Production of cleavage-resistant phytase transgenic pigs by handmade cloning.

With the rapid development of intensive animal husbandry in the livestock industry, large quantities of manure waste containing phytate phosphorus are being generated. Phytase can effectively solve the problem of high phosphorus pollution in the feces of monogastric animals. Enviropig, which produces phytase in the salivary glands and secretes the enzyme in the saliva, were first generated in 1999. However, phytase is easily inactivated during digestion. To address this problem, cleavage-resistant phytase transgenic pigs were generated using handmade cloning in this study. Transgene construction was improved and three cell lines carrying Cafp were obtained. In total, 810 blastocysts were generated and 712 good-quality were transferred into six recipients. Fourteen piglets were born, of which six survived after weaning. Polymerase chain reaction and sequencing results showed that seven (three live and four dead) of the fourteen piglets carried Cafp. Phytase activity in the saliva of the six live cloned pigs was tested at four months of age, and only one pig had 0.155 FTU/mL enzyme activity. The other five pigs may not have been activated in the transgenic parotid gland. Among all the transgenic pigs, the highest phosphorus digestion rate was 59.2% of intake, representing a 25.4% decrease in fecal emission compared to the average of controls. Immunohistochemical results on the three Cafp-positive pigs that died after six months of age showed that the transgene was only expressed in parotid glands, confirming tissue-specific gene expression. In conclusion, cleavage-resistant phytase transgenic pigs were successfully produced through handmade cloning. The cloned pigs offer a unique biological approach to managing phosphorus nutrition and environmental pollution in animal husbandry.

Multi-mode fault diagnosis datasets of gearbox under variable working conditions.

The gearbox is a critical component of electromechanical systems. The occurrence of multiple faults can significantly impact system accuracy and service life. The vibration signal of the gearbox is an effective indicator of its operational status and fault information. However, gearboxes in real industrial settings often operate under variable working conditions, such as varying speeds and loads. It is a significant and challenging research area to complete the gearbox fault diagnosis procedure under varying operating conditions using vibration signals. This data article presents vibration datasets collected from a gearbox exhibiting various fault degrees of severity and fault types, operating under diverse speed and load conditions. These faults are manually implanted into the gears or bearings through precise machining processes, which include health, missing teeth, wear, pitting, root cracks, and broken teeth. Several kinds of actual compound faults are also encompassed. The development of these datasets facilitates testing the effectiveness and reliability of newly developed fault diagnosis methods.

Tea saponin enhanced bioleaching of Fusarium solani to remove hexavalent chromium from soil.

Hexavalent chromium pollution is one of the most serious types of site pollution. In this study, a microorganism was screened to remove most hexavalent chromium from soil by leaching in 24 h. After ITS sequencing, the microorganism was identified as belonging to the genus Fusarium solani. The optimization experiment of leaching conditions determined that the removal rate reached the maximum 80% when the rotation speed was 200 rpm, the liquid-soil ratio was 15:1, the temperature was 35℃, and the pH was 7. The study has also shown that tea saponin can effectively strengthen the leaching of Fusarium solani to remove hexavalent chromium from the soil. Compared with tea saponin, the strengthening effect of glucose and rhamnolipid was relatively small. The removal rate of hexavalent chromium reached 85% when the added amount of tea saponin was 0.02 g/mL. The leaching solution destroyed part of the iron-manganese nodule structure of the soil, and its hydroxyl, carboxyl, and other groups complexed metal ions into the solution to achieve the purpose of removing hexavalent chromium. However, since the main crystal of the soil was SiO2, there was no obvious change in the XRD of the soil. Toxicity test showed that after leaching, the content of hexavalent chromium leached was 0.28 mg/L (< 1.5 mg/L), which meet the entry standard of the landfill site.

Synthesis, biological evaluation, and molecular docking of novel hydroxyzine derivatives as potential AR antagonists.

Prostate cancer (PCa) is a malignant tumor with a higher mortality rate in the male reproductive system. In this study, the hydroxyazine derivatives were synthesized with different structure from traditional anti-prostate cancer drugs. In the evaluation of in vitro cytotoxicity and antagonistic activity of PC-3, LNCaP, DU145 and androgen receptor, it was found that the mono-substituted derivatives on the phenyl group (4, 6, 7, and 9) displayed strong cytotoxic activities, and compounds 11-16 showed relatively strong antagonistic potency against AR (Inhibition% >55). Docking analysis showed that compounds 11 and 12 mainly bind to AR receptor through hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic bonds, and the structure-activity relationship was discussed based on activity data. These results suggested that these compounds may have instructive implications for drug structural modification in prostate cancer.

Identification of key gene networks controlling polysaccharide accumulation in different tissues of Polygonatum cyrtonema Hua by integrating metabolic phenotypes and gene expression profiles.

Plant polysaccharides, a type of important bioactive compound, are involved in multiple plant defense mechanisms, and in particular polysaccharide-alleviated abiotic stress has been well studied. Polygonatum cyrtonema Hua (P. cyrtonema Hua) is a medicinal and edible perennial plant that is used in traditional Chinese medicine and is rich in polysaccharides. Previous studies suggested that sucrose might act as a precursor for polysaccharide biosynthesis. However, the role of sucrose metabolism and transport in mediating polysaccharide biosynthesis remains largely unknown in P. cyrtonema Hua. In this study, we investigated the contents of polysaccharides, sucrose, glucose, and fructose in the rhizome, stem, leaf, and flower tissues of P. cyrtonema Hua, and systemically identified the genes associated with the sucrose metabolism and transport and polysaccharide biosynthesis pathways. Our results showed that polysaccharides were mainly accumulated in rhizomes, leaves, and flowers. Besides, there was a positive correlation between sucrose and polysaccharide content, and a negative correlation between glucose and polysaccharide content in rhizome, stem, leaf, and flower tissues. Then, the transcriptomic analyses of different tissues were performed, and differentially expressed genes related to sucrose metabolism and transport, polysaccharide biosynthesis, and transcription factors were identified. The analyses of the gene expression patterns provided novel regulatory networks for the molecular basis of high accumulation of polysaccharides, especially in the rhizome tissue. Furthermore, our findings explored that polysaccharide accumulation was highly correlated with the expression levels of SUS, INV, SWEET, and PLST, which are mediated by bHLH, bZIP, ERF, ARF, C2H2, and other genes in different tissues of P. cyrtonema Hua. Herein, this study contributes to a comprehensive understanding of the transcriptional regulation of polysaccharide accumulation and provides information regarding valuable genes involved in the tolerance to abiotic stresses in P. cyrtonema Hua.

Synthesis, bioactivity, and molecular docking of novel arylpiperazine derivatives as potential AR antagonists.

Prostate cancer is one of the malignant tumors and the second most common malignant tumor in men. Clinically used androgen receptor (AR)-targeted drugs can antagonize androgen and inhibit tumor growth, but these drugs can cause serious resistance problems. To develop novel AR antagonists, 22 kinds of arylpiperazine derivatives were designed and synthesized, and the derivatives 5, 8, 12, 19, 21, 22, 25, and 26 not only showed strong antagonistic potency (>55% inhibition) and binding affinities (IC50 <3 µM) to AR, but also showed stronger inhibitory activity to LNCaP cells versus PC-3 cells. Among them, derivative 21 exhibited the highest binding affinity for AR (IC50 = 0.65 µM) and the highest antagonistic potency (76.2% inhibition). Docking studies suggested that the derivative 21 is primarily bound to the AR-LBP site by the hydrophobic interactions. Overall, those results provided experimental methods for developing novel arylpiperazine derivatives as potent AR antagonists.

Sensing Hypochlorite or pH variations in live cells and zebrafish with a novel dual-functional ratiometric and colorimetric chemosensor.

Both HClO and pH are essential players in multiple biological processes, which thus need to be controlled properly. Dysregulated HClO or pH correlates with many diseases. To meet these challenges, we need to develop highly competent probes for monitoring them. Over the years, despite a rich history of the development of HClO or pH probes, those that can do both jobs are still deficient. Herein, we present a novel dual-functional chemosensor, CMHN, which exhibits a blue and red shift of its fluorescence emission upon reacting with HClO or OH-, respectively. CMHN was successfully harnessed in the imaging detection of HClO or OH- in aqueous solutions, live cells, and zebrafish. Results indicated CMHN can detect HClO with high sensitivity (LOD -132 nM), a quick response time (<70 s), and high selectivity over dozens of interfering species through a colorimetric and ratiometric response. Besides, CMHN can probe pH changes sensitively and reversibly. Its working mechanism was verified by DFT calculations. These superior features make CMHN excel among the HClO or pH probes reported so far. Taken together, CMHN replenishes the deficiency in currently developed HClO or pH probes and paves the way for developing multifunctional HClO or pH probes in the future.

