upon Aeromonas hydrophila immersing suggested the potential phytotherapical usage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This work proposes a new idea of recycling spent LIBs. • Recycled LIBs as catalysts for NO x removal. • Oxalic acid as leaching and precipitating agent. • The use of oxalic acid facilitates the creation of pore structures. • Catalyst achieves nearly 100 % NO x conversion at 110 ∼ 230 °C. The wide application of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) for electric vehicles forebodes the decommissioning tide of spent LIBs. Therefore, recycling valuable element from spent LIBs are becoming urgent to minimize the impact on the environment and supply chain of battery manufacturers. In this work, we propose to extract valuable elements from the cathode materials of spent ternary lithium-ion batteries and synthesize NiCoMnO x catalysts for low-temperature NH 3 selective catalyst reduction (NH 3 -SCR) reactions. The oxalic acid is used as a precipitant and reducing agent and prepared as NiCoMnO x catalyst by hydrothermal process and heat treatment. The as-prepared catalyst presents a porous fluffy foam structure with abundant oxygen defects, ensuring sufficient catalytic active sites. As a result, the NiCoMnO x catalyst exhibits optimal catalytic activity with over 90% NO x conversion in the temperature range of 110 ∼ 230 °C, which is wider than the temperature range of 155 ∼ 210 °C for the catalysts prepared from metal salts. Meanwhile, the NiCoMnO x catalyst also shows better catalytic stability and resistance to H 2 O and SO 2. This work provides a promising strategy to recycle spent LIBs to low-temperature NH 3 -SCR catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]