Fluorescent lateral flow assay strip for Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium smegmatis based on mycobacteriophage tail protein and aptamer.

Timely and facile monitoring of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis) plays an important role for preventing and controlling tuberculosis infection. Mycobacterium smegmatis (M. smegmatis) has long been employed as a safe surrogate for the investigation of M. tuberculosis. In this work, an aqueous soluble tail protein derived from our previously isolated mycobacteriophage was prepared with a recombinant expression technique and noted as GP89, which shows noticeable binding capacity to Mycobacterium genus. GP89 was sprayed as a capture agent onto a nitrocellulose membrane for forming the test line of a lateral flow assay (LFA) strip. Moreover, an aptamer binding M. tuberculosis and M. smegmatis was labeled with fluorescent microspheres to act as the signal tracer of the LFA method. With the GP89 based LFA, M. tuberculosis and M. smegmatis can be detected with the aid of a handheld UV flashlight or a portable fluorescent strip reader within 10 min. The concentration range for quantitating M. tuberculosis and M. smegmatis are both 1.0 × 102 CFU mL-1 - 1.0 × 106 CFU mL-1, and the detection limits for the two mycobacteria are 2.0 and 24 CFU mL-1 (S/N = 3), respectively. The test strip was applied to detect M. tuberculosis and M. smegmatis in different samples such as physiological salt solution, urine, and saliva. This study offers a promising screening tool for diagnosing M. tuberculosis infection in resource-limited institutes.

Boosting selective Cs+ uptake through the modulation of stacking modes in layered niobate-based perovskites.

Selective separation of 137Cs is significant for the sustainable development of nuclear energy and environmental protection, due to its strong radioactivity and long half-life. However, selective capture of 137Cs+ from radioactive liquid waste is challenging due to strong coulomb interactions between the adsorbents and high-valency metal ions. Herein, we propose a strategy to resolve this issue and achieve specific Cs+ ion recognition and separation by modulating the stacking modes of layered perovskites. We demonstrate that among niobate-based perovskites, ALaNb2O7 (A = Cs, H, K, and Li), HLaNb2O7 shows an outstanding selectivity for Cs+ even in the presence of a large amount of competing Mn+ ions (Mn+ = K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Sr2+, Eu3+, and Zr4+) owing to its suitable void fraction and space shape, brought by the stacking mode of layers. The Cs+ capture mechanism is directly elucidated at molecular level by single-crystal structural analyses and density functional theory calculations. This work not only provides key insights in the design and property optimization of perovskite-type materials for radiocesium separation, but also paves the way for the development of efficient inorganic materials for radionuclides remediation.

[Characterizations of soil enzyme activities and stoichiometry in three subtropical forest stands]. / äºšçƒ­å¸¦ä¸‰ç§æž—åˆ†åœŸå£¤é ¶æ´»æ€§å’Œé ¶åŒ–å­¦è®¡é‡æ¯”ç‰¹å¾.

We conducted in a common garden experiment to explore the differences in soil enzyme activity, stoichiometry, and their influencing factors among a secondary Castanopsis carlesii forest, 10-year-old C. carlesii plantation, and Cunninghamia lanceolata plantation. The results showed that compared to the secondary forest, the soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, and dissolved organic carbon significantly decreased by 42.6%, 47.4%, and 60.9% in C. carlesii plantation, and by 42.9%, 36.7%, and 61.1% in C. lanceolata plantation. Soil microbial biomass C, microbial biomass N (MBN), and microbial biomass phosphorus decreased significantly by 40.6%, 35.5%, and 45.9% in C. carlesii plantation, and by 53.7%、56.4%, and 61.7% in C. lanceolata plantation. Compared to the secondary forest, soil enzymes activities in C. carlesii plantation did not change significantly, but in C. lanceolata plantation, the activities of ß-1,4-glucosidase and cellobiohydrolase significantly decreased by 51.2% and 59.8%, ß-N-acetyl glucosaminidase and acid phosphatase decreased significantly by 41.0% and 29.8%, and enzymatic C:N acquisition ratio and enzymatic C:P acquisition ratio significantly decreased by 11.3% and 7.7%, respectively. Results of redundancy analysis indicated that MBN and NO3--N were the primary factors influencing soil enzyme activity and enzymic stoichiometry. Collectively, there were significant differences in soil enzyme activity and microbial nutrient demands among different forest stands. Compared to secondary forests, the establishment of C. lanceolata plantations would intensify nutrient competition between plants and microbes, and exacerbate the N and P limitations for microbes.