Inactivation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms by thymoquinone in combination with nisin.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the most important foodborne pathogens that can persist in leafy green vegetables and subsequently produce biofilms. In this study, the synergistic effect of thymoquinone and nisin in reducing biofilm formation of P. aeruginosa on lettuce was evaluated, and their anti-virulence and anti-biofilm mechanisms were also investigated. At concentrations ranging from 0.5 to 2 mg/ml, thymoquinone inhibited the production of autoinducers and virulence factors, and enhanced the susceptibility of P. aeruginosa biofilms to nisin as evidenced by the scanning electron microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy. Integrated transcriptomics, metabolomics, and docking analyses indicated that thymoquinone treatment disrupted the quorum sensing (QS) system, altered cell membrane component, and down-regulated the expressions of genes related to virulence, efflux pump, and antioxidation. The changed membrane component and repressed efflux pump system enhanced membrane permeability and facilitated the entrance of nisin into cells, thus improving the susceptibility of biofilms to nisin. The dysfunctional QS and repressed antioxidant enzymes lead to the enhancement of oxidative stress. The enhanced oxidative stress disrupted energy metabolism and protein metabolism and ultimately attenuated the virulence and pathogenicity of P. aeruginosa PAO1. Our study indicated that thymoquinone has the potential to function as a QS-based agent to defend against foodborne pathogens in combination with nisin.

A reaction-based colorimetric and ratiometric chemosensor for imaging identification of HClO in live cells, mung bean sprouts, and paper strips.

Hypochlorous acid (HClO) as well as its ionic form (ClO-), representative of reactive oxygen species (ROS), are essential players in all sorts of biological processes. The abnormal level of each can lead to the onset of various diseases. Besides, Sodium hypochlorite, a commonly-used bleaching agent in our daily lives, could also result in breathing and skin problems when overexposed. Therefore, developing a molecular chemosensor for sensing HClO is of biological and environmental importance. Though many such chemosensors have been reported, new HClO chemosensors with different sensing performances may still come in handy in certain situations. In this work, we have developed a new coumarin-based chemosensor, CM-hbt, for realizing both ratiometric and colorimetric imaging detection of HClO in live cells. Notably, we further explored its application in sensing HClO in plant mung beans as well as fabricated an easy-to-use paper strip apparatus for facilitating its quick detection, which is seldomly seen in other HClO chemosensors. All the analysis results confirmed the high sensitivity and selectivity of this novel chemosensor. DFT calculations were used to decipher the underlying sensing mechanism of CM-hbt. Overall, this work presents a novel chemosensor, CM-hbt, as a colorimetric and ratiometric chemosensor for realizing imaging detection of HClO in a variety of different model systems, which highlights its broad spectrum of application potentials.

Case Report: Mucinous Adenocarcinoma Arising From Congenital Ejaculatory Duct Cyst.

Herein we present a previously unreported rare case of mucinous adenocarcinoma arising from a congenital ejaculatory duct cyst. Radiographic and endoscopic examinations revealed the tumor occurred in a cyst running through the prostate. Initially, the immunohistochemical pathology results showed that it was a metastatic mucinous adenocarcinoma, but no other primary lesions were clinically evidenced. Based on the embryonic development process of the male urogenital tract, the malformation of the patient's ejaculatory duct, and the pathological examination of the resected specimen, we considered the tumor to be a primary mucinous adenocarcinoma which originating from the hypoplastic ejaculatory duct. The tumor may have developed from the foci of intestinal metaplasia from cloacal remnants during embryonic development.

Papaya leaves extract as a novel eco-friendly corrosion inhibitor for Cu in H2SO4 medium.

The papaya leaves were extracted via ultra-pure water. The obtained papaya leaves extract (PLE) was used as the eco-friendly inhibitor for Cu in the H2SO4 corrosion medium. The experimental results showed that PLE was a mixed-type inhibitor and exhibited excellent anti-corrosion nature over a certain temperature range. Morphological analysis test results at different temperatures strongly proved the anti-corrosion nature of PLE. The XPS test results found that an adsorption film of Cu-S bond and Cu-N bond was formed on the Cu surface. This barrier film conformed to Langmuir mono-layer adsorption. Corrosion kinetics and thermodynamic parameters were calculated and discussed.

Insight into anti-corrosion nature of Betel leaves water extracts as the novel and eco-friendly inhibitors.

