摘要：Response surface methodology （RSM） employing 5-level Box-Behnken design was used to optimize the biosorption of cerium（III） onto biowaste materials of animal and plant origin viz. prawn carapace （PC） and corn style （CS）. Various process parameters viz. pH （A：3.0-9.0）, biomass dosage （B：0.05-0.35 g/L）, initial metal concentration （C：50-350 mg/L）, contact time （D：2-6 h） and temperature （E：20-60 ℃ were chosen for optimization. A log transformation was suggested by the Box-Cox plot in the present case. A low p-value of〈0.0001 validated the significance of the model. Maximum Ce（III） uptake of 218.3 mg/g for PC and 180.2 mg/g for CS was noted under optimum conditions. Among the equilibrium isotherms, Freundlich model was found to be the best fitted one suggesting a heterogeneous mode of biosorption on PC whereas Langmuir model showed the best fit suggesting homogeneous mode of cerium biosorption on CS. This was further confirmed by scanning electron microscopy （SEM）. Kinetic studies showed better applicability of pseudo-first order model suggesting physisorption as phenomena underlying the process. Film-diffusion was suggested by the non-linearity of the Boyd plot. Thermodynamic studies showed that the process was endothermic and spontaneous. FTIR analysis confirmed a major involvement of the participation of amide, amines, ketones and primary alcohol groups during Ce（III） biosorption. EDAX analysis confirmed the major participation of carbon group during Ce（III） biosorption. This was the first report on parameter optimization of Ce（III） biosorption onto biowaste materials using 5-level Box-Behnken experimental design which might be helpful for the recovery of Ce（III） from aqueous environment.

摘要：The fixation and conversion of CO_(2)frommedium-and high-temperature industrial exhaust gases arescientifically important and challenging tasks owing to theharsh conditions ***_(2)O_(3),a stable p-block compound,is surprisingly active in the thermal conversion of hot CO_(2)waste gas,but its underlying mechanism remains *** study,we investigated CO_(2)adsorption and activationacross 11 different Ga_(2)O_(3)-terminated faces using densityfunctional *** transfer and chemical bond analysesrevealed the occurrence of two distinct activation mechanismsinvolving synchronous electron gain and loss,driven by astrong synergetic effect between Ga cations and O anions onthe substrate *** Ga-O synergy enhances the CO_(2)activation efficiency compared with single active sites,with CO_(2)^(δ+) cation more readily capturing H atom than CO_(2)^(δ–).Tothe best of our knowledge,such a dual activation mechanismhas not been reported before,particularly for p-block *** findings provide new insights into the direct catalyticconversion of CO_(2)emissions and offer strategies for the rational design of industrial-grade catalysts for medium-andhigh-temperature CO_(2)tail gas conversion.

摘要：Increasing evidence indicates that engineered nerve grafts have great potential for the regeneration of peripheral nerve injuries(PNIs).While most studies have focused only on the topographical features of the grafts,we have considered both the biophysical and biochemical manipulations in our applied *** achieve this,we fabricated an electrospun nanofibrous scaffold(ENS)containing polylactide nanofibers loaded with lithium(Li)ions,a Wnt/β-catenin signaling *** addition,we seeded human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells(hADMSCs)onto this engineered scaffold to examine if their differentiation toward Schwann-like cells was *** further examined the efficacy of the scaffolds for nerve regeneration in vivo via grafting in a PNI rat *** results showed that Li-loaded ENSs gradually released Li within 11 d,at concentrations ranging from 0.02 to(3.64±0.10)mmol/L,and upregulated the expression of Wnt/β-catenin target genes(cyclinD1 and c-Myc)as well as those of Schwann cell markers(growth-associated protein 43(GAP43),S100 calcium binding protein B(S100B),glial fibrillary acidic protein(GFAP),and SRY-box transcription factor 10(SOX10))in differentiated *** the PNI rat model,implantation of Li-loaded ENSs with/without cells improved behavioral features such as sensory and motor functions as well as the electrophysiological characteristics of the injured *** improved function was further validated by histological analysis of sciatic nerves grafted with Li-loaded ENSs,which showed no fibrous connective tissue but enhanced organized myelinated *** potential of Li-loaded ENSs in promoting Schwann cell differentiation of hADMSCs and axonal regeneration of injured sciatic nerves suggests their potential for application in peripheral nerve tissue engineering.

摘要：Contamination of soil and water by arsenic is a global problem. In Australia, the dipping of cattle in arsenic-containing solution to control cattle ticks in last centenary has left many sites heavily contaminated with arsenic and other toxicants. We had previously isolated five soil bacterial strains （CDB 1-5） highly resistant to arsenic. To understand the resistance mechanism, molecular studies have been carried out. Two chromosome-encoded arsenic resistance （ars） gene clusters have been cloned from CDB3 （Bacillus sp.）. They both function in Escherichia coli and cluster i exerts a much higher resistance to the toxic metalloid. Cluster 2 is smaller possessing four open reading frames （ORFs） arsRorf2BC, similar to that identified in Bacillus subtilis Skin element. Among the eight ORFs in cluster 1 five are analogs of common ars genes found in other bacteria, however, organized in a unique order arsRBCDA instead of arsRDABC. Three other putative genes are located directly downstream and designated as arsTIP based on the homologies of their theoretical translation sequences respectively to thioredoxin reductases, iron-sulphur cluster proteins and protein phosphatases. The latter two are novel of any known ars operons. The arsD gene from Bacillus species was cloned for the first time and the predict protein differs from the well studied E. coli ArsD by lacking two pairs of C-terminal cysteine residues. Its functional involvement in arsenic resistance has been confirmed by a deletion experiment. There exists also an inverted repeat in the intergenic region between arsC and arsD implying some unknown transcription regulation.

