Robust Superconductivity in Infinite-Layer Nickelates.

The recent discovery of nickelate superconductivity represents an important step toward understanding the four-decade mastery of unconventional high-temperature superconductivity. However, the synthesis of the infinite-layer nickelate superconductors shows great challenges. Particularly, surface capping layers are usually unitized to facilitate the sample synthesis. This leads to an important question whether nickelate superconductors with d9 configuration and ultralow valence of Ni1+ are in metastable state and whether nickelate superconductivity can be robust? In this work, a series of redox cycling experiments are performed across the phase transition between perovskite Nd0.8Sr0.2NiO3 and infinite-layer Nd0.8Sr0.2NiO2. The infinite-layer Nd0.8Sr0.2NiO2 is quite robust in the redox environment and can survive the cycling experiments with unchanged crystallographic quality. However, as the cycling number goes on, the perovskite Nd0.8Sr0.2NiO3 shows structural degradation, suggesting stability of nickelate superconductivity is not restricted by the ultralow valence of Ni1+, but by the quality of its perovskite precursor. The observed robustness of infinite-layer Nd0.8Sr0.2NiO2 up to ten redox cycles further indicates that if an ideal high-quality perovskite precursor can be obtained, infinite-layer nickelate superconductivity can be very stable and sustainable under environmental conditions. This work provides important implications for potential device applications for nickelate superconductors.

Enhancing the activity of zearalenone lactone hydrolase toward the more toxic α-zearalanol via a single-point mutation.

Zearalenone (ZEN) and its derivatives are estrogenic mycotoxins known to pose significant health threats to humans and animals. Especially, the derivative α-zearalanol (α-ZAL) is over 10 times more toxic than ZEN. Simultaneous degradation of ZEN and its derivatives, especially α-ZAL, using ZEN lactone hydrolases (ZHDs) is a promising solution to eliminate their potential hazards to food safety. However, most available ZHDs exhibit limited activity toward the more toxic α-ZAL compared to ZEN. Here, we identified a broad-substrate spectrum ZHD, named ZHDAY3, from Exophiala aquamarina CBS 119918, which could not only efficiently degrade ZEN but also exhibited 73% relative activity toward α-ZAL. Through rational design, we obtained the ZHDAY3(N153H) mutant, which exhibited the highest specific activity (253.3 ± 4.3 U/mg) reported so far for degrading α-ZAL. Molecular docking, structural comparative analysis, and kinetic analysis collectively suggested that the shorter distance between the side chain of the catalytic residue His242 and the lactone bond of α-ZAL and the increased binding affinity to the substrate were mainly responsible for the improved catalytic activity of ZHDAY3(N153H) mutant. This mechanism was further validated through additional molecular docking of 18 mutants and experimental verification of six mutants.IMPORTANCEThe mycotoxins zearalenone (ZEN) and its derivatives pose a significant threat to food safety. Here, we present a highly promising ZEN lactone hydrolase (ZHD), ZHDAY3, which is capable of efficiently degrading both ZEN and the more toxic derivative α-ZAL. Next, the ZHDAY3(N153H) mutant obtained by single-point mutation exhibited the highest specific activity for degrading α-ZAL reported thus far. We further elucidated the molecular mechanisms underlying the enhanced hydrolytic activity of ZHDAY3(N153H) toward α-ZAL. These findings represent the first investigation on the molecular mechanism of ZHDs against α-ZAL and are expected to provide a significant reference for further rational engineering of ZHDs, which will ultimately contribute to addressing the health risks and food safety issues posed by ZEN-like mycotoxins.

Effects of Land Use Type Transformation on the Structure and Diversity of Soil Bacterial Communities.

