A Novel Fluorescence Sensor for Iodide Detection Based on the 1,3-Diaryl Pyrazole Unit with AIE and Mechanochromic Fluorescence Behavior.

A D-A type of luminophore, TPA-CDP, was designed and synthesized by using triphenylamine (TPA) as D (electron donor), 1,3-diaryl pyrazole with cyano groups (CDP) as A (electron acceptor) and employing a cyanovinyl segment as a recognition group. Firstly, TPA-CDP demonstrates effective fluorescence quenching as a sensor for I- by the nucleophilic addition reaction of the cyanovinyl segment with a high level of sensitivity, selectivity and a low determination limit of 4.43 µM. Interestingly, TPA-CDP exhibited an AIE phenomenon with the fw value reaching 50%. In addition, TPA-CDP displayed distinct mechanochromic fluorescence behavior with 70 nm red shift, which was observed over four repeated cycles. Furthermore, the mechanochromic fluorescence behavior of TPA-CDP, as observed in powder XRD experiments, was found to be associated with the morphological transition from a crystalline state to an amorphous state. These results confirm the significant potential of CDP as a powerful electron-deficient component in the creation of D-A-type mechanochromic fluorescence materials and biosensors for detecting I-.

A novel benzothiadiazole-based and NIR-emissive fluorescent sensor for detection of Hg2+ and its application in living cell and zebrafish imaging.

The development of a novel near-infrared (NIR) probe for the detection of toxic Hg2+ in organisms with high selectivity and sensitivity is of great interest but remains a great challenge. Hence, in this work, a new NIR fluorescence enhanced sensor (TBBA), which contains a D-A structure as the NIR fluorophore and rhodanine-3-acetic acid as the receptor, has been developed for the detection of Hg2+ with high selectivity, sensitivity, low limit of detection (13.10 nM) and good binding constant (2.37 × 104 M-1). The mechanism of TBBA response to Hg2+ was further proved by 1H NMR titration, HRMS, and theoretical calculations. Furthermore, TBBA is applied as a fluorescent probe for imaging living cells and zebrafish, indicating that it can be potentially applied for Hg2+ sensing in both environmental and biology fields.

Atmospheric mercury in an eastern Chinese metropolis (Jinan).

Urban emissions are a major contributor to atmospheric Hg budgets. Continuous measurements of total gaseous mercury (TGM) and particulate-bound mercury (PHg) in PM2.5 were conducted from October 2015 to July 2016 in a metropolis, Jinan, in eastern China. Average TGM and PHg concentrations were 4.91 ± 3.66 ng m-3 and 451.9 ± 433.4 pg m-3, respectively, in the entire study period. During the winter heating period (HP), mean concentrations of TGM and PHg were 5.79 ng m-3 and 598.7 pg m-3, respectively, twice higher than those during the non-heating periods (NHPs). During the HP, TGM exhibited a distinct diurnal pattern with a peak in the morning and a minimum in the afternoon on less polluted days but a singular peak at midday on heavily polluted days. The diurnal variation of TGM during the NHPs was predominantly influenced by the variation in boundary layer height while during the HP by anthropogenic emissions. The ratio of PHg/PM2.5 in Jinan was one to two orders of magnitude larger than those elsewhere worldwide and those in soil and coal, which suggested the high enrichment of PHg in PM2.5 in Jinan. Correlation and principle component analysis results suggested that PHg and TGM had common combustion sources during the HP, whereas PHg resulted mainly from biomass burning and meteorological variations during the NHPs. High Hg concentrations in Jinan were mostly caused by emissions from coal-fired power plants, especially for those situated east of the sampling site. In addition, TGM and PHg concentrations significantly increased during haze and fog episodes, but decreased during a dust episode due possibly to strong ventilation conditions combined with partitioning of Hg between adsorption to PM2.5 and coarse dust particles.

