Unidirectional guided-wave-driven metasurfaces for arbitrary wavefront control.

Metasurfaces are capable of fully reshaping the wavefronts of incident beams in desired manners. However, the requirement for external light excitation and the resonant nature of their meta-atoms, make challenging their on-chip integration. Here, we introduce the concept and design of a fresh class of metasurfaces, driven by unidirectional guided waves, capable of arbitrary wavefront control based on the unique dispersion properties of unidirectional guided waves rather than resonant meta-atoms. Upon experimentally demonstrating the feasibility of our designs in the microwave regime, we numerically validate the introduced principle through the design of several microwave meta-devices using metal-air-gyromagnetic unidirectional surface magneto-plasmons, agilely converting unidirectional guided modes into the wavefronts of 3D Bessel beams, focused waves, and controllable vortex beams. We, further, numerically demonstrate sub-diffraction focusing, which is beyond the capability of conventional metasurfaces. Our unfamiliar yet practical designs may enable full, broadband manipulation of electromagnetic waves on deep subwavelength scales.

Causal association between phenylalanine and Parkinson's disease: a two-sample bidirectional mendelian randomization study.

Background: Research findings indicate a putative indirect or latent association between phenylalanine (Phe) and Parkinson's disease (PD). In this study, we aimed to analyze the causal relationship between Phe and PD by two sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis. Methods: In this study, the PD-related dataset and Phe-related dataset were downloaded from Integrative Epidemiology U1nit (IEU) Open Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS) database. Four algorithms (MR Egger, maximum likelihood, inverse variance weighting (IVW) and unweighted regression) were used to perform MR analysis. The sensitivity analysis (heterogeneity test, horizontal pleiotropy test and Leave-One-Out (LOO) analysis) was used to assess the reliability of MR analyses. Results: In the forward MR analysis, Phe was a safety factor for PD (p-value < 0.05 and odds ratios (OR) < 1). The results of reverse MR analysis showed that there was no causal relationship between PD and Phe (p-value > 0.05). In addition, sensitivity analysis showed that MR analysis was reliable. Conclusion: The results of this study revealed that Phe was a safety factor for PD, meaning that Phe reduced the risk of PD.

Combined metabolomics and transcriptomics reveal the secondary metabolite networks in different growth stages of Bletilla striata (Thunb.) Reichb.f.

BACKGROUND: Bletilla striata (Thunb.) Reichb.f. (B. striata) is a traditional Chinese medicinal herb. B. striata polysaccharides (BSP), stilbenes and 2-isobutyl malic acid glucosoxy-benzyl ester compounds are the main active ingredients in B. striata. However, there is limited report on the changes of medicinal components and their biosynthesis regulation mechanisms in the tubers of B. striata at different stages. METHOD: The tubers of B. striata were collected during the flowering period, fruiting period, and harvest period to determine the total polysaccharide content using the phenol sulfuric acid method. The changes in secondary metabolites in the tubers at these stages were analyzed by ultra performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS), and transcriptomics was conducted for further exploration of their biosynthetic pathways. RESULT: The BSP content gradually increases from the flowering period to the fruiting period as the tubers develop, reaching its peak, but subsequently decreases at harvest time, which may be associated with the germination of B. striata buds in later stage. A total of 294 compounds were identified in this study. Among them, a majority of the compounds, such as 2-isobutyl malate gluconoxy-benzyl ester, exhibited high content during the fruit stage, while stilbenes like coelonin, 3'-O-methylbatatasin III, and blestriarene A accumulated during the harvesting period. The transcriptome data also revealed a substantial number of differentially expressed genes at various stages, providing a partial explanation for the complex changes in metabolites. We observed a correspondence between the expression pattern of GDP-Man biosynthesis-related enzyme genes and cumulative changes in BSP. And identified a positive correlation between 9 transcription factors and genes associated with polysaccharide biosynthesis, while 5 transcription factors were positively correlated with accumulation of 2-isobutyl malate gluconoxy-benzyl ester compounds and 5 transcription factors exhibited negative correlated with stilbene accumulation. CONCLUSION: It is imperative to determine the appropriate harvesting period based on the specific requirements of different active ingredients and the accumulation patterns of their metabolites. Considering the involvement of multiple transcription factors in the biosynthesis and accumulation of its active ingredients, a comprehensive investigation into the specific regulatory mechanisms that facilitate high-quality cultivation of B. striata is imperative.

