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The development of novel natural product-derived nano-pesticide systems with loading capacity and sustained releasing performance of bioactive compounds is considered an effective and promising plant protection strategy. In this work, 25 L-carvone-based thiazolinone–hydrazone compounds 4a~4y were synthesized by the multi-step modification of L-carvone and structurally confirmed. Compound 4h was found to show favorable and broad-spectrum antifungal activity through the in vitro antifungal activity evaluation of compounds 4a~4y against eight phytopathogenic fungi. Thus, it could serve as a leading compound for new antifungal agents in agriculture. Moreover, the L-carvone-based nanochitosan carrier 7 bearing the 1,3,4-thiadiazole-amide group was rationally designed for the loading and sustained releasing applications of compound 4h, synthesized, and characterized. It was proven that carrier 7 had good thermal stability below 200 °C, dispersed well in the aqueous phase to form numerous nanoparticles with a size of~20 nm, and exhibited an unconsolidated and multi-aperture micro-structure. Finally, L-carvone-based thiazolinone–hydrazone/nanochitosan complexes were fabricated and investigated for their sustained releasing behaviors. Among them, complex 7/4h-2 with a well-distributed, compact, and columnar micro-structure displayed the highest encapsulation efficiency and desirable sustained releasing property for compound 4h and thus showed great potential as an antifungal nano-pesticide for further studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polarimetric target decomposition algorithms have played an important role in extracting the scattering characteristics of buildings, crops, and other fields. However, there is limited research on the scattering characteristics of grasslands and a lack of volume scattering models established for grasslands. To improve the accuracy of the polarimetric target decomposition algorithm applicable to grassland environments, this paper proposes an adaptive polarimetric target decomposition algorithm (APD) based on the anisotropy degree (A). The adaptive volume scattering model is used in APD to model volume scattering in forest and grassland regions separately by adjusting the value of A. When A > 1, the particle shape becomes a disk, and the grassland canopy is approximated as a cloud layer composed of randomly oriented disk particles; when A < 1, the particle shape is a needle, simulating the scattering mechanism of forests. APD is applied to an L-band AirSAR dataset from San Francisco, a C-band AirSAR dataset from Hunshandak grassland in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, and an X-band COSMO-SkyMed dataset from Xiwuqi grassland in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region to verify the effectiveness of this method. Comparison studies are carried out to test the performance of APD over several target decomposition algorithms. The experimental results show that APD outperforms the algorithms tested in terms of this study in decomposition accuracy for grasslands and forests on different bands of data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Facing increasingly serious bacterial infections and their threat to food safety and human health, exploring specific and sensitive bacterial strategies is indispensable. Nanozyme-based colorimetric biosensors with the superiorities of easy-to-read and catalytic signal amplification have attracted increasing interest. However, few investigations relate to the nanozymes with excellent light-driven oxidase-like activity. In this study, a sensitive colorimetric biosensor for Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) detection was constructed based on a light-driven oxidase-like nanozyme (PHCS@CuNcPOP TP) as well as the self-chain linking process. The hollow organic-inorganic nanocomposite (PHCS@CuNcPOP TP) was prepared by a one-step Friedel-Crafts alkylation reaction. The PHCS@CuNcPOP TP exhibited excellent and synergistically enhanced light-driven oxidase-like activity originating from its unique photosensitive properties. Subsequently, PHCS@CuNcPOP TP was served as a scaffold, loading with the rabbit anti- Staphylococcus aureus Rosenbach tropina antibody (bs-4582R, Ab 2), DNA1, and DNA2, respectively, to construct signal probes (PHCS@CuNcPOP TP @Au-Ab 2 /DNA1, PHCS@CuNcPOP TP @Au-DNA1, and PHCS@CuNcPOP TP @Au-DNA2). By the repetitive DNA hybridization among signal probes, a large amount of PHCS@CuNcPOP TP -DNA dendrimers were formed and utilized to trigger the chromogenic reaction without the participation of high-concentration H 2 O 2 , resulting in the cascaded catalytic amplification and the lower background signal. As expected, the suggested sensing platform presented ultrasensitive bacterial detection with a remarkably broad linear range (101 to 108 CFU/mL) and a limit of detection (LOD, 3.40 CFU/mL). • PHCS@CuNcPOP TP demonstrated synergistically enhanced light-driven oxidase-like activity. • CuNcPOP TP possessed excellent light absorption/collection efficiency. • The background signal was effectively reduced by avoiding the direct participation of H 2 O 2. • A sensitive colorimetric biosensor based on the self-chain linking process was fabricated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND During the storage and processing of Lilium bulbs, the phenomenon of violet‐red colour change in Lilium bulbs which is different from enzymatic browning often exists, but the specific mechanism is not clear. RESULTS: In this study, we chose six‐year‐old Lilium davidii var. unicolor to study. Bulb scales which were sealed in polyethylene film plastic bags were exposed to room temperature (20 ± 2 °C) treatment for 5 days (12 h of sunshine and 12 h of sun shading). Metabolomics and transcript omics were conducted to elucidate the mechanism of violet‐red color change in Lilium bulbs. The results showed that the color of Lilium bulb scales was obvious violet‐red in 5 days; chromaticity value measuring showed the a values had the most significant upward trend. Metabolomics analysis showed many metabolites produced from the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway showed an upward trend. Transcriptome revealed that flavonoid biosynthesis pathway was significantly enriched, of which 20 synthesis genes were highly regulated expression. Metabolome and transcriptome co‐analysis that up‐regulated expression of flavonoids synthesis genes including ten chalcone synthase, two anthocyanidin reductase, and chalcone isomerase, 3′‐hydroxylase, 3‐hydroxylase, dihydroflavonol 4‐reductase, anthocyanin synthase, anthocyanidin 3‐O‐glucosyltransferase and flavonol synthase were highly positive correlated with epicatechin, rutin and cyanidin 3‐rutinoside. CONCLUSION: Phenotypic, metabolomic and transcriptomic analysis indicated that the up‐related expression levels of genes and accumulated flavonoids related to flavonoid metabolism contributed greatly to the violet‐red colour change in Lilium bulbs. The results of this study will deepen our understanding of the color formation of violet‐red Lilium bulbs and provide the basis for future storage and preservation of Lilium bulbs. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) and their exosomes (Exos) are effective treatments for regenerative medicine. Hypoxia was confirmed to improve the angiogenic potential of stem cells. However, the angiogenic effect and mechanism of hypoxia-preconditioned DPSC-Exos are poorly understood. We isolated exosomes from DPSCs under normoxia (Nor-Exos) and hypoxia (Hypo-Exos) and added them to human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). HUVEC proliferation, migration and angiogenic capacity were assessed by CCK-8, transwell, tube formation assays, qRT-PCR and Western blot. iTRAQ-based proteomics and bioinformatic analysis were performed to investigate proteome profile differences between Nor-Exos and Hypo-Exos. Western blot, immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry were used to detect the expression of lysyl oxidase-like 2 (LOXL2) in vitro and in vivo. Finally, we silenced LOXL2 in HUVECs and rescued tube formation with Hypo-Exos. Hypo-Exos enhanced HUVEC proliferation, migration and tube formation in vitro superior to Nor-Exos. The proteomics analysis identified 79 proteins with significantly different expression in Hypo-Exos, among which LOXL2 was verified as being upregulated in hypoxia-preconditioned DPSCs, Hypo-Exos, and inflamed dental pulp. Hypo-Exos partially rescued the inhibitory influence of LOXL2 silence on HUVEC tube formation. In conclusion, hypoxia enhanced the angiogenic potential of DPSCs-Exos and partially altered their proteome profile. LOXL2 is likely involved in Hypo-Exos mediated angiogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gyroscope biases may drift in long-term storage, and the drifts become the most important factors that affect the azimuth alignment accuracy of the inertial navigation systems (INSs). In this article, a three-position in- field calibration method is proposed, providing a completely new way to solve the gyroscope bias estimation problem without the turntable available. Based on the analysis of the azimuth errors of attitude tracking, the attitude tracking information at the current position is used to extract the azimuth error of self-alignment at the previous position. The observation equations are derived, with the input arguments of the differences between the attitude tracking results and the self-alignment results at the last two positions, and the solution vectors of the gyroscope biases. Condition number is used to analyze the ill-conditioned problem of the equations. Simulation and experiment results show that the gyroscope biases can be effectively calibrated by designing the rotation angles reasonably. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porcine enteric coronaviruses (CoVs) cause highly contagious enteric diarrhea in suckling piglets. These COV infections are characterized by clinical signs of vomiting, watery diarrhea, dehydration, and high morbidity and mortality, resulting in significant economic losses and tremendous threats to the pig farming industry worldwide. Because the clinical manifestations of pigs infected by different CoVs are similar, it is difficult to differentiate between the specific pathogens. Effective high-throughput detection methods are powerful tools used in the prevention and control of diseases. The immune system of piglets is not well developed, so serological methods to detect antibodies against these viruses are not suitable for rapid and early detection. This paper reviews various PCR-based methods used for the rapid and efficient detection of these pathogenic CoVs in swine intestines. Key points: Swine enteric coronaviruses (CoVs) emerged and reemerged in past years. Enteric CoVs infect pigs at all ages with high mortality rate in suckling pigs. Rapid and efficient detection methods are needed and critical for diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pancreatic cancer is one of the malignant tumors with the worst prognosis, and the 5‐year survival rate of this disease is less than 1%. About 90% of pancreatic cancer is pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), and targeting therapy has become a promising treatment for PDAC in recent years. To improve the survival rate, novel therapeutic targets for PDAC are still urgently needed. KIF18B was initially identified as a member of the kinesin family and involved in multiple cellular processes, such as separation of chromosomes in mitosis. Recently, it was found that KIF18B was involved in the growth and development of multiple cancers. However, the potential link between KIF18B and PDAC is still unclear. In this study, we demonstrated that KIF18B was highly expressed in human PDAC tissues, and related with the poor prognosis and clinical features, such as tumor size (*p =.013) and pTNM stage (*p =.025), of patients with PDAC. We further found that KIF18B knockdown blocked the cell proliferation of PDAC in vitro and in vivo, and the cell cycle was arrested caused by KIF18B depletion. Additionally, we also found that KIF18B bound to the promoter region of the cell division cycle associated 8 and thus activated its transcription. Taken together, this study explored the molecular mechanism underlying KIF18B promoting PDAC and provided a novel therapeutic target of this disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon‐bonded carbon fiber (CBCF) composites are promising lightweight and high