Shifts in Clinical Characteristics, Treatment, and Outcome for Rheumatic Mitral Stenosis: Insights From a 20-Year Multicentre Registry Study in Korea.

BACKGROUND: The rapid economic development of South Korea provides a unique model to study changes in the clinical characteristics, treatment approaches, and clinical outcomes of patients with rheumatic mitral stenosis (MS) relative to socioeconomic growth. METHODS: From the Multicenter mitrAl STEnosis with Rheumatic etiology (MASTER) registry, 2,337 patients diagnosed with moderate or severe rheumatic MS between January 2001 and December 2020 were analyzed. Patients were grouped into consecutive 5-year intervals based on their year of diagnosis. Clinical characteristics, echocardiographic data, and clinical outcomes were assessed. RESULTS: Over 20 years, the severity of mitral stenosis increased from 79.1% to 90.2%; similarly, the average age at diagnosis increased from 54.3 to 63.0 years (all P < 0.001). Comorbidities such as hypertension and atrial fibrillation increased (6.3% to 29.5% and 41.4% to 46.9%, respectively; all P for trend < 0.05). The rate of mitral intervention within five years after diagnosis increased from 31.2% to 47.4% (P for trend < 0.001). However, clinical outcomes of rheumatic mitral stenosis deteriorated over time in the composite outcomes (log-rank test, P < 0.001). Conversely, the incidence of stroke remained stable (60.6-73.7%; P < 0.001), which might be attributed to the increased use of anticoagulation therapy. CONCLUSION: This study observed an increase in patient age, comorbidities, and valve disease severity as the country transitioned from a developing to developed status. Despite a rise in mitral valve interventions, clinical outcomes deteriorated over 20 years, highlighting the need for modified treatment approaches to improve patient outcomes.

Trends in and Effectiveness of Infographics for Health Communication: A Scoping Review.

Health infographics are often used to improve knowledge or change behaviors. However, a systematic understanding of the current landscape and evidence of health infographics is lacking. The objective of this study was to explore trends in health-related infographics research and health infographic effectiveness. We conducted a scoping review of peer-reviewed publications describing health-related infographic development, using health and computer science databases. We extracted information from included articles to understand current trends in health-related infographics research and design elements that support infographic effectiveness. A total of 135 articles met our inclusion criteria. There was an increase in health infographics publications over time and definitions of infographics, when present, varied in scope and content. Out of 81 studies that evaluated the infographics' effectiveness in improving knowledge or changing attitudes or behaviors, 71 (87.7%) reported that infographics were effective. Infographics were often preferred over another medium (e.g. text). Overall, there is increasing interest in research regarding health-related infographics. While most effectiveness studies found that infographics helped improve knowledge or change behaviors, many studies lacked rigor in study design or reporting study methods. We did not find articles that focused on credibility or development of infographics tools - these are avenues for future research.

Tailored Band Alignment for Improved Carrier Transport in Composition-Controlled Sb2(S,Se)3.

Sb2(S,Se)3 is a highly available energy material with a tunable bandgap by adjusting the S/Se ratio. Increasing the Se ratio can enhance the efficiency of Sb2(S,Se)3 solar cells, with a higher short-circuit current (JSC). However, the accompanying decrease in the open-circuit voltage (VOC) restricts further improvement. The defect passivation is important, since it can reduce carrier recombination, enhancing the VOC. In this study, the relevance of the S/Se ratio, defect concentration, and VOC was investigated. The samples with or without the deposition of Se-rich Sb2(S,Se)3 onto S-rich Sb2(S,Se)3 were used for defect characterization. Different surface compositions were confirmed by Raman spectroscopy. The complicated subdefect states of S-rich Sb2(S,Se)3 were shown through photoluminescence and conductive atomic force microscopy, and a decrease in the defect concentration was observed through surface photovoltage. The improvement of JSC via bandgap grading and the simultaneous VOC improvement by defect passivation resulted in efficient cell performance.

