SALT OVERLY SENSITIVE 1 is inhibited by clade D Protein phosphatase 2C D6 and D7 in Arabidopsis thaliana.

The salt overly sensitive (SOS) pathway is essential for maintaining sodium ion homeostasis in plants. This conserved pathway is activated by a calcium signaling-dependent phosphorylation cascade. However, the identity of the phosphatases and their regulatory mechanisms that would deactivate the SOS pathway remain unclear. In this study, we demonstrate that PP2C.D6 and PP2C.D7, which belong to clade D of the protein phosphatase 2C (PP2C) subfamily in Arabidopsis thaliana, directly interact with SOS1 and inhibit its Na+/H+ antiporter activity under non-salt-stress conditions. Upon salt stress, SOS3-LIKE CALCIUM-BINDING PROTEIN8 (SCaBP8), a member of the SOS pathway, interacts with the PP2Cs and suppresses their phosphatase activity; simultaneously, SCaBP8 regulates the subcellular localization of PP2C.D6 by releasing it from the plasma membrane. Thus, we identified two negative regulators of the SOS pathway that repress SOS1 activity under nonstress conditions. These processes set the stage for the activation of SOS1 by the kinase SOS2 to achieve plant salt tolerance. Our results suggest that reversible phosphorylation/dephosphorylation is crucial for the regulation of the SOS pathway, and that calcium sensors play dual roles in activating/deactivating SOS2 and PP2C phosphatases under salt stress.

Integrative multiomics profiling of passion fruit reveals the genetic basis for fruit color and aroma.

Passion fruit (Passiflora edulis) possesses a complex aroma and is widely grown in tropical and subtropical areas. Here, we conducted the de novo assembly, annotation, and comparison of PPF (P. edulis Sims) and YPF (P. edulis f. flavicarpa) reference genomes using PacBio, Illumina, and Hi-C technologies. Notably, we discovered evidence of recent whole-genome duplication events in P. edulis genomes. Comparative analysis revealed 7.6∼8.1 million single nucleotide polymorphisms, 1 million insertions/deletions, and over 142 Mb presence/absence variations among different P. edulis genomes. During the ripening of yellow passion fruit, metabolites related to flavor, aroma, and color were substantially accumulated or changed. Through joint analysis of genomic variations, differentially expressed genes, and accumulated metabolites, we explored candidate genes associated with flavor, aroma, and color distinctions. Flavonoid biosynthesis pathways, anthocyanin biosynthesis pathways, and related metabolites are pivotal factors affecting the coloration of passion fruit, and terpenoid metabolites accumulated more in PPF. Finally, by heterologous expression in yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), we functionally characterized 12 terpene synthases. Our findings revealed that certain TPS homologs in both YPF and PPF varieties produce identical terpene products, while others yield distinct compounds or even lose their functionality. These discoveries revealed the genetic and metabolic basis of unique characteristics in aroma and flavor between the 2 passion fruit varieties. This study provides resources for better understanding the genome architecture and accelerating genetic improvement of passion fruits.

Correction: Assessment of single-vessel cerebral blood velocity by phase contrast fMRI.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000923.].

Histone modifications in Duchenne muscular dystrophy: pathogenesis insights and therapeutic implications.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a commonly encountered genetic ailment marked by loss-of-function mutations in the Dystrophin gene, ultimately resulting in progressive debilitation of skeletal muscle. The investigation into the pathogenesis of DMD has increasingly converged on the role of histone modifications within the broader context of epigenetic regulation. These modifications, including histone acetylation, methylation and phosphorylation, are catalysed by specific enzymes and play a critical role in gene expression. This article provides an overview of the histone modifications occurring in DMD and analyses the research progress and potential of different types of histone modifications in DMD due to changes in cellular signalling for muscle regeneration, to provide new insights into diagnostic and therapeutic options for DMD.

Natural Enzyme-Inspired Design of the Single-Atom Cu Nanozyme as Dual-Enzyme Mimics for Distinguishing Total Antioxidant Capacity and the Ascorbic Acid Level.

