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A single dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) low-temperature plasma reactor was set up, and toluene was selected as the representative substance for volatile organic compounds (VOCs), to study the reaction products and degradation mechanism of VOCs degradation by low-temperature plasma. Different parameters effect on the concentration of O3 and NOx during the degradation of toluene were studied. The exhaust in the process of toluene degradation was continuously detected and analyzed, and the degradation mechanism of toluene was explored. The results showed that the concentration of O3 increased with the increase of the power density and discharge voltage of the plasma device. However, as the initial concentration of toluene increased, the concentration of O3 basically keep steady. The concentration of NOx in the by-products increased with the discharge voltage, power density, and initial concentration of toluene in the plasma device, and the concentration of NO2 was much higher than the concentration of NO. The degradation process of toluene was detected and analyzed. The results showed that the degradation mechanism of toluene by plasma includes high energy electron bombardment reaction, active radical reaction and ion molecule reaction. Among them, the effect of high-energy electrons on toluene degradation is the largest, followed by the effect of free radicals, in which oxygen radicals participated in the reaction mainly through the formation of C–O bond, C O bond, (CO)–O– bond and –OH radical, while nitrogen radicals participate in the reaction mainly through the formation of C–NH2, (C NH)- bond, C N bond and C–NO2 bond. The results can provide some data supports for the study of low-temperature plasma degradation of VOCs.

Methanotrophs represent the only biological sink for the greenhouse gas methane, and only few studies have focused on methanotrophic communities in aquaculture ponds. Illumina high-throughput sequencing and real-time quantitative PCR were employed to profile the methanotrophic bacterial community and investigate the pmoA gene abundance in surface sediments from crab, oriental river prawn, perch, and Wuchang fish aquaculture ponds. Results revealed that Gammaproteobacteria (mainly the environmental_samples_norank genera) and Alphaproteobacteria (mainly the Methylocystis genera) were the most and second most abundant methanotrophic bacterial classes, respectively. While the species cultivated in these ponds were significantly different, the planting of submerged vegetation and the feed input were the main factors found to shape the methanotrophic bacterial community. Submerged vegetation potentially influenced methanotrophs in two ways: by increasing the alpha diversity of the methanotrophic community or by increasing methanotrophic abundance through inducing anaerobic root zone conditions, thereby increasing methane oxidation potential. The amount of feed input also influenced the methanotrophic communities in the fishponds (especially Wuchang fishponds), possibly through deposition of nitrogen, phosphorous, and organic matter (especially organic matter). These results provide preliminary biological data for the regulation of methanotrophs in aquaculture ponds in the future.

This study has demonstrated the feasibility of substituting 50 g/100 g of wheat flour (WF, with a very high gluten content and intermediate amylopectin percentage in starch) with highland barley powder (HBP, with a very high TDF content and amylopectin percentage in starch) or mung bean flour (MBF, with a very high crude protein) for chiffon cake making. Either substitution modified largely batter properties (batter specific gravity and viscosity: WF + HBP > WF + MBF > WF alone), and cake crumb structure setting during baking via affecting starch gelatinization, protein coagulation/aggregation, migration, and coalescence of both fat particles and gas cells. The amylopectin percentage in starch for WF, MBF, and HBP was strongly positively correlated with the flow behavior index (n) of corresponding cake batters (r = 0.892). The cell-to-total area ratio of cakes (WF alone ≈ WF + MBF > WF + HBP) was strongly positively correlated with the enthalpy of heat absorption (△H) of the ingredient powder (r = − 0.678), while strongly negatively correlated with the air-holding capacity, consistency coefficient (K), and n of cake batters (r = − 0.769, − 0.941, and − 0.628, respectively). The cell density/cell-to-total area ratio of cakes (WF + HBP > WF alone > WF + MBF) was strongly positively correlated with the K (r = 0.749) and n (r = 0.880) values of cake batters. The cake with WF + HBP had the greatest pore distribution and highest uniformity. The cake with WF + MBF was the hardest, gummiest, and chewiest and resembled that with WF alone in crumb color with the latter having the lowest specific volume.

Electrochemical oxidative C–H/S–H cross-coupling has been developed to construct the C–S bond in a highly straightforward and efficient manner., Electrochemical oxidative C–H/S–H cross-coupling has been developed to construct the C–S bond in a highly straightforward and efficient manner. Various enamines and (hetero)aryl thiols could be transformed smoothly under undivided electrolytic cell conditions. Moreover, this electrosynthesis strategy not only avoided the use of chemical oxidants and transition metal catalysts, but also exhibited excellent atom economy.

