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Brassinosteroids (BRs) play essential roles in regulating plant growth and development, however, gaps still remain in our understanding of the BR signaling network. We previously cloned a grain length quantitative trait locus qGL3, encoding a rice (Oryza sativa L.) protein phosphatase with Kelch-like repeat domain (OsPPKL1), that negatively regulates grain length and BR signaling. To further explore the BR signaling network, we performed phosphoproteomic analysis to screen qGL3-regulated downstream components. We selected a 14-3-3 protein OsGF14b from the phosphoproteomic data for further analysis. qGL3 promoted the phosphorylation of OsGF14b and induced the interaction intensity between OsGF14b and OsBZR1. In addition, phosphorylation of OsGF14b played an important role in regulating nucleocytoplasmic shuttling of OsBZR1. The serine acids (Ser258Ser259) residues of OsGF14b play an essential role in BR-mediated responses and plant development. Genetic and molecular analyses indicated that OsGF14b functions as a negative regulator in BR signaling and represses the transcriptional activation activity of OsBZR1. Collectively, these results demonstrate that qGL3 induces the phosphorylation of OsGF14b, which modulates nucleocytoplasmic shuttling and transcriptional activation activity of OsBZR1, to eventually negatively regulate BR signaling and grain length in rice.

Longhao Hu,1,* Xi Yang,2,3,* Jing Yin,1 Xuan Rong,1 Xinlei Huang,1 Peiquan Yu,3 Zhiqiang He,1 Yi Liu1– 3 1Department of Biophysics, School of Life Sciences, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, 221004, People’s Republic of China; 2School of Pharmacy, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, 221004, People’s Republic of China; 3Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Drug Research and Clinical Pharmacy, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, 221004, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Yi LiuDepartment of Biophysics, School of Life Sciences, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, 221004, People’s Republic of ChinaTel/Fax +86-516-83262084Email cbpeliuyinew@163.comPurpose: The aim was to evaluate the antimicrobial potential of AgNPs synthesized with Artemisia argyi leaf extract and investigate the antimicrobial synergistic effects of AgNPs combined with domiphen and provide an efficient and broad-spectrum combination drug strategy.Methods: AgNPs synthesized with Artemisia argyi leaf extract were studied using UV–vis spectroscopy, FTIR spectroscopy and particle size analysis. Then, Artemisia argyi leaf extract-synthesized AgNPs and domiphen were tested against Acinetobacter baumannii (ATCC 19606), Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 6538), Escherichia coli (8099) and Candida albicans (ATCC 10231), respectively. Then, we explore synergistic antimicrobial effect and synergistic anti-biofilm effect through combined drug susceptibility test and combined drug minimum biofilm eradication concentration (MBEC50) test.Results: Characteristic absorption bands of AgNPs were found near 430 nm in the UV–vis spectrum. Particle size analysis results revealed that the average particle size of Artemisia argyi leaf extract-synthesized AgNPs was 77.6 nm. Artemisia argyi leaf extract-synthesized AgNPs showed high antimicrobial activity against the above four strains. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of Artemisia argyi leaf extract-synthesized AgNPs against strains was 1 μg/mL for Acinetobacter baumannii, 2 μg/mL for Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Candida albicans. MBEC50 of Artemisia argyi leaf extract-synthesized AgNPs against strains was 2 μg/mL for Acinetobacter baumannii, 4 μg/mL for Staphylococcus aureus, 1/2 μg/mL for Escherichia coli and 2 μg/mL for Candida albicans. The combination of Artemisia argyi leaf extract-synthesized AgNPs and domiphen has synergistic antimicrobial effect and synergistic anti-biofilm effect. Fractional inhibitory concentration (FIC) was ≤ 0.5.Conclusion: Artemisia argyi leaf extract-synthesized AgNPs had antimicrobial activity against the above four strains. The combination of Artemisia argyi leaf extract-synthesized AgNPs and domiphen has synergistic antimicrobial effects to reduce the dosage of each antimicrobial drugs. Artemisia argyi leaf extract-synthesized AgNPs and domiphen have synergistic anti-biofilm effects.Keywords: AgNPs, domiphen, synergy, pathogenic biofilm, combination medication

Bis(2-ethylhexyl) 2,3,4,5-tetrabromophthalate (TBPH) has been used as a replacement in some commercial flame-retardant mixtures. It is widely used in industrial products, so the probability of human exposure to TBPH is high. Yet, little is known about how it is metabolized or its toxicity. To this end, we investigated what effect oral exposure of Balb/c mice to TBPH at concentrations of 200 mg kg−1 had on hepatic damage. Staining results showed liver injury in the mice exposed to TBPH. Oxidative stress markers and endoplasmic reticulum stress associated proteins were altered in the TBPH exposed mice, and these changes could be attenuated by administration of curcumin at 25 mg kg−1. Overall, TBPH induces hepatic damage via increasing oxidative stress, and curcumin plays a protective role in alleviating the TBPH-mediated histopathological alterations in the liver.

This paper presented a self-made spherical section free surface electrospinning (SSFSE) using solution reservoirs with different depths for obtaining high-throughput production of nanofibers, and studied its preparation mechanism. The effects of the solution reservoir depth on the SSFSE process as well as the quality and yield of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibers were investigated experimentally using high-speed camera, precise electronic balance and scanning electron microscopy, and were analyzed theoretically by response surface methodology (RSM) and numerical simulation. The values predicted by the established RSM model and the electric field simulation results obtained by Maxwell 3D were all consistent with the experimental data, which showed that the solution reservoir depth had little effects on the quality of PAN nanofibers, but had great effects on the yields of them. When the maximum depth of solution reservoir was 4.29 mm, the PAN nanofibers prepared have the best quality and the highest yields.

