Redox-dependent Cd2+ inhibition of BK-type Ca2+-activated K+ channels.

Large-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channels (BK channels) are formed by Slo1 subunits as a homotetramer. Besides Ca2+, other divalent cations, such as Cd2+, also activate BK channels when applied intracellularly by shifting the conductance-voltage relation to more negative voltages. However, we found that if the inside-out patch containing BK channels was treated with solution containing reducing agents such as dithiothreitol (DTT), then subsequent Cd2+ application completely inhibited BK currents. The DTT-dependent Cd2+ inhibition could be reversed by treating the patch with solutions containing H2O2, suggesting that a redox reaction regulates the Cd2+ inhibition of BK channels. Similar DTT-dependent Cd2+ inhibition was also observed in a mutant BK channel, Core-MT, in which the cytosolic domain of the channel is deleted, and in the proton-activated Slo3 channels but not observed in the voltage-gated Shaker K+ channels. A possible mechanism for the DTT-dependent Cd2+ inhibition is that DTT treatment breaks one or more disulfide bonds between cysteine pairs in the BK channel protein and the freed thiol groups coordinate with Cd2+ to form an ion bridge that blocks the channel or locks the channel at the closed state. However, surprisingly, none of the mutations of all cysteine residues in Slo1 affect the DTT-dependent Cd2+ inhibition. These results are puzzling, with an apparent contradiction: on one hand, a redox reaction seems to regulate Cd2+ inhibition of the channel, but on the other hand, no cysteine residue in the Slo1 subunit seems to be involved in such inhibition.

Operational mode and powdered activated carbon promoting syntrophic propionate oxidation during anaerobic digestion of complex organic substances.

Operational mode and powdered activated carbon (PAC) are key factors facilitating microbial syntrophy and interspecies electron transfer during anaerobic digestion, consequently benefiting process stability and efficient methanogenesis. In this study, continuous-flow reactor (CFR) and sequencing batch reactor (SBR), with and without the addition of PAC, respectively, were operated to examine their effects on system performance and methanogenic activity. Based on the cycle-test result, the PAC-amended CFR (CFRPAC) recorded both the highest methane yield (690.1 mL/L) and the maximum CH4 production rate (28.8 mL/(L·h)), while SBRs exhibited slow methanogenic rates. However, activity assays indicated that SBRs were beneficial for organics removal in batch experiments fed with peptone. Taxonomic and functional analysis confirmed that CFRs were optimal for proliferating oligotrophs (e.g., Geobacter) and SBRs were more suitable for copiotrophs (e.g., Desulfobulbus). Metagenomic analysis revealed that CFRs had efficient acetate metabolic pathways from propionate and ethanol, whereas SBRs did not, resulting in the buildup of propionate. Furthermore, Methanobacterium and Methanothrix were acclimated to the different operational conditions, while acetoclastic Methanosarcina and hydrogenotrophic Methanolinea were acclimated in SBRs (5.1-13.4%) and CFRs (0.3-1.7%), respectively. This study confirmed the enhancement of microbial syntrophy by the addition of PAC as well as the acclimation of electroactive bacteria (e.g., Geobacter) with complex organic substances.

Recognition of glycoside hydrolase 12 proteins by the immune receptor RXEG1 confers Fusarium head blight resistance in wheat.

