Cynipid wasps systematically reprogram host metabolism and restructure cell walls in developing galls.

Many insects have evolved the ability to manipulate plant growth to generate extraordinary structures called galls, in which insect larva can develop while being sheltered and feeding on the plant. In particular, cynipid (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae) wasps have evolved to form morphologically complex galls and generate an astonishing array of gall shapes, colors, and sizes. However, the biochemical basis underlying these remarkable cellular and developmental transformations remains poorly understood. A key determinant in plant cellular development is cell wall deposition that dictates the physical form and physiological function of newly developing cells, tissues, and organs. However, it is unclear to what degree cell walls are restructured to initiate and support the formation of new gall tissue. Here, we characterize the molecular alterations underlying gall development using a combination of metabolomic, histological, and biochemical techniques to elucidate how valley oak (Quercus lobata) leaf cells are reprogrammed to form galls. Strikingly, gall development involves an exceptionally coordinated spatial deposition of lignin and xylan to form de novo gall vasculature. Our results highlight how cynipid wasps can radically change the metabolite profile and restructure the cell wall to enable the formation of galls, providing insights into the mechanism of gall induction and the extent to which plants can be entirely reprogrammed to form unique structures and organs.

Radiation induced lichen planus - an uncommon side effect.

Cutaneous lichen planus is classically characterized by violaceous, pruritic, planar papules and plaques, most commonly affecting the extremities. Lichen planus following radiation therapy is extremely rare and lichen planus following radiation therapy for prostate carcinoma has not been previously reported in the literature. We report a 66-year-old man who presented to the dermatology clinic with a symmetric pruritic eruption affecting the pelvic and gluteal region within two months of radiation therapy targeting the prostate and pelvic lymph nodes for prostate adenocarcinoma. The patient did not have a prior history of lichen planus. Physical examination demonstrated well demarcated, violaceous papules and plaques in a circumferential band-like distribution on the bilateral gluteal, lumbosacral, and pelvic region. In addition, he had a few discrete lesions on the calves and dorsal feet. Punch biopsy revealed an acanthotic epidermis with "saw-tooth" rete ridges and a lichenoid inflammatory infiltrate. A diagnosis of hypertrophic lichen planus was made, reinforcing the importance for clinicians to recognize radiation therapy as a risk factor for developing lichen planus despite no prior history of lichen planus.

Synthesis of S-linked NeuAc-α(2-6)-di-LacNAc bearing liposomes for H1N1 influenza virus inhibition assays.

S-NeuAc-α(2-6)-di-LacNAc (5) was efficiently synthesized by a [2+2] followed by a [1+4] glycosylation, and later conjugated with 1,2-dilauroyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (DLPE) to form both single-layer and multi-layer homogeneous liposomes in the presence of dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine (DPPC) and cholesterol. These liposomes were found to be weak inhibitors in both the influenza virus entry assay and the hemagglutination inhibition assay. The single layer liposome was found to more efficiently interfere with the entry of the H1N1 influenza virus into MDCK cells than the multilayer liposome containing 5.

Study of chemical pretreatment and enzymatic saccharification for producing fermentable sugars from rice straw.

This study evaluated a cost-effective approach for the conversion of rice straw into fermentable sugars. The composition of rice straw pretreated with 1 % sulfuric acid or 1 % sodium hydroxide solution was compared to rice straw with no chemical pretreatment. Enzymatic saccharification experiments on non-pretreated rice straw (NPRS), pretreated rice straw (PRS), and pretreated rice straw with acid hydrolysate (PRSAH) were conducted in a series of batch reactors. The results indicated that pretreating the rice straw with dilute acid and base increased the cellulose content from 38 % to over 50 %. During enzymatic saccharification, straight aliphatic cellulose was hydrolyzed before branched hemicellulose, and glucose was the major hydrolysis product. The glucose yield was 0.52 g glucose/g for NPRS and was comparable to the yields of 0.50 g glucose/g for PRS and 0.58 g glucose/g for PRSAH. The hydrolysis of rice straw to produce glucose can be described by a first-order reaction with a rate constant of 0.0550 d(-1) for NPRS, 0.0653 d(-1) for PRSAH, and 0.0654 d(-1) for PRS. Overall, the production of fermentable sugars from ground rice straw will be more cost effective if the straw is not pretreated with chemicals.

