•• Both full- and mini-barcodes were evaluated in authenticating animal-derived food.•• Mini-barcoding was more efficient in authenticating processed food than full-barcoding.•• Mini-barcode has high ...potential, in combination with NGS, for detecting mislabeled food products.•• Approximately 23% of selected commercial samples were determined to be mislabeled.
This study used DNA barcoding and DNA mini-barcoding to test a variety of animal-derived food products sold in the Chinese market for potential mislabeling. Samples (52) including meat, poultry, and fish purchased from retail and online sources were examined. Regions of cytochrome C oxidase I (COI) gene (~650 bp) and 16S rRNA (~220 bp) were used as full- and mini-barcode markers, respectively. Approximately 94% (49 of 52) of the samples generated barcode sequences. The failure rate for full COI full-barcodes was 44%, but we obtained the 16S rRNA mini-barcode from 87% of the COI-failed cases. Overall, the survey revealed that 23% (12 of 52) of animal-derived products were mislabeled and, in most cases, contain undeclared species. Thus, regulatory measures and continuous monitoring for mislabeling of animal-derived products should be conducted.
Generation of functional and vascularized organs from human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) will facilitate our understanding of human developmental biology and disease modeling, hopefully ...offering a drug-screening platform and providing novel therapies against end-stage organ failure. Here we describe a protocol for the in vitro generation of a 3D liver bud from human iPSC cultures and the monitoring of further hepatic maturation after transplantation at various ectopic sites. iPSC-derived specified hepatic cells are dissociated and suspended with endothelial cells and mesenchymal stem cells. These mixed cells are then plated onto a presolidified matrix, and they form a 3D spherical tissue mass termed a liver bud (iPSC-LB) in 1-2 d. To facilitate additional maturation, 4-d-old iPSC-LBs are transplanted in the immunodeficient mouse. Live imaging has identified functional blood perfusion into the preformed human vascular networks. Functional analyses show the appearance of multiple hepatic functions in a chronological manner in vivo.
Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common cancers around the world. We demonstrate that SPIN1 is upregulated and associated with poor prognosis in GC. SPIN1 sustains GC cell proliferation via ...activation of MDM2‐p21‐E2F1 signaling pathway by binding to H3K4me3 of the MDM2 promoter. E2F1 could directly bind to the SPIN1 promoter and activate its transcription, forming a positive feedback loop.
Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common cancers around the world. Searching for specific gene expression changes during the development of GC could help identify potential therapy targets. We previously showed that the histone code reader SPIN1 may act as an oncogene in breast cancer. At present, the biological function and regulation of SPIN1 in GC remain unclear. Here, we demonstrate that SPIN1 is upregulated in GC tissues, compared with nontumorous gastric tissues. Increased expression of SPIN1 is closely associated with poor prognosis for patients with GC. Increased SPIN1 expression enhances GC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion and promotes cell cycle progression. Mechanically, SPIN1 sustains GC cell proliferation via activation of the MDM2‐p21‐E2F1 signaling pathway by binding to H3K4me3 of the MDM2 promoter region. Interestingly, E2F1 could directly bind to the SPIN1 promoter and activate its transcription, thus forming a positive feedback loop. Our data suggest that SPIN1 plays an important role in the development of GC and could be used as a promising prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for GC.
Sea cucumbers are widely consumed in Asia. This study developed a novel DNA mini-barcode mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase (COI) of 257 bp to discriminate sea cucumbers species in both raw and ...processed forms. We designed and compared four mini-barcoding primer sets based on PCR amplification rates against 40 authenticated sea cucumber species. The top-performing primer set was successful for most tested sea cucumber varieties. We also tested the DNA mini-barcode COI in 12 highly processed sea cucumber products using both Sanger sequencing and next-generation DNA sequencing (NGS). This is the first report of highly processed sea cucumber products that detected fraudulent replacement of sea cucumber by one or a blend of species using the NGS approach. The established DNA mini-barcoding system revealed that 83.33% (10/12) of highly processed sea cucumber products were mislabeled. This study identified a need for more regulation of the sea cucumber trade and suggested that DNA mini-barcoding combined with NGS could complement existing sea cucumber identification strategies.
•Novel COI mini-barcode (257 bp) was developed to identify sea cucumber species.•Combination of mini-barcode with next generation sequencing for authenticating processed sea cucumber products.•DNA mini-barcoding system is effective in authenticating raw and processed sea cucumber products.•Detection of mislabeling in 83.33% of highly processed sea cucumber products.
