Mast cell infiltration and subtype promote malignant transformation of oral precancer and progression of oral cancer.

The role of mast cell (MC), a common myeloid-derived immune cell, in the development of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is unclear and the aim of this study was to investigate MC infiltration in oral precancer and oral cancer. Evaluation of immune cell infiltration and association with prognosis in OSCC using RNA sequencing and multiple public datasets. Multiplex immunofluorescence was used to explore the infiltration of MC in the microenvironment of OSCC and oral precancer and the interaction with CD8+ cells. The role of MC in OSCC progression was verified by in vivo experiments. The resting MC infiltration was mainly present in oral precancer, while activated MC infiltration was significantly higher in OSCC. Activated MC was associated with malignant transformation of oral precancer and poor prognosis of OSCC. In vivo studies showed that MC promoted the growth of OSCC. The infiltration of activated MC was negatively correlated with the infiltration of CD8+ T cells. The subtype of MC containing tryptase without chymase (MCT) was significantly higher in OSCC compared to oral precancer and was associated with poor survival. Furthermore, spatial distance analysis revealed a greater distance between MCT and CD8+ cells that was also linked to poor prognosis in OSCC. Cox regression analysis showed that MCT could be a potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarker. This study provides new insights into the role of MC in the immune microenvironment of OSCC. It might enhance the immunotherapeutic efficacy of OSCC through developing targeted therapies against MC.

Unveiling the molecular dynamics of low temperature preservation in postharvest lotus seeds: a transcriptomic perspective.

BACKGROUND: Postharvest quality deterioration poses a significant challenge to the commercial value of fresh lotus seeds. Low temperature storage is widely employed as the primary method for preserving postharvest lotus seeds during storage and transportation. RESULTS: This approach effectively extends the storage life of lotus seeds, resulting in distinct physiological changes compared to room temperature storage, including a notable reduction in starch, protein, H2O2, and MDA content. Here, we conducted RNA-sequencing to generate global transcriptome profiles of postharvest lotus seeds stored under room or low temperature conditions. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that gene expression in postharvest lotus seeds demonstrated less variability during low temperature storage in comparison to room temperature storage. A total of 14,547 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated with various biological processes such as starch and sucrose metabolism, energy metabolism, and plant hormone signaling response were identified. Notably, the expression levels of DEGs involved in ABA signaling were significantly suppressed in contrast to room temperature storage. Additionally, nine weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA)-based gene molecular modules were identified, providing insights into the co-expression relationship of genes during postharvest storage. CONCLUSION: Our findings illuminate transcriptional differences in postharvest lotus seeds between room and low temperature storage, offering crucial insights into the molecular mechanisms of low temperature preservation in lotus seeds.

The regulation pathways of biochar and microorganism in soil-plant system by multiple statistical methods: The forms of carbon participation in coastal wetlands.

Coastal wetlands possess significant carbon storage capabilities. However, in coastal soil-plant systems augmented with biochar and microorganisms, the mechanisms of these amendments and carbon participation remain unclear. This study utilized pot experiments to explore how Enteromorpha prolifera biochar and Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) affect soil organic carbon (SOC), carbon-related microbes, photosynthetic and osmotic system of Suaeda salsa. The results showed biochar reduced exchangeable sodium percentage by 6.9% through adsorption and ion exchange, and increased SOC content by 34.4%. The abundance of carbon-related microorganisms (Bacteroidota and Chloroflexi) was increased and carbon metabolizing enzyme (cellulase and sucrase) activity in the soil was enhanced. AMF significantly improved plant growth compared with CK, as evidenced by the enhanced dry weight by 2.34 times. A partial least squares pathway model (PLS-PM) and correlation analysis suggested that the combined effect of biochar and AMF could be outlined as two pathways: soil and plant. Biochar increased SOC, improved the growth of soil carbon metabolizing microorganisms, and further promoted the activity of carbon-related enzymes. Additionally, AMF facilitated nutrient absorption by plants through root symbiosis, with biochar further enhancing this process by acting as a nutrient adsorber. These combined effects of biochar and AMF at soil and plant level enhanced the photosynthetic process of Suaeda salsa. The transport of photosynthetic products to the roots can increase the carbon storage in the soil. This study provides quantitative evidence supporting the increase of carbon storage in coastal wetland soil-plant systems through a combined application of biochar and AMF.

