Plastic phase transitions in tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane perchlorate.

Organic crystal materials with metal-free feature and intrinsically low molecular mass are highly desirable for applications in flexible smart devices. Here, we reported a plastic crystal, tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane perchlorate (Tris-HClO4), which crystallizes in the R3̄ space group at room temperature and undergoes plastic phase transition at 369 K, showing a large entropy gain of 70.5 J mol-1 K-1, much higher than its fusion entropy gain (12.9 J mol-1 K-1). PXRD measurement indicates that it has cubic lattice symmetry in the high-temperature phase. Moreover, it exhibits excellent dielectric permittivity switching properties and robust cyclic stability. This work could be the pathway for chemical designing multifunctional switchable materials with the motive of combining the idea of symmetry breaking and plastic phase transition.

Humic substances mediated superior photochemical pollutant conversion on defective TiO2 in environmentally relevant matrices: The key roles of oxygen vacancy in surface interactions, oxidant activation and radical generation.

Ubiquitous humic substances usually exhibit strong interfering effects on target pollutant removal in advanced water purification. This work aims to develop a photochemical conversion system on the nonstoichiometric TiO2 for pollutant removal in environmentally relevant matrices. In this synergistic reaction system, the redox-reactive humic substances and defective oxygen vacancies can serve as the organic electron transfer mediator and the key surface reactive sites, respectively. This system achieves a superior pollutant degradation in real surface water at low oxidant concentrations. Reactive oxygen vacancies on the TiO2 surface and sub-surface are of considerable interest for this photochemical reaction system. By engineering defective oxygen vacancies on high-energy {001} polar facet, the surface and electronic interactions between tailored TiO2 and humic substances are greatly strengthened for the promoted electron transfer and oxidant activation. Rendered by the strong surface affinity and molecular activation, defective oxygen vacancies thermodynamically and dynamically promote reactive chain reactions for free radical formation, including the selective O2 reduction to ·O2- and the H2O2 activation to ·OH. Our findings take new insights into environmental geochemistry, and provide an effective strategy to in-situ boost the humic substances-mediated water purification without secondary pollution. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATION: Humic substances are widely distributed in aquatic environment, thus playing important roles in environmental geochemistry. For example, humic substances can achieve good surface adsorption through electrostatic adsorption, ligand exchange and electronic interactions with typical TiO2 to form reactive ligand-metal charge transfer complexes for pollutant degradation. Inspired by the unique properties of surface and sub-surface oxygen vacancies, the defective TiO2 was designed to refine the humic substances-mediated photochemical reactions. A superior reactivity was measured for pollutant degradation. Our findings provide an effective strategy to boost naturally photochemical decontamination in environmentally relevant matrices.

H/F Substitution Achieved Enantiomeric Organic Inorganic Hybrid Perovskites and Trigonal Structure [DMFP]3(CdBr3)(CdBr4).

Organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites (OIHPs) have been emerging as a hot research topic due to their potential applications in energy storage, semiconductors, and electronic devices. Herein, we systematically investigated the synthesis and phase transition behaviors of the enantiomeric OIHPs, (R) and (S)-N,N-dimethyl-3-fluoropyrrolidinium cadmium bromide ([DMFP][CdBr3]), and the hybrid trigonal structure [DMFP]3 (CdBr3)(CdBr4). The enantiomers have a mirror-symmetric structure and enhanced solid-state phase transition points of 417 and 443 K, in contrast to the nonfluorinated parent compound, N,N-dimethyl-pyrrolidinium cadmium bromide ([DMP][CdBr3], 385 K). Moreover, racemic H/F substitution on the pyrrolidinium cations leads to the formation of a trigonal compound, showing above-room-temperature structural phase transition and dominant ferroelasticity. This work discovers chiral enantiomeric OIHPs through H/F substitution, demonstrating a useful chemical synthesis strategy for exploring novel phase transition materials.

Slow-release synthesis of Cu single-atom catalysts with the optimized geometric structure and density of state distribution for Fenton-like catalysis.

