Phosphorus deficiency-induced cell wall pectin demethylesterification enhances cadmium accumulation in roots of Salix caprea.

Regions affected by heavy metal contamination frequently encounter phosphorus (P) deficiency. Numerous studies highlight crucial role of P in facilitating cadmium (Cd) accumulation in woody plants. However, the regulatory mechanism by which P affects Cd accumulation in roots remains ambiguous. This study aims to investigate the effects of phosphorus (P) deficiency on Cd accumulation, Cd subcellular distribution, and cell wall components in the roots of Salix caprea under Cd stress. The results revealed that under P deficiency conditions, there was a 35.4% elevation in Cd content in roots, coupled with a 60.1% reduction in Cd content in shoots, compared to the P sufficiency conditions. Under deficient P conditions, the predominant response of roots to Cd exposure was the increased sequestration of Cd in root cell walls. The sequestration of Cd in root cell walls increased from 37.1% under sufficient P conditions to 66.7% under P deficiency, with pectin identified as the primary Cd binding site under both P conditions. Among cell wall components, P deficiency led to a significant 31.7% increase in Cd content within pectin compared to P sufficiency conditions, but did not change the pectin content. Notably, P deficiency significantly increased pectin methylesterase (PME) activity by regulating the expression of PME and PMEI genes, leading to a 10.4% reduction in the degree of pectin methylesterification. This may elucidate the absence of significant changes in pectin content under P deficiency conditions and the concurrent increase in Cd accumulation in pectin. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) results indicated an increase in carboxyl groups in the root cell walls under P deficiency compared to sufficient P treatment. The results provide deep insights into the mechanisms of higher Cd accumulation in root mediated by P deficiency.

Transport of nZVI/copper synthesized by green tea extract in Cr(IV)-contaminated soil: modeling study and reduced toxicity.

In this study, nano-zero-valent iron/copper was synthesized by green tea extracts (GT-nZVI/Cu) and produced a stable suspension than nano-zero-valent iron synthesized by green tea extracts (GT-nZVI) injected into Cr(VI)-containing soil column. The equilibrium 1D-CDE model was successfully used to fit the penetration curves of Fe(tot), Fe(aq), and Fe(0) in order to determine the relevant parameters. The hydrodynamic dispersion coefficient of chromium-contaminated soil was 0.401 cm2·h-1, and the pore flow rate was 0.144 cm·h-1. The stable C/C0 of Fe(tot), Fe(aq), and Fe(0) in the effluent were retarded to 0.39, 0.79, and 0.11, respectively, compared to a ratio of 1 for the concentration of the tracer Cl- in the effluent to the concentration in the influent. Additionally, the 1D-CDE model describes the migration behavior of Cr(VI) with a high R2 (> 0.97). The obtained blocking coefficients declined gradually with increasing concentration of GT-nZVI/Cu suspension and decreasing concentration of Cr(VI). The content of reduced chromium in the soil decreased from 2.986 to 1.121 after remediation, while the content of more stable oxidizable chromium and residual chromium increased from 2.975 and 20.021 to 16.471 and 27.612. The phytotoxicity test showed that mung bean seeds still had a germination rate of 90% (control of 100%), root length of 29.63 mm (control of 35.25 mm), and stem length of 17.9 cm (control of 18.96 cm) after remediation with GT-nZVI/Cu. These indicated that GT-nZVI/Cu was effective in immobilizing Cr(VI) in the soil column and reduced the ecological threat. This study provides an analytical basis and theoretical model for the migration of chromium-contaminated soil in practical application.

Selective C(sp3)-S Bond Cleavage of Thioethers to Build Up Unsymmetrical Disulfides.