Evaluation of toxicity of polystyrene microplastics under realistic exposure levels in human vascular endothelial EA.hy926 cells.

Microplastics (MPs) have emerged as a global concern, with a recent study being the first to detect them in the bloodstream of healthy people. However, precise information regarding the toxic effects of MPs on the human vascular system is currently lacking. In this study, we used human vascular endothelial EA. hy926 cells to examine the toxic potential of polystyrene MPs (PSMPs) under realistic blood concentrations. Our findings indicated that PSMPs can cause oxidative stress by reducing the expression of antioxidants, thereby leading to apoptotic cytotoxicity in EA. hy926 cells. Furthermore, the protective potential of heat shock proteins can be reduced by PSMPs. PSMP-induced apoptosis might also lower the expression of rho-associated protein kinase-1 and nuclear factor-κB expression, thus dampening LRR- and pyrin domain-containing protein 3 in EA. hy926 cells. Moreover, we observed that PSMPs induce vascular barrier dysfunction via the depletion of zonula occludens-1 protein. However, although protein expression of the nuclear hormone receptor 77 was inhibited, no significant increase in ectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor-1 was noted in PSMP-treated EA. hy926 cells. These results demonstrate that exposure to PSMPs may not sufficiently increase the risk of developing atherosclerosis. Overall, our research signifies that exposure to realistic blood concentrations of PSMPs is associated with low atherosclerotic cardiovascular risk in humans.

Evaluation of the pulmonary toxicity of PSNPs using a Transwell-based normal human bronchial epithelial cell culture system.

To reduce the nanoplastics (NPs) toxicity assessment error, we established a Transwell-based bronchial epithelial cell exposure system to assess the pulmonary toxicity of polystyrene NPs (PSNPs). Transwell exposure system was more sensitive than submerged culture for toxicity detection of PSNPs. PSNPs adhered to the BEAS-2B cell surface, were ingested by the cell, and accumulated in the cytoplasm. PSNPs induced oxidative stress and inhibited cell growth through apoptosis and autophagy. A noncytotoxic dose of PSNPs (1 ng/cm2) increased the expression levels of inflammatory factors (ROCK-1, NF-κB, NLRP3, ICAM-1, etc) in BEAS-2B cells, whereas a cytotoxic dose (1000 ng/cm2) induced apoptosis and autophagy, which might inhibit the activation of ROCK-1 and contribute to reducing inflammation. In addition, the noncytotoxic dose increased the expression levels of zonula occludens-2 (ZO-2) and α1-antitrypsin (α-AT) proteins in BEAS-2B cells. Therefore, in response to PSNP exposure, a compensatory increase in the activities of inflammatory factors, ZO-2, and α-AT may be triggered at low doses as a mechanism to preserve the survival of BEAS-2B cells. In contrast, exposure to a high dose of PSNPs elicits a noncompensatory response in BEAS-2B cells. Overall, these findings suggest that PSNPs may be harmful to human pulmonary health even at an ultralow concentration.

Sugar Content and Warning Criteria Evaluation for Popular Sugar-Sweetened Beverages in Taipei, Taiwan.

Sugar intake may increase the risk of obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and dental caries. In Taiwan, people frequently consume sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs). This study explored the energy and sugar content of Taiwanese SSBs and evaluated them using the Chilean warning label system (>70 kcal/100 mL and >5 g sugar/100 mL) and the World Health Organization (WHO) sugar guideline (≤25 g sugar). A total of 341 SSBs with volumes ≤600 mL were analyzed. No significant differences were observed in sugar per serving among different types of SSBs, but a great variation in portion size (i.e., package size for individual consumption) was noted. The energy and sugar ratios per serving were lower in soft drinks and coffee and tea containing >1 serving than in those containing only one serving. The calorie and sugar ratios per portion were higher in all types of SSBs containing >1 serving per portion than in those containing exactly one serving. Approximately 70.0% of Taiwanese SSBs were classified as high sugar according to the Chilean criteria, and 41.6% of SSBs exceeded the WHO guideline. Moreover, 40.8% of SSBs that were not considered as high sugar according to the Chilean criteria contained >25 g sugar per portion. For individual consumption, it is more clear that nutrition labeling is based on portion rather than serving. Evaluating SSBs on sugar/portion rather than sugar/100 mL will help consumers make better choices.

