Fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase 1 dephosphorylates and inhibits TERT for tumor suppression.

Telomere dysfunction is intricately linked to the aging process and stands out as a prominent cancer hallmark. Here we demonstrate that telomerase activity is differentially regulated in cancer and normal cells depending on the expression status of fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase 1 (FBP1). In FBP1-expressing cells, FBP1 directly interacts with and dephosphorylates telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) at Ser227. Dephosphorylated TERT fails to translocate into the nucleus, leading to the inhibition of telomerase activity, reduction in telomere lengths, enhanced senescence and suppressed tumor cell proliferation and growth in mice. Lipid nanoparticle-mediated delivery of FBP1 mRNA inhibits liver tumor growth. Additionally, FBP1 expression levels inversely correlate with TERT pSer227 levels in renal and hepatocellular carcinoma specimens and with poor prognosis of the patients. These findings demonstrate that FBP1 governs cell immortality through its protein phosphatase activity and uncover a unique telomerase regulation in tumor cells attributed to the downregulation or deficiency of FBP1 expression.

A single post-exposure oxime RS194B treatment rapidly reactivates acetylcholinesterase and reverses acute symptoms in macaques exposed to diethylphosphorothioate parathion and chlorpyrifos insecticides.

Millions of individuals globally suffer from inadvertent, occupational or self-harm exposures from organophosphate (OP) insecticides, significantly impacting human health. Similar to nerve agents, insecticides are neurotoxins that target and inhibit acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in central and peripheral synapses in the cholinergic nervous system. Post-exposure therapeutic countermeasures generally include administration of atropine with an oxime to reactivate the OP-inhibited AChE. However, animal model studies and recent clinical trials using insecticide-poisoned individuals have shown minimal clinical benefits of the currently approved oximes and their efficacy as antidotes has been debated. Currently used oximes either reactivate poorly, do not readily cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB), or are rapidly cleared from the circulation and must be repeatedly administered. Zwitterionic oximes of unbranched and simplified structure, for example RS194B, have been developed that efficiently cross the BBB resulting in reactivation of OP-inhibited AChE and dramatic reversal of severe clinical symptoms in mice and macaques exposed to OP insecticides or nerve agents. Thus, a single IM injection of RS194B has been shown to rapidly restore blood AChE and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) activity, reverse cholinergic symptoms, and prevent death in macaques following lethal inhaled sarin and paraoxon exposure. The present macaque studies extend these findings and assess the ability of post-exposure RS194B treatment to counteract oral poisoning by highly toxic diethylphosphorothioate insecticides such as parathion and chlorpyrifos. These OPs require conversion by P450 in the liver of the inactive thions to the active toxic oxon forms, and once again demonstrated RS194B efficacy to reactivate and alleviate clinical symptoms within 60 mins of a single IM administration. Furthermore, when delivered orally, the Tmax of RS194B at 1-2 h was in the same range as those administered IM but were maintained in the circulation for longer periods greatly facilitating the use of RS194B as a non-invasive treatment, especially in isolated rural settings.

Excellent Nonlinear Optical M[M4 Cl][Ga11 S20 ] (M = A/Ba, A = K, Rb) Achieved by Unusual Cationic Substitution Strategy.

The typical chalcopyrite AgGaQ2 (Q = S, Se) are commercial infrared (IR) second-order nonlinear optical (NLO) materials; however, they suffer from unexpected laser-induced damage thresholds (LIDTs) primairy due to their narrow band gaps. Herein, what sets this apart from previously reported chemical substitutions is the utilization of an unusual cationic substitution strategy, represented by [[SZn4 ]S12 + [S4 Zn13 ]S24 + 11ZnS4 ⇒ MS12 + [M4 Cl]S24 + 11GaS4 ], in which the covalent Sx Zny units in the diamond-like sphalerite ZnS are synergistically replaced by cationic Mx Cly units, resulting in two novel salt-inclusion sulfides, M[M4 Cl][Ga11 S20 ] (M = A/Ba, A = K, 1; Rb, 2). As expected, the introduction of mixed cations in the GaS4 anionic frameworks of 1 and 2 leads to wide band gaps (3.04 and 3.01 eV), which exceeds the value of AgGaS2 , facilitating the improvement of high LIDTs (9.4 and 10.3 × AgGaS2 @1.06 µm, respectively). Furthermore, compounds 1 and 2 exhibit moderate second-harmonic generation intensities (0.84 and 0.78 × AgGaS2 @2.9 µm, respectively), mainly originating from the orderly packing tetrahedral GaS4 units. Importantly, this study demonstrates the successful application of the cationic substitution strategy based on diamond-like structures to provide a feasible chemical design insight for constructing high-performance NLO materials.