Ultrasound-Induced In Situ Dopamine Polymerization and Deep Mucosal Penetration for Intraluminal Drug Administration.

Prolonging the residence time of drugs in the lumen and propelling them into deep lesions are highly desired for intraluminal drug administration. However, rapid drug efflux caused by dynamic intraluminal contents limits sustained drug concentrations, causing poor pharmaceutical absorption and reduced efficacy. Here, we combined theory and experiments to demonstrate a distinctive drug delivery strategy using clinically available medical ultrasound technology. Through ultrasound-induced in vivo dopamine polymerization and rapidly propelling high-energy shock waves, the resultant drug formulations can tolerate a variable intraluminal environment and penetrate deep mucosa. As a result, this ultrasound-mediated in situ adhesion and self-propelled technique signal a secure and universal strategy for the rapid coating of functional adhesion layers in vivo. Theoretically, this strategy is applicable to any hollow tissue, where ultrasound is accessible.

Restore polder and aquaculture enclosure to the lake: Balancing environmental protection and economic growth for sustainable development.

The restoration of lakes and their buffer zones is crucial for understanding the intricate interplay between human activities and natural ecosystems resulting from the implementation of environmental policies. In this study, we investigated the ecological restoration of shallow lakes and buffer zones in the Yangtze-Huaihe River Basin, specifically focusing on the removal of polder and aquaculture enclosure areas within the lakes. By examining data from eight shallow lakes and their corresponding buffer zones, encompassing lake morphology, water quality parameters, and land use/land cover (LULC) data spanning from 2008 to 2022, which shed light on the complex relationships involved. During the process of restoring polder and aquaculture enclosure areas, we observed a general decrease in the extent of polders and aquaculture enclosures within the lakes. Notably, the removal of aquaculture enclosures had a more pronounced effect (reduction rate of 83.37 %) compared to the withdrawal of polders (reduction rate of 48.76 %). Linear regression analysis revealed a significant decrease in the concentrations of seven water quality parameters, including COD, CODMn, TN, TP, NH3-N, Chl-a, and F, while pH and DO factors exhibit a distinct increasing trend. The results of redundancy analysis and Pearson correlation analysis demonstrated significant correlations between the area of polders and aquaculture enclosures and the changes in lake water quality. Encouragingly, the withdrawal of polders and the removal of aquaculture enclosures had a positive impact on the lake water quality improvement. In contrast, the LULC in the buffer zones of the lakes experienced a gradual decline owing to land degradation, resulting in a reduction in ecosystem service value (ESV). These results offer valuable support for policymakers in their endeavors to restore lake water quality, mitigate the degradation of buffer zones land, and promote the sustainable development of land and water resources.

The rhizosphere microbiome and its influence on the accumulation of metabolites in Bletilla striata (Thunb.) Reichb. f.

BACKGROUND: Bletilla striata (Thunb.) Reichb. f. (B. striata) is a perennial herbaceous plant in the Orchidaceae family known for its diverse pharmacological activities, such as promoting wound healing, hemostasis, anti-inflammatory effects, antioxidant properties, and immune regulation. Nevertheless, the microbe-plant-metabolite regulation patterns for B. striata remain largely undetermined, especially in the field of rhizosphere microbes. To elucidate the interrelationships between soil physics and chemistry and rhizosphere microbes and metabolites, a comprehensive approach combining metagenome analysis and targeted metabolomics was employed to investigate the rhizosphere soil and tubers from four provinces and eight production areas in China. RESULTS: Our study reveals that the core rhizosphere microbiome of B. striata is predominantly comprised of Paraburkholderia, Methylibium, Bradyrhizobium, Chitinophaga, and Mycobacterium. These microbial species are recognized as potentially beneficial for plants health. Comprehensive analysis revealed a significant association between the accumulation of metabolites, such as militarine and polysaccharides in B. striata and the composition of rhizosphere microbes at the genus level. Furthermore, we found that the soil environment indirectly influenced the metabolite profile of B. striata by affecting the composition of rhizosphere microbes. Notably, our research identifies soil organic carbon as a primary driving factor influencing metabolite accumulation in B. striata. CONCLUSION: Our fndings contribute to an enhanced understanding of the comprehensive regulatory mechanism involving microbe-plant-metabolite interactions. This research provides a theoretical basis for the cultivation of high-quality traditional Chinese medicine B. striata.

