Pan-genome analysis of 13 Spinacia accessions reveals structural variations associated with sex chromosome evolution and domestication traits in spinach.

Structural variations (SVs) are major genetic variants that can be involved in the origin, adaptation and domestication of species. However, the identification and characterization of SVs in Spinacia species are rare due to the lack of a pan-genome. Here, we report eight chromosome-scale assemblies of cultivated spinach and its two wild species. After integration with five existing assemblies, we constructed a comprehensive Spinacia pan-genome and identified 193 661 pan-SVs, which were genotyped in 452 Spinacia accessions. Our pan-SVs enabled genome-wide association study identified signals associated with sex and clarified the evolutionary direction of spinach. Most sex-linked SVs (86%) were biased to occur on the Y chromosome during the evolution of the sex-linked region, resulting in reduced Y-linked gene expression. The frequency of pan-SVs among Spinacia accessions further illustrated the contribution of these SVs to domestication, such as bolting time and seed dormancy. Furthermore, compared with SNPs, pan-SVs act as efficient variants in genomic selection (GS) because of their ability to capture missing heritability information and higher prediction accuracy. Overall, this study provides a valuable resource for spinach genomics and highlights the potential utility of pan-SV in crop improvement and breeding programmes.

Carbonic anhydrase encapsulation using bamboo cellulose scaffolds for efficient CO2 capture and conversion.

Utilizing carbonic anhydrase (CA) to catalyze CO2 hydration offers a sustainable and potent approach for carbon capture and utilization. To enhance CA's reusability and stability for successful industrial applications, enzyme immobilization is essential. In this study, delignified bamboo cellulose served as a renewable porous scaffold for immobilizing CA through oxidation-induced cellulose aldehydation followed by Schiff base linkage. The catalytic performance of the resulting immobilized CA was evaluated using both p-NPA hydrolysis and CO2 hydration models. Compared to free CA, immobilization onto the bamboo scaffold increased CA's optimal temperature and pH to approximately 45 °C and 9.0, respectively. Post-immobilization, CA activity demonstrated effective retention (>60 %), with larger scaffold sizes (i.e., 8 mm diameter and 5 mm height) positively impacting this aspect, even surpassing the activity of free CA. Furthermore, immobilized CA exhibited sustained reusability and high stability under thermal treatment and pH fluctuation, retaining >80 % activity even after 5 catalytic cycles. When introduced to microalgae culture, the immobilized CA improved biomass production by ~16 %, accompanied by enhanced synthesis of essential biomolecules in microalgae. Collectively, the facile and green construction of immobilized CA onto bamboo cellulose block demonstrates great potential for the development of various CA-catalyzed CO2 conversion and utilization technologies.

Phillyrin promotes autophagosome formation in A53T-αSyn-induced Parkinson's disease model via modulation of REEP1.

BACKGROUND: The preservation of autophagosome formation presents a promising strategy for tackling neurological disorders, such as Parkinson's disease (PD). Mitochondria-associated endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membranes (MAM) serve not only as a focal point linked to various neurological disorders but also play a crucial role in supporting the biogenesis of autophagosomes. PURPOSE: This investigation aimed to elucidate the neuroprotective properties of phillyrin against PD and its underlying mechanisms in promoting autophagosome formation. METHODS: ER and mitochondria co-localization was assessed via fluorescent staining. Annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) fluorescence was employed to quantify accessible cardiolipin (CL) on mitochondrial surfaces. The levels of CL within the MAM fraction of SH-SY5Y cells were evaluated using a CL probe assay kit. Monodansylcadaverine staining was utilized to detect autophagosome formation in SH-SY5Y cells. In an A53T-alpha-synuclein (αSyn)-induced PD mouse model, the anti-PD properties of phillyrin were assessed using open field, pole climbing, and rotarod tests, as well as immunohistochemistry staining of TH+ neurons in the brain sections. RESULTS: In A53T-αSyn-treated SH-SY5Y cells, phillyrin facilitated autophagosome formation by suppressing CL externalization and restoring MAM integrity. Phillyrin enhanced the localization of receptor expression-enhancing protein 1 (REEP1) within MAM and mitochondria, bolstering MAM formation. Increased REEP1 levels in mitochondria, attributed to phillyrin, enhanced the interaction between REEP1 and NDPK-D, thereby reducing CL externalization. Furthermore, phillyrin exhibited a dose-dependent enhancement of motor function in mice, accompanied by an increase in the abundance of dopaminergic neurons within the substantia nigra. CONCLUSIONS: These findings illuminate phillyrin's ability to enhance MAM formation through upregulation of REEP1 expression within MAM, while concurrently attenuating CL externalization via the REEP1-NDPK-D interaction. These mechanisms bolster autophagosome biogenesis, offering resilience against A53T-αSyn-induced PD. Thus, our study advances the understanding of phillyrin's complex mechanisms and underscores its potential as a therapeutic approach for PD, opening new avenues in natural product pharmacology.

