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In general personality structure models, the Five Factor Model (FFM) is the primary model which is of the most widely adopted and very well-studied theoretic model of personality. The article argues that the FFM can be use in the understanding of psychopathy and apply in assessing psychopathy by its facets. Researchers have studied that psychopathy traits are paralleled to specific domains of FFM. We raise some related researches as examples to represent the way FFM in assessing psychopathy traits then go deep into five facets of the FFM and specific domains in facets. The utility of FFM in psychopathy study is available for understanding the complicated personality of psychopaths and it renders analysis of the similarity between psychopathy and other personality disorders.

Summary Background Inhibition of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) has shown antitumour activity in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma, but few studies of VEGFR inhibitors have been done in populations with a high prevalence of hepatitis B virus infection. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of apatinib in patients with pretreated advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. Methods AHELP was a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial done at 31 hospitals in China, in patients (aged ≥18 years) with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma who had previously been refractory or intolerant to at least one line of systemic chemotherapy or targeted therapy. Patients were randomly assigned (2:1) to receive apatinib 750 mg or placebo orally once daily in 28-day treatment cycles. Group allocation was done with a central randomisation system, with a block size of six, and was stratified by Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, previous sorafenib treatment, and presence of vascular invasion or extrahepatic metastasis. The primary endpoint was overall survival, which was defined as time from randomisation to death from any cause, and was analysed in patients who were randomly assigned and received at least one dose of the study drug. Safety analyses were done in patients who received at least one dose of the study treatment and had post-dose safety assessments. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov , NCT02329860 . Findings Between April 1, 2014, and May 3, 2017, 400 eligible patients were randomly assigned to receive apatinib (n=267) or placebo (n=133). Seven patients (six in the apatinib group and one in the placebo group) did not receive study treatment and were excluded from efficacy analyses. Overall survival was significantly improved in the apatinib group compared with the placebo group (median 8·7 months [95% CI 7·5‒9·8] vs 6·8 months [5·7‒9·1]; hazard ratio 0·785 [95% CI 0·617‒0·998], p=0·048). 387 patients (257 in the apatinib group and 130 in the placebo group) had a safety assessment after study treatment and were included in safety analyses. The most common treatment-related adverse events of grade 3 or 4 were hypertension (71 [28%] patients in the apatinib group vs three [2%] in the placebo group), hand–foot syndrome (46 [18%] vs none), and decreased platelet count (34 [13%] vs one [1%]). 24 (9%) patients in the apatinib group and 13 (10%) in the placebo group died due to adverse events, but none of these deaths were deemed to be related to treatment by investigators. Interpretation Apatinib significantly improved overall survival in patients with pretreated advanced hepatocellular carcinoma compared with placebo, with a manageable safety profile. Funding Jiangsu Hengrui Medicine.

Severe environmental pollution due to improper emissions of volatile organic gases (VOCs) has brought a serious threat to human health, safety, the environment and socially sustainable development. Here, we report a convenient method for the preparation of conductive gas-sensitive nanocomposites by using thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU)/polycaprolactone (PCL) blends as polymer matrix and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) as functional nanofiller through direct solution blending method. The experimental results indicated that the TPU phase has preferentially dispersed MWCNTs. The two-phase continuity structure of the matrix could be achieved by adjusting the ratio of TPU to PCL, and the electrical conductivity increased with the increase of the two-phase continuity. When the mass ratio of TPU and PCL was fixed at 50:50, the lowest resistivity of 2.57×105Ω·m for the TPU/PCL/MWCNTs nanocomposite was obtained when MWCNTs were blended with TPU first and then with PCL. The TPU/PCL/MWCNTs nanocomposite gas-sensitive tests indicated the best gas-sensitive selectivity, responsiveness and recovery to formaldehyde compared with another target VOCs (benzene, xylene, ammonia, and ethanol). TPU/PCL/MWCNTs nanocomposites exhibited 74% gas responsiveness to formaldehyde gas at 25oC and 500 ppm. Moreover, the responsiveness of the TPU/PCL/MWCNTs nanocomposites indicated a doughty variation linearly with the increase in formaldehyde concentration.

