Morphological and histological observations on the hair brush of Endoclita vietnamensis (Lepidoptera, Hepialidae).

The most prominent insect pest harming eucalyptus trees in China was Endoclita vietnamensis, which resulted in considerable losses to the environment and economy. This study examined the hair brush on the postpedes of male E. vietnamensis using transmission and scanning electron microscopy. The finding revealed that the hair brush was made up of many large, flattened, pale yellow, specialized scales that were highly elongated. These scales were firmly affixed to the epidermis at their base, and at the attachment site, there was a swollen hair follicle. The interior of the pencil was hollow with ducts, and the surface featured rows of pores and longitudinal ridges. Numerous features, including mitochondria, lipid droplets, smooth and rough endoplasmic reticulum, and microvilli, were present in the tissue cells of the tibial segment of postpedes of male moths. The tibial segment of postpedes of male moths exhibited thicker epidermis, cavities, and voids in the tissue cortex, suggesting the presence of secretory activities in the tissue cells. With the location and structure of the pheromone gland determined, a theoretical foundation for future research into the communication between the female and male E. vietnamensis as well as the development of sex-specific pheromone-based catching and killing methods will be available. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: Endoclita vietnamensis Buchsbaum & Grehan, 2022 is the most prominent insect pest harming eucalyptus trees in China. With the location and structure of the pheromone gland determined, a theoretical foundation for future research into the communication between the female and male E. vietnamensis as well as the development of sex-specific pheromone-based catching and killing methods will be available.

Acute calcitriol treatment mitigates vitamin D deficiency-associated mortality after intracerebral haemorrhage.

OBJECTIVE: Vitamin D deficiency (VDD) is emerging as a predictor of poor prognosis in various neurological conditions, where clinical outcomes are often worse in stroke patients with VDD. This study aimed to provide experimental evidence on whether and how pre-existing VDD would affect survival and neurofunctional outcomes in intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH), and to evaluate whether acute vitamin D (VD) supplementation would improve post-stroke outcomes. METHODS: Experimental ICH models were induced in mice with and without VDD. Haematoma size was measured using T2*-weighted MRI and haemoglobin concentration. Post-ICH mortality, neurofunctional outcomes and the extent of blood-brain barrier (BBB) leakage were assessed to identify their correlations with VD status. Therapeutic benefits of acute VD administration were also evaluated. RESULTS: Mice with VDD exhibited significantly higher acute mortality rates and more severe motor deficits than mice without VDD post-ICH. Marked haematoma expansion and increased Evans blue extravasation were observed in VDD mice, suggesting that VDD was associated outcomes with increased BBB disruption. Acute treatment with a loading dose of VD (calcitriol) significantly improved outcomes in VDD mice. CONCLUSION: This study provides novel insights into the pathophysiological mechanisms at play in ICH concomitant with VDD and a scientific rationale for acute treatment with VD.

Prepared Sandwich structure WS2/ag@MIP composite for ultrasensitive SERS detection of trace 17ß-estradiol in food.

17ß-E2 is used in animal growth regulation and agricultural fertilizer, and even ng L-1 mass concentration levels can show biological effects. In this work, Ag NPs was used as surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) source and WS2 was synthesized by a simple method to provide a uniform distribution platform for Ag NPs. The MIP was the shell, which can selectively enrich the target molecule, pull the distance between the target molecule and SERS source, and protect Ag NPs. A cyclable SERS substrate with high sensitivity for detecting 17ß-E2 in food was constructed. The optimized WS2/Ag@MIP as SERS substrate has the advantages of high Enhanced Factor (EF = 2.78 × 109), low detection limit (LOD = 0. 0958 pM), strong anti-interference ability, and good recycling performance. Moreover, the detection of 17ß-E2 in real samples still has good accuracy. This work provides a new possibility for the trace detection of 17ß-E2 in food.

General Post-Regulation Strategy of AIEgens' Photophysical Properties for Intravital Two-Photon Fluorescence Imaging.

