Terpene synthase diversity reveals the inter- and intraspecific floral scent evolution in Aquilegia.

Floral volatile terpenes play pivotal roles in plant-pollinator interactions and ecological adaptation, yet the genetic mechanisms underlying their diversification in Aquilegia remain poorly understood. This study integrates gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and functional characterization assays to investigate how terpene synthase (TPS) diversity shapes floral scent evolution across Aquilegia species and populations. We identified (+)-limonene, linalool, β-pinene, and β-sesquiphellandrene as the dominant floral terpenes, with substantial inter- and intraspecific variation driven by differential expression and sequence divergence of key TPS genes, including TPS7, TPS8, TPS9 and TPS24.

Synthesis and evaluation of smart drugs with integrated functions for identifying and treating oxidative microenvironments associated with cellular ferroptosis.

Ferroptosis is a novel form of cell death driven by oxidative damage, and is implicated in various pathological conditions, including neurodegenerative diseases, retinal damage, and ischemia-reperfusion injury of organs. Inhibiting ferroptosis has shown great promise as a therapeutic strategy for these diseases, underscoring the urgent need to develop effective ferroptosis inhibitors. Although Ferrostatin-1 (Fer-1) is a potent ferroptosis inhibitor, its susceptibility to oxidation and metabolic inactivation limits its clinical utility.

Anti-Aging Efficacy of Fructosazine and Deoxyfructosazine: A Comprehensive In Vitro and In Vivo Analysis.

As the proportion of the elderly population increases, there is an urgent need for anti-aging technologies. Since the skin is the most visibly aging organ in the human body, it is crucial to develop active ingredients to slow down skin aging. Currently, identified anti-aging active substances include antioxidants, retinoids, peptides, growth factors, and compounds derived from biofermentation.

Aminopeptidase N-Triggered Electron Rearrangement of Fluorescein for Covalent Fluorescent Labeling and Image-Guided Orthotopic Bladder Cancer Resection.

Bladder cancer is the most common type of malignant tumor in the urinary system, which occurs in the bladder mucosa. Due to the lack of precise diagnostic tools, bladder cancer has a high recurrence rate. Fluorescence cystoscopy is recognized as a promising tool for improving the detection rate of bladder cancer, but its clinical application is hindered due to the scarcity of fluorescent agents.

Design and synthesis of Sorafenib analogues and evaluation of their ferroptosis-inducing effects in tumor cells.

Ferroptosis, a newly discovered form of cell death, has garnered significant attention in recent years, particularly in the development of anticancer drugs. This study was based on the marketed anticancer drug sorafenib and involved the design and synthesis of 12 novel derivatives of pyrrolo[2,1-f][1,2,4]triazine and quinazoline with various linkers to explore their potential to induce ferroptosis in cancer cells. Activity evaluations in three different cancer cell lines (HepG2, MDA-MB-231, and HT-1080) revealed that compounds using squaramide as a linker, particularly N-2-c1, exhibited significant anti-proliferative effects against ferroptosis-sensitive HT1080 cells, outperforming Sorafenib.

Functional Characterization of 5--Glycosyltranferase Transforming 3- Anthocyanins into 3,5- Anthocyanins in .

Floral coloration in is predominantly attributed to anthocyanins, with glycosylation playing a critical role in their stability and diversity. This study investigates the molecular mechanisms underlying color variation between cultivars, focusing on anthocyanin 5--glucosyltransferases (An5GTs). HPLC analysis revealed that 'Pink Passion' petals accumulate 3,5--diglucosidic anthocyanins, absent in 'Red River' and 'Ambiance'.

A novel integrated diagnostic and therapeutic ferroptosis inhibitor based on a phenothiazine scaffold with ROS-Responsive strategy.

Ferroptosis is a newly discovered form of cell death that is closely related to the occurrence of various diseases, such as neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular ischemic damage, and organ fibrosis. Therefore, the discovery of new active compounds with ferroptosis inhibitory activity is regarded as a new strategy for the clinical treatment of these diseases. In this study, a multifunctional prodrug molecule PNX-B2 with a phenoxazine structure was designed based on the oxidative microenvironment characteristic of ferroptosis.

