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The supramolecular solvent (SUPRAS) has garnered significant attention as an innovative, efficient, and environmentally friendly solvent for the effective extraction and separation of bioactive compounds from natural resources. However, research on the use of a SUPRAS for the extraction of phenolic compounds from plants, which are highly valued in food products due to their exceptional antioxidant properties, remains scarce. The present study developed a green, ultra-sound-assisted SUPRAS method for the simultaneous determination of three phenolic acids in Prunella vulgaris using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The experimental parameters were meticulously optimized. The efficiency and antioxidant properties of the phenolic compounds obtained using different extraction methods were also compared. Under optimal conditions, the extraction efficiency of the SUPRAS, prepared with octanoic acid reverse micelles dispersed in ethanol–water, significantly exceeded that of conventional organic solvents. Moreover, the SUPRAS method demonstrated greater antioxidant capacity. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) images revealed the spherical droplet structure of the SUPRAS, characterized by a well-defined circular fluorescence position, which coincided with the position of the phenolic acids. The phenolic acids were encapsulated within the SUPRAS droplets, indicating their efficient extraction capacity. Furthermore, molecular dynamics simulations combined with CLSM supported the proposed method's mechanism and theoretically demonstrated the superior extraction performance of the SUPRAS. In contrast to conventional methods, the higher extraction efficiency of the SUPRAS can be attributed to the larger solvent contact surface area, the formation of more types of hydrogen bonds between the extractants and the supramolecular solvents, and stronger, more stable interaction forces. The results of the theoretical studies corroborate the experimental outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to assess the health-related quality of life and identify its associated factors in women with endometriosis. A cross-sectional correlation study design and convenience sampling were conducted in the gynecological outpatient clinic of a teaching hospital in northern Taiwan. A total of 216 women with endometriosis were recruited. The data were collected using structured questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Participants reported a moderate level of health-related quality of life. The most significant impact of endometriosis on health-related quality of life was emotional well-being, followed by feeling of control or powerless, pain, social support, and self-image. Educational attainment, menstrual cycle, period length, perceived menstrual flow, symptom distress, and self-management strategies explained 66% of the variance in health-related quality of life. Factors influencing health-related quality of life in women with endometriosis play a key role in promoting women's well-being. Interventions based on these related factors should be developed and taken into practice to effectively manage the disease-related symptoms for women with endometriosis and thereby improve their overall health-related quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seed germination is the complex adaptive trait of higher plants influenced by a large number of genes and environmental factors. Numerous studies have been performed to better understand how germination is controlled by various environmental factors and applied chemicals, such as cyanide. However, still very little is known about the molecular mechanisms of how extrinsic signals regulate seed germination. Our and previous studies found that non-lethal cyanide treatment promotes seed germination, but the regulatory mechanism is unclear. In this study, we found that a low concentration of cyanide pretreatment significantly enhanced the expression of endo-β-mannanase 5 (MAN5) gene in Arabidopsis thaliana, and the mutation of this gene impaired cyanide-mediated seed germination. In contrast, overexpression of MAN5 gene enhanced Arabidopsis seed germination ability under both normal and salt stress conditions. Further studies showed that the expression of the MAN5 gene was negatively regulated by ABA insensitive 5 (ABI5); In abi5 mutant seeds, the expression of the MAN5 gene was increased and the seed germination rate was accelerated. Additionally, cyanide pretreatment markedly reduced the gene expression of ABI5 in Arabidopsis seeds. Taken together, our data support the involvement of MAN5 as a key gene in cyanide-mediated seed germination and confirm the role of ABI5 as a critical negative factor involved in cyanide-regulated MAN5 gene expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Radiotherapy (RT) is the standard treatment for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). However, due to individual differences in radiosensitivity, biomarkers are needed to tailored radiotherapy to cancer patients. However, comprehensive genome-wide radiogenomic studies on them are still lacking. The aim of this study was to identify genetic variants associated with radiotherapy response in patients with NPC. Methods: This was a large‑scale genome-wide association analysis (GWAS) including a total of 981 patients. 319 individuals in the discovery stage were genotyped for 688,783 SNPs using whole genome-wide screening microarray. Significant loci were further genotyped using MassARRAY system and TaqMan SNP assays in the validation stages of 847 patients. This study used logistic regression analysis and multiple bioinformatics tools such as PLINK, LocusZoom, LDBlockShow, GTEx, Pancan-meQTL and FUMA to examine genetic variants associated with radiotherapy efficacy in NPC. Results: After genome-wide level analysis, 19 SNPs entered the validation stage (P < 1 × 10− 6), and rs11130424 ultimately showed statistical significance among these SNPs. The efficacy was better in minor allele carriers of rs11130424 than in major allele carriers. Further stratified analysis showed that the association existed in patients in the EBV-positive, smoking, and late-stage (III and IV) subgroups and in patients who underwent both concurrent chemoradiotherapy and induction/adjuvant chemotherapy. Conclusion: Our study showed that rs11130424 in the CACNA2D3 gene was associated with sensitivity to radiotherapy in NPC patients. Trial registration number: Effect of genetic polymorphism on nasopharyngeal carcinoma chemoradiotherapy reaction, ChiCTR-OPC-14005257, Registered 18 September 2014, . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The early detection of COVID-19 patients is fundamental for containing the pandemic. A reverse-transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), which detects SARS-CoV-2 RNA, is the gold standard diagnostic test, although it can contribute to false-negative results. Consequently, supplementary diagnostic tests are urgently needed. Methods: To assess the value of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody-based tests for confirming COVID-19, a retrospective study was conducted on 3120 inbound overseas travelers who underwent a 14-day government quarantine in Xiamen from August 2020 to October 2020. The diagnostic accuracy of the total antibody that detected the anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody and the RT-PCR that detected SARS-CoV-2 RNA was determined in comparison to the clinical diagnosis. Results: The COVID-19 positive rate was 3.14% (98/3120). The sensitivity and specificity of the RT-PCR test on the first day of quarantine were 14.29% and 100%, respectively, and the sensitivity and specificity of the total antibody were 93.88% and 99.40%, respectively. The kappa value between an RT-PCR on the first day of quarantine and a clinical diagnosis was 0.24 (95% CI, 0.14–0.35), indicating poor consistency. The kappa value between total antibodies and a clinical diagnosis was 0.88 (95% CI, 0.83–0.93), indicating perfect consistency. There were no differences in the positive rates of an RT-PCR in symptomatic COVID-19 (7.41% (2/27)) and asymptomatic COVID-19 (16.90 (12/71) (p = 0.338). Similarly, the positive rate of the total antibody tests showed no difference in symptomatic COVID-19 (96.30% (26/27)) and asymptomatic COVID-19 (92.96% (66/71)) (p = 0.676). Conclusion: SARS-CoV-2 antibodies are developed by the body in response to an infection or after vaccination; this can easily lead to a missed diagnosis. In the context of low sensitivity for an RT-PCR, SARS-CoV-2 antibody detection is an effective adjunct to RT-PCR detection, which can improve