Small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) are thought to be exclusively nuclear and guide nucleotide modifications of ribosomal RNAs. Recently, more and more evidence has suggested that the nucleolus is a stress sensor for changes in growth status and that snoRNAs may orchestrate the response to environmental stress through molecular interactions outside of the nucleus. We previously showed that a box C/D snoRNA Bm-15 had both nuclear and cytoplasmic location in BmN4 cell line of the silkworm, Bombyx mori. To further study the functional roles of Bm-15, changes in expression level and cellular location of Bm-15 were examined in BmN4 cells subjected to serum starvation and ultraviolet (UV) ray radiation. Results indicated that total RNA level of Bm-15 was unchanged after 24 h serum starvation, but exhibited 3-fold increases in the cytoplasm, and the nuclear-to-cytosolic distribution ratio was reduced from 5:1 to 2:1. Moreover, UV radiation also causes rapid decline in nuclear Bm-15 and progressive cytoplasmic accumulation with a percentage of 22% and 57% after 6 and 24 h UV radiation. UV treatment results in a dramatic decrease in Bm-15 nuclear-to-cytosolic ratio from 7:1 to 2:1 and 2:1 to 1:20 after 6 and 24 h UV radiation, respectively. We show here for the first time that box C/D snoRNAs can translocate from the nucleus to the cytoplasm under the abiotic stress of nutritional deficiency and UV radiation. The rapid translocation of snoRNAs from nucleus to cytoplasm may slow down the maturation of rRNAs and synthesis of ribosomes to enhance the stress resistance of cells.

Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.) is a widely used warm-season turfgrass and has the highest nitrogen (N) fertilization requirements among turfgrasses. Wild ecotype found in N-poor habitats can potentially tolerant N limiting conditions for reducing N inputs in the turf industry. However, the extent of variation in their low N tolerance has remained unclear. We conducted hydroponic experiments to evaluate the variation on growth, N accumulation, and partitioning of wild bermudagrass from China pre-core collection under normal (5 mM) and limited (0.05 mM) N levels in two experiments. The results showed that low N nutrition significantly decreased clipping growth, while had no effects on verdure and root growth; in addition, the magnitude of clippings N accumulation reduction was higher than verdure and root across all accessions. However, significant genetic variations in all studied traits except for root N content in experiment 2 were found among accessions. Using a cluster analysis, 56 ...

The aim of this study was to deliver ribonuclease A (RNase A) intracellularly using dextran nanogels for cancer treatment. To this end, positively charged RNase A was electrostatically loaded in anionic dextran nanogels with an average size of 205 nm, which were prepared by an inverse mini-emulsion technique. To chemically immobilize the loaded protein in the nanogels and prevent its unwanted release in the extracellular environment, the protein was covalently linked to the nanogel network via disulfide bonds, which are cleavable in the reductive cytosolic environment. A high loading efficiency and loading content of RNase A (75% and 20%, respectively) were obtained. Coating of the nanogels with the cationic polymer polyethyleneimine reversed the zeta potential of nanogels from −31.6 mV to +7.6 mV. The nanogels showed a fast and triggered release of RNase in the presence of glutathione. Negatively charged RNase A loaded nanogels did not show cytotoxicity, likely due to their limited cellular uptake. In contrast, PEI coated RNase A loaded nanogels showed high uptake by MDA-MB 231 breast cancer cells and exhibited a concentration-dependent cytotoxic effect by apoptosis. The results demonstrate that PEI coated nanogels are promising nano-carriers for intracellular protein delivery, encouraging further evaluation of this formulation in preclinical models.

For the first time, the photoexcited charge separation in a metal–organic framework has been evidenced with clear ESR signals, based on efficient and selective photocatalytic oxidative coupling of amines., The selective aerobic oxidative coupling of amines under mild conditions is an important laboratory and commercial procedure yet a great challenge. In this work, a porphyrinic metal–organic framework, PCN-222, was employed to catalyze the reaction. Upon visible light irradiation, the semiconductor-like behavior of PCN-222 initiates charge separation, evidently generating oxygen-centered active sites in Zr-oxo clusters indicated by enhanced porphyrin π-cation radical signals. The photogenerated electrons and holes further activate oxygen and amines, respectively, to give the corresponding redox products, both of which have been detected for the first time. The porphyrin motifs generate singlet oxygen based on energy transfer to further promote the reaction. As a result, PCN-222 exhibits excellent photocatalytic activity, selectivity and recyclability, far superior to its organic counterpart, for the reaction under ambient conditions via combined energy and charge transfer.

