A molecule-imprinted electrochemiluminescence sensor based on CdS@MWCNTs for ultrasensitive detection of fenpropathrin.

A molecularly-imprinted electrochemiluminescence sensor was constructed for the determination of fenpropathrin (FPT) by molecular imprinting technology. In this sensing platform, the introduction of CdS@MWCNTs significantly enhanced the initial ECL signal of the luminol-O2 system. Specifically, MWCNTs was used as a carrier to adsorb more CdS, in which CdS acted as a co-reaction promoter for luminescence. Molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) containing specific recognition sites of FPT was used as the material for selective recognition. With increasing amount of FPT the ECL signal decreased. Under the optimum conditions, the ECL response was linearly related to the logarithm of FPT concentration. The developed ECL sensor allowed for sensitive determination of FPT and exhibited a wide linear range from 1.0 × 10- 10 mol L- 1 to 1.0 × 10- 6 mol L- 1. The limit of detection was 3.3 × 10- 11 mol L- 1 (S/N = 3). It can be used for the detection of FPT in vegetable samples.

A Chewing Study of Abuse-Deterrent Tablets Containing Polyethylene Oxide Using a Robotic Simulator.

Abuse-deterrent formulations (ADFs) refer to formulation technologies aiming to deter the abuse of prescription drugs by making the dosage forms difficult to manipulate or extract the opioids. Assessments are required to evaluate the performance of the drugs through different routes including injection, ingestion, and insufflation and also when the drugs are manipulated. Chewing is the easiest and most convenient way to manipulate the drugs and deserves investigation. Chewing is one of the most complex bioprocesses, where the ingested materials are subject to periodic tooth crushing, mixed through the tongue, and lubricated and softened by the saliva. Inter- and intra-subject variations in chewing patterns may result in different chewing performances. The purpose of this study is to use a chewing simulator to assess the deterrent properties of tablets made of polyethylene oxide (PEO). The simulator can mimic human molar grinding with variable chewing parameters including molar trajectory, chewing frequency, and saliva flow rate. To investigate the effects of these parameters, the sizes of the chewed tablet particles and the chewing force were measured to evaluate the chewing performance. Thirty-four out of forty tablets were broken into pieces. The results suggested that the simulator can chew the tablets into smaller particles and that the molar trajectory and saliva flow rate had significant effect on reducing the size of the particles by analysis of variance (ANOVA) while the effect of chewing frequency was not clear. Additionally, chewing force can work as an indicator of the chewing performance.

Mutant combinations of lycopene ɛ-cyclase and ß-carotene hydroxylase 2 homoeologs increased ß-carotene accumulation in endosperm of tetraploid wheat (Triticum turgidum L.) grains.

Grains of tetraploid wheat (Triticum turgidum L.) mainly accumulate the non-provitamin A carotenoid lutein-with low natural variation in provitamin A ß-carotene in wheat accessions necessitating alternative strategies for provitamin A biofortification. Lycopene ɛ-cyclase (LCYe) and ß-carotene hydroxylase (HYD) function in diverting carbons from ß-carotene to lutein biosynthesis and catalyzing the turnover of ß-carotene to xanthophylls, respectively. However, the contribution of LCYe and HYD gene homoeologs to carotenoid metabolism and how they can be manipulated to increase ß-carotene in tetraploid wheat endosperm (flour) is currently unclear. We isolated loss-of-function Targeting Induced Local Lesions in Genomes (TILLING) mutants of LCYe and HYD2 homoeologs and generated higher order mutant combinations of lcye-A, lcye-B, hyd-A2, and hyd-B2. Hyd-A2 hyd-B2, lcye-A hyd-A2 hyd-B2, lcye-B hyd-A2 hyd-B2, and lcye-A lcye-B hyd-A2 hyd-B2 achieved significantly increased ß-carotene in endosperm, with lcye-A hyd-A2 hyd-B2 exhibiting comparable photosynthetic performance and light response to control plants. Comparative analysis of carotenoid profiles suggests that eliminating HYD2 homoeologs is sufficient to prevent ß-carotene conversion to xanthophylls in the endosperm without compromising xanthophyll production in leaves, and that ß-carotene and its derived xanthophylls are likely subject to differential catalysis mechanisms in vegetative tissues and grains. Carotenoid and gene expression analyses also suggest that the very low LCYe-B expression in endosperm is adequate for lutein production in the absence of LCYe-A. These results demonstrate the success of provitamin A biofortification using TILLING mutants while also providing a roadmap for guiding a gene editing-based approach in hexaploid wheat.