the diagnostic accuracy of COVID-19 and provide an effective complement to the false-negative results of an RT-PCR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To explore the diagnostic value and prognostic evaluation of the autophagy-related protein expression level among patients with sepsis comorbid with acute respiratory distress syndrome. Methods. A total of 182 sepsis patients were admitted to Naval Medical Center from March 2016 to April 2020 and divided into the acute respiratory distress syndrome and non-ARDS groups. Immunoblotting was employed to identify the expression of autophagy-associated protein from participants' peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Multivariate linear regression analysis was used to examine the association between mortality and the protein expression in sepsis complicated with acute respiratory distress syndrome. Results. Among the 182 patients with sepsis included in this study, 82 patients had acute respiratory distress syndrome and 100 patients did not have acute respiratory distress syndrome. We observed that microtubule-related protein 1A/1B LC3II, Beclin-1, RAB7, and LAMP2 protein expression was significantly decreased in septic patients with ARDS, and p62 was significantly increased. Further receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that autophagy-related proteins had a high recognition ability in sepsis complicated with acute respiratory distress syndrome. LAMP2 protein was the best among them, and its specificity was up to 91.46%. In this study, 38 of the 82 patients with sepsis complicated with acute respiratory distress syndrome died, with a mortality rate of 46.34%. We found that the autophagy level was further inhibited in the patients with death, LC3II, Beclin-1, and RAB7. However, the lysosomal-associated membrane protein 2 levels in the survival patients were remarkably higher than that in the dead patients. In addition, the p62 level was lower in survival patients as well. Our results indicated age and SOFA score were the independent risk factors for mortality in septic patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome. Conclusion. The autophagy level is significantly inhibited in septic patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome, and autophagy-associated proteins LC3II, Beclin-1, RAB7, LAMP2, and p62 have good value for the diagnosis and prognosis evaluation of sepsis comorbid with acute respiratory distress syndrome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cyanide is a natural metabolite that exists widely in plants, and it is speculated to be involved in the regulation of various growth and development processes of plants in addition to being regarded as toxic waste. Previous studies have shown that exogenous cyanide treatment helps to improve seed germination, but the mechanism is still unclear. In this study, tomato (Solanum lycopersicum cv. Alisa Craig) was used as the material, and the effects of cyanide pretreatment at different concentrations on tomato seed germination were investigated. Results: The results showed that exogenous application of a lower concentration of cyanide (10 μmol/L KCN) for 12 h strongly increased the tomato seed germination rate. RNA-Seq showed that compared with the control, a total of 15,418 differentially expressed genes (P<0.05) were obtained after pretreatment with KCN for 12 h, and in the next 12 h, a total of 13,425 differentially expressed genes (P<0.05) were regulated. GO and KEGG analyses demonstrated that exogenous KCN pretreatment was involved in regulating the expression (mainly downregulation) of seed storage proteins, thereby accelerating the degradation of stored proteins for seed germination. In addition, KCN pretreatment was also involved in stimulating glycolysis, the TCA cycle and oxidative phosphorylation. Notably, it is shown that KCN acted on the regulation of plant hormone biosynthesis and perception, i.e., down-regulated the gene expression of ABA biosynthesis and signal transduction, but up-regulated the expression of genes related to GA biosynthesis and response. Consistent with this, plant hormone measurements confirmed that the levels of ABA were reduced, but GA levels were induced after pretreatment with KCN. Conclusion: These findings provide new insights into the regulation of seed germination by cyanide, that is cyanide-mediated seed germination occurs in a time- and dose-dependent manner, and is related to the mobilization of energy metabolism and the regulation of some plant hormone signals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is a neurotropic protozoan parasite, which can cause mental and behavioural disorders. The present study aimed to elucidate the effects and underlying molecular mechanisms of sertraline (SERT) on T. gondii- induced depression- like behaviours. In the present study, a mouse model and a microglial cell line (BV2 cells) model were established by infecting with the T. gondii RH strain. In in vivo and in vitro experiments, the underlying molecular mechanisms of SERT in inhibiting depression- like behaviours and cellular perturbations caused by T. gondii infection were investigated in the mouse brain and BV2 cells. The administration of SERT significantly ameliorated depression- like behaviours in T. gondii- infected mice. Furthermore, SERT inhibited T. gondii proliferation. Treatment with SERT significantly inhibited the activation of microglia and decreased levels of pro- inflammatory cytokines such as tumour necrosis factor- alpha, and interferon- gamma, by down- regulating tumour necrosis factor receptor 1/nuclear factor- kappa B signalling pathway, thereby ameliorating the depression- like behaviours induced by T. gondii infection. Our study provides insight into the underlying molecular mechanisms of the newly discovered role of SERT against T. gondii- induced depression- like behaviours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Periodic exogenous signals often exist in motion systems, especially those involving one or more rotating elements. These periodic exogenous signals deteriorate the performance of motion systems, and these adverse effects cannot be practically eliminated by straightforwardly increasing feedback control gains due to sensor noise, actuator saturation, and unmodeled plant dynamics. This paper describes a sliding repetitive controller for motion systems subject to periodic exogenous signals. Moreover, an adaptive law for bound estimation is devised to ensure the presence of a sliding motion for both repetitive learning and disturbance observation. The tracking motion system of a disk drive is considered in practice, and a traditional repetitive controller is also implemented for performance comparisons with the proposed scheme. Experimental results are reported in this paper, showing the efficacy of the proposed scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Network formation by nanofiber crosslinking is usually in polymer materials as application in organic semiconductor devices. Electron hopping transport mechanisms depend on polymer morphology in network. Conducting polymers morphology in a random network structure is modeled by a quasi-one-dimensional system coupled of chains or fibers. We observe the varying hopping conduction mechanisms in the polyaniline nanofibers of the random network structure. The average diameter d of the nanofibers is varied from approximately 10 to 100 nm. The different dominant hopping mechanisms including Efros-Shklovskii variable-range hopping (VRH), Mott VRH, and nearest-neighbor hopping are dependent on temperature range and d in crossover changes. The result of this study is first presented in a phase diagram of hopping conduction mechanisms based on the theories of the random network model. The hopping conduction mechanism is unlike in normal semiconductor materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Age-related changes to histone levels are seen in many species. However, it is unclear whether changes to histone expression could be exploited to ameliorate the effects of ageing in multicellular organisms. Here we show that inhibition of mTORC1 by the lifespan-extending drug rapamycin increases expression of histones H3 and H4 post-transcriptionally through eIF3-mediated translation. Elevated expression of H3/H4 in intestinal enterocytes in Drosophila alters chromatin organisation, induces intestinal autophagy through transcriptional regulation, and prevents age-related decline in the intestine. Importantly, it also mediates rapamycin-induced longevity and intestinal health. Histones H3/H4 regulate expression of an autophagy cargo adaptor Bchs (WDFY3 in mammals), increased expression of which in enterocytes mediates