Efficacy of a self-made tracheostomy oxygen delivery device for oxygen therapy during postoperative anesthesia recovery.

BACKGROUND: Patients with tracheotomy are often monitored in the anesthesia recovery room after reoperation. During this period, oxygen therapy is necessary, and the existing tracheostomy oxygen supply device has many defects. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of a self-made tracheostomy oxygen delivery device on oxygen therapy during postoperative anesthesia recovery. METHODS: Patients were randomly divided into two groups, E and C, with 30 patients in each group, and admitted to the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU). Patients in group E received oxygen through a self-made tracheostomy oxygen delivery device, while patients in group C were supplied oxygen through a unilateral nasal cannula. Respiration (R), pulse oximetry (SpO2), and the number of patients on ventilators were recorded at the time of admission (T0) and one hour after admission (T1). Rapid dry blood gas analyses were performed on 0.6 ml samples of arterial blood collected at T0 and T1. RESULTS: Compared to group C, patients in group E had significantly higher arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2), arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2), total carbon dioxide (T-CO2), and actual bicarbonate (AB), while arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO2) was significantly reduced (P< 0.01 or < 0.05). Compared to T0, PaO2 decreased in both groups at T1, PaCO2 decreased in group E, while SaO2, T-CO2, and AB decreased in group C (P< 0.01 or < 0.05). CONCLUSION: We found that using the self-made tracheostomy oxygen delivery device in postoperative anesthesia recovery had advantages such as a secure connection to the tracheostoma, adjustable oxygen concentration, air filtration, and the ability to switch oxygen supply between the ventilator and humidifier.

Enhancing Root Canal Therapy with NIR-II Semiconducting Polymer AIEgen and Low-Concentration Sodium Hypochlorite Synergy.

Despite significant efforts to eliminate bacterial biofilm within root canals, achieving effective disinfection remains challenging due to the complex anatomy and limitations of disinfectants. In this study, a second near-infrared (NIR-II) semiconducting polymer with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) properties, named PIDT-TBT, is deliberately designed and synthesized. This proposes an AIE luminogen-based sterilization strategy in synergy with a low concentration of sodium hypochlorite (NaClO). Water-dispersible PIDT-TBT nanoparticles (NPs) are prepared, demonstrating good biocompatibility, as well as photothermal and photodynamic properties. Subsequent antibacterial tests show that PIDT-TBT NPs exhibit excellent bactericidal effects against three bacterial strains: Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus mutans, and Enterococcus faecalis, upon 808 nm laser irradiation. In synergy with a low concentration of NaClO (0.5%) solution, PIDT-TBT NPs significantly improves the outcome of root canal treatment under 808 nm laser irradiation in a human extracted tooth root canal infection model. Additionally, it is found that PIDT-TBT NPs combine with a low concentration of NaClO solution could safely dissolve dentin debris and further increase the efficiency of root canal preparation by altering the elemental composition of the inner root canal wall.

