NnSnRK1-NnATG1-mediated autophagic cell death governs flower bud abortion in shaded lotus.

Many plants can terminate their flowering process in response to unfavourable environments, but the mechanisms underlying this response are poorly understood. In this study, we observed that the lotus flower buds were susceptible to abortion under shaded conditions. The primary cause of abortion was excessive autophagic cell death (ACD) in flower buds. Blockade of autophagic flux in lotus flower buds consistently resulted in low levels of ACD and improved flowering ability under shaded conditions. Further evidence highlights the importance of the NnSnRK1-NnATG1 signalling axis in inducing ACD in lotus flower buds and culminating in their timely abortion. Under shaded conditions, elevated levels of NnSnRK1 activated NnATG1, which subsequently led to the formation of numerous autophagosome structures in lotus flower bud cells. Excessive autophagy levels led to the bulk degradation of cellular material, which triggered ACD and the abortion of flower buds. NnSnRK1 does not act directly on NnATG1. Other components, including TOR (target of rapamycin), PI3K (phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase) and three previously unidentified genes, appeared to be pivotal for the interaction between NnSnRK1 and NnATG1. This study reveals the role of autophagy in regulating the abortion of lotus flower buds, which could improve reproductive success and act as an energy-efficient measure in plants.

Modular brain network in volitional eyes closing: enhanced integration with a marked impact on hubs.

Volitional eyes closing would shift brain's information processing modes from the "exteroceptive" to "interoceptive" state. This transition induced by the eyes closing is underpinned by a large-scale reconfiguration of brain network, which is still not fully comprehended. Here, we investigated the eyes-closing-relevant network reconfiguration by examining the functional integration among intrinsic modules. Our investigation utilized a publicly available dataset with 48 subjects being scanned in both eyes closed and eyes open conditions. It was found that the modular integration was significantly enhanced during the eyes closing, including lower modularity index, higher participation coefficient, less provincial hubs, and more connector hubs. Moreover, the eyes-closing-enhanced integration was particularly noticeable in the hubs of network, mainly located in the default-mode network. Finally, the hub-dominant modular enhancement was positively correlated to the eyes-closing-reduced entropy of BOLD signal, suggesting a close connection to the diminished consciousness of individuals. Collectively, our findings strongly suggested that the enhanced modular integration with substantially reorganized hubs characterized the large-scale cortical underpinning of the volitional eyes closing.

Finger motor representation supports the autonomy in arithmetic: neuroimaging evidence from abacus training.

Researches have reported the close association between fingers and arithmetic. However, it remains unclear whether and how finger training can benefit arithmetic. To address this issue, we used the abacus-based mental calculation (AMC), which combines finger training and mental arithmetic learning, to explore the neural correlates underlying finger-related arithmetic training. A total of 147 Chinese children (75 M/72 F, mean age, 6.89 ± 0.46) were recruited and randomly assigned into AMC and control groups at primary school entry. The AMC group received 5 years of AMC training, and arithmetic abilities and resting-state functional magnetic resonance images data were collected from both groups at year 1/3/5. The connectome-based predictive modeling was used to find the arithmetic-related networks of each group. Compared to controls, the AMC's positively arithmetic-related network was less located in the control module, and the inter-module connections between somatomotor-default and somatomotor-control modules shifted to somatomotor-visual and somatomotor-dorsal attention modules. Furthermore, the positive network of the AMC group exhibited a segregated connectivity pattern, with more intra-module connections than the control group. Overall, our results suggested that finger motor representation with motor module involvement facilitated arithmetic-related network segregation, reflecting increased autonomy of AMC, thus reducing the dependency of arithmetic on higher-order cognitive functions.

A general method for rapid synthesis of refractory carbides by low-pressure carbothermal shock reduction.

