Association between dietary carotenoid intakes and the risk of asthma in children and adolescents: evidence from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007-2016.

Background: In recent years, the incidence of asthma in children has been increasing. As a chronic disease, in addition to drug treatment, dietary management is also important. However, studies of carotenoids and asthma have shown mixed results. This study aimed to evaluate whether the relationship between carotenoid intake and current asthma holds significant importance. Methods: We studied 9,118 children aged 6-16 years in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) of US from 2007 to 2016, and the relationship of dietary carotenoid and its subgroup with pediatric asthma. Current asthma was assessed by parent-reported, doctor-diagnosed, asthma using a standardized questionnaire. We used multivariate logistic regression to calculate the odds ratio (OR) for current asthma with a 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: Total carotenoid intake was not associated with the risk of current asthma. Compared with the first quantile, the second quantile of ß-cryptoxanthin intake was positively correlated with current asthma (Q2: 1.227; 95% CI: 1.025-1.470; P=0.03). The test of trend showed that, as the α-carotene intake increased, the risk of current asthma showed a decreasing trend, which was very close to the statistic confidence cutoff (Model I: P for trend =0.001; Model II: P for trend =0.003; Model III: P for trend =0.08). In subgroup analysis, family history of asthma interacted with carotenoid intake (P=0.005). The population without a family history of asthma, there were significant negative associations between carotenoid intakes and asthma (quartile 4: Model III: 0.720; 95% CI: 0.549-0.943; P=0.02). Conclusions: In this study, pediatric current asthma was not related to total carotenoids in our total participants. Total dietary carotenoid intake has a protective effect on children without a family history of asthma. Meanwhile, ß-cryptoxanthin intake is positively correlated with asthma.

Four Birds with One Stone: A Bandgap-Regulated Multifunctional Schottky Heterojunction for Robust Synergistic Antitumor Therapy upon Endo-/Exogenous Stimuli.

Considering the profound impact of structure on heterojunction catalysts, the rational design of emerging catalysts with optimized energy band structures is required for antitumor efficiency. Herein, we select titanium nitride (TiN) and Pt to develop a multifunctional Schottky heterojunction named Pt/H-TiN&SRF (PHTS) nanoparticles (NPs) with a narrowed bandgap to accomplish "four birds with one stone" involving enzyo/sono/photo three modals and additional ferroptosis. The in situ-grown Pt NPs acted as electron traps that can cause the energy band to bend upward and form a Schottky barrier, thereby facilitating the separation of electron/hole pairs in exogenous stimulation catalytic therapy. In addition, endogenous catalytic reactions based on peroxidase (POD)- and catalase (CAT)-mimicking activities can also be amplified, triggering intense oxidative stress, in which CAT-like activity decomposes endogenous H2O2 into O2 alleviating hypoxia and provides reactants for sonodynamic therapy. Moreover, PHTS NPs can elicit mild photothermal therapy with boosted photothermal properties as well as ferroptosis with loaded ferroptosis inducer sorafenib for effective tumor ablation and apoptosis-ferroptosis synergistic tumor inhibitory effect. In summary, this paper proposes an attractive design for antitumor strategies and highlights findings for heterojunction catalytic therapy with potential in tumor theranostics.

Prevalence and genotype distribution of human papillomavirus infection among 66000 women from 2014 to 2023 in the plateau region of Southwest China.

