Protease SfpB plays an important role in cell membrane stability and immune system evasion in Streptococcus agalactiae.

Bacteria possess the ability to develop diverse and ingenious strategies to outwit the host immune system, and proteases are one of the many weapons employed by bacteria. This study sought to identify S. agalactiae additional serine protease and determine its role in virulence. The S. agalactiae THN0901 genome features one S8 family serine peptidase B (SfpB), acting as a secreted and externally exposed entity. A S8 family serine peptidase mutant strain (ΔsfpB) and complement strain (CΔsfpB) were generated through homologous recombination. Compared to the wild-type strain THN0901, the absorption of EtBr dyes was significantly reduced (P<0.01) in ΔsfpB, implying an altered cell membrane permeability. In addition, the ΔsfpB strain had a significantly lower survival rate in macrophages (P<0.01) and a 61.85% lower adhesion ability to the EPC cells (P<0.01) compared to THN0901. In the in vivo colonization experiment using tilapia as a model, 210 fish were selected and injected with different bacterial strains at a concentration of 3 x 106 CFU/tail. At 6, 12, 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours post-injection, three fish were randomly selected from each group and their brain, liver, spleen, and kidney tissues were isolated. Subsequently, it was demonstrated that the ΔsfpB strain exhibited a markedly diminished capacity for colonization in tilapia. Additionally, the cumulative mortality of ΔsfpB in fish after intraperitoneal injection was reduced by 19.92-23.85%. In conclusion, the findings in this study have demonstrated that the SfpB plays a significant role in S. agalactiae cell membrane stability and immune evasion. The immune evasion is fundamental for the development and transmission of invasive diseases, the serine protease SfpB may be a promising candidate for the development of antimicrobial agents to reduce the transmission of S. agalactiae.

Switching CO2 Electroreduction toward Ethanol by Delocalization State-Tuned Bond Cleavage.

The electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction by copper-based catalysts features a promising approach to generate value-added multicarbon (C2+) products. However, due to the unfavored formation of oxygenate intermediates on the catalyst surface, the selectivity of C2+ alcohols like ethanol remains unsatisfactory compared to that of ethylene. The bifurcation point (i.e., the CH2═CHO* intermediate adsorbed on Cu via a Cu-O-C linkage) is critical to the C2+ product selectivity, whereas the subsequent cleavage of the Cu-O or the O-C bond determines the ethanol or ethylene pathway. Inspired by the hard-soft acid-base theory, in this work, we demonstrate an electron delocalization tuning strategy of the Cu catalyst by a nitrene surface functionalization approach, which allows weakening and cleaving of the Cu-O bond of the adsorbed CH2═CHO*, as well as accelerating hydrogenation of the C═C bond along the ethanol pathway. As a result, the nitrene-functionalized Cu catalyst exhibited a much-enhanced ethanol Faradaic efficiency of 45% with a peak partial current density of 406 mA·cm-2, substantially exceeding that of unmodified Cu or amide-functionalized Cu. When assembled in a membrane electrode assembly electrolyzer, the catalyst presented a stable CO2-to-ethanol conversion for >300 h at an industrial current density of 400 mA·cm-2.

Optimized Antibiotic Resistance Genes Monitoring Scenarios Promote Sustainability of Urban Water Cycle.

Dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in urban water bodies has become a significant environmental and health concern. Many approaches based on real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) have been developed to offer rapid and highly specific detection of ARGs in water environments, but the complicated and time-consuming procedures have hindered their widespread use. Herein, we developed a facile one-step approach for rapid detection of ARGs by leveraging the trans-cleavage activity of Cas12a and recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA). This efficient method matches the sensitivity and specificity of qPCR and requires no complex equipment. The results show a strong correlation between the prevalence of four ARG markers (ARGs: sul1, qnrA-1, mcr-1, and class 1 integrons: intl1) in tap water, human urine, farm wastewater, hospital wastewater, municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), and proximate natural aquatic ecosystems, indicating the circulation of ARGs within the urban water cycle. Through monitoring the ARG markers in 18 WWTPs in 9 cities across China during both peak and declining stages of the COVID epidemic, we found an increased detection frequency of mcr-1 and qnrA-1 in wastewater during peak periods. The ARG detection method developed in this work may offer a useful tool for promoting a sustainable urban water cycle.

