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Layered Ni-rich oxide is a promising cathode material for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) of high energy density, yet its poor electrochemical stability induced by electrode-electrolyte interfacial degradation has still needed to be addressed. Surface coating is one of the powerful techniques to tackle this issue, nevertheless, it has been extensively used on particle but not electrode regarding a larger area of protection. Herein, we have covered a nano-scaled layer of lithium phosphorus oxynitride (LiPON) on the electrode level of LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 (NCM) surface and found lower impedance, longer cycle life, and better safety for treated battery. Most notably, such an NCM-LiPON based 1.3 Ah pouch cell delivers an energy density of 364.4 Wh kg−1 (based on positive and negative materials), along with the retention of 80.0% over 745 cycles at 0.5 C-rate, which is 1.3 times longer than the bare one. This results from modification of both superficial cathode-electrolyte interphase (CEI) and structure stabilization of general particle surface, therefore, role of conformal coating upon electrode surface should be highlighted.

Structured Summary Background To prevent transmission of and infection with meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), eradication treatment of colonized individuals is recommended. Throat colonization is a well-known risk factor for eradication failure. Staphylococcus aureus throat colonization is associated with colonization of the rhinopharynx, but in the currently recommended Danish MRSA eradication strategies, rhinopharynx colonization is not directly targeted. Rhinopharynx colonization could therefore be an important risk factor for prolonged MRSA throat carriage. Aim To determine if irrigation and wash of the rhinopharynx and mouth with dissolved mupirocin is a feasible and potentially efficacious supplementary strategy against treatment resistant MRSA throat carriage. Methods The patient study was an open, non-blinded, trial including 20 treatment resistant MRSA throat carriers. In the study, the patients received a supplementary treatment besides the standard treatment according to the Danish MRSA eradication strategy. The supplementary treatment consisted of rhinopharyngeal irrigation and mouth gurgling twice a day for 14 days with a mupirocin ointment (22 g 2% ointment per liter of isotonic sterile saline solution) in a 37oC solution. Findings Eighteen patients (90%) complied with the treatment protocol and none experienced any major adverse events. Out of the 18 patients who finished the study per protocol, 15 (83%) and 7 (39%) patients had negative MRSA sampling results one and six months after end of treatment, respectively. Conclusions This study demonstrates the feasibility and clinical potential of also targeting the rhinopharynx and oropharynx in non-systemic throat MRSA eradication strategies.

In view of the fact, the poor stability and inadequate chemical properties of conductive polymers inhibit their use in gas sensor applications. Aside from this, the elegant two-dimensional (2D) polymeric graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) have attracted numerous attention for the room temperature (RT) gas sensing applications due to its intrinsic porous structure and the lone pair electrons on nitrogen atoms. Herein, we report surface acoustic wave (SAW) NO2 gas sensor using 2D g-C3N4 nanosheets deposited on langasite (LGS). Further, the thickness effect on gas sensing performances were manifested and it was noticed that 220 nm thickness of g-C3N4 coated LGS SAW sensor showed better sensing performances. The g-C3N4/LGS SAW sensor showed a significant negative differential frequency shift (Δf) of ~3.1 kHz at room temperature (RT~27 oC) for 100 ppm of NO2 gas with a quick response/recovery times (42/22 s). Furthermore, our experimental results demonstrated that the effect of temperature remarkably influences the NO2 sensing responses and it was escalated from ~3.1 kHz to ~23.3 kHz in the temperature range of 27 oC to 200 oC for 100 ppm of NO2. Also, the device showed immense sensitivity towards NO2 (100 ppm) under various relative humidity (RH) conditions (20-80%) at RT. Besides, the g-C3N4/LGS SAW sensor showed a low detection limit (~158 ppb), excellent long-term stability, high sensitivity, and selectivity to NO2 gas, which could be ascribed to the enhancement in mass loading effect resulting by the absorption of NO2 gas molecules. Finally, with help of resistive gas sensors, we have deliberately discussed the underlying mechanism associated with the 2D g-C3N4 nanosheets deposited LGS SAW device.

