Transcriptome responses of RNAi-mediated ETH knockdown in Scylla paramamosain at different premolt substages.

Ecdysis triggering hormone (ETH) plays an important role in molting, reproduction, and courtship behavior in insects. To investigate the potential downstream pathways and genes of ETH in Scylla paramamosain, RNA interference (RNAi) was conducted on crabs at early (D0) and late (D2) premolt substages, and the transcriptome profiles of each group were compared by RNA sequencing. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and semiquantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) results showed a significant knockdown of ETH at D0 stage, whereas a significant increase was shown conversely in crabs at D2 substage after the injection of dsETH. A total of 242,979 transcripts were assembled, and 44,012 unigenes were identified. Transcriptomic comparison between crabs at D2 and D0 substages showed 2,683 differentially expressed genes (DEGs); these genes were enriched in ribosome and pathways related to transcription factor complex and cell part. Twenty DEGs were identified between dsETH-injected and dsGFP-injected crabs at D0 substage; these DEGs were involved in carbohydrate metabolism, one carbon pool by folate, and chitin binding. Twenty-six DEGs were identified between dsETH-injected and dsGFP-injected crabs at D2 substage; these DEGs were involved in calcium channel inhibitor activity, fat digestion and absorption, and cardiac muscle contraction. RT-qPCR verified the differential expression of the selected genes. In conclusion, crabs at D0 substage are more active in preparing the macromolecular complex that is needed for molting. Moreover, ETH has potential roles in carbohydrate metabolism, one carbon pool by folate, and chitin binding for crabs at D0 substage, while the role of ETH turns to be involved in calcium channel inhibitor activity, fat digestion and absorption, and cardiac muscle contraction at D2 substage to facilitate the occurrence of molting. The selected DEGs provide valuable insight into the role of ETH in the regulation of crustacean molting.

Characterization of the complete chloroplast genome of the Solanum tuberosum L. cv. Favorita (Solanaceae).

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.), a species of the family Solanaceae, is the fourth most important food crop worldwide. Solanum tuberosum L. cv. Favorita is a long oval, smooth, yellowish-skinned potato variety with green and plump leaves. It has a dry matter content of 17.7% and starch content of 12.4-14.01% in the tuber. In order to support more genetic data for the taxonomy of S. tuberosum, the complete chloroplast (cp) genome sequence of S. tuberosum L. cv. Favorita was determined using next-generation sequencing. In leaves, the chloroplast genome accounts for 5.17% of the total genome. The entire cp genome was determined to be 155,296 bp in length. It contained large single-copy (LSC) and small single-copy (SSC) regions of 85,737 and 18,373 bp, respectively, which were separated by a pair of 25,593 bp inverted repeat (IR) regions. The genome contained 132 total genes, including 87 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNA genes, and eight rRNA genes. The overall GC content of the genome is 37.9%. A phylogenetic tree reconstructed by 60 chloroplast genomes reveals that S. tuberosum L. cv. Favorita is most closely related to S. tuberosum L. cv. Desiree and S. tuberosum L. cv. Atlantic.

Characterization of the complete chloroplast genome of the Solanum tuberosum L. cv. Atlantic (Solanaceae).

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.), a species of the family Solanaceae, is the fourth most important food crop worldwide. Solanum tuberosum L. cv. Atlantic, a main fried special potato, has a dry matter content of 19%-23% and a starch content of 16.26% in the tuber. In order to support more molecular data for the taxony of S. tuberosum, the complete chloroplast (cp) genome sequence of S. tuberosum L. cv. Atlantic was determined using next-generation sequencing. In leaves, the chloroplast genome accounts for 5.49% of the total genome. The entire cp genome was determined to be 155,296 bp in length. It contained large single-copy (LSC) and small single-copy (SSC) regions of 85,737 and 18,373 bp, respectively, which were separated by a pair of 25,593 bp inverted repeat (IR) regions. The genome contained 132 genes, including 87 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNA genes, and eight rRNA genes. The overall GC content of the genome is 37.9%. A phylogenetic tree reconstructed by 64 chloroplast genomes reveals that S. tuberosum L. cv. Atlantic is most closely related to Solanum tuberosum L. cv. Desiree.

The 2D Porous g-C3N4/CdS Heterostructural Nanocomposites with Enhanced Visible-Light-Driven Photocatalytic Activity.

In this study, the 2D porous graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) nanosheets were successfully fabricated via a facile thermal decomposition polymerization method without any help of templates, and then novel porous g-C3N4/CdS complex catalysts of different mass fractions were is situ synthesized by a simple solvothermal process. The results of photocatalytic experiments demonstrate that the coupling g-C3N4/CdS cocatalysts exhibit significant enhanced visible-light-driven photocatalytic activity for the decolorization of methyl orange (MO) compared with individual porous g-C3N4 and CdS. In particular, an optimal porous g-C3N4 content in the hybridized composite has been determined to be 70 wt.%, corresponding to pseudo-first-order rate constant of 0.046 min-1, which is 7 and 11 times faster than that of pure porous g-C3N4 and CdS, respectively. Photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy measurements clearly confirmed that the recombination of photoproduced electrons and holes in g-C3N4/CdS composites was efficiently inhibited due to the formation of heterojunctions. Furthermore, the possible mechanism of enhanced photocatalytic activity and photostability of prous g-C3N4/CdS are also tentatively proposed.

