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CO2 electroreduction reaction (CO2RR), combined with solid oxide electrolysis cells (SOECs), is a feasible technology for the storage of renewable electric energy, while its development is limited by the catalytic activity and stability on cathodes. Here, a novel garnet oxide (Gd3Fe5O12) cathode is designed, where the garnet oxide is converted to perovskite oxide and iron via in situ electrochemical phase transition during CO2 electroreduction, resulting in high activity with Faradaic efficiency close to 100% and great stability over 1000 h galvanostatic test. A variety of experimental characterizations and density functional theory calculations indicate that in situ exsolved Fe clusters can effectively enhance the adsorption energies of intermediates and lowering the CO2 dissociation barriers. Microkinetic modelling confirms that CO2RR goes through a dissociative adsorption mechanism and the electronic transfer for CO2 dissociation is the rate-determining step.

We synthesized ternary composition chalcogenide Ta2NiSe7, a quasi-one-dimensional (Q1D) material with excellent crystallinity. To utilize the excellent electrical conductivity property of Ta2NiSe7, the breakdown current density (JBD) according to thickness change through mechanical exfoliation was measured. It was confirmed that as the thickness decreased, the maximum breakdown voltage (VBD) increased, and at 18 nm thickness, 35 MA cm-2 of JBD was measured, which was 35 times higher than that of copper, which is commonly used as an interconnect material. By optimization of the exfoliation process, it is expected that through a theoretical model fitting, the JBD can be increased to about 356 MA cm-2. It is expected that the low-dimensional materials with ternary compositions proposed through this experiment can be used as candidates for current-carrying materials that are required for the miniaturization of various electronic devices.

Rhododendron genus is famous with important ecology impacts, ornamental values, and high medicine values. To obtain a comprehensive overview of anthocyanin regulatory networks, RNA-seq and de novo assembly of five Rhododendron species flower tissues were performed, generating 159,408 unigenes with an average length of 490 bp and an N50 of 552 bp. In particular, 106,766 unigenes could be annotated. Flavonoid biosynthesis was the most abundant KEGG pathway. Genes controlling flower color varied in different species: transcripts involving in carotenoid biosynthesis and isoflavonoid biosynthesis highly expressed in Rhododendron molle G. Don possessing yellow color flower; genes involved in flavone and flavonol biosynthesis showed higher abundance in Rhododendron fortune Lindl. with light pink flowers; transcripts of unigenes participated in flavonoid biosynthesis exhibited higher levels in Rhododendron mariesii Hemsl. with pink color; unigenes involved in anthocyanin biosynthesis showed higher mRNA levels in Rhododendron simsii Planch. with red color; genes involved in carotenoid biosynthesis and flavonoid biosynthesis showed higher expression levels in Rhododendron pulchrum Sweet with purplish red flowers. The five species were clustered into two main groups: group 1 (R. fortune and R. mariesii) and group 2 (R. simsii, R. molle and R. pulchrum) based on expression levels of differentially expressed genes (DEGs). In particular, R. molle showed a closer relationship with R. simsii. This study will provide rich genetic information for further mechanism analysis of flower color variation and genetic improvement of flower color in Rhododendron species.

Small-ring silacycles are important organosilane species in main-group chemistry and have found numerous applications in organic synthesis. 3-Silaazetidine, a unique small silacycle bearing silicon and nitrogen atoms, has not been adequately explored due to the lack of a general synthetic scheme and its sensitivity to air. Here, we describe that 3-silaazetidine can be easily prepared in situ from diverse air-stable precursors (RSO2NHCH2SiR12CH2Cl). 3-Silaazetidine shows excellent functional group tolerance in a palladium-catalyzed ring expansion reaction with terminal alkynes, giving 3-silatetrahydropyridines and diverse silaazacycle derivatives, which are promising ring frameworks for the discovery of Si-containing functional molecules.

The aim of this study was to formulate osmotic pump capsules (OPCs) to control the release of nifedipine (NP). NP solid dispersion was prepared by solvent evaporation method. The prepared mixture of NP solid dispersion and various excipients were filled into the commercial HPMC hard capsule shells and then coated with cellulose acetate (CA) solution to form NP-OPC. The CA coating solution consisted of CA as semi-permeable membrane, and Poloxamer 188 as pore formers. The impact of addition agents, citric acid and pore formers on in vitro drug release were investigated. Furthermore, the study has highlighted the impact of paddle speed and the pH value of release media, on the release and compared the release with the commercial controlled release tablets. The in vitro drug release study indicated that drug release could reach 95% in 24 h with optimal formulation, and interestingly model fitting showed that the drug release behavior was closely followed to zero-order release kinetics. The pharmacokinetic studies were performed in rabbits with commercial controlled release tablets as reference, both preparations showed a sustained release effect. Compared with traditional preparation methods of OPCs, the new preparation process was simplified without the operation of laser drilling and the sealing process of capsule body and cap, which improved the feasibility of industrial production.

A quantitative assessment method of reduced chemical mechanisms based on the similarity evaluation is proposed in this study with special focus on the inherent chemical kinetic characteristics. Two...

Development of cost-effective, active and durable electrocatalysts for overall water splitting is still a huge challenge. Herein, we have constructed one-dimensional (1D) cobalt sulfide and vanadium sulfide heterojunction nanowires arranged on carbon cloth (Co9S8-V3S4/CC) as bifunctional electrocatalysts for the efficient overall water splitting. The 1D wire-structured Co9S8-V3S4 heterojunctions possess large surface area, plentiful active sites and rapid transport of electrons/reactants and the release of gas. Importantly, the electron transfer from Co9S8 to V3S4 occurs at the interface due to the strong electronic coupling effect in Co9S8-V3S4 heterojunction, in which the electron-attracting V3S4 (V2+) optimizes the adsorption of H* active species for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), while the electron-losing Co9S8 (Co3+) responds to the enhancement of oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activity. Co9S8-V3S4/CC exhibits low overpotentials of 85 and 232 mV at 10 mA cm−2 and small Tafel slopes of 51 and 59 mV dec−1 for HER and OER, respectively. Especially, the electrolyzer with Co9S8 V3S4/CC as both the anode and cathode requires low onset voltage of 1.35 V and cell voltage of 1.53 V at 10 mA cm−2 and exhibits high Faradaic efficiencies and robust stability. It can be driven by a solar cell (1.53 V) for continuous production of hydrogen and oxygen. This study highlights the design of 1D sulfide heterojunction in pursuit of highly efficient electrocatalysts for overall water splitting.

In vertebrates, 5ʹ-Hoxd genes (Hoxd9), which are expressed in the hindlimb bud mesenchyme, participate in limb growth and patterning in early embryonic development. In the present study, We investigated the mechanisms by which ATRA regulates cultured E12.5 rat embryo hindlimb bud mesenchymal cells (rEHBMCs). Following exposure to ATRA over 24 h, mRNA and protein expression levels of HoxD9 were evaluated by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR), and western blotting. Flow cytometry was used to detect apoptosis. ATRA inhibited the condensation and proliferation, and promoted the apoptosis rate of the rEHBMCs in a dose-dependent manner. Sox9 and Col2a1 in rEHBMCs were downregulated by ATRA in a dose-dependent manner at both mRNA and protein levels. Similarly, HoxD9 was downregulated by ATRA in a dose-dependent manner, in parallel with the cartilage-specific molecules Sox9 and Col2a1. Both qPCR and western blotting showed that both Shh and Gli3 were downregulated. Overexpression of HoxD9 reversed the effects of ATRA. These results demonstrate that ATRA suppresses chondrogenesis in rEHBMCs by inhibiting the expression of HoxD9 and its downstream protein targets, including Sox9 and Col2a1. This effect may also be correlated with inhibition of the Shh-Gli3 signaling pathway.

