Higher-order Topological Phases of Magnons in van der Waals Honeycomb Ferromagnets

We theoretically propose a second-order topological magnon insulator by stacking the van der Waals honeycomb ferromagnets with antiferromagnetic interlayer coupling. The system exhibits Z$_{2}$ topological phase, protected by pseudo-time-reversal symmetry (PTRS). An easy-plane anisotropy term breaks PTRS and destroys the topological phase. Nevertheless, it respects a magnetic two-fold rotational symmetry which protects a second-order topological phase with corner modes in bilayer and hinge modes along stacking direction. Moreover, an introduced staggered interlayer coupling establishes a Z$_{2}$$\times$Z topology, giving rise to gapped topological surface modes carrying non-zero Chern numbers. Consequently, chiral hinge modes propagate along the horizontal hinges in a cuboid geometry and are robust against disorders. Our work bridges the higher-order topology and magnons in van der Waals platforms, and could be used for constructing topological magnonic devices

High-throughput Automated Muropeptide Analysis (HAMA) Reveals Peptidoglycan Composition of Gut Microbial Cell Walls

Peptidoglycan (PGN), a net-like polymer constituted by muropeptides, provides protection for microorganisms and has been a major target for antibiotics for decades. Researchers have explored host-microbiome interactions through PGN recognition systems and discovered key muropeptides modulating host responses. However, most common characterization techniques for muropeptides are labor-intensive and require manual analysis of mass spectra due to the complex cross-linked PGN structures. Each species has unique moiety modifications and inter-/intra-bridges, which further complicates the structural analysis of PGN. Here, we developed a high-throughput automated muropeptide analysis (HAMA) platform leveraging tandem mass spectrometry and in silico muropeptide MS/MS fragmentation matching to comprehensively identify muropeptide structures, quantify their abundance, and infer PGN cross-linking types. We demonstrated the effectiveness of HAMA platform using well-characterized PGNs from E. coli and S. aureus and further applied it to common gut bacteria including Bifidobacterium, Bacteroides, Lactobacillus, Enterococcus, and Akkermansia muciiniphila. Specifically, we found that the stiffness and strength of the cell envelopes may correspond to the lengths and compositions of interpeptide bridges within Bifidobacterium species. In summary, the HAMA framework exhibits an automated, intuitive, and accurate analysis of PGN compositions, which may serve as a potential tool to investigate the post-synthetic modifications of saccharides, the variation in interpeptide bridges, and the types of cross-linking within bacterial PGNs.</p

The microtubule-associated protein, EB1, links AIM2 inflammasomes with autophagy-dependent secretion

Inflammasomes are multi-protein complexes that regulate chronic inflammation-associated diseases by inducing interleukin-1 β (IL-1β) secretion. Numerous components involved in inflammasome activation have been identified, but the mechanisms of inflammasome-mediated IL-1β secretion have not yet been fully explored. Here, we demonstrate that end-binding protein 1 (EB1), which is required for activation of AIM2 inflammasome complex, links the AIM2 inflammasome to autophagy-dependent secretion. Imaging studies revealed that AIM2 inflammasomes colocalize with microtubule organizing centers and autophagosomes. Biochemical analyses showed that poly(dA-dT)-activated AIM2 inflammasomes induce autophagy and IL-1β secretion in an LC3-dependent fashion. Furthermore, depletion of EB1 decreases autophagic shedding and intracellular trafficking. Finally, we found that the 5′-AMP activated protein kinase may regulate this EB1-mediated autophagy-based inflammasome-induced secretion of IL-1β. These findings reveal a novel EB1-mediated pathway for the secretion of IL-1β

Testing Darwin’s transoceanic dispersal hypothesis for the inland nettle family (Urticaceae)

Dispersal is a fundamental ecological process, yet demonstrating the occurrence and importance of long-distance dispersal (LDD) remains difficult, having rarely been examined for widespread, non-coastal plants. To address this issue, we integrated phylogenetic, molecular dating, biogeographical, ecological, seed biology and oceanographic data for the inland Urticaceae. We found that Urticaceae originated in Eurasia c. 69 Ma, followed by >= 92 LDD events between landmasses. Under experimental conditions, seeds of many Urticaceae floated for > 220 days, and remained viable after 10 months in seawater, long enough for most detected LDD events, according to oceanographic current modelling. Ecological traits analyses indicated that preferences for disturbed habitats might facilitate LDD. Nearly half of all LDD events involved dioecious taxa, so population establishment in dioecious Urticaceae requires multiple seeds, or occasional selfing. Our work shows that seawater LDD played an important role in shaping the geographical distributions of Urticaceae, providing empirical evidence for Darwin's transoceanic dispersal hypothesis