Although various oxidase mimetic or peroxidase (POD) mimetic nanozymes have been extensively studied, their poor substrate selectivity significantly inhibits their practical applications. Nanozymes with specific biomolecules as substrates, especially ascorbic acid oxidase (AAO) mimetic nanozymes with ascorbic acid (AA) as a substrate, have scarcely been studied. Herein, inspired by the multi-Cu atom sites and the redox electron transfer pathway of Cu2+/Cu+ in the natural AAO, atomically dispersed Cu sites immobilized on N-doped porous carbon (Cu-N/C) are artificially designed to simulate the function of natural AAO. Compared with their natural counterparts, the Cu-N/C catalysts exhibited higher catalytic efficiency and superior stability. Combined theoretical calculation and experimental characterizations reveal that the Cu-N/C nanozymes could catalyze the AA oxidation through a 2e- oxygen reduction pathway with H2O2 as the product. Moreover, the Cu-N/C nanozymes also possess high POD activity. As a proof-of-concept application, Cu-N/C can simultaneously realize AA detection in fluorescent mode based on its AAO activity and total antioxidant capacity detection in colorimetric mode utilizing its POD activity.

Dectin-1 aggravates neutrophil inflammation through caspase-11/4-mediated macrophage pyroptosis in asthma.

BACKGROUND: The pattern recognition receptor Dectin-1 was initially discovered to play a pivotal role in mediating pulmonary antifungal immunity and promoting neutrophil-driven inflammation. Recent studies have revealed that Dectin-1 is overexpressed in asthma, but the specific mechanism remains elusive. Additionally, Dectin-1 has been implicated in promoting pyroptosis, a hallmark of severe asthma airway inflammation. Nevertheless, the involvement of the non-classical pyroptosis signal caspase-11/4 and its upstream regulatory mechanisms in asthma has not been completely explored. METHODS: House dust mite (HDM)-induced mice was treated with Dectin-1 agonist Curdlan, Dectin-1 inhibitor Laminarin, and caspase-11 inhibitor wedelolactone separately. Subsequently, inflammatory cells in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were analyzed. Western blotting was performed to measure the protein expression of caspase-11 and gasdermin D (GSDMD). Cell pyroptosis and the expression of chemokine were detected in vitro. The correlation between Dectin-1 expression, pyroptosis factors and neutrophils in the induced sputum of asthma patients was analyzed. RESULTS: Curdlan appeared to exacerbate neutrophil airway inflammation in asthmatic mice, whereas wedelolactone effectively alleviated airway inflammation aggravated by Curdlan. Moreover, Curdlan enhanced the release of caspase-11 activation fragments and N-terminal fragments of gasdermin D (GSDMD-N) stimulated by HDM both in vivo or in vitro. In mouse alveolar macrophages (MH-S cells), Curdlan/HDM stimulation resulted in vacuolar degeneration and elevated lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release. In addition, there was an upregulation of neutrophil chemokines CXCL1, CXCL3, CXCL5 and their receptor CXCR2, which was suppressed by wedelolactone. In asthma patients, a positive correlation was observed between the expression of Dectin-1 on macrophages and caspase-4 (the human homology of caspase-11), and the proportion of neutrophils in induced sputum. CONCLUSION: Dectin-1 activation in asthma induced caspase-11/4 mediated macrophage pyroptosis, which subsequently stimulated the secretion of chemokines, leading to the exacerbation of airway neutrophil inflammation.

Comparison of novel PSMA-targeting [177Lu]Lu-P17-087 with its albumin binding derivative [177Lu]Lu-P17-088 in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer patients: a first-in-human study.