The selective C(sp3)-S bond cleavage of thioethers was first developed to prepare unsymmetrical disulfides by using electrophilic halogenation reagents. In this strategy, NBS (N-bromosuccinimide) achieves selective furfuryl C(sp3)-S bond cleavage of furfuryl alkylthioethers at room temperature. Meanwhile, NFSI (N-fluorobenzenesulfonimide) enables selective methyl C(sp3)-S bond cleavage of aryl and alkyl methylthioethers at an elevated temperature. Notably, the substrate scope investigation indicates that the order of selectivity of the C-S bond cleavage is furfuryl C(sp3)-S > benzyl C(sp3)-S > alkyl C(sp3)-S > C(sp2)-S bond. Moreover, this practical and operationally simple strategy also provides an important complementary way to access various unsymmetrical disulfides with excellent functional group tolerances and moderate to good yields.

RNF20/RNF40 ameliorates streptozotocin-induced type 1 diabetes by activating vitamin D receptors in vivo.

BACKGROUND: Type 1 diabetes is one of the chronic autoimmune diseases. Its features include the immune-triggered pancreatic beta-cells destruction. Ubiquitin ligases RNF20 and RNF40 have been discovered to participate into beta cells gene expression, insulin secretion, and expression of vitamin D receptors (VDRs). However, no reports about the role of RNF20/RNF40 in type 1 diabetes are known till now. The aim of this study was to clarify the role of RNF20/RNF40 in type 1 diabetes and explore the mechanism. METHODS: In this study, streptozotocin (STZ)-induced mice type 1 diabetes model was used. The protein expressions of genes were examined through Western blot analysis. Fasting blood glucose was detected through glucose meter. The plasma insulin was tested through the commercial kit. Hematoxylin and eosin staining was utilized to observe pathological changes of pancreatic tissues. Immunofluorescence assay was performed to evaluate the level of insulin. The levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in serum were assessed by enzyme-linked-immunosorbent serologic assay. The cell apoptosis was measured through terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labelling assay. RESULTS: STZ was used to stimulate mice model for type 1 diabetes. At first, both RNF20 and RNF40 expressions were down-regulated in STZ-mediated type 1 diabetes. Additionally, RNF20/RNF40 improved hyperglycemia in STZ-stimulated mice. Moreover, RNF20/RNF40 relieved pancreatic tissue injury in STZ-induced mice. Further experiments found that RNF20/RNF40 rescued the strengthened inflammation mediated by STZ treatment. The cell apoptosis was enhanced in the pancreatic tissues of STZ-triggered mice, but this effect was weakened by overexpression of RNF20/RNF40. Besides, the VDR expression was positively regulated by RNF20/RNF40. Finally, VDR knockdown reversed improved hyperglycemia, inflammation, and cell apoptosis stimulated by overexpression of RNF20/RNF40. CONCLUSION: Our findings proved that RNF20/RNF40 activated VDR to relieve type 1 diabetes. This work might highlight the functioning of RNF20/RNF40 in the treatment of type 1 diabetes.

Spatial and temporal effect and driving factors of ecosystem service trade-off in the Qingjiang River Basin, China.

Identifying the spatiotemporal differentiation characteristics of trade-offs/synergies relationships of ecosystem service in watersheds and their influencing factors is essential for ecosystem management and regulation. It is of great significance for the efficient allocation of environmental resources and the rational formulation of ecological and environmental policies. We used correlation analysis and root mean square deviation to analyze the trade-offs/synergies relationships among grain provision, net primary productivity (NPP), soil conservation, and water yield service in the Qingjiang River Basin from 2000 to 2020. Then, we analyzed the critical factors affecting the trade-offs of ecosystem services by using the geographical detector. The results showed that grain provision service in the Qingjiang River Basin presented a decreasing trend from 2000 to 2020, and that NPP, soil conservation, as well as water yield service showed an increasing trend. There was a decreasing trend in the degree of trade-offs between grain provision and soil conservation services, NPP and water yield service, and an increasing trend in the intensity of trade-offs between other services. Grain provision and NPP, soil conservation and water yield showed trade-off in the northeast and synergy in the southwest. There was a synergistic relationship between NPP with soil conservation and water yield in the central part and a trade-off relationship in the surrounding area. Soil conservation and water yield showed a high degree of synergy. Land use and normalized difference of vegetation index were the dominant factors in the intensity of trade-offs between grain provision and other ecosystem services. Precipitation, temperature, and elevation were the dominant factors in the intensity of trade-offs between water yield service and other ecosystem services. The intensity of ecosystem service trade-offs was not only affected by a single factor. In contrast, the interaction between the two services or the common factors behind the two services was the determining factor. Our results could provide a reference for developing ecological restoration planning strategies in the national land space.

