OsMADS5 interacts with OsSPL14/17 to inhibit rice root elongation by restricting cell proliferation of root meristem under ammonium supply.

Nitrogen (N) is a vital major nutrient for rice (Oryza sativa). Rice responds to different applications of N by altering its root morphology, including root elongation. Although ammonium ( NH 4 + ) is the primary source of N for rice, NH 4 + is toxic to rice roots and inhibits root elongation. However, the precise molecular mechanism that NH 4 + -inhibited root elongation of rice is not well understood. Here, we identified a rice T-DNA insert mutant of OsMADS5 with a longer seminal root (SR) under sufficient N conditions. Reverse-transcription quantitative PCR analysis revealed that the expression level of OsMADS5 was increased under NH 4 + compared with NO 3 - supply. Under NH 4 + conditions, knocking out OsMADS5 (cas9) produced a longer SR, phenocopying osmads5, while there was no significant difference in SR length between wild-type and cas9 under NO 3 - supply. Moreover, OsMADS5-overexpression plants displayed the opposite SR phenotype. Further study demonstrated that enhancement of OsMADS5 by NH 4 + supply inhibited rice SR elongation, likely by reducing root meristem activity of root tip, with the involvement of OsCYCB1;1. We also found that OsMADS5 interacted with OsSPL14 and OsSPL17 (OsSPL14/17) to repress their transcriptional activation by attenuating DNA binding ability. Moreover, loss of OsSPL14/17 function in osmads5 eliminated its stimulative effect on SR elongation under NH 4 + conditions, implying OsSPL14/17 may function downstream of OsMADS5 to mediate rice SR elongation under NH 4 + supply. Overall, our results indicate the existence of a novel modulatory pathway in which enhancement of OsMADS5 by NH 4 + supply represses the transcriptional activities of OsSPL14/17 to restrict SR elongation of rice.

The requirement for external carbonic anhydrase in diatoms is influenced by the supply and demand for dissolved inorganic carbon.

Photosynthesis by marine diatoms contributes significantly to the global carbon cycle. Due to the low concentration of CO2 in seawater, many diatoms use extracellular carbonic anhydrase (eCA) to enhance the supply of CO2 to the cell surface. While much research has investigated how the requirement for eCA is influenced by changes in CO2 availability, little is known about how eCA contributes to CO2 supply following changes in the demand for carbon. We therefore examined how changes in photosynthetic rate influence the requirement for eCA in three centric diatoms. Modeling of cell surface carbonate chemistry indicated that diffusive CO2 supply to the cell surface was greatly reduced in large diatoms at higher photosynthetic rates. Laboratory experiments demonstrated a trend of an increasing requirement for eCA with increasing photosynthetic rate that was most pronounced in the larger species, supporting the findings of the cellular modeling. Microelectrode measurements of cell surface pH and O2 demonstrated that individual cells exhibited an increased contribution of eCA to photosynthesis at higher irradiances. Our data demonstrate that changes in carbon demand strongly influence the requirement for eCA in diatoms. Cell size and photosynthetic rate will therefore be key determinants of the mode of dissolved inorganic carbon uptake.

Tuning the electron-phonon interaction via exploring the interrelation between Urbach energy and fano-type asymmetric raman line shape in GO-hBN nanocomposites.