In this paper, the simple and low-cost water extraction way was used to acquisition Betel leaves extracts (BLE). The water as the extraction solvent has the characteristics of low price, environmentally friendly, and good solubility for other extraction solvents. BLE was researched as an environmental-friendly inhibitor via various experimental methods and theoretical calculations. Electrochemical experiments manifest that BLE can restrain reactions of the cathode and anode of Q235 steel. The BLE concentration was 400 mg/L, the anti-corrosion efficiency was close to 94%. The experimental data show that BLE can show high-quality anti-corrosion nature for Q235 steel immersing in 1 M hydrochloric acid (HCl) environment at a certain temperature range. The morphology maps of scanning electron microscope (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) strongly proves the data of electrochemical experiments. In addition, the BLE adsorption at the Q235 steel surface belongs to the Langmuir mono-layer adsorption. Quantum chemical calculations (QCC) and molecular dynamics simulations (MDS) effectually manifest that BLE can show decent anti corrosion character.

Two novel drugs as bio-functional inhibitors for copper performing excellent anticorrosion and antibacterial properties.

Two drugs (cefpirome, cefixime) as dual-action inhibitors could self-organize on copper surface forming bio-functional protective film, which effectively prevents copper corrosion in the picking process with an excellent performance on the resistance of Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results showed that studied drugs can self-organize on copper surface successfully forming adsorption film to protect copper. The results also indicated that N/S atoms with the lone pair electrons in the drugs donated electrons to the vacant orbital of Cu occupying the active sites of copper surface. Electrochemistry and surface morphology study revealed that the corrosion inhibition efficiency of cefixime was better than cefpirome. Furthermore, adsorption isotherm study suggested that the adsorption was spontaneous chemical and physical adsorption, obeying Langmuir adsorption.

Corrosion inhibition of X65 steel in sulfuric acid by two food flavorants 2-isobutylthiazole and 1-(1,3-Thiazol-2-yl) ethanone as the green environmental corrosion inhibitors: Combination of experimental and theoretical researches.

Food flavors of 2-isobutylthiazole (ITT) and 1-(1,3-Thiazol-2-yl)ethanone (TEO) for the corrosion inhibition of X65 steel in H2SO4 were studied by electrochemical methods, atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and theoretical calculations. Electrochemical experiments show that ITT and TEO can effectively inhibit the corrosion of cathode and anode of X65 steel, and they are mixed-type corrosion inhibitors. Surface topography analysis (SEM and AFM) also visually demonstrate that ITT and TEO form an effective barrier film on the X65 steel surface to isolate the corrosive medium. Theoretical calculations profoundly explain the inhibition mechanism of ITT and TEO at the molecular level. In addition, the adsorption behavior of ITT and TEO on the surface of X65 steel is consistent with Langmuir isotherm adsorption. The results of experimental and theoretical studies have shown that the inhibition effect of TEO is better than ITT for X65 in 0.5 M H2SO4.

[Effects of tetramethylypyrazine nitrone on proliferation and differentiation of neural stem cells in vitro].

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the role of tetramethylpyrazine(TMP) nitrone in proliferation and differentiation of neural stem cells (NSCs). METHODS: We separated and cultivated the original generation of NSCs from cerebral cortex of 14 days rat embryo, and the phenotype characteristics of the third-generation NSCs was tested by immunofluorescence. The experiment was divided into control group, ß-mercaptoethanol positive control group, tetramethylpyrazine nitrone group and tetramethylpyrazine nitrone + ethylene glycol tetraacetic acid(EGTA) group (n=4). The third-generation cultivation of NSCs was used in the experiment. The effect of tetramethylpyrazine nitrone on the number of NSCs proliferation was determined by BrdU and MTT, and the differentiation of NSCs was determined by Western blot. RESULTS: The primary NSCs was isolated successfully, neurospheres with typical NSCs morphology and expressing nestin was formed at 3-5 days. As BrdU and MTT assay results shown, compared with the control group andß-mercaptoethanol positive control group, the NSCs proliferation numbers of tetramethylpyrazine nitrone group increased significantly(P<0.05). The results of Western blot showed that the neuronal differentiation rate of NSCs was increased significantly in both the tetramethylpyrazine nitrone group and tetramethylpyrazine nitrone + EGTA group, and the differentiation rate of NSCs in tetramethylpyrazine nitrone + EGTA group increased more significantly(P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Tetramethylpyrazine nitrone can significantly enhance the proliferation and neuronal differentiation rate of NSCs. Decrease in extracellular Ca2+ can promote the differentiation of NSCs into neurons induced by tetramethylpyrazine nitrone. Ca2+ signaling plays an important role in the differentiation of NSCs into neurons.

Experimental and Theoretical Investigation of Thiazolyl Blue as a Corrosion Inhibitor for Copper in Neutral Sodium Chloride Solution.

