Accumulation mechanism of metabolite markers identified by machine learning between Qingyuan and Xiushui counties in Polygonatum cyrtonema Hua.

Polygonatum cyrtonema Hua is a traditional Chinese medicinal plant acclaimed for its therapeutic potential in diabetes and various chronic diseases. Its rhizomes are the main functional parts rich in secondary metabolites, such as flavonoids and saponins. But their quality varies by region, posing challenges for industrial and medicinal application of P. cyrtonema. In this study, 482 metabolites were identified in P. cyrtonema rhizome from Qingyuan and Xiushui counties. Cluster analysis showed that samples between these two regions had distinct secondary metabolite profiles. Machine learning methods, specifically support vector machine-recursive feature elimination and random forest, were utilized to further identify metabolite markers including flavonoids, phenolic acids, and lignans. Comparative transcriptomics and weighted gene co-expression analysis were performed to uncover potential candidate genes including CHI, UGT1, and PcOMT10/11/12/13 associated with these compounds. Functional assays using tobacco transient expression system revealed that PcOMT10/11/12/13 indeed impacted metabolic fluxes of the phenylpropanoid pathway and phenylpropanoid-related metabolites such as chrysoeriol-6,8-di-C-glucoside, syringaresinol-4'-O-glucopyranosid, and 1-O-Sinapoyl-D-glucose. These findings identified metabolite markers between these two regions and provided valuable genetic insights for engineering the biosynthesis of these compounds.

Generation and Clearance of Superoxide Radicals at Buried Interfaces of Perovskites with Different Crystal Structures.

One of the most notorious issues with classic perovskite (MAPbI3) is its rapid degradation caused by generating superoxide radicals (O2 •-) on its surface under light and oxygen environments (light/O2). The differences in O2 •- generation rate and tolerance to O2 •- among perovskite with different structures are pending. For the first time it is validated through solid-electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) that MAPbI3 and Cs0.175FA0.75MA0.075PbI3 (PVSK) crystals can generate O2 •- in an air atmosphere. The rapid degradation of perovskite buried interfaces caused by O2 •- dominates the nonexposed air aging process of SnO2-based perovskite film, and the degradation rate of MAPbI3 film is faster than that of PVSK film. The fullerene pyridine derivatives (C60OPD), which function as a buffer layer between SnO2 and PVSK to scavenge O2 •- and prevent degradation at the buried interface of the PVSK film, reduce the density of defect states, and accelerate the transmission of photogenerated electrons. The photoelectric conversion efficiency (PCE) of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) optimizes with C60OPD increased from 21.15% to 23.11% while significantly improving the stability in light/O2. This work reveals the hidden degradation of perovskite-buried interfaces caused by O2 •- and explores efficient ways for perovskite to resist O2 •-.

Self-Assembly Method for Synthesizing High-Dimensional EMOFs with High Stability and Laser Response.

Dimension and solvent molecules affect the performance of energetic metal-organic frameworks (EMOFs). High-dimensional EMOFs are usually characterized by high stability and low sensitivity due to their complex network structure. However, solvent molecules affect the detonation performance of EMOFs, and these molecules may be removed at low temperatures, resulting in structural collapse and affecting the stability of EMOFs. In this work, zero-dimensional (0D) Co(AFTO)2·(H2O)2 (EMOF 1) and Ni(AFTO)2·(H2O)2 (EMOF 2) with coordinated water molecules and [Co(AFTO)2]n·EtOH (EMOF 3) and [Ni(AFTO)2]n (EMOF 4) (AFTO = 5-(4-amino-furazan-3-yl)-1-hydroxytetrazole) with high-dimensional structure were synthesized using hydrothermal and self-assembly methods in ethanol, respectively. Structural and performance tests show that EMOF 3 and 4 exhibit remarkable thermal stability and low mechanical sensitivity. This method is a simple, effective, and green technique for synthesizing high-dimensional EMOFs with high stability through self-assembly in ethanol solution. In addition, EMOF 3 and 4 can be used as primary green laser explosives.

The effect of physical fitness on psychological health: evidence from Chinese university students.

