Coordinated variations in leaf and root biogeochemical niches.

The biogeochemical niche (BN) hypothesis posits that each species has a specific elemental composition. However, the BN of roots and its interaction with leaf BN have largely been neglected until now across diverse environmental conditions. We investigated the relationships between the elemental compositions of leaves and roots, phylogeny, and environmental variables, as well as the connection between leaf and root BN.

Extracts of and relieve ultraviolet B-induced skin injury in solar dermatitis mice via inhibiting IL-17/CCL2 pathway and oxidative stress.

Solar dermatitis, a condition triggered by excessive exposure to ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation, results in inflammatory skin damage marked by erythema, edema, and epidermal injury. Portulaca oleracea (PO) and Patrinia scabiosaefolia (PS) have been traditionally used in dermatological treatments, though their mechanistic pathways in UVB-induced skin injury are not fully understood. In this study, a mouse model of UVB-induced solar dermatitis was employed to evaluate the therapeutic potential of combined PO and PS (POPS) extracts.

Enhancing Flexible Perovskite Photovoltaic Cells and Modules Through Light-Trapping and Light-Shifting Strategies.

Flexible perovskite photovoltaic devices are typically constructed on flexible polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) substrates, which exhibit near-ultraviolet absorption and high visible-light reflection, leading to significant optical losses. To address this issue, a reusable optical-management sticker tailored for flexible substrates has been proposed in this work. The sticker incorporates a light-shifting material that converts near-ultraviolet light into visible light, enabling photoelectric conversion of near-ultraviolet light.

A comparative evaluation of rehabilitation approaches for ecological recovery in arid limestone mine sites.

Limestone mining in arid regions, particularly within fragile environments, leads to severe environmental pollution and ecological degradation. Developing a scientifically sound and effective ecological rehabilitation strategy is therefore critical. This study constructed a three-dimensional ecological rehabilitation model integrating soil amelioration and vegetation reconstruction.

Future increase in compound soil drought-heat extremes exacerbated by vegetation greening.

Compound soil drought and heat extremes are expected to occur more frequently with global warming, causing wide-ranging socio-ecological repercussions. Vegetation modulates air temperature and soil moisture through biophysical processes, thereby influencing the occurrence of such extremes. Global vegetation cover is broadly expected to increase under climate change, but it remains unclear whether vegetation greening will alleviate or aggravate future increases in compound soil drought-heat events.

Effective sensitization of Dy:H energy level by Tm ions in KPbBr crystal for 4.3 µm lasers.

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the use of Tm to sensitize the Dy ion and enhance the ∼4.3 µm emission from Dy:H → H in the KPbBr (KPB) crystal. The ∼4.

Characterization and source apportionment of water-soluble ion pollution in PM of typical cities in northern China.

Understanding the characteristics and sources of water-soluble ion pollution in particulate matter is crucial for preventing, controlling, and managing air pollution. In this study, we analyzed the pollution characteristics and sources of water-soluble ions in PM in three typical cities in northern China. Our results showed an increase in both PM and total water-soluble ions during the pollution period in all three cities.

Vegetation increases global climate vulnerability risk by shifting climate zones in response to rising atmospheric CO.

Global climate zones are experiencing widespread shifts with ongoing rise in atmospheric CO, influencing vegetation growth and shifting its distributions to challenge ecosystem structure and function, posing threats on ecological and societal safety. However, how rising atmospheric CO affects the pace of global climate zone shifts is highly uncertain. More attentions are urgently required to understand the underlying mechanisms and quantifications of regional climate vulnerability in response to rising CO.

Large Orientation Angle Buried Substrate Enables Efficient Flexible Perovskite Solar Cells and Modules.

Flexible perovskite solar cells (f-PSCs) have emerged as potential candidates for specific mechanical applications owing to their high foldability, efficiency, and portability. However, the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of f-PSC remains limited by the inferior contact between perovskite and flexible buried substrate. Here, an asymmetric π-extended self-assembled monolayer (SAM) (4-(9H-dibenzo[a,c]carbazol-9-yl)butyl)phosphonic acid (A-4PADCB) is reported as a buried substrate for efficient inverted f-PSCs.

Phosphorus desorption regulates phosphorus fraction dynamics in soil aggregates of revegetated ecosystems.

To elucidate the mechanisms and effects of phosphorus (P) desorption on P fractions in soil aggregates of revegetated ecosystems is fundamental for regulating the P supply and biogeochemical cycle. We selected four aggregate sizes (1-5, 0.5-1, 0.

Using phlebotomy to remove a difficult peripherally inserted central catheter insertion and removal in very low birth weight infants: case report of a rare complication.

Background: A peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) is an important way to supply long-term intravenous infusion or parenteral nutrition for premature infants, especially very low birth weight (VLBW) infants. PICC removal difficulties occur mostly during use. It is rare to have difficulty removing a PICC due to reverse folding during catheterization.

Iguratimod, an allosteric inhibitor of macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), prevents mortality and oxidative stress in a murine model of acetaminophen overdose.

Background: Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is a pleiotropic cytokine that has been implicated in multiple inflammatory and non-inflammatory diseases, including liver injury induced by acetaminophen (APAP) overdose. Multiple small molecule inhibitors of MIF have been described, including the clinically available anti-rheumatic drug T-614 (iguratimod); however, this drug's mode of inhibition has not been fully investigated.

Methods: We conducted in vitro testing including kinetic analysis and protein crystallography to elucidate the interactions between MIF and T-614.

Impact of nitrogen application and crop stage on epiphytic microbial communities on silage maize leaf surfaces.