LncRNA-NEAT1 blocks the Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway by targeting miR-217 to inhibit trophoblast cell migration and invasion.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to study the correlation between preeclampsia (PE) and lncRNA nuclear paraspeckle assembly transcript 1 (NEAT1), and to examine the molecular mechanisms behind the development of PE. METHODS: 30 PE and 30 normal pregnant women placental samples were assessed the levels of NEAT1 and miR-217 by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). The trophoblast cell line HTR8/SVneo was used for silencing NEAT1 or miR-217 inhibitor in the absence or presence of an inhibitor and H2O2. Cell counting Kit 8 (CCK-8), flow cytometry, and Transwell were used to detect cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion. Luciferase reporter gene assay was utilized to verify the binding between miR-217 and Wnt family member 3 (Wnt3), and between the miR-217 and NEAT1. Proteins related to the Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway were detected using western blotting. RESULTS: The PE group exhibited a significantly downregulated expression of miR-217 and a significantly upregulated expression of NEAT1. NEAT1 targeted miR-217, and Wnt is a miR-217 target gene. siRNA-NEAT1 inhibited the apoptosis of trophoblast cells, but promoted their invasion, migration, and proliferation. MiR-217 inhibitor could partially reverse the effects of siRNA-NEAT1. The expression of the Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway-related proteins, WNT signaling pathway inhibitor 1 (DKK1), cyclin-D1 and ß-catenin, was significantly increased after siRNA-NEAT1. CONCLUSIONS: NEAT1 could reduce trophoblast cell invasion and migration by suppressing miR-217/Wnt signaling pathway, leading to PE.

Global One Health index for zoonoses: A performance assessment in 160 countries and territories.

The One Health (OH) approach is used to control/prevent zoonotic events. However, there is a lack of tools for systematically assessing OH practices. Here, we applied the Global OH Index (GOHI) to evaluate the global OH performance for zoonoses (GOHI-Zoonoses). The fuzzy analytic hierarchy process algorithm and fuzzy comparison matrix were used to calculate the weights and scores of five key indicators, 16 subindicators, and 31 datasets for 160 countries and territories worldwide. The distribution of GOHI-Zoonoses scores varies significantly across countries and regions, reflecting the strengths and weaknesses in controlling or responding to zoonotic threats. Correlation analyses revealed that the GOHI-Zoonoses score was associated with economic, sociodemographic, environmental, climatic, and zoological factors. Additionally, the Human Development Index had a positive effect on the score. This study provides an evidence-based reference and guidance for global, regional, and country-level efforts to optimize the health of people, animals, and the environment.

Weak-Field Electro-Flash Induced Asymmetric Catalytic Sites toward Efficient Solar Hydrogen Peroxide Production.

Borocarbonitride (BCN), in a mesoscopic asymmetric state, is regarded as a promising photocatalyst for artificial photosynthesis. However, BCN materials reported in the literature primarily consist of symmetric N-[B]3 units, which generate highly spatial coupled electron-hole pairs upon irradiation, thus kinetically suppressing the solar-to-chemical conversion efficiency. Here, we propose a facile and fast weak-field electro-flash strategy, with which structural symmetry breaking is introduced on key nitrogen sites. As-obtained double-substituted BCN (ds-BCN) possesses high-concentration asymmetric [B]2-N-C coordination, which displays a highly separated electron-hole state and broad visible-light harvesting, as well as provides electron-rich N sites for O2 affinity. Thereby, ds-BCN delivers an apparent quantum yield of 7.6% at 400 nm and a solar-to-chemical conversion efficiency of 0.3% for selective 2e-reduction of O2 to H2O2, over 4-fold higher than that of the traditional calcined BCN analogue and superior to the metal-free C3N4-based photocatalysts reported so far. The weak-field electro-flash method and as-induced catalytic site symmetry-breaking methodologically provide a new method for the fast and low-cost fabrication of efficient nonmetallic catalysts toward solar-to-chemical conversions.