The short- and mid-term efficacy and safety of elagolix in the management of pain associated with endometriosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Elagolix, an approved non-peptide GnRH antagonist, shows promise in relieving endometriosis-related pain, but its short- and mid-term efficacy and potential side effects are still under investigation. OBJECTIVE: The aim is to provide data for therapeutic applications by methodically evaluating elagolix's safety and effectiveness in treating endometriosis-related pain. METHODS: Databases such as PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, ClinicalTrials.gov, and others were thoroughly searched. The search time was from the establishment date to September 2023. The study included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared the efficacy of elagolix versus placebo in treating endometriosis-associated pain. After data extraction and literature scanning, quality assessment was carried out using Quality evaluation was carried out using the bias risk assessment tool suggested by the Cochrane Reviewers' Handbook 5.1.0 after literature screening and data extraction. Stata 15.0 was used to do the meta-analysis. RESULTS: In total, five RCTs involving 2056 patients were included in the analysis. The meta-analysis demonstrated a significant superiority of elagolix over placebo in the management of endometriosis-related pain, specifically in endometriosis pain [WMD=-0.77, 95% CI (-1.00, -0.53), P<0.001], as well as in non-menstrual pelvic pain, daily assessment of dysmenorrhea (DYS), and dyspareunia (DYSP), all of which are associated with endometriosis. Regarding safety, no discernible variation was observed in the incidence of serious adverse responses between the elagolix and placebo groups [RR=0.90, 95% CI (0.58, 1.40), P=0.643]. Conversely, the elagolix group exhibited a significantly higher incidence rate of general adverse responses [RR = 1.34, 95% CI (1.18, 1.52), P<0.001] compared to the control group. CONCLUSIONS: The efficacy of elagolix in reducing pain in premenopausal women with endometriosis has been demonstrated over the short- to mid-term. However, careful monitoring for potential adverse effects is essential throughout the treatment duration.

Association of systolic blood pressure variability with remote ischemic conditioning in acute ischemic stroke.

Systolic blood pressure variability (SBPV) is associated with outcome in acute ischemic stroke. Remote ischemic conditioning (RIC) has been demonstrated to be effective in stroke and may affect blood pressure. Relationship between SBPV and RIC treatment after stroke warrants investigation. A total of 1707 patients from per-protocol analysis set of RICAMIS study were included. The SBPV was calculated based on blood pressure measured at admission, Day 7, and Day 12. (I) To investigate the effect of SBPV on efficacy of RIC in stroke, patients were divided into High and Low categories in each SBPV parameter. Primary outcome was excellent functional outcome at 90 days. Compared with Control, efficacy of RIC in each category and interaction between categories were investigated. (II) To investigate the effect of RIC treatment on SBPV, SBPV parameters were compared between RIC and Control groups. Compared with Control, a higher likelihood of primary outcome in RIC was found in high category (max-min: adjusted risk difference [RD] = 7.2, 95% CI 1.2-13.1, P = 0.02; standard deviation: adjusted RD = 11.5, 95% CI 1.6-21.4, P = 0.02; coefficient of variation: adjusted RD = 11.2, 95% CI 1.4-21.0, P = 0.03). Significant interaction of RIC on outcomes were found between High and Low standard deviations (adjusted P < 0.05). No significant difference in SBPV parameters were found between treatment groups. This is the first report that Chinese patients with acute moderate ischemic stroke and presenting with higher SBPV, who were non-cardioemoblic stroke and not candidates for intravenous thrombolysis or endovascular therapy, would benefit more from RIC with respect to functional outcomes at 90 days, but 2-week RIC treatment has no effect on SBPV during hospital.

Tuning Octahedron Sites of CoV2O4 via Cationic Competition for Efficient Oxygen Evolution Reaction.

Doping transition metal oxide spinels with metal ions represents a significant strategy for optimizing the electronic structure of electrocatalysts. Herein, a bimetallic Fe and Ru doping strategy to fine-tune the crystal structure of CoV2O4 spinel for highly enhanced oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is presented performance. The incorporation of Fe and Ru is observed at octahedral sites within the CoV2O4 structure, effectively modulating the electronic configuration of Co. Density functional theory calculations have confirmed that Fe acts as a novel reactive site, replacing V. Additionally, the synergistic effect of Fe, Co, and Ru effectively optimizes the Gibbs free energy of the intermediate species, reduces the reaction energy barrier, and accelerates the kinetics toward OER. As expected, the best-performing CoVFe0.5Ru0.5O4 displays a low overpotential of 240 mV (@10 mA cm-2) and a remarkably low Tafel slope of 38.9 mV dec-1, surpassing that of commercial RuO2. Moreover, it demonstrates outstanding long-term durability lasting for 72 h. This study provides valuable insights for the design of highly active polymetallic spinel electrocatalysts for energy conversion applications.

Electrolyte Design Enables Rechargeable LiFePO4/Graphite Batteries from -80°C to 80°C.