Soil microbiota are significantly influenced by their microenvironments. Therefore, to understand the impacts of various land use patterns on the diversity and composition of soil bacterial communities, this study focused on three typical land use types-NF (natural forest), AF (artificial forests), and FL (farmland)-in the Heilongjiang Central Station Black-billed Capercaillie National Nature Reserve, located in the southwestern part of Heihe City, Heilongjiang Province, China. Using high-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene, we examined the soil bacterial community structures in these different land use types and explored their correlation with soil environmental factors. The following were our main observations: (1) Significant variations in soil chemical properties among different land use patterns were observed. In artificial forests, total nitrogen (TN), alkali hydrolyzed nitrogen (AN), total phosphorus (TP), and available phosphorus (AP) were higher compared to farmland and significantly higher than those in natural forests. Furthermore, the organic carbon content (SOC) in natural forests was higher than in artificial forests and significantly higher than in farmland. (2) Comparative analysis using the Shannon and Simpson indices revealed that bacterial community diversity was higher in artificial forests than in natural forests, which was significantly higher than in farmland. (3) The effect of different land use types on soil bacterial community structure was not significant. The three land types were dominated by Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, and Actinobacteria. Proteobacteria exhibited a higher relative abundance in farmland and artificial forests compared to natural forests, whereas Actinobacteria exhibited the lowest relative abundance in natural forests. (4) Redundancy analysis (RDA) revealed that SOC, TN, AN, and AP were key environmental factors influencing the microbial communities of soil. Collectively, our findings demonstrated that land use practices can significantly alter soil nutrient levels, thereby influencing the structure of bacterial communities.

MiR-431 promotes cardiomyocyte proliferation by targeting FBXO32 expression.

BACKGROUND: The induction of cardiomyocyte (CM) proliferation is a promising approach for cardiac regeneration following myocardial injury. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been reported to regulate CM proliferation. In particular, miR-431 expression decreases during cardiac development, according to Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) microarray data. However, whether miR-431 regulates CM proliferation has not been thoroughly investigated. METHODS: We used integrated bioinformatics analysis of GEO datasets to identify the most significantly differentially expressed miRNAs. Real-time quantitative PCR and fluorescence in situ hybridization were performed to determine the miRNA expression patterns in hearts. Gain- and loss-of-function assays were conducted to detect the role of miRNA in CM proliferation. Additionally, we detected whether miR-431 affected CM proliferation in a myocardial infarction model. The TargetScan, miRDB and miRWalk online databases were used to predict the potential target genes of miRNAs. Luciferase reporter assays were used to study miRNA interactions with the targeting mRNA. RESULTS: First, we found a significant reduction in miR-431 levels during cardiac development. Then, by overexpression and inhibition of miR-431, we demonstrated that miR-431 promotes CM proliferation in vitro and in vivo, as determined by immunofluorescence assays of 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU), pH3, Aurora B and CM count, whereas miR-431 inhibition suppresses CM proliferation. Then, we found that miR-431 improved cardiac function post-myocardial infarction. In addition, we identified FBXO32 as a direct target gene of miR-431, with FBXO32 mRNA and protein expression being suppressed by miR-431. FBXO32 inhibited CM proliferation. Overexpression of FBXO32 blocks the enhanced effect of miR-431 on CM proliferation, suggesting that FBXO32 is a functional target of miR-431 during CM proliferation. CONCLUSION: In summary, miR-431 promotes CM proliferation by targeting FBXO32, providing a potential molecular target for preventing myocardial injury.

Purification, Structural Characterization, and Antitumor Activity of a Polysaccharide from Perilla Seeds.