The Extracts Derived from Artemisia japonica Thunb. Leaves Mitigate Oxidative Stress and Inflammatory Response Induced by LPS in RAW264.7 Cells through Modulation of the Nrf2/HO-1 Signaling Pathway.

Artemisia japonica Thunb. has been used as a traditional Chinese medicine and a vegetable for thousands of years in China. However, there are few reports on the chemical composition and biological activity of its leaves. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the chemical composition, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of water extracts of A. japonica leaves and their underlying mechanisms. A total of 48 compounds were identified in the water extract using UPLC-QTOF-MS2 analysis, with phenolic acids, particularly chlorogenic acid compounds, being the predominant components. The ethyl acetate fraction (EAF) contained most of the total phenolic content (385.4217 mg GAE/g) and displayed superior antioxidant capacity with the IC50DPPH•, IC50ABTS•+, and OD0.5reducing power at 10.987 µg/mL, 43.630 µg/mL and 26.883 µg/mL, respectively. Furthermore, EAF demonstrated potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects in LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells by upregulating the Nrf2/HO-1 signal pathway. These findings highlight that A. japonica leaves possess remarkable abilities to mitigate inflammation and oxidative stress, suggesting their potential utilization as medicinal agents and food additives for promoting human health.

Establishment and application of a nomogram diagram for predicting calcium oxalate stones in patients with urinary tract stones.

This retrospective study aims to examine the correlation between calcium oxalate (CaOx) stones and common clinical tests, as well as urine ionic composition. Additionally, we aim to develop and implement a personalized model to assess the accuracy and feasibility of using charts to predict calcium oxalate stones in patients with urinary tract stones. A retrospective analysis was conducted on data from 960 patients who underwent surgery for urinary stones at the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from January 1, 2010, to December 31, 2022. Among these patients, 447 were selected for further analysis based on screening criteria. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was then performed to identify the best predictive features for calcium oxalate stones from the clinical data of the selected patients. A prediction model was developed using these features and presented in the form of a nomogram graph. The performance of the prediction model was assessed using the C-index, calibration curve, and decision curve, which evaluated its discriminative power, calibration, and clinical utility, respectively. The nomogram diagram prediction model developed in this study is effective in predicting calcium oxalate stones which is helpful in screening and early identification of high-risk patients with calcium oxalate urinary tract stones, and may be a guide for urologists in making clinical treatment decisions.

Designable Synthesis of Layered Silicates and Tunable Interlayer Expanded to Zeolites.

Layered zeolitic silicates and corresponding interlayer-expanded porous materials exhibit attractive application potential in wide fields. Nonetheless, designable synthesis and structure analysis of layered silicates remain challenging. Herein, two kinds of layered silicates are synthesized using different di-quaternary ammonium-type organic structure-directing agents (OSDAs). Their crystal structures are analyzed and verified by 3D electron diffraction (3D ED) and high-resolution TEM imaging. The suitable configurations of OSDA can lead to desirable interlayer states. Additionally, two new zeolite structures both with 12-membered ring (MR) channels intersected by 8 MR channels and larger interlayer spaces are constructed from layered silicate precursors by interlayer silylation. The new zeolitic material exhibits potential application in adsorption of organic pollution and catalytic reaction. This study is expected to develop versatile ways for the design and synthesis of layered silicates even zeolites and provide references in characterizing layered materials and zeolites as well.

What factors have an impact on the employment quality of platform-based flexible workers? An evidence from China.

The importance of flexible employment has been highlighted at the policy level in China. In the process of implementing the employment priority strategy, the number of flexible workers in China has exceeded 200 million. Platform-based flexible employment has shown great potentiality in stabilising employment, but as a new form of employment, its employment quality still needs to be improved. Based on the research data, this study identified 14 effective factors influencing the employment quality of platform-based flexible workers and constructed a five-level interpretative structural model (ISM) for the employment quality of platform-based flexible workers. According to the characteristics of different platform types, platform-based flexible employment was divided into business-type and labour-type flexible employment. Then hierarchical logistic regression analysis was conducted on the quality of the two types of flexible workers respectively. The results showed that working hours only had a significant positive effect on the employment quality of business-type flexible workers, while salary and employment injury insurance only had a significant positive effect on the employment quality of labour-type flexible workers. This paper proposed policy recommendations to achieve high-quality employment for flexible workers on different platforms.

