Correction to: Prokaryotic expression and action mechanism of antimicrobial LsGRP1C recombinant protein containing a fusion partner of small ubiquitin-like modifier.

The published online version contains editing mistake in Table 2. See below for the corrected Table.

[Correlation of serum androgen levels with lipid metabolism in middle-aged and elderly men in Zunyi, Guizhou].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship of the levels of serum androgens with lipid metabolism in middle-aged and elderly men in Zunyi, Guizhou. METHODS: Using the stratified cluster sampling method, we conducted a questionnaire investigation and physical examinations among 437 men in Zunyi City. We divided the subjects into a middle-aged (40－64 ï¼»53.20 ± 7.41ï¼½ years, n = 269) and an elderly group (=≥65 ï¼»70.63 ± 4.66ï¼½ years, n = 168) and collected fasting elbow venous blood samples from them for measuring the levels of total testosterone (TT), sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), luteinizing hormone (LH), total cholesterol (TCH), triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), calculated free testosterone (cFT), free testosterone index (FTI), and testosterone secretion index (TSI). RESULTS: Compared with the elderly group, the middle-aged males showed significantly lower SHBG, LH, HDL and LDL, and higher cFT, FTI, TSI, TG and TCH (all P < 0.05). TT and SHBG were negatively correlated with TG, TCH, HDL and LDL, while cFT was positively correlated with TCH, and so was FTI with TG, TCH with LDL, and TSI with TCH, HDL and LDL (all P < 0.05), but LH was negatively correlated with TG, TCH and LDL (all P < 0.05). Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that TT and SHBG were negatively correlated with TG, TCH, HDL and LDL, and so was LH with TCH, HDL and LDL (all P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In the middle-aged and elderly men in Zunyi, low concentrations of TT, SHBG and LH were associated with the increased risk of high-TCH and -LDL dyslipidemia, low concentrations of TT and SHBG with that of high-TG dyslipidemia, while high concentrations of TT, SHBG and LH with that of low-HDL dyslipidemia.

Prokaryotic expression and action mechanism of antimicrobial LsGRP1C recombinant protein containing a fusion partner of small ubiquitin-like modifier.

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are peptides exhibiting broad-spectrum antimicrobial activities and considered as potential therapeutic agents. LsGRP1C, a novel AMP derived from defense-related LsGRP1 protein of Lilium, was proven to inhibit kinds of bacteria and fungi via alteration of microbial membrane permeability and induction of fungal programmed cell death-like phenomena by in vitro assays using synthetic LsGRP1C. In this study, the prokaryotic production of LsGRP1C recombinant protein containing an N-terminal fusion partner of the yeast small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) was achieved by using optimized Escherichia coli host and purification buffer system, which lead to a high yield of soluble SUMO-LsGRP1C fusion protein. In vitro assay revealed that E. coli-expressed SUMO-LsGRP1C exhibited even better antifungal activity as compared to synthetic LsGRP1C. Meanwhile, the ability of SUMO-LsGRP1C in conducting fungal membrane permeabilization and programmed cell death was verified by SYTOX Green staining and 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole staining/terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labeling assays, respectively, indicating that E. coli-expressed SUMO-LsGRP1C shares identical modes of action with synthetic LsGRP1C. Herein, this E. coli expression system enables the effective and convenient production of antimicrobial LsGRP1C in a form of SUMO-fused recombinant protein.

[Vasectomy has no obvious longterm influence on the levels of serum androgens in aging males].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the longterm influence of vasectomy on the levels of serum androgens in aging males. METHODS: Using stratified random sampling, we conducted a questionnaire survey and physical examinations among 437 adult males aged ≥40 years, 232 with and 205 without the history of vasectomy. In addition, we measured the levels of serum total testosterone (TT), sexhormone binding globulin (SHBG), calculated free testosterone (cFT), testosterone secreting index (TSI), free testosterone index (FTI), and luteinizing hormone (LH). RESULTS: Compared with the nonvasectomy group, the vasectomy group showed significantly increased levels of serum TT (ï¼»16.01±5.41ï¼½ vs ï¼»17.39±6.57ï¼½ nmol/L), SHBG (ï¼»58.91±36.89ï¼½ vs ï¼»70.28±40.90ï¼½ nmol/L), and LH (ï¼»8.86±6.49ï¼½ vs ï¼»10.85±11.73ï¼½ IU/L) (all P< 0.05) and a decreased level of FTI (0.33±0.15 vs 0.30±0.12, P< 0.05). There were no statistically significant differences between the nonvasectomy and vasectomy groups in cFT (ï¼»0.24±0.07ï¼½ vs ï¼»0.23±0.09ï¼½ nmol/L) or TSI (ï¼»2.42±1.34ï¼½ vs ï¼»2.46±1.51ï¼½ nmol/IU) (both P>0.05), nor after adjustment for relevant factors in TT (ß: 1.015, 95% CI: －0.180－2.210), SHBG (ß: 5.118, 95% CI: －2.069－12.305), cFT (ß: 0.003, 95% CI: －0.011－0.018), FTI (ß: －0.012, 95% CI: －0.035－0.011), TSI (ß: 0.138, 95% CI: －0.131－0.407), and LH (ß: 1.011, 95% CI: －0.811－2.834) (all P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Vasectomy has no obvious longterm influence on the levels of serum androgens in aging males.

A Phosphorescent Platinum(II) Bipyridyl Supramolecular Polymer Based on Quadruple Hydrogen Bonds.

A platinum(II) bipyridyl complex bearing bis-ureidopyrimidinone (Pt-bisUPy) has been designed and its self-assembling behavior has been thoroughly investigated by 1 H NMR, DOSY NMR, Ubbelohde viscometry analysis, UV/Vis, and emission spectroscopies. Pt-bisUPy underwent concentration-dependent ring-chain polymerization in apolar solvents. Hydrogen-bonding interactions play an important role during the formation of the supramolecular polymers. Hydrogen-bonded supramolecular polymers were transformed to nanoparticles in water through the miniemulsion method. These nanoparticles showed strong π-π excimeric emission. Metal-metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MMLCT) from Pt-Pt interactions was not significant in the emission spectrum. The phosphorescence of the nanoparticle persisted even under aerobic conditions. The triplet state of these phosphorescent nanomaterials were long-lived and possessed moderate emission quantum yields. Furthermore, the low toxicity of these materials promises a place for them in in vitro and in vivo bioimaging.

3-D real-time ultrasound tracking of acoustically actuated swimming microdrone.

Maneuverable microswimmers/microdrones that navigate in hard-to-reach spaces inside human bodies hold a great potential for various biomedical applications. Acoustically actuated microswimmers have already demonstrated feasibility. However, for eventual translation of this technology, a robust 3-D tracking strategy for the microswimmer is particularly required. This paper presents our lab-designed 3-D ultrasound tracking system for real-time tracking of an acoustically actuated 3-D swimming microdrone. The ultrasound tracking system utilizing two ultrasound probes, a step motor and a host controller, was built to track the 3-D arbitrary motion of the microdrone in real-time. The performance of tracking was evaluated in the benchtop experiments by comparing the reconstructed trajectories with synchronized camera recordings. The ultrasound tracking system showed high reliability, with an average error of less than 0.3 mm across six different trials when compared to camera tracking. The results demonstrated the capability of our lab-designed 3-D ultrasound tracking system in accurately tracking the undetermined motion of the acoustic actuated 3-D swimming microdrone in real-time. The developed tracking system holds promise as a potential approach for biomedical applications and could pave the way for future clinical translation of the microswimmer technology.

Development of soy protein isolate gels added with Tremella polysaccharides and psyllium husk powder as 3D printing inks for people with dysphagia.

The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of soy protein isolate (SPI) gels added with Tremella polysaccharides (TPs) and psyllium husk powder (PHP) as 3D printing inks for developing dysphagia-friendly food and elucidate the potential mechanism of TPs and PHP in enhancing the printing and swallowing performance of SPI gels. The results indicated that the SPI gels with a TP : PHP ratio of 3 : 7 could be effectively used as printing inks to manufacture dysphagia-friendly food. The addition of TPs increased the free water content, resulting in a decrease in the viscosity of the SPI gels, which, in turn, reduced the line width of the 3D-printed product and structural strength of the gel system. The addition of PHP increased disulfide bond interactions and excluded volume interactions, which determined the mechanical strength of SPI gels and increased the line width of the printed product. The synergistic effects between TPs and PHP improved the printing precision and structural stability. This study presents meaningful insights for the utilization of 3D printing in the creation of dysphagia-friendly food using protein-polysaccharide complexes.

[Roles of calcitonin gene-related peptide family in pain and opioid tolerance].

The calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) family mainly includes CGRPα, CGRPß, adrenomedullin, calcitonin and amylin. The members of CGRP family and their receptors are widely distributed in the central and peripheral nervous systems. Studies show that members of CGRP family such as CGRP and adrenomedullin play important roles in the transmission of nociceptive information. At spinal level, CGRP promotes the transmission of nociceptive information, spinal morphine tolerance, migraine, inflammatory pain and neuropathic pain. At superspinal level, CGRP suppresses the transmission of nociceptive information. Adrenomedullin is a pain-related neuropeptide which has recently been demonstrated. It facilitates the transmission of nociceptive information and is involved in the development and maintenance of opioid tolerance. The involvement of amylin and calcitonin in pain is not clear yet.

Lilium Gray Mold Suppression Conferred by the Host Antimicrobial Protein LsGRP1 Involves Main Pathogen-Targeted Manipulation of the Nonantimicrobial Region LsGRP1N.

