Genome-wide identification of the Sec14 gene family and the response to salt and drought stress in soybean (Glycine max).

Background: The Sec14 domain is an ancient lipid-binding domain that evolved from yeast Sec14p and performs complex lipid-mediated regulatory functions in subcellular organelles and intracellular traffic. The Sec14 family is characterized by a highly conserved Sec14 domain, and is ubiquitously expressed in all eukaryotic cells and has diverse functions. However, the number and characteristics of Sec14 homologous genes in soybean, as well as their potential roles, remain understudied.

A sensitive determination of lead by hydride generation integrated with micro-sampling gas-liquid separator-FAAS after preconcentration by NiFeO nanoparticles.

In the present study, dispersive solid phase extraction - hydride generation integrated with micro-sampling gas-liquid separator - flame atomic absorption spectrometry was proposed to determine lead in lake water samples taken in the Horseshoe Island, Antarctica. In scope of this study, microwave assisted NiFeO nanoparticles were synthesized, and the characterization of nanoparticles were carried out by FT-IR, XRD and SEM. All influential parameters of dispersive solid phase extraction and hydride generation were optimized to enhance signal intensity belonging to the analyte.

Icaritin alleviates motor impairment and osteoporosis in Parkinson's disease mice via the ER-PI3K/Akt pathway.

This study investigates the role of flavonoid Icaritin (ICT) in estrogen-deficient ovariectomized (OVX) female mice by activating the Estrogen receptor (ER)/ Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Protein kinase B (Akt) signaling pathway, potentially delaying Parkinson's disease (PD) progression post-castration. Seventy-five 8-week-old C57BL/6J female mice underwent ovariectomy, followed by MPTP (20 mg/kg) injection for 7 days. ICT (20 mg/kg) was administered for 14 days, and motor function was assessed using various behavioral tests.

Atomically thin high-entropy oxides via naked metal ion self-assembly for proton exchange membrane electrolysis.

Designing efficient Ruthenium-based catalysts as practical anodes is of critical importance in proton exchange membrane water electrolysis. Here, we develop a self-assembly technique to synthesize 1 nm-thick rutile-structured high-entropy oxides (RuIrFeCoCrO) from naked metal ions assembly and oxidation at air-molten salt interface. The RuIrFeCoCrO requires an overpotential of 185 mV at 10 m A cm and maintains the high activity for over 1000 h in an acidic electrolyte via the adsorption evolution mechanism.

Blood-brain barrier integrity disruption is associated with both chronic vascular risk factors and white matter hyperintensities.

Background: Cardiovascular risk factors (CRFs) like hypertension, high cholesterol, and diabetes mellitus are increasingly linked to cognitive decline and dementia, especially in cerebral small vessel disease (cSVD). White matter hyperintensities (WMH) are closely associated with cognitive impairment, but the mechanisms behind their development remain unclear. Blood-brain barrier (BBB) dysfunction may be a key factor, particularly in cSVD.

Rethinking the biochar impact on the anaerobic digestion of food waste in bench-scale digester: Spatial distribution and biogas production.

The improvement of biogas production in anaerobic digestion (AD) by biochar introduction has been demonstrated. However, the distribution of biochar in the digester and its effect on AD have been seldom explored. In this study, the distribution of biochar and their impact on AD were investigated in a 30 L semi-continuously operated bench-scale anaerobic digester.

P3 site-directed mutagenesis: An efficient method based on primer pairs with 3'-overhangs.

Site-directed mutagenesis is a fundamental tool indispensable for protein and plasmid engineering. An important technological question is how to achieve the efficiency at the ideal level of 100%. Based on complementary primer pairs, the QuickChange method has been widely used, but it requires significant improvements due to its low efficiency and frequent unwanted mutations.

Pharmacogenetic Testing in Admixed Populations: Frequency of the AMR PGx Working Group Tier 1 Variant Alleles in Brazilians.

