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Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (L-DLPFC) has an improving effect in cognitive function, but it is still not clear in what specific cognitive domains. We here combined a single session of TMS (HF-rTMS/iTBS) with electroencephalography (EEG) to clarify the effects of magnetic stimulation techniques on executive function, working memory, and visuospatial attention in healthy participants, and to investigate the underlying neurophysiological mechanisms. Fifty-one healthy participants were randomly assigned to three stimulation groups (HF-rTMS, iTBS, and sham groups). Classical psychological paradigms (task-switching, 2-back with visual Oddball) and event-related potentials (ERPs) were performed to compare the behavioral indices of each paradigm before and after the two stimulations, as well as the changes in the ERP components. Analysis of behavioral indicators showed that reaction times in the 2-back paradigm were faster after HF-rTMS and iTBS than after sham stimulation. However, no statistically significant differences were observed in the behavioral changes in the task-switching and visual Oddball paradigms. ERP analysis showed that N2 amplitude in the frontal and central regions of the participants increased during the 2-back paradigm following HF-rTMS and iTBS; however, no statistically significant differences were observed between the ERP components of the task-switching and visual Oddball paradigms. Single sessions of HF-rTMS and iTBS on the L-DLPFC specifically enhanced working memory performance, with no significant effects on executive function and visuospatial attention. Both true stimulations elicited more negative N2 in the frontal and central channels during the 2-back paradigm, suggesting increased recruitment of cognitive resources from these brain areas. Although iTBS and HF-rTMS improved working memory behavior, iTBS's shorter stimulation time suggests it may have greater potential for clinical applications in terms of time-benefit costs. ● The combination of three cognitive paradigms with event-related potentials. ● Single sessions of HF-rTMS and iTBS on the L-DLPFC enhanced working memory performance. ● Both HF-rTMS and iTBS elicited more negative N2 in frontal and central parts of the brain during the 2-back paradigm. ● iTBS may have greater potential for clinical applications in terms of time-benefit costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Estimating the utility harmonic impedance of a point of common coupling (PCC) is of significance to harmonic emission level evaluation. The most existing methods for estimating the utility harmonic impedance are based on the assumptions that the background harmonic fluctuates in a small range, and the customer harmonic impedance is much larger than the utility harmonic impedance, etc. However, in modern power grid, due to the influence of filter and reactive power compensator, those assumptions are not always satisfied. Just depending on the stochastic characteristic of the utility harmonic current, this article proposes a method for estimating the utility harmonic impedance based on semiparametric estimation. The input of the proposed method is the measured voltage and current at the PCC. The kernel density estimation method, one of the nonparametric methods, is used to depict the probability distribution characteristics of the utility harmonic current, and the impedance is obtained according to maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) criterion. The performance of the proposed method is verified by simulation experiments and field-measured data. The results validate that the proposed method outperforms the existing methods when the background harmonic is fluctuating and the utility harmonic impedance is close to the customer harmonic impedance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Migration of fish bones into abdominal para-aortic tissue after penetrating the junction of 3rd and 4th part of duodenum is incredibly rare.Case Presentation: A 68-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with persistent colic in the lower abdomen after eating fish two weeks ago. Abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan showed High density streaks along the anterior and lower edges of the 3rd part of duodenum with peripheral exudation and localized peritonitis. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy didn't find foreign bodies and perforations in the digestive tract. Laparoscopic surgery and intraoperative endoscopy were made to detect foreign bodies and perforation site was found. After transition to open surgery, the fish bone was found in abdominal para-aortic tissue and removed without complications. Postoperative recovery is smooth, and the patient resumed normal diet and was discharged.Conclusions: It is difficult to choose a treatment plan for foreign bodies at the 3rd part of the duodenum, because it is difficult to judge the damage caused by the foreign body to the intestine and the positional relationship with the surrounding important organs. Conservative treatment or surgical treatment both have huge risks. The handling of this situation will extremely test the psychology, physical strength and professional experience of the surgeon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-strain