Evolutionary dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 variants under strict non-pharmaceutical interventions - a population-based study.

Introduction: China implemented a dynamic zero-COVID strategy to curb viral transmission in response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This strategy was designed to inhibit mutation of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus responsible for COVID-19. This study explores the dynamics of viral evolution under stringent non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) through real-world observations.

Atomically thin high-entropy oxides via naked metal ion self-assembly for proton exchange membrane electrolysis.

Designing efficient Ruthenium-based catalysts as practical anodes is of critical importance in proton exchange membrane water electrolysis. Here, we develop a self-assembly technique to synthesize 1 nm-thick rutile-structured high-entropy oxides (RuIrFeCoCrO) from naked metal ions assembly and oxidation at air-molten salt interface. The RuIrFeCoCrO requires an overpotential of 185 mV at 10 m A cm and maintains the high activity for over 1000 h in an acidic electrolyte via the adsorption evolution mechanism.

Biological studies reveal the role of trpA gene in biofilm formation, motility, hemolysis and virulence in Vibrio anguillarum.

Vibrio anguillarum is a pathogen responsible for vibriosis in aquaculture animals. The formation of bacterial biofilm contributes to infections and increases resistance to antibiotics. Tryptophanase and its substrate tryptophan have been recognized as signal molecules regulating bacterial biofilm formation.

IKZF1 promotes pyroptosis and prevents M2 macrophage polarization by inhibiting JAK2/STAT5 pathway in colon cancer.

Pyroptosis and macrophage pro-inflammatory activation play an important role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression. However, the specific regulatory mechanisms remain unclear. We identified pyroptosis-related differentially expressed genes (DEGs) based on the GSE4183 and GSE44861 datasets as well as EVenn database.

Arsenic-induced modulation of virulence and drug resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Arsenic contamination of water sources, whether from natural or industrial origins, represents a significant risk to human health. However, its impact on waterborne pathogens remains understudied. This research explores the effects of arsenic exposure on the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a bacterium found in diverse environments.

The negative impacts of bisphenols on thyroid function in adults with bisphenol A exposure level exceeding the tolerable daily intake.

In 2023, European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) published a re-evaluation of the safety of bisphenol A (BPA), establishing the new tolerable daily intake (TDI) as 0.2 ng/kg·bw/day with a 20,000-fold reduction compared to 2015, which regained public concern about the impact of bisphenols (BPs) on human health. In order to explore the health risk to thyroid function of BPs, in this study, we assessed the internal exposure levels of BPs and the relationships between urinary BPs and thyroid function in general adults.

Prenatal exposure to bisphenol A causes reproductive damage in F1 male rabbits due to inflammation and oxidative stress.

Bisphenol A (BPA) is used extensively in producing industrial chemicals such as plastic products, resin, and paper coatings. Concerns have been expressed regarding its possible detrimental consequences, especially on the reproductive system of mammals. Despite extensive study in this domain, there has been no targeted examination of the impact of BPA on F1 generation rabbits.

A study on how to improve students' continuance intention in landscape architecture conservation course within a virtual learning environment based on SVVR.

With the rapid pace of global urbanization, preserving natural landscapes has become increasingly critical. However, urbanization presents significant environmental risks worsened by decreased ecological consciousness. This has led to a pressing demand for education in landscape conservation.

Biallelic mutations in CDC20 cause female infertility due to oocyte maturation abnormality.

Oocyte maturation arrest (OMA) may occur at different stages, including the germinal vesicle (GV), metaphase I (MI), and metaphase II (MII). A total maturation arrest of human oocytes is rarely observed during fertilization (IVF). We have identified a case of infertile female for whom all oocytes fail to mature and are arrested at MI.

The Construction of a Standard Karyotype of Intermediate Wheatgrass and Its Potential Progenitor Species.

The genome composition of intermediate wheatgrass (IWG; (Host) Barkworth and D.R. Dewey; 2n = 6x = 42) is complex and remains to be a subject of ongoing investigation.

Co-Existing Nanoplastics Further Exacerbates the Effects of Triclosan on the Physiological Functions of Human Serum Albumin.

The potential health risks posed by the coexistence of nanoplastics (NPs) and triclosan (TCS) have garnered significant attention. However, the effects and underlying mechanisms of NPs and TCS on key functional proteins at the molecular level remain poorly understood. This study reports the effect of polystyrene nanoplastics (PSNPs) on the binding of TCS to human serum albumin (HSA) using multispectral methods and molecular simulation systems.

Effect of Gradient Transition Layer on the Cracking Behavior of Ni60B (NiCrBSi) Coatings by Laser Cladding.

Laser cladding technology is an effective method for producing wear-resistant coatings on damaged substrates, improving both wear and corrosion resistance, which extends the service life of components. However, the fabrication of hard and brittle materials is highly susceptible to the problem of cracking. Using gradient transition layers is an effective strategy to mitigate the challenge of achieving crack-free laser-melted wear-resistant coatings.

Performance Evaluation of Stabilized Soils with Selected Common Waste Materials of Rice Husk Ash, Steel Slag and Iron Tailing Powder.

Soil stabilization technology has been applied for a long time in the infrastructure construction field. Currently, the use of waste materials as stabilizer is growing in attention, because it promises to develop green and high-performance soil stabilization efficiency. In this work, three common waste materials, including rice husk ash (RHA), steel slag (SS) and iron tailing (IT) powder, were selected and synergistically utilized with cement to prepare stabilized soil.

