Catalytic generation of adsorbed atomic H for degradation of 2,2',4,4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether by mechanochemically prepared Ni-doped oxalated zero-valent iron.

In the homologous series of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), the debromination of low-brominated diphenyl ethers with higher toxicity remains a challenge. Nano zero-valent iron (nZVI) has been extensively studied for the debromination of PBDEs, but its inherent direct electron transfer mechanism is less efficient for low-brominated diphenyl ethers, and there are issues with high preparation costs. In this work, we synthesize Ni-doped oxalated submicron ZVI (Fe/Ni) using a low-cost ball-milling method.

Enhanced the removal of norfloxacin by oxalated zero-valent iron with rich surface Fe(II) sites activating the chlorite.

Oxalic acid-modified ball-milled zero-valent iron (OA-ZVI) was employed to activate sodium chlorite (ClO) for the removal of norfloxacin (NOR). The complete removal of 20 mg/L NOR was achieved within 60 min by the OA-ZVI/ClO process. Compared with the ZVI/ClO process which was the ball-milled zero-valent iron (ZVI) activate sodium chlorite, the reaction activity of the OA-ZVI/ClO process was increased by 102.

Molecular dynamics study on structural modulation and dyeing property optimization of meta-aramid in a DMSO/electrolyte system.

Meta-aramid (PMIA) fabrics are typically problematic to dye owing to their extremely crystalline structure and high compactness. Herein, Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and electrolyte as hydrogen bond regulators were selected to improve the dyeability of PIMA dyed with cationic dyes. The PMIA shows both high dyeing and mechanical properties as a result of the synergistic effect of DMSO and electrolyte in the system, which destructs hydrogen bonding networks and increase interaction energy density between dye molecules and PMIA, confirmed by a series of characterization and molecular dynamics simulations.

Rapid removal of decabromodiphenyl ether by mechanochemically prepared submicron zero-valent iron with FeCO·2 HO layers: Kinetics, mechanisms and pathways.

The utilization of nano zero-valent iron (nZVI) in polybrominated diphenyl ethers remediation has been studied extensively. However, challenges in balancing cost and reactivity have been encountered. A submicron zero-valent iron coated with FeCO·2 HO layers (OX-smZVI) was synthesized via a mechanochemical method, aiming to resolve this contradiction.

The diverse functions of Mu-class Glutathione S-transferase HrGSTm1 during the development of Hyalomma rufipes with a focus on the detoxification metabolism of cyhalothrin.

Background: Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) are a superfamily of multifunctional enzymes in living organisms with metabolic and detoxification functions, which can detoxify exogenous and endogenous compounds and thereby reduce the damage caused by toxic substances to the body. Ticks are obligate blood-sucking ectoparasites that can transmit various pathogens, and the characterization of tick-derived GSTs may help improve current understanding of the molecular mechanism of tick resistance to insecticides. In this study, a novel GST gene, named HrGSTm1, was identified from Hyalomma rufipes.

Sophorolipid modification enables high reactivity and electron selectivity of nanoscale zerovalent iron toward hexavalent chromium.

Nanoscale zero-valent iron is considered to be a promising nanostructure for environmental remediation, while increasing the electron selectivity of nanoscale zerovalent iron (nZVI) during target contaminant removal is still a challenge (electron selectivity, defined as the percentage of electrons transferred to the target contaminants over the number of electrons donated by nZVI). In this study, the strategy for increasing the reactivity and electron selectivity of nZVI via sophorolipid (SL-nZVI) modification was proposed. The results showed that the removal efficiency and electron selectivity of SL-nZVI toward Cr(VI) was 99.

The molecular and functional characterization of ferritins in the hard tick Hyalomma rufipes.

Background: The protein ferritin, which plays an important role in the maintenance of iron homeostasis, is indispensable for iron detoxification, resistance to oxidative stress and innate immunity. Ticks, which are obligate blood-sucking ectoparasites, have to deal with a large amount of iron when they take a blood meal.

Methods: Sequence analysis was undertaken using bioinformatics.

: A novel Kunitz family protein with versatile functions during feeding and reproduction of the tick .

As obligate blood-feeding ectoparasites, ticks secrete a great diversity of antithrombin molecules during feeding. In this study, a novel antithrombin gene named was characterized from the tick . It has an open reading frame size of 426 bp; it encodes 141 amino acids and has a predicted molecular weight of 15.

Zwitterionic polymer coated sorafenib-loaded FeO composite nanoparticles induced ferroptosis for cancer therapy.

Ferroptosis, as a form of cell death different from apoptosis, is very promising for the treatment of cancer in nonapoptotic systems. Since iron is a key component in the induction of ferroptosis in cells, the use of iron-based nanomaterials in treating cancer through ferroptosis is of great significance. Therefore, in this study, magnetic nanoparticles (MNP) were coated with the zwitterionic polymer poly(2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine) (PMPC), and then loaded with sorafenib (SRF) to obtain drug-loaded composite nanoparticles MNP@PMPC-SRF.

Phosphoproteomic Analysis of Saliva Reveals the Influential Contributions of Phosphoproteins to Blood-Feeding Success.

Tick saliva, an essential chemical secretion of the tick salivary gland, is indispensable for tick survival owing to the physiological influence it exerts on the host defence mechanisms the instrumentality of its cocktail of pharmacologically active molecules (proteins and peptides). Much research about tick salivary proteome has been performed, but how most of the individual salivary proteins are utilized by ticks to facilitate blood acquisition and pathogen transmission is not yet fully understood. In addition, the phosphorylation of some proteins plays a decisive role in their function.

