Search

The article presents a study which amplified gene encoding FliC from Salmonella typhimurium chromosomal DNA through polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and examined the vaccine adjuvant property of FliC against foot-and-mouth disease.

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is a powerful spectroscopy technique that can provide non-destructive and ultra-sensitive characterization down to single molecular level, comparable to single-molecule fluorescence spectroscopy. However, generally substrates based on metals such as Ag, Au and Cu, either with roughened surfaces or in the form of nanoparticles, are required to realise a substantial SERS effect, and this has severely limited the breadth of practical applications of SERS. A number of approaches have extended the technique to non-traditional substrates, most notably tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS) where the probed substance (molecule or material surface) can be on a generic substrate and where a nanoscale gold tip above the substrate acts as the Raman signal amplifier. The drawback is that the total Raman scattering signal from the tip area is rather weak, thus limiting TERS studies to molecules with large Raman cross-sections. Here, we report an approach, which we name shell-isolated nanoparticle-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, in which the Raman signal amplification is provided by gold nanoparticles with an ultrathin silica or alumina shell. A monolayer of such nanoparticles is spread as ‘smart dust’ over the surface that is to be probed. The ultrathin coating keeps the nanoparticles from agglomerating, separates them from direct contact with the probed material and allows the nanoparticles to conform to different contours of substrates. High-quality Raman spectra were obtained on various molecules adsorbed at Pt and Au single-crystal surfaces and from Si surfaces with hydrogen monolayers. These measurements and our studies on yeast cells and citrus fruits with pesticide residues illustrate that our method significantly expands the flexibility of SERS for useful applications in the materials and life sciences, as well as for the inspection of food safety, drugs, explosives and environment pollutants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Correction to: I Nature Communications i https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-28926-0; Article published online 10 March 2022 The HTML version of this Article included a redundant file "Reporting Summary". These authors contributed equally: Amr Sabbah, Ying-Ren Lai. [Extracted from the article]

The thickness of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) plays a key role in enhancing their photocatalytic CO2 reduction activity. However, the optimum thickness of the layered TMDs that is required to achieve sufficient light absorption and excellent crystallinity has still not been definitively determined. In this work, ultra-thin molybdenum disulfide films (MoS2TF) with 25 nm thickness presented remarkable photocatalytic activity, and the product yield increased by about 2.3 times. The photocatalytic mechanism corresponding to the TMDs' thickness was also proposed. This work demonstrates that the thickness optimization of TMDs provides a cogent direction for the design of high-performance photocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molecules based on benzimidazolone‐dioxazine are known as blue/violet pigments and have been commercialized for decades. However, unfavorable solubility limits the application of these structures as building blocks of conjugated polymers despite their low band gaps. Herein, a series of donor–acceptor conjugated polymers containing soluble benzimidazolone‐dioxazine structures as the acceptors and oligothiophene as donors are synthesized and investigated. With increasing numbers of thiophene rings, the steric hindrance diminishes and high molecular weight polymers can be achieved, leading to an improved performance in organic field effect transistor devices. The hole mobility of polymers with three to six thiophene units is in the order of 10−1 cm2 V−1 s −1. Among all the polymers, polymer P3 with three thiophene units between benzimidazolone‐dioxazine structures shows the best hole mobility of 0.4 cm2 V−1 s −1. Grazing‐incidence wide‐angle X‐ray scattering results reveal that the high mobility of organic field‐effect transistors (OFETs) can be accredited by matched donor–acceptor packing in the solid thin films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glycans are one of the fundamental classes of macromolecules and are involved in a broad range of biological phenomena. A large variety of glycan structures can be synthesized depending on tissue or cell types and environmental changes. Here, we developed a comprehensive glycosylation mapping tool, termed GlycoMaple, to visualize and estimate glycan structures based on gene expression. We informatically selected 950 genes involved in glycosylation and its regulation. Expression profiles of these genes were mapped onto global glycan metabolic pathways to predict glycan structures, which were confirmed using glycomic analyses. Based on the predictions of N-glycan processing, we constructed 40 knockout HEK293 cell lines and analyzed the effects of gene knockout on glycan structures. Finally, the glycan structures of 64 cell lines, 37 tissues, and primary colon tumor tissues were estimated and compared using publicly available databases. Our systematic approach can accelerate glycan analyses and engineering in mammalian cells. [Display omitted] • A comprehensive glycosylation mapping tool, termed GlycoMaple, was developed • GlycoMaple could visualize and estimate glycan structures based on gene expression • A cell library of knocked out genes related to N-linked glycosylation was constructed • Glycan changes between normal and diseased tissues were estimated using GlycoMaple Diverse glycan structures are synthesized depending on cell types. Huang et al. have developed a comprehensive glycosylation mapping tool based on gene expression, named GlycoMaple, for visualizing glycosylation pathways and estimating glycan structures synthesized in cells. The tool could contribute to supporting glycan analysis, biomarker development, and glycoengineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cover Feature: Hydrogen Bonding-Induced H-Aggregation for Fluorescence Turn-On of the GFP Chromophore: Supramolecular Structural Rigidity (Chem. Eur. J. 27/2020) Keywords: aggregation; fluorescence; gels; hydrogen bonds; supramolecular chemistry EN aggregation fluorescence gels hydrogen bonds supramolecular chemistry 5913 5913 1 05/14/20 20200512 NES 200512 B The fluorescence of HBDI b (the dark green molecules in the lower part of the picture), the chromophore of a naturally occurring green fluorescence protein (GFP) in the jellyfish Aequorea Victoria, is turned on upon forming an H-type aggregate (the structure in the upper part of the picture) via the hydrogen bonding of the chromophores and the gelators (the two terminal parts of the H-aggregate). Aggregation, fluorescence, gels, hydrogen bonds, supramolecular chemistry. [Extracted from the article]

