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Empirical evidence suggests that for a variety of overparameterized nonlinear models, most notably in neural network training, the growth of the loss around a minimizer strongly impacts its performance. Flat minima—those around which the loss grows slowly—appear to generalize well. This work takes a step towards understanding this phenomenon by focusing on the simplest class of overparameterized nonlinear models: those arising in low-rank matrix recovery. We analyse overparameterized matrix and bilinear sensing, robust principal component analysis, covariance matrix estimation and single hidden layer neural networks with quadratic activation functions. In all cases, we show that flat minima, measured by the trace of the Hessian, exactly recover the ground truth under standard statistical assumptions. For matrix completion, we establish weak recovery, although empirical evidence suggests exact recovery holds here as well. We complete the paper with synthetic experiments that illustrate our findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A distance-based visual electrochromic biosensing device is proposed. With this device, the naked eye is capable of discerning the distance of discoloration, which exhibits a positive correlation with the concentration of the detected substance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel strong solvent coordination leaching method was developed to prepare surface zinc vacancies in ZnO nanorod arrays. Remarkably, the surface-zinc-vacancy-rich ZnO nanorod arrays exhibit high electron – hole separation efficiency and excellent photoelectrochemical performance for use as a promising candidate for the next generation of organic photoelectrochemical transistor aptasensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low‐gate voltages can make large modulations in the drain current. Accordingly, organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) have attracted considerable interest as amplifying transducers. The use of OECTs in combination with electrochemical analysis promises to promote sensing performance. Herein, an OECT‐based photoelectrochemical‐type (OECT‐PEC) sensor is constructed based on the photo‐induced potential generating variation in the drain current. The as‐constructed OECT‐PEC sensor has high sensitivity because the device incorporated a sensor and an amplifier, providing the benefits of a PEC sensor and an OECT. In addition to the advantages of excellent signal amplification and ease of miniaturization, background signals are also effectively reduced, and possible interferences from electroactive substances are avoided due to the separation of light excitation and the electric output. The OECT‐PEC sensor integrates poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT)‐modulated Fe‐metal organic framework (Fe‐MOF) nanocomposites as the photo‐active gating material and poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) as the channel material which exhibits a good photocurrent response from the gate electrode and a corresponding 100‐fold expansion channel response. With aptamer as the recognition element, a sensitive OECT‐PEC biosensor is constructed to detect the organophosphorus pesticide malathion. It is found to exhibit a good linear range, a low detection limit, and better sensitivity than the traditional PEC method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, biodiesel has been successfully prepared from Xanthoceras sorbifolia seed kernel by SO4 2-/SnO2-Hangjin2#clay as catalyst. Based on the Central Composite Design method, the effect of the various parameters influencing the biodiesel process have been studied and optimized. The maximum yield of biodiesel (90.67%w/w) can be obtained when the mass fraction of the catalyst is 0.7%, the mass ratio of methanol to oil is 4:1 V/m, the methanol content in the oil is 12%, and the reaction temperature achieves 81°C。Besides, the consequence of Infrared spectroscopy and Gas chromatography can assure the production of biodiesel from the xanthoceras sorbifolia bunge oil. Based on these results, it can be concluded that Xanthoceras sorbifolia bunge seed oil is an acceptable non-edible feedstock for biodiesel production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we introduce a powerful technique based on Leave-One-Out analysis to the study of low-rank matrix completion problems. Using this technique, we develop a general approach for obtaining fine-grained, entrywise bounds for iterative stochastic procedures in the presence of probabilistic dependency. We demonstrate the power of this approach in analyzing two of the most important algorithms for matrix completion: (i) the non-convex approach based on Projected Gradient Descent (PGD) for a rank-constrained formulation, also known as the Singular Value Projection algorithm, and (ii) the convex relaxation approach based on nuclear norm minimization (NNM). Using this approach, we establish the first convergence guarantee for the original form of PGD without regularization or sample splitting, and in particular shows that it converges linearly in the infinity norm. For NNM, we use this approach to study a fictitious iterative procedure that arises in the dual analysis. Our results show that NNM recovers an $d$ -by- $d$ rank- $r$ matrix with $\mathcal {O}(\mu r \log (\mu r) d\log d)$ observed entries. This bound has optimal dependence on the matrix dimension and is independent of the condition number. To the best of our knowledge, none of previous sample complexity results for tractable matrix completion algorithms satisfies these two properties simultaneously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This invited commentary is the personal experience of a psychiatrist who assisted in Wuhan, China during the pandemic. From the personal perspective, it explains why psychiatrists need to go to Wuhan, discusses the psychological problems faced by the front-line medical staff and confirmed COVID-19 patients and the corresponding psychological interventions provided to them, describes the particularity and coping methods of psychological issues related to COVID-19 epidemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Imines are important intermediates in organic synthesis. To avoid derivatives, the research on direct oxidized amines as an alternative method is imminent. The gold (Au)–palladium (Pd) alloy nanoparticles (NPs) catalyst shows a favourable activity and high selectivity on benzylamine oxidation reaction under light irradiation. The yield of the reaction on the alloy NPs with a Au:Pd ratio of 1:1.86 in the dark was 36% at 45 °C, while the yield increased to 95% under light illumination. The study demonstrates different properties from alloy NP to pure Au NP and Pd NP catalysts which may be caused by increased surface charge heterogeneity in the alloy system. The conversion rate of the reaction can also be enhanced by light irradiation and heat. The light energy which utilized by Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance effect of gold in alloy system can highly enhanced the efficiency of reaction. These findings provide useful guidelines for designing efficient alloy catalysts with a plasmonic metal and a catalytically active transition metal for various organic syntheses driven by sunlight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We presented a simple and efficient strategy for deposition of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) upon transparent bare and indium tin oxide (ITO) film coated glass substrate using gold colloids as Au sources. The method involved two steps: embedding in polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) film and annealing at high temperature. The AuNPs deposited on solid substrate because of migration and coalescence of gold at high temperature. The optical and structural properties of the AuNPs were characterised by UV-vis absorption spectra and scanning electron microscopy. The results indicate that the surface of AuNPs upon substrate was clean as annealing at 600 °C for 0.5 h. The size of AuNPs deposited on ITO glass increased with annealing time and volume of PVA-AuNPs. Meanwhile, the localised surface plasmon resonance peak of AuNPs deposited on substrate was also gradual red-shift. In addition, the size of AuNPs deposited on ITO substrate was larger than that on bare glass. This work provides a simple, low-cost and large-scale method for fabrication of substrate-based AuNPs, which is benefit for exploiting biosensors, photonic devices and optoelectronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Channel