Targeting V-ATPase subunits via RNA interference disrupts ultrastructural and normal life activities in Bursaphelenchus xylophilus: a novel strategy for sustainable pine wilt disease management.

Background: Pine wood nematode (Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, PWN), a devastating pine parasite, induces widespread mortality in host trees. Chemical pesticides have been conventionally used for PWN control; however, their prolonged use drives the evolution of pesticide resistance in PWN and poses environmental risks. RNA interference (RNAi)-based biopesticides represent a promising alternative, offering species-specific targeting, high efficacy and a reduced ecological footprint.

Does resource recovery and utilization improve environmental and economic performance of rural wastewater treatment plants? A case study in Xiamen, China.

Wastewater treatment (WWT) has been recognized as a major source of greenhouse gas emissions. Rural WWT often lags behind urban areas due to insufficient infrastructure construction and lack of funding to maintain operation. Selection of optimal WWT technologies in rural areas requires that environmental impacts and costs are traded-off across the entire lifecycle, including the construction, operation, and demolition phases.

Unveiling ten novel SETX mutations: implications for ALS pathogenesis and clinical diversity.

Objective: To investigate the relationship between newly identified senataxin ( gene mutations and the clinical manifestation of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), enhancing understanding of the genetic underpinnings associated with this disorder.

Methods: A cohort study was conducted at Nanfang Hospital, involving comprehensive genetic sequencing of ALS patients to identify novel mutations. Homology modelling and structural analysis were employed to predict the functional impacts of these mutations on the senataxin protein.

Relationship Between the Elastic Modulus of the Novel Pedicle Screw-Plate System and Biomechanical Properties Under Osteoporotic Condition: A Power-Law Regression Analysis Based on Parametric Finite Element Simulations.

Background And Objective: The novel pedicle screw-plate system (NPSPS) is a new internal fixation method for the thoracic spine that we proposed, which has demonstrated effectiveness through clinical practice and biomechanical testing. Nevertheless, the optimal elastic modulus of NPSPS (NPSPS-E) remains debated, particularly for osteoporosis patients. We propose a more efficient method to predict the biomechanical effects of NPSPS across varying elastic moduli in osteoporosis using parametric finite element (FE) analysis, establishing the regression relationship between NPSPS-E and biomechanical properties.

A SlMYB78-regulated bifunctional gene cluster for phenolamide and salicylic acid biosynthesis during tomato domestication, reducing disease resistance.

Plants have evolved a sophisticated chemical defense network to counteract pathogens, with phenolamides and salicylic acid (SA) playing pivotal roles in the immune response. However, the synergistic regulatory mechanisms of their biosynthesis remain to be explored. Here, we identified a biosynthetic gene cluster on chromosome 2 (BGC2) associated with the biosynthesis of phenolamide and SA, wherein the key component SlEPS1 exhibits dual catalytic functions for the synthesis of phenolamides and SA.

Dendrimer-Derived Mimics of Host Defense Peptides Selectively Disrupt Cancer Cell Membranes for Melanoma Therapy.

: Melanoma is one of the most common malignancies, posing a significant health threat to patients, particularly in advanced stages due to its high aggressiveness. Chemotherapy agents with biocompatibility and low susceptibility to induce resistance are required for systematic management. : Dendrimer-derived mimics (DMs) of host defense peptides (HDPs), which were constructed by a dendrimer core and optimized ratios of the hydrophobic arm, were used to treat A375 cells and HaCaT cells as the control.

Strong, high barrier, water- and oil-resistant cellulose paper-based packaging material enabled by polyvinyl alcohol-bentonite coordination interactions.

Nowadays, plastics are widely used in daily life, but they pose huge threats to both the environment and human health. Therefore, it is imperative to develop green, sustainable and high-performance cellulose-based paper materials to replace plastics. A key challenge for paper-based packaging materials is the need for waterproof and oil-resistant properties.

Tough and temperature-tolerance cellulose/polyacrylic acid/bentonite hydrogel with high ionic conductivity enables self-powered triboelectric wearable electronic devices.

Solid-state zinc-ion hybrid supercapacitors (ZHSCs) featuring hydrogel electrolytes have become ideal for large-scale flexible energy storage. However, existing polyacrylic acid (PAA) hydrogel electrolytes often lack the combined traits of ionic conductivity, mechanical robustness, and temperature tolerance. Herein, a versatile PAA-based hydrogel electrolyte (ACBH-Zn) containing a ZnCl-cellulose solution and bentonite (BT) is delivered, facilitated by cooperative coordination bonds and hydrogen bonds.

Advanced-design cross-linked binder enables high-performance silicon-based anodes through in-situ crosslinking based on sodium carboxymethyl cellulose and poly-lysine.

