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Molecular engineering of organic semiconductors for environmental friendliness or processing engineering.

Hourly (2017–2021) to seasonal (2015–2021) inorganic C data were collected at the Ieodo Ocean Research Station (32.07°N and 125.10°E) in the northern East China Sea (ECS), located under the influence of the nutrient-rich Changjiang Diluted Water (CDW). An increase in phytoplankton biomass from April to mid-August (the warming period) equalized much of the temperature-driven increase in the surface pCO2 and thus, made the northern ECS a moderate sink of atmospheric CO2. From November to March (the cooling period), a large pCO2 reduction, driven by a temperature reduction, and a high air–sea CO2 exchange rate, because of high windspeeds, transformed the basin into a substantial CO2 sink, yielding an annual net C uptake of 61.7 g C m–2 yr–1. The effects of biological production and temperature change on seawater pCO2 (and thus, the net air–sea CO2 flux) were decoupled each season and acted in concert to increase the net annual CO2 sink by the region. The present study provided the observational and mechanistic lines of evidence for confirming “continental shelf C pump”—a mechanism in the shallow waters of the continental shelves that accumulate a significant amount of C (via reinforced cooling and promoted biological C uptake) that is transported from the basin surface waters to the interior of the adjacent deep ocean. In the future, an increasing input of anthropogenic nutrients into the northern ECS is likely to make the region a stronger CO2 sink.

Three new anthracene-cored molecules, 3,3'-(5-(10-(naphthalen-1-yl)anthracen-9-yl)-1,3-phenylene)dipyridine (AP3Py-Na), 3,3'-(5-(10-(naphthalen-2-yl)anthracen-9-yl)-1,3-phenylene)dipyridine (AP3Py-2Na), and 9,10-bis(3,5-di(pyridin-3-yl)phenyl)anthracene (ADP3Py), were synthesized to be used as an efficiency-enhancement layer (EEL) in blue fluorescent organic light-emitting diodes. Insertion of a very thin EEL (3 nm) between the deep blue emitting layer (EML) and the electron transport layer enhanced the external quantum efficiency (EQE) of the blue device by 44% compared to the device without the EEL, resulting in an EQE of 7.9% and a current efficiency of 9.0 cd A-1 at 1000 cd m-2; the CIE coordinates of the emitting color were (0.13, 0.14). The transient electroluminescence showed that the efficiency enhancement originates from the triplet-triplet annihilation (TTA) process in the EEL, followed by energy transfer to the emitting dye in the EML.

Dicer substrate RNA is an alternative gene silencing agent to canonical siRNA. Enhanced in vitro gene silencing can be achieved with RNA substrates by facilitating Ago loading of dsRNA after Dicer processing. However, the in vivo use of Dicer substrate RNA has been hindered by its instability and immunogenicity in the body due to the lack of proper chemical modification in the structure. Here, we report a universal chemical modification approach for Dicer substrate RNA nanostructures by optimizing protein-RNA interactions in the RNAi pathway. Proteins involved in the RNAi pathway were utilized for evaluating their recognition and binding of substrate RNA. It was found that conventional chemical modifications could severely affect the binding and processing of substrate RNA, consequently reducing RNAi activity. Protein-RNA interaction guided chemical modification was introduced to RNA nanostructures, and their gene silencing activity was assessed. The optimized RNA nanostructures showed excellent binding and processability with RNA binding proteins and offered the enhancement of in vivo EC50 up to 1/8 of its native form.

Astragaloside IV (AS-IV) is one of the major bio-active ingredients of huang qi which is the dried root of Astragalus membranaceus (a traditional Chinese medicinal plant). The pharmacological effects of AS-IV, including anti-oxidative, anti-cancer, and anti-diabetic effects have been actively studied, however, the effects of AS-IV on liver regeneration have not yet been fully described. Thus, the aim of this study was to explore the effects of AS-IV on regenerating liver after 70% partial hepatectomy (PHx) in rats. Differentially expressed mRNAs, proliferative marker and growth factors were analyzed. AS-IV (10 mg/kg) was administrated orally 2 h before surgery. We found 20 core genes showed effects of AS-IV, many of which were involved with functions related to DNA replication during cell division. AS-IV down-regulates MAPK signaling, PI3/Akt signaling, and cell cycle pathway. Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and cyclin D1 expression were also decreased by AS-IV administration. Transforming growth factor β1 (TGFβ1, growth regulation signal) was slightly increased. In short, AS-IV down-regulated proliferative signals and genes related to DNA replication. In conclusion, AS-IV showed anti-proliferative activity in regenerating liver tissue after 70% PHx.

The NLRP3 (NACHT, LRR and PYD domains-containing protein 3) inflammasome has been implicated in a variety of diseases, including atherosclerosis, neurodegenerative diseases, and infectious diseases. Thus, inhibitors of NLRP3 inflammasome have emerged as promising approaches to treat inflammation-related diseases. The aim of this study was to explore the effects of juglone (5-hydroxyl-1,4-naphthoquinone) on NLRP3 inflammasome activation. The inhibitory effects of juglone on nitric oxide (NO) production were assessed in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated J774.1 cells by Griess assay, while its effects on reactive oxygen species (ROS) and NLRP3 ATPase activity were assessed. The expression levels of NLRP3, caspase-1, and pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1&beta, IL-18) and cytotoxicity of juglone in J774.1 cells were also determined. Juglone was non-toxic in J774.1 cells when used at 10 &mu, M (p &lt, 0.01). Juglone treatment inhibited the production of ROS and NO. The levels of NLRP3 and cleaved caspase-1, as well as the secretion of IL-1&beta, and IL-18, were decreased by treatment with juglone in a concentration-dependent manner. Juglone also inhibited the ATPase activities of NLRP3 in LPS/ATP-stimulated J774.1 macrophages. Our results suggested that juglone could inhibit inflammatory cytokine production and NLRP3 inflammasome activation in macrophages, and should be considered as a therapeutic strategy for inflammation-related diseases.

