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A catalyst‐free electrochemical alkylacetoxylation reaction of terminal alkynes with (thio)xanthenes and carboxylic acids is developed. Treating the addition products with K2CO3 as a base in methanol affords the ketones in moderate to good yields. Preliminary experimental and computational studies indicate that the benzylic cation generated from the (thio)xanthenes triggers the electrophilic addition to alkynes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Verticillium wilt, a soilborne vascular disease caused by Verticillium dahliae , strongly affects cotton yield and quality. In this study, an isolated rhizosphere bacterium, designated Bacillus velezensis BvZ45-1, exhibited >46% biocontrol efficacy against cotton verticillium wilt under greenhouse and field conditions. Moreover, through crude protein extraction and mass spectrometry analyses, we found many antifungal compounds present in the crude protein extract of BvZ45-1. The purified oxalate decarboxylase Odx_S12 from BvZ45-1 inhibited the growth of V. dahliae Vd080 by reducing the spore yield, causing mycelia to rupture, spore morphology changes, cell membrane rupture, and cell death. Subsequently, overexpression of Odx_S12 in Arabidopsis significantly improved plant resistance to V. dahliae. Through studies of the resistance mechanism of Odx_S12 , V. dahliae was shown to produce oxalic acid (OA), which has a toxic effect on Arabidopsis leaves. Odx_S12 overexpression reduced Arabidopsis OA content, enhanced tolerance to OA, and improved resistance to verticillium wilt. Transcriptomics and quantitative real-time PCR analysis revealed that Odx_S12 promoted a reactive oxygen species burst and a salicylic acid- and abscisic acid-mediated defence response in Arabidopsis. In summary, this study not only identified B. velezensis BvZ45-1 as an efficient biological control agent, but also identified the resistance gene Odx_S12 as a candidate for cotton breeding against verticillium wilt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Noninvasive antibacterial therapies, such as photothermal therapy (PTT), have shown great promise to treat pathogens due to low toxicity and low drug resistance. Photothermal transducing agents (PTAs) play a pivotal role to make PTT a spatiotemporally controllable and effective technique. In this study, we designed and prepared a novel nanostructured material by using a cyanine dye (Flav7) as a PTA for the treatment of S. aureus infection. 1,2-Distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine polyethylene glycol galactose (DSPE-PEGG) was used to fabricate the nanoparticles (Flav7@DSPE-PEGG NPs) by encapsulating Flav7, and the Flav7@DSPE-PEGG NPs exhibited excellent water-dispersibility, photothermal stability, and biocompatibility. The results show that the constructed Flav7@DSPE-PEGG NPs retained good targeting capability and achieved a remarkable 99.9% eradication rate against S. aureus under 808 nm laser irradiation, and efficiently promoted infected wound healing by PTT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multistep prediction of high-dimensional time series is an essential and challenging task. In this study, we propose an integrated reservoir predictor for making accurate and robust multistep-ahead forecasts based on short-term high-dimensional time series. Initially, a conjugated pair of Spatiotemporal Information (STI) equations is derived using Takens' embedding theory to transform the spatial information of high-dimensional variables into one-dimensional temporal information of the target variable and vice versa. Next, by exploiting reservoir networks, reservoir-based STI equations are established to efficiently capture nonlinear dynamics of the target system with only linear optimization. Then, through an integration phase, the integrated reservoir predictor can output precise and robust predictions of the multistep-ahead states of any target variable. The integrated reservoir predictor outperforms some other prediction methods (including reservoir computing, long-short-term-memory network, convolutional neural network and support vector regression), when applied to classical dynamic systems (e.g. 60D double scroll model, 40D Lorenz 96 model, and 60D Rössler model) and real-world datasets (solar generation data and PM2.5 concentration records), as indicated by evaluation metrics such as Pearson correlation coefficients exceeding 0.9 and root-mean-square errors below 0.3, even in the presence of noise in training data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Staphylococcus aureus is associated with dairy mastitis, which causes serious economic losses to dairy farming industry. Antibacterial peptide NZX showed good antibacterial activity against S. aureus. This study aimed to evaluate pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of NZX against S. aureus-induced mouse mastitis. NZX exhibited potent in vitro antibacterial activity against the test S. aureus strains (minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC): 0.23–0.46 μM), low mutant prevention concentration (MPC: 1.18–3.68 μM), and a long post antibiotic effect (PAE: 2.20–8.84 h), which was superior to those of lincomycin and ceftiofur. Antibacterial mechanisms showed that NZX could penetrate the cell membrane, resulting in obvious cell membrane perforation and morphological changes, and bind to intracellular DNA. Furthermore, NZX had a good stability in milk environment (retention rate: 85.36%, 24 h) than that in mammary homogenate (47.90%, 24 h). In mouse mastitis model, NZX (25–400 μg/gland) could significantly reduce the bacterial load of mammary tissue in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, NZX (100 μg/gland) could relieve the inflammatory symptoms of mammary tissue, and significantly decreased its pathological scores. The concentration–time curve of NZX (100 μg/gland) in the mammary tissue was plotted and the corresponding pharmacokinetic parameters were obtained by non-compartment model calculation. Those parameters of Tmax, T1/2, Cmax and AUC were 0.5 h, 35.11 h, 32.49 μg/g and 391 μg·h/g, respectively. Therefore, these results suggest that NZX could act as a promising candidate for treating dairy mastitis disease caused by S. aureus. Key points: • NZX could kill S. aureus by dual mechanism involved in membrane and DNA disruption • NZX could relieve S. aureus-induced mouse mastitis • Pharmacokinetic parameters of NZX in mouse mammary gland were obtained [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chimeric antigen receptor natural killer (CAR-NK) cells represent a promising advancement in CAR cell therapy, addressing limitations observed in CAR-T cell therapy. However, our prior study revealed challenges in CAR-NK cells targeting CD19 antigens, as they failed to eliminate CD19+ Raji cells in NSG tumor-bearing mice, noting down-regulation or loss of CD19 antigen expression in some Raji cells. In response, this study aims to enhance CD19 CAR-NK cell efficacy and mitigate the risk of tumor recurrence due to target antigen escape by developing CD19 and CD20 (CD19/CD20) dual-targeted CAR-NK cells. Methods: Initially, mRNA encoding anti-CD19 CARs (FMC63 scFv-CD8α-4-1BB-CD3ζ) and anti-CD20 CARs (LEU16 scFv-CD8α-4-1BB-CD3ζ) was constructed via in vitro transcription. Subsequently, CD19/CD20 dual-targeted CAR-NK cells were generated through simultaneous electrotransfection of CD19/CD20 CAR mRNA into umbilical cord blood-derived NK cells (UCB-NK). Results: Following co-electroporation, the percentage of dual-CAR expression on NK cells was 86.4% ± 1.83%, as determined by flow cytometry. CAR expression was detectable at 8 h post-electric transfer, peaked at 24 h, and remained detectable at 96 h. CD19/CD20 dual-targeted CAR-NK cells exhibited increased specific cytotoxicity against acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cell lines (BALL-1: CD19+CD20+, REH: CD19+CD20−, Jurkat: CD19−CD20−) compared to UCB-NK, CD19 CAR-NK, and CD20 CAR-NK cells. Moreover, CD19/CD20 dual-targeted CAR-NK cells released elevated levels of perforin, IFN-γ, and IL-15. Multiple activation markers such as CD69 and cytotoxic substances were highly expressed. Conclusions: The creation of CD19/CD20 dual-targeted CAR-NK cells addressed the risk of tumor escape due to antigen heterogeneity in ALL, offering efficient and safe 'off-the-shelf' cell products. These cells demonstrate efficacy in targeting CD20 and/or CD19 antigens in ALL, laying an experimental foundation for their application in ALL treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (S. pseudintermedius) is the main pathogen causing pyoderma of canines. With the emergence of drug-resistant bacteria, traditional antibiotic treatments are limited. As a potential antibacterial agent, NZ2114 was effective against S. pseudintermedius, including drug-resistant strains. Its bactericidal efficacy was superior to mupiroxacin, ofloxacin and lincomycin. To facilitate the transcutaneous delivery of NZ2114 for the treatment of superficial pyoderma, chemical permeation enhancers were added since water-soluble NZ2114 does not easily penetrate the skin lipid layer. Two different NZ2114 sprays were prepared by combining 1% Azone + 10% propylene glycol (PG) or 5% N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP) + 10% PG with NZ2114 after screening. The cumulative permeability of NZ2114 sprays were 244.149 and 405.245 μg/cm2 at 24 h with an in vitro percutaneous assay of mice skin, which showed a 244% and 405% increase in skin permeability than NZ2114, respectively. In addition, the efficacy of NZ2114 sprays in reducing skin bacteria colonisation was demonstrated in a mouse model of superficial pyoderma (24 mice, 3 mice/group) induced by S. pseudintermedius, and the 5% NMP + 10% PG + NZ2114 group had the best therapeutic effect compared to the other groups. This preparation did not cause any skin irritation, laying the foundation for the development of an effective and non-toxic topical product. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Morphological design and interfacial engineering are pivotal strategies for advancing electrocatalysis, however, achieving the optimization of both simultaneously remains a major challenge. To address this, we designed a multi-heterostructured bifunctional electrocatalyst cobalt-nickel-iron-phosphorus-sulfur composite (CoNiFe-PS) with a two-dimensional/three-dimensional (2D/3D) hierarchical structure, which was synthesized through simultaneous phosphating and sulfuration based on cobalt-nickel layered double hydroxide (CoNi-LDH) nanosheets grafted with Prussian blue analogue (PBA) nanocubes. Notably, due to the distinctive morphology and synergistic effect between multi-heterostructure, the CoNiFe-PS catalyst demonstrated excellent performance in terms of ultralow overpotentials of 196 and 263 mV for oxygen evolution reaction (OER), as well as 63 and 235 mV for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) at current densities of 10 and 100 mA cm−2. Moreover, the CoNiFe-PS|| CoNiFe-PS cell was constructed for overall water splitting in alkaline condition and exhibited minimal voltage requirements of 1.479 and 1.693 V to achieve 10 and 100 mA cm−2, respectively. This study provides a new perspective on fabricating multi-heterostructured bifunctional catalysts with unique morphology for highly efficient overall water splitting. [Display omitted] • The 2D/3D hierarchical and multi-heterostructured CoNiFe-PS catalyst was constructed. • The synergetic effect of morphological design and interfacial engineering greatly enhanced the catalytic activity. • The catalyst exhibited an ultrasmall voltage of 1.479 V at 10 mA cm−2 for overall water splitting. • It provided a design idea to fabricate high-performance bifunctional catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, by rearranging the typical pyramid lattice structure of carbon fibre reinforced polymer composites to obtain a small node distance and simplify the fabrication procedure, a new type of pyramid lattice structure is designed and fabricated using the snap-fit method. The flatwise compression and bending properties of the new pyramid lattice structure are studied experimentally. The results show that the compression failure mode of the lattice structure is truss fracture, while the bending failure mode is truss fracture and debonding between face sheets and cores. The damage distribution of the fibre and matrix in the lattice structure core is obtained via a finite element simulation, and it is found that there are differences in the ply damage with different fibre directions. In addition, the influence of the core truss length and layering direction on compression and bending properties of the structure are analysed using a finite element simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to isolate the proteolytic fraction from the silkworm thorn fruit (Cudrania tricuspidata) through ethanol precipitation at different ratios, and to determine its proteolytic activity and optimal activity conditions. Furthermore, the hydrolysis characteristics and antioxidant activity of soy protein isolate (SPI) and whey protein concentrate (WPC) hydrolyzates obtained through the enzymatic hydrolysis of freeze-dried silkworm thorn fruit powder (SF) were evaluated. For isolation and partial purification of proteolytic fraction, the water-solubilized fraction of the silkworm thorn fruit was purified through ethanol precipitation at four different ratios of 1:1, 1:2, 1:4, and 1:6 (v/v). The protein recovery rate, caseinolytic activity, protein pattern, and optimal activity (pH, temperature, and inhibitors) of fractional ethanol precipitate obtained from the silkworm thorn fruit (ESF) were evaluated. The proteolytic fraction obtained from silkworm thorn fruit exhibited a major protein band around 65–70 kDa and showed the highest proteolytic activity at a 1:4 ratio of ethanol precipitation (p < 0.05). The optimal activity of the measured enzyme fraction was determined to be at pH 9.0 and 50 °C, and the proteolytic activity of ESF was almost inhibited by phenyl methyl sulphonyl fluoride (PMSF, 2 mM), a serine protease inhibitor. Compared to Alcalase and papain, extensively used as commercial enzymes, the silkworm thorn fruit powder was less effective in hydrolyzing SPI and WPC. Nevertheless, SPI and WPC hydrolyzates mediated with silkworm thorn fruit powder showed even better antioxidant activities than those mediated with Alcalase and papain. Thus, our results show the potential application of silkworm thorn fruit as a novel source of plant protease for producing human-grade protein hydrolyzates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a global health concern with a high prevalence and increasing economic burden, but official medicine remains unavailable. Farnesoid X receptor (FXR), a nuclear receptor member, is one of the most promising drug targets for NAFLD therapy that plays a crucial role in modulating bile acid, glucose, and lipid homeostasis, as well as inhibits hepatic inflammation and fibrosis. However, the rejection of the FXR agonist, obecholic acid, by the Food and Drug Administration for treating hepatic fibrosis raises a question about the functions of FXR in NAFLD progression and the therapeutic strategy to be used. Natural products, such as FXR modulators, have become the focus of attention for NAFLD therapy with fewer adverse reactions. The anti-NAFLD mechanisms seem to act as FXR agonists and antagonists or are involved in the FXR signaling pathway activation, indicating a promising target of FXR therapeutic prospects using natural products. This review discusses the effective mechanisms of FXR in NAFLD alleviation, and summarizes currently available natural products such as silymarin, glycyrrhizin, cycloastragenol, berberine, and gypenosides, for targeting FXR, which can facilitate development of naturally targeted drug by medicinal specialists for effective treatment of NAFLD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The low activity and yield of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are pressing problems. The improvement of activity and yield through modification and heterologous expression, a potential way to solve the problem, is a research hot-pot. In this work, a new plectasin-derived variant L-type AP138 (AP138L-arg26) was constructed for the study of recombination expression and druggablity. As a result, the total protein concentration of AP138L-arg26 was 3.1 mg/mL in Pichia pastoris X-33 supernatant after 5 days of induction expression in a 5-L fermenter. The recombinant peptide AP138L-arg26 has potential antibacterial activity against selected standard and clinical Gram-positive bacteria (G+, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) 2–16 µg/mL) and high stability under different conditions (temperature, pH, ion concentration) and 2 × MIC of AP138L-arg26 could rapidly kill Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) (> 99.99%) within 1.5 h. It showed a high safety in vivo and in vivo and a long post-antibiotic effect (PAE, 1.91 h) compared with vancomycin (1.2 h). Furthermore, the bactericidal mechanism was revealed from two dimensions related to its disruption of the cell membrane resulting in intracellular potassium leakage (2.5-fold higher than control), and an increase in intracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP), and reactive oxygen species (ROS), the decrease of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and further intervening metabolism in S. aureus. These results indicate that AP138L-arg26 as a new peptide candidate could be used for more in-depth development in the future. Key points: • The AP138L-arg26 was expressed in the P. pastoris expression system with high yield • The AP138 L-arg26 showed high stability and safety in vitro and in vivo • The AP138L-arg26 killed S. aureus by affecting cell membranes and metabolism [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Staphylococcus aureus is associated with dairy mastitis, which causes serious economic losses to dairy farming industry. Antibacterial peptide NZX showed good antibacterial activity against S. aureus. This study aimed to evaluate pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of NZX against S. aureus-induced mouse mastitis. NZX exhibited potent in vitro antibacterial activity against the test S. aureus strains (minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC): 0.23–0.46 μM), low mutant prevention concentration (MPC: 1.18–3.68 μM), and a long post antibiotic effect (PAE: 2.20–8.84 h), which was superior to those of lincomycin and ceftiofur. Antibacterial mechanisms showed that NZX could penetrate the cell membrane, resulting in obvious cell membrane perforation and morphological changes, and bind to intracellular DNA. Furthermore, NZX had a good stability in milk environment (retention rate: 85.36%, 24 h) than that in mammary homogenate (47.90%, 24 h). In mouse mastitis model, NZX (25–400 μg/gland) could significantly reduce the bacterial load of mammary tissue in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, NZX (100 μg/gland) could relieve the inflammatory symptoms of mammary tissue, and significantly decreased its pathological scores. The concentration–time curve of NZX (100 μg/gland) in the mammary tissue was plotted and the corresponding pharmacokinetic parameters were obtained by non-compartment model calculation. Those parameters of Tmax, T1/2, Cmax and AUC were 0.5 h, 35.11 h, 32.49 μg/g and 391 μg·h/g, respectively. Therefore, these results suggest that NZX could act as a promising candidate for treating dairy mastitis disease caused by S. aureus. Key points: • NZX could kill S. aureus by dual mechanism involved in membrane and DNA disruption • NZX could relieve S. aureus-induced mouse mastitis • Pharmacokinetic parameters of NZX in mouse mammary gland were obtained [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The low activity and yield of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are pressing problems. The improvement of activity and yield through modification and heterologous expression, a potential way to solve the problem, is a research hot-pot. In this work, a new plectasin-derived variant L-type AP138 (AP138L-arg26) was constructed for the study of recombination expression and druggablity. As a result, the total protein concentration of AP138L-arg26 was 3.1 mg/mL in Pichia pastoris X-33 supernatant after 5 days of induction expression in a 5-L fermenter. The recombinant peptide AP138L-arg26 has potential antibacterial activity against selected standard and clinical Gram-positive bacteria (G+, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) 