Screening and genetic engineering of marine-derived Aspergillus terreus for high-efficient production of lovastatin.

BACKGROUND: Lovastatin has widespread applications thanks to its multiple pharmacological effects. Fermentation by filamentous fungi represents the major way of lovastatin production. However, the current lovastatin productivity by fungal fermentation is limited and needs to be improved. RESULTS: In this study, the lovastatin-producing strains of Aspergillus terreus from marine environment were screened, and their lovastatin productions were further improved by genetic engineering. Five strains of A. terreus were isolated from various marine environments. Their secondary metabolites were profiled by metabolomics analysis using Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography-Mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS) with Global Natural Products Social Molecular Networking (GNPS), revealing that the production of secondary metabolites was variable among different strains. Remarkably, the strain of A. terreus MJ106 could principally biosynthesize the target drug lovastatin, which was confirmed by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and gene expression analysis. By one-factor experiment, lactose was found to be the best carbon source for A. terreus MJ106 to produce lovastatin. To improve the lovastatin titer in A. terreus MJ106, genetic engineering was applied to this strain. Firstly, a series of strong promoters was identified by transcriptomic and green fluorescent protein reporter analysis. Then, three selected strong promoters were used to overexpress the transcription factor gene lovE encoding the major transactivator for lov gene cluster expression. The results revealed that compared to A. terreus MJ106, all lovE over-expression mutants exhibited significantly more production of lovastatin and higher gene expression. One of them, LovE-b19, showed the highest lovastatin productivity at a titer of 1512 mg/L, which represents the highest production level reported in A. terreus. CONCLUSION: Our data suggested that combination of strain screen and genetic engineering represents a powerful tool for improving the productivity of fungal secondary metabolites, which could be adopted for large-scale production of lovastatin in marine-derived A. terreus.

Dynamic Structures and Fast Transition Kinetics of Oxidized G-Quadruplexes.

8-oxoguanines (8-oxoG) in cells form compromised G-quadruplexes (GQs), which may vary GQ mediated gene regulations. By mimicking molecularly crowded cellular environment using 40% DMSO or sucrose, here it is found that oxidized human telomeric GQs have stabilities close to the wild-type (WT) GQs. Surprisingly, while WT GQs show negative formation cooperativity between a Pt(II) binder and molecularly crowded environment, positive cooperativity is observed for oxidized GQ formation. Single-molecule mechanical unfolding reveals that 8-oxoG sequence formed more diverse and flexible structures with faster folding/unfolding transition kinetics, which facilitates the Pt(II) ligand to bind the best-fit structures with positive cooperativity. These findings offer new understanding on structures and properties of oxidized G-rich species in crowded environments. They also provide insights into the design of better ligands to target oxidized G-rich structures formed under oxidative cell stress.

Changes in the Quality and Microbial Communities of Precooked Seasoned Crayfish Tail Treated with Microwave and Biological Preservatives during Room Temperature Storage.

The qualities of precooked foods can be significantly changed by the microorganisms produced during room temperature storage. This work assessed the effects of different antibacterial treatments (CK, without any treatment; microwave treatment, MS; microwave treatment and biological preservatives, MSBP) on the physicochemical properties and microbial communities of precooked crayfish tails during room temperature storage. Only the combination of microwave sterilization and biological preservatives significantly inhibited spoilage, as evidenced by the total viable count (4.15 log CFU/g) after 3 days of room temperature storage, which satisfied the transit time of most logistics companies in China. Changes in pH and TVB-N were also significantly inhibited in the MSBP group compared with those in the CK and MS groups. More than 30 new volatile compounds were produced in the CK groups during room temperature storage. However, in the MSBP groups, the volatile compounds were almost unchanged. The correlations between the microbial composition and volatile compounds suggested that specific bacterial species with metabolic activities related to amino acid, energy, cofactor, and vitamin metabolism, as well as xenobiotics biodegradation and metabolism, were responsible for the changes in volatile compounds. These bacteria included Psychrobacter, Arthrobacter, Facklamia, Leucobacter, Corynebacterium, Erysipelothrix, Devosia, Dietzia, and Acidovorax. Overall, our findings provide a foundation for the development of strategies to inhibit spoilage in precooked crayfish tails stored at room temperature.

