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Both seed length and seed width are important traits for soybean yield. In the present study, 89 Quantitative trait loci (QTLs) of seed length and 65 QTLs of seed width were collected from published papers and our study. QTLs in this study were evaluated by the soymap2, then totally 23 consensus QTLs were located on 17 linkage groups (LGs) through the meta‐analysis. The minimum confidence interval was 0.28 cM and the mean phenotypic variance (R2) was ranged from 5.33% to 23.36%. To optimize these QTLs based on statistic analysis, overview method was further used to narrow down CI, the number of QTLs was narrowed down to 84. Furthermore, 2,750 candidate genes were screened from the consensus QTL intervals by informatics, a total of 37 genes were found to be associated with seed size. All results could lay a foundation for MAS (Molecular Assisted Selection) and gene cloning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a fast elemental image generation algorithm for integral imaging display based on depth information and a two-dimensional scene image. Existing elemental image generation algorithms establish many-to-one mappings from the scene to the elemental image, thereby including redundant calculations. The improved algorithm entails establishing a single mapping from elemental image to the scene. Each pixel in the elemental image matches a unique scene pixel by inverse iteration along the optical path. This establishes a high precision matching and eliminates hole caused by depth discontinuities. In this paper, we obtain a unique mapping solution by inverse iteration along the optical path using a one-pixel step. The time complexity of this algorithm is mainly driven by the pixel sum of the elemental image array. We generate the elemental image seven times faster than the original algorithm. The larger total quantity of the scene pixels further demonstrates the advantages of our algorithm. The experiments show that the update rate can reach more than 30 fps according to the VCD standard (352×240 resolution) using four parallel calculation threads with a four-core Intel® Core(TM) i7-7500U 2.70 GHz CPU despite various delay factors. The results verify the correctness of the theoretical analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence, demonstrating long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) as critical players in cancer, remains to increase. lncRNA SBF2‐AS1 was reported to be involved in several cancers, such as hepatocellular carcinoma. However, the role of SBF2‐AS1 in colorectal cancer (CRC) is unknown. We showed lncRNA SBF2‐AS1 expression was growing in CRC samples, especially in advanced cases. Accordingly, SBF2‐AS1 possesses higher expression in CRC cell lines than in normal cell line. Moreover, SBF2‐AS1 high expression indicated a low survival rate. Functionally, SBF2‐AS1 knockdown suppressed the proliferation, migration, and invasion of CRC cells. In terms of mechanism, SBF2‐AS1 upregulation restrained the activity of miR‐619‐5p and led to overexpression of HDAC3. Importantly, downregulation of miR‐619‐5p or HDAC3 overexpression reversed SBF2‐AS1‐silencing‐caused suppression on proliferation and metastasis. Summarily, our findings elucidated a crucial role of SBF2‐AS1 as a miR‐619‐5p sponge, shedding novel light on lncRNA‐related prognostics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A new nano-modified superstable foam was designed to improve the mechanical properties and pore structure of carbon fixation foam concrete. • High performance additive technology and early carbonation curing were used to improve the mechanical properties of eco-porous carbon fixation concrete. • The influence mechanism of polyvinyl alcohol on carbonation behavior of carbon fixation foamed concrete and its performance improvement mechanism were found and clarified. The introduction of carbon fixation components (calcium hydroxide) can improve the carbon fixation performance of foam concrete, however, it will reduce its mechanical properties. In order to solve the adverse effects of carbon fixation components on the mechanical properties and optimize carbon absorption properties, a specific amount of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) is incorporated. In this study, a serial of test was employed to study the production process of nano-modified foam, and some basic properties of the foam concrete of interest. Further, the micromorphology and pore structure of the samples were analyzed by scanning electron microscope and mercury injection test. The evolution of mineral phases was examined by X-ray diffraction and thermogravimetric analysis. The results show that the carbon sequestration efficiency of foam concrete increases significantly as the amount of calcium hydroxide is increased, however, the cementitious properties of materials deteriorate, resulting in a decrease in strength. When PVA is added as a water-soluble admixture, it can enhance the mechanical properties of test blocks. It can also strengthen the bubble film of nano stabilized foam, increase bubble stability, and refine the internal pore structure of carbon fixation foam concrete. In addition, PVA can modify the calcium hydroxide morphology from a laminar structure to a smaller volume edge corrosion structure, which improves the reaction activity of calcium hydroxide with CO 2 and boosts the efficiency of carbon sequestration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a diffuse pulmonary microvascular remodeling disease accompanied by malignant proliferation of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs), which causes persistent pulmonary artery pressure elevation, right ventricular hypertrophy (RVH) and death. However, current therapies targeting pulmonary vascular remodeling and RVH remain poorly effective in reversing PAH. Overactivation of the protein tyrosine kinase Src plays an important role in tumor cell growth, proliferation and invasion; we thus hypothesized that inhibitors targeting Src activation could reverse experimental PAH. We demonstrated that Src was markedly activated in hypoxia-stimulated PASMCs from donors and PASMCs isolated from PAH patients. We investigated the effects of the Src-selective inhibitor 1-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-1-(4-methylphenyl)-1H-pyrazolo[3,4- d ]pyrimidin-4-amine (PP1) and berberine (BBR) on PAH-PASMC proliferation and migration by using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT), 5-ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine (EdU) and wound-healing assays. Our in vitro results showed that inhibition of Src (Tyr416) phosphorylation repressed PAH-PASMC proliferation and migration by inhibiting hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) expression through Akt/mTOR signal pathway. In vivo, PP1 and BBR significantly alleviated distal pulmonary vascular remodeling and decreased right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP) and RVH in Sugen (SU) 5416/hypoxia (SU-PAH) mice. These findings demonstrate that pharmacological (PP1 or BBR) inhibition of Src activation could be a novel means of treating severe pulmonary vascular remodeling and RVH in PAH patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ regulatory T (Treg) cell-mediated immunosuppression has been implicated as a crucial mechanism of tumor immune cell escape in nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, little is known concerning the specific role of CD4+CD25-Foxp3+ Treg cells in NSCLC. The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of circulating CD4+CD25-Foxp3+ Treg cells and their role in NSCLC. Methods: The frequencies of Treg, T helper (Th)1, Th2, and Th17 cells in peripheral blood were separately measured in 36 NSCLC patients and 20 healthy controls (HCs) using flow cytometry. Serum cytokine concentrations were determined using cytometric bead arrays. Results: The frequencies of circulating CD4+CD25+ T cells and CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ and CD4+CD25-Foxp3+ Treg cells were significantly higher in advanced-stage NSCLC patients compared with patients with limited-stage NSCLC. The frequencies of circulating CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ and CD4+CD25-Foxp3+ Treg cells were negatively correlated with interleukin (IL)-17, but positively correlated with serum IL-10 levels. In addition, the Th17/CD4+CD25-Foxp3+ Treg cell ratios were negatively correlated with serum cytokeratin 19 fragment (CYFRA 21-1) concentrations in patients with NSCLC. Moreover, coculturing CD4+CD25-Foxp3+ Treg cells and CD14+ monocytes in vitro resulted in a higher frequency of CD206+CD14+ M2-like monocytes compared with CD14+ monocytes. Conclusions: Elevated circulating CD4+CD25-Foxp3+ Treg cells may be involved in the pathogenesis of NSCLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Abstract Environmental concern associated with excess fluoride has intrigued the unceasing exploration of new multifunctional hybrid materials to mitigate any undesirable consequence to human health. Herein, a novel hybrid monolith has been successfully fabricated via a facile in-situ growth strategy for highly efficient defluoridation from contaminated waters, in which homogeneously dispersed UiO-66 particles are perfectly anchored on three dimensional (3D) porous carbon foam (CF). Benefiting