Functional Characterization and Molecular Basis of a Multi-Site Halogenase in Naphthacemycin Biosynthesis.

Halogenases are spurring a growing interest in the fields of biosynthesis and biocatalysis. Although various halogenases have been identified in numerous natural product biosynthetic pathways, the mechanisms for multiple halogenations and site-selectivity remain largely unclear. In this study, we biochemically characterized FasV, a flavin-dependent halogenase (FDH) that catalyzes five successive chlorinations in the biosynthesis of the naphthacene-containing aromatic polyketide naphthacemycin.

Arsenic trioxide versus Realgar-Indigo naturalis formula in non-high-risk acute promyelocytic leukemia: a multicenter, randomized trial.

Realgar-Indigo Naturalis Formula (RIF) is an oral form of arsenic that is effective against acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). This multicenter, randomized, controlled trial compared the efficacy of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) plus RIF with ATRA plus arsenic trioxide (ATO) in a simplified regimen for non-high-risk APL. Following induction therapy with ATRA and ATO, participants were randomly assigned to receive either ATRA plus ATO or ATRA plus RIF both in a 2-week on 2-week off schedule for consolidation therapy.

Comparing the diagnostic value of targeted with metagenomic next-generation sequencing in immunocompromised patients with lower respiratory tract infection.

Background: Accurate identification of the etiology of lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) is crucial, particularly for immunocompromised patients with more complex etiologies. The advent of next-generation sequencing (NGS) has enhanced the effectiveness of pathogen detection. However, assessments of the clinical diagnostic value of targeted NGS (tNGS) in immunocompromised patients with LRTI are limited.

Prenylated indole diketopiperazine alkaloids as phosphatase inhibitors from the marine-derived fungus Talaromyces purpureogenus.

Six previously undescribed prenylated indole diketopiperazine alkaloids, talaromyines A-F (1-6), were isolated from the marine-derived fungus Talaromyces purpureogenus SCSIO 41517. Their structures including absolute configurations were elucidated on the basis of comprehensive spectroscopic data including NMR, HR-ESI-MS, and electronic circular dichroism calculations, together with chemical analysis of hydrolysates. Compounds 1-5 represent the first example of spirocyclic indole diketopiperazines biosynthesized from the condensation of L-tryptophan and L-alanine.

Changing respiratory pathogens infection patterns after COVID-19 pandemic in Shanghai, China.

To assess the positive rate of 11 respiratory pathogens in 2023, providing a comprehensive summary and analysis of the respiratory infection patterns after COVID-19 pandemic. The study comprised 7544 inpatients suspected of respiratory infections who underwent respiratory pathogen multiplex polymerase chain reaction tests from July 2022 to December 31, 2023. We analyzed the positive rate of 11 pathogens over 18 months and the characterization of infection patterns among different age groups and immune states.

Microascones, Decahydrofluorene-Class Alkaloids from the Marine-Derived Fungus sp. SCSIO 41821.

Eight new decahydrofluorene-class alkaloids, microascones A and B ( and ), 2,3-epoxyphomapyrrolidone C (), 14,16-epiascomylactam B (), 24-hydroxyphomapyrrolidone A (), and microascones C-E (-), along with five known analogs (-) were isolated from the marine-derived fungus sp. SCSIO 41821. Compounds and have an unprecedented complex macrocyclic alkaloid skeleton with a 6/5/6/5/6/5/13 polycyclic system.

Integrative Analysis of Metabolome and Transcriptome Provides Insights into the Mechanism of Flower Induction in Pineapple ( (L.) Merr.) by Ethephon.

Exogenous ethylene is commonly utilized to initiate flower induction in pineapple ( (L.) Merr.).

Angucyclinones with IDO and TDO inhibitory activities isolated from the actinomycetes Umezawaea beigongshangensis.

Four previously undescribed angucyclinones umezawaones A-D (1-4) were isolated from the liquid cultures of Umezawaea beigongshangensis. Their structures were determined by spectroscopic analyses, single crystal X-ray diffraction, quantum chemical C NMR and electronic circular dichroism calculations. All compounds displayed strong inhibitory activities against indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase and tryptophan-2,3-dioxygenase in enzymatic assay, especially compound 2.

Alternaphenol B2, a new IDH1 inhibitor from the coral-derived fungus SCSIO SX7W11.