The nephrotoxic potential of polystyrene microplastics at realistic environmental concentrations.

As microplastics (MPs) dispersed into the environment, people might be exposed to MPs. Most pollutants either pass through or concentrate in the kidney. Therefore, nephrotoxicity tests are needed to verify the toxic potential of MPs. Here we used human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK293) cells to determine the association between nephrotoxicity and round-shape polystyrene MPs (PSMPs) (3.54 ± 0.39 µm) under realistic environmental exposure concentrations. Results revealed that PSMPs can adhere to the cell membrane and get entirely engulfed by HEK293 cells. PSMPs can induce cytotoxicity by oxidative stress via inhibition of the antioxidant haem oxygenase-1. Depolarisation of the mitochondrial membrane potential and formation of autophagosomes confirmed that apoptosis and autophagy can be simultaneously induced by PSMPs. The inflammatory factor was only activated (33 cytokines) by noncytotoxic concentration of PSMPs (3 ng/mL); however, the cytotoxic concentration (300 ng/mL) of PSMPs induced autophagy, which might further reduce NLRP3 expression, thus contributing to dampening inflammation (35 cytokines) in HEK293 cells. PSMPs (300 ng/mL) can impair kidney barrier integrity and increase the probability of developing acute kidney injury through the depletion of the zonula occludens-2 proteins and α1-antitrypsin. Altogether, our results demonstrated that environmental exposure to PSMPs may lead to an increased risk of renal disease.

Optical metrology of randomly-distributed Au colloids on a multilayer film.

Spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) measurements coupled with efficient theoretical modeling and scanning electron microscopy analysis are used in the metrology of randomly-distributed gold nanoparticles on a multilayer film. Measurements were conducted in the ultraviolet to near infrared region at several angles of incidence. To understand the size, shape, and distribution of nanoparticles, a finite-element Green's function approach considering the scattering from multiple nanoparticles was employed to calculate the ellipsometry parameters. Our calculations are in fair agreement with the ellipsometry measurements when suitable size, shape, and distribution pattern of nanoparticles are found. This demonstrates that SE could be a useful tool to the metrology of arbitrarily-distributed nanoparticles on a multilayer film.

A digital microfluidic droplet generator produces self-assembled supramolecular nanoparticles for targeted cell imaging.

Controlling the size distribution of polymer-based nanoparticles is a challenging task due to their flexible core and surface structures. To accomplish such as task requires very precise control at the molecular level. Here we demonstrate a new approach whereby uniform-sized supramolecular nanoparticles (SNPs) can be reliably generated using a digital microfluidic droplet generator (DMDG) chip. A microfluidic environment enabled precise control over the processing parameters, and therefore high batch-to-batch reproducibility and robust production of SNPs with a very narrow size distribution could be realized. Digitally adjustment of the mixing ratios of the building blocks on the DMDG chip allowed us to rapidly scan a variety of synthesis conditions without consuming significant amounts of reagents. Nearly uniform SNPs with sizes ranging from 35 to 350 nm were obtained and characterized by transmission electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering. In addition, we could fine-tune the surface chemistry of the SNPs by incorporating an additional building block functionalized with specific ligands for targeting cells. The sizes and surface properties of these SNPs correlated strongly with their cell uptake efficiencies. This study showed a feasible method for microfluidic-assisted SNP production and provided a great means for preparing size-controlled SNPs with desired surface ligand coverage.

The Effect of an Online Sugar Fact Intervention: Change of Mothers with Young Children.