Background Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a common disease in elderly men and is often accompanied by chronic inflammation. Macrophages (several subtypes) are the main inflammatory cells that infiltrate the hyperplastic prostate and are found to secrete cytokines and growth factors. The current study aims to explore the effect of M2a macrophages on the development of BPH via insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). Methods Human prostate tissues, prostate, and monocyte cell lines (WPMY-1, BPH-1, and THP-1) were used. THP-1 was polarized into several subtypes with cytokines. The expression and localization of IGF-1 and M2 macrophages were determined via immunofluorescent staining, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, and Western blot analysis. Flow cytometry and 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assays were used to investigate the effects of different subtypes of macrophages on prostate cells. IGF-1 in WPMY-1 and BPH-1 cells was silenced and cocultured with or without M2a macrophages. Cell proliferation, apoptosis, cell cycle, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and fibrosis processes were examined. Results The polarized subtypes of macrophages were verified by amplifying their specific markers. M2a macrophages enhanced prostate cell proliferation more significantly and CD206 was more expressed in hyperplastic prostate. IGF-1 was localized in both epithelial and stromal components of prostate and upregulated in BPH tissues. M2a macrophages expressed more IGF-1 than other subtypes. Knockdown of IGF-1 in WPMY-1 and BPH-1 cells attenuated cell proliferation, promoted cell apoptosis, retarded cell cycle at the G0/G1 phase, and suppressed the EMT process in BPH-1 cells as well as the fibrotic process in WPMY-1 cells, which was reversible when cocultured with M2a macrophages. Conclusion These data demonstrated that knockdown of IGF-1 expression in cultured BPH epithelial and stromal cells reduces proliferation and increases apoptosis. These effects are reversed by coculture with M2a macrophages.

At present, more and more attention has been paid to the development of active wound dressings. Chitosan, a kind of carbohydrate polymer with good biocompatibility, is widely used in the field of wound dressings. In this study, a slopeing free surface electrospinning (SFSE) device was presented to prepare large quantities of polycaprolactone/chitosan/aloe vera (PCL/CS/AV) nanofiber membranes (NFMs) for antibacterial wound dressing. And the morphologies of PCL/CS/AV NFMs with varying weight ratios of PCL:CS:AV were studied using SEM, and the optimal weight ratio of 5:3:2 was determined for better wound dressings. Then the structure, wetting property and yield of the PCL/CS/AV NFMs with the optimal weight ratio were investigated, and the effects of the addition of AV on the antibacterial performance and the biocompatibility of NFMs was studied. In addition, the preparation mechanism of SFSE was researched by simulating the electric field distribution using Maxwell 3D due to the important role of the electric field in the SFSE process. The simulation analyses of electric fields agreed with the experimental data. The results illustrated SFSE could prepare high quality PCL/CS/AV NFMs in batches, and its yield of PCL/CS/AV NFMs was 10 times more than the single-needle ES, and the fabricated NFMs showed excellent antibacterial performance and biocompatibility, which made them suitable for wound dressings.

Circular RNAs are involved in the occurrence and development of different types of cancers. We aimed to illustrate the expression profile and mechanism of circ_0074027 in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Quantitative real-time PCR was employed to detect the expression of circ_0074027, paired like homeodomain 1 (PITX1) mRNA (mPITX1) and microRNA-362-3p (miR-362-3p). Western blot assay was utilized to measure the levels of clathrin heavy chain (CLTC), cyclin D1, BCL2-associated X, apoptosis regulator Bax (Bax), vimentin and matrix metallopeptidase 9. The clonogenicity, apoptosis and metastasis of NSCLC cells were examined by colony formation assay, flow cytometry and transwell migration and invasion assays. The target relationship between miR-362-3p and circ_0074027 or CLTC was predicted by starBase website and was validated by dual-luciferase reporter assay. Murine xenograft assay was applied to explore the function of circ_0074027 in vivo. We found that The enrichment of circ_0074027 and CLTC protein was elevated, and a significant reduction in the expression of miR-362-3p was observed in NSCLC tissues and cells relative to adjacent normal tissues and human bronchial epithelial cells 16HBE. Circ_0074027 possessed a stable circular structure. Circ_0074027 and CLTC could accelerate the colony formation and metastasis and suppress the apoptosis of NSCLC cells. Circ_0074027/miR-362-3p/CLTC axis was first found to regulate the malignance of NSCLC cells. The biological influence caused by circ_0074027 depletion on NSCLC cells was alleviated by the accumulation of CLTC. Circ_0074027 acted as an oncogene to promote the growth of NSCLC tumors in vivo. In conclusion, Circ_0074027 contributed to the progression of NSCLC through promoting the proliferation and motility while hampering the apoptosis of NSCLC cells via miR-362-3p/CLTC axis.

It is very difficult to electrospin pure chitosan (CS) due to the repulsive forces between its ionic groups produced in the electrospinning process, resulting in the formation of nanofibers by blending CS with other natural or synthetic polymers for electrospinning. In this research work, a high-throughput fabrication of CS/poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) nanofibers were obtained using a modified free surface electrospinning (MFSE), which contained a titanium solution reservoir with thick smooth edges. Effects of the concentrations of acetic acid (AA), CS and PEO on the conductivity and viscosity of spinning solutions as well as the morphology, crystallinity and yield of CS/PEO nanofibers were investigated. And the fabrication mechanism of MFSE was studied by simulating the electric field distribution using Maxwell 3D due to the importance of electric field distribution in the spinning process. The simulation results of electric field were in keeping with the experimental data and indicated the MFSE could produce a lot of high-quality CS/PEO nanofibers.

