Magnetic Titanium Dioxide Nanocomposites as a Recyclable SERRS Substrate for the Ultrasensitive Detection of Histidine.

A highly sensitive, selective and recyclable histidine detection method based on magnetic Fe3O4@mTiO2 (M-TiO2) nanocomposites with SERRS was developed. Mesoporous M-TiO2 nanoparticles were functionalized with 4-aminothiophenol and then coupled with histidine through an azo coupling reaction in 5 min, producing the corresponding azo compound. The strong and specific SERRS response of the azo product allowed for ultrasensitive and selective detection for histidine with an M-TiO2 device loaded with Ag NPs due to the molecular resonance effect and plasmonic effect of Ag NPs under a 532 nm excitation laser. The sensitivity was further enhanced with the magnetic enrichment of M-TiO2. The limit of detection (LOD) was as low as 8.00 × 10-12 mol/L. The M-TiO2 demonstrated applicability towards histidine determination in human urine without any sample pretreatment. Additionally, the M-TiO2 device can be recycled for 3 cycles with the photodegradation of the azo product under UV irradiation due to TiO2-assisted and plasmon-enhanced photocatalysis. In summary, a multifunctional and recyclable M-TiO2 device was synthesized based on azo coupling and SERRS spectroscopy for ultra-sensitive and specific histidine sensing. In addition, the proposed system demonstrated the potential for the multiplex determination of toxic compounds in the fields of food safety, industrial production and environmental protection, which benefit from the fingerprint property and universality of SERRS.

Efficient Masked Autoencoders With Self-Consistency.

Inspired by the masked language modeling (MLM) in natural language processing tasks, the masked image modeling (MIM) has been recognized as a strong self-supervised pre-training method in computer vision. However, the high random mask ratio of MIM results in two serious problems: 1) the inadequate data utilization of images within each iteration brings prolonged pre-training, and 2) the high inconsistency of predictions results in unreliable generations, i.e., the prediction of the identical patch may be inconsistent in different mask rounds, leading to divergent semantics in the ultimately generated outcomes. To tackle these problems, we propose the efficient masked autoencoders with self-consistency (EMAE) to improve the pre-training efficiency and increase the consistency of MIM. In particular, we present a parallel mask strategy that divides the image into K non-overlapping parts, each of which is generated by a random mask with the same mask ratio. Then the MIM task is conducted parallelly on all parts in an iteration and the model minimizes the loss between the predictions and the masked patches. Besides, we design the self-consistency learning to further maintain the consistency of predictions of overlapping masked patches among parts. Overall, our method is able to exploit the data more efficiently and obtains reliable representations. Experiments on ImageNet show that EMAE achieves the best performance on ViT-Large with only 13% of MAE pre-training time using NVIDIA A100 GPUs. After pre-training on diverse datasets, EMAE consistently obtains state-of-the-art transfer ability on a variety of downstream tasks, such as image classification, object detection, and semantic segmentation.

Transmission from seed to seedling and elimination of alfalfa viruses.

Introduction: Viral diseases have become a vital factor limiting the development of the alfalfa (Medicago sativa) industry. Six viruses infecting alfalfa with a high incidence rate are Alfalfa mosaic virus (AMV), Medicago sativa alphapartitivirus 1 (MsAPV1), Medicago sativa alphapartitivirus 2 (MsAPV2), Medicago sativa deltapartitivirus 1 (MsDPV1), Medicago sativa amalgavirus 1 (MsAV1), and Cnidium vein yellowing virus 1 (CnVYV1). The purpose of this study was to develop preventive measures against these viruses by investigating their transmission through alfalfa seeds. Methods: In this study, we investigated the transmission rate of alfalfa viruses from seed to seedling by PCR, determined the location of viruses in seed by dissecting seed embryos and seed coat, tracked the changes of viruses in seedlings, and finally discover effective elimination measures for alfalfa viruses from 16 measures. Results and discussion: Our results demonstrated that all these six viruses could be transmitted from alfalfa seeds to seedlings with the transmission rate ranging from 44.44% to 88.89%. For AMV, MsAPV2, and MsAV1, the viral load was significantly higher in the seed coats than in the seed embryos; however, it did not show significant differences between these two parts of the seeds for MsAPV1, MsDPV1, and CnVYV1. Dynamic accumulation analysis of AMV and MsAPV2 indicated that the viral load in plants increased continuously in the early growth stage, making it important to inactivate these viruses prior to their seed-to-seedling transmission. Sixteen treatments including physical, chemical, and combinations of physical and chemical measures were compared in terms of their elimination efficiency on AMV and MsAPV2 and impacts on seed germination. The results showed that soaking alfalfa seeds in sterile distilled water for 2h + 2% NaClO for 1h or 2% NaClO for 1h were more promisingly applicable because it could significantly reduce AMV and MsAPV2 particles in both seeds and seedlings. Our data revealed a route of virus transmission in alfalfa and shed light on the discovery of a highly efficient method for the management of alfalfa viral diseases.

