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Mangrove forests are widespread along the subtropical and tropical coasts. They provide a habitat for a wide variety of plants, animals and microorganisms, and act as a buffer zone between the ocean and land. Along with other coastal environments, mangrove ecosystems are under increasing pressure from human activities, such as excessive input of nutrients and toxic pollutants. Despite efforts to understand the diversity of microbes in mangrove sediments, their metabolic capability in pristine and contaminated mangrove sediments remains largely unknown. By using metagenomic approach, we investigated the metabolic capacity of microorganisms in contaminated (CMS) and pristine (PMS) mangrove sediments at subtropical and tropical coastal sites. When comparing the CMS with PMS, we found that the former had a reduced diazotroph abundance and nitrogen fixing capability, but an enhanced metabolism that is related to the generation of microbial greenhouse gases via increased methanogenesis and sulfate reduction. In addition, a high concentration of heavy metals (mainly Zn, Cd, and Pb) and abundance of metal/antibiotic resistance encoding genes were found in CMS. Together, these data provide evidence that contamination in mangrove sediment can markedly change microbial community and metabolism; however, no significant differences in gene distribution were found between the subtropical and tropical mangrove sediments. In summary, contamination in mangrove sediments might weaken the microbial metabolisms that enable the mangrove ecosystems to act as a buffer zone for terrestrial nutrients deposition, and induce bioremediation processes accompanied with an increase in greenhouse gas emission.

Hypocrellin A (HA), a photodynamic perylenequinone pigment from Shiraia fruiting bodies, functions as an efficient photosensitizer for clinical photodynamic therapy. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH), the rate-limiting enzyme of the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP), governs carbon flux into NADPH production. This study elucidates G6PDH’s regulatory role in HA biosynthesis in Shiraia sp. S9. Bamboo polysaccharide (BPS) elicitation (100 mg/L) significantly enhanced HA production to 428.1 mg/L, 1.6-fold higher than controls after 5 days. We cloned the G6PDH gene and demonstrated that BPS upregulated its expression and activity, concomitant with increased reactive oxygen species (ROS; H2O2 and O2•−) and nitric oxide (NO) generation. ROS production was mediated by NADPH oxidase induction, while NO generation was attributed to elevated nitric oxide synthase and nitrate reductase activities. Critically, the G6PDH inhibitor glucosamine (1.0 mM) suppressed both H2O2 and NO production. These ROS/NO signals upregulated key HA biosynthetic (PKS, Omef) and transport (MFS) genes. Our findings establish G6PDH as a central regulator of BPS-induced HA biosynthesis via ROS/NO signaling, revealing novel metabolic crosstalk between the PPP and fungal perylenequinone biosynthesis. This work presents BPS elicitation as a biotechnological strategy for scalable HA production in Shiraia mycelium cultures.

This paper examines the impact of monetary policy on corporate investment efficiency from the perspective of debt maturity structure by selecting data on Chinese non-financial listed firms and Chinese macroeconomic data from 2007–2022. The results find that loose monetary policy can have a dual effect on corporate investment efficiency by extending corporate debt maturity structure, which is manifested in alleviating corporate under-investment and promoting corporate over-investment. Heterogeneity analysis shows that in high bank competition areas, the debt maturity structure effect of monetary policy is effective in mitigating under-investment and promoting over-investment by enterprises. In contrast, in low bank competition regions, the debt maturity structure effect of monetary policy promotes corporate over-investment but has no significant effect on corporate under-investment. In addition, the debt maturity structure effect of monetary policy can effectively alleviate under-investment and promote over-investment of enterprises with low financing constraints. And it has no significant effect on the under-investment and over-investment behavior of high financing constraint enterprises. The research in this paper reveals the specific mechanism of monetary policy affecting the investment efficiency of enterprises, which has certain reference value for the objective evaluation of monetary policy effects.

Both endotherms and ectotherms may raise their body temperature to limit pathogen infection. Endotherms do this by increasing their basal metabolism; this is called ‘fever’. Ectotherms do this by migrating to warmer places; this is called ‘behavioral fever’. White spot syndrome virus (WSSV) is the most lethal pathogen of cultured shrimp. This study examined the existence of behavioral fever in WSSV-infected Penaeus vannamei shrimp. Shrimp weighing 15 ± 0.5 g were inoculated intramuscularly with WSSV and kept in a four-compartment system (4-CS) with all the chambers at 27 °C or with a thermal gradient (27–29–31–33 °C). During the first 4 days post-inoculation, 94% of the WSSV-inoculated shrimp died in the 4-CS with a fixed temperature (27 °C), while only 28% died in the 4-CS with a temperature gradient. The inoculated animals clearly demonstrated a movement towards the warmer compartments, whereas this was not the case with the mock- and non-inoculated animals. With primary lymphoid organ cell cultures, it was demonstrated that the increase of temperature from 27–29 °C to 31–33 °C inhibits virus replication. It is concluded that behavioral fever is used by shrimp to elevate their temperature when infected with WSSV. Behavioral fever prevents WSSV infection and mortality.

