Biocatalytic PEI-PSS membranes through aqueous phase separation: influence of casting solution pH and operational temperature.

Biocatalytic membranes combine the separation properties of membranes and the catalytic abilities of enzymes, holding great promise for industries where both purification and conversion are required. In this work, polyelectrolyte complex membranes incorporated with lysozyme were prepared using polyethyleneimine (PEI) and poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) (PSS) through a one-step and mild pH shift aqueous phase separation (APS) approach. The effects of lysozyme addition and casting solution pH on the membrane properties were studied. All the membranes, both with and without added lysozyme, exhibited asymmetric structures with relatively dense top surfaces and porous cross-sections with finger-like macrovoids. The incorporation of lysozyme did not significantly influence the structure and permeability of the formed membranes. The PEI-PSS biocatalytic membranes exhibited temperature dependent enzymatic activity. The activity strongly increased with increased operational temperature, with the highest activity of 4.30 ± 0.15 U cm-2 at 45 °C. This indicates a responsive effect, where a higher temperature leads to some swelling of the polyelectrolyte complex membrane, making the enzyme more accessible to the used substrate. Moreover, the biocatalytic membranes demonstrate desirable enzymatic stability, maintaining 60% activity even after 60 days of storage. This study validates the potential of the water-based APS process as a straightforward approach for integrating enzymes into responsive biocatalytic membranes.

Diversity, Variance, and Stability of Root Phenes of Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.).

Root phenes are associated with the absorptive efficiency of water and fertilizers. However, there are few reports on the genetic variation and stability of peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) root architecture under different environments. In this study, the diversity, variance and stability of root phenes of 89 peanut varieties were investigated with shovelomics (high throughput phenotyping of root system architecture) for two years in both field and laboratory experiments. The root phenes of these peanut genotypes presented rich diversity; for example, the value of total root length (TRL) ranged from 347.84 cm to 1013.80 cm in the field in 2018, and from 55.14 cm to 206.22 cm in the laboratory tests. The root phenes of different genotypes varied differently; for example, the coefficient of variation (CV) of TRL ranged from 24.0 to 83.5 across the two-year field test. Field and laboratory evaluations were highly correlated, especially on lateral root density (LRD) and root angle (RA), and the quadrant graph analysis of LRD and RA implied that 69.7% of the roots belong to the same type. These not only further reflect root phenes stability through different environment but also demonstrate that some root phenes identified at early stage can indicate their status at later growth stage. In addition, root phenes showed a strong correlation with shoot growth, especially root dry weight (RDW), TRL and（nodule number）NN. Thus, laboratory tests in combination with field shovelomics can efficiently screen and select genotypes with contrasting root phenes to optimize water and nutrient management.

Associations between multiple sleep dimensions and suicide and non-suicidal self-injury: a cross-sectional study of 3828 Chinese young people.

PURPOSE: Suicide and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) are preventable concerns in young people. Suicidal ideation (SI), suicidal plans (SP) and suicidal attempt (SA) are closely related to death. Sleep problems are known risk factors for suicide and NSSI. This study aimed to explore the relationship between sleep, suicidality and NSSI. METHODS: Participants were 3,828 middle school and college students aged 11-23 years from urban and rural areas of Henan Province. Sleep, suicidal phenomena and NSSI were assessed by applying self-reported questionnaires. Chi-squared tests were utilized to demonstrate the demographic data and sleep variables. The correlation between sleep, suicidality and NSSI were explored by using binary logistic regression, while adjusting socio-demographic characteristics with multivariate models. RESULTS: Sleep variables except mid-sleep time were related to suicidal phenomena (P < 0.05). Greater social jet lag (SJL) [≥ 2 h (h)] was associated with increased risk of SI [Odds ratios (OR) = 1.72, 95% confidence intervals (CI):1.40-2.11], SP (OR = 2.10, 95%CI:1.59-2.79) and SA (OR = 1.50, 95%CI:1.00-2.26). Non-only child participants with SJL (≥ 2 h) had significantly increased odds of SI (OR = 1.75, 95%CI: 1.41-2.18) and SP (OR = 2.25, 95%CI: 1.66-3.05). Eveningness chronotype had the strongest correlation with SI (OR = 3.87, 95%CI:2.78-5.38), SP (OR = 4.72, 95%CI:2.97-7.50), SA (OR = 6.69, 95%CI:3.08-14.52) and NSSI (OR = 1.39, 95%CI:1.02-1.90). CONCLUSION: Overlong or short sleep duration, SJL, eveningness chronotype and other sleep abnormalities (e.g., daytime dysfunction, low sleep efficiency) were associated with a higher prevalence of SI, SP and SA. Additionally, eveningness was significantly correlated with NSSI among young people. These findings suggested the importance of assessing and intervening in sleep habits to prevent suicide and NSSI in young people.