increased H3/ H4-dependent healthy longevity. In mice, rapamycin treatment increases expression of histone proteins and Wdfy3 transcription, and alters chromatin organisation in the small intestine, suggesting that the mTORC1-histone axis is at least partially conserved in mammals and may offer new targets for anti-ageing interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The distribution of fibrosis in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is subpleural with basal predominance. Alveolar epithelial cell was considered as the key cell in the initial phase of IPF. However, the idea of activation and damage of alveolar epithelial cells is very difficult to explain why fibrosis distributes in the subpleural area. In this study, human pleural mesothelial cell (PMC) line and primary rat PMC was used as in vitro model. Intraperitoneal injection of bleomycin was used for making a pulmonary fibrosis model. The integrity of cultured monolayer PMCs was determined by transepithelial electric resistance (TEER). Pleural permeability was estimated by measuring paracellular transport of fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-conjugated dextran. Changes in lung tissue of patients with IPF were analyzed by Masson’s and immunofluorescence staining. We found bleomycin induced PMCs damage and increased PMCs permeability; increased PMCs permeability aggravated bleomycin-induced subpleural inflammation and pulmonary fibrosis. Moreover, bleomycin was found to activate VEGF/Src signaling which increased PMCs permeability. In vivo, inhibition of VEGF/Src signaling prevented bleomycin-induced subpleural pulmonary fibrosis. At last, activation of VEGF/Src signaling was confirmed in subpleural area in patients with IPF. Taken together, our findings indicate that VEGF/Src signaling mediated pleural barrier damage and increased permeability which contributes to subpleural pulmonary fibrosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel pulsed anion source has been developed, using plasma entrainment into a supersonic expansion. A pulsed discharge source perpendicular to the main gas expansion greatly reduces unwanted "heating" of the main expansion, a major setback in many pulsed anion sources in use today. The design principles and construction information are described and several examples demonstrate the range of applicability of this anion source. Large OH-(Ar)n clusters can be generated, with over 40 Ar solvating OH-. The solvation energy of OH-(Ar)n, where n = 1-3, 7, 12, and 18, is derived from photoelectron spectroscopy and shows that by n = 12-18, each Ar is bound by about 10 meV. In addition, cis- and trans- HOCO- are generated through rational anion synthesis (OH- + CO + M → HOCO- + M) and the photoelectron spectra compared with previous results. These results, along with several further proof-of-principle experiments on solvation and transient anion synthesis, demonstrate the ability of this source to efficiently produce cold anions. With modifications to two standard General Valve assemblies and very little maintenance, this anion source provides a versatile and straightforward addition to a wide array of experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wee1 is a kinase that regulates the G2/M progression by the inh ibition of CDK1, which is critical for ensuring DNA damage repair before initiation of mitotic entry. Targeting Wee1 may be a potential strategy in the treatment of anaplastic thyr oid cancer, a rare but lethal disease. The therapeutic effects of adavosertib, a Wee1 inhibitor for anaplastic thyroid cancer was evaluated in this study. Adavosertib inhibited cell growth in three anaplastic thyroid cancer cell lines in a dose-dependent manner. Cell cycle analysis revealed cells were accumulated in the G2/M phase. Adavosertib induced caspase-3 activity and led to apoptosis. Adavosertib monotherapy showed significant retardation of the growth of two anaplastic thyroid cancer tumor models. The combination of adavosertib with dabrafenib and trametinib revealed strong synergism in vitro and demonstrated robust suppression of tumor growth in vivo in anaplastic thyroid cancer xenograft models with BRAFV600E mutation. The combination of adavosertib with either sorafenib or lenvatinib also demonstrated synergism in vitro and had strong inhibition of tumor growth in vivo in an anaplastic thyroid cancer xenograft model. No appreciable toxicity appeared in mice treated with either a single agent or combination treatment. Our findings suggest adavosertib holds the promise for the treatment of patients with anaplastic thyroid cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the current study was to determine whether exposure to earthquake stress during pregnancy and infancy impacted on the risk of chronic adult health problems. All subjects were divided into three groups: the infant exposure group, the fetus exposure group, and the non‐exposure group. All subjects completed a standardized interview that included questions on demographic information, traumatic experiences during the earthquake, Anthropomorphic parameters such as body height, weight, and blood pressure were measured. Traumatic events in childhood and adulthood were assessed by the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) and Life Event Scale (LES), respectively. Totally1325 subjects were included; 399 subjects experienced the earthquake as fetuses, 374 subjects who experienced the earthquake as infants and 552 subjects did not experience the earthquake. The three groups were comparable in sociodemographic and baseline characteristics except age (Infant exposure vs Prenatal exposure vs No exposure = 39.5 ± 0.6 vs 38.5 ± 0.8 vs 37.5 ± 0.9, p <.001). Fetal and infant exposure to earthquakes was associated with elevated systolic blood pressure (both were + 3 mm Hg, p <.001). After adjustment for covariates, earthquake exposure in infants (odds ratio [OR] = 2.010, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.216 ~ 3.322) and fetuses (OR = 1.509, 95% CI = 1.014 ~ 2.248) was a significant and independent risk factor for hypertension. Earthquake expose in fetuses was a significant and independent risk factor for diabetes (OR = 2.307, 95% CI = 1.136 ~ 4.686). Earthquake exposure in infants and fetuses is a significant and independent risk factor for hypertension. Earthquake exposure in fetuses is significant and independent risk factor for diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of the AlGaN electron blocking layer (EBL) with graded aluminum composition on electron confinement and hole injection in AlGaN-based ultraviolet light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are investigated. The light output power of LED with graded AlGaN EBL was markedly improved, comparing to LED with conventional EBL. In experimental results, a high increment of 86.7% can be obtained in light output power. Simulation analysis shows that via proper modification of the barrier profile from the last barrier of the active region to EBL, not only the elimination of electron overflow to p-type layer can be achieved but also the hole injection into the active region can be enhanced, compared to a conventional LED structure. The dominant factor to the performance improvement is shown to be the modulation of polarization field by the graded Al composition in EBL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The taxonomy of Peperomia (Piperaceae) in Taiwan is reconsidered. In the present study, six taxa are recognized, based on detailed morphological observations and ITS sequences derived from fresh material obtained from living plants. Details of the characters are discussed, including the morphology of the leaf epidermis and pollen grains. Synonyms are treated. Descriptions of the species, phenology and a key to Peperomia in Taiwan is also provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

