Airborne transmission of human-isolated avian H3N8 influenza virus between ferrets.

H3N8 avian influenza viruses (AIVs) in China caused two confirmed human infections in 2022, followed by a fatal case reported in 2023. H3N8 viruses are widespread in chicken flocks; however, the zoonotic features of H3N8 viruses are poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that H3N8 viruses were able to infect and replicate efficiently in organotypic normal human bronchial epithelial (NHBE) cells and lung epithelial (Calu-3) cells. Human isolates of H3N8 virus were more virulent and caused severe pathology in mice and ferrets, relative to chicken isolates. Importantly, H3N8 virus isolated from a patient with severe pneumonia was transmissible between ferrets through respiratory droplets; it had acquired human-receptor-binding preference and amino acid substitution PB2-E627K necessary for airborne transmission. Human populations, even when vaccinated against human H3N2 virus, appear immunologically naive to emerging mammalian-adapted H3N8 AIVs and could be vulnerable to infection at epidemic or pandemic proportion.

Recombinant parainfluenza virus 5 expressing clade 2.3.4.4b H5 hemagglutinin protein confers broad protection against H5Ny influenza viruses.

The global circulation of clade 2.3.4.4b H5Ny highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses (HPAIVs) in poultry and wild birds, increasing mammal infections, continues to pose a public health threat and may even form a pandemic. An efficacious vaccine against H5Ny HPAIVs is crucial for emergency use and pandemic preparedness. In this study, we developed a parainfluenza virus 5 (PIV5)-based vaccine candidate expressing hemagglutinin (HA) protein of clade 2.3.4.4b H5 HPAIV, termed rPIV5-H5, and evaluated its safety and efficacy in mice and ferrets. Our results demonstrated that intranasal immunization with a single dose of rPIV5-H5 could stimulate H5-specific antibody responses, moreover, a prime-boost regimen using rPIV5-H5 stimulated robust humoral, cellular, and mucosal immune responses in mice. Challenge study showed that rPIV5-H5 prime-boost regimen provided sterile immunity against lethal clade 2.3.4.4b H5N1 virus infection in mice and ferrets. Notably, rPIV5-H5 prime-boost regimen provided protection in mice against challenge with lethal doses of heterologous clades 2.2, 2.3.2, and 2.3.4 H5N1, and clade 2.3.4.4h H5N6 viruses. These results revealed that rPIV5-H5 can elicit protective immunity against a diverse clade of highly pathogenic H5Ny virus infection in mammals, highlighting the potential of rPIV5-H5 as a pan-H5 influenza vaccine candidate for emergency use.IMPORTANCEClade 2.3.4.4b H5Ny highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses (HPAIVs) have been widely circulating in wild birds and domestic poultry all over the world, leading to infections in mammals, including humans. Here, we developed a recombinant PIV5-vectored vaccine candidate expressing the HA protein of clade 2.3.4.4b H5 virus. Intranasal immunization with rPIV5-H5 in mice induced airway mucosal IgA responses, high levels of antibodies, and robust T-cell responses. Importantly, rPIV5-H5 conferred complete protection in mice and ferrets against clade 2.3.4.4b H5N1 virus challenge, the protective immunity was extended against heterologous H5Ny viruses. Taken together, our data demonstrate that rPIV5-H5 is a promising vaccine candidate against diverse H5Ny influenza viruses in mammals.

In Situ Multicolor Imaging of Photocatalytic Degradation Process of Permanganate on Single Bismuth-Based Metal-Organic Frameworks.

Bismuth-based metal-organic frameworks (Bi-MOFs) have emerged as important photocatalysts for pollutant degradation applications. Understanding the photocatalytic degradation mechanism is key to achieving technological advantage. Herein, we apply dark-field optical microscopy (DFM) to realize in situ multicolor imaging of the photocatalytic degradation process of permanganate (MnO4-) on single CAU-17 Bi-MOFs. Three reaction kinetic processes such as surface adsorption, photocatalytic reduction, and disproportionation are revealed by combining the time-lapsed DFM images with optical absorption spectra, indicating that the photocatalytic reduction of purple MnO4- first produces beige red MnO42- through a one-electron pathway, and then MnO42- disproportionates into yellow MnO2 on CAU-17. Meanwhile, we observe that the deposition of MnO2 cocatalysts enhances the surface adsorption reaction and the photocatalytic reduction of MnO4- to MnO42-. Unexpectedly, it is found that isopropanol as a typical hole scavenger can stabilize MnO42-, avoiding disproportionation and causing the alteration of the photocatalytic reaction pathway from a one-electron avenue to a three-electron (1 + 2) process for producing MnO2 on CAU-17. This research opens up the possibility of comprehensively tracking and understanding the photocatalytic degradation reaction at the single MOF particle level.

