Search

Electroacupuncture (EA) is considered to have potential antidiabetic effects; however, the role of the pancreatic intrinsic nervous system (PINS) in EA-induced amelioration of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) remains unclear. Therefore, we investigated whether EA at ST25 exerts any beneficial effects on insulin resistance (IR), inflammation severity, and pancreatic β cell function via the PINS in a rat model of a high-fat diet-streptozotocin (HFD/STZ)-induced diabetes. To this end, Sprague Dawley rats were fed with HFD to induce IR, followed by STZ (35 mg/kg, i.p.) injection to establish the T2DM model. After hyperglycemia was confirmed as fasting glucose level > 16.7 mmol/L, the rats were treated with EA (2 mA, 2/15 Hz) for the next 28 days. Model rats showed increased serum glucose, insulin, IR, and TNF-α levels with a concomitant decrease in β cell function. Microscopy examination of the pancreas revealed pathological changes in islets, which reverted to near-normal levels after EA at ST25. EA improved islet cell morphology by increasing islet area and reducing vacuolation. EA at ST25 decreased transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) and increased substance P (SP) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) expression. Subsequently, insulin secretion decreased and impaired pancreatic endocrine function was restored through the TRPV1 channel (SP/CGRP)-insulin circuit. EA increased choline acetyltransferase and neuropeptide Y expression and controlled inflammation. It also enhanced the cocaine and amphetamine-regulated transcript prepropeptide expression and promoted glucagon-like peptide-1 secretion. Additionally, the electrophysiological activity of PINS during acupuncture (2.71 ± 1.72 Hz) was significantly increased compared to the pre-acupuncture frequency (0.32 ± 0.37 Hz, P < 0.05). Thus, our study demonstrated the beneficial effect of EA on β cell dysfunction via the PINS in rat models of HFD-STZ-induced T2DM.

Mg-air batteries are explored as the next-generation power systems for wearable and implantable electronics as they could work stably in neutral electrolytes and are also biocompatible. However, high corrosion rate and low utilization of Mg anode largely impair the performance of Mg-air battery with low discharge voltage, poor specific capacity and low energy density. Here, to the best of our knowledge, we first report a dual-layer gel electrolyte to simultaneously solve the above two problems by preventing the corrosion of Mg anode and the production of dense passive layer, respectively. The resulting Mg-air batteries produced an average specific capacity of 2190 mAh g-1 based on the total Mg anode (99.3 % utilization rate of Mg anode) and energy density of 2282 Wh kg-1 based on the total anode and air electrode, both of which are the highest among the reported Mg-air batteries. Besides, our Mg-air batteries could be made into a fiber shape, and they were flexible to work stably under various deformations such as bending and twisting.

Myopia is becoming increasingly prevalent worldwide at an alarming rate. However, no effective treatment is available for inhibiting myopia progression. Materials chemistry advancements have made it possible to regulate mechanical properties and rate of degradation with good compatibility by developing newly crosslinking systems such as the branched polyethylene glycol (PEG) systems. Herein, we presented a PEG molecule with N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) ester functional groups at the chain ends as a macromolecular crosslinking agent for the treatment of myopia. We found that the scleral collagen crosslinked with the four-armed star-shaped PEG molecule with NHS ester functional group (4S-PEG) showed better biomechanical properties, increased thermal stability and higher resistance to degradation. 4S-PEG exhibited relatively low cytotoxicity for human fetal scleral fibroblasts. The retrobulbar injection of 4S-PEG at a relatively low concentration (2.5 mM) showed good effective control of the progression of form-deprivation myopia in rabbits. There were no signs of adverse effect or damage by repeated injections with 4S-PEG in rabbits. The results of this work demonstrate that 4S-PEG can serve as a robust macromolecular crosslinking agent and is expected to have promise for application in the treatment of the progression of myopia.

SiC MOSFET integrated with Schottky barrier diode (SBD) can handle the reverse current during switching operation and reduce the package cost. However, the integrated SBD weakens the high-voltage-withstanding capability of the SiC MOSFET. In this article, a novel 4H-SiC trench MOSFET integrated with mesa-sidewall SBD (TMS-SBD) is proposed and studied with the 2-D simulation. Compared with the trench MOSFET integrated with the SBD locating on the mesa (TM-SBD), the TMS-SBD shows a larger breakdown voltage (BV), a lower electric field in the gate oxide, and a better tradeoff between BV and specific ON-resistance. The TMS-SBD also shows the same current capability as that of the TM-SBD. Due to the removal of one sidewall overlap between the gate electrode and drain electrode, the reverse capacitance of TMS-SBD is lower than that of the TM-SBD. In double-pulse test simulation, the turn-on loss and turn-off loss of the TMS-SBD reduce by 30% and 56% than those of the TM-SBD, respectively. Therefore, the TMS-SBD is a more attractive device in high-voltage, high-reliability, and low-switching-loss applications.

Fruit aroma is mainly contributed by free and glycosidically bound aroma compounds, in which glycosidically bound form can be converted into free form during storage and processing, thereby enhancing the overall aroma property. In recent years, the bound aroma precursors have been widely used as flavor additives in the food industry to enhance, balance and recover the flavor of products. This review summarizes the fruit-derived aroma glycosides in different aspects including chemical structures, enzymatic hydrolysis, biosynthesis and occurrence. Aroma glycosides structurally involve an aroma compound (aglycone) and a sugar moiety (glycone). They can be hydrolyzed to release free volatiles by endo- and/or exo-glucosidase, while their biosynthesis refers to glycosylation process using glycosyltransferases (GTs). So far, aroma glycosides have been found and studied in multiple fruits such as grapes, mangoes, lychees and so on. Additionally, their importance in flavor perception, their utilization in food flavor enhancement and other industrial applications are also discussed. Aroma glycosides can enhance flavor perception via hydrolyzation by β-glucosidase in human saliva. Moreover, they are able to impart product flavor by controlling the liberation of active volatiles in industrial applications. This review provides fundamental information for the future investigation on the fruit-derived aroma glycosides.

In this article, the single-event response of the 1.2-kV silicon-carbide (SiC) power MOSFETs with varied buffer layer designs is investigated by the 2-D numerical simulations. The structural parameters of the buffer layers are compared and analyzed to understand the transient response after the heavy ion strike and the related physical mechanisms comprehensively. Simulation results reveal that an optimized single buffer structure can be acquired by using a relatively thicker buffer layer (T $\mu \text{m}$ ) and a moderate doping concentration (D cm−3). It demonstrates that the single-event-burnout (SEB) performance can be improved significantly under the worst case bias conditions [a drain bias voltage of 1.2 kV and a linear energy transfer (LET) of 1 pC/ $\mu \text{m}$ ]. In addition, the optimized structural combinations adopted in the dual or triple buffer layers can strengthen the SEB performance further. The simulation results show that a step electric field distribution is established inside the optimized dual or triple buffers, where the electric field peak is mitigated from 3 to 2.2 MV/cm. Moreover, the excess carrier generation is suppressed and the local temperature rise is weakened during the transient electrothermal process. Consequently, the structure with the optimal buffer layer designs can enlarge the SEB safe operating area (SOA) from 30%–50% to 100% rated breakdown voltage at high LET bias, which makes the SiC power MOSFETs used in aerospace and aviation power electronic systems become possible.

Significance Fungal disease is a major threat to agriculture and consequently human nutrition. Many pathogenic fungi penetrate through stomata. This study reveals that chitin oligosaccharide (CTOS) from fungal cell wall induces stomatal closure through its receptor CERK1, Ca2+, and S-type anion channel SLAC1, which would prevent fungal penetration. It is also shown that conversion of CTOS to chitosan oligosaccharide (CSOS) is a possible fungal strategy to circumvent stomatal immunity. At higher concentration, guard cells perceive CSOS, resulting in guard cell death, which potentially contributes to plant defense halting fungal infection through stomata. The finding of active guard cell death represents a conceptual advance in understanding of stomatal immunity and would guide future research on guard cell–microbe interaction and crop protection., Many pathogenic fungi exploit stomata as invasion routes, causing destructive diseases of major cereal crops. Intensive interaction is expected to occur between guard cells and fungi. In the present study, we took advantage of well-conserved molecules derived from the fungal cell wall, chitin oligosaccharide (CTOS), and chitosan oligosaccharide (CSOS) to study how guard cells respond to fungal invasion. In Arabidopsis, CTOS induced stomatal closure through a signaling mediated by its receptor CERK1, Ca2+, and a major S-type anion channel, SLAC1. CSOS, which is converted from CTOS by chitin deacetylases from invading fungi, did not induce stomatal closure, suggesting that this conversion is a fungal strategy to evade stomatal closure. At higher concentrations, CSOS but not CTOS induced guard cell death in a manner dependent on Ca2+ but not CERK1. These results suggest that stomatal immunity against fungal invasion comprises not only CTOS-induced stomatal closure but also CSOS-induced guard cell death.

BACKGROUND: Myocardial mitochondrial dysfunction is the leading cause of chronic heart failure (CHF). Increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, disruption of mitochondrial biogenesis and mitochondrial Ca(2+)([Ca(2+)]m) homeostasis and reduction of the mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) cause myocardial mitochondrial dysfunction. Therefore, treating CHF by targeting mitochondrial function is a focus of current research. For the first time, this study investigated the effects of the strong antioxidant pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) on mitochondrial function in a cardiac pressure overload model, and the mechanism by which PQQ regulates [Ca(2+)]m homeostasis was explored in depth. METHODS: After transaortic constriction (TAC), normal saline and PQQ (0.4, 2 and 10 mg/kg) were administered intragastrically to Sprague Dawley (SD) rats for 12 weeks. In vitro, neonatal rat left ventricle myocytes (NRVMs) were pretreated with 200 nm angiotensin II (Ang II) with or without PQQ (1, 10 and 100 μM). Rat heart remodelling was verified by assessment of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels (qRT-PCR), cell surface area (wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) staining in vivo and α-actin in vitro) and echocardiography. Myocardial mitochondrial morphology was assessed by transmission electron microscopy. Western blotting was used to assess mitochondrial biogenesis [peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha (PGC-1α) and transcription factor A, mitochondrial (TFAM)]. The ΔΨm was determined by tetraethyl benzimidazolyl carbocyanine iodide (JC-1) staining and flow cytometry, and ROS levels were measured by dichloro-dihydro-fluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA) and MitoSOX Red staining. [Ca(2+)]m was measured by isolating rat mitochondria, and mitochondrial Ca(2+) channel proteins [the mitochondrial Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchanger (NCLX) and mitochondrial Ca(2+) uniporter (MCU)] were detected by Western blot. RESULTS: In vivo and in vitro, PQQ pretreatment improved pressure overload-induced cardiac remodelling and cell hypertrophy, thus preventing the occurrence of CHF. PQQ also prevented mitochondrial morphology damage and reduced the PGC-1α and TFAM downregulation caused by TAC or Ang II. In addition, in NRVMs treated with Ang II + PQQ, PQQ regulated ROS levels and increased the ΔΨm. PQQ also regulated [Ca(2+)]m homeostasis and prohibited [Ca(2+)]m overloading by increasing NCLX expression. CONCLUSIONS: These results show that PQQ can prevent [Ca(2+)]m overload by increasing NCLX expression and thereby reducing ROS production and protecting the ΔΨm. At the same time, PQQ can increase PGC-1α and TFAM expression to regulate mitochondrial biogenesis. These factors can prevent mitochondrial dysfunction, thereby reducing cardiac damage caused by pressure overload and preventing the occurrence of CHF.

Cadmium (Cd) is a heavy metal known to be harmful to human health. The aim of this study was to analyze the regional characteristics of dietary Cd intake of adult male residents in different regions of China. The value of this research is to guide regional consumers to minimize Cd intake by adjusting diets for different food categories in various regions. Dietary Cd intake data is used from the 4th and 5th Chinese Total Diet Studies (CTDS). The 4th CTDS collected data from 12 provinces, covering about 50% of the Chinese population. The 5th CTDS collected data from 20 provinces, covering about 67% of the Chinese population. Over 200 kinds of foods were sampled and divided into 13 categories and organized by geographic information system (GIS) mapping. The results showed that firstly, the dietary Cd intake of Chinese residents has increased; secondly, the food groups with the highest Cd intake were cereals and vegetables; and thirdly, the main food group of dietary Cd intake in different regions is presented such as cereals in Sichuan, Jiangxi, Zhejiang, Guangdong, Fujian, and Guangxi and vegetables in Shanghai, Ningxia, and Heilongjiang. Lastly, the food product with the highest dietary Cd intake concentration was found to be nori in 5 provinces. The other notable foods, with Cd intake, included peanuts, rice, squid, cuttlefish, and mushrooms.

Modulation of the electronic structure of metal catalysts is an effective approach to optimize the electrocatalytic activity. Herein, we show a surprisingly strong activation effect of black phosphorus (BP) on platinum (Pt) catalysts to give greatly enhanced catalytic activity in the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). The unique and negative binding energy between BP and Pt leads to spontaneous formation of Pt-P bonds producing strong synergistic ligand effects on the Pt nanoparticles. No Pt-P bonds are formed with red phosphorus which is another allotrope of P. By controlling the number of Pt-P bonds, 3.5-fold enhancement in the HER activity can be achieved from the BP-activated Pt catalyst and the activity is 6.1 times higher than that of the state-of-the-art commercial Pt/C catalyst. The BP-activated Pt catalyst exhibits a current density of 82.89 mA cm-2 with only 1 μg of Pt in 1 m KOH at an overpotential of 70 mV.