Recent Advances in the Crosstalk between Brassinosteroids and Environmental Stimuli.

Due to their sessile lifestyle, plants need to optimize their growth in order to adapt to ever-changing environments. Plants receive stimuli from the environment and convert them into cellular responses. Brassinosteroids (BRs), as growth-promoting steroid hormones, play a significant role in the tradeoff between growth and environmental responses. Here, we provide a comprehensive summary for understanding the crosstalk between BR and various environmental stresses, including water availability, temperature fluctuations, salinization, nutrient deficiencies and diseases. We also highlight the bottlenecks that need to be addressed in future studies. Ultimately, we suppose to improve plant environmental adaptability and crop yield by excavating natural BR mutants or modifying BR signaling and its targets.

The plastid-localized lipoamide dehydrogenase 1 is crucial for redox homeostasis, tolerance to arsenic stress and fatty acid biosynthesis in rice.

Soil contamination with arsenic (As) can cause phytotoxicity and reduce crop yield. The mechanisms of As toxicity and tolerance are not fully understood. In this study, we used a forward genetics approach to isolate a rice mutant, ahs1, that exhibits hypersensitivity to both arsenate and arsenite. Through genomic resequencing and complementation tests, we identified OsLPD1 as the causal gene, which encodes a putative lipoamide dehydrogenase. OsLPD1 was expressed in the outer cell layer of roots, root meristem cells, and in the mesophyll and vascular tissues of leaves. Subcellular localization and immunoblot analysis demonstrated that OsLPD1 is localized in the stroma of plastids. In vitro assays showed that OsLPD1 exhibited lipoamide dehydrogenase (LPD) activity, which was strongly inhibited by arsenite, but not by arsenate. The ahs1 and OsLPD1 knockout mutants exhibited significantly reduced NADH/NAD+ and GSH/GSSG ratios, along with increased levels of reactive oxygen species and greater oxidative stress in the roots compared with wild-type (WT) plants under As treatment. Additionally, loss-of-function of OsLPD1 also resulted in decreased fatty acid concentrations in rice grain. Taken together, our finding reveals that OsLPD1 plays an important role for maintaining redox homeostasis, conferring tolerance to arsenic stress, and regulating fatty acid biosynthesis in rice.

Insight to the Catalytic Activity of Atomically Precise Ag4Ni2 Nanoclusters on Silicon Carbide for Nitroarene Reduction.

Atomically precise Ag4Ni2 nanoclusters with 2,4-dimethylbenzenethiol as the ligands were synthesized and characterized as a cocatalyst of SiC for the selective hydrogenation of nitroarenes to arylamine in the presence of NaBH4. The obtained Ag4Ni2/SiC samples exhibited extraordinary catalytic activity, and a self-accelerated catalytic process was observed with the reduction of nitrophenol to aminophenol as the model reaction. Experimental comparison between the Ag4Ni2/SiC samples before and after the catalysis showed that the transformation of Ag4Ni2 clusters to polydisperse Ag particles as well as amorphous NiOx on the surface of SiC in the catalysis was the key to their high activity. AIMD calculations revealed that the transformation of Ag4Ni2 was driven by the presence of multiple hydrides on the cluster, which induced the detachment of the thiol ligand of the nanoclusters.

