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Vacancy defect engineering is an effective strategy for improving photocatalytic activity, but controlling surface vacancies precisely remains a challenge. In this study, MoO 2 /Mo doped BiOCl (Mo-BiOCl) composites enriched with oxygen vacancies (OVs) were prepared by a facile defect engineering strategy with MoO 2 hollow spheres as a precursor and molybdenum sources, where the slowly released Mo4+ ions in the reaction system resulted in the tailored formation of Mo-BiOCl. The optimized MoO 2 /Mo-BiOCl composite (BOM-3) demonstrated significantly improved photocatalytic degradation efficiency for Tetracycline hydrochloride (TC) under visible light, with an apparent rate constant (k) 4.7 and 120 times higher than that of BiOCl and MoO 2 , respectively. The enhanced photocatalytic activity of BOM-3 can be attributed to the presence of abundant OVs, which extend the light response range by creating intermediate defect level from OVs. Additionally, the formation of ohmic heterojunction between Mo-BiOCl and MoO 2 with close interface contacts facilitates rapid separation of interfacial charge carries and efficient migration of photogenerated electrons from Mo-BiOCl to MoO 2. The possible degradation pathway of TC using BOM-3 is proposed, and toxicity evaluation indicates that most intermediates have lower toxicity than TC. This work presents a straightforward approach for improving photocatalytic antibiotic degradation through the construction of a novel Ohmic-junction with tuned surface OVs. [Display omitted] • MoO 2 /Mo-BiOCl with rich oxygen vacancies (OVs) were fabricated by a defect strategy. • MoO 2 hollow spheres were applied as both precursor and molybdenum sources. • The existence of OVs accounts for the enlarged light response range. • The Ohmic junction enables the effective migration of e– from Mo-BiOCl to MoO 2. • TC degradation rate of the optimized sample is 4.7 and 120 times that of BiOCl and MoO 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To explore the utility of CTE in the evaluation of bowel invasion in patients with primary ovarian, fallopian tube, and peritoneal cancer. Methods: This observational study included 73 patients who received CTE before operation between September 2019 and December 2021. Two radiologists reviewed CTE images, focusing on the sites and depth of bowel involvement. Based on the findings during surgical exploration, we evaluated the diagnostic power, like sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), positive likelihood ratio (+ LR), and negative likelihood ratio (– LR) of CTE. Additionally, the characteristic images of bowel involvement on CTE corresponding to surgical findings were shown in the study. Results: The rate of macroscopic bowel invasion in this cohort was 49.31% (36/73), of which eight patients had small bowel involvement, 17 patients had colon involvement and 27 patients had sigmoid-rectum involvement. CTE detected bowel invasion in the small intestine with a sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, and accuracy of 87.50%, 92.31%, 58.33%, 98.36%, 91.78%; for colon, the statistics were 58.82%, 96.43%, 83.33%, 88.52%, 87.67% and for sigmoid-rectum 62.96%, 82.61%, 68.00%, 79.17%, 75.34%, respectively. Conclusion: CTE appeared a preferable diagnostic power on the small bowel and colon invasion in patients with primary ovarian, fallopian tube, and peritoneal cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: An increase number of studies suggests that more diverse communities of native plants more strongly resist invasion by introduced plants. Here we tested whether biotic plant-soil feedbacks can explain this relationship independently of other factors, via either soil richness, as based on the number of different plant species conditioning the soil; or soil heterogeneity, the degree to which plant-soil feedbacks involving different plant species are spatially separated. No previous study appears to have tested both soil richness and heterogeneity as components of biotic plant-soil feedbacks that might explain why more diverse native plant communities are less invasible.We conditioned soils with monocultures of six native plant species and grew five introduced plant species individually in sterilized soil inoculated with one, two, or four of the conditioned soils, keeping the conditioned soils separate or mixing them.Soil richness had little effect on the final dry mass of any introduced species. Higher soil heterogeneity did not decrease final mass in any introduced species and instead increased it in one.Results suggest that biotic plant-soil feedbacks are not in themselves an important mechanism by which diversity limits invasibility but do not rule out the possibility that such feedbacks play a role in combination with other mechanisms such as abiotic feedbacks or plant competition.Methods: An increase number of studies suggests that more diverse communities of native plants more strongly resist invasion by introduced plants. Here we tested whether biotic plant-soil feedbacks can explain this relationship independently of other factors, via either soil richness, as based on the number of different plant species conditioning the soil; or soil heterogeneity, the degree to which plant-soil feedbacks involving different plant species are spatially separated. No previous study appears to have tested both soil richness and heterogeneity as components of biotic plant-soil feedbacks that might explain why more diverse native plant communities are less invasible.We conditioned soils with monocultures of six native plant species and grew five introduced plant species individually in sterilized soil inoculated with one, two, or four of the conditioned soils, keeping the conditioned soils separate or mixing them.Soil richness had little effect on the final dry mass of any introduced species. Higher soil heterogeneity did not decrease final mass in any introduced species and instead increased it in one.Results suggest that biotic plant-soil feedbacks are not in themselves an important mechanism by which diversity limits invasibility but do not rule out the possibility that such feedbacks play a role in combination with other mechanisms such as abiotic feedbacks or plant competition.Results: An increase number of studies suggests that more diverse communities of native plants more strongly resist invasion by introduced plants. Here we tested whether biotic plant-soil feedbacks can explain this relationship independently of other factors, via either soil richness, as based on the number of different plant species conditioning the soil; or soil heterogeneity, the degree to which plant-soil feedbacks involving different plant species are spatially separated. No previous study appears to have tested both soil richness and heterogeneity as components of biotic plant-soil feedbacks that might explain why more diverse native plant communities are less invasible.We conditioned soils with monocultures of six native plant species and grew five introduced plant species individually in sterilized soil inoculated with one, two, or four of the conditioned soils, keeping the conditioned soils separate or mixing them.Soil richness had little effect on the final dry mass of any introduced species. Higher soil heterogeneity did not decrease final mass in any introduced species and instead increased it in one.Results suggest that biotic plant-soil feedbacks are not in themselves an important mechanism by which diversity limits invasibility but do not rule out the possibility that such feedbacks play a role in combination with other mechanisms such as abiotic feedbacks or plant competition.Conclusion: An increase number of studies suggests that more diverse communities of native plants more strongly resist invasion by introduced plants. Here we tested whether biotic plant-soil feedbacks can explain this relationship independently of other factors, via either soil richness, as based on the number of different plant species conditioning the soil; or soil heterogeneity, the degree to which plant-soil feedbacks involving different plant species are spatially separated. No previous study appears to have tested both soil richness and heterogeneity as components of biotic plant-soil feedbacks that might explain why more diverse native plant communities are less invasible.We conditioned soils with monocultures of six native plant species and grew five introduced plant species individually in sterilized soil inoculated with one, two, or four of the conditioned soils, keeping the conditioned soils separate or mixing them.Soil richness had little effect on the final dry mass of any introduced species. Higher soil heterogeneity did not decrease final mass in any introduced species and instead increased it in one.Results suggest that biotic plant-soil feedbacks are not in themselves an important mechanism by which diversity limits invasibility but do not rule out the possibility that such feedbacks play a role in combination with other mechanisms such as abiotic feedbacks or plant competition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autophagy is a highly conserved protein degradation pathway that is essential for affecting some autoimmune diseases. Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is a common autoimmune disorder, and the complex dysregulation of cellular immunity has been observed; however, the relationship between autophagy‐related proteins and immune responses in ITP remains unclear. Using real‐time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR), the mRNA expression levels of Beclin‐1, SQSTM1/p62 and LC3 were measured in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of 20 newly diagnosed patients with active ITP, 16 ITP patients in remission and 21 healthy volunteers. The stained Beclin‐1 and SQSTM1/p62 proteins were also observed in the bone marrow of active ITP patients and normal controls by immunofluorescence. SQSTM1/p62 mRNA expression in PBMCs in newly diagnosed patients was significantly decreased. At the same time, Beclin‐1 mRNA was increased significantly. During the remission stages, the levels of these autophagy‐related proteins were comparable with those observed in healthy controls. Taken together, these results suggest that the aberrant expression of autophagy‐related proteins might be involved in the pathogenesis of ITP. Further study of the autophagy pathway may provide a new strategy and direction for the treatment of ITP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A multiclass and multiresidue method for screening veterinary drugs and pesticides in infant formula was developed and validated using ultrahigh‐performance liquid chromatography coupled to Quadrupole‐Orbitrap high‐resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC‐HRMS). A total of 49 veterinary drugs and pesticides investigated belong to 11 classes including antivirals, anticoccidials, macrolides, pyrethroids, insecticides, sulfonamides, beta‐agonists, sedatives, thyreostats, nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs, and other pharmacologically active substances. A generic sample preparation and highly selective acquisition mode of parallel reaction monitoring (PRM) were deliberately incorporated to perform efficient screening analysis. As a result, the screening target concentrations of the analytes varied from 1 to 500 μg/kg with ≤5% of false compliant rate as specified in Decision 2002/657/EC for screening analysis. The average recoveries ranged from 40.7 to 124.9% as well as the relative standard deviations from 4.2 to 26.6%, respectively. The matrix effects and interferences were effectively controlled by integrated application of dispersive solid phase extraction, PRM scan mode, and matrix‐matched standard calibration. The proposed method will be helpful to provide applicable strategy for screening residues in infant formula with surveillance purpose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endophytic microorganisms absorb nutrients and prevent pathogen damage, supporting healthy plant growth. However, the relationship between endophytic bacteria and berberine synthesis in the medicinal plant Coptis teeta Wall. remains unclear. Herein, we explored the community composition of endophytic bacteria related to berberine in roots, stems, and leaves of wild-type and cultivated C. teeta. Endophytic bacterial communities were analyzed by 16S rRNA sequencing, and berberine content in roots was analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography. Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Bacteroidetes were the major phyla, and Mycobacterium, Salmonella, Nocardioides, Burkholderia-Paraburkholderia, and Rhizobium were the dominant genera in root, stem, and leaf tissues. Root berberine content was positively correlated with total N, total P, total K, and available K in rhizosphere soil. In addition, root berberine content was positively correlated with Microbacterium and norank_f_7B-8, whereas soil total K was positively correlated with Microbacterium and Burkholderia-Paraburkholderia in roots. Our results demonstrated a clear correlation between dominant endophytic bacteria and berberine synthesis in C. teeta. The findings are useful for the promotion of berberine production in C. teeta via manipulation of endophytic bacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: In myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), the prognostic role of monosomal karyotype (MK), defined as at least two autosomal monosomies or a single monosomy associated with at least one additional structural abnormality, remained controversial. Therefore, we conducted a meta-analysis to address this issue. Methods: PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Medline, and the Cochrane Library were retrieved. We extracted hazard ratios (HRs) and the corresponding 95% confidential intervals (CIs) for overall survival (OS) on patients with MK versus those without, as well as on MK patients with monosomies of chromosome 7 and/or 5 versus those without from the available studies. Results: Seventeen studies covering 7500 patients were included this meta-analysis. The pooled HRs indicated MK had a negative impact on OS in MDS (pooled HR: 2.484, 95%CI: 2.033–3.036, P <.001), in MDS patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) (pooled HR: 2.150, 95%CI: 1.861–2.48, P <.001), and in MDS with complex karyotype (CK) (pooled HR: 2.56, 95%CI: 2.032–3.036, P =.01). However, monosomies of chromosome 5 and/or 7 had no impact on OS in MDS with MK (pooled HR: 1.330, 95%CI: 0.827–2.139, P =.240). Meta-regression indicated that therapy was the origin of the heterogeneity (P =.012). Discussion: Our meta-analysis indicated that MK has a negative impact on OS in MDS, in MDS patients undergoing allo-HSCT, and MDS with CK, but monosomies of chromosome 5 and/or 7 have no impact on OS in MDS with MK. The heterogeneity reflected the biologic and therapeutic heterogeneity of MDS. Conclusion: MK is associated with poor prognosis in MDS, the underlying mechanism needs further exploring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flora and mucosal immunity are considered to be the barrier, which is associated with multiple respiratory diseases, including recurrent respiratory tract infection (RRTI). Fei-Xi-Tiao-Zhi-Fang (FTF) is a traditional Chinese herbal formula used in the treatment of RRTI. However, the mechanism is little known. This study aims to identify the function of FTF in flora and mucosal immune secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) in the model of RRTI rats. The samples of intestine and lung were collected to detect