rate response of low C steel/304 stainless steel (SS) laminates was characterized by hat-shaped specimen using Hopkinson-bar technique at a strain rate of about 7 × 104 s−1. Better dynamic shear properties were observed in the laminates, compared to the plain low C steel plate and the plain 304 SS plate. The laminates were found to postpone the nucleation of adiabatic shear band (ASB) in the hard zone and to delay the propagation of ASB from the hard zone to the soft zone. The conventional maximum stress criterion on ASB nucleation was found not valid any more in the laminates. The hardness difference between the hard zone and the soft zone in the laminates was found to have great influence on the patterns of ASB evolution. Nanotwins were formed in the 304 SS and grain refinement was observed in the martensite low C steel for strain hardening under dynamic shear loading. The mechanical incompatibility across the interfaces was observed to result in strain gradient and geometrically necessary dislocations at the interfaces under dynamic shear loading, contributing to extra strain hardening. The extra hardening was also found to be triggered at the propagation tip of ASB, which helps for achieving better dynamic ductility in the laminates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-principal element alloys (MPEAs) with body-centered-cubic (BCC) structures composed of elements of IVB, VB, and VIB usually exhibit high compressive strength and superior high-temperature performance. However, premature necking under tensile loading at ambient temperature limits their applications. Herein, we report the Hf 0.5 Nb 0.5 Ta 0.5 Ti 1.5 Zr MPEA with a single BCC phase, which performs considerable tensile plasticity by the process of strain delocalization. The formation of dispersed slip bands and two major strain localized regions suppress premature necking. The strain-localized region with a larger strain gradient realized strain delocalization during non-uniform deformation, resulting in considerable tensile plasticity (∼20%) with a yield strength of 922 MPa. Two dominated work hardening mechanisms were revealed. One is the geometrically necessary dislocations (GNDs) produced by non-uniform deformation which can coordinate deformation incompatibility, thus enhancing plastic deformation capability. The other is the lattice distortion which can provide an easy path for the cross slip of dislocations and realize strain delocalization. These two kinds of work-hardening mechanisms jointly contribute to the significant plastic deformation capacity of the Hf 0.5 Nb 0.5 Ta 0.5 Ti 1.5 Zr MPEA. • Hf 0.5 Nb 0.5 Ta 0.5 Ti 1.5 Zr BCC structured MPEAs were prepared. • Formation of two strain localization regions inhibits the occurrence of premature necking. • Strain localization region with a larger strain gradient realizes delocalization. • The geometrically necessary dislocations (GNDs) produced by non-uniform deformation coordinate incompatibility deformation. • Lattice distortion promotes the cross slip of dislocations, which reduces the strain localization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interfaces have been found to play an important role in mechanical behaviors of metals and alloys with heterogeneous microstructures. In present study, low C steel/304 stainless steel (SS) laminates with varying fractions of interfacial zone were fabricated by hot-rolled bonding, annealing and pickling, then cold rolling, subsequent annealing followed immediately by water quenching to study the effect of fraction of interfacial zone on the tensile properties. Heterogeneous distributions in chemical composition, grain size, phase and hardness were observed in the interfacial zone. The yield strength was observed to be constant with varying fractions of interfacial zone, while the ultimate strength and the uniform elongation were found to increase with increasing fraction of interfacial zone. High density of geometrically necessary dislocations (GNDs) were found to distribute in the interfacial zone and show a peak at the interface due to the mechanical incompatibility across the interface. Moreover, the density of GNDs was found to increase with increasing tensile strain in the interfacial zone. Back stress hardening was found to play an important role in the laminates, especially at the elasto-plastic transition stage. Higher fraction of interfacial zone can induce stronger back stress hardening and higher density of GNDs in the samples, thus resulting in better tensile ductility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic non-progressive pneumonia, a disease that has become a worldwide epidemic has caused considerable loss to sheep industry. Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae (M. ovipneumoniae) is the causative agent of interstitial pneumonia in sheep, goat and bighorn. We here have identified by immunogold and immunoblotting that elongation factor Tu (EF-Tu) and heat shock protein 70 (HSP 70) are membrane-associated proteins on M. ovipneumonaiea. We have evaluated the humoral and cellular immune responses in vivo by immunizing BALB/c mice with both purified recombinant proteins rEF-Tu and rHSP70. The sera of both rEF-Tu and rHSP70 treated BALB/c mice demonstrated increased levels of IgG, IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-12(p70), IL-4, IL-5 and IL-6. In addition, ELISPOT assay showed significant increase in IFN-γ+ secreting lymphocytes in the rHSP70 group when compared to other groups. Collectively our study reveals that rHSP70 induces a significantly better cellular immune response in mice, and may act as a Th1 cytokine-like adjuvant in immune response induction. Finally, growth inhibition test (GIT) of M. ovipneumoniae strain Y98 showed that sera from rHSP70 or rEF-Tu-immunized mice inhibited in vitro growth of M. ovipneumoniae. Our data strongly suggest that EF-Tu and HSP70 of M. ovipneumoniae are membrane-associated proteins capable of inducing antibody production, and cytokine secretion. Therefore, these two proteins may be potential candidates for vaccine development against M. ovipneumoniae infection in sheep. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To construct eukaryotic Flag (DYKDDDDK) expressing recombinant plasmids, pCMV-N-Flag-SND1-No1/2, which contain the coding sequence of human SND1-No1 (from 1st AUG)or SND1-No2 (from 2nd AUG), and perform the cellular localization analysis of Flag-tagged SND1-No1/2 under stress condition to study the function of the two AUG in the SND1 containing stress granules formation. Methods The gene fragments of SND1-No1/2 were amplified by PCR from the whole SND1 transcript and inserted into pCMV-N-Flag expressing vector through BamHI/EcoRI double enzyme digestion and T4 DNA Ligase connection. The recombinant pCMV-N-Flag-SND1-No1/2 plasmids were transfected into HeLa cells and the expression of Flag-SND1-No1/2 fusion proteins was examined by Western blotting assay. Immunofluo-rescence assay was performed to detect the co-localization of Flag-SND1-No1/2 with endogenous SND1 granule. Results The pCMV-N-Flag-SND1-No1/2 were sequenced and digested correctly by restriction single/double enzyme. The Flag-tagged SND1-No1/2 fusion proteins were also detected in transfected HeLa cell by Western blotting assay. Both of them showed the co- localization with endogenous SND1 granule. Conclusion The recombinant eukaryotic plasmids of pCMV-N-Flag-SND1-No1/2 were constructed successfully and expressed effectively. The depletion of 1st AUG failed to affect the formation of SND1 containing stress granules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Phytochrome-like histidine kinases are photoreceptors that help a wide variety of bacteria and fungi perceive environmental light. In this study, a putative histidine kinase gene Bcphy3 from Botrytis cinerea was disrupted, and a Bcphy3 mutant ΔBcphy3-P21 was obtained. This mutant formed smaller colonies on PDA media compared to the wild-type strain Bc05.10 (approximately 70% of Bc05.10), indicating that the absence of Bcphy3 affected the growth rate of ΔBcphy3-P21. The mutant also produced a substantially reduced amount of sclerotia compared to Bc05.10. Moreover, the ΔBcphy3-P21 strain displayed significantly reduced pathogenicity on different tested plant tissues (capsicum, lettuce, tomato, grape berry, and carrot). Further phenotypic analysis showed that the ΔBcphy3-P21 mutant was more susceptible to cell wall stress caused by Congo red, suggesting that the absence of Bcphy3 may also affect cell wall integrity. Transmission electron microscopy analysis further confirmed that the layer of cell wall mainly composed of chitin was much thinner, and the outer layer of cell wall was disorganized in ΔBcphy3-P21. Gene transcription analysis demonstrated that the expression of the chitin synthesis genes (Bcchs1 and Bcchs3a) was inhibited in ΔBcphy3-P21. Determination of the chitin content revealed that the chitin content of the mycelium in the ΔBcphy3 mutant was reduced by approximately 19% compared to the wild-type strain Bc05.10. Taken together, our results indicated that Bcphy3 encoding a histidine kinase is required for normal vegetative growth, sclerotia production, and pathogenicity in B. cinerea. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The radial sand ridges consist of more than 70 sand ridges that are spread out radially on the continental shelf of the South Yellow Sea. As a unique geomorphological feature in the world, its evolution process and characteristics are crucial to marine resource management and ecological protection. Based on the multi-source remote sensing image data from 1979 to 2019, three types of geomorphic feature lines, artificial coastlines, waterlines, and sand ridge lines were extracted. Using the GIS sequence analysis method (Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS), spatial overlay analysis, standard deviational ellipse method), the evolution characteristics of the shoreline, exposed tidal flats, and underwater sand ridges from land to sea were interpreted. The results demonstrate that: (1) The coastline has been advancing towards the sea with a maximum advance rate of 348.76 m/a from Wanggang estuary to Xiaoyangkou Port. (2) The exposed tidal flats have decreased by 1484 km2 including the reclaimed area of 1414 km2 and showed a trend of erosion in the north around Xiyang channel and deposition in the southeast around the Gaoni and Jiangjiasha areas. (3) The overall sand ridge lines showed a trend of gradually moving southeast (135°), and the moving distance is nearly 4 km in the past 40 years. In particular, the sand ridge of Tiaozini has moved 11 km southward, while distances