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Yongan Wang,1,* Na Li,1,* Qiuyi Li,1 Zirui Liu,1 Yalan Li,1 Jingwei Kong,1 Ruijuan Dong,2 Dongyu Ge,2 Jie Li,3 Guiying Peng1 1Department of Immunology and Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, People’s Republic of China; 2Experimental Teaching Center, School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Respiratory Medicine, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Guiying Peng; Jie Li Email penggy@bucm.edu.cn; lijie2007@126.comPurpose: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a prevalent obstructive airway disease, has become the third most common cause of death globally. Xuanbai Chengqi decoction (XBCQ) is a traditional Chinese medicine prescription for the acute exacerbation of COPD. Here, we aimed to reveal the therapeutic effects of XBCQ administration and its molecular mechanisms mediated by Th17/Treg balance and gut microbiota.Methods: We determined the counts of Th17 and Treg cells in the serum of 15 COPD and 10 healthy subjects. Then, cigarette smoke extract-induced COPD mice were gavaged with low, middle, and high doses of XBCQ, respectively. Weight loss, pulmonary function and inflammation, Th17/Treg ratio, and gut microbiota were measured to evaluate the efficacy of XBCQ on COPD.Results: COPD patients had a higher Th17/Treg ratio in the serum than healthy controls, which was consistent with the results in the lung and colon of COPD mice. The middle dose of XBCQ (M-XBCQ) significantly decreased the weight loss and improved the pulmonary function (FEV0.2/FVC) in COPD mice. Moreover, M-XBCQ alleviated lung inflammation by rectifying the Th17/Treg imbalance, reducing the expressions of TNF-α, IL-1β, and MMP-9, and suppressing inflammatory cells infiltration. Meanwhile, M-XBCQ greatly improved the microbial homeostasis in COPD mice by accumulating probiotic Gordonibacter and Akkermansia but inhibiting the growth of pathogenic Streptococcus, which showed significant correlations with pulmonary injury.Conclusion: Oral M-XBCQ could alleviate COPD exacerbations by reshaping the gut microbiota and improving the Th17/Treg balance, which aids in elucidating the mechanism through which XBCQ as a therapy for COPD.Keywords: XBCQ, COPD, intestinal microbiota, Th17/Treg, pulmonary inflammation

Shijie Tang,1– 4,* Penghong Chen,1– 4,* Haoruo Zhang,1– 4 Haiyan Weng,1– 4 Zhuoqun Fang,1– 4 Caixiang Chen,1– 4 Guohao Peng,1– 4 Hangqi Gao,1– 4 Kailun Hu,1– 4 Jinghua Chen,5 Liangwan Chen,3,6 Xiaosong Chen1– 3 1Department of Plastic Surgery, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, 350001, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Plastic Surgery and Regenerative Medicine Institute, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350001, People’s Republic of China; 3Engineering Research Center of Tissue and Organ Regeneration, Fujian Province University, Fuzhou, 350001, People’s Republic of China; 4Oncology Institution, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350004, People’s Republic of China; 5Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, the School of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350100, People’s Republic of China; 6Department of Cardiac Surgery, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, 350001, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Xiaosong Chen; Liangwan Chen Email chenxiaosong74@163.com; chenliangwan@fjmu.edu.cnIntroduction: Human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hUC-MSCs) and their small extracellular vesicles (hUC-MSC-sEVs) have shown attractive prospects applying in regenerative medicine. This study aimed to compare the therapeutic effects of two agents on osteoarthritis (OA) and investigate underlying mechanism using proteomics.Methods: In vitro, the proliferation and migration abilities of chondrocytes treated with hUC-MSCs or hUC-MSC-sEVs were detected by Cell Counting Kit-8 assay and scratch wound assay. In vivo, hUC-MSCs (a single dose of 5 × 105) or hUC-MSC-sEVs (30 μg/time) were injected into the knee joints of anterior cruciate ligament transection-induced OA model. Hematoxylin and eosin, Safranin O/Fast Green staining were used to observe cartilage degeneration. The levels of cartilage matrix metabolic molecules (Collagen II, MMP13 and ADAMTS5) and macrophage polarization markers (CD14, IL-1β, IL-10 and CD206) were assessed by immunohistochemistry. Finally, proteomics analysis was performed to characterize the proteinaceous contents of two agents.Results: In vitro data showed that hUC-MSC-sEVs were taken up by chondrocytes. A total of 15 μg/mL of sEVs show the greatest proliferative and migratory capacities among all groups. In the animal study, hUC-MSCs and hUC-MSC-sEVs alleviated cartilage damage. This effect was mediated via maintaining cartilage homeostasis, as was confirmed by upregulation of the COL II and downregulation of the MMP13 and ADAMTS5. Moreover, the M1 macrophage markers (CD14) were significantly reduced, while the M2 macrophage markers (CD206 and IL-10) were increased in the hUC-MSCs and hUC-MSC-sEVs relative to the untreated group. Mechanistically, we found that many proteins connected to cartilage repair were more abundant in sEVs. Notably, compared to hUC-MSCs, the upregulated proteins in sEVs were mostly involved in the regulation of immune effector process, extracellular matrix organization, PI3K-AKT signaling pathways, and Rap1 signaling pathway.Conclusion: Our study indicated that hUC-MSC-sEVs protect cartilage from damage and many cartilage repair-related proteins are probably involved in the restoration process. These data suggest the promising potential of hUC-MSC-sEVs as a therapeutic agent for OA.Keywords: human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells, small extracellular vesicles, osteoarthritis, proteomics, cell-free therapy

