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Semidalis anchoroides Liu & Yang, 1993 is a small and common insect in southern China. It's known for its small size, being covered by whitewax powder, and having uncomplicated venation. In this study, the mitochondrial genome for S. anchoroides was sequenced and analyzed. The sequenced partial mitogenome is 15,700 bp in length, encoding 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 tRNA genes, two rRNA genes, and one partial control region. These findings provide fundamental molecular data, thereby facilitating a more profound understanding of the phylogenetic relationships within the Semidalis species., Competing Interests: No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s)., (© 2024 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.)

N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-Pd(II) bonds are recognized as rather robust bonds to equip palladium(II) centers with decent stability and stereoelectronic tunability. In this report, the authentic carbene-Pd(II) bonds in N -ammonium- and sulfonate-functionalized NHC complexes were activated, and NHC ligand exchange was triggered to afford four well-defined, sulfobetaine-type, zwitterionic heterobiscarbene complexes. Combined experimental studies and density functional theory calculations indicated that electrostatic interactions play a minimal role in the energy of this reaction; instead, the exchange appears to be driven primarily by the precipitation of the resulting zwitterionic complexes.

The intricate regulatory mechanisms governing adipocyte differentiation are pivotal in elucidating the complex pathophysiology underlying obesity. This study aims to explore the dynamic changes in gene expression during the differentiation of 3T3-L1 adipocytes using transcriptomics methods. Protopanaxatriol (PPT) significantly inhibited adipocyte differentiation. To uncover the molecular mechanisms, we conducted an extensive transcriptomic analysis of adipocytes throughout various differentiation stages, comparing gene expression profiles before and after PPT treatment. The construction of 16 co-expression modules was achieved using weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). The 838 differentially expressed genes in the blue module were highly correlated with PPT treatment. Further analysis revealed that PIKfyve, STAT3, JAK1, CTTN, TYK2, JAK3, STAT2, STAT5b, SOCS3, and IRF9 were core genes closely associated with adipocyte differentiation. This discovery underscores the potential pivotal function of these ten genes in regulating adipocyte differentiation. This study elucidated that PPT, an active ingredient in ginseng, could reduce lipid accumulation by inhibiting the differentiation of adipocyte precursors through the negative regulation of genes such as PIKfyve, STAT3, and JAK1. Finally, molecular docking identified potential binding sites for PPT on PIKfyve and JAK1. This study provides potential drug targets for preventing obesity and related metabolic diseases.

Long-term epidermal recording of bioelectricity is of paramount importance for personal health monitoring. It requires stretchable and dry film electrodes that can be seamlessly integrated with skin. The simultaneous achievement of high conductivity and skin-like ductility of conducting materials is a prerequisite for reliable signal transduction at the dynamic interface, which is also the bottleneck of epidermal electrophysiology. Here, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are introduced as "conjugation linkers" into a topologically plasticized conducting polymer (PEDOT:PSS). A thin-film electrode with high conductivity (≈3250 S cm -1 ) and high stretchability (crack-onset strain>100%) is obtained. In particular, the conjugation linker enables the high volumetric capacitance and the low film resistance, both of which synergically reduce the interfacial impedance. The capabilities of this electrode is further demonstrated in the precise recording of various electrophysiological signals., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

ASFV C315R is homologous to the transcription factor TFIIB of large unclassified DNA viruses, and H359L is identical to the subunit 3 (RPB3) of eukaryotic RNA polymerase II. The C315R and H359L may play an important role in ASFV replication and transcription. Here, we evaluated the biological function of the C315R and H359L genes during virus replication in vitro and during infection in pigs. Results showed that C315R and H359L are highly conserved among ASFV genotype II strains; quantitative PCR (qPCR) and western blotting analyses revealed that C315R and H359L are early transcribed genes prior to viral DNA replication, but their protein expression is delayed. The immunofluorescence and western blotting analysis revealed that both proteins localized in the cell cytoplasm and nucleus at 24 h post infection, however, pH359L was mainly detected in the cell cytoplasm. Furthermore, overexpression of pH359L in MA104 cells significantly increased viral titer, RNA transcription levels, and viral protein expression levels, while overexpression of pC315R slightly enhanced ASFV replication. In contrast, siRNA targeting ASFV-H359L or C315R reduced replication efficiency in porcine macrophage culture compared to the parent ASFV-CN/SC/2019, demonstrating that C315R and H359L genes are necessary for ASFV replication. Finally, the functional role of C315R or H359L on PKR and eIF2α phosphorylation status and SG formation, as well as cytokine production were evaluated. These studies demonstrated that C315R and H359L are involved in virus replication processes in swine and play important roles in ASFV replication., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Yang, Wang, Yang, Tian, Wu, Sun, Zhang, Zhao, Luo, Guan, Yin, Hao and Niu.)

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) poses significant clinical challenges, often presenting as unresectable with limited biopsy options. Here, we show that circulating tumor cells (CTCs) offer a promising alternative, serving as a "liquid biopsy" that enables the generation of in vitro 3D models and highly aggressive in vivo models for functional and molecular studies in advanced PDAC. Within the retrieved CTC pool (median 65 CTCs/5 mL), we identify a subset (median content 8.9%) of CXCR4 + CTCs displaying heightened stemness and metabolic traits, reminiscent of circulating cancer stem cells. Through comprehensive analysis, we elucidate the importance of CTC-derived models for identifying potential targets and guiding treatment strategies. Screening of stemness-targeting compounds identified stearoyl-coenzyme A desaturase (SCD1) as a promising target for advanced PDAC. These results underscore the pivotal role of CTC-derived models in uncovering therapeutic avenues and ultimately advancing personalized care in PDAC., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests M.Ø.A., T.M.C., T.G.T., and A. Salanti are shareholders in VAR2Pharma ApS holding a patent on utilizing rVAR2 for diagnosing cancer and were not involved in the data analysis., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

LHPP has been shown to be a new tumor suppressor, and has a tendency to be under-expressed in a variety of cancers. Oncolytic virotheray is a promising therapeutics for lung cancer in recent decade years. Here we successfully constructed a new recombinant oncolytic adenovirus GD55-LHPP and investigated the effect of GD55-LHPP on the growth of lung cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. The results showed that LHPP had lower expression in either lung cancer cells or clinical lung cancer tissues compared with normal cells or tissues, and GD55-LHPP effectively mediated LHPP expression in lung cancer cells. GD55-LHPP could effectively inhibit the proliferation of lung cancer cell lines and rarely affected normal cell growth. Mechanically, the oncolytic adenovirus GD55-LHPP was able to induce stronger apoptosis of lung cancer cells compared with GD55 through the activation of caspase signal pathway. Notably, GD55-LHPP also activated autophagy-related signal pathway. Further, GD55-LHPP efficiently inhibited tumor growth in lung cancer xenograft in mice and prolonged animal survival rate compared with the control GD55 or PBS. In conclusion, the novel construct GD55-LHPP provides a valuable strategy for lung cancer-targeted therapy and develop the role of tumor suppress gene LHPP in lung cancer gene therapy., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) jet printing is a widely employed technology to create high-resolution patterns and thus has enormous potential for circuit production. However, achieving both high conductivity and high resolution in printed polymer electrodes is a challenging task. Here, by modulating the aggregation state of the conducting polymer in the solution and solid phases, a stable and continuous jetting of PEDOT:PSS is realized, and high-conductivity electrode arrays are prepared. The line width reaches less than 5 μm with a record-high conductivity of 1250 S/cm. Organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) are further developed by combining printed source/drain electrodes with ultrathin organic semiconductor crystals. These OFETs show great light sensitivity, with a specific detectivity ( D *) value of 2.86 × 10 14 Jones. In addition, a proof-of-concept fully transparent phototransistor is demonstrated, which opens up new pathways to multidimensional optical imaging.

Objectives: Klebsiella pneumoniae is a major opportunistic pathogen that is a member of the Enterobacteriaceae. Klebsiella pneumoniae causes pneumonia in mink and has become the primary infectious disease that limits mink farming. In this study, we report the draft genome sequence of a multidrug-resistant (MDR) strain of K. pneumoniae that harbours the mcr-1 gene isolated from a mink in China., Methods: The agar microdilution method was used to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration of the strain. The entire genomic DNA was sequenced using an Illumina MiSeq platform. A multilocus sequence type (MLST) and a core genome SNP phylogenetic tree analysis with a heatmap of the resistance genes and virulence genes were performed., Results: The size of the genome was 5451.826 kb, and it included one chromosome and one plasmid. The draft genome of K. pneumoniae indicated that the isolate was a member of MLST 661. Four types of virulence genes were detected. The results of antimicrobial susceptibility testing showed multiple drug resistance, and 17 resistance genes were identified., Conclusion: The genome sequence reported in this study will help to reveal the key role of antibiotic resistance and pathogenic mechanisms. It will provide useful information for the role of mobile genetic elements in the adaptive translocation and spread of antimicrobial resistance., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Trypsin inhibitors derived from plants have various pharmacological activities and promising clinical applications. In our previous study, a Bowman-Birk-type major trypsin inhibitor from foxtail millet bran (FMB-BBTI) was extracted with antiatherosclerotic activity. Currently, we found that FMB-BBTI possesses a prominent anticolorectal cancer (anti-CRC) activity. Further, a recombinant FMB-BBTI (rFMB-BBTI) was successfully expressed in a soluble manner in host strain Escherichia coli . BL21 (DE3) was induced by isopropyl-β - d-thiogalactoside (0.1 mM) at 37 °C for 3.5 h by the pET28a vector system. Fortunately, a purity greater than 93% of rFMB-BBTI with anti-CRC activity was purified by nickel-nitrilotriacetic acid affinity chromatography. Subsequently, we found that rFMB-BBTI displays a strikingly anti-CRC effect, characterized by the inhibition of cell proliferation and clone formation ability, cell cycle arrest at the G 2 /M phase, and induction of cell apoptosis. It is interesting that the rFMB-BBTI treatment had no obvious effect on normal colorectal cells in the same concentration range. Importantly, the anti-CRC activity of rFMB-BBTI was further confirmed in the xenografted nude mice model. Taken together, our study highlights the anti-CRC activity of rFMB-BBTI in vitro and in vivo, uncovering the clinical potential of rFMB-BBTI as a targeted agent for CRC in the future.

African swine fever virus (ASFV) poses a significant threat to the global pig industry, necessitating accurate and efficient diagnostic methods for its infection. Previous studies have often focused on a limited number of epitopes from a few proteins for detecting antibodies against ASFV. Therefore, the current study aimed to use multiple B-cell epitopes in developing an indirect Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) for enhanced detection of ASFV antibodies. For the expression of recombinant protein, k3 derived from 27 multiple peptides of 11 ASFV proteins, such as p72, pA104R, pB602L, p12, p14.5, p49, pE248R, p30, p54, pp62, and pp220, was used. To confirm the expression of the recombinant protein, we used the Western blotting analysis. The purified recombinant K3 protein served as the antigen in our study, and we employed the indirect ELISA technique to detect anti-ASFV antibodies. The present finding showed that there was no cross-reactivity with antibodies targeting Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV), Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2), Pseudorabies virus (PRV), Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), and Classical swine fever virus (CSFV). Moreover, the current finding was sensitive enough to find anti-ASFV in serum samples that had been diluted up to 32 times. The test (k3-iELISA) showed diagnostic specificity and sensitivity of 98.41% and 97.40%, respectively. Moreover, during the present investigation, we compared the Ingenasa kit and the k3-iELISA to test clinical pig serum, and the results revealed that there was 99.00% agreement between the two tests, showing good detection capability of the k3-iELISA method. Hence, the current finding showed that the ELISA kit we developed can be used for the rapid detection of ASFV antibodies and used as an alternative during serological investigation of ASF in endemic areas.

Chinese hamster ovary cells are the main expression system for recombinant therapeutic proteins. During the production of these proteins, certain host cell proteins are secreted, broken down, and released by host cells in the culture along with the proteins of interest. These host cell proteins are often difficult to remove during the downstream purification process, and thus affect the quality, safety, and effectiveness of recombinant protein biopharmaceutical products and increase the production cost of recombinant therapeutic proteins. Therefore, host cell protein production must be reduced as much as possible during the production process and eliminated during purification. This article reviews the harm caused by host cell proteins in the production of recombinant protein drugs using Chinese hamster ovary cell, factors affecting host cell proteins, the monitoring and identification of these proteins, and methods to reduce their type and quantity in the final product., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

The role of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) in treating radiation-induced brain injury (RIBI) is not completely understood, and assessment methods to directly characterize neurological function are lacking. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effects of BMSCs treatment on changes in hippocampal neural function in Sprague-Dawley(SD) rats with RIBI, and to evaluate the therapeutic effect of BMSCs by manganese-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MEMRI). First, we assessed cognitive function after RIBI treatment with BMSCs using the Morris water maze. Next, we used MEMRI at two time points to observe the treatment effect and explore the correlation between MEMRI and cognitive function. Finally, we evaluated the expression of specific hippocampal neurofunctional proteins, the ultrastructure of hippocampal nerves, and the histological changes in the hippocampus. After BMSCs treatment of RIBI, cognitive dysfunction improved significantly, the expression of hippocampal neurofunctional proteins was increased, the integrity of the hippocampal neural structure was protected, and nerve cell survival was enhanced. The improvement in neurological function was successfully detected by MEMRI, and MEMRI was highly correlated with cognitive function and histological changes. These results suggest that BMSCs treatment of RIBI is an optional modality, and MEMRI can be used for treatment evaluation., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors have no competing interests to declare that are relevant to the content of this article., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The gut microbiota promotes host health by maintaining homeostasis and enhancing digestive efficiency. The gut microflora in wild birds affects host physiological characteristics, nutritional status, and stress response. The relict gull ( Larus Relictus, a Chinese national first-class protected species) and the black-necked grebe ( Podiceps Nigricollis , a secondary protected species) bred in the Ordos Relic Gull National Nature Reserve share similar feeding habits and living environments but are distantly related genetically. To explore the composition and differences in the gut microbiota of these two key protected avian species in Erdos Relic Gull National Nature Reserve and provide a basis for their protection, 16S rRNA gene high-throughput sequencing was performed and the gut microbial diversity and composition of the relict gull ( L. Relictus ) and black-necked grebe ( P. Nigricollis ) was characterized. In total, 445 OTUs (operational taxonomic units) were identified and classified into 15 phyla, 22 classes, 64 orders, 126 families, and 249 genera. Alpha diversity analysis indicates that the gut microbial richness of the relict gull is significantly lower than that of the black-necked grebe. Gut microbe composition differs significantly between the two species. The most abundant bacterial phyla in these samples were Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Fusobacteria, and Bacteroidetes. The prominent phylum in the relict gull was Proteobacteria, whereas the prominent phylum in the black-necked grebe was Firmicutes. The average relative abundance of the 17 genera identified was greater than 1%. The dominant genus in the relict gull was Escherichia-Shigella , whereas Halomonas was dominant in the black-necked grebe. Microbial functional analyses indicate that environmental factors exert a greater impact on relict gulls than on black-necked grebes. Compared with the relict gull, the black-necked grebe was able to use food more efficiently to accumulate its nutrient requirements, and the gut of the relict gull harbored more pathogenic bacteria, which may be one reason for the decline in the relict gull population, rendering it an endangered species. This analysis of the gut microbial composition of these two wild avian species in the same breeding grounds is of great significance, offers important guidance for the protection of these two birds, especially relict gulls, and provides a basis for understanding the propagation of related diseases., Competing Interests: The authors declare there are no competing interests., (©2023 Zhao et al.)

The symbiotic microbiome is critical in promoting insect resistance against colonization by exogenous microorganisms. The mechanisms by which symbionts contribute to the host's immune capacity is referred to as colonization resistance. Symbionts can protect insects from exogenous pathogens through a variety of mechanisms, including upregulating the expression of host immune-related genes, producing antimicrobial substances, and competitively excluding pathogens. Concordantly, insects have evolved fine-tuned regulatory mechanisms to avoid overactive immune responses against symbionts or specialized cells to harbor symbionts. Alternatively, some symbionts have evolved special adaptations, such as the formation of biofilms to increase their tolerance to host immune responses. Here, we provide a review of the mechanisms about colonization resistance of symbionts in their insect hosts. Adaptations of symbionts and their insect hosts that may maintain such symbiotic relationships, and the significance of such relationships in the coevolution of symbiotic systems are also discussed to provide insights into the in-depth study of the contribution of symbionts to host physiology and behavior.

African swine fever (ASF) is one of the most lethal and devastating diseases of domestic and wild swine. The continual spread and frequent outbreaks of ASF have seriously threatened the pig and pig-related industries, causing great socioeconomic losses at unprecedented proportions. Although ASF has been documented for a century, no effective vaccine or antiviral treatment is currently available. Nanobodies (Nbs) derived from heavy-chain-only antibodies in camelids have been discovered to be effective as therapeutics and robust biosensors in imaging and diagnostic applications. In the present study, a high-quality phage display library containing specific Nbs raised against ASFV proteins was successfully constructed, and 19 nanobodies specific to ASFV p30 were preliminarily identified by phage display technology. After extensive evaluation, nanobodies Nb17 and Nb30 were employed as immunosensors and applied to develop a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the detection of ASFV in clinical specimens. This immunoassay showed a detection limit of approximately 1.1 ng/mL target protein and 10 2.5 hemadsorption (HAD 50 /mL) of ASFV and exhibited high specificity with no cross-reaction with the other porcine viruses tested. The performances of the newly developed assay and a commercial kit in testing 282 clinical swine samples were very similar (93.62% agreement). However, the novel sandwich Nb-ELISA showed higher sensitivity than the commercial kit when serial dilutions of ASFV-positive samples were tested. The present study describes a valuable alternative technique for the detection and surveillance of ASF in endemic regions. Furthermore, additional nanobodies specific to ASFV may be developed using the generated VHH library and employed in different biotechnology fields., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Background: Tianhuang formula (THF) is a Chinese medicine prescription that is patented and clinically approved, and has been shown to improve energy metabolism, but the underlying mechanism remains poorly understood. The purpose of this study is to clarify the potential mechanisms of THF in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM)., Methods: A murine model of T2DM was induced by high-fat diet (HFD) feeding combined with low-dose streptozocin (STZ) injections, and the diabetic mice were treated with THF by gavaging for consecutive 10 weeks. Fasting blood glucose (FBG), serum insulin, blood lipid, mitochondrial Ca 2+ (mCa 2+ ) levels and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), as well as ATP production were analyzed. The target genes and proteins expression of visceral adipose tissue (Vat) was tested by RT-PCR and western blot, respectively. The underlying mechanism of the regulating energy metabolism effect of THF was further explored in the insulin resistance model of 3T3-L1 adipocytes cultured with dexamethasone (DXM)., Results: THF restored impaired glucose tolerance and insulin resistance in diabetic mice. Serum levels of lipids were significantly decreased, as well as fasting blood glucose and insulin in THF-treated mice. THF regulated m Ca 2+ uptake, increased MMP and ATP content in VAT. THF increased the mRNA and protein expression of AMPK, phosphorylated AMPK (p-AMPK), MICU1, sirtuin1 (SIRT1) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α). THF could increase the m Ca 2+ level of 3T3-L1 adipocytes and regulate mitochondrial function. The protein expression of AMPK, p-AMPK, m Ca 2+ uniporter (MCU) and MICU1 decreased upon adding AMPK inhibitor compound C to 3T3-L1 adipocytes and the protein expression of MCU and MICU1 decreased upon adding the MCU inhibitor ruthenium red., Conclusions: These results demonstrated that THF ameliorated glucose and lipid metabolism disorders in T2DM mice through the improvement of AMPK/MICU1 pathway-dependent mitochondrial function in adipose tissue., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

A mixed lanthanide organic framework was prepared via hydrothermal methods using m -phthalic acid ( m -H 2 BDC), 1,10-phenanthroline (1,10-Phen), and Ln 3+ ions, formulated as [HNMe 2 ][Eu 0.095 Tb 1.905 ( m -BDC) 3 (phen) 2 ] ( ZTU-6 ). The structure and stability of ZTU-6 were characterised by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), which revealed a three-dimensional pcu topology with high thermal stability. Fluorescence tests showed that ZTU-6 emitted orange light with a high quantum yield of 79.15%, and it can be effectively encapsulated in a light-emitting diode (LED) device emitting orange light. In addition, ZTU-6 was found to be compatible with BaMgAl 10 O 17 :Eu 2+ (BAM) blue powder and [(Sr,Ba) 2 SiO 4 :Eu 2+ ] silicate yellow and green powder to create a warm white LED with a high colour rendering index (CRI) of 93.4, a correlated colour temperature (CCT) of 3908 K, and CIE coordinates of (0.38, 036)., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Shen, Pan, Zhao, Gu and Li.)

Pancreatic cancer is a lethal condition with a rising incidence and often presents at an advanced stage, contributing to abysmal five-year survival rates. Unspecific symptoms and the current lack of biomarkers and screening tools hamper early diagnosis. New technologies for liquid biopsies and their respective evaluation in pancreatic cancer patients have emerged over recent years. The term liquid biopsy summarizes the sampling and analysis of circulating tumor cells (CTCs), small extracellular vesicles (sEVs), and tumor DNA (ctDNA) from body fluids. The major advantages of liquid biopsies rely on their minimal invasiveness and repeatability, allowing serial sampling for dynamic insights to aid diagnosis, particularly early detection, risk stratification, and precision medicine in pancreatic cancer. However, liquid biopsies have not yet developed into a new pillar for clinicians' routine armamentarium. Here, we summarize recent findings on the use of liquid biopsy in pancreatic cancer patients. We discuss current challenges and future perspectives of this potentially powerful alternative to conventional tissue biopsies., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

