Structures and mechanisms of the Arabidopsis auxin transporter PIN3.

The PIN-FORMED (PIN) protein family of auxin transporters mediates polar auxin transport and has crucial roles in plant growth and development1,2. Here we present cryo-electron microscopy structures of PIN3 from Arabidopsis thaliana in the apo state and in complex with its substrate indole-3-acetic acid and the inhibitor N-1-naphthylphthalamic acid (NPA). A. thaliana PIN3 exists as a homodimer, and its transmembrane helices 1, 2 and 7 in the scaffold domain are involved in dimerization. The dimeric PIN3 forms a large, joint extracellular-facing cavity at the dimer interface while each subunit adopts an inward-facing conformation. The structural and functional analyses, along with computational studies, reveal the structural basis for the recognition of indole-3-acetic acid and NPA and elucidate the molecular mechanism of NPA inhibition on PIN-mediated auxin transport. The PIN3 structures support an elevator-like model for the transport of auxin, whereby the transport domains undergo up-down rigid-body motions and the dimerized scaffold domains remain static.

SENP1-Sirt3 Signaling Controls Mitochondrial Protein Acetylation and Metabolism.

Sirt3, as a major mitochondrial nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD)-dependent deacetylase, is required for mitochondrial metabolic adaption to various stresses. However, how to regulate Sirt3 activity responding to metabolic stress remains largely unknown. Here, we report Sirt3 as a SUMOylated protein in mitochondria. SUMOylation suppresses Sirt3 catalytic activity. SUMOylation-deficient Sirt3 shows elevated deacetylation on mitochondrial proteins and increased fatty acid oxidation. During fasting, SUMO-specific protease SENP1 is accumulated in mitochondria and quickly de-SUMOylates and activates Sirt3. SENP1 deficiency results in hyper-SUMOylation of Sirt3 and hyper-acetylation of mitochondrial proteins, which reduces mitochondrial metabolic adaption responding to fasting. Furthermore, we find that fasting induces SENP1 translocation into mitochondria to activate Sirt3. The studies on mice show that Sirt3 SUMOylation mutation reduces fat mass and antagonizes high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity via increasing oxidative phosphorylation and energy expenditure. Our results reveal that SENP1-Sirt3 signaling modulates Sirt3 activation and mitochondrial metabolism during metabolic stress.

Thalidomide for Recurrent Bleeding Due to Small-Intestinal Angiodysplasia.

BACKGROUND: Recurrent bleeding from the small intestine accounts for 5 to 10% of cases of gastrointestinal bleeding and remains a therapeutic challenge. Thalidomide has been evaluated for the treatment of recurrent bleeding due to small-intestinal angiodysplasia (SIA), but confirmatory trials are lacking. METHODS: We conducted a multicenter, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial to investigate the efficacy and safety of thalidomide for the treatment of recurrent bleeding due to SIA. Eligible patients with recurrent bleeding (at least four episodes of bleeding during the previous year) due to SIA were randomly assigned to receive thalidomide at an oral daily dose of 100 mg or 50 mg or placebo for 4 months. Patients were followed for at least 1 year after the end of the 4-month treatment period. The primary end point was effective response, which was defined as a reduction of at least 50% in the number of bleeding episodes that occurred during the year after the end of thalidomide treatment as compared with the number that occurred during the year before treatment. Key secondary end points were cessation of bleeding without rebleeding, blood transfusion, hospitalization because of bleeding, duration of bleeding, and hemoglobin levels. RESULTS: Overall, 150 patients underwent randomization: 51 to the 100-mg thalidomide group, 49 to the 50-mg thalidomide group, and 50 to the placebo group. The percentages of patients with an effective response in the 100-mg thalidomide group, 50-mg thalidomide group, and placebo group were 68.6%, 51.0%, and 16.0%, respectively (P<0.001 for simultaneous comparison across the three groups). The results of the analyses of the secondary end points supported those of the primary end point. Adverse events were more common in the thalidomide groups than in the placebo group overall; specific events included constipation, somnolence, limb numbness, peripheral edema, dizziness, and elevated liver-enzyme levels. CONCLUSIONS: In this placebo-controlled trial, treatment with thalidomide resulted in a reduction in bleeding in patients with recurrent bleeding due to SIA. (Funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the Shanghai Municipal Education Commission, Gaofeng Clinical Medicine; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02707484.).