of 8 km for Liangyuesha and 5 km for Lengjiasha were also observed. For the first time, this study quantified the overall migration trend of the RSRs. The imbalance of the regional tidal wave system may be one of the main factors leading to the overall southeastward shift of the radiation sandbanks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ammonium dinitramide (ADN) is highly hygroscopic which poses significant challenges in its practical applications. Consequently, mitigating this hygroscopic nature has been a primary focus in the research and development of ADN. This study investigated the properties of the ADN/3-amino-5-nitro-1,2,4-triazole (ANTA) cocrystal using density functional theory, molecular dynamics, and Monte Carlo methods. The research involved analyzing binding energies, radial distribution functions, and molecular interaction energies, predicting the crystallographic properties of the cocrystal, and theoretically assessing the hygroscopicity of ADN, stability and detonation properties. The results indicated that the cocrystal achieved relative stability at a 1 : 1 molar ratio of ADN to ANTA, driven by favorable conditions for cocrystal formation. The primary forces facilitating this cocrystal formation were hydrogen bonds and van der Waals interactions. The predicted space group for the cocrystal was P1¯, with a calculated crystal density of 1.8353 g cm−3. Additionally, the cocrystal demonstrated a calculated saturated moisture absorption rate of 3.67%, which contrasted significantly with the 18.12% absorption rate observed for pure ADN. The cohesive energy density and trigger bond length indicated that the stability of the ADN/ANTA cocrystal was higher than that of ADN. Theoretical calculations indicated that the detonation performance of the cocrystal is close to that of the pure component ADN, suggesting that the ADN/ANTA cocrystal is a new type of high-energy material with low hygroscopicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Ammonium dinitramide (ADN) is highly hygroscopic, which poses significant challenges in its practical applications. Consequently, mitigating this hygroscopic nature has been a primary focus in the research and development of ADN. This study investigated the properties of the ADN/3-amino-4-nitrofurazan (ANF) cocrystal using density functional theory, molecular dynamics, and Monte Carlo methods. The research involved analyzing binding energies, radial distribution functions, and molecular interaction energies; predicting crystallographic properties of the cocrystal; and ADN theoretically assessing its hygroscopic and detonation properties. The results indicated that the cocrystal achieved relative stability at a 1:1 molar ratio of ADN to ANF, driven by favorable conditions for cocrystal formation. The primary forces facilitating this cocrystal formation were electrostatic and van der Waals interactions. The predicted space group for the cocrystal was P21-C, with a calculated crystal density of 1.8836 g·cm⁻3. Additionally, the cocrystal demonstrated a calculated saturated moisture absorption rate of 9.07%, which contrasted significantly with the 18.12% absorption rate observed for pure ADN. Theoretical calculations indicated that the detonation performance of the cocrystal surpassed that of the pure components ADN and ANF, suggesting that the ADN/ANF cocrystal was a new type of high-energy material with low hygroscopicity. Methods: For the whole molecular dynamics simulation, the simulation was done in Materials Studio 2020 software, under NPT ensemble, with a set temperature of 298 K, a pressure of 0.0001 GPa, a temperature control of Andersen, and a pressure control of Berendsen. The total simulation time was 1 ns. The first 0.5 ns was used for the thermodynamic equilibrium, and the second 0.5 ns was used for statistical calculations and analysis. It was used for statistical calculations and analysis. Samples were recorded every 10 fs during the calculation. All systems were simulated similarly. Surface electrostatic potentials were calculated using Gaussian and Multiwfn programs with B3LYP, 6-31G + + basis sets, and levels. Hygroscopicity calculations utilized the Sorption module to simulate pure ADN and ADN/ANF cocrystals. Water was chosen as the adsorbate, with a pressure of 2.813 kPa, temperature set at 308.15 K, and adsorbate coverage ranging from 0.12 to 0.8. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, the heterogeneous low C steel/304 austenite stainless steel (SS) laminates were observed to have exceptional tensile properties under cryogenic temperature, i.e., the yield strength and the uniform elongation were found to be significantly elevated simultaneously compared to these under room temperature. The underlying deformation mechanisms have been revealed by a novel tensile testing method coupled with in-situ digital image correlation imaging under cryogenic environment, and subsequent microstructure observations. Strain localization was found to initiate from low C steel, propagate across the interface and then towards 304 SS side. While the formed localized strain zone (LSZ) was observed to be delocalized at larger tensile strain due to the propagation of LSZ towards the un-deformed region along the gage length. Martensite transformation was found to be concentrated in the LSZ of 304 SS to regain strain