Sustainable Coating Based on Zwitterionic Functionalized Polyurushiol with Antifouling and Antibacterial Properties.

Zwitterionic polymer coatings facilitate the formation of hydration layers via electrostatic interactions on their surfaces and have demonstrated efficacy in preventing biofouling. They have emerged as a promising class of marine antifouling materials. However, designing multifunctional, environmentally friendly, and natural products-derived zwitterionic polymer coatings that simultaneously resist biofouling, inhibit protein adhesion, exhibit strong antibacterial properties, and reduce algal adhesion is a significant challenge. This study employed two diisocyanates as crosslinkers and natural urushiol and ethanolamine as raw materials. The coupling reaction of diisocyanates with hydroxyl groups was employed to synthesize urushiol-based precursors. Subsequently, sulfobetaine moieties were introduced into the urushiol-based precursors, developing two environmentally friendly and high-performance zwitterionic-functionalized polyurushiol antifouling coatings, denoted as HUDM-SB and IPUDM-SB. The sulfobetaine-functionalized polyurushiol coating exhibited significantly enhanced hydrophilicity, with the static water contact angle reduced to less than 60°, and demonstrated excellent resistance to protein adhesion. IPUDM-SB exhibited antibacterial efficacy up to 99.9% against common Gram-negative bacteria (E. coli and V. alginolyticus) and Gram-positive bacteria (S. aureus and Bacillus. sp.). HUDM-SB achieved antibacterial efficacy exceeding 95.0% against four bacterial species. Furthermore, the sulfobetaine moieties on the surfaces of the IPUDM-SB and HUDM-SB coatings effectively inhibited the growth and reproduction of algal cells by preventing microalgae adhesion. This zwitterionic-functionalized polyurushiol coating does not contain antifouling agents, making it a green, environmentally friendly, and high-performance biomaterial-based solution for marine antifouling.

Tannic Acid-Induced Gelation of Aqueous Suspensions of Cellulose Nanocrystals.

Nanocellulose hydrogels are a crucial category of soft biomaterials with versatile applications in tissue engineering, artificial extracellular matrices, and drug-delivery systems. In the present work, a simple and novel method, involving the self-assembly of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) induced by tannic acid (TA), was developed to construct a stable hydrogel (SH-CNC/TA) with oriented porous network structures. The gelation process is driven by the H-bonding interaction between the hydroxyl groups of CNCs and the catechol groups of TA, as substantiated by the atoms in molecules topology analysis and FTIR spectra. Interestingly, the assembled hydrogels exhibited a tunable hierarchical porous structure and mechanical moduli by varying the mass ratio of CNCs to TA. Furthermore, these hydrogels also demonstrate rapid self-healing ability due to the dynamic nature of the H-bond. Additionally, the structural stability of the SH-CNC/TA hydrogel could be further enhanced and adjusted by introducing coordination bonding between metal cations and TA. This H-bonding driven self-assembly method may promote the development of smart cellulose hydrogels with unique microstructures and properties for biomedical and other applications.

Effects of 1-MCP Treatment on Physiology and Storage Quality of Root Mustard at Ambient Temperature.

Root mustard is plentiful in vitamins and minerals but shrivels and molds easily. In this study, freshly harvested root mustard was fumigated with various concentrations of 1-Methycyclopropene(1-MCP) (1 µL L-1, 1.5 µL L-1, and 2.0 µL L-1) for 24 h and stored at ambient temperature (17 ± 1 °C) for 35 d. Our data showed that 1-MCP fumigation had a striking preservation effect on maintaining weight loss, fruit firmness, lignin, Vc content, and moisture content, inhibiting respiratory intensity and ethylene release rate, as well as decreasing cell permeability and malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulation and maintaining cell membrane integrity of root mustard. In addition, lipoxygenase (LOX), pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH), and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activities were significantly reduced throughout the storage period. In contrast, the activities of succinate dehydrogenase (SDH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), phenylalanine deaminase (PAL), and peroxidase (POD) remained at high levels. Results showed that 1-MCP treatments were effective in maintaining the quality of root mustard, and the preservation effect of 1.0 µL·L-1 1-MCP was better than other concentrations of 1-MCP. This study could serve as a theoretical reference for root mustard preservation.

