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Polymers Apr 2024Shape-shifting polymers usually require not only reversible stimuli-responsive ability, but also strong mechanical properties. A novel shape-shifting photochromic...
Shape-shifting polymers usually require not only reversible stimuli-responsive ability, but also strong mechanical properties. A novel shape-shifting photochromic hydrogel system was designed and fabricated by embedding hydrophobic spiropyran (SP) into double polymeric network (DN) through micellar copolymerisation. Here, sodium alginate (Alg) and poly acrylate-co-methyl acrylate-co-spiropyran (P(SA--MA--SPMA)) were employed as the first network and the second network, respectively, to realise high mechanical strength. After being soaked in the CaCl solution, the carboxyl groups in the system underwent metal complexation with Ca to enhance the hydrogel. Moreover, after the hydrogel was exposed to UV-light, the closed isomer of spiropyran in the hydrogel network could be converted into an open zwitterionic isomer merocyanine (MC), which was considered to interact with Ca ions. Interestingly, Ca and UV-light responsive programmable shape of the copolymer hydrogel could recover to its original form via immersion in pure water. Given its excellent metal ion and UV light stimuli-responsive and mechanical properties, the hydrogel has potential applications in the field of soft actuators.
PubMed: 38674950
DOI: 10.3390/polym16081031 -
Genes Apr 2024WUSCHEL-related homeobox (WOX) transcription factors are unique to plants and play pivotal roles in plant development and stress responses. In this investigation, we...
WUSCHEL-related homeobox (WOX) transcription factors are unique to plants and play pivotal roles in plant development and stress responses. In this investigation, we acquired protein sequences of foxtail millet gene family members through homologous sequence alignment and a hidden Markov model (HMM) search. Utilizing conserved domain prediction, we identified 13 foxtail millet genes, which were classified into ancient, intermediate, and modern clades. Multiple sequence alignment results revealed that all WOX proteins possess a homeodomain (HD). The genes, clustered together in the phylogenetic tree, exhibited analogous protein spatial structures, gene structures, and conserved motifs. The foxtail millet genes are distributed across 7 chromosomes, featuring 3 pairs of tandem repeats: and , and , and and . Collinearity analysis demonstrated that genes in foxtail millet exhibit the highest collinearity with green foxtail, followed by maize. The genes primarily harbor two categories of -acting regulatory elements: Stress response and plant hormone response. Notably, prominent hormones triggering responses include methyl jasmonate, abscisic acid, gibberellin, auxin, and salicylic acid. Analysis of expression patterns and hormone responses unveiled potential functional diversity among different genes in foxtail millet. These findings lay a solid foundation for further elucidating the functions and evolution of genes.
Topics: Setaria Plant; Plant Proteins; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Phylogeny; Transcription Factors; Multigene Family; Homeodomain Proteins; Stress, Physiological
PubMed: 38674410
DOI: 10.3390/genes15040476 -
Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) Mar 2024: There are many surgical techniques for oroantral communication treatment, one of which is the buccal fat pad. Of particular interest is the high reparative potential...
: There are many surgical techniques for oroantral communication treatment, one of which is the buccal fat pad. Of particular interest is the high reparative potential of the buccal fat pad, which may be contributed to by the presence of mesenchymal stem cells. The purpose of this work is to evaluate the reparative potential of BFP cells using morphological and immunohistochemical examination. : 30 BFP samples were provided by the Clinic of Maxillofacial and Plastic Surgery of the Russian University of Medicine (Moscow, Russia) from 28 patients. Morphological examination of 30 BFP samples was performed at the Institute of Clinical Morphology and Digital Pathology of Sechenov University. Hematoxylin-eosin, Masson trichrome staining and immunohistochemical examination were performed to detect MSCs using primary antibodies CD133, CD44 and CD10. : During staining with hematoxylin-eosin and Masson's trichrome, we detected adipocytes of white adipose tissue united into lobules separated by connective tissue layers, a large number of vessels of different calibers, as well as the general capsule of BFP. The thin connective tissue layers contained neurovascular bundles. Statistical processing of the results of the IHC examination of the samples using the Mann-Whitney criterion revealed that the total number of samples in which the expression of CD44, CD10 and CD133 antigens was confirmed was statistically significantly higher than the number of samples where the expression was not detected ( < 0.05). : During the morphological study of the BFP samples, we revealed statistically significant signs of MSCs presence ( < 0.05), including in the brown fat tissue, which proves the high reparative potential of this type of tissue and can make the BFP a choice option among other autogenous donor materials when eliminating OAC and other surgical interventions in the maxillofacial region.
