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In this paper, a novel four-wing chaotic system is constructed based on the Sprott-A system. The novel system contains three nonlinearly quadratic terms, which have rich dynamics such as four-wing hidden attractors, hidden extreme multistability and transient transitions. It is found that this system has high complexity by spectral entropy analysis. In addition, a corresponding hardware analog circuit is designed based on this system by operational amplifiers and multipliers. The experimental results agree with those of the theoretical analysis and confirm that this system is practically feasible. This system will have a good application value in secure communication and cryptography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, we attempted to use melatonin combined with germination treatment to remove pesticide residues from contaminated grains. High levels of pesticide residues were detected in soybean seeds after soaking with chlorothalonil (10 mM) and malathion (1 mM) for 2 hours. Treatment with 50 μM melatonin for 5 days completely removed the pesticide residues, while in the control group, only 61–71% of pesticide residues were removed from soybean sprouts. Compared with the control, melatonin treatment for 7 days further increased the content of ascorbic acid (by 48–66%), total phenolics (by 52–68%), isoflavones (by 22–34%), the total antioxidant capacity (by 37–40%), and the accumulated levels of unsaturated fatty acids (C18:1, C18:2, and C18:3) (by 17–30%) in soybean sprouts. Moreover, melatonin treatment further increased the accumulation of ten components of phenols and isoflavones in soybean sprouts relative to those in the control. The ability of melatonin to accelerate the degradation of pesticide residues and promote the accumulation of antioxidant metabolites might be related to its ability to trigger the glutathione detoxification system in soybean sprouts. Melatonin promoted glutathione synthesis (by 49–139%) and elevated the activities of glutathione-S-transferase (by 24–78%) and glutathione reductase (by 38–61%). In summary, we report a new method in which combined treatment by melatonin and germination rapidly degrades pesticide residues in contaminated grains and improves the nutritional quality of food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fabrication of SrFe 12 O 19 ferrite powders with good magnetic properties is a key process in the industrial production of permanent magnets. Remanence and coercivity of the powders was seriously decreased due to the generation of surface lattice defects produced during the crushing of pre-sintered ferrite powders. And the traditionally applied high-temperature annealing above 800 °C can only partially restore the magnetic properties. In this work, the effects of types, adding mode and contents of surfactant (hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide, triethanolamine) on the magnetic properties of crushed powders of the pre-sintered SrFe 12 O 19 ferrite under a low-temperature annealing of 400 °C process were systematically explored. The results showed that surfactants are beneficial to restore or even enhance the magnetic properties of the crushed powders compared with the pre-sintered ferrite due to the refinement of the particles and repairing the surface defects. The surfactant-assisted low-temperature annealing process proposed in this work will promote the commercial production of high performance ferrite powders and ferrite magnets, which can also effectively reduce the production energy consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To solve the challenges of low recognition accuracy, slow speed, and weak generalization ability inherent in traditional methods for multi‐damage recognition of concrete bridges, this paper proposed an efficient lightweight damage recognition model, constructed by improving the you only look once v4 (YOLOv4) with MobileNetv3 and fused inverted residual blocks, named YOLOMF. First, a novel lightweight network named MobileNetv3 with fused inverted residual (MobileNetv3‐FusedIR) is constructed as the backbone network for YOLOMF. This is achieved by integrating the fused mobile inverted bottleneck convolution (Fused‐MBConv) into the shallow layers of MobileNetv3. Second, the standard convolution in YOLOv4 is replaced with the depthwise separable convolution, resulting in a reduction in the number of parameters and complexity of the model. Third, the effects of different activation functions on the damage recognition performance of YOLOMF are thoroughly investigated. Finally, to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method in complex environments, a data enhancement library named Imgaug is used to simulate concrete bridge damage images under challenging conditions such as motion blur, fog, rain, snow, noise, and color variations. The results indicate that the YOLOMF shows excellent multi‐damage recognition proficiency for concrete bridges across varying field‐of‐view sizes as well as complex environmental conditions. The detection speed of YOLOMF reaches 85f/s, facilitating effective real‐time multi‐damage detection for concrete bridges under complex environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present eBiBa (enhanced BiBa), a hash-based signature scheme with the smallest possible signature size, while ensuring high feasibility and security in a specific application model. Our scheme is tailored to address the communication requirement of a large-scale public data stream continuously disseminated between two participants while ensuring data source and data integrity authentication. To achieve these goals, firstly, we optimized the classical hash tree mode into a hybrid mode to efficiently perform public key authentication and eliminate the need for an authenticated channel to transmit large amounts of data, unlike the initial BiBa-based broadcast authentication protocol. Secondly, we employed a specific tweakable hash chain function to digest a batch of messages, reducing the required conditions for post-quantum existential unforgeability under adaptive chosen message attack (EUCMA) of eBiBa to a second-pre-image-resistance-like property instead of collision resistance. This results in reduced pre-computation in both key and signature generations. Thirdly, we utilized a forward-secure pseudorandom function to achieve forward-secure of the proposed scheme. Finally, we minimize the signature size through a series of procedures. Firstly, we select BiBa few-time signature as the underlying signature scheme since it is currently the few-time hash-based signature with the smallest signature size that we are aware of; in addition, the hybrid approach we employed can also significantly reduce the signature size compared to using a hash tree solely; for the hash tree structure, we design a specific authentication path in combination with the related communication model to further minimize the signature size; finally, we optimize the authentication approach to achieve the minimum signature size in a single transmission. Our construction minimizes the signature size in the aforementioned model, achieving a compression rate of 0.017 to 0.828 based on distinct values of parameters, as compared to XMSS-256. We also demonstrated that eBiBa can achieve post-quantum forward-secure and EUCMA security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: In this paper, a multiphase digital control called digital integration constant on‐time (DICOT) control is proposed, which applies the concept of signal accumulation, solves the drawbacks of ripple‐based digital COT control that the switching frequency and transient performance are affected by the A/D sample delay and sampling noise. Besides, the multiphase interleaving approach of the proposed DICOT control is well‐suitable for digital control and no higher calculation frequency is required compared to single‐phase. In the aspect of the current balance, almost all existing researches work on analog COT current balance scheme and few works are investigating the resolution improvement of digital COT current balance. In this paper, the current balance model of multiphase COT control is derived and can be applied in the Buck system with an arbitrary number of phases, the delay‐line‐based high‐resolution COT current balance scheme is proposed to enhance the control resolution. Finally, the two‐phase DICOT control is tested on the multiphase Buck system, the transient performance is tested of 100 A load step with the slew rate of 1000 A/μs, and the voltage undershoot and overshoot are 20 and 36 mV, respectively. The current balance is tested and the errors are 0.01% and 0.11% at the light and heavy loads, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Buck converter is a commonly used voltage regulator (VR) structure that supplies power to the load devices and responds to load transients. In most of the applications, the