Single-atom Fenton-like catalysis has attracted significant attention, yet the quest for controllable synthesis of single-atom catalysts (SACs) with modulation of electron configuration is driven by the current disadvantages of poor activity, low selectivity, narrow pH range, and ambiguous structure-performance relationship. Herein, we devised an innovative strategy, the slow-release synthesis, to fabricate superior Cu SACs by facilitating the dynamic equilibrium between metal precursor supply and anchoring site formation. In this strategy, the dynamics of anchoring site formation, metal precursor release, and their binding reaction kinetics were regulated. Bolstered by harmoniously aligned dynamics, the selective and specific monatomic binding reactions were ensured to refine controllable SACs synthesis with well-defined structure-reactivity relationship. A copious quantity of monatomic dispersed metal became deposited on the C3N4/montmorillonite (MMT) interface and surface with accessible exposure due to the convenient mass transfer within ordered MMT. The slow-release effect facilitated the generation of targeted high-quality sites by equilibrating the supply and demand of the metal precursor and anchoring site and improved the utilization ratio of metal precursors. An excellent Fenton-like reactivity for contaminant degradation was achieved by the Cu1/C3N4/MMT with diminished toxic Cu liberation. Also, the selective ·OH-mediated reaction mechanism was elucidated. Our findings provide a strategy for regulating the intractable anchoring events and optimizing the microenvironment of the monatomic metal center to synthesize superior SACs.

Discovery of Ferroelectricity in the Fullerene Adduct C60S8.

Fullerenes offer versatile functionalities and are promising materials for a widespread range of applications from biomedicine and energy to electronics. Great efforts have been made to manipulate the symmetries of fullerene and its derivatives for studying material properties and novel effects, such as ferroelectricity with polar symmetry; however, no documentary report has been obtained to realize their ferroelectricity. Here, for the first time, we demonstrated clear ferroelectricity in a fullerene adduct formed by C60 and S8. More is different: the combination of the most symmetric molecule C60 with the highest Ih symmetry and molecule S8 with high D4d symmetry resulted in the polar C60S8 adduct with a low crystallographic symmetry of the C2v (mm2) point group at room temperature. The presented C60S8 undergoes polar-to-polar ferroelectric phase transition with the mm2Fm notation, whose ferroelectricity was confirmed by a ferroelectric hysteresis loop and ferroelectric domain switching. This finding opens up a new functionality for fullerenes and sheds light on the exploration of more ferroelectric fullerenes.

The First Ring Enlargement Induced Large Piezoelectric Response in a Polycrystalline Molecular Ferroelectric.

Inorganic ferroelectrics have long dominated research and applications, taking advantage of high piezoelectric performance in bulk polycrystalline ceramic forms. Molecular ferroelectrics have attracted growing interest because of their environmental friendliness, easy processing, lightweight, and good biocompatibility, while realizing the considerable piezoelectricity in their bulk polycrystalline forms remains a great challenge. Herein, for the first time, through ring enlargement, a molecular ferroelectric 1-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octonium perrhenate ([3.2.1-abco]ReO4 ) with a large piezoelectric coefficient d33 up to 118 pC/N in the polycrystalline pellet form is designed, which is higher than that of the parent 1-azabicyclo[2.2.1]heptanium perrhenate ([2.2.1-abch]ReO4 , 90 pC/N) and those of most molecular ferroelectrics in polycrystalline or even single crystal forms. The ring enlargement reduces the molecular strain for easier molecular deformation, which contributes to the higher piezoelectric response in [3.2.1-abco]ReO4 . This work opens up a new avenue for exploring high piezoelectric polycrystalline molecular ferroelectrics with great potential in piezoelectric applications.

Solid-Liquid Crystal Biphasic Ferroelectrics with Tunable Biferroelectricity.

