Fluorescence sensing of specific biological molecules by artificial chemosensors is a versatile technique. In the present work, a switch-on fluorescence sensor for rapid, sensitive, and selective ...sensing of glutathione (GSH) in food samples was developed. This method was based on the g-CNQDs–Hg2+ system, in which the initial fluorescence from g-CNQDs was quenched by Hg2+ with an electron transfer process. In the presence of GSH, the fluorescence sensor was switched to the “on” state, which was attributed to a competitive affinity of Hg2+ to GSH and the functional groups on the surface of g-CNQDs. Under the optimal conditions, the limit of detection (LOD) of 37 nM for GSH was achieved with a wide range of 0.16–16 μM. The repeatability was better than 5.3% for GSH in both standard and food samples (n = 3). Finally, this fluorescence sensor was successfully employed for the determination of GSH in various kinds of food samples with excellent recoveries. Furthermore, this application may pave a new way for fluorescence sensing of other substances in food samples.
Obesity is a complex metabolic disease that is a serious detriment to both children and adult health, which induces a variety of diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, type II diabetes, ...hypertension and cancer. Although adverse effects of obesity on female reproduction or oocyte development have been well recognized, its harmfulness to male fertility is still unclear because of reported conflicting results. The aim of this study was to determine whether diet-induced obesity impairs male fertility and furthermore to uncover its underlying mechanisms. Thus, male C57BL/6 mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD) for 10 weeks served as a model of diet-induced obesity. The results clearly show that the percentage of sperm motility and progressive motility significantly decreased, whereas the proportion of teratozoospermia dramatically increased in HFD mice compared to those in normal diet fed controls. Besides, the sperm acrosome reaction fell accompanied by a decline in testosterone level and an increase in estradiol level in the HFD group. This alteration of sperm function parameters strongly indicated that the fertility of HFD mice was indeed impaired, which was also validated by a low pregnancy rate in their mated normal female. Moreover, testicular morphological analyses revealed that seminiferous epithelia were severely atrophic, and cell adhesions between spermatogenic cells and Sertoli cells were loosely arranged in HFD mice. Meanwhile, the integrity of the blood-testis barrier was severely interrupted consistent with declines in the tight junction related proteins, occludin, ZO-1 and androgen receptor, but instead endocytic vesicle-associated protein, clathrin rose. Taken together, obesity can impair male fertility through declines in the sperm function parameters, sex hormone level, whereas during spermatogenesis damage to the blood-testis barrier (BTB) integrity may be one of the crucial underlying factors accounting for this change.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Osteopetrosis is a group of genetic bone disorders characterized by increased bone density and defective bone resorption. Osteopetrosis presents a series of clinical manifestations, including ...craniofacial deformities and dental problems. However, few previous reports have focused on the features of craniofacial and dental problems in osteopetrosis. In this review, we go through the clinical features, types, and related pathogenic genes of osteopetrosis. Then we summarize and describe the characteristics of craniofacial and dental abnormalities in osteopetrosis that have been published in PubMed from 1965 to the present. We found that all 13 types of osteopetrosis have craniomaxillofacial and dental phenotypes. The main pathogenic genes, such as chloride channel 7 gene (
), T cell immune regulator 1 (
), osteopetrosis-associated transmembrane protein 1 (
), pleckstrin homology domain-containing protein family member 1 (
), and carbonic anhydrase II (
), and their molecular mechanisms involved in craniofacial and dental phenotypes, are discussed. We conclude that the telltale craniofacial and dental abnormalities are important for dentists and other clinicians in the diagnosis of osteopetrosis and other genetic bone diseases.
An asymmetric inverse-electron-demand hetero-Diels-Alder reaction between o-quinone methides and azlactones to generate potentially pharmacological active dihydrocoumarins has been achieved ...efficiently by using a chiral N,N'-dioxide-Sc(III) complex as the catalyst. The desired products were obtained in high yields with excellent enantioselectivities and diastereoselectivities (up to 94% yield, 96% ee and >19 : 1 dr) under mild reaction conditions. A concerted reaction pathway was confirmed by Operando IR and control experiments.
Highly efficient detection in the aqueous phase for water‐insoluble organic molecule probes is challenging. The bright aggregated‐state electrochemiluminescence (ECL) of 1,1‐disubstituted ...2,3,4,5‐tetraphenylsiloles by a co‐reactant approach was discovered, and a heterogeneous aggregation‐induced emission ECL (HAIE‐ECL) was constructed at the electrode surface, showing very high ECL efficiency (37.8 %) and selective recognition for industrially important DNBP plasticizer with a low detection limit of 0.15 nm in the water phase. A mechanistic study indicates that ECL is mainly generated due to the high electron affinity of siloles and restriction of the intramolecular motions caused by their propeller‐like noncoplanar structures. This system realizes the sensing of organic‐based ECL in the water phase by solving the crucial problems of water insolubility and aggregation‐caused quenching (ACQ), and demonstrates potential for further application because of its design and high efficiency.
A heterogeneous aggregation‐induced emission electrochemiluminescence (HAIE‐ECL) system with high ECL efficiency has been developed according to the AIE strategy. This system can detect a widely used plasticizer, DNBP, in the aqueous phase, and solve water insolubility and aggregation‐caused quenching (ACQ) in small organic molecule probe systems.
Highlights
An eco-efficient synthetic route was developed to establish carbon superstructures with enhanced exposed nitrogen-rich active facets.
The synergistic effect of the 3D interconnected ...superstructures and the high nitrogen-doping content endows the N-rich carbon superstructures (NCS-5) with not only increased potassium-ion storage capabilities but also superior rate and cycling performance.
The regulation of the nitrogen doping types and morphology of NCS-5 is also discussed in detail based on the experiment results and density functional theory calculations.
Potassium-ion batteries (PIBs) are attractive for grid-scale energy storage due to the abundant potassium resource and high energy density. The key to achieving high-performance and large-scale energy storage technology lies in seeking eco-efficient synthetic processes to the design of suitable anode materials. Herein, a spherical sponge-like carbon superstructure (NCS) assembled by 2D nanosheets is rationally and efficiently designed for K
+
storage. The optimized NCS electrode exhibits an outstanding rate capability, high reversible specific capacity (250 mAh g
−1
at 200 mA g
−1
after 300 cycles), and promising cycling performance (205 mAh g
−1
at 1000 mA g
−1
after 2000 cycles). The superior performance can be attributed to the unique robust spherical structure and 3D electrical transfer network together with nitrogen-rich nanosheets. Moreover, the regulation of the nitrogen doping types and morphology of NCS-5 is also discussed in detail based on the experiments results and density functional theory calculations. This strategy for manipulating the structure and properties of 3D materials is expected to meet the grand challenges for advanced carbon materials as high-performance PIB anodes in practical applications.
Potassium ion hybrid capacitors (PIHCs) have drawn considerable attention due to the fact that they can combine the merits of high energy density of potassium ion batteries (KIBs) and high power ...density of supercapacitors. However, the sluggish kinetics caused by the large radius of K+ largely hinder the practical application of PIHCs. In this work, we report a nitrogen and sulfur co-doped 3D hierarchical porous carbon (N, S-3DHPC-600) as an anode for KIBs, possessing boosted potassium storage performance in terms of high reversible capacity, superior durability and rate capability. This N, S-3DHPC-600 electrode provides a large surface area, highly interconnected micro/mesoporosity, high ratio of pyridinic N/pyrrolic N and enlarged interlayer distance, which could promote the fast intercalation/deintercalation of K+, improve the surface charge capacity and maintain the structural stability of electrode material. As expected, a PIHCs device is constructed by employing this N, S-3DHPC-600 as an anode and AC-800 as a cathode, delivering exceptionally high energy/power densities (130.6 Wh Kg−1/16800W Kg−1), as well as a long cycle life (86.8% capacity retention after 5000cycles).
