Polysaccharides extracted from larvae of Lucilia sericata ameliorated ulcerative colitis by regulating the intestinal barrier and gut microbiota.

Pest management technology has been a promising bioconversion method for waste resource utilization. Unlike many pests that consume waste, the larvae of Lucilia sericata, also known as maggots, have many outstanding advantages as following: with their strong adaption to environment and not easily infected and exhibiting a medicinal nutritional value. Herein, the potential efficacies of maggot polysaccharides (MP), as well as their underlying mechanisms, were explored in Dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis mice and TNF-α-elicited Caco-2 cells. We extracted two bioactive polysaccharides from maggots, MP-80 and MP-L, whose molecular weights were 4.25 × 103 and 2.28 × 103 g/mol, respectively. MP-80 and MP-L contained nine sugar residues: 1,4-α-Arap, 1,3-ß-Galp, 1,4,6-ß-Galp, 1,6-α-Glcp, 1-α-Glcp, 1,4-ß-Glcp, 1-ß-Xylp, 1,2-α-Manp, and 1-ß-Manp. We demonstrated that MP-80 and MP-L significantly ameliorated DSS-induced symptoms and histopathological damage. Immuno-analysis revealed that compared with MP-L, MP-80 could better restore intestinal barrier and reduced inflammation by suppressing NLRP3/NF-κB pathways, which might be attributed to its enriched galactose fraction. Moreover, 16S rRNA sequencing revealed that MP-80 and MP-L both improved the dysbiosis and diversity of gut microbiota and acted on multiple microbial functions. Our study sheds new light on the possibility of using maggot polysaccharides as an alternative therapy for colitis.

Transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 involved in the analgesic effects of total flavonoids extracted from Longxuejie ().

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the analgesic effects of total flavonoids of Longxuejie (Resina Dracaenae Cochinchinensis) (TFDB) and explore the possible analgesic mechanism associated with transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1). METHODS: Whole-cell patch clamp technique was used to observe the effects of TFDB on capsaicin-induced TRPV1 currents. Rat experiments in vivo were used to observe the analgesic effects of TFDB. Western blot and immunofluorescence experiments were used to test the change of TRPV1 expression in DRG neurons induced by TFDB. RESULTS: Results showed that TFDB inhibited capsaicin-induced TRPV1 receptor currents in acutely isolated dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons of rats and the half inhibitory concentration was (16.7 ± 1.6) mg/L. TFDB (2-20 mg/kg) showed analgesic activity in the phase Ⅱ of formalin test and (0.02-2 mg per paw) reduced capsaicin-induced licking times of rats. TFDB (20 mg/kg) was fully efficacious on complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA)-induced inflammatory thermal hyperalgesia and capsaicin could weaken the analgesic effects. The level of TRPV1 expressions of DRG neurons was also decreased in TFDB-treated CFA-inflammatory pain rats. CONCLUSION: All these results indicated that the analgesic effect of TFDB may contribute to their modulations on both function and expression of TRPV1 channels in DRG neurons.

Polymorph transformation in a mixed-stacking nickel-dithiolene complex with the derivative of 4,4'-bipyridinium.

In this study, two polymorphs of the [1,1'-dibutyl-4,4'-bipyridinium][Ni(mnt)2] salt (1) were synthesized. The dark-green polymorph (designated as 1-g) was prepared under ambient conditions by the rapid precipitation method in aqueous solutions. Subsequently, the red polymorph (labeled as 1-r) was obtained by subjecting 1-g to ultrasonication in MeOH at room temperature. Microanalysis, infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetry (TG), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) techniques were used to characterize the two polymorphs. Both 1-g and 1-r exhibit structural phase transitions: a reversible phase transition at ∼403 K (∼268 K) upon heating and 384 K (∼252 K) upon cooling for 1-g (1-r) within the temperature range below 473 K. Interestingly, on heating 1-r to 523 K, an irreversible phase transition occurred at about 494 K, resulting in the conversion of 1-r into 1-g. Relative to 1-r, 1-g represents a thermodynamically metastable phase wherein numerous high-energy conformations in butyl chains of cations are confined within the lattice owing to quick precipitation or rapid annealing from higher temperatures. Through variable-temperature single crystal and powder X-ray diffractions, UV-visible spectroscopy, dielectric spectroscopy, and DSC analyses, this study delves into the mechanism underlying phase transitions for each polymorph and the manual transformation between 1-g and 1-r as well.