β‐Cyanoalanine synthase (β‐CAS) is an enzyme involved in cyanide detoxification. However, little information is available regarding the effects of β‐CAS activity changes on plant resistance to environmental stress. Here, we found that β‐CAS overexpression (CAS‐OE) improves the resistance of tobacco plants to salt stress, whereas plants with β‐CAS silencing suffer more oxidative damage than wild‐type plants. Notably, blocking respiration by the alternative oxidase (AOX) pathway significantly aggravates stress injury and impairs the salt stress tolerance mediated by CAS‐OE. These findings present novel insights into the synergistic effect between β‐CAS and AOX in protecting plants from salt stress, where β‐CAS plays a vital role in restraining cyanide accumulation, and AOX helps to alleviate the toxic effect of cyanide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Intraperitoneal (IP) chemotherapy is often a preferred treatment for ovarian cancer because of its clinical benefits, but research on the experiences of patients receiving IP chemotherapy is limited. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this article is to explore the lived experiences of Taiwanese patients diagnosed with ovarian cancer who have received at least one cycle of IP chemotherapy. METHODS: A semistructured interview guide was used to collect data. Interviews were analyzed using a qualitative content analysis. FINDINGS: The following themes emerged from the data: (a) feeling extreme anxiety and uneasiness related to IP chemotherapy; (b) experiencing specific symptoms related to IP chemotherapy injection; (c) experiencing unexpected or severe physical issues and psychological discomfort during the treatment period; (d) feeling isolated from people during the treatment period; (e) learning how to manage adverse effects from IP chemotherapy; (f) worrying about families, illness progression, and the future; and (g) receiving support from others and accepting the diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reaction of F2+C2H4 has been investigated with crossed molecular beam experiments and high level ab initio calculations. For a wide range of collision energies up to 11 kcal/mol, only one reaction channel could be observed in the gas phase. The primary products of this channel were identified as F+CH2CH2F. The experimental reaction threshold of collision energy was determined to be 5.5±0.5 kcal/mol. The product angular distribution was found to be strongly backward, indicating that the reaction time scale is substantially shorter than rotation. The calculated transition state structure suggests an early barrier; such dynamics is consistent with the small product kinetic energy release measured in the experiment. All experimental results consistently support a rebound reaction mechanism, which is suggested by the calculation of the intrinsic reaction coordinate. This work provides a clear and unambiguous description of the reaction dynamics, which may help to answer the question why the same reaction produces totally different products in the condensed phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A detailed experimental and theoretical investigation of the first-reported barrierless reaction between two closed-shell molecules [J. Chem. Phys. 127, 101101 (2007)] is presented. The translational energy and angular distributions of two product channels, HF+CH2SFCH3 and F+CH3SFCH3, determined at several collision energies, have been analyzed to reveal the dynamics of the studied reaction. Detailed analysis of the experimental and computational results supports the proposed reaction mechanism involving a short-lived F-F-S(CH3)2 intermediate, which can be formed without any activation energy. Other possible reaction mechanisms have been discriminated. The decay of the intermediate and competition between the two product channels have been discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The F2+CH3SCH3 reaction was studied with crossed molecular beam techniques and high level ab initio calculations. Significant reactivity was observed even at low collision energies, consistent with the negligible barrier height obtained from the ab initio calculations. All experimental findings are consistent with a weakly bound reaction intermediate of F–F–S(CH3)2 structure, which possesses a special type of three-center four-electron bonding. Analogous intermediates can also explain the reactions of F2 with CH3SH and CH3SSCH3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reaction of oxygen atom in its first singlet excited state with nitrous oxide was investigated under the crossed molecular beam condition. This reaction has two major product channels, NO+NO and N2+O2. The product translational energy distributions and angular distributions of both channels were determined. Using oxygen-18 isotope labeled O(1D) reactant, the newly formed NO can be distinguished from the remaining NO that was contained in the reactant N2O. Both channels have asymmetric and forward-biased angular distributions, suggesting that there is no long-lived collision complex with lifetime longer than its rotational period. The translational energy release of the N2+O2 channel (fT=0.57) is much higher than that of the NO+NO channel (fT=0.31). The product energy partitioning into translational, rotational, and vibrational degrees of freedom is discussed to learn more about the reaction mechanism. The branching ratio between the two product channels was estimated. The 46N2O product of the isotope exchange channel, 18O+44N2O→16O+46N2O, was below the detection limit and therefore, the upper limit of its yield was estimated to be 0.8%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diabetes mellitus (DM)‐induced reduction of neurogenesis in the hippocampus is consequently accompanied by cognitive decline. The present study set out to define the critical role played by long noncoding RNA H19 (lncRNA H19) in the apoptosis of hippocampal neurons, as well as oxidative stress (OS) in streptozotocin (STZ)‐induced DM mice through regulation of insulin‐like growth factor 2 (IGF2) methylation. The expression of lncRNA H19 in the hippocampal neurons and surviving neurons were detected. Hippocampal neurons were cultured and transfected with oe‐H19, sh‐H19, oe‐IGF2, or sh‐IGF2, followed by detection of the expressions of IGF2 and apoptosis‐related genes. Determination of the lipid peroxide and glutathione levels was conducted, while antioxidant enzyme activity was identified. The IGF2 methylation, the binding of lncRNA H19 to DNA methyltransferase, and the binding of lncRNA H19 to IGF2 promoter region were detected. DM mice exhibited high expressions of H19, as well as a decreased hippocampal neurons survival rate. Higher lncRNA H19 expression was found in DM. Upregulated lncRNA H19 significantly increased the expression of Bax and caspase‐3 but decreased that of Bcl‐2, thus promoting the apoptosis of hippocampal neuron. Besides, upregulation of lncRNA H19 induced OS. LncRNA H19 was observed to bind specifically to the IGF2 gene promoter region and promote IGF2 methylation by enriching DNA methyltransferase, thereby silencing IGF2 expression. Taken together, downregulated lncRNA H19 reduces IGF2 methylation and enhances its expression, thereby suppressing hippocampal neuron apoptosis and OS in STZ‐induced (DM) mice. Downregulated expression of long noncoding RNA H19 (lncRNA H19) promotes insulin‐like growth factor 2 (IGF2) methylation and silences its expression, thereby promoting hippocampal neuron apoptosis and inducing oxidative stress (OS) in streptozotocin (STZ)‐induced diabetes mellitus (DM) mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: OsIAAGLU could catalyze the reaction of IAA with glucose to generate IAA-glucose. Overexpression of OsIAAGLU in rice resulted in altered rice shoot architecture and root gravitropism. The distribution and levels of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) within plant tissues are well known to play vital roles in plant growth and development. An important mechanism of regulating free IAA levels in monocots is formation of IAA ester conjugates. In this study, a cytosol-localized protein encoded by the rice gene of indole-3-acetic acid glucosyltransferase (OsIAAGLU) was found to catalyze the reaction of free IAA with glucose to generate IAA-glucose. Expression of OsIAAGLU could be induced by IAA and NAA. The number of tillers and leaf angle was significantly increased with a concomitant decrease in plant height and panicle length in the transgenic rice lines overexpressing OsIAAGLU compared to the wild-type (WT) plants. Phenotypes of iaaglu mutants constructed using the CRISPR/Cas9 system had no obvious differences with WT plants. Furthermore, overexpression of OsIAAGLU resulted in reduced sensitivity to IAA/NAA and altered gravitropic response of the roots in the transgenic plants. Free IAA contents in the leaves, root tips, and lamina joint of OsIAAGLU-overexpressing transgenic lines were lower than those of WT plants. These results support that OsIAAGLU could play a regulatory role in IAA homeostasis and rice architecture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: Cerebral ischemia is considered to be the most common cause of stroke with high mortality. It occurs as a result of the damage of the hippocampal neurons with lymphocyte function–associated antigen (LFA)-1 being emphasized to play a role in the biological functions of hippocampal neurons. This study was conducted in order to investigate the effects of specific