from fully exposed active sites, excellent pore accessibility and efficient mass transport, the integrated UiO-66/CF hybrid monolith exhibits fast adsorption kinetics, and outstanding uptake capacity toward fluoride as high as 295 mg g−1, which greatly outperforms the previously reported adsorbents. Furthermore, the fluoride removal efficiency of the spent monolith can reach up to 70% after four cycles, accompanied by facile separation nature and outstanding water stability. More significantly, the resulting UiO-66/CF packed column (0.36 g) can continuously treat 400 mL of F− solution with 6.2 mg L−1 before the breakthrough point occurs, highlight its potential feasibility for fluoride removal in the practical applicability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Norepinephrine (NE)‐mediated vasoconstriction plays an important role in pulmonary hypertension associated with left heart disease (PH‐LHD). However, the role of NE‐mediated endothelial cell dysfunction in the pathogenesis of PH‐LHD remains to be elucidated. Methods and Results: An enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay showed that the NE concentration in the plasma of patients with PH‐LHD was higher and the nitrate–nitrite concentration was lower than those in the control group. NE treatment decreased phospho‐Ser633‐eNOS and β2‐adrenergic receptor (β2‐AR) levels in the membrane of human pulmonary artery endothelial cells (HPAECs) analysed by western blot analysis. Consistently, fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry showed that nitric oxide (NO) production was also decreased in HPAECs. Coimmunoprecipitation confirmed a direct interaction between β2‐AR and endothelial NO synthase (eNOS). Overexpression of β2‐AR attenuated the decline in phospho‐Ser633‐eNOS and NO production. Additionally, the expression of phospho‐Ser633‐eNOS and β2‐AR was decreased in human pulmonary artery endothelium. Finally, our results indicate that NE stimulated HPAEC proliferation, which was blocked by protein kinase A inhibitor or protein kinase B (PKB–AKT) inhibitor. Conclusions: These data provide a novel mechanism for NE‐decreased endothelium‐derived NO and NE‐induced HPAEC proliferation that leads to PH‐LHD, suggesting a potential therapeutic target for PH‐LHD. These data provide a novel mechanism for norepinephrine (NE)‐decreased endothelium‐derived nitric oxide and NE‐induced human pulmonary artery endothelial cells proliferation that leads to pulmonary hypertension associated with left heart disease (PH‐LHD), suggesting a potential therapeutic target for PH‐LHD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • Composition-tunable bimetallic Fe/Mg-MIL-88B(n) nanospindles was synthesized. • Arsenate uptake capacity up to 303.6 mg/g is achieved in the optimized Fe/Mg-MIL-88B(0.5). • Regenerative ability and stability of Fe/Mg-MIL-88B absorbents were evaluated. • Sorption mechanism of arsenate on the Fe/Mg-MIL-88B(0.5) was studied. Abstract The rational design of metal–organic frameworks with tailored components and structural features is crucial for achieving the desired functions and expanding the emerging applications. Herein, water-stable bimetallic Fe/Mg metal–organic frameworks (Fe/Mg-MIL-88B) have been successfully fabricated through a facile and effective one-step strategy to access the exceptional arsenic decontamination. Notably, the obtained bimetallic Fe/Mg-MIL-88B architectures are demonstrated to possess a well-defined spindle-like morphology. Interestingly, the Fe/Mg molar ratios within the resultant Fe/Mg-MIL-88B frameworks can be flexibly modulated on demand, leading to the variation of the structural features associated with length/diameter ratio and unit cell parameters along with surface areas. Thanks to the unique structural and compositional merits as well as the synergetic contribution from two active metal centres, the fabricated Fe/Mg-MIL-88B nanospindles exhibit enhanced decontaminant performance toward arsenate in terms of ultrafast sorption kinetics and high sorption capacities, compared to the monometallic Fe-MIL-88B. Impressively, an extraordinary arsenate uptake capacity up to 303.6 mg/g is achieved in the optimized Fe/Mg-MIL-88B with Fe/Mg feeding ratio of 0.5, which is substantially superior to most of the reported arsenic absorbents. More significantly, these Fe/Mg-MIL-88B absorbents possess exceptional regenerative ability and stability during multiple sorption/desorption cycles, as reflected by the negligible drop in arsenic removal efficiency and excellent maintenance of the crystalline structure and morphology integrity. All these satisfactory results prefigure that the designed bimetallic Fe/Mg-MIL-88B absorbents hold a great promise for the in-depth purification of arsenic-contaminated water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In an effort to provide early warnings for the occurrence of eutrophication, it is highly desirable to develop an accurate and efficient technique to ensure continuous monitoring of dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP) in the aquatic environment from the viewpoint of environmental management. Herein, a new diffusive gradient in thin film (DGT) technique was developed and evaluated for in situ measurement of DRP in waters, in which Zr-based metal organic frameworks (MOFs, UiO-66) were utilized as aqueous binding agent (abbreviated as UiO-66 DGT). As expected, the UiO-66 DGT demonstrated high uptake capacity towards phosphorus (20.8 μg P cm−2). Meanwhile, an excellent linearity between the accumulated DRP mass and deployment time over 5 d (R2 = 0.996) was obtained regardless of high or low phosphate solution. In addition, effective diffusion coefficients (D) of DRP increased exponentially with increasing ionic strengths (R2 = 0.99). Based on the rectified D, the performance of the UiO-66 DGT was independent of solution pH (6.5–8.5) and ionic strengths (ranging from 0.01 to 100 mmol L−1). Furthermore, field deployments of the UiO-66 DGT were undertaken in a natural eutrophic lake (Lake Chaohu, China). It was noteworthy that DRP could be continually accumulated by the UiO-66 DGT for more than 14 d and good agreements were obtained between the concentrations measured by DGT (C DGT) and those by ex situ chemical extraction method in solution (C sol), as reflected by C DGT /C sol of 0.9–1.1. In situ determination of DRP speciation was also carried out at different sites across Lake Chaohu. Overall, this study contributed to a better constructing of liquid binding phase DGT for the measurement of DRP in waters, facilitating the widespread application of the UiO-66 DGT as a routine monitoring technique and for large-scale environmental analysis. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • A new DGT device was developed for measuring DRP in waters. • A hydrostable Zr-based MOFs (UiO-66) was used as liquid binding agent of DGT device. • The UiO-66 DGT was suitable for a wide range of pH and ionic strengths. • During field deployments C DGT values matched excellently with the average grab sample values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previous studies have suggested that exogenous hydrogen sulfide can alleviate the development of diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) by inhibiting oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis. However, the underlying mechanism is not fully understood. Nuclear expression and function of the transcription factor Forkhead box protein O (FoxO1) have been associated with cardiovascular diseases, and thus, the importance of FoxO1 in DCM has gained increasing attention. This study was designed to investigate the interactions between hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and nuclear FoxO1 in DCM. Methods: Diabetes was induced in adult male C57BL/6J mice by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin and was treated with H2S donor sodium hydrosulfide for 12 weeks. The H9C2 cardiomyoblast cell line and neonatal rat cardiomyocytes (NRCMs) were treated with the slow‐releasing H2S donor GYY4137 before high‐glucose (HG) exposure with or without pretreatment with the Akt inhibitor MK‐2206 2HCl. Changes in FoxO1 protein phosphorylation and subcellular localization were determined in H9C2 cells, NRCMs, and cardiac tissues from normal and diabetic mice. Cardiac structure and function in the diabetic mice were evaluated by echocardiography and histological analysis and compared with those in control animals. Results: The echocardiographic and histopathological data indicated that exogenous H2S improved cardiac function and attenuated cardiac hypertrophy and myocardial fibrosis in diabetic mice. H2S also improved HG‐induced oxidative stress and apoptosis in cardiac tissue and NRCMs. In addition, H2S induced FoxO1 phosphorylation and nuclear exclusion in vitro and in vivo, and this function was not inhibited by MK‐2206 2HCl. Alanine substitution mutation of three sites in FoxO1‐enhanced FoxO1 transcriptional activity, and subsequent treatment with exogenous H2S could not prevent HG‐induced nuclear retention. Conclusions: Our data indicate that H2S is a novel regulator of FoxO1 in cardiac cells and provide evidence supporting the potential of H2S in inhibiting the progression of DCM. Our data indicate that hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a novel regulator of Forkhead box protein O in cardiac cells and provide evidence supporting the potential of H2S in inhibiting the progression of diabetic cardiomyopathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excessive proliferation, migration, and antiapoptosis of pulmonary artery (PA) smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) underlies the development of pulmonary vascular remodeling. The innervation of the PA is predominantly sympathetic, and increased levels of circulating catecholamines have been detected in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), suggesting that neurotransmitters released by sympathetic overactivation may play an essential role in PAH. However, the responsible mechanism remains unclear. Here, to investigate the effects of norepinephrine (NE) on PASMCs and the related mechanism, we used 3‐(4,5‐dimethyl‐2‐thiazolyl)‐2,5‐diphenyl‐2‐H‐tetrazolium bromide, the proliferating cell nuclear antigen and the cell counting kit‐8 assay to evaluate the proliferation of PASMCs, Boyden chamber migration, and wound‐healing assays to assess migration and western blot analysis to investigate protein expression. We demonstrated that the phosphorylation level of the protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) catalytic subunit (Y307) was higher in PAH patients and PAH models than in controls, both in vivo and in vitro. In addition, NE induced the proliferation and migration of PASMCs, which was attenuated by berberine (BBR), a Chinese herbal medicine, and/or PP2A overexpression. PP2A inhibition worsened NE‐induced PAH and could not be reversed by BBR. Thus, PP2A is critical in driving PAH, and BBR may alleviate PAH via PP2A signaling pathways, thereby offering a potential therapeutic option for PAH. Our study indicated that protein phosphatase 2A was an essential regulator in pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) and provided evidence supporting the potential of berberine in inhibiting the migration and proliferation of PASMCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Daphnetin, one of the major bioactive components isolated from Daphne odora , has been reported to have anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative effects. Inflammation and oxidative stress have been known to play critical roles in cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity. The purpose of this study was to investigate the protective effects of daphnetin on cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity. The levels of blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine, as well as the kidney reactive oxygen species (ROS), and malondialdehyde (MDA) activity were measured in this study. The expression of inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-1β were measured by ELISA. The results showed that daphnetin protected against cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity by attenuating kidney histological changes, serum BUN and creatinine. Furthermore, the expression of TNF-α and IL-1β, as well as ROS and MDA in kidney tissues were decreased by daphnetin. In addition, daphnetin dose-dependently inhibited cisplatin-induced NF-κB activation and up-regulated the expression of Nrf2 and HO-1. In conclusion, the results of this study suggested that daphnetin inhibited cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity by inhibiting NF-κB and activating Nrf2 signaling pathways. Daphnetin might be a promising agent in the treatment of kidney injury. Highlights • Daphnetin protected against cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity by attenuating kidney histological changes, serum BUN and creatinine. • The production of TNF-α, IL-1ß, ROS, and MDA were inhibited by daphnetin. • Daphnetin inhibited cisplatin-induced NF-κB activation and up-regulated Nrf2 and HO-1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The PyC/Al 2 O 3 ceramics with micro-channels were prepared by the 3D printing, which realized the tailored microwave absorption properties via designing meta-structures with diverse micro-channels to tailor the permittivity of the ceramic. The permittivity of the ceramics can be effectively controlled by micro-channels with different orientations and sizes, which could be particular for designing multi-layer impedance matching meta-structures with different dielectric properties. The absorption bandwidth of PyC/Al 2 O 3 ceramics is effectively expanded, which realized great than 90 % EM wave absorption in the frequency range of 6–18 GHz, indicating an efficient absorption band of 12 GHz. Therefore, this study put forward a new strategy to tailor the permittivity of 3D printed ceramics by introducing micro-channels with sizes of sub-wavelength, which could enlarge the design freedoms for 3D printed microwave absorbing ceramics. • An 3D printed PyC/Al 2 O 3 ceramic metamaterials is proposed. • The permittivity of PyC/Al 2 O 3 can be effectively tailored by the micro-channels. • The proposed meta-structure can achieve strong absorption at thinner thickness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The perovskite-type La(0.5+x)Sr(0.5−x)FeO3−δ (x = 0.00, 0.10, 0.20) oxides for the electrocatalytic oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) were synthesized by a facile reaction-EDTA/citric acid mixed complex sol–gel method. The cubic single-phase perovskite structure of the as-prepared oxides is demonstrated using powder X-ray diffraction (XRD). Scanning electron microscopy/energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM–EDX), transmission electron microscopy/selected area electron diffraction (TEM–SAED), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) characterizations were also conducted for the perovskite-type La(0.5+x)Sr(0.5−x)FeO3−δ (x = 0.00, 0.10, 0.20) oxides. Furthermore, the electrochemical ORR properties of the as-prepared oxides in alkaline media were studied, with the oxides exhibiting good electrocatalytic ORR performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• MXene@hemin boosted interactions with nano-gold via charge transfer. • MXene@hemin-Au with excellent catalytic activity was applied in sensor first. • This sensor showed broad linear range and low detection of limit. • This sensor showed superior diagnostic efficiency for TB to commercial ones. Despite multiple advances in tuberculosis (TB), there is still a lack of effective methods available for its diagnosis. To this end, we developed a novel nanozyme-mediated electrochemical aptasensor for TB diagnosis. We showed that hemin decorated with multi-layered MXene enhanced the metal-support interaction with nano-gold via charge transfer, resulting in excellent peroxidase-like activity aside from the highly conductive feature. The K m value of hemin functionalized MXene decorated with nano-gold (MXene@hemin-Au) was 0.37 mM and 0.23 mM for H 2 O 2 and TMB, respectively, which was smaller to that of MXene@hemin (4.01 mM and 0.39 mM) or horseradish peroxidase (3.7 mM and 0.434 mM), indicating its high affinity to both substrates, showing improved stability in harsh conditions and excellent biocompatibility. Given these advantages, an ultrasensitive detection method was established based on a typical sandwich format using a combination of specific Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) ESAT-6 antigen aptamers with MXene@hemin-Au as probes for signal amplification and gold nanoparticles supported nitrogen-doped carbon nanotube (N-CNTs-Au) as a sensing platform. It exhibited a wide detection linear for ESAT-6 antigen from 100 fg mL−1 to 50 ng mL−1, with limit of detection and limit of quantification of 2.36 fg mL−1 and 7.87 fg mL−1, respectively. For its diagnostic application, of note, the proposed method outperformed diagnostic performance for TB in contract to a commercial ELISA method in terms of specificity (100% vs. 20.59%) and area under curve (0.987 vs. 0.596), verifying its great potential in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The combination of nanoparticles and biomarkers yields functional nanostructured biointerface, which is playing a notable role in biotechnology development. Due to the 5-fold twined structure in the Au-Pt star-shaped decahedra not only allowed it to act as efficient scaffold for immobilization of antibody, but it also exhibits superior electrocatalytic activity toward H 2 O 2 reduction, the nanocrystal as the efficient signal transduction label is first employed to construct an electrochemical immunosensor. Donor–π–Acceptor (D–π–A) linking fashion generates a dipolar push-pull system and assures superior intramolecular charge transfer. It is considered as a suitable π-conjugated backbone for conducting polymer on biointerface application. Under a D–π–A architecture which imidazole as the π-bridge and amino phenyl/phenyl groups as peripheral electron-donating/withdrawing functional groups, 4-(2,4,5-triphenyl-1H-imidazol-1-yl) aniline (TPIDA) is designed and synthesized for good biocompatibility and high conductivity. In this proposal, we attempt to integrate the above-mentioned two features from nanobiotechnology and organic bioelectronics. Then, a novel nonenzymatic sandwich-type immunosensor is performed by Au-Pt core-shell with surface-engineered twinning as a label and π-conjugated D–π–A polymers as the signal amplification platform. Human IgG (HIgG) as the model target protein can be detected with a wide linear range from 0.1 pg mL −1 to 100 ng mL −1 . The detection limit is down to 0.06 pg mL −1 (S/N = 3). Moreover, as a practical application, the prepared biosensor is used to monitor HIgG level in human serum with desirable results obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cervical cancer is the second most common gynecological cancer worldwide and remains one of the leading causes of cancer-associated mortality among women. S100A6 has been reported to be associated with the development of many types of cancer. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of S100A6 on the proliferation, apoptosis and migration of cervical cancer cells and its underlying molecular mechanisms. Quantative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was used to detect the basic mRNA level of S100A6 in HeLa, SiHa and CaSki cells. Western blot analysis was used to detect the protein level of S100A6, epithelial cadherin, neuronal cadherin, phosphorylated protein kinase B (p-Akt), t-Akt, p-glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3ß), t-GSK3β and β-catenin. Semi-qPCR was used to detect the mRNA level of Snail, Twist and Vimentin. MTT and Hoechst staining assays were used to detect the proliferation and apoptosis of cells, and wound healing and Transwell assays were used to detect the migration of cells. The results of the present study demonstrate that the levels of S100A6 were decreased in HeLa cells compared with in SiHa and CaSki cells. Overexpression of S100A6 in HeLa and CaSki cells promoted the proliferative and migratory ability, and had no significant effect on cellular apoptosis. Whereas the knockdown of S100A6 in SiHa and CaSki cells inhibited the proliferative and migratory ability, it had no significant effect on apoptosis. The overexpression of S100A6 in HeLa cells increased the levels of neuronal (N)-cadherin, vimentin, Snail and Twist. Conversely, knockdown of S100A6 in SiHa cells decreased the levels of N-cadherin, vimentin, Snail and Twist and increased the levels of epithelial (E)-cadherin. Furthermore, overexpression of S100A6 in HeLa cells activated the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) signaling pathway, and treatment with the PI3K inhibitor LY294002 partially repressed S100A6-enhanced proliferation and migration of cervical cancer cells. These results indicate that S100A6 facilitates the malignant potential of cervical cancer cells, particularly metastatic ability and epithelial-mesenchymal transition, which is mediated by activating the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A commercial interest in the improvement of durability is driving efforts to develop new generation of surface-treatment agents. In the previous paper, a series of nanoSiO 2 -polycarboxylate superplasticizer core-shell nanoparticles (NS@PCE) were synthesized by “grafting to” method. In this paper, we aim to explore the potential of NS@PCE to densify the surface of cementitious materials, and to study the mechanism of nanoparticles surface-treatment process by measuring water absorption ratio, dispersion stability, pozzolanic reactivity, and mercury intrusion porosimetry. Results show that NS@PCE is effective in reducing the water absorption. Various NS@PCE present different influences, it seems that NS@PCE with a moderate shell-core ratio is a more reasonable choice. A hypothesis was proposed to explain the surface-treatment effect of nanoparticles, it utilizes two properties (dispersity and pozzolanic reactivity) of nanoparticles to describe their refining-pore performance. This research indicates a new pathway for nanoSiO 2 to optimizing cementitious materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bi 2 S 3 nanorods anchored over reduced graphene oxide (rGO/Bi 2 S 3 ) were successfully synthesized via a one-pot hydrothermal process, where in-situ generation of Bi 2 S 3 nanorods and reduction of GO occurred simultaneously. Moreover, the controlled synthesis of rGO/Bi 2 S 3 nanocomposite with tunable size was achieved by adjusting the dosage of GO. The nanocomposites were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, respectively. Because of the particular construction of as-prepared nanocomposite and the synergistic effect between rGO sheets and Bi 2 S 3 nanorods, the rGO/Bi 2 S 3 film can effectively accelerate electron transport and extend catalytic active sites, leading to the remarkable electrochemical performance for dopamine sensing. The rGO/Bi 2 S 3 -1/GCE sensor exhibited excellent electrocatalytic activity toward the dopamine oxidation with a wide linear range of 0.01–40 μM and a low detection limit of 12.3 nM. Furthermore, the as-prepared sensor could be feasibly applied to detect dopamine in urine samples. Hence, the prepared rGO/Bi 2 S 3 composite is one of the low cost, extremely promising and nontoxicity materials for electrocatalysis and relevant fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) have aroused increasing interest as one of the most promising replacements for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Here, a novel organic–inorganic 3D Na4C6O6–graphene architecture was successfully fabricated from commercial Na2C6O6 and for the first time applied for sodium storage. Hence, the 3D Na4C6O6–graphene architecture exhibits a high reversible capacity, good cyclic performance and high-rate capability for sodium storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • S. cerevisiae YE4 influenced E. faecium and L. fermentum physiological behaviors. • S. cerevisiae YE4 caused changes in AI-2 activity and QS gene expression. • S. cerevisiae YE4 effected the proteins expression of cell wall formation and QS. The interaction mode between lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and yeast in a fermentation system directly determines the quality of the products, thus understanding their mode of interaction can improve product quality. The present study investigated the effects of Saccharomyces cerevisiae YE4 on LAB from the perspectives of physiology, quorum sensing (QS), and proteomics. The presence of S. cerevisiae YE4 slowed down the growth of Enterococcus faecium 8–3 but had no significant effect on acid production or biofilm formation. S. cerevisiae YE4 significantly reduced the activity of autoinducer-2 at 19 h in E. faecium 8–3 and at 7–13 h in Lactobacillus fermentum 2–1. Expression of the QS-related genes luxS and pfs was also inhibited at 7 h. Moreover, a total of 107 E. faecium 8–3 proteins differed significantly in coculture with S. cerevisiae YE4—these proteins are involved in metabolic pathways including biosynthesis of secondary metabolites; biosynthesis of amino acids; alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism; fatty acid metabolism; and fatty acid biosynthesis. Among them, proteins involved in cell adhesion, cell wall formation, two-component systems, and ABC transporters were detected. Therefore, S. cerevisiae YE4 might affect the physiological metabolism of E. faecium 8–3 by affecting cell adhesion, cell wall formation, and cell–cell interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is generally accepted that fine particles could accelerate cement hydration process, or, more specifically, this accelerating effect can be attributed to additional surface area introduced by fine particles. In addition to this view, the surface state of fine particles is also an important factor, especially for nanoparticles. In the previous study, a series of nano-SiO2-polycarboxylate superplasticizer core-shell nanoparticles (NS@PCE) were synthesized, which have a similar particle size distribution but different surface properties. In this study, the impact of NS@PCE on cement hydration was investigated by heat flow calorimetry, mechanical property measurement, XRD, and SEM. Results show that, among a series of NS@PCE, NS@PCE-2 with a moderate shell-core ratio appeared to be more effective in accelerating cement hydration. As dosage increases, the efficiency of NS@PCE-2 would reach a plateau which is quantified by various characteristic values. Compressive strength results indicate that strength has a linear correlation with cumulative heat release. A hypothesis was proposed to explain the modification effect of NS@PCE, which highlights a balance between initial dispersion and pozzolanic reactivity. This paper provides a new understanding for the surface modification of supplementary cementitious materials and their application and also sheds a new light on nano-SiO2 for optimizing cement-based materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A porous aromatic framework (referred as PAF-39) based on tetrakis(4-(9 H-carbazol-9-yl)phenyl)methane has been designed and synthesized by oxidative coupling polymerization. PAF-39 exhibits high surface area and high heat of adsorption ( Qst) of CO2. Especially, the PAF material was applied for non-enzymatic H2O2 sensing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osteogenesis from preosteoblasts is important for bone tissue engineering. MicroRNAs are a class of endogenous small RNA molecules that potentially modulate osteogenesis. In this study, we found that miR-155 expression was downregulated in a time-dependent manner in cells of the preosteoblast cell line MC3T3-E1 after osteogenic induction using bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2). Transfection with miR-155 decreased alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, ALP