Search

Key message: Key message Three major QTLs for resistance to downy mildew were located within an 0.78 Mb interval on chromosome 8 in foxtail millet. Downy mildew, a disease caused by Sclerospora graminicola, is a serious problem that jeopardizes the yield and quality of foxtail millet. Breeding resistant varieties represents one of the most economical and effective solutions, yet there is a lack of molecular markers related to the resistance. Here, a mapping population comprising of 158 F6:7 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) was constructed from the crossing of G1 and JG21. Based on the specific locus amplified fragment sequencing results, a high-density linkage map of foxtail millet with 1031 bin markers, spanning 1041.66 cM was constructed. Based on the high-density linkage map and the phenotype data in four environments, a total of nine quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with resistance to downy mildew were identified. Further BSR-seq confirmed the genomic regions containing the potential candidate genes related to downy mildew resistance. Interestingly, a 0.78-Mb interval between C8M257 and C8M268 on chromosome 8 was highlighted because of its presence in three major QTL, qDM8_1, qDM8_2, and qDM8_4, which contains 10 NBS-LRR genes. Haplotype analysis in RILs and natural population suggest that 9 SNP loci on Seita8G.199800, Seita8G.195900, Seita8G.198300, and Seita.8G199300 genes were significantly correlated with disease resistance. Furthermore, we found that those genes were taxon-specific by collinearity analysis of pearl millet and foxtail millet genomes. The identification of these new resistance QTL and the prediction of resistance genes against downy mildew will be useful in breeding for resistant varieties and the study of genetic mechanisms of downy mildew disease resistance in foxtail millet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Downy mildew caused by Sclerospora graminicola is a systemic disease that affects the yield and quality of foxtail millet. This obligate biotrophic oomycete manipulates host physiology and immune processes through numerous effectors. A thorough comprehension of effector biology is crucial to unravel disease mechanisms and understand host plant resistance. In this study, bioinformatic analyses revealed 498 potentially secreted proteins in S. graminicola, of which 62 were identified as RXLR effectors; 46 RXLR‐encoding genes exhibited upregulated expression during the early stages of infection. To elucidate the functions of these secreted proteins, a heterogeneous expression system was developed using Nicotiana benthamiana. Twenty‐one RXLR effectors secreted by S. graminicola were transiently expressed in N. benthamiana, of which four could suppress INF1‐triggered cell death. Various defence responses in N. benthamiana were attenuated, including inhibition of defence gene expression, reduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and diminished callose deposition. The expression of SG_RXLR41 also enhanced the growth of Phytophthora capsici on N. benthamiana leaves. These findings indicate that S. graminicola facilitates infection and expansion through the secretion of multiple RXLR effectors, and SG_RXLR41 is an important virulence‐related effector that is involved in manipulating plant immunity by suppressing cell death. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various magmatisms during the subduction-collision process are crucial to reveal the long-term tectonic evolution of the eastern Central Asian Orogenic Belt. In this paper, we present major and trace elements of whole-rock, zircon U-Pb dating and Hf isotope of the Shanmen pluton. Results imply that the Shanmen pluton consists of quartz diorite and mylonitic granite, with zircon U-Pb ages of 263.7–259.6 Ma. The studied quartz diorite contains high Sr/Y (51.19–90.87) and (La/Yb)N (7.82–13.62) ratios, and belongs to adakitic rocks. Coupled with the positive εHf(t) values of +5.71 to +12.8 with no obvious Eu anomaly, we propose that quartz diorite is the product of the interaction between different degrees of slab melt and the overlying mantle wedge. In contrast, the mylonitic granite has lower MgO (0.28 wt% – 0.47 wt%) contents and positive εHf(t) values of +7.79 to +10.15, indicating an affinity with I-type granite originated by partial melting of the intermediate-basic lower crust. The geochemical characteristics and lithological assemblages, along with the Permian magmatic rocks in the Changchun-Kaiyuan area displaying arc rocks affinity, propose their formation is related to the southward subduction of the Paleo-Asian Ocean (PAO). Based on this study and previous evidence, we lean towards adopting a middle-late Permian slab break-off model, wherein the PAO did not close until the late Permian. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

C34H37NO6, triclinic, P1̄ (no. 2), a = 6.398(6) Å, b = 10.779(10) Å, c = 12.030(11) Å, α = 71.103(10)°, β = 89.519(11)°, γ = 74.154(11)°, V = 752.2(12) Å3, Z = 1, Rgt(F) = 0.0599, wRref(F2) = 0.1614, T = 296 K. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A novel aptasensor was constructed to detect kanamycin. • A new Gd(III) complex was designed as luminescent material. • Dy-MOF was discovered as co-reactant accelerator. • The dual sensitization strategy enhanced the ECL intensity. This research developed a signal amplification strategy to construct a highly sensitive electrochemiluminescent (ECL) aptasensor by incorporating dysprosium metal–organic framework (Dy-MOF) as a co-reaction accelerator (CRA) in gadolinium (Gd) luminescent complex based ECL system. A new Gd(III) complex GdPc(acac) (Pc = phthalocyanine, acac = acetylacetonate) with semi-sandwich structure was rationally selected as ECL emitter, exhibiting excellent luminescence performance owing to the "antenna effect" from the conjugated macrocyclic ligand. For further improving the sensitivity of the ECL biosensor, Dy-MOF was introduced into the ECL system as CRA. The purposive design and configuration of the Dy-MOF structure accelerated the separation and transport of photogenerated charges, and the nanosheets formed by the composite material provided more active sites, which could not only greatly increased the luminophore loading, but also effectively shorten the transport distance of ions and co-reactants. The constructed biosensor showed superior performance to monitor kanamycin within 0.001 pg/mL-1000 ng/mL and a detection limit down to 0.3 fg/mL (S/N = 3). The current work opened up a skillful strategy to amplify ECL singnal, extending the application field of lanthanide complexes and providing valuable information for the future biosensor design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ants use species‐specific trail pheromones to coordinate their sophisticated foraging behavior. During the past decades, many trail pheromone components with various structures have been identified in ants, including the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta, a notorious invasive species worldwide. Four compounds, Z,E‐ (ZEF) and E,E‐α‐farnesene (EEF), Z,E‐ (ZEHF) and E,E‐α‐homofarnesene (EEHF), have been reported as components of S. invicta trail pheromone. However, another study reported an analog of α‐farnesene, Z,Z,Z‐allofarnesene, as a key trail pheromone component. These contrasting results caused some uncertainty about the trail pheromone composition in S. invicta. In this study, we synthesized ZEF and EEF, ZEHF and EEHF, and reanalyzed the chemicals in the Dufour gland extract and in the trail pheromone fraction of S. invicta worker body extract. The reported isomers of farnesene and homofarnesene were detected and showed trail‐following activity, with ZEF as the major compound, while no allofarnesene was found, neither in the Dufour gland extract nor in the whole‐body extract. Our results confirm ZEF and EEF, ZEHF and EEHF as trail pheromone components of S. invicta. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared with traditional energy aircraft, electric/hybrid aircraft show the advantages of environmental protection and low carbon and have been considered one of the most promising directions for the future development of the aviation industry. However, the battery (battery box) structure employed in electric/hybrid aircraft generally faces several problems (e.g., insufficient rigidity/strength and low structural load-bearing efficiency). In this study, the composite cap-type-reinforced wall plate structure commonly applied in electric aircraft is developed to fill the battery structure using the internal cavity of the cap type, which leads to the formation of an integrated structure type of a composite cap-type-reinforced wall plate filled battery. The basic static strength analysis of the integrated structure was conducted to measure its basic load-bearing capacity. To investigate the impact resistance of the integrated structure, a series of bird collision simulations were conducted to analyze the impact position, impact angle, impact speed, and other factors on the integrated structure and the design direction of the composite cap-type-reinforced wall plate-filled battery-integrated structure against bird collision was summarized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB) is the largest accretionary orogenic belt in the world and its formation involved a complicated process of arc–continent collision. Large‐scale Mesozoic volcanic activity in the Great Xing'an Range (GXAR) in northeastern China, which constitutes part of the eastern CAOB, has received much recent research attention. However, the petrogenesis and formation mechanism of the late Mesozoic igneous rocks remain enigmatic. This paper investigates the geochronology, petrogenesis, and formation mechanism of late Mesozoic magmatic rocks in the Kelihe area of the GXAR based on zircon U–Pb dating, petrology, and geochemistry. Late Mesozoic magmatism in the Kelihe area occurred during the Late Jurassic (165–155 Ma) and Early Cretaceous (130–120 Ma). These igneous rocks generated by this magmatism are characterized by high SiO2 (69.97–75.49 wt%) and low MgO (0.11–0.68 wt%), Cr (10–30 ppm), Co (0.2–2.6 ppm), and Ni (0.5–1.6 ppm) contents. Trace elements show enrichment in Rb, Th, U, Zr, and K, and depletion in Ba, P, Nb, and Ti. These features indicate that the rocks were derived from partial melting of the crust. Furthermore, the rhyolites have high Na2O (5.02–5.44 wt%) and K2O (3.94–4.88 wt%) contents, similar to those of melts formed by the partial melting of basaltic crust. Combining the present results with the findings of previous studies, it is inferred that the Mesozoic igneous rocks formed in a post‐collisional extensional setting related to lithospheric thinning and asthenospheric upwelling after the closure of the Mongol–Okhotsk Ocean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MicroRNAs (miRNA) are the potential biomarker for breast cancer, a biosensor for detecting miRNA-21 was successfully prepared by covalently linking carbohydrazide (CON 4 H 6) and tris (4,4 ′- dicarboxylic acid-2,2' - bipyridyl) ruthenium dichloride (Ru (dcbpy) 3 2+) as a self-enhanced emitter (Ru–CON 4 H 6). The biosensor was prepared by coating the electrode with mesoporous silica encapsulated Ru–CON 4 H 6 as luminophores (RMSNs) to covalently link a couple of DNA strands (Q1-H2). The RMSNs coated electrode exhibited strong ECL emission due to the intramolecular electron transfer between the electrochemically oxidized Ru (dcbpy) 3 2+ and co-reactant CON 4 H 6. In the presence of target miRNA-21 and an assistant hairpin H1, H2 could be released from the surface through a strand displacement reaction (SDR), and the reserved Q1 could form G-quadruplex upon the addition of K+. The formed G-quadruplex then interacted with Q2-Fc in the presence of Mg2+ to form a DNA complex on the biosensor surface, which quenched the nano-matrixes propped self-enhanced ECL emission through the electron exchange between Fc and electrode or oxidized ECL intermediates. Under optimal conditions, the ECL decrease showed a correlation with target concentration, leading to a biosensing method for sensitive detection of miRNA-21. The proposed ECL method demonstrated a detectable concentration range from 0.1 fM to 1 nM along with a detection limit of 0.03 fM, good accuracy, and acceptable reproducibility, showing that the self-enhanced ECL biosensing strategy supported by nano-matrix provided a new way for the ultrasensitive detection of miRNA, and promoted the development of breast cancer diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chitinase and chitin-oligosaccaride can be used in multiple field, so it is important to develop a high-yield chitinase producing strain. Here, a recombinant Pichia pastoris with 4 copies of ChiA gene from Bacillus licheniformis and co-expression of molecular chaperon HAC1 was constructed. The amount of recombinant ChiA in the supernatant of high-cell-density fermentation reaches a maximum of 12.7 mg/mL, which is 24-fold higher than that reported in the previous study. The recombinant ChiA can hydrolyze 30% collodidal chitin with 74% conversion ratio, and GlcNAc is the most abundant hydrolysis product, followed by N, N′-diacetylchitobiose. Combined with BsNagZ, the hydrolysate of ChiA can be further transformed into GlcNAc with 88% conversion ratio. Additionally, the hydrolysate of ChiA can obviously accelerate the germination growth of rice and wheat, increasing the seedling height and root length by at least 1.6 folds within 10 days. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An ultrasensitive label-free photoelectrochemical (PEC) immunosensor was developed to detect amyloid β-protein (Aβ) based on CdS/CdTe-cosensitized SnO2 nanoflowers. Specifically, SnO2 with a flower-like porous nanostructure was utilized as a perfect substrate for the construction of PEC immunosensors, and the SnO2-modified electrode was first coated with CdTe quantum dots (QDs) and then further deposited with CdS by successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction techniques. The formed SnO2/CdS/CdTe-cosensitized structure exhibited excellent photocurrent intensity and was employed as an excellent photoactive matrix to immobilize Aβ antibody to further construct the immunosensor. Under optimal conditions, the as-constructed PEC immunosensor was used to detect Aβ and exhibited a wide linear concentration range from 0.5 pg mL−1 to 10 ng mL−1, with a low limit of detection (LOD, 0.18 pg mL−1, S/N = 3). Meanwhile, it also presented good reproducibility, specificity, and stability and may open a new promising platform for the clinical detection of Aβ or other biomarkers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A ternary ECL immunoassay based on ABEI is designed for amyloid-β protein detection. • Flower-like Co-MOFs with peroxidase-like activity is used as coreaction accelerator. • Co-MOFs not only act as nanocarriers of ABEI, but also catalyze H 2 O 2 decomposition. • The synergistic catalysis of Co-MOFs and Au NPs realize the ECL signal amplification. In this work, a "luminophore/coreactant/co-reaction accelerator" ternary electrochemiluminescence (ECL) system is proposed by using N -(aminobutyl)- N -(ethylisoluminol) (ABEI) functionalized cobalt-based MOFs (Co-MOFs/ABEI) with superior peroxidase-like activities as the luminophore. ABEI, the derivative of luminol, is used as the reductant and organic ligand to synthesize flower-like Co-MOFs/ABEI. The as-synthesized Co-MOFs/ABEI not only function as desirable nano-carriers for the enrichment of ABEI, but also act as co-reaction accelerators for the catalysis of H 2 O 2 decomposition. Furthermore, Au nanoparticles are decorated on Co-MOFs/ABEI via electrostatics attraction, endowing it with favorable biocompatibility and electrocatalytic property to bond with detection antibodies and generate more excited state ABEI*. Besides, with the advantages of large specific surface area and easy preparation, Au nanoparticles functionalized Fe 3 O 4 @polypyrrole is utilized to anchor the capture antibodies for immunoaction with target analyte. Amyloid-β protein (Aβ 42), a principal hallmark of Alzheimer's disease, is chosen as the target analyte. The proposed Aβ 42 immunosensor performs with a broad linear range from 10 fg mL−1 to 100 ng mL−1 and a detection limit down to 3 fg mL−1, opens up new prospects for clinical analysis of Aβ 42 and provides promising approaches to synthesize luminophore-functionalized MOFs with high luminous efficiency for ECL bioanalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based-on novel semi-sandwich phthalocyanine(Pc) gadolinium complex as luminophore and three-dimensional flower-like nanorods In 2 O 3 /ZnIn 2 S 4 as co-reactant accelerator (CRA), an electrochemiluminescent (ECL) aptasensor with a highly sensitive signal amplification strategy was constructed. The Pc-Gd complex exhibited excellent luminescent property enhanced by "antenna effect" of 18-electron conjugated macrocycle ligand. In addition, the proper design and configuration of In 2 O 3 /ZnIn 2 S 4 tubular heterogeneous structure accelerated the transfer of photo-generated charges and the flower-like nanosheets formed provided more active sites, which could not only greatly increase luminophore loading but also effectively shorten transmission distance between ions and co-reactants. The constructed biosensor showed superior kanamycin (KAN) detection performance within 0.01 pg/mL-1000 ng/mL and a detection limit down to 0.003 pg/mL(S/N = 3). The current work developed a new strategy to