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Functional imaging research has already contributed with several results to the study of neural correlates of consciousness. Apart from task-related activation derived in fMRI, PET based glucose metabolism rate or cerebral blood flow account for a considerable proportion of the study of brain activity under different levels of consciousness. Resting state functional connectivity MRI is playing a crucial role to explore the consciousness related functional integration, successfully complementing PET, another widely used neuroimaging technique. Here, spontaneous hemodynamic response is introduced to characterize resting state brain activity giving information on the local metabolism (neurovascular coupling), and useful to improve the time-resolved activity and connectivity measures based on BOLD fMRI. This voxel-wise measure is then used to investigate the loss of consciousness under Propofol anesthesia and unresponsive wakefulness syndrome. Changes in the hemodynamic response in precuneus and posterior cingulate are found to be a common principle underlying loss of consciousness in both conditions. The thalamus appears to be less obviously modulated by Propofol, compared with frontoparietal regions. However, a significant increase in spontaneous thalamic hemodynamic response was found in patients in unresponsive wakefulness syndrome compared with healthy controls. Our results ultimately show that anesthesia- or pathology-induced neurovascular coupling could be tracked by modulated spontaneous hemodynamic response derived from resting state fMRI. • We retrieve a proxy of the hemodynamic response function from resting state BOLD. • Its shape parameters are spatially modulated by loss of consciousness (LOC). • Some modulations are common to propofol-induced and pathological LOC. • Thalamic effects appear to be specific to unresponsive wakefulness syndrome. • Caveats include the effect of autonomic fluctuations and the pathophysiology of LOC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a highly heterogeneous disease, with biologically and prognostically different subtypes. Although a growing number of distinct AML subsets have been increasingly characterized, patient management has remained disappointingly uniform. The molecular mechanism underlying AML needs to be further investigated. Here we identify IRF9 as a negative regulator of human AML. We show that IRF9 mRNA and protein levels are down-regulated in human AML samples compared with samples from healthy donors. IRF9 knockdown promotes proliferation, colony formation and survival of OCI/AML-2 and OCI/AML-3 cells, whereas IRF9 overexpression obtains oppose results. Mechanism analysis shows that IRF9 binds SIRT1 promoter and represses SIRT1 expression in OCI/AML-2 and OCI/AML-3 cells. In AML samples, the expression of SIRT1 is up-regulated and negatively correlated with IRF9 level. IRF9 also increases the acetylation of p53, a deacetylation substrate of SIRT1, and promotes the expression of p53 target genes. Knockdown of p53 blocks the effects of IRF9 on cell survival and growth in vitro . These findings provide evidence that IRF9 serves as an important regulator in human AML by repressing SIRT1-p53 pathway and that IRF9 may be a potential target for AML treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chloridea subflexa and Chloridea virescens are a pair of closely related noctuid species exhibiting pheromone-based sexual isolation and divergent host plant preferences. We produced a novel Illumina short read C. subflexa genome assembly and an improved C. virescens genome assembly, which offer opportunities to study the genomic basis for evolutionarily important traits in this lepidopteran family with few genomic resources. We then examined the feasibility of reference-assisted assembly, an approach that leverages existing high quality genomic resources for genome improvement in closely related taxa and applied it to our Heliothine genomes. Our work demonstrates that reference-assisted assembly has the potential to enhance contiguity and completeness of existing insect genomic resources with minimal additional laboratory costs. We conclude by discussing both the potential and pitfalls of reference-assisted assembly according to the intended downstream assembly application. • We produced an updated, highly contiguous Chloridea virescens assembly and a novel Chloridea subflexa short read assembly. • Reference-assisted assembly improved newly generated and publicly available short read Heliothine genome assemblies. • Genome contiguity and completeness are enhanced by reference-assisted assembly without added costs of experimental finishing. • Gaps may be introduced into the target assembly if the reference assemblies are low quality or from distantly related taxa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An average daily increase of 10 μg/m3 in NO 2 concentrations could lead to an increased mortality in cardiovascular, cerebrovascular of 1.89%, 2.07%, but the mechanism by which NO 2 contributes to cardiotoxicity is rarely reported. In order to assess the cardiotoxicity of NO 2 inhalation (5 ppm), we firstly investigate the change of gut microbiota, serum metabonomics and cardiac proteome. Non-targeted LC-MS/MS metabonomics showed that NO 2 stress could perturb the glycerophospholipid metabolism in the serum, which might destabilize the bilayer configuration of cardiac lipid membranes. Furthermore, we observed that NO 2 inhalation caused augmented intercellular gap and inflammatory infiltration in the heart. Although 16 S rRNA gene amplification sequencing demonstrated that NO 2 exposure did not influence the intestinal microbial abundance and diversity, but glycerophospholipid metabolism disruption might be finally reflected in gut microbiom dysregulation, such as Sphingomonas , Koribacter , Actinomarina and Bradyrhizobium Turicibacter , Rothia , Globicatella and Aerococcus. Proteome mining revealed that differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the heart after NO 2 stress were involved in necroptosis, mitophagy and ferroptosis. We further revealed that NO 2 increased the number of cardiac mitochondria with depletion of cristae by regulating the expression of Mfn2 and Hsp70. This study indicating Mfn2-meidcated imbalanced mitochondrial dynamics as a potential mechanism after NO 2 -induced heart injury and suggesting microbiome dysregulation/glycerophospholipid metabolism exerts critical roles in cardiotoxicity caused by NO 2. [Display omitted] • The profile of metabolite profiles was dramatically altered under NO 2 stress. • Cardiotoxicity caused by NO 2 partially attributed to gut microbiome dysregulation. • NO 2 increased the number of cardiac mitochondria with depletion of cristae. • Mfn2 deficiency may be responsible for cardiotoxicity caused by NO 2 exposure. • Hsp70 is pathological factor for NO 2 induced-cardiotoxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hemodynamic response function (HRF) greatly influences the intra- and inter-subject variability of brain activation and connectivity, and might confound the estimation of temporal precedence in connectivity analyses, making its estimation necessary for a correct interpretation of neuroimaging studies. Additionally, the HRF shape itself is a useful local measure. However, most algorithms for HRF estimation are specific for task-related fMRI data, and only a few can be directly applied to resting-state protocols. Here we introduce rsHRF, a Matlab and Python toolbox that implements HRF estimation and deconvolution from the resting-state BOLD signal. We first provide an overview of the main algorithm, practical implementations, and then demonstrate the feasibility and usefulness of rsHRF by validation experiments with a publicly available resting-state fMRI dataset. We also provide tools for statistical analyses and visualization. We believe that this toolbox may significantly contribute to a better analysis and understanding of the components and variability of BOLD signals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: SatC is a noncoding subviral RNA associated with Turnip crinkle virus (TCV). A 100-nt stretch in the 3′ UTR of TCV contains three hairpins and two pseudoknots that fold into a tRNA-shaped structure (TSS) that binds 80S ribosomes. The 3′ half of satC is derived from TCV and contains 6-nt differences in the TSS-analogous region. SatC binds poorly to 80S ribosomes, and molecular modeling that predicted the 3D structure of the TSS did not predict a similar structure for satC. When the satC TSS region was step-wise converted to the original TCV TSS bases, ribosome binding increased to TCV TSS levels without significantly affecting satC replication. However, mutant satC was less fit when accumulating in plants and gave rise to numerous second site changes that weakened one of two satC conformations. These results suggest that minor changes from the original TCV sequence in satC reflect requirements other than elimination of ribosome binding. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The use of co-immunoprecipitation (co-IP) to purify multi-protein complexes has contributed greatly to our understanding of the DNA damage response network associated with Fanconi anemia (FA), Bloom syndrome (BS) and breast cancer. Four new FA genes and two new protein partners for the Bloom syndrome gene product have been identified by co-IP. Here, we discuss our experience in using co-IP and other techniques to isolate and characterize new FA and BS-related proteins. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: For the first time, the interaction of casein micelle (CM) with gold nanoparticles (GNPs) was studied using TEM, UV–visible, FTIR and fluorescence spectroscopy methods. The results show that GNPs bind to CM surface, leading to the formation of GNP–CM conjugates. GNPs exhibit similar particle diameters, and the CM structure is retained in GNP–CM conjugates. Furthermore, GNP–CM conjugates display good stability against salt concentration and pH. The combination of these measurements suggests that GNPs presumably bind to CM surfaces via complexation with the carboxylate or amine groups on CM surfaces, but not by electrostatic action. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The interactions of hemoglobin with glutamic acid-based gemini surfactants (L2G2C n ) and with n-dodecylammonium α-glutamate (GDA) have been studied with isothermal titration microcalorimetry, fluorescence spectroscopy, UV–vis spectroscopy, and circular dichroism. The results indicate that GDA monomer can make the hemoglobin denatured, and that when the concentration of GDA is higher than cmc, heme monomer is released from the hydrophobic cavity of hemoglobin. On the other hand, L2G2C n surfactants can also interact with hemoglobin. Compared with GDA, L2G2C n have a much smaller binding ability with hemoglobin, and the circular dichroism spectra results show that the secondary structure of hemoglobin is possibly stabilized by a small amount of L2G2C n , which may generate hydrophobic linkages between the nonpolar residues of hemoglobin. However, with further addition of L2G2C n , the secondary structure of hemoglobin is unfolded, and the percentage of α helix in hemoglobin molecule is decreased. In addition, the L2G2C n surfactant with a longer spacer can reduce the denaturing degree of hemoglobin. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In the sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)/n-pentanol (n-C5H11OH)/water (H2O) system, LL is the coexisting region of W/O and O/W or bicontinuous microemulsions. In the LL region, the system separates into two phases (the upper phase and the lower phase) spontaneously. The distribution and structural behavior of hemoglobin (Hb) between the upper and lower phases in SDS/n-C5H11OH/H2O system were studied by UV–vis and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. The results indicate that different structures of the two phases bring the conformational change of Hb. The addition of Hb results in the redistribution of SDS between the upper and lower phases. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The interaction of the anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) with 2.0 mg/ml casein was first investigated using isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and fluorescence spectra. ITC results show that individual SDS molecules first bind to casein micelles by the hydrophobic interaction. The micelle-like SDS aggregate is formed on the casein chains when SDS concentration reaches the critical aggregation concentration (), which is far below the critical micellar concentration (cmc) of SDS in the absence of casein. With the further increase of SDS concentration to the saturate binding concentration , SDS molecules no longer bind to the casein chains, and free SDS micelles coexist with casein micelles bound with SDS aggregates in the system. DLS results show that the addition of SDS leads to an increase in the hydrodynamic radius of casein micelles with bound surfactant at SDS concentration higher than 4 mM, and also an increase in the casein monomer molecule (or submicelles) at SDS concentration higher than 10 mM. Fluorometric results suggest the addition of SDS leads to some changes in the binding process of hydrophobic probes to casein micelles. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The influence of L-tryptophan (L-Trp) on the interphase electric properties of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)/n-pentanol (n-C5H11OH)/water (H2O) system was studied by the method of AC impedance, and the distribution of L-Trp between the microemulsion phases with different structures in SDS/n-C5H11OH/H2O system was determined by UV–vis spectroscopy. The results show that L-Trp transfers from the lower phase (O/W or bicontinuous) to the upper phase (W/O), and that a small amount of SDS transfers from the upper phase to the lower phase correspondingly with the increase of the total SDS content at a constant weight ratio of n-C5H11OH/H2O=50/50 and a total L-Trp concentration of . In addition, the concentrations of L-Trp in both the upper and lower phases increase, but the SDS content decreases slightly in the upper phase and increases appreciably in the lower phase with the increase of the total L-Trp concentration at a constant total content of SDS. The interphase capacitance and the interphase charge-transfer current of the system increase, but the interphase resistivity decreases. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The interactions of flavonoid, quercetin with sodium dodecyl sulfate (anionic surfactant) and cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (cationic surfactant) micelles were investigated. The average location site of quercetin in different micelles was determined by the cyclic voltammetry method with the aid of molecular optimization. The interaction parameters of quercetin with micelles of different charges such as binding constant K and normal binding energy ΔG were calculated. Furthermore, the morphologic change of the SDS and CTAB spherical micelles and rod-like micelles upon their interaction with quercetin was also observed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Electronic absorption spectra, fluorescence emission spectra, ATR-FTIR spectra, cyclic voltammetric measurements, and ab initio quantum calculation are used to study the properties of morin in CTAB micelles with different microstructures and microenvironments and to gain information about the binding of morin with CTAB micelles. Morin can be located in the CTAB micelle with its phenyl group (deviating with 38.98° from the planarity) only in the form of the monomer, which leads to increase of the planarity and extension of the π conjugation of the whole molecule. The embedding of two hydroxyl groups on the phenyl into a more hydrophobic microenvironment makes the oxidation peak of morin move to a higher potential with a decreased peak current. The binding of morin with CTAB micelles is a spontaneous () and endothermic process (), and the hydrophobic and electrostatic force is the main driving force for its solubilization. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

X-linked hypophosphatemia (XLH) and the Hyp-mouse disease homolog are caused by inactivating mutations of Phex which results in the local accumulation of an unknown autocrine/paracrine factor in bone that inhibits mineralization of extracellular matrix. In these studies, we evaluated whether the matrix phosphoglycoprotein MEPE, which is increased in calvaria from Hyp mice, is a substrate for Phex. Using recombinant full-length Phex (rPhexWT) produced in Sf9 cells, we failed to observe Phex-dependent hydrolysis of recombinant human MEPE (rMEPE). Rather, we found that rPhex-WT inhibited cleavage of rMEPE by endogenous cathepsin-like enzyme activity present in Sf9 membrane. Sf9 membranes as well as purified cathepsin B cleaved MEPE into two major fragments of ∼50 and ∼42 kDa. rPhexWT protein in Sf9 membrane fractions, co-incubation of rPhexWT and cathepsin B, and pre-treatment of Sf9 membranes with leupeptin prevented the hydrolysis of MEPE in vitro. The C-terminal domain of Phex was required for inhibition of MEPE cleavage, since the C-terminal deletion mutant rPhex (1–433) [rPhex3′M] failed to inhibit Sf9-dependent metabolism of MEPE. Phex-dependent inhibition of MEPE degradation, however, did not require Phex enzymatic activity, since EDTA, an inhibitor of rPhex, failed to block rPhexWT inhibition of MEPE cleavage by Sf9 membranes. Since we were unable to identify interactions of Phex with MEPE or actions of Phex to metabolize cathepsin B, Phex may be acting to interfere with the actions of other enzymes that degrade extracellular matrix proteins. Although the molecular mechanism and biological relevance of non-enzymatic actions of Phex need to be established, these findings indicate that MEPE may be involved in the pathogenesis defective mineralization due to Phex deficiency in XLH and the Hyp-mouse. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

