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Heavy metal pollution poses a serious threat to crops growth and yield. Recently, nanoparticles (NPs) have emerged as a promising strategy to mitigate the negative effect of heavy metal on crop growth. This study investigated the beneficial effects of copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) on the morphological and physiological-biochemical traits of rice seedlings (Oryza sativa L.) under cadmium (Cd) stress. The results demonstrated that the application of CuO NPs increased the contents of nutrition elements in shoots and roots as well as photosynthetic pigments, consequently improving the growth of rice seedlings under Cd stress, especially at low level of Cd stress. Meanwhile, CuO NPs obviously decreased the Cd accumulation in the rice seedlings and immobilized Cd in less toxic chemical forms and subcellular compartments. Moreover, CuO NPs modulated the antioxidant system, ameliorating oxidative damage and membrane injury caused by Cd. Multivariate analysis established correlations between physio-biochemical parameters and further revealed the mitigation of Cd damage to rice seedlings by CuO NPs was associated with inhibition Cd accumulation, altering Cd chemical form and subcellular distribution, increasing the contents of mineral nutrients, photosynthetic pigments and secondary metabolites and antioxidant enzyme activities, and reducing oxidative damage. Overall, the present study indicated that CuO NPs could effectively reduce the Cd toxicity to rice seedlings, demonstrating their potential application in agricultural production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Co-composting of chicken manure and edible mushroom residue inoculated with oxytetracycline-degrading strain T4 was conducted to reduce the risk of residual oxytetracycline and tetracycline resistance genes (TRGs) to the ecological environment. Materials and methods: Three treatments (CK: without bacteria agent T4 inoculated; AM: 1% bacteria agent T4 inoculated in mesophilic phase; AC: 1% bacteria agent T4 inoculated in cooling phase) were set to investigate dynamics of physicochemical properties, microbial composition, and antibiotic and antibiotic resistance genes. Results and discussion: The bacteria agent T4 inoculated in the mesophilic phase was conductive to the reservation of nutrients and maturity of chicken manure and improved oxytetracycline degradation (t1/2 was 2.77 days, and the total degradation rate was 80.78%). Bacterial community dynamic analysis showed that strain T4 reduced microbial richness and diversity in composting. In addition, the bacteria agent T4 could reduce the relative abundance of encoding efflux pump (EFP) TRGs significantly, and inoculated in the mesophilic phase was better than the cooling phase while having little effect on ribosomal protection protein (RPP) TRGs and enzymatic inactivation (EI) TRG. Conclusions: Inoculation of strain T4 in the initial stage of composting could be a promising technology to solve the problem of oxytetracycline residue and its resistance genes in chicken manure. It was also found that the abundance of TRGs was affected by bacterial composition and dynamic, which was affected by the physicochemical properties of composting and fates of oxytetracycline, and vice versa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pine wilt disease (PWD) poses a significant threat to global pine resources because of its rapid spread and management challenges. This study uses high-resolution helicopter imagery and the deep learning model You Only Look Once version 7 (YOLO v7) to detect symptomatic trees in forests. Attention mechanism technology from artificial intelligence is integrated into the model to enhance accuracy. Comparative analysis indicates that the YOLO v7-SE model exhibited the best performance, with a precision rate of 0.9281, a recall rate of 0.8958, and an F1 score of 0.9117. This study demonstrates efficient and precise automatic detection of symptomatic trees in forest areas, providing reliable support for prevention and control efforts, and emphasizes the importance of attention mechanisms in improving detection performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dental caries is one of the most common chronic diseases worldwide. Streptococcus mutans and Candida albicans are two major pathogens associated with dental caries. Several recent studies revealed that Lactobacillus plantarum inhibits S. mutans and C. albicans in biofilms and in a rodent model of dental caries. The aim of this study was to investigate the dose-dependent effect of L. plantarum against S. mutans and C. albicans in a planktonic model that simulated a high-caries-risk clinical condition. Mono-, dual-, and multi-species models were utilized, with five doses of L. plantarum (ranging from 1.0 × 104 to 1.0 × 108 CFU/mL). Real-time PCR was used to assess the expression of the virulence genes of C. albicans and S. mutans and the genes of L. plantarum. Student's t-tests and one-way ANOVA, followed by post hoc tests, were employed to compare the cell viability and gene expression among groups. A dose-dependent inhibition on C. albicans and S. mutans was observed with increased dosages of L. plantarum. L. plantarum at 108 CFU/mL demonstrated the highest antibacterial and antifungal inhibitory effect in the dual- and multi-species models. Specifically, at 20 h, the growth of C. albicans and S. mutans was suppressed by 1.5 and 5 logs, respectively (p < 0.05). The antifungal and antibacterial effects were attenuated in lower doses of L. plantarum (104–107 CFU/mL). The expression of C. albicans HWP1 and ECE 1 genes and S. mutans lacC and lacG genes were significantly downregulated with an added 108 CFU/mL of L. plantarum (p < 0.05). The addition of 108 CFU/mL L. plantarum further inhibited the hyphae or pseudohyphae formation of C. albicans. In summary, L. plantarum demonstrated dose-dependent antifungal and antibacterial effects against C. albicans and S. mutans. L. plantarum emerged as a promising candidate for the creation of novel antimicrobial probiotic products targeting dental caries prevention. Further research is warranted to identify the functional metabolites produced by L. plantarum at different dosages when interacting with C. albicans and S. mutans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Tooth whitening is a relatively conservative and effective option to treat discolored teeth. However, questions remain whether in-office or at-home tooth whitening products with short treatment durations are as effective and stable as products with longer treatment durations. Materials and Methods: Forty human third molars with intact enamel surfaces were divided into four groups of ten each, subjected to discoloration challenges with coffee for 60 h, and they were treated with four professional tooth whitening systems: two for take-home use—6% hydrogen peroxide for 30 min/d for a total of 7 h in 14 days (HP6), 10% carbamide peroxide for 10 h/d for 140 h in 14 days (CP10), as well as two for in-office use—35% HP for 10 min × 3 (HP35) for a total of 30 min and 40% HP for 20 min × 3 (HP40) for a total of 60 min. Teeth colors were assessed in the CIE L*a*b* color space with a spectrophotometer immediately and six months after whitening treatments. Surface roughness (Sa) for the treated and untreated enamel surfaces of the teeth in all groups were evaluated with a three-dimensional laser scanning microscope after six months. Results: No significant differences were found between HP6 and CP10 groups immediately after whitening (∆E 10.6 ± 1.6 vs. 11.4 ± 1.7, p > 0.05) and at six months after treatments (∆E 9.0 ± 1.9 vs. 9.2 ± 2.5, p > 0.05), or between HP35 and HP40 groups immediately after whitening (∆E 5.9 ± 1.2 vs. 5.3 ± 1.7, p > 0.05) and at six months after treatments (∆E 7.2 ± 1.6 vs. 7.7 ± 1.3, p > 0.05). The two at-home whitening systems achieved significantly better whitening outcomes than the two in-office products immediately after whitening (p < 0.05). However, at six months after treatments, the differences between at-home and in-office treatments had narrowed significantly (p > 0.05). There were no statistically significant differences with respect to the Sa values between the treated and untreated surfaces (p > 0.05). Conclusions: Tooth whitening products in the same product category have similar whitening efficacies, despite significant differences in treatment durations (7 vs. 140 h, and 30 min vs. 60 min, respectively). Take-home products achieved better whitening outcomes than in-office products, but they needed 14 to 280 times longer treatment durations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecological approaches can help to correct oral microbial dysbiosis and drive the advent and persistence of a symbiotic oral microbiome, which benefits long-term dental caries control. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of the prebiotic Galacto-oligosaccharide (GOS) on the growth of probiotics L. plantarum 14,917 and its effect on the inhibitory ability of L. plantarum 14,917 against the growth of Streptococcus mutans and Candida albicans in an in vitro model. Single-species growth screenings were conducted in TSBYE broth with 1% glucose and 1–5% GOS. Interaction experiments were performed using duo- and multi-species models with inoculation of 105 CFU/mL S. mutans, 103 CFU/mL C. albicans, and 108 CFU/mL L. plantarum 14,917 under 1%, 5% GOS or 1% glucose. Viable cells and pH changes were measured. Real-time PCR was utilized to assess expression of C. albicans and S. mutans virulence genes. Six replicates were used for each group. Student's t-test, one-way ANOVA, and Kruskal-Wallis were employed to compare the outcomes of different groups. GOS significantly inhibited the growth of C. albicans and S. mutans in terms of growth quantity and speed when the two strains were grown individually. However, GOS did not affect the growth of L. plantarum 14,917. Moreover, 1% and 5% GOS enhanced the anti-fungal performance of L. plantarum 14,917 in comparison to 1% glucose. GOS as the carbon source resulted in a less acidic environment in the C. albicans and S. mutans duo-species model and multispecies model where L. plantarum 14,917 was added. When GOS was utilized as the carbohydrate substrate, S. mutans and C. albicans had a significant reduction in the expression of the HWP1, ECE1, atpD, and eno genes (p < 0.05). To our knowledge, this is the first study that reported the ability of GOS to neutralize S. mutans-C. albicans high caries of medium pH and to disrupt virulence gene expression. Moreover, as a prebiotic, GOS augmented the inhibitory ability of L. plantarum against C. albicans in vitro. The current study revealed the anti-caries potential of prebiotics GOS and shed light on novel caries prevention strategies from the perspective of prebiotics and probiotics. These findings provide a rationale for future biofilm or clinical studies to elucidate the effect of GOS on modulating oral microbiota and caries control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effectiveness of nitric oxide (NO) for control of grey spot rot cause by Pestalotiopsis eriobotryfolia in harvested loquat fruit and its probable mechanisms have been investigated. The results showed that NO donor sodium nitroprusside (SNP) did not evidently inhibit mycelial growth and spore germination of P. eriobotryfolia, but resulted in a low disease incidence and small lesion diameter. SNP resulted in a higher hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) level in the early stage after inoculation and a lower H2O2 level in the latter period by regulating the activities of superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase and catalase. At the same time, SNP enhanced the activities of chitinase, β-1,3-glucanase, phenylalanine ammonialyase, polyphenoloxidase, and total phenolic content in loquat fruit. However, SNP treatment inhibited the activities of cell wall-modifying enzymes and the modification of cell wall components. Our results suggested that NO treatment might have potential in reducing grey spot rot of postharvest loquat fruit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green synthesis offers an environmentally friendly and cost-effective alternative for the synthesis of copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs). In this study, the synthesis of CuO NPs was optimized by using copper sulfate (CuSO4) and the aqueous extract of Alpinia officinarum and its antifungal activity were investigated. The synthesized CuO NPs were characterized by UV–visible spectroscopy (UV–vis), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared radiation spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results showed that the optimized conditions for the synthesis of CuO NPs were 1:2 ratio of extract and CuSO4 solution, pH 7, and 30 °C. The characteristic UV–vis peak of A. officinarum synthesized CuO NPs was at 264 nm. The synthesized CuO NPs had high crystallinity and purity and were spherical in morphology with the mean size of 46.40 nm. The synthesized CuO NPs reduced the fungal growth of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides in a dose-dependent manner. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) of the CuO NPs were 125 μg·mL−1 and 500 μg·mL−1, respectively. The antifungal activity of CuO NPs may be attributed to its ability to deform the structure of fungal hyphae, induce excessive reactive oxygen species accumulation and lipid peroxidation in fungi, disrupt the mycelium cell membrane, and result cellular leakage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The removal potential of cadmium (Cd(II)) from aqueous solution by waste mango kernel biochar (MKB) was investigated for the first time. MKB was prepared by pyrolyzing mango kernel waste at 300–700 °C for 2 h. The effects of pyrolysis temperature on physicochemical characteristics of MKB were described by Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET), scanning electron micrographs with energy dispersive system (SEM–EDS), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and X-ray diffractometer (XRD). Batch adsorption experiments were also performed to study adsorption properties for Cd(II) of MKB. The results indicated that the pH, C content, specific surface area, and pore volume increased obviously with the pyrolysis temperature increased, while the element ratio and surface functional groups decreased. The variation of Cd(II) adsorption capacity with time and initial concentration were better fitted by pseudo-second-order and Langmuir isotherm models, respectively, indicating that the MKB adsorption process was a monolayer adsorption dominated by chemical adsorption. Increasing the pyrolysis temperature increased the maximum adsorption capacity and MKB700 had the highest Langmuir sorption capacity for Cd(II) (27.81 mg g−1) at pH 6.0. Multiple consecutive adsorption–desorption cycles revealed the good reusability of MKB. Further analysis showed that the Cd(II) adsorption mechanism on MKB700 was primarily attributed to complexation reaction with functional groups, ion exchange, and precipitation reaction. This study demonstrated that MKB could be a low-cost and recyclable adsorbent, which could be a promising method of mango kernel waste resourceful treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Exercise is a known trigger of the inhibitory pain modulation system and its analgesic effect is termed exercise‐induced hypoalgesia (EIH). Previous studies have demonstrated that rats with deficient analgesic response following exercise develop more significant hypersensitivity following nerve injury compared to rats with substantial analgesic response following exercise. Objectives: A rat model of EIH as an indicator of the pain inhibitory system's efficiency was used to explore the association between EIH profiles and the effect of pharmacotherapy on rat's neuropathic pain. Methods: EIH profiles were assessed by evaluating paw responses to mechanical stimuli before and after exercise on a rotating rod. Rats with a reduction of ≤33% in responses were classified as low EIH and those with ≥67% as high EIH. Low and high EIH rats underwent sciatic nerve chronic constriction injury (CCI). Paw responses to mechanical stimuli were measured at baseline, following CCI, and after treatment with diclofenac, duloxetine or pregabalin. In a different group of low and high EIH rats, EIH was measured before and following treatment with the same medications. Results: Low EIH rats developed more significant hypersensitivity following CCI. Duloxetine and pregabalin successfully reduced hypersensitivity, although significantly more so in low EIH rats. Diclofenac had limited effects, and only on low EIH rats. Four days of duloxetine administration transformed low EIH rats' profiles to high EIH. Conclusions: The findings of this study suggest that EIH profiles in rats can not only predict the development of hypersensitivity following injury but may also support targeted pharmacological treatment. Significance: Exercise is a known trigger of the inhibitory pain modulation. Rats with deficient analgesic response following exercise develop more significant hypersensitivity following nerve injury. Pain modulation profiles in rats can also support targeted pharmacological treatment; rats with deficient analgesic response following exercise benefit more from treatment with duloxetine and gabapentin. Treatment with duloxetine can improve pain modulation profile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic cheilitis (CC) is a spectrum of inflammatory changes of unknown etiology that affect the vermilion of the lips. This study aimed to describe the epidemiology, clinical presentations and risk factors of CC. Patients with CC were recruited from the National Clinical Research Center for Oral Disease of China. A convenience sample of inhabitants who live in the same geographical region were recruited as the control group. The lip skin transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and capacitance of CC patients were compared with that of age- and gender-matched controls. Our results demonstrated that of the 109 patients with CC, 72 (66.1%; 95% CI: 57.0–75.1%) were female. The common clinical presentations of CC consisted of desquamation (n = 99; 90.8%), and/or chapping (n = 81; 74.3%), and/or pruritus (n = 64; 58.7%). Multivariable analysis showed that allergic dermatologic diseases (P < 0.001; OR: 4.5; 95% CI: 2.4–8.4), anemia (P = 0.001; OR: 3.3; 95% CI: 1.5–7.5), and indoor/outdoor alternate working environment (P < 0.001; OR: 2.1; 95% CI: 1.5–2.8) were the significant risk factors for CC. The mean lip skin TEWL was found to be significantly higher, while the capacitance was lower in CC patients compared to that of control individuals. This study provides insights into the etiopathogenesis of CC and may help clinicians to identify the most effective management strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought is a major abiotic stress factor affecting plant growth and production, while utilizing beneficial endophytic fungi is one of the most promising strategies for enhancing plant growth and drought tolerance. In the current study, a pot experiment was conducted to investigate the beneficial effects of dark septate endophyte (DSE) (Macrophomina pseudophaseolina, Paraphoma radicina) and Trichoderma (Trichoderma afroharzianum, Trichoderma longibrachiatum) inoculum on Astragalus mongholicus grown in sterile soil under drought stress, alone, or in combination. The addition of Trichoderma enhanced the DSE colonization in roots regardless of the water condition. Under well-watered conditions, M. pseudophaseolina inoculation significantly enhanced the biomass and root length of A. mongholicus. The two DSE and Trichoderma inoculum significantly improved calycosin-7-O-β-D-glucoside content. However, M. pseudophaseolina + T. afroharzianum inoculation better promoted root growth, whereas co-inoculation had higher active ingredient contents compared with single inoculation, except for P. radicina + T. afroharzianum. Under drought stress, DSE and Trichoderma inoculum significantly improved root biomass, root length, calycosin-7-O-β-D-glucoside content, and activities of nitrate reductase and soil urease. P. radicina + T. afroharzianum and P. radicina + T. longibrachiatum better increased root length, and all combinations of DSE and Trichoderma had a greater impact on the increase in formononetin content compared with the single treatments. Additionally, Trichoderma relies on antioxidant enzymes, growth hormones, and the redox system (ascorbic acid–glutathione) to resist drought, while DSE strains have an additional osmotic regulation system in addition to the drought resistance function possessed by Trichoderma, and the effect of co-inoculation (especially M. pseudophaseolina + T. longibrachiatum and P. radicina + T. afroharzianum) on plant physiological parameters was greater than that of single inoculation. This study provides a new research direction for the effects