Ratiometric emission of Tb(III)-functionalized Cd-based layered MOFs for portable visual detection of trace amounts of diquat in apples, potatoes and corn.

Diquat (DQ) is a typical bipyridine herbicide widely used to control weeds in fields and orchards. The severe toxicity of diquat poses a serious threat to the environment and human health. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have received widespread attention due to their unique physical and chemical properties and applications in the detection of toxic and harmful substances. In this work, a two-dimensional (2D) Tb(III) functionalized MOF Tb(III)@1 (1 = [Cd(HTATB)(bimb)]n·H2O (Cd-MOF), H3TATB = 4,4',4″-triazine-2,4,6-tribenzoicacid, bimb = 1,4-bis((1H-imidazol-1-yl)methyl)benzene) has been prepared and characterized. Tb(III)@1 has excellent optical properties and high water and chemical stability. After the Tb(III) is fixed by the uncoordinated -COO- in the 1 framework, Tb(III)@1 emits the typical green fluorescence of the lanthanide ion Tb(III) through the "antenna effect". It is worth noting that Tb(III)@1 can be used as a dual emission fluorescence chemical sensor for the ratio fluorescence detection of pesticide DQ, exhibiting a relatively low detection limit of 0.06 nM and a wide detection range of 0-50 nM. After the addition of DQ, a rapid color change of Tb(III)@1 fluorescence from green to blue was observed due to the combined effects of IFE, FRET and dynamic quenching. Therefore, a simple test paper box has been designed for direct on-site determination of pesticide DQ. In addition, the developed sensor has been successfully applied to the detection of DQ in real samples (fruits a Yin-Xia Sun and Bo-Tao Ji contributed equally to this work and should be considered co-first authors.nd vegetables) with satisfactory results. The results indicate that the probe developed in this study has broad application prospects in both real sample detection and actual on-site testing.

UFObow: A single-wavelength excitable Brainbow for simultaneous multicolor ex-vivo and in-vivo imaging of mammalian cells.

Brainbow is a genetic cell-labeling technique that allows random colorization of multiple cells and real-time visualization of cell fate within a tissue, providing valuable insights into understanding complex biological processes. However, fluorescent proteins (FPs) in Brainbow have distinct excitation spectra with peak difference greater than 35 nm, which requires sequential imaging under multiple excitations and thus leads to long acquisition times. In addition, they are not easily used together with other fluorophores due to severe spectral bleed-through. Here, we report the development of a single-wavelength excitable Brainbow, UFObow, incorporating three newly developed blue-excitable FPs. We have demonstrated that UFObow enables not only tracking the growth dynamics of tumor cells in vivo but also mapping spatial distribution of immune cells within a sub-cubic centimeter tissue, revealing cell heterogeneity. This provides a powerful means to explore complex biology in a simultaneous imaging manner at a single-cell resolution in organs or in vivo.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) modulate nitrogen signaling using temporal transcriptome analysis in foxtail millet.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) is a chemically reactive chemical substance containing oxygen and a natural by-product of normal oxygen metabolism. Excessive ROS affect the growth process of crops, which will lead to the decrease of yield. Nitrogen, as a critical nutrient element in plants and plays a vital role in plant growth and crop production. Nitrate is the primary nitrogen source available to plants in agricultural soil and various natural environments. However, the molecular mechanism of ROS-nitrate crosstalk is still unclear. In this study, we used the foxtail millet (Setaria italica L.) as the material to figure it out. Here, we show that excessive NaCl inhibits nitrate-promoted plant growth and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE). NaCl induces ROS accumulation in roots, and ROS inhibits nitrate-induced gene expression in a short time. Surprisingly, low concentration ROS slight promotes and high concentration of ROS inhibits foxtail millet growth under long-term H2O2 treatment. These results may open a new perspective for further exploration of ROS-nitrate signaling pathway in plants.

WSe2/BN heterostructure as saturable absorber for a diode-pumped passively Q-switched 2†µm solid-state laser.

