Search Results (450)

Shot-hole disease caused by Wilsonomyces carpophilus poses a significant threat to stone fruit species, including wild apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.). This study investigated pathogenic factors (cell wall-degrading enzymes and toxins) and metabolites produced by a highly pathogenic strain (CFCC 71544) and a weakly pathogenic strain (CFCC 71543) of W. carpophilus during infection of P. armeniaca (in planta conditions). Analysis using the 3,5-dinitrosalicylic acid colorimetric method revealed that polygalacturonase (CFCC 71544: 1367.02 U/g; CFCC 71543: 1264.00 U/g) and polymethylgalacturonase (CFCC 71544: 1898.71 U·g⁻¹; CFCC 71543: 1762.21 U·g⁻¹) were the most active cell wall-degrading enzymes, with higher activities observed in the highly pathogenic strain (CFCC 71544). Crude toxins from CFCC 71543 induced leaf lesions averaging 41.91 mm² and retained activity after exposure to 121 °C and UV treatment. Non-protein fractions of the toxins caused significantly larger lesions than protein fractions (15.93 mm² vs. 5.56 mm², respectively). Building on these in planta findings, we further characterized toxin properties under controlled laboratory conditions (in vitro). Optimal toxin production conditions were identified in Richard culture medium at pH 4, under a 12 h light/dark cycle, shaken for 12 days at 25 °C. Untargeted metabolomics identified 3244 compounds and 977 differential metabolites among mycelia, crude toxins, and the residual aqueous phase after organic solvent extraction; these metabolites were predominantly amino acids and derivatives and organic acids. These findings indicate that the main pathogenic factors of W. carpophilus are highly active polygalacturonase and heat/UV-stable, water-soluble, non-protein toxins, providing a theoretical basis for shot-hole disease prevention and control. Full article

Chronic exposure to artificial light at night (ALAN) is increasingly recognized as an environmental risk factor that disrupts circadian regulation of endocrine and metabolic systems. In this study, we investigated the effects of extreme ALAN on oxidative stress and gut microbiota composition in mice using two complementary experiments. In Experiment 1, adult female mice were maintained under either as a standard 12 h light/12 h dark cycle (12 h group) or continuous 24 h light exposure (24 h group) throughout pregnancy and lactation. In Experiment 2, the offspring from the 12 h group were maintained under the same photoperiod, whereas offspring from the 24 h group were divided into a 12 h light/12 h dark group or a continuous 24 h light group, with treatments initiated on postnatal day 19 and continued until 2 months of age. For all 12 h groups, light exposure occurred from 8:00 to 20:00. Compared with dams in the 12 h group, dams exposed to continuous light exhibited significantly increased catalase activity, while their offspring maintained under the 12 h photoperiod showed elevated glutathione levels. No significant changes were detected in immune organ indices. These results suggest that extreme ALAN modulates antioxidant defenses, potentially reflecting adaptive responses to oxidative stress. Moreover, offspring exposed early to extreme ALAN showed significantly reduced gut microbial α-diversity, accompanied by decreased abundances of Firmicutes, Bacteroidota, Campylobacterota, and Desulfobacterota, and an increase in Proteobacteria. Notably, Verrucomicrobiota and Akkermansia failed to recover following photoperiod normalization, indicating persistent microbiota dysbiosis. Overall, these findings demonstrate that extreme ALAN induces oxidative stress and long-lasting alterations in gut microbiota composition, highlighting potential health risks associated with night-time light pollution. Full article

