Status of macromolecular crystallography beamlines at SSRF.

Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility (SSRF) is a third-generation 3.5 GeV synchrotron facility located on the Chinese mainland, operational for user applications since 2009. With the completion of its Phase II project this year, SSRF now supports over 40 experimental stations across various research fields.

Effects of different additives on fermentation quality, mycotoxin concentrations, and microbial communities in high-moisture corn kernels during wet storage.

Introduction: The moisture content of corn kernels at harvest in China is relatively high, and wet storage effectively preserves high-moisture corn kernels. However, ensuring effective fermentation during storage is crucial.

Methods: To address this, we systematically investigated the variations in fermentation quality, mycotoxin concentrations, and microbial community composition under different additive treatments.

Japanese encephalitis virus NS3 captures the protein translation element by interacting with HNRNPH1 to promote viral replication.

Japanese encephalitis caused by Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) infection leads to the central nervous system disorder in human and swine. Viruses utilize the host protein synthesis mechanisms to efficiently translate their RNAs. Herein, we demonstrated that the host transcription factor SOX10 downregulated an RNA-binding protein heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein H (HNRNPH1) during JEV infection.

Metformin inhibits migration and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in non-small cell lung cancer cells through AMPK-mediated GDF15 induction.

The growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) may serve as a biomarker of metformin, which mediates the bodyweight lowering effect of metformin. However, whether GDF15 also serves as a molecular target of metformin to inhibit carcinogenesis remains largely unknown. This study examined the role and molecular mechanisms of GDF15 in the anticancer effects of metformin in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells, which has never been reported before.

Abundance and Seasonal Migration Patterns of Green Lacewings (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) across the Bohai Strait in Eastern Asia.

Many insects, including green lacewings, migrate seasonally to exploit suitable breeding and winter habitats. Green lacewings are important natural enemies of insect pests worldwide. Here, four dominant green lacewing species, (Okamoto), (Rambur), (Okamoto), and , were investigated for their ability to migrate between northern and northeastern China across the Bohai Strait from late May to late October each year.

Fluorocarbon Nanodroplets: Their Formation and Stability in Complex Solution Systems.

Perfluorocarbon (PFC) nanodroplets (NDs) are expanding in a wide range of applications in biotechnology and nanotechnology. Their efficacy in biological systems is significantly influenced by their size uniformity and stability within bioelectrolyte contexts. Presently, methods for creating monodisperse, highly concentrated, and well-stabilized PFC NDs under harsh conditions using low energy consumption methods have not been thoroughly developed, and their stability has not been sufficiently explored.

Population dynamics and seasonal migration patterns of in northern China based on 11 years of monitoring data.

Background: The beet armyworm, (Hübner), is an important agricultural pest worldwide that has caused serious economic losses in the main crop-producing areas of China. To effectively monitor and control this pest, it is crucial to investigate its population dynamics and seasonal migration patterns in northern China.

Methods: In this study, we monitored the population dynamics of using sex pheromone traps in Shenyang, Liaoning Province from 2012 to 2022, combining these data with amigration trajectory simulation approach and synoptic weather analysis.

Epigallocatechin gallate suppresses mitotic clonal expansion and adipogenic differentiation of preadipocytes through impeding JAK2/STAT3-mediated transcriptional cascades.

Background: Mitotic clonal expansion (MCE) is a prerequisite for preadipocyte differentiation and adipogenesis. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) has been shown to inhibit preadipocyte differentiation. However, the exact molecular mechanisms are still elusive.

Effects of Nanobubbles on Photochemical Processes of Levofloxacin Photosensitizer.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) stands as an efficacious modality for the treatment of cancer and various diseases, in which optimization of the electron transfer and augmentation of the production of lethal reactive oxygen species (ROS) represent pivotal challenges to enhance its therapeutic efficacy. Empirical investigations have established that the spontaneous initiation of redox reactions associated with electron transfer is feasible and is located in the gas-liquid interfaces. Meanwhile, nanobubbles (NBs) are emerging as entities capable of furnishing a plethora of such interfaces, attributed to their stability and large surface/volume ratio in bulk water.

