CaSWC4 regulates the immunity-thermotolerance tradeoff by recruiting CabZIP63/CaWRKY40 to target genes and activating chromatin in pepper.

Pepper (Capsicum annuum) responds differently to high temperature stress (HTS) and Ralstonia solanacearum infection (RSI) but employs some shared transcription factors (TFs), such as CabZIP63 and CaWRKY40, in both cases. How the plant activates and balances these distinct responses, however, was unclear. Here, we show that the protein CaSWC4 interacts with CaRUVBL2 and CaTAF14b and they all act positively in pepper response to RSI and thermotolerance. CaSWC4 activates chromatin of immunity or thermotolerance related target genes of CaWRKY40 or CabZIP63 by promoting deposition of H2A.Z, H3K9ac and H4K5ac, simultaneously recruits CabZIP63 and CaWRKY40 through physical interaction and brings them to their targets (immunity- or thermotolerance-related genes) via binding AT-rich DNA element. The above process relies on the recruitment of CaRUVBL2 and TAF14 by CaSWC4 via physical interaction, which occurs at loci of immunity related target genes only when the plants are challenged with RSI, and at loci of thermotolerance related target genes only upon HTS. Collectively, our data suggest that CaSWC4 regulates rapid, accurate responses to both RSI and HTS by modulating chromatin of specific target genes opening and recruiting the TFs, CaRUVBL2 and CaTAF14b to the specific target genes, thereby helping achieve the balance between immunity and thermotolerance.

Relationship between the natural cessation time of umbilical cord pulsation in full-term newborns delivered vaginally and maternal-neonatal outcomes: a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: To analyze the impact of the time of natural cessation of the umbilical cord on maternal and infant outcomes in order to explore the time of clamping that would be beneficial to maternal and infant outcomes. METHODS: The study was a cohort study and pregnant women who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria at the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department of Qilu Hospital of Shandong University from September 2020 to September 2021. Analysis using Kruskal-Wallis rank sum test, Pearson's Chi-squared test, generalized linear mixed model (GLMM) and repeated measures ANOVA. If the difference between groups was statistically significant, the Bonferroni test was then performed. A two-sided test of P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: A total of 345 pregnants were included in this study. The subjects were divided into the ≤60 seconds group (n = 134), the 61-89 seconds group (n = 106) and the ≥90 seconds group (n = 105) according to the time of natural arrest of the umbilical cord. There was no statistically significant difference in the amount of postpartum hemorrhage and the need for iron, medication, or supplements in the postpartum period between the different cord spontaneous arrest time groups for mothers (P > 0.05). The weight of the newborns in the three groups was (3316.27 ± 356.70) g, (3387.26 ± 379.20) g, and (3455.52 ± 363.78) g, respectively, and the number of days of cord detachment was 12.00 (8.00, 15.75) days, 10.00 (7.00, 15.00) days and 9.00 (7.00, 13.00) days, respectively, as the time of natural cessation of the cord increased. The neonatal lymphocyte ratio, erythrocyte pressure, and hemoglobin reached a maximum in the 61-89 s group at (7.41 ± 2.16) %, (61.77 ± 8.17) % and (194.52 ± 25.84) g/L, respectively. Lower incidence of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia in the 61-89 s group compared to the ≥90s group 0 vs 4.8 (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In full-term singleton vaginal births, maternal and infant outcomes are better when waiting for 61-89 s after birth for the cord to stop pulsating naturally, suggesting that we can wait up to 90s for the cord to stop pulsating naturally, and if the cord does not stop pulsating after 90s, artificial weaning may be more beneficial to maternal and infant outcomes.

Rigorous Criteria for the Collapse of Nonlinear Cooperative Networks.