Population genetic analysis based on the polymorphisms mediated by transposons in the genomes of pig.

Transposable elements (TEs) mobility is capable of generating a large number of structural variants (SVs), which can have considerable potential as molecular markers for genetic analysis and molecular breeding in livestock. Our results showed that the pig genome contains mainly TE-SVs generated by short interspersed nuclear elements (51,873/76.49%), followed by long interspersed nuclear elements (11,131/16.41%), and more than 84% of the common TE-SVs (Minor allele frequency, MAF > 0.10) were validated to be polymorphic. Subsequently, we utilized the identified TE-SVs to gain insights into the population structure, resulting in clear differentiation among the three pig groups and facilitating the identification of relationships within Chinese local pig breeds. In addition, we investigated the frequencies of TEs in the gene coding regions of different pig groups and annotated the respective TE types, related genes, and functional pathways. Through genome-wide comparisons of Large White pigs and Chinese local pigs utilizing the Beijing Black pigs, we identified TE-mediated SVs associated with quantitative trait loci and observed that they were mainly involved in carcass traits and meat quality traits. Lastly, we present the first documented evidence of TE transduction in the pig genome.

Chlorella alleviates the intestinal damage of tilapia caused by microplastics.

Polyethylene microplastics (MPs) of the different sizes may result in different response in fish. Studies showed microorganisms adhered to the surface of MPs have toxicological effect. Juveniles tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus, n = 600, 26.5 ± 0.6 g) were dispersed into six groups: the control group (A), 75 nm MP exposed group (B), 7.5 µm group (C) and 750 (D) µm group, 75 nm + 7.5 µm+750 µm group (E) and 75 nm + Chlorella vulgaris group (F), and exposed for 10 and 14 days. The intestinal histopathological change, enzymic activities, and the integrated "omics" workflows containing transcriptomics, proteomics, microbiota and metabolomes, have been performed in tilapia. Results showed that MPs were distributed on the surface of goblet cells, Chlorella group had severe villi fusion without something like intestinal damage, as in other MPs groups. The intestinal Total Cholesterol (TC, together with group E) and Tumor Necrosis Factor α (TNFα, except for group B) contents in group F were significantly increased, cytochrome p450 1a1 (EROD, group B and E) significantly increased, adenosine triphosphate (ATP), lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and caspase 3 (except group B) also significantly increased at 14 d. At 14 days, group E saw considerably higher regulation of the actin cytoskeleton, focal adhesion, insulin signaling pathway, and AGE-RAGE signaling pathway in diabetes complications. Whereas, chlorella enhanced the focal adhesion, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, and MAPK signaling pathways. PPAR signaling pathway has been extremely significantly enriched via the proteomics method. Candidatus latescibacteria, C. uhrbacteria, C. abyssubacteria, C. cryosericota significantly decreased caused by MPs of different particle sizes. Carboxylic acids and derivatives, indoles and derivatives, organooxygen compounds, fatty acyls and organooxygen compounds significantly increased with long-term duration, especially PPAR signaling pathway. MPs had a size-dependent long-term effect on histopathological change, gene and protein expression, and gut microbial metabolites, while chlorella alleviates the intestinal histopathological damage via the integrated "omics" workflows.

Detecting MRI-Invisible Prostate Cancers Using a Weakly Supervised Deep Learning Model.

Background: MRI is an important tool for accurate detection and targeted biopsy of prostate lesions. However, the imaging appearances of some prostate cancers are similar to those of the surrounding normal tissue on MRI, which are referred to as MRI-invisible prostate cancers (MIPCas). The detection of MIPCas remains challenging and requires extensive systematic biopsy for identification. In this study, we developed a weakly supervised UNet (WSUNet) to detect MIPCas. Methods: The study included 777 patients (training set: 600; testing set: 177), all of them underwent comprehensive prostate biopsies using an MRI-ultrasound fusion system. MIPCas were identified in MRI based on the Gleason grade (≥7) from known systematic biopsy results. Results: The WSUNet model underwent validation through systematic biopsy in the testing set with an AUC of 0.764 (95% CI: 0.728-0.798). Furthermore, WSUNet exhibited a statistically significant precision improvement of 91.3% (p < 0.01) over conventional systematic biopsy methods in the testing set. This improvement resulted in a substantial 47.6% (p < 0.01) decrease in unnecessary biopsy needles, while maintaining the same number of positively identified cores as in the original systematic biopsy. Conclusions: In conclusion, the proposed WSUNet could effectively detect MIPCas, thereby reducing unnecessary biopsies.

From Good Expectancy to Good Feelings: How Optimism Is Related to Subjective Well-Being in Chinese Adults through the Pathway of Coping.

Positive psychology has attracted increasing attention from many scholars worldwide. There is a considerable body of knowledge on the relationship between optimism and subjective well-being (SWB). However, their mediation mechanism has not been fully studied, and most of the current conclusions were formulated within the context of Western culture, with a limited number of empirical studies specifically targeting Chinese people. Based on the theories of self-regulation and stress coping, our research aimed to validate the association between optimism and SWB among Chinese adults and further investigate the mediating effect of positive and negative coping in this relationship. In Study 1, using a national dataset from the Chinese General Social Survey (N = 12,582), we captured the direct positive relationship between optimism and SWB. In Study 2, taking a cross-sectional study (N = 272), we found the mediating effect of positive and negative coping in the relationship between optimism and SWB according to correlation and regression analysis. In Study 3, taking a cross-lagged study (N = 343), we reverified the results of Study 2 and found negative coping no longer played a role as a mediator after accounting for the factors of social desirability and state anxiety in the analysis. These findings are worthwhile for paying attention to Chinese people's optimistic traits and the pathways to improving their subjective well-being using different coping behaviors.

(111) Facet-oriented Cu2Mg Intermetallic Compound with Cu3-Mg Sites for CO2 Electroreduction to Ethanol with Industrial Current Density.

The efficient ethanol electrosynthesis from CO2 is challenging with low selectivity at high CO2 electrolysis rates, due to the competition with H2 and other reduction products. Copper-based bimetallic electrocatalysts are potential candidates for the CO2-to-ethanol conversion, but the secondary metal has mainly been focused on active components (such as Ag, Sn) for CO2 electroreduction, which also promote selectivity of ethylene or other reduction products rather than ethanol. Limited attention has been given to alkali-earth metals due to their inherently active chemical property. Herein, we rationally synthesized a (111) facet-oriented nano Cu2Mg (designated as Cu2Mg(111)) intermetallic compound with high-density ordered Cu3-Mg sites. The in situ Raman spectroscopy and density function theory calculations revealed that the Cu3 - δ $_{^{\rm{{\rm \delta} }} }$ --Mg- δ $_{^{\rm{{\rm \delta} }} }$ + active sites allowed to increase *CO surface coverage, decrease reaction energy for *CO-CO coupling, and stabilize *CHCHOH intermediates, thus promoting the ethanol formation pathway. The Cu2Mg(111) catalyst exhibited a high FEC2H5OH of 76.2±4.8 % at 600 mA⋅cm-2, and a peak value of |jC2H5OH| of 720±34 mA⋅cm-2, almost 4 times of that using conventional Cu2Mg with (311) facets, comparable to the best reported values for the CO2-to-ethanol electroreduction.

Evolution of Endogenous Retroviruses in the Subfamily of Caprinae.