Neural mechanisms underlying competition-induced optimal decisions in individuals with high entrepreneurial intention.

In a rapidly changing and uncertain business environment, individuals with high entrepreneurial intention (HEI) inevitably need to compete or cooperate with others to maximize their gains. However, the effects of competition and cooperation on the risky decision-making and neural mechanisms of individuals with HEI are not clear. By combining the modified Devil Task and electroencephalogram (EEG) technology, the current study showed that a competition context is more likely to motivate optimal decisions and enhance the total decision gains for individuals with HEI than a cooperation context. A positive relationship between the frequency of optimal decisions and the total gains of decision-making for individuals with HEI was also found, and this relationship was mediated by the degree of entrepreneurial intention. The EEG results showed that individuals with HEI made decisions in the competition context with greater P2 amplitude of frontal regions than in the cooperation context, and source localization analyses revealed that this difference in brain activity was manifested in the medial prefrontal cortex. Finally, the results revealed a positive relationship between the P2 amplitude and the degree of entrepreneurial intention of individuals with HEI. Overall, the study suggests that competition is an effective way to motivate individuals with HEI to make optimal decisions and, thus, maximize their profits, providing new perspectives on ways to promote successful entrepreneurship.

Mapping Endocytic Vesicular Acidification with a pH-Responsive DNA Nanomachine.

Mapping the endocytic vesicular acidification process is of prior importance to better understand the health and pathological processes of cells. Herein, by integrating a pH-sensitive i-motif and a pair of fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) into a tetrahedral DNA framework (TDF), we develop a pH-responsive DNA nanomachine, allowing for efficient sensing of pH from 7.0 to 5.5 via the pH-triggered spatial proximity modulation of FRET. The inheriting endo-lysosome-targeting ability of TDF enables spatiotemporal tracking of endocytic vesicle acidification during the endosomal maturation process. Analysis of pH-dependent FRET response at single fluorescent spot level reveals the significant difference of endocytic vesicular acidification between normal and cancer cells. The performance of pH-responsive DNA nanomachine underlines its potential for studies on vesicle acidification-related pathologies as a universal platform.

New potential selective estrogen receptor modulators in traditional Chinese medicine for treating menopausal syndrome.

Women go through several predictable conditions and symptoms during menopause that are caused by age, changes in sex hormone levels, and other factors. Conventional menopause hormone therapy has raised serious concerns about the increased risks of cancers, blood clots, depression, etc. Selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) that can be both agonists and antagonists of estrogen receptors in a tissue-specific manner are being developed to reduce the health concerns associated with menopause hormone therapy. Here, we have searched the Chinese national traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) patent database to identify potential SERM-like compounds with reduced health risks. TCM has been widely used for treating complex symptoms associated with menopause syndrome and thus can be a particularly rich source for pharmaceutical alternatives with SERM properties. After extensive literature review and molecular simulation, we conclude that protopanaxatriol, paeoniflorin, astragalin, catalpol, and hyperoside among others may be particularly promising as SERM-like compounds in treating the menopausal syndrome. Compounds in TCM hold promise in yielding comparable outcomes to hormone therapy but with reduced associated risks, thus presenting promising avenues for their clinical applications.

