Baseline Blood Pressure Was Associated with Hemispheric Cerebral Blood Flow in Acute Small Subcortical Infarcts.

INTRODUCTION: While increased baseline blood pressure (BP) is a prevalent comorbidity in the acute phase of ischemic stroke, the association between baseline BP and the state of hemispheric perfusion in patients with acute small subcortical infarcts (SSIs) has not been studied in detail. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between baseline BP and hemispheric cerebral blood flow (CBF) in acute SSIs. METHODS: This retrospective study included 101 patients with acute SSIs. Baseline hemispheric CBF was assessed through co-registration of baseline CT perfusion imaging and follow-up diffusion-weighted imaging. The association between baseline BP, CBF, and different cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) biomarkers was assessed. RESULTS: Baseline systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP) were negatively associated with contralateral hemispheric CBF after multivariate-adjusted linear analysis (SBP: ß = -0.001, 95% CI: -0.002 to 0.000, p = 0.030; DBP: ß = -0.002, 95% CI: -0.003∼0.001, p = 0.006). Among other CSVD biomarkers, the presence of any cerebral microbleeds showed a significant association with lower CBF in the contralateral hemisphere of the infarct lesion (r = -0.270, p = 0.035). CONCLUSION: In patients with acute SSIs, increased baseline BP was associated with reduced CBF in the contralateral hemisphere of the infarct lesion, which probably could be interpreted by the exacerbation of the CSVD burden, suggesting a potential mechanistic link between BP autoregulation dysfunction and the aggravation of neurovascular impairment in SSIs.

Remediation of toxic metal and metalloid pollution with plant symbiotic fungi.

Anthropogenic activities have dramatically accelerated the release of toxic metal(loid)s into soil and water, which can be subsequently accumulated in plants and animals, threatening biodiversity, human health, and food security. Compared to physical and chemical remediation, bioremediation of metal(loid)-polluted soil using plants and/or plant symbiotic fungi is usually low-cost and environmentally friendly. Mycorrhizal fungi and endophytic fungi are two major plant fungal symbionts. Mycorrhizal fungi can immobilize metal(loid)s via constitutive mechanisms, including intracellular sequestration with vacuoles and vesicles and extracellular immobilization by cell wall components and extracellular polymeric substances such as glomalin. Mycorrhizal fungi can improve the efficacy of phytoremediation by promoting plant symplast and apoplast pathways. Endophytic fungi also use constitutive cellular components to immobilize metal(loid)s and to reduce the accumulation of metal(loid)s in plants by modifying plant physiological status. However, a specific mechanism for the removal of methylmercury pollution was recently discovered in the endophytic fungi Metarhizium, which could be acquired from bacteria via horizontal gene transfer. In contrast to mycorrhizal fungi that are obligate biotrophs, some endophytic fungi, such as Metarhizium and Trichoderma, can be massively and cost-effectively produced, so they seem to be well-placed for remediation of metal(loid)-polluted soil on a large scale.

Enhanced Infrared Emission from Rare-Earth Double Perovskite Embedded in Fluoride Glass with Different B-Site Cation Structures for N2O Sensing in a Hydrogen Stream.

Rare-earth halide perovskites can lead to a distinctive infrared luminescence. However, achieving tunable infrared luminescence presents significant challenges. The leptons of their f-f ubiquitous forbidden ring influence the energy level splitting, and the substitution of atoms in perovskite by rare-earth ions also distorts the crystal structure. The research on achieving tunable mid-infrared emission by altering the crystal structure of rare-earth perovskites is limited. The crystal structure can be modified by changing the matrix B-site cation for a series of Cs2MIn1-xHoxCl6-ZBLAY (M = Na and Ag) rare-earth perovskites coated with a glass matrix that have been prepared. On this basis, we revealed the local electronic structure of Cs2MInCl6 (M = Na and Ag) perovskites and proposed an effective charge transfer strategy to achieve an efficient infrared emission of Ho3+ ions at 1.2 and 2.87 µm. The contribution of Na s and Na p is minor in Cs2NaIn1-xHoxCl6, which leads to poor interactions between Na+ and Cl- and promotes charge transfer of Ho3+-Cl- in the [HoCl6]3- octahedron. The charge transfer mechanism of Cs2NaInCl6:Ho3+-Cl- is validated by executing density functional theory calculations. Furthermore, a device that identifies N2O gas levels in hydrogen energy was built using the Cs2NaIn1-xHoxCl6-ZBLAY sample. These findings provide a new perspective on how to achieve effective infrared emission.

