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[Objective] Wind-water erosion crisscross region in Loess Plateau is a typical fragile ecosystem. Biological soil crusts (BSCs) are widely distributed in this region and play key roles in the accumulation and transformation of soil organic carbon (SOC). However, the effect of BSCs succession and microorganisms on enzymes related to organic carbon conversion is still unclear. [Methods] In this manuscript, SOC contents, microbial number and enzymes related with carbon conversion in different BSCs types were investigated. The relationships among SOC, microbial number and enzume activities related with carbon conversion were also analyzed by SEM model. [Results] (1) BSCs succession significantly inceased SOC content and enzyme activities related with carbon conversion. SOC and enzyme activities in BSCs layer(0—2 cm) were significantly higher than those in bare sand 2—5 cm soil layer (p

Lysine β‐hydroxybutyrylation (Kbhb) is a post‐translational modification that has recently been found to regulate protein functions. However, whether and how protein Kbhb modification participates in Alzheimer's disease (AD) remains unknown. Herein, we carried out 4D label‐free β‐hydroxybutylation quantitative proteomics using brain samples of 8‐month‐old and 2‐month‐old APP/PS1 AD model mice and wild‐type (WT) controls. We identified a series of tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle‐associated enzymes including citrate synthase (CS) and succinate‐CoA ligase subunit alpha (SUCLG1), whose Kbhb modifications were decreased in APP/PS1 mice at pathological stages. Sodium β‐hydroxybutyrate (Na‐β‐OHB) treatment markedly increased Kbhb modifications of CS and SUCLG1 and their enzymatic activities, leading to elevated ATP production. We further found that Kbhb modifications at lysine 393 site in CS and at lysine 81 site in SUCLG1 were crucial for their enzymatic activities. Finally, we found that β‐OHB levels were decreased in the brain of APP/PS1 mice at pathological stages. While ketogenic diet not only significantly increased β‐OHB levels, Kbhb modifications and enzymatic activities of CS and SUCLG1, and ATP production, but also dramatically attenuated β‐amyloid plaque pathologies and microgliosis in APP/PS1 mice. Together, our findings indicate the importance of protein Kbhb modification for maintaining normal TCA cycle and ATP production and provide a novel molecular mechanism underlying the beneficial effects of ketogenic diet on energy metabolism and AD intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glioma is a devastating type of brain tumor with high morbidity and mortality rates. Despite current treatment options, the prognosis for glioma patients remains poor. Metabolic reprograming has emerged as a crucial aspect of tumorigenesis, and the oxidative phosphorylation pathway has received increasing attention as a promising target for cancer treatment. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of transcriptome data to identify differentially expressed genes related to oxidative phosphorylation in glioma. Based on these findings, we developed the first oxidative phosphorylation‐based prognostic and diagnostic signatures and investigated the methylation level of oxidative phosphorylation‐related genes, constructed miRNA–mRNA regulatory networks, and screened potential oxidative phosphorylation pathway inhibitors. Moreover, we analyzed the immune cell infiltration pattern based on oxidative phosphorylation‐related genes' expression and found that the high‐oxidative phosphorylation group had more inhibitory immune cell infiltration. Overall, this study provides novel insights into the possible molecular mechanisms of oxidative phosphorylation in glioma progression and identifies potential targets for future glioma therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the key goals of ecology is to understand how communities are assembled. The species co‐existence theory suggests that community β‐diversity is influenced by species pool and community assembly processes, such as environmental filtering, dispersal events, ecological drift and biotic interactions. However, it remains unclear whether there are similar β‐diversity patterns among different soil microbial groups and whether all these mechanisms play significant roles in mediating β‐diversity patterns. By conducting a broad survey across Chinese deserts, we aimed to address these questions by investing biological soil crusts (biocrusts). Through amplicon‐sequencing, we acquired β‐diversity data for multiple microbial groups, that is, soil total bacteria, diazotrophs, phoD‐harbouring taxa, and fungi. Our results have shown varying distance decay rates of β‐diversity across microbial groups, with soil total bacteria showing a weaker distance‐decay relationship than other groups. The impact of the species pool on community β‐diversity varied across microbial groups, with soil total bacteria and diazotrophs being significantly influenced. While the contributions of specific assembly processes to community β‐diversity patterns varied among different microbial groups, significant effects of local community assembly processes on β‐diversity patterns were consistently observed across all groups. Homogenous selection and dispersal limitation emerged as crucial processes for all groups. Precipitation and soil C:P were the key factors mediating β‐diversity for all groups. This study has substantially advanced our understanding of how the communities of multiple microbial groups are structured in desert biocrust systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrovoltaic devices (HDs) based on silicon nanowire (SiNW) arrays have received intensive attention due to their simple preparation, mature processing technology, and high output power. Investigating the impact of structure parameters of SiNWs on the performance of HDs can guide the optimization of the devices, but related research is still not sufficient. This work studies the effect of the SiNW density on the performance of HDs. SiNW arrays with different densities were prepared by controlling the react time of Si wafers in the seed solution (t seed) in metal-assisted chemical etching. Density of SiNW array gradually decreases with the increase of t seed. HDs were fabricated based on SiNW arrays with different densities. The research results indicate that the open-circuit voltage gradually decreases with increasing t seed, while the short-circuit current first increases