Electrochemical biosensors for clinical detection of bacterial pathogens: advances, applications, and challenges.

Bacterial pathogens are responsible for a variety of human diseases, necessitating their prompt detection for effective diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases. Over recent years, electrochemical methods have gained significant attention owing to their exceptional sensitivity and rapidity. This review outlines the current landscape of electrochemical biosensors employed in clinical diagnostics for the detection of bacterial pathogens. We categorize these biosensors into four types: amperometry, potentiometry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and conductometry, targeting various bacterial components, including toxins, virulence factors, metabolic activity, and events related to bacterial adhesion and invasion. We discuss the merits and challenges associated with electrochemical methods, underscoring their rapid response, high sensitivity, and specificity, while acknowledging the necessity for skilled operators and potential interference from biological and environmental factors. Furthermore, we examine future prospects and potential applications of electrochemical biosensors in clinical diagnostics. While electrochemical biosensors offer a promising avenue for detecting bacterial pathogens, further research in optimizing the robustness and surmounting the challenges hindering their seamless integration into clinical practice is imperative.

Significant improvement of n-contact performance and wall plug efficiency of AlGaN-based deep ultraviolet light-emitting diodes by atomic layer etching.

The reactive ion etching (RIE) process is needed to fabricate deep ultraviolet (DUV) light-emitting diodes (LEDs). However, the n-contact performance deteriorates when the high-Al n-AlGaN surface undergoes RIE, leading to decreased LED performance. In this study, we employed an atomic layer etching (ALE) technology to eliminate surface damage generated during the mesa etching process, thus enhancing the n-Al0.65Ga0.35N ohmic contact. The improved contact performance reduced LED operation voltage and mitigated device heat generation. It was observed that DUV LEDs treated with 200 cycles of ALE showed a reduction in operating voltage from 8.3 to 5.2 V at 10 mA, with a knee voltage of 4.95 V. The peak wall plug efficiency (WPE) was approximately 1.74 times that of reference devices. The x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis revealed that ALE removed the surface damage layer induced by plasma etching, eliminating surface nitrogen vacancies and increasing surface electron concentration. Consequently, it facilitated better ohmic contact formation on n-Al0.65Ga0.35N. This study demonstrates that the ALE technology achieves etching with minor surface damage and is suitable for use in III-nitride materials and devices to remove surface defects and contaminations, leading to improved device performance.

Stabilization Strategies of Lithium Metal Anode Toward Dendrite-Free Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries are considered as a most promising rechargeable lithium metal batteries because of their high energy density and low cost. However, the Li-S batteries mainly suffer the capacity decay issue caused by the shutting effect of lithium polysulfides and the safety issues arising from the Li dendrites formation. This review outlines the current issues of Li-S batteries. Furthermore, we comprehensively summarized the challenges encountered by Li anode in Li-S batteries, such as the heterogeneous deposition of the Li anode, the unstable solid electrolyte interface (SEI) layer, and volume expansion. Moreover, research progresses in the stabilization strategies of Li anodes (physical approaches, optimization of electrolyte, surface protection layer, and design of current collector) is discussed in detail. Lastly, the remaining challenges and future research directions of Li metal anode stabilization in Li-S batteries are also present.

Scalable Production of 2D Non-Layered Metal Oxides through Metal-Organic Gel Rapid Redox Transformation.

Two-dimensional (2D) nonlayered metal compounds with porous structure show broad application prospects in electrochemistry-related fields due to their abundant active sites, open ions/electrons diffusion channels, and faradaic reactions. However, scalable and universal synthesis of 2D porous compounds still remains challenging. Here, inspired by blowing gum, a metal-organic gel (MOG) rapid redox transformation (MRRT) strategy is proposed for the mass production of a wide variety of 2D porous metal oxides. Adequate crosslinking degree of MOG precursor and its rapid redox with NO3- are critical for generating gas pressure from interior to exterior, thus blowing the MOG into 2D carbon nanosheets, which further act as self-sacrifice template for formation of oxides with porous and ultrathin structure. The versatility of this strategy is demonstrated by the fabrication of 39 metal oxides, including 10 transition metal oxides, one II-main group oxide, two III-main group oxides, 22 perovskite oxides, four high-entropy oxides. As an illustrative verification, the 2D transition metal oxides exhibit excellent capacitive deionization (CDI) performance. Moreover, the assembled CDI cell could act as desalting battery to supply electrical energy during electrode regeneration. This MRRT strategy offers opportunities for achieving universal synthesis of 2D porous oxides with nonlayered structures and studying their electrochemistry-related applications.

