One-dimensional and two-dimensional synergized nanostructures for high-performing energy storage and conversion

To address the worldwide energy challenges,advanced energy storage and conversion systems with high comprehensive performances,as the promising technologies,are inevitably required on a timely basis.The performance of these energy systems is intimately dependent on the properties of their electrodes.In addition to the electrode materials selection and their compositional optimization,materials fabrication with the designed nanostructure also provides significant benefits for their performances.In the past decade,considerable efforts have been made to promote the search for multidimensional nanostructures containing both onedimensional(1D)and two-dimensional(2D)nanostructures in synergy,namely,1D-2D synergized nanostructures.By developing the freestanding electrodes with such unique nanoarchitectures,the structural features and electroactivities of each component can be manifested,where the synergistic properties among them can be simultaneously obtained for further enhanced properties,such as the increased number of active sites,fast electronic/ionic transport,and so forth.This review overviews the state-of-the-art on the 1D-2D synergized nanostructures,which can be broadly divided into three groups,namely,core/shell,cactus-like,and sandwich-like nanostructures.For each category,we introduce them from the aspects of structural features,fabrication methodologies to their successful applications in different types of energy storage/conversion devices,including rechargeable batteries,supercapacitors,water splitting,and so forth.Finally,the main challenges faced by and perspectives on the 1D-2D synergized nanostructures are discussed.

A Rapid Parameter of Enzyme-Treated Cellulosic Material Revealed by Reducing Sugar Release

This study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of enzymes in purifying and reducing the degree of polymerization of cellulose for the production of dissolving pulp.Our goal was to determine the contributions of xylanase(X)and endoglucanase(EG)in the treatment of pulp,specifically by quantifying the formation of soluble and insoluble reducing sugars using the dinitrosalycilic acid(DNS)test.Predominantly,the release of soluble reducing sugars(RSSol)was enhanced after xylanase treatment,while endoglucanase(EG)treatment led to changes in insoluble reducing sugars(RSIns).The maximum synergism was observed for RSIns when a high ratio of endoglucanase to xylanase(320EG:5X/g pulp)was used.The relative contribution of endoglucanase to RSins was determined to be 15.6%of the total reducing sugar.The viscosity of pulps treated with xylanase decreased only by 7%,whereas endoglucanase treatment significantly reduced viscosity by 45%.Modifications in the particle size were observed after pulp treatment with the combination of endoglucanase and xylanase.In summary,the DNS test is a rapid and effective method for evaluating the efficiency of enzyme treatments on pulps.The measurement of RSIns correlates with changes in pulp viscosity to different extents,providing valuable insights into the effectiveness of enzyme treatments.

Near ambient condition hydrogen storage in a synergized tri-component hydride system

Subject Code:H07 With the support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China and HGZ-CAS,a collaborative study by the research groups led by Prof.Chen Ping(陈萍)from Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics,Chinese Academy of Sciences and Prof.M.Dornheim,Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht,Germany

Compositional engineering of HKUST-1/sulfidized NiMn-LDH on functionalized MWCNTs as remarkable bifunctional electrocatalysts for water splitting

Water-splitting reactions such as the hydrogen evolution reaction(HER)and the oxygen evolution reaction(OER)typically require expensive noble metal-based electrocatalysts.This has motivated researchers to develop novel,cost-effective electrocatalytic systems.In this study,a new multicomponent nanocomposite was assembled by combining functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes,a Cu-based metal–organic framework(MOF)(HKUST-1 or HK),and a sulfidized NiMn-layered double hydroxide(NiMn-S).The resulting nanocomposite,abbreviated as MW/HK/NiMn-S,features a unique architecture,high porosity,numerous electroactive Cu/Ni/Mn sites,fast charge transfer,excellent structural stability,and conductivity.At a current density of 10 mA cm-2,this dual-function electrocatalyst shows remarkable performance,with ultralow overpotential values of 163 mV(OER)or 73 mV(HER),as well as low Tafel slopes(57 and 75 mV dec-1,respectively).Additionally,its high turnover frequency values(4.43 s-1 for OER;3.96 s-1 for HER)are significantly superior to those of standard noble metal-based Pt/C and IrO2 systems.The synergistic effect of the nanocomposite's different components is responsible for its enhanced electrocatalytic performance.A density functional theory study revealed that the multi-interface and multicomponent heterostructure contribute to increased electrical conductivity and decreased energy barrier,resulting in superior electrocatalytic HER/OER activity.This study presents a novel vision for designing advanced electrocatalysts with superior performance in water splitting.Various composites have been utilized in water-splitting applications.This study investigates the use of the MW/HK/NiMn-S electrocatalyst for water splitting for the first time to indicate the synergistic effect between carbon-based materials along with layered double hydroxide compounds and porous compounds of MOF.The unique features of each component in this composite can be an interesting topic in the field of water splitting.

Cytotoxic synergism of Clostridioides difficile toxin B with proinflammatory cytokines in subjects with inflammatory bowel diseases

Clostridioides difficile(C.difficile)is progressively colonizing humans and animals living with humans.During this process,hypervirulent strains and mutated toxin A and B of C.difficile(TcdA and TcdB)are originating and developing.While in healthy subjects colonization by C.difficile becomes a risk after the use of antibiotics that alter the microbiome,other categories of people are more susceptible to infection and at risk of relapse,such as those with inflammatory bowel disease(IBD).Recent in vitro studies suggest that this increased susceptibility could be due to the strong cytotoxic synergism between TcdB and proinflammatory cytokines the tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interferon-gamma(CKs).Therefore,in subjects with IBD the presence of an inflammatory state in the colon could be the driver that increases the susceptibility to C.difficile infection and its progression and relapses.TcdB is internalized in the cell via three receptors:chondroitin sulphate proteoglycan 4;poliovirus receptor-like 3;and Wnt receptor frizzled family.Chondroitin sulphate proteoglycan 4 and Wnt receptor frizzled family are involved in cell death by apoptosis or necrosis depending on the concentration of TcdB and cell types,while poliovirus receptor-like 3 induces only necrosis.It is possible that cytokines could also induce a greater expression of receptors for TcdB that are more involved in necrosis than in apoptosis.Therefore,in subjects with IBD there are the conditions:(1)For greater susceptibility to C.difficile infection,such as the inflammatory state,and abnormalities of the microbiome and of the immune system;(2)for the enhancement of the cytotoxic activity of TcdB+Cks;and(3)for a greater expression of TcdB receptors stimulated by cytokines that induce cell death by necrosis rather than apoptosis.The only therapeutic approach currently possible in IBD patients is monitoring of C.difficile colonization for interventions aimed at reducing tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interferon-gamma levels when the infection begins.The future perspective is to generate bacteriophages against C.difficile for targeted therapy.

Gradient carbonyl-iron/carbon-fiber reinforced composite metamaterial for ultra-broadband electromagnetic wave absorption by multi-scale integrated design

The demand of high-end electromagnetic wave absorbing materials puts forward higher requirements on comprehensive performances of small thickness,lightweight,broadband,and strong absorption.Herein,a novel multi-layer stepped metamaterial absorber with gradient electromagnetic properties is proposed.The complex permittivity and permeability of each layer are tailored via the proportion of carbonyliron and carbon-fiber dispersing into the epoxy resin.The proposed metamaterial is further optimized via adjusting the electromagnetic parameters and geometric sizes of each layer.Comparing with the four-layer composite with gradient electromagnetic properties which could only realize reflection loss(RL)of less than−6 dB in 2.0-40 GHz,the optimized stepped metamaterial with the same thickness and electromagnetic properties realizes less than−10 dB in the relevant frequency range.Additionally,the RL of less than−15 dB is achieved in the frequency range of 11.2-21.4 GHz and 28.5-40 GHz.The multiple electromagnetic wave absorption mechanism is discussed based on the experimental and simulation results,which is believed to be attributed to the synergy effect induced by multi-scale structures of the metamaterial.Therefore,combining multi-layer structures and periodic stepped structures into a novel gradient absorbing metamaterial would give new insights into designing microwave absorption devices for broadband electromagnetic protections.

