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In order to early screen and detect suspected biomarkers from pathogens and the human body itself, tracers or reaction strategies that can act as signal enhancers have been proposed forth at purpose. In this paper, we discussed the applicability of magnetic microparticles-assisted time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay (MMPs-TRFIA) for sensitive determination of potential analytes. Hepatitis B e antigen, antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen and free triiodothyronine were used as biomarker models to explore the reliability of the method. By coupling with bioprobes, MMPs were used as immunoassay carriers to capture target molecules. Under optimal condition, assay performance, including accuracy, precision and specificity, was outstanding and demonstrated satisfactory. To further evaluate the performance of the MMPs-TRFIA in patients, a total of 728 serum samples from hospital were analyzed for three biomarkers in parallel with the proposed method and chemiluminescence immunoassay kit commercially available. Fairly good agreements are obtained between the two methods via data analysis. Not only that but the reliability of MMPs-TRFIA has also been illustrated by three different reaction models. It is confirmed that the novel method modified with MMPs has been established and showed great potential applications in both biological detection and clinical diagnosis, including big molecule protein and low molecular weight haptens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Twenty-one highly variable microsatellite loci were used to investigate the genetic diversity and variation of Odontobutis potamophila in China. A total of 160 samples from five wild populations (Dangtu, Sheyang, Yuyao, Minjiang and Donxishan) were genotyped. All of the 21 microsatellite loci tested in this study showed polymorphism. The number of allele per locus ranged from 5.05 to 9.90. Locus 87a of Minjiang population had a 259-bp characteristic allele. The average observed heterozygosity and expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.33 to 0.62 and from 0.40 to 0.70, respectively. The pair-wise F ST tests and NJ trees of the five O. potamophlia populations revealed that Dangtu, Sheyang, Yuyao and Dongxishan were genetically close to one another and distinct from Minjiang. Far genetic distances were observed among populations from distant geographical areas. This result provided guide for the use of O . potamophila breeds and the protection of the species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: To investigate the influence of hyperglycemia on the severity of choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in diabetic mice, especially the involvement of bone marrow-derived cells (BMCs) and underlying molecular mechanisms. The mice were randomly divided into control group, diabetes group and diabetes treated with insulin group, which were laser treated to induce CNV. The CNV severity was evaluated by fundus fluorescein angiography, HE staining and choroidal flatmount. The BMCs recruitment and differentiation in CNV were examined in GFP chimeric mice by choroidal flatmount and immunofluorescence. The bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) recruitment and migration were tested in vivo and in vitro. VEGF and SDF-1 production in vivo and in vitro were tested by realtime PCR and ELISA. The CNV severity and expression of VEGF and SDF-1 were enhanced in DM mice compared with control mice and that insulin treatment decreased CNV severity in DM mice. The DM mice demonstrated more BMCs and bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) recruited and incorporated into CNV, increased ratio of BMCs expressing endothelial cell marker or macrophage marker, and up-regulated expression of VEGF and SDF-1 in CNV. Human BMSCs migration and expression of VEGF and SDF-1 in retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells increased when cultured under high glucose. This study suggested that hyperglycemia enhanced the expression of VEGF and SDF-1 in RPE cells, and promoted recruitment and incorporation of BMCs and affected differentiation of BMCs in CNV, which led to more severe CNV in diabetic mice. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Flos Lonicerae Japonicae (FLJ) is an important cash crop in eastern Asia, and it is an anti-inflammatory Traditional Chinese Medicine. There are large variations in the quality of the marketed FLJ products. To find marker ingredients useful for quality control, a tandem technology integrating ultra-performance liquid chromatography/quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q/TOF), principal component analysis (PCA), heat map analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis coupled with a NF-κB luciferase reporter gene assay were used to identify the different ingredients from the green bud, white bud, flowering stage and leaf stages, as well as to screen the anti-inflammatory activity of FLJ compositions. As flowering progressed, the anti-inflammatory effects of FLJ gradually decreased; however, chlorogenic acid, swertiamarin and sweroside should be used to evaluate the quality of FLJ products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objectives: Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease affecting millions of people globally and resulting in significant death rates each year. A fast, inexpensive alternative to traditional testing and monitoring techniques is desirable, since secretion of insulin and C-peptide is impaired in diabetes mellitus. Design and methods: A highly sensitive immunoassay was developed for the simultaneous measurement of C-peptide and insulin levels in human serum, utilizing dual-label time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay (TRFIA) and magnetic particle technologies. This assay was characteristic for a single-step sandwich-type immunoassay, wherein antibody-coated magnetic particles were used as the solid phase and Eu3+ and Sm3+ chelate labels were used for detection. Results: Antibody-coated magnetic particles in a TRFIA format performed well in addressing a number of quantitative needs. Conclusions: The results of this assay correlated well with commercial chemiluminescence assays and provided a number a advantages, including reduced sample volume, reduced reagent and personnel costs and reduced assay time, while maintaining the required clinical sensitivity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights: [•] Subchronic toxicity of dichlorvos and deltamethrin was studied by NMR and pathology. [•] The rats exposed to high dose of the pesticides showed damage of renal papilla. [•] Metabolites in rats exposed to two pesticides changed more than that to a single one. [•] The pesticides disturbed energy metabolism in liver and reduced kidney function. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Heavy metal(loid)s and organic pollutants have garnered global concern due to their potential for bioaccumulation and carcinogenic effects. The aquatic environment is one of the most important receiving compartments for these pollutants. Therefore, researchers are committed to developing inexpensive and highly efficient technologies for the removal of these recalcitrant contaminants from water. Zero-valent iron (ZVI), which has a strong reduction ability, low cost and can be recycled, has been considered as an environmentally benign element for removal of heavy metal(loid)s and organic chlorinated pollutants. However, some factors limit the ZVI application, with passivation of ZVI considered as the main limitation. Recent research has focused on methods to eliminate or alleviate these interferences and maximize ZVI performance. This review summarizes recent findings for the removal of typical heavy metal(loid)s and organic pollutants in the aquatic environment by ZVI-based technologies. Different combinations of chemical, physical, biological, or other methods with ZVI and their operating conditions and influencing factors are presented and discussed. Finally, we also present the removal mechanisms of ZVI-based technologies and recommendations for future research. This review provides an up-to-date perspective on the removal of pollutants using ZVI-based technologies and collates references for future large-scale application to wastewater treatment. Image 1 • ZVI-based technologies can effectively remove heavy metal(loid)s and organic pollutants. • ZVI-based removal mechanisms for heavy metal(loid)s and organic pollutants are summarized. • Combinations of chemical, physical, biological methods with ZVI are presented. • The ZVI-based technologies are compared and their limitations are discussed. • Future recommendations for the development of ZVI-based technologies are suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-entropy oxides (HEOs) are promising anode materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), owing to their stable crystal structure, superionic conductivity, and high capacity. In this study, the (Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, and Ni) 3 O 4 HEO via solid-state reaction is prepared. To improve the synthetic efficiency, it is necessary to understand the formation mechanism. Therefore, a high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) is used to record information during calcination at increasing temperature. The overall formation process included MnO 2 and NiO aggregation at 500 °C, followed by (Mn, and Ni) 3 O 4 combined with Co 3 O 4 at 600 °C to form (Mn, Co, and Ni) 3 O 4 . At higher temperatures, Fe 2 O 3 and Cr 2 O 3 sequentially combined with (Mn, Co, and Ni) 3 O 4 and formed the (Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni) 3 O 4 at 900 °C. In addition, the valence-state-changing mechanisms and ion arrangements of (Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, and Ni) 3 O 4 are determined using electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS). This study successfully revealed the formation of HEO at atomic scale. The results provide valuable insights for improving the manufacturing process of (Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, and Ni) 3 O 4 HEOs, which is expected to play a vital role in the development of anode materials for next-generation LIBs., (© 2023 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Li 7 La 3 Zr 2 O 12 (LLZO)-based all-solid-state Li batteries (SSLBs) are very attractive next-generation energy storage devices owing to their potential for achieving enhanced safety and improved energy density. However, the rigid nature of the ceramics challenges the SSLB fabrication and the afterward interfacial stability during electrochemical cycling. Here, a promising LLZO-based SSLB with a high areal capacity and stable cycle performance over 100 cycles is demonstrated. In operando transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is used for successfully demonstrating and investigating the delithiation/lithiation process and understanding the capacity degradation mechanism of the SSLB on an atomic scale. Other than the interfacial delamination between LLZO and LiCoO 2 (LCO) owing to the stress evolvement during electrochemical cycling, oxygen deficiency of LCO not only causes microcrack formation in LCO but also partially decomposes LCO into metallic Co and is suggested to contribute to the capacity degradation based on the atomic-scale insights. When discharging the SSLB to a voltage of ≈1.2 versus Li/Li + , severe capacity fading from the irreversible decomposition of LCO into metallic Co and Li 2 O is observed under in operando TEM. These observations reveal the capacity degradation mechanisms of the LLZO-based SSLB, which provides important information for future LLZO-based SSLB developments., (© 2022 The Authors. Advanced Science published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

In this study, facile salt-assisted chemical vapor deposition (CVD) was used to synthesize ultrathin non-van der Waals chromium sulfide (Cr 2 S 3 ) with a thickness of ∼1.9 nm. The structural transformation of as-grown Cr 2 S 3 was studied using advanced in situ heating techniques combined with transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Two-dimensional (2D) and quasi-one-dimensional (1D) samples were fabricated to investigate the connection between specific planes and the dynamic behavior of the structural variation. The rearrangement of atoms during the phase transition was driven by the loss of sulfur atoms at elevated temperatures, resulting in increased free energy. A decrease in the ratio of the (001) plane led to an overall increase in surface energy, thus lowering the critical phase transition temperature. Our study provides detailed insight into the mechanism of structural transformation and the critical factors governing transition temperature, thus paving the way for future studies on intriguing Cr-S compounds.