A chromosome-scale genome assembly of Malus domestica, a multi-stress resistant apple variety.

Hanfu apple is the main cultivar grown in the cool areas of Northeast, Northwest, and North China. Here, we proposed a chromosome-level Hanfu genome assembly using PacBio, Illumina and Hi-C sequencing data. The total contig length was 628.99 Mb, with scaffold and contig N50 sizes of 36.18 Mb and 1.25 Mb, respectively. The Hanfu genome had a total of 39,617 genes, of which we predicted the function for 38,816. Evolutionary analysis showed that Hanfu may have undergone a γ-event, a recent whole-genome duplication. A comparative analysis was conducted on the genomes of Hanfu and homozygous triploid HFTH1, which were cultured using the anthers of diploid Hanfu apples. Three variants were identified, including 2,155,184 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), 413,108 insertions/deletions (indels), and 7,587 structural variants (SVs).This high-quality genome will provide a reference for the genetic improvement of apples and the breeding of more varieties with high resistance and high quality.

Fe/Cu MOFs of Fe2+-rich and Cu-doping via in situ reduction as nanozyme for peroxidase-like catalycity enhancement.

Fe-MOFs of mixed valence was synthesized by a solvothermal method via the in-situ reduction of ethylene glycol (EG) pre-coordination with the proper ratio of Fe2+/Fe3+ between 0.83 and 2.46. Synchronously with copper introduction, the Fe/Cu MOFs of mixed valence (Fe/Cu-MVMOFs) was then one pot acquired to remarkably improve the affinity of Fe2+ and Cu+ to H2O2 and promote the conversion efficiency of Fe2+/Fe3+ via the electron transfer among Fe-Cu bimetal clusters (XPS and XRD). Hence, the maximum reaction rate of H2O2 with Fe/Cu-MVMOFs reached 16.65 M·s-1, along with Km as low as 0.0479 mM. H2O2 and glutathione (GSH) were efficiently detected, ranging from 0.25 to 60 µM and from 0.2 to 40 µM, respectively. The investigation of catalyzation selectivity and practical serum detection by Fe/Cu-MVMOFs illustrated the efficacy and efficiency, denoting Fe/Cu-MVMOFs as the promising peroxidase candidate.

DIA-Based Quantitative Proteomics in the Flower Buds of Two Malus sieversii (Ledeb.) M. Roem Subtypes at Different Overwintering Stages.

Malus sieversii is considered the ancestor of the modern cultivated apple, with a high value for apple tolerance breeding. Despite studies on the temperature adaptability of M. sieversii carried out at a physiological response and the genome level, information on the proteome changes of M. sieversii during dormancy is limited, especially about the M. sieversii subtypes. In this study, a DIA-based approach was employed to screen and identify differential proteins involved in three overwintering periods of flower buds in two M. sieversii subtypes (Malus sieversii f. luteolus, GL; Malus sieversii f. aromaticus, HC) with different overwintering adaptabilities. The proteomic analysis revealed that the number of the down-regulated differential expression proteins (DEPs) was obviously higher than that of the up-regulated DEPs in the HC vs. GL groups, especially at the dormancy stage and dormancy-release stage. Through functional classification of those DEPs, the majority of the DEPs in the HC vs. GL groups were associated with protein processing in the endoplasmic reticulum, oxidative phosphorylation, starch and sucrose metabolism and ribosomes. Through WGCNA analysis, tricarboxylic acid cycle and pyruvate metabolism were highly correlated with the overwintering stages; oxidative phosphorylation and starch and sucrose metabolism were highly correlated with the Malus sieversii subtypes. This result suggests that the down-regulation of DEPs, which are predominantly enriched in these pathways, could potentially contribute to the lower cold tolerance observed in HC during overwintering stage.

