Enhanced N-terminal glycine modification with electron deficient -oxyacetate aromatic aldehydes.

N-Terminus glycine was selectively converted into aminoalcohols using -oxyacetate aromatic aldehydes. Enhanced reactivity was observed with aldehydes bearing electron-withdrawing/pyridyl groups. Computational studies revealed enol formation as the rate-limiting step, where reduced electron density lowered the α-carbon p and energy barriers, aligning with experimental trends.

Non-coding RNA mediates the defense-associated reverse transcriptase (DRT) anti-phage oligomerization transition.

Defense-associated reverse transcriptase (DRT) systems are implicated in prokaryotic resistance to viral infections, yet the molecular mechanisms underlying their functionality remain largely unknown. Here, we characterize a two-component DRT9 system, composed of a reverse transcriptase (RT) and a non-coding RNA (ncRNA), which exhibits a protein-primed DNA synthesis activity upon phage infection. We also determine its cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures in different functional states.

Special Rubber with Excellent Mechanical Strength and Thermal Stability for Temperature Difference Generator Applications.

Thermoelectric generators (TEGs) are capable of converting part of the unreusable light and heat energy into electrical energy, which is an emerging energy harvesting technology. However, the photothermal conversion layer, as a key component of the TEG, is susceptible to mechanical damage and structural damage under the influence of external stress stimuli and high-temperature environments, which affects the stable operation of the TEG. Therefore, it is a great challenge to develop a photothermal conversion layer that combines excellent mechanical properties and thermal stability.

Manganese transport systems of two enteric bacteria enhance their resistance to stress and enable the bacteria to evade the innate immune responses.

Manganese (Mn) is an important element in bacteria-host interactions, exerting significant functions on both bacterial physiology and host immune responses. The importance of bacterial Mn transport systems in mediating bacterial stress resistance has been recognized, however, its role in modulating host innate immunity during infections remained elusive. This study aimed to explore the functions of the Mn transport proteins MntH and SitABCD in two enteric pathogens, Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium.

Elevated apolipoprotein C3 heightens atherosclerosis risk by mediating arterial accumulation of free cholesterol and local inflammation in diabetes.

Cardiovascular outcome trials are being considered for therapeutics that silence apolipoprotein C3 (APOC3) or angiopoietin-like 3 (ANGPTL3) because of their abilities to lower triglyceride-rich lipoproteins (TRLs) and their remnants in individuals with increased cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Here we demonstrate that plasma APOC3 predicts CVD events in individuals with diabetes more strongly than in those without diabetes. Accordingly, plasma APOC3 levels are elevated, clearance of TRLs/remnants is slowed, and plasma TRL remnants are increased in two mouse models of diabetes-accelerated atherosclerosis.

Catalytic α-Site-Selective Hydrogen-Deuterium Exchange of Benzylic Alcohols by Palladium Single-Atom Catalyst.

Catalytic hydrogen-deuterium exchange (HDE) has emerged as a valuable tool for achieving site-selective deuteration and the precision labeling of bioactive molecules. Incorporation of deuterium at metabolically labile positions, enabled by such methods, can potentially improve drug efficacy through the kinetic isotope effect. However, achieving precise, site-selective incorporation of deuterium at specific molecular positions remains challenging.

Dual inhibition of AKT and autophagy sensitizes triple negative breast cancer cells to carboplatin.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) exhibits the highest recurrence and mortality rates among breast cancer subtypes. Approximately one million TNBC cases are diagnosed worldwide annually. Current clinical treatments, primarily chemotherapy regimens based on paclitaxel and anthracycline, are associated with high recurrence rates and low overall survival rates.

Robust Self-Healing Polyurethane-Based Solid-State Ion-Conductive Elastomers with Exceptional Strength and Ionic Conductivity for Multifunctional Strain Sensors and Triboelectric Nanogenerators.

Flexible ionic conductors hold potential for wearable sensors and energy harvesting. However, most gel-based conductors suffer from solvent evaporation and liquid leakage, limiting practical applications. Although solid-state ionic conductors mitigate these issues, achieving strong mechanics, high conductivity, self-healing, and stability remains challenging.

