Renal toxicity of Aconitum plants? A study based on a new mass spectrometry scanning strategy and computer virtual screening.

BACKGROUND: Radix Aconiti Lateralis (Fuzi), a mono-herbal preparation of Aconitum herbs in the genus Aconitum, is commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to treat critical illnesses. The curative effect of Fuzi is remarkable. However, the toxic effects of Fuzi are still a key clinical focus, and the substances inducing nephrotoxicity are still unclear. Therefore, this study proposes a research model combining "in vitro and in vivo component mining-virtual multi-target screening-active component prediction-literature verification" to screen potential nephrotoxic substances rapidly. METHOD: The UHPLC-Q-Exactive-Orbitrap MS analysis method was used for the correlation analysis of Fuzi's in vitro-in vivo chemical substance groups. On this basis, the key targets of nephrotoxicity were screened by combining online disease databases and a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network. The computer screening technique was used to verify the binding mode and affinity of Fuzi's components with nephrotoxic targets. Finally, the potential material basis of Fuzi-induced nephrotoxicity was screened. RESULTS: Eighty-one Fuzi components were identified. Among them, 35 components were absorbed into the blood. Based on the network biology method, 21 important chemical components and three potential key targets were screened. Computer virtual screening revealed that mesaconine, benzoylaconine, aconitine, deoxyaconitine, hypaconitine, benzoylhypaconine, benzoylmesaconine, and hypaconitine may be potential nephrotoxic substances of Fuzi. CONCLUSIONS: Fuzi may interact with multiple components and targets in the process of inducing nephrotoxicity. In the future, experiments can be designed to explore further. This study provides a reference for screening Fuzi nephrotoxic components and has certain significance for the safe use of Fuzi.

A Study on the Materials Used in Ancient Wooden Architectural Paintings at DaZhong Gate in Confucius Temple, Qufu, Shandong, China.

This study analyzes the pigments and binders used in the painted wooden structure of DaZhong Gate in the Confucius Temple in Qufu, Shandong Province, China. Five samples were collected from the building and analyzed using techniques such as polarized light microscopy (PLM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), micro-Raman spectroscopy (m-RS), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The findings reveal that the red, yellow, green, and blue pigments are identified as lead red, lead chromate yellow, emerald green, and ultramarine, respectively. The white pigment is determined to be a combination of chalk and lead white or anglesite. Considering the production period of the yellow and green pigments, it is inferred that architectural paintings underwent restoration or repainting during the late Qing Dynasty. The analysis of the binder in the pigment using pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) reveals that the binder employed is a protein-based glue. Additionally, the detected presence of Heat-bodied tung oil suggests a potential connection to traditional Chinese painting techniques on wooden surfaces. This discovery not only contributes to the historical research of the Confucius Temple but also provides crucial data for the conservation and restoration efforts of this culturally significant heritage site.

Reinforcement and Deacidification for a Textile Scroll Painting (AD 1881) Using the CNF and MgO Suspensions.

The scroll paintings for ancestor trees have been used to inherit the spirit of ancestor worship as a historical record of family development since the late Ming Dynasty in China. A severely degraded scroll painting of an ancestor tree (made of cotton textiles) needs intervention and conservation treatment to mitigate further deterioration. On the basis of the previously reported characterization results for the painting, in this paper, a suspension that is composed of 0.6% cellulose nanofibril (CNF) and nanosized 0.15% MgO in aqueous solvent (denoted as the CNF-MgO susairpension) was prepared. Conventional characterization methods were used to assess the properties of model samples before and after treatment with the CNF-MgO suspension, as well as before and after degradation under two sets of conditions. The results show that the treated model samples are slightly alkaline, given the deposit of alkaline particles, and demonstrate good mechanical properties before and after degradation due to the increase in fiber-to-fiber bond and mitigation of acid-catalyzed hydrolysis. In spite of the non-transparency of CNF and MgO nanoparticles, they have little impact on the optical properties of textiles, as verified by transmittance data and the determination of color changes. This suspension was then used to reinforce and restore the scroll painting in a practical conservation process. The application of CNF and MgO nanoparticles on textile objects investigated in this study would expand our understanding of the conservation of such objects, especially for those that have already become acidic and degraded.