knockdown of LFA-1 expression by lentivirus had on the apoptosis of the hippocampal neurons, simulated by rat models of acute cerebral ischemia after cerebral lymphatic blockage. Methods: A total of 60 Wistar rats were selected as subjects, among which 50 were used to establish models of the acute cerebral ischemia after cerebral lymphatic blockage, while the remaining 10 rats were treated with the sham operation. The underlying regulatory mechanisms regarding LFA-1 were analyzed with the treatment of si-LFA-1 and LFA-1 vector in the hippocampal CA1 area of brain tissues isolated from the rats with acute cerebral ischemia. The brain water content, electrolyte content, and blood-brain barrier permeability located in ischemic area of rats were measured. TUNEL staining and immunochemistry methods were employed in order to determine the apoptosis rate and positive levels of LFA-1, MMP-9, and Caspase-3. The mRNA and protein levels of related genes were also detected by means of RT-qPCR and western blot assay. Results: The brain water content, Na+ and Ca+ contents, blood-brain barrier permeability, apoptosis rate, positive levels of LFA-1, MMP-9, and Caspase-3 were decreased, and the K+ content was increased in ischemic tissues treated with si-LFA-1. The mRNA and protein levels of LFA-1, MMP-9, Caspase-3, and Bax had all decreased, while the mRNA and protein levels of Bcl-2 were elevated in the hippocampal CA1 area of rat brain tissues treated with si-LFA-1. These situations could be reversed through the up-regulation of LFA-1. Conclusion: In conclusion, LFA-1 gene silencing could improve the acute cerebral ischemia after cerebral lymphatic blockage by inhibiting apoptosis of the hippocampal neurons in rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tumor immunotherapy is a new therapeutic approach that has been evolving in the last decade and has dramatically changed the treatment options for cancer. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) with high stability, tissue-specific and cell-specific expression. There is growing evidence that circRNAs are involved in the regulation of both adaptive and innate immunity. They play important roles in tumor immunotherapy by affecting macrophage, NK and T cell function. The high stability and tissue specificity make them ideal candidate biomarkers for therapeutic effects. CircRNAs also represent one of promising targets or adjuvant for immunotherapy. Investigations in this field progress rapidly and provide essential support for the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment guidance of cancers in the future. In this review, we summarize the role of circRNAs on tumor immunity from the viewpoint of innate and adaptive immunity, and explore the role of circRNAs in tumor immunotherapy. • Tumor immunotherapy is a new therapeutic approach that has dramatically changed the treatment options for cancer. • Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) with high stability, tissue-specific and cell-specific expression. • CircRNAs have a significant regulatory role in adaptive and innate immunity. • In this review, the role of circRNAs on tumor immunity and tumor immunotherapy is explored and summarized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: Type 2 diabetes is associated with oxidative stress and DNA damage which can cause centrosome amplification. Thus, the study investigated centrosome amplification in type 2 diabetes and the underlying mechanisms. Methods: Centrosome numbers in human peripheral blood mononuclear blood cells (PBMC) from healthy subjects and patients with type 2 diabetes were compared to access the association between type 2 diabetes and centrosome amplification. Colon cancer cells were used to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying the centrosome amplification triggered by high glucose, insulin and palmitic acid. Western blot analysis was used to quantify the level of protein and protein phosphorylation. Immunofluorescent staining was performed to detect centrosomes. ROS was quantified using flow cytometry technique. Transcriptpmic profiling was performed using Illumina HiSeqTM500 platform. Results: We found that centrosome amplification was increased PBMC from the type 2 diabetic patients, which correlated with the levels of fasting blood glucose and HbA1c. High glucose, insulin and palmitic acid, alone or in combinations, induced ROS production and centrosome amplification. Together, they increased AKT activation as well as the expression, binding and centrosome translation of ROCK1 and 14-3-3σ. Results from further analyses showed that AKT-ROS-dependent upregulations of expression, binding and centrosome translocation of ROCK1 and 14-3-3σ was the molecular pathway underlying the centrosome amplification in vitro triggered by high glucose, insulin and palmitic acid. Moreover, the key in vitro molecular signalling events activated by high glucose, insulin and palmitic acid were verified in PBMC from the patients with type 2 diabetes. Conclusion: Our results show that type 2 diabetes promotes cell centrosome amplification, and suggest that the diabetic pathophysiological factors-activated AKT-ROS-dependent signalling of ROCK1 and 14-3-3σ is the underlying molecular mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nasal carriage rate of Staphylococcus aureus in human is 25 to 30%, and S. aureus sporadically causes severe infections. However, the mechanisms underlying staphylococcal carriage remain largely unknown. In the present study, we constructed an rpoB-based microbiome method for staphylococcal species discrimination. Based on a microbiome scheme targeting viable cell DNA using propidium monoazide (PMA) dye (PMA microbiome method), we also developed a new method to allow the comprehensive viability analysis of any bacterial taxon. To clarify the ecological distribution of staphylococci in the nasal microbiota, we applied these methods in 46 nasal specimens from healthy adults. PMA microbiome results showed that Staphylococcaceae and Corynebacteriaceae were the most predominant viable taxa (average relative abundance: 0.435262 and 0.375195, respectively), and Staphylococcus epidermidis exhibited the highest viability in the nasal microbiota. Staphylococcus aureus detection rates from nasal specimens by rpoB-based conventional and PMA microbiome methods were 84.8% (39 of 46) and 69.5% (32 of 46), respectively, which substantially exceeded the values obtained by a culture method using identical specimens (36.9%). Our results suggest that Staphylococcaceae species, especially S. epidermidis, adapted most successfully to human nasal cavity. High detection of S. aureus DNA by microbiome methods suggests that almost all healthy adults are consistently exposed to S. aureus in everyday life. Furthermore, the large difference in S. aureus detection rates between culture and microbiome methods suggests that S. aureus cells frequently exist in a viable but nonculturable state in nasal cavities. Our method and findings will contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying carriage of indigenous bacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Itch is an unpleasant sensation that initiates scratching behavior. The itch-scratch reaction is a complex phenomenon that implicates supraspinal structures required for regulation of sensory, emotional, cognitive, and motivational aspects. However, the central mechanisms underlying the processing of itch and the interplay of the supraspinal regions and spinal cord in regulating itch-scratch processes are poorly understood. Here, we have shown that the neural projections from anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) to dorsal medial striatum (DMS) constitute a critical circuit element for regulating itch-related behaviors in the brains of male C57BL/6J mice. Moreover, we demonstrate that ACC-DMS projections selectively modulate histaminergic, but not nonhistaminergic, itch-related behavior. Furthermore, photoactivation of ACC-DMS projections has also no significant effects on pain behavior induced by thermal, mechanical, and chemical stimuli except for a relief on inflammatory pain evoked by formalin and complete Freund's adjuvant. We further demonstrate that the dorsal spinal cord exerts an inhibitory effect on itch signal from ACC-DMS projections through B5-I neurons, which represent a population of spinal inhibitory interneurons that mediate the inhibition of itch. Therefore, this study presents the first evidence that the ACC-DMS projections modulate histaminergic itch-related behavior and reveals an interplay between the supraspinal and spinal levels in histaminergic itch regulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play critical roles in breast cancer cell biological processes, including proliferation and apoptosis by inhibiting the expression of their target genes. Herein, we reported that miR-630 overexpression initiates apoptosis, blocks cell cycle progression and suppresses cell proliferation in breast cancer cells. Furthermore, BMI1, a member of polycomb group family, was identified as a direct target of miR-630, and there was a negative correlation between the expression levels of BMI1 and miR-630 in human breast cancer samples. With a series of biology approaches, subsequently, we proved that BMI1 was a functional downstream target of miR-630 and mediated the property of miR-630-dependent inhibition of breast cancer progression. Taken together, these findings provide further evidence on the tumor-suppression function of miR-630 in breast cancer, and clarify BMI1 as a novel functional target gene of miR-630. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One hundred and fifty GCN5-like acetyltransferases with amino acid-binding (ACT)-GCN5-related N-acetyltransferase (GNAT) domain organization have been identified in actinobacteria. The ACT domain is fused to the GNAT domain, conferring amino acid-induced allosteric regulation to these protein acetyltransferases (Pat) (amino acid sensing acetyltransferase, (AAPatA)). Members of the AAPatA family share similar secondary structure and are divided into two groups based on the allosteric ligands of the ACT domain: the asparagine (Asn)-activated PatA and the cysteine (Cys)-activated PatA. The former are mainly found in Streptomyces; the latter are distributed in other actinobacteria. We investigated the effect of Asn and Cys on the acetylation activity of Sven 0867 (SvePatA, from Streptomyces venezuelae DSM 40230) and Amir 5672 (AmiPatA, from Actinosynnema mirumstrain DSM43827), respectively, as well as the relationship between the structure and function of these enzymes. These findings indicate that the activity of PatA and acetylation level of proteins may be closely correlated with intracellular concentrations of Asn and Cys in actinobacteria. Amino acid-sensing signal transduction in acetyltransferases may be a mechanism that regulates protein acetylation in response to nutrient availability. Future work examining the relationship between protein acetylation and amino acid metabolism will broaden our understanding of post-translational modifications (PTMs) in feedback regulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Two-stage reimplantation arthroplasty is one of the standard treatments for chronic periprosthetic joint infection (PJI). Scanty data exist regarding the risk factors for failure after two-stage reimplantation for periprosthetic hip infection. The purpose of this study was to investigate and identify the risk factors associated with failure after two-stage reimplantation hip arthroplasty.Methods: Sixty-two patients with hip PJI treated with a two-stage reimplantation protocol at our institution from 2005 to 2012 were reviewed. Patients requiring medical treatment or reoperation for recurrent infection were defined as treatment failure. A multivariate Cox proportional hazards model was used to analyze the risk factors associated with treatment failure.Results: Of the 62 patients, 11 (17.7%) patients had developed reinfection after the two-stage reimplantation with a mean follow-up of 5.7 years. The implant survival was 82.2% (95% confidence interval [CI] 75.19-92.55) at 10 years. Multivariate analysis revealed BMI ≥30 kg/m2 (hazard ratio [HR] 9.16; 95% CI 1.51-55.3; p = 0.0158), liver cirrhosis (HR 6.39; 95% CI 1.09-37.4; p = 0.0398), gram-negative organism (HR 5.68; 95% CI 1.18-27.4; p = 0.0303), and presence of sinus tract (HR 18.2; 95% CI 2.15-153; p = 0.0077) as the independent risk factors for treatment failure.Conclusions: We found obesity, liver cirrhosis, gram-negative organism, and the presence of sinus tract were significantly related to the risks of failure after reimplantation arthroplasties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanisms and chemo- and regioselectivities of Ru(II)-catalyzed decarboxylative C-H alkenylation of aryl carboxylic acids with alkynes were investigated with density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The catalytic cycle involves sequential carboxylate-directed C-H activation, alkyne insertion, decarboxylation and protonation. The facile tether-assisted decarboxylation step directs the intermediate toward the desired decarboxylative alkenylation, instead of typical annulation and double alkenylation pathways. The decarboxylation barrier is very sensitive to the tether length, and only the seven-membered ring intermediate can selectively undergo the designed decarboxylation, suggesting a tether-dependent chemoselectivity. This tether-dependent chemoselectivity also applies to the alkyl tethers. In addition, the polarity of solvent is found to control the chemoselectivity between the decarboxylative alkenylation and [4 + 2] annulation. Solvent with low polarity (toluene) favors the decarboxylation pathway, leading to the decarboxylative alkenylation. Solvent with high polarity (methanol) favors the ionic stepwise C-O reductive elimination pathway, leading to the [4 + 2] annulation. To understand the origins of regioselectivity with asymmetric alkynes, the distortion/interaction analysis was applied to the alkyne insertion transition states, and led to a predictive frontier molecular orbital model. The asymmetric alkynes selectively use the terminal with the larger HOMO orbital coefficient to form the C-C bond in the insertion step. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Ultracentrifugation and exosome isolation kit can extract exosomes. Comparison of key indexes of exosome extraction methods. • Neuropathic model-induced exosomes with pain signals can cause pain and affect pain behavior through the NAc brain region. There is no difference in the effect of pain induction between the exosomes extracted by UC method and Kit method. Exosomes bind to and are endocytosed by neurons of various brain regions. Methods for isolating and extracting exosomes from specific brain samples are critical. At present, the most important extractive methods for exosomes are Ultracentrifugation and exosome isolation kit extraction. Both of these extraction methods have applications in neuroscience. We compare these methods to reveal the differences. We sectioned the nucleus accumbens of mice, and isolated exosomes. A culture medium containing exosomes was extracted using ultracentrifugation (UC) and a total exosome isolation kit (TEI). The exosomes were examined using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), measurement regarding the diameter of the exosomes was done, and the thermal allodynia and western blotting analysis were also conducted, respectively. Transmission electron microscopy observations showed that the ultracentrifugation samples had higher purity and fewer impurities than the kit samples. The results from the two methods were then compared with a number ratio regarding the percentage was not statistically significant. Marker protein tests showed that proteins were expressed under both methods. The thermal allodynia testing observed that the two extraction methods did not affect pain behavior regarding the detection. After the kit extraction method, there were substantial white subjects suspended by PBS. Our study compared the different protocols regarding exosome extraction from the nucleus accumbens and compared the quality of two principal methods for exosome extraction from a culture medium containing exosomes. It was found that the extraction quality of exosomes by ultracentrifugation was better, but the technical difficulty was greater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mammalian anterior gradient 2 (AGR2), an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) protein disulfide-isomerase (PDI), is involved in cancer cell growth and metastasis, asthma and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Mice lacking Agr2 exhibit decreased Muc2 protein in intestinal goblet cells, abnormal Paneth cell development, ileitis and colitis. Despite its importance in cancer biology and inflammatory diseases, the mechanisms regulating agr2 expression in the gastrointestinal tract remain unclear. In the present study, we investigated the mechanisms that control agr2 expression in the pharynx and intestine of zebrafish by transient/stable transgenesis, coupled with motif mutation, morpholino knockdown, mRNA rescue and ChIP. A 350 bp DNA sequence with a hypoxia-inducible response element (HRE) and forkhead-response element (FHRE) within a region -4.5 to -4.2 kbp upstream of agr2 directed EGFP expression specifically in the pharynx and intestine. No EGFP expression was detected in the intestinal goblet cells of Tg(HREM:EGFP) or Tg(FHREM:EGFP) embryos with mutated HRE or FHRE, whereas EGFP was expressed in the pharynx of Tg(HREM:EGFP), but not Tg(FHREM:EGFP), embryos. Morpholino knockdown of foxa1 (forkhead box A1) reduced agr2 levels in the pharynx, whereas knockdown of foxa2 or hif1ab decreased intestinal agr2 expression and affected the differentiation and maturation of intestinal goblet cells. These results demonstrate that Foxa1 regulates agr2 expression in the pharynx, whereas both Foxa2 and Hif1ab control agr2 expression in intestinal goblet cells to regulate maturation of these cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report high-resolution photoelectron spectra of the simplest carbanions, CH3- and CD3-. The vibrationally resolved spectra are dominated by a long progression in the umbrella mode (v2) of ·CH3 and ·CD3, indicating a transition from a pyramidal C3v anion to the planar D3h methyl radical. Analysis of the spectra provides electron affinities of ·CH3 (0.093(3) eV) and ·CD3 (0.082(4) eV). These results enable improved determination of the corresponding gas-phase acidities: ΔacidH0K°(CH4) = 414.79(6) kcal/mol and ΔacidH0K°(CD4) = 417.58(8) kcal/mol. On the basis of the photoelectron anisotropy distribution, the electron is photodetached from an orbital with predominant p-character, consistent with the sp³-hybridized orbital picture of the pyramidal anion. The double-well potential energy surface along the umbrella inversion coordinate leads to a splitting of the vibrational energy levels of the umbrella mode. The inversion splittings of CH3- and CD3- are 21(5) and 6(4) cm-1, respectively, and the corresponding anion umbrella vibrational frequencies are 444(13) and 373(12) cm-1, respectively. Quantum mechanical calculations reported herein show good agreement with the experimental data and provide insight regarding the electronic potential energy surface of CH3-. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multimedia plays a vital role in both learning systems and the actual education process. However, currently used presentation software is often not optimized and generates a great deal of clutter on the screen. Furthermore, there is often insufficient space on a single display, leading to the division of content. These limitations generally increase cognitive load. In this research, a multi-display teaching system was developed, based on the design principles proposed by cognitive load theory (e.g., Sweller, Van Merriënboer, & Paas, 1998) and the cognitive theory of multimedia learning (e.g., Mayer, 2005), to address the need for simultaneous, focused display of multimedia content. The multi-display teaching system was deployed on multiple projectors in real educational environments in order to prove that it is effective in improving learning efficiency. An experiment was carried out with 120 college students as participants. Results showed that multi-display instructional material significantly reduced cognitive load and enhanced learning effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are increasingly implicated in the regulation of the progression of malignancy. Aim: To clarify the relations among BCYRN1 (brain cytoplasmic RNA 1, a long non-coding RNA), c-MYC and cell metastasis of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods: Real-time PCR was used to measure expression of BCYRN1 in NSCLC. Knockdown and overexpression of c-MYC were respectively performed using shRNA and lentivirus to investigate its effect on BCYRN1 expression. BCYRN1 was respectively knockdown and overexpressed by siRNA and BCYRN1 mimics to investigate its role in regulating cell metastasis in vitro. ChIP (chromatin immunoprecipitation) assay was performed to confirm the binding of c-MYC to the promoter of BCYRN1. Expression levels of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP9 and MMP13) were determined using real-time PCR and Western blotting. Results: BCYRN1 is upregulated and targeted by c-MYC in NSCLC, leading to the increase of cell motility and invasiveness. RNA interference and lentivirus infection showed a positive correlation between the expressions of c-MYC and BCYRN1. ChIP assay confirmed the binding of c-MYC to the promoter region of BCYRN1 gene. In-vitro cell metastasis experiments demonstrated that BCYRN1 was necessary in the c-MYC-regulated cell migration and invasion. The mRNA and protein expression levels of MMP9 and MMP13 descended with the decreasing BCYRN1 level and ascended with the upregulation of BCYRN1. Conclusion: These findings uncover a regulatory mechanism in NSCLC cells involving the metastasis-promoting lncRNA BCYRN1 that improves expressions of the key metastasis-supporting proteins MMP9 and MMP13. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel multiplex detection array based on Luminex xMAP technology was developed and validated for simultaneous detection of five major viruses causing swine reproductive diseases. By combining one-step asymmetric multiplex reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) with xMAP bead-based hybridization and flow cytometry analysis, the resulting multiplex assay was capable of detecting single and mixed infections of PRRSV, PCV-2, PRV, CSFV, and PPV in a single reaction. The assay accurately detected and differentiated 23 viral strains used in this study. The low detection limit was determined as 2.2-22 copies/μL (corresponding to 0.5-6.8 fg/μL DNA template) on plasmid constructs containing viral fragments. The intra-assay and inter-assay variances (CV%) were low that ranged from 2.5 to 5.4 % and 4.1 to 7.6 %, respectively. The assay was applied to test field samples and detected single and mixed viral infections. The detection rate was higher than that of uniplex conventional PCR and RT-PCR methods. The detection of PRRSV by the bead-based multiplex assay was comparable with a commercially available real time RT-PCR kit. The test procedure on purified DNA or RNA samples could be completed within 2 h. In conclusion, the bead-based suspension array presented here proved to be a high-throughput practical tool that provided highly specific and sensitive identification of single and multiple infections of five major viruses in pigs and boar semen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The survival of overwintering ticks, is critical for their subsequent population dynamics in the spring, and consequent transmission of tick-borne diseases. Survival is largely influenced by the severity of the winter temperatures and their degree of cold hardiness at the overwintering stage. The bush tick Haemaphysalis longicornis, is widely distributed in China, and can transmit various pathogens that pose serious medical/veterinary problems. In the present study we investigated the effect of low temperature stress to tick survival, super-cooling point and body content of water, glycerol and total protein. Methods: After various temperature acclimations, the super-cooling point was measured by Ni/CrNi-thermocouples with a precision temperature recorder. Water content was determined from weight loss of the sample exposed to 60°C for 48 h. Glycerol content was determined using Free Glycerol Reagent as directed by the manufacturer, and total protein was determined using the Bradford assay. Results: The 50% mortality temperatures for the adults and nymphs were −13.7°C and −15.2°C, respectively; and the discriminating temperatures for the adults and nymphs were −16.0°C and −17.0°C, respectively. The super-cooling points of the adults and nymphs were −19.0°C and −22.7°C, respectively. The water content of adult H. longicornis decreased substantially after acclimation at 0°C for 10 d, whereas the nymphs decreased after acclimation at 0°C for 20 d, and the glycerol and proteins of both nymphs and adults were significantly increased (p < 0.01) when stressed at 0°C for 10 d. Conclusions: In H. longicornis, low temperature stress can enhance its cold hardiness and trigge [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peptide ABMOK1 is composed of 12 amino acid and can interact with the membrane of Escherichia coli. We have carried out isolation, sequencing, prediction, and synthesis of ABMOK1, which is a peptide of membrane activity. LC-MS/MS mapped the ABMOK1 primary structure, CGYCGACVGVCK; SOPMA predicted secondary structure and random coil, while CAMP was used to predict the antimicrobial probability. LC-MS/MS, SOPMA, and CAMP from this study provide the foundation for comprehensive functional and structural characterization of the peptide ABMOK1. That is first time public peptide from Nitzschia sp. ABMOK1 