PE Samples Research Articles

Gut microbial comminoty in Tenebrio molitor larvae responsed to PS and PE within 6 hours

Gut microbes of Tenebrio molitor larvae are crucial in plastic degradation. However, microbial responses to the plastic feeding remains unclear. This study aimed to analyze the changes of microbial community and function feeding PE and PS. It found that after 72 h, the larvae survival rate was 92.2% and 82.2% and the plastic weight loss (consumption rate) was 8.8% (0.44 g, p < 0.01) and 6.9% (0.09 g) for PS and PE, respectively. More interestingly, plastic structure changes and the relative microbial responses happened after 6 h. CO and C–O stretching, hydrogen bonding, and a significant decrease in [Mn] (p < 0.05) and [MW] (p < 0.001) were found; Furthermore, the time-similar microbial diversity obviously clustered and the composition significantly changed. The dominant phylum were Firmicutes and Proteobacteria. At genus level, the dominant PS-degrading taxa were unclassified Enterobacteriaceae, Acinetobacter and Sediminibacterium, and were unclassified Enterobacteriaceae, Acinetobacter and Delftia in PE samples; Additionally, difference of carbohydrate metabolism was found, and plastic degrading gene S-formyl glutathione hydrolase significantly high-expressed (PS-3500 fold and PE-5 fold); Moreover, PS-degrading pathways, such as styrene, benzoate, ethylbenzene and xylene degradation pathways were identified. Those illustrated the plastic degrading occurred just within 6 h and the plastic chemistry determined its’ degradability.

Characterization of Microalgae Biomass-Based Composites Obtained through Rotational Molding.

The wide range of applications and the numerous advantages of plastics have led to their excessive use, with subsequent damage to ecosystems. As an environmentally friendly alternative, biocomposites have gained much attention, and microalgae have become a potential source for their production. In this study, the use of washed and unwashed Spirulina in polyethylene-based composites has been evaluated as a way to prevent the thermooxidation of polyethylene, while at the same time, reducing the amount of virgin plastic used. Biocomposites were produced by rotomolding, testing different biomass contents and determining their mechanical and thermal performances as well as their water uptake level. Composites with up to 15% of biomass (by weight), a particularly high ratio for rotomolding, were satisfactorily produced. Using 5% of both biomasses did not significantly modify the behavior when compared with the neat PE samples' properties. For higher loadings, the use of non-washed biomass allowed us to obtain better properties, with added benefits related to using an unwashed biomass (less water consumption, lower costs and fewer environmental impacts). On the other hand, this study showed a promising beneficial effect on the thermooxidative resistance of composites, as the oxidation induction times were notably increased with biomass addition.

High-throughput 16S rRNA gene-based amplicon sequencing reveals the functional divergence of halophilic bacterial communities in the Suaeda salsa root compartments on the eastern coast of China

The rhizosphere environment of plants, which harbors halophilic bacterial communities, faces significant challenges in coping with environmental stressors, particularly saline soil properties. This study utilizes a high-throughput 16S rRNA gene-based amplicon sequencing to investigate the variations in bacterial community dynamics in rhizosphere soil (RH), root surface soil (RS), root endophytic bacteria (PE) compartments of Suaeda salsa roots, and adjoining soils (CK) across six locations along the eastern coast of China: Nantong (NT), Yancheng (YC), Dalian (DL), Tianjin (TJ), Dongying (DY), and Qingdao (QD), all characterized by chloride-type saline soil. Variations in the physicochemical properties of the RH compartment were also evaluated. The results revealed significant changes in pH, electrical conductivity, total salt content, and ion concentrations in RH samples from different locations. Notably, the NT location exhibited the highest alkalinity and nitrogen availability. The pH variations were linked to HCO3− accumulation in S. salsa roots, while salinity stress influenced soil pH through H+ discharge. Despite salinity stress, enzymatic activities such as catalase and urease were higher in soils from various locations. The diversity and richness of bacterial communities were higher in specific locations, with Proteobacteria dominating PE samples from the DL location. Additionally, Vibrio and Marinobacter were prevalent in RH samples. Significant correlations were found between soil pH, salinity, nutrient content, and the abundance and diversity of bacterial taxa in RH samples. Bioinformatics analysis revealed the prevalence of halophilic bacteria, such as Bacillus, Halomonas, and Streptomyces, with diverse metabolic functions, including amino acid and carbohydrate metabolisms. Essential genes, such as auxin response factor (ARF) and GTPase-encoding genes, were abundant in RH samples, suggesting adaptive strategies for harsh environments. Likewise, proline/betaine transport protein genes were enriched, indicating potential bioremediation mechanisms against high salt stress. These findings provide insight into the metabolic adaptations facilitating resilience in saline ecosystems and contribute to understanding the complex interplay between soil conditions, bacterial communities, and plant adaptation.