The interest in endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) has been fueled by their impact on the evolution of the host genome. In this study, we used multiple pipelines to conduct a de novo exploration and annotation of ERVs in 13 species of the Caprinae subfamily. Through analyses of sequence identity, structural organization, and phylogeny, we defined 28 ERV groups within Caprinae, including 19 gamma retrovirus groups and 9 beta retrovirus groups. Notably, we identified four recent and potentially active groups prevalent in the Caprinae genomes. Additionally, our investigation revealed that most long noncoding genes (lncRNA) and protein-coding genes (PC) contain ERV-derived sequences. Specifically, we observed that ERV-derived sequences were present in approximately 75% of protein-coding genes and 81% of lncRNA genes in sheep. Similarly, in goats, ERV-derived sequences were found in approximately 74% of protein-coding genes and 75% of lncRNA genes. Our findings lead to the conclusion that the majority of ERVs in the Caprinae genomes can be categorized as fossils, representing remnants of past retroviral infections that have become permanently integrated into the genomes. Nevertheless, the identification of the Cap_ERV_20, Cap_ERV_21, Cap_ERV_24, and Cap_ERV_25 groups indicates the presence of relatively recent and potentially active ERVs in these genomes. These particular groups may contribute to the ongoing evolution of the Caprinae genome. The identification of putatively active ERVs in the Caprinae genomes raises the possibility of harnessing them for future genetic marker development.

Gene-environment transactions between peer cigarette use, parental supervision, and Chinese adolescent cigarette smoking initiation.

INTRODUCTION: The initiation and continued use of tobacco products constitute an ongoing source of preventable disease that continues to pose a significant risk to global adolescent health. Scarce research has sought to explore the influences of two well-known environmental risk factors, parental supervision and peer cigarette use, on genetic and environmental contributions to adolescent cigarette use, especially in non-Western populations. METHODS: Following 602 Chinese twin pairs (52% female, N = 1204) from early to middle adolescence at two-time points (Mage = 12 and 15) from 2006 to 2009 and using multivariate biometric modeling, this study examined gene-environment interplay (i.e., gene-environment correlation and interaction) between perceived parental supervision, peer cigarette use, and adolescent cigarette smoking initiation. RESULTS: From early to middle adolescence, genetic influences on cigarette smoking initiation became more pronounced, whereas shared environmental influences that promote similarity between family members diminished. Genetic factors primarily explained the links between parental supervision and cigarette smoking initiation in mid-adolescence. Peer cigarette use displayed stronger associations with and moderating potential in adolescent cigarette smoking initiation than parental supervision. High levels of peer cigarette use amplified genetic risk for cigarette smoking initiation in mid-adolescence. CONCLUSIONS: Chinese adolescent cigarette smoking initiation involves dynamic gene-environment transactions primarily with peer processes over development. Mid-adolescence constitutes a developmental period wherein underlying genetic risk for cigarette smoking initiation is particularly sensitive to peer influences. Targeted interventions aimed at reducing Chinese adolescent cigarette smoking initiation should focus on peer processes during this developmental period.

Neuroprotective effect of green tea extract (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate in a preformed fibril-induced mouse model of Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease characterized by the progressive degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra (SN). The main bioactive component of green tea polyphenols (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) exerts protective effects against diseases such as neurodegenerative diseases and cancer. Therefore, this study investigated the effect of EGCG on the amelioration of neural damage in a chronic PD mouse model induced by α-synuclein preformed fibrils (α-syn-PFFs). A total of 20 C57BL/6J female mice were randomly divided into 3 groups: control group (saline, n = 6), model group (PFFs, n = 7), and prevention group (EGCG+PFFs, n = 7). A chronic PD mouse model was obtained by the administration of α-syn-PFFs by stereotaxic localization in the striatum. Behavioral tests were performed to evaluate PD-related anxiety-like behavior and motor impairments in the long-term PD progression. Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) immuno-positive neurons and Ser129-phosphorylated α-syn (p-α-syn) were identified by immunohistochemistry. Pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines were measured by real-time quantitative PCR. EGCG pretreatment reduced anxiety-like behavior and motor impairments as revealed by the long-term behavioral test (2 weeks, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months) on PD mice. EGCG also ameliorated PFF-induced degeneration of TH immuno-positive neurons and accumulation of p-α-syn in the SN and striatum at 6 months. Additionally, EGCG reduced the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines while promoting the release of anti-inflammatory cytokines. EGCG exerts a neuroprotective effect on long-term progression of the PD model.