Macrophage-derived amphiregulin promoted the osteogenic differentiation of chondrocytes through EGFR/Yap axis and TGF-ß activation.

Endochondral ossification represents a crucial biological process in skeletal development and bone defect repair. Macrophages, recognized as key players in the immune system, are now acknowledged for their substantial role in promoting endochondral ossification within cartilage. Concurrently, the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) ligand amphiregulin (Areg) has been documented for its contributory role in restoring bone tissue homeostasis post-injury. However, the mechanism by which macrophage-secreted Areg facilitates bone repair remains elusive. In this study, the induction of macrophage depletion through in vivo administration of clodronate liposomes was employed in a standard open tibial fracture mouse model to assess bone healing using micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) analysis, histomorphology, and ELISA serum evaluations. The investigation revealed sustained expression of Areg during the fracture healing period in wild-type mice. Macrophage depletion significantly reduced the number of macrophages on the local bone surface and vital organs. This reduction led to diminished Areg secretion, decreased collagen production, and delayed fracture healing. However, histological and micro-CT assessments at 7 and 21 days post-local Areg treatment exhibited a marked improvement of bone healing compared to the vehicle control. In vitro studies demonstrated an increase of Areg secretion by the Raw264.7 cells upon ATP stimulation. Indirect co-culture of Raw264.7 and ATDC5 cells indicated that Areg overexpression enhanced the osteogenic potential of chondrocytes, and vice versa. This osteogenic promotion was attributed to Areg's activation of the membrane receptor EGFR in the ATDC5 cell line, the enhanced phosphorylation of transcription factor Yap, and the facilitation of the expression of bioactive TGF-ß by chondrocytes. Collectively, this research elucidates the direct mechanistic effects of macrophage-secreted Areg in promoting bone homeostasis following bone injury.

Ratiometric fluorescence probe based on boric acid-modified carbon dots and alizarin red for sensitive and rapid detection of glyphosate.

By combining boric acid-modified carbon dots (p-CDs) and alizarin red (ARS), a double emission probe p-CDs@ARS with fluorescence at 410 nm and 600 nm is designed for the detection of glyphosate. When Cu2+ is added, it binds with ARS to cause ARS release from p-CDs@ARS, which decreases the fluorescence at 600 nm. However, in the presence of glyphosate, glyphosate competes to the binding of Cu2+, releasing ARS to bind with p-CDs again. Therefore, the fluorescence of 600 nm recovers. Based on this, the fluorescence of 410 nm and 600 nm act as the reference and response signal, respectively, achieving the ratiometric fluorescence detection of glyphosate. The linear range of glyphosate detection is 0.5-50 µM with a limit of detection at 0.37 µM which is well below the maximum residue limit for glyphosate in food. When the probe is used to detect the glyphosate residue in Pearl River water and cucumber, the detection results are well consistent with those detected by HPLC. The established method based on p-CDs@ARS has the advantages that the assembly of ratiometric fluorescence probe is simple, and the detection speed is fast. Additionally, a typical INHIBIT logical system has been successfully constructed based on glyphosate, Cu2+, and the fluorescence signal of p-CDs@ARS.

Suspected adverse drug reactions of rivaroxaban reported in the United States food and drug administration adverse event reporting system database: a pharmacovigilance study.

