Antibacterial properties of natural products from marine fungi reported between 2012 and 2023: a review.

The oceans are rich in diverse microorganisms, animals, and plants. This vast biological complexity is a major source of unique secondary metabolites. In particular, marine fungi are a promising source of compounds with unique structures and potent antibacterial properties. Over the last decade, substantial progress has been made to identify these valuable antibacterial agents. This review summarizes the chemical structures and antibacterial activities of 223 compounds identified between 2012 and 2023. These compounds, effective against various bacteria including drug-resistant strains such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, exhibit strong potential as antibacterial therapeutics. The review also highlights the relevant challenges in transitioning from drug discovery to product commercialization. Emerging technologies such as metagenomics and synthetic biology are proposed as viable solutions. This paper sets the stage for further research on antibacterial compounds derived from marine fungi and advocates a multidisciplinary approach to combat drug-resistant bacteria.

Resilience as a moderator of the relationship between stress and different symptom dimensions of depression in adolescents with a history of childhood maltreatment: A multi-wave longitudinal study.

BACKGROUND: Although childhood maltreatment is a key risk factor for the development of psychopathology including depression in later life, not all children who have been maltreated subsequently become depressed. OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to examine the potentially moderating influence of resilience on the relationship between daily stress and different symptom dimensions of depression in adolescents with a history of childhood maltreatment. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: A sample of students (n = 999) aged 12-16 years from middle schools with a history of childhood maltreatment participated in this study. METHODS: A multi-wave longitudinal study was conducted over 12 months. At baseline, adolescent participants completed standardized self-report measures of resilience, depression, and daily stress. The measures of depression and stress were re-administered every three months for the subsequent 12 months. Multi-level modeling was undertaken to analyze the data. RESULTS: In adolescents with a history of childhood maltreatment, lower resilience scores were associated with greater increases in depressed affect, absence of positive affect and somatic symptom, but not the interpersonal concerns symptom dimensions of depression following daily stress. Resilience is therefore as one explanation for the discrepant findings regarding the relationship between stress and different symptom dimensions of depression, especially with regard to the stress-related depressive dimensions. CONCLUSION: Resilience appears to moderate the relationship between daily stress and depression and protect against developing depression in children who have been maltreated. Findings provide potential explanation for the effectiveness of resilience-related therapy in treating depressive symptoms.

Assessment Methods and Intervention Strategies for Cleft-Related Lateral Misarticulation in Chinese-Speaking Children.

The aim of this study was to analyze the characteristics and error speech features of cleft-related lateral misarticulation and provide a basis for clinical evaluation and rational intervention. Participants who were diagnosed with lateral misarticulation after cleft palate repairment were 126 children aged 4, 6 to 16, and 11, and they had complete palatopharyngeal closure, no abnormalities in their speech organs and occlusion, and no hearing or intellectual impairments. The Chinese standard pronunciation clarity word list, the American KAY CSL4500, the Beijing Yangchen YF-16 computer speech analysis workstation, soundproof rooms, Wechsler scales of intelligence-fourth edition, and audiometers were used to evaluate the cleft-related lateral misarticulation. Statistical analysis was performed on the age, gender, error rate, corner of the mouth deviation direction, comorbidity, duration of intervention, period of treatment, and therapeutic effect of concentrated or normal intervention group in different patients. Our results showed that 2 to 3 straight stripes were visible at the onset of consonants /ti:/ /t'i:/, and 3 clear straight lines were visible in /tʂ/, indicating that the lateralized sound had 2 or 3 bursts and lasted for 1 to 2 ms. The onset age of lateralized sound was mostly below 12 years old. Chinese lateralized sound mainly occurred in vowel /i:/, and the occurrence rate of consonants with tongue surface /tɕ]/ /tɕ'/ /ɕ/ was the highest. In addition, the corner of the mouth deviation was also an indicator of lateralization sound, and other types of speech disorders mostly accompanied it. There was a significant difference in the improvement of speech clarity between the concentrated intervention group and the normal group before and after treatment. The 2 groups' average duration and course of treatment were not significantly different. Still, the period of concentrated intervention was shortened considerably, and the speech clarity of both groups of children after treatment exceeded 96%, reaching a normal level.

Urinary eicosanoid levels in early life and risk of atopic disease in childhood.

