Search

The way individuals handle daily stressors can significantly influence their mental health. Those who struggle with emotion regulation are especially vulnerable to the negative effects of stress. This study explored the role of catastrophizing, a maladaptive emotion regulation strategy, in shaping the relationships between daily stress responses and depressive symptoms. A total of 75 healthy college students participated in the study. We adopted an Ecological Momentary Assessment protocol over 14 consecutive days to capture the day‐to‐day dynamics of stress reactivity and recovery. Our findings indicate that individuals with higher levels of catastrophizing exhibited increased daily stress reactivity and delayed daily stress recovery, consequently raising their likelihood of experiencing amplified depressive symptoms. In contrast, those with lower levels of catastrophizing did not experience the same negative effects of increased daily stress reactivity on their mental health. These results enhance understanding of how real‐life stressors contribute to the development of mental health issues and underscore the importance of adaptive emotion regulation for improved overall health and well‐being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses personalized therapy for endometriosis based on the expression of estrogen receptors α (ERα) and β (ERβ). Endometriosis is a chronic disease characterized by the growth of endometrial tissue outside the uterus, causing pain and infertility. Current treatment options include surgery and estrogen suppression therapy, but they have limitations and side effects. The study found that ovarian endometrioma (OMA) subtype of endometriosis showed the most significant response to estrogen suppression treatment by affecting ESR2. However, further research is needed to validate these findings and develop personalized treatments for different subtypes of endometriosis. [Extracted from the article]

The quantum digital signature (QDS) has become a popular research topic in the field of quantum information, due to its information-theoretic security on signing signatures. However, weak coherent sources are often utilized as light sources in most previous QDS protocols, resulting in relative limited secure transmission distance. Here, we propose a four-intensity decoy-state QDS scheme based on heralded single-photon sources (HSPS) and present a concise security analysis in the finite-size scenario. Furthermore, we carry out corresponding experimental demonstrations, and successfully sign messages at 14.4 dB and 24.4 dB, verifying the good performance of implementing QDS with HSPS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents an approach for the electrochemical oxidation ring‐opening/cyclization reaction of methylcyclopropane with diselenides/ditellurides, leading to the synthesis of diverse 2‐substituted‐3,4‐dihydronaphthalene derivatives with exceptional selectivity and efficiency. This methodology involves C(sp3)−H functionalization, ring opening and cyclization processes. One characteristic of this method is its ability to accommodate a wide range of substrates with various functional groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The friction properties of graphene at the microscale are important for its application as a solid lubricant in micro-/nano-electromechanical system components. In this work, the friction properties of graphene under the action of a 5-μm-diameter microsphere probe are investigated using atomic force microscopy. A special phenomenon was found that the friction coefficient changed from positive to negative during the unloading process on different thicknesses of graphene. The applied normal load corresponding to the turning point of friction coefficient was not subject to the variation of the unloading range but increased with the increment of graphene thickness. Different stick–slip behaviors were observed, demonstrating the main reason for the above frictional characteristics is out-of-plane deformation. The anomalous friction between the contact interface of the microsphere probe and the graphene discussed broadens new horizons for the frictional properties of graphene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fluctuation patterns of physiological response after acute stress might indicate one's coping potential with stress, yet this relationship has not been widely examined. The present study investigated how Locus of Control (LOC) can influence cortisol and HR responses in an uncontrollable stressful situation. Seventy‐three participants were exposed to acute stress through the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) after finishing the LOC measures. Multilevel regression results suggested that a curvilinear function best captured the shape of the cortisol trajectories which was further moderated by the level of internal LOC. Moreover, higher internality was associated with greater cortisol reactivity and faster recovery. Our study reveals the link between internal control and endocrine stress response. Finally, cortisol upregulation was discussed, as well as the internality‐related accelerated recovery of cortisol, which may be involved in the effect of motivation arousal for better adaptation. Using increased sampling points and refined modeling technique, we found that individuals with strong control beliefs (i.e., higher level of internal locus of control) showed stronger cortisol response to acute stress. We also provide methodology to gauge the individual differences in their cortisol response. These findings add new knowledge regarding the interplay between traits and states in stress coping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synthesis technologies can be used directly and selectively to construct two different heterocycles from one substrate. Herein, we introduce a mild and efficient electrochemical oxidative strategy to construct alkoxylated 4H-3,1-benzoxazines and indolines. High atom efficiency and transition metal- and oxidant-free conditions are the striking features of this protocol. In a simple undivided cell, various olefinic amides and alcohols react to generate 40 examples of benzoxazines and indolines. This radical cascade reaction provides a facile method for constructing C–O bonds in one step. Furthermore, most of the compounds exhibit good inhibitory activity on tumour cell lines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sodium zirconium phosphate (labeled as NZP)-monazite-type (1-x)Sr0.5Zr2(PO4)3–xCePO4 (x = 0–1.0) composite ceramics, which were designed to simultaneously immobilize simulated fission nuclide Sr and variable valence actinide nuclide Ce, were in situ prepared by one-step microwave sintering technique. The feasibility of Sr/Ce co-immobilization was evaluated via an investigation on the phase evolution, microstructure, density, Vickers hardness, and chemical stability of the composite ceramics. The Ce valence state in the composite ceramics was further ascertained by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. It was shown that the Sr/Ce co-immobilized composite ceramics only consisted of Sr0.5Zr2(PO4)3 and CePO4 crystalline phases that were compatible well to each other. Sr and Ce were independently incorporated into Sr0.5Zr2(PO4)3 phase and CePO4 phase, respectively. The valence state of Ce in composite ceramics existed in trivalent state. And the existence of CePO4 phase caused the grain refinement and facilitated