Intergenerational cascade processes from parental childhood adversity to child emotional and behavioral problems.

BACKGROUND: Parental adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) may transmit to the next generation and influence children's emotional and behavioral problems. Relatively little evidence exists on the underlying pathways of this intergenerational transmission at the family- and individual-level. OBJECTIVE: This study examined the intergenerational cascade processes of parental ACEs on children's emotional and behavioral problems via family cohesion, children's ACEs, and children's self-control. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: 283 children (52 % male, Mage = 10.47 years) and their parents (61.1 % mothers, Mage = 38.62 years) were recruited for a 2-month longitudinal study with surveys administered at three time points. METHOD: Mediation models examined the intergenerational effects of parental ACEs (T1/T3) and family cohesion (T1) as reported by parents, and children's ACEs (T1) and children's self-control (T2) as reported by children, on children's internalizing and externalizing problems (T3) as reported by parents. RESULTS: Family cohesion, children's ACEs, and children's self-control sequentially mediated the link between parental ACEs and children's externalizing problems (indirect effect = 0.004, 95 % CI [0.001, 0.014]). Parental ACEs were directly linked with children's internalizing problems (ß = 0.191, SE = 0.075, p = .011). CONCLUSIONS: Findings demonstrated intergenerational cascades of distal and proximal risk processes from parental ACEs to children's behavioral problems. These findings have implications for future interventions on children's externalizing problems that aim at improving family cohesion and children's self-control for families exposed to childhood adversity.

Rare-Earth-Modified NiS2 Improves OH Coverage for an Industrial Alkaline Water Electrolyzer.

The low coverage rate of anode OH adsorption under high current density conditions has become an important factor restricting the development of an industrial alkaline water electrolyzer (AWE). Here, we present our rare earth modification promotion strategy on using the rare earth oxygen-friendly interface to increase the OH coverage of the NiS2 surface for efficient AWE anode catalysis. Density functional theory calculations predict that rare earths can enhance the coverage of surface OH, and the synthesis reaction mechanism is discussed in the synthesis process spectrum. Experimentally, by preparing a series of rare-earth-modified NiS2, the relationship between OH coverage, active site density, and catalytic activity was established by attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, time-resolved absorption spectra, and so on. The unique oxygenophilic properties of rare earths enhance OH coverage, thereby increasing the density of active sites for efficient catalysis. Furthermore, Eu2O3/NiS2 was assembled into the AWE equipment and operated stably for over 240 h at a current density of 300 mA cm-2 under industrial conditions of 80 °C and 30% KOH. Rare-earth-modified NiS2 exhibits better catalytic activity than traditional non-noble metal anode catalysts Ni(OH)2 and NiS2, providing a new approach for rare earth promotion to solve the problem of low OH coverage in the AWE anode.

Is Ancient Medical Treatment an Option for Curating Osteosarcoma Combined with Chemotherapy? A Basic Analysis of Clinic Pharmacy.

BACKGROUND: As a malignant tumor, osteosarcoma (OS) ranks first place among adolescent cancers and is susceptible to developing resistance to chemotherapeutic agents. Differently, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has multiple pharmacodynamic targets and complex biological components, which can inhibit tumor survival and drug resistance and gradually play an important role in the treatment of sarcoma. METHODS: This study is to systematically evaluate the safety and efficacy of TCM combined with chemotherapy performed in the clinical treatment of OS. Based on multiple mainstream databases, eleven articles on the relationship between natural products and chemotherapy involving 656 patients were selected from all the literature published as of June 2022. Revman 5.4 software was used for a comprehensive search analysis, supplemented by established exclusion criteria, the Jadad scale, and the evaluation methods provided by Cochrane. RESULTS: The efficiency of TCM combined with chemotherapy was significantly increased compared with chemical drugs alone [OR=2.56, 95% CI (1.36,4.79), Z=2.92, P=0.003]. Meanwhile, the adverse reactions such as nausea and vomiting, hepatotoxicity, and hematological changes caused by chemical drugs were alleviated correspondingly. CONCLUSION: This study indicates that the mode of TCM combined with chemotherapy sheds light on the clinical treatment of OS, which is much better than the one-way mode.

