Superior sodiophilicity and molecule crowding of crown ether boost the electrochemical performance of all-climate sodium-ion batteries.

Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) as one of the promising alternatives to lithium-ion batteries have achieved remarkable progress in the past. However, the all-climate performance is still very challenging for SIBs. Herein, 15-Crown-5 (15-C-5) is screened as an electrolyte additive from a number of ether molecules theoretically. The good sodiophilicity, high molecule rigidity, and bulky size enable it to reshape the solvation sheath and promote the anion engagement in the solvated structures by molecule crowding. This change also enhances Na-ion transfer, inhibits side reactions, and leads to a thin and robust solid-electrolyte interphase. Furthermore, the electrochemical stability and operating temperature windows of the electrolyte are extended. These profits improve the electrochemical performance of SIBs in all climates, much better than the case without 15-C-5. This improvement is also adopted to µ-Sn, µ-Bi, hard carbon, and MoS2. This work opens a door to prioritize the potential molecules in theory for advanced electrolytes.

Antimicrobial peptide-producing dermal preadipocytes defend against Candida albicans skin infection via the FGFR-MEK-ERK pathway.

Dermal fibroblasts (dFBs) defend against deep bacterial skin infections by differentiating into preadipocytes (pAds) that produce the antimicrobial peptide cathelicidin; this differentiation is known as the dermal reactive adipogenesis response. However, the role of dFBs in fungal infection remains unknown. Here, we found that cathelicidin-producing pAds were present in high numbers in skin lesions from patients with cutaneous Candida granulomas. Second, we showed that dermal Candida albicans (C. albicans) infection in mice robustly triggered the dermal reactive adipogenesis response and induced cathelicidin expression, and inhibition of adipogenesis with pharmacological inhibitors of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) impaired skin resistance to C. albicans. In vitro, C. albicans products induced cathelicidin expression in pAds, and differentiating pAds markedly suppressed the growth of C. albicans by producing cathelicidin. Finally, we showed that C. albicans induced an antimicrobial response in pAds through the FGFR-MEK-ERK pathway. Together, our data reveal a previously unknown role of dFBs in the defense against skin infection caused by C. albicans.

Basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) gene family in rye (Secale cereale L.): genome-wide identification, phylogeny, evolutionary expansion and expression analyses.

BACKGROUND: Rye (Secale cereale), one of the drought and cold-tolerant crops, is an important component of the Triticae Dumortier family of Gramineae plants. Basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH), an important family of transcription factors, has played pivotal roles in regulating numerous intriguing biological processes in plant development and abiotic stress responses. However, no systemic analysis of the bHLH transcription factor family has yet been reported in rye. RESULTS: In this study, 220 bHLH genes in S. cereale (ScbHLHs) were identified and named based on the chromosomal location. The evolutionary relationships, classifications, gene structures, motif compositions, chromosome localization, and gene replication events in these ScbHLH genes are systematically analyzed. These 220 ScbHLH members are divided into 21 subfamilies and one unclassified gene. Throughout evolution, the subfamilies 5, 9, and 18 may have experienced stronger expansion. The segmental duplications may have contributed significantly to the expansion of the bHLH family. To systematically analyze the evolutionary relationships of the bHLH family in different plants, we constructed six comparative genomic maps of homologous genes between rye and different representative monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous plants. Finally, the gene expression response characteristics of 22 ScbHLH genes in various biological processes and stress responses were analyzed. Some candidate genes, such as ScbHLH11, ScbHLH48, and ScbHLH172, related to tissue developments and environmental stresses were screened. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that these ScbHLH genes exhibit characteristic expression in different tissues, grain development stages, and stress treatments. These findings provided a basis for a comprehensive understanding of the bHLH family in rye.

Clinicopathological, molecular, and prognostic features of colorectal carcinomas with KRAS c.34G>T (p.G12C) mutation.