Refractory carbides are attractive candidates for support materials in heterogeneous catalysis because of their high thermal, chemical, and mechanical stability. However, the industrial applications of refractory carbides, especially silicon carbide (SiC), are greatly hampered by their low surface area and harsh synthetic conditions, typically have a very limited surface area (<200 m2 g-1), and are prepared in a high-temperature environment (>1,400 °C) that lasts for several or even tens of hours. Based on Le Chatelier's principle, we theoretically proposed and experimentally verified that a low-pressure carbothermal reduction (CR) strategy was capable of synthesizing high-surface area SiC (569.9 m2 g-1) at a lower temperature and a faster rate (∼1,300 °C, 50 Pa, 30 s). Such high-surface area SiC possesses excellent thermal stability and antioxidant capacity since it maintained stability under a water-saturated airflow at 650 °C for 100 h. Furthermore, we demonstrated the feasibility of our strategy for scale-up production of high-surface area SiC (460.6 m2 g-1), with a yield larger than 12 g in one experiment, by virtue of an industrial viable vacuum sintering furnace. Importantly, our strategy is  also applicable to the rapid synthesis of refractory metal carbides (NbC, Mo2C, TaC, WC) and even their emerging high-entropy carbides (VNbMoTaWC5, TiVNbTaWC5). Therefore, our low-pressure CR method provides an alternative strategy, not merely limited to temperature and time items, to regulate the synthesis and facilitate the upcoming industrial applications of carbide-based advanced functional materials.

Genome-wide identification of the Q-type C2H2 zinc finger protein gene family and expression analysis under abiotic stress in lotus (Nelumbo nucifera G.).

BACKGROUND: Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera G.) is an important aquatic plant with high ornamental, economic, cultural and ecological values, but abiotic stresses seriously affect its growth and distribution. Q-type C2H2 zinc finger proteins (ZFPs) play an important role in plant growth development and environmental stress responses. Although the Q-type C2H2 gene family has been identified in some plants, limited reports has been carried out it in lotus. RESULTS: In this study, we identified 45 Q-type NnZFP members in lotus. Based on the phylogenetic tree, these Q-type NnZFP gene family members were divided into 4 groups, including C1-1i, C1-2i, C1-3i and C1-4i. Promoter cis-acting elements analysis indicated that most Q-type NnZFP gene family members in lotus were associated with response to abiotic stresses. Through collinearity analyses, no tandem duplication gene pairs and 14 segmental duplication gene pairs were identified, which showed that duplication events might play a key role in the expansion of the Q-type NnZFP gene family. The synteny results suggested that 54 and 28 Q-type NnZFP genes were orthologous to Arabidopsis and rice, respectively. The expression patterns of these Q-type NnZFP genes revealed that 30 Q-type NnZFP genes were expressed in at least one lotus tissue. Nn5g30550 showed relatively higher expression levels in all tested tissues. 12 genes were randomly selected with at least one gene from each phylogenetic clade, and the expression of these selected genes were confirmed by qRT-PCR (quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction). The results indicated that Q-type NnZFP genes were extensively involved in cadmium, drought, salt and cold stresses responses. Among them, 11 genes responded to at least three different stress treatments, especially Nn2g12894, which induced by all four treatments. CONCLUSIONS: These results could increase our understanding of the characterization of the Q-type NnZFP gene family and provide relevant information for further functional analysis of Q-type NnZFP genes in plant development, and abiotic stress tolerance in lotus.

What Elements Really Intercalate into Pd Lattice When Heated in Dimethylformamide?

Palladium hydrides (PdHx) are pivotal in both fundamental research and practical applications across a wide spectrum. PdHx nanocrystals, synthesized by heating in dimethylformamide (DMF), exhibit remarkable stability, granting them widespread applications in the field of electrocatalysis. However, this stability appears inconsistent with their metastable nature. The substantial challenges in characterizing nanoscale structures contribute to the limited understanding of this anomalous phenomenon. Here, through a series of well-conceived experimental designs and advanced characterization techniques, including aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy (AC-STEM), in situ X-ray diffraction (XRD), and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS), we have uncovered evidence that indicates the presence of C and N within the lattice of Pd (PdCxNy), rather than H (PdHx). By combining theoretical calculations, we have thoroughly studied the potential configurations and thermodynamic stability of PdCxNy, demonstrating a 2.5:1 ratio of C to N infiltration into the Pd lattice. Furthermore, we successfully modulated the electronic structure of Pd nanocrystals through C and N doping, enhancing their catalytic activity in methanol oxidation reactions. This breakthrough provides a new perspective on the structure and composition of Pd-based nanocrystals infused with light elements, paving the way for the development of advanced catalytic materials in the future.

