Halide-free ion pair organocatalyst from biobased α-hydroxy acid for cycloaddition of CO to epoxide.

The cycloaddition of CO to epoxide (CCE) reactions produce valuable cyclic carbonates useful in the electrolytes of lithium-ion batteries, as organic solvents, and in polymeric materials. However, halide-containing catalysts are predominantly used in these reactions, despite halides being notoriously corrosive to steel processing equipment and residual halides also having harmful effects. To eliminate the reliance on halides as cocatalyst in most CCE reactions, halide-free catalysts are highly desirable.

Chirality-Free Full Decoupling of Jones Matrix Phase-Channels with a Planar Minimalist Metasurface.

The complete manipulation of Jones matrix phase-channels using metasurfaces brings forth unparalleled possibilities across diverse wavefront modulation applications. Traditionally, achieving independent control over all four phase-channels usually involves the introduction of chirality with multilayer or three-dimensional metasurfaces. Here, we present a general chirality-free method that relies on polarization base transformation with a planar minimalist metasurface, effectively decoupling the four Jones matrix phase-channels, thereby unleashing the fundamental boundaries imposed by conventional linear or circular polarization bases.

Eculizumab in thymoma-associated myasthenia gravis: a real-world cohort study.

Background: Thymoma-associated myasthenia gravis (TAMG) is a subtype of myasthenia gravis (MG) that is associated with more severe symptoms and a relatively poor prognosis. Eculizumab, an inhibitor to target human C5 component of the complement cascade, is considered a treatment option for refractory generalized MG (gMG).

Objectives: To explore the safety and efficacy of eculizumab in patients with TAMG.

Genome-wide CRISPR-based screen identifies E2F transcription factor 1 as a regulator and therapeutic target of aristolochic acid-induced nephrotoxicity.

Aristolochic Acid I (AAI) is widely present in traditional Chinese medicines derived from the Aristolochia genus and is known to cause significant damage to renal tubular epithelial cells. Genome-wide screening has proven to be a powerful tool in identifying critical genes associated with the toxicity of exogenous substances. To identify undiscovered key genes involved in AAI-induced renal toxicity, a genome-wide CRISPR library screen was conducted in the human kidney-2 (HK-2) cell line.

Cognitive dysfunction in Moyamoya disease: latest developments and future directions.

Cognitive dysfunction is common in Moyamoya disease (MMD). However, current knowledge of cognitive impairment in MMD is inadequate. In this review, we explored the characteristics of altered cognitive function associated with MMD and offered recommendations aimed at guiding potential research endeavors into the cognitive dysfunction in MMD.

The emerging role of regulatory T cells in the immunopathogenesis of vitiligo and implications for treatment.

Vitiligo is an autoimmune skin disease that targets pigment-producing melanocytes and results in depigmentation. This disfiguring condition frequently affects visible areas of the body and therefore causes a heavy psychological burden and a decreased quality of life. Although remains intractable, the evergrowing understanding of its immunopathogenesis has dramatically shaped the treatment paradigm for vitiligo.

Low background electrochemical sensor based on HCR towards acute myocardial infarction-specific miRNA detection.

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) accounts for a significant proportion of global fatalities, and early detection is crucial for improving patient outcomes. However, current diagnostic methods often struggle to detect AMI in its early stages. Herein, we present an electrochemical sensor utilizing a fractal gold (FracAu) electrode and hybridization chain reaction (HCR) amplification technology to detect AMI-specific microRNAs (miRNAs).

Gibberellin and cytokinin signaling antagonistically control female-germline cell specification in Arabidopsis.

How do growth hormones interact to specify female-germline cell types in flowering plants and control production of the first female-germline cell? Here, we find that gibberellin (GA) biosynthesis and signaling are restricted in ovule primordia, with overexpression of receptors and biosynthetic enzymes resulting in multiple and enlarged megaspore mother cells (MMCs) in Arabidopsis. GA signaling machinery interacts with and promotes the degradation of cytokinin (CK) type-B Arabidopsis response regulators (ARR1/10/12), which also directly interact with DELLA proteins. CK biosynthesis and signaling components are expressed in both MMCs and sporophytic cells, with signaling negatively controlled by GA in ovule primordia, and perturbations leading to the induction of multiple, enlarged MMC-like cells.

An event-related potential study of P300 in preschool children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Objective: To study the characteristics of event related potential P300 in preschool children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) aged 4-6 years (4≤ age <6), and to explore the differences in cognitive function compared with healthy children. To explore a new method for the study of cognitive function in preschool children with ADHD.

Methods: A total of 73 preschool children aged 4-6 years were selected from the outpatient clinic of Neurology Department, the ADHD-specialized Clinic and Health Care Department of the Children's Hospital Affiliated to the Capital Institute of Pediatrics from March 2021 to May 2024.

A Multi-Strategy Siberian Tiger Optimization Algorithm for Task Scheduling in Remote Sensing Data Batch Processing.

