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Abstract Objective To investigate the influence of aerobic exercise on depression among the young people. Data sources PubMed, Web of science, Embase, Cochrane, EBSCO were searched from inception to November 2023. Study selection RCT studies, assessing the use of aerobic exercise in young people aged 6–35 years and then determining the development of depression in young people (aged 6–35 years), were selected, and mean ± SD values adjusted for the presence of baseline depression were extracted. Data extraction and synthesis Study quality was assessed using the Review manager 5.4.1 and Cochrane 5.1 item on risk of bias and precision of observational studies. Two reviewers conducted all review stages independently. Selected data were pooled using random-effects meta-analysis. Main outcomes and measures The included studies evaluated the relationship between aerobic exercise and depression at various time points among young individuals, and provided corresponding mean ± SD values. Depression diagnosis in the selected studies was conducted using the Depression Correlation Scale. Results After screening 2296 articles, 163 articles were selected for full-text review, and 8 of those were further reviewed. Ultimately, 12 studies, involving 658 individuals, were included in the meta-analysis. The results of the meta-analysis indicated that aerobic exercise could effectively improve depression in young people (d = -1.33, 95%CI: -1.78 ~ -0.87, P

Abstract Magnaporthe oryzae is one of the most destructive pathogens that threaten rice production around the world. Previous studies mainly focus on pathogenic mechanism of M. oryzae during infection on rice at leaf stage. However, the pathogenic mechanism of M. oryzae infection on panicle tissue is not well understood. In the present study, we performed RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) to study gene expression patterns of M. oryzae during infection at leaf stage and at panicle stage, respectively. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of M. oryzae in the infected leaf and panicle tissues were analyzed. Gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis of DEGs revealed that M. oryzae genes involved in the biological processes were different at leaf and panicle stages. Furthermore, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis of DEGs indicates that genes related to individual and important pathways may function at different infection stages. In particular, CAZymes carbohydrate esterases (CEs), carbohydrate-binding modules (CBMs), and glycoside hydrolases (GHs) may play important roles during M. oryzae infection on rice leaves, while glycosyltransferases (GTs) and GHs may play important roles during infection at rice panicle stage. Further analysis of effectors (BAS3, BAS113, BAS162, MoCDIP4, and MoHEG13) and their homologous genes suggest that they are involved in host defense suppression. Our findings provide insights into understanding the infection mechanisms of M. oryzae for rice leaf blast and panicle blast disease.

Leibnitzia anandria is a perennial herbaceous plant with medicinal properties, and the entire plant can be used in traditional medicine. Leibnitzia anandria was once classified under the genus Gerbera Cass., but was reclassified under Leibnitzia Cass. recently. In this study, using the GeneLab M sequencing technology of the Genemind platform, we have sequenced, assembled, and analyzed the complete chloroplast genome of Leibnitzia anandria for the first time. The genome is 154168 bp in length, consisting of a large single-copy region(LSC, 80166 bp), a small single-copy region(SSC, 18202 bp), and a pair of inverted repeat sequences(IR, 27900 bp). We have predicted and annotated a total of 133 genes, including 88 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNA-coding genes, and 8 rRNA-coding genes. The results of the phylogenetic analysis indicate that Leibnitzia anandria and Leibnitzia nepalensis, as well as the closely related Gerbera plant, clustered into a separate clade, rather than grouping together with the other plants belonging to the tribe Mutisieae. This study provides new information for the phylogeny research of Leibnitzia anandria, contributing to a better understanding of its taxonomy and evolution.

Abstract Surfactin is a cyclic hexalipopeptide compound, nonribosomal synthesized by representatives of the Bacillus subtilis species complex which includes B. subtilis group and its closely related species, such as B. subtilis subsp subtilis, B. subtilis subsp spizizenii, B. subtilis subsp inaquosorum, B. atrophaeus, B. amyloliquefaciens, B. velezensis (Steinke mSystems 6: e00057, 2021) It functions as a biosurfactant and signaling molecule and has antibacterial, antiviral, antitumor, and plant disease resistance properties. The Bacillus lipopeptides play an important role in agriculture, oil recovery, cosmetics, food processing and pharmaceuticals, but the natural yield of surfactin synthesized by Bacillus is low. This paper reviews the regulatory pathways and mechanisms that affect surfactin synthesis and release, highlighting the regulatory genes involved in the transcription of the srfAA-AD operon. The several ways to enhance surfactin production, such as governing expression of the genes involved in synthesis and regulation of surfactin synthesis and transport, removal of competitive pathways, optimization of media, and fermentation conditions were commented. This review will provide a theoretical platform for the systematic genetic modification of high-yielding strains of surfactin. Graphical Abstract

Biological monitoring using environmental DNA (eDNA) technology has expanded from micro- to macro-organisms. In aquatic eDNA studies, large volumes of water need to be filtered rapidly in the field, which requires development of effective eDNA collection devices. In this study, we introduce a novel portable eDNA collection system containing a GM dual-channel water filter and a DNA extraction kit adapted to large filter membranes (ø 100 mm). The water filter is powered by a high-capacity lithium battery (9,000 mA), which operates two peristaltic pumps and maintains a continuous filtration rate of up to 1 L/min for 5 h in outdoor settings. For sample collection, the optimum conditions are still water and turbidity below 8 nephelometric turbidity units. This allows for the filtration of 10 L of water within 10 min by use of a 0.22-μm filter. Metagenomic and 12S metabarcoding sequencing showed that the DNA extraction quality and species annotation accuracy of our custom DNA extraction kit, which was tailored for this system, rivaled the performance of established kits. The GM water filter’s enrichment mode gave consistent results with vacuum filtration, which greatly reduced the filtration time for large water samples, while accurately reproducing species annotations. This innovation streamlines the eDNA collection and annotation process and offers substantial benefits for biodiversity monitoring and conservation efforts.