This paper reports a kind of composite separator which is prepared by adopting polypropylene melt-blown non-woven fabric as base material, and coating nano-SiO2 particles on its unilateral side. Th...

Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) is a particularly promising target for the development of small molecule anti-cancer drugs. In the present study, comparative molecular field analysis (CoMFA) and comparative molecular similarity indices analysis (CoMSIA) were performed on 60 ALK inhibitors to build three-dimensional quantitative structure–activity relationship models. Both the ligand-based resultants of CoMFA (r 2 0.970, q 2 0.660) and CoMSIA (r 2 0.979, q 2 0.623) models exhibited good predictability. The resulting contour maps illustrated the regions where interactive fields may affect the activity. Molecular docking was then performed to explore the interactions between these inhibitors and the ALK-4DCE protein. A few key residues (His32, Gly31, Gly169, Asp170, Val35, Ala100, Pro160, Lys50, and Leu30) at the binding site of 4DCE were identified. Molecular dynamics simulation further verified the reliability. The information acquired in this work not only provides a better appreciation of interactions between these molecules and the ALK receptor but could also be applied to design more effective ALK inhibitors.

In this work, a three-dimensional (3D) porous hybrid nickel/aluminum layered double hydroxide (Ni/Al-LDH)-carbon cloth (CC), the working electrode without binders or conductive additions for supercapacitor, was successfully synthesized via facile one-step hydrothermal method. The as-obtained Ni/Al-LDH/CC sample exhibited good charge storage performance (the specific capacitance was up to 359 F/g at a current density of 0.3 A/g), as well as superior cycling stability (5.9% capacitance increase after 3000 cycles at 1.0 A/g). Furthermore, an asymmetric supercapacitor, Ni/Al-LDH/CC as positive electrode and activated carbon (AC) as negative electrode (Ni/Al-LDH/CC//AC), achieved a high energy density (20.9 Wh/kg vs. the power density 262.5 W/kg) and good cycle lifetime (83.9% retention of the initial value after 3000 cycle tests at a current density of 0.5 A/g). The unique 3D porous structure and binder-free electrode display great potential in supercapacitors.

Male tilapia were exposed to sub-lethal methomyl concentrations of 0, 0.2, 2, 20 or 200 μg/L for 30 d, and were subsequently cultured in methomyl-free water for 18 d. Relative transcript abundance of steroidogenic genes involved in the HPGL axis of male tilapia was examined at 30 d in the exposure test and at 18 d in the recovery test. The results revealed that low concentrations of methomyl (0.2 and 2 μg/L) did not cause significant changes in gene mRNA levels in the HPGL axis of male tilapia; thus, we considered 2 μg/L concentrations as the level that showed no apparent adverse endocrine disruption effects. However, higher concentrations of methomyl (20 and 200 μg/L) disrupted the endocrine system and caused significant increase in the levels of GnRH2, GnRH3, ERα, and ERβ genes in the hypothalamus, GnRHR and FSHβ genes in the pituitary, CYP19a, FSHR, and ERα genes in the testis, and VTG and ERα genes in the liver, and significantly decreased the levels of LHR, StAR, 3β-HSD, and ARα genes in the testis and LHβ gene in the pituitary, leading to changes in sex steroid hormone and vitellogenin levels in the serum and ultimately resulting in reproductive dysfunction in male tilapia. The recovery tests showed that the toxicity effect caused by 20 μg/L methomyl was reversible; however, the toxicity effect at 200 μg/L of methomyl was irreversible after 18 d. Therefore, we concluded that 200 μg/L was the threshold concentration for methomyl-induced irreversible endocrine disruption in male tilapia.