Purpose Unresectable intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) has a poor prognosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of apatinib for patients with unresectable ICC. Patients and methods A total of 10 patients with unresectable ICC were enrolled for this single-center observational study between March 2, 2016, and August 27, 2019. Subjects received 500 mg apatinib on a daily basis. Tumor response was assessed by 1.1 response evaluation criteria in solid tumors. The progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. The drug-related adverse effects were also monitored. Results Based on the follow-up computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging after treatment, 4 (40.0%), 4 (40.0%), and 2 (20.0%) patients achieved a partial response, stable disease, and progression of the disease, respectively. The response rate and disease control rate were 40.0% and 80.0%, respectively. The median PFS was 4.5 months (95% confidence interval: 3.157~5.843 months); the median OS was 6.5 months (95% confidence interval: 4.744~8.256 months). Furthermore, 3-, 6-, and 9-month OS rates were 77.5%, 61.7%, and 15.0%, respectively. The most common hematologic grade 3 adverse event was neutropenia (10%); the most common nonhematologic grade 3 adverse events were hypertension (20.0%) and hand-foot syndromes (20.0%). No treatment-related grade 4 or 5 adverse events were recorded. Conclusion Apatinib revealed to have antitumour activity in unresectable ICC patients, with manageable toxicities, and thus might be used as a new treatment option for patients with unresectable ICC.

Chemically reduced graphene (C- rGO) nanosheets were first prepared from graphene oxide (GO), and then the polypropylene (PP) composites synergistically reinforced–toughened by styrene–butadiene rubber (SBR), and C- rGO nanosheets were fabricated via melt blending. The mechanical properties of PP can be considerably improved by synergistically filling with C- rGO nanosheets and SBR, especially for the notched Izod impact strength (IS). The results from the X-ray diffraction, polarizing optical micrographs, scanning electron microscope, differential scanning calorimetric, dynamic mechanical analysis, and thermogravimetric analysis measurements reveal that: (1) the β-phase crystal structure of the PP is formed when the C- rGO and SBR are synergistically filled with PP and its formation plays a role for the enhancement of the impact strength for PP/SBR/C- rGO composites; (2) the dispersion of the C- rGO and SBR in the PP/SBR/C- rGO composites is homogeneous, indicating that synergistic incorporating method decreases the aggregation of nanosheets and thus increases the sites for dissipation of shock for impact energy in the PP/SBR/C- rGO composites; and (3) the thermal analysis shows high thermal stability for the PP/SBR/C- rGO composites.

Novel thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU)/multi walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) conductive nanocomposites were fabricated by direct solution compounding method for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) sensors applications. The results of field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and electrical conductivity test showed that MWCNTs formed ideal conductive networks in TPU matrix. The volume conductivity of TPU/MWCNTs nanocomposites increased from 10-12 to 10-4 S/mm, and the percolation value was 4.76 wt%. The size parameters of MWCNTs did not show obvious effects on the formation of conductive networks based on our comparative investigation. XRD and FTIR tests showed that MWCNTs enhanced the short range ordered structure in amorphous region of TPU due to the physical entanglement. The characteristic stretching of TPU showed no obvious change because of weak chemical interaction between MWCNTs and TPU. Moreover, MWCNTs effectively enhanced the thermal stability of the nanocomposites, as verified by TG analysis. The gas sensing property tests showed that the gas sensing response of TPU/MWCNTs nanocomposites mainly came from the resistance changes due to the disconnection of conductive networks, as a result of VOCs adsorption-swelling effects. The prepared nanocomposites showed superior selectivity, especially to benzene vapor when compared with formaldehyde and other gases. The parameters and contents of MWCNTs have a certain influence on the gas sensing response speed and recovery ability of the nanocomposites. In addition, the prepared TPU/MWCNTs nanocomposites displayed excellent repeatability and fast response to the change of electrical resistance (in seconds) after cyclic exposure to VOCs and pure dry air.

