Expression profiles and characterization of microRNAs responding to chitin in Arthrobotrys oligospora.

Extracellular proteases, such as chitinases secreted by Arthrobotrys oligospora (A. oligospora), play a crucial role in the process of nematode infection. However, post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression involving microRNAs (miRNAs) in A. oligospora remains scarcely described. Hereto, transcriptome sequencing was carried out to analyze the expression profiles of chitin-responsive miRNAs in A. oligospora. Based on the RNA-seq data, the differential expression of miRNAs (DEmiRNAs) in response to chitin was screened, identified and characterized in A. oligospora. Meanwhile, the potential target genes were predicted by the online tools miRanda and Targetscan, respectively. Furthermore, the interaction of DEmiRNA with it's target gene was validated by a dual-luciferase reporter assay system. Among 85 novel miRNAs identified, 25 miRNAs displayed significant differences in expression in A. oligospora in response to chitin. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis showed that the potential genes targeted by DEmiRNAs were enriched in the biological processes such as bio-degradation, extracellular components and cell cycle. KEGG analysis revealed that the target genes were mainly involved in Hippo, carbon and riboflavin metabolic pathway. Outstandingly, chitinase AOL_s00004g379, which is involved in the hydrolysis metabolic pathway of chitin, was confirmed to be a target gene of differential miR_70. These findings suggest that chitin-responsive miRNAs are involved in the regulation of cell proliferation, predator hyphae growth and chitinase expression through the mechanisms of post-transcriptional regulation, which provides a new perspective to the molecular mechanisms underlying miRNAs-mediated control of gene expression in A. oligospora.

Molecular characterization and phylogenetic analysis of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus in Xinjiang, China, from 2020 to 2022.

In recent years, the pig industry in Xinjiang, China, has been severely impacted by outbreaks of porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED), despite vaccination efforts. In this study, we investigated the genetic characteristics of currently prevalent porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) strains in the region. We collected 548 samples from animals with suspected PED on large-scale pig farms in Xinjiang. Of these, 258 tested positive for PEDV by RT-PCR, yielding an overall positivity rate of 47.08%. S1 gene sequencing and phylogenetic analysis were conducted on 23 randomly selected RT-PCR-positive samples. Three endemic strains of PEDV (PEDV/CH/XU/2020, PEDV/CH/XK/2020, and PEDV/CH/XA/2020) were isolated, and their complete genome sequences were analyzed for evidence of genetic recombination. Sequence comparison of the S gene indicated significant variations in the S1 gene of the Xinjiang strains compared to the vaccine strains CV777, AJ1102, and LWL, with 90.2%-98.5% nucleotide sequence identity. Notably, both the N-terminal and C-terminal domains of the S protein showed significant variation. Genetic evolutionary analysis identified the GIIa subtype as the dominant genotype among the epidemic strains in Xinjiang. Recombination analysis revealed inter-subtype recombination events in the PEDV/CH/XK/2020 and XJ1904-34 strains. These findings highlight the extensive genetic variation in the predominant GIIa genotype of PEDV in Xinjiang, which does not match the genotype of the currently used vaccine strains. These data may guide further efforts toward the development of effective vaccines for the control of PED.

STM1863, a Member of the DUFs Protein Family, Is Involved in Environmental Adaptation, Biofilm Formation, and Virulence in Salmonella Typhimurium.

Salmonella Typhimurium (STM) is an important zoonotic Gram-negative pathogen that can cause infection in a variety of livestock and poultry. Meanwhile, as an important foodborne pathogen, the bacterium can survive in various stressful environments and transmits through the fecal-oral route, posing a serious threat to global food safety. To investigate the roles of STM1863, a member of the DUFs protein family, involved in STM environmental adaptation, biofilm formation, and virulence. We analyzed the molecular characteristics of the protein encoded by STM1863 gene and examined intra- and extracellular expression levels of STM1863 gene in mouse macrophages. Furthermore, we constructed STM1863 gene deletion and complementation strains and determined its environmental adaptation under stressful conditions such as acid, alkali, high salt, bile salt, and oxidation. And the capacity of biofilm formation and pathogenicity of those strains were analyzed and compared. In addition, the interaction between the promoter of STM1863 gene and RcsB protein was analyzed using DNA gel electrophoresis migration assay (electrophoretic mobility shift assay [EMSA]). The experiments revealed that acid adaptability and biofilm formation ability of STM1863 gene deletion strain were significantly weakened compared with the parental and complementary strains. Moreover, the adhesion and invasion ability of STM1863 deletion strain to mouse macrophages was significantly decreased, while the median lethal dose (LD50) increased by 2.148-fold compared with the parental strain. In addition, EMSA confirmed that RcsB protein could bind to the promoter sequence of STM1863 gene, suggesting that the expression of STM1863 gene might be modulated by RcsB. The present study demonstrated for the first time that STM1863, a member of the DUFs protein family, is involved in the modulation of environmental adaptation, biofilm formation, and virulence.