INTRODUCTION: Eicosanoids are lipid mediators including thromboxanes (TXs), prostaglandins (PGs) and leukotrienes (LTs) with a pathophysiological role in established atopic disease. However, their role in the inception of disease is unclear. We aimed to investigate the association between urinary eicosanoids in early life and development of atopic disease. METHODS: We quantified the levels of 21 eicosanoids in urine from children from the COPSAC2010 (age 1 year, n=450) and VDAART (age 3 years, n=575) mother-child cohorts and analyzed the associations with development of wheeze/asthma, atopic dermatitis, and biomarkers of Type-2 inflammation, applying FDR5% multiple testing correction. RESULTS: In both cohorts, analyses adjusted for environmental determinants showed that higher TXA2 eicosanoids in early life were associated with increased risk of developing atopic dermatitis (P

A dynamic nomogram for predicting in-hospital major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events in patients with both coronary artery disease and atrial fibrillation: a multicenter retrospective study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Patients with both coronary artery disease (CAD) and atrial fibrillation (AF) are at a high risk of major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) during hospitalization. Accurate prediction of MACCE can help identify high-risk patients and guide treatment decisions. This study was to elaborate and validate a dynamic nomogram for predicting the occurrence of MACCE during hospitalization in Patients with CAD combined with AF. METHODS: A total of 3550 patients with AF and CAD were collected. They were randomly assigned to a training group and a validation group in a ratio of 7 : 3. Univariate and multivariate analyses were utilized to identify risk factors (P < 0.05). To avoid multicollinearity and overfit of the model, the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator was conducted to further screen the risk factors. Calibration curves, receiver operating characteristic curves, and decision curve analyses are employed to assess the nomogram. For external validation, a cohort consisting of 249 patients was utilized from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV Clinical Database, version 2.2. RESULTS: Eight indicators with statistical differences were screened by univariate analysis, multivariate analysis, and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator method (P < 0.05). The prediction model based on eight risk factors demonstrated good prediction performance in the training group, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.838. This performance was also maintained in the internal validation group (AUC = 0.835) and the external validation group (AUC = 0.806). Meanwhile, the calibration curve indicates that the nomogram was well-calibrated, and decision curve analysis revealed that the nomogram exhibited good clinical utility. CONCLUSION: The nomogram we constructed may aid in stratifying the risk and predicting the prognosis for patients with CAD and AF.

LEUTX regulates porcine embryonic genome activation in somatic cell nuclear transfer embryos.

Emerging evidence highlights the regulatory role of paired-like (PRD-like) homeobox transcription factors (TFs) in embryonic genome activation (EGA). However, the majority of PRD-like genes are lost in rodents, thus prompting an investigation into PRD-like TFs in other mammals. Here, we showed that PRD-like TFs were transiently expressed during EGA in human, monkey, and porcine fertilized embryos, yet they exhibited inadequate expression in their cloned embryos. This study, using pig as the research model, identified LEUTX as a key PRD-like activator of porcine EGA through genomic profiling and found that LEUTX overexpression restored EGA failure and improved preimplantation development and cloning efficiency in porcine cloned embryos. Mechanistically, LEUTX opened EGA-related genomic regions and established histone acetylation via recruiting acetyltransferases p300 and KAT2A. These findings reveal the regulatory mechanism of LEUTX to govern EGA in pigs, which may provide valuable insights into the study of early embryo development for other non-rodent mammals.

The roles of metal ions in gallstones formation.

Gallstones (GSs) disease is a common disease worldwide. The mechanisms of their formation are diverse and complex and are related to cholesterol metabolism, gallbladder motility, biliary tract infection, the immune response, and ion metabolism. In recent years, with the application of inductively coupled plasma‒mass spectrometry and other methods, studies have suggested a correlation between the metabolism of metal ions and GSs formation. A literature search on gallstones and metal ions was instituted on PubMed and EMBASE. The specific topics of interest were etiology, formation mechanism, component Analysis and metabolism. References of papers were subsequently searched to obtain older literature. After reading and summarizing a large amount of literature, we found that calcium, iron, and copper can potentially promote the release of inflammatory factors and increase the level of reactive oxygen species, which is positively correlated with GSs formation. While magnesium and zinc, with their antioxidant effects, are negatively correlated with GSs formation. Metal ions are not only a component of GSs but are also important biological signals. Metal ion metabolism affects the formation of GSs and understanding its mechanism of action is of clinical significance for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of GSs.