Significance Plants are a primary source of both traditional and modern drugs due to their astounding capability to synthesize diverse molecules. The fruit tree loquat in the apple tribe has been long used in medicine to treat cough, chronic bronchitis, and asthma, yet why loquat—but not its relatives—evolved these medicinal properties is unknown. Here, we generate high-quality genomes of loquat and a relative, which are separated by a recent whole-genome duplication (WGD) around 13.5 to 27.1 Mya. We revealed the post-WGD diversification of triterpene biosynthesis and the exceptionally high levels of bioactive ursane-type triterpenes specifically in loquat. Our work underscores the importance of WGD-associated metabolic diversification underlying the bioactivity of some medicinal plants., Whole-genome duplication (WGD) plays important roles in plant evolution and function, yet little is known about how WGD underlies metabolic diversification of natural products that bear significant medicinal properties, especially in nonmodel trees. Here, we reveal how WGD laid the foundation for co-option and differentiation of medicinally important ursane triterpene pathway duplicates, generating distinct chemotypes between species and between developmental stages in the apple tribe. After generating chromosome-level assemblies of a widely cultivated loquat variety and Gillenia trifoliata, we define differentially evolved, duplicated gene pathways and date the WGD in the apple tribe at 13.5 to 27.1 Mya, much more recent than previously thought. We then functionally characterize contrasting metabolic pathways responsible for major triterpene biosynthesis in G. trifoliata and loquat, which pre- and postdate the Maleae WGD, respectively. Our work mechanistically details the metabolic diversity that arose post-WGD and provides insights into the genomic basis of medicinal properties of loquat, which has been used in both traditional and modern medicines.

Detection and quantification of heavy metals in soil samples are significant in terms of environmental monitoring and risk assessment for metals. In order to improve the accuracy and precision to detect heavy metal, in this study, four standard samples (NASS-4, NASS-5, NASS-9, and NASS-16) were analyzed by evolving heating (electric heating plate, water bath, and microwave) and acidic systems (includes HCl, HNO

This study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of apatinib plus drug-eluting bead (DEB) transarterial chemoembolization (TACE), apatinib plus conventional TACE (cTACE) and apatinib alone in advanced intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) patients. We analyzed 35 advanced ICC patients retrospectively, including the apatinib plus DEB-TACE group (n=10), the apatinib plus cTACE group (n=12) and the apatinib group (n=13). Treatment response, survival data (including progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS)) and adverse events were assessed during the follow-up. Both the objective response rate (ORR) and the disease control rate (DCR) showed trends to be the highest in the apatinib plus DEB-TACE group (ORR: 84.6%/DCR: 100.0%), followed by the apatinib plus cTACE group (ORR: 75.0%/DCR: 91.7%) and then the apatinib group (ORR: 40.0%/DCR: 80.0%). PFS and OS were both the highest in the apatinib plus DEB-TACE group, followed by the apatinib plus cTACE group, and the shortest in the apatinib group, which was also confirmed by a multivariate Cox regression analysis. The incidences of adverse events were similar between the apatinib plus DEB-TACE group and the apatinib plus cTACE group but were higher in the apatinib plus DEB-TACE group and the apatinib plus cTACE than in the apatinib group; however, all of the adverse events were tolerable in the three groups. In conclusion, apatinib plus DEB-TACE is a promising therapeutic strategy for the treatment of advanced ICC.

