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Insecticide resistance in Panonychus citri is a major obstacle to mite control in citrus orchards. Pyrethroid insecticides are continually used to control mites in China, although resistance to pyrethroids has evolved in some populations. Here, the resistance to the pyrethroid fenpropathrin was investigated and 7 out of 8 field‐collected populations of P. citri exhibited a high level of resistance, ranging from 171‐fold to 15 391‐fold higher than the susceptible (SS) comparison strain. Three voltage‐gated sodium channel (VGSC) mutations were identified in the tested populations: L1031V, F1747L, and F1751I. Amplicon sequencing was used to evaluate the frequency of these mutations in the 19 field populations. L1031V and F1751I were present in all populations at frequencies of 11.6%–82.1% and 0.5%–31.8%, respectively, whereas the F1747L mutation was only present in 12 populations from Chongqing, Sichuan, Guangxi, and Yunnan provinces. Introduction of these mutations singly or in combination into transgenic flies significantly increased their resistance to fenpropathrin and these flies also exhibited reduced mortality after exposure to the pyrethroids permethrin and β‐cypermethrin. Panonychus citri VGSC homology modeling and ligand docking indicate that F1747 and F1751 form direct binding contacts with pyrethroids, which are lost with mutation, whereas L1031 mutation may diminish pyrethroid effects through an allosteric mechanism. Overall, the results provide molecular markers for monitoring pest resistance to pyrethroids and offer new insights into the basis of pyrethroid actions on sodium channels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Leaf morphology and epidermal characters are important for phylogenetic and taxonomic studies of many plants, but there is currently insufficient data to use them to help distinguish species of Gagea, which is a taxonomically difficult genus mainly due to polyploidy and hybridization. Therefore, leaf morphology and epidermal characters of Gagea were studied to assess the characters that can be used to elucidate the taxonomy and systematics of 14 species of Gagea collected in Xinjiang, China. Using light microscopy (LM), six qualitative and three quantitative leaf epidermal anatomical characters were examined for both the adaxial and abaxial surfaces. Hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) was employed to reveal the similarities based on leaf morphology and epidermal characters of the investigated species. Results: Basal leaf of these species can be terete or flat, and it is triangle, flat, or circular in transverse section. Anticlinal wall patterns of the leaf epidermal cells were straight and sinuous, and only three species had epidermal hairs. Shape of long cells varies, ranging from quadrangular to irregular. HCA revealed that the 14 species could be divided into two groups. Group A was arranged into three subgroups (A1, A2 and A3), based on the Euclidean distance of 6.96. Subgroup A1 consisted of three species with indumentum; subgroup A2 had four species with sinuous type anticlinal walls; and subgroup A3 comprised of two species with a fistulose basal leaf. Group B included five species with short cells. Conclusions: Leaf morphology and epidermal characters did not differ significantly among populations of the same species in Gagea, whereas they differ significantly among species. Thus, leaf morphology and epidermal characters provide diagnostic information for differentiating G. nigra and G. filiformis; G. altaica, G. jensii and G. alberti, which are morphologically similar species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Snail intermediate host monitoring and control are essential for interrupting the parasitic disease schistosomiasis. Identifying large-scale high-risk areas of snail spread after floods has been greatly facilitated by remote sensing imagery. However, previous studies have usually assumed that all inundation areas carry snails and may have overestimated snail spread areas. Furthermore, these studies only used a single environmental factor to estimate the snail survival risk probability, failing to analyze multiple variables, to accurately distinguish the snail survival risk in the snail spread areas. This paper proposes a systematic framework for early monitoring of snail diffusion to accurately map snail spread areas from remote sensing imagery and enhance snail survival risk probability estimation based on the snail spread map. In particular, the flooded areas are extracted using the Sentinel-1 Dual-Polarized Water Index based on synthetic aperture radar images to map all-weather flooding areas. These flood maps are used to extract snail spread areas, based on the assumption that only inundation areas that spatially interacted with (i.e., are close to) the previous snail distribution regions before flooding are identified as snail spread areas, in order to reduce the misclassification in snail spread area identification. A multiple logistic regression model is built to analyze how various types of snail-related environmental factors, including the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), wetness, river and channel density, and landscape fractal dimension impact snail survival, and estimate its risk probabilities in snail spread area. An experiment was conducted in Jianghan Plain, China, where snails are predominantly linearly distributed along the tributaries and water channels of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. The proposed method could accurately map floods under clouds, and a total area of 231.5 km2 was identified as the snail spread area. The snail survival risk probabilities were thus estimated. The proposed method showed a more refined snail spread area and a more reliable degree of snail survival risk compared with those of previous studies. Thus, it is an efficient way to accurately map all-weather snail spread and survival risk probabilities, which is helpful for schistosomiasis interruption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Dithiol-assisted molybdate or tungstate based film were fabricated on copper. • The fabricated films exhibited double-layer structure. • The top layer was organic layer and underlayer consisted of Cu 2 S. • The oxidation of dithiol by molybdate or tungstate resulted in a thicker film. • The films exhibited high corrosion protection efficiency. An approach to fabricate protective film on copper substrate utilizing molybdate or tungstate assisted by dithiol was proposed. The fabricated films exhibited double-layer structure. The top layer was an organic layer primarily composed of interconnected dithiol molecules through disulfide bonds originating from the oxidation of molybdate or tungstate. The Cu 2 S bottom-layer formed as a result of the cleavage of C-S bonds subsequent to the adsorption of dithiol molecules onto the copper matrix. The molybdate participated the film via MoO x and MoS x. Although no tungstate species were detected in the film, the oxidizing effect of tungstate facilitated a conversion of dithiol molecules into polymers, resulting in a significantly thicker surface layer. The corrosion protection efficiencies of the films reached 99.7 % and 99.8 %, respectively, attributed to the incorporation of molybdate or tungstate additives. Theoretical calculations provided valuable insights into the process of film formation and elucidated the relationship between film structure and anti-corrosion performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We synthesized a CuBi2O4/BiOCl p–n heterojunction photocatalyst by a convenient one-pot hydrothermal method. And the morphology, crystal phase, element composition and optical properties of as-synthesized CuBi2O4/BiOCl were analyzed utilizing SEM, EDS, TEM, XRD, XPS, UV-visible DRS, PL and EIS techniques. Under visible light, the CuBi2O4/BiOCl p–n heterojunction exhibits excellent photocatalytic activity for the degradation of tetracycline hydrochloride, and when the CuBi2O4 content in the heterojunction is 20 wt%, the photocatalytic activity of the CuBi2O4/BiOCl heterojunction is the highest, which is 58.2 times and 4.1 times that of pristine CuBi2O4 and BiOCl, respectively. The photocatalytic activity of the heterojunction increased with the enhancement of visible light absorption and the effective separation of photogenerated electron–hole pairs which is promoted by the built-in electric field. In addition, a radical trapping study showed that h+ and ˙O2− radicals were the main active species in the photocatalytic process. On this basis, the possible photocatalytic mechanism was discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previously, we developed a method for vitrification of mouse embryos in a near-equilibrium state using EFS35c, PB1 medium containing 35% (v/v) ethylene