Ferroelectricity has been separately found in numerous solid and liquid crystal materials since its first discovery in 1920. However, a single material with biferroelectricity existing in both solid and liquid crystal phases is very rare, and the regulation of biferroelectricity has never been studied. Here, solid-liquid crystal biphasic ferroelectrics, cholestanyl 4-X-benzoate (4X-CB, X = Cl, Br, and I), which exhibits biferroelectricity in both the solid and liquid crystal phases, is presented. It is noted that the ferroelectric liquid crystal phase of 4X-CB is a cholesteric one, distinct from the ordinary chiral smectic ferroelectric liquid crystal phase. Moreover, 4X-CB shows solid-solid and solid-liquid crystal phase transitions, of which the transition temperatures gradually increase from Cl to Br to I substitution. The spontaneous polarization (Ps ) of 4X-CB in both solid and liquid crystal phases can also be regulated by different halogen substitutions, where the 4Br-CB has the optimal Ps because of the larger molecular dipole moment. To the authors' knowledge, 4X-CB is the first ferroelectric with tunable biferroelectricity, which offers a feasible case for the performance optimization of solid-liquid crystal biphasic ferroelectrics.

Role of the voltage­gated sodium channel Nav1.6 in glioma and candidate drugs screening.

Gliomas remain a clinical challenge, common and fatal. Treatment of glioblastoma remains elusive, and researchers have focused on discovering new mechanisms and drugs. It has been well established that the expression of voltage­gated sodium channels (VGSCs) is abnormally increased in numerous malignancies and, in general, is rarely expressed in the corresponding normal tissues. This suggests that ion channel activity appears to be associated with malignant progression of tumors. VGSCs remain largely unknown as to how their activity leads to an increase in cancer cell activity or invasiveness. Certain sodium ion channel subtypes (for instance, Nav1.5 and Nav1.7) are associated with metastasis and invasion in cancers including breast and colorectal cancers. A previous study by the authors explored the expression of certain ion channels in glioma, but there are few studies related to Nav1.6. The current study aimed to elucidate the expression and role of Nav1.6 in glioma and to screen potential drugs for the treatment of glioma by virtual screening and drug sensitivity analysis. Nav1.6 relative expression of mRNA and protein was determined by reverse transcription­quantitative PCR and western blot analysis. Cell proliferation was determined by Cell Counting Kit­8 assay. Cell migration was assessed by cellular wound healing assay. Cell invasion and apoptosis were detected by Transwell cell invasion assay and flow cytometry. Last but not least, FDA­approved drugs were screened using virtual screening, molecular docking and NCI­60 drug sensitivity analyses based on the expression and structure of Nav1.6. In glioma cells, Nav1.6 was significantly upregulated and expressed mostly in the cytoplasm and cell membrane; its expression was positively correlated with pathological grade. A172 and U251 cells exhibited reduced proliferation, migration and invasion when Nav1.6 expression was knocked down, and apoptosis was increased. TNF­α (100 pg/ml) acting on glioma cells was found to upregulate the expression level of Nav1.6, and TNF­α was involved in the process of Nav1.6 promoting malignant progression of glioma. Finally, certain FDA­approved drugs were identified by virtual screening and drug sensitivity analysis. In conclusion, the present study demonstrated the expression and role of Nav1.6 in glioma and identified several FDA­approved drugs that are highly correlated with Nav1.6 and could be candidate drugs for patients with glioma.

Effects of oleanolic acid on hair growth in mouse dorsal skin mediated via regulation of inflammatory cytokines.

Oleanolic acid (OA) is a pentacyclic triterpenoid with favourable physiological activity. It is widely distributed in more than 200 species of plants. OA has garnered significant interest because of its potential biological activities, such as antioxidant, bacteriostatic, and hair growth-promoting effects. To study the effect of OA on hair growth and related mechanisms, we investigated hair growth in mice with testosterone-induced androgenetic alopecia (AGA) that were treated with three different concentrations of OA. The antioxidant, bacteriostatic, and cytotoxic effects of OA were evaluated. We found that mice with testosterone-induced AGA treated with 1% or 0.5% OA showed significantly enhanced hair growth and increased vascular endothelial growth factor/glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase ratio and levels of fibroblast growth factor receptor and insulin-like growth factor 1. Using an immunofluorescence staining assay, we demonstrated that ß-catenin, a key Wnt signalling transducer, was highly expressed in the OA-treated groups. These results suggest that OA may promote hair growth by stimulating hair matrix cell proliferation via the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway and lowering the levels of tumour necrosis factor-alpha, and transforming growth factor-beta 1, dihydrotestosterone, and 5α-reductase.

Knowledge of SARS-CoV-2 antigen detection and proper use of rapid diagnostic self-test among Shanghai residents in China.