This article examines the frequency distribution of Tier 1 pharmacogenetic variants of the Association for Molecular Pathology Pharmacogenomics Working Group Recommendations in two large (>1.000 individuals) cohorts of the admixed Brazilian population, and in patients from the Brazilian Public Health System enrolled in pharmacogenetic trials. Three Tier 1 variants, all in DPYD, were consistently absent, which may justify their non-inclusion in genotyping panels for Brazilians; 13 variants had frequency < 1.

A forward genetic screen identifies potassium channel essentiality in SHH medulloblastoma maintenance.

Distinguishing tumor maintenance genes from initiation, progression, and passenger genes is critical for developing effective therapies. We employed a functional genomic approach using the Lazy Piggy transposon to identify tumor maintenance genes in vivo and applied this to sonic hedgehog (SHH) medulloblastoma (MB). Combining Lazy Piggy screening in mice and transcriptomic profiling of human MB, we identified the voltage-gated potassium channel KCNB2 as a candidate maintenance driver.

Green solutions for treating groundwater polluted with nitrates, pesticides, antibiotics, and antibiotic resistance genes for drinking water production.

The present study evaluates for the first time the seasonal performance of an innovative green groundwater treatment. The pilot plant combines microalgae-bacteria treatment and a cork-wood biofilter to reduce nitrates, pesticides, antibiotics (ABs), and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) from groundwater. Groundwater had nitrate concentrations ranging from 220 to 410 mg/L, while ABs (sulfonamides and fluoroquinolones) and pesticides (triazines) were detected at concentrations ranging from a few ng/L to 150 ng/L.

Recyclability and recovery of carbon from waste printed circuit boards within a circular economy perspective: A review.

Waste printed circuit boards (WPCBs) are a significant component of electronic waste (e-waste) and are among the fastest-generating waste flows. The potentially negative impacts caused by e-waste on the environment and human health pose an increasingly apparent threat to people's everyday lives and well-being. The nonmetallic fraction (predominantly carbon) of WPCBs is characterized by heavy weight, low resource value, and complex composition, and these characteristics significantly restrict the recycling of the WPCBs to achieve a circular economy.

Evolutionary characteristics and influencing mechanisms of green development efficiency in Chinese urban agglomerations: Analysis of the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration.

Urban agglomerations are central to global economic growth and the shift towards green development, particularly in developing countries. This study examines regional comparisons and variations in green development mechanisms within urban agglomerations to better understand their spatiotemporal patterns. An input-output indicator system was developed, accounting for social benefits and carbon emissions.

Quantification and profiling of urine cells by integrated cytocentrifugation and infrared spectroscopy.

The presence of cells in urine and in particular White Blood Cells (WBCs) is often associated with Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) and other diseases. Non-invasive screening of WBCs requires the development of cost-effective point of care diagnostic tools. Infrared (IR) spectroscopy has the potential to identify and quantify cells in urine.

Immersive exposure to simulated visual hallucinations modulates high-level human cognition.

Psychedelic drugs offer valuable insights into consciousness, but disentangling their causal effects on perceptual and high-level cognition is nontrivial. Technological advances in virtual reality (VR) and machine learning have enabled the immersive simulation of visual hallucinations. However, comprehensive experimental data on how these simulated hallucinations affects high-level human cognition is lacking.

Forensic characterization of Brazilian gemstones: A pilot study employing raman spectroscopy and multivariate analysis.

Forensic gemstone analysis faces many challenges. One of the most critical aspects of gemological research is the classification of a gemstone. It is necessary to understand the mineral species, purity, origin, and identification of treatments to identify and classify a gem correctly, as well as assign a monetary value to it.

Microwave Surface and Lamb Waves in a Thin Diamond Plate: Experimental and Theoretical Investigation.