Many real-world complex systems, when hitting a tipping point, undergo irreversible sudden shifts that can eventually take a great toll on humanity and the natural world, such as ecosystem collapses, disease outbreaks, etc. Previous work has adopted approximations to predict the tipping points, but due to the nature of nonlinearity, this may lead to unexpected errors in predicting real-world systems. Here we obtain the rigorous bounds of the tipping points for general nonlinear cooperative networks. Our results offer two rigorous criteria that determine the collapse and survival of such a system. These two criteria are decided by the combined effect of dynamical parameters and interaction topology.

Pepper NAC-type transcription factor NAC2c balances the trade-off between growth and defense responses.

Plant responses to pathogen attacks and high-temperature stress (HTS) are distinct in nature but generally share several signaling components. How plants produce specific responses through these common signaling intermediates remains elusive. With the help of reverse-genetics approaches, we describe here the mechanism underlying trade-offs in pepper (Capsicum annuum) between growth, immunity, and thermotolerance. The NAC-type transcription factor CaNAC2c was induced by HTS and Ralstonia solanacearum infection (RSI). CaNAC2c-inhibited pepper growth, promoted immunity against RSI by activating jasmonate-mediated immunity and H2O2 accumulation, and promoted HTS responses by activating Heat shock factor A5 (CaHSFA5) transcription and blocking H2O2 accumulation. We show that CaNAC2c physically interacts with CaHSP70 and CaNAC029 in a context-specific manner. Upon HTS, CaNAC2c-CaHSP70 interaction in the nucleus protected CaNAC2c from degradation and resulted in the activation of thermotolerance by increasing CaNAC2c binding and transcriptional activation of its target promoters. CaNAC2c did not induce immunity-related genes under HTS, likely due to the degradation of CaNAC029 by the 26S proteasome. Upon RSI, CaNAC2c interacted with CaNAC029 in the nucleus and activated jasmonate-mediated immunity but was prevented from activating thermotolerance-related genes. In non-stressed plants, CaNAC2c was tethered outside the nucleus by interaction with CaHSP70, and thus was unable to activate either immunity or thermotolerance. Our results indicate that pepper growth, immunity, and thermotolerance are coordinately and tightly regulated by CaNAC2c via its inducible expression and differential interaction with CaHSP70 and CaNAC029.

Solanaceous plants switch to cytokinin-mediated immunity against Ralstonia solanacearum under high temperature and high humidity.

Plant diseases generally tend to be more serious under conditions of high temperature and high humidity (HTHH) than under ambient temperature, but plant immunity against pathogen attacks under HTHH remains elusive. Herein, we used pepper as an example to study how Solanaceae cope with Ralstonia solanacearum infection (RSI) under HTHH by performing RNA-seq combined with the reverse genetic method. The result showed that immunities mediated by salicylic acid (SA) and jasmonic acid (JA) in pepper roots were activated by RSI under ambient temperature. However, upon RSI under HTHH, JA signalling was blocked and SA signalling was activated early but its duration was greatly shortened in pepper roots, instead, expression of CaIPT5 and Glutathione S-transferase encoding genes, as well as endogenous content of trans-Zeatin, were enhanced. In addition, by silencing in pepper plants and overexpression in Nicotiana benthamiana, CaIPT5 was found to act positively in the immune response to RSI under HTHH in a way related to CaPRP1 and CaMgst3. Furthermore, the susceptibility of pepper, tomato and tobacco to RSI under HTHH was significantly reduced by exogenously applied tZ, but not by either SA or MeJA. All these data collectively suggest that pepper employs cytokinin-mediated immunity to cope with RSI under HTHH.

Topological dominance in peripheral vision.

The question of what peripheral vision is good for, especially in pattern recognition, is one of the most important and controversial issues in cognitive science. In a series of experiments, we provide substantial evidence that observers' behavioral performance in the periphery is consistently superior to central vision for topological change detection, while nontopological change detection deteriorates with increasing eccentricity. These experiments generalize the topological account of object perception in the periphery to different kinds of topological changes (i.e., including introduction, disappearance, and change in number of holes) in comparison with a broad spectrum of geometric properties (e.g., luminance, similarity, spatial frequency, perimeter, and shape of the contour). Moreover, when the stimuli were scaled according to cortical magnification factor and the task difficulty was well controlled by adjusting luminance of the background, the advantage of topological change detection in the periphery remained. The observed advantage of topological change detection in the periphery supports the view that the topological definition of objects provides a coherent account for object perception in peripheral vision, allowing pattern recognition with limited acuity.