BACKGROUND: Persistent infection with high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) plays a key role in the onset of cervical cancer. This study was designed to examine the epidemiological trends and genotype distribution of HPV from 2014 to 2023 in the plateau region of Southwest China. METHODS: The findings could offer valuable insights for clinical screening of cervical cancer and the formulation of HPV vaccination policies. This retrospective study analyzed 66,000 women who received HPV-DNA testing at the First People's Hospital of Qujing, Yunnan, China, between 2014 and 2023. The cohort consisted of 33,512 outpatients, 3,816 inpatients, and 28,672 individuals undergoing health examinations. Cervical cells were collected for DNA extraction, and PCR amplification along with Luminex xMAP technology were used to detect 27 HPV genotypes. The data analysis was conducted using GraphPad Prism and IBM SPSS Statistics 27 software. RESULTS: The overall HPV infection rate at the First People's Hospital of Qujing declined from 24.92% in 2014 to 16.29% in 2023, averaging 16.02%. Specific infection rates were 18.50% among outpatients, 12.97% among inpatients, and 13.53% for health examination attendees. The predominant high-risk HPV genotypes identified were HPV52 (2.61%), HPV16 (2.06%), HPV58 (1.81%), HPV53 (1.55%), and HPV39 (1.09%). Meanwhile, the most frequent low-risk HPV genotypes were HPV6 (1.30%), HPV61 (1.21%), and HPV11 (0.85%). In HPV-positive cases, the distribution of single, double, triple, and quadruple or more infections were 79.90%, 15.17%, 3.59%, and 1.33%, respectively. The proportions of pure LR-HPV, pure HR-HPV, and mixed infections were 22.16%, 67.82%, and 10.02%, respectively. Age-specific analysis revealed a bimodal distribution of HPV infection, with the infection rate rapidly decreasing from 44.02% in the ≤ 19 age group to 19.55% in the 20-29 age group and 13.84% in the 30-39 age group, followed by a gradual increase to 14.64% in the 40-49 age group, 16.65% in the 50-59 age group, and 22.98% in the ≥ 60 age group. The coverage rates of the three available vaccines are all below 50%. The results of this study indicated a declining trend in HPV prevalence in the plateau region of Southwest China over the period from 2014 to 2023, especially in the reduction of genotypes targeted by vaccines. CONCLUSION: There were significant variations in the genotypes prevalent among different age groups, years, and patient sources within the same region. The underwhelming vaccination rates emphasize the critical need for developing either a multivalent vaccine or a personalized vaccine that targets the HPV genotypes common in the Chinese population. Furthermore, vaccinating adolescents to curb HPV infection and ensuring regular cervical cancer screenings for postmenopausal women are crucial steps.

Controllable preparation of carbon coating Ge nanospheres with a cubic hollow structure for high-performance lithium ion batteries.

Germanium based nanomaterials are very promising as the anodes for the lithium ion batteries since their large specific capacity, excellent lithium diffusivity and high conductivity. However, their controllable preparation is still very difficult to achieve. Herein, we facilely prepare a unique carbon coating Ge nanospheres with a cubic hollow structure (Ge@C) via a hydrothermal synthesis and subsequent pyrolysis using low-cost GeO2 as precursors. The hollow Ge@C nanostructure not only provides abundant interior space to alleviate the huge volumetric expansion of Ge upon lithiation, but also facilitates the transmission of lithium ions and electrons. Moreover, experiment analyses and density functional theory (DFT) calculations unveil the excellent lithium adsorption ability, high exchange current density, low activation energy for lithium diffusion of the hollow Ge@C electrode, thus exhibiting significant lithium storage advantages with a large charge capacity (1483 mAh/g under 200 mA g-1), distinguished rate ability (710 mAh/g under 8000 mA g-1) as well as long-term cycling stability (1130 mAh/g after 900 cycles under 1000 mA g-1). Therefore, this work offers new paths for controllable synthesis and fabrication of high-performance Ge based lithium storage nanomaterials.

FatPlants: a comprehensive information system for lipid-related genes and metabolic pathways in plants.

FatPlants, an open-access, web-based database, consolidates data, annotations, analysis results, and visualizations of lipid-related genes, proteins, and metabolic pathways in plants. Serving as a minable resource, FatPlants offers a user-friendly interface for facilitating studies into the regulation of plant lipid metabolism and supporting breeding efforts aimed at increasing crop oil content. This web resource, developed using data derived from our own research, curated from public resources, and gleaned from academic literature, comprises information on known fatty-acid-related proteins, genes, and pathways in multiple plants, with an emphasis on Glycine max, Arabidopsis thaliana, and Camelina sativa. Furthermore, the platform includes machine-learning based methods and navigation tools designed to aid in characterizing metabolic pathways and protein interactions. Comprehensive gene and protein information cards, a Basic Local Alignment Search Tool search function, similar structure search capacities from AphaFold, and ChatGPT-based query for protein information are additional features. Database URL: https://www.fatplants.net/.

