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Introduction: The treatment options for moderate to severe psoriasis (msPsO) in China have been greatly increased with the approvals of biologics. However, the unmet needs and treatment preferences of systemic treatments for msPsO in China remain unclarified. Methods: Fifty dermatologists and 300 patients with msPsO (41% with severe psoriasis) were surveyed for effectiveness, safety, treatment convenience, and treatment preferences (using a choice-based conjoint questionnaire). Descriptive statistics and conjoint simulation analyses were employed to summarize survey information and assess treatment preferences. Results: Both patients and dermatologists reported shorter treatment duration for oral drugs (2.7–6.2 months) than that for biologics (9.5–17.0 months). The most frequently reported treatment discontinuation reasons by the surveyed patients and dermatologists were unsatisfactory effectiveness (average 84.5%) for oral drugs and loss of efficacy over time (average 68.5%) for biologics. Commonly reported treatment inconveniences included regular lab tests for traditional oral drugs (average 71.5%) and administration assistance for biologics (average 58.0%). Injection site reactions (average 51.5%) and needle fear (average 35.5%) were frequently reported for biologics among the surveyed patients and dermatologists. Once-daily oral treatment was preferred over biweekly subcutaneous injection treatment when the two had comparable attributes (average in patients 87.1% vs. 12.9%; average in dermatologists 93.4% vs. 6.6%). Conclusions: Unmet needs of systemic treatments remain for msPsO in China. Once-daily oral treatment is preferred over biweekly subcutaneous injections to treat msPsO when other treatment attributes are comparable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Red light induces stomatal opening by affecting photosynthesis, metabolism and triggering signal transductions in guard cells. Phytochrome B (phyB) plays a positive role in mediating red light‐induced stomatal opening. However, phyB‐mediated red light guard cell signalling is poorly understood. Here, we found that phyB‐mediated sequential phosphorylation of mitogen‐activated protein kinase kinase 2 (MAPKK2, MKK2) and MPK2 in guard cells is essential for red light‐induced stomatal opening. Mutations in MKK2 and MPK2 led to reduced stomatal opening in response to white light, and these phenotypes could be observed under red light, not blue light. MKK2 interacted with MPK2 in vitro and in plants. MPK2 was directly phosphorylated by MKK2 in vitro. Red light triggered the phosphorylation of MKK2 in guard cells, and MKK2 phosphorylation was greatly reduced in phyB mutant. Simultaneously, red light‐stimulated MPK2 phosphorylation in guard cells was inhibited in mkk2 mutant. Furthermore, mkk2 and mpk2 mutants exhibit significantly smaller stomatal apertures than that of wild type during the stomatal opening stage in the diurnal stomatal movements. Our results indicate that red light‐promoted phyB‐dependent phosphorylation of MKK2‐MPK2 cascade in guard cells is essential for stomatal opening, which contributes to the fine‐tuning of stomatal opening apertures under light. Summary statement: Red light triggers phytochrome B‐dependent phosphorylation of MKK2‐MPK2 cascade in guard cells of Arabidopsis, and MKK2‐MPK2 positively regulates red light‐induced stomatal opening. This regulatory mechanism contributes to the fine‐tuning of stomatal opening under light. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psoriasis is a frequent chronic, recurrent and immune‐mediated inflammatory skin disease, whose pathogenesis remains unclear at present. The role of antiviral protein in the pathogenesis of psoriasis is the focus of current research. Interferon stimulated gene 15 (ISG15) is an important antiviral protein. In this study, the expression of ISG15 saw a significant increase through the immunohistochemical detection of imiquimod (IMQ)‐induced mice. In the psoriasis cell model, a remarkable increase also occurred in the expression of ISG15. In this study, it was found that the cell cycle was blocked in G1/S conversion, and a reduction took place in the proliferation of keratinocytes and the expression of a cell cycle‐related protein—cyclin D1 after the knockout of ISG15 in the psoriasis cell model. After that, messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) sequencing and Gene Ontology/Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (GO/KEGG) analysis indicated its close association with the hypoxia inducible factor‐1α (HIF‐1α) signalling pathway. Western blot showed a decrease in the expression of HIF‐1α and vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGFC) after the knockout of the ISG15 gene. The rescue experiment verified that ISG15 promotes the proliferation of keratinocytes by regulating the HIF‐1α signalling pathway. It was concluded that psoriasis cells and mouse models witnessed the increased expression of ISG15. In psoriasis, knocking out ISG15 inhibits the proliferation of keratinocytes and blocks the cell cycle. Besides, ISG15 promotes the proliferation of keratinocytes through the HIF‐1α signalling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stomatal movements allow the uptake of CO 2 for photosynthesis and water loss through transpiration, therefore play a crucial role in determining water use efficiency. Both red and blue lights induce stomatal opening, and the stomatal apertures under light are finetuned by both positive and negative regulators in guard cells. However, the molecular mechanisms for precisely adjusting stomatal apertures under light have not been completely understood. Here, we provided evidence supporting that Arabidopsis thaliana mitogen-activated protein kinase 11 (MPK11) plays a negative role in red light-induced stomatal opening. First, MPK11 was found to be highly expressed in guard cells, and MPK11-GFP signals were detected in both nuclear and cytoplasm of guard cells. The transcript levels of MPK11 in guard cells were upregulated by white light, and the stomata of mpk11 opened wider than that of wild type under white light. Consistent with the larger stomatal aperture, mpk11 mutant exhibited higher stomatal conductance and CO 2 assimilation rate under white light. The transcript levels of the genes responsible for osmolytes increases were higher in guard cells of mpk11 than that of wild type, which may contribute to the larger stomatal aperture of mpk11 under white light. Furthermore, MPK11 transcript levels in guard cells were upregulated by red light, and mpk11 mutant showed a larger stomatal aperture under red light. Taken together, these results demonstrate that red light-upregulated MPK11 plays a negative role in stomatal opening, which finetuning the stomatal opening apertures and preventing excessive water loss by transpiration under light. • MPK11 is highly expressed in guard cells. • The expressions of MPK11 in guard cells are upregulated by red light. • MPK11 negatively regulates red light-induced stomatal opening. • MPK11 contributes to the fine-tuning of the stomatal apertures under light. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A GaNbO4 single crystal (ϕ = 24 mm) was successfully grown for the first time by the Czochralski (CZ) method, and the thermal and optical properties were systematically studied. The structure parameters were calculated and belong to the monoclinic C2/m space group. The half-peak width of the rocking curve is 26.63 arcsec, indicating that the crystal is of relatively high quality. The specific heat, thermal diffusion coefficient, and thermal conductivity were measured systematically. The thermal expansion coefficients of the GaNbO4 crystal in different directions were obtained and it is proved that the GaNbO4 crystal has negative thermal expansion along the crystallographic b-axis. The orientation relationship between the thermal expansion ellipsoid axis and the crystallographic axis is determined. The UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectra and the transmittance spectra of the GaNbO4 crystal were measured, and the band gap and the orientation relationship between the optical axis and crystallographic axis were confirmed. The chemical composition was analyzed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, Zn3In2S6 photocatalyst with (110) exposed facet was prepared by low temperature solvothermal method. On this basis, a highly efficient binary Zn3In2S6/g-C3N4 was obtained by low temperature solvothermal method and applied to the degradation of tetracycline (TC). The samples of the preparation were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope, UV–vis diffuse reflection spectroscopy, and photoluminescence spectroscopy. Furthermore, the degradation performance of photocatalysts on TC was investigated under different experimental conditions. Finally, the mechanism of Zn3In2S6/g-C3N4 composite material degrading TC is discussed. The results show that Zn3In2S6 and Zn3In2S6/g-C3N4 photocatalysts with excellent performance could be successfully prepared at lower temperature. The Zn3In2S6/g-C3N4 heterojunction photocatalyst could significantly improve the photocatalytic activity compared with g-C3N4. After 150 min of