Determination of the total antioxidant capacity of the Chinese tea based on a novel "peroxidase/zirconium phosphonate"composite electrochemical sensor.

In this work, a novel zirconium phosphonate (ZrPR1R2) was prepared by decorating both the aminoethoxy- group (R1) and the carboxypropyl- group (R2) on the zirconium phosphate layers in order to manipulate further the immobilization of the peroxidase (POD), and an antioxidant biosensor with higher sensitivity was constructed by dropping the POD/ZrPR1R2 composite onto the glassy carbon electrode surface. The activity of the POD/ZrPR1R2 composite was detected by Uv-vis spectra. The direct electrochemical behavior, the electrocatalytic response to dissolved oxygen and hydrogen peroxide, as well as the ability to detect total antioxidant capacity in tea sample were investigated by the methods of cyclic voltammetry. The results indicated that the immobilization of POD in ZrPR1R2 nanosheets matrix enhanced the enzymatic activity, and achieved the fast and direct electron transfer between POD and glassy carbon electrode. Moreover, the POD/ZrPR1R2 composite modified electrode show the electrocatalytic response to hydrogen peroxide in the linear range of 8.8×10-8 to 8.8×10-7 mol L-1, with the detection limit of 3.3×10-8 mol L-1. Attributing to the sensitive response to dissolved oxygen, the total antioxidant capacity can be detected directly in the real tea water by this POD/ZrPR1R2 composite modified electrode.

miR-708-5p deficiency involves the degeneration of mandibular condylar chondrocytes via the TLR4/NF-κB pathway.

OBJECTIVE: Ageing and aberrant biomechanical stimulation are two major risk factors for osteoarthritis (OA). One of the main characteristics of aged cartilage is cellular senescence. One of the main characteristics of osteoarthritic joints is cartilage degeneration. The cells in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) cartilage are zonally arranged. The deep zone cells are differentiated from the superficial zone cells (SZCs). The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether degenerative shear stress (SS) stimulates the senescence programme in TMJ SZCs, and to determine which miRNA is involved in this process. METHOD: SZCs were isolated from the TMJ condyles of 3-week-old rats and treated with continuous passaging or SS. RNA sequencing was conducted to identify miRNA(s) that overlap with those involved in the replication senescence process and the SS-induced degeneration programme. Unilateral anterior crossbite (UAC), which is TMJ-OA inducible, was applied to 2-month-old and 12-month-old mice for 3 weeks. The effect of TMJ local injection of agomiR-708-5p was evaluated histologically. RESULTS: Both replication and SS treatment induced SZC senescence. miR-708-5p was identified. Knocking down miR-708-5p in SS-treated SZCs led to more severe senescence by alleviating the inhibitory impact of miR-708-5p on the TLR4/NF-κB pathway. miR-708-5p expression in mouse TMJ cartilage decreased with age. UAC induced more severe osteoarthritic cartilage lesions in 12-month-old mice than in 2-month-old mice. Injection of agomiR-708-5p suppressed UAC-induced osteoarthritic cartilage lesions. CONCLUSIONS: Age-related miR-708-5p deficiency is involved in the mechanically stimulated OA process. Intra-articular administration of agomiR-708-5p is a promising new strategy for OA treatment.

Caffeic acid, a natural extract, as an activatable molecular probe for viscosity detection in a liquid system.

Liquids, functioning as nutrients and energy systems, regulate various functions during storage programs. Microenvironmental viscosity is one of the most important physical parameters associated with the extent of deterioration, and it is crucial to monitor the mutation of viscosity at a molecular level. Herein, we utilized caffeic acid (CaC), a natural product extracted from thistles, as a molecular probe for viscosity sensing. CaC contains phenol hydroxyl (electron-donor) and carboxyl (electron-acceptor) groups, with both moieties connected by conjugated single and double bonds, forming a typical twisted intramolecular charge transfer system. The fluorescent probe CaC, obtained from a natural product without any chemical processing, exhibits high sensitivity (x = 0.43) toward viscosity, with an obvious visualized turn-on signal. Moreover, it displays good photostability, selectivity, and wide universality in commercial liquids. Utilizing CaC, we have successfully visualized viscosity enhancement during the spoilage process, with a positive correlation between the degree of liquid spoilage and microenvironmental viscosity. Thus, this study will provide a convenient and efficient molecular probe for food safety inspection across the boundaries of traditional biological applications.

