Prevalence and disparities in sexual and reproductive health of women of reproductive age (20-49 years) in China: A national cross-sectional study.

Background: Ensuring women's sexual and reproductive health (SRH) is a fundamental human right and key to 2030 agenda of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), yet limited evidence exists on SRH in China, including national estimates and disparities of women's SRH experiences, gynaecological diseases, and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Methods: A national cross-sectional survey based on a multistage stratified sampling from 15 provinces of China was performed from May 2019 to April 2021. A total of 12 815 reproductive-aged (20-49 years) women were involved. The SRH experiences (including age at menarche, age at first sexual activity, history of abortion, miscarriage, recurrent miscarriage, stillbirth, age at first delivery, types of delivery), the history of gynaecological diseases and STDs, as well as the environmental factors of participants were investigated. Human development index (HDI) was utilised to categorise and describe the socioeconomic status of the regions. The prevalence rates of diseases were compared among different HDI regions. Results: We observed a decrease in the mean age at menarche, an increase in the proportion of women who became sexually active before 20, and a modest rise in mean age at first childbirth across generations. Age-standardised prevalence estimates of miscarriage, recurrent miscarriage, artificial abortion, ectopic pregnancy, and stillbirth were 9.3, 1.4, 55.7, 3.3, and 2.1%, respectively. Approximately 50% of participants reported a history of gynaecological diseases, with vulvovaginitis, cervicitis, and pelvic infection diseases being the most prevalent. The overall prevalence of STDs was estimated at 22.2‰, with mycoplasma genitalium infection having the highest reported prevalence. Disease prevalence varies across HDI regions. Conclusions: Women's SRH behaviours and experiences have evolved, along with shifts in the spectrums of gynaecological diseases and STDs in China. Urgent recalibration of health care policies and disease control strategies is necessary, aligning them with women's changing SRH needs, ultimately ensuring their reproductive health and rights.

[Content, Sources, and Ecological Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in Soil of Typical Karst County].

Soil heavy metals in karst areas have obvious high background value characteristics. Conducting county-level soil heavy metal ecological risk assessment and identifying heavy metal sources in karst areas are of great significance for soil pollution control and land resource management. Taking Pingguo City, a typical karst county in Guangxi Province, as the study object, 3 151 surface and deep soil samples were collected using the grid method and combined to form 785 analytical samples. The contents of eight heavy metal elements, including As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, and Zn, were determined. The content characteristics and sources of heavy metals were analyzed using statistical analysis, interpolation analysis, factor analysis, and the absolute principal component-multiple linear regression model （APCS-MLR）. Using the content of heavy metal elements in deep soil （150-200 cm） as background values, the ecological risk assessment of heavy metals in surface soil （0-20 cm） in the study area was conducted using the geo-accumulation index （Igeo） and potential ecological risk index （RI） methods. The results showed that the average content of heavy metal elements in the deep soil of the study area was significantly higher than the background value of the C layer soil in Guangxi Province, and the average content of heavy metal elements in the surface soil was significantly higher than the background value of the A layer soil in Guangxi Province. The spatial distribution of soil heavy metal element content generally showed the characteristics of high in karst areas and low in non-karst areas. The main sources of As, Cr, Ni, Pb, and Zn were soil parent materials, with contribution rates of 74.36%, 84.59%, 93.69%, 79.67%, and 78.17%, respectively. The main sources of Cd were soil parent material sources and unknown sources, with contribution rates of 37.33% and 31.05%, respectively. The main sources of Cu were soil parent materials and unknown sources, with contribution rates of 59.07% and 40.23%, respectively. The main sources of Hg were tectonic activity and mineralization, as well as unknown sources, with contribution rates of 52.49% and 30.65%, respectively. The geo-accumulation index （Igeo） showed that the surface soil was mainly polluted by Cd, with mild or above pollution accounting for 47.78%. The potential ecological risk index （RI） showed that the proportion of surface soil heavy metal comprehensive potential ecological hazards with mild, moderate, strong, and very strong levels was 80.78%, 14.97%, 2.51%, and 1.64%, respectively.

Rheumatoid Arthritis Exacerbates Eosinophilic Inflammation Contributing to Postoperative Recurrence in Chronic Rhinosinusitis with Nasal Polyps.