Plant virus transmission during seed development and implications to plant defense system.

Most plants produce large amounts of seeds to disperse their progeny in the environment. Plant viruses have evolved to avoid plant resistance mechanisms and use seeds for their dispersal. The presence of plant pathogenic viruses in seeds and suppression of plant host defenses is a major worldwide concern for producers and seed companies because undetected viruses in the seed can represent a significant threat to yield in many economically important crops. The vertical transmission of plant viruses occurs directly through the embryo or indirectly by getting in pollen grains or ovules. Infection of plant viruses during the early development of the seed embryo can result in morphological or genetic changes that cause poor seed quality and, more importantly, low yields due to the partial or ubiquitous presence of the virus at the earliest stages of seedling development. Understanding transmission of plant viruses and the ability to avoid plant defense mechanisms during seed embryo development will help identify primary inoculum sources, reduce virus spread, decrease severity of negative effects on plant health and productivity, and facilitate the future of plant disease management during seed development in many crops. In this article, we provide an overview of the current knowledge and understanding of plant virus transmission during seed embryo development, including the context of host-virus interaction.

Characterization and RNA interference-mediated silencing of tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase gene in Carpophilus hemipterus (L.) (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae).

Dried fruit beetle, Carpophilus hemipterus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae), is a serious pest of ripened fresh fruit in the orchard and dried fruit in postprocessing storage. Despite the economic impact and widespread distribution of C. hemipterus, there is a lack of functional genomics research seeking to elucidate features of molecular physiology for improved pest management. Here, we report the characterization of the gene named Vermilion in C. hemipterus (ChVer) that encodes for tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase. The Vermilion is frequently used as a visual marker for genomics approaches as tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase is involved in the biosynthesis of eye coloration pigments in insects. We identified 1628 bp long full-length transcript of ChVer from transcriptomic database of C. hemipterus. The expression analysis among adult body parts revealed peak ChVer expression in head compared to thorax and abdomen, which is consistent with its role. Among the C. hemipterus developmental stages, peak ChVer expression was observed in first instar larva, second instar larva, and adult male stages, whereas the lowest levels of expression were seen in third instar larva, prepupa, and pupa. The nanoinjection of ChVer double-stranded RNA in larval C. hemipterus resulted in a significant reduction in ChVer transcript levels as well as caused a loss of eye color, that is, the white-eyed phenotype in adults. Characterization of visually traceable marker gene and robust RNA interference response seen in this study will enable genomics research is this important pest.

Understanding the salt overly sensitive pathway in Prunus: Identification and characterization of NHX, CIPK, and CBL genes.