Hypermethylation and low expression of FOXM1 predisposes women to unexplained recurrent miscarriage by impairing trophoblast stem cell proliferation.

Recurrent miscarriage (RM) is a distressing pregnancy complication with an unknown etiology. Increasing evidence indicates the relevance of dysregulation of human trophoblast stem cells (hTSCs), which may play a role in the development of RM. However, the potential molecular regulatory mechanism underlying the initiation and maintenance of hTSCs is yet to be fully elucidated. In this study, we performed data analysis and identified Forkhead box M1 (FOXM1) as a potential factor associated with RM. FOXM1 is a typical transcription factor known for its involvement in various pathophysiological processes, while the precise function of FOXM1 functions in hTSCs and RM remains incompletely understood. Utilizing RNA-seq, CUT&Tag, ChIP-qPCR, and sodium bisulfite conversion methods for methylation analysis, we elucidate the underlying regulatory mechanisms of FOXM1 in hTSCs and its implications in RM. Our findings demonstrate the relative high expression of FOXM1 in proliferating cytotrophoblasts (CTBs) compared to differentiated extravillous cytotrophoblasts (EVTs) and syncytiotrophoblasts (STBs). Besides, we provide evidence supporting a significant correlation between FOXM1 downregulation and the incidence of RM. Furthermore, we demonstrate the significant role of FOXM1 in regulating hTSCs proliferation and cell cycle through the transcriptional regulation of CDKN3, CCNB2, CCNA2, MAD2L1 and CDC25C. Notably, we observed a correlation between the downregulation of FOXM1 in RM and hypermethylation in its promoter region. Collectively, these results provide insights into the impact of FOXM1 on trophoblast regulation and offer a novel perspective on RM.

Surface-engineered erythrocyte membrane-camouflage fluorescent bioprobe for precision ovarian cancer surgery.

PURPOSE: Fluorescence imaging-guided surgery has been used in oncology. However, for tiny tumors, the current imaging probes are still difficult to achieve high-contrast imaging, leading to incomplete resection. In this study, we achieved precise surgical resection of tiny metastatic cancers by constructing an engineering erythrocyte membrane-camouflaged bioprobe (AR-M@HMSN@P). METHODS: AR-M@HMSN@P combined the properties of aggregation-induced emission luminogens (AIEgens) named PF3-PPh3 (P), with functional erythrocyte membrane modified by a modular peptide (AR). Interestingly, AR was composed of an asymmetric tripodal pentapeptide scaffold (GGKGG) with three appended modulars: KPSSPPEE (A6) peptide, RRRR (R4) peptide and cholesterol. To verify the specificity of the probe in vitro, SKOV3 cells with overexpression of CD44 were used as the positive group, and HLF cells with low expression of CD44 were devoted as the control group. The AR-M@HMSN@P fluorescence imaging was utilized to provide surgical guidance for the removal of micro-metastatic lesions. RESULTS: In vivo, the clearance of AR-M@HMSN@P by the immune system was reduced due to the natural properties inherited from erythrocytes. Meanwhile, the A6 peptide on AR-M@HMSN@P was able to specifically target CD44 on ovarian cancer cells, and the electrostatic attraction between the R4 peptide and the cell membrane enhanced the firmness of this targeting. Benefiting from these multiple effects, AR-M@HMSN@P achieved ultra-precise tumor imaging with a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of 15.2, making it possible to surgical resection of tumors < 1 mm by imaging guidance. CONCLUSION: We have successfully designed an engineered fluorescent imaging bioprobe (AR-M@HMSN@P), which can target CD44-overexpressing ovarian cancers for precise imaging and guide the resection of minor tumors. Notably, this work holds significant promise for developing biomimetic probes for clinical imaging-guided precision cancer surgery by exploiting their externally specified functional modifications.

Development and validation of a plasmalogen score as an independent modifiable marker of metabolic health: population based observational studies and a placebo-controlled cross-over study.