RNF20/RNF40 ameliorates streptozotocin-induced type 1 diabetes by activating vitamin D receptors in vivo

Background: Type 1 diabetes is one of the chronic autoimmune diseases. Its features include the immune-triggered pancreatic beta-cells destruction. Ubiquitin ligases RNF20 and RNF40 have been discovered to participate into beta cells gene expression, insulin secretion, and expression of vitamin D receptors (VDRs). However, no reports about the role of RNF20/RNF40 in type 1 diabetes are known till now. The aim of this study was to clarify the role of RNF20/RNF40 in type 1 diabetes and explore the mechanism. Methods: In this study, streptozotocin (STZ)-induced mice type 1 diabetes model was used. The protein expressions of genes were examined through Western blot analysis. Fasting blood glucose was detected through glucose meter. The plasma insulin was tested through the commercial kit. Hematoxylin and eosin staining was utilized to observe pathological changes of pancreatic tissues. Immunofluorescence assay was performed to evaluate the level of insulin. The levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in serum were assessed by enzyme-linked-immunosorbent serologic assay. The cell apoptosis was measured through terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labelling assay. Results: STZ was used to stimulate mice model for type 1 diabetes. At first, both RNF20 and RNF40 expressions were down-regulated in STZ-mediated type 1 diabetes. Additionally, RNF20/RNF40 improved hyperglycemia in STZ-stimulated mice. Moreover, RNF20/RNF40 relieved pancreatic tissue injury in STZ-induced mice. Further experiments found that RNF20/RNF40 rescued the strengthened inflammation mediated by STZ treatment. The cell apoptosis was enhanced in the pancreatic tissues of STZ-triggered mice, but this effect was weakened by overexpression of RNF20/RNF40 (AU)

Tuning Interphase Chemistry to Stabilize High-Voltage LiCoO2 Cathode Material via Spinel Coating.

Cathode electrolyte interphases (CEIs) are critical to the cycling stability of high-voltage cathodes for batteries, yet their formation mechanism and properties remain elusive. Here we report that the compositions of CEIs are largely controlled by abundant species in the inner Helmholtz layer (IHL) and can be tuned from material aspects. The IHL of LiCoO2 (LCO) was found to alter after charging, with a solvent-rich environment that results in fragile organic-rich CEIs. By passivated spinel Li4 Mn5 O12 coating, we achieve an anion-rich IHL after charging, thus enabling robust LiF-rich CEIs. In situ microscopy reveals that LiF-rich CEIs maintain mechanical integrity at 500 °C, in sharp contrast to organic-rich CEIs which undergo severe expansion and subsequent voids/cracks in the cathode. As a result, the spinel-coated LCO exhibits a high specific capacity of 194 mAh g-1 at 0.05 C and a capacity retention of 83 % after 300 cycles at 0.5 C. Our work sheds new light on modulating CEIs for advanced lithium-ion batteries.

Study of Building Safety Monitoring by Using Cost-Effective MEMS Accelerometers for Rapid After-Earthquake Assessment with Missing Data.

Suffering from structural deterioration and natural disasters, the resilience of civil structures in the face of extreme loadings inevitably drops, which may lead to catastrophic structural failure and presents great threats to public safety. Earthquake-induced extreme loading is one of the major reasons behind the structural failure of buildings. However, many buildings in earthquake-prone areas of China lack safety monitoring, and prevalent structural health monitoring systems are generally very expensive and complicated for extensive applications. To facilitate cost-effective building-safety monitoring, this study investigates a method using cost-effective MEMS accelerometers for buildings' rapid after-earthquake assessment. First, a parameter analysis of a cost-effective MEMS sensor is conducted to confirm its suitability for building-safety monitoring. Second, different from the existing investigations that tend to use a simplified building model or small-scaled frame structure excited by strong motions in laboratories, this study selects an in-service public building located in a typical earthquake-prone area after an analysis of earthquake risk in China. The building is instrumented with the selected cost-effective MEMS accelerometers, characterized by a low noise level and the capability to capture low-frequency small-amplitude dynamic responses. Furthermore, a rapid after-earthquake assessment scheme is proposed, which systematically includes fast missing data reconstruction, displacement response estimation based on an acceleration response integral, and safety assessment based on the maximum displacement and maximum inter-story drift ratio. Finally, the proposed method is successfully applied to a building-safety assessment by using earthquake-induced building responses suffering from missing data. This study is conducive to the extensive engineering application of MEMS-based cost-effective building monitoring and rapid after-earthquake assessment.

