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A series of micro-nanofiber composite membranes with stimuli-responsive properties were prepared using electrospinning technique by combining fluorescent small molecules TPECNPy-2 and TPECNPy-3 with polylactic acid (PLA). The effects of the content of TPECNPy-2 and TPECNPy-3 on the structure and acidochromic properties of the fiber composite membranes were analyzed. The results show that the relative ratio of TPECNPy-2 and TPECNPy-3 has no significant effect on the chemical structure, fiber morphology and aggregation structure of the composite membrane, and the diameter of the prepared fibers ranges between 400~500 nm. Under the action of acid vapor, the maximum fluorescence emission wavelength of the composite fiber membrane change from 492~499 nm before acid fumigation to 542~587 nm. The greater the content of TPECNPy-2 in the system, the more obvious the spectral red shift. The fluorescence emission of the composite membrane after acid fumigation is restored to the initial state by ammonia fumigation. When fluorescent small molecules are added, the contact angle of the fiber membrane increaseds from 101.6° to 125°. The series of composite fiber membranes have good reversible acidochromic properties. The hydrophobicity of the fiber membrane is significantly improved after the addition of two organic small molecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peroxidasin plays a unique role in the formation and stability of extracellular matrix (ECM) in the animal kingdom; however, it was only characterized in Diptera, not in other insect orders. In this study peroxidasin (CsPxd) was first identified and characterized from Chilo suppressalis, a lepidopteran pest. CsPxd complementary DNA with a 4080 bp open reading frame encodes a peptide of 1359 amino acids; the derived amino acid sequence of CsPxd harbors the typical structural characteristics of peroxidasin family in heme‐peroxidase superfamily, including the signal peptide at N‐terminal, leucine‐rich repeat domain, Ig‐loop motifs and peroxidase domain, signifying the extracellular location of protein and the involvement in ECM formation. Eukaryotic expression reveals CsPxd protein displays peroxidase activity on H2O2, justifying the membership of peroxidase. Phyletic analysis shows the monophyletic evolution pattern of peroxidasin in insect phyle, and moreover only one peroxidasin is present in each species of insects, suggesting its evolutionary conservation on function. Peroxidasin messenger RNA is mainly expressed in egg and the final instar larvae stage. Injection of peroxidasin double‐stranded RNA into the final instar larvae impacts the cuticle sclerotization during the metamorphosis from larvae to pupa, and eventually lead to lethality of larvae and pupa. These results suggest the presence of collagen crosslink in chorion and cuticle of insects, and indicate peroxidasin plays a role in the development of chorion and cuticle; furthermore peroxidasin might be the one of potential target genes for pest control using RNA interference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Methoxycarbonylsulfenyl isocyanate, CH3OC(O)SNCO was generated and investigated by He I photoelectron spectroscopy and photoionization mass spectroscopy. Full optimizations of the geometries for the neutral molecule and the cationic-radical form were calculated using ab initio and DFT methods. Vibrational analysis was applied to determine that the neutral and cationic-radical forms were stationary points. Combined with theoretical calculations and electronic structures of similar compounds, the PE spectrum was assigned. The first vertical ionization potential of CH3OC(O)SNCO is 9.56eV, which can be assigned to the removal of an electron from the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) (7a′′), which is characterized by the sulfur lone pair ionization, with a great contribution from the out-of-plane orbital of isocyanate group πNCO. The conformation of the cationic-radical form changed after one electron removed from the HOMO of the neutral. In the PIMS, there are six peaks, with the dominant features being the CH3OCO and CH3 peaks. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this study, PCR-SSCP analysis was used to identify genetic variation in IGFBP-3 gene in Chinese Merino and Kazakh sheep. A PCR product of 178 bp corresponding to partial intron1 illustrated three unique binding patterns by SSCP analysis. Frequencies of the genotype AA, AB, BB and allele A, B in Chinese Merino sheep were 0.70, 0.24, 0.06, and 0.82, 0.18 respectively , and they were 0.87, 0.13, 0.00, and 0.93, 0.07 respectively in Kazaka sheep. Sequence analysis revealed a G/T transversion at position 122 of the fragment. This polymorphic locus of IGFBP-3 gene was at Hardy-Weinberg dis-equilibrium (P<0.01) in the two breeds. Different genotypes slightly affected several wool traits of Chinese Merino sheep. The individuals of genotype AA, AB, and BB had no significant difference in post-shearing weight and clean wool rate. Sta-ple length (SL) was decreased with the genotype of AA, AB, and BB, and the difference between AA and AB was significant (P<0.01). Greasy fleece weight (GFW) and follicle density in individuals of genotype AA was significantly lower than that in individuals of genotype AB (P<0.01) and BB (P<0.05); Average fiber diameter (AFD) in individuals of genotype AA was significantly higher than that in individuals of genotype AB (P<0.01) and BB (P<0.05).