The Effectiveness of Four Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide (NAD+) Precursors in Alleviating the High-Glucose-Induced Damage to Hepatocytes in Megalobrama amblycephala: Evidence in NAD+ Homeostasis, Sirt1/3 Activation, Redox Defense, Inflammatory Response, Apoptosis, and Glucose Metabolism

The administration of NAD+ precursors is a potential approach to protect against liver damage and metabolic dysfunction. However, the effectiveness of different NAD+ precursors in alleviating metabolic disorders is still poorly elucidated. The current study was performed to compare the effectiveness of four different NAD+ precursors, including nicotinic acid (NA), niacinamide (NAM), nicotinamide riboside (NR), and nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) in alleviating high-glucose-induced injury to hepatocytes in a fish model, Megalobrama amblycephala. An in vitro high-glucose model was successfully established to mimic hyperglycemia-induced damage to the liver, which was evidenced by the reduced cell viability, the increased transaminase activity, and the depletion of cellular NAD+ concentration. The NAD+ precursors all improved cell viability, with the maximal effect observed in NR, which also had the most potent NAD+ boosting capacity and a significant Sirt1/3 activation effect. Meanwhile, NR presented distinct and superior effects in terms of anti-oxidative stress, inflammation inhibition, and anti-apoptosis compared with NA, NAM, and NMN. Furthermore, NR could effectively benefit glucose metabolism by activating glucose transportation, glycolysis, glycogen synthesis and the pentose phosphate pathway, as well as inhibiting gluconeogenesis. Moreover, an oral gavage test confirmed that NR presented the most potent effect in increasing hepatic NAD+ content and the NAD+/NADH ratio among four NAD+ precursors. Together, the present study results demonstrated that NR is most effective in attenuating the high-glucose-induced injury to hepatocytes in fish compared to other NAD+ precursors.

In Situ Defect Engineering in Carbon by Atomic Self-Activation to Boost the Accessible Low-Voltage Insertion for Advanced Potassium-Ion Full-Cells

Enhancing the low-potential capacity of anode materials is significant in boosting the operating voltage of full-cells and constructing high energy-density energy storage devices. Graphitic carbons exhibit outstanding low-potential potassium storage performance, but show a low K+ diffusion kinetics. Herein, in situ defect engineering in graphitic nanocarbon is achieved by an atomic self-activation strategy to boost the accessible low-voltage insertion. Graphitic carbon layers grow on nanoscale-nickel to form the graphitic nanosphere with short-range ordered microcrystalline due to nickel graphitization catalyst. Meanwhile, the widely distributed K+ in the precursor induces the activation of surrounding carbon atoms to in situ generate carbon vacancies as channels. The graphite microcrystals with defect channels realize reversible K+ intercalation at low-potential and accessible ion diffusion kinetics, contributing to high reversible capacity (209 mAh g-1 at 0.05 A g-1 under 0.8 V) and rate capacity (103.2 mAh g-1 at 1 A g-1). The full-cell with Prussian blue cathode and graphitic nanocarbon anode maintains an obvious working platform at ca. 3.0 V. This work provides a strategy for the in situ design of carbon anode materials and gives insights into the potassium storage mechanism at low-potential for high-performance full-cells.

Engineering Domain Variants in 0.7Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)-0.3PbTiO3 Single Crystals Using High-Frequency AC Poling

Single crystals of (001)-oriented 0.7Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)-0.3PbTiO3 (PMN-30PT) with a composition near the morphotropic phase boundary have attracted considerable attention due to their superior dielectric and electromechanical performance. Recently, a new alternating current (electric field) poling approach used for the enhancement of dielectric and piezoelectric properties. However, the microscopic domain variants that govern the performance, especially under high-frequency alternating current (AC) voltages, remain largely unexplored. In this work, the domain microstructure under AC poling reveals the presence of four monoclinic (MA) domain variants using a suite of scanning probe microscopy methods, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) reciprocal space mapping is tuned. It is reported on the emergence of hierarchical fine domains - needle-shaped, and 109° domain walls under applied high-frequency AC poling. Time-resolved Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) reveals the charge dynamics and relaxation behavior of these needle domains and walls. The findings provide new insight and guidance to the domain engineering by high-frequency AC poling for the development of advanced transducer technology.

Artificial and Biosynthetic Nanoparticles Boost Bioelectrochemical Reactions via Efficient Bidirectional Electron Transfer of Shewanella loihica

Bioelectrochemical reactions using whole-cell biocatalysts are promising carbon-neutral approaches because of their easy operation, low cost, and sustainability. Bidirectional (outward or inward) electron transfer via exoelectrogens plays the main role in driving bioelectrochemical reactions. However, the low electron transfer efficiency seriously inhibits bioelectrochemical reaction kinetics. Here, a three dimensional and artificial nanoparticles-constituent inverse opal-indium tin oxide (IO-ITO) electrode is fabricated and employed to connect with exoelectrogens (Shewanella loihica PV-4). The above electrode collected 128-fold higher cell density and exhibited a maximum current output approaching 1.5 mA cm-2 within 24 h at anode mode. By changing the IO-ITO electrode to cathode mode, the exoelectrogens exhibited the attractive ability of extracellular electron uptake to reduce fumarate and 16 times higher reverse current than the commercial carbon electrode. Notably, Fe-containing oxide nanoparticles are biologically synthesized at both sides of the outer cell membrane and probably contributed to direct electron transfer with the transmembrane c-type cytochromes. Owing to the efficient electron exchange via artificial and biosynthetic nanoparticles, bioelectrochemical CO2 reduction is also realized at the cathode. This work not only explored the possibility of augmenting bidirectional electron transfer but also provided a new strategy to boost bioelectrochemical reactions by introducing biohybrid nanoparticles.

An aquaporin and an aquaglyceroporin have roles in low temperature adaptation of mosquitoes (Anopheles sinensis)

Mosquitoes (Anopheles sinensis), widely geographically distributed in Asia including China, are the primary vector of the malaria parasite Plasmodium vivax and other parasitic diseases such as Malayan filariasis. An. sinensis can survive through low winter temperatures. Aquaporin channels are found in all life forms, where they facilitate environmental adaptation by allowing rapid trans-cellular movement of water (classical aquaporins) or water and solutes such as glycerol (aquaglyceroporins). Here, we identified and characterized 2 aquaporin (AQP) homologs in An. sinensis: AsAQP2 (An. sinensis aquaglyceroporin) and AsAQP4 (An. sinensis aquaporin). When expressed in frog (Xenopus laevis) oocytes, AsAQP2 transported water, glycerol, and urea; AsAQP4 transported only water. Water permeation through AsAQP2 and AsAQP4 was inhibited by mercuric chloride. AsAQP2 expression was slightly higher in adult female mosquitoes than in males, and AsAQP4 expression was significantly higher in adult males. The 2 AsAQPs were highly expressed in Malpighian tubules and midgut. AsAQP2 and AsAQP4 expression was up-regulated by blood feeding compared with sugar feeding. At freezing point (0 °C), the AsAQP4 expression level increased and An. sinensis survival time reduced compared with those at normal temperature (26 °C). At low temperature (8 °C), the AsAQP2 and AsAQP4 expression levels decreased and survival time was significantly longer compared with those at 26 °C. These results suggest that AsAQP2 and AsAQP4 have roles in water homeostasis during blood digestion and in low temperature adaptation of A. sinensis. Together, our results show that the 2 AQPs are important for mosquito diuresis after blood feeding and when exposed to low temperatures.

Research Progress in Liquid Phase Growth of GaN Crystals

As a wide band gap semiconductor, gallium nitride (GaN) has high breakdown voltage, excellent structural stability and mechanical properties, giving it unique advantages in applications such as high frequency, high power, and high temperature. As a result, it has broad application prospects in optoelectronics and microelectronics. However, the lack of high-quality, large-size GaN crystal substrates severely limit the improvement of electronic device performance. To solve this problem, liquid phase growth of GaN has attracted much attention because it can produce higher quality GaN crystals compared to traditional vapor phase growth methods. This review introduces two main methods of liquid phase growth of GaN: the flux method and ammonothermal method, as well as their advantages and challenges. It reviews the research history and recent advances of these two methods, including the effects of different solvents and mineralizers on the growth quality and performance of GaN crystals, as well as various technical improvements. This review aims to outline the principles, characteristics, and development trends of liquid phase growth of GaN, to provide more inspiration for future research on liquid phase growth, and to achieve further breakthroughs in its development and commercial application.