Retroviral Insertion Polymorphism (RIP) of Porcine Endogenous Retroviruses (PERVs) in Pig Genomes.

Endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) are one of the superfamilies of long terminal repeat retrotransposons (LTRs) in mice and humans. Approximately 8% of the pig genome is composed of sequences derived from LTRs. While the majority of ERVs in pigs have decayed, a small number of full-length copies can still mobilize within the genome. This study investigated the unexplored retroviral insertion polymorphisms (RIPs) generated by the mobilization of full-length ERVs (Fl-ERVs), and evaluated their impact on phenotypic variation to gain insights into the biological role of Fl-ERVs in pigs. Overall, 39 RIPs (insertions or deletions relative to the pig reference genome) generated by Fl-ERVs were predicted by comparative genomic analysis, and 18 of them were confirmed by PCR detection. Four RIP sites (D5, D14, D15, and D18) were further evaluated by population analysis, and all of them displayed polymorphisms in multiple breeds. The RIP site of ERV-D14, which is a Fl-ERV inserted in the STAB2-like gene, was further confirmed by sequencing. Population analysis of the polymorphic site of ERV-D14 reveals that it presents moderate polymorphism information in the Large White pig breed, and the association analysis reveals that the RIP of ERV-D14 is associated with age variations at 30 kg body weight (p < 0.05) and 100 kg body weight (p < 0.01) in the population of Large White pigs (N = 480). Furthermore, the ERV-D14 RIP is associated with changes in the expression of the target gene STAB2-like in the liver, backfat, and leaf fat in Sushan pigs. These data suggest that some Fl-ERVs are still mobilizing in the pig's genome, and contribute to genomic and phenotypic variations.

Core-shell structured lignin-stabilized silver nanoprisms for colorimetric detection of sulfur ions.

Widespread occurrence of sulfides in domestic and industrial wastewater contributes to environmental pollution and poses risks to human health. Therefore, the development of highly selective, sensitive, and rapid sulfur ion (S2-) detection probes in aquatic ecosystems is of paramount importance. In this study, lignin-stabilized silver nanoprisms (EHL@AgNPRs) were prepared using the seed growth and self-assembly methods. Based on this, a novel, high-performance, and environmentally friendly S2- colorimetric detection method was proposed. Lignin is believed to coat the surface of AgNPRs through cation-π and electrostatic interactions, acting as an excellent dispersant and stabilizer to prevent aggregation and shape deformation. This allows AgNPRs to maintain localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) characteristics and superior colorimetric sensing sensitivity towards S2- even after 30 d. The EHL@AgNPRs exhibited remarkable selectivity towards S2- with a minimum detection limit of 41.3 nM. The conjugation of lignin with AgNPRs offers a highly promising approach for the rapid detection of S2- in natural aquatic environments and for the valorization of lignin.

The accuracy and reliability of different midsagittal planes in the symmetry assessment using cone-beam computed tomography.

Symmetry is an essential component of esthetic assessment. Accurate assessment of facial symmetry is critical to the treatment plan of orthognathic surgery and orthodontic treatment. However, there is no internationally accepted midsagittal plane (MSP) for orthodontists and orthognathic surgeons. The purpose of this study was to explore a clinically friendly MSP, which is more accurate and reliable than what is commonly used in symmetry assessment. Forty patients with symmetric craniofacial structures were analyzed on cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans. The CBCT data were exported to the Simplant Pro software to build four reference planes that were constructed by nasion (N), basion (Ba), sella (S), odontoid (Dent), or incisive foramen (IF). A total of 31 landmarks were located to determine which reference plane is the most optimal MSP by comparing the asymmetry index (AI). The mean value of AI showed a significant difference (p < 0.05) among four reference planes. Also, the mean value of AI for all landmarks showed that Plane 2 (consisting of N, Ba, and IF) and Plane 4 (consisting of N, IF, and Dent) were more accurate and stable. In conclusion, the MSP consisting of N, Dent, and IF shows more accuracy and reliability than the other planes. Further, it is more clinically friendly because of its significant advantage in landmarking.

