Antibody-Conjugated Silica-Modified Gold Nanorods for the Diagnosis and Photo-Thermal Therapy of Cryptococcus neoformans: an Experiment In Vitro.

Background: Cryptococcus neoformans is an encapsulated yeast. There is still little quick and effective solution for the diagnosis or treatment of C. neoformans infection at an early stage in clinical.

Genome-scale biological models for industrial microbial systems.

The primary aims and challenges associated with microbial fermentation include achieving faster cell growth, higher productivity, and more robust production processes. Genome-scale biological models, predicting the formation of an interaction among genetic materials, enzymes, and metabolites, constitute a systematic and comprehensive platform to analyze and optimize the microbial growth and production of biological products. Genome-scale biological models can help optimize microbial growth-associated traits by simulating biomass formation, predicting growth rates, and identifying the requirements for cell growth.

Au Nanocage-Strengthened Dissolving Microneedles for Chemo-Photothermal Combined Therapy of Superficial Skin Tumors.

For superficial skin tumors (SST) with high incidence, surgery and systemic therapy are relatively invasive and possible to cause severe side effect, respectively. Yet, topical therapy is confronted with the limited transdermal capacity because of the stratum corneum barrier layer of skin. Therefore, it is crucial to develop a highly effective and minimally invasive alternative transdermal approach for treating SST.

High temperature requirement factor A1 (HTRA1) regulates the activation of latent TGF-β1 in keloid fibroblasts.

Scar treatments are considered a major issue in the plastic surgery field. Activation of the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)-mediated signaling pathway plays a key role in the scar pathogeneses, and high temperature requirement factor A1 (HTRA1) inhibits TGF-β1 activation in tumor cells. Our study aims to investigate the role of HTRA1 in the pathogenesis of scars.

Allosteric effects in bacteriophage HK97 procapsids revealed directly from covariance analysis of cryo EM data.

The information content of cryo EM data sets exceeds that of the electron scattering potential (cryo EM) density initially derived for structure determination. Previously we demonstrated the power of data variance analysis for characterizing regions of cryo EM density that displayed functionally important variance anomalies associated with maturation cleavage events in Nudaurelia Omega Capensis Virus and the presence or absence of a maturation protease in bacteriophage HK97 procapsids. Here we extend the analysis in two ways.

Biochar amendment with fertilizers increases peanut N uptake, alleviates soil NO emissions without affecting NH volatilization in field experiments.

Biochar application to soil is currently widely advocated for a variety of reasons related to sustainability. However, the synergistic effects of biochar combined with mineral or organic fertilizer on soil NO emissions, NH volatilization, and plant N uptake are poorly documented. Field plot experiments planted with peanut were conducted under the application of biochar (derived from rice husk and cottonseed husk, 50 t ha) with organic or mineral fertilizer.

Mutant Runx2 regulates amelogenesis and osteogenesis through a miR-185-5p-Dlx2 axis.

Regulation of microRNAs (miRNA) has been extensively investigated in diseases; however, little is known about the roles of miRNAs in cleidocranial dysplasia (CCD). The aim of the present study was to investigate the potential involvement of miRNAs in CCD. In vitro site-directed mutagenesis was performed to construct three mutant Runx2 expression vectors, which were then transfected into LS8 cells and MC3T3-E1 cells, to determine the impact on amelogenesis and osteogenesis, respectively.

CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout of two eye pigmentation genes in the brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens (Hemiptera: Delphacidae).

The brown planthopper Nilaparvata lugens is one of the most destructive insect pests in Asia, demonstrating high fertility and causing huge crop losses by sucking sap of rice as well as transmitting viruses. However, functional genomic studies on N. lugens are seriously constrained by lack of genetic tools.

Metabolic Model Reconstruction and Analysis of an Artificial Microbial Ecosystem.

