Development and validation of stable isotope dilution LC-MS/MS method for simultaneous quantification of four Alternaria toxins in 15 food commodities.

Alternaria toxins (ATs) are produced from Alternaria species that result in crop losses and harmful impacts on human health. A stable isotope dilution LC-MS/MS method was established to quantify four ATs in 15 food commodities: alternariol (AOH), alternariol monomethyl ether (AME), tentoxin (TEN), and tenuazonic acid (TeA). Based on systematically optimization of detection conditions and pre-processing steps, the limits of detection and limits of quantification of the four ATs ranged from 0.1 to 10 µg/kg and 0.2 to 30 µg/kg, respectively. The results showed that the recoveries of the four ATs were 72.0%-119.1%. The intra-precision and inter-precision ranged from 0.7% to 11.1% and 1.1% to 13.1%, respectively. The method was successfully applied to the determination of four ATs in 35 food samples, suggesting that this method could provide meaningful occurrence data to support the assessment of emerging ATs in food commodities.

DCBLD2 deletion increases hyperglycemia and induces vascular remodeling by inhibiting insulin receptor recycling in endothelial cells.

Discoidin, CUB, LCCL domain-containing 2 (DCBLD2) is a type I transmembrane protein with a similar structure to neuropilin, which acts as a co-receptor for certain receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs). The insulin receptor is an RTK and plays a critical role in endothelial cell function and glycolysis. However, how and whether DCBLD2 regulates insulin receptor activity in endothelial cells is poorly understood. Diabetes was induced through treatment of Dcbld2 global-genome knockout mice and endothelium-specific knockout mice with streptozotocin. Vascular ultrasound, vascular tension test, and hematoxylin and eosin staining were performed to assess endothelial function and aortic remodeling. Glycolytic rate assays, real-time PCR and western blotting were used to investigate the effects of DCBLD2 on glycolytic activity and insulin receptor (InsR)/phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) pathway in endothelial cells. Co-immunoprecipitation was used to assess the effects of DCBLD2 on insulin receptor endocytosis and recycling. Membrane and cytoplasmic proteins were isolated to determine whether DCBLD2 could affect the localization of the insulin receptor. We found that Dcbld2 deletion exacerbated endothelial dysfunction and vascular remodeling in diabetic mice. Both Dcbld2 knockdown and Dcbld2 deletion inhibited glycolysis and the InsR/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in endothelial cells. Furthermore, Dcbld2 deletion inhibited insulin receptor recycling. Taken together, Dcbld2 deficiency exacerbated diabetic endothelial dysfunction and vascular remodeling by inhibiting the InsR/PI3K/Akt pathway in endothelial cells through the inhibition of Rab11-dependent insulin receptor recycling. Our data suggest that DCBLD2 is a potential therapeutic target for diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.

Genomic and Transcriptome Analysis Reveals the Biosynthesis Network of Cordycepin in Cordyceps militaris.

Cordycepin is the primary active compound of Cordyceps militaris. However, the definitive genetic mechanism governing cordycepin synthesis in fruiting body growth and development remains elusive, necessitating further investigation. This study consists of 64 C. militaris strains collected from northeast China. The high-yielding cordycepin strain CMS19 was selected for the analysis of cordycepin production and the genetic basis of cordycepin anabolism. First, the whole-genome sequencing of CMS19 yielded a final size of 30.96 Mb with 8 contigs and 9781 protein-coding genes. The genome component revealed the presence of four additional secondary metabolite gene clusters compared with other published genomes, suggesting the potential for the production of new natural products. The analyses of evolutionary and genetic differentiation revealed a close relationship between C. militaris and Beauveria bassiana. The population of strains distributed in northeast China exhibited the significant genetic variation. Finally, functional genes associated with cordycepin synthesis were identified using a combination of genomic and transcriptomic analyses. A large number of functional genes associated with energy and purine metabolism were significantly enriched, facilitating the reconstruction of a hypothetical cordycepin metabolic pathway. Therefore, our speculation of the cordycepin metabolism pathway involved 24 genes initiating from the glycolysis and pentose phosphate pathways, progressing through purine metabolism, and culminating in the core region of cordycepin synthesis. These findings could offer fundamental support for scientific utilizations of C. militaris germplasm resources and standardized cultivation for cordycepin production.