Early and recent studies have demonstrated that exposure to moonlight influences the entire life cycle of plants from seed germination to vegetative growth and reproduction. Exposure to moonlight was found to induce genome reorganization in plants and significant changes in gene expression, protein, and metabolite profiles. However, the specific factors that facilitate moonlight perception are unknown. To uncover the photoreceptors responsible for moonlight perception, we analyzed Arabidopsis phototropin mutants (phot1, phot2, and phot1phot2) as well as the phytochrome mutants phyA and phyB for their response to full moonlight (FML). De-etiolation assays revealed that plants do perceive and respond to FML within 5 h of exposure. Thus, among the photoreceptor mutants analyzed, only phot1 and phot1phot2 were impaired in apical hook opening and cotyledon unfolding under FML. Interestingly, under high light intensity, all examined mutants underwent proper de-etiolation. Further analysis showed that phot1 as well as phyB mutants were impaired in response to moonlight, displaying no changes in nuclear size and in protein profiles following exposure to FML and were comparable to plants exposed to dark. The FML (5 h exposure) did not induce the formation of fewer, large nuclear photobodies, as occurred following 5 h exposure to growth-room light. Our findings highlighted phot1 and phyB as photoreceptors necessary for plants to perceive and respond to FML. It is proposed that the initial perception of moonlight is facilitated by the blue-light receptor phot1 and is subsequently interpreted into a functional state by the R/FR receptor phyB. Full article

Microalgae are a promising third-generation biomass resource due to their high photosynthetic efficiency, rapid growth rates, capacity to accumulate energy-rich biochemical fractions, and efficient utilisation of carbon dioxide (CO₂). In this study, the effect of illumination colour on the growth and energetic properties of Chlorella vulgaris cultivated in laboratory-scale photobioreactors was investigated. Four independent cultivation cycles were conducted under controlled conditions using a 16 h light/8 h dark photoperiod, temperatures of 20–30 °C, and aeration with air enriched with 10% CO₂. Cultures were illuminated using six light colours: plant-specific, white, green, red, blue, and ultraviolet. Biomass productivity was quantified, and the higher heating value (HHV) of the produced biomass was determined by bomb calorimetry. In addition, proximate (technical) analysis was performed for Chlorella vulgaris and compared with Chlorella pyrenoidosa, Spirulina, and Fucus vesiculosus (bladderwrack). The results showed that white illumination promoted both the highest biomass growth and the highest HHV for Chlorella vulgaris (15.08 MJ·kg⁻¹), while ultraviolet illumination had a disruptive effect, leading to the lowest growth and calorific value (11.49 MJ·kg⁻¹). Comparative analysis revealed that Chlorella pyrenoidosa exhibited the most favourable energetic properties; however, Chlorella vulgaris remains attractive for cultivation due to its robustness and broad tolerance to operating conditions. Full article

Photosynthetic algae–microbial fuel cells (PAMFCs) are attractive for energy-positive wastewater treatment and carbon mitigation. However, PAMFC performance under continuous flow is often constrained by limited cathodic electron-acceptor supply and unstable photosynthetic biofilms, while the extent to which cathode interfacial engineering can stabilize diurnal power output and assimilative NH₄⁺–N removal remains unclear. In this study, the sponge-like and petal-like ZnO_0.2-NiO@rGO-modified carbon fibers (ZnO_0.2-NiO@rGO-pCFs and ZnO_0.2-NiO@rGO-pCFp) and pre-fabricated carbon felt (pCF) were used as cathode materials to construct three sets of PAMFC systems. Under light–dark cycling, the engineered cathodes reached steady operation within about 6.5 d and increased the steady-state voltage to approximately 0.35 V, compared with approximately 0.08 V for pCF. Under continuous-flow conditions, cathodic NH₄⁺–N removal exhibited a stable diurnal rhythm, with higher removal during illumination at about 43–51% than in the dark at about 29–30%, consistent with algal assimilation as the primary nitrogen sink, while cathode modification mainly improved the cathodic microenvironment and response stability. Compared with pCF, the ZnO_0.2–NiO@rGO cathode enriched a more even, Chlorophyta-dominated algal biofilm with an approximate relative abundance of 80%, indicating that its selective interfacial environment favors biofilm stabilization and sustains in situ oxygen production and cathodic electron-acceptor supply. Consequently, the composite cathode enhanced voltage output and stabilized light-enhanced, assimilative NH₄⁺–N removal under aeration-free operation, while establishing an interpretable link between electrochemical performance and 18S rDNA-derived community assembly features, thereby providing a low-cost cathode design basis for nitrogen removal in wastewater treatment. Full article