A previous study found that a crude Perilla seed polysaccharide (PFSP) fraction exhibited obviously antitumor activity; however, the structural characterization and antitumor properties of this polysaccharide remain unclear. In this study, the PFSP was extracted and purified via combined column chromatography, and the structure of a single polysaccharide fraction was characterized by methylation, IC, GC-MS, NMR, and AFM. The results demonstrated that the efficient antitumor polysaccharide fraction PFSP-2-1 was screened from PFSP with a relative molecular weight of 8.81 × 106 Da. The primary structure of the PFSP main chain was →1)-Araf-(5→, →1,3)-Galp-(6→, →1)-Galp-(6→, →1,3)-Araf-(5→ and →1)-Xylp-(4→, and that of the side chains was →1)-Arap, →1,3)-Galp-(6→, →1)-Araf and →1)-Glcp-(4→, →1)-Galp-(3→ and →1)-Glcp, leading to a three-dimensional helical structure. CCK-8 experiments revealed that PFSP-2-1 significantly inhibited the growth of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells in vitro (p < 0.05), and its inhibitory effect positively correlation with the concentration of PFSP-2-1, and when the concentration of PFSP-2-1 was 1600 µg/mL, it showed the highest inhabitation rate on three hepatocellular carcinoma cells (HepG-2, Hep3b, and SK-Hep-1), for which the survival rates of HepG-2, Hep3b, and SK-Hep-1 were 53.34%, 70.33%, and 71.06%. This study clearly elucidated the structure and antitumor activity of PFSP-2-1, which lays a theoretical foundation for revealing the molecular mechanism of antitumor activity of Perilla seed polysaccharides and provides an important theoretical basis for the development of high-value Perilla.

Halide-Driven Synthetic Control of InSb Colloidal Quantum Dots Enables Short-Wave Infrared Photodetectors.

In the III-V family of colloidal quantum dot (CQD) semiconductors, InSb promises access to a wider range of infrared wavelengths compared to many light-sensing material candidates. However, achieving the necessary size, size-dispersity, and optical properties has been challenging. Here the synthetic challenges associated with InSb CQDs are investigated and it is found that uncontrolled reduction of the antimony precursor hampers the controlled growth of CQDs. To overcome this, a synthetic strategy that combines nonpyrophoric precursors with zinc halide additives is developed. The experimental and computational studies show that zinc halide additives decelerate the reduction of the antimony precursor, facilitating the growth of more uniformly sized CQDs. It is also found that the halide choice provides additional control over the strength of this effect. The resultant CQDs exhibit well-defined excitonic transitions in spectral range of 1.26-0.98 eV, along with strong photoluminescence. By implementing a postsynthesis ligand exchange, colloidally stable inks enabling the fabrication of high-quality CQD films are achieved. The first demonstration of InSb CQD photodetectors is presented reaching 75% external quantum efficiency (QE) at 1200 nm, to the knowledge the highest short-wave infrared (SWIR) QE reported among heavy-metal-free infrared CQD-based devices.

Effect of elevation on composition and diversity of fungi in the rhizosphere of a population of Deyeuxia angustifolia on Changbai Mountain, northeastern China.

Soil fungi are a key component of terrestrial ecosystems and play a major role in soil biogeochemical cycling. Although the diversity and composition of fungal communities are regulated by many abiotic and biotic factors, the effect of elevation on soil fungal community diversity and composition remains largely unknown. In this study, the soil fungal composition and diversity in Deyeuxia angustifolia populations along an elevational gradient (1,690 m to 2020 m a.s.l.) were assessed, using Illumina MiSeq sequencing, on the north-facing slope of the Changbai Mountain, northeastern China. Our results showed that soil physicochemical parameters changed significantly along with the elevational gradients. The Ascomycota and Basidiomycota were the most dominant phyla along with the gradient. Alpha diversity of soil fungi decreased significantly with elevation. Soil nitrate nitrogen (NO3--N) was positively correlated with fungal richness and phylogenetic diversity (PD), indicating that soil nitrate nitrogen (NO3--N) is a key soil property determining fungal community diversity. In addition to soil nitrate content, soil pH and soil moisture were the most important environmental properties determining the soil fungal diversity. Our results suggest that the elevational changes in soil physicochemical properties play a key role in shaping the community composition and diversity of soil fungi. This study will allow us to better understand the biodiversity distribution patterns of soil microorganisms in mountain ecosystems.

An efficient metal-organic framework-based drug delivery platform for synergistic antibacterial activity and osteogenesis.

