Building an emission library of donor-acceptor-donor type linker-based luminescent metal-organic frameworks.

Luminescent metal-organic frameworks (LMOFs) have been extensively studied for their potential applications in lighting, sensing and biomedicine-related areas due to their high porosity, unlimited structure and composition tunability. However, methodical development in systematically tuning the emission properties of fluorescent organic linker-based LMOFs to facilitate the rational design and synthesis of target-specific materials has remained challenging. Herein we attempt to build an emission library by customized synthesis of LMOFs with targeted absorption and emission properties using donor-acceptor-donor type organic linkers.

Tuning and Directing Energy Transfer in the Whole Visible Spectrum through Linker Installation in Metal-Organic Frameworks.

While limited choice of emissive organic linkers with systematic emission tunability presents a great challenge to investigate energy transfer (ET) over the whole visible light range with designable directions, luminescent metal-organic frameworks (LMOFs) may serve as an ideal platform for such study due to their tunable structure and composition. Herein, five Zr cluster-based LMOFs, HIAM-400X (X=0, 1, 2, 3, 4) are prepared using 2,1,3-benzothiadiazole and its derivative-based tetratopic carboxylic acids as organic linkers. The accessible unsaturated metal sites confer HIAM-400X as a pristine scaffold for linker installation.

Linker Engineering toward Full-Color Emission of UiO-68 Type Metal-Organic Frameworks.

Luminescent metal-organic frameworks (LMOFs) demonstrate strong potential for a broad range of applications due to their tunable compositions and structures. However, the methodical control of the LMOF emission properties remains a great challenge. Herein, we show that linker engineering is a powerful method for systematically tuning the emission behavior of UiO-68 type metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) to achieve full-color emission, using 2,1,3-benzothiadiazole and its derivative-based dicarboxylic acids as luminescent linkers.

Plasma treated TiO/C nanofibers as high performance anode materials for sodium-ion batteries.

TiO has been a promising anode material for sodium-ion batteries because it is low-cost and environment-friendly. However, its electrochemical performance at high rates is still not acceptable. Herein, we synthesized a TiO/C nanofiber material by the electrospinning method, and introduced air plasma treatments to modify the obtained material.

Preparation of Nanofibrous Silver/Poly(vinylidene fluoride) Composite Membrane with Enhanced Infrared Extinction and Controllable Wetting Property.

Nanofibrous silver (Ag)/poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) composite membranes were obtained from a two-step preparation method. In the first step, the electrospun silver nitrate (AgNO3)/PVDF membranes were prepared and the influence of the AgNO3 content on the electrospinning process was studied. According to scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results, when the electrospinning solution contained AgNO3 in the range between 3 to 7 wt.

In-depth comparative transcriptome analysis of intestines of red swamp crayfish, Procambarus clarkii, infected with WSSV.

Crayfish has become one of the most important farmed aquatic species in China due to its excellent disease resistance against bacteria and viruses. However, the antiviral mechanism of crayfish is still not very clear. In the present study, many high-quality sequence reads from crayfish intestine were obtained using Illumina-based transcriptome sequencing.

Dissipation of excess excitation energy of the needle leaves in Pinus trees during cold winters.

Photooxidative damage to the needle leaves of evergreen trees results from the absorption of excess excitation energy. Efficient dissipation of this energy is essential to prevent photodamage. In this study, we determined the fluorescence transients, absorption spectra, chlorophyll contents, chlorophyll a/b ratios, and relative membrane permeabilities of needle leaves of Pinus koraiensis, Pinus tabulaeformis, and Pinus armandi in both cold winter and summer.

A novel single WAP domain-containing protein isoform with antibacterial relevance in Litopenaeus vannamei.

Single WAP domain (SWD)-containing protein is a small protein containing a whey acidic protein (WAP) domain at the C-terminal region. SWD-containing protein exhibits structural similarity to the family of serine proteinase inhibitors. As of this writing, some SWD domain-containing proteins have been identified in crustaceans, and their functions included antibacterial and anti-proteinase activities.

