DataSheet_1_Complete mitochondrial genome of Syzygium samarangense reveals genomic recombination, gene transfer, and RNA editing events.zip

Wax apple (Syzygium samarangense) is a commercial fruit that belongs to one of the most species-rich tree genera in the world. We report here the first complete S. samarangense mitogenome obtained using a hybrid assembly strategy. The mitogenome was a 530,242 bp circular molecule encoding 61 unique genes accounting for 7.99% of the full-length genome. Additionally, 167 simple sequence repeats, 19 tandem repeats, and 529 pairs of interspersed repeats were identified. Long read mapping and Sanger sequencing revealed the involvement of two forward repeats (35,843 bp and 22,925 bp) in mediating recombination. Thirteen homologous fragments in the chloroplast genome were identified, accounting for 1.53% of the mitogenome, and the longest fragment was 2,432 bp. An evolutionary analysis showed that S. samarangense underwent multiple genomic reorganization events and lost at least four protein-coding genes (PCGs) (rps2, rps7, rps11, and rps19). A total of 591 RNA editing sites were predicted in 37 PCGs, of which nad1-2, nad4L-2, and rps10-2 led to the gain of new start codons, while atp6-1156, ccmFC-1315 and rps10-331 created new stop codons. This study reveals the genetic features of the S. samarangense mitogenome and provides a scientific basis for further studies of traits with an epistatic basis and for germplasm identification.</p

Hydrogen bonding or deprotonation: on fluoride ion fluorescence sensing with 1,1′-bi-2-naphthol derivatives

<div><p>The isolation and structural characterisation of two ionic complexes (<i>S</i>)-<b>3</b> and(<i>S</i>)-<b>4</b> based on fluoride ion-mediated deprotonation of 1,1′-bi-2-naphthol (BINOL) derivatives (<i>S</i>)-<b>1</b> and (<i>S</i>)-<b>2</b> have been carried out for the first time. X-ray crystallographic study showed that the deprotonated forms (<i>S</i>)-<b>3</b> and (<i>S</i>)-<b>4</b> adopt remarkably different molecular geometries, bond parameters as well as molecular packing modes from their neutral analogs, in agreement with their significant fluorescence changes upon the addition of fluoride ion, giving insights into the actual mechanism of fluoride ion fluorescence sensing. The deprotonation–protonation processes in two BINOL derivatives were also investigated by both fluorescence measurements and X-ray structural analyses. Such chiral basic compounds can be promising organocatalysts for asymmetric reactions.</p></div

Table_1_Neoadjuvant immunotherapy for resectable esophageal cancer: A review.docx

Esophageal cancer (EC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide, especially in China. Despite therapeutic advances, the 5-year survival rate of EC is still dismal. For patients with resectable disease, neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) in combination with esophagectomy is the mainstay of treatment. However, the pathological complete response (pCR) rate to nCRT of 29.2% to 43.2% is not satisfactory, and approximately half of the patients will develop either a locoregional recurrence or distant metastasis. It is, therefore, necessary to explore novel and effective treatment strategies to improve the clinical efficacy of treatment. Immunotherapy utilizing immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has significantly changed the treatment paradigm for a wide variety of advanced cancers, including EC. More recently, increasing clinical evidence has demonstrated that neoadjuvant immunotherapy can potentially improve the survival of patients with resectable cancers. Furthermore, accumulating findings support the idea that chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy can activate the immune system through a variety of mechanisms, so a combination of chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy with immunotherapy can have a synergistic antitumor effect. Therefore, it is reasonable to evaluate the role of neoadjuvant immunotherapy for patients with surgically resectable EC. In this review, we discuss the rationale for neoadjuvant immunotherapy in patients with EC, summarize the current results of utilizing this strategy, review the planned and ongoing studies, and highlight the challenges and future research needs.</p

New Multichannel Frontal Polymerization Strategy for Scaled-up Production of Robust Hydrogels

Herein, we report a new facile and safe pathway for the scaled-up production of mechanically strong and multiresponsive interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) hydrogels via multichannel frontal polymerization (multichannel FP). We designed a two-part system, of which part-1 contained high reactive monomer and could polymerize spontaneously. The polymerization of part-1 released tremendous amount of heat, subsequently initiating FP of part-2 to convert monomers to polymers without any external energy, which is flexible, cost-effective, and environmental. Multichannel FP not only allowed realization of parallel polymerization to obtain a number of hydrogels but also solved center overheating and explosion problem stemmed from a large reaction vessel. Compared with the sample prepared in bigger tubular reactor, product synthesized via multichannel FP showed more excellent thermal stability, morphology and mechanical properties. Moreover, the as-prepared IPN hydrogels exhibited chemical-, pH-, and thermal-sensitivity toward various external changes, which might broaden the applications of hydrogels in sensors

