Protein nanopores offer an inexpensive, label-free method of analysing single oligonucleotides. The sensitivity of the approach is largely determined by the characteristics of the pore-forming ...protein employed, and typically relies on nanopores that have been chemically modified or incorporate molecular motors. Effective, high-resolution discrimination of oligonucleotides using wild-type biological nanopores remains difficult to achieve. Here, we show that a wild-type aerolysin nanopore can resolve individual short oligonucleotides that are 2 to 10 bases long. The sensing capabilities are attributed to the geometry of aerolysin and the electrostatic interactions between the nanopore and the oligonucleotides. We also show that the wild-type aerolysin nanopores can distinguish individual oligonucleotides from mixtures and can monitor the stepwise cleavage of oligonucleotides by exonuclease I.
An aerolysin nanopore is employed as a sensitive tool for single‐molecule analysis of short oligonucleotides (≤10 nucleotides), poly(ethylene glycol) (PEGs), peptides, and proteins. However, the ...direct analysis of long oligonucleotides with the secondary structure (e.g., G‐quadruplex topology) remains a challenge, which impedes the further practical applications of the aerolysin nanopore. Here, a simple and applicable method of aerolysin nanopore is presented to achieve a direct analysis of structured oligonucleotides that are extended to 30 nucleotides long by a cation‐regulation mechanism. By regulating the cation type in electrolyte solution, the structured oligonucleotides are unfolded into linear form which ensures the successive translocation. The results show that each model oligonucleotide of 5′‐(TTAGGG)n‐3′ can produce a well‐resolved current blockade in its unfolded solution of MgCl2. The length between 6 and 30 nucleotides long of model oligonucleotides is proportional to the duration time, showing a translocation velocity as low as 0.70–0.13 ms nt−1 at +140 mV. This method exhibits an excellent sensitivity and a sufficient temporal resolution, provides insight into the aerolysin nanopore methodology for genetic and epigenetic biosensing, making aerolysin applicable in practical diagnosing with long and structured nucleic acids.
The aerolysin‐based direct analysis of oligonucleotides with the secondary structure (e.g., G‐quadruplex) remains a challenge. Here, a novel strategy of aerolysin nanopore is presented to analyze structured oligonucleotides that are extended to 30 bases long by a cation‐regulation mechanism. This method can in principle guide to achieve genetic application of the aerolysin nanopore.
: Walking while performing cognitive and motor tasks simultaneously interferes with gait performance and may lead to falls in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Executive function, ...which seems to play a key role in dual-task gait performance, can be improved by combined physical and cognitive training. Virtual reality (VR) has the potential to assist rehabilitation, and its effect on physical and cognitive function requires further investigation. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of VR-based physical and cognitive training on executive function and dual-task gait performance in older adults with MCI, as well as to compare VR-based physical and cognitive training with traditional combined physical and cognitive training.
: Thirty-four community-dwelling older adults with MCI were randomly assigned into either a VR-based physical and cognitive training (VR) group or a combined traditional physical and cognitive training (CPC) group for 36 sessions over 12 weeks. Outcome measures included executive function Stroop Color and Word Test (SCWT) and trail making test (TMT) A and B, gait performance (gait speed, stride length, and cadence) and dual-task costs (DTCs). Walking tasks were performed during single-task walking, walking while performing serial subtraction (cognitive dual task), and walking while carrying a tray (motor dual task). The GAIT Up system was used to evaluate gait parameters including speed, stride length, cadence and DTCs. DTC were defined as 100 * (single-task gait parameters - dual-task gait parameters)/single-task gait parameters.
: Both groups showed significant improvements in the SCWT and single-task and motor dual-task gait performance measures. However, only the VR group showed improvements in cognitive dual-task gait performance and the DTC of cadence. Moreover, the VR group showed more improvements than the CPC group in the TMT-B and DTC of cadence with borderline significances.
: A 12-week VR-based physical and cognitive training program led to significant improvements in dual-task gait performance in older adults with MCI, which may be attributed to improvements in executive function.
A novel smart fluorescent polymer polyethyleneimine‐grafted pyrene (PGP) is developed by incorporating four stimuli‐triggers at molecular level. The triggers are amphiphilicity, supramolecular ...host–guest sites, pyrene fluorescence indicator, and reversible chelation sites. PGP exhibits smart deformation and shape‐dependent fluorescence in response to external stimuli. It can deform into three typical shapes with a characteristic fluorescence color, namely, spherical core–shell micelles of cyan‐green fluorescence, standard rectangular nanosheets of yellow fluorescence, and irregular branches of deep‐blue fluorescence. A quasi‐reversible deformation between the first two shapes can be dynamically manipulated. Moreover, driven by reversible coordination and the resulting intramolecular photoinduced electron transfer, PGP can be used as an aqueous fluorescence ink with erasable and recoverable properties. The fluorescent patterns printed by PGP ink on paper can be rapidly erased and recovered by simple spraying a sequence of Cu2+ and ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid aqueous solutions. This erase/recover transformation can be repeated multiple times on the same paper. The multiple stimulus responsiveness of PGP makes it have potential applications in nanorobots, sensing, information encryption, and anticounterfeiting.
A smart single‐fluorophore polymer polyethyleneimine‐grafted pyrene (PGP) incorporating four stimuli‐triggers: amphiphilicity, supramolecular host–guest sites, pyrene fluorescence indicator, and reversible chelation sites, exhibits deformation and shape‐dependent fluorescence in response to external stimuli. Besides, PGP driven by its reversible chelation capacity can be used as an advanced fluorescent ink with erasable and recoverable properties.
Frailty status can be improved by intervention. Both exergaming and combined exercise have been proposed for improving physical performance in community-dwelling elderly. However, whether frailty ...status can be improved by exergaming is unclear. Moreover, whether Kinect-based exergaming training can exert a stronger effect on improving frailty status than combined exercise needs to be established. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Kinect-based exergaming on improving frailty status and physical performance in the prefrail and frail elderly by comparing its effects with those of combined exercise. Fifty-two prefrail and frail elderly were recruited and randomized to the Kinect-based exergaming group (EXER group) or combined exercise group (CE group), emphasizing resistance, aerobic, and balance training for 36 sessions over 12 weeks. Our results showed that both groups improved the frailty status (EXER group: p = 0.016, effect size = 2.29; and CE group: p = 0.031, effect size = 2.67). Three out of 5 physical characteristics of the frailty phenotype, namely, weakness, slow walking speed, and low activity level, were significantly reversed by both exergaming and combined exercise. However, the exergaming training also significantly reversed exhaustion. Furthermore, compared with the CE group, the EXER group showed greater improvement in dynamic balance control, as indicated by the forward reaching test (p = 0.0013, effect size = 0.40) and single leg stance test (p = 0.049, effect size = 0.42). Thus, Kinect-based exergaming exerted effects that were at least as beneficial as those of combined exercise in improving frailty status and the frailty phenotype. We recommend the use of exergaming aided by Kinect in the prefrail and frail elderly.
(Mill.) Swingle (Simaroubaceae) is a deciduous tree widely distributed throughout temperate regions in China, hence suitable for genetic diversity and evolutionary studies. Previous studies in
have ...mainly focused on its biological activities, genetic diversity and genetic structure. However, until now there is no published report regarding genome of this plant species or Simaroubaceae family. Therefore, in this paper, we first characterized
complete chloroplast genome sequence. The tree of heaven chloroplast genome was found to be a circular molecule 160,815 base pairs (bp) in size and possess a quadripartite structure. The
chloroplast genome contains 113 unique genes of which 79 and 30 are protein coding and transfer RNA (tRNA) genes respectively and also 4 ribosomal RNA genes (rRNA) with overall GC content of 37.6%. Microsatellite marker detection identified A/T mononucleotides as majority SSRs in all the seven analyzed genomes. Repeat analyses of seven Sapindales revealed a total of 49 repeats in
,
,
,
, while
,
, and
had a total of 48 repeats. The phylogenetic analysis using protein coding genes revealed that
is a sister to
and also suggested that Simaroubaceae is a sister to Rutaceae family. The genome information reported here could be further applied for evolution and invasion, population genetics, and molecular studies in this plant species and family.
