Palladium-catalyzed and alcohol-enabled transformation to synthesize benzocyclic ketones.

Catalytic carbonyl formation ranks as one of the most important synthetic methodologies. Herein, a highly effective palladium-catalyzed and alcohol-promoted transformation of nitriles to synthesize benzocyclic ketones is described. It provides a straightforward access to potentially valuable indanone compounds in high yields in the presence of alcohol. It avoided the usage of carbon monoxide or an additional hydrolysis procedure.

Controlling Blood Pressure Under Transcranial Doppler Guidance after Endovascular Treatment in Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to control blood pressure (BP) under transcranial Doppler (TCD) guidance in patients with anterior circulation acute ischemic stroke after endovascular treatment (EVT) to reduce the incidence of early neurological deterioration (END) and improve neurological prognosis. METHODS: This prospective randomized controlled study included 95 patients who were randomly divided into a TCD-guided BP control (TBC) group and a non-TCD-guided BP control (NBC) group. The patients were monitored by TCD within 72 h after EVT. In the TBC group, BP decreased, BP increased, or intracranial pressure decreased when TCD showed blood flow acceleration, deceleration, or intracranial hypertension respectively. The BP of the NBC group was controlled according to the guidelines. The incidence of END and the prognosis was compared between the 2 groups. RESULTS: TCD identified 18 patients with blood flow acceleration, but the prognosis of the 2 groups was not significantly different. TCD identified 23 patients with blood flow deceleration, and the poor prognosis rate at discharge was lower in the TBC group than in the NBC group (45.5 vs. 91.7%, p = 0.027). TCD identified 34 patients with intracranial hypertension, and the 3-month mortality rate of the TBC group was lower than that of the NBC group (0 vs. 36.8%, p = 0.011). The incidence rates of END and 3-month mortality in the TBC group were lower than those in the NBC group (13.8 vs. 37.5%, p = 0.036; 0 vs. 25.0%, p = 0.012) when TCD parameters were abnormal. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that the TBC group (adjusted OR 0.267, 95% CI 0.074-0.955; p = 0.042) was an independent protective factor against the incidence of END when TCD parameters were abnormal. CONCLUSION: These findings indicated that TCD-guided BP and intracranial pressure control improved the prognosis of patients with blood flow deceleration and intracranial hypertension.

Low TSH level predicts a poor clinical outcome in patients with anterior circulation ischemic stroke after endovascular thrombectomy.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the correlation of thyroid hormone status with hemorrhagic transformation (HT) and short-term clinical outcomes in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) after endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on AIS patients who underwent EVT at our hospital from 2016 to 2019. Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), total triiodothyronine (TT3), free triiodothyronine (FT3), total thyroxine (TT4), and free thyroxine (FT4) levels were assessed, and logistic regression analyses were performed with HT incidence and functional outcome at 3 months. RESULTS: A total of 199 patients (148 males; mean age 62.9 ± 13.1 years) were included in the study. The number of patients with HT and unfavorable functional outcomes at 3 months were 74 (37.2%) and 129 (64.8%), respectively. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that low TSH level (OR = 0.609; 95% CI 0.402-0.920, 푃 = 0.019) was an independent risk factor of poor functional outcome, while none of the thyroid hormones were significantly associated with HT risk. The optimal cutoff value of TSH that best distinguished both unfavorable outcome (sensitivity 31%, specificity 88.6%, area under the curve (AUC) 0.586) and mortality at 3 months (sensitivity 47.4%, specificity 78.3%, AUC 0.606) was 0.485 uIU/ml. CONCLUSION: A lower TSH value upon admission may predict an unfavorable functional outcome in AIS patients after EVT, but thyroid hormone levels have no bearing on the risk of HT.

