Layer-Controllable "2.5D" DNA Origami Crystals Synthesized by a Hierarchical Assembly Strategy.

The finite periodic arrangement of functional nanomaterials on the two-dimensional scale enables the integration and enhancement of individual properties, making them an important research topic in the field of tuneable nanodevices. Although layer-controllable lattices such as graphene have been successfully synthesized, achieving similar control over colloidal nanoparticles remains a challenge. DNA origami technology has achieved remarkable breakthroughs in programmed nanoparticle assembly. Based on this technology, we proposed a hierarchical assembly strategy to construct a universal DNA origami platform with customized layer properties, which we called 2.5-dimensional (2.5D) DNA origami crystals. Methodologically, this strategy divides the assembly procedure into two steps: 1) array synthesis, and 2) lattice synthesis, which means that the layer properties, including layer number, interlayer distance, and surface morphology, can be flexibly customized based on the independent designs in each step. In practice, these synthesized 2.5D crystals not only pioneer the expansion of the DNA origami crystal library to a wider range of dimensions, but also highlight the technological potential for templating 2.5D colloidal nanomaterial lattices.

Serum Vaspin Levels in Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: A Meta-Analysis.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential relationship between serum vaspin levels and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). The PubMed, EBSCO, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, and the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) database were searched for articles published before December 2022. The publication language was restricted to English and Chinese. A meta-analysis was conducted by combining all studies that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Twenty-two studies (1990 women with GDM and 1597 pregnant women without GDM) were ultimately included in this meta-analysis. The meta-analysis showed that the serum vaspin levels are significantly higher in GDM compared with the controls (standardized mean difference: 0.720, 95% confidence interval: 0.440-1.000, Z = 5.041, P < 0.001). Subgroup analyses by stage of pregnancy and body mass index showed results similar to the overall outcome. No publication bias was identified, and the sensitivity analysis confirmed the robustness of the final result. Our results show that the serum vaspin levels are significantly higher in GDM. These findings suggest that high vaspin concentration is closely related to GDM and the serum vaspin levels might be a potential biomarker to indicate risk of GDM, more randomized control trials comparing the expression levels of vaspin between early and standard diagnosis of GDM are needed to strengthen our findings.

A Comprehensive Review on Combinatorial Film via High-Throughput Techniques.

Numerous technological advancements in the 21st century depend on the creation of novel materials possessing enhanced properties; there is a growing reliance on materials that can be optimized to serve multiple functions. To efficiently save time and meet the requirements of diverse applications, high-throughput and combinatorial approaches are increasingly employed to explore and design superior materials. Among them, gradient thin-film deposition is one of the most mature and widely used technologies for high-throughput preparation of material libraries. This review summarizes recent progress in gradient thin-film deposition fabricated by magnetron sputtering, multi-arc ion plating, e-beam evaporation, additive manufacturing, and chemical bath deposition, providing readers with a fundamental understanding of this research field. First, high-throughput synthesis methods for gradient thin films are emphasized. Subsequently, we present the characteristics of combinatorial films, including microstructure, oxidation, corrosion tests, and mechanical properties. Next, the screening methods employed for evaluating these properties are discussed. Furthermore, we delve into the limitations of high-throughput preparation and characterization techniques for combinatorial films. Finally, we provide a summary and offer our perspectives.

An efficient transformation method for tannin-containing sorghum.

Background: Tannins are the main bottlenecks restricting the transformation efficiency of plants. Hongyingzi is a special tannin-containing sorghum cultivar used in brewing. Methods: In this study, a highly efficient microprojectile transformation system for tannin-containing sorghum was successfully exploited using immature embryos (IEs) of Hongyingzi as explants. Results: Hongyingzi presented two types of calli. Type II calli were found to be the most suitable and effective explants for transformation. After optimization of the geneticin (G418) concentration and tissue culture medium, an average transformation frequency of 27% was achieved. Molecular analyzis showed that all transgenic plants were positive and showed transgenes expression. The inheritance analyzis confirmed that the transgenes could be inherited into the next generation. Thus, we successfully established an efficient transformation system for tannin-containing sorghum and demonstrated the possibility of breaking the restriction imposed by tannins in plants.

Dynamically Reconfigurable DNA Origami Crystals Driven by a Designated Path Diagram.