Recent advances in the development of protein-based vaccines have expanded the opportunities for preventing and treating both infectious diseases as well as cancer. However, the development of readily and efficient antigen delivery systems capable of stimulating strong cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) responses remains a challenge. With the attempt to closely mimic the properties of viruses in terms of their size and molecular organization, we constructed RNA (which is a ligand for Toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7) and TLR8) and antigen-loaded nanoparticles resembling the structural organization of viruses. Cationic polymers containing either azide or bicyclo[6.1.0]nonyne (BCN) groups were synthesized as electrostatic glue that binds negatively charged single stranded RNA (PolyU) to form a self-crosslinked polyplex core. An azide-modified model antigen (ovalbumin, OVA) and a BCN-modified mannosylated or galactosylated polymer were sequentially conjugated to the RNA core via disulfide bonds using copper free click chemistry to form the shell of the polyplexes. The generated reducible virus mimicking particles (VMPs) with a diameter of 200 nm and negatively surface charge (−14 mV) were colloidally stable in physiological conditions. The immunogenicity of these VMP vaccines was evaluated both in vitro and in vivo. The surface mannosylated VMPs (VMP-Man) showed 5 times higher cellular uptake by bone marrow derived DCs (BMDCs) compared to galactosylated VMP (VMP-Gal) counterpart. Moreover, VMP-Man efficiently activated DCs and greatly facilitated MHC I Ag presentation in vitro. Vaccination of mice with VMP-Man elicited strong OVA-specific CTL responses as well as humoral immune responses. These results demonstrate that the modular core-shell polymeric nanoparticles described in this paper are superior in inducing strong and durable immune responses compared to adjuvanted protein subunit vaccines and offer therefore a flexible platform for personalized vaccines.

A full understanding of changes of the microbiome and metabolome during Napier grass silage in relation to aerobic exposure can improve the nutritional value and extend the aerobic stability of this important feed in tropical and subtropical regions. The round bale silage of Napier grass was prepared with deionized water (control) and screened strains Lactobacillus rhamnosus LR753 (LR753) and L. buchneri 40788 (LB). Silages were stored at ambient temperature (30−40 °C) for 60 days, followed by 2 and 4 days of aerobic exposure. Strains LB and LR753 significantly improved aerobic stability (>84 h vs. 18 h of control) of baled Napier grass silage by inhibiting the growth of Saccharomycetales as for the higher production of acetic acid (P

Salinity is one of the major abiotic environmental stress factors affecting plant growth and development. Centipedegrass (Eremochloa ophiuroides [Munro)] Hack.) is an important warm-season turfgrass species with low turf maintenance requirements, but is sensitive to salinity stress. To explore salt tolerant germplasms in centipedegrass and better understand the growth and physiological responses of centipedegrass to salinity, we conducted anatomic observation and phytochemical quantification, examined growth parameters, and investigated photosynthetic machinery and antioxidant system in two phenotypically distinct centipedegrass accessions under NaCl salt stress. The morphophenotypical difference of the stems in the two accessions mainly depends on whether or not a thickened epidermal horny layer with purple colour was formed, which was caused by anthocyanin accumulation in the tissue. Successive salinity treatment was found to result in an inhibition of leaf growth, a marked decrease in photosynthesis, chlorophyll contents, and the maximal photochemical efficiency of PSII (Fv/Fm). Under the same treatment, purple-stem accession (E092) showed a lower degree of inhibition or decrease than green-stem one (E092-1). With the exception of malondialdehyde level, both proline content and antioxidant enzymes were upregulated to a greater extent in E092 following exposure to salinity condition. Meanwhile, significant enhancements of anthocyanin accumulation and total protein synthesis were detected in E092 after salt treatment, but not in E092-1. These results demonstrated that E092 favor better accumulation of anthocyanins under salinity condition, which contribute to salt tolerance by adjusting physiological functions and osmotic balance, and better maintenance of high turf quality. Hence, genetic phenotype can be utilized as a key indicator in E. ophiuroides breeding for salt-tolerance.

Combining electrochemiluminescent array and bioreactor bead-LC-MS/MS featuring metabolic enzyme-DNA films provide an efficient, comprehensive approach to simultaneously elucidate metabolic DNA damage chemistries at different human organs for potential new drugs., Human toxic responses are very often related to metabolism. Liver metabolism is traditionally studied, but other organs also convert chemicals and drugs to reactive metabolites leading to toxicity. When DNA damage is found, the effects are termed genotoxic. Here we describe a comprehensive new approach to evaluate chemical genotoxicity pathways from metabolites formed in situ by a broad spectrum of liver, lung, kidney and intestinal enzymes. DNA damage rates are measured with a microfluidic array featuring a 64-nanowell chip to facilitate fabrication of films of DNA, electrochemiluminescent (ECL) detection polymer [Ru(bpy)2(PVP)10]2+ {(PVP = poly(4-vinylpyridine))} and metabolic enzymes. First, multiple enzyme reactions are run on test compounds using the array, then ECL light related to the resulting DNA damage is measured. A companion method next facilitates reaction of target compounds with DNA/enzyme-coated magnetic beads in 96 well plates, after which DNA is hydrolyzed and nucleobase-metabolite adducts are detected by LC-MS/MS. The same organ enzymes are used as in the arrays. Outcomes revealed nucleobase adducts from DNA damage, enzymes responsible for reactive metabolites (e.g. cyt P450s), influence of bioconjugation, relative dynamics of enzymes suites from different organs, and pathways of possible genotoxic chemistry. Correlations between DNA damage rates from the cell-free array and organ-specific cell-based DNA damage were found. Results illustrate the power of the combined DNA/enzyme microarray/LC-MS/MS approach to efficiently explore a broad spectrum of organ-specific metabolic genotoxic pathways for drugs and environmental chemicals.