Acetyl alkannin, a Shikonin monomer, inhibits the ATM/DDR pathway by targeting ATM and sensitizes cisplatin in solid tumors.

Platinum-based chemotherapy is limited by drug resistance and severe adverse effects. Although the DNA damage response (DDR) is known to affect drug sensitivity across cancer types, the role of its upstream regulator ATM in modulating cisplatin (DDP) resistance remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the role of the ATM/DDR pathway to DDP resistance and proposed a potential targeted strategy.

Aspartame Endowed ZnO-Based Self-Healing Solid Electrolyte Interface Film for Long-Cycling and Wide-Temperature Aqueous Zn-Ion Batteries.

Metallic Zn anodes suffer from hydrogen evolution and dendritic deposition in aqueous electrolytes, resulting in low Coulombic efficiency and poor cyclic stability for aqueous Zn-ion batteries (AZIBs). Constructing stable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) with strong affinity for Zn and exclusion of water corrosion of Zn metal anodes is a promising strategy to tackle these challenges. In this study, we develop a self-healing ZnO-based SEI film on the Zn electrode surface by employing an aspartame (APM) as a versatile electrolyte additive.

Genomic analysis and mobile genetic elements carriage of Clostridium perfringens type A.

Objectives: To explore a comprehensive genomic analysis of Clostridium perfringens type A strains from diverse regions in China, investigating their virulence genes, antibiotic resistance genes, and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) to inform strategies for infection control and resistance gene surveillance.

Methods: We conducted whole-genome sequencing on 168 C. perfringens type A strains from nine provinces in China (2016-2021).

Bioinspired Liquid-Free Ion-Conductive Elastomers with Ultrahigh Mechanical Strength and Excellent Ionic Conductivity for Multifunctional Flexible Sensing Applications.

Liquid-free ion-conductive elastomers with excellent mechanical and electrical conductivity are widely used in flexible sensors, wearable devices, soft touch screens, and supercapacitors. However, the inherent contradiction between mechanical and electrical properties often limits the development of liquid-free ion-conductive elastomers. Therefore, the preparation of liquid-free ion-conductive elastomers with both high mechanical properties and high ionic conductivity remains a major challenge.

Host factors influencing sexual differentiation and transmission of Plasmodium: A comprehensive review.

Malaria, a severe parasitic disease caused by Plasmodium infections, remains a major global health challenge. Efforts to eradicate malaria are complicated by the parasite's intricate life cycle, which alternates between vertebrate hosts and mosquito vectors. Host-derived factors and parasite-sourced components exert crucial roles in regulating this biological process.

Two-phase conversion process of ethylene glycol and the mechanism of synergistic extraction of lithium in subcritical water system.

The efficient recovery of lithium in spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) is of key significance to alleviate the resource utilization of lithium in solid waste. Herein, a ethylene glycol (EG) assisted subcritical method is proposed for the selective recovery of lithium. Under the optimal conditions with reaction temperature of 270℃, reaction time of 3 h, rotational speed of 300 r min, L/S ratio of 10:1 mL g, and EG dosage of 60 %, lithium can be leached with efficiencies of up to 98.

Soluble TREM2 is a biomarker but not a mediator of fibrosing steatohepatitis.

Background: Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2), a transmembrane, lipid-sensing protein expressed by Kupffer cells, is thought to play a role in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH). Plasma levels of the TREM2 cleavage product, soluble TREM2 (sTREM2), are strongly associated with MASLD severity. We investigated the role of TREM2 in MASH pathogenesis and whether sTREM2 acts both as biomarker and mediator of MASH.

Preoperative CT attenuation value classification assesses cage subsidence risk in 112 OLIF surgery cases.

Retrospective Study. This study investigates the effectiveness of preoperative vertebral computed tomography (CT) attenuation value classification in predicting cage subsidence in Oblique lumbar interbody fusion (OLIF) surgeries. This study aims to evaluate the feasibility of using CT attenuation value classification to predict cage subsidence.

mNGS technique was used to analyze the microbiome structure of intervertebral disc tissue in 99 patients with degenerative disc disease.