TRPC1 enhances cell proliferation and migration in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC); however, its effect on NSCLC chemoresistance and stemness remains to be determined. The aim of the current study was to investigate the effect of TRPC1 on NSCLC chemoresistance and stemness and to determine the underlying mechanism of action. Cisplatin-resistant A549 (A549/CDDP) and H460 (H460/CDDP) cells were first established and were then transfected with negative control small interfering (si)RNA (si-NC) or TRPC1 siRNA (si-TRPC1). Cells were then treated with 740 Y-P, a PI3K/Akt agonist. Subsequently, the sensitivity of A549/CDDP and H460/CDDP cells to CDDP was evaluated. Furthermore, the expression levels of CD133 and CD44, and sphere formation ability were also determined. The results showed that the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC 50 ) of CDDP was significantly higher in A549/CDDP cells compared with A549 cells and in H460/CDDP cells compared with H460 cells. TRPC1 silencing decreased the IC 50 value of CDDP compared with the si-NC group in A549/CDDP (11.78 vs. 21.58 µM; P<0.01) and H460/CDDP (23.76 vs. 43.11 µM; P<0.05) cells. Additionally, TRPC1 knockdown in both cell lines decreased the number of spheres formed compared with the si-NC group. Furthermore, compared with the si-NC group, A549/CDDP cells transfected with si-TRPC1 exhibited decreased levels of both CD133 (P<0.01) and CD44 (P<0.05). However, only CD133 (P<0.05) was downregulated in TRPC1-depleted H460/CDDP cells compared with the si-NC group. In addition, TRPC1 knockdown repressed PI3K/AKT signaling compared with the si-NC group in both A549/CDDP and H460/CDDP cells (all P<0.05). Finally, cell treatment with 740 Y-P reversed the effect of TRPC1 knockdown on PI3K/AKT signaling, chemoresistance, and cancer stemness in A549/CDDP and H460/CDDP cells (all P<0.05). In conclusion, the results of the current study suggested that targeting TRPC1 could attenuate cancer stemness and chemoresistance via suppression of PI3K/AKT signaling in NSCLC., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (Copyright: © Jin et al.)

Stable cyclopalladated complexes containing an (sp 3 )C-Pd bond were synthesized via α-CH 2 deprotonation and palladation of N -alkyl groups of carbene ligands bearing electron-withdrawing substituents. The strong electron donating strengths of the resulting C NHC ^C sp3 chelators were experimentally identified, and the palladacycle underwent template-directed, versatile C-halogenation with X 2 .

African swine fever virus (ASFV) is an important pathogen that causes a highly contagious and lethal disease in swine, for which neither a vaccine nor treatment is available. The DNA repair enzyme 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase 1 (OGG1), which excises the oxidative base lesion 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine (8-oxoG), has been linked to the pathogenesis of different diseases associated with viral infections. However, the role of OGG1-base excision repair (BER) in ASFV infection has been poorly investigated. Our study aimed to characterize the alteration of host reactive oxygen species (ROS) and OGG1 and to analyse the role of OGG1 in ASFV infection. We found that ASFV infection induced high levels and dynamic changes in ROS and 8-oxoG and consistently increased the expression of OGG1. Viral yield, transcription level, and protein synthesis were reduced in ASFV-infected primary alveolar macrophages (PAMs) treated by TH5487 or SU0268 inhibiting OGG1. The expression of BER pathway associated proteins of ASFV was also suppressed in OGG1-inhibited PAMs. Furthermore, OGG1 was found to negatively regulate interferon β (IFN-β) production during ASFV infection and IFN-β could be activated by OGG1 inhibition with TH5487 and SU0268, which blocked OGG1 binding to 8-oxoG. Additionally, the interaction of OGG1 with viral MGF360-14-L protein could disturb IFN-β production to further affect ASFV replication. These results suggest that OGG1 plays the crucial role in successful viral infection and OGG1 inhibitors SU0268 or TH5487 could be used as antiviral agents for ASFV infection., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Publishing services by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Flexible wearable sensors with multifunctional features have attracted great interest in various applications such as disease diagnosis, environmental detection and healthcare monitoring. However, it is still a challenge to achieve a multifunctional sensor with super water resistance without compromising the overall performance of the sensing material. Here, we developed a 3D bifunctional flexible sensor based on an MXene melamine sponge (MS) through a simple and effective ultrasonic mixing process and a further vacuum annealing process. The sensor is able to show excellent response to different stimuli, including pressure and humidity. The thermal annealing treatment allows MXene to adhere more firmly to the internal skeleton of the sponge, which does not easily fall off and improves the water resistance, thus achieving wearability and high sensitivity over a wide area. The T-MXene@MS sensor has a sensitivity of 9.97 kPa -1 in the 5-15 kPa range, a fast response time (180 ms), and good stability at 4000 cycles, enabling accurate monitoring of human movement. The sensor has a rich porous structure while maintaining its inherent flexibility, which allows for long term testing of human respiration as well as the ability to respond quickly to dynamic changes in humidity, demonstrating excellent long-term stability for 40 days of humidity detection.

African swine fever virus (ASFV) is a large and very complex DNA virus. The major capsid protein p72 is the most predominant structural protein and constitutes the outmost icosahedral capsid of the virion. In the present study, the nanobodies against ASFV p72 protein were screened from a camelid immune VHH library by phage display technique. Nine distinct nanobodies were identified according to the amino acid sequences of the complementary determining regions (CDRs), and contain typical amino acid substitutions in the framework region 2 (FR2). Six nanobodies were successfully expressed in E . coli , and their specificity and affinity to p72 protein were further evaluated. The results showed that nanobodies Nb25 had the best affinity to both recombinant and native p72 protein of ASFV. The Nb25 possesses an extremely long CDR3 with 23 amino acids compared with other nanobodies, which may allow this nanobody to access the hidden epitopes of target antigen. Furthermore, the Nb25 can specifically recognize the virus particles captured by polyclonal antibody against ASFV in a sandwich immunoassay, and its application as a biosensor to target virus in PAM cells was verified by an immunofluorescence assay. Nanobodies have been proven to possess many favorable properties with small size, high affinity and specificity, easier to produce, low costs and deep tissue penetration that make them suitable for various biotechnological applications. These findings suggest that nanobody Nb25 identified herein could be a valuable alternative tool and has potential applications in diagnostic and basic research on ASFV., Competing Interests: YZ was employed by China Agricultural VET. BIO. Science and Technology Co, Ltd. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Yang, Jing, Niu, Wang, Zhao, Liu, Guan, Luo, Yin and Liu.)

African swine fever (ASF), an acute, severe, highly contagious disease caused by African swine fever virus (ASFV) infection in domestic pigs and boars, has a mortality rate of up to 100%. Because effective vaccines and treatments for ASF are lacking, effective control of the spread of ASF remains a great challenge for the pig industry. Host epigenetic regulation is essential for the viral gene transcription. Bromodomain and extraterminal (BET) family proteins, including BRD2, BRD3, BRD4, and BRDT, are epigenetic "readers" critical for gene transcription regulation. Among these proteins, BRD4 recognizes acetylated histones via its two bromodomains (BD1 and BD2) and recruits transcription factors, thereby playing a pivotal role in transcriptional regulation and chromatin remodeling during viral infection. However, how BET/BRD4 regulates ASFV replication and gene transcription is unknown. Here, we randomly selected 12 representative BET family inhibitors and compared their effects on ASFV infection in pig primary alveolar macrophages (PAMs). These were found to inhibit viral infection by interfering viral replication. The four most effective inhibitors (ARV-825, ZL0580, I-BET-762, and PLX51107) were selected for further antiviral activity analysis. These BET/BRD4 inhibitors dose dependently decreased the ASFV titer, viral RNA transcription, and protein production in PAMs. Collectively, we report novel function of BET/BRD4 inhibitors in inducing suppression of ASFV infection, providing insights into the role of BET/BRD4 in the epigenetic regulation of ASFV and potential new strategies for ASF prevention and control. IMPORTANCE Due to the continuing spread of the ASFV in the world and the lack of commercial vaccines, the development of improved control strategies, including antiviral drugs, is urgently needed. BRD4 is an important epigenetic factor and has been commonly used for drug development for tumor treatment. Furthermore, the latest research showed that BET/BRD4 inhibition could suppress replication of virus. In this study, we first showed the inhibitory effect of agents targeting BET/BRD4 on ASFV infection with no significant host cytotoxicity. Then, we found four BET/BRD4 inhibitors that can inhibit ASFV replication, RNA transcription, and protein synthesis. Our findings support the hypothesis that BET/BRD4 can be considered as attractive host targets in antiviral drug discovery against ASFV.