Lithium iron phosphate (LFP)/graphite batteries have long dominated the energy storage battery market and are anticipated to become the dominant technology in the global power battery market. However, the poor fast-charging capability and low-temperature performance of LFP/graphite batteries seriously hinder their further spread. These limitations are strongly associated with the interfacial Li-ion transport. Here we report a wide-temperature-range ester-based electrolyte that exhibits high ionic conductivity, fast interfacial kinetics and excellent film-forming ability by regulating the anion chemistry of Li salt. The interfacial barrier of the battery is quantitatively unraveled by employing three-electrode system and distribution of relaxation time technique. The superior role of the proposed electrolyte in preventing Li0 plating and sustaining homogeneous and stable interphases are also systematically investigated. The LFP/graphite cells exhibit rechargeability in an ultrawide temperature range of -80°C to 80°C and outstanding fast-charging capability without compromising lifespan. Specially, the practical LFP/graphite pouch cells achieve 80.2% capacity retention after 1200 cycles (2 C) and 10-min charge to 89% (5 C) at 25°C and provides reliable power even at -80°C.

Rapid Selection of Patients Suitable for Deep Inspiration Breath-Hold Using an Automatic Delineating System and RapidPlan Model in Patients With Left Breast Cancer Undergoing Adjuvant Radiation Therapy With IMRT.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to determine whether radiation therapy plans created using an automatic delineating system and a RapidPlan (RP) module could rapidly and accurately predict heart doses and benefit from deep inspiratory breath-hold (DIBH) in patients with left breast cancer. METHODS AND MATERIALS: One hundred thirty-six clinically approved free breathing (FB) plans for patients with left breast cancer were included, defined as manual delineation-manual plan (MD-MP). A total of 104 of 136 plans were selected for RP model training. A total of 32 of 136 patients were automatically delineated by software, after which the RP generated plans, defined as automatic delineation-RapidPlan (AD-RP). In addition, 40 patients who used DIBH were included to analyze differences in heart benefits from DIBH. RESULTS: Two RP models were established for post-breast-conserving surgery (BCS) and post-modified radical mastectomy. There were no significant differences in most of the dosimetric parameters between the MD-MP and AD-RP. The heart doses of the 2 plans were strongly correlated in patients after BCS (0.80 ≤ r ≤ 0.88, P < .05) and moderately correlated in patients after postmodified radical mastectomy (0.46 ≤ r ≤ 0.58, P <.05). The RP model predicted the mean heart dose (MHD) within ± 59.67 cGy and ± 63.32 cGy for patients who underwent the 2 surgeries described above. The heart benefits from DIBH were significantly greater in patients with FB-MHD ≥ 4 Gy than in those with FB-MHD < 4 Gy. CONCLUSIONS: The combined automatic delineation RP model allows for the rapid and accurate prediction of heart dose under FB in patients with left breast cancer. FB-MHD ≥ 4 Gy can be used as a dose threshold to select patients suitable for DIBH.

Efficacy and safety of remimazolam versus propofol for intraoperative sedation during regional anesthesia: A phase II, multicenter, randomized, active-controlled, single-blind clinical trial.

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of remimazolam for intraoperative sedation during regional anesthesia. It was a phase II-multicenter, randomized, single-blind, parallel-group, active-controlled clinical trial (No. ChiCTR2100054956). From May 6, 2021 to July 4, 2021, patients were randomly enrolled from 17 hospitals in China. A total of 105 patients aged 18-65 years who underwent selective surgery under regional anesthesia were included. Patients received different sedatives with different dosages: 0.1 mg/kg remimazolam (HR), 0.05 mg/kg remimazolam (LR), or 1.0 mg/kg propofol (P) group, followed by a maintenance infusion. Main outcome measures included the efficacy of sedation measured by Modified Observer's Assessment of Alertness/Sedation Scale (MOAA/S) levels (1-4, 1-3, 2-3, 3, and 2-4) during the sedation procedure (the duration percentage) and incidence of adverse reactions. It showed that the duration percentage of MOAA/S levels 1-4 was 100.0 [8.1]% (median [interquartile range]), 89.9 [20.2]%, 100.0 [7.7]% in the HR, LR, and P groups, respectively. The percentage of patients in the HR, LR, and P groups who achieved MOAA/S levels 1-4 within 3 min after administration was 85.7%, 58.8%, and 82.9%, respectively. However, the time to recovery from anesthesia after withdrawal of sedatives (7.9 ± 5.7 min), incidence of anterograde amnesia (75%), and adverse effects were not statistically significant among the three groups. These findings suggest that a loading dose of remimazolam 0.1 mg/kg followed by a maintenance infusion of 0-3 mg/kg/h provides adequate sedation for patients under regional anesthesia without increasing adverse reactions.

