Resistomic features and novel genetic element identified in hospital wastewater with short- and long-read metagenomics.

The global spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a serious threat to public health, with hospital wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) recognized as a key hotspot for resistant pathogens and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). This study employed advanced hybrid sequencing platforms to provide a comprehensive resistomic analysis of a Qingdao WWTP in China, revealing previously uncovered AMR transmission risks. We identified 175 ARG subtypes conferring resistance to 38 antimicrobials, including the last-resort antibiotics, highlighting the extensive and concerning resistance reservoir within this environment.

JMJ720 encodes an H3K9me2 demethylase that regulates grain size in rice.

Grain size is a crucial determinant of rice yield, yet the molecular mechanisms controlling this trait remain only partially understood. Here, we identified the JMJ720 locus as a key regulator of grain size through map-based cloning. The jmj720 mutant was found to exhibit significantly larger grains when compared to the wild type (WT).

Connectiveness of Antimicrobial Resistance Genotype-Genotype and Genotype-Phenotype in the "Intersection" of Skin and Gut Microbes.

The perianal skin is a unique "skin-gut" boundary that serves as a critical hotspot for the exchange and evolution of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). However, its role in the dissemination of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has often been underestimated. To characterize the resistance patterns in the perianal skin environment of patients with perianal diseases and to investigate the drivers of AMR in this niche, a total of 51 bacterial isolates were selected from a historical strain bank containing isolates originally collected from patients with perianal diseases.

Na-Assisted Molecular Beam Epitaxy of MoS.

Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) hold great promise for next-generation electronics, where both large-domain growth and atomic-level doping control are essential for optimal device performance. While molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) provides unparalleled precision in thickness and composition control, its application to TMD growth has been fundamentally limited by small domain sizes. Here, we demonstrate a sodium-assisted MBE (Na-MBE) technique to achieve single-crystalline MoS domains exceeding 1 μm on Au(111), which is an order of magnitude larger over MoS grown on the same substrate with standard MBE techniques.

The interaction between McMLO7b and McCASPL22 regulating the susceptibility to powdery mildews in balsam pear.

Powdery mildew (PM) is one of the most serious diseases in balsam pear. MLO (Mildew Resistance Locus O) is a key factor in the response of plants to PM infection, but its regulation mechanism remains poorly understood. In this study, overexpression of McMLO7b (MLO7b in Momordica charantia L) was found to potentially enhance Arabidopsis susceptibility to PM, confirming that McMLO7b acts as a susceptibility factor during PM infection.

9,000-year-old barley consumption in the foothills of central Asia.

Scholars are increasingly favoring models for the origins of agriculture that involve a protracted process of increasing interdependence within a series of mutualistic relationships between humans and plants, as opposed to a rapid single event or innovation. Nonetheless, these scholars continue to debate over when people first started foraging for grass seeds, when they began to readily utilize sickles, how prominent the early selection pressures were, and when the first traits of domestication fully introgressed into the cultivated grass population. Here, we present complementary archaeobotanical and archaeological (stone tool) evidence for cereal foragers from Toda-1 Cave in the Surkhan Darya, dating to 9200 cal BP.

A Dual Functional Molecular Tweezer: pH-Driven C Capture/Release and Ba Selective Recognition.

Novel resorcin[4]arene-based molecular tweezers functionalized with dual benzo-crown-ether moieties were successfully synthesized. These macrocycles exhibit pH-responsive switching between vase and kite conformations, enabling the reversible encapsulation of C under basic conditions primarily driven by dispersion-dominated interactions and efficient acid-triggered release. Remarkably, one of these macrocycles further demonstrates selective fluorescence sensing of barium ions, thus rendering this particular derivative a bifunctional system capable of integrating both fullerene recognition and cation detection in a single molecular architecture.

Non-traditional lipid parameters are independent predictors of the location, distribution, and stroke events of moderate-to-severe intracranial and extracranial atherosclerotic stenosis.

Objective: Moderate-to-severe stenosis has been identified as a significant risk factor for stroke recently. This study aims to investigate the relationship between non-traditional lipid parameters and the location and distribution of stenosis, as well as symptomatic events, in patients with moderate-to-severe intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis (ICAS) and extracranial atherosclerotic stenosis (ECAS).

Methods: This study analyzed correlation between non-traditional lipid parameters and moderate-to-severe ICAS and ECAS concerning stenosis location, distribution, and the presence or absence of symptoms.

pH-Dependent Packing Mode Variations and Chirality Inversion in Short Peptide Self-Assembly.