Heart failure classification using deep learning to extract spatiotemporal features from ECG.

BACKGROUND: Heart failure is a syndrome with complex clinical manifestations. Due to increasing population aging, heart failure has become a major medical problem worldwide. In this study, we used the MIMIC-III public database to extract the temporal and spatial characteristics of electrocardiogram (ECG) signals from patients with heart failure. METHODS: We developed a NYHA functional classification model for heart failure based on a deep learning method. We introduced an integrating attention mechanism based on the CNN-LSTM-SE model, segmenting the ECG signal into 2 to 20 s long segments. Ablation experiments showed that the 12 s ECG signal segments could be used with the proposed deep learning model for superior classification of heart failure. RESULTS: The accuracy, positive predictive value, sensitivity, and specificity of the NYHA functional classification method were 99.09, 98.9855, 99.033, and 99.649%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The comprehensive performance of this model exceeds similar methods and can be used to assist in clinical medical diagnoses.

Integrating Metabolomics and Network Pharmacology to Explore the Mechanism of Xiao-Yao-San in the Treatment of Inflammatory Response in CUMS Mice.

Depression can trigger an inflammatory response that affects the immune system, leading to the development of other diseases related to inflammation. Xiao-Yao-San (XYS) is a commonly used formula in clinical practice for treating depression. However, it remains unclear whether XYS has a modulating effect on the inflammatory response associated with depression. The objective of this study was to examine the role and mechanism of XYS in regulating the anti-inflammatory response in depression. A chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) mouse model was established to evaluate the antidepressant inflammatory effects of XYS. Metabolomic assays and network pharmacology were utilized to analyze the pathways and targets associated with XYS in its antidepressant inflammatory effects. In addition, molecular docking, immunohistochemistry, Real-Time Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-qPCR), and Western Blot were performed to verify the expression of relevant core targets. The results showed that XYS significantly improved depressive behavior and attenuated the inflammatory response in CUMS mice. Metabolomic analysis revealed the reversible modulation of 21 differential metabolites by XYS in treating depression-related inflammation. Through the combination of liquid chromatography and network pharmacology, we identified seven active ingredients and seven key genes. Furthermore, integrating the predictions from network pharmacology and the findings from metabolomic analysis, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A (VEGFA) and Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor-γ (PPARG) were identified as the core targets. Molecular docking and related molecular experiments confirmed these results. The present study employed metabolomics and network pharmacology analyses to provide evidence that XYS has the ability to alleviate the inflammatory response in depression through the modulation of multiple metabolic pathways and targets.

(Eu-MOF)-derived Smart luminescent sensing for Ultrasensitive on-site detection of MiR-892b.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are important biomacromolecules used as biomarkers for the diagnosis of several diseases. However, current detection strategies are limited by expensive equipment and complicated procedures. Here, we develop a portable, sensitive, and stable (Eu-MOF)-based sensing platform to detect miRNA via smartphone. The Eu-MOF absorbs the carboxyfluorescein (FAM)-tagged probe DNA (pDNA) to generate hybrid pDNA@Eu-MOF, which can efficiently quench the fluorescence of FAM through a photoinduced electron transfer (PET) process. When integrated with a smartphone, the nonemissive pDNA@ Eu-MOF hybrid could be utilized as a portable and sensitive platform to sense miRNA (miR-892b) with a detection limit of 0.32 pM, which could be even distinguished by the naked eye. Moreover, this system demonstrates high selectivity for identifying miRNA family members with single-base mismatches. Furthermore, the expression levels of miRNA in cancer cell samples could be analyzed accurately. Therefore, the proposed method offers a promising guideline for the design of MOF-based sensing strategies and expands their potential applications for diagnostic purposes.

Rapid screening and identification of superoxide dismutase activators from traditional Chinese medicines based on affinity ultrafiltration mass chromatography combined with molecular docking.