This study focused on the effect of short-term intake of sweeteners on feed intake, solution consumption and neurotransmitters release on mice. The results showed that the free drinking of 10 mM sucralose solution, 100 mM maltose solution, 3 mM saccharin solution and 3 g/L stevioside solution for 32 days will not affect the normal development of the body weight and feed intake of the mice. The consumption of maltose solution was significantly higher than that of the other sweeteners. The leptin and insulin levels increased significantly after the short-term intake of these four sweeteners. The dopamine (DA) content in the whole brain of the mice increased significantly only in the maltose group. These results indicate that the short-term intake of the preferred concentrations of maltose, stevioside, sucralose and saccharin will not affect the body weight and feed intake of the mice. Mice prefer maltose solution to other sweeteners solutions. The 100 mM maltose solution and 3 mM saccharin solution could result in the oxidative stress on mice after 32 days’ short-term intake. Compared with other sweeteners, only sugars that could be broken down into small molecules of glucose might have a positive effect on dopamine levels.

Colloidal core/shell heterostructured quantum dots (QDs) possessing quasi-type II band structure have demonstrated effective surface passivation and prolonged exciton lifetime, leading to enhanced ...

Chlorine disinfection to drinking water plays an important role in preventing and controlling waterborne disease outbreaks globally. Nevertheless, little is known about why it enriches the antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in bacteria after chlorination. Here, ARGs released from killed antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB), and culturable chlorine-injured bacteria produced in the chlorination process as the recipient, were investigated to determine their contribution to the horizontal transfer of ARGs during disinfection treatment. We discovered Escherichia coli, Salmonella aberdeen, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterococcus faecalis showed diverse resistance to sodium hypochlorite, and transferable RP4 could be released from killed sensitive donor consistently. Meanwhile, the survival of chlorine-tolerant injured bacteria with enhanced cell membrane permeabilisation and a strong oxidative stress-response demonstrated that a physiologically competent cell could be transferred by RP4 with an improved transformation frequency of up to 550 times compared with the corresponding untreated bacteria. Furthermore, the water quality factors involving chemical oxygen demand (CODMn), ammonium nitrogen and metal ions (Ca2+ and K+) could significantly promote above transformation frequency of released RP4 into injured E. faecalis. Our findings demonstrated that the chlorination process promoted the horizontal transfer of plasmids by natural transformation, which resulted in the exchange of ARGs across bacterial genera and the emergence of new ARB, as well as the transfer of chlorine-injured opportunistic pathogen from non-ARB to ARB. Considering that the transfer elements were quite resistant to degradation through disinfection, this situation poses a potential risk to public health.

Multimetallic nanoframes (NFs) with large specific area and unsaturated coordination sites showed superior catalytic performance in electrochemical catalysis. Herein, we synthesized robust trimetallic PtRuCu NFs with high shape selectivity via preferential etching of Cu in PtRuCu nanoparticles (NPs) with nitrosonium tetrafluoroborate (BF4NO). As far as we know, this is the first time that BF4NO has been used as an etching reagent. PtRuCu NF/C exhibited superior mass activity and specific area activity over commercial Pt/C towards the methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) due to the large specific area, high-density low-coordinated sites of the frame nanostructures and the synergistic effect of the trimetallics. Moreover, PtRuCu NFs/C also showed higher catalytic activity than the similar NFs obtained with acetic acid (HAc) as the etching reagent. We attributed the better performance to the fact that BF4NO was not only an etching-agent but also a ligand exchange reagent that could remove the olamine ligands on the catalyst surface, thus releasing more catalytic sites to improve the catalytic performance.

The effect of short-term intake of high- and low-concentrations of sucrose solution on the neurochemistry of male and female mice was studied. The body weight, feed intake, sucrose solution consumption and brain monoamine neurotransmitters were determined after 34 days' intake of 1% and 8% sucrose solutions. The gene expression and protein levels related to dopamine and opioids were also determined. The results showed that the intake of 1% and 8% sucrose solution for 34 days did not cause significant changes in the weight development of both male and female mice. The preference for sucrose varies with sex. Both males and females had greater preference for the high concentration sucrose solution than the low concentration sucrose solution. The continuous intake of sucrose stimulated the release of monoamine neurotransmitters (DA, 5-HT, NE) in the brains of mice, and the reward effect of 8% sucrose solution is significantly higher than that of 1% sucrose solution. The sex of mice did not affect the release of neurotransmitters. The gene expressions of D1 and D2 were up-regulated in the 1% sucrose group of male mice, while the OPRM1 gene expression was down-regulated. The expression of these three genes in the 8% sucrose group of male mice was all down-regulated, while the gene expressions of D1 and D2 in the 1% and 8% sucrose group (p < 0.05) of female mice were both up-regulated.

Extensive efforts have been devoted to develop bifunctional oxygen catalysts for rechargeable zinc–air batteries (ZABs) owing to the extremely high specific energy density, low cost and safety of these emerging batteries. The oxygen catalysts play roles in maximizing the energy conversion efficiencies of ZABs. Herein, a strategy of electronic structure modulation is used by ruthenium doping and post-oxidation treatment in cobalt encapsulated N-doped carbon nanotubes for enhancing catalytic activities of the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER). First principles calculations reveal that doping Ru into Co or CoOx enhances charge transfer from Ru to carbon atoms adjacent to the doped N atom and then promotes the reversible oxygen reactions. The achieved catalysts (denoted as RuCoOx@Co/N-CNT) exhibit efficient catalytic activities driving both ORR and OER with a small overpotential gap (EOER − EORR = 0.79 V). Specifically, the ZABs assembled with RuCoOx@Co/N-CNT catalysts display an open-circuit potential of 1.44 V, a specific capacity of 788 mA h g−1, a power density of 93 mW cm−2 and long-term discharge–charge cycling stability, even superior to those of commercial Pt/C and RuO2 electrodes. This work proves that modulating the electronic structure of active sites by doping or post oxidation treatment is an efficient way to improve the catalytic performance.