the densification of the composite ceramics. The composite samples all showed a highly uniform and dense microstructure, whose relative density was higher than 95% and Vickers hardness could attain 774 HV1. Importantly, the series of Sr0.5Zr2(PO4)3–CePO4 composite ceramics exhibited higher chemical stability than that of the monophase Sr0.5Zr2(PO4)3 or CePO4 ceramics, in which the normalized leaching rates of Sr and Ce were below 10−4 g·m−2·day−1 and 10−7 g·m−2·day−1 order of magnitude, respectively. The NZP-monazite-type composite ceramics has the potential to be a host for the disposal of high-level nuclear wastes containing multiple radionuclides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I) transactivator, nucleotide binding oligomerization domain-like receptor family caspase recruitment domain containing 5 (NLRC5), serves as a target for immune evasion in many cancers, including endometrial cancer (EC). An inhibition of autophagy can contribute to immunotherapy by assisting the MHC-I-mediated antigen presentation in cancer. However, the underlying mechanism for autophagy-regulated MHC-I in EC remains unclear. In this study, we found that autophagy was upregulated in EC tissues when compared to that in normal endometrial tissues. MHC I and NLRC5 expressions were lower in EC endometrium than in normal endometrium. Autophagy inhibited the MHC-I genes expression in vitro. Furthermore, a negative correlation was found between NLRC5 and LC3 levels, and LC3 interacted with NLRC5 to inhibit NLRC5-mediated MHC-I antigen presentation pathway in vitro and in vivo. Thus, our findings demonstrated that an upregulation of LC3 in EC patients may contribute to tumor immune escape by restricting the NLRC5-mediated MHC-I antigen presentation pathway, signifying inhibiting LC3 and promoting NLRC5 may be a promising immunotherapy strategy in the management of EC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A reliable and robust colorimetric assay for highly selective detection of intact S. aureus employing nanoceria as chromatic agents. [Display omitted] • Glucose oxidase was employed to in situ produce H 2 O 2 in immunoassay. • Stable nanoceria was used as quantitative chromogenic indicators. • Capture antibody-bacteria-aptamer configuration was adopted in this assay. • The immunoassay has demonstrated functionality for S. aureus detection in real samples. Rapid and reliable detection of foodborne pathogens is a key requirement for food safety. Traditional rapid ELISA methods assessed by the ability of horseradish peroxidase to oxidize a chromogenic substrate such as 3, 3′, 5, 5′-tetramethylbenzidine in the presence of H 2 O 2 may result in the high rate of negative responses because of the instability of H 2 O 2 and product. Here, we report the use of redox active nanoceria as colorimetric indicator in immunoassay taking Staphylococcus aureus as a model. The nanoceria is fully water-soluble and can be stored as least 90 days in the refrigerator while maintaining the same performance. Moreover, it does not require external H 2 O 2 , as glucose oxidase used in the immunoassay can catalyze the oxidation of glucose to produce H 2 O 2 in situ , which is more robust in signal readout. Taken together, these results demonstrate that nanoceria are potentially suitable as colorimetric substrate in the development of novel enzyme immunoassays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the effect of Inca peanut seed albumin fraction (IPA) on the rheological, thermal and microstructural properties of native corn starch (NCS) was firstly studied. Compared to the NCS, IPA addition could obviously decrease the transparency of NCS, and the transparency of NCS and NCS-IPA suspensions decreased during the storage time. The textural paraments of NCS pastes with or without IPA reached to the maximum at a concentration of 5%. Steady shear rheological tests showed that all systems were non-Newtonian fluid, and the consistency coefficient (K) values reached to the maximum at 5% IPA concentration. The storage and loss modulus values of NCS-IPA pastes were higher than those of NCS pastes, and curves of loss angle (tan δ) indicated that all pastes were typical weak gel. With the increasing addition of IPA, DSC analysis showed that the thermal properties (To , Tp and Tc) of NCS were significantly changed, whereas, there was no distinct difference in the enthalpy. Microscopy illustrated that there were some wrinkle shrinkage and severe folds on the NCS-IPA granules. Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy showed that the hydrogen bonding was primarily interaction forces between IPA and NCS molecules. • The interaction between Inca peanut seed albumin fraction (IPA) and native corn starch (NCS) was firstly studied. • Physicochemical properties of NCS were changed after adding IPA. • The structure of starch molecules was changed after additional of IPA. • The molecular interaction forces between NCS and IPA were hydrogen bonds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To comprehend the intricate interplay of five common food polysaccharides, κ-Carrageenan (KC), konjac glucomannan (KGM), locust bean gum (LBG), low-acyl gellan gum (LAG), and sodium alginate (SA), within composite polysaccharide gels, widely employed for textural modulation and flavor enhancement. This study systematically modulates the quantities of these five polysaccharides to yield six distinct multi-polysaccharide gels. The unique impact of each polysaccharide on the overall quality of composite gels were studied by thermostability, microstructure, water-holding capacity (WHC), texture, and sensory attributes. The findings unequivocally manifest the phenomenon of thermoreversible gelation in all composite gels, except for the KC-devoid sample, which displayed an inability to solidify. Notably, KGM, LBG, and LAG emerged as pivotal enhancers of the network structure in these composite gels, while SA was identified as a promotor of layered structure, resulting in a reduction of surface hardness. Leveraging principal component analysis (PCA) to analyzed 14 critical evaluation parameters of the five multi-polysaccharide gels, revealing the order as follows: KC > KGM > SA > LAG > LBG. These findings would imparts valuable insights into the pragmatic utilization of multi-polysaccharide gels for the development of food products (e.g. Bobo balls in milk tea) with tailored textural and sensory attributes. [Display omitted] • Quaternary/quinary polysaccharide gels based on KC, KGM, LBG, LAG and SA prepared • Different polysaccharides affect gel microstructure and texture differently • KGM, LBG and LAG enhance the gel network while SA promotes a layered structure • Polysaccharides' effects on composite gel quality follow KC > KGM > SA > LAG > LBG [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Amino-terminated graphitic CDs was engineered for Golgi apparatus targeting. • This CDs were successfully applied for monitoring dynamic changes of the Golgi morphology. • Local polarity changes in Golgi apparatus can be tracked with CDs. Cellular polarity plays a crucial role in numerous pathological and biological processes. For example, the polarity of the Golgi apparatus strongly influences the intracellular protein processing and transport. The development of fluorescent probes for tracking of subcellular levels of polarity changes remains a great challenge. Herein, amino-terminated carbon dots (CDs) which have superior Golgi apparatus