Luminescence properties and energy transfer of broadband NIR phosphor Li2MgZrO4: 1.0%Cr3+, y%Yb3.

The discovery of high thermal stability, broad-band near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent phosphors holds significant potential in applications such as non-destructive testing, promoting plant growth, and night vision devices. In this study, a novel broad-band NIR phosphors Li2MgZrO4 (LMZ): 1.0 %Cr3+, y%Yb3+ were synthesized via a high-temperature solid-state reaction method, with the optimal doping concentration found to be y = 1.5. These phosphors exhibited broad NIR emission in the range of 700-1050 nm by effective energy transfer from Cr3+ to Yb3+. The maximum full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the Cr3+/Yb3+ co-doped LMZ phosphor is 270 nm. The thermal stability of the phosphors was improved with Yb3+ co-doping. Additionally, energy transfer from Cr3+ to Yb3+ was confirmed through luminescence spectra and lifetime analysis. Finally, NIR pc-LED devices composed of a 460 nm ultraviolet chip and LMZ: 1.0 %Cr3+, 1.5 %Yb3+ phosphors were fabricated, offering a highly promising source of invisible light. These results demonstrate the wide-ranging potential applications of this novel, high thermal stability, and ultra-broad NIR emitting fluorescent phosphor.

Preparation of Ti3C2Tx modified rare earth doped PbO2 electrodes for efficient removal of sulfamethoxazole.

In this study, we deposited Ti3C2Tx-modified, rare-earth-doped PbO2 on the surface of a carbon fabric via electrodeposition. The surface morphology and electronic structure of the electrode were characterized with SEM, XRD and XPS. The layered Ti3C2Tx did not change the structure of ß-PbO2, and at the same time, it improved the crystallinity of the material and reduced the grains of PbO2. Electrochemical experiments showed that the addition of Ti3C2Tx increased the electrochemical activity of the electrode and produced more H2O2, which contributed to the degradation of pollutants. The efficiency of sulfamethoxazole (SMX) degradation reached 95% after 120 min at pH 3 with a current density of 50 mA/cm2. Moreover, the electrode has good cycling performance, and the degradation efficiency was still 80% after 120 min after 10 cycles of recycling. Based on the intermediates identified by HPLC‒MS, a mechanism for SMX degradation was proposed. Our results will provide a new idea for the development of efficient electrocatalytic degradation of antibiotics.

A review for the impacts of circadian disturbance on urological cancers.

Circadian rhythm is an internal timing system and harmonizes a variety of cellular, behavioral, and physiological processes to daily environment. Circadian disturbance caused by altered life style or disrupted sleep patterns inevitably contributes to various disorders. As the rapidly increased cancer occurrences and subsequent tremendous financial burdens, more researches focus on reducing the morbidity rather than treating it. Recently, many epidemiologic studies demonstrated that circadian disturbance was tightly related to the occurrence and development of cancers. For urinary system, numerous clinical researches observed the incidence and progress of prostate cancer were influenced by nightshift work, sleep duration, chronotypes, light exposure, and meal timing, this was also proved by many genetic and fundamental findings. Although the epidemiological studies regarding the relationship between circadian disturbance and kidney/bladder cancers were relative limited, some basic researches still claimed circadian disruption was closely correlated to these two cancers. The role of circadian chemotherapy on cancers of prostate, kidney, and bladder were also explored, however, it has not been regularly recommended considering the limited evidence and poor standard protocols. Finally, the researches for the impacts of circadian disturbance on cancers of adrenal gland, penis, testis were not found at present. In general, a better understanding the relationship between circadian disturbance and urological cancers might help to provide more scientific work schedules and rational lifestyles which finally saving health resource by reducing urological tumorigenesis, however, the underlying mechanisms are complex which need further exploration.

