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Gentianopsis barbata is an essential medicinal plant in China with high ornamental and medicinal values. Unfortunately, the study of the chloroplast genome of this plant still has a gap. This study sequenced and characterized the complete chloroplast genome of G. barbata. The complete chloroplast genome of G. barbata is a typical circular structure of 151 123 bp. It consists of a large single-copy region (82 690 bp) and a small single-copy region (17 887 bp) separated by a pair of inverted repeats (25 273 bp), which covers 78 protein-coding genes, 30 tRNAs, and 4 rRNAs. The long repeat sequence analysis showed that the P-type (palindromic) sequences were the major long repeat sequences. Thirty-seven simple sequence repeats were identified, most of which were single nucleotides. The Bayesian inference tree, maximum likelihood tree, and neighbor-joining tree suggested that G. barbata is grouped with Gentianopsis grandis and Gentianopsis paludosa. The divergence time analysis showed that G. barbata diverged at 1.243 Mya. Comparative analysis of chloroplast genomes can reveal interspecific diversity, and regions with high variation can be used to develop molecular markers applicable to various research areas. Our results provide a new insight into plastome evolution and a valuable resource for further studies on G. barbata.

To explore the clinical value of dental implant superior frontal sinus elevation combined with orthodontic treatment. From August 2020 to August 2021, 88 patients with maxillary posterior tooth defect were enrolled. There were 44 patients in each group. The experimental group received the combined treatment of upper frontal sinus elevation and orthodontic treatment, while the control group received general prosthodontic treatment. The evaluation indexes included the total treatment time and recovery time of teeth, chewing efficiency, bite force, clinical efficacy and treatment satisfaction data. Data summary showed that the bite force of the experimental group was similar to that of the control group before treatment, and the chewing condition was consistent with the above, P > 0. 05; After different treatment intervention, the bite force of the control group was worse, the chewing condition of the experimental group was better, the effective rate and total satisfaction rate of the control group were less than the experimental group, at the same time, the total repair time of the experimental group was shorter, compared with the control group, there was a significant difference in data, P < 0. 05. The combined treatment of upper frontal sinus augmentation and orthodontics can effectively improve the masticatory efficiency and occlusal ability of patients, improve the clinical treatment effect, and shorten the total treatment and repair time of patients, with higher acceptance of clinical patients, which has an important reference value.

Future climate change is expected to affect components of the hydrological cycle. However geologic factors can sometimes be more important than the climate with regarding to change hydrological processes. The Keriya River is a large glacier-fed river in the western Tibet Plateau, its upper reaches flow across active fault zones, which have experienced four medium-sized earthquakes within four months 1974. These active faults have made difficult to identify normal meltwater changes using a snow-ice melt model. Because of the seismic events, the river has experienced substantial changes in their drainage systems and complex hydrological processes. Both the Mann-Kendall trend test and a correlation analysis were applied to detect the monthly patterns of stream flows, the change points and the correlations among both summer discharge and air temperature before and after seismic events. We found significant correlations between monthly air temperature and meltwater flow in the summer June during the pre-earthquake of 1958-1974, but none in July and August in the post-earthquake of 1975-1980, and we found no correlation following the earthquake. The correlations were the inverse by losing the former and setting up the latter alternately since the multiple earthquakes. Clearly, the earthquakes and changes in the faults can greatly induce hydrological processes.

Purpose: After extracting impacted mandibular third molars (IMM3), the resulting bone loss at the distal surface of the distal root of mandibular second molars (MM2) is responsible for the poor stability of MM2. This study aimed to identify the clinical osteogenesis effect of recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2)-loaded calcium phosphate cements (CPCs) and rhBMP-2 delivery systems (rhBMP-2/CPCs, named CPCII) on bone loss repair at the distal surface of the MM2 distal root after IMM3 extraction. Methods: Written informed consent was obtained from every participant whose IMM3 needed extraction. The impact of IMM3 on both sides was basically identical. From April 2014 to March 2016, extraction of IMM3 was performed in 9 patients (5 males/4 females, 26-42 years old). One side was randomly selected as the experimental group, and CPCII systems were implanted into the distal surface of the distal root in dental extraction sockets. The wounds on the other side were sutured and allowed to heal naturally (be treated as the control group). New bone formation in the alveolar fossa was detected 3 and 12 months after the operation by cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) to measure the distance from the cementoenamel junction (CEJ) to the crest of the alveolar ridge (CAR). Results: The CAR-CEJ distance on the test side was less than that on the control side (P

