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The reactions of oxygen and samarium ions in molten NaCl–2CsCl eutectic in the temperature range of 823–913 K have been investigated by potentiometric titration in an inert gas atmosphere. The activity of oxygen ions in the studied melts was monitored using a standard YZME (indicator) electrode based on Y2O3-stabilized ZrO2 with a solid–electrolyte membrane. The titration of Sm3+ by O2− ions demonstrated the formation of insoluble SmOCl compounds in the investigated region. The mechanism of formation of SmOCl and Sm2O3 was established by the analysis of potentiometric titration curves. Subsequently, the solubility of SmOCl and Sm2O3 in the melt was calculated using the material balance equation and solubility constant equation. Finally, the basic thermodynamic properties of SmOCl and Sm2O3 in molten NaCl–2CsCl eutectic were calculated, and the properties of samarium in the melt were summarized using the Pourbaix-type (E-pO2−) diagram to determine the kinds of stabilized samarium compounds. Furthermore, the optimal chlorination conditions can be obtained from the E-pO2− diagram of Sm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phellinus spp. is one of the largest genera of Hymenochaetaceae with approximately 220 species, such as P. vaninii , P. buamii , P. linteus , and P. igniarius , these species are considered as precious food supplements and medicinal ingredients in China, Korea, Japan, and other Asian countries for over 2000 years. Phellinus spp. contains abundant bioactive polysaccharides and other key components (e.g., phenolics, terpenes, steroids, etc.). Pharmacological investigations have confirmed that bioactive polysaccharides and other important secondary metabolites from Phellinus spp. possess multiple health-promoting benefits, including antitumor, immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, antioxidant, and antimicrobial effects. However, comprehensive evaluations on the preparation and structural characteristics, bioactivities, and toxicology of these functional components (e.g., polysaccharides, phenolics, terpenes, steroids) from various Phellinus spp. species are very limited, which may restrict the practical application of Phellinus spp. This review summarizes the physicochemical characteristics, pharmacological activities, and possible mechanisms of bioactive components from Phellinus spp. according to published studies from 2017 to 2022. It also surveyed the toxicological assessment for safety and applications of different Phellinus spp. species. This review aims to provide useful references and promising directions for the comprehensive development and utilization of Phellinus spp. in functional foods, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dandelion, in China, has a long history as a medicinal and edible plant, and possesses high nutritional and medical value. The present study aimed to isolate a new polysaccharide (DLP-3) from dandelion leaves and to evaluate its antioxidant, antibacterial, and anticancer activities. The structure of DLP-3 was analyzed using HPLC, FT-IR, SEM, GC-MS, and NMR spectroscopy. DLP-3 mainly consisted of Man, Rha, GlcA, Glc, Gal, and Ara with molar ratios of 2.32, 0.87, 1.21, 3.84, 1.00, and 1.05, respectively, with a molecular weight of 43.2 kDa. The main linkages of DLP-3 contained (1→4)-α-d-Glc, (1→4,6)-α-d-Glc, (1→6)-α-d-Gal, (1→2)-α-d-Man, (1→4)-α-d-Man, β-l-Ara-(1→, and α-l-Rha-(1→. DLP-3 exhibited a smooth surface, purely flake-like structure, and a triple helix conformation. Moreover, DLP-3 presented obvious antioxidant and antibacterial activities in a concentration-dependent manner. DLP-3 showed significant anticancer activities by inhibiting tumor cell proliferation. These findings provide a theoretical basis for the application of DLP-3 as a natural functional active substance in functional foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Naturally occurring carbohydrate polymers containing non-starch polysaccharides (NPs) are a class of biomacromolecules isolated from plants, marine algae, and edible mushrooms, and their biological activities has shown potential uses in the prevention and treatment of human diseases. Importantly, NPs serve as prebiotics to provide health benefits to the host through stimulating the proliferation of beneficial gut microbiota (GM) and enhancing the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). The composition and diversity of GM play a critical role in regulating host health and have been extensively studied in recent years. In this review, the extraction, isolation, purification, and structural characterization of NPs derived from plants, marine algae, and edible mushrooms are outlined. Importantly, the degradation and metabolism of these NPs in the intestinal tract, the effects of NPs on the microbial community and SCFAs generation, and the beneficial effects of NPs on host health by modulating GM are systematically highlighted. Overall, we hope that this review can provide some theoretical references and a new perspective for applications of NPs as prebiotics in functional food and drug development. • Modulatory effects of non-starch polysaccharides (NPs) on gut microbiota are reviewed. • Preparation and structural features of NPs from different sources are outlined. • Interactions between NPs and intestinal microecology disorders are emphasized. • Health benefits of NPs through the regulation of gut microbiota are highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: AML is a common hematological malignancy with poor prognosis, the pathogenesis is still unclear. lncRNA takes part in occurrence and development of AML. This research aims to explore new differentially expressed lncRNAs and their effects on AML. Methods: Database‐based bioinformatics analysis was performed to screen differentially expressed lncRNA in AML, real‐time PCR was used to analyze gene expression. Kaplan–Meier survival analysis was performed to determine prognostic effect of AC026150.8 in AML. The cell drug resistance experiment was performed to test effect of AC026150.8 on chemo‐resistance of AML cells. Catrapid online software and RNA pull‐down, mass spectrometry, western‐blot were used to predict and verify the combination of AC026150.8 and RNA splicing factors. Results: AC026150.8 was upregulated in AML patients and related to poor prognosis. High leukocyte counts, FAB classification, MLL‐AF9 expression and NPM1 mutations were associated with high AC026150.8 expression. Upregulated of AC026150.8 increased the drug resistance of AML cells. AC026150.8 could be combined with splicing factor PCBP1. Conclusions: For the first time, our study found that the upregulated AC026150.8 in AML is related to poor prognosis, overexpression of AC026150.8 could increase drug resistance of AML cells, and confirmed its scaffolding effect in combination with splicing factors. It is necessary to further study AC026150.8 and its downstream target genes to clarify the mechanism of AC026150.8 in AML. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract\nHIGHLIGHTSMilk fat globule membrane (MFGM) is a three-layer membrane-like structure encasing natural milk fat globules (MFGs). MFGM holds promise as a nutritional supplement because of the numerous physiological functions of its constituent protein. This review summarizes and compares the differences in MFGM protein composition across various species, including bovines, goats, camels, mares, and donkeys, and different lactation periods, such as colostrum and mature milk, as assessed by techniques such as proteomics and mass spectrometry. We also discuss the health benefits of MFGM proteins throughout life. MFGM proteins promote intestinal development, neurodevelopment, and glucose and lipid metabolism by upregulating tight junction protein expression, brain function-related genes, and glucose and fatty acid biosynthesis processes. We focus on the mechanisms underlying these beneficial effects of MFGM proteins. MFGM proteins activate key substances in in signaling pathways, such as the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B, mitogen-activated protein kinase, and myosin light chain kinase signaling pathways. Overall, the consumption of MFGM proteins plays an essential role in conferring health benefits, some of which are important throughout the mammalian life cycle.Types and amounts of MFGM proteins in mammals, as assessed by proteomic and mass spectrometry analysis, are summarized.Colostrum MFGM contains more acute phase proteins, whereas mature milk has higher levels of mucins (1 and 15), ADPH, XDH, and FABP.Health benefits of MFGM proteins, including intestinal development, neurodevelopment, and immune activity enhancement, are summarized.MFGM proteins have been shown to significantly activate the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway, promoting cell proliferation and glycolipid metabolism.Types and amounts of MFGM proteins in mammals, as assessed by proteomic and mass spectrometry analysis, are summarized.Colostrum MFGM contains more acute phase proteins, whereas mature milk has higher levels of mucins (1 and 15), ADPH, XDH, and FABP.Health benefits of MFGM proteins, including intestinal development, neurodevelopment, and immune activity enhancement, are summarized.MFGM proteins have been shown to significantly activate the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway, promoting cell proliferation and glycolipid metabolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

T cell prolymphocytic leukemia (T-PLL) is a rare disease with aggressive clinical course. Cytogenetic analysis, whole-exome and whole-genome sequencing have identified primary structural alterations in T-PLL, including inversion, translocation and copy number variation. Recurrent somatic mutations were also identified in genes encoding chromatin regulators and those in the JAK-STAT signaling pathway. Epigenetic alterations are the hallmark of many cancers. However, genome-wide epigenomic profiles have not been reported in T-PLL, limiting the mechanistic study of its carcinogenesis. We hypothesize epigenetic mechanisms also play a key role in T-PLL pathogenesis. To systematically test this hypothesis, we generated genome-wide maps of regulatory regions using H3K4me3 and H3K27ac ChIP-seq, as well as RNA-seq data in both T-PLL patients and healthy individuals. We found that genes down-regulated in T-PLL are mainly associated with defense response, immune system or adaptive immune response, while up-regulated genes are enriched in developmental process, as well as WNT signaling pathway with crucial roles in cell fate decision. In particular, our analysis revealed a global alteration of regulatory landscape in T-PLL, with differential peaks highly enriched for binding motifs of immune related transcription factors, supporting the epigenetic regulation of oncogenes and genes involved in DNA damage response and T-cell activation. Together, our work reveals a causal role of epigenetic dysregulation in T-PLL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrochemical process of samarium extraction from molten salt. [Display omitted] • The electrochemical reactions and co-deposition mechanisms of Sm(III), Ga(III) and Pb(II) ions have been investigated. • The Tafel and LP methods were utilized for evaluation of the kinetic properties of Sm on liquid Pb and Ga-Pb cathodes. • The conditions for the formation of Sm intermetallic compounds have been established. • Electrochemical extraction of Sm was explored on liquid Ga-Pb and Pb cathodes by PE mode. The efficient separation of the rare earth element Sm from spent nuclear fuel is of strategic importance for the nuclear industries. This study explored the feasibility of a novel liquid Ga-Pb hybrid electrode for electrochemical extraction of samarium compounds, and the electrochemical reduction mechanism and dynamic properties of Sm(III) ions were provided in NaCl-2CsCl molten salt. It was established that the reduction mechanisms of Sm(III) to Sm(II) and Pb(II) to Pb(0) on the Mo cathode were a one-step reaction processes, respectively, while Ga(III) to Ga(0) was a two-step reaction process. The co-deposition mechanisms of Sm(III), Ga(III) and Pb(II) ions on the Mo cathode were identified, and the types of intermetallic compounds, formation potentials and reaction processes were analyzed. The deposition potential of Sm on Ga-Pb mixed cathode is determined, and the value of its depolarization was greater than on the liquid Pb electrode. Simultaneously, Sm ions have higher exchange current densities and lower activation energies for electrode reactions on the liquid Ga-Pb mixed electrodes than on the liquid Pb electrodes. Furthermore, the electro-separation of NaCl-2CsCl-SmCl 3 molten salt was executed via potentiostatic electrolysis technique, and the separation efficiency and the effect of cathode product type were analyzed and compared in Ga-Pb hybrid electrode and Pb electrode. It was obtained that the maximum extraction efficiency on the Ga-Pb hybrid electrode and the separation efficiency of Sm could reach 91.3 % after 8 h of electrolysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hericium erinaceus, a rare edible and medicine fungus, is widely used in the food and medical field. Polysaccharides from H. erinaceus are the main bioactive compound that exert high bioactive value in the medical and healthcare industries. Results: The genome of H. erinaceus original strain HEA was reported 38.16 Mb, encoding 9780 predicted genes by single-molecule, real-time sequencing technology. The phylogenomic analysis showed that H. erinaceus had the closest evolutionary affinity with Dentipellis sp. The polysaccharide content in the fermented mycelia of mutated strains HEB and HEC, which obtained by ARTP mutagenesis in our previous study, was improved by 23.25 and 47.45%, and a new β-glucan fraction with molecular weight 1.056 × 106 Da was produced in HEC. Integrative analysis of transcriptome and proteomics showed the upregulation of the carbohydrate metabolism pathway modules in HEB and HEC might lead to the increased production of glucose-6P and promote the repeating units synthesis of polysaccharides. qPCR and PRM analysis confirmed that most of the co-enriched and differentially co-expressed genes involved in carbohydrate metabolism shared a similar expression trend with the transcriptome and proteome data in HEB and HEC. Heatmap analysis showed a noticeably decreased protein expression profile of the RAS-cAMP-PKA pathway in HEC with a highly increased 47.45% of polysaccharide content. The S phase progression blocking experiment further verified that the RAS-cAMP-PKA pathway's dysfunction might promote high polysaccharide and β-glucan production in the mutant strain HEC. Conclusions: The study revealed the primary mechanism of the increased polysaccharide synthesis induced by ARTP mutagenesis and explored the essential genes and pathways of polysaccharide synthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Binary metal niobium oxides can offer a higher specific capacity compared to niobium pentoxide (Nb 2 O 5) and thus are ideal anode candidates for lithium ion capacitors (LICs). However, their lower electronic conductivity limits their ability to achieve high energy and power densities. In this paper, one-dimensional (1D) copper niobate (CuNb 2 O 6) nanowires are successfully prepared by electrospinning technology and then immobilized on two-dimensional (2D) reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanosheets to form a unique 1D nanowire/2D nanosheet CuNb 2 O 6 /rGO structure. The 1D/2D CuNb 2 O 6 /rGO electrode exhibits a high specific capacity of 312.2 mAh g−1 at 100 mA g−1 as the anode of LICs. The proposed Li+ storage mechanism of the CuNb 2 O 6 anode involves CuNb 2 O 6 decomposition into lithium niobate (Li 3 NbO 4) and copper (Cu) during the initial lithium insertion process. The intercalation-type Li 3 NbO 4 will further serve as the host to Li+ and the inactive Cu phase will act as a conductive network for electron transportation. Furthermore, the energy density of the assembled CuNb 2 O 6 /rGO//activated carbon (CuNb 2 O 6 /rGO//AC) device could achieve a value as high as 92.1 Wh kg−1 and could thus be considered as a possible alternative electrode material for high energy and power LICs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play significant roles in the carcinogenesis and progression of human tumors. The aim of this work was to evaluate the expression level of lncRNAs in adult acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients and to explore the function of candidate lncRNA PCAT18 in clinical diagnosis and prognosis of AML. Methods: Noncoding RNA screening was performed by second‐generation sequencing on adult newly diagnosed AML patients and healthy controls. GO and KEGG pathway analysis were performed for functional analysis of differentially regulated lncRNAs. The expression of candidate lncRNA PCAT18 was detected by real‐time PCR. In K‐562 and THP‐1 cells, proliferation, and cell cycle analysis were performed using CCK‐8 assay and Cell Cycle Assay Kit. Results: The lncRNA expression profile of AML patients and healthy controls showed that six upregulated (>5‐fold) and eight downregulated (<0.2‐fold) lncRNAs. The candidate lncRNA PCAT18 showed higher expression in AML patients with NPM1 mutation and favorable‐risk. RT‐PCR revealed a significant increase of PCAT18 expression comparing to control cells. PCAT18 overexpression obviously promoted cell proliferation and PCAT18 knockdown decreased cell proliferation. The fraction of the S phases was increased in the PCAT18 overexpression group and decreased in the PCAT18 knockdown group. Conclusions: The candidate lncRNA PCAT18 in our study was firstly found upregulated in AML samples, that its overexpression promoted cell proliferation and G1/S transition. Further study of PCAT18 and its target mRNAs are needed to confirm the mechanism of PCAT18 in AML. PCAT18 may act as diagnostic and prognosis biomarker for AML. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For effective recovery of the fission element Pr from spent nuclear fuel (SNF) by using molten salt electrolysis technology, the electrochemical behavior of Pr(III) on inert Mo electrode in the molten LiCl–KCl system was investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and square wave voltammetry (SWV) techniques, indicating that the reduction of Pr(III) on the Mo electrode is a one-step reaction process with three electrons. Subsequently, electrochemical methods were used to reveal and calculate the kinetic and thermodynamic parameters of the Pr(III) ion reduction process. The co-reduction reaction of Pr(III) and Co(II) ions was explored, and five different Co x Pr y intermetallic compounds were detected. Meanwhile, only one Co 2 Pr intermetallic compound was obtained by galvanostatic and potentiostatic electrolysis with the best electrochemical parameters, and the thermodynamic properties of the Co 2 Pr intermetallic compound were calculated at different temperatures. The co-reduction product was verified using X-ray diffraction (XRD), and the composition was determined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy spectrum analysis (EDS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). In addition, the produced Co 2 Pr intermetallic compound has magnetic properties with a saturation magnetization of 10.3 emu/g. [Display omitted] • Co 2 Pr intermetallic compounds were prepared by co-deposition of Pr(III) ions and Co(II) ions. • The co-reduction mechanism of Pr(III) with Co(II) to generate Co–Pr intermetallic compounds was determined. • The thermodynamic and kinetic parameters of Pr were investigated using transient electrochemical techniques. • The results provide theoretical basis for electrochemical separation of Lns and Ans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is associated with complex complications that may lead to tumors. However, research on the mechanisms underlying susceptibility to chronic immune diseases and cancer pathogenesis triggered by the inflammatory