Human reliability analysis (HRA) is a proactive approach to model and evaluate systematic human errors and has been extensively implemented in various complicated systems. The assessment of human errors relies heavily on the knowledge and experience of experts in real‐world cases. Moreover, there are usually specific sorts of uncertainty while experts use linguistic labels to evaluate human failure events. In this context, this paper seeks to establish a new model based on the hesitant fuzzy matrix (HFM) and the cognitive reliability and error analysis method (CREAM) to conduct a quantitative analysis of human errors. This model handles the multiple crisp scores of the common performance conditions (CPCs) given by experts according to the context description in terms of CPCs, determines the weights of CPCs by the HFM, and elicits the human error probability (HEP) point estimation formula considering consequences based on the CREAM. Finally, the effectiveness and practicality of the presented HFM‐CREAM model are demonstrated through the emergency response analysis of the steam generator tube rupture (SGTR) in nuclear power plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To understand the roles of Au(III) (hydro-)oxides in promoting plasmon-mediated photoelectrochemical (PMPEC) water-oxidation, we employed in situ microphotoelectrochemical surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy and ambient-pressure x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to elucidate the correlations between the amount of surface Au(III) (hydro-)oxides and the photocurrent of PMPEC water-oxidation on Au. By applying preoxidation potentials, we made surface Au(III) (hydro-)oxides on a plasmonic Au photoanode. According to the charge of reductively stripping surface oxygenated species before and after PMPEC water-oxidation, we found that a negative shift of an onset potential, increase in photocurrent, and much less growth of surface (hydro-)oxides were correlated with each other as a result of the increase in the coverage of Au (III) (hydro-)oxides. These results suggest that the surface Au(III) (hydro-)oxides kinetically promoted water-oxidation by restricting the growth of surface (hydro-)oxides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-assembly of twelve pentatopic tectons, which have complementary edges or can be linked using either digonal or trigonal connectors, represents the optimal synthetic strategy to achieve spherical objects, such as chemical capsids. This process requires conditions that secure uninterrupted equilibria of binding and self-correction en route to the global energy minimum. Here we report the synthesis of a highly soluble, deca-heterosubstituted corannulene that bears five terpyridine ligands. Spontaneous self-assembly of twelve such tectons with 30 cadmium(II) cations produces a giant icosahedral capsid as a thermodynamically stable single product in high yield. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) methods, mass spectrometry analyses, small-angle X-ray scattering, transmission electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy indicate that this spherical capsid has an external diameter of nearly 6 nm and shell thickness of 1 nm, in agreement with molecular modeling. NMR and liquid chromatography evidences imply that chiral self-sorting complexation generates a racemic mixture of homochiral capsids. The icosahedron, as the polyhedron closest in symmetry to the sphere, is one of the most compelling Platonic solids for chemists to construct. Here, the authors assemble a supramolecular icosahedron from twelve pentatopic corannulene-based tectons, a strategy that was proposed over a decade ago but only now synthetically realized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plasmon-mediated chemical reactions (PMCRs) constitute a vibrant research field, advancing such goals as using sunlight to convert abundant precursors such as CO2 and water to useful fuels and chemicals. A key question in this burgeoning field which has not, as yet, been fully resolved, relates to the precise mechanism through which the energy absorbed through plasmonic excitation, ultimately drives such reactions. Among the multiple processes proposed, two have risen to the forefront: plasmon-increased temperature and generation of energetic charge carriers. However, it is still a great challenge to confidently separate these two effects and quantify their relative contribution to chemical reactions. Here, we describe a strategy based on the construction of a plasmonic electrode coupled with photoelectrochemistry, to quantitatively disentangle increased temperature from energetic charge carriers effects. A clear separation of the two effects facilitates the rational design of plasmonic nanostructures for efficient photochemical applications and solar energy utilization. Confidently separating the photothermal effect from the generation of energetic charge carriers and quantifying their relative contribution to chemical reactions remain a great challenge in plasmon-mediated chemical reactions. Here, authors describe a strategy based on the construction of a plasmonic electrode coupled with photoelectrochemistry to quantitatively disentangle these two effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Researches have found that alteration of intestinal flora may be closely related to the development of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, whether probiotics supplementation has a protective effect on ASD remains controversial. This meta-analysis aimed to analyze the outcome of probiotics in the treatment of ASD children. Methods: The Pubmed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science and Embase were searched until Sep 2022. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) relevant to the probiotics and placebo treatment on ASD children were screened. Quality assessment of the included RCTs was evaluated by the Cochrane collaboration's tool. The primary outcomes were ASD assessment scales, including ABC (aberrant behavior checklist) and CBCL (child behavior checklist) for evaluating the behavior improvement, SRS (social responsiveness scale) for social assessment, DQ (developmental quotient) for physical and mental development and CGI-I (clinical global impression improvement) for overall improvement. The secondary outcome was total 6-GSI (gastrointestinal severity index). Results: In total, 6 RCTs from 6 studies with 302 children were included in the systemic review. Total 6-GSI (MD=-0.59, 95%CI [-1.02,-0.17], P < 0.05) decreased significantly after oral administration of probiotics. Whereas, there was no statistical difference in ABC, CBCL, SRS, DQ and CGI-I between probiotics and placebo groups in ASD children. Conclusion: Probiotics treatment could improve gastrointestinal symptoms, but there was no significant improvement in ASD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Five ferrocene alkymethylimidazolium cations 1a–1d and 2 with different alkyl spacer lengths were reinvestigated using voltammetry and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The voltammetric responses of ligand 2 toward various anions are described in detail. An interesting and unprecedented finding from both experimental and theoretical studies is that coupled electron and intramolecular anion (F−) transfer may be present in these molecules. In addition, it was also observed that, in these studied molecules, the electrostatic attraction interaction toward F− would effectively vanish beyond 1 nm, which was previously reported only for cations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To turn on the fluorescence of the native green fluorescence protein (GFP) chromophore, 4‐hydroxybenzylidene‐dimethylimidazolinone (HBDI), in an artificial supramolecular system has been a challenging task, because it requires high local environmental rigidity. This work shows that the formation of H‐aggregates of an HBDI‐containing organogelator results in two orders of magnitude fluorescence enhancement (Φf=2.9 vs. 0.02 %), in which the inter‐HBDI OH⋅⋅⋅OH H‐bonds play a crucial role. The aggregation‐induced fluorescence enhancement of HBDI has important implications on the origin of the high fluorescence quantum efficiency of HBDI in the GFP β‐barrel and on the supramolecular strategy for a full fluorescence recovery of HBDI. These results reveal a new approach to designing rigid chromophore aggregates for high‐performance optoelectronic properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Two diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP)-based donor-acceptor oligomers with thermal labile 2-methylhexyl-2-oxylcarbonyl (mHoc) groups, mHocPBT and mHocTBT, were synthesized and characterized to study the hydrogen-bonding mediated molecular packing in solid state. The soluble oligomers can be converted to strong intermolecular hydrogen-bonded and pigment-like materials HPBT and HTBT by annealing the casted solid film at a temperature between 180 and 200 °C. The formation of intermolecular hydrogen bonding significantly altered the conformation of the molecules, molecular packing structure and related optical properties of the oligomers, with HPBT molecule exhibiting bathochromic shift and HTBT molecule exhibiting hypsochromic shift on UV/Vis spectra. Spin-casted mHocTBT and HTBT films also exhibited interesting morphology and charge transport properties. Even though the single mHocTBT oligomer molecule has a better coplanar molecular conformation as compared with that of HTBT, an enhanced π-π stacking structure and larger crystal grain size rendered HTBT film better charge transport performance. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • Intermolecular hydrogen bonded networking was obtained via annealing of diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP)-based oligomers. • Molecular conformation, packing structure and optical properties of oligomers were elucidated before and after annealing. • Morphology and charge transport properties of DPP oligomers were characterized before and after hydrogen bonding formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