PURPOSE: Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is a promising target for diagnosis and radioligand therapy (RLT) of prostate cancer. Two novel PSMA-targeting radionuclide therapy agents, [177Lu]Lu-P17-087, and its albumin binder modified derivative, [177Lu]Lu-P17-088, were evaluated in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) patients. The primary endpoint was dosimetry evaluation, the second endpoint was radiation toxicity assessment (CTCAE 5.0) and PSA response (PCWG3). METHODS: Patients with PSMA-positive tumors were enrolled after [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT scan. Five mCRPC patients received [177Lu]Lu-P17-087 and four other patients received [177Lu]Lu-P17-088 (1.2 GBq/patient). Multiple whole body planar scintigraphy was performed at 1.5, 4, 24, 48, 72, 120 and 168 h after injection and one SPECT/CT imaging was performed at 24 h post-injection for each patient. Dosimetry evaluation was compared in both patient groups. RESULTS: Patients showed no major clinical side-effects under this low dose treatment. As expected [177Lu]Lu-P17-088 with longer blood circulation (due to its albumin binding) exhibited higher effective doses than [177Lu]Lu-P17-087 (0.151 ± 0.036 vs. 0.056 ± 0.019 mGy/MBq, P = 0.001). Similarly, red marrow received 0.119 ± 0.068 and 0.048 ± 0.020 mGy/MBq, while kidney doses were 0.119 ± 0.068 and 0.046 ± 0.022 mGy/MBq, respectively. [177Lu]Lu-P17-087 demonstrated excellent tumor uptake and faster kinetics; while [177Lu]Lu-P17-088 displayed a slower washout and higher average dose (7.75 ± 4.18 vs. 4.72 ± 2.29 mGy/MBq, P = 0.018). After administration of [177Lu]Lu-P17-087 and [177Lu]Lu-P17-088, 3/5 and 3/4 patients showed reducing PSA values, respectively. CONCLUSION: [177Lu]Lu-P17-088 and [177Lu]Lu-P17-087 displayed different pharmacokinetics but excellent PSMA-targeting dose delivery in mCRPC patients. These two agents are promising RLT agents for personalized treatment of mCRPC. Further studies with increased dose and frequency of RLT are warranted to evaluate the potential therapeutic efficacy. TRIAL REGISTRATION: 177Lu-P17-087/177Lu-P17-088 in Patients with Metastatic Castration-resistant Prostate Cancer (NCT05603559, Registered at 25 October, 2022). URL OF REGISTRY: https://classic. CLINICALTRIALS: gov/ct2/show/NCT05603559 .

Control of Kinetic Pathways toward Supramolecular Chiral Polymorphs for Tunable Circularly Polarized Luminescence.

An amphiphilic aza-BODIPY dye (S)-1 bearing two chiral hydrophilic side chains with S-stereogenic centers was synthesized. This dye exhibited kinetic-controlled self-assembly pathways and supramolecular chiral polymorphism properties in MeOH/H2O (9/1, v/v) mixed solvent. The (S)-1 monomers first aggregated into a kinetic controlled, off-pathway species Agg. A, which was spontaneously transformed into an on-pathway metastable aggregate (Agg. B) and subsequently into the thermodynamic Agg. C. The three aggregate polymorphs of dye (S)-1 displayed distinct optical properties and nanomorphologies. In particular, chiral J-aggregation characteristics were observed for both Agg. B and Agg. C, such as Davydov-split absorption bands (Agg. B), extremely sharp and intense J-band with large bathochromic shift (Agg. C), non-diminished fluorescence upon aggregation, as well as strong bisignated Cotton effects. Moreover, the AFM and TEM studies revealed that Agg. A had the morphology of nanoparticle while fibril or rod-like helical nanostructures with left-handedness were observed respectively for Agg. B and Agg. C. By controlling the kinetic transformation process from Agg. B to Agg. C, thin films consisting of Agg. B and Agg. C with different ratios were prepared, which displayed tunable CPL with emission maxima at 788-805 nm and g-factors between -4.2×10-2 and -5.1×10-2.

Assessment of single-vessel cerebral blood velocity by phase contrast fMRI.

Current approaches to high-field functional MRI (fMRI) provide 2 means to map hemodynamics at the level of single vessels in the brain. One is through changes in deoxyhemoglobin in venules, i.e., blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) fMRI, while the second is through changes in arteriole diameter, i.e., cerebral blood volume (CBV) fMRI. Here, we introduce cerebral blood flow-related velocity-based fMRI, denoted CBFv-fMRI, which uses high-resolution phase contrast (PC) MRI to form velocity measurements of flow. We use CBFv-fMRI in measure changes in blood velocity in single penetrating microvessels across rat parietal cortex. In contrast to the venule-dominated BOLD and arteriole-dominated CBV fMRI signals, CBFv-fMRI is comparable from both arterioles and venules. A single fMRI platform is used to map changes in blood pO2 (BOLD), volume (CBV), and velocity (CBFv). This combined high-resolution single-vessel fMRI mapping scheme enables vessel-specific hemodynamic mapping in animal models of normal and diseased states and further has translational potential to map vascular dementia in diseased or injured human brains with ultra-high-field fMRI.