ObjectiveThe purpose of this review was to synthesize the current literature on the relationship between sleep and physical activity in children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders.MethodsArticles were searched in PubMed, Web of Science, EBSCO, Cochrane, and Embase until April 2024. The meta-analysis was performed using Review Manager 5.3.ResultsOur results show that measuring sleep parameters by means of different measuring tools yields different results. Most studies have found no association between sleep and physical activity in children with neurodevelopmental disorders, especially when measured subjectively, such as parent reports and sleep logs. Physical activity interventions had a significant effect on sleep efficiency, wake after sleep onset, and sleep duration when measured objectively using instruments such as wrist actigraphy. Meta-analysis showed that children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders who participated in mind–body activities (SMD = −3.01, 95%CI = −4.15~−1.87, p < 0.001, I2 = 99%) showed significant improvements in sleep, which were sessions lasting more than 12 weeks (SMD = −1.01, p < 0.01, I2 = 97%), performed at least 3 times per week (SMD = −0.81, 95%CI = −1.53~−0.10, p = 0.03, I2 = 95%), and lasted for more than 60 min per session (SMD = −1.55, 95%CI = −2.67~−0.43, p = 0.007, I2 = 97%). However, the results of these subgroup analyses must be interpreted with caution because of the small number of studies included.ConclusionOur results show that measuring sleep parameters by means of different measuring tools yields different results. There was difficulty in interpreting many of the studies included in this meta-analysis, in view of the non-standardization of protocol, especially the ability range of the cohort, duration of the study, recommended exercises, whether the caregivers or researchers supervised the exercise regime/activity, and the practicality of continuing the exercise long-term by caregivers.Systematic review registrationIdentifier, CRD42024541300.

Abstract Gene knock‐in refers to the insertion of exogenous functional genes into a target genome to achieve continuous expression. Currently, most knock‐in tools are based on site‐directed nucleases, which can induce double‐strand breaks (DSBs) at the target, following which the designed donors carrying functional genes can be inserted via the endogenous gene repair pathway. The size of donor genes is limited by the characteristics of gene repair, and the DSBs induce risks like genotoxicity. New generation tools, such as prime editing, transposase, and integrase, can insert larger gene fragments while minimizing or eliminating the risk of DSBs, opening new avenues in the development of animal models and gene therapy. However, the elimination of off‐target events and the production of delivery carriers with precise requirements remain challenging, restricting the application of the current knock‐in treatments to mainly in vitro settings. Here, a comprehensive review of the knock‐in tools that do not/minimally rely on DSBs and use other mechanisms is provided. Moreover, the challenges and recent advances of in vivo knock‐in treatments in terms of the therapeutic process is discussed. Collectively, the new generation of DSBs‐minimizing and large‐fragment knock‐in tools has revolutionized the field of gene editing, from basic research to clinical treatment.

ABSTRACTRice false smut disease is one of the most significant rice diseases worldwide. Ustilaginoidea virens is the causative agent of this disease. Although several developmental and pathogenic genes have been identified and functionally analyzed, the pathogenic molecular mechanisms of U. virens remain elusive. The velvet family regulatory proteins are involved in fungal development, conidiation, and pathogenicity. In this study, we demonstrated the function of the VelC homolog UvVELC in U. virens. We identified the velvet family protein UvVELC and characterized its functions using a target gene deletion-strategy. Deletion of UvVELC resulted in conidiation failure and pathogenicity. The UvVELC expression levels during infection suggested that this gene might be involved in the early infection process. UvVELC is also important in resistance to abiotic stresses, the utilization efficiency of glucose, stachyose, raffinose, and other sugars, and the expression of transport-related genes. Moreover, UvVELC could physically interact with UvVEA in yeast, and UvVELC/UvVEA double-knockout mutants also failed in conidiation and pathogenicity. These results indicate that UvVELC play a critical role in the conidiation and pathogenicity in U. virens. Functional analysis indicated that UvVELC-mediated conidiation and nutrient acquisition from rice regulates the pathogenicity of U. virens. Understanding the function of the UvVELC homolog could provide a potential molecular target for controlling rice false smut disease.

In this study, different proportions of curcumin (CUR) and alizarin (ALI) were added to konjac glucomannan (KG)/ polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) to prepare an active intelligent packaging film and evaluate its potential to indicate pork freshness. The mixed indicator had a richer color hierarchy in the buffer solution with pH = 2–12. The surface of the KG-2C2A and KG-1C3A films is smoother and has fewer cross-section faults. With the increase of CUR content in the film, the crystal structure becomes more prominent, leading to poor compatibility with KG. The WAC of KG-3C1A and KG-1C3A films was significantly higher than that of the other groups, and they had better hydrophobicity. With the increase of CUR content in the films, the thermal stability of the films was enhanced, and the KG-C films showed the highest thermal stability. Among them, the KG-2A2C and KG-1C3A films showed the most significant color change during pork spoiling and could be used to monitor the freshness of pork. As a pH colorimetric indicator, CUR and ALI-coated KG films might be of great potential in fresh meat monitoring.

This work investigated the functional changes in whey proteins obtained from goat milk subject to various temperature treatments. Ultra-high temperature instantaneous sterilization (UHTIS) caused less damage than the common low-temperature, whereas spray-drying treatment had the opposite effect. A total of 426 proteins were identified in UHTIS and control treatment groups, including 386 common proteins and 16 and 14 unique proteins. The UHTIS treatment upregulated 55 whey proteins while down-regulated 98. The UHTIS-treated whey proteins may upregulate three metabolic pathways but downregulate one. Overall, UHTIS only slightly impacted the composition and functions of whey proteins from goat milk compared to the common low-temperature treatments.