current is 100 times higher than photocurrent. • This OPECT aptasensor amplifies the gate signal output 800 times through channel. • The introduction light avoids using gate voltages further reducing power consumption. • This OPECT aptasensor realizes highly sensitive detection for T-2 toxin in milk samples. Detection of T-2 toxin is of great significance to environment and human health, as T-2 toxin is one of the main toxins that contaminate crops, stored grain and other food. Herein, a zero-gate-bias organic photoelectrochemical transistor (OPECT) sensor was proposed based on nanoelectrode arrays as gate photoactive materials which can result in the accumulation of photovoltage and preferable capacitance leading to better sensitivity of the OPECT. For comparison, the channel current of OPECT was 100 times higher than photocurrent of conventional photoelectrochemical (PEC) attributing to remarkable signal amplification of OPECT. It was also found that the detection limit of OPECT aptasensor was as low as 28.8 pg/L, lower than 0.34 ng/L of the conventional PEC method, further indicating the advantage of the OPECT devices in T-2 toxin determination. This research has been successfully applied in real sample detection which provided a general platform of OPECT for food safety analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Measurement uncertainty calculation is an important and complicated problem in digitised components inspection. In such inspections, a coordinate measuring machine (CMM) and laser scanner are usually used to get the surface point clouds of the component in different postures. Then, the point clouds are registered to construct fully connected point clouds of the component's surfaces. However, in most cases, the measurement uncertainty is difficult to estimate after the scanned point cloud has been registered. This paper aims to propose a simplified method for calculating the uncertainty of point cloud measurements based on spatial feature registration.Design/methodology/approach In the proposed method, algorithmic models are used to calculate the point cloud measurement uncertainty based on noncontact measurements of the planes, lines and points of the component and spatial feature registration.Findings The measurement uncertainty based on spatial feature registration is related to the mutual position of registration features and the number of sensor commutation in the scanning process, but not to the spatial distribution of the measured feature. The results of experiments conducted verify the efficacy of the proposed method.Originality/value The proposed method provides an efficient algorithm for calculating the measurement uncertainty of registration point clouds based on part features, and therefore has important theoretical and practical significance in digitised components inspection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the antimicrobial properties, mechanism and application of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are reviewed. The antimicrobial activity and influencing factors of single-walled carbon nanotubes and multi- walled carbon nanotubes are described. Single-walled carbon nanotubes exhibit high antibacterial performance. Multi-walled carbon nanotubes need to be modified to achieve good antibacterial effect. The action mechanism of carbon nanotubes on bacteria is mainly cell membrane damage, oxidative stress response and cell adhesion and other modes of action. Finally, the application of carbon nanotubes in water purification, medical materials and food antimicrobial materials is also briefly introduced. Due to the toxicity and cost concerns, applications of CNTs face enormous challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Dihydromyricetin (DMY) is a principle bioactive component of the wild plant Ampelopsis grossedentata and possesses multiple pharmacological effects. However, the mechanism of its biological activity has not received much attention. In this study, the inhibitory mechanism of DMY was explored. Experiments were conducted to investigate the inhibitory effects of DMY on the proline metabolism of Vibrio parahaemolyticus by measurements of proline contents and proline dehydrogenase (PDH) activity. With DMY treatment, an increase in proline content and decrease in PDH activity were observed. Furthermore, molecular docking studies were used to confirm interaction mechanism of DMY with PDH. The results shown that DMY can interact with primary amino acid residues located within the active hydrophobic pockets of PDH, leading to decrease of PDH activity. The normal metabolism of proline was interfered by DMY, resulting in molecular damage and even death of V. parahaemolyticus cells. Practical applications: The antimicrobial mechanism of dihydromyricetin (DMY) on Vibrio parahaemolyticus at the molecular level is reported for the first time in this study. The molecular docking simulation provided supportive data for DMY‐induced inhibition by allowing us to predict the binding site in the active site pocket of proline dehydrogenase. The data can be useful for future studies that involve evaluation of antibacterial mechanism of natural antimicrobial agents against foodborne pathogens and provide an insight into the structural and antibacterial properties of phenolic compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine, metabolic and heterogeneous disorder in women of reproductive age, the exact etiology of which remains unknown. To unravel the molecular mechanisms underlying the hyperandrogenic phenotype of PCOS, prenatally androgenized (PNA) mice were used to mimic this phenotype in women with PCOS. Using microarray analysis, 1188 differentially expressed genes, including 671 upregulated and 517 downregulated genes, were identified in ovaries from PNA mice. Five differentially expressed genes (Aldh1a7, Bhmt, Mtr, Nrcam, Ptprg) were validated, and decreased MTR expression was shown in ovaries of PNA mice. In addition, results from qRT-PCR showed decreased MTR expression in granulosa cells (GCs) from women with the hyperandrogenic phenotype of PCOS. Serum levels of S-adenosyl methionine (SAM), the downstream product of MTR, were also decreased in PNA mice and women with the hyperandrogenic phenotype of PCOS. Our study provides evidence that the hyperandrogenic phenotype of PCOS is linked to abnormal folate one-carbon metabolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over use of lincomycin (LIN) as antibiotic in animals can lead to multiple harmful impacts to public health, thus detection of LIN at trace level in milk and chicken sample matrixes is vital. In this work, Zinc phthalocyanine nanoparticles sensitized MoS 2 (ZnPc/MoS 2) was firstly developed as a novel photocathode material combined with nitrogen-doped graphene-loaded TiO 2 nanoparticles (TiO 2 /NG) as photoanode material to construct a dual-photoelectrode photofuel cell (PFC). The as-prepared membrane/mediator-free PFC achieved excellent output performance that the maximum power density (P max) reached 11.83 μW cm−2. Specific aptamers are adopted as LIN recognition elements, the as-proposed self-powered aptasensor for LIN exhibited a linear scope in 10−11 –10−5 mol L−1 along with a low detection limit (3S/N) of 3.33 pmol L−1. Consequently, such high-power density dual-photoelectrode PFC aptasensor may be a reassuring candidate electrochemical sensor for the detection of trace contamination in food samples. [Display omitted] • Zinc phthalocyanine sensitized MoS 2 was developed as a novel photocathode material. • The maximum power density reached 11.83 μW cm−2 • A dual-photoelectrode PFC lincomycin aptasensor was successfully established. • This aptasensor can be applied to detect lincomycin in milk and chicken. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) based plasmonic probe was developed for sensitive and selective detection of Cu 2+ ion. The Au NPs were self-assembled on transparent indium tin oxide (ITO) film coated glass substrate using poly dimethyl diallyl ammonium chloride (PDDA) as a linker and then calcined at 400 °C to obtain pure Au NPs on ITO surface (ITO/Au NPs). The probe was fabricated by functionalizing l -cysteine (Cys) on to gold surface (ITO/Au NPs/Cys). The strong chelation of Cu 2+ with Cys formed a stable Cys-Cu complex, and resulted in the red-shift of localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) peak of the Au NPs. The introduction of bovine serum albumin (BSA) as the second complexant could form complex of Cys-Cu-BAS and further markedly enhanced the red-shift of the LSPR peak. This plasmonic probe provided a highly sensitive and selective detection towards Cu 2+ ions, with a wide linear detection range (10 −11 –10 −5 M) over 6 orders of magnitude. The simple and cost-effective probe was successfully applied to the determination of Cu 2+ in real samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Yeasts are cheap, attractive and easily available residual sources of valuable bio-active compounds. Extraction of these compounds requires to break the yeast cells. So efficient damage of cell wall has become an important issue to be resolved. The aim of this paper is to review the potential of some emerging cell disruption techniques for recovery of intracellular bio-active compounds from Baker's yeast including mechanical (bead mill, high pressure homogenization, ultrasonication), and non-mechanical (electrical, physical, chemical and enzymatic) techniques, as well as some newly developed methods. The advantages and drawbacks of different cell disruption methods were summarized by considering the energy consumption, the interaction of the disruption methods with downstream operations and the process economics of alternative strategies. Finally, some future directions for research areas are proposed. Industrial relevance Wine making process entails the generation of significant amount of waste yeast, which represents an attractive source of valuable compounds that has been relatively unexploited to date. To retain the valuable cell content, effective cell disruption strategies are needed to break the rigid yeast cell walls. This review summarizes the state of the art of some emerging cell disruption techniques for recovery of intracellular bio-active compounds from yeasts including mechanical (bead mill, high pressure homogenizer, ultrasonication), and non-mechanical (electrical, physical, chemical and enzymatic) techniques. Thereby, it identifies the process economics of alternative strategies by considering the interaction of the disruption methods with downstream operations as well as the current situations and future research needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Hydrated ethanol with a water content higher than 60% can induce AST aggregation. • Small molecules affecting H-bonds can change the aggregation behavior of AST. • DNA strands can promote H-aggregates while chitosan can boost that of J-aggregates. • DNA/chitosan complex can stabilize AST aggregates by adjusting reaction factors. Molecular aggregation is a common phenomenon widely found in natural organisms, which is crucial for some specific functions of biological systems. To study the aggregating behavior of hydrophobic carotenoids in water, astaxanthin was employed and dispersed under different surroundings to induce aggregation. The results showed that astaxanthin tended to form J- or H-type aggregates when the water content was higher than 60%. Both hydrochloric acid (HCl) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) were beneficial for the formation of astaxanthin J-aggregates, but they were not good for inducing H-aggregates. Small-molecule electrolytes, like sodium salts, mostly played an enormous hindrance role to the formation of astaxanthin H- and J-aggregates, except for sodium chloride (NaCl) which helped astaxanthin to form J-aggregates. Both sodium periodate (NaIO 4) and sodium acetate (CH 3 COONa) could prevent the formation of astaxanthin H- and J-aggregates, but sodium chloride (NaCl) could only hinder the formation of H-aggregates. As for polyelectrolytes chitosan and DNA, the difference of chain structure led to different aggregation effects. The soft single chain of chitosan tended to induce J-aggregates formation, while double-stranded DNA preferred to guide the formation of H-aggregates. By choosing and integrating the advantageous environmental factors that facilitate each type of astaxanthin aggregates, J- and H-type astaxanthin aggregates were stably loaded in DNA/CS nanoparticles with distinct particle sizes. Controlled preparation of either H- or J-type aggregates is of great significance for further studies concerning the structure–activity relationship of carotenoid aggregates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Signal amplification strategies are of great interest in photoelectrochemical (PEC) sensing research. Herein, we explored a novel approach whereby hole transfer was accelerated from the photosensitive material Blue-TiO 2 (B-TiO 2) to the hole mediator N-hydroxyphthalimide (NHPI). Simultaneously, the introduction of the organic molecule NHPI can promote the efficiency of visible light absorption and expand the absorption range of B-TiO 2. Under visible light irradiation, the photocurrent value of NHPI/B-TiO 2 is 2.7-fold larger than that of B-TiO 2 , which can be ascribed to the acceleration of hole transfer by NHPI. More specifically, NHPI acts as a hole mediator, which effectively transfers photo-generated holes from the valence band (VB) of B-TiO 2 to NHPI. NHPI can be oxidized to phthalimide-N-oxyl radical (PINO*), thereby causing inhibition of photo-generated carrier recombination and enhancement of the photocurrent. Furthermore, a PEC aptasensor for the sensitive detection of diazinon (DIA) was constructed by combining specific aptamers on an NHPI/B-TiO 2 nanocomposite surface. The oxidation product of NHPI, PINO*, oxidizes the DIA captured by the aptamer. Under optimized experimental conditions, the linear range for DIA detection was 0.1–1000 nM, and the detection limit of the NHPI/B-TiO 2 nanocomposite aptamer sensing was 0.03 nM (S/N = 3). Therefore, this proposed method involving the hole mediator can be used as a new strategy to improve the performance of PEC. [Display omitted] • A new strategy for enhancing photoelectrochemical (PEC) signals was developed. • Hole mediator can accelerate photo-generated holes transfer. • Hole mediator can be oxidized by photo-generated holes and promote redox reaction. • Organic molecule have the advantage of high visible light absorption efficiency. • The PEC aptasensor exhibited excellent selectivity and sensitivity for Diazinon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Residues caused by the abuse of antibiotics will lead to the resistance of bacteria and harm human health through the food chain. Photoelectrochemical (PEC) aptamer sensing technology has been broadly applied in analysis and detection because of its merits of low cost, fast response, high sensitivity, high affinity, and high specificity. Highly active photosensitive materials are suitable for constructing sensitive 'signal-off' type PEC aptasensor. Nitrogen-doped graphene nanosheet-loaded ZnIn 2 S 4 (ZIS/NG) functional material was prepared by a simple one-step solvothermal method. The introduction of NG inhibits the over-assemble of ZIS, forming ZIS/NG 2D/2D Van Der Waals (VDW) heterojunctions. NG cannot only broaden the visible absorption range but accept electrons from ZIS, thus promoting charge separation efficiency. In addition, the as-synthesized ZIS/NG 2D/2D VDW heterojunctions have a good synergy between the two layers, inhibiting electron-hole recombination, improving interfacial charge transfer, and increasing active sites. Hence, the photocurrent of ZIS/NG was significantly higher than that of ZIS. Based on high photocurrent of ZIS/NG, a "signal-off" mode PEC aptasensor was constructed to detect oxytetracycline (OTC), which expressed high sensitivity and selectivity. It can achieve rapid reaction within the linear scope of 1 pmol/L to 5 μmol/L and exhibit relatively low detection limit (0.33 pmol/L). The constructed aptasensor has been applied to detect OTC in chicken with a good recovery. • A novel 2D/2D Heterojunction of ZnIn 2 S 4 /NG was constructed. • The high performance of the composite was suitable for 'signal-off' sensor. • The introduction of NG inhibites the over-aggregation of ZnIn 2 S 4. • A high-performance PEC oxytetracycline aptasensor was successfully established. • The PEC aptasensor exhibited good selectivity and sensitivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Roxarsone, an organoarsenic compound used in poultry industry to increase weight gain, is widely used as a feed additive in some developing countries. Roxarsone has a low absorption rate and is mostly excreted with feces, which could pose a risk to human health through environmental and animal food routes. Roxarsone has been demonstrated to have tumor-promoting and proangiogenic effects. Herein, we report the role of VEGFR2/mTOR/S6K1 signaling in roxarsone-promoted vessel endothelial cell growth and angiogenesis in the Matrigel plug model and the mouse B16 cell tumor transplantation model. In angiogenesis-related experiments in vitro , 1.0 μM roxarsone