Association between osteoprotegerin gene polymorphisms and cardiovascular disease in type 2 diabetic patients

Osteoprotegerin (OPG) gene polymorphisms (T245G, T950C and G1181C) have been associated with osteoporosis and early predictors of cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether these polymorphisms contribute to cardiovascular disease (CVD) in type 2 diabetic patients. We performed a case-control study with 178 CVD subjects with diabetes and 312 diabetic patients without CVD to assess the impact of variants of the OPG gene on the risk of CVD. The OPG gene polymorphisms were analyzed by using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP). There was no significant association between the T245G and G1181C polymorphisms and CVD in the additive genetic model (OR = 0.96, 95% CI 0.64–1.45, p = 0.79; OR = 1.06, 95% CI 0.81–1.39, p = 0.65, respectively). However, the C allele of the T950C polymorphism was independently associated with a risk of CVD in type 2 diabetic patients in this genetic model (OR = 1.38, 95% CI 1.07–1.80, p = 0.01). This study provides evidence that the C allele of the T950C polymorphism is associated with increased risk of CVD in diabetic patients. However, well-designed prospective studies with a larger sample size are needed to validate these results.     

烟田中静电喷雾和电动喷雾下噻虫嗪的防效及对昆虫群落的影响

【目的】探明静电喷雾与电动喷雾对噻虫嗪防治害虫效果及烟田昆虫群落的影响,为静电喷雾在烟草上的推广应用提供理论依据。【方法】利用静电喷雾与电动喷雾法喷施0.66 g·L~(-1)25%噻虫嗪水分散粒剂,施药1、3、7 d后,测定2种方法对烟蚜与斜纹夜蛾的防治效果、在烟株与土壤中的沉积以及对昆虫群落的影响。【结果】喷施25%噻虫嗪水分散粒剂1、3、7 d后,静电喷雾对烟蚜和斜纹夜蛾的防治效果均显著高于电动喷雾的防治效果,且防治效果均随时间的推移而升高。噻虫嗪在静电喷雾处理区烟叶上的沉积量高于电动喷雾处理区烟叶上的沉积量,而在静电喷雾处理区土壤中的沉积量低于电动喷雾处理区土壤中的沉积量,且都随时间的推移而降低。静电喷雾与电动喷雾均引起烟田昆虫群落的变化,静电喷雾引起的害虫和中性昆虫的数量变化大于电动喷雾,但天敌昆虫的数量变化小于电动喷雾,且静电喷雾区烟田的物种丰富度明显高于电动喷雾区,可见静电喷雾施药对烟田昆虫群落的影响小于电动喷雾施药。静电喷雾的S_t/S_i与S_n/S_p比值明显高于电动喷雾,说明静电喷雾烟田中昆虫群落稳定性高于电动喷雾烟田中昆虫群落的稳定性。【结论】相比电动喷雾,静电喷雾能够提高噻虫嗪在烟叶上的沉积量,从而提高噻虫嗪对害虫的防治效果,同时减少噻虫嗪在土壤中的沉积量,提高噻虫嗪的生态安全性,因此,静电喷雾在烟草病虫害防治上具有较好的应用前景。     

Genome sequence of foxtail millet (Setaria italica) provides insights into grass evolution and biofuel potential

Foxtail millet (Setaria italica), a member of the Poaceae grass family, is an important food and fodder crop in arid regions and has potential for use as a C(4) biofuel. It is a model system for other biofuel grasses, including switchgrass and pearl millet. We produced a draft genome (～423 Mb) anchored onto nine chromosomes and annotated 38,801 genes. Key chromosome reshuffling events were detected through collinearity identification between foxtail millet, rice and sorghum including two reshuffling events fusing rice chromosomes 7 and 9, 3 and 10 to foxtail millet chromosomes 2 and 9, respectively, that occurred after the divergence of foxtail millet and rice, and a single reshuffling event fusing rice chromosome 5 and 12 to foxtail millet chromosome 3 that occurred after the divergence of millet and sorghum. Rearrangements in the C(4) photosynthesis pathway were also identified.     

Amphoteric Indium Enables Carrier Engineering to Enhance the Power Factor and Thermoelectric Performance in n‐Type AgnPb100InnTe100+2n (LIST)

The Ag and In co‐doped PbTe, Ag_nPb₁₀₀In_nTe_100+2n (LIST), exhibits n‐type behavior and features unique inherent electronic levels that induce self‐tuning carrier density. Results show that In is amphoteric in the LIST, forming both In³⁺ and In¹⁺ centers. Through unique interplay of valence fluctuations in the In centers and conduction band filling, the electron carrier density can be increased from ≈3.1 × 10¹⁸ cm^?3 at 323 K to ≈2.4 × 10¹⁹ cm^?3 at 820 K, leading to large power factors peaking at ≈16.0 µWcm^?1 K^?2 at 873 K. The lone pair of electrons from In⁺ can be thermally continuously promoted into the conduction band forming In³⁺, consistent with the amphoteric character of In. Moreover, with rising temperature, the Fermi level shifts into the conduction band, which enlarges the optical band gap based on the Moss–Burstein effect, and reduces bipolar diffusion and thermal conductivity. Adding extra Ag in LIST improves the electrical transport properties and meanwhile lowers the lattice thermal conductivity to ≈0.40 Wm^?1 K^?1. The addition of Ag creates spindle‐shaped Ag₂Te nanoprecipitates and atomic‐scale interstitials that scatter a broader set of phonons. As a result, a maximum ZT value ≈1.5 at 873 K is achieved in Ag₆Pb₁₀₀InTe₁₀₂ (LIST).     