glycol, and 0.98 M sucrose. This method has advantages in both slow freezing and vitrification. However, since the vitrification solution in this method contains high concentrations of cryoprotectants and thus has high osmolality, the solution would injure oocytes and embryos with high sensitivity to chemical toxicity and high osmolality. In this study, we examined whether embryos could be vitrified in a near-equilibrium state using a solution containing low concentrations of cryoprotectants and thus with low osmolality. To investigate whether embryos were vitrified in a near-equilibrium state, 2-cell mouse embryos were vitrified with EDFS10/10a, PB1 medium containing 10% (v/v) ethylene glycol, 10% (v/v) DMSO, and 0.4 M sucrose, in liquid nitrogen, stored at −80 °C for 4–28 days, and warmed in water at 25 °C. The viability of the embryos was evaluated by the appearance of embryos after warming and developmental ability. When embryos were vitrified in liquid nitrogen using EDFS10/10a, the survival and developmental ability into blastocysts after storage at −80 °C for 7 days were high, indicating that embryos were vitrified in a near-equilibrium state. A high proportion of embryos vitrified with EDFS10/10a developed to term after transportation with dry ice, re-cooling in liquid nitrogen, and transfer to recipients. Therefore, new equilibrium vitrification developed in this study may be useful for oocytes and embryos that are highly sensitive to the toxicity of cryoprotectants and high osmolality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to make dry ice transportation of vitrified embryos practical, a near-equilibrium vitrification was developed using a cryoprotectant solution (EDFS10/10a), by which mouse embryos at various stages were vitrified in a near-equilibrium environment. EDFS10/10a consisted of 10% (v/v) ethylene glycol, 10% (v/v) Me 2 SO, 0.4 M sucrose and 24% (w/v) Ficoll PM70. This method exhibited the benefits of slow freezing and vitrification, with a low risk of osmotic injury. In this study, we investigated whether mouse oocytes are vitrifiable with EDFS10/10a in a highly dehydrated/concentrated state, and whether they can remain fertilizable and developing into embryos after vitrification. When mature mouse oocytes were vitrified in liquid nitrogen and after 4–28 days of storage at −80 °C, high survival rates were observed (88–99%). Vitrified and warmed oocytes were subjected to partial zona dissection and in vitro fertilized. The rate of 2-cell stage was 80–82%. Blastocyst formation rate was 55–70% which was similar to that of embryos derived from fresh oocytes. After the 2-cell embryos were transferred to recipient mice, the implantation and offspring rates did not differ significantly from those of embryos derived from fresh oocytes, indicating that vitrified oocytes retained the developmental ability. Therefore, it is possible to vitrify mouse oocytes in a near-equilibrium state using EDFS10/10a and conveniently transported using dry ice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Schistosomiasis remains prevalent in Africa, Asia and South America with an estimated burden of 1.9 million disability-adjusted life years in 2016. Targeting snails as a key to success for schistosomiasis control has been widely approved, but the long-term quantitative effects of interventions on snail control that would inform and improve future control programmes are unclear. Over the last six decades, schistosomiasis in China had been brought largely under control, and snail control as supplementary methods or part of integrated multisectoral approaches in different historical periods has played an essential role. Methods: Ecological environment factors, prevalence and control data on Oncomelania hupensis between 1985 and 2015 at 5-year intervals in Qianjiang city, China, were collected. A multilevel growth model approach was used to examine the long-term effects of ecological environmental changes and mollusciciding on snail-infested area (SIA) and living snail density (LSD) during the 30 years. Results: The variation of SIA was 68.4% in spatial distribution, while the variation of LSD was 68.4% in temporal distribution. Continuous mollusciciding could result in significant LSD reduction, but may not lead to significant SIA reduction. The normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), patch size coefficient of variation (PSCoV) and mean patch size (MPS) reduction, slightly due to eco-environmental changes decreased SIA, while mean perimeter-area ratio (MPAR) and dry farm-land proportion (DFLP) reduction might increase SIA. Only NDVI and MPAR reduction led to a lower LSD. Conclusions: Mollusciciding was more effective in reducing snail density, but it is not easy to eliminate snails completely. Environmental modifications could completely change the snail breeding environment and reduce its infestation area. Due to difficulty of scaling-up the current environmental modifications in waterway network regions, more effective snail control methods are needed. The experience in China could thereby provide guidance for other schistosomiasis endemic areas with a high snail prevalence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Films with micron thickness were fabricated on copper via thiol-based click reaction between dithiol and epoxy group or vinyl ester group on silane without metal catalyst or light irradiation. The protection efficiencies were 99.6% and 99.4% for the epoxy silane and vinyl ester-silane participated click-assembly film, respectively. The driving force for film formation was the strong interaction between thiol and copper and then new C-S bond formation via thiol-ene or thiol-epoxy reaction. Molecular dynamics simulation further revealed the most stable adsorption configurations and the adsorption energy of the building blocks on copper substrate to provide theoretical support for experimental conclusion. [Display omitted] • A film with micron thickness was prepared on copper surface. • Self-assembly and thiol-based click chemistry was combined during film formation. • The fabricated click-assembly films exhibited high protection efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recurrent stroke is difficult to treat and life threatening. Transfer of anti-inflammatory gene is a potential gene therapy strategy for ischemic stroke. Using recombinant adeno-associated viral vector 1 (rAAV1)-mediated interleukin 10 (IL-10), we investigated whether transfer of beneficial gene into the rat cerebral vessels during interventional treatment for initial stroke could attenuate brain injury caused by recurrent stroke. Male Wistar rats were administered rAAV1-IL-10, rAAV1-YFP, or saline into the left cerebral artery. Three weeks after gene transfer, rats were subjected to occlusion of the left middle cerebral artery (MCAO) for 45 min followed by reperfusion for 24 h. IL-10 levels in serum were significantly elevated 3 weeks after rAAV1-IL-10 injection, and virus in the cerebral vessels was confirmed by in situ hybridization. Pre-existing IL-10 but not YFP decreased the neurological dysfunction scores, brain infarction volume, and the number of injured neuronal cells. AAV1-IL-10 transduction increased heme oxygenase (HO-1) mRNA and protein levels in the infarct boundary zone of the brain. Thus, transduction of the IL-10 gene in the cerebral artery prior to ischemia attenuates brain injury caused by ischemia/reperfusion in rats. This preventive approach for recurrent stroke can be achieved during interventional treatment for initial stroke. © 2015 IUBMB Life, 67(9):710-719, 2015 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bidirectional promoters are relatively abundant in eukaryotic genomes, suggesting that they have an important biological significance. As yet, fewof these promoters have been characterized in detail. Here, using a promoter::GUS transgene approach has revealed that the intergenic region of Arabidopsis thaliana divergent genes At1g71850 and At1g71860 is an asymmetric bidirectional promoter, which exhibits an orientation- dependent expression profile. The strength of the forward promoter was greater than that of the reverse promoter, and their tissue specificities were not identical. Deletion analyses revealed that this bidirectional promoter could be divided into three functional regions. The basal level and tissue specificity of the promoter in the reverse orientation were regulated positively by region II and negatively by region III, whereas promoter activity in the forward orientation was regulated negatively by region II and positively by region I. Thus the 52-bp stretch of region II had a dual function, enhancing expression in the reverse orientation and suppressing it in the forward orientation. These results demonstrated that the activity of the At1g71850-At1g71860 bidirectional promoter was modulated by complex interactions between both positive and negative cis-acting elements. These findings will enhance our understanding of the regulatory mechanisms of plant bidirectional promoters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] The spatiotemporal patterns of H7N9 outbreaks in humans have been illustrated using directional distribution analysis and a direction test. [•] Examinations have been carried out in the risk factors associated with the occurrence of human H7N9 infection. [•] The risk of human H7N9 infection for mainland China mapped from a multiple logistic regression model. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Ethnopharmacological relevance: Chaihu-Shugan-San (CSS) is a well-known, Chinese traditional medicine used to treat depression. Little is known about the antidepressant mechanism of CSS. The main aims of the this study were to evaluate the antidepressant-like effects of CSS and its components and further explore the CSS׳s effect upon signal transduction of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 5 (ERK5) expressions in the hippocampus of rats with depression induced by chronic unpredicted mild stress. Materials and methods: SD rats were randomly divided into six groups: Normal; Model; CSS; Component I; Component II; and Fluoxetine. Antidepressant-like effects of CSS and two of its constituents, Components I and II in aqueous extract, were assessed using rats exposed to chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) by measuring weight change, observing the open-field test and measuring sucrose water consumption. Antidepressant mechanism were examined by measuring the effect of CSS, and two of its constituents, on extracellular signal-regulated kinase 5 (ERK5) expression, phosphorylation-ERK5 (p-ERK5), and ERK5 mRNA in the hippocampus by using western blotting and Real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). Three preparations were prepared: (1) an aqueous extract of CSS (5.9g/kg·d); (2) Component I (3.3g/kg·d); and (3) Component II (2.6g/kg·d). During the 28-day CUMS, the three preparations were intragastrically administered all three preparations. Simultaneously a parallel positive fluoxetine control group was given fluoxetine hydrochloride (1.8mg/kg·d). Normal and Model groups were intragastrically administered with a isovolumic distilled water (4.5ml/kg·d). Results: Depressed rats had decreased weight gain; decreased locomotor activity as measured by the open field test; and reduced sucrose consumption. The rats׳ hippocampus ERK5 activation was significantly suppressed. CSS reduced the incidence of depressive-like behaviors and increased ERK5 activation in depressed rats at the same rate as fluoxetine. Component I, and II, each had only a partial effect on the depression indicators measured. Conclusions: CSS aqueous extract has antidepressant-like effects on CUMS-induced depression model rats. The antidepressant effect of CSS is greater than that of either the two separate components measured. CSS׳s antidepressant mechanism may be mediated by reversing the stress-induced disruption of ERK5 activity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Floral organ movements that ensure autonomous selfing are likely to occur in species that grow in habitats with pollinator scarcity and/or an unpredictable environment. Stamen curvature and temporal flower closure are two important floral behaviors that can influence plant pollination mode and reproductive success. However, both behaviors are rarely reported within a species, and little is known about how these two movements of floral organs ensure reproductive success in an unpredictable early spring environment with few pollinators. The aim of this study was to assess whether stamen curvature and temporal flower closure ensure successful reproduction of Leontice incerta in its cold desert habitat. Flowering phenology, floral traits, stamen curvature patterns and flower visitors were surveyed. The breeding system, capacity and timing for autonomous selfing were estimated by pollination manipulations. The timing of floral opening and closure, and benefits of temporal flower closure were determined. We found that flowering of L. incerta began in late March to early April in two populations in two years, and the yellow flowers had neither nectar nor scent. Floral visitation occurred very rarely, but bees (Colletes sp.) were potential pollinators. Fruit and seed set of open and bagged flowers did not differ significantly from that of self-pollinated or cross-pollinated flowers. However, removal of stamens significantly decreased seed set. Self-pollination occurs when the stamens curve and anthers touch the stigma autonomously, suggesting autonomous selfing assurance of seed production in this self-compatible species. Both fruit and seed set of flowers that were prevented from closing were significantly lower than those of control flowers and closed flowers treated with simulated rain treatment. Therefore, stamen curvature and temporal floral closure can ensure successful sexual reproduction of L. incerta in early spring in the cold desert, where lack of pollinators otherwise may lead to pollination failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a selective fluorescent sensor for Hg2+ detection in aqueous solution, which contains a naphthalimide derivative covalently grafted to the glass surface, was developed. To fabricate the sensor, the naphthalimide derivative (compound 1) with a terminal double bond was prepared and photo-copolymerized with 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) on the glass surface treated with a silanizing agent. Upon binding mercuric ions in 0.05mol/L Tris/HCl (pH 7.01) at 25°C, the resulting optical sensor undergoes fluorescence enhancement. Thus, the proposed sensor with visible excitation can behave as a fluorescent sensor for the selective detection of Hg2+. The fluorescence enhancement was induced by a photo-induced electron transfer (PET) inhibition process. In addition, the proposed sensor showed satisfactory selectivity, reproducibility and response time. The sensing membrane possesses a relatively long lifetime of at least 2 months. The chemosensor can be applied to the quantification of Hg2+ with a linear range covering from 6.0×10–6 to 2.0×10−4 M and a detection limit of 2.0×10−6 M. The determination of Hg2+ in river water samples shows satisfactory results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Activated carbon modified with different impregnants has been studied for COS removal efficiency under micro-oxygen conditions. Activated carbon modified with Cu(NO3)2–CoPcS–KOH (denoted as Cu–Co–KW) is found to have markedly enhanced adsorption purification ability. In the adsorption purification process, the reaction temperature, oxygen concentration, and relative humidity of the gas are determined to be three crucial factors. A breakthrough of 43.34mg COS/g adsorbent at 60°С and 30% relative humidity with 1.0% oxygen is shown in Cu–Co–KW for removing COS. The structures of the activated carbon samples are characterized using nitrogen adsorption, and their surface chemical structures are analyzed with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Modification of Cu(NO3)2–CoPcS–KOH appears to improve the COS removal capacity significantly, during which, SO4 2− is presumably formed, strongly adsorbed, and present in the micropores ranging from 0.7 to 1.5nm. TPD is used to identify the products containing sulfur species on the carbon surface, where SO2 and COS are detected in the effluent gas generated from exhausted Cu–Co–KW (denoted Cu–Co–KWE). According to the current study results, the activated carbon impregnated with Cu(NO3)2–CoPcS–KOH promises a good candidate for COS adsorbent, with the purified gas meeting requirements for desirable chemical feed stocks. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Based on the super fluorescence quenching efficiency of graphene oxide and exonuclease III aided signal amplification, we develop a facile, sensitive, rapid and cost-effective method for DNA detection. In the presence of target DNA, the target-probe hybridization forms a double-stranded structure and exonuclease III catalyzes the stepwise removal of mononucleotides from the blunt 3′ termini of probe, resulting in the recycling of the target DNA and signal amplification. Therefore, our proposed sensor exhibits a high sensitivity towards target DNA with a detection limit of 20pM, which was even lower than previously reported GO-based DNA sensors without enzymatic amplification, and provides a universal sensing platform for sensitive detection of DNA. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This article presents the fabrication and analytical characteristics of fluorescence-based pH-sensing glass slides. In order to fabricate the sensor, a rhodamine–naphthalimide conjugate with a terminal double bond was prepared and photo-copolymerized with 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) on the silanized glass surface. The described sensor is based on the pH-dependent fluorescence intensities in different pH ranges. With an increase of hydrogen ions concentration, the resulting optical sensor undergoes fluorescence enhancement and color change from yellow to red. The linear response range covers the acidic pH range from 1.40 to 3.60. In addition, the sensor shows satisfactory selectivity, reproducibility and response time. The sensing membrane was found to have a lifetime of at least one month. The proposed sensor has been successfully applied to determine the pH of wastewater and artificial sample. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A ratiometric fluorescent zinc probe 1 of carboxamidoquinoline with a carboxylic acid group was designed and synthesised. Probe 1 exhibits high selectivity for sensing Zn2+; about a 13-fold increase in fluorescence emission intensity and an 82 nm red-shift of fluorescence emission are observed upon binding Zn2+ in EtOH/H2O (1 : 1, V/V) solution. The ratiometric fluorescence response is attributed to the 1 : 1 complex formation between probe 1 and Zn2+ which has been utilised as the basis for the selective detection of Zn2+. The analytical performance characteristics of the proposed Zn2+-sensitive probe were investigated. The linear response range covers a concentration range of Zn2+ from 2.0 × 10-6 to 5.0 × 10-5 mol L-1 and the detection limit is 2.7 × 10-7 mol L-1. The determination of Zn2+ in both tap and river water samples shows satisfactory results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A fluorescent probe 1 for Hg2+ based on a rhodamine–coumarin conjugate was designed and synthesized. Probe 1 exhibits high sensitivity and selectivity for sensing Hg2+, and about a 24-fold increase in fluorescence emission intensity is observed upon binding excess Hg2+ in 50% water/ethanol buffered at pH 7.24. The fluorescence response to Hg2+ is attributed to the 1:1 complex formation between probe 1 and Hg2+, which has been utilized as the basis for the selective detection of Hg2+. Besides, probe 1 was also found to show a reversible dual chromo- and fluorogenic response toward Hg2+ likely due to the chelation-induced ring opening of rhodamine spirolactam. The analytical performance characteristics of the proposed Hg2+-sensitive probe were investigated. The linear response range covers a concentration range of Hg2+ from 8.0×10−8 to 1.0×10−5 molL−1 and the detection limit is 4.0×10−8 molL−1. The determination of Hg2+ in both tap and river water samples displays satisfactory results. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In the present paper, we describe the fabrication and analytical characteristics of fluorescence-based zinc ion-sensing glass slides. To construct the sensor, a benzoxazole derivative 4-benzoxazol-2′-yl-3-hydroxyphenyl allyl ether (1) with a terminal double bond was synthesized and copolymerized with 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) on the activated surface of glass slides by UV irradiation. In the absence of Zn2+ at pH 7.24, the resulting optical sensor emitted fluorescence at 450nm via excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT). Upon binding with Zn2+, the ESIPT process was inhibited resulting in a 46nm blue-shift of fluorescence emission. Thus, the proposed sensor can behave as a ratiometric fluorescent sensor for the selective detection of Zn2+. In addition, the sensor shows nice selectivity, good reproducibility and fast response time. Cd2+ did not interfere with Zn2+ sensing. The sensing membrane demonstrates a good stability with a lifetime of at least 3 months. The linear response range covers a concentration range of Zn2+ from 8.0×10−5 to 4.0×10−3 mol/L and the detection limit is 4.0×10−5 mol/L. The determination of Zn2+ in both tap and river water samples shows satisfactory results. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: N-Methyl-α,β,γ,δ-tetraphenylporphine (NMTPPH) has been used to detect trace amount of zinc ions in ethanol–water solution by fluorescence spectroscopy. The fluorescent probe undergoes a fluorescent emission intensity enhancement upon binding to zinc ions in EtOH/H2O (1:1, v/v) solution. The fluorescence enhancement of NMTPPH is attributed to the 1:1 complex formation between NMTPPH and Zn(II) which has been utilized as the basis for the selective detection of Zn(II). The linear response range covers a concentration range of Zn(II) from 5.0×10−7 to 1.0×10−5 mol/L and the detection limit is 1.5×10−7 mol/L. The fluorescent probe exhibits high selectivity over other common metal ions except for Cu(II). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) can lead to weight loss by up-regulating energy metabolism and the expression of UCP-1 in mitochondria. To investigate the up-stream regulators of the expression of UCP-1, recombinant human CNTF (rhCNTF) (0.1, 0.3, 0.9 mg/kg/day s.c.) administered to KK-Ay mice for 30 days resulting in reductions in body weight and perirenal fat mass. In brown adipose tissues, the gene expressions of nuclear respiratory factor (NRF)-1, mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFam) and uncoupling protein (UCP)-1 were found up-regulated by rhCNTF. To the best of our knowledge, these effects represent new insights on the mechanisms of action of weight loss by rhCNTF. In addition, we also found that rhCNTF increased the activity of mitochondrial complex IV. The stimulation of NRF-1, TFam, UCP-1 and the enhanced activity of mitochondrial complex IV may be associated with remedying obesity. The result indicates that rhCNTF can enhance the expressions of NRF-1 and TFam, both of which can up-regulate the expression of UCP-1. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Manganese oxide-cerium oxide supported on titanate nanotubes (i.e., MnCe/TiNTs) were prepared and their catalytic activities towards NH3-SCR of NO were tested. The results indicated that the MnCe/TiNT catalyst can achieve a high NO removal efficiency above 95% within the temperature range of 150–350 °C. Even after exposure to a HCl-containing atmosphere for 2 h, the NO removal efficiency of the MnCe/TiNT catalyst maintains at approximately 90% at 150 °C. This is attributed to the large specific surface area as well as the unique hollow tubular structure of TiNTs that exposes more Ce atoms, which preferentially react with HCl and thus protect the active Mn atoms. Moreover, the abundant OH groups on TiNTs serve as Brønsted acid sites and provide H protons to expel Cl atom from the catalyst surface. The irreversible deactivation caused by HCl can be alleviated by H2O. That is because the dissociated adsorption of H2O on TiNTs forms additional OH groups and relieves HCl poisoning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies have shown that a series of molecular events caused by oxidative stress is associated with ferroptosis and oxidation after ischemic stroke (IS). Differential analysis was performed to identify differentially expressed mRNA (DEmRNAs) between IS and control groups. Critical module genes were identified using weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). DEmRNAs, critical module genes, oxidative stress-related genes (ORGs), and ferroptosis-related genes (FRGs) were crossed to screen for intersection mRNAs. Candidate mRNAs were screened based on the protein–protein interaction (PPI) network and the MCODE plug-in. Biomarkers were identified based on two types of machine learning algorithms, and the intersection was obtained. Functional items and related pathways of the biomarkers were identified using gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). Finally, single-sample GSEA (ssGSEA) and Wilcoxon tests were used to identify differential immune cells. An miRNA-mRNA-TF network was created. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was performed to verify the expression levels of biomarkers in the IS and control groups. There were 8287 DE mRNAs between the IS and control groups. The genes in the turquoise module were selected as critical module genes for IS. Thirty intersecting mRNAs were screened for overlaps. Seventeen candidate mRNAs were also identified. Four biomarkers (CDKN1A, GPX4, PRDX1, and PRDX6) were identified using two types of machine-learning algorithms. GSEA results indicated that the biomarkers were associated with steroid biosynthesis. Nine types of immune cells (activated B cells and neutrophils) were markedly different between the IS and control groups. We identified 3747 miRNA-mRNA-TF regulatory pairs in the miRNA-mRNA-TF regulatory network, including hsa-miR-4469-CDKN1A-BACH2 and hsa-miR-188-3p-GPX4-ATF2. CDKN1A, PRDX1, and PRDX6 were upregulated in IS samples compared with control samples. This study suggests that four biomarkers (CDKN1A, GPX4, PRDX1, and PRDX6) are significantly associated with IS. This study provides a new reference for the diagnosis and treatment of IS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurately detecting anomalies and timely interventions are critical for cloud application maintenance. Traditional methods for performance anomaly detection based on thresholds and rules work well for simple key performance indicator (KPI) monitoring. Unfortunately, it is difficult to find the appropriate threshold levels when there are significant differences between KPI values at different times during the day or when there are significant fluctuations stemming from different usage patterns. Therefore, anomaly detection presents a challenge for all types of temporal data, particularly when non-stationary time series have special adaptability requirements or when the nature of potential anomalies is vaguely defined or unknown. To address this limitation, we propose a novel anomaly detector (called KPI-TSAD) for time-series KPIs based on supervised deep-learning models with convolution and long short-term memory (LSTM) neural networks, and a variational auto-encoder (VAE) oversampling model was used to address the imbalanced classification problem. Compared with other related research on Yahoo's anomaly detection benchmark datasets, KPI-TSAD exhibited better performance, with both its accuracy and F-score exceeding 0.90 on the A1benchmark and A2Benchmark datasets. Finally, KPI-TSAD continued to perform well on several KPI monitoring datasets from real production environments, with the average F-score exceeding 0.72. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, rose bengal‐derived carbon quantum dots (RB‐CQDs) was synthesized by a one‐step solvothermal method using rose bengal and 1,2‐phenylenediamine as precursors in ethanol at 180 °C for 10 h and purified by silica gel chromatography. The as‐synthesized RB‐CQDs disperses well in water with particle sizes ranging from 0.78 to 2.46 nm and exhibits excitation‐independent yellow fluorescent emission (529 nm), high quantum yield (44.3 %) and good biocompatibility. More importantly, the fluorescence of RB‐CQDs can be selectively quenched by Fe3+ ions with good linear correlation and the detection limit is 19.9 nM. The recoveries of this method in actual water samples are 90 % to 110 % with relative standard deviations less than 5 %. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cysteine, as an important amino acid in the human body, plays a vital role in people's normal life activities. In this paper, a ratiometric fluorescent probe for detecting cysteine was designed and synthesized based on the fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) process. In this FRET system, a coumarin derivative was used as the energy donor, a rhodol fluorophore was chosen as the energy receptor, and an acrylate group was utilized as a cysteine recognition unit. In the absence of cysteine, the rhodol receptor was in the non-fluorescent lactone state and the FRET process was inhibited. Upon addition of cysteine, the closed spirolactone form was converted to a conjugated fluorescent xanthene form to induce the occurrence of FRET which resulted in a fluorescent signal decrease at 470 nm and enhancement at 543 nm. The ratiometric fluorescent probe exhibited excellent selectivity to Cys over Hcy and GSH. In addition, I543nm/I470nm of the probe for cysteine displayed a good linear relationship in the range of 5.0 × 10−7–1.0 × 10−4 mol L−1, and the detection limit was 2.0 × 10−7 mol L−1. Furthermore, the probe showed low cell toxicity and was successfully applied to the confocal imaging of cysteine in HepG2 cells using dual emission channels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate alterations in the topological organization of whole-brain functional networks in patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP) and characterize the relationship of these alterations with pain characteristics. Methods: Thirty-three CLBP patients and 34 matched healthy controls (HCs) underwent fMRI scans. A graph-theoretical approach was applied to identify brain network changes in patients suffering from chronic low back pain given its nonspecific etiology and complexity. Graph theory-based analysis was used to construct functional connectivity matrices and extract the features of small-world networks of the brain in both groups. Then, the whole-brain functional connectivity differences were characterized by network-based statistics (NBS) analysis, and the relationship between the altered brain features and clinical measures was explored. Results: At the global level, patients with CLBP showed significantly decreased gamma, sigma, global efficiency, and local efficiency and increased lambda and shortest path length compared with HCs. At the regional level, there were deficits in nodal efficiency within the default mode network and salience network. NBS analysis demonstrated that decreased functional connectivity was present in the CLBP patients, mainly in the frontolimbic circuit and temporal regions. Furthermore, aspects of topological dysfunctions in CLBP were correlated with pain severity. Conclusion: This study highlighted the aberrant topological organization of functional brain networks in CLBP, which may shed light on the pathophysiology of CLBP and support the development of pain management approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A Golgi-targetable fluorescent probe for hypochlorous acid has been reported. • The probe displays high sensitivity and high selectivity for HOCl. • The probe can be used for detection of HOCl within the Golgi apparatus of living cells. The Golgi apparatus (GA) is a vital organelle in biological systems and excess reactive oxygen species (ROS) is produced during stress in the Golgi apparatus. Hypochlorous acid (HOCl) is a significant reactive oxygen species and has strong oxidative and antibacterial activity, but excessive secretion of hypochlorous acid can affect Golgi structure or function abnormally, it will lead to a series of diseases including Alzheimer's disease, neurodegenerative diseases, autoimmune diseases, and Parkinson's disease. In present work, a novel fluorescent probe for Golgi localization utilizing naphthalimide derivatives was constructed to detect hypochlorous acid. The fluorescent probe used a derivatived 1,8-naphthalimide as the emitting fluorescence group, phenylsulfonamide as the localization group and dimethylthiocarbamate as the sensing unit. When HOCl was absent, the intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) process of the developed probe was hindered and the probe exhibited a weak fluorescence. When HOCl was present, the ICT process occurred and the probe showed strong green fluorescence. When the HOCl concentration was altered from 5.0 × 10−7 to 1.0 × 10−5 mol·L-1, the fluorescence intensity of the probe well linearly correlated with the HOCl concentration. The detection limit of 5.7 × 10−8 mol·L-1 was obtained for HOCl. The HOCl fluorescent probe possessed a rapid reaction time, a high selectivity and a broad working pH scope. In addition, the probe possessed good biocompatibility and had been magnificently employed to image Golgi HOCl in Hela cells. These characteristics of the probe demonstrated its ability to be used for sensing endogenous and exogenous hypochlorous acids within the Golgi apparatus of living cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An organic-inorganic hybrid film was successfully constructed via reduced glutathione (GSH) and SnSO 4 on copper surface. The adsorption of sulfhydryl groups (-SH) on copper was the prerequisite for the synergistic effect of GSH and SnSO 4. The addition of Sn (II) into the film formation system could improve the corrosion protection efficiency of GSH film from 90.52% to 99.89%. SEM results demonstrated that the synergistic effect between GSH and Sn (II) can improve the connection of the film and substrate. The XPS results indicated that Sn elements participated in the formation of the film with Sn (II), Sn (IV) and Sn (0). The excellent corrosion resistance of the film was attributed to the close connection between the film and the substrate and the doping of Sn with three valence states. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Daunorubicin (DNR)-induced cardiotoxicity, which is closely associated with cardiomyocyte apoptosis, limits the drug's clinical application. The activation of the extracellular regulated protein kinases (ERKs) pathway is responsible for the pro-apoptosis effect of DNR. Sodium ferulate (SF) has recently been found to attenuate both DNR-induced cardiotoxicity and mitochondrial apoptosis in juvenile rats. Nonetheless, the precise mechanism underlying SF-induced cardio-protection remains unclear. Methods: The DNR-injured H9c2 cell model was prepared by incubating the cells in 1 M DNR for 24 h. Amounts of 15.6, 31.3 or 62.5 |iM SF were simultaneously added to the cells. The effect of SF on the cytotoxic and apoptotic parameters of the cells was studied by monitoring apoptosis regulation via the ERKs pathway. Results: SF attenuated DNR-induced cell death (particularly apoptotic death), cTnl and ß-tubulin degradation, and cellular morphological changes. SF reduced mitochondrial membrane potential depolarization, cytochrome c leakage, and caspase-9 and caspase-3 activation. SF also decreased ERK1/2, phospho-ERKl/2, p53 and Bax expression and increased Bcl-2 expression. These effects were similar to the results observed when using the pharmacological ERKs phosphorylation inhibitor, AZD6244. Conclusion: We determined that SF protects H9c2 cells from DNR-induced apoptosis through a mechanism that involves the interruption ofthe ERKs signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypochlorous acid (HOCl) is one of the most important reactive oxygen species (ROS) and plays an important role in pathological processes and relevant diseases. However, the highly sensitive/selective detection of HOCl with fast response time is still in demand. In this study, a ratiometric fluorescent probe for the highly selective detection of hypochlorous acid was constructed based on combined intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) and fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) mechanisms. In the designed probe, a coumarin derivative was used as the energy donor and a naphthalimide fluorophore was chosen as the energy receptor, which was modified with a dimethylthiocarbamate group as a HOCl recognition unit. When HOCl was absent, the naphthalimide receptor underwent ICT off and the FRET process from the coumarin donor to the naphthalimide receptor was prevented. Upon adding HOCl, the naphthalimide receptor underwent ICT on and the FRET process took place. The ICT-FRET-based fluorescent probe for hypochlorous acid displayed high selectivity and very short response time (<2 s) and good biocompatibility. Furthermore, I550nm/I480nm of the probe for HOCl exhibited a good linear relationship in the range of 4.0 × 10−7–5.0 × 10−5 mol L−1, and the detection limit of 2.5 × 10−7 mol L−1 was achieved. Moreover, the probe demonstrated almost no cell toxicity and had been effectively applied to the ratiometric fluorescence imaging of HOCl in HeLa cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Amygdala contains heterogeneous nuclei presented with distinct functions. • Low back pain accompanies by negative emotion related to amygdala function. • Dynamic causal modelling can describe the connectivity direction in chronic pain states. • Greater resting-state functional connectivity of amygdala-medial prefrontal pathway was seen in chronic low back pain. • Lower effective connectivity of medial prefrontal-to-amygdala pathway was suggested in chronic low back pain. Chronic nonspecific low back pain (cNLBP) is a leading contributor to disease burden worldwide that is difficult to treat due to its nonspecific aetiology and complexity. The amygdala is a complex of structurally and functionally heterogeneous nuclei that serve as a key neural substrate for the interactions between pain and negative affective states. However, whether the functions of amygdalar subcomponents are differentially altered in cNLBP remains unknown. Little attention has focused on effective connectivity of the amygdala with the cortex in cNLBP. In this study, thirty-three patients with cNLBP and 33 healthy controls (HCs) were included. Resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) and effective connectivity of the amygdala and its subregions were examined. Our results showed that the patient group exhibited significantly greater rsFC between the left amygdala and left dorsal medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), which was negatively correlated with pain intensity ratings. Subregional analyses suggested a difference located at the superficial nuclei of the amygdala. Dynamic causal modelling revealed significantly lower effective connectivity from the left amygdala to the dorsal mPFC in patients with cNLBP than in HCs. Both groups exhibited stronger effective connectivity from the left amygdala to the right amygdala. In summary, these findings not only suggested altered rsFC of the amygdala-mPFC pathway in cNLBP but also implicated an abnormal direction of information processing between the amygdala and mPFC in these patients. Our results further highlight the involvement of the amygdala in the neuropathology of cNLBP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A novel of coating filler of BTA-CaCO 3 @TA microspheres was prepared under mild conditions. • BTA-CaCO 3 @TA microspheres exhibited good dispersibility in waterborne coating. • Various factors synergistically endowed long-term corrosion protection performance of BTA-CaCO 3 @TA coating. The aim of this work is to develop an eco-friendly pH-responsive intelligent coating with long-term corrosion protection by a convenient method. Herein, an eco-friendly and long-term pH-responsive intelligent anti-corrosion coating (BTA-CaCO 3 @TA coating) is fabricated through the addition of a hydrophilic pH-responsive release material (BTA-CaCO 3 @TA microspheres) into a waterborne epoxy resin coating. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy results indicated that BTA-CaCO 3 @TA microspheres could endow the coating with long-term corrosion protection. The |Z| f =0.01Hz values of the BTA-CaCO 3 @TA coating after 130 days of immersion were still higher than those of the pure waterborne epoxy resin coating at the beginning of immersion. The excellent long-term protection performance was related to the good dispersibility of BTA-CaCO 3 @TA microspheres in the waterborne coatings, the TA conversion film and the BTA inhibitor protection film, which formed on the steel surface in situ. This synergistic strategy demonstrated its future application for protecting metals from corrosion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] A fluorescence-based ferric ion-sensing glass slides were described. [•] A naphthalimide derivative was photo-copolymerized on the surface of glass slides. [•] The Fe3+ sensor shows high selectivity in 100% aqueous solution. [•] The sensor exhibits sufficient repeatability, rapid response and long lifetime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vanadium/L-cysteine (V/L-cys) hybrid films with favorable anti-corrosion performance were fabricated on copper substrate based on the coordination between Vanadium and L-cys. The characteristic adsorption of sulfhydryl groups (-SH) in L-cys on copper acts as a bridge for film formation, while the coordination between VO2+ ions and –COOH or NH 2 in L-cys repairs defects and enhances the density of film. The EIS results indicated that the corrosion protection efficiency of V/L-cys film was 99.6 %, which was much higher than that of single L-cys film (91.1 %). Moreover, the immersion test exhibited that V/L-cys film was capable of enduring 300 min of immersion in a 3.5 % NaCl solution, whereas L-cys film could only withstand 60 min of immersion. The durability of V/L-cys film showed a significantly higher level than that of L-cys film. [Display omitted] • A hybrid conversion film was fabricated on the copper surface. • Coordination between VO2+ and L-cys improve the performances of hybrid film. • The corrosion protection efficiency of V/L-cys film was 99.6 %. • The V/L-cys film exhibited excellent durability in NaCl solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Organic-inorganic hybrid film based on TGA and Y(III) were fabricated on brass. • TGA-Y(III) hybrid film is composed of a double-layer structure. • Well-ordered Y 2 O 3 grains formed by cathodic deposition prevented the pitting. • The adsorption mode of TGA on Cu(1 0 0) surface was parallel. • The presence of zinc in brass improved the deposition level of Y 2 O 3. The aim of the present research is to develop one new strategy to modify the brass surface with well anticorrosion performance. Here, utilizing the synergistic effect between thioglycolic acid (TGA) and Y(III), one organic–inorganic hybrid film composed of a self-assembled film at the top and an oxide film at the bottom was fabricated on brass surface. The formation process of the hybrid film contained the parallel adsorption of TGA molecules, surface oxidation of copper accompanied by zinc dissolution, interface deposition of Y 2 O 3 and assembly of Cu-TGA chelates. Electrochemical results indicated that the protection efficiency was 99.2% under the optimum conditions and the value remained at 92.1% after 12 h immersion in 3.5 wt% NaCl solution. Due to the good water solubility of the film-forming