[Display omitted] The cancer therapeutic efficacy of the peroxidase (POD)-mimicking nanozyme-based monotherapy is significantly hindered due to insufficient intratumoral hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2) and glutathione (GSH) consumption effect on reactive oxygen species (ROS). In this study, we present the development of poly (o -phenylenediamine)@gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) (PoPD@Au) nanocomposites for multifunctional catalytic-photothermal therapy. These nanocomposites exhibit triple distinct nanozymatic activities, i.e. , POD-like activity that catalyzes H 2 O 2 to ROS, glucose oxidase (GOx)-like activity that supplements endogenous H 2 O 2 , and GSH depleting activity that decreases the ROS consumption efficiency. This open source and reduce expenditure strategy for ROS generation allows for the amplification of tumor oxidative stress, thereby enhancing anti-tumor efficiency. Additionally, the PoPD@Au nanocomposites demonstrate outstanding photothermal conversion efficiency, contributing to the synergistic effect between PoPD and AuNPs. Moreover, we reveal the improved photothermal performance of PoPD@Au triggered by the tumor microenvironment pH, which provides additional benefits for targeted catalytic-photothermal therapy. This "four-in-one" design of PoPD@Au enables efficient anti-tumor effects both in vitro and in vivo , making it a universal strategy for engineering catalytic-photothermal therapeutic nanoagents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] The key feature of living cells is multicompartmentalization for enzymatic reactions. Artificial cell-like multicompartments with micro domains are appealing to mimic the biological counterparts. In addition, establishing a sustainable, efficient, and controllable reaction system for enzymatic hydrolysis is imperative for the production of natural fatty acids from animal and plant-based fats. Reverse Janus emulsion microreactors, i.e. (W 1 + W 2)/O, is constructed through directly using natural fats as continuous phase and aqueous two-phase solutions (ATPS) as inner phases. Enzyme is confined in the compartmented aqueous droplets dominated by the salt of Na 2 SO 4 and polyethylene glycol (PEG). Enzyme catalyzed ester hydrolysis employed as a model reaction is performed under the conditions of agitation-free and mild temperature. Regulation of reaction kinetics is investigated by diverse droplet topology, composition of inner ATPS, and on-demand emulsification. Excellent enzymatic activity toward hydrolysis of plant and animal oils achieves 88.5 % conversion after 3 h. Compartmented micro domains contribute to condense and organize the enzymes spatially. Timely removal of the products away from reaction sites of oil/water interface "pushed" the reaction forward. Distribution and transfer of enzyme in two aqueous lobes provide extra freedom in the regulation of hydrolysis kinetics, with equilibrium conversion controlled freely from 14.5 % to 88.5 %. Reversible "open" and "shut" of hydrolysis is acheived by on-demand emulsification and spontaneous demulsification. This paper paves the way to advancing progress in compartmentalized emulsion as a sustainable and high-efficiency platform for biocatalytic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Understanding the structure-function relationships encoded on chiral catalysts is important for investigating the fundamental principles of catalytic enantioselectivity. Herein, the synthesis and self-assembly of naphthalene substituted bis - l / d -histidine amphiphiles (bis - l / d - NapHis) in DMF/water solution mixture is reported. The resulting supramolecular assemblies featuring well-defined P/M nanoribbons (NRs). With combination of the (P/M)-NR and metal ion catalytic centers (M n+ = Co2+, Cu2+, Fe3+), the (P)-NR-M n+ as chiral supramolecular catalysts show catalytic preference to 3,4-dihydroxy- S -phenylalanine (S -DOPA) oxidation while the (M)-NR-M n+ show enantioselective bias to R -DOPA oxidation. In contrast, their monomeric counterparts bis - l / d - NapHis-M n+ display an inverse and dramatically lower catalytic selectivity in the R/S -DOPA oxidation. Among them, the Co2+-coordinated supramolecular nanostructures show the highest catalytic efficiency and enantioselectivity (select factor up to 2.70), while the Fe3+-coordinated monomeric ones show nearly racemic products. Analysis of the kinetic results suggests that the synergistic effect between metal ions and the chiral supramolecular NRs can significantly regulate the enantioselective catalytic activity, while the metal ion-mediated monomeric bis - l / d - NapHis were less active. The studies on association constants and activation energies reveal the difference in catalytic efficiency and enantioselectivity resulting from the different energy barriers and binding affinities existed between the chiral molecular/supramolecular structures and R/S -DOPA enantiomers. This work clarifies the correlation between chiral molecular/supramolecular structures and enantioselective catalytic activity, shedding new light on the rational design of chiral catalysts with outstanding enantioselectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Phototherapy, encompassing photothermal therapy and photodynamic therapy, is gaining attention as an appealing cancer treatment modality. To enhance its clinical implementation, a comprehensive exploration of the pivotal factors influencing phototherapy is warranted. In this study, the L/ d -cysteine (Cys)-copper ion (Cu2+) chiral nanoparticles, through the assembly of L/ d -Cys-Cu2+ coordination complexes, were constructed. We found that these nanoparticles interacted with chiral liposomes in a chirality-dependent manner, with d -Cys-Cu2+ nanoparticles exhibiting more than three times stronger binding affinity than l -Cys-Cu2+ nanoparticles. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the d -Cys-Cu2+ nanoparticles were more efficiently internalized by Hela cells in contrast with l -Cys-Cu2+. On this basis, indocyanine green (ICG), acting as both photothermal and photodynamic agent, was encapsulated into L/ d -Cys-Cu2+ nanoparticles. Experimental results showed that the l -Cys-Cu2+-ICG and d -Cys-Cu2+-ICG nanoparticles displayed almost identical photothermal performance and singlet oxygen (1O 2) generation capability in aqueous solution. However, upon laser irradiation, the d -Cys-Cu2+-ICG nanoparticles achieved enhanced anti-tumor effects compared to l -Cys-Cu2+-ICG due to their chirality-promoted higher cellular uptake efficiency. These findings highlight the crucial role of chirality in phototherapy and provide new perspectives for engineering cancer therapeutic agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Degradation of polysaccharides based on lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (LPMOs) has received considerably interest in the environment and energy fields since 2010. With the rapid development of nanozymes in various fields, it is highly desirable but challenging to develop LPMO-like nanozymes with high specificity and satisfied activity. Here, a defective copper-cobalt binuclear Prussian blue analogue (CuCoPBA) nanozyme was developed via a facile and ingenious methodology based on single histidine (His). For the first time, His-CuCoPBA nanozyme was found to exhibit LPMO-like activity with H 2 O 2 as a cosubstrate at room temperature and neutral pH, which can efficiently catalyze the degradation of galactomannans selectively. Significantly, the high degradation activity at pH 10 expands the application of Fenton-like nanozymes in alkaline condition. Singlet oxygen (1O 2), as a main reactive intermediate, plays a crucial role in the galactomannan degradation catalyzed by His-CuCoPBA nanozyme. Both control experimental and density functional theory (DFT) results indicate Cu - N x His contributes to the efficiently and selectively catalytic activity of His-CuCoPBA nanozymes by emulating the binding and catalytic sites of LPMOs. The present work not only represents a fundamental breakthrough toward degradation of polysaccharide based on nanozyme, but also contributes to understanding the catalytic mechanism of natural Cu-dependent LPMOs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• In healthy adolescents, exposure to criticism leads to negative mood state changes and increased ruminative thoughts. • The excitatory connectivity from the preCUN to the DLPFC was inhibited during exposure to criticism. • Adolescents who are more sensitive to criticism (i.e., higher PCM scores) display less inhibitory modulation of the preCUN-to-DLPFC connectivity during exposure to criticism. • The inhibitory connectivity from the DLPFC to the pgACC was strengthened during exposure to both praise and criticism. Sensitivity to criticism, which can be defined as a negative evaluation that a person receives from someone else, is considered a risk factor for the development of psychiatric disorders in adolescents. They may be more vulnerable to social evaluation than adults and exhibit more inadequate emotion regulation strategies such as rumination. The neural network involved in dealing with criticism in adolescents may serve as a biomarker for vulnerability to depression. However, the directions of the functional interactions between the brain regions within this neural network in adolescents are still unclear. In this study, 64 healthy adolescents (aged 14 to 17 years) were asked to listen to a series of self-referential auditory segments, which included negative (critical), positive (praising), and neutral conditions, during fMRI scanning. Dynamic Causal Modeling (DCM) with Parametric Empirical Bayesian (PEB) analysis was performed to map the interactions within the neural network that was engaged during the processing of these segments. Three regions were identified to form the interaction network: the left pregenual anterior cingulate cortex (pgACC), the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), and the right precuneus (preCUN). We quantified the modulatory effects of exposure to criticism and praise on the effective connectivity between these brain regions. Being criticized was found to significantly inhibit the effective connectivity from the preCUN to the DLPFC. Adolescents who scored high on the Perceived Criticism Measure (PCM) showed less inhibition of the preCUN-to-DLPFC connectivity when being criticized, which may indicate that they required more engagement of the Central Executive Network (which includes the DLPFC) to sufficiently disengage from negative self-referential processing. Furthermore, the inhibitory connectivity from the DLPFC to the pgACC was strengthened by exposure to praise as well as criticism, suggesting a recruitment of cognitive control over emotional responses when dealing with positive and negative evaluative feedback. Our novel findings contribute to a more profound understanding of how criticism affects the adolescent brain and can help to identify potential biomarkers for vulnerability to develop mood disorders before or during adulthood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A tunable confinement growth strategy is proposed to develop bimetallic oxides anode. • Well-defined ZnMn 2 O 4 nanoparticles are built to accommodate the volume variation. • DFT calculations reveal the synergetic effects between Mn and Zn atoms in ZnMn 2 O 4. • Optimal ZnMn 2 O 4 /C anode delivers significantly improved cycling stability. • Ex-situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy analysis identifies the delithiated Mn species. Spinel bimetallic transition metal oxide anode such as ZnMn 2 O 4 , has drawn increasing interest due to attractive bimetal interaction and high theoretical capacity. While it suffers from huge volume expansion and poor ionic/electronic conductivity. Nanosizing and carbon modification can alleviate these issues, while the optimal particle size within host is unclear yet. We here propose an in-situ confinement growth strategy to fabricate pomegranate-structured ZnMn 2 O 4 nanocomposite with calculated optimal particle size in mesoporous carbon host. Theoretical calculations reveal favorable interatomic interactions between the metal atoms. By the synergistic effects of structural merits and bimetal interaction, the optimal ZnMn 2 O 4 composite achieves greatly improved cycling stability (811 mAh g−1 at 0.2 A g−1 after 100 cycles), which can maintain its structural integrity upon cycling. X-ray absorption spectroscopy analysis further confirms delithiated Mn species (Mn 2 O 3 but little MnO). Briefly, this strategy brings new opportunity to ZnMn 2 O 4 anode, which could be adopted to other conversion/alloying-type electrodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Non-aqueous lamellar liquid crystal systems DBSA/MEA was constructed. • DBSA/MEA lamellar liquid crystal system has good lubrication and anti-corrosion properties. • Friction chemical reaction film and adsorption film improves the lubrication performance. • The coordination effect of MEA and Fe may be the key to improve corrosion resistance. Since lamellar liquid crystals (LLCS) could be used for lubrication, many LLCS systems have been constructed to improve lubrication performance. However, most studies focused on the LLCS of the water system, and its corrosiveness brought some limitations to its application. Therefore, it is necessary to construct a non-aqueous LLCS system with good lubrication and anti-corrosion properties to improve its applicability. Anionic surfactant dodecyl benzene sulfonic acid (DBSA) was used to construct non-aqueous LLCS in different solvents, including monoethanolamine (MEA) and diethanolamine (DEA). DBSA/H 2 O LLCS system was constructed for comparison. The LLCS was characterized by polarizing microscope (POM), small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), and rheology. Its microstructure was discussed. Meanwhile, we evaluated the lubrication and anti-corrosion performance of LLCS. Its lubrication mechanism was explained through tribology tests and X-ray photoelectron spectrometer (XPS) analysis of the wear scar surface. Its anti-corrosion mechanism was investigated by using the weightlessness method, electrochemical test method, and quantum chemical theoretical calculations. The DBSA/MEA non-aqueous LLCS system showed better lubrication performance than DBSA/DEA and DBSA/H 2 O LLCS. It can adsorb on the surface of the friction pair to form a lubrication friction film, which plays a better role in reducing friction and wear. The DBSA/MEA LLCS is less corrosive to metals because it can effectively isolate oxygen and water in the air between friction pairs. Furthermore, the lone pair electrons in the 2p orbital of the N atom in the MEA molecule could coordinate with the 3d empty orbital of the Fe atom, forming a protective film on the metal surface, which plays a good anti-corrosion effect. This work not only enriched the study of non-aqueous LLCS but also expanded its potential applications in the field of lubrication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To explore the role and possible mechanism of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) in modulating carotid sinus baroreceptor reflex and activity of renovascular hypertensive rats. Methods: Renovascular hypertension was induced in male Sprague–Dawley rats by placing renal artery clip (two-kidney, one-clip; 2K1C).The functional curve of the carotid sinus baroreflex was measured by recording changes in arterial pressure with perfused carotid sinus. The functional curve of carotid baroreceptor (FCCB) was constructed by recording sinus nerve afferent discharge with perfused isolated carotid sinus. The expression of SUR2B and Kir6.1 of carotid sinus was examined. Results: The systolic blood pressure (SBP) was significantly increased in the 2K1C group (172±6.32mmHg) comparing with the NaHS-treated group (134±5.74mmHg) (P <0.01). The plasma H2S concentration was decreased in the 2K1C group comparing with other groups. Perfusing the left carotid sinus with K-H solution and elevating the ISP from 0 to 250mmHg. The reflexly decreased extent of blood pressure was obviously decreased in 2K1C group compared with other groups. The 2K1C group induced obvious changes in baroreflex parameters, marked decrease in RD and PS, and increased in TP, EP and SP, shifting the functional curve of the baroreflex to the right and upward. At the same time, the 2K1C group induced obvious changes in carotid sinus baroreceptor parameters, decreased PIV and PS, and increased TP and SP, shifting FCCB to the right and downward. All of these results were changed after the treatment of NaHS. SUR2B protein expression was higher in carotid sinus of the 2K1C+NaHS group than that of the 2K1C group. Conclusion: These data suggested that exogenous H2S exerted a facilitatory role on isolated baroreceptor reflex and activity in renovascular hypertensive rats through opening K ATP channels in vascular smooth muscle cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Defects engineering has played an ever-increasing important role in electrochemistry, especially secondary lithium batteries. TiO 2 is regarded as a promising anode due to its attractive cycling stability, low volume strain and great abundance, while challenges of intrinsic poor electrical and ionic conductivity remain to be addressed. Herein, we report a three-in-one oxygen vacancy (V O)-involved pomegranate design for TiO 2- x /C composite anode, which provides highly improved electrical conduction, shortened Li+ pathway and promoted Li+ redox. N-doped mesoporous carbon acts as a robust scaffold to support the whole structure, electron highway and efficient reductant to generate V O on TiO 2 nanoparticles during crystallization. Theoretical calculations reveal the crucial role of surface V O on TiO 2 in Li electrochemistry. Resultantly, the optimal TiO 2- x /C anode achieves significantly enhanced cycling performance (203 mAh/g retained after 2000 cycles at 1 A/g). Postmortem