Introduction of two mutations into AroG increases phenylalanine production in Escherichia coli.

L-Phenylalanine is an important amino acid commercially, and therefore optimization of its manufacture is of interest. We constructed a range of mutant alleles of AroG, the enzyme involved in the first step of phenylalanine biosynthesis. Three single-site mutant alleles were constructed (aroG8, aroG15, and aroG29), which were then combined to generate three double-site aroG (fbr) mutant alleles (aroG8/15, aroG8/29, and aroG15/29).

A modified version of the digestion-ligation cloning method for more efficient molecular cloning.

Here we describe a modified version of the digestion-ligation approach for efficient molecular cloning. In comparison with the original method, the modified method has the additional steps of gel purification and a second ligation after the first ligation of the linearized vector and DNA insert. During this process, the efficiency and reproducibility could be significantly improved for both stick-end cloning and blunt-end cloning.

Recombinant Salmonella-based 4-1BBL vaccine enhances T cell immunity and inhibits the development of colorectal cancer in rats: in vivo effects of vaccine containing 4-1BBL.

Background: Immunotherapy with vaccines is attractive for the treatment of cancer. This study is aimed at determining the effect of recombinant Salmonella (SL3261)-based 4-1BB ligand (4-1BBL) vaccine on the development of colorectal cancers and the potential immune mechanisms in rats.

Results: In comparison with that in the PBS group, similar levels of 4-1BBL expression, the frequency of T cells, IFN-γ responses, and comparable numbers of tumors were detected in the SL3261 and SL3261C groups of rats.

Prevalence and distribution profiles of Candida parapsilosis, Candida orthopsilosis and Candida metapsilosis responsible for superficial candidiasis in a Chinese university hospital.

The Candida parapsilosis complex consists of C. parapsilosis sensu stricto, C. orthopsilosis and C.

A synthetic multi-epitope antigen enhances hepatitis C virus-specific B- and T-cell responses.

Combining results from previous studies, a multi-epitope antigen PCXZ against the hepatitis C virus was synthesized in this study. The antigenic specificity of PCXZ was determined by recognizing antibodies in serum samples from hepatitis C virus patients, but not from healthy subjects or subjects who had the hepatitis B virus. The characteristics of PCXZ immunogenicity were evaluated in BALB/c mice.

Attenuated Salmonella typhimurium carrying shRNA-expressing vectors elicit RNA interference in murine bladder tumors.

Aim: To examine whether attenuated Salmonella typhimurium (S typhimurium) could be used as an anti-cancer agent or a tumor-targeting vehicle for delivering shRNA-expressing pDNA into cancer cells in a mouse tumor model.

Methods: Mouse bladder transitional cancer cell line (BTT-T739) expressing GFP was used, in which the GFP expression level served as an indicator of RNA interference (RNAi). BTT-T739-GFP tumor-bearing mice (4-6 weeks) were treated with S typhimurium carrying plasmids encoding shRNA against gfp or scrambled shRNA.

[Molecular and phenotypic characterization of a VGII genotype Cryptococcus gattii XH91 isolated in China].

Objective: To characterize the molecular and phenotypic traits of the VGII genotype of Cryptococcus gattii isolate XH91 firstly isolated in China.

Methods: The serotype was identified by molecular method; multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) was performed based on 16 gene fragments both of nuclear and mitochondria genomes; the abilities of haploid fruiting, same-sex mating and opposite sex mating were all evaluated; the phenotypic traits including melanin production, capsule size, and growth at 37 degrees C were characterized.

Results: The isolate XH91 firstly isolated in China was serotype B.

Proliferating cells in suborbital tissue drive eye migration in flatfish.