sIgA, short chain fatty acids (SCFAS), and flora with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), gas chromatography, and 16S rDNA sequencing. The body weight and viscera index were increased dynamically in RRTI rats after the administration of FTF. Furthermore, the types and proportions of aboriginal flora were significantly changed in the model group, whereas the altered flora was rescued in the FTF administration group. Desulfovibrio increased in the intestinal microflora and Ralstonia and Blautia decreased in the pulmonary microflora at the genus level, similar to that in the normal group. In addition, the expressions of sIgA in pulmonary and intestinal tissues were significantly upregulated and the level of SCFAS was increased in FTF group compared to the RRTI model group. Our study suggests that FTF can alleviate the symptoms of RRTI by increasing sIgA and SCFAS, recovering flora, and improving the immunity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silicon nanowires (Si-NWs) have been fabricated at wafer-scale with Au nanoparticles as catalysts at 500 °C using a chemical-vapor-deposition (CVD) method combined with a high-speed rotation wafer-disk. High resolution TEM and SAED patterns were used to characterize the microstructures of the grown Si-NWs. Single crystalline Si-NWs appear self-oriented on Si (100) substrates along the ＜111＞ growth axis. The nanowires have a uniform diameter of 50 nm and varying lengths and densities depending on the rotation speed of the wafer substrate. The effects of wafer-rotation speed on the growth of Si-NWs are discussed. Due to a reduced boundary layer thickness, fast mass transport leads to both an enhanced growth rate and density of the Si-NWs. Moreover, the density of the Si-NW array is optimized to achieve a low reflectance loss for their further application in tandem solar cells as the light-trapping layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crohn's disease, which mainly affects the gastrointestinal tract, is a refractory inflammatory disease that has clinical manifestations of abdominal pain, fever, bowel obstruction, and diarrhea with blood or mucus. Together, these symptoms can severely impair a patient's quality of life. Besides the common complication of intestinal obstruction, fistulas, particularly anorectal fistulas, are common in Crohn's disease patients. Since radical surgical cures can be difficult to achieve and relapse is common, Crohn's disease patients often seek other effective treatments in addition to surgery. Stem-cell therapies have recently been proposed as a method to address the challenges and prospective medical needs of Crohn's disease patients in general and those with fistulas. Several studies suggest that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) could improve Crohn's disease and Crohn's fistula. Moreover, studies concerning MSC transplantation or local rejection of stem cells derived from bone marrow or adipose tissue-derived stem cells have assessed stem cell-based treatments for refractory Crohn's disease. Many patients in these studies are now in remission. A number of clinical trials for refractory Crohn's disease have also evaluated transplantation of autologous or allogenic MSCs and showed that MSCs can be safely administered to Crohn's disease patients, with some achieving positive clinical responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Digestion products of shrimp-TM yielded many peptides matched T/B cell epitopes. • Digestion products of shrimp-TM in SGF profile showed a significant difference from others. • Peptides of shrimp-TM matched more T/B cell epitopes than those of fish-TM and clam-TM. • Core regions of shrimp-TM matched T/B cell epitopes are distributed along the entire chain. • A differentiating peptide of shrimp-TM (72–88) could be as a potential peptide marker. Tropomyosin (TM) is a major shellfish allergen and a minor fish allergen. Different digestion profiles affect potential allergen anaphylaxis of protein. In this study, released peptides of fish-TM, shrimp-TM, and clam-TM by in vitro digestion of simulated gastric fluid (SGF), simulated intestinal fluid (SIF), and gastrointestinal (GI) were analyzed using sequential windowed acquisition of all theoretical fragment ion mass spectra (SWATH-MS) based proteomics. Results showed that digestion products of shrimp-TM yielded a lot of peptides matched T/B cell epitopes while core regions matched epitopes were distributed along the entire chain. Pepsin or trypsin-based digestion products of shrimp-TM presented many more peptides matched T/B cell epitopes compared with those of fish-TM and clam-TM. Besides, a differentiating peptide of VEKDKALSNAEGEVAAL (72–88) overlapped T/B cell epitopes could be used as a candidate peptide marker to identify tropomyosin allergen. These findings would supply new insight into the different allergenicity of tropomyosin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silicon nanowires (Si-NWs) have been fabricated at wafer-scale with Au nanoparticles as catalysts at 500 °C using a chemical-vapor-deposition (CVD) method combined with a high-speed rotation wafer-disk. High resolution TEM and SAED patterns were used to characterize the microstructures of the grown Si-NWs. Single crystalline Si-NWs appear self-oriented on Si (100) substrates along the ＜111＞ growth axis. The nanowires have a uniform diameter of 50 nm and varying lengths and densities depending on the rotation speed of the wafer substrate. The effects of wafer-rotation speed on the growth of Si-NWs are discussed. Due to a reduced boundary layer thickness, fast mass transport leads to both an enhanced growth rate and density of the Si-NWs. Moreover, the density of the Si-NW array is optimized to achieve a low reflectance loss for their further application in tandem solar cells as the light-trapping layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seven new γ-butyrolactones, named pseudonocardides A - G ( 1 - 7), were isolated from the marine-derived actinomycete strain Pseudonocardia sp. YIM M13669. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic data including 1D- and 2D- NMR, and HR- ESI- MS. The absolute configuration of 1 was determined by X-ray crystallographic analysis of 1a (4-bromobenzoate derivative of 1). The antibacterial activity against Mycobacterium smegmatis MC2155 and cytotoxicities of compounds 1 - 7 were evaluated in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 1389-bp thcel5A gene, which encodes a family 5 of glycoside hydrolases (GH5), was screened from the draft genome of Thermobifida halotolerans YIM 90462 T . ThCel5A was most similar (77% identity) to a GH5 endoglucanase from Thermobifida fusca YX, followed by cellulases from Nocardiopsis dassonvillei subsp. dassonvillei DSM 43111, Nocardiopsis alba ATCC BAA-2165, and Kribbella flavida DSM 17836. The deduced amino acid sequence of ThCel5A, which consisted of 462 amino acid residues, encompassed a family 2 cellulose-binding module and a GH5 catalytic domain. Notably, ThCel5A hydrolysed soluble as well as insoluble cellulose substrates. The enzymatic hydrolysis assay showed that the activity of recombinant ThCel5A was optimized at pH 8.0 and 50°C. Moreover, it retained hydrolytic activity in the presence of various metal ions and >90% activity within the range of pH 8.0–9.0 after 30 min at 50°C. These results suggested that this enzyme has considerable potential in industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Interleukin-33 (IL-33) is an IL-1 family cytokine which signals via its ST2 receptor and is involved in several autoimmune diseases by regulating T cell immune responses. This study aims to measure the expression of soluble ST2 (sST2) and IL-33 in active immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) and during remission. Methods Thirty-two ITP