To overcome the limitations imposed by the intermittent nature of sunlight in photocatalytic applications, this research constructs a round-the-clock purification system. We integrated an optimized S-scheme CoFe₂O₄/BiVO₄ (CFO/BV) heterojunction (synthesized via ultrasonic self-assembly at a 0.5:0.5 ratio) with a thermal energy storage (TES) unit consisting of SiO₂-encapsulated Na₂SO₄·10H₂O phase change materials (PCMs). Comprehensive characterization techniques, including XRD, HRTEM, UV-Vis DRS, EPR, and DSC, confirmed the successful formation of the interface, a broadened visible-light response (λ > 650 nm), efficient radical production, and a high latent heat storage capacity (>200 J/g). Under simulated solar irradiation, the composite exhibited superior performance, degrading 98% of the Rhodamine B within 6 h (k = 0.00994 min⁻¹), significantly surpassing single-component counterparts. More importantly, during the subsequent 12 h dark period, the heat released from the PCM maintained the reaction temperature above 35 °C, driving a 64% degradation efficiency via a thermocatalytic pathway. The system demonstrated robust stability (>90% efficiency after five cycles), excellent magnetic recoverability (98%), and high tolerance to saline textile wastewater (<10% activity loss). Furthermore, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) indicated a 40% reduction in energy consumption compared to conventional UV/TiO₂ processes, highlighting a sustainable strategy for continuous wastewater remediation through synergistic photocatalysis and thermocatalysis. Full article

Disruption of circadian rhythms caused by constant artificial lighting (“light pollution”) is a significant risk factor for the development of metabolic and age-associated pathologies. The liver, as a central metabolic organ with pronounced circadian regulation of its functions, is particularly vulnerable to desynchronosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of three-month dark deprivation (constant lighting) and the corrective action of exogenous melatonin on the morphofunctional state of the liver in young mature rats. The experiment used 3-month-old male Wistar rats, divided into groups: control (standard light:dark cycle 10:14 h), dark deprivation group (DD, constant lighting 24 h/day), and DD + Melatonin group (DD + Mel, dark deprivation with melatonin administered in drinking water at a dose of 12 mg/L). After 3 months (animal age 6 months), a comprehensive analysis was performed. It was shown that dark deprivation causes a profound (more than five-fold) suppression of plasma melatonin levels, which is accompanied by the formation of a pro-senescent and metabolically dysfunctional phenotype of the liver. This was manifested by the development of steatosis, an 18% increase in hepatocyte area, a 30% decrease in the proportion of binucleated hepatocytes, activation of cellular senescence markers (p16, p21) and stress markers (p53), and suppression of the expression of circadian transcription factors BMAL1 and CLOCK. At the ultrastructural level, lipofuscin accumulation, damage to mitochondria and the Golgi apparatus were noted. Biochemically, hyperglycemia, increased AST activity, hypoproteinemia, hypoalbuminemia, hypercholesterolemia, and hypertriglyceridemia were revealed. Administration of exogenous melatonin completely prevented the development of these disorders, normalizing hormone levels, morphology, ultrastructure, biochemical parameters, and the expression of key molecular markers. Thus, three-month dark deprivation induces complex pro-senescent remodeling and metabolic dysfunction of the liver, mediated by melatonin deficiency, while exogenous melatonin demonstrates a pronounced hepatoprotective and chronoprotective effect. Full article

Two-dimensional (2D) materials are competitive in a diverse range of areas, spanning from electronic and optoelectronic devices to wearable devices, due to their unique physical and chemical characteristics, as well as remarkable flexibility. As a typical 2D material, lead iodide (PbI₂), featuring a high atomic number and tunable band gap, has been extensively studied in many applications of electroluminescent (EL) devices, photodetectors, and perovskite solar cells. However, high-performance PbI₂-based photodetectors remain a challenge. Herein, we present a high-performance flexible photodetector based on 2D layered PbI₂ nanoplates, which were synthesized via a straightforward air sublimation method. The PbI₂-based photodetector exhibits an excellent photoresponse and the highest responsivity peaks at 34 A/W at 405 nm, together with an ultrahigh transient switching on/off current ratio of 10⁷. Due to a low dark current (10⁻¹⁴ A), the device exhibits an extremely low noise level (<10⁻²⁶ A²Hz⁻¹) and acceptable detectivity (2 × 10¹⁰ Jones). Furthermore, remarkable mechanical flexibility was observed in the device on a PET substrate, preserving both its electrical conductance and photoresponse stability after 560 bending cycles. Finally, high-resolution imaging applications were implemented under a 100 Hz modulated light signal. This work highlights the superior optoelectrical properties of 2D PbI₂ growth by the in-air sublimation method and proves its promising future in flexible and wearable optoelectronic devices. Full article