Objective: To assess the impact of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) on histopathological features and the risk of postoperative recurrence in chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) patients. Methods: A retrospective cohort study of CRSwNP patients who underwent functional endoscopic sinus surgery was performed. Patients were followed up for more than two years, and classified into RA and Non-RA groups, recurrent and non-recurrent groups. The influence of RA on histopathological features and the risk of CRSwNP recurrence was explored. Results: A total of 517 CRSwNP patients were finally recruited, including 78 RA patients. The RA group exhibited a higher recurrence rate, tissue eosinophil counts and percentages compared to the non-RA group (P < 0.05). Tissue eosinophil count and percentage, and the prevalence of allergic rhinitis were significantly higher in the recurrent group in compared to the non-recurrent group (P < 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified tissue eosinophil count and percentage, RA, and allergic rhinitis as significant predictors of increased recurrence risk (P < 0.05). Both adjusted and unadjusted models affirmed RA as an independent risk factor for CRSwNP postoperative recurrence (P < 0.05). Kaplan-Meier curves further indicated a higher recurrence risk in CRSwNP patients with RA than those without (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Our findings suggest that RA significantly exacerbates tissue eosinophilic inflammation and independently heightens the risk of postoperative recurrence in CRSwNP patients. These insights underscore the need for tailored therapeutic strategies addressing the complex interplay between CRSwNP and RA to mitigate recurrence risks and improve clinical outcomes.

Impact of human papillomavirus and coinfection with other sexually transmitted pathogens on male infertility.

This study primarily aimed to investigate the prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) and other common pathogens of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in spermatozoa of infertile men and their effects on semen parameters. These pathogens included Ureaplasma urealyticum, Ureaplasma parvum, Chlamydia trachomatis, Mycoplasma genitalium, herpes simplex virus 2, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Enterococcus faecalis, Streptococcus agalactiae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus. A total of 1951 men of infertile couples were recruited between 23 March 2023, and 17 May 2023, at the Department of Reproductive Medicine of The First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province (Kunming, China). Multiplex polymerase chain reaction and capillary electrophoresis were used for HPV genotyping. Polymerase chain reaction and electrophoresis were also used to detect the presence of other STIs. The overall prevalence of HPV infection was 12.4%. The top five prevalent HPV subtypes were types 56, 52, 43, 16, and 53 among those tested positive for HPV. Other common infections with high prevalence rates were Ureaplasma urealyticum (28.3%), Ureaplasma parvum (20.4%), and Enterococcus faecalis (9.5%). The prevalence rates of HPV coinfection with Ureaplasma urealyticum, Ureaplasma parvum, Chlamydia trachomatis, Mycoplasma genitalium, herpes simplex virus 2, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Enterococcus faecalis, Streptococcus agalactiae, and Staphylococcus aureus were 24.8%, 25.4%, 10.6%, 6.4%, 2.4%, 7.9%, 5.9%, 0.9%, and 1.3%, respectively. The semen volume and total sperm count were greatly decreased by HPV infection alone. Coinfection with HPV and Ureaplasma urealyticum significantly reduced sperm motility and viability. Our study shows that coinfection with STIs is highly prevalent in the semen of infertile men and that coinfection with pathogens can seriously affect semen parameters, emphasizing the necessity of semen screening for STIs.

Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and the risk of hyperemesis gravidarum: a Mendelian randomization study.

OBJECTIVE: The inconsistency in conclusions from early observational studies has sparked our interest in elucidating the relationship between lipid levels and susceptibility to hyperemesis gravidarum (HG). This study wishes to employed Mendelian randomization analysis to investigate the causal relationship between low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and HG. METHODS: We employed Tow-Sample MR analysis to investigate the causal associations between LDL-C and HG. Specific variables were selected from GWAS database for MR analysis, using single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) as our instruments. The threshold for significant SNPs as genetic instruments has been set at 5 × 10-8. F-statistic was employed to validate the strength of exposure instruments. The causality was mainly evaluated by Inverse Variance Weighted method (IVW). To address potential bias from the selection of genetic variants with pleiotropic effects, sensitivity analysis was performed by Cochrane Q-test, MR Egger, weighted median, MR-PRESSO and Leave-one-out methods. To validate the directionality of causal relationships, we employed Steiger test to filter SNPs. At last, we conducted reverse MR to exclude the causal impact of HG on LDL-C levels. RESULTS: Our MR results identified the effect of genetically predicted increased LDL-C levels on increased genetic susceptibility to HG (OR:1.30; 95%CI:1.03-1.65; p = 0.028). In reverse MR analyses, no evidence was found for causal effect of HG on LDL-C levels (OR:1.00; 95%CI:1.00-1.01; p = 0.163). Sensitivity analyses were used to confirm reliability. CONCLUSION: This study may have provided evidence of genetically predicted increased LDL-C levels on increased genetic susceptibility to HG. Appropriate lowering LDL-C levels may serve as a preventive and treatment measure for HG.