targeting ability and polarity-sensitive property were designed and fabricated by the mixing of p-phenylenediamine and ethylenediamine through a simple solvothermal route. CDs allowed effectively imaging of Golgi apparatus morphological dynamics during cell division and cell death, while folic acid-conjugated CDs possessed high folate-receptor binding affinity and could be used to identify cancer cells. Importantly, the Golgi polarity in apoptotic cells was found to be higher than that of non-apoptotic cells. This work provided a reliable and robust way to real-time track the changes of Golgi apparatus and the local polarity variation, implying the great potential of CDs for the apoptosis evaluation and therapeutic drug screening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immunotherapy is an emerging clinical approach that has gained traction over the past decade as a novel treatment option for lung cancer and melanoma. Notably, researchers have made marked improvements in the treatment of endometrial cancer (EC), and potential immune responses have been identified in patients with EC, thereby offering the possibility of exploring immunotherapy for EC. Nevertheless, various needs remain unmet, and immunotherapy applications in EC have yielded limited success, as only a minority of patients exhibited a clinical response. Therefore, further understanding of immune dysfunction associated with EC is still required. The present review describes recent findings regarding the immunosuppressive microenvironment of EC, with emphasis on immune evasion mechanisms and immunotherapy in EC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sodium Zirconium Phosphate (NaZr 2 (PO 4) 3 , hereinafter NZP) and monazite are both potential materials for immobilization of nuclear waste. In this work, novel (1- x)Sr 0.5 Zr 2 (PO 4) 3 - x NdPO 4 composite ceramics (x = 0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, and 1.0) for simultaneously immobilizing the simulated fission product (FP) Sr and trivalent minor actinide (MA) Nd were prepared by one-step microwave sintering technique, in which Sr and Nd were immobilized into NZP and monazite type structures, respectively. The phase evolution and microstructure of the samples were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman, and backscattering scanning electron microscopy (BSE). The results showed that the expected composite ceramics were successfully obtained by one-step microwave sintering at 1050 °C for 2 h. The as-prepared samples consisted of Sr 0.5 Zr 2 (PO 4) 3 and NdPO 4 phases, and the content of the two phases varied regularly as x changed, generally conforming to the designed nominal chemical composition. Importantly, the composite ceramics presented the homogenous and dense microstructure. The relative density of the composite ceramics was more than 95%, meanwhile, the Vickers-hardness of the samples was higher than 600 MPa. It was indicated that NZP-monazite type composite ceramics could be a potential matrix for the simultaneous immobilization of actinide and fission product. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Colorectal cancer cells spread to the liver and crosstalk with the microenvironment, and hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) are the major stromal components in the liver. However, the role of the interaction between colorectal tumor cells and HSCs in chemotherapeutic resistance remains unclear. The present study aimed to determine the mechanism of colorectal tumor cells educating the HSCs to reprogram the metabolism of adjacent tumor cells and fuel themselves in the metastatic microenvironment of the liver. Patients and Methods: Immunohistochemistry (IHC) examined the expression of the monocarboxylate transporters 1 (MCT1) and lactate dehydrogenase B (LDHB) in colorectal liver metastases (CRLM). The Mann–Whitney U-tests analyzed the association between IL-6 levels and clinical parameters. The mechanisms of normoxic tumor-derived exosomes in the education of HSCs were investigated using IHC and ELISA. The conditioned medium of activated HSCs in the regulation of hypoxic tumor cells was analyzed by CCK-8 and cell apoptosis assays. Results: The expression of MCT1 and LDHB was high in the liver metastases of irinotecan-resistant patients, and the high level of IL-6 in the plasma of patients with CRLM was associated with poor response to irinotecan-based chemotherapy. The colorectal tumor-derived exosomes activated HSCs to secrete excessive IL-6. Furthermore, the conditioned medium of activated HSCs enhanced the lactate metabolism of hypoxic tumor cells by activating the IL-6/STAT3 pathway and upregulating the downstream MCT1 and LDHB, in order to confer the resistance of SN38, which is the active metabolite of irinotecan. Conclusion: Taken together, the cultured supernatant of normoxic exosome-educated HSCs enhances the lactate metabolism of hypoxic tumor cells via the IL-6/STAT3 pathway, in order to confer the SN38 resistance in a mimic liver metastatic microenvironment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the capital economic circle, Jing-Jin-Ji faces a serious shortage of land resource and a deterioration of the ecological environment owing to economic development. Alleviating ecological pressure has become a focus issue in the region. Extant studies have mainly focused on the ecological carrying capacity of individual regions, while it is lacking for the research on the ecological dependency relationship between the various regions. In this article, the authors analyze the ecological footprint transfer between Jing-Jin-Ji and China's other provinces by using multi-regional input–output method. According to the results, the metal/non-metallic mineral and agriculture industries in Jing-Jin-Ji exported a large amount of ecological footprint to the eastern coastal areas. However, the ecological footprint outflow of Jing-Jin-Ji can be attributed to Hebei province, with Beijing and Tianjin showing some net inflow. In interior Jing-Jin-Ji, Hebei has transferred large ecological footprint to Beijing and Tianjin, but Hebei has not achieved the equivalent economic benefits. Thus, Jing-Jin-Ji should further increase its dependence on ecological resources in other provinces; Hebei should especially reduce metal and agriculture product exports. Meanwhile, an ecological compensation system should be established to use the funds provided by Beijing and Tianjin to support the transformation of economic growth mode in Hebei. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autophagy captures and degrades intracellular components such as proteins and organelles to sustain metabolism and homeostasis. Rapidly accumulating attention is being paid to the role of autophagy in the development of cancer, which makes autophagy attractive tools and targets for novel therapeutic approaches. Functional studies have confirmed that autophagy dysregulation is causal in many cases of cancer, with autophagy acting as tumor suppressors or tumor promoters, and autophagy inhibitor or promoter has shown promise in preclinical studies. The autophagy-targeted therapeutics using chloroquine/hydroxychloroquine have reached clinical development for treating cancer, but these drugs are actually not efficient probably because of a reduced penetration within the tumor. In this review, we first discuss the discoveries related to dual function of autophagy in cancer. Then, we provide an overview of preclinical studies and clinical trials involved in the development of autophagy therapeutics and finally discuss the future of such therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural gas hydrate (NGH) is characterized as a potential energy resource. The commercial application of hydrate energy requires further development due to the complexity of hydrate exploitation. The particle size significantly affects the exchange ability of gas and water in the pores of the sediment during hydrate dissociation. In addition, sediment deformation during hydrate decomposition is generally correlated with marine disasters and requires further characterization. In this work, different quartz sand particle sizes were applied to simulate the sediment of hydrate reservoir. According to the data analysis, the formation and gas production rates of methane hydrate decreased with sediment particle size due to the difference of the specific surface area. In addition, the sediments exhibited different deformations after the hydrate dissociation. Smaller sediment particle sizes generated more obvious deformations following methane hydrate decomposition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the levels of NLRC5 and autophagy in women with leiomyoma and endometriosis and the correlation between NLRC5 level and autophagy level.Design: Case-control study.Setting: Clinics.Patient(s): Sixty-five patients were recruited: 30 women with endometriosis were compared with 35 women with leiomyoma.Intervention(s): Endometriosis was definitively diagnosed during surgery by laparoscopy or laparotomy and was confirmed by histopathological evaluation (n=30). Secretory phase ectopic endometrium tissues and eutopic endometrium tissues were obtained from 30 women with endometriosis. Control endometrium tissues were collected at hysterectomy from 35 women with leiomyoma. Immunohistochemical staining of NLRC5, LC3, Beclin1 and P62 were performed.Main Outcome Measure(s): A semiquantitative analysis was performed. Correlations between NLRC5 level and LC3, Beclin1, P62 levels were compared.Result(s): The expressions of NLRC5 and P62 in the ectopic and eutopic endometrium of endometriosis groups were significantly higher than that in the endometrium of leiomyoma group. And their expressions in ectopic endometrium were significantly up-regulated compared to the eutopic endometrium. The expressions of LC3 and Beclin1 were down-regulated in the ectopic and eutopic endometrium of endometriosis groups compared to the leiomyoma group. LC3 and Beclin1 levels were lower in ectopic endometrium than in the eutopic endometrium. There is a negative correlation between NLRC5 level and LC3, Beclin1 levels. There is a positive correlation between NLRC5 level and P62 level.Conclusion(s): There is a negative correlation between NLRC5 level and autophagy level. NLRC5 and autophagy combined may as promising predictors in patients with endometriosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common tumors, so far, there still aren’t good therapeutic methods. Looking for new targets makes a top priority. In this study, we found a OCT4 pseudogene, POU5F1B was significantly upregulated in HCC cells and tissues, patients with high POU5F1B had shorter survival time compared to patients with low POU5F1B expression. POU5F1B overexpression promoted HCC proliferation, while its knockdown inhibited HCC proliferation determined by MTT assay, soft agar growth assay, BrdU incorporation assay, and cell cycle assay. Mechanism analysis suggested POU5F1B could activate AKT, AKT inhibition in HCC cells with POU5F1B overexpression significantly inhibited cell proliferation compared to cells only with POU5F1B overexpression, suggesting POU5F1B promoted HCC proliferation by activating AKT. Finally, we analyzed the relationship between POU5F1B expression and AKT activity in HCC tissues, and found POU5F1B expression was positive correlated with activated AKT. Taken together, our findings suggested POU5F1B promoted HCC proliferation by activating AKT, and provided a new target for HCC therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 (TRPV4) is a highly Ca 2 + -permeable non-selective cation channel in TRPV family. Accumulating evidence hints that TRPV4 play a significant role in a wide diversity of pathologic changes. Fibrosis is a kind of chronic disease which was characterized by the formation of excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) components in tissues and organs. In recent years, a growing body of studies showed that TRPV4 acted as a crucial regulator in the progression of fibrosis including myocardial fibrosis, cystic fibrosis, pulmonary fibrosis, hepatic fibrosis and pancreatic fibrosis, suggesting TRPV4 may be a potential therapeutic vehicle in fibrotic diseases. However, the mechanisms by which TRPV4 regulates fibrosis are still undefined. In this review, firstly, we intend to sum up the collective knowledge of TRPV4. Then we provided the latent mechanism between TRPV4 and fibrosis. We also elaborated the distinct signaling pathways focus on TRPV4 with fibrosis. Finally, we discussed its potential as a novel therapeutic target for fibrosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is still a challenge to identify and control the outbreak of infectious diseases at their earliest stages because of the lack of ultrasensitive, rapid, and selective diagnostic technologies. We have developed and describe here a highly sensitive immuno-biosensor for the fast and unambiguous detection of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) by accompanying catalyzed reporter deposition with gold nanoparticle layer-modified plate which can significantly amplify the binding density of capture antibody. The captured RSV pulls down the horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-labeled detection antibody through sandwiched immunoreactions on the plate, where the HRP drives the deposition and accumulation of biotinalyated-tyramide molecules in the presence of hydrogen peroxide, in turn increasing the load of streptavidin-HRP by the biotin-streptavidin interaction. As a result, the developed immunosensor displays high sensitivity for the detection of RSV with a dynamic range from 0.05 pg/mL to 30 pg/mL and the lowest detectable concentration of 0.01 pg/mL. Intra-assay and interassay coefficients of variation are 2.63% and 5.52%, respectively. Furthermore, it can be adapted to the detection of RSV spiked in complex samples, showing good accordance with the conventional ELISA method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endometriosis is a chronic, estrogen-dependent disease and characterized by the implantation of endometrial glands and stroma deep and haphazardly into the outside the uterine cavity. It affects an estimated 10% of the female population of reproductive age and results in obvious reduction in health-related quality of life. Unfortunately, there is no a consistent theory for the etiology of endometriosis. Furthermore, the endometriosis is hard to diagnose in early stage and the treatment methods are limited. Importantly, emerging evidence has investigated that there is a close relationship between endometriosis and autophagy. However, autophagy is a friend or foe in endometriosis is puzzling, the precise mechanism underlying autophagy in endometriosis has not been fully elucidated yet. Here, we provide an integrated view on the acquired findings of the connections between endometriosis and autophagy. We also discuss which may contribute to the abnormal level of autophagy in endometriosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Steroid receptor coactivator-3 (SRC-3) is a member of the steroid receptor coactivator family, and it can promote proliferation and differentiation in human osteoblasts by modulating estrogen receptor activity. Previous studies have reported that allelic variation at the SRC-3 locus is significantly positively correlated with the lumbar bone mineral density in Caucasian men, but the relationship between SRC-3 and bone metabolism in postmenopausal women remains unknown. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the level of serum SRC-3 in postmenopausal women and its association with bone mineral density and bone turnover markers. METHODS: Fifty-five women with postmenopausal osteoporosis and 35 healthy postmenopausal women were recruited, and their serum levels of SRC-3, 25-hydroxyvitamin D, osteocalcin and procollagen I N-terminal peptide, beta C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen were detected. The bone mineral density of L1-4 vertebrae and femoral neck were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Serum SRC-3 level in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis was remarkably lower than that in healthy individuals. In addition, the serum SRC-3 level was positively correlated with lumbar bone mineral density, and negatively correlated with procollagen I N-terminal peptide and osteocalcin in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis. These results indicate that low serum SRC-3 level may be involved in the pathogenesis of postmenopausal osteoporosis and play a pivotal role in bone turnover. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work reports on a colorimetric platform for determination of chromium ions (Cr) and mercury ions (Hg) using silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) capped with cytosine triphosphate (CTP). The capped AgNPs were synthesized one-step by reduction of AgNO in the presence of CTP. It was found that such AgNPs aggregate in the presence of Cr. This results in a decrease in the intensity of the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) band at 390 nm and the formation of a new red-shifted band at 510 nm, and consequently a color change from yellow to red. Different from the Cr-induced aggregation of AgNPs, exposure to Hg causes the formation of a mercury layer around the surface of the AgNPs. This, in turn, causes the SPR absorption of the AgNPs to decrease and to undergo a slight blue shift, and this results in a fading of the yellow color. The findings are the basis of developing a new method for quantification of either Cr or Hg, with detection limits of 6.25 μM for Cr and of 0.125 μM for Hg, respectively. The method was applied to the determination of the two ions in spiked drinking water and lake water samples, and recoveries ranged from 94.5% to 101.3% for Cr, and from 96% to 108% for Hg, which is satisfactory for quantitative assays performed in water samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the first time, the scattering light of noble nanoparticles was applied for the simultaneous detection of dual cancer biomarkers. Two nanoprobes with dual scattering light colors were used for the simultaneous imaging of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) based on the sandwich-type immunoassay. Since AFP can combine anti-AFP-modified gold nanoparticles, which have green scattering light under the dark-field microscopic imaging (iDFM) technique, while CEA can conjugate anti-CEA-immobilized silver nanoparticles, which have blue scattering light, the simultaneous determination of AFP and CEA can be achieved by separately counting the number of green and blue light spots in iDFM. The mutual interference between the detection processes of AFP and CEA in the dual detection was investigated, and a negligible interference was found when the concentration of the antigen was in the range of 0.5-10 ng/mL, indicating the practicability of the simultaneous sensitive detection of dual targets. Furthermore, AFP and CEA in serum samples were also quantified directly without additional sample pretreatment, demonstrating the potential applications of the developed method in clinical diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, 0.6Sr 0.5 Zr 2 (PO 4) 3 -0.4Ce 1- x Nd x PO 4 (x = 0–1) multiphase ceramics were fabricated using a one-step microwave sintering technique, where Sr and Ce/Nd were utilized as the substitutes for the fission products 90Sr and actinide nuclides in high-level radionuclide wastes, respectively. The influences of Sr/Ce/Nd co-incorporation on the phase evolution, crystal structure, micromorphology, densification, and chemical stability of the as-prepared multiphase ceramic waste forms were systematically investigated. It was detected that the multiphase ceramics were composed of Sr 0.5 Zr 2 (PO 4) 3 (SrZP) phase and monazite phase regardless of x value, and (Ce, Nd)PO 4 monazite solid solution was formed with Ce/Nd substitution. Rietveld refinement results further verified the cell parameters of (Ce, Nd)PO 4 monazite solid solution regularly decreased with increasing Nd replacement, and the structural change of crystalline monazite did not affect the structure of SrZP phase. All samples presented a well-compacted and homogeneous microstructure, and their micromorphology did not change significantly with the replacement of Ce by Nd. Moreover, the relative density of the as-prepared multiphase ceramics all reached more than approximately 94.5 %, demonstrating excellent densification. Importantly, the good compatibility of SrZP and (Ce, Nd)PO 4 monazite phases brought out superior chemical stability. The normalized elemental leaching rate showed no significant change for different Ce/Nd substituted samples, whose normalized leaching rates of Sr, Ce, and Nd were about 10−4 g/(m2·d), 10−7 g/(m2·d), and 10−6 g/(m2·d) order of magnitude, respectively. It is demonstrated that SrZP-(Ce, Nd)PO 4 multiphase ceramics can be used as candidate materials for simultaneously immobilizing fission products and actinide nuclides of high-level nuclear wastes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The timely detection of infectious pathogen is critical in clinical early diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases. Plasmonic enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), by means of enzyme-mediated growth or aggregation of AuNPs, has received considerable attention because it allows a naked-eye detection of target in very low numbers. In this work, a dual-signal amplified plasmonic ELISA combined the high loading capacity of magnetic beads with the establishing stimulation effect of zinc ion has been developed to detect RSV as a model pathogen based on alkaline phosphatase-triggered dispersion of aggregated AuNPs. In ideal conditions, the proposed immunoassay can conveniently distinguish the concentration of RSV in a range of 0.1–30 pg/mL. In addition, the limit of detection of RSV of this immunoassay exceeds that of conventional ELISA by about 50 times. The high sensitivity makes this approach a good alternative to existing colorimetric immunoassays for pathogen detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • An innovative BPMA was synthesized by BPU and VB. • BPU and VB are chemically crosslinked by urethane bond, resulting in satisfactory compatibility of BPMA. • BPU exhibits an