Chicken manure-derived biochar enhanced the potential of Comamonas testosteroni ZG2 to remediate Cd contaminated soil.

The combined remediation of Cd-contaminated soil using biochar and microorganisms has a good application value. In this study, the effect of chicken manure-derived biochar on CdCO3 precipitation induced by Comamonas testosteroni ZG2 was investigated. The results showed that biochar could be used as the carrier of strain ZG2, enhance the resistance of strain ZG2 to Cd, and reduce the toxicity of Cd to bacterial cells. Cd adsorbed by biochar could be induced by strain ZG2 to form CdCO3 precipitation. Strain ZG2 could also induce CdCO3 precipitation when biochar was added during precipitation formation and fermentation broth formation. The CdCO3 precipitation could enter the pores of the biochar and attach to the surface of the biochar. The single and combined effects of strain ZG2 and biochar could realize the remediation of Cd-contaminated soil to a certain extent. The overall effect was in the order of strain ZG2 with biochar > biochar > strain ZG2. The combination of strain ZG2 and biochar reduced soil available Cd by 48.2%, the aboveground biomass of pakchoi increased by 72.1%, and the aboveground Cd content decreased by 73.3%. At the same time, it promoted the growth and development of the root system and improved the microbial community structure of the rhizosphere soil. The results indicated that chicken manure-derived biochar could enhance the stability of CdCO3 precipitation induced by strain ZG2, and strain ZG2 combined with biochar could achieve a more stable remediation effect on Cd-contaminated soil.

Rapid and simultaneous detection of five mycotoxins and their analogs with a gold nanoparticle-based multiplex immuno-strip sensor.

Mycotoxins, as secondary metabolites produced by fungi, have been the focus of researchers in various countries and are considered to be one of the major risk factors in agricultural products. There is an urgent need for a rapid, simple and high-performance method to detect residues of harmful mycotoxins in agricultural foods. We have developed a gold nanoparticle-based multiplexed immunochromatographic strip biosensor that can simultaneously detect fifteen mycotoxins in cereal samples. With this optimized procedure, five representative mycotoxins, deoxynivalenol (DON), zearalenone (ZEN), T-2 toxin (T-2), tenuazonic acid (TEA) and alternariol (AOH) were detected in the range of 0.91-4.77, 0.04-0.56, 0.11-0.68, 0.12-1.02 and 0.09-0.75 ng/mL, respectively. The accuracy and stability of these measurements were demonstrated by analysis of spiked samples with recoveries of 91.8%-115.3% and coefficients of variation <8.7%. In addition, commercially available samples of real cereals were tested using the strips and showed good agreement with the results verified by LC-MS/MS. Therefore, Our assembled ICA strips can be used for the simultaneous detection of 5 mycotoxins and their analogs (15 mycotoxins in total) in grain samples, and the results were consistent between different types of cereal foods, this multiplexed immunochromatographic strip biosensor can be used as an effective tool for the primary screening of mycotoxin residues in agricultural products.

Thoracic spine infection caused by Pseudomonas fluorescens: A case report and review of literature.

BACKGROUND: The clinical incidence of spinal infection is gradually increasing, and its onset is insidious, easily leading to missed diagnosis and misdiagnosis, which may lead to serious complications such as nervous system dysfunction, spinal instability and/or deformity, and cause a huge burden on society and families. Early identification of the causative agent and precision medicine will greatly reduce the suffering of patients. At present, the main pathogenic bacteria that cause spinal infection are Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus, Pneumococcus, Escherichia coli, and Klebsiella. There are no reports of spinal infection caused by Pseudomonas fluorescens. CASE SUMMARY: We report a 32-year-old female patient with spinal infection. She presented with flank pain, initially thought to be bone metastases or bone tuberculosis, and had a family background of tumors. Her clinical features and changes in imaging and laboratory tests led to the suspicion of thoracic spine infection. Histopathology of the lesion showed inflammation, tissue culture of the lesion was negative several times, and the possible pathogen - Pseudomonas fluorescens was found after gene sequencing of the lesion. The patient recovered completely after a full course of antibiotic treatment. CONCLUSION: This report increases the range of pathogens involved in spinal infections, highlights the unique advantages of gene sequencing technology in difficult-to-diagnose diseases, and validates conservative treatment with a full course of antibiotics for spinal infections without complications.

