Stage-Resolved Phosphoproteomic Landscape of Mouse Spermiogenesis Reveals Key Kinase Signaling in Sperm Morphogenesis.

Spermiogenesis is the committed step of sperm production, during which spermatid cells undergo dramatic morphological transformations and transcriptional silencing. Post-translational modifications (PTMs), including phosphorylation, provide a level of protein function flexibility and play important roles in spermiogenesis. Dynamic protein phosphorylation profiles of spermatids are characterized across four different developing steps, and identified phosphorylation regulation of key proteins in spermiogenesis.

CXCR4-Mediated Chemokine Signaling Orchestrates the Progression of Conjunctival Melanocytic Lesions.

Purpose: The biological and microenvironmental differences between benign and malignant conjunctival melanocytic lesions remain poorly understood. This study aims to characterize their microenvironment and reveal the role of chemokine signaling in lesion progression.

Methods: Bulk RNA sequencing and single-cell RNA sequencing were used to delineate the microenvironment of conjunctival melanocytic lesions and identify divergent molecular pathways.

Molecular Engineering of Amphiphilic Probes for Enhanced Extracellular Vesicle Imaging and Tumor Theranostics.

The advancement of extracellular vesicle (EV)-based theranostics is significantly hampered by the limitations of conventional EV labeling dyes such as poor water solubility and single functionality, hindering precise tracking and therapeutic integration. To address these challenges, we present a molecular engineering strategy to design carbazole-based amphiphilic fluorescent probes for EVs, leveraging modulation via twisted intramolecular charge transfer (TICT). The optimized probe, , exhibits a remarkable 208-fold fluorescence enhancement upon EV binding, attributed to TICT suppression.

Synergistic optimization of combustion chamber design and hydrogen injection strategies for ultra-lean combustion in hydrogen engines.

Hydrogen, as a renewable zero-carbon fuel, is an ideal alternative to internal combustion engine fuels. The paper numerically investigates the effect of piston geometry on lean combustion in hydrogen engines, focusing on early and late injection strategies. Two novel piston bowl designs, referred to as the right-concave piston and left-concave piston, were analyzed for their interaction with hydrogen jets during mixture formation and combustion processes.

A based polysaccharide functional-nanoparticle delivery system for effective oral vaccine to facilitate both systemic and mucosal immunity through enhancing oral delivery.

Oral vaccines received great interest in preventing of global pandemics due to the ability to facilitate both systemic and mucosal immune responses. However, the enzymatic degradation, low permeability of mucus barrier, and lack of effective and safe mucosal adjuvants continue to remain significant challenge for oral vaccine. Herein, we developed a novel delivery system based on nanoparticles functionalized by plant polysaccharides to address the above challenges.

Biological Age Acceleration Associated with the Progression Trajectory of Cardio-Renal-Metabolic Multimorbidity: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Objectives: Previous studies have confirmed that biological age (BA) acceleration is associated with single cardio-renal-metabolic diseases (CRMDs), typically including type 2 diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, and chronic kidney disease. However, its association with progression to cardio-renal-metabolic multimorbidity (CRMM, coexistence of ≥2 CRMDs) and subsequent mortality remains unexplored.

Methods: Using the multi-state model, we analyzed 278,927 UK Biobank participants free of CRMDs at baseline to investigate the association between BA acceleration-measured by phenotypic age (PhenoAge) and Klemera-Doubal method age (KDMAge)-and CRMM progression trajectory, from health to the first CRMD and then to CRMM and death.

Unified deep learning framework for many-body quantum chemistry via Green's functions.

Quantum many-body methods provide a systematic route to computing electronic properties of molecules and materials, but high computational costs restrict their use in large-scale applications. Owing to the complexity in many-electron wavefunctions, machine learning models capable of capturing fundamental many-body physics remain limited. Here we present a deep learning framework targeting the many-body Green's function, which unifies predictions of electronic properties in ground and excited states, while offering physical insights into many-electron correlation effects.

Prognostic value of platelet to lymphocyte ratio in patients with cervical cancer: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: The identification of biomarkers that reliably forecast cervical cancer (CC) outcomes is a key area of research. Several studies have explored the link between the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and cervical cancer prognosis, though the results are not entirely conclusive.

Methods: PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library were used to search, with studies published up to May 30, 2024.

Naringenin as a phytogenic adjuvant systematically enhances the protective efficacy of H9N2 inactivated vaccine through coordinated innate-adaptive immune priming in chickens.

Although inactivated vaccines remain the primary strategy for preventing and controlling avian influenza virus, they fail to induce durable and systemic immune protection. Adjuvants are crucial for enhancing antigen immunogenicity and improving immune responses. In this study, we evaluated the adjuvant activity of naringenin (Nar) for H9N2 inactivated vaccine by detecting humoral immunity, cellular immunity, and viral challenge.