VR is controlled by voltage or current mode control, and some nonlinear approaches are used to improve the transient response which brings more complexities to the closed loop design. To achieve a fast transient response without over-regulation under a load step transient, this paper proposes a digital single-cycle regulation (SCCR) controller, which comprised a fast path, a slow path, and a neutralization path. Unlike the conventional PID control, the neutralization path of the SCCR controller is used to offset the excessive energy change in the first cycle after a load step occurs, which makes the inductor current reach its new static condition in a shorter period of time. The mathematical model of the SCCR control is established in this paper and a scanning algorithm is proposed for the design of the compensator parameters. Experimental results are presented to verify the improvement of the transient response when compared to the conventional and nonlinear PID control, the recovery time is decreased by 64.3% and 43% for load step-up and step-down when compared with nonlinear PID control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The anoxic/aerobic membrane bioreactor (A/O-MBR) was conducted to investigate pollutants removal in coal⁃to⁃hydrogen wastewater at the pilot experiment. Results showed that the system exhibited effective removal of chemical oxygen demand (∼90%), ammonia nitrogen (>95%), and total phenols (>95%). Moreover, the Extended Derjaguin–Landau–Verwey–Overbeek (XDLVO) approach was used to predict the MBR system's membrane fouling and chemical cleaning mechanisms in the MBR system. The results indicated that the initial stage dominated membrane fouling by the acid-base (AB) interaction energy. With aggravated membrane fouling, the determinate role was the van der Waals (LW) interaction energy. Furthermore, the cleaning agent NaClO obtained the highest trans-membrane pressure recovery (104.7% of the virgin trans-membrane pressure) in CGW treatment, compared with HCl or NaOH cleaning. It was attributed to the higher LW interaction energy between foulants and the NaClO-cleaned membrane than those between foulants and the HCl-/NaOH-cleaned membrane. Meanwhile, it could effectively restrain AB interaction energy decline between them. The findings of this study confirmed successful development of A/O-MBR for bio-refractory CGW treatment with NaClO chemically enhanced backwash. It also provided an in-depth understanding on the fouling and cleaning mechanisms of the MBR system. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long bone growth requires the precise control of chondrocyte maturation from proliferation to hypertrophy during endochondral ossification, but the bioenergetic program that ensures normal cartilage development is still largely elusive. We show that chondrocytes have unique glucose metabolism signatures in these stages, and they undergo bioenergetic reprogramming from glycolysis to oxidative phosphorylation during maturation, accompanied by an upregulation of the pentose phosphate pathway. Inhibition of either oxidative phosphorylation or the pentose phosphate pathway in murine chondrocytes and bone organ cultures impaired hypertrophic differentiation, suggesting that the appropriate balance of these pathways is required for cartilage development. Insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2) deficiency resulted in a profound increase in oxidative phosphorylation in hypertrophic chondrocytes, suggesting that IGF2 is required to prevent overactive glucose metabolism and maintain a proper balance of metabolic pathways. Our results thus provide critical evidence of preference for a bioenergetic pathway in different stages of chondrocytes and highlight its importance as a fundamental mechanism in skeletal development. Murine chondrocyte hypertrophy was found to require IGF2-regulated bioenergetic reprogramming, in which glucose utilization shifts from glycolysis to oxidative phosphorylation as chondrocytes mature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (MSCs) have been intensively investigated in both pre-clinical and clinical studies. However, the therapeutic efficacy varies resulting from the heterogenicity of MSCs. Therefore, purifying the specific MSC subpopulation with specialized function is necessary for their therapeutic applications. Methods: The large-scale RNA sequencing analysis was performed to identify potential cell markers for the mouse MSCs. Then, the immune suppression activities of the purified MSC subpopulation were assessed in vitro and in vivo. Results: The TNFAIP6 (tumor necrosis factor alpha-induced protein 6) has been identified as a potential cell marker for mouse MSCs, irrespective of tissue origin and laboratory origin. The TNFAIP6+ mouse MSCs showed enhanced immune suppression activities and improved therapeutic effects on the mouse model of acute inflammation, resulting from faster response to immune stimulation. Conclusions: Therefore, we have demonstrated that the TNFAIP6+ MSC subpopulation has enhanced immune suppression capabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The investigation of the 2019–2020 E-cigarette or Vaping Product Use-Associated Lung Injury (EVALI) outbreak in New York State provided a unique opportunity to examine the formulations and chemical components found in clandestine cannabis-containing e-liquids. In this EVALI investigation, it was determined that an unusually high proportion (16%) of the cannabis e-liquids analyzed contained significant levels of ∆8-tetrahydrocannabinol (∆8-THC). Although not thought to be the causative agent in the outbreak, the manufacturing origin of vaping e-liquids containing large concentrations of ∆8-THC was of great interest, since high ∆8-THC concentrations are not observed in the extracts of common cannabis strains. A principal component analysis of multiple cannabinoid concentrations revealed clusters of similar or identical ∆8-THC-containing products. This technique may be useful in identifying common manufacturing sources in this and future investigations. Several possible manufacturing methods to enrich ∆8-THC appear in literature and are discussed based on their likelihood as sources of this cannabinoid in these samples from the EVALI investigation. The presence of high levels of ∆8-THC in numerous illicit vaping products may implicate cannabidiol, which is readily available at low cost, as its synthetic precursor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we proposed a multi-wing chaotic system based on the Sprott-B system with the nonlinear feedback method. The novel system can simultaneously generate attractors with one-wing, butterfly-shaped double-wing, and butterfly-shaped four-wing. Comparatively, the novel system is simple, which includes two quadratically nonlinear terms. In the novel system, the period-doubling bifurcation process was observed with the bifurcation diagram, and the period and chaos were confirmed with power spectra. Especially, the novel system was asymmetric about any axis and can generate asymmetric coexisting attractors. The chaotic sequences generated by the novel system had good pseudo-randomness which was confirmed by the NIST test. In addition, the feasibility of the novel system was confirmed by the hardware circuit. The novel system would be able to be widely applied in the field of secure communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Carbon spheres decorated with SnS 2 nanosheets were assembled using common reagents and a simple solvothermal method. • SnS 2 @CS composite was used as counter electrode for DSSC. • The DSSC using SnS 2 @CS composite CE yielded a high average PCE value of 7.12%. In order to utilize the synergistic effect of SnS 2 and CS and further improve the electrochemical performance of SnS 2 , We prepared monodisperse SnS 2 @CS composite using common reagents and a simple solvothermal method, and studied its electrochemical performance as counter electrode (CE) of dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC). During the preparation process, glucose was used as the carbon source, thioacetamide as the reducing agent and sulfur source, and SnS 2 @CS composite with a shell structure was finally obtained. The results indicate that, compared to SnS 2 , the electrocatalytic performance of SnS 2 @CS composite has significantly improved. The DSSC using SnS 2 @CS composite CE yielded a high average PCE value of 7.12%, which is significantly higher than that of DSSC based on SnS 2 ′s CE (just 5.59%). The enhanced performance is mainly attributed to the addition of carbon spheres, which can improve the conductivity and increase the number of active catalytic sites on the SnS 2 @CS CE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Segmenting medical images is a necessary prerequisite for disease diagnosis and treatment planning. Among various medical image segmentation tasks, U-Net-based variants have been widely