3D–2D–0D Interface Profiling for Record Efficiency All‐Inorganic CsPbBrI2 Perovskite Solar Cells with Superior Stability

All‐inorganic CsPbBrI₂ perovskite has great advantages in terms of ambient phase stability and suitable band gap (1.91 eV) for photovoltaic applications. However, the typically used structure causes reduced device performance, primarily due to the large recombination at the interface between the perovskite, and the hole‐extraction layer (HEL). In this paper, an efficient CsPbBrI₂ perovskite solar cell (PSC) with a dimensionally graded heterojunction is reported, in which the CsPbBrI₂ material is distributed within bulk–nanosheet–quantum dots or 3D–2D–0D dimension‐profiled interface structure so that the energy alignment is optimized in between the valence and conduction bands of both CsPbBrI₂ and the HEL layers. Specifically, the valence‐/conduction‐band edge is leveraged to bend with synergistic advantages: the graded combination enhances the hole extraction and conduction efficiency with effectively decreased recombination loss during the hole‐transfer process, leading to an enhanced built‐in electric field, hence a high V_OC of as much as 1.19 V. The profiled structure induces continuously upshifted energy levels, resulting in a higher J_SC of as much as 12.93 mA cm^?2 and fill factor as high as 80.5%, and therefore record power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 12.39%. As far as it is known, this is the highest PCE for CsPbBrI₂ perovskite‐based PSC.     

Peptide MSI-1 inhibited MCR-1 and regulated outer membrane vesicles to combat immune evasion of Escherichia coli

Polymyxin resistance is conferred by MCR-1 (mobile colistin resistance 1)-induced lipopolysaccharide (LPS) modification of G⁻ bacteria. However, the peptide MSI-1 exerts potent antimicrobial activity against mcr-1-carrying bacteria. To further investigate the potential role of MCR-1 in improving bacterial virulence and facilitating immune evasion, and the immunomodulatory effect of peptide MSI-1, we first explored outer membrane vesicle (OMV) alterations of mcr-1-carrying bacteria in the presence and absence of sub-MIC MSI-1, and host immune activation during bacterial infection and OMV stimulation. Our results demonstrated that LPS remodelling induced by MCR-1 negatively affected OMV formation and protein cargo by E. coli. In addition, MCR-1 diminished LPS-stimulated pyroptosis but facilitated mitochondrial dysfunction, further aggravating apoptosis in macrophages induced by OMVs of E. coli. Similarly, TLR4-mediated NF-κB activation was markedly alleviated once LPS was modified by MCR-1. However, peptide MSI-1 at the sub-MIC level inhibited the expression of MCR-1, further partly rescuing OMV alteration and attenuation of immune responses in the presence of MCR-1 during both infection and OMV stimulation, which can be exploited for anti-infective therapy.     

Additional data for a new Theileria sp. from China based on the sequences of ribosomal RNA internal transcribed spacers

Theileria sinensis was recently isolated and named as an independent Theileria species that infects cattle in China. To date, this parasite has been described based on its morphology, transmission and molecular studies, indicating that it should be classified as a distinct species. To test the validity of this taxon, the two internal transcribed spacers (ITS1 and ITS2) and the 5.8S rRNA gene were cloned and sequenced from three T. sinensis isolates. The complete ITS sequences were compared with those of other Theileria sp. available in GenBank. Phylogenetic analyses based on sequence data for the complete ITS sequences indicate that T. sinensis lies in a distinct clade that is separate from that of T. buffeli/orientalis and T. annulata. Sequence comparisons indicate that different T. sinensis isolates possess unique sizes of ITS1 and ITS2 as well as species-specific nucleotide sequences. This analysis provides new molecular data to support the classification of T. sinensis as a distinct species from other known Theileria spp. based on ITS sequences.     