Contrast Extravasation is Predictive of Poor Clinical Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Endovascular Therapy for Acute Ischemic Stroke in the Anterior Circulation.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether contrast extravasation on dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) after endovascular therapy (EVT) are related to hemorrhagic transformation (HT) and poor short-term clinical outcomes. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on AIS patients who underwent EVT at Xuanwu hospital between November 2016 and January 2019. DECT was performed on all patients within 24 hours after EVT. Baseline demographic and clinical data were analyzed between patients with and without contrast extravasation and between patients with HT and non-HT, good and poor outcomes at 3 months post-EVT. RESULTS: A total of 166 patients were included in the study with 51 (30.7%) patients experiencing contrast extravasation. Compared to patients without contrast extravasation, patients with contrast extravasation had longer onset to reperfusion time (444.8 minutes versus 374.0 minutes, P = .044) and higher percentages of greater than 3 retriever passes (16.7% versus 31.4%, P = .030). Contrast extravasation was associated with higher risk of HT (P = .038), poor outcome after discharge (P = .030), and longer hospital stay (P = .034). Multivariate analysis showed that contrast extravasation occurrence was an independent factor for HT (OR = 2.150, 95% CI 1.060-4.360, P = .034) and poor short-term outcome (OR = 2.936; 95% CI 1.147-7.518, P = .025). CONCLUSIONS: The presence of contrast extravasation within 24 hours of EVT may be associated with higher risks of HT and may be predictive of unfavorable functional outcomes in AIS patients.

Flexural Capacity and Deflection of Fiber-Reinforced Lightweight Aggregate Concrete Beams Reinforced with GFRP Bars.

Adding fibers is highly effective to enhance the deflection and ductility of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP)-reinforced beams. In this study, the stress and strain conditions of FRP-reinforced lightweight aggregate concrete (LWC) beams with and without fibers at ultimate load level were specified. Based on the sectional analyses, alternative equations to predict the balanced reinforcement ratio and flexural capacity for beams failed by balanced failure and concrete crushing were established. A rational equation for estimating the short-term stiffness of FRP⁻LWC beams at service-load levels was suggested based on Zhu's model. In addition, the contribution of the steel fibers on the short-term stiffness was quantified incorporating the effects of FRP reinforcement ratio. The proposed short-term stiffness model was validated with measured deflections from an experimental database for fiber-reinforced normal weight concrete (FNWC) beams reinforced with FRP bars. Furthermore, six glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP)-reinforced LWC beams with and without steel fibers were tested under four-point bending. Based on the test results, the proposed models and procedures according to current design codes ACI 440.1R, ISIS-M03, GB 50608, and CSA S806 were linked together by comparing their predictions. The results showed that increasing the reinforcement ratio and adding steel fibers decreased the strain of the FRP bars. The flexural capacity of the LWC beams with and without steel fibers was generally underestimated by the design codes, while the proposed model provided accurate ultimate moment predictions. Moreover, the proposed short-term stiffness model yielded reasonable estimations of deflection for both steel fiber-reinforced lightweight aggregate concrete (SFLWC) and FNWC beams.

Acrylamide and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural formation in reconstituted potato chips during frying.

In our present paper, the effect of water activity and processing conditions in reconstituted potato chips was considered as a model to investigate the changes of acrylamide (AA) and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF). The results suggested that the formation of AA and HMF was highly correlated with frying temperature and time. Water activity could also influence the formation of AA and HMF. Meanwhile, the formation of HMF has significant correlation with the formation of AA in reconstituted potato chips. A typical exponential growth curve was observed by plotting AA levels vs HMF content which were all determined under different heating condition: [Formula: see text]. The model could be used as a tool for estimating the formation of AA when the content of HMF was known.

Relationship between Thinking Dispositions, Working Memory, and Critical Thinking Ability in Adolescents: A Longitudinal Cross-Lagged Analysis.