In the present study, a comprehensive strategy integrating affinity ultrafiltration high-performance liquid chromatography quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UF-HPLC-Q-TOF-MS), in silico molecular docking and bioassays was established to rapidly screen natural SOD activators from traditional Chinese medicines. As illustrative case studies, Schisandra chinensis, Fructus cnidii and Radix ophiopogonis were chosen to develop and verify the strategy. The HPLC-Q-TOF-MS was used to identify the compounds in comparison with reference standards and literature data. A total of eight compounds, including four biphenyl-cyclooctene ligands from Schisandra chinensis and four coumarins from Fructus cnidii, were found to potentially increase SOD activities. No ligands were found in the extract of Radix ophiopogonis. Then, in silico molecular docking was performed to investigate the binding site and binding affinity of the candidates on SOD. Compared to the nonspecific ligands screened from the extract, the specific ligands presented stronger binding affinities. In addition, the activity and kinetic parameters of the SOD-ligand were investigated through an improved pyrogallol autoxidation method. Gomisin J and xanthotoxin showed a stronger ability to increase SOD activities. The present study indicated that combining UF-HPLC-Q-TOF-MS and in silico molecular docking offers a powerful and meaningful tool to rapidly screen SOD activators from traditional Chinese medicines.

Thermochromism of rapid responses to temperature changes versus mechanochromism in a Ni-dithiolene complex salt.

A thermochromic or mechanochromic material can switch between at least two stable states in response to changes in temperature or static pressure/strain. In this study, we investigated a Ni-dithiolene dianion salt, 1,1'-diheptyl-4,4'-bipyridinium bis(maleonitriledithiolato)nickelate (1), and found that its cations and anions stack alternately to form a uniform mixed stack. These mixed stacks then combine to form a molecular solid through Coulomb and van der Waals interactions. Upon heating, 1 undergoes a reversible phase transition at around 340/320 K during the first heating/cooling cycle, resulting in rapid thermochromism with a color change from green (stable state) to red (metastable state) within a few seconds. This is the first report of a crystal of bis(maleonitriledithiolato)nickelate(II) salt with green color. Additionally, 1 exhibits irreversible mechanochromism, intense near-IR absorbance, and a dielectric anomaly. The structural phase transition is responsible for these properties, as it induces alterations in the π-orbital overlap between the anion and cation within a mixed stack. The intense near-IR absorbance arises from the ion-pair charge transfer transition from [Ni(mnt)2]2- to 4,4'-bipyridinium.

Traditional Chinese Medicine constitution types of high-normal blood pressure: A meta-analysis.

Objective: We determined the distribution of constitutional types of high-normal blood pressure in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and provided evidence for the prevention of high-normal blood pressure and hypertension. Methods: Eight digital databases were searched from January 2011 to November 2022, including PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, EBSCOhost, CNKI, CBM, Wangfang, and CQVIP. We performed a meta-analysis with the random-effects model or fixed-effects model to describe the distribution of constitutional types of high-normal blood pressure in TCM. The studies were assessed based on heterogeneity testing and the potential for publication bias. The meta-analysis was performed on Stata software 15.0. Results: A total of 17 studies with 8118 participants were included in this meta-analysis. The proportion of the biased constitution (82.3%; 95% CI: 75.6%-89.1%, p < 0.001) was higher than the balanced constitution (17.3%; 95% CI: 10.7-23.8%, p < 0.001). Phlegm-dampness constitution, Yin-deficiency constitution, and damp-heat constitution accounted for 16.0% (95%CI: 10.5-21.5%, p < 0.001), 14.8% (95% CI: 11.0-18.6%, p < 0.001), 11.3% (95% CI: 8.0-14.5%, p < 0.001) of the total high-normal blood pressure cases, respectively. The subgroup analyses performed that region, age and gender were positively associated with the distribution of constitution types of high-normal blood pressure in TCM. Compared with the general population, the risk of high-normal blood pressure in people with the phlegm-dampness constitution, Yin-deficiency constitution, and blood-stasis constitution was 2.665 (95%CI: 2.286-3.106, p < 0.001), 2.378 (95%CI: 1.197-4.724, p = 0.013), 1.965 (95%CI: 1.634-2.363, p < 0.001) times of the general population, respectively. Meanwhile, the risk of high-normal blood pressure was lower in people with a balanced constitution (0.248, 95%CI: 0.165-0.372, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Phlegm-dampness constitution, Yin-deficiency constitution, and damp-heat constitution were the common constitution types of high-normal blood pressure. There might also be differences in the distribution characteristics of TCM constitution among people with high-normal blood pressure in different regions, ages, and genders. Finally, a balanced constitution might be a protective factor for hypertensive people.