Synthesis of Polyether, Poly(Ether Carbonate) and Poly(Ether Ester) Polyols Using Double Metal Cyanide Catalysts Bearing Organophosphorus Complexing Agents.

We developed a series of Zn(II)-Co(III) double metal cyanide (DMC) catalysts with exceptional activity for the ring-opening polymerization of various cyclic monomers by employing diverse organophosphorus compounds as complexing agents (CAs). The chemical structure and composition of DMC catalysts were investigated by commonly used analysis such as infrared and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopies, and elemental analysis combining with in situ NMR analysis to determine the complexation types of organophosphorus compounds the catalyst framework. The resulting catalysts exhibited very high turnover frequencies (up to 631.4 min-1) in the ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of propylene oxide and good efficiency for the ROP of ε-caprolactone. The resultant polyester polyols are suitable to use as an macroinitiator to produce well-defined poly(ester ether) triblock copolymers of 1800-6600 g mol-1 and dispersity of 1.16-1.37. Additionally, the DMC catalysts bearing organophosphorus compounds CAs exhibited remarkable selectivity for the copolymerization of PO with CO2, yielding poly(ether carbonate) polyols with carbonate contents up to 34.5%. This study contributes to the development of efficient DMC catalytic systems that enable the synthesis of high-quality polyols for various applications.

DA-6034 ameliorates hepatic steatosis and inflammation in high fat diet-induced obese mice.

BACKGROUND: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is characterized by an increase in hepatic triglyceride content and increased inflammatory macrophage infiltration through the C-C motif chemokine receptor (CCR) 5 pathway in the liver. DA-6034 (7-carboxymethyloxy-3',4',5-trimethoxy flavone), is a synthetic derivative of eupatilin that exhibits anti-inflammatory activity in inflammatory bowel disease. However, the effect of DA-6034 on the inflammatory response in NAFLD is not well elucidated. Therefore, we aimed to determine the effect of DA-6034 on hepatic steatosis and inflammation. METHODS: Forty male C57BL/6J mice were divided into the following four groups: (1) regular diet (RD), (2) RD with DA-6034, (3) high fat diet (HFD), and (4) HFD with DA-6034. All mice were sacrificed 12 weeks after the start of the experiment. The effects of DA-6034 on macrophages were assessed using RAW264.7 cells. RESULTS: DA-6034 not only reduced hepatic triglyceride levels and lipid accumulation but also macrophage infiltration and proinflammatory cytokines in HFD-fed mice. According to fluorescence-activated cell sorter analysis, DA-6034 reduced the CD8+ T cell fraction in the liver of HFD-fed mice. DA-6034 also reduced CCR5 expression and the migration of liver macrophages in HFD-fed mice and inhibited CCR2 ligand and CCR4 ligand, which stimulated the migration of macrophages. CONCLUSION: Overall, DA-6034 attenuates hepatic steatosis and inflammation in obesity by regulating CCR5 expression in macrophages.

DWN12088, A Prolyl-tRNA Synthetase Inhibitor, Alleviates Hepatic Injury in Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis.