BACKGROUND: Despite frequent discussions on the link between physical and mental health, the specific impact of physical fitness on mental well-being is yet to be fully established. METHOD: This study, carried out between January 2022 and August 2023, involved 4,484 Chinese University students from eight universities located in various regions of China. It aimed to examine the association between physical fitness on psychological well-being. Descriptive statistics, t-tests, and logistic regression were used to analyze the association between physical fitness indicators (e.g., Body Mass Index (BMI), vital capacity, and endurance running) and mental health, assessed using Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90). All procedures were ethically approved, and participants consented to take part in. RESULTS: Our analysis revealed that BMI, vital capacity, and endurance running scores significantly influence mental health indicators. Specifically, a 1-point increase in BMI increases the likelihood of an abnormal psychological state by 10.9%, while a similar increase in vital capacity and endurance running decreases the risk by 2.1% and 4.1%, respectively. In contrast, reaction time, lower limb explosiveness, flexibility, and muscle strength showed no significant effects on psychological states (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Improvements in BMI, vital capacity, and endurance running capabilities are associated with better mental health outcomes, highlighting their potential importance in enhancing overall well-being.

The ferroptosis in haemocytes of Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas upon erastin treatment.

Ferroptosis is an iron and oxidative dependent form of cell death usually mediated by redox related molecules in vertebrates. In the present study, a glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) and a solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11, xCT) homologues were identified from the oyster Crassostrea gigas (designed as CgGPX4 and CgxCT), which contained a GSHPx domain and an AA_permease domain, respectively. The mRNA transcripts of CgGPX4 and CgxCT were expressed in all the examined tissues, including gill, gonad, adductor muscle, labial palp, mantle, hepatopancreas and haemocytes, with the highest expression in haemocytes. After erastin treatment, the rate of cell malformation and cell death increased significantly in haemocytes, and the mitochondrial atrophy, crest loss and fracture were observed in haemocytes. While the amount of Fe2+ and Malondialdehyde (MDA) increased significantly, the mRNA expressions of CgGPX4, CgxCT and voltage-dependent anion channel 2 (CgVDAC2) in haemocytes decreased significantly after erastin treatment. These results indicated that erastin was able to induce the ferroptosis of oyster haemocytes.

Screening of lncRNA profiles during intramuscular adipogenic differentiation in longissimus dorsi and semitendinosus muscles in pigs.

Intramuscular fat content is an important factor that determines meat quality in pigs. In recent years, epigenetic regulation has increasingly studied the physiological model of intramuscular fat. Although long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play essential roles in various biological processes, their role in intramuscular fat deposition in pigs remains largely unknown. In this study, intramuscular preadipocytes in the longissimus dorsi and semitendinosus of Large White pigs were isolated and induced into adipogenic differentiation in vitro. High-throughput RNA-seq was carried out to estimate the expression of lncRNAs at 0, 2 and 8 days post-differentiation. At this stage, 2135 lncRNAs were identified. KEGG analysis showed that the differentially expressed lncRNAs were common in pathways involved with adipogenesis and lipid metabolism. lnc_000368 was found to gradually increase during the adipogenic process. Reverse-transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction and a western blot revealed that the knockdown of lnc_000368 significantly repressed the expression of adipogenic genes and lipolytic genes. As a result, lipid accumulation in porcine intramuscular adipocytes was impaired by the silencing of lnc_000368. Overall, our study identified a genome-wide lncRNA profile related to porcine intramuscular fat deposition, and the results suggest that lnc_000368 is a potential target gene that might be targeted in pig breeding in the future.

Disruption of sncRNA Improves the Protective Efficacy of Outer Membrane Vesicles against Helicobacter pylori Infection in a Mouse Model.

The outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) secreted by Helicobacter pylori contain various bacterial components, such as proteins, phospholipids, toxins, and nucleic acids, including small noncoding RNA (sncRNA), which have regulatory functions in cell envelope structure, metabolism, bacterial communication, biofilm formation, and virulence. We previously showed that knocking out sncRNAs sR-989262 and sR-2509025 at the cellular level increased interleukin 8 (IL-8) levels in mice exposed to OMVs. In this study, we show that immunization with ΔsR-989262 and ΔsR-2509025 OMVs intragastrically significantly increased immunoglobulin G (IgG) and secreted IgA levels in mice compared to wild-type OMVs and without weight changes, which indicated that sncRNA-deficient OMVs are relatively safe to immunize mice. The detection of IgG subtypes IgG1 and IgG2c showed that the sncRNA-deficient OMVs primarily stimulate the T helper 2 (Th2)-mediated immune response. Moreover, levels of the cytokines IL-4, IL-13, gamma interferon (IFN-γ), IL-12 (p40), IL-8, and IL-17 indicate that ΔsR-989262 and ΔsR-2509025 OMVs trigger the Th2-type immune response but primarily trigger a Th1-mediated and Th17-mediated immune response. These findings show that OMV-encapsulated sncRNA plays an important role in regulating the immune response in hosts infected by H. pylori at the animal level. Moreover, they show that knocking out of sR-989262 and sR-2509025 improves the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of OMVs, and this may be beneficial to the design of OMV-based H. pylori vaccines.

Cell pyroptosis in picornavirus and its potential for treating viral infection.

Cell pyroptosis has received increased attention due to the associations between innate immunity and disease, and it has become a major focal point recently due to in-depth studies of cancer. With increased research on pyroptosis, scientists have discovered that it has an essential role in viral infections, especially in the occurrence and development of some picornavirus infections. Many picornaviruses, including Coxsackievirus, a71 enterovirus, human rhinovirus, encephalomyocarditis virus, and foot-and-mouth disease virus induce pyroptosis to varying degrees. This review summarized the mechanisms by which these viruses induce cell pyroptosis, which can be an effective defense against pathogen infection. However, excessive inflammasome activation or pyroptosis also can damage the host's health or aggravate disease progression. Careful approaches that acknowledge this dual effect will aid in the exploration of picornavirus infections and the mechanisms that produce the inflammatory response. This information will promote the development of drugs that can inhibit cell pyroptosis and provide new avenues for future clinical treatment.

Strong coupling between monolayer quantum emitter WS2 and degenerate/non-degenerate surface lattice resonances.

Strong light-matter coupling manifested by Rabi splitting has drawn considerable interest owing to its fundamental significance for impressive interaction enhancement in the fields of ultrafast active plasmonic devices and quantum information. In this paper, we investigate the coherent optical properties of a plasmonic system consisting of periodic metal nanoparticle arrays covered by a WS2 thin film of atomic layer thickness. The coupling factor, energy splitting, and temporal dynamics of this coherent coupling phenomenon are quantitatively revealed by finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulation and a full quantum mechanical model proves that the exciton behavior of the fermionic quantum emitter WS2 is carefully modulated by bosonic surface lattice resonances. This work may pave the way for coherent modulation of polariton and plasmon devices and can potentially open up diverse exciting possibilities like nanoscale light sources, single-photon emitters, and all-optical transistors.

Controllable Structural Modulation: Assembling Variable Dimension Energetic Metal-Organic Frameworks via Free Protons.

Herein, we provide an efficient strategy for constructing three-dimensional (3D) energetic coordination polymers (ECPs), namely, metal-organic frameworks (EMOFs), avoiding solvent coordination without changing the organic ligands or metal nodes. Three ECPs with the same ligand and metal center, namely, two-dimensional (2D) layer ECP [Pb(HOBTT)(H2O)2]n (1), 3D solvent-free EMOFs [Pb(HOBTT)]n (2), and dense [Pb3(OBTT)2]n (3) (H3OBTT = 4,5-bis(1-hydroxytetrazol-5-yl)-2H-1,2,3-triazole), were rationally designed and synthesized via free protons. As expected, the theoretical density of 3 (4.080 g·cm-3) is greater than those of 2 (3.299 g·cm-3) and 1 (3.055 g·cm-3). Thermal stabilities indicate that their decomposition temperature exceeds 300 °C. Theoretical calculations show that the detonation performance of 3 is better than that of 1 and 2. The detonation performance of 1-3 was further proven by laser irradiation.