used in liver tumor segmentation tasks. In view of the highly variable shape and size of tumors, in order to improve the accuracy of segmentation, this paper proposes a U-Net-based hybrid variable structure—RDCTrans U-Net for liver tumor segmentation in computed tomography (CT) examinations. We design a backbone network dominated by ResNeXt50 and supplemented by dilated convolution to increase the network depth, expand the perceptual field, and improve the efficiency of feature extraction without increasing the parameters. At the same time, Transformer is introduced in down-sampling to increase the network's overall perception and global understanding of the image and to improve the accuracy of liver tumor segmentation. The method proposed in this paper tests the segmentation performance of liver tumors on the LiTS (Liver Tumor Segmentation) dataset. It obtained 89.22% mIoU and 98.91% Acc, for liver and tumor segmentation. The proposed model also achieved 93.38% Dice and 89.87% Dice, respectively. Compared with the original U-Net and the U-Net model that introduces dense connection, attention mechanism, and Transformer, respectively, the method proposed in this paper achieves SOTA (state of art) results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• TLR2 signalling pathway can regulate acute rejection of heart transplantation. • TLR2 signalling pathway can regulate the production of alloreactive γδT17 cells. • TLR2 signalling pathway regulates the production of γδT17 cells by regulating the function of DCs to secrete IL-1β. Homograft rejection is the main cause of heart transplantation failure. The role of TLR2, a major member of the toll-like receptor (TLR) family, in transplantation rejection is has yet to be elucidated. In this study, we used a mouse model of acute cardiac transplantation rejection to investigate whether the TLR2 signalling pathway can regulate cardiac transplantation rejection by regulating alloreactive IL-17+γδT (γδT17) cells. We found that the expression of TLR2 on the surface of dendritic cells (DCs) and macrophages increased during acute transplantation rejection. In addition, our investigation revealed that γδT17 cells exert a significant influence on acute cardiac transplantation rejection. TLR2 gene knockout resulted in an increase in alloreactive γδT17 cells in the spleen and heart grafts of recipient mice compared with wild-type recipient mice and an increase in the mRNA expression of IL-17, IL-1β, CCR6, and CCL20 in the heart grafts. In an in vitro experiment, a mixed lymphocyte reaction was conducted to assess the impact of TLR2 deficiency on the generation of γδT17 cells, which further substantiated a significant increase compared to that in wild-type controls. Furthermore, the mixed lymphocyte reaction showed that TLR2 regulated the production of γδT17 cells by regulating the ability of DCs to secrete IL-1β. These results suggest that TLR2 signalling is important for regulating the generation of γδT17 cells after cardiac allograft transplantation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper illustrates the establishment of a colourimetric method for detection of the fungicide tebuconazole (TEB) in aqueous samples based on an unmodified TEB-specific aptamer and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). In the absence of TEB, the AuNPs are coated with a TEB-specific aptamer and then stably dispersed a NaCl solution of high concentration, leading to a red solution and producing a maximum UV absorption peak at 520 nm. In the presence of TEB, due to the specific high affinity between TEB and the TEB-specific aptamer, the aptamer combines with TEB to form stable compounds, causing the AuNPs to be exposed in the solution and aggregate. The aggregated AuNPs turn the solution from red to blue, presenting a maximum UV absorption peak at 650 nm. Therefore, the concentration of TEB in the system can be quantitatively detected through the changes in absorbance. This TEB selective colourimetric biosensor detects TEB over a linear concentration range of 20 to 400 nM (R = 0.99385) and has a limit of detection (LOD) of 4.13 nM. The average recovery of TEB is 94.9–104.8 % in the application of actual water samples with the relative standard deviations (RSD) ranging from 1.01 to 5.34 %. With considerable sensitivity and selectivity, this aptasensor indicates great potential for TEB detection in aqueous samples. This paper proposes a colourimetric aptasensor for detecting tebuconazole (TEB) based on the interaction between TEB, a TEB-specific aptamer, and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). The results show that the aptasensor has a linear TEB concentration range from 20–400 nM and a good limit of detection (LOD) of 4.13 nM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proper regulation of B‐cell function is essential for effective humoral immunity and maintenance of immune tolerance. Here, we found that FBW7 (F‐box/WD40 repeat‐containing protein 7) is highly expressed in germinal centre B and B1 cells, and confirmed that it has an intrinsic role in maintaining homeostasis of mature B cells and B‐1 cells. FBW7 deletion led to an impairment of antibody response, and although germinal centre formation was not affected, antibody class‐switch recombination and affinity maturation processes were defective. Likewise, memory immune response was severely impaired. Moreover, FBW7 ablation ameliorated the pathogenesis of an autoimmune disease model, collagen‐induced arthritis, by reducing the production of anti‐collagen II autoantibodies. Taken together, these data suggest that FBW7 may be an attractive target for developing new therapeutics for the treatment of autoimmune diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a common malignant tumor of the urinary system that seriously threatens human life and health. This study aims to explore the role of the traditional Chinese medicine Leptochloa chinensis in the pathogenesis of RCC. Meanwhile, this study also revealed the molecular biological mechanism of its antitumor activity. Methods. Human RCC 786-O cells were cultured in the RPMI-1640 medium, which contains different concentrations of Leptochloa chinensis (1,000, 3,000, and 9,000 μg/ml). MTT and flow cytometry assays were used to detect the viability of 786-O cells. Transwell and wound healing assays were used to detect cell metastasis. The protein expression was observed by western blot analysis. Results. Leptochloa can inhibit cell proliferation and induce apoptosis in RCC 786-O cells. In addition, Leptochloa can weaken the migration and invasion of 786-O cells. More importantly, Leptochloa can block the mTOR pathway by inhibiting the protein expression of p-mTOR. Moreover, the high concentration of Leptochloa chinensis has a better inhibitory effect on 786-O cells. Conclusion. The traditional Chinese medicine Leptochloa chinensis inhibits the viability and metastasis of 786-O cells by blocking the mTOR pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mounting evidences have displayed that the dysregulation of miRNAs plays important roles in the pathogenesis of gastric cancer (GC). The purpose of this study was to explore the biological functions and potential mechanism of miR-489 in GC progression. Methods: Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and western blot were performed to examine the mRNA expression and protein levels of miR-489 and HDAC7. The relationship between miR-489 and HDAC7 was analyzed by Spearman rank correlation. 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazolyl-2)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and transwell assays were conducted for determining the effect of miR-489 and HDAC7 on GC cell viability, migration, and invasion. TargetScan and luciferase reporter assay were used to confirm the target gene of miR-489 in GC cells. Results: The findings showed that miR-489 was dramatically decreased in GC tissues and GC cell lines (SGC-7901 and MKN45). Moreover, it was closely correlated with overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) of GC patients. Downregulation of miR-489 significantly promoted GC cell proliferation, invasion, and migration. Additionally, HDAC7 was confirmed as the direct target of miR-489. Knockdown of HDAC7 exerted inhibited effect on GC progression and it markedly overturned miR-489 inhibitor-medicated effect on GC cells. More interestingly, via targeting HDAC7, miR-489 blocked the activation of PI3K/AKT pathway in GC cells. Conclusions: Correctively, miR-489 played as a tumor suppressor in GC cell growth by targeting HDAC7, and miR-489 might function as a novel biomarker for diagnosis or therapeutic targets of human GC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fucosylated chondroitin sulfates (FCSs) from sea cucumbers have repetitive structures that exhibit minor structural differences based on the organism from which they are recovered. A detailed characterization of FCSs and