expression, and the staining intensity of Alizarin Red in MC3T3-E1 cells treated with BMP2, whereas treatment with miR-155 inhibitor promoted BMP2-induced osteoblast differentiation. The luciferase assay confirmed that miR-155 can bind to the 3′ untranslated region of SMAD5 mRNA. miR-155 transfection significantly decreased the expression of SMAD5 protein and mRNA in MC3T3-E1 cells under control media and the p-SMAD5 protein level during osteogenesis. After transfecting cells with the SMAD5 overexpression plasmids, the inhibitory effect of miR-155 on osteogenesis was significantly attenuated. In conclusion, miR-155 inhibited osteoblast differentiation by downregulating the translation of SMAD5 in mouse preosteoblast cells. Inhibition of miR-155 promoted osteogenic potential and thus it can be used as a potential target in the treatment of bone defects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, shrinkage reducing admixture (SRA) was grafted on NanoSiO 2 (NS) surfaces to synthesize novel core-shell (NS@SRA) particles and improve dispersion of NS in cement paste. The synthesized NS@SRA was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, and thermogravimetric analysis. A series of tests were performed to investigate the effects of NS@SRA addition on the compressive strength and shrinkage of cement paste. It is found that NS@SRA increases the strength of cement paste, especially at later ages. Unlike conventional NS, which significantly increases autogenous shrinkage of cement paste, addition of NS@SRA does not appreciably affect autogenous shrinkage of the paste at early ages. Based on dispersion and zeta potential measurements of NS and NS@SRA particles in synthetic pore solution, we propose that hydration products around NS@SRA may result in gradual separation of SRA from the core. The released SRA may reduce shrinkage and mitigate cracking of cement composites at later ages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A polymerized film of copper-2-amino-5-mercapto-1,3,4-thiadiazole (Cu(II)-AMT) complex (poly(Cu-AMT)) was successfully achieved via a simple and low-cost electrochemical methodology. Subsequently, a noncovalent nanohybrid of poly(Cu-AMT) with reduced graphene oxide (rGO) (rGO-poly(Cu-AMT)) was prepared through π–π stacking interaction as an efficient mimetic enzyme for the ultrasensitive and selective detection of dopamine (DA). The rGO-poly(Cu-AMT) nanocomposites showed considerable mimetic enzyme catalytic activity, which may be attributed to the significant promotion of the electron transfer between the substrate and graphene-based carbon materials, and also the synergistic electrocatalytic effect in mimetic enzyme between rGO sheet and poly(Cu-AMT). The electrocatalytic and sensing performances of the biomimetic sensor based on the rGO-poly(Cu-AMT) nanocomposites were evaluated in detail. The biomimetic sensor enables a reliable and sensitive determination of DA with a linear range of 0.01–40 μM and a detection limit of 3.48 nM at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3. In addition, we applied the proposed method to detect DA in real sample with satisfactory results. Accordingly, the rGO-poly(Cu-AMT) is one of the promising mimetic enzyme for electrocatalysis and biosensing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A series of sulfate Gemini surfactants with different hydrophobic chains and linking groups were synthesized. • The heat resistance, Krafft points, CMC, surface tension, emulsification were tested and evaluated in detail. • The linking groups and hydrophobic groups had a certain effect on the properties of sulfate Gemini surfactants. • The III 2a with C 14 and -(CH 2) 2 - had the best foam performance at 0.4 wt% with the V max = 780 mL and t 1/2 = 330 s. From the perspective of molecular design, a series of sulfate Gemini surfactants with different hydrophobic chains and linking groups were synthesized by etherification, ring opening and sulfation. The structures of the products were characterized by IR and 1H NMR. The synthesized sulfate Gemini surfactants had good heat resistance, especially the surfactants with rigid linking groups, measured by thermogravimetric analysis. The synthetic surfactants had low Krafft points, wherein the Krafft points of the surfactants with a carbon chain of 12 were <0 °C. With increasing hydrophobic carbon chain length or decreasing methylene number of linker, their CMC and γ cmc first decreased and then increased. The γ cmc of surfactants with rigid linking groups were higher and their CMCs were lower. It is analyzed by the calculated surface activity parameters (pC 20 , Γ max , A min) that with increasing hydrophobic chain length, the surface activity of synthetic surfactants increased first and then decreased, and the surfactant with hydrophobic carbon chain C 14 had the best surface activity. The influences of the length of the linking group and the hydrophobic group on the emulsifying capacity, wetting property, calcium soap dispersion and foam property of the surfactants were also analyzed. It was an attempt to explore and design excellent Gemini surfactants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Whether the coronavirus disease‐2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic is associated with a long‐term negative impact on acute stroke care remains uncertain. This study aims to compare the timing of key aspects of stroke codes between patients before and after the COVID‐19 pandemic. Methods: This retrospective cohort study was conducted at an academic hospital in Shanghai, China and included all adult patients with acute ischemic stroke hospitalized via the emergency department (ED) stroke pathway during the 24 months since the COVID‐19 outbreak (COVID‐19: January 1, 2020–December 31, 2021). The comparison cohort included patients with ED stroke pathway visits and hospitalizations during the same period (pre‐COVID‐19: January 1, 2018–December 31, 2019). We compared critical time points of prehospital and intrahospital acute stroke care between patients during the COVID‐19 era and patients during the pre‐COVID‐19 era using t test, χ2, and Mann–Whitney U test where appropriate. Results: A total of 1194 acute ischemic stroke cases were enrolled, including 606 patients in COVID‐19 and 588 patients in pre‐COVID‐19. During the COVID‐19 pandemic, the median onset‐to‐hospital time was about 108 min longer compared with the same period of pre‐COVID‐19 (300 vs 192 min, p = 0.01). Accordingly, the median onset‐to‐needle time was 169 min in COVID‐19 and 113 min in pre‐COVID‐19 (p = 0.0001), and the proportion of patients with onset‐to‐hospital time within 4.5 h was lower (292/606 [48.2%] vs 328/558 [58.8%], p = 0.0003) during the pandemic period. Furthermore, the median door‐to‐inpatient admission and door‐to‐inpatient rehabilitation times increased from 28 to 37 h and from 3 to 4 days (p = 0.014 and 0.0001). Conclusions: During the 24 months of COVID‐19, a prolongation of stroke onset to hospital arrival and to intravenous rt‐PA administration times were noted. Meanwhile, acute stroke patients needed to stay in the ED for a longer time before hospitalization. Educational system support and process optimization should be pursued in order to acquire timely delivery of stroke care during the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A novel hybrid nanoSiO 2 containing fluorinated organic (NS@TOFS) was designed. • NS@TOFS can reduce the water absorption and carbonation of coated mortar. • NS@TOFS modified surface shows less degradation after exposure to UV-rays. • A triple layered structure of NS@TOFS modified surface was found and clarified. In surface treatment technics of cement-based materials, nanoSiO 2 (NS) is effective in refining pore structure while organic water-repelling agents are often used for producing a hydrophobic surface. Due to its advantages of pore refining effect and hydrophobicity, the organic-inorganic hybrid nanoSiO 2 has attracted increasing attention. However, the UV-irradiation can result in photodegradation of organic constituents, leading to deterioration of hydrophobicity. In this study, a novel UV-resistant fluorinated hybrid nanocomposite, NS@TOFS, was synthesized and used for surface treatment on hardened cement-based materials. The water and gas permeability of the treated samples before and after UV-aging were assessed by measuring the water absorption rate, water contact angle and carbonation degree. The experimental results showed that the NS@TOFS treated samples possess enhanced water and gas impermeability after 14 days of exposure to UV rays. A morphological observation of the treated surface revealed that a synergistic effect of organic film and refined pore structure was responsible for the improved surface properties. Findings from this study well demonstrate that the developed fluorinated hybrid nanoSiO 2 holds great promise for enhancing the durability of cement-based materials under UV-irradiations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the food industry, the competition and reciprocity between lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and yeasts in co-culture and the interactions of their metabolites affect product quality. Quorum sensing (QS) is a communication mechanism between bacterial cells, which participates in multiple physiological behaviors. The effects of Saccharomyces cerevisiae YE4 cell-free supernatant (CFS) on LAB were explored from the aspects of growth and metabolism, QS, and protein expression. The results showed the CFS inhibited not only the growth of Enterococcus faecium 8–3 and Lactobacillus fermentum 2-1 but also their acid production and biofilm formation. The acid production and biofilm amount was significantly decreased by 18.4% and 12.8% in L. fermentum 2–1 and E. faecium 8–3, respectively. The effect of CFS on QS was shown in the changes of Autoinducer-2 (AI-2) activity, luxS and pfs genes expression. Moreover, a total of 136 proteins of E. faecium 8-3 differed significantly in co-cultured with CFS, which involved in metabolic pathways including oxidative phosphorylation, pyruvate metabolism, metabolic pathways, mismatch repair, QS system, two-component system, and ABC transporters. Therefore, S. cerevisiae YE4 CFS might affect the physiological metabolism of E. faecium 8-3 by affecting the energy metabolism and QS system. • S. cerevisiae YE4 CFS influenced E. faecium and L. fermentum physiological behaviors. • S. cerevisiae YE4 CFS caused changes in AI-2 activity and QS gene expression. • YE4 CFS might achieve inhibition by affecting energy metabolism and QS system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

