Recent Developments in CRISPR/Cas9 Genome-Editing Technology Related to Plant Disease Resistance and Abiotic Stress Tolerance.

The revolutionary CRISPR/Cas9 genome-editing technology has emerged as a powerful tool for plant improvement, offering unprecedented precision and efficiency in making targeted gene modifications. This powerful and practical approach to genome editing offers tremendous opportunities for crop improvement, surpassing the capabilities of conventional breeding techniques. This article provides an overview of recent advancements and challenges associated with the application of CRISPR/Cas9 in plant improvement. The potential of CRISPR/Cas9 in terms of developing crops with enhanced resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses is highlighted, with examples of genes edited to confer disease resistance, drought tolerance, salt tolerance, and cold tolerance. Here, we also discuss the importance of off-target effects and the efforts made to mitigate them, including the use of shorter single-guide RNAs and dual Cas9 nickases. Furthermore, alternative delivery methods, such as protein- and RNA-based approaches, are explored, and they could potentially avoid the integration of foreign DNA into the plant genome, thus alleviating concerns related to genetically modified organisms (GMOs). We emphasize the significance of CRISPR/Cas9 in accelerating crop breeding processes, reducing editing time and costs, and enabling the introduction of desired traits at the nucleotide level. As the field of genome editing continues to evolve, it is anticipated that CRISPR/Cas9 will remain a prominent tool for crop improvement, disease resistance, and adaptation to challenging environmental conditions.

Nano-liquid chromatography with monolithic stationary phase based on naphthyl monomer for proteomics analysis.

Monolithic poly(2-vinylnaphthalene-co-divinylbenzene) columns were introduced, for the first time, and were evaluated as the separation media for nano-liquid chromatography (nano-LC). These columns were prepared by in-situ polymerization of 2-vinylnaphthalene (2-VNA) as the functional monomer and divinylbenzene (DVB) as the crosslinker in a fused silica capillary column of 50 µm i.d. Various porogenic solvents, including tetrahydrofuran (THF), dodecanol and toluene were used for morphology optimization. Final monolithic column (referred to as VNA column) was characterized by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and chromatographic analyses. Alkylbenzenes (ABs), and polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were separated using the VNA column while the column offered excellent hydrophobic and π-π interactions under reversed-phase conditions. Theoretical plates number up to 41,200 plates/m in isocratic mode for ethylbenzene could be achieved. The potential of the final VNA column was demonstrated with a gradient elution in the  separation of six intact proteins, including ribonuclease A (RNase A), cytochrome C (Cyt C), lysozyme (Lys), ß-lactoglobulin (ß-lac), myoglobin (My) and α-chymotrypsinogen (α-chym) in nano LC system. The column was then applied to the peptide analysis of trypsin digested cytochrome C, allowing a high peak capacity up to 1440 and the further proteomics analysis of COS-7 cell line was attempted applying the final monolithic column in nano-LC UV system.

Turkish Adaptation, Validity and Reliability Study of the Bush Francis Catatonia Rating and KANNER Scales. / Bush Francis Katatoni Degerlendirme ve KANNER Katatoni Ölçeklerinin Türkçe Uyarlama, Geçerlik ve Güvenirlik Çalismasi.

OBJECTIVE: Catatonia is a common syndrome which can be lifethreatening due to its complications. The aims of the study were to translate the Bush Francis Catatonia Rating Scale (BFCRS) and the KANNER Scale into Turkish, conduct the validity and reliability analyses and to compare the two scales. METHOD: During the study period extending over 20 consecutive months, the Turkish versions of the scales were administered to 84 patients who were hospitalized in the psychiatry ward or who were admitted to the hospitalization list. The clinical and sociodemographic characteristics of all patients were evaluated. The scales were administered to the patients by two raters, one of whom was permanently involved. RESULTS: Convergent and criterion validities revealed a high correlation between the screening instruments of both scales and between the BFCRS total score and 2nd and 3rd part scores of the KANNER Scale. BFCRS total score of ≥6, KANNER Scale 2nd part score of ≥15, or 3rd part score of ≥1 can be used with high accuracy in diagnosing catatonia according to DSM-5. Internal consistency for both scales was found to be high (Cronbach's alpha 0.902 for BFCRS and 0.9, 0.891, 0.806 for KANNER Scale subsections). Inter-rater reliability was also high for most of the scale items (mean Kappa coefficient: 0.885 for BFCRS and 0.904 for KANNER Scale). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the Turkish adaptations of both scales were found to be valid and reliable, showing strong psychometric properties. This study is the first validity and reliability study for the KANNER Scale.