Multi-omics and chemical profiling approaches to understand the material foundation and pharmacological mechanism of sophorae tonkinensis radix et rhizome-induced liver injury in mice.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Sophorae tonkinensis Radix et Rhizoma (STR) is an extensively applied traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in southwest China. However, its clinical application is relatively limited due to its hepatotoxicity effects. AIM OF THE STUDY: To understand the material foundation and liver injury mechanism of STR. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Chemical compositions in STR and its prototypes in mice were profiled by ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled quadrupole-time of flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q/TOF MS). STR-induced liver injury (SILI) was comprehensively evaluated by STR-treated mice mode. The histopathologic and biochemical analyses were performed to evaluate liver injury levels. Subsequently, network pharmacology and multi-omics were used to analyze the potential mechanism of SILI in vivo. And the target genes were further verified by Western blot. RESULTS: A total of 152 compounds were identified or tentatively characterized in STR, including 29 alkaloids, 21 organic acids, 75 flavonoids, 1 quinone, and 26 other types. Among them, 19 components were presented in STR-medicated serum. The histopathologic and biochemical analysis revealed that hepatic injury occurred after 4 weeks of intragastric administration of STR. Network pharmacology analysis revealed that IL6, TNF, STAT3, etc. were the main core targets, and the bile secretion might play a key role in SILI. The metabolic pathways such as taurine and hypotaurine metabolism, purine metabolism, and vitamin B6 metabolism were identified in the STR exposed groups. Among them, taurine, hypotaurine, hypoxanthine, pyridoxal, and 4-pyridoxate were selected based on their high impact value and potential biological function in the process of liver injury post STR treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The mechanism and material foundation of SILI were revealed and profiled by a multi-omics strategy combined with network pharmacology and chemical profiling. Meanwhile, new insights were taken into understand the pathological mechanism of SILI.

Comparison of the dural puncture epidural and the standard epidural techniques in patients having labor analgesia maintained using programmed epidural boluses: a prospective double-blinded randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: The dural puncture epidural technique has been shown in some studies to improve the onset and quality of the initiation of labor analgesia compared with the standard epidural technique. However, few studies have investigated whether this technique confers advantages during the maintenance of analgesia. This randomized double-blinded controlled study compared dural puncture epidural analgesia with standard epidural analgesia when analgesia was maintained using programmed intermittent epidural boluses. METHODS: 400 parturients requesting epidural labor analgesia were randomized to have analgesia initiated with a test dose of 3 mL lidocaine 1.5% with epinephrine 15 µg, followed by 12 mL ropivacaine 0.15% mixed with sufentanil 0.5 µg/mL using the dural puncture epidural or the standard epidural technique. After confirming satisfactory analgesia, analgesia was maintained with ropivacaine 0.1% and sufentanil 0.5 µg/mL via programmed intermittent epidural boluses (fixed volume 8 mL, intervals 40 min). We compared local anesthetic consumption, pain scores, obstetric and neonatal outcomes and patient satisfaction. RESULTS: A total of 339 patients completed the study and had data analyzed. There were no differences between the dural puncture epidural and standard epidural groups in ropivacaine consumption (mean difference -0.724 mg, 95% CI of difference -1.450 to 0.001 mg, p=0.051), pain scores, time to first programmed intermittent epidural bolus, the number of programmed intermittent epidural boluses, the number of manual epidural boluses, obstetric outcome or neonatal outcome. Patient satisfaction scores were statistically higher in the dural puncture epidural group but the absolute difference in scores was small. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that when labor analgesia is maintained using the programmed intermittent epidural bolus method, there is no significant advantage to initiating analgesia using the dural puncture epidural compared with the standard epidural technique. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ChiCTR2200062349.

Deciphering the Roles of Extracellular Polymeric Substances (EPS) in Shaping Disinfection Kinetics through Permanent Removal via Genetic Disruption.

Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) ubiquitously encapsulate microbes and play crucial roles in various environmental processes. However, understanding their complex interactions with dynamic bacterial behaviors, especially during the disinfection process, remains very limited. In this work, we investigated the impact of EPS on bacterial disinfection kinetics by developing a permanent EPS removal strategy. We genetically disrupted the synthesis of exopolysaccharides, the structural components of EPS, in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a well-known EPS-producing opportunistic pathogen found in diverse environments, creating an EPS-deficient strain. This method ensured a lasting absence of EPS while maintaining bacterial integrity and viability, allowing for real-time in situ investigations of the roles of EPS in disinfection. Our findings indicate that removing EPS from bacteria substantially lowered their susceptibility threshold to disinfectants such as ozone, chloramine B, and free chlorine. This removal also substantially accelerated disinfection kinetics, shortened the resistance time, and increased disinfection efficiency, thereby enhancing the overall bactericidal effect. The absence of EPS was found to enhance bacterial motility and increase bacterial cell vulnerability to disinfectants, resulting in greater membrane damage and intensified reactive oxygen species (ROS) production upon exposure to disinfectants. These insights highlight the central role of EPS in bacterial defenses and offer promising implications for developing more effective disinfection strategies.

[Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Combined With Interventional Thrombectomy for Treating High-Risk Pulmonary Embolism Caused by Protein C Deficiency:Report of One Case].

Hereditary protein C deficiency is a chromosomal genetic disease caused by mutations in the protein C gene,which can lead to venous thrombosis and is mostly related to mutations in exons 4-9 and intron 8.Fatal pulmonary embolism caused by mutations in the protein C gene is rare,and the treatment faces great challenges.This article reports a case of fatal pulmonary embolism caused by a frameshift mutation in exon 8 of the protein C gene and summarizes the treatment experience of combining extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (for respiratory and circulatory support) with interventional thrombectomy,providing a basis for the diagnosis and treatment of this disease.

Laccase-induced decontamination and humification mechanisms of estrogen in water-crop matrices.

Enzymatic humification plays a crucial biogeochemical role in eliminating steroidal estrogens and expanding organic carbon stocks. Estrogenic contaminants in agroecosystems can be taken up and acropetally translocated by crops, but the roles of laccase-triggered rhizospheric humification (L-TRH) in pollutant dissipation and plant uptake remain poorly understood. In this study, the laccase-induced decontamination and humification mechanisms of 17ß-estradiol (E2) in water-crop media were investigated by performing greenhouse pot experiments with maize seedlings (Zea mays L.). The results demonstrated that L-TRH effectively dissipated E2 in the rhizosphere solution and achieved the kinetic constants of E2 dissipation at 10 and 50 µM by 8.05 and 2.75 times as much as the treatments without laccase addition, respectively. The copolymerization of E2 and root exudates (i.e. phenols and amino acids) consolidated by L-TRH produced a larger amount of humified precipitates with the richly functional carbon architectures. The growth parameters and photosynthetic pigment levels of maize seedlings were greatly impeded after a 120-h exposure to 50 µM E2, but L-TRH motivated the detoxication process and thus mitigated the phytotoxicity and bioavailability of E2. The tested E2 contents in the maize tissues initially increased sharply with the cultivation time but decreased steadily. Compared with the treatment without laccase addition, the uptake and accumulation of E2 in the maize tissues were obviously diminished by L-TRH. E2 oligomers such as dimer, trimer, and tetramer recognized in the rhizosphere solution were also detected in the root tissues but not in the shoots, demonstrating that the acropetal translocation of E2 oligomers was interrupted. These results highlight a promising strategy for decontaminating estrogenic pollutants, boosting rhizospheric humification, and realizing low-carbon emissions, which would be beneficial for agroenvironmental bioremediation and sustainability.

Punicalagin attenuates hyperuricemia via restoring hyperuricemia-induced renal and intestinal dysfunctions.