Bone implants for clinical application should be endowed with antibacterial activity, biocompatibility, and even osteogenesis-promoting properties. In this work, metal-organic framework (MOF) based drug delivery platform was used to modify titanium implants for improved clinical applicability. Methyl Vanillate@Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework-8 (MV@ZIF-8) was immobilized on the polydopamine (PDA) modified titanium. The sustainable release of the Zn2+ and MV causes substantial oxidative damage to Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). The increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) significantly up-regulates the expression of oxidative stress and DNA damage response genes. Meanwhile, the structural disruption of lipid membranes caused by the ROS, the damage caused by Zinc active sites and the damage accelerated by the MV are both involved in inhibiting bacterial proliferation. The up-regulated expression of the osteogenic-related genes and proteins indicated that the MV@ZIF-8 could effectively promote the osteogenic differentiation of the human bone mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs). RNA sequencing and Western blotting analysis revealed that the MV@ZIF-8 coating activates the canonical Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway through the regulation of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) pathway, thereby promoting the osteogenic differentiation of the hBMSCs. This work demonstrates a promising application of the MOF-based drug delivery platform in bone tissue engineering.

Meta-Analysis of the Effects of Biochar Application on the Diversity of Soil Bacteria and Fungi.

Biochar is increasingly being used for soil improvement, but the effects on microbial diversity in soil are still ambiguous due to contrasting results reported in the literature. We conducted a meta-analysis to clarify the effect of biochar addition on soil bacterial and fungal diversity with an increase in Shannon or Chao1 index as the outcome. Different experimental setups, quantitative levels of biochar addition, various biochar source materials and preparation temperatures, and the effect of natural precipitation in field experiments were the investigated variables. From a total of 95 publications identified for analysis, 384 datasets for Shannon index and 277 datasets for Chao1 index were extracted that described the bacterial diversity in the soils, of which field experiments and locations in China dominated. The application of biochar in soil significantly increased the diversity of soil bacteria but it had no significant effect on the diversity of fungi. Of the different experimental setups, the largest increase in bacterial diversity was seen for field experiments, followed by pot experiments, but laboratory and greenhouse settings did not report a significant increase. In field experiments, natural precipitation had a strong effect, and biochar increased bacterial diversity most in humid conditions (mean annual precipitation, MAP > 800 mm), followed by semi-arid conditions (MAP 200-400 mm). Biochar prepared from herbaceous materials was more effective to increase bacterial diversity than other raw materials and the optimal pyrolysis temperature was 350-550 °C. Addition of biochar at various levels produced inconclusive data for Chao1 and Shannon indices, and its effect was less strong than that of the other assessed variables.

Atomic Origins of Enhanced Ferroelectricity in Nanocolumnar PbTiO3 /PbO Composite Thin Films.

Nanocomposite films hold great promise for multifunctional devices by integrating different functionalities within a single film. The microstructure of the precipitate/secondary phase is an essential element in designing composites' properties. The interphase strain between the matrix and secondary phase is responsible for strain-mediated functionalities, such as magnetoelectric coupling and ferroelectricity. However, a quantitative microstructure-dependent interphase strain characterization has been scarcely studied. Here, it is demonstrated that the PbTiO3 (PTO)/PbO composite system can be prepared in nano-spherical and nanocolumnar configurations by tuning the misfit strain, confirmed by a three-dimensional reconstructive microscopy technique. With the atomic resolution quantitative microscopy with a depth resolution of a few nanometers, it is discovered that the strained region in PTO is much larger and more uniform in nanocolumnar compared to nano-spherical composites, resulting in much enhanced ferroelectric properties. The interphase strain between PbO and PTO in the nanocolumnar structure leads to a giant c/a ratio of 1.20 (bulk value of 1.06), accompanied by a Ti polarization displacement of 0.48 Å and an effective ferroelectric polarization of 241.7 µC cm-2 , three times compared to the bulk value. The quantitative atomic-scale strain and polarization analysis on the interphase strain provides an important guideline for designing ferroelectric nanocomposites.