2–16 µg/mL) and high stability under different conditions (temperature, pH, ion concentration) and 2 × MIC of AP138L-arg26 could rapidly kill Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) (> 99.99%) within 1.5 h. It showed a high safety in vivo and in vivo and a long post-antibiotic effect (PAE, 1.91 h) compared with vancomycin (1.2 h). Furthermore, the bactericidal mechanism was revealed from two dimensions related to its disruption of the cell membrane resulting in intracellular potassium leakage (2.5-fold higher than control), and an increase in intracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP), and reactive oxygen species (ROS), the decrease of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and further intervening metabolism in S. aureus. These results indicate that AP138L-arg26 as a new peptide candidate could be used for more in-depth development in the future. Key points: • The AP138L-arg26 was expressed in the P. pastoris expression system with high yield • The AP138 L-arg26 showed high stability and safety in vitro and in vivo • The AP138L-arg26 killed S. aureus by affecting cell membranes and metabolism [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of magnetic field (MF) on the postharvest quality and energy metabolism of green chili was investigated. An MF of 4 mT intensity was applied during the refrigeration of green chili pepper. Conventional refrigeration (CR) was used as a control, and the chili pepper fruit was stored at 10 °C and sampled at 1, 5, 10, 20, and 30 d after harvest. The results showed that MF inhibited the senescence of chili pepper and quality deterioration, as evidenced by higher water content, vitamin C (VC) and flesh firmness as well as lower weight loss and decay incidence. The decrease of hue angle values and the chlorophyll content were remarkably depressed by MF treatment, indicating an efficient delay in the yellowing of chili pepper. In terms of metabolism, MF sustained high adenosine triphosphate (ATP) content, energy charge (EC), and activities of key enzymes engaged in energy metabolism (H+-ATPase, Ca2+-ATPase, succinate dehydrogenase, and cytochrome C oxidase). Additionally, there was an increase in the concentration of major energy metabolites, including citric-acid, isocitric-acid, D-Glucose-6-phosphate, and D-Fructose-6-phosphate. These results suggested that MF may be used as a promising strategy for preventing the decay of postharvest green chilies and prolonging their shelf life. [Display omitted] • MF slowed down senescence and quality deterioration of green chilies. • MF inhibited the loss of chlorophyll and VC content. • MF sustained ATP, EC, and key enzyme activities for energy metabolism. • Major energy metabolites were maintained at high level by MF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vascular dementia (VaD) is the most common cause of dementia in older adults. Due to the lack of effective treatment options, there is an urgent need to find an effective pharmaceutical compound to combat VaD. Piracetam has been reported to improve impaired cognitive function in a variety of conditions in both human and animal models. However, the role and mechanism of Piracetam in VaD remain unclear. Therefore this study aimed to elucidate the effect of Piracetam on a cellular model of VaD in vitro. We found that Piracetam enhanced the growth of OGD-stimulated SH-SY5Y cells. In addition, Piracetam inhibited the oxidative stress of OGD-stimulated SH-SY5Y cells. Further, Piracetam improved mitochondrial function of OGD-stimulated SH-SY5Y cells. Mechanistically, Piracetam inhibited the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway in OGD-stimulated SH-SY5Y cells. Collectively, Piracetam improved oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction of OGD-stimulated SH-SY5Y cells through PI3K/Akt/mTOR axis. Hence, Piracetam has the potential to serve as a promising drug of VaD.Graphical abstract: Vascular dementia (VaD) is the most common cause of dementia in older adults. Due to the lack of effective treatment options, there is an urgent need to find an effective pharmaceutical compound to combat VaD. Piracetam has been reported to improve impaired cognitive function in a variety of conditions in both human and animal models. However, the role and mechanism of Piracetam in VaD remain unclear. Therefore this study aimed to elucidate the effect of Piracetam on a cellular model of VaD in vitro. We found that Piracetam enhanced the growth of OGD-stimulated SH-SY5Y cells. In addition, Piracetam inhibited the oxidative stress of OGD-stimulated SH-SY5Y cells. Further, Piracetam improved mitochondrial function of OGD-stimulated SH-SY5Y cells. Mechanistically, Piracetam inhibited the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway in OGD-stimulated SH-SY5Y cells. Collectively, Piracetam improved oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction of OGD-stimulated SH-SY5Y cells through PI3K/Akt/mTOR axis. Hence, Piracetam has the potential to serve as a promising drug of VaD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The continuous-flow pasteurization apparatus was presented, and the electric field within orange juice was produced via an oscillating magnetic field at 50 kHz, causing the volumetric heating of the juice with initial conductivity of 6.85 mS/cm and 8.76 mS/cm. The process principle, especially numerical relationships between excitation voltage, magnetic field, induced electric field (IEF), induced current density, and temperature profile were elaborated. When applying a rectangular wave of the voltage at 50–1000 V, the waveforms of the magnetic field and IEF in the juice were sine-like and sawtooth waves, respectively. Through electromagnetic simulation, the model was established, which indicated the indirect heating of orange juice via oscillating magnetic field was feasible. As the magnetic field increased, the outlet temperature and induced current density in the juice was improved. Notably, the 4–5 logs CFU/ml inactivation effects on aerobic bacteria, yeast and mold in orange juice could be achieved at 65 °C for 60 s after the treatment. • Engineering characteristics of induced electric field technology was elaborated. • Electromagnetic simulation model was conduced to verify its thermal effect. • Waveform of magnetic field and induced electric field was investigated. • Difference between experimental and predicted temperature was not significant. • Inactivation effects on aerobic bacteria, yeast and mold was achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The escalating levels of carbon dioxide in flue gas and the resultant greenhouse effect have heightened the need for adsorbents with high CO 2 sorption and separation capabilities. However, Traditional heated synthesis methods are energy-intensive and often involve toxic solvents, which are not viable for widespread industrial use. This study introduces a room-temperature, eco-friendly synthesis technique to produce UiO-66-(OH) 2 with varying amounts of PVP (0/0.1/0.2 g), effectively adjusting the particle morphology. Results confirm that this method maintains robust CO 2 adsorption and selectivity. Notably, the addition of 0.1 g of PVP led to a reduction in pore size and adsorption capacity of CO 2 , yet remarkably enhanced its CO 2 /N 2 separation performance sixfold, outperforming traditional CO 2 adsorbents. Dynamic breakthrough experiments further validated the effectiveness of UiO-66-(OH) 2 in separating binary mixtures of CO 2 /N 2 (v/v = 15/85). The separation performance of UiO-66-(OH) 2 on CO 2 /N 2 was significantly improved after the addition of PVP at room temperature. [Display omitted] • OH-functionalized UiO-66 has been successfully synthesized using green room temperature technology. • The addition of PVP can effectively prevent the agglomeration of UiO-66-(OH) 2 , forming dispersed and uniform particles. • UiO-66-(OH) 2 maintains robust CO 2 adsorption and selectivity, which was synthesized at room temperature. • The CO 2 /N 2 separation of UiO-66-(OH) 2 with the addition of PVP increased to 724. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complex microstructure with multi-scale features in CoCrFeMnNi alloy, prepared by laser powder bed fusion (LPBF), significantly improves strength while maintaining sufficient ductility, but it theoretically has thermal instability. The thermal stability of these multi-scale microstructure features and their impact on mechanical properties are systematically analyzed by means of annealing. The multi-scale microstructure features are characterized by asynchronous changes as temperature increases, leading to non-uniform changes in mechanical properties, notably at 400 °C and 1000 °C. The entangled dislocations and segregated elements at cellular substructure boundaries exhibit limited thermal stability, beginning to disintegrate at 400 °C and complete by 1000 °C. In contrast, both low-angle and high-angle grain boundaries maintain their effectiveness up to 1000 °C. The strengthening effect of low-angle grain boundaries (LAGBs), distinct from dislocation strengthening, has been quantitatively assessed through experimental methods, revealing that LAGBs contribute 17.13% to the overall strengthening, effective up to 1000 °C. However, dislocation strengthening contributes only 25.87%，marking a notable deviation from the traditionally estimated 50% dislocation contribution. This study provides a new perspective on understanding the relationship between the microstructure and mechanical properties of alloys prepared by LPBF. • Microstructural features undergo asynchronous changes with temperature increase. • Asynchronous microstructural changes lead to uneven mechanical property changes. • Cellular substructures exhibit limited thermal stability, stable up to 400 °C. • LAGBs significantly contribute to alloy strength by 17.13%, effective up to 1000 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are considered to be a promising candidate for near‐space applications due to their high specific power, excellent radiation resistance, and compatibility with flexible substrates. Nevertheless, the low‐temperature cycles impose considerable challenges to their long‐term stability. Herein, the extremely low‐temperature photovoltaic process of PSCs is investigated and the effect mechanisms