A highly efficient pyro-catalytic system based on a g-C₃N₄/ZnO composite has been developed for dye degradation under near-room-temperature thermal cycling (25–60 °C). This system integrates pyroelectric charge generation with electrochemical redox reactions. The g-C₃N₄/ZnO for pyro-catalytic Rhodamine B (RhB) dye decomposition with 95.6% efficiency in the dark, whereas pristine g-C₃N₄ reached only approximately 60.1% under identical conditions. The degradation mechanism is primarily driven by the in situ generation of superoxide (•O₂⁻) and hydroxyl (•OH) radicals, as verified by radical quenching experiments. The formation of the composite facilitates the efficient spatial separation of pyroelectric-induced charges, thereby endowing g-C₃N₄/ZnO with a significantly enhanced pyro-catalytic performance compared to g-C₃N₄ alone. This study demonstrates the promising application of g-C₃N₄/ZnO as a high-performance pyro-catalyst under mild thermal conditions, offering a sustainable and light-independent strategy for wastewater treatment by utilizing ambient temperature fluctuations. Full article

The circadian clock enables organisms to anticipate daily recurring events and synchronize their internal rhythms with environmental cues, such as light, aligning with the day/night cycle. Central to the molecular mechanisms of the circadian clock and light sensing are the Period (Per) 1 and 2 genes. While the roles of Per2 in astrocytes and neurons have been characterized, the specific contributions of Per1 remain less understood. Previous research has shown that Per2 in neurons, but not astrocytes, influences phase shifts, whereas the regulation of the circadian period involves Per2 in both cell types. In this study, we investigated the role of Per1 in neurons and astrocytes in modulating the circadian period and phase shifts. Using an Aschoff Type I protocol (constant darkness) combined with 15 min light pulses at circadian times (CT) 10, 14, and 22, we found that the absence of Per1 in neurons—but not in astrocytes—significantly affected both the circadian period and phase advance shifts in response to light at CT22. Full article

Purpose of Review—sleep disturbance is the main complaint associated with patients who suffer acute postoperative pain. Sleep disturbance may also increase the pain sensitivity and contribute to the development and maintenance of chronic pain. The pathophysiology of pain is complex; management of perioperative pain and preventing chronic pain are challenges in clinical. Use of opioids for pain management are still a therapeutic mainstay and generally safe when taken, in a short time, for severe postoperative pain relief. For long-term use tolerance may be developed, and for their euphoric property, addiction, overdose incidents, and even death may be the social problems. Therefore, the opioid-sparing multimodal analgesia (MMA) for pain management is recommended in current postoperative pain management. The successful MMA for pain management will enhance patient recovery after surgery with less chronic CPSP and long-term opioid use disorder (OUD). The present review discusses all currently used analgesics actions and interactions, and opioid-sparing or opioid-free analgesia in perioperative pain management. Acute pain following major trauma or surgery may originate from both nociceptive and neuropathic mechanisms. Approximately 10–50% of surgical patients develop chronic postoperative pain, which not only causes persistent discomfort but also leads to functional limitations and psychological distress. Growing evidence highlights a close and bidirectional relationship between sleep and pain: pain disrupts sleep architecture, while sleep deprivation intensifies pain sensitivity and impairs recovery. This reciprocal interaction forms a vicious cycle that poses challenges for effective pain management. Melatonin—a neurohormone secreted by the pineal gland—plays a crucial role in regulating circadian rhythm and sleep–wake cycles. Beyond its chronobiotic action, melatonin exhibits anti-nociceptive, anti-inflammatory, and opioid-sparing properties. Recent preclinical studies have demonstrated that exogenous melatonin can attenuate nociceptive responses to noxious stimuli and enhance morphine analgesia while attenuating morphine tolerance. Moreover, environmental light manipulation preserving the circadian rhythm has been shown to synergistically maintain melatonin secretion, improve sleep quality, and modulate neuroimmune responses involved in pain regulation. Together, these findings suggest that circadian alignment and melatonin supplementation may represent a promising integrative approach for improving both pain control and sleep health in perioperative and chronic pain conditions. Chronic pain patients frequently experience opioid tolerance during long-term therapy, resulting in diminished analgesic efficacy and a need for escalating doses. Our recent work revealed that constant light exposure suppresses endogenous melatonin, heightens pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β), reduces IL-10, and accelerates morphine tolerance in a neuropathic pain model. In contrast, maintaining circadian light–dark cycles or supplementing melatonin preserves melatonin rhythm, reduces glial activation, and sustains morphine antinociception. Melatonin’s co-administration not only attenuates morphine tolerance but also enhances morphine efficacy through the modulation of inflammatory and glial pathways. These findings underscore melatonin’s multifaceted role as both a chronotherapeutic and neuroprotective agent, integrating circadian regulation with pain modulation. Clinically, the application of melatonin or circadian-aligned strategies could guide personalized pain and sleep management, offering safer and more effective multimodal analgesic protocols with reduced opioid dependence and improved quality of life. Full article