The Increasing Burden of Cancer Among Women and in Rural Areas: A Retrospective Population-Based Study.

The retrospective study aimed to describe the epidemiological characteristics and trends of cancer in Anhui Province, China between 2010 and 2018. Cancer registry data were analyzed using the Joinpoint regression model to calculate trends in cancer incidence and mortality. Age-standardized incidence rate, calculated based on the world Segi's population (ASIRW) was higher in males (239.34 per 100 000) than in females (157.13 per 100 000), and higher in rural areas (203.98 per 100 000) compared to urban areas (189.93 per 100 000). The ASIRW for males decreased with an AAPC of -3.0%, while that of females showed an upward trend with an AAPC of 2.1%. At the same time, the ASIRW in urban areas decreased with an AAPC of -2.4%, whereas it remained relatively stable in rural areas. Among males, lung cancer was the most prevalent type of cancer, while breast cancer was the most frequent cancer among women. The age-standardized mortality rate according to the world Segi's population (ASMRW) was 115.32 per 100 000. The ASMRW was higher in males (156.70 per 100 000) than in females (75.51 per 100 000), and higher in rural areas (122.18 per 100 000) than urban areas (109.21 per 100 000). Lung cancer accounted for the majority of cancer-associated mortalities in the province. Attention needs to be focused on women and rural areas due to rapidly increasing incidence and mortality rates for cancer. Furthermore, an effective public health response is imperative, encompassing early screening, diagnosis, and treatment of prevalent cancers in high-risk populations and regions. It's crucial to promote healthy lifestyles among the public through health education.

Blood protection of autologous platelet-rich plasma in long-time aortic root reconstruction: A retrospective study.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the blood protective effect of autologous platelet-rich plasma in aortic root reconstruction under longtime cardiopulmonary bypass. METHOD: Patients who underwent aortic root reconstruction between August 2018 and August 2022 were included and divided into experimental and control groups according to whether autologous platelet-rich plasmapheresis was used or not. The experimental group included 112 patients (90 males aged 39.00 [28.75-49.00] years), and the control group included 112 patients (90 males aged 37.00 [27.00-46.25] years). The clinical data for example EuroSCORE II cardiovascular surgery risk score, blood routine and other indicators were collected from the two groups. RESULTS: The transfusion volume of allogeneic red blood cells in the experimental group (52 cases without blood transfusion, 23 cases with 1-2 units, 15 cases with 3-4 units, and 22 cases with 5 units and above) was significantly lower than that in the control group (32 cases without transfusion, 34 cases with 1-2 units, 22 cases with 3-4 units, and 24 cases with 5 units or more) (Z = -2.06, p < 0.05). Resternotomy/thoracotomy occurred in 11 cases (9.8%) in the experimental group and 23 cases (20.5%) in the control group (RR = 2.37, 95% CI: 1.1-5.14, p < 0.05). The number of bleeding events in the experimental group (18 cases, 16.1%) was significantly less than that in the control group (33 cases, 29.5%) (RR = 2.18, 95% CI: 1.14-4.17, p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The application of autologous platelet-rich plasma in a long-time cardiopulmonary bypass aortic root reconstruction can reduce the amount of allogeneic blood transfusion and the occurrence of bleeding events, which is beneficial for blood protection.

Structure and Wear Resistance of TiC-Reinforced Al1.8CrCuFeNi2 High-Entropy Alloy Coating Using Laser Cladding.