Fusarium head blight (FHB), caused by Fusarium graminearum, is a devastating disease in wheat (Triticum aestivum) that results in substantial yield losses and mycotoxin contamination. Reliable genetic resources for FHB resistance in wheat are lacking. In this study, we characterized glycoside hydrolase 12 (GH12) family proteins secreted by F. graminearum. We established that two GH12 proteins, Fg05851 and Fg11037, have functionally redundant roles in F. graminearum colonization of wheat. Furthermore, we determined that the GH12 proteins Fg05851 and Fg11037 are recognized by the leucine-rich-repeat receptor-like protein RXEG1 in the dicot Nicotiana benthamiana. Heterologous expression of RXEG1 conferred wheat responsiveness to Fg05851 and Fg11037, enhanced wheat resistance to F. graminearum and reduced levels of the mycotoxin deoxynivalenol in wheat grains in an Fg05851/Fg11037-dependent manner. In the RXEG1 transgenic lines, genes related to pattern-triggered plant immunity, salicylic acid, jasmonic acid, and anti-oxidative homeostasis signalling pathways were upregulated during F. graminearum infection. However, the expression of these genes was not significantly changed during infection by the deletion mutant ΔFg05851/Fg11037, suggesting that the recognition of Fg05851/Fg11037 by RXEG1 triggered plant resistance against FHB. Moreover, introducing RXEG1 into three other different wheat cultivars via crossing also conferred resistance to F. graminearum. Expression of RXEG1 did not have obvious deleterious effects on plant growth and development in wheat. Our study reveals that N. benthamiana RXEG1 remains effective when transferred into wheat, a monocot, which in turn suggests that engineering wheat with interfamily plant immune receptor transgenes is a viable strategy for increasing resistance to FHB.

High Emission Efficiency and Thermal Stability in Zero-Dimensional Hybrid Zinc Halide as a Blue Light Emitter.

Exploring highly efficient blue-emissive lead-free halide materials is a significant and challenging objective in the study of luminescent materials. This study reports the synthesis of a new zero-dimensional (0D) hybrid zinc halide of [CYP]ZnBr4 (CYP = 1-cyclohexylpiperazine) containing an isolated [ZnBr4]2- tetrahedron. [CYP]ZnBr4 exhibits strong blue light emission with a high photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) of 79.22%, surpassing all previously reported 0D zinc halide counterparts. According to the theoretical and experimental studies, the blue light emission is attributed to intrinsic self-trapped excitons resulting from strong electron-phonon coupling and structural deformation. Importantly, [CYP]ZnBr4 demonstrates excellent structural and luminescence stability toward high temperatures (180 °C) over at least half a month. High luminescence efficiency and stability enable [CYP]ZnBr4 to be an efficient blue phosphor to fabricate white light-emitting diodes (LEDs), which produces high-quality white light with a color rendering index (CRI) of 93.1 and a correlated color temperature (CCT) of 5304 K, closely resembling natural sunlight. This white LED also exhibits consistent performance and stability across different drive currents, suggesting the potential for high-power optoelectronic applications. Overall, this study paves the way for the utilization of 0D hybrid halides in advanced solid-state lighting applications.

Mindful parenting and closeness in Chinese mother-adolescent dyads: The mediating role of adolescent self-disclosure.

Although having strong influences on adolescents' optimal development, mother-adolescent closeness is greatly challenged in early adolescence. Mindful parenting may be a protective factor for relational adjustment to early adolescence, but its connection with closeness within the mother-adolescent dyad has not been adequately examined in the literature. This study aimed to investigate the effects of how mindful parenting on the day-to-day mother-adolescent relationship dynamics, evaluating the relations between mindful parenting and mother-adolescent closeness and the mediating role of adolescent self-disclosure. A total of 76 Chinese mother-adolescent dyads completed a baseline measure of mindful parenting and 14-day measures of adolescent-report self-disclosure, mother-perceived closeness, and adolescent-perceived closeness. Mindful parenting significantly predicted both mother-perceived and adolescent-perceived closeness, with adolescent self-disclosure serving as a mediator. Adolescent self-disclosure predicted higher mother-adolescent closeness on the same day, but such effects did not carry over to the next day. Our findings provided evidence supporting mindful parenting as a resource for facilitating mother-adolescent closeness in early adolescence. This investigation also encouraged future studies to employ more intensive ambulatory assessments to clarify the daily process of how mindful parenting shapes mother-adolescent relationship dynamics.

Solar Driven Gas Phase Advanced Oxidation Processes for Methane Removal - Challenges and Perspectives.

Methane (CH4 ) is a potent greenhouse gas and the second highest contributor to global warming. CH4 emissions are still growing at an alarmingly high pace. To limit global warming to 1.5 °C, one of the most effective strategies is to reduce rapidly the CH4 emissions by developing large-scale methane removal methods. The purpose of this perspective paper is threefold. (1) To highlight the technology gap dealing with low concentration CH4 (at many emission sources and in the atmosphere). (2) To analyze the challenges and prospects of solar-driven gas phase advanced oxidation processes for CH4 removal. And (3) to propose some ideas, which may help to develop solar-driven gas phase advanced oxidation processes and make them deployable at a climate significant scale.