Oxidative alcohol metabolism in the liver relies on sequential enzymatic reactions involving alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1), and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) isozymes. However, the circadian regulation of these enzymes, their susceptibility to genetic, environmental, and metabolic disruption, and their functional implications toward alcohol-mediated tissue injury remain incompletely defined. To address this gap, we performed a comprehensive integrative analysis of the publicly available circadian transcriptome datasets spanning genetic clock disruption, acute sleep deprivation, chronic high-fat diet feeding, and occupational shift work to systematically characterize the temporal regulation and disruption vulnerability of the major alcohol-metabolizing enzymes. Mouse tissue-cycling analyses revealed pronounced gene- and tissue-specific diurnal regulation, with Adh1 oscillating primarily in adipose tissues; Cyp2e1 and mitochondrial Aldh2 cycling broadly across kidney, aorta, lung, adrenal gland, and liver; and cytosolic Aldh1b1 being uniformly arrhythmic. In the liver, Cyp2e1 and Aldh2 exhibited robust ~24 h oscillations that peaked during the light/resting phase, while Adh1 showed inconsistent rhythmicity and Aldh1b1 remained arrhythmic. Notably, Cyp2e1 and Aldh2 rhythms persisted in Bmal1 knockout and Clock mutant livers under light–dark conditions, despite complete loss of core clock gene oscillations, yet were abolished in constant darkness, revealing that systemic zeitgeber cues can mask the loss of intrinsic clock function to maintain apparent rhythmicity in these metabolic genes. Systematic cross-paradigm comparison established a novel gene-specific vulnerability hierarchy. Aldh2 was found to be most disrupted by environmental and metabolic perturbations, with acute sleep deprivation eliminating its rhythmicity and temporal expression pattern and a Western-style high-fat diet inducing pronounced phase delays and rhythm loss relative to low-fat diet controls. Both disruptions paralleled alterations in hepatocyte nuclear factor 4α (Hnf4a), newly implicating HNF4α as a potential mediator of ALDH2 circadian instability. In humans, ALDH2 and CYP2E1 exhibited conserved but phase-inverted circadian rhythms across multiple tissues relative to mice, and, importantly, night-shift workers showed markedly dampened and phase-shifted ALDH2 rhythms in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, providing the molecular link between occupational circadian misalignment and impaired acetaldehyde detoxification. Collectively, our detailed and innovative analytical approach reveals gene- and tissue-specific circadian regulation of alcohol-metabolizing enzymes, identifies ALDH2 as uniquely vulnerable to circadian misalignment, underscores the importance of circadian timing for optimal hepatic detoxification and resistance to tissue injury, and suggests that monitoring circadian rhythms could help tailor individualized advice on alcohol consumption for shift workers and populations with irregular sleep schedules, informing precision medicine approaches for alcohol-related disorders. Full article