Research on the Low-Temperature Impact Toughness of a New 100-mm Ultra-Thick Offshore Steel Fabricated Using the Narrow-Gap Laser Wire Filling Welding Process.

Ultra-thick offshore steel, known for its high strength, high toughness, and corrosion resistance, is commonly used in marine platforms and ship components. However, when offshore steel is in service for an extended period under conditions of high pressure, extreme cold, and high-frequency impact loads, the weld joints are prone to fatigue failure or even fractures. Addressing these issues, this study designed a narrow-gap laser wire filling welding process and successfully welded a 100-mm new type of ultra-thick offshore steel. Using finite element simulation, EBSD testing, SEM analysis, and impact experiments, this study investigates the weld's microstructure, impact toughness, and fracture mechanisms. The research found that at -80 °C, the welded joint exhibited good impact toughness (>80 J), with the impact absorption energy on the surface of the weld being 217.7 J, similar to that of the base material (225.3 J), and the fracture mechanism was primarily a ductile fracture. The impact absorption energy in the core of the weld was 103.7 J, with the fracture mechanism mainly being a brittle fracture. The EBSD results indicated that due to the influence of the welding thermal cycle and the cooling effect of the narrow-gap process, the grains gradually coarsened from the surface of the welded plate to the core of the weld, which was the main reason for the decreased impact toughness at the joint core. This study demonstrates the feasibility of using narrow-gap laser wire filling welding for 100-mm new type ultra-thick offshore steel and provides a new approach for the joining of ultra-thick steel plates.

zDHHC20-driven S-palmitoylation of CD80 is required for its costimulatory function.

CD80 is a transmembrane glycoprotein belonging to the B7 family, which has emerged as a crucial molecule in T cell modulation via the CD28 or CTLA4 axes. CD80-involved regulation of immune balance is a finely tuned process and it is important to elucidate the underlying mechanism for regulating CD80 function. In this study we investigated the post-translational modification of CD80 and its biological relevance. By using a metabolic labeling strategy, we found that CD80 was S-palmitoylated on multiple cysteine residues (Cys261/262/266/271) in both the transmembrane and the cytoplasmic regions. We further identified zDHHC20 as a bona fide palmitoyl-transferase determining the S-palmitoylation level of CD80. We demonstrated that S-palmitoylation protected CD80 protein from ubiquitination degradation, regulating the protein stability, and ensured its accurate plasma membrane localization. The palmitoylation-deficient mutant (4CS) CD80 disrupted these functions, ultimately resulting in the loss of its costimulatory function upon T cell activation. Taken together, our results describe a new post-translational modification of CD80 by S-palmitoylation as a novel mechanism for the regulation of CD80 upon T cell activation.

Graphene promotes the growth of Vigna angularis by regulating the nitrogen metabolism and photosynthesis.

Graphene has promising applications in agriculture and forestry. In the current study, six different concentrations of graphene (0mg/L, 0.01mg/L, 0.10mg/L, 1.00mg/L, 10.00mg/L, and 100.00mg/L) were used to investigate its effect on the growth and development of V. angularis plants in soil culture. The results showed that the group treated with 1.00mg/L graphene (G-1) had significantly increased plant height (19.86%), stem diameter (24.33%), and leaf area (13.69%), compared to the control group (CK). Moreover, all concentrations of graphene had positive effects on the total root length, total root surface area, and the number of root tips of V. angularis. Compared to the CK group, the G-1 group had significantly increased leaf water potential (37.89%), leaf conductivity (2.25%), and SOD, POD, and CAT activities (47.67%, 35.22%, and 199.3%, respectively). The G-1 group also showed improved leaf net photosynthetic rate, chlorophyll content, and soluble sugar content (51.28%, 24.25%, and 38.35%, respectively), compared to the CK group. Additionally, 1.00mg/L graphene led to a 23.88% increase in the podding rate and a 17.04% increase in the yield of V. angularis plants. The rhizosphere soil of V. angularis treated with 1.00mg/L graphene had a 25.14% increase in hydrolyzable nitrogen content and a 66.67% increase in available phosphorus content. RNA-seq data indicated that 1.00mg/L graphene induced the expression of photosynthesis and nitrogen transmembrane transport genes, including ATP synthase subunit b, photosystem I reaction center subunit XI, photosystem I reaction center subunit IV A, ferredoxin, and psbP-like protein 1, as well as genes for photosynthesis antenna proteins, glutamine synthetase, glutamate dehydrogenase 1, cyanate hydratase, protein fluG-like, and NRT1/PTR family, suggesting that graphene promoted the growth and development of V. angularis by enhancing the photosynthesis and nitrogen metabolism processes in V. angularis plants. Our results indicated that a suitable concentration of graphene could significantly promote the growth of V. angularis plants in soil.