their derivatives is important to establish their structure–activity relationship in the development of new anticoagulant drugs. In the current study, online hydrophilic interaction chromatography–Fourier transform mass spectrometry (FTMS) was applied to analyze the FCS oligosaccharides generated by selective degradation from four species of sea cucumbers, Isostichopus badionotus , Pearsonothuria graeffei , Holothuria mexicana and Acaudina molpadioides. These depolymerized FCS fragments were quantified and compared using the glycomics software package, GlycReSoft. The quantified fragments mainly had trisaccharide-repeating compositions and showed significant differences in fucosylation (including its sulfation) among different species of sea cucumbers. Detailed analysis of FTMS ion peaks and top-down nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy of native FCS polysaccharides verified the accuracy of this method. Thus, a new structural model for FCS chains from these different sea cucumbers was defined. This bottom-up approach provides rich detailed structural analysis and provides quantitative information with high accuracy and reproducibility and should be suitable for the quality control in FCSs as well as their oligosaccharides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The expression of TLR2 was increased in AP patients and AP mouse model. • TLR2 deficiency alleviated pancreatic injury in the AP mouse model. • The TLR2/NF-κB/NLRP3 pathway may be a key factor in the exacerbation of AP. The early aseptic immune response is the key factor leading to the aggravation of acute pancreatitis (AP). Toll-like receptor (TLR) 2 is an important member of the TLR family, but the role of TLR2 in AP remains to be investigated. In the present study, we found that TLR2 expression was significantly increased in AP patients. In a mouse model of cerulein-induced AP, TLR2 deficiency resulted in reduced inflammation, reduced infiltration of pancreatic neutrophils and macrophages, and decreased expression of proinflammatory cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-17 and IL-18. In addition, transcriptomic analysis revealed that nod-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) expression was increased in AP, and there was a significant correlation between NLRP3 and TLR2. This study found that TLR2 deficiency can lead to a decrease in the activation of the NF-κB/NLRP3 signalling pathway, and the NLRP3 inhibitor MCC950 can alleviate AP in mice. Therefore, this study confirmed that TLR2 participates in the development of AP by activating the NF-κB/NLRP3 pathway. This study suggested that TLR2 might be a novel therapeutic target for AP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The HMM-Ag NPs array SERS platform was designed, which utilizes silver nanoparticles as the external coupling structure to excite the bulk plasma excitations in hyperbolic metamaterials to achieve the enhancement of electric field. • Due to the unique structure of the platform, it also exhibits excellent light trapping and hydrophobic properties in the detection experiments. Hyperbolic metamaterials (HMMs) have been employed in the field of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) for their properties to support large-wave vector bulk plasmon polariton (BPP) waves, whereas the excitation of BPP is challenging to a certain extent. In addition, with the advance of SERS, the substrate for energy utilization has aroused increasing attention. An HMM-Ag nanoparticles (Ag NPs) platform based on patterned sapphire substrate (PSS) array structure was proposed in this study. With Ag NPs as the external coupling structure, the generated large-wave vector scattered light excited the BPP in the HMM and extended the energy into the Ag NPs gap. On that basis, a hot surface with a high density of "hot spots" was formed. PSS with excellent light trapping capability was employed as a substrate, which improved the energy utilization of the platform. Furthermore, the good hydrophobicity of the nanoparticle array structure further amplified the SERS signal. Lastly, the excellent performance of the platform was experimentally verified, the detection limits of CV and R6G reached 10-10 M and 10-11 M, respectively. Accordingly, it is believed that the plasma platform has promising applications in high-sensitivity sensing and biochemical detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coronavirus Papain-like protease (PLpro) mediates the cleavage of viral polyproteins and assists the virus escaping from innate immune response. Thus, PLpro is an attractive target for the development of broad-spectrum drugs as it has a conserved structure across different coronaviruses. In this study, we purified SARS-CoV-2 PLpro as an immune antigen, constructed a nanobody phage display library, and identified a set of nanobodies with high affinity for SARS-CoV-2. In addition, enzyme activity experiments demonstrated that two nanobodies had a significant inhibitory effect on the PLpro. These nanobodies should therefore be investigated as candidates for the treatment of coronaviruses. • A nanobody phage library of SARS-CoV-2 papain-like protease (PLpro)was successfully constructed. • The nanobodies were successfully purified and demonstrated to have high affinity for SARS-CoV-2 PLpro. • The nanobodies have a significant inhibitory effect on SARS-CoV-2 PLpro. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As one of the receptors of the TAM family, AXL plays a vital role in stem cell maintenance, angiogenesis, immune escape of viruses and drug resistance against tumors. In this study, the truncated extracellular segment containing two immunoglobulin-like domains of human AXL (AXL-IG), which has been confirmed to bind growth arrest specific 6 (GAS6) by structural studies [1], was expressed in a prokaryotic expression system and then purified. Immunizing camelid with the purified AXL-IG as antigen could lead to the production of unique nanobodies composed of only variable domain of heavy chain of heavy-chain antibody (VHH), which are around 15 kD and stable. We screened out a nanobody A-LY01 specific binding to AXL-IG. We further determined the affinity of A-LY01 to AXL-IG and revealed that A-LY01 could specifically recognize full-length AXL on the surface of HEK 293T/17 cells. Our study provides appropriate support for the development of diagnostic reagents and antibody therapeutics targeting AXL. • AXL-IG protein was expressed in E. coli WK6. • A nanobody phage library was constructed. • A nanobody A-LY01 specifically binds to AXL was screened out by phage display technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Microplastic is an umbrella term that covers particles with various physical and chemical properties. However, microplastics with a consistent shape, polymer type and size are generally used in exposure studies (e.g., spherical polyethylene or polystyrene beads 1–100 μm in size). In the present study, we exposed freshwater Asian clams (Corbicula fluminea) to microfibers with different physicochemical properties at concentrations of 100 and 1000 fibers/L. The first experiment in this study exposed clams to microfibers made from six different polymers, demonstrating that Asian clams uptake more polyester (PET) (4.1 items/g) relevant to other polymers. The next experiment exposed clams to PET fibers of different size classes, demonstrating that uptake in the size range 100–250 μm (1.7 items/g) was greater than other size classes. These results suggest that physicochemical properties such as polymer and size play important roles in the uptake of microfibers by organisms. Thus, we strongly suggest that the properties of microplastics used in future laboratory exposure experiments be considered, with the aim of being "environmentally relevant", i.e., similar to what is found in nature. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • The uptake of microfibers by clams varies by polymer type and size. • The uptake of fibers was greater in 1000 items/L than that in 100 items/L groups. • Clams were more likely to uptake polyester fibers in the smaller size range. • Microplastics with "environmentally relevant properties" should be used in future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Alloreactive Th17 cells play an important role at the early stage of allograft rejection. • TLR2 deficiency enhances cardiac transplantation rejection in mice. • TLR2-deficient recipient mice show high alloreactive Th17 cells. • IL-6 secreted by dendritic cells of TLR2-deficient mice contributes to driving Th17 skewing. The emergence of alloreactive Th17 cells that mediate allograft rejection has provided an impetus to understand the factors affecting the generation of Th17 cells in allograft transplantation. How toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) signalling regulates the generation of Th17 cells upon alloantigen stimuli remains unclear. In this study, we used a mouse model of cardiac allograft transplantation to investigate whether TLR2 signalling influences the development of Th17 cells. Here, we demonstrate that the TLR2-deficient recipient mice show high Th17 cells, both in spleens and allografts, as well as higher infiltrating inflammatory leukocytes in cardiac allografts compared to wild-type control recipient mice. mRNA expression of IL-17, IL-6, TNF-α, CCR6 and CCL20 within the allografts is markedly increased in TLR2-deficient recipient mice compared to wild-type recipient mice. In addition, TLR2 deficiency leads to upregulation of Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) phosphorylation in both spleens and allografts. In an in vitro experiment, a mixed lymphocyte reaction was assessed, which further confirmed that TLR2 deficiency leads to a significant increase in the generation of Th17 cells compared with wild-type controls. Furthermore, IL-6 secreted by the dendritic cells of TLR2-deficient mice contributes to driving the generation of these Th17 cells. These results suggest that TLR2 signalling is important in regulating the development of Th17 cells after cardiac allograft transplantation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • Interleukin (IL)-17 and IL-25 are involved in the pathogenesis of Con A-induced hepatitis. • Glycyrrhizin ameliorates Con A-induced liver injury by suppressing the production of IL-17. • Application of glycyrrhizin augments the expression of IL-25 in the liver. • IL-25 recruit accumulation of Gr-1+ CD11b+ MDSCs (myeloid-derived suppressor cell) to restrain immune cell activation evoked by Con A challenge. Abstract Glycyrrhizin, a triterpenoid compound, has been reported to be an anti-inflammatory agent for the treatment of a variety of inflammatory diseases including hepatitis. However, the mechanism by which glycyrrhizin inhibits inflammation is unclear. Using a Con A-induced hepatitis model in mice, we found that administration of glycyrrhizin ameliorates Con A-induced liver injury, which manifests as reduction in the production of inflammatory cytokines IFN-γ, IL-6 and IL-17, as well as serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT). Blockade of IL-17 dramatically mitigates liver injury resulting from Con A challenge. Interestingly, at both the mRNA and protein levels, the endogenous alarmin inflammatory molecule high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) is significantly decreased in mice injected with glycyrrhizin combined with Con A compared to those injected with Con A alone. In contrast, the administration of glycyrrhizin with Con A challenge up-regulates the production of IL-25. Furthermore, an increase in the proportion of protective lymphocyte subset, Gr-1+ CD11b+ (Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cell, MDSCs), could be induced by increased IL-25 to restrain immune cell activation and favor the resolution of detrimental immune reactions caused by Con A challenge. The results indicate that glycyrrhizin plays a protective role in Con A-induced hepatitis. This protective role is particularly associated with reducing the production of IL-17 and enhancing the expression of IL-25. The present study may provide a new strategy for the treatment of acute hepatitis in the clinical setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract A low-cost, convenient and organic solvent-free approach was investigated to nanoencapsulate curcumin (CCM) in myofibrillar proteins (MPs) as a potential strategy to improve the oxidative stability of marinated meat products. The encapsulation was enabled by shifting CCM–MP mixture to pH 12 and then pH 7 at different ionic strengths. Stable CCM–MP nanocomplexes were formed at 0.3, 0.6 and 0.9 mol/L NaCl, resulting from the exposure of hydrophobic residues of MPs at alkaline pH to bind with dissolved CCM, which enabled an encapsulation efficiency of about 80% and particle diameters of about 300 nm. DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging tests showed good antioxidant activity of CCM–MP nanocomplexes that enabled the reduction of TBARS and carbonyls values of both raw and cooked chicken meat during refrigerated storage for 12 days. Overall, the stable CCM–MP nanocomplexes show the potential applications to manufacture functional meat products with improved quality. Highlights • MPs can be used as a novel carrier to encapsulate CCM by pH shifting method. • The solubility and bioavailability of CCM were improved after encapsulating in MPs. • Stable CCM–MP nanocomplexes were formed at ionic strength of 0.3, 0.6 and 0.9 mol/L. • CCM–MP nanocomplexes could protect chicken meat from oxidation during storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the influence of pH (7.0, 8.0 and 9.0) plus thermal treatment (75 °C, 30 min) on the interfacial and emulsifying properties of myosin (extracted from chicken breast) after re-adjusted to pH 7.0. Turbidity and particle size distribution was applied to characterize the aggregation of myosin; results revealed that the alkali-heat treatment effectively decreased the extent of heat-induced aggregation of myosin. The degree of aggregation depends on the pH during heating, with the order being S1 > S2 > S3. Compared with heat treatment alone, alkali-heat induced aggregates diffused to the vicinity of the soy oil-water interface more rapidly and exhibited the higher interfacial pressure with the higher interfacial protein concentration. The degree of heat-induced aggregation of myosin aggregates influenced the emulsion stability. The emulsions stabilized by S3 (low degree aggregation) presented the smaller droplet size and better storage stability than S1 and S2 (high degree aggregation). Confocal laser scanning microscopy analysis demonstrated that bridging flocculation was the main reason for poor emulsifying properties in aggregates S1 and S2 emulsions, whereas the excellent emulsion stability of S3 can even match that of native myosin. According to the above results, S3 possibly stabilized the emulsion with steric repulsion in a microgel-like form. These results indicate that alkali-heat treatment have important implications for the formulation of protein aggregates based emulsions, using meat proteins as emulsifier. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soluble aggregates, instead of insoluble gel network, were formed on heat-treated chicken breast myosin through alkaline pH-induced electrostatic regulation. Heat treatment of myosin at pH 9.0 significantly increased solubility, decreased turbidity, and resulted in the highest content at 260 nm particle size compared with those at pH 7.0 and 8.0. Results indicated that soluble myosin aggregates were produced at pH 9.0. The surface hydrophobicity and reactive sulfhydryl (R-SH) of unheated sample revealed gradual increases with increased pH. This increase was related to the decreased α-helical, thereby suggesting myosin unfolding. After heating, treatment at pH 9.0 showed the lowest surface hydrophobicity and R-SH, which may contribute to the highest dispersibility. Moreover, heated myosin (pH 9.0) after reshifting pH still exhibited excellent stability, which indicated the irreversible soluble aggregates formation. The controlled production of aggregates may provide the possibility of using soluble aggregates as ingredients for expanded meat protein application in beverage products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel magnetic copper-based metal organic framework (M-MOF-199) has been successfully prepared using Fe 3 O 4 –graphene oxide (GO) nanocomposite for solid phase extraction of five triazole pesticides from environment water samples. High-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry was used for sample quantification and determination. The results suggest that Fe 4 O 3 –GO is a thin single-layer structure anchoring Fe 3 O 4 and M-MOF-199 is coated on its surface. Under the optimized conditions, the limits of detection of the triazole pesticides are 0.05–0.1 (S/N = 3) with correlation coefficients larger than 0.992. The recoveries in spiked water samples are 72.3%–91.53% with relative standard deviations ranging from 1.5% to 9.1%. Furthermore, the results show that M-MOF-199 is a promising hybrid adsorbent for magnetic dispersive solid phase extraction and removal of triazole pesticides from environmental water samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Density of microplastics has been regarded as the primary property that affect the distribution and bioavailability of microplastics in the water column. For measuring the density of microplastis, we developed a simple and rapid method based on density gradient solutions. In this study, we tested four solvents to make the density gradient solutions, i.e., ethanol (0.8 g/cm 3 ), ultrapure water (1.0 g/cm 3 ), saturated NaI (1.8 g/cm 3 ) and ZnCl 2 (1.8 g/cm 3 ). Density of microplastics was measured via observing the float or sink status in the density