Hybrid Directed Hypergraph Learning and Forecasting of Skeleton-Based Human Poses

Forecasting 3-dimensional skeleton-based human poses from the historical sequence is a classic task, which shows enormous potential in robotics, computer vision, and graphics. Currently, the state-of-the-art methods resort to graph convolutional networks (GCNs) to access the relationships of human joint pairs to formulate this problem. However, human action involves complex interactions among multiple joints, which presents a higher-order correlation overstepping the pairwise (2-order) connection of GCNs. Moreover, joints are typically activated by the parent joint, rather than driving their parent joints, whereas in existing methods, this specific direction of information transmission is ignored. In this work, we propose a novel hybrid directed hypergraph convolution network (H-DHGCN) to model the high-order relationships of the human skeleton with directionality. Specifically, our H-DHGCN mainly involves 2 core components. One is the static directed hypergraph, which is pre-defined according to the human body structure, to effectively leverage the natural relations of human joints. The second is dynamic directed hypergraph (D-DHG). D-DHG is learnable and can be constructed adaptively, to learn the unique characteristics of the motion sequence. In contrast to the typical GCNs, our method brings a richer and more refined topological representation of skeleton data. On several large-scale benchmarks, experimental results show that the proposed model consistently surpasses the latest techniques.

Naphthalimide-based Functional Glycopolymeric Nanoparticles as Fluorescent Probes for Selective Imaging of Tumor Cells

A series of functional glycopolymer nanoparticles with 1,8-naphthalimide motif was designed, synthesized and applied for tumor cell imaging. With the pH-sensitive and aggregation-induced emission (AIE) effect of the 1,8-naphthalimide fluorescent probe, the presence of glucose-based glycopolymers enhanced its water-solubility and biocompatibility. Owing to the dual tumor-targeting effects of the dense glucose part and the boronic ester modification, the obtained glycopolymers showed high affinity to tumor cells, with a much faster staining rate than normal cells, indicating a great potential for diagnosis and treatments of cancers.

Integrative omics studies revealed synergistic link between sucrose metabolic isogenes and carbohydrates in poplar roots infected by Fusarium wilt

Advances in carbohydrate metabolism prompted its essential role in defense priming and sweet immunity during plant-pathogen interactions. Nevertheless, upstream responding enzymes in the sucrose metabolic pathway and associated carbohydrate derivatives underlying fungal pathogen challenges remain to be deciphered in Populus, a model tree species. In silico deduction of genomic features, including phylogenies, exon/intron distributions, cis-regulatory elements, and chromosomal localization, identified 59 enzyme genes (11 families) in the Populus genome. Spatiotemporal expression of the transcriptome and the quantitative real-time PCR revealed a minuscule number of isogenes that were predominantly expressed in roots. Upon the pathogenic Fusarium solani (Fs) exposure, dynamic changes in the transcriptomics atlas and experimental evaluation verified Susy (PtSusy2 and 3), CWI (PtCWI3), VI (PtVI2), HK (PtHK6), FK (PtFK6), and UGPase (PtUGP2) families, displaying promotions in their expressions at 48 and 72 h of post-inoculation (hpi). Using the gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS)-based non-targeted metabolomics combined with a high-performance ion chromatography system (HPICS), approximately 307 metabolites (13 categories) were annotated that led to the quantification of 46 carbohydrates, showing marked changes between three compared groups. By contrast, some sugars (e.g., sorbitol, L-arabitol, trehalose, and galacturonic acid) exhibited a higher accumulation at 72 hpi than 0 hpi, while levels of α-lactose and glucose decreased, facilitating them as potential signaling molecules. The systematic overview of multi-omics approaches to dissect the effects of Fs infection provides theoretical cues for understanding defense immunity depending on fine-tuned Suc metabolic gene clusters and synergistically linked carbohydrate pools in trees.

Laser-Induced Preparation of Anderson-Type Polyoxometalate-Derived Sulfide/Oxide Electrocatalysts for Electrochemical Water Oxidation

Developing cost-effective and high-active electrocatalysts is vital to enhance the electrocatalytic performance for oxygen evolution reaction (OER). However, traditional pyrolysis methods require complicated procedures, exact temperatures, and long reaction times, leading to high costs and low yields of electrocatalysts in potential industrial applications. Herein, a rapid and economic laser-induced preparation strategy is proposed to synthesize three bimetallic sulfide/oxide composites (MMoOS, M=Fe, Co, and Ni) on a nickel foam (NF) substrate. A focused CO2 laser with high energy is applied to decompose Anderson-type polyoxometalate (POM)-based precursors, enabling the creation of abundant heteropore and defective structures in the MMoOS composites that have multi-components of MS/Mo4O11/MoS2. Remarkably, owing to the structural interactions between the active species, FeMoOS shows superior electrocatalytic performance for OER in an alkaline medium, exhibiting a low overpotential of 240 mV at 50 mA cm-2, a small Tafel slope of 79 mV dec-1, and good durability for 80 h. Physical characterizations after OER imply that partially dissolved Mo-based species and new-formed NiO/NiOOH can effectively uncover abundant active sites, fasten charge transfer, and modify defective structures. This work provides a rapid laser-induced irradiation method for the synthesis of POM-derived nanocomposites as promoted electrocatalysts.

Understanding Defects in Perovskite Solar Cells through Computation: Current Knowledge and Future Challenge

Lead halide perovskites with superior optoelectrical properties are emerging as a class of excellent materials for applications in solar cells and light-emitting devices. However, perovskite films often exhibit abundant intrinsic defects, which can limit the efficiency of perovskite-based optoelectronic devices by acting as carrier recombination centers. Thus, an understanding of defect chemistry in lead halide perovskites assumes a prominent role in further advancing the exploitation of perovskites, which, to a large extent, is performed by relying on first-principles calculations. However, the complex defect structure, strong anharmonicity, and soft lattice of lead halide perovskites pose challenges to defect studies. In this perspective, on the basis of briefly reviewing the current knowledge concerning computational studies on defects, this work concentrates on addressing the unsolved problems and proposing possible research directions in future. This perspective particularly emphasizes the indispensability of developing advanced approaches for deeply understanding the nature of defects and conducting data-driven defect research for designing reasonable strategies to further improve the performance of perovskite applications. Finally, this work highlights that theoretical studies should pay more attention to establishing close and clear links with experimental investigations to provide useful insights to the scientific and industrial communities.

CDK12 is a potential biomarker for diagnosis, prognosis and immunomodulation in pan-cancer

Cell cycle-dependent protein kinase 12 (CDK12) plays a key role in a variety of carcinogenesis processes and represents a promising therapeutic target for cancer treatment. However, to date, there have been no systematic studies addressing its diagnostic, prognostic and immunological value across cancers. Here, we found that CDK12 was significantly upregulated in various types of cancers, and it expression increased with progression in ten cancer types, including breast cancer, cholangiocarcinoma and colon adenocarcinoma. Moreover, the ROC curves indicated that CDK12 showed diagnostic value in eight cancer types. High CDK12 expression was associated with poor prognosis in eight types of cancer, including low-grade glioma, mesothelioma, melanoma and pancreatic cancer. Furthermore, we conducted immunoassays to explore the exact mechanisms underlying CDK12-induced carcinogenesis, which revealed that increased expression of CDK12 allowed tumours to evade immune surveillance and upregulate immune checkpoint genes. Additionally, mutational studies have shown that amplification and missense mutations are the predominant mutational events affecting CDK12 across cancers. These findings establish CDK12 as a significant biological indicator of cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and immunotherapeutic targeting. Early surveillance and employment of CDK12 inhibitors, along with concomitant immunotherapy interventions, may enhance the clinical outcomes of cancer patients.

Probiotics supplementation during pregnancy or infancy on multiple food allergies and gut microbiota: a systematic review and meta-analysis

CONTEXT

Probiotics show promise in preventing and managing food allergies, but the impact of supplementation during pregnancy or infancy on children's allergies and gut microbiota remains unclear.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to assess the effects of maternal or infant probiotic supplementation on food allergy risk and explore the role of gut microbiota.

DATA SOURCES

A systematic search of databases (PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, and Medline) identified 37 relevant studies until May 20, 2023.

DATA EXTRACTION

Two independent reviewers extracted data, including probiotics intervention details, gut microbiota analysis, and food allergy information.