Purpose: This study aimed to characterize the safety profiles of rivaroxaban-associated suspected adverse events by mining the Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Methods: A disproportionality analysis of spontaneously reported suspected adverse drug reactions (ADRs) was conducted. The reports in FAERS from 2014 to 2024 were compiled. Frequentist and Bayesian statistics were both applied to calculate drug-AE combinations in system organ classes and preferred-term levels. Reporting odds ratio (ROR), proportional reporting ratio (PRR), the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), Bayesian confidence propagation neural network (BCPNN), and multi-item gamma Poisson shrinker (MGPS) methods were analyzed and used to compare the suspected AEs. Results: Of 77,384 ADR reports, 66,705 (86.20%) were serious rivaroxaban AE reports. The most common age group was above 65 years. The suspected adverse effects of rivaroxaban emerging for system organ classes (SOCs) primarily included "Gastrointestinal disorders"; "Injury, poisoning, and procedural complications", "Nervous system disorders" and "Vascular disorders". Ranked by EBGM, the top signal strength of suspected AE signals of rivaroxaban under ROR algorithm at the preferred-term (PT) level were "Haemorrhagic arteriovenous malformation" (N = 571, ROR = 756.520, PRR = 754.029, Information Component (IC) = 7.197, Empirical Bayesian Geometric Mean (EBGM) = 146.725), "Gastrointestinal vascular malformation haemorrhagic" (N = 197, ROR = 211.138, PRR = 210.950, IC = 6.614, EBGM = 97.923), and "Diverticulum intestinal haemorrhagic" (N = 722, ROR = 169.898, PRR = 169.210, IC = 6.458, EBGM = 97.920). Moreover, uncommon but significantly suspected AE signals, such as "Coagulation factor X level increased", "Basal ganglia haematoma", and "Proctitis haemorrhagic" were observed. Notably, "Gastrointestinal haemorrhage" (N = 13,436, ROR = 80.477, PRR = 74.460, IC = 5.729, EBGM = 53.042), "Upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage"(N = 2,872, ROR = 73.978, PRR = 72.797, IC = 5.706, EBGM = 52.198) and "Internal haemorrhage" (N = 2,368, ROR = 91.979, PRR = 80.899, IC = 5.813, EBGM = 56.212) exhibited relatively high occurrence rates and signal strengths. From 2014 to 2024, the IC values of rivaroxaban-associated suspected AEs for "Surgical and medical procedures" and "Cardiac disorders" showed an annual increasing trend in the time-span analysis. Based on the various visulization plots, a key discovery is that "Gastrointestinal hemorrhage" emerged as the most significant suspected AE across five algorithms. The exciting finding was that the MGPS algorithm revealed a higher risk of suspected AEs under the "Investigations" category. However, the results of the analyses of the other algorithms at the SOC level were not akin to this. Moreover, the results of signal mining for the three main types of indication populations with adverse drug reactions (ADRs), including Atrial fibrillation, Cerebrovascular accident prophylaxis, and Deep vein thrombosis were shown that "Gastrointestinal haemorrhage", "Epistaxis", "Haematuria", "Rectal haemorrhage", and "Upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage" were detected as the most common and significant signals of suspected adverse events. Conclusion: Rivaroxaban has risks of various suspected adverse reactions while providing therapeutic effects and being used widely. Our pharmacovigilance study may provide valuable hints that practitioners should closely monitor occurrences of "Gastrointestinal disorders", "Injury, poisoning, and procedural complications" and "Nervous system disorders", and other events in clinical applications. Consequently, it remains to persist in monitoring rivaroxaban, assessing the associated risks in the future.

Designed endocytosis-inducing proteins degrade targets and amplify signals.

Endocytosis and lysosomal trafficking of cell surface receptors can be triggered by endogenous ligands. Therapeutic approaches such as lysosome-targeting chimaeras1,2 (LYTACs) and cytokine receptor-targeting chimeras3 (KineTACs) have used this to target specific proteins for degradation by fusing modified native ligands to target binding proteins. Although powerful, these approaches can be limited by competition with native ligands and requirements for chemical modification that limit genetic encodability and can complicate manufacturing, and, more generally, there may be no native ligands that stimulate endocytosis through a given receptor. Here we describe computational design approaches for endocytosis-triggering binding proteins (EndoTags) that overcome these challenges. We present EndoTags for insulin-like growth factor 2 receptor (IGF2R) and asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGPR), sortilin and transferrin receptors, and show that fusing these tags to soluble or transmembrane target protein binders leads to lysosomal trafficking and target degradation. As these receptors have different tissue distributions, the different EndoTags could enable targeting of degradation to different tissues. EndoTag fusion to a PD-L1 antibody considerably increases efficacy in a mouse tumour model compared to antibody alone. The modularity and genetic encodability of EndoTags enables AND gate control for higher-specificity targeted degradation, and the localized secretion of degraders from engineered cells. By promoting endocytosis, EndoTag fusion increases signalling through an engineered ligand-receptor system by nearly 100-fold. EndoTags have considerable therapeutic potential as targeted degradation inducers, signalling activators for endocytosis-dependent pathways, and cellular uptake inducers for targeted antibody-drug and antibody-RNA conjugates.

