Publications by authors named "LiHua Zhu"

Rapeseed ( L.) is known for its high-quality seed oil and protein content. However, its use in animal feed is restricted due to antinutritional factors present in the seedcake, with sinapine being one of the main compounds that reduces palatability.

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Methanol (ME) is a liquid hydrogen carrier, ideal for on-site-on-demand H generation, avoiding its costly and risky distribution issues, but this "ME-to-H" electric conversion suffers from high voltage (energy consumption) and competitive oxygen evolution reaction. Herein, we demonstrate that a synergistic cofunctional PtPd/(Ni,Co)(OH) catalyst with Pt single atoms (Pt) and Pd nanoclusters (Pd) anchored on OH-vacancy(V)-rich (Ni,Co)(OH) nanoparticles create synergistic triadic active sites, allowing for methanol-enhanced low-voltage H generation. For MOR, OH* is preferentially adsorbed on Pd and then interacts with the intermediates (such as *CHO or *CHOOH) adsorbed favorably on neighboring Pt with the assistance of hydrogen bonding from the surface hydrogen of (Ni,Co)(OH).

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Background: Alternative cleavage and polyadenylation (APA) is a crucial post-transcriptional gene regulation mechanism that regulates gene expression in eukaryotes by increasing the diversity and complexity of both the transcriptome and proteome. Despite the development of more than a dozen experimental methods over the last decade to identify and quantify APA events, widespread adoption of these methods has been limited by technical, financial, and time constraints. Consequently, APA remains poorly understood in most eukaryotes.

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The low expression of period circadian regulator 3 (PER3) in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma is closely correlated with tumor size and invasion depth. Hypoxia-inducible factor 1 subunit alpha (HIF-1α) regulates epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) transcription factors, activates EMT, and promotes tumor metastasis. Here, we investigated the role and molecular mechanism of PER3 in regulating HIF-1α and metastasis in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) by using bioinformatics analyses and in vitro and in vivo experiments.

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Gene editing the BCL11A erythroid enhancer is a validated approach to fetal hemoglobin (HbF) induction for β-hemoglobinopathy therapy, though heterogeneity in edit allele distribution and HbF response may impact its safety and efficacy. Here, we compare combined CRISPR-Cas9 editing of the BCL11A +58 and +55 enhancers with leading gene modification approaches under clinical investigation. Dual targeting of the BCL11A +58 and +55 enhancers with 3xNLS-SpCas9 and two single guide RNAs (sgRNAs) resulted in superior HbF induction, including in sickle cell disease (SCD) patient xenografts, attributable to simultaneous disruption of core half E-box/GATA motifs at both enhancers.

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PdCu/NC and PdCo/NC with different metal mass ratios of Pd to Cu (or Co) are synthesized. They (Pd : Cu (or Co) = 3 : 7) show excellent catalytic activity and high selectivity to furfuryl alcohol (FA) (or tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol (THFA)) under quite mild conditions due to synergistic effect of Pd-Cu (Co)-NC.

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Global protein consumption is increasing exponentially, which requires efficient identification of potential, healthy, and simple protein sources to fulfil the demands. The existing sources of animal proteins are high in fat and low in fiber composition, which might cause serious health risks when consumed regularly. Moreover, protein production from animal sources can negatively affect the environment, as it often requires more energy and natural resources and contributes to greenhouse gas emissions.

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Light-irradiated pure spin current has been achieved via several methods. In this work, we aim to realize its superposition law by reducing the quantum interference effect between parallel circuits via first principles. As an example, a single-layer zigzag graphene nanoribbon (ZGNR) and a two-layer ZGNR constituted two-probe structures are chosen as our model.

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Oncogenic programs regulate the proliferation and maintenance of cancer stem cells, and can define pharmacologic dependencies. In acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with the chromosome inversion 16 (inv(16)), the fusion oncoprotein CBFβ::MYH11 regulates pathways associated with leukemia stem cell activity. Here we demonstrate that expression of Neuropilin-1 (NRP1) is regulated by the fusion oncoprotein, and promotes AML expansion.

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Mounting evidence strongly indicates that exosomes are pivotal in the advancement of cancer, yet the overarching profile of exosomal proteins and their contribution to lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) progression remain underexplored. In our investigation, we isolated exosomes from treatment-naive LUAD (n = 20) and paired normal adjacent tissues (NATs), and conducted integrated proteomic on the acquired exosomes and source tissues to ascertain origin characteristics and potential therapeutic targets of the exosomal proteins in LUAD. The omics data revealed the overall landscape of exosomal proteins from tissues in LUAD, underscoring the profound linkage between exosomal proteins and tumor metastasis.

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The development of clean energy solutions, such as fuel cells and hydrogen energy, is crucial for addressing the global energy shortage. Platinum (Pt)-based catalysts are widely used in fuel cells and hydrogen energy generation (for example, via water electrolysis). However, reducing the amount of Pt used while maintaining the catalytic performance of such catalysts is essential.

