Electronic Structure of Ni-Based Reconstructed Surface for Electrocatalytic Alkaline Oxygen Evolution Reaction.

The sluggish kinetics of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in alkaline water electrolysis lead to high overpotentials, limiting cost-effective green hydrogen production. Ni-based catalysts, recognized as promising OER electrocatalysts, require electronic structure modulation to enhance performance. However, under oxidizing conditions, Ni-based materials undergo surface reconstruction with significant electronic alterations, rendering bulk-phase studies less practical.

Modification of starch traits in commercial wheat through TaWaxy gene editing.

Amylose content (AC) is a key determinant of wheat quality, and the TaWaxy gene determined amylose synthesis with a dose-dependent effect on AC. In this study, the TaWOX5 gene, which significantly enhances wheat transformation efficiency, was combined with CRISPR/SpCas9 system to generate TaWaxy mutants in a commercial winter wheat Jimai 22. Seven transgene-free mutant types were produced, compared to only three transgene-free mutants in the spring wheat variety Ningchun 4.

System with Thermal Management for Synergistic Water Production, Electricity Generation and Crop Irrigation.

Sustainable water, energy and food (WEF) supplies are the bedrock upon which human society depends. Solar-driven interfacial evaporation, combined with electricity generation and cultivation, is a promising approach to mitigate the freshwater, energy and food crises. However, the performance of solar-driven systems decreases significantly during operation due to uncontrollable weather.

Effects of Dorzagliatin, a Glucokinase Activator, on α- and β-Cell Function in Individuals With Impaired and Normal Glucose Tolerance.

Dorzagliatin is a dual-acting allosteric glucokinase (GCK) activator that increases β-cell glucose sensitivity and second-phase insulin in GCK monogenic diabetes of the young. Actions of dorzagliatin on α- and β-cell function in normal and impaired glucose tolerance are unknown. In this study, dorzagliatin increased second-phase insulin in individuals with impaired glucose tolerance while suppressing glucagon in participants with normal glucose tolerance during a hyperglycemic clamp.

TM9SF1 as a Novel Prognostic Biomarker for Sepsis Severity and Mortality: A Longitudinal Study.

Background: Sepsis is a prevalent and detrimental condition in intensive care units (ICUs) and a leading cause of mortality. The present study evaluated the role and clinical importance of Transmembrane 9 superfamily member 1 (TM9SF1) as a potential indicator for the early detection of sepsis severity and prognosis.

Methods: This study included 118 patients with septic shock and 107 patients with sepsis, all of whom underwent follow-up assessments.

From Stories to Science: Mapping Global Trends in Narrative Medicine Research (2004-2024).

Narrative medicine is defined as a medical approach that utilizes the power of stories, both patients' illness narratives and healthcare providers' reflective accounts, to promote healing, foster empathy, and enhance the therapeutic relationship through close attention to the language, metaphor, and meaning embedded in illness experiences. Despite its growing importance in contemporary healthcare, comprehensive bibliometric analyses of narrative medicine research trends remain limited. This study aims to systematically map global research patterns, identify key contributors, and analyze thematic evolution in narrative medicine literature over the past two decades.

Systemic activation of NRF2 contributes to the therapeutic efficacy of clinically-approved KRAS-G12C anti-cancer drugs.

Background: The development and clinical success of KRAS inhibitors was a landmark achievement in anti-cancer drug development, as oncogenic KRAS had long been considered an intractable therapeutic target. Patients with KRAS mutant lung cancers frequently present with co-mutations in the KEAP1-NRF2 pathway, and because genetic activation of NRF2 results in resistance to all current anti-cancer therapies, we were motivated to explore how aberrant activation of NRF2 impacts the clinical response to KRAS inhibitors.

Methods: A broad range of techniques, including genetic knockouts, scRNA-seq and surface plasmon resonance, were used to determine the effect of KRAS drugs on NRF2.

Iron-Catalyzed Photochemical Defluorinative Functionalization of Polyfluorinated Aromatics.

Iron photocatalysis has emerged as a sustainable platform for C-H functionalization. This study describes a photocatalytic strategy for the selective defluorinative functionalization of polyfluorinated aromatics. The developed methodology enables selective defluorosulfonylation with sulfur dioxide and defluorinative alkylation with alkanes under visible light irradiation.