Effect of cold plasma pretreatment on biodegradation of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and polystyrene (PS)

AbstractCold atmospheric plasma (CAP) pretreatment of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and polystyrene (PS) was investigated to evaluate its effect on biodegradation. Weight and wettability measurement, surface topography, and roughness analysis were examined for physical properties evaluation. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-TR) analysis was conducted to understand the possible chemical transformation. Based on biofilm formation, the highest microbial colonisation was observed on the sample treated with CAP pretreatment + biotreatment, which was 0.56 and 0.19 (at OD 595 nm) for HDPE and PS, respectively. A biodeterioration effect characterised by weight loss and changes of hydrophobicity in which hydrophobicity reductions of 5.1 ± 0.64% and 12° ± 0.35° were observed with the pretreated HDPE within 50 days, respectively. No physical weight loss was detected in the PS sample, but significant surface corrosion was observed. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) also showed a higher surface degradation of 10 and 35% for CAP pretreated HDPE and PS incubated with microorganisms compared to virgin samples incubated in the same condition. Moreover, chemical transformation indicated a new peak (C–O) in CAP-pretreated PE samples before and after 50 days of biodegradation. The experiments with virgin HDPE and PS demonstrated a positive effect of the pretreatment on the biodegradation process.

Spectrophotometric determination of phenol impurity in phenoxyethanol and phenol index of drinking water and municipal wastewater effluent after salting-out assisted liquid phase microextraction (SA-LPME)

In this study, a novel and convenient analytical method based on salting-out-assisted liquid phase microextraction (SA-LPME) has been developed. A spectrophotometric technique was employed to quantify the concentration of phenol in drinking water and treated wastewater, as well as the phenol impurity in 2-phenoxyethanol (PE). To accomplish this, a solution containing dissolved PE was supplemented with 4-aminoantipyrine (4-AAP) and hexacyanoferrate. Subsequently, NaCl was added to induce the formation of a two-phase system, consisting of fine droplets of PE as an extractant phase in the aqueous phase. The resulting red derivative was then extracted into the extractant phase and separated through centrifugation. Finally, the absorbance of the extracted derivative was measured at 520 nm. The Response Surface Methodology (RSM) based on the Box-Behnken Design (BBD) was employed to optimize the influential factors, namely 4-Aminoantipyrine (4-AAP), buffer (pH = 10), hexacyanoferrate, and NaCl. By utilizing the optimal conditions (buffer: 50 μL, 4-AAP (1% w/v): 80 μL, hexacyanoferrate (10% w/v): 65 μL, and NaCl: 0.7 g per 10 mL of the sample), the limit of detection was determined to be 0.7 ng mL−1 and 0.22 μg g−1 for water and PE samples, respectively. The relative standard deviation (RSD) and correlation of determination (r2) obtained fell within the range of 2.4–6.8% and 0.9983–0.9994, respectively. Moreover, an enrichment factor of 65 was achieved for a sample volume of 10 mL. The phenol concentration in two PE samples (PE-1, PE-2), provided by a pharmaceutical company (Pars Sadra Fanavar, Iran), were determined to be 0.83 ± 0.05 μg g−1 and 2.70 ± 0.14 μg g−1, respectively. Additionally, the phenol index in drinking water and treated municipal wastewater was found to be 3.60 ± 1.06 ng mL−1 and 4.60 ± 1.17 ng mL−1, respectively. These mentioned samples were spiked in order to evaluate the potential influence of the matrix. The relative recoveries from PE-1, PE-2 samples, drinking water, and treated municipal wastewater samples were measured as 104.5%, 97.5%, 101.6%, and 107.8%, respectively, indicating no matrix effect.

