Biosynthesis of the Central Tricyclic Skeleton of Trichothecene Mycotoxins.

Trichothecenes are a widespread family of sesquiterpenoid toxins that can pose significant risks to food and feed safety as well as environmental health. A defining feature of all trichothecenes is their central tricyclic 12,13-epoxytrichothec-9-ene (EPT) motif. Although the formation of the EPT central skeleton has long been presumed to be a spontaneous process, the nonenzymatic cyclization reaction forming the tetrahydropyran ring in EPT requires acid catalysis; otherwise, it occurs too slowly to sustain efficient trichothecene biosynthesis under physiological conditions.

Sauchinone preserves cardiac function in doxorubicin-induced cardiomyopathy by inhibiting the NLRP3 inflammasome.

Background: Doxorubicin (Dox)-induced cardiomyopathy (DIC) is characterized by severe myocardial damage that can progress to dilated cardiomyopathy and potentially lead to heart failure. No effective prevention or treatment strategies are available for DIC. Sauchinone, a diastereomeric lignan isolated from Saururus chinensis, is known for its notable anti-inflammatory effects.

Initially anode-free sodium metal battery enabled by strain-engineered single-crystal aluminum substrate with (100)-preferred orientation.

Constructing high cycling stability and rate performance under limited or ideally zero sodium excess, namely initially anode-free design, which can obtain the ultimate energy density of sodium metal batteries, is highly desired yet remains challenging. Here, highly ordered and regularly arranged Al(100) single crystal current collector is constructed based on the grain boundary migration theory through a simple high-temperature calcination method, which eliminates the diffusion resistance of Na migration at grain boundaries, reduces the nucleation overpotential and interface diffusion energy barrier, increases the Na transfer rate, and exhibits uniform reversible sodium deposition capability. Profiting from the modified current collector surface, the Al(100) electrode can be cycled stably for 500 cycles with a Coulombic efficiency of 99.

Screening and Validation of Potential Biomarkers of Immune Cells in Childhood Asthma Patients via Mendelian Randomization and Machine Learning.

Purpose: Asthma is one of the most common chronic respiratory diseases affecting children, and there is currently no clear remedy. Immune cells play a key role in childhood asthma. Therefore, a deeper investigation of the correlation between immune cells and childhood asthma could lead to a better understanding of asthma's origin, the identification of potential treatment targets, and the development of personalized treatment strategies.

ZIF-8 Functionalized Separator Regulating Na-Ion Flux and Enabling High-Performance Sodium-Metal Batteries.

The practical application of sodium metal batteries faces significant challenges, such as unpredictable Na dendrite growth and the instability of solid-electrolyte interphase. Herein, a novel separator composed of glass fiber (GF) impregnated with a zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF-8) layer, referred to as GF@ZIF-8 is introduced. This optimized separator exhibits enhanced anti-puncture strength, a high Na transference number, and fast Na-ion conductivity.

Composite Polymer Solid Electrolytes for All-Solid-State Sodium Batteries.

Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) are emerging as a promising alternative to lithium-ion batteries, primarily due to their plentiful raw materials and cost-effectiveness. However, the use of traditional organic liquid electrolytes in sodium battery applications presents significant safety risks, prompting the investigation of solid electrolytes as a more viable solution. Despite their advantages, single solid electrolytes encounter challenges, including low conductivity of sodium ions at room temperature and incompatibility with electrode materials.

Enhancing Spin-Orbit coupling in covalent organic polymers to facilitate intersystem crossing for uranium (VI) photoreduction.

Photocatalytic removal and recovery of uranium from wastewater by heightening reactive oxygen species, especially superoxide radical (O), is of great significance for radioactive contamination remediation. However, limited by the sluggish intersystem crossing (ISC) rates, the generation of triplet excited states is inefficient in polymeric semiconductors, thereby lower the level of O. Herein, we first furnish a heteroatomic nitrogen-embedded strategy to enhance spin-orbit coupling (SOC) capacity of covalent organic polymers (COPs) by decorating benzo[c][1,2,5]thiadiazole-based COPs with the benzene, triazine, and tris([1,2,4]triazolo)[4,3-a:4',3'-c:4'',3''-e][1,3,5]triazine (TTT) cores, resulting in SOC value of 0.