Microbial communities are widespread in the environment, and to isolate and identify species or to determine relations among microorganisms, some 'omics methods like metagenomics, proteomics, and metabolomics have been used. When combined with various 'omics data, models known as artificial microbial ecosystems (AME) are powerful methods that can make functional predictions about microbial communities. Reconstruction of an AME model is the first step for model analysis.

Extremely high magnetoresistance and conductivity in the type-II Weyl semimetals WP and MoP.

The peculiar band structure of semimetals exhibiting Dirac and Weyl crossings can lead to spectacular electronic properties such as large mobilities accompanied by extremely high magnetoresistance. In particular, two closely neighboring Weyl points of the same chirality are protected from annihilation by structural distortions or defects, thereby significantly reducing the scattering probability between them. Here we present the electronic properties of the transition metal diphosphides, WP and MoP, which are type-II Weyl semimetals with robust Weyl points by transport, angle resolved photoemission spectroscopy and first principles calculations.

Mediates Cross-Talk Between Sex Determination and Wing Polyphenism in Female .

Sexual dimorphism and wing polyphenism are important and evolutionarily conserved features of many insect species. In this article, we found a cross-talk linking sexual differentiation with wing polyphenism in the brown planthopper (BPH) (order: Hemiptera). Knockdown of the sex determination gene in () in nymph caused females to develop into infertile pseudomales containing undeveloped ovaries.

Hydrochars and phosphate enhancing the transport of nanoparticle silica in saturated sands.

Due to the potential negative impact of nano silica (nSiO) on human's health and living environments, it is important to investigate their transport in soil environments. Hydrochars has been widely used in agricultural soil and phosphate (P) is an important nutrient, thus the aggregation and transport of nSiO in saturated sand columns were investigated in single and binary systems of hydrochars and P. The experimental results showed that the nSiO aggregates can be restablized by the adsorption of P or the attachment of hydrochars at high IS (>100 mM) and low pH (<7.

Facilitated transport of titanium dioxide nanoparticles via hydrochars in the presence of ammonium in saturated sands: Effects of pH, ionic strength, and ionic composition.

The widespread use of nanoparticles (NPs) has led to their inevitable introduction into environmental systems. How the existence of hydrochars in crop soils will affect the mobility of nanoparticle titanium dioxide (nTiO), especially in the presence of ammonium (NH), remains unknown. Research is needed to study the effects of hydrochars on the transport and retention of nTiO and to uncover the mechanisms of these effects on nTiO transport.

Reconstruction of a Genome-scale Metabolic Network of Komagataeibacter nataicola RZS01 for Cellulose Production.

Bacterial cellulose (BC) is widely used in industries owing to its high purity and strength. Although Komagataeibacter nataicola is a representative species for BC production, its intracellular metabolism leading to BC secretion is unclear. In the present study, a genome-scale metabolic network of cellulose-producing K.

Transport and retention of biochar nanoparticles in a paddy soil under environmentally-relevant solution chemistry conditions.

Land application of biochar has been increasingly recommended as a powerful strategy for carbon sequestration and soil remediation. However, the biochar particles, especially those in the nanoscale range, may migrate or carry the inherent contaminants along the soil profile, posing a potential risk to the groundwater. This study investigated the transport and retention of wood chip-derived biochar nanoparticles (NPs) in water-saturated columns packed with a paddy soil.

Evaluation of short-term effectiveness of eight targeted agents combined with chemotherapy for treating esophageal-gastric junction adenocarcinoma: A network meta-analysis.

This study aimed to evaluate the short-term effectiveness of eight targeted agents (ramucirumab, bevacizumab, rilotumumab, panitumumab, cetuximab, trebananib, trastuzumab, matuzumab) plus chemotherapy in esophageal-gastric junction adenocarcinoma (EGJA) by a network meta-analysis (NMA). PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases were systematically retrieved for randomized clinical trials (RCTs) concerning targeted agents plus chemotherapy in the treatment of EGJA. This NMA combined both direct and indirect evidence to evaluate odds ratio (OR) and to draw the surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA).