NanoSiO 2 has been widely used to improve properties of cement-based composites, but effective dispersion of nanoparticles in cementitious materials remains to be a challenge for their practical applications. This paper introduces a surface modification technique that can enhance dispersion of nanoparticles in aqueous system, especially in the pore solution of cement paste. First, a series of nanoSiO 2 -polycarboxylate superplasticizer core-shell nanoparticles (nanoSiO 2 @PCE) were synthesized from silanized polycarboxylate superplasticizer and colloidal nanoSiO 2 by the “grafting to” method, the prepared nanoSiO 2 @PCE were characterized by DLS, FTIR, and TGA. Then the investigation on the interaction between nanoSiO 2 @PCE and cement shows that nanoSiO 2 @PCE exhibits higher stability in saturated calcium hydroxide solution than pristine nanoSiO 2 , and the heat development during cement hydration can be regulated by shell structure of nanoSiO 2 @PCE. The research provides a new route for nanoSiO 2 to optimizing cement-based composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A highly regio- and stereoselective method to construct a broad range of 7-oxabicyclo[2.2.1]heptanes, which proceeds through a sequential reaction involving gold(I)-catalyzed cycloisomerization of alkynediols and sequential semi-pinacol-type 1,2-alkyl migration, was developed. The developed chemistry was applied to the asymmetric total synthesis of the natural product farnesiferol C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aliskiren, a direct renin blocker, has been approved for the treatment of hypertension. However, the potential role of aliskiren on vascular endothelial function in spontaneously hypertensive rats ( SHR) remains unclear. In the present study, male SHRs at 12 weeks of age were orally administrated 30 mg/kg per day or 60 mg/kg per day aliskiren. After a 4-week treatment, aliskiren showed a significant effect on the reduction of blood pressure at a dosage of 60 mg/kg per day, but not of 30 mg/kg per day. Moreover, both dosages of aliskiren improved endothelium-dependent relaxation, reduced dihydroethidium fluorescence intensity, decreased level of malondialdehyde but heightened total antioxidant capacity and superoxide dismutase activity in thoracic aorta in SHR. Aliskiren also markedly increased expression of p85 α, an important subunit of phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase ( PI3K), enhancing phosphorylation of protein kinase B (Akt) at Ser473 and endothelial nitric oxide synthase ( eNOS) at Ser1177, as well as cyclic guanosine-3′5′-monophosphate ( cGMP, a sensitive index of biological activity of nitric oxide) concentration. Furthermore, both anti-oxidative and endothelium protective effects of aliskiren were diminished when PI3K was inhibited in vivo. The data presented here indicates that, aliskiren improves endothelium-dependent relaxation of thoracic aorta in SHR, predominantly through attenuating oxidative stress and activation of the PI3K/Akt/ eNOS pathway. These data might propose novel strategies to prevent and improve vascular endothelial dysfunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The utility of molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) as electrochemical sensor often suffers from its limited catalytic efficiency. Here, we proposed an alternative approach by combining the concept of MIP with the use of mimetic enzyme. A metronidazole imprinted polymer with nitroreductase-like activity was successfully achieved via an electrochemical method, where melamine served two purposes: functional monomer of MIP and component of mimetic enzyme. During the imprinting process, the redox-active center, which is responsible for catalysis, was introduced into the imprinted cavities. Accordingly, the imprinted polymer, having both catalysis centers and recognition sites, exhibited enhanced electrocatalytic activity and selectivity. The sensing performances of this metronidazole imprinted biomimetic sensor were evaluated in detail. Results revealed that the response to metronidazole was linear in the concentration range of 0.5–1000 μM, and the detection limit was 0.12 μM ( S / N =3). In addition, we applied the proposed sensor to detect metronidazole in an injection solution and the results implied its feasibility for practical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, linking with the butoxycarbonyl (BOC) protection of proline, a new tailed metalloporphyrin with many useful active functions, nickel (II) 5-[4-N-(tert-Butoxycarbonyl)- l -prolinecoxylpropyloxy]phenyl-10,15,20-triphenylporphyrin (NiTBLPyP), was designed and synthesized. And the NiTBLPyP polymer (poly(NiTBLPyP)) was successfully obtained via a low-cost electrochemical method and exploited as an efficient mimic enzyme. Subsequently, a noncovalent nanohybrid of poly(NiTBLPyP) with graphene (rGO) sheet (rGO-poly(NiTBLPyP)) was prepared through π–π stacking interaction for the ultrasensitive and selective detection of DA. The nanohybrid was characterized by UV–vis spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectra, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Due to the excellent electrocatalytic ability of poly(NiTBLPyP) film and aromatic π–π stacking interaction between poly(NiTBLPyP and rGO sheet, the obtained rGO-poly(NiTBLPyP) film exhibited a great synergistic amplification effect toward dopamine oxidation. Under optimum experimental conditions, the logarithm of catalytic currents showed a good linear relationship with that of the dopamine concentration in the range of 0.01–200 μM with a low detection limit of 1.40 nM. With good sensitivity and selectivity, the present method was applied to the determination of DA in real sample and the results was satisfactory. Thus, the rGO-poly(NiTBLPyP) film is one of the promising mimetic enzyme for electrocatalysis and relevant fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poly(diallydimethylammonium chloride) functionalized graphene/double-walled carbon nanotube composite (PDDA-GN/DWCNT) was synthesized by a facile microwave-assisted reduction reaction. PDDA-GN/DWCNT exhibits enhanced electrocatalytic activity towards nitrite oxidation. The direct electrooxidation behaviors of nitrite on PDDA-GN/DWCNT were investigated by cyclic voltammetry, amperometric i-t curve, and rotating disk electrode experiments. Under the optimum conditions, PDDA-GN/DWCNT was applied to the quantitative analysis of nitrite with a wide linear range covering 0.07-3000 µM and a low detection limit of 0.03 µM (S/N=3). Moreover, PDDA-GN/DWCNT exhibits satisfied results in the determination of nitrite that released from breast cancer cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wetlands in the Rainwater Basin in Nebraska are vulnerable to sediment accumulation from the surrounding watershed. Sediment accumulation has a negative impact on wetland quality by decreasing the depth and volume of water stored, and the plant community species composition and density growing in the wetland. The objective of this study was to determine the amount of sediment that has accumulated in five selected wetlands in the Rainwater Basin in Nebraska. Soil cores were taken at five or six locations along transects across each wetland. This study used the fly ash, which is generated by coal-burning locomotives that were present generally in the late 1800s and early 1900s, as a marker to quantify the sediment deposition rates. The cores were divided into 5 cm sections and the soils were analyzed using a fly ash extraction and identification technique. Results indicate that the average depth of sediment ranged from 23.00 to 38.00 cm. The annual average depth of sediment accumulation ranged from 0.18 cm/yr to 0.29 cm/yr. The annual sediment accumulation rate from both wind erosion and water erosion in these five sampling wetlands was between 1.946 and 3.225 kg/ m2/yr. The results of this research can be used to develop restoration plans for wetlands. The fly ash testing technology can also be applied to other areas with the railroads across the