Mechanical, Rheological, and Heat Seal Properties of 1‐Octene Grafted Low Density Polyethylene Films

AbstractHeat seal and mechanical properties of 1‐octene grafted low density polyethylene films containing various concentrations of Dicumyl peroxide as the initiator and 1‐octene grafting agent is investigated through using experimental measurements. The results of differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) measurements revealed that the melting temperature shifts to higher values and the peak of the DSC curve becomes wider with the increase of 1‐octene concentrations. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) revealed a higher thermal stability up to 20 °C for 1‐octene grafted PE compared with neat LDPE alloy. The results of stress–strain measurements revealed that the 1‐octene grafted PE alloys has higher tensile strength in comparison with neat PE alloy and samples containing only DCP initiator. The results of heat seal analysis indicated that both DCP initiator and 1‐octene tended to offer a moderate increase peel strength of PE alloy. DMTA measurements for various grafted PE alloys show a higher damping factor in comparison with neat LDPE alloy. Rheological measurements indicated a higher storage modulus up to 25% and higher complex viscosity for grafted PE samples containing 1‐octene comonomer.

Ambient Catalytic Spinning of Polyethylene Nanofibers.

A novel single-atom Ni(II) catalyst (Ni-OH) is covalently immobilized onto the nano-channels of mesoporous Santa Barbara Amorphous (SBA)-15 particles and isotropic Anodized Aluminum Oxide (AAO) membrane for confined-space ethylene extrusion polymerization. The presence of surface-tethered Ni complexes (Ni@SBA-15 and Ni@AAO) is confirmed by the inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). In the catalytic spinning process, the produced PE materials exhibit very homogeneous fibrous morphology at nanoscale (diameter: ~50 nm). The synthesized PE nanofibers extrude in a highly oriented manner from the nano-reactors at ambient temperature. Remarkably high Mw (1.62×106 g mol-1 ), melting point (124 °C), and crystallinity (41.8 %) are observed among PE samples thanks to the confined-space polymerization. The chain-walking behavior of surface tethered Ni catalysts is greatly limited by the confinement inside the nano-channels, leading to the formation of very low-branched PE materials (13.6/1000 C). Due to fixed supported catalytic topology and room temperature, the filaments are expected to be free of entanglement. This work signifies an important step towards the realization of a continuous mild catalytic-spinning (CATSPIN) process, where the polymer is directly synthesized into fiber shape at negligible chain branching and elegantly avoiding common limitations like thermal degradation or molecular entanglement.

Ambient Catalytic Spinning of Polyethylene Nanofibers

AbstractA novel single‐atom Ni(II) catalyst (Ni‐OH) is covalently immobilized onto the nano‐channels of mesoporous Santa Barbara Amorphous (SBA)‐15 particles and isotropic Anodized Aluminum Oxide (AAO) membrane for confined‐space ethylene extrusion polymerization. The presence of surface‐tethered Ni complexes (Ni@SBA‐15 and Ni@AAO) is confirmed by the inductively coupled plasma‐optical emission spectrometry (ICP‐OES) and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). In the catalytic spinning process, the produced PE materials exhibit very homogeneous fibrous morphology at nanoscale (diameter: ~50 nm). The synthesized PE nanofibers extrude in a highly oriented manner from the nano‐reactors at ambient temperature. Remarkably high Mw (1.62×106 g mol−1), melting point (124 °C), and crystallinity (41.8 %) are observed among PE samples thanks to the confined‐space polymerization. The chain‐walking behavior of surface tethered Ni catalysts is greatly limited by the confinement inside the nano‐channels, leading to the formation of very low‐branched PE materials (13.6/1000 C). Due to fixed supported catalytic topology and room temperature, the filaments are expected to be free of entanglement. This work signifies an important step towards the realization of a continuous mild catalytic‐spinning (CATSPIN) process, where the polymer is directly synthesized into fiber shape at negligible chain branching and elegantly avoiding common limitations like thermal degradation or molecular entanglement.