Does an environmental stringent policy really matter to achieve environmental sustainability in BRICS-T region? Evidence from novel method of moments quantile regression approach.

Amidst pressing global environmental challenges, exacerbated by climate change and the imminent threat of global warming, there is a critical need to assess the efficacy of environmental policies. This study centers its attention on the pivotal role of these policies in addressing environmental concerns. Specifically, our research aims to scrutinize the impact of stringent environmental policies on environmental quality under the theoretical underpinnings of environmental Kuznets curve. To achieve this objective, the study collected data from BRICS-T economies over the period of 1990-2020. This study employed the method of moments quantile regression technique for empirical analysis. Our study validates the presence of the Environmental Kuznets curve (EKC hypothesis). Empirical findings reveal the sustained significance of environmental stringency across all quantiles, demonstrating a positive correlation in lower quantiles and a negative correlation in higher quantiles. At lower quantiles, the impact is insignificant initially, but pronounced due to efficiency improvements induced by stringent policies. The effects became negative at middle quantiles, indicating stringent policies might encounter diminishing returns where policy measures start stabilizing ecological impacts. At higher quantiles, the influence of ESI remains significant, reflecting ongoing adaptations in larger economies with higher ecological footprints. This suggests the potential effectiveness of stringent regulatory measures in mitigating environmental impacts and reducing ecological footprints. The identified inverted U-shaped curve signifies that while stringent policies may not inherently enhance environmental health, beyond a certain threshold, they can indeed contribute to its improvement. Our policy recommendation advocates for the widespread adoption and promotion of such stringent measures to safeguard environmental health.

A meta-analysis examining the impact of open surgical therapy versus minimally invasive surgery on wound infection in females with cervical cancer.

A meta-analysis study was executed to measure the effect of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) and open surgical management (OSM) on wound infection (WI) in female's cervical cancer (CC). A comprehensive literature study till February 2023 was applied and 1675 interrelated investigations were reviewed. The 41 chosen investigations enclosed 10 204 females with CC and were in the chosen investigations' starting point, 4294 of them were utilizing MIS, and 5910 were utilizing OSM. Odds ratio (OR) in addition to 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were utilized to compute the value of the effect of MIS and OSM on WI in female's CC and by the dichotomous approaches and a fixed or random model. The MIS had significantly lower WI (OR, 0.23; 95% CI, 0.15-0.35, p < 0.001) with no heterogeneity (I2 = 0%) and postoperative aggregate complications (PACs) (OR, 0.49; 95% CI, 0.37-0.64, p < 0.001) in females with CC and compared OSM. However, MIS compared with OSM in females with CC and had no significant difference in pelvic infection and abscess (PIA) (OR, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.31-1.16, p = 0.13). The MIS had significantly lower WI, and PACs, though, had no significant difference in PIA in females with CC and compared with OSM. However, care must be exercised when dealing with its values because of the low sample size of some of the nominated investigations for the meta-analysis.

AIM2 upregulation promotes metastatic progression and PD-L1 expression in lung adenocarcinoma.

Cancer metastasis leading to the dysfunction of invaded organs is the main cause of the reduced survival rates in lung cancer patients. However, the molecular mechanism for lung cancer metastasis remains unclear. Recently, the increased activity of inflammasome appeared to correlate with the metastatic progression and immunosuppressive ability of various cancer types. Our results showed that the mRNA levels of absence in melanoma 2 (AIM2), one of the inflammasome members, are extensively upregulated in primary tumors compared with normal tissues derived from the TCGA lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) database. Moreover, Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated that a higher mRNA level of AIM2 refers to a poor prognosis in LUAD patients. Particularly, AIM2 upregulation is closely correlated with smoking history and the absence of EGFR/KRAS/ALK mutations in LUAD. We further showed that the endogenous mRNA levels of AIM2 are causally associated with the metastatic potentials of the tested LUAD cell lines. AIM2 knockdown suppressed but overexpression promoted the migration ability and lung colony-forming ability of tested LUAD cells. In addition, we found that AIM2 upregulation is closely associated with an increased level of immune checkpoint gene set, as well as programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) transcript, in TCGA LUAD samples. AIM2 knockdown predominantly repressed but overexpression enhanced PD-L1 expression via altering the activity of PD-L1 transcriptional regulators NF-κB/STAT1 in LUAD cells. Our results not only provide a possible mechanism underlying the AIM2-promoted metastatic progression and immune evasion of LUAD but also offer a new strategy for combating metastatic/immunosuppressive LUAD via targeting AIM2 activity.

