Genome-wide association analysis and transgenic characterization for amylose content regulating gene in tuber of Dioscorea zingiberensis.

Background: Amylose, a prebiotic found in yams is known to be beneficial for the gut microflora and is particularly advantageous for diabetic patients' diet. However, the genetic machinery underlying amylose production remains elusive. A comprehensive characterization of the genetic basis of amylose content in yam tubers is a prerequisite for accelerating the genetic engineering of yams with respect to amylose content variation.

Dual roles of the Arabidopsis PEAT complex in histone H2A deubiquitination and H4K5 acetylation.

Histone H2A monoubiquitination is associated with transcriptional repression and needs to be removed by deubiquitinases to facilitate gene transcription in eukaryotes. However, the deubiquitinase responsible for genome-wide H2A deubiquitination in plants has yet to be identified. In this study, we found that the previously identified PWWP-EPCR-ARID-TRB (PEAT) complex components interact with both the ubiquitin-specific protease UBP5 and the redundant histone acetyltransferases HAM1 and HAM2 (HAM1/2) to form a larger version of PEAT complex in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Oxydextran-based photodynamic antibacterial nanoplatform with broad-Spectrum antibacterial activity.

The compounding of polysaccharide macromolecules and antibacterial agents always has been the preferred strategy to prepare antibacterial products, attracting increasing interest. Herein, a novel acid-responsive oxidized dextran-based nanoplatform (OTP NP) has been fabricated for photodynamic antibacterial therapy by combing photosensitizer monoaminoporphyrin (TPP-NH) with oxidized dextran (ODex) via the Schiff Base reaction. OTP NP of about 100 nm is composed of an inner hydrophobic core of 30 nm and peripheral polysaccharide macromolecules.

Quantum Dot Nanobeads as Multicolor Labels for Simultaneous Multiplex Immunochromatographic Detection of Four Nitrofuran Metabolites in Aquatic Products.

A multicolor immunochromatographic assay platform based on quantum dot nanobeads (QBs) for the rapid and simultaneous detection of nitrofuran metabolites in different aquatic products is documented. These metabolites include 3-amino-2-oxazolidinone (AOZ), 1-aminohydantoin (AHD), semicarbazide (SEM), and 3-amino-5-morpholino-methyl-1,3-oxazolidinone (AMOZ). QBs with emission colors of red, yellow, green, and orange were employed and functionalized with the corresponding antibodies to each analyte to develop a multicolor channel.

gw2.1, a new allele of GW2, improves grain weight and grain yield in rice.

Grain weight is an important characteristic of grain shape and a key contributing factor to the grain yield in rice. Here, we report that gw2.1, a new allele of the Grain Width and Weight 2 (GW2) gene, regulates grain size and grain weight.

A dicyanoisophorone-based fluorescent probe for hypochlorite with a fast response and its applications in bioimaging.

One kind of phenolic substituted dicyanoisophorone derivative (Is-OL) has been designed and successfully synthesized for the detection of hypochlorite in water samples, test strips and living HeLa cells. The probe Is-OL showed high sensitivity and selectivity to hypochlorite over other competitive ROS and metal ions. Moreover, Is-OL can react instantaneously with hypochlorite (<5 s) while exhibiting a significant color change from yellow to colorless, which makes "naked-eye" detection possible with a low detection limit (0.

Preparation of Mesoporous Silica Nanosphere-Doped Color-Sensitive Materials and Application in Monitoring the TVB-N of Oysters.

In this work, a new colorimetric sensor based on mesoporous silica nanosphere-modified color-sensitive materials was established for application in monitoring the total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) of oysters. Firstly, mesoporous silica nanospheres (MSNs) were synthesized based on the improved Stober method, then the color-sensitive materials were doped with MSNs. The "before image" and the "after image" of the colorimetric senor array, which was composed of nanocolorimetric-sensitive materials by a charge-coupled device (CCD) camera were then collected.

Freshness Identification of Oysters Based on Colorimetric Sensor Array Combined with Image Processing and Visible Near-Infrared Spectroscopy.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) could be used as an indicator of the freshness of oysters. However, traditional characterization methods for VOCs have some disadvantages, such as having a high instrument cost, cumbersome pretreatment, and being time consuming. In this work, a fast and non-destructive method based on colorimetric sensor array (CSA) and visible near-infrared spectroscopy (VNIRS) was established to identify the freshness of oysters.