Inflammation-related molecular signatures involved in the anticancer activities of brigatinib as well as the prognosis of EML4-ALK lung adenocarcinoma patient.

Although ALK tyrosine kinase inhibitors (ALK-TKIs) have shown remarkable benefits in EML4-ALK positive NSCLC patients compared to conventional chemotherapy, the optimal sequence of ALK-TKIs treatment remains unclear due to the emergence of primary and acquired resistance and the lack of potential prognostic biomarkers. In this study, we systematically explored the validity of sequential ALK inhibitors (alectinib, lorlatinib, crizotinib, ceritinib and brigatinib) for a heavy-treated patient with EML4-ALK fusion via developing an in vitro and in vivo drug testing system based on patient-derived models. Based on the patient-derived models and clinical responses of the patient, we found that crizotinib might inhibit proliferation of EML4-ALK positive tumors resistant to alectinib and lorlatinib. In addition, NSCLC patients harboring the G1269A mutation, which was identified in alectinib, lorlatinib and crizotinib-resistant NSCLC, showed responsiveness to brigatinib and ceritinib. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that brigatinib suppressed the activation of multiple inflammatory signaling pathways, potentially contributing to its anti-tumor activity. Moreover, we constructed a prognostic model based on the expression of IL6, CXCL1, and CXCL5, providing novel perspectives for predicting prognosis in EML4-ALK positive NSCLC patients. In summary, our results delineate clinical responses of sequential ALK-TKIs treatments and provide insights into the mechanisms underlying the superior effects of brigatinib in patients harboring ALKG1269A mutation and resistant towards alectinib, lorlatinib and crizotinib. The molecular signatures model based on the combination of IL6, CXCL1 and CXCL5 has the potential to predict prognosis of EML4-ALK positive NSCLC patients.

STnc1280, a trans-coding sRNA is involved in virulence modulation via targeting gldA mRNA in Salmonella Typhimurium.

Introduction. Salmonella Typhimurium (STM) is a food-borne Gram-negative bacterium, which can infect humans and a wide range of livestock and poultry, causing a variety of diseases such as septicaemia, enteritis and abortion.Hypothesis/Gap Statement. We will decipher the impacts of sRNA STnc1280 on STM virulence and provide a theoretical basis to reveal the regulatory role and molecular mechanism of STnc1280.Aim. The main objective of this study was to clarify whether sRNA STnc1280 exerts regulatory roles on STM pathogenicity.Methodology. The STnc1280 gene was amplified and its molecular characteristics were analysed in this study. Then, STnc1280 gene deletion strain (STM-ΔSTnc1280) and the complementary strain (ΔSTnc1280/STnc1280) were constructed by λ-Red homologous recombination method, respectively, to analyse of adhesion and invasive ability and pathogenicity of different strains. Subsequently, the potential target gene regulated by STnc1280 was predicted using target RNA2 software, followed by the verification of the interaction between STnc1280 and target mRNA using the dual plasmid reporter system (DPRS). Furthermore, the mRNA and protein level of target gene was determined using qRT-PCR and Western blot, respectively.Results. The results revealed that the cell adhesion and invasive ability and pathogenicity of STM-ΔSTnc1280 were significantly reduced compared to STM-SL1344 strain, indicating that the deficiency of STnc1280 gene significantly influenced STM pathogenicity. The DPRS results showed that STnc1280 can interact with the mRNA of target gene gldA, thus suppressing the expression of lacZ gene. Furthermore, the level of gldA mRNA was not influenced in STM-ΔSTnc1280, but the expression of GldA protein decreased significantly.Conclusion. Combining the bioinformatic analysis, these findings suggested that STnc1280 may bind to the SD sequence of gldA mRNA, hindering the binding of ribosomes to gldA mRNA, thereby inhibiting the expression of GldA protein to modulate the virulence of STM.

Anti-Microbial Effect of AgBr-NP@CTMAB on Streptococcus Mutans and Assessment of Surface Roughness Hardness and Flexural Strength of PMMA.

Purpose: To investigate the inhibition of Streptococcus mutans (S.mutans) and its biofilm by AgBr-nanoparticles (NP) @CTMAB (cetyltrimethyl-ammonium bromide) and evaluate the changes in Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA)'s surface roughness (Ra), microhardness, and flexural strength during prolonged immersion in AgBr-NP@CTMAB for application in the denture cleaning industry. Patients and Methods: The antibacterial activity of AgBr-NP@CTMAB against S.mutans was measured colony formation assay, OD600 and laser confocal microscopy. Changes in the specimens' values for surface roughness, microhardness, and flexural strength (MPa) were measured after immersion solutions for 180 or 360 days. Results: The AgBr-NP@CTMAB solution exhibited a robust antibacterial effect on planktonic S. mutans, with a minimum bactericidal concentration of 5 µg/mL. The 10 µg/mL AgBr-NP@CTMAB solution efficiently inhibited S. mutans biofilm formation. (2) No significant difference in surface roughness after immersion in AgBr-NP@CTMAB (10 µg/mL and 20 µg/mL) comparing with distilled water (P > 0.05) and Polident had significantly higher than distilled water (P < 0.05). There was a significant decrease in the surface hardness of the PMMA specimens that were immersed in the Polident compared with those in distilled water (P < 0.05). While, no significant differences in surface hardness after immersion in the AgBr-NP@CTMAB (P > 0.05). The result of flexural strength suggested that there was no statistically significant difference (P < 0.05) between AgBr-NP@CTMAB as well as Polident and water. Conclusion: AgBrNP@CTMAB can efficiently inhibit the growth of plankton S.mutans and biofilm formation, without affecting the flexural strength, microhardness, or surface roughness of PMMA. Therefore, AgBrNP@CTMAB holds promise as a new denture cleaning agent.

Effect of ionic liquids as mobile phase additives on retention behaviors of G-quadruplexes in reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography.

G-quadruplexes (G4s) play an important role in a variety of biological processes and have extensive application prospects. Due to the significance of G4s in physiology and biosensing, studies on G4s have attracted much attention, stimulating the development or improvement of methods for G4 structures and polymorphism analysis. In this work, ionic liquids (ILs) were involved as mobile phase additives in reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) to analyse G4s with various conformations for the first time. How ILs affected the retention behaviors of G4s was investigated comprehensively. It was found that the addition of ILs markedly enhanced G4 retention, along with obvious amelioration on chromatographic peak shapes and separation. The influence of pH of mobile phase and types of ILs were also included in order to acquire an in-depth understanding. It appeared that the effect of ILs on G4 retention behaviors was the result of a combination of various interactions between G4s with the hydrophobic stationary phase and with the IL-containing mobile phase, where ion pair mechanism and enhanced hydrophobic interaction dominated. The findings of this work revealed that ILs could effectively improve the separation of G4s in RP-HPLC, which was conducive to G4 structural analysis, especially for G4s polymorphism elucidation.

Study on the expression changes of lncRNA in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and its correlation with Treg cells.