Pretreatment prediction for IVF outcomes: generalized applicable model or centre-specific model?

STUDY QUESTION: What was the performance of different pretreatment prediction models for IVF, which were developed based on UK/US population (McLernon 2016 model, Luke model, Dhillon model, and McLernon 2022 model), in wider populations? SUMMARY ANSWER: For a patient in China, the published pretreatment prediction models based on the UK/US population provide similar discriminatory power with reasonable AUCs and underestimated predictions. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: Several pretreatment prediction models for IVF allow patients and clinicians to estimate the cumulative probability of live birth in a cycle before the treatment, but they are mostly based on the population of Europe or the USA, and their performance and applicability in the countries and regions beyond these regions are largely unknown. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION: A total of 26 382 Chinese patients underwent oocyte pick-up cycles between January 2013 and December 2020. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS: UK/US model performance was externally validated according to the coefficients and intercepts they provided. Centre-specific models were established with XGboost, Lasso, and generalized linear model algorithms. Discriminatory power and calibration of the models were compared as the forms of the AUC of the Receiver Operator Characteristic and calibration curves. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE: The AUCs for McLernon 2016 model, Luke model, Dhillon model, and McLernon 2022 model were 0.69 (95% CI 0.68-0.69), 0.67 (95% CI 0.67-0.68), 0.69 (95% CI 0.68-0.69), and 0.67 (95% CI 0.67-0.68), respectively. The centre-specific yielded an AUC of 0.71 (95% CI 0.71-0.72) with key predictors including age, duration of infertility, and endocrine parameters. All external models suggested underestimation. Among the external models, the rescaled McLernon 2022 model demonstrated the best calibration (Slope 1.12, intercept 0.06). LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION: The study is limited by its single-centre design and may not be representative elsewhere. Only per-complete cycle validation was carried out to provide a similar framework to compare different models in the sample population. Newer predictors, such as AMH, were not used. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS: Existing pretreatment prediction models for IVF may be used to provide useful discriminatory power in populations different from those on which they were developed. However, models based on newer more relevant datasets may provide better calibrations. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S): This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [grant number 22176159], the Xiamen Medical Advantage Subspecialty Construction Project [grant number 2018296], and the Special Fund for Clinical and Scientific Research of Chinese Medical Association [grant number 18010360765]. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: N/A.

A Rare Earth Chalcogenide Nonlinear Optical Crystal KLaGeS4: Achieving Good Balance among Band Gap, Second Harmonic Generation Effect, and Birefringence.

Midinfrared nonlinear optical (NLO) rare earth chalcogenides have attracted extensive research interest in recent several decades. Employing charge-transfer engineering strategy in the early stage, rigid tetrahedral [GeS4] was introduced into rare-earth sulfides to synthesize KYGeS4, which had an enlarged band gap while maintaining a strong second harmonic generation (SHG) effect. Based on KYGeS4, La was equivalently substituted to successfully synthesize KLaGeS4 with a stronger SHG effect (dij = 1.2 × AgGaS2) and lower cost. Meanwhile, a larger band gap (Eg = 3.34 eV) was retained and realized phase matching (Δn = 0.098 @ 1064 nm). KLaGeS4 enabled an effective balance among band gap, SHG effect, and birefringence, making it a promising candidate for infrared NLO optical materials among various rare-earth sulfides.

Reversed-Phase Medium-Pressure Liquid Chromatography Purification of Omega-3 Fatty Acid Ethyl Esters Using AQ-C18.