We have successfully achieved the synthesis of heterojunction consisting of WSe2 and BN, by using a liquid phase exfoliation method, and characterization of the prepared materials under the microstructure. The WSe2/BN heterojunction was used as a saturable absorber in the Tm:YAP laser for passively Q-switched operation, and a pulsed laser with an output wavelength around 2 µm range was successfully obtained. After comparing the effects of resonators composed of different cavity mirrors, it is concluded that when the curvature radius of the input mirror is 250 mm and the transmittance of the output coupler is 2.5%, the best output performance was obtained. The maximum average output power of 834 mW was achieved, with a pulsed repetition frequency of 43.51 kHz and a minimum pulse duration of 1.28 µs, corresponding to a peak power of 14.97 W and a maximum single pulse energy of 19.17 µJ.

Phenolic Compounds and Antioxidant Capacity Comparison of Wild-Type and Yellow-Leaf gl1 Mutant of Lagerstroemia indica.

BACKGROUND: The yellow-leaf gl1 mutant of Lagerstroemia indica exhibits an altered phenylpropanoid metabolism pathway compared to wild-type (WT). However, details on the metabolites associated with leaf color variation, including color-specific metabolites with bioactive constituents, are not fully understood. METHODS: Chemical and metabolomics approaches were used to compare metabolite composition and antioxidant capacity between the gl1 mutant and WT leaves. RESULTS: The mutant exhibited an irregular xylem structure with a significantly lower phenolic polymer lignin content and higher soluble phenolic compounds. Untargeted metabolomics analysis identified phenolic compounds, particularly lignans, as key differential metabolites between gl1 and WT, with a significant increase in the mutant. The neolignan derivative balanophonin-4-O-D-glu was identified as a characteristic metabolite in the gl1 mutant. The soluble phenolic compounds of the gl1 mutant exhibited higher FRAP, ABTS, DPPH, and hydroxyl radical scavenging activity than in WT. Correlation analysis showed a positive relationship between antioxidant capacity and phenolic compounds in L. indica. CONCLUSIONS: Metabolites associated with leaf color variation in the L. indica yellow-leaf gl1 mutant demonstrated high antioxidant capacity, particularly in scavenging hydroxyl radicals.

DEHP and DINP accelerate aging effects in male and female of Drosophila melanogaster depend on AKT/FOXO pathway.

Phthalates are commonly used as plasticizers. Numerous studies have focused on endocrine, reproductive, and developmental toxicity of phthalates exposure to male organisms. In recent years, some studies looking into the aging effects of phthalates exposure in D. melanogaster showed discrepant results. In this study, we compared the different concentrations of Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and di-isononyl phthalate (DINP) for acute and chronic treatment for different gender D. melanogaster and explored the potential mechanism of DEHP and DINP exposure. The results showed that acute exposure to DEHP or DINP at a high dose significantly decreased the lifespan of female and male D. melanogaster under HFD stress. Chronic exposure significantly decreased the lifespan of flies in all exposure groups except for the low-dose DINP exposure female group. Among them, in the normal feeding group, we found that female flies seemed to be more resistant to DEHP or DINP exposure. Meanwhile, the locomotion ability and fertility of flies exhibited a dose-dependent decline. Furthermore, phthalates did not significantly reduce the lifespan or health status of akt and foxo mutant flies in the mutant fly assays, and real-time quantitative-PCR (q-PCR) data revealed akt and foxo significant change with 10 µM DEHP or DINP treatment. This suggests that akt and foxo played a role in the process by which DEHP and DINP caused age-related declines in D. melanogaster.

A neural network model was constructed by screening the potential biomarkers of aortic dissection based on genes associated with pyroptosis.