Pentraxin 3 promotes the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and the migration of macrophages in myocarditis.

Background: This study aims to investigate the expression of Pentraxin 3 (PTX3) and Nod-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) in myocarditis and to elucidate their roles and potential interplay in the pathogenesis of myocarditis.

Methods: Immunofluorescence staining was performed on myocardial autopsy specimens from deceased patients with severe myocarditis or severe trauma. H9C2 cardiomyocytes were divided into five groups: Control, Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), LPS + PTX3 overexpression, LPS + small interfering RNA targeting PTX3 (si-PTX3), and LPS + PTX3 overexpression + si-NLRP3.

Energy-specific Bethe-Salpeter equation implementation for efficient optical spectrum calculations.

We present an energy-specific Bethe-Salpeter equation (BSE) implementation for efficient core and valence optical spectrum calculations. In the energy-specific BSE, high-lying excitation energies are obtained by constructing trial vectors and expanding the subspace targeting excitation energies above the predefined energy threshold in the Davidson algorithm. To calculate optical spectra over a wide energy range, energy-specific BSE can be applied to multiple consecutive small energy windows, where trial vectors for each subsequent energy window are made orthogonal to the subspace of preceding windows to accelerate the convergence of the Davidson algorithm.

The Relationship between Visceral Fat Accumulation and Risk of Cardiometabolic Multimorbidity: The Roles of Accelerated Biological Aging.

Objectives: To investigate the association between visceral fat accumulation and the risk of cardiometabolic multimorbidity (CMM) and the potential roles of accelerated biological aging in this relationship.

Methods: Using data from the UK Biobank, a nationwide cohort study was conducted using the available baseline body roundness index (BRI) measurement. Biological aging was assessed using the Klemera-Doubal method for biological age and the phenotypic age algorithms.

Immune regulation and clinical response of Chinese herbal injections combined with TACE in hepatocellular carcinoma: a cumulative logit regression and Bayesian network meta-analysis.

Objectives: This study evaluated the immunomodulatory effects and clinical efficacy of Chinese herbal injections (CHIs) combined with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients using cumulative logit regression and Bayesian network meta-analysis.

Methods: A systematic review of 48 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving 4,293 HCC patients was conducted using PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Scopus, and Google Scholar. Outcomes included immune markers (CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, CD4+/CD8+ ratio, and NK cells), clinical response rate, and overall survival (6-month, 1-year, and 2-year).

Synthesis of AgInS quantum dots loaded with celastrol for induction of apoptosis and autophagy in hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a predominant form of liver cancer and one of the leading causes of cancer-related death globally. Therefore, there is an urgent need for innovative therapeutic strategies that target the molecular mechanisms underlying HCC progression and metastasis, aiming to improve treatment efficacy and patient survival. The natural product celastrol (Cel) has demonstrated inhibitory effects in various cancer cell lines.

Bio-Sourced 4-Aryl-1,2-Dithiolanes for Recyclable Poly(disulfide)s with High Performance.

The development of recyclable polymers presents a solution to the urgent issues of circular plastics economy. To this end, there is an increasing interest in expanding the utility of poly(disulfide)s, which contains dynamic covalent S─S bonds to enable intrinsic degradability. Lipoic acid and its derivatives represent the most widely used class of monomers for the preparation of poly(disulfide)s.

Dissolving Microneedles Embedded with Photosensitizers for Targeted Eradication of Gram-Positive Bacteria in Multidrug-Resistant Biofilms in Diabetic Wound Infections.

Chronic nonhealing wounds, common in diabetic patients, represent a major clinical challenge, causing significant morbidity and healthcare costs. Persistent bacterial biofilms are a critical obstacle to wound healing, necessitating their effective elimination to promote rapid recovery. In photodynamic antimicrobial therapy (PDAT), enhancing the interaction between the photosensitizer and bacterial biofilms is key to achieving efficient antimicrobial and antibiofilm effects.

Capturing and releasing cucurbitacins with α, β-unsaturated group from Cucumis melo based on reversibility of thia-Michael addition reaction.

Molecules containing α, β-unsaturated carbonyl structure have gained constant attention because of their potential of interacting with nucleophilic amino acid residues and further protein function regulating. However, current methods for finding and isolating such compounds are challenged by lacking of convenience and orientation. Herein we introduce a new strategy for capturing and releasing natural products with α, β-unsaturated group by regulating the direction of thia-Michael addition reaction.

Mixed Kagomé and Triangular Lattices in Transition Metal Sulfate Compounds M(SO)(OH) (M = Co, Ni, Cu).