Visualization and Quantification of State of Charge-Dependent Young's Modulus of LiMn2O4 Nanosized Particles by Bimodal AFM.

Mechanical damage of LiMn2O4 active material caused by volume change, phase transition, and lithium diffusion-induced stress is the main degradation mechanism in lithium-ion batteries. Young's modulus is a key parameter of mechanical property, and its variation with lithium content x or state of charge (SOC) at the nanoscale is an important issue because such variation may have influences on the stress level and lithium-ion transport. In this study, we successfully developed bimodal atomic force microscopy (bimodal AFM) and related approaches to carry out surface topography imaging and Young's modulus mapping of LixMn2O4 nanosized particles. It was validated that the size of particles decreased with decreasing SOC due to delithiation during the charging cycle. The variation in Young's modulus with SOC was quantitatively determined using the silicon material as a reference, and the trend of the variation is consistent with the reported results of molecular dynamics simulation. Furthermore, spatially nonuniform distribution of Young's modulus on the nanosized particle surface was found even upon completion of charging. This phenomenon could be attributed to the coexistence of two phases during the charging process. Our experimental study reveals the correlation between Young's modulus of LiMn2O4 and SOC at the nanosized particle level, and we believe that the bimodal AFM will be widely used in the nanocharacterization of the electrode materials because lithium content- or SOC-dependent mechanical properties are common in battery electrode materials.

Nitenpyram in tea: Eco-friendly detection methodology and residue behavior.

Studies on nitenpyram determination and behavior within tea remain limited despite its widespread use as a neonicotinoid. An organic-saving analytical approach tailored for the detection of nitenpyram in tea was established. Nitenpyram was extracted by boiling water and cleaned up by Cleanert PCX solid-phase. The average recoveries were 75.1-94.5 %, with relative standard deviations (RSDs) of 0.7-8.6 % for saving 34.5-88.6 % organic solvent. The limits of quantification (LOQs) were 0.002 mg·kg-1 in fresh tea shoots, 0.005 mg·kg-1 in made tea, and 0.001 mg·L-1 in tea brew, satisfying the current minimum Maximum Residue Limit (MRL). Nitenpyram dissipated rapidly with half-lives of 1.2-1.4 days at the recommended dosage (27 g a.i. ha-1) in two locations. Remarkably, 20-110 % of nitenpyram was leached out from made tea in different brewing modes. This work provides insights into nitenpyram's rational application in tea cultivation and offers considerations to institutions tasked with unestablished MRLs in tea.

Association between life-ever gallstones and depressive symptoms in U.S. adults: a cross-sectional study.

Research on the potential association between life-ever gallstones and depressive symptoms is limited. This study aims to evaluate whether the presence of gallstone disease is associated with depressive symptoms. In this cross-sectional study, we analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2017-March 2020 cycles. The presence of depressive symptoms and gallstone disease was assessed using questionnaire responses. Adjusted odds ratios (OR) were calculated using a multivariate logistic regression model, with adjustments made for age, sex, race, body mass index, history of cardiovascular disease, hypertension, arthritis, and pulmonary disease across different models. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were conducted to ensure the stability of the results. This study included 6201 adults aged 20 years and above, with 539(8.7%) experiencing depressive symptoms. After adjusting for age, sex, race, body mass index, CVD history, hypertension, arthritis, pulmonary disease, depressive symptoms were possibly associated with life-ever gallstones (OR 1.37, 95% CI 0.91-2.08).When depressive symptoms were categorized as mild, moderate, moderately severe, and severe,life-ever gallstones was possibly associated with mild depressive symptoms (OR 1.12, 95% CI 0.81-1.56), moderate depressive symptoms (OR 1.37, 95% CI 0.89-2.12), moderately severe depressive symptoms (OR 1.93, 95% CI 0.93-3.99), and severe depressive symptoms (OR 0.67, 95% CI 0.16-2.88).As a continuous variable, life-ever gallstones was associated with the PHQ-9 score (OR 0.42, 95% CI 0.02-0.83). The results remained stable after multiple imputation for all missing data. This cross-sectional study demonstrates no significant association between life-ever gallstones and depressive symptoms in US adults.

