Identification of candidate chemosensory receptors in the antennal transcriptome of Tropidothorax elegans.

Chemosensory receptors in the dendritic membrane of olfactory cells are critical for the molecular recognition and discrimination of odorants. Tropidothorax elegans is a major pest of agricultural, ornamental, and medicinal plants. However, very little is known about olfactory genes in T.

RNA Interference-Mediated Aurora Kinase A Gene Silencing Inhibits Human Glioma Cells Proliferation and Tumor Growth in Mice.

This study aims to explore the roles of Aurora Kinase A (Aurora A) in human glioma progression and relevant molecular mechanisms involved. RNA interference (RNAi) technology was performed to silence the Aurora A gene in human glioma cell line U251 and U87. Western blot and real-time PCR were used to determine the protein and mRNA expression levels of Aurora A.

Effects of tree species and topography on soil and microbial biomass stoichiometry in Funiu Mountain, China.

Background: Soil and microbial biomass stoichiometry plays an important role in understanding nutrient cycling in terrestrial ecosystems. However, studies on soil and microbial biomass stoichiometry in forests are rare. This study investigated the effect of tree species and topographic factors on the ecological stoichiometry of soil and soil microbial biomass.

TiN nanotube supported Ni catalyst Ni@TiN-NTs: experimental evidence of structure-activity relations in catalytically hydrolyzing ammonia borane for hydrogen evolution.

With commercial TiO as the precursor, titanium nitride nanotubes (TiN-NTs) were fabricated through a hydrothermal - ammonia nitriding route, and next non-noble metal nanosized Ni particles were evenly and firmly anchored on the surface of the TiN-NTs a PVP-mediated non-aqueous phase reduction-deposition strategy, to obtain the supported catalyst Ni@TiN-NTs. The X-ray powder diffraction (PXRD), field emission scanning and transmission electron microscopy (FE-SEM/TEM) and specific surface area measurements were used to characterize and analyze the phase composition, surface microstructure and morphological features of the product. The catalytic activity of the Ni@TiN-NTs for hydrolyzing ammonia borane to generate hydrogen (H) under different conditions was evaluated systematically.

Integrated analysis of miRNA and mRNA expression profiles in testes of Duroc and Meishan boars.

Background: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs playing vital roles in regulating posttranscriptional gene expression. Elucidating the expression regulation of miRNAs underlying pig testis development will contribute to a better understanding of boar fertility and spermatogenesis.

Results: In this study, miRNA expression profile was investigated in testes of Duroc and Meishan boars at 20, 75, and 270 days of age by high-throughput sequencing.

Adsorption Kinetics of Arsenic (V) on Nanoscale Zero-Valent Iron Supported by Activated Carbon.

The presence of arsenic (As) in drinking water is of serious concern due to its negative impact on human health. This work reports on the kinetics of nanoscale zero-valent iron (Fe) supported by activated carbon (NZVI/AC) for the removal of As (V) species from aqueous solutions. To better understand the factors affecting this process, we investigated the effects of various experimental parameters including initial As (V) concentration, adsorbent dosage, pH, temperature, and coexisting ions on the adsorption kinetics using a batch-adsorption method.

Fungal elicitor-induced transcriptional changes of genes related to branched-chain amino acid metabolism in Streptomyces natalensis HW-2.

Natamycin is a polyene macrolide antibiotic and widely used as a natural food preservative. Fungal elicitor had positive effects on the natamycin biosynthesis in Streptomyces natalensis HW-2. However, the global gene expression in response to fungal elicitor is not still reported.

Hsp90 inhibition aggravates adriamycin-induced podocyte injury through intrinsic apoptosis pathway.

Podocyte injury leads to impaired filtration barrier function of the kidney that underlies the pathophysiology of idiopathic nephrotic syndrome (INS), the most common NS occurring in children. The heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) is involved in the regulation of apoptosis in a variety of cell types, however, little is known about its role in podocytes and whether it associated with NS. Here, we show that Hsp90 is upregulated in glomeruli podocytes from mice with adriamycin (ADR)-induced nephropathy, and that it is also upregulated in an immortalized podocyte cell line treated with ADR in vitro, together suggesting an association of Hsp90 upregulation in podocytes with NS pathogenesis.