N-Acetyl-β-d-glucosaminidase (NAGase) is proved to be correlated with reproduction of male animals. In this study, enzymatic characterizations of NAGase from spermary of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) were investigated in order to further study its reproductive function in fish. Tilapia NAGase was purified to be PAGE homogeneous by the following techniques: (NH4)2SO4 fractionation (40–55%), DEAE-cellulose (DE-32) ion exchange chromatography, Sephadex G-200 gel filtration and DEAE-Sephadex (A-50). The specific activity of the purified enzyme was 4100 U/mg. The enzyme molecular weight was estimated as 118.0 kD. Kinetic studies showed that the hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl-N-acetyl-β-d-glucosaminide (pNP-NAG) by the enzyme followed Michaelis–Menten kinetics. The Michaelis–Menten constant (K m) and maximum velocity (V m) were determined to be 0.67 mM and 23.26 μM/min, respectively. The optimum pH and optimum temperature of the enzyme for hydrolysis of pNP-NAG was to be at pH 5.7 and 55°C, respectively. The enzyme was stable in a pH range from 3.3 to 8.1 at 37°C, and inactive at temperature above 45°C. The enzyme activity was regulated by the following ions in decreasing order: Hg2+ > Zn2+ > Cu2+ > Pb2+ > Mn2+. The IC 50 of Cu2+, Zn2+ and Hg2+ was 1.23, 0.28, and 0.0027 mM, respectively. However, the ions Li+, Na+, K+, Mg2+ and Ca2+ had almost no influence on enzyme activity. In conclusion, the enzymatic characterizations of NAGase from tilapia were special to the other animals, which were correlated with its living habit; besides, CuSO4 and ZnSO4 should used very carefully as insecticides in tilapia cultivation since they both had strong regulations on the enzyme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Shell-isolated nanoparticle-enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SHINERS) has been proved to expand the versatility of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). It breaks the long limitation of SERS that only Au, Ag, Cu surface with nanostructure can exhibit huge Raman enhancement (with the averaged surface enhancement up to 106). SHINERS has been successfully used in single crystal electrochemistry, semiconductor surface and even the detection of pesticide from a fruit or vegetable surface. In the present review, we mainly focus on the use of SHINERS in electrochemistry by our group. The key for the SHINERS method is the synthesis of the core shell nanoparticles (SHINERS NPs). Different types of SHINERS NPs with different core, shell, size and shape are fully discussed and their applications in electrochemistry are also given. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Novel 4-amino-2-phenylquinoline derivatives were synthesized by reacting various 4-chloro-2-arylquinoline compounds having activated chloro group with the corresponding amide solvents at reflux for overnight. The activity of amination by the amide solvents depended on the competition between the steric and electronic effect of the N-substituents on the amino group. Their activities were shown as N,N-dimethylformamide>N,N-diethylformamide>N-methylformamide>formamide>N,N-dimethylacetamide>N,N-dimethylpropionamide. The yields for the amination products seemed proportional to the ease of the dissociation of the amides. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Whether using tissue adhesive alone after subcutaneous suture can close the skin incision with safety as well as cosmetic appearance after total hip arthroplasty was not clear. Methods: A prospective study was conducted. The same surgical methods were consistent throughout the entire study. After implanting prosthesis, the joint capsule was reconstructed. Fascial and subcutaneous layer were respectively closed by continuous running barbed suture. Patients were randomized allocated to group A with octyl-2-cyanoacrylate tissue adhesive alone, to group B with tissue adhesive after continuous subcuticular suture, or to group C with skin staples. Time of closure, drainage, pain, wound complications, and cosmesis were compared. All data were analyzed statistically. Results: There was no significant difference in drainage, Visual Analog Scale score or early wound complications between the three groups. However, there was significant difference in time of closure (P = 0.013). In pairwise comparison, time of closure in groups A and B was significantly longer than those in group C (P = 0.001 and P = 0.023, respectively); time of closure in group A was significantly shorter than those in group B (P = 0.003). Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale total scores were not significantly different at 6 weeks and 3 months postoperatively (P = 0.078 and P = 0.284, respectively). Conclusion: Tissue adhesive without subcuticular suture was similar with a combination of subcuticular suture and tissue adhesive as well skin staples in terms of safety and cosmetic appearance after total hip arthroplasty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wavefield extrapolation is critical in reverse time migration (RTM). The finite difference method is primarily used to achieve wavefield extrapolation in case of the RTM imaging of tunnels. However, complex tunnel models, including those for karsts and fault fracture zones, are constructed using regular grids with straight curves, which can cause numerical dispersion and reduce the imaging accuracy. In this study, wavefield extrapolation was conducted for tunnel RTM using the finite element method, wherein an unstructured mesh was considered to be the body-fitted partition in a complex model. Further, a Poynting vector calculation equation suitable for the unstructured mesh considered in the finite element method was established to suppress the interference owing to low-frequency noise. The tunnel space was considered during wavefield extrapolation to suppress the mirror artifacts based on the flexibility of mesh generation. Finally, the influence of the survey layouts (one and two sidewalls) on the tunnel imaging results was investigated. The RTM results obtained for a simple tunnel model with an inclined interface demonstrate that the method based on unstructured meshes can effectively suppress the low-frequency noise and mirror artifacts, obtaining clear imaging results. Furthermore, the two-sidewall tunnel survey layout can be used to accurately obtain the real position of the inclined interface ahead of the tunnel face. The complex tunnel numerical modeling and actual data migration results denote the effectiveness of the finite element method in which an unstructured mesh is used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the expression levels of adipokines in the synovium and infrapatellar fat pad (IPFP) in osteoarthritis (OA) patients with and without metabolic syndrome (MetS). Methods: 120 female patients with OA were enrolled, and 60 healthy women matched body mass index, age, and sex, served as controls. Adipokines levels were measured using a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay of the serum of all participants and synovial fluid (SF) of OA patients. Local expression levels of adipokines in the synovium and IPFP were examined by immunohistochemical analysis. The amount of adipokine proteins was analyzed using Western blot, and adipokine mRNA expressions were determined via quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Results: Serum leptin levels were significantly higher in the non-MetS-OA group than those in controls (7.97 vs. 4.24 ng/ml, p< 0.001), and even higher leptin levels were found in the MetS-OA group (19.05 ng/ml; p< 0.001 for both). Serum adiponectin levels were significantly lower in the MetS-OA group than those in controls (8.09 vs. 10.07 μg/ml, respectively; p= 0.001). The synovium and IPFP in the MetS-OA group secreted more leptin and less adiponectin than those in the non-MetS-OA group (Leptin: 5.32 vs. 1.28 in synovium, respectively; p= 0.028; 6.44 vs. 0.88 in IPFP, respectively; p= 0.017. Adiponectin: 1.12 vs. 0.12 in synovium, respectively; p= 0.042; 1.07 vs. 0.09 in IPFP, respectively; p= 0.027). Resistin expression levels in the serum, SF, and articular tissues were similar among the groups. Conclusions: Expressions of adipokines were different in the synovium and IPFP of OA patients with and without MetS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oligosaccharides from green algae Ulva lactuca (ULO) and Enteromorpha prolifera (EPO) were used for investigation of anti-ageing effects and the underlying mechanism in SAMP8 mice. The structural properties of ULO and EPO were analyzed by fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, and agarose gel electrophoresis. These oligosaccharides enhanced the glutathione, superoxide dismutase, catalase, and telomerase levels and total antioxidant capicity, and decreased the levels of malondialdehyde and advanced glycation end products. After ULO and EPO treatment, the levels of inflammatory factors, including IFN-γ, TNF-α, and IL-6, decreased; the BDNF and ChAT levels increased; and hippocampal neurons were protected. Downregulation of the p53 and FOXO1 genes and upregulation of the Sirt1 gene indicated that ULO and EPO have potential therapeutic effects in the prevention of ageing in SAMP8 mice. By 16S rRNA gene high-throughput sequencing, the abundance of Desulfovibrio was discovered to be markedly different in mice treated with ULO and EPO. The abundances of Verrucomicrobiaceae , Odoribacteraceae , Mogibacteriaceae , Planococcaceae , and Coriobacteriaceae were positively correlated with age-related indicators. These results demonstrated that oligosaccharides from U. lactuca and E. prolifera are ideal candidate compounds that can be used in functional foods and pharmaceuticals to prevent ageing. Unlabelled Image • First report on anti-ageing of U. lactuca and E. prolifera oligosaccharides on SAMP8 • Analysis of gut microbiota composition in ageing by 16S rRNA gene sequencing • Relation of gut microbiota and ageing-related indicators were evaluated by R Stuodio [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was designed to investigate proteomic differences in duck breast muscle during the early postmortem storage period. The meat quality was evaluated at 0 hr and 24 hr postmortem at 4°C in Pekin ducks, black Muscovy ducks and Mule ducks. Differentially expressed proteins were detected by two‐dimensional gel electrophoresis (2‐DE) and matrix‐assisted