New insight into enhanced permanganate oxidation by lignocellulose-derived biochar: The overlooked role of persistent free radicals.

Permanganate (Mn(VII)) is a traditional reagent used for water purification, but it is mild to deal with refractory organic contaminants of emerging concern. There is great interest in combination with effective and low-cost biochar to improve reaction kinetics of Mn(VII). Until recently, it still unclear how biomass composition and carbon structure of biochar influence the Mn(VII) oxidation performance.

Spontaneous Catalytic Reaction of a Surfactant in the Interfacial Microenvironment of Colloidal Gold Nanoparticles.

The performance of nanomaterials is significantly determined by the interfacial microenvironment, in which a surfactant plays an essential role as the adsorbent, but its involvement in the interfacial reaction is often overlooked. Here, it was discovered that citrate and ascorbic acid, the two primarily used surfactants for colloidal gold nanoparticles (Au NPs), can spontaneously undergo catalytic reaction with trace-level nitrogenous residue under ambient environment to form oxime, which is subsequently cleaved to generate CN or a compound containing the -CN group. Such a catalytic reaction shows wide universality in both reactants, including various carbonaceous and nitrogenous sources, and metal catalysts, including Au, Ag, Fe, Cu, Ni, Pt, and Pd NPs.

Interpreting Variants of Uncertain Significance in PCD: Abnormal Splicing Caused by a Missense Variant of DNAAF3.

Background: Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by dysfunction of motile cilia. While approximately 50 genes have been identified, around 25% of PCD patients remain genetically unexplained; elucidating the pathogenicity of specific variants remains a challenge.

Methods: Whole exome sequencing (WES) and Sanger sequencing were conducted to identify potential pathogenic variants of PCD.

Knockout of a testis-specific gene cluster impairs male fertility in the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda.

Background: The function of some testis-specific genes (TSGs) in model insects have been studied, but their function in non-model insects remains largely unexplored. In the present study, we identified several TSGs in the fall armyworm (FAW), a significant agricultural pest, through comparative transcriptomic analysis. A testis-specific gene cluster (TSGC) comprising multiple functional genes and long non-coding RNAs was found.

Characterization of 3,3'-iminodipropionitrile (IDPN) damaged utricle transcriptome in the adult mouse utricle.

Utricle is an important vestibular sensory organ for maintaining balance. 3,3'-iminodipropionitrile (IDPN), a prototype nitrile toxin, has been reported to be neurotoxic and vestibulotoxic, and can be used to establish an damage model of vestibular dysfunction. However, the mechanism of utricular HCs damage caused by IDPN is unclear.

Dramatic switchable polarities in conduction type and self-driven photocurrent of BiI via pressure engineering.

The intentional manipulation of carrier characteristics serves as a fundamental principle underlying various energy-related and optoelectronic semiconductor technologies. However, achieving switchable and reversible control of the polarity within a single material to design optimized devices remains a significant challenge. Herein, we successfully achieved dramatic reversible p-n switching during the semiconductor‒semiconductor phase transition in BiI via pressure, accompanied by a substantial improvement in their photoelectric properties.

Tailoring rhodium-based metal-organic layers for parahydrogen-induced polarization: achieving 20% polarization of H in liquid phase.

Heterogeneous catalysts for parahydrogen-induced polarization (HET-PHIP) would be useful for producing highly sensitive contrasting agents for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the liquid phase, as they can be removed by simple filtration. Although homogeneous hydrogenation catalysts are highly efficient for PHIP, their sensitivity decreases when anchored on porous supports due to slow substrate diffusion to the active sites and rapid depolarization within the channels. To address this challenge, we explored 2D metal-organic layers (MOLs) as supports for active Rh complexes with diverse phosphine ligands and tunable hydrogenation activities, taking advantage of the accessible active sites and chemical adaptability of the MOLs.

Comprehensive review on neprilysin (NEP) inhibitors: design, structure-activity relationships, and clinical applications.

Neprilysin (NEP), a zinc-dependent membrane-bound metallopeptidase, regulates various bioactive peptides, particularly in kidneys, vascular endothelium, and the central nervous system. NEP's involvement in metabolizing natriuretic peptides, insulin, and enkephalins makes it a promising target for treating cardiovascular and Alzheimer's diseases. Several NEP inhibitors, such as sacubitril and omapatrilat, have been approved for clinical use, which inhibit NEP activity to prolong the bioactivity of beneficial peptides, thereby exerting therapeutic effects.

dna2bit: high performance genomic distance estimation software for microbial genome analysis.

dna2bit is an ultra-fast software specifically engineered for microbial genome analysis, particularly adept at calculating genome distances within metagenome and single amplified genome datasets. Distinguished from existing software such as Mash and Dashing, dna2bit employs feature hashing technique and Hamming distance to achieve enhanced speed and memory utilization, without sacrifice in the accuracy of average nucleotide identity calculations. dna2bit has promising applications in various domains such as average nucleotide identity approximation, metagenomic sequence clustering, and homology querying.