摘要：Dwindling supply and unpredictable price fluctuations of fossil fuels have necessitated a renewed worldwide search for alter- native fuels. Plant cell walls, rich in cellulose and hemicellulose, are actively pursued for their use in production of second-gen- eration biofuels. It has been envisioned that degradation of these carbohydrate polymers to their sugar monomer subu- nits （saccharification） will provide necessary substrates for their yeast-mediated fermentation to ethanol.

摘要：In this work, a facile strategy is proposed to construct stretchable electronics based on agarose hydrogels. The hot agarose solution is casted onto a template with patterned Ag nanowires, endowing agarose hydrogel with patterned conductive surface. After further heating treatment, Ag nanowires can be embedded into the agarose hydrogel, which improves the stability of Ag pattern and has no obvious e ffect on the conductivity of hydrogels. The agarose hydrogel with patterned Ag nanowires is certi fied to be an e ffective stretchable electrode to record the motion of joints, which has great potential applications in the field of wearable devices.

摘要：Restricted genetic diversity can supply only a limited number of elite genes for modern plant cultivation and *** this study,we demonstrate that rational design enables the engineering of geranyl-geranyl diphosphate synthase(NtGGPPS),an enzyme of the methylerythritol phosphate pathway(MEP)in the model plant Nicotiana *** the crucial bottleneck in carotenoid biosynthesis,NtGGPPS1 interacts with phytoene synthase(NtPSY1)to channel GGPP into the production of *** of this enzyme in the ntggpps1 mutant leads to decreased carotenoid *** the aim of enhanc-ing NtGGPPS1 activity,we undertook structure-guided rational redesign of its substrate binding pocket in combination with sequence *** activity of the designed NtGGPPS1(a pentuple mutant of five sites V154A/I161L/F218Y/I209S/V233E,d-NtGGPPS1)was measured by a high-throughput colorimetric assay.d-NtGGPPS1 exhibited significantly higher conversion of IPP and each co-substrate(DMAPP~1995.5-fold,GPP~25.9-fold,and FPP~16.7-fold)for GGPP synthesis compared with wild-type ***,the transient and stable expression of d-NtGGPPS1 in the ntggpps1 mutant increased carotenoid levels in leaves,improved photosynthetic efficiency,and increased biomass relative to *** findings provide a firm basis for the engineering of GGPPS and will facilitate the development of quality and yield *** results open the door for the structure-guided rational design of elite genes in higher plants。

摘要：With the availability of the whole genome sequence of Escherichia coli or Corynebacterium glutamicum, strategies for directed DNA manipulation have developed rapidly. DNA manipulation plays an important role in understanding the function of genes and in constructing novel engineering bacteria according to requirement. DNA manipulation involves modifying the autologous genes and expressing the heterogenous genes. Two alternative approaches, using electroporation linear DNA or recombinant suicide plasmid, allow a wide variety of DNA manipulation. However, the over-expression of the desired gene is generally executed via plasmid-mediation. The current review summarizes the common strategies used for genetically modifying E. coli and C. glutamicum genomes, and discusses the technical problem of multi-layered DNA manipulation. Strategies for gene over-expression via integrating into genome are proposed. This review is intended to be an accessible introduction to DNA manipulation within the bacterial genome for novices and a source of the latest experimental information for experienced investigators.

摘要：Phloretin is an important skin-lightening and depigmenting agent from the peel of apples. Although de novo production of phloretin has been realized in microbes using the natural pathway from plants, the efficiency of phloretin production is still not enough for industrial application. Here, we established an artificial pathway in the yeast to produce phloretin via assembling two genes of p-coumaroyl-CoA ligase(4CL) and chalcone synthase(CHS). CHS is a key enzyme which conventionally condenses a CoA-tethered starter with three molecules of malonyl-CoA to form the backbone of flavonoids. However, there was 33% of byproduct generated via CHS by condensing two molecules of malonyl-CoA during the fermentation process. Hence, we introduced a more efficient CHS and improved the supply of malonyl-CoA through two pathways;the by-product ratio was decreased from 33% to 17% and the production of phloretin was improved from 48 to 83.2 mg L^(-1). Finally, a fed-batch fermentation process was optimized and the production of phloretin reached 619.5 mg L^(-1), which was 14-fold higher than that of the previous studies. Our work established a platform for the biosynthesis of phloretin from the low-cost raw material 3-(4-hydroxyphenyl) propanoic acid and also illustrated the potential for industrial scale bio-manufacturing of phloretin.

摘要：Hepsin,a transmembrane serine protease abundant in renal endothelial cells,is a promising therapeutic target against several cancers,particularly prostate *** is involved in the release and polymerization of uromodulin in the urine,which plays a role in kidney stone *** this work,we design new potential hepsin inhibitors for high activity,improved specificity towards hepsin,and promising ADMET *** ligands were developed in silico through a novel hierarchical *** pipeline explicitly accounts for off-target binding to the related serine proteases matriptase and HGFA(human hepatocyte growth factor activator).We completed the pipeline incorporating ADMET properties of the candidate inhibitors into custom multi-objective optimization *** ligands designed show excellent prospects for targeting hepsin via the blood stream and the urine and thus enable key experimental *** computational pipeline proposed is remarkably costefficient and can be easily adapted for designing inhibitors against new drug targets.