Direct β-C-H ketoalkylation of enaminoesters with cyclopropanols under metal-free conditions.

A TEMPO-mediated β-ketoalkylation of enaminoesters with cyclopropanols under metal-free conditions is herein described. This reaction provides a straightforward and highly efficient route to β-keto alkyl substituted enaminoesters for the first time, which could be rapidly and efficiently converted into synthetically useful 2-alkoxycarbonyl functionalized 1,5-diketones. Moreover, the practicability of this protocol is successfully demonstrated by scale-up experiments and the late-stage functionalization of natural products and pharmaceutically relevant molecules.

Overcoming Energy-Scaling Barriers: Efficient Ammonia Electrosynthesis on High-Entropy Alloy Catalysts.

Electrochemically converting nitrate (NO ) to value-added ammonia (NH) is a complex process involving an eight-electron transfer and numerous intermediates, presenting a significant challenge for optimization. A multi-elemental synergy strategy to regulate the local electronic structure at the atomic level is proposed, creating a broad adsorption energy landscape in high-entropy alloy (HEA) catalysts. This approach enables optimal adsorption and desorption of various intermediates, effectively overcoming energy-scaling limitations for efficient NH electrosynthesis.

Ultrahigh-Selectivity Photocatalytic Upgrading of Bio-Aldehydes/Diols to Monoalcohols Via In Situ Circumventing Coupling Co-Products Over Janus Single-Atom Pd/TiO.

Photocatalytic transfer hydrogenation of biomass-derived aldehydes to alcohols often results in unwanted coupling co-products. Herein, an ultraselective hydrogen transfer system enabled by in situ oxidative C─C bond cleavage over a Janus single-atom palladium on titanium dioxide (0.5Pd/TiO) photocatalyst is presented.

From a bee's eye: Effects of UV bullseye size on reproductive success in a dioecious vine (Cucurbitaceae).

Descriptions of floral traits based on the visual capabilities of pollinators would advance our understanding of flower evolution and plant-pollinator relationships. One such trait is the contrasting UV bullseye color pattern, which is invisible to human eyes but can be perceived by bee pollinators. However, it remains largely unknown how UV bullseye size affects male and female reproductive fitness.

Semi-rational design of an aromatic dioxygenase by substrate tunnel redirection.

Lignin valorization is crucial for achieving economic and sustainable biorefinery processes. However, the enzyme substrate preferences involved in lignin degradation remain poorly understood, and low activity toward specific substrates presents a significant challenge to the efficient utilization of lignin. In this study, we investigated the substrate promiscuity of Ado, a key enzyme involved in lignin valorization.

Layer-by-layer coated probiotics with tannic acid-Ca and casein phosphopeptide complexes for caries prevention and enamel remineralization.

Dental caries is a common disease resulting from tooth demineralization caused by bacterial plaque. Probiotics have shown great potential against caries by regulating the balance of oral flora. However, obstacles such as poor colonization and lysozyme sensitivity in oral cavity hinder their further application.

The relationship between fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF) and the severity of neglect in patients with unilateral spatial neglect (USN) after stroke: A functional near-infrared spectroscopy study.

Objective: Unilateral spatial neglect (USN) following right hemisphere stroke is more pronounced, severe, and persistent than in the left hemisphere. However, the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying USN remain largely unknown. This study aims to investigate the relationship between the fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF) in the right hemisphere of patients with post-stroke USN and the severity of neglect using resting-state functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) technology.

Outcome-guided Bayesian clustering for disease subtype discovery using high-dimensional transcriptomic data.

Due to the tremendous heterogeneity of disease manifestations, many complex diseases that were once thought to be single diseases are now considered to have disease subtypes. Disease subtyping analysis, that is the identification of subgroups of patients with similar characteristics, is the first step to accomplish precision medicine. With the advancement of high-throughput technologies, omics data offers unprecedented opportunity to reveal disease subtypes.

Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Diabetic Periodontitis: Mechanisms and Therapeutic Potential.

Diabetic periodontitis is a common oral complication of diabetes characterized by progressive destruction of periodontal tissues. Recent evidence suggests that mitochondrial dysfunction plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis and progression of this condition. This review aims to systematically summarize the role and potential mechanisms of mitochondrial dysfunction in diabetic periodontitis.

Probiotics fermentation enhanced the bioactive properties of water extract and improved regulation ability of gut microbiota.

