Nickel/nitrogen-doped carbon nanocomposites: Synthesis and electrochemical sensor for determination of p-nitrophenol in local environment.

A novel electrochemical sensor was prepared using N-doped carbon mesoporous materials supported with nickel nanoparticles (Ni-NCs) for environmental p-nitrophenol (p-NP) detection in a specific geographical area. These as-prepared Ni-NCs were dispersed in polyethyleneimine (PEI) solution and modified onto a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) for electrocatalytic reduction of p-NP. The Ni-NCs-PEI/GCE showed a high Faraday current at -0.

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) non-specific lipid transfer protein StLTP6 promotes viral infection by inhibiting virus-induced RNA silencing.

For the first time it is reported that members of the nsLTP protein family could promote viral infection by inhibiting virus-induced RNA silencing. Non-specific lipid transfer proteins (nsLTPs) are a class of soluble proteins with low relative molecular weight and widely present in higher plants. The role of nsLTPs in biotic and abiotic stresses has been studied, but no report has shown that nsLTPs play a role in the process of viral infection.

Ca homeostasis maintained by TMCO1 underlies corpus callosum development via ERK signaling.

Transmembrane of coiled-coil domains 1 (TMCO1) plays an important role in maintaining homeostasis of calcium (Ca) stores in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). TMCO1-defect syndrome shares multiple features with human cerebro-facio-thoracic (CFT) dysplasia, including abnormal corpus callosum (CC). Here, we report that TMCO1 is required for the normal development of CC through sustaining Ca homeostasis.

Risk of Rash in PD-1 or PD-L1-Related Cancer Clinical Trials: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Given that immune-related rash was the most frequently reported PD-1 or PD-L1-related skin toxicity, this systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to elucidate its incidence risk.

Methods: The meta-analysis was carried out according to the PRISMA guidelines. The random effect model was used in the process of all analyses.

Brain structure and synaptic protein expression alterations after antidepressant treatment in a Wistar-Kyoto rat model of depression.

Background: Structural MRI has demonstrated brain alterations in depression pathology and antidepressants treatment. While synaptic plasticity has been previously proposed as the potential underlying mechanism of MRI findings at a cellular and molecular scale, there is still insufficient evidence to link the MRI findings and synaptic plasticity mechanisms in depression pathology.

Methods: In this study, a Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) depression rat model was treated with antidepressants (citalopram or Jie-Yu Pills) and tested in a series of behavioral tests and a 7.

Development and Validation of an Automated Magneto-Controlled Pretreatment for Chromatography-Free Detection of Aflatoxin B in Cereals and Oils through Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy.

A chromatography-free detection of aflatoxin B (AFB) in cereals and oils through atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) has been developed using quantum dots and immunomagnetic beads. A magneto-controlled pretreatment platform for automatic purification, labeling, and digestion was constructed, and AFB detection through AAS was enabled. Under optimal conditions, this immunoassay exhibited high sensitivity for AFB detection, with limits of detection as low as 0.

Azide-Locked Prodrug Co-Assembly into Nanoparticles with Indocyanine Green for Chemophotothermal Therapy.

Fabrication of self-delivery drug systems can surmount low drug bioavailability and achieve a precise therapeutic process. In this study, a hydrogen sulfide-responsive (HS) small molecule prodrug was synthesized by linking two chemotherapy drugs, camptothecin (CPT) and gemcitabine (GT), using a reductive disulfide bond simultaneously with a lock GT strategy using a HS-responsive azide group (denoted as N-GT-CPT). The ingenious design endows the easy coprecipitation peculiarity of the prodrug with clinical indocyanine green (ICG) via a combined interaction force of hydrophobic, π-π stacking, and electrostatic interactions of anions and cations, thus producing a more stable and multifunctional therapeutic nanosystem.

Bacteria Wear ICG Clothes for Rapid Detection of Intracranial Infection in Patients After Neurosurgery and Photothermal Antibacterial Therapy Against Mutans.