Effects of adatom species on the structure, stability, and work function of adatom-α-borophene nanocomposites.

Work function-tunable borophene-based electrode materials are of significant importance because they promote efficient carrier extraction/injection, thereby enabling electronic devices to achieve maximum energy conversion efficiency. Accordingly, determining the work function of adatom-borophene nanocomposites within a series wherein the adatom is systematically changed will facilitate the design of such materials. In this study, we theoretically determined that the M-B bond length, binding energy, electron transfer between adatoms and BBP, and work function (ϕ) are linearly dependent on the ionization potential (IP) and electronegativity for thermodynamically and kinetically stable adatom-α-borophene (M/BBP) systems involving a series of alkali (earth) metal/BBP (M = Li-Cs; Be-Ba) and halogen/BBP (M = F-I), respectively. However, the binding energies of Li/BBP and Be/BBP deviate from these dependencies owing to their super small adatoms and the resulting significantly enhanced effective M-B bonding areas. By interpreting the electron transfer picture among the different parts of M/BBP, we confirmed that metallic M/BBP possesses ionic sp-p and dsp-p M-B bonds in alkali (earth) metal/BBP but covalent-featured ionic p-p interactions in halogen/BBP. In particular, the direct proportionality between IP and ϕ for alkali (earth) metal/BBP originates from the synergistic effect of charge rearrangement and the increased induced dipole moment; however, the inverse proportionality between electronegativity and ϕ for halogen/BBP arises from the adsorption induced charge redistribution. Our results provide guidance for experimental efforts toward the realization of work function-tunable borophene-based electrodes as well as insight into the bonding rules between various adatoms and α-borophene.

A novel strategy for screening angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors from natural products based on enzyme-immobilized ligand fishing combined with active-site blocking and directional enrichment.

Some natural products are important sources of treatments for hypertension based on their potential inhibitory effects on angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE); however, it is difficult to identify natural ACE inhibitors (ACEIs) due to the complex secondary metabolite environment of natural products. Enzyme immobilization is an important method for screening active constituents in natural products, but this method can sometimes return false-positive and false-negative results. To improve the accuracy and reliability of ligand-fishing methods, we established a novel strategy based on enzyme-immobilized ligand fishing combined with active-site blocking and directional enrichment technologies. We first synthesized ACE-immobilized mesoporous magnetic beads and then verified the screened compounds by molecular docking and in vitro activity detection. We then used active-site blocking to exclude non-specific binding constituents and applied directional enrichment to enrich the low-content constituents for ligand fishing. The screening identified six potential ACEIs from Scutellariae Radix and eight potential ACEIs from Lonicerae japonicae flos, and their inhibitory activity was confirmed by molecular docking simulations and in vitro activity detection. This process screened six additional compounds and excluded two false-positive results as compared with results exclusively using enzyme immobilization. This strategy provides a feasible method for screening active compounds in natural products.

A Semiconductive Nature of Bis(dithiolato)nickelate Radical Salt Exhibiting Broadband Photoconduction.

The fractional oxidation state [M(dmit)2] (dmit2- = 2-thioxo-1, 3-dithiole-4, 5-dithiolate) salts have long attracted attention in the molecular metal area owing to high conductivity and even superconductivity. In this study, we achieved a mixed-valence salt (1) of [Ni(dmit)2]0.5- with monovalent 1,3-N,N-dimethyl-imidazolium (DiMIm+) by a solvent evaporation approach under ambient conditions. The mixed valence of [Ni(dmit)2]0.5- has been characterized by an analysis of the IR spectrum and crystal structure. In the crystal structure of 1, two [Ni(dmit)2]0.5- anions overlap in an eclipsed mode to form a [Ni(dmit)2]21- dimer, featuring a radical bearing an S = 1/2 spin; the dimeric radicals stack into a column along the b axis, and the adjacent columns connect together via the lateral-to-lateral S···S contacts along the a axis, and through the head-to-head S···S contacts along the [101] direction. Salt 1 shows the magnetic behavior of an S = 1/2 Heisenberg antiferromagnetic uniform linear chain with J/kB = -47.5(4) K and a semiconducting feature with σ = 2.52 × 10-3 S cm-1 at 293 K, 2.32 × 10-2 S cm-1 at 373 K, and Ea = 0.22 eV, as well as broadband photoconductivity under irradiation of green and white lights. This study suggests the possibility of designing new photoconductors based on the mixed-valence [Ni(dmit)2]0.5- salt.