Milk fat is an important nutrient for young animals and humans, and its composition [fatty acids (FA)] may vary broadly. The objective of this study was to describe the development of global FA models for high-throughput Fourier transform infrared milk analysers. The developed models for major FA, FA grouped by chain length, by degree of unsaturation and by their origin, showed good accuracy, repeatability and correlation to gas chromatography. Moderate performance was obtained for low concentration FA (short chain, polyunsaturated and trans). Possible practical applications could be to enhance dairy products, optimise milk processing and/or optimise dairy cow performance through improved feeding and management.

There have been many engineered Cas9 variants that were developed to minimize unintended cleavage of off-target DNAs, but detailed mechanism for the way they regulate the target specificity through DNA:RNA heteroduplexation remains poorly understood. We used single-molecule FRET assay to follow the dynamics of DNA:RNA heteroduplexation for various engineered Cas9 variants with respect to on-target and off-target DNAs. Just like wild-type Cas9, these engineered Cas9 variants exhibit a strong correlation between their conformational structure and nuclease activity. Compared with wild-type Cas9, the fraction of the cleavage-competent state dropped more rapidly with increasing base-pair mismatch, which gives rise to their enhanced target specificity. We proposed a reaction model to quantitatively analyze the degree of off-target discrimination during the successive process of R-loop expansion. We found that the critical specificity enhancement step is activated during DNA:RNA heteroduplexation for evoCas9 and HypaCas9, while it occurs in the post-heteroduplexation stage for Cas9-HF1, eCas9, and Sniper-Cas9. This study sheds new light on the conformational dynamics behind the target specificity of Cas9, which will help strengthen its rational designing principles in the future.

The present paper studied wood-water relations and their effects on color changes. Additionally, FTIR analysis of recent and archaeological oak wood was completed. Comprehensive knowledge of wood-water relations in recent and archaeological oak wood will facilitate the use of treatment material in the restoration and conservation process of the investigated artefacts. Wood samples were impregnated with tetraethyl orthosilicate. Sorption time until equilibrium moisture was reached increased significantly as a result of the treatment. Thus, the saturation time for treated recent oak wood was 43% longer than it was for untreated recent oak. Additionally, the treatment increased sorption time to equilibrium moisture in archaeological oak by 63%. The treatment resulted in significant color changes for both recent and archaeological oak wood. Samples displayed less color difference when they were dry compared to when they were wet. According to the FTIR analysis, tetraethyl orthosilicate causes the increase of the amount of O-H groups in archaeological oak wood and also caused an increase in the of the amount of C=O groups. This change is due to the hiding effect of xerogel formation on the functional group of wood.

Tools to monitor SARS-CoV-2 transmission and immune responses are needed. We present a neutralization ELISA to determine the levels of Ab-mediated virus neutralization and a preclinical model of focused immunization strategy. The ELISA is strongly correlated with the elaborate plaque reduction neutralization test (ρ = 0.9231, p < 0.0001). The neutralization potency of convalescent sera strongly correlates to IgG titers against SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain (RBD) and spike (ρ = 0.8291 and 0.8297, respectively; p < 0.0001) and to a lesser extent with the IgG titers against protein N (ρ = 0.6471, p < 0.0001). The preclinical vaccine NMRI mice models using RBD and full-length spike Ag as immunogens show a profound Ab neutralization capacity (IC50 = 1.9 × 104 to 2.6 × 104 and 3.9 × 103 to 5.2 × 103, respectively). Using a panel of novel high-affinity murine mAbs, we also show that a majority of the RBD-raised mAbs have inhibitory properties, whereas only a few of the spike-raised mAbs do. The ELISA-based viral neutralization test offers a time- and cost-effective alternative to the plaque reduction neutralization test. The immunization results indicate that vaccine strategies focused only on the RBD region may have advantages compared with the full spike.

This research was conducted to identify and compare the chemical compositions in Persian silk tree (Albizia julibrissin Durazz.) from different parts of wood and bark, using Fourier Transform Infra...

