Ortho C-H Bond Activations in an Atmospheric Microwave Plasma Ion Source.

C-H bond ortho-substitution reaction has always been a significant and challenging topic in organic chemistry. We proposed a synthesis method based on microwave plasma torches. High-resolution mass spectrometry was used to monitor rapid reaction products. 2-Alkylbenzimidazole can be formed through the reaction of phenylnitrenium ion and nitriles on a millisecond scale. This reaction can achieve the one-step formation of benzimidazoles from benzene ring single-substituted compounds without the addition of external oxidants or catalysts. A similar C-H bond activation reaction can be accomplished with ketones. Meanwhile, the microwave plasma reactor was modified, and the resulting 2-methylbenzimidazole was successfully collected, indicating the device has good application potential in organic reactions such as C-H bond activation reaction.

Pleurotus ostreatus polysaccharide-mediated modulation of skin damage caused by microcystin-LR in tadpoles.

In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effect of dietary supplementation with edible mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus)-derived polysaccharides on microcystin leucine-arginine (MC-LR)-induced skin damage in Pelophylax nigromaculatus tadpoles. Tadpoles were exposed to 1 µg/L daily MC-LR, with or without 5.0 g/kg of dietary P. ostreatus polysaccharides, for 30 days. P. ostreatus polysaccharide supplementation significantly increased the dermal collagen fibrils, increased tight junction protein gene expression, decreased the amount of MC-LR accumulation in skin tissues, attenuated oxidative stress, downregulated apoptosis-associated gene transcription, decreased eosinophil numbers, and downregulated transcription of inflammation-related genes (e.g. TLR4, NF-κB, and TNF-α). The composition of the skin commensal microbiota of MC-LR-exposed tadpoles supplemented with P. ostreatus polysaccharides was similar to that of the no-treatment control group. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) content was positively correlated with the abundance of Gram-negative bacteria, including Chryseobacterium and Thauera. Therefore, P. ostreatus polysaccharides may alleviate MC-LR-induced skin barrier damage in tadpoles in two ways: 1) attenuation of oxidative stress-mediated apoptosis mediated by increased glutathione (GSH) content and total superoxide dismutase activity; and 2) alteration of the skin commensal microbiota composition to attenuate the LPS/Toll-like receptor 4 inflammatory pathway response. Furthermore, P. ostreatus polysaccharides may increase skin GSH synthesis by promoting glycine production via the gut microbiota and may restore the MC-LR-damaged skin resistance to pathogenic bacteria by increasing antimicrobial peptide transcripts and lysozyme activity. This study highlights for the first time the potential application of P. ostreatus polysaccharides, an ecologically active substance, in mitigating the skin damage induced by MC-LR exposure, and may provide new insights for its further development in aquaculture.

Communication Strategies in Human-Autonomy Teams During Technological Failures.

OBJECTIVE: This study examines low-, medium-, and high-performing Human-Autonomy Teams' (HATs') communication strategies during various technological failures that impact routine communication strategies to adapt to the task environment. BACKGROUND: Teams must adapt their communication strategies during dynamic tasks, where more successful teams make more substantial adaptations. Adaptations in communication strategies may explain how successful HATs overcome technological failures. Further, technological failures of variable severity may alter communication strategies of HATs at different performance levels in their attempts to overcome each failure. METHOD: HATs in a Remotely Piloted Aircraft System-Synthetic Task Environment (RPAS-STE), involving three team members, were tasked with photographing targets. Each triad had two randomly assigned participants in navigator and photographer roles, teaming with an experimenter who simulated an AI pilot in a Wizard of Oz paradigm. Teams encountered two different technological failures, automation and autonomy, where autonomy failures were more challenging to overcome. RESULTS: High-performing HATs calibrated their communication strategy to the complexity of the different failures better than medium- and low-performing teams. Further, HATs adjusted their communication strategies over time. Finally, only the most severe failures required teams to increase the efficiency of their communication. CONCLUSION: HAT effectiveness under degraded conditions depends on the type of communication strategies enacted by the team. Previous findings from studies of all-human teams apply here; however, novel results suggest information requests are particularly important to HAT success during failures. APPLICATION: Understanding the communication strategies of HATs under degraded conditions can inform training protocols to help HATs overcome failures.

Isolation, identification, molecular and pathogenicity characteristics of an infectious laryngotracheitis virus from Hubei province, China.