of DSE and Trichoderma on medicinal plant cultivated in dryland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogel is frequently used as a solid electrolyte for all solid‐state supercapacitors (SCs) because of its liquid‐like ion‐transport property and high conformability. However, due to the higher water content, the hydrogel electrolyte undergoes inevitable freezing and/or dehydration with climate change. Herein, polypyrrole/carbon all‐solid‐state SCs (PCSCs) were developed based on a hierarchical polypyrrole/carbon nanotube electrode and a highly stretchable double‐network polymer hydrogel electrolyte with LiCl/ethylene glycol as a mixed solvent. The PCSCs showed excellent electrochemical performance and cycle stability with a wide operating temperature. The specific capacitances could reach 202.2 and 112.3 mF cm−2 at current densities of 0.5 and 3.0 mA cm−2, respectively. Meanwhile, the PCSCs showed outstanding mechanical properties in maintaining a high areal capacitance under deformations of bending and tension. The excellent water retention of the device also ensured the stable electrochemical performance of PCSCs in a wide temperature range (30–80°C), which could potentially represent a reliable application in various harsh environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogel is a potential matrix material of electronic-skins (E-skins) because of its excellent ductility, tunability, and biocompatibility. However, hydrogel-based E-Skins will inevitably lose their sensing performance in practical applications for water loss, physical damage, and ambient interferences. It remains a challenge to manufacture highly durable gel-based E-skins. Herein, an E-Skin is fabricated by introducing ionic liquids (ILs) into MXene-composited binary polymer network. The obtained ionic gel shows excellent mechanical properties, strong adhesion, and superior tolerance to harsh environments. The E-skin exhibits high sensitivity to both strain and pressure in a wide range of deformations, which enables a monitoring function for various human motions and physiological activities. Importantly, the E-skin shows consistent electrical response after being stored in the open air for 30 days and can be quickly healed by irradiation with 808 nm near-infrared light, originating from the photo-thermal effect induced self-healing acceleration. It is noteworthy that the E-skin also reveals a highly sensitive perception of temperature and near-infrared light, displaying the promising potential applications in the multifunctional flexible sensor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lead (Pb) poses an adverse effect on plant growth and development. Glycinebetaine (GB) plays an important role in plants response to stress environment. The study was performed to examine the potential of exogenous GB (0.5, 1, 2, and 5 mM) in alleviating Pb toxicity, the physiological and biochemical responses in pakchoi under 100 μM Pb stress by hydroponic experiment. Pb stress significantly decreased the growth, contents of pigment and mineral nutrient, and activities of antioxidative enzymes (CAT, SOD, and APX) in roots and shoots of pakchoi, while it caused a significant increase in Pb and ROS accumulation both in roots and shoots of pakchoi in comparison to the control. Exogenous application of GB improved leaf and root length, fresh and dry weight, mineral nutrient, and pigment contents of pakchoi under Pb stress. GB also effectively enhanced antioxidative enzyme activities and the accumulation of proline, soluble sugar, and GB and reduced the oxidative stress and Pb contents in shoots and roots of pakchoi. Principle component analysis (PCA) provided useful information on the classification of Pb tolerance according to the response to GB. Overall, the 1 mM GB was more effective to ameliorate the detrimental impacts of Pb stress. These findings suggested that GB application might be considered an effective strategy for alleviating Pb toxicity and enhancing the tolerance of pakchoi plants under Pb stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evolution of mining-induced stress field in longwall panel is closely related to the fracture field and the breaking characteristics of strata. Few laboratory experiments have been conducted to investigate the stress field. This study investigated its evolution by constructing a large-scale physical model according to the in situ conditions of the longwall panel. Theoretical analysis was used to reveal the mechanism of stress distribution in the overburden. The modelling results showed that: (1) The major principal stress field is arch-shaped, and the strata overlying both the solid zones and gob constitute a series of coordinated load-bearing structures. The stress increasing zone is like a macro stress arch. High stress is especially concentrated on both shoulders of the arch-shaped structure. The stress concentration of the solid zone in front of the gob is higher than the rear solid zone. (2) The characteristics of the vertical stress field in different regions are significantly different. Stress decreases in the zone above the gob and increases in solid zones on both sides of it. The mechanical analysis show that for a given stratum, the trajectories of principal stress are arch-shaped or inversely-arched, referred to as the "principal stress arch", irrespective of its initial breaking or periodic breaking, and determines the fracture morphology. That is, the trajectories of tensile principal stress are inversely arched before the first breaking of the strata, and cause the breaking lines to resemble an inverted funnel. In case of periodic breaking, the breaking line forms an obtuse angle with the advancing direction of the panel. Good agreement was obtained between the results of physical modeling and the theoretical analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To describe the characteristics of major aphthous ulcers (MjOU) in children and analyze its potential risk factors. Materials and methods: Data were collected from the National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases of China between 2012 and 2017. Children younger than 15 years old, who had a giant mucosa ulcer (≥ 1 cm in diameter) and met the diagnostic criteria for MjOU were included in this study. Differences were compared between two subgroups of patients based on the location of the ulcerous lesions. A measurement of ratio (TBR) between the length of the mandibular second molar tooth germ and the height of the mandible was performed in children with MjOU lesions located in the mandibular retromolar pad region (MjOU-P) and their age- and sex-matched controls. Results: A total of 1067 children were diagnosed with oral ulcers during the study period, of which 125 (11.7%, 95% CI: 9.8%–13.7%) met the diagnostic criteria for MjOU. More than half (n = 64, 51.2%) of the MjOU cases were MjOU-P, which had a male predilection (n = 52, 81.3%) with a significant majority at 7 to 9 years of age (n = 43, 67.2%). In comparison to the MjOU located in