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miR-HCC2 has been reported to markedly promote the growth, metastasis, and stemness of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells in vitro and in vivo. Deep sequencing showed that miR-HCC2 was significantly upregulated in hepatitis B virus (HBV)-positive (HBV+) HCC tissue samples compared with HBV-negative (HBV-) HCC tissue samples. miR-HCC2 expression was further evaluated in HCC tissues and cells, and the expression of miR-HCC2 was found to be significantly higher in HBV+ HCC tissues and cells than in HBV- HCC tissues and cells, suggesting that high miR-HCC2 expression could be induced by HBV infection. To explore the relationship between miR-HCC2 and HBV, we investigated the effect of miR-HCC2 on HBV antigen expression, transcription, and replication. We found that miR-HCC2 was involved in the negative feedback regulation of HBV replication. Further mechanistic studies revealed that miR-HCC2 suppressed HBV replication by inhibiting the activity of the enhancer I/X promoter. Our study demonstrates the effect of the inhibition of miR-HCC2 on HBV gene expression and replication, which can help to illustrate the complex regulatory network involving host miRNAs and HBV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we study the existence of mild solutions and the approximate controllability for a class of systems governed by neutral equations of second-order with infinite delay in infinite-dimensional Hilbert spaces. The mild solution and approximate controllability are achieved by constructing the fundamental solution for the associated linear equation and assuming that the linear system is approximately controllable. The discussion is based on the fundamental solution theory and Rothe's fixed point theorem. In addition, an example is given to illustrate our main conclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, a novel g-C3N4@Bi/Bi2O2CO3 Z-scheme heterojunction was synthesized via simple methods. UV/Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) revealed that the visible light absorption range of heterojunction composites was broadened from 400 nm to 500 nm compared to bare Bi2O2CO3. The XRD, XPS and TEM results demonstrated that metal Bi was introduced into g-C3N4@Bi/Bi2O2CO3 composites, and Bi may act as an electronic bridge in the heterojunction. Metal Bi elevated the separation efficiency of carriers, which was demonstrated by photocurrent and photoluminescence. The performance of samples was assessed via the degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB), and the results exhibited that g-C3N4@Bi/Bi2O2CO3 possessed notably boosted photocatalytic activity compared with g-C3N4, Bi2O2CO3 and other binary composites. The heterojunction photocatalysts possessed good photostability and recyclability in triplicate cycling tests. Radical trapping studies identified that h+ and •O2− were two primary active species during the degradation reaction. Based on the energy band position and trapping radical experiments, the possible reaction mechanism of the indirect Z-scheme heterojunction was also proposed. This work could provide an effective reference to design and establish a heterojunction for improving the photocatalytic activity of Bi2O2CO3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract A novel heterojunction between Bi 2 O 2 CO 3 and Ag 2 CrO 4 was proposed, which contributed to designing a high-efficiency Ag 2 CrO 4 /Bi 2 O 2 CO 3 photocatalyst. Highlights • Faracation of Ag 2 CrO 4 /Bi 2 O 2 CO 3 heterojunction can boost the photocatalytic activity. • The heterojunction make for enhanced charge separation and light absorption. • The possible mechanism for improved photocatalytic activity was discussed in detail. Abstract In this study, Ag 2 CrO 4 /Bi 2 O 2 CO 3 composites were synthesized through a simple chemical precipitation process. XRD, SEM, TEM and XPS characterization suggested that the close heterojunction successfully formed between Ag 2 CrO 4 and Bi 2 O 2 CO 3. Diffuse Reflectance Spectra (DRS) experiments suggested that Ag 2 CrO 4 /Bi 2 O 2 CO 3 composites had a wide light absorption band throughout the whole visible light region. The photoluminescence spectra (PL) implied that the formation of the heterojunction notably suppressed the recombination of photo-generated electron-hole. The excellent photocatalytic activity of Ag 2 CrO 4 /Bi 2 O 2 CO 3 heterojunction for the degradation of RhB, MO and MB should be ascribed to both the wide visible-light absorption and the efficient separation of photo-generated electron-hole. In addition, the possible mechanism for the enhanced photocatalytic activity was also proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of cancer death worldwide and chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a major risk factor for HCC. Emerging evidences indicate that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play a pivotal role in HCC development, but its contribution to HBV-related HCC remains largely unclear. Differentially expressed lncRNAs in HBV-related HCC tissues were identified by deep sequencing in our previous study. The function of lncRNA n335586, one of most up-regulated lncRNAs in HBV-related HCC, was characterized in the present study. We found that the expression of n335586 was significantly increased in HBV positive HCC tissues and cells and was induced by HBV in vitro. Function study indicated that lncRNA n335586 remarkably promoted HCC cells migration, invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in vitro and metastasis in vivo. Further mechanistic studies showed lncRNA n335586 promoted HCC cells migration and invasion through facilitating the expression of its host gene CKMT1A by competitively binding miR-924. In conclusion, we demonstrated that the n335586/miR-924/CKMT1A axis contributes to HCC cell migration and invasion, which may be helpful for understanding of pathogenesis of HBV-related HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intraperitoneal (IP) chemotherapy is a preferable treatment option for peritoneal carcinomatosis of malignancies by delivering chemotherapeutic drugs into the abdominal cavity. A persistent major challenge in IP chemotherapy is the need to provide effective drug concentration in the peritoneal cavity for an extended period of time. In the present work, the thermosensitive hydrogel system (PTX/PECT gel ) assembled by PTX (paclitaxel)-loaded amphiphilic copolymer (PECT, poly (ε-caprolactone-co-1,4,8-trioxa [4.6]spiro-9-undecanone)-poly(ethylene glycol)-poly (ε-caprolactone-co-1,4,8-trioxa [4.6]spiro-9-undecanone)) nanoparticles was developed for sustained IP chemotherapy of peritoneal carcinomatosis model. Cytotoxicity assay indicated that PECT hydrogel was biocompatible with very low cytotoxicity and PTX/PECT gel had enhanced cytotoxicity than free PTX. In vivo toxicity study demonstrated the biocompatibility and biosafety of PECT hydrogel as an IP chemotherapy carrier. The fluorescence imaging method was employed to monitor the intraperitoneal degradation of PECT hydrogel by labeling PECT with rhodamine B. PECT hydrogel with the dose of 200 μL showed about 8 days’ retention time and most of the injected hydrogel was located in the intestine. The anti-tumor efficacy study was carried out in mice bearing CT26 intraperitoneal ascites fluid as colorectal peritoneal carcinomatosis model. The result showed that intraperitoneal administration of PTX/PECT gel could effectively suppress growth and metastasis of CT26 peritoneal carcinomatosis in vivo , compared with Taxol® group. The pharmacokinetic studies demonstrated that PTX/PECT gel could improve the bioavailability of PTX by being formulated in PECT hydrogel. Overall, sustained drug concentration at peritoneal levels in combination with drug in the form of nanoparticle contributes to the enhanced anti-tumor efficacy. Thus, our results suggested that PTX/PECT gel may have great potential applications in IP chemotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ethylbenzene dehydrogenation and the oxidation ability of CO 2 on the V 2 O 5 (001) surface are systematically studied by the density functional theory method. Results show that among all three lattice oxygen sites on V 2 O 5 (001): the vanadyl oxygen O(1), the bridge oxygen O(2), and the three-coordinate oxygen O(3), the O(1) site is the active site for the ethylbenzene dehydrogenation. With the production of styrene, the lattice oxygen O(1) is removed by H 2 O release. As a soft oxidant, CO 2 cannot re-oxidize the defected V 2 O 5 (001) in time due to the relatively high activation energy, which gradually leads to the deactivation of the catalyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we use a monotone iterative technique in the presence of lower and upper solutions to discuss the existence of mild solutions to a second order evolution equation initial value problem in an ordered Banach space, which can model an elastic system with structural damping. Under monotone condition and the noncompactness measure condition on nonlinearity, we obtain the existence of extremal mild solutions and positive mild solutions. Moreover, some applications are given to illustrate our theoretical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molybdenum-based cocatalyst being used to construct heterojunctions for efficient photocatalytic H2 production is a promising research hotspot. In this work, CdIn2S4 was successfully closely supported on bulk Mo2C via the hydrothermal method. Based on their matching band structures, they formed a Type Ⅰ heterojunction after the combination of Mo2C (1.1 eV, −0.27 V, 0.83 V) and CdIn2S4 (2.3 eV, −0.74 V, 1.56 V). A series of characterizations proved that the heterojunction composite had higher charge separation efficiency compared to a single compound. Meanwhile, Mo2C in heterojunction could act as an active site for hydrogen production. The photocatalytic H2 production activity of the heterojunction composites was significantly improved, and the maximum activity was up to 1178.32 μmmol h−1 g−1 for 5Mo2C/CdIn2S4 composites. 5Mo2C/CdIn2S4 heterojunction composites possess excellent durability in three cycles (loss of 6%). Additionally, the mechanism of increased activity for composites was also investigated. This study provides a guide to designing noble-metal-free photocatalyst for highly efficient photocatalytic H2 evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tick-borne infectious diseases pose a serious health threat in certain regions of the world. Emerging infectious diseases caused by novel tick-borne pathogens have been reported that are causing particular concern. Several tick-borne diseases often coexist in the same foci, and a single vector tick can transmit two or more pathogens at the same time, which greatly increases the probability of co-infection in host animals and humans and can lead to an epidemic of tick-borne disease. The lack of epidemiological data and information on the specific clinical symptoms related to co-infection with tick-borne pathogens means that it is not currently possible to accurately and rapidly distinguish between a single pathogen infection and co-infection with multiple pathogens, which can have serious consequences. Inner Mongolia in the north of China is endemic for tick-borne infectious diseases, especially in the eastern forest region. Previous studies have found that more than 10% of co-infections were in host-seeking ticks. However, the lack of data on the specific types of co-infection with pathogens makes clinical treatment difficult. In our study, we present data on the co-infection types and the differences in co-infection among different ecological regions through genetic analysis of tick samples collected throughout Inner Mongolia. Our findings may aid clinicians in the diagnosis of concomitant tick-borne infectious diseases. Author summary: Ticks carry and transmit a variety of pathogens, and their host animals are widely distributed in nature with diverse epidemic links, so that several tick-borne diseases can coexist in the same foci, and even one type of tick or one tick can carry a variety of pathogens at the same time, these factors pose a serious public health threat. In our study, we summarized the regional differences in tick infection and co-infection rates outcomes in all Inner Mongolia of China, and found that pathogen diversity varied with ecogeographic differences such as gobi desert, grassland and forest. A variety of tick-borne bacterial pathogens were identified, with an overall high prevalence rate (61.4% of ticks infected), among infected ticks, 24.3% were co-infected. An unexpected high infection and co-infection rates of ticks collected from the Forest region of eastern Inner Mongolia (sample area 1) was detected. Geographical differences affect tick species and tick-borne pathogens, so the potential threat to humans or animals is also different. In particular, that that knowledge of co-infections is important as they do not just present diagnostic challenges, but the pathogens might play different roles within their respective hosts, thus modulating disease severity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] We evaluate the efficiency of heat shock protein gp96-adjuvanted influenza vaccine. [•] gp96 Adjuvant enhances the immune response to the pH1N1 vaccine. [•] gp96 Elicited a cross-reactive CD8+ T cell response to the conserved viral protein NP. [•] gp96 Adjuvant effectively improves the cross-protection against heterologous influenza virus. [•] Our study reveals the potential use of gp96 adjuvant for pre-pandemic influenza vaccines. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this paper, we consider a second order evolution equation in a Banach space, which can model an elastic system with structural damping. New forms of the corresponding first order evolution equation are introduced, and their well-posed property is proved by means of the operator semigroup theory. We give sufficient conditions for analyticity and exponential stability of the associated semigroups. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Elevated expression of heat shock protein gp96 in hepatitis B virus (HBV)-infected patients is positively correlated with the progress of HBV-induced diseases, but little is known regarding the molecular mechanism of virus-induced gp96 expression and its impact on HBV infection. In this study, up-regulation of gp96 by HBV replication was confirmed both in vitro and in vivo. Among HBV components, HBV x protein (HBx) was found to increase gp96 promoter activity and enhance gp96 expression by using a luciferase reporter system, and western blot analysis. Further, we found that HBx-mediated regulation of gp96 expression requires a NF-κB cis-regulatory element on the gp96 promoter, and chromatin immunoprecipitation results demonstrated that HBx promotes the binding of NF-κB to the gp96 promoter. Significantly, both gain- and loss-of-function studies showed that gp96 enhances HBV production in HBV-transfected cells and a mouse model based on hydrodynamic transfection. Moreover, up-regulated gp96 expression was observed in HBV-infected patients, and gp96 levels were correlated with serum viral loads. Thus, our work demonstrates a positive feedback regulatory pathway involving gp96 and HBV, which may contribute to persistent HBV infection. Our data also indicate that modulation of gp96 function may represent a novel strategy for the intervention of HBV infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The periodic boundary value problem is discussed for a class of fractional evolution equations. The existence and uniqueness results of mild solutions for the associated linear fractional evolution equations are established, and the spectral radius of resolvent operator is accurately estimated. With the aid of the estimation, the existence and uniqueness results of positive mild solutions are obtained by using the monotone iterative technique. As an application that illustrates the abstract results, an example is given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper deals with the existence of positive periodic solutions for the th-order ordinary differential equation where , is a continuous function and is -periodic in . Some existence results of positive -periodic solutions are obtained assuming satisfies some superlinear or sublinear growth conditions on . The discussion is based on the fixed point index theory in cones. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: As the most abundant liver-specific microRNA (miRNA), miR-122 has been extensively studied for its role in the regulation of lipid metabolism, hepatocarcinogenesis and hepatitis C virus (HCV) replication, but little is known regarding its role in the replication of Hepatitis B virus (HBV), a highly prevalent hepatotropic virus that can cause life-threatening complications. In this study we examined the effects of antisense inhibition of miR-122 and transfection of a miR-122 mimic on HBV expression in hepatoma cells. The over-expression of miR-122 inhibited HBV expression, whereas the depletion of endogenous miR-122 resulted in increased production of HBV in transfected cells. We further found that the down-regulation of Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) by miR-122 plays a negative role in the miR-122-mediated inhibition of viral expression. Our study demonstrates the anti-HBV activity of miR-122, suggesting that therapies that increase miR-122 and HO-1 may be an effective strategy to limit HBV replication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We consider existence of nonzero solutions to the following boundary value problem where and are positive parameters, . We prove that solutions lose positivity as the parameter or increases. In particular, we study problems where the associated integral equation has a kernel that changes sign. The proof is based on the fixed point theorem in cones. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Step scheme (S-scheme) heterojunction is one of the newly effective approaches to promote the photocatalytic performance of coupled semiconductors. • 2D/2D In 2 S 3 /Bi 2 O 2 CO 3 S-scheme heterojunction photocatalyst was designed and fabricated. • The internal electric field of S-scheme heterojunction not only efficiently restrain the recombination of photogenerated charges but also enlarge the redox capability of the 2D/2D In 2 S 3 /Bi 2 O 2 CO 3. • The designed S-scheme heterojunction showed very enhanced photocatalytic degradation towards RhB and tetracycline (TC). To fabricate step scheme (S-scheme) heterojunction is one of the newly effective approaches to promote the photocatalytic performance of coupled semiconductors. Herein, a two-dimension (2D)/2D In 2 S 3 /Bi 2 O 2 CO 3 S-scheme heterojunction photocatalyst was designed and fabricated through a facile two-step precipitation method. The as-synthetized composite presented in face-to-face hierarchical structure with enhanced photocatalytic performance towards the degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) and tetracycline (TC) under light irradiation. The 2D/2D In 2 S 3 /Bi 2 O 2 CO 3 heterojunction not only enlarges the light utilization region but also effectively restrains the recombination of useful photogenerated electron-hole pairs, which was demonstrated by diffuse reflection spectra (DRS), photoluminescence spectra (PLS) and active species trapping experiments. Particularly, the optimal performance was achieved using 10% In 2 S 3 /Bi 2 O 2 CO 3 heterojunction with 91% degradation capacity towards RhB in 60 min, which was about 5 and 3 times higher than that of pure Bi 2 O 2 CO 3 and In 2 S 3 , respectively. Moreover, the cycling performance of the photocatalysts further confirmed the excellent stability of the heterojunction. Based upon the characterization and experimental results, the mechanism of S-scheme heterojunction was employed to illustrate the effectively enhanced photocatalytic performance of the 2D/2D In 2 S 3 /Bi 2 O 2 CO 3 heterojunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The unscented Kalman filtering problem is investigated for a class of non‐linear discrete‐time stochastic systems subject to random packet dropout. Here, a random variable, which obeys Bernoulli distribution with known conditional probability, is introduced to depict the phenomenon of packet dropout occurring in a stochastic way. Based on the compensation technology of packet dropout, the one‐step prediction value of observer instead of zero‐input is used as a compensator when packet dropout occurs. Owing to taking the phenomenon of random packet dropout into account, the authors need to compute parameters to reduce the effects of the compensator. Then, based on the minimum mean square error principle, a new unscented Kalman filtering algorithm is proposed such that, for the random packet dropout, the filtering error is minimised. By solving the recursive matrix equations, the filter gain matrices and error covariance matrices can be obtained and the proposed results can be easily verified by using the standard numerical software. They finally provide two examples, one is a numerical example to show the performance of the proposed approach, and the other is to solve the problem of target estimation for a tracking system with random packet dropout. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) regulate gene expression at epigenetic, transcriptional, post-transcriptional levels and play important roles in tumorigenesis and inflammation. In order to explore the effects of lncRNAs on the malignant behavior of cervical cancer (CC) which may be involved in mechanism stimulated by inflammatory factors, we screened a differential expression profile of lncRNAs in CC cells stimulated by TNF-α by deep sequencing. We characterized a significantly upregulated lncRNA LOC105374902 induced by TNF-α. Then, we found that TNF-α accelerated the binding of STAT3 to the promoter region of lncRNA LOC105374902 and promoted its expression. Mechanistically, lncRNA LOC105374902 directly bond to miR-1285-3p as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) to derepress RPL14; functional analysis indicated that both lncRNA LOC105374902 and RPL14 promoted migration, invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of CC cells. Taken together, TNF-α-induced lncRNA LOC105374902 may function as a ceRNA for miR-1285-3p to promote the expression of RPL14, promoting the migration, invasion and EMT of CC cells. These findings may provide new insights into the molecular pathogenesis of CC. Highlights • TNF-α promotes the expression of LOC105374902 via STAT3. • LOC105374902 functions as an oncogene in cervical cancer. • LOC105374902/miR-1285-3p/RPL14 axis contributes to cell migration and invasion in vitro. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The charge transfer mechanism of S-scheme heterojunction and hot electron injection process of Bi metal synergistically drove the photocatalytic hydrogen generation by non-noble metal Bi/Bi 2 MoO 6 /ZnIn 2 S 4 photocatalyst. [Display omitted] • The ternary Bi/Bi 2 MoO 6 /ZnIn 2 S 4 S-scheme heterojunction photocatalyst was successfully synthesized via hydrothermal method. • The optimum photocatalytic hydrogen production of Bi/Bi 2 MoO 6 /ZnIn 2 S 4 was 2306.90 µmol g−1 in 5 h under visible light illumination, which was about 4.3, 29.6 and 2.2 times more than those of original ZnIn 2 S 4 , Bi 2 MoO 6 /ZnIn 2 S 4 and Pt/ZnIn 2 S 4 , respectively. • The outstanding hydrogen production performance of the ternary photocatalyst may be attribute to its broad light absorption, more reactive sites and superior carriers separation. • The charge transfer mechanism of S-scheme heterojunction and hot electron injection process of Bi metal synergistically drove the photocatalytic hydrogen generation. Novel Bi/Bi 2 MoO 6 /ZnIn 2 S 4 is not only cost-effective compared to noble metals, but also shows superior hydrogen production. Comprehensive characterization illustrated that the S-scheme heterojunction and excellent photon utilization capability of the photocatalyst were the main factors that enhanced its hydrogen production performance. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy illustrated the elemental composition of the catalyst and the presence of Bi metal in ternary heterojunction. The photoluminescence and electrochemical characterization proved that S-scheme heterojunction Bi/Bi 2 MoO 6 /ZnIn 2 S 4 promoted the separation of photogenerated carriers. The amount of hydrogen produced by Bi/Bi 2 MoO 6 /ZnIn 2 S 4 was 2306.90 µmol g−1 under visible light illumination for 5 h. It was 4.3, 29.6 and 2.2 times more than those of ZnIn 2 S 4 , Bi 2 MoO 6 /ZnIn 2 S 4 and Pt/ZnIn 2 S 4 , respectively. The excellent hydrogen production activity of the ternary complexes may be attributed to the following: (1) Bi/Bi 2 MoO 6 could replace precious metals to enhance reactive sites of ZnIn 2 S 4. (2) Metal Bi could produce surface plasmon resonance effect facilitating light absorption, and Bi acted as an electron bridge promoting charge transfer. (3) The charge transfer mechanism of S-scheme heterojunction and hot electrons injection process of Bi metal synergistically drove the photocatalytic hydrogen production. This work provides an innovative method for the construction of visible-light-driven photocatalysts without using precious metals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A novel noble-metal-free MoP/CdIn 2 S 4 Schottky heterojunction was constructed based on the combination of semiconductor and metal-like. • The noteworthy augmentation of photocatalytic performance for MPCIS composites was put down to the effective carrier separation, accelerating dynamically H 2 release and increased active sites. • The 30MPCIS composites revealed the optimized photocatalytic performance (286.10 μmol g-1h−1), which was nearly 2.2 times that of CdIn 2 S 4 -1 %Pt (130.51 μmol g-1h−1). • A feasible Schottky junction reaction mechanism of intensive photocatalytic activity was discussed. Developing novel photocatalysts with high performance is significant for the practical application of photocatalytic H 2 production. Herein, novel and noble-metal-free heterojunction photocatalysts contained CdIn 2 S 4 nanoparticles and bulk MoP were prepared. The H 2 -production rate of optimal MoP/CdIn 2 S 4 (MPCIS) composites achieved at 286.10 μmol g-1h−1, which was nearly 2.2 times that of CdIn 2 S 4 -1 %Pt (130.51 μmol g-1h−1). Electrochemical and PL results displayed that MoP cocatalyst could vastly boost the carrier separation efficiency of CdIn 2 S 4. The high carrier separation efficiency maybe put down to the Fermi level rearrangement between MoP and CdIn 2 S 4. The linear sweep voltammograms tests showed that, compared to CdIn 2 S 4 , CdIn 2 S 4 with 30 %MoP (30MPCIS) has smaller Tafel slopes and lower H 2 evolution overpotentials, which contributed to facilitate H 2 release in kinetics. The 30MPCIS composites possess higher C dl value and MoP has Pt-like electronic structure, so that MoP could offer abundant surface reaction sites of MPCIS composites for HER. Aforementioned results demonstrate that MoP may have great potential in replacing precious metal Pt for photocatalytic H 2 production. It is expected that this study can provide new insights into developing the novel sulfide-based heterojunction photocatalysts with MoP as cocatalyst for resultful photocatalytic H 2 generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus can produce a multitude of diseases as a result of infection of various tissues in the body. This organism is covered by a polysaccharide capsule and the majority of clinical isolates have been found to produce either type 5 (CP5) or type 8 (CP8) capsules. Previous studies by this laboratory have demonstrated that specific anti-CP8 murine monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) have high levels of killing activity when compared to an isotype control mAb in an in vitro opsonophagocytic killing (OPK) assay. Pre-binding of CP8-specific mAbs to the bacterial surface enhanced clearance of this organism and survival in Balb/c mice after intra-peritoneal challenge with aCP8 producing strain. To continue the investigation of anti-capsular antibodies, two CP5-specific mAbs were generated by immunized spleen cell fusion with a mouse myeloma cell line. These mAbs were shown to only bind CP5 producing strains and did not cross-react with CP8 producing strains. These mAbs were evaluated in the in vitro OPK assay and showed high levels of activity with CP5 strains. These CP5 mAbs were also shown to protect mice challenged with mAb-coated bacteria. When compared, CP5 murine mAbs were as effective as the CP8 mAbs in OPK activity and survival of infected mice. These CP5-specific mAbs should be further investigated for use in clearance of this organism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, the virus generates numerous viral mRNAs/proteins and viral loads, which plays a major role in driving T cell tolerance, viral persistence, and hepatocellular carcinoma. However, currently available anti-HBV agents have no direct effect on viral mRNA transcription and protein expression. In this study, we designed a recombinant fusion of p53 protein with the cell-penetrating peptide PTD (protein transduction domain of trans-activator of transcription), which mediated p53 internalization into hepatocytes. PTD-p53 effectively suppressed HBV transcription and antigen expression by interaction with viral enhancers. We further provide evidence that PTD-p53 counteracts the viral transcription feedback loop and effectively suppressed HBV production of viral mRNAs, as well as HBsAg, HBeAg, and HBcAg, both in vitro and in vivo. Our results thereby provide a basis for developing a new therapeutic approach against HBV infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A novel noble-metal-free MoP/In 2 S 3 Schottky heterojunction was constructed based on the combination of semiconductor and metal-like. • The optimal MoP/In 2 S 3 photocatalysts have a higher carrier separation efficiency and lower overpotential for H 2 evolution. • The photocatalytic activity of the optimal MoP/In 2 S 3 photocatalyst (481.73 μmol·h−1·g−1) was about 23 times than that of In 2 S 3 -1 %Pt (20.73 μmol·h−1·g−1). • A feasible Schottky junction reaction mechanism of intensive photocatalytic activity was discussed. Here, we synthesized a series of noble-metal-free MoP/In 2 S 3 Schottky heterojunction photocatalysts through two-step synthesis. Morphology characterization revealed that In 2 S 3 was deposited on metal-like MoP. The electrochemical experiment, photoluminescence (PL) and time-resolved transient PL results verify that electron-hole pairs separation efficiency of MoP-In 2 S 3 composites has been immensely elevated compared to pristine In 2 S 3. The effective separation of photocarriers is attributed to the appropriate Schottky energy barrier, band bending and Fermi level rearrangement between MoP and In 2 S 3. Furthermore, the X-ray photoelectron spectra confirmed that electrons transferred from In 2 S 3 to MoP in Schottky heterojunction. Importantly, MoP possesses active sites for H 2 generation resulting from nearly zero binding for H atoms and low onset overpotentials. As expected, the 25 %MoP-In 2 S 3 composites exhibited excellent photocatalytic activity (481.73 μmol·h−1·g−1), which was about 23 times than In 2 S 3 -1 %Pt (20.73 μmol·h−1·g−1). Hence, the enhanced photocatalytic performance was ascribed to not only the formed Schottky heterojunction leading to better charge separation, but also MoP as the active sites accelerated the surface proton reduction reaction. The research furnishes a thought that suitable semiconductors and metal-like were selected to construct high performance and low-cost Schottky heterojunction with efficient charge separation and active sites for resultful photocatalytic H 2 generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, non-coding RNAs that negatively regulate gene expression. It has been reported that miRNAs are involved in host-virus interaction, but evidence that cellular miRNAs promote virus replication has been limited. Here, we found that miR-23a promoted the replication of human herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) in HeLa cells, as demonstrated by a plaque-formation assay and quantitative real-time PCR. Furthermore, interferon regulatory factor 1 (IRF1), an innate antiviral molecule, is targeted by miR-23a to facilitate viral replication. MiR-23a binds to the 3′UTR of IRF1 and down-regulates its expression. Suppression of IRF1 expression reduced RSAD2 gene expression, augmenting HSV-1 replication. Ectopic expression of IRF1 abrogated the promotion of HSV-1 replication induced by miR-23a. Notably, IRF1 contributes to innate antiviral immunity by binding to IRF-response elements to regulate the expression of interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) and apoptosis, revealing a complex interaction between miR-23a and HSV-1. MiR-23a thus contributes to HSV-1 replication through the regulation of the IRF1-mediated antiviral signal pathway, which suggests that miR-23a may represent a promising target for antiviral treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigates Chinese people's perception of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). Survey of a sample of 4,231 people from 17 cities in China; Use of a risk perception centered predictive model of psychological behavior in crisis; Arousal of people's risk perception to high levels after getting negative SARS-related information; Coping behavior and mental health measures.

Abstract: Brassica napus is a most important oilseed grown worldwide with a limited genetic background, due to the short history of speciation, domestication and cultivation. To create novel germplasm for rapeseed breeding, we made interspecific crosses followed with chromosome doubling between B. rapa and B. oleracea to generate novel B. napus with favourable agronomic traits. The resynthesized (S0) hybrids were confirmed by SSR and cytogenetic analysis, and the fertility was increased from 32.7% in S0 generation to ~97.31% in S1 generation. The plant shapes of the progeny were dramatically improved compared to the diploid parents and B. napus cv. ‘Yangyou 6’, especially for the branch initiation height, branch number and pod number. The single‐plant yield was significantly improved in S1 progeny for the variations in branching sites and number. Significant improvement in plant shape and yield was observed on S2 generation compared to the local elite commercial open‐pollinated cultivar, which would be further fixed by intensive selection and pyramiding breeding. Such variation is of great value for breeding rapeseed with improved plant architecture and harvest index. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ruyan Neixiao Cream (RYNXC) is a traditional Chinese herbal formula for treating mammary precancerous disease. This study was carried out to investigate in vivo anticancer effect of RYNXC and multiple constituents. 32 virginal Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into blank control group (BC), mammary precancer models group (MODEL), tamoxifen group (TAM), and Ruyan Neixiao Cream group (RYNXC). TAM was intervened by tamoxifen; RYNXC was intervened by Ruyan Neixiao Cream. The chromatographic separation was performed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled with mass spectrometry (MS). RYNXC showed significant improvement in erythrocyte aggregation index (EAI), hematocrit (HCT), fibrinogen (FIB), spleen coefficient, and uterus coefficient compared with MODEL. In RYNXC and TAM groups, atypical hyperplasia was observed in pathological mammary tissues; meanwhile in MODEL group, ductal carcinoma was observed in situ. Moreover, fifteen compounds were characterized according to HPLC-MS data, including organic acids, tannin, alkaloid, volatile oil, anthraquinones, and flavonoids. The study suggests that RYNXC was an effective Chinese herbal formula for mammary precancerous lesions and provides a scientific basis for the quality standard and the pharmacology of RYNXC. It will be beneficial to the future clinical application of RYNXC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine whether diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) can be used for quantitatively evaluating severity of acute radiation proctopathy after radiotherapy for cervical carcinoma.Materials and Methods: One hundred and twenty-four patients with cervical carcinoma underwent MR examination including DWI before and after radiotherapy. Acute radiation proctopathy was classified into three groups (grade 0, grade I-II and grade III-IV) according to Toxicity Criteria of the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG). The pretreatment ADC (ADCpre), ADC after treatment (ADCpost) and ADC change (ΔADC) were compared among three groups. In addition, acute radiation proctopathy was classified into good-prognosis group and poor-prognosis group. ADCpre, ADCpost and ΔADC were compared between two groups. For DWI parameter that had significant difference, discriminatory capability of the parameter was determined using receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis.Results: ADCpost and ΔADC were higher in grade I-II group than in grade 0 group (p<0.05), yielding a sensitivity of 79.3% and specificity of 69.4% for ADCpost, and 85.1%, 72.3% for ΔADC for discrimination between two groups. ADCpost and ΔADC were higher in grade III-IV group than in grade I-II group (p<0.05), yielding a sensitivity of 80.3% and specificity of 72.5% for ADCpost, and 84.1%, 74.5% for ΔADC for discrimination between two groups. ADCpost and ΔADC were higher in poor-prognosis group than in good-prognosis group (p<0.05), yielding a sensitivity of 79.5% and specificity of 73.4% for ADCpost, and 87.2%, 78.3% for ΔADC for discrimination between two groups.Conclusion: Diffusion-weighted MRI can be used for quantitative stratification of severity of acute radiation proctopathy, which serves as an important basis for appropriate timely adjustment of radiotherapy for cervical carcinoma in order to maximally reduce the radiation injury of rectum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The triple-doped Yb/Er/Pr-Bi 2 WO 6 photocatalyst presented the optimal degradation performance under visible light irradiation. The enhanced catalytic property mechanism was ascribed to the abundant superoxide anions and hydroxyl radicals production and the inhibition of charge carriers recombination. Yb/Er/Pr-BWO + hv → e- + h±. O 2 + e- → O 2 − 2e- + h± + O 2 − → HO 2. HO 2 + e- → HO 2 − HO 2 − + h± → H 2 O 2. Pr3+ + H 2 O 2 → Pr4+ + OH− + OH. H 2 O 2 + OH → HO 2 + H 2 O. Pr4+ + HO 2 → Pr3+ + O 2 + H±. H 2 O + h± → OH + H±. [Display omitted] • A novel Yb/Er/Pr-Bi 2 WO 6 catalyst was synthesized using one-step hydrothermal method. • TUnder visible light illumination, the Yb/Er/Pr triple-doped Bi 2 WO 6 exhibited outstanding photocatalytic activity. • The photo-degradation efficiency of 2.0%Yb/2.0%Er/2.0%Pr-Bi 2 WO 6 was 8.1 times for Congo Red than that of individual Bi 2 WO 6. • The mechanism of enhanced photocatalytic performance was due to thepromoted reactive oxide species production and photocarrier separation. • Provides a feasible strategy for improving photocatalytic activity of catalysts and deducing the possible mechanism. Superoxide anions (O 2 −) and hydroxyl radicals (OH) are vital reactive oxide species (ROS) in the photocatalytic process. In this study, a novel triple-doped bismuth tungstate (Yb/Er/Pr-Bi 2 WO 6) superior photocatalyst was constructed using hydrothermal method. The yield of O 2 − and OH are concurrently boosted by the synergistic effect for Yb/Er/Pr triple-doping. The X-ray photo-electron spectra confirmed the existence of oxygen vacancy and Pr4+/Pr3+ redox center, which can act as trap electron center to produce more O 2 − and promote electron-holes pairs separation. Meanwhile, Yb and Er doping observably regulated the valence band position of Bi 2 WO 6 from 2.39 V to 2.63 V, which is beneficial to produce more OH. Comprehensive characterization illustrate that Yb/Er/Pr-Bi 2 WO 6 shows superior performance in photocatalytic activity, photocarrier separation and light absorption efficiency compared with the pristine Bi 2 WO 6 , single-doped Bi 2 WO 6 and co-doped Bi 2 WO 6. The research provides a simple and valid method for enhancing the visible-light-responding photocatalytic property and exploring the possible enhanced photocatalytic performance mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy and oncologic outcomes of transoral laser microsurgery (TLM) for recurrent laryngeal carcinoma after previous treatment.Materials and Methods: A systematic search in PubMed was performed using mesh word for "laryngeal cancer," crossed with "recurrent," and "TLM." The primary endpoints, including overall survival (OS) rate, local control rate, and disease-specific survival (DSS) were summarized using RevMan software. Adverse events and complications were recorded if reported.Results: The pooled odds ratios (ORs) for main outcomes, including local control, 5-year OS, and DSS were 3.08 (95% confidential indexed [95% CI], 1.88-5.05), 2.29 (95% CI, 1.42-3.67), and 5.05 (95% CI, 2.75-9.27), respectively. The pooled OR for functional outcome, larynx preservation, was 3.82 (95% CI, 2.46-5.94), whereas the pooled risk difference of local recurrence was 45% (95% CI, 26-64%).Conclusions: It seems that TLM is an effective option for recurrent laryngeal cancer with regard to the high incidence of OS, local control, and especially organ preservation. However, more prospective studies are needed to confirm its efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The novel visible-light driven Tb 2 O 3 /Ag 2 Mo 2 O 7 heterojunction photocatalyst was synthesized successfully. • The degradation rate of optimal Tb 2 O 3 /Ag 2 Mo 2 O 7 composite is 3.2 times for MB and 2.3 times for TC compared to Ag 2 Mo 2 O 7. • The in-built Tb4+/Tb3+ redox center can stimulate photoexcited carries separation and increase OH radicals' production. • The feasible mechanism was proposed and verified systematically. The novel Tb 2 O 3 /Ag 2 Mo 2 O 7 heterojunction photocatalyst was designed and synthesized successfully. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscope illustrated the crystalline phase and morphology of as-synthesized hybrid. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis displayed the element composite of Tb 2 O 3 /Ag 2 Mo 2 O 7 photocatalyst and proved the existent of Tb4+/Tb3+ redox center in the heterojunction structure. Significantly, Tb 2 O 3 /Ag 2 Mo 2 O 7 composite presented splendid photocatalytic performance under visible light irradiation, and the degradation rate of optimal Tb 2 O 3 /Ag 2 Mo 2 O 7 composite is 3.2 times for methylene blue and 2.3 times for tetracycline compared to Ag 2 Mo 2 O 7 , respectively. Photoluminescence and photocurrent measurement results revealed that Tb 2 O 3 /Ag 2 Mo 2 O 7 sample exhibited higher photoexited carries separation than Ag 2 Mo 2 O 7. Moreover, the results of electron spin resonance test and capture experiment showed that the construction of Tb 2 O 3 /Ag 2 Mo 2 O 7 heterojunction structure effectively boosted the production of powerful hydroxyl radials. The good stability and repeatability of Tb 2 O 3 /Ag 2 Mo 2 O 7 heterojunction photocatalyst were illustrated by systematic experiments. This finding proposes an original strategy for modifying Ag 2 Mo 2 O 7 , and boosts the development of photocatalyst modification technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The resistance to apoptosis displayed by liver cancer plays a key role in hepatocarcinogenesis, tumor progression, and resistance to chemo- or radio-therapy. In this study, we uncovered the potential role and mechanism of heat shock protein gp96 in regulating liver tumor cell growth and apoptosis. P53 protein was identified as a gp96 client protein by profiling apoptosis-related proteins in gp96-knockdown liver cancer cells. Overexpression and knockdown studies both demonstrated that gp96 decreases p53 protein levels, and gp96 regulated cell apoptosis in a p53-dependent manner. We further provide evidence that gp96 interacts with both p53 and Mdm2 to enhance Mdm2-mediated p53 ubiquitination and degradation. Moreover, targeting gp96 with siRNA induced cell apoptosis and led to the suppression of liver tumor growth in vivo . In conclusion, we elucidated an underlying mechanism by which gp96 promotes p53 degradation via increasing Mdm2 E3 ligase activity and provided a new therapeutic strategy to target the gp96-mediated anti-apoptotic characteristic of hepatocellular carcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is no highly effective chemotherapy for malignant gliomas to date. We found that dimethylaminomicheliolide (DMAMCL), a selective inhibitor of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) stem/progenitor cells, inhibited the growth of glioma cells. Methods: The distribution of DMAMCL in brain was analyzed by an ultraperformance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) system. The anti-tumor evaluations of DMAMCL in vitro were performed by MTT, FACS and RT-PCR. In vivo, the mixture of C6 cells and matrigel was injected into caudatum, and the anti-tumor activity of DMAMCL was evaluated by tumor growth and rat survival. The toxicity of DMAMCL was evaluated by body weight, daily food intake, hematological or serum biochemical analyses, and histological appearance of tissues. Results: The IC50 values of DMAMCL against the C6 and U-87MG cell lines in vitro were 27.18 ± 1.89 μM and 20.58 ± 1.61 μM, respectively. DAMMCL down-regulated the anti-apoptosis gene Bcl-2 and increased apoptosis in C6 and U-87MG cells in a dose-dependent manner. In a C6 rat tumor model, daily administration of DMAMCL for 21 days reduced the burden of C6 tumors by 60% to 88% compared to controls, and more than doubled the mean lifespan of tumor-bearing rats. Distribution analysis showed that the DMAMCL concentration was higher in the brain than in plasma. Evaluations for toxicity revealed that oral administration of DMAMCL at 200 or 300 mg/kg once a day for 21 days did not result in toxicity. Conclusions: These results suggest that DMAMCL is highly promising for the treatment of glioma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermal and storage stabilities of red radish anthocyanins (RRAs) in various juice beverages (apple, grape, peach, pear, pomegranate and lemon) were studied over temperature range 70-90 °C and 4-25 °C. RRAs degradation in all juice beverages followed first-order reaction kinetics. RRAs showed a much faster degradation rate during storage at room temperature ( t value ≤84.0 days) than did in refrigerated temperature ( t ≥value 130.9 days). The rate constant ( k), E and Q values for RRAs in juice beverages varied from 1.33 to 0.33, 47.94 to 14.77 kJ mol and 1.16 to 1.89 at 70-90 °C. During heating, RRAs in peach and pomegranate showed higher stability than others at these temperatures. There was a positive correlation ( R > 0.9128) between ascorbic acid content of juice beverages (8-36 mg/100 mg) and stability of RRAs at 70-90 °C. It was found that RRAs in apple and pear juice beverage were more stable than in other juice beverages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The Yb3+/Nd3+ - Bi 2 WO 6 was synthesized using hydrothermal method. • The degradation efficiency of 1.5%Yb3+/0.5%Nd3+-Bi 2 WO 6 was 3.7 times than that of Bi 2 WO 6. • The mechanism of improved photocatalytic proporty was ascribed to the extension range of visible light and the synergistic effect of oxygen vacancies and Yb3+/Yb2+ redox center. • Provide a new concept rational design and acquirement of visible-light-driven photocatalyst. A novel Yb3+/Nd3+-Bi 2 WO 6 photocatalyst with oxygen vacancies was synthesized through one-step hydrothermal method. The 1.5%Yb3+/0.5%Nd3+-Bi 2 WO 6 exhibited an outstanding performance, whose decomposition efficiency of Rhodamine B was 3.7 times higher than that of bare Bi 2 WO 6. The crystal structure, morphology, chemical state and optical properties were systematically investigated to reveal the mechanism of its enhanced photocatalytic performance. Its excellent visible light absorption and an absorption peak at 584 nm due to the excitation of Nd3+ were confirmed by the UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectra of composite samples. Meanwhile, not only the existence of dopants was confirmed by the X-ray spectroscopy, but the in-built Yb3+/Yb2+ redox center was also revealed. Moreover, the formation of oxygen vacancies and Yb3+/Yb2+ redox center could effectually restrict the recombination of photo-generated electron-hole pairs, which could be demonstrated by photoluminescence characterization. Consequently, the mechanism of an enhanced photocatalytic performance was speculated about the extension range of visible light and the synergistic effect of oxygen vacancies as well as the redox center. This study provides a new concept, a rational design and the acquirement of a high-efficiency visible-light-driven photocatalyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: V-containing catalysts supported on Al2O3, modified with varying amounts of ZrO2, were prepared by impregnation method. Dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene with CO2 was run over these catalysts in a fixed-bed downflow stainless steel reactor. Compared with pure Al2O3 support, a small amount of ZrO2 in the support led to a significant increase in catalytic activity. Partial reduction of vanadium oxides and carbon deposition were the main reasons for the decreased catalytic activity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Three transition metal coordination polymers [Zn2(H2L)(2,2′-bpy)2(H2O)] n ∙2nH2O (1), [Zn2(H2L)(2,2′-bpy)2] n (2), and [Cd2(H2L)(2,2′- bpy)2(H2O)2] n ∙2nH2O (3), have been assembled from a semirigid triangular multicarboxylate ligand 3,3′,3″-(1,3,5-phenylenetri(oxy))triphthalic acid (H6L) with the help of 2,2′-bipyridine (2,2′-bpy) ligand. X-ray single crystal diffraction analysis reveals that complex 1 crystallizes in the space group of Pī and displays a one-dimensional (1D) ladder chain structure constructed from 2,2′-bpy ligand and H2L ligand, which stacks together in an -ABCABC- motif, featuring a mutually embedded chained structure. In complex 2, the H2L ligands bridge the adjacent Zn(II) atoms into a complicated ribbon chain along the b axis. There is π–π stacking interaction between the chains, which results in the formation of a 2D supramolecular structure. Complex 3 also exhibits a 1D ladder-like chain. The different molecular structures for complexes 1 and 2 formed from the same H6L and Zn(NO3)2∙6H2O in different metal-to-ligand ratios in the presence of NaOH, reveals the influence of metal–ligand ratio on the structure of the coordination polymer. In contrast, a series of same reaction using Cd(NO3)2∙4H2O as a starting material instead of Zn(NO3)2∙6H2O only led to the formation of 3, illustrating the fact organic ligands display different coordination preferences at different metal ions. In addition, the thermal and luminescent properties of complexes 1–3 were also investigated. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A series of transition metal coordination polymers [Co(H3L)2(4,4′- bpy)(H2O)2]n∙n(4,4′-bpy) (1), [Ni(H2L)(4,4′-bpy)(H2O)2]n (2), [Co2(L)(phen)2(H2O)4]n∙(H2O)2n (3), and [Ni2(L)(phen)2(H2O)4]n∙(H2O)2n (4) have been assembled from a semirigid multicarboxylate ligand 3,3′-(1,4-phenylenebis(oxy))diphthalic acid (H4L) with the help of 4,4′-bipyridine (4,4′-bpy) ligand or 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) ligand. X-ray single crystal diffraction analysis reveals that complex 1 crystallizes in the space group of P − 1 and displays a one-dimensional (1D) chain structure constructed from 4,4′-bpy ligand and H3L ligand, which was further interlinked to form a three-dimensional network via hydrogen bonds. In complex 2, Ni(II) atoms are coordinated by L ligand in monodentate fashion to form alternate left- and right-helices, which are further bridged together by the coordination interactions between Ni(II) atoms and 4,4′-bpy, leading to a 2-fold (4, 4)-connected interpenetrating network. Isostructural complexes 3 and 4 belong to the space group P − 1 and display a 1D chain structure constructed from phen and L ligands, which was further interlinked to form a 2D plane via π–π interactions. In addition, their thermal and luminescent properties were also investigated. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• 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]

Three new pairs of benzyltetrahydroisoquinoline (BIQ) alkaloid epimers, Seco-neferine A-F (1–6), were isolated from an EtOH extract of Plumula Nelumbinis. The structures of these compounds were identified by a combination of NMR, HR-ESI-MS, circular dichroism, UV spectroscopic analyses and specific rotations. The structure of compounds 1–6 possesses high similarity with neferine, because these three pairs of epimers have the same skeleton as neferine. Compounds 1,2 and 5,6 are open-loop compounds of position 1′ and 1 of neferine respectively. The H connects with position 2′ N of compounds 1,2 is replaced by methyl, forming the structure of compounds 3,4. Moreover, six compounds were tested for cytotoxicity against MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell. Compound 6 displayed moderate inhibitory effects on breast cancer with IC 50 of 38.96 μM, while compounds 2,3,4 show certain inhibitory effects. [Display omitted] • Three new pairs of benzyltetrahydroisoquinoline (BIQ) alkaloid epimers were isolated from Plumula Nelumbinis. • Seco-neferine A-F(1–6) were identified as the opening ring analogues of neferine. • Compound 6 displayed moderate cytotoxicity against breast cancer cell with IC 50 value of 38.96 μM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A facile ultrasonic-hydrothermal method is used to synthesized chrysanthemum-like CdSe. • Chrysanthemum-like CdSe/bulk WC Schottky-junction photocatalyst is successfully fabricated. • The H 2 evolution of the optimal sample is 7.4 times higher than that of CdSe. • Intimate contact at the CdSe/WC interface can impel synergistic effect and attract the formation of Schottky barrier. • The formed Schottky barrier between CdSe and WC decreased surface charge recombination rate and the onset overpotential. [Display omitted] The developments of direct synthesis for shape-controlled and high-efficiency photocatalysts are exceedingly exigent for achieving clean hydrogen (H 2) energy by solar light. In this work, we developed facile synthesis to construct a novel chrysanthemum-like cadmium selenide (CdSe)/bulk tungsten carbide (WC) Schottky-junction photocatalyst. The characteristic results for the component, microstructure and chemical state of photocatalyst revealed that chrysanthemum-like CdSe was intimately decorated onto the bulk WC surface using an ultrasonic-hydrothermal method. The photocatalytic results indicated that the optimal sample obtained the maximum H 2 evolution amount (2711.9 μmol g-1 in 5 h) under visible light irradiation, which was 7.4 times higher than that of chrysanthemum-like CdSe. The observably improved H 2 evolution activity was attributed to the ample active sites, the lower onset overpotential (−0.25 V) and the slower surface charge recommendation rate (0.011 s-1). Meanwhile, intimate contact at the CdSe/WC interface could engender synergistic effect and actuate the formation of Schottky barrier, which effectively facilitated the reduction of water to H 2. This study uncovers an easily available synthesis for shape-controlled CdSe and in-depth explores the design of CdSe-based Schottky-junction photocatalyst for promoting photocatalytic H 2 evolution performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Infection by Bacillus anthracis is preventable by prophylactic vaccination with several naturally derived and recombinant vaccine preparations. Existing data suggests that protection is mediated by antibodies directed against the protective antigen (PA) component of the anthrax toxin complex. PA is an 83-kDa protein cleaved in vivo to yield a biologically active 63-kDa protein. In an effort to evaluate the potential of yeast as an expression system for the production of recombinant PA, and to determine if the yeast-purified rPA63 can protect from a lethal inhalational challenge, the sequence of the 63-kDa form of PA was codon-optimized and expressed in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Highly purified rPA63 isolated from Saccharomyces under denaturing conditions demonstrated reduced biological activity in a macrophage-killing assay compared to non-denatured rPA83 purified from Escherichia coli. Rabbits and non-human primates (NHP) immunized with rPA63 and later challenged with a lethal dose of B. anthracis spores were generally protected from infection. These results indicate that epitopes present in the 63-kDa from of PA can protect rabbits and non-human primates from a lethal spore challenge, and further suggest that a fully functional rPA63 is not required in order to provide these epitopes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Suspended sediment is an important phosphorus (P) adsorption medium in river catchments. Early adsorption isotherm models often ignored sediment heterogeneity, resulting in incorrect sediment P estimates in field environments. In the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR), China, P load assessment is essential to eutrophication risk management, but the sediment P evolution in the TGR is unclear. Herein, the P-adsorption capacity of suspended sediment was estimated with an improved Langmuir model via sediment parameter consideration, and the long-term distribution and variations in simulated sediment P with sediment transport were assessed from 2003– 2016. The results showed that the improved Langmuir model attained a good fit with experimental and field data. The sediment load entering the TGR significantly decreased, especially the median size (D 50) fraction smaller than 0.008 mm, resulting in long-term discharged sediment load decline and annual mean D 50 increase. Meanwhile, the annual sediment P load in the TGR decreased from 7.46– 22.38 kg/s in 2003 to 1.74– 4.73 kg/s in 2016. The increasing sediment particle size reduced the sediment P load and was sensitive to the low sediment P load in the regular impoundment stage (September 2008– 2016). The flood season (June–September) transported 69.2– 98.6% of the annual sediment P. Around 62.3% of total sediment P load was retained in the TGR from 2003– 2016. The results revealed that the retention role of the Three Gorges Dam (TGD) facilitated the long-term reduction in fine sediment and sediment P in the TGR downstream. This study highlights the importance of the particle size in P-adsorption capacity estimation with suspended sediment transport. The annual sediment P load, estimated by the improved Langmuir model and monitoring hydrological and sediment data, generally decreased with sediment transport and was significantly retained by the Three Gorges Dam after the impoundment of the Three Gorges Reservoir from 2003– 2016. Unlabelled Image • Sediment characteristic parameters improved phosphorus-adsorption isotherm model. • Fine sediment load varied with the impoundment scheme of the TGR. • Sediment particle size affected the distribution of sediment phosphorus. • The TGD induced high retention efficiency of sediment phosphorus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tripartite motif (TRIM) protein family is an E3 ubiquitin ligase family. Recent reports have indicated that some TRIM proteins have antiviral functions, especially against retroviruses. However, most studies mainly focus on the relationship between TRIM21 and interferon or other antiviral effectors. The effect of TRIM21 on virus-encoded proteins remains unclear. In this study, we screened candidate interacting proteins of HBV DNA polymerase (Pol) by FLAG affinity purification and mass spectrometry assay and identified TRIM21 as its regulator. We used a coimmunoprecipitation (co-IP) assay to demonstrate that TRIM21 interacted with the TP domain of HBV DNA Pol. In addition, TRIM21 promoted the ubiquitination and degradation of HBV DNA Pol using its RING domain, which has E3 ubiquitin ligase activity. Lys260 and Lys283 of HBV DNA Pol were identified as targets for ubiquitination mediated by TRIM21. Finally, we uncovered that TRIM21 degrades HBV DNA Pol to restrict HBV DNA replication, and its SPRY domain is critical for this activity. Taken together, our results indicate that TRIM21 suppresses HBV DNA replication mainly by promoting the ubiquitination of HBV DNA Pol, which may provide a new potential target for the treatment of HBV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]