Research indicates that high sugar intake in early childhood may increase risks of tooth decay, obesity and chronic disease later in life. In this sugar fact study, we explored whether an online intervention which focused on comprehensive and useful information about nutrition labels impacted mother's choice of low sugar food. The intervention was developed on the basis of the theory of planned behavior. In total, 122 mothers were recruited. Mothers were divided into an online-only group and a plus group. Knowledge of sugar and nutrition labels, behavioral attitudes, perceived behavioral control, behavioral intentions and behavior towards purchasing low-sugar products with nutrition labels were collected. After the intervention, both groups exhibited significantly enhanced sugar and nutrition label knowledge, perceived behavioral control, behavioral intentions and behavior. Compared to the online-only group, knowledge, perceived behavioral control and behavior of the plus group significantly improved. After the intervention, about 40% of the plus group and 80% of the online-only group still did not know the World Health Organization (WHO) sugar recommendations. Understanding sugar recommendations and using nutrition labels are crucial to help people control calorie and sugar intake. Further research with a larger sample is warranted to evaluate the effects of the intervention on long-term changes in shopping behavior. More efficient and convenient nutrition education is required to increase public awareness of sugar recommendations and help people control calorie and sugar intake.

Dopamine-Modified Zero-Valent Iron Nanoparticles for Dual-Modality Photothermal and Photodynamic Breast Cancer Therapy.

Phototherapy has the advantages of minimal invasion, few side effects, and improved accuracy for cancer therapy. The application of a polydopamine (PDA)-modified nano zero-valent iron (nZVI@PDA) as a new synergistic agent in combination with photodynamic/photothermal (PD/PT) therapy to kill cancer cells is discussed here. The nZVI@PDA offered high light-to-heat conversion and ROS generation efficiency under near-infrared (NIR) irradiation (808 nm), thus leading to irreversible damage to nZVI@PDA-treated MCF-7 cells at low concentration, without inducing apoptosis in normal cells. Irradiation of nZVI@PDA using an NIR laser converted the energy of the photons to heat and ROS. Our results showed that modification of the PDA on the surface of nZVI can improve the biocompatibility of the nZVI@PDA. This work integrated the PD and PT effects into a single nanodevice to afford a highly efficient cancer treatment. Meanwhile, nZVI@PDA, which combines the advantages of PDA and nZVI, displayed excellent biocompatibility and tumoricidal ability, thus suggesting its huge potential for future clinical research in cancer therapy.

Polystyrene microplastic particles: In vitro pulmonary toxicity assessment.

Microplastics (MPs) have become a global environmental concern. Recent studies have shown that MPs, of which the predominant type is often polystyrene (PS; known as PS-MPs), can extend to and affect remote, sparsely inhabited areas via atmospheric transport. Although exposure to inhaled MPs may induce lung dysfunction, further experimental verification of the pulmonary toxic potential of MPs and the mechanism underlying the toxicity is needed. Here we used normal human lung epithelial BEAS-2B cells to clarify the association between pulmonary toxicity and PS-MPs. Results revealed that PS-MPs can cause cytotoxic and inflammatory effects in BEAS-2B cells by inducing reactive oxygen species formation. PS-MPs can decrease transepithelial electrical resistance by depleting zonula occludens proteins. Indeed, decreased α1-antitrypsin levels in BEAS-2B cells suggest that exposure to PS-MPs increases the risk for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and high concentrations of PS-MPs can induce these adverse responses. While low PS-MP levels can only disrupt the protective pulmonary barrier, they may also increase the risk for lung disease. Collectively, our findings indicate that PS-MP inhalation may influence human respiratory health.

Homogeneously alloyed nanoparticles of immiscible Ag-Cu with ultrahigh antibacterial activity.

