Empowering TiO2-coated PVDF membranes stability with polyaniline and polydopamine for synergistic separation and photocatalytic enhancement in dye wastewater purification.

Photocatalytic membranes are effective in removing organic dyes, but their low UV resistance poses a challenge. To address this, self-protected photocatalytic PVDF membranes were developed using polyaniline (PANI) and polydopamine (PDA), whaich are anti-oxidation polymers, as interlayers between the membrane and TiO2. PVDF membranes were first modified by a self-polymerization layer of either PANI or PDA and then coated with titanium dioxide (TiO2). The TiO2 remained firmly attached to the PANI and PDA layer, regardless of sonication and prolonged usage. The PANI and PDA layers enhanced the durability of PVDF membrane under UV/TiO2 activation. After 72 h of irradiation, PVDF-PDA-TiO2 and PVDF-PANI-TiO2 membranes exhibited no significant change. This process improved both separation and photocatalytic activity in dye wastewater treatment. The PVDF-PDA-TiO2 and PVDF-PANI-TiO2 membranes showed enhanced membrane hydrophilicity, aiding in the rejection of organic pollutants and reducing fouling. The modified membranes exhibited a significant improvement in the flux recovery rate, attributed to the synergistic effects of high hydrophilicity and photocatalytic activity. Specially, the flux recovery rate increased from 17.7% (original PVDF) to 56.3% and 37.1% for the PVDF-PDA-TiO2 membrane and PVDF-PANI-TiO2 membrane. In dye rejection tests, the PVDF‒PDA‒TiO2 membrane achieved 88% efficiency, while the PVDF‒PANI‒TiO2 reached 95.7%. Additionally, the photodegradation of Reactive Red 239 (RR239) by these membranes further improved dye removal. Despite an 11% reduction in flux, the PVDF-PDA-TiO2 membrane demonstrated greater durability and longevity. The assistance of PANI and PDA in TiO2 coating also improved COD removal (from 33 to 58-68%) and provided self-protection for photocatalytic membranes, indicating that these photocatalytic membranes can contribute to more sustainable wastewater treatment processes.

Antioxidant activity of an inclusion complex between rutin and ß-cyclodextrin: experimental and quantum chemical studies.

This study aims to synthesize a guest-host complex derived from rutin (Rut) and ß-cyclodextrin (ß-CD) (denoted as [Rut⊂ß-CD]). The obtained substance was characterized by the FT-IR and DSC methods, signifying the formation of an inclusion complex between Rut and ß-CD. Complex formation increased the antioxidant activity of rutin corresponding to the decrease of EC50 values from 1.547 × 10-5 mol L-1 to 1.227 × 10-5 mol L-1 according to the DPPH free radical scavenging test. The rutin-ß-CD interaction energies were calculated in the vacuum and various solvents (e.g., water, ethanol, and dimethylsulfoxide) utilizing an accurate and broadly parametrized self-consistent tight-binding quantum chemical method (GFN2-xTB). The calculation results reveal the influence of solvent on the structural formation of the rutin-ß-CD complex. In both the vacuum and aqueous solution, rutin can enter into the small-sized empty cavity of ß-CD, albeit through different terminals, resulting in distinct preferential structures. The presence of organic solvents appears to reduce the interaction between rutin and ß-CD, with the interaction strength following the order: water > ethanol > dimethyl sulfoxide.

Influence of purple non-sulfur bacterial augmentation on soil nutrient dynamics and rice (Oryza sativa) growth in acidic saline-stressed environments.