Carboxylated multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs-COOH) were selected as the carrier and polypyrrole (PPy) as functional agent to synthesize PPy/MWCNTs dielectric nanofillers via FeCl3 oxidative polymerization of pyrrole (Py) on the surface of MWCNTs-COOHs, and then poly(vinylidene fluoride) based dielectric nanocomposites (PPy/MWCNTs/PVDF) were fabricated by direct melting blending. The effects of the PPy/MWCNTs dielectric nanofillers on the changes of phase behaviors and the mechanical, thermal and dielectric properties of the PPy/MWCNTs/PVDF dielectric nanocomposites were investigated. The results indicated that PPy/MWCNTs/PVDF dielectric nanocomposites showed higher mechanical strength within a certain range of PPy/MWCNTs nanofillers content. When the PPy/MWCNTs content was 10 wt.%, the tensile strength and elastic modulus of the nanocomposites reached 60.2 MPa and 610 MPa respectively, which increased by 24 % and 75 %, in contrast to those of MWCNT-COOH/PVDF dielectric nanocomposites. Dielectric properties tests revealed that the introduction of PPy induced the formation conductive networks and β-type PVDF, and thus enhancing the dielectric constant. the resultant PPy/MWCNTs/PVDF dielectric nanocomposites reached the percolation threshold at the PPy/MWCNTs content of 12 wt.%. The corresponding dielectric constant reached 83, which was 10 times of pure PVDF. Meanwhile, the dielectric constant was also much higher than MWCNTs-COOH/PVDF. Differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) found that the melting and crystallization temperatures of the two nanocomposites were greatly improved compared with pure PVDF, indicating that the addition of dielectric nanofiller improved the thermal property of the nanocomposites.

Cold storage is the primary preservation method of postharvest loquat fruits. However, cold storage also results in many chilling injury physiological disorders called lignification, which decreases the quality and economic value of the fruits. Few studies to date have focused on the transcriptomic responses associated with lignification except lignin synthesis pathways. This study aimed to explore the changes of loquat transcriptome during long-term cold storage. Our results showed that the gene expression patterns were differed among the five stages. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in response to cold storage were more intense and complex in earlier stage. The membrane-related genes preferentially responded to low temperature and were followed by intracellular-located genes. The cold-induced pathways were mainly concerned with signal transduction and secondary metabolism (i.e., lignin, pectin, cellulose, terpenoid, carotenoid, steroid) in the first three stages and were chiefly related to primary metabolism in the later two stages, especially energy metabolism. Further investigation suggested that 503 protein kinases, 106 protein phosphatases, and 40 Ca2+ signal components were involved in the cold signal transduction of postharvest loquat fruits. We predicted a pathway including 649 encoding genes of 49 enzymes, which displayed the metabolisms of major sugars and polysaccharides in cold-stored loquat fruits. The coordinated expression patterns of these genes might contribute to the changes of saccharides in the pathway. These results provide new insight into the transcriptomic changes of postharvest loquat fruits in response to cold storage environment, which may be helpful for improving the postharvest life of loquat in the future.

A wireless magnetoelastic-sensing device for the selective detection of benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) is reported using aminocalix[4]arene (AC4) monolayers as the sensor sensing elements and AC4-modified Au nanoparticles (AC4-Au NPs) as signal-amplifying tags. A sandwich-type detection strategy involves the AC4 self-assembled on the Au-protected sensor surface and AC4-Au NPs, both of which flank the BaP target in sequence. As the AC4-Au NPs combined BaP absorbs on the sensor's surface, there is an increase in the mass load on the sensor, and consequently a decrease in resonance frequency. Under optimal conditions, the sensor shows a linear response to the concentration of BaP in the range of 1.04 × 10−7 M to 1.04 × 10−11 M, with a detection limit of 5.0 × 10−11 M. Other polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and environmental pollutants show no interference on the detection.

Insect gut immunity plays a key role in defense against microorganism infection. The knowledge of insect gut immunity has been obtained mostly from Drosophila melanogaster. Little is known about gut immunity in the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.), a pest destroying cruciferous crops worldwide. In this study, expressions of the immune-related genes in the midgut of P. xylostella orally infected with Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Pichia pastoris were profiled by RNA-seq and qRT-PCR approaches. The results revealed that the Toll, IMD, JNK and JAK-STAT pathways and possibly the prophenoloxidase activation system in P. xylostella could be activated by oral infections, and moricins, gloverins and lysozyme2 might act as important effectors against microorganisms. Subsequent knock-down of IMD showed that this gene was involved in regulating the expression of down-stream genes in the IMD pathway. Our work indicates that the Toll, IMD, JNK and JAK-STAT pathways may synergistically modulate immune responses in the P. xylostella midgut, implying a complex and diverse immune system in the midgut of insects.

