"One-Pot" Method Preparation of Dendritic Mesoporous Silica-Loaded Matrine Nanopesticide for Noninvasive Administration Control of Monochamus alternatus: The Vector Insect of Bursapherenchus xylophophilus.

Monochamus alternatus is an important stem-boring pest in forestry. However, the complex living environment of Monochamus alternatus creates a natural barrier to chemical control, resulting in a very limited control effect by traditional insecticidal pesticides. In this study, a stable pesticide dendritic mesoporous silica-loaded matrine nanopesticide (MAT@DMSNs) was designed by encapsulating the plant-derived pesticide matrine (MAT) in dendritic mesoporous silica nanoparticles (DMSNs). The results showed that MAT@DMSNs, sustainable nanobiopesticides with high drug loading capacity (80%) were successfully constructed. The release efficiency of DMSNs at alkaline pH was slightly higher than that at acidic pH, and the cumulative release rate of MAT was about 60% within 25 days. In addition, the study on the toxicity mechanism of MAT@DMSNs showed MAT@DMSNs were more effective than MAT and MAT (0.3% aqueous solutions) in touch and stomach toxicity, which might be closely related to their good dispersibility and permeability. Furthermore, MAT@DMSNs are also involved in water transport in trees, which can further transport the plant-derived insecticides to the target site and improve its insecticidal effect. Meanwhile, in addition, the use of essential oil bark penetrants in combination with MAT@DMSNs effectively avoids the physical damage to pines caused by traditional trunk injections and the development of new pests and diseases induced by the traditional trunk injection method, which provides a new idea for the application of biopesticides in the control of stem-boring pests in forestry.

fosA11, a novel chromosomal-encoded fosfomycin resistance gene identified in Providencia rettgeri.

This study investigated resistance genes corresponding to the fosfomycin resistance phenotype in clinical isolate Providencia rettgeri W986, as well as characterizing the enzymatic activity of FosA11 and the genetic environment. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using the agar microdilution method based on the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines. The whole genomic sequence of Providencia rettgeri W986 was obtained using Illumina sequencing and the PacBio platform. The fosA-11 gene was amplified by PCR and cloned into the pUCP20 vector. The recombinant strain pCold1-fosA11-BL21 was expressed to extract the target protein, and absorbance photometry was applied for enzymatic parameter determination. Minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) tests showed that W986 conferred fosfomycin resistance and was inhibited by phosphonoformate, thereby indicating the presence of a FosA protein. A novel resistance gene designated as fosA11 was identified by whole-genome sequencing and bioinformatics analysis, and it shared 54.41%-64.23% amino acid identity with known FosA proteins. Cloning fosA11 into Escherichia coli obtained a significant increase (32-fold) in the MIC with fosfomycin. Determination of the enzyme kinetics showed that FosA11 had a high catalytic effect on fosfomycin, with Km = 18 ± 4 and Kcat = 56.1 ± 3.2. We also found that fosA11 was located on the chromosome, but the difference in the GC content between the chromosome and fosA11 was dubious, and thus further investigation is required. In this study, we identified and characterized a novel fosfomycin inactivation enzyme called FosA11. The origin and prevalence of the fosA11 gene in other bacteria require further investigation.IMPORTANCEFosfomycin is an effective antimicrobial agent against Enterobacterales strains. However, the resistance rate of fosfomycin is increasing year by year. Therefore, it is necessary to study the deep molecular mechanism of bacterial resistance to fosfomycin. We identified a novel chromosomal fosfomycin glutathione S-transferase, FosA11 from Providencia rettgeri, which shares a very low identity (54.41%-64.23%) with the previously known FosA and exhibits highly efficient catalytic ability against fosfomycin. Analysis of the genetic context and origin of fosA11 displays that the gene and its surrounding environments are widely conserved in Providencia and no mobile elements are discovered, implying that FosA11 may be broadly important in the natural resistance to fosfomycin of Providencia species.

[Urine metabolomics study of intervention of Xihuang Pills in rats with hyperplasia of mammary gland].