Previous studies have demonstrated that thinking dispositions and working memory are closely related to students' critical thinking ability. However, little is known about whether bidirectionality between thinking dispositions, working memory, and critical thinking ability exists in adolescence. This study, therefore, explored this aspect across two time points. Participants were 509 Chinese adolescents (mean age at Time 1 = 14.09 years; 59.7% girls). At Time 1, adolescents were administered the measures of thinking dispositions, working memory, and critical thinking ability. They were reassessed using these measures at Time 2 one year later. The results revealed a bidirectional longitudinal relationship between adolescents' thinking dispositions and critical thinking ability, suggesting that thinking dispositions at Time 1 predicted critical thinking ability at Time 2; critical thinking ability at Time 1 also predicted subsequent thinking dispositions in adolescents. Furthermore, working memory at Time 1 showed a larger predictive effect on critical thinking ability at Time 2 compared with thinking dispositions at Time 1. These findings underscore the role of early thinking dispositions and working memory in promoting adolescents' critical thinking ability.

Investigation on the Surface Integrity of 40Cr Steel Machined by Rotary Ultrasonic Flank Milling.

Rotary Ultrasonic Machining (RUM) stands as a crucial method for machining hard and brittle materials. However, for machining hard-to-machine metal, it continues to face many challenges due to the complex vibration of the milling tool. Flank milling is an efficient method for machining complex parts, such as blisks and impellers, which have been widely used in aerospace field. However, current research is more focused on rotary ultrasonic end milling. In this context, we will study the surface integrity of rotary ultrasonic flank milling 40Cr steel using a self-developed RUM system. We delve into exploring the impacts of tool vibration on surface morphology, residual stress, and micro-hardness of the workpiece under various process parameters. The experimental findings reveal that rotary ultrasonic flank milling, in contrast to traditional flank milling techniques, significantly diminishes the surface roughness by about 40%. The reasons for the reduction of surface roughness are analyzed from the point of view of the cutting force. The surface roughness appears to be notably linked to both the average cutting force and the frequency domain characteristics. In addition, the experimental results indicate that rotary ultrasonic flank milling demonstrates the capacity to elevate the micro-hardness of the machined surface.

Geographic and Physician-Level Variation in the Use of Hypofractionated Radiation Therapy for Breast Cancer in the U.S.: A Cross-Classified Multilevel Analysis.

Purpose: We aimed to assess geographic and physician-level variation for hypofractionated whole-breast irradiation (HF-WBI) use for early-stage breast cancer patients in the United States. We further evaluated the association between HF-WBI use and demographic factors after accounting for these variations. Methods and Materials: We performed a retrospective study of early-stage breast cancer patients using private employer-sponsored insurance claims from 2008 to 2017. Patients were clustered according to geographic level and by radiation oncologist. Bayesian cross-classified multilevel logistic models were used to examine the geographic heterogeneity and variation of radiation oncologists simultaneously. Intracluster correlation coefficient (ICC) and median odds ratios (MOR) were calculated to quantify the variation at different levels. We also used the cross-classified model to identify patient demographic factors associated with receiving HF-WBI. Results: The study included 79,747 women (74.0%) who received conventionally fractionated whole-breast irradiation (CF-WBI) and 27,999 women (26.0%) who underwent HF-WBI. HF-WBI adoption increased significantly across time (2008-2017). The variation in HF-WBI utilization was attributed mostly to physician-level variability (MOR = 2.59). The variability of HF-WBI utilization across core-based statistical areas (CBSAs) (MOR = 1.55) was found to be the strongest among all geographic classifications. After accounting for variability in both CBSAs and radiation oncologists, age, receiving chemotherapy, and several community-level factors, including distance from home to facility, community education level, and racial composition, were found to be associated with HF-WBI utilization. Conclusion: This study demonstrated geographic and physician-level heterogeneity in the use of HF-WBI among early-stage breast cancer patients. HF-WBI utilization was also found to be associated with patient and community-level characteristics. Given observed physician-level variability, intervention through continuing medical education could help doctors to better understand the advantages of HF-WBI and promote the adoption of HF-WBI in the U.S. Influence of physician-level characteristics on HF-WBI utilization merits further study.