United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hole-transporting materials with tunable structures and properties are mainly applied in organic light-emitting diodes as transport layer. But their catalytic properties as signal amplifiers in biological assays are seldom reported. In this paper, a starburst molecule, 4,4,4″-tri(N-carbazolyl)-triphenylamine (TCT), containing a triphenylamine as the central core and three carbazoles as the peripheral functional groups was designed and synthesized. Subsequently, the hole-transporting material based on the TCT polymer, poly(TCT) (PTCT), was achieved via a low-cost electrochemical method and exploited as an efficient metal-free electrocatalyst for non-enzymatic glucose detection. Here, this hole-transporting material served three purposes: electrochemical recognition (owing to hydrogen bonding interaction and the biomimetic microenvironment created by the polymer), electrocatalysis (owing to the hole-transporting capability of triphenylamine and the catalytic property of carbazole), and signal amplification (owing to energy migration along the conductive polymer backbone). The electrocatalytic and sensing performances of the sensor based on PTCT were evaluated in detail. Results revealed that the PTCT film could efficiently catalyze the oxidation of glucose at a less-positive potential (+0.20 V) in the absence of any enzymes. The response to glucose was linear in the concentration range of 1.0–6000 μM, and the detection limit was 0.20 μM. With good stability and selectivity, the proposed sensor could be feasibly applied to detect glucose in practical samples. The encouraging sensing performances suggest that the hole-transporting material is one of the promising biomimetic catalysts for electrocatalysis and relevant fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have demonstrated that the brain functional modular organization, which is a fundamental feature of the human brain, would change along the adult lifespan. However, these studies assumed that each brain region belonged to a single functional module, although there has been convergent evidence supporting the existence of overlap among functional modules in the human brain. To reveal how age affects the overlapping functional modular organization, this study applied an overlapping module detection algorithm that requires no prior knowledge to the resting-state fMRI data of a healthy cohort (N = 570) aged from 18 to 88 years old. A series of measures were derived to delineate the characteristics of the overlapping modular structure and the set of overlapping nodes (brain regions participating in two or more modules) identified from each participant. Age-related regression analyses on these measures found linearly decreasing trends in the overlapping modularity and the modular similarity. The number of overlapping nodes was found increasing with age, but the increment was not even over the brain. In addition, across the adult lifespan and within each age group, the nodal overlapping probability consistently had positive correlations with both functional gradient and flexibility. Further, by correlation and mediation analyses, we showed that the influence of age on memory-related cognitive performance might be explained by the change in the overlapping functional modular organization. Together, our results revealed age-related decreased segregation from the brain functional overlapping modular organization perspective, which could provide new insight into the adult lifespan changes in brain function and the influence of such changes on cognitive performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles were synthesized and smelted with pure Sn, Ag, and Cu to prepare Sn–1.0Ag–0.7Cu– x Fe 2 O 3 nano-composite solders. The content of Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles ranged from 0 to 1 wt.% in the solders. The influences of Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles on the wettability and the morphology of interfacial intermetallics compounds (IMCs) of low-Ag Sn–Ag–Cu solders on Cu substrate were investigated. Results show that added Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles can remarkably improve the wettability of Sn–1.0Ag–0.7Cu solder alloys and inhibit the formation and the growth of the interfacial IMCs between the nano-composite solders and Cu substrate. Meanwhile, not only the wettability of the nano-composite solders but also the formation and the growth of the interfacial IMCs, during reflow and aging, are identically relied on Fe 2 O 3 weight percent in nano-composite solders. The enhancement of wettability improvement and interfacial IMC inhibition caused by nano-Fe 2 O 3 addition increased with the addition amount under small concentration. However, excessive addition of Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles in the Sn–1.0Ag–0.7Cu solder alloys will degrade the wettability and the inhibition effect on the interfacial IMCs. There is an optimum amount of Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles in Sn–1.0Ag–0.7Cu solder alloys, which is 0.4 wt.%, and Sn–1.0Ag–0.7Cu–0.4Fe 2 O 3 solders possess the best wettability and the inhibition effect on the interfacial IMCs formation and growth. The reason for improving wettability and simultaneously inhibiting IMCs formation and growth due to Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles addition is explained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A copper-poly(cysteine) (Cu-poly(Cys)) film was successfully achieved via a simple electrochemical method and subsequently exploited as a nitroreductase mimetic for metronidazole detection. The electropolymerized film of cysteine provides a microenvironment for the enzymatic reaction while the metallic Cu acts as an active center with catalytic function. Electrochemical treatments lead to this mimetic enzyme with greatly enhanced catalytic performance, which make it suitable for the construction of biomimetic sensors. The electrocatalytic and sensing performances of the sensor based on the Cu-poly(Cys) film were evaluated in detail. Results revealed that the sensor exhibited linear response to metronidazole in the concentration range of 0.5-400 μM, with a detection limit of 0.37 μM. In addition, we applied the proposed method to detect metronidazole in an injection solution with satisfactory results, demonstrating that the Cu-poly(Cys) film is one of the promising biomimetic catalysts for electrocatalysis and relevant fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coal gasification coarse slag (GFS) is a byproduct of coal gasification technology, which contains abundant amorphous aluminosilicate minerals. GFS has low carbon content, and its ground powder has potential pozzolanic activity, which can be used as a supplementary cementitious material (SCM) for cement. Herein, GFS-blended cement was studied in terms of ion dissolution characteristics, initial hydration kinetics, hydration reaction process, microstructure evolution process, and the development of the mechanical strength of their paste and mortar. Enhanced alkalinity and elevated temperature could increase the pozzolanic activity of GFS powder. The specific surface area of GFS powder and its content did not change the reaction mechanism of cement. The hydration process was divided into three stages: crystal nucleation and growth (NG), phase boundary reaction (I), and diffusion reaction (D). A higher specific surface area of the GFS powder could improve the chemical kinetic process of the cement system. The degree of reaction of GFS powder and blended cement had a positive correlation. A low GFS powder content (10%) with a high specific surface area (463 m2/kg) showed the best activation in cement as well as improving the late mechanical properties of cement. The results show GFS powder with low carbon content has the application value as SCM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We introduce and discuss the notions of Rota–Baxter bialgebra equation systems and Rota–Baxter Hopf algebras. Then we construct a lot of examples based on Hopf quasigroups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objective: To investigate the effect of baicalein on side population in human multiple myeloma cell line RPMI 8226 and the underlying molecular mechanisms in vitro and in silico. Methods: MTT assay was applied to detect the anti-proliferation effect of baicalein. The detection of side population cells is based on the Hoechst 33342 exclusion assay technique and flow cytometric analysis. Western blotting assay was used to explore the expression of ABCG2 protein. Homology modeling and molecular docking were performed with Discovery Studio 2.1. Results: Baicalein decreased both cell viability with IC50 =168.5?M and the proportion of SP cells in a dose-dependent manner. Correspondingly, it significantly decreased the expression level of ABCG2 protein. Baicalein also shared similar binding sites and modes with fumitremorgin C to the protein. Conclusions: Baicalein possessed novel anticancer properties, such as anti-proliferation and drug efflux inhibition in side population cells, which suggested its potential feature of targeting cancer stem cells of multiple myeloma. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In the design of infill well trajectory in fractured area of shale gas reservoir, it is necessary to consider the problem how to bypass the fractured influence area of the old shale gas wells, as well as the problem of mutual interference between the different fractured sections during production. In this paper, the geometric model of the obstacles in fractured area of shale gas reservoir, which considers the trajectory error and fracturing effect, is established by vector algebra method. The trajectory type is classified according to positional relations among the obstacle, the directional line of initial point and target point. The trajectory optimization model for bypassing obstacles takes the minimum total well length as objective function, the safety distance to obstacle as one of the constraints. In addition, the geometric check method for judging whether there is interference between the different fractured sections is proposed based on the geometric obstacle model. Case studies have been carried out according to the field data from Fuling, and the results indicate that the trajectory optimization model in this paper can obtain the optimum trajectory to meet the needs for bypassing obstacle, minimum trajectory length and avoiding trial calculation. Besides, if the fracturing effect is ignored, the size of the obstacle will be significantly underestimated in fractured area of shale gas reservoir, which will result in drilling accidents. In sum, the obstacle model in this paper is more consistent with the situation of field fractured area drilling practice than that of the published model. This study will provide a more safer and briefer design method for optimizing the infill well trajectory in fractured area of shale gas reservoir, which is of great significance to the shale gas drilling design and drilling safety. • The coupling obstacles model considering both trajectory error and fracturing effect was proposed. • The optimization design model of well trajectory for bypassing obstacles has been established. • The geometric check method for judging whether there is interference between different fractured sections was proposed. • The obstacle size is underestimated when the fracturing effect and the unevenness of the fracturing effect are ignored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of the signal molecule AI-2 on biofilm formation in Lactobacillus sanfranciscensis. We found that the influence of signal molecule AI-2 on strains is related to a variety of physiological metabolic behaviors, such as bacterial growth, morphological characteristics, biofilm development, related gene expression, and bile salt stress tolerance. The survival rates of planktonic and biofilm forms of L. sanfranciscensis were measured after acid, bile salt, and in vitro digestion. The results showed that the biofilm strain had stronger stress resistance. Next, the effects of endogenous and synthetic AI-2 on L. sanfranciscensis growth were compared. The addition of synthetic AI-2 improved L. sanfranciscensis cell density and enhanced bacterial cohesion. Upregulated expression of ftsH was found to promote biofilm formation and growth. AI-2 intervention will improve bile salt tolerance in L. sanfranciscensis. In conclusion, the signal molecule AI-2 is involved in the regulation of biofilm formation and development in L. sanfranciscensis. • The biofilm of Lactobacillus sanfranciscensis had stronger stress resistance. • Effect of endogenous AI-2 on the growth and biofilm was studied for the first time. • The synthetic AI-2 increased the biofilm formation and enhanced bacterial cohesion. • AI-2 intervention will improve bile salt tolerance in L. sanfranciscensis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most common malignant tumor diagnosed in men in developed countries. In developing countries, the PCa morbidity and mortality rates are also increasing rapidly. Since androgen receptor (AR) is a key driver and plays a critical role in the regulation of PCa development, AR-targeted agents provide a key component of current therapy regimens. However, even new-generation AR antagonists are prone to drug resistance, and there is currently no effective strategy for overcoming advanced PCa aggressiveness, including drug-resistance progression. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential efficacy and novel therapy strategy of proxalutamide (a newly developed AR antagonist) in PCa. Methods: Four PCa cell lines with various biological heterogeneities were utilized in this study, namely, androgen-sensitive/-insensitive with/without AR expression. Proliferation, migration and apoptosis assays in PCa cells were used to evaluate the effective therapeutic activity of proxalutamide. The changes in lipid droplet accumulation and lipidomic profiles were analyzed to determine the influence of proxalutamide on lipogenesis in PCa cells. The molecular basis of the effects of proxalutamide on lipogenesis and the AR axis was then further investigated. Results: Proxalutamide significantly inhibited the proliferation and migration of PCa cells, and its inhibitory effect was superior to that of enzalutamide (Enz, second-generation AR antagonist). Proxalutamide induced the caspase-dependent apoptosis of PCa cells. Proxalutamide significantly diminished the level of lipid droplets in PCa cells, changed the lipid profile of PCa cells and reduced the content of most lipids (especially triglycerides) in PCa cells. Proxalutamide attenuated de novo lipogenesis by inhibiting the expression of ATP citrate lyase (ACL), acetyl CoA carboxylase (ACC), fatty acid synthase (FASN) and sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1 (SREBP-1). Moreover, proxalutamide also decreased AR expression in PCa cells, and its inhibitory effect on lipogenesis did not depend on its ability to down-regulate AR expression. However, Enz had no effect on AR expression, lipid accumulation or lipid de novo synthesis in PCa cells. Conclusions: By co-targeting the AR axis and endogenous adipogenesis, a novel and promising strategy was established for proxalutamide to combat the progress of PCa. The unique effect of proxalutamide on the metabolic reprogramming of PCa provides a potential solution to overcome the resistance of current AR-targeted therapy, which will help to effectively prolong its clinical service life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Three sulfate-quaternary ammonium Gemini surfactants with different carbon chain lengths were synthesized. • The surface and interface properties, and salt and temperature resistance were evaluated in detail. • The carbon chain length has a certain effect on the properties of amphoteric Gemini surfactants. • EOR of the C 12 ZGS surfactant was 11.63% in low permeability reservoirs and more than other two surfactants. Sulfate-quaternary ammonium amphoteric Gemini surfactants with hydrophobic chains (C 12 ZGS, C 14 ZGS and C 16 ZGS) were prepared using formic acid, formaldehyde, long-chain tertiary amine, epichlorohydrin, chlorosulfone and NaOH. Their structures were characterized by IR and 1H NMR, and the synthesized target products was confirmed. The critical micelle concentrations (CMCs) of C 12 ZGS, C 14 ZGS and C 16 ZGS were 5.4 × 10−4 mol/L, 3.1 × 10−4 mol/L and 2.8 × 10−4 mol/L, respectively. Their corresponding surface tensions were 28.62 mN/m, 30.98 mN/m and 32.45 mN/m. It was found that the surface tension increases with increasing hydrophobic chain length. The three Gemini surfactants have good emulsifying and foaming properties for kerosene, and they have good solubility at low temperature. The results of thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) showed that the decomposition temperatures of C 12 ZGS, C 14 ZGS and C 16 ZGS were 153 °C, 157 °C and 150 °C, respectively. The salinity resistance of C 12 ZGS reached 4 × 104 mg/L, C 14 ZGS reached 5 × 104 mg/L, and the salinity resistance of C 16 ZGS was worst. C 12 ZGS and C 14 ZGS can reduce the oil–water interfacial tension to 10−2 orders of magnitude, but C 16 ZGS can only reduce it by 10−1 orders of magnitude. The stability of the surfactant flooding system was evaluated by aging time. Under the simulated reservoir formation environment, three amphoteric Gemini surfactants with different chain length (C 12 ZGS, C 14 ZGS, C 16 ZGS) can enhance oil recovery by 11.63%, 10.91% and 9.87% respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple electrochemical method was developed to determine metronidazole based on β-cyclodextrin-functionalized gold nanoparticles/poly( L-cysteine) modified glassy carbon electrode ( β-CD-GNPs/poly( L-cys)/GCE). The electropolymerized film of poly( L-cys) provides a stable matrix for the fabrication of a sensing interface. β-CD-GNPs can form inclusion complexes with metronidazole and act as a modifier with catalytic function. The modified electrode exhibited excellent electrocatalytic activity towards metronidazole. The reaction of metronidazole at the modified electrode was an irreversible process controlled by diffusion. Under optimum experimental conditions, the logarithm of catalytic currents shows a good linear relationship with that of the metronidazole concentration in the range of 0.1-600 µmol/L with a low detection limit of 14 nmol/L. In addition, the modified electrode exhibited satisfactory stability, sensitivity and reproducibility, and could be applied to the determination of metronidazole in an injection solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]