Decentralized environmental governance theory suggests that decentralization can produce better environmental performance mainly because lower-level governments are closer to the people and ...environmental issues and are considered more legitimate than the national government. However, China's decentralized system of environmental governance has been often regarded as a key factor in creating pollution problems rather than in solving them. To explain this puzzle, this article, using Blame Avoidance Behaviour in government theory as a theoretical framework, examines how blame avoidance behaviour shapes China's decentralized system of environmental governance from three perspectives: first, actors and the chain of blame shaped by the hierarchical power structure among environmental policymakers and implementers; second, the strategies of discursive domination and decentralization for blaming environmental problems on local officials; and lastly, the contextual factor of “hierarchical governmental trust.” Drawing on documentary discursive analysis and extensive fieldwork, this article suggests that the dysfunction of China's decentralized environmental governance structure may in fact be an outcome of a blame-shifting game between central and local governments. 分权式环境治理理论认为地方分权有利于提升环境治理绩效, 主要原因是次级国家政府比全国性政府更接近民众和环境问题, 其获得的政治合法性更高。但是, 中国环境治理的分权系统通常被视为产生而非解决环境问题的主要原因。为了解释这个悖论, 本文以推诿政治作为理论框架, 从三个层面考察了官员的推诿行为如何塑造了中国环境治理的分权系统。首先, 环境政策制定和执行者的权力等级关系影响下的行动者及其推诿链条。其次, 将环境问题向地方官员推诿的话语主导和地方分权战略。最后, 作为情景性因素的“差序政府信任”。以文献话语分析和大量的田野调查为研究方法, 本文认为中央与地方政府的互相推诿可能在一定程度造成了中国环境治理的分权系统的功能障碍。
The obvious paradox within China's environmental politics is the big gap between the central government's policy and its implementation outcomes at local levels. Despite concerns about implementation ...at the local level, much about the role of central governments in China's local environmental politics is still poorly understood. This article examines how the incentive structure set by the central authorities affects the policy implementation gap at the local level. Drawing on fieldwork and document analysis, this article argues that the incentives set by the central government regarding environmental policy implementation at local levels are perversely structured, meaning that the central government provides much more incentive for local governments' non-implementation or poor implementation of its environmental policies than it provides for full implementation. The central government's failure to encourage—politically, financially, as well as morally—local government officials to appropriately implement environmental policies can partly explain the production of the policy implementation gap at the local level. This implementation gap cannot be overcome by efforts at the local level unless the central government takes significant measures to address the perverse incentive structure embedded in the overall structure of China's local environmental politics.
Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play critical roles in the carcinogenesis and progression of cancers. However, the role and mechanism of the pseudogene lncRNA PIN1P1 in gastric carcinoma remain ...unclear. The expression and effects of lncRNA PIN1P1 in gastric cancer were investigated. The transcriptional regulation of CREB1 on PIN1P1 was determined by ChIP and luciferase assays. The mechanistic model of PIN1P1 in gastric cancer was further explored by RNA pull‐down, RIP and western blot analysis. PIN1P1 was overexpressed in gastric cancer tissues, and upregulated PIN1P1 predicted poor prognosis in patients. CREB1 was directly combined with the promoter region of PIN1P1 to promote the transcription of PIN1P1. CREB1‐mediated enhanced proliferation, migration and invasion could be partially reversed by downregulation of PIN1P1. Overexpressed PIN1P1 promoted the proliferation, migration and invasion of gastric cancer cells, whereas decreased PIN1P1 showed the opposite effects. PIN1P1 directly interacted with YBX1 and promoted YBX1 protein expression, leading to upregulation of PIN1, in which E2F1 may be involved. Silencing of YBX1 during PIN1P1 overexpression could partially rescue PIN1 upregulation. PIN1, the parental gene of PIN1P1, was elevated in gastric cancer tissues, and its upregulation was correlated with poor patient outcomes. PIN1 facilitated gastric cancer cell proliferation, migration and invasion. To sum up, CREB1‐activated PIN1P1 could promote gastric cancer progression through YBX1 and upregulating PIN1, suggesting that it is a potential target for gastric cancer.
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•The Mg–Al–CO3- and magnetic Fe3O4/Mg–Al–CO3–LDH can efficiently remove Cd(II) from aqueous solutions.•The adsorption mechanisms of Cd(II) were discussed in detail.•The adsorption ...kinetic, isothermal and thermodynamic properties of Cd(II) were studied.•Magnetic Fe3O4/Mg–Al–CO3–LDH can be quickly and easily separated using a magnet.