Goat milk was directly freeze-dried into milk powder after freezing and then sterilized using UV-C radiation to produce low-dose, medium-dose and high-dose UV-C radiation sterilized freeze-dried goat milk powder (LGP, MGP and HGP). UV-C sterilization effectively reduced the total bacteria count and coliform bacteria in the goat milk powder while preserving the active proteins, and maintaining the color unchanged. Additionally, LGP, MGP, and HGP all exhibited a moisture content below 5 g/100 g and water activity below 0.5. Upon reconstitution, the milk powder formed uniform and stable emulsion. During accelerated storage tests, the increased Aw did not compromise the microbial quality of milk powder, and there were no significant changes in active proteins as confirmed via SDS-PAGE results. Furthermore, the color parameters (a*, b* and ΔE) showed a strong correlation with hydroxymethyl furfural levels.

Phragmites australis is a prevalent species in the Chongming Dongtan wetland and is capable of thriving in various tidal flat environments, including high salinity habitats. P. australis population displays inconsistent ecological performances, highlighting the need to uncover their survival strategies and mechanisms in tidal flats with diverse soil salinities. Upon comparing functional traits of P. australis at multiple tidal flats (low, middle, and high) and their responses to soil physicochemical properties, this study aimed to clarify the salt-tolerant strategy of P. australis and the corresponding mechanisms. These results showed that leaf characteristics, such as specific leaf area and leaf dry matter content, demonstrated more robust stability to soil salinity than shoot height and dry weight. Furthermore, as salt stress intensified, the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and peroxisome (POD) in P. australis leaves at low tidal flat exhibited an increased upward trend compared to those at other tidal flats. The molecular mechanism of salt tolerance in Phragmites australis across various habitats was investigated using transcriptome sequencing. Weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA) combined with differentially expressed genes (DEGs) screened out 3 modules closely related to high salt tolerance and identified 105 core genes crucial for high salt tolerance. Further research was carried out on the few degraded populations at low tidal flat, and 25 core genes were identified by combining WGCNA and DEGs. A decrease in the activity of ferroptosis marker gonyautoxin-4 and an increase in the content of Fe3+ in the degenerated group were observed, indicating that ferroptosis might participate in degradation. Furthermore, correlation analysis indicated a possible regulatory network between salt tolerance and ferroptosis. In short, this study provided new insights into the salt tolerance mechanism of P. australis population along tidal flats.

ABSTRACT: The majority of bioactive substances in the human diet come from polyphenols. Here, we use spectroscopy, molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulations, and in vitro digestion to look at the relationship between caffeine (CAF) and bovine lactoferrin (BLF). The correlation analysis of the CAF-BLF fluorescence quenching process revealed that the reaction was spontaneous and that the CAF-BLF fluorescence quenching process may have been static. The predominant intrinsic binding forces were hydrogen bonds and van der Waals forces, which were also supported by molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations. Through Fourier infrared and circular dichroism spectroscopy experiments, it was found that CAF changed the secondary structure of BLF and might bind to the hydrophobic amino acids of BLF. Compared with BLF, CAF-BLF showed inhibitory effects on digestion in simulated in vitro digestion. It will be helpful to better understand the interaction between CAF and BLF and provide the basis for the development of innovative dairy products.

Abstract The lipid prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) mediates inflammatory pain by activating G protein-coupled receptors, including the prostaglandin E2 receptor 4 (EP4R). Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) reduce nociception by inhibiting prostaglandin synthesis, however, the disruption of upstream prostanoid biosynthesis can lead to pleiotropic effects including gastrointestinal bleeding and cardiac complications. In contrast, by acting downstream, EP4R antagonists may act specifically as anti-inflammatory agents and, to date, no selective EP4R antagonists have been approved for human use. In this work, seeking to diversify EP4R antagonist scaffolds, we computationally dock over 400 million compounds against an EP4R crystal structure and experimentally validate 71 highly ranked, de novo synthesized molecules. Further, we show how structure-based optimization of initial docking hits identifies a potent and selective antagonist with 16 nanomolar potency. Finally, we demonstrate favorable pharmacokinetics for the discovered compound as well as anti-allodynic and anti-inflammatory activity in several preclinical pain models in mice.

Targeted genomic sequencing (TS) greatly benefits precision oncology by rapidly detecting genetic variations with better accuracy and sensitivity owing to its high sequencing depth. Multiple sequencing platforms and variant calling tools are available for TS, making it excruciating for researchers to choose. Therefore, benchmarking study across different platforms and pipelines available for TS is imperative. In this study, we performed a TS of Reference OncoSpan FFPE (HD832) sample enriched by TSO500 panel using four commercially available sequencers, and analyzed the output 50 datasets using five commonly-used bioinformatics pipelines. We systematically investigated the sequencing quality and variant detection sensitivity, expecting to provide optimal recommendations for future research. Four sequencing platforms returned highly concordant results in terms of base quality (Q20 > 94%), sequencing coverage (>97%) and depth (>2000×). Benchmarking revealed good concordance of variant calling across different platforms and pipelines, among which, FASTASeq 300 platform showed the highest sensitivity (100%) and precision (100%) in high-confidence variants calling when analyzed by SNVer and VarScan 2 algorithms. Furthermore, this sequencer demonstrated the shortest sequencing time (∼21 h) at the sequencing mode PE150. Through the intersection of 50 datasets generated in this study, we recommended a novel set of variant genes outside the truth set published by HD832, expecting to replenish HD832 for future research on tumor variant diagnosis. Besides, we applied these five tools to another panel (TargetSeq One) for Twist cfDNA Pan-cancer Reference Standard, comprehensive consideration of SNP and InDel sensitivity, SNVer and VarScan 2 performed best among them. Furthermore, SNVer and VarScan 2 also performed best for six cancer cell lines samples regarding SNP and InDel sensitivity. Considering the dissimilarity of variant calls across different pipelines for datasets from the same platform, we recommended an integration of multiple tools to improve variant calling sensitivity and accuracy for the cancer genome. Illumina and GeneMind technologies can be used independently or together by public health laboratories performing tumor TS. SNVer and VarScan 2 perform better regarding variant detection sensitivity for three typical tumor samples. Our study provides a standardized target sequencing resource to benchmark new bioinformatics protocols and sequencing platforms.