Bacillus licheniformis escapes from Myxococcus xanthus predation by deactivating myxovirescin A through enzymatic glucosylation.

Myxococcus xanthus kills susceptible bacteria using myxovirescin A (TA) during predation. However, whether prey cells in nature can escape M. xanthus by developing resistance to TA is unknown. We observed that many field-isolated Bacillus licheniformis strains could survive encounters with M. xanthus, which was correlated to their TA resistance. A TA glycoside was identified in the broth of predation-resistant B. licheniformis J32 co-cultured with M. xanthus, and a glycosyltransferase gene (yjiC) was up-regulated in J32 after the addition of TA. Hetero-expressed YjiC-modified TA to a TA glucoside (TA-Gluc) by conjugating a glucose moiety to the C-21 hydroxyl group, and the resulting compound was identical to the TA glycoside present in the co-culture broth. TA-Gluc exhibited diminished bactericidal activity due to its weaker binding with LspA, as suggested by in silico docking data. Heterologous expression of the yjiC gene conferred both TA and M. xanthus-predation resistance to the host Escherichia coli cells. Furthermore, under predatory pressure, B. licheniformis Y071 rapidly developed predation resistance by acquiring TA resistance through the overexpression of yjiC and lspA genes. These results suggest that M. xanthus predation resistance in B. licheniformis is due to the TA deactivation by glucosylation, which is induced in a predator-mediated manner.

Structure optimization and bioactivity evaluation of ThDP analogs targeting cyanobacterial pyruvate dehydrogenase E1.

Harmful cyanobacteria bloom (HCB) has occurred frequently in recent years and it is urgent to develop novel algicides to deal with this problem. In this paper, a series of novel thiamin diphosphate (ThDP) analogs 5a-5g were designed and synthesized targeting cyanobacterial pyruvate dehydrogenase complex E1 (Cy-PDHc E1). Our results showed that compounds 5a-5g have higher inhibitory activities against Cy-PDHc E1 (IC50 9.56-3.48 µM) and higher inhibitory activities against two model cyanobacteria strains Synechocystis sp PCC6803 (EC50 2.03-1.58 µM) and Microcystis aeruginosa FACHB905 (EC50 1.86-0.95 µM). Especially, compound 5b displayed highest inhibitory activities (IC50 = 3.48 µM) against Cy-PDHc E1 and powerful inhibitory activities against cyanobacteria Synechocystis sp PCC6803 (EC50 = 1.58 µM) and Microcystis aeruginosa FACHB905 (EC50 = 1.04 µM). Moreover, the inhibitory activities of compound 5b were even higher than those of copper sulfate (EC50 = 2.02 and 1.71 µM separately) which has been widely used as algicide against cyanobacteria PCC6803 and FACHB905. The more important was that compound 5b display much higher inhibitory selectivity between Cy-PDHc E1 (Inhibitory rate 97.4%) and porcine PDHc E1 (Inhibitory rate 11.8%) under the same concentration (100 µM). The inhibition kinetic experiment and molecular docking research showed that compound 5b can inhibit Cy-PDHc E1 by occupying the ThDP-binding pocket and then blocking Cy-PDHc E1 bound to ThDP as competitive inhibitor. The imagines of SEM and TEM showed that cellular microstructures were heavily destroyed under compound 5b stress. Our results demonstrated compound 5b could be taken as a potential lead compound targeting Cy-PDHc E1 to obtain environment-friendly algicide for harmful cyanobacterial blooms control.

Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of novel inhibitors against cyanobacterial pyruvate dehydrogenase multienzyme complex E1.

