Electrophoretic deposition of magnesium oxide coating on micro-arc oxidized titanium for antibacterial activity and biocompatibility.

Titanium (Ti) dental implants face risks of early failure due to bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation. It is thus necessary to endow the implant surface with antibacterial ability. In this study, magnesium oxide (MgO) coatings were prepared on Ti by combining micro-arc oxidation (MAO) and electrophoretic deposition (EPD). The MgO nanoparticles homogeneously deposited on the microporous surface of MAO-treated Ti, yielding increasing coverage with the EPD time increased to 15 to 60 s. After co-culture with Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis) for 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h, the coatings produced antibacterial rates of 4-53 %, 27-71 %, and 39-79 %, respectively, in a dose-dependent manner. Overall, EPD for 45 s offered satisfactory comprehensive performance, with an antibacterial rate 79 % at 72 h and a relative cell viability 85 % at 5 d. Electron and fluorescence microscopies revealed that, both the density of adherent bacterial adhesion on the surface and the proportion of viable bacteria decreased with the EPD time. The morphology of cells on the surface of each group was intact and there was no significant difference among the groups. These results show that, the MgO coating deposited on MAO-treated Ti by EPD had reasonably good in vitro antibacterial properties and cytocompatibility.

Cathepsin B-activatable cyclic antisense oligonucleotides for cell-specific target gene knockdown in vitro and in vivo.

Trigger-activatable antisense oligonucleotides have been widely applied to regulate gene function. Among them, caged cyclic antisense oligonucleotides (cASOs) maintain a specific topology that temporarily inhibits their interaction with target genes. By inserting linkers that respond to cell-specific endogenous stimuli, they can be powerful tools and potential therapeutic agents for specific types of cancer cells with low off-target effects on normal cells. Here, we developed enzyme-activatable cASOs by tethering two terminals of linear antisense oligonucleotides through a cathepsin B (CB) substrate peptide (Gly-Phe-Leu-Gly [GFLG]), which could be efficiently uncaged by CB. CB-activatable cASOs were used to successfully knock down two disease-related endogenous genes in CB-abundant PC-3 tumor cells at the mRNA and protein levels but had much less effect on gene knockdown in CB-deficient human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVECs). In addition, reduced nonspecific immunostimulation was found using cASOs compared with their linear counterparts. Further in vivo studies indicated that CB-activatable cASOs showed effective tumor inhibition in PC-3 tumor model mice through downregulation of translationally controlled tumor protein (TCTP) protein in tumors. This study applies endogenous enzyme-activatable cASOs for antitumor therapy in tumor model mice, which demonstrates a promising stimulus-responsive cASO strategy for cell-specific gene knockdown upon endogenous activation and ASO prodrug development.

Triton modified polyethyleneimine conjugates assembled with growth arrest-specific protein 6 for androgenetic alopecia transdermal gene therapy.

Androgenetic alopecia is an androgen-dependent skin disorder that commonly affects hair follicle growth and hair loss. Gene therapy that can promote the proliferation and survival of hair follicle cells can be a potential choice for its cure. While transdermal application of therapeutic functional nucleic acids across the stratum corneum is quite difficult. Here, we first develop a transdermal agent for functional nucleic acid delivery using Triton X-100-modified low molecular weight polyethyleneimine (PEI-Triton-N, N â€‹= â€‹6 or 8). In vitro cell experiments demonstrate that the PEI-Triton-N conjugates can stably encapsulate and efficiently deliver plasmid DNA to hard-to-transfect keratinocyte HaCaT cells. Further mouse model studies show that PEI-Triton-6 can encapsulate and deliver growth arrest-specific protein 6 (Gas6) plasmid through transdermal administration. The transfected Gas6 prolongs the anagen status, inhibits the apoptosis of hair follicle cells, and further promotes the proliferation and differentiation of hair follicle cells. The PEI-Triton-6/pDNAGas6 complexes can obviously alleviate hair loss in androgenetic alopecia mice and provides a promising strategy for gene therapy via transdermal administration.

The Ethanolic Extract of Lindera aggregata Modulates Gut Microbiota Dysbiosis and Alleviates Ethanol-Induced Acute Liver Inflammation and Oxidative Stress SIRT1/Nrf2/NF-κB Pathway.