Topics: Humans; Adipose Tissue; Immunohistochemistry; Cheek; Female; Male; AC133 Antigen; Hyaluronan Receptors; Neprilysin; Mesenchymal Stem Cells; Adult; Eosine Yellowish-(YS); Hematoxylin; Methyl Green; Azo Compounds
PubMed: 38674213
DOI: 10.3390/medicina60040567 -
International Journal of Molecular... Apr 2024This work is devoted to magnesium oxide (MgO) nanoparticles (NPs) for their use as additives for bone implants. Extracts from four different widely used plants,...
This work is devoted to magnesium oxide (MgO) nanoparticles (NPs) for their use as additives for bone implants. Extracts from four different widely used plants, including , , , and , were evaluated for their ability to facilitate the "green synthesis" of MgO nanoparticles. The thermal stability and decomposition behavior of the MgONPs were analyzed by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Structure characterization was performed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and Raman scattering spectroscopy (RS). Morphology was studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The photocatalytic activity of MgO nanoparticles was investigated based on the degradation of methyl orange (MeO) using UV-Vis spectroscopy. Surface-enhanced Raman scattering spectroscopy (SERS) was used to monitor the adsorption of L-phenylalanine (L-Phe) on the surface of MgONPs. The calculated enhancement factor (EF) is up to 10 orders of magnitude for MgO. This is the first work showing the SERS spectra of a chemical compound immobilized on the surface of MgO nanoparticles.
Topics: Magnesium Oxide; Green Chemistry Technology; Spectrum Analysis, Raman; Bone Regeneration; Plant Extracts; Nanoparticles; Metal Nanoparticles; X-Ray Diffraction
PubMed: 38673825
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25084242 -
Foods (Basel, Switzerland) Apr 2024Lushan Yunwu tea (LSYWT) is a famous green tea in China. However, the effects of intercropping tea with flowering cherry on the overall aroma of tea have not been well...
Lushan Yunwu tea (LSYWT) is a famous green tea in China. However, the effects of intercropping tea with flowering cherry on the overall aroma of tea have not been well understood. In this study, headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was used for analysis. A total of 54 volatile compounds from eight chemical classes were identified in tea samples from both the intercropping and pure-tea-plantation groups. Principal component analysis (PCA), orthogonal partial least-squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA), and odor activity value (OAV) methods combined with sensory evaluation identified cis-jasmone, nonanal, and linalool as the key aroma compounds in the intercropping group. Benzaldehyde, α-farnesene, and methyl benzene were identified as the main volatile compounds in the flowering cherry using headspace solid-phase microextraction/gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME/GC-MS). These findings will enrich the research on tea aroma chemistry and offer new insights into the product development and quality improvement of LSYWT.
PubMed: 38672924
DOI: 10.3390/foods13081252 -
Journal of Fungi (Basel, Switzerland) Mar 2024Green mold caused by (Pers.:Fr.) Sacc is the most prevalent postharvest rot concerning citrus fruits. Using the subtractive suppression hybridization (SSH) technique,...