Achieving sustainable trichloroethylene removal from nitrate-containing groundwater: Effects of particle size and dosage of microscale zero-valent iron on its synergistic action with anaerobic bacteria.

The coupling of microscale zero-valent iron (mZVI) and anaerobic bacteria (AB) has gained increasing attention due to its ability to enhance dechlorination efficiency by combining the advantages of chemical and microbial reduction. However, the implementation of these coupling technologies at the field scale is challenging in terms of sustainability goals due to the coexistence of various natural electron acceptors in groundwater, which leads to limited electron selectivity and increased secondary risk. Therefore, this study used trichloroethylene (TCE) as a probe contaminant and nitrate (NO3-) as a typical co-occurring natural electron acceptor to optimize the overall sustainable remediation performance of an mZVI/AB coupled system by adjusting the mZVI particle size and dosage. Results revealed that mZVI particles of different sizes exhibit different microorganism activation capabilities. In contrast to its 2 µm and 7 µm counterparts, the 30 µm mZVI/AB system demonstrated a strong dosage-dependency in TCE removal and its product selectivity. Finally, multi-criteria analysis (MCA) methods were established to comprehensively rank the alternatives, and 30 µm mZVI (15 g/L dosage) was determined to be the best remediation strategy with the highest total sustainability score under all studied hydro-chemical conditions when equal weights were applied to technical, environmental, and economic indicators. Our work provides a paradigm for comprehensively assessing the sustainable remediation performance of chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons polluted groundwater in practical applications.

Brominated Flame Retardants (BFRs) in China Over the Past Half-Century: Stocks, Flows, Fates, and Ecological Risks.

China is a significant producer and consumer of various brominated flame retardants (BFRs), raising environmental concerns due to their widespread presence and potential threats to ecosystems and organisms. This study adopts a life cycle perspective, combining material flow analysis, multimedia environmental modeling, and ecological risk assessment to systematically analyze the substance metabolism and ecological risks of six BFR types in China from 1970 to 2021. The findings reveal that China's cumulative BFR consumption reached 3.3 Mt, with the electronics sector being the predominant contributor at 52.1%. Consequently, 1.5 kt of BFRs were released into the environment, with 24.9%, 31.5%, and 43.6% being discharged into the air, water, and soil, respectively. Notably, the proportion of novel BFRs in emissions has steadily increased over the years, exemplified by the increase in decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE) from 21.3% in 2010 to 30.1% in 2021. Geographically, BFR concentrations are higher in the eastern and southwestern regions compared to those in the northwest. Presently, certain BFRs like tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) and DBDPE exhibit moderate to high ecological risks, primarily concentrated in the Shandong and Sichuan provinces. A combination of efficient recycling, emission control, and substitution with novel flame-retardant can minimize the exposure of BFRs to the environment and organisms.

Buffer-free ozone-ferrate(VI) systems for enhanced oxidation of electron-deficient contaminants: Synergistic enhancement effects, systematic toxicity assessment, and practical applications.

The combination of ozone (O3) and ferrate (Fe(VI)) oxidation technology demonstrates substantial potential for practical applications, though it has been underreported, resulting in gaps in comprehensive activity assessments and thorough exploration of its mechanisms. This study reveals that the previous use of a borate buffer solution obscured certain synergistic reactions between O3 and Fe(VI), causing a reduction of activity by ∼40 % when oxidizing the electron-deficient pollutant atrazine. Consequently, we reassessed the activity and mechanisms using a buffer-salt-free O3/Fe(VI) system. Our findings showed that the hydroxyl radical (·OH) served as the predominant active species, responsible for an impressive 95.9 % of the oxidation activity against electron-deficient pollutants. Additional experiments demonstrated that the rapid production of neglected and really important superoxide radicals (·O2-) could facilitate the decomposition of O3 to generate ·OH and accelerate the reduction of Fe(VI) to Fe(V), reactivating O3 to produce ·OH anew. Intriguingly, as the reaction progressed, the initially depleted Fe(VI) was partially regenerated, stabilizing at over 50 %, highlighting the significant potential of this combined system. Moreover, this combined system could achieve a high mineralization efficiency of 80.4 % in treating actual coking wastewater, complemented by extensive toxicity assessments using Escherichia coli, wheat seeds, and zebrafish embryos, showcasing its robust application potential. This study revisits and amends previous research on the O3/Fe(VI) system, providing new insights into its activity and synergistic mechanisms. Such a combined technology has potential for the treatment of difficult-to-degrade industrial wastewater.