Gardenia jasminoides Eills is a traditional aromatic and medicinal plant that is widely cultivated in China. In 2020, a severe leaf disease on Gardenia was observed in a growing herbal medicine area in Jian County, of Jiangxi Province, China. The causal agent was identified as Alternaria alternata (Fr.) Keissler. by amplification and sequencing the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, followed by phylogenetic analysis. Koch's postulates were confirmed by a pathogenicity test conducted with healthy gardenia, including reisolation and identification. To our knowledge, this is the first report of leaf blight caused by Alternaria alternata on Gardenia jasminoides Eills in JiangXi, China. PDA plate bacteriostatic experiment results showed that: Hexaconazole had the best inhibiting effect, which the EC 50 was 14.45 ppm. Therefore, the results are preliminary but promising for future field applications.

Fructus Gardeniae (FG) is medicine food widely used for the treatment and prevention of various diseases. However, in recent years, research has suggested that high doses of FG can cause hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity. To assess this potential toxicity in more depth, this study investigated the effects of decocted FG and two of its bioactive constituents (geniposide and genipin) on liver and kidney function in rats. Rats were intragastrically administered FG (330 mg/kg body weight), geniposide (50 mg/kg body weight), or genipin (50 mg/kg body weight) for 12 weeks. Changes in body weight, liver and kidney indices, biochemical indices, and inflammatory factors were monitored. In addition, pathological sections were assessed and the expression of caspase-3, NF-κBp65, COX-2, and iNOS was detected by immunohistochemistry and Western blot. It was found that the levels of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, creatinine, and urea nitrogen increased following administration of FG, geniposide, and genipin. Furthermore, the activities of superoxide dismutase and reduced glutathione decreased following treatment, while malondialdehyde levels increased. Pathological and immunohistochemical evaluations further confirmed that FG and its constituents may cause damage to the liver and kidneys. The mechanism study revealed that the protein level of inflammatory pathway increased and further promoted apoptosis, suggesting that it should not be taken orally for extended periods of time. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Chinese medicine and food safety have always been public health concerns. Fructus Gardeniae (FG) is a plant with a dual-purpose as it is used as both a medicine and food. Medicinally, it has the effects of heat-clearing and detoxification. However, its adverse effects and related mechanisms are not clear, and this has potential safety implications. In this study, rats were treated with FG for 12 weeks and found that the long-term administration of FG or high dosing can lead to damage to liver and kidney function. Therefore, close attention must be paid to the dosage of FG in order to achieve a therapeutic effect and avoid adverse reactions. Thus, this study lays a foundation for the safety evaluation and clinical application of FG.

For wireless networks in the Internet of Things (IoT), cognitive radio (CR) is a promising way to obtain the available spectrum for objects. Wide-band spectrum sensing plays an important role in building such CR networks of IoT. In this paper, we propose a novel dynamic compressive wide-band spectrum sensing method based on channel energy reconstruction. After a bank of wide-band random filters is employed to measure the channel energy, rather than to recover all the channel energy in the whole spectrum, only the channel energy with a changing occupancy status in consecutive time slots is recovered. Furthermore, it is unnecessary to use reconstruction algorithm unless there are two or more channels changing their occupancy status. Compared to the existing methods, our proposed schemes bear significant improvements in the probability of detection and reduction of probability of false alarms. Simulation results also show its fast speed and robustness to noise.