The aim of the current study was to assess the potency of the exopolymeric substances (EPS)-secreting purple non-sulfur bacteria (PNSB) on rice plants on acidic salt-affected soil under greenhouse conditions. A two-factor experiment was conducted following a completely randomized block design. The first factor was the salinity of the irrigation, and the other factor was the application of the EPS producing PNSB (Luteovulum sphaeroides EPS18, EPS37, and EPS54), with four replicates. The result illustrated that irrigation of salt water at 3-4‰ resulted in an increase in the Na+ accumulation in soil, resulting in a lower rice grain yield by 12.9-22.2% in comparison with the 0‰ salinity case. Supplying the mixture of L. sphaeroides EPS18, EPS37, and EPS54 increased pH by 0.13, NH4+ by 2.30 mg NH4+ kg-1, and available P by 8.80 mg P kg-1, and decreased Na+ by 0.348 meq Na+ 100 g-1, resulting in improvements in N, P, and K uptake and reductions in Na uptake, in comparison with the treatment without bacteria. Thus, the treatments supplied with the mixture of L. sphaeroides EPS18, EPS37, and EPS54 resulted in greater yield by 27.7% than the control treatment.

Improving nitrogen content in soil and lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.) yield by purple nonsulfur bacteria Rhodopseudomonas palustris in two consecutive seasons.

The study was conducted to assess the effects of nitrogen (N)-fixing purple nonsulfur bacteria (PNSB) Rhodopseudomonas palustris TLS06, VNW02, VNW64, and VNS89 on soil fertility, N uptake, essential oil (EO) content, growth, and yield of lemon balm. The experiment followed a completely randomized block design with 9 treatments and 3 replications. The treatments consisted of (i) applying 100% N as the recommended fertilizer rate (RFR), (ii) applying 85% N as RFR, (iii) applying 70% N as RFR, (iv) applying 55% N as RFR, (v) the treatment ii combined with N-PNSB, (vi) the treatment iii combined with N-PNSB, (vii) the treatment iv combined with N-PNSB, (viii) 0% as RFR combined with N-PNSB, and (ix) 0% N as RFR. The results showed that applying N-PNSB increased the plant height, and the number of primary branches in both seasons. In addition, the treatment without N fertilizer combined with N-PNSB increased stem leaf biomass by 41.2 and 50.3% in both seasons as compared with the treatment without neither N fertilizer nor N-PNSB. For soil properties, among treatments without N fertilizer, the treatment with N-PNSB increased concentrations of NH4+, soluble P, and exchangeable K+ by 41.3, 41.4, and 26.8%, respectively, as compared with the treatment without N-PNSB at the end of the second season. Applying 85% N as RFR combined with N-PNSB had a greater yield by 5.78-11.8% as compared with the treatment with 100% N as RFR, and a greater EO content by 23% as compared with the treatment with 85% N as RFR.

Fyn-mediated phosphorylation of Menin disrupts telomere maintenance in stem cells.

Telomeres protect chromosome ends and determine the replication potential of dividing cells. The canonical telomere sequence TTAGGG is synthesized by telomerase holoenzyme, which maintains telomere length in proliferative stem cells. Although the core components of telomerase are well-defined, mechanisms of telomerase regulation are still under investigation. We report a novel role for the Src family kinase Fyn, which disrupts telomere maintenance in stem cells by phosphorylating the scaffold protein Menin. We found that Fyn knockdown prevented telomere erosion in human and mouse stem cells, validating the results with four telomere measurement techniques. We show that Fyn phosphorylates Menin at tyrosine 603 (Y603), which increases Menin's SUMO1 modification, C-terminal stability, and importantly, its association with the telomerase RNA component (TR). Using mass spectrometry, immunoprecipitation, and immunofluorescence experiments we found that SUMO1-Menin decreases TR's association with telomerase subunit Dyskerin, suggesting that Fyn's phosphorylation of Menin induces telomerase subunit mislocalization and may compromise telomerase function at telomeres. Importantly, we find that Fyn inhibition reduces accelerated telomere shortening in human iPSCs harboring mutations for dyskeratosis congenita.

Using Trichoderma asperellum to Antagonize Lasiodiplodia theobromae Causing Stem-End Rot Disease on Pomelo (Citrus maxima).