Multiple sequence alignment of 25 P. xylostella serpins with known serpins from M. sexta (MsSRPN3-7), D. melanogaster (DmSpn27A) and A. gambiae (AgSRPN9) using Clustal X. Figure S2. Alignment of P. xylostella serpins with some known serpins from other insect species by Clustal X2. A, Alignment of PxSPI1 with MsSRPN1J and BmSPI1; B, Alignment of PxSPI3, 18 and 19 with MsSRPN3a, 3b, BmSPI3 and AgSRPN1, 2, 3; C, Alignment of PxSPI4 with MsSRPN4a, MsSRPN4b and BmSPI4; D, Alignment of PxSPIs 5, 16 and 22 with MsSRPN5A, 5B and BmSPI5. E, Alignment of PxSPI7 with MsSRPN7 and BmSPI7. F, Alignment of PxSPI6 with MsSRPN6, BmSPI6, AgSRPN9, DmSpn88Ea and DmSpn88Eb. Figure S3. Alignment of serine protease inhibitor domains using Clustal X2 with default parameters and shading was done using GeneDoc. (A) TIL family, (B) Kunitz family, (C) WAP family, (D) Kazal family, (E) amfpi family, (F) Antistasin family, (G) Pacifastin family. Figure S4. Multiple sequence alignment of P. xylostella α2Ms with other α2Ms using Clustal X2. Figure S5. Phylogenetic tree of α2Ms, complement proteins and thioester-containing proteins constructed using the neighbor joining method. Figure S6. qPCR-based expression profiling of PxSPI genes across different developmental stages. Figure S7. Expression profiling of the P. xylostella SPI genes in different tissues. (DOCX 8635 kb)

Description of serine protease inhibitor (SPI) genes in P. xylostella. Table S2. The predicted amino acid sequences of 61 SPIs. Table S3. RPKM values of the PxSPI genes at different developmental stages obtained from the RNA-seq data. Table S4. RPKM values of the PxSPI genes at different tissues obtained from the RNA-seq data. Table S5. Primers used for qPCR study on gene expression. (DOCX 52Â kb)

Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) combined with a Chinese compound preparation of ganfule on advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Background Serine protease inhibitors (SPIs) have been found in all living organisms and play significant roles in digestion, development and innate immunity. In this study, we present a genome-wide identification and expression profiling of SPI genes in the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.), a major pest of cruciferous crops with global distribution and broad resistance to different types of insecticides. Results A total of 61 potential SPI genes were identified in the P. xylostella genome, and these SPIs were classified into serpins, canonical inhibitors, and alpha-2-macroglobulins based on their modes of action. Sequence alignments showed that amino acid residues in the hinge region of known inhibitory serpins from other insect species were conserved in most P. xylostella serpins, suggesting that these P. xylostella serpins may be functionally active. Phylogenetic analysis confirmed that P. xylostella inhibitory serpins were clustered with known inhibitory serpins from six other insect species. More interestingly, nine serpins were highly similar to the orthologues in Manduca sexta which have been demonstrated to participate in regulating the prophenoloxidase activation cascade, an important innate immune response in insects. Of the 61 P.xylostella SPI genes, 33 were canonical SPIs containing seven types of inhibitor domains, including Kunitz, Kazal, TIL, amfpi, Antistasin, WAP and Pacifastin. Moreover, some SPIs contained additional non-inhibitor domains, including spondin_N, reeler, and other modules, which may be involved in protein-protein interactions. Gene expression profiling showed gene-differential, stage- and sex-specific expression patterns of SPIs, suggesting that SPIs may be involved in multiple physiological processes in P. xylostella. Conclusions This is the most comprehensive investigation so far on SPI genes in P. xylostella. The characterized features and expression patterns of P. xylostella SPIs indicate that the SPI family genes may be involved in innate immunity of this species. Our findings provide valuable information for uncovering further biological roles of SPI genes in P. xylostella. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-017-3583-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Composites made of polyethersulfone (PES) reinforced with exfoliated graphite nanoplatelets are fabricated by melt mixing, polymer solution, and coating. Coating is an efficient compounding method emphasized in this research, where expanded graphite (EG) and PES powder are premixed in isopropyl alcohol using sonication to disperse the EG by coating individual PES powder particles. The microstructure and property of EG/PES composites were investigated by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, thermal gravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetric, and electronic tensile tester. The electrical conductivity was confirmed using electrochemical tester. It is found that the coating method is more effective than the polymer solution and directly melt mixing methods widely used, in terms of increasing the electrical conductivity and lowering the percolation threshold of thermoplastic composites, and enhancing the probability that the large platelet morphology of EG can be preserved in the final composite. The research reported here provides an understanding on how the compounding method used during the fabrication of composites is important to achieving the optimal mechanical properties, thermal properties, electrical conductivity, and percolation threshold. This method should have wide applicability to all thermoplastic matrix composite systems. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012