Sulfurized polyacrylonitrile (SPAN) is a promising high-capacity cathode material. In this work, we use spatially resolved X-ray absorption spectroscopy combined with X-ray fluorescence (XRF) microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy to examine the structural transformation of SPAN and the critical role of a robust cathode-electrolyte interface (CEI) on the electrode. LiSx species forms during the cycling of SPAN. However, in carbonate-based electrolytes and ether-based electrolytes with LiNO3 additives, these species are well protected by the CEI and do not dissolve into the electrolytes. In contrast, in an ether-based electrolyte without the LiNO3 additive, LiSx species dissolve into the electrolyte, resulting in the shuttle effect and capacity loss. Examination of the Li anode by XRF and SEM reveals dense spherical Li morphology in ether-based electrolytes, but sulfur is present in the absence of the LiNO3 additive. In contrast, porous dendritic Li is found in the carbonate electrolyte. These analyses established that an ether-based electrolyte with LiNO3 is a superior choice that enables stable cycling of both electrodes. Based on these insights, we successfully demonstrate the stable cycling of high areal loading SPAN cathode (>6.5 mA h cm-2) with lean electrolyte amounts, showing promising Li∥SPAN cell performance under practical conditions.

Herein, natural fiber (energy reeds and rice straw) reinforced with phenol formaldehyde (PF) polymeric resin biocomposites are developed and reported in this study. The dimensions of energy reeds and rice straws used for this research were 0.5–1.66 mm and 0.1–3.55 mm, respectively. The hot-pressing technology was used for manufacturing the biocomposites. The proportions for mixing of rice straw/energy reed fibers in composite systems were 90/0, 54/36, 36/54, and 0/90 whereas remaining 10% were belong to PF resin. The nominal densities of the biocomposite panels were 680 kg/m3, however the actual densities were 713.655, 725, 742.79, and 764.49 kg/m3. The main objective of this study is to develop hybrid biocomposites from different proportions of energy reeds and rice straw fibers using PF resin and to find the convenient ratio and materials for biocomposites production. The obtained results demonstrate that mechanical properties and stability against the moisture increases with the increase of energy reeds loading in the composite systems. The biocomposite developed from 100% energy reeds provided the higher mechanical properties compared to 100% rice straw. The thermal and morphological properties of the produced biocomposite materials were investigated and found significant. The thermo-mechanical properties of the composite materials increase with the increase in energy reed fiber loading in composite system. Furthermore, the coefficient of variation (R2) also demonstrates a positive attributions of energy reed fibers loading in composite systems. Moreover, the overall performances of the developed biocomposite panels demonstrate them as potential and novel candidate to the composite community in the coming times. Graphical abstract

In this study, chemical and anatomical properties of tumorous and normal root of Abies nordmanniana subsp. nordmanniana were compared. The amount of hemicellulose in tumorous root was identified to be 5.34% higher on average than in normal root. However, the amount of lignin was measured to be around 5.78% less. It was determined that the amount of extractive substance, 1% NaOH, cold and hot water dissolution also increased with the formation of tumors. In the study, carbohydrate analysis of samples was also made and it was found out that the amount of glucose, xylose, mannose and galactose of the roots containing tumor were 2.27%, 1.18%, 1.1%, 0.37% more than normal root, respectively. On the other hand, the crystallinity of tumorous roots was decreased in spite of the increase in the amount of cellulose with the formation of tumors. According to the elemental analysis results, it was observed that carbon formation increased with tumor formation. These results were also supported by FTIR-ATR characterization and thermal analysis results. In the anatomical comparison, it was observed that tracheid lengths, tracheid thicknesses and lumen thicknesses decreased with tumor formation. Traumatic resin canals were observed in the cross sections of the tumorous root samples. In addition, it was determined that the annual ring separation was less prominent in the cross section, and the cell diameters were smaller and their location was more dispersed.

Background Plant-based meat analogues (PBMA) are promising to address the issue of imbalance between global meat supply and demand. PBMA can contribute to an environmentally friendly and sustainable food production. As one of the main raw materials in PBMA, the naturally occurring beany flavor in soybean restricts their further development and consumer acceptance. To enhance the application of soybean as an ingredient in PBMA as well as improve consumer acceptability, the beany flavor should be effectively eliminated. Scope and approach In the present review, the main beany flavor compounds, their formation mechanism, the interaction between soybean protein and off-flavor compounds, the detection methods, and the removal methods were systematically reviewed. Notably, the main removal approaches for beany flavor of soybean can be divided into three categories, namely biotechnological, physical and chemical methods. The different removal methods of beany flavor in soybean protein were compared and discussed. Key findings and conclusions Application of biotechnological methods to eliminate beany flavor in soybean is challenging. Although enzymatic method is safe and clean, its catalytic efficiency is relatively low. Chemical modification methods possess food safety threats. By contrast, physical processing is relatively effective in removing beany flavor, while heating may exert a negative impact on the functional properties of soybean protein. Collectively, enzymatic modification combined with novel non-thermal processing as well as the optimized texturization process of soybean protein is of great significance to elimination of beany flavor in PBMA.