hardening ability and reduce severity of strain concentration. Strain partitioning between 304 SS and low C steel was found to be more significant in the LSZ than that out of the LSZ. The non-uniform martensite transformation along the gage length should be the origin for the strain delocalization in the LSZ, resulting in large ductility in the laminates under cryogenic temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We retrieved different reports containing different genetic effects of − 1082 A/G, − 819 T/C, and − 592 A/C polymorphisms within the IL-10 (interleukin-10) gene on the susceptibility to clinical atopic dermatitis. Methods: Herein, we conducted a meta-analysis to comprehensively assess such a genetic relationship after collecting the available published evidence. STATA 12.0 software was used for the statistical analysis under the allelic, homozygotic, heterozygotic, dominant, recessive and carrier genetic models. Results: By retrieving and screening database literature, a total of 16 eligible case-control studies were finally selected. For the IL-10 -1082 A/G polymorphism, we did not detect a significant difference between atopic dermatitis cases and population-based controls in the overall meta-analysis under the genetic models of allele G vs. A (P = 0.540), GG vs. AA (P = 0.853), AG vs AA (P = 0.265), AG + GG vs AA (P = 0.221), GG vs AA+AG (P = 0.540) and carrier G vs. A (P = 0.643). Moreover, a statistically non-significant association was observed in the most subgroup meta-analyses by the factors of ethnicity, country and Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Likewise, the negative results were detected for the synthetic analysis of IL-10 -819 T/C and − 592 C/A polymorphisms. Conclusion: The current evidence does not support a strong genetic relationship between IL-10 -1082 A/G, − 819 T/C and − 592 A/C polymorphisms and the susceptibility to atopic dermatitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of ciceritol on human colonic microflora and the production of short chain fatty acids (SCFAs). Ciceritol was extracted from chickpeas by using 50% ethanol-water solvent with a ratio of 1:10, and the extract was purified by chromatography of charcoal-Celite column and gel chromatography of Biogel P-2 column. Bacterial population and the concentration of SCFAs during in vitro anaerobic fermentation were investigated to evaluate the effect of ciceritol on human colonic microflora. The results indicated that the addition of ciceritol could significantly enhance the growth of Lactobacillus–Enterococcus group (8.26 compared to 7.71 log 10 cells/mL of control group) and Bifidobacterium spp. (10.43 compared to 9.45 log 10 cells/mL of control group), and inhibit the growth of Bacteroides–Prevotella , Clostridium histolyticum and Eubacterium–Clostridium groups. Besides, the production of SCFAs was significantly improved by addition of ciceritol that the content was twice of the control group. Accordingly, we conclude that ciceritol can behave as a potential prebiotics by optimizing the microflora of human colon and promoting the production of SCFAs, which will benefit to human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: PRDM5 is considered a tumor suppressor in several types of solid tumors and is involved in multiple cellular processes. However, target genes regulated by PRDM5 in lung cancer and its potential mechanism are poorly defined. Methods: Survival analysis was conducted using Kaplan‐Meier estimates based on the online databases. RNA‐sequencing and bioinformatics analysis were performed to identify the differentially expressed genes in PRDM5‐overexpressed A549 cells. Results: We observed deregulated PRDM5 in several lung adenocarcinoma cell lines and its association with a poor prognosis. PRDM5 overexpression inhibited the proliferation of lung adenocarcinoma cells in vitro and suppressed tumor growth in a xenograft model. PRDM5 upregulated the promoter activity of SOCS1, which then inhibited the phosphorylation of JAK2 and STAT3. Conclusions: Our study suggests that the low expression of PRDM5 promotes the proliferation of lung adenocarcinoma cells by downregulating SOCS1 and then upregulating the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energetic structural materials play an important role in improving the damage performance of future weapons. To improve the energy-releasing behavior, Al0.5NbZrTi1.5Ta0.8Cex high-entropy alloys were prepared by vacuum-arc melting. The results showed the presence of BCC and FCC phases in the alloy with dendritic-morphology-element segregation and there were significant dislocations in the alloys. The current study focused on the effects of cerium content on the dynamic compressive mechanical and energetic characteristics. Cerium doping enhanced the energy-releasing characteristics of high-entropy alloys. The severity of the reaction increased with the increase in the cerium content, while the dynamic compressive strength generally decreased with the increase in cerium content. The Al0.5NbZrTi1.5Ta0.8Ce0.25 showed excellent mechanical and energy-releasing characteristics. The ballistic experiments indicated that Al0.5NbZrTi1.5Ta0.8Ce0.25 can penetrate 6-millimeter A3 plates and ignite the cotton behind the target at a velocity of 729 m/s, making it an ideal energetic structural