Towards Durable and High-Rate Rechargeable Aluminum Dual-ion Batteries via a Crosslinked Diphenylphenazine-based Conjugated Polymer Cathode.

Rechargeable aluminum battery (RAB) is expected to be a promising energy storage technique for grid-scale energy storage. However, the development of RABs is seriously plagued by the lack of suitable cathode materials. Herein, we report two p-type conjugated polymers of L-PBPz and C-PBPz with the same building blocks of diphenylphenazine but different linkage patterns of linear and crosslinked structures as the cathode materials for Al dual-ion batteries. Compared to the linear polymer skeleton in L-PBPz, the crosslinked structure endows C-PBPz with amorphous nature and low dihedral angles of the polymer chains, which severally contribute to the fast diffusion of AlCl4 - with large size and the electron transfer during the redox reaction of diphenylphenazine. As a result, C-PBPz delivers a much better rate performance than L-PBPz. The crosslinked structure also leads to a stable cyclability with over 80000 cycles for C-PBPz. Benefiting from the fast kinetics, meanwhile, the C-PBPz cathode could realize a high redox activity of 117 mAh g-1, corresponding to an areal capacity of 2.30 mAh cm-2, even under a high mass loading of 19.7 mg cm-2 and a low content of 10 wt% conductive agent. These results might boost the development of polymer cathodes for RABs.

Arecoline-Induced Hepatotoxicity in Rats: Screening of Abnormal Metabolic Markers and Potential Mechanisms.

Arecoline is a pyridine alkaloid derived from areca nut in the Arecaceae family. It has extensive medicinal activity, such as analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-allergic. However, the toxicity of Arecoline limits its application. Most current studies on its toxicity mainly focus on immunotoxicity, carcinogenesis, and cancer promotion. However, there are few systematic studies on its hepatotoxicity and mechanisms. Therefore, this research explored the mechanism of hepatotoxicity induced by Arecoline in rats and analyzed endogenous metabolite changes in rat plasma by combining network toxicology with metabolomics. The differential metabolites after Arecoline exposure, such as D-Lysine, N4-Acetylaminobutanal, and L-Arginine, were obtained by metabolomics study, and these differential metabolites were involved in the regulation of lipid metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and vitamin metabolism. Based on the strategy of network toxicology, Arecoline can affect the HIF-1 signaling pathway, MAPK signaling pathway, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, and other concerning pathways by regulating critical targets, such as ALB, CASP3, EGFR, and MMP9. Integration of metabolomics and network toxicology results were further analyzed, and it was concluded that Arecoline may induce hepatotoxicity by mediating oxidative stress, inflammatory response, energy and lipid metabolism, and cell apoptosis.

Structure-Property Relationship, Glass Transition, and Crystallization Behaviors of Conjugated Polymers.

Conjugated polymers have gained considerable interest due to their unique structures and promising applications in areas such as optoelectronics, photovoltaics, and flexible electronics. This review focuses on the structure-property relationship, glass transition, and crystallization behaviors of conjugated polymers. Understanding the relationship between the molecular structure of conjugated polymers and their properties is essential for optimizing their performance. The glass transition temperature (Tg) plays a key role in determining the processability and application of conjugated polymers. We discuss the mechanisms underlying the glass transition phenomenon and explore how side-chain interaction affects Tg. The crystallization behavior of conjugated polymers significantly impacts their mechanical and electrical properties. We investigate the nucleation and growth processes, as well as the factors that influence the crystallization process. The development of the three generations of conjugated polymers in controlling the crystalline structure and enhancing polymer ordering is also discussed. This review highlights advanced characterization techniques such as X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, and thermal analysis, which provide insights into molecular ordering and polymer-crystal interfaces. This review provides an insight of the structure-property relationship, glass transition, and crystallization behaviors of conjugated polymers. It serves as a foundation for further research and development of conjugated polymer-based materials with enhanced properties and performance.