Molecular face-rotating polyhedra (FRP) exhibit complex stereochemistry, rendering it challenging to manipulate their assembly in a stereoselective manner. In our previous work, stereocontrolled FRP were gained at the cost of losing the confined inner space, which hampers their host–guest interactions and potential applications. Through a rational design approach, herein we demonstrate the successful construction of hollow FRP with high diastereoselectivity. Whereas the [4 + 4] imine condensation of meta-formyl substituted C3h-symmetric TAT-m and C3-symmetric Tri-NH2 led to the formation of all feasible FRP-12 diastereoisomers; the para-substituted constitutional isomer, TAT-p, exclusively assembled into a pair of homo-directional enantiomeric FRP-13-CCCC/AAAA with a cavity size larger than 600 Å3. Detailed structural characterizations and theoretical investigations revealed the thermodynamic landscape of FRP assembly can be effectively shaped by modulating the van der Waals repulsive forces among the facial building blocks. Our work provided a novel strategy towards stereospecific assembly of pure organic cages, opening up new opportunities for further applications of these chiral materials., The rationally engineered facial units, TAT-m and TAT-p, resulted in distinct diastereoselectivity of face-rotating polyhedra (FRP).

The differentiation of mature medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs) is critical for the induction of central immune tolerance. Although the critical effect of mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) in shaping mTEC differentiation has been studied, the regulatory role of mTORC2 in the differentiation and maturation of mTECs is poorly understood. We herein reported that TEC-specific ablation of a rapamycin-insensitive companion of mTOR (RICTOR), a key component of mTORC2, significantly decreased the thymus size and weight, the total cell number of TECs, and the cell number of mTECs with a smaller degree of reduced cortical thymic epithelial cells. Interestingly, RICTOR deficiency significantly accelerated the mTEC maturation process, as indicated by the increased ratios of mature mTECs (MHCIIhi , CD80+ , and Aire+ ) to immature mTECs (MHCIIlo , CD80- , and Aire- ) in Rictor-deficient mice. The RNA-sequencing assays showed that the upregulated nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling pathway in Rictor-deficient mTECs was one of the obviously altered pathways compared with wild-type mTECs. Our studies further showed that Rictor-deficient mTECs exhibited upregulated expression of receptor activator of NF-κB (RANK) and lymphotoxin β receptor (LTβR), as well as increased activity of canonical and noncanonical NF-κB signaling pathways as determined by ImageStream and Simple Western. Finally, our results showed that inhibition of NF-κB signaling pathways could partially reverse the accelerated maturation of mTECs in Rictor conditional KO mice. Thus, mTORC2 negatively controls the kinetics of the mTEC maturation process by inhibiting the LTβR/RANK-NF-κB signal axis.

Protein-based therapeutics such as mAbs have become emerging drugs in modern medicine. Most of the approved therapeutic proteins are glycoproteins. Glycosylation is an essential critical quality attribute (CQA) due to the influence that glycoforms have on the safety, efficacy, and pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics (PK/PD) of biotherapeutics. Here, we applied an LC-MS/MS-based glycoproteomics approach to characterize Fc glycans of an NISTmAb reference material (RM) 8671 (sample B) and a β-1,4-galactosidase-treated NISTmAb (sample A). Overall, 48 glycan compositions were identified and quantified. The glycan structure with the highest abundance was FA2, with a relative abundance of 52% in sample A and 38% in sample B. Over 50% of the identified glycans presented at levels smaller than 0.1%. Important glycan attributes were further derived using the quantitative results. The galactosylation level of modified NISTmAb was found to decrease by ∼10% when compared to the galactosylation level of NISTmAb. There was no significant difference between the two samples in the levels of sialylation, fucosylation, and high mannose. Moreover, unglycosylated peptides were also observed at a level of 1-2%.

To investigate the oxidation and combustion performance of practical fuels, surrogate fuels including various types of fuels are usually introduced. The unique functional groups of different fuels dominate the fuel oxidation behaviors of different fuels, thus it is crucial to take account of the impact of fuel function groups for the development of the skeletal chemical mechanisms of surrogate fuels. In this work, by integrating the reaction class-based global sensitivity analysis and the decoupling methodology, a skeletal chemical mechanism of fuels is built, and the influence of the functional group was specially considered in the construction of the chemical mechanisms. First, the reaction class-based global sensitivity and path sensitivity analyses were employed to recognize the important reaction classes in the fuel-related sub-mechanism, and the reaction classes relevant to the fuel function group were identified. Second, a representative reaction was selected from each important reaction class by the rate of production analysis, and the skeletal fuel-specific sub-mechanism was obtained. Third, the initial skeletal chemical mechanism of fuels was formed by assembling the skeletal fuel-specific sub-mechanism with a detailed C0–C1 sub-mechanism and a reduced C2–C3 sub-mechanism based on the decoupling methodology. Finally, the optimization aiming at the ignition delay times and the concentrations of fuel, H2O, CO, and CO2 was conducted based on the genetic algorithm by tuning the reaction rate coefficients in the fuel-specific sub-mechanism within their uncertainties to enhance the performance of the skeletal mechanism. Using the above method, a skeletal chemical mechanism for 1-hexane, 1-hexene, and 1-hexanol was established containing 72 species and 243 reactions. The validation results indicated that decent consistency between the simulated and experimental data in premixed and opposed flames, jet-stirred reactors, and shock tubes was achieved for the three fuels over wide operating conditions. Moreover, the unique oxidation behavior of 1-hexane, 1-hexene, and 1-hexanol was captured by the present skeletal mechanism due to the identification of the functional group reactions.

BACKGROUND We investigated rotation using insecticides with multiple modes of action as a resistance management strategy for Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri, Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Liviidae), in Florida. The stability of thiamethoxam resistance was investigated in the laboratory by establishing populations of field-collected, resistant D. citri and rearing them under no insecticide exposure. Furthermore, recovery of susceptibility was investigated in the field by initiating rotation to insecticides in plots that previously were treated with consecutive thiamethoxam applications. RESULTS The resistance ratio (RR) for thiamethoxam reached between 1266.29- and 1395.00-fold after three and four consecutive applications of thiamethoxam, respectively. However, the RR for thiamethoxam remained low (1.71-5.28-fold) under both rotations at both Lake Alfred and Wauchula. Thiamethoxam was cross-resistant with imidacloprid (RR site 1 = 1059.65-fold, RR site 2 = 1595.43-fold) and clothianidin (RR site 1 = 1798.78-fold, RR site 2 = 1270.57-fold) in the nonrotated treatment at both sites. There was very low cross-resistance to other insecticides with different modes of action. Both laboratory and field investigations indicated that susceptibility to thiamethoxam fully recovered after five D. citri generations. Expression of CYP4C67 was significantly increased in resistant populations. CONCLUSION Our results revealed that D. citri populations develop a high level of resistance following only three or four consecutive neonicotinoid sprays; this was associated with subsequent product failure. Our data suggest that metabolic detoxification by cytochrome P450s contributes to thiamethoxam resistance in D. citri. Overall, the investigation demonstrated that resistance to thiamethoxam can be managed readily in populations of D. citri by rotating modes of action.