BACKGRUOUND: Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a liver disease caused by obesity that leads to hepatic lipoapoptosis, resulting in fibrosis and cirrhosis. However, the mechanism underlying NASH is largely unknown, and there is currently no effective therapeutic agent against it. DWN12088, an agent used for treating idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, is a selective prolyl-tRNA synthetase (PRS) inhibitor that suppresses the synthesis of collagen. However, the mechanism underlying the hepatoprotective effect of DWN12088 is not clear. Therefore, we investigated the role of DWN12088 in NASH progression. METHODS: Mice were fed a chow diet or methionine-choline deficient (MCD)-diet, which was administered with DWN12088 or saline by oral gavage for 6 weeks. The effects of DWN12088 on NASH were evaluated by pathophysiological examinations, such as real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, immunoblotting, biochemical analysis, and immunohistochemistry. Molecular and cellular mechanisms of hepatic injury were assessed by in vitro cell culture. RESULTS: DWN12088 attenuated palmitic acid (PA)-induced lipid accumulation and lipoapoptosis by downregulating the Rho-kinase (ROCK)/AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)/sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c) and protein kinase R-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK)/α subunit of eukaryotic initiation factor 2 (eIF2α)/activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4)/C/EBP-homologous protein (CHOP) signaling cascades. PA increased but DWN12088 inhibited the phosphorylation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) p65 (Ser536, Ser276) and the expression of proinflammatory genes. Moreover, the DWN12088 inhibited transforming growth factor ß (TGFß)-induced pro-fibrotic gene expression by suppressing TGFß receptor 1 (TGFßR1)/Smad2/3 and TGFßR1/glutamyl-prolyl-tRNA synthetase (EPRS)/signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 (STAT6) axis signaling. In the case of MCD-diet-induced NASH, DWN12088 reduced hepatic steatosis, inflammation, and lipoapoptosis and prevented the progression of fibrosis. CONCLUSION: Our findings provide new insights about DWN12088, namely that it plays an important role in the overall improvement of NASH. Hence, DWN12088 shows great potential to be developed as a new integrated therapeutic agent for NASH.

Outcomes of Severe Mitral Stenosis With the Revised Severity Criteria: Mitral Valve Replacement vs Percutaneous Mitral Valvuloplasty.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to compare the outcomes, according to percutaneous mitral valvuloplasty (PMV) vs mitral valve replacement (MVR), of severe mitral stenosis (MS) with the updated criteria (MVA ≤ 1.5 cm2). METHODS: From the Multicenter Mitral Stenosis With Rheumatic Etiology (MASTER) registry of 3140 patients, we included patients with severe MS who underwent PMV or MVR between January 2000 and December 2021 except for previous valvular surgery/intervention, at least moderate other valvular dysfunction, and thrombus at the left atrium/appendage. Moderately severe MS (MS-MS) and very severe MS (VS-MS) were defined as 1.0 cm2 < MVA ≤ 1.5 cm2 and MVA ≤ 1.0 cm2, respectively. Primary outcomes were a composite of cardiovascular (CV) death and heart failure (HF) hospitalization. Secondary outcomes were a composite of primary outcomes and redo intervention. RESULTS: Among 442 patients (mean 56.5 ±11.9 years, women 77.1%), the MVR group (n = 260) was older, had more comorbidities, higher echoscore, larger left chambers, and higher right ventricular systolic pressure than the PMV group (n = 182). During a mean follow-up of 6.9 ± 5.2 years with inverse probability-weighted matching, primary outcomes did not differ, but the MVR group experienced fewer secondary outcomes (P = 0.010). In subgroup analysis of patients with MS-MS and VS-MS, primary outcomes did not differ. However, the MVR group in patients with VS-MS showed better secondary outcomes (P = 0.012). CONCLUSIONS: PMV or MVR did not influence CV mortality or HF hospitalization in both MS-MS and VS-MS. However, because of increased early redo intervention in the PMV group in VS-MS, MVR would be the preferable option without clear evidence of suitable morphology for PMV.

Designing an infographic webtool for public health.

OBJECTIVE: To create and evaluate a public health informatics tool, Florence, for communicating information to the public. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This user-centered design study included 3 phases: (1) an interview and survey study with public health practitioners to assess needs for creating infographics; (2) the application of assessment findings and public health-motivated design guidelines to the design and development of a public health-specific infographic design tool; and (3) a feasibility and usability study to evaluate the feasibility and usability of the tool. RESULTS: In phase 1, participants noted the importance of tailoring infographics to an audience and wanted flexible tools along with design guidance to help make fewer design decisions. In phase 2, we developed a prototype tool with: (1) layout and functionality familiar to PH users, (2) quick and intuitive ways to add and modify data in visualizations, and (3) health-focused visual elements. In phase 3, participants found Florence to be usable, providing an intuitive and straightforward experience, and that the focus on public health was useful. DISCUSSION: Based on needs assessments and existing literature, we created Florence along with public health practitioners to address their domain specific needs, ultimately leading to a tool that participants in our study deemed useful. Future research can build on our work to develop user-centered tools to meet their needs. CONCLUSION: Infographics are important for public health communication. Creating user-centered solutions to address the unique needs of public health can support communication efforts.