Constructing adaptable and switchable crystal structures renders it possible to dynamically control the properties and functions of adaptive materials, thereby expanding the potential application of these structures in fields such as optics, biology, and catalysis. Recently, researchers have developed various dynamic crystals possessing phase transition abilities. However, manufacturing switchable crystals with multiple-phase-transition ability by integrating various responsive behaviors into different dimensions of a single lattice remains considerably challenging. Herein, we built a set of dynamically reconfigurable DNA origami crystals by orthogonally integrating multiple dynamic effectors into the prescribed dimensions of the octahedral DNA origami frames. Further, we independently manipulated and logically combined the dynamic behaviors of the effectors in different dimensions. The initial mother phase and three derived daughter phases were interconnected into a path diagram by six elementary paths. Furthermore, these paths could be superimposed under multiple stimulus instructions by design to obtain the desired intricate transition routes. Moreover, finer manipulations were also applied to these paths to obtain extra new phase stations for the path diagram. To conveniently detect these phase transitions, a color-based visualization strategy was developed that converted the microscopic symmetry transformation of the lattices into macroscopic color changes that could be observed via a fluorescence microscope. Hence, this strategy lays the foundation for artificially constructing biomimetic functional crystals.

Effects of arginine vasopressin on the transcriptome of prefrontal cortex in autistic rat model.

Our previous studies have also demonstrated that AVP can significantly improve social interaction disorders and stereotypical behaviours in rats with VPA-induced autism model. To further explore the mechanisms of action of AVP, we compared the PFC transcriptome changes before and after AVP treatment in VPA-induced autism rat model. The autism model was induced by intraperitoneally injected with VPA at embryonic day 12.5 and randomly assigned to two groups: the VPA-induced autism model group and the AVP treatment group. The AVP treatment group were treated with intranasal AVP at postnatal day 21 and for 3 weeks. The gene expression levels and function changes on the prefrontal cortex were measured by RNA-seq and bioinformatics analysis at PND42 and the mRNA expression levels of synaptic and myelin development related genes were validated by qPCR. Our results confirmed that AVP could significantly improve synaptic and axon dysplasia and promote oligodendrocyte development in the prefrontal cortex in VPA-induced autism models by regulating multiple signalling pathways.

pH-Induced Symmetry Conversion of DNA Origami Lattices.

DNA nanotechnology has provided credible approaches for assembly of three-dimensional (3D) lattices with complex patterns. However, the symmetries are strictly dependent on their initial configurations and difficult to alter via non-thermal treatments. While switchable nucleic acid structures have been employed to construct deformable DNA motifs, it remains challenging to arrange them anisotropically in 3D lattices to trigger directed collective shape transition and dynamic symmetry conversion. In this work, we used octahedral DNA origami frames to synthesize four DNA origami lattices by placing the pH-reactive i-motif sequences in the desired dimensions. Thereinto, lattices with an anisotropic design can switch between simple cubic (SC) and simple tetragonal (ST) upon pH change. Small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) results reveal the feasibility of obtaining 3D lattices with sensitive responses to external stimuli, expanding the way to obtain low-symmetry lattices.

DNA-Mediated Assembly of Carbon Nanomaterials.

Carbon nanomaterials (CNMs) have attracted extensive attentions on account of their superior electrical, mechanical, optical, and biological properties. However, the dimensional limit and irregular arrangement have hampered their further application. It is necessary to find an easy, efficient and controllable way to assemble CNMs into well-ordered array. DNA nanotechnology, owning to the advantages of precise programmability, highly structural predictability and spatial addressability, has been widely applied in the assembly of CNMs. Summarizing the progress and achievements in this field will be of great value to related studies. Herein, based on the different dimensions of CNMs containing 0-dimensional (0D) carbon dots (CDs), fullerenes, 1-dimensional (1D) carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and 2-dimensional (2D) graphene, we introduced the conjugation strategies between DNA and CNMs, their different assembly methods and their applications. In addition, we also discuss the existing challenges and future opportunities in the field.

The Changes of Amygdala Transcriptome in Autism Rat Model After Arginine Vasopressin Treatment.

Background: Some studies have shown that arginine vasopressin (AVP) can significantly improve the social interaction disorder of autism, but the mechanism remains unclear. Methods: Female Wistar rats were intraperitoneally injected with VPA or normal saline at embryonic day 12.5 to establish an autism model or normal control in their offspring. Male offspring prenatally exposed to VPA were randomly assigned to two groups: the VPA-induced autism model group and the AVP group. The rats in the AVP group were treated with intranasal AVP at postnatal day (PND) 21 and for 3 weeks. The VPA-induced autism model group was given the same dose of normal saline in the same way. Behavioral responses were evaluated in the open field and three-chambered social test apparatus; the expression levels of AVP in serum were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit, and the gene expression levels on the amygdala were measured by RNA-seq at PND42. Results: Intranasal administration of AVP can significantly improve the social interaction disorder and elevate the levels of AVP in serum. Transcriptome sequencing results showed that 518 differently expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in the VPA-induced autism model group compared with the control in this study. Gene Ontology biological process enrichment analysis of DEGs showed that the VPA-induced autism model group had significant nervous system developmental impairments compared with the normal group, particularly in gliogenesis, glial cell differentiation, and oligodendrocyte differentiation. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) enrichment analysis also showed that biological process of oligodendrocyte differentiation, axoneme assembly, and axon ensheathment were inhibited in the VPA-induced autism model group. Pathway enrichment analysis of DEGs between the control and VPA-induced autism model group showed that the PI3K/AKT and Wnt pathways were significantly dysregulated in the VPA-induced autism model group. Few DEGs were found when compared with the transcriptome between the VPA-induced autism model group and the AVP treatment group. GSEA enrichment analysis showed deficits in oligodendrocyte development and function were significantly improved after AVP treatment; the pathways were mainly enriched in the NOTCH, mitogen-activated protein kinase, and focal adhesion signaling pathways, but not in the PI3K/AKT and Wnt pathways. The expression patterns analysis also showed the same results. Conclusion: AVP can significantly improve the social interaction disorder of VPA-induced autism model, and AVP may target behavioral symptoms in autism by modulating the vasopressin pathways, rather than primary disease mechanisms.