Stem-end rot disease has been causing damage to the production of pomelos in Vietnam. The cur-rent study aimed to (i) isolate fungal pathogens causing pomelo stem-end rot disease (PSERD) and (ii) discover Trichoderma spp. that had an antagonistic ability against pathogens under in vitro conditions. Fungi causing PSERD were isolated from pomelo fruits with symptoms of stem-end rot disease and collected from pomelo farms in Ben Tre province, Vietnam. Moreover, 50 fungal strains of Trichoderma spp. also originated from soils of these pomelo farms in Ben Tre province and were dual-tested with the fungal pathogen on the PDA medium. The results demonstrated that 11 pathogenic fungi causing PSERD were isolated from the fruit and showed mycelial growth of roughly 5.33-8.77 cm diameter at 72 h after inoculation. The two fungi that exhibited the fast-est growth, namely, S-P06 and S-P07, were selected. ITS sequencing of the S-P06 and S-P07 fungi resulted in Lasiodiplodia theobromae. All the 50 Trichoderma spp. strains were allowed to antago-nize against the S-P06 and S-P07 strains under in vitro conditions. The greatest antagonistic effi-ciency was found in Trichoderma spp. T-SP19 at 85.4-86.2% and T-SP32 at 84.7-85.4%. The two antagonists were identified as Trichoderma asperellum T-SP19 and T-SP32. The selected strains of Trichoderma asperellum were potent as a biological control for fruit plants.

Isolation and characterization of novel potassium-solubilizing purple nonsulfur bacteria from acidic paddy soils using culture-dependent and culture-independent techniques.

The current research as aimed (i) to isolate and select the purple nonsulfur bacteria (PNSB) possessing the potassium-solubilizing ability from acid paddy fields and (ii) to evaluate the ability to release the plant growth-promoting substances (PGPS) of selected PNSB. A total of 35 acid sulfate (AS) soil samples were collected in An Giang province, Vietnam. Then, 70 PNSB strains were isolated from the AS soil samples. In the current study, the isolated strains were screened and selected according to their tolerability to acidic conditions, ability to solubilize potassium, and characteristics of a plant growth promoter on basic isolation media with various incubation conditions. Therein, three strains, TT07.4, AN05.1, and AC04.1, presented the highest potassium solubilization under the microaerobic light (11.8-17.7 mg L-1) and aerobic dark (16.4-24.7 mg L-1) conditions and stresses from Al3+, Fe2+, and Mn2+ toxicity. The selected strains were identified as Rhodopseudomonas pentothenatexigens by the 16S rDNA sequence, with 99% similarity. The selected acidic-resistant strains possessed the traits of biofertilizers under both microaerobic light and aerobic dark conditions, with abilities to fix nitrogen (0.17-6.24; 7.93-11.2 mg L-1); solubilize phosphorus from insoluble compounds with 3.22-49.9 and 9.49-11.2 mg L-1 for Al-P, 21.9-25.8 and 20.2-25.1 mg L-1 for Ca-P, and 10.1-29.8 and 18.9-23.2 mg L-1 for Fe-P; produce 5-aminolevulinic acid (0.63-3.01; 1.19-6.39 mg L-1), exopolymeric substances (0.14-0.76; 0.21-0.86 mg L-1), indole-3-acetic acid (12.9-32.6; 13.6-17.8 mg L-1), and siderophores (28.4-30.3; 6.15-10.3%). The selected potassium-solubilizing strains have a great potential to apply in liquid form into rice seed and solid form in AS soils to supply nutrients and PGPS for enhancing rice growth and grain yield.

Improvement of Nutrient Uptake, Yield of Black Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.), and Alluvial Soil Fertility in Dyke by Spent Rice Straw from Mushroom Cultivation as Biofertilizer Containing Potent Strains of Rhodopseudomonas palustris.