patients with active disease and 20 patients in remission were studied. IL-33 and sST2 were measured in plasma using ELISA and compared with 27 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Real-time quantitative PCR was used to determine IL-33 and sST2 mRNA expressions. Results The IL-33 level in plasma was significantly down-regulated in the patients with active ITP ( P < 0.01). The sST2 level was up-regulated ( P < 0.01) in the patients with active ITP compared with ITP in remission and the normal controls. No significant changes were detected between the patients with ITP in remission and the normal controls. We detected an obvious up-regulation of sST2 mRNA levels but no change in IL-33 mRNA expression. There was no correlation observed between IL-33 or sST2 expression and the platelet count of the patients with active ITP. The plasma and mRNA level ratios of sST2/IL-33 were up-regulated in the active disease patients ( P < 0.01). However, no difference was detected between the ITP patients with remission disease and healthy controls. Conclusions The values of sST2 and IL-33 observed in patients with ITP correlated with disease activity. Considering the role of IL-33 in regulating T cell immunity, studies on IL-33 and sST2 in ITP would further improve our understanding of the pathogenesis of ITP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Triethylammonium 2,4,14,16-tetrachlorodibenzo[g,j][1,3,6,12]tetraoxacyclotetradecane-2-phosphorodithioate was synthesized from bis(3,5-dichloro-2-hydroxyethoxyphenyl)methane by a two-step one-pot sequence. Its structure was confirmed by1H,13C, and31P NMR spectra, and elemental analysis. The X-ray diffraction analysis indicated that the molecules of the compound form an inclusion complex with chloroform molecules outside the phosphorus-containing macrocycle in the ratio of 1:2. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Efficient synthetic access to highly functionalized 3,4-cyclohexane-annelated coumarins has been achieved by combining two methods. First, the important intermediates multisubstituted cyclic β-keto esters were prepared conveniently by condensing a variety of benzaldehydes with ethyl acetoacetate. A series of highly functionalized 3,4-cyclohexane-annelated coumarins were then synthesized by Amberlyst-15-catalyzed Pechmann condensation of multisubstituted cyclic β-keto esters with phenols. This synthetic method has the advantages of mild reaction conditions, good tolerance of a variety of functional groups, and satisfactory yields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The crystal structures of four phosphorus-containing polyoxamacrocycles 2,4, 6,11,13-Pentachloro-dibenzo[d,g][1,3,9,2]trioxaphosphacycloundecan-2-thione (1),2,4,9,14, 16-Pentachloro-dibenzo[g,j][1,3,6,12,2]tetraoxaphosphacyclotetra-decan-2-thione (2), 2,4, 10,16,18-Pentachloro-dibenzo[h,k][1,3,7,12,2]tetraoxa-phosphacyclohexadecan-2-thione (3) and 2,4,6,12,14,18,20,28,30—Nona-chloro-tetrabenzo[d,g,p,s] [1,3,9,13,15,21,2,14]hexaoxa diphosphacyclotetracosan-2,14-dithione (4) have been determined by X-ray diffraction. The result shows that compound4has a center of symmetry, and compounds1,2, and3have no elements of symmetry. The molecules of compounds2and4form inclusion complex with neutral molecule guest (CHCl3) which is outside of the phosphorus-containing macrocycle in the ratio of 1:1, and compounds1and3do not form inclusion complexes with CHCl3. The result obtained in this paper lays a foundation for further research on the complexing properties of phosphorus-containing polyoxamacrocycles. [Supplementary materials are available for this article. Go to the publisher's online edition ofPhosphorus, Sulfer, and Silicon and the Related Elementsfor the following free supplemental files:Additional text, figures, and tables.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: The T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain-(Tim)-1 molecule and Tim-3 are mainly expressed on activated T helper (Th) 2 and Th1 cells, respectively, and have been implicated in the pathogenesis of some autoimmune diseases. Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is a common autoimmune disorder, and the complex dysregulation of cellular immunity has been observed; however, the relationship between Tims and excessive immune responses in ITP remains unclear. Methods: Using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), the mRNA expression levels of Tim-1, Tim-3, T-box transcription factor (T-bet) and GATA binding protein 3 (GATA-3) were measured in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of 45 newly diagnosed patients with active ITP, 34 ITP patients in remission and 31 healthy volunteers. Results: Tim-3 mRNA expression in PBMCs in newly diagnosed patients was significantly decreased. At the same time, Tim-1 mRNA was not significantly declined, which resulted in a decreased ratio of Tim-3 to Tim-1 in ITP patients with active disease. During the remission stages, the levels of these transcription factors were comparable with those observed in healthy controls. Conclusions: The reduced levels of Tim-3/Tim-1 in PBMCs during active stages of the disease suggest a possible role in the pathogenesis and course of ITP. Regulating the balance of Tim-1 and Tim-3 in ITP patients could also be a therapeutic approach against ITP. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this work, we have described a fabrication of the holey silicon structures with inner radial p–n junction for solar cells. This holey structure p–n junction offers great advantages in the electrode fabrication associated with their special geometry, and highly improves photocurrent of the solar cells. Furthermore, we have studied the influence of B doping on the p-type Si layer which is the determining component for solar cells junction. Raman characterization was employed to describe the B doping concentration at different B2H6-to-SiH4 flow ratios. It is experimentally found that the open-circuit voltage and power-conversion efficiency of solar cells can be optimized by controlling the B doping concentration in the p-type Si layer. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

With multiple meteorological data, including precipitation from automatic weather stations, integrated satellite-based precipitation (CMORPH), brightness temperature (TBB), radar echoes and NCEP reanalysis, a rainstorm event, which occurred on May 26, 2007 over South China, is analyzed with the focus on the evolution characteristics of associated mesoscale-β convective systems (Mβcss). Results are shown as follows. (1) The rainstorm presents itself as a typical warm-sector event, for it occurs within a surface inverted trough and on the left side of a southwesterly low-level jet (LLJ), which shows no obvious features of baroclinicity. (2) The heavy rainfall event is directly related to at least three bodies of Mβcss with peak precipitation corresponding well to their mature stages. (3) The Mβcss manifest a backward propagation, which is marked with a new form of downstream convection different from the more usual type of forward propagation over South China, i.e., new convective systems mainly form at the rear part of older Mβcss. (4) Rainstorm-causing Mβcss form near the convergence region on the left side of an 850-hPa southwesterly LLJ, over which there are dominantly divergent air flows at 200 hPa. Different from the typical flow pattern of outward divergence off the east side of South Asia High, which is usually found to be over zones of heavy rains during the annually first rainy season of South China, this warm-sector heavy rain is below the divergence region formed between the easterly and southerly flows west of the South Asian High that is moving out to sea. (5) The LLJ transports abundant amount of warm and moist air to the heavy rainfall