Cardiovascular Outcomes of Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography Versus Functional Testing in Suspected Coronary Syndromes: Real-World Evidence From the Nationwide Cohort.

Background Real-world evidence for the selection of gatekeeping studies in patients with suspected coronary syndromes is limited. Methods and Results We identified 27 036 patients who underwent coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA), single-photon emission computed tomography, and the treadmill test for suspected coronary syndromes from the Korean National Health Insurance Service-National Sample Cohort between 2006 and 2014. The primary end point was a composite of cardiac death and myocardial infarction, and the secondary end point was a composite of the primary end point and revascularization. During a median follow-up of 5.4 years, the risk of both primary and secondary end points was significantly higher in the single-photon emission computed tomography group (hazard ratio [HR], 1.81 [95% CI, 1.34-2.45]; and HR, 1.42 [95% CI, 1.22-1.66]), but significantly lower in the treadmill test group (HR, 0.53 [95% CI, 0.42-0.67]; and HR, 0.69 [95% CI, 0.62-0.76]) compared with the CCTA group. After balancing baseline risk factors, there was no significant difference in the primary end point in those with single-photon emission computed tomography (HR, 1.11 [95% CI, 0.78-1.57]; P=0.58) or treadmill test (HR, 0.84 [95% CI, 0.65-1.08]; P=0.18) groups, compared with the CCTA group. The event rate of the secondary end point was significantly lower in the treadmill test group than in the CCTA group (HR, 0.87 [95% CI, 0.78-0.96]; P=0.008). Conclusions Compared with functional testing, initial CCTA was not associated with a lower rate of cardiac death or myocardial infarction when used as an initial diagnostic test for patients with suspected coronary syndromes.

Effects of septal myectomy on left atrial and left ventricular function in obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

AIMS: Mechanical function of the left atrium (LA) and the left ventricle (LV) has been demonstrated to be a prognostic factor in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). We explore whether myocardial mechanical function can be improved by septal reduction therapy in symptomatic obstructive HCM. METHODS AND RESULTS: Among 65 patients who underwent septal myectomy for symptomatic obstructive HCM from 2006 to 2022, 44 were analysed after excluding those who underwent simultaneous valve repair or replacement or maze operation. LA and LV functional variables including LA strain and LV global longitudinal strain were evaluated by two-dimensional and speckle-tracking echocardiography and compared before and 1 year after surgery. After septal myectomy, LA volume index (58.1 ± 18.3 vs. 45.3 ± 14.6 mL/m2 , P = 0.001) decreased significantly. As LV end-systolic dimension increased after surgery, the LV ejection fraction decreased (73.8 ± 6.7 vs. 62.9 ± 8.3%, P < 0.001). LA strain (24.4 ± 9.3 vs. 30.5 ± 13.6%, P = 0.004) improved after septal myectomy, but LV global longitudinal strain deteriorated (-12.6 ± 3.6 vs. -11.6 ± 4.3%, P = 0.033), mainly related to worsening non-septal longitudinal strain (-14.4 ± 4.3 vs. -10.9 ± 8.4%, P = 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: As haemodynamic loads due to LV outflow tract obstruction was relieved through surgical septal reduction therapy in patients with symptomatic obstructive HCM, there was a significant reduction in LA volume and restoration of LA mechanical dysfunction. However, LV mechanical dysfunction deteriorated even after surgical septal reduction therapy.

Trends and Spatio-Temporal Variability of Summer Mean and Extreme Precipitation across South Korea for 1973-2022.