The concurrent additional tasking impacts the walking performance, and such impact is even greater in individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) than in healthy elders. However, effective ...training program to improve dual task walking ability for the people with MCI is not immediately provided. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the effects of cognitive and motor dual task walking training on dual task walking performance and the responding brain changes in older people with MCI. Thirty older adults with MCI were randomly allocated to receive 24 sessions of 45-min cognitive dual task training (CDTT, n = 9), motor dual task training (MDTT, n = 11), or conventional physical therapy (CPT, n = 10). Gait performance and brain activation during single and dual task walking, and cognitive function assessed by trail-making test (TMT-A, B) and digit span test were measured at pre-, post-test, and 1-month follow-up. Both CDTT and MDTT improved dual task walking with responding activation changes in specific brain areas. The improvements in motor dual task walking performance after both dual task trainings were significantly better than after CPT in the older adults with MCI. Both cognitive and motor dual task training were feasible and beneficial to improve dual task walking ability in older adults with MCI.Trial Registration: The trial was registered to Thai Clinical Trial Registry and the registration number is TCTR20180510002 (first registration date: 10/05/2018).
Two-dimensional crystals with a wealth of exotic dimensional-dependent properties are promising candidates for next-generation ultrathin and flexible optoelectronic devices. For the first time, we ...demonstrate that few-layered InSe photodetectors, fabricated on both a rigid SiO2/Si substrate and a flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film, are capable of conducting broadband photodetection from the visible to near-infrared region (450–785 nm) with high photoresponsivities of up to 12.3 AW–1 at 450 nm (on SiO2/Si) and 3.9 AW–1 at 633 nm (on PET). These photoresponsivities are superior to those of other recently reported two-dimensional (2D) crystal-based (graphene, MoS2, GaS, and GaSe) photodetectors. The InSe devices fabricated on rigid SiO2/Si substrates possess a response time of ∼50 ms and exhibit long-term stability in photoswitching. These InSe devices can also operate on a flexible substrate with or without bending and reveal comparable performance to those devices on SiO2/Si. With these excellent optoelectronic merits, we envision that the nanoscale InSe layers will not only find applications in flexible optoelectronics but also act as an active component to configure versatile 2D heterostructure devices.
Purpose
To evaluate the treatment effect of strabismus surgery for Graves ophthalmopathy in an ethnic Chinese population.
Study design
A prospective clinical study.
Methods
Thirty-one patients with ...Graves ophthalmopathy who had undergone strabismus surgery at National Taiwan University Hospital between 2012 and 2013 were consecutively recruited. The subjective outcome was evaluated using the Graves’ Ophthalmopathy Quality-of-Life (GO-QoL) questionnaire, and the ocular deviation was measured preoperatively and postoperatively by use of a prism cover test.
Results
The GO-QoL scores for visual functioning and appearance improved significantly after surgery (preoperative scores 32.6 ± 19.9 and 43.8 ± 26.4, postoperative scores 55.2 ± 24.4 and 54.1 ± 27.6, respectively;
P
< .05). Motor success was achieved in 61.3% of the patients, and their postoperative visual scores were higher (61.5 ± 22.5) than the scores of those who experienced motor failure (45.3 ± 26.8,
P
= .048). The postoperative visual function scores showed a negative correlation with the residual vertical deviation (
R
2
= 0.546,
P
= .040). A higher increase in GO-QoL visual scores and a lower residual vertical deviation in downgaze were achieved among patients without previous decompression surgery. Our surgical methods resulted in a motor success rate of 76.5% for the correction of vertical deviation.
Conclusion
GO-QoL scores and ocular deviation improved significantly after strabismus surgery. Precise correction of vertical deviation was of greater importance than horizontal deviation for visual function scores. Our surgical methods were effective for the correction of vertical deviation in Graves ophthalmopathy.
Hornworts, liverworts and mosses are three early diverging clades of land plants, and together comprise the bryophytes. Here, we report the draft genome sequence of the hornwort Anthoceros angustus. ...Phylogenomic inferences confirm the monophyly of bryophytes, with hornworts sister to liverworts and mosses. The simple morphology of hornworts correlates with low genetic redundancy in plant body plan, while the basic transcriptional regulation toolkit for plant development has already been established in this early land plant lineage. Although the Anthoceros genome is small and characterized by minimal redundancy, expansions are observed in gene families related to RNA editing, UV protection and desiccation tolerance. The genome of A. angustus bears the signatures of horizontally transferred genes from bacteria and fungi, in particular of genes operating in stress-response and metabolic pathways. Our study provides insight into the unique features of hornworts and their molecular adaptations to live on land.
PDF