Abstract Under the global carbon neutrality initiative, carbon emissions from the transportation sector are becoming increasingly prominent due to the growth in vehicle ownership. And electric mobility may be a potentially effective measure to reduce road traffic carbon emissions and achieve a green transformation of transportation. This paper systematically collates the relevant carbon accounting standards for the automotive industry and elaborates the current status of road transport greenhouse gas emissions by combining the data from the International Energy Agency. And by comparing the lifecycle carbon footprint of various energy types of vehicles, the necessity and feasibility of electric mobility to reduce carbon emissions are discussed. However, the comparison of vehicle lifecycle carbon footprints shows that electric vehicles (EVs) are not as environmentally friendly as expected, although they can significantly reduce road traffic carbon emissions. The high carbon emissions from the manufacturing process of the core components of EVs, especially the power battery, reduce the low‐carbon potential of electric mobility. Therefore, the carbon emission reduction strategies and outcomes of automakers in the automotive industry chain have been further reviewed. Finally, focusing on vehicle power batteries, this article reviews the technologies such as refined management and echelon utilization that can make EVs more environmentally friendly and promote carbon neutrality in the transportation sector.

Adding polyphenols to improve the absorption of functional proteins has become a hot topic. Chlorogenic acid is a natural plant polyphenol with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer properties. Bovine lactoferrin is known for its immunomodulatory, anticancer, antibacterial, and iron-chelating properties. Therefore, the non-covalent binding of chlorogenic acid (CA) and bovine lactoferrin (BLF) with different concentrations under neutral conditions was studied. CA was grafted onto lactoferrin molecules by laccase catalysis, free radical grafting, and alkali treatment. The formation mechanism of non-covalent and covalent complexes of CA-BLF was analyzed by experimental test and theoretical prediction. Compared with the control BLF, the secondary structure of BLF in the non-covalent complex was rearranged and unfolded to provide more active sites, the tertiary structure of the covalent conjugate was changed, and the amino group of the protein participated in the covalent reaction. After adding CA, the covalent conjugates have better functional activity. These lactoferrin–polyphenol couplings can carry various bioactive compounds to create milk-based delivery systems for encapsulation.

Abstract miR-17-5p has been found to be involved in the proliferation and metastasis of colorectal cancer (CRC), and N 6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification is the most common RNA modification in eukaryotes. However, whether miR-17-5p contributes to chemotherapy sensitivity in CRC via m6A modification is unclear. In this study, we found that overexpression of miR-17-5p led to less apoptosis and lower drug sensitivity in vitro and in vivo under the 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) treatment, which indicated miR-17-5p led to 5-FU chemotherapy resistance. Bioinformatic analysis suggested that miR-17-5p-mediated chemoresistance was associated with mitochondrial homeostasis. miR-17-5p directly bound to the 3’ untranslated region of Mitofusin 2 (MFN2), leading to decreased mitochondrial fusion and enhanced mitochondrial fission and mitophagy. Meanwhile, methyltransferase-like protein 14 (METTL14) was downregulated in CRC, resulting in lower m6A level. Moreover, the low level of METTL14 promoted the expression of pri-miR-17 and miR-17-5p. Further experiments suggested that m6A mRNA methylation initiated by METTL14 inhibits pri-miR-17 mRNA decay via reducing the recognition of YTHDC2 to the “GGACC” binding site. The METTL14/miR-17-5p/MFN2 signaling axis may play a critical role in 5-FU chemoresistance in CRC.

This paper presents an experimental study on the box girder of a low-tower cable-stayed railway bridge with a W-shaped section that consists of prestressed concrete diagonal braces. A 1:6 scale test model was designed and constructed for the experiment. The mechanical behavior of the test model was investigated under two loading conditions: a double-track train symmetrical load and a single-track train unsymmetrical load. The experimental results were validated against a finite element model. Furthermore, the torsional performance of the box girder section was analyzed and discussed.

Abstract Garnet‐type oxide Li6.4La3Zr1.4Ta0.6O12 (LLZTO) features superior ionic conductivity and good stability toward lithium (Li) metal, but requires high‐temperature sintering (≈1200 °C) that induces high fabrication cost, poor mechanical processability, and high interface resistance. Here, a novel high‐performance tricomponent composite solid electrolyte (CSE) comprising LLZTO−4LiBH4/xLi3BN2H8 is reported, which is prepared by ball milling the LLZTO−4LiBH4 mixture followed by hand milling with Li3BN2H8. Green pellets fabricated by heating the cold‐pressed CSE powders at 120 °C offer ultrafast room‐temperature ionic conductivity (≈1.73 × 10−3 S cm−1 at 30 °C) and ultrahigh Li‐ion transference number (≈0.9999), which enable the Li|Li symmetrical cells to cycle over 1600 h at 30 °C with only 30 mV of overpotential. Moreover, the Li|CSE|TiS2 full cells deliver 201 mAh g−1 of capacity with long cyclability. These outstanding performances are due to the low open porosity in the electrolyte pellets as well as the high intrinsic ionic conductivity and easy deformability of Li3BN2H8.

Algal genomics research contributes to a deeper understanding of algal evolution and provides useful genomics inferences correlated with various functions. Published algal genome sequences are very limited owing to genome assembly challenges. Because genome data of freshwater algae are rapidly increasing with the recent boom in next-generation sequencing and bioinformatics, an interface to store, interlink, and display these data is needed. To provide a substantial genomic resource specifically for freshwater algae, we developed the Freshwater Algae Database (FWAlgaeDB), a user-friendly, constantly updated online repository for integrating genomic data and annotation information. This database, which includes information on 204 freshwater algae, allows easy access to gene repertoires and gene clusters of interest and facilitates potential applications. Three functional modules are integrated into FWAlgaeDB: a Basic Local Alignment Search Tool tool for similarity analyses, a Search tool for rapid data retrieval, and a Download function for data downloads. This database tool is freely available at http://www.fwalagedb.com/#/home. To demonstrate the utility of FWAlgaeDB, we also individually mapped metagenomic sequencing reads of 10 water samples to FWAlgaeDB and Nt algae databases we constructed to obtain taxonomic composition information. According to the mapping results, FWAlgaeDB may be a better choice for identifying algal species in freshwater samples, with fewer potential false positives because of its focus on freshwater algal species. FWAlgaeDB can therefore serve as an open-access, sustained platform to provide genomic data and molecular analysis tools specifically for freshwater algae.

Magnesium hydride (MgH2) is one of the most promising hydrogen storage materials for practical application due to its favorable reversibility, low cost and environmental benign; however, it suffers from high dehydrogenation temperature and slow sorption kinetics. Exploring proper catalysts with high and sustainable activity is extremely desired for substantially improving the hydrogen storage properties of MgH2. In this work, a composite catalyst with high-loading of ultrafine Ni nanoparticles (NPs) uniformly dispersed on porous hollow carbon nanospheres is developed, which shows superior catalytic activity towards the de-/hydrogenation of MgH2. With an addition of 5 wt% of the composite, which contains 90 wt% Ni NPs, the onset and peak dehydrogenation temperatures of MgH2 are lowered to 190 and 242 °C, respectively. 6.2 wt% H2 is rapidly released within 30 min at 250 °C. The amount of H2 that the dehydrogenation product can absorb at a low temperature of 150 °C in only 250 s is very close to the initial dehydrogenation value. A dehydrogenation capacity of 6.4 wt% remains after 50 cycles at a moderate cyclic regime, corresponding to a capacity retention of 94.1%. The Ni NPs are highly active, reacting with MgH2 and forming nanosized Mg2Ni/Mg2NiH4. They act as catalysts during hydrogen sorption cycling, and maintain a high dispersibility with the help of the dispersive role of the carbon substrate, leading to sustainably catalytic activity. The present work provides new insight into designing stable and highly active catalysts for promoting the (de)hydrogenation kinetics of MgH2.

Overcoming the sluggish kinetics of hydrogen oxidation reaction in alkaline media is of critical importance for anion exchange membrane fuel cells. Here the authors report atomically dispersed chromium coordinated with hydroxyl clusters on ruthenium nanoparticles for accelerated hydrogen oxidation reaction.

Abstract Background GenoLab M is a recently developed next-generation sequencing (NGS) platform from GeneMind Biosciences. To establish the performance of GenoLab M, we present the first report to benchmark and compare the WGS and WES sequencing data of the GenoLab M sequencer to NovaSeq 6000 and NextSeq 550 platform in various types of analysis. For WGS, thirty-fold sequencing from Illumina NovaSeq platform and processed by GATK pipeline is currently considered as the golden standard. Thus this dataset is generated as a benchmark reference in this study. Results GenoLab M showed an average of 94.62% of Q20 percentage for base quality, while the NovaSeq was slightly higher at 96.97%. However, GenoLab M outperformed NovaSeq or NextSeq at a duplication rate, suggesting more usable data after deduplication. For WGS short variant calling, GenoLab M showed significant accuracy improvement over the same depth dataset from NovaSeq, and reached similar accuracy to NovaSeq 33X dataset with 22x depth. For 100X WES, the F-score and Precision in GenoLab M were higher than NovaSeq or NextSeq, especially for InDel calling. Conclusions GenoLab M is a promising NGS platform for high-performance WGS and WES applications. For WGS, 22X depth in the GenoLab M sequencing platform offers a cost-effective alternative to the current mainstream 33X depth on Illumina.

Abstract Background The critical role of thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP) in cellular sulfhydryl redox homeostasis and inflammasome activation is already widely known, however, no pan-cancer analysis is currently available. Methods We thus first explored the potential roles of TXNIP across thirty-three tumors mainly based on The Cancer Genome Atlas and Gene Expression Omnibus datasets. Results TXNIP is lowly expressed in most cancers, and distinct associations exist between TXNIP expression and the prognosis of tumor patients. TXNIP expression was associated with tumor mutational burden, microsatellite instability, mismatch repair genes, tumor infiltrating immune cell abundance as well as cancer-associated fibroblasts. Moreover, ubiquitin mediated proteolysis, protein post-translational modification and other related pathways were involved in the functional mechanisms of TXNIP. Conclusions Our first pan-cancer study comprehensively revealed the carcinostatic role of TXNIP across different tumors. And this molecule may be considered as a potential immunological and prognostic biomarker.