[Analysis of influencing factors of early femoral head necrosis after femoral neck fracture and construction of nomogram prediction model].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the risk factors of early femoral head necrosis in patients with femoral neck fracture after operation, and to establish a nomogram prediction model. METHODS: A total of 167 patients with femoral neck fracture from January 2020 to April 2022 were selected and divided into necrosis group and non-necrosis group according to whether femoral head necrosis occurred in the early postoperative period. There were 21 males and 17 females in the necrosis group, aged from 33 to 72 years old, with an average of (53.49±10.96) years old, and the time from injury to operation ranged from 40 to 67 hours, with average time of(53.46±7.23) hours. There were 72 males and 57 females in the non-necrosis group, aged from 18 to 83 years, with an average of (52.78±12.55) years old, and the time from injury to operation was 18 to 65 hours, with an average time of(39.88±7.79) hours. The potential influencing factors, including patient gender, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, chronic liver disease, posterior inclination angle of the femoral head, operation mode, fracture displacement, fracture line location, preoperative braking traction, screw arrangement mode, reduction quality, age, body mass index(BMI), and injury to operation time were subjected to single factor analysis. Logistic multivariate regression analysis was conducted for factors with a significance level of P<0.05. RESULTS: The incidence of femoral head necrosis in 167 patients with femoral neck fracture was 22.76%. The following factors were identified as independent risk factors for early postoperative femoral head necrosis in patients with femoral neck fractures:coexisting diabetes[OR=5.139, 95%CI(1.405, 18.793), P=0.013], displaced fracture [OR=3.723, 95%CI(1.105, 12.541), P=0.034], preoperative immobilization[OR=3.444, 95%CI(1.038, 11.427), P=0.043], quality of reduction [OR=3.524, 95%CI(1.676, 7.411), P=0.001], and time from injury to surgery[OR=1.270, 95%CI(1.154, 1.399), P=0.000]. The Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test(χ2=3.951, P=0.862), the area under the receiver operator characteristic(ROC) curve was 0.944[P<0.001, 95%CI(0.903, 0.987)], with a sensitivity of 89.50%, the specificity was 88.40%, the maximum Youden index was 0.779, and the overall trend of the model correction curve was close to the ideal curve. Model regression equation was Z=1.637 × diabetes + 1.314× fracture displacement+1.237 × preoperative braking traction+1.260 × reduction quality + 0.239×injury to operation time-18.310. CONCLUSION: The occurrence of early femoral head necrosis in patients with femoral neck fracture postoperatively is affected by multiple factors. The risk early warning model established according to the factors has good predictive efficacy.

Safflower Alleviates Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension by Inactivating NLRP3: A Combined Approach of Network Pharmacology and Experimental Verification.

INTRODUCTION: Traditional Chinese medicinal plant, safflower, shows effective for treating pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), yet the underlying mechanisms remain largely unexplored. This study is aimed at exploring the potential molecular mechanisms of safflower in the treatment of PAH. METHODS: Network pharmacology approach and molecular docking were applied to identify the core active compounds, therapeutic targets, and potential signaling pathways of safflower against PAH. Meanwhile, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) assay was performed to determine the core compounds from safflower. Further, the mechanism of action of safflower on PAH was verified by in vivo and in vitro experiments. RESULTS: A total of 15 active compounds and 177 targets were screened from safflower against PAH. Enrichment analysis indicated that these therapeutic targets were mainly involved in multiple key pathways, such as TNF signaling pathway and Th17 cell differentiation. Notably, molecular docking revealed that quercetin (core compound in safflower) displayed highest binding capacity with NLRP3. In vivo, safflower exerted therapeutic effects on PAH by inhibiting right ventricular hypertrophy, inflammatory factor release, and pulmonary vascular remodeling. Mechanistically, it significantly reduced the expression of proangiogenesis-related factors (MMP-2, MMP-9, Collagen 1, and Collagen 3) and NLRP3 inflammasome components (NLRP3, ASC, and Caspase-1) in PAH model. Similarly, these results were observed in vitro. Besides, we further confirmed that NLRP3 inhibitor had the same therapeutic effect as safflower in vitro. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that safflower mitigates PAH primarily by inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation. This provides novel insights into the potential use of safflower as an alternative therapeutic approach for PAH.

Relationship of changes in QRS duration with left ventricular ejection fraction in patients with acute ST segment elevation myocardial infarction treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention.

Objective: To assess the changes in QRS duration (△QRSd) before and after primary percutaneous coronary intervention(PPCI) regarding the relation of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) in patients after a first acute ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI). Methods: A total of 244 patients with STEMI were enrolled, and clinical, biochemical, and angiographic parameters were compared between two groups based on LVEF at 6 months post-discharge. QRS duration (QRSd) was analyzed in relation to LVEF, and feature selection using least absolute shrinkage and selection operator(LASSO) regression was performed. Logistic regression analysis and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve evaluation were conducted to identify predictors and assess model efficacy. Results: Significant differences were observed between the two groups in terms of various parameters, including age, time from symptom onset to balloon dilation (STB), N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels, Left ventricular end-diastolic volume(LVEDV) at baseline, left ventricular end-systolic volume(LVESV)at baseline, left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVDD)at baseline and six months, hospital length of stay(days), ST-segment resolution (STR), the left anterior descending artery as the infarction-related artery (IRA-LAD), frequency of TIMI 3 flow post PPCI, thrombus aspiration and/or intracoronary thrombolysis, the use of tirofiban, and the number of implanted stents(stents).In addition, postoperative QRSd and △QRSd were significantly higher in patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction(LVSD). LASSO regression selected six variables as predictors of postoperative LVEF. Logistic regression analysis identified age, STB, NT-proBNP, LVESV at baseline,△QRSd, and stents, as independent factors associated with LVSD within six months for patients with a first occurrence of STEMI. The models achieved AUC values of 0.906 (using ΔQRSd),0.922(using 6 variables excluding ΔQRSd) and 0.962 (using 6 variables). Conclusion: This study identified ΔQRSd as a potential predictor of LVSD in patients with STEMI. The developed models showed good efficacy in predicting postoperative LVEF changes. These findings may contribute to risk stratification and individualized management strategies for STEMI patients.

Multi-omics integrative analysis provided new insights into alkaline stress in alfalfa.

Saline-alkali stress is one of the main abiotic stresses that limits plant growth. Salt stress has been widely studied, but alkaline salt degradation caused by NaHCO3 has rarely been investigated. In the present study, the alfalfa cultivar 'Zhongmu No. 1' was treated with 50 mM NaHCO3 (0, 4, 8, 12 and 24 h) to study the resulting enzyme activity and changes in mRNA, miRNA and metabolites in the roots. The results showed that the enzyme activity changed significantly after alkali stress treatment. The genomic analysis revealed 14,970 differentially expressed mRNAs (DEMs), 53 differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMis), and 463 differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs). Combined analysis of DEMs and DEMis revealed that 21 DEMis negatively regulated 42 DEMs. In addition, when combined with Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis of DEMs and DAMs, we found that phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, flavonoid biosynthesis, starch and sucrose metabolism and plant hormone signal transduction played important roles in the alkali stress response. The results of this study further elucidated the regulatory mechanism underlying the plant response to alkali stress and provided valuable information for the breeding of new saline-alkaline tolerance plant varieties.

Starch-based self-assembled three-dimensional network nanostructure materials for sustainable cascade adsorption.

