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Objective Squamous cell carcinoma is often associated with the deletion or mutation of zinc finger protein 750 (ZNF750), its deletion or mutation is associated with squamous epithelial malignant biological characteristics. The present study is to explore the mechanism of ZNF750 to suppress the tumor malignant process by regulation tumor microenvironment. Methods To evaluate the changes of tumor microenvironment in oral squamous cells carcinoma cell line CAL-27 cell, the expression of angiogenin, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), prolyl hydroxylase 2 (PHD2), G protein signal regulated protein 5 (RGS5), integrin A5 (ITGA5), integrin B1 (ITGB1) and CD44 were detected by Western-blot. The changes of platelet derived growth factor (PDGFB) and tumor vascular marker CD105 (Endoglin) mRNA were estimated by qPCR. The effect of over-expressed ZNF750 on cell viability and lateral migration capacity was investigated by CCK-8 and cell scratch assay in three oral squamous cells carcinoma. Results ZNF750 could effectively inhibit the protein or mRNA expression of angiogenin, VEGF, RGS5 and CD105, repressed the cell adhesion molecules ITGA5, ITGB1 and CD44, but up-regulate the protein or mRNA expression of PHD2 and PDGFB. The cell viability and lateral migration ability of three oral squamous cells carcinoma were reduced by over-expression of ZNF750. Conclusion ZNF750 could modulate the tumor vascular microenvironment to inhibit the oral squamous cells carcinoma malignant progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A ZnO/Si heterojunction characterized by nonplanar complex interface structure was prepared by growing ZnO on silicon nanoporous pillar array (Si-NPA). Based on the heterojunction, a self-powered ultraviolet photodetector (UV PD) was structured and its UV detection properties were tested. Under UV irradiation of 360 nm laser, the on-off ratio of the detector increases with whereas the responsivity and specific detectivity decrease with the irradiation power density. This feature facilitates the flexibility to satisfy different measuring occasions or requirements simply through alternating the power density of UV irradiation. And most important of all, the PD can achieve UV detections with very short and balanced response/recovery time (∼50 ms) unchanging with the power density. The characteristics provide more options for optimizing the measuring condition selection in practical applications. The mechanism is attributed jointly to the enlarged specific interface area and the lowered barrier height of the junction, both of which are brought about by the unique microstructure of Si-NPA. • A heterojunction with complex interface structure of ZnO/Si-NPA is prepared. • UV PDs based on ZnO/Si-NPA show very short and balanced response/recovery time. • The junction barrier height is lowered by ZnO/Si-NPA compared with ZnO/Si. • The carrier separation process can be accelerated by nonplanar heterojunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction and Objective: The relationship between either paraoxonase 1 (PON1) gene promoter DNA methylation or genetic variations and bleeding or major adverse cardiac events after dual antiplatelet therapy has been incompletely characterized. We aimed to systematically investigate the role of genetic variations and DNA methylation of the PON1 CpG island promoter on the clinical outcomes of dual antiplatelet therapy for patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).Methods: This study included 653 patients with CAD undergoing PCI and receiving dual antiplatelet therapy. Genomic DNAs were isolated from whole blood and were genotyped for the three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the PON1 gene. The DNA methylation levels in the PON1 promoter region were determined by bisulfite sequencing or pyrosequencing at five CpG sites (positions -142, -161, -163, -170, and -184 from the transcription start site). Clopidogrel and its metabolites in plasma were examined using high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS), and platelet function analysis was performed using the VerifyNow assay.Results: Statistically significant associations between methylation levels at five PON1 CpG sites and bleeding were observed: -184 [odds ratio (OR) 0.98, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.96-1.00, p = 0.028]; -170 (OR 0.99, 95% CI 0.97-1.00, p = 0.048); -163 (OR 0.98, 95% CI 0.96-1.00, p = 0.029); -161 (OR 0.98, 95% CI 0.97-1.00, p = 0.026); and -142 (OR 0.98, 95% CI 0.97-1.00, p = 0.042) at a false discovery rate of <5%. Statistical analysis also revealed that aspirin reaction units (ARUs) were significantly associated with PON1 methylation level at CpG site -163 (p = 0.0342). The ARUs of patients with the PON1 126 CC genotype was 527 ± 94, which was higher than the ARUs (473 ± 89) of patients with the 126 CG genotype (p = 0.0163). Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that the PON1 methylation level at CpG site -161 (OR 0.95, 95% CI 0.92-0.98, p = 0.002) and the use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (OR 0.48, 95% CI 0.26-0.89, p = 0.021) were associated with a decreased risk of bleeding events.Conclusions: Hypomethylation of CpGs in the PON1 promoter may be a weak, albeit statistically significant, risk factor of bleeding after dual antiplatelet therapy. Further large-scale studies are needed to verify our results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psoriasis-specific proteins dysregulated in keratinocytes and involved in the pathophysiological process of psoriasis remains elusive. We report here that epidermal galectin-3 expression is significantly downregulated in lesional skin, but not in non-lesional skin in psoriasis patients, nor in a group of diseases known as psoriasiform dermatitis clinically and histologically similar to psoriasis. The deficiency of epidermal galectin-3 is sufficient to promote development of psoriatic lesions, as evidenced by more severe skin inflammation in galectin-3 knockout (gal3 −/− ) mice, compared to wild-type mice, after imiquimod treatment, and in skin from gal3 −/− mice grafted onto wildtype mice. The development of psoriatic-like lesions is attributable to 1) the spontaneously tuning up of psoriasis signatures in keratinocytes through JNK pathway; and 2) neutrophil accumulation caused by the enhanced leukocyte-recruiting capacity associated with overexpression of S100A7-9 and CXCL-1, 8 in keratinocytes with impaired galectin-3 expression. Psoriasis-like skin inflammation is significantly improved in gal-3 −/− mice both by inhibition of neutrophils accumulation with a selective CXCR2 antagonist of SB225002, and by intracutaneous injection of recombinant galectin-3. Overall, these findings offer promising galectin-3-related diagnostic and therapeutic resolutions of psoriasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hole transport layer (HTL) plays an important role in perovskite solar cells (PSCs). We demonstrate the cupper iodide (CuI)/poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) poly (styrenesulphonate) (PEDOT:PSS) double layers as the anode buffer layer for efficient hole transport in PSCs. An obvious enhancement of open-circuit voltage and power conversion efficiency (PCE) is observed, and a final PCE of 14.3% is achieved. While the single PEDOT:PSS based device’s PCE is 12.9%. The inorganic CuI buffer layer significantly enhanced the hole extraction from the perovskite film, as revealed from the photoluminescence spectra. The average exciton lifetime is reduced to 2.7 ns. Moreover, the devices with double HTLs structure exhibit better long time stability. The PCE remains 88% of the initial value after 720 h’ storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cathepsin S (CTSS) activity is elevated in Sjögren’s Syndrome (SS) patient tears. Here we tested whether protease inhibition and cystatin C (Cys C) levels are reduced in SS tears, which could lead to enhanced CTSS-driven degradation of tear proteins. CTSS activity against Cys C, LF and sIgA was tested in SS or healthy control tears. Tears from 156 female subjects (33, SS; 33, rheumatoid arthritis; 31, other autoimmune diseases; 35, non-autoimmune dry eye (DE); 24, healthy controls) were analyzed for CTSS activity and Cys C, LF, and sIgA levels. Cys C and LF showed enhanced degradation in SS tears supplemented with recombinant CTSS, but not supplemented healthy control tears. CTSS activity was significantly increased, while Cys C, LF and sIgA levels were significantly decreased, in SS tears compared to other groups. While tear CTSS activity remained the strongest discriminator of SS in autoimmune populations, combining LF and CTSS improved discrimination of SS beyond CTSS in DE patients. Reductions in Cys C and other endogenous proteases may enhance CTSS activity in SS tears. Tear CTSS activity is reconfirmed as a putative biomarker of SS in an independent patient cohort while combined LF and CTSS measurements may distinguish SS from DE patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A mistake was found in Section 2.2. The current expression is 'In each treatment group, juveniles were exposed to E2 at the set concentration for 2 h once a day from 15 to 100 dph.' The correct version should be 'In each treatment group, juveniles were exposed to E2 at the set concentration for 2 h once two days from 15 to 100 dph.' [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glutamate decarboxylase antibody (GADA) and insulin autoantibody (IAA) are essential biomarkers for type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). These islet autoantibodies are present in the serum of patients and are useful for the early diagnosis of T1DM. In this study, we developed a surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)-based immunoassay for the detection of two T1DM-related autoantibodies, GADA and IAA. GADA and IAA are specifically captured by their antigens immobilized on the mercaptobenzoic acid (MBA)-functionalized silver substrates. They can be quantitatively detected based on the Raman frequency shifts of the cross-linker MBA. Combined with a 96-well plate, the immunoassay enabled a high-throughput analysis of the two biomarkers. The results suggest that the proposed method has significant potential for clinical application in rapid, sensitive, and high-throughput screening of T1DM. [Display omitted] • Both GADA and IAA were detected based on SERS frequency shifts. • The biosensor enables rapid, sensitive, and high-throughput screening of Type 1 diabetes. • The feasibility of using the proposed biosensor for clinical samples was validated in human serum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silicon is considered as the most promising anode for advanced lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) due to the high theoretical capacity of 3579 mAh g −1 , but the complex and high-cost preparation processes have limited it's widespread applications. So given the practical application, it's all the more important that we should prepare excellent electrochemical performance anodes with large scale and low cost. Here we present a scalable synthesis for preparing the cost-effective Si/C anode enhanced by FeSi x nanoparticles (FSC) directly from the low-grade Ferrosilicon source (∼1000 $/t). The formation of the amorphous carbon layer and FeSi x nanocrystalline (FeSi & FeSi 2 ) can act as buffer layer to mechanically support the volume expansion change during cycling. The FSC anode exhibits a high initial capacity of 1489 mAh g −1 and a prolonged cycle performance with 86% capacity retention over 100 cycles at 500 mA g −1 . Moreover, the FSC anode delivers an excellent rate performance of 450 mAh g −1 at 10 A g −1 due to the enhancement of the electrical conductivity by the amorphous carbon layer and the highly conductive FeSi x nanocrystalline. This scalable and cost-effective method for preparing Si/C anode provides the promising application potentials in next generation energy storage systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thromboxane A 2 (TXA 2 ) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of diabetic vascular complications, although the underlying mechanism remains unclear. The present study investigated the alterations in TXA 2 receptor signal transduction in type 2 diabetic renal arteries. The contraction of renal arterial rings in control (db/m+) mice and type 2 diabetic (db/db) mice was measured by a Multi Myograph System. Intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca 2+ ] i ) in vascular smooth muscle cells was measured by Fluo-4/AM dye and confocal laser scanning microscopy. Quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot analysis were used to determine gene and protein expression levels, respectively. A stable TXA 2 mimic U46619 caused markedly stronger dose-dependent contractions in the renal arteries of db/db mice than in those of db/m + mice. This response was completely blocked by a TXA 2 receptor antagonist GR32191 and significantly inhibited by U73122. U46619-induced vasoconstriction was increased in the presence of nifedipine in db/db mice compared with that in db/m + mice, whereas the response to U46619 did not differ between the two groups in the presence of SKF96365. Sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca 2+ release-mediated and CaCl 2 -induced contractions did not differ between the two groups. In db/db mice, store-operated Ca 2+ (SOC) entry-mediated contraction in the renal arteries and SOC entry-mediated Ca 2+ influx in smooth muscle cells were significantly increased. And the gene and protein expressions of TXA 2 receptors, Orai1 and Stim1 were upregulated in the diabetic renal arteries. Therefore the enhancement of U46619-induced contraction was mediated by the upregulation of TXA 2 receptors and downstream signaling in the diabetic renal arteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acrylamide is classified as a probable carcinogen to humans and generated from Maillard reaction. Currently, the short-term exposure to acrylamide was evaluated via external diet sources in vitro or two main mercapturic acid metabolites: N-acetyl- S-(2-carbamoylethyl)- l-cysteine (AAMA) and N-acetyl- S-(2-carbamoyl-2-hydroxyethyl)- l-cysteine (GAMA) in vivo. In the present work, we comprehensively profiled four mercapturic acid metabolites and evaluated their internal exposure in rats and Chinese adolescents. The cumulative excretion of mercapturic acid metabolites contributes 38.4-73.0 and 43.8-63.6 % of total in vivo metabolites of acrylamide in male and female rats, respectively, when 1, 10, and 50 mg/kg bw of acrylamide were orally administered. Toxicokinetic study revealed that the conversion of acrylamide into glycidamide and glutathione coupling process is highly related to the gender and oral gavage dose via evaluating kinetic parameters, accumulative excretion percentages, and molar ratios of oxidative to reductive metabolism. In human study, a total of 101 Chinese adolescents (41 men and 60 women) were enrolled and served with a meal of potato chips, corresponding to a single-dose (12.6 μg/kg bw) exposure to acrylamide. Toxicokinetic work showed that AAMA is an early and predominant metabolite appearing as a biomarker in urine. N-acetyl- S-(2-carbamoylethyl)- l-cysteine-sulfoxide (AAMA-sul), an oxidative product from AAMA, exhibits a higher peak concentration than GAMA and N-acetyl- S-(1-carbamoyl-2-hydroxyethyl)- l-cysteine (iso-GAMA) during the whole 48-h toxicokinetic period. The internal exposure via four mercapturic acid metabolites is associated with the gender and body mass index characteristics. Thus, current study aims at mercapturic acid metabolites as urinary biomarkers and provides comprehensive insights into the short-term internal exposure to acrylamide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the present study was to test the potential of mouse bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BD-MSCs) in improving tear production in a mouse model of Sjögren’s syndrome dry eye and to investigate the underlying mechanisms involved. NOD mice (n=20) were randomized to receive i.p. injection of sterile phosphate buffered saline (PBS, control) or murine BD-MSCs (1 × 106 cells). Tears production was measured at baseline and once a week after treatment using phenol red impregnated threads. Cathepsin S activity in the tears was measured at the end of treatment. After 4 weeks, animals were sacrificed and the lacrimal glands were excised and processed for histopathology, immunohistochemistry, and RNA analysis. Following BD-MSC injection, tears production increased over time when compared to both baseline and PBS injected mice. Although the number of lymphocytic foci in the lacrimal glands of treated animals did not change, the size of the foci decreased by 40.5% when compared to control animals. The mRNA level of the water channel aquaporin 5 was significantly increased following delivery of BD-MSCs. We conclude that treatment with BD-MSCs increases tear production in the NOD mouse model of Sjögren’s syndrome. This is likely due to decreased inflammation and increased expression of aquaporin 5. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thyroid cancer (THCA) is one of the commonest malignancies associated with increased recurrence. Therefore, identifying the putative molecular markers and therapeutic targets to improve the treatment of THCA is essential. The present study analyzed the potential role of tripartite motif-containing 21 (TRIM21), a member of the TRIM family belonging to the subfamily of E3 ubiquitin ligases, in the progression of THCA. Using bioinformatics analysis and immunohistochemistry of THCA tissues, it was observed that TRIM21 is overexpressed in THCA tissues. The present study also found that TRIM21 is associated with lymph node metastasis and high-risk recurrence of THCA. Furthermore, it identified a promotional role of TRIM21 in THCA cell migration and invasion. In addition, the present study analyzed TRIM21-enriched pathways and co-expressed genes in THCA. The present study suggested that TRIM21 may serve as a potential biomarker for THCA prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This Letter presents a wide supply voltage range, ultra‐low power, and CMOS‐only subthreshold voltage reference. A complementary‐to‐absolute‐temperature (VCTAT) generator implemented by a standard VTH transistor and a high VTH transistor is used to obtain a negative temperature coefficient (TC) voltage. While, a proportional‐to‐absolute‐temperature (VPTAT) generator adopts a unbalanced differential pair to achieve a positive TC voltage. With both VCTAT generator and VPTAT generator, the CMOS‐only voltage reference circuit is proposed, which is implemented in a standard 0.18μm CMOS process. The simulation results show that the mean output reference voltage is 225.5 mV at room temperature with a supply voltage as low as 0.55 V, meanwhile the output reference voltage achieves a TC of 21.9ppm/°C with a temperature range from −20 to 80°C. With a supply voltage of 0.55 V and at room temperature, the current consumption is 13.6 nA and the power consumption is only 7.5 nW. The reference circuit correctly works with a supply voltage ranging from 0.55 to 1.8 V, and it obtains the line regulation of 0.0022%/V. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dedicated short-range communication/wireless access for vehicular environment together with the fourth generation-long-term evolution technologies has been widely accepted as the most promising approaches to enhance the transportation safety. As pedestrians are still protected based on the traditional honking approach, the communication-based safety alert is questionable in the practical usage. In this article, a dedicated short-range communication/long-term evolution/WiFi-based vehicular system is developed to support the vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-pedestrian communication for the safety of vehicles and pedestrians. The implementation of the heterogeneous vehicle-to-vehicle/vehicle-to-pedestrian communication module is based on an IEEE 802.11a compliant communication module, integrated with the long-term evolution module and WiFi wireless interface. A collision estimation and safety alert module on smartphone is further designed and implemented to protect pedestrians. Various performance evaluation experiments are carried out under different scenarios via an uncontrolled approach, including the university campus, typical urban streets, and suburban districts. The packet delivery rate and end-to-end latency in each scenario are recorded and analyzed based on non-line-of-sight/line of sight cases. Experiment results reveal that IEEE 802.11p based vehicle-to-vehicle communication is unstable in the non-line-of-sight conditions, while the cellular-based performs better in the transmission reliability but has larger latency than IEEE 802.11p. The WiFi based vehicle-to-pedestrian communication is efficient when the transmission distance is less than 150 m. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the important role of cutting fluid in lubrication of tools, achieving its better wetting effect on the surface has become a research hotspot. Castor oil is widely used in machining with excellent lubrication, but its poor wettability cannot be ignored. To enhance the wettability of castor oil on the tool surface, grooves were prepared on the surface of high-speed steel (HSS) by laser, then nylon fibers were vertically implanted into the grooves by electrostatic flocking. The optimization experiments of groove sizes, electrostatic voltage and fiber length were performed, then flocking surfaces with enhanced wettability were evaluated through the self-propulsion, and high-temperature wetting tests. The results show that the penetration length of oil in the flocking grooves (5.71 mm) is 2.28 times that of the non-flocking grooves (1.74 mm). Moreover, the dense fibers increase the heat exchange area at a high temperature, resulting in a rapid rise in temperature of droplet. Thereby the viscosity resistance of the oil is reduced, accelerating the penetration of oil droplets, which are completely wetting for only 0.3 s at 80 °C. This study is of reference value and practical significance for the application of flocking surfaces enhancing the wettability of cutting fluid. [Display omitted] • The groove size parameter with the smallest contact angle on the flocking surface was optimized by orthogonal experiments. • The effects of flocking voltage and fiber length on wettability were considered separately by analyzing their contact angle. • Castor oil has better directional wettability and self-propelled properties on flocking surfaces. • The flocking surface accelerated the spreading ability of oil droplets at a high temperature of 80 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shenling Baizhu San (SLBZ) is a famous Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) formula that strengthens the spleen for replenishing qi, removing dampness, and inducing diuresis to relieve diarrhea. Combining the TCM interpretation that dampness is a vital pathogenesis factor in hyperuricemia occurrence and development, SLBZ has excellent potential against hyperuricemia from the perspective of TCM theories. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of SLBZ against hyperuricemia and its possible mechanism with emphasis on the active components and the core targets. In the present study, we employed meta-analysis and a hyperuricemia quail model to evaluate the uric acid-lowering effect of SLBZ. Bodyweight, serum uric acid, and excreta uric acid levels in quails were assessed. Subsequently, we analyzed the potential active components and core targets of SLBZ against hyperuricemia by network pharmacology and calculated their interaction using molecular docking. Furthermore, the hyperuricemia rats treated with interfering agents of core targets were established to determine the central role of selected targets in hyperuricemia progression. Besides, we isolated and characterized the primary renal tubular epithelial cells of quails to verify the active components and core targets of SLBZ against hyperuricemia. Western blotting was used to observe the expression of core targets treated with active components under the stimulation of interfering agents. Data from meta-analysis and animal experiments showed that SLBZ could work effectively against hyperuricemia. Hyperuricemia quails treated with SLBZ displayed significantly reduced serum uric acid levels accompanied by increased excretion of uric acid. According to network pharmacology and molecular docking results, 34 potential active components and the core target peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) for SLBZ against hyperuricemia were identified. The decreased serum uric acid levels in hyperuricemia rats treated with rosiglitazone, an agonist of PPARγ, confirms the essential role of PPARγ in the pathological process of hyperuricemia. Moreover, we first successfully isolated and characterized the primary renal tubular epithelial cells of quails and observed enhanced phosphorylation of PPARγ at Ser273 in cells handled with high-level uric acid. Whereas, the enhanced expression of p-PPARγ Ser273 could be down-regulated by luteolin and naringenin, two active components of SLBZ against hyperuricemia. In summary, SLBZ is a promising anti-hyperuricemia agent, and luteolin and naringenin are the active components for SLBZ against hyperuricemia by down-regulating phosphorylation of PPARγ at Ser273. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Potassium ion batteries are promisingly proposed for the large cale energy storage. However, potassium with large ion radius causes severe volumetric expansion of anodes during charging, which deteriorates the rate and the cycling performances of batteries. Herein, a honeycomb-like graphene monolith with rich micropores is prepared. The monolith is further applied as the binder-free anode for potassium ion batteries. It shows the remarkable rate performance with a capacity of 180 mAh g−1 at a current density of 10 A g−1, and it can stably run for 4000 cycles at 1 A g−1. Kinetic studies and theoretical analyses reveal that the large graphitic interlayer spacing, the nitrogen doping, and the 3D network structure can significantly promote the diffusion rate, the absorption of potassium ions, as well as the transports of electrons and ions. The graphene-based potassium ion batteries can thus boost the development of renewable energies. [Display omitted] • Defect-rich monolithic graphene with high specific surface area was prepared. • Zinc-guided graphene monolith was used as a binder-free potassium-storage anode. • Large interlayer spacing, nitrogen doping and 3D network improved performances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lead halide hybrid perovskite with typical formula ABX 3 has great application prospects in the field of optoelectronic devices due to their excellent characteristics, including easy processing, adjustable structure, tunable band gaps. In this work, we report three halogen-substituted lead halide hybrid perovskites, namely, (DBU) PbX 3 (DBU ​= ​1,8-diazabicyclo [5.4.0] undec-7-ene, X ​= ​Cl, Br, I). These hybrid compounds have similar one-dimensional chain perovskite structures and undergo above-room temperature solid to solid phase transition. The variation of the heavy halogen atoms from Cl, Br to I on the X site causes a gradually larger octahedral space, which contributes to the decrease in phase transition temperature, because of the confinement effect. Meanwhile, a reduction in the band gap occurs for (DBU) PbX 3 was obtained. This work highlights the halogen substitution on the lead halide hybrid perovskite towards excellent performance, which will benefit the field of optoelectronics. With the substitution of the heavy halogen atoms at the X site, the phase transition point and the band gap of the one-dimensional chain perovskite (DBU) PbX 3 are reduced. [Display omitted] • Three 1D lead halide hybrid perovskites were synthesized by halogen substitution. • The phase transition temperature of (DBU) PbX 3 have a decrease trend from X ​= ​Cl, Br to X ​= ​I. • The band gap of (DBU) PbX 3 have a decrease tendency from X ​= ​Cl, Br to X ​= ​I. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We reconstructed a phylogenetic tree of Chinese vascular plants (Tracheophyta) using sequences of the chloroplast genes atpB, matK, ndhF, and rbcL and mitochondrial matR. We produced a matrix comprising 6098 species and including 13 695 DNA sequences, of which 1803 were newly generated. Our taxonomic sampling spanned 3114 genera representing 323 families of Chinese vascular plants, covering more than 93% of all genera known from China. The comprehensive large phylogeny supports most relationships among and within families recognized by recent molecular phylogenetic studies for lycophytes, ferns (monilophytes), gymnosperms, and angiosperms. For angiosperms, most families in Angiosperm Phylogeny Group IV are supported as monophyletic, except for a paraphyletic Dipterocarpaceae and Santalaceae. The infrafamilial relationships of several large families and monophyly of some large genera are well supported by our dense taxonomic sampling. Our results showed that two species of Eberhardtia are sister to a clade formed by all other taxa of Sapotaceae, except Sarcosperma. We have made our phylogeny of Chinese vascular plants publically available for the creation of subtrees via SoTree (), an automated phylogeny assembly tool for ecologists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is important to understand the mechanisms of vegetation establishment on bare substrate in a disturbance-driven ecosystem because of many valuable ecosystem services. This study tested for empirical indications of local alternative stable states controlled by biogeomorphic feedbacks using flume experiments with alfalfa: (1) single flood experiments different in flood intensity and plant growth, (2) long-term evolution experiments with repeated flooding and seeding. We observed: (1) a combination of thresholds in plant growth and flooding magnitude for upgrowing seedlings to survive; (2) bimodality in vegetation biomass after floods indicating the existence of two alternative states, either densely vegetated or bare; (3) facilitation of vegetation establishment by the spatial pattern formation of channels and sand bars. In conclusion, empirical indicators were demonstrated for local alternative stable states in a disturbance-driven ecosystem associated with biogeomorphic feedbacks, which could contribute to the protection and restoration of vegetation in such ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A combination of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy with chemometrics tools provided an approach for studying Marsdenia tenacissima according to its geographical origin. A total of 128 M. tenacissima samples from four provinces in China were analyzed with FTIR spectroscopy. Six pattern recognition methods were used to construct the discrimination models: support vector machine–genetic algorithms, support vector machine–particle swarm optimization, K-nearest neighbors, radial basis function neural network, random forest and support vector machine–grid search. Experimental results showed that K-nearest neighbors was superior to other mathematical algorithms after data were preprocessed with wavelet de-noising, with a discrimination rate of 100% in both the training and prediction sets. This study demonstrated that FTIR spectroscopy coupled with K-nearest neighbors could be successfully applied to determine the geographical origins of M. tenacissima samples, thereby providing reliable authentication in a rapid, cheap and noninvasive way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we reported for the first time that Au(III) decorated carbon dot cluster (Au(III)/CDC) was synthesized to detect glutathione through fluorescence “off–on” approach. The “off” process was realized by the introduction of Au(III) on luminescent carbon dots (CDs), which formed the complex of Au(III)/CDC and quenched the fluorescence of CDs efficiently. This “off” process was used to detect Au(III) with the selectivity among 21 metal ions and the limitation was 0.48 μM (S/N=3). Au(III) could be removed from the complex by biothiol in the solution, which restored the fluorescence of CDC to achieve the “on” process. This process was selective for biothiols (especially for glutathione) among saccharides, dopamine and amino acids and the limit of detection was 2.02 μM (S/N=3). Due to the dependence of the fluorescence restoration on the concentration of glutathione, Au(III)/CDC was applied as the fluorescence sensor for detection of glutathione in the solution and cellular cytosol. By referring to the fluorescence change in the solution, the intracellular glutathione with/without oxygen stress was evaluated. As compared with the commercial assay, our Au(III)/CDC based assay was simple, facile and low cost, which would be useful to measure intracellular glutathione at different cellular states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the growth performance and non-specific immunity in sub-adult turbot fed with graded levels of vitamin E (0, 120, 240, 480 and 960 mg kg −1 ) for 15 weeks. Results showed that the final weight, specific growth rate, nitro blue tetrazolium positive leucocytes of head kidney, phagocytic index, serum lysozyme activity and superoxide dismutase activity significantly increased with increasing vitamin E levels. The highest values were recorded in the diet with 480 mg kg −1 vitamin E. However, no significant differences in the hepatosomatic index, viscerosomatic index and survival rate were found among all dietary treatment. Furthermore, the expression levels of complement component 3 (C3), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukine 1β (IL-1β) were significantly upregulated in the fish feed with the vitamin E-supplemented diets. Compared with the basal diet, the diet supplemented with 480 mg kg −1 vitamin E significantly augmented the mRNA expression of IL-1β, TNF-α in the spleen and head-kidney, C3 in the liver, respectively. In conclusion, the obtained results indicate the basal diet supplemented with moderate dietary vitamin E (480 mg kg −1 ) increased the growth, nonspecific immune responses, and expression levels of some immune-related genes in sub-adult turbot. These observations suggest that optimal dietary vitamin E can promote the growth, maintain the health and improve the broodstock management for turbot. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: miR-29b has been implicated in various cancers. However, the role of miR-29b in tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the role of miR-29b in TSCC progression.Materials and Methods: The expression of miR-29b was analyzed in TSCC tissues and cells. Functional studies were performed in TSCC cells. Real time-PCR, Western blot, cell proliferation, transwell, and dual luciferase reporter assays were performed according to standard procedures.Results: miR-29b was significantly decreased in TSCC specimens and cell lines compared with corresponding normal counterparts. Overexpression of miR-29b significantly inhibited the proliferation, migration, invasion, and cell-cycle progression of TSCC cells, and promoted apoptosis. Moreover, miR-29b targeted the 3' untranslated region of the Sp1 transcript and resulted in the deregulation of Sp1. The inhibition of Sp1 by miR-29b subsequently resulted in the upregulation of PTEN, leading to a decline of phosphorylated AKT. Knockdown of Sp1 in TSCC cell lines mimicked the effects of miR-29b overexpression. In addition, the expression of miR-29b was inversely correlated with Sp1 and positively correlated with the PTEN in TSCC specimens.Conclusion: miR-29b functions as a tumor suppressor in TSCC, and the miR-29b/Sp1/PTEN/AKT axis might represent a potential therapeutic target for TSCC intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Objectives miR-29b has been implicated in various cancers. However, the role of miR-29b in tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the role of miR-29b in TSCC progression. Materials and methods The expression of miR-29b was analyzed in TSCC tissues and cells. Functional studies were performed in TSCC cells. Real time-PCR, Western blot, cell proliferation, transwell, and dual luciferase reporter assays were performed according to standard procedures. Results miR-29b was significantly decreased in TSCC specimens and cell lines compared with corresponding normal counterparts. Overexpression of miR-29b significantly inhibited the proliferation, migration, invasion, and cell-cycle progression of TSCC cells, and promoted apoptosis. Moreover, miR-29b targeted the 3′ untranslated region of the Sp1 transcript and resulted in the deregulation of Sp1. The inhibition of Sp1 by miR-29b subsequently resulted in the upregulation of PTEN, leading to a decline of phosphorylated AKT. Knockdown of Sp1 in TSCC cell lines mimicked the effects of miR-29b overexpression. In addition, the expression of miR-29b was inversely correlated with Sp1 and positively correlated with the PTEN in TSCC specimens. Conclusion miR-29b functions as a tumor suppressor in TSCC, and the miR-29b/Sp1/PTEN/AKT axis might represent a potential therapeutic target for TSCC intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Estrogen is involved in inflammation/pain of temporomandibular joint (TMJ), but the underlying mechanisms are largely unknown. Cadherin-11 plays an essential role in synovial inflammation. This study examined whether estrogen could potentiate cadherin-11 in synoviocytes and contribute to TMJ inflammatory pain. Female rats were ovariectomized, treated with increasing doses of 17β-estradiol for 10 days, and injected intra-articularly with complete Freund’s adjuvant to induce TMJ inflammation. The expression of cadherin-11 in synovial membrane was evaluated. TMJ pain was blocked with intra-articular injection of anti-cadherin-11 antibody and evaluated by head withdrawal threshold. Primary TMJ synoviocytes were treated with estradiol and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α or blocked with anti-cadherin-11 antibody to assess the expression of cadherin-11, interleukin (IL)-6, cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2), and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). We observed that estradiol potentiated the inflammation-induced expression of cadherin-11 in the synoviocytes of synovial membrane from inflamed TMJ. Estradiol induced cadherin-11 expression in a dose- and time-dependent manner in primary synoviocytes and further potentiated the induction of cadherin-11 by TNF-α in synoviocytes. Furthermore, an estrogen receptor antagonist or a NF-κB inhibitor partially blocked the effects of estradiol on cadherin-11 induction in the synovial membrane. Blocking cadherin-11 partially reversed the TMJ inflammatory pain and estradiol-potentiated proliferation of synovial lining cells accompanied with iNOS expression. In addition, blocking cadherin-11 reversed TNF-α-induced and estradiol-potentiated transcription of IL-6, COX-2, and iNOS in primary synoviocytes. These results suggest that estrogen aggravated TMJ inflammatory pain partially through cadherin-11-mediated release of proinflammatory cytokines and enzymes in the synoviocytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: miR-34a is an important tumor suppressor gene in various cancer types. But little is known about the dysregulation of miR-34a in tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC). In this study, we investigate the expression and potential role of miR-34a in TSCC. Methods: We evaluated miR-34a expression and its relationship with clinicopathological characters in 75 pairs of TSCC samples, and confirmed the role of miR-34a for predicting lymph node metastases from a further 15 pairs of paraffin-embedded TSCC specimens with stringent clinicopathological recruitment criteria using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The effects of miR-34a on cell proliferation, migration and invasion were examined in TSCC cell lines using Cell Counting Kit-8 assay, wound healing assay and transwell assay, respectively. The effects of miR-34a on the expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) 9 and 14 were detected by luciferase reporter assays and Western blot analysis. The expression of miR-34a, MMP9 and MMP14 were also confirmed in TSCC samples by in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry. Results: miR-34a expression in tumor tissues from TSCC patients with positive lymph node metastases was significantly lower than that with negative lymph node metastases. Overexpression of miR-34a significantly suppressed migration and invasion in TSCC cells and simultaneously inhibited the expression of MMP9 and MMP14 through targeting the coding region and the 3′untranslated region, respectively. Moreover, miR-34a expression in TSCC was inversely correlated with protein expression of MMP9 and MMP14 in the TSCC samples. Conclusions: miR-34a plays an important role in lymph node metastases of TSCC through targeting MMP9 and MMP14 and may have potential applications in prognosis prediction and gene therapy for lymph node metastases of TSCC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, an efficient electrochemical biosensor for the detection of DNA damage induced by the interaction of a novel antitumor agent AD-NU was investigated by CV, DPV and SWV methods. The GCE was modified with calf thymus DNA, G-quadruplexes, poly dA and poly dG, respectively. Among all the candidates, compound AD-NU was the optimum ligand because of the minimum energy when binding to DNA or TOP II by molecular docking. The electrochemical analysis revealed the redox mechanism of AD-NU on the GCE surface, which included two consecutive reversible processes of 9,10-diquinone and irreversible redox of nitroso group. The DNA damage caused by AD-NU was investigated by comparing the intensity changes of dGuo and dAdo oxidation peaks in DNA strands, and monitoring the appearance of peak for oxidative product 8-oxoGua. Further confirmation for the interaction between AD-NU and DNA was performed by UV–vis absorption and fluorescence titration, which implied the intercalation of AD-NU into DNA base pairs with a high affinity constant (K b = 13.7 ×105 M−1). The electrophoresis also revealed the potency of AD-NU to cleave and unwind DNA strands. Finally, AD-NU was proved to have good antiproliferative activity toward tumor cells, with IC 50 values of 3.0 μmol ∙ L−1 for A549 cell lines and 3.3 μmol ∙ L−1 for Hela cell lines, superior to MTZ reference. [Display omitted] • A novel antitumor agent N -(2-chloroethyl)- N -nitrosourea substituted anthraquinone derivative (AD-NU) was synthesized. • Chemical degradation mechanism of AD-NU involving the generation of active carbocation was verified. • Oxidative damage to Gua and morphological change in DNA strands induced by AD-NU were electrochemically detected. • Spectroscopy titration revealed the intercalation and high affinity of AD-NU toward ct DNA. • AD-NU showed high antiproliferative activity against A549 and Hella cell lines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, an efficient electrochemical biosensor for the detection of DNA damage induced by the interaction of a novel antitumor agent AD-NU was investigated by CV, DPV and SWV methods. The GCE was modified with calf thymus DNA, G-quadruplexes, poly dA and poly dG, respectively. Among all the candidates, compound AD-NU was the optimum ligand because of the minimum energy when binding to DNA or TOP II by molecular docking. The electrochemical analysis revealed the redox mechanism of AD-NU on the GCE surface, which included two consecutive reversible processes of 9,10-diquinone and irreversible redox of nitroso group. The DNA damage caused by AD-NU was investigated by comparing the intensity changes of dGuo