Gene Expression Analyses Reveal Mechanisms of Inhibited Yellowing by Applying Selenium-Chitosan on Fresh-Cut Broccoli.

The yellowing of green broccoli is a phenomenon that indicates a serious deterioration of freshness. The green broccoli has been more popular than the yellow one, with its higher nutritional value. Chitosan coating has been employed in vegetables for green-keeping, owing to its functions of regulating chlorophyll metabolism and antioxidant defense. Furthermore, selenium was commonly utilized in the pre-harvest of fruit and vegetables as an antioxidant and chlorophyll regulator. However, there have not yet been concerns about the effects of selenium-chitosan on vegetable yellowing. This study first investigated the impact of selenium-chitosan on the quality of fresh-cut broccoli yellowing during storage by analyzing the chromatic aberration and phytochromes. Additionally, then, the gene expression related to chlorophyll metabolism (POR, CAO, HO, CHLI, NYC1), carotenoid metabolism (VDE, CCS, LCYE, ZEP, HYD), and transcription factors (NAC92, ZIPPER, bHLH66, APL, PIF4) were analyzed using the RT-qPCR technique. Test results showed that treatment with selenium-chitosan can slow down the reduction in h° (Hue angle values) and reduce ethylene release rate and respiration intensity. Via the molecular approach, it was further identified that this treatment could inhibit chlorophyll degradation and carotenoid biosynthesis, accompanied by lower expression levels of heme oxygenase (HO), chlorophyllide A oxygenase (CAO), violaxanthin de-epoxidase (VDE), ß-carotene 3-hydroxylase (HYD), NAC92, basic leucine zipper (ZIPPER), bHLH66, PIF4 and APL, and higher expression levels of magnesium chelatase subunit I (CHLI) and lycopene ε-cyclase (LCYE) genes. This work can be used to explore the molecular mechanism of selenium-chitosan in inhibiting the yellowing of fresh-cut broccoli. This study will be of great economic importance in marketing and export by increasing the shelf life of fruits and vegetables.

Shell Theory: A Statistical Model of Reality.

The foundational assumption of machine learning is that the data under consideration is separable into classes; while intuitively reasonable, separability constraints have proven remarkably difficult to formulate mathematically. We believe this problem is rooted in the mismatch between existing statistical techniques and commonly encountered data; object representations are typically high dimensional but statistical techniques tend to treat high dimensions a degenerate case. To address this problem, we develop a dedicated statistical framework for machine learning in high dimensions. The framework derives from the observation that object relations form a natural hierarchy; this leads us to model objects as instances of a high dimensional, hierarchal generative processes. Using a distance based statistical technique, also developed in this paper, we show that in such generative processes, instances of each process in the hierarchy, are almost-always encapsulated by a distinctive-shell that excludes almost-all other instances. The result is shell theory, a statistical machine learning framework in which separability constraints (distinctive-shells) are formally derived from the assumed generative process.

Oxidized low-density lipoprotein activates extracellular signal-regulated kinase signaling to downregulate sortilin expression in liver sinusoidal endothelial cells.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Both type 2 diabetes mellitus and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease are closely associated with elevated levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and its oxidized form (ox-LDL). This study aimed to investigate the regulation of sortilin in liver tissue and its potential implications for lipid metabolism. METHODS: Sixty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups: control group (n = 15), ox-LDL group (n = 15), PD98059 group (n = 15), and ox-LDL + PD98059 group (n = 15). Liver sinusoidal endothelial cells were extracted from liver tissue of the control group and were identified using an anti-CD31 antibody. Lipid droplet accumulation was observed by Oil red O and hematoxylin-eosin staining. The protein expression levels were detected by immunohistochemical staining, real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, and western blot. Histopathologic examinations were performed by Gomori methenamine silver staining. RESULTS: The ox-LDL group exhibited increased lipid droplet accumulation. Further, ox-LDL activated the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)-mediated downregulation of sortilin expression, whereas blocking of ERK signaling by PD98059 increased sortilin protein expression. Consistently, hematoxylin-eosin staining showed that the structure of the hepatocytes was loose and disordered in arrangement, with lipid droplets present in the cytoplasm of the ox-LDL group. However, PD98059 significantly improved the integration of the scaffold structure. Gomori methenamine silver staining showed that the ox-LDL group had darker and more obvious fragmented silver nitrate deposits in the basement membrane and sinus space. CONCLUSIONS: Sortilin can protect liver sinusoidal endothelial cells from injury and maintain integration of the liver scaffold structure in ox-LDL-induced lipid-injured liver.