Artificial Intelligence and High-Throughput Computational Workflows Empowering the Fast Screening of Metal-Organic Frameworks for Hydrogen Storage.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are one of the most promising hydrogen-storing materials due to their rich specific surface area, adjustable topological and pore structures, and modified functional groups. In this work, we developed automatically parallel computational workflows for high-throughput screening of ∼11,600 MOFs from the CoRE database and discovered 69 top-performing MOF candidates with work capacity greater than 1.00 wt % at 298.5 K and a pressure swing between 100 and 0.1 bar, which is at least twice that of MOF-5. In particular, ZITRUP, OQFAJ01, WANHOL, and VATYIZ showed excellent hydrogen storage performance of 4.48, 3.16, 2.19, and 2.16 wt %. We specifically analyzed the relationship between pore-limiting diameter, largest cavity diameter, void fraction, open metal sites, metal elements or nonmetallic atomic elements, and deliverable capacity and found that not only geometrical and physical features of crystalline but also chemical properties of adsorbate sites determined the H2 storage capacity of MOFs at room temperature. It is highlighted that we first proposed the modified crystal graph convolutional neural networks by incorporating the obtained geometrical and physical features into the convolutional high-dimensional feature vectors of period crystal structures for predicting H2 storage performance, which can improve the prediction accuracy of the neural network from the former mean absolute error (MAE) of 0.064 wt % to the current MAE of 0.047 wt % and shorten the consuming time to about 10-4 times of high-throughput computational screening. This work opens a new avenue toward high-throughput screening of MOFs for H2 adsorption capacity, which can be extended for the screening and discovery of other functional materials.

The effects of sleep deprivation on risky decision making.

Sleep deprivation stands as a major threat to both physical and mental well-being, disrupting normal work and life. Given the ubiquity of risky decision making, it is crucial to comprehend how individuals make risky decisions when sleep-deprived. Although research on the effects of sleep deprivation on risky decision making has increased in recent years, it remains limited and lacks a unified conclusion. The current review attempted to elucidate the effects of sleep deprivation on risky decision making in healthy adults and clarify the regulatory mechanisms. The review showed that sleep deprivation had complex effects on risky decision making; that is, whether sleep deprivation led to riskier or more conservative decision-making behavior depended on factors such as sex, gain-loss frame, use of psychotropic drugs, time interval of sleep elimination, duration of sleep deprivation, and others. Additionally, the complexity of these effects might partly arise from the use of different tasks to measure risk-taking behavior. The review also discussed some limitations of existing research and put forth practical recommendations for future studies, aiming to resolve inconsistencies in the effects of sleep deprivation on risky decision making and enhance the ecological validity of conclusions.

Heteroatom doping-induced formation of closed pores for high-performance sodium storage hard carbon anodes.

A resin-based hard carbon with rich closed pores is prepared by the in situ reconstruction of cavities formed after heteroatoms evaporated during a high-temperature carbonization process. Various characterization results confirm that rich defect sites and micropores and enlarged layer spacing in hard carbon promote Na+ transport and facilitate high-performance Na+ storage.

Genome-Wide Identification and Characterization of U-Box Gene Family Members and Analysis of Their Expression Patterns in Phaseolus vulgaris L. under Cold Stress.