environment remains limited. An imbalance in the host gut microbiota often accompanies intestinal inflammation. The delayed recovery of the dysregulated intestinal microbiota may exacerbate systemic inflammatory responses, multiorgan pathology, and metabolic disorders. This delay may also facilitate bacterial translocation. This review examined the relationship between gut barrier disruption and unbalanced microbial translocation and their impact on the brain, liver, and lungs. We also explored their potential roles in tumor initiation. Notably, the role of the intestinal microbiota in the development of inflammation is linked to the immune surveillance function of the small intestine and the repair status of the intestinal barrier. Moreover, adherence to a partially anti-inflammatory diet can aid in preventing the malignant transformation of inflammation by repairing the intestinal barrier and significantly reducing inflammation. In conclusion, enhancing intestinal barrier function may be a novel strategy for preventing and treating chronic malignancies in the intestine and other body areas. [Display omitted] • Intestinal microbial translocation promotes the formation of multiple foci and increases the risk of cancer. • Interleukin (IL)-10 and IL-22 is an important mediator of probiotic repair of the intestinal barrier. • The host's ability to defend the inflammatory response caused by microbiota is related to the small intestine function. • The anti-inflammatory capacity of dietary active substances depends on their ability to repair the intestinal barrier. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Specific peripheral blood mononuclear cells profile features change over time after nephrectomy for renal tumors. • Nephrectomy is associated with an increase in cytotoxic effector CD8+ T-cells. • Kidney tumor surgery may have a role in restoration of anti-tumor immunity. Systemic immunotherapy has changed the paradigm of treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma, but nephrectomy continues to benefit selected patients. While we continue to identify mechanisms behind drug resistance, the effect of surgery on natural anti-tumor immunity is poorly understood. Specifically, peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) profile and tumor reactive cytotoxic T lymphocytes changes secondary to tumor resection have not been extensively characterized. Hence, we aimed to evaluate the effect of nephrectomy on PMBC profile and circulating antigen-primed CD8+ T-cells for patients undergoing solid renal mass resection. Patients with localized or metastatic solid renal masses who underwent nephrectomy from 2016 to 2018 were enrolled. Blood samples were collected at 3 timepoints for PBMCs analysis (pre-op, 1 day, and 3 months post-op). Flow cytometry was used to identify CD11ahigh CD8+ T lymphocytes that were then further characterized according to the expression of CX3CR1/GZMB, Ki67, Bim, and PD-1. Changes in circulating CD8+ T-cells from pre-op to 1 day and 3 months post-op were evaluated using Wilcoxon signed rank tests. Antigen-primed CX3CR1+GZMB+ T-cells significantly increased by 3 months after surgery among patients with RCC (0.8 × 109 cells; P = 0.01). In contrast, there was a decrease in absolute numbers of Bim+ T-cells at 3 months (-1.9 × 109 cells; P = 0.02). There were no significant absolute changes in PD-1+ (−1.4 × 109; P = 0.7) and CD11ahigh CD8+ T lymphocytes (1.3 × 109; P = 0.9). Ki67+ T-cells decreased by 3 months (−0.8 × 109; P < 0.001). Nephrectomy is associated with an increase in cytolytic antigen-primed CD8+ T-cells and specific PBMC profile changes. Further studies are warranted to ascertain the role surgery may have in the restoration of anti-tumor immunity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrochemical process of praseodymium extraction from molten salt. [Display omitted] • The electrochemical reduction of Pr(III) ions from NaCl–2CsCl–PrCl 3 melt has been studied. • Kineticsof processes and thermodynamic characteristics of alloys were calculated. • The conditions for producing Pr–Ga and Pr–Pb alloys were found. • Separation rate and extraction data of Pr(III) ions from molten salts were established. The electrochemical behavior of Pr(III) ions in molten NaCl–2CsCl solutions was investigated via different electrochemical techniques on Mo inert and Ga, Ga–Pb and Pb reactive electrodes. It was determined that the electrochemical reduction process on inert electrodes proceeds in one stage. It is reversible at low scan rates below 0.1 V/s, whereas it is irreversible at high scan rates. The diffusion coefficients of P r C l 6 3 - complex ions were determined at different temperatures, and the activation energy of this process was calculated as 42.2 kJ mol−1. The co-reduction of Pr(III), Ga(III) and Pb(II) ions was investigated, and the redox potentials of forming different alloys were determined. The electrodeposition of Pr(III) ions was studied on three reactive electrodes, and one-step electrode processes were determined. The current exchange density of Pr(III) ions increased in the order of Pb < Ga–Pb < Ga. The composition of Ga 2 Pr and Pb 3 Pr intermetallic compounds was formed on reactive electrodes and their specific thermodynamic characteristics were calculated. Finally, praseodymium was successfully extracted from the molten salt in the form of Ga 2 Pr and Pb 3 Pr intermetallic compounds on three liquid reactive electrodes via potentiostatic electrolysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple hydrothermal route is designed to decorate NiCo 2 S 4 nanoparticles on the surface of N-doped carbon nanotubes to form a coaxial composite (NiCo 2 S 4 @NCNT). Inherited the high electrical conductivity from the NCNT and high capacitive performance of NiCo 2 S 4 , the optimized NiCo 2 S 4 @NCNT composite could significantly reduce the contact resistance and effectively increase the transfer rate of ion and electron and thus benefit for its electrochemical performance enhancement. When employed as a battery-type supercapacitor electrode, the NiCo 2 S 4 @NCNT composite exhibits a high capacitance up to 783.5 C g −1 at 1 A g −1 and as well as rate performance (74.6% retention with the current density increases from 1 to 50 A g −1 ). Coupled with activated carbon (AC) negative electrode, the as-assembled hydride supercapacitor delivers a maximum energy density of 49.75 Wh kg −1 at a power density of 774.65 W kg −1 , as well as 88.9% capacitance retained after 3000 cycles at a current density of 10 A g −1 . These above results demonstrate the enormous potential of NiCo 2 S 4 @NCNT in the development of hybrid supercapacitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Electrochemical processes of lanthanum extraction on liquid Pb, Pb-Ga, Ga metals in molten NaCl-2CsCl eutectic have been studied. • The influence of the nature of the liquid cathode material on kinetic and thermodynamic characteristics of the alloys has been determined. • The conditions for the production of intermetallic compounds La-Ga and La-Pb were determined via potentiostatic electrolysis. For more effective recovery of lanthanum from spent fuel by molten salt electrolysis, the effect of different liquid cathodes on lanthanum was studied by electrochemical methods. The electrode reactions of the NaCl-CsCl-LaCl 3 solutions on the Mo, Pb, Pb-Ga, and Ga electrodes were investigated by cyclic, square-wave voltammetry and open-circuit chronopotentiometry over a wide temperature range. Electrodeposition of La(III) ions was established to be a one-step process. On the reactive Pb, Pb-Ga, and Ga electrodes, these processes occurred with depolarization and formation of the intermetallic compounds. It was found that the value of the exchange current density of La(III) ions on liquid cathodes increased in the order Pb < Pb-Ga < Ga. The redox potential of the La(III)/La couple was measured on the Pb, Pb-Ga, and Ga electrodes, and the principal thermodynamic characteristics of the alloys were calculated. Finally, Pb 3 La and Ga 2 La were successfully extracted from the molten salt via potentiostatic electrolysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Several kinds of assembled shear connectors were proposed for timber-concrete composite (TCC) beams. • Single-shear tests were conducted on the proposed shear connectors to evaluate the shear behaviour of the connectors. • The assembled shear connectors exhibited improveed load-slip behaviour compared to the shear connectors with single mechanical fasteners. • Finite element modelling was performed to predict the behaviour of the shear connectors. This paper presents three types of assembled shear connectors consisting of a steel component anchored to timber by screws and glued-in rods (GiRs) for timber-concrete composite (TCC) beams. Single-shear tests were carried out to evaluate the shear performance of the proposed shear connectors. The test results showed that the anchors bent obviously and finally failed in "single-hinge" and "double-hinge" yield modes under lateral load. The timber surrounding the anchors was obviously crushed, and cracks in concrete were also observed during testing. The shear connectors with I-shaped steel anchored by GiRs exhibited the highest shear capacity of 158.92 kN. The folded steel plate shear connectors with GiRs and screws showed the highest slip modulus (38.41 kN/mm), and the highest ductility with an average coefficient of 29.6, respectively. In general, the shear connectors anchored with GiRs showed better shear performance compared to the screwed shear connectors. Finally, numerical simulation results indicated that the simulated load–slip curves were generally in good agreement with the test curves. The anchor diameter and strength and the frictional coefficient between anchors and the wall of the holes in timber have significantly influenced the shear performance of the proposed shear connectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors wish to make the following corrections to the published paper [[1]]. Correction: Zhang, H.; Ling, Z. Finite Element Modeling on Shear Performance of Grouted Stud Connectors for Steel-Timber Composite Beams. Reference 1 Zhang H., Ling Z. Finite Element Modeling on Shear Performance of Grouted Stud Connectors for Steel-Timber Composite Beams. [Extracted from the article]

