Naturally impaired side-chain shortening of aromatic 3-ketoacyl-CoAs reveals the biosynthetic pathway of plant acetophenones.

Acetophenones, which show scattered distribution across phylogenetically distant plants and fungi, play diverse roles in plant-plant, plant-insect, plant-microbiome and even animal-insect interactions. However, the enzymatic basis of acetophenone biosynthesis in plants remains unknown. Here we elucidate the complete biosynthetic pathway of picein (4-hydroxyacetophenone glucoside) from 4-coumaroyl-CoA using pear (Pyrus) as a study system.

Non-targeted and suspect screening analysis of non-phthalate ester plasticizers in house and car dust.

Following restrictions on the use of phthalate esters (PAEs), the industry has increasingly manufactured non-PAE plasticizers (NPPs) to meet the continuous demand for plastic products. However, the environmental occurrence of NPP diversity remains insufficiently investigated. This study established a suspect and category-specific characteristic fragment-dependent non-targeted screening strategy based on liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) to identify 14 categories of emerging NPPs in house and car dust.

Lactobacillus-based probiotic cocktail inhibits colitis-associated cancer by altering intestinal metabolism.

Objective: Dysbiosis of intestinal microbiome is an important colorectal cancer (CRC) pathogenetic mechanism. Lactobacillus-based probiotic cocktail could inhibit colitis-associated cancer (CAC) by alleviating intestinal dysbiosis. The intestinal microbial metabolites have been linked with CRC etiology.

A Single Center Study of Efficacy and Safety Assessment of ERCP in Elderly Patients.

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) has emerged as a valuable minimally invasive therapeutic method for pancreatobiliary diseases and is now utilized in numerous hospitals. As the population ages, greater attention must be paid to the risk of ERCP complications, since even minor issues can be fatal for older patients. The primary objective of this study was to compare the clinical outcomes of ERCP in elderly versus non-elderly patients, as well as to validate the procedure's safety and feasibility.

Intrahepatic Cholangiolithiasis Extraction During Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography Using a Disposable Ultrafine Peroral Cholangioscope.

Hepatolithiasis refers to the presence of stones in the branching bile ducts above the confluence of the left and right hepatic ducts, often accompanied by extrahepatic bile duct stones. These stones can induce local infections and secondary bile duct strictures, making their discharge difficult and leading to severe complications. While endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is an effective minimally invasive method for treating cholangiolithiasis, it is often challenging to address hepatolithiasis using this technique.

The causal relationship between immune cell phenotypes and esophageal cancer development: a bidirectional Mendelian randomization study.

Background: Immune cell phenotypes have been implicated in the development and progression of esophageal cancer (EC), but their causal relationships remain unclear. This study aimed to explore the potential causal associations between immune cell traits and EC risk using Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis.

Methods: A bidirectional two-sample MR analysis was conducted using genome-wide association study data from European populations.

-- module regulates GA -induced pseudo-embryo development and parthenocarpy in pear ().

Parthenocarpy can ensure fruit setting without fertilization and generate seedless fruits. has been shown to play a role in gibberellin (GA)-induced parthenocarpy in pears. However, the transcriptional response mechanism of to GA remains unclear.

Shear behavior of prefabricated steel-concrete connectors in prefabricated steel-concrete composite beams.

Stud connectors are widely used to realize the shear connection of steel girders and prefabricated bridge decks in prefabricated steel-concrete composite beams. However, the dense arrangement of stud connectors in the combined bending and shear region makes fabricating prefabricated bridge decks difficult and weakens their integrity. Therefore, a novel prefabricated steel-concrete connector (PSCC) is proposed to accelerate the prefabrication and construction of prefabricated steel-concrete composite bridges.

6:2 Fluorotelomer Ethoxylates in Human Serum and Residential Homes: A Growing Environmental Health Concern.

As an emerging group of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), fluorotelomer ethoxylates (FTEOs) are widely employed as a major ingredient in antifog products. However, knowledge about their environmental distribution and human exposure remains scarce. Herein, we reported the ubiquitous detection of 6:2 FTEO homologues in popular antifog products ( = 47), indoor dust from residential homes ( = 80), and serum of pregnant women ( = 90) living in South China, demonstrating broad use and widespread human exposure.

DBB2 regulates plant height and shade avoidance responses in maize.

Increasing plant density has been recognized as an effective strategy for boosting maize yields over the past few decades. However, dense planting significantly reduces the internal light intensity and the red to far-red (R:FR) light ratio in the canopy, which subsequently triggers shade avoidance responses (SAR) that limit further yield enhancements, particularly under high-density conditions. In this study, we identified double B-box containing protein DBB2, a member of the ZmBBX family that is rapidly induced by shade, as a crucial regulator of plant height and SAR.

The effects of polystyrene microplastics on feeding, growth, and trophic upgrading of protozoan grazers.

Microplastics have become ubiquitous in the global marine environment, posing substantial influences on marine organism health, food web function and marine ecosystem structure. Protozoan grazers are known for their ability to improve the biochemical constituents of poor-quality algae for subsequent use by higher trophic levels. However, the effects of microplastics on the trophic upgrading of protozoan grazers remain unknown.

Bisphenol Chemicals in Surface Soil from E-Waste Dismantling Facilities and the Surrounding Areas: Spatial Distribution and Health Risk.

