AIEgen with Fluorescence-Phosphorescence Dual Mechanoluminescence at Room Temperature.

We report the first example of an AIEgen (DPP-BO) with fluorescence-phosphorescence dual emission under mechanical stimulation. By carefully analyzing the crystal structure of DPP-BO, the efficient intermolecular and intramolecular interactions should account for its unique mechanoluminescence (ML) properties, especially the abnormal phosphorescence, as further confirmed by controlled experiments and theoretical calculations for the presence of ISC transitions. These results provide important information for understanding the complex ML process, possibly opening up a new way to study the inherent mechanism of ML by broadening the application of AIEgens.

The Arrhythmogenic Calmodulin p.Phe142Leu Mutation Impairs C-domain Ca2+ Binding but Not Calmodulin-dependent Inhibition of the Cardiac Ryanodine Receptor.

A number of point mutations in the intracellular Ca-sensing protein calmodulin (CaM) are arrhythmogenic, yet their underlying mechanisms are not clear. These mutations generally decrease Ca binding to CaM and impair inhibition of CaM-regulated Ca channels like the cardiac Ca release channel (ryanodine receptor, RyR2), and it appears that attenuated CaM Ca binding correlates with impaired CaM-dependent RyR2 inhibition. Here, we investigated the RyR2 inhibitory action of the CaM p.

Construction and function of a highly efficient supramolecular luminescent system.

Aggregation-induced emission (AIE) provides a new way of achieving highly efficient luminescent materials. In this contribution, the self-assembly behavior, molecular stacking structure and photophysical properties of two polymorphs of a supramolecular co-crystal (C1 and C2) are investigated. The block-like crystal C1, packed in segregated stacking with strong π-π interactions between the H and G molecules, shows weak green emission with a low efficiency (Φ) of 2%.

Enhanced Cytosolic Ca2+ Activation Underlies a Common Defect of Central Domain Cardiac Ryanodine Receptor Mutations Linked to Arrhythmias.

Recent three-dimensional structural studies reveal that the central domain of ryanodine receptor (RyR) serves as a transducer that converts long-range conformational changes into the gating of the channel pore. Interestingly, the central domain encompasses one of the mutation hotspots (corresponding to amino acid residues 3778-4201) that contains a number of cardiac RyR (RyR2) mutations associated with catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT) and atrial fibrillation (AF). However, the functional consequences of these central domain RyR2 mutations are not well understood.

New strategy to rescue the inhibition of osteogenesis of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells under oxidative stress: combination of vitamin C and graphene foams.

To rescue the oxidative stress induced inhibition of osteogenesis, vitamin C (VC) was chemically modified onto three-dimensional graphene foams (3D GFs), then their regulation on osteogenesis of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) was studied. Combined action of VC + GF significantly decreased H2O2-induced oxidative stress, and rescued H2O2-inhibited cell viability, differentiation and osteogenesis of BM-MSCs in vitro. Further studies revealed that Wnt pathway may be involved in this protection of osteogenesis.

Determination of nicotine in tobacco products based on mussel-inspired reduced graphene oxide-supported gold nanoparticles.

Polydopamine functionalized reduced graphene oxide-gold nanoparticle (PDA-RGO/Au) nanocomposites were successfully prepared by a simple and mild procedure. The PDA-RGO/Au nanocomposite is successfully formed in an aqueous buffer solution (pH 8.5) without using any reducing agent.

Resistance of Wheat Accessions to the English Grain Aphid Sitobion avenae.

The English grain aphid, Sitobion avenae, is a major pest species of wheat crops; however, certain varieties may have stronger resistance to infestation than others. Here, we investigated 3 classical resistance mechanisms (antixenosis, antibiosis, and tolerance) by 14 wheat varieties/lines to S. avenae under laboratory and field conditions.

Impact of aphid alarm pheromone release on virus transmission efficiency: When pest control strategy could induce higher virus dispersion.

Aphids cause serious damages to crops not only by tacking sap but also by transmitting numerous viruses. To develop biological control, the aphid alarm pheromone, namely E-β-farnesene (EβF), has been demonstrated to be efficient to repel aphids and as attract beneficials, making it a potential tool to control aphid pests. Considering aphids also as virus vectors, changes of their behavior could also interfere with the virus acquisition and transmission process.