Evidence indicates that combinations of anti-EGFR antibodies and KRAS p.G12C (c.34G>T) inhibitors can be an effective treatment strategy for advanced colorectal cancer. We hypothesized that KRAS c.34G>T (p.G12C)-mutated colorectal carcinoma might be a distinct tumor subtype. We utilized a prospective cohort incident tumor biobank (including 1347 colorectal carcinomas) and detected KRAS c.34G>T (p.G12C) mutation in 43 cases (3.2%) and other KRAS mutations (in codon 12, 13, 61, or 146) in 467 cases (35%). The CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP)-low prevalence was similarly higher in KRAS c.34G>T mutants (52%) and other KRAS mutants (49%) than in KRAS-wild-type tumors (31%). KRAS c.34G>T mutants showed higher CIMP-high prevalence (14%) and lower CIMP-negative prevalence (33%) compared with other KRAS mutants (6% and 45%, respectively; p = 0.0036). Similar to other KRAS mutants, KRAS c.34G>T-mutated tumors were associated with cecal location, non-microsatellite instability (MSI)-high status, BRAF wild type, and PIK3CA mutation when compared with KRAS-wild-type tumors. Compared with BRAF-mutated tumors, KRAS c.34G>T mutants showed more frequent LINE-1 hypomethylation, a biomarker for early-onset colorectal carcinoma. KRAS c.34G>T mutants were not associated with other features, including the tumor tissue abundance of Fusobacterium nucleatum (F. animalis), pks+ Escherichia coli, Bifidobacterium, or (enterotoxigenic) Bacteroides fragilis. Among 1122 BRAF-wild-type colorectal carcinomas, compared with KRAS-wild-type tumors, multivariable-adjusted colorectal cancer-specific mortality hazard ratios (95% confidence interval) were 1.82 (1.05-3.17) in KRAS c.34G>T (p.G12C)-mutated tumors (p = 0.035) and 1.57 (1.22-2.02) in other KRAS-mutated tumors (p = 0.0004). Our study provides novel evidence for clinical and tumor characteristics of KRAS c.34G>T (p.G12C)-mutated colorectal carcinoma.

Multi-view fringe projection profilometry for surfaces with intricate structures and high dynamic range.

Fringe projection profilometry plays an important role for quality control in production line. However, it is facing challenges in the measurement of objects with intricate structures and high dynamic range that involved in precision manufacturing and semiconductor packaging. In this paper, a multi-view fringe projection profilometry system, which deploys a vertical telecentric projector and four oblique tilt-shift cameras, is presented to address the "blind spots" caused by shadowing, occlusion and local specular reflection. A flexible and accurate system calibration method is proposed, in which the corrected pinhole imaging model is used to calibrate the telecentric projection, and the unified calibration is performed by bundle adjustment. Experimental results show that the 3D repeated measurement error and standard deviation are no more than 10 µm within a measurable volume of 70 × 40 × 20 mm3. Furthermore, a group of experiments prove that the developed system can achieve complete and accurate 3D measurement for high dynamic range surfaces with complex structures.

Heat stress and sexual reproduction in maize: unveiling the most pivotal factors and the greatest opportunities.

The escalation in the intensity, frequency, and duration of high-temperature (HT) stress is currently unparalleled, which aggravates the challenges for crop production. Yet, the stage-dependent responses of reproductive organs to HT stress at the morphological, physiological, and molecular levels remain inadequately explored in pivotal staple crops. This review synthesized current knowledge regarding the mechanisms by which HT stress induces abnormalities and aberrations in reproductive growth and development, as well as by which it alters the morphology and function of florets, flowering patterns, and the processes of pollination and fertilization in maize (Zea mays L.). We identified the stage-specific sensitivities to HT stress and accurately defined the sensitive period from a time scale of days to hours. The microspore tetrad phase of pollen development and anthesis (especially shortly after pollination) are most sensitive to HT stress, and even brief temperature spikes during these stages can lead to significant kernel loss. The impetuses behind the heat-induced impairments in seed set are closely related to carbon, reactive oxygen species, phytohormone signals, ion (e.g. Ca2+) homeostasis, plasma membrane structure and function, and others. Recent advances in understanding the genetic mechanisms underlying HT stress responses during maize sexual reproduction have been systematically summarized.

The grapevine miR827a regulates the synthesis of stilbenes by targeting VqMYB14 and gives rise to susceptibility in plant immunity.

Grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) is an economically important fruit crop cultivated worldwide. In China, grapevine cultivation is very extensive, and a few Vitis grapes have excellent pathogen and stress resistance, but the molecular mechanisms underlying the grapevine response to stress remain unclear. In this study, a microRNA (miRNA; miR827a), which negatively regulates its target gene VqMYB14, a key regulatory role in the synthesis of stilbenes, was identified in Vitis quinquangularis (V. quinquangularis) using transcriptome sequencing. Using overexpression and silencing approaches, we found that miR827a regulates the synthesis of stilbenes by targeting VqMYB14. We used flagellin N-terminal 22-amino-acid peptide (flg22), the representative elicitor in plant basal immunity, as the elicitor to verify whether miR827a is involved in the basal immunity of V. quinquangularis. Furthermore, the promoter activity of miR827a was alleviated in transgenic grape protoplasts and Arabidopsis thaliana following treatment with flg22 and Pseudomonas syringae pv. Tomato DC3000 (Pst DC3000), respectively. In addition, yeast one-hybrid and dual luciferase reporter assay revealed that the ethylene transcription factor VqERF057 acted as a key regulator in the inhibition of miR827a transcription. These results will contribute to the understanding of the biological functions of miR827a in grapevine and clarify the molecular mechanism of the interaction between miR827a and VqMYB14.

Hepatic Krüppel-like factor 14 regulates lipid metabolism in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis mice.

Excessive lipid accumulation is a critical characteristic in the development of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). The underlying molecular mechanism, however, is unclear. In this study, we explored whether and how Krüppel-like factor 14 (KLF14) affects hepatic lipid metabolism in NASH. KLF14 expression was detected in NASH patients and mice fed a choline-deficient, L-amino acid-defined, high-fat diet (CDAHFD). Adeno-associated viruses and adenoviruses were used to alter hepatic KLF14 expression in vivo or in vitro to investigate how KLF14 functions in lipid regulation. The molecular mechanisms were explored using RNA-seq, luciferase reporter, and ChIP assays. The fatty liver phenotype was analyzed histopathologically, and serum and hepatocyte biochemical parameters were measured. The NASH mouse model developed quickly in C57BL/6J mice fed a CDAHFD for 8 weeks. We found that KLF14 expression was decreased in NASH patients and CDAHFD mice. Oleic acid and palmitic acid treatment also reduced KLF14 levels in hepatocytes. KLF14 knockdown downregulated the genes involved in fatty acid oxidation, promoting the progression of hepatic steatosis. In contrast, hepatic KLF14 overexpression alleviated lipid accumulation and oxidative stress in CDAHFD mice. These effects resulted from direct activation of the PPARα signaling pathway. PPARα inhibition diminished the KLF14 overexpression-reduced protective effects against steatosis in OA&PA-treated MPHs and AAV-KLF14-infected CDAHFD mice. These data reveal that hepatic KLF14 regulates lipid accumulation and oxidative stress through the KLF14-PPARα pathway as NASH progresses. KLF14 may be a novel therapeutic target for hepatic steatosis.

Radiomics analysis from magnetic resonance imaging in predicting the grade of nonfunctioning pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors: a multicenter study.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the potential of radiomics features to predict the histologic grade of nonfunctioning pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor (NF-PNET) patients using non-contrast sequence based on MRI. METHODS: Two hundred twenty-eight patients with NF-PNETs undergoing MRI at 5 centers were retrospectively analyzed. Data from center 1 (n = 115) constituted the training cohort, and data from centers 2-5 (n = 113) constituted the testing cohort. Radiomics features were extracted from T2-weighted images and the apparent diffusion coefficient. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator was applied to select the most important features and to develop radiomics signatures. The area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was performed to assess models. RESULTS: Tumor boundary, enhancement homogeneity, and vascular invasion were used to construct the radiological model to stratify NF-PNET patients into grade 1 and 2/3 groups, which yielded AUC of 0.884 and 0.684 in the training and testing groups. A radiomics model including 4 features was constructed, with an AUC of 0.941 and 0.871 in the training and testing cohorts. The fusion model combining the radiomics signature and radiological characteristics showed good performance in the training set (AUC = 0.956) and in the testing set (AUC = 0.864), respectively. CONCLUSION: The developed model that integrates radiomics features with radiological characteristics could be used as a non-invasive, dependable, and accurate tool for the preoperative prediction of grade in NF-PNETs. CLINICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT: Our study revealed that the fusion model based on a non-contrast MR sequence can be used to predict the histologic grade before operation. The radiomics model may be a new and effective biological marker in NF-PNETs. KEY POINTS: The diagnostic performance of the radiomics model and fusion model was better than that of the model based on clinical information and radiological features in predicting grade 1 and 2/3 of nonfunctioning pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (NF-PNETs). Good performance of the model in the four external testing cohorts indicated that the radiomics model and fusion model for predicting the grades of NF-PNETs were robust and reliable, indicating the two models could be used in the clinical setting and facilitate the surgeons' decision on risk stratification. The radiomics features were selected from non-contrast T2-weighted images (T2WI) and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) sequence, which means that the administration of contrast agent was not needed in grading the NF-PNETs.