Clinical sonochemotherapy of inoperable pancreatic cancer using diagnostic ultrasound and microbubbles: a multicentre, open-label, randomised, controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: Sonochemotherapy, which uses microbubble (MB)-assisted ultrasound (US) to deliver chemotherapeutic agents, has the potential to enhance tumour chemotherapy. The combination of US and MB has been demonstrated to prolong the survival of patients with pancreatic cancer. This phase 2 clinical trial aimed to determine the clinical efficacy and safety of sonochemotherapy for inoperable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma by using US and MB. METHODS: Eighty-two patients with stage III or IV pancreatic cancer were recruited from July 2018 to March 2021 and followed up until September 2022. US treatment was performed with a modified diagnostic US scanner for 30 min after chemotherapeutic infusion. The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS), and the secondary endpoints were Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) status < 2, progression-free survival (PFS), disease control rate (DCR), and adverse events. RESULTS: Seventy-eight patients were randomly allocated (40 to chemotherapy and 38 to sonochemotherapy). The median OS was longer with sonochemotherapy than with chemotherapy (9.10 vs. 6.10 months; p = 0.037). The median PFS with sonochemotherapy was 5.50 months, compared with 3.50 months (p = 0.080) for chemotherapy. The time of ECOG status < 2 was longer with sonochemotherapy (7.20 months) than with chemotherapy (5.00 months; p = 0.029). The DCR was 73.68% for sonochemotherapy compared with 42.50% for the control (p = 0.005). The incidence of overall adverse events was balanced between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: The use of sonochemotherapy can extend the survival and well-being time of stage III or IV pancreatic cancer patients without any increase in serious adverse events. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ChineseClinicalTrials.gov ChiCTR2100044721 CLINICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT: This multicentre, randomised, controlled trial has proven that sonochemotherapy, namely, the combination of diagnostic ultrasound, microbubbles, and chemotherapy, could extend the overall survival of patients with end-stage pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma from 6.10 to 9.10 months without increasing any serious adverse events. KEY POINTS: • This is the first multicentre, randomised, controlled trial of sonochemotherapy for clinical pancreatic cancer treatment using ultrasound and a commercial ultrasound contrast agent. • Sonochemotherapy extended the median overall survival from 6.10 (chemotherapy alone) to 9.10 months. • The disease control rate increased from 42.50% with chemotherapy to 73.68% with sonochemotherapy.

Exosomal circ_0000735 contributes to non-small lung cancer malignant progression.

Circular RNA is an important regulator for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Circ_0000735 has been found to be significantly overexpressed in NSCLC tissues. Therefore, its role and mechanism in NSCLC progression need to be further explored. The expression levels of circ_0000735, miR-345-5p and A disintegrin and metalloprotease 19 (ADAM19) were determined using quantitative real-time PCR. EdU staining, wound healing and transwell assays were utilized to detect cell proliferation and metastasis. The protein levels of metastasis markers, exosome markers and ADAM19 were determined using western blot. Animal experiments were performed to confirm the role of circ_0000735 in NSCLC tumorigenesis. The exosomes from cells and serum were identified using transmission electron microscopy and nanoparticle tracking analysis. We found that circ_0000735 was upregulated in NSCLC, and its knockdown repressed NSCLC cell proliferation and metastasis. In terms of mechanism, circ_0000735 targeted miR-345-5p to regulate ADAM19. MiR-345-5p inhibitor reversed the suppressive effect of circ_0000735 knockdown on NSCLC progression, and ADAM19 overexpression abolished the inhibition effect of miR-345-5p on NSCLC progression. Also, animal experiments showed that silencing of circ_0000735 reduced NSCLC tumorigenesis. In addition, exosomes mediated the intercellular transmission of circ_0000735, and serum exosomal circ_0000735 might be an important indicator for the diagnosis of NSCLC. In conclusion, circ_0000735 facilitated NSCLC progression via miR-345-5p/ADAM19 pathway, and serum exosomal circ_0000735 might be a potential biomarker for NSCLC diagnosis.

Enhanced intersubject similarity in functional connectivity by long-term abacus training.

The individual difference of intrinsic functional connectivity is increasingly acknowledged to be biologically informative and behaviorally relevant. However, such valuable information is still discounted as a stochastic variation in previous studies of cognitive training. Here, we explored the plasticity of intersubject similarity in functional connectivity (ISFC), induced by long-term abacus-based mental calculation (AMC) training. Using a longitudinal dataset (AMC: n = 40, 5-year training; Control: n = 43), we found robust training effect of enhanced ISFC, after accounting for the factor of development. Notably, the enhancement focused on selective subsets of FCs, or the "critical FCs," which predominantly impacted the default-mode and visual networks. Using a cross-sectional dataset with a larger sample (AMC: n = 93, 1/3/5-year training; Control: n = 110), we observed that the "critical FCs" and its intersubject similarity could predict mental calculation ability and its intersubject similarity, respectively, in the AMC group. However, such predictions cannot be generalized to the control group, suggesting that long-term training may be a prerequisite for establishing such brain-behavior relationships. Jointly, our findings implicated that the enhanced ISFC with profound impact on the default-mode network could be a plastic change that is associated with behavioral gains of training.