Comparison of Pharmacokinetic Similarity, Immunogenicity, and Safety of Ustekinumab and BAT2206 in Healthy Chinese Male Subjects in a Double-Blind, Randomized, Single-Dose, Parallel-Group Phase I Trial.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate the similarity of BAT2206 to its originator, ustekinumab, including pharmacokinetic profiles, immunogenicity, and safety in healthy Chinese male subjects. METHODS: This was a double-blinded, randomized, single-dose, parallel-group clinical trial, in which 270 healthy male subjects were enrolled to receive a single subcutaneous injection (45 mg) of either BAT2206 or ustekinumab (European Union or USA) at a 1:1:1 ratio. The pairwise pharmacokinetic similarities and the safety and immunogenicity of both drugs were evaluated and compared. RESULTS: The results showed that the 90% confidence interval of the geometric mean ratio for primary pharmacokinetic parameters (maximum plasma concentration and area under the plasma concentration-time curve from time zero to infinity) among BAT2206 and ustekinumab (USA or European Union sourced) groups were all within the predefined equivalent interval of 80-125%. Furthermore, all the groups had similar incidences of treatment-emergent adverse events, in which the majority of cases belonged to Common Terminology Criteria for the Classification of Adverse Events Grade 1 or 2. Anti-drug antibodies were detected in 54 (20.1%) subjects, namely 24 (26.7%), 13 (14.8%), and 17 (18.9%) patients in the BAT2206, ustekinumab (European Union), and ustekinumab (USA) groups, respectively. In contrast, the incidences of positive neutralizing antibodies were similar among the three groups. CONCLUSIONS: Pharmacokinetic similarity between BAT2206 and ustekinumab (USA or European Union sourced) was confirmed. The three groups had similar safety profiles, and the investigational drugs were well tolerated by subjects. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04371185).

Epidemiological characteristics of hepatitis A and hepatitis E in Jiaxing City from 2005 to 2021 / 预防医学

Objective@#To investigate the epidemiological characteristics of hepatitis A and hepatitis E in Jiaxing City, Zhejiang Province from 2005 to 2021, so as to provide insights into prevention and control of hepatitis A and hepatitis E.@*Methods@#Data of hepatitis A and hepatitis E reported in Jiaxing City from 2005 to 2021 were collected from the Chinese Disease Prevention and Control Information System. The temporal, spatial and population distribution of hepatitis A and hepatitis E were analyzed using a descriptive epidemiological method, and the trends in incidence of hepatitis A and hepatitis E were evaluated using annual percent change (APC). @*Results@# Totally 1 830 hepatitis A cases were reported in Jiaxing City from 2005 to 2021, with an annual average incidence of 2.44/105, and 2 deaths were reported, with a fatality rate of 0.11%. The incidence of hepatitis A appeared a tendency towards a decline from 2005 to 2012 (APC=-37.807%, P<0.05) and was relatively stable from 2012 to 2021 (APC=-1.277%, P>0.05), and the incidence peaked from July to September, with a monthly average incidence of 0.30/105. Higher annual average incidence of hepatitis A was seen in urban areas than in rural areas (3.91/105 vs. 1.92/105; P<0.05), among people at ages of 30 to 39 years (4.19/105), and among men than among women (3.00/105 vs. 1.93/105; P<0.05). Farmers were the predominant occupation (759 cases, 41.31%). Totally 2 176 hepatitis E cases were reported in Jiaxing City from 2005 to 2021, with an annual average incidence of 2.91/105, and 7 deaths were reported, with a fatality rate of 0.32%. The incidence of hepatitis E was relatively stable from 2005 to 2011 (APC=3.421%, P>0.05) and appeared a tendency towards a decline from 2011 to 2021 (APC=-4.294%, P<0.05), and the incidence peaked from January to March, with a monthly average incidence of 0.38/105. Higher annual average incidence of hepatitis E was seen in urban areas than in rural areas (3.50/105 vs. 2.70/105; P<0.05), among people at ages of 70 to 79 years (6.20/105), and among men than among women (3.74/105 vs. 2.05/105; P<0.05). Farmers were the predominant occupation (1 079 cases, 49.59%).@*Conclusions@#The incidence of hepatitis A and hepatitis E appeared a tendency towards a decline in Jiaxing City from 2005 to 2021. The incidence of hepatitis A was high in summer, and cases were mainly males, young and middle-aged people and farmers. The incidence of hepatitis E was high in winter, and cases were mainly males, elderly people and farmers.