laser desorption ionization‐time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (MALDI‐TOF/TOF MS) at 0 hr and 24 hr postmortem in the three duck breeds. The results showed that 53 proteins spots were differentially expressed at 0 hr and 24 hr postmortem at 4°C in Pekin ducks, 75 spots in black Muscovy ducks, and 72 spots in Mule ducks. A total of 30 (10 spots for each breed) were selected for identification by mass spectrometry. Seven proteins were identified in Pekin ducks, eight in black Muscovy ducks and seven in Mule ducks. Moreover, the above results obtained by 2‐DE and MALDI‐TOF/TOF MS were confirmed by western blotting. To our knowledge, this study is the first to provide insights into the protein profiles of ducks during postmortem storage and provides a better understanding of the biochemical processes that contribute to duck meat quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Hydrogen-rich water (HRW) has been widely used in research on plant resistance to Cd. However, the underlying molecular mechanism of HRW in ameliorating cadmium stress in vegetables is largely unknown. In this study, the RNA-sequencing analyses were used to characterize the role of HRW in the alleviation of Cd toxicity in Chinese cabbage seedlings. Based on the obtained results, two genes encoding metal ionic transporters, BcIRT1 and BcZIP2 were ultimately selected out. Then, a systematic validation of the metal ion transport function of these two ZIP-encoding genes of pak choi were performed via a yeast transformation system. The results showed that BcIRT1 and BcZIP2 increased the sensitivity of different yeast mutant strains to relative metal ionic stresses and facilitated the accumulation of metal ions (Cd2+, Mn2+, Zn2+, and Fe2+) in yeast; thus, it suggests that BcIRT1 and BcZIP2 probably have the ability to transport Cd2+, Mn2+, Zn2+ and Fe2+ in pak choi. The time-course and concentration-dependent expression profiles of BcIRT1 and BcZIP2 showed that as time with HRW increased, the effectiveness of the repression on the expression of BcIRT1 and BcZIP2 increased, and as the seedlings were exposed to increased Cd concentrations, the inhibition of BcIRT1 and BcZIP2 by HRW was also increased. Over all, these findings provide new insights into the genome-wide transcriptome profiles in pak choi and show that HRW reduced Cd uptake probably through inhibiting the expression of transporters related to Cd absorption, BcIRT1 and BcZIP2. Highlights • Transcriptome profiles induced by Cd or HRW plus Cd were obtained. • HRW efficiently regulated the expression of Cd-induced transporter related genes. • The first function validation of BcIRT1 and BcZIP2 were performed by a yeast system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The diversity of avian eggshell colour plays important biological roles in ensuring successful reproduction. Eggshell colour is also an important trait in poultry, but the mechanisms underlying it are poorly understood in ducks. This study aimed to provide insights into the mechanism of blue-green eggshell colour generation. Results: Here, white-shelled ducks (HBR) and blue-green-shelled ducks (HQR) were selected from Putian black ducks, and white-shelled ducks (BBR) were selected from Putian white ducks. Transcriptional changes in the shell gland were analysed using RNA-sequencing on the Illumina HiSeq 2500. Twenty-seven individual cDNA libraries were sequenced and generated an average of 7.35 million reads per library; 70.6% were mapped to the duck reference genome, yielding an average of 13,794 genes detected, which accounted for approximately 86.39% of all 15,967 annotated duck genes. A total of 899 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were detected between the HQR and BBR groups, and 373 DEGs were detected between the HQR and HBR groups. We analysed the DEGs in the HQR-vs-BBR and HQR-vs-HBR comparisons. None of these DEGs were directly involved in the eggshell pigmentation process in HQR-vs-HBR, while UDP-glucuronosyltransferase 2A2 (UGT2A2) and UDP-glucuronosyltransferase 1–1-like (UGT1–1-like), which participate in biliverdin breakdown, were two of the DEGs in HQR-vs-BBR. In the RT-qPCR results, delta-aminolevulinic acid synthase 1 (ALAS1) and EPRS glutamyl-prolyl-tRNA synthetase were significantly upregulated in the HBR group compared with the HQR and BBR groups (P < 0.05). Haem oxygenase (HMOX1) was significantly downregulated in BBR compared with HQR and HBR (P < 0.05). Biliverdin reductase A (BLVRA), GUSB glucuronidase beta, cytochrome c-type haem lyase, protohaem IX farnesyltransferase and UGT2A2 were significantly upregulated in HBR and BBR compared with HQR (P < 0.05). Conclusions: We conducted a comparative transcriptome analysis of the shell glands of Putian white ducks and Putian black ducks. None of the differentially regulated pathways were directly involved in the eggshell pigmentation process in the HQR-vs-HBR comparison, while 2 DEGs related to biliverdin breakdown were found in HQR-vs-BBR. Based on the RT-qPCR results, we can speculate that both HQR and HBR can produce biliverdin, but HBR cannot accumulate it. Compared with HQR, BBR produced less biliverdin and did not accumulate it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An ultrasonic-assisted extraction of Chlorella pyrenoidosa polysaccharides (CPP) was carried out using different concentrations of ethanol for precipitation, and named as CPP60, CPP70 and CPP85, respectively. The monosaccharide composition of each polysaccharide (CPP) was determined using gas chromatography (GC) and the antioxidant activity of each was investigated via the reducing power and scavenging activity of hydroxyl radicals, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals and superoxide anion radicals, respectively. All of the polysaccharides examined possessed antioxidant activity in vitro . CPP70 exhibited stronger scavenging activity against superoxide, DPPH and hydroxyl radicals, when compared with CPP60 and CPP85. This suggests that polysaccharides from C. pyrenoidosa precipitated by a final ethanol concentration of 70%, have the potential to be developed as natural antioxidants for use in food and pharmaceuticals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objective: To establish a model ecosystem to study the impact of cornmeal on the appearance and persistence of the erythromycin (ERY)- and ciprofloxacin (CIP)-resistant phenotypes in waterborne enterococci. Methods: After the model ecosystem was established, the system was divided into six dose groups, with the addition of 8, 4, 1, 0.25, 0.05, and 0gL−1 sterilized cornmeal. System mud samples were collected at 0, 1, 3, 7, 14, 30, 40, 61, and 130d, and enterococci present in the mud samples were evaluated for their sensitivities to CIP and ERY. PCR was employed to detect genes such as gyrA and ermB. The gyrA gene was sequenced, and codons 83 and 87 were analyzed for mutations. Results: (1) The addition of 0.05–8gL−1 cornmeal had an impact on CIP resistance. The higher the dose of cornmeal added, the larger the impact it generated. Furthermore, the earlier the emergence of CIP-resistant strains, the greater the incidence of drug resistance. The impact of cornmeal on resistance to ERY was less consistent, and the degree of the impact was not in proportion to the dose of cornmeal added. (2) There were no mutations at codons 83 and 87 in the gyrA genes from 102 strains isolated from the model ecosystem. The incidence of ermB-positive strains of ERY-resistant enterococci (28 strains) was 78.6%, and the incidence of ermB-positive strains of ERY-sensitive enterococci (16 strains) was 0%. Conclusions: (1) Adding different doses of cornmeal can facilitate resistance to CIP and ERY in waterborne enterococci. In this study, the degree of resistance was related to the cornmeal dose. (2) In the model ecosystem, enterococcal CIP resistance was not caused by a gyrA gene mutation; however, in the vast majority of cases, resistance to ERY was related to the ermB resistance gene. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Wave field extrapolation is critical in reverse time migration (RTM). At present, wavefield extrapolation in RTM imaging for tunnels is mostly carried out via the finite difference method. However, complex tunnel models, such as those for karst and fault fracture zones, are constructed using regular grids with straight curves which can easily cause numerical dispersion and reduce imaging accuracy. In this study, the wavefield extrapolation for tunnel RTM was conducted using the finite element method, where an unstructured mesh is employed as the body-fitted partition in a complex model. The Poynting vector calculation equation suitable for the unstructured mesh finite element method was established to suppress low-frequency noise interference. The tunnel space was considered during the wavefield extrapolation to suppress mirror artefacts by using the flexibility of mesh generation. Finally, the influence of the survey layouts (one-sidewall and two-sidewall) on the tunnel imaging results was explored. The RTM results for a simple tunnel model with an inclined interface show that the method based on unstructured meshes can effectively suppress low-frequency noise and mirror artefacts, thus obtaining clearer imaging results. Also, the two-sidewall tunnel survey layout more accurately obtains the real position of the inclined interface ahead of the tunnel face. Complex tunnel numerical modelling and actual data migration results further illustrate the effectiveness of the finite element unstructured mesh method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Black GaAs nanotip arrays (NTs) with 3300 nm lengths were fabricated via self-masked plasma etching. We show, both experimentally and numerically, that these NTs, with three gradient refractive index layers, effectively suppress Fresnel reflections at the air-GaAs interface over a broad range of wavelengths. These NTs exhibit exceptional UV-Vis light absorption (up to 99%) and maintain high NIR absorption (33-60%) compared to bare GaAs. Moreover, possessing a graded layer with a low refractive index (n = 1.01 to 1.12), they achieve angular and polarization-independent antireflection properties exceeding 80° at 632.8 nm, aligning with perfect antireflective coating theory predictions. This approach is anticipated to enhance the performance of optoelectronic devices across a wide range of applications.