Polydopamine-functionalized nanographene oxide: a versatile nanocarrier for chemotherapy and photothermal therapy.

For releasing both drug and heat to selected sites, a combination of chemotherapy and photothermal therapy in one system is a more effective way to destroy cancer cells than monotherapy. Graphene oxide (GO) with high drug-loading efficiency and near-infrared (NIR) absorbance has great potential in drug delivery and photothermal therapy, but it is difficult to load drugs with high solubility. Herein, we develop a versatile drug delivery nanoplatform based on GO for integrated chemotherapy and photothermal therapy by a facile method of simultaneous reduction and surface functionalization of GO with poly(dopamine) (PDA).

Enhanced power generation and wastewater treatment in sustainable biochar electrodes based bioelectrochemical system.

Corn-straw biochar (BC500 and BC900) and KOH modified biochar (BAC) were used as the electrode materials of bioelectrochemical system (BES). Compared to carbon felt (CF) electrodes BES, the maximum power density of BC500, BC900 and BAC anodes BES increased by 10.7%, 56.

SOX4 promotes melanoma cell migration and invasion though the activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway.

SOX4 has been reported to be abnormally expressed in many types of cancer, including melanoma. However, its role in cell proliferation and metastasis remains controversial. In this study, SOX4 was downregulated or overexpressed in A375, A2058 and A875 melanoma cells by siRNA or lentivirus transfection, respectively.

Dacarbazine-Loaded Hollow Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles Grafted with Folic Acid for Enhancing Antimetastatic Melanoma Response.

Dacarbazine (DTIC) is one of the most important chemotherapeutic agents for the treatment of melanoma; however, its poor solubility, photosensitivity, instability, and serious toxicity to normal cells limit its clinical applications. In this article, we present a rationally designed nanocarrier based on hollow mesoporous silica nanoparticles (HMSNs) for the encapsulation and targeted release of DTIC for eradicating melanoma. The nanocarrier (DTIC@HMLBFs) is prepared by modifying HMSNs with carboxyl groups to enhance the loading of DTIC, followed by further enveloping of folic acid-grafted liposomes, which act as a melanoma active target for controlled and targeted drug release.

Nitrosoamphetamine binding to myoglobin and hemoglobin: Crystal structure of the H64A myoglobin-nitrosoamphetamine adduct.

N-hydroxyamphetamine (AmphNHOH) is an oxidative metabolite of amphetamine and methamphetamine. It is known to form inhibitory complexes upon binding to heme proteins. However, its interactions with myoglobin (Mb) and hemoglobin (Hb) have not been reported.

Remote ischemic preconditioning improves the cognitive function of elderly patients following colon surgery: A randomized clinical trial.

Background: Cognitive function impairment is one of the most common complications in elderly patients after surgery, and an ideal nonpharmacological therapy has not yet been identified. Thus, we hypothesized that remote ischemic preconditioning could improve cognitive functions in elderly patients after surgery and investigated the mechanism underlying this effect.

Methods: Ninety patients classified as American Society of Anaesthesiologists (ASA) physical status of 2 or 3 and aged 65 to 75 years who were scheduled for elective colon surgery under general anesthesia were randomly allocated to either a remote ischemic preconditioning group (Group R, n = 45) or a control group (Group C, n = 45).

IMGMD: A platform for the integration and standardisation of In silico Microbial Genome-scale Metabolic Models.

Genome-scale metabolic models (GSMMs) constitute a platform that combines genome sequences and detailed biochemical information to quantify microbial physiology at the system level. To improve the unity, integrity, correctness, and format of data in published GSMMs, a consensus IMGMD database was built in the LAMP (Linux + Apache + MySQL + PHP) system by integrating and standardizing 328 GSMMs constructed for 139 microorganisms. The IMGMD database can help microbial researchers download manually curated GSMMs, rapidly reconstruct standard GSMMs, design pathways, and identify metabolic targets for strategies on strain improvement.