Cyanobacterial pyruvate dehydrogenase multienzyme complex E1 (PDHc E1) is a potential target enzyme for finding inhibitors to control harmful cyanobacterial blooms. In this study, a series of novel triazole thiamin diphosphate (ThDP) analogs were designed and synthesized by modifying the substituent group of triazole ring and optimizing triazole-benzene linker as potential cyanobacterial PDHc E1 (Cy-PDHc E1) inhibitors. Their inhibitory activities against Cy-PDHc E1 in vitro and algicide activities in vivo were further examined. Most of these compounds exhibited prominent inhibitory activities against Cy-PDHc E1 (IC50 1.48-4.48 µM) and good algicide activities against Synechocystis PCC6803 (EC50 0.84-2.44 µM) and Microcystis aeruginosa FACHB905 (EC50 0.74-1.77 µM). Especially, compound 8d showed not only the highest inhibitory activity against Cy-PDHc E1 (IC50 1.48 µM), but also the most powerful inhibitory selectivity between Cy-PDHc E1 (inhibitory rate 98.90%) and porcine PDHc E1 (inhibitory rate only 9.54%). Furthermore, the potential interaction between compound 8d and Cy-PDHc E1 was analyzed by a molecular docking method and site-directed mutagenesis and enzymatic analysis and fluorescence spectral analysis. These results indicated that compound 8d could be used as a hit compound for further optimization and might have potential to be developed as a new algicide.

Design and optimization of N-acylhydrazone pyrimidine derivatives as E. coli PDHc E1 inhibitors: Structure-activity relationship analysis, biological evaluation and molecular docking study.

By targeting the thiamin diphosphate (ThDP) binding site of Escherichia coli (E. coli) pyruvate dehydrogenase multienzyme complex E1 (PDHc E1), a series of novel 'open-chain' classes of ThDP analogs A, B, and C with N-acylhydrazone moieties was designed and synthesized to explore their activities against E. coli PHDc E1 in vitro and their inhibitory activity against microbial diseases were further evaluated in vivo. As a result, A1-23 exhibited moderate to potent inhibitory activities against E. coli PDHc E1 (IC50=0.15-23.55µM). The potent inhibitors A13, A14, A15, C2, had strong inhibitory activities with IC50 values of 0.60, 0.15, 0.39 and 0.34µM against E. coli PDHc E1 and with good enzyme-selective inhibition between microorganisms and mammals. Especially, the most powerful inhibitor A14 could 99.37% control Xanthimonas oryzae pv. Oryzae. Furthermore, the binding features of compound A14 within E. coli PDHc E1 were investigated to provide useful insights for the further construction of new inhibitor by molecular docking, site-directed mutagenesis, and enzymatic assays. The results indicated that A14 had most powerful inhibition against E. coli PDHc E1 due to the establishment of stronger interaction with Glu571, Met194, Glu522, Leu264 and Phe602 at active site of E.coli PDHc E1. It could be used as a lead compound for further optimization, and may have potential as a new microbicide.

Synthesis, antitumor activity and mechanism of action of novel 1,3-thiazole derivatives containing hydrazide-hydrazone and carboxamide moiety.

A series of novel 2,4,5-trisubstituted 1,3-thiazole derivatives containing hydrazide-hydrazine, and carboxamide moiety including 46 compounds T were synthesized, and evaluated for their antitumor activity in vitro against a panel of five human cancer cell lines. Eighteen title compounds T displayed higher inhibitory activity than that of 5-Fu against MCF-7, HepG2, BGC-823, Hela, and A549 cell lines. Especially, T1, T26 and T38 exhibit best cytotoxic activity with IC50 values of 2.21µg/mL, 1.67µg/mL and 1.11µg/mL, against MCF-7, BCG-823, and HepG2 cell lines, respectively. These results suggested that the combination of 1,3-thiazole, hydrazide-hydrazone, and carboxamide moiety was much favorable to cytotoxicity activity. Furthermore, the flow cytometry analysis revealed that compounds T1 and T38 could induce apoptosis in HepG2 cells, and it was confirmed T38 led the induction of cell apoptosis by S cell-cycle arrest.

Rational design, synthesis and biological evaluation of 1,3,4-oxadiazole pyrimidine derivatives as novel pyruvate dehydrogenase complex E1 inhibitors.