DNA repair capacity, DNA-strand break repair gene polymorphisms, and the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma in southwestern Guangxi of China

The associations between DNA repair capacity (DRC), DNA repair gene polymorphisms, and the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have not been determined in high-risk areas. The aims of this study were to investigate whether DRC is related to the incidence of HCC and to determine whether polymorphisms in the DNA repair genes that regulate DRC are associated with the risk of HCC. First, a small case-control study was conducted to examine the association between DRC and the incidence of HCC and the environmental and genetic factors regulating DRC. Then, a large case-control study was conducted to determine whether those DNA repair gene polymorphisms shown to regulate DRC were related to the risk of HCC. The median DRC was significantly lower among the cases (0.80) than the controls (0.93). A multivariate linear regression analysis showed that the HBsAg status (p<0.01), ethnicity (p=0.01), and polymorphisms in the XRCC3-241 (p=0.01) and APE1-148 (p=0.03) gene loci may be impact factors for DRC. In the large case-control study, a stratified analysis showed that individuals with the APE1-148-combined genotype GT+TT likely had a significantly higher HCC risk compared with those with only the GG genotype (crude odds ratio=1.93, 95% confidence interval=1.17-3.17) among the Zhuang ethnicity. However, nonsignificant differences were observed between XRCC3-241 polymorphisms and the HCC risk. DRC may be related to the incidence of HCC as determined by environmental and genetic factors found in southwestern part of the Guangxi Province. Gene-environment interactions play an important role in the incidence and progression of HCC.     

ploidyfrost: Reference-free estimation of ploidy level from whole genome sequencing data based on de Bruijn graphs

Polyploidy is ubiquitous and its consequences are complex and variable. A change of ploidy level generally influences genetic diversity and results in morphological, physiological and ecological differences between cells or organisms with different ploidy levels. To avoid cumbersome experiments and take advantage of the less biased information provided by the vast amounts of genome sequencing data, computational tools for ploidy estimation are urgently needed. Until now, although a few such tools have been developed, many aspects of this estimation, such as the requirement of a reference genome, the lack of informative results and objective inferences, and the influence of false positives from errors and repeats, need further improvement. We have developed ploidyfrost , a de Bruijn graph-based method, to estimate ploidy levels from whole genome sequencing data sets without a reference genome. ploidyfrost provides a visual representation of allele frequency distribution generated using the ggplot2 package as well as quantitative results using the Gaussian mixture model. In addition, it takes advantage of colouring information encoded in coloured de Bruijn graphs to analyse multiple samples simultaneously and to flexibly filter putative false positives. We evaluated the performance of ploidyfrost by analysing highly heterozygous or repetitive samples of Cyclocarya paliurus and a complex allooctoploid sample of Fragaria × ananassa. Moreover, we demonstrated that the accuracy of analysis results can be improved by constraining a threshold such as Cramér's V coefficient on variant features, which may significantly reduce the side effects of sequencing errors and annoying repeats on the graphical structure constructed.     

他汀类药物对中老年男性冠心病患者肠道菌群的影响

目的探讨他汀类药物对中老年男性稳定型冠心病患者肠道菌群的影响,为临床冠心病的二级预防提供参考。方法选择64例经皮冠状动脉介入治疗术后坚持服用中等强度他汀类药物的男性稳定型冠心病患者为研究对象。患者年龄55～74岁,均不合并糖尿病。根据研究期间患者低密度脂蛋白胆固醇(LDL-C)水平分为血脂未达标组(NSG组,LDL-C≥1.8 mmol/L)与血脂达标组(SG组,LDL-C1.8 mmol/L)。比较两组患者一般临床情况,治疗前后血糖、血脂水平,同时应用16S rRNA测序分析技术对两组患者肠道菌群进行分析。结果两组患者一般临床情况及他汀类药物治疗前患者血糖、血脂水平差异均无统计学意义(均P0.05)。治疗后,NSG组患者总胆固醇、LDL-C、三酰甘油水平均明显高于SG组;同时NSG组患者治疗后空腹血糖水平明显高于治疗前(均P0.05)。Alpha多样性分析显示,NSG组患者肠道菌群多样性低于SG组(P0.05)。LEfSe分析显示,SG组患者肠道Verrucomicrobia、Verrucomicrobiae、Verrucomicrobiales、Verrucomicrobiaceae、Akkermansias、Akkermansia muciniphila、Subdoligranulum和uncultured_Christensenellaceae_bacterium数量明显高于NSG组,而uncultured_Veillonellaceae_bacterium及Prevotella_stercorea的丰度显著低于NSG组。结论中等强度他汀类药物对男性中老年稳定型冠心病患者的疗效与肠道菌群存在一定关系,主要表现为治疗后LDL-C未达标者肠道脂代谢有益菌Akkermansia muciniphila及Subdoligranulum丰度明显减少。     