Topological difference between target and flankers alleviates crowding effect.

In the crowding effect, object recognition in the periphery deteriorates when other items flank the target, especially if they share similarities. Here, we report that the similarity defined by topological property (differences in number of holes) influences the crowding effect. Orientation discrimination tasks suggested that the crowding effect was weaker with a topological different (TD) flanker than a topological equivalent (TE) flanker and an existing inward-outward anisotropy phenomenon. In another experiment, both an outer and an inner flanker were used to constitute four different conditions. The performance of an outer TD flanker and an inner TE flanker was superior to that of an outer TE flanker and an inner TD flanker, even though the items of the stimuli were the same. Different stimuli were used to control for local features. To eliminate the possible explanation of confusability, we selected pairs of letters with matched confusability, but one pair was TD and another was TE. The letter identification performance was better for the TD condition. Lastly, we investigated the digit identification under four conditions with varied spacing. Regardless of different spacing, the crowding effect was reduced by a topological different flanker. The results collectively suggest that topological property plays a role in the perceptual grouping, which modulates the crowding effect.

The effect characteristics of temperature on stroke mortality in Inner Mongolia and globally.

The current study investigated the correlation between stroke mortality and temperature. Monthly and seasonal variations in stroke mortality were plotted and daily stroke-related deaths were calculated. The lag times were calculated using the time series analysis. The correlation between stroke incidence and the diurnal temperature range (DTR) was analyzed using case-crossover analysis. Global stroke mortality was described in five latitudes. In the eastern region of Inner Mongolia, the stroke mortality was 174.18/105, about twice of that of the midwestern regions (87.07/105), and temperature was negatively correlated with stroke mortality. Mortality peaked in the winter and troughed in the summer (χ2 = 13.634, P < 0.001). The days in which stroke-related deaths were greater than ten occurred between late October and early April. The effect of temperature on stroke incidence occurred during a lag time of 1 (P = 0.024) or 2 months (P = 0.039). A DTR over 13 °C was positively correlated (r = 0.95, P = 0.004) with stroke with a lag time of 1 day. The effect of temperature on stroke was shown to be the same for various populations. As the latitude increases, stroke mortality also increases with latitudes > 40°; the highest mortality was 188.05/105 at the highest latitude. Only in relatively cold regions as the temperature decreases does stroke mortality increase for various populations. Differences in the time lag as well as in the DTR lag and DTR critical point vary for both the temperature and region.

Capsicum annuum HsfB2a Positively Regulates the Response to Ralstonia solanacearum Infection or High Temperature and High Humidity Forming Transcriptional Cascade with CaWRKY6 and CaWRKY40.

The responses of pepper (Capsicum annuum) plants to inoculation with the pathogenic bacterium Ralstonia solanacearum and to high-temperature-high-humidity (HTHH) conditions were previously found to be coordinated by the transcription factors CaWRKY6 and CaWRKY40; however, the underlying molecular mechanism was unclear. Herein, we identified and functionally characterized CaHsfB2a, a nuclear-localized heat shock factor involved in pepper immunity to R. solanacearum inoculation (RSI) and tolerance to HTHH. CaHsfB2a is transcriptionally induced in pepper plants by RSI or HTHH and by exogenous application of salicylic acid (SA), methyl jasmonate (MeJA), ethylene (ETH), or abscisic acid (ABA). Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) of CaHsfB2a significantly impaired pepper immunity to RSI, hampered HTHH tolerance, and curtailed expression of immunity- and thermotolerance-associated marker genes such as CaHIR1, CaNPR1, CaABR1, and CaHSP24. Likewise, transient overexpression of CaHsfB2a in pepper leaves induced hypersensitive response (HR)-like cell death and H2O2 accumulation and upregulated the above-mentioned marker genes as well as CaWRKY6 and CaWRKY40. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and microscale thermophoresis (MST) analysis revealed that CaHsfB2a bound the promoters of both CaWRKY6 and CaWRKY40. In a parallel experiment, we determined by ChIP-PCR and MST that CaHsfB2a was regulated directly by CaWRKY40 but indirectly by CaWRKY6. Cumulatively, our results suggest that CaHsfB2a positively regulates plant immunity against RSI and tolerance to HTHH, via transcriptional cascades and positive feedback loops involving CaWRKY6 and CaWRKY40.