Economical and highly effective catalysts are crucial to the electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), and few-layer black phosphorus (phosphorene) is a promising candidate because of the high carrier mobility, large specific surface area, and tunable physicochemical characteristics. However, the HER activity of phosphorene is limited by the weak hydrogen adsorption ability on the basal plane. In this work, optimal active sites are created to modulate the electronic structure of phosphorene to improve the HER activity and the effectiveness is investigated theoretically by density-functional theory calculation and verified experimentally. The edges and defects affect the electronic density of states, and a linear relationship between the HER activity and lowest unoccupied states (ε

Lysine-specific demethylase 5A (KDM5A, also named RBP2 or JARID1A) is a demethylase that can remove methyl groups from histones H3K4me1/2/3. It is aberrantly expressed in many cancers, where it impedes differentiation and contributes to cancer cell proliferation, cell metastasis and invasiveness, drug resistance, and is associated with poor prognosis. Pharmacological inhibition of KDM5A has been reported to significantly attenuate tumor progression in vitro and in vivo in a range of solid tumors and acute myeloid leukemia. This review will present the structural aspects of KDM5A, its role in carcinogenesis, a comparison of currently available approaches for screening KDM5A inhibitors, a classification of KDM5A inhibitors, and its potential as a drug target in cancer therapy.

In this study, we aimed to explore the mechanism of glutathione peroxidase 3 (GPX3) in the growth of malignant melanoma (MM) cells by hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF1-α) and HIF2-α regulating the metabolism through reactive oxygen species (ROS). The messenger RNA and protein expression of GPX3, HIF1-α, HIF2-α in tissues, and cell lines were measured by reverse transcription-quantitative PCR and Western blot analysis. A375 cells were transfected with GPX3 overexpression plasmid, small interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting GPX3, or siRNA targeting HIF1-α/HIF2-α to upregulate or downregulate the expression of GPX3 or HIF1-α/HIF2-α. The effects of H2 O2 and N-acetylcysteine (NAC) on the levels of HIF1-α and HIF2-α after overexpression of GPX3 were studied. The cell viability was detected by Cell Counting Kit-8. The levels of ROS, glucose uptake and lactic acid production, oxidative phosphorylation, and glycolysis of cells were measured for assessment of cellular metabolism. The expression of GPX3 decreased, while ROS, HIF1-α, and HIF2-α increased in MM tissues and cells. Overexpression of GPX3 inhibited the viability of MM cells and the growth of melanoma xenografts. The overexpression of GPX3 reduced the glucose uptake, extracellular lactic acid content, and extracellular acidification rate and increased the oxygen consumption rate level. Overexpression of GPX3 could reduce the levels of HIF1-α and HIF2-α, which could regulate metabolic levels. GPX3 reduced ROS level in MM to inhibit HIF1-α and HIF2-α. The addition of H2 O2 increased while NAC reduced the protein levels of HIF1-α and HIF2-α in the cells overexpressing GPX3. Our study demonstrates that GPX3 inhibits the growth of MM cells through its inhibitory effect on cell metabolic disorder by inhibiting HIF1-α via regulating ROS.

Highlights • Low-dose and short-term exposure to methyl mercaptan had adverse effects on lung tissue. • Lipid peroxidation and alterations in blood antioxidant enzyme levels were observed following the exposure. • Oxidative damage is recognized as a potential mechanism for pulmonary stimulation and injury. • Malondialdehyde in lung tissue was significantly increased in both males and females exposure group., The present study was carried out to evaluate the hematotoxicity and respiratory toxicity of methyl mercaptan in Sprague-Dawley rats. A dynamic exposure methodology was adopted in this study following 7 days of exposure by repeated inhalation. The concentration of methyl mercaptan used in the exposure was 0.5 ppm and the exposure time was 6 h/day for 7 days. After exposure, the rats were sacrificed to collect lung tissue and blood samples. Routine blood and serum biochemistry were conducted. Morphological injury of lung tissue was detected by hematoxylin and eosin staining. Decreased food consumption and body weight gain in both sexes were noted in the exposure group compared with the control group. Several significant changes in hematological parameters were observed. The results showed that the blood urea nitrogen (UREA) levels and superoxide dismutase (SOD) values were significantly decreased in exposed male rats. Malondialdehyde (MDA) in lung tissue was significantly increased in both males and females in the exposed group. In the histopathological examination of lung tissue, terminal bronchiole constriction, alveolar congestion, and erythrocyte exudation were observed, suggesting that the lungs may be target organs after inhaling methyl mercaptan and workers exposed to this concentration may cause some pulmonary stimulation and injury.

Herein a novel coupling process of simultaneous catalytic ozonation and photocatalysis (SCOP) using a bifunctional catalyst for the antibiotics wastewater treatment was developed. MgMnO3, as the first example of bifunctional catalyst, was successfully prepared by a simple sol-gel method. In the MgMnO3-mediated SCOP process, the TOC removal of sulfamethoxazole, tetracycline, ciprofloxacin, and trimethoprim within 80 min reached 94.7 ± 0.9%, 88.4 ± 0.9%, 97.8 ± 1.0%, and 76.3 ± 0.9%, respectively, much higher than that in ozonation or photocatalysis (less than 20%). The first order kinetics reaction constant of TOC removal in the case of tetracycline degradation by SCOP is 2.58 × 10−2 min−1, which is 2.7, 23.0, and 6.2 times that by catalytic ozonation, photocatalysis, and photo ozonation, respectively. ESR spectra show that much more ·OH radicals are generated in SCOP than the sum in photocatalysis and catalytic ozonation processes, indicating the synergism between two processes and explaining the high mineralization efficiency in SCOP. Finally, eight intermediates were identified by LC-MS analysis and the initial degradation pathway of tetracycline in SCOP was proposed. Excellent treatment efficiency, high ozonation utilization (>93%) and low energy consumption (14.9 KJ/mg TOC) suggest that SCOP is a promising choice for antibiotics-containing wastewater treatment.

We first report a new thermoresponsive homopolymer with reactive functional groups in the backbone. A well-defined thermoresponsive polymer poly(2-(2-(diethylamino)ethoxy)-5-vinylbenzaldehyde) (PDEVB) with diethylamino groups and reactive aldehyde groups in each repeating unit was synthesized via reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization. PDEVB shows lower critical solution temperature (LCST) in ethanol/water mixture. The influences of solvent composition, molecular weight, concentration on the LCST were also investigated. Thanks to the reactive aldehyde groups, the solubility and LCST behavior can be conveniently tuned by postmodification with 2-aminoethanol and 3-(aminooxy)propan-1-amine via imine formation reaction or oxime formation reaction, respectively. The obtained polymer exhibits LCST at a relatively higher water content after modification with 2-aminoethanol and becomes water soluble and shows a pH-responsive LCST after modification with 3-(aminooxy)propan-1-amine. Moreover, the PDEVB can serve as a scaffold for preparation of UCST-type polyelectrolyte via the combination of quaternization of diethylamino groups and anion exchanged with NaBF4, and the UCST of the polyelectrolyte can be tuned by postmodification of the reactive aldehydes as well. PDEVB is anticipated to be a useful novel thermoresponsive polymer and may have promising new applications.

A novel acrylate monomer 2-((3-(isopropylamino)-3-oxopropyl)(methyl)amino)ethyl acrylate (IMA) was synthesized by facile sequential two-step reactions and polymerized using reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization to yield a thermo-, pH- and CO2-responsive homopolymer PIMA with a well-defined structure. PIMA showed a lower critical solution temperature (LCST) close to body temperature, and the influence of the degree of polymerization (DP), polymer concentration, salt concentration and substituents on the LCST was investigated. Due to the presence of tertiary amino groups in the side chains, the thermoresponsive phase transition of PIMA was tunable by solution pH and bubbling CO2/N2. The LCST increased with the decrease of pH, and the solubility of PIMA (at a temperature above the LCST) could be reversibly switched back by bubbling CO2/N2.

We report the synthesis of an ortho-phthalaldehyde (OPA) functionalized and water-soluble copolymer by reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) copolymerization of a novel OPA derivative vinyl monomer with N,N-dimethylacrylamide, followed by deprotection in trifluoroacetic acid/dichloromethane solution. Our results demonstrate that the OPA-containing copolymer could conjugate rapidly, chemoselectively and efficiently with native proteins via the OPA-primary amine reaction under physiological conditions without significant changes in the protein activity. This work provides a promising method for efficient conjugation of polymers with native proteins under physiological conditions.

A multi-functional polymer with aggregation-induced emission (AIE)-active salicylaldehyde azine (SA) functionality and reactive oxygen species (ROS)-responsive thioether groups is readily prepared via thiol-ene click polymerization of SA derivative diacrylate monomer, poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate, and 3,6-dioxa-1,8-octanedithiol. The obtained AIE-active polymer exhibited an unexpected strong emission in amide solvents compared to that in other common organic solvents that was dramatically decreased by adding a trace amount of water, suggesting that the polymer could be utilized as a water trace indicator in amide solvents. In the backbone, the PEG segments make the polymer well dispersed in water and the ROS-responsive thioether groups enable this polymer as a promising ROS scavenger, with embedded SA moieties as a fluorescent indicator for the hemolysis determination. Due to the ability of SA moieties to complex with Cu2+, this AIE polymer can also be utilized as a fluorescent sensor for selective Cu2+ detection in real-world water samples. Thus, this multi-functional polymer is anticipated to be well applied in biological and environmental applications.

BackgroundPrevious studies had suggested that electroacupuncture (EA) can promote white adipose tissue (WAT) browning to counter obesity. But the mechanism was still not very clear.AimIn this study, we aim to study the effect of EA on promoting inguinal WAT (iWAT) browning and its possible mechanism.MethodThree-week-old rats were randomly divided into a normal diet (ND) group and a high-fat diet (HFD) group. After 10 weeks, the HFD rats were grouped into HFD + EA group and HFD control group. Rats in the EA group were electro-acupunctured for 4 weeks on Tianshu (ST25) acupoint under gas anesthesia with isoflurane, while the rats in HFD group were under gas anesthesia only. Body weight and cumulative food intake were monitored, and H&E staining was performed to assess adipocyte area. The effect of EA on WAT was assessed by qPCR, immunoblotting, immunoprecipitation and Co-immunoprecipitation. Mitochondria were isolated from IWAT to observe the expression of mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM).ResultsThe body weight, WAT/body weight ratio and cumulative food consumption obviously decreased (P < 0.05) in the EA group. The expressions of brown adipose tissue (BAT) markers were increased in the iWAT of EA rats. Nevertheless, the mRNA expressions of WAT genes were suppressed by 4-week EA treatment. Moreover, EA increased the protein expressions of SIRT-1, PPARγ, PGC-1α, UCP1 and PRDM16 which trigger the molecular conversion of iWAT browning. The decrease of PPARγ acetylation was also found in EA group, indicating EA could advance WAT-browning through SIRT-1 dependent PPARγ deacetylation pathway. Besides, we found that EA could activate AMPK to further regulate PGC-1α-TFAM-UCP1 pathway to induce mitochondrial biogenesis.ConclusionIn conclusion, EA can remodel WAT to BAT through inducing SIRT-1 dependent PPARγ deacetylation, and regulating PGC-1α-TFAM-UCP1 pathway to induce mitochondrial biogenesis. This may be one of the mechanisms by which EA affects weight loss.

The cell wall acts as one of the first barriers of the plant against various biotic stressors. Previous studies have shown that alterations in wall polysaccharides may influence crop disease resistance. In the grapevine family, several native species (e.g., Chinese wild grapevine) show a naturally higher resistance to microbial pathogens than cultivated species (e.g., Vitis vinifera), and this trait could be inherited through breeding. Despite the importance of the cell wall in plant immunity, there are currently no comprehensive cell wall profiles of grapevine leaves displaying differing resistance phenotypes, due to the complex nature of the cell wall and the limitations of analytical techniques available. In this study, the cutting-edge comprehensive carbohydrate microarray technology was applied to profile uninfected leaves of the susceptible cultivar (Vitis vinifera cv. “Cabernet Sauvignon”), a resistant cultivar (Vitis amurensis cv. “Shuanghong”) and a hybrid offspring cross displaying moderate resistance. The microarray approach uses monoclonal antibodies, which recognize polysaccharides epitopes, and found that epitope abundances of highly esterified homogalacturonan (HG), xyloglucan (with XXXG motif), (galacto)(gluco)mannan and arabinogalactan protein (AGP) appeared to be positively correlated with the high resistance of Vitis amurensis cv. “Shuanghong” to mildew. The quantification work by gas chromatography did not reveal any significant differences for the monosaccharide constituents, suggesting that polysaccharide structural alterations may contribute more crucially to the resistance observed, this is again supported by the contact infrared spectroscopy of cell wall residues, revealing chemical functional group changes (e.g., esterification of pectin). The identification of certain wall polysaccharides that showed alterations could be further correlated with resistance to mildew. Data from the use of the hybrid material in this study have preliminarily suggested that these traits could be inherited and may be applied as potential structural biomarkers in future breeding work.