and dAdo oxidation peaks in DNA strands, and monitoring the appearance of peak for oxidative product 8-oxoGua. Further confirmation for the interaction between AD-NU and DNA was performed by UV–vis absorption and fluorescence titration, which implied the intercalation of AD-NU into DNA base pairs with a high affinity constant (K b = 13.7 ×105 M−1). The electrophoresis also revealed the potency of AD-NU to cleave and unwind DNA strands. Finally, AD-NU was proved to have good antiproliferative activity toward tumor cells, with IC 50 values of 3.0 μmol ∙ L−1 for A549 cell lines and 3.3 μmol ∙ L−1 for Hela cell lines, superior to MTZ reference. [Display omitted] • A novel antitumor agent N -(2-chloroethyl)- N -nitrosourea substituted anthraquinone derivative (AD-NU) was synthesized. • Chemical degradation mechanism of AD-NU involving the generation of active carbocation was verified. • Oxidative damage to Gua and morphological change in DNA strands induced by AD-NU were electrochemically detected. • Spectroscopy titration revealed the intercalation and high affinity of AD-NU toward ct DNA. • AD-NU showed high antiproliferative activity against A549 and Hella cell lines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We present a new method of the mutual injection phase-locked coherent combination of fiber lasers based on corner cube reflector (CCR). The theoretic calculation of phase difference and far-field intensity distribution of coherent beams obtained by the CCR has been carried out on this work. The relation between the far-field optical intensity distribution and the CCR rotation angles is analyzed in the case of mutual injection. The coherent combination experiments of mutual injection phase-locked with two and four fiber lasers are performed. The experimental results reveal that the far-field intensity distribution in the two free running fiber lasers is good agreement with the theoretical calculation. In the two internal mutual injection structures, the coherent combination output power goes up as high as 54W, and power combined efficiency of more than 90% and fringe contrast about 90% are obtained. The far-field intensity distribution is the same as the typical coherent combination pattern of two-dimensional fiber laser arrays, the experimental results also show that the coherent combination output with more laser beams and higher power with a good beam quality could be realized by the current scheme. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In 2006, highly pathogenic porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (HP-PRRSV) caused great economic losses emerged in China and continues to be a threat for the pig industry. B antigenic region (AR) (37SHL/FQLIYNL45) of GP5 was considered to be a major linear neutralizing AR in PRRSV classical strains. However, peptide-purified antibodies against this AR did not neutralize PRRSV in a recent report. Compared with classical PRRSV, one amino acid mutation (L/F39→I39) was found in B AR of HP-PRRSV. To study the ability of B AR of HP-PRRSV to induce neutralizing antibody (NA) in vitro and in vivo, rabbit antisera against B AR with and without the mutation and pig hyperimmune sera with high titer of NAs against HP-PRRSV were prepared. Immunofluorescence assays (IFA) showed that the two rabbit antisera both had reactivity to classical PRRSV CH-1a and HP-PRRSV HuN4 with no observable difference in IFA titer. However, antisera did not have neutralizing activity against classical PRRSV CH-1a and HP-PRRSV HuN4. No correlation was observed between the levels of anti-B AR peptide antibodies and NAs in pig hyperimmune sera that were detected by indirect ELISA and virus neutralization, respectively. B AR peptide-specific serum antibodies had no neutralizing activity and, GST-B fusion protein could not inhibit neutralization of NAs in pig hyperimmune sera. Based on these findings, we conclude that B AR of HP-PRRSV is not a neutralizing AR of HP-PRRSV GP5. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Clostridium difficile is a Gram-positive obligate anaerobic pathogen that causes pseudomembranous colitis in antibiotic-treated individuals. Commensal bacteria are known to have a significant role in the intestinal accumulation of C. difficile after antibiotic treatment, but little is known about how they affect host immunity during C. difficile infection. In this article, we report that C. difficile infection results in translocation of commensals across the intestinal epithelial barrier that is critical for neutrophil recruitment through the induction of an IL-l&bgr;-mediated positive-feedback loop. Mice lacking ASC, an essential mediator of IL-l&bgr; and IL-18 processing and secretion, were highly susceptible to C. difficile infection. ASC-/- mice exhibited enhanced translocation of commensals to multiple organs after C. difficile infection. Notably, ASC-/- mice exhibited impaired CXCLl production and neutrophil influx into intestinal tissues in response to C. difficile infection. The impairment in neutrophil recruitment resulted in reduced production of IL-l&bgr; and CXCLl but not IL-18. Importantly, translocated commensals were required for ASC/Nlrp3-dependent IL-l&bgr; secretion by neutrophils. Mice lacking IL-l&bgr; were deficient in inducing CXCLl secretion, suggesting that IL-l&bgr; is the dominant inducer of ASC-mediated CXCLl production during C. difficile infection. These results indicate that translocated commensals play a crucial role in CXCLl-dependent recruitment of neutrophils to the intestine through an IL-l&bgr;/ NLRP3/ASC-mediated positive-feedback mechanism that is important for host survival and clearance of translocated commensals during C. difficile infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel CdII metal-organic framework, [Cd(C3H2O4)(NH3)] n, was synthesized by liquid diffusion conducted in the presence of ammonia. The CdII atom has seven-coordinate O6N pentagonal-bipyramidal geometry. Six CdII centers are joined by six malonate ligands to form an S6-symmetric [Cd6(malonate)6] metallomacrocycle, which is further extended through a side-on chelating malonate ligand to form a three-dimensional network. Topologically, each CdII center is connected to four others to yield an infinite three-periodic four-coordinated SOD (sodalite) network with point symbol {42·64}. The overall network structure in the crystal is maintained and stabilized by the presence of N-H...O hydrogen bonds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A class of ultra low dielectric constant polymethylsilsesquioxane (PMSQ) films with T8(Me4NO)8 polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (T8 POSS) as double-effective porogen was studied. Through the Me4NO− groups of T8 POSS attacking the Si–O–Si chains of PMSQ, the POSS will be connected to the PMSQ crosslink system. POSS has the cage structure, which acted as the closed pores (≤1.5nm). On the other hand, the Me4NO− groups served as the sacrificial template. When they decomposed after annealing, the open pores were then left in the films. The introduction of T8 POSS can greatly decrease the dielectric constant of PMSQ, and effectively improve its mechanical strength owing to T8(Me4NO)8 interconnected with PMSQ. These continuous and smooth films were prepared by spin-coating with thickness in the range of 60–200nm. The dielectric constant of the films could be controlled by adjusting the proportion of porogen. These films showed good mechanical strength and ultra low dielectric constant. In particular, a POSS/PMSQ film with ultra low dielectric constant of 1.6 and modulus of 7GPa had been prepared on silicon wafer by spin-coating. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• A thermostable and alkaline FAEB from Chaetomium thermophilum was expressed. • CtFAEB can synergistically promote the delignification by laccase and hydrogen peroxide. • The thermal and alkali stability of CtFAEB was analyzed by bioinformatics analysis. Exploration of feruloyl esterase (FAE) with the resistance to heat and alkali conditions in biobleaching process to improve the separation efficiency of lignocellulose is the key to achieving green papermaking. Herein, we expressed FAEB of C. thermophilum and obtained a thermostable alkaline FAE that can effectively promote the removal of lignin from pulp. The fae B gene was successfully obtained through genomic Blast strategy and high-efficiency expressed under the control of strong alcohol oxidase promoter in Pichia pastoris. The recombinant CtFAEB has an optimal temperature of 65 °C and pH of 7.0. After treated at 65 °C for 1 h, CtFAEB can still retain 63.21 % of its maximum activity, showing a good thermal stability. In addition, the recombinant CtFAEB has broad pH stability and can retain about 56 % of the maximum activity even at pH 11.0. Compared with the effect of mesophilic FAE, pretreatment with thermostable CtFAEB can promote the delignification by laccase and alkaline hydrogen peroxide from the pulp at 70 °C and pH 9.0. Alignment of the protein sequences of CtFAEB and mesophilic FAE suggested that the percentage of amino acids that easily form alpha helix in CtFAEB increases, which enhances its structural rigidity and thereby improves its thermal stability and alkali tolerance. Our study provides an effective method to obtain thermostable and alkaline FAEs, which will promote its application in biobleaching and other biorefining industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Parallel Genetic Algorithm is applied for tri-spectral compatible metasurface design. • Frequency selective surface is used to achieve microwave and infrared compatibility. • Ultra-wideband absorption of 5.8–27.8 GHz (479% bandwidth ratio) is achieved. • The designed metasurface is transparent in visible spectrum. With the rapid development of multi-sensor detection technology, the demand for multispectral camouflage materials or devices becomes more and more necessary. In this work, a multispectral metasurface (MSM) is designed using Parallel Genetic Algorithm (PGA) to achieve simultaneously ultra-wideband microwave absorption and low infrared emissivity, together with visible transparency. In order to achieve visible transparency, all the raw materials are transparent at visible spectrum. To achieve low emissivity at infrared, a layer of periodic conducting patches with high occupation ratio (OR) is put on the top surface of the MSM. To realize microwave absorption, an electromagnetic absorbing layer is designed using PGA and is put just under beneath the low-infrared layer. In order to verify this method, a prototype was fabricated and measured. The simulated and measured results are well consistent, which convincingly verifies our design. The microwave absorption keeps above 90% in 5.8–27.8 GHz and the mean infrared emissivity is reduced down to 0.32 in 3.0–14.0 μm. Meanwhile, optical transparency is maintained. This work provides a parallel-optimization method of designing multispectral metasurfaces, which can be readily extended to other application scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Caesalpinia sappan has been shown to have interesting immunosuppressive properties. Its heartwood has long been used in Chinese medicines for treating a variety of immune-mediated pathology and inflammatory disease. The purpose of this work was to evaluate the immunocompetence effects of brazilein on mice lymphocytes in vitro and in vivo. The results showed that brazilein and Caesalpinia sappan ethanol extract (SME) could distinctly inhibit the proliferation of T lymphocyte stimulated by Concanavalin A (Con A) and the proliferation of B lymphocyte stimulated by lipopolysaccharides (LPS), and brazilein could suppress mice humoral immune response by plaque forming cell (PFC) test. In addition, immune organs (thymus and spleen) in mice treated with brazilein were notably atrophied and weight loss in vivo (intraperitoneal injection, i.p.). In attempting to investigate the mechanisms of the immunosuppressive activity of brazilein, we discovered that brazilein can induce apoptosis in mice spleen lymphocytes by flow cytometry analysis and DNA fragmentation assay, which may be one of the pathways that brazilein inhibited immunocompetence of mice lymphocytes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Improvement of gastrointestinal transit was thought to be a new tactic to treat postprandial hypertriglyceridemia in diabetic individuals with gastroparesis. Diabetic gastroparesis, lipid load testing, and the effect of domperidone or aqueous extract of rhizomes of Rheum palmatum L. on postprandial hypertriglyceridemia were evaluated in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Alloxan diabetic animals had a slow gastrointestinal transit, together with delayed and exaggerated postprandial hypertriglyceridemia, after oral administration of olive oil, which was significantly improved after oral administration of domperidone or R. palmatum L. However, atropine could prevent the effects of R. palmatum L. The reduced postprandial hypertriglyceridemia was highly correlated with the improvement in gastrointestinal transit. These results suggest that promotion of gastrointestinal transit may be useful for the treatment of postprandial hypertriglyceridemia in diabetic patients with gastroparesis. R. palmatum L. may become a new choice for these patients since it has more potential benefits than domperidone. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Presented is the suitability of an inexpensive semiconductive hybrid cuprous iodide, namely Cu 2 I 2 -bipy, for the effective photocatalytic reduction of Cr(VI). [Display omitted] • Cu 2 I 2 -bipy photocatalyst has the merits of low cost, easy preparation and good stability. • Cu 2 I 2 -bipy is highly efficient for Cr(VI) reduction. • Its theoretical band gap and density of states have also been studied. Due to their unique semiconductive properties, the application of metal halides as photocatalysts for settling the increasing environmental contaminations has recently gained tremendous attention. Herein, we demonstrated the suitability of a robust hybrid cuprous iodide, namely Cu 2 I 2 -bipy (bipy = 4,4′-bipyridine), for photocatalytic reduction of highly toxic Cr(VI). Compared with most known materials, the Cu 2 I 2 -bipy photocatalyst has the merits of low cost, easy preparation, good stability and suitable band gap. Further photocatalytic experiments show that Cu 2 I 2 -bipy is highly efficient for Cr(VI) reduction with the rapid kinetics, high conversion rate and excellent cycling stability. Theoretical calculations reveal that the separation of valence bands (VBs) and conduction bands (CBs) in Cu 2 I 2 -bipy may be the main reason for its excellent photocatalytic performances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a high-precision, ultra-low-power, and CMOS-only subthreshold voltage reference. V PTAT with a positive temperature coefficient (TC) and V CTAT with a negative TC were generated to obtain a low-temperature dependence voltage reference. V PTAT was implemented using two standard-threshold voltage (STV) transistors working in the subthreshold region, while, V CTAT was implemented by a high-threshold-voltage (HTV) transistor and an STV transistor biased in the subthreshold region to obtain a ΔV GS with a negative TC. The voltage reference circuit was implemented via a standard 0.18- μ m CMOS process with the core size around 0.022 mm2. The pre and post simulation results showed an average output reference voltage of around 235 mV with different supply voltages. Under a temperature range of −30 to 80 °C and the supply voltage of 0.55 V, the best TCs were as low as 2.1 and 7.6 ppm/°C for pre and post simulations, respectively. The total power consumption was only 5.6 nW when the supply voltage is 0.55 V. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphene-family nanomaterials (GFNs) have been widely used in various fields due to their excellent properties. However, GFNs safety and environmental health have attracted more and more attentions and their potential toxic effects on organisms and the underlying mechanisms are still poorly understood. In this study, we utilized zebrafish to evaluate the toxicity of Carboxyl graphene oxide (GO-COOH). Exposure of zebrafish embryos to 10, 50 and 100 mg/L GO-COOH specifically induced neurodevelopmental abnormalities and altered tendency of locomotor in larval fish. Furthermore, GO-COOH exposure led to increase of AchE and ATPase activities and oxidative stress upregulation, and disrupted the expression of genes involved in neurodevelopment and neurotransmitter pathway. Interestingly, we found that Parkinson's disease-related genes' expression were disordered after GO-COOH treatment. Fullerenes and astaxanthin rescued the neurodevelopmental defects, tendency of locomotor and expression of Parkinson's disease-related genes caused by GO-COOH through downregulating oxidative stress. Therefore, our results suggest that GO-COOH has the potential to induce neurotoxicity and Parkinson's disease-like symptoms in zebrafish larvae. Image 1 • GO-COOH induces neurodevelopmental defects and locomotor disorders in zebrafish.. • GO-COOH causes the disordering expression of Parkinson's disease-related genes.. • GO-COOH exposure results in upregulation of oxidative stress.. • Fullerenes and astaxanthin rescue phenotype defects caused by GO-COOH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An optically transparent broadband metamaterial absorber (MA) containing an air layer and a water layer is proposed, which can absorb broad-band microwave and reduce infrared radiation at the same time. As a proof, a structure consisting of indium