The Relationship between Mindfulness and Social Adaptation among Migrant Children in China: The Sequential Mediating Effect of Self-Esteem and Resilience.

Social adaptation of migrant children is not only related to the physical and mental health and development of individuals, but also reflects the level of urban social integration and stable development. Mindfulness has a protective effect on individual social adaptation. Self-esteem and resilience were found to be positively associated with mindfulness and social adaptation. Based on the Positive Youth Development Perspective, this study aimed to explore whether self-esteem and resilience sequentially mediated the associations among mindfulness and social adaptation. A total of 526 migrant children were assessed with the questionnaires regarding mindfulness, self-esteem, resilience, and social adaptation. The results indicated that mindfulness was positively associated with social adaptation of migrant children. Self-esteem and resilience played the sequential mediating roles between mindfulness and social adaptation. The present study revealed the influence and mechanism of mindfulness on social adaptation and provided some guidance for the intervention programs to promote migrant children's adaptability.

Composition and diversity of soil bacterial communities under identical vegetation along an elevational gradient in Changbai Mountains, China.

Soil bacteria play important roles in biogeochemical cycling and biodiversity in mountain ecosystems. Past studies have investigated the bacterial community composition and diversity in elevation gradations covered by different vegetation types, but for a better assessment of elevation effects, here we studied bacterial communities in soil under identical vegetation cover. High-throughput amplicon sequencing of the V3-V4 region of bacterial 16S rDNA was used to investigate the diversity and composition bacterial communities in soil from 700 to 1,000 m above sea level collected on the north slope of Changbai Mountains, Northeast China. Obviously differences (p < 0.05) in soil physicochemical parameters (i.e., total nitrogen, nitrate and ammonium nitrogen, soil moisture content, available potassium, microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen) were observed at different elevations. Soil bacterial abundance indices (Richness, Chao1, ACE) differed significantly along the elevation gradient, whereas the Shannon index remained unchanged. Principal Coordinates Analysis indicated separated soil bacterial communities of the different elevations. The dominant phyla in all soil samples were Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria, Verrucomicrobia, and Bacteroidetes, which in combination reached 80%-85%. Soil pH to some extend related to soil bacterial community along altitude gradations. The relative abundance of a multiple phyla was negatively affected by the soil nutrients, such as ammonium and nitrate nitrogen, available potassium, soil moisture content, available phosphorus, microbial biomass nitrogen and soil organic C. The strongest effects were seen for Proteobacteria. The pH either positively or negatively correlated with specific genera. The soil bacterial function differed significantly among four elevations. The chemoheterotrophy, aerobic chemoheterotrophy and nitrification were the most dominant functions of soil bacteria among four elevations. Overall, the changes in soil physicochemical properties with elevation are important in shaping the bacterial diversity, composition and function in soil with the same above-ground vegetation of Changbai Mountains.

Metagenomic Analysis Reveals the Response of Microbial Communities and Their Functions in Lake Sediment to Environmental Factors.

Jingpo Lake is the largest mountain barrier lake in China and plays a key role in breeding, power generation, and providing a source of drinking water. Microbes are important participants in the formation of lake resources and energy cycles. However, the ecological protection of Jingpo Lake has faced serious challenges in recent years. In this study, we investigate the responses of the microbial community's composition of sediments at five locations to an environmental gradient representing water quality and water-depth changes using a metagenomic sequence. We found that the diversity and composition of the microbiota sediments were altered spatially and correlated with the physicochemical factors of water samples. In the microbial community, relatively lower Chao1, alternating conditional expectations, and Shannon and Simpson indices were found at the shallowest location with higher total phosphorus and chlorophyll a. Furthermore, the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis revealed that the metabolism function was the most abundant functional classification in Jingpo Lake. The levels of total phosphorus, chlorophyll a and pH were positively correlated with the abundance of Flavobacterium and the bacterial functions of the carbohydrate metabolism and amino acid metabolism. In conclusion, our results reveal the physical and chemical characteristics, as well as the microbial community characteristics, of Jingpo Lake, which provides new insights for studying the relationship between environmental factors and the bacterial community distribution of freshwater ecosystems, in addition to also providing a theoretical basis for the environmental monitoring and protection of the lake.

Climax forest has a higher soil bacterial diversity but lower soil nutrient contents than degraded forests in temperate northern China.

Bacteria are a crucial component of forest soil biodiversity and play an important role in numerous ecosystem processes. Here, we studied the patterns of soil bacterial community diversity and structure in a climax forest (Larix gmelinii; LG) compared with those in degraded forest ecosystems of four forest vegetation types (BD, Betula dahurica; BP, Betula platyphylla; QM, Quercus mongolica; and LGQM, a mixed coniferous-broadleaved forest composed of Larix gmelinii and Quercus mongolica) in the Heilongjiang Zhongyangzhan Black-billed Capercaillie Nature Reserve in northern China, using Illumina MiSeq sequencing of 16 S rRNA genes. Soil physicochemical properties (pH, soil organic carbon = SOC, total nitrogen = TN, carbon/nitrogen = C/N, total phosphorous = TP, available nitrogen = AN, available phosphorous = AP) differed significantly (p < .05) among the five forests. SOC, C/N, TP, AN, and AP were highest in QM, whereas SOC was lowest in LGQM. Soil pH was lowest in BD and highest in LGQM. α diversity was highest in LG and lowest in QM. The soil bacterial community composition in the climax forest was significantly different from that in the four degraded forests (p < .05). The dominant bacterial phyla were Acidobacteria, Proteobacteria, Verrucomicrobia, Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria, Gemmatimonadetes, Firmicutes, Chloroflexi, and Rokubacteria. The highest relative abundances of these phyla were: 30.7% for Acidobacteria in LGQM, 42.6% for Proteobacteria in LG, 17.6% for Verrucomicrobia in BD, 5.5% for Firmicutes in BP, and 6.9% for Actinobacteria in QM. The dominant bacterial genera across the five forest vegetation types were Bryobacter and some poorly characterized taxa (e.g., Candidatus_Udaeobacter and Candidatus_Solibacter). Redundancy analysis indicated that SOC, C/N, TP, AN, and AP were the main soil physicochemical properties that shaped the bacterial communities. Our study revealed distinct bacterial diversity and composition in the climax forest compared with values in degraded forests, suggesting that the biotic and abiotic factors associated with climax ecosystems play an important role in shaping soil bacterial community structure and thus biogeochemical functions. The results of this study contribute to a deeper understanding and better predictions of the network among belowground systems and of the functions and services of degraded forests compared with climax ecosystems.

Microstructure-Dependent Thermal Stability of Super-Tetragonal Nanocomposite Films through In Situ TEM/EELS Study.

Smart microstructure design in nanocomposite films allows us to tailor physical properties such as ferroelectricity and thermal stability to broaden applications of next-generation electronic devices. Here, we study the thermal stability of self-assembled PbTiO3 (PTO)/PbO nanocomposite films with nano-spherical and nanocolumnar microstructures by utilizing an environmental transmission electron microscopy (TEM) combined with electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS). The real-time study reveals that the microstructure-dependent interphase strain has an effect on the stabilization of the tetragonal phase. Compared to the nano-spherical configuration, the nanocomposite film with the nanocolumnar microstructure can maintain the giant tetragonality of ∼1.20 up to 450 °C, and the tetragonal phase is predicted to be stable at elevated temperatures > 600 °C. Moreover, the temperature-dependent EELS further demonstrates the sensitivity of the chemical bonding of Pb and Ti with O to the PTO lattice distortion, correlating the structural variation and electronic properties at different temperatures. Such in situ heating TEM study provides insights into the thermal stability of nanocomposites with different microstructures and facilitates the advancement of power electronics applications in harsh environments.

LDHA-mediated metabolic reprogramming promoted cardiomyocyte proliferation by alleviating ROS and inducing M2 macrophage polarization.