Precise control of structures and morphologies in peptide self-assembly has been challenging. We report the self-assembly of amphiphilic peptides IH, designed with a modular structure featuring three consecutive isoleucine residues as a hydrophobic tail and a C-terminal histidine-based hydrophilic headgroup. Microscopic, neutron scattering, and spectroscopic techniques demonstrate that the designed peptides self-assemble into β-sheet nanofibrils, with their helix handedness exhibiting subtle pH-dependent inversion.

Optimization of Multiple Combinations of Early Secretion Pathways to Enhance Extracellular Protein Secretion in .

The methylotrophic yeast () is a pivotal heterologous protein production platform, yet inefficient secretory trafficking hinders its industrial scalability. We addressed this limitation through the systematic engineering of early secretory pathways to enhance extracellular yields for three phylogenetically distinct proteins: fungal α-amylase (AmyA), bacterial β-glucanase (BgA), and human serum albumin (HSA). By integrating secretory peptide engineering with 3' untranslated region (3' UTR) optimization, cotranslational ER translocation efficiency improved, elevating extracellular activity by 1.

Integrated analysis of physiological responses and transcriptional regulation in kiwifruit under high temperature.

Background: High temperature is one of the major natural problems resulting in delayed growth, development and decreased agricultural productivity. Kiwifruit is highly sensitive to high temperature at its entire development stage. In order to better understand the kiwifruit physiological and molecular mechanism, we conducted out a physiological parameters and transcriptome analysis under high temperature conditions using the leaf tissues of two species viz.

An H3K9me2 demethylase encoded by Jumonji C domain-containing DT2 regulates drought tolerance in rice.

Drought is a major environmental stress limiting global rice (Oryza sativa) production, emphasizing the vital requirement for understanding the genetic basis of drought tolerance. Here, we identified a Jumonji C (JmjC) domain-containing gene, DROUGHT TOLERANCE 2 (DT2), which encodes an H3K9me2 demethylase that regulates drought tolerance in rice. DT2 reduces the H3K9me2 methylation level at the bZIP transcription factor OsZIP26, thereby increasing its expression.

Expert Consensus on Subxiphoid and Subcostal Arch Thoracoscopic Resection for the Treatment of Thymoma.

Surgery is the primary treatment for thymoma. Although subxiphoid and subcostal arch thoracoscopic thymoma surgery is widely used, there is currently a lack of consensus regarding its use, nor have standards been established. Based on the surgical experience of many domestic thoracic surgery centers, the Department of Thoracic Surgery of Tangdu Hospital of Air Force Medical University has formulated this expert consensus regarding key clinical issues related to thoracoscopic thymoma surgery, including preoperative evaluation, surgical indications, preoperative preparation, surgical details, perioperative management, postoperative treatment, and follow-up.

Virulence Characterization of f. sp. in China in 2020 Using Wheat Single-Gene Lines.

Wheat stripe (yellow) rust, caused by the fungus f. sp. (), is one of the most threatening wheat diseases worldwide.

Bioinspired supramolecular fibrillization enables stretchable and biodegradable piezoelectric bioelectronics.

Bioinspired piezoelectricity is extensively explored for diverse bio-machine interface and biomedical engineering applications. Nevertheless, state-of-the-art bio-piezoelectricity mainly focuses on crystallization. Yet, crystalized structures exhibit several shortcomings, including limited biocompatibility or biodegradability along with intrinsic non-stretchability.

Nitrogen Fertilizer Application and Optimized Planting Density Enhance Rice Yield by Improving the Panicle Type Index and Increasing the Filling Rate of Inferior Grains.

This study aimed to investigate the regulatory effects of nitrogen (N) application rate and plant density on panicle type index (PTI), yield, grain filling characteristics, and their correlations. The low-PTI rice variety DP128 (PTI = 0.15) was cultivated under field conditions at four N supply levels (0 (N), 140 (N), 200 (N), and 260 (N) kg∙ha), and two plant densities (166,755 and 333,495 plants∙ha).

The Impact of on Rice Grain-Processing Traits and Appearance Quality.

The head rice rate, defined as the proportion of milled grains retaining at least three-quarters of their original length, has become a limiting factor that restricts the improvement of rice quality in China in recent years. Here, we characterized the role of ETHYLENE RESPONSIVE FACTOR34 (OsERF34), an APETALA2 (AP2/ERF) family TF, in the grain morphology, physiochemical properties, and processing quality of rice. Through CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout () and overexpression (OsERF34-OE) in the japonica cultivar ZH11, we demonstrate that exerts dose-dependent effects on grain morphology and processing traits.

Gender-specific associations between serum docosahexaenoic acid levels and chronic pain prevalence: a cross-sectional study.

Background: This study examines the relationship between serum docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) levels and chronic pain prevalence, with emphasis on gender differences and smoking status interactions.

Methods: Data from 1,677 adults participating in the 2003-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) were analyzed. Chronic pain was defined as pain persisting ≥ 3 months.