The aim of the current research was to evaluate the effects of members of purple nonsulfur bacteria (PNSB), Rhodopseudomonas palustris strains of VNW02, TLS06, VNW64, and VNS89, mixed with spent rice straw (SRS) from mushroom cultivation as a carrier on promoting sesame growth and yield, and ameliorating the alluvial soil (AS) fertility in dykes. A 4 × 3 factorial experiment consisting of different levels of the solid PNSB biofertilizer mixture at 0, 3, 4, and 5 t·ha-1 (0, 1.81 × 108, 2.24 × 108, and 2.68 × 108 cells pot-1, respectively), and nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) inorganic fertilizer rates (100, 75, and 50 kg·N·ha-1; 60, 45, and 30 kg P2O5·ha-1, respectively) was performed in pots with the sesame variety of ADB1 in the dyked AS. The solid PNSB biofertilizer mixture at at least 3 t·ha-1 significantly enhanced the sesame seed yield by providing higher macronutrients for plants by increasing available N and soluble P concentrations in the soil. The solid PNSB biofertilizer mixture in addition to 75% of the recommended N and P fertilizers produced an equivalent yield in comparison to the utilized 100% of N and P inorganic fertilizers. The solid PNSB biofertilizer mixture in the SRS from the mushroom production reduced at least 25% of N and P chemical fertilizers for gaining the maximal seed yield and enriched soil characteristics for the sustainable black sesame cultivation in the dyked AS.

Cryo-EM structures of human ABCA7 provide insights into its phospholipid translocation mechanisms.

Phospholipid extrusion by ABC subfamily A (ABCA) exporters is central to cellular physiology, although the specifics of the underlying substrate interactions and transport mechanisms remain poorly resolved at the molecular level. Here we report cryo-EM structures of lipid-embedded human ABCA7 in an open state and in a nucleotide-bound, closed state at resolutions between 3.6 and 4.0 Å. The former reveals an ordered patch of bilayer lipids traversing the transmembrane domain (TMD), while the latter reveals a lipid-free, closed TMD with a small extracellular opening. These structures offer a structural framework for both substrate entry and exit from the ABCA7 TMD and highlight conserved rigid-body motions that underlie the associated conformational transitions. Combined with functional analysis and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, our data also shed light on lipid partitioning into the ABCA7 TMD and localized membrane perturbations that underlie ABCA7 function and have broader implications for other ABCA family transporters.

Thermal Stability of Fructooligosaccharides Extracted from Defatted Rice Bran: A Kinetic Study Using Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry.

Thermal degradation kinetics of fructooligosaccharides (FOS) in defatted rice bran were studied at temperatures of 90, 100, and 110 °C. FOS extracted from rice bran and dissolved in buffers at pH values of 5.0, 6.0, and 7.0 were prepared for the thermal treatments. The residual FOS (including 1-kestose (GF2), nystose (GF3), and 1F-fructofuranosylnystose (GF4)) contents were determined using the ultra-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-MS/MS) method. The results showed that the thermal degradation kinetics of GF2, GF3, and GF4 followed a first-order kinetic model. Thermal degradation rate constants (k values) of GF2, GF3, and GF4 at different temperature and pH values were estimated using the first-order kinetic equation and SAS 9.1. As a result, these k values decreased gradually as the pH of the sample increased from 5.0 to 7.0. The Arrhenius model was applied to describe the heat dependence of the k-values. The activation energy (Ea) was calculated for each case of GF2, GF3, and GF4 degradation at pH values of 5.0, 6.0, and 7.0. The result showed that rice bran FOS is very thermostable at neutral pH while more labile at acidic pH.

Early-phase risk assessments during the first epidemic year of African swine fever outbreaks in Vietnamese pigs.

BACKGROUND: African swine fever (ASF) is a notifiable viral disease of pigs and wild boars that could lead to serious economic losses for the swine industry. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to identify risk factors in the early phase of ASF outbreaks in Vietnamese swine herds during the first epidemic year. METHODS: The period of interest for this case-control study was February to July 2019. A questionnaire was administered in northern Vietnam where all early cases of ASF were reported. Producers of herds with reported cases were asked to provide information starting from the day of onset of clinical signs as well as 30 days prior to that day. The period of interest for controls was within the 6 months of the first outbreak in Vietnam (February 2019). Questionnaires included 55 questions; responses were received from 67 cases and 115 controls. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with ASF status. RESULTS: Thirty-seven variables of interest (among a total of 55 variables) were associated with ASF status in univariate analysis (p < 0.05). These 37 variables were assessed for inclusion in the multivariate analysis by backward stepwise selection. Six variables remained significant as ASF risk factors in the final model: distance to farm within 500 m, distance of irrigation systems within 200 m, total number of pigs (≤500), absence of dressing rooms for workers/visitors before entering the farm, poor hygienic practices for people within the farm, and poor hygienic practices at pig loading/unloading locations. CONCLUSIONS: These results may help in understanding the epidemiology of ASF in Vietnam and provide a scientific basis for optimization of current interventions and development of new tools and strategies to reduce transmission of ASF.