Performance of SHOX2 and RASSF1A methylation assay in supernatants and matched cell pellets for the diagnosis of malignant pleural effusion

BackgroundIt is difficult to distinguish between malignant pleural effusion (MPE) and benign pleural effusion (BPE). The purpose of this study was to determine the best specimen type by evaluating the DNA methylation status of SHOX2 and RASSF1A in 3 matched PE components. MethodsIn total, 94 patients were enrolled, including 45 MPE, 35 BPE, and 14 undefined PE (UPE) with malignancies. PE samples were processed into supernatants, fresh-cell pellets, and formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded (FFPE) cell blocks, respectively. A quantitative real-time PCR was used to detect the methylation status of SHOX2 and RASSF1A. ResultsSHOX2 and RASSF1A methylation levels were significantly higher in the 3 MPE sample types than those of BPE (P < 0.05). The area under the curve using cell-free DNA (cf-DNA) was the highest. The detection sensitivity of SHOX2 and RASSF1A in fresh-cell DNA, cf-DNA and FFPE cell-block were 71.1% (32/45), 97.8% (44/45) and 66.7% (28/42), respectively, with specificities of 97.1% (34/35), 94.3% (33/35), and 96.9% (31/32). Notably, a combination of the cytological analysis and cf-DNA methylation assay showed an increase in positivity rate from 75.6% to 100%. ConclusionsThe SHOX2 and RASSF1A methylation assay using cf-DNA, the primary recommended specimen type, can excellently increase the diagnostic sensitivity of MPE. A combination of methylation assay with cytological analysis can be used for auxiliary diagnosis of PE.

Integrated bioinformatic analysis reveals NOS2 as a novel ferroptosis-related biomarker for pre-eclampsia

BackgroundPre-eclampsia (PE) is a common condition in pregnancy; however, methods for early diagnosis and effective treatment options are lacking. Ferroptosis is a newly identified iron-dependent cell death pathway. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of ferroptosis-related genes in PE, the underlying mechanism, and their potential diagnostic value using a bioinformatics approach.MethodsWe downloaded the GSE48424 and GSE98224 datasets from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between PE and healthy pregnancy samples were identified in the GSE48424 dataset and subjected to weighted gene co-expression network analysis; the most relevant modules were intersected with known ferroptosis-related genes to distinctly identify the role of ferroptosis in PE. We further searched transcription factors and microRNAs that are predicted to regulate these ferroptosis-related genes, and patients in the GSE48424 dataset were divided into two groups according to high or low expression of the key ferroptosis-related genes associated with PE. To obtain robust key ferroptosis-related genes in PE, we validated their expression levels in the external dataset GSE98224. Finally, the reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) assay was utilized to access the expression of these genes in the PE and normal blood samples.ResultsSix ferroptosis-related genes involved in PE were obtained by overlapping 3661 genes most associated with PE, 565 DEGs between PE and normal samples, and 259 known ferroptosis-related genes. Among these genes, patients with PE displaying lower expression levels of NOS2 and higher expression levels of PTGS2 had a higher ferroptosis potential index. The expression pattern of NOS2 was consistent in the GSE48424 and GSE98224 datasets. RT-qPCR data confirmed that NOS2 expression was more significantly elevated in patients with PE than in those with a normal pregnancy.ConclusionsOur study explored the diagnostic value of ferroptosis-related genes in PE, and identified NOS2 as the key gene linking ferroptosis and PE, suggesting a new candidate biomarker for early PE diagnosis.

Single-cell profiling reveals immune disturbances landscape and HLA-F-mediated immune tolerance at the maternal-fetal interface in preeclampsia.