This study aimed to investigate the mechanism of Xihuang Pills in improving hyperplasia of mammary gland(HMG) in rats based on urine metabolomics using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-Orbitrap mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-Orbitrap-MS). The HMG rat model was established by intramuscular injection of estradiol benzoate solution(0.5 mg·kg~(-1), 25 days) followed by progesterone injection(5 mg·kg~(-1), 5 days). UPLC-Q-Orbitrap-MS technology was used to establish the endogenous small-molecule metabolic profiles in urine samples of rats in the blank group, the HMG model group, and Xihuang Pills group. Multivariate statistical analysis was performed for pattern recognition, t test and variable importance in the projection(VIP) were used to screen potential biomarkers. The significantly changed differential metabolites were identified using the online database Human Metabolome Database(HMDB). Metabolic pathway enrichment analysis was conducted using the MetaboAnalyst 5.0 database. The results showed that 90 differential metabolites with significant changes(P<0.05) were identified between the blank group and the HMG model group using the HMDB. Among them, 48 metabolites significantly reverted(P<0.05) after administration of Xihuang Pills, which may be related to the regulatory effect of Xihuang Pills. Thirteen metabolic pathways significantly associated with HMG were identified when the differential metabolites were imported into the MetaboAnalyst 5.0 database, and Xihuang Pills could modulate seven of these pathways. These metabolic pathways mainly involved histidine metabolism, arginine and proline metabolism, ß-alanine metabolism, glycine, serine and threonine metabolism, tryptophan metabolism, pyrimidine metabolism, and amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism. This study utilized UPLC-Q-Orbitrap-MS and urine metabolomics technology to analyze the mechanism of Xihuang Pills in improving HMG, laying the foundation for further in-depth research.

Preparation and Application of pH-Sensitive Film Containing Anthocyanins Extracted from Lycium ruthenicum Murr.

A new pH-sensitive film was developed using Artemisia sphaerocephala Krasch. gum (ASKG), soybean protein isolate (SPI), and natural anthocyanin extracted from Lycium ruthenicum Murr. The film was prepared by adsorbing anthocyanins dissolved in an acidified alcohol solution on a solid matrix. ASKG and SPI were used as the solid matrix for the immobilization of the Lycium ruthenicum Murr. anthocyanin extract, which was absorbed into the film as a natural dye using the facile-dip method. Regarding the mechanical properties of the pH-sensitive film, the tensile strength (TS) values increased approximately 2-5-fold, but the elongation at break (EB) values decreased significantly by about 60% to 95%. With the increase in anthocyanin concentration, the oxygen permeability (OP) values first decreased by about 85%, and then increased by about 364%. The water vapor permeability (WVP) values increased by about 63%, and then decreased by about 20%. Colorimetric analysis of the films revealed variations in color at different pH values (pH 2.0-10.0). Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectra and XRD patterns indicated compatibility among ASKG, SPI, and anthocyanin extracts. In addition, an application test was conducted to establish a correlation between film color change and carp meat spoilage. At storage temperatures of 25 °C and 4 °C, when the meat was totally spoiled, the TVB-N values reached 99.80 ± 2.53 mg/100 g and 58.75 ± 1.49 mg/100 g, and the film's color changed from red to light brown and from red to yellowish green, respectively. Therefore, this pH-sensitive film could be used as an indicator to monitor the freshness of meat during storage.

Clinical Value of Serum miR-106a in the Diagnosis and Prognosis of Human Papillomavirus-Positive Cervical Cancer.

INTRODUCTION: Cervical cancer (CC) is a prevailing malignant tumor in women, mainly caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. This study investigated miR-106a expression in the serum of HPV-positive CC patients and estimated its value in diagnosis and prognosis. METHODS: We enrolled 120 CC patients as study subjects, with another 80 healthy women as controls. Clinical baseline data and clinicopathological indexes including age, tumor size, differentiation degree, FIGO stage, lymph node metastasis, and squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC-Ag) were recorded. Serum miR-106a expression was measured using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Receiver operating characteristic curve was employed to estimate the efficacy of miR-106a in diagnosing CC or HPV-positive CC. Under a 5-year follow-up, patient survival was recorded, and the impact of miR-106a on overall survival rate was analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier method. The logistic regression model was used to analyze whether miR-106a was an independent prognostic factor for HPV infection in CC patients. RESULTS: Serum miR-106a was upregulated in CC patients and the level >1.365 assisted the CC diagnosis. miR-106a expression in HPV-positive CC patients was elevated relative to HPV-negative CC patients, and serum miR-106a level >1.300 distinguishing HPV positive and HPV negative. HPV positivity was linked with tumor differentiation degree, FIGO stage, lymph node metastasis, and SCC-Ag in CC patients, but not with age and tumor size. High expression of miR-106a in HPV-positive CC patients increased the risk of poor prognosis, and miR-106a expression is an independent prognostic factor for HPV infection in CC patients. CONCLUSION: High expression of miR-106a assists in the diagnosis of HPV-positive CC and predicts poor prognosis.