Ocean acidification and desalination increase the growth and photosynthesis of the diatom Skeletonema costatum isolated from the coastal water of the Yellow Sea.

Global climate changes induce substantial alterations in the marine system, including ocean acidification (OA), desalination and warming of surface seawater. Here, we examined the combined effects of OA and reduced salinity under different temperatures on the growth and photosynthesis of the diatom Skeletonema costatum. After having been acclimated to 2 CO2 concentrations (400 µatm, 1000 µatm) and 2 salinity levels (20 psu, 30 psu) at temperature levels of 10 °C and 20 °C, the diatom showed enhanced growth rate at the lowered salinity and elevated pCO2 irrespective of the temperature. The OA treatment increased the net photosynthetic rate and biogenic silica (Bsi) contents. Increasing the temperature from 10 to 20 °C raised the net photosynthetic rate by over twofold. The elevated pCO2 increased the net and gross photosynthetic rates by 20%-40% and by 16%-32%, respectively, with the higher enhancement observed at the higher levels of salinity and temperature. Our results imply that OA and desalination along with warming to the levels tested can enhance S. costatum's competitiveness in coastal phytoplankton communities under influence of future climate changes.

Inflammatory biomarkers mediate the association between polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon exposure and dyslipidemia: a national population-based study.

Exploring the association between exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and the risk of dyslipidemia and possible mediating effects is essential for conducting epidemiological health studies on related lipid disorders. Therefore, our study aimed to elucidate the potential association between PAH exposure and dyslipidemia risk and further identify the mediating effects based on blood cell-based inflammatory biomarkers. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 8,380 individuals with complete survey data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2001-2016). Multiple models (generalized linear regression model, restricted cubic spline model, Bayesian kernel machine regression, weighted quantiles sum regression) were used to assess the relationship between PAH co-exposure and the dyslipidemia risk and further identify potential mediating effects. Among the 8380 subjects, 2886 (34.44 %) had dyslipidemia. After adjusting for the confounding factors, the adjusted OR and 95% CI for dyslipidemia in the highest quartile of subjects were 1.30 (1.11, 1.51), 1. 22 (1.04, 1.43), 1.21 (1.03, 1.42), 1.29 (1.10, 1.52), 1.18 (1.01, 1.37), and 1.04 (0.89, 1.23) for 1-hydroxynaphthalene, 2-hydroxynaphthalene, 3-hydroxyfluorene, 2-hydroxyfluorene (2-FLU), 1-hydroxyphenanthrene, and 1-hydroxypyrene. The Bayesian kernel machine regression model also showed a positive correlation between PAH mixtures and dyslipidemia, and 2-FLU has the highest contribution. Mediation effect analyses showed that white blood cells and neutrophils were statistically significant in the association between PAHs and dyslipidemia. The present study suggests that individual and mixed PAH exposures may increase the risk of dyslipidemia in adults. Inflammatory biomarkers significantly mediated the relationship between PAH exposure and dyslipidemia. Environmental pollutants and their mechanisms should be more intensively monitored and studied.

CaSTH2 disables CaWRKY40 from activating pepper thermotolerance and immunity against Ralstonia solanacearum via physical interaction.

CaWRKY40 coordinately activates pepper immunity against Ralstonia solanacearum infection (RSI) and high temperature stress (HTS), forms positive feedback loops with other positive regulators and is promoted by CaWRKY27b/CaWRKY28 through physical interactions; however, whether and how it is regulated by negative regulators to function appropriately remain unclear. Herein, we provide evidence that CaWRKY40 is repressed by a SALT TOLERANCE HOMOLOG2 in pepper (CaSTH2). Our data from gene silencing and transient overexpression in pepper and epoptic overexpression in Nicotiana benthamiana plants showed that CaSTH2 acted as negative regulator in immunity against RSI and thermotolerance. Our data from BiFC, CoIP, pull down, and MST indicate that CaSTH2 interacted with CaWRKY40, by which CaWRKY40 was prevented from activating immunity or thermotolerance-related genes. It was also found that CaSTH2 repressed CaWRKY40 at least partially through blocking interaction of CaWRKY40 with CaWRKY27b/CaWRKY28, but not through directly repressing binding of CaWRKY40 to its target genes. The results of study provide new insight into the mechanisms underlying the coordination of pepper immunity and thermotolerance.

In-situ lignin sulfonation for enhancing enzymatic hydrolysis of poplar using mild organic solvent pretreatment.

Biomass pretreatment is an essential strategy to overcome biomass recalcitrance and promote lignocellulosic bioconversion. Here, a reusable organic solvent system (formic acid-methanesulfonic acid) was explored to pretreat poplar under a mild temperature (below 100 °C). The results showed that the co-solvent system could extract basically complete hemicelluloses and part of lignin with original cellulose retained in the pretreated substrates. Meanwhile, sulfonic acid groups were introduced into lignin structure remained in the substrates. The glucose conversion yield of the substrates with a higher concentration of sulfonic acid groups (13.2 mmol/kg) reached 45.9 % by reducing the hydrophobic interaction between lignin and cellulase, showing 89.3 % improvement compared with that of the substrates treated with single formic acid. This progressive study aimed to develop a new strategy to realize sulfonation and promote enzymatic hydrolysis of substrates by using mild organic solvent pretreatment.

MicroRNA biomarkers and their use in evaluating the prognosis of lung cancer.

OBJECTIVE: We aim to use the microRNA (miRNA, micro-ribonucleic acid) data of lung cancer tissues to establish a miRNA biomarker database for lung cancer that can be used for marker screening and analysis of lung cancer prognosis. METHODS: We obtained lung cancer-related data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and analyzed the miRNA expression profiles of lung cancer tissues and normal tissues using bioinformatics techniques to develop a new composite miRNA-based model for the prognostic assessment of lung cancer. The predictive power of this model was verified and evaluated based on grouping of data. We also performed RT-qPCR using lung cancer tissues from patients diagnosed with lung cancer. RESULTS: There was a significant difference between the miRNA expression profiles of lung cancer tissues and normal tissues adjacent to the cancerous lesions. The prognostic survival of patients with lung cancer was closely related to onset age and staging (p = 0.012) but was not related to gender (p = 0.39) and race (p = 0.51). Using three methods of survival model construction, we identified three miRNA composites, namely hsa-mir-21, hsa-mir-141, and has-mir-490, as markers for the prognosis of lung cancer. As confirmed by RT-qPCR, the expressions of hsa-miR-21-5p and hsa-miR-141-5p were upregulated, whereas hsa-miR-490-3p expression was downregulated in lung cancer lesion tissues. CONCLUSION: The three miRNA composites identified, namely hsa-mir-21, hsa-mir-141, and hsa-mir-490, have the potential to serve as novel prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets for lung cancer.

Development of functional, sustainable pullulan-sodium alginate-based films by incorporating essential oil microemulsion for chilled pork preservation.