Background: Screening for epidermal growth factor receptor ( EGFR ) mutations is the key to select suitable patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) for EGFR-TKI therapy in clinical practice. Nevertheless, tumor tissue that needed for mutation analysis is frequently unavailable, especially for patients with recurrence after operation. Therefore, detection of EGFR from circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in patients with NSCLC is a sensitive and convenient method to direct patient sequential treatment strategy., Methods: One hundred and seventy-nine NSCLC patients with both tumor tissue samples and paired plasma samples were recruited. EGFR mutations were detected in 68 tumor tissue samples and 179 plasma samples using Anlongen Locked Nucleic Acid-Amplification Refractory Mutation System (LNA-ARMS) EGFR Mutation Detection Kit. The remaining 111 tumor tissue samples were detected with the use of multiplex PCR-Based NGS sequence. We calculated the sensitivity, specificity, positive prediction value (PPV) and negative prediction value (NPV) of LAN-ARMS PCR. The objective response rate (ORR) of patients received TKIs therapy was calculated., Results: Of the 179 patients, EGFR mutations were detected in 77 of the 179 tumor tissue samples, with a positive rate of 43.01% (77/179). In addition, EGFR mutations were detected in 42 of the 179 plasma samples. The sensitivity and specificity of LAN-ARMS in detecting EGFR mutations were 57.18% and 98.04% respectively compared to tissue results. The PPV was 95.24%, and NPV was 72.99%. Of the 179 pair of samples, EGFR mutations were inconsistent in 39 pairs of tissue and plasma. The overall agreement of EGFR mutation detection was 78.21% (140/179). The ORR was higher in patients with both tissue and plasma EGFR mutations compared with that in patients with only tissue EGFR mutations (73.33% vs. 68.29%), but the difference was not significant. It was suggested that tissue detection combined with plasma detection could improve the mutation rate., Conclusion: In plasma samples, Anlongen LAN-ARMS EGFR Mutation Detection Kit had a high sensitivity and specificity for the detection of EGFR mutations. Anlongen LAN-ARMS EGFR Mutation Detection Kit had the advantages of easy-to-operate and high sensitivity in clinical application., Competing Interests: None., (AJTR Copyright © 2022.)

A new type of burst-oscillation mode (BOM) is reported for the first time, by extensively investigating the response dynamics of a one-dimensional (1D) paced excitable system with unidirectional coupling. The BOM state is an alternating transition between two distinct phases, i.e., the phase with multiple short spikes and the phase with a long interval. The realizable region and the unrealizable region for the evolution of BOM are identified, which is determined by the initial pulse number in the system. It is revealed that, in the realizable region, the initial inhomogeneous BOM will eventually evolve to the homogeneously distributed spike-oscillation mode (SOM), while it can maintain in the unrealizable region. Furthermore, several dynamical features of BOM and SOM are theoretically predicted and have been verified in numerical simulations. The mechanisms of the emergence of BOM are discussed in detail. It is revealed that three key factors, i.e., the linking time, the system length, and the local dynamics, can effectively modulate the pattern of BOM. Moreover, the suitable parameter region of the external pacing ( A, f ) that can produce the new type of BOM, has been explicitly revealed. These results may facilitate a deeper understanding of bursts in nature and will have a useful impact in related fields., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Lei, Liu, Zhao, Liu, Qian and Zheng.)

Two new species, Heteroconisyunnanensis sp. nov. and Heteroconisorbicularis sp. nov. , are described from China. Both species differ from their congeners in characters of the male genitalia. Heteroconisterminalis (Banks, 1913) is redescribed based on examined Chinese specimens. A key to the adult males of Heteroconis from China is provided., (Yaru Zhao, György Sziráki, Zhiqi Liu.)

Objective: Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) level changes may be another reason for increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease. In this study, we aimed to investigate the role of FSH in atherosclerosis and its underlying mechanism., Methods: ApoE-/- mice were divided into 4 groups, namely, the sham group, bilaterally orchidectomized group, FSH group, and testosterone-only group. Blood lipid and hormone levels were tested, aorta Oil Red O staining; the levels of NF-κB, Akt, eNOS, and FSH receptors in the aorta were measured by Western blotting. Expression of VCAM-1 was detected via Western blotting and immunohistochemical staining. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were used to induce endothelial injury model by adding FSH, and the levels of NF-κB, Akt, eNOS, and FSHR were tested in HUVECs., Results: FSH treatment exacerbated atherosclerotic lesions in ApoE-/- mice. Moreover, FSH could promote the expression of VCAM-1 protein in HUVECs, and this effect was possibly mediated by the activation of NF-κB, while NF-κB activation was further enhanced by the activation of the PI3K/Akt/eNOS pathway. FSH failed to activate Akt and NF-κB in the presence of the PI3K inhibitor LY294002 in HUVECs., Conclusion: FSH promoted the development of atherosclerosis by increasing VCAM-1 protein expression via activating PI3K/Akt/NF-κB pathway., (© 2022 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

African swine fever virus (ASFV) infection can result in lethal disease in pigs. ASFV encodes 150-167 proteins, of which only approximately 50 encoded viral structure proteins are functionally known. ASFV also encodes some nonstructural proteins that are involved in the regulation of viral transcription, viral replication and evasion from host defense. However, the understanding of the molecular correlates of the severity of these infections is still limited. The purpose of this study was to compare host and viral gene expression differences and perform functional analysis in acutely infected, dead and cohabiting asymptomatic pigs infected with ASFV by using RNA-Seq technique; healthy pigs were used as controls. A total of 3,760 and 2,874 upregulated genes and 4,176 and 2,899 downregulated genes were found in healthy pigs vs. acutely infected, dead pigs or asymptomatic pigs, respectively. Additionally, 941 upregulated genes and 956 downregulated genes were identified in asymptomatic vs. acutely infected, dead pigs. Different alternative splicing (AS) events were also analyzed, as were gene chromosome locations, and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network prediction analysis was performed for significantly differentially expressed genes (DEGs). In addition, 30 DEGs were validated by RT-qPCR, and the results were consistent with the RNA-Seq results. We further analyzed the interaction between ASFV and its host at the molecular level and predicted the mechanisms responsible for asymptomatic pigs based on the selected DEGs. Interestingly, we found that some viral genes in cohabiting asymptomatic pigs might integrate into host genes (DP96R, I73R and L83L) or remain in the tissues of cohabiting asymptomatic pigs. In conclusion, the data obtained in the present study provide new evidence for further elucidating ASFV-host interactions and the ASFV infection mechanism and will facilitate the implementation of integrated strategies for controlling ASF spread., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Sun, Niu, Yang, Zhao, Tian, Fan, Zhang, Wang, Geng, Zhang, Guan, Williams, Luo, Yin and Liu.)