Studies of anticancer activity in vivo and in vitro behaviors of liposomes encapsulated iridium(III) complex.

Iridium(III) complexes have gained great attention in cancer treatment in recent years. In this paper, we designed and synthesized a new iridium(III) complex [Ir(piq)2(DQTT)](PF6) Ir1 (piq = 1-phenylisoquinoline, DQTT = 12-(1,4-dihydroquinoxalin-6-yl)-4,5,9,14-tetraazabenzo[b]triphenylene). The Ir1-loaded PEGylated liposomes (Lipo-Ir1) were prepared using the ethanol injection method. The anticancer activity of the complex and Lipo-Ir1 against SGC-7901 (human gastric adenocarcinoma), A549 (human lung carcinoma), HeLa (human cervical carcinoma), HepG2 (human hepatocellular carcinoma), BEL-7402 (human hepatocellular carcinoma), and normal NIH3T3 (mouse embryonic fibroblasts) was tested by the MTT method. The complex Ir1 shows moderate or low cytotoxicity against the selected cancer cells, whereas the Lipo-Ir1 exhibits high anticancer activity toward the same cancer cells. The apoptosis induced by Lipo-Ir1 was assayed by flow cytometry and Lipo-Ir1 induced apoptosis through increasing intracellular reactive-oxygen species levels, decreasing mitochondrial membrane potential, further promoting cytochrome c release and causing the increase of level of intracellular Ca2+. Western blot was used to detect the changes in Bcl-2 family protein and PI3K/AKT pathway proteins. The cloning experiments demonstrated that the Lipo-Ir1 can effectively inhibit cell proliferation. In vivo experiments, Lipo-Ir1 inhibited tumor growth in xenograft nude mice, and the percentage of tumor growth inhibition in vivo was 75.70%. Overall, the liposomes Lipo-Ir1 exhibits higher anticancer activity than Ir1 under the same conditions. These results indicated that Lipo-Ir1 may be a valuable resource for cancer therapy.

A more secure and effective method for throat swab collection: The importance of adequate exposure of oral cavity in COVID-19 specimen collection.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to propose a novel and effective throat swab collection method for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). METHODS: The subjects were randomly divided into two groups. The subjects were asked to open their mouth to make "ah" sound (traditional method) or simulate yawn (improved method) for throat swab collection. The usage of tongue depressor, collection time, adverse reactions and subjective discomfort (VAS score) were compared. The collection time, comprehensive indicators of adverse reactions and VAS score were also compared among three collectors. RESULTS: The tongue depressor was less used in the improved group (χ2 = 40.186, P < 0.01). The average collection time of the traditional group was 5.44 ± 2.97 and that of the improved group was 4.00 ± 2.31 (P < 0.01). The subjects in the improved group had fewer and milder adverse reactions. The VAS score of subjects in the improved group was lower than that in the traditional group (P < 0.01). Among different collectors, the collection time, comprehensive indicators of adverse reactions and VAS were the same as the overall trend. CONCLUSION: Simulating yawn is a safer and faster throat swab collection method.

Liposome as drug delivery system enhance anticancer activity of iridium (III) complex.