Effect fraction of Bletilla striata (Thunb.) Reichb.f. alleviates LPS-induced acute lung injury by inhibiting p47phox/NOX2 and promoting the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: The effect fraction of Bletilla striata (Thunb.) Reichb.f. (EFBS), a phenolic-rich extract, has significant protective effects on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury (ALI), but its composition and molecular mechanisms are unclear. This study elucidated its chemical composition and possible protective mechanisms against LPS-induced ALI from an antioxidant perspective. METHODS: EFBS was prepared by ethanol extraction, enriched by polyamide column chromatography, and characterized using ultra-performance liquid chromatography/time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The LPS-induced ALI model and the RAW264.7 model were used to evaluate the regulatory effects of EFBS on oxidative stress, and transcriptome analysis was performed to explore its possible molecular mechanism. Then, the pathway by which EFBS regulates oxidative stress was validated through inhibitor intervention, flow cytometry, quantitative PCR, western blotting, and immunofluorescence techniques. RESULTS: A total of 22 compounds in EFBS were identified. The transcriptome analyses of RAW264.7 cells indicated that EFBS might reduce reactive oxygen species (ROS) production by inhibiting the p47phox/NADPH oxidase 2 (NOX2) pathway and upregulating the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) pathway. Both in vitro and in vivo data confirmed that EFBS significantly inhibited the expression and phosphorylation of p47phox protein, thereby weakening the p47phox/NOX2 pathway and reducing ROS production. EFBS significantly increased the expression of Nrf2 in primary peritoneal macrophages and lung tissue and promoted its nuclear translocation, dose-dependent increase in HO-1 levels, and enhancement of antioxidant activity. In vitro, both Nrf2 and HO-1 inhibitors significantly reduced the scavenging effects of EFBS on ROS, further confirming that EFBS exerts antioxidant effects at least partially by upregulating the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway. CONCLUSIONS: EFBS contains abundant phenanthrenes and dibenzyl polyphenols, which can reduce ROS production by inhibiting the p47phox/NOX2 pathway and enhance ROS clearance activity by upregulating the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway, thereby exerting regulatory effects on oxidative stress and improving LPS-induced ALI.

Predicting stone composition via machine-learning models trained on intra-operative endoscopic digital images.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to use deep learning (DL) of intraoperative images of urinary stones to predict the composition of urinary stones. In this way, the laser frequency and intensity can be adjusted in real time to reduce operation time and surgical trauma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 490 patients who underwent holmium laser surgery during the two-year period from March 2021 to March 2023 and had stone analysis results were collected by the stone laboratory. A total of 1658 intraoperative stone images were obtained. The eight stone categories with the highest number of stones were selected by sorting. Single component stones include calcium oxalate monohydrate (W1), calcium oxalate dihydrate (W2), magnesium ammonium phosphate hexahydrate, apatite carbonate (CH) and anhydrous uric acid (U). Mixed stones include W2 + U, W1 + W2 and W1 + CH. All stones have intraoperative videos. More than 20 intraoperative high-resolution images of the stones, including the surface and core of the stones, were available for each patient via FFmpeg command screenshots. The deep convolutional neural network (CNN) ResNet-101 (ResNet, Microsoft) was applied to each image as a multiclass classification model. RESULTS: The composition prediction rates for each component were as follows: calcium oxalate monohydrate 99% (n = 142), calcium oxalate dihydrate 100% (n = 29), apatite carbonate 100% (n = 131), anhydrous uric acid 98% (n = 57), W1 + W2 100% (n = 82), W1 + CH 100% ( n = 20) and W2 + U 100% (n = 24). The overall weighted recall of the cellular neural network component analysis for the entire cohort was 99%. CONCLUSION: This preliminary study suggests that DL is a promising method for identifying urinary stone components from intraoperative endoscopic images. Compared to intraoperative identification of stone components by the human eye, DL can discriminate single and mixed stone components more accurately and quickly. At the same time, based on the training of stone images in vitro, it is closer to the clinical application of stone images in vivo. This technology can be used to identify the composition of stones in real time and to adjust the frequency and energy intensity of the holmium laser in time. The prediction of stone composition can significantly shorten the operation time, improve the efficiency of stone surgery and prevent the risk of postoperative infection.