Enhancing antibody detection sensitivity in lateral flow immunoassays using endospores of Bacillus subtilis as signal amplifiers.

Antibody detection is the critical first step for tracking the spread of many diseases including COVID-19. Lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) is the most commonly used method for rapid antibody detection because it is easy-to-use and inexpensive. However, LFIA has limited sensitivity when gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are used as the signals. In this study, the endospores of Bacillus subtilis were used in combination with AuNP in a LFIA to detect antibodies. The endospores serve as a signal amplifier. The detection limit was about 10-8 M for anti-beta galactosidase antibody detection whereas the detection limit of conventional LFIA is about 10-6 M. Furthermore, the proposed methods have no additional user steps compared with the traditional LFIA. This method, therefore, improved the sensitivity 100-fold without compromising any advantages of LFIA. We believe that the proposed method will be useful for detection of antibodies against HIV, Zika virus, SARS-CoV-2, and so on.

Prevalence and diversity of mycoviruses occurring in Chinese Lentinula edodes germplasm resource.

Incidence and banding patterns of virus-like dsRNA elements in 215 Chinese genetically diverse Lentinula edodes strains collected from wide geographic distribution (or producing areas) were first investigated, and 17 viruses were identified including eight novel viruses. The results revealed a 63.3% incidence of dsRNA elements in the cultivated strains and a 67.2% incidence in the wild strains. A total of 10 distinguishable dsRNAs ranging from 0.6 to 12 kbp and 12 different dsRNA patterns were detected in the positive strains. The molecular information of these dsRNA elements was characterized, and the molecular information of the other 12 different viral sequences with (+) ssRNA genome was revealed in four L. edodes strains with complex dsRNA banding patterns. RT-PCR was also done to verify the five dsRNA viruses and 12 (+) ssRNA ones. The results presented may enrich our understanding of L. edodes virus diversity, and will promote further research on virus-host interactions. IMPORTANCE: Viral infections involve complicated interactions including benign, harmful or possibly beneficial to hosts. Sometimes environment could lead to a transition in lifestyles from persistent to acute, resulting in a disease phenotype. The quality of spawn, such as the vulnerability to infection of viruses, is therefore important for mushroom production. Lentinula edodes, a wood rot basidiomycete fungus, was widely cultivated in the world for its edible and medicinal properties. In this study, the profile of dsRNA elements from Chinese genetically diverse L. edodes strains collected from wide geographic distribution or producing areas was first investigated. The molecular information of the dsRNA elements was characterized. Additionally, 12 different viral sequences with (+) ssRNA genome from four L. edodes strains with complex dsRNA banding patterns were identified. The results presented here will broaden our knowledge about mushroom viruses, and promote further studies of L. edodes production and the interaction between viruses and L. edodes.

Recent progress in identification of water disinfection byproducts and opportunities for future research.

Numerous disinfection by-products (DBPs) are formed from reactions between disinfectants and organic/inorganic matter during water disinfection. More than seven hundred DBPs that have been identified in disinfected water, only a fraction of which are regulated by drinking water guidelines, including trihalomethanes, haloacetic acids, bromate, and chlorite. Toxicity assessments have demonstrated that the identified DBPs cannot fully explain the overall toxicity of disinfected water; therefore, the identification of unknown DBPs is an important prerequisite to obtain insights for understanding the adverse effects of drinking water disinfection. Herein, we review the progress in identification of unknown DBPs in the recent five years with classifications of halogenated or nonhalogenated, aliphatic or aromatic, followed by specific halogen groups. The concentration and toxicity data of newly identified DBPs are also included. According to the current advances and existing shortcomings, we envisioned future perspectives in this field.

Construction of hierarchical MOF-derived CoS2 microsheet arrays@NiMo2S4 nanoflakes on Ni foam as a high-performance supercapacitor electrode.

The reasonable design of electrode material composition and structure is an effective way to solve the low energy density of supercapacitors. In this paper, hierarchical MOF-derived CoS2 microsheet arrays@NiMo2S4 nanoflakes on Ni foam (CoS2@NiMo2S4/NF) was prepared by the co-precipitation, electrodeposition and sulfurization process. MOF-derived CoS2 microsheet arrays on NF are used as ideal backbones to provide fast transport channels, and NiMo2S4 nanoflakes with a network-like distribution on the CoS2 microsheet arrays can improve the accessible active sites and promote the penetration and transfer of electrolyte ions. Due to the synergistic effects between the multi components, CoS2@NiMo2S4 exhibits excellent electrochemical properties. The specific capacity of CoS2@NiMo2S4 is 802 C g-1 at 1 A g-1. Hybrid supercapacitor assembled by CoS2@NiMo2S4 and activated carbon exhibits an energy density of 32.1 Wh kg-1 at a power density of 1130.3 W kg-1 and a cycle stability of 87.2% after 10, 000 cycles. This confirms the great potential of CoS2@NiMo2S4 as a supercapacitor electrode material.

Towards understanding the cutting temperature in ultrasonic vibration-assisted drilling based on the dynamic contact characteristics between the cutting edge and workpiece.

Compared with conventional drilling (CD), ultrasonic vibration-assisted drilling(UVAD) is experimentally proven a promising method to reduce the cutting temperature. But sometimes cutting temperature also becomes higher in UVAD than in CD. To further make clear the cutting temperature mechanisms in UVAD, this study aims to study the effect of tool's ultrasonic vibration on the cutting heat generation and heat dissipation at a relatively micro level. Firstly, drilling experiments are designed to explore the variations of cutting heat under different ultrasonic vibrations. Then, to analyze the influence of ultrasonic vibration on the cutting heat theoretically, a kinematic model is developed to describe the dynamic contact between the cutting edge and workpiece in UVAD. Besides, a cutting heat analysis model based on the contact characteristics in UVAD is proposed to study and compare the variations of cutting heat generation. The effect of ultrasonic vibration on the cutting heat generation, heat dispassion, and the resultant cutting temperature under different machining in UVAD conditions are discussed. It is indicated from the theoretical analysis that more cutting heat tends to be produced due to the significantly increased sliding velocity on the cutting edge-workpiece interface when the ultrasonic vibration is applied. The analysis agrees with the experimental results that the cutting temperature in dry UVAD is higher than in dry CD. But on the other hand, ultrasonic vibration can also improve the lubrication and cooling effect under appropriate machining conditions, which is beneficial to the reduction in cutting temperature. The investigation shows the multifaceted influences of ultrasonic vibration on the cutting temperature in the drilling process in detail, which provides a reference for UVAD parameter optimization.

Comparative Study of Graft Healing in 2 Years after "Tension Suspension" Remnant-Preserving and Non-Remnant-Preserving Anatomical Reconstruction for Sherman Type II Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the degree of graft healing after "tension suspension" reconstruction of "Sherman II" anterior cruciate ligament injuries versus non-remnant preserving anatomical reconstruction and to compare the clinical outcomes of the two procedures. METHOD: The clinical data of 64 patients were retrospectively included. There were 31 cases in the "tension suspension" remnant-preserving reconstruction group and 33 cases in the non-remnant-preserving anatomical reconstruction group. The International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) score, the Tegner score, and the Lysholm activity score were assessed preoperatively and at 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years postoperatively, respectively. The signal/noise quotient (SNQ) of the grafts was measured at 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years after surgery to quantitatively evaluate the maturity of the grafts after ACL reconstruction; the fractional anisotropy (FA) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of the reconstructed ACL region of interest (ROI) were measured using DTI. RESULT: A total of 64 patients were included in the study. The mean SNQ values of the grafts in the 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years postoperative remnant-preserving reconstruction (RP) groups were lower than those in the non-remnant-preserving (NRP) reconstruction group, with a statistically significant difference (p < 0.05). At each postoperative follow-up, the SNQ values of the tibial and femoral sides of the RP group were lower than those of the NRP group; the SNQ values of the femoral side of the grafts in both groups were higher than those of the tibial side, and the differences were statistically significant (p < 0.05). At 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years postoperatively, the FA and ADC values of the grafts were lower in the RP group than in the NRP group, and the differences were statistically significant (p < 0.05); the IKDC score and Lysholm score of the RP group were higher than the NRP group, which was statistically significant (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: For Sherman II ACL injury, the graft healing including ligamentization and revascularization at 2 years after the "tension suspension" remnant-preserving reconstruction was better than that of non-remnant-preserving anatomic reconstruction.