[Effect of Quantitative indicators of ilium height on approach of percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy treatment in patients with L , S lumbar disc herniation].

Objective: To identify effect of quantitative indicators of ilium height on approach of percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy (PELD) treatment in patients with L , S lumbar disc herniation.

Methods: A retrospective study between May 2014 and March 2016 was conducted, including 100 patients with disc herniation at L , S , who were initially enrolled for the PELD treatment. Among them, 66 patients were successfully treated with PELD (group A), and the other 34 patients failed to perform puncture, catheterization, or microscopical operation due to the influence of iliac bone and other peripheral bone structures and treated with alternative surgical plans.

Phenolic Profile and Antioxidant Activity of the Edible Tree Peony Flower and Underlying Mechanisms of Preventive Effect on HO-Induced Oxidative Damage in Caco-2 Cells.

The entire phenolic profiles and antioxidant activities of different organs of the edible tree peony flowers ( (FDB)) were analyzed. HPLC-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometer (Q-TOF-MS/MS) analyses of individual phenolic compounds revealed that the petal and stamen contained higher levels of flavonoid glycosides than other organs ( < 0.05).

Blood circulating miRNAs as biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

It is already known that miRNAs can be differentially expressed in Alzheimer's disease (AD). We aimed to evaluate the performance of miRNAs from blood as potential biomarkers for AD. : MEDLINE, PubMed and Embase were searched for studies about peripheral blood miRNAs that could discriminate patients with AD from cognitively normal controls.

Textural and staling characteristics of steamed bread prepared from soft flour added with inulin.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of inulin with different degree of polymerization on the properties of steamed bread made from soft flour. The type and substitution level of inulin had significant impacts on the quality of steamed bread. When 5.

Fabrication of Polymer Micelles with Zwitterionic Shell and Biodegradable Core for Reductively Responsive Release of Doxorubicin.

To achieve a high stability in physiological environment and rapid intracellular drug release, a biodegradable zwitterionic triblock copolymer with a disulfide-linked poly-ε-caprolactone and polycarboxybetaine methacrylate (PCBMA-SS-PCL-SS-PCBMA) was prepared for micellar carrier to delivery doxorubicin (DOX) into tumor cells. PCBMA-SS-PCL-SS-PCBMA was obtained by following steps: i) introducing disulfide bonds through end-group modification of PCL diol with cystamine dihydrochloride; ii) preparing PCL-RAFT macromolecular chain transfer agent by EDC/NHS chemistry; iii) RAFT polymerization of zwitterionic monomer. Self-assembling from PCBMA-SS-PCL-SS-PCBMA, polymeric micelles had many advantages, such as ultra-low protein absorption in serum and obvious reduction-responsiveness in the presence of DTT.

Hydroxycinnamic acid amide (HCAA) derivatives, flavonoid C-glycosides, phenolic acids and antioxidant properties of foxtail millet.

The profiles of phenolic compounds and antioxidant properties of dehulled foxtail millets were studied. Twenty-one phenolics were detected in the free fraction, including a series of nine hydroxycinnamic acid spermidines reported for the first time and three flavonoid C-glycosides of kaempferol and apigenin. Twenty-three phenolic acid derivatives were detected in the bound fraction with ferulic acid being the predominant phenolic acid, as well as four ferulic acid dimers (DFAs) reported for the first time in foxtail millet.

Foraging Behavior and Pollination Efficiency of L. on the Oil Tree Peony 'Feng Dan' ( T. Hong et J.X. Zhang).

To solve the issue of insufficient pollinating of insects for the oil tree peony 'Feng Dan' ( T. Hong et J.X.

Profile of phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity of finger millet varieties.

The profiles of phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacities of four finger millet varieties harvested in northern Malawi were investigated. The total phenolics, flavonoids and condensed tannins in the free fractions ranged from 114.43 to 179.

Identification and regulation pattern analysis of long noncoding RNAs in meibomian gland carcinoma.

Aim: To identify long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) and to elucidate regulation patterns of lncRNAs in meibomian gland carcinoma (MGC).