Optimal Synergic Deep Learning for COVID-19 Classification Using Chest X-Ray Images

A chest radiology scan can significantly aid the early diagnosis and management of COVID-19 since the virus attacks the lungs.Chest X-ray(CXR)gained much interest after the COVID-19 outbreak thanks to its rapid imaging time,widespread availability,low cost,and portability.In radiological investigations,computer-aided diagnostic tools are implemented to reduce intra-and inter-observer variability.Using lately industrialized Artificial Intelligence(AI)algorithms and radiological techniques to diagnose and classify disease is advantageous.The current study develops an automatic identification and classification model for CXR pictures using Gaussian Fil-tering based Optimized Synergic Deep Learning using Remora Optimization Algorithm(GF-OSDL-ROA).This method is inclusive of preprocessing and classification based on optimization.The data is preprocessed using Gaussian filtering(GF)to remove any extraneous noise from the image’s edges.Then,the OSDL model is applied to classify the CXRs under different severity levels based on CXR data.The learning rate of OSDL is optimized with the help of ROA for COVID-19 diagnosis showing the novelty of the work.OSDL model,applied in this study,was validated using the COVID-19 dataset.The experiments were conducted upon the proposed OSDL model,which achieved a classification accuracy of 99.83%,while the current Convolutional Neural Network achieved less classification accuracy,i.e.,98.14%.

Compatibility mechanism of Chinese medicine formula:state of the art and perspectives

Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)has been practiced in China and surrounding countries for thousands of years and has gradually attracted the attention of Western countries.After reasonable compatibility,TCMs could play the key role of enhancing efficacy and reducing toxicity,which has significant therapeutic advantages in the treatment of complex diseases in clinical practice.While the TCM compatibility is not the simple addition of drugs.Under the appropriate dosage ratio,multiple TCMs can play a synergistic role to realize the overall regulation of TCM treatment.Therefore,it is of critical essential to study the compatibility of TCM formula to promote TCM modernization,new drug development and clinical application.Recently,under the guidance of TCM theory,many researches on the composition,pharmacodynamic activity and pharmacokinetic properties of TCM formula have emerged by integrating new technologies and new methods,revealing the scientific connotation of the compatibility of TCM formula from different perspectives and levels.This paper introduces the research progress of compatibility rules from different levels of compatibility,compatibility for synergistic enhancement and detoxification,and application of cutting-edge technology,with representative cases,in order to provide ideas and references for further study on TCM compatibility.

脉冲MIG焊Synergic控制法的由来与发展

<正> 在本世纪40年代初,MIG焊就在美国研制成功,但在以后的20年时间里,基本上没有得到应用和发展,直到60年代初,欧洲一些先进国家的焊接界把它视为焊接工艺上的一项重大突破,并预言在60年代末有可能取代所有的MMA焊接工艺。可是这种愿望并未实现。因为当时MIG焊的设备价格比MMA焊接设备昂贵得多;氩气价格也很贵;而且这种工艺的好坏和设备性能有非常密切的关系。

Hepatitis B virus infection, diabetes mellitus, and their synergism for cholangiocarcinoma development: A casecontrol study in Korea

AIM: To identify possible risk factors and their synergism for cholangiocarcinoma development.METHODS: A hospital-based, case-control study in which we included 276 cholangiocarcinoma patients [193 extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma(ECC) and 83 intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma(ICC)], diagnosed at a training hospital in Korea between 2007 and 2013, and 552 healthy controls matched 2:1 for age, sex, and date of diagnosis. Risk factors for cholangiocarcinoma and possible synergism between those factors were evaluated using conditional logistic regression and synergism index, respectively.RESULTS:There was an association between cholangiocarcinoma and hepatitis B virus(HBV) infection, diabetes mellitus(DM), cholecystolithiasis, choledocholithiasis, and hepatolithiasis, with the adjusted odds ratios(AORs) of 4.1, 2.6, 1.7, 12.4, and 39.9, respectively. Synergistic interaction on the additive model was investigated between HBV infection and DM(AOR = 12.2; 95%CI: 1.9-80.1). In the subgroup analyses, cholecystolithiasis, choledocholithiasis, hepatolithiasis, and DM were significant risk factors for ECC(AOR = 2.0, 18.1, 14.9, and 2.0, respectively), whereas choledocholithiasis, hepatolithiasis, HBV infection, and DM were risk factors for ICC(AOR = 8.6, 157.4, 5.3 and 4.9, respectively). Synergistic interaction was also observed between HBV infection and DM(OR = 22.7; 95%CI: 2.4-214.1). However, there was no synergistic interaction between other significant risk factors for cholangiocarcinoma.CONCLUSION: In this Korean study, HBV infection and DM were found to exert independent and synergistic effects on the risk for cholangiocarcinoma, including ICC. Exploring the underlying mechanismsfor such synergy may lead to the development of cholangiocarcinoma prevention strategies in high-risk individuals.

