A base editor facilitates simultaneous purine and pyrimidine substitutions for ex vivo and in vivo mutagenesis screens.

Genetic mutations are closely linked to human diseases, yet the relationship between many mutations and their corresponding phenotypes remains poorly understood. Furthermore, tools to study the connection between nucleotide variations and phenotypes are limited. To address this issue, we developed ACGBEmax by fusing the dual-functional deaminase, engineered N-methylpurine DNA glycosylase, and evolved SOS response associated peptidase domain with nCas9(D10A).

Multi-omics evidence supporting the role of Halomonas enrichment contribution to high-salinity denitrification.

High-salinity wastewater poses a significant challenge for nitrogen removal becauase microbial communities must adapt to extreme osmotic stress while maintaining their functional efficiency. Marine bacteria, naturally adapted to saline environments, offer a potential solution through the rapid enrichment of salt-tolerant and halophilic species. This study comparatively evaluated activated sludge (AS) and marine sludge (MS) as inocula for high-salinity denitrification systems.

How prior spectacle prescriptions shape diagnostic behavior: evidence from a randomized field experiment on vision care in Western China.

Background: Diagnostic errors remain a pressing challenge in health systems with uneven provider capacity and limited diagnostic standardization. In such environments, cognitive biases, particularly anchoring effect, may compromise diagnostic independence and reinforce structural disparities in care quality.

Methods: We conducted a randomized field experiment in western China using standardized patients (SPs) to examine how prior spectacle diagnostic prescriptions influence the behavior and accuracy of second-opinion optometrists.

Keys to the global treeline formation: Thermal limit for its position and moisture for the taxon-specific variation.

Alpine treeline is a prominent biogeographic feature worldwide, determined by the physiological limit of tree life form. There are considerable variations in the various dimensions of physiological limit among tree taxa; thus, varied environmental drivers and spatial patterns are expected for different tree taxa at treelines. However, such taxonomic variability of treeline is often overlooked in large-scale studies.

Potential of Combination of CE-MRI and Serum Her-2neu Extracellular Domain in Evaluating Effectiveness of Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Breast Cancer.

Background And Objectives: The incidence and mortality rates of breast cancer continue to pose significant challenges. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy is now established as a standardized treatment for locally advanced breast cancer. Notably, a subset of breast cancer patients may attain pathological complete remission (pCR) through neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC).

Genetic Prediction of Causal Association Between Celiac Disease and Thyroid Function: A Two-Sample Mendelian Randomized Study.

Aim: Observational studies have suggested an association between celiac disease and thyroid dysfunction, but their causal relationship has not yet been established.

Methods: Summary statistics for celiac disease were retrieved from the FinnGen Consortium, thyroid hormone and antibody data were obtained from the ThyroidOmics Consortium, and genetic variants associated with hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism were sourced from the UK Biobank. MR statistical analyses used the inverse variance weighted algorithm, followed by various sensitivity analyses and reliability evaluations.

Realization of Kagome Kondo lattice.

The Kondo lattice, describing a grid of the local magnetic moments coupling to itinerant electrons, is a fertile ground of strongly correlated states in condensed matter physics. While the Kagome lattice has long been predicted to host Kondo physics with exotic magnetism and nontrivial topology, no experimental realization has been achieved to the best of our knowledge. Here, we report the discovery of CsCrSb, a van der Waals-like Kagome Kondo lattice featuring extremely flat, isolated bands at the Fermi level that composed entirely of Cr-3d electrons.

A comparative study of dual-layer spectral CT and 18F-FDG-PET/CT multi-quantitative parameters in the diagnosis of sentinel lymph nodes in breast cancer.

Objective: To compare the diagnostic efficacy of dual-layer spectral computed tomography (DSCT) and 18-F fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-FDG-PET/CT) in preoperative identification of metastatic sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) in patients with breast cancer.

Methods: This retrospective study analyzed 97 patients who underwent DSCT and 107 patients who underwent 18F-FDG-PET/CT, classified by pathology into SLN-positive group and SLN-negative group. Quantitative measurements included: (1) DSCT parameters (normalized iodine concentration[nIC], effective atomic number [Zeff], the slope of the spectral Hounsfield unit curve [λHU] in both arterial and venous phases) and (2) the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) of 18F-FDG PET/CT.

Electrochemically Promoted Synthesis of -Sulfonyl Sulfinimidate Esters and Sulfilimines from Sulfonamides, Thiophenols, Thioethers, and Alcohols.

In this work, we report an electrochemical method for the straightforward preparation of scarcely accessible sulfinimidate esters from readily available sulfonamides, thiophenols, and alcohols. Mechanistic experiments show that sulfur oxidation at the anodic surface generates an electrophilic intermediate, which subsequently undergoes nucleophilic substitution. Moreover, sulfilimines can be obtained in moderate-to-excellent yields when thioethers are used as the S-donor instead of thiophenols via a dehydrogenateive imination process.

The effects of fire frequency on leaf and bark flammability strategies in subtropical semi-humid evergreen broadleaved forests in China.

Lack of knowledge of plant flammability has impeded the understanding of ecological feedbacks between fire and vegetation. We measured flammability traits of 263 woody plant species in the subtropical semi-humid regions of China to identify plant flammability strategies and assess the impact of fire frequency on different plant flammability syndromes that were defined as combinations of flammability strategies of leaves and bark. The results indicated that 40.

Krüppel homolog 1, a juvenile hormone transcription factor, regulates the reproduction and development of Aedes albopictus(Skuse) (Diptera: Culicidae).

The control of Aedes albopictus (Skuse) (Diptera: Culicidae), a vector for several important viral diseases, is crucial for mitigating mosquito-borne diseases. This study focused on the Krüppel homolog 1 (Kr-h1) gene, a transcription factor in juvenile hormone (JH) signaling, which plays a pivotal role in inhibiting metamorphosis and promoting adult reproduction. We characterized Aedes albopictus Kr-h1(AalbKr-h1), identified its eight zinc finger domains, and confirmed its orthology among insects through phylogenetic analysis.

Advance in chimeric antigen receptor T therapy in autoimmune diseases.

Autoimmune diseases are a group of diseases in which the body's immune system misrecognizes its own antigens resulting in an abnormal immune response, which can lead to pathological damage to or abnormal functioning of its own tissues. Current treatments are mainly hormones and broad-spectrum immunosuppressants, but these can lead to a decline in the patient's immunity. Chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) Cell therapy has emerged, and now the structure of CAR has changed from first generation to fourth generation of CAR.

The Role of AaPGRP-LB in the Immune Response of Against Bacteria Infection.

The initial phase of an insect's innate immune response to foreign pathogens is triggered by the identification of exogenous invaders, a mechanism facilitated by pattern recognition receptors. Among these receptors, peptidoglycan recognition proteins (PGRPs), abundant in insects, are essential components of the innate immune system. The roles of PGRPs have been extensively elucidated in ; however, the mechanism underlying the immune response of to pathogens is unclear.

The impact of MTHFR and VDR polymorphisms on endometriosis susceptibility: Insights from a systematic review and meta-analysis.

The VDR and MTHFR polymorphisms have been linked to many gynecological and obstetrical diseases. However, there is still a pressing need for a systematic review and meta-analysis to synthesize the current evidence on the association between these variants and endometriosis risk. English and Chinese literature databases were systematically retrieved to find relevant research published up to August 1, 2024.

Challenges in rural maternal health: how received public services and policy awareness affect health knowledge and practices.

Purpose: This study evaluates the effectiveness of rural maternal health services in improving pregnant women's health knowledge, practices, and outcomes in northwestern China, focusing on the roles of received public services and policy awareness.

Methods: Baseline surveys were conducted in rural Shaanxi Province in 2021 and 2023, involving 1,152 pregnant women from 85 townships, selected via multistage cluster random sampling. Data were collected through structured face-to-face interviews, covering health knowledge and behaviors.

Regulation of autophagy and cellular signaling through non-histone protein methylation.