Magnetic Hyperporous Elastic Material with Excellent Fatigue Resistance and Oil Retention for Oil-Water Separation.

Oily wastewater has caused serious threats to the environment; thus, high-performance absorbing materials for effective oil-water separation technology have attracted increasing attention. Herein, we develop a magnetic, hydrophobic, and lipophilic hyperporous elastic material (HEM) templated by high internal phase emulsions (HIPE), in which free-radical polymerization of butyl acrylate (BA) and divinylbenzene (DVB) is employed in the presence of poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS), lecithin surfactant, and modified Fe3O4 nanoparticles. The adoption of the emulsion template with nanoparticles as both stabilizers and cross-linkers endows the HEM with biomimetic hierarchical open-cell micropores and elastic cross-linked networks, generating an oil absorbent with outstanding mechanical stability. Compressive fatigue resistance of the HEM is demonstrated to endure 2000 mechanical cycles without plastic deformation or strength degradation. By exploiting the synergistic effect of hierarchical structures and low-surface-energy components, the resulting HEM also possesses excellent and robust hydrophobicity (water contact angle of 164°) and good oil absorption capacity, in which Fe3O4 nanoparticles lead to convenient magnetically controlled oil recyclability as well. Notably, the unique biomimetic microporous structure demonstrates superior oil retention capacity (>95% at 1000 rpm and >60% at 10,000 rpm) over the state-of-the-art porous materials for a diverse variety of oils to reduce the risk of secondary oil leakage, along with good recoverability by squeezing owing to the excellent compression resilience. These excellent performances of our HEM provide broad prospects for practical applications in oil-water separation, energy conversion, and smart soft robotics.

Chemical and chemoenzymatic syntheses of sialyl Lewisa tetrasaccharide antigen.

Sialyl Lewisa (sLea), also known as cancer antigen 19-9, is a tumor-associated carbohydrate antigen. In this article, chemical and chemoenzymatic syntheses of a tetrasaccharide glycan 1 structurally derived from sLea are reported. Challenges involved in the chemical synthesis include the highly stereoselective construction of 1,2-cis-α-L-fucoside and α-D-sialoside, as well as the assembly of the 3,4-disubstituted N-acetylglucosamine subunit. Perbenzylated thiofucoside and N-acetyl-5-N,4-O-oxazolidinone protected sialic acid thioglycoside were employed as glycosyl donors, respectively, for the efficient preparation of the desired α-fucoside and α-sialoside. The 3,4-branched glucosamine backbone was established through a 3-O and then 4-O glycosylation sequence in which the 3-hydroxyl group of the glucosamine moiety was glycosylated first and then the 4-hydroxyl. A facile chemoenzymatic approach was also exploited to synthesize the target molecule. The chemically obtained free disaccharide 30 was sequentially sialylated and fucosylated in an enzyme-catalyzed regio- and stereospecific manner to form 1 in high yields. The linker appended 1 can be covalently attached to a carrier protein for further immunological studies.

Single-atom Fe nanozymes with excellent oxidase-like and laccase-like activity for colorimetric detection of ascorbic acid and hydroquinone.