Objectives: To assess and evaluate the knowledge of Shanghai, China, residents on the use of SARS-CoV-2 antigen detection and rapid diagnostic self-test. Methods: A cross-sectional electronic survey using a self-administered questionnaire was sent via the online platform, Sojump, to general individuals. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to determine the variables associated with knowledge of self-test. Results: A total of 283 participants were recruited between July 1, 2022 and July 20, 2022 through an online survey. The mean score of knowledge on the tests was 14.33 ± 2.85 (out of 21). The questions concerning the depth of swab insertion and minimum number of swab rotations in the nostril, necessity of bilateral sampling, necessity of rotating and squeezing the swab for 10 times in the extraction buffer tube, and waiting time for the results showed the highest rate of incorrect responses. In the multiple regression analysis model, sex, social status, and source of information were associated with the knowledge on the self-test kits. Conclusion: Immediate health education programs should be made available and the kits could be improved appropriately to ensure adequate knowledge. The use of technology should be fully leveraged to achieve accurate self-diagnosis and correct interpretation of the results.

[Review of classical prescriptions in treatment of ulcerative colitis].

Ulcerative colitis(UC) is a continuous inflammatory bowel disease with the main clinical manifestations of abdominal pain, diarrhea, and mucous bloody stools, mainly attacking the colorectal mucosa and submucosa. It is characterized by high recurrence rate, difficult cure, and clustering and regional occurrence. Chinese medicinal prescriptions for the treatment of UC have good therapeutic effect, multi-target regulation, slight toxicity, and no obvious side effects. In particular, the classical prescriptions highlight the characteristics and advantages of traditional Chinese medicine theory and have attracted much attention in recent years. To enable researchers to timely and comprehensively understand the classical prescriptions in the treatment of UC, we reviewed the studies about the pharmacodynamic material basis, quality control, action mechanism, and clinical application of relevant classical prescriptions. We first introduced the latest research progress in the active components such as alkaloids, polysaccharides, saponins, and flavonoids in relevant classical prescriptions. Then, we reviewed the latest research achievements on the quality control of classical prescriptions for the treatment of UC by gas chromatography, liquid chromatography, mass spectrometry, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and the like. Further, we summarized the research advances in the mechanisms of relevant prescriptions in the treatment of UC based on network pharmacology, molecular docking, integrated pharmacology platform, and animal experiments. Finally, we generalized the clinical application of the classical prescriptions for clearing heat and removing dampness, mildly regulating cold and heat, soothing liver and regulating spleen, strengthening spleen and invigorating Qi, and tonifying spleen and stomach. By systematic summary of the research progress in relevant classical prescriptions, we hope to promote the application and development of such prescriptions in UC treatment.

Axial-Chiral BINOL Multiferroic Crystals with Coexistence of Ferroelectricity and Ferroelasticity.

Chirality exists everywhere from natural amino acids to particle physics. The introduction of point chirality has recently been shown to be an efficient strategy for the construction of molecular ferroelectrics. In contrast to point chirality, however, axial chirality is rarely used to design ferroelectrics so far. Here, based on optically active 1,1'-bi-2-naphthol (BINOL), which has been applied extensively as a versatile chiral reagent in asymmetric catalysis, chiral recognition, and optics, we successfully design a pair of axial-chiral BINOL multiferroics, (R)-BINOL-DIPASi and (S)-BINOL-DIPASi. They experience a 2F1-type full ferroelectric/ferroelastic phase transition at a high temperature of 362 and 363 K, respectively. Piezoelectric force microscopy and polarization-voltage hysteresis loops demonstrate their ferroelectric domains and domain switching, and polarized light microscopy visualizes the evolution of stripe-shaped ferroelastic domains. The axial-chiral BINOL building block promotes the generation of the polar structure and ferroelectricity, and the organosilicon component increases the rotational energy barrier and thus the phase transition temperature. This work presents the first axial-chiral high-temperature multiferroic crystals, offering an efficient path for designing molecular multiferroics through the introduction of axial chirality.

Chemical design of homochiral heterocyclic organic ferroelectric crystals.