General Pyrolysis for High-Loading Transition Metal Single Atoms on 2D-Nitro-Oxygeneous Carbon as Efficient ORR Electrocatalysts.

Single-atom catalysts (SACs) possess the potential to involve the merits of both homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts altogether and thus have gained considerable attention. However, the large-scale synthesis of SACs with rich isolate-metal sites by simple and low-cost strategies has remained challenging. In this work, we report a facile one-step pyrolysis that automatically produces SACs with high metal loading (5.

The complete chloroplast genome sequence of Linnaeus, 1753 (Sterculiaceae).

Linnaeus, 1753, is a weedy tropical plant of the Sterculiaceae family and has medicinal value. We sequenced the complete chloroplast genome of using Illumina high-throughput sequencing and examined phylogenetic relationships with closely related species. The assembled chloroplast genome of was 163,693 bp long and contained a pair of inverted repeats of 29,729 bp, separated by a large single-copy sequence of 84,350 bp and a small single-copy region of 19,885 bp.

Finback: a web-based data collection system at SSRF biological macromolecular crystallography beamlines.

An integrated computer software system for macromolecular crystallography (MX) data collection at the BL02U1 and BL10U2 beamlines of the Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility is described. The system, Finback, implements a set of features designed for the automated MX beamlines, and is marked with a user-friendly web-based graphical user interface (GUI) for interactive data collection. The Finback client GUI can run on modern browsers and has been developed using several modern web technologies including WebSocket, WebGL, WebWorker and WebAssembly.

Side effects of X-ray irradiation on flight ability of Cydia pomonella moth.

Background: The sterile insect technique (SIT) has proven to be an effective approach in managing the population of major invasive pests. Our previous studies showed that irradiation of Cydia pomonella males at a dosage of 366 Gy X-rays resulted in complete sterility. However, the mating competitiveness of sterilized males is significantly compromised, which can be attributed to a decline in their ability to fly.

The Effect of X-ray Irradiation on the Fitness and Field Adaptability of the Codling Moth: An Orchard Study in Northeast China.

The codling moth, (L.), is an invasive agricultural pest of pome fruits and walnuts in China that threatens the apple industry in the Loess Plateau and Bohai Bay; it has developed resistance to many insecticides. Sterile insect technique (SIT) combined with area-wide integrated pest management (AW-IPM) can reduce the risk of resistance to insecticides and effectively control some insect pest species.

Comigration and interactions between two species of rice planthopper (Laodelphax striatellus and Sogatella furcifera) and natural enemies in eastern Asia.

Background: Natural enemies are important in pest control. However, control by natural enemies is hindered by the migration of rice planthoppers. Therefore, comigration and interactions between Laodelphax striatellus (Fallén) and Sogatella furcifera (Horváth) and five predator species, Chrysoperla sinica Tjeder, Harmonia axyridis (Pallas), Episyrphus balteatus, Syrphus corollae (Fab.

Reactive oxygen species-mediated phosphorylation of JNK is involved in the regulation of BmFerHCH on Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus proliferation.

c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) phosphorylation is widely observed during virus infection, modulating various aspects of the virus-host interaction. In our previous research, we have proved that B. mori ferritin heavy-chain homolog (BmFerHCH), an inhibitor of reactive oxygen species (ROS), facilitates B.

Characterization and phylogenetic analysis of the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of Photinia serratifolia.

Plant mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) are a valuable source of genetic information for a better understanding of phylogenetic relationships. However, no mitogenome of any species in the genus of Photinia has been reported. In this study, using NGS sequencing, we reported the mitogenome assembly and annotation of Photinia serratifolia, which is 473,579 bp in length, contains 38 protein-coding genes, 23 tRNAs, and 6 rRNAs, with 61 genes have no introns.

Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide inhibits HSC activation and liver fibrosis via targeting inflammation, apoptosis, cell cycle, and ECM-receptor interaction mediated by TGF-β/Smad signaling.