Improvement of intestinal barrier function, gut microbiota, and metabolic endotoxemia in type 2 diabetes rats by curcumin.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is known as a complex genetic disease characterized by genetic and environmental factors. The imbalanced intestinal flora and intestinal mucosal barrier are considered to be related to T2DM. Curcumin has been proved to affect the progression of T2DM.

Hydrolytically Stable and Trifunctional Zirconium-Based Organic Frameworks toward CrO Detection, Capture, and Photoreduction.

Chromium Cr(VI) is frequently used in many fields and has been intensively researched for detection and/or removal from contaminated water. However, the existing approaches are still of low efficiency, high cost, and cumbersome in operation. It is thus highly imperative to hunt for alternative avenues to get out of the predicament.

Silicon-photonics multi-wavelength common-gain tunable laser providing both source and pump for an amplified transceiver.

We propose and demonstrate a silicon-photonics-based laser that outputs multiple independently tunable wavelengths using a single InP gain element. We use it to generate a C-band tunable source for a coherent transceiver and simultaneously a 1480-nm source to pump an Er-doped fiber amplifier on the transmitter output.

Silicon-photonic laser emitting tunable dual wavelengths with highly correlated phase noise.

A silicon-photonic tunable laser emitting two tunable wavelengths simultaneously is demonstrated. The laser consists of a single semiconductor optical amplifier that provides shared gain and a silicon-photonic chip that provides wavelength selections. A total optical power of 29.

Low-chirp push-pull dual-ring modulator with 144 Gb/s PAM-4 data transmission.

We experimentally demonstrate a low-chirp high-speed push-pull dual-ring modulator. The device is formed by two parallel cascaded add-drop ring modulators which has a Fabry-Perot resonance spectrally similar as electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) effect. Differential drive signals are applied to the two rings to shift the individual resonances towards opposite directions, creating intensity modulation with suppressed frequency chirp.

CXXC4 mediates glucose-induced β-cell proliferation.

Aims: CXXC finger protein 4 (CXXC4) is an identified negative regulator of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, and it is involved in cancer cell proliferation. In this study, we sought to clarify whether CXXC4 is involved in glucose-stimulated β-cell proliferation.

Materials And Methods: We investigated the biological function of CXXC4 in glucose-induced β-cell proliferation, and we investigated the underlying mechanism of this activity.

Vancomycin- and Strontium-Loaded Microspheres with Multifunctional Activities against Bacteria, in Angiogenesis, and in Osteogenesis for Enhancing Infected Bone Regeneration.

Biomaterials that have capacities to simultaneously induce bone regeneration and kill bacteria are in demand because bone defects face risks of severe infection in clinical therapy. To meet the demand, multifunctional biodegradable microspheres are fabricated, which contain vancomycin to provide antibacterial activity and strontium-doped apatite to provide osteocompatibility. Moreover, the strontium component shows activity in promoting angiogenesis, which further favors osteogenesis.

In vitro and in vivo evaluation of chitosan scaffolds combined with simvastatin-loaded nanoparticles for guided bone regeneration.

The objective of this study was to fabricate and characterize chitosan combined with different amounts of simvastatin-loaded nanoparticles and to investigate their potential for guided bone regeneration in vitro and in vivo. Different SIM-CSN formulations were combined into a chitosan scaffold (SIM-CSNs-S), and the morphology, simvastatin release profile, and effect on cell proliferation and differentiation were investigated. For in vivo experiments, ectopic osteogenesis and the critical-size cranial defect model in SD rats were chosen to evaluate bone regeneration potential.

Regenerating infected bone defects with osteocompatible microspheres possessing antibacterial activity.

Treatment of infected bone defects still remains a formidable clinical challenge, and the design of bone implants with both anti-bacterial activity and -osteogenesis effects is nowadays regarded as a powerful strategy for infection control and bone healing. In the present study, bioresorbable porous-structured microspheres were fabricated from an amphiphilic block copolymer composed of poly(l-lactide) and poly(ethyl glycol) blocks. After being surface coated with mussel-inspired polydopamine, the microspheres were loaded with nanosilver via the reduction of silver nitrate and apatite via biomineralization in sequence.

Surface modification of titanium with hydroxyapatite layer induced by phase-transited lysozyme coating.

Surface modification of titanium with a hydroxyapatite (HAP) coating can improve the bioactivity of pristine titanium. The traditional techniques for coating HAP on titanium involve nonmild treatments using strong bases or acids or high temperatures. In this study, the coating of HAP was carried out by a novel methodology called phase-transited lysozyme-assisted hydroxyapatite formation (PAH); in this process of biomimetic mineralization, the abundant functional carboxyl groups of phase-transited lysozyme (PTL) were responsible for the nucleation of HAP crystals by concentrating Ca ions at the interface between PTL and CaCl solution and for the subsequent growth of HAP crystals occurring in simulated body fluid (SBF).