Aquaculture ponds represent ecologically relevant environments to study the community composition and diversity of methanogenic assemblages, as well as their interactions with cultivated species and chemical indicators. In this study, aquaculture ponds with crab (Eriocheir sinensis), oriental river prawn (Macrobrachium nipponense), perch (Micropterus salmonides) and Wuchang fish (Parabramis pekinensis) were sampled, and Illumina high-throughput sequencing was used to investigate the methanogenic communities. The results revealed that the abundant methanogenic orders in surface sediment were Methanomicrobiales, Methanosarcinales and Methanocellales. The relative abundance of Methanocellales was higher in crab and prawn ponds as compared to other ponds. Methanogenic 16S rRNA gene abundance and beta diversity of the community was affected by the cultivated species. Methanogenic communities in aquaculture ponds with higher contents of total nitrogen and organic matter had decreased species richness, while those with higher contents of ammonia and nitrite had an overall decreased abundance of methanogens and their respective diversities. Overall, in addition to the differences in cultivated species, the consequent differences in farming practices including the types and amounts of feeds used, the contents of total nitrogen, organic matter, ammonia and nitrite could all influence the methanogenic community in surface sediment of aquaculture ponds.

Nowadays, layer-by-layer assembled microsized particles receive interest as drug delivery systems. In the present study, we report nanosized hydrogels loaded with a protein antigen that are coated with a disulfide cross-linked polymer shell. These disulfide bonds are stable in the nonreducing extracellular environment, but are reduced in the intracellular environment. This in turn leads to disintegration of the polymer shell and subsequent antigen release. Furthermore, we demonstrate the ability of these core-shell nanogels to boost the MHC class I antigen presentation by dendritic cells to CD8+ T cells.

Many biomolecules, such as proteins and genes, are presently used as therapeutics. However, their delivery to target sites inside cells is challenging because of their large molecular size, difficulties to pass cellular membranes and their susceptibility for enzymatic and chemical degradation. Nanogels, three-dimensional networks of hydrophilic polymers, are attractive carrier systems for these biotherapeutics because they protect the biologicals against degradation and, importantly, facilitate cell internalization. Furthermore, the development of responsive nanogel delivery systems has resulted in particles that release their payloads due to a certain physiological trigger inside cells, such as in the cytosol or endocytic compartments. This paper reviews and discusses the use of nanogels, with special emphasis on biologically responsive systems, for intracellular delivery of biotherapeutics.

To better platinum's (Pt’s) electro-catalytic activity for oxidizing methanol, nano-flowers structured Pt catalysts with controlled facet had been planted onto titanium dioxide nanotube array (TNA) bed via a pulse electrodepositing method in an acid electrolyte containing chloroplatinic acid (H2PtCl6). The facet of Pt nano-flowers can be tuned as (111) or (100) by adding sulfuric acid (H2SO4) or hydrochloric acid (HCl) respectively into the precursor. It has been discovered that the nano-flower structured Pt catalysts with (111) facet generates a current density peak of 243.16 mA·mg−1(~2 times that of Pt catalysts with (200) facets) for catalytic oxidizing methanol in electrolyte containing 1 M methanol and 0.5 M H2SO4. In addition, the concentration of sulfuric acid in electrolyte has an effect on electrode's morphology, its electro-catalytic capability and stability. The mechanism of sulfuric acid anion for bettering Pt’s electro-catalytic activity had been comparatively investigated by replacing H2SO4 as HCl in precursor.