Binding Strengths and Orientations in CO2 Adsorption on Cationic Scandium Oxides: Governing Factor Revealed by a Combined Infrared Spectroscopy and Theoretical Study.

Carbon dioxide (CO2) adsorption is a critical step to curbing carbon emissions from fossil fuel combustion. Among various options, transition metal oxides have received extensive attention as promising CO2 adsorbents due to their affordability and sustainability for large-scale use. Here, the nature of binding interactions between CO2 molecules and cationic scandium oxides of different sizes, i.e., ScO+, Sc2O2+, and Sc3O4+, is investigated by mass-selective infrared photodissociation spectroscopy combined with quantum chemical calculations. The well-accepted electrostatic considerations failed to provide explanations for the trend in the binding strengths and variations in the binding orientations between CO2 and metal sites of cationic scandium oxides. The importance of orbital interactions in the driving forces for CO2 adsorption on cationic scandium oxides was revealed by energy decomposition analyses. A molecular surface property, known as the local electron attachment energy, is introduced to elucidate the binding affinity and orientation-specific reactivity of cationic scandium oxides upon the CO2 attachment. This study not only reveals the governing factor in the binding behaviors of CO2 adsorption on cationic scandium oxides but also serves as an archetype for predicting and rationalizing favorable binding sites and orientations in extended surface-adsorbate systems.

Design and Study of a Two-Dimensional (2D) All-Optical Spatial Mapping Module.

Sequentially timed all-optical mapping photography is one of the main emerging ultra-fast detection technologies that can be widely applicable to ultra-fast detection at the picosecond level in fields such as materials and life sciences. We propose a new optical structure for an all-optical spatial mapping module that can control the optical field of two-dimensional imaging while improving spectral resolution and detector sensor utilization. The model of optical parameters based on geometrical optics theory for the given structure has been established, and the theoretical analysis of the inter-frame energy crosstalk caused by incident beam spot width, chromatic aberration, and main errors of the periscope array has been conducted. The optical design of the two-dimensional (2D) all-optical spatial mapping module was finally completed using ZEMAX OpticStudio 2018 software. The results show that our optical module can realize targets of 16 frames and 1.25 nm spectral resolution.

Proteomics coupled transcriptomics reveals lipopolysaccharide inhibiting peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors signalling pathway to reduce lipid droplets accumulation in mouse liver.

Lipid droplets (LDs) are multifunctional organelles consisting of a central compartment of non-polar lipids shielded from the cytoplasm by a phospholipid monolayer. The excessive accumulation of LDs in cells is closely related to the development and progression of many diseases in humans and animals, such as liver-related and cardiovascular diseases. Thus, regulating the LDs size and abundance is necessary to maintain metabolic homeostasis. This study found that lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation reduced the LDs content in the mouse liver. We tried to explain the possible molecular mechanisms at the broad protein and mRNA levels, finding that inhibition of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPAR) signalling pathway by LPS may be a critical factor in reducing LDs content.

Complete mitochondrial genome analysis and molecular phylogenetic implications of Kennelia xylinana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae).

Kennelia is a small genus in Tortricidae that is distributed in the Oriental and Palaearctic regions, and its taxonomic position within the subfamily Olethreutinae is controversial. For a comprehensive understanding of the genus, we sequenced the mitogenome of Kennelia xylinana, the type species of Kennelia, and Ancylis unculana, a species of Enarmoniini; analyzed the mitogenome characteristics of K. xylinana; and explored its phylogenetic position. Similar to other members of Lepidoptera, the mitogenome of K. xylinana is 15,762-bp long and consists of 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), two ribosomal RNA genes, 22 transfer RNA genes, and a noncoding control region. In particular, we found a structure (TATAATTAATAA)11 in the middle of the AT-rich region. Based on the Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood analyses of the 13 PCGs of 40 tortricid species, representing 8 tribes of 2 subfamilies, K. xylinana was clustered with two members of Enarmoniini, A. unculana and Loboschiza koenigiana, and formed highly supported monophyly. The results indicate that Kennelia should be placed in the tribe Enarmoniini.