BACKGROUND: Decreased levels of circulating ethanolamine plasmalogens [PE(P)], and a concurrent increase in phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) are consistently reported in various cardiometabolic conditions. Here we devised, a plasmalogen score (Pls Score) that mirrors a metabolic signal that encompasses the levels of PE(P) and PE and captures the natural variation in circulating plasmalogens and perturbations in their metabolism associated with disease, diet, and lifestyle. METHODS: We utilised, plasma lipidomes from the Australian Obesity, Diabetes and Lifestyle study (AusDiab; n = 10,339, 55% women) a nationwide cohort, to devise the Pls Score and validated this in the Busselton Health Study (BHS; n = 4,492, 56% women, serum lipidome) and in a placebo-controlled crossover trial involving Shark Liver Oil (SLO) supplementation (n = 10, 100% men). We examined the association of the Pls Score with cardiometabolic risk factors, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality (over 17 years). FINDINGS: In a model, adjusted for age, sex and BMI, individuals in the top quintile of the Pls Score (Q5) relative to Q1 had an OR of 0.31 (95% CI 0.21-0.43), 0.39 (95% CI 0.25-0.61) and 0.42 (95% CI 0.30-0.57) for prevalent T2DM, incident T2DM and prevalent cardiovascular disease respectively, and a 34% lower mortality risk (HR = 0.66; 95% CI 0.56-0.78). Significant associations between diet and lifestyle habits and Pls Score exist and these were validated through dietary supplementation of SLO that resulted in a marked change in the Pls Score. INTERPRETATION: The Pls Score as a measure that captures the natural variation in circulating plasmalogens, was not only inversely related to cardiometabolic risk and all-cause mortality but also associate with diet and lifestyle. Our results support the potential utility of the Pls Score as a biomarker for metabolic health and its responsiveness to dietary interventions. Further research is warranted to explore the underlying mechanisms and optimise the practical implementation of the Pls Score in clinical and population settings. FUNDING: National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC grant 233200), National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia (Project grant APP1101320), Health Promotion Foundation of Western Australia, and National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia Senior Research Fellowship (#1042095).

FTO deficiency in older livers exacerbates ferroptosis during ischaemia/reperfusion injury by upregulating ACSL4 and TFRC.

Older livers are more prone to hepatic ischaemia/reperfusion injury (HIRI), which severely limits their utilization in liver transplantation. The potential mechanism remains unclear. Here, we demonstrate older livers exhibit increased ferroptosis during HIRI. Inhibiting ferroptosis significantly attenuates older HIRI phenotypes. Mass spectrometry reveals that fat mass and obesity-associated gene (FTO) expression is downregulated in older livers, especially during HIRI. Overexpressing FTO improves older HIRI phenotypes by inhibiting ferroptosis. Mechanistically, acyl-CoA synthetase long chain family 4 (ACSL4) and transferrin receptor protein 1 (TFRC), two key positive contributors to ferroptosis, are FTO targets. For ameliorative effect, FTO requires the inhibition of Acsl4 and Tfrc mRNA stability in a m6A-dependent manner. Furthermore, we demonstrate nicotinamide mononucleotide can upregulate FTO demethylase activity, suppressing ferroptosis and decreasing older HIRI. Collectively, these findings reveal an FTO-ACSL4/TFRC regulatory pathway that contributes to the pathogenesis of older HIRI, providing insight into the clinical translation of strategies related to the demethylase activity of FTO to improve graft function after older donor liver transplantation.

CdS/Bi2S3/NiS ternary heterostructure-based photoelectrochemical immunosensor for the sensitive detection of carbohydrate antigen 125.

The sensitive, accurate and rapid detection of carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA125) is essential for the early diagnosis and clinical management of ovarian cancer, but there is still challenge. Herein, a photoelectrochemical (PEC) immunosensor based on CdS/Bi2S3/NiS ternary sulfide heterostructured photocatalyst was presented for the detection of CA125. The CdS/Bi2S3/NiS was synthesized by a one-step hydrothermal approach. The heterojunction comprising of CdS and Bi2S3 could separate photogenerated carriers, the introduced narrow bandgap NiS could act as electron-conducting bridge to facilitate the transfer of interfacial photogenerated electrons, thereby improving the photoelectric conversion efficiency. Due to their synergistic effect, the photocurrent response produced by the composite was up to 14.6 times of pure CdS. On the basis, a PEC immunosensor was constructed by introducing the CA125 antibody through thioglycolic acid linkage. It was found that the resulting immunosensor showed good performance. Under the optimized conditions, its linear detection range was as wide as 1 pg mL-1-50 ng mL-1, and the detection limit was low to 0.85 pg mL-1. Furthermore, we experimentally tested its anti-interference, stability and reproducibility, and satisfactory results were achieved. The practicable feasibility of the sensor was confirmed by testing serum sample. Thus this work provided a simple, fast and enough sensitive approach for CA125 monitoring.

