Will vegetation restoration affect the supply-demand relationship of water yield in an arid and semi-arid watershed?

Natural processes, combined with human activities, determine the inherent quality of regional water supply and demand. However, the interaction between artificial vegetation restoration and water supply-demand dynamics remains insufficiently understood, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. This study focuses on the Jinghe River Basin (JRB) in the central Loess Plateau, aiming to investigate the changes in supply and demand of ecosystem water yield services and analyze factors affecting the water supply-demand relationship during the vegetation restoration, using the InVEST model, scenario analysis, and the Geodetector.

Molecular Programming Design of Glyconucleic Acid Aptamer with High Stability.

Functional nucleic acids (FNAs), possessing specific biological functions beyond their informational roles, have gained widespread attention in disease therapeutics. However, their clinical application is severely limited by their low serum stability in complex physiological environments. In this work, a precise molecular programming strategy is explored to prepare glyconucleic acid aptamers (GNAAs) with high serum stability.

Serum Metabolomics Analysis Revealed Metabolic Pathways Related to AECOPD Complicated with Anxiety and Depression.

Background: Anxiety and depression are two of the most common comorbidities of COPD, which can directly lead to the number of acute exacerbations and hospitalizations of COPD patients and reduce their quality of life. At present, there are many studies on anxiety and depression in stable COPD, but few studies on anxiety and depression in acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) patients.

Objective: We aim to explore the changes of serum metabolomics in AECOPD complicated with anxiety and depression and to provide some clues for further understanding its pathogenesis.

Do social economic status modify the association between air pollution and depressive or anxiety symptoms? A big sample cross-sectional study from the rural areas of Central China.

Background: Fewer studies have examined the relationship between air pollution and depressive or anxiety symptoms in rural residents. Social economic status (SES), as an important indicator of the current state of socioeconomic development, we know little about how it modifies the relationship between air pollution and symptoms of depression or anxiety.

Methods: The patient health questionnaire (PHQ-2) and generalized anxiety scale (GAD-2) were used to learn about the prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms, the social economic status of the participants was categorized into two levels: lower and higher, and a binary logistic regression model was used to analyze the relationship between air pollution and residents' symptoms of depression or anxiety.

Functionalizing Sgc8-Paclitaxel Conjugates with F-Base Modifications: Targeted Drug Delivery with Optimized Cardiac Safety.

Recent advancements in cancer treatment have improved patient prognoses, but chemotherapy induced cardiotoxicity remains a prevalent concern. This study explores the potential of F-base-modified aptamers for targeted drug delivery, focusing on their impact on cardiotoxicity. From the phosphoramidite, F-base-functionalized Sgc8-F23 was prepared in an automated and programmable way, which was further reacted with paclitaxel (PTX) to give the F-base- modified aptamer Sgc8-paclitaxel conjugates (Sgc8-F23-PTX) efficiently.

A study on ecohydrological mutual feedback relationship of the Shangdong River basin based on hydrological connectivity.

Investigating eco-hydrology in desert grasslands is pivotal to comprehend the dynamic evolution patterns of vegetation. Nonetheless, a research void persists in understanding the eco-hydrological mutual feedback mechanisms associated with hydrological connectivity and the corresponding health index evaluation of a small watershed. This study is centered on the Shangdong River watershed in Inner Mongolia and uses SWAT (Soil and Water Assessment Tool) to simulate hydrological processes.

Unlocking the Potential of Pterostilbene: A Pharmaceutical Element for Aptamer-Based Nanomedicine.

Natural compounds like pterostilbene (PTE) have gained recognition for their various biological activities and potential health benefits. However, challenges related to bioavailability and limited clinical efficacy have prompted efforts to strengthen their therapeutic potential. To meet these challenges, we herein rationally designed and successfully synthesized a pharmaceutical phosphoramidite that allows for the programmable incorporation of PTE into oligonucleotides.

Dynamically Reconfigurable on-Chip Polarimeters Based on Nanoantenna Enabled Polarization Dependent Optoelectronic Computing.

On-chip polarization detectors have attracted extensive research interest due to their filterless and ultracompact architecture. However, their polarization-dependent photoresponses cannot be dynamically adjusted, hindering the development toward intelligence. Here, we propose dynamically reconfigurable polarimetry based on in-sensor differentiation of two self-powered photoresponses with orthogonal polarization dependences and tunable responsivities.

The concentration of CH, NO and CO in the Pearl River estuary increased significantly due to the sediment particle resuspension and the interaction of hypoxia.

Hypoxia and sediment particle resuspension (SPR) alter the biogeochemical cycle of estuarine and coastal seas, which in turn affects the production and emission of methane (CH), nitrous oxide (NO) and carbon dioxide (CO) greenhouse gases (GHGs) in estuaries. Despite the importance of CH, NO and CO in estuarine ecosystems, little is known about their magnitude and spatiotemporal variation under the combined influence of hypoxia and SPR. This study utilized continuous mooring observations to investigate the temporal and spatial variations of GHGs before and after hypoxia in the Pearl River Estuary (PRE).

The First-in-Human Whole-Body Dynamic Pharmacokinetics Study of Aptamer.

Serving as targeting ligands, aptamers have shown promise in precision medicine. However, the lack of knowledge of the biosafety and metabolism patterns in the human body largely impeded aptamers' clinical translation. To bridge this gap, here we report the first-in-human pharmacokinetics study of protein tyrosine kinase 7 targeted SGC8 aptamer via in vivo PET tracking of gallium-68 (Ga) radiolabeled aptamers.

Artificial Base-Directed Assembly of an Albumin-siRNA Complex for Tumor-Targeting Delivery.

RNA interference (RNAi) mediated by short interfering RNA (siRNA) is a promising method for cancer treatment, but the clinical application is hampered by several limitations, including metabolic instability, lack of tumor specificity, and poor cellular uptake. To meet these challenges, we have explored the possibility of structure modification of siRNA with artificial bases for property optimization. A series of siRNAs functionalized with different numbers of hydrophobic base F are prepared for screening.

Molecular elements: novel approaches for molecular building.

Classically, a molecular element (ME) is a pure substance composed of two or more atoms of the same element. However, MEs, in the context of this review, can be any molecules as elements bonded together into the backbone of synthetic oligonucleotides (ONs) with designed sequences and functions, including natural A, T, C, G, U, and unnatural bases. The use of MEs can facilitate the synthesis of designer molecules and smart materials.

Artificial Base-Directed In Vivo Formulation of Aptamer-Drug Conjugates with Albumin for Long Circulation and Targeted Delivery.

Aptamer-drug conjugates (ApDCs) are potential targeted pharmaceutics, but their clinical applications are hampered by fast clearance in blood. Herein we report the construction of ApDCs modified with artificial base F and the study of biological activities. Two types of F-base-modified ApDCs were prepared, Sgc8-paclitaxel by conjugation and Sgc8-gemcitabine, by automated solid-phase synthesis.

The construction of oligonucleotide-cycloastragenol and the renoprotective effect study.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) provides unique therapeutic effects for many diseases with identified efficacy during long practice. Astragalus Membranaceus (AM) is the Chinese herbal applied for kidney injury in the clinic, but it remains challenging to further enhance the efficacy. Cycloastragenol (CAG) is the ingredient isolated from AM with poor water solubility, which has shown a renoprotective effect.

Site-Specific Radioiodination of Oligonucleotides with a Phenolic Element in a Programmable Approach.

Radioiodination of oligonucleotides provides an extra modality for nucleic acid-based theranostics with potential applications. Herein, we report the design and synthesis of a phosphoramidite embedded with a phenolic moiety and demonstrate that oligonucleotides can be readily functionalized with phenol as a precursor by general DNA synthesis. It was identified that the introduction of the precursor does not block the specificity of an aptamer, and the radioiodination is applicable to both DNA and RNA oligonucleotides in a site-specific approach with a commercial kit.

Spatial distribution and influencing mechanism of CO, NO and CH in the Pearl River Estuary in summer.