tin oxide (ITO) frequency selective surface (FSS), air layer, water substrate and ITO backplane was firstly designed. The simulation reveal that the structure can absorb wideband microwave with an efficiency of over 90% in the 14.4 GHz to 39.4 GHz frequency band, and it is optically transparent. This is consistent with the experimental results. In addition, the use of the water circulation system can significantly reduce the infrared radiation, thereby achieving infrared stealth. Due to its versatility and excellent performance, the proposed design is expected to find extensive applications in multi-spectrum stealth, such as glass windows for stealth devices, camouflage, etc. • A MA which can reduce infrared radiation and absorb wideband microwave is proposed to realize radar-infrared compatible stealth. • Through designing the structure, a broadband microwave absorption of 14.4–39.4 GHz higher than 90% is achieved. • Through the circulation of water, the temperature of the MA can be adjusted to realize the stealth in the infrared band. • The transmission of visible light measured by the ultraviolet–visible spectrophotometer is over 80%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Temperature is a critical abiotic factor in aquaculture farming. Serum cortisol, glucose, respiratory frequency, hepatic glycogen, anti-oxidant enzyme activities (superoxide dismutase [SOD], catalase [CAT], and glutathione peroxidase [GPx]), malondialdehyde (MDA) content, and expression of heat shock proteins (hsp70 , 90) and apoptosis-related genes (p53 , caspase3 , bax , bcl2) of turbot were determined at 27 °C under different thermal durations (0, 6, 12, 24, 48, 72, 96 h) to illustrate the underlying physiological response mechanisms. Results showed that cortisol and glucose significantly increased at 27 °C from 0 h to 12 h, and then dramatically decreased from 24 h to 96 h. Respiratory frequency manifested similar results to cortisol. Hepatic glycogen content, GPx and CAT activities gradually decreased in a time-dependent manner under thermal stress. However, SOD activity significantly increased at 6, 12, 24 h and then decreased until the end of thermal stress. Hepatic MDA content significantly increased from 12 h to 96 h. In addition, the apoptosis rate of hepatocyte gradually increased under thermal stress. p53 , caspase3 and bcl2 mRNAs were significantly up-regulated under thermal stress within 6 h, and down-regulated from 12 h to 96 h. bax mRNA was significantly up-regulated from 0 h to 6 h, and no significant difference was observed from 6 h to 96 h. Hepatic hsp70 and hsp90 mRNAs were significantly up-regulated from 6 h to 12 h, which was similar to those of serum glucose results. These results indicate that hyperthermal stress elevates respiratory frequency, serum cortisol and glucose contents, promotes hepatic glycogenolysis, impairs hepatic antioxidant capacity and induces hepatocyte apoptosis by p53 - bax - bcl2 and the caspase-dependent pathways. These findings expand the current knowledge on thermal tolerance and aid the management of turbot in captivity. • Hyperthermal stress affect respiratory frequency, serum cortisol and glucose levels. • Hyperthermal stress promote hepatic glycogenolysis in a time-dependent manner. • Hepatic antioxidant enzyme activities were modulated during hyperthermal stress. • p53 - bax - bcl2 and caspase-dependent pathways involved in hepatocyte apoptosis. • The transcription of hsp70 and hsp90 were modulated subject to hyperthermal stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A new proper noun is named to better explain our metamaterial: working mechanism metasurface (MWMM). • The MWMM can apply to three frequency band for IR-radar compatible-stealth application: transparency for visible band, Low Infrared Emissivity for IR-band and Microwave Reflective Reduction for microwave band. • The MWMM has four working mechanism: The first working mechanism which is made of visible light transparent materials instead of other opaque metals is for the visible transparence feature. The second working mechanism which is designing a frequency selective surface (FSS) made of ITO arrays instead of other low infrared emissivity metals achieves of IR-stealth. The third working mechanism is the microwave absorption to reduce reflection. The last working mechanism is the phase cancellation concurrently to reduce reflection. • Comparing with the simple absorber, the part-absorptive principle which is other part-diffusion for infrared will reduce temperature for this MWMM under the higher conditions. A multiple working mechanism metasurface (MWMM) is proposed to reduce infrared emission and the microwave reflection simultaneously. In addition, it has good oblique performance and achieves compatibility-stealth for infrared (IR)- radar. For these purposes, the first working mechanism of MWMM which is designing stacking two arrays which is ITO as an alternative without other opaque metals is for the visible transparence. The second working mechanism of MWMM which is designing a frequency selective surface (FSS) made of ITO arrays instead of other low infrared emissivity metals achieves the characteristic of IR-stealth. The third and last working mechanism of MWMM are the microwave absorption and the phase cancellation respectively to reduce reflection for microwave-camouflage. The tailored MWMM exhibited a broadband the efficiency larger than 10 dB from 7.21 GHz and 18.89GHZ and low IR emissivity is about 0.3 in the region of 3–14 μm with high IR-reflection over than 80% under the same region. And comparing with the simple absorber, the part-absorptive principle for infrared will reduce temperature for this MWMM under the higher conditions. This is needed urgently for IR-radar compatible-stealth application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gene fusion is caused by the linkage of previously separate genes or sequences. Recently, an increasing number of novel fusion genes have been identified and associated with tumor progression, and several of them have been suggested as promising targets for tumor therapy. However, there are hardly any studies reporting the association of fusion genes with the progression of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). In this study, we identified a total of 11 fused genes in OSCC cells. We further analyzed the structure of one fused gene, TRIM52-RACK1, and detected its function in tumor progression in vitro. We found that TRIM52-RACK1 was caused by a deletion of 181,257,187-181,247,386 at 5q35.3 and it promoted OSCC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Therefore, TRIM52-RACK1 can be a promising target for tumor therapy in OSCC. • Eleven fused genes were found in OSCC cells. • Fused gene, TRIM-RACK1, was caused by the deletion of 181,257,187-181,247,386 at 5q35.3. • TRIM52-RACK1 promotes OSCC cells proliferation, migration and invasion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cation-templated self-assembly of 1,4-bis(2-methyl-1 H-imidazol-1-yl)butane (bmimb) with CuSCN gives rise to a novel two-dimensional network, namely catena-poly[2,2′-dimethyl-1,1′-(butane-1,4-diyl)bis(1 H-imidazol-3-ium) [tetra-μ2-thiocyanato-κ4 S: S;κ4 S: N-dicopper(I)]], {(C12H20N4)[Cu2(NCS)4]} n. The CuI cation is four-coordinated by one N and three S atoms, giving a tetrahedral geometry. One of the two crystallographically independent SCN− anions acts as a μ2- S: S bridge, binding a pair of CuI cations into a centrosymmetric [Cu2(NCS)2] subunit, which is further extended into a two-dimensional 44-sql net by another kind of SCN− anion with an end-to-end μ2- S: N coordination mode. Interestingly, each H2bmimb dication, lying on an inversion centre, threads through one of the windows of the two-dimensional 44-sql net, giving a pseudorotaxane-like structure. The two-dimensional 44-sql networks are packed into the resultant three-dimensional supramolecular framework through bmimb-SCN N-H...N hydrogen bonds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel two-dimensional coordination polymer, poly[[μ2-1,3-bis(2-methyl-1 H-imidazol-1-yl)propane]di-μ4-iodido-di-μ3-iodido-silver(I)], [Ag4I4(C11H16N4)] n, (I), has been synthesized by solvothermal reaction of AgNO3, KI and 1,3-bis(2-methyl-1 H-imidazol-1-yl)propane (bmimp). In (I), the two unique AgI cations have AgNI3 and AgI4 four-coordinated tetrahedral geometries. The bmimp ligand has imposed twofold symmetry. The AgI cations and iodide anions form a unique one-dimensional polymeric column motif incorporating [Ag6I6] hexagonal prisms, which are then connected by bmimp ligands to form two-dimensional organic-inorganic layers. The layers are arranged in parallel in an ABAB fashion and are packed into the resultant three-dimensional supramolecular framework by van der Waals interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]