Screening, cloning, immobilization and application prospects of a novel ß-glucosidase from the soil metagenome.

The soil environment for straw return is a rich and valuable library containing many microorganisms and proteins. In this study, we aimed to screen a high-quality ß-glucosidase (BGL) from the soil metagenomic library and to overcome the limitation of the low extraction rate of resveratrol in Polygonum cuspidatum. This includes the construction of a soil metagenomic library, screening of BGL, bioinformatics analysis, cloning, expression, immobilization, enzymatic property analysis, and application for the transformation of polydatin. The results showed that the soil metagenomic library of straw return was successfully constructed, and a novel BGL was screened. The identified 1356 bp long BGL belonged to the glycoside hydrolase 1 (GH1) family and was named Bgl1356. After successful cloning and expression of Bgl1356, it was immobilized using chitosan. The optimum temperature of immobilized Bgl1356 was 50 °C, and the pH was 5. It exhibited good tolerance for various metal ions (CO2+, Ni2+, Cu2+, Mn2+, Na2+, Ca2+, and Ag+) and organic solvents (DMSO, Triton-X-10, and ethanol). Enzymatic kinetics assays showed that Bgl1356 had good affinity for the substrate, and the specific enzyme activity was 234.03 U/mg. The conversion rate of polydatin by immobilized Bgl1356 was 95.70 ± 1.08%, facilitating the production of high amounts of resveratrol. Thus, this paper reports a novel temperature-, organic solvent-, and metal ion-tolerant BGL that has good application prospects in the pharmaceutical industry.

Knowledge, attitudes and practices among medical workers toward outpatient diabetes information platform.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices among medical workers toward outpatient diabetes information platform. METHODS: This web-based cross-sectional study was conducted between May 2023 and June 2023 at the First Hospital of Zhangjiakou, China. A self-designed questionnaire was developed to collect demographic information of medical workers, and assess their knowledge, attitudes and practices toward outpatient diabetes information platform. RESULTS: A total of 685 questionnaires were collected. Among the participants, 603 (88.03%) were female, 432 (63.07%) work in a tertiary hospital, 548 (80.00%) have a bachelor degree, 270 (39.42%) of them work in the department of internal medicine and 315 (45.99%) of them received previous training on outpatient diabetes information platform. The mean knowledge, attitudes and practices scores were 4.32 ± 1.27 (possible range: 0-6), 56.76 ± 5.72 (possible range: 14-70), and 32.22 ± 8.42 (possible range: 9-45), respectively. 350 (51.09%) of them have sufficient knowledge, 168 (24.53%) have positive attitudes and 395 (57.66%) have active practices. Pearson correlation analysis showed that knowledge was positively correlated with attitudes (r = 0.397, P < 0.001), and attitudes were positively correlated with practices (r = 0.306, P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that primary hospital (OR = 0.32, 95% CI: 0.14-0.71, P = 0.005), secondary hospital (OR = 0.48, 95% CI: 0.32-0.72, P < 0.001), doctor (OR = 2.44, 95% CI: 1.39-4.28, P = 0.002) were independently associated with sufficient knowledge. Knowledge (OR = 1.49, 95% CI: 1.29-1.73, P < 0.001), community hospital staff (OR = 0.21, 95% CI: 0.05-0.88, P = 0.032) were independently associated with positive attitudes. Attitudes (OR = 1.13, 95% CI: 1.09-1.17, P < 0.001), junior college (OR = 1.72, 95% CI: 1.07-2.77, P = 0.026) were independently associated with active practices. The structural equation model demonstrated that knowledge had a direct effect on attitudes (path coefficient = 0.521, P < 0.001), and attitudes had a direct effect on practices (path coefficient = 0.542, P < 0.001). Moreover, the type of hospital had a direct effect on knowledge (path coefficient = 0.085, P < 0.001). Additionally, previous training on the outpatient diabetes platform had direct effects on attitudes (path coefficient = 0.191, P < 0.001) and practices (path coefficient = 0.184, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: These findings revealed that medical workers have insufficient knowledge, positive attitudes and inactive practices toward the outpatient diabetes information platform. Comprehensive training programs are needed to improve medical staff's practices in this area.