Herein an Ir(III) complex [Ir(Hppy)2(HMNPIP)](PF6) (Ir1, Hppy = 2-phenylpyridine, HMNPIP = 2-(1H-imidazo[4,5-f][1, 10]phenanthroline-3-yl)-6-methoxy-4-nitrophenol) was prepared and characterized. Due to the low anticancer activity of Ir1 when administered free drug, we prepared a liposome Ir1Lipo encapsulated form of Ir1 to improve the antitumor effect, furthermore, we explored the antitumor mechanism of both forms in vitro experiments on HepG2 cells. We investigated the inhibitory efficiency of Ir1 and Ir1Lipo on cell viability and proliferation using MTT (MTT = 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazole)-2,5-diphenltetraazolium bromide) and colony-forming assay. Intracellular accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was examined using a fluorescence microscope (High Content Screening System, ImageXpress Micro XLS System, Molecular Devices LLC, Sunnyvale, CA), programmed cell death cells stained with acridine orange/ethidium bromide (AO/EB) using flow cytometry detection and western blot have been performed. An in vivo study where HepG2 cells were transplanted into nude nice as xenografts. Tumour volume and body weight were monitored during the 10 days of administration. After encapsulation in liposomes Ir1Lipo displayed high potency against a variety of tumour cells in vitro, especially against HepG2 (IC50 = 4.6 ± 0.5 µM). Mechanism studies indicated that Ir1Lipo initiated apoptosis by generating intracellular ROS that regulate lysosomal-mitochondrial dysfunction, followed by microtubule disruption that subsequently leads to a G0/G1 phase of cell cycle arrest. Additionally, Ir1Lipo significantly curbed tumour growth in nude mice. The tumour inhibitory rate was 51.2% (5.6 mg/kg). Therefore, liposome as a drug delivery system greatly enhances anticancer activity of Ir1 by a factor of relatively minor side effects.

Fluorescence Sensor Based on Biosynthetic CdSe/CdS Quantum Dots and Liposome Carrier Signal Amplification for Mercury Detection.

Mercury (Hg), as a highly harmful environmental pollutant, poses severe ecological and health risks even at low concentrations. Accurate and sensitive methods for detecting Hg2+ ions in aquatic environments are highly needed. In this work, we developed a highly sensitive fluorescence sensor for Hg2+ detection with an integrated use of biosynthetic CdSe/CdS quantum dots (QDs) and liposome carrier signal amplification. To construct such a sensor, three single-stranded DNA probes were rationally designed based on the thymine-Hg2+-thymine (T-Hg2+-T) coordination chemical principles and by taking advantage of the biocompatibility and facile-modification properties of the biosynthetic QDs. Hg2+ could be determined in a range from 0.25 to 100 nM with a detection limit of 0.01 nM, which met the requirements of environmental sample detection. The sensor also exhibited a high selectivity for Hg2+ detection in the presence of other high-level metal ions. A satisfactory capacity of the sensor for detecting environmental samples including tap water, river water, and landfill leachate was also demonstrated. This work opens up a new application scenario for biosynthetic QDs and holds a great potential for environmental monitoring applications.

A molecularly imprinted electrochemiluminescence nanoprobe based on complexes consisting of CdTe and multiwall carbon nanotube for sensitive determination of clenbuterol.

An electrochemiluminescence (ECL) nanoprobe was fabricated for the determination of clenbuterol (CLB). A molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) film was coated on the surface of the glassy carbon electrode modified with CdTe-doped multiwall carbon nanotubes. The MIP film with CLB as the template molecule improves the selectivity of the nanoprobe, CdTe is used as ECL signal amplifier, and MWCNT works as the carrier. The ECL intensity is altered by elution and reabsorption of CLB. The possible reaction mechanism and experimental parameters of the nanoprobe are discussed. Under optimized conditions, the quenched ECL intensity and the CLB concentration have a linear relationship in the range 2.3 × 10-9 to 1.5 × 10-5 mol·L-1, and the detection limit is 1.0 × 10-9 mol·L-1 (S/N = 3). The nanoprobe was successfully applied to the determination of CLB in pork samples. Graphical abstract Schematic representation of the molecularly imprinted electrochemiluminescence nanoprobe based on complexes consisting of CdTe and multiwall carbon nanotube used to determinate clenbuterol.

Antitumor Efficacy of Liposome-Encapsulated NVP-BEZ235 Combined with Irreversible Electroporation for Head and Neck Cancer.