Al1.8CrCuFeNi2 high-entropy alloy coatings with different TiC contents were prepared using laser cladding. The effect of TiC on the microstructure, hardness and wear resistance of the coatings was investigated. It was found that the phase structure of the coating with 10 wt.% TiC was a single BCC phase with no other precipitated phase. When 20 wt.% TiC was added, the phase structure of the coating was a BCC phase and TiC phase. When the TiC content increased to 30 wt.%, more TiC-reinforcing phase was formed. With the increase in the TiC content, the hardness of the high-entropy alloy coating was enhanced and the wear loss clearly decreased, which was closely related to the change in the coating structure. The addition of TiC to high-entropy alloys plays the role of fine-grain strengthening and dispersion strengthening.

Triphenylamine-Modified Cinnamaldehyde Derivate as a Molecular Sensor for Viscosity Detection in Liquids.

Liquid safety is considered a serious public health problem; a convenient and effective viscosity determination method has been regarded as one of the powerful means to detect liquid safety. Herein, one kind of triphenylamine-modified cinnamaldehyde-based fluorescent sensor (3-(4'-(diphenylamino)-[1,1'-biphenyl]-4-yl)acrylaldehyde (DPABA)) has been developed for sensing viscosity fluctuations in a liquid system, where a cinnamaldehyde derivative was extracted from one kind of natural plant cinnamon and acted as an acceptor, which has been combined with a triphenylamine derivate via the Suzuki coupling reaction within one facile step. Twisted intramolecular charge transfer (TICT) was observed, and the rotation could be restricted in the high-viscosity microenvironment; thus, the fluorescent signal was released at 548 nm. Featured with a larger Stokes shift (223.8 nm in water, 145.0 nm in glycerol), high adaptability, sensitivity, selectivity, and good photostability, the capability of high signal-to-noise ratio sensing was achieved. Importantly, this sensor DPABA has achieved noninvasively identifying thickening efficiency investigation, and viscosity fluctuations during the liquid deterioration program have been screened as well. We believed that this unique strategy can accelerate intelligent molecular platforms toward liquid quality and safety inspection.

Utilization of photo-luminescent technique toward viscosity detection in the liquid food system with triphenylamine-michaelitic acid molecular sensor.

A noninvasive and effective viscosity inspection method is expected to ease the burden of continued increased health problems caused by liquid food safety. In this study, we proposed the viscosity of the liquid food micro-environment as a marker and further developed a versatile optical sensor, DPTMDD, for monitoring liquid food micro-environmental viscosity alterations. This sensor was strategically constructed by the triphenylamine-thiophene derivate and michaelitic acid, rotatable conjugate structure was utilized as the recognition site. The molecular sensor was synthesized in a one-step facile way, and DPTMDD displayed a longer emission wavelength (592 nm), low detection limit (1.419 cP), and larger Stokes shift (193.7 nm in glycerol and 177.8 nm in water) with narrower energy band, endowing the sensor with the capacity of achieving high signal-to-noise ratio imaging. Meanwhile, DPTMDD exhibits high adaptability, selectivity, sensitivity, and good photo-stability in various liquid foods, bright fluorescent signal (37.5-fold) of DPTMDD is specifically activated in the high viscosity media. Thickening efficiencies can be identified as well. More importantly, the viscosity fluctuations during the metamorphic stages of liquid foods are also screened through in situ monitoring. We expected that this unique strategy will reinvigorate the continued perfection of liquid food safety investigation systems. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13197-023-05699-y.

Green extract rosemary acid as a viscosity-sensitive molecular sensor in liquid systems.

