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This study investigated cold plasmas for multiple biological applications. Our previous work has found dielectric barrier discharge plasma improves chicken sperm quality. The number of Sertoli cells (SCs) decides spermatogenesis. However, whether cold plasma can regulate SC proliferation remains unclear. This study explored the effects of cold plasma on immature chicken SC proliferation and the regulation mechanism. Results showed that cold plasma exposure at 2.4 W for 30 s twice with an interval of 6 h produced (P<0.05) the maximum SC viability, cell growth, and cell cycle progression. SC proliferation-promoting effect of cold plasma treatment was regulated by increasing (P<0.05) the adenosine triphosphate production and the respiratory enzyme activity in the mitochondria. This process was potentially mediated by the adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK)–mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway, which was regulated by the microRNA (miRNA) targeting regulation directly and by the intracellular reactive oxygen species homeostasis indirectly. The cold plasma treatment increased (P<0.01) the miR-7450-5p expression and led to a decreased (P<0.01) AMPKα1 level. On the other hand, miR-100-5p expression was reduced (P<0.05) and led to an increased (P<0.05) mTOR level in SCs. A single-stranded synthetic miR-7450-5p antagomir and a double-stranded synthetic miR-100-5p agomir reduced (P<0.05) the SC proliferation. However, this could be ameliorated (P<0.05) by the cold plasma treatment. Our findings suggest that appropriate cold plasma treatment provides a safe strategy to improve SC proliferation, which is beneficial to elevating male chicken reproductive capacity.

To study the anti-hypertrophic scar effect of the six-herb Chinese medicine composition (SCMC) ointment on the rabbit ear hypertrophic scar models.

Previously, we demonstrated that Prx II is important for survival of the gefitinib-resistant A549 (A549/GR) cell line, an NSCLC cell line derived by repeated exposure to gefitinib. Therefore, in this study, we used A549/GR cells to investigate the role of Prx II in GR NSCLC stemness. Initially, to explore the stemness characteristics and investigate the association of Prx II with those stemness characteristics, we successfully isolated a stem cell-like population from A549/GR cells. A549/GR CD133+cells possessed important cancer stemness characteristics, including the abilities to undergo metastasis, angiogenesis, self-renewal, and to express stemness genes and epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers. However, those characteristics were abolished by knocking down Prx II expression. MicroRNA 122 (miR-122) targets Prx II in A549/GR cancer stem cells (CSCs), thereby inhibiting the stemness characteristics in vitro and in vivo. Next, we investigate whether miR-122 overexpression was associated with Prx II expression and Prx-II-induced stemness characteristics, we transfected miR-122 into A549/GR CSCs. MiR-122 inhibited A549/GR stemness by downregulating the Hedgehog, Notch, and Wnt/β-catenin pathways. Taken together, our data suggest that Prx II promotes A549/GR stemness, and that targeting Prx II and miR-122 is a potentially viable strategy for anti-cancer-stem cell therapy in GR NSCLCs.

Four CrAlN coatings with various Al content were prepared by arc ion plating technology under different target currents. The effect of the Al content on the microstructure, chemical compositions, element chemical bonding states and mechanical properties of the CrAlN coatings was analyzed. X-ray diffraction results show that the primary phase of the CrAlN coating is fcc-(Al, Cr)N when the Al content is about 44.02 at.%. However, when the Al content increases to about 53.34 at.%, hcp-AlN phase emerges in the coating. And the hcp-AlN phase becomes the main phase in the CrAlN coating with Al content of about 69.55 at.%. Cross-sectional images show that all the four coatings possess dense structures and the deposition rate of Al atom is higher than that of Cr atom. The hardness of the CrAlN coating with Al content about 44.02 at.% is the largest (3149.72 HV) due to the solid solution hardening effect of the Al element. When the hcp-AlN phase is generated in the CrAlN coating, the hardness declines. The tribological experiment shows that the wear resistance of the CrAlN coating decreases gradually with increasing Al content when sliding against 100Cr6 steel ball.

Ground cherry (Physalis pubescensL.) is a kind of berry fruit favored by consumers in China; however, this fruit is particularly vulnerable to physiological senescence and pathogen attack during the traditional cold storage period. In order to maintain storage quality, a 1.5% (w/w) chitosan (CS) water solution containing 50 mg/L of natamycin (NA) was introduced. After all treatments were completed, the fruit was stored at 0 °C and sampled every 10 d. At each sampling date, the following tests were performed: mold and yeast analyses; enzyme activity and content analyses which included superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and malondialdehyde (MDA); and color analysis. In addition, a sensory evaluation was carried out for quality assessment at the end of the storage period. The results showed that the application of a chitosan coating combined with natamycin (CSNA) enhanced the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX), reduced the physiological rate of senescence, and inhibited pathogen attack. Thus, CSNA treatment can maintain ground cherries at an acceptable level of storage quality for 50 d.

