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Poplar is an important shelterbelt, timber stand, and city tree species that has been the focus of forestry research. The regulatory role of the long non-coding RNA molecule (lncRNA; length > 200 nt) has been a research hotspot in plants. In this study, seedlings of 741 poplar were irradiated with LED blue and white light, and the Illumina HiSeq 2000 sequencing platform was used to identify lncRNAs. |logFC| > 1 and p < 0.05 were considered to indicate differentially expressed lncRNAs, and nine differentially expressed lncRNAs were screened, the target genes of which were predicted, and three functionally annotated target genes were obtained. The differentially expressed lncRNAs were identified as miRNA targets. Six lncRNAs were determined to be target sites for twelve mRNAs in six miRNA families. LncRNAs and their target genes, including lncRNA MSTRG.20413.1-ptc-miR396e-5p-GRF9, were verified using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis, and the expression patterns were analyzed. The analysis showed that the ptc-miR396e-5p expression was downregulated, while lncRNA MSTRG.20413.1 and GRF9 expression was upregulated, after blue light exposure. These results indicate that lncRNAs interact with miRNAs to regulate gene expression and affect plant growth and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precisely introducing two similar functional groups into bulk chemical alkenes represents a formidable route to complex molecules. Especially, the selective activation of two electrophiles is in crucial demand, yet challenging for cross‐electrophile‐coupling. Herein, we demonstrate a redox‐mediated electrolysis, in which aryl nitriles are both aryl radical precursors and redox‐mediators, enables an intermolecular alkene 1,2‐diarylation with a remarkable regioselectivity, thereby avoiding the involvement of transition‐metal catalysts. This transformation utilizes cyanoarene radical anions for activating various aryl halides (including iodides, bromides, and even chlorides) and affords 1,2‐diarylation adducts in up to 83 % yield and >20 : 1 regioselectivity with more than 80 examples, providing a feasible approach to complex bibenzyl derivatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most common and aggressive type of breast cancer with an unfavourable outcome worldwide. Novel therapeutic targets are urgently required to explore this malignancy. This study explored the ceRNA network and the important genes for predicting the therapeutic targets. Methods: It identified the differentially expressed genes of mRNAs, lncRNAs and miRNAs between TNBC and non-TNBC samples in four cohorts (TCGA, GSE38959, GSE45827 and GSE65194) to explore the novel therapeutic targets for TNBC. Downstream analyses, including functional enrichment analysis, ceRNA network, protein–protein interaction and survival analysis, were then conducted by bioinformatics analysis. Finally, the potential core protein of the ceRNA network in TNBC was validated by immunohistochemistry. Results: A total of 1,045 lncRNAs and 28 miRNAs were differentially expressed in the TCGA TNBC samples, and the intersections of 282 mRNAs (176 upregulations and 106 downregulations) between the GEO and TCGA databases were identified. A ceRNA network composed of 7 lncRNAs, 62 mRNAs, 12 miRNAs and 244 edges specific to TNBC was established. The functional assay showed dysregulated genes, and GO, DO and KEGG enrichment analysis were performed. Survival analysis showed that mRNA LIFR and lncRNA AC124312.3 were significantly correlated with the overall survival of patients with TNBC in the TCGA databases (P < 0.05). Finally, the LIFR protein was validated, and immunohistochemical results showed the upregulated expression of LIFR in TNBC tissues. Conclusion: Thus, our study presents an enhanced understanding of the ceRNA network in TNBC, where the key gene LIFR may be a new promising potential therapeutic target for patients with TNBC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present work, a nanoscale porous surface was gradually prepared on Ti surface by two-step method of acid corrosion and NaOH–H 2 O 2 mixing treatment. This led to the formation of a TiO2 coating at the surface of the underlying Ti substrate. Then, silver nanowires were deposited on the nanostructured surface by spin-coating technology. The nanowires were found to be evenly introduced into the nanostructured TiO2 coating. The modified Ti surface showed good wettability and protein adsorption capacity. More importantly, in-vitro cellular and bacterial assays indicated that the modified Ti surface possessed not only the excellent adhesion and differentiation abilities for osteoblasts but also relatively strong antimicrobial capacities for both S. aureus and E. coli. The results suggest that such modified Ti surfaces greatly prefer the initial adhesion of osteoblast-like cells over the initial adhesion of bacteria. The surface modification that we made to Ti substrate can promisingly meet clinical requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitroxynil(NIT) is a commonly used anti-liver fluke drug for cattle and sheep, Its solubility is closely related to its preparation. In this work, the molar solubility of NIT in nine pure solvents (methanol, ethanol, 1,2-propanediolethyl, isopropanol, ethyl acetate, acetonitrile, n -butanol, phemethylol) and two kinds of binary mixtures with different ratio(ethanol + phemethylol; ethanol + acetonitrile) was determined by shake flask method over the temperature from 278.15 ∼ 323.15 K at atmosphere pressure. Results show that the solubility of NIT in all tested solvents was increased with raised temperature. In mono-solvents, the mole fraction solubility of NIT was highest in phemethylol and the solubility order is: phemethylol > acetonitrile > ethyl acetate > methanol > n -butanol > ethanol > 1,2-propanediolethyl > isopropanol > water. In binary solvents, the mole fraction solubility increased with increasing ratio of phemethylol/acetonitrile. In mono-solvents, the modified Apelblat equation, λh equation, Van't Hoff model were applied to correlate the solubility data. In binary solvents, the modified Apelblat equation, λh equation, GSM model and Jouyban-Acree model were to correlate the solubility data. Solubility order of NIT in nine pure solvent and two binary solvent systems were analysed by using the Hansen solubility parameter (HSP). Activity coefficient was to access the solute–solvent molecular interactions. In addition, the dissolution of NIT is an endothermic and entropy-friendly process, since thermodynamic parameters such as enthalpy, entropy, and apparent standard Gibbs free energy are all greater than zero. The results will supply some essential data on recrystallization process, purification and formulation development of NIT in pharmaceutical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ti-based implant materials still face implant-related infections and poor osseointegration as two major clinical challenges; thus, high-quality implantation demands a strategy that can provide Ti-based implants with long-term antibacterial ability and high osteogenic activity. In this study, gallium was successfully loaded into polydopamine-functionalised SrTiO 3 nanotubes (PDA-SrTiO 3 NTs) on a titanium substrate through a facile immersion method. The release of strontium and gallium from gallium-doped SrTiO 3 NTs was controllably constant and had negligible cytotoxicity. The antibacterial efficacy of the NT coating was demonstrated by the inhibition zones of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The optimum contents of gallium and strontium in the coating led to enhanced cytocompatibility, osteoblast spreading and osseointegration because of the synergistic effects of strontium as a bioactive element and the porous topography of the coating surface. As observed in vivo, bone formation in rabbit-bone-defect models was improved by the proposed coating four weeks after it was implanted. According to literature, the present results show for the first time that the gallium doping of PDA-SrTiO 3 NTs can effectively stimulate osteointegration—thanks to its efficacy in enhancing implant osteoinductivity—and can prevent infections. Therefore, gallium-doped PDA-SrTiO 3 NT coatings can potentially function as promising bone implants for clinical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precisely introducing two similar functional groups into bulk chemical alkenes represents a formidable route to complex molecules. Especially, the selective activation of two electrophiles is in crucial demand, yet challenging for cross-electrophile-coupling. Herein, we demonstrate a redox-mediated electrolysis, in which aryl nitriles are both aryl radical precursors and redox-mediators, enables an intermolecular alkene 1,2-diarylation with a remarkable regioselectivity, thereby avoiding the involvement of transition-metal catalysts. This transformation utilizes cyanoarene radical anions for activating various aryl halides (including iodides, bromides, and even chlorides) and affords 1,2-diarylation adducts in up to 83 % yield and >20 : 1 regioselectivity with more than 80 examples, providing a feasible approach to complex bibenzyl derivatives., (© 2023 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Objective: In order to discover novel antimicrobial peptides against important crop pathogens, we designed and screened a high capacity random peptide library and isolated a number of clones expressing peptides with antifungal activity. We selected 96 peptides from the library and synthesized their sequence, which were used to assay their activity against crop fungal pathogens., Methods: Using agar diffusion assay, these peptides were assayed for their activity against pathogens that cause cotton Fusarium wilt (Fusarium f. sp, vasinfecum), cotton red rot (Fusarium moniliforme), wheat spot blotch (Bipolaris sorokiniana) and potato early blight (Alternaria solani)., Results: The three random peptides, A6, D4 and F10, showed the strongest activity against the above four crop fungal pathogens. Through Blastp analysis, we did not find they have homologous sequences with known antimicrobial peptides., Conclusion: The novel antimicrobial peptides will provide gene resources for preventing important crop pathogens.