Panghua Ding,1,* Jiajing Liu,2,* Qiuyi Li,2 Qiongqiong Lu,3 Junxiang Li,3 Rui Shi,3 Lei Shi,2 Tangyou Mao,3 Dongyu Ge,4 HaiJun Niu,5 Guiying Peng,2 Zhibin Wang3 1Department of Graduate School, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Immunology and Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Gastroenterology, Dong Fang Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, People’s Republic of China; 4Experimental Teaching Center, School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, People’s Republic of China; 5Anhui Joyfar Pharmaceutical Research Institute Co. Ltd, Hefei, Anhui, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Guiying Peng; Zhibin Wang Email penggy@bucm.edu.cn; wangsanger@126.comBackground: Hudi enteric-coated capsule (HDC) is a Chinese medicine prescribed to treat ulcerative colitis (UC). However, its anti-inflammatory active ingredients and mechanisms remain unknown. This study aimed to investigate the active components of HDC and explore its potential mechanisms against UC by integrating network pharmacology and experimental verification.Methods: A DSS-induced colitis murine model was established to validate the efficacy of HDC by detecting disease activity index (DAI) and histopathological changes. Network pharmacological analysis was performed to identify the active compounds and core targets of HDC for the treatment of UC. The main compounds in HDC were identified by high-performance liquid chromatography. The relative expressions of HDC’s core targets were also determined in vivo. Finally, molecular docking was applied to model the interaction between HDC and target proteins.Results: In an in vivo experiment, HDC, especially the middle-dose HDC, effectively reduced clinical symptoms of UC, including weight loss, bloody stool, and colon shortening. Besides, the severity of colitis was considerably suppressed by HDC as evidenced by reduced DAI scores. A total of 118 active compounds and 69 candidate targets from HDC closely related to UC progression were identified via network pharmacology. Enrichment analysis revealed that the key targets of HDC correlated with the expressions of PTGS2, TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β. Meanwhile, these cytokines were enriched in various biological processes through the IL-17/JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway. The middle-dose HDC contributed more to ameliorating DSS-induced colitis through this signaling pathway than other dosages. Nine components binding to JAK2, STAT3, IL-17 and IL-6 were identified by molecular docking, confirming again the inhibition effects of HDC on the IL-17/JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway.Conclusion: The HDC treatment, particularly the middle-dose, exerted an anti-UC effect in a multi-component, multi-target, and multi-mechanism manner, especially inhibiting the IL-17/JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway to downregulate the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines.Keywords: Hudi enteric-coated capsule, ulcerative colitis, network pharmacology, IL-17/JAK2/STAT3 pathway

Jinglong Chen,1,2,&ast; Changbin Jiang,1,&ast; Youlan Zheng,1,&ast; Dongxing Zhao,1,&ast; Fan Wu,1 Zhuxiang Zhao,3 Jun Zhao,2 Qing Li,2 Bing Li,4 Gongyong Peng,1 Yumin Zhou,1 Pixin Ran1 1National Center for Respiratory Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510120, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Geriatrics, National Clinical Key Specialty, Guangzhou First People’s Hospital, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510180, People’s Republic of China; 3The Pulmonary Medicine, Guangzhou First People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510180, People’s Republic of China; 4GMU-GIBH Joint School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Pixin RanNational Center for Respiratory Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510120, People’s Republic of ChinaEmail pxran@gzhmu.edu.cnBackground and Objective: To determine the effects of BSE (biomass smoke exposure) on pulmonary and non-pulmonary changes in patients with COPD compared with normal individuals.Methods: Using a cohort, we recruited 16 healthy individuals with BSE (BSE normal), 19 patients with BSE+COPD, 13 healthy individuals with cigarette smoke exposure (CSE normal), 25 patients with CSE+COPD, and 25 healthy controls. Patients with GOLD stage I and II COPD were included. Baseline data (demographic data, BSE or CSE, lung function, and CT findings) and follow-up lung function data were collected. CT parameters of emphysema, pulmonary small vessels, airway remodeling, pectoralis muscles, and erector spinae muscle were measured.Results: Individuals with BSE were mainly women (32/35, 91.43%). Compared with the CSE+COPD group, the BSE+COPD group demonstrated slower lung function decline, increased lower lung emphysema, narrower airway lumen dimensions and increased airway wall thickening in the moderate and small airways (all P< 0.05). Compared with healthy controls, the CSE normal and BSE normal groups exhibited significant reductions in pulmonary small vessel area and obvious airway remodeling in small airways (P< 0.05). Compared with the BSE normal group, the BSE+COPD group showed significantly more severe emphysema and airway remodeling, as well as reduced left pectoralis major muscle area (all P< 0.05).Conclusion: Healthy individuals with BSE had reduced pulmonary small vessel area and evidence of airway remodeling; patients with BSE and COPD showed more severe emphysema, airway remodeling, and reductions in pectoralis major muscle area.Clinical Trial Registration: ChiCTR-OO-14004264.Keywords: biomass smoke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, computed tomography, pulmonary function

Biomarker detection is the key to identifying health risks. However, designing sensitive biosensors in a single-use mode for disease diagnosis remains a major challenge. Here, we report sub-monolayer biolasers with remarkable repeatability for ultrasensitive and disposable biomarker detection. The biolaser sensors are designed by employing the telecom optical fibers as distributed optical microcavities and pushing the gain molecules down to the sub-monolayer level. We observe a status transition from the monolayer biolaser to the sub-monolayer biolaser by tuning the specific conjugation. By reducing the fluorophores down to the threshold density (~ 3.2 x 10-13 mol/cm2), we demonstrate an ultimate sensitivity of sub-monolayer biolaser with six orders of magnitude enhancement compared with the monolayer biolasers. We further achieved ultrasensitive immunoassay for Parkinson's disease biomarker, alpha-synuclein, with a lower limit of detection of 0.32 pM in serum. This biosensor with massive fabrication capability at ultralow cost provides a general method for the ultrasensitive disposable biodetection of disease biomarkers., 27 pages, 15 figures

Saijun Huang1,2 *,* Tao Sun1,2 *,* Yanna Zhu,3 Shanshan Song,1,2 Jie Zhang,4 Linjuan Huang,5 Qiang Chen,6 Guangyang Peng,7 Dongmei Zhao,8 Hong Yu,1,2 Jin Jing3 1Department of Child Healthcare, Affiliated Foshan Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital, Southern Medical University, Foshan, Guangdong, 528000, People’s Republic of China; 2The Second School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510280, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangdong, Guangzhou, 510080, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Child Healthcare, Xi’an Children’s Hospital, Xi’an, Shaanxi, 710003, People’s Republic of China; 5Health Management Center, Fuzhou Children’s Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350005, People’s Republic of China; 6Department of Child Psychological Health, Zhuhai Women and Children’s Hospital, Zhuhai, Guangdong, 519001, People’s Republic of China; 7 Department of Child Rehabilitation, Huanggang Ping’an Rehabilitation Hospital, Huanggang, Hubei, 438000, People’s Republic of China; 8Department of Child Healthcare, Jinan Children’s Hospital, Jinan, Shandong, 250022, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Hong Yu; Jin Jing Email yu376@163.com; jingjin@mail.sysu.edu.cnBackground: The COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown will have short-term and long-term psychosocial and mental health implications for children. Children with autism may have some specific needs for support because of their difficulties in social communication, stereotyped behavior patterns, and other specificities brought about by autism.Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on ASD children and their families.Patients and Methods: A total of 406 parents of ASD children completed an online survey investigating basic information; sleep, outdoor activities, and rehabilitation training; ASD children’s frequency of abnormal behaviors; and stress and emotional status of parents.Results: 50.3% of the parents thought their children had sleep problems, and 47.3% of the parents thought their children’s outdoor activity time was reduced. About 40% of parents think that their children have improved cognitive ability, language expression, and understanding. 36.2% of the families reported that their children’s emotional and social performance became worse. 60.8% of parents reported that their children’s training intensity decreased. The most common abnormal behaviors observed in children with ASD were being easily distracted, losing temper, and crying. 81.3% of parents did not have anxiety, but 98% of parents reported that family training was under pressure.Conclusion: The main impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children with ASD is that they do not have access to professional rehabilitation training. These families need more medical support, especially in family training, to help parents improve the social and emotional control skills of ASD children.Keywords: COVID-19, ASD, child, behavior, rehabilitation training, China

Hao-cheng Zheng,1,* Yong-an Wang,1,* Zi-rui Liu,1 Ya-lan Li,1 Jing-wei Kong,1 Dong-yu Ge,2 Gui-ying Peng1 1Department of Immunology and Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, People’s Republic of China; 2Experimental Teaching Center, School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Gui-ying PengBeijing University of Chinese Medicine, No. 11, East Road North Ring 3rd, Chao-Yang District, Beijing 100029, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86-010-53912169Email penggy@bucm.edu.cnObjective: In China, lamb and fish are well-known triggers for an asthma attack. Our investigation aims at assessing whether the long-term intake of lamb meat or Basa fish would aggravate pulmonary inflammation as well as exploring changes in the intestinal microbiota and immune cells in asthmatic mice.Materials and Methods: The murine asthmatic model was established by intraperitoneal injection of ovalbumin (OVA) plus aluminum on day 0 and 14 and nebulization of OVA from day 21 to 27. Lamb meat or fish was administered to asthmatic mice by oral gavage from day 0 to 27.Results: Our results showed that long-term consumption of lamb meat or Basa fish in asthmatic mice increased the number of inflammatory cells in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), enhanced levels of IL-5, IL-13 in BALF and total IgE in serum, aggravated pulmonary inflammatory cell infiltration and mucus secretion. Long-term oral lamb enhanced the proportion of type 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2) from small intestine while it inhibited that of Treg from lung in asthmatic mice. Oral fish showed no remarkable effect on that of ILC2 from lung and small intestine but inhibited that of intestinal Treg in asthmatic mice. What’s more, the chao-1 and observed species richness as well as PD whole tree diversity increased in asthmatic mice while these increments were inhibited after lamb treatment. PCA analysis indicated that there were significant differences in the bacterial community composition after lamb or fish treatment in asthmatic mice. Both lamb and fish treatment enhanced the abundance of colonic Alistipes in asthmatic mice.Conclusion: Collectively, long-term intake of lamb or fish shapes colonic bacterial communities and aggravates pulmonary inflammation in asthmatic mice, which provides reasonable food guidance for asthmatic patients.Keywords: asthma, intestinal microbiota, lamb, fish, ILC2, Treg

Weizhe Huang,1 Xin Xu,2– 5 Mengyang Liu,2– 5 Weixue Cui,2– 5 Guilin Peng2– 5 1Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515041, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510120, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China; 3State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou 510120, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China; 4National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou 510120, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China; 5Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, Guangzhou 510120, Guangdong, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Guilin Peng Tel +86-20-83062114Email pvlpl4@163.comBackground: Lung cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the major cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. The increasing studies have demonstrated that circular RNA (circRNA) was involved in the progression of various cancers, including non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This study was designed to assess the expression, roles and functional mechanisms of circ_0000735 in NSCLC.Materials and Methods: The expression levels of circ_0000735, miR-940 and bone morphogenetic protein binding endothelial cell precursor-derived regulator (BMPER) were estimated by the real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). The biological behaviors of NSCLC cells such as proliferation, migration and invasion were analyzed by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8), colony-forming assays and transwell assay, respectively. Furthermore, extracellular acid ratio and lactate production were tested to assess glycolysis levels of NSCLC cells. The interaction relationship among circ_0000735, BMPER and miR-940 was analyzed by bioinformatics database and dual-luciferase reporter assay. The protein expression level of BMPER was assessed by Western blot assay. Tumorigenesis assay was established to clarify the functional roles of circ_0000735 in vivo.Results: Circ_0000735 was upregulated and significantly correlated with overall survival in patients with NSCLC. In addition, the loss-of-functional experiments revealed that knockdown of circ_0000735 repressed proliferation, migration, invasion and glycolysis of NSCLC cells and tumor growth in vivo, which was overturned by overexpression of BMPER. Similarly, overexpression of circ_0000735 enhanced proliferation, migration, invasion, and glycolysis of NSCLC cells. In addition, we also confirmed that overexpression of miR-940 impeded proliferation, migration, invasion, and glycolysis of NSCLC cells. Furthermore, overexpression of BMPER abolished si-circ_0000735 induced effects on NSCLC cells.Conclusion: Circ_0000735 regulated proliferation, migration, invasion, and glycolysis in NSCLC cells by targeting miR-940/BMPER axis.Keywords: circRNA, circ_0000735, miR-940, BMPER, NSCLC

Lin-lin Pei,1,* Wen-zhu Yang,1,* Jing-yuan Fu,1,* Meng-xi Liu,1 Ting-ting Zhang,1 Dong-bo Li,1 Ruo-yue Huang,1 Li Zhang,1 Guang-neng Peng,1 Gang Shu,1 Zhi-xiang Yuan,2 Ju-chun Lin,1 Wei Zhang,1 Zhi-jun Zhong,1 Ling Zhao,1 Hua-lin Fu1 1Department of Pharmacy, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People’s Republic of China; 2College of Pharmacy, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Hua-lin FuDepartment of Pharmacy, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86 028-86291162Email fuhl2005@sohu.comIntroduction: Enrofloxacin is used in the treatment of a wide variety of bacterial infections in mammals. However, its poor solubility limits the clinical use.Methods: In order to improve the solubility of enrofloxacin, the enrofloxacin mesylate (EM) were obtained by a chemical synthesis method. The characterization of EM was carried out using ultraviolet scan (UV), synchronous thermal analysis (SDT), fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR) and mass spectrometry (MS), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and X-ray powder diffraction analysis (XRPD). Acute toxicity of EM in Kunming mice was studied. Besides, pharmacokinetic studies were performed in New Zealand rabbits at a single oral dose of 10 mg/kg, and the antibacterial activity of EM was also evaluated.Results: EM was successfully synthesized and purified. The stoichiometric ratio of mesylate to enrofloxacin was 1:1 and the aqueous solubility of EM was 483.01± 4.06 mg/mL, the solubility of EM was about 2000 times higher than enrofloxacin. The oral lethal dose (LD50) of EM was 1168.364 mg/kg, and the pharmacokinetics indicated that the oral relative bioavailability of EM was about 1.79 times and 1.48 times higher than that of enrofloxacin and enrofloxacin hydrochloride, respectively. In addition, the in vitro antibacterial activity of EM was not significantly changed compared with enrofloxacin and enrofloxacin hydrochloride.Conclusion: EM has higher solubility, low toxicity for oral use, and increases the oral bioavailability in rabbit. This study may be of benefit for the development of new enrofloxacin drugs.Keywords: enrofloxacin mesylate, characterization, antibacterial effect, acute toxicity, pharmacokinetics

Liquor industry has a special social status and economic value in China, which has accumulated a long history and culture, and is an important part of the national economy. The arrival of the new retail era and the iteration of information technology have made great changes in liquor marketing, showing the integration of online and offline channels. The prolonged spread of covid-19 in 2020 will have a major impact on the global economy, and has a longer impact on industry and consumer behavior. The epidemic leads to a significant reduction in the main consumption scenarios of liquor and an increase in consumers' preference for online shopping. Therefore, liquor enterprises need to adjust their marketing strategies according to the changes of the environment, and speed up the integration of online and offline development in response to the threat of the epidemic.

В контексте ускоренного распространения ковид-19 на Китай карантинные меры Китая привели к полному нарушению производственно-сбытовой цепочки в верхнем и нижнем звеньях цепочки материально-технического снабжения, причем предприятия, занимающиеся воздушными грузоперевозками, являются важным звеном на рынке производственно-сбытовой цепочки и оказывают значительное воздействие. В настоящем документе предпринята попытка проанализировать и обсудить условия развития китайских грузовых авиатранспортных предприятий под влиянием новой эпидемии короны с помощью анализа ССВУ и предложить стратегию развития предприятий в контексте ковид-19. In the context of the accelerated spread of COVID-19 to China, China's quarantine measures have led to a comprehensive disruption of the upstream and downstream of the logistics supply chain, with air cargo enterprises as an important link in the supply chain market having a significant impact. This paper attempts to analyze and discuss the development environment of Chinese air cargo enterprises under the influence of the new crown epidemic through SWOT analysis, and propose the development strategy of enterprises in the context of COVID-19.

We study the transverse momentum spectra of light nuclei (deuteron, anti-deuteron and triton) produced in Gold-Gold (Au-Au) collisions in different centrality bins by the blast wave model with Tsallis statistics. The model results are in agreement with the experimental data measured by STAR Collaboration in special transverse momentum ranges. We extracted the kinetic freezeout temperature, transverse flow velocity and kinetic freezeout volume. It is observed that kinetic freezeout temperature and transverse flow velocity increases initially, and then saturates from 14.5-39 GeV, while the kinetic freezeout volume increase initially up to 19.6 GeV but saturates from 19.6-39 GeV. This may indicate that the phase transition starts in part volume that ends in the whole volume at 39 GeV and the critical point may exists somewhere in the energy range of 14.5-39 GeV. The present work observed that the kinetic freezeout temperature, transverse flow velocity and kinetic freezeout volume has a decreasing trend from central to peripheral collisions. We found the freezeout volume of triton is smaller than those of deuteron and anti-deuteron, which shows that triton freezeout earlier than that of deuteron and anti-deuteron., 21 pages, 8 figures

Bisected

Glycosphingolipids (GSL) are natural ligands of NKT cells. Several laboratories have reported the in vitro activity of isoglobotriosylceramide (iGb3) in stimulating NKT cells. However, the knockout mice of iGb3 synthase showed no deficiency in development and function of NKT cells. There is a lack of knowledge on the genetics of redundant natural glycosphingolipid ligands. We have identified additional glycosphingolipid with stimulatory activity to NKT cells, including fucosyl lactosylceramide (H antigen). Here we describe the procedures to generate mice with deficiencies in Fut1, Fut2, and Sec1 genes to deplete H antigen through BAC engineering for the generation of ES cell-targeting construct, as well as the mice with deficiency of both blood group H-GSL ligand and isoglobotriosylceramide.

A facile and green S-glycosylation method has been developed featuring protecting-group-free and proceeding-in-water like enzymatic synthesis. Glycosylation of fluoride donors with thiol sugar acceptors using Ca(OH)(2) as a promoter afforded various thioglycosides in good yields with exclusive stereoselectivity. This method also enabled the successful production of S-linked oligosaccharides and S-linked glycopeptides.

Ye Tao,*,1,2 Miao He,*,3 Qinghua Yang,1 Zhao Ma,3 Yingxin Qu,1 Wen Chen,3 Guanghua Peng,1 Dengke Teng41Department of Physiology, Basic Medical College, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, People’s Republic of China; 2Lab of Visual Cell Differentiation, Basic Medical College, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Neurosurgery, Central Hospital of Wuhan, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430014, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Ultrasound, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workObjective: Retinitis pigmentosa causes progressive photoreceptor degeneration in the subjects while no clinical therapy exists. The present study sought to evaluate the potential protective effects of taurine on a pharmacologically induced RP animal model.Methods: Photoreceptor degeneration in mice was induced by an intraperitoneal injection of N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU). The MNU-administrated mouse received taurine treatment and then they were examined by electroretinography, spectral-domain optical coherence tomography, optokinetic test, and histological and immunohistochemistry assay.Results: Prominent taurine deficiency was found in the retinas of MNU-administered mice. Intravenous taurine treatment increased significantly the retinal taurine level. Morphological studies showed that taurine could alleviate the retinal disorganizations in the MNU-induced mice. Taurine also ameliorated the visual impairments in the MNU-induced mice as evidenced by functional examinations. Immunostaining experiments demonstrated that both the M-cone and S-cone populations in the degenerative retinas are rescued by taurine. In particular, the M-cone photoreceptors in superior-temporal quadrant and the S-cone photoreceptors in inferior-nasal quadrant were preferentially rescued. Mechanism study showed that the photoreceptor apoptosis and oxidative stress in the degenerative retina were effectively alleviated by taurine treatment.Conclusion: Taurine is protective against the MNU-induced photoreceptor degeneration. Systemic taurine administration may act as a promising therapeutic potion for retinopathies with chronic cycle.Keywords: neural degeneration, retina, therapeutics