Layered graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) has sparked extensive interest in energy applications due to the unique physicochemical properties, tunable molecular structure, and high stability. Herein, we review the research progress of g-C3N4-based electrocatalysts for energy applications and summarize their design strategies from the perspectives of surface engineering and interfacial engineering, including heteroatom doping, defect engineering, and heterostructure engineering. Finally, we provide perspectives on the challenges and future directions of g-C3N4-based electrocatalysts. This review would inspire new ideas into the development of next-generation g-C3N4-based electrocatalysts with improved performance toward the sustainable and clean energy conversion systems.

BackgroundFunctional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has been widely used to investigate the brain effect of acupuncture point Stomach 36 (ST36, Zusanli). However, inconsistent results have hindered our understanding of the neural mechanisms of acupuncture at ST36.ObjectiveTo perform a meta-analysis of fMRI studies on acupuncture at ST36 to assess the brain atlas of acupuncture at ST36 from available studies.MethodBased on a preregistered protocol in PROSPERO (CRD42019119553), a large set of databases was searched up to August 9, 2021, without language restrictions. Peak coordinates were extracted from clusters that showed significant signal differences before and after acupuncture treatment. A meta-analysis was performed using seed-based d mapping with permutation of subject images (SDM-PSI), a newly improved meta-analytic method.ResultsA total of 27 studies (27 ST36) were included. This meta-analysis found that ST36 could activate the left cerebellum, the bilateral Rolandic operculum, the right supramarginal gyrus, and the right cerebellum. Functional characterizations showed that acupuncture at ST36 was mainly associated with action and perception.ConclusionOur results provide a brain atlas for acupuncture at ST36, which, besides offering a better understanding of the underlying neural mechanisms, also provides the possibility of future precision therapies.

(1) Background: Universities play a crucial role in nurturing healthy habits, and physical activity has emerged as a valuable tool for enhancing the life satisfaction, self-efficacy, and resilience of college students. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the mediating role of physical activity in the relationship between life satisfaction and self-efficacy as well as resilience among Chinese university students. (2) Method: This study used the Physical Activity Rating Scale (PARS-3), the Self-Efficacy Scale (CGES), the Mental Toughness Scale (CD-RISC), and the Life Satisfaction Scale (CSLSS) to administer questionnaires to 353 university students from two universities in Chengdu, Sichuan Province. Using a random simple sampling method, the data were processed and analyzed using SPSS 22.0 and Excel software. (3) Results: (1) Physical activity exhibited a significant positive correlation with self-efficacy, resilience, and life satisfaction; self-efficacy was significantly and positively related to resilience and life satisfaction; and resilience was significantly and positively related to life satisfaction. (2) Physical activity had a positive predictive effect on life satisfaction (β = 0.2771; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.1905, 0.3637, 55.51%). (3) Self-efficacy (β = 0.0368; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.0087, 0.0692, 7.37%) and resilience (β = 0.137; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.0919, 0.1894, 27.44%) mediated the relationship between physical activity and life satisfaction. Also, the chain-mediating effect of self-efficacy and resilience between physical activity and life satisfaction reached significant levels (β = 0.0483; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.0279, 0.0745, 9.68%). (4) Conclusion: Active participation in physical activity not only enhanced the life satisfaction of college students but also indirectly impacted their life satisfaction by improving their self-efficacy and resilience. Consequently, this led to an overall improvement in the life satisfaction of college students.

ABSTRACT: As one of the main ingredients in some milk powders, whey powder is sometimes added to pure goat milk products, which can cause health risks, economic fraud, and unfair competition of food industries. This study is the first to explore qualitative and quantitative methods to identify adulteration of bovine whey powder in goat dairy products based on DNA. We extracted DNA from whey powder using a modified DNA extraction method; this exhibited good quality and integrity, with purity of 1.53 to 1.75 and concentration of 122 to 179 ng/μL. Conventional PCR and real-time PCR were compared for qualitative detection of bovine whey powder; real-time PCR demonstrated sensitivity of 0.01 ng/μL, which was higher than the 0.05 ng/μL detected by the conventional PCR method. Furthermore, real-time PCR was conducted for DNA quantitative detection, with good linearity (R2 = 0.9858) obtained for bovine whey powder contents from 0.1% to 30%. Relative error decreased with increase of the mixing proportion of whey powder; the coefficient of variation above 0.1% of the mixing ratio was close to or less than 5%; and the relative standard deviation of repeatability results was less than 5%. Considering the economic costs of testing, conventional PCR could be performed first, and samples with obvious intentional adulteration detected can be further accurately quantified by real-time PCR. Overall, this research provides a realistic and effective method for qualitative and quantitative identification of bovine whey powder in goat dairy products, thus laying a good foundation for verification of goat dairy product label claims and industrial control.

Abstract Autophagy is an evolutionarily conserved degradation process that degrades damaged proteins to maintain homeostasis and to protect cells against stress. In this study, we identified and characterized a critical autophagy-related protein, UvAtg14, in Ustilaginoidea virens, which is the ortholog of MoAtg14 in rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzea. UvAtg14 is co-localized with UvAtg8 (an autophagy marker protein) and is highly expressed at 1–3 days post-inoculation. Deletion of the UvATG14 gene blocked GFP-UvAtg8 trafficking and autophagic digestion and significantly reduced mycelial growth, asexual reproduction, and virulence of U. virens. UvATG14 deletion mutants also exhibited increased sensitivity to various abiotic stresses. Our findings indicate that UvAtg14 is a key autophagic protein and contributes to mycelial growth, conidia production, and pathogenicity in U. virens.

