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L-aspartate (Asp) serves as a central building block, in addition to being a constituent of proteins, for many metabolic processes in most organisms, such as biosynthesis of other amino acids, nucleotides, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD), the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle and glycolysis pathway intermediates, and hormones, which are vital for growth and defense. In animals and humans, lines of data have proved that Asp is indispensable for cell proliferation. However, in plants, despite the extensive study of the Asp family amino acid pathway, little attention has been paid to the function of Asp through the other numerous pathways. This review aims to elucidate the most important aspects of Asp in plants, from biosynthesis to catabolism and the role of Asp and its metabolic derivatives in response to changing environmental conditions. It considers the distribution of Asp in various cell compartments and the change of Asp level, and its significance in the whole plant under various stresses. Moreover, it provides evidence of the interconnection between Asp and phytohormones, which have prominent functions in plant growth, development, and defense. The updated information will help improve our understanding of the physiological role of Asp and Asp-borne metabolic fluxes, supporting the modular operation of these networks.

Chromosomal rearrangements, such as translocations, deletions, and inversions, underlie numerous genetic diseases and cancers, yet precise engineering of these rearrangements remains challenging. Here, we present a CRISPR-based homologous recombination-mediated rearrangement (HRMR) strategy that leverages homologous donor templates to align and repair broken chromosome ends. HRMR improves efficiency by approximately 80-fold compared to non-homologous end joining, achieving over 95% homologous recombination. Validated across multiple loci and cell lines, HRMR enables efficient and accurate chromosomal rearrangements. Live-cell imaging reveals that homologous donors mediate chromosome end proximity, enhancing rearrangement efficiency. Thus, HRMR provides a powerful tool for disease modeling, chromosomal biology, and therapeutic applications.

Abstract Burns, with their high incidence and mortality rates, have a devastating effect on patients. There are still huge challenges in the management of burns. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), which have multidirectional differentiation potential, have aroused interest in exploring the capacity for treating different intractable diseases due to their strong proliferation, tissue repair, immune tolerance and paracrine abilities, among other features. Currently, several animal studies have shown that MSCs play various roles and have beneficial effects in promoting wound healing, inhibiting burn inflammation and preventing the formation of pathological scars during burn healing process. The substances MSCs secrete can act on peripheral cells and promote burn repair. According to preclinical research, MSC-based treatments can effectively improve burn wound healing and reduce pain. However, due to the small number of patients and the lack of controls, treatment plans and evaluation criteria vary widely, thus limiting the value of these clinical studies. Therefore, to better evaluate the safety and effectiveness of MSC-based burn treatments, standardization of the application scheme and evaluation criteria of MSC therapy in burn treatment is required in the future. In addition, the combination of MSC pretreatment and dressing materials are also conducive to improving the therapeutic effect of MSCs on burns. In this article, we review current animal research and clinical trials based on the use of stem cell therapy for treating burns and discuss the main challenges and coping strategies facing future clinical applications.

Silicosis is the most prevalent and fatal occupational disease with no effective therapeutics, and currently used drugs cannot reverse the disease progress. Worse still, there are still challenges to be addressed to fully decipher the intricated pathogenesis. Thus, specifying the essential mechanisms and targets in silicosis progression then exploring anti-silicosis pharmacuticals are desperately needed. In this work, multi-omics atlas was constructed to depict the pivotal abnormalities of silicosis and develop targeted agents. By utilizing an unbiased and time-resolved analysis of the transcriptome, proteome and phosphoproteome of a silicosis mouse model, we have verified the significant differences in transcript, protein, kinase activity and signaling pathway level during silicosis progression, in which the importance of essential biological processes such as macrophage activation, chemotaxis, immune cell recruitment and chronic inflammation were emphasized. Notably, the phosphorylation of EGFR (p-EGFR) and SYK (p-SYK) were identified as potential therapeutic targets in the progression of silicosis. To inhibit and validate these targets, we tested fostamatinib (targeting SYK) and Gefitinib (targeting EGFR), and both drugs effectively ameliorated pulmonary dysfunction and inhibited the progression of inflammation and fibrosis. Overall, our drug discovery with multi-omics approach provides novel and viable therapeutic strategies for the treatment of silicosis.

This study explores the impact of financialization based on assets, debt, and income on the financial performance of Chinese non-financial listed firms in the A-share market, using a sample of 40,365 firm-year observations from 2010 to 2023. We applied fixed-effects, two-stage least squares models (IV-2SLS) using instrumental variables, and PSM-DID models, demonstrating that financialization based on assets and debt has a significantly negative impact on firm profitability. Financialization based on income, however, does not have a significant effect. Using signalling theory, agency theory, and resource-based views, the study also develops an integrated framework whereby divergence in the discourse surrounding AI and actual AI adoption (primary mechanism) is moderated, and ESG practice (secondary mechanism) mediates the effects of financialization on performance. The findings show that those firms that have a greater divergence between AI discourse and AI expenditure have lower financial performance, while superior ESG practice ameliorates the negative effects of financialization. Overall, the findings show that excessive financialization is associated with adverse performance outcomes, and the firm’s AI capability and ESG practice represent strategic forms of corporate performance.