Mulberry is admired for its landscaping and possesses high development prospects and scientific research value. Mitochondria are the plants' powerhouse that produces energy to carry out life processes. In this study, the mt genome of Morus L(M. atropurpurea and M. multicaulis)were annotated and assembled. The circular mt genome of M. multicaulis has a length of 361,546bp, contains 54 genes, including 31 protein-coding genes, 20 tRNA genes, and 3 rRNA genes and composition of A(27.38%), T (27.20%), C (22.63%) and G (22.79%). The sequence repeats, RNA editing gene and migration from cp to mt and was observed in M. multicaulis mt genome. Phylogenetic analysis based on the complete mt genomes of Morus and other 28 species reflects an exact evolutionary and taxonomic status. Furthermore, we investigation on mt genome size, organization, and plastomes at the global level and pi analysis of Morus genome was investigated and compared to other land plants. The results indicate that the exist mt genome's variation in plants. We reported the mt genome assembly and annotation of a halophytic model plant, M. multicaulis, and subsequent analysis, which provided us with a comprehensive understanding of the Morus mt genome.

The Pneumatic method has been introduced to quantify embolism resistance in plant xylem of various organs. Despite striking similarity in vulnerability curves between the Pneumatic and hydraulic methods, a modeling approach is highly needed to demonstrate that xylem embolism resistance can be accurately quantified based on gas diffusion kinetics.A Unit Pipe Pneumatic (UPPn) model was developed to estimate gas diffusion from intact conduits, which were axially interconnected by interconduit pit membranes. The physical laws used included Fick’s law for diffusion, Henry’s law for gas concentration partitioning between liquid and gas phases at equilibrium, and the ideal gas law.The UPPn model showed that 91% of the extracted gas came from the first two series of embolized, intact conduits, and only 9% from the aqueous phase after 15 s of simulation. Embolism resistance measured with a Pneumatic apparatus was systematically overestimated by 2 to 17%, corresponding to a typical measuring error of 0.11 MPa for P50 (the water potential equivalent to 50% of the maximum amount of gas extracted).Because results from the UPPn model are supported by experimental evidence, there is a good theoretical and experimental basis for applying the pneumatic method to research on embolism resistance of angiosperms.

The properties of strange quark matter and the structures of (proto-)strange stars are studied within the framework of an equivparticle model, where a new quark mass scaling and self-consistent thermodynamic treatment are adopted. Our results show that the perturbative interaction has a strong impact on the properties of strange quark matter. It is found that the energy per baryon increases with temperature, while the free energy decreases and eventually becomes negative. At fixed temperatures, the pressure at the minimum free energy per baryon is zero, suggesting that the thermodynamic self-consistency is preserved. Additionally, the sound velocity v in quark matter approaches to the extreme relativistic limit (c/sqrt(3)) as the density increases. By increasing the strengths of confinement parameter D and perturbation parameter C, the tendency for v to approach the extreme relativistic limit at high density is slightly weakened. For (proto-)strange stars, in contrast to the quark mass scalings adopted in previous publications, the new quark mass scaling can accommodate massive proto-strange stars with their maximum mass surpassing twice the solar mass at T = 50 MeV.

The properties of strangelets at finite temperature are studied within the framework of an equivparticle model, where a new quark mass scaling and self-consistent thermodynamic treatment are adopted. The effects of finite volume and Coulomb energy are taken into account. Our results show that the temperature T, baryon number A and perturbation interactions have strong influences on the properties of strangelets. It is found that the energy per baryon M/A and charge-to-mass ratio fz decrease with baryon number A, while the mechanically stable radius R and strangeness per baryon fs are increasing. For a strangelet with a fixed baryon number, we note that as temperature T increases the quantites M/A, R, and fs are increasing while fz is decreasing. The effects of confinement and perturbative interactions are investigated as well by readjusting the corresponding parameters.

Background Thymoma is an uncommon intrathoracic malignant tumor and has a long natural history. It is uncertain whether the survival of thymoma patient is affected by prior cancer history. Finding out the impact of a prior cancer history on thymoma survival has important implications for both decision making and research. Method The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database was queried for thymoma patients diagnosed between 1975 and 2015. Kaplan-Meier methods and Cox proportional hazards model were used to analyze overall survival across a variety of stages, age, and treatment methods with a prior cancer history or not. Results A total of 3604 patients with thymoma were identified including 507 (14.1%) with a prior cancer history. The 10-year survival rate of patients with a prior cancer history (53.8%) was worse than those without a prior cancer history (40.32%, 95%CI 35.24-45.33, P < 0.0001). However, adjusted analyses showed that the impact of a prior cancer history was heterogenous across age and treatment methods. In subset analyses, prior cancer history was associated with worse survival among patients who were treated with chemoradiotherapy (HR: 2.80, 95% CI: 1.51-5.20, P = 0.001) and age ≤ 65 years (HR: 1.33, 95%CI: 1.02-1.73, P = 0.036). Conclusions Prior cancer history provides an inferior overall survival for patients with thymoma. But it does not worsen the survival in some subgroups and these thymoma patients should not be excluded from clinical trials.

A study on birefringence compensation of highly asymmetric germanosilicate fibre drawn from a 3D printed preform is carried out. Surprisingly large compensation is locked in when twist is released, amounting to more than 80% compensation. Large bandgap attenuation is observed when gratings are written into this fibre.

Correction for ‘Systematic synthesis of bisected N-glycans and unique recognitions by glycan-binding proteins’ by Xuefeng Cao et al., Chem. Sci., 2022, 13, 7644–7656, https://doi.org/10.1039/D1SC05435J.

