Enzymatic resolution of ibuprofen in an organic solvent under ultrasound irradiation.

Ultrasound has been successfully adopted to improve the biocatalytic properties of APE1547 (a novel esterase from the archaeon Aeropyrum pernix K1) in the resolution of ibuprofen. After optimizing the conditions (ultrasound power, 200 W; temperature, 35 °C), the best biocatalytic performance of APE1547 (enzyme activity, 5.39 µmol/H/mg; E value, 130.8) was obtained. Compared with the conventional reaction in an orbital shaker, the enzyme activity was significantly enhanced about 90-fold, and the enantioselectivity was enhanced about fourfold after an ultrasound. The results of scanning electron microscopy clearly indicated that the activation effect of ultrasound on APE1547 originated mainly in the morphological change of the enzyme powder. Both lower particle size and conformational change of APE1547 under ultrasound might be helpful to enhance the enantioselectivity. In addition, APE1547 kept its best performance under the low-power ultrasound for at least five reaction cycles.

Oxidized cellulose-filled double thermo/pH-sensitive hydrogel for local chemo-photothermal therapy in breast cancer.

Lumpectomy plus radiation is a treatment option offering better survival than conventional mastectomy for patients with early-stage breast cancer. However, successive radioactive therapy remains tedious and unsafe with severe adverse reactions and secondary injury. Herein, a composite hydrogel with pH- and photothermal double-sensitive activity is developed via physical crosslinking. The composite hydrogel incorporated with tempo-oxidized cellulose nanofiber (TOCN), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and a polydopamine (PDA) coating for photothermal therapy (PTT) triggered in situ release of doxorubicin (DOX) drug was utilized to optimize postoperative strategies of malignant tumors inhibition. The incorporation of TOCN significantly affects the performance of composite hydrogels. The best-performing TOCN/PVA7 was selected for drug loading and polydopamine coating by rational design. In vitro studies have demonstrated that the composite hydrogel exhibited high NIR photothermal conversion efficiency, benign cytotoxicity to L929 cells, pH-dependent release profiles, and strong MCF-7 cell inhibitory effects. Then the TOCN/PVA7-PDA@DOX hydrogel is implanted into the tumor resection cavity for local in vivo chemo-photothermal synergistical therapy to ablate residue tumor tissues. Overall, this work suggests that such a chemo-photothermal hydrogel delivery system has great potential as a promising tool for the postsurgical management of breast cancer.

Detrimental effects of metronidazole on the liver of freshwater common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.).

The widely used antibiotic metronidazole (MTZ) was investigated for its toxic effects on the liver of the common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.). The fish were exposed to 0.1, 0.5, and 2.5 mg/L MTZ in water for 30 days, and parameters that are indicative of liver damage and oxidative stress were measured. MTZ increased liver ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase, malondialdehyde, and glutathione levels, and elevated the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, aspartate aminotransferase, and alanine aminotransferase. These parameters usually showed significant differences in the 0.5 and 2.5 mg/L MTZ groups compared to the control group (p < 0.05). These findings indicated that MTZ induced oxidative stress and caused liver damage in common carp, suggesting that measures should be taken to avoid contamination of surface waters with MTZ.

Revision of the genus Conicera Meigen (Diptera, Phoridae) from China.

The genus Conicera Meigen from China is revised. 35 species are recorded, of which 19 are new to science: C. obtusifinis sp. nov., C. petalina sp. nov., C. maculifemoris sp. nov., C. forcipis sp. nov., C. ancoraria sp. nov., C. angusta sp. nov., C. tortuosa sp. nov., C. dentisparsa sp. nov., C. convallis sp. nov., C. chayuensis sp. nov., C. triangularis sp. nov., C. margiflucta sp. nov., C. securiclata sp. nov., C. palmata sp. nov., C. marginata sp. nov., C. denticulata sp. nov., C. microspinulosa sp. nov., C. grandicaudata sp. nov. and C. obtusidentis sp. nov. 5 species are recorded for the first time in China: C. gracilis Michailovskaya, C. pacifica Michailovskaya, C. similis (Haliday), C. tibialis Schmitz and C. schnittmanni Schmitz. All known species are redescribed and illustrated. A key to species from China is presented.