This study is an attempt to evaluate the therapeutic effect of the ethanolic extract of Lindera aggregata on the liver and intestinal microbiota in rats with alcohol-induced liver injury (ALI). Rats were treated with 70 mg probiotics, 1 g/kg, 2 g/kg, and 3 g/kg ethanolic extract of Lindera aggregata, respectively, for 10 days. We found that Lindera aggregata could significantly reduce the biochemical parameters in the serum of ALD rats. Lindera aggregata alleviates oxidative stress and inflammation by upregulating SIRT1 and Nrf2 and downregulating COX2 and NF-κB. The results of 16S rRNA gene sequencing showed that the medium dose of Lindera aggregata had the best effect on the growth of beneficial bacteria. Diversity analysis and LEfSe analysis showed that beneficial bacteria gradually occupied the dominant niche. The relative abundance of potential pathogens in the gut decreased significantly. We demonstrated that the ethanolic extract of Lindera aggregata can alleviate the oxidative stress and inflammation induced by alcohol through the SIRT1/Nrf2/NF-κB pathway and can modulate the disturbance of gut microbiota induced by alcohol intake.

Lycorine upregulates the expression of RMB10, promotes apoptosis and inhibits the proliferation and migration of cervical cancer cells.

Although there are numerous treatment strategies, including surgery and chemotherapy, the prognosis of cervical cancer remains far from satisfactory. There is an urgent need to develop more effective, more tolerable and safer therapeutics for the treatment of cervical cancer. Lycorine is a natural plantextract that has been previously found to confer anti­tumor activities. Therefore, in the present study, the effects of lycorine and its possible mechanism of action in cervical cancer were investigated. Cell Counting Kit­8, wound healing and Transwell assays were used to verify the proliferation and migration of HeLa cells following lycorine intervention. The results demonstrated that lycorine significantly inhibited the proliferation and migration of HeLa cells. RNA binding motif 10 (RBM10) is a protein associated with apoptosis. It has been suggested that lycorine can affect the expression of RBM10. Flow cytometry demonstrated that lycorine may inhibit the initiation and progression of cervical cancer by promoting apoptosis, which may be mediated through the upregulation of RBM10 expression and increasing TNF­α levels. Xenograft mouse experiments indicated that when lycorine was injected through the tail vein, HeLa tumor growth was inhibited. Mechanistically, western blotting demonstrated that lycorine significantly inhibited the activation of the Akt signaling pathway and potentially reversed epithelial­mesenchymal transition, which was also mediated by RBM10. Furthermore, following RBM10 knockdown with small interfering­RNA, the inhibitory effects of lycorine on cervical cancer was significantly abrogated. Overall, results of the present study suggest that lycorine can upregulate the expression of RBM10 and inhibit the proliferation and migration of cervical cancer cells.

Adipose-derived stem cells postpone the progression of Sjögren's syndrome by upregulating the Hippo signaling pathway.

The aim of the present study was to explore the effect and mechanism of action of adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) on Sjögren syndrome (SS) to develop novel and more effective methods for SS treatment. ADSCs, dexamethasone or normal saline was injected into the submandibular gland (SMG) of three 12-week-old non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice. The degree of lymphocyte infiltration was considered as a criterion for judging disease progression, hematoxylin and eosin staining was performed to observe the pathological state, and the expression levels of TAZ, E-cadherin and α-catenin were assessed by western blotting. ADSC transplantation triggered an inhibitory effect on the progression of SS, which was slightly stronger compared with that of dexamethasone treatment. This was found to be related to the Hippo signaling pathway. In addition, TAZ protein expression levels decreased gradually with the progression of the disease; immunofluorescence staining showed that the expression of E-cadherin and TAZ followed similar trends. Notably, the expression of TAZ, p-TAZ, E-cadherin and α-catenin in NOD mice were lower compared with that in Control mice. Similarly, the ratio of p-TAZ/TAZ also decreased, which means that the activation level of Hippo signal pathway decreased. The results suggest that ADSCs may exert a therapeutic effect against SS and may postpone its progression by upregulating the Hippo signaling pathway.

Recombinant cysteine proteinase as anti-tick targeting Hyalomma asiaticum infestation.

Cysteine proteases are involved in the digestion of host blood and the degradation of yolk proteins of arthropod ectoparasites. In this study, a cathepsin L-like cysteine proteinase gene (HasCPL) of Hyalomma asiaticum was cloned, and recombinant (r)HasCPL protein was generated for immunization study. Bioinformatic analysis confirmed HasCPL was a member of the papain family (clan CA) and have high sequence identities with CPLs of other Ixodid ticks. The efficacy of immunization against H. asiaticum infestations in rabbits was assessed. Rabbits (n = 3) were immunized three times with rHasCPL before challenged with 250 larvae per rabbit four weeks post-immunization. A high antibody titer was detected in immunized rabbits in comparison to control. Western blot analysis detected CPLs in midgut, salivary gland, and ovary. Increase of rejection percentage of larvae were noted in ticks fed on immunized animals in comparison to control. Overall, a 55.09% protection against larva ticks was noted.

Prediction and validation of cross-protective candidate antigen of Hyalomma asiaticum cathepsin L between H. asiaticum and H. anatolicum.

Hyalomma asiaticum and H. anatolicum are tick species in Eurasia and Africa with major medical and veterinary significance. Beside their direct pathogenic effects, H. asiaticum and H. anatolicum are vectors of important diseases of livestock and in some instances of zoonoses. In search of ways to address the increasing incidence of global acaricide resistance, tick control through vaccination is regarded as a sustainable alternative approach. Cathepsin L-like cysteine protease (CPL) is a potent hemoglobinase, and plays important roles in the digestion of blood acquired from a host. CPL from H. anatolicum (HanCPL) with high similarity (> 90%) for H. asiaticum CPL (HasCPL) were aligned by in silico analysis. After further in vitro validation, the anti-HasCPL sera have cross-reactivity between the different total native protein of life stages and tissues for H. asiaticum and H. anatolicum. Furthermore, we further confirmed that recombinant HasCPL (rHasCPL) immunized rabbits were partially cross-protected (54.8%) by H. anatolicum infestation.

Basic fibroblast growth factor inhibits aortic valvular interstitial cells calcification via Notch1 pathway.

Calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD) is an active pathological process mediated by abnormal activation and transdifferentiation of valvular interstitial cells (VICs). The present study aims to investigate the function and underlying mechanism of the basic fibroblast growth factor (BFGF) on osteogenic differentiation of VICs. Porcine VICs cultured with osteogenic induction medium are supplemented with or without BFGF. Morphology of VICs is identified by fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled phalloidin, the cell viability is assessed by the cell counting kit-8 method, and protein and mRNA expression level of osteogenic differentiation markers, including Runx2, osteopontin, and Sp7, are verified by western blot analysis and quantitative real-time PCR, respectively. RNA sequencing is used to identify changes in gene profiles. Alizarin Red S staining is used to measure calcium deposition. The results demonstrate that the content of calcium deposition and the expression level of osteogenic markers are downregulated by supplementing BFGF. Notch1 signaling pathway is extracted as a candidate target after bioinformatics analysis by RNA sequencing. The transfection of si-Notch1 abolishes the calcification inhibitory effect of BFGF. Taken together, our findings shed the light on the mechanism and potential therapeutics of BFGF for CAVD.

Circular Antisense Oligonucleotides for Specific RNase-H-Mediated microRNA Inhibition with Reduced Off-Target Effects and Nonspecific Immunostimulation.

Antisense microRNA oligodeoxynucleotides (AMOs) are powerful tools to regulate microRNA functions. Unfortunately, severe off-target effects are sometimes observed. Due to the special topological and enzymatic properties of circular oligodeoxynucleotides (c-ODNs), we rationally designed and developed circular AMOs, which effectively inhibited microRNA functions with high target specificity and low off-target effects. Binding and enzymatic assays indicated that small circular AMOs could selectively bind to and further digest the target mature miR 21, which suggested that the topological properties of circular c-ODNs significantly decreased their off-target effects as microRNA inhibitors. Compared with their linear corresponding phosphorothioated AMOs, circular phosphorothioated AMOs could more effectively reduce the amount of carcinogenic miR 21 and miR 222 and upregulate the expression levels of downstream antitumor proteins of PTEN and PDCD4. In addition, c-PS-antimiRs induced much less nonspecific immunostimulatory effects compared with their linear partner PS-ODNs, further indicating the advantages of circular ODNs in nonspecific immunostimulation.

Molecular identification of Theileria equi, Babesia caballi, and Rickettsia in adult ticks from North of Xinjiang, China.