Urea catalytic oxidation for energy and environmental applications.

Urea is one of the most essential reactive nitrogen species in the nitrogen cycle and plays an indispensable role in the water-energy-food nexus. However, untreated urea or urine wastewater causes severe environmental pollution and threatens human health. Electrocatalytic and photo(electro)catalytic urea oxidation technologies under mild conditions have become promising methods for energy recovery and environmental remediation. An in-depth understanding of the reaction mechanisms of the urea oxidation reaction (UOR) is important to design efficient electrocatalysts/photo(electro)catalysts for these technologies. This review provides a critical appraisal of the recent advances in the UOR by means of both electrocatalysis and photo(electro)catalysis, aiming to comprehensively assess this emerging field from fundamentals and materials, to practical applications. The emphasis of this review is on the design and development strategies for electrocatalysts/photo(electro)catalysts based on reaction pathways. Meanwhile, the UOR in natural urine is discussed, focusing on the influence of impurity ions. A particular emphasis is placed on the application of the UOR in energy and environmental fields, such as hydrogen production by urea electrolysis, urea fuel cells, and urea/urine wastewater remediation. Finally, future directions, prospects, and remaining challenges are discussed for this emerging research field. This critical review significantly increases the understanding of current progress in urea conversion and the development of a sustainable nitrogen economy.

m6A-modified circARHGAP12 promotes the aerobic glycolysis of doxorubicin-resistance osteosarcoma by targeting c-Myc.

Chemotherapy resistance accompanied by energy metabolism abnormality functions as one of the main reasons for treatment failure and poor prognosis. However, the function of N6-methyladenosine (m6A)-modified circular RNA (circRNA) on osteosarcoma (OS) is still unclear. Here, present research investigated the potential role and mechanism of circARHGAP12 on OS doxorubicin (Dox) resistance and aerobic glycolysis. Results indicated that circARHGAP12 was a novel m6A-modified circRNA, which was up-regulated in OS cells. Overexpression of circARHGAP12 promoted the Dox resistance half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) and aerobic glycolysis (glucose uptake, lactate and ATP production) in OS cells (Saos-2/Dox, MG63/Dox). Mechanistically, m6A-modified circARHGAP12 could bind with c-Myc mRNA through m6A-dependent manner, thereby enhancing the c-Myc mRNA stability. Thus, these findings revealed the critical function of circARHGAP12 on OS Dox-resistance and aerobic glycolysis. Taken together, our study demonstrated a critical function of circARHGAP12 on OS chemotherapy resistance and energy metabolism abnormality, providing critical roles on OS treatment.

Accelerating the Reaction Kinetics of CO2 Reduction to Multi-Carbon Products by Synergistic Effect between Cation and Aprotic Solvent on Copper Electrodes.

Improving the selectivity of electrochemical CO2 reduction to multi-carbon products (C2+ ) is an important and highly challenging topic. In this work, we propose and validate an effective strategy to improve C2+ selectivity on Cu electrodes, by introducing a synergistic effect between cation (Na+ ) and aprotic solvent (DMSO) to the electrolyte. Based on constant potential ab initio molecular dynamics simulations, we first revealed that Na+ facilitates C-C coupling while inhibits CH3 OH/CH4 products via reducing the water network connectivity near the electrode. Furthermore, the water network connectivity was further decreased by introducing an aprotic solvent DMSO, leading to suppression of both C1 production and hydrogen evolution reaction with minimal effect on *OCCO* hydrogenation. The synergistic effect enhancing C2 selectivity was also experimentally verified through electrochemical measurements. The results showed that the Faradaic efficiency of C2 increases from 9.3 % to 57 % at 50 mA/cm2 under a mixed electrolyte of NaHCO3 and DMSO compared to a pure NaHCO3 , which can significantly enhance the selectivity of the C2 product. Therefore, our discovery provides an effective electrolyte-based strategy for tuning CO2 RR selectivity through modulating the microenvironment at the electrode-electrolyte interface.