Association Between Geriatric Nutrition Risk Index and 90-Day Mortality in Older Adults with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: a Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background: Malnutrition adversely affects prognosis in various medical conditions, but its implications in older adults with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) in the ICU are underexplored. The geriatric nutritional risk index (GNRI) is a novel tool for assessing malnutrition risk. This study investigates the association between GNRI and 90-day mortality in this population. Methods: We selected older adults with COPD admitted to the ICU from Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care (MIMIC)-IV 2.2 database. A total of 666 patients were categorized into four groups based on their GNRI score: normal nutrition (>98), mild malnutrition (92-98), moderate malnutrition (82-91), and severe malnutrition (≤81) groups. We employed a restricted cubic spline (RCS) analysis to assess the presence of a curved relationship between them and to investigate any potential threshold saturation effect. Results: In multivariate Cox regression analyses, compared with individuals had normal nutrition (GNRI in Q4 >98), the adjusted HR values for GNRI in Q3 (92-98), Q2 (82-91), and Q1 (≤81) were 1.81 (95% CI: 1.27-2.58, p=0.001), 1.23 (95% CI: 0.84-1.79, p=0.296), 2.27 (95% CI: 1.57-3.29, p<0.001), respectively. The relationship between GNRI and 90-day mortality demonstrates an L-shaped curve (p=0.016), with an approximate inflection point at 101.5. Conclusion: These findings imply that GNRI is a useful prognostic tool in older adults with COPD in the ICU. An L-shaped relationship was observed between GNRI and 90-day mortality in these patients.

PE/PPE mutations in the transmission of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in China revealed by whole genome sequencing.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to examine the impact of PE/PPE gene mutations on the transmission of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis) in China. METHODS: We collected the whole genome sequencing (WGS) data of 3202 M. tuberculosis isolates in China from 2007 to 2018 and investigated the clustering of strains from different lineages. To evaluate the potential role of PE/PPE gene mutations in the dissemination of the pathogen, we employed homoplastic analysis to detect homoplastic single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within these gene regions. Subsequently, logistic regression analysis was conducted to analyze the statistical association. RESULTS: Based on nationwide M. tuberculosis WGS data, it has been observed that the majority of the M. tuberculosis burden in China is caused by lineage 2 strains, followed by lineage 4. Lineage 2 exhibited a higher number of transmission clusters, totaling 446 clusters, of which 77 were cross-regional clusters. Conversely, there were only 52 transmission clusters in lineage 4, of which 9 were cross-regional clusters. In the analysis of lineage 2 isolates, regression results showed that 4 specific gene mutations, PE4 (position 190,394; c.46G > A), PE_PGRS10 (839,194; c.744 A > G), PE16 (1,607,005; c.620T > G) and PE_PGRS44 (2,921,883; c.333 C > A), were significantly associated with the transmission of M. tuberculosis. Mutations of PE_PGRS10 (839,334; c.884 A > G), PE_PGRS11 (847,613; c.1455G > C), PE_PGRS47 (3,054,724; c.811 A > G) and PPE66 (4,189,930; c.303G > C) exhibited significant associations with the cross-regional clusters. A total of 13 mutation positions showed a positive correlation with clustering size, indicating a positive association. For lineage 4 strains, no mutations were found to enhance transmission, but 2 mutation sites were identified as risk factors for cross-regional clusters. These included PE_PGRS4 (338,100; c.974 A > G) and PPE13 (976,897; c.1307 A > C). CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that some PE/PPE gene mutations can increase the risk of M. tuberculosis transmission, which might provide a basis for controlling the spread of tuberculosis.

Novel mechanistic insights into Cr(VI) and Cr(III) induced discrepancies of cellular toxicity and oxidative injury events in Eisenia fetida.