BACKGROUND: Ticks in Xinjiang distribute widely and account for one third of China. Ticks can carry and transmit bacteria, virus, and parasite. However, the research of tick-borne pathogens in Xinjiang is rather little. OBJECTIVE: To understand the situation of hard tick carry Theileria equi, Babesia caballi and Rickettsia spp. of Zhaosu and Altay in Xinjiang. METHODS: In this study, 119 tick samples were obtained from horses in Xinjiang, China, Ticks were identified morphologically to determine species and PCR was used to investigate the situation of pathogens by hard ticks. RESULTS: One hundred and seven belong to Dermacentor marginatus, five belong to D. niveus, and seven belong to D. silvarum. Theileria equi and Babesia caballi were detected in one tick and 18 ticks, respectively. However, the carrying rate of Rickettsia spp. was 51.26% (61/119). Among these, the mixed carriage rate of T. equi and Rickettsia spp. was 0.8% (1/119). The mixed carriage rate of B. caballi and Rickettsia spp. was 10.1% (12/119). CONCLUSION: Our results revealed that hard tick can carry not only haeimoparasite but also many important zoonotic pathogens in Xinjiang, and this situation was worth heeding.

Aspirin plus ticagrelor or clopidogrel on graft patency one year after coronary bypass grafting: a single-center, randomized, controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) improves early post-operative graft patency, but the optimal DAPT strategy for the patients after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) has not been confirmed. We sought to evaluate the effect of aspirin plus ticagrelor versus aspirin plus clopidogrel on saphenous vein graft (SVG) patency within 1 year after CABG. METHODS: Between October 2017 and December 2018, 147 consecutive patients undergoing elective CABG at Changhai Hospital were randomized into two groups: group AT, receiving aspirin 100 mg/d plus ticagrelor 2×90 mg/d; group AC, receiving aspirin 100 mg/d plus clopidogrel 75 mg/d. Both DAPTs should be administered within 24 h when clinical stability was ensured. 64-multislice computed tomography angiography (MSCTA) was used to assess the graft patency at 12 months after CABG.CYP2C19 gene variants were measured to assess the clopidogrel efficacy on graft patency. RESULTS: Among the 147 participants who completed the study, one (0.7%) patient from the AC group died at 5 weeks after surgery due to severe infection. All other patients were treated with DAPT for 12 months and underwent 64-MSCTA according to schedule. There were no significant differences in pre-operative characteristics and intraoperative transit-time flow measurement findings between the two groups. Besides, no significant differences in the incidence of major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) and major bleeding were observed. A 64-MSCTA showed that SVG patency was 91.0% (141 of 155) in the AT group and 89.9% (161 of 179) in the AC group (P=0.751). No significant associations were found between different CYP2C19 genotypes and SVG patency (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Either aspirin plus ticagrelor or aspirin plus clopidogrel can maintain a fairly high graft patency rate in the early phase after CABG, regardless of CYP2C19 genotypes.

Recombinant interferon-gamma promotes immunoglobulin G and cytokine memory responses to cathepsin L-like cysteine proteinase of Hyalomma asiaticum and the efficacy of anti-tick.

Among bloodsucking arthropods, hard tick is a vector of transmitting the most diverse human and animal pathogens, leading to an increasing number of manifestations worldwide. The development of the anti-tick vaccine has the potential to be an environmentally friendly and cost-effective option for tick management. We have previously demonstrated the induction of both humoral and cellular response against Hyalomma asiaticum (H. asiaticum) following immunization with recombinant cathepsin L-like cysteine protease from H. asiaticum tick (rHasCPL), and could control tick infestations. Interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), is an immunomodulatory factor that plays an important role in the regulation of adaptive immunity against infection. In the present study, recombinant BALB/c mouse IFN-γ (rMus-IFN-γ) was cloned and expressed using a prokaryotic expression system, and verified by Western blotting and IFN-γ-ELISA kit analysis. Female BALB/c mice (n = 12) were used for immunization using rHasCPL (100 µg) plus IFN-γ as adjuvant (10 µg). In immunized female BALB/c mice, the levels of anti-CPL antibodies as well as cytokines were determined using ELISA analysis. Protective efficacy of immunization was evaluated by larvae H. asiaticum challenge of immunized female BALB/c mice. Using rMus-IFN-γ as an adjuvant to rHasCPL vaccine (CPL + IFN-γ) promoted specific antibody IgG (IgG1 > IgG2a) and increased production of IFN-γ and IL-4 compared to immune rHasCPL group (CPL). The protected rate of immunized mice from tick challenge was significantly higher after immunization with CPL + IFN-γ (85.11 %) than with CPL (63.28 %). Immunization using CPL + IFN-γ promoted the activation of anti-HasCPL humoral and cellular immune responses, and could provide better protection against H. asiaticum infestation. This approach may could help develop a candidate vaccine for control tick infestations.