Rectal cancer patients with downstaging after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and radical resection do not benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy

Background: Whether adjuvant chemotherapy is beneficial for rectal cancer patients who respond well to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (NCRT) and undergo radical resection is controversial. This study aimed to assess the effect of adjuvant chemotherapy on the oncological outcomes of ypT0-2N0 rectal cancer patients after NCRT and radical resection, and identify the prognostic factors. Methods: The clinical and pathological data of rectal cancer patients with ypT0-2N0 who underwent NCRT and radical resection between January, 2010 and June, 2018 were collected and retrospectively analyzed. The oncological outcomes of the chemotherapy (chemo) group and the non-chemotherapy (non-chemo) group were compared. Multivariate analysis, using a Cox proportional hazard model, was performed to identify independent predictors of oncological outcome. Results: Of the 121 rectal cancer patients enrolled, 90 patients received postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy with no fewer than 3 cycles (the chemo group), and the other 31 patients with fewer than 3 cycles (the non-chemo group). There was no significant difference in the 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) or overall survival (OS) rates between the two groups (DFS: 79.1% vs. 82.9%, P=0.442; OS: 87.5% vs. 78.2%, P=0.667). cT4 is an independent risk factor for OS (HR =4.227, 95% CI: 1.128-15.838, P=0.02) and DFS (HR =4.878, 95% CI: 1.752-13.578). Preoperative consolidation chemotherapy with Capeox or FOLFOX after NCRT significantly improved the DFS rate (HR =0.212, 95% CI: 0.058-0.776, P=0.019). Conclusions: Rectal cancer patients with ypT0-2N0 who underwent NCRT and radical resection did not benefit significantly from postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy. For these patients, cT4 was an independent risk factor for OS and DFS. Preoperative consolidation chemotherapy with Capeox or FOLFOX after NCRT can significantly improve DFS

Angiotensin-converting enzyme gene 2350 G/A polymorphism and susceptibility to atrial fibrillation in Han Chinese patients with essential hypertension

OBJECTIVE: The angiotensin-converting enzyme gene is one of the most studied candidate genes related to atrial fibrillation. Among the polymorphisms of the angiotensin-converting enzyme gene, the 2350 G/A polymorphism (rs4343) is known to have the most significant effects on the plasma angiotensin-converting enzyme concentration. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association of the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2350 G/A polymorphism with atrial fibrillation in Han Chinese patients with essential hypertension. METHODS: A total of 169 hypertensive patients were eligible for this study. Patients with atrial fibrillation (n = 75) were allocated to the atrial fibrillation group, and 94 subjects without atrial fibrillation were allocated to the control group. The PCR-based restriction fragment length polymorphism technique was used to assess the genotype frequencies. RESULTS: The distributions of the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2350 G/A genotypes (GG, GA, and AA, respectively) were 40.43%, 41.49%, and 18.08% in the controls and 18.67%, 46.67%, and 34.66% in the atrial fibrillation subjects (p = 0.037). The frequency of the A allele in the atrial fibrillation group was significantly greater than in the control group (58.00% vs. 38.83%, p = 0.0007). Compared with the wild-type GG genotype, the GA and AA genotypes had an increased risk for atrial fibrillation. Additionally, atrial fibrillation patients with the AA genotype had greater left atrial dimensions than the patients with the GG or GA genotypes (

Missed opportunities for screening congenital syphilis early during pregnancy: A case report and brief literature review

Congenital syphilis is a significant public health problem. Pregnant women infected with Treponema pallidum present with various clinical manifestations, mainly including skin or visceral manifestations. The extensive clinical manifestations of T. pallidum infection mimic those of many other diseases during pregnancy, which may lead to delayed diagnosis and serious consequences. We report a case of fetal T. pallidum infection and premature delivery in a woman whose syphilis screening was negative at 16 weeks of gestation. Despite presenting to the dermatologist at 24 weeks of gestation with maculopapular rash which is usually associated with secondary syphilis, the diagnosis of syphilis was not considered. This case shows that even if early syphilis screening of pregnant women is negative, they may still get infected with T. pallidum later on in pregnancy. Therefore, in patients presenting with a rash without an obvious cause, T. pallidum infection should be excluded. The health status of patients' spouses should be assessed during pregnancy. Additionally, perinatal health education is necessary for women and their spouses during pregnancy. The abovementioned factors could reduce the probability of T. pallidum infection in pregnant women and their infants