analysis reveals the robustness of V O and reasonable structure stability upon cycles for improved battery performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Tumor treatments based on phototherapy, such as photodynamic therapy (PDT) and photothermal therapy (PTT), are promising anticancer strategies. However, their dependence on light also poses several limitations for their application. Therefore, the establishment of a multifunctional nanotheranostic platform based on light therapy is needed to improve applicability of the technology. We designed yolk-shell magnetic Fe 3 O 4 @Carbon@Platinum-Chlorin e6 nanoparticles (MCPtCe6), which may be used for Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and synergistic catalytic-photodynamic-photothermal (catalytic-PDT-PTT) tumor therapy. We designed to compound multiple nanozymes and solve the drawbacks of single nanozyme and give additional functionalization to nanozymes for tumor therapy. Fe 3 O 4 has T2 weighted MRI ability. The designed yolk-shell structure can disperse Fe 3 O 4 in the carbon shell layer, which in turn can act as a carrier for PtNPs and improve the dispersion of both Fe 3 O 4 and Pt. Pt nanoparticles attached to the surface of N -doped carbon spheres enhanced the catalytic ability of the nanozyme to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS). The covalently linked photosensitizer chlorin e6 (Ce6) on the Fe 3 O 4 @C@Pt (MCPt) nanozyme is essential for the therapeutic effects of PDT. MCPtCe6 can be specifically activated by the microenvironment through an enzyme-like catalytic process and extend PDT/PTT in acidic and H 2 O 2 -rich microenvironments. The results showed that MCPtCe6 had a high photothermal conversion efficiency (η = 28.28%), indicating its feasibility for PTT. Further cellular and animal studies have revealed that catalytic-PDT-PTT therapy can effectively inhibit tumors both in vitro and in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Hypothesis: The emerging aqueous-based Cerberus emulsion droplets with multi-domains behave as an excellent platform to design cyto-mimetic compartmentalization for fabrication of anisotropic biomimetic materials and microreactors. However, the ultralow water/water interfacial tension impedes fabrication of aqueous Cerberus droplets in batch-scale and precisely topology regulation especially under lack of deep understanding of w/w interface properties. Experiments: Aqueous-based ternary phase diagram composed by salt, hydrophilic polymer and fluorocarbon compound is determined. Different emulsions employing the multiple aqueous solutions as internal phase and vegetable oil as continuous phase, are prepared by traditional vortex mixing based on the diagram. The construction mechanism of (W1 + W2 + W3)/O Cerberus droplets and relationship between droplet topology and the diagram are investigated. Findings: Diverse categories of aqueous-based emulsions from single emulsions, Janus emulsions, to Cerberus emulsions are delicately controlled in the same system based on the diagram. Various morphologies of Cerberus droplets such as linear and fan-like configurations are obtained, although spreading coefficient based on interfacial tension indicates preference of onion-like configuration. The viscosity plays an unexpected role in the construction of Cerberus droplets due to highly sensitive water/water interfaces within the droplets. Moreover, an empirical equation is perfectly applied, which endows quantitative prediction and control of lobe volume ratio within Cerberus droplets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a chronic liver condition and metabolic disorder, has emerged as a significant health issue worldwide. D-mannose, a natural monosaccharide widely existing in plants and animals, has demonstrated metabolic regulatory properties. However, the effect and mechanism by which D-mannose may counteract NAFLD have not been studied. In this study, network pharmacology followed by molecular docking analysis was utilized to identify potential targets of mannose against NAFLD, and the leptin receptor-deficient, genetically obese db/db mice was employed as an animal model of NAFLD to validate the regulation of D-mannose on core targets. As a result, 67 targets of mannose are predicted associated with NAFLD, which are surprisingly centered on the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR). Further analyses suggest that mTOR signaling is functionally enriched in potential targets of mannose treating NAFLD, and that mannose putatively binds to mTOR as a core mechanism. Expectedly, repeated oral gavage of supraphysiological D-mannose ameliorates liver steatosis of db/db mice, which is based on suppression of hepatic mTOR signaling. Moreover, daily D-mannose administration reduced hepatic expression of lipogenic regulatory genes in counteracting NAFLD. Together, these findings reveal D-mannose as an effective and potential NAFLD therapeutic through mTOR suppression, which holds translational promise. • Network pharmacology identifies targets of mannose against NAFLD centered on mTOR. • Mannose putatively binds to the mTOR protein as a core mechanism in treating NAFLD. • Daily oral administration of D-mannose ameliorates liver steatosis of db/db mice. • D-mannose reduced lipogenic regulatory gene expression based on mTOR suppression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • GNRs@Void@PPy yolk@shell nanostructures with tunable void space have been fabricated. • Synergistic enhancement of photothermal performance of GNRs@Void@PPy has been achieved. • The manipulation of the void space has offered GNRs@Void@PPy with high drug encapsulation efficiency. • The GNRs@Void@PPy holds great promise for tumor treatment through chemo-photothermal synergistic therapy. Synergistic therapy has been emerging as new trend for effective tumor treatment due to synchronous function and cooperative reinforcement of multi therapeutic modalities. Herein, gold nanorods (GNRs) encapsulated into polypyrrole (PPy) shell with tunable void space (GNRs@Void@PPy) showing yolk@shell nanostructures were innovatively designed. The exploitation of dual near-infrared (NIR) absorptive species offered synergistic enhancement of photothermal performance. In addition, the manipulation of the void space between them provided additional benefits of high drug encapsulation efficiency (92.6%) and, interestingly, tumor microenvironment and NIR irradiation triggered targeted drug releasing. Moreover, the GNRs@Void@PPy exhibited excellent biocompatibility, and optimal curative effect by chemo-photothermal synergistic therapy was achieved through both in vitro and in vivo antitumor activity investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Janus emulsions with a polymerizable monomer as inner oil phase were prepared. [•] The fundamentals of Janus emulsion formation were established. [•] The Janus topology of emulsion drops changes correspondingly with emulsion composition. [•] The size of Janus drops varied from hundreds to a few microns by adjusting stirring speed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

[Display omitted] • The PtFe-Fe 3 O 4 @N-C yolk@shell nanosphere was prepared. • The yolk@shell nanosphere exhibits enhanced catalytic activity. • The yolk@shell nanocatalyst was featured with high recyclability. Innovative design of nanocatalyst with high activity remains to be great challenge. Platinum (Pt) nanoparticle has already demonstrated to be excellent candidates in the field of catalysis. However, the scarcity and high price significantly hinder its large-scale production. In this work, dumbbell-like alloying nanoparticle of platinum-iron/ferroferric oxide (PtFe Fe 3 O 4) was prepared. On one hand, the design of the alloying nanoparticle can manipulate the d-band center of Pt, in further, the interaction with substrates. In addition, the dumbbell-like structured PtFe Fe 3 O 4 can offer heterogeneous interface, of which the interaction between PtFe and Fe 3 O 4 , supported by the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic (XPS) results, leads to the enhanced catalytic efficiency. On the other hand, the introduction of Fe (iron) composition largely decreases the necessary amount of Pt, leading to efficient cost reduction. Moreover, to avoid the aggregation related activity attenuation problem, PtFe Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticle located in cavity of nitrogen heteroatom-doped carbon shell (PtFe Fe 3 O 4 @N C) as yolk@shell nanostructure was constructed and its improved catalytic performance was demonstrated towards the reactions of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) reduction, β -ionone and benzhydrol oxidation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A significant proportion of patients with recurrent atrial fibrillation (AF) require repeat radiofrequency (RF) ablation after cryoballoon (CB) ablation. However, little is known about the pulmonary vein (PV) potential reconnection to left atrium and localization of gaps in the initial lesion