On the basis of previous study on 2-methylpyrimidine-4-ylamine derivatives I, further synthetic optimization was done to find potent PDHc-E1 inhibitors with antibacterial activity. Three series of novel pyrimidine derivatives 6, 11 and 14 were designed and synthesized as potential Escherichia coli PDHc-E1 inhibitors by introducing 1,3,4-oxadiazole-thioether, 2,4-disubstituted-1,3-thiazole or 1,2,4-triazol-4-amine-thioether moiety into lead structure I, respectively. Most of 6, 11 and 14 exhibited good inhibitory activity against E. coli PHDc-E1 (IC50 0.97-19.21 µM) and obvious inhibitory activity against cyanobacteria (EC50 0.83-9.86 µM). Their inhibitory activities were much higher than that of lead structure I. 11 showed more potent inhibitory activity against both E. coli PDHc-E1 (IC50<6.62 µM) and cyanobacteria (EC50<1.63 µM) than that of 6, 14 or lead compound I. The most effective compound 11d with good enzyme-selectivity exhibited most powerful inhibitory potency against E. coli PDHc-E1 (IC50=0.97 µM) and cyanobacteria (EC50=0.83 µM). The possible interactions of the important residues of PDHc-E1 with title compounds were studied by molecular docking, site-directed mutagenesis, and enzymatic assays. The results indicated that 11d had more potent inhibitory activity than that of 14d or I due to its 1,3,4-oxadiazole moiety with more binding position and stronger interaction with Lsy392 and His106 at active site of E. coli PDHc-E1.

Synthesis and antifungal activity of 5-iodo-1,4-disubstituted-1,2,3-triazole derivatives as pyruvate dehydrogenase complex E1 inhibitors.

To identify new antifungal lead compound based on inhibitors of pyruvate dehydrogenase complex E1, a series of 5-iodo-1,4-disubstituted-1,2,3-triazole derivatives 3 were prepared and evaluated for their Escherichia coli PDHc-E1 inhibitory activity and antifungal activity. The in vitro bioassay for the PDHc-E1 inhibition indicated all the compounds exhibited significant inhibition against E. coli PDHc-E1 (IC50<21µM), special compound 3g showed the most potent inhibitory activity (IC50=4.21±0.11µM) and was demonstrated to act as a competitive inhibitor of PDHc-E1. Meanwhile, inhibitor 3g exhibited very good enzyme-selective inhibition of PDHc-E1 between pig heart and E. coli. The assay of antifungal activity showed compounds 3e, 3g, and 3n exhibited fair to good activity against Rhizoctonia solani and Botrytis cinerea even at 12.5µg/mL. Especially compound 3n (EC50=5.4µg/mL; EC90=21.1µg/mL) exhibited almost 5.50 times inhibitory potency against B. cinerea than that of pyrimethanil (EC50=29.6µg/mL; EC90=113.4µg/mL). Therefore, in this study, compound 3n was found to be a novel lead compound for further optimization to find more potent antifungal compounds as microbial PDHc-E1 inhibitors.

Two novel herbicide candidates affect Arabidopsis thaliana growth by inhibiting nitrogen and phosphate absorption.

Both 2-[(2,4-dichlorophenoxy)acetoxy](methy)lmethyl-5,5-dimethyl-1,3,2-dioxaphosphinan-2-one (termed as IIa) and 2-[(4-chloro-2-methyl-phenoxy)-acetoxy](methyl)methyl-5,5-dimethyl-1,3,2-dioxaphosphinan-2-one (termed as IIr) are novel herbicide candidates that positively affect herbicidal activity via the introduction of a phosphorus-containing heterocyclic ring. This report investigated the mechanism of IIa and IIr on weed control in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana at physiological, ultrastructural and molecular levels. IIa and IIr significantly inhibited the growth of A. thaliana and altered its root structure by inhibiting energy metabolism and lipid or protein biosynthesis. These compounds also significantly affected the absorption of nitrogen and phosphorus by down-regulating the transcripts of nitrate transporter-related genes, ammonium transporter-related genes and phosphorus transporter-related genes.