Drug resistance surveillance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Jiaxing City / 预防医学

Objective@#To investigate the resistance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis to first-line anti-tuberculosis drugs in Jiaxing City, Zhejiang Province from 2017 to 2019, so as to provide insights into improvements of the therapeutic effect of pulmonary tuberculosis. @*Methods@#Data pertaining to pulmonary tuberculosis in Jiaxing City from 2017 to 2019 were collected from the Tuberculosis Surveillance System of Chinese Disease Prevention and Control Information System, including demographics, treatment classification, sputum culture and drug resistance. The spectrum, types and prevalence of drug resistance in M. tuberculosis to four first-line tuberculosis drugs, including isoniazid (INH), rifampicin (RFP), streptomycin (SM) and ethambutol (EMB), was analyzed using a descriptive epidemiological method.@*Results@#A total of 1 310 M. tuberculosis isolates were cultured from pulmonary tuberculosis patients in Jiaxing City from 2017 to 2019, and there were 259 M. tuberculosis isolates that were resistant to anti-tuberculosis drugs, with an overall drug resistance rate of 19.77%. The prevalence rates of drug resistance to INH, SM, RFP and EMB were 13.36%, 11.83%, 5.50% and 3.59%, respectively. The prevalence of drug resistance was lower in M. tuberculosis isolates from treatment-naïve patients than from retreated patients (18.45% vs. 34.58%, P<0.05). M. tuberculosis isolates presented high resistance to SM (4.50%) and INH alone (4.35%), the highest resistance to INH-SM combinations (3.28%), and the highest resistance to INH+RFP+SM combinations (1.83%). Sixteen isolates were resistant to all the four drugs, with a drug resistance rate of 1.22%. The proportions of resistance to a single drug, RFP resistance, multidrug resistance and resistance to two and more drugs were 10.31%, 5.50%, 4.73% and 4.73%, respectively. In addition, the prevalence of RFP resistance among all patients and treatment-naïve patients both showed a tendency towards a rise from 2017 to 2019 (P<0.05). The prevalence of RFP resistance (7.01% vs. 3.76%) and resistance to two and more drugs (6.01% vs. 3.25%) was both higher among interprovincial mobile tuberculosis patients than among local non-mobile patients (P<0.05). @*Conclusions@#The overall prevalence of drug resistance was lower in M. tuberculosis isolates in Jiaxing City from 2017 to 2019 than in Zhejiang Province, with INH and RFP resistance as predominant types.

Epidemiological investigation of a cluster of COVID-19 in badminton venues / 预防医学

Objective@#To perform an epidemiological survey of the first case with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in Pinghu City of Jiaxing City, Zhejiang Province on March 13, 2022, so as to provide insights into the management of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) epidemics. @*Methods@#According to the requirements of the Protocol on Prevention and Control of COVID-19 (8th Edition), epidemiological investigations were performed among 39 cases with SARS-CoV-2 infections in Pinghu City from March 13 to 20, 2022. Cases' demographics, clinical symptoms, history of immunization and exposure were collected, and close contacts were identified. Pharyngeal swabs were sampled from infected cases for detection of SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid and whole-genome sequencing, and the source of infection and transmission route were investigated. @*Results@#The index case for this COVID-19 epidemic was an imported case from Shanghai Municipality, who infected 6 persons via aerosol transmission when playing in the badminton venue of Pinghu National Fitness Center on March 9; subsequently, one of these infected cases infected another 18 persons when playing in the badminton venue of Jiadian Village Resident's Fitness Center in Zhapu Township on March 12. Sixteen confirmed cases were reported, and all cases were mild; another 23 asymptomatic cases were diagnosed, with no death reported. This epidemic occurred from March 11 to 20, with 3 generations of spread and a median incubation period of 3 days. The SARS-CoV-2 infected cases had a median age of 33.5 (interquartile range, 12.0) years and included 36 cases with a history of COVID-19 vaccination. There were 16 cases with fever, cough, runny nose and sore throat, and 13 cases with imaging features of pneumonia. The effective reproductive number (Rt) of the COVID-19 epidemic was 7.73 at early stage, and was less than 1 since March 21. Whole-genome sequencing identified Omicron BA.2 variant among 33 cases, which had high homology with the index cases. @*Conclusion@#This epidemic was a cluster of COVID-19 caused by imported Omicron BA.2 variant infection from Shanghai Municipality, and the COVID-19 transmission was mainly caused by indoor aerosols.

[Advances of long non-coding RNA encoded micro-peptides].

Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) refers to non-coding RNA longer than 200 nt, with one or more short open reading frames (sORF), which encode functional micro-peptides. These functional micro-peptides often play key roles in various biological processes, such as Ca2+ transport, mitochondrial metabolism, myocyte fusion, cellular senescence and others. At the same time, these biological processes play a key role in the regulation of body homeostasis, diseases and cancers development and progression, embryonic development and other important physiological processes. Therefore, studying the potential regulatory mechanisms of micro-peptides encoded by lncRNA in organisms will help to further elucidate the potential regulatory processes in organisms. Furthermore, it will provide a new theoretical basis for the subsequent targeted treatment of diseases and improvement of animal growth performance. This review summarizes the latest research progress in the field of lncRNA-encoded micro-peptides, as well as the progress in the fields of muscle physiological regulation, inflammation and immunity, common human cancers, and embryonic development. Finally, the challenges of lncRNA-encoded micro-peptides are briefly described, with the aim to facilitate subsequent in-depth research on micro-peptides.

Construction and functional analysis of ceRNA regulatory network related to the development of secondary hair follicles in Inner Mongolia cashmere goats.

Cashmere goat hair follicles are divided into primary hair follicles and secondary hair follicles. The primary hair follicles produce coarse hair, and the secondary hair follicles produce cashmere. The development of hair follicles is affected by a variety of signaling molecules and pathways. Studies have shown that non-coding RNAs are widely involved in the development of hair follicles of the goat, including small RNAs (miRNAs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA), and circular RNAs (circRNAs). In recent years, circRNAs, as a new type of circular closed non-coding RNAs, have attracted great attention due to their high stability. However, its regulatory effect on cashmere goat hair follicles mainly focuses on the periodic regulation of secondary hair follicles, and there is no report on the development of cashmere goat hair follicles during the fetal period. Therefore, this study was based on the circRNA, miRNA, and mRNA expression profiles obtained by whole-transcriptional sequencing of the skin tissue of the Inner Mongolia cashmere goats in the fetal period (days 45, 55, 65, and 75) and screening out the morphological changes of hair follicles at different periods. A total of 113 circRNAs related to the development of secondary hair follicles were present. According to the principle of the ceRNA regulatory network, a ceRNA regulatory network composed of 13 circRNAs, 21 miRNAs, and 110 mRNAs related to the development of secondary hair follicles was constructed. Then, qRT-PCR and Sanger sequencing identified circRNA2034, circRNA5712, circRNA888, and circRNA9127 were circRNAs. Next, the dual-luciferase reporter gene verified the targeting relationship of circRNA5712-miR-27b-3p-Dll4. In conclusion, this study constructed a ceRNA regulatory network for the development of cashmere goat secondary hair follicles, laying a foundation for the analysis of circRNAs regulating the morphogenesis and development of cashmere goat secondary hair follicles through the ceRNA mechanism.