In previous reports, hypothyroidism, hypopituitrism, and hypogonadism were common endocrine causes of SCFE, but this is the first time that congenital adrenal hyperplasia has been observed. As such, patients who have undergone long-term endocrine treatment for congenital adrenal hyperplasia could potentially be subjected to a higher risk for SCFE., Competing Interests: All authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (© 2024 The Author(s). Clinical Case Reports published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Selective transformations at the more sterically hindered sites of organic molecules represent a frontier in the ability to precisely modify molecules. The lack of effective synthetic methods stands in stark contrast to the large number of encumbered sites encountered in molecules of interest. Here, we demonstrate that 1,2-bis(boronates) undergo selective alkynylation and alkenylation at the more sterically hindered C-B bond. Our preliminary mechanistic studies disclosed that this reaction can proceed through two convergent pathways involving direct coupling of sterically encumbered site versus 1,2-boron migratory coupling. Notably, this method facilitated convenient access to alkenyl and alkynyl boron products, which can be diversified by an array of transformations.

Polyelectrolytes have been widely applied in electrochemical devices. Understanding the polyelectrolyte/electrode interfaces is pivotal for polyelectrolyte-based applications. Here, we measured the electrochemical potential drop and the local activity of the mobile ion of H + or OH - at the polyelectrolytes/Au interfaces by in situ electrochemical surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy and voltammetry in three-electrode cells. We found that the potential dependences of the electrochemical potential drop in polyelectrolytes were smaller than that in conventional electrolyte solutions. The interfacial activity of H + or OH - was much lower than that of bulk polyelectrolytes. The potential-dependent molecular dynamics simulations showed that the mobility of ionomers of polyelectrolytes in an electrostatic field was limited by a polymer matrix. These results suggested a characteristically thicker compact layer in the electrical double layer of a polyelectrolyte/electrode interface due to the accumulation of mobile H + or OH - with a thicker hydration layer and immobile ionomers.