Qianling Lu,1,* Xinyu Dai,1,* Peng Zhang,1,* Xiao Tan,2 Yuejiao Zhong,3 Cheng Yao,4 Mei Song,4 Guili Song,4 Zhenghai Zhang,4 Gang Peng,5 Zhirui Guo,6 Yaoqi Ge,7 Kangzhen Zhang,7 Yuntao Li7 1Department of Neurology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China; 2Department of Emergency, Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China; 3Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China; 4Office of Academic Research, Kizilsu Kirghiz Autonomous Prefecture People’s Hospital, Atush, China; 5Department of Neurosurgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China; 6Department of Geratology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China; 7Department of General Practice, Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China *These authors contributed equally to this work Background: Thermoresponsive nanoparticles have become an attractive candidate for designing combined multimodal therapy strategies because of the onset of hyperthermia and their advantages in synergistic cancer treatment. In this paper, novel cetuximab (C225)-encapsulated core-shell Fe3O4@Au magnetic nanoparticles (Fe3O4@Au-C225 composite-targeted MNPs) were created and applied as a therapeutic nanocarrier to conduct targeted magneto-photothermal therapy against glioma cells. Methods: The core-shell Fe3O4@Au magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) were prepared, and then C225 was further absorbed to synthesize Fe3O4@Au-C225 composite-targeted MNPs. Their morphology, mean particle size, zeta potential, optical property, magnetic property and thermal dynamic profiles were characterized. After that, the glioma-destructive effect of magnetic fluid hyperthermia (MFH) combined with near-infrared (NIR) hyperthermia mediated by Fe3O4@Au-C225 composite-targeted MNPs was evaluated through in vitro and in vivo experiments. Results: The inhibitory and apoptotic rates of Fe3O4@Au-C225 composite-targeted MNPs-mediated combined hyperthermia (MFH+NIR) group were significantly higher than other groups in vitro and the marked upregulation of caspase-3, caspase-8, and caspase-9 expression indicated excellent antitumor effect by inducing intrinsic apoptosis. Furthermore, Fe3O4@Au-C225 composite-targeted MNPs-mediated combined hyperthermia (MFH+NIR) group exhibited significant tumor growth suppression compared with other groups in vivo. Conclusion: Our studies illustrated that Fe3O4@Au-C225 composite-targeted MNPs have great potential as a promising nanoplatform for human glioma therapy and could be of great value in medical use in the future. Keywords: Fe3O4@Au-C225 composite-targeted magnetic nanoparticles, U251 cells, human glioma therapy, magnetic fluid hyperthermia, near-infrared hyperthermia

Genetically introducing covalent bonds into proteins in vivo with residue specificity is affording innovative ways for protein research and engineering, yet latent bioreactive unnatural amino acids (Uaas) genetically encoded to date react with one to few natural residues only, limiting the variety of proteins and the scope of applications amenable to this technology. Here we report the genetic encoding of (2 R)-2-amino-3-fluoro-3-(4-((2-nitrobenzyl)oxy) phenyl) propanoic acid (FnbY) in Escherichia coli and mammalian cells. Upon photoactivation, FnbY generated a reactive quinone methide (QM), which selectively reacted with nine natural amino acid residues placed in proximity in proteins directly in live cells. In addition to Cys, Lys, His, and Tyr, photoactivated FnbY also reacted with Trp, Met, Arg, Asn, and Gln, which are inaccessible with existing latent bioreactive Uaas. FnbY thus dramatically expanded the number of residues for covalent targeting in vivo. QM has longer half-life than the intermediates of conventional photo-cross-linking Uaas, and FnbY exhibited cross-linking efficiency higher than p-azido-phenylalanine. The photoactivatable and multitargeting reactivity of FnbY with selectivity toward nucleophilic residues will be valuable for addressing diverse proteins and broadening the scope of applications through exploiting covalent bonding in vivo for chemical biology, biotherapeutics, and protein engineering.

Protein glycosylation is a prevalent post-translational modification that plays critical roles in various biological processes. N-glycan, which is linked to the β-amide nitrogen of an asparagine residue, is the predominant form of glycans in eukaryotes. Numerous chemical methodologies have been developed to access such structures, which often require specific expertise and tedious protection/deprotection steps. On the other hand, enzymes (e.g., glycosyltransferase and glycosidase) catalyze regio- and stereo-specific glycosylation reactions, provide powerful tools to access complex glycans. This chapter summarizes enzymes that were employed in the preparation of N-glycans, and recent advances in enzymatic and chemoenzymatic synthesis of N-glycans.

Guoping Hu,1 Yankui Wu,2 Yumin Zhou,3 Zelong Wu,1 Liping Wei,1 Yuqun Li,1 GongYong Peng,3 Weiqiang Liang,1 Pixin Ran3 1Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 2Department of Respiratory Disease of People’s Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, 3Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Disease, State Key Lab of Respiratory Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China Background and objective: Serum D-dimer is elevated in respiratory disease. The objective of our study was to investigate the effect of D-dimer on in-hospital and 1-year mortality after acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD). Methods: Upon admission, we measured 343 AECOPD patients’ serum D-dimer levels and arterial blood gas analysis, and recorded their clinical characteristics. The level of D-dimer that discriminated survivors and non-survivors was determined using a receiver operator curve (ROC). The risk factors for in-hospital mortality were identified through univariate analysis and multiple logistic regression analyses. To evaluate the predictive role of D-dimer for 1-year mortality, univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed. Results: In all, 28 patients died, and 315 patients survived in the in-hospital period. The group of dead patients had lower pH levels (7.35±0.11 vs 7.39±0.05, P

Analogous to reversible post-translational protein modifications, the ability to attach and subsequently remove modifications on proteins would be valuable for protein and biological research. Although bioorthogonal functionalities have been developed to conjugate or cleave protein modifications, they are introduced into proteins on separate residues and often with bulky side chains, limiting their use to one type of control and primarily protein surface. Here we achieved dual control on one residue by genetically encoding S-propargyl-cysteine (SprC), which has bioorthogonal alkyne and propargyl groups in a compact structure, permitting usage in protein interior in addition to surface. We demonstrated its incorporation at the dimer interface of glutathione transferase for in vivo crosslinking via thiol-yne click chemistry, and at the active site of human rhinovirus 3C protease for masking and then turning on enzyme activity via Pd-cleavage of SprC into Cys. In addition, we installed biotin onto EGFP via Sonogashira coupling of SprC and then tracelessly removed it via Pd cleavage. SprC is small in size, commercially available, nontoxic, and allows for bond building and breaking on a single residue. Genetically encoded SprC will be valuable for chemically controlling proteins with an essential Cys and for reversible protein modifications.