Context: Velvet antler (VA) is recognized as one of the most important Chinese traditional medical herbs. To date, the immunoactivity of the single component of VA is rarely studied though its compound extracts have been well analyzed.Objective: The current study was designed to evaluate the immunomodulatory effects of a recombinant polypeptide (rVAP32) based on the VA of the sika deer by comparison with its natural counterpart (nVAP32).Materials and methods: Splenocytes proliferation and NK-cell cytotoxicity assay was evaluated by the WST-8 colorimetric method. CD4+/CD8+ cell subpopulations regulation was screened by the flowcytometry method and the Th1 or Th2-related cytokine production was measured by ELISA.Results: In vitro tests showed that both rVAP32 and nVAP32 could significantly stimulate splenocytes proliferation and enhance the NK-cell cytotoxicity and CD4+/CD8+ cell subpopulations when compared with the irrelevant peptide and blank control groups. Also, they demonstrated a significant ...

Tilapia were exposed to sublethal methomyl concentrations of 0, 0.2, 2, 20 or 200 μg/L for 30 days, and then transferred to methomyl-free water for 18 days. The sexual steroid hormones 17β-estradiol (E2), testosterone (T), and 11-ketotestosterone (11-KT) in tilapia testes were examined at 0, 6, 12, 18, 24 and 30 days after methomyl exposure, and at 18 days after fish were transferred to methomyl-free water. There were no significant changes in the hormone parameters in testes of tilapia exposed to low concentration 0.2 and 2 μg/L methomyl compared with the controls. However, high concentration 20 and 200 μg/L methomyl had the potential to disrupt the endocrine system of male tilapia, as shown by an increase in E2 and a decrease in T and 11-KT in the testes. Thus, it would appear that the 2 μg/L methomyl might be considered the no-observed-adverse-effect level. Recovery data showed that the effects produced by the lower concentration of 20 μg/L were reversible but the effects were not reversible at the higher concentration of 200 μg/L.

Tilapia were exposed to sub-lethal concentrations of 0, 0.2, 2, 20 or 200 μg/L for 30 days, then transferred to methomyl-free water for 18 days. E2 , T, 11-KTand VTG in serum were examined. There were no significant changes in all the parameters in serum of tilapia exposed to 0.2 μg/L and 2 μg/L methomyl compared to the control. However, 20 μg/L and 200 μg/L have the potential to disrupt the endocrine system of male tilapia, as shown by its ability to increase VTG and E2 and decrease T and 11-KT in serum. Thus it would appear the no observed adverse effect level for sexual steroid hormones of methomyl is lower than 2 μg/L. Recovery data showed that the effects produced by 20μg/L were reversible but not at 200μg/L. Furthermore, the sensitivity of above parameters to methomyl followed the order of VTG>E2 >11-KT>T>GSI, suggesting VTG being the better biomarkers.

The aim of this study is to design a polymeric nanogel system with tailorable degradation behavior. To this end, hydroxyethyl methacrylate-oligoglycolates-derivatized poly(hydroxypropyl methacrylamide) (pHPMAm-Gly-HEMA) and hydroxyethyl methacrylamide-oligoglycolates-derivatized poly(hydroxyethyl methacrylamide) (pHEMAm-Gly-HEMAm) are synthesized and characterized. pHEMAm-Gly-HEMAm shows faster hydrolysis rates of both carbonate and glycolate esters than the same ester groups of pHPMAm-Gly-HEMA. pHEMAm-Gly-HEMAm nanogels have tailorable degradation kinetics from 24 h to more than 4 d by varying their crosslink densities. It is shown that the release of a loaded macromolecular model drug is controlled by degradation of nanogels. The nanogels show similar cytocompatibility as PLGA nanoparticles and are therefore considered to be attractive systems for drug delivery. (Figure presented.).

The present study clearly showed that chronic exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) at environmentally relevant concentrations can damage juvenile tilapia livers by modulating antioxidant enzyme activities and gene transcription, which affects toxic bioaccumulation and histological congestion. The results suggest that PCBs caused a decrease in the activity of some hepatic antioxidative and biotransformation enzymes (SOD, CAT, GST, T-GSH, and MDA) in tilapia at 7 days, as well as transcriptional changes (sod, cat, and gst). Except for some antioxidant parameters (T-GSH, GSH/GSSG, T-AOC, and MDA), significant declines and increases occurred at 14 and 21 days, respectively. Most of the antioxidant enzymatic signatures and genotoxicity significantly increased at 14 and 21 days. This study presented evidence that PCBs could result in hepatic toxicity through oxidative stress in the early growth stages of tilapia, and we speculated that oxidative stress plays an important role in embryonic developmental toxicity induced by PCBs.