Heterogeneous hydrochlorination of lipids mediated by fatty acids in an indoor environment.

Fatty acids from cooking fumes and hypochlorous acid (HOCl) released from indoor cleaning adversely affect respiratory health, but the molecular-level mechanism remains unclear. Here, the effect of cooking oil fumes [palmitic acid (PA), oleic acid (OA), and linoleic acid (LA)] on lung model phospholipid (POPG) hydrochlorination mediated by HOCl at the air-water interface of the hanged droplets was investigated. Interfacial hydrochlorination of POPG was impeded by OA and LA, while that of POPG was facilitated by PA. The effect on POPG hydrochlorination increased with the decrease in oil fume concentration. A potential mechanism with respect to the chain length of these oil fumes, regardless of their saturation, was proposed. PA with a short carbon chain looses the POPG packing and leads to the exposure of the C=C double bonds of POPG, whereas OA and LA with a long carbon chain hinder HOCl from reaching the C=C bonds of POPG. These results for short chain and low concentration dependence suggest that the decay of oil fumes or the conversion of short-chain species by indoor interfacial chemistry might be adverse to lung health. These results provide insights into the relationship between indoor multicomponent pollutants and the respiratory system.

Slow flow HD and traditional CDFI technologies in identifying pulmonary veins in the first trimester.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to assess the feasibility and effectiveness of color doppler flow imaging (CDFI) technology and the Slow Flow HD imaging technique in identifying fetal pulmonary veins (PVs) in the first trimester (11-13 + 6 weeks), and further explore the factors affecting fetal pulmonary vein identification in early pregnancy. METHODS: Echocardiography and scanning of PVs were performed in 240 normal singleton fetuses in early pregnancy by using CDFI and slow flow HD techniques, to compare the ability of two methods to identify the PVs. Slow Flow HD technology was used to further investigate the difference of PVs identification at different gestational ages [group I (11-11 + 6 weeks), group II (12-12 + 6 weeks), group III (13-13 + 6 weeks)] and with different maternal body mass indices (BMI) (≥ 25 and < 25). In 31 cases of 240 fetuses, transvaginal ultrasonography was added due to maternal habitus or significant retroversion of the uterus, and the difference in PVs identification between transabdominal and transvaginal examination was analyzed. RESULTS: Successful PVs identification rates via CDFI and Slow Flow HD were 32.0% and 88.3%, respectively (p < 0.05). The identification rate of at least one and two pulmonary veins in Slow Flow HD was 88.3% and 76.2%, and all four pulmonary veins in 11.6% (p < 0.05). The identification rate of group I, II and III were 76.4%, 88.9% and 96.0%, respectively. The identification rate was 45.1% in the transabdominal ultrasound group and 83.8% in the transvaginal ultrasound group. The identification rate was 62.5% in the BMI ≥ 25 group and 94.7% in the BMI < 25 group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Slow Flow HD can detect PVs in early pregnancy more often than using CDFI. Slow Flow HD is a feasible and effective imaging technique for evaluating PVs in early pregnancy.

Interventions to address parenting stress among caregivers of children with chronic diseases: An umbrella review.