gradient solutions. We found that density gradient solutions made from ZnCl 2 had a larger uncertainty in measuring density than that from NaI, most likely due to a higher surface tension of ZnCl 2 solution. Solutions made from ethanol, ultrapure water, and NaI showed consistent density results with listed densities of commercial products, indicating that these density gradient solutions were suitable for measuring microplastics with a density range of 0.8–1.8 g/cm 3 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the functional adsorbent metal-organic framework ZIF-8/magnetic multi-walled carbon nanotubes (M-M-ZIF-8) was successfully prepared for removal of eight organophosphorus pesticides from environmental water and soil samples. The M-M-ZIF-8 was characterized and their adsorption capacity was evaluated based on their isothermal adsorption curves. The results suggest that ZIF-8 particles are deposited on the surface of the magnetic MWCNTs via coordination-polymerization strategy. In addition, M-M-ZIF-8 has high static adsorption capacities for organophosphorus pesticides because of its high specific surface area and porous structure. The static adsorption data fit the Freundlich adsorption model better than the Langmuir model. Under the optimized conditions, M-M-ZIF-8 was successfully applied to remove the eight organophosphorus pesticides from environmental water and soil samples. A possible mechanism is valence-electron-driven adsorption by sharing or exchanging of electrons between the organophosphorus pesticide molecules and the vacant active sites of M-M-ZIF-8. Therefore, M-M-ZIF-8 is a promising hybrid adsorbent for adsorption and removal of organic pollutions from the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel magnetic copper-based metal–organic framework (M-MOF) was prepared using a Fe 4 O 3 –graphene oxide (GO)–β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) nanocomposite as the magnetic core and support, and used for adsorption and removal of neonicotinoid insecticide pollutants from aqueous solution. M-MOF characterization suggested that 1 Fe 4 O 3 –GO–β-CD consisted of a thin single layer with anchored Fe 3 O 4 . The M-MOF was coated on the Fe 4 O 3 –GO–β-CD surface. The M-MOF had a large Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface area (250.33 m 2 g −1) and high super-paramagnetism with saturation magnetization of 10.47 emu g −1 . Adsorption model analysis showed that the equilibrium data for thiacloprid fitted Langmuir monolayer adsorption and the other insecticides tested showed Freundlich bimolecular layer adsorption. The results show that M-MOF is a promising hybrid adsorbent for rapid removal of neonicotinoid insecticide pollutants from environmental waters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three reduced graphene oxide (rGO) with different defect contents were prepared at 250, 600 and 1000 °C, respectively, using thermal reduction method, and their effects on the oxidative coupling processes of 4-methoxyphenol (MOP) in aqueous solution were investigated. In the presence of rGOs, the oxidation of MOP was dramatically accelerated. At the same surface area dose, the catalytic efficiencies of three rGOs followed an ascending order of rGO 250 ≤ rGO 600 < rGO 1000 . Using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and molecular modeling computation, we identified the coupling products (dimer, trimer, and tetramer), and revealed that ortho C O and ortho-ortho C C coupling between two MOP radicals were the main reaction pathways. Dissolved oxygen and structural defects of rGOs played important roles in the oxidation of MOP. It is proposed that dissolved oxygen reacted with the defect sites of rGO to produce surface-bound superoxide species, which captured H atom from the phenolic hydroxyl group of MOP to generate MOP radical and H 2 O 2 . A portion of H 2 O 2 can be catalyzed further by rGO to hydroxyl radical, which continued to react with MOP to produce MOP radical and H 2 O. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although many prokaryotes have glycolysis alternatives, it's considered as the only energy-generating glucose catabolic pathway in eukaryotes. Here, we managed to create a hybrid-glycolysis yeast. Subsequently, we identified an inositol pyrophosphatase encoded by OCA5 that could regulate glycolysis and respiration by adjusting 5-diphosphoinositol 1,2,3,4,6-pentakisphosphate (5-InsP 7) levels. 5-InsP 7 levels could regulate the expression of genes involved in glycolysis and respiration, representing a global mechanism that could sense ATP levels and regulate central carbon metabolism. The hybrid-glycolysis yeast did not produce ethanol during growth under excess glucose and could produce 2.68 g/L free fatty acids, which is the highest reported production in shake flask of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This study demonstrated the significance of hybrid-glycolysis yeast and determined Oca5 as an inositol pyrophosphatase controlling the balance between glycolysis and respiration, which may shed light on the role of inositol pyrophosphates in regulating eukaryotic metabolism. [Display omitted] • Hybrid of glycolysis with the phosphoketolase pathway made an efficient cell factory • Oca5, identified as an inositol pyrophosphatase, degrading 5-InsP 7 to InsP 6 • InsPs control gene expression involved in glycolysis and respiration to balance fluxes • The mechanism of Oca5 regulating glycolysis and respiration was elaborated Glycolysis is considered as the only energy-generating glucose catabolic pathway in eukaryotes. Qin et al. establish a hybrid-glycolysis yeast that disrupts the Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas glycolysis pathway and introduced components of the phosphoketolase pathway. They further identify Oca5 as an inositol pyrophosphatase controlling the balance between glycolysis and respiration activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patiromer powder for oral suspension (patiromer o.s.) is a once-daily, potassium (K+) binder approved for the treatment of hyperkalemia. It is known that patiromer o.s. can be mixed with water, apple juice, or cranberry juice. This in vitro study assessed whether mixing patiromer o.s. with a variety of other liquids and soft foods would affect the total K+-exchange capacity (TKEC) of patiromer. Juices (grape, orange, pear, or pineapple), nectars (apricot or peach), and other liquids/soft foods (milk, thickener, apple sauce, chocolate pudding, vanilla pudding, or yoghurt) were assessed for compatibility with patiromer o.s. at low and high ratio levels, equivalent to patiromer active moiety doses of 8.4 g and 25.2 g per 80 mL (1/3 cup), respectively. Mixtures were stirred, rested for 45 min, diluted with water, and centrifuged. Residues were washed, vacuum filtered, and dried. TKEC of the residue was evaluated; the prespecified acceptance criterion for patiromer was 8.4–10.0 mmol/g. Mean TKECs of the patiromer in juices/nectars were 8.7–8.9 mmol/g for the low ratio and 8.5–8.6 mmol/g for the high ratio. For other liquids/soft foods, the mean TKEC for patiromer at low and high ratios was 8.5–8.7 mmol/g. All tested vehicles were within the prespecified range. Mixing of patiromer o.s. with juices/liquids and soft foods does not adversely affect the K+-binding capability of patiromer. Use of different vehicles for suspending patiromer o.s. may help with its palatability, enhance patient experience, and reduce nonadherence. The potassium binder, patiromer powder for oral suspension, can be mixed with water, juices (apple, cranberry, grape, orange, pear, or pineapple), nectar (apricot or peach), other liquids (milk or thickener), and soft foods (apple sauce, chocolate or vanilla pudding, or yoghurt) for the treatment of hyperkalemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Preeclampsia (PE) is a severe complication that occurs during pregnancy and a main cause of perinatal mortality of mothers as well as infants, which is characterized by abnormal placental trophoblast. Previous study reported that aberrant circular RNA (circRNA) was involved in the pathogenesis and progression of PE. Herein, we aimed to investigate the role of circCRIM1 and explore the mechanism of circCRIM1 in PE. Methods: The quantitative real‐time PCR (qRT‐PCR) was conducted to determine the relative expression of circCRIM1, miR‐942‐5p, and IL1RAP in tissues and cells. Cell proliferation viability was assessed by both MTT and EdU assays. Cell cycle distribution was analyzed using flow cytometry. Transwell assay was performed to test the cell migration and invasion. The protein levels of CyclinD1, MMP9, MMP2, and IL1RAP were measured by western blot. The putative binding sites between miR‐942‐5p and circCRIM1 or IL1RAP 3′UTR were verified by dual‐luciferase reporter gene assay. Rescue experiment was performed to confirm that miR‐942‐5p/IL1RAP axis was functional target of circCRIM1 in trophoblast