Steel–timber composite (STC) systems are considered as an environmentally friendly alternative to steel–concrete composite (SCC) structures due to its advantages including high strength-to-weight ratio, lower carbon footprint, and fully dry construction. Bolts and screws are the most commonly used connectors in STC system; however, they probably make great demands on the accuracy of construction because of the predrilling in both the timber slabs and steel girder fangles. To address this issue, the STC connections with grouted stud connectors (GSC) were proposed in this paper. In addition, stud connectors can also provide outstanding stiffness and load-bearing capacity. The mechanical characteristic of the GSC connections was exploratorily investigated by finite element (FE) modeling. The designed parameters for the FE models include stud diameter, stud strength, angle of outer layer of cross-laminated timber (CLT) panel, tapered groove configurations, and thickness of CLT panel. The numerical results indicated that the shear capacity and stiffness of the GSC connections were mainly influenced by stud diameter, stud strength, angle of outer layer of CLT panel, and the angle of the tapered grooves. Moreover, the FE simulated shear capacity of the GSC connections were compared with the results predicted by the available calculation formulas in design codes and literatures. Finally, the group effect of the GSC connections with multiple rows of studs was discussed based on the numerical results and parametric analyses. An effective row number of studs was proposed to characterize the group effect of the GSC connections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Rigid cryogels of aligned micro-sized tubular structures can be fabricated. • Gravity-induced direction and high crosslinking are crucial for porous structures. • Good hydrophilicity, rigidity and efficient separation are simultaneously achieved. To adapt to nature, wood forms an oriented tubular porous structure that is feasible for transporting water and nutrition. Inspired from this adaptability, we here demonstrate a universal approach to obtain rigid cryogels of aligned micro-sized tubular structures by a redox-induced cryopolymerization conducted in a freezer. In contrast to the classical directional freezing method, our method free of any special instrument leads to the aligned porous structures that are dependent on gravity due to the tubular porous structures parallel to gravity direction regardless of the sample placement direction. The versatility of our method is proven in the fabrications of a series of cryogels varying different hydrophilicity. Among the resultant samples, the three-function crosslinked cryogenic sample containing carboxyl group (polyMAA-TRIM, 40/60) was tested to have an unprecedented property integrated by high mechanical strength (9.0 MPa of compressive moduli), good hydrophilicity, and efficient purification of lysozyme (purity > 90 %) from egg white solutions only driven by gravity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: For the sol–gel synthesis of silica particles under high pH catalytic conditions (pH>12) in water/ethanol solvent, we have deduced that the competing dynamics of chemical etching and sol–gel process can explain the types of silica particles formed and their morphologies. We have demonstrated that emulsion droplets that are generated by adding tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) to a water–ethanol solution serve as soft templates for hollow spherical silica (1–2μm). And if the emulsion is converted by the sol–gel process, one finds that suspended solid silica spheres of diameter of ∼900nm are formed. Moreover, several other factors are found to play fundamental roles in determining the final morphologies of silica particles, such as by variation of the pH (in our case, using OH–) to a level where condensation dominates; by changing the volume ratios of water/ethanol; and using an emulsifier (specifically, CTAB) [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We have utilized wet-chemical etching of ellipsoidal silica nanoparticles (ESNs) to form silica nanoshells of a range of elliptical morphologies, with the thicknesses of the ellipsoidal silica nanoshells (ESSs) controlled through variation of synthesis conditions. A mechanism has been proposed to explain how the nanoshells are formed, and we demonstrate that the porosity of the silica ellipsoid plays a role in generating silica shells. Our self-templated, wet-etching approach is an attractive alternate procedure to the approaches presently in existence for the following reasons: (i) it is a facile, one-step process that directly produces ellipsoidal silica nanoshells, while overcoming barriers (such as requirement of removing a solid-core template seed) utilized in many reported chemical etching studies; (ii) it results in ellipsoidal silica nanostructures with dimension less than 100nm; (iii) with an appropriate etchant, the roughness of the silica shells can be well-controlled; and (iv) it results in tunable, uniform size particles with controllable shell thicknesses. Moreover, the silica materials with the unique structures might be adjusted to meet practical application requirements. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Subgroup J avian leukosis virus (ALV-J), first isolated in 1989, predominantly causes myeloid leukosis (ML) in meat-type or egg-type chicken. Since 2006, the clinical cases of hemangioma rather than ML in commercial layer flocks associated with ALV-J have been reported, but it was still not clear whether the novel oncogenic ALV-J had emerged. We characterized SCAU-HN06 isolate of ALV-J from hemangioma in commercial Roman layers through animal experiment and full-length proviral genome sequence analysis. The SPF white leghorn egg-type chickens infected with SCAU-HN06 in ovo at day 11 of incubation showed an overall incidence of 56% hemangioma and 8% renal tumor throughout the 22-week trial, the mortality rate was 16%. Most genes of SCAU-HN06 isolate showed high nucleotide sequence identity to JS09GY6 which was isolated from Hy-Line Variety Brown layers suffering hemangioma. The 19-bp insertion in leader sequence and one key deletion in E element were the common features of SCAU-HN06 and JS09GY6. SCAU-HN06 and those ALV-Js associated with hemangioma, possibly recombinants of ALV-J and other avian retrovirus, may share the same ancestor. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Trichoderma harzianum T4 is a soil fungus that plays an important role in the biological control of plant diseases. The aim of this study was to functionally characterize the β-1,6-glucanase gene Neg1 in T. harzianum T4 and to investigate the effect of its overexpression on biocontrol traits, especially antagonism against pathogenic fungi. We found that overexpression of Neg1 did not affect growth of T. harzianum but enhanced sporulation of T. harzianum T4 cultures. Generally, spores are closely related to the defense ability of defense fungi and can assist their proliferation and improve their colonization ability. Secondly, overexpression of Neg1 also increased the secretion level of various hydrolytic enzymes and enhanced the antagonistic ability against phytopathogenic fungi of Fusarium spp. The results suggest that Neg1 is a key gene for improving the biocontrol effect of T. harzianum T4, which contributes to a better understanding of the mechanism of action of T. harzianum T4 as a fungal biocontrol agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Treatment parents held a high level of engagement in children's English learning. • Home-based literacy activities promote students' motivation in English learning. • Underprivileged families can benefit from home-based English literacy practices. In this experimental study, we examined the impact of a curriculum-aligned, home-based literacy activity intervention on Chinese low-SES parents' perceived engagement in their children's English language learning. The intervention was composed of a series of take-home activities in which parents were encouraged to interact and practice with their first-grade children in English speaking, listening, reading, and writing after school. These activities were designed based on the topic and vocabulary of each story in the curriculum and were sent home electronically each week. All materials required in the activities were provided with detailed instructions in Chinese. Parents were encouraged to record or take pictures of their child's work and share with the teachers and research team. A parental engagement survey adopted from previous research was administered among 172 parents before and after the intervention in both treatment and control conditions. Results of repeated measure analysis of variance revealed that the home literacy intervention had a significant and positive effect on treatment parents' reported engagement in their children's English language learning. Qualitative results from open-ended questions suggested that the home-based literacy activities not only supported student' English learning outcome and parents' English vocabulary, but also promoted students' motivation in English learning, and fostered parent-child relationship. Implications for home-based English literacy activities in low-SES families were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights from the article: But according to another large sample euploid blastocysts performed by Nazem et al. [[3]], there was no difference in the various pregnancy outcomes of blastocysts with a TE grade of A or B (inferred from the literature); then, inner cell mass (ICM) became a better predictor. These time parameters are closely related to the speed of blastocyst formation and ultimately affect the date of blastocyst biopsy.

