Strong Synergistic Interaction Research Articles

Effect of κ‐carrageenan/milk protein interaction on rheology and microstructure in dairy emulsion systems with different milk protein types and κ‐carrageenan concentrations

We investigated the effect of κ-carrageenan (κ-CG) addition and supplementation with Na-CN, WPI, and MPI on the rheological properties, microstructure, fat globule size distribution, and stability of low-fat cream (LFC) emulsions containing 19% milk fat. Rheological parameter (ηa,10, K, and G′) values of LFCs increased with κ-CG addition. At 0.1% κ-CG concentration, MPI-stabilized LFC had higher G′ value (64.8 Pa) than those of WPI-stabilized LFC (51.3 Pa) and Na-CN-stabilized LFC (34.8 Pa), indicating the strong interaction between MPI and κ-CG. Cryo-SEM images showed the protein layers on milk fat globule membrane in dairy emulsions and revealed that κ-CG led to depletion-flocculation of milk fat globules and promoted clustering of globules. The creaming index values of LFCs with 0.10% κ-CG were lower than those of LFCs with 0.05% κ-CG. Thus, high κ-CG concentrations can contribute to the physical stability in dairy emulsions stabilized by milk proteins. Practical applications Milk proteins are widely used as emulsifiers, and κ-carrageenan (κ-CG) is added to dairy emulsion products to improve their physical properties and stability. Therefore, in this study, the effect of κ-CG addition on physical properties and stability of low-fat creams (LFCs) supplemented with different milk protein types (Na-CN, WPI, and MPI) was investigated. The strong synergistic interaction between proteins and κ-CG was observed in MPI-stabilized LFCs when compared to Na-CN- and WPI-stabilized LFCs. We found that the presence of κ-CG in MPI-stabilized LFCs improved the stability of LFCs by inhibiting the phase separation due to the high viscosity of the continuous phase. These findings suggest that dairy cream-based food products with desirable physical properties can be realized through κ-CG addition to LFC emulsions with milk proteins such as ice cream mix, coffee creamer, and light cream.

Alkylated monoterpene indole alkaloid derivatives as potent P-glycoprotein inhibitors in resistant cancer cells.

Aiming at generating a series of monoterpene indole alkaloids with enhanced multidrug resistance (MDR) reversing activity in cancer, two major epimeric alkaloids isolated from Tabernaemontana elegans, tabernaemontanine (1) and dregamine (2), were derivatized by alkylation of the indole nitrogen. Twenty-six new derivatives (3-28) were prepared by reaction with different aliphatic and aromatic halides, whose structures were elucidated mainly by NMR, including 2D NMR experiments. Their MDR reversal ability was evaluated through a functional assay, using as models resistant human colon adenocarcinoma and human ABCB1-gene transfected L5178Y mouse lymphoma cells, overexpressing P-glycoprotein (P-gp), by flow cytometry. A considerable increase of activity was found for most of the derivatives, being the strongest P-gp inhibitors those sharing N-phenethyl moieties, displaying outstanding inhibitory activity, associated with weak cytotoxicity. Chemosensitivity assays were also performed in a model of combination chemotherapy in the same cell lines, by studying the invitro interactions between the compounds and the antineoplastic drug doxorubicin. Most of the compounds have shown strong synergistic interactions with doxorubicin, highlighting their potential as MDR reversers. QSAR models were also explored for insights on drug-receptor interaction, and it was found that lipophilicity and bulkiness features were associated with inhibitory activity, although linear correlations were not observed.

Enhanced fenton-like catalysis by facilely prepared nano-scale NCFOH/HKUST composites with synergistic effect for dye degradation