DATA ANALYSIS

Probiotics supplementation during pregnancy and infancy reduced the risk of total food allergy (relative risk [RR], 0.79; 95% CI, 0.63-0.99), cow-milk allergy (RR, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.29-0.88), and egg allergy (RR, 0.57; 95% CI, 0.39-0.84). Infancy-only supplementation lowered cow-milk allergy risk (RR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.49-0.96), while pregnancy-only had no discernible effect. Benefits were observed with over 2 probiotic species, and a daily increase of 1.8 × 109 colony-forming units during pregnancy and infancy correlated with a 4% reduction in food allergy risk. Children with food allergies had distinct gut microbiota profiles, evolving with age.

CONCLUSIONS

Probiotics supplementation during pregnancy and infancy reduces food allergy risk and correlates with age-related changes in gut microbial composition in children.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION

PROSPERO registration no. CRD42023425988.

ApoE Mimetic Peptide COG1410 Kills Mycobacterium smegmatis via Directly Interfering ClpC's ATPase Activity

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) hold promise as alternatives to combat bacterial infections, addressing the urgent global threat of antibiotic resistance. COG1410, a synthetic peptide derived from apolipoprotein E, has exhibited potent antimicrobial properties against various bacterial strains, including Mycobacterium smegmatis. However, our study reveals a previously unknown resistance mechanism developed by M. smegmatis against COG1410 involving ClpC. Upon subjecting M. smegmatis to serial passages in the presence of sub-MIC COG1410, resistance emerged. The comparative genomic analysis identified a point mutation in ClpC (S437P), situated within its middle domain, which led to high resistance to COG1410 without compromising bacterial fitness. Complementation of ClpC in mutant restored bacterial sensitivity. In-depth analyses, including transcriptomic profiling and in vitro assays, uncovered that COG1410 interferes with ClpC at both transcriptional and functional levels. COG1410 not only stimulated the ATPase activity of ClpC but also enhanced the proteolytic activity of Clp protease. SPR analysis confirmed that COG1410 directly binds with ClpC. Surprisingly, the identified S437P mutation did not impact their binding affinity. This study sheds light on a unique resistance mechanism against AMPs in mycobacteria, highlighting the pivotal role of ClpC in this process. Unraveling the interplay between COG1410 and ClpC enriches our understanding of AMP-bacterial interactions, offering potential insights for developing innovative strategies to combat antibiotic resistance.

Decryption of the survival "black box": gene family expansion promotes the encystment in ciliated protists

BACKGROUND

Encystment is an important survival strategy extensively employed by microbial organisms to survive unfavorable conditions. Single-celled ciliated protists (ciliates) are popular model eukaryotes for studying encystment, whereby these cells degenerate their ciliary structures and develop cyst walls, then reverse the process under more favorable conditions. However, to date, the evolutionary basis and mechanism for encystment in ciliates is largely unknown. With the rapid development of high-throughput sequencing technologies, genome sequencing and comparative genomics of ciliates have become effective methods to provide insights into above questions.

RESULTS

Here, we profiled the MAC genome of Pseudourostyla cristata, a model hypotrich ciliate for encystment studies. Like other hypotrich MAC genomes, the P. cristata MAC genome is extremely fragmented with a single gene on most chromosomes, and encodes introns that are generally small and lack a conserved branch point for pre-mRNA splicing. Gene family expansion analyses indicate that multiple gene families involved in the encystment are expanded during the evolution of P. cristata. Furthermore, genomic comparisons with other five representative hypotrichs indicate that gene families of phosphorelay sensor kinase, which play a role in the two-component signal transduction system that is related to encystment, show significant expansion among all six hypotrichs. Additionally, cyst wall-related chitin synthase genes have experienced structural changes that increase them from single-exon to multi-exon genes during evolution. These genomic features potentially promote the encystment in hypotrichs and enhance their ability to survive in adverse environments during evolution.

CONCLUSIONS

We systematically investigated the genomic structure of hypotrichs and key evolutionary phenomenon, gene family expansion, for encystment promotion in ciliates. In summary, our results provided insights into the evolutionary mechanism of encystment in ciliates.

Pulse Electrolysis Turns on CO2 Methanation through N-Confused Cupric Porphyrin

Breaking the D4h symmetry in the square-planar M-N4 configuration of macrocycle molecular catalysts has witnessed enhanced electrocatalytic activity, but at the expense of electrochemical stability. Herein, we hypothesize that the lability of the active Cu-N3 motifs in the N-confused copper (II) tetraphenylporphyrin (CuNCP) could be overcome by applying pulsed potential electrolysis (PPE) during electrocatalytic carbon dioxide reduction. We find that applying PPE can indeed enhance the CH4 selectivity on CuNCP by 3 folds to reach the partial current density of 170 mA cm-2 at >60 % Faradaic efficiency (FE) in flow cell. However, combined ex situ X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscope (TEM), and in situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), infrared (IR), Raman, scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) characterizations reveal that, in a prolonged time scale, the decomplexation of CuNCP is unavoidable, and the promoted water dissociation under high anodic bias with lowered pH and enriched protons facilitates successive hydrogenation of *CO on the irreversibly reduced Cu nanoparticles, leading to the improved CH4 selectivity. As a key note, this study signifies the adaption of electrolytic protocol to the catalyst structure for tailoring local chemical environment towards efficient CO2 reduction.

Symmetry-Broken Ru Nanoparticles with Parasitic Ru-Co Dual-Single Atoms Overcome the Volmer Step of Alkaline Hydrogen Oxidation

Efficient dual-single-atom catalysts are crucial for enhancing atomic efficiency and promoting the commercialization of fuel cells, but addressing the sluggish kinetics of hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) in alkaline media and the facile dual-single-atom site generation remains formidable challenges. Here, we break the local symmetry of ultra-small ruthenium (Ru) nanoparticles by embedding cobalt (Co) single atoms, which results in the release of Ru single atoms from Ru nanoparticles on reduced graphene oxide (Co1 Ru1,n /rGO). In situ operando spectroscopy and theoretical calculations reveal that the oxygen-affine Co atom disrupts the symmetry of ultra-small Ru nanoparticles, resulting in parasitic Ru and Co dual-single-atom within Ru nanoparticles. The interaction between Ru single atoms and nanoparticles forms effective active centers. The parasitism of Co atoms modulates the adsorption of OH intermediates on Ru active sites, accelerating HOR kinetics through faster formation of *H2 O. As anticipated, Co1 Ru1,n /rGO exhibits ultrahigh mass activity (7.68 A mgRu -1 ) at 50 mV and exchange current density (0.68 mA cm-2 ), which are 6 and 7 times higher than those of Ru/rGO, respectively. Notably, it also displays exceptional durability surpassing that of commercial Pt catalysts. This investigation provides valuable insights into hybrid multi-single-atom and metal nanoparticle catalysis.

Cascade Electrocatalytic and Thermocatalytic Reduction of CO2 to Propionaldehyde

Electrochemical CO2 reduction can convert CO2 to value-added chemicals, but its selectivity toward C3+ products are very limited. One possible solution is to run the reactions in hybrid processes by coupling electrocatalysis with other catalytic routes. In this contribution, we report the cascade electrocatalytic and thermocatalytic reduction of CO2 to propionaldehyde. Using Cu(OH)2 nanowires as the precatalyst, CO2 /H2 O is reduced to concentrated C2 H4 , CO, and H2 gases in a zero-gap membrane electrode assembly (MEA) reactor. The thermochemical hydroformylation reaction is separately investigated with a series of rhodium-phosphine complexes. The best candidate is identified to be the one with the 1,4-bis(diphenylphosphino)butane diphosphine ligand, which exhibits a propionaldehyde turnover number of 1148 under a mild temperature and close-to-atmospheric pressure. By coupling and optimizing the upstream CO2 electroreduction and downstream hydroformylation reaction, we achieve a propionaldehyde selectivity of ~38 % and a total C3 oxygenate selectivity of 44 % based on reduced CO2 . These values represent a more than seven times improvement over the best prior electrochemical system alone or over two times improvement over other hybrid systems.

Neutrophil Percentage as a Potential Biomarker of Acute Kidney Injury Risk and Short-Term Prognosis in Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction in the Elderly

Objective

This study aimed to explore the association of preoperative neutrophil percentage (NEUT%) with the risk of acute kidney injury (AKI) in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) having undergone coronary interventional therapy.

Methods

A single-center, retrospective and observational study was conducted. From December 2012 to June 2021, patients with AMI were enrolled and divided into AKI group and non-AKI group. The NEUT% in the two groups was compared. The association between NEUT% with the risk of post-AMI AKI was analyzed by univariate and multivariable logistic regression. Kaplan-Meier survival curve was drawn to evaluate the prognostic ability of NEUT% for short-term all-cause death following AMI.