OBJECTIVES: We initially explored the link between the differentially expressed long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and the number of regulatory T (Treg) cells by detecting the lncRNA expression profiles in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), then analyzed the correlation between Treg-related lncRNAs and the clinical features of SLE patients, predicting the mechanism by which lncRNAs regulate the differentiation and development of Treg cells, and provided new ideas for the treatment of SLE. METHODS: Peripheral blood of 9 active SLE patients were collected and mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were extracted; the lncRNA expression profiles of PBMCs were analyzed by whole transcriptome sequencing. Nine healthy people were used as controls to screen the differentially expressed lncRNAs, to analyze the correlation between lncRNAs and Treg cell number. Pearson test was used to analyze the correlation between lncRNAs and the number of Treg cell, and the correlation between Treg-associated lncRNA and SLEDAI score, ESR, C3, and C4 in SLE patients. The targeted genes of Treg-associated lncRNAs were predicted with miRcode and Targetscan databases and coexpression network. RESULTS: There were 240 differentially expressed lncRNAs in SLE patients compared with healthy controls, including 134 highly expressed lncRNAs (p < 0.05) and 106 lowly expressed lncRNAs (p < 0.05). The expression of ANKRD44-AS1 (r = 0.7417, p = 0.0222), LINC00200 (r = 0.6960, p = 0.0373), AP001363.2 (r = 0.7766, p = 0.0138), and LINC02824 (r = 0.7893, p = 0.0114) were positively correlated with the number of Treg cell, and the expression of AP000640.1 (r = - 0.7225, p = 0.0279), AC124248.1 (r = - 0.7653, p = 0.0163), LINC00482 (r = - 0.8317, p = 0.0054), and MIR503HG (r = - 0.7617, p < 0.05) were negatively correlated with the number of Treg cell. Among these Treg-associated lncRNAs, the expression of LINC00482 (r = - 0.7348, p < 0.05) and MIR503 HG (r = - 0.7617, p < 0.05) were negatively correlated with C3. LINC00200, ANKRD44 - AS1, and AP000640.1 related to Treg cells regulate the expression of signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 (STAT5), phospholipase D1 (PLD1), homeodomain-only protein X (HOPX), and runt-related transcription factor 3 (RUNX3) through competitive binding of miRNA or trans-regulatory mechanism, thereby regulating the differentiation and development of Treg cell. CONCLUSIONS: The lncRNA expression profiles were changed in SLE patients, the differentially expressed lncRNAs were associated with abnormal number and function of Treg cells in SLE, and Treg-associated lncRNAs were associated with SLE-disease activity, which may affect the expression of STAT5, PLD1, HOPX, RUNX3 and regulate Treg cell function and participate in the pathogenesis and progression of SLE by competitively binding to miRNAs or trans-regulatory mechanism. Key points • Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease involving multiple organs and systems. lncRNAs may affect Treg cells function by regulating genes expression, which may be an important pathogenesis of SLE. • This study, taking SLE as an example, preliminarily analyzed the correlation between lncRNA and Treg cells in SLE patients, analyzed the correlation between Treg-related lncRNA and the clinical characteristics of SLE, and speculated that lncRNA could regulate the differentiation and development of Treg cells through competitive combination with miRNA or trans-regulatory mechanisms. • It is possible to target epigenetic therapy for SLE.

Graphene enhances artemisinin production in the traditional medicinal plant Artemisia annua via dynamic physiological processes and miRNA regulation.

We investigated the effects of graphene on the model herb Artemisia annua, which is renowned for producing artemisinin, a widely used pharmacological compound. Seedling growth and biomass were promoted when A. annua was cultivated with low concentrations of graphene, an effect which was attributed to a 1.4-fold increase in nitrogen uptake, a 15%-22% increase in chlorophyll fluorescence, and greater abundance of carbon cycling-related bacteria. Exposure to 10 or 20 mg/L graphene resulted in a âˆ¼60% increase in H2O2, and graphene could act as a catalyst accelerator, leading to a 9-fold increase in catalase (CAT) activity in vitro and thereby maintaining reactive oxygen species (ROS) homeostasis. Importantly, graphene exposure led to an 80% increase in the density of glandular secreting trichomes (GSTs), in which artemisinin is biosynthesized and stored. This contributed to a 5% increase in artemisinin content in mature leaves. Interestingly, expression of miR828 was reduced by both graphene and H2O2 treatments, resulting in induction of its target gene AaMYB17, a positive regulator of GST initiation. Subsequent molecular and genetic assays showed that graphene-induced H2O2 inhibits micro-RNA (miRNA) biogenesis through Dicers and regulates the miR828-AaMYB17 module, thus affecting GST density. Our results suggest that graphene may contribute to yield improvement in A. annua via dynamic physiological processes together with miRNA regulation, and it may thus represent a new cultivation strategy for increasing yield capacity through nanobiotechnology.

Theoretical analysis on D-π-A dye molecules with different acceptors and terminal branches for highly efficient dye-sensitized solar cells.