Comparative Transcriptomic Analysis of the Liver and Spleen in Ussuri Catfish () Challenged with Polyriboinosinic Polyribocytidylic Acid (Poly(I:C)).

Poly (I:C), a viral mimic, is capable of activating the antiviral immune mechanisms in teleosts. In this study, we investigated the transcriptional responses of Ussuri Catfish () to poly (I:C) stimulation at 3 and 48 h, focusing on the similarities and differences in antiviral mechanisms exhibited in the liver and spleen. At 3 h, the signaling pathways that were concurrently enriched in both the spleen and liver include JAK-STAT, TNF, NF-κB, RIG-I-like receptor, and NOD-like receptor.

An Ultrapotent, Ultraeconomical, Antifreeze Polypeptide.

The growth of large ice crystals during freeze and thaw events is a challenge in diverse settings from transportation and agriculture to foods and biomedicine. Design, synthesis, and evaluation of antifreeze polypeptides that inhibit ice crystal growth at µg concentrations are reported herein. The polypeptides, composed of Ala and Glu, are prepared using economical methodology, are stable after thermal events, are biodegradable, and are nontoxic to human cells.

Potential role of the TuCCE50 gene in abamectin resistance in field populations of Tetranychus urticae Koch.

The two-spotted spider mite Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae) has developed resistance to various pesticides at different levels. While target-site resistance mechanisms are recognized, metabolic resistance plays a crucial role in this development. In this study, a carboxyl/choline esterase gene, TuCCE50, was found to be significantly overexpressed in all tested field populations of T.

Understanding the Lithium Storage Mechanism of Mesoporous Structured High-Entropy Metal Oxide Anode with In Situ Transmission Electron Microscope.

High-entropy oxides represent a burgeoning class of anode materials for lithium-ion batteries. They reduce the mutual repulsion among constituent elements, enhance structural stability, and effectively mitigate volume changes-induced structural collapse and capacity decay during charge-discharge cycles. However, the complex elemental composition of high-entropy oxides complicate their lithium storage mechanism, particularly the evolution of structural stability during cycling, which requires further elucidation.

Three-Dimensional Non-Stationary MIMO Channel Modeling for UAV-Based Terahertz Wireless Communication Systems.

Terahertz (THz) wireless communications can support ultra-high data rates and secure wireless links with miniaturized devices for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) communications. In this paper, a three-dimensional (3D) non-stationary geometry-based stochastic channel model (GSCM) is proposed for multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) communication links between the UAVs in the THz band. The proposed channel model considers not only the 3D scattering and reflection scenarios (i.

Facile Synthesis of High Areal Density and Stable Pt Single-Atom Electrocatalysts by Arc Discharge Atomization and CoNi Trapping.

Pt-group metal single-atom catalysts (SACs) with a large single-atom areal density are highly desirable for efficient electrocatalysis but remain challenging to synthesize. Herein, a facile vacuum direct current arc discharge (DCAD) strategy is reported for the rapid and scalable synthesis of Pt SACs with an unprecedented areal density of 10.6 atoms nm (3.

Topological prethermal strong zero modes on superconducting processors.

Symmetry-protected topological phases cannot be described by any local order parameter and are beyond the conventional symmetry-breaking model. They are characterized by topological boundary modes that remain stable under symmetry respecting perturbations. In clean, gapped systems without disorder, the stability of these edge modes is restricted to the zero-temperature manifold; at finite temperatures, interactions with mobile thermal excitations lead to their decay.

Species Diversity and Resource Status of Macrofungi in Beijing: Insights from Natural and Urban Habitats.

This study systematically documented macrofungal diversity in Beijing, China (field surveys conducted from 2020 to 2024) using line-transect and random sampling. A total of 1056 species were identified, spanning 2 phyla, 7 classes, 25 orders, 109 families, and 286 genera. The inventory includes 12 new species, 456 new records for Beijing, 79 new records for China, and comprises 116 edible, 56 edible-medicinal, 123 medicinal, and 58 poisonous species.

DNA Methylation-Activated LaCOMT1 Expression Promotes Cluster Root Formation of White Lupin via a Mechanism Involving the Melatonin Synthesis.