sets following cryoablation in patients with recurrent AF. The data of 29 consecutive patients with repeat RF ablation for recurrent AF were analyzed. During the second ablation procedures, PV foci of AF were explored in 116 PVs by the CARTO system. All patients had complete PV isolation from initial cryoablation procedure. The fluoroscopy duration, mean cryoablation time and mean cryoablation frequency were lowest for the right superior pulmonary vein (RSPV) (58.69 ± 9.18 s, 185.10 ± 49.25 s and 1.07 ± 0.26; p = 0.024, p = 0.042 and p = 0.032). A significantly higher incidence of conduction gaps per patient was found for the RSPVs compared to the other PVs (p < 0.05 or p < 0.01). For RSPVs, it seemed that gaps were predominantly located at the anterior segment (22 gaps) and inferior segment (22 gaps). RSPV reconnection was independently related to a lower risk of major adverse events after the second ablation during follow up in the study patients (HR 0.275, 95%CI 0.078–0.967, p = 0.044). AF recurrence in patients after cryoablation is significantly associated with conduction gaps in the anterior and inferior segments of RSPVs. Various ablation strategies of close touch of CB on anterior and inferior segments of RSPV ostium, more freezing time and frequency for RSPV may help achieving durable PV isolation during follow up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Drying condensed colloid suspension droplet on a horizontal glass substrate has been developed as a simple strategy to fabricate highly-ordered colloidal crystals. A uniform film obtained at above room temperature possessed a face-center-cubic (fcc) crystalline structure and excellent photonic properties. It was found that raising the drying temperature has resulted in a reduction in the lattice spacing of fcc colloidal crystals. The formation reason of uniform fcc colloidal crystals was directly related to the high drying temperature and the large colloid concentration. A ring-shaped stain generated by drying at room temperature has exhibited other highly-ordered microstructures with colloidal crystals, such as body center cubic (bcc) structure. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The interaction between gelatin and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) is investigated by calorimetry and photometric spectrum. The conformational change in gelatin chains upon binding of SDS, the morphology development of gelatin–SDS complex, and the nature of the interaction are studied by isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), circular dichroism (CD), fluorescence, and freeze-fracture transmission electronic microscope micrograph (FF-TEM). The results show that the exothermic binding process is driven by both electrostatic and hydrophobic interaction. The triple helix structure of gelatin is decomposed to random coil upon the binding of SDS. The morphology of complex transfers from branch-like to “necklace-and-bead”. The interaction can be controlled by the concentration of SDS, the pH value of the solution, and the ionic strength of the system. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Cyclodextrin (CD) modulated interactions between ionic surfactants with opposite charge and bovine serum albumin (BSA) at specific and nonspecific binding stages have been studied by isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), fluorescence spectra and circular dichroism spectral measurements. At the specific binding stage with high affinity, the effectiveness of both α- and β-CD for hindering BSA–SDS interactions is quite weak; however, CD is more effective in hindering BSA–CTAB specific interactions. This is due to the cooperative electrostatic and hydrophobic interaction between BSA and SDS, and to the absence of the cooperative interaction between BSA and CTAB at the specific binding stage. For both BSA–SDS and BSA–CTAB systems (especially in the former system), α-CD is more effective in hindering BSA–surfactant interactions than β-CD. At the nonspecific binding stage, the addition of both α- and β-CD can hinder totally both BSA–SDS and BSA–CTAB hydrophobic interactions. This is caused by the more specific hydrophobic interaction between CD and surfactant compared with the hydrophobic interaction between BSA and surfactant. Our results show that the CD effect on the protein–surfactant interaction depends on both the nature of the protein–surfactant interaction and the complexing ability of CD with surfactant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The aggregation behavior of a mixed system consisting of a novel histidine-derived bolaamphiphile 1,12-dihistidine diaminododecane (H2D) and the conventional surfactant dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTAB) has been investigated. The microstructure of the H2D/DTAB mixture has been identified by means of negative staining-TEM, dynamic light scattering (DLS), fluorescence spectra, FT-Raman spectroscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Rich morphologies are observed in the mixed system of H2D and DTAB over a relatively wide proportion range. At C DTAB/C H2D <12:1, vesicles are formed in the mixed system. At C DTAB/C H2D >12:1, vesicles and tube-like aggregates coexist, and more tube-like aggregates appear with further increase of C DTAB/C H2D. The formation mechanisms of the aggregation with various morphologies at different C DTAB/C H2D ratios are further deduced. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The obligate intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii is an important pathogen of humans and animals. The tachyzoite of T. gondii is the main life-cycle stage that is responsible for toxoplasmosis. Study of the antigenicity of soluble tachyzoite antigen (STAg) is important for discovery of protective antigens which will aid in the detection and prevention of toxoplasmosis. At present, no complete proteome map of T. gondii STAg is established, although a large-scale whole proteomic analysis of tachyzoites is underway. In this study, 1227 protein spots of T. gondii soluble tachyzoite antigen (STAg) were fractionated by 2-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) at pH range 3–10. By mass spectrometry (MS) analysis, among the separated 1227 protein spots, 426 were identified by searching the Swissport and NCBI nr databases. Two hundred and thirty of these identified spots (230/426, 54%) were demonstrated to be T. gondii protein by MS. Of the 21 Toxoplasma protein spots identified by Western blot with rabbit anti-T. gondii serum, 16 had immunoregulatory functions and five had immune defense functions. Due to multiple spots for a single protein, these 16 spots represented 11 proteins: a putative protein disulfide isomerase (PDI), heat shock protein 60 (Hsp60), a pyruvate kinase (PK), a putative glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH), a coronin, a heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70), a protein kinase C receptor 1 (RACK1), a malate dehydrogenase (MDH), a major surface antigen 1 (SAG1), an uridine phosphorylase (UPase) and a peroxiredoxin (Prx). Among the identified 11 proteins, except that the antigenicity and immunogenicity of the SAG1 has been reported and antigenicity of Hsp70 has been disputed, the remaining antigenic proteins were first identified in this study. In conclusion, we obtained nine novel types of immunogenic proteins that might be potential candidates of vaccine development for toxoplasmosis, which we will confirm in later studies. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In the present paper, we studied the interaction between n-dodecylammonium α-glutamate (GDA)/n-C5H11OH/H2O assemblies and methemoglobin by UV–vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, electron spin resonance (ESR), rheology, and freeze-fractured transmission electron microscopy (FF-TEM). It is found that W/O microemulsion forms at a lower n-pentanol content and O/W microemulsion forms at a lower water content with the addition of methemoglobin. The existence of methemoglobin reduces the hexagonal liquid crystal region, while the lamellar liquid crystal region is little changed in the presence of methemoglobin. Moreover, methemoglobin and GDA/n-C5H11OH/H2O assemblies can affect their structures and properties and the change in behavior is dependent on the content of methemoglobin and the composition and structure of the GDA/n-C5H11OH/H2O system. The relationship among the changes in the structure and properties of GDA/n-C5H11OH/H2O assemblies, the content of methemoglobin, and the composition and structure of GDA/n-C5H11OH/H2O assemblies may provide some important theoretical information for elucidation of the interaction between methemoglobin and blood cell membrane and may also be helpful for the cure of some blood diseases. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Photoisomerization of trans-stilbene (TS) was investigated in sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)/benzyl alcohol (BA)/H2O systems in order to establish the relationship between the reaction yields and the compositions and structures of molecular organized assemblies. The results show that, in SDS/BA/H2O systems with the structures of oil in water microemulsions, bicontinuous microemulsions, and hexagonal liquid crystals, the reaction yields are much larger than those in benzyl alcohol, both with and without the photosensitizer 9,10-anthracenedicarbonitrile. However, SDS/BA/H2O water in oil microemulsion and lamellar liquid crystal can obviously catalyze the photoisomerization of TS only when the photosensitizer is not present. The yield is increased with the increase in H2O content or with the decrease in BA content. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Helper virus-free herpes simplex virus (HSV-1) plasmid vectors are an attractive system for gene transfer into neurons in the brain, but promoters that support long-term, neuronal-specific expression are required. Elucidation of general principles that govern long-term expression would likely assist efforts to develop improved promoters. Although expression from many promoters in HSV-1 vectors is unstable, two neuronal subtype-specific promoters, the preproenkephalin (ENK) promoter and the tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) promoter, support long-term expression. We have previously shown that 5′ upstream sequences in the TH promoter are required for long-term expression, and addition of these upstream sequences to a neurofilament heavy gene (NF-H) promoter enhances long-term, neuronal-specific expression. The goal of this study was to determine if the upstream sequences from the TH promoter contain a unique element that enhances expression, or if other neuronal promoters also contain sequences that can enhance expression. To this end, we tested 5′ upstream sequences in the ENK promoter. We isolated a vector that fuses upstream sequences from the ENK promoter to the NF-H promoter. This vector supported expression in the striatum for 2 months after gene transfer, the longest time point evaluated. Expression was neuronal specific. As ENK and TH are a peptide neurotransmitter and a classical neurotransmitter biosynthetic enzyme, respectively, these results suggest that a significant number of promoters for neurotransmitter biosynthetic genes may contain elements that can enhance expression from HSV-1 vectors. The strategy of using upstream sequences from neuronal subtype-specific promoters to enhance expression from heterologous promoters is discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

[Display omitted] • FeP, N -Carbon and Fe, P, N -Carbon hollow nanospheres were prepared. • Fe, P, N -Carbon showed the onset potential of 1.03 V and half wave potential of 0.89 V when used as ORR electrocatalysts. • The ORR performance of Fe, P, N -Carbon was better than that of FeP, N -Carbon. • The unique nanostructure and favorable chemical components contributed to excellent ORR performance. In recent years, carbon materials co-doped with transition metals and heteroatoms have been widely used in the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) as an alternative to platinum/carbon catalysts because of their high efficiency, low price, and appropriate sustainability. Herein, we report the synthesis of FeP, N -doped carbon (FeP, N -Carbon) hollow nanospheres (HNSs) and Fe, P, N -doped carbon (Fe, P, N -Carbon) HNSs. The FeP, N -Carbon was obtained via the pyrolysis of poly(o -phenylenediamine) (PoPD) HNSs in the presence of Fe(NO 3) 3 and phytic acid (PA), whereas Fe, P, N -Carbon was obtained by first pyrolyzing PoPD HNSs with Fe(NO 3) 3 , followed by another cycle of pyrolysis with PA. Fe, P, N -Carbon exhibited a better ORR performance than FeP, N -Carbon, with an onset potential of 1.03 V, a half-wave potential of 0.89 V and a limiting current density of 5.75 mA cm−2. The findings will provide insights into the controlled synthesis of transition-metal-heteroatom-codoped carbon nanomaterials for the development of advanced ORR electrocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Hypothesis: Taking advantage of photoinduced electron transfer, one dimensional organic nanomaterials with tunable donor-acceptor (D-A) interface provide a promising avenue to get high optoelectric properties. However, strong charge transfer interaction between D and A segments impedes the formation of long-range ordered structure, which limits the charge transport through efficient π electronic delocalization. Incorporation of chiral peptide offering various hydrogen bonding (H-bonding) along with asymmetric molecular structure enables substantially controllable D-A interface and tunable organization of the π -conjugates. Experiments: A new amphiphilic perylene diimide (CUPDI) with PDI as an acceptor is designed and synthesized. A polar chiral dipeptide composed of β -alanine and l -histidine with the imidazole ring as the donor i.e. , l -carnosine, is incorporated at one of imides. Transition of various supramolecular assemblies of CUPDI is realized by changing CUPDI concentration and solvents. The photoelectronic properties of the assemblies are investigated as well as their association with the microstructure of the nanomaterials. Findings: Delicately tuned hydrogen bonds between the peptides and π - π interaction between PDI cores in different solvents enable the formation of assemblies with multifarious microstructures such as small spherical aggregates, nanowires with uniform diameter, nanobelts, and irregular aggregates. The maximum amount of photocurrent enhancement is up to 1.08 µA observed for the nanobelt, four times higher than that of irregular aggregates. However, the nanowires show the best performance of 7.1-fold in response to ammonia. Thus, the photoelectric performances are strongly dependent on the the molecular arrangement within the nanomaterials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Recently, nanozymes have attracted sustained attention for facilitating next generation of artificial enzymatic cascade systems (ECSs). However, the fabrication of integrated multi-ECSs based on a single nanozyme remains a great challenge. Here, inspired by the biological function and self-assembling ability of arginine (R), we synthesized arginine-rich peptide-Pt nanoparticle cluster (ARP-PtNC) nanozymes that mimic two typical enzymatic cascade systems of uricase/catalase and superoxide dismutase/catalase in natural peroxisome. ARPs containing at least 10 arginine residues contribute to the cluster formation based on hydrogen bonding and coordination. The well-designed peptide-Pt hybrid nanozyme not only possesses excellent uricase-mimicking activity to degrade uric acid effectively, but also serves as a desired scavenger for reactive oxygen species (ROS) harnessing two efficient enzyme cascade catalysis of uricase/catalase and superoxide dismutase/catalase. The surface microenvironment of the hybrid nanozymes provided by arginine-rich peptides and the cluster structure contribute to the efficient multiply enzyme-like activities. Fascinatingly, the hybrid nanozyme can inhibit the formation of monosodium urate monohydrate effectively based on the architecture of ARP-PtNCs. Thus, ARP-PtNC nanozyme has the potential in gout and hyperuricemia therapy. Rational design of ingenious peptide-metal hybrid nanozyme with unique physicochemical surface properties provides a versatile and designed strategy to fabricate multi-enzymatic cascade systems, which opens new avenues to broaden the application of nanozymes in practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reverse Janus emulsion, with droplets composed by "two rooms" of water phases, is a novel multiple emulsion attributed to excellent integration capability and biocompatibility. However, significant instability compared with normal Janus emulsions renders the stability issue of great importance. Moreover, the ultra-low aqueous-aqueous inner interfacial tension, the anisotropic nature of the droplets with distinct lobe composition, and the random orientation in the continuous phase endow the complicated and various demulsification mechanisms. Reverse Janus emulsion of (W 1 +W 2)/O, employing typical salt-alcohol aqueous two-phase system (ATPS) as inner phases, is prepared in batch scale by conventional one-step vortex mixing. The demulsification process is detected by multiple light scattering technique, which provides real-time, in-situ, and quantitative information of emulsion evolution. Moreover, the fusion pattern of the anisotropic droplets is illustrated by the combination with light microscopy and size distribution measurement. Coalescence and sedimentation are found to be two main demulsification processes. Two salt "body" lobes of the "snowman" shaped Janus droplets combine first resulting in an intermediate Cerberus topology with two alcohol "heads" on one salt "body". Subsequently, two "head" lobes coalesce resulting in a larger Janus droplet. Ultimately, the Gibbs free energy leads to a final state with three separated liquids. In addition, the variation in lobe