Myocardial hypertrophy: the differentiation of uremic, hypertensive, and hypertrophic cardiomyopathies by cardiac MRI.

OBJECTIVES: To apply cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) for detailed myocardial characterization in uremic cardiomyopathy (UC), hypertensive cardiomyopathy (HTN), and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) aiming to enrich the understanding of UC's etiology and further support the development of therapeutic strategies. METHODS: A total of 152 patients (age: 49.2 ± 9.9 years; 65.8% male) underwent routine CMR from June 2016 to March 2023. Retrospectively, 53 patients with UC, 39 patients with HTN, 30 patients with HCM, and 30 healthy controls were included. Functional analysis, feature tracking of the left ventricle and left atrium, and myocardial T1, T2, and T2* mapping were performed. Statistical analysis included Pearson correlation and ROC analysis to define correlations and discriminators between groups. RESULTS: UC patients demonstrated significantly higher native T1 (p < 0.001 for all) and T2 (p < 0.002 for all) values compared with the other three groups. UC patients revealed higher left atrial reservoir strain rate (p < 0.001 for all) and left atrial conduit strain rate (p < 0.001 for all) absolute values as compared with HTN and HCM patients. A significant correlation between T1 and T2 values in UC patients (r = 0.511, p < 0.001) was found. The combination of T1 values and strain parameters was the best discriminator between UC and HTN patients (AUC = 0.872, 95% CI: 0.801-0.943) and between UC and HCM patients (AUC = 0.840, 95% CI: 0.746-0.934). CONCLUSION: UC reveals distinguishing tissue characteristics as evidenced by T1 and T2 mapping, as well as distinguishing functional strain parameters as compared with other hypertrophic phenotypes such as HTN and HCM. CRITICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT: The use of CMR imaging in UC patients offers incremental information to elucidate its complex etiology, contributing to ongoing discourse on effective treatment pathways. KEY POINTS: This study investigated uremic, hypertensive, and hypertrophic cardiomyopathies using cardiac MRI. UC patients have higher T1 and T2 values and better preserved cardiac function. Combined strain and T1 values distinguish UC from other cardiomyopathies.

Targeted inhibition of m6A demethylase FTO by FB23 attenuates allergic inflammation in the airway epithelium.

Epithelial cells play a crucial role in asthma, contributing to chronic inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness. m6A modification, which involves key proteins such as the demethylase fat mass and obesity-associated protein (FTO), is crucial in the regulation of various diseases, including asthma. However, the role of FTO in epithelial cells and the development of asthma remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the demethylase activity of FTO using a small-molecule inhibitor FB23 in epithelial cells and allergic inflammation in vivo and in vitro. We examined the FTO-regulated transcriptome-wide m6A profiling by methylated RNA immunoprecipitation sequencing (MeRIP-seq) and RNA-seq under FB23 treatment and allergic inflammation conditions. Immunofluorescence staining was performed to assess the tissue-specific expression of FTO in asthmatic bronchial mucosa. We demonstrated that FB23 alleviated allergic inflammation in IL-4/IL-13-treated epithelial cells and house dust mite (HDM)-induced allergic airway inflammation mouse model. The demethylase activity of FTO contributed to the regulation of TNF-α signaling via NF-κB and epithelial-mesenchymal transition-related pathways under allergic inflammation conditions in epithelial cells. FTO was expressed in epithelial, submucosal gland, and smooth muscle cells in human bronchial mucosa. In conclusion, FB23-induced inhibition of FTO alleviates allergic inflammation in epithelial cells and HDM-induced mice, potentially through diverse cellular processes and epithelial-mesenchymal transition signaling pathways, suggesting that FTO is a potential therapeutic target in asthma management.