The luxS deletion reduces the spoilage ability of Shewanella putrefaciens: An analysis focusing on quorum sensing and activated methyl cycle.

The luxS mutant strains of Shewanella putrefaciens (SHP) were constructed to investigate the regulations of gene luxS in spoilage ability. The potential regulations of AI-2 quorum sensing (QS) system and activated methyl cycle (AMC) were studied by analyzing the supplementation roles of key circulating substances mediated via luxS, including S-adenosylmethionine (SAM), S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH), methionine (Met), homocysteine (Hcy) and 4,5-dihydroxy-2,3-pentanedione (DPD). Growth experiments revealed that the luxS deletion led to certain growth limitations of SHP, which were associated with culture medium and exogenous additives. Meanwhile, the decreased biofilm formation and diminished hydrogen sulfide (H2S) production capacity of SHP were observed after luxS deletion. The relatively lower total volatile base nitrogen (TVB-N) contents and higher sensory scores of fish homogenate with luxS mutant strain inoculation also indicated the weaker spoilage-inducing effects after luxS deletion. However, these deficiencies could be offset with the exogenous supply of circulating substances mentioned above. Our findings suggested that the luxS deletion would reduce the spoilage ability of SHP, which was potentially attributed to the disorder of AMC and AI-2 QS system.

The relationship between social support and professional identity of health professional students from a two-way social support theory perspective: chain mediating effects of achievement motivation and meaning in life.

BACKGROUND: Studies has suggested that receiving social support improves the professional identity of health professional students. According to the two-way social support theory, social support includes receiving social support and giving social support. However, the effect of the two-way social support on health professional students' professional identity has not been clarified yet. METHODS: To explore the mechanism of how two-way social support affects health professional students' professional identity, an observational, cross-sectional study was conducted among a convenience and cluster sample of 1449 health professional students from two medical schools in western China. Measures included a short version of the two-way social support scale, a health professional students' professional identity questionnaire, an achievement motivation scale, and a meaning in life scale. Data were analyzed by use of SPSS26.0 software and PROCESSv4.0 plug-in. RESULTS: Receiving social support, giving social support, achievement motivation, meaning in life, and professional identity were positively correlated with each other. Receiving and giving social support not only directly predicted health professional students' professional identity, but also indirectly predicted health professional students' professional identity through the mediating roles of achievement motivation and meaning in life, and the chain mediating roles of achievement motivation and meaning in life, respectively. The effectiveness of predicting health professional students' professional identity varied among different types of two-way social support, which could be depicted as two-way social support > mainly giving social support > mainly receiving social support > low two-way social support. CONCLUSION: In the medical education, the awareness and ability of health professional students to receive and give social support should be strengthened. More attention should be drawn on the chain mediating effect of achievement motivation and meaning in life between two-way social support and professional identity. The current results shed new light on exploring effective ways of improving health professional students' professional identity, which suggested that more attention should be paid to the positive effects of mainly giving social support and two-way social support rather than only on the effects of receiving social support.

Association between quality of discharge teaching and self-management in patients after percutaneous coronary intervention: A chain mediation model.