Quercetin Antagonizes Esophagus Cancer by Modulating miR-1-3p/TAGLN2 Pathway-Dependent Growth and Metastasis.

The progression of esophagus cancer (EC) is associated with the alterative expressions of multiple microRNAs (miRs). MiR-1-3p is reported to inhibit the development of EC by targeting TAGLN2. Quercetin (Que) is a natural compound capable of antagonizing esophagus carcinoma (EC). In the current study, the role of miR-1-3p/TAGLN2 axis in the anti-EC function of Que was explored. Human EC cell lines KYSE-510 and TE-7 were treated with Que. Then the effects of Que on the growth and metastasis of EC cells, and on the activity of miR-1-3p/TAGLN2 axis were detected. The interaction between Que and miR-1-3p axis was further assessed by inhibiting miR-1-3p level in EC cells. The results showed that the treatment of Que impaired the growth and induced cell apoptosis in EC cells. The invasive ability of EC cells was also suppressed by Que. At molecular level, the expression of miR-1-3p was induced, while the expression of TAGLN2 was suppressed by Que. Moreover, the anti-EC effects of Que were blocked by miR-1-3p inhibition, which was represented by the restored growth and invasion of EC cells. Collectively, the current study demonstrated that Que exerted inhibitory effects on EC cells by inducing miR-1-3p.Supplemental data for this article is available online at https://doi.org/10.1080/01635581.2021.1972125.

Healthy eating behaviors and self-control in scarcity: The protective effects of self-compassion.

Maintaining healthy eating habits requires self-control and this process can become unsuccessful in certain stressful situations (e.g., economic scarcity). This study tested whether self-compassion can buffer the negative impacts of economic scarcity on healthy eating behaviors and self-control. In the correlational Study 1 (n = 304) based on self-reports, a mediating effect of self-control between economic scarcity and healthy eating behaviors was found in females but not males, and that self-compassion moderated the direct relationship between economic scarcity and healthy eating behaviors in females. No significant moderated mediation effect was found. In Study 2, female participants (n = 113) completed economic scarcity (ES) (or abundance) and self-compassion (SC) (or writing-control (WC)) manipulations and a food-selection task. The ES + WC group chose more high-calorie food than the economic abundance (EA) + WC group and the ES + SC group, and the EA + SC group also selected more high-calorie food compared with the EA + WC group and the ES + SC group. In Study 3 (n = 136), similar manipulations and a dot-mixed task were used to measure self-control, and the ES + SC group showed higher accuracy than the ES + audio-control (AC) group at a trend level. These findings support the protective role of self-compassion in healthy eating behaviors and self-control impairments resulted from economic scarcity, which offer promise for promoting healthy lifestyles among individuals living in scarcity.

The Association Between Mindful Parenting and Adolescent Internalizing and Externalizing Problems: The Role of Mother-Child Communication.

This study aimed to explore the mediation process from maternal mindful parenting to adolescent internalizing and externalizing problems through mother-child communication and adolescent self-disclosure. A total of 496 mother-adolescent dyads participated in the current study. Mother-reported mindful parenting and mother-child communication and adolescent-reported self-disclosure and behavior problems were collected. Path analysis results showed that mothers' mindful parenting was indirectly associated with adolescent internalizing and externalizing behaviors through mother-child communication and adolescent self-disclosure. In addition, the specific components of mindful parenting were examined in detail. The component of interacting with full attention showed unique patterns, while components of compassion and acceptance and emotion awareness of children showed similar pattern with the total score. These findings contribute to the knowledge of the mechanism underlying how mindful parenting benefit adolescent internalizing and externalizing behaviors, and have implications for clinical interventions.

Ultra-Sensitive, Selective and Repeatable Fluorescence Sensor for Methanol Based on a Highly Emissive 0D Hybrid Lead-Free Perovskite.

