Search

In our previous study, phloridzin, sucrose, l-alanine, and dulcitol presented synergistic effects in Camellia nanchuanicablack tea (NCBT). This study aims to verify the synergistic effects of the aforementioned sweet taste compounds and the mechanism involved. By conducting σ–τ plot analysis, phloridzin at the recognition threshold concentration (phl) exhibited synergistic effects with different concentrations of sucrose (Lsuc–6suc). Various concentrations of sucrose, phloridzin, and their combinations were selected to investigate the impact on sweet taste receptor cells. The results revealed that sucrose/phloridzin significantly increased the calcium signal compared to phloridzin and sucrose alone, attributed to the greater stability of the sucrose/phloridzin combination when binding to Taste 1 Receptor Member 3 (TAS1R3; one subunit of sweet taste receptor proteins). Ultimately, the sweet taste signal of sucrose/phloridzin was transmitted to the brain, triggering the activation of more brain regions associated with sweet taste perception (right insular, postcentral, and amygdala).

Strip deviation presents a significant challenge in hot rolling processes, affecting both product quality and manufacturing efficiency. Currently, most of the strip deviation correction operations rely on manual adjustments, which are labor-intensive and error-prone. This study pioneers the integration of a strip deviation measurement system with a time series prediction model to predict strip deviation and provide operators with timely warning signals. It introduces a novel time series prediction model utilizing dual attention mechanisms: one to identify feature-level correlations and another to capture temporal-level dependencies and patterns. An optimized version of the traditional Multi-Head Attention mechanism, named Compact Multi-Head Attention, is incorporated. To further boost the model's predictive accuracy, a shuffle operation is also integrated. Additionally, the dataset is augmented with rolling force difference and roller gap difference, based on an analysis of strip deviation principles, leading to notable improvements in predictive accuracy. Comprehensive testing with actual data from a hot strip mill confirms the model's outstanding performance in predicting strip deviation, surpassing several baseline models. The results highlight the effectiveness of this approach in strip deviation prediction in industrial environments.

Although minimally invasive interventional occluders can effectively seal heart defect tissue, they still have some limitations, including poor endothelial healing, intense inflammatory response, and thrombosis formation. Herein, a polyphenol-reinforced medicine/peptide glycocalyx-like coating was prepared on cardiac occluders. A coating consisting of carboxylated chitosan, epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), tanshinone IIA sulfonic sodium (TSS), and hyaluronic acid grafted with 3-aminophenylboronic acid was prepared. Subsequently, the mercaptopropionic acid-GGGGG-Arg-Glu-Asp-Val peptide was grafted by the thiol–ene “click” reaction. The coating showed good hydrophilicity and free radical-scavenging ability and could release EGCG–TSS. The results of biological experiments suggested that the coating could reduce thrombosis by promoting endothelialization, and promote myocardial repair by regulating the inflammatory response. The functions of regulating cardiomyocyte apoptosis and metabolism were confirmed, and the inflammatory regulatory functions of the coating were mainly dependent on the NF-kappa Band TNFsignaling pathway.

Hereditary spherocytosis (HS) is a common, hereditary hemolytic anemia (HHA) that is attributed to the disturbance of five erythrocyte membrane proteins. HS is also common in Guangxi, China. Target region capture high-throughput sequencing technology was used to analyze genetic mutations found in HS patients. Pedigree analysis was also performed, in some cases, to provide an optimized approach for the etiological diagnosis of complex, hereditary hemolytic anemia. Blood samples from the probands and their families were assessed by laboratory tests, target region capture high-throughput sequencing technology, and Sanger sequencing. We detected 79 HS patients from 37 unrelated families. The mutations observed in these patients were found mainly in four HS-related genes. These included SLC4A1, which was mutated in 31.65% of patients (25/79), SPTA1(30.78% (24/79)), EPB42(6.33% (5/79)), and SPTB(5.06% (4/79)). Composite genotype was observed in 26.58% (21/79) of patients and included mutations in two or more HS-related genes or mutations in HS-related genes combined with thalassemia or G6PD deficiency. No significant differences in clinical symptoms were found among patients of various genotypes except total bilirubin. Mean reticulocyte volume (MRV) and mean sphered cell volume (MSCV) of the composite genotype were significantly different from other groups. A total of 28 mutation types were found in HS-related genes. Using high-throughput sequencing technology, we also found some cases that had been misdiagnosed. MRV and MSCV are more significant in compound mutations as sensitive determinants of HS. High-throughput sequencing technology can be used to provide a more effective etiological diagnostic method for HS, with high efficiency and specificity.