AIMS: To examine chain mediating effect of discharge readiness and self-efficacy between quality of discharge teaching and self-management in patients after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). BACKGROUND: Although self-management after PCI has significant benefits in controlling risk factors and delaying disease progression, the status of self-management remains unoptimistic. A large number of studies have explored the close relationship between the quality of discharge teaching and patients self-management, but little is known about the underlying mechanisms. METHODS: The cross-sectional samples was collected from a tertiary hospital in China. Self-reported questionnaires were used to assess quality of discharge teaching, discharge readiness, self-efficacy and self-management. Pearson correlation analysis and mediation effect analysis were used for statistical analysis. REPORTING METHOD: The study used the STROBE checklist for reporting. RESULTS: A total of 198 patients with a mean age of 64.99 ± 11.32 (34-85) were included. The mean score of self-management was 88.41 ± 11.82. Quality of discharge teaching, discharge readiness, self-efficacy and self-management were all positively correlated. Mediation effect analysis showed that the mediating effects of discharge readiness, self-efficacy, discharge readiness and self-efficacy between quality of discharge teaching and self-management were 0.157, 0.177 and 0.049, respectively, accounting for 21.96%, 24.76% and 6.85% of the total effect. CONCLUSION: The quality of discharge teaching for patients after PCI not only directly affects self-management, but also can indirectly affect self-management through discharge readiness and self-efficacy. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: To improve the life quality of patients after PCI, medical staff should pay attention to the influence of self-management of quality of discharge teaching, and develop intervention strategies based on the path of discharge readiness and self-efficacy. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: Questionnaires filled out by patients were used to understand the association between quality of discharge teaching, discharge readiness, self-efficacy and self-management.

Aged polystyrene microplastics exposure affects apoptosis via inducing mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress in early life of zebrafish.

In recent years, the toxic effects of microplastics (MPs) on aquatic organisms have been increasingly recognized. However, the developmental toxicity and underlying mechanisms of photoaged MPs at environmental concentrations remain unclear. Therefore, the photodegradation of pristine polystyrene (P-PS) under UV irradiation was used to investigate, as well as the developmental toxicity and underlying mechanisms of zebrafish (Danio rerio) exposed to P-PS and aged polystyrene (A-PS) at environmentally relevant concentrations (0.1-100 µg/L). Mortality, heart rate, body length, and tail coiling frequency of zebrafish larvae were the developmental toxicity endpoints. A-PS had increased crystallinity, the introduction of new functional groups, and higher oxygen content after UV-photoaging. The toxicity results showed that exposure to A-PS resulted in more adverse developmental toxicity than exposure to P-PS. Exposure to A-PS induced oxidative damage, as evidenced by elevated production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and DNA damage, and led to decreased mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and causes the release of cytochrome c (cyt c) from the mitochondria. The caspase-3/-9 activation signaling pathways may cause developmental toxicity via mitochondrial apoptosis. Significant changes in the expression of genes were further explored linking with oxidative stress, mitochondria dysfunctions and apoptosis pathways following A-PS exposure. These findings underscore the importance of addressing the environmental applications of aged MPs and call for further research to mitigate their potential risks on aquatic ecosystems and human health.

Plasma C18:0-ceramide is a novel potential biomarker for disease severity in myasthenia gravis.

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an antibody-mediated autoimmune disorder characterized by fluctuation of fatigue and weakness of muscle. Due to the heterogeneity of the course of MG, available biomarkers for prognostic prediction are urgently needed. Ceramide (Cer) was reported to participate in immune regulation and many autoimmune diseases, but its effects on MG remain undefined. This study aimed to investigate the ceramides expression levels in MG patients and their potential as novel biomarkers of disease severity. Levels of plasma ceramides were determined by ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). Severity of disease was assessed by quantitative MG scores (QMGs), MG-specific activities of daily living scale (MG-ADLs) and 15-item MG quality of Life (MG-QOL15). The concentrations of serum interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), IL-6, IL-17A, and IL-21 were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the proportions of circulating memory B cells and plasmablasts were detected by flow-cytometry assay. Four plasma ceramides levels we studied were detected higher in MG patients. And three of them (C16:0-Cer, C18:0-Cer, and C24:0-Cer) were positively associated with QMGs. In addition, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis suggested that plasma ceramides have a good ability of differentiating MG from HCs. Importantly, only C18:0-Cer was shown to be positively associated with the concentration of serum IL and circulating memory B cells, and the decrease in plasma C18:0-Cer paralleled the clinical improvement of patients with MG. All together, our data suggest that ceramides may play an important role in the immunopathological mechanism of MG, and C18:0-Cer has the potential to be a novel biomarker for disease severity in MG.

