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Sarcoplasmic calcium-binding protein is a stable allergen in Scylla paramamosain and named Scy p 4. To explore the importance of linear epitopes in the immunoglobulin G (IgG)/immunoglobulin E (IgE)-binding capacity of Scy p 4, chemical denaturants were used to destroy the structure. Scy p 4 was reduced with dithiothreitol and subsequently alkylated with iodoacetamide (IAA). Furthermore, the structural analysis indicated that IAA-Scy p 4 was an unstructured protein. The inhibition enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay showed that IAA-Scy p 4 could inhibit the binding of Scy p 4 to sensitize serum, with inhibition rates reached 55%. Moreover, the linear mimotopes of Scy p 4 were predicted in silico. Three linear epitopes were verified by serological tests and named L-Scy p 4-1 (AA76-91), L-Scy p 4-2 (AA111-125), and L-Scy p 4-3 (AA137-146). Overall, these data provide an understanding of the relationship between the structure and allergenicity about Scy p 4, and the identified linear epitopes can be used for diagnosis and food processing of shellfish allergy.

Allergic reactions occur after the whole food is ingested, rather than the purified allergen. The present study explores the low-allergenic food processing for Litopenaeus vannamei by analysis of macrostructure, digestibility, and immunoreactivity. Furthermore, the presence of modified amino acids on the reported IgE epitopes was analyzed by mass spectrometry. Results showed that the combination processing of Maillard reaction (shrimp meat with galactose) with high temperature-pressure at 115 °C obviously changed the macrostructure and increased the digestibility for the shrimp meat. Meanwhile, the processing significantly reduced the IgG/IgE-binding activity of the shrimp meat. The hypo-IgE-binding activity in processed shrimp may be due to the modification of lysine, arginine, and cysteine residues in antigen epitopes. This is a comprehensive assessment of the specific amino acid residues modified by glycation of multiple allergens in processed L. vannamei, which provides a new research method to explore the hypo-IgE-binding activity in food.

Due to the increasingly strict emission standards of NOx on various industries, many traditional flue gas treatment methods have been gradually improved. Except for selective catalytic reduction (SCR) and selective non-catalytic reduction (SNCR) methods to remove NOx from flue gas, theoxidation method is paying more attention to NOx removal now because of the potential to simultaneously remove multiple pollutants from flue gas. This paper summarizes the efficiency, reaction conditions, effect factors, and reaction mechanism of NO oxidation from the aspects of liquid-phase oxidation, gas-phase oxidation, plasma technology, and catalytic oxidation. The effects of free radicals and active components of catalysts on NO oxidation and the combination of various oxidation methods are discussed in detail. The advantages and disadvantages of different oxidation methods are summarized, and the suggestions for future research on NO oxidation are put forward at the end. The review on the NO removal by oxidation methods can provide new ideas for future studies on the NO removal from flue gas.

Scallop (Chlamys nobilis) causes an IgE-mediated food allergy; however, studies of the allergens in its musculus are not sufficiently comprehensive. In this context, the target protein was purified from scallops and confirmed to be the major allergen tropomyosin (TM) using proteomic technology and serological testing. Subsequently, seven potential IgE epitopes of TM were obtained using phage display technology with IgE enrichment from the serum of scallop-sensitized patients and identified via inhibition enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. A method for the Maillard reaction of TM and xylose was established, and Maillard-reacted TM (MR-TM) showed significantly decreased immunobinding activity and CD63 and CD203c expression in basophils compared with TM. Furthermore, shotgun proteomics analysis showed that eleven specific amino acids (K12, R15, K28, K76, R125, R127, K128, R133, R140, K146, and K189) of the six IgE epitopes of TM were modified after the Maillard reaction. Overall, the immunoactivity of MR-TM was reduced, which provides a theoretical reference for the development of hypoallergenic foods.

Mn-Based catalysts supported on γ-Al2O3, TiO2 and MCM-41 synthesized by an impregnation method were compared to evaluate their NO catalytic oxidation performance with low ratio O3/NO at low temperature (80–200 °C). Activity tests showed that the participation of O3 remarkably promoted the NO oxidation. The catalytic oxidation performance of the three catalysts decreased in the following order: Mn/γ-Al2O3 > Mn/TiO2 > Mn/MCM-41, indicating that Mn/γ-Al2O3 exhibited the best catalytic activity. In addition, there was a clear synergistic effect between Mn/γ-Al2O3 and O3, followed by Mn/TiO2 and O3. The characterization results of XRD, EDS mapping, BET, H2-TPR, XPS and TG showed that Mn/γ-Al2O3 had good manganese dispersion, excellent redox properties, appropriate amounts of coexisting Mn3+ and Mn4+ and abundant chemically adsorbed oxygen, which ensured its good performance. In situ DRIFTS demonstrated the NO adsorption performance on the catalyst surface. As revealed by in situ DRIFTS experiments, the chemically adsorbed oxygen, mainly from the decomposition of O3, greatly promoted the NO adsorption and the formation of nitrates. The Mn-based catalysts showed stronger adsorption strength than the corresponding pure supports. Due to the abundant adsorption sites provided by pure γ-Al2O3, under the interaction of Mn and γ-Al2O3, the Mn/γ-Al2O3 catalyst exhibited the strongest NO adsorption performance among the three catalysts and produced lots of monodentate nitrates (–O–NO2) and bidentate nitrates (–O2NO), which were the vital intermediate species for NO2 formation. Moreover, the NO–TPD studies also demonstrated that Mn/γ-Al2O3 showed the best NO desorption performance among the three catalysts. The good NO adsorption and desorption characteristics of Mn/γ-Al2O3 improved its high catalytic activity. In addition, the activity test results also suggested that Mn/γ-Al2O3 exhibited good SO2 tolerance.