Plasma Proteomics Analysis of Early Biomarkers for Predicting Female Fecundability: A Nested Case-Control Study.

The present study aimed to identify and verify new plasma protein markers to predict the female fecundability level. A nested case-control study was conducted involving couples who participated in the Chinese National Free Preconception Check-up Project. Women who successfully conceive within one year were defined as the high fecundability group, and those unable to conceive were defined as the low fecundability group. In the training cohort, potential protein biomarkers were identified using proteomics technology and were further tested in a validation cohort by the Western blotting assay, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and biochemical tests. Meanwhile, receiver operating characteristic curve analysis were used to evaluate the predictive value. Cox proportional hazard regression analyses were conducted to calculate hazard ratios; restricted cubic spline analysis was used to assess the linear relationship between the the protein level and hazard ratios for fecundability. Pyruvate, a key product of glycolysis, was significantly increased in the high fecundability group (P < 0.01) compared to the low fecundability group, and its area under the curve value was 0.68 (P < 0.05). There was a linear positive dose-response association between the pyruvate level and fecundability possibility (hazard ratios = 1.66, 95% CI: 1.07-2.59, p for trend = 0.025, nonlinearity, p-value = 0.2927).

LCN2 regulates the gut microbiota and metabolic profile in mice infected with Mycobacterium bovis.

Infection with Mycobacterium bovis precipitates a spectrum of pathologies in bovines, notably necrotic pneumonia, mastitis, and arthritis, impinging upon the health and nutritional assimilation of these animals. A pivotal factor, lipocalin 2 (Lcn2), is responsive to microbial invasion, inflammatory processes, and tissue damage, the extent of which Lcn2 modulates the gut environment, however, remains unclear in response to M. bovis-induced alterations. To explore the role of Lcn2 in shaping the gut milieu of mice during a 5-week period post-M. bovis infection, Lcn2 knockout Lcn2-/- mice were scrutinized for changes in the gut microbiota and metabolomic profiles. Results showed that Lcn2-/- mice infected with M. bovis exhibited notable shifts in the operational taxonomic units (OTUs) of gut microbiota, alongside significant disparities in α and ß diversity. Concomitantly, a marked increase was observed during the 5-week period in the abundance of Akkermansia, Oscillospira, and Bacteroides, coupled with a substantial decrease in Ruminococcus within the microbiome of Lcn2 knockout mice. Notably, Akkermansia muciniphila was significantly enriched in the gut flora of Lcn2-/- mice. Furthermore, the absence of Lcn2 significantly altered the gut metabolomic landscape, evidenced by elevated levels of metabolites such as taurodeoxycholic acid, 10-undecenoic acid, azelaic acid, and dodecanedioic acid in Lcn2-/- mice. Our findings demonstrated that the lack of Lcn2 in the context of M. bovis infection profoundly affected the regulation of gut microbiota and metabolomic components, culminating in a transformed gut environment. Our results revealed that Lcn2 may regulate gut microbiota and metabolome components, changing the intestinal environment, thereby affecting the infection status of M. bovis. IMPORTANCE: Our study addresses the critical knowledge gap regarding the specific influence of lipocalin 2 (LCN2) in the context of Mycobacterium bovis infection, particularly focusing on its role in the gut environment. Utilizing LCN2 knockout (Lcn2-/-) mice, we meticulously assessed changes in the gut microbiota and metabolic components following M. bovis infection. Our findings reveal alterations in the gut microbial community, emphasizing the potentially crucial role of LCN2 in maintaining stability. Furthermore, we observed significant shifts in specific microbial communities, including the enrichment of Akkermansia muciniphila, known for its positive impact on intestinal health and immune regulation. The implications of our study extend beyond understanding the dynamics of the gut microbiome, offering insights into the potential therapeutic strategies for gut-related health conditions and microbial dysbiosis.