The liquid micro-environment plays a momentous role in the regulation of various activities, and the abnormal changes are often closely related to the deterioration phenomena in multiple beverages. The local viscosity fluctuation has long been regarded as a key indicator to reflect the micro-environmental status changes. Herein, we proposed a versatile optical sensor, rosmarinic acid (RA), one kind of green natural product extracted from rosemary, for monitoring liquid micro-environmental viscosity alterations. RA displays a larger Stokes shift (123.8 nm) with narrow-band energy and exhibits wide adaptability, high selectivity, good sensitivity, and excellent photostability in various commercial liquids. When in high viscous media, a bright fluorescent signal of RA is specifically activated, and a high signal-to-noise ratio signal was released (58-fold). With the assistance of the fluorescence analytical technique, we have successfully achieved tracking the viscosity fluctuations during the deterioration stage of liquids via an in situ and visualization method. Our study will spur additional research on the molecular tools extracted from natural products for liquid safety inspection, and a convenient and sustainable application pathway has been established.

Dysarthria detection based on a deep learning model with a clinically-interpretable layer.

Studies have shown deep neural networks (DNN) as a potential tool for classifying dysarthric speakers and controls. However, representations used to train DNNs are largely not clinically interpretable, which limits clinical value. Here, a model with a bottleneck layer is trained to jointly learn a classification label and four clinically-interpretable features. Evaluation of two dysarthria subtypes shows that the proposed method can flexibly trade-off between improved classification accuracy and discovery of clinically-interpretable deficit patterns. The analysis using Shapley additive explanation shows the model learns a representation consistent with the disturbances that define the two dysarthria subtypes considered in this work.

Sustainable natural chlorogenic acid as a functional molecular sensor toward viscosity detection in liquids.

Liquids are perishable at ease during the long-term transportation and storage processes, non-invasive and in situ inspection method is urgent to be developed. In consideration of the important role of viscosity, one kind of sustainable natural product chlorogenic acid (CA) extracted from honeysuckle has been used as a versatile optical sensor for viscosity determination during the liquid spoilage process. The natural molecule was conducted by the O-diphenyl and carboxylic acid ester groups in coincidence, a typical twisted intramolecular charge transfer phenomenon was formed. This sensor features wide adaptability, high selectivity, good sensitivity, and excellent photo stability in various liquids. And CA displays a larger Stokes shift, high viscosity sensitive coefficient (0.62), and narrower energy band. The rotatable conjugate structure can be acted as the recognition site, and the bright fluorescent signal of CA is specifically activated when in the high viscous micro-environment. Inspired by this objective phenomenon, CA has been applied to detect the thickening efficiency of various food thickeners. More importantly, the viscosity fluctuations during the deterioration stage of liquids can be screened through non-invasive and in situ monitoring. We expected that more natural products can be developed as molecular tools for liquids safety investigation, and fluorescent analytical methods can be expanded toward interdisciplinary research.

Rapid identification of salmonella serovars by using Raman spectroscopy and machine learning algorithm.

A widespread and escalating public health problem worldwide is foodborne illness, and foodborne Salmonella infection is one of the most common causes of human illness.For the three most pathogenic Salmonella serotypes, Raman spectroscopy was employed to acquire spectral data.As machine learning offers high efficiency and accuracy, we have chosen the convolutional neural network(CNN), which is suitable for solving multi-classification problems, to do in-depth mining and analysis of Raman spectral data.To optimize the instrument parameters, we compared three laser wavelengths: 532, 638, and 785 nm.Ultimately, the 532 nm wavelength was chosen as the most effective for detecting Salmonella.A pre-processing step is necessary to remove interference from the background noise of the Raman spectrum.Our study compared the effects of five spectral preprocessing methods, Savitzky-Golay smoothing (SG), Multivariate Scatter Correction (MSC), Standard Normal Variate (SNV), and Hilbert Transform (HT), on the predictive power of CNN models.Accuracy(ACC), Precision, Recall, and F1-score 4 machine learning evaluation indicators are used to evaluate the model performance under different preprocessing methods.In the results, SG combined with SNV was found to be the most accurate spectral pre-processing method for predicting Salmonella serotypes using Raman spectroscopy, achieving an accuracy of 98.7% for the training set and over 98.5% for the test set in CNN model.Pre-processing spectral data using this method yields higher accuracy than other methods.As a conclusion, the results of this study demonstrate that Raman spectroscopy when used in conjunction with a convolutional neural network model enables the rapid identification of three Salmonella serotypes at the single-cell level, and that the model has a great deal of potential for distinguishing between different serotypes of pathogenic bacteria and closely related bacterial species.This is vital to preventing outbreaks of foodborne illness and the spread of foodborne pathogens.