A high-performance PIHCs device is constructed by employing nitrogen and sulfur co-doped 3D hierarchical porous carbon (N, S-3DHPC-600) as an anode and AC-800 as a cathode, which delivers exceptionally high energy/power densities (130.6 Wh Kg−1/16800W Kg−1), as well as a long cycle life (86.8% capacity retention after 5000cycles). Display omitted
TET family enzymes successively oxidize 5-methylcytosine to 5-hydroxymethylcytosine, 5-formylcytosine, and 5-carboxylcytosine, leading to eventual demethylation. 5hmC and TET enzymes occupy distinct ...chromatin regions, suggesting unknown mechanisms controlling the fate of 5hmC within diverse chromatin environments. Here, we report that SALL4A preferentially associates with 5hmC in vitro and occupies enhancers in mouse embryonic stem cells in a largely TET1-dependent manner. Although most 5hmC at SALL4A peaks undergoes further oxidation, this process is abrogated upon deletion of Sall4 gene, with a concomitant reduction of TET2 at these regions. Thus, SALL4A facilitates further oxidation of 5hmC at its binding sites, which requires its 5hmC-binding activity and TET2, supporting a collaborative action between SALL4A and TET proteins in regulating stepwise oxidation of 5mC at enhancers. Our study identifies SALL4A as a 5hmC binder, which facilitates 5hmC oxidation by stabilizing TET2 association, thereby fine-tuning expression profiles of developmental genes in mouse embryonic stem cells.
Display omitted
•A SILAC-assisted DNA pull down reveals SALL4A preferentially binds 5hmC in vitro•SALL4A occupies enhancers in mouse ESCs, largely in a TET1-dependent manner•SALL4A facilitates 5hmC further oxidation at its binding sites•TET2 is the main enzyme catalyzing 5hmC further oxidation at SALL4A-binding sites
Xiong et al. identify SALL4A as a protein preferentially associating with 5hmC in vitro. In mouse ESCs, TET1 is the primary contributor to 5hmC production and recruiter of SALL4A at enhancers, whereas SALL4A stabilizes TET2 association and facilitates further oxidation of 5hmC to fine-tune expression of developmental genes.
Intercellular communication is crucial for breast cancer progression and metastasis. However, the role of cancer-derived exosomes and their crucial microRNA (miRNA) cargoes mediating intercellular ...communication requires further investigation.
Cancer-derived exosomes were isolated using differential centrifugation and differentially expressed miRNAs were determined by microarrays and qRT-PCR analysis. Cell proliferation, wound-healing, Transwell invasion, and tumor xenograft assays were used for functional research. Plasma exosomal RNA was isolated to verify its role as a prognostic biomarker.
We found that the tumor-promoting capacity of the exosomes was positively related to their cells of origin. MiR-7641 was identified to be the most differentially expressed miRNA, both at endogenous and secretory levels in high-metastatic cancer cells. MiR-7641 could promote tumor cell progression and metastasis, and that these functions of miR-7641 could alter recipient cells via transportation of exosomes. Additionally, exosomal miR-7641 could promote tumor growth in vivo; and its levels were significantly elevated in the plasma of patients with distant metastasis. Bioinformatics analysis has suggested that miR-7641 is correlated with breast cancer survival, and several important cellular and biological processes are closely targeted by miR-7641.
The findings indicate miR-7641 to be an important component of the cancer exosomes in promoting tumor progression and metastasis via intercellular communication. Additionally, exosomal miR-7641 may serve as a promising non-invasive diagnostic biomarker and potential targetable candidate in breast cancer treatment. Video Abstract.
Obesity is frequently accompanied with chronic inflammation over the whole body and is always associated with symptoms that include those arising from metabolic and vascular alterations. On the other ...hand, the chronic inflammatory status in the male genital tract may directly impair spermatogenesis and is even associated with male subfertility. However, it is still unclear if the chronic inflammation induced by obesity damages spermatogenesis in the male genital tract. To address this question, we used a high fat diet (HFD) induced obese mouse model and recruited obese patients from the clinic. We detected increased levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain containing-3 (NLRP3) in genital tract tissues including testis, epididymis, seminal vesicle, prostate, and serum from obese mice. Meanwhile, the levels of immunoglobulin G (IgG) and corticosterone were significantly higher than those in the control group in serum. Moreover, signal factors regulated by TNF-α, i.e., p38, nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), and their phosphorylated status, and inflammasome protein NLRP3 were expressed at higher levels in the testis. For overweight and obese male patients, the increased levels of TNF-α and IL-6 were also observed in their seminal plasma. Furthermore, there was a positive correlation between the TNF-α and IL-6 levels and BMI whereas they were inversely correlated with the sperm concentration and motility. In conclusion, impairment of male fertility may stem from a chronic inflammatory status in the male genital tract of obese individuals.
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