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is one of the most important crops in the world, and grain size is a major component determining rice yield. Recent studies identified a number of grain size regulators, which are involved in the phytohormone signaling, G protein signaling, mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway, ubiquitin-proteasome pathway, or transcriptional regulation. In previous study, we cloned qGL3/OsPPKL1 encoding a rice protein phosphatase that negatively modulates brassinosteroid (BR) signaling and grain length. Here, to further explore qGL3-mediated BR signaling network, we performed phosphoproteomic screenings using two pairs of rice materials: the indica rice cultivar 9311 and its near-isogenic line NILqgl3 and the japonica rice cultivar Dongjin and its qGL3 knockout mutant m-qgl3. Together with qGL3-interacting proteins, we constructed the qGL3-mediated network, which reveals the relationships between BR signaling and other critical signaling pathways. Transgenic plants of these network components showed BR-related alterations in plant architecture. From this network, we validated a qGL3-interacting protein, O. sativa VERNALIZATION INSENSITIVE3-LIKE1 (OsVIL1), and demonstrated that qGL3 dephosphorylates OsVIL1 to modulate BR signaling. The qGL3-dependent network uncovered in this study increases our understanding of BR signaling and provides a profound foundation for addressing how BR modulates plant architecture in rice.

The latent dangers of waterborne viral transmission have become a major public health concern. In this study, reduced graphene oxide (rGO)-Fe3O4 nanoparticles were decorated with cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) to adsorb severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike pseudovirus and three human enteric viruses (HuNoV, HRV, and HAdV). The successful combination of CTAB with rGO-Fe3O4 was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, zeta potential, Brunner-Emmet-Teller, and vibrating sample magnetometer measurements. The adsorption of HuNoV and HAdV followed pseudo-first-order kinetics, while that of HRV conformed to the pseudo-second-order model. CTAB-functionalized rGO-Fe3O4 exhibited exceptionally high adsorption of HuNoV, HRV, HAdV and SARS-CoV-2 spike pseudovirus, with maximum adsorption capacities of 3.55 × 107, 7.01 × 107, 2.21 × 107 and 6.92 × 106 genome copies mg−1, respectively. Moreover, the composite could effectively adsorb the four types of virus particles from coastal, tap, and river water. In addition, concentrating the virions using CTAB functionalized rGO-Fe3O4 composites before qPCR analysis significantly improved the detection limit. The results indicate that viruses are captured on the surface of CTAB functionalized rGO-Fe3O4 composites through electrostatic interactions and the intrinsic adsorption ability of rGO. Overall, CTAB-functionalized rGO-Fe3O4 composites are promising materials for the adsorption and detection of human enteric viruses as well as SARS-CoV-2 from complex aqueous environments., Graphical abstract Image 1

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a pathological state of many abnormal metabolic sections. These abnormalities are closely related to diabetes, heart pathologies and other vascular diseases. Danggui-Shaoyao-San (DSS) is a traditional Chinese medicine formula that has been used as a therapy for Alzheimer’s disease. DSS has rarely been reported in the application of MetS and its mechanism of how it improves gut microbia dysbiosis and hepatic lipid homeostasis. In this study, three extracts of DSS were obtained using water, 50% methanol in water and methanol as extracting solvents. Their chemical substances were analyzed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass (UPLC-Q/TOF-MS). Pharmacodynamic effect of the extracts were evaluated by comparison of biochemical factors, 16S rRNA sequencing test for gut microbiota analysis, as well as metabonomic and transcriptomic assessments on liver tissues from fructose-fed rats. This study aimed at investigating DSS’s mechanism of regulating blood lipid, anti-inflammation and reducing blood glucose. The results showed that the 50% methanol extract (HME) was more effective. It was worth noting that hydroxysteroid 17β-dehydrogenase 13 (HSD17β13) as a critical element of increasing blood lipid biomarker-triglyceride (TG), was decreased markedly by DSS. The influence from upgraded hydroxysteroid 17β-dehydrogenase 7 (HSD17β7) may be stronger than that from downgraded Lactobacillus in the aspect of regulating back blood lipid biomarker-total cholesterol (TC). The differential down-regulation of tumornecrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and the significant up-regulation of Akkermansia showed the effective effect of anti-inflammation by DSS. The declining glycine and alanine induced the lowering glucose and lactate. It demonstrated that DSS slowed down the reaction of gluconeogenesis to reduce the blood glucose. The results demonstrated that DSS improved pathological symptoms of MetS and some special biochemical factors in three aspects by better regulating intestinal floras and improving hepatic gene expressions and metabolites.

As biomaterials with excellent biocompatibility, biodegradation and low toxicity, poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) and poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) are widely applied as wound dressing and surgical suture in biomedical field. In this paper, an oblique section free surface eletrospinning (OSFSE) apparatus was utilized to prepare high-quality and high-output ZnO/PLGA/PCL nanofiber membranes (NFMs) for antibacterial materials. The effects of the weight ratio of PLGA and PCL on the viscosity and conductivity of electrospinning solutions as well as the yield, morphology and wettability of PLGA/PCL NFMs were researched, and the optimal weight ratio of 6:4 was determined. Then the effects of ZnO contents on the electrospinning solution properties as well as the yield, morphology, structure, wettability, mechanical property and antibacterial performance of ZnO/PLGA/PCL NFMs with the optimal ratio of PLGA and PCL were studied. The results indicated that the addition of ZnO could improve significantly the antibacterial effect of NFMs, and the NFMs with 3 wt% ZnO had excellent antibacterial activity against E. coli (95.3%) and S. aureus (95.7%).

Understanding the oxidative mechanism of the natural ester based insulating oils will benefit the seeking of the antioxidants for their long time service in a transformer. The present studies intro...