Establishment and application of a gold nanoparticle-based immunochromatographic test strip for the detection of avian leukosis virus P27 antigen in egg white samples.

Avian leukemia is an infectious tumorous disease of chickens caused by subgroup A of the avian leukemia virus (ALV-A), which mainly causes long-term viremia, slow growth, immune suppression, decreased production performance, multi-tissue tumors, and even death. The infection rate of this disease is very high in chicken herds in China, causing huge economic losses to the poultry industry every year. We successfully expressed the specific antigen protein of ALV (P27) through recombinant protein technology and screened a pair of highly sensitive monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) through mouse immunity, cell fusion, and antibody pairing. Based on this pair of antibodies, we established a dual antibody sandwich ELISA and gold nanoparticle immunochromatographic strip (AuNP-ICS) detection method. In addition, the parameters of the dual antibody sandwich ELISA and AuNP-ICS were optimized under different reaction conditions, which resulted in the minimum detection limits of 0.2 ng mL-1 and 1.53 ng ml-1, respectively. Commonly available ELISA and AuNP-ICS products on the market were compared, and we found that our established immune rapid chromatography had higher sensitivity. This established AuNP-ICS had no cross-reactivity with Influenza A (H1N1), Influenza A (H9N2), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), varicella-zoster virus (VZV), Listeria monocytogenes listeriolysin (LLO), and Staphylococcal enterotoxin SED or SEC. Finally, the established AuNP-ICS was used to analyze 35 egg samples, and the results showed 5 positive samples and 30 negative samples. The AuNP-ICS rapid detection method established by our group had good specificity, high sensitivity, and convenience, and could be applied to the clinical sample detection of ALV-A.

Quantitative immunochromatographic assay for rapid and cost-effective on-site detection of benzo[a]pyrene in oilfield chemicals.

Contamination of oilfield chemicals (OFCs) by benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) is increasingly becoming a severe environmental security issue. There is an urgent need to develop a rapid and accurate method for B[a]P detection in OFCs. In this study, B[a]P hapten was designed using computer aided molecular design. A high-affinity, specific, and matrix-insensitive monoclonal antibody (mAb) with IC50 values of 6.77 ng/mL was obtained. Based on this mAb, we developed a rapid gold nanoparticle-based immunochromatographic strip assay (GICA) with double T-line mode for on-site detection of B[a]P in OFCs samples. The GICA exhibited excellent detection performance in OFCs samples with strong acidity, strong alkalinity, and deep color. Under optimal conditions, the proposed method detected B[a]P in OFCs at 0.42-300 mg/kg, and limit of detection was 0.23-1.07 mg/kg. The recovery rate was 88-106% with a coefficient of variation of 1.46-6.35%. Confirmed by natural positive OFCs samples and high-performance liquid chromatography, this GICA is accurate and reliable, with great potential for rapid and cost-effective on-site detection.

On-site rapid detection of perfluorooctanoic acid by visual immunochromatographic strip biosensor in domestic water and real human samples.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies PFOA as a Class 1 carcinogen. Here, a new naked-eye PFOA immunochromographic strip was developed to recognize PFOA in domestic water and real human samples within 10 min based on a novel custom designed anti-PFOA monoclonal antibody (mAb) 2A3, which was firstly an immune rapid detection method for PFOA has been proposed. Using computer simulation techniques such as quantum computing to assist in designing the structural formula of PFOA semi antigen, which hapten was firstly proposed. The half maximal inhibitory concentration of PFOA monoclonal antibody (mAb) 2A3 was 2.4 µg/mL. Using mAb 2A3, we developed an immunochromatographic strip (ICS) for detecting PFOA in real samples. The developed method generated results in 10 min, with visual detection limits of 20, 20, and 200 µg/mL and limit of detection of 50, 200, and 500 µg/mL for water, blood and urine samples, respectively. The established ICS and indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were used to analyze the actual samples, and the results were confirmed by LC-MS/MS. Our study findings showed that the ICS and ic-ELISA can quickly detect PFOA in actual samples.