Live-attenuated PruΔgra72 strain of Toxoplasma gondii induces strong protective immunity against acute and chronic toxoplasmosis in mice.

BACKGROUND: Toxoplasma gondii is an intracellular opportunistic pathogenic protozoan that poses serious threats, particularly in immunocompromised individuals. In the absence of a robust prophylactic measure, the mitigation and management of toxoplasmosis present formidable challenges to public health. We recently found that GRA72 plays an important role in parasitophorous vacuole (PV) morphology, growth and virulence of T. gondii. However, whether gra72-deficient strain can be used as a vaccine remains unknown. METHODS: We first examined the attenuated virulence of gra72 gene knockout strain (PruΔgra72) and the parasite load in organs of the infected mice. Subsequently, we evaluated the immune-protective effects of the PruΔgra72 vaccination against challenge with various types of T. gondii tachyzoites and Pru cysts. Furthermore, levels of antibodies and cytokines induced by PruΔgra72 vaccination were examined. Statistical analysis was conducted by Student's t-test or Mantel-Cox log-rank test based on data obtained from three independent experiments with GraphPad Prism 8.0. RESULTS: We found that PruΔgra72 strain exhibited a significantly attenuated virulence even at the highest dose of 5 × 107 tachyzoites in Kunming mice model. The significant decrease of brain cyst burden and parasite load in the organs of the PruΔgra72-infected mice suggested its potentiality as a live-attenuated vaccine. Hence, we explored the protective immunity of PruΔgra72 vaccination against toxoplasmosis. Results showed that vaccination with 5 × 106 PruΔgra72 tachyzoites triggered a strong and sustained Th1-biased immune response, marked by significantly increased levels of anti-T. gondii IgG antibodies, and significantly higher levels of Th1 type cytokines (IL-2, IL-12 and IFN-γ) compared to that of Th2 type (IL-4 and IL-10). Vaccination with 5 × 106 PruΔgra72 tachyzoites in mice conferred long-term protection against T. gondii infection by less virulent tachyzoites (ToxoDB#9 PYS and Pru strains) and Pru cysts, provided partial protection against acute infection by high virulent Type I RH tachyzoites and significantly decreased brain cyst burden of chronically infected mice. CONCLUSIONS: The avirulent PruΔgra72 induced strong protective immunity against acute and chronic T. gondii infection and is a promising candidate for developing a safe and effective live-attenuated vaccine against T. gondii infection.

[Research progress of electrospinning polyurethane fiber in the field of biomedical tissue engineering].

Polyurethane materials have good biocompatibility, blood compatibility, mechanical properties, fatigue resistance and processability, and have always been highly valued as medical materials. Polyurethane fibers prepared by electrostatic spinning technology can better mimic the structure of natural extracellular matrices (ECMs), and seed cells can adhere and proliferate better to meet the requirements of tissue repair and reconstruction. The purpose of this review is to present the research progress of electrostatically spun polyurethane fibers in bone tissue engineering, skin tissue engineering, neural tissue engineering, vascular tissue engineering and cardiac tissue engineering, so that researchers can understand the practical applications of electrostatically spun polyurethane fibers in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.

Novel glucomannan-like polysaccharide from Lycium barbarum L. ameliorates renal fibrosis via blocking macrophage-to-myofibroblasts transition.