Tunable Absorbers Based on an Electrically Controlled Resistive Layer

Plasmonics - In this article, an electrically controlled resistive layer (ECRL) is proposed to construct tunable absorbers. This ECRL is composed of VO2 film and resistive layer without lithography...     

Reducing Saturation‐Current Density to Realize High‐Efficiency Low‐Bandgap Mixed Tin–Lead Halide Perovskite Solar Cells

The unsatisfactory performance of low‐bandgap mixed tin (Sn)–lead (Pb) halide perovskite subcells has been one of the major obstacles hindering the progress of the power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of all‐perovskite tandem solar cells. By analyzing dark‐current density and distribution, it is identified that charge recombination at grain boundaries is a key factor limiting the performance of low‐bandgap mixed Sn–Pb halide perovskite subcells. It is further found that bromine (Br) incorporation can effectively passivate grain boundaries and lower the dark current density by two–three orders of magnitude. By optimizing the Br concentration, low‐bandgap (1.272 eV) mixed Sn–Pb halide perovskite solar cells are fabricated with open‐circuit voltage deficits as low as 0.384 V and fill factors as high as 75%. The best‐performing device demonstrates a PCE of >19%. The results suggest an important direction for improving the performance of low‐bandgap mixed Sn–Pb halide perovskite solar cells.     

Understanding and Eliminating Hysteresis for Highly Efficient Planar Perovskite Solar Cells

Through detailed device characterization using cross‐sectional Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) and trap density of states measurements, we identify that the J–V hysteresis seen in planar organic–inorganic hybrid perovskite solar cells (PVSCs) using SnO₂ electron selective layers (ESLs) synthesized by low‐temperature plasma‐enhanced atomic‐layer deposition (PEALD) method is mainly caused by the imbalanced charge transportation between the ESL/perovskite and the hole selective layer/perovskite interfaces. We find that this charge transportation imbalance is originated from the poor electrical conductivity of the low‐temperature PEALD SnO₂ ESL. We further discover that a facile low‐temperature thermal annealing of SnO₂ ESLs can effectively improve the electrical mobility of low‐temperature PEALD SnO₂ ESLs and consequently significantly reduce or even eliminate the J–V hysteresis. With the reduction of J–V hysteresis and optimization of deposition process, planar PVSCs with stabilized output powers up to 20.3% are achieved. The results of this study provide insights for further enhancing the efficiency of planar PVSCs.     

生物法合成辛伐他汀

通过提高E.coli BL21(DE3)/pAW31菌株中的酰基转移酶LovD的表达,并以Monacolin J为底物,催化合成辛伐他汀。考察发酵培养基和发酵条件对酰基转移酶LovD表达的影响;采用SDS-PAGE凝胶电泳法检测酰基转移酶LovD表达情况;并建立酶活测定方法,测定酰基转移酶LovD的实际酶活。通过实验确定酰基转移酶LovD摇瓶发酵的最佳条件:发酵培养基为TB培养基,接种量为4%,诱导初始菌密度为0.7(OD600)I,PTG浓度为0.2 mmol/L,在20℃下诱导20 h。在最佳条件下,酰基转移酶LovD的表达水平为100 mg/L,辛伐他汀的产量为1.2 g/L。     

CSFV proliferation is associated with GBF1 and Rab2

The Golgi apparatus and its resident proteins are utilized and regulated by viruses to facilitate their proliferation. In this study, we investigated Classical swine fever virus (CSFV) proliferation when the function of the Golgi was disturbed. Golgi function was disturbed using chemical inhibitors, namely, brefeldin A (BFA) and golgicide A (GCA), and RNA interfering targets, such as the Golgi-specific BFA-resistance guanine nucleotide exchange factor 1 (GBF1) and Rab2 GTPases. CSFV proliferation was significantly inhibited during RNA replication and viral particle generation after BFA and GCA treatment. CSFV multiplication dynamics were retarded in cells transfected with GBF1 and Rab2 shRNA. Furthermore, CSFV proliferation was promoted by GBF1 and Rab2 overexpression using a lentiviral system. Hence, Golgi function is important for CSFV multiplication, and GBF1 and Rab2 participate in CSFV proliferation. Further studies must investigate Golgi-resident proteins to elucidate the mechanism underlying CSFV replication.