Results

A total of 3001 consecutive patients were enrolled with an average age of 64.38 years. AKI occurred in 327 (10.9%) patients. The NEUT% was higher in the AKI group than in the non-AKI group ([76.65±11.43]% versus [73.22±11.83]%, P<0.001). NEUT% was also identified as an independent risk factor for AKI in AMI patients after adjustment (OR=1.021, 95% CI: 1.010-1.033, P < 0.001). Compared with those at the lowest quartile of NEUT%, the patients at quartiles 2-4 had a higher risk of AKI (P for trend = 0.003). The odds of AKI increased by 29.0% as NEUT% increased by 1 standard deviation (OR=1.290, 95% CI: 1.087-1.531, P = 0.004). After a median of 35 days follow-up, 93 patients died. Patients with a higher NEUT% presented a higher risk of all-cause death after AMI (Log rank: χ2 =24.753, P<0.001).

Conclusion

In AMI patients, the peripheral blood NEUT% was positively associated with the odds of AKI and short-term all-cause mortality. NEUT% may provide physicians with more information about disease development and prognosis.

Electron Structure Tuned Oxygen Vacancy-Rich AuPd/CeO2 for Enhancing 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural Oxidation

The design of high activity catalyst for the efficiently conversion of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) to 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) gains great interest. The rationally tailoring of electronic structure directly affects the interaction between catalysts and organic substrates, especially molecular oxygen as the oxidant. This work, the bimetallic catalysts AuPd/CeO2 were prepared by the combining method of chemical reduction and photo-deposition, effectively concerting charge between Au and Pd and forming the electron-rich state of Au. The increasing of oxygen vacancy concentration of CeO2 by acidic treatment can facilitate the adsorption of HMF for catalysts and enhance the yield of FDCA (99.0 %). Moreover, a series of experiment results combining with density functional theory calculation illustrated that the oxidation performance of catalyst in HMF conversion was strongly related to the electronic state of interfacial Au-Pd-CeO2. Furthermore, the electron-rich state sites strengthen the adsorption and activation of molecular oxygen, greatly promoting the elimination of β-hydride for the selective oxidation of 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furancarboxylic acid (HMFCA) to FDCA, accompanied with an outgoing FDCA formation rate of 13.21 mmol ⋅ g-1 ⋅ min-1 at 80 °C. The perception exhibited in this research could be benefit to understanding the effects of electronic state for interfacial sites and designing excellent catalysts for the oxidation of HMF.

Recent advances in the biosynthesis and industrial biotechnology of Gamma-amino butyric acid

GABA (Gamma-aminobutyric acid), a crucial neurotransmitter in the central nervous system, has gained significant attention in recent years due to its extensive benefits for human health. The review focused on recent advances in the biosynthesis and production of GABA. To begin with, the investigation evaluates GABA-producing strains and metabolic pathways, focusing on microbial sources such as Lactic Acid Bacteria, Escherichia coli, and Corynebacterium glutamicum. The metabolic pathways of GABA are elaborated upon, including the GABA shunt and critical enzymes involved in its synthesis. Next, strategies to enhance microbial GABA production are discussed, including optimization of fermentation factors, different fermentation methods such as co-culture strategy and two-step fermentation, and modification of the GABA metabolic pathway. The review also explores methods for determining glutamate (Glu) and GABA levels, emphasizing the importance of accurate quantification. Furthermore, a comprehensive market analysis and prospects are provided, highlighting current trends, potential applications, and challenges in the GABA industry. Overall, this review serves as a valuable resource for researchers and industrialists working on GABA advancements, focusing on its efficient synthesis processes and various applications, and providing novel ideas and approaches to improve GABA yield and quality.

The m6A modification mediated-lncRNA POU6F2-AS1 reprograms fatty acid metabolism and facilitates the growth of colorectal cancer via upregulation of FASN

BACKGROUND

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have emerged as key players in tumorigenesis and tumour progression. However, the biological functions and potential mechanisms of lncRNAs in colorectal cancer (CRC) are unclear.

METHODS

The novel lncRNA POU6F2-AS1 was identified through bioinformatics analysis, and its expression in CRC patients was verified via qRT-PCR and FISH. In vitro and in vivo experiments, such as BODIPY staining, Oil Red O staining, triglyceride (TAG) assays, and liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS) were subsequently performed with CRC specimens and cells to determine the clinical significance, and functional roles of POU6F2-AS1. Biotinylated RNA pull-down, RIP, Me-RIP, ChIP, and patient-derived organoid (PDO) culture assays were performed to confirm the underlying mechanism of POU6F2-AS1.

RESULTS

The lncRNA POU6F2-AS1 is markedly upregulated in CRC and associated with adverse clinicopathological features and poor overall survival in CRC patients. Functionally, POU6F2-AS1 promotes the growth and lipogenesis of CRC cells both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, METTL3-induced m6A modification is involved in the upregulation of POU6F2-AS1. Furthermore, upregulated POU6F2-AS1 could tether YBX1 to the FASN promoter to induce transcriptional activation, thus facilitating the growth and lipogenesis of CRC cells.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data revealed that the upregulation of POU6F2-AS1 plays a critical role in CRC fatty acid metabolism and might provide a novel promising biomarker and therapeutic target for CRC.

Freestanding Serpentine Silicon Strips with Ultrahigh Stretchability over 300% for Wearable Electronics

Well-functionalized electronic materials, such as silicon, in a stretchable format are desirable for high-performance wearable electronics. However, obtaining Si materials that meet the required stretchability of over 100% for wearable applications remains a significant challenge. Herein, a rational design strategy is proposed to achieve freestanding serpentine Si strips (FS-Si strips) with ultrahigh stretchability, fulfilling wearable requirements. The self-supporting feature makes the strips get rid of excessive constraints from substrates and enables them to deform with the minimum strain energy. Micrometer-scale thicknesses enhance robustness, and large diameter-to-width ratios effectively reduce strain concentration. Consequently, the FS-Si strips with the optimum design could withstand 300% stretch, bending, and torsion without fracturing, even under rough manual operation. They also exhibit excellent stability and durability over 50,000 cycles of 100% stretching cycles. For wearable applications, the FS-Si strips can maintain conformal contact with the skin and have a maximum stretchability of 120%. Moreover, they are electrically insensitive to large deformations, which ensure signal stability during their daily use. Combined with mature processing techniques and the excellent semiconductor properties of Si, FS-Si strips are promising core stretchable electronic materials for wearable electronics.

Ag-doped non-imperfection-enabled uniform memristive neuromorphic device based on van der Waals indium phosphorus sulfide

Memristors are considered promising energy-efficient artificial intelligence hardware, which can eliminate the von Neumann bottleneck by parallel in-memory computing. The common imperfection-enabled memristors are plagued with critical variability issues impeding their commercialization. Reported approaches to reduce the variability usually sacrifice other performances, e.g., small on/off ratios and high operation currents. Here, we demonstrate an unconventional Ag-doped nonimperfection diffusion channel-enabled memristor in van der Waals indium phosphorus sulfide, which can combine ultralow variabilities with desirable metrics. We achieve operation voltage, resistance, and on/off ratio variations down to 3.8, 2.3, and 6.9% at their extreme values of 0.2 V, 1011 ohms, and 108, respectively. Meanwhile, the operation current can be pushed from 1 nA to 1 pA at the scalability limit of 6 nm after Ag doping. Fourteen Boolean logic functions and convolutional image processing are successfully implemented by the memristors, manifesting the potential for logic-in-memory devices and efficient non-von Neumann accelerators.

IRF4-mediated Treg phenotype switching can aggravate hyperoxia-induced alveolar epithelial cell injury

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is characterized by alveolar dysplasia, and evidence indicates that interferon regulatory factor 4 (IRF4) is involved in the pathogenesis of various inflammatory lung diseases. Nonetheless, the significance and mechanism of IRF4 in BPD remain unelucidated. Consequently, we established a mouse model of BPD through hyperoxia exposure, and ELISA was employed to measure interleukin-17 A (IL-17 A) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) expression levels in lung tissues. Western blotting was adopted to determine the expression of IRF4, surfactant protein C (SP-C), and podoplanin (T1α) in lung tissues. Flow cytometry was utilized for analyzing the percentages of FOXP3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) and FOXP3+RORγt+ Tregs in CD4+ T cells in lung tissues to clarify the underlying mechanism. Our findings revealed that BPD mice exhibited disordered lung tissue structure, elevated IRF4 expression, decreased SP-C and T1α expression, increased IL-17 A and IL-6 levels, reduced proportion of FOXP3+ Tregs, and increased proportion of FOXP3+RORγt+ Tregs. For the purpose of further elucidating the effect of IRF4 on Treg phenotype switching induced by hyperoxia in lung tissues, we exposed neonatal mice with IRF4 knockout to hyperoxia. These mice exhibited regular lung tissue structure, increased proportion of FOXP3+ Tregs, reduced proportion of FOXP3+RORγt+ Tregs, elevated SP-C and T1α expression, and decreased IL-17 A and IL-6 levels. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate that IRF4-mediated Treg phenotype switching in lung tissues exacerbates alveolar epithelial cell injury under hyperoxia exposure.

