Longitudinal changes in the bioactive proteins in human milk of the Chinese population: A systematic review.

This systematic review aimed at investigating longitudinal changes in human milk bioactive protein concentrations in Chinese population. Both English and Chinese databases were searched. The data were pooled into six defined lactation stages. Weighted means of protein concentrations in each stage and the statistical significance of means of different lactation stages were calculated. The data of 11 bioactive proteins were retrieved. Concentrations of sIgA, IgM, and IgG decreased sharply during the first 14 days of lactation. The levels of α-lactalbumin, lactoferrin, and ß-casein also decreased throughout lactation. Conversely, lysozyme levels increased over lactation. The changing patterns of the serum albumin, osteopontin, and bile salt-stimulated lipase (BSSL) were not conclusive. This study represents the most comprehensive summary of bioactive proteins in Chinese human milk. In the future, mass spectrometry-based analysis of human milk proteomics may be used to investigate the longitudinal changes of many more bioactive proteins.

Peroxidase-like Au@Pt nanozyme as an integrated nanosensor for Ag+ detection by LSPR spectroscopy.

Here we report the peroxidase-like Au@Pt nanozyme as an integrated nanosensor for selective detection of silver ions (Ag+), where the nanozyme plays the roles as both the signal trigger and reporter simultaneously. This method relies on two critical chemical reactions, including (1) the unique inhibitory effect of Ag+ on the nanozyme triggered H2O2 decomposition at weak acid environment and (2) H2O2 induced Ag+ reduction onto the nanozyme surface at basic environment, leading to a blueshift in the localized surface plasmonic resonance wavelength (LSPR λmax) of the nanosensor. With this simple strategy, we demonstrated the sensitive and selective detection of Ag+ over a dynamic range from 0.5 to 1000 µM with a limit of detection (LOD) of 500 nM by UV-visible spectroscopy, which is below the permitted level of Ag+ in drinking water by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This method also exhibits satisfying recovery efficiency for Ag+ detection both in tap water and spring water from the Yuelu Mountain. With this satisfying sensing performance and excellent stability of nanoprobes, this strategy is promising for the detection of Ag+ in environment monitoring and food safety analysis.

Evaluation of Botanicals for Management of Piercing-Sucking Pests and the Effect on Beneficial Arthropod Populations in Tea Trees Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze (Theaceae).

The tea green leafhopper Empoasca onukii Matsuda (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), the orange spiny whitefly, Aleurocanthus spiniferus (Quaintanca) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), and the green plant bugs Apolygus lucorum Meyer-Dür (Hemiptera: Miridae) are the important piercing-sucking herbivores in tea trees Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze (Theaceae). The goal of this study was to evaluate the laboratory toxicities and field control efficacies of botanical insecticides including matrine, azadirachtin, veratrine, and pyrethrin to three tea pests. Via leaf-dip bioassay, toxicity tests with botanical insecticides indicated that there were significant differences between the LC50 values for botanical insecticides within the same insect species. Matrine had the highest toxicity to E. onukii, A. spiniferus, and A. lucorum with the LC50 values of 2.35, 13.10, and 44.88 mg/liter, respectively. Field tests showed that, among four botanical insecticides, matrine at dose of 9 g a.i. ha-1 can significantly reduce the numbers of E. onukii and A. spiniferus and the infestation of A. lucorum on the tea plants. Furthermore, botanical insecticides matrine and azadirachtin had no obvious influence on the coccinellids, spiders, and parasitoids densities in tea plantations. The results of this study indicated that use of botanical insecticides, such as matrine, has the potential to manipulate the population of E. onukii, A. spiniferus, and A. lucorum and will be an effective and environmentally compatible strategy for the control of tea pests.

Regional similarities and differences in mature human milk fatty acids in Chinese population: A systematic review.

Maternal factors such as the diet can impact human milk fatty acid profiles. We hypothesized that mature human milk fatty acid profiles differ among regions of China. To test our hypothesis, we conducted a systematic review to calculate regional average contents of fatty acids and the statistical significance of regional differences in fatty acids. We searched both Chinese and English literature databases and selected 21 articles, including 11 in Chinese and 10 in English. We categorized regions of China by 3 ways: 1) north vs. south; 2) inland vs. coastal; 3) socioeconomic development levels. The ratios of ΣSFAs:ΣMUFAs:ΣPUFAs were similar between regions and the average was 1:1:0.7. Contents of palmitic, oleic, and linoleic acids were also similar between regions and together they accounted for more than 70% of all fatty acids in mature human milk. Conversely, concentrations of ALA and DHA differed more than palmitic, oleic, and linoleic acids. We also found that it might be necessary to reduce maternal dietary contents of potentially harmful fatty acids such as erucic acid to minimize detrimental effects on infant health. To our knowledge, this study represents the first systematic review that quantitatively investigated the regional similarities and differences in mature human milk fatty acid contents and is therefore significant for academia and policy makers.

Single-Particle Mobility Analysis Enables Ratiometric Detection of Cancer Markers under Darkfield Tracking Microscopy.

Here, we introduced a single-particle mobility analysis-based ratiometric strategy for quantitative detection of disease-related biomarkers using antibody-conjugated gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) as probes under darkfield tracking microscopy (DFTM). On the basis of the capability of discriminating nanoparticles with different hydrodynamic sizes and detecting the changes in hydrodynamic effect, single-particle mobility analysis enables us to determine the amount of aggregated and monodispersed nanoprobes for the sandwich-like immunoassay strategy, making it possible to quantify the biotargets by analyzing the relative changes in the aggregate-to-monomer ratio of nanoprobes. By using capture antibody and detection antibody conjugated AuNPs as nanoprobes, we demonstrated ratiometric detection of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) over a linear dynamic range from 50 to 750 pM, which is acceptable for clinical diagnostic analysis of CEA in tumor patients. This ratiometric detection technique exhibited excellent anti-interference ability in the presence of nonspecific proteins or complicated protein mixtures. It can be anticipated that this robust technique is promising for the accurate detection of disease biomarkers and other biomolecules for biochemical and diagnostic applications.

Genome-wide identification and expression analysis of the Dof gene family under drought stress in tea (Camellia sinensis).

BACKGROUND: DNA-binding one zinc finger (Dof) proteins are plant-specific transcription factors important for seed development, hormone regulation, and defense against abiotic stress. Although drought stress is a key determinant of plant physiology and metabolic homeostasis, the role of Dof genes in different degrees of PEG6000-induced drought stress has received little attention. METHODS: Tea plants (Camellia sinensis) were exposed to mild, moderate and severe drought stress. The Tea Genome and Plant TFDB databases were used to identify Dof gene family members in the tea plant. Clustal W2.1, MEGA6.0, ScanProsite, SMART, ExPASy, GSDS, MEME and STRING were used to build a phylogenetic tree, predict the molecular masses and isoelectric points of the Dof proteins, and construct a predicted protein-protein interaction network between the CsDof TFs and proteins in the A. thaliana database. The expression patterns of Dof genes in different tissues were analyzed, and qRT-PCR was used to measure the expression of Dof genes under different degrees of drought stress in tea. RESULTS: We identified 16 Dof genes in tea (C. sinensis cv. Huangjinya) using whole-genome analysis. Through comparative analysis of tea and Arabidopsis thaliana, we divided the Dof genes into four families (A, B, C, and D). We identified 15 motifs in the amino acid sequences of the CsDof proteins. Gene sequences and motif structures were highly conserved among families, especially in the B1 and C2 subfamilies. The protein-protein interaction network indicated that multiple CsDof proteins may be involved in the response to drought stress. Real-time PCR was used to examine the tissue-specific expression patterns of the CsDof genes and to measure their responses to different levels of PEG6000-induced drought stress in mature leaves. Most CsDof genes responded to drought stress. These results provide information on the Dof gene family in tea, offer new insights into the function of CsDof genes in a perennial species, and lay the foundation for further analysis of their functions.

A dual factor activated metal-organic framework hybrid nanoplatform for photoacoustic imaging and synergetic photo-chemotherapy.

Metal organic frameworks (MOFs) have attracted great interest as a smart drug delivery platform in the battle against cancer for their intriguing properties, such as high drug loading efficiency and microenvironment responsive degradation. Hence, the development of multifunctional MOFs integrating several theranostic elements is of crucial importance. In this work, we constructed a theranostic nanoplatform (DOX/Pd@ZIF-8) based on metal-organic frameworks encapsulating 2D Pd nanosheets and DOX using an all-in-one strategy, taking the advantages of the smart drug delivery function of MOFs and the excellent optical properties of Pd nanosheets. Polydopamine (PDA) was then introduced (DOX/Pd@ZIF-8@PDA) to improve the biocompatibility. DOX/Pd@ZIF-8@PDA exhibited excellent photothermal conversion effects and optoacoustic effects due to the strong NIR light absorption of Pd nanosheets. DOX was released in a pH-dependent manner and the release rates were accelerated in acidic solutions. However burst drug release in a relatively short period could be achieved upon 808 nm laser irradiation. Moreover, the potential of DOX/Pd@ZIF-8@PDA implemented as photoacoustic imaging contrast agents in vitro and in vivo was fully exploited and dual factor activated synergetic photo-chemo cancer therapy was successfully carried out.