Triphenylamine and 9-phenylcarbazole are the most common electron donor groups, now based on the two groups, eight D-π-A dyes are designed as sensitizers for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs).The eight dyes use the same π-conjugated bridge (thiophene moiety and carbon-carbon double bond) and acceptor fragment (cyanoacrylic acid), and the donor group is added with additional electron-D groups to the original triphenylamine and 9-phenylcarbazole (C4H9 alkyl chain, C4F9 perfluoroalkyl chain, and methoxy), and comparing the properties of several donor groups and terminal branched chains while ensuring that the π-bridges and acceptors are identical. The photophysical properties, electronically excited states, and chemical reactivity affecting the performed dyes have been determined with DFT and TD-DFT calculations of bond lengths and dihedral angles between fragments, frontier molecular orbitals, density of states, isosurface molecular electrostatic potential, charge density differences, fragment transition density matrix, UV-Vis absorption spectra, quantum chemical, and photovoltaic parameters. Comparisons have been made between the dyes under study's photophysical characteristics, electrically excited states, and chemical reactivity. Among all the different donor dyes designed, SH-3 and ZD-3 are poorly molecularly planar compared to the same series of molecules with parameters such as large HOMO-LUMO energy gaps (2.78 eV, 3.28 eV), maximum excited energies (2.93 eV, 3.13 eV), and the shortest absorption peaks (422.76 nm, 396.48 nm), which are considered to be the worst material for photovoltaic applications. Whereas, SH-4 and ZD-4 have the smallest energy gap values (2.35 eV, 2.74 eV) and vertical excitation energies (2.66 eV, 3.04 eV) as well as having the longest absorption peaks (465.34 nm, 408.42 nm), the largest open circuit voltages (1.42 eV, 1.34 eV), which are the best designs among the two groups of molecules. The rest of the designed organic dyes have suitable photophysical properties and all of them are highly recommended for DSSCs.

Treatment outcomes and cognitive function following electroconvulsive therapy in patients with severe depression.

BACKGROUND: Traditional treatments for major depressive disorder (MDD), including medication and therapy, often fail and have undesirable side effects. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) uses electrical currents to induce brief seizures in the brain, resulting in rapid and potent antidepressant effects. However, owing to misconceptions and controversies, ECT is not as widely used as it could and often faces stigmatization. AIM: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of ECT compared to those of medication and/or therapy in patients with severe MDD. METHODS: This prospective cohort study included 220 individuals with severe MDD who were divided into the ECT and non-ECT groups. The patients in the ECT group underwent bilateral ECT three times a wk until they either achieved remission or reached a maximum of 12 sessions. The non-ECT group received medication and/or therapy according to clinical guidelines for MDD. The primary outcome was the variation in the hamilton depression rating scale (HDRS) score from treatment/ECT initiation to week 12. In addition, patients' quality of life, cognitive abilities, and biomarkers were measured throughout the study. RESULTS: Although both groups showed significant improvements in their HDRS scores over time, the improvement was more pronounced in the ECT group than in the non-ECT group. Additionally, the ECT group exhibited a more substantial improvement in the quality of life and cognitive function than those of the non-ECT group. Compared with the non-ECT group, the ECT group exhibited evi-dently lower variations in the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels. The side effects were generally mild and comparable between the two groups. ECT is safer and more potent than medication and/or therapy in mitigating depressive symptoms, enhancing well-being, and bolstering cognitive capabilities in individuals with severe MDD. ECT may also affect the levels of BDNF and IL-6, which are indicators of neuroplasticity and inflammation, respectively. CONCLUSION: ECT has emerged as a potentially advantageous therapeutic approach for patients with MDD who are unresponsive to alternative treatments.

Circadian disturbance induces erectile dysfunction by impairing endothelial function.

ABSTRACT: In order to explore the impact of circadian disturbance on erectile function, we randomly divided 24 adult male rats into groups of control (light on at 8:00 a.m. and off at 8:00 p.m.), dark/dark (DD; constant dark), light/light (LL; constant light), and shift dark/light (DL; light off at 8:00 a.m. and on at 8:00 p.m.). Four weeks later, erectile function was measured and corpora cavernosa were harvested for analysis. The maximum intracavernous pressure (mICP) and mICP/mean arterial pressure (MAP) ratio in the DD, LL, and DL groups were significantly lower than that in the control group. The LL and DL groups showed significantly attenuated endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), while DD, LL, and DL showed reduced neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) at both mRNA and protein levels. The production of nitric oxide (NO) and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) was inhibited by altered light/dark cycles to varying degrees. Circadian disturbance impaired endothelial function and contributed to erectile dysfunction. For the core circadian elements, mRNA expression of circadian locomotor output cycles kaput (Clock) and brain/muscle aryl-hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator-like protein 1 (Bmal1) was elevated in the DL group, but their protein expression was not significantly changed. DD, LL, and DL increased period 1 (Per1) and Per3 levels, while LL and DL increased PER1 levels. No significant difference was found for Per2 levels, and PER2 and PER3 concentrations were not significantly changed. Moreover, LL and DL significantly increased cryptochrome-1 (CRY1) and CRY2 at both mRNA and protein levels. The altered light/dark rat model showed that circadian disturbance contributed to erectile dysfunction probably by impairing endothelial function. Meanwhile, the core circadian elements were detected in the corpora cavernosa, but these were disrupted. However, which circadian element regulates erectile function and how it works need further analysis.