Although traditional Fe-based nanozymes have shown great potential, generally only a small proportion of the Fe atoms on the catalyst's surface are used. Herein, we synthesized single-atom Fe on N-doped graphene nanosheets (Fe-CNG) with high atom utilization efficiency and a unique coordination structure. Active oxygen species including superoxide radicals (O2•-) and singlet oxygen (1O2) were efficiently generated from the interaction of the Fe-CNG with dissolved oxygen in acidic conditions. The Fe-CNG nanozymes were found to display enhanced oxidase-like and laccase-like activity, with Vmax of 2.07 × 10-7 M∙S-1 and 4.54 × 10-8 M∙S-1 and Km of 0.324 mM and 0.082 mM, respectively, which is mainly due to Fe active centers coordinating with O and N atoms simultaneously. The oxidase-like performance of the Fe-CNG can be effectively inhibited by ascorbic acid (AA) or hydroquinone (HQ), which can directly obstruct the oxidation of 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB). Therefore, a direct and sensitive colorimetric method for the detection of AA and HQ activity was established, which exhibited good linear detection and limit of detection (LOD) of 0.048 µM and 0.025 µM, respectively. Moreover, a colorimetric method based on the Fe-CNG catalyst was fabricated for detecting the concentration of AA in vitamin C. Therefore, this work offers a new method for preparing a single-atom catalyst (SAC) nanozyme and a promising strategy for detecting AA and HQ.

Myocardial strain is regulated by cardiac preload in the early stage of sepsis.

BACKGROUND: Owing to a lack of data, this study aimed to explore the effect of cardiac preload on myocardial strain in patients with sepsis. METHODS: A total of 70 patients with sepsis in intensive care unit (ICU) of a tertiary teaching hospital in China from January 2018 to July 2019 and underwent transthoracic echocardiography were enrolled. Echocardiographic data were recorded at ICU admission and 24 h later. Patients were assigned to low left ventricular end-diastolic volume index (LVEDVI) and normal LVEDVI groups. We assessed the impact of preload on myocardial strain between the groups and analyzed the correlation of echocardiographic parameters under different preload conditions. RESULTS: Thirty-seven patients (53%) had a low LVEDVI and 33 (47%) a normal LVEDVI. Those in the low LVEDVI group had a faster heart rate (121.7 vs. 95.3, p < 0.001) and required a greater degree of fluid infusion (3.67 L vs. 2.62 L, P = 0.019). The left ventricular global strain (LVGLS) (-8.60% vs. -10.80%, p = 0.001), left ventricular global circumferential strain (LVGCS) (-13.83% vs. -18.26%, p = 0.006), and right ventricular global longitudinal strain (RVGLS) (-6.9% vs. -10.60%, p = 0.001) showed significant improvements in the low LVEDVI group after fluid resuscitation. However, fluid resuscitation resulted in a significantly increased cardiac afterload value (1172.00 vs. 1487.00, p = 0.009) only in the normal LVEDVI group. Multivariate backward linear regression showed that LVEDVI changes were independently associated with myocardial strain-related improvements during fluid resuscitation. The baseline LVEDVI was significantly negatively correlated with the LVGLS and RVGLS (r = -0.44 and - 0.39, respectively) but not LVGCS. LVEDVI increases during fluid resuscitation were associated with improvements in the myocardial strain degree. CONCLUSIONS: Myocardial strain alterations were significantly influenced by the cardiac preload during fluid resuscitation in sepsis.

Are children with IgA nephropathy different from adult patients?

BACKGROUND: Previously, several studies have indicated that pediatric IgA nephropathy (IgAN) might be different from adult IgAN, and treatment strategies might be also different between pediatric IgAN and adult IgAN. METHODS: We analyzed two prospective cohorts established by pediatric and adult nephrologists, respectively. A comprehensive analysis was performed investigating the difference in clinical and pathological characteristics, treatment, and prognosis between children and adults with IgAN. RESULTS: A total of 1015 children and 1911 adults with IgAN were eligible for analysis. More frequent gross hematuria (88% vs. 20%, p < 0.0001) and higher proteinuria (1.8 vs. 1.3 g/d, p < 0.0001) were seen in children compared to adults. In comparison, the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was lower in adults (80.4 vs. 163 ml/min/1.73 m2, p < 0.0001). Hypertension was more prevalent in adult patients. Pathologically, a higher proportion of M1 was revealed (62% vs. 39%, p < 0.0001) in children than in adults. S1 (62% vs. 28%, p < 0.0001) and T1-2 (34% vs. 8%, p < 0.0001) were more frequent in adults. Adjusted by proteinuria, eGFR, and hypertension, children were more likely to be treated with glucocorticoids than adults (87% vs. 45%, p < 0.0001). After propensity score matching, in IgAN with proteinuria > 1 g/d, children treated with steroids were 1.87 (95% CI 1.16-3.02, p = 0.01) times more likely to reach complete remission of proteinuria compared with adults treated with steroids. CONCLUSIONS: Children present significantly differently from adults with IgAN in clinical and pathological manifestations and disease progression. Steroid response might be better in children.

