Recent Advances in Functionally Engineered Aptamers: Strategies and Applications.

Aptamers are oligonucleotide sequences selected in vitro that possess advantages such as small size, non-toxicity, and ease of modification. Aptamer-based biosensing is advancing rapidly owing to the high affinity and specificity of aptamers for target molecules. Nevertheless, their relatively flexible structure and susceptibility to degradation in biological environments pose challenges for practical applications.

Optimizing silylated starch bioplastics with acrylated epoxidized soybean oils: influence of alkaline gelatinization and silylation sequences on structural and functional properties.

This study examined the effects of alkali gelatinization and condensation/washing sequences on the structural and functional properties of silylated starch-based bioplastics incorporating acrylated epoxidized soybean oils (AESO). Silylated starch modified by 0-4 wt% NaOH exhibited stronger interactions with AESO than native starch, leading to enhanced thermal stability and reduced opacity of the bioplastics. 8-16 wt% NaOH significantly enhanced the degree of silane substitution through starch gelatinization but reduced the thermal stability of both starch and bioplastics.

Quasi-Intrinsic Fluorescent Probes for Sensitive Detection of the Carcinogenic DNA Adduct dG via Push-Pull Electronic Effect-Mediated Intermolecular Charge Transfer.

-(2'-Deoxyguanosin-8-yl)-4-aminobiphenyl (dG) is the major guanine adduct-linked aromatic amine from rubber manufacturing, dye production, and tobacco smoke. The selective detection of the 4-aminobiphenyl biomarker in DNA could provide mechanistic understanding on mutagenesis and the related cancer risk. In this work, a set of quasi-intrinsic fluorescent cytosine analogues are proposed to identify dG via Watson-Crick H-bonds without disrupting the native DNA double helix.

Correlation Between the Spinopelvic Parameters and Morphological Characteristics of Pedicle-Facet Joints in Different Lumbar Spondylolisthesis.

Objective: Based on spinopelvic parameters and biomechanical principles, the pedicle-facet joint (PFJ) morphological characteristics of isthmic and degenerative spondylolisthesis were analyzed, and the mechanism of their onset and progression was discussed.

Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study included 194 patients with L5 spondylolysis or L5-S1 low-grade isthmic spondylolisthesis (IS group), 172 patients with L4-5 degenerative spondylolisthesis (DS group), and 366 patients with nonlumbar spondylolysis (NL group). The spinopelvic parameters and PFJ morphological parameters of the patients were measured, the differences in these parameters among and within the 3 groups were compared, and the correlations were analyzed.

Assembly of adaptive engineering aptamers for Escherichia coli and their application in all-in-one rapid detection.

Multivalent engineering aptamers (multi-Apts) adaptive and specific to whole Escherichia coli (E. coli: CMCC 44102) cells based on hybridization chain reaction (HCR) were constructed for the first time. The dissociation constant (K) value for these multi-Apts was 48 nM, demonstrating a higher affinity than that of monovalent aptamers (mono-Apts) (K = 102 nM).

W/WO/TiO Multilayer Film with Elevated Electrochromic and Capacitive Properties.

Electrochromic capacitors, which are capable of altering their appearances in line with their charged states, are drawing substantial attention from both academia and industry. Tungsten oxide is usually used as an electrochromic layer material for electrochromic devices, or as an active material for high-performance capacitor electrodes. Despite this, acceptable visual aesthetics in electrochromic capacitors have almost never been achieved using tungsten oxide, because, in its pure form, this compound only displays a onefold color modulation from transparent to blue.

Impact of carbon neutralization policy on the suitable habitat distribution of the North China leopard.

The Chinese government has introduced a carbon neutral policy to cope with the rapid changes in the global climate. It is not clear what impact this policy will have on wildlife. Therefore, this study analyzed the suitable habitat distribution of China's unique leopard subspecies in northern Shaanxi, and simulated the potential suitable habitat distribution under different carbon emission scenarios at two time points of future carbon peak and carbon neutralization.

Effects of silane hydrolysis time on the physicochemical properties of bioplastics based on starch and epoxidized soybean oil.

This work investigated the effects of 3-aminopropyl triethoxy silane (APTES) hydrolysis time on the physicochemical properties of the resulting starch/epoxidized soybean oil (ESO) bioplastics comprehensively. FTIR analysis confirmed that APTES hydrolyzed for 4 h had the best modification effect on starch. The results of XRD and TGA demonstrated the successful silylation of starch by APTES despite hydrolysis time.