Preparation of BiOCl/BiWO Photocatalyst for Efficient Fixation on Cotton Fabric: Applications in UV Shielding and Self-Cleaning Performances.

In this work, a visible-light-driven BiOCl/BiWO photocatalyst was obtained via a facile hydrothermal method and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive spectrometry (EDS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), ultraviolet/visible light diffuse reflection spectroscopy (UV/Vis), and photocurrent (PC). BiOCl/BiWO was modified with (3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyl) trimethyl ammonium chloride to obtain the cationized BiOCl/BiWO. Cotton fabric was pretreated with sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and sodium chloroacetate solution to obtain carboxymethylated cotton fabric, which was further reacted with cationized BiOCl/BiWO to achieve finished cotton fabric.

A biomimetic fish finlet with a liquid metal soft sensor for proprioception and underwater sensing.

Finlets have a unique overhanging structure at the back, similar to a flag. They are located between the dorsal/anal fin and the caudal fin on the sides of the body. Until now, the sensing ability of finlets has not been well understood.

A novel defensin-like peptide contributing to antimicrobial and antioxidant capacity of the tick Dermacentor silvarum (Acari: Ixodidae).

Defensins are the most diverse groups of antimicrobial peptides in invertebrate animals. In ticks, defensins show great potential as targets for tick control, and display future prospect for therapeutic drug development. In the present study, a novel defensin-like gene (Ds-defensin) contributing to the antimicrobial and antioxidant capacity of the tick Dermacentor silvarum was characterized.

Crystalline phase regulation of anatase-rutile TiO for the enhancement of photocatalytic activity.

Biphasic TiO with adjustable crystalline phases was prepared by the hydrothermal-calcination method assisted by nitric acid (HNO) and hydrogen peroxide (HO), using potassium titanate oxalate (KTiO(CO)) as the titanium source. The influences of HO volume on anatase and rutile contents and photocatalytic activity of biphasic TiO were investigated and the photocatalytic mechanism was explored. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-vis DRS) and specific surface area (BET) were employed to characterize crystal structure, physical morphology, absorbable light, chemical composition, specific surface area and pore size distribution.

Iron-nitrogen co-doped carbon nanotubes decorated with CuO possess enhanced electronic properties for effective peroxymonosulfate activation.

Exploiting the full potential of copper-based nanoparticles in the activation of peroxymonopersulfate (PMS) is a great challenge due to their insufficient dispersity and electronic properties. We report here a novel iron‑nitrogen co-doped carbon nanotube (FNC) modified with a CuO nanocomposite (CuO/FNC) that exhibits ultrahigh catalytic performance in the activation of PMS to degrade fluconazole (~95%). Catalytic performance evaluation illustrated that CuO/FNC also has wide pH applicability (3.

Expression and function assessment of two serpin-type serine protease inhibitors from Haemaphysalis doenitzi.

Serine protease inhibitors (serpins) in ticks are implicated in the modulation of the vertebrate host response to the tick bite. Experimentally, it has been demonstrated that serpins interfere with tick-borne pathogen transmission. However, knowledge on serpins in the tick Haemaphysalis doenitzi is lacking.

Platelet Membrane-Camouflaged Magnetic Nanoparticles for Ferroptosis-Enhanced Cancer Immunotherapy.

Although cancer immunotherapy has emerged as a tremendously promising cancer therapy method, it remains effective only for several cancers. Photoimmunotherapy (e.g.

Effects of the essential oil from Cymbopogon citratus on mortality and morphology of the tick Haemaphysalis longicornis (Acari: Ixodidae).

Haemaphysalis longicornis is one of the most prevalent tick species across eastern Asia, Australia, and New Zealand, and has been implicated as a vector of several pathogenic agents. This study evaluated the in vitro acaricidal efficacy of Cymbopogon citratus (lemongrass) essential oil on unfed H. longicornis using the adult and nymph immersion test, and the larval packet test.

Dihydroartemisinin-Loaded Magnetic Nanoparticles for Enhanced Chemodynamic Therapy.

Recently, chemodynamic therapy (CDT) has represented a new approach for cancer treatment with low toxicity and side effects. Nonetheless, it has been a challenge to improve the therapeutic effect through increasing the amount of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Herein, we increased the amount of ROS agents in the Fenton-like reaction by loading dihydroartemisinin (DHA) which was an artemisinin (ART) derivative containing peroxide groups, into magnetic nanoparticles (MNP), thereby improving the therapeutic effect of CDT.

Red-blood-cell-membrane-enveloped magnetic nanoclusters as a biomimetic theranostic nanoplatform for bimodal imaging-guided cancer photothermal therapy.

The use of red blood cell (RBC) membrane coatings has recently been found to be a biomimetic strategy to confer inner core nanomaterials with improved pharmacokinetic profiles by utilizing the intrinsic long blood circulation time of RBCs. Here, we envelope superparamagnetic nanoclusters (MNCs) with RBC membrane ghosts to obtain MNC@RBCs with significantly improved physiological stability compared to that of bare MNCs. After being loaded with near-infrared (NIR) cypate molecules, the as-prepared Cyp-MNC@RBCs show remarkably increased NIR absorbance and resultant efficient photothermal conversion efficacy.

Synthesis of Isomalto-Oligosaccharides by Pichia pastoris Displaying the Aspergillus niger α-Glucosidase.

We explored the ability of an Aspergillus niger α-glucosidase displayed on P. pastoris to act as a whole-cell biocatalyst (Pp-ANGL-GCW61) system to synthesize isomalto-oligosaccharides (IMOs). IMOs are a mixture that includes isomaltose (IG), panose (P), and isomaltotriose (IG).