Immiscible bimetallic Ag-Cu system has been synthesized by the pulsed plasma in liquid method with a graph of one pulse duration. Herein, by combining X-ray power diffraction, K-edge X-ray absorption near edge structure and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, our results indicate that homogeneously alloyed Ag-Cu nanoparticles (Ag-Cu NAs) have the average diameter about 2.1 nm, composed by 48.5 at% Ag and 51.5 at% Cu with chemical analysis and the estimated lattice parameter was 3.873 Å. The antibacterial property of Ag-Cu NAs was detected against E. coli and S. aureus strains according to the colony formed abilities of bacteria on agar plates covered with the nanoparticles. With very short incubation period, Ag-Cu NAs completely inhibited the E. coli and S. aureus growth at an ultralow concentration. The mechanism of antibacterial property of Ag-Cu NAs was performed by the inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry and the plane wave pseudopotential method implemented in the CASTEP package based on the density functional theory. The Ag+ dissolution is correlated with antibacterial activity for Ag-Cu NAs-assisted antibacterial treatment. These findings obtained revealed that our Ag-Cu NAs could be served as a containing material of numerous bacteria-free products in order to avoid their bacterial contamination.

Novolak PF resins prepared from phenol liquefied Cryptomeria japonica and used in manufacturing moldings.

The wood of Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) was liquefied in phenol with H2SO4 and HCl as catalysts. The liquefied wood was reacted with formalin to prepare the novolak PF resin. The results showed that the reaction of liquefied Japanese cedar with formalin was an exothermic reaction, and formed a solid-like resin without extra heating. Two novolak PF resins were prepared from the liquefied wood which were identified as SF and CF that using the liquefied wood with H2SO4 and HCl as catalyst respectively. The novolak PF powder displayed thermo-melting characteristic. The resins of SF and CF had weight average molecular weight of 3638 and 3941 respectively and melting temperature of 149.4 degrees C and 127.5 degrees C respectively. Both of the novolak resins could be used to make moldings with good performance by mixing the novolak resin with wood powder, hardener and zinc stearate at the weight ratio of 60:30:10:1 and hot-pressed under 200 degrees C for 10min.

Risk of rheumatoid arthritis in patients with hepatitis C virus infection receiving interferon-based therapy: a retrospective cohort study using the Taiwanese national claims database.

OBJECTIVES: To illuminate the association between interferon-based therapy (IBT) and the risk of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV). DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS AND INTERVENTIONS: This retrospective cohort study used Taiwan's Longitudinal Health Insurance Database 2005 that included 18 971 patients with HCV infection between 1 January 1997 and 31 December 2012. We identified 1966 patients with HCV infection who received IBT (treated cohort) and used 1:4 propensity score-matching to select 7864 counterpart controls who did not receive IBT (untreated cohort). OUTCOME MEASURES: All study participants were followed until the end of 2012 to calculate the incidence rate and risk of incident RA. RESULTS: During the study period, 305 RA events (3.1%) occurred. The incidence rate of RA was significantly lower in the treated cohort than the untreated cohort (4.0 compared with 5.5 per 1000 person-years, p<0.018), and the adjusted HR remained significant at 0.63 (95% CI 0.43 to 0.94, p=0.023) in a Cox proportional hazards regression model. Multivariate stratified analyses revealed that the attenuation in RA risk was greater in men (0.35; 0.15 to 0.81, p=0.014) and men<60 years (0.29; 0.09 to 0.93, p=0.036). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that IBT may reduce the risk of RA and contributes to growing evidence that HCV infection may lead to development of RA.

Patterns Associated with Adult Mandibular Fractures in Southern Taiwan-A Cross-Sectional Retrospective Study.