cells. Results: CircCRIM1 was upregulated in placenta tissues of PE and its expression was inversely related to infant weight. Overexpression of circCRIM1 suppressed proliferation, migration, and invasion and reduced the protein levels of CyclinD1, MMP9, MMP2 of trophoblast cells, whereas its knockdown exerted the opposite effect. CircCRIM1 could interact with miR‐942‐5p, and introduction of miR‐942‐5p partially abated the inhibitory effect of circCRIM1 on trophoblast cell behaviors. IL1RAP was directly targeted and negatively regulated by miR‐942‐5p. miR‐942‐5p played its regulatory role on cell proliferation, migration, and invasion of trophoblast by IL1RAP. Further analysis showed that circCRIM1 modulated IL1RAP expression via sponging miR‐942‐5p. Conclusion: The results of the present study demonstrated that circCRIM1 inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion of trophoblast cells through sponging miR‐942‐5p and up‐regulating IL1RAP, providing a possible new mechanism of PE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), as an endogenous inflammatory molecule, can promote inflammatory cytokines secretion by acting on TLR2/4 resulting in tissue damage. The underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here we report a novel role of HMGB1 in controlling the maintenance and function of intestine-resident group-3 innate lymphoid cells (ILC3s) that are important innate effector cells implicated in mucosal homeostasis and IBD pathogenesis. We showed that mice treated with anti-HMGB1 Ab, or genetically deficient for TLR2–/– or TLR4–/– mice, displayed reduced intestinal inflammation. In these mice, the numbers of colonic ILC3s were significantly reduced, and the levels of IL-17 and IL-22 that can be secreted by ILC3s were also decreased in the colon tissues. Furthermore, HMGB1 promoted DCs via TLR2/4 signaling to produce IL-23, activating ILC3s to produce IL-17 and IL-22. Our data thus indicated that the HMGB1-TLR2/4-DCs-IL-23 cascade pathway enhances the functions of ILC3s to produce IL-17 and IL-22, and this signal way might play a vital role in the development of IBD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Animal morphogenesis requires folds or clefts to separate populations of cells which are often associated with different cell affinities. In the Drosophila wing imaginal disc, the regional expression of the Iroquois complex ( Iro-C ) in the notum leads to the formation of the hinge/notum (H/N) fold that separates the wing hinge and notum territories. Although Decapentaplegic (Dpp) signaling has been revealed as essential for the hinge/notum subdivision through the restriction of Iro-C toward the notum region, the mechanism by which the H/N border develops into a fold is unknown. Here, we report that a Dpp target gene, optomotor-blind ( omb ), mediates the role of Dpp signaling in Iro-C inhibition. omb is complementarily expressed on the dorsal hinge side, abutting the Iro-C domain along the H/N border. Ectopic omb expression inhibits Iro-C in the notum territory, independent of known Iro-C regulators Msh and Stat92E. Uniform manipulation of either omb or Iro-C genes spanning the presumptive H/N border significantly suppresses H/N fold formation via inhibition of the apical microtubule enrichment. Ectopically sharp border or discontinuity in level of Iro-C or Omb is enough to generate ectopic fold formation. These results reveal that omb and Iro-C not only are complementarily expressed but also cooperate to promote H/N fold formation. Our data help to understand how Dpp signaling is interpreted region-specifically during tissue subdivision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autophagy and apoptosis are common responses to pathological damage in the process of Parkinson's disease (PD), and lysosome dysfunction may contribute to the etiology of PD's neurodegenerative process. In this study, we demonstrated that the neurotoxin 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) increased autophagy in SH-SY5Y cells, as determined by detection of the lysosome marker lysosomal-associated membrane protein1, the autophagy protein light chain 3 (LC3)-II and the autophagy substrate P62 protein. Meanwhile, autophagy repression with 3-methyladenine accelerated the activation of caspase-3 and PARP and aggravated the cell apoptotic death induced by 6-OHDA. Furthermore, we found that 6-OHDA treatment resulted in a transient increase in the intracellular and nuclear expression of cathepsin L (CTSL). The CTSL inhibitor, Z-FY-CHO, could promote autophagy, decrease accumulation of P62, and block activation of caspase-3 and PARP. Taken together, these results suggest that activation of autophagy may primarily be a protective process in SH-SY5Y cell death induced by 6-OHDA, and the nuclear translocation of CTSL could enhance the cell apoptotic cascade via disturbing autophagy-apoptotic systems in SH-SY5Y cells. Our findings highlight the potential role of CTSL in the cross talk between autophagy and apoptosis, which might be considered a therapeutic strategy for treatment of pathologic conditions associated with neurodegeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mediation effect of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) on the oxidative transformation of 1,4-hydroquinone (H 2 Q) to 1,4-benzoquinone (BQ) in aqueous solution was investigated using a batch method and electron paramagnetic resonance. The results showed that the autoxidation of H 2 Q was spin-restricted and extremely slow in acidic and neutral pH range, but this process can be dramatically accelerated when rGO was added. In the presence of 33.3 mg L −1 rGO, more than 76.0% of H 2 Q was oxidized to BQ within 36 h. The enhancement effects of rGO were attributed to the combined contribution of the high chemical reactivity of graphenic edges and defects on rGO and the high electron conductivity of graphene basal surface of rGO. It is proposed that dissolved oxygen reacted with graphenic edges and defects of rGO to produce surface-bound oxygen intermediates, which capture H atoms from the phenolic hydroxyl groups of H 2 Q and facilitate the generation of semiquinone radical (SQ − ). The generated SQ − continued to transfer an electron to molecular oxygen to yield superoxide radical (O 2 − ) and BQ. As a chain-carrying radical, O 2 − further reacted with H 2 Q to produce SQ − and H 2 O 2 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A new design of graphene quantum dots (GQDs) integrated with MnO 2 is proposed. • GQDs play an important role in optimizing structure and performance of MnO 2. • Such composite electrode shows superior capacitive storage behaviors in IL electrolyte. • A high-performance flexible IL-based supercapacitor is successfully assembled. • High energy/power densities and strong durability are acquired in flexible device. Utilizing ionic liquid (IL) as electrolyte to fabricate supercapacitor is an effective strategy for increasing its operating voltage and energy density. Although manganese dioxide (MnO 2) can exhibit pseudocapacitive storage behavior in some specific IL electrolytes, it still suffers from low specific capacitance as well as unsatisfactory kinetics. Herein, a new design of graphene quantum dots (GQDs) integrated with MnO 2 nanosheets is proposed to construct a GQDs@MnO 2 composite electrode for IL-based supercapacitor. Synergistically coupling of GQDs with MnO 2 nanosheets provides a 3D nanoflower architecture with increased surface area, enhanced electrochemical kinetics and excellent structural integrity. The GQDs play an important role in modifying the density of state and energy bandgap as well as enhance the electronic conductivity of GQDs@MnO 2 electrode. These properties endow the superior capacitive storage, rapid charge–discharge response and high electrochemical reversibility for GQDs@MnO 2 electrode in IL electrolyte. For real-life application, a high-performance flexible IL-based supercapacitor is assembled, which can deliver a high energy density (82.2 Wh kg−1), a high power density (11.6 kW kg−1), and long-term cycle performance upon the straight and bent states, suggesting its great potential in energy-related technologies and portable electronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The functional consequence of N 6 -methyladenosine (m6A) RNA modification is mediated by "reader" proteins of the YTH family. YTH domain-containing 2 (YTHDC2) is essential for mammalian fertility, but its molecular function is poorly understood. Here, we identify U-rich motifs as binding sites of YTHDC2 on 3′ UTRs of mouse testicular RNA targets. Although its YTH domain is an m6A-binder in vitro , the YTH point mutant mice are fertile. Significantly, the loss of its 3′→5′ RNA helicase activity causes mouse infertility, with the catalytic-dead mutation being dominant negative. Biochemical studies reveal that the weak helicase activity of YTHDC2 is enhanced by its interaction with the 5′→3′ exoribonuclease XRN1. Single-cell transcriptomics indicate that Ythdc2 mutant mitotic germ cells transition into meiosis but accumulate a transcriptome with mixed mitotic/meiotic identity that fail to progress further into meiosis. Finally, our demonstration that y thdc2 mutant zebrafish are infertile highlights its conserved role in animal germ cell development. [Display omitted] • m6A-reading capacity of YTHDC2 is not essential for mouse fertility • YTHDC2 binds U-rich motifs in 3′ UTR of mRNAs • The essential RNA helicase activity of YTHDC2 is enhanced by XRN1 • Ythdc2 mutant germ cells have a mixed mitotic-meiotic identity Li et al. show that the m6A-reading capacity of YTHDC2 is not essential for mouse fertility, but instead it binds U-rich motifs on RNAs and depends on its essential RNA helicase activity. YTHDC2 allows fine separation of the mitotic and meiotic transcriptomes as germ cells transition into meiosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A multi-layered MXene-stabilized PPy composite electrode is designed via a facile dip-coating method. • In-situ Raman investigation proves the MXene coating inhibits the irreversible redox reaction of PPy. • The composite electrode shows high specific capacity and long-term stability over 2500 cycles. • A high-performance flexible aqueous battery is effectively assembled for portable/wearable electronics. Although polypyrrole (PPy) has been recognized as a promising organic electrode for rechargeable aqueous batteries (RABs), the practical application is still restricted by its rapid capacity fading after repeated cycles. Herein, a multilayer structural MXene-stabilized PPy (MXene@PPy) composite has been purposefully designed via a facile dip-coating approach, wherein the MXene coating effectively inhibits the structural degradation and irreversible redox reaction of PPy during the electrochemical process, demonstrated by electrochemical measurements combined with in-situ Raman investigation. Density functional theory (DFT) calculation further confirms the obvious electron transfer from MXene to PPy, leading to the formation of electron-rich region on PPy and hole-rich region on MXene, thereby promoting the redox reaction of PPy in the MXene@PPy composite with increased density of states (DOS). As an electrode, the MXene@PPy composite exhibits a large specific capacity of 124.9 mAh g−1 at 1.0 mA cm−2, high coulombic efficiency of ∼100%, superior charge-transfer capability, excellent rate performance and long-term cycling stability with high capacity retention of ∼80.3% over 2500 cycles in acidic aqueous electrolyte. For real application, a high-performance flexible RAB device constructed with such MXene@PPy composite electrode has been substantiated as the efficient power source, revealing its potential applications in high-safety portable/wearable electronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pneumococcal type-3 polysaccharide (Pn3P) is considered a major target for the development of a human vaccine to protect against Streptococcus pneumoniae infection. Thus, it is critical to develop methods for the preparation and analysis of Pn3P-derived oligosaccharides to better understand its immunological properties. In this paper, we profile oligosaccharides, generated by the free radical depolymerization of Pn3P, using liquid chromatography (LC)–tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). Hydrophilic liquid interaction chromatography (HILIC)–mass spectrometry (MS) revealed a series of oligosaccharides with an even- and odd-number of saccharide residues, ranging from monosaccharide, degree of polymerization (dp1) to large oligosaccharides up to dp 20, generated by free radical depolymerization. Isomers of oligosaccharides with an even number of sugar residues were easily separated on a HILIC column, and their sequences could be distinguished by comparing MS/MS of these oligosaccharides and their reduced alditols. Fluorescent labeling with 2-aminoacridone (AMAC) followed by reversed phase (RP)-LC–MS/MS was applied to analyze and sequence poorly separated product mixtures, as RP-LC affords higher resolution of AMAC-labeled oligosaccharides than does HILIC-based separation. The present methodology can be potentially applied to profiling other capsular polysaccharides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The aim of the present paper was to investigate the inhibition performance of the OF and/or IM on L360 steel in CO2/H2S environments. The pipeline steel surface usually has been pre-treated before using in the oil/gas field, such as by passivation, blackening, and phosphiding. The effectiveness of inhibition can vary because there are many differences between the metal matrix and the treated film. Design/methodology/approach – Imidazoline (IM) was synthesized by using oleic acid and diethylenetriamine, and its composition was verified using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The oxide film (OF) covering a sample of L360 steel was characterized using X-ray diffraction, and its surface morphology was observed using scanning electron microscope. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements were conducted to study the inhibition performance of IM- and/or OF-covered L360 steel in the CO2/H2S environments. Findings – The results show that IM and OF can prevent corrosion on L360 steel in CO2/H2S environments, and the synergistic inhibition effect of IM and OF was very evident. A possible model is proposed to explain the synergistic inhibition effect in the CO2/H2S environments of IM and OF on L360 steel. Originality/value – Few reports have concerned the effect of the OF on the inhibitor’s performance, especially in CO2/H2S systems. The aim of the present study was to investigate the inhibition performance of the OF and/or IM on L360 steel in CO2/H2S environments. A model is proposed to explain the synergistic inhibition effect mechanism between IM and OF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ZY-3 is China’s first civilian high-resolution stereo surveying and mapping satellite, which is equipped with a three-line array panchromatic stereo camera. However, high-resolution satellite images (HRSIs) often suffer from satellite attitude oscillation, which can cause image distortions, and thus affect the geo-positioning accuracy. This paper presents an approach based on three-line array stereo images to detect and estimate the periodic distortions of ZY-3 that are caused by attitude oscillation. The proposed approach includes three main components, as follows: (1) A comprehensive image matching strategy, which combines the algorithms of the scale-invariant-feature-transform (SIFT), relative orientation, geometrically constrained cross-correlation (GC3), normalized cross-correlation (NCC) and least squares matching (LSM), is presented to generate dense conjugate points in multiple images. (2) A detection method is proposed to examine the relative image distortion, based on the back-projection residuals of the stereo pairs. By the use of the conjugate points, the corresponding elevation plane of each conjugate point is determined on the basis of the forward intersection. The conjugate points in an image are then forward-projected to the elevation plane to obtain their coordinates in the ground space, with the aid of the RPCs provided with the imagery. Furthermore, these ground points are back-projected to the other images. Therefore, the relative image distortions are detected by calculating the residuals between the back-projected points and the corresponding conjugate points in the image space. (3) The sum of the sinusoidal functions is presented to model the periodic distortions caused by the attitude oscillation. Based on the constructed distortion model, the absolute image distortions in the across-track direction are estimated by the use of the steepest descent algorithm. Three experiments were conducted to assess the proposed method for estimation of the periodic distortions of ZY-3 satellite images. The experimental results demonstrated the following: (1) an absolute periodic distortion of around 0.67 Hz in three-line array images of ZY-3 was, for the first time, estimated in the across-track direction. An amplitude of about 2.63 pixels was detected for the images acquired in the early period after satellite launch. However, the amplitude became smaller in the images acquired in the later periods. (2) With respect to the estimated image distortions from the intra-track images, the back-projected residuals between the inter-track images could be improved to a sub-pixel accuracy level after distortion compensation. (3) After conducting the periodic distortion compensation, the discrepancies of the check points (CKPs) could be reduced from 1.86, 1.42 and 0.73 pixels to 0.62, 0.41 and 0.51 pixels for the nadir, forward and backward images with five ground control points (GCPs), respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]