Assessment of Exenatide loaded Biotinylated Trimethylated Chitosan/HP- 55 Nanoparticles.

BACKGROUND: Exenatide(EXE) is an anti-hyperglycemic agent approved for treating type 2 diabetes by the Food and Drug Administration(FDA). However, twice-daily injection of exenatide is inconvenient for most of the patients. OBJECTIVE: In this study, biotinylated trimethylated chitosan(Bio-TMC) based nanoparticles were proposed to promote oral absorption of exenatide. Realizing the oral administration of exenatide is very important to alleviate patient suffering and improve patient compliance. METHODS: Bio-TMC was synthesized, and the chemical structure was characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and 1H NMR spectroscopy. Nanoparticles were prepared through polyelectrolyte interaction in the presence of sodium Tripolyphosphate (TPP) and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose phthalate (HP-55). Formulations were physically and chemically characterized. In vitro release was investigated in different pH media. In vivo antidiabetic activities of biotin modified and non-biotin modified chitosan were evaluated in db/db mice. RESULTS: EXE-loaded Bio-TMC/HP-55 nanoparticles were spherical in shape with a mean diameter of 156.2 nm and zeta potential of +11.3 mV. The drug loading efficiency and loading content were 52.38% and 2.08%, respectively. In vitro release revealed that EXE-loaded Bio-TMC/HP-55 nanoparticles were released faster in pH 1.2 than pH 6.8 (63.71% VS 50.12%), indicating that nanoparticles have enteric characteristics. Antidiabetic activity study revealed that after oral administration to diabetic mice, the relative pharmacological bioavailability (FPharm%) of the biotin modified nanoparticles was found to be 1.27-fold higher compared to the unmodified ones, and the hypoglycemic effect was also found to be better. CONCLUSION: Bio-TMC/HP-55 nanoparticles are feasible as oral drug carriers of exenatide and have the potential to be extended to other drugs that are not readily oral, such as monoclonal antibodies, vaccines, genes, etc. These would be beneficial to the pharmaceutical industry. Further research will focus on the biodistribution of Bio-TMC/HP-55 nanoparticles after oral administration.

Low-entropy lattices engineered through bridged DNA origami frames.

The transformation from disorder to order in self-assembly is an autonomous entropy-decreasing process. The spatial organization of nanoscale anisotropic building blocks involves the intrinsic heterogeneity in three dimensions and requires sufficiently precise control to coordinate intricate interactions. Only a few approaches have been shown to achieve the anisotropic extension from components to assemblies. Here, we demonstrate the ability to engineer three-dimensional low-entropy lattices at the nucleotide level from modular DNA origami frames. Through the programmable DNA bridging strategy, DNA domains of the same composition are periodically arranged in the crystal growth directions. We combine the site-specific positioning of guest nanoparticles to reflect the anisotropy control, which is validated by small-angle X-ray scattering and electron microscopy. We expect that our DNA origami-mediated crystallization method will facilitate both the exploration of refined self-assembly platforms and the creation of anisotropic metamaterials.

Bottom-Up Self-Assembly Based on DNA Nanotechnology.

Manipulating materials at the atomic scale is one of the goals of the development of chemistry and materials science, as it provides the possibility to customize material properties; however, it still remains a huge challenge. Using DNA self-assembly, materials can be controlled at the nano scale to achieve atomic- or nano-scaled fabrication. The programmability and addressability of DNA molecules can be applied to realize the self-assembly of materials from the bottom-up, which is called DNA nanotechnology. DNA nanotechnology does not focus on the biological functions of DNA molecules, but combines them into motifs, and then assembles these motifs to form ordered two-dimensional (2D) or three-dimensional (3D) lattices. These lattices can serve as general templates to regulate the assembly of guest materials. In this review, we introduce three typical DNA self-assembly strategies in this field and highlight the significant progress of each. We also review the application of DNA self-assembly and propose perspectives in this field.

