Search

Summary: Plants delicately regulate endogenous auxin levels through the coordination of transport, biosynthesis, and inactivation, which is crucial for growth and development. While it is well‐established that the actin cytoskeleton can regulate auxin levels by affecting polar transport, its potential role in auxin biosynthesis has remained largely unexplored.Using LC–MS/MS‐based methods combined with fluorescent auxin marker detection, we observed a significant increase in root auxin levels upon deletion of the actin bundling proteins AtFIM4 and AtFIM5. Fluorescent observation, immunoblotting analysis, and biochemical approaches revealed that AtFIM4 and AtFIM5 affect the protein abundance of the key auxin synthesis enzyme YUC8 in roots.AtFIM4 and AtFIM5 regulate the auxin synthesis enzyme YUC8 at the protein level, with its degradation mediated by the 26S proteasome. This regulation modulates auxin synthesis and endogenous auxin levels in roots, consequently impacting root development. Based on these findings, we propose a molecular pathway centered on the 'actin cytoskeleton‐26S proteasome‐YUC8‐auxin' axis that controls auxin levels.Our findings shed light on a new pathway through which plants regulate auxin synthesis. Moreover, this study illuminates a newfound role of the actin cytoskeleton in regulating plant growth and development, particularly through its involvement in maintaining protein homeostasis via the 26S proteasome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In double‐stranded DNA, a rapid deprotonation of guanine radical cation (G•+) hinders the long‐distance transfer of positive charge (hole). It is significant to explore the proton transfer of G•+ for designing other DNA structures with high electrical conductivity. The deprotonation of G•+ is explored in the 1H2O, 2H2O, 3H2O, and 9H2O models by quantum mechanics (QM) method. The results indicate that the second hydration shell facilitates proton transfer. The QM/molecular mechanics (MM) (ABEEM) method accurately simulates polarization and charge transfer effects through the implementation of the reactive valence‐state electronegativity piecewise functions and setting local charge conservation conditions. The QM/MM(ABEEM) method has been developed to investigate the 9H2O model. The obtained activation energy (16.3 ± 0.8 kJ/mol) through molecular dynamics simulations is consistent with experimental data (15.1 ± 1.5 kJ/mol), demonstrating the accuracy of the QM/MM(ABEEM) method in simulating proton transfer in the DNA system. The deprotonation rate of G•+ in the free base (1.5 × 107 s−1) is faster than that of G•+ within double‐stranded DNA (106–107 s−1), which indicates that the free G base is an avoidable participant when designing hole transfer carrier due to its rapid deprotonation rate. Concurrently, the relationship between the proton transfer distance and potential barrier is monotone increasing, meaning that the long‐range proton transfer corresponds to high energy barrier. The molecule involved in long‐range proton transfer of G•+ is more suitable as DNA electronic devices. This research provides valuable microscopic insight into deprotonation to advance the advancement of DNA structures with high electrical conductivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leveler is one of the most important organic additives in copper electroplating for microvia filling. To enhance the microvia filling efficiency and reduce the bath control difficulty, novel levelers with high filling performance and wide application concentration range has long been pursued. Herein, a novel leveler named L1 with four pyrrolidine rings linked by a pentaerythritol backbone is designed and synthesized. Compared with the previously reported leveler TPM-1, L1 shares the same nitrogen-containing group but has an additional pyrrolidine ring. The structure-property relationship of L1 is thoroughly characterized by electrochemical measurements, theoretical calculations, and electroplating experiments. Results show that with one more positively charged ammonium groups, L1 exhibits stronger interactions with Cl− and the accelerator SPS compared to TPM-1. However, due to the variation of the connecting group, its interaction with the suppressor PEG is much weaker. With L1 as the leveler, both good microvia filling performance and high-quality copper deposition was obtained within a wide concentration range. The findings indicate that L1 is a very promising leveler for microvia filling copper electroplating, and both nitrogen-containing groups and linking groups in a leveler significantly influence its properties and performances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A convenient and sensitive dual-signal visualization method is constructed for detection of trivalent chromium ions (Cr3+) based on fluorescent carbon dots (CDs) and glutathione-modified gold nanoparticles (GSH-Au NPs). The fluorescence of CDs can be quenched by GSH-Au NPs due to the inner filter effect. Cr3+ induces aggregation of GSH-Au NPs because of the coordination with GSH on the surface of Au NPs, leading to the red shift of surface plasmon resonance absorption of Au NPs that provides a "turn-on" fluorescence and colorimetric assay for Cr3+. The fluorescence/colorimetric dual signal detection shows high sensitivity for Cr3+ with wide detection linear ranges (0.5–70 μM for fluorescence detection and 2–50 μM for colorimetric detection) and low detection limits (0.31 μM for fluorescence detection and 0.30 μM for colorimetric detection). Besides, the method has high selectivity for Cr3+ and can be used for detection of Cr3+ in lake water and tap water samples, showing great potential for visual detection of environmental Cr3+. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clinically, chronic pain and depression often coexist in multiple diseases and reciprocally reinforce each other, which greatly escalates the difficulty of treatment. The neural circuit mechanism underlying the chronic pain/depression comorbidity remains unclear. The present study reports that two distinct subregions in the paraventricular thalamus (PVT) play different roles in this pathological process. In the first subregion PVT posterior (PVP), glutamatergic neurons (PVPGlu) send signals to GABAergic neurons (VLPAGGABA) in the ventrolateral periaqueductal gray (VLPAG), which mediates painful behavior in comorbidity. Meanwhile, in another subregion PVT anterior (PVA), glutamatergic neurons (PVAGlu) send signals to the nucleus accumbens D1‐positive neurons and D2‐positive neurons (NAcD1→D2), which is involved in depression‐like behavior in comorbidity. This study demonstrates that the distinct thalamo‐subcortical circuits PVPGlu→VLPAGGABA and PVAGlu→NAcD1→D2 mediated painful behavior and depression‐like behavior following spared nerve injury (SNI), respectively, which provides the circuit‐based potential targets for preventing and treating comorbidity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precise synapse elimination is essential for the establishment of a fully developed neural circuit during brain development and higher function in adult brain. Beyond immune and nutrition support, recent groundbreaking studies have revealed that phagocytic microglia and astrocytes can actively and selectively eliminate synapses in normal and diseased brains, thereby mediating synapse loss and maintaining circuit homeostasis. Multiple lines of evidence indicate that the mechanisms of synapse elimination by phagocytic glia are not universal but rather depend on specific contexts and detailed neuron–glia interactions. The mechanism of synapse elimination by phagocytic glia is dependent on neuron-intrinsic factors and many innate immune and local apoptosis-related molecules. During development, microglial synapse engulfment in the visual thalamus is primarily influenced by the classic complement pathway, whereas in the barrel cortex, the fractalkine pathway is dominant. In Alzheimer's disease, microglia employ complement-dependent mechanisms for synapse engulfment in tauopathy and early β-amyloid pathology, but microglia are not involved in synapse loss at late β-amyloid stages. Phagocytic microglia also engulf synapses in a complement-dependent way in schizophrenia, anxiety, and stress. In addition, phagocytic astrocytes engulf synapses in a MEGF10-dependent way during visual development, memory, and stroke. Furthermore, the mechanism of a phenomenon that phagocytes selectively eliminate excitatory and inhibitory synapses is also emphasized in this review. We hypothesize that elucidating context-dependent synapse elimination by phagocytic microglia and astrocytes may reveal the molecular basis of synapse loss in neural disorders and provide a rationale for developing novel candidate therapies that target synapse loss and circuit homeostasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ferritin, a key regulator of iron homeostasis in macrophages, has been reported to confer host defenses against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection. Nuclear receptor coactivator 4 (NCOA4) was recently identified as a cargo receptor in ferritin degradation. Here, we show that Mtb infection enhanced NCOA4-mediated ferritin degradation in macrophages, which in turn increased the bioavailability of iron to intracellular Mtb and therefore promoted bacterial growth. Of clinical relevance, the upregulation of FTH1 in macrophages was associated with tuberculosis (TB) disease progression in humans. Mechanistically, Mtb infection enhanced NCOA4-mediated ferritin degradation through p38/AKT1- and TRIM21-mediated proteasomal degradation of HERC2, an E3 ligase of NCOA4. Finally, we confirmed that NCOA4 deficiency in myeloid cells expedites the clearance of Mtb infection in a murine model. Together, our findings revealed a strategy by which Mtb hijacks host ferritin metabolism for its own intracellular survival. Therefore, this represents a potential target for host-directed therapy against tuberculosis., Introduction A variety of mechanisms have evolved in mammalian cells to control intracellular pathogens. For example, preventing intracellular pathogens from accessing iron, an essential nutrient for both host and pathogen, [...]