A convenient and rapid detection method for methanol in ethanol remains a major challenge due to their indistinguishable physical properties. Herein, a novel fluorescence probe based on perovskite was successfully designed to overcome this bottleneck. We report a new zero-dimensional (0D) hybrid perovskite of [MP]2 Inx Sb1-x Cl7 ⋅ 6 H2 O (MP=2-methylpiperazine) displaying an unusual green light emission with near-unity photoluminescence quantum yield. Remarkably, this 0D perovskite exhibits reversible methanol-response luminescence switching between green and yellow color but fail in any other organic vapors. Even for blended alcohol solutions, the luminescent probe exhibits excellent sensing performance with multiple superiorities of rapid response time (30 s) and ultra-low detection limit (40 ppm), etc. Therefore, this 0D perovskite can be utilized as a perfect fluorescence probe to detect traces of methanol from ethanol with ultrahigh sensitivity, selectivity and repeatability. To the best of our knowledge, this work represents the first perovskite as fluorescence probe for methanol with wide potential in environmental monitoring and methanol detection, etc.

[Research on Hospital Operating Room Management System Based on PDA Code Scanning Technology].

In view of the high recognition error rate and long scanning time in the existing hospital scanning technology, a new hospital operating room scanning system is designed based on personal digital assistant (PDA). The PDA scanning device adopts PIC16F877A microcontroller of 8 bit for wireless transmission through RFID and bluetooth technology, the code scanning efficiency is greatly improved. In addition, in order to improve the accuracy of image analysis, this study also adopts the energy driven sampling classification algorithm (EDS-CA) to properly preprocess the medical data information received through PDA scanning, then constructs a function classifier, and improves the image processing efficiency according to the EDS-CA reduction process. The experimental results show that the average accuracy of the code scanning system designed in this study is 95%, which proves that PDA code scanning has good performance.

Fg12 ribonuclease secretion contributes to Fusarium graminearum virulence and induces plant cell death.

Filamentous fungal pathogens secrete effectors that modulate host immunity and facilitate infection. Fusarium graminearum is an important plant pathogen responsible for various devastating diseases. However, little is known about the function of effector proteins secreted by F. graminearum. Herein, we identified several effector candidates in the F. graminearum secretome. Among them, the secreted ribonuclease Fg12 was highly upregulated during the early stages of F. graminearum infection in soybean; its deletion compromised the virulence of F. graminearum. Transient expression of Fg12 in Nicotiana benthamiana induced cell death in a light-dependent manner. Fg12 possessed ribonuclease (RNase) activity, degrading total RNA. The enzymatic activity of Fg12 was required for its cell death-promoting effects. Importantly, the ability of Fg12 to induce cell death was independent of BAK1/SOBIR1, and treatment of soybean with recombinant Fg12 protein induced resistance to various pathogens, including F. graminearum and Phytophthora sojae. Overall, our results provide evidence that RNase effectors not only contribute to pathogen virulence but also induce plant cell death.

The Phytophthora effector Avh241 interacts with host NDR1-like proteins to manipulate plant immunity.

Plant pathogens rely on effector proteins to suppress host innate immune responses and facilitate colonization. Although the Phytophthora sojae RxLR effector Avh241 promotes Phytophthora infection, the molecular basis of Avh241 virulence remains poorly understood. Here we identified non-race specific disease resistance 1 (NDR1)-like proteins, the critical components in plant effector-triggered immunity (ETI) responses, as host targets of Avh241. Avh241 interacts with NDR1 in the plasma membrane and suppresses NDR1-participated ETI responses. Silencing of GmNDR1s increases the susceptibility of soybean to P. sojae infection, and overexpression of GmNDR1s reduces infection, which supports its positive role in plant immunity against P. sojae. Furthermore, we demonstrate that GmNDR1 interacts with itself, and Avh241 probably disrupts the self-association of GmNDR1. These data highlight an effective counter-defense mechanism by which a Phytophthora effector suppresses plant immune responses, likely by disturbing the function of NDR1 during infection.

Out of mind, out of sight? Investigating abnormal face scanning in autism spectrum disorder using gaze-contingent paradigm.

Diminished social motivation is hypothesized to explain abnormal face scanning pattern in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), especially reduced eye-looking time in ASDs than typically developing (TD) people. Here, we tested an alternative explanation that children with ASD may use a compensatory strategy to avoid direct eye contact by processing the eyes through peripheral vision. We compared the face scanning patterns of children with and without ASD in two conditions: in the clear condition, the face was completely visible; in the blur condition, by using the gaze-contingent paradigm, the whole face was blurred except for a small region being fixated at, thus children could not rely on the peripheral information to process the eyes. We found that children with ASD fixated less on the eyes than TD children in both conditions. Temporal-course analyses further revealed the possible motivation-based guidance of attention to process the eyes in the TD group but not in the ASD group. Additionally, we found that children with ASD scanned faces more randomly and less strategically than TD children. These results have ruled out the alternative hypothesis that the abnormal face scanning pattern in ASDs was due to their compensatory strategy to process eyes through peripheral vision, furthering our understanding of the mechanisms underlying their abnormal face scanning.

Fasudil reduces ß-amyloid levels and neuronal apoptosis in APP/PS1 transgenic mice via inhibition of the Nogo-A/NgR/RhoA signaling axis.

Recent studies have shown that Nogo-A and the Nogo-A receptor affect ß-amyloid metabolism and the downstream Rho GTP enzyme signaling pathway, which may affect the levels of ß-amyloid and tau. Nogo-A may play a key role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms of Fasudil treatment in Alzheimer's disease are not yet clear. Our results have found that Fasudil treatment for two months substantially ameliorated behavioral deficits, diminished ß-amyloid plaque and tau protein pathology, and alleviated neuronal apoptosis in APP/PS1 transgenic mice. More importantly, two well-established markers for synaptic function, growth-associated protein 43 and synaptophysin, were upregulated after Fasudil treatment. Finally, the levels of Nogo-A, Nogo-A receptor complex NgR/p75NTR/LINGO-1 and the downstream Rho/Rho kinase signaling pathway were significantly reduced. These findings suggest that Fasudil exerts its neuroprotective function in Alzheimer's disease by inhibiting the Nogo-A/NgR1/RhoA signaling pathway.

Variants of Children with Psychopathic Tendencies in a Community Sample.

To investigate the heterogeneity of children with psychopathic tendencies, this study identified heterogenous subgroups among a community sample of children based on their callous-unemotional (CU) traits, conduct problems (CP), and anxiety. A latent profile analysis classified 1861 primary school students (age 6-14) into four subgroups based on parent-report CU traits, CP and anxiety: low-risk children (i.e., low in CU traits, CP, and anxiety), anxious children (i.e., high in anxiety, low in CU traits and CP), primary variants of children with psychopathic tendencies (i.e., high in CU traits and CP, low in anxiety), and secondary variants of children with psychopathic tendencies (i.e., high in CU traits, CP, and anxiety). In particular, the secondary variants evidenced higher levels of CU traits, CP, and anxiety than the primary variants. Our findings extend the heterogeneity of psychopathy to childhood and encourage future research to examine the developmental trajectories of psychopathy.

A daily diary study of the relationships among daily self-compassion, perceived stress and health-promoting behaviours.

Previous studies consistently found that trait self-compassion is positively associated with health-promoting behaviours, and perceived stress mediates the relationship. The current study primarily aimed at examining whether state self-compassion varying from day to day (daily self-compassion) played the same role as trait self-compassion in improving health-promoting behaviours and whether or not perceived stress would be the mediator in this relationship. Eighty-nine Chinese employees were recruited to finish demographic information and the trait measure of self-compassion first, and then finish daily diaries for seven consecutive days. Daily diary measures included daily self-compassion, perceived stress and health-promoting behaviours including both eating behaviours and exercise behaviours. The results of 1-1-1 multilevel mediation analyses showed that, at both the within- and between-person level, daily self-compassion could positively predict daily eating behaviour through the reduction of perceived stress. However, daily self-compassion did not influence exercise behaviour at both levels. The results of 2-1-1 multilevel mediation analyses cross-validated the between-person relationships in the 1-1-1 multilevel mediation models. These results suggest that, both short-term interventions aiming at increasing state self-compassion and long-term interventions aiming at increasing trait self-compassion can benefit one's eating behaviours through the reduction of stress.