Single component organic ferroelectrics of spirooxazacamphorsultam derivatives, 1-SSR and 1-RRS, exhibit well-defined ferroelectricity (Ps = 2.2 µC cm-2) and piezoelectricity (d33 = 10 pC N-1) below their melting point. More importantly, they possess a low acoustic impedance value of 2.7 × 106 kg s-1 m-2, which is well-matched with body tissues.

Improving the solubility and antileukemia activity of Wnt/ß-catenin signaling inhibitors by disrupting molecular planarity.

Leukemia cells depend on the Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway for their growth. Pyrvinium, a known Wnt signaling inhibitor, has demonstrated promising efficacy in the treatment of the aggressive blast phase chronic myeloid leukemia (BP-CML). We previously developed potent inhibitors 1-2 for the Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway. However, the further application of these compounds as anti-leukemia agents is limited by their modest anti-leukemia activity in cells and poor aqueous solubility, due to the high molecular planarity of the chemical scaffold. Here, we reported our efforts in the synthesis and in vitro evaluation of 18 new compounds (4a-r) that have been designed to disrupt the molecular planarity of the chemical scaffold. Several compounds of the series showed significantly improved anti-leukemia activity and aqueous solubility. As a highlight, compounds 4c not only maintained excellent inhibitory potency (IC50 = 1.3 nM) for Wnt signaling but also demonstrated good anti-leukemia potency (IC50 = 0.9 µM) in the CML K562 cells. Moreover, compound 4c had an aqueous solubility of 5.9 µg/mL, which is over 50-fold enhanced compared to its parents 1-2.

Socioeconomic status influences on bone mineral density in American men: findings from NHANES 2011-2020.

The association between socioeconomic status (SES) and bone mineral density (BMD) in men remains controversial. We showed that SES was positively associated with BMD in American men. Confounding factors like race/ethnicity and age could affect the association. INTRODUCTION: Based on the data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 2011-2020, this article aims to investigate the association of SES (poverty income ratio (PIR) and education level) with the BMD in American men. METHODS: We evaluated the association of SES with BMD in 4446 men aged ≥ 20 years (mean age, 41.0 ± 13.4 years) from the NHANES 2011-2020. BMD was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) at the lumbar spine. We used multivariate linear regression models to examine the relationship between SES and total spine BMD, adjusted for a large range of confounding factors. RESULTS: Compared with other PIR quarters, individuals in the highest quarter of PIR were more likely to be older and white and had fewer smoking or drinking behaviors. After adjusting for race/ethnicity, age, drinking and smoking behavior, body mass index (BMI), total protein, serum calcium, serum uric acid, cholesterol, serum phosphorus, and blood urea nitrogen, PIR was positively correlated with total spine BMD (ß = 0.004 95% CI: 0.001-0.007, P = 0.006). Individuals with the highest degree (college degree or above) had a 0.057 g/cm2 greater BMD than that of the lowest degree (less than 9th grade) (ß = 0.057 95% CI: 0.037-0.077, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our study indicates that SES was positively associated with the lumbar BMD among American men. Clinicians, healthcare providers, and policymakers should consider the unequal SES of men when implementing osteoporosis prevention and treatment strategies.

A randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial to evaluate efficacy and safety of Shen-Yuan-Dan capsules, a traditional Chinese medicine, for treatment of peri-procedure myocardial injury following percutaneous coronary intervention.

