Neoscona shillongensis (Araneidae), also known as the Shillong orb-weaving spider, is a species that constructs a typically shaped round web, is inactive during the daytime and comes out at dusk to forage, primarily preying on flying insects such as mosquitoes, flies, and moths. This spider serves as an important natural enemy of agricultural and forest pests. Neoscona shillongensis primarily uses its web to capture prey, but its venom also plays a crucial role in subduing and processing prey.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe CRISPR/Cas12a system has revolutionized molecular diagnostics, yet the direct detection of RNA, particularly those with complex structures, remains a significant challenge. Here, we present an updated SCas12a system, termed SCas12aV2, which enables precise, amplification-free detection of highly structured RNA molecules. By optimizing the length of scaffold RNA, targeting asymmetric structures, and utilizing dsDNA-ssDNA hybrid activators, we have significantly reduced steric hindrance in the detection system, thereby markedly enhancing both sensitivity and kinetics compared to traditional DNA activators.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFGenome-wide association analysis studies (GWAS) have revealed loci associated with mood disorders (MD). However, the mechanism of action of these loci on drug targets for MD remains uncertain. Therefore, in this study, our aim was to identify causal genes for MD by integrating brain transcriptomic and proteomic expression data.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: A 308 nm excimer light is an effective treatment for vitiligo, with fewer treatment times, rapid obvious effects, relatively complete pigment recovery, good patient compliance, and safe and effective treatment for children. The disadvantage of this treatment is that some patients have a plateau during which the skin lesion reduction rate slows down or stalls after multiple treatments.
Methods: Treatment data were collected from all vitiligo patients in the Dermatology Department, distinguishing between those who underwent 308 nm excimer light treatment alone and those who received a combination of 308 nm excimer light and 2940 erbium laser treatment.
The CRISPR-Cas12a system has revolutionized nucleic acid testing (NAT) with its rapid and precise capabilities, yet it traditionally required RNA pre-amplification. Here we develop rapid fluorescence and lateral flow NAT assays utilizing a split Cas12a system (SCas12a), consisting of a Cas12a enzyme and a split crRNA. The SCas12a assay enables highly sensitive, amplification-free, and multiplexed detection of miRNAs and long RNAs without complex secondary structures.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA cascade reaction enabling enantio- and diastereoselective construction of strained cyclopropanes is described. This asymmetric (2+1) annulation process uses vinyl methylene carbonate and 2-cyanoacrylate as reaction partners in the presence of Pd(PPh) as a precatalyst and an enantioenriched phosphoramidite ligand featuring a morpholine functionality. Mechanistic investigations unveil that the PPh derived from the Pd(PPh) and the morpholine-containing phosphoramidite work as cooperative phosphorus and Brønsted base catalysts to promote the reaction.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: The single and combined association between brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) has remained unelucidated. This research aimed at exploring the associations between mixture of BFRs and CVD.
Methods: This research encompassed adult participants from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in 2005-2016.
Neurosyphilis (NS) is a central nervous system (CNS) infection caused by Treponema pallidum (T. pallidum). NS can occur at any stage of syphilis and manifests as a broad spectrum of clinical symptoms.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFComp Biochem Physiol Part D Genomics Proteomics
December 2023
Systemic sclerosis (scleroderma; SSc), a rare and heterogeneous connective tissue disease, remains unclear in terms of its underlying causative genes and effective therapeutic approaches. The purpose of the present study was to identify hub genes, diagnostic markers and explore potential small-molecule drugs of SSc. The cohorts of data used in this study were downloaded from the Gene Expression Complex (GEO) database.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFComp Biochem Physiol Part D Genomics Proteomics
September 2023
The spiders Psechrus triangulus and Hippasa lycosina are widely distributed in Yunnan Province, China, and are important natural enemies of agricultural pests, yet studies regarding the composition of their venom are lacking. In this study, cDNA libraries were constructed from venom gland tissue of P. triangulus and H.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOne of the essential technologies in various image-guided spine surgeries is the rigid registration of 3D pre-operative CT and 2D intra-operative X-ray images. The 3D/2D registration is patterned as two essential tasks, that is, dimensional correspondence establishment and estimation of the 3D pose. 3D data is projected to 2D for dimensional correspondence by most of the existing methods, which makes pose parameters difficult to estimate caused by the loss of spatial information.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBenzyne has long captivated the attention of chemists and has gained numerous synthetic achievements. Among typical benzyne generation methods, removal of two vicinal substituents from 1,2-difunctionalized benzenes, i.e.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCell Oncol (Dordr)
February 2023
Background: Glioblastoma multiforma (GBM) is the most malignant intrinsic tumor of the central nervous system (CNS), with high morbidity of 3.19/100,000 per year and a poor 5-year survival rate (< 5%) worldwide. Numerous studies have indicated that GBM shows remarkable radioresistance and aggressive recurrence.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWe evaluated the immunogenicity and protective ability of a chimpanzee replication-deficient adenovirus vectored COVID-19 vaccine (BV-AdCoV-1) expressing a stabilized pre-fusion SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein in golden Syrian hamsters. Intranasal administration of BV-AdCoV-1 elicited strong humoral and cellular immunity in the animals. Furthermore, vaccination prevented weight loss, reduced SARS-CoV-2 infectious virus titers in the lungs as well as lung pathology and provided protection against SARS-CoV-2 live challenge.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThere are several commercial chromatographic systems for protein purification; however, development of cost-effective 3H-grade (high yield, high purity, and high activity) purification approaches is highly demanded. Here, we establish a methodology for encapsulating the IM7-displaying yeast cells in calcium alginate beads. Taking advantage of this biomaterial-based affinity chromatography, rapid and cost-effective purification of proteins with over 90% purity in a single step is achieved.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe CRISPR-Cas nuclease has emerged as a powerful genome-editing tool in recent years. The CRISPR-Cas system induces double-strand breaks that can be repaired via the non-homologous end joining or homology-directed repair (HDR) pathway. Compared to non-homologous end joining, HDR can be used for the treatment of incurable monogenetic diseases.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe 2019 Ridgecrest, California seismic sequence, including an Mw6.4 foreshock and Mw7.1 mainshock, represent the largest regional seismic events within the past 20 years.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHerein, we report a method that combined "aptamer-locker" DNA with CRISPR/Cas12a-based biosensing for sensitive and rapid melamine analysis. Three strategies were harnessed for designing the DNA sensors that were well characterized by circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) in the absence and presence of melamine. The detection parameters were optimized to achieve good analytic performance.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe base-induced unprecedented tandem [4 + 2] and [1 + 2] annulation reaction of in situ formed 1,2-diaza-1,3-dienes and crotonate-derived sulfur ylides is reported. This protocol provides a novel and practical method for the synthesis of cyclopropane-fused tetrahydropyridazines with a quaternary carbon center in synthetically useful yield. In this tandem reaction, three new bonds were formed in one pot, and the crotonate-derived sulfur ylide serves as a C3 synthon.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: In recent years, many studies have confirmed that STIP1 (phosphorylation-induced protein 1) is involved in the development and progression of various tumors. However, its potential role in glioma progression and the underlying mechanisms of glioma development remain unclear.
Methods: We analyzed the expression of STIP1 in 35 human glioma tissue specimens of different grades, using 6 normal brain tissues for comparison.
A new method for the stereoselective synthesis of tetrasubstituted olefins is described. β-Ketophosphonates are alkylated via conventional methods, and a Grignard reagent is used to diastereoselectively add to the carbonyl group of the resulting intermediates. The elimination of hydroxyl phosphonates yielded the desired tetrasubstituted olefins in a stereoselective manner.
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