This study investigated the probiotic potential of fermented beverages derived from (). Three different beverages were prepared by fermenting water extract with A6-3 ( A6-3), A27-1 ( A27-1), or both for 48 h. The results demonstrated that bioactive compounds from promoted the growth of these two probiotics and preserved their viability for at least 28 days at 4 °C.

Oral Administration of Hydrogen-rich Water: Biomedical Activities, Potential Mechanisms, and Clinical Applications.

Molecular hydrogen (H2) is considered a biological antioxidant. Hydrogen-rich Water (HRW) is regular water that contains dissolved H2 and has become more widely used in recent years. This review summarizes the basic research and clinical applications of HRW consumption to support its use for daily health and clinical treatment.

Long-Term Exposure to Tire-Derived 6-PPD Quinone Causes Neurotoxicity and Neuroinflammation via Inhibition of HTR2A in C57BL/6 Mice.

-(1,3-dimethylbutyl)-'-phenyl--phenylenediamine quinone (6-PPDQ), a novel contaminant derived from tire wear, has raised concerns due to its potential neurotoxicity, yet its long-term effects on mammalian neurological health remain poorly understood. This study investigates the neurotoxic and neuroinflammatory impacts of prolonged 6-PPDQ exposure using male C57BL/6 mice. Behavioral assessments revealed significant cognitive deficits, while biochemical analyses demonstrated increased levels of reactive oxygen species, apoptosis, and blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption.

Ultrasound-Mediated Piezoelectric Microneedles Regulating Macrophage Polarization and Remodeling Pathological Microenvironment for Lymphedema Improvement.

Lymphedema, a severe and complex inflammatory disease caused by lymphatic system insufficiency and impeded lymphatic drainage that causes an enormous physical and psychological burden on patients and may even lead to death, has long been a challenging issue in the medical field. Clinically, conventional approaches including surgical treatment and conservative treatment have been employed for lymphedema therapy, but their curative effect is still unsatisfactory because of high operational difficulty, high cost, and long-term reliance. In this study, a novel kind of piezoelectric microneedle driven by ultrasound (US) is proposed to regulate macrophage polarization and remodel the pathological inflammatory microenvironment in a noninvasive manner, thereby promoting lymphatic regeneration and improving lymphedema.

Hierarchical Biogenic-Based Thermal Insulation Foam.

Biogenic-based foam, renowned for its sustainable and eco-friendly properties, is emerging as a promising thermal insulating material with the potential to significantly enhance energy efficiency and sustainability in building applications. However, its relatively high thermal conductivity, large-pore configurations, and energy-intensive manufacturing processes hinder its widespread use. Here, we report on the scalable, one-pot synthesis of biogenic foams achieved by integrating recycled paper pulp and in situ nanoporous silica formation, resulting in a hierarchical structure comprising both micropores and nanopores.

Impact of central corneal astigmatism on postoperative visual outcomes in patients undergoing trifocal intraocular lens implantation.

Background: To investigate the impact of central corneal astigmatism on postoperative visual outcomes in patients with trifocal intraocular lens (IOL) implantation.

Methods: This retrospective study included 278 eyes of 278 patients who underwent uneventful cataract surgery with implantation of the trifocal IOL (AT LISA tri 839MP). Patients were divided into two groups according to the total corneal refractive power (TCRP) in 3 mm zone centered on the corneal apex: low astigmatism group, TCRP ≤ 0.

Association between traffic-related air pollution and risk of outpatient visits for dry eye disease in a megacity along the subtropical coast in South China.

Background: Traffic-related air pollution especially in highly socioeconomically developed megacity is usually considered as a severe problem leading to inevitable adverse health outcomes. This study aimed to investigate the associations between traffic-related air pollutants with risk of dry eye disease (DED) outpatient visits in a megacity (Guangzhou) along the subtropical coast in South China.

Methods: Daily data on DED outpatient visits and environmental variables from 1 January 2014 to 31 December 2020 in Guangzhou were obtained.

Catalytic-independent functions of the Integrator-PP2A complex (INTAC) confer sensitivity to BET inhibition.

Chromatin and transcription regulators are critical to defining cell identity through shaping epigenetic and transcriptional landscapes, with their misregulation being closely linked to oncogenesis. Pharmacologically targeting these regulators, particularly the transcription-activating BET proteins, has emerged as a promising approach in cancer therapy, yet intrinsic or acquired resistance frequently occurs, with poorly understood mechanisms. Here, using genome-wide CRISPR screens, we find that BET inhibitor efficacy in mediating transcriptional silencing and growth inhibition depends on the auxiliary/arm/tail module of the Integrator-PP2A complex (INTAC), a global regulator of RNA polymerase II pause-release dynamics.