Expression profile of long non-coding RNA in inner Mongolian cashmere goat with putative roles in hair follicles development.

The hair follicle is a complex skin accessory organ, which determines hair growth. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been proven to play an important role in hair follicle development, but their specific mechanism is still unclear. In this study, high-throughput sequencing was used to obtain the expression profiles of lncRNA in the hair follicles of Inner Mongolian cashmere goats at different embryonic stages (45, 55, 65, and 75 days), and a total of 6,630 lncRNA were identified. According to the rules of hair follicle development, we combined miRNA and mRNA databases (published) and predicted lncRNA-miRNA, miRNA-mRNA, and lncRNA-mRNA interaction pairs in the 45 vs. 75 comparison group. We obtained 516 lncRNA-mRNA, 1,011 lncRNA-miRNA, and 7,411 miRNA-mRNA relationship pairs. Finally, target genes were analyzed by Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), and it was found that they were mainly enriched in the Wnt signaling pathway and PI3K-Akt signaling pathway related to hair follicle development, indicating that lncRNA may interact with miRNA/mRNA to directly or indirectly regulate the expression of genes related to hair follicle development. Dual-luciferase reporter gene analysis showed that lncRNA MSTRG.1705.1 could bind to Chi-miR-1, while lncRNA MSTRG.11809.1 had no binding site for Chi-miR-433. In conclusion, this study aims to further analyze the molecular regulation mechanism of hair follicle development and to lay a theoretical foundation for revealing the regulation mechanism of cashmere hair follicle growth.

Study of genetic parameters for pre-weaning growth traits in inner Mongolia white Arbas cashmere goats.

Inner Mongolia Arbas white cashmere goats is a dual-purpose breed for producing cashmere and meat. In recent years, its meat has become more and more popular among consumers because of rich nutrients and delicious flavor. Therefore, it is particularly important to study the genetic and non-genetic factors affecting the early growth traits and estimate variance components of pre-weaning growth traits of Inner Mongolia Albas white cashmere goats. A total of 37487 kidding records such as birth weight (BWT), weaning weight (WWT), average daily gain from birth to weaning (ADG) and Kleiber ratio (KR) from 343 sires and 7296 dams were used in this study. The most appropriate model was chosen on the basis of likelihood ratio test by fitting six models which excluding or including maternal genetic, maternal permanent environmental effects. The parameters were estimated under the most appropriate model using AIREML method by WOMBAT software. With the best model (Model 6), heritability estimates were 0.0435, 0.0911, 0.0932 and 0.2339 for BWT, WWT, ADG and KR traits, respectively. Maternal heritability estimates were 0.0143, 0.0246, 0.0220 and 0.0186 for BWT, WWT, ADG, and KR traits respectively. The correlation between different traits was estimated with the most suitable model by using bivariate analysis method. The direct additive genetic correlation among the traits ranged from -0.026 (BWT~KR) to 0.772 (ADG~KR). The maternal permanent environment correlation is between -0.289 (BWT-KR) ~0.900 (WWT-ADG). Results indicated that maternal effects and direct-maternal genetic covariance should be considered in any program aimed at improving pre-weaning growth traits to have an accurate genetic evaluation. In addition, positive and medium to high genetic correlations generally exist among WWT, ADG and KR due to the existence of genetic variation for early growth traits. The results showed that the genetic progress of these traits could be slowly through selection except for KR.