With advancements in integrated space-air-ground global observation capabilities, the volume of remote sensing data is experiencing exponential growth. Traditional computing models can no longer meet the task processing demands brought about by the vast amounts of remote sensing data. As an important means of processing remote sensing data, distributed cluster computing's task scheduling directly impacts the completion time and the efficiency of computing resource utilization.

RNADiffFold: generative RNA secondary structure prediction using discrete diffusion models.

Ribonucleic acid (RNA) molecules are essential macromolecules that perform diverse biological functions in living beings. Precise prediction of RNA secondary structures is instrumental in deciphering their complex three-dimensional architecture and functionality. Traditional methodologies for RNA structure prediction, including energy-based and learning-based approaches, often depict RNA secondary structures from a static perspective and rely on stringent a priori constraints.

Ucp1 Ablation Improves Skeletal Muscle Glycolytic Function in Aging Mice.

Muscular atrophy is among the systematic decline in organ functions in aging, while defective thermogenic fat functionality precedes these anomalies. The potential crosstalk between adipose tissue and muscle during aging is poorly understood. In this study, it is showed that UCP1 knockout (KO) mice characterized deteriorated brown adipose tissue (BAT) function in aging, yet their glucose homeostasis is sustained and energy expenditure is increased, possibly compensated by improved inguinal adipose tissue (iWAT) and muscle functionality compared to age-matched WT mice.

A Fast Grasp Planning Algorithm for Humanoid Robot Hands.

Grasp planning is crucial for robots to perform precision grasping tasks, where determining the grasp points significantly impacts the performance of the robotic hand. Currently, the majority of grasp planning methods based on analytic approaches solve the problem by transforming it into a nonlinear constrained planning problem. This method often requires performing convex hull computations, which tend to have high computational complexity.

AptaDiff: de novo design and optimization of aptamers based on diffusion models.

Aptamers are single-stranded nucleic acid ligands, featuring high affinity and specificity to target molecules. Traditionally they are identified from large DNA/RNA libraries using $in vitro$ methods, like Systematic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential Enrichment (SELEX). However, these libraries capture only a small fraction of theoretical sequence space, and various aptamer candidates are constrained by actual sequencing capabilities from the experiment.

Effects of Different Defatting Methods of Black Soldier Fly () Larvae Meal on the Metabolic Energy and Nutrient Digestibility in Young Laying Hens.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of different defatting methods of black soldier fly () larvae meal (BSFM) on the metabolic energy and nutrient digestibility in laying hens. Sixty young laying hens (Hy-Line W-36) aged 63 days were randomly divided into two groups (G1 and G2), each with five replicates of six hens housed in individual cages. Group G1 was fed 25% pressed black soldier fly meal (BSFMp) and 75% basal diet, and Group G2 was fed 25% extracted black soldier fly meal (BSFMe) and a 75% basal diet.

Magnetic Activation: A Novel Approach to Enhance Hydrogen Evolution Activity of CoSe@CNTs Heterostructured Catalyst.

The heterostructure strategy is currently an effective method for enhancing the catalytic activity of materials. However, the challenge that is how to further improve their catalytic performance, based on the principles of material modification is must addressed. Herein, a strategy is introduced for magnetically regulating the catalytic activity to further enhance the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) activity for CoSe@CNTs heterostructured catalyst.

Identification of sanguinarine as a novel antagonist for perfluorooctanoate/perfluorooctane sulfonate-induced senescence of hepatocytes: An integrated computational and experimental analysis.

Perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), two prominent per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), are potentially harmful to many human organs. However, there only exist limited methods to mitigate their health hazards. The aim of this study is to combine a bioinformatics analysis with in vitro experiments to discover small molecules that can alleviate liver damage caused by PFOA/PFOS.

Pyrimidine compounds BY4003 and BY4008 inhibit glioblastoma cells growth via modulating JAK3/STAT3 signaling pathway.

Glioblastoma (GBM) is a brain tumor characterized by its aggressive and invasive properties. It is found that STAT3 is abnormally activated in GBM, and inhibiting STAT3 signaling can effectively suppress tumor progression. In this study, novel pyrimidine compounds, BY4003 and BY4008, were synthesized to target the JAK3/STAT3 signaling pathway, and their therapeutic efficacy and mechanisms of action were evaluated and compared with Tofacitinib in U251, A172, LN428 and patient-derived glioblastoma cells.

Tertiary lymphoid structures and their therapeutic implications in cancer.

Tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs) are ectopic lymphoid aggregates formed by the structured accumulation of immune cells such as B cells and T cells in non-lymphoid tissues induced by infection, inflammation, and tumors. They play a crucial role in the immune response, particularly in association with tumor development, where they primarily exert anti-tumor immune functions during tumorigenesis. Current research suggests that TLSs inhibit tumor growth by facilitating immune cell infiltration and are correlated with favorable prognosis in various solid tumors, serving as an indicator of immunotherapy effectiveness to some extent.