Preeclampsia is a pregnancy-specific disorder that always causes maternal and fetal serious adverse outcome. Disturbances in maternal immune tolerance to embryo at the maternal-fetal interface (MFI) may be associated with preeclampsia onset. Recent studies have revealed the reduced expression pattern of HLA-F at the MFI in preeclampsia, while the mechanism of it mediating maternal fetal immune tolerance has not been revealed. Single-cell RNA sequencing on placental decidua was performed to reveal the immune disturbances landscape at the MFI in preeclampsia. Human Jar cells and NK-92MI cells were employed to study the role of HLA-F in trophoblasts and lymphocyte. A total of 101,250 cells were classified into 22 cell clusters. Disease-related IGFBP1+SPP1+ extracellular villus trophoblast (EVT) was identified in the preeclamptic placental decidua, accompanied by newly discovered immune cellular dysfunction such as reduced ribosomal functions of NK populations and abnormal expression of antigen-presenting molecules in most cell clusters. Certain genes that are characteristic of the intermediate stage of myeloid or EVT cell differentiation were found to have unexplored but important functions in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia; specifically, we detected enhanced cell cross-talk between IGFBP1+SPP1+ EVT2 or SPP1+M1 cells and their receptor cell populations at the MFI of PE patients compared to controls. With respect to HLA-F, mIF staining confirmed its reduced expression in PE samples compared to controls. Over-expression of HLA-F in Jar cells promoted cell proliferation, invasion, and migration while under-expression had the opposite effect. In NK-92MI cells, over-expression of HLA-F increased the secretion of immunoregulation cytokines such as CSF1 and CCL22, and promoted adaptive NKG2C+NK cell transformation. We revealed the immune disturbance landscape at the MFI in preeclampsia. Our findings regarding cellular heterogeneity and immune cellular dysfunction, as revealed by scRNA-seq, and the function of HLA-F in cells provide new perspectives for further investigation of their roles in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia, and then provide potential new therapeutic target.

Bioenergy production from pretreated rice straw in Nigeria: An analysis of novel three-stage anaerobic digestion for hydrogen and methane co-generation

The response to Nigeria's energy inadequacies and waste management issues is projected in this research to be achieved with hydrogen and methane co-produced from pretreated (PT) rice straw (RS) in a three-stage digestion process. This study also demonstrated a novel pretreatment (PTM) agent to improve biological energy recovery from RS. The objectives were accomplished using acidogenic and methanogenic procedures in batch, semi-continuous and continuous systems after pretreating RS with chemical/potash extract (PE) followed by a biological agent. At the same time, the energy assessments were done using data from the laboratory study and the literature. The research findings indicated that at the acidogenesis stage, specific hydrogen yield was insignificant when chemical agents and PE were employed alone. However, the daily H2 production increased when the PT RS residues were enzymatically hydrolysed with NaOH-PT (114 NmL H2 g−1 TS d−1) and PE-PT (103 NmL H2 g−1 TS d−1) RS substrates having the highest values at steady states and raw RS producing the least (30 NmL H2 g−1 TS d−1). In the methanogenesis phase, chemical/ PE PTM followed by enzymatic hydrolysis of RS improved the daily specific methane production by 18%, 31.7% and 41.5% for HCl, PE and NaOH-PT RS residues. The methane production efficiency was 80% for NaOH, 75% for PE, and 68% for HCl RS PT samples, while the raw RS was 48%. The total output energy expressed in electricity and thermal production using combined cooling, heat, and power (CCHP) showed that NaOH and PE-PT RS digesters gave the highest electricity (892.43 and 852.00 KWhelect. tonne-1 TS) and thermal (1194.10 and 1140 KWhtherm. tonne-1 TS) yield respectively. Similarly, the cooling fluid in KWhcool produced per tonne of TS RS was 835.57, 798.00 and 741.66 for NaOH, PE and HCl PT RS samples. Finally, whereas the Firmicutes, especially the Clostridium, Ruminococcus and Thermoanaerobacterium, were the dominant microbial community in acidogenic digestates, the Euryarchaeota typified by Methanobacterium, Methanosarcina and Methanosaeta were the principal phyla for most methanogenic reactors.