illumination, the efficiency of 80%Zn3In2S6/g-C3N4 to degrade TC was 1.35 times that of g-C3N4. The improvement of photocatalytic activity was due to the formation of Zn3In2S6/g-C3N4 heterojunction, which promoted the transfer of photogenerated electron–holes. The cycle experiment test confirmed that Zn3In2S6/g-C3N4 composite material had excellent stability. The free radical capture experiment showed that ·O2− was the primary active material. This study provides a new strategy for the preparation of photocatalysts with excellent performance at low temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emerging two-dimensional van der Waals (vdW) based ferroelectric semiconductor junctions (FSJs) are promising for low-power and high-density applications. In this work, we report the vdW α -In 2 Se 3 (2H) based FSJs of different metal-In 2 Se 3 interfaces. All vertical devices emerge with the nonvolatile ferroelectric resistive switching behavior. The Cr/ α -In 2 Se 3 (2H)/Au FSJs show a typical ferroelectric resistive switching behavior under ∼1.0 V applied voltage. The switching voltage of the Ag/ α -In 2 Se 3 (2H)/Au FSJs could be further decreased from 1.0 V to 0.8 V because of Ag migrations and ferroelectric reversal. Further, by optimizing the metal-In 2 Se 3 interfaces, the Ag/ α -In 2 Se 3 (2H)/Pt FSJs exhibit the ultralow switching voltage (∼0.3 V), excellent endurance (>225 cycles) and retention (>1 × 104 s). The results suggest that vdW α -In 2 Se 3 (2H) ferroelectric has great potential for low-power memristive devices. • The two-dimensional van der Waals α -In 2 Se 3 (2H) based ferroelectric semiconductor junctions of different metal-In 2 Se 3 interfaces are fabricate. • The ferroelectric semiconductor junctions with the nonvolatile ferroelectric resistive switching behavior was studied. • The Ag migrations combined with ferroelectric reversal mechanism in α -In 2 Se 3 (2H) based ferroelectric semiconductor junctions was studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Needle-like SrMoO4 was prepared by precipitation and calcination, and SrMoO4/g-C3N4 binary composites were successfully prepared by wet impregnation. Their phase structure, chemical composition, morphology and light absorption properties were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), ultraviolet visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-Vis DRS), photoluminescence (PL) and examination of the photocurrent responses. The effects of different loading ratios, the initial concentration of pollutants and the initial pH on the photocatalytic properties of the composites were investigated. The results showed that the SrMoO4/g-C3N4 composite with a SrMoO4 loading ratio of 20% exhibited the best visible light catalytic activity for the degradation of tetracycline (TC) at pH = 9, and the degradation rate of TC (10 mg L−1) could reach 80% after 14 min of visible light irradiation. Active species trapping experiments revealed that ˙O2− and h+ were the active species in the reaction process. The efficient catalysis benefited from the construction of a type II heterojunction interface between SrMoO4 and g-C3N4, which could broaden the absorption range of visible light and improve the separation efficiency of photogenerated electrons and holes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of Z-scheme CuSnO3/g-C3N4 heterojunctions were synthesized by a precipitation–calcination method. Morphological features, chemical composition, optical properties and crystallographic information of the prepared materials were obtained using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), UV–Vis diffuse reflection spectroscopy (UV-Vis DRS), and photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL). The as-fabricated catalysts assisted by H2O2 showed remarkably enhanced photocatalytic performance for the degradation of tetracycline (TC) under visible light irradiation. The 20 wt% CuSnO3/g-C3N4 composite exhibited the highest photocatalytic degradation activity, which could be up to 93.6% at 60 min for the degradation of TC under visible light irradiation. Reactive species scavenging experiments revealed that superoxide radicals were the main active species during the photocatalytic process. This work will be useful for the design of other direct Z-scheme photocatalytic systems for applications in energy conversion and environmental remediation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)-associated protein 9 (Cas9) gene editing has attracted extensive attentions in various fields, however, its clinical application is hindered by the lack of effective and safe delivery system. Herein, we reported a cationic micelle nanoparticle composed of cholesterol-modified branched small molecular PEI (PEI-CHO) and biodegradable PEG- b -polycarbonate block copolymer (PEG-PC), denoted as PEG-PC/PEI-CHO/pCas9, for the CRISPR/Cas9 delivery to realize genomic editing in cancer. Specifically, PEI-CHO condensed pCas9 into nanocomplexes, which were further encapsulated into PEG-PC nanoparticles (PEG-PC/PEI-CHO/pCas9). PEG-PC/PEI-CHO/pCas9 had a PEG shell, protecting DNA from degradation by nucleases. Enhanced cellular uptake of PEG-PC/PEI-CHO/pCas9 nanoparticles was observed as compared to that mediated by Lipo2k/pCas9 nanoparticles, thus leading to significantly elevated transfection efficiency after escaping from endosomes via the proton sponge effect of PEI. In addition, the presence of PEG shell greatly improved biocompatibility, and significantly enhanced the in vivo tumor retention of pCas9 compared to PEI-CHO/pCas9. Notably, apparent downregulation of GFP expression could be achieved both in vitro and in vivo by using PEG-PC/PEI-CHO/pCas9-sgGFP nanoparticles. Furthermore, PEG-PC/PEI-CHO/pCas9-sgMcl1 induced effective apoptosis and tumor suppression in a HeLa tumor xenograft mouse model by downregulating Mcl1 expression. This work may provide an alternative paradigm for the efficient and safe genome editing in cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The photocatalytic degradation mechanism of Ag 2 ZnGeO 4 /g-C 3 N 4. [Display omitted] • Ag 2 ZnGeO 4 /g-C 3 N 4 binary photocatalysts were successfully prepared by wet impregnation. • The formation of heterojunction improved the optical properties of g-C 3 N 4. • The Ag 2 ZnGeO 4 /g-C 3 N 4 exhibited excellent photodegradation of TC. • Superoxide anion radicals played an essential role in the photocatalytic degradation of TC. • A possible Z-scheme of the photocatalytic degradation mechanism was proposed. Accumulation of tetracycline was hazardous to human health and ecosystems. Ag 2 ZnGeO 4 /g-C 3 N 4 heterojunction photocatalysts were successfully prepared by the wet impregnation method. The morphological structure and optical properties of the photocatalysts were measured by a series of characterization methods. Moreover, Ag 2 ZnGeO 4 /g-C 3 N 4 with a loading ratio of 20 % exhibited excellent photocatalytic activity by exploring the Ag 2 ZnGeO 4 loading, catalyst dosage, initial concentration, and initial pH of tetracycline. The degradation efficiency of 20 % Ag 2 ZnGeO 4 /g-C 3 N 4 for 10 mg/L TC was 94.29 % at 0.2 g/L catalyst dosage, and the corresponding first-order reaction rate constant reached a maximum of 0.0199 min−1. In addition, according to the results of the trapping experiments, superoxide anion radical was the major active species. Eventually, a possible Z-scheme of the photocatalytic degradation mechanism was proposed. The heterojunction formed between Ag 2 ZnGeO 4 and g-C 3 N 4 could accelerate the transfer and separation of photogenerated carriers, enhancing the photocatalytic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stomatal conductance (g s) and compensatory water uptake (CWU) are crucial processes in land surface models, as they directly influence the exchange of carbon and water fluxes between terrestrial ecosystems and the atmosphere. In this study, we integrated a new stomatal scheme derived from optimal stomatal theory (Medlyn's g s model), and an empirical CWU scheme into the Common Land Model (CoLM). Assessing the impacts on modeling gross primary productivity (GPP) and latent flux (LE) through observations obtained from eddy covariance (EC) measurements at three forest sites in China. Our results show that replacing the Ball-Berry's g s model (termed BB) with Medlyn's g s model (termed MED) did not bring about significant changes (had neutral impacts) in the performance of CoLM simulations at three forest sites. Considering the climate factors of annual mean precipitation to optimize key fitting parameters in g s exhibited improvement in model simulations. The average coefficient of determination (R2) achieved to 0.65 for GPP and LE at three sites, and the normalized root mean squared error (NRMSE) decreased from 0.83 to 0.77 at those sites. Besides, incorporating CWU into the model improved its performance. The R2 increased to 0.84 and RMSE decreased to 4.84 μmol m−2 s−1 for GPP, and the R2 increased to 0.62 and RMSE decreased to 55.64 W m−2 for LE. Therefore, modifying the model process of both contributed more to enhancing the model simulations than relying solely on one of these functions. Our study highlights that the response of plant functional types (PFTs) to water stress can be effectively represented in g s models when coupled with biochemical capacity to quantify carbon and water fluxes in forest ecosystems or other ecosystems. • Predicting bioclimatic variables enhance the effectiveness of stomatal conductance. • Refining stomatal conductance has limited impact on the model's improvement. • Incorporating the CWU can result in improved modeling of carbon and water fluxes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aerogel fibers, which combine the lightweight and multimesoporous properties of aerogel with the flexible and slender characteristics of the fiber, have received growing attention in the fields of smart fabrics, flexible electronic devices, and transparency‐determined optics. Herein a pure Ti3C2Tx MXene aerogel fiber, showing an intriguing oriented mesoporous structure, ultrahigh electrical conductivity, and electrothermal/photothermal dual‐responsiveness, is fabricated via a simple dynamic sol–gel spinning and subsequent supercritical CO2 drying. MXene aerogel fibers exhibit tunable porosity (96.5–99.3%), high specific surface area (up to 142 m2 g−1), and low density (down to 0.035 g cm−3). Benefiting from the metal‐like conductive MXene nanosheets and their high orientation induced by dynamic sol–gel wet spinning, the resultant Ti3C2Tx MXene aerogel fibers display ultrahigh conductivity up to 104 S m−1, which far surpasses the known aerogel materials (including aerogel monoliths, aerogel fibers, and aerogel films) reported in the literature. In addition, MXene aerogel fibers also have excellent electrothermal/photothermal dual‐responsiveness due to high electrical conductivity and remarkable light absorption ability. The combination of these characteristics makes MXene aerogel fibers with encouraging potential in flexible wearable devices, smart fabrics, and portable equipment applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The elucidation of the mechanism for the growth and secondary metabolites in Aspergillus oryzae is important for industrial production and utilization. Here, we found that the expression of a novel gene Aokap1 was induced during the growth of A. oryzae. Sequence analysis revealed that AoKap1 has four transmembrane regions and is conserved in Aspergillus species. Disruption of Aokap1 caused the inhibition in mycelium growth and conidia formation, corresponding with reduced expression of brlA and abaA. Furthermore, deletion of Aokap1 resulted in elevated production of kojic acid, and the expression of kojA, kojR and kojT was up-regulated in Aokap1-disrupted strain. Meanwhile, overexpression of kojR resulted in the decreased expression of Aokap1, suggesting that disruption of Aokap1 increased kojic acid production by affecting the expression of kojA, kojR and kojT. The discovery of Aokap1 provides a new target for genetic modification of the growth and kojic acid production in A. oryzae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fast detection of 5‐hydroxymethyl‐2‐furfural (HMF) in food industry is vital because of its toxicity and mutagenicity. A glassy carbon electrode (GCE) modified with black phosphorene (BP) nanosheets was prepared and coated with Nafion to improve stability. The electrode has excellent electrochemical stability and current response for HMF electroreduction. The good linear relationship is in the concentration range of 0.1–10 μg/mL with the detection limit of 0.012 μg/mL. HMF electroreduction is a diffusion‐controlled process involving two electrons and two protons. The sensor was successfully applied to the measurement of HMF in milk with the recovery values of 92.92 %–96.33 %. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that affects approximately 125 million people worldwide. It has significant impacts on both physical and emotional health-related quality of life comparable to other major illnesses. Accurately prediction of psoriasis using biomarkers from routine laboratory tests has important practical values. Our goal is to derive a powerful predictive model for psoriasis disease based on only routine hospital tests. We collected a data set including 466 psoriasis patients and 520 healthy controls with 81 variables from only laboratory routine tests, such as age, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, blood pressure, albumin, and platelet distribution width. In this study, Boruta feature selection method was applied to select the most relevant features, with which a Random Forest model was constructed. The model was tested with 30 repetitions of 10-fold cross-validation. Our classification model yielded an average accuracy of 86.9%. 26 notable features were selected by Boruta, among which 15 features are confirmed from previous studies, and the rest are worth further investigations. The experimental results demonstrate that the machine learning approach has good potential in predictive modeling for the psoriasis disease given the information only from routine hospital tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The CRISPR/Cas9 system has become a great tool for target gene knock-out in filamentous fungi. It is laborious and time-consuming that identification mutants from a large number of transformants through PCR or enzyme-cut method. Here, we first developed a CRISPR/Cas9 system in Aspergillus oryzae using AMA1-based autonomously replicating plasmid and Cas9 under the control of the Aspergillus nidulans gpdA promoter. By the genome editing technique, we successfully obtained mutations within each target gene in Aspergillus oryzae. Then, we put the protospacer sequence of a target gene and its protospacer adjacent motif (PAM) behind the start codon "ATG" of DsRed, yielding the non‑functional DsRed (nDsRed) reporter gene, and the nDsRed reporter gene could be rescued after successful targeted editing. Moreover, this method was also applied by targeting the kojic acid synthesis gene kojA, and the transformants with DsRed activity were found to harbor targeted mutations in kojA. These results suggest that the nDsRed can be used as a powerful tool to facilitate the identification of mutants generated by CRISPR/Cas9 in Aspergillus oryzae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim is to better recognize human behaviors from surveillance videos. Human behavior recognition technology based on surveillance videos is researched, given the intellectual development of massive surveillance video data with full coverage. This technology builds a human behavior detection and recognition model using the new Single Shot MultiBox Detector (SSD) algorithm, which improves the recognition accuracy. The constructed model's effectiveness is verified through comparisons with other traditional human behavior recognition algorithms via the TensorFlow framework. Results demonstrate the SSD model-based recognition algorithm's accuracy is significantly higher than that of Direct Part Marking and Fast Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) algorithms. SSD's average speed is 0.146 s/frame, and the average accuracy on different datasets is 82.8%. If the target is close or partially occluded, the SSD algorithm can also accurately detect the central target, and the detection efficiency is twice that of the R-CNN algorithm. The algorithm proposed has a simple structure and fast processing speed, which can solve the problems in target detection. The research results can provide a theoretical basis for the research on target detection related to human behavior recognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cisplatin, an effective anti-cancer drug, always causes acute kidney injury (AKI) by inducing mitochondrial damage. PIM1 is a serine/threonine kinase, which has been shown to regulate mitochondrial function. However, the role and mechanisms of PIM1 in cisplatin-induced AKI remain unexplored. This study aimed to investigate the effects of PIM1 in cisplatin-induced AKI and its underlying mechanisms. To established Cisplatin-induced AKI model, mice were given a single intraperitoneal injection(20 mg/kg) and BUMPT cells were treated with cisplatin(20 μM). PIM1 inhibitor AZD1208 was used to inhibit PIM1 and PIM1-experssing adenovirus was used to overexpress PIM1. Drp1 inhibitor P110 and pcDNA3-Drp1K38A were used to inhibit the activation of Drp1 and mitochondrial fission. The indicators of renal function, renal morphology, apoptosis and mitochondrial dysfunction were assessed to evaluate cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity. We observed that PIM1 was activated in cisplatin-induced AKI in vivo and cisplatin-induced tubular cells injury in vitro. PIM1 inhibition aggravated cisplatin-induced AKI in vivo, while PIM1 overexpression attenuated cisplatin-induced kidney injury in vivo and in vitro. Moreover, inhibiting PIM1 exacerbated mitochondrial damage in mice, but overexpressing PIM1 relieved mitochondrial damage in mice and BUMPT cells. In mice and BUMPT cells, inhibiting PIM1 deregulated the expression of p-Drp1S637, overexpressing PIM1 upregulated the ex-pression of p-Drp1S637. And inhibiting Drp1 activity alleviated cell damage in BUMPT cells with PIM1 knockdown or inhibition. This study demonstrated the protective effect of PIM1 in cisplatin-induced AKI, and regulation of Drp1 activation might be the underlying mechanism. Altogether, PIM1 may be a potential therapeutic target for cisplatin-induced AKI. [Display omitted] • PIM1 is upregulated in cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury. • PIM1 plays a protective role in cisplatin-induced mitochondrial damage. • PIM1 inhibits mitochondrial fission by increasing phosphorylation of Drp1 at S637. • PIM1-Drp1 pathway may be a therapeutic target for cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gross primary productivity (GPP) and evapotranspiration (ET) are two important fluxes between the terrestrial ecosystems and the atmosphere. Remote sensing data-driven models have been successfully used to estimate carbon and water fluxes in various ecosystems, but the models are still underperforming in dryland. In this study, the agreement between the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) products, MODIS data-driven models, and the eddy covariance (EC) tower observation data were tested for two different ecosystem sites in arid regions in Xinjiang, China. The results convincingly indicated that the MODIS products can successfully capture the temporal GPP and ET variables for grasslands and shrublands, but these results have large biases. The MODIS GPP products certified contributed 88% of the EC observed GPP for the grassland but 16% for the shrubland. The temperature and greenness (TG) model clearly showed favourable correspondence with tower GPP observed in arid regions, with the coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.91 and root mean square error (RMSE) of 17.65 g C m−2 16 days−1. The ET performance was evaluated at two sites, yielding R2 values of 0.77 and 0.34 for the grassland and shrubland, respectively. Our study showed that the source of uncertainties comes from the remotely sensed data input in GPP and ET algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanomaterials that exhibit enzyme-like activity (nanozymes) have attracted significant attention due to their potential for applications in analytical tests and in the biological field. In this study, an enzyme-like nanomaterial is developed by coupling Pt nanoparticles with WO2.72 (Pt/WO2.72). The resultant nanocomposite nanomaterial exhibits peroxidase activity and catalase activity. Moreover, owing to the presence of W6+ and W5+ in WO2.72, Pt/WO2.72 nanoplates demonstrate promise as scavengers of hydroxyl radicals. The Pt/WO2.72 composite nanoplates exhibit excellent peroxidase-like activity for the sensitive colorimetric detection of H2O2 and blood glucose. These Pt/WO2.72 nanoplates are thought to be a promising tool for broad potential applications in biomedicine, biotechnology, and environmental chemistry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • A bifunctional and superior superwettable polyvinylidene fluoride/chitosan/dopamine (PVDF/CS&DA) membrane is developed. • This composite membrane achieves remarkable underwater superoleophobicity and oil-repellency properties. • This membrane can effectively separate oil-in-water emulsions with excellent antifouling performance. • Positively-charged chitosan renders the membrane an in situ anionic-dyes adsorption capacity with robust recyclability. • This work provides insight into the novel strategy of tyrosinase-catalyzed dopamine functional modification. Abstract Exploiting high-performance polymer membranes, which can simultaneously remove of both highly-emulsified oils and water-soluble contaminants such as dyes, is urgently required, yet remains an arduous challenge due to the critical restrictions of single functionality and severe membrane fouling. Herein, a superior superwettable polyvinylidene fluoride/chitosan/dopamine (PVDF/CS&DA) membrane was developed via a facile one-step codeposition strategy. With the catalysis of tyrosinase, DA-based chemical modification was conducted in a weak acid environment (pH 5.8–6.0) rather than conventional alkaline environment (i.e., pH 8.5), providing an intriguing alternative route towards mussel-inspired functional modification. Owing to the synergistic effect of the hydrophilic components and nano-structure roughness, the resultant membrane exhibited remarkable underwater superoleophobicity (oil CA of 1, 2-dichloroethane, 163.9°) and oil-repellency properties. Accordingly, benefiting from the superwettability features, the composite membrane achieved superior separation (an enhanced permeation flux of 201.3 L m−2 h−1 and a high separation efficiency of up to 99.7%) and anti-fouling performances in separating oil-in-water emulsions. More interestingly, this membrane displayed an excellent in situ adsorption capability for water-soluble anionic dyes, showing a fairly high adsorption efficiency (96.8% and 92.7% for methyl blue and orange G, respectively) after merely one-time rapid filtration and a robust recyclability. Therefore, the resulting membrane integrating high-efficiency emulsions separation and synchronous dyes removal capabilities holds a great prospect for sophisticated oily wastewater decontamination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the main source of energy in the body, mitochondria are highly dynamic organelles, which are constantly going through fusion and fission. The fine balance of mitochondrial fusion and fission plays an important role in maintaining the stability of cardiomyocyte homeostasis. The processes of mitochondrial fusion and fission are very complex, which is mediated by fusion and fission proteins. Disruptions in these processes through controlling fusion and fission proteins affect mitochondrial functions and cardiomyocyte survival. Ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) can regulate the expression and post‐translational modifications of fusion and fission proteins thereby inducing the abnormality of mitochondrial fusion and fission and cardiomyocyte apoptosis. Furthermore, intervention with the expression and function of fusion and fission proteins influences on cardiomyocyte apoptosis under I/R conditions. In this review, we focus on the current developments in the effects of mitochondrial fusion and fission on cardiomyocyte functions, the implications for cardiomyocyte apoptosis in response to I/R, and possible mechanisms. And we review their roles as a potential therapeutic target for treating I/R‐induced cardiomyocyte injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Disruption of Aokap5 contributes to mycelium growth, but represses conidia formation. • AoKap5 is required for oxidative stress and cell wall tolerance, but not osmotic stress. • AoKap5 regulates kojic acid synthesis through directly binding to the kojT promoter. Aspergillus oryzae is an important filamentous fungus widely used for the industrial production of fermented foods and secondary metabolites. The clarifying of the mechanism of the growth and secondary metabolites in A. oryzae is important for its industrial production and utilization. Here, the C 2 H 2 -type zinc-finger protein AoKap5 was characterized to be involved in the growth and kojic acid production in A. oryzae. The Aokap5 -disrupted mutants were constructed by the CRISPR/Cas9 system, which displayed increased colony growth but decreased conidial formation. Deletion of Aokap5 enhanced the tolerance to cell-wall and oxidative but not osmotic stress. The transcriptional activation assay revealed that AoKap5 itself didn't have transcriptional activation activity. Disruption of Aokap5 resulted in the reduced production of kojic acid, coupled with the reduced expression of the kojic acid synthesis genes kojA and kojT. Meanwhile, overexpression of kojT could rescue the decreased production of kojic acid in Aokap5 -deletion strain, indicating that Aokap5 serves upstream of kojT. Furthermore, the yeast one-hybrid assay demonstrated that AoKap5 could directly bind to the kojT promoter. These findings suggest that AoKap5 regulates kojic acid production through binding to the kojT promoter. This study provides an insight into the role of zinc finger protein in the growth and kojic acid biosynthesis of A. oryzae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Atherosclerosis (AS) is a critical pathological event during the progression of cardiovascular diseases. It exhibits fibrofatty lesions on the arterial wall and lacks effective treatment. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most common modification of eukaryotic RNA and plays an important role in regulating the development and progression of cardiovascular diseases. However, the role of m6A modification in AS remains largely unknown. Therefore, in this study, we explored the transcriptome distribution of m6A modification in AS and its potential mechanism. Methods: Methylation Quantification Kit was used to detect the global m6A levels in the aorta of AS mice. Western blot was used to analyze the protein level of methyltransferases. Methylated RNA immunoprecipitation with next-generation sequencing (MeRIP-seq) and RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) were used to obtain the first transcriptome range analysis of the m6A methylene map in the aorta of AS mice, followed by bioinformatics analysis. qRT-PCR and MeRIP-qRT-PCR were used to measure the mRNA and m6A levels in target genes. Results: The global m6A and protein levels of methyltransferase METTL3 were significantly increased in the aorta of AS mice. However, the protein level of demethylase ALKBH5 was significantly decreased. Through MeRIP-seq, we obtained m6A methylation maps in AS and control mice. In total, 26,918 m6A peaks associated with 13,744 genes were detected in AS group, whereas 26,157 m6A peaks associated with 13,283 genes were detected in the control group. Peaks mainly appeared in the coding sequence (CDS) regions close to the stop codon with the RRACH motif. Moreover, functional enrichment analysis demonstrated that m6A-containing genes were significantly enriched in AS-relevant pathways. Interestingly, a negative correlation between m6A methylation abundance and gene expression level was found through the integrated analysis of MeRIP-seq and RNA-seq data. Among the m6A-modified genes, a hypo-methylated but up-regulated (hypo-up) gene Fabp5 may be a potential biomarker of AS. Conclusions: Our study provides transcriptome-wide m6A methylation for the first time to determine the association between m6A modification and AS progression. Our study lays a foundation for further exploring the pathogenesis of AS and provides a new direction for the treatment of AS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neuroinflammatory disease with limited therapeutic effects, eventually developing into handicap. Seeking novel therapeutic strategies for MS is timely important. Active autophagy/mitophagy could mediate neurodegeneration, while its roles in MS remain controversial. To elucidate the exact roles of autophagy/mitophagy and reveal its in-depth regulatory mechanisms, we conduct a systematic literature study and analyze the factors that might be responsible for divergent results obtained. The dynamic change levels of autophagy/mitophagy appear to be a determining factor for final neuron fate during MS pathology. Excessive neuronal autophagy/mitophagy contributes to neurodegeneration after disease onset at the active MS phase. Reactive nitrogen species (RNS) serve as key regulators for redox-related modifications and participate in autophagy/mitophagy modulation in MS. Nitric oxide (•NO) and peroxynitrite (ONOO−), two representative RNS, could nitrate or nitrosate Drp1/parkin/PINK1 pathway, activating excessive mitophagy and aggravating neuronal injury. Targeting RNS-mediated excessive autophagy/mitophagy could be a promising strategy for developing novel anti-MS drugs. In this review, we highlight the important roles of RNS-mediated autophagy/mitophagy in neuronal injury and review the potential therapeutic compounds with the bioactivities of inhibiting RNS-mediated autophagy/mitophagy activation and attenuating MS progression. Overall, we conclude that reactive nitrogen species could be promising therapeutic targets to regulate autophagy/mitophagy for multiple sclerosis treatment. [Display omitted] • Autophagy/mitophagy mediate neurodegeneration in multiple sclerosis (MS). • Reactive nitrogen species (RNS) serve as key regulators for autophagy/mitophagy via redox-related modifications in MS. • Targeting RNS in the regulation of autophagy/mitophagy could be a promising strategy for developing novel drugs for MS. • The potential MS therapeutic compounds for targeting peroxynitrite (ONOO−) have been summarized in this review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different mutation strategies and control parameters settings directly affect the performance of differential evolution (DE) algorithm. In this paper, a self-adaptive differential evolution algorithm with improved mutation strategy (IMSaDE) is proposed to improve optimization performance of DE. IMSaDE improves the “DE/rand/2” mutation strategy by incorporating elite archive strategy and control parameters adaptation strategy. Both strategies diversify the population and improve the convergence performance of the algorithm. IMSaDE was compared with eleven DE algorithms and six non-DE algorithms by using a set of 20 benchmark functions taken from the literature. Experimental results show that the overall performance of IMSaDE is better than the other competitors. In addition, the size of elite population has a significant impact on the performance of IMSaDE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hypoxic microenvironment induced by sonodynamic therapy (SDT) via sonochemical oxygen consumption usually triggered tumor resistance to SDT, impeding therapeutic efficacy. In this sense, it was highly desired to tackle the hypoxia-related negative issues. Here we provide the therapeutic agents delivery system, TPZ/HMTNPs-SNO, which was constructed by loading tirapazamine (TPZ) into hollow mesoporous titanium dioxide nanoparticles (HMTNPs) with modification of S-nitrosothiol (R-SNO). Upon encountering ultrasound waves, the HMTNPs as sonosensitizers would generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) for SDT. In a sequential manner, the followed SDT-induced hypoxia further activated the “hypoxic cytotoxin”, TPZ, for hypoxia-specific killing effect. Meanwhile, the generated ROS could sensitize -SNO groups for on-demand nitric oxide (NO) release in an “anticancer therapeutic window”, resulting in the NO sensitized SDT effect. This study confirmed that the TPZ/HMTNPs-SNO with multi-mechanisms exploited the merits of synergistic combination of the three therapeutic modes, consequently potentiating the anticancer efficacy of SDT. Moreover, the echogenic property of NO made the nanoplatform as an ultrasound contrast agent to enhance ultrasound imaging. In this sense, we developed a sequential strategy for ultrasound mediated all-in-one nanotheranostic platform of TPZ/HMTNPs-SNO, which highlighted new possibilities of advancing cancer theranostics in biomedical fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Removals of Rhodamine B (RhB) and Acid red 1 using the organic modification of bentonite from aqueous phase were optimized. The organobentonite was synthesized by replacing exchangeable Na + ions in Na-bentonite (Na-Bt) with cetyl trimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and systematically explored for its adsorption behavior as an efficient adsorbent for the removal of dyes. Batch adsorption studies manifested that the maximum adsorption capacity of dyes were found to be 173.5 mg/g and 157.4 mg/g for RhB and Acid red 1 at the initial concentration of 300 mg/L at 30 °C and pH 9 and 8, respectively. The investigations of adsorption isotherm and kinetics model showed that the adsorption isotherm data were fitted well to the Langmuir isotherm and the adsorption kinetic was better by pseudo-second-order kinetic model. Besides, the thermodynamic parameters indicate that the adsorption process is spontaneous and endothermic. Furthermore, the properties of the obtained samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning electronic microscopy (SEM), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FT-IR) and zeta potential analysis. The results of the characterization provided evidence of the morphological properties and how well the adsorption process performed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rhodamine B, a familiar organic dye, was embedded in mesoporous silica (MCM-41) that had been modified by (3-aminopropyl) triethoxysilane (APTES) through chemical bonding method. The materials were investigated by small angle X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microcopy (TEM), fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FT-IR), and photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL). The structure of the composites was characterized by XRD, which reveals that the mesoporous structure is maintained and the functional groups have been introduced into the mesostructure. The TEM photograph of the sample future shows that the ordered mesoporous structure is maintained after grafting. The FT-IR spectra improve that RhB has been successfully introduced into the mesoporous silica. The PL spectra of the product indicate that the emission spectrum shift to lower wavelength after grafting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Au colloidal substrate with an enhancement factor of 1.3 × 106 was synthesized. • The substrate can directly detect 5-HMF in cheese samples by SERS. • Different sizes of Au were simulated and compared with the experimental spectra. • DFT calculations revealed that the 5-HMF molecule has favorite adsorption sites on the surface of AuNPs. 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) is a useful indicator of thermal damage degree and freshness of milk. It is of great importance to develop simple, rapid and accurate analytical methods for the sensitive detection of 5-HMF in milk and milk-based products. In this work, surface-enhance Raman spectroscopy (SERS) was used for rapid determination of 5-HMF in processed cheese by colloidal Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) substrate synthesized by the classical solvothermal reduction method. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were carried out to determine the vibration assignments of 5-HMF and the surface enhancement effect of AuNPs substrate. The results found that a good linear response on the AuNPs substrate for 5-HMF in the concentration range of 0.1–75 mM was established with the detection limit of 75 μM (S/N = 3). Furthermore, the present method could be applied to the determination of 5-HMF in a cheese real sample which revealed its promising application in food safety and analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DNA Polymerase θ is the key actuator of the recently identified double-strand break repair pathway, theta-mediated end joining (TMEJ). It is the only known polymerase to have a 3-domain architecture containing an independently functional family A DNA polymerase tethered by a long central region to an N-terminal helicase-like domain (HLD). Full-length polymerase θ and the isolated HLD hydrolyze ATP in the presence of DNA, but no processive DNA duplex unwinding has been observed. Based on sequence and structure conservation, the HLD is classified as a member of helicase superfamily II and, more specifically, the Ski2-like family. The specific subdomain composition and organization most closely resemble that of archaeal DNA repair helicases Hel308 and Hjm. The underlying structural basis as to why the HLD is not able to processively unwind duplex DNA, despite its similarity to bona fide helicases, remains elusive. Activities of the HLD include ATP hydrolysis, protein displacement, and annealing of complementary DNA. These observations have led to speculation about the role of the HLD within the context of double-strand break repair via TMEJ, such as removal of single-stranded DNA binding proteins like RPA and RAD51 and microhomology alignment. This review summarizes the structural classification and organization of the polymerase θ HLD and its homologs and explores emerging data on its biochemical activities. We conclude with a simple, speculative model for the HLD's role in TMEJ. • DNA polymerase θ functions in double strand break repair. • It is the only known polymerase to harbor a helicase-like domain (HLD). • The HLD is a member of the Ski2-like family of the SF II superfamily. • The HLD hydrolyzes ATP but does not processively unwind duplex DNA. • The HLD can remove DNA binding proteins and may help align microhomologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel SrWO 4 /g-C 3 N 4 heterojunction was formed by simple one-pot calcination process and the wide-band gap semiconductor SrWO 4 was in-situ formed on g-C 3 N 4. The prepared photocatalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Scanning Electron Microscopy, Transmission Electron Microscope, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectra and Photoluminescence Spectroscopy to investigate the structures, morphology and optical properties of the synthesized materials. The results revealed that SrWO 4 nanoparticles were uniformly distributed on the surface or inside of g-C 3 N 4 to form a compact heterostructure and improved the photocatalytic performance of the material. The binary heterojunction showed better photodegradation efficiency of tetracycline (TC) than pure g-C 3 N 4 and SrWO 4. 88.57% of TC could be degraded by 8% SrWO 4 /g-C 3 N 4 in 2 h under the best experimental conditions. The pH value had little influence on the degradation effect, and the TC degradation rate under strong acid reached 93.94%. In addition, 77.42% TC was still degraded after the fourth cycle. It was concluded that the enhancement of photocatalytic activity due to the inhibition of electrical charge recombination and the improved light absorption capacity. Finally, free radicals capture experiment proved that·O 2 - was the most important active factor of TC degradation, and the possible photocatalytic mechanism was proposed. Schematic diagram of photo-generated electron transfer mechanism of TC degradation by SW/CN under the visible light. [Display omitted] • A novel in-situ visible light-driven SrWO 4 /g-C 3 N 4 nanocomposite photocatalyst prepared by one-pot calcination. • The tetracycline degradation performance of binary heterojunction is stronger than that of pure g-C 3 N 4 by loading SrWO 4. • A special e- one-way transfer mechanism and ·O 2 - account for the enhanced photocatalytic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The [M(NO)n]+cation complexes (M = Au and Ag) are studiedfor exploring the coordination and bonding between nitric oxide andnoble metal cations. These species are produced in a laser vaporizationsupersonic ion source and probed by infrared photodissociation spectroscopyin the NO stretching frequency region using a collinear tandem time-of-flightmass spectrometer. The geometric and electronic structures of thesecomplexes are determined by comparison of the distinctive experimentalspectra with simulated spectra derived from density functional theorycalculations. All of these noble metal nitrosyl cation complexes arecharacterized to have bent NO ligands serving as one-electron donors.The spectrum of [Au(NO)2Ar]+is consistent with2-fold coordination with a near linear N–Au–N arrangementfor this ion. The [Au(NO)n]+(n= 3–4) cations are determined to be amixture of 2-fold coordinated form and 3- or 4-fold coordinated form.In contrast, the spectra of [Ag(NO)n]+(n= 3–6) provide evidence for thecompletion of the first coordination shell at n=5. The high [Au(NO)n]+and[Ag(NO)n]+(n≥ 3 for Au, n≥ 4 for Ag) complexeseach involve one or more (NO)2dimer ligands, as observedin the copper nitrosyl cation complexes, indicating that ligand–ligandcoupling plays an important role in the structure and bonding of noblemetal nitrosyl cation complexes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reactions of cerium metal atoms with methanol are investigated using matrix isolation infrared absorption spectroscopy and density functional theoretical calculations. Upon reaction of the ground state cerium metal atoms with methanol, the insertion intermediate CH 3 OCeH is formed spontaneously on annealing in solid argon. Further sample annealing allows the reaction of CH 3 OCeH with another methanol molecule to form H 2 and Ce(OCH 3 ) 2 . The divalent Ce(OCH 3 ) 2 molecule can further isomerize to the more stable tetravalent CH 3 OCe(O)CH 3 isomer under UV–visible irradiation. The product species are identified via isotopic substitutions and vibrational frequency calculations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective The study aimed to investigate the effect of microwave radiation on microvasculature as well as the underlying mechanisms. Methods Sprague Dawley rats were exposed to microwave radiation. Microvascular diameters, flow velocity, blood perfusion, and permeability were measured. Cultured endothelial cells from microvessels were subjected to microwave radiation. Cytoskeleton, apoptosis, protein synthesis, and the markers of endoplasmic reticulum stress including 78-kDa glucose-regulated protein and calreticulin in endothelial cells were examined. Results Microwave radiation decreased microvascular diameters and blood perfusion, and increased the permeability of microvessles. And microwave radiation induced the formation of stress fibers, apoptosis, and LDH leakage from microvascular endothelial cells. Also, when microvascular endothelial cells were exposed to microwaves, protein synthesis was significantly elevated. We found that upon microwave radiation, the expression of 78-kDa glucose-regulated protein and calreticulin were greatly upregulated in microvascular endothelial cells. We also investigated possible signaling pathways for endoplasmic reticulum stress-initiated apoptosis. C/ EBP homologous protein ( CHOP) pathway was activated in microvascular endothelial cells exposed to microwaves. Conclusions Microwave radiation induces microvascular injury by triggering the apoptotic pathway of endoplasmic reticulum stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IIB-VIA group of semiconductor ZnS nanoparticles, which were coated with polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), are prepared in n-heptane/sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate (AOT)/water microemulsions. Through the reaction of Zn(Ac)2with the S2–ions released slowly from Na2S, the ZnS nanoparticles were synthesized, then the monomer MMA was dropped into the mixed microemulsion system. After polymerization, the composite was successfully obtained. The initial dosages of all reactants were determined by academic analysis. The products were characterized by UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The UV/Vis absorption indicates the quantum confinement effect of ZnS nanoparticles. The structure of the composite is characterized by XRD, which reveals that cubic ZnS particles are formed. The TEM image of the sample shows that the diameter of ZnS nanoparticles is approximately 20 nm. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A novel and efficient ternary composite AgCl/Bi 12 O 15 Cl 6 /g-C 3 N 4 photocatalyst was prepared by co-precipitation method. The physical structure and photochemical properties of the photocatalyst were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Ultraviolet diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-DRS), Fluorescence spectroscopy (PL). The performance of the prepared photocatalysts was evaluated by performing degradation experiments of tetracycline (TC) under different conditions (doping ratio, dosage, initial concentration and initial pH of solution). Furthermore, the stability of composite was confirmed by cycling experiment. Finally, the mechanism of ternary composite AgCl/Bi 12 O 15 Cl 6 /g-C 3 N 4 photocatalyst for decomposition of TC in visible light was investigated by free radical capture experiment. The photoluminescence spectra showed that the peak intensity of the AgCl/Bi 12 O 15 Cl 6 /g-C 3 N 4 composite was significantly reduced compared to other materials, indicating that the photogenerated electron-hole pairs were effectively separated, which contributed to its photocatalytic activity. The composite showed higher TC degradation activity compared to g-C 3 N 4 , Bi 12 O 15 C l6 /g-C 3 N 4 and AgCl/g-C 3 N 4 , with optimum degradation rate constants of 8.2, 2.2 and 1.6 times that of g-C 3 N 4 , Bi 12 O 15 C l6 /g-C 3 N 4 and AgCl/g-C 3 N 4 , respectively. Furthermore, based on the free radical capture experiment, it was confirmed that the active species playing a major role in the reaction process were·O 2 -, followed by h+ and·OH. A double electron transfer mechanism was inferred to be formed in the AgCl/Bi 12 O 15 Cl 6 /g-C 3 N 4 composite and a possible pathway for the degradation of TC was postulated. This work provides a new approach for the effective use of solar energy, as well as a new solution strategy for the degradation of TC in wastewater. [Display omitted] The proposed photocatalytic mechanism for photocatalytic degradation of TC on AgCl/ Bi 12 O 15 Cl 6 /g-C 3 N 4. • The AgCl/Bi 12 O 15 Cl 6 /g-C 3 N 4 exhibited excellent photodegradation of tetracycline (TC) compared to the monomer. • A possible electron transfer mechanism was proposed. • The two-electron transfer mechanism promoted the separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs in complexes. • Superoxide radical (·O 2 -) was the main reactants in photodegradation, followed by h+ and·OH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neutralizing antibodies (nAbs) can be used before or after infection to prevent or treat viral diseases. However, there are few efficacious nAbs against classical swine fever virus (CSFV) that have been produced, especially the porcine-originated nAbs. In this study, we generated three porcine monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) with in vitro neutralizing activity against CSFV, aiming to facilitate the development of passive antibody vaccines or antiviral drugs against CSFV that offer the advantages of stability and low immunogenicity. Pigs were immunized with the C-strain E2 (CE2) subunit vaccine, KNB-E2. At 42 days post vaccination (DPV), CE2-specific single B cells were isolated via fluorescent-activated cell sorting (FACS) baited by Alexa Fluor™ 647-labeled CE2 (positive), goat anti-porcine IgG (H + L)-FITC antibody (positive), PE mouse anti-pig CD3ε (negative) and PE mouse anti-pig CD8a (negative). The full coding region of IgG heavy (H) chains and light (L) chains was amplified by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Overall, we obtained 3 IgG H chains, 9 kappa L chains and 36 lambda L chains, which include three paired chains (two H + κ and one H + λ). CE2-specific mAbs were successfully expressed in 293T cells with the three paired chains. The mAbs exhibit potent neutralizing activity against CSFVs. They can protect ST cells from infections in vitro with potent IC50 values from 14.43 µg/mL to 25.98 µg/mL for the CSFV C-strain, and 27.66 µg/mL to 42.61 µg/mL for the CSFV Alfort strain. This study is the first report to describe the amplification of whole-porcine IgG genes from single B cells of KNB-E2-vaccinated pig. The method is versatile, sensitive, and reliable. The generated natural porcine nAbs can be used to develop long-acting and low-immunogenicity passive antibody vaccine or anti-CSFV agents for CSF control and prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mitogen-activated protein kinase ( MAPK) cascades are involved in plant development, stress responses and hormonal signal transduction. MAPK kinases ( MAPKKs), as the key nodes in these cascades, link MAPKs and MAPKK kinases ( MAPKKKs). In this study, Gh MKK4, a novel group C MAPKK gene from cotton ( Gossypium hirsutum), was isolated and identified. Its expression can be induced by various stresses and signalling molecules. The overexpression of GhMKK4 in Nicotiana benthamiana enhanced its susceptibility to bacterial and fungal pathogens, but had no significant effects on salt or drought tolerance. Notably, the overexpressing plants showed increased sensitivity to abscisic acid ( ABA) and gibberellin A3 ( GA3), and ABA and gibberellin ( GA) signalling were affected on infection with Ralstonia solanacearum bacteria. Furthermore, the overexpressing plants showed more reactive oxygen species ( ROS) accumulation and stronger inhibition of catalase ( CAT), a ROS-scavenging enzyme, than control plants after salicylic acid ( SA) treatment. Interestingly, two genes encoding ornithine decarboxylase ( ODC) and S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase ( SAMDC), the key enzymes in polyamine synthesis, exhibited reduced R. solanacearum-induced expression in overexpressing plants. These findings broaden our knowledge about the functions of MAPKKs in diverse signalling pathways and the negative regulation of disease resistance in the cotton crop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mitogen-activated protein kinase ( MAPK) cascades play important roles in the perception of external signals and the generation of suitable responses. Cotton ( Gossypium hirsutum) is an important fibre-producing and oil-producing crop worldwide. However, few MAPKs and their interaction partners have been functionally characterized in cotton. In the present study, the group A MAPK G. hirsutum (Gh) MPK6a was identified and characterized. Gh MPK6a expression can be induced through multiple defence-related signal molecules and abiotic and biotic stresses. The ectopic expression of Gh MPK6a in Nicotiana benthamiana reduced drought and salt tolerance, with elevated malondialdehyde content, higher reactive oxygen species content and lower abscisic acid content than in wild-type plants. Moreover, plants overexpressing Gh MPK6a were sensitive to the bacterial pathogen Ralstonia solanacearum. Histochemical analysis of β-glucuronidase activity revealed that Gh MPK6a showed tissue-specific expression during postgermination development, mixed bud differentiation, and pollination. Most importantly, Gh MPK6a interacts with the upstream MAPK kinase Gh MKK4, as shown by the use of yeast two-hybrid and bimolecular fluorescence complementation systems, compensating for a deficiency of MAPK interaction partners in cotton crops. Taken together, these results suggest that Gh MPK6a negatively regulates osmotic stress and bacterial infection, and plays an important role in developmental processes. These results provide useful information for elucidating the roles of MAPK cascades in cotton crops. Structured digital abstract GhMPK6a physically interacts with GhMPK4 by two hybrid (View interaction), GhMPK6a and GhMPK4 physically interact by bimolecular fluorescence complementation (View interaction) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concentration of 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furfural (HMF) is an important quality-related index in milk and milk products. Fast, cost-effective and environmentally friendly determination of HMF is of great significance in milk products control. In this study, a three-dimensional (3D) graphene-like surface (3DGrls) was successfully prepared within 5 min by an electrochemical amperometric pretreatment on a pencil graphite electrode (PGE). The fast-obtained 3D graphene-like surface increased the electrode surface area and enhanced the electron transfer capability without the addition of any harmful chemicals. The morphology and chemical composition of the obtained electrode were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman spectroscopy and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The results found that the electrochemical response to HMF at the prepared 3DGrls/PGE was 34 times higher than that at PGE. The modified electrode showed a good linear response to HMF in a concentration range of 0.35~116 μM with a low limit of detection (LOD) of 0.099 μM. The integrated electrode also exhibited excellent stability and wonderful antifouling property. Furthermore, the 3DGrls/PGE was successfully applied for the determination of HMF in three processed cheese samples with satisfactory results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Energy partitioning of Chinese ecosystems slightly dominates by latent heat; • The forest ecosystem of ENF is less sensitive to heat and drought stress; • Drought is more sensitive in driving carbon and water fluxes. Climate variables such as heat and drought are generally regarded as the main factors regulating carbon, water, and energy fluxes (i.e., net radiation (Rn), latent flux (LE), and sensible heat fluxes (H)) in terrestrial ecosystems. Heat and drought stress occur more frequently in conditions of higher temperatures and more extreme hydrological cycles. Our research focuses on the joint analysis of both energy partitioning and temperature and evaporative fraction (EF = LE/(LE + H)) anomalies to reveal the responses