Automatic scan range for dose-reduced multiphase CT imaging of the liver utilizing CNNs and Gaussian models.

Multiphase CT scanning of the liver is performed for several clinical applications; however, radiation exposure from CT scanning poses a nontrivial cancer risk to the patients. The radiation dose may be reduced by determining the scan range of the subsequent scans by the location of the target of interest in the first scan phase. The purpose of this study is to present and assess an automatic method for determining the scan range for multiphase CT scans. Our strategy is to first apply a CNN-based method for detecting the liver in 2D slices, and to use a liver range search algorithm for detecting the liver range in the scout volume. The target liver scan range for subsequent scans can be obtained by adding safety margins achieved from Gaussian liver motion models to the scan range determined from the scout. Experiments were performed on 657 multiphase CT volumes obtained from multiple hospitals. The experiment shows that the proposed liver detection method can detect the liver in 223 out of a total of 224 3D volumes on average within one second, with mean intersection of union, wall distance and centroid distance of 85.5%, 5.7 mm and 9.7 mm, respectively. In addition, the performance of the proposed liver detection method is comparable to the best of the state-of-the-art 3D liver detectors in the liver detection accuracy while it requires less processing time. Furthermore, we apply the liver scan range generation method on the liver CT images acquired from radiofrequency ablation and Y-90 transarterial radioembolization (selective internal radiation therapy) interventions of 46 patients from two hospitals. The result shows that the automatic scan range generation can significantly reduce the effective radiation dose by an average of 14.5% (2.56 mSv) compared to manual performance by the radiographer from Y-90 transarterial radioembolization, while no statistically significant difference in performance was found with the CT images from intra RFA intervention (p = 0.81). Finally, three radiologists assess both the original and the range-reduced images for evaluating the effect of the range reduction method on their clinical decisions. We conclude that the automatic liver scan range generation method is able to reduce excess radiation compared to the manual performance with a high accuracy and without penalizing the clinical decision.

Efficacy and Safety of Radiofrequency Ablation for the Treatment of Autonomously Functioning Thyroid Nodules: A Long-Term Prospective Study.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of RFA in the AFTN treatment after 2 years of follow-up and to find the factors related to treatment responses through TSH level and VRR. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This long-term prospective study was conducted from September 2017 to April 2021 on 17 AFTNs treated with RFA. Clinical evaluations, thyroid function tests, thyroid scintigraphy, and ultrasonography examinations were performed at 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and 24 months after ablation. The primary endpoint was the success rate of RFA in restoring the euthyroidism stage after 24 months of follow-ups; secondary outcomes were VRR and improvements of US parameters, clinical examinations, and complications. The Spearman rank correlation test was used to determine related factors with treatment response variables. RESULTS: At the 24 months after the procedure, symptom score, cosmetic score, vascularity grade, and nodule volume significantly decreased. The VRR reduced approximately 42.77%, 63.13%, 78.3%, and 95.65% after 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and 24 months follow-up. All 17 patients were restored euthyroid state without taking ATDs. No major complications were collected. The last TSH level was significantly correlated with the age of patients (Spearman rho = -0.637, p = 0.008). The VRR was significantly correlated with age of patients (Spearman rho = 0.566, p = 0.018) and initial TSH (Spearman rho = 0.485, p = 0.048). CONCLUSION: RFA was demonstrated as a safe and effective option for AFTN treatment in long-term follow-up. It can be used as an alternative treatment with encouraging results.