Epidemiological Investigation of Hospital Transmission of Corynebacterium striatum Infection by Core Genome Multilocus Sequence Typing Approach.

Corynebacterium striatum has recently received increasing attention due to its multiple antimicrobial resistances and its role as an invasive infection/outbreak agent. Recently, whole-genome sequencing (WGS)-based core genome multilocus sequence typing (cgMLST) has been used in epidemiological studies of specific human pathogens. However, this method has not been reported in studies of C. striatum. In this work, we aim to propose a cgMLST scheme for C. striatum. All publicly available C. striatum genomes, 30 C. striatum strains isolated from the same hospital, and 1 epidemiologically unrelated outgroup C. striatum strain were used to establish a cgMLST scheme targeting 1,795 genes (hereinafter referred to as 1,795-cgMLST). The genotyping results of cgMLST showed good congruence with core genome-based single-nucleotide polymorphism typing in terms of tree topology. In addition, the cgMLST provided a greater discrimination than the MLST method based on 6 housekeeping genes (gyrA, gyrB, hsp65, rpoB, secA1, and sodA). We established a clonal group (CG) threshold based on 104 allelic differences; a total of 56 CGs were identified from among 263 C. striatum strains. We also defined an outbreak threshold based on seven allelic differences that is capable of identifying closely related isolates that could give clues on hospital transmission. According to the results of analysis of drug-resistant genes and virulence genes, we identified CG4, CG5, CG26, CG28, and CG55 as potentially hypervirulent and multidrug-resistant CGs of C. striatum. This study provides valuable genomic epidemiological data on the diversity, resistance, and virulence profiles of this potentially pathogenic microorganism. IMPORTANCE Recently, WGS of many human and animal pathogens has been successfully used to investigate microbial outbreaks. The cgMLST schema are powerful genotyping tools that can be used to investigate potential epidemics and provide classification of the strains precise and reliable. In this study, we proposed the development of a cgMLST typing scheme for C. striatum, and then we evaluated this scheme for its applicability to hospital transmission investigations. This report describes the first cgMLST schema for C. striatum. The analysis of hospital transmission of C. striatum based on cgMLST methods has important clinical epidemiological significance for improving nosocomial infection monitoring of C. striatum and in-depth understanding of its nosocomial transmission routes.

Metagenomic Analysis Reveals Changes in Bacterial Communities and Antibiotic Resistance Genes in an Eye Specialty Hospital and a General Hospital Before and After Wastewater Treatment.

The spread of antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in hospital wastewater poses a great threat to public health, and wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) play an important role in reducing the levels of ARB and ARGs. In this study, high-throughput metagenomic sequencing was used to analyze the bacterial community composition and ARGs in two hospitals exposed to different antibiotic use conditions (an eye specialty hospital and a general hospital) before and after wastewater treatment. The results showed that there were various potential pathogenic bacteria in the hospital wastewater, and the abundance and diversity of the influent ARGs in the general hospital were higher than those in the eye hospital. The influent of the eye hospital was mainly composed of Thauera and Pseudomonas, and sul1 (sulfonamide) was the most abundant ARG. The influent of the general hospital contained mainly Aeromonas and Acinetobacter, and tet39 (tetracycline) was the most abundant ARG. Furthermore, co-occurrence network analysis showed that the main bacteria carrying ARGs in hospital wastewater varied with hospital type; the same bacteria in wastewater from different hospitals could carry different ARGs, and the same ARG could also be carried by different bacteria. The changes in the bacterial community and ARG abundance in the effluent from the two hospitals showed that the activated sludge treatment and the direct chlorination disinfection can effectively remove some bacteria and ARGs in wastewater but have limitations. The species diversity increased significantly after the activated sludge treatment, while the direct chlorination disinfection did not increase the diversity. The activated sludge treatment has a better effect on the elimination of ARGs than the direct chlorination disinfection. In summary, we investigated the differences in bacterial communities and ARGs in wastewater from two hospitals exposed to different antibiotic usage conditions, evaluated the effects of different wastewater treatment methods on the bacterial communities and ARGs in hospital wastewater, and recommended appropriate methods for certain clinical environments.

Characterization of the Ocular Surface Microbiome in Keratitis Patients after Repeated Ophthalmic Antibiotic Exposure.

In human medicine, antibiotics have been widely used to treat microbial infections. The extensive use of antibiotics is a leading cause of antibiotic resistance. Currently, the influence of the use of antibiotics on the ocular surface microbiome in the course of keratitis treatment remains to be explored in depth. We performed metagenomic analyses in a cohort of 26 healthy controls (HCs), 28 keratitis patients (KPs) who received antibiotics [KP (abx+) group], and 12 KPs who were antibiotic naive [KP (abx-) group]. We identified that the dissimilarities in microbial community structure (Bray-Curtis and Jaccard analyses) between the KP (abx+) group and the HC group were greater than those between the KP (abx-) group and the HC group. Pseudomonas lactis, P. aeruginosa, Pseudomonas sp. FDAARGOS_380, Pseudomonas sp. J380, Corynebacterium simulans, Streptococcus pyogenes, Finegoldia magna, and Aspergillus oryzae had no statistically significant differences between the KP (abx+) and KP (abx-) groups but did have statistically significant differences between the KP (abx+) and HC groups and between the KP (abx-) and HC groups. Among them, Pseudomonas lactis, P. aeruginosa, Pseudomonas sp. FDAARGOS_380, and Pseudomonas sp. J380 were identified as possible hosts carrying multidrug-resistant genes. The total abundance and number of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) were greater in the KP (abx+) group than in the HC and KP (abx-) groups. The functional profile analysis of ocular surface microbiota revealed that pathogenesis-related functional pathways and virulence functions were enriched in KPs. In conclusion, our results show that empirical antibiotic treatment in KPs leads to increases in the antibiotic resistance of ocular surface microbiota. IMPORTANCE Treatment for keratitis is based on appropriate antimicrobial therapy. A direct correlation between antibiotic use and the extent of antibiotic resistance has been reported. Therefore, knowledge of the antibiotic resistance patterns of ocular surface microbial flora in KPs is important for clinical treatment. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to use metagenomic approaches to investigate the associations between ophthalmic antibiotic use and the ocular surface microbiome of KPs. Monitoring the microbiota and antibiotic resistome profiles for the ocular surface has huge potential to help ophthalmologists choose the appropriate antibiotics and will thereby improve the efficacy of treatment regimens, which has important implications for reducing the development of antibiotic resistance of the ocular surface to a certain extent.

A study of cross-border E-commerce research trends: Based on knowledge mapping and literature analysis.

As a result of the trend toward economic globalization, the vigorous development of cross-border e-commerce has attracted many scholars to study this field, involving many related fields, such as consumer behavior, advertising, information systems, and supply chain management. Throughout the existing literature, it can be found that most of the research focuses on certain influencing factors of the development of cross-border e-commerce, and there is no systematic and macro- overview of the development trend of research in this field in recent years, nor the integration and analysis of keywords. Given that the research in the field of cross-border e-commerce is fragmented to a large extent, to effectively explore the research trend in this field, we must understand the current situation of cross-border e-commerce. Systematic bibliometric analysis can solve this problem by providing publishing trends and information on various topics. Therefore, based on the scientific database web, this study collected 198 references related to cross-border e-commerce from 2016 to 2021, briefly introduced the current situation and development trend of cross-border e-commerce, visually analyzed and refined the journals, authors, research institutions, countries, publication years, keywords, citations of academic publications in this field, and other key information, and summarized the development trend and path of CEBC in the existing research. It is helpful for researchers to solve the current research gap, understand the future research direction in this field, and help academia establish a strict knowledge system.

Comparative Genomic and Pan-Genomic Characterization of Staphylococcus epidermidis From Different Sources Unveils the Molecular Basis and Potential Biomarkers of Pathogenic Strains.

Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (CoNS) is the most common pathogen causing traumatic endophthalmitis. Among which, Staphylococcus epidermidis is the most common species that colonizes human skin, eye surfaces, and nasal cavity. It is also the main cause of nosocomial infection, specially foreign body-related bloodstream infections (FBR-BSIs). Although some studies have reported the genome characteristics of S. epidermidis, the genome of ocular trauma-sourced S. epidermidis strain and a comprehensive understanding of its pathogenicity are still lacking. Our study sequenced, analyzed, and reported the whole genomes of 11 ocular trauma-sourced samples of S. epidermidis that caused traumatic endophthalmitis. By integrating publicly available genomes, we obtained a total of 187 S. epidermidis samples from healthy and diseased eyes, skin, respiratory tract, and blood. Combined with pan-genome, phylogenetic, and comparative genomic analyses, our study showed that S. epidermidis, regardless of niche source, exhibits two founder lineages with different pathogenicity. Moreover, we identified several potential biomarkers associated with the virulence of S. epidermidis, including essD, uhpt, sdrF, sdrG, fbe, and icaABCDR. EssD and uhpt have high homology with esaD and hpt in Staphylococcus aureus, showing that the genomes of S. epidermidis and S. aureus may have communicated during evolution. SdrF, sdrG, fbe, and icaABCDR are related to biofilm formation. Compared to S. epidermidis from blood sources, ocular-sourced strains causing intraocular infection had no direct relationship with biofilm formation. In conclusion, this study provided additional data resources for studies on S. epidermidis and improved our understanding of the evolution and pathogenicity among strains of different sources.

A Nanocluster [Ag307Cl62(SPhtBu)110]: Chloride Intercalation, Specific Electronic State, and Superstability.

The controlling synthesis of novel nanoclusters of noble metals (Au, Ag) and the determination of their atomically precise structures provide opportunities for investigating their specific properties and applications. Here we report a novel silver nanocluster [Ag307Cl62(SPhtBu)110] (Ag307) whose structure is determined by X-ray single crystal diffraction. The structure analysis shows that nanocluster Ag307 contains a Ag167 core, a surface shell of [Ag140Cl2S110], and a Cl60 intermediate layer located between Ag167 and [Ag140Cl2S110]. It is a first example that such many chlorides are intercalated into a Ag nanocluster. Chlorides are released in situ from solvent CHCl3. Nanocluster Ag307 exhibits superstability. Differential pulse voltammetry experiment reveals that Ag307 has continuous charging/discharging behavior with a capacitance value of 1.39 aF, while the Ag307 has a surface plasmonic feature. These characteristics show that Ag307 is of metallic behavior. However, its electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra display a spin magnetic behavior which could be originated from the unpassivated dangling bonds of surface atoms. The direct capture of EPR signals can be attributed to the Cl- intercalating layer which partly suppresses the electronic interactions between core and surface atoms, resulting in the relatively independent electronic states for core and surface atoms.

The effects of ammonia-N stress on immune parameters, antioxidant capacity, digestive function, and intestinal microflora of Chinese mitten crab, Eriocheir sinensis, and the protective effect of dietary supplement of melatonin.

Ammonia nitrogen pollution seriously affects the economic benefits of Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis) farming. In this study, we first evaluated the protective effects of melatonin (MT) on immune parameters, antioxidant capacity, and digestive enzymes of E. sinensis under acute ammonia nitrogen stress. The results showed that ammonia-N stress significantly decreased the antibacterial ability of crabs, nevertheless MT could significantly improve it under ammonia-N stress (P < 0.05). Ammonia-N group hemolymph antioxidant capacity indicators (T-AOC, T-SOD, GSH-Px) were significantly decreased than control (p < 0.05), while the MT ammonia-N group hemolymph T-SOD activity significantly increased than ammonia-N group (p < 0.05). For hepatopancreas, ammonia-N group GSH-PX activity significantly decreased than control group, but MT ammonia-N group was significant increased than ammonia-N (p < 0.05). Ammonia-N stress has significantly increased the content of MDA in hemolymph and hepatopancreas (p < 0.05), but MT ammonia-N treatment significantly decreased than ammonia-N group (p < 0.05). Compared with the control group, ammonia-N significantly reduced the activities of Trypsin in the intestine and hepatopancreas (p < 0.05), while MT ammonia-N group can significantly improve the intestinal trypsin activity than ammonia-N (p < 0.05). The intestinal microbiota of E. sinensis results showed that ammonia-N stress significantly decreased the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes (p < 0.05). Ammonia-N stress significantly decreased the Dysgonomonas and Rubellimicrobium, and the Citrobacter significantly increased. In summary, melatonin has a protective effect on E. sinensis under ammonia-N stress. Acute ammonia-N stress may lead to the decrease of probiotics and the increase of pathogenic bacteria, which may be closely related to the impairment of digestive function and immune function.

Investigate on the Mechanism of HfO2/Si0.7Ge0.3 Interface Passivation Based on Low-Temperature Ozone Oxidation and Si-Cap Methods.

The interface passivation of the HfO2/Si0.7Ge0.3 stack is systematically investigated based on low-temperature ozone oxidation and Si-cap methods. Compared with the Al2O3/Si0.7Ge0.3 stack, the dispersive feature and interface state density (Dit) of the HfO2/Si0.7Ge0.3 stack MOS (Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor) capacitor under ozone direct oxidation (pre-O sample) increases obviously. This is because the tiny amounts of GeOx in the formed interlayer (IL) oxide layer are more likely to diffuse into HfO2 and cause the HfO2/Si0.7Ge0.3 interface to deteriorate. Moreover, a post-HfO2-deposition (post-O) ozone indirect oxidation is proposed for the HfO2/Si0.7Ge0.3 stack; it is found that compared with pre-O sample, the Dit of the post-O sample decreases by about 50% due to less GeOx available in the IL layer. This is because the amount of oxygen atoms reaching the interface of HfO2/Si0.7Ge0.3 decreases and the thickness of IL in the post-O sample also decreases. To further reduce the Dit of the HfO2/Si0.7Ge0.3 interface, a Si-cap passivation with the optimal thickness of 1 nm is developed and an excellent HfO2/Si0.7Ge0.3 interface with Dit of 1.53 × 1011 eV-1cm-2 @ E-Ev = 0.36 eV is attained. After detailed analysis of the chemical structure of the HfO2/IL/Si-cap/Si0.7Ge0.3 using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), it is confirmed that the excellent HfO2/Si0.7Ge0.3 interface is realized by preventing the formation of Hf-silicate/Hf-germanate and Si oxide originating from the reaction between HfO2 and Si0.7Ge0.3 substrate.

Strain heterogeneity, cooccurrence network, taxonomic composition and functional profile of the healthy ocular surface microbiome.

BACKGROUND: There is growing evidence indicating that the microbial communities that dwell on the human ocular surface are crucially important for ocular surface health and disease. Little is known about interspecies interactions, functional profiles, and strain heterogeneity across individuals in healthy ocular surface microbiomes. METHODS: To comprehensively characterize the strain heterogeneity, cooccurrence network, taxonomic composition and functional profile of the healthy ocular surface microbiome, we performed shotgun metagenomics sequencing on ocular surface mucosal membrane swabs of 17 healthy volunteers. RESULTS: The healthy ocular surface microbiome was classified into 12 phyla, 70 genera, and 140 species. The number of species in each healthy ocular surface microbiome ranged from 6 to 47, indicating differences in microbial diversity among individuals. The species with high relative abundances and high positivity rates were Streptococcus pyogenes, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Propionibacterium acnes, Corynebacterium accolens, and Enhydrobacter aerosaccus. A correlation network analysis revealed a competitive interaction of Staphylococcus epidermidis with Streptococcus pyogenes in ocular surface microbial ecosystems. Staphylococcus epidermidis and Streptococcus pyogenes revealed phylogenetic diversity among different individuals. At the functional level, the pathways related to transcription were the most abundant. We also found that there were abundant lipid and amino acid metabolism pathways in the healthy ocular surface microbiome. CONCLUSION: This study explored the strain heterogeneity, cooccurrence network, taxonomic composition, and functional profile of the healthy ocular surface microbiome. These findings have important significance for the future development of probiotic-based eye therapeutic drugs.

Study of Silicon Nitride Inner Spacer Formation in Process of Gate-all-around Nano-Transistors.

Stacked SiGe/Si structures are widely used as the units for gate-all-around nanowire transistors (GAA NWTs) which are a promising candidate beyond fin field effective transistors (FinFETs) technologies in near future. These structures deal with a several challenges brought by the shrinking of device dimensions. The preparation of inner spacers is one of the most critical processes for GAA nano-scale transistors. This study focuses on two key processes: inner spacer film conformal deposition and accurate etching. The results show that low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) silicon nitride has a good film filling effect; a precise and controllable silicon nitride inner spacer structure is prepared by using an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) tool and a new gas mixtures of CH2F2/CH4/O2/Ar. Silicon nitride inner spacer etch has a high etch selectivity ratio, exceeding 100:1 to Si and more than 30:1 to SiO2. High anisotropy with an excellent vertical/lateral etch ratio exceeding 80:1 is successfully demonstrated. It also provides a solution to the key process challenges of nano-transistors beyond 5 nm node.

A Novel Dry Selective Isotropic Atomic Layer Etching of SiGe for Manufacturing Vertical Nanowire Array with Diameter Less than 20 nm.

Semiconductor nanowires have great application prospects in field effect transistors and sensors. In this study, the process and challenges of manufacturing vertical SiGe/Si nanowire array by using the conventional lithography and novel dry atomic layer etching technology. The final results demonstrate that vertical nanowires with a diameter less than 20 nm can be obtained. The diameter of nanowires is adjustable with an accuracy error less than 0.3 nm. This technology provides a new way for advanced 3D transistors and sensors.

The 40Ar/39Ar dating of quartz: new insights into the metallogenic chronology of the Jinchang gold deposit and its geological significance.

The Jinchang gold deposit has been extensively studied, but precise dates for its formation are debated. Native gold mainly occurs as inclusions within pyrite and quartz. In this study, we analysed quartz crystals coeval with gold precipitation from two different types of mineralization using the ArgusVI multi-collector noble gas mass spectrometer by the stepwise crushing technique to resolve the timing and genesis of gold mineralization. 40Ar/39Ar dating of quartz samples (J12Q) from breccia ore yields a plateau age of 109.87 ± 0.86 Ma, and an inverse isochron age of 109.87 ± 0.88 Ma. Quartz samples (J18Q) from vein ore yields a slightly younger plateau age of 107.76 ± 0.85 Ma, with an inverse isochron age of 107.76 ± 0.92 Ma. These dates place the ore-forming age of the Jinchang gold deposit at 107~110 Ma, much younger than previously published radiometric ages, suggesting the gold mineralization is spatio-temporally associated with the granite porphyry. The formation of the Jinchang gold deposit is consistent with the regional late Mesozoic porphyry-epithermal gold mineralization event in the Yanbian-Dongning area. Finally, our study shows that 40Ar/39Ar of quartz can be used as a powerful tool to date the formation ages of hydrothermal ore deposits.

[Ag15(N-triphos)4(Cl4)](NO3)3: a stable Ag-P superatom with eight electrons (N-triphos = tris((diphenylphosphino)methyl)amine).

A first and stable Ag-P superatom nanocluster [Ag15(N-triphos)4(Cl4)](NO3)3 (1) has been successfully synthesized and characterized. X-ray analysis shows that this Ag15 cluster has a hexacapped body-centered cubic (bcc) framework which is consolidated by four tripodal N-triphos ligands. The identity of 1 is confirmed by high resolution ESI-MS. Cluster 1 has an electronic and geometric shell closure structure with 8 free electrons, matching the stability idea of superatom theory for a nanocluster. DFT calculation of this Ag15 cluster reveals the superatom feature with a 1S21P6 configuration. The chelation of multidentate phosphines enhances the stability of this Ag15 cluster. The AgAg distances between the centered and the vertical Ag atoms of this bcc (Ag@Ag8) are in the range of 2.57-2.71 Å, and the distances between the face-capped and the vertical silver atoms are in the range of 2.84-2.92 Å, showing strong AgAg interactions within this cluster core. This superatom complex exhibits a relatively high thermal and photolytic stability.

Cloning and distribution of neuropeptide W and its receptors in pigs.

Neuropeptide W (NPW), a novel hypothalamic peptide, is an endogenous ligand for the orphan G protein-coupled receptors GPR7 (NPBWR1) and GPR8 (NPBWR2). Although several studies have implicated NPW in the regulation of feeding and energy metabolism in many species, the precise physiological function of NPW in pigs remains unclear. In this study, we cloned and sequenced NPW, GPR7, and GPR8 cDNA from pigs. NPW, GPR7, and GPR8 mRNA expression was quantified in the pig brain and peripheral tissues by semiquantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Immunohistochemistry showed that NPW protein expression was limited in the brain and abundant in peripheral tissues. These results suggest that NPW is involved in the regulation of various physiological functions in pigs. The molecular and morphological data from this study provide a basis for further research on the functions of NPW in pigs.