The common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is an economically important food crop grown worldwide; however, its production is affected by various environmental stresses, including cold, heat, and drought stress. The plant U-box (PUB) protein family participates in various biological processes and stress responses, but the gene function and expression patterns of its members in the common bean remain unclear. Here, we systematically identified 63 U-box genes, including 8 tandem genes and 55 non-tandem genes, in the common bean. These PvPUB genes were unevenly distributed across 11 chromosomes, with chromosome 2 holding the most members of the PUB family, containing 10 PUB genes. The analysis of the phylogenetic tree classified the 63 PUB genes into three groups. Moreover, transcriptome analysis based on cold-tolerant and cold-sensitive varieties identified 4 differentially expressed PvPUB genes, suggesting their roles in cold tolerance. Taken together, this study serves as a valuable resource for exploring the functional aspects of the common bean U-box gene family and offers crucial theoretical support for the development of new cold-tolerant common bean varieties.

Straight intramedullary MultiLoc nails for displaced proximal humeral fractures: health status, radiographic results, clinical outcome, and complications.

BACKGROUND: The treatment of the displaced proximal humerus fractures (PHF) still facing a lot of unsolved problems. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical effect of MultiLoc nails for the treatment of PHF and present outcomes of patients with different Neer's classification and reduction quality. METHODS: Adult patients with PHFs were recruited and treated with MultiLoc nail. Intraoperative data, radiographic and functional outcomes, as well as occurrence of postoperative complications were assessed. RESULTS: 48 patients met inclusion and exclusion criteria and were included in this study. The DASH Score were 32.2 ± 3.1 points at 12 months, and 37.3 ± 2.5 points at the final follow-up. The mean ASES score at 12 months and final follow-up were 74.4 ± 6.2 and 78.8 ± 5.1, respectively. The mean CM Score in all 48 patients reached 68 ± 6.4 points at the final follow-up, relative side related CM Score 75.2 ± 7.7% of contralateral extremity. The incidence rate of complications was 20.8%. Patients with fracture mal-union, adhesive capsulitis were observed but no secondary surgeries were performed. There was no significantly difference of DASH Score 12 months after surgery and at the last follow-up among patients with different Neer's classification or reduction quality. However, functional outcomes such as ASES score and CM score were significantly influenced by severity of fracture and the quality of fracture reduction. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrated that MultiLoc nails is well suited for proximal humeral fractures, with satisfactory health status recovery, good radiographic results, positive clinical outcomes and low rates of complications. The treatment for four part PHF still faces great challenges. Accurate fracture reduction was an important factor for good functional result.

Efficient Sodium Storage in Cu1.96S@NC Anode Achieved by Robust S─C Bonds and Current Collector Self-Induced Forming Cu2S Quantum Dots.

Transition metal sulfides are investigation hotspots of anode material for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) due to their structural diversity and high storage capacity. However, they are still plagued by inevitable volume expansion during sodiation/desodiation and an unclear energy storage mechanism. Herein, a one-step sulfidation-carbonization strategy is proposed for in situ confined growth of Cu1.96S nanoparticles in nitrogen-doped carbon (Cu1.96S@NC) using octahedral metal-organic framework (Cu-BTC) as a precursor and investigate the driving effect of Cu current collector on its sodium storage. The generation of S─C bonds in Cu1.96S@NC avoids the volume change and structural collapse of Cu1.96S nanoparticles during the cycling process and improves the adsorption and transport capacity of the material for Na+. More exciting, the Cu species in the Cu current collector are self-induced forming Cu2S quantum dots to enter the original anode material during the initial few charging and discharging cycles, which unique small-size effect and abundant edge-active sites enhance the energy storage capacity of Cu1.96S. Thus, the Cu1.96S@NC exhibits a superior first discharge capacity of 608.56 mAh g-1 at 0.2 A g-1 with an initial Coulomb efficiency (ICE) of 75.4%, as well as provides excellent rate performance and long cycle durability up to 2000 cycles.

A highly stretchable smart dressing for wound infection monitoring and treatment.