Copper-Catalyzed Remote Asymmetric Yne-Allylic Substitution of Yne-Allylic Esters with Anthrones.

Anthrones are key structural motifs in many natural products and pharmaceutical chemicals. However, due to its unique tricyclic aromatic structure, the synthetic space for the development of chiral anthrone derivatives is largely limited. By utilizing the potential of the copper-catalyzed remote asymmetric yne-allylic substitution reaction, we describe the first example of copper-catalyzed highly regio- and enantioselective remote yne-allylic substitution on various yne-allylic esters with anthrones under a mild reaction condition, which afforded a range of enantioenriched 1,3-enynes with exhibiting broad functional group tolerance across 51 examples.

The association between vitamin D and the progression of diabetic nephropathy: insights into potential mechanisms.

Aims: Vitamin D deficiency (VDD) is prevalent in the population, with inadequate intake, impaired absorption and metabolism as the main causative factors. VDD increases the risk of developing chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and diabetic nephropathy (DN), but the molecular mechanisms underlying this phenomenon are not known. The aim of this study was to investigate the association and potential mechanisms of vitamin D levels with the progression of DN by analyzing general clinical data and using bioinformatics methods. Methods: The study included 567 diabetes mellitus type 2 (T2DM) patients from the Rocket Force Characteristic Medical Center as the case group and 221 healthy examinees as the normal control group. T2DM patients were categorized into T2DM, early diabetic nephropathy (EDN), and advanced diabetic nephropathy (ADN) based on the progression of diabetic nephropathy. The renal RNA-seq and scRNA-seq data of patients with DN were mined from public databases, and the differential expression of vitamin D-related genes in normal-EDN-ADN was analyzed by bioinformatics method, protein interaction network was constructed, immune infiltration was evaluated, single cell map was drawn, and potential mechanisms of VD and DN interaction were explored. Results: Chi-square test showed that vitamin D level was significantly negatively correlated with DN progression (p < 0.001). Bioinformatics showed that the expression of vitamin D-related cytochrome P450 family genes was down-regulated, and TLR4 and other related inflammatory genes were abnormally up-regulated with the progression of DN. Vitamin D metabolism disturbance up-regulate "Nf-Kappa B signaling pathway," B cell receptor signaling pathway and other immune regulation and insulin resistance related pathways, and inhibit a variety of metabolic pathways. In addition, vitamin D metabolism disturbance are strongly associated with the development of diabetic cardiomyopathy and several neurological disease complications. Conclusion: VDD or vitamin D metabolism disturbance is positively associated with the severity of renal injury. The mechanisms may involve abnormal regulation of the immune system by vitamin D metabolism disturbance, metabolic suppression, upregulation of insulin resistance and inflammatory signalling pathways.

Melatonin-Induced Chromium Tolerance Requires Hydrogen Sulfide Signaling in Maize.

Both melatonin and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) mitigate chromium (Cr) toxicity in plants, but the specific interaction between melatonin and H2S in Cr detoxification remains unclear. In this study, the interaction between melatonin and H2S in Cr detoxification was elucidated by measuring cell wall polysaccharide metabolism and antioxidant enzyme activity in maize. The findings revealed that exposure to Cr stress (100 µM K2Cr2O7) resulted in the upregulation of L-/D-cysteine desulfhydrase (LCD/DCD) gene expression, leading to a 77.8% and 27.3% increase in endogenous H2S levels in maize leaves and roots, respectively. Similarly, the endogenous melatonin system is activated in response to Cr stress. We found that melatonin had a significant impact on the relative expression of LCD/DCD, leading to a 103.3% and 116.7% increase in endogenous H2S levels in maize leaves and roots, respectively. In contrast, NaHS had minimal effects on the relative mRNA expression of serotonin-Nacetyltransferase (SNAT) and endogenous melatonin levels. The production of H2S induced by melatonin is accompanied by an increase in Cr tolerance, as evidenced by elevated gene expression, elevated cell wall polysaccharide content, increased pectin methylesterase activity, and improved antioxidant enzyme activity. The scavenging of H2S decreases the melatonin-induced Cr tolerance, while the inhibitor of melatonin synthesis, p-chlorophenylalanine (p-CPA), has minimal impact on H2S-induced Cr tolerance. In conclusion, our findings suggest that H2S serves as a downstream signaling molecule involved in melatonin-induced Cr tolerance in maize.