Scaling is the most commonly used technique to artificially propagate lilies. Scales from different positions of the donor bulb vary in regeneration efficiency; however, the mechanism underlying bulblet formation remains unclear. To investigate the relationship between scale morphological characteristics, initial nutrient status and bulblet regeneration capacities during scale propagation of Lilium, we performed comprehensive morphological and correlation analyses using scales from three lily cultivars. Principal component analysis clearly distinguished middle scale (MS) from outer scale (OS) by morphological characteristics alone. Morphological results indicated that MS and OS differ significantly in terms of scale width, facial area, basal area, volume, length-to-width ratio and width-to-thickness ratio. Correlation analysis showed that scale width was significantly positively correlated with both the quantity and quality of regenerated bulblets. Among the cultivars, starch and soluble sugars accounted for 50–80% of scale DW. And a higher initial ratio of sucrose to starch in scales was more conducive to the bulblets formation. Although light had no effect on the incidence of bulblets, the formation of bulblets was positively enhanced, and better morphological consistency was obtained. This present study achieved a comprehensive morphological and nutritional analysis focused on bulblet formation capacities of scales from different positions of lily bulbs via scaling propagation, laying a foundation for future molecular studies on bulblet formation.

Objective To establish an ion chromatography method for the salt form determination of new psychoactive substances （NPS）. Methods The method of conducting qualitative and quantitative analysis of six types of organic acid ions （acetate ion, tartrate ion, maleate ion, oxalate ion, fumarate ion, citrate ion） and five types of inorganic anions （fluoride ion, chloride ion, nitrate ion, sulfate ion, phosphate ion） in NPS sample by ion chromatography was developed. The salt forms of 222 seized NPS samples （103 samples with synthetic cannabinoids, 81 samples with cathinones, 44 samples with phenylethylamines, 12 samples with tryptamines, 7 samples with phencyclidines, 6 samples with piperazines, 2 samples with aminoindenes, 26 samples with fentanyls and 43 samples with other types of NPS） were analyzed by this method. Results Each anion had good linearity in the corresponding linear range, the correlation coefficients （r） were greater than 0.999, the limits of detection were 0.01-0.05 mg/L, and the limits of quantitative were 0.1-0.5 mg/L. Except that 5F-BEPIRAPIM was hydrochloride, the salt forms of the other 102 synthetic cannabinoids were all base. The salt form of 81 cathinone samples, 44 phenylethylamine samples, 7 phencyclidine samples and 2 aminoindene samples were all hydrochloride. The salt forms of tryptamine samples included base, hydrochloride, fumarate and oxalate. The salt forms of piperazine samples included base and hydrochloride. The salt forms of fentanyl samples and samples of other types included base, hydrochloride and citrate. Conclusion Ion chromatography is a simple, accurate and efficient method for determining the salt form of NPS samples, which makes the qualitative and quantitative conclusions of NPS more scientific and rigorous.

This paper reviewed the clinical data of a patient with sleep disorder caused by insomnia. Based on the psychological, physical and social assessment, the Traditional Chinese Medicine techniques acupoint massage combined with ginger-partitioned moxibustion were conducted to improve the sleep quality of the patient. Comprehensive nursing interventions such as basic nursing, dietary management, emotional care were carried out during the treatment. (本文回顾1例因失眠导致睡眠紊乱患者的临床资料, 总结穴位按摩联合隔姜灸的干预效果和相关护理经验。在心理、生理、社会评估的基础上, 医护人员采用中医特色护理技术穴位按摩联合隔物灸进行干预, 同时配合实施常规护理、饮食护理、情志护理等综合干预措施, 有效改善患者失眠症状。)

As a heat storage method with high heat storage density, long storage time and long transportation distance, the chemical heat storage has been widely studied in recent years. This article firstly summarized the basic principles and research progress of several existing solid-gas two-phase chemical heat storage reaction systems, mainly involving the metal hydroxide reaction, metal oxide reaction, carbonate reaction, and hydration salt reaction. Then, according to the moving state of solid phase reactant in the reactor, the reactor was divided into three types: the fixed bed reactor, fluidized bed reactor and moving bed reactor. Moreover, their research progress was summarized respectively. Finally, based on the current deficiencies in the research of chemical heat storage, the future development trend of chemical heat storage was analyzed. At present, the storage still needs further research, and there are still technical difficulties in strengthening and matching the chemical reaction rate and heat transfer. The cyclic stability of chemical heat storage under long-term operation condition still needs to be further explored.

To investigate the effects of chronic restraint stress on cognition and the probable molecular mechanism in mice.

The university-city relations are changing along with the engagement of universities in public service beyond teaching and research and the dependence of cities on networks rather than enclosure to promote urban competitiveness. Taking China as an example, this article discusses the challenges and tensions of university-city interaction in the knowledge society at the global, national, and local scales. At the global scale, there is mutual selection between universities and cities, which results in the polarized concentration of competitive universities in competitive cities. At the national scale, the retreat of the state in public service provision and the diffused entrepreneurship in the market leads to university-city coalitions with overlapping institutional spheres and institutional ambiguity. At the local scale, the campuses of urban universities are often planned in a de-urbanized way to meet the broader urban requirement. To ease such university-city tensions, it calls for the differentiation of development strategies, the institutionalization of entrepreneurial coalitions, and an operational definition of urban university.

Urbanization profoundly impacts the global carbon cycle and climate change. Many studies have shown that both urban vitality and urban carbon emissions are deeply affected by spatial planning and city structure. However, the specific relationship between urban vitality and urban carbon emissions is rarely studied. An index system of urban vitality was established from four aspects: social, economic, cultural, and environmental. After analyzing the spatial distribution characteristics of urban vitality combined with spatial syntax and the TOPSIS model, this paper further investigated the influence of urban vitality-building factors on the distribution of urban carbon emissions based on the Geodetector method. The research results show that: (1) Xuzhou shows obvious spatial differences in urban vitality, mainly decreasing from the center to the surrounding areas, with a small vitality center in the northeast. (2) The impact of different dimensions of vitality on urban carbon emissions is apparently different. (3) Facilities’ aggregation has the weakest explanatory power for urban carbon emissions, while the NDVI has the highest explanatory power. This study helps to clarify the spatial correlation and influence mechanism between urban vitality and urban carbon emissions. Finally, some suggestions are proposed to construct low-carbon and high-vitality cities.