Machine learning guided tuning charge distribution by composition in MOFs for oxygen evolution reaction

Traditional design/optimization of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) is time-consuming and labor-intensive. In this study, we utilize machine learning (ML) to accelerate the synthesis of MOFs. We have built a library of over 900 MOFs with different metal salts, solvent ratios, reaction durations and temperatures, and utilize zeta potentials as target variables for ML training. A total of four ML models have been used to train the collected dataset and assess their convergence performances, where Random Forest Regression (RFR) and Gradient Boosting Regression (GBR) models show strong correlation and accurate predictions. We then predicted two kinds of MOFs from RFR and GBR models. Remarkably, the experimentally data of the synthesized MOFs closely matched the predicted results, and these MOFs exhibited excellent electrocatalytic performances for oxygen evolution. This study would have general implications in the utilization of machine learning for accelerating the synthesis of MOFs for diverse applications.

Molecular engineering of AIE-active boron clustoluminogens for enhanced boron neutron capture therapy

The development of boron delivery agents bearing an imaging capability is crucial for boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT), yet it has been rarely explored. Here we present a new type of boron delivery agent that integrates aggregation-induced emission (AIE)-active imaging and a carborane cluster for the first time. In doing so, the new boron delivery agents have been rationally designed by incorporating a high boron content unit of a carborane cluster, an erlotinib targeting unit towards lung cancer cells, and a donor-acceptor type AIE unit bearing naphthalimide. The new boron delivery agents demonstrate both excellent AIE properties for imaging purposes and highly selective accumulation in tumors. For example, at a boron delivery agent dose of 15 mg kg-1, the boron amount reaches over 20 μg g-1, and both tumor/blood (T/B) and tumor/normal cell (T/N) ratios reach 20-30 times higher than those required by BNCT. The neutron irradiation experiments demonstrate highly efficient tumor growth suppression without any observable physical tissue damage and abnormal behavior in vivo. This study not only expands the application scopes of both AIE-active molecules and boron clusters, but also provides a new molecular engineering strategy for a deep-penetrating cancer therapeutic protocol based on BNCT.

EHD1 impaired decidualization of endometrial stromal cells in recurrent implantation failure: role of SENP1 in modulating progesterone receptor signalling†

Recurrent implantation failure (RIF) patients exhibit poor endometrial receptivity and abnormal decidualization with reduced effectiveness and exposure to progesterone, which is an intractable clinical problem. However, the associated molecular mechanisms remain elusive. We found that EH domain containing 1 (EHD1) expression was abnormally elevated in RIF and linked to aberrant endometrial decidualization. Here we show that EHD1 overexpressed in human endometrial stromal cells significantly inhibited progesterone receptor (PGR) transcriptional activity and the responsiveness to progesterone. No significant changes were observed in PGR mRNA levels, while a significant decrease in progesterone receptor B (PRB) protein level. Indeed, EHD1 binds to the PRB protein, with the K388 site crucial for this interaction. Overexpression of EHD1 promotes the SUMOylation and ubiquitination of PRB, leading to the degradation of the PRB protein. Supplementation with the de-SUMOylated protease SENP1 ameliorated EHD1-repressed PRB transcriptional activity. To establish a functional link between EHD1 and the PGR signalling pathway, sg-EHD1 were utilized to suppress EHD1 expression in HESCs from RIF patients. A significant increase in the expression of prolactin and insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 1 was detected by interfering with the EHD1. In conclusion, we demonstrated that abnormally high expression of EHD1 in endometrial stromal cells attenuated the activity of PRB associated with progesterone resistance in a subset of women with RIF.

Polar alcohol guest molecules regulate the stacking modes of 2-D MOF nanosheets

The modulation of two-dimensional metal-organic framework (2-D MOF) nanosheet stacking is an effective means to improve the properties and promote the application of nanosheets in various fields. Here, we employed a series of alcohol guest molecules (MeOH, EtOH and PrOH) to modulate Zr-BTB (BTB = benzene-1,3,5-tribenzoate) nanosheets and to generate untwisted stacking. The distribution of stacking angles was statistically analyzed from high-angle annular dark-field (HAADF) and fast Fourier transform (FFT) images. The ratios of untwisted stacking were calculated, such as 77.01% untwisted stacking for MeOH, 83.45% for EtOH, and 85.61% for PrOH. The obtained untwisted Zr-BTB showed good separation abilities for different substituted benzene isomers, superior para selectivity and excellent column stability and reusability. Control experiments of 2-D Zr-TCA (TCA = 4,4',4''-tricarboxytriphenylamine) and Zr-TATB (TATB = 4,4',4''-(1,3,5-triazine-2,4,6-triyl)tribenzoic acid) nanosheets with similar pore sizes and stronger polarity regulated by the alcohol guests exhibited moderate separation performance. The electron microscopy images revealed that polar alcohol regulation dominantly generated the twisted stacking of Zr-TCA and Zr-TATB with various Moiré patterns. Polar guest molecules, such as alcohols, provide strong host-guest interactions during the regulation of MOF nanosheet stacking, providing an opportunity to design new porous Moiré materials with application prospects.

Multi-site isomerization of synergistically regulated stimuli-responsive AIE materials toward multi-level decryption

Stimuli-responsive aggregation-induced emission (AIE) materials are highly sensitive and rapidly responsive to external signals, making them ideal solid materials for anti-counterfeiting encryption. However, the limited conformational and packing variations resulting from regio-isomerization with a single substituent restricts the stimuli-responsive behavior of these materials. In this work, several AIE-active regio-structural isomers based on the salicylaldehyde Schiff base scaffold have been straightforwardly obtained through multiple substitutions with bromide and triphenylamine moieties. Solvent-effect experiments demonstrate their different orders of charge-transfer and excited-state intramolecular proton transfer upon photoexcitation, indicating the regulation of excited-state processes via multi-site isomerization. These isomers also demonstrate mechanochromism and acidichromism, allowing for adjustable stimuli-responsive effects. As a demonstration, p-Br-TPA with both mechanochromism and acidichromism can be synergistically utilized for multi-level decryption. This study successfully regulates the evolution of excited states through multi-site isomerization, offering a general approach for achieving tunable stimuli-responsive properties in AIE-active salicylaldehyde Schiff bases toward multi-level decryption.

Promoting CO2 Electroreduction Over Nano-Socketed Cu/Perovskite Heterostructures via A-Site-Valence-Controlled Oxygen Vacancies

Despite the intriguing potential, nano-socketed Cu/perovskite heterostructures for CO2 electroreduction (CO2 RR) are still in their infancy and rational optimization of their CO2 RR properties is lacking. Here, an effective strategy is reported to promote CO2 -to-C2+ conversion over nano-socketed Cu/perovskite heterostructures by A-site-valence-controlled oxygen vacancies. For the proof-of-concept catalysts of Cu/La0.3-x Sr0.6+x TiO3-δ (x from 0 to 0.3), their oxygen vacancy concentrations increase controllably with the decreased A-site valences (or the increased x values). In flow cells, their activity and selectivity for C2+ present positive correlations with the oxygen vacancy concentrations. Among them, the Cu/Sr0.9 TiO3-δ with most oxygen vacancies shows the optimal activity and selectivity for C2+ . And relative to the Cu/La0.3 Sr0.6 TiO3-δ with minimum oxygen vacancies, the Cu/Sr0.9 TiO3-δ exhibits marked improvements (up to 2.4 folds) in activity and selectivity for C2+ . The experiments and theoretical calculations suggest that the optimized performance can be attributed to the merits provided by oxygen vacancies, including the accelerated charge transfer, enhanced adsorption/activation of reaction species, and reduced energy barrier for C─C coupling. Moreover, when explored in a membrane-electrode assembly electrolyzer, the Cu/Sr0.9 TiO3-δ catalyst shows excellent activity, selectivity (43.9%), and stability for C2 H4 at industrial current densities, being the most effective perovskite-based catalyst for CO2 -to-C2 H4 conversion.