The design, synthesis and biological evaluation of novel thiamin diphosphate analog inhibitors against the pyruvate dehydrogenase multienzyme complex E1 from Escherichia coli.

Pyruvate dehydrogenase multienzyme complex E1 (PDHc E1) is a potential target enzyme when looking for inhibitors to combat microbial disease. In this study, we designed and synthesized a series of novel thiamin diphosphate (ThDP) analogs with triazole ring and oxime ether moieties as potential inhibitors of PDHc E1. Their inhibitory activities against PDHc E1 were examined both in vitro and in vivo. Most of the tested compounds exhibited moderate inhibitory activities against PDHc E1 (IC50 = 6.1-75.5 µM). The potent inhibitors 4g, 4h and 4j, had strong inhibitory activities with IC50 values of 6.7, 6.9 and 6.1 µM against PDHc E1 in vitro and with inhibition rates of 35%, 50% and 33% at 100 µg mL(-1) against Gibberella zeae in vivo, respectively. The binding mode of 4j to PDHc E1 was analyzed by a molecular docking method. Furthermore, the possible interactions of the important residues of PDHc E1 with compound 4j were examined by site-directed mutagenesis, enzymatic assays and spectral fluorescence studies. The theoretical and experimental results are in good agreement and suggest that compound 4j could be used as a lead compound for further optimization, and may have potential as a new microbicide.

Trimeric HIV-1 glycoprotein gp140 immunogens and native HIV-1 envelope glycoproteins display the same closed and open quaternary molecular architectures.

The initial step in HIV-1 infection occurs with the binding of cell surface CD4 to trimeric HIV-1 envelope glycoproteins (Env), a heterodimer of a transmembrane glycoprotein (gp41) and a surface glycoprotein (gp120). The design of soluble versions of trimeric Env that display structural and functional properties similar to those observed on intact viruses is highly desirable from the viewpoint of designing immunogens that could be effective as vaccines against HIV/AIDS. Using cryoelectron tomography combined with subvolume averaging, we have analyzed the structure of SOSIP gp140 trimers, which are cleaved, solubilized versions of the ectodomain of trimeric HIV-1 Env. We show that unliganded gp140 trimers adopt a quaternary arrangement similar to that displayed by native unliganded trimers on the surface of intact HIV-1 virions. When complexed with soluble CD4, Fab 17b, which binds to gp120 at its chemokine coreceptor binding site, or both soluble CD4 and 17b Fab, gp140 trimers display an open conformation in which there is an outward rotation and displacement of each gp120 protomer. We demonstrate that the molecular arrangements of gp120 trimers in the closed and open conformations of the soluble trimer are the same as those observed for the closed and open states, respectively, of trimeric gp120 on intact HIV-1 BaL virions, establishing that soluble gp140 trimers can be designed to mimic the quaternary structural transitions displayed by native trimeric Env.

Body composition and inflammation variables as the potential prognostic factors in epithelial ovarian cancer treated with Olaparib.

Background: Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is a significant cause of mortality among gynecological cancers. While Olaparib, a PARP inhibitor, has demonstrated efficacy in EOC maintenance therapy, individual responses vary. This study aims to assess the prognostic significance of body composition and systemic inflammation markers in EOC patients undergoing initial Olaparib treatment. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 133 EOC patients initiating Olaparib therapy. Progression-free survival (PFS) was assessed through Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox proportional hazards regression. Pre-treatment computed tomography images were utilized to evaluate body composition parameters including subcutaneous adipose tissue index (SATI), visceral adipose tissue index (VATI), skeletal muscle area index (SMI), and body mineral density (BMD). Inflammatory markers, such as neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), serum albumin, and hemoglobin levels, were also measured. Results: The median follow-up duration was 16 months (range: 5-49 months). Survival analysis indicated that high SATI, high VATI, high SMI, high BMD, low NLR, and low PLR were associated with decreased risk of disease progression (all p < 0.05). Multivariate analysis identified several factors independently associated with poor PFS, including second or further lines of therapy (HR = 2.16; 95% CI = 1.09-4.27, p = 0.027), low VATI (HR = 3.79; 95% CI = 1.48-9.70, p = 0.005), low SMI (HR = 2.52; 95% CI = 1.11-5.72, p = 0.027), low BMD (HR = 2.36; 95% CI = 1.22-4.54, p = 0.010), and high NLR (HR = 0.31; 95% CI = 0.14-0.69, p = 0.004). Subgroup analysis in serous adenocarcinoma patients revealed distinct prognostic capabilities of SATI, VATI, SMI, PLR, and NLR. Conclusion: Body composition and inflammation variables hold promise as predictors of therapeutic response to Olaparib in EOC patients. Understanding their prognostic significance could facilitate tailored treatment strategies, potentially improving patient outcomes.

Radiogenomic analysis based on lipid metabolism-related subset for non-invasive prediction for prognosis of renal clear cell carcinoma.

PURPOSE: Multiple lipid metabolism pathways alterations are associated with clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) development and aggressiveness. In this study, we aim to develop a novel radiogenomics signature based on lipid metabolism-related genes (LMRGs) that may accurately predict ccRCC patients' survival. MATERIALS AND METHODS: First, 327 ccRCC were used to screen survival-related LMRGs and construct a gene signature based on The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Then, 182 ccRCC were analyzed to establish radiogenomics signature linking LMRGs signature to radiomic features in The Cancer Imaging Archive (TCIA) database included enhanced CT images and transcriptome sequencing data. Lastly, we validated the prognostic power of the identified radiogenomics signature using these patients of TCIA and the Third Xiangya Hospital. RESULTS: We identified the LMRGs signature, consisting of 13 genes, which could efficiently discriminate between low-risk and high-risk patients and serve as an independent and reliable predictor of overall survival (OS). Radiogenomics signature, comprised of 9 radiomic features, was created and could accurately predict the expression level of LMRGs signature (low- or high-risk) for patients. The predictive performance of this radiogenomics signature was demonstrated through AUC values of 0.75 and 0.74 for the training and validation sets (at a ratio of 7:3), respectively. Radiogenomics signature was proven to be an independent risk factor for OS by multivariable analysis (HR = 4.98, 95 % CI:1.72-14.43, P = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: The LMRGs radiogenomics signature could serve as a novel prognostic predictor.

Study on Forming Mechanism of the Recast Layer on the Workpiece Surface during Micro EDM.

In comparison to conventional EDM, micro EDM distinguishes itself through its brief discharge duration, narrow discharge channel radius, and concentrated energy density. However, there remains a paucity of comprehensive research on the surface formation characteristics in this domain. This paper delves into the formation mechanism of the recast layer in micro EDM workpieces, scrutinizing the primary factors that influence the formation process and the morphological attributes of the recast layer. We conducted a series of single-pulse experiments and micro EDM trials. Utilizing surface fitting tools, our experimental findings facilitated the derivation of a relational expression between the recast layer thickness of high-speed steel and the discharge parameters in micro EDM. Notably, when the energy is below 100 µJ, the recast layer thickness remains under 10 µm. Specifically, at an energy level of 16 µJ, opting for a smaller capacitance of 2200 pf and a higher voltage of 120 V in micro EDM results in a thinner recast layer. This study serves as a cornerstone for future efforts aimed at controlling and assessing the surface morphology of micro EDM.

Dexmedetomidine promotes the functional recovery of mice after acute ischemic stroke via activation of the α2-adrenoceptor.