Toward the development of a sustainable utilization strategy for adsorption materials, a starch-based adsorbent starch-chitosan-tannic acid (St-CTS-TA) with a three-dimensional (3D) structure was fabricated in water via electrostatic and hydrogen bonding reactions between St, CTS, and TA without using toxic reducing agents or special instruments. St-CTS-TA demonstrated a high specific surface area of 37 m2/g as well as a mesoporous/macroporous distribution ranging from 30 to 80 nm, which enhanced the mass transfer of adsorbate and the exposure of catechol groups in TA. The Langmuir isotherm adsorption model revealed that the highest adsorption capacities of St-CTS-TA for Fe3+ and Co2+ were 1678.2 and 944.8 mg/g, respectively. Surprisingly, the specific surface area of St-CTS-TA increased from 37 to 87 and 42 m2/g after Fe3+ and Co2+ adsorption, respectively, and the resulting St-CTS-TA-Fe and St-CTS-TA-Co could continuously adsorb basic fuchsin (BF) and rhodamine B (RhB). The adsorption capacities of St-CTS-TA-Fe and St-CTS-TA-Co for BF/RhB were found to be 1854.79/401.19 mg/g and 2229.77/537.49 mg/g, respectively, based on the Langmuir isotherm adsorption model.

The clinical application value of 3.0T magnetic resonance T2 mapping imaging in evaluating the degree of acetabular cartilage degeneration in joint replacement surgery running title: MRI and acetabular cartilage degeneration.

BACKGROUND: To explore and compare the values of 3.0T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) T2 mapping in evaluating the degree of acetabular cartilage degeneration in hip replacement surgery. METHODS: A total of 26 elderly patients with femoral neck fractures who were scanned in 3.0T MRI T2 mapping quantification technique were included. Basing on MRI images, the degree of acetabular cartilage degeneration was classified into Grade 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4, according to the International Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS) scores. In addition, 8 healthy volunteers were included for control group. RESULTS: By comparison with health population, T2 relaxation values in the anterior, superior, and posterior regions of acetabular cartilage in patients with femoral neck fracture were obviously increased (P < 0.001). Among the patients with femoral neck fractures, there were 16 hip joint with Grade 1-2 (mild degeneration subgroup) and 10 hip joints with Grade 3-4 (severe degeneration subgroup), accounting for 61.54% and 38.46%, respectively. Additionally, T2 relaxation values in the anterior and superior bands of articular cartilage were positively related to the MRI-based grading (P < 0.05); while there was no significant difference of T2 relaxation values in the posterior areas of articular cartilage between severe degeneration subgroup and mild degeneration subgroup (P > 0.05). Importantly, acetabular cartilage degeneration can be detected through signal changes of T2 mapping pseudo-color images. CONCLUSION: 3.0T MRI T2 mapping technology can be used to determine the degree of acetabular cartilage degeneration, which can effectively monitor the disease course.

Uncovering the Role of Anoikis-Related Genes in Modulating Immune Infiltration and Pathogenesis of Diabetic Kidney Disease.

Background: Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is an intricate complication of diabetes with limited treatment options. Anoikis, a programmed cell death activated by loss of cell anchorage to the extracellular matrix, participated in various physiological and pathological processes. Our study aimed to elucidate the role of anoikis-related genes in DKD pathogenesis. Methods: Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated with anoikis in DKD were identified. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was conducted to identify DKD-correlated modules and assess their functional implications. A diagnostic model for DKD was developed using LASSO regression and Gene set variation analysis (GSVA) was performed for enrichment analysis. Experimental validation was employed to validate the significance of selected genes in the progression of DKD. Results: We identified 10 anoikis-related DEGs involved in key signaling pathways impacting DKD progression. WGCNA highlighted the yellow module's significant enrichment in immune response and regulatory pathways. Correlation analysis further revealed the association between immune infiltration and anoikis-related DEGs. Our LASSO regression-based diagnostic model demonstrated a well-predictive efficacy with seven identified genes. GSVA indicated that gene function in the high-risk group was primarily associated with immune regulation. Further experimental validation using diabetic mouse models and data analysis in the single-cell dataset confirmed the significance of PYCARD and SFN in DKD progression. High glucose stimulation in RAW264.7 and TCMK-1 cells showed significantly increased expression levels of both Pycard and Sfn. Co-expression analysis demonstrated distinct functions of PYCARD and SFN, with KEGG pathway analysis showing significant enrichment in immune regulation and cell proliferation pathway. Conclusion: In conclusion, our study provides valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms involved in DKD pathogenesis, specifically highlighting the role of anoikis-related genes in modulating immune infiltration. These findings suggest that targeting these genes may hold promise for future diagnostic and therapeutic approaches in DKD management.