Fluorogens with aggregation-induced emission (AIEgens) are promising agents for two-photon fluorescence (TPF) imaging. However, AIEgens' photophysical properties are fixed and unoptimizable once synthesized. Therefore, it is urgent and meaningful to explore an efficient post-regulation strategy to optimize AIEgens' photophysical properties. Herein, a general and efficient post-regulation strategy is reported. By simply tuning the ratio of inert AIEgens within binary nanoparticles (BNPs), the fluorescence quantum yield and two-photon absorption cross-section of functional AIEgens are enhanced by 8.7 and 5.4 times respectively, which are not achievable by conventional strategies, and the notorious phototoxicity is almost eliminated. The experimental results, theoretical simulation, and mechanism analysis demonstrated its feasibility and generality. The BNPs enabled deep cerebrovascular network imaging with ≈1.10 mm depth and metastatic cancer cell detection with single-cell resolution. Furthermore, the TPF imaging quality is improved by the self-supervised denoising algorithm. The proposed binary molecular post-regulation strategy opened a new avenue to efficiently boost the AIEgens' photophysical properties and consequently TPF imaging quality.

Utilizing machine learning and bioinformatics analysis to identify drought-responsive genes affecting yield in foxtail millet.

Drought stress is a major constraint on crop development, potentially causing huge yield losses and threatening global food security. Improving Crop's stress tolerance is usually associated with a yield penalty. One way to balance yield and stress tolerance is modification specific gene by emerging precision genome editing technology. However, our knowledge of yield-related drought-tolerant genes is still limited. Foxtail millet (Setaria italica) has a remarkable tolerance to drought and is considered to be a model C4 crop that is easy to engineer. Here, we have identified 46 drought-responsive candidate genes by performing a machine learning-based transcriptome study on two drought-tolerant and two drought-sensitive foxtail millet cultivars. A total of 12 important drought-responsive genes were screened out by principal component analysis and confirmed experimentally by qPCR. Significantly, by investigating the haplotype of these genes based on 1844 germplasm resources, we found two genes (Seita.5G251300 and Seita.8G036300) exhibiting drought-tolerant haplotypes that possess an apparent advantage in 1000 grain weight and main panicle grain weight without penalty in grain weight per plant. These results demonstrate the potential of Seita.5G251300 and Seita.8G036300 for breeding drought-tolerant high-yielding foxtail millet. It provides important insights for the breeding of drought-tolerant high-yielding crop cultivars through genetic manipulation technology.

Individual and joint associations of air pollutants exposure with semen quality: A retrospective longitudinal study in Wenzhou, China.

PURPOSE: The impact of air pollution on semen quality has been confirmed, yet the joint effect remains unclear. We evaluate the individual and joint associations of particulate (PM2.5 and PM10) and gaseous pollutants (NO2, SO2, O3 and CO) with semen quality. METHODS: We included 5,114 men in this study from 2014 to 2022. The individual and joint associations were measured by multiple linear regression models. RESULTS: Sperm motility and semen volume were inversely associated with pollutant concentrations during every stage of sperm development, especially at lag days 0-9 and 10-14 (all P < 0.05). Stratified analyses showed that the study pollutants (except CO) had a positive effect on semen concentration during the stage of sperm development, especially in spring and autumn, while a decreased total sperm number was associated with CO (all P < 0.05). However, joint associations of particulate and gaseous pollutants with semen quality parameters were not statistically significant (all P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: During all stages of sperm development, particulate and gaseous pollutants had individual negative impacts on sperm motility and semen volume, and these impacts were less pronounced in spring and autumn. Our findings highlight the importance and necessity of reducing the exposure to pollutants especially in the critical stage of sperm development to improve semen quality.

Integrative analysis identifies region- and sex-specific gene networks and Mef2c as a mediator of anxiety-like behavior.

The molecular mechanisms underlying multi-brain region origins and sexual dimorphism of anxiety remain unclear. Here, we leverage large-scale transcriptomics from seven brain regions in mouse models of anxiety and extensive experiments to dissect brain-region- and sex-specific gene networks. We identify 4,840 genes with sex-specific expression alterations across seven brain regions, organized into ten network modules with sex-biased expression patterns. Modular analysis prioritizes 86 sex-specific mediators of anxiety susceptibility, including myocyte-specific enhancer factor 2c (Mef2c) in the CA3 region of male mice. Mef2c expression is decreased in the pyramidal neurons (PyNs) of susceptible male mice. Up-regulating Mef2c in CA3 PyNs significantly alleviates anxiety-like behavior, whereas down-regulating Mef2c induces anxiety-like behavior in male mice. The anxiolytic effect of Mef2c up-regulation is associated with enhanced neuronal excitability and synaptic transmission. In summary, this study uncovers brain-region- and sex-specific networks and identifies Mef2c in CA3 PyNs as a critical mediator of anxiety in male mice.