Direct Electron Transfer-Driven Nontoxic Oligomeric Deposition of Sulfonamide Antibiotics onto Carbon Materials for In Situ Water Remediation.

The rising in situ chemical oxidation (ISCO) technologies based on polymerization reactions have advanced the removal of emerging contaminants in the aquatic environment. However, despite their promise, uncertainties persist regarding their effectiveness in eliminating structurally complex contaminants, such as sulfonamide antibiotics (SAs). This study elucidated that oligomerization, rather than mineralization, predominantly governs the removal of SAs in the carbon materials/periodate system. The amine groups in SAs played a crucial role in forming organic radicals and subsequent coupling reactions due to their high f- index and low bond orders. Moreover, the study highlighted the robust adhesion of oligomers to the catalyst surface, facilitated by enhanced van der Waals forces and hydrophobic interactions. Importantly, plant and animal toxicity assessments confirmed the nontoxic nature of oligomers deposited on the carbon material surface, affirming the efficacy of carbon material-based ISCO in treating contaminated surface water and groundwater. Additionally, a novel classification approach, Δlog k, was proposed to differentiate SAs based on their kinetic control steps, providing deeper insights into the quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) and facilitating the selection of optimal descriptors during the oligomerization processes. Overall, these insights significantly enhance our understanding of SAs removal via oligomerization and demonstrate the superiority of C-ISCO based on polymerization in water decontamination.

Circumventing bottlenecks in H2O2 photosynthesis over carbon nitride with iodine redox chemistry and electric field effects.

Artificial photosynthesis using carbon nitride (g-C3N4) holds a great promise for sustainable and cost-effective H2O2 production, but the high carrier recombination rate impedes its efficiency. To tackle this challenge, we propose an innovative method involving multispecies iodine mediators (I-/I3-) intercalation through a pre-photo-oxidation process using potassium iodide (suspected deteriorated "KI") within the g-C3N4 framework. Moreover, we introduce an external electric field by incorporating cationic methyl viologen ions to establish an auxiliary electron transfer channel. Such a unique design drastically improves the separation of photo-generated carriers, achieving an impressive H2O2 production rate of 46.40 mmol g-1 h-1 under visible light irradiation, surpassing the most visible-light H2O2-producing systems. Combining various advanced characterization techniques elucidates the inner photocatalytic mechanism, and the application potential of this photocatalytic system is validated with various simulation scenarios. This work presents a significative strategy for preparing and applying highly efficient g-C3N4-based catalysts in photochemical H2O2 production.

Rejuvenation of peripheral immune cells attenuates Alzheimer's disease-like pathologies and behavioral deficits in a mouse model.

Immunosenescence contributes to systematic aging and plays a role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the potential of immune rejuvenation as a therapeutic strategy for AD. To achieve this, the immune systems of aged APP/PS1 mice were rejuvenated through young bone marrow transplantation (BMT). Single-cell RNA sequencing revealed that young BMT restored the expression of aging- and AD-related genes in multiple cell types within blood immune cells. The level of circulating senescence-associated secretory phenotype proteins was decreased following young BMT. Notably, young BMT resulted in a significant reduction in cerebral Aß plaque burden, neuronal degeneration, neuroinflammation, and improvement of behavioral deficits in aged APP/PS1 mice. The ameliorated cerebral amyloidosis was associated with an enhanced Aß clearance of peripheral monocytes. In conclusion, our study provides evidence that immune system rejuvenation represents a promising therapeutic approach for AD.

NnSUS1 encodes a sucrose synthase involved in sugar accumulation in lotus seed cotyledons.