BACKGROUND: Aortic dissection (AD) is one of the crucial and common cardiovascular diseases, and pyroptosis is a novel cell delivery mechanism that is probably involved in the pathogenesis of various cardiovascular diseases. However, no study has investigated the role of pyroptosis in AD. METHODS: We obtained two AD datasets, GSE153434 and GSE190635, from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. The differential expression of AD-related genes was determined by differential analysis, and their enrichment analysis was performed using Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes databases. Additionally, a protein-protein interaction network was established. Next, potential biomarkers were screened by Lasso regression analysis, and a neural network model was constructed. Finally, the potential biomarkers were validated by constructing a mouse model of AD. RESULTS: A total of 1033 differentially expressed related genes were distinguished and these genes were mainly associated with the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) and mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathways. The Lasso regression results showed five potential biomarkers, namely platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (PECAM1), caspase 4 (CASP4), mixed lineage kinase domain-like pseudokinase (MLKL), APAF1-interacting protein (APIP), and histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6) and successfully constructed a neural network model to predict AD occurrence. The results showed that CASP4 and MLKL were highly expressed, whereas PECAM1 and HDAC6 were lowly expressed in AD samples, and no statistically significant difference was observed in APIP expression in AD samples. CONCLUSION: Pyroptosis plays a crucial role in AD occurrence and development. Moreover, the five potential biomarkers identified in the present study can act as targets for the early diagnosis of AD in patients.

Paternally imprinted LATE-FLOWERING2 transcription factor contributes to paternal-excess interploidy hybridization barriers in wheat.

Interploidy hybridization between hexaploid and tetraploid genotypes occurred repeatedly during genomic introgression events throughout wheat evolution, and is commonly employed in wheat breeding programs. Hexaploid wheat usually serves as maternal parent because the reciprocal cross generates progeny with severe defects and poor seed germination, but the underlying mechanism is poorly understood. Here, we performed detailed analysis of phenotypic variation in endosperm between two interploidy reciprocal crosses arising from tetraploid (Triticum durum, AABB) and hexaploid wheat (Triticum aestivum, AABBDD). In the paternal- versus the maternal-excess cross, the timing of endosperm cellularization was delayed and starch granule accumulation in the endosperm was repressed, causing reduced germination percentage. The expression profiles of genes involved in nutrient metabolism differed strongly between these endosperm types. Furthermore, expression patterns of parental alleles were dramatically disturbed in interploidy versus intraploidy crosses, leading to increased number of imprinted genes. The endosperm-specific TaLFL2 showed a paternally imprinted expression pattern in interploidy crosses partially due to allele-specific DNA methylation. Paternal TaLFL2 binds to and represses a nutrient accumulation regulator TaNAC019, leading to reduced storage protein and starch accumulation during endosperm development in paternal-excess cross, as confirmed by interploidy crosses between tetraploid wild-type and clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeats (CRISPR) - CRISPR-associated protein 9 generated hexaploid mutants. These findings reveal a contribution of genomic imprinting to paternal-excess interploidy hybridization barriers during wheat evolution history and explains why experienced breeders preferentially exploit maternal-excess interploidy crosses in wheat breeding programs.

Antiaging effects of dietary supplements and natural products.

Aging is an inevitable process influenced by genetics, lifestyles, and environments. With the rapid social and economic development in recent decades, the proportion of the elderly has increased rapidly worldwide, and many aging-related diseases have shown an upward trend, including nervous system diseases, cardiovascular diseases, metabolic diseases, and cancer. The rising burden of aging-related diseases has become an urgent global health challenge and requires immediate attention and solutions. Natural products have been used for a long time to treat various human diseases. The primary cellular pathways that mediate the longevity-extending effects of natural products involve nutrient-sensing pathways. Among them, the sirtuin, AMP-activated protein kinase, mammalian target of rapamycin, p53, and insulin/insulin-like growth factor-1 signaling pathways are most widely studied. Several studies have reviewed the effects of individual natural compounds on aging and aging-related diseases along with the underlying mechanisms. Natural products from food sources, such as polyphenols, saponins, alkaloids, and polysaccharides, are classified as antiaging compounds that promote health and prolong life via various mechanisms. In this article, we have reviewed several recently identified natural products with potential antiaging properties and have highlighted their cellular and molecular mechanisms. The discovery and use of dietary supplements and natural products that can prevent and treat multiple aging-related diseases in humans will be beneficial. Thus, this review provides theoretical background for existing dietary supplements and natural products as potential antiaging agents.