• NiNb 2 O 6 @NC-2 hollow nanoparticles is used as rate capability anode for LICs. • The NiNb 2 O 6 @NC-2 exhibits a high specific capacity of 435.8 mAh g−1 at 50 mA g−1. • NiNb 2 O 6 decomposes into Ni metal and Li x Nb 2 O 6 in the 1st charge/discharge process. • The NiNb 2 O 6 @NC//AC LICs has a maximum energy density of 123.9 Wh kg−1. Searching for anode materials with fast Li+ intercalation kinetics to mitigate the dynamic imbalance with the rapid capacitive cathode is the fundamental strategy to achieve high energy-power density of Li-ion capacitors (LICs). Hence, NiNb 2 O 6 hollow nanoparticles are first synthesized by hydrothermal method and then sealed with a protective N-doped carbon shell to achieve the target NiNb 2 O 6 @NC composite. As the anode of LICs, the NiNb 2 O 6 @NC sample exhibits a high capacity of 435.8 mAh g−1 at 50 mA g−1 and excellent rate performance of 47.8% capacity retention with the current density increased to 2 A g−1. The lithium storage mechanism of NiNb 2 O 6 is proposed as a combined conversion reaction and an intercalation reaction, which the NiNb 2 O 6 decomposes into Ni metal and Li x Nb 2 O 5 during the 1st discharge/charge process. The irreversible Ni would not contribute to the reversible capacity and will improve the electric conductivity for fast transport of electrons and the Li x Nb 2 O 5 will act as the host for lithium ions by means of the intercalation mechanism. Furthermore, the assembled NiNb 2 O 6 @NC//activated carbon LICs exhibit a maximum energy density of 123.9 Wh kg−1 and the capacity retention reaches 86.1% after 5000 cycles. The superior electrochemical performances indicate that the rationally-designed NiNb 2 O 6 @NC is expected to be a potential anode material for LICs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phellinus baumii, also called "Sang Huang" in China, is broadly used as a kind of health food or folk medicine in Asia for its high biological activities, e.g. anti-tumor, anti-oxidation and anti-inflammatory activities. Although some previous studies have indicated that polysaccharides and flavonoids showed the activity of inhibiting tumor cells, the active metabolites of P. baumii needs further research. In our study, a stable P. baumii mutant (A67), generated by ARTP mutagenesis strategy, showed more significantly inhibiting tumor cells and enhancing antioxidant activity. Our further studies found that the increase of polyphenols content, especially hispidin, was an important reason of the biological activity enhancement of A67. According to the results of the integrated metabolome and proteome study, the increase of polyphenol content was caused by upregulation of the phenylpropanoid biosynthesis. This study expanded the understanding of active compounds and metabolic pathway of P. baumii. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Neural tube defects (NTDs) are complex abnormalities associated with gene-environment interactions. The underlying cause has not been determined. Methods: Spinal cord tissues from cases with NTDs and healthy controls were collected. Methylation patterns between cases and normal individuals were compared using 450K Infinium Methylation BeadChip Illumina. DNA methylation analysis by pyrosequencing (PyroMark Q96) and mRNA and protein expression were analyzed using real-time quantitative PCR and Western blotting, respectively. Next-generation and Sanger sequencing were used to determine genetic variants in the target genes. Results: Spinal cord tissues from cases with NTDs had more hypomethylated than hypermethylated genes. Further evaluation showed that the exon 1 region of TRIM4 was hypomethylated, and TRIM4 mRNA and protein levels were significantly increased in NTDs compared to controls. A rare missense variant (rs76665876) in TRIM4 was found in 3 of the 14 NTD cases but was not related to TRIM4 expression. TRIM4 mRNA levels were significantly increased in cases with hypomethylation and without the rs76665876 variant. Conclusion: These findings suggest that spinal cord tissues in cases with NTDs had a different genome-wide methylation pattern compared to controls. Abnormal methylation patterns in TRIM4 in immunity pathways might be involved in NTD pathogenesis. Genetic variants in TRIM4 genes only slightly contribute to the etiology of human NTDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Lactobacillus plantarum, a common species of lactic acid bacteria, is used to improve the flavor of traditional fermented food. Under salt stress, different strains of L. plantarum can respond differently. In this work, proteomics and bioinformatics analysis of L. plantarum strains (ATCC14917, FS5‐5, and 208) grown under salt stress (240 g L−1 sodium chloride (NaCl)) were investigated based on the isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation method. RESULTS: Although 171 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were observed, only 44, 57, and 112 DEPs were identified in the strains ATCC14917, FS5‐5, and 208 respectively. There were 33, 191, and 179 specific DEPs in ATCC14917 versus FS5‐5, in 208 versus FS5‐5, and in strain 208 versus ATCC14917 in 240 g L−1 NaCl. These DEPs indicate that the three strains, from pickles, fermented soybean paste, and fermented milk, may have different salt stress responses. Gene Ontology enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis showed that most DEPs observed were involved in protein biosynthesis, nucleotide metabolism, and sugar metabolism. Twenty‐six significantly different DEPs that were possibly associated with salt response were selected and further analyzed for gene expression level and pattern by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Pyruvate kinase and cysteine desulfurase had similar expression patterns in all three strains; glutamate decarboxylase expression was upregulated in FS5‐5 and significantly upregulated in strain 208; RNA polymerase subunit alpha was downregulated in FS5‐5 but upregulated in strain 208. CONCLUSIONS: These results also showed that the salt stress response of strain 208 may involve higher numbers of genes than the other strains. This research provides a theoretical basis for improvement of salt tolerance of L. plantarum in industrial production. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

FVPT1, a novel heteropolysaccharide, was purified from the fruiting body of Flammulina velutipes using magnetic-field-assisted three-phase partitioning and gel permeation chromatography. The structure was characterized using monosaccharide composition and methylation analysis, infrared spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The FVPT1 (~1.64 × 104 Da) was composed of L-fucose, D-galactose, D-glucose and D-mannose at a molar ratio of 1.0:3.5:1.0:1.4. The polysaccharide repeating unit of FVPT1 was established with methylation analyses and NMR spectroscopy. Moreover, a zebrafish larva hyperlipidemia model test demonstrated that FVPT1 can show appreciable lipid-lowering effects. In addition, the FVPT1 exhibited remarkable immunoregulatory activity by increasing nitric oxide, interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-1 secretion in macrophages. Therefore, these results suggest that FVPT1 has the potential to be developed into a new immune or hypolipidemic health product. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The success in the application of nanomedicines for tumor therapy is largely dependent on the development of efficient tumor targeting, specific and effective drug delivery systems. Here, through a simple synthetic process, we developed a type of novel glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1)-targeting, tumor microenvironment responsive and near infrared irradiation (NIR) induced cytosolic drug delivery nanoparticles (NPs). Our design was based on polydopamine (PDA) NPs as the photothermal agent and drug delivery carrier, glucosyl functional ligands as the GLUT1 targeting agents, and the conjugation of anticancer drug bortezomib (BTZ) to the catechol groups of PDA NPs in a pH-dependent manner. The in vitro and in vivo studies demonstrated that the functionalized PDA NPs could efficiently accumulate in tumor site and localize in subcellular endo/lysosomes of tumor cells, and they could respond to tumor microenvironment and endo/lysosomal pH as well as NIR to promote the robust release of BTZ. Furthermore, the functionalized PDA NPs were first demonstrated to overcome the endo/lysosomal barrier for the enhanced cytosolic BTZ drug delivery through NIR-triggered endo/lysosomal release, achieving the integration of NIR-triggered photothermal effect and chemotherapy for synergistic tumor ablation. The significant suppression and even complete regression of 4 T1 tumor was observed in mice given only single treatment. Therefore, the GLUT1-targeting, pH and photothermal responsive drug delivery NPs show a great potential for broadly applicable chemo-photothermal tumor therapy. Unlabelled Image • We developed the glucose functionalized PDA nanoparticles with pH responsive and photothermally triggered cytosolic drug delivery properties. • The mussel-inspired PDA nanoparticles act as the photothermal