Transformational fixation of Cr(VI) during microwave-enhanced reduction of soil iron minerals by tea polyphenols.

Hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] presents substantial environmental and health hazards due to its pronounced toxicity and mobility in soils. Traditional chemical reduction methods for Cr(VI) are often inadequate for treating chromium-contaminated soils, as they may fail to fully reduce Cr(VI), leading to incomplete remediation. Consequently, there is a critical need to develop more efficient and environmentally sustainable methods for the treatment of hexavalent chromium.

Organic photoelectrochemical transistor based on titanium dioxide nanorods for detection of Microcystin-LR.

A more efficient signal amplification strategy is needed to improve the performance of promising photoelectrochemical sensors (PEC). Organic photoelectrochemical transistor (OPECT) sensors are of growing interest in many fields, but their potential has not yet been widely exploited and remains a challenge. In this study, a novel organic photoelectrochemical transistor aptamer (OPECT) biosensor combining photoelectrochemical analysis and organic electrochemical transistor with AgI-TiO (AgI-TNs) as photoreactive material and target-specific DNA chain reaction hybridization as signal amplifier for microcystin-LR detection was developed.

Interfacial engineering on hierarchical ZrO nanozyme realizes efficient CO photoreduction.

Designing and fabricating nanozymes with photoactivity for CO reduction poses a significant challenge. Here, a hierarchically structured ZFs-tpyNi heterojunction nanozyme, comprising a terpyridine-based Ni complex supported on ZrO nanoframes, has been created through an interfacial engineering strategy for efficient CO reduction under visible light. Due to its unique structural and compositional advantages, ZFs-tpyNi demonstrates superior photocatalytic CO-to-CO conversion compared to its counterpart of ZFs and tpyNi, achieving a CO yield of 18.

Customizing HO-Poor Electric Double Layer and Boosting Texture Exposure of Zn (101) Plane towards Super-High Areal Capacity Zinc Metal Batteries.

The catastrophic dendrite hyperplasia and parasitic reactions severely impede the future deployment of aqueous Zn-ion batteries. Controlling zinc orientation growth is considered to be an effective method to overcome the aforementioned concerns, especially for regulating the (002) plane of deposited Zn. Unfortunately, Zn (002) texture is difficult to obtain stable cycling under high deposition capacity resulting from its large lattice distortion and nonuniform distribution in electric field.

Functionalized xanthohumol nanoemulsion: fabrication, characterization and bioavailability enhancement of bioactive compounds.

Background: Xanthohumol is an isopentadienyl flavonoid in hops, which have several pharmacological effects. However, due to the poor bioavailability of xanthohumol, it cannot be widely used.

Result: In this study, solvent extraction combined with preparative liquid chromatography was used to separate and purify xanthohumol in hop residue.

Evolutionary trajectory of diverse SARS-CoV-2 variants at the beginning of COVID-19 outbreak.

Despite extensive scientific efforts directed toward the evolutionary trajectory of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in humans at the beginning of the COVID-19 epidemic, it remains unclear how the virus jumped into and evolved in humans so far. Herein, we recruited almost all adult coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases appeared locally or imported from abroad during the first 8 months of the outbreak in Shanghai. From these patients, SARS-CoV-2 genomes occupying the important phylogenetic positions in the virus phylogeny were recovered.

Phytic acid improves osteogenesis and inhibits the senescence of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells under high-glucose conditions via the ERK pathway.

Hyperglycaemia causes impairment of osteogenic differentiation and accelerates stem cell senescence, resulting in weakened osteogenesis and disordered bone metabolism. Phytic acid (PA) is an antioxidant that is reportedly beneficial to bone homeostasis. The present study aims to clarify how PA affects the osteogenic capacity and cellular senescence of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) exposed to high-glucose environments, as well as the potential molecular mechanisms.

Host traits shape virome composition and virus transmission in wild small mammals.

Bats, rodents, and shrews are the most important animal sources of human infectious diseases. However, the evolution and transmission of viruses among them remain largely unexplored. Through the meta-transcriptomic sequencing of internal organ and fecal samples from 2,443 wild bats, rodents, and shrews sampled from four Chinese habitats, we identified 669 viruses, including 534 novel viruses, thereby greatly expanding the mammalian virome.

The potential influence of follicle diameter on natural cycle in vitro fertilization among women with diminished ovarian reserve: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: Natural cycle- in vitro fertilization (NC-IVF) is particularly recommended for women with decreased ovarian reserve (DOR) or poor response to controlled ovarian hyperstimulation. In these cases, it can be challenging to determine the optimal timing for a trigger, and follicles of varying sizes are typically obtained. The influence of follicular size on IVF outcomes in women with DOR remains uncertain.

Thyroid-stimulating hormone-thyroid hormone signaling contributes to circadian regulation through repressing clock2/npas2 in zebrafish.

Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) is important for the thyroid gland, development, growth, and metabolism. Defects in TSH production or the thyrotrope cells within the pituitary gland cause congenital hypothyroidism (CH), resulting in growth retardation and neurocognitive impairment. While human TSH is known to display rhythmicity, the molecular mechanisms underlying the circadian regulation of TSH and the effects of TSH-thyroid hormone (TH) signaling on the circadian clock remain elusive.

Overexpression of ThSCL32 confers salt stress tolerance by enhancing ThPHD3 gene expression in Tamarix hispida.

GRAS transcription factors belong to the plant-specific protein family. They are not only involved in plant growth and development but also in plant responses to a variety of abiotic stresses. However, to date, the SCL32(SCARECROW-like 32) gene conferring the desired resistance to salt stresses has not been reported in plants.

Calcium phytate reverses high glucose-inhibited osteogenesis of BMSCs via the MAPK/JNK pathway.

Objectives: Diabetes mellitus (DM) induces oxidative tissue impairment and suppresses bone formation. Some studies have shown that phytic acid has antioxidant and anti-diabetic properties. This study aimed to investigate the potential of calcium phytate (Ca-phytate) to reverse inhibited osteogenesis of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs) in a high glucose (HG) environment and to determine the underlying mechanism.

Emerging materials for electrochemical CO reduction: progress and optimization strategies of carbon-based single-atom catalysts.

The electrochemical CO reduction reaction can effectively convert CO into promising fuels and chemicals, which is helpful in establishing a low-carbon emission economy. Compared with other types of electrocatalysts, single-atom catalysts (SACs) immobilized on carbon substrates are considered to be promising candidate catalysts. Atomically dispersed SACs exhibit excellent catalytic performance in CORR due to their maximum atomic utilization, unique electronic structure, and coordination environment.

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid biomarkers and risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and mortality.

Background & Aims: Considerable attention has focused on the role of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in the prevention of cardiometabolic diseases, which has led to dietary recommendations to increase omega-3 fatty acid intake. A meta-analysis was conducted to summarize evidence from prospective studies regarding associations between omega-3 PUFA biomarkers and risk of developing major chronic diseases.

Methods: Four electronic databases were searched for articles from inception to March 1, 2022.

Coronaviruses in wild animals sampled in and around Wuhan at the beginning of COVID-19 emergence.

Over the last several decades, no emerging virus has had a profound impact on the world as the SARS-CoV-2 that emerged at the end of 2019 has done. To know where severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) originated from and how it jumped into human population, we immediately started a surveillance investigation in wild mammals in and around Wuhan when we determined the agent. Herein, coronaviruses were screened in the lung, liver, and intestinal tissue samples from fifteen raccoon dogs, seven Siberian weasels, three hog badgers, and three Reeves's muntjacs collected in Wuhan and 334 bats collected around Wuhan.

The study of immune checkpoint inhibitors in chronic hepatitis B virus infection.

Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) is a contagious disease caused by the hepatitis B virus, which can damage the liver via cirrhosis or cancer. Existing CHB treatments are not completely effective; immune checkpoint inhibitors show potential hope for treating CHB, but their safety and efficacy need to be further validated. In this review, we introduce the mechanisms of CHB virus infection, the expression of immune checkpoints during CHB, and the treatments that are currently available.

Bio-Inspired In-Sensor Compression and Computing Based on Phototransistors.

The biological nervous system possesses a powerful information processing capability, and only needs a partial signal stimulation to perceive the entire signal. Likewise, the hardware implementation of an information processing system with similar capabilities is of great significance, for reducing the dimensions of data from sensors and improving the processing efficiency. Here, it is reported that indium-gallium-zinc-oxide thin film phototransistors exhibit the optoelectronic switching and light-tunable synaptic characteristics for in-sensor compression and computing.

Prediction of occult tumor progression via platelet RNAs in a mouse melanoma model: a potential new platform for early detection of cancer.

Background: Cancer screening provides the opportunity to detect cancer early, ideally before symptom onset and metastasis, and offers an increased opportunity for a better prognosis. The ideal biomarkers for cancer screening should discriminate individuals who have not developed invasive cancer yet but are destined to do so from healthy subjects. However, most cancers lack effective screening recommendations.

Rescuing effects of periostin in advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) caused osteogenic and oxidative damage through AGE receptor mediation and DNA methylation of the CALCA promoter.

An in vitro model was established to simulate a diabetes-type environment by treating human periodontal stem cells with advanced glycation end-products (AGEs). Periostin (POSTN) plays a crucial role in maintaining the integrity of periodontal tissues. However, the role of POSTN in human periodontal stem cells stimulated by AGEs remains unknown.

Improves the Salt Stress Tolerance of .

The CONSTANS-LIKE (COL) transcription factor has been reported to play important roles in regulating plant flowering and the response to abiotic stress. To clone and screen genes with excellent salt tolerance from the woody halophyte , 8 genes were identified in this study. The expression patterns of these genes under different abiotic stresses (high salt, osmotic, and heavy metal) and abscisic acid (ABA) treatment were detected using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR).