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Pesticides play an important role in the development of agriculture, as they can prevent and control crop diseases and pests, improve crop yield and quality. However, the abuse and improper use of pesticides can lead to negative impacts such as environmental pollution and pest resistance issues. There is an urgent need to develop green, safe, and efficient pesticides. In this work, natural product arecoline was selected as parent structure, a series of arecoline derivatives were designed, synthesized, and systematically investigated antiviral activities against tobacco mosaic virus (TMV). These compounds were found to have good to excellent anti-TMV activities for the first time. The antiviral activities of 4a, 4 h, 4 l, 4p, 6a, 6c, and 6f are higher than that of ningnanmycin. Compounds 4 h (EC 50 value 146 µg/mL) and 4p (EC 50 value 161 µg/mL) with simple structures and excellent activities emerged as new antiviral candidates. We chose 4 h to further investigate the antiviral mechanism, which revealed that it can cause virus fragmentation by acting on the viral coat protein (CP). We further validated this result through molecular docking. These compounds also displayed broad-spectrum fungicidal activities against 8 plant pathogenic fungi. This work lays the theoretical foundation for the application of arecoline derivatives in the agricultural field., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Organophosphorus pesticides (OPs) detection has attracted considerable attention because of the extensive application of OPs. In this research, non-toxic and high-performance metalloenzyme mimics of Zn 2+ -bonding peptides were developed by obtaining inspiration from phosphotriesterase (PTE) and nanofiber formation. Furthermore, based on the electrochemical activity of p-nitrophenol (PNP), the electrochemical sensor of metalloenzyme mimics was developed. By examining the effect of the active sites of peptides and fibril formation on the degradation of OPs, the optimal metalloenzyme mimic was selected. Furthermore, optimal metalloenzyme mimics were combined with NiCo 2 O 4 to develop an electrochemical sensor of OPs. By monitoring square wave voltammetry (SWV) signals of PNP degraded from OPs, the amounts of OPs in actual samples could be determined in 15 min. We discovered that both the active sites of α metal and β metal were required for metalloenzyme mimics; Zn 2+ promoted peptide fibrosis and especially acted as a cofactor for degrading OPs. Compared to traditional methods, the electrochemical sensor of metalloenzyme mimics was sensitive, reliable, and non-toxic; furthermore, the detection limit of methyl paraoxon was as low as 0.08 µM. The metalloenzyme mimics will be a promising material for detecting OPs in the food industry and environment fields., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Fenton oxidation can effectively improve the dewaterability of aged sludge. Quantification of the addition of optimal reagents is central to the conditioning and dewatering of aged sludge. Improving the accuracy of quantification is significant to promote cost effectiveness. The effects of reagent addition and the mechanism governing the improved filterability of the aged sludge need to be understood uniformly. In this study, the optimal reagent additions have been determined using the response surface method (RSM) for five out of the eight aged sludges that were investigated. The physicochemical characteristics of eight aged sludges, including the extracellular polymer substance, undissolved organic matter, and suspension structure network, were investigated. Meanwhile, a comprehensive correlation analysis of critical indicators was conducted to investigate the interactions among the properties of the aged sludge. The effects of these interactions on the conditioning and filtration processes were examined, and a unified understanding of the combination of factors affecting the optimal reagent addition was obtained. The key factors were aggregate size, dewatering extent, yield stress, and organic substance content. Based on these results, a new reagent addition quantification method was developed along with an empirical model of the relationship between physicochemical properties and the economically optimal reagent addition., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The use of highly efficient high-throughput screening (HTS) platform has recently gained more attention as a plausible approach to identify de novo therapeutic application potential of conventional anti-tumor drugs for cancer treatments. In this study, we used hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells as models to identify cytotoxic compounds by HTS. To identify cytotoxic compounds for potential HCC treatments, 3271 compounds from three well established small molecule libraries were screened against HCC cell lines. Thirty-two small molecules were identified from the primary screen to induce cell death. Particularly, mitoxantrone (MTX), which is an established antineoplastic drug, significantly and specifically inhibited the growth and proliferation of HCC cells in vitro. Mechanistic studies of LC3-II, p62 and phosphorylation of p70S6K in HepG2 cells revealed that MTX treatment induced mTOR-dependent autophagy activation, which was further confirmed by the autophagic flux assay using lysosomal inhibitor chloroquine (CQ). In the combined treatment of MTX and CQ, where autophagy was inhibited by CQ, the elevations of cleaved Caspase-3 and PARP were observed, indicating the enhanced apoptosis in HepG2 cells. Taken together, we hypothesize that MTX-induced autophagy plays an pro-survival role in HCC treatment. Combined treatment with autophagy inhibitor may combat the chemo-resistance of HCC to MTX treatment and therefore deserves future clinical investment., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