Hexagonal boron nitride (hBN), having an in-plane hexagonal structure in the sp2arrangement of atoms, proclaims structural similarity with graphene with only a small lattice mismatch. Despite having nearly identical atomic arrangements and exhibiting almost identical properties, the electronic structures of the two materials are fundamentally different. Considering the aforementioned condition, a new hybrid material with enhanced properties can be evolved by combining both materials. This experiment involves liquid phase exfoliation of hBN and two-dimensional nanocomposites of GO-hBN with varying hBN and graphene oxide (GO) ratios. The optical and vibrational studies conducted using UV-vis absorption and Raman spectroscopic analysis report the tuning of electron-phonon interaction (EPI) in the GO-hBN nanocomposite as a function of GO content (%). This interaction depends on disorder-induced electronic and vibrational modifications addressed by Urbach energy (Eu) and asymmetry parameter (q), respectively. The EPI contribution to the induced disorders estimated from UV-vis absorption spectra is represented as EPI strength (Ee-p) and its impact observed in Raman phonon modes is quantified as an asymmetry parameter (q). The inverse of the asymmetry parameter is related toEe-p, asEe-p∼ 1/|q|. Here in this article, a linear relationship has been established betweenEuand the proportional parameter (k), wherekis determined as the ratio of the intensity of specific Raman mode (I) andq2, explaining the disorders' effect on Raman line shape. Thus a correlation between Urbach energy and the asymmetry parameter of Raman mode confirms the tuning of EPI with GO content (%) in GO-hBN nanocomposite.

Highly selective etching of SiNxover SiO2using ClF3/Cl2remote plasma.

Highly selective etching of silicon nitride over silicon oxide is one of the most important processes especially for the fabrication of vertical semiconductor devices including 3D NAND (Not And) devices. In this study, isotropic dry etching characteristics of SiNxand SiO2using ClF3/Cl2remote plasmas have been investigated. The increase of Cl2percent in ClF3/Cl2gas mixture increased etch selectivity of SiNxover SiO2while decreasing SiNxetch rate. By addition of 15% Cl to ClF3/Cl2, the etch selectivity higher than 500 could be obtained with the SiNxetch rate of ∼8 nm min-1, and the increase of Cl percent to 20% further increased the etch selectivity to higher than 1000. It was found that SiNxcan be etched through the reaction from Si-N to Si-F and Si-Cl (also from Si-Cl to Si-F) while SiO2can be etched only through the reaction from Si-O to Si-F, and which is also in extremely low reaction at room temperature. When SiNx/SiO2layer stack was etched using ClF3/Cl2(15%), extremely selective removal of SiNxlayer in the SiNx/SiO2layer stack could be obtained without noticeable etching of SiO2layer in the stack and without etch loading effect.

Congenital adrenal hyperplasia disorder due to 17 α-hydroxylase deficiency: a case report.

Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) is an autosomal recessive disorder with a related enzyme deficiency involved in the adrenal corticosteroid synthesis pathway due to genetic mutations. 17α-hydroxylase deficiency(17α-OHD) is a rare form of CAH. Herein, we reported clinical data on diagnosis and treatment regimens for a 17α-hydroxylase-deficient patient. A 24-year-old female patient was admitted to the hospital with limb numbness for 7 days and sudden limb weakness. Full laboratory and radio-imaging investigations showed hypokalemia and abdominal occupation. Abnormal rhythm of cortisol(Cor) and adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH)was observed. The diagnosis was confirmed by molecular mutation detection, which showed a homozygous mutation of c.987del in the 17-hydroxylase/17,20-lyase deficiency (17OHD) lease-related CYP17A1 from both biological parents. The patient was treated with prednisone acetate and estradiol valerate. After one year of treatment with predisoone acetate and estradiol valerate, the patient had normal menstruation, increased blood potassium, estradiol and 24h-UFC, and decreased ACTH level. There is no significant change in large adrenal hyperplasia lesions although sexual characteristics and menstrual cycles have recovered. Through this case and literature review, it can be concluded that CAH with 17α-OHD can be diagnosed according to the genetic detection.

Molecular function of Krüppel-like factor 7 in biology.