Increasing evidence shows that metabolic factors are involved in the pathological process of osteoarthritis (OA). Lactate has been shown to contribute to the onset and progression of diseases. While whether lactate is involved in the pathogenesis of OA through impaired chondrocyte function and its mechanism remains unclear. This study confirmed that serum lactate levels were elevated in OA patients compared to healthy controls and were positively correlated with synovial fluid lactate levels, which were also correlated with fasting blood glucose, high-density lipoprotein, triglyceride. Lactate treatment could up-regulate expressions of the lactate receptor hydroxy-carboxylic acid receptor 1 (HCAR1) and lactate transporters in human chondrocytes. We demonstrated the dual role of lactate, which as a metabolite increased NADPH levels by shunting glucose metabolism to the pentose phosphate pathway, and as a signaling molecule up-regulated NADPH oxidase 4 (NOX4) via activating PI3K/Akt signaling pathway through receptor HCAR1. Particularly, lactate could promote reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and chondrocyte damage, which was attenuated by pre-treatment with the NOX4 inhibitor GLX351322. We also confirmed that lactate could increase expression of catabolic enzymes (MMP-3/13, ADAMTS-4), reduce the synthesis of type II collagen, promote expression of inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, CCL-3/4), and induce cellular hypertrophy and aging in chondrocytes. Subsequently, we showed that chondrocyte damage mediated by lactate could be reversed by pre-treatment with N-Acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC, ROS scavenger). Finally, we further verified in vivo that intra-articular injection of lactate in Sprague Dawley (SD) rat models could damage cartilage and exacerbate the progression of OA models that could be countered by the NOX4 inhibitor GLX351322. Our study highlights the involvement of lactate as a metabolic factor in the OA process, providing a theoretical basis for potential metabolic therapies of OA in the future., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper, (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Experimental elucidation of the decoupling of electron and proton transfer at a molecular level is essential for thoroughly understanding the kinetics of heterogeneous (photo)electrochemical proton-coupled electron transfer water oxidation. Here we illustrate the electron-transfer intermediates of positively charged surface oxygenated species on Au (Au-OH + ) and their correlations with the rate of water oxidation by in situ microphotoelectrochemical surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) and ambient-pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. At the intermediate stage of water oxidation, a characteristic blue shift of the vibration of Au-OH species in laser-power-density-dependent measurements was assigned to the light-induced production of Au-OH + in water oxidation. The photothermal effect was excluded according to the vibrational frequencies of Au-OH species as the temperature was increased in a variable-temperature SERS measurement. Density functional theory calculations evidenced that the frequency blue shift is from the positively charged Au-OH species. The photocurrent-dependent frequency blue shift indicated that Au-OH + is the key electron-transfer intermediate in water oxidation by decoupled electron and proton transfer.