This study aimed to identify the osteogenesis effect of icariside II (ICSII) and icaritin (ICT) in vitro. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) were treated with ICSII and ICT in order to detect the proliferation and differentiation of BMSCs, the expression of the osteogenesis-related proteins with or without osteogenic medium (OM) and genes, Runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx-2), osteocalcin (OCN), osteopontin (OPN), osterix, and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), and the phosphorylation levels of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK). We found that the optical density increased and alkaline phosphatase decreased after the BMSCs were treated with different concentrations of ICSII; however, ICT showed an opposing effect. The formation of calcium nodules was observed after the BMSCs were treated with ICSII and ICT. The expression level of osteogenesis-related proteins was enhanced following treatment with both ICSII or ICT, while the expression level of the osteogenesis-related genes Runx-2, OCN, OPN, osterix, and bFGF significantly increased with ICSII treatment (P

This article proposes an intelligent charge scheduling strategy for electric vehicles (EVs) in residential areas based on real-time guide (RTG) tariffs which are set dynamically according to the load information. The architecture of the system realises the interconnection of information on vehicles and distribution networks. The authors first establish a mathematical model, the objective of which is to accomplish the charging task in an economical way within a given deadline. The authors then introduce dual theory for a distributed computing to the model. EVs obtain an optimised charging plan using the intelligent charge scheduling system, which ensures the safe operation of the distribution transformer. Finally, taking the load curve of a residential area as an example, the Monte–Carlo simulation method is utilised to calculate the charging needs of customers based on actual customer charging behaviour. The distribution transformer load curve and average charge per vehicle are simulated under both uncoordinated and coordinated charging conditions, and the simulation results indicate that the scheduling strategy can reduce the required charge and achieve a smoother load curve, and is suitable for vehicle online scheduling.

Background Treatment non-adherence is a challenge to achieve asthma control. However, few prospective studies were done for exploring asthma patient adherence in real world. Objectives To evaluate treatment adherence and causes of non-adherence in a large asthma Chinese population. To analyze newly-diagnosed patients' adherence first time. Methods About 1582 asthma patients' data were collected from 12 study centers in China from February, 2012 to October, 2012. Disease and treatment information of subjects were collected were at first clinic visit, at 4, 12, and 24 weeks after that, follow-up phone calls were carried out for recording subjects' treatment adherence based on their self-reports. Subjects who reported non-adherence were additionally asked to choose the primary non-adherence cause from a list of nine potential causes. Results Treatment adherence rate of all subjects markedly decreased from 83.3% at week 4 to 42.0% at week 24 after the first clinic visit. Significantly, at week 24, good treatment adherence rate in newly-diagnosed patients was lower than those patients with asthma history (22.9% vs. 63.9%, P

Reactions of two free N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) 1,3-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imidazol-2-ylidene (IPr) and 1,3-dimesitylimidazol-2-yliden (IMes) with group VB transition metals MCl5 at low temperature gave a mono-NHC complex [(IPr)TaCl5] (1) and two bis-NHCs [(IMes)2MCl4][MCl6] (M = Ta, 2; =Nb, 3). Crystallographic studies revealed that the substitution effect plays an important role in the construction of these two different types of NHC complexes. Although mono-NHC complex 1 has been theoretically analyzed by F. Marchetti, complexes 2 and 3 represented the first examples of the structurally characterized bis-NHCs Ta(V) and Nb(V) complexes. In addition, complexes 1–3 showed catalytic efficiency in the cycloaddition between CO2 and propylene oxide to synthesize cyclic carbonates under mild conditions.