The anticorrosion effect of thiazolyl blue (MTT) for copper in 3% NaCl at 298 K was researched by electrochemical methods, scanning electron-microscopy (SEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The results reveal that MTT can protect copper efficiently, with a maximum efficiency of 95.7%. The corrosion inhibition mechanism was investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared spectral (FT-IR), and theoretical calculation. The results suggest that the MTT molecules are adsorbed on metal surface forming a hydrophobic protective film to prevent copper corrosion. It also indicates that the MTT and copper form covalent bonds. The molecular dynamic simulation further gives the evidence for adsorption. The adsorption isotherm studies demonstrate that a spontaneous, mixed physical and chemical adsorption occurs, which obeys Langmuir adsorption isotherm. The present research can help us better understand the corrosion inhibition process and improve it.

A combined experimental and theoretical study of the inhibition effect of three disulfide-based flavouring agents for copper corrosion in 0.5 M sulfuric acid.

Diallyl disulfide (DAD), propyl disulfide (PPD) and dibenzyl disulfide (DBD) flavouring agents as copper corrosion inhibitors in 0.5 mol/L H2SO4 solution were evaluated with multitudinous experiments including electrochemical techniques, morphological characterization measurements, FTIR spectra and theoretical calculations. The electrochemical results indicate that PPD and DBD show mixed-type inhibitors and DAD belongs to cathodic-type inhibitor, and the corrosion inhibition capacity follow order: PPD > DBD > DAD. The adsorption of these compounds on the surface of copper conforms to the Langmuir adsorption isotherm model. Furthermore, theoretical calculations were applied to deeply understand the inhibition mechanism of three disulfide-based compounds.

Optical Depolarization of DCX-Expressing Cells Promoted Cognitive Recovery and Maturation of Newborn Neurons via the Wnt/ß-Catenin Pathway.

Electrical excitability by membrane depolarization is crucial for survival and maturation of newborn cells in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus. However, traditional technology for membrane depolarization lacks temporal and spatial precision. Optogenetics can be used to activate channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2), allowing cationic current to depolarize genetically targeted cells. In this study, we used ChR2-EGFP driven by doublecortin (DCX) to promote survival and maturation of newborn cells in the dentate gyrus after traumatic brain injury (TBI). C57BL/6 mice underwent lateral fluid percussion TBI. TBI mice were transfected with a lentivirus carrying the DCX-ChR2-EGFP gene. We observed that not only immature neurons but also type-2b intermediate progenitor (IPs) and neuroblasts expressed DCX-EGFP, indicating that DCX-expressing newborn cells could provide a long time window for electrical activity regulation. Quantitative results showed that the number of EGFP-expressing cells began to rise at 3 days after TBI and peaked at 9 days after TBI. By optical depolarization of DCX-EGFP-expressing cells between 3 and 12 days, we observed significantly improved cognitive deficits after TBI with enhanced survival and maturation of newborn cells in the dentate gyrus. We also investigated the role of optical depolarization in neural stem cells transfected with a lentivirus carrying the ChR2-DCX-EGFP gene in vitro. By administrating verapamil to block L-type calcium channels, we verified that the up-regulation of MAP2, NeuN, Neurog2, NeuroD1 and GluR2 in newborn cells was mediated by ChR2-elicted depolarization. By using ß-catenin inhibitor Dkk1, we demonstrated that optical depolarization of DCX-EGFP-expressing cells facilitated survival and maturation probably through the Wnt/ß-catenin signaling cascade.

Halogeno-substituted indazoles against copper corrosion in industrial pickling process: a combined electrochemical, morphological and theoretical approach.

The inhibitive properties of four indazole-based compounds (IA, 4-FIA, 4-CIA, and 4-BIA) on copper corrosion in 0.5 M H2SO4 solution were investigated using electrochemical measurements, surface characterization techniques and molecular modelling methods. Electrochemical tests indicate that the inhibition efficiencies increase with incremental concentration and all halogeno-substituted indazoles (HIAs) possess superior inhibitive ability to native IA. The specific rating of inhibition performance obeys the order: IA < 4-FIA < 4-BIA < 4-CIA. All inhibition efficiencies of HIAs obtained were over 96% in 1 mM, especially, 4-CIA reaches 99.6%. Moreover, the corresponding inhibition mechanism was elucidated via quantum chemical calculations allied to molecular dynamics simulation. In summary, the present study can help us to gain insight into the effect of halogeno-substitution on the inhibition efficiency of the IA molecule.