Multiple human population movements and cultural dispersal events shaped the landscape of Chinese paternal heritage.

Large-scale genomic projects and ancient DNA innovations have ushered in a new paradigm for exploring human evolutionary history. However, the genetic legacy of spatiotemporally diverse ancient Eurasians within Chinese paternal lineages remains unresolved. Here, we report an integrated Y-chromosome genomic database encompassing 15,563 individuals from both modern and ancient Eurasians, including 919 newly reported individuals, to investigate Chinese paternal genomic diversity. The high-resolution, time-stamped phylogeny reveals multiple diversification events and extensive expansions in the early and middle Neolithic. We identify four major ancient population movements, each associated with technological innovations, that have shaped the Chinese paternal landscape. Firstly, the expansion of early East Asians and millet farmers from the Yellow River Basin, predominantly carrying O2/D subclades, significantly influenced the formation of the Sino-Tibetan people and facilitated the permanent settlement of the Tibetan Plateau. Secondly, the dispersal of rice farmers from the Yangtze River Valley, carrying O1 and certain O2 sublineages, reshapes the genetic makeup of southern Han Chinese, as well as the Tai-Kadai, Austronesian, Hmong-Mien, and Austroasiatic people. Thirdly, Neolithic Siberian Q/C paternal lineages originated and proliferated among hunter-gatherers on the Mongolian Plateau and the Amur River Basin, leaving a significant imprint on the gene pools of northern China. Fourthly, J/G/R paternal lineages derived from western Eurasia, which were initially spread by Yamnaya-related steppe pastoralists, maintain their presence primarily in northwestern China. Overall, our research provides comprehensive genetic evidence elucidating the significant impact of interactions with culturally distinct ancient Eurasians on the patterns of paternal diversity in modern Chinese populations.

Novel mutation leading to splice donor loss in a conserved site of DMD gene causes Duchenne muscular dystrophy with cryptorchidism.

BACKGROUND: As one of the most common congenital abnormalities in male births, cryptorchidism has been found to have a polygenic aetiology according to previous studies of common variants. However, little is known about genetic predisposition of rare variants for cryptorchidism, since rare variants have larger effective size on diseases than common variants. METHODS: In this study, a cohort of 115 Chinese probands with cryptorchidism was analysed using whole-genome sequencing, alongside 19 parental controls and 2136 unaffected men. Additionally, CRISPR-Cas9 editing of a conserved variant was performed in a mouse model, with MRI screening used to observe the phenotype. RESULTS: In 30 of 115 patients (26.1%), we identified four novel genes (ARSH, DMD, MAGEA4 and SHROOM2) affecting at least five unrelated patients and four known genes (USP9Y, UBA1, BCORL1 and KDM6A) with the candidate rare pathogenic variants affecting at least two cases. Burden tests of rare variants revealed the genome-wide significances for newly identified genes (p<2.5×10-6) under the Bonferroni correction. Surprisingly, novel and known genes were mainly found on X chromosome (seven on X and one on Y) and all rare X-chromosomal segregating variants exhibited a maternal inheritance rather than de novo origin. CRISPR-Cas9 mouse modelling of a splice donor loss variant in DMD (NC_000023.11:g.32454661C>G), which resides in a conserved site across vertebrates, replicated bilateral cryptorchidism phenotypes, confirmed by MRI at 4 and 10 weeks. The movement tests further revealed symptoms of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) in transgenic mice. CONCLUSION: Our results revealed the role of the DMD gene mutation in causing cryptorchidism. The results also suggest that maternal-X inheritance of pathogenic defects could have a predominant role in the development of cryptorchidism.

Mycoviral gene integration converts a plant pathogenic fungus into a biocontrol agent.

