AcrR1, a novel TetR/AcrR family repressor, mediates acid and antibiotic resistance and nisin biosynthesis in Lactococcus lactis F44.

Lactococcus lactis, widely used in the manufacture of dairy products, encounters various environmental stresses both in natural habitats and during industrial processes. It has evolved intricate machinery of stress sensing and defense to survive harsh stress conditions. Here, we identified a novel TetR/AcrR family transcription regulator, designated AcrR1, to be a repressor for acid and antibiotic tolerance that was derepressed in the presence of vancomycin or under acid stress.

Strength Degradation of Foamed Lightweight Soil Due to Chemical Erosion and Wet-Dry Cycle and Its Empirical Model.

Foamed lightweight soils (FLS) have been extensively used as backfill material in the construction of transportation infrastructures. However, in the regions consisting of salt-rich soft soil, the earth structure made by FLS experiences both fluctuation of groundwater and chemical environment erosion, which would accelerate the deterioration of its long-term performance. This study conducted laboratory tests to explore the deterioration of FLS in strength after being eroded by sulfate attack and/or wet-dry cycling, where the influencing factors of FLS density, concentration of sulfate solution, and cation type (i.

Expression signature, prognosis value and immune characteristics of cathepsin F in non-small cell lung cancer identified by bioinformatics assessment.

Background: In recent years, immunotherapies and targeted therapies contribute to population-level improvement in NSCLC cancer-specific survival, however, the two novel therapeutic options have mainly benefit patients containing mutated driven genes. Thus, to explore other potential genes related with immunity or targeted therapies may provide novel options to improve survival of lung cancer patients without mutated driven genes. CTSF is unique in human cysteine proteinases.

Common mtDNA variations at C5178a and A249d/T6392C/G10310A decrease the risk of severe COVID-19 in a Han Chinese population from Central China.

Background: Mitochondria have been shown to play vital roles during severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) development. Currently, it is unclear whether mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variants, which define mtDNA haplogroups and determine oxidative phosphorylation performance and reactive oxygen species production, are associated with COVID-19 risk.

Methods: A population-based case-control study was conducted to compare the distribution of mtDNA variations defining mtDNA haplogroups between healthy controls (n = 615) and COVID-19 patients (n = 536).

Comparison of Different Protein Emulsifiers on Physicochemical Properties of β-Carotene-Loaded Nanoemulsion: Effect on Formation, Stability, and In Vitro Digestion.

In this study, β-carotene-loaded nanoemulsions are emulsified using four biomacromolecular proteins-peanut protein isolate (PPI), soy protein isolate (SPI), rice bran protein isolate (RBPI), and whey protein isolate (WPI)-in order to explore their emulsion stability and in vitro digestion characteristics. All four nanoemulsions attained high encapsulation levels (over 90%). During the three-stage in vitro digestion model (including oral, gastric, and small intestine digestion phases), the PPI-emulsified nanoemulsion showed the highest lipolysis rates (117.

Improvement of protein emulsion stability through glycosylated black bean protein covalent interaction with (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate.

This study investigated the effects of covalent conjugates combined by glycosylated black bean protein isolate (BBPI-G) and (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) on the emulsion stability. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy showed that covalent binding of EGCG with BBPI-G made the protein molecule unfolded. Besides, the emulsifying properties of BBPI-G were increased after combined with EGCG.

Comparison of protein hydrolysates against their native counterparts in terms of structural and antioxidant properties, and when used as emulsifiers for curcumin nanoemulsions.

This study investigated the stability and the in vitro digestion of curcumin nanoemulsions stabilized by three protein hydrolysates: peanut protein isolate (PPI), soybean protein isolate (SPI) and whey protein isolate (WPI). After enzymatic hydrolysis, the protein structure became more disordered, and increased antioxidant capacity was also observed for protein hydrolysates. The protein hydrolysates generated curcumin nanoemulsions with considerable stability over 28 days of storage.

First measurements of the radiation dose on the lunar surface.