We report on a wireless magnetoelastic-sensing device for the assay of pathogen with Escherichia coli O157:H7 (E. coli) as a target using chitosan-modified magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles (CMNPs) as signal-amplifying tags. At suitable pH the CMNPs, Fe3O4 nanoparticles functionalized with a layer of chitosan, bind to negatively charged E. coli through electrostatic attraction. The E. coli attached CMNPs are magnetically bound to the surface of the magnetoelastic sensor, resulting in enhanced mass loading on the sensor surface that in turn decreases its resonance frequency allowing quantification of E. coli concentrations. The sensor shows a linear response to the logarithmic concentration of E. coli in the range of 10 cells mL−1 to 3.7 × 108 cells mL−1, with a detection limit (LOD) of 10 cells mL−1. Small molecules such as albumin bovine and ovalbumin show no interference on the detection.

A wireless magnetoelastic-sensing device for the detection of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) with anthracene as the model target is reported using humic acid-modified magnetic Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles (HMNPs) as signal-amplifying tags. A sandwich-type detection strategy involves the humic acid (HA)/chitosan composite self-assembled on the polyurethane-protected sensor surface and HMNPs, both of which flank the anthracene target in sequence. As the HMNPs-combined anthracene absorbs to the sensor surface, there is an increase in the mass load on the sensor, and consequently a decrease in resonance frequency. Under optimal conditions, the sensor shows a linear response to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons with sensitivity depending on the benzene rings. The sensor shows the largest sensitivity to benzo[ a ]pyrene due to its 5 ring with a detection limit of 3 nM. Tap water, river water and spring water were analyzed with this sensor.

To evaluate the efficacy of percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI) in the adjuvant treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) by primary end points of time to progress (TTP). The study population consisted of 73 consecutive patients with inoperable HCC (China Classification System IIA/IIB). Among them, 22 patients were treated with TACE and PEI (experimental group), and the rest 51 were treated only with TACE (control group), and then the time to progress (TTP) and overall survival (OS) of these two groups were analyzed. The median TTP was 10 months [95% confidence interval (CI), 7.9–12.1 months] in experimental group and 6 months (95% CI, 4.7–7.3 months) in control group. The 3-month,6-month, and 1-year Progression Free Survival (PFS) rates were respectively 77.3%, 63.6%, and 48.1% in experimental group, and 76.5%, 42.15%, and 24.8% in control group. The TTP of experimental group was significantly longer than that of control group (P 0.05). Compared with single TACE, the combination of TACE and PEI can obviously postpone disease progress and prolong survival of HCC patients.

The diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.), is a destructive pest that attacks cruciferous crops worldwide. Immune responses are important for interactions between insects and pathogens and information on these underpins the development of strategies for biocontrol-based pest management. Little, however, is known about immune genes and their regulation patterns in P. xylostella. A total of 149 immune-related genes in 20 gene families were identified through comparison of P. xylostella genome with the genomes of other insects. Complete and conserved Toll, IMD and JAK-STAT signaling pathways were found in P. xylostella. Genes involved in pathogen recognition were expanded and more diversified than genes associated with intracellular signal transduction. Gene expression profiles showed that the IMD pathway may regulate expression of antimicrobial peptide (AMP) genes in the midgut and be related to an observed down-regulation of AMPs in experimental lines of insecticide-resistant P. xylostella. A bacterial feeding study demonstrated that P. xylostella could activate different AMPs in response to bacterial infection. This study has established a framework of comprehensive expression profiles that highlight cues for immune regulation in a major pest. Our work provides a foundation for further studies on the functions of P. xylostella immune genes and mechanisms of innate immunity.