Ischemic stroke (IS) is a well-known acute cerebrovascular disease characterized by high disability, morbidity, and recurrence rates with no effective treatments. Dexmedetomidine (DEX), a selective a2-adrenoceptor agonist used in anaesthesiology and pain management, has been found to exhibit neuroprotective effects in various diseases. However, its role in IS and the underlying mechanisms remains to be determined. Hence, the aim of the present study was to investigate the neuroprotective role of DEX in the recovery of mice following middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). Mice were used to establish the animal model, and then DEX was injected. Behavioural tests (neurological function assessments, grip test, and rotarod test), brain water content measurement, ELISA, and measurement of oxidative stress were performed. DEX activated a2-adrenoceptor and resulted in reduced brain injury, as indicated by the decreased brain water content, S100 Calcium Binding Protein B (S100B) content, and neuron-specific enolase (NSE) content, whilst also inhibiting oxidative stress, as indicated by the increased total antioxidant capacity, catalase, glutathione, and superoxide dismutase levels, and decreased malondialdehyde and glutathione oxidized levels. Neuroinflammation was also reduced as indicated by the decrease in IFN-g, IL-1a, IL-1b, IL-6, TNF-a, and MMP levels, improved the recovery of neurological function, as indicated by the decreased neurological function score and mNSS, and increased grip strength and rotarod performance in MCAO mice. These combined results suggest that DEX may be a novel strategy for the treatment of IS.

Protocol for a comprehensive pipeline to study ancient human genomes.

Ancient genomics has revolutionized our understanding of human evolution and migration history in recent years. Here, we present a protocol to prepare samples for ancient genomics research. We describe steps for releasing DNA from human remains, DNA library construction, hybridization capture, quantification, and sequencing. We then detail procedures for mapping sequence reads and population genetics analysis. This protocol also outlines challenges in extracting ancient DNA samples and authenticating ancient DNA to uncover the genetic history and diversity of ancient populations. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Tao et al.1.

Tetraphenylethene-based mononuclear aggregation-induced emission (AIE)-active mechanofluorochromism gold(I) complexes with different auxiliary ligands.

In this study, a series of tetraphenylethene-containing gold(I) complexes with different auxiliary ligands have been synthesized. These complexes were characterized using a variety of techniques including nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and single crystal X-ray diffraction. Their aggregation-induced emission (AIE) behaviors were investigated through ultraviolet/visible and photoluminescence spectrum analyses, and dynamic light scattering measurements. Meanwhile, their mechanofluorochromic properties were also studied via solid-state photoluminescence spectroscopy. Intriguingly, all these mononuclear gold(I) molecules functionalized by tetraphenylethene group demonstrated AIE phenomena. Furthermore, five gold(I) complexes possessing diverse auxiliary ligands exhibited distinct fluorescence changes in response to mechanical grinding. For luminogens 2-5, their solids showed reversible mechanofluorochromic behaviors triggered by the mutual transformation of crystalline and amorphous states, while for luminogen 1, blue-green-cyan three-color solid fluorescence conversion was realized by sequential mechanical grinding and solvent fumigation. Based on this stimuli-responsive tricolored fluorescence feature of 1, an information encryption system was successfully constructed.

Ancient genomes illuminate the demographic history of Shandong over the past two millennia.

Shandong province, located in the Lower Yellow River, is one of the birthplaces of ancient Chinese civilization. However, the comprehensive genetic histories of this region have remained largely unknown until now due to a lack of ancient human genomes. Here, we present 21 ancient genomes from Shandong dating from the Warring States period to the Jin-Yuan Dynasties. Unlike the early Neolithic samples from Shandong, the historical samples are most closely related to post-Late Neolithic populations of the Middle Yellow River Basin, suggesting a population turnover in Shandong from the Neolithic Age to the Historical era. In addition, we detect a close genetic affinity between the historical samples in Shandong and present-day Han Chinese, showing long-term genetic stability in Han Chinese at least since the Warring States period.