Counterintuitive DNA destabilization by monovalent salt at high concentrations due to overcharging.

Monovalent salts are generally believed to stabilize DNA duplex by weakening inter-strand electrostatic repulsion. Unexpectedly, our force-induced hairpin unzipping experiments and thermal melting experiments show that LiCl, NaCl, KCl, RbCl, and CsCl at concentrations beyond ~1 M destabilize DNA, RNA, and RNA-DNA duplexes. The two types of experiments yield different changes in free energy during melting, while the results that high concentration monovalent salts destabilize duplexes are common.

Anion modulation enhances the internal electric field of CuCoO to improve the catalysis in ammonia borane hydrolysis.

Ammonia borane (NHBH, AB) is considered a promising chemical hydrogen storage material. The development of efficient, stable, and economical catalysts for AB hydrolysis is essential for realizing the hydrogen energy economy. In this study, a series of p-p heterojunction catalysts, labeled M (P/S/Cl)-CuCoO, were fabricated using the high-temperature vapor phase method to achieve anionic interface gradient doping.

Non-metallic surface-modified X-Cu (X = F, Cl, Br) metal catalysts for all-pH hydrogen evolution reaction with high performance.

Producing hydrogen through water electrolysis represents a clean and sustainable solution that is crucial in addressing the energy crisis. Nonetheless, the slow process of water electrolysis leads to large different kinetics for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) under different pH solutions. Here, we designed surface modified metallic X-Cu catalysts (X = F, Cl, Br) with different non-metallic elements on nickel foam (NF) using an electrochemical deposition method, which realizes high performance for all-pH range.

Lewis Acid Sites Assisted PtCu/CeO-C Enabling High-Performance for Oxygen Reduction.

Improvement in the durable and active low-Pt nanocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is the essential target for clean energy. Herein, an efficient CeO supported PtCu alloy catalyst (PtCu/CeO-C) for ORR in acid media is developed. The CeO support can effectively anchor the PtCu particles and inhibit their migration during the long-life cycling, which is beneficial to the catalytic performance.

Enhancement of Selective Catalytic Oxidation of Lignin β-O-4 Bond via Orbital Modulation and Surface Lattice Reconstruction.

The orbital modulation and surface lattice reconstruction represent an effective strategy to regulate the interaction between catalyst interface sites and intermediates, thereby enhancing catalytic activity and selectivity. In this study, the crystal surface of Au-K/CeO catalyst can undergo reversible transformation by tuning the coordination environment of Ce, which enables the activation of the C-H bond and the oxidative cleavage of the C and C-C bonds, leading to the cleavage of 2-phenoxy-1-phenylethanol. The t orbitals of Au 5d hybridize with the 2p orbitals of lattice oxygen in CeO via π-coordination, modulating the coordination environment of Ce 4 f and reconstructing the lattice oxygen in the CeO framework, as well as increasing the oxygen vacancies.

Cytoplasmic DNA and AIM2 inflammasome in RA: where they come from and where they go?

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune disease of undetermined etiology characterized by symmetric synovitis with predominantly destructive and multiple joint inflammation. Cytoplasmic DNA sensors that recognize protein molecules that are not themselves or abnormal dsDNA fragments play an integral role in the generation and perpetuation of autoimmune diseases by activating different signaling pathways and triggering innate immune signaling pathways and host defenses. Among them, melanoma deficiency factor 2 (AIM2) recognizes damaged DNA and double-stranded DNA and binds to them to further assemble inflammasome, initiating the innate immune response and participating in the pathophysiological process of rheumatoid arthritis.

L1-PtCo and L1-PtCo Intermetallics for Oxygen Reduction Reaction: The Influence of Composition and Structure on Properties.

Pt-based intermetallics are regarded as highly efficient electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). However, Pt-based intermetallics with different Pt: M atomic ratios have different atomic arrangements and crystal structures, which will change the electronic structure and coordination environment of Pt, thus affecting the electrocatalytic activity. In this work, we prepared L1-PtCo and L1-PtCo intermetallic catalysts by modulating the molar ratio of Pt and Co precursors using a thermal annealing method.

[Cold reducing acupuncture as adjunctive therapy for wrist joint disorder of active rheumatoid arthritis with dampness-heat obstruction：a randomized controlled trial].

Objective: To compare the clinical efficacy between cold reducing acupuncture combined with western medication and western medication alone for wrist joint disorder of active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with dampness-heat obstruction.

Methods: A total of 80 patients with wrist joint disorder of active RA with dampness-heat obstruction were randomly divided into a combination group (40 cases, 3 cases dropped out) and a western medication group (40 cases, 3 cases dropped out). The western medication group was treated with methotrexate tablets, 15 mg each time, once a week.

Assessing Gene Therapy Efficacy in Infantile-Onset Pompe Disease: Myocardial Native T1 Values of CMR.

We report the novel finding of a widespread reduction in myocardial native T1 values and size of abnormal regions following gene therapy in a pediatric patient with infantile-onset Pompe disease. We emphasize the importance of serial cardiac magnetic resonance in assessing the efficacy of gene therapy and monitoring myocardial alterations in Pompe disease.

Directly Characterizing the Capture Radius of Tethered Double-Stranded DNA by Single-Molecule Nanopipette Manipulation.