Elsholtzia densa Benth. is a traditional aromatic herb used in the pharmaceutical and flavouring industries. To analyse and compare the chemical composition, the oils and nonvolatile compounds in E. densa and Mosla chinensis Maxim. were extracted via hydrodistillation, solvent extraction or ultrasound-assisted extraction. Seventy-three volatile compounds in the volatile oil (0.35 ± 0.06%) obtained by E. densa via hydrodistillation were investigated by gas chromatography–mass spectrometer and compared based on different parameters. Also, the antioxidant activity and α-glucosidase inhibitory effects of the five sub-fractions of the methanolic extract were studied and the ethyl acetate sub-fraction (EC50 = 7.9 μg/mL) and petroleum ether sub-fraction (EC50 = 0.0955 mg/mL) showed the strongest activity, respectively. This study has provided a scientific basis for scientific collection, effective development, use of E. densa Benth., and suggested that it can be used as a potential source of antioxidants in food and a potential candidate for the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) method with C4 column and C18 column for analyzing β-lactoglobulin and α-lactalbumin in bovine milk was developed and the performance and characteristic of two columns were compared. Shiseido Proteonavi C4 column (250 mm×4.6 mm×5 μm) and Shiseido CAPCELL PAK SG 300 C18 column (250 mm× 4.6 mm×5 μm) were used in the experiment. Phase A was composed of 0.1% (V/V) trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) in ultrapure water and Phase B (organic phase) was composed of 0.1% TFA in acetonitrile. Gradient elution was taken. Flow rate was 1 mL˙min^(-1). The detection wavelength was 215 nm. The injection volume was 20 μL and the column temperature was 30℃. The results showed that linear relationship was good and recovery of α-lactalbumin and β-lactoglobulin was 86.12%-104.38%, C18 column had stronger ability to resist acid and more stable, and the method with C4 column had excellent sensitivities and good separation.

The subcellular partitioning of Cd in wheat root was obtained by differential centrifugation of root homogenates to quantify the amounts of Cd associated with five operationally defined subcellular fractions, namely Cd-rich granule (MRG), cellular debris, organelles, heat-denatured protein (HDP), and heat-stable protein (HSP). Their correlations were investigated with the changes in antioxidant enzymatic activities under Cd stress (0.01-9.68 μM) for 72 h. The results showed that the relative Cd distribution in detoxified fractions (MRG+HSP) was decreased with increasing [Cd], but in metal-sensitive fractions (HDP+organelles) was increased. Consequently, the content of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) was decreased. Additionally, an increase of the total antioxidant capacity (A-TOC) and a slight decrease of malondialdehyde (MDA) were also observed. Interestingly, the relative root elongation (RRL) and CAT were significantly correlated with the Cd-sensitive fractions. These results suggest that the Cd toxicity to wheat roots strongly depends on the subcellular Cd distribution.

Targeting of antigens to dendritic cells (DCs) to induce strong cellular immune response can be established by loading in a nano-sized carrier and keeping the antigen associated with the particles until they are internalized by DCs. In the present study, a model antigen (ovalbumin, OVA) is immobilized in cationic dextran nanogels via disulfide bonds. These bonds are stable in the extracellular environment but are reduced in the cytosol of DCs due to the presence of glutathione. Reversible immobilization of OVA in the nanogels is demonstrated by the fact that hardly any release of the protein occurred at pH 7 in the absence of glutathione, whereas rapid release of OVA occurs once the nanogels are incubated in buffer with glutathione. Furthermore, these OVA conjugated nanogels show intracellular release of the antigen in DCs and boost the MHC class I antigen presentation, demonstrating the feasibility of this concept for the aimed intracellular antigen delivery. The model antigen ovalbumin is chemically conjugated to the cationic nanogels via disulfide bonds. The protein is thereby covalently immobilized in the nanogels in the extracellular environment. Rapid release of conjugated protein occurs once the nanogels are internalized into cells, due to cleavage of the disulfide bonds in the presence of relatively high intracellular levels of glutathione (2.5-10 × 10-3 m).