Grazing-incidence (GI) X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) under conditions of total external reflection is used to explore the coordination environment of the trivalent erbium ion, Er(3+), at an electrolyte-vapor interface. A parallel study of the bulk aqueous electrolyte (1 M ErCl3 in HCl at pH = 1.54) shows that the Er(3+) ions have a simple hydration shell with an average Er-OH2 bond distance of 2.33(1) Å, consistent with previous descriptions of the aquated cation, [Er(OH2)8](3+). No other correlations are observed in the electrolyte EXAFS (extended X-ray absorption fine structure) data acquired at room temperature. In contrast, the coordination of the Er(3+) ions at the electrolyte-helium interface, as interrogated by use of electron-yield detection, reveal correlations beyond the Er-OH2 hydration shell that are unexpectedly well-defined. Analyses show an environment that consists of a first coordination sphere of 6-7 O atoms at 2.36(1) Å and a second one of 3 Cl atoms at 2.89(2) Å, suggesting the formation of a neutral [(H2O)6-7ErCl3] entity at the surface of the electrolyte. The presence of a third, distant peak in the Fourier transform data is attributed to Er-Er correlations (in possible combination with contributions from distant Er-O and Er-Cl interactions). The best-Z and -integer fits reveal 3 Er atoms at 3.20(2) Å, confirming the near-surface-enrichment of Er(3+) as revealed previously by use of X-ray reflectivity measurements (J. Phys. Chem. C 2013, 117, 19082). Here, the strong associations between the Er-aqua-chloro entities at the electrolyte-vapor interface are shown to be consistent with the formation of domains of polynuclear cluster motifs, such as would arise through hydrolysis reactions of the aquated Er(3+) cations. The local structural results and the calculated surface coverage are of relevance to understand the myriad reactions involved in the hydrometallurgical process of solvent extraction (SX) for metal purification, which involves the transfer of a selected metal ion, like Er, across an interface from an aqueous electrolyte to an organic phase.

The interface between two immiscible electrolyte solutions consisting of alkali chlorides in water and the organic electrolyte BTPPATPFB in 1,2-dichloroethane is characterized with X-ray reflectivity, interfacial tension and impedance spectroscopy measurements over a range of applied voltage between the bulk solutions. X-ray reflectivity probes the interfacial ion distribution on the sub-nanometer length scale, whereas interfacial tension and impedance spectroscopy characterize quantities such as interfacial excess charge and differential capacitance that represent integrations over the interfacial ion distribution. Predictions of interfacial ion distributions by the recently introduced PB-PMF method, which combines Poisson's equation with ion potentials of mean force, provide excellent agreement, within one to two experimental standard deviations, with both X-ray reflectivity and interfacial tension measurements. However, the agreement with the differential capacitance measured by impedance spectroscopy, and modeled by the Randles equivalent circuit, is not as good. Values of measured and calculated differential capacitance can deviate by as much as 20% for applied electric potential differences larger than approximately +/- 100 mV. These comparisons indicate that our understanding of the ion distributions that underlie these measurements is adequate, but that further understanding of the modeling of impedance spectroscopy data is required for quantitative agreement at larger applied electric potential differences. (C) The Author(s) 2015. Published by ECS. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License (CC BY, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted reuse of the work in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. All rights reserved.

The human tumor suppressor neurofibromin contains a cysteine and serine-rich domain/Ras-GTPase activating protein domain (CSRD/RasGAP) and a C-terminal domain (CTD). Domain studies of neurofibromin suggest it has other functions in addition to being a RasGAP, but the mechanisms underlying its tumor suppressor activity are not well understood. The budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a good model system for studying neurofibromin function because it possesses Ira1 and Ira2, which are homologous to human neurofibromin in both sequence and function. We found that overexpression of CTD or a neurofibromin CTD-homologous domain (CHD) of Ira1/2 in budding yeast delayed degradation of the securin protein Pds1, whereas overexpression of CSRD/RasGAP did not affect Pds1 degradation. We also found that when CTD or CHD was overexpressed, the number of cells in metaphase was higher than in the control. These results demonstrate that CTD and CHD function in the metaphase to anaphase transition. In addition, Δira1Δira2 cells bypassed mitotic arrest in response to spindle damage, indicating that Ira1 and Ira2 may be involved in the spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC). However, Δira1Δira2Δmad2 cells are more sensitive to spindle damage than Δmad2 or Δira1Δira2 cells are, suggesting that Ira1/2 and Mad2 function in different pathways. Overexpression of CTD but not CSRD/RasGAP partially rescued the hypersensitivity of Δira1Δira2Δmad2 cells to microtubule-destabilizing drugs, indicating a role for CTD in the SAC pathway. Taken together, independently of RasGAP activity, the C-terminal domains of neurofibromin, Ira1, and Ira2 regulate the metaphase to anaphase transition in a Mad2-independent fashion.