U-Net-Based Assistive Identification of Bladder Cancer: A Promising Approach for Improved Diagnosis.

INTRODUCTION: Bladder cancer (BC) is a major health concern that poses a significant threat to the population, with an increasing incidence rate and a high risk of recurrence and progression. The primary clinical method for diagnosing BC is cystoscopy, but due to the limitations of traditional white light cystoscopy and inadequate clinical experience among junior physicians, its detection rate for bladder tumor, especially small and flat lesions, is relatively low. However, recent years have seen remarkable advancements in the application of artificial intelligence (AI) technology in the field of medicine. This has led to the development of numerous AI algorithms that have been successfully integrated into medical practices, providing valuable assistance to clinicians. The purpose of this study is to develop a cystoscopy algorithm that is real time, cost effective, high performing, and accurate, with the aim of enhancing the detection rate of bladder tumors during cystoscopy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: For this study, a dataset of 3,500 cystoscopic images obtained from 100 patients diagnosed with BC was collected, and a deep learning model was developed utilizing the U-Net algorithm within a convolutional neural network for training purposes. RESULTS: This study randomly divided 3,500 images from 100 BC patients into training and validation groups, and each patient's pathology result was confirmed. In the validation group, the accuracy of tumor recognition by the U-Net algorithm reached 98% compared to primary urologists, with greater accuracy and faster detection speed. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the potential of U-Net-based deep learning techniques in the detection of bladder tumors. The establishment and optimization of the U-Net model is a significant breakthrough and it provides a valuable reference for future research in the field of medical image processing.

Long-term maintenance of high yield and soil fertility with integrated soil-crop system management on the Loess Plateau.

Ridge-furrow with full film mulching has been widely applied to increase crop yield and water productivity on the Loess Plateau, but it may stimulate carbon (C) mineralization. How to integrate other technological benefits based on this technology for long-term maintenance of high yield and soil fertility is a pressing issue. With the local farmers' practice (FP) as a control, three integrated soil-crop system management (ISSM) practices integrating fertilizer rates, fertilizer types and planting densities (ISSM-N1, ISSM-N2 and ISSM-MN) were established to improve maize yield and soil quality. Compared with the FP, the maize yield increased by 13.34%, 21.83% and 30.24%, and the soil quality index (SQI) increased by 9.66%, 14.91% and 38.38% for ISSM-N1, ISSM-N2 and ISSM-MN, respectively. However, ISSM-N1 did not significantly increase yield, and ISSM-N2 increased residual soil nitrate and decreased nitrogen (N) partial factor productivity significantly. Compared to the FP, ISSM practices increased soil organic carbon (SOC), labile organic C fractions (LOCFs) and potassium permanganate organic C fractions in the topsoil to varying degrees, but only ISSM-MN reached significant levels for most C fractions. The sensitivity index indicated very easily oxidizable C (24.6%), easily oxidizable C (24.7%), hot-water extractable C (30.8%), labile organic C (24.7%) and particulate organic C (57.3%) were more sensitive than SOC (22.7%). ISSM-MN sequestered significantly higher C than the other treatments. The results of the relative importance analysis and the structural equation model indicated that LOCFs were the direct contributors to yield, while recalcitrant C (CO) was the indirect contributor, revealing the underlying mechanism that CO decomposed to replenish LOCFs and the total N pool with the water soluble C pool as the transit station. Overall, ISSM-MN is the most promising strategy to improve crop yield and soil fertility in the long term on the Loess Plateau.

THE ROLE OF N6-METHYLADENOSINE METHYLTRANSFERASE RBM15 IN NONALCOHOLIC FATTY LIVER DISEASE.