Materials & Methods: We used RNA-Seq, gene ontology, ClueGO, Ingenuity Pathway Analysis and co-expression network analyses to profile the expression and regulation patterns of lncRNAs and mRNAs in MGC.

Results: We identified 500 lncRNAs and 326 mRNAs as differentially expressed.

Lotus-Seedpod-Bioinspired 3D Superhydrophobic Diatomite Porous Ceramics Comodified by Graphene and Carbon Nanobelts.

Hydrophobic and oleophilic sorbents play an important role in the remediation processes of oil spills/leakages occurring globally from time to time. In this work, for the first time, lotus-seedpod-bioinspired 3D superhydrophobic diatomite porous ceramics with good mechanical strength and thermal stability were fabricated, using inexpensive porous diatomite as a substrate, and graphene/carbon nanobelts as modifiers. Thanks to the presence of graphene coating and in situ formed carbon nanobelts, the surface energy of the final porous ceramics was reduced and their surface roughness increased, conferring superhydrophobicity on them.

Electro-Superplastic Solid State Welding of 40Cr/QCr0.5.

Hot-squeezed chrome bronze QCr0.5 and ultra-fine treated 40Cr steel have been successfully welded using an electro-superplastic solid-state welding technique. Results have shown that the tensile strength of a 40Cr/QCr0.

Nesting Biology of Xylocopa xinjiangensis (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Xylocopinae).

Xylocopa, an important genus in Hymenoptera: Apidae, is of great significance in research on the early stages of insect social evolution. Most species in this genus burrow into wooden structures. Only the Proxylocopa subgenus nests in the soil.

[Combination Ilizarov technique with tibiotalar or tibiocalcanean arthrodesis for one-stage treatment of ankle joints infection and bone defects].

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of Ilizarov technique and tibiotalar or tibiocalcanean arthrodesis for one-stage treatment of ankle joints infection and bone defects.

Methods: Between January 2014 and April 2016, 14 patients with ankle joints infection and bone defects were treated by Ilizarov technique and tibiotalar or tibiocalcanean arthrodesis for one-stage. There were 12 males and 2 females with an average age of 39.

Screening of Genes Related to Early and Late Flowering in Tree Peony Based on Bulked Segregant RNA Sequencing and Verification by Quantitative Real-Time PCR.

Tree peony ( Andrews) is a perennial woody shrub bearing large and colorful flowers. However, the flowering period is short and relatively uniform, which to an important extent hinders the cultivation and exploitation of ornamental peonies. In this study, the segregation of an F₁ population derived from 'Feng Dan' (an early-flowering cultivar) × 'Xin Riyuejin' (a late-flowering cultivar) was used to screen and analyze candidate genes associated with flowering period of the two parents.

Constructing Asymmetric Polyion Complex Vesicles via Template Assembling Strategy: Formulation Control and Tunable Permeability.

A strategy for constructing polyion complex vesicles (PICsomes) with asymmetric structure is described. Poly(methylacrylic acid)--poly(-isopropylacrylamide) modified gold nanoparticles (PMAA--PNIPAm-@-Au NPs) were prepared and then assembled with poly(ethylene glycol)--poly[1-methyl-3-(2-methacryloyloxy propylimidazolium bromine)] (PEG--PMMPImB) via polyion complex of PMMA and PMMPImB. After removing the Au NPs template, asymmetric PICsomes composed of a PNIPAm inner-shell, PIC wall, and PEG outer-corona were obtained.

Synergistic effects of polymer adsorbents on the performance of bilirubin hemoperfusion.

Neonatal hyperbilirubinemia (jaundice) is a common disease with high incidence. Currently, the clinical inefficiency of adult bilirubin hemoperfusion medical adsorbent is a major technical barrier for the application of hemoperfusion treatment to rescue the severe neonatal jaundice. Based on the well-known principle of synergistic effects, a series of customized bilirubin polymeric compounds, comprised of one or more of the following components (glycidyl methacrylate, sodium acrylate, methacrylic acid isooctyl, hexamethylene diamine, albumin), were designed and fabricated based on molecular design.