Tailoring the physicochemical properties of starch: impact of integrated ultrasonic and ethanol pretreatment on the oil uptake of infrared fried ginkgo seeds

BACKGROUND

The structural changes of starch would have a more crucial impact on oil absorption and quality changes in starch-rich fruits and vegetables during frying process with enhanced heat transfer (such as infrared frying). In the present study, the influence of integrated ultrasonic and ethanol (US + ethanol) pretreatment on oil uptake in infrared fried (IF) ginkgo seeds was evaluated regarding modifications in the physicochemical properties of starch. The pretreatment was performed with ultrasonic (40 kHz, 300 W) and ethanol osmotic (95%, v/v) treatment individually or integrated for 40 min.

RESULTS

The mass transfer in the pretreatment was facilitated by combined ultrasound and ethanol. The swelling power, solubility, and gelatinization degree of starch was significantly increased. Low-frequency-NMR curves and images revealed that the bound water fraction in ginkgo seeds was increased and the water distribution was homogenized. The results of Fourier transform-infrared spectrum and differential scanning calorimeter revealed that the crystalline regions of starch were reduced and the thermal enthalpy was decreased after US + ethanol pretreatment. The total, surface and structural oil content in IF ginkgo seeds with US + ethanol pretreatment was reduced by 29.10%, 34.52% and 29.73%, respectively. The US + ethanol pretreatment led to a thinner crust layer with increased porosity and smaller-sized pores in the IF ginkgo seeds as observed by stereo microscopy and scanning electron microscopy.

CONCLUSION

The changes in structural and physicochemical properties of starch by combined ultrasound and ethanol affect the crust ratio and pore characteristics in fried high-starch fruits and vegetables, thereby reducing oil absorption. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Rational Design of NIR-II Ratiometric Fluorescence Probes for Accurate Bioimaging and Biosensing In Vivo

Intravital fluorescence imaging in the second near-infrared window (NIR-II, 900-1700 nm) has emerged as a promising method for non-invasive diagnostics in complex biological systems due to its advantages of less background interference, high tissue penetration depth, high imaging contrast, and sensitivity. However, traditional NIR-II fluorescence imaging, which is characterized by the "always on" or "turn on" mode, lacks the ability of quantitative detection, leading to low reproducibility and reliability during bio-detection. In contrast, NIR-II ratiometric fluorescence imaging can realize quantitative and reliable analysis and detection in vivo by providing reference signals for fluorescence correction, generating new opportunities and prospects during in vivo bioimaging and biosensing. In this review, the current design strategies and sensing mechanisms of NIR-II ratiometric fluorescence probes for bioimaging and biosensing applications are systematically summarized. Further, current challenges, future perspectives and opportunities for designing NIR-II ratiometric fluorescence probes are also discussed. It is hoped that this review can provide effective guidance for the design of NIR-II ratiometric fluorescence probes and promote its adoption in reliable biological imaging and sensing in vivo.

TREM1/DAP12 based novel multiple chain CAR-T cells targeting DLL3 show robust anti-tumour efficacy for small cell lung cancer

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC), recognized as the most aggressive subtype of lung cancer, presents an extremely poor prognosis. Currently, patients with small cell lung cancer face a significant dearth of effective alternative treatment options once they experience recurrence and progression after first-line therapy. Despite the promising efficacy of immunotherapy, particularly immune checkpoint inhibitors in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and various other tumours, its impact on significantly enhancing the prognosis of SCLC patients remains elusive. DLL3 has emerged as a compelling target for targeted therapy in SCLC due to its high expression on the membranes of SCLC and other neuroendocrine carcinoma cells, with minimal to no expression in normal cells. Our previous work led to the development of a novel multiple chain chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) leveraging the TREM1 receptor and DAP12, which efficiently activated T cells and conferred potent cell cytotoxicity. In this study, we have developed a DLL3-TREM1/DAP12 CAR-T (DLL3-DT CAR-T) therapy, demonstrating comparable anti-tumour efficacy against SCLC cells in vitro. In murine xenograft and patient-derived xenograft models, DLL3-DT CAR-T cells exhibited a more robust tumour eradication efficiency than second-generation DLL3-BBZ CAR-T cells. Furthermore, we observed elevated memory phenotypes, induced durable responses, and activation under antigen-presenting cells in DLL3-DT CAR-T cells. Collectively, these findings suggest that DLL3-DT CAR-T cells may offer a novel and potentially effective therapeutic strategy for treating DLL3-expressing SCLC and other solid tumours.

Modifying the Oxidative Potentials of Imines in a Dye Loaded Capsule for Photocatalytic Cyclization with Hydrogen Evolution

Modifying redox potential of substrates and intermediates to balance pairs of redox steps are important stages for multistep photosynthesis but faced marked challenges. Through co-clathration of iridium photosensitizer and imine substrate within one packet of a metal-organic capsule to shift the redox potentials of substrate, herein, we reported a multiphoton enzymatic strategy for the generation of heterocycles by intramolecular C-X hydrogen evolution cross-couplings. The cage facilitated a pre-equilibrium substrate-involving clathrate that cathodic shifts the oxidation potential of the substrate-dye-host ternary complex and configuration inversion of substrate via spatial constraints in the confined space. The new two photon excitation strategy enabled the precise control of the multistep electron transfer between each pair (photosensitizer, substrate and the capsule), endowing the catalytic system proceeding smoothly with an enzymatic fashion. Three kinds of 2-subsituted (-OH, -NH2 , and -SH) imines and N-aryl enamines all give the corresponding cyclization products efficiently under visible light irradiation, demonstrating the promising of the microenvironment driven thermodynamic activation in the host-dye-substrate ternary for synergistic combination of multistep photocatalytic transformations.

Alternating 3rd- to 2nd-Order Charge Reaction Kinetics on Bismuth Vanadate Photoanodes with Ultrathin Bismuth Metal-Organic-Frameworks

The most challenging obstacle for photocatalysts to efficiently harvest solar energy is the sluggish surface redox reaction (e. g., oxygen evolution reaction, OER) kinetics, which is believed to originate from interface catalysis rather than the semiconductor photophysics. In this work, we developed a light-modulated transient photocurrent (LMTPC) method for investigating surface charge accumulation and reaction on the W-doped bismuth vanadate (W : BiVO4) photoanodes during photoelectrochemical water oxidation. Under illuminating conditions, the steady photocurrent corresponds to the charge transfer rate/kinetics, while the integration of photocurrent (I~t) spikes during the dark period is regarded as the charge density under illumination. Quantitative analysis of the surface hole densities and photocurrents at 0.6 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode results in an interesting rate-law kinetics switch: a 3rd-order charge reaction behavior appeared on W : BiVO4, but a 2nd-order charge reaction occurred on W : BiVO4 surface modified with ultrathin Bi metal-organic-framework (Bi-MOF). Consequently, the photocurrent for water oxidation on W : BiVO4/Bi-MOF displayed a 50 % increment. The reaction kinetics alternation with new interface reconstruction is proposed for new mechanism understanding and/or high-performance photocatalytic applications.

Genome-Wide Identification and Expression Analysis of the PUB Gene Family in Zoysia japonica under Salt Stress

The U-box protein family of ubiquitin ligases is important in the biological processes of plant growth, development, and biotic and abiotic stress responses. Plants in the genus Zoysia are recognized as excellent warm-season turfgrass species with drought, wear and salt tolerance. In this study, we conducted the genome-wide identification of plant U-box (PUB) genes in Zoysia japonica based on U-box domain searching. In total, 71 ZjPUB genes were identified, and a protein tree was constructed of AtPUBs, OsPUBs, and ZjPUBs, clustered into five groups. The gene structures, characteristics, cis-elements and protein interaction prediction network were analyzed. There were mainly ABRE, ERE, MYB and MYC cis-elements distributed in the promoter regions of ZjPUBs. ZjPUBs were predicted to interact with PDR1 and EXO70B1, related to the abscisic acid signaling pathway. To better understand the roles of ZjPUBs under salt stress, the expression levels of 18 ZjPUBs under salt stress were detected using transcriptome data and qRT-PCR analysis, revealing that 16 ZjPUBs were upregulated in the roots under salt treatment. This indicates that ZjPUBs might participate in the Z. japonica salt stress response. This research provides insight into the Z. japonica PUB gene family and may support the genetic improvement in the molecular breeding of salt-tolerant zoysiagrass varieties.