The genome of giant waterlily provides insights into the origin of angiosperms, leaf gigantism, and stamen function innovation.

As some of the earliest evolving flowering plants, waterlilies offer unique insights into angiosperm evolution. Giant Amazonian waterlilies (genus Victoria) are of particular interest due to their production of the world's largest floating leaves and gigantic flowers that entrap pollinating beetles. Here, we report chromosome-level genome assemblies of Victoria cruziana and three related waterlilies: Euryale ferox, Nymphaea mexicana, and Brasenia schreberi.

Molecular insights into TT2-type MYB regulators illuminate the complexity of floral flavonoids biosynthesis in .

Proanthocyanidins (PAs), anthocyanins, and flavonols are key flavonoids that play diverse roles in plant physiology and human health. Despite originating from a shared biosynthetic pathway, the regulatory mechanisms of PA biosynthesis and the cooperative regulation of different kinds of flavonoids remain elusive, particularly in flower tissues or organs. Here, we elucidated the regulatory network governing PA biosynthesis in 'Red River®' by characterizing four TT2-type MYB transcription factors, designated FhMYBPAs.

Biodegradable air filter with electrospun composite nanofibers and cellulose fibers dual network: Enhanced electrostatic adsorption, humidity resistance, and extended service life.

Cellulose-based materials have great potential as degradable air filters. Regretfully, the application is limited by their low electrostatic adsorption and hydrophilicity. To meet with the challenge, we designed a composite air filter with dual network.

Synthesis and antitumor effects of novel betulinic acid derivatives bearing electrophilic moieties.

Betulinic acid (BA) is a kind of naturally occurring lupane pentacyclic triterpenoid, possessing various biological activities including antiviral, anti-inflammatory and antitumor activity. Covalent inhibitors, characterized by electrophilic warheads that form covalent bonds with specific amino acid residues of target proteins, have garnered enormous attention in anticancer agent discovery over the past decade owing to their exceptional selectivity and efficacy. In this study, BA was structurally modified with electrophilic groups, and 23 derivatives of BA were synthesized.

A single nucleotide polymorphism affects protein translation and leads to post-anthesis color change variation in closely related Lotus species.

Flower color change, a common phenomenon that is important in pollination ecology, has intrigued scientists for decades. While previous flower color studies have mainly focused on color diversity among different plant species, our focus is on unraveling the mechanism of post-anthesis color change (PACC) and the molecular basis for its presence and absence, respectively, in two closely related species of Lotus, Lotus filicaulis and Lotus japonicus MG20. Metabolomic analysis reveals anthocyanins as the key metabolites responsible for the observed PACC.

The effects of music mood and binaural beats on academic advertising.

How music affects our mood, cognition, and feelings has been studied extensively. Since the effect of music on mood and cognition has been demonstrated many times, it has found significant applications, particularly in advertising. In recent years, the use of music in advertising has grown significantly, with 86 % of advertisements now incorporating some form of musical stimuli.

Discovery of Daclatasvir as a potential PD-L1 inhibitor from drug repurposing.

This study employed a drug repositioning strategy to discover novel PD-L1 small molecule inhibitors. 3D-QSAR pharmacophore models were establishedand subsequently validated through various means to select a robust model, Hypo-1, suitable for virtual screening. Hypo1 was used toscreen a library of 7,475 compounds from the Drugbank database, leading to the identification of 283 molecules following molecular docking with PD-L1.

Nanozyme and bifunctional nanobody-based colorimetric-SERS dual-mode Immunosensor for microcystin-LR detection.

Microcystin-LR (MC-LR), a potent cyanotoxin in freshwater, poses a risk of severe liver damage and other health issues, making its detection vital. However, the detection capabilities of conventional antibodies are constrained, which limited their use in immunoassays. In this work, we designed a new bifunctional nanobody, named A2.

The complexity of volatile terpene biosynthesis in roses: Particular insights into β-citronellol production.

The fascinating scent of rose (Rosa genus) flowers has captivated human senses for centuries, making them one of the most popular and widely used floral fragrances. Despite much progress over the last decade, many biochemical pathways responsible for rose scents remain unclear. We analyzed the floral scent compositions from various rose varieties and selected the modern cultivar Rosa hybrida "Double Delight" as a model system to unravel the formation of rose dominant volatile terpenes, which contribute substantially to the rose fragrance.