other regions, MjOU-P lasted longer in duration and had more comorbidities. Logistic regression analysis showed that MjOU-P was statistically significantly associated with TBR controlling age and gender. Conclusions: MjOU-P is a predominant form of MjOU in children and is a distinct subgroup of major ulcers that is likely associated with the development of the mandibular second molars. Clinical relevance: This study is the first to describe the demographic and clinical features of MjOU in children, which may facilitate the identification and treatment of these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wide application of nanoparticles causes considerable environmental, health, and safety problems. However, their potential impact and mechanisms on plant growth are not completely clear. In the present study, the effects of different concentration of copper oxide nanoparticles (nCuO) on seed germination and seedling growth, as well as physiological parameters of Brassica pekinensis L., were investigated. The seeds were exposed to 10-, 100-, and 1000-mg L−1 nCuO suspensions and 0.8-mg L−1 Cu2+ released from 1000-mg L−1 nCuO for 7 day. The results showed that nCuO did not affect the germination rate, germination potential, and germination index of B. pekinensis but significantly affected the vitality index. The growth of roots and shoots of B. pekinensis was promoted at 10-mg L−1 nCuO, while they were inhibited under 1000-mg L−1 nCuO and Cu2+ ion treatments, and roots suffered more damage than shoots. Cu content in shoots and roots of B. pekinensis increased with increasing concentrations of nCuO, which is significantly higher in roots as compared with shoots. Roots and shoots accumulated more Cu under nCuO treatments compared with Cu2+ ion treatment. nCuO treatments led to significant lignification in roots of B. pekinensis. Furthermore, nCuO increased in the contents of soluble sugar and protein in shoots, while nCuO at 1000 mg L−1 significantly inhibited the content of soluble protein in roots. In addition, concentration-dependent augmentation of lipid peroxidation, hydrogen peroxide and superoxide generation, and antioxidant enzyme activity were noticed in shoots and roots of B. pekinensis seedlings under nCuO and Cu2+ ion treatments. Altogether, the results strongly suggested that the phytotoxicity of nCuO in B. pekinensis was caused by both the nanoparticles itself and the released Cu2+ ions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploring cost‐efficient, high‐active bifunctional electrochemical catalysts with long‐term stability are significant for green economy. Herein, a noble‐metal‐free sandwich‐structured catalyst, prepared with facile hydrothermal method and phosphorization process, in which the amorphous MoSx serves as an intermediate layer between the Fe‐doped Ni2P and Ni foam substrate (Fe‐Ni2P/MoSx/NF) is reported. The obtained free‐standing catalyst performs an enhanced electrochemical activity compared with Fe‐Ni2P/NF and MoSx/NF. The Fe‐Ni2P/MoSx/NF catalyst only requires overpotentials of 246 mV to achieve 10 mA cm−2 and 277 mV to reach 50 mA cm−2 for oxygen evolution reaction process with a low Tafel slope of 59.7 mV dec−1 in alkaline solution. Meanwhile, an overpotential of 112 mV is demanded to reach 10 mA cm−2 for hydrogen evolution reaction. When the Fe‐Ni2P/MoSx/NF is used as two electrodes for overall water splitting, it requires 1.61 V to attain 10 mA cm−2 with prominent durability. This approach provides a versatile strategy to construct excellent bifunctional catalysts for effective water electrolysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing utilization of copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) and their release into the environment has made it imperative to elucidate their impact on the ecological system including plants. However, their potential toxic impact and mechanisms on plant growth are still unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of CuO NPs and released Cu ions on seed germination and early seedling growth, as well as physiological and biochemical parameters of Oryza sativa. The results showed that CuO NPs at high concentration significantly inhibited seed germination and early seedling growth. The toxicity of CuO NPs originated from the particulate NPs rather than the released Cu2+. The phytotoxicity of CuO NPs to rice seed germination and seedling growth probably induced by high Cu accumulation along with the lignification and oxidative damage. The work presented here will increase our knowledge of phytotoxicity of CuO NPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While primary care providers in New York State (NYS) are mandated to offer all patients a HIV test, still many NYS residents miss the HIV screening opportunity. To fill the gap, and as the CDC recommends, this study aimed to examine the feasibility of implementing HIV screening in dental setting, identify patient characteristics associated with acceptance of HIV rapid testing, and discuss best practices of HIV screening in dental setting. New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) collaborated with the Northeast/Caribbean AIDS Education and Training Center (NECA AETC) and three dental schools in New York State to offer free HIV screening tests as a component of routine dental care between February 2016 and March 2018. Ten clinics in upstate New York and Long Island participated in the study. HIV screening was performed using the OraQuick™ In-Home HIV Test. 14,887 dental patients were offered HIV screening tests; 9,057 (60.8%) were screened; and one patient (0.011%) was confirmed HIV positive and linked to medical care. Of all dental patients, 33% had never been screened for HIV; and 56% had not had a primary care visit or had not been offered an HIV screening test by primary care providers in the previous 12 months. Multi-level generalized linear modeling analysis indicated that test acceptance was significantly associated with patient's age, race/ethnicity, gender, country of origin, primary payer (or insurance), past primary care visits, past HIV testing experiences, and the poverty level of patient's community. HIV screening is well accepted by dental patients and can be effectively integrated into routine dental care. HIV screening in the dental setting can be a good option for first-time testers, those who have not seen a primary care provider in the last 12 months, and those who have not been offered HIV screening at their last primary care visit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrocatalytic water splitting is one of the most promising green solutions for large‐scale hydrogen production, which has developed rapidly in recent years. The slow reaction rate of oxygen evolution reaction (OER) has become the bottleneck to improve the electrocatalytic efficiency. Herein, Fe‐doped CoF2 nanowire arrays on 3D nickel foam are prepared by two steps of hydrothermal reaction and fluorination process. The increased catalytic activity sites and accelerated charge transfer