and then decreases with increasing t seed. Overall, SiNW devices with t seed of 20 s and 60 s have the best output performance. The difference in output performance of HDs based on SiNWs with different densities is attributed to the difference in the gap sizes between SiNWs, specific surface area of SiNWs, and the number of SiNWs in parallel. This work gives the corresponding relationship between the preparation conditions of SiNWs, array density, and output performance of hydrovoltaic devices. Density parameters of SiNW arrays with optimized output performance and corresponding preparation conditions are revealed. The relevant results have important reference value for understanding the mechanism of HDs and designing structural parameters of SiNWs for high-performance hydrovoltaic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electronic materials with mechanical flexibility and visual transparency are highly desirable for imperceptible wearable electronics that can alleviate wearing reluctance. However, as a multifunctional sensing material in modern electronics, silicon is typically rigid and opaque, limiting its applications in imperceptible wearable electronics. Here, a novel strategy is proposed to fabricate single-crystalline silicon frameworks (sc-SiFs) through alkali etching. The as-prepared sc-SiFs exhibit a minimum bending radius of 6 mm and a light transmittance of up to 77%. The remarkable performance results from the unique framework structures, which provide adequate space for stress relief and light transmission. By precisely controlling the structural parameters, the mechanical and optical properties of SiFs can be easily tailored to meet the diverse requirements of various applications. Despite new properties, sc-SiFs preserve the electronic properties of silicon, which makes them good candidates for wearable electronics. As an example, imperceptible bending sensors based on sc-SiFs have been constructed to detect physiological activities, including facial expressions and swallowing. This work provides a scalable method for fabricating flexible and transparent silicon materials, which will facilitate the development of imperceptible wearable electronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanodynamic therapy (NDT) exerts its anti-tumor effect by activating nanosensitizers to generate large amounts of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in tumor cells. NDT enhances tumor-specific targeting and selectivity by leveraging the tumor microenvironment (TME) and mechanisms that boost anti-tumor immune responses. It also minimizes damage to surrounding healthy tissues and enhances cytotoxicity in tumor cells, showing promise in cancer treatment, with significant potential. This review covers the research progress in five major nanodynamic therapies: photodynamic therapy (PDT), electrodynamic therapy (EDT), sonodynamic therapy (SDT), radiodynamic therapy (RDT), and chemodynamic therapy (CDT), emphasizing the significant role of advanced nanotechnology in the development of NDT for anti-tumor purposes. The mechanisms, effects, and challenges faced by these NDTs are discussed, along with their respective solutions for enhancing anti-tumor efficacy, such as pH response, oxygen delivery, and combined immunotherapy. Finally, this review briefly addresses challenges in the clinical translation of NDT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hot electron photodetection based on metallic nanostructures is attracting significant attention due to its potential to overcome the limitation of the traditional semiconductor bandgap. To enable efficient hot electron photodetection for practical applications, it is necessary to achieve broadband and perfect light absorption within extremely thin plasmonic nanostructures using cost‐effective fabrication techniques. In this study, an ultrahigh optical absorption (up to 97.3% in average across the spectral range of 1200−2400 nm) is demonstrated in the ultrathin plasmonic nanoneedle arrays (NNs) with thickness of 10 nm, based on an all‐wet metal‐assisted chemical etching process. The efficient hot electron generation, transport, and injection at the nanoscale apex of the nanoneedles facilitate the photodetector to achieve a record low noise equivalent power (NEP) of 4.4 × 10−12 W Hz−0.5 at the wavelength of 1300 nm. The hot‐electron generation and injection process are elucidated through a transport model based on a Monte Carlo approach, which quantitatively matches the experimental data. The photodetector is further integrated into a light imaging system, as a demonstration of the exceptional imaging capabilities at the near‐IR regime. The study presents a lithography‐free, scalable, and cost‐effective approach to enhance hot electron photodetection, with promising prospects for future imaging systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geminin expression is essential for embryonic development and the maintenance of chromosomal integrity. In spite of this protective role, geminin is also frequently overexpressed in human cancers and the molecular mechanisms underlying its role in tumor progression remain unclear. The histone deacetylase HDAC3 modulates transcription factors to activate or suppress transcription. Little is known about how HDAC3 specifies substrates for modulation among highly homologous transcription factor family members. Here, we have demonstrated that geminin selectively couples the transcription factor forkhead box O3 (FoxO3) to HDAC3, thereby specifically facilitating FoxO3 deacetylation. We determined that geminin-associated HDAC3 deacetylates FoxO3 to block its transcriptional activity, leading to downregulation of the downstream FoxO3 target Dicer, an RNase that suppresses metastasis. Breast cancer cells depleted of geminin or HDAC3 exhibited poor metastatic potential that was attributed to reduced suppression of the FoxO3-Dicer axis. Moreover, elevated levels of geminin, HDAC3, or both together with decreased FoxO3 acetylation and reduced Dicer expression were detected in aggressive human breast cancer specimens. These results underscore a prominent role for geminin in promoting breast cancer metastasis via the enzyme-substratecoupling mechanism in HDAC3-FoxO3 complex formation., Introduction Acetylation can modulate numerous transcription factors, nuclear regulators, and cytoplasmic proteins that are involved in diverse cellular functions (1, 2). Histone deacetylase (HDAC) enzymes, including members of the zinc-dependent [...]