Proteomics reveals the potential mechanism of Mrps35 controlling Listeria monocytogenes intracellular proliferation in macrophages.

Macrophages are sentinels in the organism which can resist and destroy various bacteria through direct phagocytosis. Here, we reported that expression level of mitochondrial ribosomal protein S35 (Mrps35) continued to decrease over infection time after Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) infected macrophages. Our results indicated that knockdown Mrps35 increased the load of L. monocytogenes in macrophages. This result supported that Mrps35 played the crucial roles in L. monocytogenes infection. Moreover, we performed the comprehensive proteomics to analyze the differentially expressed protein of wild type and Mrps35 Knockdown Raw264.7 cells by L. monocytogenes infection over 6 h. Based on the results of mass spectrometry, we presented a wide variety of hypotheses about the mechanism of Mrps35 controlling the L. monocytogenes intracellular proliferation. Among them, experiments confirmed that Mrps35 and 60S ribosomal protein L22-like 1 (Rpl22l1) were a functional correlation or potentially a compensatory mechanism during L. monocytogenes infection. This study provided new insights into understanding that L. monocytogenes infection changed the basic synthesis or metabolism-related proteins of host cells.

Synergistic Recognition-Triggered Charge Transfer Enables Rapid Visual Colorimetric Detection of Fentanyl.

As a new psychoactive substance, abuse of fentanyl (FTN) is currently spreading around the world, resulting in an urgent need of on-site and rapid analytical methods for detection of FTN. Here, we present a synergistic recognition strategy for rapid, cost-effective, selective, sensitive, and visual colorimetric detection of FTN by taking advantage of Rose Bengal (RB) as the specific probe. This assay is based on the halogen- and hydrogen-bonding interactions between them, generating a charge transfer and accompanying a red shift in the RB absorption band as well as color change from red to purple. The utility of the present visual colorimetric assay is demonstrated in aqueous solution, diluted urine, and domestic sewage samples. A detection limit of 0.7 mg·L-1 in aqueous solution is achieved, and the naked-eye detection of FTN is also realized in different real matrices within 6 min. Moreover, this method is insusceptible to interference from various substances (other opioids, cutting agents of street drugs, FTN precursors, amino acids, and small-molecular amines). Additionally, we successfully fabricate a smartphone-based portable device to determine FTN, which is appropriate for field tests. The present work not only provides the first visual assay for FTN but also reveals the molecular structure-property relationship, which will guide the design and development of various probes for recognizing FTN.

In Situ Visualizing Oxidase-Mimicking Activity of Single MnOOH Nanotubes with Mie Scattering-Based Absorption Microscopy.

Imaging the catalytic activity at the single-particle level can greatly promote the screening and rational design of highly efficient nanozymes, but conventional techniques are based on ensemble analysis. Here, we present a new absorption microscopy for in situ visualizing oxidase-mimicking activity of single MnOOH nanotubes. The particle with a size more than 700 nm roughly equally scatters all wavelengths of visible light via Mie scattering, and the scattering light is collected by dark-field optical microscopy. When the particles absorb a single color of the scattering light, each individual nanoparticle shows its complementary color, enabling a form of absorption microscopy that we name Mie scattering-based absorption microscopy. We find that MnOOH nanotubes can catalyze the oxidation of 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) to generate polyTMB nanowires at their tips. There are multiple active sites on the surface of the individual nanotube, and the nanozyme activity shows a large heterogeneity as well as pH-dependent characteristic.

Altering the substituents of salicylic acid to improve Berthelot reaction for ultrasensitive colorimetric detection of ammonium and atmospheric ammonia.

The Berthelot reaction is a classic method for detection of ammonium (NH4+) and atmospheric ammonia (NH3) by using salicylic acid (SA) as the chromogenic substrate. However, there lacks a method for improving the activity of the Berthelot reaction to enhance the analytical performance for detection of NH4+ and NH3. Here, five SA analogues with electron-withdrawing groups (-F) and electron-donating groups (-CH3 and -OCH3) at different positions of the aromatic ring have been chosen as the alternative to SA for Berthelot reaction. Among these analogues, 4-methoxysalicylic acid (4-OCH3-SA) shows the best colorimetric response and color change at a NH4+ concentration of 30 µM, and the sensitivity of 4-OCH3-SA-based colorimetric assay for NH4+ increases 1.75-fold compared with that of SA-based colorimetric method. This enhancement effect is attributed to the strong electron-donating property of 4-OCH3 group, activating the two-step electrophilic aromatic substitution reaction in the Berthelot reaction. Additionally, visual and sensitive detection of NH3 is realized, along with a low limit of detection down to 0.037 ppm. Furthermore, we demonstrate that this assay is reliable and practical for detection of NH4+ and NH3 in real water and air samples with good accuracy.