Omega-3 fatty acids are in high demand due to their efficacy in treating hypertriglyceridemia and preventing cardiovascular diseases. However, the growth of the industry is hampered by low purity and insufficient productivity. This study aims to develop an efficient RP-MPLC purification method for omega-3 fatty acid ethyl esters with high purity and capacity. The results indicate that the AQ-C18 featuring polar end-capped silanol groups outperformed C18 and others in retention time and impurity separation. By injecting pure fish oil esters with a volume equivalent to a 1.25% bed volume on an AQ-C18 MPLC column using a binary isocratic methanol-water (90:10, v:v) mobile phase at 30 mL/min, optimal omega-3 fatty acid ethyl esters were obtained, with the notable purity of 90.34% and a recovery rate of 74.30%. The total content of EPA and DHA produced increased from 67.91% to 85.27%, meeting the acceptance criteria of no less than 84% set by the 2020 edition of the Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China. In contrast, RP-MPLC significantly enhanced the production efficiency per unit output compared to RP-HPLC. This study demonstrates a pioneering approach to producing omega-3 fatty acid ethyl esters with high purity and of greater quantity using AQ-C18 RP-MPLC, showing this method's significant potential for use in industrial-scale manufacturing.

Indications affect neonatal outcomes following early rescue ICSI: a retrospective study.

PURPOSE: To investigate the impact of heterogeneity in patient indications or insemination protocols on neonatal outcomes of singletons following early rescue ICSI (rICSI) treatments. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted. Propensity score matching and multivariable logistic regression were used to adjust for confounders and biases. RESULTS: A total of 9095 IVF patients, 2063 ICSI patients, and 642 early rICSI patients were included in the study. No differences were detected in neonatal outcomes except small for gestational age (SGA) which increased in early rICSI patients compared with both unmatched and matched IVF groups with the risk ratio (RR) of 1.31 (95% CI: 1.05, 1.64) and 1.49 (95% CI: 1.05, 2.12). Further analysis showed that SGA increased significantly in partial fertilization failure (PFF) cycles with RRs of 1.56 (95% CI: 1.08, 2.27) and 1.78 (95% CI: 1.22, 2.59) compared with both unmatched and matched IVF patients but not in TFF patients. A positive association between fertilization rate via IVF and birth weight z-score was revealed in the PFF patients. CONCLUSION: Early rICSI in patients with total fertilization failure (TFF) appeared to be safe in terms of neonatal outcomes. However, when expanding the indications of rICSI to PFF patients, the SGA in the offspring increased, suggesting a potential effect on long-term health. Since other treatment options, such as using only the IVF-origin embryos still exist for these patients, further studies were needed to confirm the optimal decision for these patients.

Does cleavage stage morphology increase the discriminatory power of prediction in blastocyst transfer outcome?

PURPOSE: To evaluate the contribution of the cleavage stage morphological parameters to the prediction of blastocyst transfer outcomes. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted on 8383 single-blastocyst transfer cycles including 2246 fresh and 6137 vitrified-warmed cycles. XGboost, LASSO, and GLM algorithms were employed to establish models for assessing the predictive value of the cleavage stage morphological parameters in transfer outcomes. Four models were developed using each algorithm: all-in model with or without day 3 morphology and embryo quality-only model with or without day 3 morphology. RESULTS: The live birth rate was 48.04% in the overall cohort. The AUCs of the models with the algorithm of XGboost were 0.83, 0.82, 0.63, and 0.60; with LASSO were 0.66, 0.66, 0.61, and 0.60; and with GLM were 0.66, 0.66, 0.61, and 0.60 respectively. In models 1 and 2, female age, basal FSH, peak E2, endometrial thickness, and female BMI were the top five critical features for predicting live birth; In models 3 and 4, the most crucial factor was blastocyst formation on D5 rather than D6. In model 3, incorporating cleavage stage morphology, including early cleavage, D3 cell number, and fragmentation, was significantly associated with successful live birth. Additionally, the live birth rates for blastocysts derived from on-time, slow, and fast D3 embryos were 49.7%, 39.5%, and 52%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The value of cleavage stage morphological parameters in predicting the live birth outcome of single blastocyst transfer is limited.

Disentangling the effects of geographic distance, environment and history on beta diversity of freshwater fish at a biogeographical crossroads.