Sarcoplasmic-calcium-binding protein (SCP) has been investigated as a novel allergen in Crassostrea angulata. Nevertheless, knowledge of its effector-cell-based allergic relevance and epitopes is limited. In this study, the heat-resistant allergen SCP was able to induce significant upregulation of CD63 and CD203c (p < 0.05), which showed obvious allergenicity in a basophil activation test. Furthermore, immunoinformatic tools, a one-bead-one-compound peptide library, and phage display technology were combined to analyze the allergenic epitopes of SCP. Five linear epitopes named L-SCP-1 (AA22-33), L-SCP-2 (AA64-75), L-SCP-3 (AA80-90), L-SCP-4 (AA107-116), and L-SCP-5 (AA144-159) were verified using serological tests. Additionally, two conformational epitopes (C-SCP-1 and C-SCP-2) were determined, and C-SCP-1 was located at one of the calcium-binding sites (AA106-117). Moreover, SCP showed weaker typical α-helical features and higher hydrophobicity after Ca2+ depletion, which reduced its IgE-binding capacity. Overall, these epitope data could enhance our understanding of oyster allergens, which could be used to develop hypoallergenic shellfish products.

In order to reduce the immunoreactivity of sarcoplasmic calcium-binding protein (SCP), site-directed mutations were used to replace key amino acids in the conformational epitopes and calcium-binding sites. The mutant SCPs (mSCPs) were expressed in Escherichia coli, and their immunoreactivities were analyzed using iELISA and basophil activation assays. Furthermore, the structural changes of mSCPs were determined from the circular dichroism spectra. The iELISA results showed that mSCPs could effectively inhibit the binding of wild-type SCP (wtSCP) to sensitive serum, with inhibition rates that reached 90%. Moreover, mSCPs could downregulate the expression levels of CD63 and CD203c on the basophil surface. Compared with wtSCP, the peak values were significantly changed, and the calcium binding ability was impaired, which explained the decline in immunoreactivities of the mSCPs. All of the data confirmed that this approach was effective in reducing the immunoreactivity of SCP and could be applied to other shellfish allergens.

The estimation of mercury (Hg) emission fluxes from geothermal sources has a large uncertainty due to the paucity of relevant measurements. Using a high-precision, easy-to-deploy, and cost-effectiv...

Carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins are the three major nutrients required by the human body. The lipids, comprising triglycerides, phospholipids, and sterols, provide energy and essential fatty acids for the body, and are required for the growth and maintenance of human cells and tissues. A variety of lipid molecules and their intermediates are involved in cell signaling and inflammation, and have been reported to promote tumor transformation and progression. Fatty acid biosynthetic enzymes are also involved in the lipid metabolism of tumors. Dyslipidemia is closely related to many solid tumors, and may both play a role in both tumorigenesis and be a consequence of tumor development. Therefore, abnormal lipid metabolism is strongly associated with tumor transformation and progression. This review discusses the signaling pathways, related genes, enzymes, and inflammatory cell factors involved in tumor lipid metabolism, as well as the roles of dyslipidemia in tumor transformation and progression. We believe the information provided will serve as valuable reference highlighting molecules that can be targeted to improve the treatment of tumors.

Oysters are an important shellfish group known to cause food allergy; however, knowledge of their sensitization components and cross-reactivity is limited. This study aimed to identify a novel allergen in Crassostrea angulata and investigate its cross-reactivity. To this end, a 20 kDa protein was purified from oyster and confirmed to be a sarcoplasmic-calcium-binding protein (SCP) by LC-MS/MS. A 537 bp open reading frame was obtained from oyster SCP total RNA, which encoded 179 amino acids, and was expressed in Escherichia coli. According to the circular dichroism results, digestion assay, and inhibition ELISA, the recombinant SCP (rSCP) exhibited similar physicochemical properties and IgG-binding activity to native SCP. rSCP displayed stronger IgE-binding activity by immunological method. Moreover, a different intensity of cross-reactivity and sequence homology were demonstrated between shellfish species. Collectively, these findings provide novel insight into shellfish allergens, which can be used to aid in the in vitro diagnosis of oyster-sensitized patients.

In order to broaden the temperature range of NO oxidation reaction in flue gas and maintain high oxidation efficiency, various loading amounts of MnOx-CoOx/TiO2 mesoporous catalysts were tested in the catalytic oxidation of NO. It was found that 15%MnOx-CoOx(2 : 1)/TiO2 demonstrated the best adsorption performance to oxygen species and contained more oxygen vacancies, as well as the best surface oxygen mobility, thus exhibiting excellent NO catalytic oxidation activity. O3 (O3/NO < 1) combined with 15%MnOx-CoOx(2 : 1)/TiO2 improved the oxidation efficiency of NO at 50-400 °C, especially below 250 °C. When the temperatures were less than 250 °C, the oxidation efficiencies of NO by O3 over 15%MnOx-CoOx(2 : 1)/TiO2 were 5-13% higher than the calculated theoretical efficiencies. This indicated that there was a synergistic effect between O3 and 15%MnOx-CoOx(2 : 1)/TiO2 below 250 °C. Based on the results of in situ DRIFTS studies, it was deduced that monodentate nitrates were the main intermediates that produced a synergistic effect due to the introduction of O3. In addition, O3 accelerated the transformation between nitrate species, decreased the decomposition temperature of nitrate species, and inhibited the accumulation of nitrate ions, thus improving the oxidation efficiency of NO.

Bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) blends are commonly used as active materials for optoelectronics. Ordering of molecular packing in blends is critical to their electronic properties, spurring investigatio...

NO catalytic oxidation using 15% Mn/TiO2, 15% Co/TiO2, and 15% Mn–Co(2:1)/TiO2 with a low molar ratio of O3/NO was investigated. O3 improved NO catalytic oxidation performance, including the tolera...