Isolation and biological characterization of tendon-derived stem cells from fetal bovine.

The lack of appropriate candidates of cell sources for cell transplantation has hampered efforts to develop therapies for tendon injuries, such as tendon rupture, tendonitis, and tendinopathy. Tendon-derived stem cells (TDSCs) are a type of stem cells which may be used in the treatment of tendon injuries. In this study, TDSCs were isolated from 5-mo-old Luxi Yellow fetal bovine and cultured in vitro and further analyzed for their biological characteristics using immunofluorescence and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assays.

The composition analysis and preliminary cultivation optimization of a PHA-producing microbial consortium with xylose as a sole carbon source.

This work aimed at using xylose as sole substrate, and combining feast-famine process with Nile blue staining as well as denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis to screen polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA)-producing bacteria from waste activated sludge (WAS). Composition changes of the microbial consortium during domestication were analyzed by DGGE, and the results indicated that there were mainly four classes of bacteria in the final stable system, which were γ-Proteobacteria, Cellvibrio sp., an uncultured bacterium and Pseudomonas sp.

Anti-phytopathogenic activity of sporothriolide, a metabolite from endophyte Nodulisporium sp. A21 in Ginkgo biloba.

Phytopathogenic fungi such as Rhizoctonia solani and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum caused multiple plant diseases resulting in severe loss of crop production. Increasing documents endorsed that endophytes are a striking resource pool for numerous metabolites with various bioactivities such as anti-fungal. Here we reported the characterization and anti-phytopathogenic activity of sporothriolide, a metabolite produced by Nodulisporium sp.

[Synthesis and antitumor activity of fluoroquinolon-3-yl-s-triazole sulfide ketones and their derivatives from ciprofloxacin].

To discover an efficient strategy for the conversion of the antibacterial activity of fluoroquinolones into the antitumor activity, the three series of C-3 s-triazole-based derivatives including sulfide ketones (6a-6g), thiosemicarbazones (7a-7g) and fused heterocyclic thiazolotriazoles (8a-8g) were synthesized from ciprofloxacin (1), respectively. The structures were characterized by elemental analysis and spectral data. The antitumor activity was tested against three tumor cell lines (Hep-3B, Capan-1 and HL60) using the MTT assay.

[Inhibitory Effect of the Excretory/Scretory Proteins of Trichinella spiralis on Proliferation of Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma HepG2 Cell line].

Human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 Cell line were cultured with different concentrations of excretory/secretory proteins from Trichinella spiralis, and MTT assay was used to evaluate the cell inhibition rate. After co-cultured with 300 µg/ml excretory/secretory proteins for 24 h, the HepG2 cells were observed under a fluorescence microscope with AO and EB staining. When co-cultured with 75 µg/ml excretory/secretory proteins for 24 h, the HepG2 cells were quantified by flow cytometry using Annexin V-FITC/PI stain, and the expression of cleaved-caspase 9 was detected by immunofluorescence assay.

The EF-hand Ca2+ Binding Domain Is Not Required for Cytosolic Ca2+ Activation of the Cardiac Ryanodine Receptor.

Activation of the cardiac ryanodine receptor (RyR2) by elevating cytosolic Ca(2+) is a central step in the process of Ca(2+)-induced Ca(2+) release, but the molecular basis of RyR2 activation by cytosolic Ca(2+) is poorly defined. It has been proposed recently that the putative Ca(2+) binding domain encompassing a pair of EF-hand motifs (EF1 and EF2) in the skeletal muscle ryanodine receptor (RyR1) functions as a Ca(2+) sensor that regulates the gating of RyR1. Although the role of the EF-hand domain in RyR1 function has been studied extensively, little is known about the functional significance of the corresponding EF-hand domain in RyR2.

Metastatic lung adenocarcinoma to the bladder: A case report.

Urothelial cancer is the most frequently diagnosed type of malignant tumor in the bladder, of which primary adenocarcinoma accounts for a small percentage. Secondary malignancies, in particular metastatic adenocarcinoma from the lung, are exceedingly rare, with only six cases previously reported in the literature. The present study describes the case of a 71-year-old Chinese male patient with known lung cancer for >2 years, who was diagnosed with metastatic adenocarcinoma to the bladder.