The Frailty Index and colon cancer: a 2-sample Mendelian-randomization study.

Background: Frailty is closely related to cancer. Previous research has shown that cancer patients are prone to frailty, and frailty increases the risk of adverse outcomes in cancer patients. However, it is unclear whether frailty increases the risk of cancer. This 2-sample Mendelian-randomization (MR) study sought to analyze the relationship between frailty and the risk of colon cancer. Methods: The database was extracted from the Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit (MRC-IEU) in 2021. The genome-wide association study (GWAS) data related to colon cancer was obtained from the GWAS website (http://gwas.mrcieu.ac.uk/datasets), involving 462,933 individuals' gene information. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were defined as the instrumental variables (IVs). The SNPs closely associated with the Frailty Index at a genome-wide significance level were selected. To further screen the IVs, we selected the confounding factors using the PhenoScanner (http://www.phenoscanner.medschl.cam.ac.uk/phenoscanner). To estimate the causal effect of the Frailty Index on colon cancer, the MR-Egger regression, weighted median (WM1), inverse-variance weighted (IVW), and weight mode (WM2) methods were applied to calculate the SNP-frailty index and the SNP-cancer estimates. Cochran's Q statistic was used to estimate heterogeneity. The two-sample Mendelian randomization (TSMR) analysis was performed using the "TwoSampleMR" and "plyr" packages. All the statistical tests were 2-tailed, and a P value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: We selected 8 SNPs as the IVs. The results of the IVW analysis [odds ratio (OR) =0.995, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.990-1.001, P=0.052] showed that the genetic changes in the Frailty Index were not statistically associated with the risk of colon cancer, and no significant heterogeneity between these 8 genes was observed (Q =7.382, P=0.184). The MR-Egger (OR =0.987, 95% CI: 0.945-1.031, P=0.581), WM1 (OR =0.995, 95% CI: 0.990-1.001, P=0.118), WM2 (OR =0.996, 95% CI: 0.988-1.004, P=0.356), and SM (OR =0.996, 95% CI: 0.987-1.005, P=0.449) results were also consistent with each other. The sensitivity analysis based on the leave-one-out method showed that the individual SNPs did not affect the robustness of the results. Conclusions: Frailty might have no effect on the risk of colon cancer.

Positional cloning and characterization reveal the role of a miRNA precursor gene ZmLRT in the regulation of lateral root number and drought tolerance in maize.

Lateral roots play essential roles in drought tolerance in maize (Zea mays L.). However, the genetic basis for the variation in the number of lateral roots in maize remains elusive. Here, we identified a major quantitative trait locus (QTL), qLRT5-1, controlling lateral root number using a recombinant inbred population from a cross between the maize lines Zong3 (with many lateral roots) and 87-1 (with few lateral roots). Fine-mapping and functional analysis determined that the candidate gene for qLRT5-1, ZmLRT, expresses the primary transcript for the microRNA miR166a. ZmLRT was highly expressed in root tips and lateral root primordia, and knockout and overexpression of ZmLRT increased and decreased lateral root number, respectively. Compared with 87-1, the ZmLRT gene model of Zong3 lacked the second and third exons and contained a 14 bp deletion at the junction between the first exon and intron, which altered the splicing site. In addition, ZmLRT expression was significantly lower in Zong3 than in 87-1, which might be attributed to the insertions of a transposon and over large DNA fragments in the Zong3 ZmLRT promoter region. These mutations decreased the abundance of mature miR166a in Zong3, resulting in increased lateral roots at the seedling stage. Furthermore, miR166a post-transcriptionally repressed five development-related class-III homeodomain-leucine zipper genes. Moreover, knockout of ZmLRT enhanced drought tolerance of maize seedlings. Our study furthers our understanding of the genetic basis of lateral root number variation in maize and highlights ZmLRT as a target for improving drought tolerance in maize.

Mechanical Behavior of Closed-Cell Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate Foam under Compression.