Salinity is a major abiotic stress factor that can significantly impact crop growth, and productivity. In response to salt stress, the plant Salt Overly Sensitive (SOS) signaling pathway regulates the homeostasis of intracellular sodium ion concentration. The SOS1, SOS2, and SOS3 genes play critical roles in the SOS pathway, which belongs to the members of Na+/H+ exchanger (NHX), CBL-interacting protein kinase (CIPK), and calcineurin B-like (CBL) gene families, respectively. In this study, we performed genome-wide identifications and phylogenetic analyses of NHX, CIPK, and CBL genes in six Rosaceae species: Prunus persica, Prunus dulcis, Prunus mume, Prunus armeniaca, Pyrus ussuriensis × Pyrus communis, and Rosa chinensis. NHX, CIPK, and CBL genes of Arabidopsis thaliana were used as controls for phylogenetic analyses. Our analysis revealed the lineage-specific and adaptive evolutions of Rosaceae genes. Our observations indicated the existence of two primary classes of CIPK genes: those that are intron-rich and those that are intron-less. Intron-rich CIPKs in Rosaceae and Arabidopsis can be traced back to algae CIPKs and CIPKs found in early plants, suggesting that intron-less CIPKs evolved from their intron-rich counterparts. This study identified one gene for each member of the SOS signaling pathway in P. persica: PpSOS1, PpSOS2, and PpSOS3. Gene expression analyses indicated that all three genes of P. persica were expressed in roots and leaves. Yeast two-hybrid-based protein-protein interaction analyses revealed a direct interaction between PpSOS3 and PpSOS2; and between PpSOS2 and PpSOS1C-terminus region. Our findings indicate that the SOS signaling pathway is highly conserved in P. persica.

Correction: A non-sacrificial method for the quantification of poly(ethylene glycol) grafting density on gold nanoparticles for applications in nanomedicine.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1039/C8SC02847H.].

Systematic review and meta-analysis of the risk factors for postoperative delirium in patients with acute type A aortic dissection.

Background: Delirium is a common postoperative complication of acute type an aortic dissection, which is a serious threat to the patient's life after operation. However, there are many risk factors for delirium and there are different conclusions. The aim of this study was to systematically analyze the risk factors for postoperative delirium in patients with acute type a aortic dissection by means of meta-analysis. Methods: Literature related to the risk factors of postoperative delirium in patients with acute type A aortic dissection was searched via the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), cqvip.com (VIP), WanFang, PubMed, Willey Library, Embase, and Web of Science databases. Two persons independently conducted literature screening, data extraction and literature quality evaluation according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The quality of literature was evaluated with Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). R 4.2.1 was used to compare the risk factors for meta-analysis. Results: After screening, 12 articles were included with a total of 2,511 cases, and 4 articles were at medium risk of bias and 8 articles were at low risk of bias. The meta-analysis results showed that patients in the delirium group had a higher probability of postoperative hypoxemia [odds ratio (OR) =1.65, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.28-2.13, P<0.01], longer postoperative duration of ventilator assistance (OR =3.05, 95% CI: 2.47-3.77, P<0.01), higher incidence of renal insufficiency (OR =1.86, 95% CI: 1.33-2.58, P<0.01), lower hemoglobin levels (OR =0.33, 95% CI: 0.23-0.48, P<0.01), longer postoperative stay duration in the intensive care unit (ICU) (OR =2.25, 95% CI: 2.13-2.37, P<0.01), longer duration of hospitalization (OR =2.74, 95% CI: 2.37-3.16, P<0.01), and higher postoperative Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) scores (OR =1.01, 95% CI: 0.90-1.12, P=0.92). Conclusions: Post-op aortic dissection in patients with acute type A diabetes should be monitored for oxygen and blood levels. When patients had prolonged mechanical ventilation, renal insufficiency, decreased hemoglobin, and prolonged ICU stay, timely intervention is needed to prevent the high-risk factors of postoperative delirium.

RNA virus discoveries in the electric ant, Wasmannia auropunctata.

Despite being one of the most destructive invasive species of ants, only two natural enemies are known currently for Wasmannia auropunctata, commonly known as the electric ant or little fire ant. Because viruses can be effective biological control agents against many insect pests, including ants, a metagenomics/next-generation sequencing approach was used to facilitate discovery of virus sequences from the transcriptomes of W. auropunctata. Five new and complete positive sense, single-stranded RNA virus genomes, and one new negative sense, single-stranded RNA virus genome were identified, sequenced, and characterized from W. auropunctata collected in Argentina by this approach, including a dicistrovirus (Electric ant dicistrovirus), two polycipiviruses (Electric ant polycipivirus 1; Electric ant polycipivirus 2), a solinvivirus (Electric ant solinvivirus), a divergent genome with similarity to an unclassified group in the Picornavirales (Electric ant virus 1), and a rhabdovirus (Electric ant rhabdovirus). An additional virus genome was detected that is likely Solenopsis invicta virus 10 (MH727527). The virus genome sequences were absent from the transcriptomes of W. auropunctata collected in the USA (Hawaii and Florida). Additional limited field surveys corroborated the absence of these viruses in regions where the electric ant is invasive (the USA and Australia). The replicative genome strand of four of the viruses (Electric ant polycipivirus 2, Electric ant solinvivirus, Electric ant virus 1, and Solenopsis invicta virus 10 (in the electric ant) was detected in Argentinean-collected W. auropunctata indicating that the ant is a host for these viruses. These are the first virus discoveries to be made from W. auropunctata.