Synergistic action on hypnosia: Yinao capsules with pentobarbital sodium of threshold and sub-threshold dosages

BACKGROUND： Sedative and hypnotic drugs could cure insomnia in a dependent manner, and traditional Chinese medicine has some superiority in treating insomnia. OBJECTIVE： To observe the synergistic action of yinao capsules with pentobarbital sodium in threshold and sub-threshold dosages in hypnosia and sedation. DESIGN： A completely randomized grouping design and control experiment. SETTING： Pharmacological laboratory, College of Pharmacy, Henan College of Traditional Chinese Medicine. MATERIALS： Totally 200 grade II Kunming mice of 18 - 21 g, either male or female, were used. Yinao capsules, main ingredients of which were turtleback glue, thinleaf milkwort root, Chinese magnoliavine fruit, mythic fungus, tangshen, ginseng and grassleaf sweetflag rhizome, were offered by Chinese-American Huayi Pharmacy, Co.,Ltd. （ratified number： 040901）; Kangnaoshuai capsules, main ingredients of which were prepared rehmannia root, tuber fleeceflower root, ginseng, membranous milkvetch root, thinleaf milkwort root, Fushen, grassleaf sweetflag rhizome, spine date seed, lecithin, barbary wolfberry fruit, pueraria root, vitamin E, etc., were produced by Shijiazhuang Siyao, Co.,Ltd. （ratified number： 040964）; Pentobarbital sodium was produced by China Medicine （Group） Shanghai Chemical Reagent, Co,.Ltd. （Ratified number： 030816）. ZZ-6 mice spontaneous activity apparatus was produced by Chengdu Taimeng Science and Technology, Co.,Ltd. METHODS： The experiment was carried out in the Animal Experimental Center, Henan College of Traditional Chinese Medicine from October to December in 2005. （1） Influence of Yinao capsules on the spontaneous activity of mice： Fifty mice were randomly divided into five groups with 10 mice in each group： Mice in the large, middle and small dosages of Yinao capsules groups were intragastrically infused with Yinao capsules suspension （1.36, 0.68, 0.34 g/kg）; Those in the Kangnaoshuai capsules group were infused with Kangnaoshuai suspension （1.12 g/kg）; Those in the control group were given physiologic saline of the same volume. The mice were administrated once a day for 7 days continuously, and they were placed into the mice spontaneous activity apparatus after 60 minutes from the last administration, the times of spontaneous activities and the times of arising within 10 minutes were recorded after adaptation for 5 minutes. （2） Synergistic action in hypnosia by Finao capsules with pentobarbital sodium of threshold dosage： Seventy mice were randomly divided into 5 groups as above-mentioned with 14 mice in each group, and they were treated the same as above. They were intraperitoneally injected with 50 mg/kg pentobarbital sodium after 60 minutes from the last administration, then conditions of falling asleep were observed. The disappearance of righting reflex was taken as the index of falling asleep, the latency of falling asleep was the duration from intraperitoneal injection of pentobarbital sodium to fall asleep, the sleeping time was from falling asleep to the disappearance of righting reflex. （3） Synergistic action in hypnosia by Yinao capsules with pentobarbital sodium of sub-threshold dosage： Eighty mice were randomly divided into 5 groups as above-mentioned with 16 mice in each group, and they were treated the same as above. They were intraperitoneally injected with 27 mg/kg pentobarbital sodium after 60 minutes from the last administration. Mice whose righting reflex disappeared for at least 1 minute within 30 minutes were taken as falling asleep, the number of sleeping animals in each group was recorded, and the rate of falling asleep was calculated. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： Synergistic action of Yinao capsules with pentobarbital sodium of threshold and sub-threshold dosages in hypnosia and sedation. RESULTS： All the 200 mice were involved in the analysis of results. （1） Influence of Yinao capsules on the spontaneous activity of mice： The times of spontaneous activities within 10 minutes in the large and middle dosage of Yinao capsules groups and Kangnaoshuai capsules group [（138.0±37.0）, （156.8±28.3）, （133.3±46.1） times] were obviously fewer than those in the control group [（204.3±61.3） times, P 〈 0.05- 0.01]. The arising times within 10 minutes in the middle and small dosages of Yinao capsules groups and Kangnaoshuai capsules group [（30.7 ± 18.3）, （26.5± 11.2）, （24.2±11.6） times] were obviously fewer than those in the control [（71.7±38.6） times, P 〈 0.01 ]. （2） Synergistic action in hypnosia by Yinao capsules with pentobarbital sodium of threshold dosage： The sleeping latencies in the large and middle dosages of Yinao capsules groups and Kangnaoshuai capsules group [（4.49±1.84）, （4.83±1.72）, （3.85± 1.94） minutes] were obviously shorter than that in the control group [（6.73 ±2.75） minutes, P 〈 0.05 - 0.01 ]. The sleeping time in the large, middle and small dosages of Yinao capsules groups and Kangnaoshuai capsules group [（89.0± 38.42）, （67.21 ±24.07）, （66.28±18.94）, （84.36±29.81） minutes] were obviously longer than that in the control group [（45.78±20.78） minutes, P 〈 0.05- 0.01]. （3） Synergistic action in hypnosia by Yinao capsules with pentobarbital sodium of sub-threshold dosage： The rates of falling asleep in the large and middle dosages of Yinao capsules groups were higher than that in the control group [56% （9/1 6）, 38% （6/1 6）, 6% （6/16）, P 〈 0.01, 0.05], whereas Kangnaoshuai capsules and small dosage of Yinao capsules had no synergistic action with pentobarbital sodium of sub-threshold dosage （P 〉 0.05）. CONCLUSION： Yinao capsules have synergistic action with pentobarbital sodium in hypnosia. Yinao capsules possess obvious sedative and hypnotic effects in a dosage-dependent manner.