The macrophage to myofibroblasts transition (MMT) has been reported as a newly key target in renal fibrosis. Lycium barbarum L. is a traditional Chinese medicine for improving renal function, in which its polysaccharides (LBPs) are the mainly active components. However, whether the role of LBPs in treating renal fibrosis is related to MMT process remain unclear. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between the regulating effect on MMT process and the anti-fibrotic effect of LBPs. Initially, small molecular weight LBPs fractions (LBP-S) were firstly isolated via Sephadex G-100 column. Then, the potent inhibitory effect of LBP-S on MMT process was revealed on bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDM) model induced by TGF-ß. Subsequently, the chemical structure of LBP-S was elucidated through monosaccharide, methylation and NMR spectrum analysis. In vivo biodistribution characteristics studies demonstrated that LBP-S exhibited effectively accumulation in kidney via intraperitoneal administration. Finally, LBP-S showed a satisfactory anti-renal fibrotic effect on unilateral ureteral obstruction operation (UUO) mice, which was significantly reduced following macrophage depletion. Overall, our findings indicated that LPB-S could alleviate renal fibrosis through regulating MMT process and providing new candidate agents for chronic kidney disease (CKD) related fibrosis treatment.

The impact of dynamic caudal type homeobox 2 expression on the differentiation of human trophoblast lineage during implantation.

The trophoblast lineage differentiation represents a rate-limiting step in successful embryo implantation. Adhesion, invasion and migration processes within the trophoblast are governed by several transcription factors. Among them, CDX2 is a critical regulator shaping the destiny of the trophoblast. While its altered expression is a linchpin initiating embryo implantation in mice, the precise influence of CDX2 on the functionality and lineage differentiation of early human trophoblast remains unclear. In this study, we employed well-established human trophoblast stem cell (hTSC) lines with CDX2 overexpression coupled with a 3D in vitro culture system for early human embryos. We revealed that the downregulation of CDX2 is a prerequisite for syncytialization during human embryo implantation based on immunofluorescence, transcriptome analysis, CUT-tag sequencing and the construction of 3D human trophoblast organoids. While CDX2 overexpression inhibited syncytialization, it propelled hTSC proliferation and invasive migration. CDX2 exerted its influence by interacting with CGA, PTGS2, GCM1, LEF1 and CDH2, thereby hindering premature differentiation of the syncytiotrophoblast. CDX2 overexpression enhanced the epithelial-mesenchymal transition of human trophoblast organoids. In summary, our study provides insights into the molecular characteristics of trophoblast differentiation and development in humans, laying a theoretical foundation for advancing research in embryo implantation.

LzSCL9, a Novel GRAS Transcription Factor in Lanzhou Lily (Lilium davidii var. unicolor), Participates in Regulation of Trichokonins-Primed Heat Stress Tolerance.

In our previous research, we found that trichokonins' (TKs) employment improved the thermotolerance of the Lanzhou lily, a renowned edible crop species endemic to China that is relatively susceptible to high temperatures (HTs). Here, a novel Lanzhou lily GRAS gene, LzSCL9, was identified to respond to heat stress (HS) and HS+TKs treatment based on transcriptome and RT-qPCR analysis. TKs could improve the upregulation of LzSCL9 during long-term HS. The expression profile of LzSCL9 in response to HS with or without TKs treatment showed a significant positive correlation with LzHsfA2a-1, which was previously identified as a key regulator in TKs' conferred resilience to HT. More importantly, overexpression of LzSCL9 in the lily enhanced its tolerance to HTs and silencing LzSCL9 in the lily reduced heat resistance. Taken together, this study identified the positive role of LzSCL9 in TK-induced thermotolerance, thereby preliminarily establishing a molecular mechanism on TKs regulating the thermostability of the Lanzhou lily and providing a new candidate regulator for plant heat-resistant breeding.

Molecular Identification and Survey of Cyclospora spp. in Cattle in Shanxi Province, North China.

To date, more than 20 species in the genus Cyclospora have been reported. Among them, Cyclospora cayetanensis has been recognized as the causative agent of human cyclosporiasis, which is characterized by severe intestinal injury and prolonged diarrhea in patients with immune dysfunction. The presence of C. cayetanensis in cattle has been confirmed. To date, however, no surveillance data are available on the occurrence and prevalence of Cyclospora spp. in cattle in Shanxi Province, North China. In the present study, a total of 761 fecal samples collected from cattle in three representative counties (Qi, Jishan, and Shanyin) in this Province were examined for Cyclospora spp. by using a polymerase-chain-reaction-restriction-fragment-length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) test based on the nuclear small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) gene. The prevalence of Cyclospora spp. in cattle was 2.1%, and region, age, sex, and breed were not identified to be risk factors. Molecular evolutionary analysis based on the SSU rRNA sequences revealed that all 12 of the isolates were relatively distant from the human pathogen C. cayetanensis; seven isolates were grouped with Cyclospora colobi, whereas the others were grouped with cattle Cyclospora spp. reported previously. Though C. cayetanensis was not detected in cattle in the present study, more investigations should be performed in human populations, other animal species, or cattle from other regions of Shanxi Province and other environmental sources from the One Health perspective.