Endevours on the enhancement of nitrate removal efficiency during methane oxidation coupled with denitrification (AME-D) has always overlooked the role of membrane employed. It would be highly beneficial to enrich the biomass content and to manage biofilm on the membrane, in the utilization of methane and denitrification. In this study, an innovative and scalable double-layer membrane (DLM) was designed and prepared for a membrane biofilm reactor (MBfR), to simultaneously enhance nitrate removal flux and methane utilization efficiency during aerobic methane oxidation coupled with the denitrification (AME-D) process. The DLM allowed quick bacterial attachment and biomass accumulation for biofilm growth, which would be then self-regulated for well distribution of functional microbes on/within the DLM. Upon a high biofilm density of over 70 g-VSS m−2 achieved on the DLM, the methane utilization efficiency of the MBfR was enhanced significantly to over 1.3 times than the control MBfR with conventional polypropylene membrane. The MBfR employed DLM also demonstrated the maximum nitrate removal flux of 740 mg-NO3−-N m−2 d−1 that was approximately 1.64 times of that in control MBfR at continuous-mode operation. This DLM indeed favored the enrichment of Type II aerobic methanotrophs of Methylocystaceae, and methanol-utilization denitrifiers of Rhodocyclaceae that preferentially utilize methanol as the cross-feeding intermediates to promote the methane utilization efficiency, and thus to enhance the nitrate removal flux. These results raised from new designed DLM confirmed the importance of membrane surface properties on the effectiveness of MBfR, and offered great potential to address challenging problems of MBfRs during engineering application.

The objective of the research was to reveal the potential toxicity effects of methyl mercaptan on rat lung tissue. A dynamic exposure device and Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were adopted. The exposure concentration of methyl mercaptan was 0.5 ± 0.1 ppm. The exposure procedure was 6 h/day, continuing for 30 days. The routine blood levels, oxidative stress levels in serum, immune molecule and cytokine in the serum and lung tissue were tested. Morphology injury of lung tissue was detected by Hematoxylin and Eosin (HE) staining. Apoptosis rate of alveolar epithelial cells were determined by TdT-mediated dUTP Nick End Labeling (TUNEL) assay. Reduction of body weight gain was observed in the male group during the exposure time, while there was no significant reduction of body weight gain in the female group. Pathological findings of terminal bronchiole constriction, alveolar congestion, and erythrocyte exudation confirmed the lung to be the main target organ. An apparent pneumonocyte apoptotic effection was also observed. Oxidative stress with lipid peroxidation, which affect blood antioxidant enzyme levels and induce apoptosis of alveolar epithelial cells, are recognized as a potential mechanism leading to terminal bronchiole constriction, alveoli congestion, and exudates of erythrocyte.

The static and dynamic characteristics of the 15 kV 4H-silicon carbide (SiC) p-channel insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) are investigated by the numerical simulation. The effect of the JFET width $(L_{\mathrm{JFET}})$ on the blocking voltage, the on-state performance and the capacitance characteristic are analyzed particularly. As the $L_{\mathrm{JFET}}$ is 10 µm, a high blocking voltage of -15.94 kV and a forward voltage drop of -7.5 V at the forward current of -10 A can be achieved. Meanwhile, the $C_{\mathrm{ge}}$ is 1.4 nF and the $C_{\mathrm{gc}}$ is about 4 pF at the $V_{\mathrm{ce}}$ of -5 kV. Furthermore, the turn-on time is about 120 ns and the turn-off time is about 620 ns at -5 kV voltage, respectively.

Undesired long start-up time and unstable denitrification performance are major bottlenecks for engineering application of methane-based membrane biofilm reactors (MBfRs). In this study, two surface-manipulated membranes by respectively coating dopamine (DOPA) and grafting methoxy-poly(ethyleneglycol)-amine (mPEG-NH2) onto the base polypropylene (PP) membrane were prepared, and for the first employed to aerobic methane oxidation coupled to denitrification (AME-D) process in MBfRs for quick biofilm formation and improving denitrification performance. The experiments demonstrated that the modified membranes, especially for PP/DOPA/mPEGNH2 membrane, accelerated biofilm formation, and then shorten above 31% start-up time compared to the base PP membrane. Meanwhile, the biofilm detachment resistances also improved in the MBfRs employing the modified membrane. Extended Deraguin-Landau-Verwery-Oxerbeek (XDLVO) theory analysis indicated these benefits mainly attribute to enhanced interfacial interaction energy, which is significant to microbial initial attachment onto membrane surface. 16S rRNA gene analysis demonstrated the modified membrane also preferentially increased the abundances of key microorganisms at initial stage. These findings revealed the importance of quick biofilm formation and robust detachment resistance by involving surface-manipulated membranes onto maintaining MBfRs efficiency and stability.

Background Myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury is closely related to cardiomyocyte apoptosis. Stimulating β2 adrenergic receptor (β2AR) can effectively combat cardiomyocyte apoptosis. Previous studies demonstrate that the gut microbial metabolite phenylacetylglycine (PAGly) can stimulate β2AR. However, the effect of PAGly on myocardial I/R injury remains unknown. Methods: The hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) model was established using the neonatal mouse cardiomyocytes (NMCMs). Different doses of PAGly were used to treat NMCMs, and apoptosis was detected by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining. Additionally, the level of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) was examined by using a cAMP detection kit. Mouse model of myocardial I/R injury was established in C57BL/6 mice, and different doses of phenylacetic acid were administrated intraperitoneally. Apoptosis of myocardial cells was detected by TUNEL and α-actin staining. The area at risk and the infarct areas were identified by 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) and Evans blue staining. Western blotting was used to measure the protein expression levels of phosphorylated phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (p-PI3K), total Akt (t-Akt), phosphorylated Akt (p-AKT), Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax), B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2), cleaved caspase-3. Results: PAGly significantly suppressed H/R injury-induced apoptosis in NMCMs and inhibited apoptosis in myocardial I/R injured mice in vivo. We verified that PAGly activated the anti-apoptotic Gαi/PI3K/AKT signaling cascade in NMCMs via stimulating β2AR signaling. Continuous administration of PAGly at an appropriate dose could inhibit apoptosis and reduce the infarct size resulting from I/R injury in mice. However, high-dose PAGly treatment was associated with a higher mortality rate. Moreover, we demonstrated that Aspirin reduced the infarct size and the high mortality caused by high doses of PAGly in I/R injured mice. Conclusions: These findings suggest that treatment with the gut microbial metabolite PAGly could suppress cardiomyocyte apoptosis caused by myocardial I/R injury and reduce the infarct size, which provides a novel therapeutic strategy for patients with myocardial infarction.

While microbial spore production and germination of bacteria have been widely studied for their applications in animal husbandry, aquatic products, medicine, and food, few studies have investigated their use for the crack-healing of concrete. To effectively heal the cracks in concrete, studies suggest that the rate of sporulation and the germination of bacteria should be sufficiently high. This study investigates the effects of different carbon sources, nitrogen sources, Mn2+ concentrations, and external culture conditions on the sporulation rate and analyzes the effects of the pH value, heat activation, germinants, various cations, and nutrients on the germination of spores. Bacillus cohnii (B. cohnii) is chosen as the bacterium to be mixed in concrete because of its alkalophilic nature. The mineralization activity of spores after germination and the crack-healing capacity of concrete are studied. The optimal culture medium and the optimum external conditions for spore production are obtained. The total cell count and sporulation rate of bacteria obtained on this medium are 3.14 × 109 CFU/mL and 92.6%, respectively, under the optimum external conditions. The optimal pH value for the spore germination of B. cohnii is 9.7. While the cation Na+ strongly stimulates the germination of B. cohnii spores, other cations (such as K+, NH4+, and Ca2+) do not stimulate spore germination. The optimal concentration of Na+ is 200 mM. The germination rate of spores in the control group concrete specimen (room temperature 24°C) was more than 50%, thus suggesting that B. cohnii bacteria can be used in the self-healing of concrete cracks. The mineralization activity test proves that the spores of B. cohnii have a mineralizing function after germination, and the crystals produced by microbial-induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) are of pure calcite. When the crack width of the concrete specimen with spores of B. cohnii is less than 1.2 mm, it can be completely repaired after 28 days of healing.