Organic emitters with persistent phosphorescence have shown potential application in optoelectronic devices. However, rational design and phosphorescence tuning are still challenging. Here, a series of metal-free luminophores without heavy atoms and carbonyl groups from commercial/lab-synthesized carbazole and benzene were synthesized to realize tunable molecular emission from fluorescence to phosphorescence by simply substituent variation. All the molecules emit blue fluorescence in both solution and solid state. Upon removal of excitation source, the fluorinated luminophores show obvious phosphorescence. The lab-synthesized carbazole based molecules exhibit a huge lifetime difference to the commercially purchased ones due to the existence of isomer in the latter samples. The small energy gap between singlet and triplet state and low reorganization energy help enhance intersystem crossing to contribute to a more competitive radiative process from triplet to ground state. Blue and white organic light-emitting devices are fabricated by using fluorinated luminophore as emitting layer., Though organic emitters with room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) are attractive for various applications, realizing highly efficient and long lifetime emission remains a challenge. Here, the authors report the role of push-pull electronic effects on emission for organic RTP emitters.

Oxygenated fuels are usually employed as alternative or additive fuels to gasoline and diesel fuels in order to reduce soot emissions. By involving the most recent reaction channels of PAH formatio...

Insecticide resistance is an increasing problem in citrus production. The Asian citrus psyllid,Diaphornia citriKuwayama, is recognized as one of the most important citrus pests worldwide and it has developed resistance in areas where insecticides have been overused. The development of insecticide resistance is often associated with fitness costs that only become apparent in the absence of selection pressure. Here, the fitness costs associated with resistance to thiamethoxam and imidacloprid were investigated in three agricultural populations ofD. citrias compared with susceptible laboratory colonies. Results showed that all field populations had greater resistance than laboratory susceptible colonies. For both thiamethoxam and imidacloprid, aCandidatusLiberibacter asiaticus-positive (CLas+) colony was more susceptible than theCLas−colony. Resistance ratios ranged from 7.65–16.11 for imidacloprid and 26.79–49.09 for thiamethoxam in field populations as compared with a susceptible,CLas−laboratory strain. Among three resistant field populations, a significantly reduced net reproductive rate and finite rate of population increase were observed in a population from Lake Wales, FL as compared to both susceptible strains. The fecundity of field populations from Lake Wales, FL was statistically lower than both laboratory susceptible populations. Certain changes in morphological characteristics were observed among resistant, as compared, with susceptible strains. Our data suggest fitness disadvantages associated with insecticide resistance inD. citriare related to both development and reproduction. The lower fitness ofD. citripopulations that exhibit resistance to neonicotinoid insecticides should promote recovery of sensitivity when those populations are no longer exposed to thiamethoxam and/or imidacloprid in the field. The results are congruent with a strategy of insecticide rotation for resistance management.

Mullite nanofibrous aerogels with low density, low thermal conductivity and high service temperature (as high as 1400 °C) was fabricated by the freeze-casting method, and two different kinds of ice crystal growth inhibitors, glycerol as the cryoprotector and agarose as the gel-former, were adopted respectively to influence the growth of ice crystal, thereby adjusting the sample microstructure (including the pore size and the pore distribution). The addition of glycerol could influence the growth of the ice crystal, leading to the pore structure changing from the cellular pores to the spherical pores and the decrease of the large pore size, consequently resulting in the increase of the sample density and compressive strength. The addition of agarose could inhibit the growth of the ice crystal due to the formation of gel network, resulting in the disappearance of the large pores (cellular pores). The sample with high agarose content exhibited a relatively high compressive strength of 252.41 kPa due to high density and uniform pore structure. The research of this work provides an effective method to regulate the properties of nanofibrous aerogel to meet the demand of different applications.

Uncovering the complexation properties of actinides with common organic ligands in aqueous solution is of significant importance to understand the fundamental coordination chemistry of actinides as well as to develop more efficient extractants for actinides separation in advanced nuclear fuel cycles. Herein, the complexation behaviour of hexavalent plutonyl (Pu(VI) or PuO22+) with three dicarboxylic acids, iminodiacetic acid (IDA), N-methyl-iminodiacetic acid (MIDA) and dipicolinic acid (DPA), was studied through both experimental and theoretical approaches. In 1.0 M NaClO4 medium, successive formation of 1 : 1 and 1 : 2 (metal/ligand ratio) complexes of Pu(VI) with IDA and MIDA were identified and their stability constants were determined and compared with those of DPA. The complexation strength varies for the complexes of Pu(VI) with IDA, MIDA and DPA. For the 1 : 1 complexes, the stability constants of Pu(VI) with the three ligands follow the order of IDA < MIDA < DPA, while those of the 1 : 2 complexes follow the order of IDA < DPA < MIDA. The complexation trends are validated by DFT calculations, which suggest that the complexation strength of IDA/MIDA/DPA with Pu(VI) is governed by both the electronic effect (electron withdrawn group or electron donating group) and the rigidity of the ligands. Furthermore, the symmetric features of the Pu(VI) complexes with the three ligands were illustrated by analyzing the optical characteristics of the complexes and DFT calculation. The results provide new insights into the intrinsic mechanism of hexavalent actinide complexation with tridentate dicarboxylic acids in aqueous solutions.

Combining of amperometric and square wave voltammetric methods (SWV), the dual-signal sandwich electrochemical immunosensor was developed for quantitative determination of amyloid β-protein (Aβ). Cu was doped into Al2O3 lattice (Cu–Al2O3) and reacts with graphite carbon nitride (g-C3N4) to generate Cu–Al2O3-g-C3N4 with internal dual-reaction center structure, which has good catalytic properties of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Subsequently, palladium nanoparticles (Pd NPs) was introduced into Cu–Al2O3-g-C3N4 (Cu–Al2O3-g–C3N4–Pd) that not only synergistically catalyzed H2O2 but also immobilized anti-Aβ (Ab1) via Pd–NH2. The Cu–Al2O3-g–C3N4–Pd was used as matrix material to modify the electrode, which can produce obviously electrochemical signals through Amperometry i-t curve. Meanwhile, the Zr6O4(OH)4(CO2)12 (UiO-66) modified with polyaniline (PANI) has the large specific surface, good conductivity and adsorption capacity, which can support methylene blue (MB) as signal label of anti-Aβ (Ab2). Therefore, the UiO-66@PANI-MB can provide an obviously electrochemical signal about MB through SWV. Under optimal conditions, the dual-signal sandwich electrochemical immunosensor has salient analytical performance and both signal platforms provide more accurate results. The linear range of detection obtained by the immunosensor was 10 fg/mL-100 ng/mL, and the detection limit was 3.3 fg/mL. This method not only provided a reliable guarantee for the experimental detection but also provided an effective strategy for the detection of other biological.