The static and dynamic compressions of closed-cell ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) foams with different densities were conducted under various strain rates. The stress-strain curves were processed to determine the corresponding curves of energy absorption per unit volume and energy absorption efficiency, and energy absorption diagrams were produced. The influences of density and strain rate on the elastic modulus, yield strength, energy absorption per unit volume, optimal strain, densification strain, and energy absorption diagrams were analyzed and discussed. The whole stress-strain curve can be fitted with the Rusch formula. The strain rate does not change the shape of stress-strain curve, and has little influence on the elastic modulus. There exists the optimal density of EVA foam corresponding to its maximum energy absorption efficiency. Under a fixed strain rate, the optical energy absorption per unit volume is proportional to the optical stress on the envelope line in the energy absorption diagrams of EVA foams with different densities. The change in strain rate leads to the envelope line in the energy absorption diagrams of EVA foams with a given density having the larger slope and a negative intercept where the optical energy absorption per unit volume relies linearly on the optical stress. The empirical formulas of elastic modulus, yield strength, optimal strain, and envelope lines and their slopes are derived from the tested results.

A prognostic model and immune regulation analysis of uterine corpus endometrial carcinoma based on cellular senescence.

Background: This study aimed to explore the clinical significance of cellular senescence in uterine corpus endometrial carcinoma (UCEC). Methods: Cluster analysis was performed on GEO data and TCGA data based on cellular senescence related genes, and then performed subtype analysis on differentially expressed genes between subtypes. The prognostic model was constructed using Lasso regression. Survival analysis, microenvironment analysis, immune analysis, mutation analysis, and drug susceptibility analysis were performed to evaluate the practical relevance. Ultimately, a clinical nomogram was constructed and cellular senescence-related genes expression was investigated by qRT-PCR. Results: We ultimately identified two subtypes. The prognostic model divides patients into high-risk and low-risk groups. There were notable discrepancies in prognosis, tumor microenvironment, immunity, and mutation between the two subtypes and groups. There was a notable connection between drug-sensitive and risk scores. The nomogram has good calibration with AUC values between 0.75-0.8. In addition, cellular senescence-related genes expression was investigated qRT-PCR. Conclusion: Our model and nomogram may effectively forecast patient prognosis and serve as a reference for patient management.

Supplementation of Lycium barbarum Polysaccharide Combined with Aerobic Exercise Ameliorates High-Fat-Induced Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis via AMPK/PPARα/PGC-1α Pathway.

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a subtype of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Either Lycium barbarum polysaccharide (LBP) or aerobic exercise (AE) has been reported to be beneficial to hepatic lipid metabolism. However, whether the combination of LBP with AE improves lipid accumulation of NASH remains unknown. Our study investigated the influence of 10 weeks of treatment of LBP, AE, and the combination (LBP plus AE) on high-fat-induced NASH in Sprague-Dawley rats. The results showed that LBP or AE reduced the severity of the NASH. LBP plus AE treatment more effectively ameliorated liver damage and lowered levels of serum lipid and inflammation. In addition, the combination can also regulate genes involved in hepatic fatty acid synthesis and oxidation. LBP plus AE activated AMPK, thereby increasing the expression of PPARα which controls hepatic fatty acid oxidation and its coactivator PGC-1α. Our study demonstrated the improvement of LBP plus AE on NASH via enhancing fatty acid oxidation (FAO) which was dependent on AMPK/PPARα/PGC-1α pathway.

Comparative Efficacy of Local and General Anesthesia for Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation: A Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: This meta-analysis aimed to compare the potential effects of local anesthesia (LA) and general anesthesia (GA) for transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). MEASUREMENTS: All relevant studies were searched from Pubmed, EMbase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library (January 1, 2016, to June 1, 2021). The main outcomes of this literature meta-analysis were 30-day mortality, procedural time, new pacemaker implantation, total stay in the hospital, use of the vasoactive drug, and intra-and postoperative complications and emergencies, including conversion to open, myocardial infarction, pulmonary complication, vascular complication, renal injury/failure, stroke, transesophageal echocardiography, life-threatening/major bleeding, cardiac tamponade, and emergency PCI. Pooled risk ratio (RR) and mean difference (MD) together with a 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated. RESULTS: A total of 17 studies, including 20938 patients, in the final analysis, fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Intra-and postoperative complications (myocardial infarction, vascular complication, renal injury/failure, stroke, and cardiac tamponade) undergoing TAVI in severe AS patients under GA do not offer a significant difference compared with LA. No differences were observed between LA and GA for new pacemaker implantation, total stay in the hospital, transesophageal echocardiography, and emergency PCI. LA has lower mortality compared with GA (RR 0.69, P = 0.600), pulmonary complications (RR 0.54, P = 0.278), life-threatening/major bleeding (RR 0.85, P = 0.855), and lower times of conversion to open (RR 0.22, P = 0.746). LA has many advantages, including a shorter procedure duration (MD=-0.38, P = 0.000) and reduction of the use of the vasoactive drug (RR 0.57, P = 0.000). CONCLUSIONS: For TAVI, both LA with or without sedation and GA are feasible and safe. LA appears a feasible alternative to GA for AS patients undergoing TAVI.

Diagnostic Value and Clinical Application of Diffusion-Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Female Pelvic Lesions.

Pelvic inflammatory disease refers to a group of infectious diseases of the female upper genital tract, often caused by ascending infection of vaginitis and cervicitis, causing endometritis, salpingitis, tubo-ovarian abscess, pelvic connective tissue inflammation, and/or pelvic peritonitis. PID is the most common and important infectious disease in nonpregnant women of childbearing age, and inflammation in multiple parts often coexists and affects each other. The functional MRI techniques currently used in pelvic floor muscle injury are magnetic resonance diffusion tensor imaging, T2 mapping, and magnetic resonance elastography. Diffusion tensor imaging is a new imaging and postprocessing technology developed on the basis of magnetic resonance diffusion-weighted imaging. Due to the lack of specificity of clinical symptoms, many subclinical patients are often not detected and diagnosed in time, so it is very difficult to accurately estimate the incidence of PID. This article retrospectively analyzed 72 patients with pelvic inflammatory disease confirmed by surgical pathology from February 2020 to 2022, who had undergone pelvic MRI examination before surgery, including 25 patients with chronic pelvic inflammation (hydrosalpinx), 25 patients with acute pelvic inflammation, and 47 cases (including 21 cases of hydrosalpinx, 19 cases of tubo-ovarian abscess, and 7 cases of pelvic abscess). The age range was 13 to 59 years old. The clinical data and MRI findings were analyzed, the ADC value of the cystic part of the lesion was measured, and the differences in age, maximum diameter of the lesion, thickness of the vessel wall/separation, and the ADC value of the cystic part of chronic and acute pelvic inflammation were compared. In this part of the cases, there were 25 cases of chronic pelvic inflammation and 47 cases of acute pelvic inflammation. The average ADC value of the cystic component of chronic inflammation was significantly higher than that of acute inflammation, which were (2.86 ± 0.20) × 10-3 mm2/s and (1.07 ± 0.38) ×10-3 mm2/s, respectively, P value <0.001.

Integration of light and temperature sensing by liquid-liquid phase separation of phytochrome B.

Light and temperature in plants are perceived by a common receptor, phytochrome B (phyB). How phyB distinguishes these signals remains elusive. Here, we report that phyB spontaneously undergoes phase separation to assemble liquid-like droplets. This capacity is driven by its C terminus through self-association, whereas the intrinsically disordered N-terminal extension (NTE) functions as a biophysical modulator of phase separation. Light exposure triggers a conformational change to subsequently alter phyB condensate assembly, while temperature sensation is directly mediated by the NTE to modulate the phase behavior of phyB droplets. Multiple signaling components are selectively incorporated into phyB droplets to form concentrated microreactors, allowing switch-like control of phyB signaling activity through phase transitions. Therefore, light and temperature cues are separately read out by phyB via allosteric changes and spontaneous phase separation, respectively. We provide a conceptual framework showing how the distinct but highly correlated physical signals are interpreted and sorted by one receptor.