High-Performance 3D Stacked Micro All-Solid-State Thin-Film Lithium-Ion Batteries Based on the Stress-Compensation Effect.

A novel all-solid-state thin-film lithium-ion battery (LIB) is presented to address the trade-off issue between the specific capacity and stabilities in a conventional LIB. Different from the conventional one, this LIB device consists of two same LIB components located at the front and back surfaces of the substrate, respectively. These two LIB components form parallel connection by using the conductive through vias distributed in the substrate. Compared with the conventional one, this LIB device doubles the areal specific capacity. More importantly, due to the stress-compensation effect, this device effectively suppresses the stress induced by its volume changes resulting from the lithiation/delithiation processes and thermal expansion. Consequently, this device shows good cycling and thermal stabilities even when working at an industrial-grade high temperature of 125 °C. To further improve the specific capacity without sacrificing the stabilities, a 3D stacked LIB is successfully realized by using this LIB device as the cell, in which each cell is parallelly connected by using the above-mentioned conductive through vias. This 3D stacked LIB is experimentally demonstrated to obtain high specific capacity (79.9 µAh cm-2) and good stabilities (69.3% of retained capacity after 100 cycles at 125 °C) simultaneously.

Resolution adjustable Lissajous scanning with piezoelectric MEMS mirrors.

We previously designed a dual-axis piezoelectric MEMS mirror with a low crosstalk gimbal structure, which is utilized as the key device for further research for laser beam scanning. This paper mainly focuses on studying the Lissajous scanning resolution of this MEMS mirror with frequency ratio and phase modulation. For accurately evaluating the scanning resolution, the center angular resolution of Lissajous scanning is redefined by theoretical calculation and verified with experimental measurement. Meanwhile, the scanning nonlinearity of MEMS mirror is studied carefully. Finally, the MEMS mirror works at the state of pseudo-resonance, and the center angular resolution better than 0.16° (H) × 0.03° (V) is achieved at a scanning Field of view (FoV) of 35.0° (H) × 16.5° (V). Moreover, a feasible route of resolution adjustable Lissajous scanning is provided by optimization of frequency ratio and phase modulation, which is helpful for high definition and high frame rate (HDHF) laser scanning imaging with the dual-axis mirror.

Development and validation of KASP markers for resistance to Phytophthora capsici in Capsicum annuum L.

Resistance of Capsicum annuum to Phytophthora blight is dependent on the genetic background of the resistance source and the Phytophthora capsici isolate, which poses challenges for development of generally applicable molecular markers for marker-assisted selection. In this study, the resistance to P. capsici of C. annuum was genetically mapped to chromosome 5 within a 1.68-Mb interval by genome-wide association study analysis of 237 accessions. In this candidate region, 30 KASP markers were developed using genome resequencing data for a P. capsici-resistant line (0601 M) and a susceptible line (77,013). Seven of these KASP markers, located in the coding region of a probable leucine-rich repeats receptor-like serine/threonine-protein kinase gene (Capana05g000704), were validated in the 237 accessions, which showed an average accuracy of 82.7%. The genotyping of the seven KASP markers strongly corresponded with the phenotype of 42 individual plants in a pedigree family (PC83-163) developed from the P. capsici-resistant line CM334. This research provides a set of efficient and high-throughput KASP markers for marker-assisted selection of resistance to P. capsici in C. annuum. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11032-023-01367-3.

Discovery of new non-covalent and covalent inhibitors targeting SARS-CoV-2 papain-like protease and main protease.

Global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic still threatens human health and public safety, and the development of effective antiviral agent is urgently needed. The SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) and papain-like protease (PLpro) are vital proteins in viral replication and promising therapeutic targets. Additionally, PLpro also modulates host immune response by cleaving ubiquitin and interferon-stimulated gene product 15 (ISG15) from ISGylated host proteins. In this report, we identified [1,2]selenazolo[5,4-c]pyridin-3(2H)-one and benzo[d]isothiazol-3(2H)-one as attractive scaffolds of PLpro and Mpro inhibitors. The representative compounds 6c and 7e exhibited excellent PLpro inhibition with percent inhibition of 42.9% and 44.9% at 50 nM, respectively. The preliminary enzyme kinetics experiment and fluorescent labelling experiment results determined that 6c was identified as a covalent PLpro inhibitor, while 7e was a non-covalent inhibitor. Molecular docking and dynamics simulations revealed that 6c and 7e bound to Zn-finger domain of PLpro. Compounds 6c and 7e were also identified to potent Mpro inhibitors, and they exhibited potent antiviral activities in SARS-CoV-2 infected Vero E6 cells, with EC50 value of 3.9 µM and 7.4 µM, respectively. In addition, the rat liver homogenate half-life of 6c and 7e exceeded 24 h. These findings suggest that 6c and 7e are promising led compounds for further development of PLpro/Mpro dual-target antiviral drugs.