Effects of Remimazolam on Intraoperative Frontal Alpha Band Power Spectrum Density and Postoperative Cognitive Function in Older Adults Undergoing Lower Extremity Fractures Surgeries: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Purpose: Low density of electroencephalogram alpha band power was reported to be associated with perioperative cognitive dysfunction. Few studies have conducted to explore the effects of remimazolam on intraoperative frontal alpha band power spectrum density in older adults. Here, we aimed to explore the impact of remimazolam on intraoperative frontal brain wave alpha band activity and postoperative cognitive function in older adults undergoing lower extremity fractures surgeries.

Expanding the Landscape of Aging via Orbitrap Astral Mass Spectrometry and Tandem Mass Tag (TMT) Integration.

Aging results in a progressive decline in physiological function due to the deterioration of essential biological processes, such as transcription and RNA splicing, ultimately increasing mortality risk. Although proteomics is emerging as a powerful tool for elucidating the molecular mechanisms of aging, existing studies are constrained by limited proteome coverage and only observe a narrow range of lifespan. To overcome these limitations, we integrated the Orbitrap Astral Mass Spectrometer with the multiplex tandem mass tag (TMT) technology to profile the proteomes of three brain tissues (cortex, hippocampus, striatum) and kidney in the C57BL/6JN mouse model, achieving quantification of 8,954 to 9,376 proteins per tissue (cumulatively 12,749 across all tissues).

Basis of single-seed formation in chestnut: cytomorphological observations reveal ovule developmental patterns of .

Background: Many plants, including those commonly found in the Fagaceae family, produce more flowers and ovules than mature fruits and seeds. In , an ovary contains 16-24 ovules, but only one develops into a seed. The other ovules abort or otherwise fail to fully develop, but the reason for this is unknown.

The application of deep learning in early enamel demineralization detection.

Objective: The study aims to develop a diagnostic model using intraoral photographs to accurately detect and classify early detection of enamel demineralization on tooth surfaces.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted with 208 patients aged 14 to 44. A total of 624 high-quality digital images captured under standardized conditions were used to construct a deep learning model based on the Mask region-based convolutional neural network (Mask R-CNN).

Identification of the locus controlling leaf rolling and its application in maize breeding.

Unlabelled: Increasing planting density is one of the most important strategies for generating higher maize yields. Moderate leaf rolling decreases mutual shading of leaves and increases the photosynthesis of the population and hence increases the tolerance for high-density planting. Few genes that control leaf rolling in maize have been identified, however, and their applicability for breeding programs remains unclear.

A novel DNA damage-related gene index for predicting prognosis in gastric cancer.

Gastric cancer is one of the major cancers with high cancer mortality and shows significant heterogeneity. The development of precise prognostic models is crucial for advancing treatment strategies. Recognizing the pivotal role of DNA damage in tumor progression, we conducted a consensus clustering analysis of DNA damage-related genes to categorize gastric cancer patients from the TCGA clinical cohort into distinct subtypes.

The Midas Touch by Iridium: A Second Near-Infrared Aggregation-Induced Emission-Active Metallo-Agent for Exceptional Phototheranostics of Breast Cancer.

Developing small organic molecular phototheranostic agents with second near-infrared (NIR-II) aggregation-induced emission (AIE) is paramount for the phototriggered diagnostic imaging and synchronous in situ therapy of cancer via an excellent balance of the excited states energy dissipations. In this study, a multifunctional iridium(III) complex is exploited by the coordination of an AIE-active N^N ancillary ligand with a trivalent iridium ion. The resultant complex DPTPzIr significantly outperforms its parent ligand in terms of absorption/emission wavelengths, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and photothermal conversion, which simultaneously endow DPTPzIr nanoparticles with matched absorption peak to commercial 808 nm laser, the longest NIR-II emission peak (above 1100 nm) among those previously reported AIE iridium(III) complexes, potentiated type-I ROS generation, and as high as 60.