rate make the self‐supported Fe‐doped CoF2 electrode show excellent OER performance in alkaline electrolyte. An overpotential of 230 mV is only required to release a current density of 10 mA cm−2. The Tafel slope derived from the polarization curves is 59 mV dec−1, indicating outstanding electrochemical kinetics performance. A stable output current density of 84 mA cm−2 for more than 96 h is achieved under an invariant overpotential of 338 mV, attributing to the anion reconstruction making part of CoF2 transform into cobalt hydroxide and further improving its electrocatalytic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the advancement of early childhood caries (ECC) prediction and treatment, ECC remains a significant public health burden in need of more effective preventive strategies. Pregnancy is an ideal period to promote ECC prevention given the profound influence of maternal oral health and behaviors on children's oral health. However, studies have shown debatable results with respect to the effectiveness of ECC prevention by means of prenatal intervention. Therefore, this study systematically reviewed the scientific evidence relating to the association between prenatal oral health care, ECC incidence, and Streptococcus mutans carriage in children. Five studies (3 randomized control trials, 1 prospective cohort study, and 1 nested case-control study) were included for qualitative assessment. Tested prenatal oral health care included providing fluoride supplements, oral examinations/cleanings, oral health education, dental treatment referrals, and xylitol gum chewing. Four studies that assessed ECC incidence reduction were included in meta-analysis using an unconditional generalized linear mixed effects model with random study effects and age as a covariate. The estimated odds ratio and 95% confidence intervals suggested a protective effect of prenatal oral health care against ECC onset before 4 years of age: 0.12 (0.02, 0.77) at 1 year of age, 0.18 (0.05, 0.63) at 2 years of age, 0.25 (0.09, 0.64) at 3 years of age, and 0.35 (0.12, 1.00) at 4 years of age. Children's S. mutans carriage was also significantly reduced in the intervention group. Future studies should consider testing strategies that restore an expectant mother's oral health to a disease-free state during pregnancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: O‐Acetylated pectins are abundant in the primary cell wall of plants and growing evidence suggests they have important roles in plant cell growth and interaction with the environment. Despite their importance, genes required for O‐acetylation of pectins are still largely unknown. In this study, we showed that TRICHOME BIREFRINGENCE LIKE 10 (AT3G06080) is involved in O‐acetylation of pectins in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). The activity of the TBL10 promoter was strong in tissues where pectins are highly abundant (e.g. leaves). Two homozygous knock‐out mutants of Arabidopsis, tbl10‐1 and tbl10‐2, were isolated and shown to exhibit reduced levels of wall‐bound acetyl esters, equivalent of ~50% of the wild‐type level in pectin‐enriched fractions derived from leaves. Further fractionation revealed that the degree of acetylation of the pectin rhamnogalacturonan‐I (RG‐I) was reduced in the tbl10 mutant compared to the wild type, whereas the pectin homogalacturonan (HG) was unaffected. The degrees of acetylation in hemicelluloses (i.e. xyloglucan, xylan and mannan) were indistinguishable between the tbl10 mutants and the wild type. The mutant plants contained normal trichomes in leaves and exhibited a similar level of susceptibility to the phytopathogenic microorganisms Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000 and Botrytis cinerea; while they displayed enhanced tolerance to drought. These results indicate that TBL10 is required for O‐acetylation of RG‐I, possibly as an acetyltransferase, and suggest that O‐acetylated RG‐I plays a role in abiotic stress responses in Arabidopsis. Significance statement: TBL10 is required for O‐acetylation of rhamnogalacturonan‐I. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ZnAlO:Cr crystals were synthesized by using sol-gel method at 1000 °C. The results showed that with the concentration of Cr in spinel lattices increasing, the x-ray diffraction peaks shifted toward lower diffraction angles, and the grain size revealed a rapid increase and became invariable when the Cr dopant concentration was above 0.7 mol%. All the samples showed a series of emission peaks ranging from 660 to 730 nm assigned to spin-forbidden E→A transition of Cr ions in spinel lattices. The intensity of emission peaks revealed a strong dependence on the Cr concentration. An additional emission peak at 740 nm was present when the Cr ions concentration was above 0.5%. All emission peaks were quenched when the Cr concentration reaches 1.3 mol%. The results of x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) suggested that the Cr ions occupied the octahedral sites in spinel lattices, and with the Cr concentration increasing, the exchange interaction and coupling interaction between Cr-Cr were enhanced and the antisite defects related to Zn in octahedral sites increased. Graphical abstract: [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects and mechanisms of salicylic acid (SA) on defense response to Colletotrichum gloeosporioides from mango fruits were investigated by in vitro and in vivo test. In vitro experiment results showed that SA significantly reduced mycelial growth of C. gloeosporioides in a concentration-dependent manner. SA effectively controlled anthracnose decay on inoculated mango fruit, as well as natural infection. Disease incidence and lesion diameter in SA-treated fruit were significantly lower than those of the control fruit. SA treatment increased the activities of chitinase, β-1,3-glucanase, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase and polyphenoloxidase, and the content of total phenolic compounds and lignin in mango fruit. Moreover, SA treatment effectively maintained fruit firmness by suppressing conversion of insoluble protopectin into water soluble pectin. And correlation analysis showed there is a higher negative correlation between fruit firmness and disease incidence. These findings suggest that the effect of SA on postharvest diseases was attributed to its direct antimicrobial activity and the elicitation of resistant responses, as well maintaining the firmness in mango fruit. Therefore, SA treatment is a promising measure for controlling postharvest anthracnose rot in mango. Practical Applications Induction of fruit resistance against pathogenic infection with biological or chemical elicitors has been thought to be a promising approach for controlling of postharvest diseases and reducing the use of synthetic fungicides. Anthracnose, caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides is the predominant postharvest disease in mango production that causes severe postharvest losses and fruit quality deterioration. SA is a natural