Imparting α-Borophene with High Work Function by Fluorine Adsorption: A First-Principles Investigation.

Increasing the work function of borophene over a large range is crucial for the development of borophene-based anode materials for highly efficient electronic devices. In this study, the effect of fluorine adsorption on the structures and stabilities, particularly on the work function, of α-borophene (BBP), was systematically investigated via first-principles density functional theory. The calculations indicated that BBP was well-stabilized by fluorine adsorption and the work functions of metallic fluorine-adsorbed BBPs (Fn-BBPs) sharply increased with increasing fluorine content. Moreover, the work function of F-BBP was close to that of the frequently used anode material Au and even, for other Fn-BBPs, higher than that of Pt. Furthermore, we have comprehensively discussed the factors, including substrate deformation, charge transfer, induced dipole moment, and Fermi and vacuum energy levels, affecting the improvement of work function. Particularly, we have demonstrated that the charge redistribution of the substrate induced by the bonding interaction between fluorine and the matrix predominantly contributes to the observed increase in the work function. Additionally, the effect of fluorine adsorption on the increase in the work function of BBP was significantly stronger than that of silicene or graphene. Our results concretely support the fact that Fn-BBPs can be extremely attractive anode materials for electronic device applications.

Inhibitory Effect of Astragalus Polysaccharide Combined with Cisplatin on Cell Cycle and Migration of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Cell Lines.

Background Astragalus polysaccharide (APS) had shown great promise in anti-tumour activities in our previous studies. The present study was designed to investigate whether APS has synergistic effect with cisplatin on the growth-inhibitory of human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell lines and the possible mechanism. Methods Here, nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell lines (CNE-1) were divided into CNE-1 group, Cisplatin treatment group (2 µg/mL Cisplatin), APS treatment group (200 µg/mL APS) and combination group (2 µg/mL Cisplatin and 200 µg/mL APS). The proliferation inhibition rate of CNE-1 cells was determined by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) method after treatment with different concentrations of APS for 24, 48, and 72 h. Apoptosis rates and cell cycle retardation of cells were detected by flow cytometry. Cell migration and invasion was evaluated by transwell assay. Western blotting and quantitative (q)RT-PCR were performed to detect the expression of Bcl-2, Bax, caspase-3, matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), p53 and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) proteins in CNE-1 cells. Results APS have an inhibition on the proliferation of CNE-1 cells with time and dose dependence manner. Both the APS and combination therapy could promote apoptosis of CNE-1 cells, with the count of cells increased in G0/G1 and S phase while decreased in G2/M phase, and inhibited the migration and invasion of CNE-1 cells. Moreover, co-administration of Cisplatin and APS was more efficacious for the antitumor effect than either agent alone, as evidenced by the significant decrease in MMP-9 level and increase in p53. Conclusion APS, in combination with cisplatin, had significantly synergistic growth-inhibitory effect on nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell lines, which may be related to cell cycle and migration induction.

Effects of Six Sigma methodology on depression and anxiety of patients with end-stage renal disease.

BACKGROUND: Depression and anxiety are common psychological conditions in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients and contribute to poor quality of life and increased mortality. Six Sigma methodology is a novel method of hospital management. The aim of the present study was to determine whether Six Sigma methodology could reduce the incidence of depression and anxiety in ESRD patients. METHODS: ESRD patients undergoing hemodialysis from March 2018 to February 2020 were enrolled in the study. They were divided into the control group or study group according to whether they received conventional nursing care or Six Sigma methodology, respectively. Data on patients' demographic characteristics were retrospectively collected. The conditions of depression and anxiety were assessed by the Self-Rating Depression Scale and the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale, and the severity of depression and anxiety was defined according to the scores of the scales. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to determine the risk factors of depression and anxiety at discharge in ESRD patients and the effects of Six Sigma methodology on them. RESULTS: A total of 251 patients were retrospectively enrolled in the study, with 112 patients in the control group and 139 patients in the study group. There were no significant differences in the collected demographic characteristics between the two groups. Six Sigma methodology was shown to relieve mild and moderate depression and anxiety at discharge; however, severe depression and anxiety was hardly affected by Six Sigma methodology. The results from multivariable logistic regression analysis identified Six Sigma methodology as an important protective factor of psychological conditions at discharge. Depression and anxiety status at admission and older age are also independent risk factors for anxiety at discharge in ESRD patients. Marital status may also play a role in the incidence of depression. CONCLUSIONS: Six Sigma methodology is significantly useful to reduce the incidence of mild and moderate depression and anxiety at discharge, and should be extended to improve psychological conditions in ESRD patients.

Uniaxial thermal expansion behaviors and ionic conduction in a layered (NH4)2V3O8.

The zero/negative thermal expansion (ZTE/NTE), which is an intriguing physical property of solids, has been observed in a few families of materials. ZTE materials possess practical applications in specific circumstances such as space-related applications, engineering structures and precision instrument. Generally, NTE materials are used as additives to form a composite of the ZTE material with positive thermal expansion material. It is still a tremendous challenge to design new families of ZTE/NTE materials. Herein, we presented a temperature-dependent single crystal structure analysis in 110-300 K for a layered (NH4)2V3O8, which crystallizes in a tetragonal space group P4bm and comprises mixed valence [V3O82-]∞ monolayers and NH4+ residual in the interlayer spaces. Along the c-axis, (NH4)2V3O8 demonstrated uniaxial expansion behaviors, i.e., ZTE with αc = -1.10 × 10-6 K-1 in 110-170 K and NTE with αc = -16.25 × 10-6 K-1 in 170-220 K. Along the a-axis, (NH4)2V3O8 exhibited ZTE with αa = + 2.06 × 10-6 K-1 in 240-300 K. The mechanisms of ZTE and NTE were explored using structural analysis. The conduction of NH4+ ions in the interlayer space was studied, indicating that the conductivity rapidly rises with the expansion of interlayer space at temperatures of >293 K. This study discloses that layered vanadates are promising ZTE/NTE materials.

Nitrate deficiency decreased photosynthesis and oxidation-reduction processes, but increased cellular transport, lignin biosynthesis and flavonoid metabolism revealed by RNA-Seq in Oryza sativa leaves.

Rice cultivar "Weiyou916" (Oryza sativa L. ssp. Indica) were cultured with control (10 mM NO3-) and nitrate deficient solution (0 mM NO3-) for four weeks. Nitrogen (N) deficiency significantly decreased the content of N and P, dry weight (DW) of the shoots and roots, but increased the ratio of root to shoot in O. sativa. N deficiency decreased the photosynthesis rate and the maximum quantum yield of primary photochemistry (Fv/Fm), however, increased the intercellular CO2 concentration and primary fluorescence (Fo). N deficiency significantly increased the production of H2O2 and membrane lipid peroxidation revealed as increased MDA content in O. sativa leaves. N deficiency significantly increased the contents of starch, sucrose, fructose, and malate, but did not change that of glucose and total soluble protein in O. sativa leaves. The accumulated carbohydrates and H2O2 might further accelerate biosynthesis of lignin in O. sativa leaves under N limitation. A total of 1635 genes showed differential expression in response to N deficiency revealed by Illumina sequencing. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis showed that 195 DEGs were found to highly enrich in nine GO terms. Most of DEGs involved in photosynthesis, biosynthesis of ethylene and gibberellins were downregulated, whereas most of DEGs involved in cellular transport, lignin biosynthesis and flavonoid metabolism were upregulated by N deficiency in O. sativa leaves. Results of real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) further verified the RNA-Seq data. For the first time, DEGs involved oxygen-evolving complex, phosphorus response and lignin biosynthesis were identified in rice leaves. Our RNA-Seq data provided a global view of transcriptomic profile of principal processes implicated in the adaptation of N deficiency in O. sativa and shed light on the candidate direction in rice breeding for green and sustainable agriculture.