Effect of Surfactants on the Microstructures of Hierarchical SnO2 Blooming Nanoflowers and their Gas-Sensing Properties.

Hierarchical SnO2 blooming nanoflowers were successfully fabricated via a simple yet facile hydrothermal method with the help of different surfactants. Here we focus on exploring the promotion effects of surfactants on the self-assembly of 2D SnO2 nanosheets into 3D SnO2 flower-like structures as well as their gas-sensing performances. The polyporous flower-like SnO2 sensor exhibits excellent gas-sensing performances to ethanol and H2S gas due to high porosity when polyvinyl pyrrolidone is added into the precursor solution as a surfactant. The response/recovery times were about 5 s/8 s for 100 ppm ethanol and 4 s/20 s for 100 ppm H2S, respectively. Especially, the maximum response value of H2S is estimated to be 368 at 180 °C, which is one or two orders of magnitude higher than that of other test gases in this study. That indicates that the sensor fabricated with the help of polyvinyl pyrrolidone has good selectivity to H2S.

Triangle, square and delta-chain based cobalt tetrazolate magnets.

Three novel tetrazole-based frustrated magnets, namely, Co3(OH)2(3-ptz)2(SO4)(H2O)4 (1), Co2(OH)(tzba)(H2O)4 (2) and [Co(OH)(tta)] (3) (3-ptz = 5-(3-pyridyl) tetrazole, H2tzba = 4-(1H-tetrazol-5-yl) benzoic acid, Htta = 1H-tetrazole) were hydrothermal synthesized and magnetically characterized. Compound 1 is a 2D (4,4) layered structure assembled by sulfate capped triangular [Co3(µ3-OH)(µ3-SO4)] clusters and in situ synthesized µ3-3-ptz ligands. Compound 2 features Co3(µ3-OH) triangle based magnetic Δ-chains linked with in situ generated µ5-tzba ligands to form a 2D layer. Compound 3 is a uninodal eight-connected body-centered-cubic (bcu) 3D network with square Co4O4 clusters as nodes and µ4-tta ligands as linkers. Interestingly, spin frustration was observed in these complexes due to inherent spin competition in triangle, Δ-chain and square. Magnetic studies show that 1 behaves as antiferromagnet, while 2 and 3 exhibits spin canting and long-range magnetic ordering.

Syntheses and structures of metal tetrazole coordination polymers.

Two salts and seven copper(I/II) and silver(I) coordination polymers containing tetrazolyl ligands have been hydro(solvo)thermal synthesized by metal salts, NaN3 and various nitriles generated via [2 + 3] cycloaddition reactions of organonitriles and sodium azide. The study also shows that in some cases the azide can play a dual role in the in situ syntheses of metal tetrazole complexes, namely, starting material for tetrazole ligand and co-ligand in the tetrazole-based coordination complexes. Compounds and are simple salts of ammonium and sodium 5-methyltetrazolate. Compound has a 3-D framework with intersecting channel and unprecedented (4(9).6(6)) topology constructed from mixed-valent Cu8 clusters. Compounds and are isomorphous, and have 3-D organic-inorganic frameworks constructed by [M2(mtta)]+ (Hmtta = 5-methyltetrazole) ribbon and [M2(N3)]+ (M = Cu, Ag) layer two types of structural motifs, which contains an mu(4)-1,1,1,3 azide. Compound is a 3-D four-connected chiral complex with (4(2).8(4))(Cu)(4(2).8(2).10(2))(tta) topology. The structure of consists of 2-D three-connected layers that are linked by ligand-unsupported Ag(I)...Ag(I) interactions to form a 3-D supramolecular array. Compound shows a 3-D chiral framework containing tetrahedrally and linearly coordinated Ag(I) ions and mu3- and mu4-two types of 5-propyltetrazolate. Compound has a 2-D layered structure formed by linkage of [Ag(tetrazolyl)] ribbons via C-C and N-Ag bonds. Magnetic measurement confirmed that there are two Cu(II) ions and six Cu(I) ions per Cu8 unit consistent with a mixed-valent Cu(I,II) complex.

[The expression of laminin in the intermingled skin transplantation of allograft and autograft].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the healing mechanism of full-thickness wound treating by the intermingled skin transplantation of large sheet allograft with autograft through studying the expression of laminin (LN). METHODS: Thirty-six SD rats with 10% to 15% of total body surface area (TBSA) full-thickness were made. After 3 days, the devitalized tissue were excised and transplanted a large sheet of allograft from Wistar rats and islets of autografts were implanted 3 days later. On day 3, 5, 7, 14, 21 after allografting, the expression of LN in the grafts were detected by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: On the 7th day postallografting, LN, which played positive action of epidermal cell adhesion, still retained in the allodermis after the rejection of alloepidermis occurred. On the 14th day postallografting, there appeared scattered LN underneath the epidermal cells migrating from islets of autografts. On the 21st day postallografting, LN in the basement membrane of skin grafts had completely formed. CONCLUSION: The intermingled transplantation of large sheet allograft with autograft may provide components of basement membrane for wound healing, which may help to improve the appearance and function of skin.