ABSTRACT: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a prevalent liver disorder with significant health implications. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) methyltransferase is known to exert regulatory functions in liver-related diseases. This study investigates the intricate role of RNA binding motif protein 15 (RBM15) in modulating inflammation and oxidative stress in NAFLD. An NAFLD model was induced in mice (male, C57BL/6J, 72 mice in the sham group) through a high-fat diet for 9 weeks, and hepatocytes were exposed to long chain-free fatty acids. The expression levels of RBM15, ring finger protein 5 (RNF5), and rho-kinase 1 (ROCK1) were assessed. RBM15 expression was intervened (injection of AAV9 virus at week 9 and detection at week 11). Liver damage was evaluated using staining assays, along with assessments of weight changes and lipid levels. Notably, RBM15 (decreased approximately 40%/60%) and RNF5 (decreased approximately 60%/75%) were poorly expressed while ROCK1 (increased approximately 2.5-fold) was highly expressed in liver tissues and cells. RBM15 overexpression mitigated liver damage, inflammation, and oxidative stress in NAFLD mice, resulting in reduced liver-to-body weight ratio (20%) and decreased levels of alanine aminotransferase (54%), aspartate aminotransferase (36%), total cholesterol (30%), and triglycerides (30%), and inhibited inflammation and oxidative stress levels. Mechanistically, RBM15 upregulated RNF5 expression through m6A methylation modification, and RNF5 suppressed ROCK1 protein levels through ubiquitination modification. RNF5 knockdown or ROCK1 overexpression accelerated inflammation and oxidative stress in NAFLD. Taken together, RBM15 upregulated RNF5 expression through m6A methylation modification. RNF5 inhibited ROCK1 expression through ubiquitination modification to mitigate NAFLD.

Modelling future climate effects on N2O emission and soil carbon storage in maize fields under controlled-release urea and straw incorporation.

Controlled-release urea application and straw incorporation have been conducted in recent years as environmental-friendly and sustainable farming strategies, but the long-term effects of controlled-release urea application and combination with straw on the dryland maize yield, soil fertility and the environment under future climate scenarios remain unclear. Hence, based on a six-year field experiment, four treatments were used to calibrate and validate the DeNitrification-DeComposition (DNDC) model, including non-nitrogen (CK), split applications of conventional urea (UR), single basal application of conventional urea and controlled-release urea at a ratio of 2:1 (CU), and CU combined with straw (CUS). Subsequently, coupled the well-validated model with future climate to evaluate suitable agricultural production practices under two shared socioeconomic pathways (SSP)-SSP245 and SSP585. The validation results indicated a good fit between the simulated and observed data of greenhouse gas emissions, soil organic carbon (SOC) contents and maize yields. With the anticipation of warmer temperatures and increased precipitation in the future, the yields of UR, CU, and CUS treatment significantly rose. Under SSP585 scenario, the positive impacts of CU treatment on maize yields reduced after the 2050s, exhibiting an average decline of 12.03%. Compared with the UR treatment, the CU treatment markedly reduced cumulative N2O emissions, and both treatments maintained the original state of SOC storages in the 2030s, furthermore, the CUS treatment reduced N2O emissions by 47.10%, 35.07%, 23.80% and 10.04% in the 2030s, 2050s, 2070s and 2090s, respectively. SOC storages for the CUS treatment gradually increased with an average of 464.58, 350.22, 250.87 and 177.75 kg C ha-1 y-1 for two SSP scenarios in the 2030s, 2050s, 2070s and 2090s, which excellently offset the CO2 equivalent of emissions caused by N2O emissions. Therefore, in dryland maize production, combined controlled-release urea with straw incorporation could achieve the best comprehensive effect among increase of yield, improvement of SOC storages and alleviation of greenhouse gas emissions under future climate scenario.

Humic substances as electron acceptor for anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) and electron shuttle in Mn (IV)-dependent AOM.

Anaerobic methanotrophic archaea (ANME) belonging to the family Methanoperedenaceae are crucial for the global carbon cycle and different biogeochemical processes, owing to their metabolic versatility to couple anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) with different electron acceptors. A universal feature of Methanoperedenaceae is the abundant genes encoded in their genomes associated with extracellular electron transfer (EET) pathways. Candidatus. 'Methanoperedens manganicus', an archaeon belonging to the family Methanoperedenaceae, was recently enriched in a bioreactor performing AOM coupled with Mn (IV) reduction. Using this EET-capable ANME, we tested the hypothesis in this study that ANME can catalyse the humic-dependent AOM for growth. A two-year incubation showed that AOM activity can be sustained by Ca. 'M. manganicus' consortium in a bioreactor fed only with humic acids and methane. An isotopic mass balance batch test confirmed that the observed AOM was coupled to the reduction of humic acids. The increase of relative abundance of Ca. 'M. manganicus', and the total archaea population in the microbial community suggested that Ca. 'M. manganicus' can grow on methane and humic acids. The observation of humic-dependent AOM led to a subsequent hypothesis that humic acids could be used as the electron shuttle to mediate the EET in dissimilatory Mn (IV) reduction by Ca. 'M. manganicus'. We tested this hypothesis by adding humic acids to a Ca. 'M. manganicus' dominated-culture, which showed that the AOM rate was doubled by the addition of humic acids. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) showed that quinone moieties were consumed when humic acids worked as electron acceptors while remaining stable when functioning as a shuttle for electron transfer. The results of our study suggest that humic acids may serve as electron shuttles to allow ANME to access more electron acceptors through long-range EET.