Differential Effect of Artemisinin Against Cancer Cell Lines

The present study aims at defining the differential cytotoxicity effect of artemisinin toward P815(murin mastocytoma)and BSR(kidney adenocarcinoma of hamster)cell lines.Cytotoxicity was measured by the growth inhibition using MTT assay.These in vitro cytotoxicity studies were complemented by the determination of apoptotic DNA fragmentation and Annexin V-streptavidin-FITC assay.Furthermore,we examined the in vitro synergism between artemisinin and the chemotherapeutic drug,vincristin.The in vivo study was investigated using the DBA2/P815(H2d)mouse model.While artemisinin acted on both tumor cell lines,P815 was much more sensitive to this drug than BSR cells,as revealed by the respective IC50 values(12 lM for P815 and 52 lM for BSR cells).On another hand,and interestingly,apoptosis was induced in P815 but not induced in BSR.These data,reveal an interesting differential cytotoxic effect,suggesting the existence of different molecular interactions between artemisinin and the studied cell lines.In vivo,our results clearly showed that the oral administration of artemisinin inhibited solid tumor development.Our study demonstrates that artemisinin caused differential cytotoxic effects depending not only on the concentration and time of exposure but also on the target cells.

Corrosion Inhibition Synergism between Lanthanum(Ⅲ) Ion and 8-Hydroxyquinoline for Zinc in Hydrochloric Acid

The effects of La 3+ ion and chelate reagent 8 hydroxyquinoline on the corrosion rate of zinc in hydrochloric acid were investigated by using weight loss method and electrochemical method. It is found that in a specific concentration range of La 3+ ion and 8 hydroxyquinoline, the obvious corrosion inhibition synergism is obtained. The mechanism of corrosion inhibition synergism was discussed on basis of adsorption theory.

Bioaccumulation and depuration of chromium in the selected organs and whole body tissues of freshwater fish Cirrhinus mrigala individually and in binary solutions with nickel

Contamination of aquatic ecosystems with heavy metals has been receiving increased worldwide attention due to their harmful effects on human health and other organisms in the environment. Most of the studies dealing with toxic effects of metals deal with single metal species, while the aquatic organisms are typically exposed to mixtures of metals. Hence, in order to provide data supporting the usefulness of freshwater fish as indicators of heavy metal pollution, it has been proposed in the present study to investigate the bioaccumulation and depuration of chromium in the selected organs of freshwater fingerlings Cirrhinus mrigala, individually and in binary solutions with nickel. The results show that the kidney is a target organ for chromium accumulation, which implies that it is also the ＂critical＂ organ for toxic symptoms. The results further show that accumulation of nickel in all the tissues of C. mrigala is higher than that of chromium. In addition, the metal accumulations of the binary mixtures of chromium and nickel are substantially higher than those of the individual metals, indicating synergistic interactions between the two metals. Theoretically the simplest explanation for an additive joint action of toxicants in a mixture is that they act in a qualitatively similar way. The observed data suggest that C. mrigala could be suitable monitoring organisms to study the bioavailability of water-bound metals in freshwater habitats.