Background: Mozart's Sonata for Two Pianos in D Major (K448) is a classic double piano work. This study investigated its effect on children with epilepsy (EP) and analyzed the changes in electroencephalography (EEG) among children on the basis of acoustic quality. Methods: The clinical data of 150 children with EP in the Affiliated Hospital (Group) of Putian University from March 2020 to March 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. They were divided into group A (n = 73, antiepileptic drug therapy) and group B (n = 77, antiepileptic drug therapy + Mozart K448) in accordance with the treatment methods. The seizure frequency, frequency of epileptic discharges (EDs), and Quality of Life in Childhood Epilepsy Questionnaire-16 in both groups were compared before and after treatment. The changes in EEG before, during, and after music appreciation were observed. The effects of the acoustic characteristics (rhythm, root mean square value, roughness, and spectral flux) of Mozart K448 on EDs in children were explored. Results: After treatment, group A had a higher seizure frequency (P < 0.001), a higher frequency of EDs (P < 0.05), and significantly lower scores of cognition and emotion than group B (P < 0.001), without significant difference in the scores of social function and physical function (P > 0.05). The frequency of EDs before music appreciation was significantly higher than that during music appreciation (P < 0.01). Spearman correlation analysis showed that the rhythm, spectral flux, and roughness in Mozart K488 were related to the decrease in EDs among children with EP (P < 0.001). Conclusion: This study confirmed the application effect of Mozart K448 in children with EP. Mozart K448 can decrease the seizure frequency, reduce the ED occurrence, and improve the quality of life. The acoustic characteristics of K448 may be the reason for improving EP in children.

Background Acute Respiratory Infections (ARIs) are a significant source of morbidity among pediatric populations. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and distribution of respiratory pathogens in pediatric ARIs in Putian, China. Methods This retrospective study included 3,790 pediatric patients with suspected ARIs, evaluated between March 2023 and February 2024. Nasopharyngeal swabs were obtained and analyzed via reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to detect eleven common respiratory pathogens. Statistical analyses were conducted to evaluate the distribution of these pathogens across various patient demographics, including gender, age, and season. Results This study included 3,790 pediatric patients under 14 years (median age: 4.3 years, IQR: 1–7). Pathogen positivity was 78.9%, with higher rates in school-age children and during autumn and winter ( P  < 0.001), with Mycoplasma pneumoniae (Mp) as the most common pathogen (33.4%), followed by human rhinovirus (HRV; 15.0%) and human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV; 12.1%). Single-pathogen detections dominated (81.9%), while co-detections (18.1%) were primarily dual-pathogen cases, with HRV + Mp as the leading combination. Pathogen distribution varied significantly by age: Mp detection rates escalated with age, peaking in school-age children, while HRSV and HRV predominated in infants and toddlers. Seasonal trends revealed distinct pathogen activity: Influenza A (InfA) peaked during spring, Mp during autumn and winter, and HRSV during summer ( P  < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis identified significant associations: InfA, human adenovirus (HADV), and Influenza B (InfB) were linked with acute upper respiratory infections (AURIs), while Mp, human metapneumovirus (HMPV), human parainfluenza virus (HPIV), and HRSV correlated with acute lower respiratory infections (ALRIs) ( P  < 0.05). Conclusion This study provides comprehensive insights into the prevalence and temporal patterns of respiratory pathogens among hospitalized children with ARIs in Putian, China. Mp, HRV, and HRSV were the predominant pathogens, with significant variations by age and season. Limitations include the one-year duration and the focus on hospitalized patients. Future studies should extend surveillance to outpatient and emergency settings to obtain a broader understanding of ARI epidemiology. Clinical trial number Not applicable.

Access to sustainable energy is paramount in today’s world, with a significant emphasis on solar and water-based energy sources. Herein, we develop photo-responsive ionic dye-sensitized covalent organic framework membranes. These innovative membranes are designed to significantly enhance selective ion transport by exploiting the intricate interplay between photons, electrons, and ions. The nanofluidic devices engineered in our study showcase exceptional cation conductivity. Additionally, they can adeptly convert light into electrical signals due to photoexcitation-triggered ion movement. Combining the effects of salinity gradients with photo-induced ion movement, the efficiency of these devices is notably amplified. Specifically, under a salinity differential of 0.5/0.01 M NaCl and light exposure, the device reaches a peak power density of 129 W m −2 , outperforming the current market standard by approximately 26-fold. Beyond introducing the idea of photoelectric activity in ionic membranes, our research highlights a potential pathway to cater to the escalating global energy needs. Artificial ion channels with multiple functions provide exciting opportunities to emulate natural processes and enhance energy conversion. Here, the authors introduce a family of photoelectrically responsive ionic covalent organic frameworks membranes for solar energy and salinity gradient energy conversion.