area, providing advantageous conditions for highly unstable energy to generate and store at middle and high levels, where corresponding low-level warm advection may be playing a more direct role in the development of Mβcss. As a triggering mechanism for organized convective systems, the effect of low-level warm advection deserves more of our attention. Based on the analysis of surface mesoscale airflow in the article, possible triggering mechanisms for Mβcss are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A simple and eco-friendly method for the aminomethylation of various 3-substituted oxindoles via three-component Mannich reaction in aqueous media has been established. A variety of oxindoles containing a quaternary carbon center, which comprises an aminomethyl group were obtained smoothly in good yields (up to 93%) with this method. Particularly valuable features, such as employing cheap and readily available formalin as a useful aminomethylation C1 unit and using water as a reaction medium, are embodied in this method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first chiral thiourea-catalyzed stereoselective 1,3- dipolar cycloaddition of azomethine ylides with nitroalkenes afforded highly substituted pyrrolidines with high diastereoselectivities of up to >99:1 dr and moderate enantioselectivities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We studied the synergistic effect of visible light and ferritin on the lipid peroxidation on a fraction of porcine photoreceptor outer segment (POS). Reaction mixtures containing the POS fraction and horse spleen ferritin were irradiated under white fluorescent light mainly at 17,000 lx or incubated under dark conditions at 37°C. The lipid peroxidation was evaluated by both the thiobarbituric acid method and the ferrous oxidationlxylenol orange method. The irradiation-induced lipid peroxidation was affected by some experimental factors such as the irradiation dose and acidity of the material. When the irradiation was stopped, the lipid peroxidation was also stopped; thereafter, the re-irradiation induced lipid peroxidation. Moreover, this lipid peroxidation was inhibited by desferrioxamine, an iron chelator, or by dimethyithiourea, a hydroxyl radical scavenger, suggesting that the lipid peroxidation involves hydroxyl radicals generated via the Fenton reaction by iron ion released from ferritin. The lipid peroxidation did not take place under dark conditions or in the absence of ferritin. This study suggested the possibility that the visible light-induced lipid peroxidation of the POS fraction in the presence of ferritin may participate in the etiology of human retinal degenerative diseases as the human retina is exposed to light for life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Microdialysis with high performance liquid chromatography and electrochemical detection (HPLC–ECD) was used to measure ascorbic acid (AA) concentrations in rabbit vitreous before and after vitrectomy. A cellulose microdialysis probe was implanted in the vitreous humor, and after stabilization, AA measurements were made daily over a 10 day period. The effect of removing two-thirds of the vitreous by vitrectomy was examined. The effect of triamcinolone acetonide (TA) was evaluated in four groups of rabbits: Group 1, sub-tenon TA (20mg) alone; Group 2, intravitreous TA (4mg) alone; Group 3, sub-tenon TA (20mg) after vitrectomy, and Group 4, intravitreous TA (4mg) after vitrectomy. The results showed that the AA concentration after vitrectomy was significantly lower from days 2 to10 with a maximum reduction of 49.5% (P<0.005) on day 7. No significant changes in the AA level was observed in Groups 1 and 2, a mild recovery of AA concentration reduction after vitrectomy was detected in Group 3. The highest recovery of the AA concentration reduction was observed in Group 4. The attenuating effect of TA treatment on the reduction of AA in the vitreous after vitrectomy was significant. This attenuating effect of the TA may be due to prevention of the disruption of the blood-aqueous barrier by its anti-inflammatory action. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Macrophages are widely distributed in tissues and function in homeostasis. During cancer development, tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) dominatingly support disease progression and resistance to therapy by promoting tumor proliferation, angiogenesis, metastasis, and immunosuppression, thereby making TAMs a target for tumor immunotherapy. Here, we started with evidence that TAMs are highly plastic and heterogeneous in phenotype and function in response to microenvironmental cues. We pointed out that efforts to tear off the heterogeneous "camouflage" in TAMs conduce to target de facto protumoral TAMs efficiently. In particular, several fate-mapping models suggest that most tissue-resident macrophages (TRMs) are generated from embryonic progenitors, and new paradigms uncover the ontogeny of TAMs. First, TAMs from embryonic modeling of TRMs and circulating monocytes have distinct transcriptional profiling and function, suggesting that the ontogeny of TAMs is responsible for the functional heterogeneity of TAMs, in addition to microenvironmental cues. Second, metabolic remodeling helps determine the mechanism of phenotypic and functional characteristics in TAMs, including metabolic bias from macrophages' ontogeny in macrophages' functional plasticity under physiological and pathological conditions. Both models aim at dissecting the ontogeny-related metabolic regulation in the phenotypic and functional heterogeneity in TAMs. We argue that gleaning from the single-cell transcriptomics on subclonal TAMs' origins may help understand the classification of TAMs' population in subclonal evolution and their distinct roles in tumor development. We envision that TAM-subclone-specific metabolic reprogramming may round-up with future cancer therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The photovoltaic effect in the anodic formation of silicon dioxide (SiO2) on porous silicon (PS) surfaces was investigated toward developing a potential passivation technique to achieve high efficiency nanostructured Si solar cells. The PS layers were prepared by electrochemical anodization in hydrofluoric acid (HF) containing electrolyte. An anodic SiO2 layer was formed on the PS surface via a bottom-up anodization mechanism in HCl/H2O solution at room temperature. The thickness of the oxide layer for surface passivation was precisely controlled by adjusting the anodizing current density and the passivation time, for optimal oxidation on the PS layer while maintaining its original nanostructure. HRTEM characterization of the microstructure of the PS layer confirms an atomic lattice matching at the PS/Si interface. The dependence of photovoltaic performance, series resistance, and shunt resistance on passivation time was examined. Due to sufficient passivation on the PS surface, a sample with anodization duration of 30 s achieved the best conversion efficiency of 10.7%. The external quantum efficiency (EQE) and internal quantum efficiency (IQE) indicate a significant decrease in reflectivity due to the PS anti-reflection property and indicate superior performance due to SiO2 surface passivation. In conclusion, the surface of PS solar cells could be successfully passivated by electrochemical anodization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The porous Eu(TTA) 3 (TPPO) 2 /SnO 2 (ETTS, TTA: 2-thenoyltrifluoroacetonate and TPPO: triphenylphosphine oxide) composite was prepared via sol-gel method with tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) as catalyst which showed the cumulate litchi shell-like structure. The Eu(TTA) 3 (TPPO) 2 organic complexes (ETT) could be absolutely distributed into the pores of the SnO 2 matrix at the molecular level through sol-gel process. SiO 2 was used as the hard template which was removed to increase porosity during the prepared process. The red emission of ETTS was exhibited under the 368 nm excitation light, and much better luminescence properties was shown after washing off SiO 2 (ETTS-W) which was about 4 times of unwashed ETTS (ETTS-UW) and 15.6 times of ETT for 615 nm emission when Eu content was 6 wt%. The excellent luminescence property of ETTS-W samples was mainly attributed to the organic ligands, the pore structure after removing SiO 2 and stronger ultraviolet absorption capacity of SnO 2 matrix. Image 1 • Porous Eu(TTA) 3 (TPPO) 2 /SnO 2 was fabricated by sol-gel method with TEOS as catalyst. • Eu(TTA) 3 (TPPO) 2 /SnO 2 showed the cumulate litchi shell-like structure. • The study provides a technique for the enhancing of the luminescent intensity. • Emission intensity of Eu(TTA) 3 (TPPO) 2 /SnO 2 was enhanced by the removal of silica. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rise of antibiotic resistance poses a significant public health crisis, particularly due to limited antimicrobial options for the treatment of infections with Gram‐negative pathogens. Here, an antimicrobial peptide (AMP) SR25 is characterized, which effectively kills both Gram‐negative and Gram‐positive bacteria through a unique dual‐targeting mechanism without detectable resistance. Meanwhile, an SR25‐functionalized hydrogel is developed for the efficient treatment of infected diabetic wounds. SR25 is obtained through genome mining from an uncultured bovine enteric actinomycete named Nonomuraea Jilinensis sp. nov. Investigations reveal that SR25 has two independent cellular targets, disrupting bacterial membrane integrity and restraining the activity of succinate:quinone oxidoreductase (SQR). In a diabetic mice wound infection model, the SR25‐incorporated hydrogel exhibits high efficacy against mixed infections of Escherichia coli (E. coli) and methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), accelerating wound healing. Overall, these findings demonstrate the therapeutic potential of SR25 and highlight the value of mining drugs with multiple mechanisms from uncultured animal commensals for combating challenging bacterial pathogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Venom injected into the host plays vital roles in facilitating successful parasitization and development for parasitoid wasps, especially those devoid of polydnavirus, and the abundant venom proteins appear to be most likely involved in parasitization success. Previously, we found the four most abundant venom proteins, including 4-coumarate:CoA ligase-like 4 (4CL4-like), in the Tetrastichus brontispae (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) venom apparatus. In this study, we cloned, expressed T. brontispae 4CL4-like (Tb4CL4-like) in Escherichia coli, and investigated its immunosuppressive properties. The deduced amino acid sequence for Tb4CL4-like shares high identity at conserved amino acids associated with the acyl-activating enzyme (AAE) consensus motif but shows only <40% identity with the members in the AAE superfamily. mRNA abundance analysis indicated that Tb4CL4-like was transcribed mainly in the venom apparatus. Recombinant Tb4CL4-like inhibited Octodonta nipae (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) pupal cellular encapsulation and spreading by targeting the hemocyte cytoskeleton and reduced the hemocyte-mediated phagocytosis of E. coli in vivo. Moreover, Tb4CL4-like exhibited greater affinity to palmitic acid and linolenic acid based on the molecular docking assay and is hypothesized to be involved in fatty acid metabolism. In conclusion, our results suggest that Tb4CL4-like may be an immunity-related AAE protein that is involved in the regulation of host immunity through fatty acid metabolism-derived signaling pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to develop and validate a scoring system for predicting the need for esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) in clinical practice to enhance accuracy and reduce misapplications. Methods: From February 2021 to April 2022, outpatients scheduled for EGD at the Department of Gastroenterology in our hospital were recruited. Patients completed the system evaluation by providing clinical symptoms, relevant medical history, and endoscopic findings. Patients were randomly divided into the training and validation cohorts (at 2:1 ratio). The optimal algorithm was selected from five alternatives including a parallel test. Six physicians participated in a human‐computer comparative validation. Sensitivity and negative likelihood ratio (−LR) were used as the primary indicators. Results: Altogether 865 patients were enrolled, with 578 in the training cohort and 287 in the validation cohort. The scoring system comprised 21 variables, including age, 13 typical clinical symptoms, and seven medical history variables. The parallel test was selected as the final algorithm. Positive EGD findings were reported in 54.5% of the training cohort and 62.7% of the validation cohort. The scoring system demonstrated a sensitivity of 79.0% in the training cohort and 83.9% in the validation cohort, with −LR being 0.627 and 0.615, respectively. Compared to physicians, the scoring system exhibited higher sensitivity (84.0% vs 68.7%, P = 0.02) and a lower −LR (1.11 vs 2.41, P = 0.439). Conclusions: We developed a scoring system to predict the necessity of EGD using a parallel test algorithm, which was user‐friendly and effective, as evidenced by single‐center validation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Paeoniflorin (PF), the main active glucoside of Paeonia Lactiflora, has many pharmacological activities, such as inhibition of vasodilation, hypoglycemia, and immunomodulation. Although the current evidence has suggested the therapeutic effects of PF on diabetic nephropathy (DN), its potential mechanism of action is still unclear. Purpose: A systematic review and meta-analysis of the existing literature on paeoniflorin treatment in DN animal models was performed to evaluate the efficacy and mechanism of PF in DN animal models. Methods: The risk of bias in each study was judged using the CAMARADES 10-item quality checklist with the number of criteria met varying from 4 / 10 to 7 / 10, with an average of 5.44. From inception to July 2022, We searched eight databases. We used the Cochrane Collaboration's 10-item checklist and RevMan 5.3 software to assess the risk of bias and analyze the data. Three-dimensional dose/time-effect analyses were conducted to examine the dosage/time-response relations between PF and DN. Results: Nine animal studies were systematically reviewed to evaluate the effectiveness of PF in improving animal models of DN. Meta-analysis data and intergroup comparisons indicated that PF slowed the index of mesangial expansion and tubulointerstitial injury, 24-h urinary protein excretion rate, expression of anti-inflammatory mediators (mRNA of MCP-1, TNF-α, iNOS, and IL-1 β), and expression of immune downstream factors (P-IRAK1, TIRF, P-IRF3, MyD88, and NF-κBp-p65). Furthermore, modeling methods, animal species, treatment duration, thickness of tissue sections during the experiment, and experimental procedures were subjected to subgroup analyses. Conclusion: The present study demonstrated that the reno-protective effects of PF were associated with its inhibition on macrophage infiltration, reduction of inflammatory mediators, and immunomodulatory effects. In conclusion, PF can effectively slow down the progression of DN and hold promise as a protective drug for the treatment of DN. Due to the low bioavailability of PF, further studies on renal histology in animals are urgently needed. We therefore recommend an active exploration of the dose and therapeutic time