Cigarette smoking is an important risk factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), yet its pathogenic mechanisms are not yet fully understood. Endothelial dysfunction is known to be involved in the pathogenesis of COPD. A detailed understanding of the mechanism involved in its progression would have a substantial impact on the optimization and development of treatment strategies. Here, we report that the expression of SIRT4, a mitochondrial sirtuin, is markedly down-regulated in cigarette smoke extract (CSE)-treated human pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (HPMECs). Overexpression of SIRT4 significantly inhibits CSE-induced mononuclear cell adhesion to HPMECs. Consistently, we found that overexpression of SIRT4 attenuates the induction of vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1) and E-selectin. Importantly, SIRT4 was found to negatively regulate CSE-induced NF-κB activation via inhibiting the degradation of IκBα. Moreover, we also found that proinflammatory cytokines interleukin-1β (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and IL-6, the downstream target genes of NF-κB, are also inhibited by overexpression of SIRT4. These results suggest that SIRT4 protects HPMECs exposed to CSE stress via a mechanism that may involve the NF-κB pathway. Strategies based on the enhancement of SIRT4 may prove to be beneficial in the treatment of cigarette smoking caused COPD.

A series of 5-(o-tolyl)-1H-tetrazole derivatives were synthesized and evaluated for their anticonvulsant activities. 1-(2-Methylbenzyl)-5-(o-tolyl)-1H-tetrazole (3h) showed important anticonvulsant activity against the MES-induced seizures, as well as lower neurotoxicity with an ED

The aim of the present study was to investigate the osteogenic effects of icariside II (ICSII) on canine bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) and the pathways by which these effects were induced. BMSCs were cultured and expanded to the fourth passage. The proliferative effects of ICSII were assessed using the cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. The osteogenic response to ICSII in BMSCs in vitro was examined by alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity assays and Alizarin red staining. Using Western blot assays and real-time PCR (RT-PCR), we examined the expression of osteogenetic proteins/genes. We also evaluated changes in Akt and S6K1 phosphorylation levels, along with changes in the expression of osteogenesis proteins/genes after pretreatment with wortmannin (an inhibitor of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase; PI3K) or rapamycin [a specific inhibitor of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)] in the presence or absence of ICSII. Our results show that ICSII promotes the proliferation of BMSCs, while inhibiting ALP activity. We also found that calcium nodules form after BMSCs are treated with ICSII and osteogenetic medium for 21 days. ICSII significantly increased the expression of osteogenesis proteins/genes and elevated the phosphorylation levels of Akt and S6K1. Treatment with wortmannin or rapamycin attenuated the expression of p-Akt, p-S6K1, and osteogenesis proteins/genes. These results suggest that ICSII promotes the osteogenic differentiation of canine BMSCs via the PI3K/AKT/mTOR/S6K1 signaling pathways.

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to investigate mean values and cut-point of transcutaneous oxygen pressure (TcPO2) measurement in patients with diabetic foot ulcers. DESIGN Prospective, descriptive study. SUBJECTS AND SETTING Sixty-one patients with diabetes mellitus and foot ulcers comprised the sample. The research setting was Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital of SunYat-sen University, Guangzhou, China. METHODS Participants underwent transcutaneous oxygen (TcPO2) measurement at the dorsum of foot. Patients were classified into 3 groups according to clinical outcomes: (1) ulcers healed with intact skin group, (2) ulcer improved, and (3) ulcer failed to improve. TcPO2 was assessed and cut-points for predicting diabetic foot ulcer healing were calculated. RESULTS Thirty-six patients healed with intact skin, 8 experienced improvement, and 17 showed no improvement. Mean TcPO2 levels were significantly higher (P< .001) in healed ulcers with intact skin (32 ± 10 mmHg) when compared to the improvement group (30 ± 7 mmHg) and the nonhealing group (15 ± 12 mmHg). All patients with TcPO2≤ 10 mmHg failed to heal or experienced deterioration in their foot ulcers. In contrast, all patients with TcPO2≥ 40 mmHg achieved wound closure. Measurement of TcPO2 in the supine position revealed a cut-point value of 25 mmHg as the best threshold for predicting diabetic foot ulcer healing; the area under the curve using this cut-point was 0.838 (95% confidence interval = 0.700-0.976). The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value for TxPO2 were 88.6%, 82.4%, 90.7%, and 72.2%, respectively. CONCLUSION TcPO2≥ 40 mmHg was associated with diabetic foot ulcer healing, but a TcPO2≤ 10 mmHg was associated with failure of wound healing. We found that a cut-point of 25 mmHg was most predictive of diabetic foot ulcer healing.

Complex interactions that determine ionic ordering in the bulk of electrolyte solutions are modified by surface-region inhomogeneities. We present results from an investigation of surface-ionic profiles that provide insights into the underlying physical chemistry in this region. X-ray reflectivity measurements from the liquid surfaces of aqueous ErCl3 solutions reveal in unprecedented detail a nonmonotonic electron density profile, which is interpreted in terms of a nonmonotonic surface distribution of cations (Er3+) and their relationship to the bulk. The combination of a heavy, multivalent Er3+ and a lighter, monovalent anion (Cl–) results in a significant cation depletion layer at the surface followed by a subsurface region of notably enhanced Er3+. Studying a series of solutions as a function of solute concentration reveals marked changes in Er3+ distribution, the most notable of which are the depletion layer thickness variation from 7.8 A at 0.2 M to 5.5 A at 1.0 M and the damped, oscillatory, cation...

Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain 10265 was recovered from a patient with pneumonia in a Chinese public hospital, and it displays the carbapenem resistance phenotype due to the acquisition of a non-conjugative but mobilizable IncP-6-type plasmid p10265-KPC. p10265-KPC carries a Tn5563-borne defective mer locus, and a novel ΔISEc33-associated bla KPC-2 gene cluster without paired inverted repeats and paired direct repeats at both ends. Mobilization of this ΔISEc33-associated element in p10265-KPC would be attributed to homologous recombination-based insertion of a foreign structure Tn3-ISApu1-orf7-ISApu2- ISKpn27-Δbla TEM-1 -bla KPC-2 -ΔISKpn6- korC-orf6-klcA-ΔrepB into a pre-existent intact ISEc33, making ISEc33 truncated at the 3' end. The previously reported pCOL-1 represents the first sequenced KPC-producing IncP-6 plasmid, while p10265-KPC is the second one. These two plasmids carry two distinct bla KPC-2 gene clusters, which are inserted into the different sites of the IncP-6 backbone and have different evolutionary histories of assembly and mobilization. This is the first report of identification of the IncP-6-type resistance plasmid in China.

A novel coherent Doppler lidar (CDL) system based on single-mode fiber (SMF) components and instruments is presented to measure the speed of target. A fiber interferometer used in CDL system is reported. This fiber mixer is employed as a coherent receiver to resolve the shifts of signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and mixing efficiency induced by backscattered field's wavefront error. For a certain wavelength, the maximum coupling efficiency between signal and SMF is determined by the ratio of pupil diameter to focal length of the coupling lens. The legible interference patterns and spectrum signals show that fiber interferometer is suitable to compensate for amplitude and phase vibrations. This robust coherent receiver can achieve improved CDL system performance with less transmitter power.

Entrapment of biomolecules in silica-derived sol-gels has grown into a vibrant area of research since it was originally demonstrated. However, accessing the consequences of entrapment on biomolecules and the gel structure remains a major challenge in characterizing these biohybrid materials. We present the first demonstration that it is possible with small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) to study the conformation of dilute proteins that are entrapped in transparent and dense sol-gels. Using deuterium-labeled green fluorescent protein (GFP) and SANS with contrast variation, we demonstrate that the scattering signatures of the sol-gel and the protein can be separated. Analysis of the scattering curves of the sol-gels using a mass-fractal model shows that the size of the colloidal silica particles and the fractal dimensions of the gels were similar in the absence and presence of protein, demonstrating that GFP did not influence the reaction pathway for the formation of the gel. The major structural difference in the gels was that the pore size was increased 2-fold in the presence of the protein. At the contrast match point for silica, the scattering signal from GFP inside the gel became distinguishable over a wide q range. Simulated scattering curves representing a monomer, end-to-end dimer, and parallel dimer of the protein were calculated and compared to the experimental data. Our results show that the most likely structure of GFP is that of an end-to-end dimer. This approach can be readily applied and holds great potential for the structural characterization of complex biohybrid and other materials.