A Promising Phase Change Material with Record High Ionic Conductivity over a Wide Temperature Range of a Plastic Crystal Phase and Magnetic Thermal Memory Effect.

The emerging organic ion plastic crystals (OIPCs) are the most promising candidates used as solid-state electrolytes in a range of ionic devices. To endow an OIPC with additional functionality may create a new type of material for multifunctional devices. Herein, we present an ion plastic crystal, [EMIm][Ni(mnt)2] (1; [EMIm]+ = 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium and mnt2- = maleonitriledithiolate), and its crystal consists of twin dimeric chains of [Ni(mnt)2]- anions, embraced by [EMIm]+ cations. A crystal-to-plastic crystal transformation with a large latent heat that occurred at ∼367/337 K on heating/cooling is confirmed by the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) technique. The plastic crystal phase in 1, characterized by variable temperature powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) and optical microscopy images, spans a broad temperature range with ΔT ∼123/153 K on heating/cooling (DSC measurement), and the wide ΔT is relevant to an extra stable anion chain owing to the strong antiferromagnetic (AFM) interactions protecting the chain from collapse in the plastic crystal state. 1 is a single-component ion plastic crystal with a record high ion conductivity, 0.21 S·cm-1, at 453 K. The crystal-to-plastic crystal transformation in 1 is coupled to a bistable magnetic transition to give a multi-in-one multifunctional material. This study provides a creative thought for the design of OIPCs with striking thermal, electrical, and magnetic multifunctionality.

Genome-wide analysis of the plant-specific VQ motif-containing proteins in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and characterization of SlVQ6 in thermotolerance.

The VQ motif-containing (VQ) proteins are plant-specific proteins with a conserved "FxxhVQxhTG" amino acid sequence, which regulate plant growth and development. Little is known, however, about the function of VQ proteins in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). Here, a total of 26 SlVQ proteins were confirmed and characterized using a comprehensive genome-wide analysis. The SlVQ proteins all contain the conserved motif with seven variations, which are classified into eight groups (I, II, IV-VI, VIII-X). Most of them were predicted to be localized in the nucleus. Besides, a network including SlVQ proteins interaction with WRKY transcription factors (SlWRKYs) and mitogen-activated protein kinases (SlMPKs) is proposed. In addition, among the SlVQ genes, SlVQ6 was expressed in the range of organs and tissues with the highest levels and could response to different stresses. Ectopically overexpression of SlVQ6 in Arabidopsis plants decreased high temperature tolerance. RNA sequencing analysis revealed that several stress-related genes, such as HSP70-4, RD20, GolS1 and AT4g36010 were down-regulated in SlVQ6 overexpressing plants compared to these in wild-type under normal growth conditions. This study provides critical information about SlVQ genes and their encoded proteins, as well as further research on SlVQ functions in tomato growth and development.

A Derivate of Benzimidazole-Isoquinolinone Induces SKP2 Transcriptional Inhibition to Exert Anti-Tumor Activity in Glioblastoma Cells.

We have previously shown that compound-7g inhibits colorectal cancer cell proliferation and survival by inducing cell cycle arrest and PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway blockage. However, whether it has the ability to exert antitumor activity in other cancer cells and what is the exact molecular mechanism for its antiproliferation effect remained to be determined. In the present study, compound-7g exhibited strong activity in suppressing proliferation and growth of glioblastoma cells. The inhibitor selectively downregulated F-box protein SKP2 expression and upregulated cell cycle inhibitor p27, and then resulted in G1 cell cycle arrest. Mechanism analysis revealed that compound-7g also provokes the down-regulation of E2F-1, which acts as a transcriptional factor of SKP2. Further results indicated that compound-7g induced an increase of LC3B-II and p62, which causes a suppression of fusion between autophagosome and lysosome. Moreover, compound-7g mediated autophagic flux blockage promoted accumulation of ubiquitinated proteins and then led to endoplasmic reticulum stress. Our study thus demonstrated that pharmacological inactivation of E2F-1-SKP2-p27 axis is a promising target for restricting cancer progression.