A surface-engineered NIR light-responsive actuator for controllable modulation of collective cell migration.

Mechanical signal transduction is fundamental for maintaining and regulating cellular processes and functions. Here, we proposed a novel near-infrared (NIR) light-responsive optomechanical actuator for the directional regulation of collective cell adhesion and migration. This optomechanical actuator that is made up of a thermal-responsive copolymer hydrogel and gold nanorods (AuNRs), enables non-invasive activation by NIR light stimulation. The activation of the optomechanical actuator leads to hydrogel contraction and an increase in Young's modulus, which could be used for applying contraction force to cells cultured on the surface of the hydrogel actuator. By grafting cell adhesive peptide ligands, the cells could attach onto the surface of the actuator and displayed a NIR light illumination intensity dependent migration rate along a random orientation. To achieve the controllable modulation of cell behaviors, we employed a microcontact printing strategy for patterned presentation of adhesive ligands on this actuator and achieved directional cell alignment and cell migration through optomechanical actuation. These demonstrations suggest that this robust optomechanical actuator is promising for the optical modulation of cellular events and cell functions in various bioapplications.

Occurrence and Distribution of Apolygus lucorum on Weed Hosts and Tea Plants in Tea Plantation Ecosystems.

The mirid bugs are one of the most important piercing-sucking insect pests in tea plantations, which severely reduce the quality and economic benefits of tea. In this study, the mirid bug species in the three tea-producing areas in Shandong Province of China were investigated. The distribution and occurrence of dominant species of mirid bugs on four weed host plants and tea plants Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze (Theaceae) were also studied in the tea agro-ecosystems. The results showed that Apolygus lucorum (Meyer-Dür) (Hemiptera: Miridae) was the dominant mirid bug species in the tea growing areas. Apolygus lucorum densities on Humulus scandens (Lour.) (Moraceae) and Artemisia lavandulaefolia DC. (Asteraceae) were relatively higher than those on Conyza canadensis (Linn) Cronq (Asteraceae), Artemisia annua Linn (Asteraceae), and C. sinensis. Host plant switching of A. lucorum in the tea agro-ecosystem was: A. lucorum scattered on and seriously infested tea plants in June and July; A. lucorum largely migrated to and gathered on H. scandens, A. lavandulaefolia, C. canadensis, and A. annua at the flowering stage, and population densities of A. lucorum on these flowering hosts peaked in late September; in October, A. lucorum gradually moved back to flowering tea plants. These results could provide a reference for selecting host plants, such as Artemisia plants, as trap plants for sustainable control of mirid bugs in tea plantations.

Morphological, Physiological, and Biochemical Responses of Two Tea Cultivars to Empoasca onukii (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) Infestation.

The tea green leafhopper, Empoasca onukii Matsuda (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), is an economically important pest of tea crops, Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze (Ericales: Theaceae), in China. The morphological, physiological, and biochemical changes of two tea cultivars, the normal green tea cultivar 'Fudingdabai' and the novel chlorophyll-deficient albino cultivar 'Huangjinya', infested by E. onukii were investigated to determine the tolerance of different tea cultivars to E. onukii attack. E.onukii infestation affected the growth of tea plants, and decreased the shoot length, leaf area, leaf thickness, and stem diameter. Also, E. onukii infestation lowered the thicknesses of upper epidermis, palisade tissue, and spongy tissue of leaves, and the parenchyma tissue thickness and pith diameter of stem internode. E.onukii infestation reduced the chlorophyll a, b and carotenoid contents within the leaves of 'Huangjinya,' which further influenced the photosynthetic rate. The maximum quantum yield and actual photochemical efficiency of photosystem II, and non-photochemical quenching in 'Huangjinya' were inhibited under E. onukii infestation. Peroxidase activity of E. onukii-infested 'Huangjinya' increased more than superoxide dismutase and catalase. In addition, E. onukii feeding changed the contents of free amino acids, tea polyphenols, caffeine, and catechins in leaves of 'Huangjinya'. Overall, the light-induced albino cultivar 'Huangjinya' was susceptible to E. onukii while 'Fudingdabai' was resistant.