NITRATE TRANSPORTER1/PEPTIDE TRANSPORTER FAMILY4 interacts with DENSE AND ERECT PANICLE1 and regulates grain number in rice.

The grain number per panicle is a key agronomic trait of ideal plant architecture in rice (Oryza sativa L.). Here, we characterized and cloned OsNPF4, a member of the NITRATE TRANSPORTER 1/PEPTIDE TRANSPORTER (NPF) family that substantially alters rice yield.

Point-of-Care Monitoring for Lung Cancer from Exhaled Breath Formaldehyde via Luminescent Metal-Organic Frameworks.

The identification of specific markers in exhaled gas from individuals with lung cancer has significantly enhanced the feasibility of early lung cancer screening. This paper presents the synthesis of a 2D Cu-BDC-NH nanosheet at room temperature, which has been applied for the noninvasive diagnosis and point-of-care test (POCT) of lung cancer. During this approach, the hydrazine group in the ligand molecule was employed to enhance the intrinsic fluorescence of Cu-BDC-NH through a Schiff base reaction with formaldehyde (HCHO), thereby reducing the detection limits of HCHO gas and aqueous solution (25 ppb and 0.

Elucidating Self-Assembly Tunability via a Designer Zwitterionic Surfactant-like Peptide.

Although complex electrostatic interactions play a vital role in defining protein architectures, it remains a challenge to exploit them to precisely tune peptide nanostructures instead of trigger assembly in the field of peptide self-assembly due to the inherent difficulty in accurately determining the protonation/deprotonation states of charge residues. We here design a zwitterionic β-sheet peptide Ac-IGGHE-NH containing a basic His and an acidic Glu residue, whose charged states (cationic, zwitterionic, and anionic) were found to be not only dependent on solution pH but also closely related to peptide concentration. As a result, the nature and magnitude of intermolecular electrostatic interactions of Ac-IGGHE-NH, as well as specific His-His interactions, were orchestrated well by varying the two solution conditions, eventually leading to different assembled architectures.

Enzyme-Mimicking Active Site Clefts Demonstrated by Self-Assembled Peptide Nanoribbons with Polar Zippers.

Due to the inherent limitations of natural enzymes, biomimetic enzymes have received tremendous attention, among which those arising from peptide self-assembly are of particular interest due to their resemblance to natural enzymes in composition and hierarchical structures, as well as their structural robustness and designability. Despite considerable advances achieved in this area, it remains a major challenge to construct active site clefts through peptide self-assembly. Here, we report the design of polar zippers between peptide β-sheets to mimic the catalytic microenvironment of natural enzymes.

Network pharmacology analysis reveals that coumestrol targets ZYX to inhibit ferroptosis and alleviate acute pancreatitis.

Aim: The therapeutic effect of CMS on acute pancreatitis (AP) and the mechanism of targeting Zyxin (ZYX) to regulate ferroptosis in acinar cells.

Methods: To assess the therapeutic effects of CMS in AP, we established caerulein-induced AP and caerulein plus LPS-induced SAP mouse models. Subsequently, weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and network pharmacology analysis were used to investigate the mechanism and target of CMS in the treatment of AP.

Stimuli-responsive peptide nanocarriers for tumor-specific CRISPR/Cas9 delivery and precision genome editing.

CRISPR/Cas9 ribonucleoprotein (RNP) delivery remains a critical challenge due to its large size, instability, and off-target effects. Here, we report a stimuli-responsive cationic amphiphilic peptide, (CR)C, designed for cancer-targeted delivery of CRISPR/Cas9 RNP. The peptide integrates three functional domains: (1) a naphthyl-diphenylalanine (Nap-FF) motif enabling self-assembly into stable nanoparticles via aromatic interactions, (2) a matrix metalloproteinase-7 (MMP7)-cleavable linker (GPLGLA) for tumor microenvironment-specific activation, and (3) a redox-responsive cationic domain ((CRRR)-C) for electrostatic RNP binding and glutathione (GSH)-triggered intracellular release.

Effects of stellate ganglion block on inflammation and autophagy of spinal cord neurons in rats with neuropathic pain after spinal cord injury.

Objective: To assess the therapeutic effects of stellate ganglion block (SGB) on spinal cord injury (SCI)-induced neuropathic pain in rats, and to explore its potential mechanisms in alleviating neuropathic pain, thereby providing a theoretical foundation for clinical treatment.

Methods: A rat model of SCI was established, and animals were randomly assigned to one of three groups: the sham surgery group (Sham), the SCI group (SCI), or the SCI group treated with SGB (SCI + SGB). Motor function was assessed using the Basso Beattie Bresnahan (BBB) locomotor rating scale, while thermal hyperalgesia was evaluated using hot plate test.