amplify ECL using lanthanide complex as luminophore and In 2 O 3 /ZnIn 2 S 4 as CRA, providing valuable information for the future ECL sensor design and extending the application field of lanthanide luminescent complex. • Semi-sandwich Pc-lanthanum complex was rationally designed as ECL luminophore. • In 2 O 3 /ZnIn 2 S 4 was discovered as an excellent co-reactant accelerator. • Novel aptasensor was assembled for kanamycin detection with LOD of 0.003 pg/mL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, a novel photoelectrochemical (PEC) immunoassay was developed to detect Neuron specific enolase (NSE) based on the inhibition effect of CoSnO 3 nanobox toward Mn 0.05 Cd 0.95 S sensitized stannic oxide (SnO 2). Specifically, the SnO 2 /Mn 0.05 Cd 0.95 S composites with excellent photoelectric properties were employed as substrate materials, which could partially absorb visible-light and effectively inhibit the electron-hole recombination owing to the effect of heterostructure, therefore providing significantly enhanced and stable basal signal. Then, the CoSnO 3 nanobox with excellent steric hindrance effect, uniform size and easy modification was used as labeled secondary antibody, which could obstruct the electrons transfer and further facilitate the decrease of photocurrent intensity to achieve the amplification of signal change value. The high sensitivity and good stability of the immunoassay derived from the enhancement of the original signal and the amplification of signal changes. Accordingly, the as-fabricated PEC immunosensor responded sensitively to NSE with a low detection limit of 0.15 pg mL−1 and a wide linear range from 0.50 pg mL−1 to 100 ng mL−1. Moreover, the immunosensor also presented good stability, excellent specificity and satisfactory reproducibility, which can provide a potential analytical strategy for NSE and other biomolecules, and provided guidance for the early diagnosis and clinical analysis of small-cell lung cancer (SCLC). [Display omitted] • A PEC sensor was developed based on inhibition of CoSnO 3 toward SnO 2 /Mn 0.05 Cd 0.95 S. • Double signal change amplification strategy was employed to increase sensitivity. • The PEC immunosensor was fabricated for ultrasensitive detection of NSE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As electrochemiluminescence (ECL) sensors used for disease prescreening are usually subjected to various complex chemical modifications, we proposed a hypersensitive immunosensor using a dipyrromethene boron difluoride (BODIPY) derivative with a simple composition as the luminophore and a bistable iron(II) complex as the quencher. We determined that the metal-free BODIPY can achieve excellent photostability and easy luminescence tuning via the introduction of different functional groups. A BODIPY derivative with a relatively simple chemical structure, 8-(4-bromophenyl)− 4,4-difluoro-1,3,5,7-tetramethyl-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza- s -indacene (BPBF), was rationally selected as the ECL emitter. A bistable spin crossover iron(II) complex, [Fe(atrz) 3 ]Cl 2 (artz = 4-amino-1,2–4-triazole), an infrequent guest in the ECL field, provided the reaction platform and participated in the reaction with the co-reactant (S 2 O 8 2-), which enhanced the sensitivity of the synthesized immunosensor. The immunosensor was designed for prostate-specific antigen (PSA) detection in the range of 0.001 pg/mL–200 ng/mL, with a detection limit of 0.3 fg/mL (S/N = 3). Our strategy, based on small pure-organic luminophores and common transition metal complexes, will open up new possibilities for constructing simple ECL systems for hypersensitive detection of disease markers. • ECL immunosensor senser with simple composition for hypersensitive PSA detection. • Rational design of BODIPY derivative as organic emitter to construct ECL senser. • Bistable spin-crossover iron(II) complex was firstly used as a label in ECL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

p -Coumaric acid (para-hydroxycinnamic acid, p -HCA), as a kind of natural active substance from plant cell walls, is widely used in medicine, food, and cosmetics with its antioxidant, anticancer, and other properties. Biological production of p -HCA can be achieved via one-step deamination of the L -tyrosine by tyrosine ammonia-lyase (TAL). Here, a new highly active TAL (Fc -TAL) from Flavobacterium columnare was identified via gene mining and heterologous expression. The purified Fc -TAL completely converts 22 mM L -tyrosine to p -HCA under alkaline condition (pH 9.5–10.0) at 55 °C. To increase enzymatic recyclability and reduce the bioproduction cost, Fc -TAL was immobilized on a silica nanospheres through silica-binding peptides (SiBP2) at pH 10. In comparison to free enzyme, the immobilized TAL SiBP2 exhibited higher stability, over 50% activity was retained even after 10 consecutive catalytic cycles. Further experiments revealed that an aliquot of immobilized enzyme (about 200 mg TAL) can transform 20 g L -tyrosine into17.8 g p -HCA with 96% yields and 98% purity through 5 consecutive reaction cycles. Our studies not only provided a strategy for enzyme immobilization in alkaline condition, but also developed a green process for p -coumaric acid biosynthesis with the highest conversion rate and yield reported to date. [Display omitted] • A highly active TAL that converts L -Tyr to p -HCA in vitro was described. • The solubility of L -tyrosine increased 4.5 times by supplementing methanol. • Immobilized TAL on nanosphere kept over 50% activity after 10 recycles at pH 9.5. • A simple, clean biosynthesis of p -HCA with high yield and purity was developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • An ECL immunosensor was fabricated for ultrasensitive detection of amyloid β protein. • Co@MoO x was used as both sensing substrate and coreactant generator. • Co@MoO x showed good performance of electrolysis of water to produce oxygen. • Au NCs with ultrasmall size was cross-linked with ABEI to improve sensitivity. Herein, a novel electrochemiluminescence (ECL) immunosensor was constructed to detect amyloid β-protein (Aβ) by using Co2+ doped MoO x (Co@MoO x) as both sensing substrate and coreactant generator, Au nanoclusters and isoluminol (Au NCs-ABEI) as secondary antibody label. Co@MoO x showed good electrolysis performance of aquatic oxygen, and the dissolved oxygen just acted as a coreactant of the ABEI emitter in this system. Au NCs was synthesized from reduced glutathione, which had ultrasmall size and good biocompatibility. Bioconjugate Au NCs-ABEI was constructed on Au NCs surface by cross-linking ABEI with amino group on ABEI surface. Through modifying Co@MoO x and Au NCs-ABEI on the electrode successively, the ECL signal intensity of immunosensor increased, which showed high sensitivity for the detection of Aβ, with the detection range from 1.00 fg·mL−1 to 500 pg·mL−1 and the detection limit as low as 0.330 fg·mL−1. This strategy will provide some reference for the early diagnosis and prevention of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and detection of other disease markers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The exploitation of accurate and robust photoelectrochemical (PEC) approaches in whole biosensing community counts on the smooth electrons transport and delicate biological design. An aptasensor using depositional rutile titanium dioxide/bismuth vanadate nanoarrays (TiO 2 /BiVO 4 NAs) as photoanode generator and strand-displacement model as nucleic acid frame was developed for microRNA-155 (miRNA-155) detection root in original idea. Photoanode was fabricated via a three-step overlayer deposition procedure including hydrothermal method, electrodeposition and ion beam sputtering. With a sufficient dense of oriented arrays, it provided a solid substrate and fast electronic kinetics reaction during host−guest recognition. In situ yielding electron donors were integrated into the PEC system to provide the most accurate quantitative analysis. The nanoarrays-triggered PEC platform opens another potential perspective in biosensing. • Novel photoelectrochemical emitter TiO 2 /BiVO 4 nanoarrays are firstly synthesized. • TiO 2 /BiVO 4 nanoarrays as well-ordered sensing substrate improve the stability of the biosensor. • In situ photoelectrochemical system is introduced to ensure more accurate photoelectrochemical response. • Strand displacement reaction achieve the sensitive miRNA-155 detection with a low detection limit of 18.2 pM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: High rate Li3V2(PO4)3/C composite with excellent electrochemical performance has been successfully synthesized via a sample carbon thermal method using meso-tetraphenyl porphyrin (TPP) as carbon source. The as prepared Li3V2(PO4)3/C composite delivers a reversible