substance and excellent anticorrosion performance of the fabricated film, this strategy has important application potential in the field of surface functionalization of copper alloys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To update Schall's classification for Sjögren's syndrome (SS) by the new quantitative stimulation test with dynamic salivary glands scintigraphy (qsDSGS) and to standardize quantitative salivary gland scintigraphy. Methods: The histopathology, oral, ocular, serological examination and qsDSGS of 268 consecutive patients with suggestive SS were evaluated in this retrospective cohort study. The serological examination included 15 autoantibodies, antinuclear antibodies (ANA) and so on. The diagnostic thresholds of the functional parameters were set by the quantitative method, and the modified Schall's classification is well established and verified. Results: Based on the quantitative analysis of qsDSGS, the peak uptake level (PUL) and stimulation excretion fraction (sEF) of each parotid gland were determined as the key imaging features, which had good diagnostic performance for SS. By the modified Schall's classification, all patients were classified into: Class 1 (normal; n = 44), Class 2 (mild to moderate involvement; n = 130), Class 3 (severe involvement; n = 56) and Class 4 (very severe involvement, non‐function; n = 38). Using the threshold PUL ≤ 10 counts per sec/pixel as positivity, the modified Schall's classification could provide better diagnostic performance with 88.4% specificity, 71.3% sensitivity, 96.14% positive predictive value and 43.20% negative predictive value for SS (likelihood ratio 6.15). The trends of serologically positive frequencies against SSA/Ro, anti‐SSB/La and ANA were significantly increased with the new classification. Conclusion: The modified Schall's classification by the new stimulation test with dynamic scintigraphy is eligible to standardize quantitative salivary gland scintigraphy for SS, and may be more convenient and suitable in daily practice for clinical research and management of SS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Fluoxetine (FLU) is the first-line and widely used medication for depression; however, FLU treatment is almost ineffective in 30%-40% of patients with depression. In addition, there are some problems in FLU treatment, such as delayed efficacy, large side effects, and poor tolerance. Chaihu Shugan San (CSS) is a classic and effective antidepressant Chinese herbal medicine that has been used in China for thousands of years. CSS or coadministration of CSS and FLU has become one of the most recommended methods in the treatment of depression in China. However, the specific pathways of CSS and coadministration of CSS and FLU for antidepressant are still unclear. Objective. This study was designed to evaluate the antidepressant effects of CSS and coadministration of CSS and FLU. Methods. The chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) rat model was used to simulate depression. 120 healthy adult male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into seven groups: the control group, CUMS group, low-dose CSS group, high-dose CSS group, FLU group, coadministration of low-dose CSS and FLU group, and coadministration of high-dose CSS and FLU group. The rats in different groups were given different interventions. Then, the depression-like behavior and cognitive function were evaluated by the sucrose preference test (SPT), forced swimming test (FST), open field test (OFT), and Y-maze test. What is more, the antidepressant mechanism of CSS and coadministration of CSS and FLU were studied through BDNF mRNA, ERK mRNA, CREB mRNA, BDNF, p-ERK/ERK, and p-CREB/CREB levels in the hippocampus and frontal cortex by Western blot and RT-PCR. Results. Compared with the CUMS group, CSS and coadministration of CSS and FLU could alleviate the depressive symptoms and improve cognitive function in CUMS rats (p < 0.05); CSS and coadministration of CSS and FLU could increase the expression of BDNF, p-CREB/CREB, p-ERK/ERK, and BDNF mRNA, CREB mRNA, and ERK mRNA in the hippocampus and frontal cortex (p < 0.05). Besides, the high-dose CSS combined with the fluoxetine group was significantly better than the fluoxetine group and CSS group (p < 0.05). Discussion and Conclusion. Finally, we found that both CSS and coadministration of CSS and FLU play an antidepressant role, which may be due to the regulation of the BDNF/ERK/CREB signaling pathway in the hippocampus and frontal cortex. Among them, the coadministration of CSS and FLU can enhance the antidepressant effect of CSS or FLU alone, and the underlying mechanism needs further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heat stroke is a symptom of hyperthermia with a temperature of more than 40 °C, which usually leads to all kinds of physical discomfort and even death. It is necessary to study the mechanism of action of heat stroke on cells or organelles (such as cytotoxicity of heat) and the processes of cells or organelles during heat stroke. Recent studies have shown that there is a certain correlation between heat stroke and lysosome acidity. In order to clarify their relationship, Lyso-NIR-pH, a photostable Si-rhodamine-based near-infrared fluorescent probe, was developed for sensing pH changes in lysosomes during heat stroke in this paper. For Lyso-NIR-pH, a morpholine group is employed as the lysosome-targeting unit and a H+-triggered openable deoxylactam is employed as the response unit to pH. Lyso-NIR-pH can detect pH with a high selectivity and a sensitivity, and its pK a is 4.63. Lyso-NIR-pH also has outstanding imaging performances, such as excellent lysosome-targeting ability, low autofluorescence and photostable fluorescence signal, which are in favor of long-term imaging of pH with accurate fluorescence signals. Moreover, we successfully applied Lyso-NIR-pH to monitor lysosomal pH increases induced by chloroquine and apoptosis in live cells. Finally, we successfully applied Lyso-NIR-pH for monitoring changes of lysosomal pH during heat stroke. These results confirmed that Lyso-NIR-pH is a powerful tool to monitor pH change in lysosomes and study its possible effects. Image 1 • A photostable Si-rhodamine-based near-infrared fluorescent probe, Lyso-NIR-pH , was developed for pH in lysosomes. • Lyso-NIR-pH was successfully applied to monitor lysosomal pH increases induced by chloroquine and apoptosis. • Lyso-NIR-pH was successfully applied to monitor lysosomal pH increases during heat stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Radioresistance is the leading cause of treatment failure for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Therefore, screening the critical regulators in radioresistance and revealing the underlying mechanisms is imperative for improvement of therapeutical efficacy in NPC. Materials and methods: Our previous study has proved that miR-181a may serve as a pro-radioresistant miRNA. In this study, we explored the expression of miR-181a in NPC, especially in radioresistant NPC samples, by qPCR. Moreover, the clinical significance of miR-181a level was also analyzed. Furthermore, the functions of miR-181a, both in vitro and in vivo, were detected via a serial of assays such as CCK-8, plate clone survival, apoptosis, and xenograft tumor model. The downstream target of miR-181a was also validated by dual luciferase reporter assay and the roles of miR-181a's target in the regulation of NPC radioresistance were investigated. Results: The results revealed that miR-181a was significantly upregulated in NPC, especially in radioresistant NPC. MiR-181a level is positively correlated to lymph node metastasis and advanced TNM stages and negatively associated with overall survival rate in NPC. Ectopic expression of miR-181a in radiosensitive NPC cells, or overexpression of miR-181a inhibitor in radioresistant NPC cells, could enhance or impair the radioresistance of NPC cells supported by the results from both in vitro and in vivo, respectively. Mechanistically, dual luciferase report assay indicated that miR-181a could directly target RKIP. Moreover, both in vitro and in vivo experimental outcomes indicated that RKIP restoration and knockdown could antagonize the effects of miR-181a and miR-181a inhibitor in the regulation of NPC radioresistance. Conclusion: Collectively, the findings of this study proved that miR-181a is upregulated and promotes radioresistance by targeting RKIP in NPC. Targeting miR-181a/RKIP axis may be a valid path for reinforcing radiosensitivity and eventually improving the outcomes of clinical treatment in NPC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypochlorite (ClO−), one of reactive oxygen species (ROS), is closely related with many physiological and pathological processes. Especially as one of cellular reactive oxygen species in mitochondria, ClO− can induce