Structures of the human peroxisomal fatty acid transporter ABCD1 in a lipid environment.

The peroxisomal very long chain fatty acid (VLCFA) transporter ABCD1 is central to fatty acid catabolism and lipid biosynthesis. Its dysfunction underlies toxic cytosolic accumulation of VLCFAs, progressive demyelination, and neurological impairments including X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (X-ALD). We present cryo-EM structures of ABCD1 in phospholipid nanodiscs in a nucleotide bound conformation open to the peroxisomal lumen and an inward facing conformation open to the cytosol at up to 3.5 Å resolution, revealing details of its transmembrane cavity and ATP dependent conformational spectrum. We identify features distinguishing ABCD1 from its closest homologs and show that coenzyme A (CoA) esters of VLCFAs modulate ABCD1 activity in a species dependent manner. Our data suggest a transport mechanism where the CoA moieties of VLCFA-CoAs enter the hydrophilic transmembrane domain while the acyl chains extend out into the surrounding membrane bilayer. The structures help rationalize disease causing mutations and may aid ABCD1 targeted structure-based drug design.

Complexation of Cyclodextrins with Benzoic Acid in Water-Organic Solvents: A Solvation-Thermodynamic Approach.

The aim of this research is to obtain new data about the complexation between ß-cyclodextrin (ß-CD) and benzoic acid (BA) as a model reaction of the complex formation of hydrophobic molecules with cyclodextrins (CDs) in various media. This research may help developing cyclodextrin-based pharmaceutical formulations through the choice of the appropriate solvent mixture that may be employed in the industrial application aiming to control the reactions/processes in liquid phase. In this paper, NMR results for the molecular complex formation between BA and ß-CD ([BA⊂ß-CD]) in D2O-DMSO-d6 and in D2O-EtOH have shown that the stability of the complex in the H2O-DMSO-d6 varies within the experimental error, while decreases in H2O-EtOH. Changes in the Gibbs energy of BA resolvation in water and water-dimethylsulfoxide mixtures have been obtained and have been used in the analysis of the reagent solvation contributions into the Gibbs energy changes of the [BA⊂ß-CD] molecular complex formation. Quantum chemical calculations of the interaction energy between ß-CD and BA as well as the structure of the [BA⊂ß-CD] complex and the energy of ß-CD and BA interaction in vacuum and in the medium of water, methanol and dimethylsulfoxide solvents are carried out. The stability of [BA⊂ß-CD] complex in H2O-EtOH and H2O-DMSO solvents, obtained by different methods, are compared. The thermodynamic parameters of the [BA⊂ß-CD] molecular complexation as well as the reagent solvation contributions in H2O-EtOH and H2O-DMSO mixtures were analyzed by the solvation-thermodynamic approach.

Trace Metal Element Analysis in Some Seafood in the Coastal Zone of the Red River (Ba Lat Estuary, Vietnam) by Green Sample Preparation and Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS).

Fisheries and aquaculture production in the coastal zone of Vietnam contribute significantly to the national economy. However, seafood quality and safety, especially in terms of metal contents, are of increasing concern, for both domestic and international markets. This paper presents the results of an investigation in some trace metal elements (iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), and mercury (Hg)) concentrations in some fishes, crustaceans, and molluscs in the coastal zone of the Red River (in the Ba Lat estuary in Thai Binh and Nam Dinh provinces) during four sampling campaigns in 2020. All samples were treated by a green sample preparation using microwave digestion and then analyzed by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The results showed that the trace metal element concentrations in fish, crustacean, and mollusc samples decreased in the following order: Fe > Zn > Mn > Cu > As > Cd ∼ Hg. In more details, the ranges of trace metal elements in seafood samples were 13.13-202.73; 7.63-82.71; 0.48-22.73; 0.72-15.58; 0.18-5.12; 0.001-1.114; and 0.001-0.923 mg·kg-1 for Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu, As, Cd, and Hg, respectively. The research results contribute to the dataset of the seafood (both fishery and aquacultural seafood) quality in the Red River coastal zone. Although the mean values of different trace metal elements observed in this study were lower than the allowed values of Vietnam's or European's threshold for food safety, some high concentrations were detected. The survey results suggest the need to expand the monitoring scope (frequency of monitoring, number of samples, and observed variables) for obtaining a fully comprehensive assessment of seafood quality in this region. Our results also indicate that it is necessary to manage water quality in coastal areas, especially where aquaculture activities are carried out.