1D CoMoC-Based Heterojunctional Nanowires from Pyrolytically "Squeezing" PMo/ZIF-67 Cubes for Efficient Overall Water Electrolysis.

The bi-transition-metal interstitial compounds (BTMICs) are promising for water electrolysis. The previous BTMICs are usually composed of irregular particles. Here, this work shows the synthesis of novel 1D CoMoC-based heterojunction nanowires (1D Co/CoMoC) with diameters about 50 nm and a length-to-diameter ratio about 20 for efficient water electrolysis.

Buried Interface Modulation Using Self-Assembled Monolayer and Ionic Liquid Hybrids for High-Performance Perovskite and Perovskite/CuInGaSe Tandem Photovoltaics.

Effective modifications for the buried interface between self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) and perovskites are vital for the development of efficient, stable inverted perovskite solar cells (PSCs) and their tandem photovoltaics. Herein, an ionic-liquid-SAM hybrid strategy is developed to synergistically optimize the uniformity of SAMs and the crystallization of perovskites above. Specifically, an ionic liquid of 1-butyl-3-methyl-1H-imidazol-3-iumbis((trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl)amide (BMIMTFSI) is incorporated into the SAM solution, enabling reduced surface roughness, improved wettability, and a more evenly distributed surface potential of the SAM film.

Regional antimicrobial resistance gene flow among the One Health sectors in China.

Background: Antimicrobial resistance poses a significant threat to global health, with its spread intricately linked across human, animal, and environmental sectors. Revealing the antimicrobial resistance gene (ARG) flow among the One Health sectors is essential for better control of antimicrobial resistance.

Results: In this study, we investigated regional ARG transmission among humans, food, and the environment in Dengfeng, Henan Province, China by combining large-scale metagenomic sequencing with culturing of resistant bacterial isolates in 592 samples.

Connexin 43 contributes to perioperative neurocognitive disorder by attenuating perineuronal net of hippocampus in aged mice.

Background: Perioperative neurocognitive disorder (PND) is a prevalent form of cognitive impairment in elderly patients following anesthesia and surgery. The underlying mechanisms of PND are closely related to perineuronal nets (PNNs). PNNs, which are complexes of extracellular matrix primarily surrounding neurons in the hippocampus, play a critical role in neurocognitive function.

TAX1BP1 regulates the apoptosis of renal tubular epithelial cells in ischemia/reperfusion injury via the NF-kB/PMAIP1 signaling pathway.

Background: The pathogenesis of acute kidney injury (AKI) is not fully understood. Tax1-binding protein 1 (TAX1BP1) modulates inflammation and apoptosis through the NF-kB signaling pathway, however, its specific role in ischemic AKI remains unclear.

Methods: We injected a TAX1BP1 overexpression plasmid into the tail vein of male C57BL/6 mice, followed by clamping the bilateral renal arteries to induce AKI.

Fully distributed energy management strategy for DC bus charging stations with three charging modes.

Although electric vehicles supplied through distributed generators (DGs) have been universally researched to reduce CO emissions, the accurate current sharing regarding islanded multi-bus DC charging stations considering three charging modes of electric vehicles, i.e., constant current mode, constant power mode and constant voltage mode, is rarely realized.

Use of inpatient palliative care in metastatic testicular cancer patients undergoing critical care therapy: insights from the national inpatient sample.

To test for rates of inpatient palliative care (IPC) in metastatic testicular cancer patients receiving critical care therapy (CCT). Within the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) database (2008-2019), we tabulated IPC rates in metastatic testicular cancer patients receiving CCT, namely invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV), percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube (PEG), dialysis for acute kidney failure (AKF), total parenteral nutrition (TPN) or tracheostomy. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression models addressing IPC were fitted.

Termination-acidity tailoring of molybdenum carbides for alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction.

Transition-metal carbides have been advocated as the promising alternatives to noble-metal platinum-based catalysts in electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction over half a century. However, the effectiveness of transition-metal carbides catalyzing hydrogen evolution in high-pH electrolyte is severely compromised due to the lowered proton activity and intractable alkaline-leaching issue of transition-metal centers. Herein, on the basis of validation of molybdenum-carbide model-catalyst system by taking advantage of surface science techniques, MoC micro-size spheres terminated by Al doped MoO layer exhibit a notable performance of alkaline hydrogen evolution with a near-zero onset-potential, a low overpotential (40 mV) at a typical current density of 10 mA/cm, and a small Tafel slope (45 mV/dec), as well as a long-term stability for continuous hydrogen production over 200 h.