Effects of Body Mass Index and Body Weight on Plasma Concentration of Ticagrelor and Platelet Aggregation Rate in Patients with Unstable Angina in a Chinese Han Population.

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of body mass index (BMI) and body weight on the concentrations of ticagrelor and the ticagrelor metabolite, AR-C124910XX, as well as the platelet aggregation rate (PAR) in a Chinese Han population with unstable angina (UA). Specifically, it focused on these parameters following the administration of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) comprising aspirin and ticagrelor. Methods: A total of 105 patients with UA were included in the study. Measurement of the platelet aggregation rate induced by adenosine diphosphate (PAR-ADP) was performed before, as well as 3 and 30 days after DAPT treatment. The plasma concentrations of ticagrelor and AR-C124910XX were detected at 3 and 30 days after DAPT treatment. We conducted correlation analyses to assess the effects of BMI and body weight on the concentrations of ticagrelor and AR-C124910XX, on PAR-ADP, and on the inhibition of platelet aggregation induced by adenosine diphosphate (IPA-ADP) at both 3 and 30 days after DAPT treatment. Results: The BMI and body weight were positively correlated with baseline PAR-ADP (r = 0.205, p = 0.007; r = 0.122, p = 0.022). The PAR-ADP at 3 and 30 days after DAPT treatment were significantly lower than at baseline (61.56% ± 10.62%, 8.02% ± 7.52%, 12.90% ± 7.42%, p < 0.001). There was a negative correlation between body weight and the concentrations of ticagrelor and AR-C124910XX at 3 days following DAPT treatment (r = -0.276, p < 0.001; r = -0.337, p < 0.001). Additionally, BMI showed a similar negative correlation with the concentrations of ticagrelor and AR-C124910XX (r = -0.173, p = 0.009; r = -0.207, p = 0.002). At 30 days after treatment, both body weight and BMI were negatively correlated with ticagrelor (r = -0.256, p < 0.001; r = -0.162, p = 0.015) and its metabolite (r = -0.352, p < 0.001; r = -0.202, p = 0.002). Body weight was positively correlated with PAR-ADP (r = 0.171, p = 0.010) and negatively correlated with IPA-ADP (r = -0.163, p = 0.015) at 30 days after treatment. Similarly, BMI was positively correlated with PAR-ADP (r = 0.217, p = 0.001) and negatively correlated with IPA-ADP (r = -0.211, p = 0.001) at the same time point. Conclusions: BMI and body weight are key factors influencing the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of ticagrelor in Chinese Han patients with UA following DAPT treatment that includes ticagrelor. Both BMI and body weight were positively correlated with PAR-ADP at baseline and 30 days after DAPT treatment. Clinical Trial Registration: ChiCTR2100044938, https://www.chictr.org.cn/.

The complete chloroplast genome of Leonurus sibiricus Linnaeus (Labiatae, Leonurus Miller).

Leonurus sibiricus Linnaeus 1753, an annual or biennial herb found in northern China, Mongolia, and Russia, typically grows in stony, sandy grasslands, and pine forests. This study sequenced and reported the complete chloroplast genome of L. sibiricus for the first time. The entire circular genome measures 151,689 bp in length, with a GC content of 38.4%. A total of 133 genes were annotated, including 88 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNAs, and eight rRNAs. The genome exhibits a typical quadripartite structure, comprising a large single-copy (LSC 82,820 bp) region, a small single-copy (SSC 17,619 bp) region, and a pair of inverted repeat (IR 25,625 bp each) regions. Phylogenetic analysis using the maximum-likelihood method indicates that L. sibiricus is most closely related to L. japonicus Houttuyn. This study provides valuable genomic resources for further research on the phylogenetics and biodiversity of the genus Leonurus.

Anerobic ammonium oxidation coupled to iron(III) reduction catalyzed by a lithoautotrophic nitrate-reducing iron(II) oxidizing enrichment culture.