A highly accumulated secretory protein from cotton bollworm interacts with basic helix-loop-helix transcription factors to dampen plant defense.

Caterpillar oral secretion (OS) contains active molecules that modulate plant defense signaling. We isolated an effector-like protein (Highly Accumulated Secretory Protein 1, HAS1) from cotton bollworm (Helicoverpa armigera) that is the most highly accumulated secretory protein of the nondigestive components in OS and belongs to venom R-like protein. Elimination of HAS1 by plant-mediated RNA interference reduced the suppression of OS on the defense response in plants. Plants expressing HAS1 are more susceptible to insect herbivory accompanied by the reduced expressions of multiple defense genes. HAS1 binds to the basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factors, including GoPGF involved in pigmented gland formation and defense compounds biosynthesis in cotton and MYC3/MYC4 the main regulators in jasmonate (JA) signaling in Arabidopsis. The binding activity is required for HAS1 to inhibit the activation of bHLHs on plant defense gene expressions. Together with our previous study that another venom R-like protein HARP1 in cotton bollworm OS blocks JA signaling by interacting with JASMONATE-ZIM-domain repressors, we conclude that the venom R-like proteins in OS interfere with plant defense in a dual suppression manner. Considering the venom proteins in parasitic wasp assault the immune system of its host animal, our investigation reveals their conserved function in carnivorous and herbivorous insects.

Facet-Dependent Competitive Adsorption Mechanisms of Chromate and Oxalic Acid on γ-FeO(OH) Nanocrystals.

Facet-dependent toxic metal adsorption of iron oxides widely occurred in natural environments. It is known that organic acids can alter the adsorption behaviors of trace elements by cooperative or competitive effects. However, the coadsorption mechanisms of the specific facets are still not fully understood. In the current investigation, Cr(VI) adsorption onto the lepidocrocite (γ-FeO(OH))-exposed facets in the presence of oxalic acid (OA) was studied using macroexperiments, in situ attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray adsorption fine structure, and density functional theory calculations. Rod-like lepidocrocite (R-LEP) with a high ratio of {001}/{010} facet showed excellent Cr(VI) adsorption capacity than that of plate-like lepidocrocite (P-LEP, the dominant facet is {010}) in the absence/presence of OA. Interestingly, OA reacted with R-LEP would be easier to diminish Cr(VI) adsorption than with P-LEP. The competitive adsorption occurred on the {001} facet due to the formation of inner-sphere OA configurations (monodentate mononuclear and bidentate mononuclear structures) and a bidentate binuclear Cr(VI) complex. However, OA coordinated with {010} facets via the outer-sphere complexes, while Cr(VI) could form a protonated monodentate binuclear configuration. These observations suggest that the competitive adsorption processes between OA and Cr(VI) exhibit facet dependence. Furthermore, lepidocrocite-exposed facets determine the interfacial interactions and geochemical behaviors of Cr(VI) in polluted environments.

Correction: The Li + CaF → Ca + LiF chemical reaction under cold conditions.

Correction for 'The Li + CaF → Ca + LiF chemical reaction under cold conditions' by Humberto da Silva Jr et al., Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2023, 25, 14193-14205, https://doi.org/10.1039/D3CP01464A.

The Li + CaF → Ca + LiF chemical reaction under cold conditions.

The calcium monofluoride (CaF) molecule has emerged as a promising candidate for precision measurements, quantum simulation, and ultracold chemistry experiments. Inelastic and reactive collisions of laser cooled CaF molecules in optical tweezers have recently been reported and collisions of cold Li atoms with CaF are of current experimental interest. In this paper, we report ab initio electronic structure and full-dimensional quantum dynamical calculations of the Li + CaF → LiF + Ca chemical reaction. The electronic structure calculations are performed using the internally contracted multi-reference configuration-interaction method with Davidson correction (MRCI + Q). An analytic fit of the interaction energies is obtained using a many-body expansion method. A coupled-channel quantum reactive scattering approach implemented in hyperspherical coordinates is adopted for the scattering calculations under cold conditions. Results show that the Li + CaF reaction populates several low-lying vibrational levels and many rotational levels of the product LiF molecule and that the reaction is inefficient in the 1-100 mK regime allowing sympathetic cooling of CaF by collisions with cold Li atoms.