Developing safe, eco-friendly, and functionally edible packaging materials has attracted global attention. Essential oils, can be incorporated into packaging materials as antioxidant and antibacterial agents. However, their high volatility and discontinuous film matrix issues may cause a rough film surface, limiting the application in food packaging. In this study, thyme essential oil microemulsion (TEO-M) was prepared and incorporated into a pullulan-sodium alginate (PS) film. The TEO-M incorporation endowed the PS film with antioxidant and UV protection properties. The antioxidant activities of the TEO-M-incorporated PS film were significantly better than those of the TEO-C (thyme essential oil coarse emulsion)-incorporated PS film. In comparison to TEO-C, the distribution of TEO-M in the film is more uniform. Lipid oxidation and the growth of microorganisms in chilled pork were inhibited by incorporating TEO-M at a concentration of 50 mg/mL in the PS film (PS-50M). After 10 days of storage at 4 °C, the total viable count (TVC) of chilled pork preserved in the PS-50M material was significantly reduced compared to the control group (P < 0.05). This study shows that incorporating TEO-M in the PS film provides a method for applying essential oils in food packaging, which may have great potential in the food industry.

Differential CaKAN3-CaHSF8 associations underlie distinct immune and heat responses under high temperature and high humidity conditions.

High temperature and high humidity (HTHH) conditions increase plant susceptibility to a variety of diseases, including bacterial wilt in solanaceous plants. Some solanaceous plant cultivars have evolved mechanisms to activate HTHH-specific immunity to cope with bacterial wilt disease. However, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here we find that CaKAN3 and CaHSF8 upregulate and physically interact with each other in nuclei under HTHH conditions without inoculation or early after inoculation with R. solanacearum in pepper. Consequently, CaKAN3 and CaHSF8 synergistically confer immunity against R. solanacearum via activating a subset of NLRs which initiates immune signaling upon perception of unidentified pathogen effectors. Intriguingly, when HTHH conditions are prolonged without pathogen attack or the temperature goes higher, CaHSF8 no longer interacts with CaKAN3. Instead, it directly upregulates a subset of HSP genes thus activating thermotolerance. Our findings highlight mechanisms controlling context-specific activation of high-temperature-specific pepper immunity and thermotolerance mediated by differential CaKAN3-CaHSF8 associations.

Efficient removal of surface-deposited pseudo-lignin and lignin droplets by isothermal phase separation during hydrolysis.

During the traditional autohydrolysis, formation and deposition of "pseudo-lignin" and lignin droplets on the surface of biomass had a detrimental effect on the subsequent biomass conversion. In this study, isothermal phase separation was introduced into autohydrolysis, and the effects of isothermal phase separation on the dissolution of components and enzymatic hydrolysis of bamboo were studied. The research showed that isothermal phase separation after autohydrolysis without cooling had an effective reduction in the deposition of "pseudo-lignin" and lignin droplets on the residues surface. After isothermal phase separation, the contents of sugar (14.05 g/L) and lignin (6.16 g/L) in pre-hydrolysates increased by 20% and 19% compared with control, respectively. Moreover, the efficient removal of "pseudo-lignin" and lignin droplets from cell wall surface could further promote the biological conversion of pretreated biomass (22% higher than that of control) during the subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis.

Analysis of serum homocysteine concentration in patients less than 35 years of age with polycystic ovary syndrome and hyperandrogenism.