Background and purpose The promotion of hair regeneration and growth heavily depends on the activation of Wnt/β-catenin signalling in the hair follicle, including dermal papilla (DP). KY19382, one of the newly synthesized analogues of indirubin-3'-monoxime (I3O), was identified as a Wnt/β-catenin signalling activator via inhibition of the interaction between CXXC-type zinc finger protein 5 (CXXC5) and dishevelled (Dvl). Given the close relationship between the Wnt/β-catenin signalling and hair regeneration, we investigated the effect of KY19382 on hair regrowth and hair follicle neogenesis. Experimental approach In vitro hair induction effects of KY19382 were performed in human DP cells. The hair elongation effects of KY19382 were confirmed through the human hair follicle and vibrissa culture system. In vivo hair regeneration abilities of KY19382 were identified in three models: hair regrowth, wound-induced hair follicle neogenesis (WIHN) and hair patch assays using C57BL/6 mice. The hair regeneration abilities were analysed by immunoblotting, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and immunohistochemical staining. Key results KY19382 activated Wnt/β-catenin signalling and elevated expression of ALP and the proliferation marker PCNA in DP cells. KY19382 also increased hair length in ex vivo-cultured mouse vibrissa and human hair follicles and induced hair regrowth in mice. Moreover, KY19382 significantly promoted the generation of de novo hair follicles as shown by WIHN and hair patch assays. Conclusion and implications These results indicate that KY19382 is a potential therapeutic drug that exhibits effective hair regeneration ability via activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signalling for alopecia treatments.

BackgroundTo investigate the longitudinal change of localised retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) defects associated with change of ß-zone parapapillary atrophy (PPA) in primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) eyes.MethodsPOAG patients with a localised RNFL defect and ß-zone PPA who had undergone disc/RNFL photography at 1-year intervals for 10 years or longer were enrolled. The topographic parameters of ß-zone PPA (area, maximal radial extent and angular extent around disc) were measured. Progression of RNFL defect was defined as widening of defect and/or appearance of new defect. The factors associated with progression of RNFL defect were assessed by OR using multivariable logistic regression.ResultsA total of 209 patients (209 eyes) with POAG were included (mean: 54 years old). Over the course of 11.5±2.3-year follow-up period, progression of RNFL defect was detected in 114 eyes (54.5%). Enlargement of PPA parameters (area and angular extent) was significantly more common in patients with RNFL defect progression than in eyes without progression (all pConclusionsProgression of RNFL defect is associated with increment of angular extent of PPA in POAG eyes.

High-k Y2O3 thin films were investigated as the gate dielectric for amorphous indium zinc tin oxide (IZTO) thin-film transistors (TFTs). Y2O3 gate dielectric was deposited by radio frequency magnetron sputtering (RF-MS) under various working pressures and annealing conditions. Amorphous IZTO TFTs with SiO2 as the gate dielectric showed a high field-effect mobility (μFE) of 19.6 cm2/Vs, threshold voltage (Vth) of 0.75 V, on/off current ratio (Ion/Ioff) of 2.0×106, and subthreshold swing (SS) value of 1.01 V/dec. The IZTO TFT sample device fabricated with the Y2O3 gate dielectric showed an improved subthreshold swing value compared to that of the IZTO TFT device with SiO2 gate dielectric. The IZTO TFT device using the Y2O3 gate dielectric deposited at a working pressure of 5 mtorr and annealed at 400 °C in 6 sccm O2 for 1 hour showed a high μFE of 51.8 cm2/Vs, Vth of −0.26 V, Ion/Ioff of 6.0×103, and SS value of 0.19 V/dec. With the application of a Y2O3 gate dielectric, the Vth shift improved under a positive bias stress (PBS) but was relatively unaffected by negative bias stress (NBS). These shifts were attributed to charge traps within the gate dielectric and/or interfaces between the channel and gate dielectric layer.