A High-Voltage Cathode Material with Ultralong Cycle Performance for Sodium-Ion Batteries

Vanadium-based polyanionic materials are promising electrode materials for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) due to their outstanding advantages such as high voltage, acceptable specific capacity, excellent structural reversibility, good thermal stability, etc. Polyanionic compounds, moreover, can exhibit excellent multiplicity performance as well as good cycling stability after well-designed carbon covering and bulk-phase doping and thus have attracted the attention of multiple researchers in recent years. In this paper, after the modification of carbon capping and bulk-phase nitrogen doping, compared to pristine Na3 V2 (PO4 )3 , the well optimized Na3 V(PO3 )3 N/C possesses improved electromagnetic induction strength and structural stability, therefore exhibits exceptional cycling capability of 96.11% after 500 cycles at 2 C (1 C = 80 mA g-1 ) with an elevated voltage platform of 4 V (vs Na+ /Na). Meanwhile, the designed Na3 V(PO3 )3 N/C possesses an exceptionally low volume change of ≈0.12% during cycling, demonstrating its quasi-zero strain property, ensuring an impressive capacity retention of 70.26% after 10,000 cycles at 2 C. This work provides a facial and cost-effective synthesis method to obtain stable vanadium-based phosphate materials and highlights the enhanced electrochemical properties through the strategy of carbon rapping and bulk-phase nitrogen doping.

Recent Progress in Nucleic Acid Pulmonary Delivery toward Overcoming Physiological Barriers and Improving Transfection Efficiency

Pulmonary delivery of therapeutic agents has been considered the desirable administration route for local lung disease treatment. As the latest generation of therapeutic agents, nucleic acid has been gradually developed as gene therapy for local diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, and lung fibrosis. The features of nucleic acid, specific physiological structure, and pathophysiological barriers of the respiratory tract have strongly affected the delivery efficiency and pulmonary bioavailability of nucleic acid, directly related to the treatment outcomes. The development of pharmaceutics and material science provides the potential for highly effective pulmonary medicine delivery. In this review, the key factors and barriers are first introduced that affect the pulmonary delivery and bioavailability of nucleic acids. The advanced inhaled materials for nucleic acid delivery are further summarized. The recent progress of platform designs for improving the pulmonary delivery efficiency of nucleic acids and their therapeutic outcomes have been systematically analyzed, with the application and the perspectives of advanced vectors for pulmonary gene delivery.

Understanding Advanced Transition Metal-Based Two Electron Oxygen Reduction Electrocatalysts from the Perspective of Phase Engineering

Non-noble transition metal (TM)-based compounds have recently become a focal point of extensive research interest as electrocatalysts for the two electron oxygen reduction (2e- ORR) process. To efficiently drive this reaction, these TM-based electrocatalysts must bear unique physiochemical properties, which are strongly dependent on their phase structures. Consequently, adopting engineering strategies toward the phase structure has emerged as a cutting-edge scientific pursuit, crucial for achieving high activity, selectivity, and stability in the electrocatalytic process. This comprehensive review addresses the intricate field of phase engineering applied to non-noble TM-based compounds for 2e- ORR. First, the connotation of phase engineering and fundamental concepts related to oxygen reduction kinetics and thermodynamics are succinctly elucidated. Subsequently, the focus shifts to a detailed discussion of various phase engineering approaches, including elemental doping, defect creation, heterostructure construction, coordination tuning, crystalline design, and polymorphic transformation to boost or revive the 2e- ORR performance (selectivity, activity, and stability) of TM-based catalysts, accompanied by an insightful exploration of the phase-performance correlation. Finally, the review proposes fresh perspectives on the current challenges and opportunities in this burgeoning field, together with several critical research directions for the future development of non-noble TM-based electrocatalysts.

Principles and Design of Biphasic Self-Stratifying Batteries Toward Next-Generation Energy Storage

Large-scale energy storage devices play pivotal roles in effectively harvesting and utilizing green renewable energies (such as solar and wind energy) with capricious nature. Biphasic self-stratifying batteries (BSBs) have emerged as a promising alternative for grid energy storage owing to their membraneless architecture and innovative battery design philosophy, which holds promise for enhancing the overall performance of the energy storage system and reducing operation and maintenance costs. This minireview aims to provide a timely review of such emerging energy storage technology, including its fundamental design principles, existing categories, and prototype architectures. The challenges and opportunities of this undergoing research topic will also be systematically highlighted and discussed to provide guidance for the subsequent R&D of superior BSBs while conducive to bridging the gap for their future practical application.

Ionic Liquid Boosting the Electrochemical Stability of a Poly(1,3-dioxolane) Gel Electrolyte for High-voltage Solid-State Lithium Batteries

Poor interfacial contact between solid-state electrolytes and electrodes limits high-voltage performance of solid-state lithium batteries. A new gel electrolyte is proposed via in-situ polymerization, incorporating fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC) solvent and ionic liquid1-butyl-1-methylpiperidinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (PP14 TFSI). This combination synergistically enhances Li ion transport, achieving a transfer number of 0.58 and improved electrochemical performance. FEC protects the Al current collectors from LiPF6 corrosion and promotes a protective interfacial layer formation. PP14 TFSI improves interfacial contact and provides stable components. An interface layer of fluorine and nitrogen composites forms, preventing side reactions. LiCoO2 ||PPE||Li cell exhibits robust cycling stability at 4.45 V, retaining ~80 % capacity after 200 cycles at room temperature with 0.2 C and 1 C rates, showing increased coulombic efficiency. NCM811||PPE||Li cell also displays exceptional cycling. In-situ polymerization and FEC-ionic liquid coordination enable high-voltage solid-state lithium metal batteries for practical use.

TGF-β-activated circRYK drives glioblastoma progression by increasing VLDLR mRNA expression and stability in a ceRNA- and RBP-dependent manner

BACKGROUND

The TGF-β signalling pathway is intricately associated with the progression of glioblastoma (GBM). The objective of this study was to examine the role of circRNAs in the TGF-β signalling pathway.

METHODS

In our research, we used transcriptome analysis to search for circRNAs that were activated by TGF-β. After confirming the expression pattern of the selected circRYK, we carried out in vitro and in vivo cell function assays. The underlying mechanisms were analysed via RNA pull-down, luciferase reporter, and RNA immunoprecipitation assays.

RESULTS

CircRYK expression was markedly elevated in GBM, and this phenotype was strongly associated with a poor prognosis. Functionally, circRYK promotes epithelial-mesenchymal transition and GSC maintenance in GBM. Mechanistically, circRYK sponges miR-330-5p and promotes the expression of the oncogene VLDLR. In addition, circRYK could enhance the stability of VLDLR mRNA via the RNA-binding protein HuR.

CONCLUSION

Our findings show that TGF-β promotes epithelial-mesenchymal transition and GSC maintenance in GBM through the circRYK-VLDLR axis, which may provide a new therapeutic target for the treatment of GBM.

p53/E2F7 axis promotes temozolomide chemoresistance in glioblastoma multiforme

BACKGROUND

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most aggressive form of brain cancer, and chemoresistance poses a significant challenge to the survival and prognosis of GBM. Although numerous regulatory mechanisms that contribute to chemoresistance have been identified, many questions remain unanswered. This study aims to identify the mechanism of temozolomide (TMZ) resistance in GBM.

METHODS

Bioinformatics and antibody-based protein detection were used to examine the expression of E2F7 in gliomas and its correlation with prognosis. Additionally, IC50, cell viability, colony formation, apoptosis, doxorubicin (Dox) uptake, and intracranial transplantation were used to confirm the role of E2F7 in TMZ resistance, using our established TMZ-resistance (TMZ-R) model. Western blot and ChIP experiments provided confirmation of p53-driven regulation of E2F7.

RESULTS

Elevated levels of E2F7 were detected in GBM tissue and were correlated with a poor prognosis for patients. E2F7 was found to be upregulated in TMZ-R tumors, and its high levels were linked to increased chemotherapy resistance by limiting drug uptake and decreasing DNA damage. The expression of E2F7 was also found to be regulated by the activation of p53.

CONCLUSIONS

The high expression of E2F7, regulated by activated p53, confers chemoresistance to GBM cells by inhibiting drug uptake and DNA damage. These findings highlight the significant connection between sustained p53 activation and GBM chemoresistance, offering the potential for new strategies to overcome this resistance.

