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Hollow porous AuAg nanospheres (AuAg HPNSs) were obtained through a simple solvothermal synthesis, complemented by a dealloying strategy. The hollow interior, open pore voids, and integral interconnected skeleton shell in AuAg HPNSs are beneficial for providing sufficient electrolyte diffusion and contacts, abundant active sites, and efficient electron transport. This specific structure and the favorable alloy synergism contribute to the superior electrocatalytic activity toward dopamine (DA) and acetaminophen (AC). AuAg HPNSs show high sensitivity, good selectivity, excellent sensing durability, and outstanding repeatability for amperometric assays of AC and DA. In particular, the AuAg-based sensors achieve effective ultrasensitive simultaneous analyses of AC and DA, exhibiting the characteristics of the wide linear range and low detection limit. With their prominent electrocatalytic activity and simple preparation methods, AuAg HPNSs present broad application prospects for constructing a highly responsive electrochemical sensing system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Shewanella strains are characterized by versatile metabolic capabilities, resulting in their wide distribution in the ocean at different depths. Considering that particle sedimentation is an important dynamic process in the ocean, we hypothesized that hadal Shewanella species evolved from the upper ocean. In this study, we isolated three novel Shewanella strains from deep‐sea sediments in the Southwest Indian Ocean. Genome sequencing indicated that strains YLB‐06 and YLB‐08 represent two novel species in the genus Shewanella. Through phylogenomic analysis, we showed that speciation and genomic changes in marine Shewanella strains are related to water depth. We further confirmed the aforementioned hypothesis and revealed a two‐stage process of the evolutionary transition of Shewanella from the upper ocean to the hadal zone by comparative genomics and gene gain/loss analysis. Finally, the transcriptomic analysis demonstrated that recently obtained genes are strictly repressed and may thus play a minor role in the response to environmental changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interaction between biological surfactant sodium deoxycholate (NaDC) and nonionic surfactants polyoxyethylene (n) nonylphenol ether (NPn) for the formation of micelles in aqueous solution were investigated. Surface tension, interfacial dilational viscoelasticity, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were characterized to systematically study the interaction between NaDC and NPn in buffer solution. At last, the mechanism of the interaction between NPn and NaDC were analyzed. The surface tension results show that the interaction between NaDC and NPn was displayed synergism action. The composition of the mixed systems has been estimated on account of the regular solution theory, Clint's equation, Rubingh theory and Rosen theory. The surface dilational rheology provided abundant effective information on the feature of adsorbed layers. From the oscillating barrier measurements, the peak values of the dilational modulus moved to lower concentrations in NaDC/NPn binary system compared to single surfactant. The dilational elasticity of the binary system decreased distinctly on the basis of the rigid structure of NaDC. The interaction of these two substances was proved directly by TEM images, that the boundaries of the aggregates are clearer due to the protection of NPn molecules. The new complex systems have potential application in environmental protection. Schematic illustration of the aggregation in NPn/NaDC mixed systems and concentration increased from left to right. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The effect of CaCl2 on the interaction between partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM) and sodium stearate (C17H35COONa) was investigated by steady-flow and oscillatory experiments at 25°C and 70°C, respectively. The results of steady-flow measurement indicate that the viscosities of both HPAM and HPAM/C17H35COONa systems decrease obviously with the addition of CaCl2, and show shear-thinning property at higher shear rate. But the viscosity of the system with C17H35COONa is higher than that of HPAM solution at same CaCl2 concentration. In oscillatory experiment, both HPAM and HPAM/C17H35COONa systems show elastic behaviors and their viscoelastic behaviors depend strongly on the CaCl2 concentration. And the capability that HPAM/C17H35COONa system endures higher concentration CaCl2 at higher temperature is better than that of HPAM system because of the formation of complex between HPAM and C17H35COONa. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Microbacterium sediminis YLB-01 T , a piezotolerant and psychrotolerant actinomycete, was isolated from deep-sea sediment of the South-West Indian Ocean and could be a good model for understanding the adaptation of extremophiles to the benthic piezosphere. Here, we report the analysis of the complete genome sequence of strain YLB-01 T . The genome sequence consists of a single circular chromosome comprising 2,792,195 bp and a linear plasmid comprising 127,669 bp with G + C content of 71.76 and 68.49 mol%, respectively. In this regard, strain YLB-01 T possesses the smallest genome size but the highest G + C content among the genus Microbacterium sequenced to date. As the first complete genome sequence of the genus Microbacterium isolated from deep-sea environment, the strain YLB-01 T genome is unique or enriched in genes involved in xenobiotics biodegradation and metabolism, compatible solutes, and transposases, some of which might be related to bacterial enhancement of ecological fitness in the deep sea., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To identify biochemical markers in men with idiopathic infertility and normal sperm counts., Experimental Design: We obtained proteomic profiling proteins in human spermatozoa following successful or unsuccessful pregnancy via assisted reproductive technology (ART) using 6-plex tandem mass tag (TMT) isobaric mass spectrometry. Our study design consisted of two groups: 1. The semen of 6 men whose sperm resulted in a clinical pregnancy following ART and 6 men whose semen did not result in a clinical pregnancy following ART. The results of differentiated mass spectrometry were validated by Western blotting., Results and Discussion: A total of 2,045 proteins were detected in our cohort. 21 proteins were found to be differentially expressed (>1.2-fold) in men whose sperm resulted in a clinical pregnancy and those that did not. Using the results of bioinformatics analysis and Western Blotting, three proteins (A2LD1, ATP1B3 and FBXO2) were shown to have the same differential pattern (p<0.05) that was observed in the mass spectrometry analysis., Conclusions and Clinical Relevance: Proteomics may help identity a select cohort of men with abnormal semen parameters and aide infertility diagnoses., (© 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

The dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) simulation method was applied to simulate the aggregation behavior of three block copolymers, (EO)16(PO)18, (EO)8(PO)18(EO)8, and (PO)9(EO)16(PO)9, in aqueous solutions. The results showed that the size of the micelle increased with increasing concentration. The diblock copolymer (EO)16(PO)18 would form an intercluster micelle at a certain concentration range, besides the traditional aggregates (spherical micelle, cylindrical micelle, and lamellar phase); while the triblock copolymer (EO)8(PO)18(EO)8 would form a spherical micelle, cylindrical micelle, and lamellar phase with increasing concentration, and (PO)9(EO)16(PO)9 would form intercluster aggregates, as well as a spherical micelle and gel. New mechanisms were given to explain the two kinds of intercluster micelle formed by the different copolymers. It is deduced from the end-to-end distance that the morphologies of the diblock copolymer and triblock copolymer with hydrophilic ends were more extendible than the triblock copolymer with hydrophobic ends.