This study aimed to examine the impact of nitrogen (N) fertilization on phyllosphere microorganisms in silage maize () to enhance the production of high-quality silage. The effects of different N application rates (160, 240, and 320 kg ha) and maturity stages (flowering and dough stages) on microbial diversity, abundance and physiochemical properties of the leaf surfaces were evaluated in a field experiment. The results showed that N application rates did not significantly impact the abundance of lactic acid bacteria (LAB), aerobic bacteria (AB), yeasts, or molds on the leaf surfaces.

Efficient and Stable Perovskite Solar Modules Enabled by Inhibited Escape of Volatile Species.

The intrinsically weak bonding structure in halide perovskite materials makes components in the thin films volatile, leading to the decomposition of halide perovskite materials. The reactions within the perovskite film are reversible provided that components do not escape the thin films. Here, a holistic approach is reported to improve the efficiency and stability of PSMs by preventing the effusion of volatile components.

Multi-Drug Cocktail Therapy Improves Survival and Neurological Function after Asphyxial Cardiac Arrest in Rodents.

Background: Cardiac arrest (CA) can lead to neuronal degeneration and death through various pathways, including oxidative, inflammatory, and metabolic stress. However, current neuroprotective drug therapies will typically target only one of these pathways, and most single drug attempts to correct the multiple dysregulated metabolic pathways elicited following cardiac arrest have failed to demonstrate clear benefit. Many scientists have opined on the need for novel, multidimensional approaches to the multiple metabolic disturbances after cardiac arrest.

Atmospheric dryness thresholds of grassland productivity decline in China.

Atmospheric dryness events are bound to have a broad and profound impact on the functions and structures of grassland ecosystems. Current research has confirmed that atmospheric dryness is a key moisture constraint that inhibits grassland productivity, yet the risk threshold for atmospheric dryness to initiate ecosystem productivity loss has not been explored. Based on this, we used four terrestrial ecosystem models to simulate gross primary productivity (GPP) data, analyzed the role of vapor pressure deficit (VPD) in regulating interannual variability in Chinese grasslands by focusing on the dependence structure of VPD and GPP, and then constructed a bivariate linkage function to calculate the conditional probability of ecosystem GPP loss under atmospheric dryness, and further analyzed the risk threshold of ecosystem GPP loss triggered by atmospheric dryness.

Occlusal contact and clearance of posterior implant-supported single crowns designed by two different methods: a self-controlled study.

Background: Precise occlusal design of implant-supported fixed prostheses is difficult to achieve by the conventional wax-up method, often requiring chairside adjustments. The computer-aided design (CAD) method is promising. This study aims to compare the occlusal contacts and clearance of posterior implant-supported single crowns designed by the CAD and conventional methods.

Effect of a novel interocclusal recording method on occlusal accuracy of implant-supported fixed prostheses: A randomized clinical trial.

Objectives: To investigate the effect of a novel interocclusal recording method on the occlusal accuracy of implant-supported fixed prostheses for partially dentate patients with distal extension.

Materials And Methods: Twenty patients with two or more adjacent teeth missing in the distal extension and scheduled to receive implant-supported fixed prostheses were enrolled. Two interocclusal recording methods were used: placing polyvinyl siloxane (PVS) on the interocclusal recording caps (test), and placing PVS on healing abutments (control).

Thiocarbazate building blocks enable the construction of azapeptides for rapid development of therapeutic candidates.

Peptides, polymers of amino acids, comprise a vital and expanding therapeutic approach. Their rapid degradation by proteases, however, represents a major limitation to their therapeutic utility and chemical modifications to native peptides have been employed to mitigate this weakness. Herein, we describe functionalized thiocarbazate scaffolds as precursors of aza-amino acids, that, upon activation, can be integrated in a peptide sequence to generate azapeptides using conventional peptide synthetic methods.

Dynamics of soil organic carbon and nitrogen and their relations to hydrothermal variability in dryland.

Carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycles of terrestrial ecosystems play key roles in global climate change and ecosystem sustainability. In recent decades, climate change has threatened the nutrient balance of dryland ecosystems. However, its impact on soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil total nitrogen (STN) in drylands of China are still unclear.

Azapeptides -A History of Synthetic Milestones and Key Examples.

For over 50 years of azapeptide synthetic techniques, developments have renewed the field of peptidomimetic therapeutics. Azapeptides are close surrogates of natural peptides: they contain a substitution of the amino acid α-carbon by a nitrogen atom. Goserelin (1989) and Atazanavir (2003) are two well-known, FDA-approved azapeptide-based drugs for the treatment of cancers and HIV infection, providing evidence for the successful clinical implementation of this class of therapeutic.

Human Dermcidin Protects Mice Against Hepatic Ischemia-Reperfusion-Induced Local and Remote Inflammatory Injury.

Background: Hepatic ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) injury is commonly associated with surgical liver resection or transplantation, and represents a major cause of liver damage and graft failure. Currently, there are no effective therapies to prevent hepatic I/R injury other than ischemic preconditioning and some preventative strategies. Previously, we have revealed the anti-inflammatory activity of a sweat gland-derived peptide, dermcidin (DCD), in macrophage/monocyte cultures.

HMGB1-mediated restriction of EPO signaling contributes to anemia of inflammation.

Anemia of inflammation, also known as anemia of chronic disease, is refractory to erythropoietin (EPO) treatment, but the mechanisms underlying the EPO refractory state are unclear. Here, we demonstrate that high mobility group box-1 protein (HMGB1), a damage-associated molecular pattern molecule recently implicated in anemia development during sepsis, leads to reduced expansion and increased death of EPO-sensitive erythroid precursors in human models of erythropoiesis. HMGB1 significantly attenuates EPO-mediated phosphorylation of the Janus kinase 2/STAT5 and mTOR signaling pathways.