Cascade Chromogenic System with Exponential Signal Amplification for Visual Colorimetric Detection of Acetone.

The signal of the traditional chromogenic systems is directly proportional to analyte concentration, leading to an unsatisfactory sensitivity. Herein, we report a cascade chromogenic system to realize exponential amplification of colorimetric signal through coupling chemical oxidation with photoinduced radical chain reaction. The chemical oxidation of o-phenylenediamine (OPD) by Fe3+ generates Fe2+ and photoactive 2,3-diaminophenazine (DAP). Under blue-light irradiation, DAP initiates the formation of holes and H2O2 that reacts with Fe2+ to hydroxyl radicals (·OH) and Fe3+ via an intersystem crossing (ISC) process. Moreover, the holes oxidize water to yield ·OH as well. The resulting ·OH and regenerated Fe3+ in turn oxidize OPD to yield more DAP, leading to a self-propagating reaction cycle that continues to proceed until all the OPD molecules are consumed, along with a distinct color change from colorless to yellow. Through the generation of the complex between DAP and acetone that limits the ISC process, and therefore quenches the colorimetric signal, the highly sensitive and selective naked-eye detection of acetone is achieved from 50 µM to 3 mM, with a limit of detection of 35 µM. Additionally, the feasibility of this colorimetric assay to detect acetone in real water samples is also demonstrated.

Eosin Y as a high-efficient photooxidase mimic for colorimetric detection of sodium azide.

The reported fluorescent dye-based artificial light-responsive oxidase mimics are suffering from their low catalytic efficiency. To overcome the limitation, we report the photooxidase-mimicking activity of Eosin Y which can catalyze the oxidation of various chromogenic substrates such as 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzydine (TMB), 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS), 3,3'-diaminobenzidine (DAB), and o-phenylenediamine (OPD) by dissolved oxygen. The photooxidase-like activity of Eosin Y is highly efficient for TMB substrate, and its catalytic efficiency is higher than that of the reported fluorescein (130 fold) and 9-mesityl-10-methylacridinium ion (7.7-fold) mimetic photooxidase. Moreover, the photosensitized Eosin Y-TMB chromogenic system is utilized for colorimetric detection of highly toxic and explosive sodium azide (NaN3) in a linear range from 5 to 500 µM with a limit of detection of 3.5 µM. The resulting colorimetric assay is selective and applied to determine NaN3 in real lake water samples.

3, 3'-Diaminobenzidine with dual o-phenylenediamine groups: two in one enables visual colorimetric detection of nitric oxide.

Nitric oxide (NO) plays an important role in the generation of smog and ozone. Although great efforts have been made to determine NO by using o-phenylenediamine (OPD)-based fluorescent probes, more simple and reliable colorimetric assays for detection of NO are extremely scarce because a single OPD structure cannot produce enough optical absorption for chromogenesis. In this study, we report an innovative two-in-one visual colorimetric methodology. Commercially available 3,3'-diaminobenzidine (DAB) with two OPD structures in a single molecule is selected as the colorimetric probe, and it reacts with NO via diazo-coupling reaction to generate 1H,3'H-[5,5']bibenzotriazolyl because of the increase of conjugated double bonds, accompanying a distinct color change from colorless to brownish yellow. This two-in-one colorimetric assay can determine NO at a concentration as low as 3 ppm by the naked eye and 40 ppb by UV-vis spectrometry, which is the lowest limit of detection (LOD) among reported colorimetric assays for NO. Moreover, the present two-in-one visual colorimetric assay also has good selectivity toward NO over other common potential gas interferents such as CO2, NO2, NH3, N2, O2, and SO2. This present study provides a new insight for the design and development of assays for NO. Graphical abstract.

Numerical calculation of the mosaic error between mosaic gratings.