Multiple outbreaks of avian infectious laryngotracheitis (ILT) in chickens, both domestically and internationally, have been directly correlate to widespread vaccine use in affected countries and regions. Phylogenetic and recombination event analyses have demonstrated that avian infectious laryngotracheitis virus (ILTV) field strains are progressively evolving toward the chicken embryo-origin (CEO) vaccine strain. Even with standardized biosecurity measures and effective prevention and control strategies implemented on large-scale farms, continuous ILT outbreaks result in significant economic losses to the poultry industry worldwide. These outbreaks undoubtedly hinder efforts to control and eradicate ILTV in the future. In this study, an ILTV isolate was successfully obtained by laboratory PCR detection and virus isolation from chickens that exhibited dyspnea and depression on a broiler farm in Hubei Province, China. The isolated strain exhibited robust propagation on chorioallantoic membranes of embryonated eggs, but failed to establish effective infection in chicken hepatocellular carcinoma (LMH) cells. Phylogenetic analysis revealed a unique T441P point mutation in the gJ protein of the isolate. Animal experiments confirmed the virulence of this strain, as it induced mortality in 6-wk-old chickens. This study expands current understanding of the epidemiology, genetic variations, and pathogenicity of ILTV isolates circulating domestically, contributing to the elucidate of ILTV molecular basis of pathogenicity and development of vaccine.

α-Cyano-3-aminocinnamic acid: A novel reactive matrix for qualitative and quantitative analysis of plant N-glycans by MALDI-MS.

N-glycans have a diversity of crucial biological roles in organisms. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) has become an indispensable analytical instrument for biomolecules. However, due to the inherent low abundance, high structural heterogeneity, and poor ionization efficiency of N-glycans, as well as the extremely inhomogeneous co-crystal property using traditional matrices, the qualitation and quantitation of N-glycans by MALDI-MS remains challenging. In the present study, α-cyano-3-aminocinnamic acid (3-CACA) was reasonably designed and synthesized as a novel reactive matrix for N-glycan analysis. Combining with traditional matrix α-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid (CHCA) as an acidic catalyst, a combinational matrix 3-CACA/CHCA was obtained with homogeneous co-crystallization and high derivatization efficiency, achieving the sensitive qualitation with the limits of detection low to femtomole and reproducible quantitation with good linearity (R2 > 0.998). As a result, the established method was successfully applied to the on-target derivatization and high-throughput quantification of N-glycans in eight varieties of the peach complex system, indicating that N-glycan has the potential to become a new biomarker for food allergy, and elucidating the prospective correlation between N-glycan epitopes and allergic reactions.

Radical-Induced Dissociation for Oligonucleotide Sequencing by TiO2/ZnAl-Layered Double Oxide-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Mass Spectrometry.

De novo sequencing of oligonucleotides remains challenging, especially for oligonucleotides with post-transcriptional or synthetic modifications. Mass spectrometry (MS) sequencing can reliably detect and locate all of the modification sites in oligonucleotides via m/z variance. However, current MS-based sequencing methods exhibit complex spectra and low ion abundance and usually require coupled instrumentation. Herein, we demonstrate a method of oligonucleotide sequencing using TiO2/ZnAl-layered double oxide (LDO)-assisted laser desorption/ionization (LDI)-MS based on radical-induced dissociation (RID). ·CH2OH radicals can be produced on the surface of a TiO2/ZnAl-LDO matrix via ultraviolet light, inducing an attack on the active site of the oligonucleotide phosphate skeleton to create typical "a-, a-B-, c·-, d-, w-, and y"-type fragments. Compared with the spectra obtained via collision-based methods, such as collision-induced dissociation and higher-energy collisional dissociation, the LDI-MS spectra based on RID exhibit single-charged signals, fewer types of fragments, and a lower proportion of unknown noise peaks. We demonstrate full sequence coverage for a 6-mer 2'-O-methyl-modified oligonucleotide and a 21-mer small interfering RNA and show that RID can sequence oligonucleotides with modifications. Importantly, the mechanism responsible for the RID of the oligonucleotide phosphate skeleton was investigated through offline experiments, demonstrating consistent results with density functional theory calculations.

Fast and bioluminescent detection of antibiotic contaminants by on-demand transcription of RNA scaffold arrays.

Cell-free biosensors have inspired low-cost and field-applicable methods to detect antibiotic contaminants. However, the satisfactory sensitivity of current cell-free biosensors is mostly achieved by sacrificing the rapidity, which prolongs turnaround time by hours. Additionally, the software-based result interpretation provides an obstacle for delivering these biosensors to untrained individuals. Here, we present a bioluminescence-based cell-free biosensor, termed enhanced Bioluminescence sensing of Ligand-Unleashed RNA Expression (eBLUE). The eBLUE leveraged antibiotic-responsive transcription factors to regulate the transcription of RNA arrays that can serve as scaffolds for reassembling and activating multiple luciferase fragments. This process converted target recognition into an amplified bioluminescence response, enabling smartphone-based quantification of tetracycline and erythromycin directly in milk within 15 min. Moreover, the detection threshold of eBLUE can be easily tuned according to the maximum residue limits (MRLs) established by government agencies. Owing to this tunable nature, the eBLUE was further repurposed as an on-demand semi-quantification platform, allowing for fast (∼20 min) and software-free identification of safe and MRL-exceeding milk samples only by glancing over the smartphone photographs. Overall, the sensitivity, rapidity and user-friendliness of eBLUE demonstrate its potentials for practical applications, especially in resource-limited and household settings.

A PdPt nanoparticle-decorated thiol-functionalized MOF with high peroxidase-like activity for colorimetric sensing of D-glucose and chlorophenol isomers.

The peroxidase (POD)-like catalytic activity of various nanozymes was extensively applied in many significant fields. In this study, a thiol-functionalized MOF-loaded PdPt nanocomposite (UiO-66-(SH)2@PdPt) was fabricated, which possesses superior and selective POD-like activity with strong affinity towards H2O2 and 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine under mild conditions. The POD-like property of UiO-66-(SH)2@PdPt was used to sensitively detect the concentration of D-glucose under near-neutral (pH = 6.5) conditions. The detection limit of D-glucose was as low as 2.7 µM, and the linear range of D-glucose was 5-700 µM. In addition, UiO-66-(SH)2@PdPt could accelerate the oxidative coupling chromogenic reaction of chlorophenol (CP) and 4-aminoantipyrine (4-AAP) in the presence of H2O2. Based on this phenomenon, a simple and visualized sensing array for the identification of chlorophenol contaminant isomers was further constructed to finally achieve the effective differentiation of three monochlorophenol isomers and six dichlorophenol isomers. Furthermore, a colorimetric detection method for 2-chlorophenol and 2,4-dichlorophenol was established. This work provides an effective means to improve the catalytic activity and selectivity of nanozymes by introducing an ideal carrier, which will be of significant value for the design of efficient nanozymes.

How children judge affordances when walking and bicycling across virtual roads: Does mode of locomotion matter?

This investigation examined whether the mode of locomotion matters in how 8-, 10-, 12-, and 14-year-old children (N = 91) judge dynamic affordances in a complex perception-action task with significant safety risks. The primarily European American children in the sample came from the area of Iowa City, Iowa and were balanced for gender. The same children crossed a single lane of continuous traffic on foot and on bike (order counterbalanced) in identical immersive virtual environments. We found that although 8-year-olds chose significantly larger gaps when crossing on bike than on foot, these gaps were not large enough to compensate for their delay in entering the gap and their slowness in crossing the road. As a result, they ended up with less time to spare when exiting the roadway on bike than on foot. In contrast, 14-year-olds exhibited no difference in their gap choices on bike than on foot, nor did they exhibit a difference in their timing of entry into the gap. However, they crossed the road much more quickly on bike, resulting in significantly more time to spare when crossing on bike than on foot. The 10- and 12-year-olds' performance fit neatly between that of the 8- and 14-year-olds. We conclude that as children gained better control over the bike with age, they were better able to match their gap decisions with their crossing movements such that bicycling afforded even safer road-crossing than walking for 14-year-olds. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

2-Hydrazinoterephthalic Acid as a Novel Negative-Ion Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Matrix for Qualitative and Quantitative Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization-Mass Spectrometry Analysis of N-Glycans in Peach Allergy Research.

Glycans recently attracted considerable attention as the proposal of cross-reactive carbohydrate determinants for food allergy. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) is powerful in analyzing biomolecules, while its applications in glycans are still challenging. Herein, a novel reactive matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) matrix, 2-hydrazinoterephthalic acid, was rationally designed and synthesized. It provides uniform co-crystallization with glycans and only produces deprotonated ions with high intensities in the negative-ion mode. In combination with sinapic acid, a rapid and high-throughput method was established for on-target analysis of glycans with a superior limit of detection at the femtomole level and a good linearity (R2 > 0.999). Furthermore, the established method was successfully applied to quantify N-glycans in different cultivars and tissues of peach [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch]. Our work suggests the potential role of N-glycans as biomarkers for food-borne allergy and lays a methodological foundation for the elucidation of the possible relationship between carbohydrate epitopes and food allergy.

Temporal-spatial risk assessment of COVID-19 under the influence of urban spatial environmental parameters: The case of Shenyang city.

Respiratory infection is the main route for the transmission of coronavirus pneumonia, and the results have shown that the urban spatial environment significantly influences the risk of infection. Based on the Wells-Riley model of respiratory infection probability, the study determined the human respiratory-related parameters and the effective influence range; extracted urban morphological parameters, assessed the ventilation effects of different spatial environments, and, combined with population flow monitoring data, constructed a method for assessing the risk of Covid-19 respiratory infection in urban-scale grid cells. In the empirical study in Shenyang city, a severe cold region, urban morphological parameters, population size, background wind speed, and individual behavior patterns were used to calculate the distribution characteristics of temporal and spatial concomitant risks in urban areas grids under different scenarios. The results showed that the correlation between the risk of respiratory infection in urban public spaces and the above variables was significant. The exposure time had the greatest degree of influence on the probability of respiratory infection risk among the variables. At the same time, the change in human body spacing beyond 1 m had a minor influence on the risk of infection. Among the urban morphological parameters, building height had the highest correlation with the risk of infection, while building density had the lowest correlation. The actual point distribution of the epidemic in Shenyang from March to April 2022 was used to verify the evaluation results. The overlap rate between medium or higher risk areas and actual cases was 78.55%. The planning strategies for epidemic prevention and control were proposed for the spatial differentiation characteristics of different risk elements. The research results can accurately classify the risk level of urban space and provide a scientific basis for the planning response of epidemic prevention and control and the safety of public activities.

Significant input of organophosphate esters through particle-mediated transport into the Pearl River Estuary, China.

Most organophosphate esters (OPEs) enter the marine environment through atmospheric deposition and surface runoff, yet the role of particle-mediated transport in their inputs and loss processes remains poorly understood. To fill this knowledge gap, samples of size-segregated atmospheric particles, suspended particulate matter (SPM) in seawater, and sediments in the Pearl River Estuary (PRE) were collected and analyzed for OPEs. Total concentrations of atmospheric particulate OPEs showed a decreasing trend with increasing offshore distance in the PRE. The spatial and vertical distribution patterns of OPEs in SPM were diverse, which could be largely affected by physicochemical properties of SPM, marine microbial activities, hydrodynamic conditions, and environmental factors. Sediment in the region close to Modaomen outlet was subject to relatively high OPE concentrations. Approximately 24,100 and 65,100 g d-1 of particulate OPEs were imported into the PRE through atmospheric deposition and surface runoff, respectively; 83,200 g d-1 of which were exported to the open sea. The input and environmental fate of particulate OPEs were found to be dependent on sources, particulate media, and chemical species. The present study provides insights into the influence of OPEs in the PRE through particle-mediated transport and calls for more concern on anthropogenic impact on the estuary.

Lewis-Acid-Catalyzed Selective Friedel-Crafts Reaction or Annulation between Anilines and Glyoxylates.

A Lewis-acid-catalyzed selective reaction between anilines and glyoxylates was developed for synthesis of diarylmethanes or oxoimidazolidines. Under the catalysis of AgOTf, a series of anilines-based diarylmethanes, including primary, secondary, and tertiary anilines, were obtained in moderate to good yields. Moreover, stereoselective oxoimidazolidines were performed with the catalysis of Cu(OAc)2·H2O.

The Occurrence, Distribution, and Toxicity of High-Risk Ciguatera Fish Species (Grouper and Snapper) in Kiritimati Island and Marakei Island of the Republic of Kiribati.

Ciguatera is one of the most widespread food poisonings caused by the ingestion of fish contaminated by ciguatoxins (CTXs). Snapper and grouper with high palatable and economic value are the primary food source and fish species for exportation in the Republic of Kiribati, but they are highly suspected CTX-contaminated species due to their top predatory characteristics. In this study, 60 fish specimens from 17 species of snappers and groupers collected from the Kiritimati Island and Marakei Island of the Republic of Kiribati were analyzed using mouse neuroblastoma (N2a) assay and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to determine Pacific CTX-1, -2 and -3 (P-CTX-1, -2 and -3). The LC-MS/MS results show that CTXs were detected in 74.5% of specimens from Marakei Island and 61.5% of specimens from Kiritimati Island. The most toxic fish Epinephelus coeruleopunctatus from Marakei Island and Cephalopholis miniata from Kiritimati Island were detected as 53-fold and 28-fold P-CTX-1 equivalents higher than the safety level of 10 pg/g P-CTX-1 equivalents, respectively. CTX levels and composition profiles varied with species and location. The N2a results suggested that fish specimens also contain high levels of other CTX-like toxins or sodium channel activators. The distribution patterns for ciguatoxic fish of the two islands were similar, with fish sampled from the northwest being more toxic than the southwest. This study shows that groupers and snappers are high-risk species for ciguatera in the Republic of Kiribati, and these species can further be used as indicator species in ciguatera endemic areas for risk assessment.

How Do Child ADHD Symptoms and Oppositionality Impact Parent-Child Interactions When Crossing Virtual Roads?

OBJECTIVE: This study examined how parents and children interact when crossing virtual roads together. We examined (1) whether children's inattention/hyperactivity and oppositionality and children's failure to jointly perform the task interfered with parents' efforts to scaffold children's road-crossing skill and (2) whether experience with the joint road-crossing task impacted children's subsequent performance in a solo road-crossing task. METHODS: Fifty-five 8- to 10-year-old children with and without attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and their parents first jointly crossed a lane of traffic in an immersive pedestrian simulator. Children then completed the same road-crossing task alone. Parents completed questionnaires about children's symptoms of inattention/hyperactivity and oppositionality. RESULTS: Analyses of the joint road-crossing task showed that when parents and children crossed different gaps, parents suggested and opposed more gaps and were less likely to use a prospective gap communication strategy (i.e., communicating about a crossable gap prior to its arrival). Crossing different gaps was also associated with increased expressions of negative affect among parents and children and an increase in collisions among children. Children's level of parent-reported oppositionality also predicted an increase in child defiance and parental redirection of child behavior. Analyses of children's subsequent crossing performance indicated that parents' use of a prospective gap communication strategy during the joint road-crossing task predicted selection of larger gaps during the solo crossing task. CONCLUSIONS: Not crossing through the same gap and increased levels of child oppositionality interfered with the scaffolding process, potentially informing future parent-based intervention efforts for increasing children's road-crossing safety.

Photocatalytic reduction-based liquid microjunction surface sampling-mass spectrometry for rapid in situ analysis of aromatic amines originating from azo dyes in packaging papers.

A rapid in situ analytical method was developed for the detection of generated carcinogenic aromatic amines from banned azo dyes utilizing a photocatalytic reduction-based liquid microjunction surface sampling (LMJSS)-mass spectrometry (MS) system. We utilized photocatalytic reduction under UV irradiation with TiO2 as catalyst to have rapid and mild reduction of azo dyes. The reaction conditions were optimized to have complete photocatalytic reduction within 2-5 min in pure methanol at room temperature. TiO2 was immobilized in the inner wall of the capillaries in the LMJSS system to achieve in situ sampling-online rapid reduction-MS detection for aromatic amines originating from azo dyes in packaging surface. The yields of in-tube photocatalytic reduction were near 100% by delivering the azo dye extracts through the capillary at 1 µL/min under UV irradiation. With this design, in situ analysis was completed within 2 min via direct MS detection and 7 min via liquid chromatography (LC)-MS detection. The detection limits for five aromatic amines originating from four different azo dyes were in the range of 1-17 mg/kg with relative standard deviations (RSDs) < 8.5%. In the application of the new method, four carcinogenic aromatic amines were detected and identified in three commercial packaging materials, and the quantitation results were comparable with those obtained by the conventional chemical reduction-LC-MS method (relative recovery, 81-121%). Moreover, due to the spatial resolution of the present method with a flow probe, MS imaging was achieved demonstrating clear azo dye patterns of a lab-made sample.

Bufadienolides from the Eggs of the Toad Bufo bufo gargarizans and Their Antimelanoma Activities.