significantly increased the activity, proliferation, migration, and tube formation of rat vascular endothelial cells. In addition, 1.0 μM roxarsone upregulated the protein levels of mTOR, phosphorylated mTOR, S6K1, and phosphorylated S6K1 and significantly increase the expression of Mtor and S6k1 mRNA. Rapamycin and SU5416 significantly inhibited the effects of 1.0 μM roxarsone on cell growth. Furthermore, the weight, volume, and CD31 expression of B16-F10 xenografts and Matrigel plugs in mice were upregulated by 25 mg/kg roxarsone. The protein and mRNA levels of mTOR, S6K1 and its phosphorylated protein were significantly increased in the roxarsone treatment group in xenografts. SU5416 and a short hairpin RNA targeting Vegfr2 significantly reduced roxarsone-promoted xenograft and Matrigel plug growth. In summary, this study indicated that the VEGFR2/mTOR/S6K1 signaling plays a regulatory role in roxarsone-mediated promotion angiogenesis and enhanced tumor growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liposomes are regarded as the ideal nanocarrier for concurrent or separate delivery of nutraceuticals in the food industries. Precise control of the structural stability is essential for the processing, storage, and nutrition delivery of liposomes. Astaxanthin was found to significantly affect the membrane stability of liposomes by inserting into the phospholipid bilayers in a similar way to cholesterol. Compared with cholesterol, astaxanthin could significantly improve the phase transition temperature, membrane fluidity, and membrane compactness of liposomes. Additionally, the membrane stability was well modulated by controlling the distribution patterns of astaxanthin (monomers, H- and J-aggregates) in bilayers. For instance, astaxanthin H-aggregates could endow the liposomal membrane with highest rigidity and compactness. Additionally, astaxanthin aggregates, especially J-aggregates could greatly improve storage stability of liposomes, thus providing a novel strategy to regulate and optimize the stability of liposomes for their diversified applications. [Display omitted] ● AST was used as a novel stabilizer to improve the physical stability of liposomes. ● AST could adjust the membrane fluidity and compactness. ● Distribution type of AST affected the structural and dynamic properties of bilayer. ● H-AST made bilayers more rigid and orderly, than M-AST and J-AST. ● AST, especially J-AST, greatly improved storage stability of liposomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Serious injuries of endometrium in women of reproductive age are often followed by uterine scar formation and a lack of functional endometrium predisposing to infertility or miscarriage. Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) have shown great promise in clinical applications. In the present study, BM-MSCs loaded onto degradable collagen membranes were constructed. Collagen membranes provided 3-dimmensional architecture for the attachment, growth and migration of rat BM-MSCs and did not impair the expression of the stemness genes. We then investigated the effect of collagen/BM-MSCs constructs in the healing of severe uterine injury in rats (partial full thickness uterine excision). At four weeks after the transplantation of collagen/BM-MSCs constructs, BM-MSCs were mainly located to the basal membrane of regenerative endometrium. The wounded tissue adjacent to collagen/BM-MSCs constructs expressed higher level of bFGF, IGF-1, TGFβ1 and VEGF than the corresponding tissue in rats receiving collagen construct alone or in spontaneous regeneration group. Moreover, the collagen/BM-MSCs system increased proliferative abilities of uterine endometrial and muscular cells, facilitated microvasculature regeneration, and restored the ability of endometrium to receive the embryo and support its development to a viable stage. Our findings indicate that BM-MSCs may support uterine tissue regeneration. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Exploring efficient methods for microcystin-LR (MC-LR) detection is of great significance for protecting ecological environment safety and human health. Herein, an MC-LR aptasensor was fabricated based on the synergistic amplified cathodic electrochemiluminescence (ECL) of the functional nanocomposite of ZnO quantum dots decorated B, N co-doped graphene (BNG/ZnO). With K 2 S 2 O 8 as co-reactant, a robust cathodic ECL emission of BNG/ZnO was observed based on the synergistic catalytic effect of B, N in graphene. Interestingly, the ECL intensity of BNG/ZnO nanocomposite was 1.8, 2.9, and 5.4 times enhanced than N-doped graphene/ZnO, B-doped graphene/ZnO, and graphene/ZnO, which was because of the difference in the electronegativity of B, C, and N could generate a unique synergistic effect to make graphene-based materials realizing signal amplification. Subsequently, a novel cathodic ECL aptasensor was constructed for sensitive and selective detection of MC-LR with aptamer as the recognition element and BNG/ZnO as the luminous reagent. Under optimized conditions, the linear range of the prepared cathodic ECL aptasensor for MC-LR detection was 0.1–5000 pM, the detection limit was 0.03 pM (S/N = 3). At the same time, the proposed aptasensor had good selectivity and stability and showed satisfactory results in actual water sample analysis. • A novel cathodic ECL aptasensor for MC-LR detection was fabricated based on BNG/ZnO. • The ECL intensity of BNG/ZnO was enhanced than that of BG/ZnO, NG/ZnO, and ZnO QDs. • Synergistic catalysis of B, N in graphene resulted in the amplification ECL of ZnO. • The proposed ECL aptasensor has low detection limit, good selectivity and stability. • Satisfactory results were obtained in the analysis of actual water sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the use of omethoate (OMT) for pests control is enormously economically beneficial for agricultural production, the high toxicity of OMT to nontarget organisms has resulted in the contamination of soil, river water, and food materials. Developing sensitive and convenient techniques to detect OMT residues is vital to society. Electrochemiluminescence (ECL) is a powerful analytical tool and has been widely applied in biosensors. To boost the co-reaction efficiency and ECL intensity, we introduced defective ZIF-8 as the novel cathodic luminophore. At the same time, defect generated by the doping of MoTe 2 nanoparticles into ZIF-8 could easily electrocatalytic reduce the co-reactor S 2 O 8 2− to SO 4 •- . Hence, based on the catalysis of defective ZIF-8, the ECL intensity of MoTe 2 /ZIF-8 nanocomposites is much higher than both ZIF-8 and MoTe 2 nanoparticles. By integration of as-prepared materials with specificity omethoate aptamer, the ECL sensor showed a broad linear range (10−10 g L−1 and 10−5 g L−1) and a comparatively low detection limit (3.3 × 10−11 g L−1). Besides, the ECL aptasensor appeared a good practical performance to detect potato and spinach extraction samples, which proposed a promising guideline for developing ECL aptasensors with high efficiency. •Defective ZIF-8 was induced by nanoparticle-doping via 'de novo' strategy. • The as-prepared defective ZIF-8 was employed as novel cathodic ECL luminophore. • High electrocatalytic active ZIF-8 significantly boosted co-reaction efficiency. • A high-performance ECL omethoate aptasensor was successfully established. • The ECL aptasensor exhibited good selectivity and sensitivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Citation Zhang X, Ding L, Diao Z, Yan G, Sun H, Hu Y. CYR61 modulates the vascular endothelial growth factor C expression of decidual NK cells via PI3K/AKT pathway. Am J Reprod Immunol 2012; 67: 216-223 Problem Either vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGFC) or CYR61 plays an important role in placental development and may be involved in pre-eclampsia. Decidual natural killer (dNK) cells are the main source of VEGFC in the maternal-fetal interface. However, it is unclear about CYR61 on the regulation of VEGFC secretion in dNK cells. Method of study Decidual natural killer cells were isolated from decidual tissues of first trimester of pregnancy with anti-human CD56-conjugated microbeads. Integrin αvβ3 was detected using immunofluorescent staining. dNK cells were cultured in the presence of CYR61, anti-human αvβ3 integrin antibody (LM609), PI3K inhibitor (LY294002), or MEK inhibitor (U0126). VEGFC mRNA and protein were evaluated by real-time PCR and ELISA, respectively. Results Exogenous CYR61 induced the expression of VEGFC in dNK cells in both mRNA and protein levels. Integrin αvβ3 was strongly expressed on dNK cell surface. Anti-αvβ3 integrin antibody inhibited the effect of CYR61 on VEGFC expression. LY294002, but not U0126, significantly reduced this promotion effect of CYR61 on dNK cells. Conclusions The upregulation of VEGFC secretion mainly depends on CYR61 binding with integrin αvβ3 on the surface of dNK cells. PI3K/AKT, rather than the ERK/MAPK signal, is involved in the regulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Fifty seven Mesona chinensis Benth phytochemicals were analyzed by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS. • Twenty-three compounds (20 polyphenols; 3 steroids) were found for the first time. • Antioxidant activity showed partly positive relation with MCB polyphenol level. • Nine samples outperformed acarbose; GD-RP showed the best α-glucosidase inhibition. • Farming region affected polyphenol and hypoglycemic levels and antioxidant activity. Mesona chinensis Benth (MCB) polyphenols and polysaccharides were used as functional food supplements; they are added to tea, soup, and black jelly in Southern China. However, information on the polyphenolic constituents of MCB is still scarce. Hence, the polyphenolic profile of MCB was determined using UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS, and the antioxidant activities of nine MCB from Southern China were investigated in this study. Fifty seven compounds were identified, namely, 45 polyphenols, 6 terpenoids, and 6 other compounds. Twenty-three phytochemicals were identified in MCB for the first time. Polyphenolic level varied from 127.05 ± 1.54 μg GA/mg DW to 278.36 ± 1.50 μg GA/mg DW and showed a positive relationship with antioxidant activity. Furthermore, MCB produced in Guangdong Raoping exhibited the best antioxidant activity (IC 50 = 0.76 ± 0.06 µg/mL in ABTS, 3.83 ± 0.17 µg/mL in DPPH) and the strongest inhibitory effect on α-glucosidase (IC 50 = 35.05 ± 2.16 µg/mL). Our study enhanced the apperception of polyphenolic constituents and provided a guide for the commercial application of MCB as a potentially rich source of dietary antioxidants and hypoglycemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing evidence has shown that hormone secretion is regulated by endocytosis. Eps15 homology domain-containing protein 3 (EHD3) is an endocytic-trafficking regulatory protein, but whether EHD3 is associated with testosterone secretion is not clear. This work aims to explore the role of EHD3 in testosterone synthesis. Testosterone concentration was determined by ELISA. The effects of EHD3 on endocytosis were assessed by exosomes tracing assay and Immunofluorescence. Targeting relationship between EHD3 and NR5A1 was verified by chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and dual luciferase reporter gene assay in Leydig cells. For in vivo assessments, conditional NR5A1 knockout mouse model was established with CRISPR/Cas9 gene targeting technology. EHD3 overexpression significantly increased the concentration of testosterone. EHD3 knockdown markedly decreased testosterone synthesis by reducing endocytosis. The activity of the EHD3 promoter was positively regulated by NR5A1, which occupied the conserved sequence "AGGTCA" in the EHD3 promoter. Furthermore, mice with a Leydig cell-specific conditional NR5A1 knockout displayed the blunted levels of EHD3 and clathrin (a key factor for endocytosis), and serum testosterone concentration compared with NR5A1f/f mice. This study suggests a potential molecular mechanism of testosterone synthesis to fully understand male reproductive health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Chromosome 22q11.2 deletion syndrome is a highly prevalent genetic disorder whose manifestations include developmental disability and sometimes mental retardation. The few studies that have examined brain morphology in different samples from this population have found similar general patterns, mostly using region of interest measures. We employed voxel-based techniques to concurrently examine specific morphologic changes in multiple brain tissue measures. Results were similar to previous findings of volumetric reductions in the posterior brain. They also extended them in two ways. First, our methods provided greater specificity in the localization of changes detected. Second, the combination of our measures of gray and white matter along with cerebrospinal fluid volume and fractional anisotropy, which indicates the structure of white matter, showed a posterior displacement of and morphologic changes to the corpus callosum in affected children. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Br doped PEDOT modified carbon paper electrode is constructed through situ thermal polymerization. • The photocurrent of Br doped PEDOT was enhanced due to the doping of Br. • Br doped PEDOT was adopted as photoactive material the first time and was applied in PEC. • The as-prepared electrode can be volume production with good reproducibility. • The constructed Hg2+ PEC sensor exhibited speedy response, outstanding stability, excellent selectivity, wide linear range. Mercury (Hg) is a kind of the most common heavy metals with high toxicity in nature, existing in water, soil, and even food. Hence, it is of great importance to develop a simple, effective way to detect Hg2+. Flexible sensing has attracted extensive attention in recent years, which can be flexibly applied in various detection environments. Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) with conjugation structure which can accelerate the transfer of electrons and inhibit the recombination of carriers is favorable to the photoelectrochemical (PEC) process. Here, Br doped PEDOT modified carbon paper with narrower bandgap was firstly fabricated through situ thermal polymerization which exhibited high photocurrent intensity under visible-light irradiation. The success synthesis of PEDOT was confirmed by SEM, XPS, FT-IR and Raman spectrum. Meanwhile, the as-prepared electrode can be mass produced with good reproducibility. Based on excellent performance of as-prepared electrode of Br doped PEDOT/carbon paper, we constructed a PEC sensing platform for Hg2+ detection with the detection limit of 0.3 nM and linear range from 1 nM to 450 nM. In addition, the PEC sensor exhibited speedy response, outstanding stability, excellent selectivity, wide linear range, and was used for determination of Hg2+ in river water samples with recover range of 97.7–104.5 % and RSD of 2.8–4.7 %. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ovarian steroid-regulated cyclical regeneration of the endometrium is crucial for endometrial receptivity and embryo implantation, and it is dependent on the dynamic remodeling of the endometrial vasculature. Perivascular cells, including pericytes surrounding capillaries and microvessels and adventitial cells located in the outermost layer of large vessels, show properties of mesenchymal stem cells, and they are thus promising candidates for uterine regeneration. In this review, we discuss the structure and functions of the endometrial blood vasculature and their roles in endometrial regeneration, the main biomarkers and characteristics of perivascular cells in the endometrium, and stem cell-based angiogenetic therapy for Asherman's syndrome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photothermal therapy (PTT) is a promising cancer therapy modality with significant advantages such as precise targeting, convenient drug delivery, better efficacy, and minimal adverse effects. Photothermal therapy effectively absorbs the photothermal transducers in the near-infrared region (NIR), which induces the photothermal effect to work. Although PTT has a better role in tumor therapy, it also suffers from low photothermal conversion efficiency, biosafety, and incomplete tumor elimination. Therefore, the use of nanomaterials themselves as photosensitizers, the targeted modification of nanomaterials to improve targeting efficiency, or the combined use of nanomaterials with other therapies can improve the therapeutic effects and reduce side effects. Notably, noble metal nanomaterials have attracted much attention in PTT because they have strong surface plasmon resonance and an effective absorbance light at specific near-infrared wavelengths. Therefore, they can be used as excellent photosensitizers to mediate photothermal conversion and improve its efficiency. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the key role played by noble metal nanomaterials in tumor photothermal therapy. It also describes the major challenges encountered during the implementation of photothermal therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obtaining information about cellular interactions is fundamental to the elucidation of physiological and pathological processes. Proximity labeling technologies have been widely used to report cellular interactions in situ; however, the reliance on addition of tag molecules typically restricts their application to regions where tags can readily diffuse, while the application in, for example, solid tissues, is susceptible. Here, we propose an “in‐situ‐tag‐generation mechanism” and develop the GalTag technology based on galactose oxidase (GAO) for recording cellular interactions within three‐dimensional biological solid regions. GAO mounted on bait cells can in situ generate bio‐orthogonal aldehyde tags as interaction reporters on prey cells. Using GalTag, we monitored the dynamics of cellular interactions and assessed the targeting ability of engineered cells. In particular, we recorded, for the first time, the footprints of Bacillus Calmette‐Guérin (BCG) invasion into the bladder tissue of living mice, providing a valuable perspective to elucidate the anti‐tumor mechanism of BCG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sonodynamic therapy (SDT) has attracted significant attention in recent years as it is an innovative approach to tumor treatment. It involves the utilization of sound waves or ultrasound (US) to activate acoustic sensitizers, enabling targeted drug release for precise tumor treatment. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of SDT, encompassing its underlying principles and therapeutic mechanisms, the applications of nanomaterials, and potential synergies with combination therapies. The review begins by introducing the fundamental principle of SDT and delving into the intricate mechanisms through which it facilitates tumor treatment. A detailed analysis is presented, outlining how SDT effectively destroys tumor cells by modulating drug release mechanisms. Subsequently, this review explores the diverse range of nanomaterials utilized in SDT applications and highlights their specific contributions to enhancing treatment outcomes. Furthermore, the potential to combine SDT with other therapeutic modalities such as photothermal therapy (PTT) and chemotherapy is discussed. These combined approaches aim to synergistically improve therapeutic efficacy while mitigating side effects. In conclusion, SDT emerges as a promising frontier in tumor treatment that offers personalized and effective treatment options with the potential to revolutionize patient care. As research progresses, SDT is poised to play a pivotal role in shaping the future landscape of oncology by providing patients with a broader spectrum of efficacious and tailored treatment options. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• MoTe 2 NPs/RGO based on Schottky barriers was synthesized by one-step synthesis. • The photocurrent was enhanced due to lower recombination of electrons and holes. • MoTe 2 NPs/RGO adopted as photoactive material the first time was applied in PEC. • A visible light-driven PEC profenofos aptasensor was successfully established. • The PEC aptasensor exhibited excellent selectivity and sensitivity for profenofos. Schottky barrier with a suitable barrier height which acts as the electron tank can reduce the recombination of photogenerated electronic-hole pairs, consequently leads to higher photoelectric properties. Telluride molybdenum nanoparticles (MoTe 2 NPs) are a kind of transition-metal dichalcogenides, which is a burgeoning class of materials with low toxicity, high specific surface area, high carrier mobility, and wide spectral absorption. In order to enhance the photoelectric performance of MoTe 2 , we adopted a one-step hydrothermal synthesis to construct MoTe 2 NPs/reduced graphene oxide (RGO) heterostructures with suitable Schottky barrier. The photocurrent intensity of MoTe 2 NPs/RGO heterostructures was 21.8 times of RGO and 10.5 times of MoTe 2 NPs. On the basis of excellent visible light-responsive of MoTe 2 nanoparticles/RGO, a label-free PEC aptasensor for the detection of profenofos (PRO) was successfully constructed, indicating that MoTe 2 nanoparticles/RGO would be a promising visible light-responsive photoactive material for PEC biosensors. This aptasensor exhibited a wide linear range (10−9 g L–1 and 10−2 g L–1) and a relatively low detection limit (3.3 × 10−10 g L−1). At the same time, the application of Schottky barrier in the field of photoelectric sensing was expanded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synopsis: Diagram of one-step synthesis of core-shell LaFeO 3 @g-C 3 N 4 heterostructure and photoelectrochemical and optical absorption properties of various materials. • The LaFeO 3 @g-C 3 N 4 heterostructure was synthesized by facile one-step method. • The LaFeO 3 @g-C 3 N 4 showed superior PEC properties than LaFeO 3 /g-C 3 N 4. • A PEC aptasensor was constructed for detection of streptomycin. • The proposed aptasensor has a wide linear range and low detection limits. The development of core-shell heterostructure photoactive materials with high visible light response and charge separation efficiency is of great significance. Herein, we prepared LaFeO 3 @g-C 3 N 4 p-n heterojunction with core-shell structure by using facile one-step method. As a contrast, g-C 3 N 4 nanosheets decorated with LaFeO 3 nanoparticles (LaFeO 3 /g-C 3 N 4) were synthesized by a reported method. The LaFeO 3 @g-C 3 N 4 heterostructure boosted the visible light response and effectively separated charge carriers compared to LaFeO 3 /g-C 3 N 4. Moreover, for LaFeO 3 @g-C 3 N 4 heterostructure, the interaction of core-shell interface and synergistic effect of p-n heterojunction made photoelectrochemical (PEC) properties more stable and excellent. Concretely, the absorption band edge of LaFeO 3 @g-C 3 N 4 heterostructure was about 700 nm, which was wider than LaFeO 3 /g-C 3 N 4. Additionally, the photocurrent signal of LaFeO 3 @g-C 3 N 4 heterostructure was 2.3-fold higher than that of LaFeO 3 /g-C 3 N 4. Thus, on the basis of the prominent PEC performance of LaFeO 3 @g-C 3 N 4 heterostructure, we constructed a PEC aptasensor to detect streptomycin (STR) sensitively and selectively. The aptasensor revealed a wide linear concentration range from 0.01 nM to 10000 nM of STR, with a low detection limit of 0.0033 nM (S/N = 3). The fabricated aptasensor had excellent stability, practicability, and reproducibility, laying a good foundation for STR detection in other analytical fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing a simple, rapid detection method for the analysis of edifenphos (EDI) is crucial due to its residue is harmful to acetylcholinesterase on the human cellular system, and cause a lot of complications. Herein, we synthesized visible light-responsive MoS 2 nanosheets decorated with Zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc) nanoparticles (ZnPc/n-MoS 2). Due to the sensitization of ZnPc nanoparticles, the resulting ZnPc/n-MoS 2 exhibited narrower energy bandgap and efficient charge transfer. Especially, the carrier lifetime of ZnPc/n-MoS 2 is 2 more times longer than n-MoS 2 , and the photocurrent intensity of ZnPc/n-MoS 2 is 24 times of n-MoS 2 and 22 times of ZnPc nanoparticles under visible light irradiation. Further, a visible light-responsive ultrasensitive photoelectrochemical (PEC) aptasensor for selectivity recognition of EDI was triumphantly established by using EDI aptamer as a biorecognition element, which exhibited a wide linear ranking from 5 ng L–1 to 10 μg L–1 (R2 = 0.996) and a low detection limit of 1.667 ng L–1 (S/N = 3). The splendid performance of the ZnPc/n-MoS 2 nanosheet ultrasensitive sensing platform can be applied to detect the concentration of EDI in food, biomedical and environmental analysis. • Visible light-responsive ZnPc/n-MoS 2 was fabricated used ZnPc nanoparticles as sensitizer. • The carrier lifetime and photocurrent intensity of ZnPc/n-MoS 2 is 2 more and 24 times of n-MoS 2 , respectively. • A visible light-driven PEC edifenphos aptasensor was firstly successfully established. • The proposed aptasensor exhibited good selectivity and sensitivity for edifenphos detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ciprofloxacin (CIP) in milk has a harmful effect on human health, it's important to conduct ultra-sensitive selective detection of ciprofloxacin. Herein, an ultrasensitive and selective organic photoelectrochemical transistor (OPECT) CIP aptasensor was constructed using Ti 3 C 2 /TiO 2 composites as gate photoactive materials. Compared with Ti 3 C 2 , TiO 2 , and Ti 3 C 2 /TiO 2 mixed by physical, Ti 3 C 2 /TiO 2 composites exhibits larger capacitance and the OPECT intensity is 3 times of Ti 3 C 2 , 2 times of Ti 3 C 2 /TiO 2 mixed by physical and TiO 2 , which attributed to higher capacitance of Ti 3 C 2 /TiO 2 composites provides high electrostatic charge storage capacity and leads to effective gating, induces more electronic charge in the channel and larger drain currents. Exemplified by CIP as target, the developed sensor achieves sensitive detection with linear range from 3 ng/L to 3 mg/L, detection limit is 1 ng/L. This work completed the detection in real samples, which lays a foundation for the construction of OPECT food safety analysis and detection platform. • TiO 2 /Ti 3 C 2 composites was prepared by one-pot solvent hydrothermal method. • Higher capacitance of TiO 2 /Ti 3 C 2 composites greatly improves the sensitivity of OPECT aptasensor. • A sensitive and stable OPECT aptasensor for CIP detection was fabricated. • This OPECT aptasensor presented excellent performance than traditional PEC aptasensor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study of an integrated OPECT biosensor gate and the EC color-changing region on the same chip was carried out, achieving sensitive detection through bioetching-induced signal changes. Enzymatic bioetching enables specific alkaline phosphatase (ALP) detection by catalyzing the production of CdS, which modulates the channel current and generates a visual signal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The synergistic effect between surface metal vacancies and a Schottky junction on enhanced transconductance, and the gating effect of an organic photoelectrochemical transistor was reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dihydromyricetin (DMY) is an important plant flavonoid, which has received great attention due to its health-benefiting activities, including antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antidiabetic and neuroprotective activities. DMY capsules have been sold in US as a nutraceutical supplement to prevent alcoholic hangovers. The major disadvantage associated with DMY is its chemical instability and poor bioavailability caused by the combined effects of its low solubility and poor membrane permeability. This limits its practical use in the food and pharmaceutical fields. The present paper gives an overview of the current methods for the identification and quantification of DMY. Furthermore, recent findings regarding the main biological properties and chemical stability of DMY, the metabolism of DMY as well as different approaches to increase DMY bioavailability in both aqueous and lipid phases are discussed. Current trends on identification and quantification of DMY have been focused on spectral and chromatographic techniques. Many factors such as heat, pH, metal ions, could affect the chemical stability of DMY. Despite the diverse biological effects of DMY, DMY faces with the problem of poor bioavailability. Utilization of different delivery systems including solid dispersion, nanocapsule, microemuslion, cyclodextrin inclusion complexes, co-crystallization, phospholipid complexes, and chemical or enzymatic acylation has the potential to improve both the solubility and bioavailability. DMY digested in laboratory animals undergoes reduction, dehydroxylation, methylation, glucuronidation, and sulfation. Novel DMY delivery systems and basic pharmacokinetic studies of encapsulated DMY on higher animals and humans might be required in the future. • DMY analysis and quantification focused on spectral and chromatographic techniques. • Absence of metal ions, high temperature and alkaline condition increase DMY stability. • Diverse pharmacological effects of DMY were studied and confirmed. • Novel delivery systems were able to increase DMY solubility and bioavailability. • DMY underwent reduction, dehydroxylation, methylation, glucuronidation, and sulfation in an in vivo setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: With advanced maternal age, abnormalities during oocyte meiosis increase significantly. Aneuploidy is an important reason for the reduction in the quality of aged oocytes. However, the molecular mechanism of aneuploidy in aged oocytes is far from understood. Histone acetyltransferase 1 (HAT1) has been reported to be essential for mammalian development and genome stability, and involved in multiple organ aging. Whether HAT1 is involved in ovarian aging and the detailed mechanisms remain to be elucidated. Methods: The level of HAT1 in aged mice ovaries was detected by immunohistochemical and immunoblotting. To explore the function of HAT1 in the process of mouse oocyte maturation, we used Anacardic Acid (AA) and small interfering RNAs (siRNA) to culture cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) from ICR female mice in vitro and gathered statistics of germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD), the first polar body extrusion (PBE), meiotic defects, aneuploidy, 2-cell embryos formation, and blastocyst formation rate. Moreover, the human granulosa cell (GC)-like line KGN cells were used to investigate the mechanisms of HAT1 in this progress. Results: HAT1 was highly expressed in ovarian granulosa cells (GCs) from young mice and the expression of HAT1 was significantly decreased in aged GCs. AA and siRNAs mediated inhibition of HAT1 in GCs decreased the PBE rate, and increased meiotic defects and aneuploidy in oocytes. Further studies showed that HAT1 could acetylate Forkhead box transcription factor O1 (FoxO1), leading to the translocation of FoxO1 into the nucleus. Resultantly, the translocation of acetylated FoxO1 increased the expression of amphiregulin (AREG) in GCs, which plays a significant role in oocyte meiosis. Conclusion: The present study suggests that decreased expression of HAT1 in GCs is a potential reason corresponding to oocyte age-related meiotic defects and provides a potential therapeutic target for clinical intervention to reduce aneuploid oocytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mitochondria are in a constant balance of fusion and fission. Excessive fission or deficient fusion leads to mitochondrial fragmentation, causing mitochondrial dysfunction and physiological disorders. How the cell prevents excessive fission of mitochondria is not well understood. Here, we report that the fission yeast AAA-ATPase Yta4, which is the homolog of budding yeast Msp1 responsible for clearing mistargeted tail-anchored (TA) proteins on mitochondria, plays a critical role in preventing excessive mitochondrial fission. The absence of Yta4 leads to mild mitochondrial fragmentation in a Dnm1-dependent manner but severe mitochondrial fragmentation upon induction of mitochondrial depolarization. Overexpression of Yta4 delocalizes the receptor proteins of Dnm1, i.e., Fis1 (a TA protein) and Mdv1 (the bridging protein between Fis1 and Dnm1), from mitochondria and reduces the localization of Dnm1 to mitochondria. The effect of Yta4 overexpression on Fis1 and Mdv1, but not Dnm1, depends on the ATPase and translocase activities of Yta4. Moreover, Yta4 interacts with Dnm1, Mdv1, and Fis1. In addition, Yta4 competes with Dnm1 for binding Mdv1 and decreases the affinity of Dnm1 for GTP and inhibits Dnm1 assembly in vitro. These findings suggest a model, in which Yta4 inhibits mitochondrial fission by inhibiting the function of the mitochondrial divisome composed of Fis1, Mdv1, and Dnm1. Therefore, the present work reveals an uncharacterized molecular mechanism underlying the inhibition of mitochondrial fission. Mitochondria are in a constant balance of fusion and fission, but how the cell prevents excessive fission is unclear. This study shows that the evolutionarily conserved AAA-ATPase Yta4 interacts with the mitochondrial divisome (Fis1, Mdv1 and Dnm1) to inhibit mitochondrial fission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The modification of active sites in electrocatalysts is important for energy conversion and storage systems. Here, CoO x /N-doped graphene/polymeric carbon nitride (CoO x /NG/PCN) hybrid was prepared by thermal annealing method. The introduction of NG greatly prevented the aggregation of CoO x nanoparticles. Further doping PCN into CoO x /NG, CoO x /NG/PCN showed wrinkle and cross-linked structure. And the introduction of PCN can effectively increase the contents of pyridinic N and numbers of O defects to result in the improved oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) performance. Detailed experiments suggested that the onset and half-wave potentials (E onset and E 1/2) of CoO x /NG positively shifted of 110 and 100 mV, respectively compared to pure CoO x nanoparticles. When further doping PCN into CoO x /NG, E onset and E 1/2 were further positively shifted of 40 and 110 mV, respectively. More importantly, such ORR activity exhibited comparative activity and even more superior stability and excellent methanol tolerance than commercial Pt/C. Additionally, the resulted CoO x /NG/PCN also showed superior OER activity. Compared with CoO x /NG and CoO x , the overpotential of CoO x /NG/PCN for 10 mA/cm2 current densities was decreased for 160 mV and 180 mV, respectively. Especially, the investigation herein may assist in a new insight to bond configurations modification of catalysts and can be extended to other catalytic systems. Synopsis: CoO x /NG/g-C 3 N 4 as bifunctional electrocatalyst for OER and ORR. Image 1 • A simple thermal treatment process to prepare CoO x /NG/g-C 3 N 4. • CoO x /NG/g-C 3 N 4 as a superior bifunctional electrocatalyst for ORR and OER. • Increasing density of O defects and pyridinic N can boost electrocatalytic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Rational design and fabrication of Z-scheme visible-light-driven photoactive materials have drawn much attention owing to their great potential in handling environment and energy crisis. In this work, Z-scheme Bi 2 S 3 /nitrogen-doped graphene quantum dots (NGQDs) with superior photoelectric conversion efficiency were designed and fabricated, which demonstrated enhanced photoactivity compared with Bi 2 S 3 owing to the improved separation efficiency of photogenerated electron and hole pairs. The emphasis was put on designing Z-scheme Bi 2 S 3 /NGQDs, and then the mechanism of Z-scheme charge transfer mode was verified by the electron spin resonance (ESR) technique. On this basis, the proposed sensor exhibited a wide linear range of 0.1–120 nM and a detection limit of 0.03 nM (S/N = 3) for SDM, with high sensitivity (0.075 μA nM –1), good selectivity and stability. Moreover, the proposed PEC aptasensor using Bi 2 S 3 /NGQDs as the photoelectrode achieved sensitive and selective determination of sulfadimethoxine in milk samples. This work could provide some ideas for designing other Z-scheme photoactive species and insights into the charge transfer mechanism of Z-scheme. Furthermore, the promising applicability of PEC aptasensor using photoactive species could be extended to other accurate monitoring for contaminants. Highlights • A Z-scheme type Bi 2 S 3 /NGQDs heterojiunction was designed and construced. • The resulted Bi 2 S 3 /NGQDs showed superior photo-electric conversion efficiency. • ESR technique was used to verify the Z-scheme charge transfer mode of Bi 2 S 3 /NGQDs. • A PEC sulfadimethoxine aptasensor was fabricated based on photoactive Bi 2 S 3 /NGQDs. • The proposed PEC aptasensor exhibited a wider linear range and lower detection limit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Developing effective sensing method for trace analysis of ampicillin (AMP) is urgent and significant due to its residue possess serious threats to human health. Herein, a p-n heterojunction, on the basis of p-type BiFeO 3 nanoparticles coupled n-typed ultrathin graphite-like carbon nitride (utg-C 3 N 4) nanosheets, has been designed and synthesized via a simple electrostatic interaction strategy. Such p-n heterojunction has two advantages: one is capable to narrow the band gap of photoactive materials from 2.20 eV of BiFeO 3 down to 2.04 eV of BiFeO 3 /utg-C 3 N 4 , leading to improve the efficiency of visible light utilization; and the other is to facilitate the charge separation rate, resulting in the boosted photoelectrochemical (PEC) performance of BiFeO 3 /utg-C 3 N 4. Under visible light illumination, the photocurrent of the resulted BiFeO 3 /utg-C 3 N 4 was 7.0-fold enhanced than that of pure BiFeO 3 nanoparticles, and indeed 2.3-fold enhanced comparing to BiFeO 3 /bulk-C 3 N 4. Based on excellent PEC properties of BiFeO 3 /utg-C 3 N 4 , an on-off-on PEC aptasensor was successfully fabricated for ampicillin (AMP) determination with highly selectivity and sensitivity. The fabricated PEC aptasensor exhibited excellent PEC performance with a broad linear in the range from 1 × 10–12 mol L–1 to 1 × 10−6 mol L–1 as well as a low detection limit of 3.3 × 10–13 mol L–1 (S/N = 3), and also good feasibility in real sample. The excellent analytical performance indicated that PEC aptasensor on the basis of the visible light driven BiFeO 3 /utg-C 3 N 4 heterojunction can provide a promising biosensor platform for sensitive detection AMP in food and environment analysis. Highlights • The BiFeO 3 /utg-C 3 N 4 p-n heterostructure was facile constructed by electrostatic interaction. • The photocurrent intensity BiFeO 3 /utg-C 3 N 4 exhibits 7.0-fold and 2.3-fold enhanced than BiFeO 3 and BiFeO 3 /bulk-C 3 N 4. • An on-off-on PEC ampicillin aptasensor was successfully fabricated. • The proposed sensitive ampicillin aptasensor exhibits a wide linear range and low detection limit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to inevitable manufacturing and installation errors, there are many problems of unequal load sharing in planetary gear train. In this paper, a model is established to predict the reliability of helicopter planetary gear train under the condition of partial load. Firstly, the structure of gear system and partial load state are analyzed in detail, and the load histories of each gear are transformed into equivalent constant amplitude load spectrums to be as the load input variable for reliability model. At the same time, a tooth bending fatigue test is carried out with specific gears, and the statistical results of test data are as the strength input variable for reliability model. Then, according to partial load characteristics of the gear system, the reliability model is established based on the concept of minimum order statistic. Finally, the bad influence of unequal load sharing on planetary gear train is shown by prediction result and the reliability model is verified through a statistical analysis method of random censored data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study is to investigate the antibacterial activity of dihydromyricetin (DMY) against Vibrio parahaemolyticus . The dilution method indicated that the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of DMY against V. parahaemolyticus was at 0.625 mg/mL. The inhibitory effects of DMY against V. parahaemolyticus was further studied by analyzing cell morphology, cell injury, cell permeability, cell surface hydrophobicity (CSH) and antibacterial rate. The results showed bacterium cells are completely inactivated in a higher concentration (10 MIC). DMY treatment also lead to an increase in cell membrane permeability, cell injury as well as CSH. A good correlation between antibacterial rate and CSH was also observed. These findings indicated DMY could be used as a new alternative natural antibacterial agent for control pathogen growth in aquatic food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The detection of transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV) is of great significance to reduce the loss of pig industry. A LAMP-visualization/PFC self-powered dual-mode output sensor platform was constructed to detect TGEV by combining a simple and intuitive photoelectrochromic material with a highly sensitive PFC self-powered sensing platform without external power supply. The PFC sensing substrate was constructed using CdS nanoparticles modified ZnO NRs (CdS/ZnO NRs) as the photoanode, which exhibited high photoactivity, and Prussian blue (PB) as the cathode. After LAMP reaction on the optical anode, visual signals caused by PB discolorimetry can be detected semi-quantitatively, or PFC power density electrical signals collected by electrochemical workstation can be used. The output power density value is logarithm of TGEV concentration. The linear relationship was good within the detection range of 0.075 fg/μL-7.5 ng/μL, with a detection limit of 0.025 fg/μL (S/N = 3). This multi-signal output sensing platform provides more choices for quantifying TGEV detection results, and the two methods can be mutually verified, which meets the needs of different scenarios and improves the reliability of detection. It has a good effect in the actual sample detection, without the use of expensive and complex instruments, and has a broad application prospect. [Display omitted] • Dual-mode output sensor platform for TGEV detection was constructed. • Combination of visualization/PFC self-powered sensors and nucleic acid amplification. • Simple and intuitive visual color change without external power supply. • The chip with detection limit of 0.025 fg/μL, good selectivity and stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]