plant substance involved in plant defense responses to biotic stresses. The present results from in vitro and in vivo experiment suggested that SA treatment could effectively inhibit mycelial growth of C. gloeosporioides, enhance resistance of mango fruit against the pathogen and reduce anthracnose rot, as well maintain fruit firmness. Hence, SA can be applied in mango storage and preservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the effects of nitric oxide (NO) on quality, membrane lipid peroxidation, and antioxidant enzymes in mango ( Mangifera indica L. cv 'Tainong') fruit during ripening. Fruits were treated with 0.25 mmol·L sodium nitroprusside (SNP) by the immersion method and stored at 23°C for 20 days. SNP treatment significantly suppressed the respiration rate, enhanced fruit firmness, and decreased the rot index, peel color index, and weight loss in the fruit. This treatment also slowed the increase in soluble solids content (SSC) while maintaining high levels of titratable acidity (TA), ascorbic acid (AsA), and phenolic compounds. Furthermore, SNP treatment enhanced the antioxidant activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and peroxidase (POD) and reduced the activities of lipoxygenase (LOX) and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) in mango fruit, which was associated with the reduced accumulation of malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide anion radical (O), and hydrogen peroxide (HO) compared with the control. Therefore, the addition of exogenous SNP has the potential for improving quality and prolonging the shelf life of mango fruits by protecting them against oxidative damage caused by ROS during ripening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

B Correction to: Environmental Science and Pollution Research b https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-24225-9 The last 8 references of the article are in Chinese and should be changed to English. The original article can be found online at https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-24225-9. [Extracted from the article]

Introduction: Candida albicans has been detected together with Streptococcus mutans in high numbers in plaque-biofilm from children with early childhood caries (ECC). The goal of this study was to examine the C. albicans carriage in children with severe early childhood caries (S-ECC) and the maternal relatedness. Methods: Subjects in this pilot cross-sectional study were recruited based on a convenient sample. DMFT(S)/dmft(s) caries and plaque scores were assessed during a comprehensive oral exam. Social-demographic and related background information was collected through a questionnaire. Saliva and plaque sample from all children and mother subjects were collected. C. albicans were isolated by BBL™ CHROMagar™ and also identified using germ tube test. S. mutans was isolated using Mitis Salivarius with Bacitracin selective medium and identified by colony morphology. Genetic relatedness was examined using restriction endonuclease analysis of the C. albicans genome using BssHII (REAG-B). Multilocus sequence typing was used to examine the clustering information of isolated C. albicans. Spot assay was performed to examine the C. albicans Caspofungin susceptibility between S-ECC children and their mothers. All statistical analyses (power analysis for sample size, Spearman’s correlation coefficient and multiple regression analyses) were implemented with SAS 9.4 Results: A total of 18 S-ECC child-mother pairs and 17 caries free child-mother pairs were enrolled in the study. Results indicated high C. albicans carriage rate in the oral cavity (saliva and plaque) of both S-ECC children and their mothers (>80%). Spearman’s correlation coefficient also indicated a significant correlation between salivary and plaque C. albicans and S. mutans carriage (p<0.01) and caries severity (p<0.05). The levels of C. albicans in the prepared saliva and plaque sample (1ml resuspension) of S-ECC children were 1.3 ± 4.5 x104 cfu/ml and 1.2 ± 3.5 x104 cfu/ml (~3-log higher vs. caries-free children). Among 18 child-mother pairs, >60% of them demonstrated identical C. albicans REAG-B pattern. C. albicans isolated from >65% of child-mother pairs demonstrated similar susceptibility to caspofungin in spot assay, while no caspofungin resistant strains were seen when compared with C. albicans wild-type strain SC5314. Interestingly, the regression analysis showed that factors such as antibiotic usage, birth weight, inhaler use, brushing frequency, and daycare attendance had no significant effect on the oral carriage of C. albicans in the S-ECC children. Conclusions: Our results reveal that both the child with S-ECC and the mother were highly infected with C. albicans, while most of the strains were genetically related, suggesting that the mother might be a source for C. albicans acquisition in the oral cavity of children affected by the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ATP induces pain via activation of purinergic receptors in nociceptive sensory nerves. ATP signaling is terminated by ATP hydrolysis mediated by cell surface-localized ecto-nucleotidases. Using enzymatic histochemical staining, we show that ecto-ATPase activity is present in mouse trigeminal nerves. Using immunofluorescence staining, we found that ecto-NTPDase3 is expressed in trigeminal nociceptive neurons and their projections to the brainstem. In addition, ecto-ATPase activity and ecto-NTPDase3 are also detected in the nociceptive outermost layer of the trigeminal subnucleus caudalis. Furthermore, we demonstrate that incubation with anti-NTPDase3 serum reduces extracellular ATP degradation in the nociceptive lamina of both the trigeminal subnucleus caudalis and the spinal cord dorsal horn. These results are consistent with neuronal NTPDase3 activity modulating pain signal transduction and transmission by affecting extracellular ATP hydrolysis within the trigeminal nociceptive pathway. Thus, disruption of trigeminal neuronal NTPDase3 expression and localization to presynaptic terminals during chronic inflammation, local constriction and injury may contribute to the pathogenesis of orofacial neuropathic pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Bone grafts (sinus lift and/or ridge augmentation) may become an obstacle for some patients who desire implant treatment. The objective of this study was to evaluate the success of six- and eight-millimeters rough surface design short dental implants, for up to 2 years in function, when compared to conventional length (11 mm) implants. Materials and Methods A total of 25.6-, 20.8- and 35.11-mm length implants were placed and restored in 30 subjects (11 males, 19 females) between the age of 22 and 80, following a standard protocol. Implant mobility, crestal bone loss as well as periodontal parameters were evaluated immediately after restoration placement, at 6, 12 and 24 months. Results There was one failure of one 6-mm implant during the healing phase and one restorative failure. The