Estuaries, considered as the important carbon dioxide (CO), nitrous oxide (NO) and methane (CH) sources to the atmosphere, are increasingly affected by near-bottom hypoxia. However, the impact of estuarine hypoxic zone development on GHGs production and discharge remains poorly understood due to the seasonal and spatially distributed heterogeneity of estuarine hypoxia occurrence and the lack of simultaneous monitoring of the distribution of bottom hypoxic waters and the vertical distribution of GHGs. Here, we conducted high spatial resolution vertical stratification sampling and analysis of water column GHGs in the Pearl River Estuary (PRE), a large estuary with frequent hypoxia in recent years.

Engineering Aptamers with Selectively Enhanced Biostability in the Tumor Microenvironment.

Aptamers are emerging as promising molecular tools in cancer-targeted theranostics. Improving their in vivo stability has been a critical issue in promoting clinical translation, but such efforts could lead to more serious side effects resulting from prolonged retention in healthy organs. To address this problem, we developed an environment-responsive stabilization strategy for the selective enhancement of aptamer biostability in the tumor microenvironment (TME).

Programmable manipulation of oligonucleotide-albumin interaction for elongated circulation time.

Oligonucleotide (ON) therapeutics are emerging as a new generation of medicine with tremendous potential, but their clinical translation is hampered by inferior stability and short circulation time in the human body. Here, we report a general approach to manipulating the interaction between ONs and albumin by modulating hydrophobicity. A series of DNA aptamer derivatives were designed and prepared by programmable synthesis as an ON library with a gradient of hydrophobic base 'F'.

Programmable Repurposing of Existing Drugs as Pharmaceutical Elements for the Construction of Aptamer-Drug Conjugates.

Converting marketed drug molecules into phosphoramidites may present a potential strategy to facilitate the development of aptamer-drug conjugates (ApDCs) by a DNA synthesizer in a programmable way; however, quite limited methods were reported. Herein, we demonstrated a general approach by repurposing camptothecin (CPT) species. Commonly used inactive ingredients in pharmaceuticals are investigated and selected as a bonding moiety, from which 2-mercaptoethoxy ethanol and thioglycerol were efficiently incorporated with CPT to give the precursors.

Conformational Conversion Enhances Cellular Uptake of F Base Double-Strand-Conjugated Oligonucleotides.

Artificial bases have emerged as a useful tool to expand genetic alphabets and biomedical applications of oligonucleotides. Herein, we reported that the conformation conversion enhances cellular uptake of hydrophobic 3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzene (F) base double-strand-conjugated oligonucleotides. The formation of the F base double-strand caged the hydrophobic F base in the duplex strand, thus preventing F base from interacting with cells to some extent.

Aptamers as Versatile Molecular Tools for Antibody Production Monitoring and Quality Control.

Antibody drugs have been used to treat many diseases, and to date, this has been the most rapidly growing drug class. However, the lack of suitable methods for real-time and high-throughput monitoring of antibody production and quality control has been a hindrance to the further advancement of antibody drugs or biosimilars. Therefore, we herein report a versatile tool for one-step fluorescence monitoring of antibody production by using aptamer probes selected through the in vitro SELEX method.

Molecular domino reactor built by automated modular synthesis for cancer treatment.

: A cascade, or domino, reaction consists of two, or more, consecutive reactions such that subsequent reactions occur only if some chemical functionality has first been established in the prior step. However, while construction of predesigned and desired molecular domino reactors in a tailored manner is a valuable endeavor, it is still challenging. : To address this challenge, we herein report an aptamer-based photodynamic domino reactor built through automated modular synthesis.

Construction of Bispecific Aptamer-Drug Conjugate by a Hybrid Chemical and Biological Approach.

Bispecific aptamer-drug conjugates (BsApDC) may improve the efficacy of drugs by enhancing cellular internalization and targeted delivery. Nevertheless, the synthesis of single-molecular BsApDC has not yet been reported, and it could be thwarted by synthetic challenges. Herein we report a general approach to synthesize a BsApDC hybridized chemical and biological method.