Carbon monoxide polyhemoglobin improves the therapeutic effect and relieves inflammation in the colon tissue of haemorrhagic shock/resuscitation rats.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to test the therapeutic effect of carbon monoxide polyhemoglobin (polyCOHb) in haemorrhagic shock/resuscitation and its underlying mechanisms. METHODS: 48 rats were divided into two experimental parts, and 36 rats in the first experiment and 12 rats in the second experiment. In the first experimental part, 36 animals were randomly assigned to the following groups: hydroxyethyl starch group (HES group, n = 12), polyhemoglobin group (polyHb group, n = 12), and carbon monoxide polyhemoglobin group (polyCOHb group, n = 12). In the second experimental part, 12 animals were randomly assigned to the following groups: polyHb group (n = 6), and polyCOHb group (n = 6). Then the anaesthetised rats were haemorrhaged by withdrawing 50% of the animal's blood volume (BV), and resuscitated to the same volume of the animal's withdrawing BV with HES, polyHb, polyCOHb. In the first experimental part, the 72h survival rates of each groups animals were measured. In the second experimental part, the rats' mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), blood gas levels and other indicators were dynamically monitored in baseline, haemorrhagic shock (HS), at 0point resuscitation (RS 0h) and after 1 h resuscitation (RS 1h). The concentrations of malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were measured by ELISA kits in both groups of rats at RS 1h. Changes in pathological sections were examined by haematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining. Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and haem oxygenase-1 (HO-1) levels were detected by immunohistochemical analysis, while myeloperoxidase (MPO) levels were detected by immunofluorescence. DHE staining was used to determine reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. RESULTS: The 72h survival rates of the polyHb and polyCOHb groups were 50.00% (6/12) and 58.33% (7/12) respectively, which were significantly higher than that of the 8.33% (1/12) in the HES group (p < 0.05). At RS 0h and RS 1h, the HbCO content of rats in the polyCOHb group (1.90 ± 0.21, 0.80 ± 0.21) g/L were higher than those in the polyHb group (0.40 ± 0.09, 0.50 ± 0.12)g/L (p < 0.05); At RS 1h, the MDA (41.47 ± 3.89 vs 34.17 ± 3.87 nmol/ml) in the plasma, Nrf2 and HO-1 content in the colon of rats in the polyCOHb group were lower than the polyHb group. And the SOD in the plasma (605.01 ± 24.46 vs 678.64 ± 36.37) U/mg and colon (115.72 ± 21.17 vs 156.70 ± 21.34) U/mg and the MPO content in the colon in the polyCOHb group were higher than the polyHb group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In these haemorrhagic shock/resuscitation models, both polyCOHb and polyHb show similar therapeutic effects, and polyCOHb has more effective effects in maintaining MAP, correcting acidosis, reducing inflammatory responses than that in polyHb.

MaMYBR30, a Novel 1R-MYB, Plays Important Roles in Plant Development and Abiotic Stress Resistance.

The V-myb myeloblastosis viral oncogene homolog (MYB) family participate in various bioprocesses including development and abiotic stress responses. In the present study, we first report a 1R SHAQKYF-class MYB, MaMYBR30, in mulberry. Subcellular localization and sequence analysis indicated MaMYBR30 is located in the nucleus and belongs to a CCA-like subgroup with a conserved SHAQKYF motif. Expression profile analysis showed that MaMYBR30 is expressed in leaves and can be induced by drought and salt stress. The down-regulation of MaMYBR30 using virus-induced gene silence (VIGS) in mulberry and the overexpression of MaMYBR30 in Arabidopsis were induced to explore the function of MaMYBR30. The functional characterization of MaMYBR30 in vivo indicated that MaMYBR30 can positively regulate the resistance of mulberry to drought while negatively regulating the resistance of mulberry to salt stress. In addition, MaMYBR30 also affects flower development and reproductive growth, especially after exposure to salt stress. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) primarily revealed the possible genes and signal pathways that are regulated by MaMYBR30. Our results also imply that complex molecular mechanisms mediated by MaMYBR30, including crosstalk of ion toxicity, phytohormone signal transduction, flowering development, and epigenetic modification, need to be further explored in the future.