Microwave surface and Lamb waves in a multilayered piezoelectric "Al-IDT/(AlSc)N/(001)[110] diamond" structure designed as a SAW resonator were studied using both the experimental and modeling methods. In this structure, it is possible to generate Rayleigh, surface horizontal (SH) and Lamb waves simultaneously. The successful excitation of Lamb waves at operating frequencies up to 20 GHz has been obtained.

Breast ultrasound imaging systems performance evaluation using novel Contrast-Detail (C-D) and Anechoic-Target (A-T) phantoms.

Unlabelled: Ultrasound imaging plays an important role in the early detection and management of breast cancer. This study aimed to evaluate the imaging performance of a range of clinically-used breast ultrasound systems using a set of novel spherical lesion contrast-detail (C-D) and anechoic-target (A-T) phantoms.

Methods: C-D and A-T phantoms were imaged using a range of clinical breast ultrasound systems and imaging modes.

Direct analysis of engineered iron nanotubes and platinum nanorods: A challenge for single particle inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.

The use of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry in single particle mode (SP-ICP-MS) for the characterization of micro and nanostructured materials is a growing field of research. In this work, the possibility of expanding the boundaries to anisotropic structures including solid Pt-nanorods and hollowed FeO-nanotubes is presented. The obtained structures are evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high-resolution electron microscopy (HR-TEM) and SP-ICP-MS techniques.

Enhanced brain tumor detection and segmentation using densely connected convolutional networks with stacking ensemble learning.

- Brain tumors (BT), both benign and malignant, pose a substantial impact on human health and need precise and early detection for successful treatment. Analysing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) image is a common method for BT diagnosis and segmentation, yet misdiagnoses yield effective medical responses, impacting patient survival rates. Recent technological advancements have popularized deep learning-based medical image analysis, leveraging transfer learning to reuse pre-trained models for various applications.

Efficacy of silver nanoparticles (NPs) and fungal elicitors on the curcuminoid production in Curcuma longa L.

This study investigates the effects of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs), biogenic silver nanoparticles derived from Rhizopus spp. (R.Ag NPs), and Rhizopus (R) elicitors on the yield and bioactive compounds of turmeric (Curcuma longa) using foliar spray and rhizome dipping techniques.

Protocol for assessing and visualizing cell microaggregate formation in whole blood by imaging flow cytometry.

Blood cell aggregates are clinically useful biomarkers in a number of medical disorders. This protocol provides accurate and quantitative analysis of cell aggregates using a small volume of whole blood and imaging flow cytometry. We describe steps for sample collection, staining, and measurement.

Phosphodiesterase inhibition restoreshypoxia-induced cerebrovascular dysfunction subsequent to improved systemic redox homeostasis: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study.

To what extent sildenafil, a selective inhibitor of the type-5 phosphodiesterase modulates systemic redox status and cerebrovascular function during acute exposure to hypoxia remains unknown. To address this, 12 healthy males (aged 24 ± 3 y) participated in a randomized, placebo-controlled crossover study involving exposure to both normoxia and acute (60 min) hypoxia (Fi = 0.14), followed by oral administration of 50 mg sildenafil and placebo (double-blinded).

High-Performance Mechano-Sensitive Piezoelectric Nanogenerator from Post-Treated Nylon-11,11 Textiles for Energy Harvesting and Human Motion Monitoring.

Piezoelectric polymer textiles offer distinct advantages in the fabrication of wearable nanogenerators (NGs). One effective strategy to enhance the output capacity of NGs is to modulate the piezoelectric performance of the textiles. This paper focuses on further improving the piezoelectric properties of nylon-11,11 textiles through post-drawing and annealing treatments.

Recent Development of Nanoparticle Platforms for Organophosphate Nerve Agent Detoxification.

Poisoning by organophosphate (OP) nerve agents remains a pressing global threat due to their extensive use in chemical warfare agents and pesticides, potentially causing high morbidity and mortality worldwide. This urgent need for effective countermeasures has driven considerable interest in innovative detoxification approaches. Among these, nanoparticle technology stands out for its multifunctional potential and wide-ranging applications.