Triphenylamine indanedione as an AIE-based molecular sensor with one-step facile synthesis toward viscosity detection of liquids.

Viscosity is one of the most important physical parameters in a liquid, noninvasive, and effective viscosity inspection method toward liquid safety that needs to be developed urgently. In this study, two kinds of novel molecular sensors, namely, DPBID and DPTMID, were strategically constructed by the triphenylamine indanedione derivates; the rotatable conjugate structure was utilized as the recognition site and fluorescence quencher. This couple of molecular sensors was synthesized in a one-step facile manner. DPTMID displayed longer emission wavelength and larger Stokes shift (195 nm in water, 138 nm in glycerol) with a narrower energy band. Moreover, DPTMID exhibited high selectivity, sensitivity, and significant fluorescence signal enhancement toward a higher viscous microenvironment. The molecular sensor displayed good photostability, selectivity, and universality in various commercial liquids and featured with typical aggregation-induced emission (AIE). With the aid of DPTMID, the thickening effects of liquid thickeners can be captured. More importantly, DPTMID was explored to visualize the viscosity fluctuations during the metamorphic stages of liquids, and it was found that the microenvironment viscosity level is closely related to the spoilage degree of liquids. The method with rapid detection, high sensitivity, cheap equipment, and fast results output toward food quality and safety inspection can be achieved through this study.

Activatable molecular rotor based on bithiophene quinolinium toward viscosity detection in liquids.

The development of non-invasive and effective viscosity inspection methods during the liquid deterioration process is urgently needed since viscosity is one of the most important physical parameters of liquids. Methods featuring rapid detection, high sensitivity, cheap equipment, and fast result output are greatly desired. In this study, a viscosity-sensitive molecular rotor (BTPEQ) with a large Stokes shift (187 nm), and long emission wavelength (648 nm) has been developed. The rotor is comprised of a bithiophene donor and quinolinium acceptor, and displays a typical twisted intramolecular-charge transfer (TICT) feature, with good photostability, selectivity, and universality in various commercial liquids. With the aid of BTPEQ, the thickening effects of liquid thickeners can be determined. More importantly, BTPEQ was explored to visualize the viscosity variations in liquids at different metamorphic stages, and it was found that the viscosity level in microenvironments is highly dependent on the liquid food metamorphic period. It is worth noting that this approach can facilitate the continued perfection of fluorescent analytical methods for food quality and safety inspection.

Facile Preparation of Loose P84 Copolyimide/GO Composite Membrane with Excellent Selectivity and Solvent Resistance.

In this study, multilayer graphene oxide (GO) was used to prepare the functional layer of polyimide/GO composite membrane with polyimide (P84) used as the supporting layer. Chitosan added in the functional layer was utilized to adjust the selectivity of the composite membrane. The effects of GO and chitosan contents on membrane morphology and separation performance were investigated in detail. The composite membrane showed high rejection to Congo red and Methyl orange with high flux but low rejection to Na2SO4 and MgCl2 at 0.2 MPa and ambient temperature. The membrane exhibited excellent solvent resistance in N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMAc) after being crosslinked with 0.5 wt.% triethylene tetramine. The result means that a highly selective and solvent-resistant P84/GO composite membrane was prepared with the facile filtration preparation method.

WC-High Entropy Alloy Reinforced Long Life Self-Grinding Silage Knife Prepared by Laser Cladding.