BACKGROUND: Caregivers of children with chronic diseases suffer from great parenting pressure, which directly affects the treatment and rehabilitation of children, reduces the quality of life of caregivers and damages family functioning. Existing reviews have not systematically summarized and evaluated interventions for parenting stress in caregivers of children with chronic diseases. DATA SOURCES: Embase, PubMed, Web of Science, OVID, CNKI, CBM, Wan Fang and Cochrane Library were searched for eligible reviews in November 2021 and October 2022. METHODS: Two reviewers independently screened titles and abstracts, reviewed full texts of articles for eligibility, and appraised the quality of reviews using JBI. The quality of the evidence was assessed using GRADE. Findings are reported in accordance with PRISMA checklist. Narrative summaries grouped findings by intervention types. RESULTS: Out of 2632 records, we included 21 systematic reviews for a synthesis. Interventions for parenting stress in children with chronic diseases were divided into seven categories. Cognitive behavioural interventions, psychosocial interventions, child behavioural and/or developmental parent interventions and synthesized interventions have shown high-level evidence in reducing parenting stress for caregivers of children with chronic diseases. Furthermore, outcome measures and intervention protocols were highly heterogeneous across interventions. CONCLUSIONS: This umbrella review suggest that reducing the parenting stress of caregivers of children with chronic diseases can directly target caregivers' parenting stress through cognitive behavioural interventions/psychosocial interventions and/or provide guidance to parents on the behavioural and developmental problems of children with chronic diseases. A more standardized approach to outcome measures is essential to assess efficacy and compare interventions across studies. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: The findings provide information and evidence for reducing parenting stress among caregivers of children with chronic diseases to guide the development of comprehensive intervention strategies. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: Patient or public contribution does not apply to this study.

Contact-Electro-Catalysis for Direct Oxidation of Methane under Ambient Conditions.

The conversion of methane under ambient conditions has attracted significant attention. Although advancements have been made using active oxygen species from photo- and electro- chemical processes, challenges such as complex catalyst design, costly oxidants, and unwanted byproducts remain. This study exploits the concept of contact-electro-catalysis, initiating chemical reactions through charge exchange at a solid-liquid interface, to report a novel process for directly converting methane under ambient conditions. Utilizing the electrification of commercially available Fluorinated Ethylene Propylene (FEP) with water under ultrasound, we demonstrate how this interaction promote the activation of methane and oxygen molecules. Our results show that the yield of HCHO and CH3OH can reach 467.5 and 151.2 µmol ⋅ gcat -1, respectively. We utilized electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) to confirm the evolution of hydroxyl radicals (⋅OH) and superoxide radicals (⋅OOH). Isotope mass spectrometry (MS) was employed to analyze the elemental origin of CH3OH, which can be further oxidized to HCHO. Additionally, we conducted density functional theory (DFT) simulations to assess the reaction energies of FEP with H2O, O2, and CH4 under these conditions. The implications of this methodology, with its potential applicability to a wider array of gas-phase catalytic reactions, underscore a significant advance in catalysis.

Construction and validation of a prognostic model based on autophagy-related genes for hepatocellular carcinoma in the Asian population.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which has a complex pathogenesis and poor prognosis, is one of the most common malignancies worldwide. Hepatitis virus B infection is the most common cause of HCC in Asian patients. Autophagy is the process of digestion and degradation, and studies have shown that autophagy-associated effects are closely related to the development of HCC. In this study, we aimed to construct a prognostic model based on autophagy-related genes (ARGs) for the Asian HCC population to provide new ideas for the clinical management of HCC in the Asian population. METHODS: The clinical information and transcriptome data of Asian patients with HCC were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, and 206 ARGs were downloaded from the human autophagy database (HADB). We performed differential and Cox regression analyses to construct a risk score model. The accuracy of the model was validated by using the Kaplan-Meier (K-M) survival curve, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, and univariate and multivariate Cox independent prognostic analyses. The results Thirteen ARGs that were significantly associated with prognosis were finally identified by univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses. The K-M survival curves showed that the survival rate of the low-risk group was significantly higher than that of the high-risk group (p < 0.001), and the multi-indicator ROC curves further demonstrated the predictive ability of the model (AUC = 0.877). CONCLUSION: The risk score model based on ARGs was effective in predicting the prognosis of Asian patients with HCC.

Comparative transcriptome analysis reveals the regulatory mechanisms of two tropical water lilies in response to cold stress.