Irreversible electroporation (IRE) kills tumor cells by the delivery of short pulses of strong electric fields. However, the field strength decreases with distance from the treatment center. When IRE cannot eradicate the entire tumor mass, the surviving tumor cells can regrow. NVP-BEZ235 is a dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitor that has been administered orally in clinical trials. However, its hydrophobicity and poor water solubility make NVP-BEZ235 difficult to deliver to target areas. To improve its pharmacokinetics and therapeutic efficacy, we have encapsulated NVP-BEZ235 in a liposome (termed as L-BEZ). Our current study focuses on the long-term antitumor efficacy of IRE and intratumoral injection of L-BEZ in HN5 head and neck cancer xenografts in nude mice. We compared in vitro efficacy, as well as the effect on tumor size and growth rate in vivo, between IRE alone, IRE + oral BEZ, and IRE + L-BEZ over the course of two months. All animals in the control group were sacrificed by day 36, due to excess tumor burden. Tumors treated with IRE alone grew faster and larger than those in the control group. IRE + oral BEZ suppressed tumor growth, but the growth rate increased to that of the controls toward the end of 21 days. Only IRE + L-BEZ eradicated the tumor masses, with no palpable or extractable tumor mass observed after two months. The combination of IRE and L-BEZ could effectively eradicate tumors and prevent recurrence.

Biodegradable Poly(l-lactic acid) (PLLA) Coatings Fabricated from Nonsolvent Induced Phase Separation for Improving Corrosion Resistance of Magnesium Rods in Biological Fluids.

Magnesium (Mg)-based biometals are increasingly becoming a promising candidate of the next-generation implantable materials due to their unique properties, such as high biocompatibility, favorable mechanical strength, and good biodegradability in physiological conditions. However, the swift corrosion of Mg, resulting in early loss of structural support, has posed an enormous challenge in clinical application of Mg-based implants. To overcome these limitations, herein we developed a novel method, which combines the traditional dip-coating with nonsolvent induced phase separation (NIPS), to fabricate biodegradable PLLA coatings with controlled membrane morphology on pure Mg rods. Unlike the conventional dip-coating, where the polymer solution on the Mg substrates is left to evaporate directly under proper atmosphere, in NIPS, the polymer solution on the substrates is not left to dry but immersed in a nonsolvent of the PLLA, leading to the precipitation of polymer networks. Our results demonstrated that various polymer coatings with different morphologies and inner structures could be easily fabricated by a careful selection of nonsolvents. In comparison to dense PLLA coatings obtained from conventional solvent evaporation, PLLA coatings with a dense surface and porous inner structure were obtained when hexane and petroleum ether were used as the nonsolvents, while PLLA coatings with a completely porous structure were obtained when polar acetone and ethanol were chosen. The electrochemical corrosion tests and immersion tests further showed that all polymer coatings could significantly improve the corrosion resistance and suppress the corrosion rates of the substrates. However, PLLA films obtained via NIPS had much lower pH changes and slower Mg2+ release, implying better protective effects of the fabricated coatings. Based on results of all experiments, a new process for the corrosion mechanism of Mg implants during immersion has also been proposed in this work.

Depletion of abundant human serum proteins by per se imprinted cryogels based on sample heterogeneity.

Macroporous cryogels were prepared and used to deplete abundant proteins. It was accomplished based on the sample heterogeneity rather than any exogenous assistance. Human serum was added in monomer solutions to synthesize molecularly imprinted polymers; therein some abundant proteins were imprinted in the polyacrylamide cryogels. Meanwhile the rare components remained aqueous. Chromatography and electrophoresis showed that albumin, serotransferrin, and most globulins were depleted by columns packed with the molecularly imprinted polymers. After the depletion, lower abundance proteins were revealed by SDS-PAGE, peptide fingerprint analysis, and identified by MALDI-TOF-MS. This is an example that a "per se imprint" protocol enables to gradually dimidiate proteomes, simplify sample complexities, and facilitate further proteome profiling or biomarker discovery.

Exogenous application of urea and a urease inhibitor improves drought stress tolerance in maize (Zea mays L.).