In poultry diets, copper is an essential nutrient that is critical for various physiological functions. Although copper sulfate is commonly used due to its cost-effectiveness, organic copper sources are gaining popularity because of their superior production outcomes and environmental benefits. Nevertheless, understanding the distinct bioaccessibility of inorganic and organic copper in diverse dietary setting remains limited. This study investigated the bioaccessibility of copper sulfate, copper amino acid chelate, and copper proteinate in the intestine via in vitrodigestion and in situdialysis. The results showed significant differences in the molecular size distribution of compounds formed by different copper salts within the intestinal environment, thereby leading to varying bioaccessibility. Copper sulfate has a bioaccessibility of 47 % ± 4%, which is significantly lower than copper amino acid chelate and copper proteinate (63% ± 5%, and 60% ± 4%, respectively) in purified diet systems. Similarly, in whey protein systems, sulfate records 54% ± 10% bioaccessibility compared to 78% ± 9% and 76% ± 5% for copper amino acid chelate and copper proteinate. Coexisting feed ingredients have a significant impact on copper bioaccessibility. Copper sulfate forms precipitates, reducing its bioaccessibility to 34% ± 1% in sodium nitrate solution. The addition of digestive enzyme increases the bioaccessibility of copper sulfate to 81% ± 2% by providing organic ligands. Digestive enzyme also enhanced the bioaccessibility of copper proteinate from 36% ± 4% to 81% ± 4% by degrading its ligands. However, feed ingredients may decrease copper bioaccessibility by forming macromolecular complexes with copper, as all the organic ligands can competitively bind with copper in the intestine. These findings emphasize the importance of considering copper salt types and diet composition in animal nutrition practices.

Localized drug delivery from drug-eluting stents (DESs) to target sites provides therapeutic efficacy with minimal systemic toxicity. However, DESs failure may cause thrombosis, delay arterial healing, and impede re-endothelialization. Bivalirudin (BVLD) and nitric oxide (NO) promote arterial healing. Nevertheless, it is difficult to combine hydrophilic signal molecules with hydrophobic antiproliferative drugs while maintaining their bioactivity. Here, we fabricated a micro- to nanoscale network assembly consisting of copper ion and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) viaπ–π interactions, metal coordination, and oxidative polymerization. The network incorporated rapamycin and immobilized BVLD by the thiol–ene “click” reaction and provided sustained rapamycin and NO release. Unlike rapamycin-eluting stents, those coated with the EGCG-Cu-rapamycin-BVLD complex favored competitive endothelial cell (EC) growth over that of smooth muscle cells, exhibited long-term antithrombotic efficacy, and attenuated the negative impact of rapamycin on the EC. In vivostent implantation demonstrated that the coating promoted endothelial regeneration and hindered restenosis. Therefore, the polyphenol-network-mediated surface chemistry can be an effective strategy for the engineering of multifunctional surfaces.

The development of efficient and stable photocatalysts to solve environmental issues is essential and remains a big challenge. In this work, flower-like CoNiFe-LDH is deposited in situon g-C3N4nanosheets, successfully constructing a Z-scheme heterojunction CoNiFe-LDH/g-C3N4photocatalyst for the photoreduction of CO2and photodegradation of MB dye. The synthesized nanohybrid shows superior photocatalytic CO2performance (42.04 μmol g−1h−1) and fast photodegradation MB performance (0.1057 min−1). The improved photocatalytic performance was attributed to the formation of the Z-scheme heterojunction with matched energy bands, and the intimate heterojunction contact interface, which significantly enhanced the interfacial charge transfer rate and improved the separation efficiency of electron–hole pairs. Moreover, the photocatalytic mechanism was proposed based on PL, photocurrent responses, EIS, and EPR experiments. This work can shed light on further application for environmental problems of Z-scheme heterojunction photocatalysts.

Bioprosthetic heart valve (BHV) replacement has been the predominant treatment for severe heart valve diseases over decades. Most clinically available BHVs are crosslinked by glutaraldehyde (GLUT), while the high toxicity of residual GLUT could initiate calcification, severe thrombosis, and delayed endothelialization. Here, we construed a mechanically integrating robust hydrogel-tissue hybrid to improve the performance of BHVs. In particular, recombinant humanized collagen type III (rhCOLIII), which was precisely customized with anti-coagulant and pro-endothelialization bioactivity, was first incorporated into the polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-based hydrogel via hydrogen bond interactions. Then, tannic acid was introduced to enhance the mechanical performance of PVA-based hydrogel and interfacial bonding between the hydrogel layer and bio-derived tissue due to the strong affinity for a wide range of substrates. In vitroand in vivoexperimental results confirmed that the GLUT-crosslinked BHVs modified by the robust PVA-based hydrogel embedded rhCOLIII and TA possessed long-term anti-coagulant, accelerated endothelialization, mild inflammatory response and anti-calcification properties. Therefore, our mechanically integrating robust hydrogel-tissue hybrid strategy showed the potential to enhance the service function and prolong the service life of the BHVs after implantation.