Amplifying colorectal cancer progression: impact of a PDIA4/SP1 positive feedback loop by circPDIA4 sponging miR-9-5p.

OBJECTIVE: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a prevalent malignant tumor with a high fatality rate. CircPDIA4 has been shown to have a vital role in cancer development by acting as a facilitator. Nevertheless, the impact of the circPDIA4/miR-9-5p/SP1 axis on development of CRC has not been studied. METHODS: Western blot, immunohistochemistry, and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction assays were used to analyze gene expression. The CCK-8 assay was used to assess cell growth. The Transwell assay was used to detect invasion and migration of cells. The luciferase reporter and RNA immunoprecipitation tests were used to determine if miR-9-5p and circPDIA4 (or SP1) bind to one another. An in vivo assay was used to measure tumor growth. RESULTS: It was shown that circPDIA4 expression was greater in CRC cell lines and tissues than healthy cell lines and tissues. CircPDIA4 knockdown prevented the invasion, migration, and proliferation of cells in CRC. Additionally, the combination of circPDIA4 and miR-9-5p was confirmed, as well as miR-9-5p binding to SP1. Rescue experiments also showed that the circPDIA4/miR-9-5p/SP1 axis accelerated the development of CRC. In addition, SP1 combined with the promoter region of circPDIA4 and induced circPDIA4 transcription. CircPDIA4 was shown to facilitate tumor growth in an in vivo assay. CONCLUSIONS: The circPDIA4/miR-9-5p/SP1 feedback loop was shown to aggravate CRC progression. This finding suggests that the ceRNA axis may be a promising biomarker for CRC patient treatment.

Baseline systolic blood pressure, hypertension history, and efficacy of remote ischemic conditioning.

OBJECTIVE: We performed a post hoc exploratory analysis of Remote Ischemic Conditioning for Acute Moderate Ischemic Stroke (RICAMIS) to determine whether hypertension history and baseline systolic blood pressure (SBP) affect the efficacy of remote ischemic conditioning (RIC). METHODS: Based on the full analysis set of RICAMIS, patients were divided into hypertension versus non-hypertension group, or <140 mmHg versus ≥140 mmHg group. Each group was further subdivided into RIC and control subgroups. The primary outcome was modified Rankin Scale (mRS) 0-1 at 90 days. Efficacy of RIC was compared among patients with hypertension versus nonhypertension history and SBP of <140 mmHg versus ≥140 mmHg. Furthermore, the interaction effect of treatment with hypertension and SBP was assessed. RESULTS: Compared with control group, RIC produced a significantly higher proportion of patients with excellent functional outcome in the nonhypertension group (RIC vs. control: 65.7% vs. 57.0%, OR 1.45, 95% CI 1.06-1.98; p = 0.02), but no significant difference was observed in the hypertension group (RIC vs. control: 69.1% vs. 65.2%, p = 0.17). Similar results were observed in SBP ≥140 mmHg group (RIC vs. control: 68.0% vs. 61.2%, p = 0.009) and SBP <140 mmHg group (RIC vs. control: 65.6% vs. 64.7%, p = 0.77). No interaction effect of RIC on primary outcome was identified. INTERPRETATION: Hypertension and baseline SBP did not affect the neuroprotective effect of RIC, but they were associated with higher probability of excellent functional outcome in patients with acute moderate ischemic stroke who received RIC treatment.

Altering electronic structure of nickel foam supported CoNi-based oxide through Al ions modulation for efficient oxygen evolution reaction.