Rapid and sensitive quantitation of amitraz in orange, tomato, and eggplant samples using immunochromatographic assay.

Amitraz (AMT) is a broad-spectrum formamidine insecticide and acaricide. In this study, we produced an anti-AMT monoclonal antibody (mAb) with high performance. The half-maximal inhibitory concentration of the anti-AMT mAb was 4.418 ng/mL, the cross reactivity with other insecticides was negligible, and an affinity constant was 2.06 × 109 mmol/L. Additionally, we developed an immunochromatographic assay for the rapid detection of AMT residues in oranges, tomatoes, and eggplants. The cut-off values were 2000 µg/kg in oranges and tomato samples and 1000 µg/kg in eggplant samples and the calculated limits of detection were 14.521 µg/kg, 6.281 µg/kg, and 3.518 µg/kg in oranges, tomatoes, and eggplants, respectively, meeting the detection requirements for AMT in fruits and vegetables. The recovery rates ranged between 95.8 % and 105.2 %, consistent with the recovery rates obtained via LC-MS/MS. Our developed immunochromatographic assay can effectively, accurately, and rapidly determine AMT residues in oranges, tomatoes, and eggplants.

Lipolysis inhibition improves the survival of fat grafts through ameliorating lipotoxicity and inflammation.

Fat grafting is a promising technique for correcting soft tissue abnormalities, but oil cyst formation and graft fibrosis frequently impede the therapeutic benefit of fat grafting. The lipolysis of released oil droplets after grafting may make the inflammation and fibrosis in the grafts worse; therefore, by regulating adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) via Atglistatin (ATG) and Forskolin (FSK), we investigated the impact of lipolysis on fat grafts in this study. After being removed from the mice and chopped into small pieces, the subcutaneous fat from wild-type C57BL/6J mice was placed in three different solutions for two hours: serum-free cell culture medium, culture medium+FSK (50 µM), and culture medium+ATG (100 µM). Following centrifugation to remove water and free oil droplets, 0.3 mL of the fat particles per mouse was subcutaneously injected into the back of mice. Additionally, the subcutaneous fat grafting area was immediately injected with PBS (control group), ATG (30 mg/kg), and FSK (15 mg/kg) following fat transplantation. Detailed cellular events after grafting were investigated by histological staining, real-time polymerase chain reaction, immunohistochemistry/immunofluorescent staining, and quantification. Two weeks after grafting, grafts treated with ATG showed lower expression of ATGL and decreased mRNA levels of TNFα and IL-6. In contrast, grafts treated with ATG showed elevated expression levels of IL-4 and IL-13 compared to the control grafts. In addition, fewer apoptotic cells and oil cysts were observed in ATG grafts. Meanwhile, a higher CD206+/CD68+ ratio of macrophages and more CD31+ vascular endothelial cells existed in the 2-month ATG grafts. In comparison to the control, ATG treatment improved the volume retention of grafts, and decreased graft fibrosis and oil cyst formation. By preventing oil droplet lipolysis, pharmacological suppression of ATGL shielded adipocytes from lipotoxicity following grafting. Additionally, ATG ameliorated the apoptosis and inflammation brought on by adipocyte death and oil droplet lipolysis in grafted fat. These all indicate that lipolysis inhibition improved transplanted fat survival and decreased the development of oil cysts and graft fibrosis, offering a potential postoperative pharmacological intervention for bettering fat grafting.