AIMS: Metabolic switching during heart development contributes to postnatal cardiomyocyte (CM) cell cycle exit and loss of regenerative capacity in the mammalian heart. Metabolic control has potential for developing effective CM proliferation strategies. We sought to determine whether lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA) regulated CM proliferation by inducing metabolic reprogramming. METHODS AND RESULTS: LDHA expression was high in P1 hearts and significantly decreased during postnatal heart development. CM-specific LDHA knockout mice were generated using CRISPR/Cas9 technology. CM-specific LDHA knockout inhibited CM proliferation, leading to worse cardiac function and a lower survival rate in the neonatal apical resection model. In contrast, CM-specific overexpression of LDHA promoted CM proliferation and cardiac repair post-MI. The α-MHC-H2B-mCh/CAG-eGFP-anillin system was used to confirm the proliferative effect triggered by LDHA on P7 CMs and adult hearts. Metabolomics, proteomics and Co-IP experiments indicated that LDHA-mediated succinyl coenzyme A reduction inhibited succinylation-dependent ubiquitination of thioredoxin reductase 1 (Txnrd1), which alleviated ROS and thereby promoted CM proliferation. In addition, flow cytometry and western blotting showed that LDHA-driven lactate production created a beneficial cardiac regenerative microenvironment by inducing M2 macrophage polarization. CONCLUSIONS: LDHA-mediated metabolic reprogramming promoted CM proliferation by alleviating ROS and inducing M2 macrophage polarization, indicating that LDHA might be an effective target for promoting cardiac repair post-MI.

[Effects of Simulated Nitrogen Deposition on Soil Microbial Carbon Metabolism in Calamagrostis angustifolia Wetland in Sanjiang Plain].

Atmospheric nitrogen deposition has a crucial impact on the structure and function of soil microorganisms of wetland ecosystems. Therefore, carrying out a study on the effects of soil carbon metabolism capacity has a great significance for the protection and utilization of wetland ecosystems. In this study, the effects of simulated nitrogen deposition on the carbon metabolic capacity of soil microorganisms in Calamagrostis angustifolia wetland for five consecutive years was investigated using Biolog-Eco technology. The results showed:① soil water content (SMC), pH, nitrate nitrogen (NO3-), ammonium nitrogen (NH4+), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and total nitrogen (TN) contents were significantly different (P<0.05) under different nitrogen deposition conditions. ② The average well color development (AWCD) values of soil microorganisms within different N depositions were in the order of CK (control)>HN (high nitrogen treatment)>LN (low nitrogen treatment). LN significantly reduced the Shannon diversity index of soil microorganisms, and HN significantly reduced the Pielou index of soil microorganisms (P<0.05). ③ LN significantly inhibited the intensity of the utilization of carbohydrates, alcohols, amines, and acids by soil microorganisms (P<0.05); HN significantly promoted the utilization of esters by microorganisms, but HN caused soil microorganisms to inhibit the carbon sources of carbohydrates, amines, and acids (P<0.05). ④ Redundancy analysis showed that NH4+, DOC, and pH were the main environmental factors affecting the functional diversity of soil microbial communities in Calamagrostis angustifolia wetland in the Sanjiang Plain. Long-term nitrogen deposition will lead to the reduction in soil microbial functional diversity; the microbial activity related to the utilization of carbon source substrates is also significantly reduced, and the ability of microorganisms to utilize a single carbon source substrate also changes.

The Plasmid pEX18Gm Indirectly Increases Caenorhabditis elegans Fecundity by Accelerating Bacterial Methionine Synthesis.