mitochondrial permeability, which leads to apoptosis. Thus, developing an effective method which is able to sense ClO− in mitochondria is important. Although fluorescent probe has become a powerful tool for imaging ClO− in mitochondria, most of them suffered from phototoxicity to biosamples, autofluorescence, and photobleaching phenomenon due to their short-wavelength excitations and emissions. Based on advantages of two-photon fluorescent probe and far-red to NIR fluorescent probe, a mitochondria-targetable two-photon fluorescent probe with a turn-on signal in far-red to NIR region, Mito-TP-ClO , was developed for ClO− in this paper. Mito-TP-ClO is consisted of a triphenylphosphonium cations as a mitochondria-targetable unit and a structure of dibenzoylhydrazine as a response unit to ClO−. Mito-TP-ClO exhibited a high sensitivity and a high selectivity to ClO−, with a linear range from 6.0 × 10−8 to 1.0 × 10−5 M and a detection limit of 2.5 × 10−8 M. Due to its large two-photon cross section (267 GM) and far-red to NIR emission, Mito-TP-ClO exhibits excellent performances including low autofluorescence, photostable fluorescence signal, and deep tissue penetration (230 μM). Moreover, Mito-TP-ClO was successfully used to detect endogenous ClO− in bacteria-infected cells and inflammatory mouse model, which confirmed that Mito-TP-ClO is a powerful tool to monitor ClO− in mitochondria and study on effects of hypochlorite on mitochondria. Image 1 • A mitochondria-targetable two photon fluorescent probe Mito-TP-ClO with a far-red to NIR emission was developed for ClO−. • Mito-TP-ClO exhibited a deep tissue penetration of 230 μM for imaging ClO−. • Mito-TP-ClO was successfully applied to visualize endogenous ClO− in bacteria-infected cells and inflammatory mouse model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. FD (functional dyspepsia) is a common functional gastrointestinal disorder, which lacks effective and safe treatment. Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) has been applied in FD treatment for thousands of years with satisfactory clinical outcomes. Zhishi is a classical traditional Chinese medicine used to treat FD. Weikang pian (WKP) is made of flavonoids extracted from zhishi which could effectively alleviate the symptoms of FD. This research aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of WKP in FD treatment. Methods. This was a randomized, double-blinded and placebo-controlled clinical trial. The patients were diagnosed as FD according to RomeIII criteria. Then, FD patients were selected and assigned randomly to either WKP or placebo group. The subjects randomly received WKP or placebo for 4 weeks with 4 tablets each time, 3 times daily. The single dyspepsia symptom (SDS) scale and the gastric emptying function were measured before and after the treatment. Moreover, the safety of the trial and patient compliance were evaluated. Results. A total of 60 FD patients were eventually enrolled in the trial, among them 45 patients in the WKP group and 15 patients in the placebo group. The primary outcome was the SDS scale, including assessments of postprandial distension, early satiety, epigastric burning, and pain. The secondary outcome was the gastric emptying function. Compared with the placebo group, the symptoms of FD in the WKP group were relieved after 4 weeks of treatment (P < 0.05). Some minor changes appeared in the four groups, but there were no significant differences in gastric emptying parameters of GER (2-hour gastric emptying rate) and GET/2 (gastric semiempty time) (P > 0.05). Severe adverse events were absent. The compliance to treatment was 94%–96%, and there was no significant difference between the groups. Conclusion. WKP can relieve FD symptoms to some extent. This trial is registered with Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR): CTR 20132482. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin/furans (PCDD/F) have a great threat to the environment and human health, resulting in controlling PCDD/F emissions to regulation far important for emission source. Considering 2,3,4,7,8-pentachlorodibenzo-p-furan (PeCDF) identified as the most contributor to international toxic equivalent, 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF can be considered as the target molecule for the adsorption of PCDD/F emission from industries. With the aim to in-depth elucidate how different types of nitrogen (N) species enhance 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF on the biochar and guide the specific carbon materials design for industries, systematic computational investigations by density functional theory calculations were conducted. The results indicate pristine biochar intrinsically interacts with 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF by π-π electron donor and acceptor (EDA) interaction, six-membered carbon rings of PeCDF parallel to the biochar surface as the strongest adsorption configuration. Moreover, by comparison of adsorption energy (−150.16 kJ mol−1) and interaction distance (3.593 Å) of pristine biochar, environment friendly N doping can enhance the adsorption of 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF on biochar. Compared with graphitic N doping and pyridinic N doping, pyrrolic N doping biochar presents the strongest interaction toward 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF molecule due to the highest adsorption energy (−155.56 kJ mol−1) and shortest interaction distance (3.532 Å). Specially, the enhancing adsorption of PeCDF over N doped biochar attributes to the enhancing π-π electron EDA interaction and electrostatic interaction. In addition, the effect of N doping species on PeCDF adsorbed on the biochar is more than that of N doping content. Specially, the adsorption capacity of N doping biochar for PCDD/F can be improved by adding pyrrolic N group most efficiently. Furthermore, pyrrolic N and pyridinic N doping result in the entropy increase, and electrons transform from pyrrolic N and pyridinic N doped biochar to 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF molecule. A complete understanding of the research would supply crucial information for applying N-doped biochar to effectively remove PCDD/F for industries. • Pyrrolic N doping is stronger than Graphitic N and Pyridinic N doping. • N doping enhances π-π electron EDA interaction and electrostatic interaction. • Adsorption capacity can be improved by adding pyrrolic N group most efficiently. • N doped biochar can be applied to effectively remove PCDD/F for industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study endeavoured to accurately estimate the effects of urbanization on changes in temperatures during 1977–2014 throughout China. To this end, we (a) classified the stations using improved standards, (b) homogenized the mean minimum (Tmin), mean maximum (Tmax), and mean temperature (Tm) data series, (c) identified regions with different temperature trends based on the modified methodology, and analysed the regional changes in the background rural temperatures, (d) explored the relationships between the temperature trend effects of urbanization and the three indices of the urbanization intensity, and (a) calculated the contribution from urbanization on the regional scale. The results indicated the following: (a) After homogenization, several adjustment amplitudes were larger than 1 °C, the maximum value of which reached 7.84 °C. (b) China was divided into six regions with different rural temperature trends. Rural temperatures significantly increased throughout China with annual Tmin, Tmax and Tm changing rates of 0.424, 0.339, and 0.352 °C/decade, respectively. Throughout all of China, the maximum rates for Tmax, Tmin, and Tm occurred during the spring and the minimum rates for Tmax and Tm occurred during the summer, while that for Tmin was slightly lower in the winter than during the summer. (c) Significant correlations did not always exist between the urbanization‐contributed temperature‐changing rates and the indices of urbanization intensity, and the correlation coefficients varied under different conditions. These values were both positive and negative. The changes in the areas of the built‐up regions constituted the best correlation factors. (d) The percentages of the contributions of urbanization to the mean annual Tmin, Tmax, and Tm were −0.08, 0.21, and −0.09%, respectively. These results are beneficial for understanding the effects of urbanization on regional or global climate change to some extent. Six regions were identified with different rural temperature change trends in China. The maximum rates of the rural temperature occurred in spring in the whole China. Urbanization effects were complex on the variation trends of temperatures in China, and the amounts were neglectful on the regional scale in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]