Fungal evasion of immunity involves blocking the cathepsin-mediated cleavage maturation of the danger-sensing protease.

Entomopathogenic fungi play a critical role in regulating insect populations, and representative species from the and genera have been developed as eco-friendly biocontrol agents for managing agricultural insect pests. Relative to the advances in understanding antifungal immune responses in , knowledge of how fungi evade insect immune defenses remains limited. In this study, we report the identification and characterization of a virulence-required effector Fkp1 in .

Rhamnogalacturonan promotes intestinal mucosal repair through increased cell migration.

Mucosal healing is the primary goal for Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD) treatment. We previously showed the direct beneficial effects of rhamnogalacturonan (RGal) on intestinal epithelial barrier function. Here, we aimed to evaluate the effect of RGal in intestinal epithelial wound healing.

Genetic diversity and population structure of Oncomelania hupensis in Sichuan Province, China:implications for schistosomiasis control.

Schistosomiasis, caused by the infection with Schistosoma japonicum, remains a significant public health concern in China. As the sole intermediate host of S. japonicum, the breeding and spread of Oncomelania hupensis contribute significantly to the potential risk of disease occurrence and transmission.

Widely targeted metabolomics analysis reveals dynamic changes in metabolites of 'Hass' avocado during postharvest ripening period.

Avocado (Persea americana Mill) is a climacteric fruit harvested at the green stage that ripens postharvest to become edible. The 'Hass' cultivar, known for its rich, buttery flavor and pear-shaped appearance, was studied for metabolite changes during postharvest ripening using UPLC-MS/MS approach. The 16-day ripening period could be divided into three stages: evolution (days 1-9), edible ripe (days 10-15) and overripe (day 16).

Common Variants in PLXNA4 and Correlation to Neuroimaging Phenotypes in Healthy, Mild Cognitive Impairment, and Alzheimer's Disease Cohorts.

A comprehensive genome-wide association study (GWAS) has validated the identification of the Plexin-A 4 (PLXNA4) gene as a novel susceptibility factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD). Nonetheless, the precise role of PLXNA4 gene polymorphisms in the pathophysiology of AD remains to be established. Consequently, this study is aimed at exploring the relationship between PLXNA4 gene polymorphisms and neuroimaging phenotypes intimately linked to AD.

Application of therapeutical nanoparticles with neutrophil membrane camouflaging for inflammatory plaques targeting against atherosclerosis.

Atherosclerosis is the leading cause of cardiovascular disease and myocardial infarction. Precise and effective plaque targeting is a major objective for therapeutic outcomes throughout various stages of atherosclerosis. Inspired by the natural recruitment of neutrophils in atherosclerotic plaques, we fabricated a simvastatin (ST)-loaded and neutrophil membrane-cloaked nanoplatform (NNP) for enhancing localized payload delivery and atherosclerosis management.

How hydrodynamic conditions drive the regime shift towards a bacterial state with lower carbon emissions in river bends.

Hydrodynamic conditions influenced by river sinuosity may alter carbon (e.g., carbon dioxide and methane) emissions and microbial communities responsible for nutrient turnover.

Extensive homologous recombination safeguards oocyte genome integrity in mammals.

Meiosis in mammalian oocytes is interrupted by a prolonged arrest at the germinal vesicle stage, during which oocytes have to repair DNA lesions to ensure genome integrity or otherwise undergo apoptosis. The FIRRM/FLIP-FIGNL1 complex dissociates RAD51 from the joint DNA molecules in both homologous recombination (HR) and DNA replication. However, as a type of non-meiotic, non-replicative cells, whether this RAD51-dismantling mechanism regulates genome integrity in oocytes remains elusive.

Electronically Coupled Heterojunctions Based on Graphene and Cu2-xS Nanocrystals: The Effect of the Surface Ligand.

Optoelectronic devices combining single-layer graphene (SLG) and colloidal semiconducting nanocrystal (NC) heterojunctions have recently gained significant attention as efficient hybrid photodetectors. While most research has concentrated on systems using heavy metal-based semiconductor NCs, there is a need for further exploration of environmentally friendly nanomaterials, such as CuS. Chemical ligands play a crucial role in these hybrid photodetectors, as they enable charge transfer between the NCs and SLG.

Diagnostic Performance of O-RADS US (Version 2019 and Version 2022) Incorporating Acoustic Shadowing by Junior Radiologists: Analyzing 1061 Adnexal Masses.

Introduction: Acoustic shadowing is an important benign ultrasound (US) feature for adnexal masses (AMs). To validate the diagnostic performance and interobserver agreement of the 2019 version and 2022 version of Ovarian-Adnexal Reporting and Data System Ultrasound (O-RADS US) and ascertain whether adding acoustic shadowing to O-RADS US v2019 as a benign ultrasound feature can enhance its diagnostic efficacy among junior radiologist.

Methods: This retrospective study included consecutive women with suspected adnexal masses who underwent ultrasound examinations between September 2022 and January 2024.

SRPKs Homolog Dsk1 Regulates Homologous Recombination Repair in Schizosaccharomyces pombe.

Serine-arginine protein kinases (SRPKs) play important roles in diverse biological processes such as alternative splicing and cell cycle. However, the functions of SRPKs in DNA damage response remain unclear. Here we characterized the function of SRPKs homolog Dsk1 in regulating DNA repair in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe.

Development and validation of a novel model to predict post-stroke cognitive impairment within 6 months after acute ischemic stroke.

Background: Cognitive decline following acute ischemic stroke (AIS), termed post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI), is a prevalent phenomenon that significantly elevates disability and mortality rates among affected patients. The objective of this investigation was to develop a robust clinical prediction model capable of forecasting PSCI within six months post-AIS and subsequently validate its effectiveness.

Methods: A cohort of 573 AIS patients was stratified into two groups: those with PSCI (260 cases) and those who remained cognitively normal (CN) (313 cases).

Effect of High-Energy Electron Beam Irradiation on the Structure and Thermoelectric Properties of Polypyrrole.

The effects of different doses (10-100 kGy) of electron beams on the molecular structure, microstructure, and thermoelectric properties of polypyrrole (PPy) under high-energy electron beam irradiation (10 MeV) were studied. The results showed that after electron beam irradiation, the conductivity of PPy increased slightly, but the Seebeck coefficient and power factor remained relatively stable. The structural analysis of FTIR, Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction indicated that the molecular structure of PPy was strongly stable, and its microstructure was only slightly affected by electron beam irradiation.

Beauty and Social Interest Matter: Effects of Male's Facial Attractiveness, Vocal Attractiveness and Social Interest on Female's Decisions in Three-Person Games.

Facial attractiveness, vocal attractiveness, and social interest influence two-person decision making. However, it remains unclear how these three factors jointly influence three-person bargaining. We investigated the impact of facial attractiveness, vocal attractiveness, and social interest on fairness decisions in a three-person ultimatum game and a third-party punishment dictator game.

Development of and Testing Novel Questionnaires Assessing Palliative Care-Related Knowledge, Attitudes, and Confidence Among Home Healthcare Clinicians, Patients, and Caregivers.

Palliative care improves the quality of life for seriously ill patients, but misconceptions and knowledge gaps hinder its implementation in home healthcare (HHC). This study developed and pilot-tested HHC-specific questionnaires to measure palliative care knowledge, attitudes, and confidence (PC-KAC) among clinicians, patients, and caregivers. Using literature reviews, expert input, and cognitive interviews, the questionnaires were refined to ensure clarity, practical relevance, and content validity.

Molecular engineering of supramolecular polymer adhesive with confined water and a single crown ether.

Here, we report a water-induced supramolecular polymer adhesive formed from confined water and an intrinsically amphiphilic macrocyclic self-assembly in a nanophase-separated structure. The selenium-containing crown ether macrocycle, featuring a strong hydrophilic hydrogen-bond receptor (selenoxide) and a synergistic hydrophobic selenium-substituted crown core, confines water within a segregated, interdigitated architecture. While water molecules typically freeze around 0 °C, the confined water in this supramolecular polymer remains in a liquid-like state down to -80 °C.

Enhancement of Zn adsorption on coal fly ash-based geopolymer with steel slag incorporation: Leaching behavior and performance insights.

Industrial solid wastes like coal fly ash (CFA) and steel slag pose environmental challenges, while the remediation of heavy metal-contaminated water remains a global priority. This study investigates the impact of incorporating steel slag during the synthesis of CFA-based geopolymers (CFAG) on the leaching characteristics of inherent heavy metals in CFA and the Zn adsorption performance of CFAG. Leaching experiments show geopolymerization effectively immobilizes heavy metals including Fe, Cr, As, Cd, and Ti in CFA while having little effect on Mn, V, and Ni.

Redox-stimulated catalytic DNA circuit for high-fidelity imaging of microRNA and in situ interpretation of the relevant regulatory pathway.

Biomolecules play essential roles in regulating the orderly progression of biochemical reaction networks. DNA-based biocircuits supplement an attractive and ideal approach for the visual imaging of endogenous biomolecules, yet their sensing performance is commonly encumbered by the undesired signal leakage. To solve this issue, here we proposed a glutathione (GSH)-activated DNA circuit for achieving the spatio-selective microRNA imaging through the successive response of a GSH-specific activation procedure and a non-enzymatic catalytic signal amplification procedure.

High-Throughput Formation of Pre-Vascularized hiPSC-Derived Hepatobiliary Organoids on a Chip via Nonparenchymal Cell Grafting.

Liver organoids have been increasingly adopted as a critical in vitro model to study liver development and diseases. However, the pre-vascularization of liver organoids without affecting liver parenchymal specification remains a long-lasting challenge, which is essential for their application in regenerative medicine. Here, the large-scale formation of pre-vascularized human hepatobiliary organoids (vhHBOs) is presented without affecting liver epithelial specification via a novel strategy, namely nonparenchymal cell grafting (NCG).

Identification of cancer-associated fibroblast subtypes and prognostic model development in breast cancer: role of the RUNX1/SDC1 axis in promoting invasion and metastasis.

In this study, we identified cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF) molecular subtypes and developed a CAF-based prognostic model for breast cancer (BRCA). The heterogeneity of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and their significant involvement in the advancement of BRCA were discovered employing single-cell RNA sequencing. Notably, we discovered that the RUNX1/SDC1 axis enhances BRCA cell invasion and metastasis.

Wild-Type and rtA181T/sW172* Mutant Strains of Hepatitis B Virus Drive Hepatocarcinogenesis via Distinct GRP78-Mediated ER Stress Pathways.

Glucose-regulated protein 78 kDa (GRP78), a key marker of endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS), is upregulated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissues, but its role in hepatitis B virus (HBV)-induced tumorigenesis remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the contribution of GRP78 to HBV-associated tumor development and explore the ERS pathways involved. The results showed that increased GRP78 expression in patients with HBV-related HCC was associated with a poor prognosis within the first 2 years following diagnosis.

Advancements in Betulinic Acid-Loaded Nanoformulations for Enhanced Anti-Tumor Therapy.

Betulinic acid (BA) is a natural compound obtained from plant extracts and is known for its diverse pharmacological effects, including anti-tumor, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and anti-atherosclerotic properties. Its potential in anti-tumor therapy has garnered considerable attention, particularly for the treatment of breast, lung, and liver cancers. However, the clinical utility of BA is greatly hindered by its poor water solubility, low bioavailability, and off-target toxicity.

Spontaneous bifacial capping of perovskite film for efficient and mechanically stable flexible solar cell.

Flexible perovskite solar cells (F-PSCs) are appealing for their flexibility and high power-to-weight ratios. However, the fragile grain boundaries (GBs) in perovskite films can lead to stress and strain cracks under bending conditions, limiting the performance and stability of F-PSCs. Herein, we show that the perovskite film can facilely achieve in situ bifacial capping via introducing 4-(methoxy)benzylamine hydrobromide (MeOBABr) as the precursor additive.