appropriate crosslinking density, which results in an improved ductility of BPMA. • BPMA shows a suitable construction allowance time and good working performance. Sustainable bio-oil, as a modifier and partial substitute for asphalt binder, is potentially reducing dependence on non-renewable petroleum asphalt in pavement engineering. However, unsatisfactory performance of bio-oil asphalt dramatically hinders the application of bio-oil in pavement engineering. In this paper, bio-oil based polyurethane modified asphalt (BPMA), an innovative way of modifying bio-oil asphalt binder, was explored to prepare a sustainable asphalt binder with satisfactory performance. BPMA was synthesized by virgin asphalt and bio-based polyurethane (BPU), in particular, BPU was pre-assembled by castor oil, isosorbide, and isocyanate. The formulation and synthesis process of BPU were investigated via mechanical property test and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Attributed to the addition of isosorbide, BPU exhibited a significant decrease in crosslinking density and a remarkable improvement in ductility. Furthermore, BPMA containing various contents of BPU at different curing duration were systematically studied by rotational viscosity, storage stability, fluorescence microscopy, FTIR, dynamic shear rheometer and bending beam rheometer to evaluate workability, compatibility, modification mechanism, working performances. Results showed that BPMA exhibited suitable workability, good compatibility, and satisfactory working performance. Moreover, the microstructure of BPMA transformed from VB-phase dominated island structure to BPU-phase dominated spatial network structure as BPU content increased. FTIR results indicated a combination modification mechanism of physical modification (effect of BPU) and chemical modification (chemical crosslinking between BPU and VB). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Indica rice starch nanoparticles (IRSNPs) were used for loading capsaicin (CAP). • Some chemical interactions between IRSNPs and CAP were elucidated. • IRSNPs delayed release of CAP in 50% ethanol solution, PBS of pH 1.2 and of pH 7.0. • The CAP concentration, diffusion and matrix erosion might impact CAP release from CAP-IRSNPs. Capsaicin (CAP) is an alkaloid with multiple physiological effects, but its application is difficult. In this research, indica rice starch nanoparticles (IRSNPs) based nanocarrier was used to load CAP to obtain capsaicin-loaded indica rice starch nanoparticles (CAP-IRSNPs). The microstructure, characteristics and in vitro release behaviors of CAP-IRSNPs were analyzed. CAP-IRSNPs presented average particle sizes of 617.84 ± 6.38 nm, encapsulation efficiency of 70.05 ± 1.78% and loading capacity of 13.41 ± 0.18%. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed that CAP-IRSNPs might be formed by hydrogen-bonding action. Differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction showed that IRSNPs influenced the crystallization and melting temperatures of CAP. In in vitro release study, CAP-IRSNPs exhibited a sustained release. The CAP concentration, CAP diffusion from matrix and matrix erosion might be the potentially possible mechanisms for capsaicin release from CAP-IRSNPs. These new results concluded that IRSNPs may be a promising nanocarrier for CAP or other hydrophobic bioactive ingredients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The time-spectral method (TSM) offers the advantage of increased order of accuracy compared to methods using finite-difference in time for periodic unsteady flow problems. Explicit Runge–Kutta pseudo-time marching and implicit schemes have been developed to solve iteratively the space-time coupled nonlinear equations resulting from TSM. Convergence of the explicit schemes is slow because of the stringent time-step limit. Many implicit methods have been developed for TSM. Their computational efficiency is, however, still limited in practice because of delayed implicit temporal coupling, multiple iterative loops, costly matrix operations, or lack of strong diagonal dominance of the implicit operator matrix. To overcome these shortcomings, an efficient space-time lower–upper symmetric Gauss–Seidel (ST-LU-SGS) implicit scheme with multigrid acceleration is presented. In this scheme, the implicit temporal coupling term is split as one additional dimension of space in the LU-SGS sweeps. To improve numerical stability for periodic flows with high frequency, a modification to the ST-LU-SGS scheme is proposed. Numerical results show that fast convergence is achieved using large or even infinite Courant–Friedrichs–Lewy (CFL) numbers for unsteady flow problems with moderately high frequency and with the use of moderately high numbers of time intervals. The ST-LU-SGS implicit scheme is also found to work well in calculating periodic flow problems where the frequency is not known a priori and needed to be determined by using a combined Fourier analysis and gradient-based search algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The time accuracy of the exponentially accurate Fourier time spectral method (TSM) is examined and compared with a conventional 2nd-order backward difference formula (BDF) method for periodic unsteady flows. In particular, detailed error analysis based on numerical computations is performed on the accuracy of resolving the local pressure coefficient and global integrated force coefficients for smooth subsonic and non-smooth transonic flows with moving shock waves on a pitching airfoil. For smooth subsonic flows, the Fourier TSM method offers a significant accuracy advantage over the BDF method for the prediction of both the local pressure coefficient and integrated force coefficients. For transonic flows where the motion of the discontinuous shock wave contributes significant higher-order harmonic contents to the local pressure fluctuations, a sufficient number of modes must be included before the Fourier TSM provides an advantage over the BDF method. The Fourier TSM, however, still offers better accuracy than the BDF method for integrated force coefficients even for transonic flows. A problem of non-symmetric solutions for symmetric periodic flows due to the use of odd numbers of intervals is uncovered and analyzed. A frequency-searching method is proposed for problems where the frequency is not known a priori. The method is tested on the vortex shedding problem of the flow over a circular cylinder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Qualitative and quantitative determination of lysozyme concentrations in urine and serum with high selectivity and sensitivity is important for diagnosing the progression of several diseases. In this report, we devised an improved method for specifically detecting lysozyme by combining magnetic nanoparticles (for separation and enrichment), an aptamer (for selective binding of lysozyme) and strongly scattering silver nanoparticles (AgNPs, for detection by light scattering, but also providing another level of selectivity due to their electrostatic binding with lysozyme). In this system, 0.4–30 nM lysozyme could be simply detected owing to the decreased light scattering of AgNPs in solution after magnetic separation, with a detection limit of 100 pM. In addition, lysozyme was also able to be semi-quantified by using the dark-field light scattering images of AgNPs after enrichment by the MNP–apt–lysozyme complex. Moreover, this design shows great promise