To explore the function of the period gene (Ec-per) in Exopalaemon carinicauda, we cloned the gene of 4611 bp with a 5′UTR of 201 bp, a 3′UTR of 813 bp, and an ORF of 3597 bp encoding 1198 amino acids. The predicted protein includes two PAS and one PERIOD domain. qPCR analysis revealed that Ec-per was expressed across all tissues tested at different developmental stages and during both embryonic and larval stages. Moreover, Ec-per oscillated rhythmically under different conditions of light-to-dark (L:D) ratios, including continuous darkness (0 L:24 D), where changes in the photoperiod influenced amplitude and phase shifts. The knockdown of Ec-per mRNA significantly reduced the expression of the circadian-related genes timeless (tim) and cryptochrome 1 (cry1) (p < 0.05). This suggests that Ec-per is an endogenous clock gene that may participate in molecular feedback loops and synergistically regulate the circadian rhythms through interacting with tim and cry1. RNA interference of Ec-per also markedly downregulated ecdysone receptor mRNA (p < 0.05), suggesting a positive role in the ovarian development of E. carinicauda. In situ hybridization further demonstrated that Ec-per is involved in oocyte proliferation and the accumulation of exogenous nutrients. This study provides new insights for promoting ovarian development and artificial breeding in crustaceans through optimized light-cycle management. Full article

This study investigates the synthesis, dual functional applications, and electrochemical performance of the amine-functionalized metal-organic framework (MOF), namely UiO-66-NH₂. The material was synthesized via the solvothermal method and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM/TEM). UiO-66-NH₂ was assessed as a catalyst for the reduction of nitroarenes, specifically 2-nitrophenol (2-NP) and 4-nitrophenol (4-NP), under both dark and photo-assisted (i.e., photocatalysis) conditions. Complete photoreduction of nitroarenes was achieved under photocatalysis, highlighting its photo-assisted catalytic efficacy. UiO-66-NH₂ before and after nitroarenes adsorption capacities were investigated, and subsequent electrochemical assessments confirmed its suitability as a supercapacitor electrode. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) and galvanostatic charge–discharge (GCD) analyses demonstrated that nitroarene adsorption and light irradiation markedly improved specific capacitance. 2-NP@UiO-66-NH₂ showed specific capacitance of 221 F/g at 1 A/g under UV radiation. UiO-66-NH₂ demonstrated remarkable cycling stability (100%) across 7000 cycles. Structural and property modifications of UiO-66-NH₂, adsorption of redox-active species, and photo-assisted mechanisms can significantly enhance the energy storage efficacy. The results illustrate the dual role of UiO-66-NH₂ as an effective photo-assisted catalyst and electroactive supercapacitor material, facilitating integrated environmental remediation and energy storage applications. Full article

Artificial light provides many benefits to humankind, allowing fundamental activities to continue during night; however, it also poses multiple risks to humans and wildlife and is recognized as a significant driver of global environmental change. Changes in natural light/darkness cycles caused by artificial light at night (ALAN) can affect amphibians, the most threatened vertebrate group globally. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of long-term exposure to constant nighttime light on the morphology of the thyroid glands of Triturus ivanbureschi metamorphosed juveniles using histological analysis. A cool LED light with a color temperature of 6000 K was selected, as this spectrum is commonly used in outdoor lighting. Larvae were raised at a natural day–night light regime. After metamorphosis, juveniles were randomly divided into a control group maintained under natural dark nighttime conditions (<0.1 lux) and a treatment group exposed to LED light (30 lux) at night for 60 days. Standard histological techniques (H&E) and immunohistochemical (IHC) staining were used to examine the thyroid glands. There were no significant differences in the absolute volume densities between the light-treatment and control groups; however, subtle morphological variations were observed. Immunohistochemical analysis of Tg immunostaining revealed a significant difference between the light-treatment and control groups, indicating that the thyroid gland of newts exposed to light has a stronger signal, suggesting the accumulation of thyroglobulin at the apical surface of the follicular cells. As LED lighting continues to expand globally, understanding how different light spectra, intensities, and exposure durations influence thyroid function, particularly during early life stages, remains an important direction for future research. Full article