capacity of 103.71mAhg−1 at 20C charge/discharge rate. The Li+ diffusion coefficient ranges from 10−9 to 10−10 cm2 s−1 based on different scanning rates. The excellent high rate performance may attribute to the small particle size of the LVP/C and the carbon derived from thermal decomposition of TPP. In addition, its application in the full-cell, Li3V2(PO4)3‖Li4Ti5O12, is also presented and discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Four simple trans-AB-porphyrins 3a–3d either without any alkoxyl substituent, or with a mono-alkoxyl chain at different (ortho and para) positions of the meso-phenyl ring, or with two alkoxyl chains at two ortho positions of the meso-phenyl ring were designed and synthesized via three steps. The synthesis is simple and no expensive metal catalyst is involved. All compounds were characterized by 1H-NMR and mass spectraometry. UV-Vis absorption spectra and B band-excited fluorescence emission spectra were also obtained. The synthesized porphyrins were applied in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Up to 3.05% conversion efficiency was realized for 3d under our experimental conditions, attributed to the two long alkoxyl chains present at the ortho positions of the meso-phenyl group. The influences of the position and the number of the alkoxyl chains at the macrocyclic meso-phenyl group on the photovoltaic performance of DSSCs are well explained via DFT calculations. It was shown that the VOC and JSC of the sensitizers are determined by μnormal, ΔGinject and LHE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of calcination temperature and feedstock pretreatment on the catalytic performance of Co/γ-Al2O3 catalysts were studied for partial oxidation of methane (POM) to synthesis gas, with emphasis on the role of feedstock pretreatment. The physicochemical properties of the catalysts were characterized by N2 adsorption, X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), H2 temperature-programmed reduction (H2-TPR), and Raman spectroscopy. The results showed that the pretreatment of the catalyst by reaction gas significantly improved the catalytic activity and stability for the POM reaction. On the other hand, the effect of calcination temperature was less significant. Although the initial activity was increased by an increased calcination temperature, the catalyst without the feedstock pretreatment suffered a rapid deactivation. The reaction-atmosphere pretreatment was revealed as a process that mainly modified the surface structure of the catalyst. In that process, the formation of a CoAl2O4-like compound led to high Co metal dispersion after reduction, and the transformation of the carrier into α-Al2O3 occurred over the catalyst surface. Both the high dispersion of cobalt and the presence of α-Al2O3 surface phase were assumed as the important factors resulting in an excellent catalytic performance in terms of high activity and high stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a sensor for the sensitive determination of ascorbic acid (AA) has been fabricated based on meso-tetra-(3,5-dibromo-4-hydroxydroxyphenyl) porphyrin copper (II) (T(DBHP)P-Cu) modified Au electrode through l-cysteine ( l-cys). Firstly, l-cys modified Au electrode was prepared through self-assembled technology. Then T(DBHP)P-Cu was adsorbed on l-cys/Au through covalent binding. The fabrication process and electrochemical behavior of T(DBHP)P-Cu/ l-cys/Au were studied by cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry. The results showed that AA exhibited good electrochemical activity at T(DBHP)P-Cu/ l-cys/Au. The oxidation peak current increased linearly with AA concentration in the range of 1.00 × 10-1.02 × 10 mol L with a detection limit of 5.41 × 10 mol L. Additionally, the modified electrode could be applied to the detect AA in practical samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aggregation behavior of cationic meso-tetra-(4-trimethylaminophenyl)porphyrin (TAPP) was investigated in two reverse micelles (RM) of ionic surfactants, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and bis(2-ethylhexyl)sulfosuccinate (AOT) using absorption spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, and resonance light scattering spectroscopy. TAPP showed different types of aggregation upon varying the ratio of water concentration to CTAB concentration, ω0. The charge on the surfactant used to form reverse micelles determines the aggregation of porphyrin. The addition of hydrochloric acid can transform the H-aggregates of TAPP into monomers, while the addition of sodium hydroxide led to J-aggregation. Ionic strength had no significant influence on the aggregation of TAPP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The SnO2-doped Cu2O has been produced in aqueous solution using hydrazine as the reducing agent. Techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and UV–vis spectroscopy were used to comprehend the relation between structure and properties of the SnO2-doped Cu2O. The effects of SnO2 insertion on the Cu2O photo-catalytic activity for the degradation of trifluralin were reported here. The results show that SnO2-doping can greatly enhance catalytic activity of Cu2O nano-crystals. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Nowadays, brain natriuretic peptide (BNP-32) is fundamental to early cardiovascular clinical diagnosis, whose accurate assay is of significance by photoelectrochemistry (PEC) for the low background and high precision. Herein, a novel enhanced PEC platform was built by successive deposition of N-doped ZnO nanopolyhedra (N–ZnO NP) and protoporphyrin IX (PPIX). Specifically, the N–ZnO NP with a narrow bandgap of 2.60 eV was synthesized by direct calcination of zeolitic imidazole framework-8 (ZIF-8), and performed as the substrate to enhance the photocurrents of PPIX (as photosensitizer) whose photoelectron transfer pathway and enhanced PEC mechanism were studied in detail. Under such foundation, a label-free PEC aptasensor was developed by deposition of DNA aptamer onto the PEC platform and then ultrasensitive assay of BNP-32 based on a "signal off" model. The biosensor showed a wide linear range (1 pg mL−1- 0.1 μg mL−1) with a limit of detection (LOD) as low as 0.14 pg mL−1. This doping technique of ZnO nanomaterials provides some valuable guidelines for synthesis of advanced PEC probes in bioanalysis. [Display omitted] • The N–ZnO NP was prepared by directly calcining the ZIF-8 and adopted to enhance the photocurrent of PPIX. • The PEC platform was constructed by successive deposition of PPIX and N–ZnO NP to largely promote the photoelectron transfer. • A label-free PEC aptasensor was built for ultrasensitive assay of BNP-32 protein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zhang, N., 2019. Architecture research and design of the IoT middleware for marine logistics. In: Gong, D.; Zhu, H., and Liu, R. (eds.), Selected Topics in Coastal Research: Engineering, Industry, Economy, and Sustainable Development. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 94, pp. 196–199. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. Modern marine logistics is a kind of integrated logistics. The data collected and transmitted has the characteristics of a large number, a wide variety and a high degree of heterogeneity. Based on the above characteristics, this paper presents a design scheme of internet of things (IoT) middleware, focusing on the application system and communication system structure of the marine logistics IoT middleware. The configuration middleware is used to complete the routing configuration and topology adjustment of the communication system. The hierarchical and modular design scheme is combined with the adaptive fractional interval equalization method to optimize the communication network middleware and improve the signal stability. The data sensing layer, the data and equipment control layer, and the business management layer constitute the application system of the marine logistics IoT middleware, and the functions are analyzed and designed. Finally, the effective management, state monitoring and interaction of the marine logistics are realized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a robust independent component analysis (ICA) approach for noise reduction. Noise reduction is a difficult problem in ICA model. In general signal processing applications, there is more than one interference signal which may have unknown characteristics. In these situations, traditional linear ICA may lead to poor results. Hence, noise reduction is preferred to be performed with nonlinear adaptive filtering. In this paper, a radial basis function network (RBFN) is employed to transform the observed signals into output space in a nonlinear manner. The weights of RBFN are updated by utilizing a modified fixed-point algorithm. The proposed method has not only the capacity of recovering the mixed signals, but also reducing noise with unknown characteristics from observed signals. The simulation results and analysis show that the proposed algorithm is suitable for practical unsupervised noise reduction problem. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electron Comm Jpn, 91(3): 45–52, 2008; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/ecj.10073 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The southward extension of the Bangong-Nujiang Suture and the late Mesozoic tectonic affinity of the Tengchong Block have been subject to debate, and the Early Cretaceous magmatism in the eastern Tengchong Block provides a crucial window to address these issues. This paper reports comprehensive petrographic, geochemical, geochronological, and isotopic data of Early Cretaceous granitic rocks from the eastern Tengchong Block. Results show that these granitic rocks consist of monzogranites and granodiorites, with zircon U-Pb ages of 120.4–113.9 Ma. These granitic rocks are characterized by enrichments in large ion lithophile elements (e.g. Rb, U, K) and light rare earth elements, but depleted in high field strength elements (e.g. Nb, Ta, P, Ti), and have negative apatite εNd(t) values (−10.4 to −6.7) and negative zircon εHf(t) values (−11.7 to −1.2). The molar [Al2O3/(CaO + K2O + Na2O)] (A/CNK) values and whole-rock zircon saturated temperatures of the studied monzogranites of 1.04–1.09 and 714–799°C, respectively, indicate that they have I-type granite affinity. The presence of biotite indicative of I-type granite and the observation that P2O5 decrease with increasing SiO2 further indicated that the monzogranites have affinities of I-type granites. The petrography, geochemical and isotopic signatures of the studied monzogranites indicate that they originated from partial melting of mafic lower crustal rocks. The Na-rich granodiorites have elevated Na2O/K2O ratios and Na2O contents of 1.19–2.04 and 3.12–3.47 wt.%, respectively. These granodiorites also have relatively high Mg# values and the transition metal element Cr of 53.3–54.5 and up to 100 ppm, respectively. According to these isotopic and geochemical features and the occurrence of magnesiohornblende, we propose that the Na-rich granodiorites were derived from partial melting of ancient basaltic lower crust, with certain inputs of mantle materials in the magma source. Considering these results as well as published data, we finally propose that the Tengchong Block was likely the southeastern extension of the Lhasa Block and that these Early Cretaceous granitic rocks were formed in the setting of the volcanic arc due to westward subduction of the Bangong-Nujiang Tethys oceanic lithosphere beneath the Tengchong Block. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zhang, N. and Zheng, K., 2020. Research and design of the architecture of the marine logistics information platform based on big data. In: Gong, D.; Zhang, M., and Liu, R. (eds.), Advances in Coastal Research: Engineering, Industry, Economy, and Sustainable Development. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 106, pp. 628–632. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. Using Internet of Things (IoTs) and cloud computing technologies in the era of big data to design a highly shared marine logistics information platform is the basis for realizing the information, efficiency, and intelligence of its logistics process. This research integrated big data thinking and sharing concepts into shared logistics, designed the architecture of a highly shared marine logistics information platform, and proposed an implementation method and application model for the architecture. The platform design introduces artificial intelligence and IoT technologies based on GPS, general packet radio service, and automatic identification system. The platform realizes real-time positioning and monitoring of land and sea cargo, which greatly improves the efficiency of marine logistics management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid and reliable measurement of procalcitonin (PCT) level exerts a prominent impact on controlling infections and preventing septicemia. This work presents a "signal on-off" electrochemiluminescence (ECL) immunosensor for ultrasensitive PCT detection based on the double quenching effects of Fe 3 O 4 @PDA-Cu x O towards a self-enhanced Ru (bpy) 3 2+-functionalized metal organic framework (MOF). Specifically, mesoporous and hollow MIL-101(Al)–NH 2 is first applied in ECL system to load Ru (bpy) 3 2+ abundantly and stably. Poly (ethylenimine), as the coreactant, is covalently linked with MIL-101(Al)–NH 2 to prevent the leakage of Ru (bpy) 3 2+ and form a self-enhanced Ru complex, thus strong and stable ECL signals are obtained initially. To achieve high-efficiency quenching of "signal on" state, Fe 3 O 4 @PDA-Cu x O-Ab 2 is synthesized tactfully as the quenching probe by which catechol or benzoquinone units in PDA and Cu2+ adsorbed by PDA quench the excited states of Ru (bpy) 3 2+ via electron transfer and resonance energy transfer. In this way, a rapid and robust signal-quenched type ECL immunosensor is developed for PCT measurement with a detection limit of 0.18 pg mL−1 and a dynamic range from 0.0005 ng mL−1 to 100 ng mL−1. Given desirable selectivity, stability and reproducibility, the elaborated ECL immunoassay based on luminescence-functionalized MOF prefigures its great promise in bioanalysis of PCT and other biomarkers. • Mesoporous and hollow MIL-101(Al)–NH 2 is applied in ECL system for the first time. • A self-enhanced ECL complex is prepared by linked PEI with Ru functionalized MOF. • Fe 3 O 4 @PDA-Cu X O can quench Ru (bpy) 3 2+∗ via electron and energy transfer. • Sensitive procalcitonin detection is obtained with good selectivity and stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A photoelectrochemical (PEC) immunosensor was designed based on MgIn2S4-decorated inorganic halide perovskite CsPbBr3 combined with the signal polarity conversion strategy for neuron-specific enolase (NSE) detection. CsPbBr3 was applied as the basic photoactive material owing to its excellent optical and electronic properties, which provide a good PEC performance for sensor construction. In order to improve the stability of this perovskite, the three-dimensional flower-like MgIn2S4 with a desirable direct band gap was applied to enhance the PEC response. Also, the excellent structure of MgIn2S4 provides large surface-active sites for CsPbBr3 loaded. For enhancing the detection sensitivity of PEC immunosensor, p-type CuInS2 was used as a signal probe which fixed on detection antibody (Ab2). When the target NSE was present, the photogenerated electrons produced by CuInS2 were transferred to the test solution, and the polarity of PEC signal changes. Based on the above photosensitive materials and signal conversion strategy, the proposed PEC immunosensor showed favorable detection performance, and the linear detection range is 0.0001 ~ 100 ng/mL with a 38 fg/mL of detection limit. The proposed strategy improved the adhibition of CsPbBr3 in the analytical chemistry field as well as provided a reference method for other protein detections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work for the first time proposed a photoelectrochemical (PEC) sensor based on the in situ generation of BiOBr/Bi 2 S 3 by Cs 3 Bi 2 Br 9 to detect trenbolone (TB). To be specific, Cs 3 Bi 2 Br 9 /BiOBr/Bi 2 S 3 heterojunction, the chosen photoelectric material, that could produce stable and large photocurrent was obtained through two steps in situ growth method on the basic of Cs 3 Bi 2 Br 9 perovskite. CdS and Au nanoparticles with outstanding light absorption characteristics were selected as TB antigen (Ag) marker. Under the aid of Au/CdS, the association between TB concentration and output current will be revealed by the competitive combining of TB antibodies (Ab) with TB or Ag-Au/CdS. If the concentration of TB was lower, the more Ag-Au/CdS was connected to the Ab, and the higher photocurrent signal was obtained. Hence, the competitive PEC sensor could realize reliable detection of TB with a lower detection limit of 29.7 fg mL-1. • We for the first time constructed a PEC sensor to detect trenbolone. • Cs 3 Bi 2 Br 9 /BiOBr/Bi 2 S 3 was prepared by two steps in situ growth method. • Au/CdS was selected as a signal enhancer to improve the sensitivity of sensor. • The detection limit was 29.7 fg mL−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Zn-Fe 2 O 3 /CdIn 2 S 4 as sensing platform to provide a stable PEC signal. • Ag@CuWO 4 as an antibody marker, which greatly reduces the detection limit. • PEC sensor exhibited a low detection limit of 14.7 fg/mL for CEA. • Handheld workstation controlled by smartphone for on-site testing of CEA. Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is expressed in many tumor cells and is an important cancer marker in human serum. To assess human health, a rapid and accurate real-time detection method should be established for the sensitive detection of CEA. In this work, real-time and on-site CEA detection was achieved by constructing sandwich-type photoelectrochemical (PEC) immunosensor and using a portable electrochemical workstation controlled by a smartphone. The employment of Zn-doped Fe 2 O 3 /CdIn 2 S 4 (Zn-Fe 2 O 3 /CdIn 2 S 4) is proposed for the first time as a sensing platform for PEC sensor. Due to its suitable band gap combination, a stepped electron transfer pattern provides a stable photocurrent response. Ag@CuWO 4 as an antibody marker can amplify the sensor signal due to its ability to form a Z-type electron transfer mode with CdIn 2 S 4. The Box-Behnken experiment was used to eliminate the interaction of experimental conditions and screen out the optimal experimental conditions for the immunosensor. In addition, the PEC immunosensor has a good linear relationship with CEA in the detection range of 100 fg/mL to 100 ng/mL, with a detection limit as low as 14.7 fg/mL (S/N = 3). The immunosensor has portable characteristics, good stability, reproducibility, specificity, and storage stability. It showed appreciable recoveries and low relative standard deviations in human serum sample analysis. This PEC assay paves a new point-of-care testing method for other cancer markers, particularly environmental contaminants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a novel single-stranded RNA virus was isolated from the plant-pathogenic fungus Setosphaeria turcica strain TG2, and the virus was named "Setosphaeria turcica ambiguivirus 2" (StAV2). The complete nucleotide sequence of the StAV2 genome was determined using RT-PCR and RLM-RACE. The StAV2 genome comprises 3,000 nucleotides with a G+C content of 57.77%. StAV2 contains two in-frame open reading frames (ORFs) with the potential to produce an ORF1-ORF2 fusion protein via a stop codon readthrough mechanism. ORF1 encodes a hypothetical protein (HP) of unknown function. The ORF2-encoded protein shows a high degree of sequence similarity to the RNA-dependent RNA polymerases (RdRps) of ambiguiviruses. BLASTp searches showed that the StAV2 HP and RdRp share the highest amino acid sequence identity (46.38% and 69.23%, respectively) with the corresponding proteins of a virus identified as "Riboviria sp." isolated from a soil sample. Multiple sequence alignments and phylogenetic analysis based on the amino acid sequences of the RdRp revealed that StAV2 is a new member of the proposed family "Ambiguiviridae". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In this work, by using amorphous bimetallic sulfides of CoSnS x Pd as signal amplifier and magnetic material of Fe 3 O 4 @PPy Au as the substrate, we fabricated an electrochemical immunoassay for N terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide (NT pro BNP). CoSnS x was used as the signal amplifier of the immunosensor for the first time, which was synthesized by fast stoichiometric co-precipitation method. The binary sulfide was identified as an amorphous structure and performed apparent electrochemical behavior. The excellent performance of signal marker was induced by the synergistic effect between SnS 2 and cobalt, as well as the loaded Pd nanoparticles (NPs). Both CoSnS x and Pd NPs presented excellent electrocatalytic activity toward H 2 O 2 oxidation. Moreover, the magnetic nanocomposite of Fe 3 O 4 @PPy Au was firmly immobilized on the magnetic glassy carbon electrode (MGCE) by the magnetic force. The magnetic substrate not only performed good electron conductivity, but also improved the stability of the fabricated electrochemical immunosensor. The developed immunosensor for the NT pro BNP detection exhibited a wide linear response (0.1 pg/mL to 50 ng/mL), and low detection limit of 31.5 fg/mL. In addition, the immunosensor held an excellent analysis capability and broad fascinating application for the detection of other biomarkers in medical diagnosis and treatment. Graphical abstract An electrochemical immunosensor based on amorphous bimetallic sulfides of CoSnS x Pd as signal amplifier and magnetic material of Fe 3 O 4 @PPy Au as the substrate for the NT pro BNP detection. fx1 Highlights • A novel electrochemical immunosensor was designed for detecting NT pro BNP. • CoSnS x was first used as the signal amplifier of the immunosensor and performed apparent electrochemical behavior. • The Fe 3 O 4 @PPy Au as matrix was firmly immobilized on the MGCE by the magnetic force. • It achieved an excellent result in human serum sample analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The successful application of electrochemiluminescence (ECL) in immunoassay for clinical diagnosis requires improving sensitivity and accuracy. Herein was reported an ECL analytical model based zinc-based metal-organic frameworks of ruthenium hybrid (RuZn MOFs) as the signal emitter. To enlarge the output difference, the quenching effect of three different noble metal nanoparticles included palladium seeds (Pd seeds), palladium octahedrons (Pd oct), and Pt-based palladium (Pd@Pt oct) core-shell were researched. Among them, Pd@Pt oct core-shell possessed higher activity and improved durability than Pd-only (NPs), they could load more protein macromolecules amicably and stabilized in the analysis system. Furthermore, since the charge redistribution owing to the hybridization of the Pt and Pd atoms in Pd@Pt oct , it could generate the electron flow maximumly from the emitter RuZn MOFs to Pd@Pt oct and result in the enhancement of quenching ECL. And the UV absorption of noble metal nanoparticles overlapped with the ECL emission of RuZn MOFs to varying degrees, which caused the behavior of resonance energy transfer (RET) reaction at the same time. This would greatly promote the sensitivity of this ECL system compared with the traditional single quenching mechanism. Based on this, a signal-off immunsensor was constructed to sensitive detection of D-dimer with linearity range from 0.001 to 200 ng mL−1, limit of detection (LOD) was 0.20 pg mL−1 and provide a further theoretical basis for the clinical application of ECL technology. [Display omitted] • RuZn MOFs as luminophor possessed ultra-stable and ultra-efficient ECL emission. • The quenching of noble metals in different crystal states on Ru/Zn MOFs was studied. • Pd@Pt core-shell was proved to obtain the maximum difference of signal output. • The ECL sensor realized ultra-sensitive detection of D-dimer (LOD: 0.20 pg mL−1). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The title composite is prepared from mixtures of V2O5, Li2CO3, NH4H2PO4, and meso-tetraphenyl porphyrin as the carbon source (350 °C for 4 h followed by sintering at 800 °C for 8 h in N2 atmosphere). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Creases and folds in Chinese paintings and calligraphies scrolls are hard to avoid during the handling in storage and exhibitions. The creases are usually reinforced with paper strips in the conservation treatment. However, adhering the paper strips will create unwanted secondary creases along the joining edge on the painting scrolls after repeated openings and rolling. This study proposes a new consolidant, bacteria cellulose (BC), for the conservation of creased Chinese painting scrolls. Different tests were carried out and the results showed that BC was a better approach than the traditional paper strip reinforcement method. The method not only had an excellent effect on conserving the creased artwork on Xuan-paper aesthetically, but also improved its physical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here, Ni@graphene nanoplatelet (GNP) nanohybrids are obtained via an interfacial reaction growth method and a series of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)/Ni@GNP composites are prepared by a solution mixing‐ultrasonic dispersion‐hot pressing technology. The influence of Ni@GNP on the electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding, dielectric, and thermal management behaviors of the composites is intensively investigated. The microcapacitors formed using Ni@GNP as plates and PMMA as matrix significantly improve the dielectric properties of the composites. Enhancement on thermal conduction and EMI properties of PMMA composites with increasing Ni@GNP content can be ascribed to the unique structure of Ni@GNP and it is the filler interconnection network that renders the composite's desirable thermally conductive and thermomechanical properties. A facile way of fabricating polymeric composites with satisfactory thermal