SAPO-11 molecular sieves were modified with different Ni contents by the in situ modification method. The Ni-modified SAPO-11 molecular sieves were used as the supports to prepare the corresponding NiW-supported catalysts for the hydroisomerization of n-hexadecane. The Ni-modified SAPO-11 and the corresponding NiW-supported catalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, N2 adsorption–desorption, NH3-temperature-programmed desorption, pyridine adsorbed infrared, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results showed that Ni in situ modification preserved the crystal structure of SAPO-11; increased the BET specific surface area, mesopore volume, and medium and strong Brønsted acid amount of SAPO-11; and increased the stacking number of the active phase of the catalysts. 3Ni-SAPO-11 possessed the largest BET specific surface area, mesopore volume, and medium and strong Brønsted acid amount. NiW/3Ni-SAPO-11 possessed the highest dispersion of the active phase and the highest sulfidation degree of the active metals. The results of the hydroisomerization of n-hexadecane showed that Ni in situ modification improved the catalytic activity and selectivity of the catalysts for the hydroisomerization of n-hexadecane to varying degrees. Especially, NiW/3Ni-SAPO-11 had the highest catalytic activity and isomer selectivity, and the maximum yield of isomeric hexadecane could reach 71.18%.

The molecular mechanisms underlying neuropathic pain (NP) remain poorly understood. Emerging evidence has suggested the role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in the initiation and development of NP, but the specific effects of miRNAs in NP are largely unknown. Here, we use network‐ and pathway‐based methods to investigate NP‐induced miRNA changes and their biological functions by conducting a systematic search through multiple electronic databases. Thirty‐seven articles meet the inclusion criteria. Venn analysis and target gene forecasting are performed and the results indicate that 167 overlapping target genes are co‐regulated by five down‐regulated miRNAs (rno‐miR‐183, rno‐miR‐96, rno‐miR‐30b, rno‐miR‐150 and rno‐miR‐206). Protein‐protein interaction network analysis shows that 77 genes exhibit interactions, with cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)‐dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit beta (degree = 11) and cAMP‐response element binding protein 1 (degree = 10) having the highest connectivity degree. Gene ontology analysis shows that these target genes are enriched in neuron part, neuron projection, somatodendritic compartment and nervous system development. Moreover, analysis of Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes reveals that three pathways, namely, axon guidance, circadian entrainment and insulin secretion, are significantly enriched. In addition, rno‐miR‐183, rno‐miR‐96, rno‐miR‐30b, rno‐miR‐150 and rno‐miR‐206 are consistently down‐regulated in the NP models, thus constituting the potential biomarkers of this disease. Characterizing these miRNAs and their target genes paves way for their future use in clinical practice.

Aiming at extending the photoresponse range of the photodetectors based on Poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl): [6,6]-Phenyl C71 butyric acid methyl ester (P3HT: PCBM) host system, Poly [(5,6-difluoro-2,1,3-benzothiadiazole-4,7-diyl)-alt-(3,3‴-di(2-octyldodecyl)-2,2’;5’,2’’;5’’,2‴-quaterthiophen-5,5‴-diyl)] (PffBT4T-2OD) with wide spectral response range, proper energy levels and high crystallinity was integrated to fabricate ternary organic photodetectors. The PffBT4T-2OD introduces energy cascade and Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET) effect from P3HT to PffBT4T-2OD, which contributes to the photocurrent generation. Furthermore, PffBT4T-2OD creates films with desirable crystallinity to produce a favorable morphology resulting in the apparent d-spacing decrement of π-π stacking of P3HT: PCBM, which probably increases the intermolecular charge hopping efficiency. The optimal photodetector shows high on/off ratio of 6.7 × 104 with a broad spectral response from 300 nm to 800 nm via incorporating 15 wt% PffBT4T-2OD into polymer bulk heterojunction, which is an obvious improvement compared with the 2.6 × 104 on/off ratio of P3HT: PCBM. This work indicates that FRET and morphology optimization have a profound effect on photoresponse and electrical properties of organic photodetectors.

In solution-processed small molecule organic solar cells (SM-OSCs), morphology of the active layer is a critically important factor in determining photovoltaic performance improvements, which needs to be optimized by more effective morphology modulation approaches. Herein, a medium bandgap conjugated polymer, namely poly[(2,6-(4,8-bis(5-(2-ethylhexyl)thiophen-2-yl)-benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′]dithiophene))-alt -(5,5-(1′,3′-di-2-thienyl-5′,7′-bis(2-ethylhexyl)benzo[1′,2′-c:4′,5′-c′]dithio-phene-4,8-dione))] (PBDB-T), as a morphology regulator was incorporated into the dominating binary SM system comprising of (2,2′-((5Z,5′Z)-5,5′-((3,3‴,3′′′′,4′-tetraoctyl-[2,2′:5′,2′′:5″,2‴:5‴,2′′′′-quinquethio-phene]-5,5′′′′-diyl)bis(methanyly-lidene))bis(3-ethyl-4-oxothiazoli-dine-5,2-diylidene))dimalononitrile) (DRCN5T) donor and [6,6]-phenyl-C71-butyric acid methyl ester (PC71BM) acceptor to fabricate efficient ternary devices. The PBDB-T not only exhibits the better compatibility and miscibility with DRCN5T but also modulates the crystallinity and molecular arrangement of blend films, which is beneficial to enhance the charge carrier mobility to yield the higher fill factor. Photophysical investigations demonstrate that charge transfer and Forster resonance energy transfer processes coexist between PBDB-T and DRCN5T, which enables the higher short-circuit current density to bring about the efficiency improvements in ternary devices. In addition, the relationship between underlying operating mechanisms and nanoscale morphology evolution is systematically studied. Based on the interwined multi-working mechanisms involving energy transfer and two distinct charge transfer manners associated with microstructure, a 22.1% increase of the PCE was obtained for the ternary devices. These results indicate that selecting the compatible and miscible polymer donor as the third component for SM:fullerene based binary system should be an effective method for morphology optimization to further achieve high performance ternary OSCs.

Modelling studies suggest that the climate and the hydrological cycle are sensitive to the concentrations of ice-nucleating particles (INPs). However, the concentrations, composition, and sources of INPs in the atmosphere remain uncertain. Here, we report daily concentrations of INPs in the immersion freezing mode and tracers of mineral dust (Al, Fe, Ti, and Mn), sea spray aerosol (Na+ and Cl−), and anthropogenic aerosol (Zn, Pb, NO3-, NH4+, and non-sea-salt SO42-) at Alert, Canada, during a 3-week campaign in March 2016. In total, 16 daily measurements of INPs are reported. The average INP concentrations measured in the immersion freezing mode were 0.005±0.002, 0.020±0.004, and 0.186±0.040 L−1 at −15, −20, and −25 ∘C, respectively. These concentrations are within the range of concentrations measured previously in the Arctic at ground level or sea level. Mineral dust tracers all correlated with INPs at −25 ∘C (correlation coefficient, R, ranged from 0.70 to 0.76), suggesting that mineral dust was a major contributor to the INP population at −25 ∘C. Particle dispersion modelling suggests that the source of the mineral dust may have been long-range transport from the Gobi Desert. Sea spray tracers were anti-correlated with INPs at −25 ∘C (R=-0.56). In addition, INP concentrations at −25 ∘C divided by mass concentrations of aluminum were anti-correlated with sea spray tracers (R=-0.51 and −0.55 for Na+ and Cl−, respectively), suggesting that the components of sea spray aerosol suppressed the ice-nucleating ability of mineral dust in the immersion freezing mode. Correlations between INPs and anthropogenic aerosol tracers were not statistically significant. These results will improve our understanding of INPs in the Arctic during spring.

Many types of shellfish, including shrimp, are sometimes cooked before ingestion. Hence, it is necessary to investigate how cooking (boiling, pressure treatment or none (raw)) affects the structure, digestibility and immunoreactivity of multi-component shrimp muscle. Protein extraction, simulated gastrointestinal digestion, immunoreactivity, immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated human mast cell degranulation, morphology, particle size and UV absorbance scanning were used to investigate changes in the shrimp muscle upon treatment. The extractability of proteins and allergens was highest with 0.5 mol L-1 NaCl. Pressure treatment increased the digestibility and reduced the immunoreactivity of shrimp edible portions. Thermal processing induced the production of regular fiber bundles, blue shifts of absorbance peaks and reduction of particle size in the complex food matrix. These changes in macro- and micro-structure can further affect gastrointestinal digestibility and immunoreactivity due to the interactions between multiple components in the whole food. In conclusion, the digestibility, immunoreactivity and structure were altered by thermal processing of the complex food matrix.

With great interest, we read a study about a novel model modification for end-stage liver disease-sodium (MELD).(1) Starlinger P and colleagues concluded that the addition of C-reactive protein (CRP) and von Willebrand factor antigen (vWF-Ag) to the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease-Sodium (MELD-Na) improves the prediction of waitlist mortality. However, several crucial concerns attached our due attention.

Improving the thermostability of the luciferase from firefly (Photinus pyralis) needs to be solved to broaden its industrial applications. In this paper, molecular dynamic (MD) simulations were used to identify 4 amino acid substitutions (P183V, E325K, Q338V, and E354K) which might have a significant influence on the thermostability of luciferase. Root-mean-square deviation values were calculated to further evaluate the effect of these mutations on thermostability of the enzyme and demonstrated that the thermostability of the corresponding protein variants was in the order E354K > E325K > WT > P183V > Q338V. Following the MD simulation, the enzyme variants were expressed in a recombinant host, and the results showed that the t1/2, T50, and Tm of mutant E354K were increased 2.32-fold, and 4.5 and 3.3°C more compared with the wild type, respectively. MD simulations, as well as circular dichroism and fluorescence spectroscopy were further applied to elucidate the conformational differences between the wild-type and E354K luciferases. The results indicated that a possible explanation for the improved thermostability of E354K enzyme lies in the formation of a salt bridge between Lys354 and Glu311 and alteration of protein conformation.

Removal of nitrogen oxides (NOx) is very crucial in coal-fired power plants, smelting plants and some other heavy industries. Herein, a new approach, in situ Fenton (IF) system with dual ions as reagents, was reported for the efficient oxidation removal of nitric oxide (NO). It demonstrated that the in situ Fenton (IF) system was more effective than the premixed Fenton (PF) system due to the increase of yield and utilization of (radOH) in the homogeneous reaction systems. The dual ions with Fe2+ and Mn+ (Mn+ = Ce3+, Cu2+, Co2+, Mn2+) as Fenton reagents were found to be more effective in NO oxidation than Fe2+ as single Fenton reagent. The obvious improvements on the oxidation efficiencies of NO were 18.85%, 16.72%, 16.58%, 16.38% in the Fe2+Ce3+/H2O2, Fe2+Cu2+/H2O2, Fe2+Mn2+/H2O2 and Fe2+Co2+/H2O2 when compared with that in Fe2+/H2O2. The corresponding optimal molar ratios of the dual ions solution were 20%:80%, 20%:80%, 50%:50% and 50%:50% for Fe2+Ce3+/H2O2, Fe2+Cu2+/H2O2, Fe2+Mn2+/H2O2 and Fe2+Co2+/H2O2, respectively. Under the optimal conditions, the oxidation efficiencies of NO were more than 85%. The improvement of NO oxidation efficiencies in the dual ionic IF system could be ascribed to the enhancement on the generation and utilization of oxidative species, which resulted from the continuous injection of fresh reagents and the oxidation of Fe2+Mn+ to Fe3+M(n+1)+ and subsequent re-reduction of them.

Achieving high-efficiency thick-film bulk heterojunction (BHJ) organic solar cells (OSCs) with thickness-independent power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) in a wide thickness range is still a challenge for the roll-to-roll printing techniques. The concept of diluting the transport sites within BHJ films with insulating polymers can effectively eliminate charge trapping states and optimize the charge transport. Herein, we first adopted the concept with insulating polypropylene (PP) in the efficient non-fullerene system (PM6:Y6) and demonstrated its potential to fabricate thick-film OSCs. The PP can form an insulating matrix prior to PM6 and Y6 within the BHJ film, resulting in an enhanced molecular interaction and isolated charge transport by expelling Y6 molecules. We thus observed reduced trap state density and improved charge transport properties in the PP-blended device. At around 300 nm, the PM6:Y6:PP device enjoys a high PCE of 15.5% and achieves over 100% of the efficiency of the optimal thin-film device, which is significantly improved compared to the binary PM6:Y6 counterpart. This research promotes an effective strategy with insulating polymers and provides knowledge of commercial production with response to the roll-to-roll technique demands.

Scylla paramamosain frequently elicits IgE-mediated type-I hypersensitivity reactions. Molecular candidates for crab allergen-specific immunotherapy have not been studied previously. In this study, reduced and alkylated (red/alk) derivatives with destroyed conformational epitopes and mutant derivatives (mtALLERGEN) with deleted heat/digestion-stable linear epitopes were produced of tropomyosin and myosin light chain. Structural changes and the allergenicity of derivatives was analyzed. Compared with wild-type allergens, red/alk derivatives had dramatically altered protein structures, whereas mtALLERGEN showed slightly structural effects. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay revealed the heterogeneous epitope-recognition patterns with derivatives among 29 crab-sensitised patients, of whom 13% and 62% recognised conformational and linear epitopes, respectively, whereas 25% recognised both epitope types to the same extent. Furthermore, mtALLERGEN could not bind to IgE or induce basophil activation in some patients. These results imply that hypo-allergenic derivatives of crab myofibril allergens that specifically lacked linear epitopes may serve as viable candidates for immunotherapy.

Food processing can change the structure and immunoreactivity of purified allergens, but the effect of food processing on the immunoreactivity of the processed and purified allergen is still poorly understood. In this study, tropomyosin (TM) was obtained from Scylla paramamosain and purified after different treatments. A basophil activation test was employed to detect the allergenicity of allergens. The protein structure was detected by mass spectrometry, circular dichroism spectroscopy and surface hydrophobicity. Critical amino acids were identified by Dot blot. Heating obviously affects the biochemical characteristics of TM. The allergenicity of TM was decreased in high temperature-pressure-processed crabs, due to alteration in the protein structure (e.g. denaturation). Seven critical amino acids, namely, R21, E103, E104, E115, A116, E122 and E156, related to the maintenance of the IgE-binding activity of TM were identified. This research of thermal processing helps to accurately reduce or eliminate the immunoreactivity of crabs by food processing.

Mud crab (Scylla paramamosain) is widely consumed after thermal processing. It is necessary to comprehensively evaluate of the allergenic potential and epitopes of allergens in high temperature-pressure (HTP) treated S. paramamosain. Tropomyosin and arginine kinase presented higher prevalence (30.77% and 42.13%) than the other three important crab allergens by component-resolved diagnosis. The surface expression of basophils CD63 and CD203c were decreased in HTP treated crab, an effect that was even more evident after digestion and absorption by the intestinal Caco-2 cell model. Of the 35 stable epitope, six were for the first time identified in shellfish. Seven heat/digested stable peptides of tropomyosin retained IgE-binding capacity and were shown to interact with MHC-II. Five epitopes (amino acids 19-29, 99-109, 153-162, 170-188 and 211-221) were the first identified in crab. The study provides insight into prevention and therapy of crab allergy, as well as helps to reduce crab allergenicity during thermal processing.

The plant extract piperine is used as a traditional Chinese medicine due to its anti-inflammatory effects and efficacy against numerous types of cancer. The aim of the present study was to investigate the antitumor mechanism of piperine in human osteosarcoma U2OS and 143B cell lines. The effects of piperine on cell apoptosis and invasion of human osteosarcoma cells were assessed using flow cytometry and Transwell assays. Moreover, western blotting was used to measure the effects of piperine on the protein expression levels of the metastasis markers matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). In addition, the involvement of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in modulating the effects of piperine was examined via western blot analysis. The results of MTT and Transwell invasion assays indicated that piperine treatment dose-dependently reduced U2OS and 143B cell viability and invasion. Furthermore, a significant reduction was identified in MMP-2, VEGF, glycogen synthase kinase-3β and β-catenin protein expression levels, as well as the expression levels of their target proteins cyclooxygenase-2, cyclin D1 and c-myc, in U2OS cells after piperine treatment. In addition, similar results were observed in 143B cells. Therefore, the present study demonstrated the efficacy of piperine in osteosarcoma, and identified that the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway may modulate the antitumor effects of piperine on human U2OS and 143B cells.

Novel functionalized graphene oxide π-π stacking with conjugated polymers (P-GO) is fabricated via a simple ethanol-mediated mixing method, leading to better dispersion in organic nonpolar solvents and bypassing the inherent restrictions of hydrophilicity and oleophobicity. We analyze the mechanism of the incorporation of P-GO into inverted organic solar cells (OSCs) based on a poly[[4,8-bis[(2-ethylhexyl)oxy]benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b']dithiophene-2,6-diyl][3-fluoro-2-[(2-ethylhexyl)carbonyl]thieno[3,4- b]thiophenediyl]] (PTB7):[6,6]-phenyl C71 butyric acid methyl ester (PC71BM) system to investigate the possibility of high-performance thick-film OSC fabrication. It is verified that the incorporation of P-GO into the PTB7:PC71BM blend films leads to a decreased π-π stacking distance, enlarged coherence length for polymer, and optimized phase separation, resulting in more effective charge dissociation, reduced bimolecular recombination, and more balanced charge transport. The OSCs with 1% P-GO incorporation demonstrate a thickness-insensitive fill factor (57.8%) and power conversion efficiency (PCE) (7.31%) even with 250 nm thick photoactive layers, leading to a dramatic PCE enhancement of 34% compared with the control devices with the same thickness.

The underlying hole-transfer mechanism in high-efficiency OSC bulk heterojunctions based on acceptor-donor-acceptor (A-D-A) nonfullerene acceptors (NFAs) remains unclear. Herein, we study the hole-transfer process between copolymer donor J91 and five A-D-A NFAs with different highest occupied molecular orbital energy offsets (Δ

Background The effect of high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) therapy in patients after planned extubation remains inconclusive. We aimed to perform a rigorous and comprehensive systematic meta-analysis to robustly quantify the benefits of HFNC for patients after planned extubation by investigating postextubation respiratory failure and other outcomes. Method We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library from inception to August 2018. Two researchers screened studies and collected the data independently. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and crossover studies were included. The main outcome was postextubation respiratory failure. Results Ten studies (seven RCTs and three crossover studies; HFNC group: 856 patients; Conventional oxygen therapy (COT) group: 852 patients) were included. Compared with COT, HFNC may significantly reduce postextubation respiratory failure (RR, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.41, 0.92; z = 2.38; P = 0.02) and respiratory rates (standardized mean differences (SMD), − 0.70; 95% CI, − 1.16, − 0.25; z = 3.03; P = 0.002) and increase PaO2 (SMD, 0.30; 95% CI, 0.04, 0.56; z = 2.23; P = 0.03). There were no significant differences in reintubation rate, length of ICU and hospital stay, comfort score, PaCO2, mortality in ICU and hospital, and severe adverse events between HFNC and COT group. Conclusions Our meta-analysis demonstrated that compared with COT, HFNC may significantly reduce postextubation respiratory failure and respiratory rates, increase PaO2, and be safely administered in patients after planned extubation. Further large-scale, multicenter studies are needed to confirm our results. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13054-019-2465-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

The triosephosphate isomerase (TIM), Scy p 8, is a crab allergen and shows cross-reactivity in the shellfish. Here, recombinant Scy p 8 was expressed, and its crystal structure was determined at a resolution of 1.8 Å. The three-dimensional structure of Scy p 8 is primarily composed of a (β/α)

Fe and Co co-doped Mn-Ce/TiO2 (MCT) catalysts were investigated for the simultaneous removal of nitric oxide (NO) and elemental mercury (Hg0) at reaction temperature lower than 200 °C. The catalysts were characterized by Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET), temperature program reduction (TPR), scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis. The experimental results showed that the co-doped 2Fe4Co-MCT catalyst exhibited better performance for the simultaneous removal of NO and Hg0 compared to Fe or Co doped catalysts. This could be due to higher BET surface area and better redox property of 2Fe4Co-MCT catalyst. In addition, we propose that chemisorbed O2 played a dominant role in selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of NO while lattice O2 played a key role in Hg0 oxidation. The results also indicate that the introduction of Fe species enhanced the activity of SCR, whereas the introduction of Co species enhanced the oxidation of Hg0. The synergistic effect of Fe and Co species in the 2Fe4Co-MCT catalyst are also suggested to be an important mechanism for simultaneously removing NO and Hg0.

Physiological aging is associated with a range of medical problems. However, the treatment of aging-associated diseases and prolonging human life are vital to our current aging societies. Panax ginseng, a traditional Chinese medicine, has been shown to have anti-oxidative and anti-aging effects. In the current study, aging rats induced by d-galactose were administered ginsenoside Rg1, then splenocytes and thymocytes were extracted and changes in activity were detected. The results demonstrated that compared with the d-gal group, the level of advanced glycation end products (AGE), the ratio of splenocytes and thymocytes in G0 phase (%), and apoptosis (%) of splenocytes and thymocytes, the ratio (%) of SA-gal positive splenocytes and thymocytes, the content of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA), the ratio of glutathione (GSH) to oxidized glutathione (GSSG) and senescence-associated protein expression were significantly decreased and the index of the spleen and thymus, the proportion of white pulp in the spleen, the proportion of cortex in the thymus, the content of interleukin-2 (IL-2), interleukin-6 (IL-6), granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), and the proliferative capacity of splenocytes and thymocytes were increased in the Rg1+ d-gal group. These findings demonstrated that ginsenoside Rg1 may antagonize spleen and thymus damage in d-galactose-induced aging rats by alleviating oxidative stress injury and down-regulating the expression of senescence-associated protein.

Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) films applicable to an absorber material in thin film solar cells were prepared at room temperature by pulsed DC magnetron sputtering from a CZTS ceramic target, and the effects of sputtering pressure on the phase, preferred orientation and composition of the deposited CZTS films were investigated. The results indicated that the dominant phase in the deposited films was Kesterite structure, only having the trace impurity phase of Cu2−xS. The preferred orientation was gradually converted from (2 2 0) to (1 1 2) with increasing sputtering pressure. Moreover, the composition of the deposited films was also affected by the sputtering pressures.

A facile method is proposed to obtain modified shorn graphene oxide (DDAB-sGO) with improved dispersion in organic solvents. Didodecyl dimethylammonium bromide (DDAB)-sGO, which exhibits good dispersibility in the nonpolar solvent o-dichlorobenzene, was obtained via the sono-Fenton reaction and DDAB ionic functionalization. DDAB-sGO was used in the preparation of conjugated polymer:fullerene blend composites. UV–visible absorption spectra, steady-state photoluminescence spectra, fluorescence decay, and grazing incidence X-ray scattering measurements were applied to characterize morphologies, structural features, and charge-transport characteristics of the composites. Doped into poly[[4,8-bis[(2-ethylhexyl)oxy]benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′]dithiophene-2,6-diyl][3-fluoro-2-[(2-ethylhexyl)carbonyl]thieno[3,4-b]thiophenediyl]] (PTB7):[6,6]-phenyl C71 butyric acid methyl ester (PC71BM) conjugated polymer blends, DDAB-sGO is shown to facilitate increased crystallinity and phase separation of PTB7 and PC71BM to achieve a m...

Perovskite microplates have important implications in the fields of functional electronics and optoelectronics. We report a facile strategy, antisolvent treatment for the growth of perovskite microplates. The morphology and crystalline quality of the microplates could be controlled by the amount of the chlorobenzene antisolvent used. An appropriate amount of antisolvent facilitates the formation of high-quality perovskite microplates with no residual precursor remaining. Spatially and temporally resolved fluorescence measurements demonstrate the heterogeneity of defect-state density and recombination processes in various perovskite microplate regions. The body center shows higher defect state density when compared with that at the edge or the corner of the microplate. Excessive antisolvent degrades the microplates into smaller particles. The results of this study reveal the factors that influence the crystallization process and photophysical dynamics of perovskite microplates.

Mn-Ce loaded metal-organic framework (MnCe@MOF) catalyst was obtained by incipient wetness impregnation of MOF with manganese-cerium nitrate. The obtained materials were investigated as potential catalysts for elemental mercury (Hg 0 ) and NO removal from simulate flue gas and the results indicated that MnCe@MOF exhibited superior activity in comparison with the conventional catalysts Mn-Ce loaded ZrO 2 , especially at low temperatures ( 0 adsorption and enhancing oxygen utilization, which resulted in a desirable catalytic activity. To understand the mechanism of the Mn-Ce catalyst better, dynamic valence state evolution during the Hg 0 oxidation for the active components was investigated. The ratio of Mn 3+ /Mn 4+ remained constant during the reaction at various temperatures, indicating the stability of Mn in the catalytic process. However, the ratio of Ce 3+ /Ce 4+ gradually decreased with extended periods of reaction time, which most likely lead to the decreased of chemical adsorbed oxygen on the catalyst.

Femto-second laser irradiation on P3HT:PCBM solutions have been demonstrated to have a significant impact on the conformational structures and photovoltaic performance of the resultant thin films. The crystallinity and edge-on/face-on conformations of P3HT and the aggregation of PCBM can be manipulated by controlling the wavelength (400–800 nm) and illumination duration (1–3 h) of the lasers. Grazing incidence wide- and small-angle X-ray scattering (GIWAXS and GISAXS) have been simultaneously utilized to characterize the nanostructures of the P3HT:PCBM blend films spin-cast from pristine and laser-irradiated solutions. The results show that the crystallinity, π-π* stacking and face-on conformations of P3HT can be enhanced as a result of the laser irradiation at 500 nm for 3 h. Furthermore, the diffusion and aggregation of PCBM molecules are suppressed by the photo-induced dimerization, as evidenced by the Raman spectra of the films cast from laser-irradiated PCBM solutions. The time-resolved fluorescence decay profiles show the charge transfer efficiency is improved, which may correlate to the supramolecular ordering of the polythiophene chains and the optimized phase separation in P3HT:PCBM composite. In the P3HT:PCBM active layer of the organic solar cells, more efficient charge transport and fine interpenetrating networks can be achieved due to the improved conformational microstructures. Consequently, the short-circuit current densities and power conversion efficiencies can be enhanced in organic solar cells based on the laser-irradiation processed P3HT:PCBM solutions.

The molecular packing and optical properties of exposed and buried layers (i.e. the layers at the top surface and near the substrate, respectively) were systematically studied in 6,13-Bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl)pentacene (TIPS-pentacene) films coated by spin-coated (SC) and droplet-pinned-crystallization (DPC) methods. Buried layers in both films exhibit intense photoluminescence (PL) resembling the behaviors of the molecules in dilute solution ascribing to weak π-π stacking, while the exposed layers show extremely weak PL due to strong crystallinity. Polarized excitation PL spectra demonstrate that molecular orientation of the buried layers is quasi-ordered in the film coated by DPC method and completely disordered in the film coated by SC method. Besides, the strong crystallinity of the exposed TIPS-pentacene is verified by grazing incident wide-angle X-ray scattering measurement. The distinct differences in optical and structural properties between the exposed and buried layers indicate that TIPS-pentacene films are inhomogeneous in vertical direction due to interfacial effect, which affects the performance of photodiode fabricated with both films. The understanding of the molecular packing correlated fluorescence in TIPS-pentacene films is vital for optimizing the film structure to achieve high performance organic electronic devices.

An effective method for preparing poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) coated graphene oxide (GO), (P-GO), based on an ethanol mediated mixing and solvent evaporation method is described. P-GO exhibits good dispersibility in the non-polar solvent o-dichlorobenzene (DCB) allowing the preparation of polymer blend composites. P-GO was doped into P3HT: PCBM blends by solution mixing and shown to facilitate phase separation of P3HT and PCBM in P3HT: PCBM blend films to achieve a more optimum morphology for polymer photovoltaic cells. Bulk heterojunction P3HT: PCBM solar cells exhibit ∼18% power conversion efficiency enhancement in the presence of P-GO.

2-Chlorophenyl isocyanate (CI) reacts with didodecyl dimethyl ammonium bromide (DDAB) functionalized graphene oxide (DDAB-GO) dispersed in ortho-dichlorobenzene under mild conditions. The CI treatment complements DDAB functionalization to further decrease the hydrophilicity of pristine GO sheets. The resulting CI–DDAB-GO exhibits improved compatibility with the conjugated polymer poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT), compared to DDAB-GO. CI–DDAB-GO sheets can be homogeneously dispersed when blended with P3HT, resulting in an improved morphology compared to P3HT:DDAB-GO composites. The incorporation of CI–DDAB-GO can effectively reduce the dark current of photo-diodes based on P3HT composites, showing potential to enhance the performance of electronic devices based on conjugated polymer composites.

Mn and Ce were loaded on metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) via impregnation and in situ doping methods. The catalytic capacities of the obtained composite materials were evaluated in the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of NO. The existing form of Mn–Ce in the MOF originates from different doping methods and its effect on the catalytic performance was investigated. Mn–Ce introduced by impregnation was deposited on the surface of the MOF and exhibited high catalytic efficiency of more than 98% from 200 °C to 300 °C. According to the results of BET, XRD, XPS, and ICP analyses, it was concluded that Mn–Ce introduced via the in situ doping method was inserted in the crystal lattice structure of the MOF, which resulted in an enlarged surface area, low Mn concentration, and poor redox property as compared to that introduced via the impregnated method. By exploring these factors, it was proven that the limited redox ability was the direct reason that resulted in the low activity of the MnCeMOF. Using thermal decomposition, the in situ doped Mn–Ce was liberated from the MnCeMOF crystal lattice and subsequently, exhibited recovered redox properties and catalytic activity. In this study, we proved that different doping methods lead to different forms of Mn–Ce in the MOF, which exhibit different redox properties and thus directly lead to different catalytic performance.

Non-fullerene ternary organic solar cells (OSCs) are new promising candidates for future applications in the area of organic photovoltaics. However, their low short-circuit current (JSC) values impede efforts at increasing their power conversion efficiency (PCE) levels. Maximizing the JSC is one of the critical elements for enabling high performances of OSCs. To improve the JSC of the non-fullerene ternary OSCs based on poly[[2,6′-4,8-di(5-ethylhexylthienyl)benzo[1,2-b:3,3-b]dithiophene][3-fluoro-2[(2-ethylhexyl)carbonyl]thieno[3,4-b]thiophenediyl]]:3,9-bis(2-methylene-(3-(1,1-dicyanomethylene)-indanone))-5,5,11,11-tetrakis(4-hexylphenyl)-dithieno[2,3-d:2′,3′-d′]-s-indaceno[1,2-b:5,6-b′]-dithiophene (PTB7-Th:ITIC), a polymer of poly[N-9′′-hepta-decanyl-2,7-carbazole-alt-5,5-(4′,7′-di-2-thienyl-2′,1′,3′-benzothiadiazole)] (PCDTBT) was added to the binary system. The PCDTBT was shown to embed in both PTB7-Th and ITIC, and introduced dual Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET) effects in the resulting ternary system. In addition, the PCDTBT may have decreased the molecular coherence lengths of PTB7-Th and ITIC and influenced the charge transport. Furthermore, the PCDTBT apparently also decreased the d-spacing of the π–π stacking of PTB7-Th and ITIC, which likely increased the intermolecular charge hopping efficiency. Doping an appropriate amount of PCDTBT in the system yielded an increase in the JSC from 13.89 to 16.71 mA cm−2. The increased JSC resulted in a 15% enhancement of the PCE, which indicated that introducing dual FRET effects is an effective way to enhance the JSC and thus the performance of the OSCs.

The migratory insertion of isonitriles into the metal–C bond is important for constructing C–C bonds in organic and pharmaceutical syntheses. We examine the reaction of Cp*(Cl)Ti(diene) with isonitriles using density functional theory calculations. At room temperature, the bis-insertion reaction occurs easily for N-tert-butyl (tBu), methyl (Me), ethyl (Et), 2,6-dimethylphenyl (Ar), and N-1-adamantyl (1-Ad)-substituted isonitriles. The elementary reactions include the isomerisation of Cp*(Cl)Ti(diene), migratory insertion of the first isonitrile into a Ti–C bond, C–C reductive elimination, β-H elimination, migratory insertion of the second isonitrile into a Ti–H bond, and C–C reductive coupling. Two reliable fragmentation mechanisms are suggested for the bis-insertion products. For the bulkier tBuNC, ArNC, and 1-AdNC, the β-H elimination reaction pathway is dominant. For the smaller MeNC and EtNC, the γ-H elimination reaction pathway competes with the β-H elimination. For ArNC, the isomerisation reaction pathway to a newly predicted “σ complex” is kinetically favourable.

Mud crab (Scylla paramamosain) is a commonly consumed seafood as a result of its high nutritional value; however, it is associated with food allergy. The current understanding of crab allergens remains insufficient. In the present study, an 18 kDa protein was purified from crab muscle and confirmed to be myosin light chain 1 (MLC1) by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-tandem time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Total RNA was isolated and amplified to obtain a MLC1 open reading frame of 462 bp, encoding 154 amino acids. A structural analysis revealed that recombinant MLC1 (rMLC1) expressed in Escherichia coli contained α-helix and random coil. Moreover, rMLC1 displayed strong immunoactivity by dot blot and a basophil activation test. Furthermore, seven allergenic epitopes of MLC1 were predicted, and five critical epitope regions were identified by an inhibition enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and human mast cell degranulation assay. This comprehensive research of an allergen helps to conduct component-resolved diagnoses and immunotherapies related to crab allergies.

The mud crab ( Scylla paramamosain) is widely consumed but can cause a severe food allergic reaction. To reduce allergenicity to arginine kinase (AK), site-directed mutagenesis was used to destroy disulfide bonds or mutate critical amino acids of conformational epitopes. Three hypoallergenic mutant AKs (mAK1, mAK2, and mAK3) were generated, with the immunoreactivity decreasing by 54.2, 40.1, and 71.4%, respectively. In comparison to recombinant AK (rAK), the structure of mAKs was clearly changed. Additionally, antisense peptides were designed on the basis of linear epitopes and pepsin-cutting sites of AK. Five peptide aptamers were screened by molecular docking and then analyzed by the immunoglobulin E inhibition enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and human Laboratory of Allergic Diseases 2 mast cell degranulation assay. The peptide aptamers could significantly inhibit allergenicity of rAK and mAKs, and the inhibitory effect of peptide aptamer 3 was slightly better than the others. These results provide synergistic methods to reduce allergenicity to AK, which could be applied to other shellfish allergens.

Interleukin-17 (IL-17) is the production of T helper type 17 (Th17) cells and has been reported to play a pro-inflammatory role in the immunopathogenesis of intervertebral disc degeneration. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPAR-γ) activators display anti-inflammatory and anti-degeneration roles in osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. However, the expression level of PPAR-γ and related regulatory mechanisms in the nucleus pulposus tissues are not clear. Herein we report that PPAR-γ was down-regulated both in the nucleus pulposus tissue of intervertebral disc degeneration patient and in the cultured nucleus pulposus cells stimulated with IL-17. This study was undertaken to investigate the potential therapeutic effect of pioglitazone, as a PPAR-γ ligand, and its underlying molecular mechanism in IL-17-induced human intervertebral disc degeneration model in vitro. Our results indicate that pioglitazone administration suppressed the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and down-regulated the mRNA expression levels of inflammatory mediators in the cultured human nucleus pulposus cells and tissue. Consistently, pioglitazone decreased the levels of metalloproteinase and maintained the expression of critical matrix components, such as aggrecan and type II collagen. Moreover, the activation of NF-κB signaling in the nucleus pulposus tissue during the intervertebral disc degeneration development was antagonized by pioglitazone administration. In conclusion, our current findings provide scientific evidence for the assessment of pioglitazone as a potential therapeutic approach to treat the intervertebral disc degeneration.