frame of PF in the clinic and in animals. Moreover, it is suggested to actively explore methods to improve the bioavailability of PF to expand the application of PF in the clinic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new polymer {[Co(BIDPE)2(ox)0.5(NO3)]·3H2O}n has been prepared, and X-ray diffraction study shows that it is a non-interpenetrated 3D framework containing rare [N4Co(C2O4)CoN4] unit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The new γ-butyrolactones pseudonocardides A-G (I)-(VII) are isolated from marine-derived Pseudonocardia sp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we focus on the (2 + 1)-dimensional complex modified Korteweg–de Vries and Maxwell–Bloch (CMKdV-MB) equations. According to the relevant Lax pair, the n-fold Darboux transformation (DT) is constructed. In addition, via the DT and symbolic computation, two different kinds of soliton solutions are derived from trivial seed solutions. Meanwhile, the dynamic features of soliton solutions are graphically analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A base mediated 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction of methyl 1,4-dioxo-1,4-dihydronaphthalene-2-carboxylate with nitrile oxides in situ generated from N -hydroximoyl chlorides was achieved. With this developed protocol, a range of structurally diverse naphtho[2,3- d ]isoxazole-4,9(3a H ,9a H )-dione derivatives were smoothly obtained in high yields (up to 95%) with up to >20:1 regioselectivities and >20:1 diastereoselectivities under mild conditions. The promising applicability of the protocol was also demonstrated by the further transformations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An I 2 -mediated Friedel-Crafts alkylation/oxidative coupling reaction of indoles and salicylaldehydes was developed. With the developed protocol, a series of indolylchromeno[2,3- b ]indoles were obtained in good yields (up to 88%) under mild reaction conditions. Two possible reaction mechanisms were tentatively brought forward to account for the formation of the products in light of some control experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under investigations in this paper is a discrete generalized nonlinear Schrödinger equation with variable coefficients. Through symbolic computation the discrete spectral problems are analyzed, the discrete N -fold Darboux transformation (DT) is constructed, discrete one and two-soliton solutions in the form of Vandermonde-like determinants are derived and some dynamic behaviors of those solitons are discussed graphically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Catalytic asymmetric dearomative [3+2] cycloaddition of α-imino γ-lactones with either 3-nitroindoles or 2-nitrobenzofurans by using a chiral copper complex as the catalyst was developed. A wide range of structurally diverse polyheterocyclic compounds containing spirocyclic-fused butyrolactone-pyrrolidine-indoline and butyrolactone–pyrrolidine–dihydrobenzofuran skeletons could be smoothly obtained with excellent results (>99:1 dr and 98% ee). The potential synthetic applications of this methodology were also demonstrated by the scale-up experiment and by the diverse transformations of one product. This method is characterized by high asymmetric induction, wide functional group tolerance and scalability, and attractive product diversification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A method for the synthesis of α , α -bisthiofunctionalized butenolide compounds has been successfully developed. The bis-sulfenylation of γ -substituted butenolides at α-position is promoted by using triethylamine as the catalyst and N -(aryl(alkyl)sulfanyl)succinimides or N -(phenylsulfanyl)phthalimides as sulfenylating reagents under mild reaction conditions. A range of α -sulfenylated butenolide derivatives could be smoothly obtained in moderate to excellent yields. A preliminary attempt at the catalytic asymmetric α -sulfenylation of α -methyl- γ -phenyl-substituted butenolide was also conducted and afforded promising enantioselectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, the activities of the chlorine-containing compounds B 1-4 b and the hybrid polyketide-non ribosomal peptide-derived compound B 5 b were described. To the best of our knowledge, with the exception of compounds B 11 b , B 23 b , and B 24 b , all the other compounds were isolated from I Tolypocladium i sp. for the first time. Compounds B 2 b and B 5 b could strongly inhibit the growth of I S. aureus i ATCC 25923, I S. argenteus i DSM 28299, I B. subtilis i ATCC 6633, and I A. baumanii i ATCC 19606, while compounds B 1 b and B 3 b showed weak inhibition activities. Twenty-six compounds were isolated from the culture of strain YFCC1805002, the chemical structure of these isolated compounds were elucidated by comparing their spectral data including 1D and 2D NMR and ESI-MS with those reported in the literature. [Extracted from the article]

Objective: Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is an emerging hemorrhagic fever caused by a tick-borne bunyavirus (SFTSV) in East Asian countries. The role of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) in resistance and susceptibility to SFTSV is not known. We investigated the correlation of HLA locus A, B and DRB1 alleles with the occurrence of SFTS. Methods: A total of 84 confirmed SFTS patients (patient group) and 501 unrelated non-SFTS patients (healthy individuals as control group) from Shandong Province were genotyped by PCR-sequence specific oligonucleotide probe (PCR-SSOP) for HLA-A, B and DRB1 loci.Allele frequency was calculated and compared using χ2 test or the Fisher's exact test. A corrected P value was calculated with a bonferronis correction. Odds Ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated by Woolf’s method. Results: A total of 11 HLA-A, 23 HLA-B and 12 HLA-DRB1 alleles were identified in the patient group, whereas 15 HLA-A, 30 HLA-B and 13 HLA-DRB1 alleles were detected in the control group. The frequencies of A*30 and B*13 in the SFTS patient group were lower than that in the control group (P = 0.0341 and 0.0085, Pc = 0.5115 and 0.252). The ORs of A*30 and B*13 in the SFTS patient group were 0.54 and 0.49, respectively. The frequency of two-locus haplotype A*30-B*13 was lower in the patient group than in the control group(5.59% versus 12.27%, P = 0.037,OR = 0.41, 95%CI = 0.18–0.96) without significance(Pc>0.05). A*30-B*13-DRB1*07 and A*02-B*15-DRB1*04 had strong associations with SFTS resistance and susceptibility respectively (Pc = 0.0412 and 0.0001,OR = 0.43 and 5.07). Conclusion: The host HLA class I polymorphism might play an important role with the occurrence of SFTS. Negative associations were observed with HLA-A*30, HLA-B*13 and Haplotype A*30-B*13, although the associations were not statistically significant. A*30-B*13-DRB1*07 had negative correlation with the occurrence of SFTS; in contrast, haplotype A*02-B*15-DRB1*04 was positively correlated with SFTS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autophagy involves the sequestration and lysosomal degradation of various cytoplasmic structures, including damaged organelles and invading microorganisms. Autophagy is not only an essential cell-intrinsic mechanism for protecting against internal and external stress conditions but is also key in the cellular response against microbes, in antigen processing for major histocompatibility complex (MHC) presentation, and in lymphocyte development, survival, and proliferation. In recent years, perturbations in autophagy have been implicated in a number of diseases, including autoimmune diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and multiple sclerosis (MS). Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is a multifactorial disease characterized by autoimmune responses to self-platelet membrane proteins. Recently, our unpublished original data demonstrated aberrant expression of molecules in the autophagy pathway in ITP patients compared with controls, and we found a close correlation between the pathogenesis of ITP and the autophagy pathway. The potential of targeting the autophagy pathway in ITP as a novel therapeutic approach has been discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Healable, electrically conductive materials are highly desirable and valuable for the development of various modern electronics. But the preparation of a material combining good mechanical elasticity, functional properties, and intrinsic self-healing ability remains a great challenge. Here, we design composites by connecting a polymer network and single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) through host-guest interactions. The resulting materials show bulk electrical conductivity, proximity sensitivity, humidity sensitivity and are able to self-heal without external stimulus under ambient conditions rapidly. Furthermore, they also possess elasticity comparable to commercial rubbers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Healable, electrically conductive materials are highly desirable and valuable for the development of various modern electronics. But the preparation of a material combining good mechanical elasticity, functional properties, and intrinsic self-healing ability remains a great challenge. Here, we design composites by connecting a polymer network and single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) through host-guest interactions. The resulting materials show bulk electrical conductivity, proximity sensitivity, humidity sensitivity and are able to self-heal without external stimulus under ambient conditions rapidly. Furthermore, they also possess elasticity comparable to commercial rubbers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biotransformation of a series of steroid compounds (estradiol, estrone, androst-4-en-3,17-dione, testosterone, canrenone, 16α,17α-epoxyprogesterone and progesterone) with Colletotrichum lini ST-1 as biocatalyst was investigated. With the exception of estradiol, estrone and progesterone, the microorganism could selectively hydroxylate steroid substrates (4 g/L) with 70–85% conversion rate and 60–76% total products yield. The different hydroxylation sites between androst-4-en-3,17-dione ( 3 ) and testosterone ( 4 ) suggested that the hydroxyl group or carbonyl group on the substrate at C17 had profound influence on the location of introduced hydroxyl groups. Transformations of 3-keto-steroid ( 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 and 7 ) included monohydroxylation or dihydroxylation at 11α and 15α positions, while hydroxylations of 3-hydroxy-steroid (DHEA) were hydroxylation at 7α and 15α positions. Moreover, time course experiments demonstrated dihydroxylation of androst-4-en-3,17-dione ( 3 ), canrenone ( 5 ) and 16α,17α-epoxyprogesterone ( 6 ) were all initiated by hydroxylation on ring-D (C15) followed by attack on ring-C (C11). In this study, several new hydroxylation products were discovered, including 11α,15α-dihydroxyandrost-4-en-3,17-dione ( 9 ), 11α,15α-dihydroxy-canrenone ( 12 ) and 11α,15α-dihydroxy-16α,17α-epoxyprogesterone ( 14 ). The breadth of substrate spectrum and the excellent conversion rates achieved with this fungus indicated that C. lini ST-1 was a potential microorganism for production of valuable pharmaceutical ingredients and precursors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydroxylation of DHEA to 7α,15α-diOH-DHEA was catalyzed by NADPH-dependent cytochrome P450 monooxygenase from Colletotrichum lini . By adding coenzyme precursor nicotinic acid, the NADPH/NADP ratio was significantly increased, and the 7α,15α-diOH-DHEA molar conversion was enhanced from 37.37% to 50.85%. To improve the availability of intracellular NADPH, a dual cosubstrate-coupled system consisting of nicotinic acid and glucose was investigated in C. lini . Using 20 mM nicotinic acid and 15 g/L glucose as cosubstrate for NADPH regeneration, the 7α,15α-diOH-DHEA molar conversion was dramatically increased by 74.58%. The conversion course was simultaneously shortened by 30 h. Moreover, a fed-batch transformation model was established to diminish DHEA toxicity to C. lini and further increase DHEA concentration. The maximum concentration of DHEA was elevated to 15 g/L using a three-batch transformation in a coenzyme regeneration system, and 7α,15α-diOH-DHEA production of 11.21 g/L could be achieved after 60 h of biotransformation. These results demonstrated that this strategy was promising for steroids hydroxylation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A high-efficiency expression system of PLD in B. subtilis was constructed. • Optimized culture strategy achieved a high PLD activity of 4055.9 U/mL and a production efficiency of 52.0 U/mL/h. • An optimal phosphatidic acid production of 219.1 g/L was achieved. Although Bacillus subtilis shows promise as a potential microbial cell factory for phospholipase D (PLD) expression, its production capacity remains insufficient. In this study, a secretory expression system, by co-optimization the promoter and signal peptides and employing a fed-batch fermentation strategy, was constructed to enhance expression of PLD from separate sources. The highest PLD production of 4056.9 U/mL was observed using this system, with a PLD production efficiency of 52.0 U/mL/h. Finally, a phosphatidic acid (PA) biosynthesis system was established using the constructed PLD as a catalyst, which achieved a PA yield of 219.1 g/L. This is the highest PLD production and PA yield reported globally to date. The protocol has significant potential for application for industrial PLD production as well as enzymatic phospholipids modification and also provides a valuable reference for overexpressing proteins in B. subtilis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: The evolutionary origin of the phytochrome genes in soybean was analyzed. The expression profiles ofPHYA paralogs were characterized. The heterologous expression ofGmPHYA1 in Arabidopsis resulted in longer hypocotyls.The phytochromes (PHY) are a small family of red/far-red light photoreceptors which regulate a number of important developmental responses in plants. So far, the members of the PHY gene family in soybean ( Glycine max) remain unclear and an understanding of each member’s physiological functions is limited. Our present in silico analysis revealed that the soybean genome harbors four PHYA, two PHYB and two PHYE, totally four pairs of eight PHY loci. The phylogenetic analysis suggested that the four PHY paralogous pairs originated from the latest round of genome duplication (~13 million years ago) and the four copies of PHYA were remnants of the two rounds of genome duplication (~58 and ~13 million years ago). A possible evolutionary history of PHYA homologs in the three legume species (soybean, Medicago truncatula, and Lotus japonicus) was proposed and the fate of duplicate soybean PHYA genes following polyploidization was discussed. The expression profiles of a soybean PHYA paralogous pair ( GmPHYA1 and GmPHYA2) showed that the transcript abundance was highest in the aerial organs of young plants. The physiological role of GmPHYA1 was explored by observing the de-etiolation phenotype of transgenic Arabidopsis plants constitutively expressing GmPHYA1. The GmPHYA1 protein interfered with the function of endogenous PHYA with respect to de-etiolation in a dominant negative manner when exogenously expressed in Arabidopsis. The elucidation of the PHY gene family members in soybean provide us with a general description and understanding of the photoreceptor gene family in this important crop plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]