of PAN (Polyacrylonitrile) as an additive are revealed. It is found that the additive PAN regulates perovskite lattice stress and stabilizes perovskite lattice structure and thus retards perovskite phase transition at low temperatures. Moreover, the PAN improves perovskite dielectric properties and ion migration activation energy and effectively passivates perovskite defects at low temperatures. Therefore, the carrier transport/extraction/collection abilities at low temperatures are enhanced effectively by alleviating exciton effect and increasing dielectric screening effect. Benefiting from these positive effects of PAN, the PAN‐modified device achieves a maximum efficiency of 24.34% at 150K and maintains 72% of its initial value after 120 thermal cycles (290‐130K). Also, the PAN‐modified flexible devices exhibit excellent bending stability and thermal cycle stability. This study provides a deep insight into understanding the extremely low‐temperature photovoltaic behavior of PSCs and demonstrates the potentiality of PAN additive strategy for achieving efficient and stable PSCs at low temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phosphatidic acid (PA), the simplest phospholipid, acts as a key metabolic intermediate and second messenger that impacts diverse cellular and physiological processes across species ranging from microbes to plants and mammals. The cellular levels of PA dynamically change in response to stimuli, and multiple enzymatic reactions can mediate its production and degradation. PA acts as a signalling molecule and regulates various cellular processes via its effects on membrane tethering, enzymatic activities of target proteins, and vesicular trafficking. Because of its unique physicochemical properties compared to other phospholipids, PA has emerged as a class of new lipid mediators influencing membrane structure, dynamics, and protein interactions. This review summarizes the biosynthesis, dynamics, and cellular functions and properties of PA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous efforts have been made in last decade on fully Automated Operational Modal Analysis (AOMA) with field measurement. Considerable user interaction is required especially when parametric system identification methods are involved with Stability Diagrams (SD) for the modal identification. This paper proposes an improved procedure with multi-stage clustering to address this issue. It is generally applicable to any method that relies on SD for the modal identification. The proposed clustering framework offers advantages over traditional AOMA with reduced reliance on the threshold setting in the hierarchical clustering. It relies on hierarchical clustering to identify only one cluster center. This cluster center is then used as input for Max-min distance clustering to achieve adaptive clustering. The proposed Modal Evaluation Index can be employed to eliminate the effect of subjective bias to small dimensional clusters and to assess the validity of each representative mode identified from the cluster. Measured datasets from the Z24 bridge benchmark and the Yingxian wooden pagoda serve to illustrate the performance and effectiveness of this automation strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For large-scale multi-objective evolutionary algorithms (LSMOEAs), obtaining efficient evolutionary directions in an ultrahigh-dimensional decision space to produce high-quality offspring is a major challenge. This study proposes a novel framework called the directed quick search-guided large-scale evolutionary framework (QSLMOF) to address multi-objective optimization problems on a large scale. The framework contains two innovative strategies: the bidirectional vector-based sampling strategy (BDVS) and the quick search-guided directed reproduction strategy (QS-DRS). BDVS is introduced as an approach to swiftly discern promising solutions that can steer the exploration in the large-scale decision space. This is achieved by formulating two distinct types of sampling directions to rapidly reduce the search space and strike a delicate balance between convergence and diversity. In QS-DRS, we introduced the concept of the potential convergence gradient (PCG), incorporating directional information from historical searches and convergence directions indicated byelite solutions in the current population. With this property, inferior solutions can obtain excellent search directions to explore the decision space, which can improve the convergence rate and prevent the search from falling into a local optimum. The proposed large-scale evolutionary framework incorporates an existing environmental selection mechanism. Comprehensive experiments show that the two novel strategies improve the search efficiency and evolutionary quality of LSMOEAs in ultrahigh-dimensional decision spaces. Moreover, the proposed framework outperformed seven state-of-the-art LSMOEAs for nine large-scale multi-objective benchmark problems LSMOP1-LSMOP9 with up to three objectives and 10 000 decision variables. • Our guiding idea is to obtain accurate search directions in large-scale search space. • A sampling method that can obtain promising solutions in reduced space. • A quick search way in original space can provide direction improvement for solutions. • A framework that can make existing MOEAs more competent for large-scale problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel electromagnetic heat extraction method was presented, whereby mandarin peels residue solution was located in a winding coil subjected to an oscillating magnetic field, and the pectin was extracted under appropriate conditions. Numerical relationships between applied magnetic field and induced electric field (IEF) in the extraction process were elaborated. The results showed that the induced current density, IEF and terminal temperature increased with increasing magnetic field. The maximum current density of 0.35 A/cm corresponds to the highest terminal temperature of 84.6 °C and IEF intensity of 26.6 V/cm. When magnetic field intensity was 1.39 T and the extraction time was 15 min, the maximum yield of pectin reached 9.16 %. In addition, all treatments impacted the ash content, protein content, water-holding capacity (WHC), and oil-holding capacity (OHC) of the obtained pectin. The pectin extracted by electromagnetic heat had the lowest DE value of 71.3 % with 126.55 kDa molecular weight, while the GalA content was at the highest level of 76.18 %. After different treatments, the composition of pectin monosaccharides changed, but there were slight differences in the composition of pectin polysaccharides. Moreover, the electromagnetic heat extracted pectin had light color and an obvious surface fragmentation of the peel residue. [Display omitted] • Novel electromagnetic heat method was presented for the extraction of pectin. • The maximum yield of pectin reached 9.16 % at 1.39 T and 15 min. • Electromagnetic heat extracted pectin had brighter color and highest GalA level. • There were slight differences in the composition of polysaccharides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyethyleneimine (PEI) nanofiltration (NF) membranes hold great application prospects in lithium extraction from salt lakes due to their high positive charge properties. However, the poor permeability of the membranes caused by the dense separation layer structure severely hinders their further application. Herein, a functional end-capping strategy was employed to address this problem by adding the effective end-capping reagent, Girard's Reagent T (GRT), to the PEI aqueous phase as the co-reaction reagent. Under the dual functions of the end-capping effect and the quaternary ammonium groups of GRT, the looseness and positive charge of the membrane were simultaneously optimized. After the modification of GRT, the looser structure of the PEI/GRT NF membrane improved its pure water flux (PWF) to 115 L m−2 h−1 at 6 bar, which was around 3.7 times higher than that of the original PEI NF membrane. Meanwhile, the enhanced positive charge (from −8 to 9 mV, pH = 7) of the membrane bottom surface allowed it to maintain the high rejection rate of MgCl 2 at 97.2 %. Besides, the PEI/GRT NF membrane exhibited good Mg2+/Li+ selectivity (S Mg 2+ /Li + = 22.7, 2000 ppm, Mg2+/Li+ mass ratio: 20:1). Therefore, this study provides a simple and feasible strategy for the preparation of high-permeable PEI NF membranes with good Mg2+/Li+ separation performance. [Display omitted] • A high permeable PEI-based NF membrane was prepared by the end-capping strategy. • The cross-linking degree of membrane was reduced by end-capping function of GRT. • The surface positive charge of membrane was enhanced by –N+ groups of GRT. • The optimized NF membrane exhibited high permeability and Mg2+/Li+ selectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To study the effects of mineral fulvic acid (FuA) on broiler performance, slaughter performance, blood biochemistry index, antioxidant function, immune performance, and intestinal microflora, 360 Arbor Acres (AA) broiler chickens with similar body weights were randomly divided into 5 groups with 6 replicates in each group and 12 chickens in each replicate in the current study. Chickens in the control group (C) were fed with the basal diet, and chickens in the test groups (I, II, III, and IV) were fed with the diet supplemented with 0.05%, 0.1%, 0.2%, and 0.3% mineral FuA, respectively. The indicators were measured on the hatching day, d 21 and d 35. From the whole experimental period, FuA supplement significantly increased average body weight (ABW) (P < 0.05), average daily gain (ADG) of broilers (P < 0.05), and thymus weight (P < 0.05) in II and IV groups, but bascially reduced the pH value of thigh meat. FuA supplement significantly improved aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activity in the group III on d 35 (P < 0.05) and the serum levels of IgA and IgG on d 21 and d 35 (P < 0.05), but reduced glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) level on d 21 (P < 0.05) and malondialdehyde (MDA) level in serum on d 35 (P < 0.05). FuA supplement significantly affected the abundance of Barnesiella, Lachnospiraceae, Alistipes, Lactobacillus , and Christensenellaceae on genus level. Differences between group III and other groups were significant in the genera