Determination of Benzocaine in Pharmaceutical Formulations by Indirect SERRS Assay Combined with Azo Coupling.

Coupled with an azo coupling reaction, a simple, rapid, sensitive, and effective surface-enhanced resonance Raman scattering (SERRS) detection method for benzocaine was developed. In our study, benzocaine which is used clinically as a local anesthetic was derived with p-aminothiophenol into a corresponding azo product within 5 min, resulting in a strong SERRS response with the simple addition of Ag NPs excited with a 532 nm laser. The linear correlation between SERRS intensity of dominant bands and logarithm of benzocaine concentration was investigated for quantitative determination. The method reached a limit of detection (LOD) down to 0.139 and 0.0788 µg/mL calculated with two peak intensity ratios (I1568/I2260 and I1331/I2260), which is comparable to most studies reported previously, and meanwhile had superiority in simplicity and rapidness. The quantitative measurements for pharmaceutical preparations with benzocaine were conducted without complex extraction and enrichment processes. It was indicated that the SERRS assay combined with azo derivatization reaction has implications for practical applications in more complicated systems involving biological samples, in which appropriate and simplified pretreatments were conducted to remove interfering components.

Bioinspired and Ligand-Regulated Unnatural Prenylation and Geranylation of Oxindoles with Isoprene under Pd Catalysis.

In nature, prenylation and geranylation are two important metabolic processes for the creation of hemiterpenoids and monoterpenoids under enzyme catalysis. Herein, we have demonstrated bioinspired unnatural prenylation and geranylation of oxindoles using the basic industrial feedstock isoprene through ligand regulation under Pd catalysis. Pentenylated oxindoles (with C5 added) were attained with high selectivity when using a bisphosphine ligand, whereas upon switching to a monophosphine ligand, selectivity toward geranylated oxindoles (with C10 added) was achieved. Moreover, the head-to-head product could be further isomerized to an internal skipped diene under Pd-H catalysis. No stoichiometric by-product was formed in the process.

The efficacy of pulmonary rehabilitation exercise training on complications and mortality after lung cancer resection: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: The efficacy of pulmonary rehabilitation exercise training for patients after lung cancer resection has been controversial. We sought to evaluate the efficacy of pulmonary rehabilitation on the incidence of complications and mortality in patients after lung cancer resection. Methods: Search English databases PubMed, EMBASE, Medline to obtain literature. The literature compared the effect of pulmonary rehabilitation exercise training intervention or not on the efficacy of patients after lung cancer resection, and the outcomes included postoperative complications and mortality. The quality of the included literature was assessed according to the Cochrane risk of bias assessment work. The chi-square test was used to test for heterogeneity. When there is heterogeneity, a random effect model is used; when there is no heterogeneity, a fixed effect model is used. Results: A total of 9 prospective clinical studies (comprising 1,338 patients) were included in this meta-analysis. Among the patients, there were 571 cases in the rehabilitation group and 767 cases in the control group. The incidence of postoperative complications in the rehabilitation group was lower than that in the control group. The odds ratio (OR) value was 0.66 and 95% confidence interval (CI) was 0.47-0.94 (P=0.02). There was no heterogeneity among studies and no publication bias. The incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications in the rehabilitation group was lower than that in the control group, OR =0.33 (95% CI: 0.22-0.50) (P<0.00001). There was no heterogeneity among studies and no publication bias. There was no significant difference in postoperative mortality between the 2 groups (OR =0.77; 95% CI: 0.26-2.30; P=0.65). There was no heterogeneity among studies and no publication bias. Discussion: Implementing pulmonary rehabilitation significantly reduced postoperative complications and the risk of pulmonary complications in lung cancer patients, but had no significant effect on mortality. Pulmonary rehabilitation exercise training is recommended for patients undergoing lung cancer resection.