Controlling polyethylene branching via surface confinement of Ni complexes

The heterogeneous surface support can play a key role in determining polymer microstructure, as we show for a novel variant of Ni-catalyst from the family of late-transition metal complexes; this extends the toolbox for novel catalytic solutions in industrial processes. Novel variants of single-atom catalysts (Ni-FO-Al@SiO2, Ni-FO-Si@SiO2, Ni-O-Al@SiO2, and Ni-O-Si@SiO2) were prepared in the form of unsymmetrical a-diimine Ni complexes (Ni-OH and Ni-FOH) and then characterized by inductively coupled plasma - optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis. Ethylene slurry-phase polymerization was performed both via self-supporting and covalent-tethering strategies to systematically study the surface confinement effects. High catalytic activity was maintained under the slurry-phase polymerization (as high as 3.9 × 106 g of PE (mol of Ni)−1 h−1). The crucial features of high molecular weight (>106 g mol−1) and high branching density (as high as 180.1BD/1000C) were found among the PE samples produced via heterogeneous polymerization. A detailed investigation suggested that surface functional groups, such as OH and Cl, coordinate with the active Ni species via their lone pairs and terminate the ethylene polymerization. Microstructure analysis of the PE confirm that the supporting substrate provides the chance to modulate the chain-walking behavior of these Ni catalysts. Systematic high-temperature 1H and 13C NMR analysis indicated that the PE branching density could significantly decrease by surface confinement from the solid substrate. Until now, such microstructure control has been mainly realized via the laborious synthesis of bulky a-diimine ligands.

Role of necroptosis and immune infiltration in preeclampsia: novel insights from bioinformatics analyses

BackgroundPreeclampsia (PE) is a serious pregnancy complication that can adversely affect the mother and fetus. Necroptosis is a recently discovered new form of programmed cell death involved in the pathological process of various pregnancy complications. Our study aimed to identify the necroptosis-related differentially expressed genes (NRDEGs), create a diagnosis model and related disease subtypes model based on these genes, and further investigate their relationship with immune infiltration.MethodsIn this study, we identified NRDEGs by analyzing data from various databases, including Molecular Signatures, GeneCards, and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). Using minor absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) and logistic Cox regression analysis, we developed a novel PE diagnosis model based on NRDEGs. Furthermore, we developed PE subtype models using consensus clustering analysis based on key gene modules screened out by weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA). Finally, we identified the difference in immune infiltration between the PE and control groups as well as between both PE subtypes by analyzing the immune cell infiltration across combined datasets and PE datasets.ResultsOur study discovered that the necroptosis pathway was significantly enriched and active in PE samples. We identified nine NRDEGs that involved in this pathway, including BRAF, PAWR, USP22, SYNCRIP, KRT86, MERTK, BAP1, CXCL5, and STK38. Additionally, we developed a diagnostic model based on a regression model including six NRDEGs and identified two PE subtypes: Cluster1 and Cluster2, based on key module genes. Furthermore, correlation analysis showed that the abundance of immune cell infiltration was related to necroptosis genes and PE disease subtypes.ConclusionAccording to the present study, necroptosis is a phenomenon that occurs in PE and is connected to immune cell infiltration. This result suggests that necroptosis and immune-related factors may be the underlying mechanisms of PE pathophysiology. This study opens new avenues for future research into PE's pathogenesis and treatment options.

Molecular machineries of ciliogenesis, cell survival, and vasculogenesis are differentially expressed during regeneration in explants of the demosponge Halichondria panicea

Sponges are interesting animal models for regeneration studies, since even from dissociated cells, they are able to regenerate completely. In particular, explants are model systems that can be applied to many sponge species, since small fragments of sponges can regenerate all elements of the adult, including the oscula and the ability to pump water. The morphological aspects of regeneration in sponges are relatively well known, but the molecular machinery is only now starting to be elucidated for some sponge species. Here, we have used an explant system of the demosponge Halichondria panicea to understand the molecular machinery deployed during regeneration of the aquiferous system. We sequenced the transcriptomes of four replicates of the 5–day explant without an osculum (NOE), four replicates of the 17–18–day explant with a single osculum and pumping activity (PE) and also four replicates of field–collected individuals with regular pumping activity (PA), and performed differential gene expression analysis. We also described the morphology of NOE and PE samples using light and electron microscopy. Our results showed a highly disorganised mesohyl and disarranged aquiferous system in NOE that is coupled with upregulated pathways of ciliogenesis, organisation of the ECM, and cell proliferation and survival. Once the osculum is formed, genes involved in “response to stimulus in other organisms” were upregulated. Interestingly, the main molecular machinery of vasculogenesis described in vertebrates was activated during the regeneration of the aquiferous system. Notably, vasculogenesis markers were upregulated when the tissue was disorganised and about to start forming canals (NOE) and angiogenic stimulators and ECM remodelling machineries were differentially expressed once the aquiferous system was in place (PE and PA). Our results are fundamental to better understanding the molecular mechanisms involved in the formation of the aquiferous system in sponges, and its similarities with the early onset of blood-vessel formation in animal evolution.