Objective: Whether bacterial hypotoxic infection in the intervertebral disc is the cause of disc degenerative disease (DDD) is controversial. The mNGS technique can provide valuable insights by obtaining more comprehensive evidence of the presence of bacteria in the intervertebral disc. This study was designed to analyze the characteristics of intervertebral microbiome structure in patients with lumbar disc degenerative disease and its correlation with clinical indicators.

G2M-checkpoint related immune barrier structure and signature for prognosis and immunotherapy response in hepatocellular carcinoma: insights from spatial transcriptome and machine learning.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treatment remains challenging, particularly for immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) non-response patients. Spatial transcriptome (ST) data and machine learning algorithms offer new insights into understanding HCC heterogeneity and ICIs resistance mechanisms.

Methods: Utilizing ST data from HCC patients on ICIs treatment, we analyzed pathway activity and immune infiltration.

Risk factor analysis of adjacent vertebral compression fracture following the surgery of percutaneous kyphoplasty in postmenopausal women.

To evaluate the risk factors for adjacent vertebral compression fracture(AVCF) following the surgery of percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) in postmenopausal women. Two hundred and ninety-seven postmenopausal female patients had been reviewed, underwent PKP surgery between January 2016 and December 2020, were divided into two groups according to whether or not AVCF. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were generated to analyze the sensitivity and specificity of the relative risk factors in the identification of AVCF.

The neuroprotective and behavioral improvement effects of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) molecules on tic disorder: Regulation of the 5-HT system by yohimbine.

Tic disorder is a class of nervous system diseases characterized by involuntary muscle contraction, and its pathogenesis is complex. This study aimed to investigate the mechanism of action of GFAP in tic disorder and its potential influence on neuroprotection and behavior improvement. The expression level of GFAP in brain tissues of each group was detected by immunohistochemistry, and the changes of tic behavior were evaluated by behavioral tests.

Multiple independent acquisitions of ACE2 usage in MERS-related coronaviruses.

The angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor is shared by various coronaviruses with distinct receptor-binding domain (RBD) architectures, yet our understanding of these convergent acquisition events remains elusive. Here, we report that two bat MERS-related coronaviruses (MERSr-CoVs) infecting Pipistrellus nathusii (P.nat)-MOW15-22 and PnNL2018B-use ACE2 as their receptor, with narrow ortholog specificity.

Blood urea nitrogen-to-albumin ratio as a new prognostic indicator of 1-year all-cause mortality in patients with IPF.

Background: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is an interstitial lung disease characterized by chronic inflammation and progressive fibrosis. The blood urea nitrogen-to-albumin ratio (BAR) is a comprehensive parameter associated with inflammation status; however, it is unknown whether the BAR can predict the prognosis of IPF.

Methods: This retrospective study included 176 patients with IPF, and 1-year all-cause mortality of these patients was recorded.

Type I IFN induces long-chain acyl-CoA synthetase 1 to generate a phosphatidic acid reservoir for lipotoxic saturated fatty acids.

Long-chain acyl-CoA synthetase 1 (ACSL1) catalyzes the conversion of long-chain fatty acids to acyl-CoAs. ACSL1 is required for β-oxidation in tissues that rely on fatty acids as fuel, but no consensus exists on why ACSL1 is induced by inflammatory mediators in immune cells. We used a comprehensive and unbiased approach to investigate the role of ACSL1 induction by interferon type I (IFN-I) in myeloid cells in vitro and in a mouse model of IFN-I overproduction.

Hybrid contrastive multi-scenario learning for multi-task sequential-dependence recommendation.

Multi-scenario and multi-task learning are crucial in industrial recommendation systems to deliver high-quality recommendations across diverse scenarios with minimal computational overhead. However, conventional models often fail to effectively leverage cross-scenario information, limiting their representational capabilities. Additionally, multi-step conversion tasks in real-world applications face challenges from sequential dependencies and increased data sparsity, particularly in later stages.

Case report: The first known case of male retroperitoneal mesonephric-like adenocarcinoma.

Aim: We aimed to analyze the clinico-pathological and molecular features of mesonephric-like adenocarcinoma (MLA) to enhance understanding of this tumor type.

Methods: This is the first case of MLA occurring in the retroperitoneum of a male patient. Clinico-pathological and molecular characteristics were analyzed, and the relevant literature was reviewed.