Chromium (Cr) poses a high ecological risk, however the toxic mechanisms of Cr in different valence states to soil organisms at cellular and molecular levels are not exactly. In this study, the Eisenia fetida coelomocytes and Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn-SOD) were chosen as the target subjects to investigate the effects and mechanisms of cellular toxicity induced by Cr(VI) and Cr(III). Results indicated that Cr(VI) and Cr(III) significantly reduced the coelomocytes viability. The level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was markedly increased after Cr(VI) exposure, which finally reduced antioxidant defense abilities, and induced lipid peroxidation and cellular membrane damage in earthworm coelomocytes. However, Cr(III) induced lower levels of oxidative stress and cellular damage with respect to Cr(VI). From a molecular perspective, the binding of both Cr(VI) and Cr(III) with Cu/Zn-SOD resulted in protein backbone loosening and reduced ß-Sheet content. The Cu/Zn-SOD showed fluorescence enhancement with Cr(III), whereas Cr(VI) had no obvious effect. The activity of Cu/Zn-SOD continued to decrease with the exposure of Cr. Molecular docking indicated that Cr(III) interacted more readily with the active center of Cu/Zn-SOD. Our results illustrate that oxidative stress induced by Cr(VI) and Cr(III) plays an important role in the cytotoxic differences of Eisenia fetida coelomocytes and the binding of Cr with Cu/Zn-SOD can also affect the normal structures and functions of antioxidant defense-associated protein.

Genes associated with cellular senescence as diagnostic markers of major depressive disorder and their correlations with immune infiltration.

Background: Emerging evidence links cellular senescence to the pathogenesis of major depressive disorder (MDD), a life-threatening and debilitating mental illness. However, the roles of cellular senescence-related genes in MDD are largely unknown and were investigated in this study using a comprehensive analysis. Methods: Peripheral blood microarray sequencing data were downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and retrieved cellular senescence-related genes from CellAge database. A weighted gene co-expression network analysis was used to screen MDD-associated genes. Protein-protein interactions (PPI) were predicted based on STRING data, and four topological algorithms were used to identify hub genes from the PPI network. Immune infiltration was evaluated using CIBERSORT, followed by a correlation analysis between hub genes and immune cells. Results: A total of 84 cell senescence-related genes were differentially expressed in patients with MDD compared to healthy control participants. Among the 84 genes, 20 were identified to be associated with the MDD disease phenotype, and these genes were mainly involved in hormone-related signaling pathways (such as estrogen, steroid hormone, and corticosteroid) and immune and inflammatory pathways. Three genes, namely, JUN, CTSD, and CALR, which were downregulated in MDD, were identified as the hub genes. The expression of hub genes significantly moderate correlated with multiple immune cells, such as Tregs, NK cells, and CD4+ T cells, and the abundance of these immune cells markedly differed in MDD samples. Multiple microRNAs, transcription factors, and small-molecule drugs targeting hub genes were predicted to explore their molecular regulatory mechanisms and potential therapeutic value in MDD. Conclusion: JUN, CTSD, and CALR were identified as potential diagnostic markers of MDD and may be involved in the immunoinflammatory mechanism of MDD.

Identification of a novel glycoside hydrolase family 8 xylanase from Deinococcus geothermalis and its application at low temperatures.

Xylanase is the most important hydrolase in the xylan hydrolase system, the main function of which is ß-1,4-endo-xylanase, which randomly cleaves xylans to xylo-oligosaccharides and xylose. Xylanase has wide ranging of applications, but there remains little research on the cold-adapted enzymes required in some low-temperature industries. Glycoside hydrolase family 8 (GH8) xylanases have been reported to have cold-adapted enzyme activity. In this study, the xylanase gene dgeoxyn was excavated from Deinococcus geothermalis through sequence alignment. The recombinant xylanase DgeoXyn encodes 403 amino acids with a theoretical molecular weight of 45.39 kDa. Structural analysis showed that DgeoXyn has a (α/α)6-barrel fold structure typical of GH8 xylanase. At the same time, it has strict substrate specificity, is only active against xylan, and its hydrolysis products include xylobiose, xylotrinose, xytetranose, xylenanose, and a small amount of xylose. DgeoXyn is most active at 70 â„ƒ and pH 6.0. It is very stable at 10, 20, and 30 â„ƒ, retaining more than 80% of its maximum enzyme activity. The enzyme activity of DgeoXyn increased by 10% after the addition of Mn2+ and decreased by 80% after the addition of Cu2+. The Km and Vmax of dgeox were 42 mg/ml and 20,000 U/mg, respectively, at a temperature of 70 â„ƒ and pH of 6.0 using 10 mg/ml beechwood xylan as the substrate. This research on DgeoXyn will provide a theoretical basis for the development and application of low-temperature xylanase.