The present study investigated the antidepressant-like effects of navel orange [Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck] essential oil (OEO) and its main components using the chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) model mice and explored its possible mechanisms. The results indicated that OEO inhalation significantly ameliorated the depression-like behaviors of CUMS mice with decreased body weight, sucrose preference, curiosity, and mobility as well as shortened immobile time and attenuated dyslipidemia. Limonene was the most abundant compound in the sniffing OEO environment and mice brain after sniffing, and it was not metabolized immediately in the brain. In addition, limonene inhalation significantly restored CUMS-induced depressive behavior, hyperactivity of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, and the decrease of monoamine neurotransmitter levels, with downregulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and its receptor expression in the hippocampus. Thus, the study indicates that the improvements in neuroendocrine, neurotrophic, and monoaminergic systems are related to the antidepressant effects of limonene.

A novel organic-inorganic layered perovskite compound (C4H9NH3)2PbI4 has been synthesized through a simple and high-yield solution method. For the first time, this layered perovskite was used as a candidate material for gas sensors. Gas sensors based on (C4H9NH3)2PbI4 provided unique gas-sensing properties toward 1–800 ppm p-xylene (p-C8H10) at the working temperature of 140 °C, including fast response, quick response-recovery, good selectivity and repeatability. The as-prepared (C4H9NH3)2PbI4 gas sensor can detect as low as 1 ppm concentration of p-xylene with a response of 11.8 at 140 °C. In situ diffuse reflectance Fourier transform infrared (DRFTIR) measurement shows that the p-xylene sensing mechanism can be mainly attributed to physical adsorption, which is different from other common gas-sensing metal oxides that are based on adsorption-redox-desorption mechanism.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a common disease in aging males. It has been proven that the Hedgehog (HH) is implied as an effective and fundamental regulatory growth factor signal for organogenesis, homeostasis, and regeneration. Smoothened (SMO), as the major control point of HH signals, activates aberrantly in most human solid tumors. However, the specific function of SMO and its downstream glioma-associated oncogene (GLI) family in BPH has not been well understood. Here, we first revealed that the SMO cascade was upregulated in BPH tissues and was localized in both the stromal and the epithelium compartments of human prostate tissues. Cyclopamine, as a specific SMO inhibitor, was incubated with BPH-1 and WPMY-1, and intraperitoneally injected into a BPH rat model established by castration with testosterone supplementation. SMO inhibition could induce cell apoptosis, cell cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase, and a reduction of tissue fibrosis markers, both in vitro and in vivo. Finally, a tissue microarray, containing 104 BPH specimens, was constructed to analyze the correlations between the expression of SMO cascade and clinical parameters. The GLI2 was correlated positively with nocturia and negatively with fPSA. The GLI3 was in a positive relationship with International Prostate Symptom Score and nocturia. In conclusion, our study suggested that SMO cascade could play important roles in the development of BPH and it might be rediscovered as a promising therapeutic target for BPH.

The aim of the present study was to induce chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG) with intestinal metaplasia (IM) in rats by administering saturated salt and methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) via oral gavage. Changes in gastric mucosal blood microcirculation and activation of the cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX-2)/hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α)/vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) signaling pathway during CAG and IM development were investigated. After administering saturated salt and MNNG for 25 weeks, mild atrophy was detected in the stomach of model rats using hematoxylin and eosin staining. CAG with IM was successfully induced in the gastric mucosa of the model rats after 35 weeks. Gastric mucosal blood flow was decreased in comparison with controls as early as 15 weeks after treatment to induce CAG and the mRNA expression levels of COX-2, HIF-1α, vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR)1 and VEGFR2 were increased in comparison with untreated rats as early as 25 weeks after treatment. HIF-1α, COX-2 and VEGFR2 expression levels were increased as early as 25 weeks after CAG induction treatment when compared to controls and HIF-1α, COX-2, VEGFR1 and VEGFR2 expression levels were significantly increased after 35 weeks. These findings indicated that administering saturated salt and MNNG by gavage for 35 weeks successfully induced CAG and IM in rats. Furthermore, the microcirculation was disturbed before activation of the COX-2/HIF-1α/VEGF signaling pathway.

Given its excellent performance against the pathogens, UV disinfection has been applied broadly in different fields. However, only limited studies have comprehensively investigated the response of bacteria surviving UV irradiation to the environmental antibiotic stress. Here, we investigated the antibiotic susceptibility of Pseudomonas aeruginosa suffering from the UV irradiation. Our results revealed that UV exposure may decrease the susceptibility to tetracycline, ciprofloxacin, and polymyxin B in the survival P. aeruginosa. Mechanistically, UV exposure causes oxidative stress in P. aeruginosa and consequently induces dysregulation of genes contributed to the related antibiotic resistance genes. These results revealed that the insufficient ultraviolet radiation dose may result in the decreased antibiotic susceptibility in the pathogens, thus posing potential threats to the environment and human health.

A fundamental study on the metal-support interactions of supported metal catalysts is of great importance for developing heterogeneous catalysts with high performance, is still attracting and challenging in many heterogeneous catalytic reactions. In this work, we report the catalytic performances of CeO2-supported noble-metal catalysts among single atoms, subnanoclusters (∼1 nm), and nanoparticles (2.2-2.7 nm) upon low-temperature CO oxidation reaction between 50 and 250 °C. The subnanoclusters and nanoparticles of Ru, Rh, and Ir showed much higher activities than those of the single atoms, while a Pd single-atom catalyst was more active than Pd subnanoclusters and nanoparticles. According to the results of multiple ex situ and in situ characterizations, the much different activities of Ru, Rh, Ir, and Pd were derived from the alterable electronic metal-support interactions (EMSI), which determine the concurrent reaction pathway including the famous Mars van Krevelen mechanism and carbonate-intermediate route on the most active metal sites of Mδ+ (0 < δ < 1) for Ru, Rh, and Ir and Pd2+ for Pd. Also, the moderate EMSI of CeO2-supported Rh subnanoclusters furthest benefited activation of the adsorbed CO molecule and ensured it the highest activity among CeO2-supported Ru, Rh, and Ir catalysts with similar metal deposit sizes.

In this work we developed methylene blue-immobilized copper-iron nanoparticles (MB-CuFe NPs) through a facile one-step hydrothermal reaction to achieve a better phototherapeutic effect. The Fe/Cu ratio of the CuFe NPs was controllable by merely changing the loading amount of iron precursor concentration. The CuFe NPs could serve as a Fenton catalyst to convert hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) into reactive oxygen species (ROS), while the superparamagnetic properties also suggest magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) potential. Furthermore, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved MB photosensitizer could strongly adsorb onto the surface of CuFe NPs to facilitate the drug delivery into cells and improve the photodynamic therapy at 660 nm via significant generation of singlet oxygen species, leading to enhanced cancer cell-damaging efficacy. An MTT (thiazolyl blue tetrazolium bromide) assay proved the low cytotoxicity of the CuFe NPs to cervical cancer cells (HeLa cells), namely above 80% at 25 ppm of the sample dose. A slight dissolution of Cu and Fe ions from the CuFe NPs in an acidic environment was obtained, providing direct evidence for CuFe NPs being degradable without the risk of long-term retention in the body. Moreover, the tremendous photo-to-thermal conversion of CuFe NPs was examined, which might be combined with photodynamic therapy (PDT) for promising development in the depletion of cancer cells after a single pulse of deep-red light irradiation at high laser power.

Background Increased fucosylation is associated with the chemoresistance phenotype. Meanwhile, fucosyltransferase IV (FUT4) amounts are frequently elevated in lung cancer and may be related to increased chemoresistance. Methods In the present work, FUT4’s role in cisplatin-induced apoptosis was assessed in A549 and H1975 cells, respectively. To clarify whether the FUT4 gene attenuates chemosensitivity in tumor cells, we constructed FUT4siRNA and evaluated its effects on cisplatin-induced apoptosis and cell growth inhibition. Cell viability, apoptosis, migration and invasion assay were conducted to investigate cisplatin sensitivity. The activation of EGFR/AKT/FOXO1 signaling were measured by western blot. The translocation of FOXO1 was assessed by IFC using Laser Scanning Confocal Microscope. Results We found that FUT4 knockdown dose-dependently increased cisplatin-associated cytotoxicity. Furthermore, FUT4 silencing induced apoptosis and inhibited proliferation in A549 and H1975 cells by suppressing Akt and FOXO1 phosphorylation induced by cisplatin administration, which resulted in nuclear translocation of FOXO1. Conclusion These results suggested FUT4 might control chemoresistance to cisplatin in lung cancer by suppressing FOXO1-induced apoptosis.

Naturally occurring thymine (TM) was incorporated into bacterial poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) polyester to fabricate a novel and green biocomposite. Both 0.5% and 1% TM exhibit supernucleation effect on PHB, and crystallization kinetics suggests TM significantly increased Tc and Xc, and substantially shortened t1/2 of PHB. Epitaxial nucleation caused by a perfect crystal lattice matching between PHB and TM, was proposed to elucidate nucleation mechanism of PHB. Hydrogen bond interaction exists between CO, C-O-C groups of PHB and -CH3 (or -CH)/-NH- group of TM. TM interacted with CO group of PHB crystalline phase rather than that of amorphous one. In addition, two new IR crystalline bands assigned to C-O-C group of PHB appeared in the presence of TM, which arises from shift of two amorphous ones, respectively. TM enhanced onset thermal degradation temperature of PHB, mainly attributed to increased degree of crystallinity of PHB and flame retardance effect of TM.

Background Triterpenoids from birch (Betula platyphylla Suk.) exert antitumor and anti-HIV activities. Due to the complexity of plant secondary metabolic pathways, triterpene compounds in plants is not always determined by a single gene; they may be controlled by polygene quantitative traits. Secondary metabolism related to terpenoids involves tissue specificity and localisation of key biosynthetic enzymes. Terpene synthesis is influenced by light, hormones and other signals, as well as upstream transcription factor regulation. Results Anchor Herein, we identified and characterised two birch MYB transcription factors (TFs) that regulate triterpenoid biosynthesis. BpMYB21 and BpMYB61 are R2R3 TFs that positively and negatively regulate responses to methyl-jasmonate (MeJA) and salicyclic acid (SA), respectively. Expression of BpMYB21 and BpMYB61 was elevated in leaves and stems more than roots during July/August in Harbin, China. BpMYB21 expression was increased by abscisic acid (ABA), MeJA, SA and gibberellins (GAs). BpMYB61 expression in leaves and BpMYB21 expression in stems was reduced by ABA, MeJA and SA, while GAs, ethylene, and injury increased BpMYB61 expression. BpMYB21 was localised in nuclei, while BpMYB61 was detected in cell membranes and nuclei. Promoters for both BpMYB21 (1302 bp) and BpMYB61 (850 bp) were active. BpMYB21 and BpMYB61 were ligated into pYES3, introduced into AnchorINVScl (yeast strain without exogenous genes), INVScl-pYES2-SSAnchorAnchor (transgenic yeast strain harbouring the SS gene from birch), and INVScl-pYES2-SE (transgenic yeast strain harbouring the SE gene from birch), and the squalene content was highest in AnchorINVScl-pYES-MYB21-SS (transgenic yeast strain harbouring SS and MYB21 genes) and INVScl-pYES3-MYB61 (transgenic yeast strain harbouring the MYB61 gene). In BpMYB21 transgenic birch key triterpenoid synthesis genes were up-regulated, and in BpMYB61 transgenic birch AnchorFPS (farnesyl pyrophosphate synthase) and SS (squalene synthase) were up-regulated, but HMGR (3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme a reductase), BPWAnchor (lupeol synthase), SE (squalene epoxidase) and BPY (b-amyrin synthase) were down-regulated. Both BpMYB21 and BpMYB61 specifically activate SE and BPX (cycloartenol synthase synthesis) promoters. Conclusions These findings support further functional characterisation of R2R3-MYB genes, and illuminate the regulatory role of BpMYB21 and BpMYB61 in the synthesis of birch triterpenoids.