Human exploration of the Moon is associated with substantial risks to astronauts from space radiation. On the surface of the Moon, this consists of the chronic exposure to galactic cosmic rays and sporadic solar particle events. The interaction of this radiation field with the lunar soil leads to a third component that consists of neutral particles, i.

A highly sensitive, selective ratiometric fluorescent probe for cobalt(II) and its applications for biological imaging.

Probe has been developed as the first ratiometric fluorescent cobalt probe with high sensitivity and selectivity based on internal charge transfer (ICT). Most importantly, the probe achieved the imaging and detection of cobalt in cells with ratiometric measurement.

Highly selective, naked-eye and fluorescent "off-on" probe for detection of histidine/histidine-rich proteins and its application in living cell imaging.

A highly selective colorimetric and fluorescence enhanced probe S1 (M2@Cu) for histidine and histidine-rich proteins has been developed. In neutral aqueous ethanol solution, probe S1 can selectively detect histidine out of twenty DNA encoded amino acids by showing a color change from brownish red to light green, and with a fluorescence enhancement up to 99-fold at 537 nm, simultaneously.

A highly selective space-folded photo-induced electron transfer fluorescent probe for carbonic anhydrase isozymes IX and its applications for biological imaging.

The first highly selective and sensitive fluorescent probe Z1 for detection of carbonic anhydrase IX (CA IX) over isoforms CA I and CA II was developed. As demonstrated, Z1 worked effectively in both enzymatic systems and living hypoxia cells.

Hybrid segmentation of mass in mammograms using template matching and dynamic programming.

Rationale And Objectives: Accurate image segmentation for breast lesions is a critical step in computer-aided diagnosis systems. The objective of this study was to develop a robust method for the automatic segmentation of breast masses on mammograms to extract feasible features for computer-aided diagnosis systems.

Materials And Methods: The data set used in this study consisted of 483 regions of interest extracted from 328 patients.

A thioether-rich crown-based highly selective fluorescent sensor for Hg(2+) and Ag(+) in aqueous solution.

A new fluorescent sensor 1, based on the naphthalimide chromophore and thioether-rich crown receptor, exhibited dual signaling behaviors for Hg(2+) and Ag(+) in aqueous solution. Upon addition of Hg(2+), the fluorescence intensity enhanced in a linear fashion with a quantum yield increase of about 5-fold. Moreover, with the 1-Hg(2+) complex, Ag(+) was easily recognized by a marked fluorescence quenching.

A highly sensitive and selective OFF-ON fluorescent sensor for cadmium in aqueous solution and living cell.

A highly selective and sensitive OFF-ON fluorescent sensor 1, employing the PET mechanism, was designed and synthesized. It could be used to detect Cd(2+) ion in aqueous solution and to image Cd(2+) ion in living cells. The fluorescence intensity significantly enhanced about 195-fold and the quantum yield increased almost 100-fold.

Multiple molecular logic functions and molecular calculations facilitated by surfactant's versatility.

Two isomeric compounds and , combining intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) and photoinduced electron transfer (PET) mechanisms together, were designed and used as logic gates with configurable multiple outputs; ten different logic functions (AND, NAND, OR, NOR, XNOR, INHIBIT, YES, NO, PASS 1 and PASS 0) were achieved by varying the inputs threshold or by altering the inputs; furthermore, half addition and half subtraction were performed within (or ); the concept demonstrated here may provide a strategy for constructing more integrated molecular level devices with multiple functions.

Molecular logic operations based on surfactant nanoaggregates.

Two molecular logic gates, FS1 and FS2, which display a UV and fluorescence behavior that is dependent on the pH value and the sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) surfactant concentration, are demonstrated based on the intramolecular charge-transfer mechanism. They are constructed according to the inorganic salts that induce transformation from premicelle to micelle. The absorption band of FS1 at 480 nm is significantly enhanced only when both SDS and Na(2)SO(4) are the input at high concentrations, in accordance with an AND logic gate.