A novel Prussian Blue nanoparticles/carbon nanotubes/poly(1,2-diaminobenzene) based glucose biosensor was fabricated by a simple and fast method. Firstly, the Prussian Blue (PB) nanoparticles were direct electrodeposited onto the surface of a glassy carbon electrode modified with multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) in a short time. Then an ultrathin conducting poly(1,2-diaminobenzene) film was electrodeposited onto the surface of PB/MWNTs nanocomposite to immobilize the glucose oxidase via glutaraldehyde cross-linking. The experiments results showed that the stability of the PB nanoparticles was greatly improved by the MWNTs and the PB/MWNTs nanocomposite exhibited an excellent synergistic electrocatalytic effect toward reduction of hydrogen peroxide. The biosensor showed excellent performances toward determination of glucose. The linear range of the glucose biosensor is from 10 µM to 2.5 mM, with a detection limit of about 5 µM. The response is within less than 5 sec.

Icariside II (ICS II) is a prenylated active flavonol from the roots of epimedium koreanum Nakai, and has many biological activities, including anti-osteoporosis, anti-hypoxia and anti-cancer activities. In this study, we aimed to study the effect of ICS II on osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow derived stromal cells (BMSCs). Cell surface markers of cultured BMSCs were analyzed by flow cytometry and identified by multi-lineage differentiation assays. BMSCs proliferation was determined by the cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay for 2, 4, 6 and 8 days in a range of ICS II concentrations. The osteogenic response of BMSCs to ICS II in vitro was examined by alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity assay and Alizarin red staining on calcium nodule formation. Results showed ICS II significantly improved ALP activity, and calcium deposition. The optimal concentration of ICS II for enhancing osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs was 10(-5). Therefore, we concluded ICS II can enhance the osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs which may be useful in clinic.

X‐ray reflectivity studies of surfactants at the water‐oil interface yield structural information with sub‐nanometer resolution. In this presentation, we reviewed recent X‐ray reflectivity measurements of the interface between water and a hexane solution of the hydrocarbon alkanol CH3(CH2)19OH and fluorocarbon alkanol CF3(CF2)7(CH2)2OH. The mixed system exhibits three monolayer phases, two of which are similar to single surfactant phases. A transition from a liquid monolayer to a solid monolayer occurs with increasing temperature. This unusual phase transition and the qualitative features of the phase diagram are predicted by an appropriate superposition of the behavior of the two single surfactant systems.

Synchrotron X-ray reflectivity is used to study ion distributions at the liquid-liquid interface between a nitrobenzene solution of tetrabutylammonium tetraphenylborate (TBATPB) and a water solution of tetrabutylammonium bromide (TBABr). The concentration of TBABr is varied to alter the ion distribution. Our X-ray measurements are inconsistent with several commonly used theories of ion distributions, including Gouy-Chapman, modified Verwey-Niessen, and the MPB5 version of the Poisson-Boltzmann equation. These structural measurements are described well by ion distributions predicted by a version of the Poisson-Boltzmann equation that explicitly includes a free energy profile for ion transfer across the interface when this profile is described by a simple analytic form or by a potential of mean force from molecular dynamics simulations. These X-ray measurements from the liquid-liquid interface provide evidence for the importance of interfacial liquid structure in determining interfacial ion distributions.

Synchrotron X-ray reflectivity is used to study the electron density as a function of depth through the bulk water/2-heptanone interface. The measured interfacial width of 7.0 ± 0.2 Å is comparable to the value calculated from capillary wave theory (7.3 Å) using the measured interfacial tension of 12.6 mN/m. This result is consistent with capillary wave theory and molecular dynamics simulations that describe a molecularly sharp interface roughened by thermal fluctuations. Keywords: Liquid–liquid, Interface, Width, X-ray reflectivity