ObjectivesThis study aimed to characterize the genomic epidemiology of human adenoviruses (HAdVs) in Hubei, China, using metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS).MethodsIn total, 25 HAdV-positive samples collected from 21 pediatric patients were sequenced and subjected to mNGS using the NextSeq 550 and GenoLab M sequencing platforms. The metagenomic data were assembled de novo for molecular typing, phylogenetic and recombination analyzes.ResultsWe assembled 50 HAdV genomes, 88% (22/25) genomes from GenoLab M, and 84% (21/25) genomes from NextSeq 550 have perfect alignments to reference genomes with greater than 90%. The most fully assembled 25 genomes were categorized into 7 HAdV genotypes, the most abundant of which were HAdV-B3 (9/25) and HAdV-C2 (6/25). Phylogenetic analyzes revealed that the newly isolated HAdV-B3 strains diverged into separate clusters according to their genotypes. Vigilance is needed that HAdV-B3 isolates have begun to form new distinct clusters. High nucleotide identity was observed in the whole genome level within the same HAdV genotypes, while marked differences of three capsid genes across HAdV genotypes were noted. The high nucleotide diversity regions were concordant with the reported hypervariable regions. Further, three recombinant strains were identified: S64 and S71 originated from the parental strains HAdV-B14 and HAdV-B11, and S28 originated from HAdV-C1, HAdV-C5, and HAdV-CBJ113. GenoLab M and NextSeq 550 showed comparable performance with respect to data yield, duplication rate, human ratio, and assembly completeness.ConclusionThe sequencing quality and assembly accuracy showed that mNGS assembled genomes can be used for subsequently HAdV genotyping and genomic characterization. The high nucleotide diversity of capsid genes and high frequency of recombination events has highlighted the necessity for HAdV epidemiological surveillance in China.

The composition of microbial communities varies in water and sediments, and changes in environmental factors have major effects on microbiomes. Here, we characterized variations in microbial communities and physicochemical factors at two sites in a large subtropical drinking water reservoir in southern China. The microbiomes of all sites, including the diversity and abundance of microbial species, were determined via metagenomics, and the relationships between microbiomes and physicochemical factors were determined via redundancy analysis. The dominant species in sediment and water samples differed; Dinobryon sp. LO226KS and Dinobryon divergens were dominant in sediment samples, whereas Candidatus Fonsibacter ubiquis and Microcystis elabens were dominant in water. The diversity was also significantly different in microbial alpha diversity between water and sediment habitats (p

Currently, the polluted wastewater discharged by industry accounts for the major part of polluted bodies of water. As one of the industrial wastewaters, dye wastewater is characterized by high toxicity, wide pollution, and difficulty in decolorization degradation. In this paper, a novel composite nanomaterial catalyst of silver was prepared by using Angelica sinensis polysaccharide (ASP) as a reducing and stabilizing agent. And the optimum reaction conditions explored are VAgNO3 = 5 mL (300 mM) and vASP = 7% (w/v) for 6 h at 90 °C. In addition, the ASP-Ag nanocatalyst was characterized by several techniques. The results demonstrated that ASP-Ag nanoparticles were successfully synthesized. Degradation rate, which provides a numerical visualization of the percentage reduction in pollutant concentration. With the wrapping of ASP, the ultrasonic catalytic degradation rates of different organic dyes including rhodamine B (RB), methylene blue (MB), and methyl orange (MO) were from 88.2%, 88.7%, and 85.2% to 96.1%, 95.2% and 93.5% at room temperature, respectively. After the experiments, when cdyes = 10 mg/L, the highest degradation rate can be observed under cAPS-AgNPs = 10 mg/L with the most powerful cavitation frequency f = 59 kHz. The effect of ultrasonic frequency on the acoustic pressure distribution in the reactor was investigated by using COMSOL Multiphysis@ software to propose the mechanism of ultrasonic degradation and the mechanism was confirmed by OH· radical trapping experiments. It indicates that OH· produced by the ultrasonic cavitation effect plays a determinant role in the degradation. And then, the intermediate products of the dye degradation process were analyzed by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC–MS), and the possible degradation processes of dyes were proposed. The resulting products of degradation are SO42−, NH4+, NO3−, N2, CO2 and H2O. Finally, the recycling degradation experiments showed that catalyst maintains a high degradation rate within reusing 5 cycles. Thus, this catalyst is highly efficient and recyclable.

Abstract Background Reactivation of latent Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) infection is more common than primary infection in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). We report a rare case of primary T. gondii infection-associated hemophagocytic syndrome (HPS). Case presentation A man with HIV infection presented with fever, dyspnea and pancytopenia. He was diagnosed with primary T. gondii infection by the seroconversion from single-positive IgM antibody to double-positive IgM and IgG antibody. Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) of a plasma sample yielded high reads of T. gondii DNA. He responded well to combined anti-Toxoplasma medicines and glucocorticoid treatment. Conclusions In patients with HPS and positive T. gondii IgM antibody, mNGS analysis of a peripheral blood sample is helpful in diagnosing disseminated T. gondii infection. The dynamic changes by serological detection for IgM and IgG of T. gondii further supported the inference that the patient has experienced a primary T. gondii infection.

CuO/ZnO/Al2O3 catalysts are commonly used for the methanol steam reforming reaction. The oxalate precursor of CuO/ZnO/Al2O3 catalysts were prepared via the co-precipitation method using oxalic acid as the precipitator, deionized water and ethanol as the solvent, and microwave radiation and water baths as aging heating methods, respectively. This suggests that ethanol selects the crystalline phase composition of oxalate precursors and limits their growth. Microwave irradiation prompted the isomorphous substitution between Cu2+ of CuC2O4 and Zn2+ of ZnC2O4 in the mother liquid; Zn2+ in ZnC2O4·xH2O was substituted with Cu2+ in CuC2O4, forming the master phase (Cu,Zn)C2O4 in the precursor. Moreover, the solid solution Cu-O-Zn formed after calcination, which exhibited nano-fibriform morphology. It has the characteristics of small CuO grains, a large surface area, and strong synergistic effects between CuO and ZnO, which is conducive to improving the catalytic performance of methanol steam reforming. The conversion rate of methanol reached 91.2%, the space time yield of H2 reached 516.7 mL·g−1·h−1, and the selectivity of CO was only 0.29%.

