Development of a DNA-encoded library screening method "DEL Zipper" to empower the study of RNA-targeted chemical matter.

To date, RNA-targeted chemical matter is under explored due to a lack of robust screening assays. In this study, we present a novel RNA-targeted small molecule screening approach using a specialized DNA-encoded library (DEL). Our findings reveal that the specialized DEL library, called "DEL Zipper", can significantly reduce single-stranded DNA-RNA region interaction signals during various kinds of RNA selection.

Tree phytochemical diversity and herbivory are higher in the tropics.

A long-standing but poorly tested hypothesis in plant ecology and evolution is that biotic interactions play a more important role in producing and maintaining species diversity in the tropics than in the temperate zone. A core prediction of this hypothesis is that tropical plants deploy a higher diversity of phytochemicals within and across communities because they experience more herbivore pressure than temperate plants. However, simultaneous comparisons of phytochemical diversity and herbivore pressure in plant communities from the tropical to the temperate zone are lacking.

Phytochemical diversity and their adaptations to abiotic and biotic pressures in fine roots across a climatic gradient.

Phytochemicals and their ecological significance are long ignored in trait-based ecology. Moreover, the adaptations of phytochemicals produced by fine roots to abiotic and biotic pressures are less understood. Here, we explored the fine roots metabolomes of 315 tree species and their rhizosphere microbiome in southwestern China spanning tropical, subtropical, and subalpine forest ecosystems, to explore phytochemical diversity and endemism patterns of various metabolic pathways and phytochemical-microorganism interactions.

Associations of muscle mass and strength with new-onset diabetes among middle-aged and older adults: evidence from the China health and retirement longitudinal study (CHARLS).

Background: The associations of muscle mass and strength with new-onset Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) remain controversial. We aimed to longitudinally evaluate muscle mass and strength in predicting T2DM among Chinese middle-aged and older adults.

Methods: We enrolled 6033 participants aged ≥ 45 years from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), a cohort survey, between 2011 and 2012.

Tonghua Liyan granules in the treatment of Laryngopharyngeal reflux disease with stagnation of phlegm and qi syndrome: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

Laryngopharyngeal reflux disease (LPRD) is an extraesophageal syndromic manifestation of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Despite the increasing incidence of and concern about LPRD, treatment with proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) is unsatisfactory. Here, LPRD was treated with Tonghua Liyan (THLY) granules in combination with PPIs to evaluate treatment efficacy and possible adverse reactions.

Phytochemical diversity impacts herbivory in a tropical rainforest tree community.

Metabolomics provides an unprecedented window into diverse plant secondary metabolites that represent a potentially critical niche dimension in tropical forests underlying species coexistence. Here, we used untargeted metabolomics to evaluate chemical composition of 358 tree species and its relationship with phylogeny and variation in light environment, soil nutrients, and insect herbivore leaf damage in a tropical rainforest plot. We report no phylogenetic signal in most compound classes, indicating rapid diversification in tree metabolomes.

Constructing a noble-metal-free 0D/2D CdS/SnSheterojunction for efficient visible-light-driven photocatalytic pollutant degradation and hydrogen generation.

Semiconductor photocatalysis has attracted the attention of a wide audience for its outstanding capabilities in water purification and energy conversion. Herein, a noble-metal-free nanoheterojunction is created by planting zero-dimensional (0D) CdS nanograins, of 10-20 nm in size, on the surface of 2D SnSnanosheets (NSs) using anchemical bathing deposition process, where SnSNSs have an average diameter of 400 nm and thicknesses of less than 20 nm. The possible formation mechanism of the CdS/SnS(CS/SS) heterogeneous nanostructure is elaborated upon.

Associations of sarcopenia with peak expiratory flow among community-dwelling elderly population: based on the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS).

Purpose: To cross-sectionally and longitudinally investigate the correlations of sarcopenia and its components with peak expiratory flow (PEF) among Chinese community-dwelling elderly people.