Physiological characteristics of human malignancies are increased glycolysis and overexpression of glucose transporters (GLUTs). 18Flurodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) has successfully developed as clinical modality for the diagnosis and staging of many cancers based on the Warburg effect. To leverage this glucose transporter mediated metabolic disparity between normal and malignant cells, in the current report, protected, and de-protected glucose, mannose, galactose, rhamnose, maltose, and lactose-conjugated platinum(IV) complexes were designed and synthesized. The suggested potential of facilitated intravenous to oral switching of glycosylated platinum(IV) prodrugs with cancer-targeting properties were evaluated for glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) and organic cation transporter 2 (OCT2)-mediated selective properties in vitro and in vivo. The cytotoxicity of 2d, 5d, and 6d were ~23-fold greater than that of the positive controls cisplatin, oxaliplatin, and satraplatin, respectively. The leading compound 6d, the IC50 of which with the GLUT1 inhibitor 4,6-oethylidene-α-D-glucose (EDG) and phloretin (31.80 and 38.71 μM) are 36- and 44-folds higher, respectively, than the 48 h IC50 (0.89 μM), is superior to the reported 5-8, exhibiting enhanced cancer targeting. The compounds also showed reduced toxicity to normal cells (293T IC50 = 12.06 μM and 3T3 cells IC50 > 100 μM) and exhibited no cross-resistance to cisplatin. Moreover, the encouraging selectivity of 6d for MCF-7 cells in vivo indicated that the pyranoside performs an important function in cancer targeting.

A novel synthesis of nucleotide sugars was conducted to prepare UDP-α-D-xylose and UDP-β-L-arabinose without utilizing protection strategies or advanced purification techniques. Sugar-1-phosphates of D-xylose and L-arabinose were synthesized from their β-glycosylsulfonylhydrazides and evaluated as substrates for recombinant UDP-sugar pyrophosphorylases from Arabidopsis thaliana or Bifidobacterium infantis to furnish the biologically active nucleotide. The facile, three-step procedure takes advantage of substrate diversity available through chemical synthesis followed by the selectivity of enzyme catalysis. This approach increases the substrate scope of enzymatic preparation and expands access to stereopure nucleotide sugars on preparative scale. Increased production of both sugars has implications for glycoengineering and glycan production using glycosyltransferases.

http://www.acp2018.net/uploadfile/2018/1023/20181023010106561.pdf

Copyright © 2017 Techno-Press, Ltd. Concrete filled steel tubular (CFST) composite girder is a new type of structures for bridge constructions. The existing design codes cannot be used to predict the thermal stress in the CFST truss girder structures under solar radiation. This study is to develop the temperature gradient curves for predicting thermal stress of the structure based on field and laboratory monitoring data. An in-field testing had been carried out on Ganhaizi Bridge for over two months. Thermal couples were installed at the cross section of the CFST truss girder and the continuous data was collected every 30 minutes. A typical temperature gradient mode was then extracted by comparing temperature distributions at different times. To further verify the temperature gradient mode and investigate the evolution of temperature fields, an outdoor experiment was conducted on a 1:8 scale bridge model, which was installed with both thermal couples and strain gauges. The main factors including solar radiation and ambient temperature on the different positions were studied. Laboratory results were consistent with that from the in-field data and temperature gradient curves were obtained from the in-field and laboratory data. The relationship between the strain difference at top and bottom surfaces of the concrete deck and its corresponding temperature change was also obtained and a method based on curve fitting was proposed to predict the thermal strain under elevated temperature. The thermal stress model for CFST composite girder was derived. By the proposed model, the thermal stress was obtained from the temperature gradient curves. The results using the proposed model were agreed well with that by finite element modelling.

Helicobacter pylori α1-3/4-fucosyltransferase (Hp3/4FT) was expressed in Escherichia coli at a level of 30 mg L-1 culture and used as a diverse catalyst in a one-pot multienzyme (OPME) system for high-yield production of l-fucose-containing carbohydrates including Lewis antigens such as Lewis a, b, and x, O-sulfated Lewis x, and sialyl Lewis x and human milk fucosides such as 3-fucosyllactose (3-FL), lacto-N-fucopentaose (LNFP) III, and lacto-N-difuco-hexaose (LNDFH) II and III. Noticeably, while difucosylation of tetrasaccharides was readily achieved using an excess amount of donor, the synthesis of LNFP III was achieved by Hp3/4FT-catalyzed selective fucosylation of the N-acetyllactosamine (LacNAc) component in lacto-N-neotetraose (LNnT).

Naturally occurring N-glycoproteins exhibit glycoform heterogeneity with respect to N-glycan sequon occupancy (macroheterogeneity) and glycan structure (microheterogeneity). However, access to well-defined glycoproteins is always important for both basic research and therapeutic purposes. As a result, there has been a substantial effort to identify and understand the catalytic properties of N-glycosyltransferases, enzymes that install the first glycan on the protein chain. In this study we found that ApNGT, a newly discovered cytoplasmic N-glycosyltransferase from Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, has strict selectivity toward the residues around the Asn of N-glycosylation sequon by screening a small library of synthetic peptides. The inherent stringency was subsequently demonstrated to be closely associated with a critical residue (Gln-469) of ApNGT which we propose hinders the access of bulky residues surrounding the occupied Asn into the active site. Site-saturated mutagenesis revealed that the introduction of small hydrophobic residues at the site cannot only weaken the stringency of ApNGT but can also contribute to enormous improvement of glycosylation efficiency against both short peptides and proteins. We then employed the most efficient mutant (Q469A) other than the wild-type ApNGT to produce a homogeneous glycoprotein carrying multiple (up to 10) N-glycans, demonstrating that this construct is a promising biocatalyst for potentially addressing the issue of macroheterogeneity in glycoprotein preparation.

Aminopeptidases are ubiquitous hydrolases that cleave the N-terminal residues of proteins and oligopeptides. They are broadly distributed throughout all kingdoms of life and have been implicated in a wide variety of physiological processes, including viral infection, parasite metabolism, protein processing, regulation of peptide hormones, and cancer cell proliferation. Members of the M1 family, also termed gluzincins, are defined by two highly conserved motifs in the catalytic domain: a zinc-binding motif, HEXXH-(X18)-E; and an exopeptidase motif, GXMEN. We report the high-resolution X-ray structures of E. coli aminopeptidase N (PepN) in complex with three aminobenzosuberone scaffolds that display various Ki values (50, 0.33, and 0.034 microM) and provide a compelling view of the outstanding selectivity of these chemical entities for the M1 aminopeptidases. This series of inhibitors interacts as transition state mimics with highly conserved residues of the catalytic machinery and substrate recognition sites. Structural comparisons and model-building studies allowed a deep interpretation of the SAR observed for bacterial, as well as mammalian enzymes. Proteins 2017; 85:1413-1421. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

We developed a measurement method to determine the radial distribution of the photoelastic coefficient C(r) in step-index polymer optical fibers (POFs). The method is based on the measurement of the retardance profile of a transversally illuminated fiber for increasing tensile load. The radial profile C(r) is obtained from the inverse Abel transform of this retardance profile. We measured polymer fibers from different manufacturers. The radial profile of the photoelastic constant can considerable vary depending on the type and treatment of POFs, even when made from similar materials, which leads to the conclusion that the photoelastic constant should be characterized for each different type of POF. The impact of annealing the fiber samples on C(r) is also addressed.