microflora composition on d 21 and d 35. Functional analysis showed that the cecum microbiota were mainly enriched in carbohydrate metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and energy metabolism. In conclusion, FuA may potentially have significant positive effects on the growth performance and immune function of AA chickens through the modulation of the gut microbiota, and the 0.1% FuA was the best in broiler diet based on the present study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding of fundamental mechanism and kinetics of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is pivotal for designing efficient OER electrocatalysts owing to its key role in electrochemical energy conversion devices. In the past few years, the lattice oxygen oxidation mechanism (LOM) arising from the anodic redox chemistry has attracted significant attention as it involves a direct O─O coupling and thus bypasses thermodynamic limitations in the traditional adsorbate evolution mechanism (AEM). Transition metal‐based oxyhydroxides are generally acknowledged as the real catalytic phase in alkaline media. In particular, their low‐dimensional layered structures offer sufficient structural flexibility to trigger the LOM. Herein, a comprehensive overview is provided for recent advances in anion redox from LOM‐based electrocatalysts. Based on analyses of electronic structure of electrocatalysts and LOM, a strategy is proposed to activate LOM. Possible identification techniques for corroboration of the oxygen redox are also reviewed. In addition, the structural reconstruction process induced by the LOM is focused and the importance of multiple in situ/operando characterizations is highlighted to unveil the structural and chemical origins of the LOM. To conclude, a prospect on the remaining challenges and future opportunities for LOM electrocatalysts is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heat shock proteins play crucial roles in various biochemical processes, encompassing protein folding and translocation. HSP90B1, a conserved member of the heat shock protein family, growing evidences have demonstrated that it might be closely associated with cancer development. In the present study, we employed multi-omics analyses and cohort validations to explore the dynamic expression of HSP90B1 in pan-cancer and comprehensively evaluate HSP90B1 as a novel biomarker that hold promise for precision cancer diagnostics and therapeutics. The results suggest HSP90B1 was highly expressed in various kinds of tumors, often correlating with a poor prognosis. Notably, methylation of HSP90B1 emerged as a protective factor in several cancer types. In immune infiltration analysis, the expression of HSP90B1 in most tumors showed a negative association with CD8 + T cells. HSP90B1 expression was positively correlated with microsatellite instability and tumor mutational burden. HSP90B1 expression was also discovered to be positively correlated with tumor metabolism, cell cycle-related pathways and the expression of immune checkpoint genes. The expression of HSP90B1 was mainly negatively correlated with immunostimulatory genes and positively correlated with immunosuppressive genes, as well as strongly correlated with chemokines and their receptor genes. In addition, the HSP90B1 inhibitor PU-WS13 demonstrated significant efficacy in suppressing cancer cell proliferation in both leukemic and solid tumor cells, and remarkably reduced the expression of the cancer cell surface immune checkpoint PD-L1. The single-cell RNA sequencing analysis further highlighted that HSP90B1 was significantly higher in tumor cells compared to surrounding cells, revealing a potential target therapeutic window. Taken together, HSP90B1 emerges as a promising avenue for breakthroughs in cancer diagnosis, prognosis and therapy. This study provides a rationale for HSP90B1 targeted cancer diagnosis and therapy in future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a novel lattice structure with Y-shaped cores was designed. Specimens of the structure were fabricated using 3D printing technology for quasi-static compression tests. Numerical simulations were also performed to investigate the mechanical properties and failure behavior of the lattice structure. The numerical results are in good agreement with the experimental results. The numerical simulations are used to reveal the failure processes and failure mechanisms of structures with different relative densities. The results show that the relative density has significant effects on the mechanical properties of the lattice structure, and that different methods of changing the relative density lead to different results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) has led to a surge in disposable mask waste, posing an urgent environmental challenge. This study explores a sustainable solution by using mask chips as reinforcement material in geotechnical engineering, simultaneously improving ground strength and recycling waste. The mechanical behavior of Fujian sand reinforced with mask chips under plane strain biaxial shear condition was examined. Biaxial shear tests were performed on dense pure sand and sand samples containing three mask chip sizes (20 mm × 5 mm, 10 mm × 10 mm, and 12 mm × 3 mm) at a 0.5% mass ratio, under effective lateral pressures of 50 and 100 kPa. The test results show that incorporating mask chips improved strength and delayed stress peak, with the 20 mm × 5 mm chips demonstrating the best performance. Within the tested lateral pressure range, the sample dilates along the minor principal strain direction during shearing. The volumetric strain of mask–sand mixtures exhibits more significant contraction before the dilation compared with pure sand. Moreover, two distinct shear band shapes were observed through imaging technique where the thickness of the shear band decreases as the lateral pressure rises. Additionally, the Roscoe solution was found to provide the closest approximation of the inclination angle of the shear band in mask-reinforced sand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public computer education systems provide students essential opportunities to enhance computer literacy and information skills. However, the widespread adoption of online education technology exposes the field to several critical security risks. Threats, such as malware infections, data breaches, and other network intrusions, are all challenging the security of education systems, posing potential hazards to students’ personal information and even the entire teaching environment. To spur further work into specialized anomaly detection techniques for computer education, this paper presents an anomaly detection framework tailored for network services in computer education environments to safeguard these systems. Specifically, the proposed approach learns from large-scale online educational traffic data to classify the security state into five alert levels, enabling more granular anomaly detection and analysis. To assess their detection performance, deep learning and traditional machine learning algorithms are implemented and compared for multi-class intrusion classification. The results show that the proposed framework provides an effective security solution to bolster the integrity and stability of computer education systems against evolving network threats, enhancing threat intelligence to inform proactive security by detecting and characterizing anomalies through multilevel classification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acid protease is widely used in industries such as food processing and feed additives. In the study, low frequency magnetic field (LF-MF) as an aid enhances acid protease production by Aspergillus niger (A. niger). The study assessed mycelial biomass, the enzymic activity of the acidic protease and underlying mechanism. At low intensities, alternating magnetic field (AMF) is more effective than static magnetic fields (SMF). Under optimal magnetic field conditions, acid protease activity and biomass increased by 91.44% and 16.31%, as compared with the control, respectively. Maximum 19.87% increase in enzyme activity after magnetic field treatment of crude enzyme solution in control group. Transcriptomics analyses showed that low frequency alternating magnetic field (LF-AMF) treatment significantly upregulated genes related to hydrolases and cell growth. Our results showed that low-frequency magnetic fields can enhance the acid protease production ability of A. niger, and the effect of AMF is better at low intensities. The results revealed that the effect of magnetic field on the metabolic mechanism of A. niger and provided a reference for magnetic field-assisted fermentation of A. niger. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid identification of pathogens with higher sensitivity and specificity plays a significant role in maintaining public health, environmental monitoring, controlling food quality, and clinical diagnostics. Different methods have been widely used in food testing laboratories, quality control departments in food companies, hospitals, and clinical settings to identify pathogens. Some limitations in current pathogens detection methods are time-consuming, expensive, and laborious sample preparation, making it unsuitable for rapid detection. Microfluidics has emerged as a promising technology for biosensing applications due to its ability to precisely manipulate small volumes of fluids. Microfluidics platforms combined with spectroscopic techniques are capable of developing miniaturized devices that can detect and quantify pathogenic samples. The review focuses on the advancements in microfluidic devices integrated with spectroscopic methods for detecting bacterial microbes over the past five years. The review is based on several spectroscopic techniques, including fluorescence detection, surface-enhanced Raman scattering, and dynamic light scattering methods coupled with microfluidic platforms. The key detection principles of different approaches were discussed and summarized. Finally, the future possible directions and challenges in microfluidic-based spectroscopy for isolating and detecting pathogens using the latest innovations were also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corrosion caused component rupture and structural collapse