Examining assemblage turnover and variation along geographic and environmental distances is a useful approach to evaluate beta diversity patterns and associated driving mechanisms. However, such studies are relatively limited in freshwater systems. Here, we compared the relationships between freshwater fish beta diversity and geographic distances among 165 hydrological units (HUs) in four zoogeographical regions (PA, Palearctic Region; CA, High Central Asia; EA, East Asia, SA, South Asia) across China and adjacent areas. This area can be considered a biogeographical crossroads, where faunal composition shares elements with different biogeographic and evolutionary origins. We found a considerably high level of between-HU overall dissimilarity (ßsor, range from ca. 0.60 to 0.85) in all four regions, mainly due to the turnover component (the relative contribution of ßsim to ßsor ranged from 60% to 90%). In general, ßsor and ßsim both significantly increased with geographic distance (except in PA), whereas the nestedness-resultant component (ßsne) decreased with geographic distance. The intercepts and slopes of the relationships between dissimilarities and distance (RDDs) both varied significantly among the four regions. The intercepts of ßsor and ßsim were both highest in SA, followed by CA, PA and EA, implying different levels of fish faunal heterogeneity at short distances. In contrast, the slopes of these two dissimilarities followed the decreasing trend from EA > CA > SA > PA, suggesting different environmental suitability and dispersal ability of fish species among regions. Variation partitioning in distance-based redundancy analysis showed that the spatial and historical factors were more important than area-heterogeneity and energy factors across all HUs and within three individual ecoregions (EA, SA and CA), but spatial factors were non-significant in PA. Our study highlighted the usefulness of RDDs in understanding biogeographical patterns and enhancing the biodiversity conservation of freshwater fishes.

Effect of enzymatic Maillard reaction conditions on physicochemical properties, nutrition, fatty acids composition and key aroma compounds of fragrant rapeseed oil.

BACKGROUND: A new enzymatic hydrolysis-based process inspired by the Maillard reaction can produce strong flavored, high-value rapeseed oil that meets safety requirements. In the present study, the effect of reaction time (10-30 min) and temperature (130-160 °C) on the physicochemical properties, nutritional status, fatty acids composition and key aroma compounds of fragrant rapeseed oil (FRO) was investigated. RESULTS: An increasing reaction time and temperature substantially decreased the total tocopherol, polyphenol and sterol contents of FRO, but increased benzo[a]pyrene content, as well as the acid and peroxide values, which did not exceed the European Union legislation limit. Among the volatile components, 2,5-dimethyl was the main substance contributing to the barbecue flavor of FRO. The 150 °C for 30 min reaction conditions produced a FRO with a strong, fragrant flavor, with high total tocopherol (560.15 mg kg-1 ), polyphenol (6.82 mg kg-1 ) and sterol (790.65 mg kg-1 ) contents; acceptable acid (1.60 mg g-1 ) and peroxide values (4.78 mg g-1 ); and low benzo[a]pyrene (1.39 mg g-1 ) content. These were the optimal conditions for the enzymatic Maillard reaction, according to the principal component analysis. Furthermore, hierarchical cluster analysis showed that reaction temperature had a stronger effect on FRO than reaction time. CONCLUSION: The optimal enzymatic Maillard reaction conditions for the production of FRO are heating at 150 °C for 30 min. These findings provide new foundations for better understanding the composition and flavor profile of FRO, toward guiding its industrial production. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Array Point Discharge as Enhanced Tandem Excitation Source for Miniaturized Optical Emission Spectrometer.

A new compact tandem excitation source was designed and constructed by using an array point discharge (ArrPD) microplasma for a miniaturized optical emission spectrometer through coupling a hydride generation (HG) unit as a sample introduction device. Three pairs of point discharges were arranged in sequence in a narrow discharge chamber to construct the ArrPD microplasma, for improved excitation capability owing to the serial excitation. Besides, the discharge plasma region was greatly enlarged, therefore, more gaseous analytes could be intercepted to enter into the microplasma for sufficient excitation, for improved excitation efficiency and OES signal. To better understand the effectiveness of the proposed ArrPD source, a new instrument for simultaneous detection of atomic emission and absorption spectral responses was also proposed, designed, and constructed to reveal the excitation and enhancement process in the discharge chamber. Under the optimized conditions, the limits of detection (LODs) of As, Ge, Hg, Pb, Sb, Se, and Sn were 0.7, 0.4, 0.05, 0.7, 0.3, 2, and 0.08 µg L-1, respectively, and the relative standard deviations (RSDs) were all less than 4%. Compared with a commonly used single point discharge microplasma source, the analytical sensitivities of these seven elements were improved by 3-6-fold. Certified Reference Materials (CRMs) were successfully analyzed with this miniaturized spectrometer, which features low power, compactness, portability, and high detectability, and is thereby a great prospect in the field of elemental analytical chemistry.