Accidental placement of venous return catheter in the superior vena cava during venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for severe pneumonia: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (V-V ECMO) has become an important treatment for severe pneumonia, but there are various complications during the treatment. This article describes a case with severe pneumonia successfully treated by V-V ECMO, but during treatment, the retrovenous catheter, which was supposed to be in the right internal vein, entered the superior vena cava directly in the mediastinum. The ECMO was safely withdrawn after multidisciplinary consultation. Our experience with this case is expected to provide a reference for colleagues who will encounter similar situations. CASE SUMMARY: A 64-year-old man had severe pulmonary infection and respiratory failure. He was admitted to our hospital and was given ventilation support (fraction of inspired oxygen 100%). The respiratory failure was not improved and he was treated by V-V ECMO, during which the venous return catheter, which was supposed to be in the right internal vein, entered the superior vena cava directly in the mediastinum. There was a risk of massive mediastinal bleeding if the catheter was removed directly when the ECMO was withdrawn. Finally, the patient underwent vena cava angiography + balloon attachment + ECMO withdrawal in the operating room (prepared for conversion to thoracotomy for vascular exploration and repair at any time during surgery) after multidisciplinary consultation. ECMO was safely withdrawn, and the patient recovered and was discharged. CONCLUSION: Patients may have different vascular conditions. Multidisciplinary cooperation can ensure patient safety. Our experience will provide a reference for similar cases.

First Report of Green Mould on Leaf of Phaseolus vulgaris Caused by Cladosporium tenuissimum in Liaoning, China.

Phaseolus vulgaris Linn. is a widely cultivated vegetable throughout the world. From spring 2019 to 2022, green mould symptoms were observed on leaves of P. vulgaris in the greenhouse in Liaoning, China, with disease incidence of 8-75% (plants) and 6-23% (leaves). Symptoms appeared as chlorotic lesions covered with dark green mould. The infections started at the apex or margin of the leaves and then spread inward with a characteristic "V" shape. Lesions exhibited curly morphology. 15 leaf samples with typical symptoms were collected from 5 different greenhouses. A total of 75 (5 replicates of each sample) leaf tissues (0.5 cm × 0.5 cm) were selected from the boundary between diseased and healthy parts. These samples were surface sterilized in 0.5% NaClO formin, rinsed 3 times in sterile distilled water and subsequently incubated at 28℃ on potato dextrose agar (PDA) supplemented with streptomycin (50 µg/ml). Numerous morphologically uniform colonies had been purified, with no other fungi observed. Afterwards, the strains were subcultured on malt extract agar (MEA). Colonies on MEA reached 70 to 80 mm diam after 14 days, smoke-grey to pale olivaceous-grey, woolly, sometimes radially wrinkled. The mycelia were pale olivaceous-grey, with hyphae measuring 1-5 µm wide (n = 20). The conidiophores were solitary or in groups of 2 to 5, and measured 50-280(-350) × 2.5-4 µm (n = 20), with 2-7 septa. The conidiogenous cells exhibited a cylindrical-oblong morphology and measured 10-44 × 5 µm (n = 20), with 0-2 septa, and the loci frequently thickened. The conidia were catenate in densely branched chains, ellipsoid to obovoid, smooth, and measured 2.5-5 × 2-3 µm (n = 50), with 0-4 septa. The morphological characteristics were similar to Cladosporium tenuissimum (Zhang 2003). The representative isolate KZ-19 was selected for molecular identification. The rDNA-ITS, translation elongation factor 1-α and actin genes were amplified, sequenced, and the resulting sequence data were submitted to GenBank (ITS: OQ931048; EF-1α: OQ954495; ACT: OQ954496). The BLAST results exhibited a 99 to 100% similarity with the sequences of C. tenuissimum type strain CBS 125995(ITS: HM148197; EF-1α: HM148442; ACT: HM148687). Furthermore, a multi-locus phylogenetic tree was constructed using the PhyloSuite (v 1. 2. 2) software, which revealed that the strains were most closely related to C. tenuissimum (Zhang et al. 2020). Based on both morphological and molecular characteristics, KZ-19 was finally identified as C. tenuissimum (Bensch 2012). Pathogenicity testing was performed on healthy 1-month-old P. vulgaris plants by inoculating the spore suspension (1×106 conidia/ml) of KZ-19 onto leaf surfaces, while control plants were simulated inoculated with sterile water, and five pots were used for each treatment. The test was performed under field conditions of 16-28°C (temperature) and 24-56% (relative humidity). Chlorotic lesions became evident within 2 days of inoculation, followed by the appearance of green mold on leaves after 7 days. No symptoms were observed in the control group. To fulfill Koch's postulates, the pathogen was re-isolated from three inoculated leaves. The morphological identification of re-isolated pathogens was similar to that of originally isolated pathogens. No infection was observed in non-inoculated control. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of C. tenuissimum causing green mould on P. vulgaris. As a ubiquitous saprobic hyphomycete, C. tenuissimum has been implicated in leaf mold in Punica granatum and Trifolium repens, larch bud blight, and strawberry blossom blight in previous years (He et al. 1987; Zhang et al. 2003; Zheng et al. 2010; Nam et al. 2015), presenting a potential threat to numerous crops. Therefore, an investigation of its distribution and pathogenic potential is essential in addition to the development of effective disease management strategies.