Alginate oligosaccharides produced by enzymatic degradation show versatile physiological functions and biological activities. In this study, a new alginate lyase encoding gene alyS02 from Flavobacterium sp. S02 was recombinantly expressed at a high level in Yarrowia lipolytica, with the highest extracellular activity in the supernatant reaching 36.8 &plusmn, 2.1 U/mL. AlyS02 was classified in the polysaccharide lyase (PL) family 7. The optimal reaction temperature and pH of this enzyme were 30 &deg, C and 7.6, respectively, indicating that AlyS02 is a cold-adapted enzyme. Interestingly, AlyS02 contained more than 90% enzyme activity at 25 &deg, C, higher than other cold-adapted enzymes. Moreover, AlyS02 is a bifunctional alginate lyase that degrades both polyG and polyM, producing di- and trisaccharides from alginate. These findings suggest that AlyS02 would be a potent tool for the industrial applications.

In this study, we firstly reported the large-scale screening and isolation of endophytic fungi from nine wild and six cultivated soybeans in the cold regions of China. We totally isolated 302 endophytic fungal strains, of which 215 strains are isolated from the wild soybeans and 87 are identified from cultivated soybeans. Among these endophytic fungal strains, in the roots, stems, and leaves, 24.17% were isolated from roots, 28.8% were isolated from stems, and 47.01% were isolated from leaves, respectively. Most endophytic fungal strains isolated from the wild soybean roots were the species of Fusarium genus, and the fungal strains in the stems were the species of ascomycetes and Fusarium fungi, whereas most strains in the leaves were Alternaria fungi. To analyze the taxonomy of the obtained samples, we sequenced and compared their rDNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences. The data showed that 6 strains are putatively novel strains exhibiting ≤ 97% homology with the known strains. We next measured the secondary metabolites produced by the different strains and we found 11 strains exhibited high-performance synthesis of triterpenoids, phenols, and polysaccharides. Furthermore, we characterized their tolerance to abiotic stresses. The results indicated that 4 strains exhibited high tolerance to cadmium, and some strains exhibited resistance to acid, and alkali. The results of the study could facilitate the further exploration of the diversity of plant endophytic fungi and the potential applications of the fungi to practical agriculture and medicine industries. KEY POINTS: • 302 endophytic fungal strains isolated from wild soybean and cultivated soybean • 11 strains had high contents of triterpenoids, phenols, and polysaccharides • 4 strains exhibited high Cd tolerance, and a few strains with strong tolerance to acid and alkali solution.

Polycrystalline gallium oxide thin film was prepared using electron-beam evaporation and a post-annealing treatment. Cathodoluminescent measurement show the gallium oxide thin film has emission peaks ranging from 300 to 650 nm. Using gallium oxide thin film anode, a flat panel UV light source was fabricated by using ZnO nanowires field emitter arrays.

Cadmium (Cd) and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) are frequently detected in agricultural soils, which poses a threat to public health. This study investigated the effects of inoculation of king grass with Piriformospora indica on the remediation of soils co-contaminated with Cd and DDTs. After treatment for 90 days, the dry shoot and root biomass of king grass inoculated with P. indica markedly increased by 13.0–15.8% and 24.1–46.4%, respectively, compared with those of uninoculated plants. Inoculation with P. indica also increased the uptake of Cd and DDTs by shoots and roots of king grass. The removal efficiency of Cd and DDTs from soils reached 4.88–17.4% and 48.4–51.0%, respectively, in the presence of king grass inoculated with P. indica. Under three Cd–DDTs contamination conditions, root secretion of organic acids, alcohol, and polyamines was distinctively stimulated by P. indica inoculation of king grass compared with planting king grass alone. After phytoremediation, changes in soil bacterial and fungal community composition occurred at different contamination levels. Overall, the results showed that king grass associated with P. indica can be adopted for phytoextraction of Cd and DDTs from moderately contaminated soils by regulating root excretion and reshaping rhizosphere microbial community structure.

Plant triterpenes play important roles in plant growth and development, stress tolerance, pest and disease resistance, biological interactions, and signal transduction. Plant sterols possess important medicinal properties. Cytochrome P450 monooxygenase (CYP450) is the largest family of enzymes involved in plant metabolism, and the members of this family play keys role in the diversification and functional modifications of triterpenoid and sterol skeletons. To date, research has identified nearly 80 CYP450 enzymes involved in triterpene metabolism in plants, including the subfamilies CYP51H, CYP71A, D, CYP72A, CYP81Q, CYP87D, CYP88D, L, CYP93E, CYP705A, CYP708A, and CYP716A, C, E, S, U, Y. Together, they participate in the metabolism of triterpenoids and their saponins as well as chemical defense functions and pharmacological activities against specific pathogens. Enzymes in the subfamilies CYP51G, CYP85A, CYP90B-D, CYP710A, CYP724B, and CYP734A are generally involved in biosyntheses of sterols and steroidal hormones. In this article, we summarized modification functions of different CYP450 gene loci in biosyntheses of triterpenes and sterols, focusing on the evolution of 11 CYP450 gene subfamilies in terrestrial plants and their roles in biosyntheses of pentacyclic triterpenoids of dicotyledonous and monocotyledonous plants. We aim to provide a theoretical basis for the comprehensive use of anti-tumor and anti- acquired immunodeficiency syndrome triterpenoids in synthetic biology and metabolic regulation.