Selective Heavy Atom Effect-Promoted Photosensitization Colorimetric Detection of Ag+ in Silver Ore Samples.

Analytical methods capable of facile screening of silver ore samples are of vital importance for resource exploration and ore mining. Due to its extreme simplicity, colorimetric detection is desired for silver ore screening, but the analytical sensitivity of existing approaches is typically not sufficient. Here, an Ag+-selective heavy atom effect-promoted photosensitization colorimetric assay was developed. Specifically, Ag+ and dsDNA-staining dye (photosensitizer) were spatially adjoined in close proximity in dsDNA bearing several cytosine (C) mismatches, leading to enhanced 1O2 generation for photosensitized oxidation of chromogenic substrate 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB). Due to the stable C-Ag(I)-C metallo-base pair, the C-C mismatches in dsDNA can selectively capture Ag+, thus allowing highly selective colorimetric detection of Ag+ with a visual limit of quantification (LOQ) as low as 0.2 ng/mL. For ore sample analysis, the visual LOQ was about 2 g/t, which was suitable for colorimetric screening analysis of ores of different values. The accuracy of the proposed method was verified through analyzing both certified reference material and real ore samples, the results of which agreed well with those obtained by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ET-AAS). To facilitate field silver ore screening, acid leaching of the samples was also adopted, and satisfactory analytical accuracy was also obtained at a rough leaching efficiency of 20%.

Phosphonic Acid-Functionalized MIL-53(Al) As an Efficient Sorbent for Trace Rare Earth Elements Preconcentration, Storage and Their Determination by X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry.

In this work, a simple and novel method coupling solid phase extraction (SPE) with X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF) is proposed for the simultaneous determination of 15 kinds of trace rare earth elements (REEs) in water samples. A phosphonic acid functionalized metal-organic framework named BPG-MIL-53(Al) was prepared via postsynthetic modification and served as an efficient adsorbent for these REEs. The prepared BPG-MIL-53(Al) could almost completely adsorb REEs in 5 min under neutral conditions. After filtration, REEs-adsorbed BPG-MIL-53(Al) was deposited on a filter membrane to form a thin film, which was directly analyzed by XRF. The XRF intensities of the REEs-retained MOF disc remained almost unchanged after six months. Taking advantage of this strategy, XRF was able to quantitate ng mL-1 levels of REEs in water samples, achieving impressive limits of detection in the range of 0.4-4.7 ng mL-1. The proposed method was applied to the on-site collection and analysis of REEs in real water samples with desirable accuracy and spike recoveries obtained.

Nonlinear Optical Sulfides LiMGa8 S14 (M = Rb/Ba, Cs/Ba) Created by Li+ Driven 2D Centrosymmetric to 3D Noncentrosymmetric Transformation.

Cations that can regulate the configuration of anion group are greatly important but regularly unheeded. Herein, the structural transformation from 2D CS to 3D noncentrosymmetric (NCS, which is the prerequisite for second-order NLO effect) is rationally designed to newly afford two sulfides LiMGa8 S14 (M = Rb/Ba, 1; Cs/Ba, 2) by introducing the smallest alkali metal Li+ cation into the interlamination of 2D centrosymmetric (CS) RbGaS2 . The unusual frameworks of 1 and 2 are constructed from C2 -type [Ga4 S11 ] supertetrahedrons in a highly parallel arrangement. 1 and 2 display distinguished NLO performances, including strong phase-matchable second-harmonic generation (SHG) intensities (0.8 and 0.9 × AgGaS2 at 1910 nm), wide optical band gaps (3.24 and 3.32 eV), and low coefficient of thermal expansion for favorable laser-induced damage thresholds (LIDTs, 4.7, and 7.6 × AgGaS2 at 1064 nm), which fulfill the criteria of superior NLO candidates (SHG intensity >0.5 × AGS and band gap >3.0 eV). Remarkably, 1 and 2 melt congruently at 873.8 and 870.5 °C, respectively, which endows them with the potential of growing bulk crystals by the Bridgeman-Stockbarge method. This investigated system provides a new avenue for the structural evolution from layered CS to 3D NCS of NLO materials.

Cs4 Zn5 P6 S18 I2 : the Largest Birefringence in Chalcohalide Achieved by Highly Polarizable Nonlinear Optical Functional Motifs.

Chalcohalides not only keep the balance between the nonlinear optical (NLO) coefficient and wide band gap, but also provide a promising solution to achieve sufficient birefringence for phase-matching ability in NLO crystals. In this study, a novel chalcohalide, Cs4 Zn5 P6 S18 I2 (1) is successfully synthesized, by incorporating the highly electropositive Cs and the large electronegative I element into the zinc thiophosphate. Its 3D open framework features an edge-shared by distorted [ZnS4 ], ethanol-like [P2 S6 ], and unusual [ZnS2 I2 ] polyhedrons, which is inconsistent with the soft-hard-acids-bases theory. Remarkably, compound 1 simultaneously exhibits the large second-harmonic generation (SHG, 1.1×AgGaS2 , @1.3 µm) and a wide band gap (3.75 eV) toward a high laser-induced damage threshold (16.7×AgGaS2 , @1.06 µm), satisfying the rigorous requirements for a prominent infrared NLO material with concurrent SHG intensity (≥0.5×AGS) and band gap (≥3.5 eV). Moreover, to the best of the knowledge, the experimental result shows that phase 1 has the largest birefringence (0.108, @546 nm) in chalcohalide and meets phase-matching behavior demand originating from the polarizable anisotropy of NLO-functional motifs. This finding may provide great opportunities for designing birefringent chalcohalides.

Optimal Design of Mid-Infrared Nonlinear-Optical Crystals: From SrZnSnSe4 to SrZnSiSe4.

Improving the laser damage threshold (LDT) of mid-infrared nonlinear-optical (MIR NLO) crystal materials is crucial for their applications in areas such as environmental monitoring and pharmaceutical detection. This paper presents the successful synthesis of SrZnSiSe4, a new MIR NLO crystal material that balances the LDT and second-harmonic-generation (SHG) effects and achieves phase matching. By replacement of Sn with Si in the existing SrZnSnSe4 material, the band gap of the material was increased, resulting in an LDT that is twice that of SrZnSnSe4, while maintaining the 2 × AgGaS2 effect. The SHG and band gap of SrZnSiSe4 derived from the experiments are 2 × AgGaS2 and 1.95 eV. The band gap of SrZnSiSe4 is better than that of SrZnSnSe4 (1.82 eV), and the LDT of SrZnSiSe4 is about twice that of SrZnSnSe4. Moreover, first-nature principal calculations confirm that SrZnSiSe4 can achieve phase matching after 1520 nm with a birefringence of 0.10, making it an excellent candidate for MIR NLO crystals.

Responses of macroinvertebrate functional trait structure to river damming: From within-river to basin-scale patterns.

Revealing how aquatic organisms respond to dam impacts is essential for river biomonitoring and management. Traditional examinations of dam impacts on macroinvertebrate assemblages were frequently conducted within single rivers (i.e., between upstream vs. downstream locations) and based on taxonomic identities but have rarely been expanded to level of entire basins (i.e., between dammed vs. undammed rivers) and from a functional trait perspective. Here, we evaluated the effects of dams on macroinvertebrate assemblages at both the within-river and basin scales using functional traits in two comparable tropical tributaries of the Lancang-Mekong River. At different scales, maximum body size, functional feeding groups (FFG), voltinism and occurrence in drift respond significantly to dam impact. Armoring categories varied significantly between downstream sites and upstream sites, and oviposition behavior, habits and adult life span significantly differed between rivers. The key traits at the within-river scale resembled to those at the between-river scale, suggesting that within-river trait variation could further shape functional trait structure at the basin scale in dammed rivers. Furthermore, water nutrients and habitat quality induced by dams showed the most important role in shaping trait structure, although trait-environment relationships varied between the two different scales. In addition, the trait-environment relationships were stronger in the dry season than in the wet season, suggesting a more important role of environmental filtering processes in the dry season compared with the wet season. This study highlights the utility of the trait-based approach to diagnose the effects of damming and emphasizes the importance of spatial scale to examine dam impacts in riverine systems.