Climate change has altered the frequency, intensity, and timing of mean and extreme precipitation. Extreme precipitation has caused tremendous socio-economic losses, and severe impacts on human life, livelihood, and ecosystems. In recent years, heavy rainfall events occurred during the boreal summer (June-to-August) frequently and sporadically over South Korea. Given that its severity, a call for an urgent investigation of summer extreme rainfall is needed. Although many previous studies have addressed daily extreme precipitation, hourly extreme rainfall still needs to be thoroughly investigated. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the trends, spatio-temporal variability, and long-term variations in mean and extreme precipitation over South Korea during the boreal summertime using daily and hourly observational data through various analysis methods. During the past 50 years (1973-2022), there has been a notable escalation in maximum hourly precipitation, although the boreal summer mean precipitation has increased only marginally. Regionally, an increase in mean and extreme rainfall occurred in the northern part of the central region and the southern coast of the Korean peninsula. Moreover, the increase in intensity and frequency of extreme precipitation as well as in dry day have contributed more to the total summer precipitation in recent years. Our findings provide scientific insights into the progression of extreme summer precipitation events in South Korea. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13143-023-00323-7.

Beneficial Effects of a Curcumin Derivative and Transforming Growth Factor-ß Receptor I Inhibitor Combination on Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis.

BACKGRUOUND: Curcumin 2005-8 (Cur5-8), a derivative of curcumin, improves fatty liver disease via AMP-activated protein kinase activation and autophagy regulation. EW-7197 (vactosertib) is a small molecule inhibitor of transforming growth factor ß (TGF-ß) receptor I and may scavenge reactive oxygen species and ameliorate fibrosis through the SMAD2/3 canonical pathway. This study aimed to determine whether co-administering these two drugs having different mechanisms is beneficial. METHODS: Hepatocellular fibrosis was induced in mouse hepatocytes (alpha mouse liver 12 [AML12]) and human hepatic stellate cells (LX-2) using TGF-ß (2 ng/mL). The cells were then treated with Cur5-8 (1 µM), EW-7197 (0.5 µM), or both. In animal experiments were also conducted during which, methionine-choline deficient diet, Cur5-8 (100 mg/kg), and EW-7197 (20 mg/kg) were administered orally to 8-week-old C57BL/6J mice for 6 weeks. RESULTS: TGF-ß-induced cell morphological changes were improved by EW-7197, and lipid accumulation was restored on the administration of EW-7197 in combination with Cur5-8. In a nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)-induced mouse model, 6 weeks of EW-7197 and Cur5-8 co-administration alleviated liver fibrosis and improved the nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) activity score. CONCLUSION: Co-administering Cur5-8 and EW-7197 to NASH-induced mice and fibrotic hepatocytes reduced liver fibrosis and steatohepatitis while maintaining the advantages of both drugs. This is the first study to show the effect of the drug combination against NASH and NAFLD. Similar effects in other animal models will confirm its potential as a new therapeutic agent.

Umbelliferone Ameliorates Hepatic Steatosis and Lipid-Induced ER Stress in High-Fat Diet-Induced Obese Mice.

PURPOSE: Among the characteristics of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), hepatic steatosis is due to excessive fat accumulation and causes liver damage and lipotoxicity, which are associated with insulin resistance, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, and apoptosis. Umbelliferone (UMB) has various powerful pharmacological properties, such as antioxidant, anti-hyperglycemic, anti-viral, and anti-inflammatory effects. However, the mechanism of action in hepatic steatosis and lipid-induced ER stress is still unclear. Thus, the efficacy of UMB in hepatic steatosis and palmitate (PA)-induced hepatocellular lipotoxicity was evaluated in the present study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Male C57BL/6J mice (n=40) were divided into four groups: regular diet (RD), UMB-supplemented RD, high-fat diet (HFD), and UMB-supplemented HFD. All mice were fed orally for 12 weeks. In addition, the effects of UMB on lipotoxicity were investigated in AML12 cells treated with PA (250 µM) for 24 h; Western blot analysis was used to evaluate the changes in ER stress and apoptotic-associated proteins. RESULTS: Administration with UMB in HFD-fed mice reduced lipid accumulation and hepatic triglyceride (TG) as well as serum insulin and glucose levels. In AML12 cells, UMB treatment reduced lipid accumulation as indicated by decreases in the levels of lipogenesis markers, such as SREBP1, FAS, PPAR-γ, and ADRP. Furthermore, UMB reduced both oxidative stress and ER stress-related cellular apoptosis. CONCLUSION: UMB supplementation ameliorated hepatic steatosis and improved insulin resistance by inhibiting lipid accumulation and regulating ER stress. These findings strongly suggest that UMB may be a potential therapeutic compound against NAFLD.