Fine mapping of Rf2, a minor Restorer-of-fertility (Rf) gene for cytoplasmic male sterility in chili pepper G164 (Capsicum annuum L.).

KEY MESSAGE: Genome re-sequencing and recombination analyses identified Capana06g000193 as a strong candidate for the minor male fertility restoration locus Rf2 in chili pepper G164 harboring two dominant male fertility restoration genes. Male fertility restoration genes of chili pepper restorer line G164 (Capsicum annuum L.) were studied using molecular marker genotypes of an F2 population (7G) of G164 crossed with the cytoplasmic male sterility line 77013A. The ratio of sterile to fertile single plants in the F2 population was 1:15. This result indicates that chili pepper G164 has two dominant restoration genes, which we designated as Rf1 and Rf2. An individual plant recessive for Rf1 and heterozygous for Rf2, 7G-112 (rf1rf1Rf2rf2), was identified by molecular marker selection and genetic analysis, and a single Rf2 gene-segregating population with a 3:1 ratio of fertile to sterile plants was developed from the self-pollination of male fertile individuals of 77013A and 7G-112 hybrid progeny. Bulk segregant analysis of fertile and sterile pools from the segregating populations was used to genetically map Rf2 to a 3.1-Mb region on chromosome 6. Rf2 was further narrowed to a 179.3-kb interval through recombination analysis of molecular markers and obtained the most likely candidate gene, Capana06g000193.

Development and application of KASP markers associated with Restorer-of-fertility gene in Capsicum annuum L.

Fertility restoration of cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) in Capsicum annuum is controlled by multiple alleles of Restorer-of-fertility (Rf) genes. The isolation of additional Rf genes should therefore enrich the knowledge of CMS/Rf systems and accelerate their exploitation in hybrid seed production. In this study, the fertility restorer gene CaRfm of '0601 M', a non-pungent bell pepper, was genetically mapped to a 1.2-cM region flanked by KASP markers S761 and S183. CaRfm was then physically mapped to a 128.96-Kb interval predicted from 24 recombinants with two co-segregated markers, S423 and S424. CaPPR6 encoding a pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) protein was suggested as the most likely candidate gene for the CaRfm locus on the basis of sequence alignment as well as genotyping of tightly linked markers. In addition, molecular markers S1597 and S1609, which are immediately adjacent to CaRfm at 15.7 and 57.8-Kb respectively, were developed and applied to marker-assisted selection. The results provided friendly markers for breeding pepper restorer lines and laid the foundation for elucidating the male fertility restoration mechanism. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12298-021-01109-9.

Fine mapping of the major anthracnose resistance QTL AnRGO5 in Capsicum chinense 'PBC932'.

BACKGROUND: Colletotrichum species are the causal agents of anthracnose, a major disease affecting the yield and quality of pepper (Capsicum spp.). Colletotrichum scovillei is widespread in China, has strong pathogenicity and drug resistance, and causes anthracnose disease in pepper fruits that severely reduces production. Previously, an anti-anthracnose locus AnRGO5 was mapped to the P5 chromosome on the basis of analyses of fruit at the green mature stage. The aim of this study was to narrow down the interval of this locus and identify the gene responsible for conferring resistance. RESULTS: On the basis of results of re-sequencing of Capsicum chinense 'PBC932' and C. annuum '77013', we developed Kompetitive allele-specific PCR (KASPar) markers and insertion-deletion (InDel) markers linked to AnRGO5 at the green mature fruit stage and used them to construct a genetic linkage map (42 markers, 24.4 cM in length). Using data obtained in phenotypic and genotypic analyses of BC4S1, BC4S2, and BC4S3 populations, AnRGO5 was located between the markers P5in-2266-404 and P5in-2268-978 within a physical distance of 164 kb. This region contained five genes, including CA05g17730. CA05g17730 encodes 'R1C-3-like' putative late blight resistance protein homologs. The transcript level of CA05g17730 differed between 'PBC932' and '77013'. The structure of the CA05g17730 gene also differed between 'PBC932' and '77013'. CONCLUSIONS: We narrowed down the QTL interval to a region containing five genes. These results will be useful for further research on the mechanisms of resistance to anthracnose, and for marker assisted selection for anthracnose-resistant capsicum lines.