Global Lysine Acetylation and 2-Hydroxyisobutyrylation Profiling Reveals the Metabolism Conversion Mechanism in Giardia lamblia.

Giardia lamblia (G. lamblia) is the cause of giardiasis, a common infection that affects the general population of the world. Despite the constant possibility of damage because of their own metabolism, G. lamblia has survived and evolved to adapt to various environments. However, research on energy-metabolism conversion in G. lamblia is limited. This study aimed to reveal the dynamic metabolism conversion mechanism in G. lamblia under sugar starvation by detecting global lysine acetylation (Kac) and 2-hydroxyisobutyrylation (Khib) sites combined with quantitative proteome analyses. A total of 2999 acetylation sites on 956 proteins and 8877 2-hydroxyisobutyryl sites on 1546 proteins were quantified under sugar starvation. Integrated Kac and Khib data revealed that modified proteins were associated with arginine biosynthesis, glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, and alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolisms. These findings suggest that Kac and Khib were ubiquitous and provide deep insight into the metabolism conversion mechanism in G. lamblia under sugar starvation. Overall, these results can help delineate the biology of G. lamblia infections and reveal the evolutionary rule from prokaryote to eukaryote.

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy long-range detection investigation based on the alternating coupling of a surface plasmonic array and dielectric waveguide.

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is widely used to detect low-concentration samples in biology, medicine, etc. We design and theoretically investigate a SERS sensor with a surface plasmonic array coupled alternately with a dielectric waveguide. The effect of the incident angle on the coupling efficiency of an evanescent field is systematically studied. The results show that the maximum evanescent field coupling efficiency can be obtained at an incident angle of 66°. The proposed SERS sensor has a transmission length of 1.027 cm and a high enhancement performance with an enhancement factor of 1.574×104 at a wavelength of 633 nm. The integration of this SERS sensor with a metal array and a dielectric waveguide prevents the direct illumination of the sample molecules by the excited light. Furthermore, the long-range nondestructive detection of the SERS signals of the low-concentration sample molecules can be achieved.

Association between ambient air pollutants and birthweight of singletons following assisted reproductive technologies.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the associations between exposure to ambient air pollutants and birthweight following ART treatment. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. METHODS: We included 11,599 singletons derived from fresh cycles or frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET) cycles between Jan 2013 and Dec 2019. Exposure to six air pollutants (SO2, NO2, CO, O3, PM2.5, and PM10) at patients` residences and the clinic site were estimated using the inverse distance weighting interpolation method based on data obtained from monitor sites. The daily mean levels of pollutants were estimated in potential exposure windows (the period from three months before treatment to oocyte retrieval, the period of ovarian stimulation, the period of in vitro culture, the period from embryo transfer to hCG test, the period of entire pregnancy, the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd trimester) were calculated. Generalized additive models adjusted for confounders including maternal age, BMI, and parity were used to evaluate the association between exposures and birthweight. Interaction of exposures and ART-associated factors, such as supraphysiologic estradiol and frozen-thawed, were explored in an XGboost model. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Birthweight and z-score of singletons. RESULTS: In fresh cycles, O3 exposure during the period from three months before treatment to oocyte retrieval and SO2 exposure during in vitro culture at the ART clinic showed a linear association with birthweight (7.24, 95% CI: 1.18-13.31 g per 10 µg/m3 increase in O3; 25.92, 95% CI: 8.26-43.58 g per 10 µg/m3 increase in SO2, respectively). For patients receiving single blastocyst transfer with exposures below the China standard of 20 µg/m3, an increase of 10 µg/m3 in SO2 was associated with a 61.52 (95% CI: 1.13-121.91) g increase in birthweight. In FET cycles, no significant association was found between air pollution and birthweight. XGboost model did not reveal a strong interaction between the exposures and ART-related factors, except for the interactions between O3 exposure and BMI. However, none of the interactions reached a higher rank of importance. CONCLUSIONS: Air pollution exposure during ART treatment may affect the birthweight of the offspring.