Future Indian Ocean warming patterns.

Most future projections conducted with coupled general circulation models simulate a non-uniform Indian Ocean warming, with warming hotspots occurring in the Arabian Sea (AS) and the southeastern Indian Ocean (SEIO). But little is known about the underlying physical drivers. Here, we are using a suite of large ensemble simulations of the Community Earth System Model 2 to elucidate the causes of non-uniform Indian Ocean warming. Strong negative air-sea interactions in the Eastern Indian Ocean are responsible for a future weakening of the zonal sea surface temperature gradient, resulting in a slowdown of the Indian Ocean Walker circulation and the generation of southeasterly wind anomalies over the AS. These contribute to anomalous northward ocean heat transport, reduced evaporative cooling, a weakening in upper ocean vertical mixing and an enhanced AS future warming. In contrast, the projected warming in the SEIO is related to a reduction of low-cloud cover and an associated increase in shortwave radiation. Therefore, the regional character of air-sea interactions plays a key role in promoting future large-scale tropical atmospheric circulation anomalies with implications for society and ecosystems far outside the Indian Ocean realm.

The Relationship between Rainfall Pattern and Epilithic Diatoms in Four Streams of Central-Western Korea for Three Years (2013-2015).

To study the effect of rainfall patterns on diatom communities in four major central western streams on the Korean Peninsula during the monsoon seasons of 2013 through 2015, we measured precipitation, environmental factors, and epilithic diatoms at 42 sites before (May) and after (August and September) each monsoon. The Mangyeonggang river and Sapgyocheon stream (SS) had a high percentage of low-permeability soil, and the stream had the highest proportion (49.1%) of surrounding land in urban areas. Precipitation and precipitation frequency was closely correlated with electrical conductivity and nutrients, and this was particularly evident in SS. Epilithic diatom abundance for the most abundant species as, Navicula minima, decreased in the stream in 2013 and 2014 and increased in 2015 when precipitation and precipitation frequency were low. This was not clearly distinguishable in the ecological characteristics of each watercourse's indicator species, except in SS. The dynamic community index was highest in 2015 (ca. 5.50), and the annual changes in the index were clearly shown in SS. The precipitation pattern and the dynamic community index were negatively correlated (r = -0.026~-0.385), and the precipitation within 2 weeks (r = -0.480 for SS) before the second sampling and the frequency of 10 mm of precipitation were closely correlated in the stream (r = -0.450 for SS). The distribution of epilithic diatoms in the four watercourses is therefore affected by monsoon precipitation and precipitation frequency, and the dynamic community index is determined by soil characteristics and land use.

Reduced proinflammatory activity of outer membrane vesicles of Tannerella forsythia treated with quorum sensing inhibitors.

Outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) of bacteria harbor physiologically active molecules, and quorum sensing inhibitors (QSIs) are expected to regulate bacterial virulence. In this study, we analyzed the proinflammatory activity of OMVs of the periodontal pathogen Tannerella forsythia treated with d-arabinose and d-galactose as QSIs, which inhibit the biofilm formation of periodontal pathogens and autoinducer 2 activity. Compared to OMVs of nontreated T. forsythia (TF OMVs), OMVs released from QSI-treated T. forsythia, designated TF ara-OMVs and TF gal-OMVs, showed reduced production of TNF-α, IL-1ß, IL-6, and IL-8 in THP-1 monocytes through decreased activation of NF-κB/MAPKs. Using a human NF-κB reporter cell line and bone marrow-derived macrophages from TLR2-/- mice, TF ara-OMVs and TF gal-OMVs showed less activation of TLR2 than TF OMVs. These results demonstrated that QSIs provide a dual advantage against bacterial infection by inhibiting bacterial biofilm formation and generating OMVs with reduced proinflammatory activity.

The complete chloroplast genome of Ziziphus jujuba cv. Bokjo (Rhamnaceae).

We have sequenced the Ziziphus jujuba cv. Bokjo chloroplast genome by de novo assembly using next-generation sequencing. The complete circular chloroplast genome consisted of 161,714 bp and contained four parts: a large single-copy (LSC) region of 89,323 bp, a small single-copy (SSC) region of 19,361 bp, and two inverted repeat regions (IRa and IRb) of 26,515 bp each. The genome annotation predicted a total of 110 genes, including 76 protein-coding genes, 30 tRNA genes, and four rRNA genes. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated the close taxonomic relationship between Z. jujuba cv. Bokjo and two other members of the Ziziphus genus, Z. spina-christi and Z. mauritiana. We found 135 polymorphic loci, 63 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and 72 insertion-deletion (InDel), from the comparison of Z. jujuba cultivar Bokjo and Z. jujuba reference (NC_030299). The polymorphic loci could be used for the differentiation of Z. jujuba genetic resources and for breeding in the future.

Linker Unit Modulation of Polymer Acceptors Enables Highly Efficient Air-Processed All-Polymer Solar Cells.

A group of regioregular polymer acceptors is synthesized by polymerizing Y6 moieties with different linker units including thiophene, vinylene, 2,2'-bithiophene, and thieno[3,2-b]thiophene, and their optoelectrical properties and photovoltaic performances are studied systematically. It is found that the linker units have significant impacts on the backbone planarity, conjugation, and hence optoelectrical properties of polymer acceptors. The vinylene-based PYF-V-o polymer shows a smaller dihedral angle between the end groups and vinylene units and a more rigid polymer backbone, thus affording bathochromic absorption and better electron-transporting capacity. As a result, the PM6:PYF-V-o based all-polymer solar cells (all-PSCs) are able to achieve the highest power conversion efficiency of 16.4% with an unprecedented small voltage loss of 0.49 V. Moreover, the PM6:PYF-V-o blend exhibits good resistance to environmental stressors and the air-processed PM6:PYF-V-o cells can still maintain a high efficiency of 16.1%, which is the best air-processed all-PSC efficiency reported to date. This study provides the structural-property guidance that can be used to facilitate the development of polymer acceptors for all-PSCs.

Multi-year El Niño events tied to the North Pacific Oscillation.

Multi-year El Niño events induce severe and persistent floods and droughts worldwide, with significant socioeconomic impacts, but the causes of their long-lasting behaviors are still not fully understood. Here we present a two-way feedback mechanism between the tropics and extratropics to argue that extratropical atmospheric variability associated with the North Pacific Oscillation (NPO) is a key source of multi-year El Niño events. The NPO during boreal winter can trigger a Central Pacific El Niño during the subsequent winter, which excites atmospheric teleconnections to the extratropics that re-energize the NPO variability, then re-triggers another El Niño event in the following winter, finally resulting in persistent El Niño-like states. Model experiments, with the NPO forcing assimilated to constrain atmospheric circulation, reproduce the observed connection between NPO forcing and the occurrence of multi-year El Niño events. Future projections of Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phases 5 and 6 models demonstrate that with enhanced NPO variability under future anthropogenic forcing, more frequent multi-year El Niño events should be expected. We conclude that properly accounting for the effects of the NPO on the evolution of El Niño events may improve multi-year El Niño prediction and projection.