Fresh lotus seeds are gaining favor with consumers for their crunchy texture and natural sweetness. However, the intricacies of sugar accumulation in lotus seeds remain elusive, which greatly hinders the quality improvement of fresh lotus seeds. This study endeavors to elucidate this mechanism by identifying and characterizing the sucrose synthase (SUS) gene family in lotus. Comprising five distinct members, namely NnSUS1 to NnSUS5, each gene within this family features a C-terminal glycosyl transferase1 (GT1) domain. Among them, NnSUS1 is the predominately expressed gene, showing high transcript abundance in the floral organs and cotyledons. NnSUS1 was continuously up-regulated from 6 to 18 days after pollination (DAP) in lotus cotyledons. Furthermore, NnSUS1 demonstrates co-expression relationships with numerous genes involved in starch and sucrose metabolism. To investigate the function of NnSUS1, a transient overexpression system was established in lotus cotyledons, which confirmed the gene's contribution to sugar accumulation. Specifically, transient overexpression of NnSUS1 in seed cotyledons leads to a significant increase in the levels of total soluble sugar, including sucrose and fructose. These findings provide valuable theoretical insights for improving sugar content in lotus seeds through molecular breeding methods.

DNA Nanospheres Assisted Spatial Confinement Signal Amplification for MicroRNA Imaging in Live Cancer Cells.

DNA assemblies are commonly used in biosensing, particularly for the detection and imaging of microRNAs (miRNAs), which are biomarkers associated with tumor progression. However, the difficulty lies in the exploration of high-sensitivity analytical techniques for miRNA due to its limited presence in living cells. In this study, we introduced a DNA nanosphere (DS) enhanced catalytic hairpin assembly (CHA) system for the detection and imaging of intracellular miR-21. The single-stranded DNA with four palindromic portions and extending sequences at the terminal was annealed for assembling DS, which avoided the complex sequence design and high cost of long DNA strands. Benefiting from the multiple modification sites of DS, functional hairpins H1 (modified with Cy3 and BHQ2) and H2 were grafted onto the surface of DS for assembling DS-H1-H2 using a hybridization reaction. The DS-H1-H2 system utilized spatial confinement and the CHA reaction to amplify fluorescence signals of Cy3. This enabled highly sensitive and rapid detection of miR-21 in the range from 0.05 to 3.5 nM. The system achieved a limit of determination (LOD) of 2.0 pM, which was 56 times lower than that of the control CHA circuit with freedom hairpins. Additionally, the sensitivity was improved by 8 times. Moreover, DS-H1-H2 also showed an excellent imaging capability for endogenous miR-21 in tumor cells. This was due to enhanced cell internalization efficiency, accelerated reaction kinetics, and improved biostability. The imaging strategy was shown to effectively monitor the dynamic content of miR-21 in live cancer cells and differentiate various cells. In general, the simple nanostructure DS not only enhanced the detection and imaging capability of the conventional probe but also could be easily integrated with the reported DNA-free probe, indicating a wide range of potential applications.

Double charge flips of polyamide membrane by ionic liquid-decoupled bulk and interfacial diffusion for on-demand nanofiltration.

Fine design of surface charge properties of polyamide membranes is crucial for selective ionic and molecular sieving. Traditional membranes face limitations due to their inherent negative charge and limited charge modification range. Herein, we report a facile ionic liquid-decoupled bulk/interfacial diffusion strategy to elaborate the double charge flips of polyamide membranes, enabling on-demand transformation from inherently negative to highly positive and near-neutral charges. The key to these flips lies in the meticulous utilization of ionic liquid that decouples intertwined bulk/interfacial diffusion, enhancing interfacial while inhibiting bulk diffusion. These charge-tunable polyamide membranes can be customized for impressive separation performance, for example, profound Cl-/SO42- selectivity above 470 in sulfate recovery, ultrahigh Li+/Mg2+ selectivity up to 68 in lithium extraction, and effective divalent ion removal in pharmaceutical purification, surpassing many reported polyamide nanofiltration membranes. This advancement adds a new dimension to in the design of advanced polymer membranes via interfacial polymerization.

Self-Flipping Solar Seesaw Evaporators Leverage Scaling to De-Scale.