Practical employment of silicon (Si) electrodes in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) is limited due to the severe volume changes suffered during charging-discharging process, causing serious capacity fading. Here, a composite polymer (CP-10) containing sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC-Na) and poly-lysine (PL) is proposed for the binder of Si-based anodes, and a multifunctional strategy of "in-situ crosslinking" is achieved to alleviate the severe capacity degradation effectively. A cross-linked three-dimensional (3D) network is established through the strong hydrogen bonding interaction and reversible electrostatic interactions within CP-10, offering favorable mechanical tolerance for the extreme volume expansion of Si.

Self-adhesive, freeze-tolerant, and strong hydrogel electrolyte containing xanthan gum enables the high-performance of zinc-ion hybrid supercapacitors.

Hydrogel electrolyte is an ideal candidate material for flexible energy storage devices due to its excellent softness and conductivity properties. However, challenges such as the inherent mechanical weakness, the susceptibility to be frozen in low-temperature environments, and the insufficiency of hydrogel-electrode contact persist. Herein, a "Multi in One" strategy is employed to effectively conquer these difficulties by endowing hydrogels with high strength, freeze-resistance, and self-adhesive ability.

Strong and tough poly(vinyl alcohol)/xanthan gum-based ionic conducting hydrogel enabled through the synergistic effect of ion cross-linking and salting out.

The mechanical properties of ionic conductive hydrogels (ICHs) are generally inadequate, leading to their susceptibility to breakage under external forces and consequently resulting in the failure of flexible electronic devices. In this work, a simple and convenient strategy was proposed based on the synergistic effect of ion cross-linking and salting out, in which the hydrogels consisting of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and xanthan gum (XG) were immersed in zinc sulfate (ZnSO) solution to obtain ICHs with exceptional mechanical properties. The salt-out effects between PVA chains and SO ions along with the cross-linked network of XG chains and Zn ions contribute to the desirable mechanical properties of ICHs.

Cathepsin B degrades RbcL during freezing-induced programmed cell death in Arabidopsis.

Cathepsin B plays an important role that degrades the Rubisco large subunit RbcL in freezing stress. Programmed cell death (PCD) has been well documented in both development and in response to environmental stresses in plants, however, PCD induced by freezing stress and its molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. In the present study, we characterized freezing-induced PCD and explored its mechanisms in Arabidopsis.

A biomass-rich, self-healable, and high-adhesive polymer binder for advanced lithium-sulfur batteries.

Although lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries have attracted a great deal of attention due to their ultrahigh energy density, the significant dissolution and shuttle of polysulfides, coupled with the unstable electrode structure, result in a substantial decline in capacity, thereby hindering their practical application in rapidly advancing energy storage systems. In this work, we prepare an environmentally friendly binder (LA-GA) that possesses self-healing abilities and high adhesion by combining dynamic disulfide (SS) bonds with abundant polar functional groups. Significantly, the self-healing capability provided by SS bonds facilitates the repair of cracks resulting from cathode volume expansion.

In silico prediction of immune-escaping hot spots for future COVID-19 vaccine design.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a widespread impact on a global scale, and the evolution of considerable dominants has already taken place. Some variants contained certain key mutations located on the receptor binding domain (RBD) of spike protein, such as E484K and N501Y. It is increasingly worrying that these variants could impair the efficacy of current vaccines or therapies.

Denitrification effect and strengthening mechanism of SAD/A system at low temperature by gel-immobilization technology.

Sulfur autotrophic denitrification coupled anaerobic ammonia oxidation (SAD/A) has several advantages over other denitrification processes; for example, it does not consume the organic carbon source, has low operation costs, and produces less excess sludge; however, it has certain disadvantages as well, such as a long start-up time, easy loss of bacteria, and low microbial activity at low temperature. The use of microbial immobilization technology to embed functional bacteria provides a feasible method of resolving the above problems. In this study polyvinyl alcohol‑sodium alginate was used to prepare a composite carrier for fixing anaerobic ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AAOB) and sulfur oxidizing bacteria (SOB), and the structure and morphology of the encapsulated bodies were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy.

Study of a three-dimensional biofilm-electrode reactor (3D-BER) that combined heterotrophic and autotrophic denitrification (HAD) to remove nitrate from water.

A three-dimensional biofilm-electrode reactor (3D-BER) that combined heterotrophic and autotrophic denitrification (HAD) was developed to remove nitrate. The denitrification performance of the 3D-BER was evaluated under different experimental conditions, including current intensities (0-80 mA), COD/N ratios (0.5-5), and hydraulic retention times (2-12 h).

Dual-network polyvinyl alcohol/polyacrylamide/xanthan gum ionic conductive hydrogels for flexible electronic devices.