CTRP13 attenuates the expression of LN and CAV-1 Induced by high glucose via CaMKKß/AMPK pathway in rLSECs.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect and mechanism of CTRP13 on hepatic sinusoidal capillarization induced by high glucose in rat liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (rLSECs). RESULTS: CTRP13 was reduced in high glucose-treated rLSECs. High glucose increased LN and CAV-1 expression and inhibited CaMKKß and AMPK phosphorylation. CTRP13 overexpression protected rLSECs against high glucose-induced increase of LN and CAV-1 expression. Moreover, CTRP13 overexpression increased high glucose-induced inhibition of CaMKKß and AMPK activation in CTRP13-overexpressing rLSECs. Inhibition of CaMKKß and AMPK disturbed the protective effects of CTRP13 in high glucose-induced increase of LN and CAV-1. Hepatic steatosis was enhanced and basement membrane was thickened in liver of diabetic fatty liver rats. CONCLUSIONS: Our data identified the protective role of CTRP13 in hepatic sinusoidal capillarization induced by high glucose via activating CAMKKß/AMPK pathway. CTRP13 may be a potential target for screening and treating diabetic fatty liver. METHODS: Construct lentiviral CTRP13 overexpression vector and transfect rLSECs. Use STO-609 (a CaMKKß inhibitor) or Compound C (an AMPK inhibitor) to treat rLSECs. CTRP13, CaMKKß, AMPK, laminin (LN) and caveolin-1 (CAV-1) were detected by qRT-PCR and Western blotting. Establish rat model of diabetic fatty liver. Use immunohistochemistry, hematoxylin-eosin and silver staining to observe the histopathological features of liver.

High glucose/ox-LDL induced hepatic sinusoidal capillarization via αvß5/FAK/ERK signaling pathway.

OBJECTIVE: The main purpose of this study is to explore the role of integrin αvß5 in hepatic sinusoidal capillarization under high glucose/ox-LDL conditions. METHODS: Establish rat model of diabetic fatty liver disease. LSECs were extracted from tissue obtained from rats of control group, cultured and treated with media containing glucose (25 mM, 24 h)/ox-LDL (100 µg/ml, 24 h) in different inhibitors. The expression of integrin αvß5, FAK, ERK, VN in LSECs were detected by RT-PCR and Western blot. Hematoxylin-eosin staining and gomori methenaminutese silver stain was used to observe the basement membrane histopathological features of the liver tissue. Immunohistochemical to detected the protein expression of integrin αvß5 and VN in liver tissue. Using scanning electron microscopy to visualise the fenestration frequency and fenestration diameter. Protein expression of VN was also testified by immunofluorescence assay. RESULTS: CONCLUSIONS: Integrin αvß5 which induces LSECs dysfunction, promoting hepatic sinusoidal capillarization regulates VN expression via ERK/FAK pathway under high glucose/ox-LDL, may be a potential target for prevention and treatment of T2DM with fatty liver disease.

Improving the color-rendering index of a tandem warm white organic light-emitting device by employing a simple fabrication process.

We realized an efficient spectra-stable tandem white organic light-emitting device (WOLED) with pleasurable warm white emission and an extremely high color-rendering index (CRI) simultaneously by connecting a fluorescent blue unit and a phosphorescent dual-color unit via an easy-fabrication charge generation unit (CGU). Over a wide range of driving current density, the tandem warm white OLED exhibited general CRI (Ra) value exceeding 85 and special CRI (R9) value close to 57. In addition, Duvs are within the tolerance for CRI measurements, ensuring validity and logicality of the calculated results concerning Ra and R9. The obtained tandem OLED showed the maximum efficiencies of 38 cd/A and 22.9 lm/W, and still maintained high efficiencies of 35.5 cd/A and 17.2 lm/W at the luminance of 1000 cd/m2. Moreover, we studied the origins of both extreme color stability in dual-color OLED and extremely efficient electron injection within the CGU. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report regarding quantitative values of both R9 and the Duv for a high-Ra tandem WOLED.