Comparison of transcriptomic profiles in edge to center of plaque reveals chronological molecular events in psoriatic plaque formation

BackgroundPeripheral edge (PE) of plaques contains inflammatory molecules and has potential to initiate plaque formation, while the center (CE) of plaques has regression trends. ObjectiveTo elucidate the chronological molecular events by comparing the gene profiles in PE skin to those in CE skin. MethodsBiopsied PE, CE, and uninvolved (UN) skin samples were analyzed by next-generation sequencing. Three groups of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were analyzed, PE/UN-, CE/UN-, and PE/CE-skin-derived DEGs. ResultsPE skin contained inflammation-priming molecules, such as S100A7 and S100A15, and inflammatory drivers, such as interleukin (IL)-36α. IL-6 signaling was more active in PE than in CE skin. IL-8, S100A7, S100A8, S100A9, and human β-defensin-2 were all regulated with the similar pattern in both areas. However, PE skin created a more active inflammatory network and downstream functions, including chemotaxis and angiogenesis, were more prominent than in CE skin. Conversely, CE skin, where epidermal growth factor and hepatocyte growth factor increased their activity, was found to be more stable. ConclusionThis is the first RNA-seq-based report to determine the chronological molecular events in plaque formation. In the early phase, inflammation might be initiated through molecules, such as IL-36α, S100A7, and S100A15, as observed in PE skin. The inflammation state in PE skin progresses to the more stable state found in CE skin. In CE skin, the growth factor activities are increased, which might lead to attenuation of initial inflammation and initiation of the regression phase. These molecular events may accelerate research towards developing novel therapies for psoriasis.

Fabrication of Biocompatible Electrospun Poly(ε-caprolactone)/Gelatin Nanofibers Loaded with Pinus radiata Bark Extracts for Wound Healing Applications.

In this study, poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL)/gelatin (GEL) electrospun nanofibers loaded with two different concentrations of Pinus radiata bark extracts (PEs) were fabricated via electrospinning for wound healing applications. The effects of incorporating PE into PCL/GEL electrospun nanofibers were investigated regarding their physicochemical properties and in vitro biocompatibility. All electrospun nanofibers showed smooth, uniform, and bead-free surfaces. Their functional groups were detected by ATR-FTIR spectroscopy, and their total phenol content was measured by a Folin–Ciocalteu assay. With PE addition, the electrospun nanofibers exhibited an increase in their wettability and degradation rates over time and a decrease in their tensile stress values from 20 ± 4 to 8 ± 2 MPa for PCL/GEL and PCL/GEL/0.36%PE samples, respectively. PE was also released from the fibrous mats in a rather controlled fashion. The PCL/GEL/0.18%PE and PCL/GEL/0.36%PE electrospun nanofibers inhibited bacterial activity at around 6 ± 0.1% and 23 ± 0.3% against E. coli and 14 ± 0.1% and 18 ± 0.2% against S. aureus after 24 h incubation, respectively. In vitro cell studies showed that PE-loaded electrospun nanofibers enhanced HaCaT cell growth, attachment, and proliferation, favoring cell migration towards the scratch area in the wound healing assay and allowing a complete wound closure after 72 h treatment. These findings suggested that PE-loaded electrospun nanofibers are promising materials for antibiotic-free dressings for wound healing applications.