Abstract Background GenoLab M is a recently established next-generation sequencing platform from GeneMind Biosciences. Presently, Illumina sequencers are the globally leading sequencing platform in the next-generation sequencing market. Here, we present the first report to compare the transcriptome and LncRNA sequencing data of the GenoLab M sequencer to NovaSeq 6000 platform in various types of analysis. Results We tested 16 libraries in three species using various library kits from different companies. We compared the data quality, genes expression, alternatively spliced (AS) events, single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), and insertions–deletions (InDel) between two sequencing platforms. The data suggested that platforms have comparable sensitivity and accuracy in terms of quantification of gene expression levels with technical compatibility. Conclusions Genolab M is a promising next-generation sequencing platform for transcriptomics and LncRNA studies with high performance at low costs.

Abstract Tumors can use metabolic reprogramming to survive nutrient stress. Epigenetic regulators play a critical role in metabolic adaptation. Here we screened a sgRNA library to identify epigenetic regulators responsible for the vulnerability of colorectal cancer (CRC) cells to glucose deprivation and found that more EZH2-knockout cells survived glucose deprivation. Then, we showed that EZH2 expression was significantly downregulated in response to glucose deprivation in a glucose-sensitive CRC cell line, and EZH2-knockdown cells were more resistant to glucose deprivation. Mechanistically, EZH2 deficiency upregulated the expression of glutaminase (GLS) and promoted the production of glutamate, which in turn led to increased synthesis of intracellular glutathione (GSH) and eventually attenuated the reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated cell death induced by glucose deprivation. Although EZH2 functioned as an oncogene in cancer progression and EZH2 knockout abolished colorectal cancer development in a mouse model, here we revealed a mechanistic link between EZH2 and metabolic reprogramming via the direct regulation of GLS expression and observed a negative correlation between EZH2 and GLS expression in colorectal cancer tissues. These findings further confirmed the importance of heterogeneity, provided an explanation for the clinical tolerance of cancer cells to EZH2 inhibitors from the perspective of metabolism, and proposed the possibility of combining EZH2 inhibitors and glutamine metabolism inhibitors for the treatment of cancer.

Alkaline protease has been widely applied in food, medicine, environmental protection and other industrial fields. However, the current activity and yield of alkaline protease cannot meet the demand. Therefore, it is important to identify new alkaline proteases with high activity. In this study, we cloned a potential alkaline protease gene bsp-1 from a Bacillus subtilis strain isolated in our laboratory. BSP-1 shows the highest sequence similarity to subtilisin NAT (S51909) from B. subtilis natto. Then, we expressed BSP-1 in Bacillus amyloliquefaciens BAX-9 and analyzed the protein expression level under a collection of promoters. The results show that the P43 promoter resulted in the highest transcription level, protein level and enzyme activity. Finally, we obtained a maximum activity of 524.12 U/mL using the P43 promoter after fermentation medium optimization. In conclusion, this study identified an alkaline protease gene bsp-1 from B. subtilis and provided a new method for high-efficiency alkaline protease expression in B. amyloliquefaciens.

All-inorganic CsPbI3 perovskite quantum dots (PeQDs) have sparked widespread research due to their excellent optoelectronic properties and facile synthesis. However, attaining highly stable CsPbI3 perovskite quantum dots (PeQDs) against heat and polar solvents still remains a challenge and hinders any further practical application. Here, by exploiting (3-aminopropyl) triethoxysilane (APTES) as the sole silica (SiO2) precursor, we report a one-step in situ synthesis of single SiO2-coated CsPbI3 (SiO2-CsPbI3) PeQDs, namely that one SiO2 particle only contains one CsPbI3 PeQD particle. The obtained SiO2-CsPbI3 PeQDs are cubic in shape, have a more uniform size distribution, and possess narrow emission, with near unit photoluminescence quantum yields of up to 97.5%. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirm the formation of SiO2 through the hydrolysis of APTES on the CsPbI3 PeQDs surface. Furthermore, they have a significantly improved stability against storage, heat, and ethanol. By combining purple-emission GaN light-emitting diodes, the SiO2-CsPbI3 PeQDs were successfully employed as down-conversion emitters and exhibited considerable enhanced luminous performance and excellent stability, demonstrating their promising future in the practical application of solid-state lighting fields.

Abstract The practical application of lithium–sulfur batteries is severely hampered by the poor conductivity, polysulfide shuttle effect and sluggish reaction kinetics of sulfur cathodes. Herein, a hierarchically porous three-dimension (3D) carbon architecture assembled by cross-linked carbon leaves with implanted atomic Co–N4 has been delicately developed as an advanced sulfur host through a SiO2-mediated zeolitic imidazolate framework-L (ZIF-L) strategy. The unique 3D architectures not only provide a highly conductive network for fast electron transfer and buffer the volume change upon lithiation–delithiation process but also endow rich interface with full exposure of Co–N4 active sites to boost the lithium polysulfides adsorption and conversion. Owing to the accelerated kinetics and suppressed shuttle effect, the as-prepared sulfur cathode exhibits a superior electrochemical performance with a high reversible specific capacity of 695 mAh g−1 at 5 C and a low capacity fading rate of 0.053% per cycle over 500 cycles at 1 C. This work may provide a promising solution for the design of an advanced sulfur-based cathode toward high-performance Li–S batteries.