Background: Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide (GLP) has many biological properties, however, the anti-fibrosis effect of GLP is unknown at present.

Purpose: This study aimed to examine the anti-fibrogenic effect of GLP and its underlying molecular mechanisms in vivo and in vitro.

Study Design: Both CCl-induced mouse and TGF-β1-induced HSC-T6 cellular models of fibrosis were established to examine the anti-fibrogenic effect of a water-soluble GLP (25 kDa) extracted from the sporoderm-removed spores of G.

NAG-1/GDF15 inhibits diabetic nephropathy via inhibiting AGE/RAGE-mediated inflammation signaling pathways in C57BL/6 mice and HK-2 cells.

Aims: Our previous studies showed that the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug-activated gene-1, or growth differentiation factor-15 (NAG-1/GDF15) inhibits obesity and diabetes in mice. The current study aimed to examine the role and molecular mechanisms of NAG-1/GDF15 in diabetic nephropathy (DN), which is largely unknown.

Main Methods: Both male and female wild-type (Wt) C57BL/6 mice and mice overexpressing human NAG-1/GDF15 (transgenic, Tg) were used, which were induced by high-fat diet (HFD)/streptozotocin (STZ) to establish the mouse model of DN.

Removing the sporoderm from the sporoderm-broken spores of improves the anticancer and immune-regulatory activity of water-soluble polysaccharide.

Plant-derived polysaccharides have demonstrated promising anti-cancer effects immune-regulatory activity. The aim of the current study was to compare the chemical property and the anticancer effects of polysaccharides extracted from the sporoderm-removed spores of the medicinal mushroom (RSGLP), which removed the sporoderm completely, with polysaccharides extracted from the sporoderm-broken spores of (BSGLP). We found that RSGLP has a higher extraction yield than BSGLP.

Gut Bacterial Diversity and Community Structure of Spodoptera exigua (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in the Welsh Onion-producing Areas of North China.

Gut microbiota play an important role in digestion, development, nutritional metabolism, and detoxification in insects. However, scant information exists on the gut bacterial variation, composition, and community structure of the beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua (Hübner), and how its gut microbiota has adapted to different geographical environments. Using 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing technology, we detected 3,837,408 high-quality reads and 1,457 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) in 47 gut samples of S.

Formation of Bulk Nanobubbles Induced by Accelerated Electrons Irradiation: Dependences on Dose Rates and Doses of Irradiation.

Radiation on aqueous solutions can induce water radiolysis with products of radicals, H, HO, and so on, and their consequent biological effects have long been interested in radiation chemistry. Unlike the decomposition of water by electric current that produces a significant number of bubbles, the gas products from the radiolysis of water are normally invisible by bare eyes, little is known on whether nanosized bubbles can be produced and what their dynamics are upon irradiation. Here, we first presented the formation of nanoscale bulk bubbles by irradiating pure water with accelerated electrons and their concentration and size distribution changes with the dose and rate of irradiation.

Growth differentiation factor-15 overexpression promotes cell proliferation and predicts poor prognosis in cerebral lower-grade gliomas correlated with hypoxia and glycolysis signature.

Aims: Growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF15) plays complex and controversial roles in cancer. In this study, the prognostic value and the exact biological function of GDF15 in cerebral lower-grade gliomas (LGGs) and its potential molecular targets were examined.

Main Methods: Wilcoxon signed-rank test and logistic regression were applied to analyze associations between GDF15 expression and clinical characteristics using the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database.

Overexpression of NAG-1/GDF15 prevents hepatic steatosis through inhibiting oxidative stress-mediated dsDNA release and AIM2 inflammasome activation.

Mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress-mediated inflammasome activation play critical roles in the pathogenesis of the non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)-activated gene-1 (NAG-1), or growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF15), is associated with many biological processes and diseases, including NAFLD. However, the role of NAG-1/GDF15 in regulating oxidative stress and whether this process is associated with absent in melanoma 2 (AIM2) inflammasome activation in NAFLD are unknown.