The tethered molecule exhibits characteristics of both free and fixed states, with the electrodynamics involved in its diffusion, electrophoresis, and stretching processes still not fully understood. We developed a Single-Molecule Manipulation, Identification, and Length Examination (SMILE) system by integrating piezoelectric devices with nanopipettes. This system enabled successful capture and stretching of tethered double-stranded DNA within the nanopore.

Predictors of discordance between CT-derived fractional flow reserve (CT-FFR) and △CT-FFR in deep coronary myocardial bridging.

Objective: To compare the performance between CT-derived fractional flow reserve (CT-FFR) and ΔCT-FFR measurements in patients with deep myocardial bridging (MB) along the left anterior descending artery, and explore the potential predictors of discordance.

Methods: 175 patients with deep MB who underwent coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) and CT-FFR assessment were included. Clinical, anatomical and atherosclerotic variables were compared between patients with concordant and discordant CT-FFR and ΔCT-FFR.

Rtt105 stimulates Rad51-ssDNA assembly and orchestrates Rad51 and RPA actions to promote homologous recombination repair.

Homologous recombination (HR) is essential for the maintenance of genome stability. During HR, Replication Protein A (RPA) rapidly coats the 3'-tailed single-strand DNA (ssDNA) generated by end resection. Then, the ssDNA-bound RPA must be timely replaced by Rad51 recombinase to form Rad51 nucleoprotein filaments that drive homology search and HR repair.

Effect of ethanol on the elasticities of double-stranded RNA and DNA revealed by magnetic tweezers and simulations.

The elasticities of double-stranded (ds) DNA and RNA, which are critical to their biological functions and applications in materials science, can be significantly modulated by solution conditions such as ions and temperature. However, there is still a lack of a comprehensive understanding of the role of solvents in the elasticities of dsRNA and dsDNA in a comparative way. In this work, we explored the effect of ethanol solvent on the elasticities of dsRNA and dsDNA by magnetic tweezers and all-atom molecular dynamics simulations.

Maize Autophagy-Related Protein ZmATG3 Confers Tolerance to Multiple Abiotic Stresses.

Abiotic stresses pose a major increasing problem for the cultivation of maize. Autophagy plays a vital role in recycling and re-utilizing nutrients and adapting to stress. However, the role of autophagy in the response to abiotic stress in maize has not yet been investigated.

Effect of heat-reinforcing needling on hypoxia-inducible factor 1α and glycolysis activity in rabbits with cold syndrome of rheumatoid arthritis.

Objectives: To observe the effect of heat-reinforcing needling (HRN) on synovial inflammation, hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) and glycolytic activity in serum and synovial tissue in rabbits with cold syndrome of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), so as to explore its mechanisms underlying improvement of RA.

Methods: A total of 32 rabbits were randomly divided into normal, model, inhibitor and HRN groups, with 8 rabbits in each group. The RA with cold syndrome model was induced by injecting ovalbumin dry powder and Freund's complete adjuvant combined with cold freezing.

DNA-based ForceChrono probes for deciphering single-molecule force dynamics in living cells.

Understanding cellular force transmission dynamics is crucial in mechanobiology. We developed the DNA-based ForceChrono probe to measure force magnitude, duration, and loading rates at the single-molecule level within living cells. The ForceChrono probe circumvents the limitations of in vitro single-molecule force spectroscopy by enabling direct measurements within the dynamic cellular environment.

Flexible Thermoelectric Device Based on Protrusion-Structured Liquid Metal Elastomer for Gravity Heat Pipe.

Monitoring the temperature of the coal gangue mountains is fundamental to preventing their spontaneous combustion. However, the existing temperature monitoring systems fail to achieve stable, pollution-free temperature monitoring without affecting vegetation growth in these mountains. To address this issue, this work proposes a flexible thermoelectric device (FTD) based on a protrusion-structured liquid metal elastomer (LME).

Selective hydrogenation of vanillin over a graphene-encapsulated nitrogen-doped bimetallic magnetic Ni/Fe@NDC nano-catalyst.

One of the main obstacles to the development of sustainable biomass feedstocks today is the research of selective hydrogenation of biomass platform compounds for the synthesis of high-value chemicals. This work reports on the synthesis of a Ni/Fe bimetallic catalyst with nitrogen-doped carbon serving as the carrier, hydrogen serving as the primary donor, and isopropanol serving as the reaction medium and serving as a secondary donor. Vanillin was catalytically hydrogenated to produce 4-methylguaiacol, a complete hydrogenation product, under a reaction temperature of 200 °C for four hours.

MnS-BaS Heterostructures as Effective Catalysts for Oxygen Reduction Reaction.

The inadequate electrical conductivity of metal sulfides, along with their tendency to agglomerate, has hindered their use in energy storage and catalysis. The construction of a heterojunction can ameliorate these deficiencies to some extent. In this paper, MnS-BaS heterojunction catalysts were prepared by a hydrothermal method, which is a simple and inexpensive process.

[To evaluate the efficacy of Yishen Tongluo decoction combined with low-dose tadalafil in the treatment of diabetic erectile dysfunction with kidney deficiency and blood stasis syndrome].

Objective: To observe the clinical efficacy of the combined treatment of Yishen Tongluo formula and low-dose tadalafil in diabetic erectile dysfunction.

Methods: A total of 80 patients with diabetic erectile dysfunction were randomly divided into two groups. The control group given tadalafil treatment, observation group in the control group given Yishen Tongluo Formula on the basis of treatment.