A new aromatic polyketide, alternaphenol B2 (), and four known compounds () were isolated from the coralderived fungus SCSIO SX7W11. Their structures were elucidated by high-resolution mass spectrometry, 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy and comparison with reported literatures. Compounds and exhibited selective inhibitory activity against isocitrate dehydrogenase mutant R132H (IDH1m), with IC values of 41.

Like-Charge PISA: Polymerization-Induced Like-Charge Electrostatic Self-Assembly.

We report the use of l-aspartic acid chiral ionic hydrogen bonds to drive liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) and precision two-dimensional electrostatic self-assembly in photo-RAFT aqueous polymerization-induced self-assembly (photo-PISA). Homopolymerization can yield salt-resistant, 3 nm ultrafine fibril-structured 5 nm ultrathin lamellae LLPS, a left-to-right-handed chirality transition, and a droplets-to-lamellae transition. Like-charge block copolymerization leads to supercharged yet identical fibril-structured ultrathin lamellae, also, LLPS, the left-to-right chirality transition and the droplets-to-lamellae transition.

Plasmon-Mediated Oxidase-like Activity on Ag@ZnS Heterostructured Hollow Nanowires for Rapid Visual Detection of Nitrite.

Rational design of fast and sensitive determination of nitrite (NO) from a complicated actual sample overtakes a crucial role in constructing a high-efficiency sensing platform. Herein, a visual NO sensing platform with outstanding selectivity, sensitivity, and stability based on a surface plasmon resonance (SPR)-enhanced oxidase-like activity has been proposed. Benefiting from the intrinsic photocatalytic activity and limited light penetration of ZnS, the oxidase-like activity based on ZnS decorated on Ag nanowires (Ag@ZnS) is determined.

Coupling Transition Metal Compound with Single-Atom Site for Water Splitting Electrocatalysis.

Single-atom site catalysts (SACs) provide an ideal platform to identify the active centers, explore the catalytic mechanism, and establish the structure-property relationships, and thus have attracted increasing interests for electrocatalytic energy conversion. Substantial endeavors have been devoted to the construction of carbon-supported SACs, and their progress have been comprehensively reviewed. Compared with carbon-supported SACs, transition metal compounds (TMCs)-supported SACs are still in their infancy in the field of electrocatalysis.

Mo doping and Se vacancy engineering for boosting electrocatalytic water oxidation by regulating the electronic structure of self-supported CoSe@NiSe.

Oxygen evolution reactions (OERs) are regarded as the rate-determining step of electrocatalytic overall water splitting, which endow OER electrocatalysts with the advantages of high activity, low cost, good conductivity, and excellent stability. Herein, a facile HO-assisted etching method is proposed for the fabrication of Mo-doped ultrathin CoSe@NiSe/NF-X heterojunctions with rich Se vacancies to boost electrocatalytic water oxidation. After step-by-step electronic structure modulation by Mo doping and Se vacancy engineering, the self-standing Mo-CoSe@NiSe/NF-60 heterojunctions deliver a current density of 50 mA cm with an overpotential of 343 mV and a cell voltage of only 1.

Clinical characteristics of the host DNA-removed metagenomic next-generation sequencing technology for detecting SARS-CoV-2, revealing host local immune signaling and assisting genomic epidemiology.

Background: Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) technology has been central in detecting infectious diseases and helping to simultaneously reveal the complex interplay between invaders and their hosts immune response characteristics. However, it needs to be rigorously assessed for clinical utility. The present study is the first to evaluate the clinical characteristics of the host DNA-removed mNGS technology for detecting SARS-CoV-2, revealing host local immune signaling and assisting genomic epidemiology.

Cation-Anion Dual Doping Modifying Electronic Structure of Hollow CoP Nanoboxes for Enhanced Water Oxidation Electrocatalysis.

Tuning the electronic state of a nanocatalyst is of vital importance for elevating its catalytic performance toward oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Herein, a cation-anion dual doping strategy has been proposed for modifying the electronic structure of CoP via doping Fe and S atoms. Impressively, Fe doping has been demonstrated to be favorable for improving the carrier density of CoP to produce more hydroxyl radicals (OH), while S doping can further modify the electronic structure of CoP to improve the charge-transfer characteristics, thereby synergistically decreasing the energy barrier for the transformation of O* to OOH* and promoting the electrocatalytic OER performance.

Carotane sesquiterpenoids A-G from the desert endophytic fungus sp. HM 166.

Seven undescribed carotane sesquiterpenoids named fusanoids A-G (1-7), along with one known analog (8) and two known sesterterpenes (9 and 10), were isolated from the fermentation broth of the desert endophytic fungi sp. HM166. The structures of the compounds, including their absolute configurations, were determined by spectroscopic data, single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis, and ECD calculations.

Sesquiterpene lactone dimers from the fruit of Carpesium abrotanoides L.

Seven undescribed sesquiterpene lactone dimers (SLDs) (carpeabrodilactones A-G), one known SLD, and six known sesquiterpenes were isolated from the fruit of Carpesium abrotanoides L. Carpeabrodilactone A was a dimeric carabrane featuring a rare C-13-C-13' linkage. Carpeabrodilactones B and C are the first two SLDs to be described possessing a carabranolide unit and a guaianolide unit connected by an O-ether linkage.

Stability of Aquatic Nitrogen Cycle Under Dramatic Changes of Water and Sediment Inflows to the Three Gorges Reservoir.

Stability of nitrogen cycle is a key indicator to aquatic health. In recent years, water and sediment inflows to the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) have changed significantly. To reveal the effects of such dramatic hydrological changes on aquatic nitrogen cycle, this paper at first analyzed the changing trends of water and suspended sediment discharges of TGR based on dynamic harmonic regression, and found that the intra-year distribution of water flow was significantly homogenized between flood and dry seasons, with the seasonal variations narrowed by 43.

Local photothermal and photoelectric effect synergistically boost hollow CeO/CoS heterostructure electrocatalytic oxygen evolution reaction.

Solar-assisted electrocatalytic oxygen evolution reaction (OER) plays a key role in energy conversion and storage technology. Herein, we provide the novel design and synthesis of an advanced category of CeO/CoS heterostructures, which combines the local photothermal effect (LPTE) action of CeO and the photoelectric effect CoS to boost OER. Interestingly, the hollow framework, rich heterointerface, coupled local photothermal effect and photoelectric effect equip CeO/CoS with remarkably excellent electrocatalytic OER performance.

Pyrrospirones K-Q, Decahydrofluorene-Class Alkaloids from the Marine-Derived Fungus sp. SCSIO 41512.

Seven new decahydrofluorene-class alkaloids, pyrrospirones K-Q (-), together with six known analogues (-) were isolated from the marine-derived fungal strain sp. SCSIO 41512. Their structures were determined by extensive spectroscopic analysis, and their absolute configurations were established by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis and quantum chemical calculations of electronic circular dichroism spectra.

Discovery of glycosylated naphthacemycins and elucidation of the glycosylation.

Two glycosylated naphthacemycins (naphthacemycins D and D) were identified in Streptomyces sp. N12W1565. These two compounds not only showed antimicrobial potential against bacteria but also exhibited more aqueous solubility than naphthacemycins.

Two-dimensional polymerization-induced electrostatic self-assembly a C12-polyelectrolyte lamellar template.

We present a template strategy for precision synthesis of "complex coacervates-in-dodecyl atmosphere" ultrathin lamellae possessing exceptional shape-preservation and charge-tolerance properties.

Nanostructured Multiphase Condensation of Complex Coacervates in Polymerization-Induced Electrostatic Self-Assembly.

We present the nanostructured multiphase condensation of complex coacervates in the dynamic evolving aqueous medium of liquid-liquid phase separation driven polymerization-induced electrostatic self-assembly (LLPS-PIESA). We show that the parent droplets evolve into nanostructured coacervate-in-coacervate multiphase condensates with diverse morphologies, such as dandelions, worms, lamellae, vesicles, and vesicle polymers, upon the kinetically dictated recruitment of anionic free chains, cationic growing chains, and nascent clusters from the dynamic evolving aqueous medium of LLPS-PIESA, under the interplay of electrostatic and arginine-like salt bridge interactions.

Liquid-Phase Condensation via Macromolecular Crowding in Polymerization-Induced Electrostatic Self-Assembly.

Macromolecular crowding plays a key role in liquid-phase condensation of proteins and membraneless organelles yet is largely unexplored for artificial liquid materials. Herein, we present a strategy for direct access to multiphase liquid condensates with individual charged/neutral subdomains, by introducing macromolecular crowding to our previous protocol of liquid-liquid phase-separation-driven polymerization-induced electrostatic self-assembly (LLPS-PIESA). We show that reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) aqueous dispersion photo-copolymerization of a charged monomer with a specific neutral monomer, in the presence of a polar macrochain transfer agent (CTA) and an oppositely charged polyion, can induce self-sorting and macromolecular crowding.