Drought is believed to cause many metabolic changes which affect plant growth and development. However, it might be mitigated by various inorganic substances, such as nitrogen. Thus, the study was carried out to investigate the effect of foliar-applied urea with or without urease inhibitor N-(n-butyl) thiophosphoric triamide (NBPT) on a maize cultivar under drought stress simulated by 15% (w/v) polyethylene glycol 6000. Foliar-applied urea resulted in a significant increase in plant dry weight, relative water content, and photosynthetic pigments under water stress condition. Furthermore, the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and hydrogen peroxidase (CAT), were enhanced with all spraying treatments under drought stress, which led to decreases in accumulation of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), superoxide anion ([Formula: see text]) and malondialdehyde (MDA). The contents of soluble protein and soluble sugar accumulated remarkably with urea-applied under drought stress condition. Moreover, a further enhancement in above metabolites was observed by spraying a mixture of urea and urease inhibitor as compared to urea sprayed only. Taken together, our findings show that foliar application of urea and a urease inhibitor could significantly enhance drought tolerance of maize through protecting photosynthetic apparatus, activating antioxidant defense system and improving osmoregulation.

Start-up performance of Anammox process in a fixed bed reactor (FBR) filled with honeycomb-like polypropylene carriers.

Novel honeycomb-like carriers, made of polypropylene, were applied to enhance biomass retention capacity so as to improve Anammox start-up performance in a fixed bed reactor (FBR). The reactor was operated for 3 months. On day 45, Anammox activity appeared. After 61 days' operation, the removal efficiencies of ammonium and nitrite were both over 91% based on 70 mg N L(-1) of the influent ammonium and influent nitrite, indicating that a remarkable Anammox activity was attained. A final specific Anammox activity of 0.12 g NH4(+)-N gVSS(-1) d(-1) was reached (VSS: volatile suspended solids). The FBR showed a good capacity for resisting shock loading and was more able to resist shock loading of nitrogen concentration than resist hydraulic shock loading. Phylogenetic analysis showed that Candidatus Brocadia anammoxidans' and Candidatus Kuenenia stuttgartiensis' were detected in the mature biofilm, and Candidatus Brocadia anammoxidans' was the dominant Anammox strain. Candidatus Kuenenia stuttgartiensis' played a positive role in the reactor performance, as it could consumed nitrite quickly and efficiently so as to avoid an adverse effect of temporary nitrite accumulation. The results showed that the honeycomb-like carriers were suitable for start-up of Anammox.

Anionic Lipid, pH-Sensitive Liposome-Gold Nanoparticle Hybrids for Gene Delivery - Quantitative Research of the Mechanism.

Gene therapy is a potential method for treating a large range of diseases. Gene vectors are widely used in gene therapy for promoting the gene delivery efficiency to the target cells. Here, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) coated with dimethyldioctadecylammonium bromide (DODAB)/dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DOPE) are synthesized using a facile method for a new gene vector (DODAB/DOPE-AuNPs), which possess 3- and 1.5-fold higher transfection efficiency than those of DODAB-AuNPs and a commercial transfection agent, respectively. Meanwhile, it is nontoxic with concentrations required for effective gene delivery. Imaging and quantification studies of cellular uptake reveal that DOPE increases gene copies in cells, which may be attributed to the smaller size of AuNPs/DNA complexes. The dissociation efficiency of DNA from the endocytic pathway is quantified by incubating with different buffers and investigated directly in the cells. The results suggest that DOPE increases the internalization of AuNPs/DNA complexes and promotes DNA release from early endosomes for the vector is sensitive to the anionic lipid membrane and the decreasing pH along the endocytic pathway. The new vector contains the potential to be the new alternative as gene delivery vector for biomedical applications.

Endosomolytic reducible polymeric electrolytes for cytosolic protein delivery.