material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Boron and its alloys have been explored a lot and it is expected that they can replace pure aluminum powder in the energetic formulation of active materials. MgB2 compounds were prepared and characterized by a combination of mechanical alloying and heat treatment. The ignition and combustion of boron–magnesium alloys were studied with the ignition wire method and laser ignition infrared temperature measurement. The results show that MgB2 has good ignition characteristics with maximum ignition temperatures obtained by the two various methods of 1292 K and 1293 K, respectively. Compared with boron, the ignition temperature of MgB2 is greatly reduced after alloying. The ignition reaction of MgB2 mainly occurs on the surface and the ignition process has two stages. In the initial stage of ignition, the large flame morphology and combustion state are close to the combustion with gaseous Mg, whereas the subsequent combustion process is close to the combustion process of B. Compared with boron, the ignition temperature of MgB2 is greatly reduced which suggests that MgB2 may be used in gunpowder, propellant, explosives, and pyrotechnics due to its improved ignition performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a computer simulation study of helix folding in alanine homopeptides (ALA)n of length n = 5, 8, 15, and 21 residues. Based on multi-microsecond molecular dynamics simulations at room temperature, we found helix populations and relaxation times increasing from about 6% and ~2 ns for ALA5 to about 60% and ~500 ns for ALA21, and folding free energies decreasing linearly with the increasing number of residues. The helix folding was analyzed with the Optimal Dimensionality Reduction method, yielding coarse-grained kinetic models that provided a detailed representation of the folding process. The shorter peptides, ALA5 and ALA8, tended to convert directly from coil to helix, while ALA15 and ALA21 traveled through several intermediates. Coarse-grained aggregate states representing the helix, coil, and intermediates were heterogeneous, encompassing multiple peptide conformations. The folding involved multiple pathways and interesting intermediate states were present on the folding paths, with partially formed helices, turns, and compact coils. Statistically, helix initiation was favored at both termini, and the helix was most stable in the central region. Importantly, we found the presence of underlying universal local dynamics in helical peptides with correlated transitions for neighboring hydrogen bonds. Overall, the structural and dynamical parameters extracted from the trajectories are in good agreement with experimental observables, providing microscopic insights into the complex helix folding kinetics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Emerging oncogenes were reportedly linked to the complicated subtypes and pathogenesis of clinical gliomas. Herein, we first comprehensively explored the potential correlation between growth‐arrest‐specific two family genes (GAS2, GAS2L1, GAS2L2, GAS2L3) and gliomas by bioinformatics analysis and cellular experiments. Methods: Based on the available datasets of TCGA (The Cancer Genome Atlas), CGGA (Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas), and Oncomine databases, we performed a series of analyses, such as gene expression, survival prognosis, DNA methylation, immune infiltration, and partner enrichment. We also utilized two glioma cell lines to conduct the colony formation and wound‐healing assay. Results: GAS2L3 gene was highly expressed in glioma tissues compared to normal brain tissues (p < 0.05). We further observed the relationship between the high expressed GAS2L3 and poor clinical prognosis of brain low‐grade glioma (LGG) cases in our Cox proportional hazard model (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.1715, p < 0.001). Moreover, DNA hypomethylation status of GAS2L3 was correlated with the high expression of GAS2L3 in LGG tissues and the poor clinical prognosis of primary glioma cases (p < 0.05). We also found that the high expression of GAS2L3 was associated with the infiltration level of immune cells, especially the T cells (p < 0.0001). Functional enrichment analysis of GAS2L3‐correlated genes and interaction partners further indicated that GAS2L3 might take part in the occurrence of glioma by influencing a series of biological behaviors, such as cell division, cytoskeleton binding, and cell adhesion. Additionally, our cellular experiment data suggested that a highly expressed GAS2L3 gene contributes to the enhanced proliferation and migration of glioma cells. Conclusion: This study first analyzed the potential role of GAS2 family genes, especially GAS2L3, in the clinical prognosis and possible functional mechanisms of glioma, which gives a novel insight into the relationship between GAS2L3 and LGG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although emerging cell- or animal-based evidence supports the relationship between SND1 and cancers, no pan-cancer analysis is available. We thus first explored the potential oncogenic roles of SND1 across thirty-three tumors based on the datasets of TCGA (The cancer genome atlas) and GEO (Gene expression omnibus). SND1 is highly expressed in most cancers, and distinct associations exist between SND1 expression and prognosis of tumor patients. We observed an enhanced phosphorylation level of S426 in several tumors, such as breast cancer or lung adenocarcinoma. SND1 expression was associated with the CD8 + T-cell infiltration level in colon adenocarcinoma and melanoma, and cancer-associated fibroblast infiltration was observed in other tumors, such as bladder urothelial carcinoma or testicular germ cell tumors. Moreover, protein processing- and RNA metabolism-associated functions were involved in the functional mechanisms of SND1. Our first pan-cancer study offers a relatively comprehensive understanding of the oncogenic roles of SND1 across different tumors. • A first pan-cancer analysis of SND1. • SND1 is differentially associated with the prognosis of different tumor cases. • The link between SND1 and CD8+ T-cell or cancer-associated fibroblast infiltration. • An enhanced phosphorylation level of S426 in several tumors, such as breast cancer. • Protein/RNA metabolism-associated issue is involved in the oncogenic role of SND1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stress granules ( SGs) and processing bodies ( PBs) comprise the main types of cytoplasmic RNA foci during stress. Our previous data indicate that knockdown of human Tudor staphylococcal nuclease (Tudor-SN) affects the aggregation of SGs. However, the precise molecular mechanism has not been determined fully. In the present study, we demonstrate that Tudor-SN binds and colocalizes with many core components of SGs, such as poly(A)+ mRNA binding protein 1, T-cell internal antigen-1-related protein and poly(A)+ mRNA, and SG/PB sharing proteins Argonaute 1/2, but not PB core proteins, such as decapping enzyme 1 a/b, confirming that Tudor-SN is an SG-specific protein. We also demonstrate that the Tudor-SN granule actively communicates with the nuclear and cytosolic pool under stress conditions. Tudor-SN can regulate the aggregation dynamics of poly(A)+ mRNA-containing SGs and selectively stabilize the SG-associated mRNA during cellular stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mycoplasma gallisepticum can infect a wide variety of birds including the commercial poultry. M. gallisepticum MGA_0676 is a putative lipoprotein, which is similar to bacterial thermostable nucleases. But the possible pathogenic effect of M. gallisepticum MGA_0676 has not been investigated so far. In the present study, we cloned the MGA_0676 gene after deletion of the amino-terminal signal sequence and mutagenesis of the Mycoplasma TGA tryptophan codons to TGG and expressed recombinant MGA_0676 protein in Escherichia coli. We identified and characterized MGA_0676 as a Ca-dependent cytotoxic nuclease of M. gallisepticum with a staphylococcal nuclease (SNc) region that displays the hallmarks of nucleases. Membrane protein immunoblot analysis and immunogold electron microscopy revealed that MGA_0676 locates on the membrane surface of M. gallisepticum. Furthermore, apoptosis assay using annexin V-FITC and propidium iodide (annexin V/PI) indicated that MGA_0676 played significant roles in apoptosis induction and pathological damages in chicken cells. Moreover, confocal microscopy showed that MGA_0676 localizes in the nuclei of host cells. Besides, after the SNc region was deleted, MGA_0676 lost its ability of nuclear localization, nuclease activity, and cytotoxicity, which revealed that the SNc region is essential for nuclear translocation and induction of apoptosis in chicken cells. The above results suggest that MGA_0676 is an important virulence factor in cellular pathology and may play a unique role in the life cycle events of M. gallisepticum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Tudor-SN binds and co-localizes with AGTR1-3′UTR (3′-untranslated region of angiotensin II receptor, type 1 mRNA) in SG. [•] Tudor-SN plays an important role in the assembly of AGTR1-3′UTR granules. [•] Tudor-SN knockdown decreases the recovery kinetics of AGTR1-3′UTR granules. [•] Our results suggest an additional biological role of Tudor-SN in RNA metabolism during stress. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective To construct eukaryotic enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) expressing recombinant plasmid, pEGFP-C1-hnRNP A1, which contains coding sequence of human hnRNP A1 (heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleo protein A1), and to perform cellular localization analysis of EGFP tagged hnRNP A1 under stress. Methods Total RNA was isolated from HeLa cell used for synthesis of first-strand cDNAs using reverse primers that are specific for the3'-un-translated region of hnRNP A1. hnRNP A1 gene fragments were then amplified by touch-down PCR from those cDNAs and inserted into pEGFP-C1 fluorescent bearing vector through EcoR I/BamH II double enzyme digestion and T4 DNA Ligase connection. The recombinant pEGFP-C1-hnRNP A1 plasmid was transfected into HeLa cells and green fluorescent tagged fusion proteins was examined by Western blot and confocal fluorescence microscopy. Co-localization of EGFP-hnRNP A1 with poly (A)+ mRNA (the marker of the stress granules), or DCP1a (the marker of processome) were detected by RNA fluores cence in situ hybridization and immunofluorescence. Results The pEGFP-C1-hnRNP A1 was sequenced and digested correctly by restriction single/double enzyme. The green fluorescent