STRA6 regulates tumor immune microenvironment and is a prognostic marker in BRAF-mutant papillary thyroid carcinoma.

Background: BRAF mutation is one of the most common genetic alterations contributing to the initiation and progression of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). However, the prognostic value of BRAF mutation for PTC is limited. Novel markers are needed to identify BRAF-mutant patients with poor prognosis. Methods: Transcriptional expression data were downloaded from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets. Pathway enrichment was performed by Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). Protein-protein interaction networks were predicted by the GeneMANIA. The correlation between STRA6 expression and immune infiltration was analyzed by tumor immune estimation resource (TIMER) and tumor-immune system interaction database (TISIDB). Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the STRA6 protein expression level of PTC. Infiltration of regulatory T cells (Tregs) and CD8+ T cells in tumor samples were analyzed by fluorescent multiplex immunohistochemistry. Results: In BRAF-mutant PTC, STRA6 was extremely upregulated and predicted unfavorable survival, which was an independent risk factor for increased mortality risk. Bioinformatic analyses indicated that STRA6 might activate the MAPK pathway synergistically with BRAFV600E. The expression of STRA6 was associated with immune infiltrates and T cell exhaustion. Fluorescent multiplex immunohistochemistry showed that STRA6 increased Tregs abundance and decreased CD8+ T cells infiltration in PTC. Moreover, STRA6 promoted epithelial-mesenchymal transition via increased cancer-associated fibroblasts infiltration. Conclusions: Our study demonstrates STRA6 may serve as a prognostic marker for BRAF-mutated PTC, which may drive thyroid carcinogenesis via activation of oncogenic pathway and regulation of tumor immunosuppressive microenvironment.

Self-templated flower-like NiCoZn-carbonate hydroxide hollow nanospheres for asymmetric supercapacitors with high performance.

With the increasing demand for energy resources, it is crucial to explore electrode materials with high specific capacitance and cycling stability for supercapacitors. Herein, flower-like NiCoZn-carbonate hydroxide (NiCoZn-CH) hollow nanospheres are prepared using self-templated NiCoZn-glycerate solid nanospheres through the Kirkendall effect in a solvothermal reaction. Benefiting from a flower-like morphology, NiCoZn-CH not only provides large contact areas on the electrolyte-electrode and an abundant number of active sites but also shortens the ion transportation pathway. Meanwhile, the hollow structure also improves cycling stability by relieving stresses. Furthermore, Zn2+ can accelerate the ion transfer and improve the electrochemical activity. Therefore, the Ni1Co1Zn0.25-CH electrode shows an attractive specific capacitance of 1585.2 F g-1 at 1 A g-1 and excellent cycling stability. Additionally, the asymmetric supercapacitor Ni1Co1Zn0.25-CH//AC delivers a superior cycling stability of 99.9% after 15 000 cycles at 10 A g-1 and an energy density of 33.7 W h kg-1 at a power density of 400 W kg-1. This work provides a simple and efficient route for the fabrication of various carbonate hydroxides.

An endolysin gene from Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus confers dual resistance to huanglongbing and citrus canker.