PRSS23 is a newly discovered serine protease that has been associated with tumor progression in various types of cancers. Our previous study showed PRSS23 is down-regulated obviously in Hedgehog pathway blocked gastric cancer cells. However, the correlation between PRSS23 and tumor progression of gastric cancer remains unclear. Here, the role and mechanism of PRSS23 in tumor progression of gastric cancer were determined. PRSS23 protein levels were significantly increased in gastric cancer tissues compared with the paired adjacent normal gastric mucosa tissues. The high expression of PRSS23 correlated strongly with both poor differentiated histology and cancer region of sinus ventriculi. Gastric cancer patients with low PRSS23 expression displayed a better prognosis. In gastric cancer cells, PRSS23 knockdown inhibited cell proliferation and induced apoptosis. In xenograft tumor model, PRSS23 knockdown led to dramatic decreases of the average tumor volume and the average tumor weight. In addition, PRSS23 knockdown suppressed gastric cancer growth through inhibiting EIF2 signaling using gene expression microarray analysis. Taken together, our results suggest PRSS23 is highly associated with human gastric tumorigenesis and progression. PRSS23 knockdown could suppress tumor growth of gastric cancer in vitro and in vivo through inhibiting EIF2 signaling, and EIF4E maybe a potential target of PRSS23. PRSS23 could serve as a potential target for gastric cancer therapy, and also a biomarker for the prediction of prognosis of gastric cancer., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Recent studies have discussed the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and glycated albumin (GA) level. However, the extent of the influence of BMI on GA remains uncertain. We investigated the associations between BMI and GA, glycated hemoglobin A 1c (HbA 1c ) and GA/HbA 1c , and to analyze the influence of obesity on GA, HbA 1c , and GA/HbA 1c in both Chinese diabetic and non-diabetic populations., Methods: A total of 2562 participants, including 1177 men and 1385 women (age 20-80 y), were enrolled. Each subject underwent a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test. Serum GA was detected using a liquid enzyme method, and HbA 1c was assayed using high-performance liquid chromatography., Results: In the diabetic patients (n = 1223), the GA, HbA 1c, and GA/HbA 1c levels were 16.7 ± 3.0%, 6.6 ± .9% (49 ± 9 mmol/mol), and 2.51 ± .33, respectively. In the non-diabetic subjects (n = 1339), the GA, HbA 1c, and GA/HbA 1c concentrations were 13.8 ± 1.7%, 5.6 ± .4% (38 ± 4 mmol/mol), and 2.47 ± .31, respectively. Decreasing trends in the GA and GA/HbA 1c concentrations and an increasing trend in the HbA 1c concentration (all P for trend <.05) were found to accompany with the increase in BMI, regardless of diabetes status. Multiple regression analysis revealed that BMI was independently related to HbA 1c in the non-diabetic population (standardized β = .158, P < .001); however, the relationship disappeared in the diabetic population (P > .05). Moreover, in the diabetic and non-diabetic populations, BMI was negatively correlated with GA (standardized β = -.167 and - .231, both P < .001) and GA/HbA 1c (standardized β = -.273 and - .310, both P < .001). Further analysis showed that a 1 kg/m 2 increment in BMI was associated with a .13% decrease in the absolute value of GA., Conclusions: In both diabetic and non-diabetic populations, GA and GA/HbA 1c levels are independently and negatively associated with BMI. For every 1 kg/m 2 increment in BMI, the absolute value of GA decreases approximately .13%., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: In subjects who present a first fasting plasma glucose (FPG 1 ) ≥7.0mmol/l without classic symptoms of diabetes, diagnosis of diabetes will likely be missed without an additional oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) in the Chinese population. Recent studies have shown that glycated albumin (GA) has advantages in reflecting postprandial hyperglycemia. Therefore, the present study evaluated whether additional measurement of GA could reduce the rate of missed diagnosis of diabetes., Methods: A total of 1287 participants (711 men, 576 women) with a FPG 1 ≥7.0mmol/l without classic symptoms of diabetes were enrolled and underwent a 75-g OGTT. Serum GA was measured by a liquid enzyme method. Diabetes was diagnosed based on the 2010 American Diabetes Association (ADA) criteria., Results: A total of 992 (77.08%) participants were diagnosed diabetes by OGTT and glycated hemoglobin A 1c (HbA 1c ). The diagnostic validity of 2-h postload plasma glucose (2hPG) was superior