INTRODUCTION: It is estimated that 90% of hyperuricemia cases are attributed to the inability to excrete uric acid (UA). The two main organs in charge of excreting UA are the kidney (70%) and intestine (30%). Previous studies have reported that punicalagin (PU) could protect against kidney and intestinal damages, which makes it a potential candidate for alleviating hyperuricemia. However, the effects and deeper action mechanisms of PU for managing hyperuricemia are still unknown. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect and action mechanisms of PU for ameliorating hyperuricemia. METHODS: The effects and action mechanisms of PU on hyperuricemia were assessed using a hyperuricemia mice model. Phenotypic parameters, metabolomics analysis, and 16S rRNA sequencing were applied to explore the effect and fundamental action mechanisms inside the kidney and intestine of PU for improving hyperuricemia. RESULTS: PU administration significantly decreased elevated serum uric acid (SUA) levels in hyperuricemia mice, and effectively alleviated the kidney and intestinal damage caused by hyperuricemia. In the kidney, PU down-regulated the expression of UA resorption protein URAT1 and GLUT9, while up-regulating the expression of UA excretion protein ABCG2 and OAT1 as mediated via the activation of MAKP/NF-κB in hyperuricemia mice. Additionally, PU attenuated renal glycometabolism disorder, which contributed to improving kidney dysfunction and inflammation. Similarly, PU increased UA excretion protein expression via inhibiting MAKP/NF-κB activation in the intestine of hyperuricemia mice. Furthermore, PU restored gut microbiota dysbiosis in hyperuricemia mice. CONCLUSION: This research revealed the ameliorating impacts of PU on hyperuricemia by restoring kidney and intestine damage in hyperuricemia mice, and to be considered for the development of nutraceuticals used as UA-lowering agent.

Bipolaronic Motifs Induced Spatially Separated Catalytic Sites for Tunable Syngas Photosynthesis From CO2.

Photocatalytic reduction of CO2 into syngas is a promising way to tackle the energy and environmental challenges; however, it remains a challenge to achieve reaction decoupling of CO2 reduction and water splitting. Therefore, efficient production of syngas with a suitable CO/H2 ratio for Fischer-Tropsch synthesis can hardly be achieved. Herein, bipolaronic motifs including Co(II)-pyridine N motifs and Co(II)-imine N motifs are rationally designed into a crystalline imine-linked 1,10-phenanthroline-5,6-dione-based covalent organic framework (bp-Co-COF) with a triazine core. These featured structures with spatially separated active sites exhibit efficient photocatalytic performance toward CO2-to-syngas conversion with a suitable CO/H2 ratio (1:1-1:3). The bipolaronic motifs enable a highly separated electron-hole state, whereby the Co(II)-pyridine N motifs tend to be the active sites for CO2 activation and accelerate the hydrogenation to form *COOH intermediates; whilst, the Co(II)-imine N motifs increase surface hydrophilicity for H2 evolution. The photocatalytic reductions of CO2 and H2O thus decouple and proceed via a concerted way on the bipolaronic motifs of bp-Co-COF. The optimal bp-Co-COF photocatalyst achieves a high syngas evolution rate of 15.8 mmol g-1 h-1 with CO/H2 ratio of 1:2, outperforming previously reported COF-based photocatalysts.

Integrated network pharmacology and pharmacological investigations to explore the potential mechanism of Ding-Chuan-Tang against chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Ding-Chuan-Tang (Abbreviated as DCT) is frequently prescribed for treatment of respiratory diseases, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which is characterized by coughing, wheezing, and chest tightness in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). However, the potential mechanism of DCT has not been investigated. AIM OF STUDY: The aim of the study is to explore the efficiency of DCT in the treatment of COPD in vivo and in vitro, and to illustrate the possible mechanism against COPD. METHODS: COPD model was induced by exposure of mice to cigarette smoke (CS) for 16 weeks. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), immunofluorescence assay, Western blot, etc., were used to explore the efficiency and mechanisms of DCT. Network pharmacology analysis, including Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis, etc., was performed to explore the potential targets in the treatment of DCT on COPD. RESULTS: DCT significantly alleviated pulmonary pathological changes in mouse COPD model, and inhibited inflammatory response induced by CS and LPS in vivo and in vitro. Network pharmacology analysis suggested that DCT alleviated COPD via inhibiting inflammation by regulating PI3K-AKT pathway. In cell-based models, DCT suppressed the phosphorylation of PI3K and AKT, which further regulated its downstream targets Nrf2 and NF-κB, and inhibited inflammatory response. CONCLUSIONS: DCT effectively attenuated COPD in the mouse model induced by CS. The therapeutic mechanism of DCT against COPD was closely associated with the regulation of PI3K-AKT pathway and its downstream transcription factors, Nrf2 and NF-κB.

Tailoring d-band center of high-valent metal-oxo species for pollutant removal via complete polymerization.