The most damaging citrus diseases are Huanglongbing (HLB) and citrus canker, which are caused by Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CaLas) and Xanthomonas citri pv. citri (Xcc), respectively. Endolysins from bacteriophages are a possible option for disease resistance in plant breeding. Here, we report improvement of citrus resistance to HLB and citrus canker using the LasLYS1 and LasLYS2 endolysins from CaLas. LasLYS2 demonstrated bactericidal efficacy against several Rhizobiaceae bacteria and Xcc, according to inhibition zone analyses. The two genes, driven by a strong promoter from Cauliflower mosaic virus, 35S, were integrated into Carrizo citrange via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. More than 2 years of greenhouse testing indicated that LasLYS2 provided substantial and long-lasting resistance to HLB, allowing transgenic plants to retain low CaLas titers and no obvious symptoms while also clearing CaLas from infected plants in the long term. LasLYS2 transgenic plants with improved HLB resistance also showed resistance to Xcc, indicating that LasLYS2 had dual resistance to HLB and citrus canker. A microbiome study of transgenic plants revealed that the endolysins repressed Xanthomonadaceae and Rhizobiaceae populations in roots while increasing Burkholderiaceae and Rhodanobacteraceae populations, which might boost the citrus defense response, according to transcriptome analysis. We also found that Lyz domain 2 is the key bactericidal motif of LasLYS1 and LasLYS2. Four endolysins with potential resistance to HLB and citrus canker were found based on the structures of LasLYS1 and LasLYS2. Overall, the work shed light on the mechanisms of resistance of CaLas-derived endolysins, providing insights for designing endolysins to develop broad-spectrum disease resistance in citrus.

STRA6 Promotes Thyroid Carcinoma Progression via Activation of the ILK/AKT/mTOR Axis in Cells and Female Nude Mice.

BACKGROUND: Metastasis has emerged to be an important cause for poor prognosis of thyroid carcinoma (TC) and its molecular mechanisms are not fully understood. STRA6 is a multifunctional membrane protein widely expressed in embryonic and adult tissues. The function and mechanism of STRA6 in TC remain elusive. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to explore the role of STRA6 in TC progression and provide a therapeutic target for TC. METHODS: The expression and clinicopathological relevance of STRA6 were explored in TC. Stable STRA6-knockdown TC cells were established and used to determine the biological function of STRA6 in vitro and in vivo. RNA sequencing and co-immunoprecipitation were performed to unveil the molecular mechanism of STRA6 in TC progression. The potential of STRA6 as a therapeutic target was evaluated by lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) containing siRNA. RESULTS: STRA6 was upregulated in TC and correlated with aggressive clinicopathological features, including extrathyroidal extension and lymph node metastasis, which contributed to the poor prognosis of TC. STRA6 facilitated TC progression by enhancing proliferation and metastasis in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, STRA6 could interact with integrin-linked kinase (ILK) and subsequently activate the protein kinase B/mechanistic target of rapamycin (AKT/mTOR) signaling pathway. We further unveiled that STRA6 reprogrammed lipid metabolism through SREBP1, which was crucial for the metastasis of TC. Moreover, STRA6 siRNA delivered by LNPs significantly inhibited cell growth in xenograft tumor models. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates the critical roles of STRA6 contributing to TC progression via the ILK/AKT/mTOR axis, which may provide a novel prognostic marker as well as a promising therapeutic target for aggressive TC.

Institutional Trust as a Protective Factor during the COVID-19 Pandemic in China.

Previous research has demonstrated that institutional trust protects subjective well-being during pandemics. However, the potential mediation mechanisms underlying this linkage remain unclear. This study constructs a mediating model to investigate the effect of institutional trust on subjective well-being and the mediating roles of belief in a just world and fear of COVID-19 in the Chinese context. To this end, we survey a sample of 881 participants. The results show that institutional trust, belief in a just world, fear of COVID-19, and subjective well-being (i.e., life satisfaction, positive affect, and negative affect) are significantly interrelated. The results also indicate a significant impact of institutional trust on life satisfaction, positive affect, and negative affect. Belief in a just world and fear of COVID-19, independently and in sequence, mediate the relationship between institutional trust and subjective well-being.