Knockdown Resistance (kdr) Mutations I1532T and F1534S Were Identified in Aedes albopictus Field Populations in Zhejiang Province, Central China.

Aedes albopictus is the only vector that can transmit the dengue virus in Zhejiang Province, central China, and it can develop insecticide resistance due to long-term exposure to pyrethroids. The presence of knockdown resistance (kdr) mutations is one of the mechanisms responsible for pyrethroid resistance, and has been reported in some Ae. albopictus populations in southern China. However, little is known about the DNA diversity of the voltage-gated sodium channel (VGSC) gene in Ae. albopictus populations in central China. Four Ae. albopictus field populations were collected, in Yiwu (YW), Quzhou (QZ), Wenzhou (WZ), and Jiaxing (JX) from Zhejiang Province, central China. The susceptibility of Ae. albopictus adults to three pyrethroids (beta-cypermethrin, deltamethrin, and permethrin) was tested using the WHO tube assay, and Kdr mutations were identified via PCR and sequencing. The relationship between kdr mutations and pyrethroid phenotypes was also analyzed. Of the four populations, none was sensitive to any pyrethroid tested, and the YW population showed the strongest pyrethroid resistance. Non-synonymous kdr mutations were detected in codons 1532 and 1534, domain III. At codon 1534, one mutant allele, TCC(S), was detected in the four populations with a frequency of 42.08%, while at codon 1532, one mutant allele, ACC(T), was detected in the JX and QZ populations, with frequencies of 4.22 and 3.03%, respectively. The F1534S mutant allele was positively correlated with both beta-cypermethrin and deltamethrin resistance phenotypes (OR > 1, P < 0.05), whereas the I1532T mutant allele was possibly negatively correlated with beta-cypermethrin, deltamethrin, and permethrin resistance phenotypes (OR < 1, P > 0.05). In conclusion, resistance and resistance mutations regarding to three pyrethroids are already present in the Ae. Albopictus populations from Zhejiang, central China, which prompts the need to use non-insecticide-based methods of insect control.

Facile and Scalable Conservation of Chinese Ancient Paintings Using Water-Borne Fluoropolymer.

In China, alum-gelatin aqueous solution is historically used to prevent falling off of mineral pigments from paintings and to enhance strength of their paper matrices in the restoration process. However, after a long period of time of preservation, alum-gelatin aqueous solution applied to paintings will hydrolyze and produce free acid, which accelerates aging. To resolve this issue, instead of using alum-gelatin aqueous solution, here we report a new method of using a water-borne fluoropolymer coating to protect paintings. This coating is applied to simulated paintings, and their influences are systematically examined on the antipeeling property of pigment, mechanical properties, thermal stability, chromaticity, surface morphology, and water contact angle. Our results show that the applied coating slightly affects the appearance of the painting without falling off of pigment observed. Moreover, the coating increases the tensile strength and folding endurance of the paper because the polymer fills into the porous structure of paper fibers and covers pigment particles from SEM analysis. The treated painting retains moderate hydrophilicity, which facilitates removal of degradation substances from the paintings by water cleaning and the subsequent mounting procedure. Moreover, this coating is successfully applied to repairing a set of real ancient Chinese paintings of Yuan Dynasty (1271∼1368 A.D.), with practical acceptance. Our work provides a facile yet effective solution to conservation of ancient paintings by applying the modern fluoropolymers.

From aggregation-induced to solution emission: a new strategy for designing ratiometric fluorescent probes and its application for in vivo HClO detection.

