Population genetics and evolutionary history of the intertidal brittle star in the northern China Sea.

is a common brittle star in the northwestern Pacific. As a dominant species, inhabiting the intertidal rocky ecosystem are affected by multiple environmental stressors, but molecular insights into their genetic population structure remain poorly studied. In this study, we investigated the population genetics and evolutionary history of six populations from the northern China Sea using mitochondrial (, ) and nuclear (, ) gene markers.

One becomes three: An integrative morphological and molecular analysis of the windowpane oyster (Bivalvia: Pectinida) reveals new species.

For decades, many marine animals have been considered to exhibit cosmopolitan or transoceanic distribution. This situation is prevalent in Asia, where many species were collected and named by American or European experts in the 1700s to early 1900s. Using the windowpane oysters -a small genus of bivalves with five recognized species-we show that careful analysis is required to reassess the validity of these species.

Predicting novel targets with Bayesian machine learning by integrating multiple biological signatures.

The identification of targets for candidate molecules is a pivotal stride in the drug development journey, encompassing lead discovery, drug repurposing, and the scrutiny of potential off-target or side effects. Consequently, enhancing the precision of target prediction has significant implications. Moreover, current target prediction methods primarily rely on the principle of ligand-based chemical similarity, lacking the capture of novel compound-target relationships based on ligand high-level characterization similarity.

N-heterocyclic carbene catalyzed [2 + 3] annulation reaction for the synthesis of trifluoroethyl 3,2'-spirooxindole γ-lactam.

Asymmetric catalytic processes promoted by N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) hold great potential for the sustainable preparation of chiral molecules. However, catalyzing the reactions by manipulating the reactive intermediates is challenging. We report herein that the known NHC-catalyzed [3 + 2] annulation reaction between ketimine and enal can also be turned into a [2 + 3] annulation reaction for the highly enantioselective direct synthesis of trifluoroethyl 3,2'-spirooxindole γ-lactams (4) through timely catalysis of the intermediates.

Mineral crude drug mirabilite (Mangxiao) inhibits the occurrence of colorectal cancer by regulating the -bile acid-intestinal farnesoid X receptor axis based on multiomics integration analysis.

Mineral crude drug has revolutionized the treatment landscape in precision oncology niche that leads to the improvement in therapeutic efficiency on various tumor subtypes. Mangxiao (MX), a mineral crude drug in traditional Chinese medicine, has been used for treating gastrointestinal diseases for thousands of years. However, the action mechanisms are still ambiguous.

Assessment of water, hygiene, and sanitation practice and associated factors among Bihari refugee camp in Bangladesh: A cross-sectional study.

Background And Aims: The global significance of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) cannot be overstated, extending far beyond the confines of developing nations and encompassing even the most developed ones. This study, rooted in the Bihari refugee camp in Bangladesh, seeks to underscore the universality of WASH concerns.

Methods: Using a cross-sectional design and a structured questionnaire, we conducted a meticulous evaluation of WASH practices with 313 participants selected through random sampling.

Asymmetric synthesis of chiral (thio)chromanes and exploration on their structure-activity relationship in macrophages.

A CuCl/(,)-Ph-BPE-catalyzed enantioselective hydroallylation of 2-chromenes and 2-thiochromenes with allylic phosphate electrophiles is developed, which enables highly efficient and atom-economical asymmetric access to a series of 4-allyl chromanes and thiochromanes in high yields (up to 91%) with excellent enantioselectivities (up to 99% ee). These valuable chiral chromane and thiochromane products can serve as crucial intermediates for accessing bioactive compounds containing oxygen and sulfur atoms. In addition, the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of various chromanes and thiochromanes were investigated in RAW 264.

Recent applications of mass spectrometry in the analysis of transformation products of emerging contaminants in PM.

Ambient pollution correlated to fine particulate matter (PM) is a worldwide environmental issue as it is highly associated with human health and eco-environmental safety. A significant part regarding the toxicity of PM is attributed to its bonded contaminants. Appreciable efforts have been performed to study the occurrence, exposure, and toxicological properties of chemicals of emerging concerns in PM.

New insights into the mechanisms of high-fat diet mediated gut microbiota in chronic diseases.