Morphology of metal nanoparticles photodeposited on TiO_2/silical gel and photothermal activity for destruction of ethylene

The morphology of supported metal nanoparticles on TiO2/silical gel （TSO） and photothermal synergism were investigated for destruction of ethylene. During photocatalytic deposition of metal nanopartilces, the effects of pH and light intensity on the morphology of coated platinum, palladium, gold on TiO2/silical gel were studied. Moreover, these catalysts were characterized by TEM, UV-Vis DRS. The pH of preparing solution have strong influence on dispersion, size and sites of Pt, Pd and Au on TSO, which were controlled by the electrostatic binding of HPtCl5^- AuCl4^- and TiOH2^＋, Pd^2＋ and TiO^- respectively. Platinum, gold and palladium nanoparticles were uniformly highly dispersed on the titanol sites not silanol of TiO2/silical gel under pH=2, pH =9.9 respectively. For the photodegradation of ethylene, they show higher photothermal efficiency than those prepared with other pH conditions under UV illumination in a non-circulating photoreactor. The optimum weight loadings of Pt, Au, and Pd were 0.25 wt%, 0.5 wt%, 1 wt%, respectively. The synergistic effect enhanced ethylene removal and CO2 production. Thcse results verify that the best photothermal synergistic effect depends on the dispersion, size of noble metal nano-particles. FTIR analyses of the used Pt-, Pd-TSO catalysts indicated that no significant by-products were accumulated on the surface of the catalysts, leading to them longer lifetime.

Antibacterial activities of some plant extracts alone and in combination with different antimicrobials against multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains

Objective:To evaluate the possible in vitro interaction between ethanolic extracts of Rhus coriaria[R.coriaria)(seed),Sacropoterium spinosum(S.spinosum)(seed),Rosa damascena(R. damascene)(flower) and certain known antimicrobial drugs including oxytetracycline HCl, penicillin C,cephalexin,sulfadimethoxine as sodium,and enr of loxacin.This synergy study was carried out against 3 clinical strains of multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P.aeruginosa).Methods:Evaluation of synergy interaction between plant extracts and antimicrobial agents was carried out using microdilution method.Results:The results of this study showed that there is a decrease in the MIC in case of combination of ethanolic plant extracts and test antimicrobial agents.The most interesting result was that the combination between R. coriaria and these antibiotics,showed a high decrease in minimum inhibitory concentration(MIC), and a strong bactericidal activity against these strains.Conclusions:These results may indicate that combinations between R.coriaria extract and these antibiotics could be useful in fighting emerging drug-resistance P.aeruginosa,which may due to that R.coriaria extract contain natural inhibitors working by different mechanisms or inhibiting efflux pumps.Now we have experiments underway leading to the identification of the active molecules present in R.coriaria.Further,in vivo experiments are needed to confirm pseudomonal protection.

Effect of ethanolic extract of Ecballium elaterium against Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans

Objective:To evaluate the antimicrobial activity of ethanolic extract of Ecballium elaterium(E. elaterium)fruits alone against Staphylococcus aureus(S.aureus) strains and Candida albicans(C.albicans)strains,or in combination with penicillin against Staphylococcus areus strains. Methods:Evaluation of the antimicrobial activity or synergy interaction was carried out using microdilution method.Results:The results showed that ethanolic extract of E.elaterium fruits has antimicrobial activity against methicillin resistant S.aureus(MRSA),methicillin sensitive S. aureus(MSSA) and C.albicans.This extract showed a significant decrease in minimum inhibitory concentrations(MIC)of penicillin against both MRSA and MSSA strains.Fractional inhibitory concentration index(FIC)between penicillin and ethanolic extract of E.elaterium fruits against these test strains was less than 0.5.Conclusions:This study suggests that ethanolic extract of E.elaterium fruits has antimicrobial activity against S.aureus and C.albicans and there is a possibility of concurrent use of penicillin and E.elaterium extract in combination in the treatment of infections caused by MRSA and MSSA strains.A wider study is needed to identify the effective components,the mode of action and the possible toxic effect in vivo of these ingredients.