fusion protein was also detected in transfected HeLa cell by Western blot and confocal fluorescence microscopy. EGFP-hnRNP A1 co-localizes with poly(A)+ mRNA, but not DCP1a. Conclusion Recombinant eukaryotic plasmid of pEGFP-C1-hnRNP A1 was constructed successfully and expressed effectively. EGFP tagged hnRNP A1 takes part in forming stress granules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This research proposes a new utility side harmonic impedance estimation method, which can estimate the harmonic impedance in smart grids more accurately than existing methods. • The method proposed in this research works stably when the harmonic background fluctuates greatly, and most existing methods cannot work in this case. • The proposed method is effective when the harmonic background fluctuates, and it is good at tracking the fluctuation of the harmonic impedance on the utility side. [Display omitted] With the development of smart grid, a lot of nonlinear loads and new energy power stations are connected into the power network. There are a large number of harmonic sources in the power grid, harmonic distortion has become one of the main power quality concerns in recent years. Utility side harmonic impedance estimation is important for evaluating harmonic emission levels and determining the harmonic responsibility. In the traditional methods, the harmonic voltage and current at the PCC are considered to satisfy the normal distribution and the timing correlation of them is ignored which contains important information that can be used to estimate the harmonic impedance. This paper proposes a new method for harmonic impedance estimation based on the Burg algorithm and AR model. In this paper, harmonic voltage and current are considered to satisfy AR model including timing correlation. The reflection coefficient is calculated by minimizing the average power of the forward and backward errors in the AR model. Then, the utility side harmonic impedance is estimated by minimizing the apparent power. The proposed method is robust, and the error of the estimation result is small by the proposed method. Whats more, the proposed method is not limited by some traditional assumptions, such as the background harmonics are stable and small, the customer harmonic impedance is much larger than the utility, and the harmonic sources of both sides are independent, and so on. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ischemic stroke poses a significant health risk due to its high rate of disability and mortality. To address this problem, several therapeutic approaches have been proposed, including interruption targeting programmed cell death (PCD). Ferroptosis is a newly defined PCD characterized by iron-dependent accumulation of lipid peroxidation, and is becoming a promising target for treating numerous diseases. To explore the underlying mechanisms of the initiation and execution of ferroptosis in ischemic stroke, we established stroke models in vivo and in vitro simulating ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) neuronal injury. Different from previous reports on stroke, we tested ferroptosis by measuring the levels of core proteins, such as ACSL4, 15-LOX2, Ferritin and GPX4. In addition, I/R injury induces excessive degradation of ferritin via the autophagy pathway and subsequent increase of free iron in neurons. This phenomenon has recently been termed ferritinophagy and reported to be regulated by nuclear receptor coactivator 4 (NCOA4) in some cell lines. Increased NCOA4 in cytoplasm was detected in our study and then silenced by shRNA to investigate its function. Both in vivo and in vitro , NCOA4 deletion notably abrogated ferritinophagy caused by I/R injury and thus inhibited ferroptosis. Furthermore, we found that NCOA4 was upregulated by ubiquitin specific peptidase 14 (USP14) via a deubiquitination process in damaged neurons, and we found evidence of pharmacological inhibition of USP14 effectively reducing NCOA4 levels to protect neurons from ferritinophagy-mediated ferroptosis. These findings suggest a novel and effective target for treating ischemic stroke. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To explore the factors affecting the male sexual quality after PANP rectal cancer radical dissection and provide reference to improve postoperative sexual quality of the male. Methods A total of 134 patients undertaken pelvic autonomic nerve preservation (PANP) rectal cancer radical dissection in this hospital were investigated through questionnaire survey and analyzed by the logistic regression in its influencing factors. Results The total score of postoperative sexual quality of 134 male patients in this study was (136.51±45.96). The quality of daily sleep, the self-cognition to the disease, the attitude to the patients and coordination of their families ranked the first three places successively. The self-cognition to the disease, the attitude to the patients of the families and cooperation were the key factors of sexual quality, which had statistical significance in difference (P<0.05), Conclusion Strengthening the self-cognition to the disease, the attitude to the patients of the families and cooperation are the important factors in the nursing health education after PANP rectal cancer radical dissection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]