Corporate financialization in intensively polluting industries has become a critical factor in understanding the intersection of financial behaviour and sustainable development. This study investigates which specific forms of uncertainty including economic policy, monetary policy, trade policy, and oil price uncertainty can significantly influence financialization within China's intensively polluting sectors. Utilizing a panel dataset of Chinese A-share listed companies from 2011Q 1 to 2022Q 4 , this study applies Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to construct a multidimensional index of financialization, followed by panel regression analysis. Findings reveal that global economic policy uncertainty exerts the most significant impact on corporate financialization in these industries. Furthermore, financing constraints negatively moderate this relationship, while Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) practices have positive moderating effects. Firms with higher managerial overconfidence exhibit increased levels of financialization. Additionally, heterogeneity exists across firms, with those incurring higher environmental protection fees, non-state-owned enterprises, and firms based in developed eastern regions displaying elevated financialization levels. Diversification and external monitoring also positively influence this relationship. Robustness tests confirm the consistency of these findings, providing valuable insights for firms seeking to strategically leverage ESG, financial technology (FinTech), and financialization practices in response to fluctuating uncertainties. Corporate financialization in intensively polluting industries significantly shapes the interplay between financial strategies and sustainable development. This study highlights that global economic policy uncertainty is the most influential factor driving financialization within China's intensively polluting sectors. Key findings reveal that financing constraints weaken this relationship, while Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) practices enhance it, underscoring the importance of sustainability in financial decision-making. Firms with higher managerial overconfidence and those incurring higher environmental protection fees, as well as non-state-owned enterprises and those in developed regions, exhibit greater financialization. These insights suggest that firms can strategically leverage ESG practices, financial technology (FinTech), and external monitoring to navigate uncertainties effectively. The study provides critical guidance for policymakers and firms to balance economic performance with environmental responsibilities, fostering sustainable economic transitions amidst global uncertainties.

This study investigates the impact of trade policy uncertainty (TPU) on the financialization of non-financial firms in China. Corporate financialization is the process in which corporations prioritize financial assets and generate profits primarily via financial investments rather than product markets. Using 27,339 firm-year observations of China A-share listed companies from unbalanced panel data spanning from 2011-Q1 to 2020-Q4, we utilized the fixed effect model (FEM), instrumental variables - two-stage least squares (IV-2SLS), and generalized method of moments (GMM) approaches. The findings reveal a positive relationship between TPU and corporate financialization. Financing constraints and risk-taking play moderating roles in shaping this relationship. Notably, as TPU rises, companies tend to avoid increasing investment in derivatives. Instead, they expand their precautionary savings by retaining larger amounts of cash. This analysis emphasizes the significance of legislators in ensuring policy stability and fostering a secure business environment. Furthermore, the robustness of these results was sustained when alternative key variables and methodologies were applied. This study investigates the impact of trade policy uncertainty (TPU) on corporate financialization and explores the moderating roles of financing constraints and risk-taking in this relationship among nonfinancial enterprises listed in China from Q1 2011 to Q4 2020. This research employs the fixed effects model (FEM), instrumental variables two-stage least squares (IV-2SLS), and generalised method of moments (GMM) methods. The results indicate a positive relationship between TPU and company financialization. These findings illustrate the necessity for policymakers to maintain policy stability and create a secure business climate. The study has substantial implications for company decision-makers and regulators, highlighting the importance of strategic financial planning, particularly in the context of economic uncertainty.

Introduction Fanconi anemia supplementation group I (FANCI), one of the Fanconi family proteins, may be closely related to the malignant progression of glioma cells. Here, we sought to validate the expression of FANCI in glioma cells and its role in regulating the Akt signaling pathway in the malignant progression of glioma cells. Methods The expression of FANCI in glioma cells was analyzed by bioinformatics and microarray. Lentivirus transfection was used to regulate the expression of FANCI in glioma cells. CCK-8, EdU, Transwell, and flow cytometry were used to observe the effect of FANCI on the malignant progression of glioma cells. Results We found that low expression of FANCI inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of human glioma cells, and promoted cell apoptosis. However, overexpression of FANCI produced the opposite effect. We also found that low expression of FANCI inhibited the expression of P-Akt and B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2). Finally, we validated these in vitro results in a xenograft mouse model. Conclusion FANCI can inhibit the development of glioma by inhibiting Akt/Bcl-2 signaling pathway.

To investigate the efficacy of laser as an auxiliary rock breaking technology and its compatibility with TBM (tunnel boring machine) tools, we conducted three experimental series with different laser power levels and scorching durations. Static tests showed that higher laser power led to greater rock-breaking depth. The relationship between laser power and kerf depth was linear for short irradiation times but followed a logarithmic trend for longer times. However, laser assisted by high-pressure gas blowing rock breaking showed a consistent linear increase in depth with rising laser power. Mobile laser rock breaking tests demonstrated decreased kerf depth with increased movement speed. Numerical simulations using a thermal–mechanical coupling model confirmed that longer laser scorching times led to more extensive internal cracks in rocks, primarily shear cracks, and reduced the force needed for hob rock breaking. This research suggested the feasibility of laser technology as a complement to TBM hobs for rock breaking. Highlights This study investigated the effects of laser power, irradiation time, high-pressure gas blowing and laser movement speed on laser irradiation breaking granite Blowing high-pressure gas-assisted laser irradiation rock can improve kerf depth markedly. Laser irradiation rock induced mainly shear cracks and a minority of tensile cracks. Hob rock breaking simulation suggested that 5–10 s laser irradiation is optimal.