Melanoma is aggressive, highly metastatic, and potentially fatal. In the case of patients with advanced melanoma, it is difficult to expect a good prognosis, since this cancer has low sensitivity to chemotherapy and radiation therapy. The use of natural ingredients may enhance existing therapies. Centipedegrass extract (CGE) which contains phenolic structures and C-glycosyl flavones, has been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects and anti-cancer effects. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the radio sensitizing effects of CGE in combination with ionizing radiation (IR). Two melanoma cell lines were exposed to IR after treatment with CGE at concentrations that were not toxic alone. The effects of CGE + IR on cell survival, cell cycle, and apoptotic cell death were examined using MTT and Muse® Cell Analyzer, and fluorescence microscopy. Molecular signaling mechanisms were explored by western blots. Our findings showed that co-treatment of CGE + IR reduced the survival of melanoma cells more than IR alone. Also, cell cycle arrest in CGE-treated cells was enhanced and these cells became more radiosensitive. CGE + IR increased apoptotic cell death more than IR alone. Western blot results showed that the effect of CGE + IR involved MAPKs (ERK1/2, p38, and JNK) pathway. Our study suggests that CGE + IR treatment enhanced radio-sensitization and cell death of melanoma cells via cell cycle arrest and the MAPKs pathway.

The metabolic impact of circulating fatty acids (FAs) in patients requiring hemodialysis (HD) is unknown. We investigated the associations between plasma triglyceride (TG) FAs and markers of inflammation, insulin resistance, nutritional status and body composition. Plasma TG-FAs were measured using gas chromatography in 341 patients on HD (age = 55.2 ± 14.0 years and 54.3% males). Cross-sectional associations of TG-FAs with 13 markers were examined using multivariate linear regression adjusted for potential confounders. Higher levels of TG saturated fatty acids were associated with greater body mass index (BMI, r = 0.230), waist circumference (r = 0.203), triceps skinfold (r = 0.197), fat tissue index (r = 0.150), serum insulin (r = 0.280), and homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (r = 0.276), but lower malnutrition inflammation score (MIS, r = − 0.160). Greater TG monounsaturated fatty acid levels were associated with lower lean tissue index (r = − 0.197) and serum albumin (r = − 0.188), but higher MIS (r = 0.176). Higher levels of TG n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) were associated with lower MIS (r = − 0.168) and interleukin-6 concentrations (r = − 0.115). Higher levels of TG n-6 PUFAs were associated with lower BMI (r = − 0.149) but greater serum albumin (r = 0.112). In conclusion, TG monounsaturated fatty acids were associated with poor nutritional status, while TG n-3 PUFAs were associated with good nutritional status. On the other hand, TG saturated fatty acids and TG n-6 PUFAs had both favorable and unfavorable associations with nutritional parameters.

Exploring highly efficient platinum single-atom (Pt1) catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is desired to greatly reduce the catalysts costs of polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells...

The influence of selenium derivatives selenoline, cysteine selenate, and methionine selenate on the main indicators of HSP70-dependent mechanisms of endogenous neuroprotection under conditions of acute cerebrovascular accident (CVA) modeling has been investigated, and pathogenetic substantiation of prospects for their further study as potential neuroprotectors has been given. The experiments have been performed on white Wistar rats by bilateral irreversible ligation of the common carotid artery. Cysteine selenite and methionine selenite at a dose of 30 μg/kg, and selenoline at a dose of 50 μg/kg were introduced intraperitoneally to the experimental animals once-daily for 4 days. Every day for 4 days, the severity of neurological reactions was assessed in points on a stroke-index scale, and the mortality rate in animals was recorded. In the process of biochemical studies of brain tissue, the state of mRNA expression, HSP70 level, hypoxia-induced factors (HIF) – HIF1α and HIF-3α were evaluated using the method of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with real-time reverse transcription. While false-operated animals developed mild neurological disorders, the control group developed bilateral ptosis, circling movements, paresis and paralysis of the limbs. On the 4th day the mean score on Stroke-index P. McGraw neurological deficit assessment scale was 16.7 ± 0.52, and 40 % of animals survived. In the cytosol and mitochondria of brain tissues, a decrease in HSP70 was detected by 47% and 59%, respectively. The administration of selenite cysteine, selenite methionine and selenoline contributed to the normalization of this indicator, to a greater extent under the action of selenite cysteine. In the control group there was a decrease in HSP70 mRNA expression. After administration of all the studied compounds, a tendency to increase the expression of HSP70 mRNA was observed compared to the controls. Under conditions of cerebral circulation insufficiency ACCI, in brain tissue, a decrease in the synthesis of HIF-1α at the stage of translation with ATP deficiency was noted. The course administration of selenium-containing drugs to rats with ACCI induced an increase in HIF1α levels: cysteine selenite – by 11.2 times, selenite methionine – by 3.13 times, and selenoline – by 1.1 times (p ˃0.05). A significant difference in relation to the expression of HIF-3α was shown only after administration of cysteine selenite (by 4.3 times higher than the control). The study of antioxidant modulation of HSP70-dependent mechanisms of endogenous neuroprotection of the brain have demonstrated that administration of selenium-containing medications cysteine selenite, methionine selenite, and selenoline lead to a decrease in neurological signs and the mortality rate in animals with ACCI. The action of selenium-containing drugs is realized due to their positive influence on the glutathione system, the preservation of energy-producing function of organs and mitoprotective effect. The obtained results indicate the relevance of further study of selenium-containing drugs on other models of pathological processes accompanied by ischemia.

Background End stage renal disease (ESRD) is associated with elevated fibrinogen levels and fibrinolysis inhibition. However, there is a paucity of data on how renal transplantation impacts coagulation. we hypothesize that renal transplantation recipients with good functioning grafts will have improved fibrinolytic activity following surgery. Methods Kidney recipients were analyzed pre-operatively and on post-operative day 1(POD1) using three different TEG assays with and without two concentration of tissue-plasminogen activator (t-PA). TEG indices and percent reduction in creatinine from pre-op to POD1 were measured, with >50% defining “good” graft function. Follow up was done at 6, 12, and 24 months. Results Percent lysis(LY30) on POD1 the t-PA TEG was significantly correlated to change creatinine from pre-op to POD-1(p = 0.006). A LY30 ≥ 23% was associated with good early graft function, and lower creatinine at 24-months(p = 0.028) compared to recipients with low POD1 LY30. Conclusions Post-operative tPA-TEG LY30 is associated with favorable early and late outcomes in kidney transplant., Highlights • Thromboelastography (TEG) identifies coagulation changes in renal transplant. • Percent lysis on post-op t-PA TEG significantly correlates with graft function. • Post-op fibrinolysis plays a key role in early and late renal graft function.

Sustainable resources, particularly those induced from bio-derived waste materials, can be transformed into useful nanocarbon materials with high functionality. In this study, nanoporous carbon materials (N-CMs) were fabricated from waste sawdust using a simple heating process and a carefully controlled activation process. The waste-induced N-CMs had a high specific surface area of ∼3044.6 m2 g−1, a nanoporous structure, and > 6 at.% heteroatoms. These properties led to high electrochemical performance with a specific capacity of ∼298 mAh g−1 and excellent cycling stability over 2,000 cycles as a cathode in lithium-ion storage. Moreover, when the N-CMs were assembled with a nanostructured carbon-based anode, all full carbon-based cells could deliver high specific energy and specific power of ∼377 Wh kg−1 and ∼20,247 W kg−1, respectively, with a long-term cycle life of more than 1,000 cycles.

Gene expression studies are reported to be influenced by pre-analytical factors that can compromise RNA yield and integrity, which in turn may confound the experimental findings. Here we investigate the impact of four pre-analytical factors on brain-derived RNA: time-before-collection, tissue specimen size, tissue collection method, and RNA isolation method. We report no significant differences in RNA yield or integrity between 20 mg and 60 mg tissue samples collected in either liquid nitrogen or the RNAlater stabilizing solution. Isolation of RNA employing the TRIzol reagent resulted in a higher yield compared to isolation via the QIAcube kit while the latter resulted in RNA of slightly better integrity. Keeping brain tissue samples at room temperature for up to 160 min prior to collection and isolation of RNA resulted in no significant difference in yield or integrity. Our findings have significant practical and financial consequences for clinical genomic departments and other laboratory settings performing large-scale routine RNA expression analysis of brain samples.

Recently, intrinsically conductive metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have demonstrated promising performance in fast-charging energy storage applications and may outperform some current electrode materials (e.g., porous carbons) for supercapacitors in terms of both gravimetric and volumetric capacitance. In this report, we examine the mechanism of high capacitance in a nickel hexaaminobenzene-based MOF (NiHAB). Using a combination of in situ Raman and X-ray absorption spectroscopies, as well as detailed electrochemical studies in a series of aqueous electrolytes, we demonstrate that the charge storage mechanism is, in fact, a pH-dependent surface pseudocapacitance, and unlike typical inorganic systems, where transition metals change oxidation state during charge/discharge cycles, NiHAB redox activity is ligand-centered.

The cross sections of 89Y(n, 3n)87m,87gY and 209Bi(n, 4n)206Bi reactions at a neutron energy of 30 MeV are measured by making use of neutron beams of continuous energy spectra and a subtraction method. By impinging proton beams of 30 and 35 MeV to a thick beryllium target, neutron beams of continuous and broad energy spectra are produced and are guided to Y and Bi sample targets. The difference between the two neutron spectra generated by two neighboring proton energies is found to be peaked in a narrow energy range and thus can be regarded as quasi-monoenergetic, which can be used to extract (n, xn) cross sections. The uncertainty in the neutron fluence is reduced by analyzing the activities of aluminum and niobium reference samples placed on top of the Y and Bi samples. The use of a subtraction method by employing neutron beams of continuous energy spectra gives us the 89Y(n, 3n)87m,87gY and 209Bi(n, 4n)206Bi cross sections in fair agreement with the existing experimental data and nuclear data libraries.

Periodontitis is a bacteria-induced inflammatory disease associated with alveolar bone loss. Osteoclast is a macrophage-lineage cell that exhibits phagocytic activity; however, osteoclast phagocytic activity has not been demonstrated under pathological conditions. Diabetes is a pathological condition that exacerbates alveolar bone loss via periodontitis; therefore, we examined phagocytic osteoclasts in diabetic rats that had periodontitis. The rats were divided into the control (C), periodontitis (P), and diabetes with periodontitis (DP) groups. Diabetes and periodontitis were induced by streptozotocin injection and ligature of the mandibular first molars, respectively. On days 3 and 20 after the ligature, the rats were sacrificed, and osteoclasts containing inclusions were quantified by tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase staining. On day 3, there were more osteoclasts containing inclusions in the DP group than in the C group. Among inclusions, osteocyte-like cells and dense bodies were more frequently observed in the DP group than in the C group. Cytoplasm-like structures were elevated more in the DP group than in the C and P groups. However, no differences were observed on day 20. Interestingly, some osteoclasts were in contact with the osteocytes within the exposed lacunae and contained several inclusions within a large vacuole. Thus, the elevation of phagocytic osteoclasts in rats with diabetes and periodontitis provides insight into the role of osteoclast phagocytic activity under pathological conditions.

Corrosion of carbon support is one of the most crucial causes of the degradation of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) utilizing carbon-supported platinum nanoparticles (Pt/C) as a ca...

Guanine nucleotide binding protein (G protein) gamma 8 (Gng8) is a subunit of G proteins and expressed in the medial habenula (MHb) and interpeduncular nucleus (IPN). Recent studies have demonstrated that Gng8 is involved in brain development; however, the roles of Gng8 on cognitive function have not yet been addressed. In the present study, we investigated the expression of Gng8 in the brain and found that Gng8 was predominantly expressed in the MHb-IPN circuit of the mouse brain. We generated Gng8 knockout (KO) mice by CRISPR/Cas9 system in order to assess the role of Gng8 on cognitive function. Gng8 KO mice exhibited deficiency in learning and memory in passive avoidance and Morris water maze tests. In addition, Gng8 KO mice significantly reduced long-term potentiation (LTP) in the hippocampus compared to that of wild-type (WT) mice. Furthermore, we observed that levels of acetylcholine (ACh) and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) in the MHb and IPN of Gng8 KO mice were significantly decreased, compared to WT mice. The administration of nAChR α4β2 agonist A85380 rescued memory impairment in the Gng8 KO mice, suggesting that Gng8 regulates cognitive function via modulation of cholinergic activity. Taken together, Gng8 is a potential therapeutic target for memory-related diseases and/or neurodevelopmental diseases.

This work determined isothermal work function changes as a function of oxygen activity, p(O2), for the Fe-O2 system within the stability range of the FeO phase at elevated temperatures (948 K – 122...