viscosity, density, and properties of interfacial film greatly affect the demulsification rate and fusion pattern. A critical alcohol/surfactant mass ratio of 2 is found, beyond which a completely different fusion pattern occurs. Two alcohol "body" lobes combine first resulting in an intermediate Cerberus topology with two salt "heads" on one alcohol "body". Subsequently, two "head" lobes coalesce resulting in a larger Janus droplet. The findings are instructive in the stability of aqueous based multiple emulsions with advanced morphologies and meanwhile, promote the future application of this novel emulsion in food science, pharmacy, and biomimetic compartmentalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The inverse variance weighted method was used in this MR study. • Genetically predicted epilepsy did not causally increase the risk of memory loss. • Confounding or nongenetic determinants may influenced previous associations. Epidemiological studies have reported an association between epilepsy and dementia. However, the causal relationship between epilepsy and the risk of dementia is not clear. We aimed to inspect the causal effect of epilepsy on memory loss and dementia. We analyzed summary data of epilepsy, memory loss, and dementia from the genome-wide association study (GWAS) using the two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) method. We used the estimated odds ratio of memory loss and dementia associated with each of the genetically defined traits to infer evidence for a causal relationship with the following exposures: all epilepsy, focal epilepsy (including focal epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis, lesion-negative focal epilepsy, and focal epilepsy with other lesions), and genetic generalized epilepsy (including childhood absence epilepsy, generalized tonic-clonic seizures alone, Juvenile absence epilepsy, and Juvenile myoclonic epilepsy). According to the result of MR using the inverse variance weighted method (IVW), we found that genetically predicted epilepsy did not causally increase the risk of memory loss and dementia (p > 0.05). Results of the MR-Egger and weighted median method were consistent with the IVW method. No evidence has been found to support the notion that epilepsy can result in memory loss and dementia. The associations observed in epidemiological studies could be attributed, in part, to confounding or nongenetic determinants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TiO 2 nanosheet/NiO nanorod heterojunction hybrids have been developed through a hydrothermal route, where NiO nanorods (size: 5 nm in diameter and 20–40 nm in length) are deposited at the {0 0 1} facet of anatase TiO 2 nanosheets. The photocatalysts were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), N 2 adsorption-desorption analysis, UV–vis spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), photoluminescence spectroscopy and time-resolved fluorescence. The TiO 2 /NiO photocatalysts exhibited good photocatalytic activities towards the degradation of methyl blue (MB) and phenol, and hydrogen generation efficiency under visible light irradiation. The maximum rate constant can be reached 0.0279 min−1 and 0.0135 min−1 respectively, which are about 12 and 10 times higher than that of TiO 2 nanosheets. And the hydrogen generation efficiency is 10 times higher than physical mixing of TiO 2 and NiO. Photocatalytic degradation efficiency remains more than 90% after 6 times cycle dye degradation, and the H 2 production efficiency is almost the same after four cycles, suggesting good stability and reusability. The enhanced photocatalytic activities are associated with the rational design of TiO 2 /NiO hierarchical heterojunctions which ensues high photogenerated charge separation efficiency. With the improved photocatalytic performance, the TiO 2 /NiO heterojunction hybrids are expected to be potential photocatalysts in environmental and energy related areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing nonprecious electrocatalysts for efficient oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) have aroused increasing interest recently. Herein, α-MnO 2 nanosheet-based hollow spheres encapsulated by N-doped carbon (denoted as N-Carbon/MnO 2 /N-Carbon) as efficient ORR electrocatalysts were reported. As started from redox reactive polystyrene/polyaniline (PS/PANI) core/shell templates, MnO 2 and PANI layers were sequentially in situ loaded, leading to the formation of MnO 2 nanosheet-based hollow spheres encapsulated by PANI (denoted as PANI/MnO 2 /PANI) after PS removal process. Finally, the calcination process ensured the crystallization of MnO 2 and carbonization of PANI, resulting in the formation of N-Carbon/MnO 2 /N-Carbon hybrid shells. The N-Carbon/MnO 2 /N-Carbon hybrid shells showed excellent electrocatalytic activity towards ORR in 0.1 mol L −1 KOH aqueous solution, making the hybrids promising cathode catalysts for alkaline fuel cell applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The applications of ionic liquids (ILs)/lamellar liquid crystals (LLCs) have great potential in nanotribology because they could be used where conventional oils could not work. To clarify the lubricating mechanism, herein, ILs/LLCs lubricants were prepared by addition of amphiphilic 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate (C n mimPF 6 , n = 8, 12) into TritonX-100/n-C 10 H 21 OH/H 2 O LLCs with different concentration. The influence of alkyl chain lengths of ILs on the microstructures and the tribological properties of LLCs were investigated. The phase structure parameters and the tribological properties of the LLCs in the presence of C n mimPF 6 were analyzed via freeze-fracture transmission electron microscopy (FF-TEM), the small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) technique, oscillating reciprocating friction and wear tester. Compared with the LLCs without C n mimPF 6 , 4.5 wt% C n mimPF 6 /LLCs can reduce the friction and wear of sliding pairs. The better lubricating property and antiwear capability of the C n mimPF 6 /LLCs may be attributed to the increasing of the interlayer thickness d and the decreasing of the bilayer thickness d 0 in microstructures. This work provides a better understanding of the relationship between the microstructures and friction wear performances of ILs/LLCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT) is a condition that is characterized by an abnormal heart rhythm in response to physical or emotional stress. The majority CPVT patients carry mutations in the RYR2 gene that encodes the calcium release channel/ryanodine receptor (RyR2) in cardiomyocytes. The pathogenic mechanisms that account for the clinical phenotypes of CPVT are still elusive. We have identified a de novo mutation, A165D, from a CPVT patient. We found that CPVT phenotypes are recapitulated in A165D knock-in mice. The mutant RyR2 channels enhanced sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca 2+ release, triggered delayed afterdepolarization in cardiomyocytes. Structural analysis revealed that the A165D mutation is located in a loop that is involved in inter-subunit interactions in the RyR2 tetrameric structure, it disrupted conformational stability of the RyR2, which favored a closed-to-open state transition, resulting in a leaky channel. The loop also harbors several other CPVT mutations, which suggests a common pathogenic molecular mechanism of CPVT-causing mutations. Our data illustrated disease-relevant functional defects and provide a deeper mechanistic understanding of a life-threatening cardiac arrhythmia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Western corn rootworm (WCR), Diabrotica virgifera virgifera , is one of the most significant pests of corn in the United States. Although transgenic solutions exist, increasing resistance concerns make the discovery of novel solutions essential. In order to find a novel protein with high activity and a new mode of action, a large microbial collection was surveyed for toxicity to WCR using in vitro bioassays. Cultures of strain ATX2024, identified as Chromobacterium piscinae, had very high activity against WCR larvae. The biological activity from the strain was purified using chromatographic techniques and fractions were tested against WCR larvae. Proteins in the final active fraction were identified by mass spectrometry and N - terminal sequencing and matched to the genome of ATX2024. A novel 58.9 kDa protein, identified by this approach, was expressed in a recombinant expression system and found to have specific activity against WCR. Transgenic corn events containing this gene showed good protection against root damage by WCR, with average scores ranging between 0.01 and 0.04 on the Iowa State node injury scale. Sequence analysis did not reveal homology to any known insecticidal toxin, suggesting that this protein may act in a novel way to control WCR. The new WCR active protein is named GNIP1Aa, for Gram Negative Insecticidal Protein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]