Self-assembled ordered AuNRs-modified electrodes for simultaneous determination of dopamine and topotecan with improved data reproducibility.

Gold nanomaterials have been widely explored in electrochemical sensors due to their high catalytic property and good stability in multi-medium. In this paper, the reproducibility of the signal among batches of gold nanorods (AuNRs)-modified electrodes was investigated to improve the data stabilization and repeatability. Ordered and random self-assembled AuNRs-modified electrodes were used as electrochemical sensors for the simultaneous determination of dopamine (DA) and topotecan (TPC), with the aim of obtaining an improved signal stability in batches of electrodes and realizing the simultaneous determination of both substances. The morphology and structure of the assemblies were analyzed and characterized by UV-Vis spectra, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD). Electrochemical studies showed that the ordered AuNRs/ITO electrodes have excellent signal reproducibility among several individuals due to the homogeneous mass transfer in the ordered arrangement of the AuNRs. Under the optimized conditions, the simultaneous detection results of DA and TPC showed good linearity in the ranges 1.75-45 µM and 1.5-40 µM, and the detection limits of DA and TPC were 0.06 µM and 0.17 µM, respectively. The results showed that the prepared ordered AuNR/ITO electrode had high sensitivity, long-term stability, and reproducibility for the simultaneous determination of DA and TPC, and it was expected to be applicable for real sample testing.

A Transcription Factor SlNAC4 Gene of Suaeda liaotungensis Enhances Salt and Drought Tolerance through Regulating ABA Synthesis.

The NAC (NAM, ATAF1/2 and CUC2) transcription factors are ubiquitously distributed in plants and play critical roles in the construction of plant organs and abiotic stress response. In this study, we described the cloning of a Suaeda liaotungensis K. NAC transcription factor gene SlNAC4, which contained 1450 bp, coding a 331 amino acid. We found that SlNAC4 was highly expressed in stems of S. liaotungensis, and the expression of SlNAC4 was considerably up-regulated after salt, drought, and ABA treatments. Transcription analysis and subcellular localization demonstrated that the SlNAC4 protein was located both in the nucleus and cytoplasm, and contained a C-terminal transcriptional activator. The SlNAC4 overexpression Arabidopsis lines significantly enhanced the tolerance to salt and drought treatment and displayed obviously increased activity of antioxidant enzymes under salt and drought stress. Additionally, transgenic plants overexpressing SlNAC4 had a significantly higher level of physiological indices. Interestingly, SlNAC4 promoted the expression of ABA metabolism-related genes including AtABA1, AtABA3, AtNCED3, AtAAO3, but inhibited the expression of AtCYP707A3 in overexpression lines. Using a yeast one-hybrid (Y1H) assay, we identified that the SlNAC4 transcription factor could bind to the promoters of those ABA metabolism-related genes. These results indicate that overexpression of SlNAC4 in plants enhances the tolerance to salt and drought stress by regulating ABA metabolism.

Acute arsenic exposure exacerbates lipopolysaccharide-induced lung injury possibly by compromising the integrity of the lung epithelial barrier in rats.

Inhalation of large amounts of arsenic can damage the respiratory tract and may exacerbate the development of bacterial pneumonia, but the exact mechanism remains unclear. In this study, male Wistar rats were randomly divided into control, arsenic trioxide (16.0 µg/kg ATO), lipopolysaccharide (0.5 mg/kg LPS), and ATO combined with LPS (16.0 µg/kg ATO + 0.5 mg/kg LPS) groups. Blood and lung tissue samples were collected from each group 12 h after exposure. The results showed that exposure to ATO or LPS alone produced different effects on leukocytes and inflammatory factors, while combined exposure significantly increased serum interleukin-6, interleukin-10, lung water content, lung lavage fluid protein, and p38 protein phosphorylation levels. Alveolar interstitial thickening, alveolar membrane edema, alveolar type I and II cell matrix vacuolization, and nuclear pyknosis were observed in rats exposed to either ATO or LPS. More severe ultrastructural changes were found in the combined exposure group, and chromatin splitting was observed in alveolar type I cells. Lanthanum nitrate particles leaked from the alveolar vascular lumen in the ATO-exposed group, whereas in the combined exposure group, Evans Blue levels were increased and lanthanum nitrate particles were present in the lung parenchyma. Claudin-3 protein expression increased and claudin-4 expression decreased after ATO or LPS exposure, while claudin-18 expression was unchanged. The changes in claudin-3 and claudin-4 protein expression were further exacerbated by combined exposure. In conclusion, these results suggest that inhalation of ATO may exacerbate the development of bacterial pneumonia and that common mechanisms may exist to synergistically disrupt epithelial barrier integrity.

A Transcription Factor SlNAC10 Gene of Suaeda liaotungensis Regulates Proline Synthesis and Enhances Salt and Drought Tolerance.

The NAC (NAM, ATAF1/2, and CUC2) transcription factors are one of the largest families of transcription factors in plants and play an important role in plant development and the response to adversity. In this study, we cloned a new NAC gene, SlNAC10, from the halophyte Suaeda liaotungensis K. The gene has a total length of 1584 bp including a complete ORF of 1107 bp that encodes 369 amino acids. The SlNAC10-GFP fusion protein is located in the nucleus and SlNAC10 has a transcription activation structural domain at the C-terminus. We studied the expression characteristics of SlNAC10 and found that it was highest in the leaves of S. liaotungensis and induced by drought, salt, cold, and abscisic acid (ABA). To analyze the function of SlNAC10 in plants, we obtained SlNAC10 transgenic Arabidopsis. The growth characteristics and physiological indicators of transgenic Arabidopsis were measured under salt and drought stress. The transgenic Arabidopsis showed obvious advantages in the root length and survival rate; chlorophyll fluorescence levels; and the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT) activities, and the proline content was higher than that of the wild-type (WT) Arabidopsis, whereas the relative electrolyte leakage and malondialdehyde (MDA) content were lower than those of the wild-type Arabidopsis. We explored the regulatory role of SlNAC10 on proline synthesis-related enzyme genes and found that SlNAC10 binds to the AtP5CS1, AtP5CS2, and AtP5CR promoters and regulates their downstream gene transcription. To sum up, SlNAC10 as a transcription factor improves salt and drought tolerance in plants possibly by regulating proline synthesis.

Acupuncture Regulating Gut Microbiota in Abdominal Obese Rats Induced by High-Fat Diet.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of acupuncture on metabolic health and gut microbiota dysbiosis in diet-induced abdominal obese model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly distributed into normal chow diet (NCD) group and high-fat diet (HFD) group. After 12 weeks of HFD feeding, an abdominal obese rat model was established. The abdominal obese rats were further assigned to acupuncture group (n=7) and nontreated HFD group (n=7). Acupuncture was applied to bilateral GB 26 of rats for 8 weeks. Subsequently, the body weight, waist circumference (WC), visceral fat mass, and liver weight were measured weekly in all rats. Metabolic parameters such as total cholesterol, triglyceride, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate transaminase, and blood glucose were measured by an automatic biochemical analyzer. The serum levels of insulin (INS) were determined using Rat INS ELISA Kit. Analysis of gut microbiota was carried out by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. RESULTS: Acupuncture decreased the body weight, WC, and visceral adipose tissues of HFD-induced abdominal obese rats. In addition, insulin sensitivity, glucose homeostasis, and lipid metabolism were improved by this treatment. Furthermore, electroacupuncture effectively modified the composition of gut microbiota, mainly via decreasing Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio and increasing Prevotella_9 abundance. CONCLUSIONS: Electroacupuncture can ameliorate abdominal obesity and prevent metabolic disorders in HFD-induced abdominal obese rats, via the modulation of gut microbiota.

Investigation and Source Apportionment of Air Pollutants in a Large Oceangoing Ship during Voyage.

The aims of this study were to determine compartmental air pollution during navigation of a large oceangoing ship and to identify preliminarily the major pollution sources. During the voyage of a bulk carrier ship, air samples were collected at 18 selected sites using a stratified sampling method. The concentrations of 15 pollutants were determined using gas chromatography. Results showed the concentrations of these pollutants varied significantly among the sampling sites, indicating major pollution sources at or nearby those locations. Five common factors extracted using factor analysis explained 89.092% of the total variance. Multivariate linear regression analysis showed the contributions to air pollution of these five common factors, i.e., the volatilization of ship paint, volatilization of ship-based oil, cooking activities, high-temperature release of rubber components on the ship and daily use of chemical products, and the application of deodorant and insecticide, were 41.07%, 25.14%, 14.37%, 11.78%, and 7.63%, respectively. Three significant groups were determined using cluster analysis based on their similarity, i.e., high, medium, and low pollution of sampling sites. This study established that the air of the bulk carrier ship was heavily polluted, and that effective identification of pollution sources could provide a scientific basis for its control.

Hypertonic saline resuscitation protects against kidney injury induced by severe burns in rats.

BACKGROUND: Proper fluid resuscitation can relieve visceral damage and improve survival in severely burned patients. This study compared the effectiveness of resuscitation with 400mEq/L hypertonic saline (HS) and sodium lactate Ringer's solution (LR) in rats with kidney injury caused by burn trauma. METHODS: Rats (Sprague-Dawley) underwent burn injury and were randomized into sham, LR, and HS groups. Samples from the kidney were assayed for water content ratio, histopathology, and oxidative stress (superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA)). Serum sodium, renal function (creatinine and cystatin (Cys)-C), and inflammatory response (tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1ß, and high mobility group protein box (HMGB)-1) were also examined as serum markers. RESULTS: Hypertonic saline resuscitation reduced the renal water content ratio and improved renal histopathology caused by severe burns. This effect was accompanied by reductions in serum creatinine and Cys-C as well as TNF-α, IL-1ß, and HMGB1. Serum sodium concentration and SOD activity were increased, whereas MDA content was decreased in the kidney tissue of the HS group. CONCLUSIONS: The data indicate that 400mEq/L HS solution reduces hyponatremia and renal edema, inhibits the release of inflammatory mediators, and alleviates oxidative stress injury, thus protecting against kidney injury induced by severe burns.

The SlNAC8 gene of the halophyte Suaeda liaotungensis enhances drought and salt stress tolerance in transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana.

NAC (NAM, ATAF1/2 and CUC) transcription factors play an important role in resisting abiotic stress in plants. In this study, a novel NAC gene, designated SlNAC8 from Suaeda liaotungensis K. was characterized. SlNAC8 protein is localized in the nucleus, and the yeast one-hybrid screening showed that it contains an activation domain in its C-terminus and functions as a transcriptional activator. Gene expression analysis revealed that it is induced by drought and salt stress. Arabidopsis plants overexpressing SlNAC8 demonstrated enhanced tolerance to drought and salt stress, showing significant advantages in seed germination, root growth, shoot growth, and survival rate compared with controls. Moreover, transgenic plants had a significantly higher proline concentration, antioxidant enzyme activity (superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and catalase), and level of chlorophyll fluorescence than wild-type, and a significantly lower malondialdehyde concentration and electrolyte leakage under drought and salt stress. The overexpression of SlNAC8 in transgenic plants also enhanced the expression of stress-responsive genes such as RD20, GSTF6, COR47, RD29A, RD29B, and NYC1. In summary, SlNAC8, as a transcription factor, may change the physiological-biochemical characteristic of plants by regulating the expression of stress-responsive genes and enhance the drought and salt stress tolerance of plants. SlNAC8 can be utilized for developing drought and salinity tolerance in crop plants through genetic engineering.

Assessment of the inhalation risks associated with working in printing rooms: a study on the staff of eight printing rooms in Beijing, China.

The concentration of pollution directly determines the occupational health risk, and the exposure time is an important influencing factor. We evaluated the inhalation risks of working in a printing room. Eight units with centralized printing rooms were randomly selected. Formaldehyde, ozone, benzene, toluene, xylene, and fine particulate matter were detected by spectrophotometry, gas chromatography, and direct reading instruments, respectively. The U.S. EPA inhalation risk assessment model was used to assess cancer and non-cancer risks. The formaldehyde inhalation cancer risk value was 1.35-3.45 × 10-6, which is greater than the limit of 1 × 10-6, suggesting a risk of squamous cell carcinoma. The benzene inhalation cancer risk in five of the rooms was 1.09-4.65 × 10-6, which is greater than the limit of 1 × 10-6, suggesting a risk of leukemia. In terms of non-cancer risk, in five of the rooms, the hazard quotient (HQ) was > 1 (range 1.99-4.69) due to benzene pollution, suggesting a risk of reduced lymphocyte count. In one room, due to benzene and xylene pollution, the HQ was > 1, suggesting a risk of lymphocyte count drop and motor coordination impairment. Collectively, the study concludes that staff members of printing rooms are exposed to both cancer and non-cancer occupational health risks.

Draft Genome Sequence of Bacillus fengqiuensis FJAT-14578, Isolated from a Soil Sample in China.

Here, we report the first high-quality draft genome sequence of Bacillus fengqiuensis FJAT-14578, isolated from a soil sample collected from China. The genome size was 5,569,389 bp, with a 40.93 mol% G+C content. The number of tRNAs was 69 and of rRNAs was 10 (5S, 16S, and 23S).

Genome Sequence of Bacillus sp. Strain FJAT-14515.

We report the draft genome sequence of Bacillus sp. strain FJAT-14515. The genome is 5.44 Mb in length. It covers 5,263 genes with an average length of 791 bp, has a G+C value of 37.06%, and contains 67 tRNAs, 31 small RNAs, and 5 rRNA loci.

[Isolation, purification and structure analysis of polysaccharides from Peacilomyces lilacinus].

The paper dealt with the characterization of polysaccharide of Paecilomyces lilacinus NH-PL-03 strain. First, we extracted and purified exude polysaccharide from the fungal fermentation broth by ethanol depositing method. Second, the proteins were removed by the Sevage method from the crude polysaccharide. Third, the purified polysaccharide (EP-1) was obtained after Superdex G-75 column separation. The results of UV-spectrometer and Sephacryl S-200 HR chromatography experiments showed that the EP-1 was a homogeneous pure polysaccharide with molecular weight of 35.2 kDa. Tested by paper chromatography analysis using the complete hydrolysis by sulfuric acid, we found that the EP-1 comprise single component as glucose. The chemical structure of EP-1 was confirmed as a kind of linear glucan linked by beta-(1,3) linkage. The Congo red reaction performed that EP-1 probable presented a triple-helical conformation in the dilute alkali.