Two new species of Coniopterygidae, Semidalisprocurva sp. nov. and Semidalistibetana sp. nov. , are described from China. Both species differ from congeners in characters of the male genitalia. Semidalisdecipiens (Roepke, 1916), is recorded from China for the first time. An identification key for adult males of the Chinese species of Semidalis Enderlein, 1905 is provided., (Yaru Zhao, Ying Li, Min Li, Zhiqi Liu.)

Anaplasma ovis, a tick-borne intra-erythrocytic Gram-negative bacterium, is a causative agent of ovine anaplasmosis. It is known that Dermacentor ticks act as biological vectors for A. ovis. VirD4 is the machine component of Type IV Secretion System of A. ovis. To better understand the pathogen-vector interaction, VirD4 was used as a bait protein for screening midgut proteins of Dermacentor silvarum via yeast two-hybrid mating assay. As a result, a ribosomal protein RL12 was identified from the midgut cDNA library of D. silvarum. For further validation, using in vitro Glutathione S-transferase (GST) pull-down assay, interaction between the proteins, GST-RL12 and HIS-VirD4, was observed in Western blot analysis. The study is first of its kind reporting a D. silvarum midgut protein interaction with VirD4 from A. ovis. Functional annotations showed some important cellular processes are attributed to the protein, particularly in the stringent response and biogenesis. The results of the study suggest the involvement of the VirD4-RL12 interaction in the regulation of signaling pathways, which is a tool for understanding the pathogen-vector interaction., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

The Chinese species of Conwentzia Enderlein are revised by integrating morphological characters and molecular data. Conwentzia yunguiana Liu & Yang, 1993 is proposed as a junior synonym of Conwentzia nietoi Monserrat, 1982, syn. nov. and Conwentzia orthotibia Yang, 1974 is proposed as a junior synonym of Conwentzia pineticola Enderlein, 1905, syn. nov. Moreover, a key to the adult males of the Conwentzia from China and DNA barcodes are provided., (Yaru Zhao, Ying Li, Zhiqi Liu.)

Two new species of Coniopterygidae, Coniopteryx (Coniopteryx) tenuisetosa sp. nov. , and Coniopteryx (Coniopteryx) serrata sp. nov. , are described from China. Both species differ from congeners in characters of the male genitalia. Coniopteryx (Coniopteryx) alticola Sziráki, 2002, is recorded from China for the first time. A key to species of the genus Coniopteryx from China is presented., (Yaru Zhao, Davide Badano, Zhiqi Liu.)

In order to screen African swine fever virus (ASFV) diagnostic antigen with the best enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) reactivity. By establishing the ELISA method, the diagnostic antigen of ASFV p30 protein expressed by baculovirus-insect cell expression system as reference, we explored the antigenic properties and diagnostic potential of ASFV p35 protein expressed by prokaryotic expression system as a diagnostic antigen. The results of Western blotting and immunofluorescence show that the molecular weight of the recombinant p35 protein and p30 protein obtained was 40 kDa and 30 kDa, respectively, and these two proteins had good immuno-reactivity with ASFV positive serum. Recombinant p30 and p35 proteins were used as diagnostic antigens to establish ELISA, and the sensitivity and repeatability of these methods were tested. The results show that although the detection sensitivity of the p30-ELISA established in this study was higher than that of the p35-ELISA, the sensitivity of p35-ELISA was 95.8%, and variations in intra- and inter-assay repeatability of the two methods were less than 10%. The coincidence rate between the p35-ELISA and the imported kit was 97.2%. Results show that p35-ELISA was sensitive and stable, and could detect specific antibodies against ASFV.

The incorporation of photocatalytic nanomaterials into polymer coatings is used to protect stone relics from weathering. However, the photocatalytic nanomaterials might generate excess free radicals to degrade the polymer matrix. In this work, a certain amount of TiO 2 nanoparticles were dispersed into Paraloid B72 and applied onto sandstone relics to explore the adverse effects of TiO 2 nanoparticles on Paraloid B72 under ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. To fulfill this goal, the effects of TiO 2 on pore formation and the structure of Paraloid B72 was studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Moreover, the surface chemical composition, pore structure, surface roughness and surface wettability were explored via Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, SEM, optical profilometer and water contact angle measurement under UV irradiation. Results showed that the incorporation of TiO 2 nanoparticles prohibited the generation of pores in Paraloid B72 and there were no pores formed when the content of TiO 2 exceeded 0.8 wt%. The water contact angle of origin Paraloid B72 and TiO 2 /Paraloid B72 decreased with the prolonging UV irradiation. Moreover, TiO 2 nanoparticles were extracted from the matrix and the pores cannot be detected with the prolonging UV irradiation time under a higher content of TiO 2 . These research findings might promote the understanding of using photocatalytic nanomaterials in developing stone relics' protective coating.

Ligninolytic bacteria degrading lignin were isolates and identified, and their biodegradation mechanism of alkaline-lignin was investigated. Four strains with lignin degradation capability were screened and identified from the soil, straw, and silage based on their decolorizing capacity of aniline blue and colony size on alkaline-lignin medium. The degradation ratio of Bacillus aryabhattai BY5, Acinetobacter johnsonii LN2, Acinetobacter lwoffii LN4, and Micrococcus yunnanensis CL32 have been assayed using alkaline-lignin as the unique carbon source. Further, the Lip (lignin peroxidase) and Mnp (manganese peroxidase) activities of strains were investigated. Lip activity of A. lwoffii LN4 was highest after 72 h of incubation and reached 7151.7 U · l -1 . Mnp activity of M. yunnanensis CL32 was highest after 48 h and reached 12533 U · l -1 . The analysis of alkaline-lignin degradation products by GC-MS revealed that the strains screened could utilize aromatic esters compounds such as dibutyl phthalate (DBP), and decomposite monocyclic aromatic compounds through the DBP aerobic metabolic pathway. The results indicate that B. aryabhattai BY5, A. johnsonii LN2, A. lwoffii LN4, and M. yunnanensis CL32 have high potential to degrade alkaline-lignin, and might utilize aromatic compounds by DBP aerobic metabolic pathway in the process of lignin degradation., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest The authors do not report any financial or personal connections with other persons or organizations, which might negatively affect the contents of this publication and/or claim authorship rights to this publication., (© 2020 Yi Xiong et al.)

Bimetallic clusters have aroused increased attention because of the ability to tune their own properties by changing size, shape, and doping. In present work, a structural search of the global minimum for divalent bimetal Be 2 Mg n (n = 1-20) clusters are performed by utilizing CALYPSO structural searching method with subsequent DFT optimization. We investigate the evolution of geometries, electronic properties, and nature of bonding from small to medium-sized clusters. It is found that the structural transition from hollow 3D structures to filled cage-like frameworks emerges at n = 10 for Be 2 Mg n clusters, which is obviously earlier than that of Mg n clusters. The Be atoms prefer the surface sites in small cluster size, then one Be atom tend to embed itself inside the magnesium motif. At the number of Mg larger than eighteen, two Be atoms have been completely encapsulated by caged magnesium frameworks. In all Be 2 Mg n clusters, the partial charge transfer from Mg to Be takes place. An increase in the occupations of the Be-2p and Mg-3p orbitals reveals the increasing metallic behavior of Be 2 Mg n clusters. The analysis of stability shows that the cluster stability can be enhanced by Be atoms doping and the Be 2 Mg 8 cluster possesses robust stability across the cluster size range of n = 1-20. There is s-p hybridization between the Be and Mg atoms leading to stronger Be-Mg bonds in Be 2 Mg 8 cluster. This finding is supported by the multi-center bonds and Mayer bond order analysis.