Laboratory-developed Droplet Digital PCR Assay for Quantification of the JAK2 Mutation.

Precise quantification of the JAK2 mutation using highly sensitive assays is crucial for diagnosis, treatment process monitoring, and prognostic prediction in myeloproliferative neoplasms' (MPNs) patients. Digital droplet polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) enables precise quantification of low-level mutations amidst a high percentage of wild type alleles without the need for external calibrators or endogenous controls. The objective of this study was to optimize a ddPCR assay for detecting the JAK2 mutation and establish it as a laboratory-developed ddPCR assay in our center.

Smart windows based on ultraviolet-B persistent luminescence phosphors for bacterial inhibition and food preservation.

Herein, ultraviolet B (UVB) persistent luminescence phosphors containing SrAlO: Ce, Sc nanoparticles were reported. Thermoluminescence (TL) spectrum analysis reveals that the shallow trap induced by Sc co-doping plays an important role in photoluminescence persistent luminescence (PersL) development, while the deep trap dominates the generation of optical stimulated luminescence (OSL). Owing the appearance of deep trap, the OSL is observed under light (700 nm - 900 nm) excitation.

Influence of starch silylation on the structures and properties of starch/epoxidized soybean oil-based bioplastics.

The present work systematically investigated the influence of starch silylation on the structures and properties of starch/epoxidized soybean oil-based bioplastics. Silylated starch was synthesized using starch particles (SP-ST) or gelatinized starch (SG-ST) under different silane hydrolysis pHs. Due to the appearance of -NH groups and lower OH wavenumbers, SP-ST obtained at pH 5 showed higher silylation degree and stronger hydrogen bond interaction with epoxidized soybean oils (ESO) than that at pH 11.

EVLncRNAs 3.0: an updated comprehensive database for manually curated functional long non-coding RNAs validated by low-throughput experiments.

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have emerged as crucial regulators across diverse biological processes and diseases. While high-throughput sequencing has enabled lncRNA discovery, functional characterization remains limited. The EVLncRNAs database is the first and exclusive repository for all experimentally validated functional lncRNAs from various species.

Multifunctionality of Jasmonic Acid Accumulation during Aphid Infestation in Altering the Plant Physiological Traits That Suppress the Plant Defenses in Wheat Cultivar XN979.

Crop plants have coevolved phytohormone-mediated defenses to combat and/or repel their colonizers. The present study determined the effects of jasmonic acid (JA) accumulation during aphid infestation on the preference and performance of Takahashi (Hemiptera: Aphididae), and its potential role in fine-tuning hormone-dependent responses in XN979 wheat cultivar seedlings was evaluated via the transcriptional profiles of marker genes related to JA- and salicylic acid (SA)-dependent responses. The preference experiment and the life table data reveal that direct foliage spraying of 2.

Homologous genes shared between probiotics and pathogens affect the adhesion of probiotics and exclusion of pathogens in the gut mucus of shrimp.

Clarifying mechanisms underlying the selective adhesion of probiotics and competitive exclusion of pathogens in the intestine is a central theme for shrimp health. Under experimental manipulation of probiotic strain (i.e.

Overcoming Debye length limitations: Three-dimensional wrinkled graphene field-effect transistor for ultra-sensitive adenosine triphosphate detection.

Unlabelled: Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is closely related to the pathogenesis of certain diseases, so the detection of trace ATP is of great significance to disease diagnosis and drug development. Graphene field-effect transistors (GFETs) have been proven to be a promising platform for the rapid and accurate detection of small molecules, while the Debye shielding limits the sensitive detection in real samples. Here, a three-dimensional wrinkled graphene field-effect transistor (3D WG-FET) biosensor for ultra-sensitive detection of ATP is demonstrated.

Comparison of three methods for measuring C0-1 angles and C0-2 angles.

Background: The mutual compensatory relationship between the upper cervical sagittal alignment and the lower cervical sagittal alignment has been repeatedly reported. However, the evaluation of the upper cervical sagittal parameters are varied in previous studies. This retrospective study was performed to compare three methods for measuring the upper cervical sagittal parameters.