Smart dressings integrated with bioelectronics have attracted considerable attention and become promising solutions for skin wound management. However, due to the mechanical distinction between human body and the interface of electronics, previous smart dressings often suffered obvious degradation in electrical performance when attached to the soft and curvilinear wound sites. Here, we report a stretchable dressing integrated with temperature and pH sensor for wound status monitoring, as well as an electrically controlled drug delivery system for infection treatment. The wound dressing was featured with the deployment of liquid metal for seamless connection between rigid electrical components and gold particle-based electrodes, achieving a stretchable soft-hard interface. Stretching tests showed that both the sensing system and drug delivery system exhibited good stretchability and long-term stable conductivity with the resistance change rate less than 6 % under 50 % strain. Animal experiments demonstrated that the smart dressing was capable of detecting bacterial infection via the biomarkers of temperature and pH value and the infection factors of wound were significantly improved with therapy through electrically controlled antibiotics releasing. This proof-of-concept prototype has potential to significantly improve management of the wound, especially those with dynamic strain.

Broadening bandgaps in a multi-resonant piezoelectric metamaterial plate via bandgap merging phenomena.

Locally resonant metamaterials usually have narrow bandgaps, which significantly limits their applications in realistic engineering environments. In this paper, an optimization method based on the genetic algorithm is proposed to broaden bandgaps in multi-resonant piezoelectric metamaterial through the merging of multiple separated bandgaps. Using the effective medium theory, the equivalent bending stiffness and dispersion relationship of a metamaterial plate are first obtained. Then, the criteria for determining the bandgap ranges for the two cases with and without damping are provided and analyzed. Furthermore, based on the bandgap merging phenomena, an optimization method for widening the bandgap is proposed based on the genetic algorithm. By investigating the bandgap widening effects in cases without and with damping, it is found that, when there is no damping, the bandgap can only be slightly widened; while after introducing damping into the transfer functions, the bandgap can be significantly widened by more than 200%. The bandgap widening effects are verified by comparing with finite element simulation results.

Effects of attentional deployment training for relieving negative emotion in individuals with subthreshold depression.

OBJECTIVE: As a prodromal stage to major depressive disorder (MDD), subthreshold depression (StD) has a higher prevalence in the population, resulting in a greater healthcare burden. StD individuals' current negative emotion could be moderated by attentional deployment. However, it remains unclear whether attentional deployment training can mitigate subsequent negative emotion in StD individuals. METHODS: Based on 160 participants, we combined decision task (Experiment 1, N = 69), eye-tracking (Experiment 2, N = 40), and EEG (Experiment 3, N = 51) techniques to investigate how one-week attentional deployment (gain-focus, GF) training modulated the emotional processing of negative stimulus and its underlying neural correlates in StD individuals. RESULTS: After one-week GF training, StD individuals significantly reduced the first fixation time and total fixation time on the negative part (missed opportunities) of decision outcome and showed a decrease in emotional sensitivity to missed opportunities. An increase in N1 and decrease in P3 and LPP (late positive potentials) amplitudes, as well as a decrease in alpha oscillation, were observed when StD individuals faced missed opportunities after training. Additionally, the extent of reduction in StD individuals' emotional sensitivity to missed opportunities could be significantly predicted by the degree of decrease in alpha oscillation. CONCLUSION: One-week attentional deployment training could modulate negative emotion in StD individuals and the degree of change in alpha oscillation might act as an objective indicator for the effectiveness of training. SIGNIFICANCE: Our study provides a convenient and effective approach to alleviate the negative emotion of StD individuals.

Target recycle initiated entropy driven assembly strategy for sensitive, enzyme-free, and portable miRNA detection.

MicroRNA (miRNA) is a pivotal biomarker in the diagnosis of various cancers, including bladder cancer (BCa). Despite their significance, the low abundance of miRNA presents a substantial challenge for sensitive and reliable detection. We introduce an innovative, highly sensitive assay for miRNA expression quantification that is both enzyme-free and portable. This method leverages the synergy of target recycling and entropy-driven assembly (EDA) for enhanced sensitivity and specificity. The proposed method possesses several advantages, including i) dual signal amplification through target recycling and EDA, which significantly boosts sensitivity with a lower limit of detection of 2.54 fM; ii) elimination of enzyme requirements, resulting in a cost-effective and stable signal amplification process; and iii) utilization of a personal glucose meter (PGM) for signal recording, rendering the method portable and adaptable to diverse settings. In summary, this PGM-based approach holds promising potential for clinical molecular diagnostics, offering a practical and efficient solution for miRNA analysis in cancer detection.