accidents occur frequently. Therefore, it is important to assess the fracture risk of corroded in-service steel structures. Corrosion morphology is found to be a significant factor deteriorating the ductility of the steel. Therefore, fracture properties of a tensile corroded Q235structural steel, which has been in-service in the outdoor environment in Beijing for 25 years with protection from the original anti-corrosion coating, are investigated in the paper. To this end, a series of experiments on the steel, including monotonic tension and surface scanning tests on raw samples, tension and shear tests on non-corrosion samples fabricated with the core material of the rusted steel, as well as electronic microscope scanning (EMS) on fracture surfaces of samples, are conducted. Sensitivity analyses of morphology parameters on fracture properties of raw samples are performed. Further, Finite element (FE) models are developed to replicate the experimental results. Additionally, in order to predict the probability of crack failure and assess the residual performance of corroded steel components, both Void Growth Model (VGM) and Stress-Weighted Damage Model (SWDM) and a micromechanical fracture model (known as LOU) which are more suitable for complex stress states, are employed to evaluate the accuracy through comparisons with test and FE results. Finally, fracture modes of corroded steel samples are analyzed. Research results in this study indicate that, although the aggressiveness level of the Q235 steel with only initial coating and served outdoor for 25 years in Beijing is roughly mild, the ductility of the tensile sample could be reduced by up to about 36.811 %. Several fractures may initiate almost simultaneously at both the rough surface and core of seriously rusted samples. Fracture mechanism of the sample is mixed microvoid coalescence and quasi cleavage. It can also be concluded that, compared to VGM micromechanical fracture model, SWDM and LOU model are more appropriate for fracture prediction of corroded steel components. • Tensile and EMS tests are conducted on outdoor Q235 steel in-service for 25 years in Beijing. • Effect of morphology parameters on fracture properties of samples is quantitatively analyzed. • Micromechanical models more suitable for complex stress states are employed for fracture prediction of rust steel. • The fracture mechanism of corroded steel samples is clarified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solid‐state electrolytes (SSEs) are key to unlocking the potential of lithium metal batteries (LMBs), but their high thickness (>100 µm) due to poor mechanical properties limits energy density improvements. Herein, an ultrathin (≈5 µm) polymer SSE with a high Young's modulus (10.6 GPa), made from a polyvinylidene fluoride‐hexafluoropropylene (PVDF‐HFP) matrix and an ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) additive is proposed. By virtue of the electron‐donating property, EDTA induces the conformation transformation of PVDF‐HFP, enhancing the mechanical strength by a fine‐grain strengthening mechanism. In addition, PVDF‐HFP with cis‐conformation shortens the pathway for Li+, promotes the Li+ dissociation and immobilizes the anions of lithium salt, thus increasing the ionic conductivity (2.47 × 10−4 S cm−1) and transfer number (0.59) of the electrolyte. Moreover, the electrolyte also possesses a wide voltage window (4.7 V) and good heat/flame resistance. The half cells and full cells with the electrolytes show good cycling and rate performance. Notably, a pouch cell based on the electrolyte exhibits impressive energy densities of 516 Wh kg−1 and 1520 Wh L−1 (excluding packages), showing great potential for practical use in LMBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wind shear has important implications for Kelvin–Helmholtz instability (KHI) and gravity waves (GWs) in the mesosphere–lower thermosphere (MLT) region where its momentum transport process is dominated by short-period (<1 h) GWs. However, the sub-hourly variation in wind shear is still not well quantified. This study aims to improve current understanding of vertical wind shear by analyzing multi-year meteor radar measurements at the Mohe (MH, 53.5°N, 122.3°E), Beijing (BJ, 40.3 ° N , 116.2 ° E ), Wuhan (WH, 30.5 ° N , 114.6 ° E ), and Fuke (FK, 19.5°N, 109.1°E) stations in China. The wind field is estimated by a new algorithm, e.g., the damped least squares fitting. Taking the wind shear estimated by normal products as a criterion, the shear produced by the new algorithm has more statistical convergence as compared to the traditional algorithm, e.g., the least squares fitting. Therefore, we argue that the 10 min DLSA wind probably produces a more reasonable vertical shear. Both intensive wind shears and GW kinetic energy can be simultaneously captured during the 0600–1600 UTs of May at MH and during the 1300–2400 UTs of March at FK, possibly implying that the up-propagation of GWs could contribute to the production of large wind shears. The sub-hourly variation in wind shears is potentially valuable for understanding the interrelationship between shear (or KHI) and GWs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ginseng is an ancient medicinal and edible plant with many health benefits, and can serve as a drug and dietary supplement, but there are few relevant studies on its use to ease ultraviolet (UV) irradiation damage. After 0.8 mg/mL ginseng extract (GE) was added to the medium of female Drosophila melanogaster subjected to UV irradiation, the lifespan, climbing ability, sex ratio, developmental cycle, and antioxidant capacity of flies were examined to evaluate the GE function. In addition, the underlying mechanism by which GE enhances the irradiation tolerance of D. melanogaster was explored. With GE supplementation, female flies subjected to UV irradiation exhibited an extension in their lifespan, enhancement in their climbing ability, improvement in their offspring sex ratio, and restoration of the normal development cycle by increasing their antioxidant activity. Finally, further experiments indicated that GE could enhance the irradiation tolerance of female D. melanogaster by upregulating the gene expressions of SOD, GCL, and components of the autophagy signaling pathway. Finally, the performance of r4-Gal4;UAS-AMPKRNAi flies confirmed the regulatory role of the autophagy signaling pathway in mitigating UV irradiation injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the stoichiometry of extracellular enzymes in soil, particularly in relation to nutrient acquisition (e.g., carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus), provides valuable insights into microorganisms' resource requirements. This study investigates the metabolic constraints of soil microorganisms in response to different growth stages of apple trees under various soil management practices. A 14-year long-term experiment with a split-plot design was conducted, where the main plots received different cover crop treatments (bare vs. cover crop), and subplots were subjected to four fertilizer treatments (CK, M, NPK, MNPK). The significant main and interactive effects of cover crops, fertilizer treatment, and growth period on soil nutrients were observed (p < 0.001). Both cover crop and fertilizer treatments significantly increased the soil organic matter content, with implications for orchard resilience to drought. However, the cover factor alone did not notably influence soil carbon–nitrogen ratios or microbial communities. Microbial carbon limitations were driven by soil water dynamics and microbial biomass, while microbial phosphorus limitations were closely linked to total nitrogen levels. The results underscore the combination of cover crops and MNPK fertilizer-enhanced soil nutrient levels and enzyme activities, mitigating microbial carbon and phosphorus limitations. These findings suggest practical strategies for optimizing fertilization practices to improve soil fertility and address nutrient constraints in orchard ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) has been demonstrated to be significantly associated with the incidence of prediabetes and diabetes. This study aimed to investigate the association between the AIP and undiagnosed diabetes in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients. Methods: Among 113,650 ACS patients treated with coronary angiography at 240 hospitals in the Improving Care for Cardiovascular Disease in China-ACS Project from 2014 to 2019, 11,221 patients with available clinical and surgical information were included. We analyzed these patients' clinical characteristics after stratification according to AIP tertiles, body mass index (BMI) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels. Results: The AIP was independently associated with a greater incidence of undiagnosed diabetes. The undiagnosed diabetes was significantly greater in the T3 group than in the T1 group after adjustment for confounders [T3 OR 1.533 (1.199–1.959) p < 0.001]. This relationship was consistent within normal weight patients and patients with an LDL-C level ≥ 1.8 mmol/L. In overweight and obese patients, the AIP was significantly associated with the incidence of undiagnosed diabetes as a continuous variable after adjustment for age, sex, and BMI but not as a categorical variable. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of the AIP score, triglyceride (TG) concentration, and HDL-C concentration was 0.601 (0.581–0.622; p < 0.001), 0.624 (0.603–0.645; p < 0.001), and 0.493 (0.472–0.514; p = 0.524), respectively. A nonlinear association was found between the AIP and the incidence of undiagnosed diabetes in ACS patients (p for nonlinearity < 0.001), and this trend remained consistent between males and females. The AIP may be a negative biomarker associated with undiagnosed diabetes ranging from 0.176 to 0.738. Conclusion: The AIP was significantly associated with the incidence of undiagnosed diabetes in ACS patients, especially in those with normal weight or an LDL-C level ≥ 1.8 mmol/L. A nonlinear relationship was found between the AIP and the incidence of undiagnosed diabetes, and this trend was consistent between male and female patients. The AIP may be a negative biomarker associated with undiagnosed diabetes and ranges from 0.176 to 0.738. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simultaneous measurements of atmospheric volatile organic compounds (VOCs), conventional gases and meteorological parameters were performed at an urban site in Jinan, East China, in June 2021 to explore the formation and evolution mechanisms of summertime ozone (O3) pollution events. O3 Episode Ⅰ, O3 Episode II, and non-O3 episodes were identified based on the China Ambient Air Quality Standards and the differences in precursor concentrations. The O3 concentrations in Episode I and Episode II were 145.4 μg/m3 and 166.4 μg/m3, respectively, which were significantly higher than that in non-O3 episode (90 μg/m3). For O3 precursors, VOCs and NOx concentrations increased by 48% and 34% in Episode I, and decreased by 21% and 27% in Episode II compared to non-O3 episode days. The analysis of the m,p-xylene to ethylbenzene ratio (X/E) and OH exposure demonstrated that the aging of the air masses in Episode II was significantly higher than the other two episodes, and the differences could not be explained by localized photochemical consumption. Therefore, we speculate that the high O3 concentrations in Episode II were driven by the regional transport of O3 and its precursors. Backward trajectory simulations indicated that the air masses during Episode II were concentrated from the south. In contrast, the combination of high precursor concentrations and favorable meteorological conditions (high temperatures and low humidity) led to an excess of O3 in Episode I. Positive matrix factorization (PMF) model results indicated that increased emissions from combustion and gasoline vehicle exhausts contributed to the elevated concentrations of VOCs in Episode I, and solvent usage may be an important contributor to O3 formation. The results of this study emphasize the importance of strengthening regional joint control of O3 and its precursors with neighboring cities, especially in the south, which is crucial for Jinan to mitigate O3 pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To evaluate the impact of a dual glucose‐dependent insulinotropic peptide (GIP) and glucagon‐like peptide‐1 (GLP‐1) receptor agonist tirzepatide (TZP), and its potential dose‐response effect, on heart rate. Methods: Articles were searched from PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library, and clinical trials registries (ClinicalTrials.gov) databases. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing TZP at doses of 5, 10 and 15 mg in adults with type 2 diabetes were included. Six study arms were summarized from original research (TZP 5, 10 and 15 mg, GLP‐1 receptor agonists [GLP‐1RAs], insulin, placebo). The GLP‐1RA and non‐GLP‐1RA groups were combined to form a control group. Two reviewers independently extracted data and assessed the quality of each study. Mean differences (MDs) were calculated as effect estimates for continuous outcomes. Pairwise meta‐analyses and network meta‐analyses were conducted. The study protocol was prospectively registered (PROSPERO ID: CRD42023418551). Results: Eight articles were included in this systematic review and meta‐analysis. The mean baseline heart rate ranged from 65.2 to 75.7 beats per minute. Pairwise meta‐analysis showed that, compared with combined the control group, there were significantly greater increases in heart rates in the TZP group (MD 1.82, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.75, 2.89). Similar significant rises were identified when comparing TZP with GLP‐1RAs and non‐GLP‐1RAs (GLP‐1 RAs: MD 2.29, 95% CI 1.00, 3.59; non‐GLP‐1RAs: MD 1.58, 95% CI 0.26, 2.91). TZP 5 mg was associated with smaller increases in heart rates compared to TZP 10 mg and TZP 15 mg (TZP 10 mg: MD −0.97, 95% CI −1.79, −0.14; TZP 15 mg: MD −2.57, 95% CI −3.79, −1.35). TZP 10 mg increased heart rate less than TZP 15 mg (MD −1.5, 95% CI −2.38, −0.82). Network meta‐analysis indicated that TZP 15 mg was associated with significant increases in heart rate compared with TZP 5 mg (MD 2.53, 95% CI 1.43, 3.62), TZP 10 mg (MD 1.44, 95% CI 0.35, 2.53), GLP‐1RAs (MD 3.46, 95% CI 1.67, 5.25), insulin (MD 2.86, 95% CI 1.32, 4.41) and placebo (MD 2.96, 95% CI 1.36, 4.57). Conclusions: Our study showed not only that there was a greater increase in heart rate in the TZP group than in the control, GLP‐1RA and non‐GLP‐1RA groups, but also that the 15‐mg dose of TZP had the strongest impact on increasing heart rates compared with the other five inventions, with a TZP dose‐response impact on heart rate. Further research on the effects of TZP treatment‐related increases in heart rate is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mulching is widely adopted in arid regions to improve soil environment and crop productivity. However, our understanding of the underlying mechanisms of such improvements from enzyme activity and rhizosphere microbial community structure perspectives remain poor. To fill the gap, soil zymography was coupled with high-throughput sequencing to investigate enzyme activities and bacterial community structure in a 10-year field experiment in a semi-arid region. We examined the effects of two mulching measures (plastic film mulching [FM] and straw mulching [SM], with no mulching as the control [CK]) on the maize rhizosphere extent of β-glucosidase and leucine aminopeptidase activities and the abundance of the bacterial genes encoding these two enzymes. The enzyme activity in the SM and FM measures was higher compared to the CK measures (P < 0.05). SM had higher influence than FM on β-glucosidase activity and its rhizosphere extent. This was related to the increase in soil organic carbon (SOC) content and the stable bacterial community structure and interactions under SM. In contrast, leucine aminopeptidase activity was the highest under FM due to the higher soil temperature and moisture content under FM which further intensified nutrient competition among microorganisms or between microorganisms and plants. In addition, Proteobacteria and Acidobacteria were the major contributors to β-glucosidase activity despite their genes encoding β-glucosidase not increasing under SM. Conversely, the copy number of genes encoding leucine aminopeptidase and the genes encoded by Proteobacteria (the main contributor) decreased under FM. Therefore, total gene number is not a stable indicator of microbial function (such as enzyme activity) and cannot explain enzyme activity adequately. Overall, this study establishes a connection between rhizosphere enzyme activity and bacterial communities, revealing the mechanisms by which changes in environmental nutrient supply and bacterial community composition under straw mulching and plastic film mulching measures lead to variations in enzyme efficiency. • SM had greater influence on β-glucosidase activity and its rhizosphere extent. • Higher β-glucosidase activity under SM linked to substrate availability. • FM had highest leucine aminopeptidase activity due to moisture and temperature. • Genes encoding β-glucosidase and leucine aminopeptidase showed opposite patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-precision three-dimensional (3D) measurement techniques commonly perform 3D point cloud data stitching using pasted marked points. However, pasted marked points exhibit a high degree of randomness and are susceptible to mismatching due to their structural similarity. Therefore, this paper presents a robust method for multi-view 3D data stitching based on pasted marked points (RMSM). First, potential matched marked point pairs (MMPP) are identified according to spatial feature invariance constraints, and a matching strength calculation model is established to find the fiducial point pairs. Then, a quick public MMPP searching algorithm using the congruent triangle search method is proposed. Thus, the problem of mismatching caused by structurally similar marked points can be eliminated, and robust stitching of 3D data from different views can be achieved. In simulation and measurement experiments, the RMSM demonstrates superior accuracy compared to alternative methods and holds promise for application in various multi-view 3D data stitching methodologies. • A robust method is proposed for multi-view 3D data stitching based on pasted marked points (RMSM). • A matching strength calculation model is established to find the fiducial point pairs. • A quick public MMPP searching algorithm using the congruent triangle search method is proposed. • The RMSM achieves a higher accuracy and outperforms other methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polo-like kinase 4 (PLK4), a highly conserved serine/threonine kinase, masterfully regulates centriole duplication in a spatiotemporal manner to ensure the fidelity of centrosome duplication and proper mitosis. Abnormal expression of PLK4 contributes to genomic instability and associates with a poor prognosis in cancer. Inhibition of PLK4 is demonstrated to exhibit significant efficacy against various types of human cancers, further highlighting its potential as a promising therapeutic target for cancer treatment. As such, numerous small-molecule inhibitors with distinct chemical scaffolds targeting PLK4 have been extensively investigated for the treatment of different human cancers, with several undergoing clinical evaluation (e.g., CFI-400945). Here, we review the structure, distribution, and biological functions of PLK4, encapsulate its intricate regulatory mechanisms of expression, and highlighting its multifaceted roles in cancer development and metastasis. Moreover, the recent advancements of PLK4 inhibitors in patent or literature are summarized, and their therapeutic potential as monotherapies or combination therapies with other anticancer agents are also discussed. [Display omitted] • The biological functions of PLK4 in cancer development are discussed. • Inhibition of PLK4 has potential therapeutic efficacy for various human cancers. • The recent advances of PLK4 inhibitors are comprehensively reviewed. • Clinical studies and combination strategies of PLK4 inhibitors are summarized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Microbial fermentation is a mainstream method for producing high-value compounds. • Applications of magnetic fields in microbial fermentation were summarized. • Magnetic field assisted microbial fermentation devices were illustrated. • Underlying mechanisms behind biological