Methods: The data were extracted from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). A total of 4053 participants aged ≥ 60 years were enrolled from CHARLS 2011, and 2810 were followed up until 2015.

DNA-Encoded Macrocyclic Peptide Libraries Enable the Discovery of a Neutral MDM2-p53 Inhibitor.

Synthetic macrocyclic peptides are an emerging molecular class for both targeting intracellular protein-protein interactions (PPIs) and providing an oral modality for drug targets typically addressed by biologics. Display technologies, such as mRNA and phage display, often yield peptides that are too large and too polar to achieve passive permeability or oral bioavailability without substantial off-platform medicinal chemistry. Herein, we use DNA-encoded cyclic peptide libraries to discover a neutral nonapeptide, UNP-6457, that inhibits MDM2-p53 interaction with an IC of 8.

Diffusion tensor and kurtosis imaging reveal microstructural changes in the trigeminal nerves of patients with trigeminal neuralgia.

Objectives: To evaluate the use of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) for detection of microstructural changes in the trigeminal nerves of trigeminal neuralgia (TN) patients.

Methods: Forty TN patients and 40 healthy controls were examined using 3 T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to evaluate DTI and DKI parameters in trigeminal nerves. One-way ANOVA was used to test the differences in age, sex, and DTI and DKI parameters between the TN-affected sides, TN-unaffected sides, and controls.

Ontogenetic trait variation and metacommunity effects influence species relative abundances during tree community assembly.

Predicting species abundance is one of the most fundamental pursuits of ecology. Combining the information encoded in functional traits and metacommunities provides a new perspective to predict the abundance of species in communities. We applied a community assembly via trait selection model to predict quadrat-scale species abundances using functional trait variation on ontogenetic stages and metacommunity information for over 490 plant species in a subtropical forest and a lowland tropical forest in Yunnan, China.

Frailty as a predictor of all-cause mortality in elderly patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Frailty has been proposed as a poor prognostic indicator for elderly patients with coronary artery diseases (CAD). The objective of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the effects of frailty on all-cause mortality in elderly patients with CAD following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Methods: PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane library, Web of science, and ClinicalTrial.

LncRNA SNHG15 relieves hyperglycemia-induced endothelial dysfunction via increased ubiquitination of thioredoxin-interacting protein.

Numerous studies have revealed that hyperglycemia is a pivotal driver of diabetic vascular complications. However, the mechanisms of hyperglycemia-induced endothelial dysfunction in diabetes remain incompletely understood. This study aims to expound on the underlying mechanism of the endothelial dysfunction induced by hyperglycemia from the perspective of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA).

LncRNA SNHG15 relieves hyperglycemia-induced endothelial dysfunction via increasing ubiquitination of thioredoxin-interacting protein.

Objective: Numerous evidence indicates that hyperglycemia is a pivotal driver of the vascular complications of diabetes. However, the mechanisms of hyperglycemia-induced endothelial dysfunction in diabetes remain incompletely understood. This study aims to expound on the underlying mechanism of the endothelial dysfunction induced by hyperglycemia from the perspective of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA).

Ethiopian vegetation types, climate and topography.

Ethiopia is land of geographical contrasts with elevations that range from 125 m below sea level in the Danakil Depression to 4533 m above sea level in the Semien Mountains, a world heritage site. The diverse climate of various ecological regions of the country has driven the establishment of diverse vegetation, which range from Afroalpine vegetation in the mountains to the arid and semi-arid vegetation type in the lowlands. The formation of Ethiopian vegetation is highly connected to the climate and geological history of the country.

Relationship between pulmonary function and albuminuria in type 2 diabetic patients with preserved renal function.

Background: Albuminuria is the early manifestation of the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy (DN). The current study was to investigate the relationship of pulmonary function with albuminuria in type 2 diabetic patients with preserved renal function to evaluate the role of pulmonary function in the early stage of DN.

Methods: A total of 326 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) including 270 without albuminuria and 56 with albuminuria, and 265 non-diabetic patients were enrolled.

Myosin VII, USH1C, and ANKS4B or USH1G Together Form Condensed Molecular Assembly via Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation.