of carbon and water fluxes to climate anomalies in terrestrial ecosystems with different plant functional types (PFTs) and in different climate zones in China. In this study, eddy covariance (EC) data were used to evaluate differences in Bowen ratio (β = H/LE) values and energy partitioning (H/Rn and LE/Rn) among different sites, PFTs, and climate zones. Energy exchange in the studied ecosystems was characterized by high values of β (mean values of 0.98, 0.88, and 0.91 among the different sites, PFTs, and climate zones, respectively), high LE/Rn ratios (mean values of 0.42, 0.45, and 0.43, respectively) and low H/Rn ratios (mean values of 0.32, 0.29, and 0.31, respectively). Furthermore, to evaluate the sensitivity of carbon and water fluxes in ecosystems in China to anomalies in temperature and water availability, a series of heat and drought sensitivity indices based on the daily temperature and evaporation fraction were developed. The responses of gross primary productivity (GPP) and evapotranspiration (ET) in different PFTs to temperature and EF anomalies were quantified. The results suggest that in terrestrial ecosystems in China, carbon and water fluxes are more sensitive to drought than to heat. Our study recommends that validated sensitivity indicators should play a vital role in quantifying the response of ecosystem carbon and water fluxes to climate anomalies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A method was proposed by coupling the ERI and the CLUE-S model. • Three different scenarios designed to explore ERI of LUCC in 2027. • Spatiotemporal characteristics of ERI were predicted under different scenarios. The Jinghe County of the Ebinur Lake Basin was chosen as the study area. Based on Landsat TM / OLI images obtained in 2007 and 2017, this paper attempts to use CLUE-S model to predict LUCC under three different scenarios (Natural Development scenario, Farmland Protection scenario, Water Resources Protection scenarios) in 2027. Landscape indices and ecological risk index were calculated and spatially interpolated for the whole region, and the results of ecological risk could be divided into five different zones: extremely low, low, moderate, high and extremely high. They were carried out for assessing the spatial–temporal changes in ecological risk for each landscape pattern. The results show that: (1) Among the three scenarios designed in this paper, the spatial distribution of LUCC in the Water Resource Protection scenario has the most obvious changes, followed by the Farmland Protection scenario and the Natural Development scenario becomes the third. In the water resources protection scenario, the scale of the desert decreases, but the forest and grass part increases, which is conducive to ecological improvement. (2) the distribution area of high ecological risk areas was the largest of three different scenarios, especially the farmland protection scenario. The area of low-risk level is the largest under the water conservation scenario. The ecological risk of LUCC under the water resources protection scenario is lower, which is better for ecological environment. (3) Water bodies mainly concentrate upon low ecological risk degree, accounting for approximately 62.8%, 82.2%, and 73.1% of low ecological risk; Farmland mainly lies in the low-risk areas, accounting for 59.1%, 63.5% and 68.8% of the lower ecological risk levels; In 2027, the unused land and other land types are the main land types of the higher ecological risk areas under three different scenarios, whose proportions are 67.40%, 68.24% and 65.90%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The homogeneous polyaniline (PAni)/TiO2 nanocomposites were successfully synthesized via a facile emulsion polymerization with the assistance of peroxo-titanium complex (PTC), where PTC was used as both the TiO2 precursor and the oxidant for the polymerization of PAni/TiO2 nanocomposites. Comprehensive analysis indicated that anatase TiO2 nanocrystals (about 4–6nm) were well-dispersed in the PAni chains without aggregation, and the TiO2 were anchored on the polymer chains through chemical interactions, such as Ti O N C and Ti O C, which made the PAni/TiO2 composite possess better thermal stability. The PAni/TiO2 composite could be well dispersed in common solvent, such as acetone, and stay stability without any precipitation for a month. Since the PAni/TiO2 composite could be well dispersed in common solvent, the PAni/TiO2 dispersion may be coated on the surface of Poly (ethylene terephthalate) (PET) film, showing good processable properties, and the prepared PAni/TiO2/PET films exhibit good photocatalysis and best conductivity (2.08×10−2 scm−1), when the molar ratio of aniline (AN) and Ti in the PAni/TiO2 composite is 1/1. The possible reaction mechanism was also discussed. The facile synthesized method proposed can also be used for the preparation of other conducting polymer/semiconductor nanocomposites. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Gold cation–water complexes with attached argonatoms areproduced via a laser vaporization supersonic cluster source. The [Au(H2O)nArx]+(n= 1–8; x= 1 or 2) complexes are each mass selected and studied by infraredphotodissociation spectroscopy in the OH stretching frequency regionto explore the coordination and solvation structures of the Au+cation. Density functional calculations have been performed,and the calculated vibrational spectra are compared to the experimentalspectra to identify the gas-phase structures of the Au(H2O)n+complexes. Confirmingprevious theoretical predications, the first coordination shell ofthe Au+cation contains two water molecules forming a linearO–Au+–O arrangement; subsequent water moleculesbind to the two H2O ligands of the Au(H2O)2+core ion via hydrogen bond forming of the secondhydration shell, which is complete at n= 6. Forthe complexes with n≤ 7, the experimentalspectrum can in general be assigned to the predicted global minimumstructure. However, the spectrum suggests that two or more conformerscoexist for the n= 8 complex, indicating that theidentification of a single global minimum becomes less important uponincreasing the number of solvating water molecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades are involved in various processes from plant growth and development to biotic and abiotic stress responses. MAPK kinases (MAPKKs), which link MAPKs and MAPKK kinases (MAPKKKs), play crucial roles in MAPK cascades to mediate a variety of stress responses in plants. However, few MAPKKs have been functionally characterized in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum). In this study, a novel gene, GhMKK5, from cotton belonging to the group C MAPKKs was isolated and characterized. The expression of GhMKK5 can be induced by pathogen infection, abiotic stresses, and multiple defence-related signal molecules. The overexpression of GhMKK5 in Nicotiana benthamiana enhanced the plants’ resistance to the bacterial pathogen Ralstonia solanacearum by elevating the expression of pathogen resistance (PR) genes, including PR1a, PR2, PR4, PR5, and NPR1, but increased the plants’ sensitivity to the oomycete pathogen Phytophthora parasitica var. nicotianae Tucker. Importantly, GhMKK5-overexpressing plants displayed markedly elevated expression of reactive oxygen species-related and cell death marker genes, such as NtRbohA and NtCDM, and resulted in hypersensitive response (HR)-like cell death characterized by the accumulation of H2O2. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that GhMKK5 overexpression in plants reduced their tolerance to salt and drought stresses, as determined by statistical analysis of seed germination, root length, leaf water loss, and survival rate. Drought obviously accelerated the cell death phenomenon in GhMKK5-overexpressing plants. These results suggest that GhMKK5 may play an important role in pathogen infection and the regulation of the salt and drought stress responses in plants. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: We report on the synthesis of luminescent hybrid mesoporous materials (LHMS) by covalently anchoring 2-[3-(triethoxysilyl) propyl-1H-Benz [de]isoquinoline-1, 3(2H)-dione to bimodal mesoporous materials (BMMs) through postsynthesis methods. The resulting samples were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), N2 adsorption/desorption isotherms, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), 29Si NMR analysis, elemental analysis, and fluorescence measurements. The results revealed that luminescent organic molecules have been successfully introduced into the pore channels of BMMs without disrupting the structure, whereas the ordering degree of BMMs framework decreased after functionalization. The obtained materials (LHMS-10) showed excellent luminous performance, and the emission peak shifted to a lower wavelength in comparison with that of pure luminescent dyes (from 464 to 454nm) because of the polarity of the silica matrix. And the amount of fluorescence molecule had some influence on the luminescence behavior, which was also investigated and discussed. It can be concluded that the fluorescence properties of the dye molecule can be controlled at will by the loading amount. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]