A Simple and Straightforward Approach for Generating Small, Stable, Homogeneous, Unilamellar 1-Palmitoyl 2-Oleoyl Phosphatidylcholine (POPC) Bilayer Vesicles.

Various methods have been developed to generate phosphoglyceride liposomes. Approaches resulting in homogeneous populations of unilamellar bilayer vesicles are generally preferred to mimic various cell membrane situations, as well as to optimize aqueous solute trapping efficiency using the least amount of lipid for biotechnological purposes. Most are time-consuming, often tedious, or require specialized equipment, and produce vesicles with limited shelf-life at room temperature or in cold storage. Herein, we describe a straightforward approach that avoids the preceding complications and streamlines the construction of unilamellar bilayer vesicles from 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl phosphatidylcholine (POPC)/dihexanoyl phosphatidylcholine (DHPC) bicelle mixtures at room temperature. The resulting vesicles are small (32-36 nm diameter), unilamellar, bilayer vesicles that are homogeneous, stable, and resistant to freeze-thaw alterations. Graphic abstract: Cryo-EM of POPC vesicles formed by dilution of 0.5 q-value POPC/DHPC bicelle mix.

Radiofrequency ablation of benign thyroid nodules: recommendations from the Asian Conference on Tumor Ablation Task Force

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a thermal ablation technique widely used for the management of benign thyroid nodules. To date, five academic societies in various countries have reported clinical practice guidelines, opinion statements, or recommendations regarding the use of thyroid RFA. However, despite some similarities, there are also differences among the guidelines, and a consensus is required regarding safe and effective treatment in Asian countries. Therefore, a task force was organized by the guideline committee of the Asian Conference on Tumor Ablation with the goal of devising recommendations for the clinical use of thyroid RFA. The recommendations in this article are based on a comprehensive analysis of the current literature and the consensus opinion of the task force members.

Knock-down of the TIM/TIPIN complex promotes apoptosis in melanoma cells.

The Timeless (TIM) and it's interacting partner TIPIN protein complex is well known for its role in replication checkpoints and normal DNA replication processes. Recent studies revealed the involvement of TIM and TIPIN in human malignancies; however, no evidence is available regarding the expression of the TIM/TIPIN protein complex or its potential role in melanoma. Therefore, we investigated the role of this complex in melanoma. To assess the role of the TIM/TIPIN complex in melanoma, we analyzed TIM/TIPIN expression data from the publicly accessible TCGA online database, Western blot analysis, and RT-qPCR in a panel of melanoma cell lines. Lentivirus-mediated TIM/TIPIN knockdown in A375 melanoma cells was used to examine proliferation, colony formation, and apoptosis. A xenograft tumor formation assay was also performed. The TIM/TIPIN complex is frequently overexpressed in melanoma cells compared to normal melanocytes. We also discovered that the overexpression of TIM and TIPIN was significantly associated with poorer prognosis of melanoma patients. Furthermore, we observed that shRNA-mediated knockdown of TIM and TIPIN reduced cell viability and proliferation due to the induction of apoptosis and increased levels of γH2AX, a marker of DNA damage. In a xenograft tumor nude mouse model, shRNA-knockdown of TIM/TIPIN significantly reduced tumor growth. Our results suggest that the TIM/TIPIN complex plays an important role in tumorigenesis of melanoma, which might reveal novel approaches for the development of new melanoma therapies. Our studies also provide a beginning structural basis for understanding the assembly of the TIM/TIPIN complex. Further mechanistic investigations are needed to determine the complex's potential as a biomarker of melanoma susceptibility. Targeting TIM/TIPIN might be a potential therapeutic strategy against melanoma.