BCL10 regulates the production of proinflammatory cytokines by activating MAPK-NF-κB/Rel signaling pathway in oysters.

B cell lymphoma/leukemia 10 (BCL10) is an important member of the caspase recruitment domain-containing (CARD) protein family, which plays crucial roles in mediating the host inflammatory response. In the present study, a BCL10 homologue was identified from Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas (designed as CgBCL10). The full length cDNA of CgBCL10 was of 897 bp with an open reading frame of 522 bp encoding a polypeptide of 174 amino acids containing a classical CARD domain. The deduced amino acid sequence of CgBCL10 shared low similarity with the previously identified BCL10s from other species. In the phylogenetic tree, CgBCL10 was firstly clustered with CvBCL10 from Crassostrea virginica and then assigned into the branch of invertebrate BCL10s. The mRNA transcripts of CgBCL10 were highly expressed in gonad, gill, adductor muscle, and haemocytes. After Vibrio splendidus stimulation, the mRNA expression level of CgBCL10 in haemocytes increased significantly (p < 0.01) at 24, 72 and 96 h. In CgBCL10-RNAi oysters, the phosphorylation level of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), nuclear translocation of NF-κB/Rel and activator protein-1 (AP-1) in haemocytes were inhibited, and the mRNA expressions of inflammatory cytokines including CgIL17-1, CgIL17-2, CgIL17-3, CgIL17-6 and CgTNF all decreased significantly (p < 0.01) at 12 h after V. splendidus stimulation. These results suggested that CgBCL10 regulated the expression of inflammatory cytokines by activating MAPK kinase, and nuclear translocation of NF-κB/Rel and AP-1 to defense pathogen.

Extracellular vesicles, a novel model linking bacteria to ferroptosis in the future?

Ferroptosis is a recently discovered modulated cell death mechanism caused by the accumulation of iron-dependent lipid peroxides to toxic levels and plays an important role in tumor immunology and neurology. Recent studies have shown that ferroptosis may play a crucial role in bacterial infection pathogenesis, which may be useful in anti-infection therapies. However, how bacteria enter cells to induce ferroptosis after invading the host immune system remains largely unknown. In addition, the current studies only focus on the relationship between a single bacterial species or genus and host cell ferroptosis, and there is no systematic summary of its regulatory mechanism. Therefore, our review firstly sums up the role of ferroptosis in bacterial infection and its regulatory mechanism, and innovatively speculates on the function and potential mechanism of extracellular vesicles (EVs) in bacterial-induced ferroptosis, in order to provide possible novel directions and ideas for future anti-infection research. KEY POINTS: • Ferroptosis presents a novel mechanism for bacterial host interaction • EVs provide the potential mechanism for bacterial-induced ferroptosis • The relationship of EVs with ferroptosis provides possible directions for future treatment of bacterial infection.

Series of AzTO-Based Energetic Materials: Effect of Different π-π Stacking Modes on Their Thermal Stability and Sensitivity.

π-Stacking is common in materials, but different π-π stacking modes remarkably affect the properties and performances of materials. In particular, weak interactions, π-stacking and hydrogen bonding, often have a great impact on the stability and sensitivity of high-energetic compounds. Therefore, several of energetic materials based on 1,1'-dihydroxyazotetrazole (1) with a nearly flat structure, such as the salts of aminoguanidine (2), 1,3-diaminoguanidine (3), imidazole (4), pyrazole (5) and triaminoguanidine (6), and a cocrystal of 2-methylimidazole (7), were designed and synthesized. Based on single-crystal diffraction data, thermal decomposition behaviors, and the mechanical sensitivity test, the compounds of 4, 5, and 7 with face-to-face π-π stacking display outstanding thermal stability and insensitivity.

Hexadentate ß-Dicarbonyl(bis-catecholamine) Ligands for Efficient Uranyl Cation Decorporation: Thermodynamic and Antioxidant Activity Studies.