conductivity and high‐performance electromagnetic shielding is provided here. The obtained polymer composites display highly promising applications in the thermal management and EMI shielding of electronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relying on the electrochemiluminescence (ECL) and microfluidic technology, an immunosensor chip with high bioactivity was designed for sensitive determination of cytokeratin 19 fragment 21–1 (CYFRA 21–1). The mesoporous nanomaterial Fe3O4@Cu@Cu2O as the co-reaction accelerator was used to catalyze the S2O82− to produce more SO4•− to achieve the amplification of the ECL signal. In fact, the generating of SO4•− could not only be done with the aid of the reversible cycles of Fe2+ and Fe3+ and Cu+ and Cu2+, but could be achieved also through the catalase-like function of Fe3O4. What is more, it has also been proved that Fe3O4@Cu@Cu2O exhibited better catalytic performance than single Fe3O4, Cu2O, and Cu@Cu2O, which supported its application in this system. In addition, a portable microfluidic immunosensor chip for CYFRA 21–1-sensitive determination was assembled, which showed high selectivity, sensitivity, and strong universality in clinical cancer screening and diagnosis. It should be noted that HWRGWVC (HWR) was introduced as the antibody fixator to improve the incubation and binding efficiency of the antibody, which increased the ECL intensity and improved the sensitivity of the immunosensor. This strategy provided a new idea for cancer identification and diagnosis in clinical medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• MGL significantly ameliorated CD-like colitis. • MGL protected the intestinal barrier through inhibiting IEC apoptosis. • The effect of MGL might be partly mediated via suppressing PI3K/AKT signalling pathway in IECs. Previous reports have shown that preventing excessive intestinal epithelial cell (IEC) apoptosis is a crucial approach for protecting the intestinal barrier in patients with Crohn's disease (CD). Magnolin (MGL) has various biological activities, including antiapoptotic activities, but its role in CD has largely not been determined. This study investigated how MGL impacts CD-like colitis and the underlying mechanism involved. Mice were treated with TNBS to establish a disease model, and these mice were used to assess the therapeutic effects of MGL on CD-like colitis. TNF-α-treated colon organoids were used to evaluate the impact of MGL on intestinal barrier function and IEC apoptosis. Enrichment analysis was performed to examine the potential pathways through which MGL inhibits IEC apoptosis. Finally, rescue experiments showed the mechanism by which MGL suppresses IEC apoptosis. The animal experiments demonstrated that MGL treatment alleviated the weight loss, colon shortening, elevated disease activity index (DAI) scores, increased colitis histological scores and upregulated inflammatory factor expression that were observed in model mice. MGL ameliorated intestinal barrier dysfunction and the loss of tight junction (TJ) proteins (ZO-1 and Claudin-1) by inhibiting IEC apoptosis in both TNBS-treated mice and TNF-α-treated colon organoids. MGL inhibited the PI3K/AKT signalling pathway, thus safeguarding the intestinal barrier and alleviating CD-like colitis in vivo and in vitro. MGL improves the intestinal barrier integrity and prevents CD-like colitis by inhibiting IEC apoptosis. The potential mechanism of its anti-apoptotic impact on IECs could be associated with the PI3K/AKT pathway, presenting novel approaches and avenues for the clinical management of CD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Ternary heterojunction Bi 2 S 3 /Bi 2 O 3 /CdLa 2 S 4 improves carrier separation efficiency. • Bi 2 S 3 involved in the construction of heterojunctions and improve visible excitation. • Raspberry-like Cu 2 O nanosphere with higher electrochemically active areas as markers. • Sensitive detection of CA15-3 with a detection limit of 0.0003 U/mL. Sensitive detection of CA15-3 is important for postoperative monitoring and early diagnosis of breast cancer. In this work, a photoelectrochemical (PEC) biosensing platform was constructed of CA15-3 by using Bi 2 O 3 /CdLa 2 S 4 /Bi 2 S 3 ternary type-II heterojunction as the photoactive transduction material for sensitive detection, and the raspberry-shaped Cu 2 O nanospheres were exploited as the signal sensitizing tags. On one hand, the use of Bi 2 S 3 as a sensitizer can effectively enhance the visible light excitation of the substrate material. On the other hand, Bi 2 S 3 and Bi 2 O 3 /CdLa 2 S 4 have the ability to create dual type-II heterojunctions with matched energy levels, which significantly enhances the separation and migration efficiency of the photogenerated carriers and effectively suppresses the recombination of the e-/h+ pairs. Raspberry-like semiconducting Cu 2 O nanospheres can mediate the PEC process of the heterojunctions. An immunosensor was developed combining the signal transduction capacity of ternary heterojunction and the signal sensitizing effect of Cu 2 O nanospheres. The proposed PEC immunosensor showed good selectivity and stability for detecting CA15-3 (0.001 ∼ 100 U/mL) with a detection limit of 0.0003 U/mL (S/N = 3). The constructed PEC immunosensor had potential applications in the clinical detection of CA15-3, and was expected to play a great role in the early diagnosis of breast cancer in the future. Moreover, in the design engineering of photoactive materials, the improvement of visible excitation and the enhancement of carrier separation efficiency have been realized simultaneously using a single material, which provides new ideas for the design of photoactive materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a reusable DNA sensing microchip was developed for detection of vomitoxin (deoxynivalenol, DON) in sorghum using Cd-based core-shell CdSe@CdS quantum dots (QDs) as promising electrochemiluminescence (ECL) emitter. The size-adjustable aqueous phase CdSe@CdS QDs were prepared through homogeneous method, exhibiting strong cathodic ECL emission with a central wavelength of 520 nm in S 2 O 8 2− coreactant. And gold nanoparticles-modified iron cobalt cyanide hydrate (Fe–Co–Au) was introduced as an accelerator to amplify the ECL signal. ECL signal was quenched after the formation of a double-stranded (dsDNA) S1–S2 by generating an electron transfer system between the emitter and ferrocene (Fc), which are modified on the aptamer (ssDNA S1) and its complement sequence (ssDNA S2), respectively. When the target DON is presence, the aptamer ssDNA S1 will bind to the DON and trigger the unbinding of double strands DNA and the release of the ssDNA S2, thus the signal can be generated. This approach offers a feasible method for the detection of DON within the range of 1 ng/mL to 200 ng/mL. [Display omitted] • The detection processes are performed in the reusable microchip. • CdSe@CdS QDs as ECL emitter showed remarkable potential in vomitoxin sensor. • The ECL enhancement mechanism of Fe–Co–Au accelerator was fully discussed. • The hybridization chain reaction was introduced into the sensing system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acrylamide (ACR) is an endogenous food contaminant, high levels of ACR have been detected in a large number of foods, causing widespread concern. Since different organism states respond differently to the toxic effects of pollutants, this study establishes an insulin-resistant BRL cell model to explore the differential susceptibility of BRL cells with/without insulin resistance in response to acrylamide-exposure (0.0002, 0.02, or 1 mM) toxicity effects and its mechanism. The results showed that ACR exposure decreased glucose uptake and increased intracellular lipid levels by promoting the expression of fatty acid synthesis, transport, and gluconeogenesis genes and inhibiting the expression of fatty acid metabolism genes, thereby further exacerbating disorders of gluconeogenesis and lipid metabolism in insulin-resistant BRL cells. Simultaneously, its exposure also exacerbated BRL cells with/without insulin-resistant damage. Meanwhile, insulin resistance significantly raised susceptibility to BRL cell response to ACR-induced toxicity. Furthermore, ACR exposure further activated the endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) signaling pathway (promoting phosphorylation of PERK, eIF-2α, and IRE-1α) and the apoptosis signaling pathway (activating Caspase-3 and increasing the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio) in BRL cells with insulin-resistant, which were also attenuated after ROS scavenging or ERS signaling pathway blockade. Overall results suggested that ACR evokes a severer toxicity effect on BRL cells with insulin resistance through the overactivation of the ERS