The working environment of agricultural knives is bad, which makes the knives wear out easily. A wear resistant layer of AlCoCrFeNi high entropy alloy (HEA) reinforced by tungsten carbide (WC) was prepared by laser cladding on one side of the cutting edge of a 65 Mn silage knife. Both the effects of WC addition on the microstructure and mechanical properties of AlCoCrFeNi (WC)x (x = 0, 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 in mass percentage) alloys were investigated. All experimental alloys displayed a crystalline structure of simple body centered cubic (BCC). The hardness of the cladding layer increases with the increase of WC content, and the hardness value enhances from 740 HV0.2 to 1060 HV0.2. A self-grinding edge was formed during working for the cladded knives. The cutting quality can be improved and the service life of agricultural knives can be increased meanwhile. The weight loss rate of untreated knives was about 2.64 times that of the cladded knives after a 76 h field experiment.

Reproduction Numbers of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Variants: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic continues to pose substantial risks to public health, worsened by the emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants that may have a higher transmissibility and reduce vaccine effectiveness. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis on reproduction numbers of SARS-CoV-2 variants and provided pooled estimates for each variant.

Genetic Diversity, Chemical Components, and Property of Biomass Paris polyphylla var. yunnanensis.

Paris polyphylla var. yunnanensis is a kind of biomass resource, which has important medicinal and economical values with a huge market. This review article aims to summarize the recent development of biomass P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis. The genetic diversity and chemical components of biomass P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis were reviewed based on the literature. Both the genetic diversity and genetic structure of biomass P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis were compared by using molecular marker technologies. All the extraction processes, harvest time, and drying methods on the chemical components were summarized in detail. The differences of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on the infection rate, diosgenin content, microorganisms, enzyme activities, rhizospheric environment, and endogenous hormones were discussed. This review article is beneficial for the applications of biomass P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis as a biomass resource in the biomedical field.

The complete plastid genome of Cotinus coggygria and phylogenetic analysis of the Anacardiaceae.

Cotinus coggygria Scop. (Anacardiaceae) is an important ornamental tree with beautiful characteristics that is grown in China. In this study, the complete plastid genome of C. coggygria was sequenced and assembled. This genome was 158,843 bp in size and presented a typical tetrad structure, consisting of a large single-copy region (87,121 bp), a pair of inverted repeat regions (26,829 bp), and a small single-copy region (18,064 bp). A total of 134 genes were annotated, including 88 protein-coding genes, 38 tRNA genes, and 8 rRNA genes. We observed a deletion that caused the loss of the rpl32 gene, and a small expansion of IR regions resulted in the trnH gene accessing IR regions; two copies were obtained. Phylogenetic analysis showed that C. coggygria was most closely related to Pistacia, with 100% bootstrap support within Anacardiaceae. In this study, we report the plastid genome of Cotinus species for the first time, which provides insight into the evolution of the plastid genome in Anacardiaceae and promotes the understanding of Cotinus plants.

Visual detection of viscosity through activatable molecular rotor with aggregation-induced emission.

Food safety has become one of the urgent affairs in the global public health studies, and irregular viscosity is closely associated with the food spoilage extent. In this study, one kind of activatable molecular rotor (TPA-PBZ) based on triphenylamine derivates has been synthesized via the Schiff base condensation reaction. This rotor is comprised by donor-accepter conjugated structure, with aggregation induced-emission feature and a large Stokes shift of 160 nm in water. The rotation of aromatic rings in TPA-PBZ is restricted in high-viscosity microenvironment, with the gradually increasing fluorescence emission signal at 568 nm. Significantly, this rotor TPA-PBZ has successfully been applied not only in the determination of thickening effects of food gum, but also in the detection of viscosity enhancement during the liquid food spoilage process. This molecular rotor can be utilized as an intelligent monitor platform for food quality and safety inspection in viscosity-related conditions.