A novel colorimetric sensor array based on boron-dipyrromethene dyes for monitoring the storage time of rice.

A novel colorimetric sensor array based on boron-dipyrromethene (BODIPY) dyes was developed to monitor the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) of rice at different storage times. The VOCs of rice at different storage times were analyzed through GC-MS combined with multivariate analysis, and the compound 18-crown-6 was found significantly changed during rice aging process. Aimed at 18-crown-6 with particular macrocyclic structure, a series of BODIPYs were targeted synthesized for the selection of sensitive chemically responsive dyes.

Topographical cues of direct metal laser sintering titanium surfaces facilitate osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells through epigenetic regulation.

Objectives: To investigate the role of hierarchical micro/nanoscale topography of direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) titanium surfaces in osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs), as well as the possible underlying epigenetic mechanism.

Materials And Methods: Three groups of titanium specimens were prepared, including DMLS group, sandblasted, large-grit, acid-etched (SLA) group and smooth titanium (Ti) group. BMSCs were cultured on discs followed by surface characterization.

Rapid biomimetic remineralization of the demineralized enamel surface using nano-particles of amorphous calcium phosphate guided by chimaeric peptides.

Objective: The objective of this study was to develop a rapid and effective method to remineralize human carious-like enamel using chimaeric peptide-mediated nanocomplexes of carboxymethyl chitosan/amorphous calcium phosphate (CMC/ACP), mimicking the mineralizing pattern of the oriented assembly of ACP guided by amelogenin in the biomineralization of enamel.

Methods: CMC/ACP nanocomplex solution was first synthesized through the successive addition of carboxymethyl chitosan, calcium chloride, and dipotassium phosphate into distilled water. ACP nanoparticles were degraded by 1% NaClO from CMC/ACP nanocomplexes.

Environmentally Benign, Rapid, and Selective Extraction of Gold from Ores and Waste Electronic Materials.

The extraction of gold from ores and electronic waste is an important topic worldwide, as this precious metal has immense value in a variety of fields. However, serious environmental pollution and high energy consumption due to the use of toxic oxidation reagents and harsh reaction conditions is a well-known problem in the gold industry. Herein, we report a new chemical method based on the combined use of N-bromosuccinimide (NBS) and pyridine (Py), which has a greatly decreased environmental impact and reagent cost, as well as mild reaction requirements.

Rapidly reconfigurable high-fidelity optical arbitrary waveform generation in heterogeneous photonic integrated circuits.

This paper demonstrates rapidly reconfigurable, high-fidelity optical arbitrary waveform generation (OAWG) in a heterogeneous photonic integrated circuit (PIC). The heterogeneous PIC combines advantages of high-speed indium phosphide (InP) modulators and low-loss, high-contrast silicon nitride (SiN) arrayed waveguide gratings (AWGs) so that high-fidelity optical waveform syntheses with rapid waveform updates are possible. The generated optical waveforms spanned a 160 GHz spectral bandwidth starting from an optical frequency comb consisting of eight comb lines separated by 20 GHz channel spacing.

Oriented and Ordered Biomimetic Remineralization of the Surface of Demineralized Dental Enamel Using HAP@ACP Nanoparticles Guided by Glycine.

Achieving oriented and ordered remineralization on the surface of demineralized dental enamel, thereby restoring the satisfactory mechanical properties approaching those of sound enamel, is still a challenge for dentists. To mimic the natural biomineralization approach for enamel remineralization, the biological process of enamel development proteins, such as amelogenin, was simulated in this study. In this work, carboxymethyl chitosan (CMC) conjugated with alendronate (ALN) was applied to stabilize amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP) to form CMC/ACP nanoparticles.

Exendin-4 protects HUVECs from tunicamycin-induced apoptosis via inhibiting the IRE1a/JNK/caspase-3 pathway.

Purpose: The abnormal increase of apoptosis of endothelial cells induced by endoplasmic reticulum stress is a significant factor for vascular disease, especially for atherosclerosis. Protecting endothelial cells from endoplasmic reticulum stress is a crucial strategies to combate these diseases. The goal of this study was to explore the effect of Exendin-4, a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist, on tunicamycin-induced apoptosis in human umbilical vein endothelial cells.