OBJECTIVES: An increase in homocysteine (Hcy) concentration is closely related to polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). This study aimed to further explore serum homocysteine concentration and its influencing factors in clinically young (≤ 35 years) patients with PCOS and hyperandrogenism. MATERIAL AND METHODS: An electrochemical immunoassay was used to investigate the changes in serum homocysteine and related indexes in clinically young patients with PCOS and hyperandrogenism, and the results were statistically analyzed. RESULTS: Serum homocysteine concentration in clinically young patients with PCOS and hyperandrogenism (n = 208) was found to be significantly higher than in the control group (n = 663) (15.21 ± 9.99 vs. 12.56 ± 7.20 µmol/L, p < 0.0001), and the total testosterone concentration (1.65 ± 0.68 ng/mL) was higher in the PCOS group than in the control group (1.52 ± 0.58 ng/mL), p = 0.007. The receiver operating characteristic curve showed that the area under the curve of homocysteine in predicting PCOS was 0.606, and the 95% confidence interval (CI) was 0.563-0.650 (p < 0.001). The homocysteine concentrations of the two groups were graded, and it was found that the percentage of patients with homocysteine levels > 15 µmol/L was 26.92% in the PCOS group and 19.15% in the control group; the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (p = 0.0143). The serum homocysteine levels of the two groups were higher in obese patients than in non-obese patients (normal weight vs. overweight), and the difference in the control group was statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Serum homocysteine concentration in clinically young patients with PCOS and hyperandrogenism is elevated, so hyperhomocysteinemia can be used as one of the potential indicators of PCOS. In the process of the diagnosis and treatment of patients with PCOS, serum homocysteine concentration and body weight should both be considered.

Bilayer Designed Paper-Based Solar Evaporator for Efficient Seawater Desalination.

Solar desalination devices utilizing sustainable solar energy and the abundant resource of seawater has great potential as a response to global freshwater scarcity. Herein, a bilayered solar evaporator was designed and fabricated utilizing a facile paper sheet forming technology, which was composed of cellulose fibers decorated with Fe3O4 nanoparticles as the top absorbent layer and the original cellulose fibers as the bottom supporting substrate. The characterization of the cellulose fibers decorated with Fe3O4 nanoparticles revealed that the in situ formed Fe3O4 nanoparticles were successfully loaded on the fiber surface and presented a unique rough surface, endowing the absorber layer with highly efficient light absorption and photothermal conversion. Moreover, due to its superhydrophilic property, the cellulose fiber-based bottom substrate conferred ultra-speed water transport capability, which could enable an adequate water supply to combat the water loss caused by continuous evaporation on the top layer. With the advantages mentioned above, our designed bilayered paper-based evaporator achieved an evaporation rate ~1.22 kg m-2 h-1 within 10 min under 1 sun irradiation, which was much higher than that of original cellulose cardboard. Based on the simple and scalable manufacture process, the bilayered paper-based evaporator may have great potential as a highly efficient photothermal conversion material for real-world desalination applications.

Ginsenoside Rg1 interferes with the progression of diabetic osteoporosis by promoting type H angiogenesis modulating vasculogenic and osteogenic coupling.

Ginsenoside Rg1 (Rg1) has been demonstrated to have antidiabetic and antiosteoporotic activities. The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effect of Rg1 against diabetic osteoporosis and the underlying mechanism. In vitro, we found that Rg1 increased the number of osteoprogenitors and alleviated high glucose (HG) induced apoptosis of osteoprogenitors by MTT assays and flow cytometry. qRT‒PCR and western blot analysis suggested that Rg1 can also promote the secretion of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) by osteoprogenitors and promote the coupling of osteogenesis and angiogenesis. Rg1 can also promote the proliferation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) cultured in high glucose, enhance the angiogenic ability of endothelial cells, and activate the Notch pathway to promote endothelial cells to secrete the osteogenesis-related factor Noggin to regulate osteogenesis, providing further feedback coupling of angiogenesis and osteogenesis. Therefore, we speculated that Rg1 may have similar effects on type H vessels. We used the Goto-Kakizaki (GK) rat model to perform immunofluorescence staining analysis on two markers of type H vessels, Endomucin (Emcn) and CD31, and the osteoblast-specific transcription factor Osterix, and found that Rg1 stimulates type H angiogenesis and bone formation. In vivo experiments also demonstrated that Rg1 promotes VEGF secretion, activates the Noggin/Notch pathway, increases the level of coupling between type H vessels and osteogenesis, and improves the bone structure of GK rats. All of these data reveal that Rg1 is a promising candidate drug for treating diabetic osteoporosis as a potentially bioactive molecule that promotes angiogenesis and osteointegration coupling.