GR-α and GR-ß mRNA levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of acute myelitis patients can assist in the identification of glucocorticoid sensitivity and are correlated with glucocorticoid therapeutic effect.

Acute myelitis (AM) is a rare neuro-immune spinal cord disease. This study sought to explore the transcription level of glucocorticoid (GC) receptors α and ß (GR-α/GR-ß) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and their correlation with GC efficacy and sensitivity in AM patients. AM patients were grouped into the GC-sensitive group (N = 80) and GC-refractory group (N = 67). The GR-α and GR-ß mRNA levels in PBMCs were detected. The differentiating value of GR-α, GR-ß, and GR-α + GR-ß on GC sensitivity and resistance in AM patients was assessed. The independent correlation between GR-α and GR-ß mRNA levels and GC sensitivity in AM patients,t and the correlation between GR-α and GR-ß mRNA levels and spinal function after GC treatment were analyzed. GR-α mRNA level in PBMCs of GC-refractory patients was lower than that of GC-sensitive patients, while GR-ß mRNA level was higher than that of GC-sensitive patients. GR-α + GR-ß mRNA had a high diagnostic value for GC sensitivity and resistance in AM patients (area under the ROC curve = 0.881, sensitivity = 79.1%, specificity = 85.0%). GR-α and GR-ß mRNA levels were independently correlated with GC sensitivity. GR-α and GR-ß mRNA levels were correlated with the spinal function of AM patients after GC treatment. Overall, GR-α and GR-ß mRNA levels in PBMCs of AM patients can assist in the identification of GC sensitivity and are correlated with GC efficacy.

Status of traditional Chinese medicine healthcare services in nursing homes across China.

This study aimed to elucidate the status of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) healthcare services provided in nursing homes across China. We investigated 484 nursing homes using self-compiled questionnaires with a convenient sampling method. Chi-squared and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests were used for univariate analysis and binary logistic regression for multi-factor analysis. Of the 443 nursing homes finally included, 215 (48.5%) provided TCM healthcare services. Nursing home leaders majored in integrated TCM and Western medicine, leaders with a better understanding of TCM and government policies, nursing homes charging over 5,000 CNY/month, and those with ≥500 beds were more likely to provide improved TCM healthcare services. Massage, moxibustion, cupping or scraping, plaster therapy, decocting pieces, and acupuncture were the most prevalent and popular TCM services. Lack of professionals, financial investment, and policy support were the most common factors limiting the provision of TCM healthcare services in Chinese nursing homes.

Redox-Divergent Construction of (Dihydro)thiophenes with DMSO.

Thiophene-based rings are one of the most widely used building blocks for the synthesis of sulfur-containing molecules. Inspired by the redox diversity of these features in nature, we demonstrate herein a redox-divergent construction of dihydrothiophenes, thiophenes, and bromothiophenes from the respective readily available allylic alcohols, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), and HBr. The redox-divergent selectivity could be manipulated mainly by controlling the dosage of DMSO and HBr. Mechanistic studies suggest that DMSO simultaneously acts as an oxidant and a sulfur donor. The synthetic potentials of the products as platform molecules were also demonstrated by various derivatizations, including the preparation of bioactive and functional molecules.

Anti-inflammatory effects of kaempferol-3-O-rhamnoside on HSV-1 encephalitis in vivo and in vitro.