Salt scaling poses a significant obstacle to the practical implementation of solar-driven evaporation for desalination. Attempts to mitigate scaling by enhancing mass transfer often lead to a compromise in evaporation efficiency due to associated heat loss. In the present work, a novel seesaw evaporator with a Janus structure to harness scaling for periodic self-descaling is reported. The seesaw evaporators are facilely fabricated by delignifying balsa wood and subsequently single-sided spray-coating it with soot and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). This unique Janus structure enables the evaporator to float on the brine while ensuring an ample supply of solution for evaporation. During evaporation, salt ions are transported directionally toward the cocked end of the evaporator to form scaling, triggering the seesaw evaporator to flip once a threshold is reached. The accumulated salts re-dissolve back into the solution. By adjusting the tilt angle, the evaporator can achieve an impressive evaporation rate of up to 2.65 kg m-2 h-1 when evaporating an 8 wt.% NaCl solution. Remarkably, these evaporators maintain a stable evaporation rate during prolonged 120 h operation and produce ≈3.93-6.35 L m⁻2·day⁻¹ of freshwater from simulated brines when assembled into an evaporation device.

Iodine-catalyzed regioselective direct sulfenylation of uracil with sulfonyl hydrazide as sulfur source under solvent free conditions.

A facile method was developed for the selective thioetherification of uracils using sulfonyl hydrazide as the thioetherification reagent. This method offers advantages such as avoiding the use of additives and expensive metal catalysts, and providing good to excellent yields of various uracil thioethers. Experimental studies have demonstrated that the reaction follows a free radical pathway. Notably, the reaction can be carried out without solvent.

2D/2D heterojunctions for rapid and self-cleaning removal of antibiotics via visible light-assisted peroxymonosulfate activation: Efficiency, synergistic effects, and applications.

Developing eco-friendly and efficient technologies for treating antibiotic wastewater is crucial. Traditional methods face challenges in incomplete removal, high costs, and secondary pollution. Heterogeneous peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation assisted by visible light shows promise, but suitable activators remain a huge challenge. Here, we synthesized cost-effective carbon nitride/bismuth bromide oxide (CN/BiOBr) heterojunctions. Such a heterojunction achieved rapid PMS activation, achieving over 90.00% tetracycline (TC) removal only within 1 min (kobs of 2.23 min-1), surpassing previous systems by nearly 1-2 orders of magnitude and even remarkably superior to the popular single-atom catalysts. The system exhibited self-cleaning properties, maintaining activity after 8 cycles and stability across a wide pH range (3.01 to 9.03). Quenching experiments and theoretical calculations elucidated the exclusive •O2- species involvement and removal pathways. Eco-toxicity assessment and total organic carbon results confirmed simultaneous degradation, detoxification, and mineralization. This system also showed excellent resistance to environmental factors, e.g., coexisting anions, varying pH, and water sources, and demonstrated potential in coking and medical wastewater purification. This study presents a novel technique for rapidly decontaminating antibiotic wastewater through visible light-assisted PMS activation and introduces innovative bionic catalytic oxidation combining light and darkness for practical applications.

Embedding electronic perpetual motion into single-atom catalysts for persistent Fenton-like reactions.

In our quest to leverage the capabilities of the emerging single-atom catalysts (SACs) for wastewater purification, we confronted fundamental challenges related to electron scarcity and instability. Through meticulous theoretical calculations, we identified optimal placements for nitrogen vacancies (Nv) and iron (Fe) single-atom sites, uncovering a dual-site approach that significantly amplified visible-light absorption and charge transfer dynamics. Informed by these computational insights, we cleverly integrated Nv into the catalyst design to boost electron density around iron atoms, yielding a potent and flexible photoactivator for benign peracetic acid. This exceptional catalyst exhibited remarkable stability and effectively degraded various organic contaminants over 20 cycles with self-cleaning properties. Specifically, the Nv sites captured electrons, enabling their swift transfer to adjacent Fe sites under visible light irradiation. This mechanism accelerated the reduction of the formed "peracetic acid-catalyst" intermediate. Theoretical calculations were used to elucidate the synergistic interplay of dual mechanisms, illuminating increased adsorption and activation of reactive molecules. Furthermore, electron reduction pathways on the conduction band were elaborately explored, unveiling the production of reactive species that enhanced photocatalytic processes. A six-flux model and associated parameters were also applied to precisely optimize the photocatalytic process, providing invaluable insights for future photocatalyst design. Overall, this study offers a molecule-level insight into the rational design of robust SACs in a photo-Fenton-like system, with promising implications for wastewater treatment and other high-value applications.