Multiple alignment of 38 P. xylostella trypsin genes along with well annotated trypsins: Aedes aegypti trypsin 3A1 (AaTry3A1), Anopheles gambiae trypsin-6 (AgTry6), Culex quinquefasciatus trypsin1 (CqTry1) and trypsin5 (CqTry5). (DOC 1860 kb)

Multiple alignment of 8 P. xylostella chymotrypsin genes along with HaChys 1-3 and OnChys 1-3. (DOC 1012 kb)

Scaffold localization of PxSPs and PxSPHs in P. xylostella. (DOC 533 kb)

Multiple alignment of P. xylostella Nudel gene along with other three Lepidoptera Nudels: Papilio Xuthus Nudel, PaxNudel (XP_013165117.1), Papilio polytes Nudel, PpNudel (XP_013138700.1) and Amyelois transitella Nudel, AtNudel (XP_013190169.1) by Clustal X2. (DOC 2247 kb)

Alignment of 14 P. xylostella clip domain sequences along with the clip domains from BmSPH78, BmSPH125, MsHP6, MsHP8, MsPAP1 and MsPAP3 by Clustal X2. (PxCLIP11 has two clip domains represented by PxCLIP11a and PxCLIP11b). (DOC 352 kb)

Illustration for expression profiling of the P. xylostella SP and SPH genes in different tissues, showing the hierarchical clustered groups of expression pattern. (DOC 142 kb)

Phylogenetic tree/analysis of the stubble genes in P. xylostella and other five insect species. (DOC 98 kb)

Multiple alignment of P. xylostella Gd gene along with other insect species Gds, Nilaparvata lugens Gd, NlGd (AID60301.1); Apis mellifera Gd, AmGd (XP_006563318.1); Bombyx mori Gd, BmGd (XP_012548092.1); Drosophila melanogaster Gd, DmGd (ABG02140.1); Apis florea Gd, AfGd (XP_003690498.1); Nasonia vitripennis Gd, NvGd (XP_003427708.1), and Megachile rotundata Gd, MrGd (XP_012143735.1) by Clustal X2. (DOC 1166 kb)

BackgroundInsect midgut microbiota is important in host nutrition, development and immune response. Recent studies indicate possible links between insect gut microbiota and resistance to biological and chemical toxins. Studies of this phenomenon and symbionts in general have been hampered by difficulties in culture-based approach. In the present study, DNA sequencing was used to examine the midgut microbiota of diamondback moth (DBM), Plutella xylostella (L.), a destructive pest that attacks cruciferous crops worldwide. Its ability to develop resistance to many types of synthetic insecticide and even Bacillus thuringiensis toxins makes it an important species to study.Methodology/principal findingsBacteria of the DBM larval midgut in a susceptible and two insecticide (chlorpyrifos and fipronil) resistant lines were examined by Illumina sequencing sampled from an insect generation that was not exposed to insecticide. This revealed that more than 97% of the bacteria were from three orders: Enterobacteriales, Vibrionales and Lactobacillales. Both insecticide-resistant lines had more Lactobacillales and the much scarcer taxa Pseudomonadales and Xanthomonadales with fewer Enterobacteriales compared with the susceptible strain. Consistent with this, a second study observed an increase in the proportion of Lactobacillales in the midgut of DBM individuals from a generation treated with insecticides.Conclusions/significanceThis is the first report of high-throughput DNA sequencing of the entire microbiota of DBM. It reveals differences related to inter- and intra-generational exposure to insecticides. Differences in the midgut microbiota among susceptible and insecticide-resistant lines are independent of insecticide exposure in the sampled generations. While this is consistent with the hypothesis that Lactobacillales or other scarcer taxa play a role in conferring DBM insecticide resistance, further studies are necessary to rule out other possibilities. Findings constitute the basis for future molecular work on the functions of insect midgut microbiota taxa and their possible role in conferring host resistance to toxins.