Antimicrobial protein LsGRP1 protects Lilium from gray mold mainly caused by the destructive pathogen Botrytis elliptica; however, its nonantimicrobial region LsGRP1N conversely promotes spore germination of this fungus. By assaying the effects of LsGRP1N, LsGRP1, and the combination of LsGRP1N and the antimicrobial region LsGRP1C on fungal spore germination, hyphal growth, and Lilium gray mold development, LsGRP1N was found to improve the LsGRP1C sensitivity of B. elliptica and disease suppression by LsGRP1C. B. elliptica cell vitality assays indicated that LsGRP1N pretreatment uniquely enhanced the lethal efficiency of LsGRP1C compared to the control peptides. In addition, LsGRP1N-treated B. elliptica was demonstrated to lower infection-related gene expression and increase host-defense-eliciting activity, as indicated by reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction and histochemical-staining-based callose detection results, respectively. Therefore, LsGRP1N showed a novel mode of action for antimicrobial proteins by manipulating the main pathogen, which facilitated the development of target-specific and dormant microbe-eradicating antimicrobial agents.

3-D swimming microdrone powered by acoustic bubbles.

Mobile microrobots that maneuver in liquid environments and navigate inside the human body have drawn a great interest due to their possibility for medical uses serving as an in vivo cargo. For this system, the effective self-propelling method, which should be powered wirelessly and controllable in 3-D space, is of paramount importance. This article describes a bubble-powered swimming microdrone that can navigate in 3-D space in a controlled manner. To enable 3-D propulsion with steering capability, air bubbles of three lengths are trapped in microtubes that are embedded and three-dimensionally aligned inside the drone body using two-photon polymerization. These bubbles can generate on-demand 3-D propulsion through microstreaming when they are selectively excited at their individual resonance frequencies that depend on the bubble sizes. In order to equip the drone with highly stable maneuverability, a non-uniform mass distribution of the drone body is carefully designed to spontaneously restore the drone to the upright position from disturbances. A mathematical model of the restoration mechanism is developed to predict the restoration behavior showing a good agreement with the experimental data. The present swimming microdrone potentially lends itself to a robust 3-D maneuverable microscale mobile cargo navigating in vitro and in vivo for biomedical applications.

Electrocatalytic Reduction of CO2 to Methanol by Iron Tetradentate Phosphine Complex Through Amidation Strategy.

The iron complex of tetradentate tris[2-(diphenylphosphino) ethyl]phosphine (PP3 ), [Fe(PP3 )(MeCN)2 ](BF4 )2 , was able to electrocatalytically reduce CO2 to formate with a Faradaic efficiency (FE) of approximately 97.3 % in acetonitrile. Upon addition of diethylamine as a cocatalyst, electrocatalytic reduction to methanol was achieved with an FE of 68.5 %, and other products were formamide and formate. A mechanistic study suggested that the [FeH(PP3 )](BF4 ) hydride complex was the active species in the electrocatalysis. Added amine as cocatalyst could react with CO2 to form carbamate, which could then be reduced to formamide and further to methanol. By contrast, free CO2 could only be reduced to formate as the end-product.

Ultrasound Tracking of the Acoustically Actuated Microswimmer.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the ultrasound tracking strategy for the acoustically actuated bubble-based microswimmer. METHODS: The ultrasound tracking performance is evaluated by comparing the tracking results with the camera tracking. A benchtop experiment is conducted to capture the motion of two types of microswimmers by synchronized ultrasound and camera systems. A laboratory developed tracking algorithm is utilized to estimate the trajectory for both tracking methods. RESULTS: The trajectory reconstructed from ultrasound tracking method compares well with the conventional camera tracking, exhibiting a high accuracy and robustness for three different types of moving trajectories. CONCLUSION: Ultrasound tracking is an accurate and reliable approach to track the motion of the acoustically actuated microswimmers. SIGNIFICANCE: Ultrasound imaging is a promising candidate for noninvasively tracking the motion of microswimmers inside the body in biomedical applications and may further promote the real-time control strategy for the microswimmers.

Cobalt Complex with Redox-Active Imino Bipyridyl Ligand for Electrocatalytic Reduction of Carbon Dioxide to Formate.

An imino bipyridine cobalt(II) complex was developed for the electrocatalytic reduction of CO2 to formate in acetonitrile with a faradaic efficiency of approximately 80 %. For comparison, a symmetric bis-imino pyridine complex showed lower catalytic activity because of less conjugation in the system. Cyclic voltammetry, electron paramagnetic resonance and IR spectroscopy studies provided mechanistic details and the structures of the key intermediates. DFT calculations confirmed the role of large π-conjugated groups for stabilizing key intermediates through electronic conjugation.

Efficient SNP Discovery by Combining Microarray and Lab-on-a-Chip Data for Animal Breeding and Selection.

The genetic markers associated with economic traits have been widely explored for animal breeding. Among these markers, single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) are gradually becoming a prevalent and effective evaluation tool. Since SNPs only focus on the genetic sequences of interest, it thereby reduces the evaluation time and cost. Compared to traditional approaches, SNP genotyping techniques incorporate informative genetic background, improve the breeding prediction accuracy and acquiesce breeding quality on the farm. This article therefore reviews the typical procedures of animal breeding using SNPs and the current status of related techniques. The associated SNP information and genotyping techniques, including microarray and Lab-on-a-Chip based platforms, along with their potential are highlighted. Examples in pig and poultry with different SNP loci linked to high economic trait values are given. The recommendations for utilizing SNP genotyping in nimal breeding are summarized.