Bacterial infection is one of the most serious physiological conditions threatening human health. There is an increasing demand for more effective bacterial diagnosis and treatment through non-invasive approaches. Among current antibacterial strategies of non-invasive approaches, photothermal antibacterial therapy (PTAT) has pronounced advantages with properties of minor damage to normal tissue and little chance to trigger antimicrobial resistance.

IDO Inhibitor and Gallic Acid Cross-Linked Small Molecule Drug Synergistic Treatment of Melanoma.

In this study, we synthesized a molecule GA-1MT (GM) composed of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) inhibitor (1-methyl-d-tryptophan, 1MT) called NLG8189 and gallic acid (GA) and verified its therapeutic effect on B16F10 melanoma cells and an orthotopic tumor-bearing mouse model. The synthesized molecule GM was analyzed by H NMR and mass spectrometry (MS). In addition, we confirmed that GM could mediate the immune response in the B16F10 cell tumor model by flow cytometry and immunofluorescence.

Bacterial Microbiome in the Phyllo-Endosphere of Highly Specialized Rock Spleenwort.

Bacteria communities associated with plants have been given increasing consideration because they are arguably beneficial to their host plants. To understand the ecological and evolutionary impact of these mutualistic associations, it is important to explore the vast unknown territory of bacterial genomic diversity and their functional contributions associated with the major branches of the tree-of-life. Arguably, this aim can be achieved by profiling bacterial communities by applying high throughput sequencing approaches, besides establishing model plant organisms to test key predictions.

Involvement of PtCOL5-PtNF-YC4 in reproductive cone development and gibberellin signaling in Chinese pine.

It is well documented that the CO/NF-YB/NF-YC trimer (NF-Y-CO) binds and regulates the FT promoter. However, the FT/TFL1-like (FLOWERING LOCUS T/TERMINALFLOWER1-like) genes in gymnosperms are all flowering suppressors, and the regulation model of NF-Y in gymnosperms is different from that in angiosperms. Here, using Chinese pine (Pinus tabuliformis), we identified a CONSTANS-LIKE gene, PtCOL5, the expression of which was strongly induced during cones development and it functioned as a repressor of flowering.

Polymerases and DNA Repair in Neurons: Implications in Neuronal Survival and Neurodegenerative Diseases.

Most of the neurodegenerative diseases and aging are associated with reactive oxygen species (ROS) or other intracellular damaging agents that challenge the genome integrity of the neurons. As most of the mature neurons stay in G0/G1 phase, replication-uncoupled DNA repair pathways including BER, NER, SSBR, and NHEJ, are pivotal, efficient, and economic mechanisms to maintain genomic stability without reactivating cell cycle. In these progresses, polymerases are prominent, not only because they are responsible for both sensing and repairing damages, but also for their more diversified roles depending on the cell cycle phase and damage types.

A Novel Preparation of Special-Shaped Phosphors-in-Glass by Gel Casting with Isobam for High-Power WLEDs Lighting.

Phosphors-in-glass (PiGs) regarded as a promising phosphor-converter for white light emitting diodes (WLEDs) is being researched widely. However, there are few reports on the effect of changing the shape of PiGs on the color rendering index (CRI) and heat dissipation of WLEDs. In this paper, gel casting with Isobam was first attempted in preparing special-shaped PiGs successfully.

Biochemical and Endocrine Parameters for the Discrimination and Calibration of Bipolar Disorder or Major Depressive Disorder.

Objectives: Conventional biochemical indexes may have predictive values in clinical identification between bipolar disorder (BD) and major depressive disorder (MDD).

Methods: This study included 2,470 (BD/MDD = 1,333/1,137) hospitalized patients in Shanghai as training sets and 2,143 (BD/MDD = 955/1,188) in Hangzhou as test sets. A total of 35 clinical biochemical indexes were tested, including blood cells, immuno-inflammatory factors, liver enzymes, glycemic and lipid parameters, and thyroid and gonadal hormones.