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  • A new catalytic system combining cobalt ions, calcium carbonate micro-particles, and peroxymonosulfate (PMS) has been developed to effectively remove organic pollutants like methylene blue (MB) from wastewater.
  • Under optimal conditions, the system could fully degrade 10 mg/L of MB within 10 minutes and exhibited a strong catalytic performance compared to traditional catalysts, indicating a synergistic effect between cobalt and calcium carbonate.
  • The method not only efficiently treated organic pollutants but also removed heavy metal ions from simulated wastewater, suggesting its applicability for broader wastewater treatment scenarios.
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The high rate of recurrence after radiation therapy in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) indicates that novel approaches and targets are needed to enhance radiosensitivity. Here, we report that neuropilin-2 (NRP2), a receptor for vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) that is enriched on subpopulations of TNBC cells with stem cell properties, is an effective therapeutic target for sensitizing TNBC to radiotherapy. Specifically, VEGF/NRP2 signaling induces nitric oxide synthase 2 (NOS2) transcription by a mechanism dependent on Gli1.

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  • Cells need to change how they work to survive when things get tough in their environment.
  • A special protein called Hcm1 helps cells manage stress by being turned on and off at the right times.
  • Finding the right balance of Hcm1 activity is super important for cells to stay healthy and grow when facing stress.
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  • - The study examines occupational exposure to organic solvents and VOCs in various industries in Bao'an District, Shenzhen, highlighting that exposure risk varies based on material processing, ventilation, and duration of contact.
  • - Over the years 2018 to 2023, the use of organic solvents decreased during the pandemic but increased as conditions improved, with the most common solvents being alkanes and aromatic hydrocarbons.
  • - Toluene, n-hexane, xylene, and ethylbenzene emerged as high-risk VOCs with significant detection rates, and air samples indicated that trichloroethylene and xylene present a considerable health risk, suggesting the need for stronger monitoring of these substances.
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Hypoxic-ischemic brain damage (HIBD) is the main risk factor for preterm infants' brain injury. Exosomes originating from bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) have a protective effect against hypoxic-ischemic conditions. However, it remains to be elucidated whether exosome carrying miR-653-3p released by BMSC exerts specific functions in HIBD.

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  • Pine wilt disease (PWD) is caused by a tiny worm called the pine wood nematode (PWN), and it harms pine forests around the world.
  • This study looks at how a type of pine tree in China fights against PWN, discovering many genes that change when the tree is infected.
  • The research found that certain chemical pathways in the tree help it defend itself by producing special substances and proteins to fight off the nematode.
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Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most aggressive and frequently occurring type of malignant brain tumor in adults. The initiation, progression, and recurrence of malignant tumors are known to be driven by a small subpopulation of cells known as tumor-initiating cells or cancer stem cells (CSCs). GBM CSCs play a pivotal role in orchestrating drug resistance and tumor relapse.

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  • Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is now the third leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S. because it's really tough to treat due to its dense tumor structure.
  • Researchers are testing a new treatment that combines special immune boosters (called STING and TLR4) with certain cancer therapies, which helps the immune system fight the tumors better.
  • In mouse studies, this combination treatment led to strong immune responses that could shrink tumors and help the mice live longer, showing promise for treating PDAC in humans.
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RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) has become a standard method for profiling gene expression, yet genomic DNA (gDNA) contamination carried over to the sequencing library poses a significant challenge to data integrity. Detecting and correcting this contamination is vital for accurate downstream analyses. Particularly, when RNA samples are scarce and invaluable, it becomes essential not only to identify but also to correct gDNA contamination to maximize the data's utility.

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  • - This study focuses on the MAPK cascade, a key signaling mechanism in plants that affects growth, metabolism, and stress responses, emphasizing that while MAPK genes have been studied in many plants, they haven't been explored in alfalfa (Medicago sativa).
  • - Researchers identified 80 MsMAPKs in alfalfa, categorizing them into four groups based on structural motifs and discovering that many exhibit tissue-specific expression and responsiveness to environmental stresses like drought, salt, and cold.
  • - The findings lay the groundwork for future research into the functions of alfalfa’s MAPK genes and their potential to enhance the plant's resilience to stress conditions.
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  • Saline-alkali stress is a big problem for plants, especially when there's too much salt in the soil, which makes it hard for them to grow.
  • Researchers studied a type of alfalfa called 'Zhongmu No. 1' to see how it reacts to a special salt called NaHCO over different time periods.
  • They found that the plant had changes in its enzymes and important molecules, which helps us understand how plants deal with salt stress better and can help create stronger plants in the future.
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Watermelon is one of the most important edible plants worldwide. Owing to its special cultivation conditions, watermelon is exposed to many biological and abiotic stresses during its development. Lectin receptor-like kinases (LecRLKs) are plant-specific membrane proteins that play important roles in sensing and responding to environmental stimuli.

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  • Reducing nitrobenzene to aniline is important for cleaning up pollution and making chemicals, but it can be tough to find a good way to do it efficiently.
  • Scientists discovered that using tiny particles of PdO on a special support called TiO can speed up the process a lot, reducing 95% of nitrobenzene in just 1 minute with high accuracy for creating aniline.
  • The way this works is that the PdO helps create active hydrogen that reacts with nitrobenzene, making this method a promising new way to produce aniline while being friendly to the environment.
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Unlabelled: Patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) are generally unresponsive to tumor targeted and immunotherapies. Whether genetic alterations acquired during the evolution of CRPC impact immune and immunotherapy responses is largely unknown. Using our innovative electroporation-based mouse models, we generated distinct genetic subtypes of CRPC found in patients and uncovered unique immune microenvironments.

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