Anti-tumor target screening of sea cucumber saponin Frondoside A: a bioinformatics and molecular docking analysis.

Cancer remains the leading cause of death worldwide. In spite of significant advances in targeted and immunotherapeutic approaches, clinical outcomes for cancer remain poor. The aim of the present study was to investigate the potential mechanisms and therapeutic targets of Frondoside A for the treatment of liver, pancreatic, and bladder cancers. The data presented in our study demonstrated that Frondoside A reduced the viability and migration of HepG2, Panc02, and UM-UC-3 cancer cell in vitro. Moreover, we utilized the GEO database to screen and identify for differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in liver, pancreatic, and bladder cancers, which resulted in the identification of 714, 357, and 101 DEGs, respectively. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway annotation were performed using the Metascape database for DEGs that were significantly associated with cancer development. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks of the identified DEGs in liver, pancreatic, and bladder cancers were analyzed using Cytoscape 3.9.0 software, and subsequently identified potential key genes that were associated with these networks. Subsequently, their prognostic values were assessed by gene expression level analysis and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis (GEPIA). Furthermore, we utilized TIMER 2.0 to investigate the correlation between the expression of the identified key gene and cancer immune infiltration. Finally, molecular docking simulations were performed to assess the affinity of Frondoside A and key genes. Our results showed a significant correlation between these DEGs and cancer progression. Combined, these analyses revealed that Frondoside A involves in the regulation of multiple pathways, such as drug metabolism, cell cycle in liver cancer by inhibiting the expression of CDK1, TOP2A, CDC20, and KIF20A, and regulates protein digestion and absorption, receptor interaction in pancreatic cancer by down-regulation of ASPM, TOP2A, DLGAP5, TPX2, KIF23, MELK, LAMA3, and ANLN. While in bladder cancer, Frondoside A regulates muscle contraction, complement and coagulation cascade by increase FLNC expression. In conclusion, the present study offers valuable insights into the molecular mechanism underlying the anticancer effects of Frondoside A, and suggests that Frondoside A can be used as a functional food supplement or further developed as a natural anti-cancer drug.

Newly recorded ant-parasitizing genus (Diptera, Phoridae) from China, with descriptions of two new species.

The ant-parasitizing genus Microselia Schmitz, 1934 is reported for the first time from China. Two new species, M. longarista sp. nov., M. yanjingensis sp. nov. are described and illustrated.

Revision of the ant-parasitizing genus Pseudacteon Coquillett (Diptera, Phoridae) from China.

The ant-parasitizing genus Pseudacteon Coquillett from China is revised. Nineteen species are recorded, of which nine are new to science: P. robustisetosus sp. nov., P. inticlinatus sp. nov., P. reticulatus sp. nov., P. linzhiensis sp. nov., P. shennongjianus sp. nov., P. yunnanensis sp. nov., P. calceoliformis sp. nov., P. tianmuensis sp. nov., and P. parviflavus sp. nov. The species P. botulpalpatus Disney et Michailovskaya, P. rudisetosus Disney et Michailovskaya, P. setipalpatus Disney et Michailovskaya, P. setosus Disney et Michailovskaya, P. pullum Michailovskaya and P. formicarum (Verrall) are recorded for the first time in China. The putative female of P. pullum Michailovskaya and the putative males of P. trapeziformis Zhang et Liu and P. setipalpatus Disney et Michailovskaya are also newly described. All known species are redescribed and illustrated. A key to species from China is presented.