Triterpenoids produced by the secondary metabolism of Betula platyphylla Suk. exhibit important pharmacological activities, such as tumor inhibition, anti-HIV, and defense against pathogens, but the yield of natural synthesis is low, which is insufficient to meet people's needs. In this study, we identified two OSC genes of birch, named as BpCAS and Bpβ-AS, respectively. The expression of BpCAS and Bpβ-AS were higher levels in roots and in stems, respectively, and they induced expression in response to methyl jasmonate (MeJA), gibberellin (GA3), abscisic acid (ABA), ethylene and mechanical damage. The function of the two genes in the triterpene synthesis of birch was identified by reverse genetics. The inhibition of Bpβ-AS gene positively regulates synthesis of betulinic acid. BpCAS interference can significantly promote the upregulation of lupeol synthase gene (BPW) and β-amyrin synthase gene(BPY), and conversion of 2,3-oxidosqualene to the downstream products betulinic acid and oleanolic acid. This study provided a basis for the genetic improvement of triterpenoid synthesis in birch through genetic engineering. The obtained transgenic birch and suspension cells served as material resources for birch triterpenoid applications in further.

Aims 2-(4-methyl-thiazol-5-yl) ethyl nitrate maleate (NMZM), a derivative of clomethiazole (CMZ), had been investigated for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The beneficial effects of NMZM in AD included reversing cognitive deficit, improving learning and memory as well as neuroprotection. The pharmacological effects of NMZM on GABAA receptors were reported previously; however, the mechanisms were unclear and were explored therefore. Results In this study, we demonstrated that NMZM improved learning and memory by alleviating scopolamine-induced long-term potentiation (LTP) suppression in the dentate gyrus of rats, indicating that NMZM had protective effects against scopolamine-induced depression of LTP. Next, we investigated the action of NMZM on GABAA receptors in hippocampal neurons and the binding site of NMZM on GABAA receptors. NMZM directly activated GABAA receptors in hippocampal neurons in a weak manner. However, NMZM could potentiate the response of GABAA receptors to GABA and NMZM positively modulated GABAA receptors with an EC50 value of 465 μmol/L at 3 μmol/L GABA while this potentiation at low concentration of GABA (1, 3 μmol/L) was more significant than that at high concentration (10, 30 μmol/L). In addition, NMZM could enhance GABA currents after using diazepam and pentobarbital, the positive modulators of GABAA receptors. NMZM could not affect the etomidate-potentiated GABAA current. It suggested that the binding site of NMZM on GABAA receptors is the same as etomidate. Conclusions These results provided support for the neuroprotective effect of NMZM, which was partly dependent on the potentiation of GABAA receptors. The etomidate binding site might be a new target for neuronal protection and for drug development.

Benzene and formaldehyde are representatives of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are harmful to human beings due to their highly toxic and carcinogenic nature. So exploring efficient gas sensing materials to detect ultra-low concentration benzene is of utmost significance. In this paper, an organic–inorganic layered perovskite (C4H9NH3)2PbI2Br2 was synthesized through a facile solution method. And it was employed as a resistive gas sensing candidate to benzene, exhibiting ultrahigh response, fast response–recovery, good selectivity and repeatability for parts per trillion (ppt) level benzene detection at the optimum operation temperature (OOT) of 160 °C, with a response of 90.7 for 1 ppt benzene. In situ infrared analysis confirmed that the gas sensing mechanism is originated from the physical adsorption–desorption of benzene molecules onto the (C4H9NH3)2PbI2Br2 surface, the charge transfer model of which is different from that of conventional metal oxides. A promising application using such organic–inorganic hybrid perovskites for monitoring ultra-low concentration benzene might be interesting to researchers in the gas sensor field.

Understanding the responses of ecosystem functions and services (e.g., fruit productivity, carbon sequestration, and nutrient cycling) to fertilization practices and exploring the underpinning mechanisms are essential to achieve sustainable development in the banana industry. Here, a field plot experiment was conducted to explore the effects of partially substituting chemical fertilizers with different application rates of bio-organic fertilizer (BIO) and organic fertilizer (OF) in banana (Musa acuminata L. cv. ‘Baodao’) production. Accordingly, 7.65 t ha–1 of BIO and OF was used for a field demonstration experiment to verify prior experimental results and explore the shifts in soil microbial ecology. The results showed that the greatest banana productivity was achieved at 81.6 t ha–1 following BIO application. The reducing sugar contents, vitamin C contents, and sugar-to-acidity ratios of banana fruit following BIO application were higher than those of the control with chemical fertilizers alone, and a similar trend was observed for soil pH values, organic matter contents, available nutrients contents, and cation exchange capacity. BIO was superior to OF in improving soil microbial biomass, but their effects on the number of cultivable microbial populations were opposite. The application of BIO increased Chloroflexi and Basidiomycota abundances, while decreasing Acidobacteria and Ascomycota abundances. Acidothermus, Bradyrhizobium, Bryobacter, Mortierella, and Moesziomyces were enriched following BIO application. Linear discriminant analysis effect size identified 20 differentially abundant taxa between treatments. Variation partitioning analysis revealed that soil properties, fertilizer type, and their interaction accounted for 93.0% of the variation in banana productivity and quality. Banana productivity and quality as well as the majority of soil properties varied significantly with fertilizer application rate. Bacterial functional genes associated with carbohydrate metabolism, lipid metabolism, and biosynthesis of other secondary metabolites were upregulated by BIO application. Overall, appropriate application of BIO combined with chemical fertilizers improved soil properties and reshaped bacterial and fungal ecology, thus improving banana productivity and quality. Our results indicated that partial substitution of chemical fertilizers with BIO is a promising fertilization practice for banana production in acid soil ecosystems.