BACKGROUND: Tropical water lily is an aquatic plant with high ornamental value, but it cannot overwinter naturally at high latitudes. The temperature drop has become a key factor restricting the development and promotion of the industry. RESULTS: The responses of Nymphaea lotus and Nymphaea rubra to cold stress were analyzed from the perspective of physiology and transcriptomics. Under the cold stress, Nymphaea rubra had obvious leaf edge curling and chlorosis. The degree of peroxidation of its membrane was higher than that of Nymphaea lotus, and the content of photosynthetic pigments also decreased more than that of Nymphaea lotus. The soluble sugar content, SOD enzyme activity and CAT enzyme activity of Nymphaea lotus were higher than those of Nymphaea rubra. This indicated that there were significant differences in the cold sensitivity of the two varieties. GO enrichment and KEGG pathway analysis showed that many stress response genes and pathways were affected and enriched to varying degrees under the cold stress, especially plant hormone signal transduction, metabolic pathways and some transcription factor genes were from ZAT gene family or WKRY gene family. The key transcription factor ZAT12 protein in the cold stress response process has a C2H2 conserved domain, and the protein is localized in the nucleus. Under the cold stress, overexpression of the NlZAT12 gene in Arabidopsis thaliana increased the expression of some cold-responsive protein genes. The content of reactive oxygen species and MDA in transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana was lower, and the content of soluble sugar was higher, indicating that overexpression of NlZAT12 can improve the cold tolerance of Arabidopsis thaliana. CONCLUSION: We demonstrate that ethylene signalling and reactive oxygen species signalling play critical roles in the response of the two cultivars to cold stress. The key gene NlZAT12 for improving cold tolerance was identified. Our study provides a theoretical basis for revealing the molecular mechanism of tropical water lily in response to cold stress.

A General Group-Protection Synthesis Strategy to Fabricate Covalent Organic Framework Gels.

Fabricating insoluble and infusible porous materials into gels for advanced applications is of great importance but has formidable challenges. Here, we present a general, facile, and scalable protocol to fabricate covalent organic framework (COF) gels using a group-protection synthesis strategy. To prove the generality of this strategy, we successfully prepared 10 types of COF organohydrogels with high crystallinity, porosity, good mechanical properties, and excellent solvent and freezing resistance. Notably, these COF organohydrogels can easily transform into hydrogels, organogels, and aerogels, breaking the gaps between different types of COF gels. An in-depth mechanism investigation unveils that the group-protection strategy effectively slows down the formation rate and regulates the morphology of COFs, benefiting the formation of cross-linked nanofibers/nanosheets to produce COF gels. We also find that the hydrogen bond network formed by the organic/water binary solvent and functional groups in the COF skeletons plays a vital role in creating organohydrogels and maintaining frost resistance and solvent resistance. As an application demonstration, COF gels installed with photoresponsive azobenzene groups show excellent solar energy absorption, photothermal conversion, and water transmission performances, demonstrating great potential in solar desalination. This work enriches the synthesis toolboxes for COF gels and expands the application scope of COFs.

Improving the Hydrogen Oxidation Reaction Rate of Ru by Active Hydrogen in the Ultrathin Pd Interlayer.

Enhancing the catalytic activity of Ru metal in the hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) potential range, improving the insufficient activity of Ru caused by its oxophilicity, is of great significance for reducing the cost of anion exchange membrane fuel cells (AEMFCs). Here, we use Ru grown on Au@Pd as a model system to understand the underlying mechanism for activity improvement by combining direct in situ surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) evidence of the catalytic reaction intermediate (OHad) with in situ X-ray diffraction (XRD), electrochemical characterization, as well as DFT calculations. The results showed that the Au@Pd@Ru nanocatalyst utilizes the hydrogen storage capacity of the Pd interlayer to "temporarily" store the activated hydrogen enriched at the interface, which spontaneously overflows at the "hydrogen-deficient interface" to react with OHad adsorbed on Ru. It is the essential reason for the enhanced catalytic activity of Ru at anodic potential. This work deepens our understanding of the HOR mechanism and provides new ideas for the rational design of advanced electrocatalysts.

Analysis of bZIP gene family in lotus (Nelumbo) and functional study of NnbZIP36 in regulating anthocyanin synthesis.

BACKGROUND: The basic leucine zipper (bZIP) family is a predominant group of transcription factors in plants, involved in regulating plant growth, development, and response to stressors. Additionally, the bZIP gene family has a key role in anthocyanin production. Despite the significant role of bZIP genes in plants, their potential contribution in lotus remains understudied. RESULTS: A total of 124 bZIP genes (59 NnbZIPs and 65 NlbZIPs) were identified from genomes of two lotus species. These genes were classified into 13 groups according to the grouping principle of the Arabidopsis bZIP gene family. Analysis of promoter cis-acting elements indicated that most bZIP gene family members in lotus are associated with response to abiotic stresses. The promoters of some bZIP genes contain MYB binding sites that regulate anthocyanin synthesis. We examined the anthocyanin content of the petals from three different colored lotus, combined with transcriptome data analysis and qRT-PCR results, showing that the expression trends of NnbZIP36 and the homologous gene NlbZIP38 were significantly correlated with the anthocyanin content in lotus petals. Furthermore, we found that overexpression of NnbZIP36 in Arabidopsis promoted anthocyanin accumulation by upregulating the expression of genes (4CL, CHI, CHS, F3H, F3'H, DFR, ANS and UF3GT) related to anthocyanin synthesis. CONCLUSIONS: Our study enhances the understanding of the bZIP gene family in lotus and provides evidence for the role of NnbZIP36 in regulating anthocyanin synthesis. This study also sets the stage for future investigations into the mechanism by which the bZIP gene family regulates anthocyanin biosynthesis in lotus.