to other glycemic index (the diagnostic sensitivity of 2hPG, HbA 1c , the second FPG (FPG 2 ) was 87.50%, 73.99%, 63.21%, respectively). Without 2hPG after OGTT, repeat testing of FPG 2 alone would result in missed diagnosis of 36.79% of diabetic participants, whereas testing FPG 2 with HbA 1c was associated with a missed diagnosis rate of 14.31%. While using the combined criteria of FPG 2 ≥7.0mmol/l and/or HbA 1c ≥6.5% and/or GA≥17.1%, the rate of missed diagnosis was merely 9.48%. That is, the rate of missed diagnosis was reduced by 33.75% with the addition of GA measurement. The k value reflecting the consistency of diagnosis between the FPG 2 and/or HbA 1c and/or GA criteria and the 2010 ADA criteria was 0.788., Conclusions: For subjects with FPG 1 ≥7.0mmol/l without classic symptoms of diabetes, additional measurement of GA can help prevent missed diagnosis of diabetes in Chinese population., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a prevalent and lethal disease that is characterized by drug resistance. Doxorubicin (DOX) is a widely used chemotherapeutic drug and miR-375 has been shown to be a tumor suppressor in HCC. Here, we reported that miR-375 and DOX co-loaded into lipid-coated calcium carbonate nanoparticles (LCC-DOX/miR-375 NPs), enhanced the anti-tumor effects through combination therapy, and were highly effective in reversing drug resistance in HCC. LCC-DOX/miR-375 NPs were prepared by a reverse microemulsions method. In vitro, LCC-DOX/miR-375 NPs exhibited enhanced intracellular accumulation, pH-sensitive DOX release and potent cytotoxicity. In vivo, LCC-DOX/miR-375 NPs showed efficient antitumor effect both in xenograft and primary HCC murine models. Our results showed that the LCC-DOX/miR-375 nanoparticles provide a novel strategy to overcome the drug resistance and promote addictive effect between miR-375 and DOX in HCC., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

A chemosensor consisting of two terpyridines covalently linked to a dithienosilole unit (1) has been synthesized, and its optical and metal sensing properties have been investigated. Due to the metal-organic coordination function, 1 can bind with many transition metal ions and display different fluorescence responses that cause it to function as a "turn-off" fluorescent chemosensor. A significant bathochromic shift in the fluorescence spectra is observed in the presence of Zn(2+). Meanwhile, the emission of 1 is weakened upon exposure to Ag(+) and Fe(2+) and completely quenched by Ni(2+), Co(2+), and Cu(2+). Based on the observed results, several logic gates, such as XNOR, INHIBIT, and IMPLICATION, have been achieved by controlling the chemical inputs., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

This paper presents a new electrochemical DNA biosensor constructed using a substrate electrode composed of a novel nanocomposite material prepared using gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs) and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and further modified with an Au electrode (AuE), which was used as the substrate electrode. A single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) probe was immobilized on the Au-NPs/CS-MWCNTs/AuE electrode by means of facile gold-thiol affinity, which resulted in hybridization with the target ssDNA sequence. Hybridization reactions were assessed by using the reduction peak current of methylene blue (MB) as an electrochemical indicator. The advantages of the nanomaterials were found to include high surface area, favorable electronic properties, and strong electrocatalytic activity. The amount of ssDNA adsorbed on the electrode surface was increased and the electrochemical response of MB accelerated. The differential pulse voltammetric responses of MB were in line with the specific target ssDNA sequence within the concentration range 1.0×10(-15)-1.0×10(-8)M with the detection limit 3.3×10(-16)M (3σ). In the colony forming unit (CFU) we were able to detect 10CFU mL(-1)of Staphylococcus aureus in the tap water, achieving good discrimination ability between one- and three-base mismatched ssDNA sequences. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification products of S. aureus nuc gene sequence were also detected with satisfactory results., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

A novel near-infrared fluorescent chemosensor based on BODIPY (Py-1) has been synthesized and characterized. Py-1 displays high selectivity and sensitivity for sensing Cu(2+) over other metal ions in acetonitrile. Upon addition of Cu(2+) ions, the maximum absorption band of Py-1 in CH3CN displays a red shift from 603 to 608 nm, which results in a visual color change from pink to blue. When Py-1 is excited at 600 nm in the presence of Cu(2+), the fluorescent emission intensity of Py-1 at 617 nm is quenched over 86%. Notably, the complex of Py-1-Cu(2+) can be restored with the introduction of EDTA or S(2-). Consequently, an IMPLICATION logic gate at molecular level operating in fluorescence mode with Cu(2+) and S(2-) as chemical inputs can be constructed. Finally, based on the reversible and reproducible system, a nanoscale sequential memory unit displaying "Writing-Reading-Erasing-Reading" functions can be integrated., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)