A series of transition metal sulfate compounds, M(SO)(OH) (M = Co, Ni, Cu), have been hydrothermally synthesized and exhibit unique topological spin lattices composed of mixed kagomé and triangular motifs. Co(SO)(OH) and Ni(SO)(OH) feature alternating kagomé and triangular layers along the -axis, while Cu(SO)(OH) shows merged kagomé and triangular motifs extending along the -axis due to greater octahedral distortion. Magnetic measurements reveal that Co(SO)(OH) exhibits a ferrimagnetic transition at ∼6.

Enhanced hydrogen production by robust covalent biohybrid based on cell membrane specific click chemistry.

The light-driven semiconductor-bacteria hybrid holds great potential for synthesis of diverse solar chemicals and fuels. However, the efficiency of electron transfer between biotic-abiotic interface often suffers from the insufficient robustness of biohybrid, which significantly imped its performance and applications. Here, a highly robust biohybrid was established by specifically and covalently grafting carbon quantum dots (CDs) onto bacterial cell membrane via the copper-catalyzed azide-Alkyne click (CuAAC) reaction.

NIR-activating glycyrrhizic acid/carbon nanozyme injectable polysaccharides-based hydrogels for promoting polymicrobial infected wound healing.

The slow healing or non-healing of skin wounds caused by polymicrobial infections has become a serious problem in clinical wound treatment. Herein, we have developed a near-infrared (NIR) activating glycyrrhizic acid/carbon nanozyme injectable polysaccharides-based hydrogel (the CPCA hydrogel) for the synergistic treatment of polymicrobial infected wound. The CPCA hydrogel could undergo phase transition at a specific temperature and facilitate administration at the wound site.

Synergistic Cancer Therapy: An NIR-Activated Methylene Blue-Nitrogen Mustard Prodrug for Combined Chemotherapy and Photodynamic Therapy.

Nitrogen mustard, a widely used chemotherapeutic agent for more than 70 years, exhibits significant efficacy. However, its clinical applications are severely limited by poor tumor selectivity and severe side effects on normal tissues. To address these limitations, we developed a near-infrared (NIR)-activatable nitrogen mustard prodrug, .

Calycosin alleviates ovariectomy-induced osteoporosis by promoting BMSCs autophagy via the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway.

Calycosin, the main extract from the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) Astragalus membranaceus, has demonstrated anti-osteoporotic properties in ovariectomized (OVX) mice. However, the specific pathways through which it prevents osteoporosis remain unexplored. This study aimed to investigate the pathways by which calycosin promotes autophagy in bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) and alleviates ovariectomy-induced osteoporosis.

Green Electrode Processing Enabled by Fluoro-Free Multifunctional Binders for Lithium-Ion Batteries.

The eco-friendly processing of conjugated polymer binder for lithium-ion batteries demands improved polymer solubility by introducing functional moieties, while this strategy will concurrently sacrifice polymer conductivity. Employing the polyfluorene-based binder poly(2,7-9,9 (di(oxy-2,5,8-trioxadecane))fluorene) (PFO), soluble in water-ethanol mixtures, a novel approach is presented to solve this trade-off, which features integration of aqueous solution processing with subsequent controlled thermal-induced cleavage of solubilizing side chains, to produce hierarchically ordered structures (HOS). The thermal processing can enhance the intermolecular π-π stacking of polyfluorene backbone for better electrochemical performance.

Accurate and efficient prediction of double excitation energies using the particle-particle random phase approximation.

Double excitations are crucial to understanding numerous chemical, physical, and biological processes, but accurately predicting them remains a challenge. In this work, we explore the particle-particle random phase approximation (ppRPA) as an efficient and accurate approach for computing double excitation energies. We benchmark ppRPA using various exchange-correlation functionals for 21 molecular systems and two point defect systems.

Synthesis of Four Isomeric Phases of CdVO(SeO) and Characterization of Their Structural, Thermal, and Magnetic Properties.

We prepared four isomeric phases of CdVO(SeO), α-, β-, γ-, and δ-phases by hydrothermal reactions and characterized their structural, thermal, and magnetic properties. These compounds all exhibit one-dimensional (1D) chains made up of distorted VO square pyramids such that the apical oxygen O of each VO square pyramid acts as the sixth ligand to an adjacent VO square pyramid to form the (V-O···V-O···) chains. The Se ions of the (SeO) anions bridge the basal oxygen atoms O of adjacent VO square pyramids to form the V-O···Se·· O-V spin exchange paths within each (V-O···V-O···) chain in the γ- and δ-phases, but between the adjacent (V-O···V-O···) chains in the α- and βphases.