Objective: To evaluate Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP) infection risk in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in Taiwan., Methods: We identified 24,367 patients with SLE from the National Health Insurance research database between 1997 and 2012 and compared the PJP incidence rates (IRs) with those in 243,670 age- and sex-matched non-SLE controls. PJP risk in the patients was evaluated using a Cox multivariate proportional hazards model., Results: The SLE patients exhibited a significantly higher PJP risk than the controls, with an IR of 2.63 per 10,000 person-years and IR ratio of 27.65 (95% confidence interval 17.2-45.3; P < 0.001). Male sex (hazard ratio [HR] 2.42, P < 0.01), end-stage renal disease (ESRD; HR 1.74, P = 0.01), recent use of mycofenolate mofetil (MMF; HR 4.43, P < 0.001), intravenous steroid pulse therapy (HR 108.73, P < 0.001), and average oral dosage of >7.5 mg/day prednisolone or equivalent treatment (HR 4.83, P < 0.001) were associated with PJP in SLE, whereas hydroxychloroquine use reduced its risk (HR 0.51, P = 0.01). Of note, cyclophosphamide was not associated with PJP infection in the multivariate Cox proportional hazard model., Conclusion: Patients with SLE have a considerably high PJP risk. Cyclophosphamide does not increase PJP risk. Male sex, ESRD, MMF use, intravenous steroid pulse therapy, and oral prednisolone or equivalent treatment (>7.5 mg/day) are risk factors for PJP, whereas hydroxychloroquine use reduces PJP risk., (© 2021 American College of Rheumatology.)

Temperature variation at the nanoscale is pivotal for the thermodynamics and kinetics of small entities. Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is a promising technique for monitoring temperature variations at the nanoscale. A key but ambiguous topic is methods to design a sensitive SERS thermometer. Here, we elucidate that the type of chemical bond of molecular probes and the surface chemical bonding effect are crucial for maximizing the sensitivity of the SERS thermometer, as illustrated by the variable-temperature SERS measurements and quantum chemistry calculations for the frequency-temperature functions of a series of molecules. The sensitivity of the frequency-temperature function follows the sequence of triple bond > double bond > single bond, which is available for both aliphatic and aromatic molecules. The surface chemical bonding effect between the SERS substrate and molecular probe substantially increases the sensitivity of the frequency-temperature function. These results provide universally available guidelines for the rational design of a sensitive SERS thermometer by examining the functional groups of molecular probes.

Ascertaining the function of in-plane intrinsic defects and edge atoms is necessary for developing efficient low-dimensional photocatalysts. We report the wireless photocatalytic CO 2 reduction to CH 4 over reconstructed edge atoms of monolayer 2H-WSe 2 artificial leaves. Our first-principles calculations demonstrate that reconstructed and imperfect edge configurations enable CO 2 binding to form linear and bent molecules. Experimental results show that the solar-to-fuel quantum efficiency is a reciprocal function of the flake size. It also indicates that the consumed electron rate per edge atom is two orders of magnitude larger than the in-plane intrinsic defects. Further, nanoscale redox mapping at the monolayer WSe 2 -liquid interface confirms that the edge is the most preferred region for charge transfer. Our results pave the way for designing a new class of monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides with reconstructed edges as a non-precious co-catalyst for wired or wireless hydrogen evolution or CO 2 reduction reactions., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Objectives: Adipokine resistin is highly expressed in the serum and synovial uid (SF) of patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) but its pathogenic role in KOA remains unclear. We aimed to explore the mechanism of resistin/CAP1 in human KOA chondrocytes., Methods: We enrolled 103 patients with radiographic KOA and 86 healthy participants as controls. Resistin levels in serum and SF were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). CAP1 expression was measured in cartilage tissues using immunohistochemistry, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), and western blot. Effects of resistin on chondrocytes and CAP1 were evaluated via qRT-PCR and co-immunoprecipitation. The roles of CAP1, p38-MAPK, and NF-κB signalling pathways in KOA development were evaluated using adenovirus-mediated CAP1 short hairpin RNA, qRT-PCR, western blot, and ELISA., Results: Resistin expression in serum and SF was elevated in severe radiographic KOA. CAP1 levels were higher in KOA cartilage and were positively correlated with resistin expression. Resistin promoted CCL3, CCL4, MMP13, and ADAMTS-4 expression through the CAP1 receptor. Resistin also directly bound to CAP1, as confirmed by co-immunoprecipitation. CAP1 knockdown in chondrocytes attenuated resistin-induced expression of CCL3, CCL4, MMP13, and ADAMTS-4 and activated p38-MAPK and NF-κB signalling pathways., Conclusions: Resistin binds CAP1 and upregulates the expression of proinflammatory cytokines and matrix-degrading enzymes via p38-MAPK and NF-κB signalling in human chondrocytes.