Exosomal circRNA HIPK3 knockdown inhibited cell proliferation and metastasis in prostate cancer by regulating miR-212/BMI-1 pathway.

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second frequent malignancy among men in the world. Exosomal circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been reported to function in PCa progression. The current study aimed to investigate the role of exosomal circRNA homeodomain-interacting protein kinase 3 (circHIPK3) in PCa development. Exosomes were extracted from serum and cells utilizing commercial kit, and identified by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Western blot assay and nanoparticle tracking analyzer. Relative expression of circHIPK3, microRNA (miR)-212 and B-cell specific MMLV insertion site-1 (BMI-1) was examined by quantitative realtime PCR or Western blot assay. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis was conducted to assess the diagnostic potential of exosomal miR-212. Cell viability, and metastasis including migration and invasion, were detected by Methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay and Transwell assay, respectively. Cell apoptosis was monitored using flow cytometry. The interaction between miR-212 and circHIPK3 or BMI-1 was validated by dual-luciferase reporter assay. Xenograft tumor assay was employed to explore the role of exosomal circHIPK3 in vivo. Exosomal circHIPK3 was increased in serum of PCa patients, and could discriminate PCa patients from normal volunteers. Depletion of exosomal circHIPK3 or overexpression of exosomal miR-212 reduced viability, migration and invasion, but promoted cell apoptosis in PCa cells, which was attenuated by miR-212 inhibition or BMI-1, respectively. MiR-212 targeted BMI-1, and downregulated BMI-1 expression. Exosomal circHIPK3 knockdown also suppressed tumor growth in vivo. Exosomal circHIPK3 knockdown inhibited PCa progression by regulating miR-212/BMI-1 axis, at least in part, offering a new insight into the molecular mechanism of PCa.

Sexual differences in root growth and antioxidant characteristics in Salix viminalis exposed to cadmium stress.

NOVELTY STATEMENT: Salix viminalis, a dioecious shrub willow, has been widely used in phytoremediation, yet sexually differences in tolerance to cadmium of which remained unclear. This study focused on different responses to cadmium stress between roots of male and female S. viminalis. Results show that male plants of S. viminalis have stronger cadmium tolerance than female plants, which indicates male S. viminalis should be more considered to be applied for phytoremediation and ecological restoration of cadmium-accumulated soil considering cadmium tolerance characteristics. The findings can provide valuable evidence and insights for researches focused on phytoremediation with dioecious woody plants and sexual dimorphism under abiotic stress.

Proteomic insights into the photosynthetic divergence between bark and leaf chloroplasts in Salix matsudana.

Bark chloroplasts play important roles in carbon balancing by recycling internal stem CO2 into assimilated carbon. The photosynthetic response of bark chloroplasts to interior stem environments has been studied recently in woody plants. However, the molecular regulatory mechanisms underlying specific characteristics of bark photosynthesis remain unclear. To address this knowledge gap, differences in the structure, photosynthetic activity and protein expression profiles between bark and leaf chloroplasts were investigated in Salix matsudana in this study. Bark chloroplasts exhibited broader and lower grana stacks and higher levels of starch relative to leaf chloroplasts. Concomitantly, decreased oxygen evolution rates and decreased saturated radiation point were observed in bark chloroplasts. Furthermore, a total of 293 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were identified in bark and leaf chloroplast profile comparisons. These DEPs were significantly enriched in photosynthesis-related biological processes or Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways associated with photosynthesis. All 116 DEPs within the KEGG pathways associated with photosynthesis light reactions were downregulated in bark chloroplasts, including key proteins responsible for chlorophyll synthesis, light energy harvesting, nonphotochemical quenching, linear electron transport and photophosphorylation. Interestingly, seven upregulated proteins involved in dark reactions were identified in bark chloroplasts that comprised two kinds of malic enzymes typical of C4-type photosynthesis. These results provide comprehensive proteomic evidence to understand the low photochemical capability of bark chloroplasts and suggest that bark chloroplasts might fix CO2 derived from malate decarboxylation.