Background: Anaplasma ovis is a gram-negative, tick-borne obligate intraerythrocytic pathogen, which causes ovine anaplasmosis in small ruminants worldwide. VirB10 of A. ovis is an integral component of the Type IV Secretion System (T4SS). The T4SS is used by bacteria to transfer DNA and/or proteins undeviatingly into the host cell to increase their virulence. To more thoroughly understand the interaction between A. ovis and Dermacentor silvarum, a vector containing the virb10 gene of A. ovis was used as a bait plasmid to screen interacting proteins from the cDNA library of the D. silvarum salivary gland using the yeast two-hybrid system., Methods: The cDNA of the D. silvarum salivary gland was cloned into the pGADT7-SmaI vector (prey plasmid) to construct the yeast two-hybrid cDNA library. The virb10 gene was cloned into the pGBKT7 vector to generate a bait plasmid. Any gene auto-activation or toxicity effects in the yeast strain Y2HGold were excluded. The screening was performed by combining the bait and prey plasmids in yeast strains to identify positive preys. The positive preys were then sequenced, and the obtained sequences were subjected to further analyses using Gene Ontology, UniProt, SMART, and STRING. Additionally, the interaction between the bait and the prey was evaluated using the glutathione S-transferase (GST) pull-down assay., Results: A total of two clones were obtained from the cDNA library using the yeast two-hybrid system, and the sequence analysis showed that both clones encoded the same large tegument protein, UL36. Furthermore, the proteins GST-UL36 and His-VirB10 were successfully expressed in vitro and the interaction between the two proteins was successfully demonstrated by the GST pull-down assay., Conclusions: To our knowledge, this study is the first to screen for D. silvarum salivary gland proteins that interact with A. ovis VirB10. The resulting candidate, UL36, is a multi-functional protein. Further investigations into the functionality of UL36 should be carried out, which might help in identifying novel prevention and treatment strategies for A. ovis infection. The present study provides a base for exploring and further understanding the interactions between A. ovis and D. silvarum.

Non-precious metal-based electrocatalysts with high activity and stability for efficient hydrogen evolution reactions are of critical importance for low-cost and large-scale water splitting. In this work, Mo 2 C-Mo 3 C 2 heteronanowires with significantly enhanced catalytic performance are constructed from an MoAn precursor via an accurate phase transition process. The structure disordering and surface carbon shell of Mo 2 C-Mo 3 C 2 heteronanowires can be precisely regulated, resulting in an enlarged surface area and a defect-rich catalytic surface. Density functional theory calculations are used to identify the effect of the defective sites and carbon shell on the free energy for hydrogen adsorption in hydrogen evolution. Meanwhile, the synergistic effect between different phases and the introduced lattice defects of Mo 2 C-Mo 3 C 2 are considered to enhance the HER catalytic performance. The designed catalyst exhibits optimal electrocatalytic activity in both acidic and alkaline media: low overpotentials of 134 and 116 mV at 10 mA cm -2 , a small Tafel slope of 64 mV dec -1 , and a long-term stability for 5000 cycles. This work will provide new insights into the design of high-efficiency HER catalysts via interfacial engineering at the nanoscale for commercial water splitting.

Using the first-principles particle swarm optimization algorithm for crystal structural prediction, we have predicted a novel monoclinic C 2/ m structure for ZrB₃, which is more energetically favorable than the previously proposed FeB₃-, TcP₃-, MoB₃-, WB₃-, and OsB₃-type structures in the considered pressure range. The new phase is mechanically and dynamically stable, as confirmed by the calculations of its elastic constants and phonon dispersion curve. The calculated large shear modulus (227 GPa) and high hardness (42.2 GPa) show that ZrB₃ within the monoclinic phase is a potentially superhard material. The analyses of the electronic density of states and chemical bonding reveal that the strong B-B and B-Zr covalent bonds are attributed to its high hardness. By the quasi-harmonic Debye model, the heat capacity, thermal expansion coefficient and Grüneisen parameter of ZrB₃ are also systemically investigated.

Hearing impairment affects 1 in 650 newborns, making it the most common congenital sensory impairment. Autosomal recessive nonsyndromic sensorineural hearing impairment (ARNSHI) comprises 80% of familial hearing impairment cases. Mutations in GJB2 account for a significant number of ARNSHI (and up to 50% of documented recessive (e.g., more than 1 affected sibling) hearing impairment in some populations). Mutations in the GJB2 gene are amongst the most common causes of hearing impairment in populations of various ethnic backgrounds. Two mutations of this gene, 35delG and 167delT, account for the majority of reported mutations in Caucasian populations, especially those of Mediterranean and Ashkenazi Jewish background. The 235delC mutation is most prevalent in East Asian populations. Some mutations are of less well-characterized significance. The V37I missense mutation, common in Asian populations, was initially described as a polymorphism and later as a potentially pathogenic mutation. We report here on 15 unrelated individuals with ARNSHI and homozygosity for the V37I GJB2 missense mutation. Nine individuals are of Chinese ancestry, two are of unspecified Asian descent, one is of Japanese descent, one individual is of Vietnamese ancestry, one of Philippine background and one of Italian and Cuban/Caucasian background. Homozygosity for the V37I GJB2 mutation may be a more common pathogenic missense mutation in Asian populations, resulting in mild to moderate sensorineural hearing impairment. We report a presumed haplotype block specific to East Asian individuals with the V37I mutation encompassing the GJB2 gene that may account for the high prevalence in East Asian populations., (Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

The effect of a ZnO#ZnS QDs heterojunction (O#SQDs) on the binding affinities of flavonoid glycosides for bovine serum albumin (BSA) was investigated. The fluorescence intensities of BSA decreased remarkably with increasing concentration of O#SQDs. The magnitudes of the binding constants of flavonoid glycosides for BSA in the presence of O#SQDs were in the range of 10(5)-10(7) L mol(-1), and the number of binding sites per BSA (n) was determined as 1.24 ± 0.17. O#SQDs increased the affinities of flavonoid glycosides for BSA by about 2.96% to 114.68% depending on their structures. O#SQDs in blood will enhance the transportation of flavonoid glycosidegs in blood and improve their pharmacology effects. From this point, O#SQDs are a perfect candidate for flavonoid glycosides delivery applications., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2012)

The molecular structure/property-affinity relationships of dietary polyphenols non-covalently binding to total plasma proteins of type II diabetes (IIDTPP) were investigated by comparing the binding constants obtained from the fluorescence titration method. An additional methoxy group in flavonoids increased their binding affinities for IIDTPP by 1.38 to 15.85 times. The hydroxylation at the 4' position (Ring B) of flavonols and the 5 position (Ring A) of isoflavones weakened the binding affinities; however, hydroxylation at other positions on flavonoids slightly enhanced or little affected the binding affinities for IIDTPP. The glycosylation of flavonoids slightly decreased or little affected the affinities for IIDTPP by less than 1 order of magnitude. The hydrogenation of the C2[double bond, length as m-dash]C3 double bond of flavone, 6-hydroxyflavone, 6-methoxyflavone and myricetin decreased the binding affinities. The galloylation of catechins significantly improved the binding affinities with IIDTPP approximately 10 to 1000 times. The esterification of gallic acid increased its binding affinity. The hydrophobic force played an important role in the binding interaction between polyphenols and IIDTPP.