Photoregulation of Gene Expression with Ligand-Modified Caged siRNAs through Host/Guest Interaction.

Small interfering RNA (siRNA) can effectively silence target genes through Argonate 2 (Ago2)-induced RNA interference (RNAi). It is very important to control siRNA activity in both spatial and temporal modes. Among different masking strategies, photocaging can be used to regulate gene expression through light irradiation with spatiotemporal and dose-dependent resolution. Many different caging strategies and caging groups have been reported for light-activated siRNA gene silencing. Herein, we describe a novel caging strategy that increases the blocking effect of RISC complex formation/process through host/guest (including ligand/receptor) interactions, thereby enhancing the inhibition of caged siRNA activity until light activation. This strategy can be used as a general approach to design caged siRNAs for the photomodulation of gene silencing of exogenous and endogenous genes.

De novo assembly and analysis of the transcriptome of the Dermacentor marginatus genes differentially expressed after blood-feeding and long-term starvation.

BACKGROUND: The ixodid tick Dermacentor marginatus is a vector of many pathogens wide spread in Eurasia. Studies of gene sequence on many tick species have greatly increased the information on tick protective antigen which might have the potential to function as effective vaccine candidates or drug targets for eco-friendly acaricide development. In the current study, RNA-seq was applied to identify D. marginatus sequences and analyze differentially expressed unigenes. METHODS: To obtain a broader picture of gene sequences and changes in expression level, RNA-seq was performed to obtain the whole-body transcriptome data of D. marginatus adult female ticks after engorgement and long-term starvation. Subsequently, the real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was applied to validate the RNA-seq data. RESULTS: RNA-seq produced 30,251 unigenes, of which 32% were annotated. Gene expression was compared among groups that differed by status as newly molted, starved and engorged female adult ticks. Nearly one third of the unigenes in each group were differentially expressed compared to the other two groups, and the most numerous were genes encoding proteins involved in catalytic and binding activities and apoptosis. Selected up-regulated differentially expressed genes in each group were associated to protein, lipids, carbohydrate and chitin metabolism. Blood-feeding and long-term starvation also caused genes differentially expressed in the defense response and antioxidant response. RT-qPCR results indicated 6 differentially expressed transcripts showed similar trends in expression changes with RNA-seq results confirming that the gene expression profiles in transcriptome data is in consistent with RT-qPCR validation. CONCLUSIONS: Obtaining the sequence information of D. marginatus and characterizing the expression pattern of the genes involved in blood-feeding and during starvation would be helpful in understanding molecular physiology of D. marginatus and provides data for anti-tick vaccine and drug development for controlling the tick.

Sequence identification and expression profile of seven Dermacentor marginatus glutathione S-transferase genes.

Dermacentor marginatus is a widespread tick species and a vector of many pathogens in Eurasia. Due to the medical importance of D. marginatus, control measures are needed for this tick species. Currently tick control approaches rely mostly on acaricide application, whereas wrong and irrational acaricide use may result in drug resistance and residue problems. Vaccination as an alternative approach for tick control has been proven to be effective towards some tick species. However, immunization against D. marginatus has not yet reached satisfactory protection. The effort of in silico based analysis could predict antigenicity and identify candidates for anti-tick vaccine development. We carried out an in silico analysis of D. marginatus glutathione S-transferases (DmGSTs) in order to identify blood-feeding induced GSTs as antigens that can be used in anti-tick vaccine development. Phylogenetic analysis, linear B-cell epitope prediction, homology modeling, and conformational B-cell epitope mapping on the GST models were performed to identify highly antigenic DmGSTs. Relative gene expressions of the seven GSTs were profiled through real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) to outline GSTs up-regulated during blood feeding. The phylogenetic analysis indicated that the seven GSTs belonged to four classes of GST, including one in epsilon-class, one in zeta-class, one in omega-class, and four in mu-class. Linear B-cell epitope prediction revealed mu-class GSTs share similar conserved antigenic regions. The conformational B-cell epitope mapped on the homology model of the GSTs displayed that GSTs of mu-class showed stronger antigenicity than that of other classes. RT-qPCR revealed DmGSTM1 and DmGSTM2 were positively related to blood feeding. In sum, the data suggest that DmGSTM1 and DmGSTM2 could be tested for potential anti-tick vaccine trials.

Staged repair of chronic type A aortic dissection with small true lumen at the descending aorta.