median crestal bone loss at 24 months was 0.45 mm for the 6-mm implants, 0.55 mm for the 8 mm implants and 0.65 mm for the 11-mm implants. The success rate for 6-mm implants was 97% and for 8-mm and 11-mm implants 100%. Conclusions Based on this preliminary data, we conclude that rough surface design short dental implants (6 and 8 mm in length) have similar success rate when compared to 11-mm implants. Long-term data with larger number of implants and subjects are needed to confirm these results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Xylans constitute the main non-cellulosic polysaccharide in the secondary cell walls of plants. Several genes predicted to encode glycosyltransferases are required for the synthesis of the xylan backbone even though it is a homopolymer consisting entirely of β-1,4-linked xylose residues. The putative glycosyltransferases IRX9, IRX14, and IRX10 (or the paralogs IRX9L, IRX14L, and IRX10L) are required for xylan backbone synthesis in Arabidopsis. To investigate the function of IRX9, IRX9L, and IRX14, we identified amino acid residues known to be essential for catalytic function in homologous mammalian proteins and generated modified cDNA clones encoding proteins where these residues would be mutated. The mutated gene constructs were used to transform wild-type Arabidopsis plants and the irx9 and irx14 mutants, which are deficient in xylan synthesis. The ability of the mutated proteins to complement the mutants was investigated by measuring growth, determining cell wall composition, and microscopic analysis of stem cross-sections of the transgenic plants. The six different mutated versions of IRX9 and IRX9-L were all able to complement the irx9 mutant phenotype, indicating that residues known to be essential for glycosyltransferases function in homologous proteins are not essential for the biological function of IRX9/IRX9L. Two out of three mutated IRX14 complemented the irx14 mutant, including a mutant in the predicted catalytic amino acid. A IRX14 protein mutated in the substrate-binding DxD motif did not complement the irx14 mutant. Thus, substrate binding is important for IRX14 function but catalytic activity may not be essential for the function of the protein. The data indicate that IRX9/IRX9L have an essential structural function, most likely by interacting with the IRX10/IRX10L proteins, but do not have an essential catalytic function. Most likely IRX14 also has primarily a structural role, but it cannot be excluded that the protein has an important enzymatic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple method of room temperature phosphorescence is proposed for the determination of propranolol enantiomeric composition based on β-cyclodextrin as the chiral host and bromocyclohexane as the heavy atom. Enantiomeric complexes are formed upon binding of the propranolol enantiomer to β-cyclodextrin, and the sign of the resultant phosphorescence signals allows for the identity of the propranolol enantiomers configuration to be determined successfully. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) is a promising material for tissue engineering applications; however, it can be difficult to create scaffolds with the morphology, hydrophilicity, and mechanical properties necessary to support tissue growth. Typically, pure PCL scaffolds have good cellular adhesion, but somewhat low mechanical properties (elastic modulus and tensile strength). This study addresses these issues by incorporating Al2O3 whiskers as reinforcements within PCL membranes generated by electrospinning. Membranes were prepared with Al2O3 content ranging from 1 to 20 wt % and characterized using XRD, TEM, and SEM to determine composition and morphology. The Al2O3 whiskers were well dispersed within the PCL fibers, and the membranes had a highly porous morphology. The elastic modulus was significantly improved by the well aligned whisker reinforcements as verified by tensile testing. The cell morphology and proliferation studies demonstrate Al2O3 whisker reinforced PCL scaffolds maintained the good biocompatibility. These improvements demonstrate that Al2O3 whisker reinforced PCL scaffolds can be considered as a biocompatible material for tissue engineering and dental applications. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A:, 2012. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphene quantum dots (GQDs) play a vital role in improving electrocatalytic activity during constructing various composites. Among them, heteroatoms‐doped GQDs can further improve the conductivity and electrocatalytic properties of the composites. Herein, NH2‐GQDs‐doped NiCo2O4, grown on carbon cloth, is developed through one‐step hydrothermal process. The NH2‐GQDs doping significantly enhances its electrochemical performance due to its high electron transfer rate and synergistic effects. Severing as freestanding electrochemical electrode, the NH2‐GQDs/NiCo2O4 composite on carbon cloth exhibits low detection limit of 0.27 × 10−6m and high sensitivity of 2521.33 µA mm−1 cm−2 for nonenzymatic determination of glucose. Furthermore, the fabricated glucose sensor shows outstanding selectivity and reproducibility. These results indicate that the NH2‐GQDs‐doped NiCo2O4 provides a convenient platform for nonenzymatic determination of glucose in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High‐performance and flexible supercapacitors (SCs) have great potential for powering wearable and portable devices. Herein, Mo‐doped Co9S8 porous nanosheets on carbon cloth (denoted as Mo–Co–S/CC) are prepared for all‐solid‐state flexible asymmetric SCs via a two‐step method. Na2MoO4 is selected as both Mo source and etching agent to create Mo‐doped porous structure, which provides plenty of reaction sites contributing to the decrease of electrochemical barrier and increase of electrochemical performances. The Mo–Co–S/CC electrode demonstrates a high specific capacity of 771.5 F g−1 at 2 A g−1, excellent rate capability of 660.0 F g−1 at 20 A g−1, and 109% cycling capacitance retention after 30 000 cycles. By using poly(vinyl alcohol)/KOH (PVA/KOH) gel as electrolyte, a flexible all‐solid‐state asymmetric supercapacitor (Mo–Co–S/CC//KOH//AC/CC, FASCs) is assembled, which can work under different bending angles and deliver a specific capacitance of 37.37 F g−1 at 1 A g−1. Furthermore, the FASCs can deliver a maximum energy density of 14.68 Wh kg−1 at power density of 369 W kg−1, with the capacity retention of 80.07% over 30 000 cycles at a high rate of 20 A g−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers the authors' insights regarding the study Analysis of mitochondrial DNA sequence variants in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome, by G. Zhuo and colleagues. The authors says that there are no evidences that mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutation is more regular in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) patients. They also states that the study used 28 primers instead of 24 in amplifying mitochondrial genome.