efficient thermal insulators to be applied in aerospace area, but their practical applications are usually restricted by the low mechanical performance and poor oxidation resistance. To overcome these drawbacks, many efforts have been made in the fabrication of ceramic coated CBCF composites. However, the densities of these modified composites are usually very high, which would result in the reduction in their thermal insulation performance. Herein, we prepared a CBCF composite with SiC nanowires enhanced interfibrous junctions and SiOC ceramic coated carbon fibers (SiCNWs‐SiOC‐CBCF). Similar to CBCF, the SiCNWs‐SiOC‐CBCF exhibits a low density of 0.35 g/cm3 and an anisotropic and highly porous architecture. The SiCNWs‐SiOC‐CBCF possesses a compressive strength of 3.8 MPa and a compression modulus of 195.7 MPa in the X (or Y) direction, ~26.7% and 150% higher than those of CBCF respectively. It can also suffer from an isothermal treatment in air at 900°C for 120 minutes. The combination of these properties makes the SiCNWs‐SiOC‐CBCF a good candidate for thermal insulator to be applied in extreme conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanomaterial defects occur widely due to various situations such as synthesis imperfections, exposure to harsh environment, or even intentional designs. However, the consequence of nanomaterial defects on their interfacing biological systems remains largely unknown. Here, we study the interaction of a defective graphene nanosheet with a widely used model protein, YAP65WW-domain, using molecular dynamics simulations. We find that local defects on graphene consistently act to unfold the YAP65WW-domain. Protein residues bound to the graphene defect are tightly anchored due to favorable electrostatic interactions. While the residues at the interface are highly restrained, thermal movements of other parts of the protein act to denature and unfold the entire protein. In contrast, control simulations of protein binding on ideal graphene reveal a well preserved native structure with no unfolding events detected. Our present findings elucidate the role of graphene defects on protein adsorption and emphasize the need for improved understanding of nanomaterial defects in potential biomedical applications. Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a novel class of diagnostic and therapeutic target in cancer. Here, we aimed to explore the effects and mechanism of miR-195 regulation in colon cancer. The expressions of several putative miRNAs in colon tumors, compared to those in normal tissues, were investigated by bioinformatical analysis of a Gene Expression Omnibus database. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis (qRT-PCR) was used to validate the identified changes in normal tissues, primary tumors, and metastatic tumors. MTT, soft agar colony formation, and transwell assays were used to evaluate the effects of miR-195 overexpression or inhibition on cell viability, proliferation, migration, and invasion. Targets of miR-195 were identified by TargetScan, and subsequently verified by qRT-PCR and Western blot. The role of miR-195 in the β-catenin pathway was also studied using RT-PCR and Western blot. MiR-195 expression was downregulated in colon carcinoma tissues and negatively correlated with the metastatic potential. While transfecting miR-195 mimics decreased the proliferation, migration, and invasion of colon cancer cells, miR-195 inhibition exerted opposing effects. WNT3A was identified as a direct target of miR-195. β-catenin was also downregulated by miR-195 in colon cancers. MiR-195 downregulation is associated with the enhanced proliferation, migration, and invasion of colon cancer. MiR-195 directly downregulates WNT3A. Our results indicate that miR-195 is a potential diagnostic marker and therapeutic target for improving the clinical management of colon cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypoxia was proved to enhance the angiogenesis of stem cells. However, the mechanism of the angiogenic potential in hypoxia-pretreated dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) is poorly understood. We previously confirmed that hypoxia enhances the angiogenic potential of DPSC-derived exosomes with upregulation of lysyl oxidase-like 2 (LOXL2). Therefore, our study aimed to illuminate whether these exosomes promote angiogenesis via transfer of LOXL2. Exosomes were generated from hypoxia-pretreated DPSCs (Hypo-Exos) stably silencing LOXL2 after lentiviral transfection and characterized with transmission electron microscopy, nanosight and Western blot. The efficiency of silencing was verified using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western blot. CCK-8, scratch and transwell assays were conducted to explore the effects of LOXL2 silencing on DPSCs proliferation and migration. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were co-incubated with exosomes to assess the migration and angiogenic capacity through transwell and matrigel tube formation assays. The relative expression of angiogenesis-associated genes was characterized by qRT-PCR and Western blot. LOXL2 was successfully silenced in DPSCs and inhibited DPSC proliferation and migration. LOXL2 silencing in Hypo-Exos partially reduced promotion of HUVEC migration and tube formation and inhibited the expression of angiogenesis-associated genes. Thus, LOXL2 is one of various factors mediating the angiogenic effects of Hypo-Exos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: T cells are key immunomodulatory cells in periapical lesions. This study aimed to explore the roles of T cells in chronic apical periodontitis (CAP) using single‐cell RNA sequencing and to further investigate Granzyme A (GZMA) in angiogenesis regulation. Methodology: A total of five CAP samples were collected for single‐cell RNA sequencing. We performed subcluster and lineage‐tracing analyses for T cells. According to differential gene expression, distinct biological functions enriched in T cells of CAP were presented by gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) and compared with healthy gingiva (data obtained from the GEO database). CellChat was used to explore potential ligand–receptor interactions between T cells and endothelial cells in CAP. The coculture of primary human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and Jurkat T cells, as well as the addition of GZMA recombinant protein, was used to validate the predicted pair of GZMA and coagulation factor II thrombin receptor (F2R) by RT‐PCR, angiogenesis and migration assays. Results: A transcriptomic atlas of 44 746 individual cells was constructed from the periapical lesions of five patients with CAP by single‐cell RNA‐seq, and eight cell types were identified. We identified nine subsets of T cells and deciphered the cellular heterogeneity of T cells in CAP at the functional level by subclustering and GSEA. Lineage tracing revealed a distinct lineage of T cells in CAP and predicted the transition of the T cellular state upon CAP. GSEA revealed multiple biological processes and relevant angiogenesis genes upregulated in CAP T cells. GZMA‐F2R pairs were predicted by cell–cell interactions in CAP. High expression of GZMA and F2R was observed in the coculture of HUVECs and Jurkat T cells, and the proangiogenic capacity of the GZMA recombinant protein was emphasized by in vitro experiments. Conclusions: Our study provides novel insights into the heterogeneity of T cells in periapical lesions and reveals the potential role of GZMA in T cells in regulating angiogenesis in HUVECs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, only cold shock method was used to induce the triploid of M. amblycephala , and because the triploid rate is not high enough, the triploid fish has not been applied in aquaculture on a large scale. This study aimed to obtain the best induction conditions of triploid by hydrostatic pressure, reveal the reproductive characteristics and mechanism of gonadal sterility of triploid M. amblycephala , provide an insights into the meiotic patterns of triploid fish. We successfully induced triploid in M. amblycephala using the hydrostatic pressure method. The highest triploid rate reached 85.92% at 55 MPa for 3 min after 3 min of fertilization. The relative DNA content of the triploid fish was 1.5 times of that of the diploid fish, and their chromosome karyotype was 3n = 72 = 27 m + 39sm + 6st. Both female and male triploids had dysplastic gonads, the testis of triploid males was able to produce 1.5n sperm without fertility because all the hybrid embryos of 2n♀ × 3n♂ died; however, the ovaries of triploid females belonged to complete sterility. The verification of gene expression patterns and interaction suggested that the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonad (HPG) axis process was disturbed and unsynapsed chromosome (UC) axis was blocked may jointly caused the complete sterility without egg production of female triploids. However, triploid males belonged to uncompletely sterility, which can produce a small number of sperm and complete fertilization, but the offspring cannot survive, may caused by the not completely blocked UC axis with low expression of hormad1 and iho1. • The highest triploidy rate of M. amblycephala reached 85.92% by hydrostatic pressure. • The triploid testis was able to produce fertility 1.5n sperm and the triploid ovaries belonged to complete sterility. • The normal process of HPG axis and UC axis was disturbed may lead to the sterility of triploid M. amblycephala. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

3-phenyllactic acid (PLA) has broad anti-fungal activity, however, target sites of PLA on fungal cells and its anti-fungal mechanism of action have been poorly studied. In this study, we explored the inhibition mechanism of Rhizopus oryzae (R. oryzae) on rotten lily bulbs by PLA. The minimum inhibitory concentration value of PLA against R. oryzae was 8 mg/mL. We observed the ultrastructure of R. oryzae by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy which indicated that PLA did not damage the cell membrane, but destroyed the mitochondria and other organelles. Tandem mass tag proteomes showed that PLA significantly down-regulated (P < 0.05) the expression of hexokinase (HK), phosphofructokinase (PFK), a-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase (a-KGDH), adenylate kinase (ADK1), Cytochrome C oxidase and NADH dehydrogenase, and up-regulated (P < 0.05) the expression of mitochondrial ADP/ATP carrier proteins (AAC) and subunit IV (CCIO IV) in glycolysis, tricarboxylic acid cycle or oxidative phosphorylation metabolism. Following these findings, down-regulated HK and a-KGDH activity of aforementioned pathways was shown by enzyme activity assay, and regulated gene expression of ADK1, AAC, CCIO IV and NADH dehydrogenase was further confirmed by real-time quantitative PCR. Central carbon metabolomics showed that citric acid, cis-Aconitic acid, isocitric acid, alpha-Ketoglutaric acid, succinate, fumarate and malic acid of the tricarboxylic acid cycle metabolites were significantly down-regulated (P < 0.05), and ATP production by oxidative phosphorylation was also significantly reduced (P = 0.02), resulting in insufficient energy production. Thus, ROS levels increased by 141% of the control values and cytochrome C was released, resulting in gradual cell apoptosis. All data indicated that energy metabolism was the target of PLA against R. oryzae. This was the first study to show that energy metabolism could be the target of PLA against R. oryzae , which could provide a theoretical basis to study the mechanism of fungal inhibition. • Mitochondria and other organelles of Rhizopus oryzae were destroyed by 3-phenyllactic acid from SEM and TEM observation. • Differential proteins and metabolites of ATP production were assessed by TMT proteomes and central carbon metabolomics. • This is the first study that energy metabolism as the target of 3-phenyllactic acid aganist fungi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accumulated hard tissue debris (AHTD) is an inevitable by-product during endodontic treatment and is difficult to remove completely using traditional syringe and needle irrigation (SNI). Adjunctive irrigation is proposed to assist the clean-up of AHTD. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the AHTD removal efficacy of different root canal irrigation devices using micro-computed tomography (Micro-CT). A literature search was carried out within the main scientific databases until 20 June 2022. All results were screened with detailed eligibility criteria. Eleven studies were included for analysis. SNI, passive ultrasonic irrigation (PUI), negative pressure systems, sonically activated irrigation (SAI), mechanical-activated system and laser-activated irrigation (LAI) were assessed. PUI is superior to SNI for debris removal and LAI has better AHTD removal performance than PUI. The negative pressure system and mechanical-activated system were proved to be less effective. Registration: PROSPERO (CRD42021273892). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore novel natural product‐based nitrogen‐containing heterocyclic compounds with antiproliferative activity, 20 L‐carvone‐derived pyrimidine‐urea compounds 4a–4t were synthesized through the multi‐step reaction of L‐carvone, and structurally characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FT‐IR), hydrogen‐1 nuclear magnetic resonance (1H‐NMR), Carbon‐13 nuclear magnetic resonance (13C‐NMR), and High‐resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS). Besides, the in vitro antiproliferative activity of the target compounds against HepG2, Hela, and MCF‐7 cells was evaluated by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay. According to the results, the target compounds showed certain inhibitory activities against the tested cancer cell lines, and five compounds (4b, 4h, 4k, 4l, and 4t) exhibited better inhibition activities against Hela cells than the positive control (5‐FU). Among them, compound 4b held significant antiproliferative activities against Hela and HepG2 cells, and thus deserved further study as a leading compound of new anticancer drugs. In addition, an effective and reasonable three‐dimensional quantitative structure‐activity relationships (3D‐QSAR) model was built by the Comparative molecular field analysis (CoMFA) method to analyze the relationship between the structures of the target compounds and their antiproliferative activities (expressed as pIC50) against Hela cells, and proven to have good predictive ability. Molecular docking was carried out to study the possible binding modes of compound 4b and Survivin, and it was found that compound 4b could be well embedded into the active site, along with the formation of several hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The major enteric RNA viruses in pigs include porcine epidemic diarrhoea virus (PEDV), transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV), porcine rotavirus A (PRV‐A), porcine kobuvirus (PKV), porcine sapovirus (PSaV) and porcine deltacoronavirus (PDCoV). For differential diagnosis, a multiplex RT‐PCR method was established on the basis of the N genes of TGEV, PEDV and PDCoV, the VP7 gene of PRV‐A, and the polyprotein genes of PKV and PSaV. This multiplex RT‐PCR could specifically detect TGEV, PEDV, PDCoV, PRV‐A, PKV and PSaV without cross‐reaction to any other major viruses circulating in Chinese pig farms. The limit of detection of this method was as low as 100–101 ng cDNA of each virus. A total of 398 swine faecal samples collected from nine provinces of China between October 2015 and April 2017 were analysed by this established multiplex RT‐PCR. The results demonstrated that PDCoV (144/398), PSaV (114/398), PEDV (78/398) and PRV‐A (70/398) were the main pathogens, but TGEV was not found in the pig herds in China. In addition, dual infections, for example, PDCoV + PSaV, PDCoV + PRV‐A, PRA‐V + PSaV and PEDV + PDCoV, and triple infections, for example, PDCoV + PRV‐A + PSaV and PEDV + PDCoV + PKV, were found among the collected samples. The multiplex RT‐PCR provided a valuable tool for the differential diagnosis of swine enteric viruses circulating in Chinese pig farms and will facilitate the prevention and control of swine diarrhoea in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of novel 1‐acyl‐5‐amino‐1,2,4‐triazole‐thioether derivatives containing natural gem‐dimethylcyclopropane ring structure were synthesized from natural biomass resource 3‐carene. Their structures were confirmed by FT‐IR, NMR, ESI‐MS, and elemental analysis. The possible mechanism of regioselectivity for the N‐acylation reaction of 5‐amino‐1,2,4‐triazole with 2‐(2,2‐dimethyl‐3‐propylcyclopropyl) acetyl chloride was explored by DFT theoretical calculation. All the target compounds were evaluated for antifungal activity in vitro against eight plant pathogens, and some target compounds showed good inhibitory activity against the tested pathogens. For example, compounds 1‐(5‐Amino‐3‐((4‐chlorobenzyl)thio)‐1H‐1,2,4‐triazol‐1‐yl)‐2‐(2,2‐dimethyl‐3‐propylcyclopropyl)ethan‐1‐one and 1‐(5‐Amino‐3‐((2,6‐dichlorobenzyl)thio)‐1H‐1,2,4‐triazol‐1‐yl)‐2‐(2,2‐dimethyl‐3‐propylcyclopropyl)ethan‐1‐one exhibited inhibitory rates of 81.6 % and 80.9 % against Cercospora arachidicola and Alternaria solani, respectively, better than that of the commercial fungicide thifluzamide with corresponding inhibitory rates of 75.0 % and 78.6 %. Besides, against Gibberella zeae, most of the target compounds displayed better antifungal activity than the positive control thifluzamide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Twenty-two novel longifolene-derived diphenyl ether-carboxylic acid compounds 7a–7v were synthesized from renewable biomass resources longifolene, and their structures were confirmed by FT-IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and HRMS. The preliminary evaluation of in vitro antifungal activity displayed that compound 7b presented inhibition rates of 85.9%, 82.7%, 82.7%, and 81.4% against Alternaria solani, Cercospora arachidicola, Rhizoctonia solani, and Physalospora piricola, respectively, and compound 7l possessed inhibition rates of 80.7%, 80.4%, and 80.3% against R. solani, C. arachidicola, P. piricola, respectively, exhibiting excellent and broad-spectrum antifungal activities. Besides, compounds 7f and 7a showed significant antifungal activities with inhibition rates of 81.2% and 80.7% against A.solani, respectively. Meanwhile, a reasonable and effective 3D-QSAR mode (r2 = 0.996, q2 = 0.572) has been established by the CoMFA method. Furthermore, the drug-loading complexes 7b/MgAl-LDH were prepared and characterized. Their pH-responsive controlled-release behavior was investigated as well. As a result, complex 7b/MgAl-LDH-2 exhibited excellent controlled-releasing performance in the water/ethanol (10:1, v:v) and under a pH of 5.7. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is challenging to achieve the highly sensitive detection of glucocorticoids at ultratrace levels because of the abundant hydrophilic groups in their molecules and the complexity of environmental water sample matrices. Here, a highly crystalline three-dimensional hydroxylated covalent organic frameworks (denoted by COF-301) with tetra(4-anilyl)methane (TAM) and 2,5-dihydroxyterephthalaldehyde (DHTA) as building units was constructed and proposed as adsorbent for solid phase extraction (SPE) of glucocorticoids. Theoretical studies were conducted to elucidate the potential adsorption mechanism of glucocorticoids on the COF-301. The COF-301 based SPE combined with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry provides a promising approach for the preconcentration and determination of glucocorticoids residue in water samples. Good linearity with a correlation coefficient exceeding 0.9988, low limits of detection ranging from 0.024 to 0.075 ng L−1 and relative standard deviations below 6.68% were achieved. The proposed method was successfully applied to analyze glucocorticoids residue in actual water samples, demonstrating the prospects of this method for the determination of trace glucocorticoids. [Display omitted] • A three-dimensional hydroxylated COFs was proposed for SPE of glucocorticoids. • The possible adsorption mechanism was investigated by theoretical studies. • A sensitive SPE-LC–MS/MS method was established to detect glucocorticoids in water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dendritic cells (DCs) play an important role in activating, regulating, and maintaining the immune response. CD103+ DCs, one of the DC subpopulations, mainly function in the mucosal immune response. They are responsible for capturing and carrying antigens to the relevant lymph nodes to activate the downstream immune responses. However, there is limited available information regarding the function of CD103+ DCs in the porcine mucosal immune response. In this study, two monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against porcine CD103 were prepared, and their applications were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA), and flow cytometry. The produced mAbs (7F3 and 9H3) were both IgG1 subtype with κ chains in the light chain. The 7F3 recognizes a linear epitope (PDLRPRAQVYFSDLE) while 9H3 recognizes another linear epitope (QILDEGQVLLGAVGA). The prepared mAbs could be used in vivo to detect the cells expressing CD103 molecules, giving wide applications of both mAbs. In conclusion, this study successfully prepared 2 mAbs against CD103 protein, and they showed applicability in vivo experiments, which will provide the basis for the study of porcine mucosal immunity. Key points: • Preparation of monoclonal antibodies against porcine CD103 molecule • Analysis of the distribution of CD103 protein on different cells is possible • Exploration of the CD103+ DCs function in porcine mucosal immunity is possible [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The functional phosphazene group PDEP with a superior binding affinity for iodine were rationally screened by theoretical calculations. • The PDEP@PES composite beads were synthesized for their practical removal of iodine. • The PDEP@PES beads exhibit high static and dynamic uptake capacities of 1078.1 mg/g and 78.8 mg/g, respectively. • Adsorption mechanisms have been elucidated combined experimental with theoretical analyses. Efficient adsorbents for radioiodine removal play a crucial role in safeguarding public and ecology health. However, conventional trial-and-error approaches for designing such high-performance adsorbents suffer from limited efficiencies. Herein, we employed a rational design strategy guided by precise density functional theory (DFT) calculations to synthesize a polyphosphazene-based microsphere tailored for iodine capture. Theoretical calculations quantifying the interactions of iodine molecules with diverse nitrogen-containing organic groups reveal the superior affinity of phosphazene groups with I 2. Motivated by these findings, we judiciously designed a poly(bis(diethylamino)) phosphazene (PDEP) with a high density of active adsorption sites. Subsequently, PDEP was integrated into a composite bead with polyether sulfone (denote as PDEP@PES) for practical applications. PDEP@PES exhibits an elevated static adsorption capacity of 1.08 g/g, surpassing the majority of reported beads. More importantly, under a high flow rate of 200 mL/min, the dynamic uptake amount of PDEP@PES reaches 78.8 mg/g, outperforming pristine PES beads (3.19 mg/g) and commercial silver-impregnated silica gel (23.0 mg/g). The XPS results confirm the formation of robust charge-transfer complex between phosphazene groups with I 2. This was further supported by their substantial interaction energy of -20.59 kcal/mol, as determined by DFT calculations. Our study demonstrates the high feasibility of polyphosphazene-based microspheres for radioiodine removal, shedding light on the enormous potential of theory-driven design paradigm for the development of exceptional adsorbents for environmental remediation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] In steady-state visual evoked potential (SSVEP)-based brain-computer interface (BCI), improving the recognition performance for new subjects without calibration data is the key challenge for practical application. Unsupervised transfer learning is an effective way to overcome it. However, existing studies focus solely on what to transfer, rather than how to effectively transfer, resulting in unsatisfactory transfer effectiveness or even negative transfer. In this study, an innovative unsupervised cross-subject transfer learning method for SSVEP-BCI was proposed, named SUTL. It involves that subject transferability estimation (STE) and a multi-domain alignment method were proposed to alleviate the potential interference of differences in SSVEP signal distribution among subjects. STE screens appropriate transferable subjects from the source subject pool, while domain alignment directly makes all subjects more similar. Then, SUTL sufficiently exploits the information of the selected source subjects, learning and transferring both generalization knowledge and subject-specific knowledge to boost the recognition performance for the new subject. The performance of SUTL was evaluated on two public SSVEP datasets (benchmark dataset and BETA dataset) with 40 classes, the extensive experimental results reveal that SUTL markedly boosts the effectiveness of SSVEP cross-subject transfer and dramatically outperforms the state-of-art methods. SUTL significantly enhances the recognition performance of SSVEP-BCI for new subjects and facilitates its practical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Four Streptococcus thermophilus isolates contained two putative homologues of eno and guaB gene. [•] guaB-2 may have been acquired horizontally from another Streptococcus species. [•] eno-2 may have been acquired either from Streptococcus or from Enterococcus species. [•] S. thermophilus could acquire the same conserved genes from different origins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a new multi-objective bi-level programming model for the ring road bus lines and fare design problems. The proposed model consists of two layers: the traffic management operator and travelers. In the upper level, we propose a multi-objective bus lines and fares optimization model in which the operator's profit and travelers' utility are set as objective functions. In the lower level, evolutionary multi agent model of travelers' bounded rational reinforcement learning with social interaction is introduced. A solution algorithm for the multi-objective bi-level programming is developed on the basis of the equalization algorithm of OD matrix. A numerical example based on a real case was conducted to verify the proposed models and solution algorithm. The computational results indicated that travel choice models with different degrees of rationality significantly changed the optimization results of bus lines and the differentiated fares; furthermore, the multi-objective bi-level programming in this paper can generate the solution to reduce the maximum section flow, increase the profit, and reduce travelers' generalized travel cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Horizontal wells are being used with the increase of oil and gas demand. But cuttings accumulate at the bottom of the annulus to form cuttings bed in horizontal wells. So the movement of the drillpipe can cause serious friction between the drillpipe and cuttings bed, which can lead to stuck drilling, pipe sticking, and serious downhole accidents. Therefore, it is important to study the parameters that affect the friction between the drillpipe and cuttings bed. In this study, by conducting experiments to analyze the comprehensive sliding-friction coefficient (CSFC) between the drillpipe and cuttings bed. By analyzing the effects of pipe depth, cuttings size, fluid viscosity, and drillpipe rotation speed on CSFC, the CSFC value was obtained and a general CSFC model was established. The study provides a foundation for predicting the CSFC and contribute to the calculation of the extended-reach limit of horizontal wells. [Display omitted] • A new experiment for measuring the friction coefficient is conducted. • Genetic programming is used to derive the optimal model. • The comprehensive sliding-friction coefficient with different variables are obtained. • A foundation for predicting the comprehensive sliding-friction coefficient is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• An ultrasensitive method was established for the determination of PCAs residue in plant-derived food. • The TAPT-DHTA-COF fabricated via room-temperature method was proposed as SPE cartridge packing. • The adsorption feature was discussed by isotherm model fitting and theoretical calculation. • The reliability of this method was verified by the accurate detection of certified reference materials. The development of sensitive method for analysis of pesticide residue is of great significance to ensure food safety and promote globalization of food trade. An original method was proposed for analysis of phenoxy carboxylic acids (PCAs) pesticide in plant-derived food. To concentrate trace PCAs, the TAPT-DHTA-COF was fabricated by a facile room-temperature method and utilized as the solid phase extraction cartridge packing. The TAPT-DHTA-COF exhibited excellent adsorption capacity and recyclability towards PCAs. Theoretical simulation indicated that the adsorption of PCAs onto the TAPT-DHTA-COF was driven by hydrogen bond, halogen bond and π-π interaction. Using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry for detection, good linearity ranged from 0.10 to 40 ng·g−1 and low limits of detection varied from 0.007 to 0.030 ng·g−1 were achieved for PCAs in rice, apple and greengrocery. The recoveries of PCAs from the spiked samples ranged from 81.2% to 107%. The reliability was verified by the accurate determination of certified reference materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) can infect all ages of pigs, particularly newborn piglets with a mortality almost reaching to 80–100%, causing significant economic losses to the global pig industry. The mucosal immune response is crucial for PEDV prevention, in which specific dendritic cells (DCs) and differentiated T cells play vital roles. In this study, CD103+DCs were differentiated successfully with retinoic acid (RA) treatment in vitro. PEDV could not replicate efficiently in differentiated CD103+DCs but could promote maturation of CD103+DCs by up-regulating the expression of SLA-DR, CD1a, CD86, and cytokines of IL-1β and IL-10. In addition, PEDV-infected CD103+DCs and CD4+T cells were co-cultured, and the results showed that the differentiation of CD4+T cells toward Th1, Tfh, and Treg, but not Th2. These results demonstrate that PEDV-infected CD103+DCs could promote the differentiation of CD4+T cells, which provided the basis for further study of mucosal response induced by PEDV via CD103+DCs. • The culture system of porcine CD103+DCs were established successfully in vitro. • PEDV can infect porcine CD103+DCs but could not replicate efficiently. • PEDV can promote the maturation of porcine CD103+DCs. • PEDV-infected CD103+DCs can promote the differentiation of CD4+T cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV) leads to serious disease and economic losses in the salmonid aquaculture industry. The present study aimed to develop an effective and efficient vaccine to protect rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) against IHNV infection. Administered via the immersion route, a live vector vaccine containing the regions of the IHNV glycoprotein (G) induced immune responses in rainbow trout. Use of the immersion route induced more-efficient mucosal immunity than intramuscular injection vaccination. IHNV G gene expression was detected in the spleens of rainbow trout at 3, 7 and 15 days post-vaccination (dpv). The G gene expression continuously decreased between 3 and 15 dpv. In addition, the expression of TLR-3, TLR-7 and TLR-8 was upregulated after vaccination, and the highest expression levels of IFN-1, Mx-1, Mx-3, Vig-1 and Vig-2 were observed at 3 dpv. Four markers of the adaptive immune response (CD4, CD8, IgM and IgT) gradually increased. When experimental fish were challenged with IHNV by immersion, significant differences in cumulative percentage mortality were observed in the vaccinated fish and the unvaccinated (empty-plasmid-vaccinated) fish. The relative survival rate was 92% and 6% in the vaccinated group and empty-plasmid group, respectively. Serum antibody levels gradually increased in the vaccinated fish, unlike in the unvaccinated fish, after 7 dpv. Our results suggest there was a significant increase in fish immune responses and resistance to infection with IHNV following administration of the live vector vaccine. Therefore, this live vector vaccine is a promising vaccine that may be utilized to protect rainbow trout against IHNV. • A safe and effective vaccine of adenovirus constructed with glycoprotein gene of IHNV was developed to immunize rainbow trout. • Compared with other vaccines, there was a significant increase in fish immune responses and resistance to IHNV infection. • Vaccination with a 1:100 dilution of vaccine via a 10-min immersion route was sufficient to confer full protection from IHNV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Rabies is one of the most fatal zoonotic diseases in developing countries, where a safe, cheap and effective vaccine against the disease remains unaffordable. In this paper, we describe a new silkworm-baculovirus expression system to express the nucleoprotein (N) gene of rabies virus and evaluation of the immune response in BALB/c mice. A recombinant baculovirus -rBmNPV(RV-N) carrying the N gene of rabies virus Evelyn Rokitniki Abelseth (ERA) strain was constructed and the N protein expression was evaluated in Bombyx mori (BmN) cells and silkworm pupae by immunofluorescence staining, Western blots and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The immune response to vaccines was evaluated based on serum IgG antibody titers and challenge experiments. The study revealed that N protein of rabies virus can be highly expressed in silkworm baculovirus expression system and the vaccine of N antigen presents a promising approach for the prevention of rabies virus. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Cattle vaccinated with a single dose of subunit vaccine containing the capsid and 3C proteinase coding regions of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) Asia I/HNK/CHA/05 strain were protected when challenged 28 days later with a homologous virus. Here, the 50% bovine protective dose (PD50) test was performed to assess the potency of the subunit vaccine. When challenged with two Chinese isolates, the subunit vaccine could achieve 6.5PD50 (challenged with Asia I/HNK/CHA/05 strain) and 5.2PD50 (challenged with Asia I/JSL/05 strain) per dose. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignancies with high mortality and morbidity rates. In recent years, HCC targeted therapy has gained increasing attention. Due to the heterogeneity and high metastasis of HCC, more effective therapeutic targets are needed. Kinesin family member 2C (KIF2C), also known as mitotic centromere-associated kinesin, is a microtubule-based motor protein which is involved in a variety of important cellular processes, such as mitosis. The effects of KIF2C on cancer progression and development have been widely studied; however, its potential effects on HCC remains unclear. In the present study, high expression of KIF2C in human HCC tissues was demonstrated using The Cancer Genome Atlas database and immunohistochemistry assays. KIF2C expression was associated with HCC prognosis, including overall survival and disease-free survival. KIF2C expression was also associated with clinical pathological characteristics including the number of tumor nodes (P=0.015) and tumor size (P=0.009). KIF2C knockdown inhibited the proliferation of HCC cells in vitro, confirmed by MTT and colony formation assays, and suppressed tumor growth in mice which was confirmed by a xenograft mouse model. Together, the results suggested that KIF2C may serve as a promising therapeutic target for the treatment of HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: To overcome the inability of a conventional vaccine against a virus to induce rapid protection against viral challenge, a novel strategy was performed to generate a novel bi-functional vector expressing antisense RNA targeted to 5′ untranslated regions (UTR) and VP1 protein of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV). FMDV 5′UTR containing the viral RNA replication start elements was inserted inversely into the pIRES vector to produce antisense RNA, followed by insertion of FMDV VP1 gene to generate a recombinant plasmid pAS-IR-VP1. BHK-21 cells transfected with pAS-IR-VP1 plasmid showed a specific resistance against FMDV infection. In mice vaccinated with this plasmid, T cell proliferation was significantly higher than that in an unvaccinated control group. Anti-FMDV antibodies were detected up to 1:64 in the serum collected from mice boosted with pAS-IR-VP1 at 21 days after the first immunization. At 6h post-vaccination 50–83% of the suckling mice survived a challenge with FMDV. The results demonstrated that a novel bi-functional DNA vaccine, producing antisense RNA targeted to FMDV 5′UTR and expressing VP1 protein, has been successfully constructed and was able to induce a rapid inhibitory effect and immune response against FMDV infection in mice. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]