Nanowire-in-bowl-shaped piezoelectric cavity structure for SERS directional detection of nanoplastics less than 50 nm.

The accurate detection of nanoplastics is crucial due to their harmful effects on the environment and human beings. However, there is a lack of detection methods for nanoplastics smaller than 50 nm. In this research, we successfully constructed an Ag/CuO nanowire (NW)/BaTiO@Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) Bowl-shaped substrate with a nanowire-in-Bowl-shaped piezoelectric cavity structure that can modulate surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) by the piezoelectric effect by the virtue of the tip effect of the CuO NW and light focusing effect of the Bowl-shaped cavity.

Preparation and characterization of bioplastics from silylated cassava starch and epoxidized soybean oils.

In this work, a systematic coupling study of silane coupling agent between starch and epoxidized soybean oils (ESO) was carried out. Starch was modified by 3-aminopropyl trimethoxy silane (APMS) with various contents of NaOH. The APMS-modified starch was incorporated with ESO to synthesize the bioplastics by solution casting.

Mechanical stretching boosts expansion and regeneration of intestinal organoids through fueling stem cell self-renewal.

Intestinal organoids, derived from intestinal stem cell self-organization, recapitulate the tissue structures and behaviors of the intestinal epithelium, which hold great potential for the study of developmental biology, disease modeling, and regenerative medicine. The intestinal epithelium is exposed to dynamic mechanical forces which exert profound effects on gut development. However, the conventional intestinal organoid culture system neglects the key role of mechanical microenvironments but relies solely on biological factors.

Plasmonic enhanced piezoelectric photoresponse with flexible PVDF@Ag-ZnO/Au composite nanofiber membranes.

The coordination of piezoelectric and plasmonic effects to regulate the separation and migration of photo-generated carriers is still a significant method to improve the performance of visible-light photoresponse. Herein, we propose the PVDF@Ag-ZnO/Au composite nanofiber membranes utilizing the piezoelectric and plasmonic effects to promote the photocatalytic degradation of organic dyes. Here, ZnO nanorods can generate a built-in electric field under vibration to separate electron-hole pairs.

Distribution and health risks of organic micropollutants from home dusts in Malaysia.

Indoor dust is an important medium to evaluate human exposure to emerging organic contaminants. The principal aim of this study was to determine overall status of organic micropollutants (OMPs) of indoor dust in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and assess their corresponding health risks. One hundred thirty-three OMPs, ascribed to 13 chemical groups, were screened by Automated Identification and Quantification System with a GC-MS database.

Near-Infrared-Responded High Sensitivity Nanoprobe for Steady and Visualized Detection of Albumin in Hepatic Organoids and Mouse Liver.

Exploring the advanced techniques for protein detection facilitates cell fate investigation. However, it remains challenging to quantify and visualize the protein with one single probe. Here, a luminescent approach to detect hepatic cell fate marker albumin in vitro and living cell labeling with upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs), which are conjugated with antibody (Ab) and rose bengal hexanoic acid (RBHA) is reported.

Plasmonic and bi-piezoelectric enhanced photocatalysis using PVDF/ZnO/Au nanobrush.

The photocatalytic degradation, as an environmental-friendly technology, has great significance for cost-effective and efficient catalysis processes, wherein piezo-photocatalysis can significantly increase the catalytic degradation rate using both solar and mechanical energy. Here, a ternary heterostructure PVDF/ZnO/Au (PZA) nanobrush photocatalyst with high piezo-photocatalytic efficiency was presented via low-temperature hydrothermal and chemical reduction methods. Under both solar and mechanical energy, the current response and degradation rate of the as-synthesized PZA nanobrush all increase significantly compared with that under solar alone and under mechanical energy alone, and the excellent recyclability is investigated.

Qualitative and quantitative detection of microcystin-LR based on SERS-FET dual-mode biosensor.

Microcystin-LR (MC-LR), a kind of hepatoxin produced by cyanobacteria blooms, can promote liver cancer through long-term exposure even at low concentrations. In this study, a novel biosensor based on surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) and field effect transistor (FET) dual sensing mode was developed by using gold nanoparticles (AuNPs)/graphene composite as sensing material. Based on the SERS sensing mode, the Raman fingerprint spectrum of MC-LR was obtained through the specific combination of MC-LR aptamer and MC-LR.