Immunochromatographic visualization detection platform for bitertanol in foods.

As a widely used fungicide in agriculture, bitertanol (BIT) significantly affects hormone regulation leading to imbalance of homeostasis in vivo, which makes it necessary to monitor BIT residues in foods. In this research, a novel hapten derivation scheme was designed by analyzing the chemical structure of BIT to prepare an anti-BIT monoclonal antibody with high affinity, specificity and sensitivity (half inhibitory concentration of 4.78 ng/mL). Subsequently, a visualized gold immunochromatographic assay (GICA) platform was established based on antigen-antibody specific recognition, with a limit of detection of 0.06 mg/kg and 0.18 mg/kg in cucumber and tomato, respectively. GICA has spiked recoveries of 84.3 %-114.1 %, determines results are not significantly different from those of LC-MS/MS, and the complex purification treatments can be reduced during the detection process. Therefore, the developed GICA is a reliable, rapid, and sensitive method for on-site rapid monitoring of BIT in foods.

Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Development in Male Mice upon Exposure to Flubendiamide.

Flubendiamide (FLU), a widely used diamide insecticide, has been observed to potentiate adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes in vitro. Whether exposure to FLU disrupts hepatic lipid homeostasis in mammals and induces visceral obesity, however, remains unclear. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of FLU when administered orally to male C57BL/6J mice under normal diet (ND) and high-fat diet (HFD) conditions. FLU accumulated at higher levels in the tissues of the HFD group than those of the ND group, indicating that an HFD contributed to the accumulation of lipophilic pesticides in vivo. Notably, FLU (logP = 4.14) is highly lipophilic and easily accumulates in fat. Exposure to FLU had opposing effects on the lipid metabolism of the liver in the ND and HFD groups. Liver triacylglycerol levels in the ND group were reduced, while those in the HFD group were increased, resulting in more severe hepatic steatosis. More lipid accumulation was also observed in HepG2 cells exposed to FLU. Changes in hepatic lipid deposition in vivo occurred as the enhanced transcriptional regulation of the genes involved in lipid uptake, de novo lipogenesis, and fatty acid ß-oxidation (FAO). Moreover, an excessive increase in FAO caused oxidative stress, which in turn exacerbated the inflammation of the liver. This study revealed the disruptive effect of FLU exposure on hepatic lipid homeostasis, which may facilitate the triggering of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in HFD-fed mice.

The relative impacts of vegetation, topography and weather on landscape patterns of burn severity in subtropical forests of southern China.

Understanding the landscape patterns of burn severity is vital for managing fire-prone ecosystems. Relatively limited research has been done about fire and burn severity patterns in subtropical forests. Here, we derived the pre-fire forest type data from a global land-cover product at 30 m resolution based on time-series Landsat imageries. Using Landsat 8 OLI remote sensing imagery and field-based composite burn index (CBI), this study spatially mapped the burn severity of 27 forest fires in the subtropical forest ecosystems in southern China from 2017 to 2021. The landscape pattern of patches with different burn severity was quantified using landscape indices. In addition, factors influencing the patterns of burn severity across the landscape were determined using the Geodetector model. Burn severity of patches varied significantly over space. High burn severity was common in forest patches with low fragmentation, low patch density, and regular shape. In contrast, moderate and low burn severity was prevalent in patches with smaller patch size, high patch density, and complex shapes. Extensively burned forest patches were located at higher elevations, while more fragmented patches were located in gently sloping areas. Topographic factors were the most significant factors influencing variances in burn severity across the forest patches, followed by weather conditions. Compared to low elevation areas, vegetation types at the high elevation areas (dominated by Masson pine) are more singular, with higher fuel loads, thus resulting in a more regularly-shaped distribution of highly severe burning patches. A detailed understanding of burn severity patterns and driving factors in a landscape can help develop sustainable forest management and restoration strategies. Practically, fire managers should conduct mechanical fuel treatments or thinning of forests at high-elevation areas to reduce the potential of severe fire behavior and the continuity of fire spread.