BACKGROUND: Surgical strategy for treating chronic type A dissection with small true lumen at the descending aorta has not been reported. In this retrospective study, we reviewed our experience of applying a two-stage procedure for treating chronic type A dissection with small true lumen at the descending aorta. METHODS: Between February 2016 and December 2019, seven patients suffering from chronic type A dissection with small true lumen at the descending aorta underwent this procedure. Preoperative computed tomographic angiography (CTA) was performed to carefully assess the diameter of the descending aorta, tear site, and visceral arteries. The interval between the two procedures is determined by the condition of the patients' recovery and illustration of postoperative CTA after the first stage procedure. RESULTS: All patients underwent first- and second-stage procedures. No mortality was observed among the seven patients. One patient who had a transient neurological deficit after the first stage recovered completely before hospital discharge. In two patients, the diameter of the descending aorta was enlarged postoperatively after the first-stage procedure. The interval between the two procedures was 2-3 months. However, no adverse events, such as stroke, paraparesis, visceral malperfusion, and lower extremity malfunction, were observed. CONCLUSIONS: The two-staged procedure for the repair of chronic type A dissection with small true lumen at the descending aorta is adaptable with low prevalence of mortality and complication.

Triton X-100-Modified Adenosine Triphosphate-Responsive siRNA Delivery Agent for Antitumor Therapy.

Modified polyethyleneimine (PEI) has been widely used as siRNA delivery agents. Here, a new Triton X-100-modified low-molecular-weight PEI siRNA delivery agent is developed together with the coupling of 4-carboxyphenylboronic acid (PBA) and dopamine grafted vitamin E (VEDA). Triton X-100, a nonionic detergent, greatly improves the cellular uptake of siRNA as well as the siRNA escape from endosome/lysosome because of its high transmembrane ability. In addition, the boronate bond between PBA and VEDA of the transfection agent can be triggered to release its entrapped siRNA because of the high level of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in cancer cells. The transfection agent is successfully applied to deliver siRNAs targeting endogenous genes of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and kinesin-5 (Eg5) to cancer cells, showing good results on Eg5 and EGFR silencing ability and inhibition of cancer cell migration. Further in vivo study indicates that the Triton X-100-modified transfection agent is also efficient to deliver siRNA to cancer cells and shows significant tumor growth inhibition on mice tumor models. These results indicate that the Triton X-100-modified ATP-responsive transfection agent is a promising gene delivery vector for target gene silencing in vitro and in vivo.

Photoregulation of Gene Expression with Amantadine-Modified Caged siRNAs through Host-Guest Interactions.

RNA interference is an essential and powerful tool for targeting and verifying specific gene functions. Conditional control of small interfering RNA (siRNA) activity, especially using light activation, is a potential method for regulating target gene expression and functions. In this study, a series of photolabile siRNAs with amantadine modification have been rationally designed and developed through host-guest interactions between amantadine and ß-cyclodextrin derivatives to enhance the blocking effect of siRNA binding and/or RNA-induced silencing complex processing. These caged siRNAs with amantadine modification at the 5' end of antisense-strand RNA were efficiently inactivated through the host-guest interactions between amantadine and ß-cyclodextrin. Photomodulation of the gene silencing activity of these amantadine-modified caged siRNAs targeting both exogenous and endogenous genes was successfully achieved, which indicates that host-guest interactions could be a new strategy for developing new caged siRNAs for gene photoregulation with low leaking activity.

MaxEnt Modeling of Dermacentor marginatus (Acari: Ixodidae) Distribution in Xinjiang, China.

Dermacentor marginatus Sulkzer is a common tick species found in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR) of China, and is a vector for a variety of pathogens. To determine the potential distribution of this tick species in Xinjiang, a metadata containing 84 D. marginatus presence records combined with four localities from field collection were used for MaxEnt modeling to predict potential distribution of this tick species. Identification of tick samples showed 756 of 988 (76%) were D. marginatus. MaxEnt modeling results indicated that the potential distribution of this tick species was mainly confined to northern XUAR. Highly suitable areas included west side of Altay mountain, west rim of Junggar basin, and Yili River valley in the study area. The model showed an AUC value of 0.838 ± 0.063 (SD), based on 10-fold cross-validation. Although tick presence records used for modeling were limited, this is the first regional tick distribution model for D. marginatus in Xinjiang. The model will be helpful in assessing the risk of tick-borne diseases to human and animals in the region.