Snoring Is Associated With Increased Risk of Stroke: A Cumulative Meta-Analysis.

Background: Several studies have suggested that snoring is associated with an increased risk of stroke; however, the results are inconsistent. We aim to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies assessing the association between snoring and the risk of stroke in adults. Methods: We searched PubMed for relevant studies. A random-effect model was adopted to summary relative risks (RRs), and forest plots from a cumulative meta-analysis method were used for a better presentation of how the pooled RRs changed as updated evidence accumulated. Results: The literature search yielded 16 articles that met our inclusion criteria, and a total of 3,598 stroke patients and 145,901 participants were finally included in our analysis. A consistent trend toward association was found after the initial discovery, and the summary analysis indicated that snoring is associated with a 46% (RR, 1.46; 95%CI, 1.29-1.63; p < 0.001) increased risk of stroke. Conclusions: Snoring is associated with a significantly increased risk for stroke, up to 46%. The importance of the current study lies in that we provide an imputes to take a more active approach against the increased risk of stroke in snorers.

Snoring increases the development of coronary artery disease: a systematic review with meta-analysis of observational studies.

PURPOSE: Snoring is one of the cardinal presentations of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and is more common than OSA. Abundant evidence has suggested a robust association between OSA and coronary artery disease (CAD). However, whether or not snoring alone is related to a higher risk of CAD is unknown. This study systematically reviewed observational studies with meta-analysis to evaluate the linkage between snoring and CAD. METHODS AND RESULTS: We searched PubMed and Embase and retrieved 13 articles focusing on the relationship between snoring and CAD. These articles included a total of 151,366 participants and 9099 CAD patients. Quantitative analysis indicated that snoring was associated with a 28% (RR: 1.28, 95% CI: 1.13 to 1.45, P < 0.001) increase in the risk of developing CAD. CONCLUSIONS: Snorers are exposed to a 28% increased risk for CAD. Although the association may be partly mediated through OSA, most snorers are not affected by apnea. Given the high prevalence of snoring and the disease burden of CAD in the general population, screening for snoring may be worthwhile for the early prevention of CAD.

Soil microbial community succession and interactions during combined plant/white-rot fungus remediation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

Despite combined plant/white-rot fungus remediation being effective for remediating polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-contaminated soil, the complex organismal interactions and their effects on soil PAH degradation remain unclear. Here, we used quantitative PCR, analysis of soil enzyme activities, and sequencing of representative genes to characterize the ecological dynamics of natural attenuation, mycoremediation (MR, using Crucibulum laeve), phytoremediation (PR, using Salix viminalis), and plant-microbial remediation (PMR, using both species) for PAHs in soil for 60 days. On day 60, PMR achieved the highest removal efficiency of all three representative PAHs (65.5%, 47.5%, and 62.4% for phenanthrene, pyrene, and benzo(a)pyrene, respectively) when compared with the other treatments. MR significantly increased the relative abundance of Rhizobium and Bacillus but antagonized the other putative indigenous PAH-degrading bacteria, which were enriched by PR. PR significantly reduced soil nutrients, such as NO3- and NH4+, and available potassium (AK), thereby changing the microbial community composition as reflected by redundancy analysis, significantly reducing the soil bacterial biomass relative to that in other treatments. These disadvantages hampered phenanthrene and pyrene removal. MR provided additional nutrients, which counteracted the nutrient consumption associated with PR, thereby maintaining the microbial community diversity and bacterial biomass of PMR at a level achieved in the NA treatment. Combination remediation therefore overcame the disadvantages of using PR alone. These results indicated that inoculation with the combination of S. viminalis and C. laeve synergistically stimulated the growth of indigenous PAH-degrading microorganisms and maintained bacterial biomass, thus accelerating the dissipation of soil PAHs.

Room-Temperature Flexible Quasi-Solid-State Rechargeable Na-O2 Batteries.

Rechargeable Na-O2 batteries have been regarded as promising energy storage devices because of their high energy density, ultralow overpotential, and abundant resources. Unfortunately, conventional Na-O2 batteries with a liquid electrolyte often suffer from severe dendrite growth, electrolyte leakage, and potential H2O contamination toward the Na metal anode. Here, we report a quasi-solid-state polymer electrolyte (QPE) composed of poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene)-4% SiO2-NaClO4-tetraethylene glycol dimethyl ether for rechargeable Na-O2 batteries with high performance. Density functional theory calculations reveal that the fluorocarbon chains of QPE are beneficial for Na+ transfer, resulting in a high ionic conductivity of 1.0 mS cm-1. Finite element method simulations show that the unique nanopore structure and high dielectric constant of QPE can induce a uniform distribution of the electric field during charge/discharge processes, thus achieving a homogeneous deposition of Na without dendrites. Moreover, the nonthrough nanopore structure and hydrophobic behavior resulting from fluorocarbon chains of QPE could effectively protect Na anode from H2O erosion. Therefore, the fabricated quasi-solid-state Na-O2 batteries exhibit an average Coulombic efficiency of up to 97% and negligible voltage decay during 80 cycles at a discharge capacity of 1000 mAh g-1. As a proof of concept, flexible pouch-type Na-O2 batteries were assembled, displaying stable electrochemical performance for ∼400 h after being bent from 0 to 360°. This work demonstrates the application of the quasi-solid-state electrolyte for high-performance flexible Na-O2 batteries.

Enhancing Salix viminalis L.-mediated phytoremediation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon-contaminated soil by inoculation with Crucibulum laeve (white-rot fungus).

Although plant-white-rot fungi (WRF) remediation is considered efficient in improving polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-contaminated soil, the prospects for using it remain poorly known. Therefore, we evaluated whether the WRF Crucibulum laeve could improve the phytoremediation of PAH-contaminated soil by Salix viminalis L. A 60-day pot experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of C. laeve inoculation (using two inoculation treatments and a non-inoculated control) on the phytoremediation potential, growth, and antioxidant metabolism of S. viminalis cultivated in PAH-contaminated soil. The S. viminalis-C. laeve association synergistically caused the highest PAH removal rate. Under the S. viminalis-C. laeve treatment, 80% of the biological concentration and translocation factors for all tissues of S. viminalis were > 1, whereas only 20% of these factors were > 1 when S. viminalis was used alone. C. laeve inoculation remarkably enhanced phytoremediation by promoting S. viminalis-based phytoextraction of PAHs from soils. Furthermore, although C. laeve inoculation altered the antioxidant metabolism of S. viminalis by inducing oxidative stress, thereby inhibiting plant growth, the plant's hardiness enabled it to survive and grow normally for 60 days after treatment. Therefore, phytoremediation using S. viminalis inoculated with C. laeve can be considered a feasible approach for the phytoremediation of PAH-contaminated soil.

Admission Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Stratified by Circulating CD14++CD16+ Monocytes and Risk for Recurrent Cardiovascular Events Following ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction: Lipid Paradox Revised.

Lower level of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) is paradoxically associated with increased mortality in ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients. The underlying mechanism remains unclear. In a cohort of 220 de novo STEMI patients receiving timely primary percutaneous coronary intervention, admission LDL-C was negatively associated with circulating CD14++CD16+ monocyte counts. Moreover, admission LDL-C < 85 mg/dL was associated with increased risk for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) during a median follow-up of 2.7 years. After categorizing the patients according to the cutoff values of 85 mg/dL for LDL-C and the median for CD14++CD16+ monocytes, low LDL-C-associated MACE risk was only observed in those with high CD14++CD16+ monocyte counts (low LDL-C/high CD14++CD16+ monocytes vs. low LDL-C/low CD14++CD16+ monocytes: hazard ratio 5.38, 95% confidence interval 1.52 to 19.06, P = 0.009). This work provided the proof-of-principle evidence indicating a role of CD14++CD16+ monocytes in risk stratification of STEMI patients presenting with low LDL-C level. Graphical abstract.