The Phytophthora sojae RXLR effector Avh238 destabilizes soybean Type2 GmACSs to suppress ethylene biosynthesis and promote infection.

Phytophthora pathogens secrete many effector proteins to manipulate host innate immunity. PsAvh238 is a Phytophthora sojae N-terminal Arg-X-Leu-Arg (RXLR) effector, which evolved to escape host recognition by mutating one nucleotide while retaining plant immunity-suppressing activity to enhance infection. However, the molecular basis of the PsAvh238 virulence function remains largely enigmatic. By using coimmunoprecipitation and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis, we identified the 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate synthase (ACS) isoforms, the key enzymes in ethylene (ET) biosynthesis, as a host target of PsAvh238. We show that PsAvh238 interacts with soybean ACSs (GmACSs) in vivo and in vitro. By destabilizing Type2 GmACSs, PsAvh238 suppresses Type2 ACS-catalyzed ET biosynthesis and facilitates Phytophthora infection. Silencing of Type2 GmACSs, and inhibition of ET biosynthesis or signaling, increase soybean susceptibility to P. sojae infection, supporting a role for Type2 GmACSs and ET in plant immunity against P. sojae. Moreover, wild-type P. sojae but not the PsAvh238-disrupted mutants, inhibits ET induction and promotes P. sojae infection in soybean. Our results highlight the ET biosynthesis pathway as an essential part in plant immunity against P. sojae and a direct effector target.

[C5 H12 N]SnCl3 : A Tin Halide Organic-Inorganic Hybrid as an Above-Room-Temperature Solid-State Nonlinear Optical Switch.

Nonlinear optical (NLO) switches driven by a solid-state structural phase transition have attracted extensive attention; however, above-room-temperature solid-state NLO switch materials are still sparse. Herein, we report an above-room-temperature tin halide organic-inorganic hybrid quadratic NLO switchable material, N-methylpyrrolidinium trichloride stannite ([C5 H12 N]SnCl3 , MPSC). The MPSC crystal exhibits a phase-matchable NLO property that is 1.1 times that of KH2 PO4 (KDP) and NLO switching behavior, changing from a high second harmonic generation (SHG) response to a low SHG response at 383 K, thereby demonstrating its prospective applications in the field of nonlinear optics. Variable-temperature crystal structural analysis combined with theoretical calculations revealed that the large NLO response stems from the inorganic SnCl3 moiety, whereas the high-performance NLO switching properties mainly originate from the order/disorder transformation of the N-methylpyrrolidinium. This work provides a new approach to designing and exploring new high-performance quadratic NLO switches involving tin halide organic-inorganic hybrids.

Two Heteromorphic Crystals of Antimony-Based Hybrids Showing Tunable Optical Band Gaps and Distinct Photoelectric Responses.

Organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites, most markedly CH3NH3PbI3, have attracted extensive interest because of their potential use in optoelectronic and photovoltaic applications. Nevertheless, the toxicity of lead restricts their further application. Here, we successfully synthesized two lead-free heteromorphic hybrids, (C7H18N2O)3Sb4I18·H2O (1) and (C7H18N2O)Sb2I8·H2O (2, C7H18N2O2+ is N-aminopropylmorpholinium), both of which belong to the zero-dimensional tetranuclear perovskite-like structure. However, the inorganic [Sb4I18] cluster of 1 adopts a tetragonal topology, while 2 features the distorted [Sb4I16] motif; this disparity leads to a significant distinction between their electronic structures as well as an optical band gap ( Eg). Their absorption cutoffs are measured to be 708 nm (for 1, Eg = 1.71 eV) and 578 nm (for 2, Eg = 2.11 eV), respectively. In particular, 1 exhibits a stronger photoelectric response in a wider optical region compared to that of 2, and the "on/off" ratio of conductivity of 1 is estimated to ∼300 under sunlight illumination. Density functional theory calculation discloses that different inorganic motifs make greater contributions to their electronic structure and photoelectric response. It is believed that the heteromorphic method allows a potential pathway for construction of new lead-free hybrid materials as light absorbers for photoelectric application.