Two new Cd(II)/Zn(II) coordination polymers: luminescence properties and synergistic treatment activity with ultrasound therapy on uterine fibroids.

Through the self-assembly reaction of 5-substituted isophthalic acid and bis(imidazolyl) ligands with Cd(II) ion or Zn(II) ion, two new coordination polymers with the chemical formulae of [Cd(5-meo-ip)(bmip)] () and [Zn(5-pro-ip)(bip)]·2 n(HO) () (5-meo-Hip = 5-methoxyisophthalic acid, 5-pro-Hip = 5-propoxyisophthalic acid, bmip = 1,3-bis(2-methylimidazolyl)propane bip = 1,3-bis(imidazolyl)propane) were successfully obtained and structurally characterized by a series of characterization techniques. Moreover, compounds - show intense blue luminescence at room temperature. Furthermore, the assessment of their treatment activity on the uterine fibroids combined with ultrasound therapy was evaluated and the specific mechanism was investigated at the same time.

Antimicrobial and Immunoregulatory Activities of TS40, a Derived Peptide of a TFPI-2 Homologue from Black Rockfish ().

Tissue factor pathway inhibitor-2 (TFPI-2) is a Kunitz-type serine protease inhibitor. Previous reports have shown that TFPI-2 plays an important role in innate immunity, and the C-terminal region of TFPI-2 proved to be active against a broad-spectrum of microorganisms. In this study, the TFPI-2 homologue () of black rockfish () was analyzed and characterized, and the biological functions of its C-terminal derived peptide TS40 (FVSRQSCMDVCAKGAKQHTSRGNVRRARRNRKNRITYLQA, corresponding to the amino acid sequence of 187-226) was investigated.

Chemical synthesis of human selenoprotein F and elucidation of its thiol-disulfide oxidoreductase activity.

Selenoprotein F (SelF) is an endoplasmic reticulum-residing eukaryotic protein that contains a selenocysteine (Sec) residue. It has been suggested to be involved in a number of physiological processes by acting as a thiol-disulfide oxidoreductase, but the exact role has remained unclear due to the lack of a reliable production method. We document herein a robust synthesis of the human SelF through a three-segment two-ligation semisynthesis strategy.

Role of Licochalcone A in Potential Pharmacological Therapy: A Review.

Licochalcone A (LA), a useful and valuable flavonoid, is isolated from Fisch. ex DC. and widely used clinically in traditional Chinese medicine.

Consistency in the prevalence and associated factors of frailty determined by two instruments among hospitalised older adults: A cross-sectional study.

Aims And Objectives: To investigate the consistency in the prevalence and associated factors of frailty determined by the physical-originated Fatigue, Resistance, Ambulation, Illnesses and Loss of weight (FRAIL) scale and the multidimensional Tilburg Frailty Indicators (TFI) scale.

Background: Accurate assessment of frailty and the identification of its associated factors could guide the development and implementation of holistic and individualised treatment plan. However, recommendations regarding the selection of frailty assessment tools are inconclusive.

Preparation of the Flexible Green Body of YAG Ceramic Fiber by Melt Spinning.

YAG ceramic fiber, with its high thermal conductivity and easy to achieve limit size, provides design flexibility as a laser gain medium. Its mainstream forming method was mainly high-pressure extrusion, but there were disadvantages, such as lack of flexibility. In this work, the flexible green body of YAG ceramic fiber was prepared by melt spinning.

BMP4 Exerts Anti-Neurogenic Effect via Inducing Id3 during Aging.

Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling has been shown to be intimately associated with adult neurogenesis in the subventricular zone (SVZ) and subgranular zone (SGZ). Adult neurogenesis declines in aging rodents and primates. However, the role of BMP signaling in the age-related neurogenesis decline remains elusive and the effect of BMP4 on adult SVZ neurogenesis remains controversial.