Novel mutations in ADAMTS13 CUB domains cause abnormal pre-mRNA splicing and defective secretion of ADAMTS13

Hereditary thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is an autosomal recessive thrombosis disorder, caused by loss-of-function mutations in ADAMTS13. Mutations in the CUB domains of ADAMTS13 are rare, and the exact mechanisms through which these mutations result in the development of TTP have not yet been fully elucidated. In this study, we identified two novel mutations in the CUB domains in a TTP family with an acceptor splice-site mutation (c.3569−1, G>A, intron 25) and a point missense mutation (c.3923, G>A, exon 28), resulting in a glycine to aspartic acid substitution (p.G1308D). In vitro splicing analysis revealed that the intronic mutation resulted in abnormal pre-mRNA splicing, and an in vitro expression assay revealed that the missense mutation significantly impaired ADAMTS13 secretion. Although both the patient and her brother displayed significantly reduced ADAMTS13 activity and increased levels of ultra-large VWF (ULVWF) multimers in plasma, only the female developed acute episodes of TTP. Our findings indicate the importance of the CUB domains for the protein stability and extracellular secretion of ADAMTS13.     

Deciphering the proteome of the in vivo diagnostic reagent "purified protein derivative" from Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Purified protein derivative (PPD) has served as a safe and effective diagnostic reagent for 60 years and is the only broadly available material to diagnose latent tuberculosis infections. This reagent is also used as a standard control for a number of in vitro immunological assays. Nevertheless, the molecular composition and specific products that contribute to the extraordinary immunological reactivity of PPD are poorly defined. Here, a proteomic approach was applied to elucidate the gene products in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) standard PPD-S2. Many known Mycobacterium tuberculosis T-cell antigens were detected. Of significance, four heat shock proteins (HSPs) (GroES, GroEL2, HspX, and DnaK) dominated the composition of PPD. The chaperone activities and capacity of these proteins to influence immunological responses may explain the exquisite solubility and immunological potency of PPD. Spectral counting analysis of three separate PPD reagents revealed significant quantitative variances. Gross delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) responses in M. tuberculosis infected guinea pigs were comparable among these PPD preparations; however, detailed histopathology of the DTH lesions exposed unique differences, which may be explained by the variability observed in the presence and abundance of early secretory system (Esx) proteins. Variability in PPD reagents may explain differences in DTH responses reported among populations.     

Combination effects of chronic cadmium exposure and gamma-irradiation on the genotoxicity and cytotoxicity of peripheral blood lymphocytes and bone marrow cells in rats

This work investigated the effects of chronic cadmium (Cd) exposure combined with γ-ray irradiation on the cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of peripheral blood cells and bone marrow cells in rats. Results showed that when the rats were exposed to low dose (LD) Cd of 0.1mg CdCl?/(kgd) for 8 and 12 weeks, the Cd concentration in blood reached to 135-140 μg/L and no toxic effects on peripheral blood lymphocytes, white blood cells (WBC) and granulocyte-monocyte (GM) progenitor cells were observed except polychromatic erythrocytes (PCE) of bone marrow. Moreover, this chronic LD Cd exposure significantly decreased irradiation-induced micronucleus (MN) formation and hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyl transferase (hprt) mutation in lymphocytes and PCE, while the combination of LD Cd exposure and irradiation induced the additive metallothionein (MT) protein expression in bone marrow cells. When the rats were exposed to a high dose (HD) Cd of 0.5mg CdCl/?(kgd) for 8 and 12 weeks, the blood Cd level approached to 458-613 μg/L and an inflammatory response was induced, meanwhile, MN formation and hprt mutation were markedly increased, and the ratio of PCE/NCE (normochromatic erythrocyte) was significantly decreased. Furthermore, when the rats were exposed to HD Cd plus 2 Gy irradiation, additive toxic effects on MN formation, hprt mutation, PCE damage and GM progenitor cell proliferation were observed, while this combination treatment resulted in an obvious reduction of MT protein compared to HD Cd group. In conclusion, chronic exposure to LD Cd induced the adaptive response to irradiation in the genotoxicity of peripheral blood lymphocytes and PCE of bone marrow by the up-regulation of Cd-induced MT protein, but the combination of HD Cd exposure and irradiation generated the additive effects on the cytotoxicity and genotoxicity in peripheral blood lymphocytes and bone marrow cells.