Hydrophobic AEROSIL®R972 Fumed Silica Nanoparticles Incorporated Monolithic Nano-Columns for Small Molecule and Protein Separation by Nano-Liquid Chromatography.

A new feature of hydrophobic fumed silica nanoparticles (HFSNPs) when they apply to the preparation of monolithic nano-columns using narrow monolithic fused silica capillary columns (e.g., 50-µm inner diameter) was presented. The monolithic nano-columns were synthesized by an in-situ polymerization using butyl methacrylate (BMA) and ethylene dimethacrylate (EDMA) at various concentrations of AEROSIL®R972, called HFSNPs. Dimethyl formamide (DMF) and water were used as the porogenic solvents. These columns (referred to as HFSNP monoliths) were successfully characterized by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and reversed-phase nano-LC using alkylbenzenes and polyaromatic hydrocarbons as solute probes. The reproducibility values based on run-to-run, column-to-column and batch-to-batch were found as 2.3%, 2.48% and 2.99% (n = 3), respectively. The optimized column also indicated promising hydrophobic interactions under reversed-phase conditions, while the feasibility of the column allowed high efficiency and high throughput nano-LC separations. The potential of the final HFSNP monolith in relation to intact protein separation was successfully demonstrated using six intact proteins, including ribonuclease A, cytochrome C, carbonic anhydrase isozyme II, lysozyme, myoglobin, and α-chymotrypsinogen A in nano-LC. The results showed that HFSNP-based monolithic nanocolumns are promising materials and are powerful tools for sensitive separations.

Graphene oxide-octadecylsilane incorporated monolithic nano-columns with 50 µm id and 100 µm id for small molecule and protein separation by nano-liquid chromatography.

In this study, graphene oxide-octadecylsilane incorporated monolithic nano-columns were developed for protein analysis by nano liquid chromatography (nano LC). The monolithic column with 100 µm id was first prepared by an in situ polymerization using ethylene dimethacrylate (EDMA), 3-chloro-2-hydroxypropylmethacrylate (HPMA-Cl), and methacryloyl graphene oxide nanoparticles (MGONPs). MGONPs were synthesized by the treatment of 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propylmethacrylate (TMSPM) and GO. Tetrahydrofuran (THF) and dodecanol were used as the porogenic solvent. The resulting column was functionalized by dimethyloctadecylch lorosilane (DODCS) for the enhancement of hydrophobicity. The functionalization greatly improved the baseline separation of hydrophobic compounds such as polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The optimized monolith with respect to total polymerization mixture was characterized by using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) X-ray diffraction (XRD) and chromatographic analyses. The blank monoliths without functionalization exhibited poor separation while a good separation performance of MGONPs functionalized monoliths was achieved. The monolith with 100 µm id was evaluated in protein separation in nano LC using RNase A, Cytochrome C, Lysozyme, Trypsin, and Ca isozyme II as the test proteins. It was shown that protein separation mechanism was based on large π-system of GO and hydrophobicity of the monolithic structure. Theoretical plates number up to 57 600 plates were achieved. The nano-column with 50 µm id was also prepared using the same polymerization mixture under the same chemical conditions. These nano-columns were employed for protein separation by nano LC, and the dependence of both nano-column performance on the internal diameter was also discussed.

Electrochemically induced atom-by-atom growth of ZnS thin films: a new approach for ZnS co-deposition.

Ultrathin films of ZnS were grown on Au (111) substrates using a novel, simple co-deposition method and characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and UV-visible spectroscopy. Cyclic voltammograms were used to determine approximate deposition potentials for co-deposition. XRD shows that the material growth is highly preferential with (111) orientation. Both AFM and XRD data indicate that the ZnS growth mechanism starts by the formation of rounded nanoparticles at the surface and then continues by lateral and vertical growth to form flat square crystallites of ZnS. UV-vis spectra taken for the ZnS thin films with various thicknesses, which is related to deposition time, shows that the band gap of the ZnS decreases as the film thickness increases.