StripeRust-Pocket: A Mobile-Based Deep Learning Application for Efficient Disease Severity Assessment of Wheat Stripe Rust.

Wheat stripe rust poses a marked threat to global wheat production. Accurate and effective disease severity assessments are crucial for disease resistance breeding and timely management of field diseases. In this study, we propose a practical solution using mobile-based deep learning and model-assisted labeling. StripeRust-Pocket, a user-friendly mobile application developed based on deep learning models, accurately quantifies disease severity in wheat stripe rust leaf images, even under complex backgrounds. Additionally, StripeRust-Pocket facilitates image acquisition, result storage, organization, and sharing. The underlying model employed by StripeRust-Pocket, called StripeRustNet, is a balanced lightweight 2-stage model. The first stage utilizes MobileNetV2-DeepLabV3+ for leaf segmentation, followed by ResNet50-DeepLabV3+ in the second stage for lesion segmentation. Disease severity is estimated by calculating the ratio of the lesion pixel area to the leaf pixel area. StripeRustNet achieves 98.65% mean intersection over union (MIoU) for leaf segmentation and 86.08% MIoU for lesion segmentation. Validation using an additional 100 field images demonstrated a mean correlation of over 0.964 with 3 expert visual scores. To address the challenges in manual labeling, we introduce a 2-stage labeling pipeline that combines model-assisted labeling, manual correction, and spatial complementarity. We apply this pipeline to our self-collected dataset, reducing the annotation time from 20 min to 3 min per image. Our method provides an efficient and practical solution for wheat stripe rust severity assessments, empowering wheat breeders and pathologists to implement timely disease management. It also demonstrates how to address the "last mile" challenge of applying computer vision technology to plant phenomics.

Isotoosendanin inhibits triple-negative breast cancer metastasis by reducing mitochondrial fission and lamellipodia formation regulated by the Smad2/3-GOT2-MYH9 signaling axis.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is incurable and prone to widespread metastasis. Therefore, identification of key targets for TNBC progression is urgently needed. Our previous study revealed that isotoosendanin (ITSN) reduced TNBC metastasis by targeting TGFßR1. ITSN is currently used as an effective chemical probe to further discover the key molecules involved in TNBC metastasis downstream of TGFßR1. The results showed that GOT2 was the gene downstream of Smad2/3 and that ITSN decreased GOT2 expression by abrogating the activation of the TGF-ß-Smad2/3 signaling pathway through directly binding to TGFßR1. GOT2 was highly expressed in TNBC, and its knockdown decreased TNBC metastasis. However, GOT2 overexpression reversed the inhibitory effect of ITSN on TNBC metastasis both in vitro and in vivo. GOT2 interacted with MYH9 and hindered its binding to the E3 ubiquitin ligase STUB1, thereby reducing MYH9 ubiquitination and degradation. Moreover, GOT2 also enhanced the translocation of MYH9 to mitochondria and thus induced DRP1 phosphorylation, thereby promoting mitochondrial fission and lamellipodia formation in TNBC cells. ITSN-mediated inhibition of mitochondrial fission and lamellipodia formation was associated with reduced GOT2 expression. In conclusion, ITSN prevented MYH9-regulated mitochondrial fission and lamellipodia formation in TNBC cells by enhancing MYH9 protein degradation through a reduction in GOT2 expression, thus contributing to its inhibition of TNBC metastasis.

Meta-analysis of intrauterine hCG perfusion efficacy in recurrent implantation failure as defined by ESHRE guidelines.

PURPOSE: This study evaluates the efficacy of intrauterine hCG perfusion for RIF, as defined by ESHRE 2023 guidelines, highlighting hCG as a cost-effective alternative to other immunotherapies, especially suitable for less developed regions. It aims to clarify treatment guidance amidst previous inconsistencies. METHODS: This meta-analysis, registered with PROSPERO (CRD42024443241) and adhering to PRISMA guidelines, assessed the efficacy and safety of intrauterine hCG perfusion in enhancing implantation and pregnancy outcomes in RIF. Comprehensive literature searches were conducted through December 2023 in major databases including PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and key Chinese databases, without language restrictions. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were strictly aligned with the 2023 ESHRE recommendations, with exclusions for studies lacking robust control, clear outcomes, or adequate data integrity. The risk of bias was evaluated using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale, ROBINS-I, and RoB2 tools. Data analysis was performed in R using the 'meta' package, employing both fixed and random effect models to account for study variability. Subgroup analyses by dosage, volume, hCG concentration, timing of administration, and type of embryo transfer were conducted to deepen insights, enhancing the reliability and depth of the meta-analysis in elucidating the role of hCG perfusion in RIF treatments. RESULTS: Data from 13 studies, comprising six retrospective and six prospective studies from single centers, along with one multi-center RCT, totaling 2,157 participants, were synthesized to evaluate the effectiveness of intrauterine hCG perfusion in enhancing implantation and pregnancy outcomes in patients with RIF. Significant improvements were observed in clinical pregnancy and embryo implantation rates across various dosages, timing of administration, and embryo developmental stages, without impacting miscarriage rates. Notably, the most significant efficacy within subgroups occurred with a 500 IU dosage and perfusion parameters of ≤ 500µL volume and ≥ 2 IU/µL concentration. Additionally, a limited number of studies showed no significant increases in ectopic pregnancy or multiple pregnancy rates, and a modest improvement in live birth rates, although the small number of these studies precludes definitive conclusions. CONCLUSIONS: The analysis suggests that intrauterine hCG perfusion probably enhances embryo implantation, clinical pregnancy, and live birth rates slightly in RIF patients. Benefits are indicated with a dosage of 500 IU and a maximum volume of 500µL at concentrations of at least 2 IU/µL. However, substantial heterogeneity from varying study types and the limited number of studies necessitate cautious interpretation. These findings underscore the need for more rigorously designed RCTs to definitively assess the efficacy and safety.

An AP2/ERF member LlERF012 confers thermotolerance via activation of HSF pathway in lily.

Heat stress transcription factors (HSFs) are core factors of plants in response to heat stress (HS), but their regulatory network is complicated and remains elusive in a large part, especially HSFBs. In this study, we reported that the LlERF012-LlHSFA1 module participates in heat stress response (HSR) by directly regulating HSF pathway in lily (Lilium longiflorum). LlHSFB1 was confirmed as a positive regulator in lily thermotolerance and a heat-inducible AP2/ERF member LlERF012 (Ethylene Response Factor 012) was further identified to be a direct trans-activator of LlHSFB1. Overexpression of LlERF012 elevated the thermotolerance of transgenic Arabidopsis and lily, but silencing LlERF012 reduced thermotolerance in lily. Further analysis showed LlERF012 interacted with LlHSFA1, which led to enhanced transactivation activity and DNA-binding capability of LlERF012. In addition, LlERF012 also directly activated the expression of LlHSFA1 by binding its promoter. As expected, we found that LlERF012 bound the promoters of LlHSFA2, LlHSFA3A, and LlHSFA3B to stimulate their expression, and LlERF012-LlHSFA1 interaction enhanced these activation effects. Overall, our data suggested that LlERF012 was a key factor for lily thermotolerance and the LlERF012-LlHSFA1 interaction synergistically regulated the activity of the HSF pathway including the class A and B members, which might be of great significance for coordinating the functions of different HSFs.

Modulating the electronic structure of ion phthalocyanine-based molecular catalysts for electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction: a DFT study.

The highly localized Fe d orbital in ion phthalocyanine (FePc)-based molecular catalysts significantly hinders their electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction (eNRR) performance. Herein, we theoretically designed a series of FePc-based molecules with adjacent metal phthalocyanine sites to form an asymmetric delocalized electronic structure on Fe centers, promoting the catalytic activity and lowering the overpotential of the eNRR, as well as suppressing the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) side reaction.

Selective Detection of Dynamics-Complete Set of Correlations via Quantum Channels.