The left/right asymmetry of adult flatfishes (Pleuronectiformes) is remarkable given the external body symmetry of the larval fish. The best-known change is the migration of their eyes: one eye migrates from one side to the other. Two extinct primitive pleuronectiformes with incomplete orbital migration have again attracted public attention to the mechanism of eye migration, a subject of speculation and research for over a century.

Perilla frutescens seed agar, a new medium for identification of the Cryptococcus species complex: evaluation for all major molecular types.

Here we present a new and simple medium made by Perilla frutescens seed as a tool for identification of the Cryptococcus species complex, namely Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii. Its usefulness was evaluated for all major molecular types within the Cryptococcus species complex. As a result, this medium is better for identification of the species complex compared with Guizotia abyssinica or Helianthus annuus seed medium.

Rapid differentiation of VGII/AFLP6 genotype within Cryptococcus gattii by polymerase chain reaction.

VGII/AFLP6 genotype, also considered to be a cryptic species within Cryptococcus gattii, is an emerging pathogen and always related to higher incidence of C. gattii infection. Here, a polymerase chain reaction-based method with specific primers was developed to rapid differentiation of this emerging pathogen.

The PADI4 gene does not contribute to genetic susceptibility to rheumatoid arthritis in Chinese Han population.

The Peptidyl arginine deiminase, type IV (PADI4) gene has been suggested to have an association with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in several populations. But its role in Chinese RA is not clarified. We investigated five single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of PADI4 as PADI4-89 (rs11203366), PADI4-90 (rs11203367), PADI4-92 (rs874881) PADI4-94 (rs2240340), and PADI4-104 (rs1748033) in Chinese Han population.

Enzymatic synthesis of 2'-deoxyadenosine and 6-methylpurine-2'-deoxyriboside by Escherichia coli DH5alpha overexpressing nucleoside phosphorylases from Escherichia coli BL21.

Genes encoding purine nucleoside phosphorylase (deo D), uridine phosphorylase (udp) and thimidine phosphorylase (deo A) from Escherichia coli BL21 were cloned and overexpressed in E. coli DH5alpha. The recombinant strains were employed to synthesize 2'-deoxyadenosine (dAR) and 6-methylpurine-2'-deoxyriboside (MePdR).

The treatment and prevention of mouse melanoma with an oral DNA vaccine carried by attenuated Salmonella typhimurium.

Therapeutic vaccines of cancer are attractive for their capacity of breaking the immune tolerance and invoking long-term immune response targeting cancer cells without autoimmunity. An efficient antigen delivery system is the key issue of developing an effective cancer vaccine. Attenuated Salmonella typhimurium as the carrier of cancer vaccine are able to transfer DNA from the prokaryote to the eukaryote and preferentially replicate within the tumor tissue.

A novel TTX-producing Aeromonas isolated from the ovary of Takifugu obscurus.

Puffer fish (Takifugu obscurus) from the Yangtze River of China were screened for tetrodotoxin-producing bacteria. An Aeromonas strain was isolated from the ovary of the puffer fish and was shown to produce tetrodotoxin; this strain was denoted Ne-1. The identity of tetrodotoxin produced by strain Ne-1 was confirmed by mouse bioassay, high performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass chromatography (LC-MS), and ELISA.

Computational identification of rare codons of Escherichia coli based on codon pairs preference.

Background: Codon bias is believed to play an important role in the control of gene expression. In Escherichia coli, some rare codons, which can limit the expression level of exogenous protein, have been defined by gene engineering operations. Previous studies have confirmed the existence of codon pair's preference in many genomes, but the underlying cause of this bias has not been well established.

The intrabody targeting of hTERT attenuates the immortality of cancer cells.

hTERT (human telomerase reverse transcriptase) plays a key role in the process of cell immortalization. Overexpression of hTERT has been implicated in 85% of malignant tumors and offers a specific target for cancer therapy. In this paper, we describe an effective approach using a single-chain variable fragment (scFv) intrabody derived from monoclonal hybridoma directed against hTERT to attenuate the immortalization of human uterine cervix and hepatoma cells.