Highly ordered TiO(2) nanotube arrays are with unique photoelectrical properties due to their highly ordered nanostructure and the resulted short charge transportation path. We report, for the first time, on the application of Ag nanoparticle-modified TiO(2) nanotubes (Ag/TiO(2) NTs) in the electrochemiluminescence detection of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) using the Ag/TiO(2) NT film as working electrode and S(2)O(8)(2-) as coreactant, with benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) as the model compound. The hydrophobic BaP absorbs onto the TiO(2) NTs surface, and oxidized with consumption of the excited TiO(2) (TiO(2)(*+)) resulting in a decrease in ECL. Under the optimal conditions, a detection limit of 1.0 x 10(-12) M is achieved with a linear range of 3.0 x 10(-12) approximately 1.0 x 10(-9) M. Compounds which can not be oxidized by the excited TiO(2) (TiO(2)(*+)), such as benzene, naphthalene (NAP), anthracene (ANT), and tris-2,3-dibrominepropyl isocyanurate (TBC) show little interference on the detection, whereas PAHs with more than four rings can be detected by the proposed method.

Trinitrotoluene, usually known as TNT, is a kind of chemical explosive with hazardous and toxic effects on the environment and human health. National and societal security concerns have dictated an increasing need for the analytical detection of TNT with rapidity, high sensitivity and low cost. This work demonstrates a novel method using L-cysteine-capped CdTe quantum dots (QDs) to assay TNT, based on the formation of a Meisenheimer complex between TNT and cysteine. The fluorescence (FL) of quantum dots quench because electrons of the QDs transfer to the TNT molecules via the formation of a Meisenheimer complex. TNT can be detected with a low detection limit of 1.1 nM. Studies on the selectivity of this method show that only TNT can generate an intense signal response. The synthesized QDs are excellent nanomaterials for TNT detection. In addition, TNT in soil samples is also analyzed by the proposed method.

Escherichia coli O157: H7 is detected using a remote-query (wireless, passive) magnetoelastic sensor platform to which a 1 µm-thick layer of Bayhydrol 110 and then a layer of functionalized mannose is applied. The multivalent binding of lectin concanavalin A (Con A) to the E. coli surface O-antigen and mannose favors the strong adhesion of E. coli to the mannose modified magnetoelastic sensor; E. coli is rigidly and strongly attached on the mannose-modified sensor through Con A, which works as a bridge to bind to the E. coli surface O-antigen and mannose modified sensor surface. As E. coli is bound to the sensor its resonance frequency shifts, enabling quantification of E. coli concentration with a limit of detection of 60 cells/mL and a linear logarithmic response range of 6.0×101 to 6.1×109 cells/mL. The analysis can be directly conducted without incubation, and completed in 3 h or less.

We report a novel method for biological thiols detection using ssDNA/silver nanoparticles system. The adsorbing ssDNA supplies silver nanoparticles high density charge to rescue nanoparticles from aggregation induced by salt. However, homocysteine (cysteine or glutathione) is conjugated more powerfully than ssDNA to AgNPs via Ag-S bond, which holds back ssDNA binding to AgNPs surface. When salt is added, AgNPs aggregation occurs and the corresponding color changes from yellow to brown after these biological thiols is introduced. A high sensitivity can be achieved using salt as an amplifier to assay thiols. In our study, a favorable linear correlation between the A(0)/A(x) ratio and homocysteine concentration was obtained in the range of 10 to 500 nM with a low detection limit of 10 nM, indicating that homocysteine could be analyzed at low concentration. A concentration as low as 300 nM homocysteine caused a visible color change. As well as, cysteine and glutathione can be detected at a detection limit of 50 nM and 100 nM, respectively. In addition, study on the selectivity of this method shows that only homocysteine, cysteine and glutathione can generate signal response.