Electronic waste (e-waste) dismantling facilities are well-known bisphenol chemical (BP) sources. In this study, non-targeted screening combined with targeted analysis of BPs in surface soil from e-waste dismantling facilities and their surroundings revealed their presence, distribution, and exposure risk. A total of 14 BPs were identified including bisphenol A (BPA) and its novel structural analogs and halogenated BPs.

Association of pro-inflammatory diet with increased risk of gallstone disease: a cross-sectional study of NHANES January 2017-March 2020.

Background And Aim: Gallstone disease (GSD) is a major public health problem worldwide. The dietary inflammatory index (DII) and the energy-adjusted DII (E-DII) have been used to describe dietary inflammatory potential. The current study sought to investigate the pro-inflammatory role of diet on GSD among outpatients in the United States.

Clinical application of metagenomic next-generation sequencing in patients with different organ system infection: A retrospective observational study.

Microbiological identification is essential for appropriate treatment, but conventional methods are time-consuming and have a low sensitivity. In contrast, metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) is a culture-free and hypothesis-free technique that can detect a wide array of potential pathogens. This study aimed to reveal the overall diagnostic value of mNGS for infectious diseases of different organ systems and compare the sensitivity and specificity of mNGS with conventional methods.

Transcription factor PbNAC71 regulates xylem and vessel development to control plant height.

Dwarfism is an important agronomic trait in fruit breeding programs. However, the germplasm resources required to generate dwarf pear (Pyrus spp.) varieties are limited.

OPEs-ID: A software for non-targeted screening of organophosphate esters based on liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry.

Organophosphate esters (OPEs) are widely used as flame retardants and plasticizers, presenting a potential threat to the environment and human health. To date, no automatic software exists for the nontargeted screening of OPEs. In this study, OPEs-ID, a user-friendly software, was developed for the identification of OPEs using liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry.

Sorption of representative organic contaminants on microplastics: Effects of chemical physicochemical properties, particle size, and biofilm presence.

Microplastic pollution has attracted mounting concerns worldwide. Microplastics may concentrate organic and metallic contaminants; thus, affecting their transport, fate and organismal exposure. To better understand organic contaminant-microplastic interactions, our study explored the sorption of selected polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), α-hexabromocyclododecane (α-HBCDD), and organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs) on high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and polyvinylchloride (PVC) microplastics under saline conditions.

Severe skin and subcutaneous pythiosis in China: Metagenomic identification and characterization of .

is a rare fungus-like pathogen that is known to cause pythiosis in mammals with high morbidity and mortality. Identification of the pathogen is essential for timely treatment and rational use of antibiotics. However, is difficult to detect conventional microbiological tests.

DLC1 inhibits colon adenocarcinoma cell migration by promoting secretion of the neurotrophic factor MANF.

DLC1 (deleted in liver cancer-1) is downregulated or deleted in colorectal cancer (CRC) tissues and functions as a potent tumor suppressor, but the underlying molecular mechanism remains elusive. We found that the conditioned medium (CM) collected from DLC1-overexpressed SW1116 cells inhibited the migration of colon adenocarcinoma cells HCT116 and SW1116, but had no effect on proliferation, which suggested DLC1-mediated secretory components containing a specific inhibitor for colon adenocarcinoma cell migration. Analysis by mass spectrometry identified mesencephalic astrocyte-derived neurotrophic factor (MANF) as a candidate.

ScCBF1 plays a stronger role in cold, salt and drought tolerance than StCBF1 in potato (Solanum tuberosum).

Solanum tuberosum (St) and Solanum commersonii (Sc) are two potato varieties with different freezing tolerance. Among them, St is a freezing-sensitive variety and. Sc is a cold-resistant wild potato.

Swimming Impedes Intestinal Microbiota and Lipid Metabolites of Tumorigenesis in Colitis-Associated Cancer.

Background: Accumulating data support that regular physical activity potentially inhibits chronic colitis, a risk factor for colitis-associated cancer (CAC). However, possible effects of physical activity on CAC and the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood.

Methods: A pretreatment of swimming on azoxymethane/dextran sodium sulfate (AOM/DSS)-induced CAC mice was implemented to determine its protective effect.

miR-203a-3p-DNMT3B feedback loop facilitates non-small cell lung cancer progression.

It has been reported that microRNA-203a-3p (miR-203a-3p) modulates cell proliferation, migration and invasion in a variety of cancer cell types. However, little is known about its role in lung cancer progression. The present study found that miR-203a-3p was downregulated in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines and tissues.

Analysis of transcript-wide profile regulated by microsatellite instability of colorectal cancer.

Background: Microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) is a form of genomic instability present in 15% of colorectal cancer (CRC) cases. Several differential gene analyses have been conducted on CRC; however, none have specifically explored the differentially expressed genes in MSI-H CRC. Research on the different gene expressions between MSI-H CRC and microsatellite stable (MSS) CRC, and their different patterns of metastasis will provide invaluable insights for diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment.

Bacteria Associated With and Their Influence on Colony Formation.

() is one of the dominant algae during harmful algal blooms (HABs) in coastal regions of Southern China. exhibits complex heteromorphic life cycles that could switch between solitary cells and colonies. The ecological success of has been attributed to its colony formation, although underlying mechanisms remain unknown.