Despite the numerous vital functions of proteins in the cytosolic compartment, less attention has been paid to the delivery of protein drugs to the cytosol than to the plasma membrane. To address this issue and effectively deliver charged proteins into the cytoplasm, we used endosomolytic, thiol-triggered degradable polyelectrolytes as carriers. The cationic, reducible polyelectrolyte RPC-bPEI(0.8 kDa)2 was synthesized by the oxidative polymerization of thiolated branched polyethyleneimine (bPEI). The polymer was converted to the anionic, reducible polyelectrolyte RPA-bPEI(0.8 kDa)2 by introducing carboxylic acids. The two reducible polyelectrolytes (RPC-bPEI(0.8 kDa)2 and RPA-bPEI(0.8 kDa)2) were complexed with counter-charged model proteins (bovine serum albumin (BSA) and lysozyme (LYZ)), forming polyelectrolyte/protein complexes of less than 200 nm in size at weight ratios (WR) of ≥1. The resultant complexes maintained a proton buffering capacity nearly equivalent to that of the polyelectrolytes in the absence of protein complexation and were cytocompatible with MCF7 human breast carcinoma cells. Under cytosol-mimicking thiol-rich conditions, RPC-bPEI(0.8 kDa)2/BSA and RPA-bPEI(0.8 kDa)2/LYZ complexes increased significantly in size and released the loaded protein, unlike the protein complexes with nonreducible polyelectrolytes (bPEI(25 kDa) and bPEI(25 kDa)COOH). The polyelectrolyte/protein complexes showed cellular uptake similar to that of the corresponding proteins alone, but the former allowed more protein to escape into the cytosol from endolysosomes than the latter as a result of the endosomolytic function of the polyelectrolytes. In addition, the proteins in the polyelectrolyte/protein complexes kept their intrinsic secondary structures. In conclusion, the results show the potential of the designed endosomolytic, reducible polyelectrolytes for the delivery of proteins to the cytosol.

Microstructural Adaptation for Prey Manipulation in the Millipede Assassin Bugs (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Ectrichodiinae).

Species in Ectrichodiinae are known for their prey specialization on millipedes. However, knowledge of the morphological adaptations to this unique feeding habit was limited. In the current study, we examined the microstructures of the antennae, mouthparts, and legs of four millipede feeding ectrichodiines, Ectrychotes andreae (Thunberg, 1888), Haematoloecha limbata Miller, 1953, Labidocoris pectoralis (Stål, 1863), and Neozirta eidmanni (Taueber, 1930), and compared them with those of three species of tribelocephalines, a group closely related to Ectrichodiinae. On the antennae, we found four types of antennal sensilla. On the mouthparts, we recognized four types of labial sensilla. Sampled ectrichodiines have distinctly more and denser slightly transverse ridges on the external side of mandibles than tribelocephalines. E. andreae and H. limbata possess numerous small papillae fringed with densely arranged finger-print-like grains on the trochanter and femur; these probably facilitate the immobilization of prey. Overall, our study illustrates, at a microstructural level, the remarkable morphological adaption of prey manipulation in ectrichodiine, and has enhanced our understanding about stenophagy in the family Reduviidae.

First filter feeding in the Early Triassic: cranial morphological convergence between Hupehsuchus and baleen whales.

Modern baleen whales are unique as large-sized filter feeders, but their roles were replicated much earlier by diverse marine reptiles of the Mesozoic. Here, we investigate convergence in skull morphology between modern baleen whales and one of the earliest marine reptiles, the basal ichthyosauromorph Hupehsuchus nanchangensis, from the Early Triassic, a time of rapid recovery of life following profound mass extinction. Two new specimens reveal the skull morphology especially in dorsal view. The snout of Hupehsuchus is highly convergent with modern baleen whales, as shown in a morphometric analysis including 130 modern aquatic amniotes. Convergences in the snout include the unfused upper jaw, specialized intermediate space in the divided premaxilla and grooves around the labial margin. Hupehsuchus had enlarged its buccal cavity to enable efficient filter feeding and probably used soft tissues like baleen to expel the water from the oral cavity. Coordinated with the rigid trunk and pachyostotic ribs suggests low speeds of aquatic locomotion, Hupehsuchus probably employed continuous ram filter feeding as in extant bowhead and right whales. The Early Triassic palaeoenvironment of a restrictive lagoon with low productivity drove Hupehsuchus to feed on zooplankton, which facilitated ecosystem recovery in the Nanzhang-Yuan'an Fauna at the beginning of the Mesozoic.

Scanning Electron Microscopy of Antennae and Mouthparts of Mezira yunnana Hsiao (Hemiptera: Aradidae): Specialized Microstructures Reflecting Adaptation to Mycetophagy.

Many species of the family Aradidae (also known as flat bugs) feed on fungal mycelia and fruiting bodies. In order to better understand the morphological adaptation to this unique feeding habit, we examined the microstructure of antennae and mouthparts of an aradid species, Mezira yunnana Hsiao, using scanning electron microscope, and documented the fungal feeding process under laboratory conditions. The antennal sensilla include three subtypes of sensilla trichodea, three subtypes of sensilla basiconica, two subtypes of sensilla chaetica, sensilla campaniformia, and sensilla styloconica. The apex of the second segment of flagellum has a large number of various sensilla forming a sensilla cluster. The labial tip is distally constricted, which is rarely observed in other Pentatomomorpha species. The labial sensilla include three subtypes of sensilla trichodea, three subtypes of sensilla basiconica, and a sensilla campaniformia. The tip of the labium has only three pairs of sensilla basiconica III and small comb-shaped cuticular processes. The external surface of the mandibular apex has 8-10 ridge-like central teeth. A series of key morphological structures associated with mycetophagous feeding habit were identified, which will facilitate future studies on adaptive evolution of species in Pentatomomorpha as well as in other heteropteran lineages.

Electrostatic assemblies of molecularly imprinted polymers on the surface of electrospun nanofiber membranes for the point-of-care detection of thiodiglycol, a sulfur mustard poisoning metabolic marker.

In this study, molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) were assembled on the surface of ethylene imine polymer (PEI)/poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) electrospun nanofiber membranes for the point-of-care testing (POCT) of thiodiglycol (TDG), a sulfur mustard poisoning metabolic marker, using concentrated gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) as the signal reporting units. The MIPs/PEI/PVA nanofiber membranes could capture TDG specifically through the recognition interaction between MIPs and TDG. Then, AuNPs were adsorbed onto the MIPs/PEI/PVA nanofiber membranes through the Au-S interaction between TDG and AuNPs to produce a visible red color. In order to improve the sensitivity, the silver-enhanced solutions were used to deepen the color of the nanofiber membranes and the software Image J was used to read the gray value as the signal response for subsequent analysis. There was a good linear relationship between the color change of the MIPs/PEI/PVA nanofiber membranes and the TDG concentration from 0.1 ng mL-1 to 1.0 µg mL-1, and the limit of detection was 38 pg mL-1. This method was applied for the selective detection of TDG in urine, showing great potential for the clinical diagnosis of mustard gas poisoning.

Effect and Safety of Painless and Conventional Endoscopic Management of Denture Impaction in the Esophagus.

Objective: To improve the level of clinical diagnosis and treatment, reduce the incidence of complications, and provide the basis for clinicians to choose an appropriate treatment, this research explores the removal methods of the impacted denture in the esophagus by endoscopy. Methods: Based on the clinical information, treatment methods and complications of 72 patients with denture impaction in the esophagus admitted to our hospital from January 2016 to March 2021, which were divided into the group treated with painless endoscopy and the group treated with conventional endoscopy, retrospective analysis of the therapeutic effect and complications was conducted. Results: There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of denture removal rate (P > 0.05). There were statistically significant differences between the two groups in terms of operating time and incidence rates of complications during and after the procedure. The operating time of the group treated with painless endoscopy was significantly shorter than the group treated with conventional endoscopy (P < 0.05). The incidence rates of complications during and after the procedure of the group treated with painless endoscopy were significantly lower than the group treated with conventional endoscopy (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Compared with the conventional endoscopy, painless endoscopic management of denture impaction in the esophagus under general anesthesia with tracheal intubation improves the clinical efficacy and reduces the adverse reactions. Thus, it is worthy of clinical popularization and application.