Fine mapping of the male fertility restoration gene CaRf032 in Capsicum annuum L.

KEY MESSAGE: A novel strong candidate gene CA00g82510 for the male fertility restoration locus CaRf032 in Capsicum annuum was identified by genome re-sequencing and recombination analysis. A single dominant locus (CaRf032) for fertility restoration of cytoplasmic male sterility was identified in the strong restorer inbred line IVF2014032 of chili pepper (Capsicum annuum L.). CaRf032 was localized within an 8.81-Mb candidate intervals on chromosome 6 using bulked segregant analysis based on high-throughput sequencing data. Subsequently, the candidate interval was genetically mapped and defined to a 249.41-kb region using an F2 population of 441 individuals generated by crossing the male-sterile line 77013A and the restorer line IVF2014032. To fine map CaRf032, eight newly developed KASP markers were used to genotype 23 recombinants screened from a larger F2 population of 2877 individuals. The CaRf032 locus was localized to a 148.05-kb region between the KASP markers S1402 and S1354, which was predicted to contain 22 open reading frames (ORFs). One ORF with an incomplete sequence was predicted to contain a PPR motif, and its physical position overlapped with the Rf candidate gene CaPPR6_46. The PPR ORF sequence before the gap showed 100% identity with the CA00g82510 locus of the CM334 reference genome. CA00g82510 encodes a protein of 583 amino acids, containing 14 PPR motifs, and shows significantly differential expression between the flower buds of the maintainer line 77013 and the restorer line IVF2014032. These results indicated that CA00g82510 is a strong candidate gene for CaRf032. Five KASP markers, which detected single-nucleotide polymorphisms in CA00g82510 of 77013 and IVF2014032, co-segregated with CaRf032 and showed 64.4% successful genotyping of 38 maintainer and 63 restorer lines.

Genetic Transformation of Tribonema minus, a Eukaryotic Filamentous Oleaginous Yellow-Green Alga.

Eukaryotic filamentous yellow-green algae from the Tribonema genus are considered to be excellent candidates for biofuels and value-added products, owing to their ability to grow under autotrophic, mixotrophic, and heterotrophic conditions and synthesize large amounts of fatty acids, especially unsaturated fatty acids. To elucidate the molecular mechanism of fatty acids and/or establish the organism as a model strain, the development of genetic methods is important. Towards this goal, here, we constructed a genetic transformation method to introduce exogenous genes for the first time into the eukaryotic filamentous alga Tribonema minus via particle bombardment. In this study, we constructed pSimple-tub-eGFP and pEASY-tub-nptⅡ plasmids in which the green fluorescence protein (eGFP) gene and the neomycin phosphotransferase Ⅱ-encoding G418-resistant gene (nptⅡ) were flanked by the T. minus-derived tubulin gene (tub) promoter and terminator, respectively. The two plasmids were introduced into T. minus cells through particle-gun bombardment under various test conditions. By combining agar and liquid selecting methods to exclude the pseudotransformants under long-term antibiotic treatment, plasmids pSimple-tub-eGFP and pEASY-tub- nptⅡ were successfully transformed into the genome of T. minus, which was verified using green fluorescence detection and the polymerase chain reaction, respectively. These results suggest new possibilities for efficient genetic engineering of T. minus for future genetic improvement.

Synthesis and Properties of Functional Glycomimetics through Click Grafting of Fucose onto Chondroitin Sulfates.

Fucosylated chondroitin sulfate (fCS), a representative marine polysaccharide isolated from sea cucumber, possesses diverse biological functions especially as a promising anticoagulant. However, its supply suffers from the challenges of high-cost materials, different species, and batch-to-batch variability. In the present study, we designed a concise route for the synthesis of functional glycomimetics by natural fCS as a template. 4-(4,6-Dimethoxy-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl)-4-methylmorpholinium chloride-mediated amidation was applied on chondroitin sulfates for site-selective alkynylation with controllable ratios between 0.15 and 0.78. A small library of 12 fCS glycomimetics with specific sulfation patterns and fucose branches was prepared through copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition, which was fully characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and size-exclusion chromatography with multiangle light scattering and refractive index. Through screening of their biological activities, CSE-F1 and CSE-SF1 exhibited anticoagulant activities through intrinsic pathway and inhibition of factor Xa by antithrombin III. The concise approach developed herein supplies novel glycopolymers to mimic the distinct functions of natural polysaccharides and promote the development of marine carbohydrate-based drugs.

Enhanced Binding Efficiency of Microcantilever Biosensor for the Detection of Yersinia.

A novel microcantilever sensor was batch fabricated for Yersinia detection. The microcantilever surface modification method was optimized by introducing a secondary antibody to increase the number of binding sites. A novel microfluidic platform was designed and fabricated successfully. A 30 µL solution could fully react with the microcantilever surface. Those routines enhanced the binding efficiency between the target and receptor on the microcantilever. With this novel designed microfluidic platform, the specific adsorption of 107 Yersinia on the beam surface with modified F1 antibody was significantly enhanced.

Chitosan-Based Nanomaterials for Drug Delivery.

This review discusses different forms of nanomaterials generated from chitosan and its derivatives for controlled drug delivery. Nanomaterials are drug carriers with multiple features, including target delivery triggered by environmental, pH, thermal responses, enhanced biocompatibility, and the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier. Chitosan (CS), a natural polysaccharide largely obtained from marine crustaceans, is a promising drug delivery vector for therapeutics and diagnostics, owing to its biocompatibility, biodegradability, low toxicity, and structural variability. This review describes various approaches to obtain novel CS derivatives, including their distinct advantages, as well as different forms of nanomaterials recently developed from CS. The advanced applications of CS-based nanomaterials are presented here in terms of their specific functions. Recent studies have proven that nanotechnology combined with CS and its derivatives could potentially circumvent obstacles in the transport of drugs thereby improving the drug efficacy. CS-based nanomaterials have been shown to be highly effective in targeted drug therapy.

The lamin-A/C-LAP2α-BAF1 protein complex regulates mitotic spindle assembly and positioning.

Some nuclear proteins that are crucial in interphase relocate during the G2/M-phase transition in order to perform their mitotic functions. However, how they perform these functions and the underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. Here, we report that a fraction of the nuclear periphery proteins lamin-A/C, LAP2α and BAF1 (also known as BANF1) relocate to the spindle and the cell cortex in mitosis. Knockdown of these proteins by using RNA interference (RNAi) induces short and fluffy spindle formation, and disconnection of the spindle from the cell cortex. Disrupting the microtubule assembly leads to accumulation of these proteins in the cell cortex, whereas depolymerizing the actin microfilaments results in the formation of short spindles. We further demonstrate that these proteins are part of a stable complex that links the mitotic spindle to the cell cortex and the spindle matrix by binding to spindle-associated dynein, the actin filaments in the cell cortex and the spindle matrix. Taken together, our findings unveil a unique mechanism where the nuclear periphery proteins lamin-A/C, LAP2α and BAF1 are assembled into a protein complex during mitosis in order to regulate assembly and positioning of the mitotic spindle.

A high accuracy cantilever array sensor for early liver cancer diagnosis.

Early liver cancer diagnosis has clinical significance in treating cancer. Joint detection of multiple biomarkers has been considered as an effective and reliable method for early cancer diagnosis. In this work, a novel biosensor based on microcantilever array was batch-fabricated for multiple liver cancer biomarkers detection with high sensitivity, high accuracy, high throughput, and high specification. A micro-cavity was designed in the free end of the cantilever for local reaction between antibody and antigen, which can dramatically reduce the effect of adsorption-induced stiffness coefficient k variation. Furthermore,the pillar arrays in the micro-cavity were designed for increasing detection upper limit. A linear relationship between the relative frequency shift and the antigen concentration was observed for three liver cancer biomarkers, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), γ-glutamyltranspeptidase II (GGT-2), and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF). Slight cross-reaction response to different antigens ensures high specificity of the sensor. These features will promote clinical application of the cantilever sensors in early cancer diagnosis.

A ternary nanocomposite electrode of polyoxometalate/carbon nanotubes/gold nanoparticles for electrochemical detection of hydrogen peroxide.

In this work, a nanocomposite film electrode containing polyoxometalate (POM) clusters K6P2W18O62 (P2W18), carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) was fabricated by a smart combination of layer-by-layer (LbL) with the self-assembly technique. The synergistic effect of POM, CNTs and AuNPs on the electrocatalysis of H2O2 was investigated to improve the sensitivity of H2O2 detection. The response of (P2W18/CNTs/P2W18/AuNPs)4 electrodes to H2O2 was remarkably enhanced due to large active sites and good electron conducting ability. The sensor exhibited a quick response (less than 1 second) to H2O2 with a high sensitivity (596.1 µAm M(-1) cm(-2)), and a low detection limit (52 nM). Based on the respective advantages of POMs, CNTs and AuNPs, the nanocomposite multilayer POMs/CNTs/POMs/AuNPs will have special properties and high potential for application.