Conceptual Barriers to Palliative Care and Enlightenment From Chuang-tze's Thoughts.

This paper claims that palliative care (PC) is a suitable approach for offering comprehensive support to patients with life-threatening illness and unavoidable asthenia, to enhance their quality of life in aging and chronic illness. There are however some conceptual barriers to accessing that care on the Chinese Mainland: (1) Death-denying culture and society; (2) Misguidance and malpractice derived from the biomedical model; (3) Prejudice against PC and certain deviant understandings of filial piety culture. To counter these obstacles, the study introduces the philosophy of Chinese Taoist Chuang-tze to enlighten the public from ignorance and remove some illusions about death and dying; inspire people to face and accept illness and death calmly, and keep harmony and inner peace of mind to alleviate suffering, with the aim of providing wisdom and a shift of attitude toward life and death. Chuang-tze's thoughts are consistent with the provision of palliative care, and to a certain degree, can promote its acceptability and delivery, and the conception of good death in practice.

Pore size effect of graphyne supports on CO2 electrocatalytic activity of Cu single atoms.

The instinctive chemical inertia of CO2 impedes its electrochemical reduction by high energy input. Single atom catalysts (SACs) on supports are considered as a class of excellent electrocatalysts with high activity, selectivity and atomic efficiency for CO2 electrochemical reduction. Supports for single atoms are believed to greatly impact the electrocatalytic activity of SACs. However, further research on the relationship between the structure of supports for SACs and CO2 electroreduction is still needed. Herein, density functional theory (DFT) calculations are performed to investigate the role of supports in tuning the CO2 electrocatalytic activity of SACs. Graphynes with different pore sizes (graphyne, graphdiyne, graphyne-3 and graphyne-4) are taken into account to unveil the effect of their skeleton structure on the anchored Cu single atoms. We found that support skeletons could greatly impact the coordination configuration of metal atoms and the steric repulsion of support skeletons to intermediates. These two factors jointly result in different electrocatalytic performances of SACs. The comparative analysis proves that the graphynes with large pores are appropriate supports for Cu adatoms for CO2 electroreduction due to the low-coordinated Cu atoms and weak-steric-repulsion carbon skeleton. Such SACs exhibit much enhanced activity and selectivity as compared with the Cu(111) surface and monoatomic Cu on nitrogen-doped graphene. This work provides a new insight into the rational design of supports for SACs.

Corticular photosynthesis drives bark water uptake to refill embolized vessels in dehydrated branches of Salix matsudana.

It is well known that xylem embolism can be repaired by bark water uptake and that the sugar required for embolism refilling can be provided by corticular photosynthesis. However, the relationship between corticular photosynthesis and embolism repair by bark water uptake is still poorly understood. In this study, the role of corticular photosynthesis in embolism repair was assessed using Salix matsudana branch segments dehydrated to -1.9 MPa (P50 , water potential at 50% loss of conductivity). The results indicated that corticular photosynthesis significantly promoted water uptake and nonstructural carbohydrate (NSC) accumulation in the bark and xylem during soaking, thereby effectively enhancing the refilling of the embolized vessels and the recovery of hydraulic conductivity. Furthermore, the influence of the extent of dehydration on the embolism refilling enhanced by corticular photosynthesis was investigated. The enhanced refilling effects were much higher in the mildly dehydrated (-1.5 MPa) and moderately dehydrated (-1.9 MPa) branch segments than in the severely dehydrated (-2.2 MPa) branch segments. This study provides evidence that corticular photosynthesis plays a crucial role in xylem embolism repair by bark water uptake for mildly and moderately dehydrated branches.