Mycovirus-infected fungi can suffer from poor growth, attenuated pigmentation, and virulence. However, the molecular mechanisms of how mycoviruses confer these symptoms remain poorly understood. Here, we report a mycovirus Stemphylium lycopersici alternavirus 1 (SlAV1) isolated from a necrotrophic plant pathogen Stemphylium lycopersici that causes altered colony pigmentation and hypovirulence by specifically interfering host biosynthesis of Altersolanol A, a polyketide phytotoxin. SlAV1 significantly down-regulates a fungal polyketide synthase (PKS1), the core enzyme of Altersolanol A biosynthesis. PKS1 deletion mutants do not accumulate Altersolanol A and lose pathogenicity to tomato and lettuce. Transgenic expression of SlAV1 open-reading frame 3 (ORF3) in S. lycopersici inhibits fungal PKS1 expression and Altersolanol A accumulation, leading to symptoms like SlAV1-infected fungal strains. Multiple plant species sprayed with mycelial suspension of S. lycopersici or S. vesicarium strains integrating and expressing ORF3 display enhanced resistance against virulent strains, converting the pathogenic fungi into biocontrol agents. Hence, our study not only proves inhibiting a key enzyme of host phytotoxin biosynthesis as a molecular mechanism underlying SlAV1-mediated hypovirulence of Stemphylium spp., but also demonstrates the potential of mycovirus-gene integrated fungi as a potential biocontrol agent to protect plants from fungal diseases.

Room-Temperature Strong Coupling of Few-Exciton in a Monolayer WS2 with Plasmon and Dispersion Deviation.

Engineering room-temperature strong coupling of few-exciton in transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) with plasmons promises to construct compact and high-performance quantum optical devices. But it remains unimplemented due to their in-plane excitons. Here, we demonstrate the strong coupling of few-exciton within 10 in monolayer WS2 with the plasmonic mode with a large tangential component of the electric field tightly trapped around the sharp corners of an Au@Ag nanocuboid, the fewest number of excitons observed in the TMDC family so far. Furthermore, we for the first time report a significant deviation with a relative difference of up to 100.6% between the spectrum and eigenlevel splitting dispersions, which increases with decreasing coupling strength. It is also shown that the coupling strength obtained by the conventional concept of both being equal to the measured spectrum splitting is markedly overestimated. Our work enriches the understanding of strong light-matter interactions at room temperature.

Population genetic admixture and evolutionary history in the Shandong Peninsula inferred from integrative modern and ancient genomic resources.

BACKGROUND: Ancient northern East Asians (ANEA) from the Yellow River region, who pioneered millet cultivation, play a crucial role in understanding the origins of ethnolinguistically diverse populations in modern China and the entire landscape of deep genetic structure and variation discovery in modern East Asians. However, the direct links between ANEA and geographically proximate modern populations, as well as the biological adaptive processes involved, remain poorly understood. RESULTS: Here, we generated genome-wide SNP data for 264 individuals from geographically different Han populations in Shandong. An integrated genomic resource encompassing both modern and ancient East Asians was compiled to examine fine-scale population admixture scenarios and adaptive traits. The reconstruction of demographic history and hierarchical clustering patterns revealed that individuals from the Shandong Peninsula share a close genetic affinity with ANEA, indicating long-term genetic continuity and mobility in the lower Yellow River basin since the early Neolithic period. Biological adaptive signatures, including those related to immune and metabolic pathways, were identified through analyses of haplotype homozygosity and allele frequency spectra. These signatures are linked to complex traits such as height and body mass index, which may be associated with adaptations to cold environments, dietary practices, and pathogen exposure. Additionally, allele frequency trajectories over time and a haplotype network of two highly differentiated genes, ABCC11 and SLC10A1, were delineated. These genes, which are associated with axillary odor and bilirubin metabolism, respectively, illustrate how local adaptations can influence the diversification of traits in East Asians. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings provide a comprehensive genomic dataset that elucidates the fine-scale genetic history and evolutionary trajectory of natural selection signals and disease susceptibility in Han Chinese populations. This study serves as a paradigm for integrating spatiotemporally diverse ancient genomes in the era of population genomic medicine.

Thermal stress accelerates Arabidopsis thaliana mutation rate.

