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Plant viruses with densely packed genomes employ noncanonical translational strategies to increase the coding capacity for viral function. However, the diverse translational strategies used make it challenging to define the full set of viral genes. Here, using tomato yellow leaf curl Thailand virus (TYLCTHV, genus Begomovirus) as a model system, we identified genes beyond the annotated gene sets by experimentally profiling in vivo translation initiation sites (TISs). We found that unanticipated AUG TISs were prevalent and determined that their usage involves alternative transcriptional and/or translational start sites and is associated with flanking mRNA sequences. Specifically, two downstream in-frame TISs were identified in the viral gene AV2. These TISs were conserved in the begomovirus lineage and led to the translation of different protein isoforms localized to cytoplasmic puncta and at the cell periphery, respectively. In addition, we found translational evidence of an unexplored gene, BV2. BV2 is conserved among TYLCTHV isolates and localizes to the endoplasmic reticulum and plasmodesmata. Mutations of AV2 isoforms and BV2 significantly attenuated disease symptoms in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). In conclusion, our study pinpointing in vivo TISs untangles the coding complexity of a plant viral genome and, more importantly, illustrates the biological significance of the hidden open-reading frames encoding viral factors for pathogenicity.

BACKGROUND: The benefits of branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) administration after hepatic intervention in patients with liver diseases remains unclear. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the effects of BCAA on patients undergoing hepatectomy, trans-arterial embolization, radiofrequency ablation. METHODS: Relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were obtained from PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases. A meta-analysis was performed to calculate the pooled effect size by using random-effects models. The primary outcomes were survival, hospital stay, nutrition status, and biochemistry profile. The secondary outcomes were the complication rate of liver treatment and adverse effect of BCAA supplementation. RESULTS: In total, 11 RCTs involving 750 patients were included. Our meta-analysis showed no significant difference in the rates of tumorrecurrence and overall survival between the BCAA and control groups. However, the pooled estimate showed that BCAA supplementation in patients undergoing hepatic intervention significantly increased serum albumin (mean difference [MD]: 0.11 g/dL, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.02–0.20) at 6 months and cholinesterase level (MD: 50.00 U/L, 95% CI: 21.08–78.92) at 12 months, increased body weight (MD: 3.29 kg, 95% CI: 1.07–5.50) at 12 months, and reduced ascites incidence (risk ratio: 0.39, 95% CI: 0.21–0.71) compared with the control group. Additionally, BCAA administration shortened the hospital stay length (MD: −2.36 days, 95% CI: −4.78 to 0.07) compared with the control group. CONCLUSION: BCAA supplementation significantly reduced postintervention complication and hospitalization duration and increased body weight. Thus, BCAA supplementation may benefit patients undergoing liver intervention.

Background Aromatherapy is effective in treating pain; however, aromatherapy is not offered in formal nursing education in Taiwan. Methods This study designed aromatherapy training courses for nurses using the flipped teaching approach and explored the effectiveness of the method, which can serve as a reference for future aromatherapy courses. A quasi-experimental design and convenience sampling were adopted. Results The participants were nurses who had been employed for over one year in two hospitals in Taiwan. In the experimental group, 40 participants received 2.5 hours of flipped teaching. In the control group, 40 participants received a one-hour traditional teaching course. Pre- and post-test knowledge and self-efficacy in aromatherapy were assessed. There were no significant differences in the pre-test knowledge and self-efficacy scores between the two groups. The test was analyzed using a generalized estimating equation. Post-test knowledge and self-efficacy results showed that the change in scores in the experimental group was significantly better than that in the control group, indicating that flipped teaching improved the participants’ knowledge and self-efficacy in aromatherapy. Conclusions This study confirmed that flipped teaching was effective for helping nursing personnel learn aromatherapy. Implementation of aromatherapy by nurses in clinical practice and its impact on patient care should be further assessed.

Inverted perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have attracted intense attention because of their insignificant hysteresis and low-temperature fabrication process. However, the efficiencies of inverted PSCs are still inferior to those of commercialized silicon solar cells. Also, the poor stability of PSCs is one of the major impedances to commercialization. Herein, we rationally designed and synthesized a new series of electron donor (

As the synthetic applications of boron monocations as stoichiometric reagents or catalysts have expanded significantly in the past decade, investigation on the molecular electronics and reactivity of the related boron dications remains in its infancy. This mini-review highlights the recent advancements in boron polycations consisting of one or multiple boron centers. The structure–reactivity relationship of these dicationic species will also be discussed.

A facile synthetic protocol, which utilized dehydrative condensation of phthalic anhydride and primary amines, for symmetrical non-chelating poly-N-heterocyclic carbene ligands was established. With the designed bi-functional building block, poly-NHC ligands having various denticities and geometries could be readily achieved by varying the structure of poly-amino compounds. Examination of catalytic activity of a series of poly-NHC–Ni complexes revealed the lack of electronic interference among NHC–metal units.

The intrinsic electron deficiency of borane derivatives stems from the presence of a low-lying empty p orbital on the boron atom. Methods to further increase the Lewis acidity of boranes include the incorporation of a boron atom into an anti-aromatic system and the introduction of electronwithdrawing groups, such as halogens, Lewis acidic elements, and cationic functionalities. Compared with the cationic boranes, for which the formal positive charges are located on the peripheral functionalities, boron cations are markedly more electron deficient and have been identified as the active intermediates in various organic transformations. Boron monocations can be classified into three categories, dicoordinated borinium, tri-coordinated borenium, and tetracoordinated boronium ions (Scheme 1). The electron deficiency of the boron atom decreases as its coordination number increases.

Upon treatment with a molybdenum-carbene with bidentate substituted biaryl-o,o′-diphenoxide ligand 12, norbornene fused with N-aryl-endo-pyrrolidine 9a undergoes ROMP to give exclusively polynorbornene with cis, isotactic-selectivity. Bis(norbornenes) connected with ferrocene 18 or benzene 20 linkers yield the corresponding double-stranded ladderphanes 19 and 21, respectively with isotactic stereochemistry having all double bonds in Z-configuration. Like the corresponding ladderphanes with E-double bonds, ladderphane 19 also assembles on HOPG to give a highly ordered two-dimensional array as revealed by STM images.