Chiral Nanomaterials for Cancer Vaccines.

Chirality is a fundamental characteristic of living organisms and is commonly observed at the biomolecule, cellular, and tissue levels. Chiral nanomaterials play an irreplaceable role in nanomedicine and nanobiology because of their unique enantioselectivity with biological components. Here, research progress relating to chiral nanomaterials in the field of vaccines is reviewed, including antigen presenting systems, immune adjuvants, and cancer vaccines. First, the common synthesis methods are outlined for different types of chiral nanomaterials, as well as their chiral sources, optical properties, and potential biological applications. Then, the application of chiral nanomaterials are discussed in the field of vaccines with reference to the promotion of antigen presentation and activation of the immune system for tumor immunotherapy. Finally, the current obstacles and future research directions of chiral nanomaterials are revealed with regard to regulating the immune system.

Development of an ic-ELISA and immunochromatographic assay strip for the rapid detection of chloridazon in oranges and celery.

Chloridazon (CLZ) is a selective herbicide used in the control of annual broadleaf weeds. The misuse or abuse of CLZ may result in the accumulation of CLZ in crops and water, which can pose a risk to human health. In this study, a hapten of CLZ with three carbon spacer arms was designed and a highly sensitive and specific antibody against CLZ was prepared with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration of 0.630 ng mL-1 and a linear range of 0.181-2.195 ng mL-1.Based on this antibody, we developed an immunochromatographic assay (ICA) strip for the detection of CLZ in oranges and celery. Under optimized conditions, the visual limit of detection was 2 ng mL-1 and 10 ng mL-1 in oranges and celery, respectively, and the cut-off value was 50 ng mL-1. In CLZ-spiked samples and the recovery test, the results of the ICA strip were consistent with those of indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ic-ELISA). Therefore, the ICA strip developed in our study represents an efficient and reliable method for the rapid screening of CLZ in oranges and celery.

Immunological strip sensor for the rapid determination of niacin in dietary supplements and foods.

Herein, four haptens of niacin (Vitamin B3, VB3) were designed, and after a series of experiments, it was concluded that hapten D had the best immune effect. To avoid false positives in the detection of real samples, a monoclonal antibody (mAb) against VB3 was prepared by a matrix effect-enhanced mAb screening method. The concentration of the inhibition rate reaching 50% (IC50) was 603.41 ng mL-1 and the limit of detection (LOD) using an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ic-ELISA) was 54.89 ng mL-1. A lateral flow immunochromatographic assay (LFIA) based on gold nanoparticles was established to detect the concentration of VB3 in compound vitamin B tablets and infant formulas, with a visual LOD of 5 µg mL-1. Using a handheld reader, the quantitative LOD was calculated to be 0.60 µg mL-1. The contents of the compound vitamin B tablets and infant formulas were also verified by liquid chromatography. Therefore, the LFIA developed in this study can be applied to the specific identification and rapid detection of niacin in nutritional dietary supplements, thus meeting the market's demand for efficient niacin detection methods.

TSPAN1 inhibits metastasis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma via suppressing NF-kB signaling.

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) originates in the epithelial cells of the nasopharynx and is a common malignant tumor in southern China and Southeast Asia. Metastasis of NPC remains the main cause of death for NPC patients even though the tumor is sensitive to radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Here, we found that the transmembrane protein tetraspanin1 (TSPAN1) potently inhibited the in vitro migration and invasion, as well as, the in vivo metastasis of NPC cells via interacting with the IKBB protein. In addition, TSPAN1 was essential in preventing the overactivation of the NF-kB pathway in TSPAN1 overexpressing NPC cells. Furthermore, reduced TSPAN1 expression was associated with NPC metastasis and the poor prognosis of NPC patients. These results uncovered the suppressive role of TSPAN1 against NF-kB signaling in NPC cells for preventing NPC metastasis. Its therapeutic value warrants further investigation.