Mutations are the source of both genetic diversity and mutational load. However, the effects of increasing environmental temperature on plant mutation rates and relative impact on specific mutational classes (e.g., insertion/deletion [indel] vs. single nucleotide variant [SNV]) are unknown. This topic is important because of the poorly defined effects of anthropogenic global temperature rise on biological systems. Here, we show the impact of temperature increase on Arabidopsis thaliana mutation, studying whole genome profiles of mutation accumulation (MA) lineages grown for 11 successive generations at 29°C. Whereas growth of A. thaliana at standard temperature (ST; 23°C) is associated with a mutation rate of 7 × 10-9 base substitutions per site per generation, growth at stressful high temperature (HT; 29°C) is highly mutagenic, increasing the mutation rate to 12 × 10-9 SNV frequency is approximately two- to threefold higher at HT than at ST, and HT-growth causes an ∼19- to 23-fold increase in indel frequency, resulting in a disproportionate increase in indels (vs. SNVs). Most HT-induced indels are 1-2 bp in size and particularly affect homopolymeric or dinucleotide A or T stretch regions of the genome. HT-induced indels occur disproportionately in nucleosome-free regions, suggesting that much HT-induced mutational damage occurs during cell-cycle phases when genomic DNA is packaged into nucleosomes. We conclude that stressful experimental temperature increases accelerate plant mutation rates and particularly accelerate the rate of indel mutation. Increasing environmental temperatures are thus likely to have significant mutagenic consequences for plants growing in the wild and may, in particular, add detrimentally to mutational load.

Strong Metal-Support Interaction Modulation between Pt Nanoclusters and Mn3O4 Nanosheets through Oxygen Vacancy Control to Achieve High Activities for Acidic Hydrogen Evolution.

The optimization of metal-support interactions is used to fabricate noble metal-based nanoclusters with high activity for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in acid media. Specifically, the oxygen-defective Mn3O4 nanosheets supported Pt nanoclusters of ≈1.71 nm in diameter (Pt/V·-Mn3O4 NSs) are synthesized through the controlled solvothermal reaction. The Pt/V·-Mn3O4 NSs show a superior activity and excellent stability for the HER in the acidic media. They only require an overpotential of 19 mV to drive -10 mA cm-2 and show negligible activity loss at -10 and -250 mA cm-2 for >200 and >60 h, respectively. Their Pt mass activity is 12.4 times higher than that of the Pt/C and even higher than those of many single-atom based Pt catalysts. DFT calculations show that their high HER activity arises mainly from the strong metal-support interaction between Pt and Mn3O4. It can facilitate the charge transfer from Mn3O4 to Pt, optimizing the H adsorption on the catalyst surface and promoting the evolution of H2 through the Volmer-Tafel mechanism. The oxygen vacancies in the V·-Mn3O4 NSs are found to be inconducive to the high activity of the Pt/V·-Mn3O4 NSs, highlighting the great importance to reduce the vacancy levels in V·-Mn3O4 NSs.

Facile Synthesis of Rigid Binuclear Manganese Complexes for Magnetic Resonance Angiography and SLC39A14-Mediated Hepatic Imaging.

Manganese(II)-based contrast agents (MBCAs) are potential candidates for gadolinium-free enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In this work, a rigid binuclear MBCA (Mn2-PhDTA2) with a zero-length linker was developed via facile synthetic routes, while the other dimer (Mn2-TPA-PhDTA2) with a longer rigid linker was also synthesized via more complex steps. Although the molecular weight of Mn2-PhDTA2 is lower than that of Mn2-TPA-PhDTA2, their T1 relaxivities are similar, being increased by over 71% compared to the mononuclear Mn-PhDTA. In the presence of serum albumin, the relaxivity of Mn2-PhDTA2 was slightly lower than that of Mn2-TPA-PhDTA2, possibly due to the lower affinity constant. The transmetalation reaction with copper(II) ions confirmed that Mn2-PhDTA2 has an ideal kinetic inertness with a dissociation half-life of approximately 10.4 h under physiological conditions. In the variable-temperature 17O NMR study, both Mn-PhDTA and Mn2-PhDTA2 demonstrated a similar estimated q close to 1, indicating the formation of monohydrated complexes with each manganese(II) ion. In addition, Mn2-PhDTA2 demonstrated a superior contrast enhancement to Mn-PhDTA in in vivo vascular and hepatic MRI and can be rapidly cleared through a dual hepatic and renal excretion pattern. The hepatic uptake mechanism of Mn2-PhDTA2 mediated by SLC39A14 was validated in cellular uptake studies.