Plasma-driven synthesis of nitrogen-doped graphene: unveiling the reaction mechanism and kinetic insights.

Context: The rotating arc plasma technique for the synthesis of nitrogen-doped graphene capitalizes on the distinctive attributes of plasma, presenting a straightforward, efficient, and catalyst-free strategy for the production of nitrogen-doped graphene. However, experimental outcomes generally fail to elucidate the atomic-level mechanism behind this process. Our research utilizes molecular dynamics simulations to explore theoretically the formation of radicals during the plasma-driven reaction between methane (CH₄) and nitrogen (N₂).

Cysteine S-conjugate sulfoxide β-lyase activity for human ACCS.

1-Aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate synthase (ACCS) catalyzes the conversion of S-adenosyl-methionine to 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC), a rate-limiting step in ethylene biosynthesis. A gene encoding a putative ACCS protein was identified in the human genome two decades ago. It has been shown to not exhibit any canonical ACC synthase activity and its true function remains obscure.

Parthenolide improves sepsis-induced coagulopathy by inhibiting mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis in vascular endothelial cells through BRD4/BCL-xL pathway.

Background: Sepsis is a systemic inflammatory syndrome that can cause coagulation abnormalities, leading to damage in multiple organs. Vascular endothelial cells (VECs) are crucial in the development of sepsis-induced coagulopathy (SIC). The role of Parthenolide (PTL) in regulating SIC by protecting VECs remains unclear.

An Attention-Based Multidimensional Fault Information Sharing Framework for Bearing Fault Diagnosis.

Deep learning has performed well in feature extraction and pattern recognition and has been widely studied in the field of fault diagnosis. However, in practical engineering applications, the lack of sample size limits the potential of deep learning in fault diagnosis. Moreover, in engineering practice, it is usually necessary to obtain multidimensional fault information (such as fault localization and quantification), while current methods mostly only provide single-dimensional information.

Substance P and neurokinin 1 receptor boost the pathogenicity of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor-producing T helper cells in dry eye disease.

Dry eye disease (DED) is an inflammatory disorder in which CD4 T cells play a significant role in its pathogenesis. A CD4 T cell subset termed granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor-producing T helper (ThGM) cells would contribute to DED pathogenesis. However, the mechanisms by which the activity of ThGM cells is modulated are not thoroughly understood.

Does smooth mean simple? The impact of tactile experience on judgments of difficulty.

People often associate roughness with difficulty, as a figure of speech. Studies have shown that there is a metaphorical connection between the concept of rough versus smooth feel and the degree of difficulty. However, it has not been determined whether rough and smooth tactile experiences influence judgments of perceived task difficulty from the perspective of physical metaphors.

Clinical practice of one-lung ventilation in mainland China: a nationwide questionnaire survey.

Background: Limited information is available regarding the application of lung-protective ventilation strategies during one-lung ventilation (OLV) across mainland China. A nationwide questionnaire survey was conducted to investigate this issue in current clinical practice.

Methods: The survey covered various aspects, including respondent demographics, the establishment and maintenance of OLV, intraoperative monitoring standards, and complications associated with OLV.

Biochemical dissection of a fungal highly reducing polyketide synthase condensing region reveals basis for acyl group selection.

Fungal highly reducing polyketide synthases (hrPKSs) are remarkable multidomain enzymes that catalyse the biosynthesis of a diverse range of structurally complex compounds. During biosynthesis, the ketosynthase (KS) and acyltransferase (AT) domains of the condensing region are visited by the acyl carrier protein (ACP) domain during every cycle, catalysing chain priming and elongation reactions. Despite their significance, our comprehension of how these steps contribute to biosynthetic fidelity remains poorly understood.

Proteomic study of the inhibitory effects of tannic acid on MRSA biofilm.

Introduction: The mechanism of tannic acid (TA) intervention on methicillin-resistant (MRSA, USA 300) biofilm formation was explored using proteomics.

Methods: The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of TA against the MRSA standard strain USA 300 was determined by two-fold serial dilution of the microbroth. The effects of TA were studied using crystal violet staining.

Kappa opioid receptor internalisation-induced p38 nuclear translocation suppresses glioma progression.