The last two decades have seen nitrogen/iron-transforming bacteria at the forefront of new biogeochemical discoveries, such as anaerobic ammonium oxidation coupled to ferric iron reduction (feammox) and lithoautotrophic nitrate-reducing ferrous iron-oxidation (NRFeOx). These emerging findings continue to expand our knowledge of the nitrogen/iron cycle in nature, and also highlight the need to re-understand the functional traits of the microorganisms involved. Here, as a proof-of-principle, we report compelling evidence for the capability of a NRFeOx enrichment culture to catalyze the feammox process. Our results demonstrate that the NRFeOx culture predominantly oxidizes NH4+ to nitrogen gas, by reducing both chelated NTA-Fe(III) and poorly soluble Fe(III)-bearing minerals (γ-FeOOH) at pH 4.0 and 8.0, respectively. In the NRFeOx culture, Fe(II)-oxidizing bacteria of Rhodanobacter and Fe(III)-reducing bacteria of unclassified_Acidobacteriota coexisted. Their relative abundances were dynamically regulated by the supplemented iron sources. Metagenomic analysis revealed that the NRFeOx culture contained a complete set of denitrifying genes along with hao genes for ammonium oxidation. Additionally, numerous genes encoding extracellular electron transport-associated proteins or their homologs were identified, which facilitated the reduction of extracellular iron by this culture. More broadly, this work lightens the unexplored potential of specific microbial groups in driving nitrogen transformation through multiple pathways, and highlights the essential role of microbial iron metabolism in the integral biogeochemical nitrogen cycle.

A Universal In-Situ Interfacial Growth Strategy for Various MXene-Based van der Waals Heterostructures with Uniform Heterointerfaces: The Efficient Conversion from 3D Composite to 2D Heterostructures.

Two-dimensional (2D) van der Waals heterostructures endow individual 2D material with the novel functional structures, intriguing compositions, and fantastic interfaces, which efficiently provide a feasible route to overcome the intrinsic limitations of single 2D components and embrace the distinct features of different materials. However, the construction of 2D heterostructures with uniform heterointerfaces still poses significant challenges. Herein, a universal in-situ interfacial growth strategy is designed to controllably prepare a series of MXene-based tin selenides/sulfides with 2D van der Waals homogeneous heterostructures. Molten salt etching by-products that are usually recognized as undesirable impurities, are reasonably utilized by us to efficiently transform into different 2D nanostructures via in-situ interfacial growth. The obtained MXene-based 2D heterostructures present sandwiched structures and lamellar interlacing networks with uniform heterointerfaces, which demonstrate the efficient conversion from 3D composite to 2D heterostructures. Such 2D heterostructures significantly enhance charge transfer efficiency, chemical reversibility, and overall structural stability in the electrochemical process. Taking 2D-SnSe2/MXene anode as a representative, it delivers outstanding lithium storage performance with large reversible capacities and ultrahigh capacity retention of over 97% after numerous cycles at 0.2, 1.0, and 10.0 A g-1 current density, which suggests its tremendous application potential in lithium-ion batteries.

Amino-Induced Modulation of Electronic State and Neighboring Site Distance through Second Shell Boosted Catecholase-Mimicking Activity of Electron-Rich Cu Center.

Boosting the biomimetic catalytic activity of nanozyme is important for its potential application. One common strategy to achieve this goal mainly focused on manipulating the electronic state of metal site through the first coordination shell to modulate the adsorption/desorption strength of related reactant, intermediate and/or product, but remained challenging. Taking Cu-based catecholase-mimicking nanozyme for example, this work herein reports a different strategy involving amino-induced modulation of electronic state through the second shell to raise the electron density of Cu site, which further triggers the repulsion effect between neighboring geminal Cu centers to increase the Cu─Cu distance. The resulting nanozyme with electron-rich Cu site (DT-Cu) presents a lower work function and an upshifted d-band center in comparison with its counterpart (i.e., relatively electron-deficient TA-Cu), which promotes the electron transfer and enhances the adsorption strengths of Cu site for O2, catechol and H2O2 intermediate. The longer Cu─Cu distance of DT-Cu accelerated the O─O bond dissociation of H2O2 intermediate. This expedites the oxygen reduction process during catecholase-like catalysis, which together with the enhanced O2/H2O2/catechol adsorption corporately boosts the catecholase-like activity of DT-Cu.