Prevalence of subthreshold depression and its related factors in Chinese college students: A cross-sectional study.

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of subthreshold depression among Chinese college students and to explore the related factors. Methods: The research subjects were Chinese college students participating in the "2022 Psychology and Behavior Investigation of Chinese Residents (PBICR-2022)". Data on respondents' general characteristics, quality of life, perceived pressure, family communication, perceived social support, self-efficacy, and depression status were gathered. To investigate the association between each variable and the risk of subthreshold depression, statistical analyses, including chi-square tests and rank sum tests were conducted. Furthermore, a binary stepwise logistic regression was employed to establish the regression model of the factors related to subthreshold depression among Chinese college students. Results: A prevalence of subthreshold depression of about 39.7 % was found among the 8934 respondents. Logistic regression analysis revealed that respondents who are female, have chronic diseases, are in debt, experience significant impacts from epidemic control policies, have lower self-assessed quality of life, experience challenges in family communication, perceive lower social support, have lower self-efficacy, and feel higher perceived pressure are more likely to develop subthreshold depression compared to the control group. (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The prevalence rate of subthreshold depression among Chinese college students was found to be approximately 40 %. Female college students suffering from chronic diseases, with households in debt, greatly impacted by epidemic control policies, and experiencing high perceived stress, may be at risk for subthreshold depression among Chinese college students. On the other hand, strong family communication, perceived social support, and self-efficacy were identified as potential protective factors. In order to facilitate timely screening, diagnosis, and treatment of subthreshold depression in Chinese college students, it is crucial for the government, local communities, colleges, and families to prioritize the mental health of college students and implement targeted measures accordingly.

Ferric citrate enhanced bioreduction of Cr(VI) by Bacillus cereus RCr in aqueous solutions: reduction performance and mechanisms.

The bioreduction characteristics and mechanisms of Cr(VI) onto Bacillus cereus RCr enhanced by ferric citrate were investigated. The optimum conditions were initial pH 9, temperature 40 °C, inoculation amount 4%, and glucose 3 g/L, respectively. The addition of 1.5 g/L ferric citrate increased the average reduction rate from 120.43 to 220.61 mg/(L∙h) compared with the control (without ferric citrate). The binding capacity of Cr(III) on the cell surface increased to 21%, in which the precipitates were mainly CrO(OH), Cr2O3, and FeCr2O4. Cell membrane was the main site of reduction, related important functional groups: - COOH, C-H, - NH2, C = C, and P-O. Fe(III) increased the yield of NADH and cytochrome c by approximately 48.51% and 68.63%, which significantly facilitated the electron generation and electron transfer, thus increasing the amount of electrons in the bioreduction of heavy metals by an average of 110%. Among the electrons obtained by Cr(VI), the proportion of indirect reduction mediated by Fe(III)/Fe(II) shuttle was 62% on average, whereas direct reduction mediated by reductase was 38%. These results may provide insights into the bioreduction process by bacteria enhanced by Fe(III) for detoxification of heavy metals with multiple valences, as an important step towards improving microbial remediation.

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.

Bacteroides fragilis alleviates necrotizing enterocolitis through restoring bile acid metabolism balance using bile salt hydrolase and inhibiting FXR-NLRP3 signaling pathway.

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in premature infants with no specific treatments available. We aimed to identify the molecular mechanisms underlying NEC and investigate the therapeutic effects of Bacteroides fragilis on NEC. Clinical samples of infant feces, bile acid-targeted metabolomics, pathological staining, bioinformatics analysis, NEC rat model, and co-immunoprecipitation were used to explore the pathogenesis of NEC. Taxonomic characterization of the bile salt hydrolase (bsh) gene, enzyme activity assays, 16S rRNA sequencing, and organoids were used to explore the therapeutic effects of B. fragilis on NEC-related intestinal damage. Clinical samples, NEC rat models, and in vitro experiments revealed that total bile acid increased in the blood but decreased in feces. Moreover, the levels of FXR and other bile acid metabolism-related genes were abnormal, resulting in disordered bile acid metabolism in NEC. Taurochenodeoxycholic acid accelerated NEC pathogenesis and taurodeoxycholate alleviated NEC. B. fragilis displayed bsh genes and enzyme activity and alleviated intestinal damage by restoring gut microbiota dysbiosis and bile acid metabolism abnormalities by inhibiting the FXR-NLRP3 signaling pathway. Our results provide valuable insights into the therapeutic role of B. fragilis in NEC. Administering B. fragilis may substantially alleviate intestinal damage in NEC.