Unsupervised OCT image despeckling with ground-truth- and repeated-scanning-free features.

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) can resolve biological three-dimensional tissue structures, but it is inevitably plagued by speckle noise that degrades image quality and obscures biological structure. Recently unsupervised deep learning methods are becoming more popular in OCT despeckling but they still have to use unpaired noisy-clean images or paired noisy-noisy images. To address the above problem, we propose what we believe to be a novel unsupervised deep learning method for OCT despeckling, termed Double-free Net, which eliminates the need for ground truth data and repeated scanning by sub-sampling noisy images and synthesizing noisier images. In comparison to existing unsupervised methods, Double-free Net obtains superior denoising performance when trained on datasets comprising retinal and human tissue images without clean images. The efficacy of Double-free Net in denoising holds significant promise for diagnostic applications in retinal pathologies and enhances the accuracy of retinal layer segmentation. Results demonstrate that Double-free Net outperforms state-of-the-art methods and exhibits strong convenience and adaptability across different OCT images.

Rational Design of Hollow Structural Materials for Sodium-Ion Battery Anodes.

The development of sodium-ion battery (SIB) anodes is still hindered by their rapid capacity decay and poor rate capabilities. Although there have been some new materials that can be used to fabricate stable anodes, SIBs are still far from wide applications. Strategies like nanostructure construction and material modification have been used to prepare more robust SIB anodes. Among all the design strategies, the hollow structure design is a promising method in the development of advanced anode materials. In the past decade, research efforts have been devoted to modifying the synthetic route, the type of templates, and the interior structure of hollow structures with high capacity and stability. A brief introduction is made to the main material systems and classifications of hollow structural materials first. Then different morphologies of hollow structural materials for SIB anodes from the latest reports are discussed, including nanoboxes, nanospheres, yolk shells, nanotubes, and other more complex shapes. The most used templates for the synthesis of hollow structrual materials are covered and the perspectives are highlighted at the end. This review offers a comprehensive discussion of the synthesis of hollow structural materials for SIB anodes, which could be potentially of use to research areas involving hollow materials design for batteries.

Network Analysis of Borderline Personality Features in Adolescence Using a Screening Tool in a Chinese Community Sample.

INTRODUCTION: This study investigated the structure of the borderline personality features (BPFs) network and the most central BPF in adolescence. METHODS: Cross-sectional self-report data from 4,866 Chinese adolescents (M = 13.96, SD = 1.64; 61.3% girls) were included in the network analysis models. BPFs were assessed with the McLean Screening Instrument for Borderline Personality Disorder. RESULTS: Identity disturbance and affective instability emerged as the most central BPF in the current adolescent sample. In addition, chronic emptiness was also found with high centrality. The general networks of BPF were very similar between adolescent boys and girls, although some differences were detected. DISCUSSION: This study further supports the necessity of BPD assessment and diagnosis in adolescence and identifies the distinctive importance of identity and affective dysregulation in the early development of BPD. The findings provide empirical insights into the interconnections of BPF, which resonate with therapeutic mechanisms of evidence-based treatments for BPD. However, the research was limited in its use of a screening measurement rather than a diagnostic tool. Future studies can further explore BPD psychopathology in adolescence with longitudinal data and clinical interviews.

Fixed-time synchronization for two-dimensional coupled reaction-diffusion complex networks: Boundary conditions analysis.