Risk Assessment of Synergism and Recombination on the Transgenic Plants Containing Viral Movement Protein and Replicase Genes

The transgenic tobacco plants transformed with movement protein gene of Tomato mosaic virus (ToMV) or Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) and partial replicase gene of Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) P1 isolate (CMV-P1), were inoculated with Potato virus X, Potato virus Y, TMV and CMV isolate RB (CMV-RB), respectively. Symptom observation showed there were no symptom differences in transgenic tobacco plants as compared with those in non-transgenie tobacco plants. ELISA also illustrated that the virus concentrations in the transgenic plants were similar to those in non-transgenic plants, indicating that no synergism is found in these plants. The transgenic tobacco plants expressing movement protein gene of ToMV or partial replicase gene of CMV-P1 were inoculated with TMV and CMV-RB, respectively. The local or systemic infected leaves were then used for elucidation of the possible virus recombination in transgenic plants with biological infectivity test, ELISA and immuno-capture RT-PCR. Within 16 months, no recombination was found between transformed genes and inoculated virus genomes. The research provides fundamental data for understanding of the possible risk of the transgenic plants expressing viral sequences.

Breast cancer as photodynamic therapy target: Enhanced therapeutic efficiency by overview of tumor complexity

Photodynamic therapy is a minimally invasive and clinically approved procedure for eliminating selected malignant cells with specific light activation of a photosensitizer agent. Whereas interstitial and intra-operative approaches have been investigated for the ablation of a broad range of superficial or bulky solid tumors such as breast cancer, the majority of approved photodynamic therapy protocols are for the treatment of superficial lesions of skin and luminal organs. This review article will discuss recent progress in research focused mainly on assessing the efficacies of various photosensitizers used in photodynamic therapy, as well as the combinatory strategies of various therapeutic modalities for improving treatments of parenchymal and/or stromal tissues of breast cancer solid tumors. Cytotoxic agents are used in cancer treatments for their effect on rapidly proliferating cancer cells. However, such therapeutics often lack specificity, which can lead to toxicity and undesirable side effects. Many approaches are designed to targettumors. Selective therapies can be established by focusing on distinctive intracellular(receptors, apoptotic pathways, multidrug resistance system, nitric oxidemediated stress) and environmental(glucose, pH) differences between tumor and healthy tissue. A rational design of effective combination regimens for breast cancer treatment involves a better understanding of the mechanisms and molecular interactions of cytotoxic agents that underlie drug resistance and sensitivity.

Characterization of field-evolved resistance to cyantraniliprole in Bemisia tabaci MED from China

Cyantraniliprole is a novel anthranilic diamide insecticide with significant efficacy against Bemisia tabaci,an important pest insect worldwide.In this study,we conducted reversion and selection work and genetic analysis,and determined cross-resistance spectrum and synergism of cyantraniliprole resistance based on the reported population,SX population,of B.tabaci collected from Shanxi Province,China.Compared with a susceptible strain(MED-S),SX population,the field-evolved cyantraniliprole-resistant population exhibited 26.4-fold higher resistance to cyantraniliprole.In SX,a sharp decline of cyantraniliprole resistance was shown in the absence of selection.Another tested strain,SX-R,was established from SX population after successive selection with cyantraniliprole and recently developed 138.4-fold high resistance to cyantraniliprole.SX-R had no cross-resistance to abamectin,imidacloprid,thiamethoxam,sulfoxaflor,or bifenthrin.Genetic analysis illustrated that cyantraniliprole resistance in SX-R was autosomally inherited and incompletely dominant.Additionally,piperonyl butoxide(PBO)significantly inhibited cyantraniliprole resistance in the SX-R strain.In conclusion,the selection of SX with cyantraniliprole led to high resistance to cyantraniliprole which is incompletely dominant and no cross-resistance to several common types of insecticides.Enhanced oxidative metabolism is possibly involved in the resistance of SX-R,yet target-site resistance could not be excluded.