Polyploidy underlies co-option and diversification of biosynthetic triterpene pathways in the apple tribe.

Whole-genome duplication (WGD) plays important roles in plant evolution and function, yet little is known about how WGD underlies metabolic diversification of natural products that bear significant medicinal properties, especially in nonmodel trees. Here, we reveal how WGD laid the foundation for co-option and differentiation of medicinally important ursane triterpene pathway duplicates, generating distinct chemotypes between species and between developmental stages in the apple tribe. After generating chromosome-level assemblies of a widely cultivated loquat variety and Gillenia trifoliata, we define differentially evolved, duplicated gene pathways and date the WGD in the apple tribe at 13.5 to 27.1 Mya, much more recent than previously thought. We then functionally characterize contrasting metabolic pathways responsible for major triterpene biosynthesis in G. trifoliata and loquat, which pre- and postdate the Maleae WGD, respectively. Our work mechanistically details the metabolic diversity that arose post-WGD and provides insights into the genomic basis of medicinal properties of loquat, which has been used in both traditional and modern medicines.

First report of Corynespora cassiicola causing leaf spot on Nanhaia speciosa in China.

Nanhaia speciosa, commonly known as Niudali, is a medicinal woody vine belonging to the Leguminosae family. Valued for its culinary and medicinal properties, it is extensively cultivated, covering approximately 5,973 hm2 in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of China. The edible tubers of this plant are reported to possess antibacterial and antioxidant effects (Luo et al., 2023; Shu et al., 2020). In July 2021, a Niudali plantation in Yulin, Guangxi, China (22°64'N; 110°29'E) exhibited leaf spot symptoms, with an incidence rate exceeding 40% across a 46,690 m2 area. Initially, small circular, pale yellow spots appeared on the leaves, which subsequently evolved into dark brown lesions surrounded by yellow halos, ultimately leading to foliage wilting. Leaves exhibiting typical symptoms were collected for pathogen investigation. The leaves were thoroughly washed with sterile water and small tissue fragments (5×5 mm) were excised from the lesion periphery. These fragments were surface-sterilized with 75% ethanol and 1% NaClO, rinsed three times with sterile water, and subsequently cultured on potato dextrose agar (PDA) at 28 °C in darkness for 7 days. Through single-spore isolation, seven isolates with similar morphological traits were obtained. After 7 days of incubation on PDA at 28 °C in dark, the colonies exhibited a white to grey coloration on the upper surface with abundant aerial hyphae, while the underside appeared dark black. The conidia, cylindrical or obclavate in shape, were straight, pale brown, and measured 30.1-128.9 µm × 4.8-15.0 µm (n=50). The morphological characteristics matched those of Corynespora sp.(Wang et al. 2021). For molecular identification, the isolate N5-2 underwent DNA sequence analysis using genomic DNA and primers ITS1/ITS4 and EF1-688F/EF1-1251R. The sequences (ITS: OP550425; TEF1-α: OQ117118) were deposited in GenBank, exhibiting 98% identity to C. cassiicola (OP981637) for TEF1-α and 99% homology to C. cassiicola (OP957070) for ITS. Based on the concatenated ITS and TEF1-α, a maximum likelihood phylogenetic analyses using MEGA7.0 clustered the isolate with C. cassiicola. Consequently, the fungus was identified as C. cassiicola based on its morphological and molecular features. In the pathogenicity test on 1-year-old Nanhaia speciosa seedlings, leaves were gently scratched and inoculated with mycelial plugs (5 mm). Control seedlings received PDA plugs. Five leaves per plant and five plants per treatment were selected for assessment. All seedling were maintained in a greenhouse (12/12h light/dark cycle, 25 ± 2°C, 90% humidity). After a 7-day incubation period, all leaves subjected to fungal inoculation exhibited symptoms consistent with those observed in the field, while control plants remained symptom-free. The fungus was successfully reisolated from the infected leaves in three successive trials, fulfilling Koch's postulates. While C. cassiicola is well-documented for inducing leaf spots on various plant species, including Jasminum nudiflorum, Strobilanthes cusia, Acanthus ilicifolius, Syringa species (Hu et al., 2023; Liu et al., 2023; Xie et al., 2021; Wang et al., 2021), this study represents the first report of C. cassiicola causing leaf spots on Nanhaia speciosa in China. The identification of this pathogen in Nanhaia speciosa has significant implications for future epidemiological investigations and serves as a valuable reference for controlling leaf spot disease in Nanhaia speciosa.

First report of Diaporthe tulliensis causing leaf spot on Millettia speciosa in China.

Millettia speciosa Champ, renowned for its diverse applications in traditional medicine, is extensively cultivated in the Guangxi region of China, spanning roughly 5,973 hectares. In July 2021, a plantation in Yulin, Guangxi, China (22°64'N; 110°29'E), exhibited severe leaf spot disease on M. speciosa. Notably, a 46,690 square meters area had over 40% leaf spot incidence. Initially, symptoms appeared as small, circular, pale-yellow lesions on the leaves, then turned into irregular, dark brown spots with yellow halos, leading to the wilt and defoliation of leaves. To identify the responsible pathogen, a total of five symptomatic leaves were collected and sterilized systematically. Small tissue segments (5×5 mm) from lesion peripheries were aseptically excised, then surface sterilized with 75% ethanol for 10 s, and 1% sodium hypochlorite (NaClO) for 3 min. Following this, the sterilized tissues were triple-rinsed with sterile water and cultured on potato dextrose agar (PDA) at 28 °C in the dark for 7 d. A total of seven isolates were obtained through single-spore isolation, and one representative isolate, N2-3, was selected for further analysis. After 7 d of incubation, colonies displayed flat, white, and extensively branched aerial hyphae. Over time, the reverse side of the colony changed from white to yellowish-white. The pycnidia were black with conidial droplets ranging from cream to pale yellow exuding from their ostioles. The α-conidia were one-celled, hyaline, ovoid to cylindrical, typically with one or two droplets, 2.6 to 5.9 ×1.4 to 3.9 µm (n=50). These morphological traits align with those of the genus Diaporthe, as reported by Li et al. (2022) and Crous et al. (2015). To identify the species, isolate N2-3 underwent sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS), ß-tubulin (BT), and translation elongation factor 1 alpha (EF1-α) sections (Huang et al. 2021). Obtained sequences of ITS, BT and EF1-α (Genebank accessions nos. OR600532, OR662169 and OR662168) displayed a 99% similarity to Diaporthe tulliensis (Genebank accessions nos. OP219651, ON932382, OL412437, respectively). Based on the concatenated ITS, BT and EF1-α, a neighbor-joining phylogenetic analyses using MEGA7.0 clustered with D. tulliensis. Therefore, the fungus was identified as D. tulliensis (teleomorph name) based on morphological and molecular features. A pathogenicity test was conducted on 1-year-old M. speciosa seedlings by gently abrading healthy leaves with sterilized toothpicks to create superficial wounds. Wounded leaves were then inoculated with 5 mm diameter mycelial plugs, while control seedlings received PDA plugs. Three leaves per plant and five plants per treatment were selected for assessment. All seedlings were kept in a controlled greenhouse (12/12h light/dark, 25 ± 2 °C, 90% humidity). After 7 d, the inoculated leaves showed symptoms like those in the field, while control plants remained healthy. The fungus was consistently reisolated from the infected leaves, satisfying Koch's postulates. Notably, D. tulliensis has caused Boston ivy leaf spot, bodhi tree leaf spot, cacao pod rot, and jasmine stem canker (Huang et al. 2021; Li et al. 2022; Serrato-Diaz et al. 2022; Hsu et al. 2023). This discovery is significant as it marks the first report of Diaporthe tulliensis causing leaf spot on Millettia speciossa in China, which has direct implications for the development of diagnostic tools and research into potential disease management strategies.

Regulating the N Coordination Environment of Co Single-Atom Nanozymes for Highly Efficient Oxidase Mimics.

Single-atom catalysts with well-defined atomic structures and precisely regulated coordination environments have been recognized as potential substitutes for natural metalloenzymes. Inspired by the metal coordination structure of natural enzymes, we show here that the oxidase-like activity of single-atom Co catalysts greatly depends on their local N coordination around the Co catalytic sites. We synthesized a series of Co single-atom catalysts with different nitrogen coordination numbers (Co-Nx(C), x = 2, 3, and 4) and demonstrated that the oxidase-like activity of single-atom Co catalysts could be effectively tailored by fine-tuning the N coordination. Among the studied single-atom Co catalysts, the Co-N3(C) with three-coordinate N atoms shows the optimum oxygen adsorption structure and robust reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, thus presenting the preferable oxidase-like catalytic activity. This work facilitates the future development of rational nanozyme designs for targeting reactions at the atomic level.

The Association Between the Impact of COVID-19 and Internalizing Problems Among Children and Adolescents with ADHD: The Moderating Role of Parental Anxiety.

Previous research has identified an increase in internalizing problems during the COVID-19 pandemic in children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Additionally, it has been observed that parents of children with ADHD had elevated levels of anxiety during the pandemic. The current study aimed to longitudinally assess whether the impact of COVID-19 was associated with internalizing problems in children and adolescents with ADHD during the middle (Time 1-Spring 2021 [T1]) and end (Time 2-Fall/Winter 2022 [T2]) of the pandemic, and whether parental anxiety moderated this relationship over time. Canadian parents of youth with ADHD (aged 3-18 years old) completed online questionnaires assessing their child's depression and anxiety symptoms, their own anxiety symptoms, and the pandemic's impact on their child, both at T1 (N = 278) and T2 (N = 89). The results indicated that the impact of COVID-19 on children at T1 was a unique predictor of child internalizing problems at T1 but not at T2. While parental anxiety did not moderate this association cross-sectionally, it was a significant moderator longitudinally. More specifically, low parental anxiety at T1 positively moderated the association between the COVID-19 impact on children at T1 and child internalizing problems at T2. The results highlight the importance of providing on-going psychological support for children and adolescents with ADHD and emphasize the need to aid parents in effectively supporting their children during the process of pandemic recovery.

Thriving at work as a mediator of the relationship between psychological resilience and the work performance of clinical nurses.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate the relationship between psychological resilience, thriving at work, and work performance among nurses, as well as analyse the mediating role of thriving at work in the relationship between psychological resilience and the work performance of nurses. The findings are intended to serve as a reference for nursing managers to design tailored work performance intervention programs. METHOD: Using convenience sampling, 308 clinical nurses were selected from a tertiary hospital in Changsha City, Hunan Province, China, from February to April 2023. The Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), the Thriving at Work Scale, and the Work Performance Scale were employed for the questionnaire survey. Pearson correlation analysis was used to explore the relationship between psychological resilience, thriving at work and work performance. The SPSS 26.0 software's 'Process' plugin was utilised for mediation effect analysis. RESULTS: Significantly positive correlations were found between psychological resilience and thriving at work (r = 0.806, P < 0.01), thriving at work and work performance (r = 0.571, P < 0.01) as well as psychological resilience and work performance (r = 0.572, P < 0.01). Psychological resilience significantly predicted work performance positively (ß = 0.558, t = 11.165, P < 0.01), and this prediction remained significant when thriving at work (the mediating variable), was introduced (ß = 0.371, t = 4.772, P < 0.01). Psychological resilience significantly predicted thriving at work positively (ß = 0.731, t = 20.779, P < 0.01), and thriving at work significantly predicted work performance positively (ß = 0.256, t = 3.105, P < 0.05). The mediating effect size of thriving at work between psychological resilience and work performance was 33.49% (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Thriving at work plays a partial mediating role between psychological resilience and work performance. The level of work performance among clinical nurses was relatively high. Nursing managers can enhance thriving at work by fostering psychological resilience among clinical nurses, thereby further improving their work performance to ensure high-quality and efficient nursing care.