This paper examines fixed-time synchronization (FxTS) for two-dimensional coupled reaction-diffusion complex networks (CRDCNs) with impulses and delay. Utilizing the Lyapunov method, a FxTS criterion is established for impulsive delayed CRDCNs. Herein, impulses encompass both synchronizing and desynchronizing variants. Subsequently, by employing a Lyapunov-Krasovskii functional, two FxTS boundary controllers are formulated for CRDCNs with Neumann and mixed boundary condition, respectively. It is observed that vanishing Dirichlet boundary contributes to the synchronization of the CRDCNs. Furthermore, this study calculates the optimal constant for the Poincaré inequality in the square domain, which is instrumental in analyzing FxTS conditions for boundary controllers. Conclusive numerical examples underscore the efficacy of the proposed theoretical findings.

Identification and mechanism characterization of Streptomyces griseoaurantiacus XQ-29 with biocontrol ability against pepper southern blight caused by Sclerotium rolfsii.

Pepper southern blight, caused by Sclerotium rolfsii, is a devastating soil-borne disease resulting in significant loss to pepper, Capsicum annuum L. production. Here, we isolated an antagonistic bacterial strain XQ-29 with antifungal activity against S. rolfsii from rhizospheric soil of pepper. Combining the morphological and biochemical characteristics with the 16S rDNA sequencing, XQ-29 was identified as Streptomyces griseoaurantiacus. It exhibited an inhibition of 96.83% against S. rolfsii and displayed significant inhibitory effects on Botrytis cinerea, Phytophthora capsica and Rhizoctonia solani. Furthermore, XQ-29 significantly reduced the pepper southern blight by 100% and 70.42% during seedling and growth stages, respectively. The antifungal mechanism involved altering the mycelial morphology, disrupting cell wall and membrane integrity, accompanied by accumulation of reactive oxygen species and lipid peroxidation in S. rolfsii mycelia. Furthermore, XQ-29 promoted growth and stimulated resistance of pepper plants by increasing defense-related enzyme activities and upregulating defense-related genes. Correspondingly, XQ-29 harbors numerous functional biosynthesis gene clusters in its genome, including those for siderophores and melanin production. The metabolic constituents present in the ethyl acetate extracts, which exhibited an EC50 value of 85.48 ± 1.62 µg/mL, were identified using LC-MS. Overall, XQ-29 demonstrates significant potential as a biocontrol agent against southern blight disease.

Uptake, subcellular distribution, and fate of tetracycline in two wetland plants supplemented with microbial agents: Effect and mechanism.

The use of wetland plants in the context of phytoremediation is effective in the removal of antibiotics from contaminated water. However, the effectiveness and efficiency of many of these plants in the removal of antibiotics remain undetermined. In this study, the effectiveness of two plants-Phragmites australis and Iris pseudacorus-in the removal of tetracycline (TC) in hydroponic systems was investigated. The uptake of TC at the roots of I. pseudacorus and P. australis occurred at concentrations of 588.78 and 106.70 µg/g, respectively, after 7-day exposure. The higher uptake of TC in the root of I. pseudacorus may be attributed to its higher secretion of root exudates, which facilitate conditions conducive to the reproduction of microorganisms. These rhizosphere-linked microorganisms then drove the TC uptake, which was higher than that in the roots of P. australis. By elucidating the mechanisms underlying these uptake-linked outcomes, we found that the uptake of TC for both plants was significantly suppressed by metabolic and aquaporin inhibition, suggesting uptake and transport of TC were active (energy-dependent) and passive (aquaporin-dominated) processes, respectively. The subcellular distribution patterns of I. pseudacorus and P. australis in the roots were different, as expressed by differences in organelles, cell wall concentration levels, and transport-related dynamics. Additionally, the microbe-driven enhancement of the remediation capacities of the plants was studied comprehensively via a combined microbial-phytoremediation hydroponic system. We confirmed that the microbial agents increased the secretion of root exudates, promoting the variation of TC chemical speciation and thus enhancing the active transport of TC. These results contribute toward the improved application of wetland plants in the context of antibiotic phytoremediation.

Multifactorial analysis of willingness to undergo subcutaneous allergen immunotherapy in pediatric patients.