Common human plasma proteins (CHPP), also called blood proteins, are proteins found in blood plasma. The molecular structure/property-affinity relationships of dietary polyphenols noncovalently binding to CHPP were investigated by comparing the binding constants obtained from the fluorescence titration method. An additional methoxy group in flavonoids increased their binding affinities for CHPP by 1.05 to 72.27 times. The hydroxylation on the 4' position (ring B) of flavones and flavonols and the 5 position (ring A) of isoflavones weakened the binding affinities; however, the hydroxylation on other positions of flavonoids slightly enhanced or little affected the binding affinities for CHPP. The glycosylation of flavonoids weakened or slightly affected the affinities for CHPP by 1 order of magnitude. The hydrogenation of the C2═C3 double bond of flavone, 6-hydroxyflavone, 6-methoxyflavone and myricetin decreased the binding affinities about 10.02 to 17.82 times. The galloylation of catechins significantly improved the binding affinities with CHPP about 10 to 1000 times. The esterification of gallic acid increased its binding affinity. The binding affinities with CHPP were strongly influenced by the structural differences of dietary polyphenols. Polyphenols with higher affinities for purified HSA also showed stronger affinities with CHPP. The hydrophobic force played an important role in binding interaction between polyphenols and CHPP.

Isoprene is an aviation fuel of high quality and an important polymer building block in the synthetic chemistry industry. In light of high oil prices, sustained availability, and environmental concerns, isoprene from renewable materials is contemplated as a substitute for petroleum-based product. Escherichia coli with advantages over other wild microorganisms, is considered as a powerful host for biofuels and chemicals. Here, we constructed a synthetic pathway of isoprene in E. coli by introducing an isoprene synthase (ispS) gene from Populus nigra, which catalyzes the conversion of dimethylallyl diphosphate (DMAPP) to isoprene. To improve the isoprene production, we overexpressed the native 1-deoxy-D: -xylulose-5-phosphate (DXP) synthase gene (dxs) and DXP reductoisomerase gene (dxr) in E. coli, which catalyzed the first step and the second step of MEP pathway, respectively. The fed-batch fermentation results showed that overexpression of DXS is helpful for the improvement of isoprene production. Surprisingly, heterologous expression of dxs and dxr from Bacillus subtilis in the E. coli expressing ispS resulted in a 2.3-fold enhancement of isoprene production (from 94 to 314 mg/L). The promising results showed that dxs and dxr from B. subtilis functioned more efficiently on the enhancement of isoprene production than native ones. This could be caused by the consequence of great difference in protein structures of the two original DXSs. It could be practical to produce isoprene in E. coli via MEP pathway through metabolic engineering. This work provides an alternative way for production of isoprene by engineered E. coli via MEP pathway through metabolic engineering.

The molecular property-affinity relationship of dietary flavonoids for bovine gamma-globulin (γ-globulin) was investigated by fluorescence titration analysis. The quenching effects of flavonoids on γ-globulin fluorescence depended on the structures of flavonoids. The magnitudes of binding constants between flavonoids and γ-globulin were within the range of 10(3)-10(5) L mol(-1). These data were much smaller than the affinities between flavonoids and purified bovine and human serum albumins. The affinities of flavonoids for γ-globulin were strongly influenced by the structural differences of the compounds under study. The affinities for γ-globulin decreased with increasing partition coefficients and increased with increasing hydrogen bond acceptor numbers of flavonoids, which suggested that the binding interaction was mainly caused by hydrogen bond forces.

Aim: FOXP2 was described as the first gene relevant to human speech and language disorders. The main objective of this study was to compare the distribution of FOXP2 gene polymorphisms between patients with speech sound disorder and healthy controls., Methods: Five FOXP2 polymorphisms, rs923875, rs2396722, rs1852469, rs17137124 and rs1456031, were analyzed in 150 patients with speech sound disorder according to DSM-IV, as well as in 140 healthy controls. Coding exons for key domains of FOXP2 were also sequenced in all the patients., Results: Significant differences in the genotype (P = 0.001) and allele (P = 0.0025) frequencies of rs1852469 (located 5' upstream of the ATG initiator codon) were found between patients and controls. The excess of the T allele in the patients group remained significant after Bonferroni correction (P = 0.0126). Further investigations revealed a risk haplotype: rs2396722T/+rs1852469T. Our screening of key domains did not detect any point mutations in this sample. But we detected heterozygous triplet deletion of the glutamine-encoding region of exon 5 that alter FOXP2 protein sequence in five probands. These changes are predicted to yield a polyglutamine tract reduction from 40 to 39 consecutive glutamines., Conclusions: Our data support a possible role of FOXP2 in the vulnerability to speech sound disorder, which adds further evidence to implicate this gene in speech and language functions., (© 2010 The Authors. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences © 2010 Japanese Society of Psychiatry and Neurology.)

Objective: To examine the relationship between specific thyroid abnormalities (subclinical hypothyroidism, hypothyroxinaemia or elevated thyroid peroxidase antibody titres) in women during pregnancy and the subsequent neuropsychological development of their offspring., Design/patients: Serum was collected from 1268 women at 16-20 weeks of gestation and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), total thyroxine (tT(4)), free thyroxine (fT(4)), and Thyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPOAb) levels were measured. Thyroid function reference ranges specific for pregnancy were used to screen for thyroid abnormalities. Patients with isolated subclinical hypothyroidism (18 cases), hypothyroxinaemia (19 cases), and those who were euthyroid patients with elevated titres of TPOAb (34 cases) were identified. One hundred and forty-two euthyroid and TPOAb-negative women matched for gestational age from the same cohort were selected as controls., Measurements: Intellectual and motor development score evaluations were performed on the children from the pregnancies at 25-30 months of age., Results: Children of women with subclinical hypothyroidism, hypothyroxinemia and elevated TPOAb titres had mean intelligence scores 8.88, 9.30 and 10.56 points lower than those of the control group (P = 0.008, P = 0.004 and P = 0.001, respectively); mean motor scores were 9.98, 7.57 and 9.03 points lower than those of the controls [P < 0.001, P = 0.007 and P < 0.001, respectively (t-test)]. Unconditional multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that increased maternal serum TSH, decreased maternal serum tT(4), and elevated maternal TPOAb titres were separately associated with lower intelligence scores (ORs 15.63, 12.98, and 6.69, respectively) and poorer motor scores (ORs 9.23, 5.52, and 8.25, respectively)., Conclusions: Intellectual and motor development of children at 25-30 months of age is separately associated with abnormalities of maternal thyroid at 16-20 weeks gestation. Maternal subclinical hypothyroidism, hypothyroxinaemia or euthyroidism with elevated TPOAb titres were all statistically significant predictors of lower motor and intellectual development at 25-30 months.

Autism and Rett syndrome are both pervasive developmental disorders and share many characteristics in common. One of these features is developmental regression with loss of social, cognitive and language skills after a period of apparently normal development during the first 1-2 years of life, which raises the question of whether there is a common pathway underlying regression in these two disorders. The Rett syndrome gene was identified as MeCP2 gene on Xq28, a powerful transcriptional repressor. To explore its possible role in the etiology of autism and involvement in regression, we searched for MeCP2 gene mutations in a well characterized sample of 31 autistic boys with developmental regression by direct sequencing. One sequence variant in 3' untranslated region was observed. The patient inherited the variant from his unaffected mother, so it may be a rare polymorphism. No coding sequence variant was found in any of the patients tested. We conclude that mutations in the coding sequence of MeCP2 are not a frequent cause of regression in autism. The long 3' untranslated region of MeCP2 is highly conserved across species, suggesting that they are important for the post-transcriptional regulation of MeCP2 gene. It may be worthwhile extending the mutation screening, with a larger sample of strictly defined phenotype, to regulatory elements and untranslated regions of this gene, to explore to what degree MeCP2 gene is involved in the etiology of autism and its possible role in the regression of autism.