Green mold caused by (Pers.:Fr.) Sacc is the most prevalent postharvest rot concerning citrus fruits. Using the subtractive suppression hybridization (SSH) technique, different genes have been identified that could be involved in virulence during citrus infection in the early stages, a crucial moment that determines whether the infection progresses or not. To this end, a comparison of two strains with high and low virulence has been carried out. We conducted a study on the gene expression profile of the most relevant genes. The results indicate the importance of transcription and regulation processes as well as enzymes involved in the degradation of the plant cell wall. The most represented expressed sequence tag (EST) was identified as PDIP_11000, associated with the FluG domain, which is putatively involved in the activation of conidiation. It is also worth noting that PDIP_02280 encodes a pectin methyl esterase, a cell wall remodeling protein with a high expression level in the most virulent fungal strains, which is notably induced during citrus infection. Furthermore, within the group with the greatest representation and showing significant induction in the early stages of infection, regulatory proteins (PDIP_68700, PDIP_76160) and a chaperone (PDIP_38040) stand out. To a lesser extent, but not less relevant, it is worth distinguishing different regulatory proteins and transcription factors, such as PDIP_00580, PDIP_49640 and PDIP_78930.
PubMed: 38667906
DOI: 10.3390/jof10040235 -
RSC Advances Apr 2024In this research and in the line of our researches on the use of nano-substrates modified with ionic liquid in organic reactions, an efficient and green method for the...
In this research and in the line of our researches on the use of nano-substrates modified with ionic liquid in organic reactions, an efficient and green method for the one-pot three-component synthesis of pyrimido[1,2-]benzimidazole and 1-(benzothiazolylamino)methyl-2-naphthol derivatives is reported using a new nanoporous catalyst formulated as ZnO@SOH@Tropine. Further analysis of the catalyst for its characterization has been performed using thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The present approach creates a variety of biologically active heterocyclic compounds with excellent yields and short reaction times. Among the other advantages of the current method are: ease of operation, clean reaction profiles and ease of separation. Also, this catalyst can be reused five times without loss of its catalytic activity.
PubMed: 38665495
DOI: 10.1039/d3ra08960f -
Nature Communications Apr 2024We use quantum-classical trajectories to investigate the origin of the different photoisomerization quantum efficiency observed in the dim-light visual pigment Rhodopsin...
We use quantum-classical trajectories to investigate the origin of the different photoisomerization quantum efficiency observed in the dim-light visual pigment Rhodopsin and in the light-driven biomimetic molecular rotor para-methoxy N-methyl indanylidene-pyrrolinium (MeO-NAIP) in methanol. Our results reveal that effective light-energy conversion requires, in general, an auxiliary molecular vibration (called promoter) that does not correspond to the rotary motion but synchronizes with it at specific times. They also reveal that Nature has designed Rhodopsin to exploit two mechanisms working in a vibrationally coherent regime. The first uses a wag promoter to ensure that ca. 75% of the absorbed photons lead to unidirectional rotations. The second mechanism ensures that the same process is fast enough to avoid directional randomization. It is found that MeO-NAIP in methanol is incapable of exploiting the above mechanisms resulting into a 50% quantum efficiency loss. However, when the solvent is removed, MeO-NAIP rotation is predicted to synchronize with a ring-inversion promoter leading to a 30% increase in quantum efficiency and, therefore, biomimetic behavior.
PubMed: 38664371
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47477-0 -
Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy =... Jun 2024To elucidate the therapeutic effects and mechanisms of Atractylodes macrocephala extract crystallize (BZEP) and BZEP self-microemulsion (BZEPWR) on metabolic...
The effects of Atractylodes macrocephala extract BZEP self-microemulsion based on gut-liver axis HDL/LPS signaling pathway to ameliorate metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease in rats.
OBJECTIVES
To elucidate the therapeutic effects and mechanisms of Atractylodes macrocephala extract crystallize (BZEP) and BZEP self-microemulsion (BZEPWR) on metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) induced by "high sugar, high fat, and excessive alcohol consumption" based on the gut-liver axis HDL/LPS signaling pathway.
