Structures and determinants of soil microbiomes along a steep elevation gradient in Southwest China.

Soil microbial communities play a vital role in accelerating nutrient cycling and stabilizing ecosystem functions in forests. However, the diversity of soil microbiome and the mechanisms driving their distribution patterns along elevational gradients in montane areas remain largely unknown. In this study, we investigated the soil microbial diversity along an elevational gradient from 650 m to 3,800 m above sea level in southeast Tibet, China, through DNA metabarcode sequencing of both the bacterial and fungal communities.

Construction and Expression of Fc-FGF21 by Different Expression Systems and Comparison of Their Similarity and Difference with Efruxifermin by In Vitro and In Vivo Studies.

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a potential serious disease, which almost has no available medicine for effective treatment today. Efruxifermin is a bivalent Fc-FGF21 candidate drug developed by Akero Therapeutics that has shown promising results in preclinical and clinical trials for NASH and may be approved in future. However, it is produced by Escherichia coli (E.

Programmable flip-metasurface with dynamically tunable reflection and broadband undistorted transmission.

We introduce a programmable flip-metasurface that can dynamically control the reflection while leaving the transmitted wavefront undistorted in an ultra-broad spectrum, i.e., the same as that of the incidence.

Anisotropic Etching of Monolayer MoS Flakes for Zigzag Edges in Chemical Vapor Deposition.

The edge of two-dimensional (2D) flakes of transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) profoundly influences their optical, electronic, catalytic, and magnetic properties due to the asymmetric atomic configurations on the edge. As a reverse process of growth, the etching of monolayer MoS flakes can be modulated by tuning the sulfur stoichiometric ratio in chemical vapor deposition. Here, we report studies of the high-density formation of etched pores with defined orientations on MoS flakes.

Simulation study of flexible wavefront shaping in Smith-Purcell radiation with aperiodic metagratings.

Smith-Purcell radiation (SPR) is a versatile platform for finely tuning nanoscale light across a broad spectral range. This study introduces a theoretical approach for shaping SPR wavefronts using aperiodic metagratings (AMGs). The AMGs consist of arrays of identical metal nano-rods (MNRs), with each MNR's spatial position precisely adjustable.

Pangolin scales as adaptations for innate immunity against pathogens.

Background: Pangolins are the only mammals that have overlapping scales covering most of their bodies, and they play a crucial role in the ecosystem, biological research, and human health and disease. Previous studies indicated pangolin scale might provide an important mechanical defense to themselves. The origin and exact functions of this unique trait remain a mystery.

TMT-Based Quantitative Proteomic Profiling of Human Esophageal Cancer Cells Reveals the Potential Mechanism and Potential Therapeutic Targets Associated With Radioresistance.

Purpose: The recurrence of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) in radiation therapy treatment presents a complex challenge due to its resistance to radiation. However, the mechanism underlying the development of radioresistance in ESCC remains unclear. In this study, we aim to uncover the mechanisms underlying radioresistance in ESCC cells and identify potential targets for radiosensitization.

Metabolomics, phytohormone and transcriptomics strategies to reveal the mechanism of barley heading date regulation to responds different photoperiod.

Background: The correlation between heading date and flowering time significantly regulates grain filling and seed formation in barley and other crops, ultimately determining crop productivity. In this study, the transcriptome, hormone content detection, and metabolome analysis were performed systematically to analyze the regulatory mechanism of heading time in highland barley under different light conditions. The heading date of D18 (winter highland barley variety, Dongqing18) was later than that of K13 (vernal highland barley variety) under normal growth conditions or long-day (LD) treatment, while this situation will reverse with short-day (SD) treatment.

Interferon-responsive neutrophils and macrophages extricate SARS-CoV-2 Omicron critical patients from the nasty fate of sepsis.

The SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant is characterized by its high transmissibility, which has caused a worldwide epidemiological event. Yet, it turns ominous once the disease progression degenerates into severe pneumonia and sepsis, presenting a horrendous lethality. To elucidate the alveolar immune or inflammatory landscapes of Omicron critical-ill patients, we performed single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) from the patients with critical pneumonia caused by Omicron infection, and analyzed the correlation between the clinical severity scores and different immune cell subpopulations.

Dewdrop Metasurfaces and Dynamic Control Based on Condensation and Evaporation.

Dewdrops, the droplets of water naturally occurring on leaves and carapaces of insects, are a fascinating phenomenon in nature. Here, a man-made array of dewdrops with arbitrary shapes and arrangements, which can function as an electromagnetic metasurface, is demonstrated. The realization of the dewdrop array is enabled by a surface covered by a tailored pattern of hydrophilic and hydrophobic coatings, where tiny droplets of water can aggregate and form dewdrops on the former.

Translocational attenuation mediated by the PERK-SRP14 axis is a protective mechanism of unfolded protein response.