Co-functional Group Conducting Hydrogels Inspired by Ligament for Flexible Electronic Devices.

The application of conductive hydrogels in flexible electronics has attracted much interest in recent years due to their excellent mechanical properties and conductivity. However, the development of conductive hydrogels combining with superior self-adhesion, mechanical properties, antifreeze, and antibacterial activity is still a challenge. Herein, inspired by the structure of the ligament, a multifunctional conductive hydrogel is constructed to address the issue by introducing collagen into the polyacrylamide. The obtained conductive hydrogel exhibits outstanding conductivity (52.08 mS/cm), ultra-stretchability (>2000%), self-adhesion, and antibacterial properties. More significantly, the supercapacitor based on this hydrogel electrolyte achieves a desirable capacitance (514.7 mF·cm-2 at 0.25 mA·cm-2 current density). As a wearable strain sensor, the obtained hydrogel can rapidly detect different movements of the body such as finger, wrist, elbow, and knee joints. It is conceived that this study would provide a potential approach for the preparation of conductive hydrogels in the application of flexible electronics.

Oriented Plate-like KNbO3 Polycrystals: Topochemical Mesocrystal Conversion and Piezoelectric and Photocatalytic Responses.

KNbO3 (KN) with a perovskite structure is an outstanding representative of lead-free piezoelectric materials, and its mesocrystals have broad application prospects in the fields of catalysis, energy storage, and conversion. However, the formation conditions of KN mesocrystals reported so far are difficult owing to their high aspect ratio and excellent preferred orientation. In this study, the solvothermal process was used successfully to prepare the flake-like potassium salt of Lindquist hexaniobate (K8Nb6O19·10H2O). Subsequently, the precursor niobate was calcined to prepare two-dimensional (2D) plate-like KN mesocrystals. The formation mechanism of the plate-like KN mesocrystals is further revealed from a paired topochemical mesocrystal conversion of K8Nb6O19·10H2O niobate. Finally, the microscopic piezoelectric and photocatalytic responses of the obtained plate-like KN mesocrystals were investigated. The high piezoelectric coefficient of plate-like KN mesocrystals implies that excellent charge separation promotes the photocatalytic performance of rhodamine B (RhB). This study provides a strategy for the efficient application of 2D oriented materials in the field of piezoelectricity and photocatalysis.

Role of Obesity in Female Reproduction.

Contemporary scientists need no "p value" and "relative risk" statistics to be exquisitely aware of the increasing prevalence of obesity and complications posed by obesity. It is now well recognized that obesity is strongly associated with type 2 diabetes, hypertension, vascular disease, tumors and reproductive disorders. Obese women show lower levels of gonadotropin hormones, reduced fecundity, higher miscarriage rates and poorer outcomes of in vitro fertilization, revealing that obesity affects female reproduction. In addition, adipose tissue contains special immune cells and obesity-induced inflammation is a chronic, low-grade inflammatory response. Herein, we mainly review detrimental influences of obesity in the complete process of female reproduction, including hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis, oocyte maturation, embryo and fetal development. In the latter part, we view obesity-induced inflammation and discuss related epigenetic impact on female reproduction.

Novel compound heterozygous WDR35 variants in a Chinese patient associated with cranioectodermal dysplasia and ectopic testis: a case report and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: WDR35 variants are known to cause a rare autosomal recessive disorder-Cranioectodermal dysplasia (CED). The CED patients are commonly present with facial dysmorphisms (frontal bossing and low-set ears), sagittal craniosynostosis, growth retardation, dolichocephaly, skeletal deformities (brachydactyly, terminal hypoplasia of the fingers and narrow thorax), ectodermal abnormalities (sparse hair, and finger/toe nail dysplasia), nephronophthisis, retinal dystrophy and hepatic fibrosis. Diagnosis of CED can be difficult because it presents with high genetic heterogeneity. However, our understanding of the phenotype of CED caused by WDR35 variants could be more explicit, and the correlation between genotype and phenotype needs further improvement. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a case of the first Chinses patient of CED caused by WDR35 variants, a 3-year-and-3-month-old patient, who was admitted to our hospital with frontal bossing, growth retardation, low set ears, dolichocephaly, sparse hair, and small limbs, abnormal renal function, and moderate anemia. The child showed a novel phenotype of the ectopic testis except for presenting typical CED characteristics, and he was identified with novel compound heterozygous WDR35 variants (c.2590 C > T, p.Gln864* and c.2408_2416del, p.Asn803_Ala805del; NM_001006657). He was given iron succinate and erythropoietin to improve anemia and to inhibit repeated metabolic acidosis and hyperkalemia through acid correction, diuretic, and potassium-lowering treatments. The parents refused to accept renal replacement therapy for their child and were discharged voluntarily. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first reported case of the WDR35 variants that can lead to CED and ectopic testis, which is also the first Chinese patient associated with WDR35 variants. This study expands our understanding of genotype-phenotype association in patients with WDR35 variants and provides genetic counseling for prevention and intervention in this genetic disorder. Neonatal carriers should be followed up for kidney and CED-related diseases to detect warning signs.

Transcriptomic and physiological properties reveal the tolerance mechanism to difenoconazole toxicity in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).

Difenoconazole (DFZ) is a broad-spectrum fungicide widely applied in wheat production. However, excessive accumulation is linked to phytotoxicity. The effects of DFZ on plants and the response mechanisms to DFZ toxicity are poorly understood. Herein, the uptake, accumulation, and translocation of DFZ and induced changes in the morphology, physiology, and gene expression were investigated under hydroculture of roots treated with 50, 100, and 200 mg/L DFZ concentrations. Compared with the control, DEZ treatment upregulated the expression of genes encoding 4-coumarate-CoA ligase (4CL) and peroxidase (POD) involved in the lignin biosynthesis pathway and enhanced lignin biosynthesis. DFZ accumulated more in older leaves (cotyledons and lower true leaves), with 0.49-5.71 and 0.09-2.14 folds higher than levels in new upper leaves and roots, respectively. The excessive accumulation of DFZ in tissues was rapidly degraded, with a 15.7-69.3% reduction of DFZ content in roots and leaves from 3 DAT to 6 DAT. The genes expression and activity of glutathione S-transferase (GST) were increased. Furthermore, DFZ treatments upregulated genes encoding chalcone synthase (CHS), chalcone isomerase (CHI), and anthocyanidin synthase (ANS) involved in the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway and increased the amount of flavonoid and anthocyanins in leaves. This study provides new insights into the self-protective behaviors exhibited by wheat plants under DFZ stress. The mechanisms included hindering DFZ penetration from roots by enhancing lignin biosynthesis, accumulating more in old leaves, degrading by GST, and alleviating oxidative damage by increasing the content of flavonoids and anthocyanins in leaves.

Transcriptome-Based Construction of the Gibberellin Metabolism and Signaling Pathways in Eucalyptus grandis × E. urophylla, and Functional Characterization of GA20ox and GA2ox in Regulating Plant Development and Abiotic Stress Adaptations.

Gibberellins (GAs) are the key regulators controlling plant growth, wood production and the stress responses in perennial woody plants. The role of GA in regulating the above-mentioned processes in Eucalyptus remain largely unclear. There is still a lack of systematic identification and functional characterization of GA-related genes in Eucalyptus. In this study, a total of 59,948 expressed genes were identified from the major vegetative tissues of the E. grandis × E. urophylla using transcriptome sequencing. Then, the key gene families in each step of GA biosynthesis, degradation and signaling were investigated and compared with those of Arabidopsis, rice, and Populus. The expression profile generated using Real-time quantitative PCR showed that most of these genes exhibited diverse expression patterns in different vegetative organs and in response to abiotic stresses. Furthermore, we selectively overexpressed EguGA20ox1, EguGA20ox2 and EguGA2ox1 in both Arabidopsis and Eucalyptus via Agrobacterium tumefaciens or A. rhizogenes-mediated transformation. Though both Arabidopsis EguGA20ox1- and EguGA20ox2-overexpressing (OE) lines exhibited better vegetative growth performance, they were more sensitive to abiotic stress, unlike EguGA2ox1-OE plants, which exhibited enhanced stress resistance. Moreover, overexpression of EguGA20ox in Eucalyptus roots caused significantly accelerated hairy root initiation and elongation and improved root xylem differentiation. Our study provided a comprehensive and systematic study of the genes of the GA metabolism and signaling and identified the role of GA20ox and GA2ox in regulating plant growth, stress tolerance, and xylem development in Eucalyptus; this could benefit molecular breeding for obtaining high-yield and stress-resistant Eucalyptus cultivars.