Developing highly active and durable non-precious metal-based electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is crucial in achieving efficient energy conversion. Herein, we reported a CoNiAl0.5O/NF nanofilament that exhibits higher OER activity than previously reported IrO2-based catalysts in alkaline solution. The as-synthesized CoNiAl0.5O/NF catalyst demonstrates a low overpotential of 230 mV at a current density of 100 mA cm-2, indicating its high catalytic efficiency. Furthermore, the catalyst exhibits a Tafel slope of 26 mV dec-1, suggesting favorable reaction kinetics. The CoNiAl0.5O/NF catalyst exhibits impressive stability, ensuring its potential for practical applications. Detailed characterizations reveal that the enhanced activity of CoNiAl0.5O/NF can be attributed to the electronic modulation achieved through Al3+ incorporation, which promotes the emergence of higher-valence Ni metal, facilitating nanofilament formation and improving mass transport and charge transfer processes. The synergistic effect between nanofilaments and porous nickel foam (NF) substrate significantly enhances the electrical conductivity of this catalyst material. This study highlights the significance of electronic structures for improving the activity of cost-effective and non-precious metal-based electrocatalysts for the OER.

Conversion of C8 aromatics over a dual-bed catalyst.

A dual-bed catalyst was prepared for the conversion of C8 aromatics. The upper bed layer consisted of ZSM-5 covered with SiO2, primarily utilized for ethylbenzene dealkylation. By employing tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) as a deposition agent through the chemical liquid deposition (CLD) method, the modified ZSM-5 catalyst exhibited optimal catalytic performance at a TEOS addition of 0.6 g per gram of catalyst. The lower bed layer contained ZSM-39 catalyst, mainly employed for xylene isomerization reaction. ZSM-39 was synthesized using pyrrolidine as the template, and the best catalytic performance was achieved when the OH-/SiO2 molar ratio in the synthesis system was 0.05. The mass ratio between the upper and lower agents was maintained at 1 : 1. Compared to traditional single-bed ZSM-5 catalysts, the dual-bed catalyst demonstrated enhanced activity and selectivity.

Liquid-phase xylene isomerization on nano-sized ZSM-5.

The isomerization process of xylene in the liquid phase has garnered significant attention due to its low energy consumption and high selectivity. However, conventional ZSM-5 zeolites have exhibited significantly diminished activity in this process, primarily attributed to diffusion barriers. To address this issue, Nano-ZSM-5 zeolite was synthesized using tetrapropylammonium hydroxide (TPAOH) as a structure direct agent (SDA) and introducing silicate-1 (S-1) as a crystallization seed. The impact of OH-/SiO2 molar ratio on the sample morphology was investigated. The structure of Nano-ZSM-5 zeolite was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and N2 physical -sorption analysis. The results demonstrate that the addition of S-1 crystal seeds enables the formation of ZSM-5 crystallites with diminutive particle sizes (∼20 nm). Furthermore, variations in the OH-/SiO2 molar ratio within the synthetic system impact crystallite aggregation, excessively high or low ratios result in severe aggregation, leading to decreased specific surface area and mesoporous volume. By optimizing the OH-/SiO2 molar ratio to 0.2, the sample exhibits exceptional dispersibility with a specific surface area of 420 m2 g-1 and a mesoporous volume extending to 0.57 cm3 g-1. When utilized as a catalyst for liquid-phase xylene isomerization, nano-ZSM-5 demonstrates superior catalytic performance compared to traditional zeolite.

Simultaneously Strengthening and Toughening All-Natural Structural Materials via 3D Nanofiber Network Interfacial Design.

Constructing structural materials from sustainable raw materials is considered an efficient way to reduce the potential threat posed by plastics. Nevertheless, challenges remain regarding combining excellent mechanical and thermal properties, especially the balance of strength and toughness. Here, we report a 3D nanofiber network interfacial design strategy to strengthen and toughen all-natural structural materials simultaneously. The introduced protonated chitosan at the interface between the surface oxidized 3D nanonetwork of bacterial cellulose forms the interfacial interlocking structure of nanonetworks, achieving a robust physical connection and providing enough physical contact sites for chemical crosslinking. The obtained sustainable structural material successfully integrates excellent mechanical and thermal properties on the nanoscale of cellulose nanofibers, such as light weight, high strength, and superior thermal expansion coefficient. The relationship between structural design and comprehensive mechanical property improvement is analyzed in detail, providing a universal perspective to design sustainable high-performance structural materials from nanoscale building blocks.

Characteristics and immune functions of the endogenous CRISPR-Cas systems in myxobacteria.

The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats and their associated proteins (CRISPR-Cas) system widely occurs in prokaryotic organisms to recognize and destruct genetic invaders. Systematic collation and characterization of endogenous CRISPR-Cas systems are conducive to our understanding and potential utilization of this natural genetic machinery. In this study, we screened 39 complete and 692 incomplete genomes of myxobacteria using a combined strategy to dispose of the abridged genome information and revealed at least 19 CRISPR-Cas subtypes, which were distributed with a taxonomic difference and often lost stochastically in intraspecies strains. The cas genes in each subtype were evolutionarily clustered but deeply separated, while most of the CRISPRs were divided into four types based on the motif characteristics of repeat sequences. The spacers recorded in myxobacterial CRISPRs were in high G+C content, matching lots of phages, tiny amounts of plasmids, and, surprisingly, massive organismic genomes. We experimentally demonstrated the immune and self-target immune activities of three endogenous systems in Myxococcus xanthus DK1622 against artificial genetic invaders and revealed the microhomology-mediated end-joining mechanism for the immunity-induced DNA repair but not homology-directed repair. The panoramic view and immune activities imply potential omnipotent immune functions and applications of the endogenous CRISPR-Cas machinery. IMPORTANCE: Serving as an adaptive immune system, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats and their associated proteins (CRISPR-Cas) empower prokaryotes to fend off the intrusion of external genetic materials. Myxobacteria are a collective of swarming Gram-stain-negative predatory bacteria distinguished by intricate multicellular social behavior. An in-depth analysis of their intrinsic CRISPR-Cas systems is beneficial for our understanding of the survival strategies employed by host cells within their environmental niches. Moreover, the experimental findings presented in this study not only suggest the robust immune functions of CRISPR-Cas in myxobacteria but also their potential applications.

RHC genotyping in Chinese Han population.

BACKGROUND: The Rh blood group system is characterized by its complexity and polymorphism, encompassing 56 different antigens. Accurately predicting the presence of the C antigen using genotyping methods has been challenging. The objective of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of various genotyping methods for predicting the Rh C and to identify a suitable method for the Chinese Han population. METHODS: In total, 317 donors, consisting 223 D+ (including 20 with the Del phenotype) and 94 D- were randomly selected. For RHC genotyping, 48C and 109bp insertion were detected on the Real-time PCR platform and -292 substitution was analyzed via restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP). Moreover, the promoter region of the RHCE gene was sequenced to search for other nucleotide substitutions between RHC and RHc. Agreement between prediction methods was evaluated using the Kappa statistic, and comparisons between methods were conducted via the χ2 test. RESULTS: The analysis revealed that the 48C allele, 109bp insertion, a specific pattern observed in RFLP results, and wild-type alleles of seven single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were in strong agreement with the Rh C, with Kappa coefficients exceeding 0.8. However, there were instances of false positives or false negatives (0.6% false negative rate for 109bp insertion and 5.4-8.2% false positive rates for other methods). The 109bp insertion method exhibited the highest accuracy in predicting the Rh C, at 99.4%, compared to other methods (P values≤0.001). Although no statistical differences were found among other methods for predicting Rh C (P values>0.05), the accuracies in descending order were 48C (94.6%) > rs586178 (92.7%) > rs4649082, rs2375313, rs2281179, rs2072933, rs2072932, and RFLP (92.4%) > rs2072931 (91.8%). CONCLUSIONS: None of the methods examined can independently and accurately predict the Rh C. However, the 109bp insertion test demonstrated the highest accuracy for predicting the Rh C in the Chinese Han population. Utilizing the 109bp insertion test in combination with other methods may enhance the accuracy of Rh C prediction.

Correction: Suppression of Mitochondrial Complex I Influences Cell Metastatic Properties.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0061677.].