We studied how the interaction between HindIII endonuclease and dsDNA is affected by the single-base modification of the latter by a single-molecule kinetic assay. For a comparative study of chemical modifications, we measured the binding and unbinding rates of the HindIII-DNA complex for normal dsDNA, methylated DNA, and hydroxymethylated DNA. We found that methylation of DNA at the recognition site results in a large increase in the unbinding rate due to the steric effect, which is consistent with the standard free energy change in the transition state. On the contrary, methylation minimally affects the binding rate, as simultaneous increases in the activation energy and the pre-exponential factor compensate for each other.

Polysorbates (PS) are surfactants commonly added in a therapeutic protein drug product as excipients to protect proteins from denaturation and aggregation during storage, transportation, and delivery. Significant degradation of PS in drug products could lead to shortened drug shelf lives and PS-degrading activity in drug products must be minimized. Identification of lipases that degrade PS could lead to better process control in drug manufacturing. In 2016, phospholipase B-like 2 (PLBD2) was proposed as a residual host cell protein responsible for degrading PS20 in a drug formulation. We have carried out a series of studies to verify the role of PLBD2 in degrading polysorbates in drug products purified from recombinant Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells. Genetic knock-out and immuno-depletion results showed that when PLBD2 was removed or depleted, the degradation of PS20 or PS80 was neither diminished nor reduced. In addition, a quantitative analysis of PLBD2 and PS20 degradation in multiple formulated mAb products did not establish a correlation between the amount of PLBD2 and the level of PS20 degradation. Collectively these results suggest that PLBD2 is not the primary cause of polysorbate degradation in formulated drug products purified using standard Protein A and ion exchange chromatography.

An important context in which metabolism influences tumorigenesis is the genetic cancer syndrome hereditary leiomyomatosis and renal cell carcinoma (HLRCC), a disease in which mutation of the tricarboxylic acid cycle enzyme fumarate hydratase (FH) causes hyperaccumulation of fumarate. This electrophilic oncometabolite can alter gene activity at the level of transcription, via reversible inhibition of epigenetic dioxygenases, as well as posttranslationally, via covalent modification of cysteine residues. To better understand the potential for metabolites to influence posttranslational modifications important to tumorigenesis and cancer cell growth, here we report a chemoproteomic analysis of a kidney-derived HLRCC cell line. Using a general reactivity probe, we generated a data set of proteomic cysteine residues sensitive to the reduction in fumarate levels caused by genetic reintroduction of active FH into HLRCC cell lines. This revealed a broad up-regulation of cysteine reactivity upon FH rescue, which evidence suggests is caused by an approximately equal proportion of transcriptional and posttranslational modification-mediated regulation. Gene ontology analysis highlighted several new targets and pathways potentially modulated by FH mutation. Comparison of the new data set with prior studies highlights considerable heterogeneity in the adaptive response of cysteine-containing proteins in different models of HLRCC. This is consistent with emerging studies indicating the existence of cell- and tissue-specific cysteine-omes, further emphasizing the need for characterization of diverse models. Our analysis provides a resource for understanding the proteomic adaptation to fumarate accumulation and a foundation for future efforts to exploit this knowledge for cancer therapy.

Delphinidin is a major anthocyanidin compound found in various vegetables and fruits. It has anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and various other biological activities. In this study we demonstrated the anti-cancer activity of delphinidin, which was related to autophagy, in radiation-exposed non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Radiosensitising effects were assessed in vitro by treating cells with a subcytotoxic dose of delphinidin (5 μM) before exposure to γ-ionising radiation (IR). We found that treatment with delphinidin or IR induced NSCLC cell death in vitro; however the combination of delphinidin pre-treatment and IR was more effective than either agent alone, yielding a radiation enhancement ratio of 1.54 at the 50% lethal dose. Moreover, combined treatment with delphinidin and IR, enhanced apoptotic cell death, suppressed the mTOR pathway, and activated the JNK/MAPK pathway. Delphinidin inhibited the phosphorylation of PI3K, AKT, and mTOR, and increased the expression of autophagy-induced cell death associated-protein in radiation-exposed NSCLC cells. In addition, JNK phosphorylation was upregulated by delphinidin pre-treatment in radiation-exposed NSCLC cells. Collectively, these results show that delphinidin acts as a radiation-sensitizing agent through autophagy induction and JNK/MAPK pathway activation, thus enhancing apoptotic cell death in NSCLC cells.