To lower the cost, highly active heterogeneous Fenton-like catalysts with good chemical stabilityare crucial for advanced wastewater treatment. In this research, NCFOH/HKUST composites were simply prepared by direct synsedimentary growth of copper benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylate (referred as HKUST) on nanoscale-confined precursor of CuFe2O4 (NCFOH), and then applied to catalytic degradation of Reactive Orange 5 (RO5). All the NCFOH/HKUST composites exhibited enhanced catalytic activity compared with NCFOH and HKUST. Great dye degradation and mineralization rates were achieved at the initial pH of near neutral when the mass ratio of NCFOH and HKUST was 1:5. Moreover, the degradation rate of dye was over 98% within 80 min and total organic carbon (TOC) removal efficiency reached 83% after 3 h. The kinetic rate constant (k) and •OH generated from electrochemical potentiokinetic reactivation (EPR) of NCFOH/HKUST was 2.0 and 1.5 times larger than those based on pure NCFOH respectively. In addition, the composite shows excellent usability. The enhanced catalytic efficiency was ascribed to the increase of the mass transfer during the degradation process, synergic catalytic effect from easily formed coordinative unsaturated metal centers (CUC) in HKUST, and the enhanced interfacial electron transfer due to circulation of Cu(II)/Cu(I) and Fe(III)/Fe(II) redox couple and strong synergistic interaction between HKUST and NCFOH. This work could provide a facile strategy via a simply co-precipitation process to fabricate hybrid Fenton-like catalysts with great effect.

130 Poster - The synergistic action of isolated sesquiterpene with cisplatin against non-small cell lung cancer cells

Non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) is the most frequently diagnosed and heterogenous subtype of lung cancer, contributing to 85% of new lung cancer cases worldwide. The prevalence of lung cancer especially NSCLC in Pakistan is also on the rise due to tobacco smoking and chewing as well as air pollution. The asymptomatic and poor prognostic nature of the disease usually results in advanced stage metastatic lung cancer and development of resistance against available treatment modalities. This obviates the extensive need for significant improvements in disease management strategies and its therapeutics. This study was designed to evaluate the synergistic properties of isolated natural sesquiterpene i.e. Compound 3 isolated from the aerial parts of Polygonum barbatum, with cisplatin an FDA approved anticancer drugs against NSCLC NCI-H460 cells. The combinatorial efficacy of compound 3 and cisplatin was evaluated for anti proliferation, apoptosis induction and anti metastatic potential by using MTT, wound healing, invasion assays, zymography, FACS analysis, gene and protein expression assays. The results showed that a strong synergistic interaction between Cisplatin and Compound 3, leading to anti-cancer effects at much lower doses than the individual drugs alone. Furthermore, combined drug dose also triggered apoptosis as demonstrated through Yo-Pro-1 assay and deregulated metastasis in H460 cells, as found by transwell invasion and cell migration assays. The drug combination significantly downregulated inhibitory apoptotic markers, i.e. BCL-2L1 and p53 and upregulated apoptogenic BAK, BAX and caspases family proteins. On the other hand, the metastatic markers: MMP-2/-9, VEGF, and COX-2 were also downregulated with the subsequent treatment of combined dose of Cisplatin/Compound 3. The common regulator of apoptosis and metastasis, osteopontin, was also subjected to analysis and found to be regulated suppressively to manage the tumor progression and spread. These results suggest that compound 3 being anticancer itself also has capabilities to sense and synergize cisplatin which can be helpful to minimize cisplatin related toxicity and resistance development.

A new synergistic relationship between xylan-active LPMO and xylobiohydrolase to tackle recalcitrant xylan

BackgroundHemicellulose accounts for a significant part of plant biomass, and still poses a barrier to the efficient saccharification of lignocellulose. The recalcitrant part of hemicellulose is a serious impediment to the action of cellulases, despite the use of xylanases in the cellulolytic cocktail mixtures. However, the complexity and variety of hemicelluloses in different plant materials require the use of highly specific enzymes for a complete breakdown. Over the last few years, new fungal enzymes with novel activities on hemicelluloses have emerged. In the present study, we explored the synergistic relationships of the xylan-active AA14 lytic polysaccharide monooxygenase (LPMO), PcAA14B, with the recently discovered glucuronoxylan-specific xylanase TtXyn30A, of the (sub)family GH30_7, displaying xylobiohydrolase activity, and with commercial cellobiohydrolases, on pretreated natural lignocellulosic substrates.ResultsPcAA14B and TtXyn30A showed a strong synergistic interaction on the degradation of the recalcitrant part of xylan. PcAA14B was able to increase the release of xylobiose from TtXyn30A, showing a degree of synergism (DS) of 3.8 on birchwood cellulosic fibers, and up to 5.7 on pretreated beechwood substrates. The increase in activity was dose- and time- dependent. A screening study on beechwood materials pretreated with different methods showed that the effect of the PcAA14B–TtXyn30A synergism was more prominent on substrates with low hemicellulose content, indicating that PcAA14B is mainly active on the recalcitrant part of xylan, which is in close proximity to the underlying cellulose fibers. Simultaneous addition of both enzymes resulted in higher DS than sequential addition. Moreover, PcAA14B was found to enhance cellobiose release from cellobiohydrolases during hydrolysis of pretreated lignocellulosic substrates, as well as microcrystalline cellulose.ConclusionsThe results of the present study revealed a new synergistic relationship not only among two recently discovered xylan-active enzymes, the LPMO PcAA14B, and the GH30_7 glucuronoxylan-active xylobiohydrolase TtXyn30A, but also among PcAA14B and cellobiohydrolases. We hypothesize that PcAA14B creates free ends in the xylan polymer, which can be used as targets for the action of TtXyn30A. The results are of special importance for the design of next-generation enzymatic cocktails, able to efficiently remove hemicelluloses, allowing complete saccharification of cellulose in plant biomass.