"Sustained irrigation" effect enhanced the accumulation and retention of ultra-long circulating nanoparticles in tumor.

The development of ultra-long circulating nanodrug delivery systems have showed distinct advantage in maintaining the long-lasting tumor retention. Although the relationship between extended tumor retention and ultra-long plasma half-life was apparent, there was still a lack of experimental evidence to reveal the enhancement mechanism. Herein, we proposed a concept of "Sustained Irrigation" effect ("SI" effect) to elucidate that it was through sustained blood irrigation that the ultra-long circulating nanoparticles achieved long-lasting tumor retention. Besides, in order to intuitively verify the "SI" effect, we developed an "ON-OFF-ON" fluorescence switch technology. The ultra-long circulating delivery nanoparticle was constructed by encapsulating the protein with hydrophilic polymer shell. Nanoparticles with ultra-long plasma half-life (t1/2>40 h) fabricated by this method were employed as models for demonstrating the "SI" effect. The recovery of Cy5.5 fluorescence after the laser quenching meant the "fresh" Cy5.5-labeled nanoparticles were entering tumor, which confirmed the ultra-long circulating nanoparticles in blood could sustainedly irrigate to tumor. Our finding revealed the key mechanism by which ultra-long circulating NDDSs enhanced the tumor accumulation and retention, and provided experimental support for the development of ultra-long circulating delivery system in clinic.

Fan-ring interpolation method applied to the panorama unwrapping of the deep-hole parts.

Image interpolation is a critical step in panoramic image unwrapping studies. Information calculated in the Cartesian coordinates, although broadly applied, applies to operation between rectangles that will destroy the compressed depth information. The polar coordinates, in contrast, can store depth information by handing between rectangle and circle to obtain more true images. A fan-ring interpolation based on the polar coordinates is proposed for unwrapping panoramic images in this study through replanning the pixel search path in the panorama, and is then supported by redefining third-order interpolation. We validate our method on synthetic and practical images. Compared with competitor models, the unwrapping image obtained from the fan-ring interpolation can provide better quality in subjective and objective evaluation with guaranteed accuracy.

First Report of Powdery Mildew in Eucalyptus Caused by Erysiphe neolycopersici in China.

Eucalyptus is one of the most fast-growing and widely planted hardwood trees in the tropical and subtropical regions (Grattapaglia and Kirst, 2008). In December 2021, powdery mildew diseases were observed on the Eucalyptus urophylla, E. urophylla × E. grandis, E. grandis × E. urophylla, and E. grandis trees growing in the Eucalyptus garden of the Guangxi University campus in Nanning (108°22'E, 22°48'N) of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, where is the main plantation area for Eucalyptus. The spread of this disease would bring potential challenges on the Eucalyptus plantation management in this region of China. The early symptoms of this disease in Eucalyptus were that the irregular white spots with surface-attached powder was observed on the leaves. At the late stages, this symptom was diffused to the whole leaves and even petioles and stems. It would finally cause significant defoliation, but barely lead to plant death in Eucalyptus. Microscopic observation showed that the mycelium was straight or flexuous, hyaline, thin-walled, septate, branched, and 3-7 µm wide (n = 50; average 4.86 µm). The appressorium was lobed and attached to one end of the mycelium alone, or paired attached to both ends of the mycelium. The conidiophore was straight or flexuous, unbranched, 54-100 × 6-10 µm (n = 40; average 75.47 µm × 8.22 µm). One to 3 conidium were connate on the conidiophores. Foot-cells were straight or flexuous at base, 5-8 µm wide (n = 40; average 6.53 µm). The conidium were ellipsoid or oval, and the size was 38-56 × 12-21 µm (n = 70; average 44.92 µm × 15.69 µm). The lobed or rod-shaped bud tube was produced at the conidium. According to the morphology, the fungus was identified as Erysiphe neolycopersici (Hsiao, et al. 2022). For the molecular characterization of the isolate, the sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS), the 18S and 28S large subunit ribosomal DNA (SSU and LSU) (Scholin et al. 1994 , White et al. 1990), were sequenced and deposited in GenBank (OM422667, OM424285 and ON514159). The phylogenetic analysis showed that the ITS sequence showed 100% identity with sequences of E. neolycopersici (MW082786, MT370492, and JQ972700). The 28S rDNA sequence had the highest identity (99.69%) with that of E. neolycopersici (LC371327, LC371320, and OM368490). The SSU sequence had the highest identity (99.72%) with that of E. neolycopersici (LC516961). The pathogenicity test of the fungus was repeated thrice following the Koch's postulates. The diseased leaves were gently rubbed against 3 to 4 healthy mature leaves of more than five E. grandis seedlings (two-month-old). The inoculated and control plants were then cultured in the greenhouse (25 ℃, 16-h light/8-h dark and 70% humidity). Similar disease symptoms were observed on the inoculated leaves, but not on the control leaves seven days after inoculation. The isolates from three independent experiments were morphologically and genetically identical with the original isolate. As far as we know, this study is the first report of powdery mildew disease in Eucalyptus caused by E. neolycopersici in China.