Broad ultra-potent neutralization of SARS-CoV-2 variants by monoclonal antibodies specific to the tip of RBD.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants of concern (VOCs) continue to wreak havoc across the globe. Higher transmissibility and immunologic resistance of VOCs bring unprecedented challenges to epidemic extinguishment. Here we describe a monoclonal antibody, 2G1, that neutralizes all current VOCs and has surprising tolerance to mutations adjacent to or within its interaction epitope. Cryo-electron microscopy structure showed that 2G1 bound to the tip of receptor binding domain (RBD) of spike protein with small contact interface but strong hydrophobic effect, which resulted in nanomolar to sub-nanomolar affinities to spike proteins. The epitope of 2G1 on RBD partially overlaps with angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) interface, which enables 2G1 to block interaction between RBD and ACE2. The narrow binding epitope but high affinity bestow outstanding therapeutic efficacy upon 2G1 that neutralized VOCs with sub-nanomolar half maximal inhibitory concentration in vitro. In SARS-CoV-2, Beta or Delta variant-challenged transgenic mice and rhesus macaque models, 2G1 protected animals from clinical illness and eliminated viral burden, without serious impact to animal safety. Mutagenesis experiments suggest that 2G1 is potentially capable of dealing with emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants in the future. This report characterized the therapeutic antibodies specific to the tip of spike against SARS-CoV-2 variants and highlights the potential clinical applications as well as for developing vaccine and cocktail therapy.

A new genus of the Hypocera group (Diptera, Phoridae), with descriptions of two new species from China.

A new genus, Sinogodavaria gen. nov., with two new species, S. multiformis sp. nov. and S. tenebrosa sp. nov., is described from China. It belongs phylogenetically to the Hypocera group of genera. The species Latiborophaga bathmis Liu is transferred to the new genus. A key to species of the new genus is presented.

First record of genus Epicnemis Borgmeier, 1962 (Aenigmatiinae: Phoridae: Diptera) from China, with description of a new species.

The genus Epicnemis Borgmeier,1962 is firstly reported from Jiangxi Province, China, with description of a new species, E. linguiformis sp. nov. The new species is distinguished from others of the genus mainly by the structure of the processes on the epandrium.

The complete mitochondrial genomes of two scuttle flies, Megaselia spiracularis and Dohrniphora cornuta (Diptera: Phoridae).

Megaselia spiracularis and Dohrniphora cornuta were two forensically important flies in relatively sealed environments. Their mitochondrial genomes were first sequenced, annotated, and phylogenetic analyses were performed with other 8 species of the Asehiza in this study. Maximum-likelihood phylogenetic tree revealed that Phoridae is closer to Platypezidae and Lonchopteridae within Diptera. This work increases the databases of Phoridae species, and contributes to the further study of species identification and phylogenetics of this family.

New Scuttle flies (Diptera: Phoridae) reared from dead Termite, Odontotermes formosanus (Shiraki, 1909) (Isoptera: Termitidae) in China.

Two scuttle flies, Megaselia nigrifinis sp. n. and M. setidifferitatis sp. n. are described and illustrated. The flies were reared from dead termite, Odontotermes formosanus (Shiraki, 1909) (Isoptera: Termitidae) in Nanjing, China.

A new species of the ant-parasitizing genus Pseudacteon Coquillett (Diptera, Phoridae) from China.

A new scuttle fly of the genus Pseudacteon Coquillett, P. trapeziformis, from Mt. Changbai, northeat China is described and illustrated. The new species is distinguished from others of the genus mainly by shorter palp bristles and trapezoid sternite VI. A key to known Pseudacteon species of China is presented.

The little-known genus Dahliphora Schmitz, 1923 of China (Diptera, Phoridae).

The genus Dahliphora Schmitz, 1923 is recorded from China for the first time. Three Dahliphora species are reported, namely D. sigmoides, D. zaitzevi, and a new species here described, D. chaetocaudasp. n. Some new morphological data are reviewed and illustrated for the first time, and an identification key to species present in China is presented.

A taxonomic revision of the genus Diplonevra Lioy (Diptera: Phoridae) from China.

The Chinese species of Diplonevra are revised, with 16 recognised species from both the Oriental and Palaearctic parts of China. The following 8 species are described as new to science: D. corniculata sp. nov., D. trapezia sp. nov., D. vecticrassa sp. nov., D. lamella sp. nov., D. furcavectis sp. nov., D. brevicula sp. nov., D. triangulata sp. nov., D. spinibotra sp. nov. All known species are re-identified, re-described and illustrated. Diagnostic characters of the base of the posterior face of the hind trochanter and femur are depicted in detail. A revised identification key to Chinese species based on males is presented.