Efficient removal of bisphenol A and disinfection of waterborne pathogens by boron/nitrogen codoped graphene aerogels via the synergy of adsorption and photocatalysis under visible light

It is widely acknowledged that doping of carbon materials by multi-elements with different electronegativities can result in unique electron-donor properties and novel functionalities because of the strong synergistic interaction among the dopant atoms. In this study, boron and nitrogen codoped graphene aerogels (BNGAs) are synthesized and their photocatalytic activity towards decomposition of bisphenol A (BPA) under visible light irradiation is systematically examined. The BPA molecules are rapidly adsorbed onto the 3D interconnected pore system of the BNGAs under dark conditions, and eventually mineralized upon exposure to visible light, indicating the synergy between adsorption-enrichment and photocatalysis during degradation of BPA. Notably, almost 96 % of BPA is removed and over 88 % of total organic carbon is eliminated by the as-prepared BNGAs. More importantly, the BNGAs can retain approximately 92 % of their initial activity even after repeated cycling. In addition, the BNGAs display great potential for the disinfection of harmful pathogens like Escherichia coli, with a photocatalytic decontamination rate of 1.2 × 103 CFU h−1 gcat−1. In view of their attractive multi-functional performance, the as-developed BNGAs merit further consideration for eliminating emerging organic contaminants and pathogens from freshwater sources.

Engineering Ultrathin MoS2 Nanosheets on CoxP/Nitrogen‐Doped Carbon Nanocubes for Efficient Hydrogen Evolution

AbstractDesigning core‐shell heterostructures is essential for electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). In this study, ultrathin MoS2 sheets are uniformly anchored on CoxP/nitrogen dual‐doped carbon nanocubes (CoxP/NC) through a template sacrificial method followed by a hydrothermal reaction. The resultant hybrid CoxP/NC@MoS2 possesses a core‐shell structure and superior catalytic activity to individual counterparts. The hybrid catalyst needs a low overpotential of 148 mV to drive the current density of 10 mA cm−2, together with an extremely small Tafel slope of 33 mV dec−1 and outstanding stability in acidic media. Most importantly, the best catalytic activity is achieved by coupling MoS2 nanosheets with the matrix CoxP/NC rather than Co/NC. The remarkably high HER activity of CoxP/NC@MoS2 mainly benefits from the core‐shell feature and strong synergistic interaction between CoxP/NC and MoS2. The present study inspires a continuous exploration of engineering MoS2 nanosheets on nanostructured metal phosphides for electrochemical applications.

An optimization model of light intensity and nitrogen concentration coupled with yield and quality

The nitrogen content of nutrient solution and light intensity are two crucial factors affecting the yield and quality of controlled environment hydroponic vegetables. In this study, Purple Bok Choy (Brassica rapa var. Chinensis) was evaluated in a two-factor experiment with five levels of light intensity and five levels of nitrogen concentration. The plants were harvested on the 35th day after planting and different parameters such as shoot fresh weight, root fresh weight, anthocyanin, and soluble sugar were measured as representatives of yield and quality. This paper investigated the effects of different light/nitrogen combinations on the yield and quality of Purple Bok Choy, and established an optimal model coupled with yield and quality indicators. The result reveals that the light intensity and nitrogen concentration have a strong synergistic interaction on shoot fresh weight, root fresh weight, anthocyanin, and soluble sugar of Purple Bok Choy. A combination of light/nitrogen could be found to achieve the common improvement for the indicators with a similar change trend. This work gives valuable insights into the combinational regulation of nitrogen concentration and light intensity and provides a new idea for the comprehensive improvement of production yield and quality.