Polymerization-driven removal of pollutants in advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) offers a sustainable way for the simultaneous achievement of contamination abatement and resource recovery, supporting a low-carbon water purification approach. However, regulating such a process remains a great challenge due to the insufficient microscopic understanding of electronic structure-dependent reaction mechanisms. Herein, this work probes the origin of catalytic pollutant polymerization using a series of transition metal (Cu, Ni, Co, and Fe) single-atom catalysts and identifies the d-band center of active site as the key driver for polymerization transfer of pollutants. The high-valent metal-oxo species, produced via peroxymonosulfate activation, are found to trigger the pollutant removal via polymerization transfer. Phenoxyl radicals, identified by the innovative spin-trapping and quenching approaches, act as the key intermediate in the polymerization reactions. More importantly, the oxidation capacity of high-valent metal-oxo species can be facilely tuned by regulating their binding strength for peroxymonosulfate through d-band center modulation. A 100% polymerization transfer ratio is achieved by lowering the d-band center. This work presents a paradigm to dynamically modulate the electronic structure of high-valent metal-oxo species and optimize pollutant removal from wastewater via polymerization.

Molecular Insights into Water-Chloride and Water-Water Interactions in the Supramolecular Architecture of Aconine Hydrochloride Dihydrate.

Despite the previous preparation of aconine hydrochloride monohydrate (AHM), accurate determination of the crystal's composition was hindered by severely disordered water molecules within the crystal. In this study, we successfully prepared a new dihydrate form of the aconine hydrochloride [C25H42NO9+Cl-·2(H2O), aconine hydrochloride dihydrate (AHD)] and accurately refined all water molecules within the AHD crystal. Our objective is to elucidate both water-chloride and water-water interactions in the AHD crystal. The crystal structure of AHD was determined at 136 K using X-ray diffraction and a multipolar atom model was constructed by transferring charge-density parameters to explore the topological features of key short contacts. By comparing the crystal structures of dihydrate and monohydrate forms, we have observed that both AHD and AHM exhibit identical aconine cations, except for variations in the number of water molecules present. In the AHD crystal, chloride anions and water molecules serve as pivotal connecting hubs to establish three-dimensional hydrogen bonding networks and one-dimensional hydrogen bonding chain; both water-chloride and water-water interactions assemble supramolecular architectures. The crystal packing of AHD exhibits a complete reversal in the stacking order compared to AHM, thereby emphasizing distinct disparities between them. Hirshfeld surface analysis reveals that H···Cl- and H···O contacts play a significant role in constructing the hydrogen bonding network and chain within these supramolecular architectures. Furthermore, topological analysis and electrostatic interaction energy confirm that both water-chloride and water-water interactions stabilize supramolecular architectures through electrostatic attraction facilitated by H···Cl- and H···O contacts. Importantly, these findings are strongly supported by the existing literature evidence. Consequently, navigating these water-chloride and water-water interactions is imperative for ensuring storage and safe processing of this pharmaceutical compound.

Antibacterial Activity of Plants in Cirsium: A Comprehensive Review.

As ethnic medicine, the whole grass of plants in Cirsium was used as antimicrobial. This review focuses on the antimicrobial activity of plants in Cirsium, including antimicrobial components, against different types of microbes and bacteriostatic mechanism. The results showed that the main antimicrobial activity components in Cirsium plants were flavonoids, triterpenoids and phenolic acids, and the antimicrobial ability varied according to the species and the content of chemicals. Among them, phenolic acids showed a strong antibacterial ability against Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterococcus faecium. The antibacterial mechanisms include: (1) damaging the cell membrane, cell walls, mitochondria and nucleus of bacteria; (2) inhibiting the synthesis of proteins and nucleic acids; (3) suppressing the synthesis of enzymes for tricarboxylic acid cycle pathways and glycolysis, and then killing the bacteria via inhibition of energy production. Totally, most research results on antimicrobial activity of Cirsium plants are reported based on in vitro assays. The evidence from clinical data and comprehensive evaluation are needed.