New sesquiterpenes and viridin derivatives from Penicillium sp. Ameliorates NAFLD by regulating the PINK1/Parkin mitophagy pathway.

Fungi from the plant rhizosphere microbiome are considered an important source of bioactive novel natural compounds. In this study, three new sesquiterpenes, penisterpenoids A-C (1-3), and three new viridin derivatives, peniviridiols A-C (4-6), along with twenty one known compounds (7-27), were isolated from the rhizosphere fungus Penicillium sp. SMU0102 of medicinal plant Bupleurum chinense DC. Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analysis. The absolute configurations of compounds 1-6 were determined by experimental and calculated ECD spectra, DP4 + probability analysis, modified Mosher's method, and X-ray crystallography. All new compounds were screened for their cytotoxic and lipid-lowering activities in vitro. Among them, compound 1 (20 µM) remarkably alleviated lipid accumulation both in FFA-induced LO2 cells and TAA-induced zebrafish NAFLD models. Furthermore, compound 1 enhanced ATP production and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), suppressed reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation, restored mitochondrial structure, and induced autophagosome formation. Moreover, compound 1 significantly upregulated the expression of representative proteins for the mitochondrial homeostasis, including OPA1, DRP1, MFF, and Fis1, as well as mitophagy representative proteins PINK1, Parkin, and P62. Further mechanistic investigations indicated that compound 1 primarily alleviated lipid accumulation through selective activation of the PINK1/Parkin mitophagy signaling pathway.

Volatilomics of Cabernet Sauvignon grapes and sensory perception of wines are affected by canopy side in vineyards with different row orientations.

This study aimed to clarify how microclimate diversity altered volatilomics in Cabernet Sauvignon grapes and wines. Four row-oriented vineyards were selected, and metabolites of grapes and wines were determined from separate canopy sides. Results showed that shaded sides received 59% of the solar radiation and experienced 55% of the high-temperature days compared to the exposed sides on average. Grape primary metabolites were slightly affected by the canopy side. Herbaceous aromas were consistently more abundant in grapes and wines from shaded clusters. Heat-stressed canopy sides accelerated terpenoid loss and increased norisoprenoid levels in grapes, while ß-damascenone in north-side wines was 13%-32% higher than that in south-side wines of the east-west vineyard. The northeast-southwest vineyard showed the most notable variation in taste and aroma sensory scores, with four parameters significantly different. There were 32 aroma series identified in wines, and banana, pineapple, and strawberry odors were highly correlated with aroma sensory score.

Dasabuvir alleviates 5-fluorouracil-induced intestinal injury through anti-senescence and anti-inflammatory.

5-Fluorouracil (5-Fu) is a basic drug that is used to treat colorectal cancer. Patients who receive 5-Fu chemotherapy often experience side effects that affect the digestive system, such as intestinal injury and diarrhoea, which significantly affect patient compliance with anticancer treatment and quality of life. Therefore, identifying approaches to treat or prevent these side effects is urgent. Dasabuvir (DSV) is a hepatitis C virus inhibitor, but its impact on 5-Fu-induced intestinal injury remains unknown. Our study investigated the effects of DSV on 5-Fu-induced intestinal injury in HUVECs, HIECs and male BALB/c mice. We found that 5-Fu caused intestinal damage by inducing senescence, increasing inflammatory factor expression, and generating oxidative stress. Compared with 5-Fu treatment alone, DSV inhibited senescence by reducing senescence-ß-galactosidase (SA-ß-gal) activity, the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP, including IL-1, IL-6, and TNF-α) and senescence marker expression levels (p16, p21, and p53). Moreover, the anti-senescence effect of DSV was achieved by inhibiting the mTOR signaling pathway. DSV increased antioxidant enzyme levels and alleviated intestinal tissue injury in mice. In addition, DSV suppressed the 5-Fu-induced increase the diarrhoea scores and ameliorated the weight loss, food intake and water intake of the mice. Overall, this study indicated that DSV could be used to treat chemotherapy-induced intestinal damage.