Galacto-N-biose (GNB) derivatives were efficiently synthesized from galactose derivatives via a one-pot two-enzyme system containing two promiscuous enzymes from Bifidobacterium infantis: a galactokinase (BiGalK) and a d-galactosyl-β1-3-N-acetyl-d-hexosamine phosphorylase (BiGalHexNAcP). Mono-sialyl and di-sialyl galacto-N-biose derivatives were then prepared using a one-pot two-enzyme system containing a CMP-sialic acid synthetase and an α2-3-sialyltransferase or an α2-6-sialyltransferase.

Arabidopsis thaliana glucuronokinase (AtGlcAK) was cloned and shown to be able to use various uronic acids as substrates to produce the corresponding uronic acid-1-phosphates. AtGlcAK or Bifidobacterium infantis galactokinase (BiGalK) was used with a UDP-sugar pyrophosphorylase, an inorganic pyrophosphatase, with or without a glycosyltransferase for highly efficient synthesis of UDP-uronic acids and glucuronides. These improved cost-effective one-pot multienzyme (OPME) systems avoid the use of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD(+))-cofactor in dehydrogenase-dependent UDP-glucuronic acid production processes and can be broadly applied for synthesizing various glucuronic acid-containing molecules.

Hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) of microalgae is a promising technology offering production of biofuels in a sustainable way. Thanks to the supercritical conditions applied, the recycling of water and nutrients including carbon capture becomes feasible(1-2). Through HTL, the target bio-oil is generated together with process water containing valuable nutrients. In this study we have provided an environmentally friendly and resource efficient strategy to produce renewable microalgae biomass. Feasibility test on microalgae cultivation, using the nutrient-rich effluent from the HTL of same algal biomass, was performed in a 5 L, flat panel airlift (FPA)-photobioreactor (PBR). 1 g(DW) L-1 d(-1) of microalgae was the productivity average achieved with the diluted aqueous solution (25-fold). This is comparable to the productivity obtained with the standard growth medium even if an adaptation time of four days was necessary. Our results show that the nutrient rich HTL aqueous product of microalgal biomass conversion can replace to a great extentmineral salts of the culture medium. Together with an efficient water management, the nutrient recovery applied here promotes the recycling and prevents the release of waste materials and therefore shows the potential for driving the system towards a nutrient neutral production of biomass for biofuels. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A sandwich structure with fractal pattern for microstrip line is proposed, in which a fractal pattern consisting of “H” is etched in the plane between the microstrip line and the ground plane of microstrip line. The transmission characteristics of that sandwich structure appear to have the multiple gaps and pass bands of electromagnetic waves is from 40 MHz to 10 GHz, and in particular the use of the fractal patterns array is increasing the gaps property of the gaps and pass bands. In this article, the transmission characteristics of one microstrip line with the sandwich structure normalized by 50 Ω are directly calculated by the finite different time domain (FDTD) method. Experimental observations are in good agreement with the result of FDTD simulations. Microstrip transmission lines incorporating a sandwich structure with fractal patterns exhibit band-stops and slow-wave characteristics, which can be exploited to reject unwanted frequency and to reduce the dimensions of the microstrip structure. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 48: 1714–1717, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.21756

An efficient regeneration system was developed using cotyledonary node of two inbred line of melon, Cucumis melo 'CM-15' and 'CM-23'. The induction of shoots was achieved on Murashige and Skoog (MS) solid medium supplemented with different combinations of 6-benzylaminopurine (BA) and indole- 3-acetic acid (IAA). The best shoot induction was observed when the explants were cultured on MS medium supplemented with BA (1.5 mg/L) and IAA (0.1 mg/L), and on MS medium supplemented with BA (1.5 mg/L) and IAA (0.5 mg/L) for 'CM-15' and 'CM-23', and inbred line CM-15 had the best regeneration rate. The shoot clumps were transferred to MS with BA (0.05 mg/L), resulting to the differentiation of most of the shoots initially into well developed shoots. Regenerated shoots were rooted on half-strength MS medium without plant growth regulators (PGRs). The rooted plants were established in soil with 100% success rate. This high frequency plant regeneration system provides improved technology to assist in genetic transformation of melon.Key words: Cucumis Melo L., cotyledonary node, shoots regeneration, plant regeneration.

Almost all Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) capsule serotypes employ the Wzy-dependent pathway for their capsular polysaccharide (CPS) biosynthesis. The assembly of the CPS repeating unit (RU) is the first committed step in this pathway. The wciN gene was predicted to encode a galactosyltransferase involved in the RU assembly of pneumococcus type 6B CPS. Herein, we provide the unambiguous in vitro biochemical evidence that wciN encodes an α-1,3-galactosyltransferase catalyzing the transfer of galactosyl from UDP-Gal onto the Glcα-pyrophosphate-lipid (Glcα-PP-lipid) acceptor to form Galα(1-3)Glcα-PP-lipid. A chemically synthesized acceptor (Glcα-PP-O(CH(2))(10)CH(3)) was used to characterize the WciN activity. The disaccharide product, i.e., Galα(1-3)Glcα-PP-O(CH(2))(10)CH(3), was characterized by mass and NMR spectroscopy. Substrate specificity study indicated that the acceptor structural region composed of pyrophosphate and lipid moieties may play an important role in the enzyme-acceptor recognition. Furthermore, divalent metal cations were found indispensable to the WciN activity, suggesting that this glycosyltransferase (GT) belongs to the GT-A superfamily. By analyzing the activities of six WciN mutants, a DXD motif involved in the coordination of a divalent metal cation was identified. This work provides a chemical biology approach to characterize the activities of pneumococcal CPS GTs in vitro and will help to better understand the pneumococcal CPS biosynthetic pathway.

This PDF file contains the front matter associated with SPIE Proceedings Volume 8351, including the Title Page, Copyright information, Table of Contents, Introduction, and the Conference Committee listing. © 2012 Copyright Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE).

This paper aims to examine the relationships between information exchange benefits and company performance, and the mediating effect of supply chain compliance on this relationship. A sample of 165 buying companies and of 96 suppliers were analyzed by partial least square (PLS) path modeling. Five company characteristics, including company size, company age, company type, quality standard implemented, and administrative level of a location, were added as control variables in the model. The paper extends our understanding on the relationships between perceived communication benefits, supply chain compliance, performance and company characteristics. Managerial implications are generalized for buyers and suppliers respectively.