Impact of multifocal or multicentric disease on local recurrence and survival in breast cancer patients with or without BRCA1/2 variants.

PURPOSE: Multifocal or multicentric (MFMC) breast cancer is mainly focused on breast cancer patients with unknown BRCA status, the incidence and clinical relevance of MFMC disease in BRCA1/2 carriers is less explored to date. Our study was to investigate the incidence of MFMC disease in BRCA1/2 carriers and whether MFMC disease influences local recurrence and clinical outcomes. METHODS: In this retrospective study, 479 breast cancer patients with BRCA1/2 variants and 1437 age-matched noncarriers were enrolled and patients received either breast-conserving therapy (BCT) or mastectomy with or without radiotherapy. RESULTS: The rates of MFMC disease in BRCA1 and BRCA2 carriers, and noncarriers were 33.0% (61 of 185), 37.4% (110 of 294), and 31.2% (449 of 1437), respectively. MFMC disease in BRCA2 carriers was significantly higher than that in noncarriers (P = 0.039). After a median follow-up of 8.1 years, among patients treated with BCT, BRCA2 carriers with MFMC disease experienced a significantly higher rate of ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence (IBTR) than those with unifocal disease (16.7% vs 4.1%, P = 0.044). Moreover, BRCA2 carriers with MFMC disease had a significantly worse RFS (unadjusted hazard ratio [HR], 3.65 [95% CI 1.40-9.52]; P = 0.008), DRFS (unadjusted HR, 3.07 [95% CI 1.07-8.80]; P = 0.037), and OS (unadjusted HR, 4.96 [95% CI 1.18-20.02]; P = 0.029) than those with unifocal disease when treated with BCT. CONCLUSION: MFMC breast cancer is more common in BRCA2 carriers, and BRCA2 carriers with MFMC disease treated with BCT exhibit a higher rate of IBTR and may have a poor survival.

Neuromedin U Induces Activation of Peripheral Group 2 Innate Lymphoid Cells through the ERK Pathway in Allergic Rhinitis Patients.

INTRODUCTION: In allergic diseases, group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) play critical roles. Neuromedin U (NMU), a highly conserved multifunctional neuropeptide, is secreted by cholinergic neurons and involved in asthma pathogenesis by amplifying lung inflammation driven by ILC2s. However, the precise effects of NMU on ILC2s in allergic rhinitis (AR) and related diseases remain unclear. METHODS: A total of 15 patients with persistent AR and 8 healthy controls (HCs) were enrolled in the study. Visual analog scale (VAS) scores are used to assess the severity of clinical symptoms in AR patients. The percentages of ILC2s in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were enumerated using flow cytometry. The soluble or intracellular cytokines (IL-5 and IL-13) in PBMCs or sorted ILC2s were assessed in response to various stimuli with IL-33, NMU, IL-33 combined with extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK) inhibitor or NMU combined with ERK inhibitor in the presence of IL-2. RESULTS: We confirmed the proportion of circulating ILC2s was significantly higher in AR patients than in HCs. ILC2s levels were found to be positively related to VAS scores. We also discovered that the release of IL-5 and IL-13 in AR patients' PBMCs stimulated by NMU (p < 0.0001 and p < 0.0001, respectively) or IL-33 (p = 0.002; p = 0.044, respectively) was significantly higher than in HCs. In AR patients, NMU stimulated PBMCs or ILC2s to generate greater inflammatory factors IL-5 and IL-13 compared to IL-33. Furthermore, we observed that NMU-promoted ILC2s activation and proliferation functions were restricted when the ERK pathway was inhibited. CONCLUSION: NMU effectively activated ILC2s in AR patients to produce Th2-type cytokines, and this activation can be prevented by ERK pathway inhibitors. Our findings shed new light on the neuro-immune mechanism of AR and offer new insights into its prevention and treatment.