Objective: To explore factors influencing the acceptance of allergen immunotherapy (AIT) for the treatment of allergic respiratory diseases by pediatric patients and their families. Methods: A total of 406 children (210 males and 196 females) attending the pediatric outpatient clinics and wards of the Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine from June 2020 to April 2022. Those who met the criteria for the AIT treatment, were included in the survey. An online 20-item questionnaire was developed. Data on patient's general characteristics, allergic disease status, family history of allergies, general family information, parental knowledge of allergic diseases, and whether the AIT treatment was recommended by a physician, were collected. The patients were divided into two groups according to their willingness to receive AIT: a reluctant or neutral group (n = 182), and a willing group (n = 224). A univariate analysis of the willingness to undergo AIT was done to detect parameters that significantly differed between the groups, and the identified factors were used as independent variables in the multifactorial logistic regression analysis. Results: The severity of allergic disease, presence of drug allergy, occurrence of severe allergic reactions, mother's education, distance from home to the hospital, parental knowledge of allergic diseases, and whether the doctor recommended AIT were all statistically different between the groups (p < 0.05). Multifactorial logistic regression analysis showed that the degree of allergic rhinitis (AR), or asthma (AS), parental knowledge of allergic diseases, and doctor's recommendation of AIT were the factors that influenced the willingness of pediatric patients to receive AIT. Conclusions: The severity of AR and AS, parental knowledge of allergic diseases, and doctor's recommendation influenced the willingness of pediatric patients to receive AIT.

Counterintuitive Oxidation of Alcohols at Air-Water Interfaces.

This study shows that the oxidation of alcohols can rapidly occur at air-water interfaces. It was found that methanediols (HOCH2OH) orient at air-water interfaces with a H atom of the -CH2- group pointing toward the gaseous phase. Counterintuitively, gaseous hydroxyl radicals do not prefer to attack the exposed -CH2- group but the -OH group that forms hydrogen bonds with water molecules at the surface via a water-promoted mechanism, leading to the formation of formic acids. Compared with gaseous oxidation, the water-promoted mechanism at the air-water interface significantly lowers free-energy barriers from ∼10.7 to ∼4.3 kcal·mol-1 and therefore accelerates the formation of formic acids. The study unveils a previously overlooked source of environmental organic acids that are bound up with aerosol formation and water acidity.

Resolving Temperature-Dependent Hydrate Nucleation Pathway: The Role of "Transition Layer".

Understanding the nucleation of natural gas hydrate (NGH) at different conditions has important implications to NGH recovery and other industrial applications, such as gas storage and separation. Herein, vast numbers of hydrate nucleation events are traced via molecular dynamics (MD) simulations at different degrees of supercooling (or driving forces). Specifically, to precisely characterize a hydrate nucleus from an aqueous system during the MD simulation, we develop an evolutionary order parameter (OP) to recognize the nucleus size and shape. Subsequently, the free energy landscapes of hydrate during nucleation are explored by using the newly developed OP. The results suggest that at 270 K (or 0.92 Tm supercooling, where Tm is the melting point), the near-rounded nucleus prevails during the nucleation, as described from the classical nucleation theory. In contrast, at relatively strong driving forces of 0.85 and 0.88 Tm, nonclassical nucleation events arise. Specifically, the pathway toward an elongated nucleus becomes as important as the pathway toward a near-rounded nucleus. To explain the distinct nucleation phenomena at different supercoolings, a notion of a "transition layer" (or liquid-blob-like layer) is proposed. Here, the transition layer is to describe the interfacial region between the nucleus and aqueous solution, and this layer entails two functionalities: (1) it tends to retain CH4 depending on the degrees of supercooling and (2) it facilitates collision among CH4, which thus promote the incorporation of CH4 into nucleus. Our simulation indicates that compared to the near-rounded nucleus, the transition layer surrounding the elongated nucleus is more evident with the higher collision rate among CH4 molecules. As such, the transition layer tends to promote the elongated nucleus pathway, while offsetting the cost of larger surface free energy associated with the elongated nucleus. At 0.92 Tm, however, the transition layer gradually disappears, and classical nucleation events dominate. Overall, the notion of "transition layer" offers deeper insight into the NGH nucleation at different degrees of supercooling and could be extended to describe other types of hydrate nucleation.