The unfolded protein response (UPR) relieves endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress through multiple strategies, including reducing protein synthesis, increasing protein folding capabilities, and enhancing misfolded protein degradation. After a multi-omics analysis, we find that signal recognition particle 14 (SRP14), an essential component of the SRP, is markedly reduced in cells undergoing ER stress. Further experiments indicate that SRP14 reduction requires PRKR-like ER kinase (PERK)-mediated eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2α (eIF2α) phosphorylation but is independent of ATF4 or ATF3 transcription factors.

Revealing the distinct clinical patterns and relapse risk factors in seronegative IgG4-RD patients: A retrospective cohort study over a decade.

Objectives: Our study aimed to investigate the distinct clinical patterns of seronegative IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) patients.

Methods: We retrospectively enrolled 698 treatment-naïve IgG4-RD patients in this study. Patients were divided into four different subgroups according to their baseline serum IgG4 levels.

Amino acid metabolomics and machine learning for assessment of post-hepatectomy liver regeneration.

Objective: Amino acid (AA) metabolism plays a vital role in liver regeneration. However, its measuring utility for post-hepatectomy liver regeneration under different conditions remains unclear. We aimed to combine machine learning (ML) models with AA metabolomics to assess liver regeneration in health and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).

Matte surfaces with broadband transparency enabled by highly asymmetric diffusion of white light.

The long-standing paradox between matte appearance and transparency has deprived traditional matte materials of optical transparency. Here, we present a solution to this centuries-old optical conundrum by harnessing the potential of disordered optical metasurfaces. Through the construction of a random array of meta-atoms tailored in asymmetric backgrounds, we have created transparent matte surfaces that maintain clear transparency regardless of the strength of disordered light scattering or their matte appearances.

Flow field-flow fractionation coupled with multidetector: A robust approach for the separation and characterization of resistant starch.

The unique properties of resistant starch (RS) have made it applicable in the formulation of a broad range of functional foods. The physicochemical properties of RS play a crucial role in its applications. Recently, flow field-flow fractionation (FlFFF) has attracted increasing interest in the separation and characterization of different categories of RS.

Global acetylome profiling indicates EPA impedes but OA promotes prostate cancer motility through altered acetylation of PFN1 and FLNA.

Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the leading causes of cancer morbidity and mortality in men. Metastasis is the main cause of PCa-associated death. Recent evidence indicated a significant reduction in PCa mortality associated with higher ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) consumption.

Realizing high-efficiency third harmonic generation via accidental bound states in the continuum.

The bound states in the continuum (BICs) have attracted much attention in designing metasurface due to their high Q-factor and effectiveness in suppressing radiational loss. Here we report on the realization of the third harmonic generation (THG) at a near-ultraviolet wavelength (343 nm) via accidental BICs in a metasurface. The absolute conversion efficiency of the THG reaches 1.

Association between sleep apnea-specific hypoxic burden and severity of coronary artery disease.

Purpose: Sleep apnea-specific hypoxic burden (SASHB) is a polysomnographic metric that comprehensively measures the degree of nocturnal desaturation caused by obstructive sleep apnea. This research was conducted to elucidate the relationship between SASHB and coronary artery disease (CAD) severity.

Methods: We carried out a prospective study of hospitalized patients with CAD of unstable angina who were expected to undergo invasive coronary angiography at Beijing Anzhen Hospital from February to September 2023.

Widely targeted quantitative lipidomics reveal lipid remodeling in adipose tissue after long term of the combined exposure to bisphenol A and fructose.

Adipose tissue is the main organ that stores lipids and it plays important roles in metabolic balance in the body. We recently reported in Human and Experimental Toxicology that the combined exposure to BPA and fructose may interfere with energy metabolism of adipose tissue. However, it is still unclear whether the combined exposure to BPA and fructose has the possibility to induce lipid remodeling in adipose tissue.

Surgical therapy and outcome of descending necrotizing mediastinitis in Chinese: a single-center series.

Background: Descending Necrotizing Mediastinitis (DNM) is an acute and often fatal infection that affects the neck and mediastinum. DNM treatment consists of broad-spectrum antibiotics, early diagnosis, and surgical debridement with multidisciplinary cooperation. However, owing to the rarity and complexity of this disease, the mortality rate is high.

The effect of fructose exposure on amino acid metabolism among Chinese community residents and its possible multi-omics mechanisms.

The consumption of fructose has increased dramaticly during the last few decades, inducing a great increase in the risk of intrahepatic lipid accumulation, hypertriglyceridemia, hyperuricemia and cancer. However, the underlying mechanism has not yet been fully elucidated. Amino acid metabolism may play an important role in the process of the diseases caused by fructose, but there is still a lack of corresponding evidence.

Indole-3-Aldehyde Reduces Inflammatory Responses and Restores Intestinal Epithelial Barrier Function Partially via Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor (AhR) in Experimental Colitis Models.

Purpose: Indole-3-aldehyde (IAld) has been shown to improve intestinal epithelial barrier (IEB) function through the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) in murine colitis models. However, the impact of IAld on intestinal tissue inflammation remains unexplored. This study aimed to investigate the effects of IAld on the inflammatory responses of the gut both in vivo and in vitro and probe the mechanisms by which IAld attenuates colitis.