A new species of Megaselia Rondani (Diptera, Phoridae) with wing-spots from China.

The genus Megaselia was established by Rondani in 1856 with the type species Megaselia crassineura Rondani (=Phora costalis Roser, 1840) (Borgmeier 1968). About 1600 species are recorded and distributed all over the world (Fang & Liu 2015). In the genus Megaselia, species with wing-spots are rare. Only six species are recorded with wing-spots worldwide: M. conglomerata (Malloch) from North America (Borgmeier 1964), M. dickoni Wakeford & Disney and M. shadeae Hartop & Brown from Central America (Wakeford & Disney 1994, Hartop & Brown 2014), M. maculifera Beyer from Africa (Beyer 1965), M. chorogi Naumov from Georgia (Naumov 1979), and M. trimacula Fang & Liu from China (Fang & Liu 2015).

Revision of the genus Dohrniphora Dahl (Diptera: Phoridae) from China.

The Chinese species of Dohrniphora are revised, with 27 recognised species from both Oriental and Palaearctic China. The following 14 species are described as new to science: D. rectangularis sp. nov., D. capillais sp. nov., D. proxima sp. nov., D. longisetalis sp. nov., D. infrequens sp. nov., D. dentiretusa sp. nov., D. aspinula sp. nov., D. separata sp. nov., D. microtrichina sp. nov., D. dilatata sp. nov., D. disparilis sp. nov., D. carinata sp. nov., D. cespitula sp. nov., D. triangula sp. nov. D. microspinosa Shen & Liu, 2009 is regarded as a junior subjective synonym of D. prescherweberae Liu, 2001 and D. rectilinearis Liu, 2001 is a junior subjective synonym of D. malaysiae Green, 1997. Most known species were re-identified, re-described and illustrated. A revised key to Chinese male species is presented.

Three new species of Megaselia Rondani (Diptera, Phoridae) from mailand China.

Three new species, Megaselia cornipalpis sp. nov., M. lacunitarsalis sp. nov. and M. trimacula sp. nov. are described and illustrated from mainland China. A checklist of species of genus Megaselia recorded from mainland China is provided.

A review of Minilimosina Rohácek (Diptera: Sphaeroceridae) from China.

A review of the genus Minilimosina Rohácek, 1983 of China, comprising 16 species, is given, with data about types, published descriptions and figures, and distributions. A key to the Chinese species of the genus Minilimosina is provided and three new species are described and illustrated: M. gracilenta Su sp. nov., M. parafanta Su sp. nov. and M. tapiehella Su sp. nov.. The male of M. archboldi Marshall, 1985 is redescribed. Females of M. luteola Su, 2011 and M. cornigera Rohácek & Marshall, 1988 are described and illustrated for the first time. Phylogenetic relationships of M. cerciseta Su, 2011, M. luteola Su, 2011, M. obtusispina Su, 2013, M. quadrispinosa Su, 2011, M. gracilenta Su sp. nov., M. parafanta Su sp. nov. and M. tapiehella Su sp. nov. are discussed.

Pupal age estimation of forensically important Megaselia scalaris (Loew) (Diptera: Phoridae).

In addition to causing myiasis in humans and animals, Megaselia scalaris (Loew) has been reported as a forensically important fly. The determination of a minimum postmortem interval (PMI) often relies on the determination of the age of the larvae and pupae. The pupal stage represents about 50% of the immature development time and the pupal age may therefore serve as an important tool in entomological minimum PMI estimation. The present study focuses on the key developmental processes during metamorphosis of M. scalaris pupae at different constant temperatures (18, 21, 24, 27, 30, 33 and 36°C). The average minimum duration of development from prepupa to adult emergence was inversely related to temperature, ranging from 170.65 ± 1.39 h at 33°C to 608.80 ± 13.26 h at 18°C. The pupa did not develop at 36°C. Some morphological features that changed during development within the puparium could be used as age markers. According to these changes, the pupal stage of M. scalaris was divided into 10 stages which could be used for both sexes.