Purpose: This study aimed to determine the patterns associated with adult mandibular fractures from a Level-I trauma center in southern Taiwan. Methods: The data of adult trauma patients admitted between 1 January 2009 and 31 December 2014 were retrieved from the Trauma Registry System and retrospectively reviewed. Fracture site and cause of injury were categorized into groups for comparison, and corresponding odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were obtained by multivariate logistic regression. Results: Motorcycle accidents were the most common cause of mandibular fractures (76.3%), followed by falls (10.9%), motor vehicle accidents (4.8%), and being struck by/against objects (4.5%). Of the 503 cases of mandibular fractures, the condylar neck and head were the most common sites (32.0%), followed by the parasymphysis (21.7%), symphysis (19.5%), angle and ramus (17.5%), and body (9.3%). The location of mandibular fractures in patients who had motorcycle accidents was similar to that in all patients. Motor vehicle accidents resulted in a significantly higher number of body fractures (OR 3.3, 95% CI 1.24-8.76, p = 0.017) and struck injury in a significantly higher number of angle and ramus fractures (OR 3.9, 95% CI 1.48-10.26, p = 0.006) compared to motorcycle accidents. The helmet-wearing status and body weight were not associated with the location of mandibular fractures in motorcycle accidents. Conclusions: Our study revealed that the anatomic fracture sites of mandible were specifically related to different etiologies. In southern Taiwan, motorcycle accidents accounted for the major cause of mandibular fractures and were associated with the condylar neck and head as the most frequent fracture sites. In contrast, motor vehicle accidents and struck injuries tended to cause more body fracture as well as angle and ramus fracture compared to motorcycle accidents. Furthermore, the status of helmet-wearing and body weight were not associated with the location of mandible fractures caused by motorcycle accidents.

Effect of silver on microstructure and antibacterial property of 2205 duplex stainless steel.

In this study, 2205 duplex stainless steel (DSS) was employed to enhance the antibacterial properties of material through silver doping. The results demonstrated that silver-doped 2205 DSS produces an excellent bacteria-inhibiting effect against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The antibacterial rates were 100% and 99.5%, respectively. Because the mutual solubility of silver and iron is very low in both the solid and liquid states, a silver-rich compound solidified and dispersed at the ferrite/austenite interface and the ferrite, austenite, and secondary austenite phases in silver-doped 2205 DSS. Doping 2205 DSS with silver caused the Creq/Nieq ratio of ferrite to decrease; however, the lower Creq/Nieq ratio promoted the rapid nucleation of γ2-austenite from primary α-ferrite. After 12h of homogenisation treatment at 1200 °C, the solubility of silver in the γ-austenite and α-ferrite phases can be increased by 0.10% and 0.09%, respectively. Moreover, silver doping was found to accelerate the dissolution of secondary austenite in a ferrite matrix during homogenisation.

Multifunctional nanomicellar systems for delivering anticancer drugs.

Most anticancer drugs cause severe side effect due to the lack of selectivity for cancer cells. In recent years, new strategies of micellar systems, which design for specifically target anticancer drugs to tumors, are developed at the forefront of polymeric science. To improve efficiency of delivery and cancer specificity, considerable emphasis has been placed on the development of micellar systems with passive and active targeting. In this review article, we summarized various strategies of designing multifunctional micellar systems in the purpose of improving delivery efficiency. Micellar systems compose of a multifunctional copolymer or a mixture of two or more copolymers with different properties is a plausible approach to tuning the resulting properties and satisfied various requirements for anticancer drug delivery. It appears that multifunctional micellar systems hold great potential in cancer therapy.

Polymeric micelles loaded with platinum anticancer drugs target preangiogenic micrometastatic niches associated with inflammation.

Nanocarriers have been used for specific delivery of therapeutic agents to solid tumors based on the enhanced permeability and retention in cancerous tissues. Despite metastasis is the main reason of cancer-related death and a priority for nanocarrier-based therapies, the targeting ability of nanocarriers to the metastatic disease is poorly understood, especially for preangiogenic micrometastases as nanocarriers usually use the malignant neovasculature for enhancing their accumulation. Thus, herein, we studied the ability of micellar nanocarriers incorporating (1,2-diaminocyclohexane)platinum(II) (DACHPt) for treating liver metastases of bioluminescent murine colon adenocarcinoma C-26, during overt and preangiogenic metastatic stages. After intravenous injection, DACHPt-loaded micelles (DACHPt/m) effectively inhibited the tumor growth in both metastatic tumor models. While the anticancer activity of the micelles against overt metastases was associated with their selective accumulation in cancerous tissues having neovasculature, the ability of DACHPt/m to target preangiogenic metastases was correlated with the inflammatory microenvironment of the niche. This targeting capability of polymeric micelles to preangiogenic metastasis may provide a novel approach for early diagnosis and treatment of metastases.