In this paper, we introduced a new strategy for converting aggregation-induced emission (AIE) to fluorescence emission in solution into the rational design of new fluorescent probes. Two fluorescent probes based on this strategy, namely, PDAM-Lyso and PDAM-Me, have been synthesized and tested both in vitro and in vivo. The fluorophores of the two probes are both phenothiazine molecules, which link to the diaminomaleonitrile (DAMN) moiety through imine bonds. In the presence of imine bonds, the probes emit red fluorescence in an aqueous solution caused by the AIE effect. As the imine bonds are selectively cut-off by HClO, the DAMN moiety gets removed, inducing blue fluorescence of the reaction product. In this way, the selectivity of the DAMN-based probes toward HClO against metal ions and other reactive oxygen species (ROS) was successfully improved. The imaging of endogenous and exogenous HClO with these two probes reveals that lysosome-targeting probes are of great advantage in the detection of natively generated HClO. Furthermore, the imaging of endogenous HClO in zebrafish suggests that PDAM-Lyso is capable of monitoring the generation of HClO in vivo, illustrating that this strategy is of great significance in designing new probes.

Identification of Lysophosphatidylcholines and Sphingolipids as Potential Biomarkers for Acute Aortic Dissection via Serum Metabolomics.

OBJECTIVES: Acute aortic dissection (AAD) is a severe clinical emergency with a high mortality, and is easily misdiagnosed in its early stage. This study aimed at discovering serum metabolomic markers with the potential to diagnose AAD and distinguish between two subtypes of AAD. METHODS: Thirty-five patients with AAD, including 20 with Stanford type A and 15 with Stanford type B were enrolled in this study, together with 20 healthy controls. All patients with AAD were admitted within 72 h of onset. Serum metabolomics profiles were determined by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry and the data were analysed by principal component analysis and partial least squares discriminant analysis. RESULTS: A total of 17 metabolites differing between the control and AAD groups were finally screened and identified as lysophosphatidylcholines (LPC) and sphingolipids including sphinganine, phytosphingosine, sphingomyelin, and ceramide. Compared with those in the healthy control group, LPC levels were significantly lower in both the Stanford type A and type B AAD groups. Interestingly, sphingolipids, including sphinganine, phytosphingosine, and ceramide, were remarkably reduced in the Stanford type A AAD group, but not in the Stanford type B AAD group. Subgroup analysis showed that the changes in LPC and sphingolipid levels were unrelated to hypertension or gender. CONCLUSIONS: The present results indicate that LPCs and sphingolipids are significantly altered in patients with AAD, and several sphingolipids, such as sphinganine, phytosphingosine, and ceramide, were dramatically decreased in patients with Stanford type A AAD. A combination of these two families of metabolites could serve as a potential biomarker for the diagnosis of AAD and distinguishing between Stanford type A and Stanford type B.

Clinical significance and expression of serum Golgi protein 73 in primary hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Golgi protein 73 (GP73) is a potential serum marker for the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the diagnostic value of GP73 for HCC remains controversy, and little is known about the relationship between serum GP73 concentration and clinical characteristics of HCC. This study was designed to analyze the clinical values of GP73 in diagnosing HCC and the relationship between GP73 level and clinical characteristics in HCC patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, a total of 443 serum samples including 180 patients with HCC, 61 patients with liver cirrhosis (LC), 99 chronic hepatitis patients, and 103 healthy individuals were enrolled from November 2011 to April 2013. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and chemiluminescent immunoassay were used to detect the serum level of GP73 and other biomarkers. RESULTS: GP73 level in HCC group was significantly higher than LC group, chronic hepatitis B group, and healthy control group. In HCC group, GP73 level significantly increased in patients with lymphatic metastasis; moreover, GP73 level in Child-Pugh Class B and C groups was statistically significantly higher than that in Child-Pugh Class A group (P < 0.05). The area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curve of GP73 and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) was 0.840 and 0.718, respectively, when diagnosing HCC. Moreover, the AUROC curve by use of the combination of GP73 and AFP was 0.903. The differences among these three aspects were statistically significant (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: GP73 was better than AFP for the diagnosis of HCC, and the expression of serum GP73 is related with the clinical characteristics of HCC patients.