Coupling Effect of Non-Ignition Impact and Heat on the Decay of FOX-7.

Non-ignition impact and heat stimuli are the most common external stimuli loaded on energetic materials. Nevertheless, there is thereby an urgent need, but it is still a significant challenge to comprehend their coupling effects on the decay and safety mechanisms of energetic materials. Then, reactive molecular dynamics simulation was employed to mimic practical situations and reveal the impact heat coupling effect on the decay mechanism of FOX-7. The temperature and the degree of compression of the crystal caused by the impact are considered variables in the simulation. Both increasing the degree of compression and elevating the temperature promotes the decay of FOX-7. However, their underlying response mechanism is not the same. The acceleration of decomposition is due to the elevated potential energy of the FOX-7 molecules because of elevating the temperature. In addition to the elevated potential energy of the molecule, the main contribution to the decomposition from the compression is to change the decomposition path. The results of the analysis show that compression reduces the stability of the C=C bond, so that chemical reactions related to the double bond occur. In addition, interestingly, the compression along the c direction has an almost equal effect on the final product as the compression along the b direction. Finally, the decay reaction networks are proposed to provide insights into the decomposition mechanism on atomic level. All these findings are expected to pave a way to understand the underlying response mechanism for the FOX-7 against external stimuli.

Hsp90 up-regulates PD-L1 to promote HPV-positive cervical cancer via HER2/PI3K/AKT pathway.

BACKGROUND: HPV16 is the predominant cancer-causing strain that is responsible for over 50% of all cervical cancers. In this study, we aim to investigate the therapeutic effect of heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) knockdown on HPV16+ cervical cancer progression and the underlying mechanism. METHODS: The transcript and protein expression of Hsp90 in normal cervical and HPV16+ cervical cancer tissues and cell lines were detected by qRT-PCR, immunohistochemistry staining and Western blot. Hsp90 knockdown clones were established using HPV16+ cervical cancer cell line Caski and SiHa cells. The effect of Hsp90 knockdown on HER2/PI3K/AKT pathway and PD-L1 expression was characterized using qRT-PCR and Western blot analysis. Cell proliferation and migration were determined using MTT and transwell assays. Using mouse xenograft tumor model, the impact of Hsp90 knockdown and PD-L1 overexpression on tumor progression was evaluated. RESULTS: Hsp90 expression was up-regulated in HPV16+ cervical cancer tissues and cells. Knockdown of Hsp90 inhibited proliferation and migration of Caski and SiHa cells. PD-L1 expression in cervical cancer tissues was positively correlated with Hsp90 expression, and Hsp90 regulated PD-L1 expression via HER2/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. The results of mouse xenograft tumor model demonstrated Hsp90 knockdown suppressed tumor formation and overexpression of PD-L1 simultaneously eliminated the cancer-suppressive effect of Hsp90 knockdown. CONCLUSION: In this study, we demonstrated a promising tumor-suppressive effect of Hsp90 knockdown in HPV16+ cervical cancers, and investigated the underlying molecular pathway. Our results suggested that Hsp90 knockdown holds great therapeutic potential in treating HPV16+ cervical cancers.