Expression of a functional recombinant oleosin-human hyaluronidase hPH-20 fusion in Arabidopsis thaliana.

The use of plants as expression systems for the production of recombinant proteins has distinct advantages, such as safety, ease, low cost and high yields. A plant binary expression vector, pOTBar-hPH20, containing an oleosin-hPH20 fusion gene and a Basta selection marker gene was constructed and introduced into Arabidopsis thaliana via the floral dip method. Transformed A. thaliana seed lines were obtained and analyzed by PCR. The PCR results indicated that oleosin-hPH20 fusion gene was integrated into the A. thaliana genome. The oleosin-hPH20 fusion protein was detected by SDS-PAGE and Western blot analysis. The oleosin-hPH20 fusion protein was expressed and had good antigenicity in the transgenic A. thaliana seeds. An enzyme assay suggested that the recombinant oleosin-hPH20 fusion protein had hyaluronidase activity.

Polyguluronate alleviates ulcerative colitis by targeting the gut commensal Lactobacillus murinus and its anti-inflammatory metabolites.

Polyguluronate (PG) is a fermentable polysaccharide from edible algae. The present study was designed to investigate the therapeutic effect of PG on ulcerative colitis (UC) and its underlying mechanisms. Our results suggest that oral intake of PG attenuates UC and improves gut microbiota dysbiosis by promoting the growth of Lactobacillus spp. in dextran sulfate sodium-fed mice. Five different species of Lactobacillus were isolated from the feces of PG-treated mice and L. murinus was identified to have the best anti-colitis effect, suggesting a critical role for L. murinus in mediating the therapeutic effect of PG. Furthermore, PG was degraded potentially by the beta-glucuronidase from L. murinus and adding PG to the culture medium of L. murinus remarkably increased its production of anti-inflammatory metabolites, including itaconic acid, cis-11,14-eicosadienoic acid, and 3-amino-3-(2-chlorophenyl)-propionic acid. Additionally, L. salivarius, a human intestine-derived PG-utilizing species that is closely related to L. murinus, was also demonstrated to have potent anti-colitis effects, suggesting that it is a candidate target of PG in the human gut. Altogether, our study illustrates an unprecedented application of PG in the treatment of UC and establishes the basis for understanding its therapeutic effect from the perspective of L. murinus and its metabolites.

Water-Immersible MEMS Mirror with a Large Optical Aperture.

This paper presents a two-axis AlScN-based water-immersible MEMS mirror fabricated in an 8-inch MEMS process. Compared with other studies, this device has a larger optical aperture 10 mm in diameter. The resonant frequencies of the device are 1011 Hz in air and 342 Hz in water. The scanning angle reaches ±5° and ±2° at resonant frequencies in air and water, respectively. The cavitation phenomenon is observed when the device is operating in water, which leads the device to electrical failure. To address this issue, a device with reduced resonant frequencies-246 Hz and 152 Hz in air and water-is characterized, through which the bubbles can be effectively prohibited. This MEMS mirror could potentially be used in ultrasound and photoacoustic microscopy applications.

Research Progress in Modifications, Bioactivities, and Applications of Medicine and Food Homologous Plant Starch.

Starchy foods are an essential part of people's daily diet. Starch is the primary substance used by plants to store carbohydrates, and it is the primary source of energy for humans and animals. In China, a variety of plants, including edible medicinal plants, such as Pueraria root, yam tuber and coix seed, are rich in starch. However, limited by their inherent properties, kudzu starch and other starches are not suitable for the modern food industry. Natural starch is frequently altered by physical, chemical, or biological means to give it superior qualities to natural starch as it frequently cannot satisfy the demands of industrial manufacturing. Therefore, the deep processing market of modified starch and its products has a great potential. This paper reviews the modification methods which can provide excellent functional, rheological, and processing characteristics for these starches that can be used to improve the physical and chemical properties, texture properties, and edible qualities. This will provide a comprehensive reference for the modification and application of starch from medicinal and edible plants.

Review on toxicology and activity of tomato glycoalkaloids in immature tomatoes.

Owing to the lack of selection and limited intelligence in mechanical picking, some immature tomatoes that contain alkaloids are thrown away. Tomatine alkaloids are steroidal alkaloids naturally present in Solanaceae plants, which are distributed in small amounts in immature tomato fruits and decrease as the fruits ripen. Tomato glycoalkaloids are harmful to human health. However, in small quantities, there is some evidence that these compounds might be beneficial, as other non-antioxidant bioactivities. This article considers recent research on the biological effects of tomato glycoalkaloids in immature tomatoes, providing reference value for the potential development of these compounds.