Asian citrus psyllid Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Psyllidae) is an important economic pest of citrus crops because it vectors the causal pathogen of huanglongbing (HLB, aka citrus greening). Population suppression of D. citri with insecticides has been disproportionally relied on for HLB management and a greater diversity of more sustainable tools is needed. Periglandula spp. is a fungal endosymbiont (family Clavicipitaceae) that forms a mutualistic relationship with members of plants in family Convolvulaceae. This association results in the production of ergot alkaloids that were previously documented as having psyllicidal properties. We investigated the mortality and behavior of D. citri exposed to crude extracts from morning glories in the plant family Convolvulaceae, as well as synthetic ergot alkaloids. Nymphs and adults were exposed to the crude plant extracts from Periglandula positive species of Convolvulaceae, as well as five synthetic ergot alkaloids. Treatments were prepared by exposing clippings of citrus to 100 ng/µL of crude extract from Periglandula-positive species of Ipomoea (I. imperati, I. leptophylla, I. pandurata and I. tricolor), and Turbina corymbosa, and from one Periglandula-negative species (I. alba) (100 ng/µL). Mortality of adult and nymphal D. citri was significantly higher than the control after exposure to extracts from I. tricolor and I. imperati. The synthetic ergot alkaloids, lysergol (10–100 ng/µL), ergonovine maleate (100 ng/µL), agroclavine (10–100 ng/µL), and ergosine (10–100 ng/µL) increased mortality of D. citri nymphs, while ergosine (100 ng/µL) and agroclavine (100 ng/µL) increased mortality of adults compared to water controls. Fewer D. citri adults settled on plants treated with crude extracts or synthetic ergot alkaloids than on water controls at 48 h after release. D. citri that fed on citrus leaves treated with 10 ng/μL solution of crude extract from the Periglandula-positive species Ipomoea (I. imperati, I. leptophylla, I. pandurata, I. tricolor), and Turbina corymbosa excreted significantly less honeydew compared with a negative water control and extract from Periglandula-negative species (I. alba). Our results indicate that crude extracts and ergot alkaloids exhibit toxic and sub-lethal effects on D. citri that could be useful for management of this pest.

pH-responsive DNA motifs have attracted substantial attention attributed to their high designability and versatility of DNA chemistry. Such DNA motifs typically exploit DNA secondary structures that exhibit pH response properties because of the presence of specific protonation sites. In this review, we briefly summarized second structure-based pH-responsive DNA motifs, including triplex DNA, i-motif, and A+-C mismatch base pair-based DNA devices. Finally, the challenges and prospects of pH-responsive DNA motifs are also discussed.

Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) is a disorder that causes severe damage to the skin and mucous membranes with bullous and erosive properties. Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is closely related to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (such as ibuprofen). Liver injury caused by ibuprofen is often related to overdose, and liver injury caused by normal dose is rare, and there are individual differences in different situations. In this case, a child developed SJS and acute liver injury after treatment with ibuprofen suspension. We described the characteristics of related adverse reactions induced by ibuprofen, and analyzed the relationship between SJS caused by the drug and related drug genes. Glucocorticoids and antihistamines were used to treat dermatitis, reduced glutathione (GSH) to protect the liver and plasma exchange detoxification. Finally, the patient's dermatitis healed and the liver injury was significantly improved. Many studies have suggested that DILI may be related to human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genotyping. The detection of drug-related genes revealed that the SJS and liver damage caused by ibuprofen might have been related to the positive HLA-B*5801. This article suggests that attention should be paid to checking liver function indicators after taking ibuprofen, and genetic screening can be used to reduce the risk of gene-related adverse reactions when necessary.

Metal oxide semiconductor (MOSC) sensors based on nanocrystalline MoO3, In2O3, and their composites are considered to be very sensitive to detect low concentrations of ethanol, ozone, hydrogen, formaldehyde, and nitrogen dioxide. Here, we firstly introduced In2(MoO4)3 phase, which has excellent negative thermal expansion and high electric conductivity properties, into In2(MoO4)3@In2O3 crystalline nanocomposites. The gas-sensing performance of the In2(MoO4)3@In2O3 nanocomposites was studied upon exposure to the ethanol gas with different concentration from 5 to 300 ppm at the optimum temperature (300 °C). What's more, the device possesses ultra-high response of 110 and selectivity to ethanol. Particularly, it can effectively work in high humidity (RH = 80%) with super long-term stability of as long as 90 days, compared with the pristine In2O3 sensor and previous reports. The presented novel In2(MoO4)3@In2O3 sensor offers great opportunities for future ethanol detection under harsh conditions.

An efficient iodide-catalyzed/hydrogen peroxide mediated sulfenylation and selenylation of unprotected uracil and its derivatives with simple thiols and diselenides was established. This coupling tolerates a broad variety of functional groups to provide diverse 5-sulfur/selenium-substituted uracil derivatives in good to excellent yields (up to 93%).

Ammonia concentration together with pH values are important and closely linked indexes for aqueous systems. Rapid on-site determination of ammonia or pH is of great significance to environmental monitoring. In this work, a pH-switchable nanoprobe based on biomass carbon dots (CDs) is developed using a smartphone as a simple and handy instrument. The CDs demonstrate sensitive pH response in wide linear ranges of 6.1–13.6, and 2.0–13.6 with colorimetric and fluorescent channels, respectively. It is the pH-induced aggregation that governs the color and fluorescence switch. With the pH evolution caused by the dissolution of ammonia, the smartphone-integrated nanoprobe is applied to ammonia detection with a broad range of 0.5–300 mM. Moreover, the headspace single drop microextraction strategy can concentrate ammonia from matrix, offering a remarkably high selectivity for ammonia determination. Finally, the practical applications of this method for ammonia analysis obtained satisfactory results.

Glycosylation is an important post-translational modification of proteins. Many diseases, such as cancer, have proved to be related to aberrant glycosylation. High throughput quantitative methods have gained attention recently in the study of glycomics. With the development of high-resolution mass spectrometry, the sensitivity of detection in glycomics has largely improved; however, most of the commonly used MS-based techniques are focused on relative quantitative analysis, which can hardly provide direct comparative glycomic quantitation results. In this study, we developed a novel multiplex glycomic analysis method on an LC-ESI-MS platform. Reduced glycans were stable isotopic labeled during the permethylation procedure, with the use of iodomethane reagents CH2DI, CHD2I, CD3I, 13CH3I, 13CH2DI, 13CHD2I, 13CD3I, and CH3I. Up to 8-plex glycomic profiling was possible in a single analysis by LC-MS, and a 100 k mass resolution was sufficient to allow a baseline resolution of the mass differences among the 8-plex labeled glycans. The major advantages of this method are that it overcomes quantitative fluctuations caused by nanoESI, it facilitates a level of comparative quantitative glycomic analysis that accurately reflects the quantitative information in samples, and it dramatically shortens analysis time. Quantitation validation was tested on glycans released from bovine fetuin and model glycoprotein mixtures (RNase B, bovine fetuin, and IgG) with good linearity (R2 = 0.9884) and a dynamic range from 0.1 to 10. The 8-plex strategy was successfully applied to a comparative glycomic study of cancer cell lines. The results demonstrate that different distributions of sialylated glycans are related to the metastatic properties of cell lines and provide important clues for a better understanding of breast cancer brain metastasis.