Generation of attosecond gigawatt soft x-ray pulses through coherent Thomson backscattering.

Collision between relativistic electron sheets and counterpropagating laser pulses is recognized as a promising way to produce intense attosecond x rays through coherent Thomson backscattering (TBS). In a double-layer scheme, the electrons in an ultrathin solid foil are first pushed out by an intense laser driver and then interact with the laser reflected off a second foil to form a high-density relativistic electron sheet with vanishing transverse momentum. However, the repulsion between these concentrated electrons can increase the thickness of the layer, reducing both its density and subsequently the coherent TBS. Here, we present a systematic study on the evolution of the flying electron layer and find that its resulting thickness is determined by the interplay between the intrinsic space-charge expansion and the velocity compression induced by the drive laser. How the laser driver, the target areal density, the reflector, and the collision laser intensity affect the properties of the produced x rays is explored. Multidimensional particle-in-cell simulations indicate that employing this scheme in the nonlinear regime has the potential to stably produce soft x rays with several gigawatt peak power in hundreds of terawatt ultrafast laser facilities. The pulse duration can be tuned to tens of attoseconds. This compact and intense attosecond x-ray source may have broad applications in attosecond science.

Activation of Piezo1 or TRPV2 channels inhibits human ureteral contractions via NO release from the mucosa.

We aimed to investigate the expression and motor modulatory roles of several mechano-sensitive channels (MSCs) in human ureter. Human proximal ureters were obtained from eighty patients subjected to nephrectomy. Expression of MSCs at mRNA, protein and functional levels were examined. Contractions of longitudinal ureter strips were recorded in organ bath. A fluorescent probe Diaminofluoresceins was used to measure nitric oxide (NO). RT-PCR analyses revealed predominant expression of Piezo1 and TRPV2 mRNA in intact ureter and mucosa. Immunofluorescence assays indicate proteins of MSCs (Piezo1/Piezo2, TRPV2 and TRPV4) were mainly distributed in the urothelium. Ca2+ imaging confirmed functional expression of TRPV2, TRPV4 and Piezo1 in cultured urothelial cells. Specific agonists of Piezo1 (Yoda1, 3-300 µM) and TRPV2 (cannabidiol, 3-300 µM) attenuated the frequency of ureteral contractions in a dose-dependent manner while the TRPV4 agonist GSK1016790A (100 nM-1 µM) exerted no effect. The inhibitory effects of Piezo1 and TRPV2 agonists were significantly blocked by the selective antagonists (Dooku 1 for Piezo1, Tranilast for TRPV2), removal of the mucosa, and pretreatment with NO synthase inhibitor L-NAME (10 µM). Yoda1 (30 µM) and cannabidiol (50 µM) increased production of NO in cultured urothelial cells. Our results suggest that activation of Piezo1 or TRPV2 evokes NO production and release from mucosa that may mediate mechanical stimulus-induced reduction of ureter contractions. Our findings support the idea that targeting Piezo1 and TRPV2 channels may be a promising pharmacological strategy for ureter stone passage or colic pain relief.

Effects of artificial management on culm properties of Dendrocalamus brandisii.

The artificial cultivation and management were extensively carried out in Dendrocalamus brandisii stands. However, the influences of artificial management on the anatomical and chemical characteristics of the bamboo culms were unknown. In this study, the fiber morphology, chemical composition and sugar accumulation of the D. brandisii culms with management and without management were compared in order to determine the influences of artificial management on bamboo culms. The results indicated that artificial management had a significant influence on the fiber morphology, resulting in shorter fiber length, larger L/T ratio, and smaller W/Lu value. However, the management not only increased the contents of moisture, ash, SiO2, and extractive, but also increased the holocellulose contents and decreased the lignin contents, as compared to those without management. Moreover, the management significantly increased the endogenous carbohydrates storage in the culms so as to improve the shoot production. The bamboos under management conditions could still be utilized as a raw material for papermaking. This provided a theoretical basis for the artificial management of D. brandisii stands.

Color-coded parametric imaging support display of vessel hemorrhage-an in vitro experiment and clinical validation study.