Water samples were collected in the coastal area of the Changjiang Estuary on four cruises from August 2002 to May 2003. The seasonal variations of dissolved inorganic arsenic (DIAs) distributions were analyzed. The results showed that the distributions of DIAs were mainly influenced by the terrestrial input and the intrusion of the Kuroshio Subsurface Water (KSSW). The concentration of the total dissolved inorganic arsenic (TDIAs) decreased consecutively from winter to summer, while it increased in autumn. The distributions of TDIAs showed some relationships with salinity and suspended particulate matter (SPM). The relationships between DIAs speciation (including arsenite [As (II)] and arsenate [As(V)]), biological activity and the availabilities of the phosphate were investigated in the study area for the cruise August 2002. The ratio of As (III)/TDIAs increased with the decrease of phosphate concentrations. In the bottom water, the As(III)/TDIAS ratio decreased with the increasing of N/P. The concentration of TDIAs decreased 28.7% approximately after the occurrence of harmful algal blooms (HAB) because of the uptake of arsenate by algae. Further study is needed about the arsenic source/sink relationships in their vertical or horizontal profiles and the uptake mechanism during the occurrence of harmful algal blooms.

A simple and green hydrothermal stripping synthesis route has been successfully developed for synthesis of α-LiFeO 2 nanoparticles from the organic phase containing Fe (III) and Li (I), which was prepared by mixing Qinghai salt lake brine, industrial FeCl 3 ·6H 2 O and tributyl phosphate (TBP). The influence of synthesis conditions, such as Li/Fe molar ratio, time and temperature, on the samples was investigated, and spheroidal α-LiFeO 2 nanoparticles with diameter of about 150 nm have been synthesized at 210 °C with Li/Fe molar ratio of 30. Qinghai salt lake brine, as an important lithium resource, is supposed to be fully studied and utilized. Here, the application range of salt lake brine was expanded innovatively.

Under the guidance of the optimal stratified sampling frame in which spatial distribution is consistent with the random sampling principle, this paper takes the groundwater nitrate nitrogen pollution in the intensive cropping area in Shandong Province as the object of study, and collects 548 groundwater nitrate nitrogen samples of Shandong province from November 2009 to February 2010. The result indicates that the pollution is quite serious, and 46.7% of samples exceeds 11.3mg /l, the maximum allowable value of the World Health Organization (WHO) on drinking water nitrate content. By analyzing the impact of factors such as soil texture, organic content, modulus of groundwater resources, and agricultural planting structure on groundwater nitrate nitrogen contents, we believe that there is an obvious spatial distribution law of the nitrate nitrogen pollution in Shandong Province. Groundwater nitrate nitrogen contents change consistently with the change of agricultural planting structure and spatial pattern of groundwater. The higher the input of fertilizer and the slower the water cycle is, the more serious the pollution will be. From east to west, groundwater nitrate nitrogen contents in Shandong Province can be divided into high- content area, medium-content area and low-content area with the nitrate nitrogen contents of 36.39, 18.10 and 5.17mg/l respectively. The KRIG method of statistics is used to make spatial interpolation, with the interpolation accuracy up to 83.6%, which lays a solid foundation for the further analysis and forecast of the groundwater nitrate nitrogen pollution of Shandong province. Generally, properly changing the agricultural planting structure, reducing the use of the nitrogen fertilizer and improving the utilization efficiency of nitrogen fertilizer is one of the main methods to reduce groundwater nitrate nitrogen pollution in the study area.

Objective To comprehensively summarize the associations between retinol, vitamins A, C, and E and breast cancer, and quantitatively estimate their dose-response relationships. Methods We searched PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases (from January 1982 to 15 March 2011) and the references of the relevant articles in English with sufficient information to estimate relative risk or odds ratio and the 95% confidence intervals, and comparable categories of vitamins. Two reviewers independently extracted data using a standardized form, with any discrepancy adjudicated by the third reviewer. Results Overall, 51 studies met the inclusion criteria. Comparing the highest with the lowest intake, total vitamin A intake reduced the breast cancer risk by 17% (pooled OR = 0.83, 95% CI: 0.78-0.88). Further subgroup analysis based on study design did not change the significant reduction. Although the dietary vitamin A, dietary vitamin E, and total vitamin E intake all reduced breast cancer risk significantly when data from all studies were pooled, the results became nonsignificant when data from cohort studies were pooled. The significant association between total retinol intake and breast cancer in all studies became nonsignificant in case-control studies but remain significant in cohort studies. No significant dose-response relationship was observed in the higher intake of these vitamins with reduced breast cancer risk. Conclusions Our results indicate that both the total intake of vitamin A and retinol could reduce breast cancer risk. However, associations between other vitamins and breast cancer seem to be limited.