Toads produce potent toxins, named bufadienolides, to defend against their predators. Pharmacological research has revealed that bufadienolides are potential anticancer drugs. In this research, we reported nine bufadienolides from the eggs of the toad Bufo bufo gargarizans, including two new compounds (1 and 3). The chemical structures of 1 and 3, as well as of one previously reported semisynthesized compound (2), were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic data interpretation, chemical methods, and X-ray diffraction analysis. Compound 1 is an unusual 19-norbufadienolide with rearranged A/B rings. A biological test revealed that compounds 2 and 4-8 showed potent cytotoxic activities toward human melanoma cell line SK-MEL-1 with IC50 values less than 1.0 µM. A preliminary mechanism investigation revealed that the most potent compound, 8, could induce apoptosis via PARP cleavage, while 5 and 6 significantly suppressed angiogenesis in zebrafish. Furthermore, an in vivo biological study showed that 5, 6, and 8 inhibit SK-MEL-1 cell growth significantly.

Let's Cross the Next One: Parental Scaffolding of Prospective Control Over Movement.

This investigation examined parental scaffolding of children's prospective control over decisions and actions during a joint perception-action task. Parents and their 6-, 8-, 10-, and 12-year-old children (N = 128) repeatedly crossed a virtual roadway together. Guidance and control shifted from the parent to the child with increases in child age. Parents more often chose the gap that was crossed and prospectively communicated the gap choice with younger than older children. Greater use of an anticipatory gap selection strategy by parents predicted more precise timing of entry into the gap by children. This work suggests that social interaction may serve as an important experiential mechanism for the development of prospective control over decisions and actions in the perception-action domain.

Hyperoside Alleviates High Glucose-Induced Proliferation of Mesangial Cells through the Inhibition of the ERK/CREB/miRNA-34a Signaling Pathway.

PURPOSE: Hyperoside, a flavonoid isolated from conventional medicinal herbs, has been demonstrated to exert a significant protective effect in diabetic nephropathy. This study aimed to determine the underlying mechanisms, by which hyperoside inhibits high glucose-(HG-) induced proliferation in mouse renal mesangial cells. METHODS: Mouse glomerular mesangial cells line (SV40-MES13) was used to study the inhibitory effect of hyperoside on cell proliferation induced by 30 mM glucose, which was used to simulate a diabetic condition. Viable cell count was assessed using the Cell Counting Kit-8 and by the 5-ethynyl-20-deoxyuridine incorporation assay. The underlying mechanism involving miRNA-34a was further investigated by quantitative RT-PCR and transfection with miRNA-34a agomir. The phosphorylation levels of extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs) and cAMP-response element-binding protein (CREB) were measured by Western blotting. The binding region and the critical binding sites of CREB in the miRNA-34a promoter were investigated by the chromatin immunoprecipitation assay and luciferase reporter assay, respectively. RESULTS: We found that hyperoside could significantly decrease HG-induced proliferation of SV40-MES13 cells in a dose-dependent manner, without causing obvious cell death. In addition, hyperoside inhibited the activation of ERK pathway and phosphorylation of its downstream transcriptional factor CREB, as well as the miRNA-34a expression. We further confirmed that CREB-mediated regulation of miRNA-34a is dependent on the direct binding to specific sites in the promoter region of miRNA-34a. CONCLUSION: Our cumulative results suggested that hyperoside inhibits the proliferation of SV40-MES13 cells through the suppression of the ERK/CREB/miRNA-34a signaling pathway, which provides new insight to the current investigation on therapeutic strategies for diabetic nephropathy.

A preliminary study on the allelopathy and toxicity of the dinoflagellate Karlodinium veneficum.

The dinoflagellate Karlodinium veneficum has worldwide distribution and is associated with harmful algal blooms through the production of karlotoxins. We investigated the allelopathy and toxicity to explore the potential ecological implications. Prorocentrum donghaiense was inhibited significantly when grown either in co-cultures or in culture filtrate of K. veneficum. In addition, the effect of the co-occurring microalga species (P. donghaiense) on the hemolytic activity of K. veneficum was also evaluated. P. donghaiense did not inhibit the growth of K. veneficum but increased the hemolytic activity. The culture of K. veneficum was loaded onto an RP-C18 column and eluted with different percentages of aqueous methanol solution. 80% methanol fraction not only inhibited the growth of P. donghaiense by allelopathy but also exhibited strong hemolytic activity, indicating that the allelochemicals and toxins of K. veneficum might be the same components. Furthermore, KmTx 3 (C68H124O24) was identified using HPLC-HRMS from this fraction.