A fused pyrrolopyridine core having substituents on the nitrogen atom instead of the carbon atom of the indoloindole unit is developed as a new donor unit for organic electronics. The new donor-acceptor copolymers, PDHPHBT, PDHPFBT, and PDHP2FBT, are synthesized using the new donor unit, well-known benzothiadiazole derivatives containing fluorine atoms as the acceptor. The thermal, optical, and electrochemical properties of these novel copolymers are reported. A solar cell using PDHPFBT with diphenyl ether has an open-circuit voltage, short-circuit current, fill factor, and power conversion efficiency of 0.86 V, 11.32 mA cm-2 , 0.59%, and 5.68%, respectively, under AM 1.5G illumination (100 mW cm-2 ) in the absence of annealing.

Objective: This study was carried out to evaluate the antioxidant activity and effect of a hot water extract of Lycium chinense fruit (LFE) on liver regeneration induced by Partial Hepatectomy (PH) in rats. Methods: Antioxidant activity of LFE was determined. Rats were divided into three groups; laparotomized (sham, n=15), 70% PH (control, n=25), and LFE-treated after PH (experimental, n=35). Starting 7 days before PH, rats received DW or LFE (500 mg/kg in DW) orally once a day until sacrifice. Rats were sacrificed on d 0.5, 1, 2, 3, and 7 after surgery. Liver regeneration ratio and Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen (PCNA) expression were determined through immunohistochemistry and western blotting. Results: Final extraction yield of LFE was 36.0%. LFE scavenged the DPPH and the ABTS radicals in a concentration-dependent manner. The IC50 of LFE on DPPH and ABTS antioxidant activity was 5.97 mg/ml and 2.53 mg/ml, respectively. The extent of liver regeneration seen in the experimental group (91.29%) at 7 d after PH was greater than that in the control group (89.43%). After PH, the liver reconstruction process involving collapse, re-arrangement and re-modelling of hepatic tissue was observed to happen sooner in the experimental group. The number of PCNA-positive hepatocytes obviously increased in the experimental group. PCNA-positive hepatocyte ratio peaked at 2 and 3 d in the experimental and control groups, respectively. Conclusions: Administration of LFE had beneficial effects on the regenerative capacity of remnant liver tissue after 70% PH in rats, probably owing to its antioxidant and proliferative properties.

Chitinases (EC 3.2.1.14) are enzymes that hydrolyze chitin by cleaving β-1,4 N-glycosidic bonds. These enzymes have been used for multiple applications in biotechnology, especially for controlling insect pests and phytopathogenic fungi. In the present study, we isolated two chitinase-producing bacteria strains from insects (strain SCH-1 from Moechotypa diphysis and strain SCH-2 from Sphedanolestes impressicollis). Serratia sp. SCH-1 was a short, rod-shaped facultative anaerobe, while Bacillus strain SCH-2 was a rod-shaped endospore-forming anaerobe. Strains SCH-1 and SCH-2 were identified as Serratia sp. and Bacillus sp., respectively based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Strain SCH-1 shared maximum homology (99.44%) with Serratia nematodiphila DZ0503SBS1 and Serratia marcescens subsp. sakuensis KRED. Strain SCH-2 had a maximum homology of 99.24% with Bacillus thuringiensis ATCC 10792 and Bacillus toyonensis BCT-7112. Serratia sp. SCH-1 contained greater levels of saturated fatty acids, but the concentration of branched acids, especially iso-C15:0, was highest in Bacillus sp. SCH-2. Serratia sp. SCH-1 possessed chitinase activity of 1.59 unit/mg protein after 5 days of incubation in culture medium. In contrast, Bacillus sp. SCH-2 had a maximum activity of 0.84 unit/mg protein after 4 days of incubation. Chitinase isozymes produced by Serratia sp. SCH-1 appeared as five bands with sizes of 20, 26, 36, 45 and 54 kDa. Bacillus sp. SCH-2 showed a chitinase isozyme profile with three bands having sizes of 36, 45 and 50 kDa on SDS-PAGE gels.

Background: One of the difficulties we have in the management of anesthesia for the optimal liver transplantation is involved in coagulopathy. The purpose of this paper is to observe and investigate the variation of the heparin effects occurred before and after the fulfillment of reperfusion done in terms of native thromboelastogram (nTEG) or heparinase-guided Thromboelastogram (hgTEG). Methods: In 134 patients who had a living related liver transplantation, by grouping them into four according to the presence or the absence of heparin effects, we are to observethe effects on the quantity of transfusion which each group shows and clinical variables like CTP score, UNOS classification, PT, and preoperative platelet count. Results: It is found that 54 out of 134 patients (40.3%) had heparin effects before the reperfusion, while 101 (75.4%) had the effects after the reperfusion to the grafted liver. It is showed that there was no significant difference in a comparison between groups involved with packed red blood cell transfused, fresh frozen plasma, platelet concentrates, fluid by RIS. In the comparison between groups involved in clinical factors, it is disclosed that although there was no significant difference in four factors, that is, CTP score, UNOS classification, PT, and preoperative platelet count. Conclusions: We can confirm that the occurrence of heparin effect after reperfusion is remarkably increasing compared to that of heparin effect before reperfusion. Also, it can be reported that heparin effects can occur frequently during liver transplantation, but they have no direct relation to transfusion.