Understanding the adsorption mechanisms of metal cations on the surfaces of solids is important for determining the fate of these metals in water and wastewater treatment. The adsorption kinetic, isothermal, thermodynamic and mechanistic properties of cadmium (Cd(II)) in an aqueous solution containing Mg–Al–CO3- and magnetic Fe3O4/Mg–Al–CO3-layered double hydroxide (LDH) were studied. The results demonstrated that the adsorption kinetic and isotherm data followed the pseudo-second-order model and the Langmuir equation, respectively. The adsorption process of Cd(II) was feasible, spontaneous and endothermic in nature. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy were used to explain the adsorption mechanisms. The characteristic XRD peaks and FTIR bands of CdCO3 emerged in the LDH spectra after Cd(II) adsorption, which indicated that the adsorption of Cd(II) by LDHs occurred mainly via CdCO3 precipitation, surface adsorption and surface complexation. Furthermore, the magnetic Fe3O4/Mg–Al–CO3-LDH can be quickly and easily separated using a magnet before and after the adsorption process.
By preparing a sensor system around isolated exceptional points, one can obtain a great enhancement of the sensitivity benefiting from the non‐Hermiticity. However, this comes at the cost of ...reduction of the flexibility of the system, which is critical for practical applications. By generalizing the exceptional points to exceptional surfaces, it has been theoretically proposed recently that enhanced sensitivity and flexibility can be combined. Here, an exceptional surface is experimentally demonstrated in a non‐Hermitian photonic sensing system, which is composed of a whispering‐gallery‐mode microresonator and two nanofiber waveguides, resulting in a unidirectional coupling between two degenerate counter‐propagating modes with an external optical isolator. The system is simple, robust, and can be easily operated around an exceptional surface. On the one hand, sensitivity enhancement is observed by monitoring the resonant frequency splitting caused by small perturbations. This demonstration of exceptional‐surface‐enhanced sensitivity paves the way for practical non‐Hermitian sensing applications. On the other hand, the suppression of frequency splitting around the exceptional surface is also shown for the first time.
Exceptional surfaces are experimentally realized in the higher‐dimensional synthetic space. The unidirectional coupling between two degenerate modes can be achieved benefitting from an ingenious design within a single whispering‐gallery‐mode microresonator. The sensor operating at an exceptional surface can combine enhanced sensitivity with flexible experimental conditions.
Advanced electrical energy storage technology is a game changer for a clean, sustainable, and secure energy future because efficient utilization of newable energy hinges on cost-effect and efficient ...energy storage. Further, the viability of many emerging technologies depends on breakthroughs in energy storage technologies, including electric vehicles (EVs) or hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) and smart grids. Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), a great success in the portable electronics sector, are believed also the most promising power sources for emerging technologies such as EVs and smart grids. To date, however, the existing LIBs (with LiCoOx cathode and graphite anode) are still unable to meet the strict requirements for safety, cycling stability, and rate capability. The development of advanced anode materials, which can overcome the shortcomings of graphite anode (such as formation of dendritic lithium during charge and undesirable solid electrolyte interface), is of critical importance to enhancing the cycling stability and operational safety of LIBs. Lithium titanate (Li4Ti5O12) has recently attracted considerable attentions as a potential anode material of LIBs for high power applications due to several outstanding features, including a flat charge/discharge plateaus (around 1.55V vs. Li/Li+) because of the two-phase lithium insertion/extraction mechanism and minimum chance for the formation of SEI and dendritic lithium, dramatically enhance the potential for high rate capability and safety. In addition, there is almost no volume change during the lithium insertion and extraction processes, ensuring a high cycling stability and long operational life. However, the electronic conductivity of Li4Ti5O12 is relatively low, resulting in large polarization lose, more so at higher cycling rates, and poor rate performance. Currently, considerable research efforts have been devoted to improving the performance of Li4Ti5O12 at fast charge/discharge rates, and some important progresses have been made. In this review, we first present a general overview of the structural features, thermodynamic properties, transport properties, and the electrochemical behavior of Li4Ti5O12 under typical battery operating conditions. We then provide a comprehensive review of the recent advancements made in characterization, modification, and applications of Li4Ti5O12 electrodes to LIBs, including nanostructuring, surface coating, morphological optimization, doping, and rational design of composite electrodes. Finally, we highlight the critical challenges facing us today and future perspectives for further development of Li4Ti5O12-based electrodes. It is hoped that this review may provide some useful guidelines for rational design of better electrodes for advanced LIBs.