Tropical forest diversity, environmental change and species augmentation: after the intermediate disturbance hypothesis

It is not simple to predict how environmental changes may impact tropical forest species diversity. Published hypotheses are almost invariably too incomplete, too poorly specified and too dependent upon unrealistic assumptions to be useful. Ecologist have sought theoretical simplicity, and while this has provided many elegant abstract concepts, it has hindered the attainment of more practical goals. The problem is not how to judge the individual hypotheses and arguments, but rather how to build upon and combine the many hard-won facts and principles into an integrated science. Controversy is inevitable when the assumptions, definitions and applications of a given hypothesis are unclear. Elegance, as an end in itself, has too often been used to justify abstract simplification and lack of operational definition. Clarifying and combining hypotheses while avoiding assumptions provides potentially more useful, if less elegant, stand-point. An appraisal of Connell's intermediate disturbance hypothesis, and its application to long-term observations from a Ugandan forest illustrates these concerns. Current emphases encourage ecologists to exclude consideration of environmental instability and non-pristine ecosystems. In reality, many environmental changes and ecological processses contribute to both the accumulation and erosion of diversity, at all spatial and temporal scales. Site histories, contexts, long-term processes, species-pool dynamics, and the role of people require greater emphasis. These considerations reveal that many environmental changes, even those associated with degradation, can lead to transient rise in species densities. Drawing on related studies, such as forest yield prediction, suggests that the formulation and calibration of simulation models provides the most tractable means to address the complexity of real vegetation. Simulation-based approaches will become increasingly useful both in unifying the study of vegetation dynamics and in providing improved predictive capacity. Quantification of the processes, scales and sensitivities of the dynamics of tropical forest communities remains a major challeng

Toxicity Decreases with the Decay of Environmentally Persistent Free Radicals in Particulate Matter from Incomplete Solid Fuel Burning

Environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFRs) have been linked to the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and adverse health effects. However, there remains a knowledge gap regarding the dynamic changes in reactivity and toxicity during the decay process of EPFRs emitted from incomplete solid fuel burning, which are identified as a primary source of EPFRs. Here, we report the decay behavior of EPFRs in particulate matter (PM) emitted from typical solid fuel burning and the associated ROS generation and cytotoxic effects. The EPFRs in freshly produced PM first undergo rapid exponential decay with lifetimes ranging from 15 to 97 h and are categorized as fast-decay EPFRs. The relative content of fast-decay EPFRs was 40.5 ± 15.3%, while the remaining portion, defined as slow-decay EPFRs, displayed an extremely slow rate of decay. ROS generation and cytotoxicity decreased by 38.8 ± 11.4% and 62.5 ± 12.6%, respectively, following the depletion of fast-decay EPFRs, which were further demonstrated to be responsible for the variations in PM reactivity and toxicity. These new findings underscore the importance of considering the decay process of EPFRs in assessments of PM toxicity

Racemic synthesis of an intermediate for the formal synthesis of madindoline A and B

<p>On the basis of the application of the Darzens/ring-expansion process of cyclobutenedione developed previously by our group, a new strategy for the multisubstituted cyclopentene units of madindoline A and madindoline B has been reported in this paper. In light of the strategy, the synthesis of racemic Omura’s intermediate was finished in four steps and 34% overall yield, which furnished a new formal synthetic route to madindolines A and B.</p

Results of neovascularization detection on retinal images.

<p>Results of neovascularization detection on retinal images.</p

New vessels examples: (a) New vessels elsewhere (NVE). (b) New vessels on disc (NVD).

<p>New vessels examples: (a) New vessels elsewhere (NVE). (b) New vessels on disc (NVD).</p

MOESM4 of Complete chloroplast genome of the medicinal plant Amomum compactum: gene organization, comparative analysis, and phylogenetic relationships within Zingiberales

Additional file 4: Figure S2. Chloroplast genomic alignment between A. compactum and C. roscoeana (KF601574)