Unlocking Resilience: How Physical Literacy Impacts Psychological Well-Being among Quarantined Researchers.

This study investigates the interplay between physical literacy, resilience, and burnout among researchers who experienced strict home quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic in China, with a particular focus on the mediating role of resilience. Employing a two-stage sampling procedure, a total of 363 researchers from diverse disciplines, notably social science and natural science, were enlisted and administered a series of validated scales, including the Perceived Physical Literacy Scale (PPL), the 10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-10), and the Chinese version of the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory (OLBL), via an anonymous online platform. The findings revealed substantial differences in physical literacy, resilience, and burnout across disciplines. Resilience partially mediated the relationship between physical literacy and burnout. Upon a closer examination of the sub-dimensions, resilience was found to fully mediate between factors of motivation, exhaustion, and disengagement. Moreover, one aspect of physical literacy-interaction with the environment-exhibited weaker correlations with both resilience and burnout compared to other dimensions of physical literacy. Overall, the study confirms the significant correlation between physical literacy and psychological parameters, establishing that elevated levels of both physical literacy and resilience serve as key factors in mitigating burnout during the pandemic.

Genetic association between interleukin-17 and susceptibility to rheumatoid arthritis.

BACKGROUND: The pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an immune imbalance, in which various inflammatory immune cells and pro-inflammatory factors are involved. Interleukin-17 (IL-17), a potent pro-inflammatory cytokine, has been found to have increased expression in the joints of patients with RA compared to healthy individuals. However, the causal relationship between the expression level of IL-17 or IL-17 receptor (IL-17R) and RA remained unknown. In this study, two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) was used to investigate the causal relationship between IL-17 and RA. METHODS: Summary statistics for RA (14,361 RA cases and 43,923 healthy controls) and IL-17 (3,301 samples) were obtained from an available meta-analysis of published genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Relevant single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were selected by executing quality control steps from the GWAS summary results. Then we used bi-directional two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) and multi-variable MR (MVMR) analysis to examine evidence of causality. MR and MVMR analyses progressed mainly using inverse variance weighted (IVW), weighted median (WM), and MR-Egger regression methods, which were applied to the genetic instrumental variables (IVs) of IL-17A/IL-17 RA, IL-17C/IL-17 RC, and IL-17D/IL-17RD and RA. For assessing the robustness of the results, we also carried out a sensitivity analysis to assess heterogeneity and pleiotropy, such as MR-Egger, leave-one-out, and MR pleiotropy residual sum and outlier (MR-PRESSO). RESULTS: Two-sample MR Analysis showed the causal relationship between IL-17A/IL-17RA and RA. The presence of genetically high IL-17A/IL-17RA may increase the risk of RA (IL-17A(OR = 1.095; 95% C.I., 0.990-1.210, p.adj = 0.013), IL-17RA(OR = 1.113, 95%CI = 1.006-1.231, p.adj = 0.006)). However, the results indicated that IL-17C/IL-17RC, and IL-17D/IL-17RD demonstrated no causal impact on RA (IL-17C(OR = 1.007, 95%CI = 0.890-1.139, p.adj = 0.152), IL-17RC(OR = 1.006, 95%CI = 0.904-1.119, p.adj = 0.152), IL-17D(OR = 0.979, 95%CI = 0.843-1.137, p.adj = 0.130), IL-17RD(OR = 0.983, 95%CI = 0.876-1.104, p.adj = 0.129)). Furthermore, MVMR analysis shown that IL-17RA(OR = 1.049, 95% CI: 0.997-1.102, p.adj = 0.014) was associated with increased risk of RA. Sensitivity analysis showed no heterogeneity and pleiotropy, suggesting that the above results were robust and reliable. CONCLUSION: The MR analysis provides evidence that IL-17A/IL-17RA are risk factors for RA. This emphasizes the importance of intervention on IL-17A/IL-17RA in patients with RA. Developing drugs that limit IL-17A may reduce the risk of RA.