Autophagy is a highly conserved catabolic pathway that is precisely regulated and plays a significant role in maintaining cellular metabolic balance and intracellular homeostasis. Abnormal autophagy is directly linked to the development of various diseases, particularly immune disorders, neurodegenerative conditions, and tumors. The precise regulation of proteins is crucial for proper cellular function, and post-translational modifications (PTMs) are key epigenetic mechanisms in the regulation of numerous biological processes.

Value of spectral parameters in the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant breast nodules in non-enhanced chest CT.

Background: Dual-layer spectral computed tomography (DSCT) is capable of acquiring both conventional and spectral images during one routine scan, and is widely used for the quantitative and qualitative analyses of substances, differential diagnosis, and disease staging. However, limited research has been conducted on its performance in the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant breast nodules using non-enhanced scans. This study aimed to assess the diagnostic performance of multiple quantitative parameters derived from non-enhanced DSCT in differentiating benign from malignant breast nodules.

One-stage anammox and thiocyanate-driven autotrophic denitrification for simultaneous removal of thiocyanate and nitrogen: Pathway and mechanism.

The coupled process of anammox and reduced-sulfur driven autotrophic denitrification can simultaneously remove nitrogen and sulfur from wastewater, while minimizing energy consumption and sludge production. However, the research on the coupled process for removing naturally toxic thiocyanate (SCN) is limited. This work successfully established and operated a one-stage coupled system by co-cultivating mature anammox and SCN-driven autotrophic denitrification sludge in a single reactor.

Versatile and efficient mammalian genome editing with Type I-C CRISPR System of Desulfovibrio vulgaris.

CRISPR-Cas tools for mammalian genome editing typically rely on single Cas9 or Cas12a proteins. While type I CRISPR systems in Class I may offer greater specificity and versatility, they are not well-developed for genome editing. Here, we present an alternative type I-C CRISPR system from Desulfovibrio vulgaris (Dvu) for efficient and precise genome editing in mammalian cells and animals.

Orbital-dependent electron correlation in double-layer nickelate LaNiO.

The latest discovery of high temperature superconductivity near 80 K in LaNiO under high pressure has attracted much attention. Many proposals are put forth to understand the origin of superconductivity. The determination of electronic structures is a prerequisite to establish theories to understand superconductivity in nickelates but is still lacking.

Uppermost global tree elevations are primarily limited by low temperature or insufficient moisture.

The impact of anthropogenic global warming has induced significant upward dispersal of trees to higher elevations at alpine treelines. Assessing vertical deviation from current uppermost tree distributions to potential treeline positions is crucial for understanding ecosystem responses to evolving global climate. However, due to data resolution constraints and research scale limitation, comprehending the global pattern of alpine treeline elevations and driving factors remains challenging.

Long-term response of the microbial community to the degradation of DOC released from Undaria pinnatifida.

With the aim to study the mechanism underlying the macroalgal carbon sequestration driven by microbes, we investigated the microbial community using metagenomics methods and its long-term degradation of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) derived from Undaria pinnatifida. It was observed that after removing U. pinnatifida, the concentration of the DOC decreased significantly (p < 0.

Modulating functionally-distinct vagus nerve fibers using microelectrodes and kilohertz frequency electrical stimulation.

Modulation of functionally distinct nerve fibers with bioelectronic devices provides a therapeutic opportunity for various diseases. In this study, we began by developing a computational model including four major subtypes of myelinated fibers and one unmyelinated fiber. Second, we used an intrafascicular electrode to perform kHz-frequency electric stimulation to preferentially modulate a population of fibers.

Deep reinforcement learning-aided autonomous navigation with landmark generators.

Mobile robots are playing an increasingly significant role in social life and industrial production, such as searching and rescuing robots, autonomous exploration of sweeping robots, and so on. Improving the accuracy of autonomous navigation of mobile robots is a hot issue to be solved. However, traditional navigation methods are unable to realize crash-free navigation in an environment with dynamic obstacles, more and more scholars are gradually using autonomous navigation based on deep reinforcement learning (DRL) to replace overly conservative traditional methods.