pylori (referred here as Hup) using in silico molecular docking-based virtual screening experiments. Hup-being a major nucleoid-associated protein expressed by H. pylori-plays a strategic role in its survival and persistent colonization under hostile stress conditions. The ligand with highest binding energy with Hup-that is, epigallocatechin-(-)gallate (EGCG)-was rationally selected for further computational and experimental testing. The best docking poses of EGCG with Hup were first evaluated for their solution stability using long run molecular dynamics simulations and then using fluorescence and nuclear magnetic resonance titration experiments which demonstrated that the binding of EGCG with Hup is fairly strong (the resultant apparent dissociation constant (kD) values were equal to 2.61 and 3.29 ± 0.42 μM, respectively).A reversible confinement of ionic liquid (IL) among the amide segments has been carried out for the preparation of high-modulus and high-strength aliphatic semicrystalline nylon 6 fibers. In this research work, the suppression or the weakening of the hydrogen bonds during the conventional low-speed melt spinning process is followed by a hot-drawing stage and a subsequent IL extraction of the IL out of the 2% wt IL-confined fibers and an immediate thermal stabilization process for the improvement of the properties of the pristine nylon 6 fibers. The resulted crystal structural developments of the IL-confined fibers are attributed to ultimate molecular orientations, which have contributed to the developments of the overall fiber properties. Here, the influences of the IL on the γ and the α crystal phases, the γ-α transition, the morphological properties, and the tensile properties are investigated. The FTIR reported, experimentally, additional peaks at 1237 cm-1 for the γ crystal phase and at 1417 and 1476 cm-1 for the α crystal phase, in conformity with the theoretical computations. The XRD demonstrated that the conventional low-speed melt spinning can successfully be used to prepare as-spun IL-confined fibers having highly improved properties. The so prepared as-spun IL-confined fibers are found to have a γ phase structure that has a small crystal size and high crystal perfections. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/ro-20-1724.html Fortunately, the γ-to-α crystal phase transition for the IL-confined nylon 6 fibers can be acquired during the hot-drawing stage (stress-induced phase transformation). Furthermore, the IL extraction process followed by a thermal stabilization process, interestingly, has led to significant increases in both of the tensile strengths and the tensile moduli of the reverted nylon 6 fibers. The values that are found are 8.46 cN/dtex for the tensile strength and 39.09 cN/dtex for the tensile modulus. The structure-property relationships between the IL-confined and the reverted nylon 6 fibers have also been discussed.SARS-CoV-2, the etiologic agent of the COVID-19 pandemic, emerged as the cause of a global crisis. Rapid and reliable clinical diagnosis is essential for effectively controlling transmission. The gold standard assay for SARS-CoV-2 identification is the highly sensitive real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR); however, this assay depends on specialized reagents and may suffer from false results. Thus, additional assays based on different approaches could be beneficial. Here, we present a novel method for SARS-CoV-2 identification based on mass spectrometry. The approach we implemented combines a multistep procedure for the rational down-selection of a set of reliable markers out of all optional in silico derived tryptic peptides in viral proteins, followed by monitoring of peptides derived from tryptic digests of purified proteins, cell-cultured SARS-CoV-2, and nasopharyngeal (NP) swab matrix spiked with the virus. The marker selection was based on specificity to SARS-CoV-2 and on analytical parameters including sensitivity, linearity, and reproducibility. The final assay is based on six unique and specific peptide markers for SARS-CoV-2 identification. The simple and rapid (2.5 h) protocol we developed consists of virus heat inactivation and denaturation, tryptic digestion, and identification of the selected markers by liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The developed assay enabled the identification of 104 PFU/mL SARS-CoV-2 spiked into buffer. Finally, the assay was successfully applied to 16 clinical samples diagnosed by RT-qPCR, achieving 94% concordance with the current gold standard assay. To conclude, the novel MS-based assay described here is specific, rapid, simple, and is believed to provide a complementary assay to the RT-qPCR method.Antifouling treatment is critical to certain biomedical devices for their functions and patients' life. Facial, versatile, and universal coating methods to conjugate antifouling materials on a wide variety of biomaterials are beneficial for the fabrication of low-fouling biomedical devices. We developed a simple one-step coating method for surface conjugation of zwitterionic poly(sulfobetaine) via deposition of self-polymerized pyrogallol (PG). Poly(pyrogallol) could deposit copolymers of sulfobetaine methacrylate and aminoethyl methacrylate (pSBAE) on various biomaterials. pSBAE coatings inhibited as high as 99.8% of the adhesion of L929 cells and reduced protein adsorption significantly. The resistance against L929 cell adhesion was increased with increasing coating time and was positively correlated with the surface hydrophilicity and film thickness. Such a coating was robust to resist harsh sterilization conditions and stable for long-term storage in phosphate-buffered saline. We expect that the simple low-fouling pSBAE coating is applicable to the manufacture of medical devices.Banknotes have long been suspected to be biologically "dirty" due to their frequent human contact, which may transmit human microbial pathogens. Still, it is an unsettled issue whether the microbes on banknotes pose a real threat to human health. In several previous studies, metagenomic sequencing was used to reveal the diversities of microbes on banknotes but live microorganism culture and functional verification were lacking. In this study, we collected banknotes of RMB in China as well as dollar bills in the United States and analyzed the microbial biodiversity and drug resistance genes carried by the identified microbes by metagenomic sequencing and in vitro culture methods. We identified eight major genera of drug-resistant bacteria through screening of 30 antibiotics, and the blood agar plate culture uncovered six pathogenic fungal species. Numerous phage and six dangerous viral sequences were also found. These results should substantiate our concern about the potential risk of banknotes to human health.