Biomechanical Behaviors of Molars Restored with Endocrowns Composed of Different Materials.

To assess the biomechanical behaviors of endodontically treated molars (ETMs) restored with endocrowns composed of different materials, forty mandibular molars were assigned to five groups (n = 8 each). Untreated molars constituted the control group (group C); the rest of the teeth that underwent root canal therapy were restored with endocrowns composed of polycrystalline ceramics (ST zirconia, UPCERA) in group ZR, lithium disilicate glass ceramics (UP.CAD, UPCERA) in group LD, resin-based nanoceramics (Hyramic, UPCERA) in group NC, and feldspathic ceramics (CEREC Blocs, Sirona) in group FC.

Proteomics Reveals the Response Mechanism of Embryonic Bovine Lung Cells to Infection.

() has caused huge economic losses to the cattle industry. The interaction between and host cells is elucidated by screening and identifying the target protein of adhesin on the surface of the host cell membrane. However, the response mechanism of embryonic bovine lung (EBL) cells to infection is not yet fully understood.

Gboxin Induced Apoptosis and Ferroptosis of Cervical Cancer Cells by Promoting Autophagy-Mediated Inhibition of Nrf2 Signaling Under Low-Glucose Conditions.

Cervical cancer poses a substantial threat to women's health, underscoring the necessity for effective therapeutic agents with low toxicity that specifically target cancer cells. As cancer progresses, increased glucose consumption causes glucose scarcity in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Consequently, it is imperative to identify pharmacological agents capable of effectively killing cancer cells under conditions of low glucose availability within the TME.

Efflux Pumps and Porins Enhance Bacterial Tolerance to Phenolic Compounds by Inhibiting Hydroxyl Radical Generation.

Phenolic compounds are industrially versatile chemicals that have been successfully produced in microbial cell factories. Unfortunately, most phenolic compounds are highly toxic to cells in specific cellular environments or above a particular concentration because they form a complex with iron and promote hydroxyl radical production in Fenton reactions, resulting in the ferroptosis of cells. Here, we demonstrated that overexpression of efflux pumps and porins, including porins LamB and OmpN, and efflux pumps EmrAB, MdtABC, and SrpB, can enhance phloroglucinol (PG) tolerance by inhibiting the generation of hydroxyl radicals.

Effect of Lactic Acid Bacteria and Propionic Acid on Fermentation Characteristics, Chemical Composition, and Aerobic Stability of High-Moisture Corn Grain Silage.

This investigation aimed to assess the effect of additives on the aerobic stability, fermentation profile, and chemical composition of high-moisture corn grain silage. The corn grain was milled and divided this into four distinct treatment groups: , propionic acid, , and no additive (control). The capacity of the silos was 1 L and density was 1000 kg/m.

hnRNPH1 Inhibits Influenza Virus Replication by Binding Viral RNA.

During the life cycle of the influenza virus, viral RNPs (vRNPs) are transported to the nucleus for replication. Given that a large number of progeny viral RNA occupies the nucleus, whether there is any host protein located in the nucleus that recognizes the viral RNA and inhibits the viral replication remains largely unknown. In this study, to explore the role of hnRNPH1 in influenza virus infection, we knocked down and over-expressed the hnRNPH1 proteins in 293T cells, then infected the cells with the influenza virus.

Research on Envelope Profile of Lithium Niobate on Insulator Stepped-Mode Spot Size Converter.

To enhance the end-face coupling efficiency of lithium niobate on insulator (LNOI) chips, in conjunction with current device fabrication processes, a stepped spot size converter (SSC) based on a special outer envelope profile has been proposed and investigated. This stepped SSC can reduce the coupling loss between the LNOI waveguide and a normal single-mode optical fiber. First, the output waveguide of a mode converter was proposed and simulated, in which the mode field had the biggest overlapping integral factor with a single-mode fiber (MDF ≈ 9.

Research Progress and Clinical Translation Potential of Coronary Atherosclerosis Diagnostic Markers from a Genomic Perspective.

Coronary atherosclerosis (CAD) is characterized by arterial intima lipid deposition, chronic inflammation, and fibrous tissue proliferation, leading to arterial wall thickening and lumen narrowing. As the primary cause of coronary heart disease and acute coronary syndrome, CAD significantly impacts global health. Recent genetic studies have demonstrated CAD's polygenic and multifactorial nature, providing molecular insights for early diagnosis and risk assessment.

Effects of Different River Crab Polyculture Practices on Bacterial, Fungal and Protist Communities in Pond Water.

Microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, and protists, are key drivers in aquatic ecosystems, maintaining ecological balance and normal material circulation, playing vital roles in ecosystem functions and biogeochemical processes. To evaluate the environmental impact of different river crab polyculture practices, we set up two different river crab () polyculture practices: one where river crabs were cultured with mandarin fish (), silver carp (), and freshwater fish stone moroko (), and another where river crabs were cultured just with mandarin fish and silver carp. These two polyculture practices were referred to as PC and MC, respectively.

Effect of Gene Polymorphisms on Fatty Acid Composition, Chemical Composition, and Carcass Traits in Sonid Sheep.

Fatty acids (FAs) are a group of organic compounds that are regulated by polygenic and environmental factors and affect the taste, nutritional value, and quality of meat. Lamb meat is rich in FAs required by the human body, which has directed more attention to sheep research and meat production. The fatty acid-binding protein 4 () gene is considered a candidate gene that can affect FA composition in livestock.