signaling pathway. [Display omitted] • Insulin resistance increased the susceptibility of BRL cell to ACR-induced toxicity. • ACR caused toxicity worsening through overactivation of the ERS signaling pathway. • ACR-induced ROS accumulation ignited the activation of the ERS signaling pathway. • ACR promotes phosphorylation of key proteins to activate the ERS signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Morphology and phase compositions of different starch-gelatin blends were investigated by various microscopes: optical, SEM and synchrotron FTIR microscopy. A high amylose (80%) corn starch, grafted with hydroxypropyl to enhance flexibilty and hydrophilicity, and plasticized by poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), was used in this work. SEM revealed that the surface became smoother after adding PEG. Optical microscopy observation revealed that compatibility between gelatin and starch was improved by adding PEG. An FTIR beam focused on a 5 μm × 5 μm detection area by the micro-spectroscope was used to map chemical composition. The ratio of areas of the saccharide bands (1180-953 cm −1) and the amide I and II bands (1750-1483 cm −1) was used to monitor the relative distributions of the two components in the blends. The FTIR maps indicated that gelatin constituted the continuous phase up to 80% of starch content. All of the FTIR spectra showed contributions from both starch and gelatin absorptions, therefore indicating that complete demixing with pure starch and gelatin domains did not occur. The PEG improved the compatibility of the gelatin-starch blends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The biology-material hybrid method for chemical-electricity conversion via microbial fuel cells (MFCs) has garnered significant attention in addressing global energy and environmental challenges. However, the efficiency of these systems remains unsatisfactory due to the complex manufacturing process and limited biocompatibility. To overcome these challenges, here, we developed a simple bio-inorganic hybrid system for bioelectricity generation in Shewanella oneidensis (S. oneidensis) MR-1. A biocompatible surface display approach was designed, and silver-binding peptide AgBP2 was expressed on the cell surface. Notably, the engineered Shewanella showed a higher electrochemical sensitivity to Ag+, and a 60 % increase in power density was achieved even at a low concentration of 10 μM Ag+. Further analysis revealed significant upregulations of cell surface negative charge intensity, ATP metabolism, and reducing equivalent (NADH/NAD+) ratio in the engineered S. oneidensis -Ag nanoparticles biohybrid. This work not only provides a novel insight for electrochemical biosensors to detect metal ions, but also offers an alternative biocompatible surface display approach by combining compatible biomaterials with electricity-converting bacteria for advancements in biohybrid MFCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] The electrocatalytic reduction of nitrogen (N 2) to ammonia (NH 3) has broad prospects for green and sustainable NH 3 production. Due to the electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction (eNRR) performance of transition metal compound may be restricted with low yield rate, we develop transition metal interface engineering to improve the eNRR performance. Although the edge of MoS 2 catalyst is active, the MoS 2 (0 0 1) surface is inert for N 2 electroreduction. Through the hydrothermal and electrodeposition methods, Fe(OH) 3 as N 2 and H+ channels coated on MoS 2 nanosheets array (MoS 2 @Fe(OH) 3 /CC) is synthesized. Such catalyst exhibits excellent eNRR performance in 0.1 M Na 2 SO 4 with high Faradaic efficiency (2.76%) and NH 3 yield rate (4.23 × 10−10 mol s−1 cm−2) at − 0.45 V (vs. RHE). This work may provide a new electrocatalyst synthesis pathway for artificial N 2 fixation. Density functional theory calculations show that electrodeposition Fe(OH) 3 can accelerate eNRR process rate of MoS 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The interaction of a water-soluble cationic porphyrin, meso-tetrakis (4-N,N,N-trimethylanilinium) porphyrin (TMAP), with two proteins, bovine serum albumin (BSA) and human serum albumin (HSA), was studied by UV–vis absorption spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, fluorescence anisotropy and synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy at neutral aqueous solutions. Free base TMAP bound to proteins as monomers and no aggregation was observed. The binding of TMAP quenched the fluorescence of the protein. On the contrary, the fluorescence of TMAP was enhanced and the fluorescence anisotropy increased due to the binding. The direct static binding mechanism could account for the quenching by TMAP and the binding constants were calculated. TMAP showed a higher quenching efficiency and binding constant of HSA than BSA. The binding of TMAP had no obvious effect on the molecular conformation of the protein. There was only one binding site for TMAP and it was located on the surface of the protein molecule. Electrostatic force played an important role in the binding due to the opposite charges on porphyrin and the proteins. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: With polystyrene latex spheres self-assembled on ITO glass as templates, highly ordered two-dimensional (2D) Pt nanoparticles (PtNPs) were prepared by electrochemical deposition. The morphology and element composition of PtNPs were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The electrocatalytic properties of PtNPs/ITO and Sn underpotential deposition (UPD) modified PtNPs/ITO for methanol oxidation has been investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and chronoamperometry (CA). The excellent electrocatalytic activity can be observed for these catalytic systems. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

R2322 --> Chinese rice wine lees are the main by‐products in wine industry, with a great many of bioavailable constituents, such as amino acid, reducing sugars, short chain fatty acid and organic acids. Normally, most of the Chinese rice wine lees are made to animal feeds, therefore some effective approaches are needed to improve its nutritional and economy value. Hyriopsis cumingii is widely cultivated in China as a member of freshwater pearl mussels, by which over 95% of Chinese freshwater pearls are produced. After producing freshwater pearls, Hyriopsis cumingii flesh becomes food industry waste and are used mainly as animal feeds and fertilizer. However, Hyriopsis cumingii waste, rich in bioactive polysaccharides and polypeptides, has been reported to possess the ability of the anti‐tumor, immunity‐enhancement, anti‐inflammation and anti‐aging function. In our study, Chinese rice wine lees and Hyriopsis cumingii waste were utilized to obtain their residual value via solid‐state fermentation. Through solid‐state fermentation processes, agro‐industrial wastes are not only used for manufacturing of animal feed, but also for producing enzymes, antioxidants, chemicals and other bio‐based products like bio‐energy and biofertilizers. A variety of microorganisms participating in biotransformation are capable of secreting extracellular enzymes resulting in biomacromolecules decomposition. The strong symbiotic effect was observed in multistarter fermentation with natural yeast‐fungus mixed culture; meanwhile the mixture of Chinese rice wine lees and Hyriopsis cumingii waste at a ratio of 1:10 (w/w) was determined via series of adaptive optimization. Besides this, some chemical properties of the fermented production in Chinese rice wine lees and Hyriopsis cumingii waste was examined, including the ethanol levels, pH, total acids, total soluble proteins and sugars content. A soluble protein content of 26.1 ± 1.2% and a reducing sugar content of 17.8 ± 0.9% were achieved at the optimized condition. The digestibility of crude protein was increased, and the efficiency of nitrogen utilization was improved significantly after fermentation. The physicochemical properties of the crude protein were examined, covering the improved solubility, emulsifying properties and foaming properties in a pH range of 2.0‐12.0 and a sodium chloride concentration of 0‐1.0 M. The results showed a good solubility, oil absorption capacity, emulsifying property and foaming property of the fermented production. We found that the purified crude proteins and polysaccharides showed higher capabilities of reducing power, chelating capability of oxidative metal ions and scavenging free radicals. Therefore, the application of solid‐state fermentation with multistarter technology provides a new opportunity for improving the contents of nutritional protein and functional polysaccharides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]