High-fat diet (HFD) has been recognized as a primary factor in the risk of chronic disease. Obesity, diabetes, gastrointestinal diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, and cardiovascular diseases have long been known as chronic diseases with high worldwide incidence. In this review, the influences of gut microbiota and their corresponding bacterial metabolites on the mechanisms of HFD-induced chronic diseases are systematically summarized.

Chiral derivatization-enabled discrimination and on-tissue detection of proteinogenic amino acids by ion mobility mass spectrometry.

The importance of chiral amino acids (AAs) in living organisms has been widely recognized since the discovery of endogenous d-AAs as potential biomarkers in several metabolic disorders. Chiral analysis by ion mobility spectrometry-mass spectrometry (IMS-MS) has the advantages of high speed and sensitivity but is still in its infancy. Here, an -(2,4-dinitro-5-fluorophenyl)-l-alaninamide (FDAA) derivatization is combined with trapped ion mobility spectrometry-mass spectrometry (TIMS-MS) for chiral AA analysis.

MUC1 is responsible for the pro-metastatic potential of calycosin in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a prominent type of pancreatic cancer. We have recently unveiled that the anti-tumor adjuvant calycosin concurrently possesses growth-inhibitory and pro-metastatic potential in PDAC development by regulating transforming growth factor β (TGF-β), which plays dual roles as both tumor suppressor and tumor promoter. Hence, we are interested to explore if the pro-metastatic property of the drug could be attenuated for effective treatment of PDAC.

LPS-Induced Systemic Inflammation Caused mPOA-FSH/LH Disturbance and Impaired Testicular Function.

Male reproductive function is key to the continuation of species and is under sophisticated regulation, challenged by various stressors including inflammation. In the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) intraperitoneal injection-induced acute systemic inflammation, male fecundity was compromised with decreased testosterone level, damaged spermatogenesis, and downregulations of testicular gene expression levels involved in steroidogenesis regulation and blood-testis barrier. It is also noteworthy that the testis is more sensitive to acute stress caused by LPS-induced systemic inflammation.

Eight years follow-up of a patient with triple vessel disease patient complicated with heart failure without invasive intervention for home-based exercise rehabilitation combined traditional Chinese medicine: A case report.

We report 8-year follow-up of a home-based exercise rehabilitation program combined traditional Chinese medicine for a patient with triple vessel disease patient complicated with heart failure without invasive intervention. Improvements were observed in all outcomes.

Construction of multi-substituted pyrazoles potassium carbonate-mediated [3 + 2] cycloaddition of generated nitrile imines with cinnamic aldehydes.

A highly efficient potassium carbonate-mediated [3 + 2] cycloaddition reaction of hydrazonoyl chlorides with cinnamic aldehydes to furnish multi-substituted pyrazoles under nontoxic and mild conditions has been developed. A plausible stepwise cycloaddition reaction mechanism is proposed. This protocol featured broad substrate coverage, good functional group tolerance, wide scalability, and operational simplicity, as well as conveniently constructed pyrazole scaffolds.

Legacy effect of high glucose on promoting survival of HCT116 colorectal cancer cells by reducing endoplasmic reticulum stress response.

Patients with diabetes have increased risk of cancer and poor response to anti-cancer treatment. Increased protein synthesis is associated with endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress which can trigger the unfolded protein response (UPR) to restore homeostasis, failure of which can lead to dysregulated cellular growth. We hypothesize that hyperglycemia may have legacy effect in promoting survival of cancer cells through dysregulation of UPR.

Response of grassland net primary productivity to dry and wet climatic events in four grassland types in Inner Mongolia.

Increasing frequency and intensity of climate extremes have profound impacts on grassland biodiversity functioning and stability. Using Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) net primary productivity (NPP) data and standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index, we assessed the response of NPP to growing-season and annual climate extremes and time-lag of climatic conditions across four grassland types (meadow steppe, typical steppe, steppe desert, and desert steppe) in Inner Mongolia, China from the period 2000 to 2019. Results showed that annual NPP varied significantly across four grassland types, with the highest NPP in meadow steppe and the lowest in desert steppe.

Dynamical Variations of the Global COVID-19 Pandemic Based on a SEICR Disease Model: A New Approach of Yi Hua Jie Mu.

The ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused more than 150 million cases of infection to date and poses a serious threat to global public health. In this study, global COVID-19 data were used to examine the dynamical variations from the perspectives of immunity and contact of 84 countries across the five climate regions: tropical, arid, temperate, and cold. A new approach named Yi Hua Jie Mu is proposed to obtain the transmission rates based on the COVID-19 data between the countries with the same climate region over the Northern Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere.

A Loop-Based and AGO-Incorporated Virtual Screening Model Targeting AGO-Mediated miRNA-mRNA Interactions for Drug Discovery to Rescue Bone Phenotype in Genetically Modified Mice.

Several virtual screening models are proposed to screen small molecules only targeting primary miRNAs without selectivity. Few attempts have been made to develop virtual screening strategies for discovering small molecules targeting mature miRNAs. Mature miRNAs and their specific target mRNA can form unique functional loops during argonaute (AGO)-mediated miRNA-mRNA interactions, which may serve as potential targets for small-molecule drug discovery.

Prenatal exposure to benzotraizoles and benzothiazoles in relation to fetal and birth size: A longitudinal study.

The presence of benzotriazoles and benzothiazoles (BTs) in maternal urine and amniotic fluid indicated the widespread fetal exposure to the contaminants. We investigated the associations of prenatal BTs exposure with fetal and birth size and explored the window of susceptibility. Participants consisted of 856 mother-infant pairs drawn from a prospective birth cohort between 2014 and 2015 in Wuhan, China.

Three new species and one subspecies of the -group from Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China (Oligochaeta, Megascolecidae).

Three new species and one subspecies of the genus are described from Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China: The new species are: Qiu & Dong, . and Qiu & Dong, , and Dong & Jiang, , the subspecies is All have four pairs of spermathecal pores in 5/6-8/9, which indicates that they should belong to the -group. Their morphological characteristics are compared to other similar species in the -group from China and other Asian countries, such as Sun & Jiang, 2013, (Chen, 1938), (Kinberg, 1867), Sun & Qiu, 2013, and (Goto & Hatai, 1899).

The Clinical and Steroid-Free Remission of Fecal Microbiota Transplantation to Patients with Ulcerative Colitis: A Meta-Analysis.

Background And Purpose: Since the first case of fecal microbiota transplantation for the treatment of ulcerative colitis was described in the year 1989, there have been an increment of case reports, case series, cohort studies, and randomized controlled trials (RCTs). In this study, we were going to investigate general clinical remission, clinical response, and steroid-free remission of fecal microbiota transplantation.

Methods: We searched Ovid Medline, Ovid EMBASE, and Cochrane Library, focusing prospective studies including randomized controlled trials and cohort studies.

Population genetic structure of the deep-sea mussel s (Bivalvia: Mytilidae) in the Northwest Pacific.

Studying population genetics of deep-sea animals helps us understand their history of habitat colonization and population divergence. Here, we report a population genetic study of the deep-sea mussel (Bivalvia: Mytilidae) widely distributed in chemosynthesis-based ecosystems in the Northwest Pacific. Three mitochondrial genes (i.

Dual role of coal fly ash in copper ion adsorption followed by thermal stabilization in a spinel solid solution.

Coal fly ash is usually used as a cost-effective adsorbent for heavy metal removal, accumulating large amounts of spent coal fly ash that requires further disposal. In this study, fly ash that adsorbs copper with a maximum copper adsorption capacity of 48.8 mg g was further sintered at 900-1050 °C, and it was found that the copper is thermally incorporated in a spinel structure in aluminum- and iron-containing ceramic matrices provided by the fly ash.

Novel Dimethylmethylene-Bridged Triphenylamine-PDI Acceptor for Bulk-Heterojunction Organic Solar Cells.

A novel, star-shaped electron acceptor, DMTPA-PDI, derived from a planar dimethylmethylene-bridged triphenylamine core with three acetylene-linked perylene diimide (PDI) units is developed as a nonfullerene acceptor for organic solar cells (OSCs). DMTPA-PDI manifests significantly reduced intramolecular twisting, enabling sufficient system-wide π-electron delocalization leading to broadened spectral absorption and raised lowest unoccupied molecular orbital level. As a result, higher and more balanced hole and electron transport properties are observed.