The special linear dioxo cation structure of the uranyl cation, which relegates ligand coordination to an equatorial plane perpendicular to the O═U═O vector, poses an unusual challenge for the rational design of efficient chelating agents. Therefore, the planar hexadentate ligand rational design employed in this work incorporates two bidentate catecholamine (CAM) chelating moieties and a flexible linker with a ß-dicarbonyl chelating moiety (ß-dicarbonyl(CAM)2 ligands). The solution thermodynamics of ß-dicarbonyl(CAM)2 with a uranyl cation was investigated by potentiometric and spectrophotometric titrations. The results demonstrated that the pUO22+ values are significantly higher than for the previously reported TMA(2Li-1,2-HOPO)2, and efficient chelation of the uranyl cation was realized by the planar hexadentate ß-dicarbonyl(CAM)2. The efficient chelating ability of ß-dicarbonyl(CAM)2 was attributed to the presence of the more flexible ß-dicarbonyl chelating linker and planar hexadentate structure, which favors the geometric arrangement between ligand and uranyl coordinative preference. Meanwhile, ß-dicarbonyl(CAM)2 also exhibits higher antiradical efficiency in comparison to butylated hydroxyanisole. These results indicated that ß-dicarbonyl(CAM)2 has potential application prospects as a chelating agent for efficient chelation of a uranyl cation.

SATB1 is a Novel Molecular Target for Cancer Therapy.

The special AT-rich sequence binding-protein1 (SATB1) attracts excessive attention due to its high expression in a variety of malignancies. SATB1 reprograms chromatin and transcription profiles to promote tumor cell growth and invasion and inhibit apoptosis, leading to tumor progression and metastasis. Consistently, silencing SATB1 with small interfering RNA inhibits the growth and invasion of some kinds of tumors. In this review, we highlight recent progress in our understanding of the role of SATB1 as global regulator of gene expression during cancer development, and evaluate the potential of SATB1 as a molecular therapeutic target for cancers with aberrant SATB1 expression.

A de novo transcriptome of the noble scallop, Chlamys nobilis, focusing on mining transcripts for carotenoid-based coloration.

BACKGROUND: The noble scallop Chlamys nobilis Reeve displays polymorphism in shell and muscle colors. Previous research showed that the orange scallops with orange shell and muscle had a significantly higher carotenoid content than the brown ones with brown shell and white muscle. There is currently a need to identify candidate genes associated with carotenoid-based coloration. RESULTS: In the present study, 454 GS-FLX sequencing of noble scallop transcriptome yielded 1,181,060 clean sequence reads, which were assembled into 49,717 isotigs, leaving 110,158 reads as the singletons. Of the 159,875 unique sequences, 11.84% isotigs and 9.35% singletons were annotated. Moreover, 3,844 SSRs and over 120,000 high confidence variants (SNPs and INDELs) were identified. Especially, one class B scavenge receptor termed SRB-like-3 was discovered to express only in orange scallops and absent in brown ones, suggesting a significant association with high carotenoid content. Down-regulation of SRB-like-3 mRNA by RNA interference remarkably decreased blood carotenoid, providing compelling evidence that SRB-like-3 is an ideal candidate gene controlling carotenoid deposition and determining orange coloration. CONCLUSION: Transcriptome analysis of noble scallop reveals a novel scavenger receptor significantly associated with orange scallop rich in carotenoid content. Our findings pave the way for further functional elucidation of this gene and molecular basis of carotenoid deposition in orange scallop.

Functional characterization of a Δ5-like fatty acyl desaturase and its expression during early embryogenesis in the noble scallop Chlamys nobilis Reeve.

Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs) are essential in lots of important physiological processes, while, many marine species have no or limited ability of endogenous PUFA biosynthesis, normally due to the lack of key enzymes such as fatty acid desaturase (FAD). In this study, we isolated a scallop Chlamys nobilis cDNA with high homology to vertebrate FADs. Functional characterization in recombinant yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae showed that scallop FAD exhibited Δ5-desaturation activity towards both saturated and PUFA substrates. Thus, it efficiently desaturated exogenously added PUFA C20:4(n - 3) and C20:3(n - 6) to C20:5(n - 3) (EPA) and C20:4(n - 6) (ARA) respectively. It also converted the yeast's endogenous C18:0 into C18:1(n - 13), and participated in the biosynthesis of non-methylene-interrupted FA by introducing a double bond to C20:3(n - 3) and C20:2(n - 6) in the Δ5 carbon. Temporal transcript profile of scallop FAD was studied during early embryonic development. High level of mRNA was found at the beginning of embryogenesis (egg) and noticeable decreases of were observed during larvae development, suggesting maternal FAD mRNA transfer to the embryo. Further, FAD transcripts were detected in all tissues analyzed, with the gonad and hepatopancreas showing the highest expression.

Syntheses of heterometallic organic frameworks catalysts via multicomponent postmodification: For improving CO2 photoreduction efficiency.

To enhance the economic viability of photocatalytic materials for carbon capture and conversion, the challenge of employing expensive photosensitizer must be overcome. This study aims to improve the visible light utilization with zirconium-based metal-organic frameworks (Zr-MOFs) by employing a multi-component post-synthetic modification (PSM) strategy. An economical photosensitiser and copper ions are introduced into MOF 808 to enhance its photoreduction properties. Notably, the PSM of MOF 808 shows the highest CO yield up to 236.5 µmol g-1 h-1 with aHCOOH production of 993.6 µmol g-1 h-1 under non-noble metal, and its mechanistic insight for CO2 reaction is discussed in detail. The research results have important reference value for the potential application of photocatalytic metal-organic frameworks.

Is dancing an effective intervention for fat loss? A systematic review and meta-analysis of dance interventions on body composition.

OBJECTIVE: The systematic review aimed to review the research on the effects of dance interventions, relative to normal lifestyles, on body composition in people with overweight and obesity. METHODS: 7 databases were searched from their inception to 3 July 2023 for studies with dance interventions and normal lifestyles groups. Only studies investigating dance interventions in people with overweight and obesity(body mass index (BMI)>24kg/m2 and percent fat mass (Fat(%)) abnormal(male>20%, female>25%)) were included in the meta-analysis. There were no restrictions on dance forms. RESULTS: 654 studies were identified from the databases, and 10 studies were evaluated to be eligible. The meta-analysis revealed that compared to normal lifestyles dance had meaningful improvements in body mass(BM), BMI, waist circumference(WC), Fat(%), and fat mass(Fat(kg)). No significant differences were found in the waist-to-hip ratio(WHR). CONCLUSIONS: Dance is effective on fat loss in people with overweight and obesity, and has a significant improvement on body composition and morphology. For its high efficiency and greater sense of enjoyment, dance can be a beneficial exercise intervention for fat loss.

SiamQuality: a ConvNet-based foundation model for photoplethysmography signals.

Objective. Physiological data are often low quality and thereby compromises the effectiveness of related health monitoring. The primary goal of this study is to develop a robust foundation model that can effectively handle low-quality issue in physiological data.Approach. We introduce SiamQuality, a self-supervised learning approach using convolutional neural networks (CNNs) as the backbone. SiamQuality learns to generate similar representations for both high and low quality photoplethysmography (PPG) signals that originate from similar physiological states. We leveraged a substantial dataset of PPG signals from hospitalized intensive care patients, comprised of over 36 million 30 s PPG pairs.Main results. After pre-training the SiamQuality model, it was fine-tuned and tested on six PPG downstream tasks focusing on cardiovascular monitoring. Notably, in tasks such as respiratory rate estimation and atrial fibrillation detection, the model's performance exceeded the state-of-the-art by 75% and 5%, respectively. The results highlight the effectiveness of our model across all evaluated tasks, demonstrating significant improvements, especially in applications for heart monitoring on wearable devices.Significance. This study underscores the potential of CNNs as a robust backbone for foundation models tailored to physiological data, emphasizing their capability to maintain performance despite variations in data quality. The success of the SiamQuality model in handling real-world, variable-quality data opens new avenues for the development of more reliable and efficient healthcare monitoring technologies.