Eliminating the latent HIV reservoir remains a difficult problem for creating an HIV functional cure or achieving remission. The "block-and-lock" strategy aims to steadily suppress transcription of the viral reservoir and lock the HIV promoter in deep latency using latency-promoting agents (LPAs). However, to date, most of the investigated LPA candidates are not available for clinical trials, and some of them exhibit immune-related adverse reactions. The discovery and development of new, active, and safe LPA candidates for an HIV cure are necessary to eliminate residual HIV-1 viremia through the block-and-lock strategy. In this study, we demonstrated that a new small-molecule compound, Q308, silenced the HIV-1 provirus by inhibiting Tat-mediated gene transcription and selectively downregulating the expression levels of the facilitated chromatin transcription (FACT) complex. Strikingly, Q308 induced the preferential apoptosis in HIV-1 latently infected cells, indicating that Q308 may reduce the size of the viral reservoir and thus further prevent viral rebound. These findings highlight that Q308 is a novel and safe anti-HIV-1 inhibitor candidate for a functional cure.

Background: Coronaviruses can be isolated from bats, civets, pangolins, birds and other wild animals. As an animal-origin pathogen, coronavirus can cross species barrier and cause pandemic in humans. In this study, a deep learning model for early prediction of pandemic risk was proposed based on the sequences of viral genomes., Methods: A total of 3257 genomes were downloaded from the Coronavirus Genome Resource Library. We present a deep learning model of cross-species coronavirus infection that combines a bidirectional gated recurrent unit network with a one-dimensional convolution. The genome sequence of animal-origin coronavirus was directly input to extract features and predict pandemic risk. The best performances were explored with the use of pre-trained DNA vector and attention mechanism. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) and the area under precision-recall curve (AUPR) were used to evaluate the predictive models., Results: The six specific models achieved good performances for the corresponding virus groups (1 for AUROC and 1 for AUPR). The general model with pre-training vector and attention mechanism provided excellent predictions for all virus groups (1 for AUROC and 1 for AUPR) while those without pre-training vector or attention mechanism had obviously reduction of performance (about 5-25%). Re-training experiments showed that the general model has good capabilities of transfer learning (average for six groups: 0.968 for AUROC and 0.942 for AUPR) and should give reasonable prediction for potential pathogen of next pandemic. The artificial negative data with the replacement of the coding region of the spike protein were also predicted correctly (100% accuracy). With the application of the Python programming language, an easy-to-use tool was created to implements our predictor., Conclusions: Robust deep learning model with pre-training vector and attention mechanism mastered the features from the whole genomes of animal-origin coronaviruses and could predict the risk of cross-species infection for early warning of next pandemic., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) including chondroitin sulfate, dermatan sulfate, heparan sulfate, and keratan sulfate, except for hyaluronan that is a free polysaccharide, are covalently attached to core proteins to form proteoglycans. More than 50 gene products are involved in the biosynthesis of GAGs. We recently developed a comprehensive glycosylation mapping tool, GlycoMaple, for visualization and estimation of glycan structures based on gene expression profiles. Using this tool, the expression levels of GAG biosynthetic genes were analyzed in various human tissues as well as tumor tissues. In brain and pancreatic tumors, the pathways for biosynthesis of chondroitin and dermatan sulfate were predicted to be upregulated. In breast cancerous tissues, the pathways for biosynthesis of chondroitin and dermatan sulfate were predicted to be up- and down-regulated, respectively, which are consistent with biochemical findings published in the literature. In addition, the expression levels of the chondroitin sulfate-proteoglycan versican and the dermatan sulfate-proteoglycan decorin were up- and down-regulated, respectively. These findings may provide new insight into GAG profiles in various human diseases including cancerous tumors as well as neurodegenerative disease using GlycoMaple analysis., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Huang, Mizumoto and Fujita.)

The ever-increasing space exploration enterprise calls for novel and high-quality radiation-resistant materials, among which nonlinear optical materials and devices are particularly scarce. Two-dimensional (2D) materials have shown promising potential, but the radiation effects on their nonlinear optical properties remain largely elusive. We previously fabricated 2D bismuthene for mode-locking sub-ns laser; herein, their space adaption was evaluated under a simulated space radiation environment. The as-synthesized thin layers of bismuthene exhibited strong third-order nonlinear optical responses extending into the near-infrared region. Remarkably, when exposed to 60 Co γ-rays and electron irradiation, the bismuthene showed only slight degradation in saturable absorption behaviors that were critical for mode-locking in space. Ultrafast spectroscopy was applied to address the radiation effects and damage mechanisms that are difficult to understand by routine techniques. This work offers a new bottom-up approach for preparing 2D bismuthene, and the elucidation of its fundamental excited-state dynamics after radiation also provides a guideline to optimize the material for eventual space applications.

Layered MoS 2 is considered as one of the most promising two-dimensional photocatalytic materials for hydrogen evolution and water splitting; however, the electronic structure at the MoS 2 -liquid interface is so far insufficiently resolved. Measuring and understanding the band offset at the surfaces of MoS 2 are crucial for understanding catalytic reactions and to achieve further improvements in performance. Herein, the heterogeneous charge transfer behavior of MoS 2 flakes of various layer numbers and sizes is addressed with high spatial resolution in organic solutions using the ferrocene/ferrocenium (Fc/Fc + ) redox pair as a probe in near-field scanning electrochemical microscopy, i.e. in close nm probe-sample proximity. Redox mapping reveals an area and layer dependent reactivity for MoS 2 with a detailed insight into the local processes as band offset and confinement of the faradaic current obtained. In combination with additional characterization methods, we deduce a band alignment occurring at the liquid-solid interface.