There is evidence to show that electro-acupuncture (EA) has a promotive effect on both lipolysis and thermogenesis, and that these mechanisms underlie the anti-obesity effect of EA. The sympathetic nervous system (SNS) is known to play a role in thermogenesis. Additionally, obesity is characterized by a chronic low-grade inflammatory state. Based on these findings, the aim of the present study is to investigate the potential neuro-immune mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effect of EA in obesity. In the experiment, we used a high fat diet (HFD) rats model to study the effect of EA in reducing body weight. EA increases the activity of sympathetic nerves in inguinal white adipose tissue (iWAT), especially in the HFD group. Compared to HFD rats, EA can decrease sympathetic associated macrophage (SAM) and the level of norepinephrine transporter protein (Slc6a2). The relative uncoupling protein 1 expression shows EA increases thermogenesis in iWAT, and increases β3 receptors. Interestingly, injecting β antagonist in iWAT increases Slc6a2 protein levels. Additionally, the SNS-macrophage cross-talk response to EA showed in iWAT but not in epididymis white adipose tissue. The results of the present study indicate that EA exerts its anti-obesity effect via three mechanisms: (1) inhibition of SAMs and the norepinephrine transporter protein SlC6a2, (2) promoting SNS activity and thermogenesis, and (3) regulating immunologic balance.

The protein family with nucleotide binding sites and leucine-rich repeat (NBS-LRR) in plants stimulates immune responses caused by effectors and can mediate resistance to hemi-biotrophs and biotrophs. In our previous study, a Toll-interleukin-1(TIR)-NBS-LRR gene cloned from Vitis amurensis &ldquo, Shuanghong&rdquo, VaRGA1, was induced by Plasmopara viticola and could improve the resistance of tobacco to Phytophthora capsici. In this study, VaRGA1 in &ldquo, was also induced by salicylic acid (SA), but inhibited by jasmonic acid (JA). To investigate whether VaRGA1 confers broad-spectrum resistance to pathogens, we transferred this gene into Arabidopsis and then treated with Hyaloperonospora arabidopsidis (Hpa), Botrytis cinerea (B. cinerea), and Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000 (PstDC3000). Results showed that VaRGA1 improved transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana resistance to the biotrophic Hpa and hemi-biotrophic PstDC3000, but decreased resistance to the necrotrophic B. cinerea. Additionally, qPCR assays showed that VaRGA1 plays an important role in disease resistance by activating SA and inhibiting JA signaling pathways. A 1104 bp promoter fragment of VaRGA1 was cloned and analyzed to further elucidate the mechanism of induction of the gene at the transcriptional level. These results preliminarily confirmed the disease resistance function and signal regulation pathway of VaRGA1, and contributed to the identification of R-genes with broad-spectrum resistance function.

Proline (Pro) accumulation protects plant cell under abiotic stress. Hydroxyproline (Hyp) as selection agent is a toxic analog of proline and promotes Pro overaccumulation. In this study, Chardonnay calli were firstly irradiated with different dosages of 60Co and then cultured on a Hyp-added medium. Finally, some stable hydroxyproline-resistant (HR) calli were obtained. When calli were cultured on 4 mM Hyp medium for 7 days, intracellular Pro content of the HR calli was five times higher than that detected in the normal calli. The regeneration of HR calli into plantlets was much slower than that of normal ones. When cultured on woody plant medium (WPM) containing 10 mM NaCl for 14 days, HR plantlets still grew well with lower Pro than withered normal plantlets. qRT-PCR results of Pro biosynthesis-related genes in HR plantlets showed that three genes VvP5CS, VvOAT, and VvP5CDH were conducive for Pro accumulation. These results confirmed that HR plantlets acquired salt tolerance ability. We prospect that this procedure to obtain salt-tolerant plants may be valuable to breed programs and improve grapevine genotypes with increased tolerance to salt and other abiotic stresses.

Aliphatic polyester, poly(3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHV), is commonly produced as a granular component in bacterial cells of various species. Based on 16S rDNA gene sequence analysis, strain PJC48 was identified as a Bacillus species. The current study is aimed to screen for a high-yield strain that can produce PHV efficiently and to increase PHV product yield by optimizing the fermentative process. We identified a high-producer strain based on Nile red staining. Characterization of the PHV produced by PJC48 by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy revealed that it consisted of (R)-3-hydroxyvalerate monomers. The suggested model was validated by response surface methodology. Optimization of the PHV yield resulted in an increase of 32.75% compared to control, with a maximum production of 1.64 g/L after 48 H.

The design and synthesis of a new type of self-fluorescent polymeric H2S-donor was reported for the first time. The reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization of 3-formyl-4-hydroxybenzyl methacrylate (FHMA) afforded a structurally well-defined polymer poly(FHMA) (PFHMA) containing reactive salicylaldehyde groups that can serve as chemical handles for subsequent postpolymerization functionalization. Some of the aldehyde groups in PFHMA were then reacted sequentially with aminooxy-terminated PEG (PEG-ONH2) and hydrazine to incorporate water-soluble and biocompatible PEG side chains and salicylaldazine AIE fluorogens into PFHMA, affording an AIE-active PFHMA-g-PEG graft copolymer. The remaining salicylaldehyde units in the AIE-active PFHMA-g-PEG were utilized for the conjugation of S-benzoylthiohydroxylamine (SBTHA) to yield an AIE-active PFHMA-g-PEG/SBTHA conjugate that contains S-aroylthiooxime (SATO) units. Both AIE-active PFHMA-g-PEG and PFHMA-g-PEG/SBTHA conjugates showed no obvious cytotoxicity (cell viability >85%) even at high concentrations of up to 100 μg·mL−1, demonstrating good biocompatibilities. Triggered with cysteine or glutathione (1 mM), PFHMA-g-PEG/SBTHA conjugates ([SATO moieties] = 100 μM) could release H2S slowly with a ∼55 min peak time or ∼70 min peak time respectively. Thanks to the water-soluble PEG side chains, the resulting self-fluorescent H2S-releasing polymer could be dispersed in water, and its AIE attribute allowed for the visual representation within living cells via fluorescence imaging.