BACKGROUND: Peri-procedural myocardial injury (PMI) is a common complication of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), which cannot be entirely avoided using available treatments. The findings of earlier research have shown that Shen-Yuan-Dan (SYD) capsules, a traditional Chinese medicine, can potentially alleviating PMI. This study aimed to confirm further this hypothesis in a rigorous, well-designed randomized controlled study. METHODS: Our clinical trial was randomized, double-blinded, and placebo-controlled. A total of 181 patients with unstable angina (UA) undergoing elective PCI were randomized to pretreatment with SYD or a placebo under the basis of conventional treatment; 87 patients were pretreated with SYD (4 capsules, 3 times a day, with a further 4 capsules 2 h before PCI) 3 days before the procedure, and 94 patients were given a placebo. No patients received reloading statins before PCI, and SYD or placebo was maintained for 1 month after PCI. The primary endpoint was the incidence of PMI. The secondary endpoint was calculating the incidence rate of all 30-day major adverse cardiovascular events (all-cause mortality, non-fatal myocardial infarction, unplanned revascularization). The safety outcomes, including abnormalities in electrocardiogram and serum biochemical examinations caused by drug use, were also tested. RESULTS: The levels of creatine kinase-myocardial band (CK-MB) in both the SYD and placebo groups were increased at 4 h and 24 h after PCI compared with before the procedure (P < 0.05). The incidence rate of PMI in the SYD group (10.3 %) was lower than that in the placebo group (34 %) (absolute difference, 23.7 % [95 % CI, 11.7-34.8 %], P < 0.01). After taking SYD, the relative risk reduction (RRR) and absolute risk reduction (ARR) were 69.7 % and 24.3 %, respectively; further, number needed to treat (NNT) was 4.2. The 30-day major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE) rate was not statistically different between the SYD and placebo groups (6.9 % vs. 9.6 %, P = 0.352). There were no abnormal situations during the trial. CONCLUSION: These findings showed that pretreatment with SYD could safely reduce the incidence rate of PMI in patients with UA undergoing elective PCI. Further study on the effects of SYD and how it can improve adverse cardiovascular events outcomes is needed.

Unprecedented Ferroelectricity and Ferromagnetism in a Cr2+ -Based Two-Dimensional Hybrid Perovskite.

Organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites (OIHPs) have gained tremendous interest for their rich functional properties. However, the coexistence of more than one of ferroelectricity, ferromagnetism and ferroelasticity has been rarely found in OIHPs. Herein, we report a two-dimensional Cr2+ -based OIHP, [3,3-difluorocyclobutylammonium]2 CrCl4 ([DFCBA]2 CrCl4 ), which shows both ferroelectricity and ferromagnetism. It undergoes a 4/mmmFm type ferroelectric phase transition at a temperature as high as 387 K and shows multiaxial ferroelectricity with a saturate polarization of 2.1 µC cm-2 . It acts as a soft ferromagnet with a Curie temperature of 32.6 K. This work throws light on the exploration of OIHPs with the coexistence of ferroelectricity and ferromagnetism for applications in future multifunctional smart devices.

A synthesized olean-28,13ß-lactam targets YTHDF1-GLS1 axis to induce ROS-dependent metabolic crisis and cell death in pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD) is a severe malignant with a 5-year survival rate of approximately 9%. Oleanolic acid is a well-known natural triterpenoid which exhibits pharmacological activities. We previously synthesized a series of oleanolic acid derivatives and evaluated the tumor-suppressive activity of olean-28,13ß-lactam (B28) in prostate cancer. However, the detailed mechanism remains to be understood. METHODS: The anti-tumor activity of B28 in PAAD was confirmed by RTCA, colony formation assay and flow cytometry. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses were performed to analyze the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) obtained by RNA sequencing. The effects of B28 on cell bioenergetics were evaluated by seahorse analyzer. Lenti-virus packaged plasmids were performed to knockdown or overexpress target genes. Alteration of mitochondrial membrane potential, ROS and GSH/GSSG were measured by corresponding detection kits according to the manufacturer's protocol. RESULTS: We evaluated and confirmed the promising anti-tumor activity of B28 in vitro. RNA-seq profile indicated that multiple metabolic pathways were interrupted in B28 treated PAAD cells. Next, we demonstrated that B28 induces cellular bioenergetics crisis to inhibit PAAD cells growth and induce cell death. We further validated that cell cycle arrest, inhibition of cell growth, cell apoptosis and cell bioenergetics disruption were functionally rescued by ROS scavenger NAC. Mechanistically, we found glutamine metabolism was inhibited due to B28 administration. Moreover, we validated that down-regulation of GLS1 contributes to ROS generation and bioenergetics interruption induced by B28. Furthermore, we elucidated that YTHDF1-GLS1 axis is the potential downstream target of B28 to induce PAAD cell metabolic crisis and cell death. Finally, we also confirmed the anti-tumor activity of B28 in vivo. CONCLUSIONS: Current study demonstrates B28 disrupts YTDFH1-GLS1 axis to induce ROS-dependent cell bioenergetics crisis and cell death which finally suppress PAAD cell growth, indicating that this synthesized olean-28,13ß-lactam maybe a potent agent for PAAD intervention.