White lupin exhibits remarkable adaptability to phosphorus (P)-deficient soil through the development of cluster roots (CR), thereby enhancing P use sufficiency. Despite its crucial role, the underlying mechanism governing CR formation remains elusive. Here, we reveal an elevated DNA methylation level through whole-genome bisulfite sequencing in CR in response to P deficiency, particularly in gene and flanking regions, suggesting a responsive epigenetic mechanism.

Discovery of bromobenzyl phenyl ether derivative YPD-29B: a novel pre-clinical compound targeting the programmed cell death-1/programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-1/PD-L1) interaction.

Targeting the PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint pathway with small molecules has exhibited great promise. Herein, to develop the inhibitors with good activity, pharmacokinetic properties and druggability, a novel series of halogens substituted derivatives at the 2-position of the biphenyl group were synthesized, screened, and their inhibitory activity against the PD-1/PD-L1 protein-protein interaction (PPI) was evaluated through a HTRF assay. Among them, YPD-29B exhibited potent activity with IC value of less than 1 pM.

From pioneering to innovation: A comprehensive review of acupuncture anesthesia in cardiothoracic surgeries.

The evolution of acupuncture anesthesia (AA) has spanned six decades. Cardiothoracic surgery serves as a representative case study to illustrate this evolution. Reflecting on its historical development, the use of AA in cardiothoracic surgery has advanced from basic AA procedures in the 1960s to combined acupuncture and drug anesthesia techniques in the early 1980s.

Lower serum GPX4 and GSH/GSSG ratio are associated with poor prognosis in severe community-acquired pneumonia.

Objectives: Disruption of redox homeostasis and ferroptosis have been increasingly implicated in the pathogenesis of inflammatory lung injury. Glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) and the ratio of reduced to oxidized glutathione (GSH/GSSG) are key regulators in this process. However, the clinical significance of ferroptotic factors in severe community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is still lacking.

Bleomycin-induced flagellate-like skin pigmentation in a 15-year-old girl: a case report and review.

We present a detailed report of a case of flagellar-like skin pigmentation observed in a 15-year-old female patient diagnosed with ovarian yolk sac tumor following administration of a chemotherapy regimen containing bleomycin. After three cycles of chemotherapy, the patient exhibited characteristic painless, non-pruritic linear hyperpigmentation on her trunk and back. This case underscores the significance of paying attention to bleomycin-associated dermal toxicity, emphasizing the need for its early detection and management to alleviate the patient's psychological and physical distress.

Wheat domestication gene Q interplays with TaARF12 to antagonistically modulate plant architecture by integrating multiple hormone homeostasis.

Wheat domestication gene Q controls threshability and also pleiotropically affects plant morphogenesis. However, its specific roles in modulating plant architecture and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We dissected Q effects on plant architecture using transgenic overexpression and knockout assays.

Mid-Term Management of Operating Room Equipment: Improving Surgical Quality.

This study focuses on the mid-term management theory of equipment lifecycle and systematically examines the impact of operating room instrument management on operational efficiency optimization. The review mainly covers four key aspects: operator training, information technology application, cost control, and quality assurance. The results indicate that mid-term management plays a crucial role in the full lifecycle management of operating room equipment and plays a key role in improving the quality of operating room operations.

Contextual interference effects on volleyball serve acquisition: a controlled trial with physical-education majors.

To address limitations in previous domestic and international studies on "the effect of background interference on volleyball learning", the present study selected 60 students majoring in physical education from the 2021 class at Qufu Normal University as experimental subjects to examine their skill acquisition. This study aimed to explore the differential effect of background interference on the learning of volleyball serving technique of students majoring in physical education. During an 8-week teaching experiment, the effects of three training modes, namely group block practice (low interference), mixed practice (medium interference), and random practice (high interference), on the learning effect of the serving technique of 60 physical education majors were compared.

Recent advances in chiral phosphoric acids for asymmetric organocatalysis: a catalyst design perspective.

Asymmetric catalysis, as a core technique in organic synthetic chemistry, can efficiently and precisely construct organic compounds with specific stereochemical structures and plays an indispensable role in many fields such as drug research and development, materials science, and total synthesis of natural products. Chiral phosphoric acid catalysts (CPA) have ascended to become a preeminent category of organic small-molecule catalysts within the precincts of asymmetric catalysis. Their bifunctional nature as both a chiral Brønsted acid and a Lewis base bequeaths them with prodigious catalytic prowess.