Background: Recent studies have implicated a role for perioperative medications in determining patient outcomes after surgery for malignant tumours, including relapse and metastasis.

Methods: A combined approach spanned molecular, cellular, and organismal levels, including bioinformatics, immunohistochemical staining of clinical and animal samples, RNA sequencing of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) cells with Ingenuity Pathway Analysis, lentiviral-mediated gene expression modulation, in vitro cell experiments, and in vivo orthotopic tumour transplantation.

Results: We observed a significant correlation between increased kappa opioid receptor (KOP receptor) expression and better prognosis in patients with glioma.

Association of Preoperative Serum Potassium With Postoperative Seizures in Patients Undergoing Elective Craniotomy.

Background And Objectives: Patients who undergo craniotomy are at risk of developing seizures during the postoperative period. Preoperative serum potassium as an important potential risk factor has not been investigated yet.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study involving adults undergoing elective craniotomy at West China Hospital, from January 2011 and March 2021.

Controllable Active Intermediate in CO Hydrogenation Enabling Highly Selective ,-Dimethylformamide Synthesis via -Formylation.

,-Dimethylformamide (DMF) is a widely used solvent, and its green and low-carbon synthesis methods are in high demand. Herein, we report a new approach for DMF synthesis using a continuous flow reaction system with a fixed-bed reactor and a ZnO-TiO solid solution catalyst. This catalyst effectively utilizes CO, H, and dimethylamine (DMA) as feedstocks, demonstrating performance with 99% DMF selectivity and single-pass DMA conversion approaching thermodynamic equilibrium.

Association between various types of corticosteroids and mortality for severe community-acquired pneumonia in adults: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.

Objective: This study aims to conduct a systematic review and network meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy and safety of specific corticosteroids, including but not limited to hydrocortisone, methylprednisolone, prednisolone, and dexamethasone, in the treatment of severe community-acquired pneumonia (SCAP). Efficacy will be assessed using specific outcomes, such as 30-day mortality and the requirement for mechanical ventilation. Safety evaluations will include adverse events like gastrointestinal bleeding and healthcare-associated infections.

Simultaneous Regulating the Surface, Interface, and Bulk via Phosphating Modification for High-Performance Li-Rich Layered Oxides Cathodes.

Li-rich Mn-based layered oxides (LRMOs) are regarded as the leading cathode materials to overcome the bottleneck of higher energy density. Nevertheless, they encounter significant challenges, including voltage decay, poor cycle stability, and inferior rate performance, primarily due to irreversible oxygen release, transition metal dissolution, and sluggish transport kinetics. Moreover, traditionally single modification strategies do not adequately address these issues.

Molecular Basis for Cγ-N Bond Formation by PLP-Dependent Enzyme LolC.

Pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP)-dependent enzymes catalyze a diverse array of biochemical transformations, making them invaluable biocatalytic tools for the synthesis of complex bioactive compounds. Here, we report the biochemical characterization of LolC, a PLP-dependent γ-synthase involved in the biosynthesis of loline alkaloids. LolC catalyzes the formation of a Cγ-N bond between -acetyl--homoserine (OAH) and l-proline, generating a diamino diacid intermediate.

Doping Ti into RuO to Accelerate Bridged-Oxygen-Assisted Deprotonation for Acidic Oxygen Evolution Reaction.

The development of efficient and durable electrocatalysts for the acidic oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is essential for advancing renewable hydrogen energy technology. However, the slow deprotonation kinetics of oxo-intermediates, involving the four proton-coupled electron steps, hinder the acidic OER progress. Herein, a RuTiO solid solution electrocatalyst is investigated, which features bridged oxygen (O) sites that act as proton acceptors, accelerating the deprotonation of oxo-intermediates.

The novel mechanism on the inhibition of superoxide anion generating from xanthine oxidase in the presence of myricetin.

To gain an in-depth understanding of the process of myricetin (MY) inhibiting the generation of O from Xanthine Oxidase (XOD) at a novel perspective, the inhibiting pathway is necessary to be re-elaborated through inhibitory type, thermodynamic analysis and molecular simulation. The results demonstrated that MY is indeed a potent inhibiting agent for O producing from XOD, with the maximum value of 33.78 % in the inhibition of O.