Analysing the phenotype development of soybean plants using low-cost 3D reconstruction.

With the development of digital agriculture, 3D reconstruction technology has been widely used to analyse crop phenotypes. To date, most research on 3D reconstruction of field crops has been limited to analysis of population characteristics. Therefore, in this study, we propose a method based on low-cost 3D reconstruction technology to analyse the phenotype development during the whole growth period. Based on the phenotypic parameters extracted from the 3D reconstruction model, we identified the "phenotypic fingerprint" of the relevant phenotypes throughout the whole growth period of soybean plants and completed analysis of the plant growth patterns using a logistic growth model. The phenotypic fingerprint showed that, before the R3 period, the growth of the five varieties was similar. After the R5 period, the differences among the five cultivars gradually increased. This result indicates that the phenotypic fingerprint can accurately reveal the patterns of phenotypic changes. The logistic growth model of soybean plants revealed the time points of maximum growth rate of the five soybean varieties, and this information can provide a basis for developing guidelines for water and fertiliser application to crops. These findings will provide effective guidance for breeding and field management of soybean and other crops.

Effects of Nitrogen Content on the Structure and Mechanical Properties of (Al0.5CrFeNiTi0.25)Nx High-Entropy Films by Reactive Sputtering.

In this study, (Al0.5CrFeNiTi0.25)Nx high-entropy films are prepared by a reactive direct current (DC) magnetron sputtering at different N2 flow rates on silicon wafers. It is found that the structure of (Al0.5CrFeNiTi0.25)Nx high-entropy films is amorphous, with x = 0. It transforms from amorphous to a face-centered-cubic (FCC) structure with the increase of nitrogen content, while the bulk Al0.5CrFeNiTi0.25 counterpart prepared by casting features a body-centered-cubic (BCC) phase structure. The phase formation can be explained by the atomic size difference (δ). Lacking nitrogen, δ is approximately 6.4% for the five metal elements, which is relatively large and might form a BCC or ordered-BCC structure, while the metallic elements in this alloy system all have a trend to form nitrides like TiN, CrN, AlN, and FeN. Therefore, nitride components are becoming very similar in size and structure and solve each other easily, thus, an FCC (Al-Cr-Fe-Ni-Ti)N solid solution forms. The calculated value of δ is approximately 23% for this multicomponent nitride solid solution. The (Al0.5CrFeNiTi0.25)Nx films achieve a pronounced hardness and a Young's modulus of 21.45 GPa and 253.8 GPa, respectively, which is obviously much higher than that of the as-cast Al0.5CrFeNiTi0.25 bulk alloys.

[Expressions of HSP 70 and NF-kappaB in the peripheral blood lymphocyte of chronic gastritis patients of different syndrome patterns].

OBJECTIVE: To study the expressions of heat shock protein 70 (HSP 70) and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB) in the peripheral blood lymphocyte of chronic gastritis (CG) patients of Pi-Wei hygropyrexia syndrome (PWHS) and Pi-qi deficiency syndrome (PQDS), and to explore their correlation with Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection. METHODS: Recruited were totally 86 CG patients who visited at the clinics of gastroenterology, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, including 67 patients of PWHS (30 of predominant-dampness, 30 of equal dampness and heat, and 30 of predominant-heat) and 19 patients of PQDS. Another 12 volunteers from healthy employees and students of Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine were recruited as the control group. Their peripheral blood was collected. The Hp infection was detected using ASSURE Hp rapid test. The expressions of HSP 70 and NF-kappaB in the peripheral blood lymphocyte were detected using flow cytometry. RESULTS: The Hp infection rate was 37. 31% in the GS patients of PWHS and 36. 84% in the GS patients of PQDS (P>0.05). Compared with the control group, the expression of HSP 70 decreased in the PWHS predominant-heat group, and the expression of NF-kappaB increased in the PWHS predominant-heat group and the PQDS group (P<0.05). The expression of NF-kappaB were higher in the positive Hp infection patients of PWHS and PQDS than in the control group (P<0.05). The expression of HSP 70 was higher in the positive Hp infection patients of PQDS than in the negative Hp infection patients of PQDS (P<0.05). Besides, the coefficient correlation was -0. 023 between HSP 70 and Hp infection, and 0. 027 between NF-KB and Hp infection (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The increased expression of NF-KB in the peripheral blood lymphocyte of CG patients of PWHS and PQDS might reflect the pathogenic roles of "inner evil" in Chinese medicine theories. The increased expression of HSP 70 in CG patients of PQDS and decreased expression of HSP 70 in CG patients of PWHS might reflect "vital qi fighting against evils" and "exuberance evils and feeble vital qi" in the body. Hp infection might not be the only factor resulting in the occurrence of PWHS or PQDS.