CODE: Coherence Based Decision Boundaries for Feature Correspondence.

A key challenge in feature correspondence is the difficulty in differentiating true and false matches at a local descriptor level. This forces adoption of strict similarity thresholds that discard many true matches. However, if analyzed at a global level, false matches are usually randomly scattered while true matches tend to be coherent (clustered around a few dominant motions), thus creating a coherence based separability constraint. This paper proposes a non-linear regression technique that can discover such a coherence based separability constraint from highly noisy matches and embed it into a correspondence likelihood model. Once computed, the model can filter the entire set of nearest neighbor matches (which typically contains over 90 percent false matches) for true matches. We integrate our technique into a full feature correspondence system which reliably generates large numbers of good quality correspondences over wide baselines where previous techniques provide few or no matches.

Hybrid warm-white organic light-emitting device based on tandem structure.

We realized an efficient hybrid tandem warm white organic light-emitting device with extremely stable color purity in forward direction by employing an easy-fabrication charge generation unit (CGU) combining 1, 4, 5, 8, 9, 11-Hexaazatriphenylene-hexacarbonitrile with ultrathin bilayers of LiF and Al. The tandem white device exhibits maximum efficiencies of 37.3 cd/A, 23.3 lm/W and still remains at high efficiencies of 34.4 cd/A, 17 lm/W at the luminance of 1000 cd/m2. When the operating current density increases from 5 mA/cm2 to 30 mA/cm2, the variations in Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage (CIE) coordinates are only (0.007, 0.003). Moreover, we also studied the cause of color variation in tandem white device by performing systematic optical simulation and discovered the origin of alleviation in efficiency roll-off for tandem white device by applying triplet-polaron quenching (TPQ) model.

Patients with knee osteoarthritis undergoing total knee arthroplasty have a lower risk of subsequent severe cardiovascular events: propensity score and instrumental variable analysis.

OBJECTIVE: This population-based study investigated the subsequent cardiovascular risk of patients with knee osteoarthritis underwent total knee arthroplasty in Taiwan. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a population-based follow-up study of 22931 patients diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis between 2008 and 2011. Each patient was followed for 3 years or until death. Treatment was dichotomized into conservative treatment and TKA. The association between TKA and cardiovascular disease (CVD) events was analyzed using propensity score analysis and instrumental variable analysis and two-stage least-squares regression model. RESULTS: Patients with knee osteoarthritis who underwent TKA had a lower 3-year cumulative risk of stroke and acute myocardial infarction (AMI). After adjusting for measured risk and confounding factors, propensity score showed a 0.56 fold (adjusted OR = 0.56; 95% CI, 0.51-0.61; p<0.001) risk for CVD in those with TKA. Use of instrumental variable analysis for adjusting measured and unmeasured factors and two-stage least squares regression model revealed that the average treatment effect of TKA was statistically associated with a decreased 7% risk of CVD events (95% CI, 0.2%-13.6%). CONCLUSION: Our study revealed that patients with knee osteoarthritis who underwent TKA had a lower risk of suffering from a future severe cardiovascular event. This benefit may be attributed to an improvement in physical activity, reduction of psychosocial stress, and/or a decreased use of NSAIDs as a result of having undergone TKA.

Synthesis and rheological characterization of water-soluble glycidyltrimethylammonium-chitosan.

In this study, chitosan (CS) grafted by glycidyltrimethylammonium chloride (GTMAC) to form GTMAC-CS was synthesized, chemically identified, and rheologically characterized. The Maxwell Model can be applied to closely simulate the dynamic rheological performance of the chitosan and the GTMAC-CS solutions, revealing a single relaxation time pertains to both systems. The crossover point of G' and G" shifted toward lower frequencies as the CS concentration increased but remained almost constant frequencies as the GTMAC-CS concentration increased, indicating the solubility of GTMAC-CS in water is good enough to diminish influence from the interaction among polymer chains so as to ensure the relaxation time is independent of the concentration. A frequency-concentration superposition master curve of the CS and GTMAC-CS solutions was subsequently proposed and well fitted with the experimental results. Finally, the sol-gel transition of CS is 8.5 weight % (wt %), while that of GTMAC-CS is 20 wt %, reconfirming the excellent water solubility of the latter.

Taraxacum mongolicum extract exhibits a protective effect on hepatocytes and an antiviral effect against hepatitis B virus in animal and human cells.

In order to validate the antiviral effect against hepatitis B virus (HBV) of Taraxacum mongolicum (T. mongolicum), the protective effect on hepatocytes, and antiviral properties against duck hepatitis B virus (DHBV) and HBV of T. mongolicum extract (TME) were evaluated in chemically-injured neonatal rat hepatocytes, DHBV-infected duck fetal hepatocytes and HBV-transfected HepG2.2.15 cells, respectively. The results demonstrated that TME at 50-100 µg/ml improved D-galactosamine (D-GalN), thioacetamide (TAA) and tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BHP)-injured rat hepatocytes, and produced protection rates of 42.2, 34.6 and 43.8% at 100 µg/ml, respectively. Furthermore, TME at 1-100 µg/ml markedly inhibited DHBV DNA replication. Additionally, TME at 25-100 µg/ml reduced HBsAg and HBeAg levels and produced inhibition rates of 91.39 and 91.72% at 100 µg/ml, respectively. TME markedly inhibited HBV DNA replication at 25-100 µg/ml. The results demonstrate the potent antiviral effect of T. mongolicum against HBV effect. The protective of TME effect on hepatocytes may be achieved by its ability to ameliorate oxidative stress. The antiviral properties of TME may contribute to blocking protein synthesis steps and DNA replication. Furthermore, major components of TME were quantificationally analyzed. These data provide scientific evidence supporting the traditional use of TME in the treatment of hepatitis.

Probiotic applications of two dominant gut Bacillus strains with antagonistic activity improved the growth performance and immune responses of grouper Epinephelus coioides.

The effect of dietary administration of Bacillus pumilus and Bacillus clausii, the dominant bacteria with antagonistic activity in the gut of fast growing fish, on the growth performance and immune responses of grouper Epinephelus coioides were assessed. The fish were fed for 60 days with three different diets: control (without probiotics), diet T1 supplemented with 1.0x10(8) cells g(-1) B. pumilus, diet T2 with 1.0x10(8) cells g(-1) B. clausii. No significant improvements of weight gain or specific growth rate were observed in the probiotic fed groups, but a significant improvement of feed conversion ratio was observed after 60 days of feeding. Phagocytic activity and phagocytic index of fish fed probiotic diets were significantly higher than those of fish fed the control diet for 60 days. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) concentrations showed no significant difference between the treatments and the control during the whole experiment period, but which increased by 11.4% and 18.5% after 60 days of fed with diets T1 and T2, respectively. The serum lysozyme activities of fish fed diets T1 and T2 were significantly higher than that of fish fed control diet, and had respectively increased by 34.7% and 17.4% compared to the control after 60 days of feeding. Serum complement C3 levels of the treatments were significantly higher than that of control after 30 days of feeding, but no significant difference in serum complement C3 and C4 levels were observed between the treatments and the control after 60 days of feeding. The serum IgM levels of fish fed diet T1 and diet T2 were higher than that of fish fed control diet, and significant increase was observed in fish fed diet T2 for 30 days. The results demonstrated potential for B. pumilus and B. clausii to improve growth performance and immune responses of E. coioides.