Cordycepin prevents oxidative stress-induced inhibition of osteogenesis.

Oxidative stress is known to be involved in impairment of osteogenesis and age-related osteoporosis. Cordycepin is one of the major bioactive components of Cordyceps militaris that has been shown to exert antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. However, there are few reports available regarding the effects of cordycepin on osteogenesis and the underlying mechanism.

Arrhythmogenic Calmodulin Mutations Affect the Activation and Termination of Cardiac Ryanodine Receptor-mediated Ca2+ Release.

The intracellular Ca(2+) sensor calmodulin (CaM) regulates the cardiac Ca(2+) release channel/ryanodine receptor 2 (RyR2), and mutations in CaM cause arrhythmias such as catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT) and long QT syndrome. Here, we investigated the effect of CaM mutations causing CPVT (N53I), long QT syndrome (D95V and D129G), or both (CaM N97S) on RyR2-mediated Ca(2+) release. All mutations increased Ca(2+) release and rendered RyR2 more susceptible to store overload-induced Ca(2+) release (SOICR) by lowering the threshold of store Ca(2+) content at which SOICR occurred and the threshold at which SOICR terminated.

Serum miR-210 Contributes to Tumor Detection, Stage Prediction and Dynamic Surveillance in Patients with Bladder Cancer.

MiR-210 is the master hypoxamir that generally exhibits oncogenic properties in most human solid tumors including bladder cancer (BC). However, it remains unknown about the clinical significance of circulating miR-210 levels in BC. In this study, we found that serum miR-210 was up-regulated in patients with BC, and serum levels of miR-210 increased with advancing stage and grade.

New flavonoid from Patrinia villosa.

Context: Patrinia villosa (Thunb.) Juss (Valerianaceae) is an important ancient herbal medicine widely used for inflammation, wound healing, and abdominal pain. But little is known of the phytochemical constituents of this herbal plant.

Epigenetic Activation of TWIST1 by MTDH Promotes Cancer Stem-like Cell Traits in Breast Cancer.

Cancer stem-like cells (CSC) are a cell subpopulation that can reinitiate tumors, resist chemotherapy, and give rise to metastases. Metadherin (MTDH) contributes widely to tumor growth, drug resistance, relapse, and metastasis, but its molecular mechanisms of action are not well understood. Here, we report that MTDH drives CSC expansion by promoting the expression of TWIST1, a transcription factor critical for cancer cell stemness and metastasis.

Magnetic resonance imaging on disc degeneration changes after implantation of an interspinous spacer and fusion of the adjacent segment.

The aim of the study was to investigate the changes of the lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) after the implantation of interspinous device and the fusion of the adjacent segment. A total of 62 consecutive patients suffering L5/S1 lumbar disc herniation (LDH) with concomitant disc space narrowing or low-grade instability up to 5 mm translational slip in L5/S1 level were treated with lumbar interbody fusion (LIF) via posterior approach. Thirty-four of these patients (Coflex group) received an additional implantation of the interspinous spacer device (Coflex™) in the level L4/L5, while the rest of 28 patients (fusion group) underwent the fusion surgery alone.

Simultaneous measurement of pressure and temperature by employing Fabry-Perot interferometer based on pendant polymer droplet.

We investigated a novel and ultracompact polymer-capped Fabry-Perot interferometer, which is based on a polymer capped on the endface of a single mode fiber (SMF). The proposed Fabry-Perot interferometer has advantages of easy fabrication, low cost, and high sensitivity. The variation of the Fabry-Perot cavity length can be easily controlled by using the motors of a normal arc fusion splicer.

[Effect of carbon/nitrogen ratio on short-cut nitrification and denitrification of polyurethane biofilm reactor].

The short-cut nitrification and denitrification process of a polyurethane biofilm reactor was studied at four different carbon to nitrogen ratios (C/N ratios) (C/N =15:1, 10:1, 5:1 and 1.8:1) with focus on reactor performance and microbial community composition. Results showed that when the influent carbon/nitrogen ratio decreased from 15 to 10, 5 and 1.

Biocompatibility and osteogenic properties of porous tantalum.

Porous tantalum has been reported to be a promising material for use in bone tissue engineering. In the present study, the biocompatibility and osteogenic properties of porous tantalum were studied and . The morphology of porous tantalum was observed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM).