Proteasomal processing of the viral replicase ORF1 facilitates HEV-induced liver fibrosis.

Chronic infections with hepatitis E virus (HEV), especially those of genotype 3 (G3), frequently lead to liver fibrosis and cirrhosis in patients. However, the causation and mechanism of liver fibrosis triggered by chronic HEV infection remain poorly understood. Here, we found that the viral multiple-domain replicase (ORF1) undergoes unique ubiquitin-proteasomal processing leading to formation of the EV-erived MAD ctivator (HDSA), a viral polypeptide lacking putative helicase and RNA polymerase domains.

The correlation of starch composition, physicochemical and structural properties of different sorghum grains.

The composition, structure, and physicochemical properties of starch in sorghum grains greatly influence the processing and quality of the final products. In this study, 19 sorghum lines were examined to analyze various starch-related characteristics. Correlation analysis of these key traits, revealed a significant correlation between amylose and amylopectin content.

A Multiagent-Driven Robotic AI Chemist Enabling Autonomous Chemical Research On Demand.

The successful integration of large language models (LLMs) into laboratory workflows has demonstrated robust capabilities in natural language processing, autonomous task execution, and collaborative problem-solving. This offers an exciting opportunity to realize the dream of autonomous chemical research on demand. Here, we report a robotic AI chemist powered by a hierarchical multiagent system, ChemAgents, based on an on-board Llama-3.

Origin and de novo domestication of sweet orange.

Sweet orange is cultivated worldwide but suffers from various devastating diseases because of its monogenetic background. The elucidation of the origin of a crop facilitates the domestication of new crops that may better cope with new challenges. Here we collected and sequenced 226 citrus accessions and assembled telomere-to-telomere phased diploid genomes of sweet orange and sour orange.

Associations of Social Vulnerability and Race-Ethnicity With Gastrointestinal Cancers in the United States.

Background: National social determinant of health (SDoH) studies on gastrointestinal cancers (GIC) have observed single GIC-types for surgery but not across all GIC-types, non-surgical treatments outcomes, or mortality. The Social Vulnerability Index (SVI), a validated large-data SDoH-tool, quantifiably characterizes the interrelatedness of SDoH-impact through dynamic, region-contextualized measures.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study assessed GIC patients (20+ years) between 2013 and 2017 from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database for total and subcomponent social vulnerability associations across 15 SDoH-variables encompassing themes of socioeconomic status, minority-language status, household composition, and housing-transportation measured by the Social Vulnerability Index (SVI).

An AIE-active near-infrared molecular probe for migrasome labeling.

Migrasomes, newly identified organelles, play crucial roles in various physiological and pathological activities, including embryogenesis, immune responses, wound healing, and metastasis of cancer cells. Migrasome visualization is essential for the deep exploration of migrasome biology. Despite the reported labeling methods based on migrasome marker proteins, a simple and convenient method for migrasome labeling is more desirable compared to the complicated transfection technique.

Challenges and constraints to the sustainability of poultry farming in China.

China's poultry industry is characterized by large-scale production and rich breeds, presenting both opportunities and challenges. In 2023, the industry produced 10.79 billion broilers, 28.

Tunable orange-deep red photoluminescence in amorphous KZnMn(PO) phosphors and anti-counterfeiting applications.

Amorphous luminescence is a fascinating light emission phenomenon with significant implications for displays, sensors, and the anti-counterfeiting field. However, the development of amorphous materials is relatively limited due to the challenges in their synthesis and characterization, usually lagging behind those of their crystalline counterparts. This paper reports a triphosphate KZnMn(PO) (0 ≤ ≤ 1) phosphor that can form two crystal phases (α-phase and β-phase) and an amorphous phase (Am-phase) by adjusting the synthesis temperature.

Somatic variations in the meiosis-specific gene CrMER3 confer seedlessness in a citrus bud sport.

Seedlessness is a most valuable trait in fruit crops for fresh consumption and processing. The mutations in essential meiosis genes are known to confer sterility and seed abortion in plants. However, defects in meiosis have rarely been reported in fruit crops.

Neuropathiazol induces neuronal-like differentiation in neuroblastoma cells via upregulation of PEG5.

Background: Differentiation therapy is emerging as a promising strategy for treating neuroblastoma. However, the effects of neuropathiazol, a small molecule known to induce neuronal differentiation, have not been explored in neuroblastoma.

Procedure: Neuroblastoma cell lines were used to investigate the effects of neuropathiazol and retinoic acid on cell morphology, proliferation, and invasion in vitro.

[Molecular mechanism of magnesium alloy promoting macrophage M2 polarization through modulation of PI3K/AKT signaling pathway for tendon-bone healing in rotator cuff injury repair].

Objective: To evaluate the effect of biodegradable magnesium alloy materials in promoting tendon-bone healing during rotator cuff tear repair and to investigate their potential underlying biological mechanisms.

Methods: Forty-eight 8-week-old Sprague Dawley rats were taken and randomly divided into groups A, B, and C. Rotator cuff tear models were created and repaired using magnesium alloy sutures in group A and Vicryl Plus 4-0 absorbable sutures in group B, while only subcutaneous incisions and sutures were performed in group C.

Polyploidization leads to salt stress resilience via ethylene signaling in citrus plants.

Polyploidization is a common occurrence in the evolutionary history of flowering plants, significantly contributing to their adaptability and diversity. However, the molecular mechanisms behind these adaptive advantages are not well understood. Through comprehensive phenotyping of diploid and tetraploid clones from Citrus and Poncirus genera, we discovered that genome doubling significantly enhances salt stress resilience.

Expression and prognostic significance of CD93 in blood vessels in colorectal cancer: an immunohistochemical analysis of 134 cases.

Objective: Tumor blood vessels are tortuous and dilated, contributing to the aberrant tumor microenvironment. CD93 is a newly reported transmembrane receptor, mainly expressed in tumor endothelial cells, that has demonstrated prognostic value in some cancer types. However, the role of CD93 in the vasculature of colorectal cancer (CRC) tissues and its prognostic significance remain unknown.

Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Training and Service Delivery: An International Survey.

Importance: Highlighting the global disparities in otolaryngology training and, ultimately, service delivery, emphasizing the need for equitable access to training resources and programs.

Objective: To describe the relationship between the quality, content, and location of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery training and education and the resulting impact on the delivery of otolaryngology care globally.

Design: An online cross-sectional survey to otolaryngologists, gathering information on their training and education experiences, and factors influencing their choice of training location and practice.

Essential Equipment for Baseline Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Care: A Global Cross-Sectional Survey.

Objective: Availability of surgical equipment and access to essential clinical services remains an important barrier to surgical care delivery, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This study aims to characterize the relative availability of essential equipment for otolaryngology-head and neck surgery (OHNS) care across World Bank income groups.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey on otolaryngologists' perceptions on the availability of surgical equipment and ancillary services in their respective practice settings per a 5-point Likert scale ranging from never to always available.

Identification and characterization of Streptococcus suis strains isolated from eastern China Swine Farms, 2021-2023.

The Streptococcus suis (S. suis) is an important zoonotic pathogen that causes streptococcal disease in pigs and poses a threat to humans. This study provides an understanding of the prevalence of  S.

Estimating photosynthetic traits in tea chrysanthemum using high-throughput leaf hyperspectral reflectance.

Hyperspectral remote sensing (RS) has demonstrated to be useful for estimating vegetation photosynthetic traits, such as the maximum carboxylation rate of Rubisco (Vcmax) and the electron transport rate (Jmax). However, the spectral ranges used by RS models for predicting photosynthetic traits vary, and their predictive performance across different crop varieties is poor. This study aimed to investigate whether augmenting the modeling dataset's variability through various nitrogen experiments on tea chrysanthemum could improve RS-based photosynthetic trait models' applicability.

High-Performance Electrocatalysts of Potassium Lactate Oxidation for Hydrogen and Solid Potassium Acetate Production.

With the increasing use of polylactic acid (PLA), more attention is turning to its post-treatment. Current methods such as natural decomposition, composting, and incineration are limited by significant carbon dioxide emissions and resource waste. Here, an efficient electrocatalytic conversion approach is presented to transform PLA waste into high-value chemicals, particularly potassium acetate (AA-K).

Rack1 promotes breast cancer stemness properties and tumorigenesis through the E2F1-SOX2 axis.

Background: Breast cancer remains the most prevalent malignancy and the leading cause of cancer-related mortality among women worldwide. The primary factors contributing to the deterioration and death of patients with breast cancer are metastasis, recurrence, and drug resistance. These phenomena are closely related to the presence of breast cancer stem cells; however, the exact mechanisms regulating stemness remain to be elucidated.

Chaihu Shugan San and Zuogui Yin synergistically improve premature ovarian failure in a rat model via the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway.

Background: premature ovarian failure (POF) is a significant condition characterized by the early loss of ovarian function, often leading to infertility and other health complications. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) formulations, such as Chaihu Shugan San and Zuogui Yin, have been used to address various gynecological disorders. This study aims to evaluate the therapeutic effects of Chaihu Shugan San, Zuogui Yin, and their combination on POI in a rat model and to elucidate the underlying mechanisms involving the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway.

Urea Complete Conversion to Compound Fertilizer in Industrial-Scale Tandem Reactors.

A compound fertilizer with NHHPO and KHPO offer significant advantages in enhancing both crop yield and quality. Ammonia (NH) is essential for the synthesis of the compound fertilizer, which was produced by an energy intensive chemical process. Developing efficient and environmental friendly methods to produce ammonia-containing compound fertilizers is crucial and extremely challenging.

A two-step Random Forest algorithm for deriving dissolved inorganic carbon in lakes from Landsat satellite data.

Dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) is defined as a compound group with particle sizes smaller than 0.45 μm, which often constitutes over 70% of the total carbon in lakes. Monitoring DIC concentrations through remote sensing is imperative for dynamically assessing lake carbon stocks and for the conservation and management of lake ecosystems.

PPtase-activated production of borrelidin from extremophilic actinobacteria against multidrug-resistant cotton pathogen Verticillium dahliae.

As the most devastating disease in cotton crops, Verticillium wilt caused by Verticillium dahliae led to fiber quality reduction and extensive yield loss. In recent years, Verticillium wilt has been increasingly serious in Xinjiang, China, the world's largest cotton production area. In this study, 52 actinobacterial strains were selected for the discovery of NPs with anti-V.