A Survey of Deep Learning Road Extraction Algorithms Using High-Resolution Remote Sensing Images

Roads are the fundamental elements of transportation, connecting cities and rural areas, as well as people's lives and work. They play a significant role in various areas such as map updates, economic development, tourism, and disaster management. The automatic extraction of road features from high-resolution remote sensing images has always been a hot and challenging topic in the field of remote sensing, and deep learning network models are widely used to extract roads from remote sensing images in recent years. In light of this, this paper systematically reviews and summarizes the deep-learning-based techniques for automatic road extraction from high-resolution remote sensing images. It reviews the application of deep learning network models in road extraction tasks and classifies these models into fully supervised learning, semi-supervised learning, and weakly supervised learning based on their use of labels. Finally, a summary and outlook of the current development of deep learning techniques in road extraction are provided.

Soft Robots with Plant-Inspired Gravitropism Based on Fluidic Liquid Metal

Plants can autonomously adjust their growth direction based on the gravitropic response to maximize energy acquisition, despite lacking nerves and muscles. Endowing soft robots with gravitropism may facilitate the development of self-regulating systems free of electronics, but remains elusive. Herein, acceleration-regulated soft actuators are described that can respond to the gravitational field by leveraging the unique fluidity of liquid metal in its self-limiting oxide skin. The soft actuator is obtained by magnetic printing of the fluidic liquid metal heater circuit on a thermoresponsive liquid crystal elastomer. The Joule heat of the liquid metal circuit with gravity-regulated resistance can be programmed by changing the actuator's pose to induce the flow of liquid metal. The actuator can autonomously adjust its bending degree by the dynamic interaction between its thermomechanical response and gravity. A gravity-interactive soft gripper is also created with controllable grasping and releasing by rotating the actuator. Moreover, it is demonstrated that self-regulated oscillation motion can be achieved by interfacing the actuator with a monostable tape spring, allowing the electronics-free control of a bionic walker. This work paves the avenue for the development of liquid metal-based reconfigurable electronics and electronics-free soft robots that can perceive gravity or acceleration.

Fabrication of a surface molecularly imprinted polymer membrane based on a single template and its application in the separation and extraction of phenytoin, phenobarbital and lamotrigine

An innovative molecularly imprinted polymer membrane (MIPM) was prepared with polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) as the support, phenytoin (PHT) as the single template, methacrylic acid as the functional monomer, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as the cross-linking reagent, azobisisobutyronitrile as the initiator, and acetonitrile-dimethylformamide (1 : 1.5, v/v) as the porogen. These materials were characterized via scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller measurements and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Their adsorption performances were evaluated through a series of experiments including isothermal adsorption, kinetic adsorption, selective adsorption, adsorption-desorption, reusability, and preparation reproducibility. Additionally, the application was explored by investigating the extraction recovery of MIPMs towards PHT, phenobarbital (PHB) and lamotrigine (LTG) in different matrices including methanol, normal saline (NS), phosphate buffer solution (PBS) and plasma. The results showed that MIPMs with rough and porous surfaces were successfully constructed, which offered good preparation reproducibility, reusability and selectivity. The adsorption capacities of MIPMs towards PHT, PHB and LTG were 2.312, 2.485 and 2.303 mg g-1, respectively, while their corresponding imprinting factors were 8.538, 12.122 and 4.562, respectively. The adsorption equilibrium of MIPMs was achieved within 20 min at room temperature without stirring or ultrasonication. The extraction recoveries of MIPMs for PHT, PHB or LTG in methanol, NS and PBS were more than 80% with an RSD% value of less than 3.64. In the case of plasma, the extraction recovery of MIPMs for PHT and PHB was more than 80% with an RSD% value of less than 2.41, while that of MIPMs for LTG was more than 65% with an RSD% value of less than 0.99. All the results indicated that the preparation method for MIPMs was simple, stable, and reliable, and the prepared MIPMs possessed excellent properties to meet the extraction application of PHT, PHB and LTG in different matrices.

Three-in-One Peptide Prodrug with Targeting, Assembly and Release Properties for Overcoming Bacterium-Induced Drug Resistance and Potentiating Anti-Cancer Immune Response

The presence of bacteria in tumor results in chemotherapeutic drug resistance and weakens the immune response in colorectal cancer. To overcome bacterium-induced chemotherapeutic drug resistance and potentiate antitumor immunity, herein a novel molecule Biotin-Lys(SA-Cip-OH)-Lys(SA-CPT)-Phe-Phe-Nap (Biotin-Cip-CPT-Nap) is rationally designed containing four functional motifs (i.e., a biotin motif for targeting, Phe-Phe(-Nap) motif for self-assembly, ciprofloxacin derivative (Cip-OH) motif for antibacterial effect, and camptothecin (CPT) motif for chemotherapy). Using the designed molecule, a novel strategy of intracellular enzymatic nanofiber formation and synergistic antibacterium-enhanced chemotherapy and immunotherapy is achieved. Under endocytosis mediated by highly expressed biotin receptor in colorectal cancer cell membrane and the catalysis of highly expressed carboxylesterase in the cytoplasm, this novel molecule can be transformed into Biotin-Nap, which self-assembled into nanofibers. Meanwhile, antibiotic Cip-OH and chemotherapeutic drug CPT are released, overcoming bacterium-induced drug resistance and enhancing the therapeutic efficacy of immunotherapy towards colorectal cancer. This work offers a feasible strategy for the design of novel multifunctional prodrugs to improve the efficiency of colorectal cancer treatment.

Bioinformatics analysis of the microRNA genes associated with type 2 cardiorenal syndrome

BACKGROUND

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are important regulatory factors in the normal developmental stages of the heart and kidney. However, it is currently unclear how miRNA is expressed in type 2 cardiorenal syndrome (CRS). This study aimed to detect the differential expression of miRNAs and to clarify the main enrichment pathways of differentially expressed miRNA target genes in type 2 CRS.

METHODS

Five cases of healthy control (Group 1), eight of chronic heart failure (CHF, Group 2) and seven of type 2 CRS (Group 3) were enrolled, respectively. Total RNA was extracted from the peripheral blood of each group. To predict the miRNA target genes and biological signalling pathways closely related to type 2 CRS, the Agilent miRNA microarray platform was used for miRNA profiling and bioinformatics analysis of the isolated total RNA samples.

RESULTS

After the microarray analysis was done to screen for differentially expressed circulating miRNAs among the three different groups of samples, the target genes and bioinformatic pathways of the differential miRNAs were predicted. A total of 38 differential miRNAs (15 up- and 23 down-regulated) were found in Group 3 compared with Group 1, and a total of 42 differential miRNAs (11 up- and 31 down-regulated) were found in Group 3 compared to Group 2. According to the Gene Ontology (GO) function and Kyoto Encyclopaedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis, the top 10 lists of molecular functions, cellular composition and biological processes, and the top 30 signalling pathways of predicted gene targets of the differentially expressed miRNAs were discriminated among the three groups.

CONCLUSION

Between the patients with CHF and type 2 CRS, miRNAs were differentially expressed. Prediction of target genes of differentially expressed miRNAs and the use of GO function and KEGG pathway analysis may reveal the molecular mechanisms of CRS. Circulating miRNAs may contribute to the diagnosis of CRS, and further and larger studies are needed to enhance the robustness of our findings.

Photoactivatable Engineering of CRISPR/Cas9-Inducible DNAzyme Probe for In Situ Imaging of Nuclear Zinc Ions

DNAzyme-based fluorescent probes for imaging metal ions in living cells have received much attention recently. However, employing in situ metal ions imaging within subcellular organelles, such as nucleus, remains a significant challenge. We developed a three-stranded DNAzyme probe (TSDP) that contained a 20-base-pair (20-bp) recognition site of a CRISPR/Cas9, which blocks the DNAzyme activity. When Cas9, with its specialized nuclear localization function, forms an active complex with sgRNA within the cell nucleus, it cleaves the TSDP at the recognition site, resulting in the in situ formation of catalytic DNAzyme structure. With this design, the CRISPR/Cas9-inducible imaging of nuclear Zn2+ is demonstrated in living cells. Moreover, the superiority of CRISPR-DNAzyme for spatiotemporal control imaging was demonstrated by integrating it with photoactivation strategy and Boolean logic gate for dynamic monitoring nuclear Zn2+ in both HeLa cells and mice. Collectively, this conceptual design expands the DNAzyme toolbox for visualizing nuclear metal ions and thus provides new analytical methods for nuclear metal-associated biology.