[Studies on chemical constituents from herbs of Taraxacum mongolicum].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the chemical constituents of the herbs of Taraxacum mongolicum. METHOD: The chemical constituents were isolated by various column chromatographic methods and their structures elucidated mainly by NMR and MS evidences. RESULT: Forty-four components were obtained and identified were as artemetin (1), quercetin (2), quercetin-3', 4', 7-trime-thyl ether (3), luteolin (4), luteolin-7-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (5), luteolin-7-O-beta-D-galactopyranoside (6), genkwanin (7), isoetin (8), hesperetin (9), genkwanin-4'-O-beta-D-lutinoside (10), hesperidin (11), quercetin-7-O-[beta-D-glucopyranosyl (1-->6) -beta-D-glucopyranoside (12), quercetin-3, 7-O-beta-D-diglucopyranoside (13), isoetin-7-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl- 2'-O-alpha-L-arabinopyranoside (14), isoetin-7-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-2'-O-alpha-D-glucopyranoside (15), isoetin-7- O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-2'-O-beta-D-xyloypyranoside (16), caffeic acid (17), furulic acid (18), 3-O-caffeoylquinic acid (19), 3, 5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid (20), 3, 4-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid (21), 4, 5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid (22), 1-hydroxymethyl-5-hydroxy-phenyl-2-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (23), p-hydroxybenzoic acid (24), p-coumaric acid (25), 3, 5-dihydroxylbenzoic acid (26), gallic acid (27), gallicin (28), syringic acid (29), 3, 4-dihydroxybenzoic acid (30), caffeic acid ethyl ester (31), esculetin (32), rufescidride (33), mongolicumin A [6, 9, 10-trihydroxy-benzoxanthene-1, 2-dicarboxylic acid] (34), mongolicumin B [1 l-hydroxy-2-oxo-guaia-1 (10), 3, 5-trien-8, 12-lactone] (35), isodonsesquitin A (36), taraxacin (37), sesquiterpene ketolactone (38), taraxasteryl acetate (39), phi-taraxasteryl acetate (40) and lupenol acetate (41), palmitic acid (42), beta-sitosterol (43), and stigmasterol (44). CONCLUSION: Four compounds (14, 15, 34 and 35) were new compounds, compounds 1, 3, 6-13, 20-22, 30 and 31 were isolated from this genus for the first time, while compounds 18, 23-29, 32 and 37-42 were obtained from this species for the first time.

[Studies on constitutes from Taraxacum mongolicum].

OBJECTIVE: To study the chemical constituents of Taraxacum mongolicum. METHOD: Repeated column chromatography over silica gel, C-18 and Sephadex LH-20 were used to isolate chemical constitutes and their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods MS, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR including 2D-NMR techniques and by direct comparing spectral data with those reported in literatures. RESULT: Eight compounds were identified as artemetin (1), quercetin (2), luteolin (3), luteolin-7-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (4), caffeic acid (5), esculetin (6), stigmasterol (7), taraxasteryl acetate (8), respectively. CONCLUSION: Compound 1 was obtained from this genus and compound 6, 8 from this species for the first time. Furthermore, the 13 carbon data of compound 6 from the literature were corrected with 2D-NMR techniques in this paper.

Evaluation of antiinflammatory activity of the total flavonoids of Laggera pterodonta on acute and chronic inflammation models.

The antiinflammatory effect of the total flavonoids of Laggera pterodonta (TFLP) was evaluated with various in vivo models of both acute and chronic inflammation. In the acute inflammation tests, TFLP significantly inhibited xylene-induced mouse ear oedema, carrageenan-induced rat paw oedema and acetic acid-induced mouse vascular permeability. In the carrageenan-induced rat pleurisy model, TFLP efficiently suppressed inflammatory exudate and leukocyte migration, reduced the serum levels of lysozyme (LZM) and malondialdehyde (MDA), increased the activity of serum superoxide dismutase (SOD), and also decreased the contents of total protein, nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) in the pleural exudates. No marked effect of TFLP on the activity of serum glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) was observed. In the chronic inflammation experiment, TFLP inhibited cotton pellet-induced rat granuloma. The antiinflammatory mechanisms of TFLP are probably associated with the inhibition of prostaglandin formation, influence on the antioxidant systems and the suppression of LZM release. The acute toxicity study revealed that TFLP was nontoxic in mice up to an oral dose of 7.5 g/kg body weight.