The microbiota in the human gut is strongly correlated with the progression of colorectal cancer (CRC) and with therapeutic responses to CRC. Here, by leveraging the higher concentration of the pro-tumoural Fusobacterium nucleatum and the absence of antineoplastic butyrate-producing bacteria in the faecal microbiota of patients with CRC, we show that—in mice with orthotopic colorectal tumours or with spontaneously formed colorectal tumours—oral or intravenous administration of irinotecan-loaded dextran nanoparticles covalently linked to azide-modified phages that inhibit the growth of F. nucleatum significantly augments the efficiency of first-line chemotherapy treatments of CRC. We also show that oral administration of the phage-guided irinotecan-loaded nanoparticles in piglets led to negligible changes in haemocyte counts, immunoglobulin and histamine levels, and liver and renal functions. Phage-guided nanotechnology for the modulation of the gut microbiota might inspire new approaches for the treatment of CRC. Dextran nanoparticles loaded with a chemotherapeutic agent and bound to phages that eliminate a pro-tumoural gut bacterium and promote the growth of anticancer-compound-producing bacteria boost chemotherapy responses in mouse models of colorectal cancer.

Imiquimod (Imiq) is a synthetic imizoquinoline compound which can act on Toll-like receptor (TLR)7 and transduce signals involved in cell activation. We investigated the role of Imiq on contact hypersensitivity (CHS) and explored the potential mechanisms of mast cells involved in the process. Topical application of Imiq cream augmented DNFB mediated CHS in C57BL/6 mice. Imiq application induced skin inflammation and increased the number of dendritic cells (DCs) in the draining lymph nodes (DLNs). The splenic cell proliferation to DNBS in DNFB and Imiq treated mice was greater than that in mice of DNFB treatment alone. Peritoneal cell-derived mast cells (PCMCs) expressed TLR7 mRNA. The results from toluidine blue staining for mast cells and histamine detection indicated that Imiq alone did not induce mast cell degranulation while Imiq plus DNFB significantly induced mast cell degranulation. Cromolyn, pyrilamine and cimetidine attenuated CHS reaction induced by Imiq. Our findings suggest that Imiq could augment the intensity of CHS reaction. The mechanisms underlying the effect may relate to histamine release by mast cells and induction of DC homing to DLNs. Blocking histamine action in early time of allergen contact is beneficial to the alleviation of CHS.

A new Pb(II) complex, [Pb(8-OQ)(4-NB)], where 8-OQ = 8-hydroxyquinolinate, 4-NB = 4-nitrobenzoate, has been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy, and X-ray single-crystal diffraction. The single crystal X-ray analysis reveals that the complex possesses a tetranuclear Pb4O4 cubane structure. The Pb(II) atom is coordinated by three triply bridging phenolic hydroxyl O atoms of 8-OQ ligands, then the tetranuclear Pb system is formed resulting in a tetrahedral cage. The interaction of complex with HS-DNA in Tris buffer was studied by UV−vis absorption spectrum and fluorescence ethidium bromide displacement experiment with an intrinsic binding constant of 1.52×104 M-1 and a linear Stern–Volmer quenching constant of 6.77×103 M-1. Anticancer activity against MCF-7, HepG-2 and A549 cell lines of complex was also determined by the MTT-based assay. The results showed the complex can inhibit proliferation of these three kinds of tumor cells and is less cytotoxic than cisplatin.

A sensitive dual mode competitive electrochemical immunosensor for the detection of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) was successfully fabricated, which based on differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) and amperometric i-t curve response modes. Polyaniline (PAN) and tin dioxide (SnO2) were loaded on graphene sheets (GS), which could effectively promote the electron transfer process, thereby amplifying the current signal and increasing the sensitivity of the immunosensor. To promote biocompatibility, gold nanoparticles (Au) were incorporated on GS/SnO2/PAN (GS/SnO2/PAN-Au). GS/SnO2/PAN-Au complex was gotten to act as the platform which could provide a clearly DPV signals. N-doped carbon nanotubes (N-CNTs) embellished by ZnCo2O4 quantum dots (ZnCo2O4/N-CNTs) with excellent catalytic properties for the reduction of H2O2 was gotten to act as the label of the antibody-BNP (Ab), providing an obviously current signal through amperometric i-t curve method. A large quantity of BNP could be stable loaded in the modified electrode via GS/SnO2/PAN-Au with excellent electrical conductivity and good biocompatibility, which could compete with target-BNP to combine Ab that labelled by ZnCo2O4/N-CNTs. Under the optimum conditions, the immunosensor exhibited remarkable analytical performance of a linear range from 0.01 pg/mL to 1 ng/mL with a detection limit of 3.4 fg/mL for quantitative detection of BNP (S/N = 3). This method was able to become a universal strategy for other biological detection.

Silica sol, one of the most commonly used binders in the fabrication of fibrous porous ceramics, can diffuse as the solvent evaporates during the drying stage, leading to an uneven structure of ceramics. To prevent the diffusion of silica particles and prepare homogeneous mullite fibrous porous ceramics, propylene oxide (PO) was introduced into the fabricating procedures. The effects of solid content of silica sol and the molar ratio of PO /silica phase (PO/SiO2) on the microstructure and physical properties of mullite fibrous porous ceramics were also investigated. The results demonstrated that PO addition strongly consolidated the mullite fibrous skeleton and helped to obtain a homogenous property, because silica phase had been consolidated in situ around the fibers during the gelation stage. Furthermore, the mullite fibrous ceramics prepared with PO addition showed an even microstructure and a much better compressive strength (1.489 MPa), compared with the ones prepared without PO addition (0.868 MPa). Finally, the solid content of silica sol showed a very strong relevance to the properties of the ceramics: the compressive strength raised from 0.731 MPa to 1.715 MPa with the solid content of silica sols increasing from 9 wt% to 18 wt%; while the molar ratio of PO/SiO2 had little: the compressive strength was around 1.480 MPa, with the corresponding molar ratios of PO/SiO2 ranging from 0.43 to 1.72.

Metal-organic framework MIL-100(Fe) and g-C3N4 heterojunctions (MG-x, x = 5%, 10%, 20%, and 30%, x is the mass fraction of MIL-100(Fe) in the hybrids) were facilely fabricated through ball-milling and annealing, and characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, transmission electron microscopy, UV-visible diffuse-reflectance spectrometry, and photoluminescence emission spectrometry. The photocatalytic activities of the series of MG-x heterojunctions toward Cr(VI) reduction and diclofenac sodium degradation were tested upon irradiation with simulated sunlight. The influence of different organic compounds (ethanol, citric acid, oxalic acid, and diclofenac sodium) as hole scavengers and the pH values (2, 3, 4, 6, and 8) on the photocatalytic activities of the series of MG-x heterojunctions was investigated. MG-20% showed superior photocatalytic Cr(VI) reduction and diclofenac sodium degradation performance than did the individual MIL-100(Fe) and g-C3N4 because of the improved separation of photoinduced electron-hole charges, which was clarified via photoluminescence emission and electrochemical data. Moreover, the MG-x exhibited good reusability and stability after several runs.

The removal of toxic hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) ions from surface and ground water is highly demanded. While photocatalytic reduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III) by traditional powder photocatalysts is a promising method, the difficult in the separation of the photocatalysts from the water hinders their wide practical applications. Herein we present the use of metal-organic framework (MOF) UiO-66-NH2(Zr/Hf) membrane as photocatalysts to reduce Cr(VI) ions with high efficiency and easy separation from the treated waste water. The UiO-66-NH2(Zr/Hf) MOF membrane photocatalysts were fabricated via a reactive seeding method on a α-Al2O3 substrate. It was found that the UiO-66-NH2(Zr/Hf) membranes exhibited excellent photocatalytic Cr(VI) reduction performance under both simulated and real sunlight irradiation. The UiO-66-NH2(Zr) membrane can maintain more than 94% Cr(VI) reduction efficiency after 20 cycles because of its exceptional chemical and water stability. The influences of foreign ions on Cr(VI) reduction were investigated to mimic real lake water, which revealed that no obvious adverse effects can be found with the presence of common foreign ions in surface water. The MOF membrane photocatalysts provide a new approach to carry out efficiently photocatalytic removal of pollutants in wastewater.

Mitochondrial dysfunction contributed greatly to myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (MI/R)-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis. Naringenin is a flavonoid exhibiting potential protective effects on myocardial mitochondria under stress conditions. However, the detailed down-stream signaling pathway involved remains uncovered. This study was designed to elucidate naringenin's mitochondrial protective actions during MI/R with a focus on AMPK-SIRT3 signaling. Sprague-Dawley rats were administered with naringenin (50 mg kg-1 d-1) and subjected to MI/R surgery in the presence or absence of compound C (0.25 mg kg-1, Com.C, an AMPK inhibitor) co-treatment. An in vitro study was performed on H9c2 cardiomyoblasts subjected to simulated ischemia-reperfusion treatment. Before the treatment, the cells were administered with naringenin (80 μmol L-1) with or without SIRT3 siRNA/AMPK1α siRNA transfection. Naringenin improved post-reperfusion left ventricular systolic pressure and the instantaneous first derivative of left ventricular pressure, and reduced the infarction size and myocardial apoptosis index by suppressing mitochondrial oxidative stress damage (as evidenced by decreased mitochondrial cytochrome c release and oxidative markers) and enhancing mitochondrial biogenesis [as evidenced by increased NRF1, TFAM and oxidative phosphorylation subunit complexes (II, III and IV)]. These protective actions were abolished by Com.C (in vivo) or SIRT3 siRNA (in vitro) administration. Further investigation revealed that Com.C (in vivo) or AMPK1α siRNA (in vitro) markedly suppressed PGC-1α and SIRT3 levels while SIRT3 siRNA (in vitro) inhibited SIRT3 expression without significantly changing AMPK phosphorylation and PGC-1α levels. Taken together, we found that naringenin directly inhibits mitochondrial oxidative stress damage and preserves mitochondrial biogenesis, thus attenuating MI/R injury. Importantly, AMPK-SIRT3 signaling played a key role in this process.

The aim of the present study was to identify the functional role of galectin-3 (Gal-3) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced injury in ATDC5 cells and to explore the probable molecular mechanisms. Here, we identified that LPS is sufficient to enhance the expression of Gal-3 in ATDC5 cells. In addition, repression of Gal-3 obviously impeded LPS-stimulated inflammation damage as exemplified by a reduction in the release of inflammatory mediators interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α, as well as the production of nitric oxide and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) concomitant with the downregulation of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP)-13 and MMP-3 expression in ATDC5 cells after LPS administration. Moreover, ablation of Gal-3 dramatically augmented cell ability and attenuated cell apoptosis accompanied by an increase in the expression of antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2 and a decrease in the expression of proapoptotic protein Bax and caspase-3 in ATDC5 cells subjected with LPS. Importantly, we observed that forced expression of TLR4 or blocked PPAR-γ with the antagonist GW9662 effectively abolished Gal-3 inhibition-mediated anti-inflammatory and antiapoptosis effects triggered by LPS. Mechanistically, depletion of Gal-3 prevents the NF-κB signaling pathway. Taken together, these findings indicated that the absence of Gal-3 exerted chondroprotective properties dependent on TLR4 and PPAR-γ-mediated NF-κB signaling, indicating that Gal-3 functions as a protector in the development and progression of osteoarthritis.

Three coordination polymers (CPs), formulated as [Ag(bpy)]2(tdc)·4H2O (BUC-78), [Ag(bpe)]2(tdc)·6H2O (BUC-79) and [Ag(bpp)]2(tdc)·8H2O (BUC-80) have been synthesized from the reactions between AgNO3, 4,4′-bipyridine (bpy),1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethylene (bpe),1,3-bis(4-pyridyl)propane (bpp) and 2,5-thiophenedicarboxylic acid (tdc) by slow evaporation at room temperature. The X-ray crystal structures of all three CPs were determined, revealing that they are all comprised of 1D infinite cationic [Ag(L)] chains interspersed with discrete deprotonated tdc2− counterions. These CPs exhibit good photocatalytic performances for the degradation of methylene blue and rhodamine B, giving up to 97% degradation under UV irradiation within 120 min. A possible photocatalytic mechanism is proposed, based on the results of active species capture experiments.

Angiogenesis is an essential process during development. Abnormal angiogenesis also contributes to many disease conditions such as tumor and retinal diseases. Previous studies have established the Hippo signaling pathway effector Yes-associated protein (YAP) as a crucial regulator of angiogenesis. In ECs, activated YAP promotes endothelial cell proliferation, migration and sprouting. YAP activity is regulated by vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and mechanical cues such as extracellular matrix (ECM) stiffness. However, it is unclear how VEGF or ECM stiffness signal to YAP, especially how dephosphorylation of YAP occurs in response to VEGF stimulus or ECM stiffening. Here, we show that protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) is required for this process. Blocking PP2A activity abolishes VEGF or ECM stiffening mediated YAP activation. Systemic administration of a PP2A inhibitor suppresses YAP activity in blood vessels in developmental and pathological angiogenesis mouse models. Consistently, PP2A inhibitor also inhibits sprouting angiogenesis. Mechanistically, PP2A directly interacts with YAP, and this interaction requires proper cytoskeleton dynamics. These findings identify PP2A as a crucial mediator of YAP activation in ECs and hence as an important regulator of angiogenesis. ispartof: FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY vol:9 ispartof: location:Switzerland status: published

Traumatic optic neuropathy (TON) refers to optic nerve damage caused by trauma, leading to partial or complete loss of vision. The primary treatment options, such as hormonal therapy and surgery, have limited efficacy. Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide 38 (PACAP38), a functional endogenous neuroprotective peptide, has emerged as a promising therapeutic agent. In this study, we used rat retinal ganglion cell (RGC) exosomes as nanosized vesicles for the delivery of PACAP38 loaded via the exosomal anchor peptide CP05 (EXOPACAP38). EXOPACAP38 showed greater uptake efficiency in vitro and in vivo than PACAP38. The results showed that EXOPACAP38 significantly enhanced the RGC survival rate and retinal nerve fiber layer thickness in a rat TON model. Moreover, EXOPACAP38 significantly promoted axon regeneration and optic nerve function after injury. These findings indicate that EXOPACAP38 can be used as a treatment option and may have therapeutic implications for patients with TON.

Objective We aimed to identify the detailed relationships between serum lipid levels and neuropsychiatric symptoms in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD). Methods Consecutive PD patients and healthy controls were recruited and demographic data were collected. The disease stages of PD patients were assessed using Hoehn-Yahr scale while neuropsychiatric symptoms were determined using Hamilton depression rating scale (HAMD), Hamilton anxiety rating scale (HAMA), and mini-mental state examination scale. Fast serum samples were obtained and the serum levels of lipids were identified. Linear regression analyses and correlation analyses were performed to explore the relationships between serum lipid levels and neuropsychiatric symptoms. Results The serum levels of triglyceride had significantly decreased while the levels of HDL-c and lipoprotein a had increased in PD patients. Linear regression analyses confirmed that the levels of triglyceride were mainly correlated with age and HAMA score, the levels of HDL-c were correlated with disease duration and gender, and the levels of lipoprotein a were correlated with HAMD score. Correlation analyses further confirmed that the levels of triglyceride were negatively correlated with HAMA score when the levels of lipoprotein a were negatively correlated with HAMD score. Conclusions Lipid metabolism is significantly correlated with neuropsychiatric disorders in PD patients.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to investigate the correlation between the elevated uric acid (UA) levels and activation of the circulating renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). METHODS: A total of 233 outpatients and inpatients of the Cardiology Department from January 1, 2019, to December 31, 2019, were selected and divided into the sinus rhythm group (SR) with 84 cases, the paroxysmal AF group (pAF) with 76 cases, and the persistent AF group (PAF) with 73 patients. The general clinical data and the serum levels of UA of the enrolled patients were collected, and the radioimmunoassay was adopted to detect the levels of renin (Renin), angiotensin II (Ang II), and aldosterone (Ald). RESULTS: Renin, AngII, Ald, and UA in the PAF group were significantly higher than those in the pAF group, and the levels of the above indicators in the pAF group were significantly higher than those in the SR group (P

Astragalus Radix is one of the common traditional Chinese medicines used to treat diabetes. However, the underlying mechanism is not fully understood. Flavones are a class of active components that have been reported to exert various activities. Existing evidence suggests that flavones from Astragalus Radix may be pivotal in modulating progression of diabetes. In this study, total flavones from Astragalus Radix (TFA) were studied to observe its effects on metabolism of bile acids both in vivo and in vitro. C57BL/6J mice were treated with STZ and high-fat feeding to construct diabetic model, and HepG2 cell line was applied to investigate the influence of TFA on liver cells. We found a serious disturbance of bile acids and lipid metabolism in diabetic mice, and oral administration or cell incubation with TFA significantly reduced the production of total cholesterol (TCHO), total triglyceride, glutamic oxalacetic transaminase (AST), glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (ALT), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C), while it increased the level of high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C). The expression of glucose transporter 2 (GLUT2) and cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase (CYP7A1) was significantly upregulated on TFA treatment, and FXR and TGR5 play pivotal role in modulating bile acid and lipid metabolism. This study supplied a novel understanding towards the mechanism of Astragalus Radix on controlling diabetes.

Purpose: To evaluate the effects of intravitreal anti-VEGF agents in a rabbit model of open-globe injury (OGI).Methods: OGI was induced in the right eyes of 75 Belgian rabbits by making 5 mm circumferential incision placed 6 mm behind the limbus. The rabbits were divided into 4 groups: control (n = 5), OGI group (n = 40), and intravitreal Ranibizumab and Conbercept (n = 15 each). Ranibizumab or Conbercept was injected into the vitreous at 0.5 hours, 3 days, or 7 days. Vitreous fluid was collected, and levels of growth factors and cytokines were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). On day 28 after OGI, B scan examination and histological examination were performed to evaluate intravitreal proliferation and formation of epiretinal fibrosis.Results: Vitreous levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β), and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) were significantly increased in rabbit eyes after OGI. Compared to eyes in OGI group, anti-VEGF treatments significantly reduced these growth factors and cytokines. Among the 7 eyes examined from each group for intravitreal proliferative changes, they were found in 7 of 7 (100%) in OGI group and were decreased by Ranibizumab and Conbercept to 5 of 7 (71.4%) and 4 of 7 (57.1%), respectively. Both Ranibizumab and Conbercept inhibited epiretinal scar formation at the wound site, with Conbercept showing the greatest effect (maximal length of scar (L), LOGI = 503 ± 82.44 μm, LRanibizumab = 355 ± 43.66 μm, and LConbercept = 250.33 ± 36.02 μm).Conclusion: Anti-VEGF treatments after OGI significantly attenuated the upregulation of growth factors and cytokines in the vitreous and prevented intravitreal proliferation and epiretinal scar formation and thus may protect against the development of posttraumatic complications such as proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR).

Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Liviidae), transmits the causal pathogen of huanglongbing and is a global pest of citrus. D. citri populations exhibit resistance to multiple insecticide modes of action in areas where these chemicals have been overused. We performed genome-wide transcriptional analysis for two field populations of D. citri (Wauchula and Lake Alfred, Florida, USA) that exhibit 1300-fold resistance to the neonicotinoid insecticide, thiamethoxam, and compared it to that of susceptible psyllids collected from the same area and without imposed selection. The Lake Alfred population responded to insecticide resistance by up-regulation of 240 genes and down-regulation of 148 others. The Wauchula population exhibited similar patterns to the Lake Alfred population with up-regulation of 253 genes and down-regulation of 115 others. Gene Ontology annotation associated with cellular processes, cell, and catalytic activity were assigned to differentially expressed genes (DEGs). The DEGs from Lake Alfred and Wauchula populations were mapped to Kyoto Encyclopedia of Gene and Genomes pathways and implicated enrichment of metabolic pathways, oxidative phosphorylation, extracellular matrix-receptor interaction, terpenoid backbone biosynthesis, and insect hormone biosynthesis in the resistant populations. Up-regulation of 60s ribosomal proteins, UDP-gluscoyltransferases, cytochrome c oxidases, and CYP and ABC transporters among thiamethoxam-resistant D. citri implicates a broad array of novel and conventionally understood resistance mechanisms.

Objectives Anxiety disorder is a common non-motor symptom in patient with Parkinson’s disease (PD). We aimed to explore its pathogenesis and identify plasma biomarkers using untargeted metabolomics analysis. Methods Consecutive PD patients and healthy controls were recruited. Clinical data were assessed and patients with Parkinson’s disease related anxiety disorder (PDA) were recognized. Fast plasma samples were obtained and untargeted liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-based metabolomics analysis was performed. Based on the differentially expressed metabolites from the above metabolomics analysis, correlation analyses and receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC) were further employed. Results According to the clinical data, PDA patients had lower plasma levels of total cholesterol, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and apolipoprotein B. There were thirty-nine differentially expressed metabolites in PDA patients when compared with the other two groups from the metabolomics analysis, respectively. Fourteen lipid metabolites were simultaneously altered between these two groups, and all of them were significantly decreased. They can be further subcategorized into fatty acyls, glycerolipids, sterol lipids, sphingolipids, and prenol lipids. The plasma levels of thirteen metabolites were negatively correlated with HAMA scores except 10-oxo-nonadecanoic acid. Based on the ROC curves, the fourteen lipid metabolites can be diagnostic biomarkers for PDA patients separately and the areas under the curve of the fourteen lipid metabolites ranged from 0.681 to 0.798. Conclusions Significantly lower plasma lipoproteins can be found in PDA patients. A panel of fourteen lipid metabolites were also significantly decreased and can be clinical biomarkers for the diagnosis of PDA patients.

The Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Liviidae), is a major pest that transmits phloem-limited, gram negative bacteria including ‘Candidatus’ liberibacter asiaticus (Clas), causing huanglongbing. Management of this pest relies primarily on insecticides, such as the neonicotinoid imidacloprid, that may affect secondary pests including the brown citrus aphid, Toxoptera citricida (Kirkaldy) (Hemiptera: Aphididae). Here, we report on direct toxicity and sublethal dose effects of imidacloprid on T. citricida nymphs and adults following direct contact and ingestion. We also examined transgenerational dose-response and hormetic effects following exposure of T. citricida to a sublethal concentration of imidacloprid. Toxicity of imidacloprid was similar for nymphs (0.6 ng per µL) and adults (1 ng per µL) at 72 h. Fecundity and finite rate of increase were greater for populations exposed to systemic and foliar treatments at a sublethal concentration (0.1 ng per µL) compared with untreated controls. Development times of first instar nymphs in the F1 generation and third instar nymphs in the F2 generation were significantly greater for individuals treated with the sublethal dose than an untreated control. Survival of second instar T. citricida on plants treated with a sublethal concentration also was significantly greater than controls. There also was a significant increase in fecundity of F1 and F2 individuals after sublethal treatment compared with controls. Our results indicated that a sublethal concentration of imidacloprid increased the reproductive performance and induced possible physiologically stimulative (hormetic) effects in T. citricida. Hormesis in secondary pests should be considered when developing a management program for pathogen vectors such as D. citri. Resumen El psilido asiatico de los citricos, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Liviidae), es una plaga importante que transmite bacterias gramnegativas limitadas por el floema, incluyendo Liberibacter asiaticus (Clas), Candidatus, causando la enfermedad huanglongbing. El manejo de esta plaga se basa principalmente en insecticidas, como el imidacloprid neonicotinoide, que puede afectar a las plagas secundarias, incluido el pulgon marron de los citricos, Toxoptera citricida (Kirkaldy) (Hemiptera: Aphididae). Aqui, informamos sobre la toxicidad directa y los efectos de la dosis subletal de imidacloprid en ninfas de T. citricida y adultos despues del contacto directo y la ingestion. Tambien examinamos la respuesta a la dosis transgeneracional y los efectos hormeticos despues de la exposicion de T. citricida a una concentracion subletal de imidacloprid. La toxicidad de imidacloprid fue similar para las ninfas (0.6 ng por µL) y adultos (1 ng por µL) a las 72 h. La fecundidad y la tasa finita de aumento fueron mayores para las poblaciones expuestas a tratamientos sistemicos y foliares a una concentracion subletal (0.1 ng por µL) en comparacion con los controles no tratados. Los tiempos de desarrollo de las ninfas de primer estadio en la generacion F1 y las ninfas del tercer estadio en la generacion F2 fueron significativamente mayores para los individuos tratados con la dosis subletal que un control no tratado. La sobrevivencia del segundo estadio de T. citricida en plantas tratadas con una concentracion subletal tambien fue significativamente mayor que los controles. Tambien hubo un aumento significativo en la fecundidad de los individuos F1 y F2 despues del tratamiento subletal en comparacion con los controles. Nuestros resultados indicaron que una concentracion subletal de imidacloprid aumento el rendimiento reproductivo e indujo posibles efectos fisiologicamente estimulantes (hormeticos) en T. citricida. Se debe considerar la hormesis en plagas secundarias al desarrollar un programa de manejo para vectores de patogenos como D. citri. Key Words: secondary pests; stimulated reproduction; stress conditioning; toxicity; huanglongbing

Organic fertilizer usage is been introduced into agricultural practices for preventing the damaging effects of chemical fertilizers. Present study investigated the beneficial role of organic fertilizer (nano-vermicompost) on the growth, oxidative stress parameters, antioxidant and nitrogen metabolism, osmolyte accumulation and mineral elements in tomato under drought stress. Drought stress resulted in reduced growth and biomass accumulation by triggering oxidative stress due to excess accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reduced mineral uptake. Application of nano-vermicompost proved significantly beneficial in improving growth and mitigating the drought induced growth decline. Nano-vermicompost increased growth and dry matter content and ameliorated the decline in chlorophyll contents, photosynthesis and PSII activity more significantly at higher concentration (100 mg kg−1 soil). ROS accumulation was significantly reduced by nano-vermicompost application thereby enhancing the membrane stability under normal as well as drought conditions. Furthermore, lipid peroxidation and activities of protease and lypoxygenase were significantly reduced. Drought up-regulated antioxidant system and application of nano-vermicompost further enhanced the activities of antioxidant enzymes and the contents of non-enzymatic antioxidant components. Accumulation of osmolytes including proline, glycine betaine and sugars increased significantly due to nano-vermicompost application. Besides, decline in the activity of nitrate reductase and content of essential mineral elements like nitrogen, potassium and phosphorous was also ameliorated by nano-vermicompost application.

Cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) is extensively used in maize hybrid production, and identification of genes related to fertility restoration for CMS is important for hybrid breeding. The fertility restoration of S type CMS is governed by several loci with major and minor effects, while the mechanism of fertility restoration for CMS-S is still unknown. In this study, BSR-Seq was conducted with two backcrossing populations with the fertility restoration genes,Rf3andRf10, respectively. Genetic mapping via BSR-Seq verified the positions of the two loci. A total of 353 and 176 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the male fertility and male sterile pools were identified in the populations withRf3andRf10, respectively. In total, 265 DEGs were co-expressed in the two populations, which were up-regulated in the fertile plants, and they might be related to male fertility involving in anther or pollen development. Moreover, 35 and seven DEGs were specifically up-regulated in the fertile plants of the population withRf3andRf10, respectively. Function analysis of these DEGs revealed that jasmonic acid (JA) signal pathway might be involved in theRf3mediated fertility restoration for CMS-S, while the small ubiquitin-related modifier system could play a role in the fertility restoration ofRf10.

Current evidence on the relationship of phytoestrogens with sleep is limited and contradictory. In particular, studies on individual phytoestrogens and sleep have not been reported. Thus, this study aimed to appraise the associations of individual phytoestrogens with sleep disorders and sleep duration. This cross-sectional study comprising 4830 adults utilized data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005&ndash, 2010. Phytoestrogens were tested in urine specimens. Sleep disorders and sleep duration were based on a self-reported doctor&rsquo, s diagnosis and usual sleep duration. The main analyses utilized logistic and multinomial logistic regression models and a restricted cubic spline. In the fully adjusted model, compared with tertile 1 (lowest), the odds ratios (95% confidence intervals (CIs)) of sleep disorders for the highest tertile of urinary concentrations of enterolactone, enterodiol, and O-desmethylangolensin were 0.64 (0.41&ndash, 1.00), 1.54 (1.07&ndash, 2.21), and 1.89 (1.26&ndash, 2.85), respectively. Linear inverse, approximatively linear positive, and inverted L-shaped concentration&ndash, response relationships were found between enterolactone, enterodiol, and O-desmethylangolensin and sleep disorders, respectively. Compared with normal sleep (7&ndash, 8 h/night), the relative risk ratio (RRR) (95% CI) of very short sleep for enterolactone was 0.56 (0.36&ndash, 0.86), and the RRR (95% CI) of long sleep risk for genistein was 0.62 (0.39&ndash, 0.99). Furthermore, negative associations of genistein with sleep disorders and enterolactone with long sleep risk, as well as positive associations of enterodiol with both long and very short sleep, were observed in the stratified analysis by age or gender. Finally, a notable finding was that urinary O-desmethylangolensin concentration was positively related to sleep disorders in both females aged 40&ndash, 59 years and non-Hispanic Whites but inversely associated with sleep disorders in both females aged 60 years or over and other Hispanics. Our findings suggested that enterolactone and genistein might be beneficial for preventing sleep disorders or non-normal sleep duration among adults, and enterodiol might be adverse toward this goal. However, the association of O-desmethylangolensin with sleep disorders might be discrepant in different races and females of different ages.