Core–shell g-C3N4/Pt/TiO2nanowire structures were successfully synthesized through a facile two-step synthetic methodology, involving photodepositing Pt nanoparticles on the surface of TiO2nanowires and subsequent growth of g-C3N4(CN) layers viathermal evaporation of urea. The as-prepared CN/Pt/TiO2composites show a higher photocurrent density compared to CN/TiO2. The CN/Pt/TiO2photocatalysts exhibit an enhanced H2evolution rate of 8.93 μmol h−1under visible light irradiation, which is 1.25 times higher than that of CN/TiO2(7.15 μmol h−1), while Pt/TiO2and TiO2nanowires do not show any visible light responses. Our experiments demonstrate for the first time that CN/Pt/TiO2with a unique core–shell nanowire structure of semiconductor–metal–semiconductor enables concurrent hydrogen evolution through photo-induced water splitting and RhB degradation by photo-oxidation in the visible range. This result is probably attributable to the formation of a heterojunction and the Pt nanoclusters in CN/Pt/TiO2, facilitating the electron transfer from the LUMO of g-C3N4to that of TiO2and generating different active sites upon photo-absorption in the CN layers. Our work provides a feasible way to obtain H2while treating sewage using photocatalysis.

Anti-inflammation and anti-coagulation are the primary requirements for cardiovascular stents and also the widely accepted trajectory for multi-functional modification. In this work, we proposed an extracellular matrix (ECM)-mimetic coating for cardiovascular stents with the amplified functionalization of recombinant humanized collagen type III (rhCOL III), where the biomimetics were driven by structure mimicry and component/function mimicry. Briefly, the structure-mimic was constructed by the formation of a nanofiber (NF) structure via the polymerization of polysiloxane with a further introduction of amine groups as the nanofibrous layer. The fiber network could function as a three-dimensional reservoir to support the amplified immobilization of rhCoL III. The rhCOL III was tailored for anti-coagulant, anti-inflammatory and endothelialization promotion properties, which endows the ECM-mimetic coating with desired surface functionalities. Stent implantation in the abdominal aorta of rabbits was conducted to validate the in vivore-endothelialization of the ECM-mimetic coating. The mild inflammatory responses, anti-thrombotic property, promotion of endothelialization and suppression of excessive neointimal hyperplasia confirmed that the ECM-mimetic coating provided a promising approach for the modification of vascular implants.

The application study of phosphorescence complexes is important for further investigation and exploration of novel optofunctional materials. In this work, neutral poly(vinylcarbazole) (PVK) and tris[2-(4,6-difluorophenyl)pyridinato-C2,N]iridium(III) (Ir(F2ppy)3) were assembled with LDH nanosheets to form ordered ultrathin films (UTFs). These inorganic/organic composite UTFs exhibited cyan luminescence from Ir(F2ppy)3, peaking at 471 and 491 nm, due to triplet metal-to-ligand charge transfer and ligand-centered states, respectively. Under PVK maximal excitation at 294 nm, the photoluminescence spectra of the UTFs showed emission from Ir(F2ppy)3rather than from PVK, demonstrating PVK transfer of resonance energy to Ir(F2ppy)3. Temporal luminescence spectroscopy revealed that the phosphorescence lifetime of Ir(F2ppy)3molecules increased to 885 ns and fluorescence lifetime of PVK fell to 1.39 ns in the UTFs, which was typical character of the FRET process. This FRET process occurred within the interlayers of LDH nanosheets and can be described as a two-dimensional (2D) process with high efficiency (0.892). Moreover, it was found that the presence of volatile organic compound (VOC) vapors can interrupt this 2D process because of the unique hydrophobic character of the organic interlayers within the UTFs. This function was utilized for a phosphorescent sensor that enables reversible two-state photoemission switching (ON for cyan light of Ir(F2ppy)3vs OFF for blue light of PVK). This phosphorescence sensor demonstrated a fast, highly sensitive, and reversible response toward common VOCs, and this 2D FRET with energy transfer involving the D(singlet) → A(triplet) process was more efficient compared with that of singlet–singlet processes. That is, to get the same luminescence intensity, these UTFs can be realized by less frequent excitation of PVK or lower concentrations of Ir(F2ppy)3compared with intrinsic excitation of Ir(F2ppy)3.

ABSTRACTBy timing many diel rhythmic events, circadian clock provides an adaptive advantage for higher plants. Meanwhile, circadian clock displays plasticity and can be entrained by the external environmental cues and internal factors. However, whether cellular energy status can regulate circadian clock is largely unknown in higher plants. The evolutionarily conserved TOR (target of rapamycin) signaling among eukaryotic organisms has been implicated as an integrator for cellular nutrient and energy status. Here, we demonstrated that chemically blocking electron transport chain of mitochondrial can lengthen the circadian period. Similarly, chemical inhibition of TOR activity by Torin 1, a specific inhibitor for TOR kinase, and knockdown of TORtranscript levels significantly elongate the circadian period as well. Our findings imply that TOR signaling may mediate energy status-regulated circadian clock in plants, and the reciprocal regulation between the circadian clock and TOR signaling might be an evolutionary mechanism for fitness and adaptation in plants.