for the robust and reliable detection of lysozyme in real samples, with a recovery rate ranging from 98.6% to 101.3% in human serum samples. Therefore, this assay provided robust measurements with good specificity, sensitivity, and tolerance of changes in the sample matrix. We expect that this MNP-based aptasensor may find utility in the accurate diagnosis of lysozyme-related diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endometriosis is a common gynecologic disease defined as the presence of ectopic endometrial tissues on the ovaries and pelvic peritoneum, and it is a significant cause of pelvic pain, dysmenorrhea and infertility of women in their reproductive age. However, the etiology of endometriosis remains obscure. In recent years, a growing body of evidence validated that hypoxia developed a close relationship with endometriosis and the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1α) was increased significantly in the development of endometriosis. Furthermore, inhibiting the expression of HIF-1α contributed to suppress endometriosis progression, suggesting HIF-1α plays a critical function in endometriosis. Nevertheless, the mechanisms by which HIF-1α associates with endometriosis are still undefined. In this brief review, we had a general understanding of HIF-1α firstly, and then we tried to sum up the collective knowledge of HIF-1α in endometriosis. Finally, we will discuss kinds of novel therapeutic approaches to endometriosis based on the functions of HIF-1α. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Respiratory viruses have become a major global health challenge which would benefit from advances in screening methods for early diagnosis. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is one of the most important pathogen causing severe lower respiratory tract infections. Here we present a novel surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) enzyme-catalyzed immunoassay of RSV by employing peroxidase substrate 3, 3′–5, 5′-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) as Raman molecule. Horseradish peroxidase (HRP) attached to the detection antibody in a novel sandwich immunoassay catalyzes the oxidation of TMB by H 2 O 2 to give a radical cation (TMB + ), which could be easily adsorbed on the negatively charged surface of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) through electrostatic interaction, inducing the aggregation of AgNPs and thus giving a strong SERS signal. A linear relationship was obtained between the Raman intensity and the amount of RSV in the range from 0.5 to 20 pg/mL, and the minimum detectable concentration of this SERS-based enzyme immunoassay was 0.05 pg/mL, which was 20 times lower than that found in the colorimetric method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Development of rapid, sensitive, and selective method for pathogenic bacteria detection is of great importance for food safety, medical diagnostic, and environmental monitoring. Currently, most techniques for low numbers of bacteria detection require advanced instrumentation or skilled operators. Herein, we present a facile colorimetric detection platform for bacterial detection using Ag nanoplates as chromogenic substrate, which takes advantages of the high specificity and affinity of aptamer and the ability of catalase to hydrolyze H 2 O 2 that can etch Ag nanoplates. By introducing catalase to the sandwich structure composed by dual-aptamer recognition strategy, bacteria detection signal is converted to the peak shift of LSPR and colorimetric change. This proposed method allows a fast naked-eye detection of S. aureus at the concentration of 60 CFU/mL based on the combination of streptavidin-biotin system and inherent sensitivity of plasmonic Ag nanoplates. Owing to the high selectivity and sensitivity, as well as the low-cost and good adaptability, this plasmonic assay is expected to be suitable for pathogenic bacteria detection in resource-limited settings. Dual aptamer-based plasmonic detection platform for S. aureus was fabricated using silver nanoplates as the signal transducer. [Display omitted] • Silver nanoplates are outstanding chromogenic substrates for the construction of plasmonic assay. • Dual-aptamer recognition strategy can achieve highly sensitive and selective detection of S. aureus. • RGB approach proposed could potentially be adapted for the development of low-cost, portable detection devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1α) is a regulated subunit of the hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF1), which functions as a key transcription factor in response to hypoxic stress by regulating genes involved in maintaining oxygen homeostasis. In recent years, a growing body of studies showed that HIF-1α was significantly increased in hepatic fibrotic tissues and activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). Furthermore, knockdown of HIF-1α expression inhibited the proliferation and activation of HSCs. In addition, HIF-1α-dependent genes and the extensive network of signaling cascades focus on HIF-1α have been reported to associate with the development of hepatic fibrosis, suggesting that HIF-1α might play a crucial role in hepatic fibrosis. However, the mechanisms by which HIF-1α regulates hepatic fibrosis are still undefined. In this review, we concentrate on multiple signaling pathways and genes related with HIF-1α which may be involved in the development of hepatic fibrosis, further discussing its potential as a novel therapeutic target for hepatic fibrosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposed a framework which attempted to incorporate articulatory information into the stochastic segment model based on Mandarin speech recognition system. According to the characteristics of the stochastic segment model, it used hierarchical artificial neural network to obtain the posterior probability of speech signal belonging to the phonemes. Then, it integrated the posterior probability into the stochastic segment model system in the first search process. Experiments conducted on "863-test" set show that about 5.93% relative improvement could be achieved in the recognition accuracy. Thus, it demonstrates the feasibility of the method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A speaker adaptation method of Stochastic Segment Model(SSM)is proposed. According to the SSM's characteristics, the theory of Maximum Likelihood Linear Regression(MLLR)method is introduced into the SSM-based systems. Continuous Chinese speech recognition experiment on "863-test" test suite shows that the proposed method makes the error rate of Chinese characters decrease obviously under different decoding speeds. Experiment results indicate that the proposal can also improve the recognition performance on the SSM-based systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] A green and facile method was demonstrated to synthesize reduced GO. [•] The FA-rGO sheets exhibited better biocompatibility. [•] The FA-rGO sheets were a more efficient energy acceptor than GO. [•] The FA-rGO sheets showed enhanced performance in H2O2 detection. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) mediates severe respiratory illness in infants and young children worldwide, and it is also a significant pathogen of the elderly and immune compromised. Due to the low infectious dose and high infectious rate of RSV, remarkably rapid and sensitive RSV detection is important for infection control and discovery of antiviral drugs. In this work, we described a highly sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) utilizing gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) for the detection of RSV. Gold nanoparticles were used as carriers of the signalling antibody anti-RSV–HRP (horseradish peroxidase) in order to achieve an amplification of the signal. Compared to conventional ELISA procedures, this assay resulted in higher sensitivity and shorter assay time in the range between 0.5 and 50 pg mL−1. The application of AuNPs to the enhanced ELISA showed acceptable reproducibility, stability, and could be readily applied to determination of other pathogens in clinical diagnostics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TRPV4, one of the TRP channels, is implicated in diverse physiological and pathological processes including cell proliferation. However, the role of TRPV4 in liver fibrosis is largely unknown. Here, we characterized the role of TRPV4 in regulating HSC-T6 cell proliferation. TRPV4 mRNA and protein were measured by RT-PCR and Western blot in patients and rat model of liver fibrosis in vivo and TGF-β1-activated HSC-T6 cells in vitro. Both mRNA and protein of TRPV4 were dramatically increased in liver fibrotic tissues of both patients and CCl4-treated rats. Stimulation of HSC-T6 cells with TGF-β1 resulted in increase of TRPV4 mRNA and protein. However, TGF-β1-induced HSC-T6 cell proliferation was inhibited by Ruthenium Red (Ru) or synthetic siRNA targeting TRPV4, and this was accompanied by downregulation of myofibroblast markers including α-SMA and Col1α1. Moreover, our study revealed that miR-203 was downregulated in liver fibrotic tissues and TGF-β1-treated HSC-T6 cell. Bioinformatics analyses predict that TRPV4 is the potential target of miR-203. In addition, overexpression of miR-203 in TGF-β1-induced HSC significantly reduced TRPV4 expression, indicating TRPV4, which was regulated by miR-203, may function as a novel regulator to modulate TGF-β1-induced HSC-T6 proliferation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In mammalian cells, E2F family of transcription factors (E2Fs) traditionally modulates assorted cellular functions related to cell cycle progression, proliferation, apoptosis and differentiation. Eight members, E2F1 E2F8 have been recognized of this family so far, and the members of this family are generally divided into activator E2F (E2F1––E2F3a), repressor E2F (E2F3b––E2F5) and inhibitor E2F (E2F6––E2F8) subclasses based on their structur–e and function. Studies have showed that the mammalian E2F family members represent a recent evolutionary adaptation to malignancies besides hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and a growing body of evidence has validated that the individual members of the family develop a close relationship with HCC. E2F1 was identified to play overlapping roles in HCC, while E2F2––E2F8 (except E2F6 and E2F7) showed to be tumor-promoter in HCC. However, the mechanism underlying the mammalian E2Fs associated with HCC is still unknown and needs further research. The aim of this review is to sum up the collective knowledge of E2F family and the roles of each member of this family in HCC. Moreover, we will discuss some novel therapeutic target for HCC based on the complicated functions of mammalian E2Fs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Combining the unique optical properties of metal nanoparticles and the specific recognition of aptamer, aptamer-nanoparticle conjugates have been extensively used in a wide range of applications, particularly multifunctional nanoparticles for cell detection and molecular imaging. Conventional conjugates prepared by chemisorption of monothiol-modified oligonucleotides onto nanoparticle surfaces suffer from a lack of stability when exposed to a variety of small molecules. If silver is used in place of gold, then this lack of stability is even more pronounced. In this study, we reported here the effective and facile strategy of preparing stable silver nanoparticle-aptamer conjugates by in situ generation of strong metal affinity capping ligands, dithiocarbamates modified anti-prion protein aptamer. The conjugates produced are stable and can withstand NaCl concentration at 0.25 mol/L. Meanwhile, they could be applied in the cellular prion protein imaging successfully. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A piezoresistive sensor is prepared by coating MWCNTs on a 3D PET/PE nonwoven. • The combination of PET/PE fibers and thermal coating enhances the coating fastness. • Human body motion can be precisely detected by the sensor. • A sensory network is further assembled to map the spatial pressure distribution. Wearable piezoresistive sensors have attracted increasing attention because of their important applications in wearable electronics, smart textiles and human–machine interaction. However, existing piezoresistive sensors still suffer from problems including expensive starting materials, weak bonding fastness between conductive substances and substrates, limited sensing range and poor comfort. Herein, we report a three-dimensional (3D) piezoresistive sensor based on a nonwoven substrate composed of highly crimped bicomponent fibers. The unique core-sheath structure of these fibers in combination with a thermally-assisted coating method ensures the swift and tight adhesion of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) on fiber surface, and thus making the nonwoven conductive. With the multi-layered fibrous structure, the resultant sensor exhibits good flexibility, high sensitivity (5.57% and 0.113% kPa−1 in the range of 0–7 and 30–131.32 kPa, respectively), broad dynamic sensing range (0–131.32 kPa), fast response/relaxation (105/156 ms), as well excellent breathability and long-term reliability. Versatility of this sensor is proved by real-time detection of both small and large human motions (such as pulse, speech recognition and joint motion). A sensor network containing 16 sensors is further developed to precisely map and recognize the position, shape and local distribution of pressure. Moreover, the sensor is fabricated by using affordable materials and scalable methods. Taken together, we believe this work may open up a new perspective for the design of high-performance wearable piezoresistive sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new spectrofluorometric method for cellular prion protein (PrPC) was developed based on the regulation of N,N′-bis[3,3′-(dimethylamino)propylamine]-3,4,9,10-perylenetetracarboxylic diimide (DAPER) fluorescence. As a perylene derivative, DAPER emits strong fluorescence in the form of free monomer in aqueous medium, but not in the form of aggregates. In this contribution, we found that the aptamer of PrPC could induce the aggregation of DAPER, and the bright fluorescence of DAPER was completely quenched. The quenched fluorescence, however, was recovered if PrPC was further added, which was ascribed to the specific binding of PrPC to its aptamer and the releasing of free DAPER monomers. This signalling mechanism makes it possible to detect PrPC by fluorescence spectroscopy. The assay allows the selective determination of PrPC in aqueous solution with high sensitivity and exhibits a good linear range from 0.4 to 1.6 nmol L−1. Moreover, this probe can be applied to monitor the level of PrPC in human urine samples with satisfactory results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]