agent and delivery carrier. • The glucosyl functional ligands as GLUT1 targeting agents enhance the tumor specific delivery efficiency of PDA nanoparticles. • The conjugation of anticancer drug BTZ by acid-sensitive bond facilitates the selective drug release in response to pH and external NIR stimuli. • NIR irradiation further triggers effective endo/lysosomes escape and cytosolic delivery of the functionalized PDA nanoparticles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fruits and vegetables (FVs) have long been a major source of nutrients and dietary phytochemicals with outstanding physiological properties that are essential for protecting humans from chronic diseases. Moreover, the growing demand of consumers for nutritious and healthy foods is greatly promoting the increased intake of FVs. Allium (Alliaceae) is a perennial bulb plant genus of the Liliaceae family. They are customarily utilized as vegetable, medicinal, and ornamental plants and have an important role in agriculture, aquaculture, and the pharmaceutical industry. Allium plants produce abundant secondary metabolites, such as organosulfur compounds, flavonoids, phenols, saponins, alkaloids, and polysaccharides. Accordingly, Allium plants possess a variety of nutritional, biological, and health-promoting properties, including antimicrobial, antioxidant, antitumor, immunoregulatory, antidiabetic, and anti-inflammatory effects. This review aims to highlight the advances in the research on the bioactive components, physiological activities and clinical trials, toxicological assessment for safety, and applications of different Allium plants. It also aims to cover the direction of future research on the Allium genus. This review is expected to provide theoretical reference for the comprehensive development and utilization of Allium plants in the fields of functional foods, medicine, and cosmetics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study examined the effects of metastasis-directed stereotactic body radiation therapy (mdSBRT) on CD8+ T-cell subpopulations and correlated post-mdSBRT immunophenotypic responses with clinical outcomes in patients with oligometastatic prostate cancer (OPCa).Methods and Materials: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were prospectively isolated from 37 patients with OPCa (≤3 metastases) who were treated with mdSBRT. Immunophenotyping identified circulating CD8+ T-cell subpopulations, including tumor-reactive (TTR), effector memory, central memory (TCM), effector, and naïve T cells from samples collected before and after mdSBRT. Univariate Cox proportional hazards regression was used to assess whether changes in these T-cell subpopulations were potential risk factors for death and/or progression. The Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival. Cumulative incidence for progression and new distant metastasis weas estimated, considering death as a competing risk.Results: Median follow-up was 39 months (interquartile range, 34-43). Overall survival at 3 years was 78.2%. Cumulative incidence for local progression and new distant metastasis at 3 years was 16.5% and 67.6%, respectively. Between baseline and day 14 after mdSBRT, an increase in the TCM cell subpopulation was associated with the risk of death (hazard ratio, 1.22 [95% confidence interval, 1.02-1.47]; P = .033), and an increase in the TTR cell subpopulation was protective against the risk of local progression (hazard ratio, 0.80 [95% confidence interval, 0.65-0.98]; P = .032).Conclusions: An increase in the TTR cell subpopulation was protective against the risk of disease progression, and an increase in the TCM cell subpopulation was associated with the risk of death in patients with OPCa treated with mdSBRT. Disease control may be further improved by better understanding the CD8+ T-cell subpopulations and by enhancing their antitumor effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play crucial roles in plant development and secondary metabolism through different modes of sequence‐specific interaction with their targets. Artemisinin biosynthesis is extensively regulated by phytohormones. However, the function of phytohormone‐responsive miRNAs in artemisinin biosynthesis remains enigmatic. Thus, we combined the analysis of transcriptomics, small RNAs, and the degradome to generate a comprehensive resource for identifying key miRNA‐target circuits involved in the phytohormone‐induced process of artemisinin biosynthesis in Artemisia annua. In total, 151 conserved and 52 novel miRNAs and their 4132 targets were determined. Based on the differential expression analysis, miR160 was selected as a potential miRNA involved in artemisinin synthesis. Overexpressing MIR160 significantly impaired glandular trichome formation and suppressed artemisinin biosynthesis in A. annua, while repressing its expression resulted in the opposite effect, indicating that miR160 negatively regulates glandular trichome development and artemisinin biosynthesis. RNA ligase‐mediated 5′ RACE and transient transformation assays showed that miR160 mediates the RNA cleavage of Auxin Response Factor 1 (ARF1) in A. annua. Furthermore, ARF1 was shown to increase artemisinin synthesis by activating AaDBR2 expression. Taken together, our results reveal the intrinsic link between the miR160‐ARF1 module and artemisinin biosynthesis, and may expedite the innovation of metabolic engineering approaches for high and stable production of artemisinin in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: SABR has demonstrated clinical benefit in oligometastatic prostate cancer. However, the risk of developing new distant metastatic lesions remains high, and only a minority of patients experience durable progression-free response. Therefore, there is a critical need to identify which patients will benefit from SABR alone versus combination SABR and systemic agents. Herein we provide, to our knowledge, the first proof-of-concept of circulating prostate cancer-specific extracellular vesicles (PCEVs) as a noninvasive predictor of outcomes in oligometastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (omCRPC) treated with SABR.Methods and Materials: We analyzed the levels and kinetics of PCEVs in the peripheral blood of 79 patients with omCRPC at baseline and days 1, 7, and 14 after SABR using nanoscale flow cytometry and compared with baseline values from cohorts with localized and widely metastatic prostate cancer. The association of omCRPC PCEV levels with oncological outcomes was determined with Cox regression models.Results: Levels of PCEVs were highest in mCRPC followed by omCRPC and were lowest in localized prostate cancer. High PCEV levels at baseline predicted a shorter median time to distant recurrence (3.5 vs 6.6 months; P = .0087). After SABR, PCEV levels peaked on day 7, and median overall survival was significantly longer in patients with elevated PCEV levels (32.7 vs 27.6 months; P = .003). This suggests that pretreatment PCEV levels reflect tumor burden, whereas early changes in PCEV levels after treatment predict response to SABR. In contrast, radiomic features of 11C-choline positron emission tomography and computed tomography before and after SABR were not predictive of clinical outcomes. Interestingly, PCEV levels and peripheral tumor-reactive CD8 T cells (TTR; CD8+ CD11ahigh) were correlated.Conclusions: This original study demonstrates that circulating PCEVs can serve as prognostic and predictive markers to SABR to identify patients with "true" omCRPC. In addition, it provides novel insights into the global crosstalk, mediated by PCEVs, between tumors and immune cells that leads to systemic suppression of immunity against CRPC. This work lays the foundation for future studies to investigate the underpinnings of metastatic progression and provide new therapeutic targets (eg, PCEVs) to improve SABR efficacy and clinical outcomes in treatment-resistant CRPC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food-derived angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitory peptides (ACEIP) show a great promise for prevention and treatment of hypertension. Tuna muscle derived peptide, Tuna AI (PTHIKWGD), is a potent ACEIP with high activity and stability. To improve the expression level of Tuna AI in Escherichia coli , multimer genes of Tuna AI were assembled and expressed as fusion proteins by constructing the vectors of pET30-4nTunaAI ( n = 1, 2, 4 and 8). The results showed the multimer genes were successfully expressed in the constructed system, and their expression level improved significantly with increasing repeat degree. The E. coli harboring pET30-32TunaAI was selected for production of peptide based on its highest expression level and its fusion protein was suit for urea-washing purification. The peptide monomer was released from the fusion protein by formic acid cleavage, and successively purified by membrane filtration, cation exchange chromatography and size exclusion chromatography, with a final yield of 218.9 mg/L. The purified monomeric peptide was confirmed by mass spectrometry analysis, N-terminal sequencing, and activity measurement. This peptide resulted in a significant decrease of systolic blood pressure by 36.5 mmHg in rats at 4 h. These results suggest our strategy is an economic solution for the mass production of antihypertensive peptides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The degradation effect of ultrasound (US)/hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2) on Tremella fuciformis polysaccharide (TFP) were studied. The main process parameters of degradation were evaluated and the structural changes and antioxidant activities of TFP before and after US/H 2 O 2 were analyzed. The results showed that the degradation effect of US/H 2 O 2 was significantly higher than that of US or H 2 O 2 alone, and the degradation of TFP was dependent on the duration of its exposure to US, the ultrasonic amplitude, and the H 2 O 2 and TFP concentrations. US/H 2 O 2 reduced the molecular weight (from 8.14 × 105 Da to 1.27 × 104 Da) and particle size (from 710 nm to 182 nm) of the TFP within 50 min and narrowed its molecular weight and particle size distribution. High performance liquid chromatography, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, Carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance, scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and Congo red results indicated that the treatment could break down the polysaccharide chains, hinder the aggregation, and improve the conformation flexibility of the TFP molecules without changing the primary structure and monosaccharide composition of TFP. Additionally, the degraded TFPs with low molecular weight exhibited a higher antioxidant activity than the original TFP. These findings suggest that the US/H 2 O 2 treatment is a simple and effective method to prepare a TFP of low molecular weight and high bioactivity. • US/H 2 O 2 was first applied to the degradation of Tremella fuciformis polysaccharide (TFP). • Effects of US/H 2 O 2 on structural characteristics and antioxidant activities of TFP were investigated. • The degraded TFPs with low molecular weight exhibited a higher antioxidant activity than the original TFP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Acellular porcine corneal stroma (APCS) has proven to be a promising alternative to traditional corneal grafts. This prospective case series was conducted to further investigate the healing characteristics of APCS following keratoplasty. Methods: Twenty‐seven patients undergoing APCS implantation to treat infectious keratitis were included. The patients were followed up for 12 months after surgery. The main outcome measures included visual acuity, corneal transparency, graft thickness, and cellular and nerve regeneration. Results: In the operated eyes, the best‐corrected visual acuity (BCVA, in logarithm of the minimal angle of resolution [logMAR] units) increased from 1.23 ± 0.95 logMAR before surgery to 0.23 ± 0.18 logMAR at 12 months after surgery (P <.001). The contrast sensitivity was still evidently reduced, especially at higher spatial frequencies. Gradual transparency improvement was observed in APCS grafts post‐operatively. After implantation, the APCS graft thickness initially increased (day 1 = 592.41 ± 52.69 µm) but then continuously decreased until 3 months after surgery (1 month = 449.26 ± 50.38 µm; 3 months = 359.63 ± 34.14 µm, P <.001). Graft reepithelialization was completed within 1 week. In the in vivo confocal microscopy scans, host keratocytes began to repopulate the APCS grafts between 3 and 6 months post‐operatively; subbasal nerve regeneration was only noted in 18.52% (5/27) of the eyes by 12 months after surgery. Conclusions: Acellular porcine corneal stroma functions as an effective alternative to human corneal tissue in lamellar keratoplasty. However, APCS is somewhat different from fresh human cornea in term of the post‐operative healing process, which warrants the attention of both clinicians and patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To determine the prevalence, risk factors and microbial profiles of donor corneal contamination and its association with postoperative infection. Materials and Methods: 1348 hypothermic preserved donor corneas were screened during keratoplasty to assess the impacts of donor age, gender, cause of death and corneal preservation time on the contamination risk. The microbial spectrum and antibiotic sensitivity of causative microorganisms and the prognostic role of corneoscleral rim cultures were analyzed. Results: 111 donor corneas (8.2%) had positive microbial cultures, with 84 contaminated by bacteria, 25 by fungi and 2 by both. Acinetobacter baumannii complex (19.8%) and Candida spp. (9.0%) were the most commonly isolated bacteria and fungi, respectively. Two patients (1.8%) who received contaminated corneal buttons developed postoperative infections. Death due to cardiac disease led to more corneal contaminations than death due to brain disease (odds ratio (OR) = 2.59, P =.009). Longer preservation time was associated with a trend toward increasing contamination rate (from 8.3% to 15.0%). Moreover, fungal-contaminated corneas were preserved longer than bacterial-contaminated corneas (6.6 ± 4.5 versus 10.2 ± 5.4 days, P =.001). Corneas from donors who died from cardiac diseases and trauma showed the highest prevalence of bacterial (10.9%) and fungal (2.6%) contamination, respectively. Antibiotic sensitivity testing revealed that the third-generation fluoroquinolone levofloxacin had high rates of susceptibility to both gram-positive (G+) (60.0%) and gram-negative (G-) (44.6%) bacteria. Conclusions: The causes of donor corneal contamination are multifactorial. The antibiotic resistance rate of contaminating microbes seems to be increasing. Whether antibiotic usage in storage medium and postoperative prophylaxis should be updated accordingly warrants further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study aims to explore the possible anti-lung carcinoma activity of ADC as well as the underlying mechanisms by which ADC exerts its actions in NSCLC. Findings showed that ADC potently inhibited the viability of SPCA-1, induced apoptosis triggered by ROS, and arrested the cell cycle at the G2/M phase via a P53 signaling pathway. Interestingly, phenomena such as autophagosomes accumulation, conversion of the LC3-I to LC3-II, etc., indicated that autophagy could be activated by ADC. The blockage of autophagy-augmented ADC induced inhibition of cell proliferation, while autophagy activation restored cell death, indicating that autophagy had a protective effect against cell death which was induced by ADC treatment. Meanwhile, ADC treatment suppressed both the Akt/mTOR and AMPK signaling pathways. The joint action of both ADC and the autophagy inhibitor significantly increased the death of SPCA-1. An in vitro phase I metabolic stability assay showed that ADC was highly metabolized in SD rat liver microsomes and moderately metabolized in human liver microsomes, which will assist in predicting the outcomes of clinical pharmacokinetics and toxicity studies. These findings imply that blocking the Akt/mTOR signaling pathway, which was independent of AMPK inhibition, could activate ADC-induced protective autophagy in non-small-cell lung cancer cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The polysaccharide is the main active substance contained in Hericium erinaceus and is commonly used in the treatment of neurasthenia, tumors, and digestive diseases. Six intracellular polysaccharide components were obtained from H. erinaceus fruiting bodies cultivated by ARTP (atmospheric and room temperature plasma) mutagenic strain (321) and the original strain (0605), respectively. This study was designed to investigate the physicochemical characteristics of these polysaccharide components and their potential immunomodulatory activities on RAW264.7 macrophages. The results showed that the yield of fruiting body cultivated by mutated strain increased by 22% and the polysaccharide content improved by 16% compared with the original one owing to ARTP mutagenesis. The molecular weight distribution and the monosaccharide compositions of polysaccharide components from H. erinaceus induced by ARTP mutagenesis were significantly different from that of the original one. The NO, IL-6, IL-10, IL-1β, and TNF-α production activities of macrophages were enhanced by stimulation of 20% ethanol precipitated polysaccharides from H. erinaceus induced by ARTP mutagenesis. These results indicated that ARTP is an efficient and practical method for high polysaccharide content breeding of the H. erinaceus strain and this provided a reference for obtaining high quality resources and healthy product development from H. erinaceus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to evaluate conjunctival blood flow velocities and microvascular network density in patients with dry eye disease (DED). Twenty-five patients with DED and 25 healthy controls were recruited. The microvasculature and microcirculation of the temporal bulbar conjunctiva of the right eyes were assessed using a functional slit-lamp biomicroscope. Vascular variables included blood flow velocity (BFV), blood flow rate (BFR), microvascular network density and vessel