The theoretical calculation model for a mosaic error was established based on the plane equation for a grating surface and the relationship equation for a mosaic grating surface. A mosaic grating was obtained based on this model. In the experiment, the mosaic error was calculated based on the diffraction wavefronts of two groups of mosaic gratings that were obtained simultaneously with a Zygo interferometer. The difference between the wavefront of the mosaic grating and the average wavefront of the mosaic grating element was 0.031λ. The maximum far-field intensity of the mosaic grating was 90% of that without an error. This model provides a theoretical basis for the numerical mosaic between gratings. In addition, the mosaic error can be calculated with this model, and the quality of the mosaic grating can be evaluated.

Effect of the measuring mirror surface shape error on ruled groove straightness and the grating diffraction wavefront.

Measuring mirror requirements and their impact on groove errors are related to the error compensation strategy for a ruling engine. We analyze why the measuring mirror of the CIOMP-6 engine affects the groove straightness and the grating diffraction wavefront. We study a theoretical model of the relationship between the measuring mirror's surface shape error and the grating wavefront, propose a requirement for the measuring mirror surface shape error, and reprocess the measuring mirror. Comparative ruling experiments prove that the grating's wavefront quality at the diffraction order along the groove direction improved significantly after reprocessing of the measuring mirror.

Direct Blue Light-Induced Autocatalytic Oxidation of o-Phenylenediamine for Highly Sensitive Visual Detection of Triaminotrinitrobenzene.

o-Phenylenediamine (OPD)-based chromogenic reactions are worthy tools for the development of visual colorimetric assays. The chromogenic reactions are usually triggered by various oxidants, which is not easily tunable and incompatible with some analytes. Herein, we report that direct blue light irradiation can induce the autocatalytic oxidation of OPD to generate 2,3-diaminophenazine (oxidized-state OPD, oxOPD). The autocatalytic photo-oxidation reaction mechanism of OPD is mainly ascribed to the resonant energy transfer between ectronically excited oxOPD and dissolved oxygen to form singlet state oxygen with a high oxidation capacity, which accelerates the oxidation of OPD. We demonstrate that under neutral and alkaline environment, the photoinduced autocatalytic oxidation of OPD is able to be further enhanced by triaminotrinitrobenzene (TATB) explosive because of its inhibition effect on the aggregation caused quenching phenomenon of oxOPD. On this basis, a straightforward visual colorimetric assay for TATB with a tunable dynamic range is developed. This assay is capable of detecting TATB explosive concentrations as low as 2.7 nM. Notably, the obvious color change after addition of TATB enables a naked-eye readout with the lowest detectable TATB concentrations of 60 nM.

Ruling engine using adjustable diamond and interferometric control for high-quality gratings and large echelles.

A concept for position adjustment of the diamond in a ruling engine to enable nanoscale groove positioning is proposed. Based on this concept, we fabricate a diamond carriage, design an optical path, and propose an appropriate control method. Several high-quality gratings are ruled for spectrometer or interferometer applications. After implementation of the improvements, the maximum intensity of ghosts and scattered light of the echelle grating with 79 grooves/mm is reduced to half of that before the improvement, and the highest achievable groove density is increased from 6000 grooves/mm to 8000 grooves/mm. The grating ruling results indicate that the proposed concept and the related improvements to the engine significantly improve the accuracy of the CIOMP-6 ruling engine.

Analysis and removal of five-dimensional mosaicking errors in mosaic grating.

Combining the mathematical relationships between the grating wavefront and surfaces with the spatial relationships between the two grating wavefront, a mathematical model of the mosaicking errors is established to mosaic gratings. The five-dimensional mosaicking errors will respectively be calculated and then removed by the adjustment mechanisms. Mosaicking experiments are performed by using two gratings. First, by using zeroth order, the longitudinal offset is calculated and removed. Second, by using the diffraction order, the in-plane angle and grating spacing are calculated and removed, while the tip and tilt angles are calculated and removed. And then a mosaic grating is obtained.

Method for calculation and analysis of the weights of grating mosaic errors.

A method to calculate the weight of grating mosaic errors is proposed based on an analytical hierarchy process. An accurate mosaic error tolerance calculation formula is also presented that is useful for large-size grating fabrication by the mosaic method. The grating mosaic error weights and tolerances are analyzed for mosaic echelle gratings. The analytical error weight and tolerance results agree well with the experimental results. The mosaic grating's far-field intensity is 95.8%, which is higher than the 94% value from the simulation results.