Zinc (Zn) metal is considered the promising anode for “post-lithium” energy storage due to its high volumetric capacity, low redox potential, abundant reserve, and low cost. However, extravagant Zn is required in present Zn batteries, featuring low Zn utilization rate and device-scale energy/power densities far below theoretical values. The limited reversibility of Zn metal is attributed to the spontaneous parasitic reactions of Zn with aqueous electrolytes, that is, corrosion with water, passive by-product formation, and dendrite growth. Here, a new ion-selective polymer glue coated on Zn anode is designed, isolating the Zn anode from the electrolyte by blocking water diffusion while allowing rapid Zn2+ ion migration and facilitating uniform electrodeposition. Hence, a record-high Zn utilization of 90% is realized for 1000 h at high current densities, in sharp contrast to much poorer cyclability (usually

An AB2 monomer PhBr2CCPhCCH containing one acetylene group and two bromide groups was efficiently synthesized by a strategy based on the different reactivity between aromatic iodide and bromide in Sonogashira reaction. The Sonogashira polymerization of PhBr2CCPhCCH was investigated to get hyperbranched poly(p-phenyleneethynylene-alt-m-phenyleneethynylene) (hb-PMPE) in terms of the effects of monomer addition method, core molecule with different functionality, and ratio of [monomer]/[core molecule]. The results showed that narrow dispersities (D) (D: 1.23∼1.50) were obtained by slow monomer addition and with core molecule. Bifunctional core molecule induced narrower dispersity than monofunctional core molecule. The molecular weight of hb-PMPE increased with increasing ratio of [monomer]/[core molecule], however, a negative deviation from calculated value was observed. The dispersity slightly increased with increasing [monomer]/[core molecule]. When the ratio of [monomer]/[core molecule] was below 50/1, monomodal distribution was observed; whereas when the ratio increased to 70/1, bimodal distribution was obtained. All the polymers showed degrees of branching (DBs) around 0.6. The hb-PMPEs showed one major absorption band with λmax around 330 nm, and emission band with λmax around 390 nm. All the polymers showed relative quantum yields (Φr) above 0.5 in dilute THF solution. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2017.

Salinity stress have detrimental effect on teleosts and may increase susceptibility to disease. Betaine is a compound utilized by organisms to regulate osmotic pressure and plays an important role in the immune response and anti-inflammatory functions. Here, the protective effects of betaine against Vibrio anguillarum infection of ayu under conditions of salinity was determined. A total of 60 ayu were cultured at 10 ppt salinity for 14 days, all fish were intraperitoneally injected with 100 μL of 100 or 200 mg/kg of betaine or saline on days 0, 2, 4, and 6. The fish were subsequently infected with V. anguillarum. The results showed that betaine treatment improved the survival rate of V. anguillarum-infected ayu. Betaine treatment decreased the bacterial load and histological damage in the head-kidney, liver, and spleen. Besides, the inflammatory response was decreased by betaine in V. anguillarum-infected ayu tissues and monocytes/macrophages (MO/MФ). Furthermore, in hypertonic-exposed MO/MФ (19 mOsm), betaine treatment enhanced phagocytosis activity and promoted the bacterial killing capability. Finally, we found that betaine mediated the inflammatory response through BGT-1 in V. anguillarum-infected ayu MO/MФ. In conclusion, when exposed to osmotic stress, betaine was able to mediate the host defense in ayu and modulate the antibacterial response through MO/MФ.

Downy mildew (DM), one of the most devastating grape diseases worldwide, is caused by the biotrophic oomycete Plasmopara viticola (Pv). In general, grapevine responds to Pv infection with the accumulation of phytoalexins as part of the innate immune system, and diverse phytoalexins are induced on grapevines with different DM-resistance levels in response to Pv invasion. However, the regulation of phytoalexin biosynthesis during grapevine against Pv is still unclear. Herein, we detected stilbenes by UPLC-ESI-MS/MS and found that resveratrol was accumulated to higher level and earlier in the DM-immune Muscadinia rotundifolia 'Noble' than that in the DM-susceptible Vitis vinifera 'Thompson Seedless' after Pv inoculation. Additionally, a considerable amount of pterostilbene and ε-viniferin was found in 'Noble', while a little was detected in 'Thompson Seedless'. Resveratrol was glycosylated into piceid both in 'Noble' and 'Thompson Seedless' after Pv inoculation. The qPCR analysis of gene expression indicated that the resveratrol-synthesis gene (STS) was induced by Pv inoculation earlier in 'Noble' than that in 'Thompson Seedless', while the pterostilbene-synthesis gene (ROMT) was induced in 'Noble' but not in 'Thompson Seedless' at all. The piceid-synthesis gene (GT) was generally up-regulated in both cultivars. Sequence analysis of STS, ROMT, and GT promoters revealed that they contained cis-regulatory elements responsive to phytohormones and pathogens. Following Pv inoculation, the level of SA, MeJA, and ABA was found to be consistently higher in 'Noble' than those in 'Thompson Seedless'. The results of exogenous hormone elicitation further demonstrated that the accumulation of stilbenes was regulated by phytohormones. The earlier and higher accumulation of phytohormones and consequent induction of stilbene synthesis may play an important role in grapevine defense against downy mildew disease.

Objective To investigate whether intravitreally applied haemangioblasts (HB) derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) are helpful for the repair of vascular damage caused in animals by an oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR), by an induced diabetic retinopathy (DR) or by an induced retinal ischaemia with subsequent reperfusion. Methods Human embryonic stem cell-derived HBs were transplanted intravitreally into C57BL/6J mice (OIR model), into male Wistar rats with an induced DR and into male Wistar rats undergoing induced retinal ischaemia with subsequent reperfusion. Control groups of animals received an intravitreal injection of endothelial cells (ECs) or phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). We examined the vasculature integrity in the mice with OIR, the blood–retina barrier in the rats with induced DR, and retinal thickness and retinal ganglion cell density in retina flat mounts of the rats with the retinal ischaemic–reperfusion retinopathy. Results In the OIR model, the study group versus control groups showed a significantly (p

Using data on carbon emissions and carbon sinks in the villages of the Yangtze River Delta region of China, this research utilised the management function of grassroots government and selected four factors of these villages’ carbon emissions: natural ecology, economic industry, residential development and infrastructure. Then, a carbon-emissions inventory of these villages was conducted, collecting data on the emissions-activity levels and emissions factors. Finally, a method of evaluating the villages’ carbon emissions was developed. Meanwhile, four types of landforms (mountains, hills, plains and islands) and eight villages with different industry types in the Yangtze River Delta region were selected for the case study and evaluation of carbon emissions. These villages’ carbon emissions had a range of 1.302–3.296 t per capita, except for Xinligang, which had the highest emissions, at 36.206 t per capita. The mountain villages had the highest carbon sinks (0.7–1.89 t per capita), while the sinks of villages in other landforms were much lower (0–0.43 t per capita). Based on the evaluation results, the villages’ carbon emissions were divided into four types. The villages’ characteristics were analysed according to the different types of carbon emissions, and then optimisation suggestions to reduce emissions and increase sinks were proposed. The study results can support low-carbon planning and development for villages in the Yangtze River Delta region.

Tons of grape pomace which still contained a rich amount of plant polyphenols, is discarded after winemaking. Plant polyphenols have multi‐functional activities for human body. In this study, polyphenols of pomaces from Muscadinia rotundifolia“Noble” and Vitis vinifera“Cabernet Sauvignon” were extracted and fractionated, and then they were analyzed with LC‐MS and the inhibitory effects on breast cancer cells were compared. The inhibition on MDA‐MB‐231 cells of fractions from “Noble” was further evaluated. The results showed that polyphenols from 2 grape pomaces could be separated into 3 fractions, and ellagic acid and/or ellagitannins were only detected in fractions from “Noble” pomace. All 3 fractions from “Noble” pomace inhibited MDA‐MB‐231 better than MCF‐7. But fraction 2 from “Cabernet Sauvignon” inhibited MCF‐7 better while fraction 1 and fraction 3 inhibited both 2 cells similarly. Moreover, the fractions from “Noble” pomace rather than “Cabernet Sauvignon” can inhibit MDA‐MB‐231 better. Finally, fractions from “Noble” pomace can induce S‐phase arrest and apoptosis on MDA‐MB‐231. These findings suggested the extracts from grape pomace especially those from “Noble,” are potential to be utilized as health beneficial products or even anti‐breast cancer agents.

Many U-box proteins have been identified and characterized as important factors against environmental stresses such as chilling, heat, salinity and pathogen attack in plant. Our previous research reported the cloning of a novel U-box protein gene VaPUB from Vitis amurensis ‘Zuoshanyi’ grape and suggested a function of it in related to cold stress in the model plant Arabidopsis system. In this study, the role of VaPUB in response to biotic and abiotic stress was further analyzed in the homologous grapevine system by studying the transcript regulation and the protein accumulation in VaPUB transgenic vines. The expression analysis assay shown that VaPUB was significantly up-regulated 6 h after cold treatment and as early as 2 h post inoculation with Plasmopara viticola , a pathogen causing downy mildew disease in grapevine. Over-expressing VaPUB in V. Vinifera ‘Thompson Seedless’ affected the microstructure of leaves. The proteome assay shown that the accumulation of pathogenesis-related protein PR10 and many proteins involved in carbon and energy metabolism, oxidation reaction and protein metabolism were significantly altered in transgenic vines. In comparison with wild type plants, the expression level of PR10 family genes was significantly decreased in VaPUB transgenic vines under P. viticola treatment or cold stress. Results from this study showed that the U-box protein gene PUB quickly responded to both biotic stress and abiotic stress and significantly influenced the accumulation of resistance related proteins in grapevine.

Monosialoganglioside 1 (GM1) is the main ganglioside subtype and has neuroprotective properties in the central nervous system. In this study, we aimed to determine whether GM1 alleviates neurotoxicity induced by moderate and high concentrations of propofol combined with remifentanil in the immature central nervous system. Hippocampal neural stem cells were isolated from newborn Sprague-Dawley rats and treated with remifentanil (5, 10, 20 ng/mL) and propofol (1.0, 2.5, 5.0 μg/mL), and/or GM1 (12.5, 25, 50 μg/mL). GM1 reversed combined propofol and remifentanil-induced decreases in the percentage of 5-bromodeoxyuridine(+) cells and also reversed the increase in apoptotic cell percentage during neural stem cell proliferation and differentiation. However, GM1 with combined propofol and remifentanil did not affect β-tubulin(+) or glial fibrillary acidic protein(+) cell percentage during neural stem cell differentiation. In conclusion, we show that GM1 alleviates the damaging effects of propofol combined with remifentanil at moderate and high exposure concentrations in neural stem cells in vitro, and exerts protective effects on the immature central nervous system.

Fifty-eight muscadine grape varieties were evaluated for their fruit quality, nutraceutical, and antimicrobial properties during two growing seasons (2012 vs. 2013). Fruit quality was significantly different among muscadine grape varieties, with weight ranged from 2.93 to 22.32g, pH from 3.01 to 3.84, titratable acidity from 0.27% to 0.83%, and °Brix from 10.92 to 23.91. Total phenols for different muscadine juices varied from 0.26 to 1.28mgGA/mL, skins from 10.13 to 30.02mgGA/g DM, and seeds from 22.47 to 72.01mgGA/g DM. Accordingly, the antioxidant activity of grape juices varied from 0.97 to 6.78mmolTrolox/mL, skins from 83.59 to 221.20μmolTrolox/g DM, and seeds from 178.22 to 619.73μmolTrolox/g DM. Study demonstratedgrape seed polyphenols (MIC 54.8-60.1μg/ml) showed stronger antimicrobial activity against S. aureus than skin polyphenols (MIC 70.7-80.2μg/ml). This information could be a valuable asset in the research and extension of muscadine grapes.

Ripe rot is a serious grapevine disease in Vitis L. and Muscadinia (Planch.) Small. However, resistance to this disease has been reported in some oriental Vitis species. To identify resistance-related Quantitative Trait Loci (QTLs) from the Chinese grape species V. amurensis, an F1 population of V. vinifera ‘Cabernet Sauvignon’ × V. amurensis ‘Shuang Hong’ was used to map the ripe rot resistance loci expected in ‘Shuang Hong’ grape. A total of 7598 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) between the parents were identified in our previous study, and 934 SNPs were selected for genetic map construction. These SNPs are distributed across the 19 chromosomes covering a total of 1665.31 cM in length, with an average of 1.81 cM between markers. Ripe rot resistance phenotypes among the hybrids were evaluated in vitro using excised leaves for three consecutive years from 2016 to 2018; a continuous variation was found among the F1 hybrids, and the Pearson correlation coefficients of the phenotypes scored in all three years were significant at the 0.01 level. Notably, the first QTL reported for resistance to grape ripe rot disease, named Cgr1, was identified on chromosome 14 of ‘Shuang Hong’ grapevine. Cgr1 could explain up to 19.90% of the phenotypic variance. In addition, a SNP named ‘np19345’ was identified as a molecular marker closely linked to the peak of Cgr1 and has the potential to be developed as a marker for the Cgr1 resistance haplotype., Grapevine: Genomic region linked to fungal resistance in Chinese varietal Researchers in China have discovered the first region of the grapevine genome known to confer resistance to ripe rot, a fruit disease caused by fungal pathogens. A team led by Shiren Song and Jiang Lu from Shanghai Jiao Tong University crossbred a European grape species that’s susceptible to ripe rot with a Chinese grape species that’s resistant to the disease. They inoculated the progeny’s leaves with the fungus and searched for genetic differences that could explain variation in rot symptoms. In this way, the researchers identified a segment of chromosome 14 from the Chinese Amur grape, Vitis amurensis ‘Shuang Hong’, that accounted for about 20% of difference in resistance capacity between the two grape species. This information could help breeders select more rot-resistant grapevines in the future.