Chromosome-level reference genome and annotation of the Arctic fish Anisarchus medius.

Anisarchus medius (Reinhardt, 1837) is a widely distributed Arctic fish, serving as an indicator of climate change impacts on coastal Arctic ecosystems. This study presents a chromosome-level genome assembly for A. medius using PacBio sequencing and Hi-C technology.

Chimeric antigen receptor with novel intracellular modules improves antitumor performance of T cells.

The excessive cytokine release and limited persistence represent major challenges for chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapy in diverse tumors. Conventional CARs employ an intracellular domain (ICD) from the ζ subunit of CD3 as a signaling module, and it is largely unknown how alternative CD3 chains potentially contribute to CAR design. Here, we obtained a series of CAR-T cells against HER2 and mesothelin using a domain comprising a single immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif from different CD3 subunits as the ICD of CARs.

Highly Efficient Schottky Heterojunctions for Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution: Facile Synthesis of Hollow Nano-ZnSe Spheres on Ti3C2-Nanosheets.

Traditional photocatalysts often have limited efficiency due to the high recombination rate of photogenerated electron-hole pairs. In this work, we synthesized 3D/2D ZnSe-MXene heterojunctions by an in situ electrostatic self-assembly method. Notably, the 3% MXene-ZnSe composite exhibited an optimized photocatalytic hydrogen production rate of 765.

Efficacy of Toothpaste Containing Polylysine and Funme Peptide on Oral Microbiome and Oral Health.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of the toothpaste containing ε-poly-L-lysine (ε-PL) and funme peptide (FP) as key components on oral microbial composition and oral health.

Methods: An oral microbiome study was initially carried out to analyze the variation in the oral microbiota before and after use of antimicrobial peptide (AMP) toothpaste. Subsequently, a clinical trial was independently performed to assess the efficacy of AMP toothpaste by measuring the dental plaque index (PLI), volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) levels, modified bleeding index (mBI), and bleeding on probing rate (BOP%).

Structural analyses of Cryptosporidium parvum epitopes reveal a novel scheme of decapeptide binding to H-2K.

Cryptosporidium has gained much attention as a major cause of diarrhea worldwide. Here, we present the first structure of H-2K complexed with a decapeptide from Cryptosporidium parvum Gp40/15 protein (Gp40/15-VTF10). In contrast to all published structures, the aromatic residue P3-Phe of Gp40/15-VTF10 is anchored in pocket C rather than the canonical Y/F at P5 or P6 reported for octapeptides and nonapeptides.

Nanopore RNA direct sequencing identifies that mA modification is essential for sorbitol-controlled resistance to Alternaria alternata in apple.

Sorbitol, a main photosynthate and transport carbohydrate in all tree fruit species in Rosaceae, acts as a signal controlling resistance against Alternaria (A.) alternata in apple by altering the expression of the MdNLR16 resistance gene via the MdWRKY79 transcription factor. However, it is not known if N-methyladenosine (mA) methylation of the mRNAs of these genes participates in the process.

Oxygen vacancy and interface effect dual modulation of SnS/SnO heterojunction for boosting formaldehyde detection at low temperature.

Formaldehyde (HCHO) is a harmful volatile organic pollutant, which is commonly found in interior decoration and furniture products. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a gas sensor that can quickly and accurately detect formaldehyde for human health and environmental protection. In order to achieve this goal, in this work, SnS/SnO heterostructure was synthesized by in-situ sulfurization process on the basis of SnO nanospheres, and its formaldehyde sensing performance was studied.

Firm ownerships matter in measuring carbon footprints and its driving forces in China's domestic value chains.

Some research has studied the carbon footprints of the multinational enterprises (MNEs) in the global value chains (GVCs). However, currently there are few studies have studied the carbon footprints of the foreign invested firms (FIFs) distributed in different provinces in China's domestic value chains (DVCs). This paper has used China's inter-provincial input-output table distinguishing domestically owned enterprises (DEs), Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan (HMTs) invested enterprises and other foreign invested enterprises (FIEs) to study the carbon footprints of the FIFs in China's DVCs and further analyzed the driving factors of the carbon footprints change.