We previously reported that circIGF1R is significantly downregulated in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells and tissues. It inhibits cancer cell invasion and migration, although the underlying molecular mechanisms remain elusive. The invasion and migration of NSCLC cells was analyzed by routine in vivo and in vitro functional assays. Fluorescent in situ hybridization, luciferase reporter assay, RNA pull-down assay and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay were performed to explore the molecular mechanisms. Mechanism of action of paclitaxel-induced RBFOX3-mediated inhibition of NSCLC invasion and migration was investigated through in vitro and in vivo experiments.Our study reveals that circIGF1R acts as a Competing Endogenous RNA (ceRNA) for miR-1270, thereby regulating Van-Gogh-like 2 (VANGL2) expression and subsequently inhibiting NSCLC cell invasion and migration via the Wnt pathway. We also found that RNA binding protein fox-1 homolog 3 (RBFOX3) enhances circIGF1R biogenesis by binding to IGF1R pre-mRNA, which in turn suppresses migration and invasion in NSCLC cells. Additionally, the chemotherapeutic drug paclitaxel was shown to impede NSCLC invasion and migration by inducing RBFOX3-mediated circIGF1R biogenesis.RBFOX3 inhibits the invasion and migration of NSCLC cells through the circIGF1R/ miR-1270/VANGL2 axis, circIGF1R has the potential to serve as a biomarker and therapeutic target for NSCLC.

Background The research aims to explore the characteristics of intestinal flora, nutritional status and immune function in patients with different types of obese colon cancer. Methods A retrospective analysis is conducted on 64 cases of obese colon cancer diagnosed from June 2018 to January 2020. According to the histological staging of the cancer, they are classified into adenocarcinoma, adenosquamous carcinoma and undifferentiated carcinoma, with corresponding cases of 24, 22 and 18, respectively. The intestinal flora (Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli, and yeast), nutritional status (Hb, Alb, PA, TFN, and PNI), immune function (IgG, IgM, IgA, CD 4 + , CD 8 + , and CD 4 + /CD 8 + ) are analyzed in the different groups of patients. Survival curves are evaluated by Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test for tumour death, local recurrence, and distant metastasis. Results There were no statistically significant differences in intestinal flora (Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli, and yeast), nutritional status (Hb, Alb, PA, TFN, and PNI) and immune function (IgG, IgM, IgA, CD 4 + , CD 8 + , and CD 4 + /CD 8 + ) between different groups. There was a significant correlation between intestinal flora, nutritional status and immune function for all three. The survival curves of tumour death, local recurrence and distant metastasis in different groups of obese colon cancer patients were statistically significant. The tumor mortality rate, local recurrence, and distant metastasis rate in adenocarcinoma were 78.65%, 54.25% and 48.26% respectively. Conclusion There are differences in intestinal flora, nutritional status and immune function among different types of obese colon cancer patients, but adenocarcinoma has the least benefit in intestinal flora, poor nutritional status, and weakest immune function.

Membrane reactors are known for their efficiency and superior operability compared to traditional batch processes, but their limited diversity poses challenges in meeting various reaction requirements. Herein, we leverage the molecular tunability of covalent organic frameworks (COFs) to broaden their applicability in membrane reactors. Our COF membrane demonstrates an exceptional ability to achieve complete conversion in just 0.63 s at room temperature—a benchmark in efficiency for Knoevenagel condensation. This performance significantly surpasses that of the corresponding homogeneous catalyst and COF powder by factors of 176 and 375 in turnover frequency, respectively. The enhanced concentration of reactants and the rapid removal of generated water within the membrane greatly accelerate the reaction, reducing the apparent activation energy. Consequently, this membrane reactor enables reactions that are unattainable using both COF powders and homogeneous catalysts. Considering the versatility, our findings highlight the substantial promise of COF-based membrane reactors in organic transformations. Membrane reactors are efficient alternatives to traditional bath process, yet their limited diversity challenges their applicability to various reaction requirements. Here, the authors report covalent organic framework membrane reactors applied to the Knoevenagel condensation with enhanced performance as compared to homogeneous catalysts.