diameter. A fractal analysis was performed using the box counting method to measure the fractal dimension (Dbox) representing the vessel density. The bulbar BFV was 0.59 ± 0.09 mm/s in the DED group and 0.47 ± 0.12 in the control group ( P  < 0.001). BFR was 169.5 ± 1.8 in the DED group compared to the control group (107.2 ± 49.6) (P < 0.001). Dbox was higher in DED patients (1.65 ± 0.04) than controls (1.60 ± 0.07, P  < 0.05). Moreover, the vessel diameter was larger in the DED group (21.8 ± 1.8 μm) compared with controls (17.9 ± 2.2 μm, P  < 0.001). Dbox was positively related with ocular surface disease index (OSDI) in patients with DED ( r  = 0.54, P  = 0.008). Microvascular alterations were found in the bulbar conjunctiva of DED patients, including increased blood flow velocity, higher vessel density and larger vessel diameter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Okra [ Abelmoschus esculentus (Linn.) Moench], as a well-known medicinal and food plant, has important physiological activities and health benefits, and polysaccharide is its main bioactive component. In this study, a pectic polysaccharide (OPS-50) prepared from fresh okra pods by three-phase partitioning and gradient (NH 4) 2 SO 4 precipitation at a saturation of 50% was employed in carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4)-caused acute liver damage in mice to evaluate the hepatoprotective potential. Results indicated that OPS-50 was mainly composed of a limited linear homogalacturonan backbone and abundant rhamnogalacturonan-I domains as side chains. OPS-50 exerted positively protective effects on acute liver damage induced by CCl 4 in mice through relieving weight reduction and organ damage, ameliorating liver function and dyslipidemia, alleviating oxidative stress, suppressing pro-inflammatory cytokines, modulating gut microbiota, and promoting short-chain fatty acid secretion. Moreover, liver histopathology demonstrated the protective benefit of OPS-50 on CCl 4 -caused acute liver damage in mice. Therefore, our data suggested that the pectic OPS-50, as a dietary supplement, have great potential in preventing and treating chemical liver damages. [Display omitted] • An antioxidant pectic polysaccharide (OPS-50) obtained from fresh okra pods. • OPS-50 had a short linear homogalacturonan and abundant rhamnogalacturonan-I domain. • OPS-50 ameliorates liver damage by suppressing oxidative stress and inflammation. • OPS-50 beneficially regulates intestinal microbiota in mice with acute liver injury. • OPS-50 relieves liver injury by elevating the secretion of short-chain fatty acids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biodiesel production from soybean oil deodorizer distillate enhanced by counter-current pulsed ultrasound was studied. Effect of static probe ultrasonic enhanced transesterification (SPUE) and counter-current probe ultrasonic enhanced transesterification (CCPUE) on the biodiesel conversion were compared. The results indicated that CCPUE was a better method for enhancing transesterification. The working conditions of CCPUE were studied by single-factor experiment design and the results showed that the optimal conditions were: initial temperature 25 °C, methanol to triglyceride molar ratio 10:1, flow rate 200 mL/min, catalyst content 1.8%, ultrasound working on-time 4 s, off-time 2 s, total working time 50 min. Under these conditions, the average biodiesel conversion of three experiments was 96.1%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Seven C n mim/FeCl4 magnetic and acidic ionic liquids (MAILs) were synthesized. [•] The MAILs were characterized with Raman, FT-IR, TGA, UV spectra and MPMS. [•] MAILs contained FeCl4 −/C n mim+ exhibit typical hard magnetic materials behavior. [•] Introducing C n mim/MCl3 as catalysts for hydrolysis of sugars to platform chemicals. [•] C3mim/WCl3 is found to be very effective for conversion glucose/xylose to HMF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-assembled films built from nanoparticles with a high dielectric constant are attractive as a foundation for new dielectric media with increased efficiency and range of operation, due to the ability to exploit nanofabrication techniques and emergent electrical properties originating from the nanoscale. However, because the building block is a discrete one-dimensional unit, it becomes a challenge to capture potential enhancements in dielectric performance in two or three dimensions, frequently due to surface effects or the presence of discontinuities. This is a recurring theme in nanoparticle film technology when applied to the realm of thin film semiconductor and device electronics. We present the use of chemically synthesized (Ba,Sr)TiO3 nanocrystals, and a novel deposition–polymerization technique, as a means to fabricate the dielectric layer. The effective dielectric constant of the film is tunable according to nanoparticle size, and effective film dielectric constants of up to 34 are enabled. Wide area and multilayer dielectrics of up to 8 cm2 and 190 nF are reported, for which the building block is an 8 nm nanocrystal. We describe models for assessing dielectric performance, and distinct methods for improving the dielectric constant of a nanocrystal thin film. The approach relies on evaporatively driven assembly of perovskite nanocrystals with uniform size distributions in a tunable 7–30 nm size range, coupled with the use of low molecular weight monomer/polymer precursor chemistry that can infiltrate the porous nanocrystal thin film network post assembly. The intercrystal void space (low k dielectric volume fraction) is minimized, while simultaneously promoting intercrystal connectivity and maximizing volume fraction of the high k dielectric component. Furfuryl alcohol, which has good affinity to the surface of (Ba,Sr)TiO3 nanocrystals and miscibility with a range of solvents, is demonstrated to be ideal for the production of nanocomposites. The nanocrystal/furfuryl alcohol dispersions are suitable for the fabrication of thin films by chemical deposition techniques, including spin-coating, printing or a spraying process. To demonstrate the application of this technique to device fabrication, a multilayer capacitor with capacitance of 0.83 nF mm−2 at 1 MHz is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A series of positively charged polystyrene (PS) nanosphere emulsions were prepared by copolymerization of quaternary ammonium chloride cationic monomer with styrene via emulsifier-free emulsion polymerization. The average diameter of the nanospheres was tuned in the range of 35–100nm by adjusting the recipe. The PS nanospheres were used as carriers of aqueous CdTe nanocrystals (NCs) by adsorbing them on the surface through static interaction. After attached to the nanospheres, NCs’ stability against pH change and UV light irradiation was enhanced. The CdTe–PS composite nanospheres were blended with compatible poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) matrix to prepare fluorescent thin film by spin coating. CdTe–PS nanospheres had homogenous distribution in the thin film and their light scattering performance was largely reduced after solvent evaporated, as a result, the composite thin film was highly transparent. In the meantime, the immobilization effect of PS nanospheres prevented NCs from aggregation, thus they preserved original high fluorescence without fluorescence resonance energy transfer. The CdTe–PS/PVA composite solution has potential applications in light emitting devices by inkjet printing. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Sanghuangporous sanghuang is a rare medicinal fungus which contains polysaccharide as the main active substance and was used to treat gynecological diseases in ancient China. The intracellular polysaccharide yield of S. sanghuang was enhanced by the strain A130 which was screened from mutant strains via atmospheric and room temperature plasma (ARTP) mutagenesis. The objective of this research was to investigate the effects of ARTP mutagenesis on structural characteristics and biological activities of intracellular polysaccharides from S. sanghuang. Six intracellular polysaccharide components were obtained from S. sanghuang mycelia cultivated by the mutagenic strain (A130) and original strain (SH1), respectively. The results revealed that the yields of polysaccharide fractions A130-20, A130-50 and A130-70 isolated from the mutagenic strain fermentation mycelia were significantly higher than those of the original ones by 1.5-, 1.3- and 1.2-fold, and the clear physicochemical differences were found in polysaccharide fractions precipitated by 20% ethanol. A130-20 showed a relatively expanded branching chain with higher molecular weight and better in vitro macrophage activation activities and the IL-6, IL-1, and TNF-α production activities of macrophages were improved by stimulation of A130-20 from the mutagenic strain. This study demonstrates that ARTP is a novel and powerful tool to breed a high polysaccharide yield strain of S. sanghuang and may, therefore, contribute to the large-scale utilization of rare medicinal fungi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]