DNA Origami-Based Letterpress Printing of Gold Nanostructures with Predesigned Morphologies.

Creating customizable metallic nanostructures in a simple and controllable manner has been a long-standing goal in nanoscience. In this study, we use DNA origami as a letterpress printing plate and gold nanoparticles as ink to produce predesigned gold nanostructures. The letterpress plate is reusable, enabling the repetitive production of predesigned gold nanostructures. Furthermore, by modifying the DNA origami letterpress plate on magnetic beads, we can simplify the printing processes. We have successfully printed gold nanoparticle dimers, trimers, straight and quadrilateral tetramers, and other nanostructures. Our approach improves the flexibility and stability of metallic nanostructures, simplifying both their design and their operation. It promises universal applicability in the fabrication of metamaterials, biosensors, and surface plasma nanooptics.

Mechanistic insights into an NH4OAc-promoted imine dance in Rh-catalysed multicomponent double C-H annulations through an N-retention/exchange dual channel.

Developing new and understanding multicomponent reactions (MCRs) is an appealing but challenging task. Herein, Rh(iii)-catalyzed multicomponent double C-H annulations of cyclic diimines (or diketones and acetone), alkynes, and ammonium acetate to assemble functionalized 1,1'-biisoquinolines and C-bridged 1,1'-bisisoquinolines with controllable 14N/15N editing in one shot has been developed. Through a combination of isotopic-labeling (2H, 18O, and 15N) experiments, crystallography, and time-dependent ESI-MS, the reaction process was studied in detail. Ammonium acetate accounts for two rounds of Hofmann elimination and iminization, thus leading to an unprecedented imine dance, cyclic imine → N-alkenyl imine → NH imine. The N-alkenyl imine can immediately guide a C-H annulation (N-retention channel), and some of it is converted into NH-imine to trigger another annulation (N-exchange channel). The channels and 15N ratios can be regulated by the reaction mode and acidity. Moreover, the resulting 1,1'-biisoquinolines are a privileged ligand scaffold which is exemplified herein by a hydrazine-iodine exchange reaction to form drug-like benzo[c]cinnolines.

Microdiversity sustains the distribution of rhizosphere-associated bacterial species from the root surface to the bulk soil region in maize crop fields.

Over the years, the microbial community of maize (Zea mays) rhizosphere has been extensively studied; however, the role of microdiversity sustain rhizosphere-associated microbial species distribution from root surface to bulk soil in mature maize is still unclear. Although operational taxonomic units (OTUs) have been used to classify species, amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) have been shown to be effective in representing microdiversity within OTUs at a finer genetic scale. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the role of microdiversity in influencing the distribution of rhizosphere-associated microbial species across environmental gradients from root surface to bulk soil at the OTU and ASV levels. Here, the microbial community structures of bulk, loosely bound, and tightly bound soil samples from maize rhizosphere were examined at OTU and ASV levels. The results showed that OTU and ASV methods exhibited similar microbial community structures in rhizosphere. Additionally, different ecotypes with varying distributions and habitat preferences were observed within the same bacterial OTU at the ASV level, indicating a rich bacterial microdiversity. In contrast, the fungal community exhibited low microdiversity, with no significant relationship between fungal microdiversity and persistence and variability. Moreover, the ecotypes observed within the bacterial OTUs were found to be positively or negatively associated with environmental factors, such as soil organic carbon (SOC), NO3 --N, NH4 +-N contents, and pH. Overall, the results showed that the rich microdiversity could sustain the distribution of rhizosphere-associated bacterial species across environmental gradients from root surface to bulk soil. Further genetic analyses of rhizosphere-associated bacterial species could have considerable implications for potential mediation of microdiversity for sustainable crop production.