Ferrocene-Incorporated Cobalt Sulfide Nanoarchitecture for Superior Oxygen Evolution Reaction.

Here, ferrocene(Fc)-incorporated cobalt sulfide (Cox Sy ) nanostructures directly grown on carbon nanotube (CNT) or carbon fiber (CF) networks for electrochemical oxygen evolution reaction (OER) using a facile one-step solvothermal method are reported. The strong synergistic interaction between Fc-Cox Sy nanostructures and electrically conductive CNTs results in the superior electrocatalytic activity with a very small overpotential of ≈304 mV at 10 mA cm-2 and a low Tafel slope of 54.2 mV dec-1 in 1 m KOH electrolyte. Furthermore, the Fc-incorporated Cox Sy (FCoS) nanostructures are directly grown on the acid pretreated carbon fiber (ACF), and the resulting fabricated electrode delivers excellent OER performance with a low overpotential of ≈315 mV at 10 mA cm-2 . Such superior OER catalytic activity can be attributed to 3D Fc-Cox Sy nanoarchitectures that consist of a high concentration of vertical nanosheets with uniform distribution of nanoparticles that afford a large number of active surface areas and edge sites. Besides, the tight contact interface between ACF substrate and Fc-Cox Sy nanostructures could effectively facilitate the electron transfer rate in the OER. This study provides valuable insights for the rational design of energy storage and conversion materials by the incorporation of other transition metal into metal sulfide/oxide nanostructures utilizing metallocene.

Effects of defects and anions on the geometry, electronic structures and exchange interaction of Fe-doped 2H-MoSe2 monolayer

The stability, electronic structure and magnetic properties of Fe doped, Fe-VSe and Fe-NM (NM = B, N) codoped 2H-MoSe2 monolayers with a high concentration of 12.5% are systematically investigated using first-principles calculations. The results show that the Fe dopants are coupled ferromagnetically via p-d exchange mechanism with high d4 spin configuration in the zigzag direction, ascribing to the antiferromagnetic coupling between the localized Fe 3d orbitals and delocalized Se 4p orbitals. Due to large distortion around Fe dopants, the introducing of Se vacancy alters the trigonal prismatic coordination field and causes Hund’s exchange splitting of Fe 3d orbitals, further leading to obvious ferromagnetic coupling and high ferromagnetic stability (ΔEFM-AFM = −724.0 meV) for the Fe-VSe codoped MoSe2 configurations. The non-compensated Fe-NM (NM = B, N) codoping can largely enhance the total moments and structural stability of Fe-doped MoSe2 monolayer due to strong electrostatic attraction and synergistic interaction of anionic dopants. The Fe-doped MoSe2 monolayer is an attractive route to achieve stable room temperature spintronic devices by precise control of synthesis conditions, such as the introducing of Se vacancies and nonmagnetic elements.

Catalytic oxidation of CO over Pt/Fe3O4 catalysts: Tuning O2 activation and CO adsorption

The self-inhibition behavior due to CO poisoning on Pt metal particles strongly impairs the performance of CO oxidation. It is an effective method to use reducible metal oxides for supporting Pt metal particles to avoid self-inhibition and to improve catalytic performance. In this work, we used in situ reductions of chloroplatinic acid on commercial Fe3O4 powder to prepare heterogeneousstructured Pt/Fe3O4 catalysts in the solution of ethylene glycol. The heterogeneous Pt/Fe3O4 catalysts achieved a better catalytic performance of CO oxidation compared with the Fe3O4 powder. The temperatures of 50% and 90% CO conversion were achieved above 260°C and 290°C at Pt/Fe3O4, respectively. However, they are accomplished on Fe3O4 at temperatures higher than 310°C. XRD, XPS, and H2-TPR results confirmed that the metallic Pt atoms have a strong synergistic interaction with the Fe3O4 supports. TGA results and transient DRIFTS results proved that the Pt metal particles facilitate the release of lattice oxygen and the formation of oxygen vacancies on Fe3O4. The combined results of O2-TPD and DRIFTS indicated that the activation step of oxygen molecules at surface oxygen vacancies could potentially be the rate-determining step of the catalytic CO oxidation at Pt/ Fe3O4 catalysts. The reaction pathway involves a Pt-assisted Mars-van Krevelen (MvK) mechanism.

Potential Synergy between Spores of Metarhizium anisopliae and Plant Secondary Metabolite, 1-Chlorooctadecane for Effective Natural Acaricide Development.

Date palm dust mites are important pests severely infesting valuable nutritious fruits (dates) of date palm. In search of an alternative to acaricides, joint action of Metarhizium anisopliae EBCL 02049 spores and 1-Chlorooctadecane was evaluated as a potential candidate for the management of Oligonychus afrasiaticus through natural products. In this regard, in vitro tests were performed to evaluate the interaction of M. anisopliae spores with multiple doses of 1-Chlorooctadecane (0.8, 1.6, 2.4, 3.2, and 4.0 mg/mL). Compatibility bioassay results evidenced from vegetative growth (77.7–84.40 mm), sporulation (5.50–7.30 × 106 spores/mL), and germination (96.70–98.20%), revealed that all the tested doses are compatible (biological index > 82) with the spores of M. anisopliae. The impact of combined treatment of spores with 1-Chlorooctadecane in different proportions (Scheme I, II, III, and IV) compared to their sole application against O. afrasiaticus was evaluated by concentration–mortality response bioassays. Results showed that all the combined treatments revealed high mortality compared to the sole application, which showed relatively slow mortality response over time. Toxicity recorded from Scheme IV combinations (80% 1-Chlorooctadecane: 20% Spores), exhibited strong synergistic interaction (joint toxicity = 713). Furthermore, potent interactions have overcome the host antioxidant defense at the final stage of infection by tremendously reducing catalase, and superoxide dismutase activities. These experiments demonstrated fungal–toxin joint synergistic interaction as a promising date palm dust mite management option.

Self-aggregation behaviour of cationic surfactant tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromide and bi-amphiphilic surface active ionic liquid 3-methyl-1-pentylimidazolium dodecylsulfate in aqueous solution

Abstract In this article, we have investigated the micellization behaviour of cationic surfactant tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromide (TTAB) and imidazolium based biamphiphilic surface active ionic liquid (BAIL), 3-methyl-1-pentylimidazolium dodecylsulfate [C5mim][DS] in aqueous solution, by employing various state of art techniques such as conductometry, tensiometry, spectrofluorometry, turbidity, dynamic light scattering (DLS), zeta potential (ζ), 1H NMR, freeze scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The conductometry, and tensiometry measurements have revealed that the micelle formation takes place at lower concentration due to strong synergistic interactions. The aggregation number (Nagg) determined from fluorescence using pyrene as a probe confirms the presence of micelle/vesicles or micelles or vesicles together at different mole fraction ratio of pure components. The various surface parameters have been evaluated by using the tensiometry. Turbidity and DLS measurements have confirmed the formation of micelles as well as vesicles over an exceptionally wide range of concentration (mole fraction = 0.1–0.9). The shape and morphology of the aggregates has been studied by using the FE-SEM and TEM measurements. The 1H NMR measurements shed light on the type of interactions prevail in the two oppositely charged mixed system.

Blockade of HSP70 by VER-155008 synergistically enhances bortezomib-induced cytotoxicity in multiple myeloma

Proteasome inhibitor bortezomib is one of the most effective drugs currently available for the treatment of multiple myeloma (MM). However, the intrinsic and acquired resistance to bortezomib can limit its effectiveness. The activation of heat shock response has been characterized as a potential resistance mechanism protecting MM cells from bortezomib-induced cell death. In this study, in response to bortezomib therapy, we discovered that HSP70 is one of the most substantially upregulated heat shock proteins. In order to further explore approaches to sensitizing bortezomib-based treatment for MM, we investigated whether targeting HSP70 using a specific inhibitor VER-155008 combined with bortezomib could overcome the acquired resistance in MM. We found that HSP70 inhibitor VER-155008 alone significantly decreased MM cell viability. Moreover, the combination of VER-155008 and bortezomib synergistically induced MM cell apoptosis markedly in vitro. Notably, the combined treatment was found to increase the cleavage of PARP, an early marker of chemotherapy-induced apoptosis. Importantly, the reduction of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family member Bcl-2, Bcl-xL, and Mcl-1 and the induction of pro-apoptotic Bcl-2 family member BH3-only protein NOXA and Bim were confirmed to be tightly associated with the synergism. Finally, the ER stress marker CHOP (CCAAT-enhancer binding protein homologous protein), which can cause transcriptional activation of genes involved in cell apoptosis, was markedly induced by both VER-155008 and bortezomib. Taken together, our finding of a strong synergistic interaction between VER-155008 and bortezomib may support for combination therapy in MM patients in the future.

Amphoteric tetramer as a filtration-loss reducer in low-solid phase water-based drilling fluids under high thermal-saline conditions

In deep well drilling, the filtration-loss reducer remarkably impacted the rheological property of water-based drilling fluids at high temperature and salinity, causing serious problems during the drilling process. In this work, a combination of low molecular weight amphoteric copolymer and bentonite clay was exploited to tackle these issues due to their relatively different thermal-saline-properties dependence. In detail, a novel amphoteric tetramer (AB-47) of N,N-dimethylacrylamide (DMAm), 2-acrylamide-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid (AMPS), diallyl dimethylammonium chloride (DMDAAC), and N-vinylpyrrolidone (NVP) was prepared by free-radical copolymerization technique under optimal conditions. And the molecular structure of AB-47 was evidenced by FT-IR, 1H NMR, and elemental analysis. The filtration and rheological performance of AB-47 in low solid-phase water-based mud (LSWBM) were examined in comparison with Driscal D before and after a 16 h aging at 230 °C according to the American Petroleum Institute (API) standard. Results indicated that, only 1% AB-47 could not only control an API filtration loss volume of 8.9 mL but also the change rate of main rheological parameters were found to be more stable while parameters of Driscal D containing mud not only varied dramatically but also an API filtration loss of 30 mL could be maintained under identical conditions. Although the contamination with NaCl affected both muds properties, AB-47 could still exhibit higher performance. Therefore, the relative stability of AB-47 containing mud with respect to the chemical environment could be achieved through the strong synergistic interactions between AB-47 and bentonite particles, which were examined through particle size distribution, zeta potential and scanning electron microscopic.

Monolithic porous CuO/CeO2 nanorod composites prepared by dealloying for CO catalytic oxidation

Synergistic interaction is an improved and unique catalytic property that is superior to the catalytic effect of a counterpart when two or more materials are combined to form a composite. Copper-ceria composites are proven to be high-active materials for various catalytic reactions owing to the synergistic interaction between Cu species and CeO2 that endowed them exceptional redox and catalytic performances. In this study, CuO/CeO2 nanorod composites were fabricated by a facile alloying-dealloying strategy along with calcination for CO oxidation. The obtained CuO/CeO2 displayed a porous framework structure in which highly dispersed CuO were in-situ loaded on the surfaces of CeO2 nanorods. XRD studies revealed the incorporation of Cu ions into the CeO2 lattice, resulting in the formation of abundant oxygen vacancies in the composites as evidenced by XPS results. The CuO/CeO2 nanorod catalyst prepared from Al85Ce10Cu5 alloy calcined at 500 °C exhibited high catalytic activity for CO oxidation, which can realize 98% CO conversion as low as 160 °C owing to the strong synergistic interaction between dispersed CuO and CeO2 nanorods. Kinetic studies indicated a possible reaction mechanism over CuO/CeO2 catalyst: chemisorbed CO on reductive Cu+ species reacted with lattice oxygen activated in the oxygen vacancies of CeO2 nanorods.

The combined effect of formic acid and Nisin on potato spoilage

Abstract This research has been conducted to investigate the efficacy of formic acid in combination with Nisin against Bacillus subtilis on a potato. To our knowledge, no investigation has evaluated the antimicrobial effectiveness of formic acid in combination with Nisin against Bacillus subtilis in the prevention of potato spoilage, including color changes. Nisin and formic acid inhibited the spoilage organism at 0.016 mg/ml and 0.25% v/v. The susceptibility of the bacteria to Nisin as measured from the diameter of the zone of inhibition was 21 mm, and for formic acid was 18 mm. The combination of Nisin (0.0016 mg/ml) and formic acid (0.025% v/v) inactivated the proliferation of Bacillus subtilis in vitro with a fractional inhibitory index of 0.2 indicating a strong synergistic interaction. 10g of potato samples were inoculated with 107 CFU/ml of Bacillus subtilis and treated with Nisin-formic acid combination, 0.02N HCL (Nisin diluent), Nisin, and formic acid for 10 min and stored at 37 °C for 0,3,5,7, and 10 days. After the 10 min treatments and the final storage day, Nisin-formic displayed (5.62–5.37 log reduction) as compared to the control. Formic (0.66–0.05 log reduction), Nisin (0.04–0.07 log reduction), 0.02N HCL (0.43–0.09 log reduction), all displayed significant (P

Synergistic defects in pre-rRNA processing from mutations in the U3-specific protein Rrp9 and U3 snoRNA

U3 snoRNA and the associated Rrp9/U3-55K protein are essential for 18S rRNA production by the SSU-processome complex. U3 and Rrp9 are required for early pre-rRNA cleavages at sites A0, A1 and A2, but the mechanism remains unclear. Substitution of Arg 289 in Rrp9 to Ala (R289A) specifically reduced cleavage at sites A1 and A2. Surprisingly, R289 is located on the surface of the Rrp9 β-propeller structure opposite to U3 snoRNA. To understand this, we first characterized the protein-protein interaction network of Rrp9 within the SSU-processome. This identified a direct interaction between the Rrp9 β-propeller domain and Rrp36, the strength of which was reduced by the R289A substitution, implicating this interaction in the observed processing phenotype. The Rrp9 R289A mutation also showed strong synergistic negative interactions with mutations in U3 that destabilize the U3/pre-rRNA base-pair interactions or reduce the length of their linking segments. We propose that the Rrp9 β-propeller and U3/pre-rRNA binding cooperate in the structure or stability of the SSU-processome. Additionally, our analysis of U3 variants gave insights into the function of individual segments of the 5′-terminal 72-nt sequence of U3. We interpret these data in the light of recently reported SSU-processome structures.

Self-assembly of homointerface engineered IrCo0.14 bracelet-like nanorings as efficient and stable bifunctional catalysts for electrochemical water splitting in acidic media

To develop robust and highly active bifunctional electrocatalysts for electrochemical water splitting in acidic media is still a great challenge for proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer. Herein, a self-assembled IrCox nanorings (NRs) with bracelet-like architecture is fabricated as a bifunctional high-efficient overall water splitting electrocatalyst by a facile, controllable and surfactant-free strategy. The unique nanoring architecture enriches in abundant homointerface and strong synergistic electronic interaction between Ir and Co. The optimized IrCo0.14 NRs exhibits remarkable electrocatalytic performance with a low overpotential of 16 mV for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and 278 mV for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) at 10 mA cm−2 in 0.1 M HClO4, respectively, significantly outperforming the commercial Pt/C, Ir/C and reported Ir-based catalysts. As both anode and cathode, a cell voltage of only 1.53 V to reach 10 mA cm−2 is obtained for overall water splitting and no obvious activity loses after a long-term electrolysis for 14 h. Combined with a PV cell, this catalyst also shows excellent water splitting performance with a solar-to-hydrogen conversion efficiency of 12.8%. This work provides further insights on designing promising and efficient bifunctional electrocatalysts for clean energy electrochemical conversion in the future.

Combined Genotype Effects of TP53 and PAI-1 Polymorphisms in Breast Cancer Susceptibility: Multifactor Dimensionality Reduction and in silico Analysis

Introduction: Breast cancer is a heterogeneous and multifactorial disease. TP53 and PAI-1 as important tumor suppressor genes are involved in the development, invasion, and metastasis of many cancers. This study’s objective was to demonstrate the combined genotype effects of these 2 genes by investigating their single nucleotide polymorphisms. Methods: In this case-control study, 200 individuals with breast cancer and 179 healthy individuals were studied. The genotypes were determined using the tetra-ARMS method. For data analysis, MDR, online javstat statistics package, and SPSS v.24 software were used. Also, in silico studies on the estimated effects of each of these polymorphisms were performed. Results: We showed a novel gene-gene interaction of these 2 genes and demonstrated a strong synergistic interaction for TP53/PAI-1, moderate synergistic interaction for PAI-1/age, and correlation for TP53/age. On the other hand, there was no association between the allelic and genotype frequency alone and in combination, with case-control status, using the parametric method, between TP53 and PAI-1. Discussion/Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the polymorphism of codon 72 of the TP53 gene was significantly associated with tumor stage (p < 0.023). In conclusion, we showed a gene-gene interaction between TP53 and PAI-1, in combination, using the MDR method.