Background: Digital Subtraction Angiography (DSA) is currently the most effective diagnostic method for vascular diseases, but it is still subject to various factors, resulting in uncertain diagnosis. Therefore, a new technology is needed to help clinical doctors improve diagnostic accuracy and efficiency. Purpose: The objective of the study was to investigate the effect of utilizing color-coded parametric imaging techniques on the accuracy of identifying active bleeding through DSA, the widely accepted standard for diagnosing vascular disorders. Methods: Several variables can delay the diagnosis and treatment of active bleeding with DSA. To resolve this, we carried out an in vitro simulation experiment to simulate vascular hemorrhage and utilized five color-coded parameters (area under curve, time to peak, time-of-arrival, transit time, and flow rate of contrast agent) to determine the optimal color coding parameters. We then verified it in a clinical study. Results: Five different color-coded parametric imaging methods were compared and the time-of-arrival color coding was the most efficient technique for diagnosing active hemorrhage, with a statistically significant advantage (P < 0.001). In clinical study, 135 patients (101 with confirmed bleeding and 34 with confirmed no bleeding) were collected. For patients whose bleeding could not be determined using DSA alone (55/101) and whose no bleeding could not be diagnosed by DSA alone (35/55), the combination of time-of-arrival color parametric imaging was helpful for diagnosis, with a statistically significant difference (P < 0.01 and P = 0.01). Conclusions: The time-of-arrival color coding imaging method is a valuable tool for detecting active bleeding. When combined with DSA, it improves the visual representation of active hemorrhage and improves the efficiency of diagnosis.

Visible-Light-Mediated Activation of Remote C(sp3)-H Bonds by Carbon-Centered Biradical via Intramolecular 1,5- or 1,6-Hydrogen Atom Transfer.

In this study, we introduce a novel intramolecular hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) reaction that efficiently yields azetidine, oxetane, and indoline derivatives through a mechanism resembling the carbon analogue of the Norrish-Yang reaction. This process is facilitated by excited triplet-state carbon-centered biradicals, enabling the 1,5-HAT reaction by suppressing the critical 1,4-biradical intermediates from undergoing the Norrish Type II cleavage reaction, and pioneering unprecedented 1,6-HAT reactions initiated by excited triplet-state alkenes. We demonstrate the synthetic utility and compatibility of this method across various functional groups, validated through scope evaluation, large-scale synthesis, and derivatization. Our findings are supported by control experiments, deuterium labeling, kinetic studies, cyclic voltammetry, Stern-Volmer experiments, and density functional theory (DFT) calculations.

Dynamic memristor for physical reservoir computing.

Reservoir computing (RC) has attracted considerable attention for its efficient handling of temporal signals and lower training costs. As a nonlinear dynamic system, RC can map low-dimensional inputs into high-dimensional spaces and implement classification using a simple linear readout layer. The memristor exhibits complex dynamic characteristics due to its internal physical processes, which renders them an ideal choice for the implementation of physical reservoir computing (PRC) systems. This review focuses on PRC systems based on memristors, explaining the resistive switching mechanism at the device level and emphasizing the tunability of their dynamic behavior. The development of memristor-based reservoir computing systems is highlighted, along with discussions on the challenges faced by this field and potential future research directions.

Chromatin accessibility and transcriptional landscape in PK-15 cells during early exposure to Aflatoxin B1.

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) not only causes significant losses in livestock production but also poses a serious threat to human health. It is the most carcinogenic among known chemicals. Pigs are more susceptible to AFB1 and experience a higher incidence. However, the molecular mechanism of the toxic effect of AFB1 remains unclear. In this study, we used assay for transposase-accessible chromatin using sequencing (ATAC-seq) and RNA-seq to uncover chromatin accessibility and gene expression dynamics in PK-15 cells during early exposure to AFB1. We observed that the toxic effects of AFB1 involve signaling pathways such as p53, PI3K-AKT, Hippo, MAPK, TLRs, apoptosis, autophagy, and cancer pathways. Basic leucine zipper (bZIP) transcription factors (TFs), including AP-1, Fos, JunB, and Fra2, play a crucial role in regulating the biological processes involved in AFB1 challenge. Several new TFs, such as BORIS, HNF1b, Atf1, and KNRNPH2, represent potential targets for the toxic mechanism of AFB1. In addition, it is crucial to focus on the concentration of intracellular zinc ions. These findings will contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying AFB1-induced nephrotoxicity and offer new molecular targets.