Correlations of fluctuations are essential to understanding many-body systems and key information for advancing quantum technologies. To fully describe the dynamics of a physical system, all time-ordered correlations (TOCs), i.e., the dynamics-complete set of correlations are needed. The current measurement techniques can only access a limited set of TOCs, and there has been no systematic and feasible solution for extracting the dynamic-complete set of correlations hitherto. Here we propose a platform-universal protocol to selectively detect arbitrary types of TOCs via quantum channels. In our method, the quantum channels are synthesized with various controls, and engineer the evolution of a sensor-target system along a specific path that corresponds to a desired correlation. Using nuclear magnetic resonance, we experimentally demonstrate this protocol by detecting a specific type of fourth-order TOC that has never been accessed previously. We also show that the knowledge of the TOCs can be used to significantly improve the precision of quantum optimal control. Our method provides a new toolbox for characterizing the quantum many-body states and quantum noise, and hence for advancing the fields of quantum sensing and quantum computing.

Effects of Freeze-Thaw Cycles on Bioaccessibilities of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons.

The bioaccessibility of particle-bound hydrophobic organic contaminants, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and the factors influencing their re-release are crucial for assessing potential human health risks via inhalation and hand-mouth exposure. However, the mechanisms by which various factors affect the re-release of PAHs in body fluids, particularly in response to environmental changes like freeze-thaw cycles, remain unclear. To obtain a better understanding, an in vitro method was employed to investigate the re-release processes of PAHs from different soil types (ferrallitic soil and calcareous soil) in simulated body fluids (simulated lung fluid and simulated saliva) under varying freeze-thaw conditions (0, 15, and 30 cycles). The findings indicated that the bioaccessibilities of phenanthrene and pyrene decreased with the frequency of freeze-thaw cycles, which were constrained by soil nature and simulated body fluids compositions as well. Additionally, this study observed that the portion of reversible adsorption of PAHs declined after exposure to freeze-thaw cycles in a nonlinear manner, suggesting that the potential human health risk associated with PAHs could be mitigated due to the "aging effect" which occurred as PAHs became less bioaccessible over time. These results underscore the importance of considering the characteristics of pollutants, body fluids, and environmental media when conducting a precise assessment of the human health risks posed by such contaminants.

dbEBV: A database of Epstein-Barr virus variants and their correlations with human health.

Since Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) was discovered in 1964, it has been reported to be associated with various malignancies as well as benign diseases, and the pathogenicity of EBV has been widely studied. Several databases have been established to provide comprehensive information on the virus and its relation to diseases and introduce convenient analysis tools. Although they have greatly facilitated the analysis of EBV at the genome, gene, protein, or epitope level, they did not provide enough insight into the genomic variants of EBV, which have been suggested as relevant to diseases by multiple studies. Here, we introduce dbEBV, a comprehensive database of EBV genomic variation landscape, which contains 942 EBV genomes with 109,893 variants from different tissues or cell lines in 24 countries. The database enables the visualization of information with varying global frequencies and their relationship with the human health of each variant. It also supports phylogenetic analysis at the genome or gene level in subgroups of different characteristics. Information of interest can easily be reached with functions such as searching, browsing, and filtering. In conclusion, dbEBV is a convenient resource for exploring EBV genomic variants, freely available at http://dbebv.omicsbio.info.

Antioxidant effects of Paeoniflorin and relevant molecular mechanisms as related to a variety of diseases: A review.

Paeoniflorin (PF), which is the main component of the Paeonia lactiflora Pall extract, is one of the traditional Chinese medicines. The pharmacological effects associated with PF include antioxidant, immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antidepressant-like and neuroprotective effects. Our previous studies had revealed that PF protected melanocytes and inhibited photodamage through the suppression of oxidative stress (OS). As OS plays a vital role in the progression of a variety of diseases, the capacity for PF to suppress OS may exert important effects upon them. However, no review exists on these antioxidant effects of PF as related to various diseases. Therefore, in this review we summarized studies involved with examining the antioxidant effects and molecular mechanisms of PF. Through its capacity to inhibit OS, PF has been shown to exert beneficial effects upon several systems including nervous, cardiac/vascular, digestive, and respiratory as well as specific diseases such as diabetes, autoimmune, pregnancy related, ocular, kidney, dermatology, along with suppression of distal flap necrosis, postoperative adhesions, and hearing loss. Such findings provide new insights and directions for future research directed at the development of PF as a natural antioxidant for the treatment of clinical diseases.