Interfacial structure and properties of isotactic polybutene-1/polyethylene blends

Abstract Polymer blending is one of the most economical and effective techniques for achieving products with high comprehensive performances. However, the immiscibility between polymers results in a weak interface, which is typically the position where material failure starts when an external force is applied. Therefore, understanding and controlling the interfacial structure are important for controlling the failure behavior of polymer blends and achieving advanced materials. In this study, the related work was performed on a crystal/crystal blend of isotactic polybutene-1 and polyethylene (iPB-1/PE). The results indicated that iPB-1 and PE were partially miscible in a wide temperature window (140–220°C), and the phase separation of iPB-1/PE blends was retarded at 180°C, resulting in an increase in the interfacial thickness and interfacial adhesive strength when iPB-1/PE crystallized at a low temperature. In addition, the iPB-1/high-density PE (HDPE) samples exhibited higher interfacial adhesive strength than the iPB-1/linear low-density PE, which was attributed to the relative streamline chain structure and the wide molecular weight distribution of HDPE and improved the interpenetration, crystallization, and miscibility of iPB-1 and HDPE at the interface. During storage at room temperature, the interfacial adhesive strength of iPB-1/PE decreased because of the spontaneous crystal transition of iPB-1.

Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy of γ-irradiated UHMWPE: A novel fractional order based filters approach for accessing the radiation modification

Spectral data pre-processing is a very effective method to improve the accuracy of constructing hyper spectral models, and differential spectroscopy is a valuable analysis method for the pre-processing of hyper spectral signals. It is usually used to increase the intensity of spectral signals and makes the researcher able to figure out hidden inflection points along with the minimum and maximum bands. In this particular study, fractional derivatives have been employed for the analysis of UV-VIS spectra of PE (ultra-high, MW) samples. The fractional order derivatives of UV-VIS (reflectance) spectra of un-irradiated and irradiated samples are simulated, and radiation modifications in UHMWPE are assessing. The classic definition of Riemann-Liouville (RL) integral is used for the calculation fractional order derivatives. For this the rule given by Lagrange operator (differential) is used i.e., taking the nth derivative over the (n−α)th order integral gives the derivative of αth order. It is of particular importance to mention here that n is the neighboring integer satisfying the condition n>α. Staring from following definition of RL integral (fractional) with 0<α<1 and initial value a=0.Ja+αf(x)=1Γ(α)∫ax(x−τ)α−1f(τ)dτ It is observed that the fractional order differential transformation gives better estimates regarding spectral pre-processing and accessing the radiation modification of UHMWPE while minimizing the loss of original data.

Gene Expression Network Analysis Identifies Potential Targets for Prevention of Preeclampsia.

ObjectivePreeclampsia (PE) is a pregnancy-specific multisystem disease as well as an important cause of maternal and perinatal death. This study aimed to analyze the placental transcriptional data and clinical information of PE patients available in the published database and predict the target genes for prevention of PE.MethodsThe clinical information and corresponding RNA data of PE patients were downloaded from the GEO database. Cluster analysis was performed to examine the correlation between different genotyping genes and clinical manifestations. Then, bioinformatic approaches including GO, KEGG, WGCNA, and GSEA were employed to functionally characterize candidate target genes involved in pathogenesis of PE.ResultsTwo PE datasets GSE60438 and GSE75010 were obtained and combined, thereby providing the data of 205 samples in total (100 non-PE and 105 PE samples). After eliminating the batch effect, we grouped and analyzed the integrated data, and further performed GSEA analysis. It was found that the genes in group 1 and group 2 were different from those in normal samples. Moreover, WGCNA analysis revealed that genes in group 1 were up-regulated in turquoise module, including SASH1, PIK3CB and FLT-1, while genes in group 2 were up-regulated in the blue and brown modules. We further conducted GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses and found that the differential genes in turquoise module were mainly involved in biological processes such as small molecular catabolic process, while being highly enriched in pathways, including MAPK signaling pathway and Rap1 signaling pathway.ConclusionFLT-1 was conventionally used to predict PE risk, and sFLT-1 could also be used as an indicator to evaluate PE treatment effect. As a candidate biomarker for predicting PE, SASH1 may participate in proliferation, migration, invasion and epithelial mesenchymal transformation of human trophoblast cells by regulating MAPK pathway and Rap1 signaling pathway, thus affecting the progression of PE. The mechanism allowing PIK3CB to regulate PE development was not clear, while the gene could be another candidate biomarker for PE risk prediction. This is an exploratory study and our findings were still required verification in further studies.