Dual-Adaptive Heterojunction Synaptic Transistors for Efficient Machine Vision in Harsh Lighting Conditions.

Photoadaptive synaptic devices enable in-sensor processing of complex illumination scenes, while second-order adaptive synaptic plasticity improves learning efficiency by modifying the learning rate in a given environment. The integration of above adaptations in one phototransistor device will provide opportunities for developing high-efficient machine vision system. Here, a dually adaptable organic heterojunction transistor as a working unit in the system, which facilitates precise contrast enhancement and improves convergence rate under harsh lighting conditions, is reported.

Multiple Na transport pathways and interfacial compatibility enable high-capacity, room-temperature quasi-solid sodium batteries.

Sodium-metal batteries (SMBs) are ideal for large-scale energy storage due to their stable operation and high capacity. However, they have safety issues caused by severe dendrite growth and side reactions, particularly when using liquid electrolytes. Therefore, it is critically important to develop electrolytes with high ionic conductivity and improved safety that are non-flammable and resistant to dendrites.

Discovery, Structure-Based Modification, , , and Exploration of -Sulfamoyl Benzoamide Derivatives as Selective Butyrylcholinesterase Inhibitors for Treating Alzheimer's Disease.

For the potential therapy of Alzheimer's disease (AD), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) has gradually gained worldwide interest in the progression of AD. This study used a pharmacophore-based virtual screening (VS) approach to identify as a new BChE inhibitor. Aiding by molecular docking and molecular dynamics, essential binding information was disclosed.

Development of magnetic fluorescence aptasensor for sensitive detection of saxitoxin based on FeO@Au-Pt nanozymes.

In this work, on the basis of FeO@Au-Pt nanozymes (MAP NZs) and aptamer recognition, a magnetic fluorescent aptasensor (MFA) was developed for sensitive and accurate detection of saxitoxin (STX). With the bridge of STX aptamer (Apt) and complementary DNA (cDNA), Apt decorated MAP NZs (MAP/Apt) and cDNA modified green quantum dots (cDNA@g-QDs) were connected to form MAP/Apt-cDNA@g-QDs complex. As STX behaves a strong binding ability towards Apt, it will compete with cDNA and hybridize with Apt to release cDNA@g-QDs.

Improving Room-Temperature Li-Metal Battery Performance by In Situ Creation of Fast Li Transport Pathways in a Polymer-Ceramic Electrolyte.

Composite polymer-ceramic electrolytes have shown considerable potential for high-energy-density Li-metal batteries as they combine the benefits of both polymers and ceramics. However, low ionic conductivity and poor contact with electrodes limit their practical usage. In this study, a highly conductive and stable composite electrolyte with a high ceramic loading is developed for high-energy-density Li-metal batteries.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of oleanolic acid derivatives with electrophilic warheads as antitumor agents.

The oleanolic acid derivatives containing electrophilic warheads were synthesized, and their antitumor activities were investigated. The cytotoxicity of compounds against tumor cells were determined by the MTT method. The antitumor effects of compounds , and were evaluated through a wound-healing assay, apoptosis and cell circle analysis, and cellular reactive oxide species determination.

Functional Characterization of a ()-β-Ocimene Synthase Gene Contributing to the Defense against .

Soybean is a worldwide crop that offers valuable proteins, fatty acids, and phytonutrients to humans but is always damaged by insect pests or pathogens. Plants have captured sophisticated defense mechanisms in resisting the attack of insects and pathogens. How to protect soybean in an environment- or human-friendly way or how to develop plant-based pest control is a hotpot.

Allelic variation of terpene synthases drives terpene diversity in the wild species of the Freesia genus.

Terpene synthases (TPSs) play pivotal roles in conferring the structural diversity of terpenoids, which are mainly emitted from flowers, whereas the genetic basis of the release of floral volatile terpenes remains largely elusive. Though quite similar in sequence, TPS allelic variants still function divergently, and how they drive floral terpene diversity in closely related species remains unknown. Here, TPSs responsible for the floral scent of wild Freesia species were characterized, and the functions of their natural allelic variants, as well as the causal amino acid residues, were investigated in depth.