H/F Substitution on the Spacer Cations Leads to 1D-to-2D Increment of the Pyrrolidinium-Containing Lead Iodide Hybrid Perovskites.

Hybrid organic-inorganic perovskites (HOIPs) have emerged as multifunctional materials with remarkable optical and electronic properties. In particular, 2D-layered lead iodide-based HOIPs possess great practical application potential in the photoelectric field. In this work, we report H/F substitution-induced 1D-to-2D increment of lead iodide HOIPs. The enantiomeric HOIPs, S- and R-FPPbI3 (FP = 3-fluoropyrrolidinium), were achieved by monofluoride substitution on the spacer cations of the parent HOIP, PyPbI3 (Py = pyrrolidinium), showing mirror image structural relationship and reversible solid-state phase transition. A 2D-layered HOIP, (DFP)2PbI4 (DFP = 3,3-difluoropyrrolidinium), was achieved with a low band gap of 2.09 eV through difluoride substitution, thanks to the expansion of the Pb-I network from 1D to 2D. This work highlights the exploration of 1D chiral and 2D-layered HOIP materials with reversible phase transitions through H/F substitution strategies.

First Report of Leaf Spot Disease caused by Nigrospora oryzae on Nicotiana tabacum in China.

Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) is an important economic crop and widely cultivated in rural areas in south of China. A previously uncharacterized disease was observed on field-grown tobacco during 2020 and 2021 around Tongren city, Guizhou province of China (27°59'25.73" N, 108°7'2.43" E). The disease mainly occurred from fast growing period (about 13-16 leaves) to leaf maturity stage. In severely diseased areas, the incidence rate was between 20%-100%. Symptoms first began as yellow-brown necrotic spots on leaves, then merged into larger irregular necrotic spots surrounded by chlorotic halos. Similar lesions were also found on the stems. Ten symptomatic leaf and stem samples were collected from the different infected plants for pathogen isolation. The small pieces of discolored tissues were surface-disinfected with 2% sodium hypochlorite for 3 min and 75% ethanol for 30 s, rinsed three times with sterile water, and blotted on sterile filter paper, placed on potato dextrose agar thenincubated at 28°C in the dark for 3-4 days. The obtained isolates were purified through single-spore culture. Colonies were initially white and fluffy in appearance, later turning gray. Hyphae were smooth, branched, septa, transparent or light brown. Spores were solitary, oblate or nearly spherical, dark brown to black, smooth, 14.3 to 16.1µm × 11.8 to 15.2 µm in diameter. DNA of fungal isolates were extracted using Fungi Genomic DNA Extraction Kit (Solarbio, Beijing, China), the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) of the ribosomal DNA, ß-tubulin (TUB2) gene and translation elongation factor 1-alpha (TEF1-α) were amplified with primers ITS1/ITS4, ßt2a/ßt2b and EF1-1728F/EF1-986R, respectively. The resulting ITS, TUB2 and TEF1-α sequences were deposited at GenBank, NCBI under accessions MZ882151, MZ927749, MZ927747, respectively. The sequence identity of ITS, TUB2 and TEF1-α with those of Nigrospora oryzae strains HBN (KU254608), HGUP191068 (MZ724102) and LC7307 (KY019409) were 99.64%, 99.29% and 99.65%, respectively. Based on morphological features and phylogenetic analysis, the pathogen was identified as N. oryzae (Wang et al. 2017). Pathogenicity tests were conducted by placing agar plugs-containing fungal mycelia and agar blocks (control) on leaves of tobacco plants grown at 28°C with 60% humidity in greenhouse. Symptoms appeared on the pathogen inoculated leaves seven days after inoculation, whereas the control treatment remained symptomless. The pathogens were reisolated from diseased leaves and identified as N. oryzae based on morphological, molecular and phylogenetic analysis, which were fulfilling Koch's postulates. This pathogen was recently identified from watermelon and kiwifruit in the Guizhou (Far and Rossman, 2021). To our knowledge, this is the first report of leaf spot caused by N. oryzae on Nicotiana tabacum in China.