Plasmids are mostly found in bacteria as extrachromosomal genetic elements and are widely used in genetic engineering. Exploring the mechanisms of plasmid-host interaction can provide crucial information for the application of plasmids in genetic engineering. However, many studies have generally focused on the influence of plasmids on their bacterial hosts, and the effects of plasmids on bacteria-feeding animals have not been explored in detail. Here, we use a "plasmid-bacteria-Caenorhabditis elegans" model to explore the impact of plasmids on their host bacteria and bacterivorous nematodes. First, the phenotypic responses of C. elegans were observed by feeding Escherichia coli OP50 harboring different types of plasmids. We found that E. coli OP50 harboring plasmid pEX18Gm unexpectedly increases the fecundity of C. elegans. Subsequently, we found that the plasmid pEX18Gm indirectly affects C. elegans fecundity via bacterial metabolism. To explore the underlying regulatory mechanism, we performed bacterial RNA sequencing and performed in-depth analysis. We demonstrated that the plasmid pEX18Gm upregulates the transcription of methionine synthase gene metH in the bacteria, which results in an increase in methionine that supports C. elegans fecundity. Additionally, we found that a pEX18Gm-induced increase in C. elegans can occur in different bacterial species. Our findings highlight the plasmid-bacteria-C. elegans model to reveal the mechanism of plasmids' effects on their host and provide a new pattern for systematically studying the interaction between plasmids and multi-species.

Influence of Different Vegetation Types on Soil Physicochemical Parameters and Fungal Communities.

This study assessed the effects of Betula dahurica (BD), Betula platyphylla (BP), Larix gmelinii (LG), Quercus mongolica (QM), and a mixed conifer-broadleaf forest composed of LG and QM (LGQM) on the soil physicochemical parameters and community structure of fungi in the Zhongyangzhan Black-billed Capercaillie Nature Reserve. Fungal community structures were characterized via ITS rRNA sequencing. The effects of soil parameters on the community structure of soil fungi were assessed by Pearson correlation analysis and redundancy analysis (RDA). LGQM exhibited lower C/N, available nitrogen (AN), total phosphorus (TP), and available phosphorus (AP) compared with the QM broadleaf forest. The fungal Shannon and Simpson diversity indices were highest in BP, whereas LG exhibited the highest ACE index. The Basidiomycota, Ascomycota, Mortierellomycota, and Mucoromycota fungal phyla were dominant across all vegetation types. Each of the different vegetation types studied herein exhibited a unique fungal community structure. The RDA results indicated that fungal community structures were primarily shaped by the total N, available N, and available P of soil. Our findings thus indicated that forests restored with different species of trees may exhibit variations in soil quality and characteristics despite sharing the same climate. Furthermore, broadleaved and coniferous forests exhibited a unique fungal community diversity and composition.

Quantitative investigation of laser ablation based on real-time temperature variations and OCT images for laser treatment applications.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Lasers are widely employed in clinical applications. In vivo monitoring of real-time information about different-wavelength laser surgeries would provide important surgical feedback for surgeons or clinical therapy instruments. However, the quantitative effect of laser ablation or vaporization still needs to be further explored and investigated. Here, we investigate and quantitatively evaluate the ablation variations and morphological changes of two laser ablation models: point- and sweeping-based models. METHODS: An infrared thermal imager was used to monitor the temperature variations, and curve fitting was used to build the relationship between the laser radiation duration/sweeping speed and quantitative parameters of the ablated areas. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) images were used to visualize the inner structure and evaluate the depth of the ablated craters. Optical attenuation coefficients (OACs) were computed to characterize the normal and ablated tissues. RESULTS: The results demonstrated that there was a good linear relationship between radiation duration and temperature variation. Similarly, a linear relationship was observed between the sweeping speed and quantitative parameters of craters or scratches (width and depth). The mean OAC of normal tissues was significantly distinguished from the mean OACs of the ablated craters or scratches. CONCLUSION: Laser ablation was investigated based on a quantitative parameter analysis, thermal detection, and OCT imaging, and the results successfully demonstrated that there is a linear relationship between the laser parameters and quantitative parameters of the ablated tissues under the current settings. Such technology could be used to provide quantitative solutions for exploring the laser-tissue biological effect and improve the performance of medical image-guided laser ablation in the future.