was interacted with membrane of Escherichia coli with the features of an unstable membrane. The results may help point to new directions for future peptide research with benthic diatoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is commonly used as the coated polymer in the solid phase microextraction (SPME) technique. In this study, the partition coefficients of organic compounds between SPME/PDMS and the aqueous solution were compiled from the literature sources. The correlation analysis for partition coefficients was conducted to interpret the effect of their physicochemical properties and descriptors on the partitioning process. The PDMS-water partition coefficients were significantly correlated to the polarizability of organic compounds (r = 0.977, p < 0.05). An empirical model, consisting of the polarizability, the molecular connectivity index, and an indicator variable, was developed to appropriately predict the partition coefficients of 61 organic compounds for the training set. The predictive ability of the empirical model was demonstrated by using it on a test set of 26 chemicals not included in the training set. The empirical model, applying the straightforward calculated molecular descriptors, for estimating the PDMS-water partition coefficient will contribute to the practical applications of the SPME technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Emphysematous pyelonephritis (EPN) is a severe necrotizing infection of the renal parenchyma and perirenal tissues that is caused by gas-producing bacterial pathogens. Percutaneous drainage is now the gold standard of definitive management. The aim of this study is to analyze the predictors associated with failure of conservative treatment among patients with EPN and offer the recommendation of appropriate empirical antibiotic regimen. Methods: From January 2001 to December 2013, 44 consecutive patients were diagnosed with EPN. The demographic characteristics, clinical presentations, management strategies, and final outcomes were analyzed retrospectively. Results: The overall survival rate was 88.6% (39/44). Need for emergency hemodialysis, shock on initial presentation, altered mental status, severe hypoalbuminemia, inappropriate empirical antibiotic treatment and polymicrobial infections were significantly more common in the patients who died compared with the survivors. The overall failure rate of conservative treatment was 32.6% (14/43). Severe hypoalbuminemia (p = 0.003), need for emergency hemodialysis (p = 0.03), and polymicrobial infections (p = 0.04) were significantly associated with failure of conservative treatment. Severe hypoalbuminemia was independently associated with conservative management failure (p = 0.02). Even in the patients treated with percutaneous drainage plus effective antibiotics, failure was still associated with severe hypoalbuminemia (p = 0.01). According to the in vitro susceptibility data, third-generation cephalosporins is recommended as the empirical antibiotic regimen. Conclusions: Both appropriate empirical antibiotic and percutaneous drainage were essential for patients with EPN. Patients with severe hypoalbuminemia had a higher risk of conservative treatment failure, and additional management may be required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concepts of stabilization with internal loop are analyzed for well-posed transfer functions. We obtain some sufficient and necessary conditions such that a stabilizing controller with internal loop stabilizes plant L. We also analyze two special subclasses of stabilizing controllers with internal loop, called canonical and dual canonical controllers, and show that all stabilizing controllers can be parameterized by a doubly coprime factorization of the original transfer function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A personalized probiotic microfluidic chip system has been established and used to screen the probiotics which had the highest value of IFN-γ/IL-10 or IL-10/IFN-γ among six probiotics, including L. paracasei BRAP01, L. acidophilus AD300, B. longum BA100, E. faecium BR0085, L. rhamnosus AD500, and L. reuteri BR101. One hundred volunteers were included and their PBMCs were collected and stimulated by the six probiotics. People who belonged to the IFN-γ group took the probiotics that exerted the highest ratio of IFN-γ/IL-10 and vice versa in IL-10 group. A significant increase in NK cytotoxicity of 69 volunteers in the IFN-γ group was observed compared to the IL-10 group (n = 21) and control group (n = 10). The result also showed that L paracasei BRAP01 and L. acidophilus AD300 were the two dominant inducers in IFN-γ group which yielded higher value of IFN-γ/IL-10 than the other 4 probiotics, while L. reuteri BR101 was the most effective agent on the ratio of IL-10/IFN-γ in the IL-10 group. Our finding highlighted the concept of personalized probiotics and also provided a good foundation to investigate the probiotics with NK activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Diapause is programmed developmental arrest coupled with the depression of metabolic activity and the enhancement of stress resistance. Pupal diapause is induced by environmental signals and is prepared during the prediapause phase. In the cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera, the prediapause phase, which contains two sub-phases, diapause induction and preparation, occurs in the larval stage. Here, we performed parallel proteomic and metabolomic analyses on H. armigera larval hemolymph during the prediapause phase. Results By two-dimensional electrophoresis, 37 proteins were shown to be differentially expressed in diapause-destined larvae. Of these proteins, 28 were successfully identified by MALDITOF/ TOF mass spectrometry. Moreover, a total of 22 altered metabolites were found in diapause-destined larval hemolymph by GC-MS analysis, and the levels of 17 metabolites were elevated and 5 were decreased. Conclusions The proteins and metabolites with significantly altered levels play different roles in diapausedestined larvae, including diapause induction, metabolic storage, immune response, stress tolerance, and others. Because hemolymph circulates through the whole body of an insect, these differences found in diapause-destined larvae most likely correspond to upstream endocrine signals and would further influence other organ/tissue activities to determine the insect's fact: diapause or development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The decision made by insects to develop into adults or halt development (enter diapause and prolong lifespan) is commonly based on environmental signals that provide reliable predictors of future seasons of adversity. For example, the short day lengths of early autumn accurately foretell the advent of winter, but little is known about the molecular mechanisms that preside over the hormonal events dictating whether the insect proceeds with development or enters diapause. In Helicoverpa armigera we show that day length affects H3K27me3 by affecting polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) protein extra sex comb (ESC) and regulates the prothoracicotropic hormone (PTTH) gene, thus directly influencing developmental timing. ESC expression in brains of developing (nondiapause) pupae is higher than in brains from diapausing pupae. High ESC expression is localized in two pairs of PTTH neurosecretory cells, and H3K27me3 recruits on the PTTH promoter. Double strand ESC and PRC2 inhibitor (DzNep) treatment in vitro show that ESC triggers PTTH promoter activity, which in turn depends on PRC2 methyltransferase activity. Injection of DzNep into pupae programmed for development reduces the H3K27me3 mark and PTTH gene expression, thereby delaying development. Although ESC is best known as a transcriptional repressor, our results show that ESC prompts development and metamorphosis. We believe this is the first report showing that the PRC2 complex functions as an activator and that a low level of H3K27me3 can prolong lifespan (i.e. induce diapause) by controlling PTTH gene expression in insects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary goal of this paper is to study film cooling performance for a cylindrical hole with plasma aerodynamic actuation. The simulation model of plasma aerodynamic actuation on improving film hole cooling effectiveness was established. The heat effect of plasma aerodynamic actuation model was taken into consideration. It was firstly found that the velocity and blowing ratio greatly affect the film cooling effectiveness. Then, position, power input, and the number of plasma actuators were particularly investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]