METHODS
In this study, BZEP and BZEPWR were obtained via isolation, purification, and microemulsification. Furthermore, an anthropomorphic MAFLD rat model of "high sugar, high fat, and excessive alcohol consumption" was established. The therapeutic effects of BZEPWR and BZEP on the model rats were evaluated in terms of liver function, lipid metabolism (especially HDL-C), serum antioxidant indexes, and liver and intestinal pathophysiology. To determine the lipoproteins in the serum sample, the amplitudes of a plurality of NMR spectra were derived via deconvolution of the composite methyl signal envelope to yield HDL-C subclass concentrations. The changes in intestinal flora were detected via 16 S rRNA gene sequencing. In addition, the gut-liver axis HDL/LPS signaling pathway was validated using immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, and western blot.
RESULTS
The findings established that BZEPWR and BZEP improved animal signs, serum levels of liver enzymes (ALT and AST), lipid metabolism (TC, TG, HDL-C, and LDL-C), and antioxidant indexes (GSH, SOD, and ROS). In addition, pathological damage to the liver, colon, and ileum was ameliorated, and the intestinal barrier function of the model rats was restored. At the genus level, BZEPWR and BZEP exerted positive effects on beneficial bacteria, such as Lactobacillus and norank_f__Muribaculaceae, and inhibitory effects on harmful bacteria, such as unclassified_f__Lachnospiraceae and Blautia. Twenty HDL-C subspecies were detected, and their levels were differentially increased in both BZEPWR and BZEP groups, with BZEPWR exhibiting a stronger elevating effect on specific HDL-C subspecies. Also, the gut-liver axis HDL/LPS signaling pathway was studied, which indicated that BZEPWR and BZEP significantly increased the expressions of ABCA1, LXR, occludin, and claudin-1 proteins in the gut and serum levels of HDL-C. Concomitantly, the levels of LPS in the serum and TLR4, Myd88, and NF-κB proteins in the liver were decreased.
CONCLUSION
BZEPWR and BZEP exert restorative and reversal effects on the pathophysiological damage to the gut-liver axis in MAFLD rats, and the therapeutic mechanism may be related to the regulation of the intestinal flora and the HDL/LPS signaling pathway.
Topics: Animals; Signal Transduction; Male; Emulsions; Rats; Liver; Atractylodes; Plant Extracts; Lipopolysaccharides; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Lipoproteins, HDL; Disease Models, Animal; Lipid Metabolism; Fatty Liver; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease; Antioxidants
PubMed: 38663104
DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.116519 -
RSC Advances Apr 2024In our current research, a new type of functional nanocomposites known as poly(methyl methacrylate/,-dimethyl aminoethylmethacrylate/()-2-cyano--cyclohexyl-3...
In our current research, a new type of functional nanocomposites known as poly(methyl methacrylate/,-dimethyl aminoethylmethacrylate/()-2-cyano--cyclohexyl-3 (dimethylamino) acrylamide) [poly(MMA/DMAEMA/CHAA)] has been developed. These nanocomposites were created using microemulsion polymerization in conjunction with synthesized titanium dioxide (TiO), and vanadium pentoxide (VO) nanoparticles. To understand the physio-chemical characteristics of the poly(MMA/DMAEMA/CHAA) and the metal oxide nanoparticles (MOs) integrated within them, various analytical techniques were employed. These techniques included Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), proton nuclear magnetic resonance (H NMR), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and electrical approaches such as cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrical impedance spectra (EIS). Based on the TEM results, nanospheres with a well-defined structure were developed for both the pure polymer and its composite with sizes ranging from 45 to 75 nm. All the TiO and VO-based nanocomposites showed significantly enhanced electrical attributes, with capacitance values surpassing those of the poly(MMA/DMAEMA/CHAA) nanosphere assemblies by a considerable margin. As a result, both direct electron transfer and direct hydrogen peroxide identification were evaluated for the nanocomposites. The amperometry results demonstrated a lower detection limit of 0.0085 μM and a rapid linear sensitivity in the range of 1 to 800 μM. The greatly improved electrolytic qualities of these nanocomposites make them suitable for various applications in fields such as battery storage, sensors, and biosensors.
PubMed: 38655478
DOI: 10.1039/d4ra01768d