Anti-infection strategies based on suppression of bacterial virulence factors represent a crucial direction for the development of new antibacterial agents to address the resistance triggered by traditional drugs’/pesticides’ bactericidal activity. To identify and obtain more effective and diverse molecules targeting virulence, we prepared a series of 3-hydroxy-2-methyl-1-pyridin-4-(1H)-one derivatives and evaluated their antibacterial behaviors. Compound B6exhibited the highest bioactivity, with half-maximal effective concentration (EC50) values ranging fro9m 10.03 to 30.16 μg mL–1against three plant pathogenic bacteria. The antibacterial mechanism showed that it could considerably reduce various virulence factors (such as extracellular enzymes, biofilm, and T3SS effectors) and inhibit the expression of virulence factor-related genes. In addition, the control efficiency of compound B6against rice bacterial leaf blight at 200 μg mL–1was 46.15–49.15%, and their control efficiency was improved by approximately 12% after the addition of pesticide additives. Thus, a new class of bactericidal candidates targeting bacterial virulence factors was developed for controlling plant bacterial diseases.

An integrated electricity information security monitoring platform is presented, electrical information security integrated real-time monitoring of the state power applied information security systems, security equipment, network equipment, network boundaries, desktop computers, to improve information security monitoring, early warning, emergency response and defense capabilities to protect IT hardware, software and network security, which can guarantee continuous, reliable and efficient operation.

Estrogen plays an important role in regulating testicular Sertoli cell number. Furthermore, S-phase kinase-associated protein 2 (SKP2) plays a central role in mammalian cell cycle progression. The objective of this study was to determine whether 17β-estradiol can regulate the expression of SKP2, and the Sertoli cell cycle, viaestrogen receptor β (ERβ), the cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)-protein kinase A (PKA) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2) pathway. When cultured immature boar Sertoli cells were treated with 17β-estradiol, a time-dependent increase in SKP2mRNA and protein level was observed by real-time PCR and Western blot, and 17β-estradiol activity peaked at 30 min. Treatment with ICI182780 and ERβ antagonist reduced 17β-estradiol-induced expression of SKP2 and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), while increasing the protein concentration of p27kip1. However, the effect of ERα antagonist on these parameters was lower than that of ICI182780 and ERβ. Forskolin had a similar effect as 17β-estradiol on the expression of SKP2, PCNA and p27kip1. Rp-cAMP, H-89 and U0126 treatment reduced 17β-estradiol-induced changes, while H-89 also inhibited ERK1/2 activation. Therefore, 17β-estradiol mainly regulates SKP2mRNA and protein expression viaERβ-cAMP-PKA and ERK1/2 activation. SKP2 and PCNA expression were positively correlated, while increased SKP2 expression likely resulted in p27kip1degradation.

This paper proposes a novel scheme combining Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT) and Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) for image watermarking. The watermarking image is separated by two parts randomly, then they are embedded into the sub-bands obtained from the original image in DWT domain by modifying the singular value. SVD is applied twice in this scheme.The use of the threshold of Just Noticeable Distortion (JND) based on human visual model determines the embedding strength and position of the watermark, the digital adaptive watermarking algorithm in a combinational domain is realized. The experimental results show that the proposed scheme has a good invisibility and performance of robustness for common attacks, simultaneously enhances the embedding capacity and security.

From the dried fruiting bodies of Ganoderma lucidum, 2 new unsaturated lactones, dayaolingzhilactones A and B (1and 2), and 1 new meroterpenoid, dayaolingzhiol H (3), together with 10 known compounds (4-13), were isolated. Their chemical structures were identified by using spectroscopic data and calculated specific rotation. The inhibitory activities of compounds 1and 2toward acetylcholinesterase (AchE) were assessed in vitro with tacrine as the positive control. Both of them exhibited moderate AchE inhibitory activities at the concentration of 50 μM.

Gallibacterium anatisis a pathogen associated with peritonitis and salpingitis in chickens and other avian species. Novel safety prevention strategies are urgently needed because of widespread multidrug resistance and antigenic diversity.