Hair cell stereocilia tip-links function to sense mechanical forces generated by sound waves and maintain the structure of stereocilia by rooting the tail of cadherins to highly dense structures known as tip-link densities. Although the molecular components are largely known, the mechanisms underlying the tip-link density formation are unknown. Here, we show that Myosin VIIB (MYO7B), USH1C, and ANKS4B, which form a specific complex stabilizing tip-links in intestine microvilli, could form dense condensates via liquid-liquid phase separation in vitro and in cells.

The Comparison of Different Obesity Indexes and the Risk of Lung Cancer: A Meta-Analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies.

To evaluate the relationship between obesity, analyzed by different indicators, and lung cancer incidence, literature search was conducted in the PubMed, Web of Science, EBSCO, Ovid, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure databases for articles published until December 2018. Twenty-eight prospective cohort studies were identified, with 28 784,269 participants and 127,161 lung cancer cases were included in the analysis. The combined relative risks (RRs) with 95% CIs for the highest versus normal category of body mass index (BMI) were RR = 0.

A new phenolic glycoside from the Maxim. leaves.

Phytochemical investigation on the ethyl acetate extract of Maxim. Leaves led to the isolation of four phenolic glycoside isomers (). Compound appeared to be new reported phenolic glycoside, while compound was the first time isolated from the titled species.

Dietary Cholesterol Intake and Risk of Lung Cancer: A Meta-Analysis.

Multiple epidemiologic studies have evaluated the relationship between dietary cholesterol and lung cancer risk, but the association is controversial and inconclusive. A meta-analysis of case-control studies and cohort studies was conducted to evaluate the relationship between dietary cholesterol intake and lung cancer risk in this study. A relevant literature search up to October 2017 was performed in Web of Science, PubMed, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Sinomed, and VIP Journal Integration Platform.

Blood lipids profile and lung cancer risk in a meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies.

Background: Emerging evidence has connected lipid metabolism disturbance with lung diseases, but the relationship between blood lipid profile and lung cancer risk is controversial and inconclusive.

Objective: We conducted a meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies to evaluate the relationship between blood lipids profile and lung cancer incidence.

Methods: Relevant studies were identified by searching PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, EBSCO, Ovid, CNKI, VIP, and WANGFANG MED through August 2016.

Structure of Myo7b/USH1C complex suggests a general PDZ domain binding mode by MyTH4-FERM myosins.

Unconventional myosin 7a (Myo7a), myosin 7b (Myo7b), and myosin 15a (Myo15a) all contain MyTH4-FERM domains (myosin tail homology 4-band 4.1, ezrin, radixin, moesin; MF) in their cargo binding tails and are essential for the growth and function of microvilli and stereocilia. Numerous mutations have been identified in the MyTH4-FERM tandems of these myosins in patients suffering visual and hearing impairment.

Salubrinal attenuates right ventricular hypertrophy and dysfunction in hypoxic pulmonary hypertension of rats.

The phosphorylation of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 alpha (p-eIF2α) is essential for cell survival during hypoxia. The aim of this study was to investigate whether salubrinal, an inhibitor of p-eIF2α dephosphorylation could attenuate pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and right ventricular (RV) hypertrophy in rats exposed to hypobaric hypoxia. PAH of rats was induced by hypobaric hypoxia.

Mechanistic Basis of Organization of the Harmonin/USH1C-Mediated Brush Border Microvilli Tip-Link Complex.

Brush border microvilli are actin-based protrusions lining the apical surface of epithelial cells in intestines and proximal tubules of kidneys. While brush border microvilli resemble the relatively well-characterized stereocilia of hair cells, the mechanistic basis of tip-link complex organization in microvilli is poorly understood. Here, we have biochemically and structurally characterized the following pairs of interactions: protocadherin 24 and Harmonin (also known as USH1C or AIE-75), Harmonin and myosin VIIb (MYO7B), Harmonin and ANKS4B, and ANKS4B and MYO7B.