Krüppel-like factor 7 ( KLF7), also named ubiquitous KLF ( UKLF) based on its ubiquitous expression in adult human tissues, is a conserved gene in animals. There are few reports on KLF7 among KLFs; however, an increasing number of reports are demonstrating that KLF7 plays an important role in development and diseases. Genetic studies have shown that the DNA polymorphisms of KLF7 are associated with obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), lachrymal/salivary gland lesions, and mental development in some populations of humans, and the DNA methylation of KLF7 is associated with the development of diffuse gastric cancer. In addition, biological function studies have shown that KLF7 regulates the development of the nervous system, adipose tissue, muscle tissue and corneal epithelium as well as the preservation of pluripotent stem cells. Additionally, disease-related studies have shown that KLF7 is involved in the development or progression of T2DM, hematologic diseases, lung cancer, gastric cancer, squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, glioma, advanced high-grade serous ovarian cancer and osteosarcoma. This review provides research progress on the genetic association, molecular properties and biological function of KLF7, and it may shed light on the understanding of the molecular function of KLF7 in biology and the molecular mechanisms of some diseases.

Learning spatiotemporal features of DSA using 3D CNN and BiConvGRU for ischemic moyamoya disease detection.

BACKGROUND: Moyamoya disease (MMD) is a serious intracranial cerebrovascular disease. Cerebral hemorrhage caused by MMD will bring life risk to patients. Therefore, MMD detection is of great significance in the prevention of cerebral hemorrhage. In order to improve the accuracy of digital subtraction angiography (DSA) in the diagnosis of ischemic MMD, in this paper, a deep network architecture combined with 3D convolutional neural network (3D CNN) and bidirectional convolutional gated recurrent unit (BiConvGRU) is proposed to learn the spatiotemporal features for ischemic MMD detection. METHODS: Firstly, 2D convolutional neural network (2D CNN) is utilized to extract spatial features for each frame of DSA. Secondly, the long-term spatiotemporal features of DSA sequence are extracted by BiConvGRU. Thirdly, the short-term spatiotemporal features of DSA are further extracted by 3D convolutional neural network (3D CNN). In addition, different features are extracted when gray images and optical flow images pass through the network, and multiple features are extracted by features fusion. Finally, the fused features are utilized to classify. RESULTS: The proposed method was quantitatively evaluated on a data sets of 630 cases. The experimental results showed a detection accuracy of 0.9788, sensitivity and specificity were 0.9780 and 0.9796, respectively, and area under curve (AUC) was 0.9856. Compared with other methods, we can get the highest accuracy and AUC. CONCLUSIONS: The experimental results show that the proposed method is stable and reliable for ischemic MMD detection, which provides an option for doctors to accurately diagnose ischemic MMD.

Knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of health care providers regarding the recommendation and use of long-acting reversible contraceptive devices for adolescent patients.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of healthcare providers in a region in southwestern Colombia regarding the recommendation and use of long-acting reversible contraceptive (LARC) methods for adolescents. STUDY DESIGN: This was a cross-sectional study. An online exploratory survey was designed to assess healthcare providers' knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of Valle del Cauca hospitals. For the development of this the questionnaire, a literature search and validation of the instrument's appearance were conducted. RESULTS: The survey was completed by 115 people. Knowledge: 62.6% and 33% of the participants did not consider themselves capable of correctly placing an intrauterine device (IUD) or a subdermal implant, respectively. However, 73.9% of the participants had adequate theoretical knowledge. Attitudes: 64.3% of the participants considered that adolescents can acquire contraceptive methods without limitations. Short-acting reversible methods were the least recommended. Perceptions: For IUDs, 40.8% and 16.5% of the participants imposed a minimum age and minimum parity requirement for their use, respectively. Side effects were the main reason for not recommending in health institutions with a lower level of complexity. CONCLUSION: Healthcare providers had positive attitudes and adequate theoretical knowledge concerning to the effectiveness of LARCs. The main areas for improvement were practical knowledge about the insertion and proper use of the devices, indications for referral to gynaecologists for the insertion procedure, and concerns about side effects.

Our research explores healthcare providers' knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions regarding long-acting reversible contraceptives for adolescents. While attitudes were positive, practical knowledge gaps on device, placement and referral indications emerged. Read the full findings to uncover more about LARCs in adolescent healthcare.

Objective and subjective assessment of Dupuytren's contracture.

This paper describes the evaluation options of Dupuytren's contracture by subjective and objective methods. There are various classification schemes named after their authors, including graphical representation for objective evaluation of the disease. Subjective assessment was performed in the form of a questionnaire for patients. The QuickDASH with a small specification for Dupuytren's contracture is the most commonly used questionnaire. The Southampton Dupuytren's Scoring Scheme questionnaire appears to be a higher specification. The classifications allow evaluation of treatment success to determine prognosis of the disease. The analysis of articles is based on PubMed search from the years 1967-2022, with 28 relevant articles were retrieved. Based on this analysis, the Tubiana classification appears to be the most appropriate one for patients with Dupuytren's contracture. Of patient questionnaires, the Southampton Dupuytren's Scoring Scheme meets these parameters.

qRAT: an R-based stand-alone application for relative expression analysis of RT-qPCR data.

BACKGROUND: Reverse transcription quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR) is a well-established method for analysing gene expression. Most RT-qPCR experiments in the field of microbiology aim for the detection of transcriptional changes by relative quantification, which means the comparison of the expression level of a specific gene between different samples by the application of a calibration condition and internal reference genes. Due to the numerous data processing procedures and factors that can influence the final result, relative expression analysis and interpretation of RT-qPCR data are still not trivial and often necessitate the use of multiple separate software packages capable of performing specific functions. RESULTS: Here we present qRAT, a stand-alone desktop application based on R that automatically processes raw output data from any qPCR machine using well-established and state-of-the-art statistical and graphical techniques. The ability of qRAT to analyse RT-qPCR data was evaluated using two example datasets generated in our laboratory. The tool successfully completed the procedure in both cases, returning the expected results. The current implementation includes functionalities for parsing, filtering, normalizing and visualisation of relative RT-qPCR data, like the determination of the relative quantity and the fold change of differentially expressed genes as well as the correction of inter-plate variation for multiple-plate experiments. CONCLUSION: qRAT provides a comprehensive, straightforward, and easy-to-use solution for the relative quantification of RT-qPCR data that requires no programming knowledge or additional software installation. All application features are available for free and without requiring a login or registration.

A hierarchical spike-and-slab model for pan-cancer survival using pan-omic data.

BACKGROUND: Pan-omics, pan-cancer analysis has advanced our understanding of the molecular heterogeneity of cancer. However, such analyses have been limited in their ability to use information from multiple sources of data (e.g., omics platforms) and multiple sample sets (e.g., cancer types) to predict clinical outcomes. We address the issue of prediction across multiple high-dimensional sources of data and sample sets by using molecular patterns identified by BIDIFAC+, a method for integrative dimension reduction of bidimensionally-linked matrices, in a Bayesian hierarchical model. Our model performs variable selection through spike-and-slab priors that borrow information across clustered data. We use this model to predict overall patient survival from the Cancer Genome Atlas with data from 29 cancer types and 4 omics sources and use simulations to characterize the performance of the hierarchical spike-and-slab prior. RESULTS: We found that molecular patterns shared across all or most cancers were largely not predictive of survival. However, our model selected patterns unique to subsets of cancers that differentiate clinical tumor subtypes with markedly different survival outcomes. Some of these subtypes were previously established, such as subtypes of uterine corpus endometrial carcinoma, while others may be novel, such as subtypes within a set of kidney carcinomas. Through simulations, we found that the hierarchical spike-and-slab prior performs best in terms of variable selection accuracy and predictive power when borrowing information is advantageous, but also offers competitive performance when it is not. CONCLUSIONS: We address the issue of prediction across multiple sources of data by using results from BIDIFAC+ in a Bayesian hierarchical model for overall patient survival. By incorporating spike-and-slab priors that borrow information across cancers, we identified molecular patterns that distinguish clinical tumor subtypes within a single cancer and within a group of cancers. We also corroborate the flexibility and performance of using spike-and-slab priors as a Bayesian variable selection approach.