FLOWERING LOCUS T genes control floral induction in lotus.

The transition to flowering is a vital process in the lotus life cycle that significantly impacts its ornamental value and seed production. However, the molecular basis of floral transition in lotus remains largely unknown. Here, eight homologous FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) genes were initially characterized in lotus, which were designated as NnFT1-NnFT8. All of these genes were found to possess the conserved PEBP domain and exhibited high transcript levels in both lotus leaves and floral organs. The proNnFT:ß-glucuronidase (GUS) assay exhibited GUS staining in the vascular tissues of leaves. Furthermore, subcellular localization revealed that NnFT proteins were present in various cellular organelles, including the nucleus, cytoplasm, and endoplasmic reticulum. Overexpression of two NnFT homologs, NnFT2 and NnFT3, rescued the late flowering phenotype in the Arabidopsis ft-10 mutant, indicating the stimulative roles of NnFTs in floral induction. Moreover, NnFTs demonstrated interactions with a bZIP transcription factor, FLOWERING LOCUS D (NnFD), both in vitro and in vivo. These findings will not only deepen our understanding of the regulatory mechanism underlying lotus floral transition, but also provide valuable genetic resources for creating new lotus varieties with extended blooming periods using molecular strategies in the future.

Sativene Sesquiterpenoids from the Plant Endophytic Fungus Bipolaris victoriae S27 and Their Potential as Plant-Growth Regulators.

Thirteen new sativene sesquiterpenoids (1 and 3-14), one new natural product (2), and 16 known compounds (15-30) were isolated from the endophytic fungus Bipolaris victoriae S27. Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analysis, NMR and ECD calculations, and X-ray crystal diffractions. Compound 1 represented the first example of sativene sesquiterpenoids with a 6/5/3/5-caged tetracyclic ring system. All obtained compounds were evaluated for their plant-growth regulatory activity. The results showed that 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 11, 12, 17, 19, 26, and 27 could suppress the growth of Arabidopsis thaliana, while 2, 5, 13, 15, 18, and 25 showed promoting effects. Among them, compound 3 showed the most potent plant-growth inhibitory activity, which is obviously superior to that of the marked herbicide glyphosate.

Design of Photothermal "Ion Pumps" for Achieving Energy-Efficient, Augmented, and Durable Lithium Extraction from Seawater.

Extracting lithium from seawater has emerged as a disruptive platform to resolve the issue of an ever-growing lithium shortage. However, achieving highly efficient and durable lithium extraction from seawater in an energy-efficient manner is challenging, as imposed by the low concentration of lithium ions (Li+) and high concentration of interfering ions in seawater. Here, we report a facile and universal strategy to develop photothermal "ion pumps" (PIPs) that allow achieving energy-efficient, augmented, and durable lithium extraction from seawater under sunlight. The key design of PIPs lies in the function fusion and spatial configuration manipulation of a hydrophilic Li+-trapping nanofibrous core and a hydrophobic photothermal shell for governing gravity-driven water flow and solar-driven water evaporation. Such a synergetic effect allows PIPs to achieve spontaneous, continuous, and augmented Li+ replenishment-diffusion-enrichment, as well as circumvent the impact of concentration polarization and scaling of interfering ions. We demonstrate that our PIPs exhibit dramatic enhancement in Li+ trapping rate and outstanding Li+ separation factor yet have ultralow energy consumption. Moreover, our PIPs deliver ultrastable Li+ trapping performance without scaling even under high-concentration interfering ions for 140 h operation, as opposed to the significant decrease of nearly 55.6% in conventional photothermal configuration. The design concept and material toolkit developed in this work can also find applications in extracting high-value-added resources from seawater and beyond.