effects of magnetic fields were elaborated. The magnetic field application is emerging as an auxiliary physical strategy to facilitate rapid biomass accumulation and intracellular production of compounds. However, the underlying mechanisms and principles governing the application of magnetic fields for microbial growth and biotransformation are not yet fully understood. Therefore, a better understanding of interdisciplinary technologies integration, expanded magnetic field application, and scaled-up industrial implementation is crucial. In this review, the magnetic field characteristics, magnetic field-assisted fermentation devices, and the working mechanism of magnetic field have been reviewed comprehensively from both physical and microbiological perspectives. The review suggests that magnetic fields affect the biochemical processes in microorganisms by mediating nutrient transport across membranes, electron transfer during photosynthesis and respiration, enzyme activity and gene expression. Moreover, the recent advances in magnetic field application for microbial fermentation and conversion in biochemical, food and agricultural fields have been summarized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] TRIM71 is an RNA-binding protein with ubiquitin ligase activity. Numerous functions of mammalian TRIM71, including cell cycle regulation, embryonic stem cell (ESC) self-renewal, and reprogramming of pluripotent stem cells, are related to its RNA-binding property. We previously reported that a long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) Trincr1 interacts with mouse TRIM71 (mTRIM71) to repress FGF/ERK pathway in mouse ESCs (mESCs). Herein, we identify an RNA motif specifically recognized by mTRIM71 from Trincr1 RNA, and solve the crystal structure of the NHL domain of mTRIM71 complexed with the RNA motif. Similar to the zebrafish TRIM71, mTRIM71 binds to a stem-loop structured RNA fragment of Trincr1, and an adenosine base at the loop region is crucial for the mTRIM71 interaction. We map similar hairpin RNAs preferably bound by TRIM71 in the mRNA UTRs of the cell-cycle related genes regulated by TRIM71. Furthermore, we identify key residues of mTRIM71, conserved among mammalian TRIM71 proteins, required for the RNA-binding property. Single-site mutations of these residues significantly impair the binding of TRIM71 to hairpin RNAs in vitro and to mRNAs of Cdkn1a/p21 and Rbl2/p130 in mESCs. Furthermore, congenital hydrocephalus (CH) specific mutation of mTRIM71 impair its binding to the RNA targets as well. These results reveal molecular mechanism behind the recognition of RNA by mammalian TRIM71 and provide insights into TRIM71 related diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease characterized by epidermal hyperproliferation, aberrant differentiation of keratinocytes, and dysregulated immune responses. WW domain-containing oxidoreductase (WWOX) is a non-classical tumor suppressor gene that regulates multiple cellular processes, including proliferation, apoptosis, and migration. This study aimed to explore the possible role of WWOX in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that the expression of WWOX was increased in epidermal keratinocytes of both human psoriatic lesions and imiquimod-induced mice psoriatic model. Immortalized human epidermal keratinocytes were transduced with a recombinant adenovirus expressing microRNA specific for WWOX to downregulate its expression. Inflammatory responses were detected using Western blotting, real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. In human epidermal keratinocytes, WWOX knockdown reduced nuclear factor-kappa B signaling and levels of proinflammatory cytokines induced by polyinosinic: polycytidylic acid [(poly(I:C)] in vitro. Furthermore, calcium chelator and protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitors significantly reduced poly(I:C)-induced inflammatory reactions. WWOX plays a role in the inflammatory reaction of epidermal keratinocytes by regulating calcium and PKC signaling. Targeting WWOX could be a novel therapeutic approach for psoriasis in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: GRAS is a family of plant-specific transcription factors (TFs) that play a vital role in plant growth and development and response to adversity stress. However, systematic studies of the GRAS TF family in kiwifruit have not been reported. Results: In this study, we used a bioinformatics approach to identify eighty-six AcGRAS TFs located on twenty-six chromosomes and phylogenetic analysis classified them into ten subfamilies. It was found that the gene structure is relatively conserved for these genes and that fragmental duplication is the prime force for the evolution of AcGRAS genes. However, the promoter region of the AcGRAS genes mainly contains cis-acting elements related to hormones and environmental stresses, similar to the results of GO and KEGG enrichment analysis, suggesting that hormone signaling pathways of the AcGRAS family play a vital role in regulating plant growth and development and adversity stress. Protein interaction network analysis showed that the AcGRAS51 protein is a relational protein linking DELLA, SCR, and SHR subfamily proteins. The results demonstrated that 81 genes were expressed in kiwifruit AcGRAS under salt stress, including 17 differentially expressed genes, 13 upregulated, and four downregulated. This indicates that the upregulated AcGRAS55, AcGRAS69, AcGRAS86 and other GRAS genes can reduce the salt damage caused by kiwifruit plants by positively regulating salt stress, thus improving the salt tolerance of the plants. Conclusions: These results provide a theoretical basis for future exploration of the characteristics and functions of more AcGRAS genes. This study provides a basis for further research on kiwifruit breeding for resistance to salt stress. RT-qPCR analysis showed that the expression of 3 AcGRAS genes was elevated under salt stress, indicating that AcGRAS exhibited a specific expression pattern under salt stress conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Manipulating the dispersibility and reactivity of two-dimensional nanomaterials in collagen fibers (CFs) matrix has aroused attention in the fabrication of multifunctional collagen-based nanocomposites. Here, α‑zirconium phosphate nanoplatelets (ZrP NPs) were surface-functionalized with gallic acid (GA) to afford ZrP–GA NPs for engineering CFs matrix. The influence of ZrP–GA NPs on the ultraviolet barrier, antibacterial, and flame-retardant properties of resultant CFs matrix were investigated. Microstructural analysis revealed that ZrP–GA NPs were dispersed and bound within the collagen fibrils and onto the collagen strands in the CFs matrix. The resultant CFs matrix also maintained typical D -periodic structures of collagen fibrils and native branching and interwoven structures of CFs networks with increased porosity and enhanced ultraviolet barrier properties. Inhibition zone testing presented excellent antibacterial activities of the CFs matrix owing to surface grafting of antibacterial GA. Thanks to enhanced dispersion and binding of ZrP NPs with the CFs matrix by surface-functionalization with GA, the resultant CFs matrix reduced the peak heat release rate and the total heat release by 42.9 % and 39.0 %, respectively, highlighting improved flame-retardant properties. We envision that two-dimensional nanomaterials possess great potential in developing reasonable collagen-based nanocomposites towards the manufacture of emergent multifunctional collagen fibers-based wearable electronics. [Display omitted] • Modification of the collagen fiber matrix has been conducted by GA-functionalized ZrP NPs. • ZrP–GA NPs can be successfully fabricated via covalently surface-grafting reactions. • The NPs can be evenly dispersed and bound within the resultant collagen fiber matrix. • UV barrier, antibacterial and flame-retardant properties of collagen fiber matrix are improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing advanced nanofiltration membranes (NFMs) for inorganic salt ions separation remains a significant challenge in the value-added process of water treatment. Herein, we engineered a highly permeable-selective TA/Fe/Ca/PA-p NFM through a novel strategy for the interfacial polymerization (IP) regulated by the dynamic polyphenol-metal coordination. Interestingly, the dynamic coordination occurred after the substrate surface was first modified with tannic acid (TA) and Fe3+ and then coated with an aqueous phase solution containing piperazine (PIP) and Ca2+. In this process, the coordination competition between Fe3+ and Ca2+ for TA and the conversion of TA/Fe3+ bis-complex into tris-complex were conducive to forming more uniform TA/Fe/Ca complex on the substrate surface. Meanwhile, TA can also perform Michael addition with PIP to control the diffusion of PIP to the organic phase. Following the IP reaction, the nascent TA/Fe/Ca/PA NFM underwent post-treatment in a sodium citrate (SC) solution to dissociate the TA/Fe/Ca complex by further applying the dynamic coordination, resulting in a crumpled and thinner separation layer with desirable surface properties. The optimized TA/Fe2/Ca/PA-p NFM exhibited a pure water permeability of 36.1 L m−2 h−1⋅bar−1, nearly 2.4 times higher than that of the original PA NFM. Correspondingly, the Na 2 SO 4 rejection reached 99.4 % and its Cl−/SO 4 2− separation factor was 118.3. This outstanding permselectivity was mainly attributed to the decreased mass transfer resistance, the expanded effective permeability area, and the increased negative charge on the membrane surface. Additionally, the TA/Fe2/Ca/PA-p NFM was endowed with good operational stability, pressure resistance, and antifouling performance. This eco-friendly and cost-effective approach paves the way for fabricating high-performance NFMs and demonstrates the great potential of dynamic polyphenol-metal coordination in water treatment. [Display omitted] • An advanced PA NFM was regulated by the dynamic polyphenol-metal coordination. • Dynamic coordination includes the competition, conversion and dissociation of complexes. • A crumpled and thinner separation layer with desirable surface properties was constructed. • The NFM exhibited high permeability and high Cl−/SO 4 2− selectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]