Recent advances in the therapeutic application of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs): An updated review.

Over the past decade, the gut microbiota has emerged as an important frontier in understanding the human body's homeostasis and the development of diseases. Gut flora in human beings regulates various metabolic functionalities, including enzymes, amino acid synthesis, bio-transformation of bile acid, fermentation of non-digestible carbohydrates (NDCs), generation of indoles and polyamines (PAs), and production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). Among all the metabolites produced by gut microbiota, SCFAs, the final product of fermentation of dietary fibers by gut microbiota, receive lots of attention from scientists due to their pharmacological and physiological characteristics. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the role of SCFAs in the interaction between diet, gut microbiota, and host energy metabolism is still needed in-depth research. This review highlights the recent biotechnological advances in applying SCFAs as important metabolites to treat various diseases and maintain colonic health.

Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and single chain variable fragment (scFv) antibodies targeting envelope protein VP28 of white spot syndrome virus provide protection against viral infection.

White spot syndrome virus (WSSV) is extremely pathogenic and causes huge economic losses in the shrimp farming industry. Neutralizing antibodies against WSSV is expected to be an effective means of preventing infection with the virus. In the present study, eight monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against VP28 were developed by immunizing BALB/c mice with WSSV-VP28 recombinant protein. Among them, three mAbs named 3B7, 2G3 and 5D2 were determined to be able to delay the mortality of WSSV-infected shrimp in vivo neutralization assay, suggesting their neutralizing ability against WSSV infection. Immunoblotting results showed that the three mAbs reacted specifically with native VP28 of WSSV, and could also recognize the virions in the gills of WSSV-infected shrimp by IFA. Furthermore, the single chain variable fragment (scFv) genes specific for WSSV-VP28 were cloned from the three hybridoma cells and expressed in Escherichia coli. After purification and refolding, three biologically active scFv recombinant proteins were all capable of recognizing the native VP28 of WSSV and delayed the mortality of WSSV-infected shrimp, indicating their neutralizing capacity against WSSV. Subsequently, the eukaryotic expression plasmids of three scFv genes were constructed and the transcriptional properties of expression vectors in shrimp were analyzed. Animal experiments also proved that the scFv eukaryotic expression plasmids were able to partially neutralize WSSV infection. Thus, the production of neutralizing mAb and recombinant scFv antibodies against WSSV has a promising therapeutic potential in prevention and treatment of white spot disease of shrimp.

Glutathionylation Decreases Methyltransferase Activity of PRMT5 and Inhibits Cell Proliferation.

Glutathionylation is an important posttranslational modification that protects proteins from further oxidative damage as well as influencing protein structure and activity. In the present study, we demonstrate that the cysteine-42 residue in protein arginine N-methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5) is glutathionylated in aged mice or in cells that have been exposed to oxidative stress. Deglutathionylation of this protein is catalyzed by glutaredoxin-1 (Grx1). Using mutagenesis and subsequent biochemical analyses, we show that glutathionylation decreased the binding affinity of PRMT5 with methylosome protein-50 (MEP50) and reduced the methyltransferase activity of PRMT5. Furthermore, overexpression of PRMT5-C42A mutant caused a significant increase in histone methylation in HEK293T and A549 cells and promoted cell growth, whereas overexpression of the PRMT5-C42D mutant, a mimic of glutathionylated PRMT5, inhibited cell proliferation. Taken together, our results demonstrate a new mechanism of regulation of PRMT5 methyltransferases activity and suggest that PRMT5 glutathionylation is partly responsible for reactive oxygen species-mediated cell growth inhibition.

Assessing the cervico-ocular reflex system via modifying the ocular vestibular-evoked myogenic potential test.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to devise a novel test for assessing the cervico-ocular reflex (COR) system via head vibration (termed h-COR) or neck vibration (termed n-COR) method. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirteen patients with complete loss of bilateral vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) showing oscillopsia were assigned to Group A, while 13 patients with bilateral VOR loss but no oscillopsia were Group B. Another 13 healthy elderly served as a control. The COR test was performed via modifying the ocular vestibular-evoked myogenic potential (oVEMP) test by tapping at the forehead with head rotation (h-COR) or at mid-dorsal neck with head straight (n-COR). RESULTS: Both h-COR and n-COR tests displayed similar cI-cII waveforms. None of the Group A or healthy elderly showed present h-COR, while 8% of Group A and 31% of the healthy elderly revealed present n-COR. In contrast, present h-COR and n-COR were elicited in 85 and 77% of Group B, respectively. Restated, significantly higher response rate of COR in Group B (without oscillopsia) than Group A (with oscillopsia) indicates that present COR is related to the alleviation of oscillopsia. CONCLUSIONS: Head vibration method (h-COR test) is superior to neck vibration method (n-COR test) for assessing the COR system.

Cardiovascular Disease and Medication Adherence Among Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in an Underserved Community.

Optimal management of Type 2 diabetes mellitus (Type 2 DM) is impeded by widespread nonadherence to efficacious medication regimens. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the most common cause of morbidity and mortality among persons with Type 2 DM. In this work we evaluated the relationship between CVD and medication adherence to antihypertensives, oral hypoglycemic agents, and antidepressants among patients with Type 2 DM. We also sought to understand how patients perceived barriers to and facilitators of adherence to medications. Adherence to medications was measured in 72 primary care patients from the West Philadelphia area using electronic monitoring (Medication Event Monitoring System caps) over 12 weeks. Standard questions assessed the presence of CVD. Participants answered open-ended questions about barriers to and facilitators of medication adherence. Participants who had CVD were significantly less likely to achieve ≥80% adherence to an antidepressant, oral hypoglycemic agent, and antihypertensive medications at 12 weeks. Participants identified four themes related to medication adherence: Interference from Psychosocial Demands, Need for Technological Innovation, Awareness of Disease Severity, and Integrating Community Linkages. Interventions to improve medication adherence among persons with Type 2 DM in underserved communities may aim to address social determinants of health, create community linkages, emphasize disease severity and utilize apps which are integrated with existing primary care services.

Dynamic Changes in Reactive Oxygen Species in the Shoot Apex Contribute to Stem Cell Death in Arabidopsis thaliana.

In monocarpic plants, stem cells are fated to die. However, the potential mechanism of stem cell death has remained elusive. Here, we reveal that the levels of two forms of reactive oxygen species (ROS), superoxide anion free radical (O2·-) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), show dynamic changes in the shoot apex during the plant life cycle of Arabidopsis thaliana. We found that the level of O2·- decreased and disappeared at four weeks after bolting (WAB), while H2O2 appeared at 3 WAB and showed a burst at 5 WAB. The timing of dynamic changes in O2·- and H2O2 was delayed for approximately three weeks in clv3-2, which has a longer lifespan. Moreover, exogenous application of H2O2 inhibited the expression of the stem cell determinant WUSCHEL (WUS) and promoted the expression of the developmentally programmed cell death (dPCD) marker gene ORESARA 1 (ORE1). These results indicate that H2O2 triggers an important signal inducing dPCD in stem cells. Given that O2·- plays roles in maintaining WUS expression and stem cell activity, we speculate that the dynamic shift from O2·- to H2O2 in the shoot apex results in stem cell death. Our findings provide novel insights for understanding ROS-mediated regulation during plant stem cell death.

Electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS) use patterns and its associations with cigarette smoking and nicotine addiction among Asian Americans: Findings from the national adult tobacco survey (NATS) 2013-2014.

This study examined the ENDS use and their associations with conventional cigarette smoking and nicotine addiction among Asian Americans (AAs). The study sample was restricted to Non-Hispanic AAs (n = 1,956) using the National Adult Tobacco Survey (NATS) 2013-2014. Chi-square tests and logistic regressions were employed. AAs who ever used ENDS reported they were more likely to smoke conventional cigarettes, smoke ≤100 cigarettes in a lifetime, and felt more difficulty concentrating without using tobacco than those who never used END. Study findings indicate that ENDS use may be associated with conventional cigarette smoking and may lead to nicotine addiction among AAs.

[Distribution and bioactivity of polyphenols in Opuntia ficus-indica (L. ) Mill].

OBJECTIVE: To study the distribution of the polyphenols of Opuntia ficus-indica(L. ) Mill, and study its antioxidant and the inhibition of sugar digestive enzyme activities by vitro experiments. METHODS: Using ethanol as solvent, free polyphenols, esterified polyphenols, and insoluble bonded polyphenols were extracted from the peel, pulp and seeds of Opuntia ficus-indica(L. ) Mill, and their contents were determined by the Folin-Ciocalteu method. Antioxidant activity was measured according to their ability to scavenge DPPH, OH and ABTS~(+ )radicals, and the inhibition of α-glucosidase and α-amylase activities by various types of polyphenols in various parts was observed in vitro. RESULTS: The peel polyphenol content of Opuntia ficus-indica(L. ) Mill was(1427.15±34.48) mg GAE/100 g, the pulp polyphenol content was(525.88±51.66) mg GAE/100 g, and the seed polyphenol content was(256.92±3.81) mg GAE/100 g. The free polyphenols, esterified polyphenols, and insoluble bonded polyphenols of different parts of Opuntia ficus-indica(L. ) Mill have the ability to scavenge DPPH, OH and ABTS~(+ )radicals, and the seeds had the strongest antioxidant capacity among all parts, the esterified polyphenols and insoluble bonded polyphenols of pulp and seeds of Opuntia ficus-indica(L. ) Mill have inhibitory effects on the activities of α-glucosidase and α-amylase, with seed polyphenols have the strongest inhibitory ability. CONCLUSION: Opuntia ficus-indica(L. ) Mill has the highest content of polyphenols in the peel, and seed polyphenols have good antioxidant and the inhibition of sugar digestive enzyme activities.

Neuroligin-2 dependent conformational activation of collybistin reconstituted in supported hybrid membranes.

The assembly of the postsynaptic transmitter sensing machinery at inhibitory nerve cell synapses requires the intimate interplay between cell adhesion proteins, scaffold and adaptor proteins, and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) or glycine receptors. We developed an in vitro membrane system to reconstitute this process, to identify the essential protein components, and to define their mechanism of action, with a specific focus on the mechanism by which the cytosolic C terminus of the synaptic cell adhesion protein Neuroligin-2 alters the conformation of the adaptor protein Collybistin-2 and thereby controls Collybistin-2-interactions with phosphoinositides (PtdInsPs) in the plasma membrane. Supported hybrid membranes doped with different PtdInsPs and 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-{[N-(5-amino-1-carboxypentyl)iminodiacetic acid]succinyl} nickel salt (DGS-NTA(Ni)) to allow for the specific adsorption of the His6-tagged intracellular domain of Neuroligin-2 (His-cytNL2) were prepared on hydrophobically functionalized silicon dioxide substrates via vesicle spreading. Two different collybistin variants, the WT protein (CB2SH3) and a mutant that adopts an intrinsically 'open' and activated conformation (CB2SH3/W24A-E262A), were bound to supported membranes in the absence or presence of His-cytNL2. The corresponding binding data, obtained by reflectometric interference spectroscopy, show that the interaction of the C terminus of Neuroligin-2 with Collybistin-2 induces a conformational change in Collybistin-2 that promotes its interaction with distinct membrane PtdInsPs.