Ionic conductive hydrogels (ICHs) have received widespread attention as an ideal candidate for flexible electronic devices. However, conventional ICHs failed in widespread applications due to their inability to simultaneously possess high toughness, high ionic conductivity, and anti-freezing properties. Here, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and polyacrylamide (PAAm) were first dissolved in the zinc chloride solution, in which zinc ions (Zn) act as ionic cross-linkers and conducting ions, followed by the introduction of xanthan gum (XG) with a unique structure of trisaccharide side chains into the PVA/PAAm semi-interpenetrating network to prepare a dual-network ICHs (refers as PPXZ).

Nano-α-Fe O for enhanced denitrification in a heterotrophic/biofilm-electrode autotrophic denitrification reactor.

In this study, a heterotrophic/biofilm-electrode autotrophic denitrification reactor (HAD-BER) was constructed and nano-ɑ-Fe O was coated on granular activated carbon (GAC) as a third electrode to enhance the nitrate removal performance. The introduction of nano-ɑ-Fe O could stimulate microorganisms to secrete more extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), accelerating the electron transfer. Moreover, more denitrification bacteria were enriched on the particle electrodes, especially Pseudomonas and Thermomonas, which played a significant role in denitrification.

Impact of Defects for AlN Single Crystal Thin Film by Metal Nitride Vapor Phase Epitaxy.

Herein, the defect-related properties of an AlN sample prepared based on the optimal process parameters by metal nitride vapor phase epitaxy (MNVPE) were investigated. The FWHM values of the (0002)/(101̅2) planes of the sample by MNVPE are 397/422 arcsec; the advantages of similar FWHM values of (0002) and (101̅2) planes will have a huge advantage over other preparation methods such as MOCVD. From the cross-sectional TEM images of the AlN sample, it is found that the fusion of a large number of a + c type dislocations occur at the interface of the low temperature buffer layer and the epitaxial layer, which affects the growth mode of the epitaxial layer.

Classification and Prognosis Analysis of Pancreatic Cancer Based on DNA Methylation Profile and Clinical Information.

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD) has a poor prognosis with high individual variation in the treatment response among patients; however, there is no standard molecular typing method for PAAD prognosis in clinical practice. We analyzed DNA methylation data from The Cancer Genome Atlas database, which identified 1235 differentially methylated DNA genes between PAAD and adjacent tissue samples. Among these, 78 methylation markers independently affecting PAAD prognosis were identified after adjusting for significant clinical factors.

Silmitasertib, a casein kinase 2 inhibitor, induces massive lipid droplet accumulation and nonapoptotic cell death in head and neck cancer cells.

Background: Accumulating evidence shows that high expression of casein kinase 2 (CK2) and phosphorylated acetyl CoA carboxylase (pACC) in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) correlates with decreased survival rates. Computational analysis has shown that ACC is a potential substrate for CK2, and its inhibition can suppress ACC phosphorylation in vitro. CX-4945, also known as silmitasertib, is an orally administered, highly specific, ATP-competitive inhibitor of CK2 and is under clinical investigation as a treatment for malignancies.

Structure and Optical Properties of AlN Crystals Grown by Metal Nitride Vapor Phase Epitaxy with Different V/III Ratios.

The epitaxial aluminum nitride (AlN) crystals were grown on c-plane sapphire using high-temperature metal nitride vapor phase epitaxy at the source materials' different molar flow ratios (V/III ratios). The effects of various V/III ratios on the surface morphology, crystalline quality, material straining, and optical properties of heteroepitaxial AlN thin films were studied using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and photoluminescence (PL). With the increase in the V/III ratio from 1473 to 7367, the substrate surface underwent changes that vary from whiskers to three-dimensional island structures, two-dimensional layered stack structures, and stacked sheet structures.

Identification of pan-kinase-family inhibitors using graph convolutional networks to reveal family-sensitive pre-moieties.

Background: Human protein kinases, the key players in phosphoryl signal transduction, have been actively investigated as drug targets for complex diseases such as cancer, immune disorders, and Alzheimer's disease, with more than 60 successful drugs developed in the past 30 years. However, many of these single-kinase inhibitors show low efficacy and drug resistance has become an issue. Owing to the occurrence of highly conserved catalytic sites and shared signaling pathways within a kinase family, multi-target kinase inhibitors have attracted attention.

Morphogenesis, Growth Cycle and Molecular Regulation of Hair Follicles.

As one of the main appendages of skin, hair follicles play an important role in the process of skin regeneration. Hair follicle is a tiny organ formed by the interaction between epidermis and dermis, which has complex and fine structure and periodic growth characteristics. The hair growth cycle is divided into three continuous stages, growth (anagen), apoptosis-driven regression (catagen) and relative quiescence (telogen).