A Review of Fucoxanthin Biomanufacturing from Phaeodactylum tricornutum.

Microalgae, compared to macroalgae, exhibit advantages such as rapid growth rates, feasible large-scale cultivation, and high fucoxanthin content. Among these microalgae, Phaeodactylum tricornutum emerges as an optimal source for fucoxanthin production. This paper comprehensively reviews the research progress on fucoxanthin production using Phaeodactylum tricornutum from 2012 to 2022, offering detailed insights into various aspects, including strain selection, media optimization, nutritional requirements, lighting conditions, cell harvesting techniques, extraction solvents, extraction methodologies, as well as downstream separation and purification processes. Additionally, an economic analysis is performed to assess the costs of fucoxanthin production from Phaeodactylum tricornutum, with a comparative perspective to astaxanthin production from Haematococcus pluvialis. Lastly, this paper discusses the current challenges and future opportunities in this research field, serving as a valuable resource for researchers, producers, and industry managers seeking to further advance this domain.

Temperature-Driven Rotation Symmetry-Breaking States in an Atomic Kagome Metal KV3Sb5.

Kagome lattice AV3Sb5 has attracted tremendous interest because it hosts correlated and topological physics. However, an in-depth understanding of the temperature-driven electronic states in AV3Sb5 is elusive. Here we use scanning tunneling microscopy to directly capture the rotational symmetry-breaking effect in KV3Sb5. Through both topography and spectroscopic imaging of defect-free KV3Sb5, we observe a charge density wave (CDW) phase transition from an a0 × a0 atomic lattice to a robust 2a0 × 2a0 superlattice upon cooling the sample to 60 K. An individual Sb-atom vacancy in KV3Sb5 further gives rise to the local Friedel oscillation (FO), visible as periodic charge modulations in spectroscopic maps. The rotational symmetry of the FO tends to break at the temperature lower than 40 K. Moreover, the FO intensity shows an obvious competition against the intensity of the CDW. Our results reveal a tantalizing electronic nematicity in KV3Sb5, highlighting the multiorbital correlation in the kagome lattice framework.

Provincial-scale assessment of vulnerability and resilience to drought in China.

Frequent droughts have caused severe disaster losses in China. Such events can be minimized by enhancing the country's resilience and reducing its vulnerability, where this can ensure socioeconomic stability and sustainable development. Evaluating the vulnerability and resilience to drought is thus crucial for effectively managing the risk of disasters and promoting sustainable socioeconomic development. In this study, we constructed a comprehensive framework to assess the spatiotemporal characteristics of China's vulnerability and resilience to drought at the provincial scale from an input-output perspective by using the Super-efficiency Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) model and the Super-efficiency Slacks-Based Measure DEA (SBM-DEA) model. This study focused on drought drivers, the disaster-forming environment, drought bearers, disaster intensity, and recovery. The results showed that the vulnerability to drought of 42 % of China's provinces decreased from 2010 to 2022, that of only 29 % of the provinces increased, while the status of a majority of provinces improved in general. The center of gravity of the vulnerability to drought moved toward the southwest over time and a spatial clustering of vulnerability was observed, with High-High clusters moving from the north to the south. Moreover, the resilience to drought declined in 36 % of provinces and increased in only 20 %, reflecting poor resilience overall. The center of gravity of China's overall resilience to drought moved northward, with a relatively stable spatial pattern and prominent clusters of Low-Low resilience indicating a pressing need for improvement. Areas with high vulnerability and low resilience were concentrated in inland western and eastern regions, and this highlights the importance of drought prevention and mitigation in provinces like Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, Jiangxi, and Fujian. The findings here provide valuable insights for mitigating the risk of drought and promoting sustainable socioeconomic development.