Insight into the fate of tolfenpyrad in tea plant (Camellia sinensis L.) from root uptake.

Residual pesticides in agricultural environments, including soil and irrigation water, can be taken up by plants, and thus pose a potential risk to food safety. Although tolfenpyrad has been widely used in tea plantations, limited information is available on its root uptake and fate in tea plants (Camellia sinensis L.). Exploring the mechanisms involved is crucial for understanding the migration and accumulation of tolfenpyrad in tea plants, particularly in the edible parts. In this study, root uptake of tolfenpyrad and its subsequent translocation, distribution, and metabolism in tea seedlings were investigated. The results indicated that the passive transport and apoplastic pathway dominated the root uptake of tolfenpyrad. After uptake, tolfenpyrad distributed predominantly in the cell walls (90.8-92.0 %) of roots, resulting in limited upward translocation in water-soluble fractions through transpirational pull, with translocation factor values far <1 (TFstem/root = 0.115-0.453 and TFleaf/stem = 0.039-0.184). Similar accumulation patterns were observed for the carboxylated metabolite PT-CA as well as hydroxylated metabolite PT-OH. Interestingly, the subcellular distribution of PT-CA in stems was much different from that of the parent tolfenpyrad: PT-CA mainly distributed in the stem cell walls (41.72 %) and cell organelles (56.18 %) at 3 h, then gradually transferred into the cell-soluble fractions (33.07 %) after 120 h. Results from the present study indicated limited upward translocation of tolfenpyrad with its main metabolites to leaves. This finding helps to alleviate concerns about environmental residual tolfenpyrad in tea consumption and provides valuable information for the safety evaluation of tolfenpyrad.

Copper-Catalyzed Dual Remote Asymmetric Vinylogous Alkynylallylic Substitution of Yne-Allylic Esters with Coumarins.

Chiral coumarins and their derivatives are ubiquitous structural motifs found in an array of biologically and therapeutically active natural products and drugs. Herein, a highly enantioselective dual remote copper-catalyzed vinylogous alkynylallylic substitution of yne-allylic esters with coumarins has been developed. The practicality of this method is exemplified by the use of readily available starting materials; mild reaction conditions; excellent regio-, enantio-, and stereoselectivities; and the very broad substrate scope (67 examples), while the scalability and further applications of this method are illustrated by the gram-scale reaction and the series of derivations of the products.

The identification, evolutionary analysis, and immune roles of Rab family members in red swamp crayfish, Procambarus clarkii.

The Rab GTPase constitutes the largest family of small GTPases that regulate intracellular trafficking. Different eukaryotes possess varying numbers of Rab paralogs. However, limited knowledge exists regarding the evolutionary pattern of Rab family in most major eukaryotic supergroups. This study cloned 24 Rab genes from transcriptome data of Procambarus clarkii haemocytes. The multiple sequence alignment and phylogenetic tree analysis revealed a relatively high degree of conservation for PcRab. Furthermore, PcRab exhibited similarities in motif composition with all members showing presence of G, PM, RabF, and RabSF motifs. The tertiary structure indicated that PcRab proteins mainly consisted of α-helices and ß-strands, and most PcRab proteins shared similar tertiary structures, and it was indicated that they have similar protein characteristics. Protein-protein interaction prediction identified a total of 20 interacting proteins involved in vesicle trafficking, phagocytosis, and signal transduction with 193 interactions. Expression analysis showed wide expression patterns for PcRab in P. clarkii organs. Upon infection by white spot syndrome virus and Aeromonas veronii, significant induction was observed for PcRab gene expression levels, indicating their involvement in pathogen response mechanisms. The present study represents the pioneering effort in comprehensively identifying and cloning the Rab family genes in crustacean, followed by a systematic investigation into their evolutionary patterns and immune response upon pathogen infection. The results provided valuable insights for further investigation into the molecular mechanism underlying the response of P. clarkii to pathogen infection.