BACKGROUND: Herpes simplex virus encephalitis (HSE) is an acute central nervous system infectious disease caused by herpes simplex virus (HSV). Currently, there is no effective treatment for HSE infection, which produces many pro-inflammatory factors. Kaempferol-3-O-rhamnoside (K-3-rh) is a plant flavonoid. This study was investigated the anti-inflammatory effect of K-3-rh on encephalitis induced by HSV-1. METHODS: HSV-1 was co-cultured with VERO cells. Cells were divided into four groups, including the control group, virus group, K-3-rh group, Astragalus polysaccharide (APS) group and dexamethasone group. Flow cytometry were utilized to determine cell apoptosis, respectively. Proteins and mRNAs were estimated by western blot and qRT-PCR, respectively. RESULTS: After viral infection, the cytokines were significantly increased. After K-3-rh intervention, the expression of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1ß), and nitric oxide (NO) in microglia were reduced contrast with those in the virus group, and the expression of interleukin-10 (IL-10) did not change. After viral infection, the apoptotic rate increased significantly, and K-3-rh could inhibit viral-induced apoptosis in the microglial cell line. The induction of microglia apoptosis was achieved by cytochrome c and caspase-9-mediated mitochondrial pathway. Also, the pathological changes of brain tissue in mice of each drug intervention group were alleviated. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, K-3-rh had the potential to reduce HSV-1-induced brain injury by reducing the secretion of microglial pro-inflammatory factors, inducing apoptosis of microglia cells, and through cytochrome C and caspase-3 pathway.

Development of functional connectivity within and among the resting-state networks in anesthetized rhesus monkeys.

OBJECTIVE: The age-related changes in the resting-state networks (RSNs) exhibited temporally specific patterns in humans, and humans and rhesus monkeys have similar RSNs. We hypothesized that the RSNs in rhesus monkeys experienced similar developmental patterns as humans. METHODS: We acquired resting-state fMRI data from 62 rhesus monkeys, which were divided into childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood groups. Group independent component analysis (ICA) was used to identify monkey RSNs. We detected the between-group differences in the RSNs and static, dynamic, and effective functional network connections (FNCs) using one-way variance analysis (ANOVA) and post-hoc analysis. RESULTS: Eight rhesus RSNs were identified, including cerebellum (CN), left and right lateral visual (LVN and RVN), posterior default mode (pDMN), visuospatial (VSN), frontal (FN), salience (SN), and sensorimotor networks (SMN). In internal connections, the CN, SN, FN, and SMN mainly matured in early adulthood. The static FNCs associated with FN, SN, pDMN primarily experienced fast descending slow ascending type (U-shaped) developmental patterns for maturation, and the dynamic FNCs related to pDMN (RVN, CN, and SMN) and SMN (CN) were mature in early adulthood. The effective FNC results showed that the pDMN and VSN (stimulated), SN (inhibited), and FN (first inhibited then stimulated) chiefly matured in early adulthood. CONCLUSION: We identified eight monkey RSNs, which exhibited similar development patterns as humans. All the RSNs and FNCs in monkeys were not widely changed but fine-tuned. Our study clarified that the progressive synchronization, exploration, and regulation of cognitive RSNs within the pDMN, FN, SN, and VSN denoted potential maturation of the RSNs throughout development. We confirmed the development patterns of RSNs and FNCs would support the use of monkeys as a best animal model for human brain function.

Tripartite parasitic and symbiotic interactions as a possible mechanism of horizontal gene transfer.

Herbivory is a highly sophisticated feeding behavior that requires abilities of plant defense suppression, phytochemical detoxification, and plant macromolecule digestion. For plant-sucking insects, salivary glands (SGs) play important roles in herbivory by secreting and injecting proteins into plant tissues to facilitate feeding. Little is known on how insects evolved secretory SG proteins for such specialized functions. Here, we investigated the composition and evolution of secretory SG proteins in the brown marmorated stink bug (Halyomorpha halys) and identified a group of secretory SG phospholipase C (PLC) genes with highest sequence similarity to the bacterial homologs. Further analyses demonstrated that they were most closely related to PLCs of Xenorhabdus, a genus of Gammaproteobacteria living in symbiosis with insect-parasitizing nematodes. These suggested that H. halys might acquire these PLCs from Xenorhabdus through the mechanism of horizontal gene transfer (HGT), likely mediated by a nematode during its parasitizing an insect host. We also showed that the original HGT event was followed by gene duplication and expansion, leading to functional diversification of the bacterial-origin PLC genes in H. halys. Thus, this study suggested that an herbivore might enhance adaptation through gaining genes from an endosymbiont of its parasite in the tripartite parasitic and symbiotic interactions.