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Selenium binding protein 1 (SELENBP1) is involved in neurologic disorders, such as multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, Parkinson's disease, epilepsy, and schizophrenia. However, the role of SELENBP1 in the neurogenesis of depression, which is a neurologic disorder, and the underlying mechanisms of oxidative stress and inflammation in depression remain unknown. In this study, we evaluated the changes in the expression levels of SELENBP1 in the hippocampus of a mouse model of depression and in the serum of human patients with depression using the Gene Expression Omnibus database. These changes were validated using blood samples from human patients with depression and mouse models with chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS)-induced depressive-like behavior. We also investigated the effects of SELENBP1 knockout (KO) on inflammation, oxidative stress, and hippocampal neurogenesis in mice with CUMS-induced depression. Our results revealed that SELENBP1 levels was decreased in the blood of human patients with depression and in the hippocampus of mice with CUMS-induced depression. SELENBP1 KO increased CUMS-induced depressive behavior in mice and caused dysregulation of inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress. This led to a decrease in the numbers of doublecortin- and Ki67-positive cells, which might aggravate CUMS-induced depressive symptoms. These findings suggest that SELENBP1 might be involved in the regulation of neurogenesis in mice with depression and could be served as a potential target for diagnosing and treating depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long-term exposure to arsenic can lead to testicular damage and lower sperm quality in males, which is mediated by increased arsenic-induced oxidative stress and other damage mechanisms. D-Limonene, which is rich in oranges, lemons, oranges, grapes and other natural fruits, can relieve doxorubicin (DOX)-induced kidney injury and CCL4-induced cardiac toxicity by inhibiting oxidative stress and inflammatory response. The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of D-limonene motivate us to further explore whether it can reduce arsenic-induced testicular injury. To verify this scientific hypothesis, testicular pathology, testicular oxidative stress levels and sperm motility were determined after intervention with D-limonene in rats chronically exposed to arsenic. As expected, long-term arsenic exposure caused testicular tissue structure disturbances, increased levels of oxidative stress, and decreased sperm activation, all of which were significantly inhibited due to treatment with D-limonene. In conclusion, our data reveal a previously unproven beneficial effect of D-limonene, namely that D-limonene can inhibit arsenic-induced testicular injury, and also provide theoretical and experimental basis for the application of D-limonene in the treatment of arsenic-induced testicular injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A weedy rye, Secale cereale subsp. segetale found in Xinjiang, China, possess strong stress tolerance, tillering capacity and many useful traits. The study aims to better understand the genetic diversity of segetale rye from China at the molecular level. The genetic diversity of 92 populations (bulked samples) and further 168 plants (individual samples from 14 populations) in the segetale rye were analyzed using 47 polymorphic EST-SSR (expressed sequence tags derived microsatellite) molecular markers. A total of 211 bands were amplified by 47 EST-SSR primers in the 92 populations. Among them, there were 190 polymorphic bands, with an average of 4.04 bands per primer and an average polymorphic ratio of 88.4%. The variation range of PIC (polymorphic information content) was 0.16–0.94 with the average 0.75, indicating abundant genetic diversity of weedy rye populations. The clustering analysis of 92 populations based on Nei's genetic distance showed that their average genetic distance was near 0.35, and 92 populations from different regions of Xinjiang were relatively scattered, generally close genetic distance between populations in the same region. Similar rule was found between individual plants in same population using clustering and principal coordinate analysis (PCoA). To 168 individual plants from 14 populations, analysis found that the average genetic differentiation among populations was 0.143, and the genetic diversity of the segetale rye populations mainly existed within populations (85.7%). Abundant genetic diversity was found within different regions and populations of segetale rye from China. The research provides a theoretical basis on the application of elite genes of segetale rye to the genetic improvement of rye and wheat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Earth's lower mantle is a potential water reservoir. The physical and chemical properties of the region are in part controlled by the Fe3+/ΣFe ratio and total iron content in bridgmanite. However, the water effect on the chemistry of bridgmanite remains unclear. We carry out laser-heated diamond anvil cell experiments under hydrous conditions and observe dominant Fe2+ in bridgmanite (Mg, Fe)SiO3 above 105 GPa under the normal geotherm conditions corresponding to depth > 2300 km, whereas Fe3+-rich bridgmanite is obtained at lower pressures. We further observe FeO in coexistence with hydrous NiAs-type SiO2 under similar conditions, indicating that the stability of ferrous iron is a combined result of H2O effect and high pressure. The stability of ferrous iron in bridgmanite under hydrous conditions would provide an explanation for the nature of the low-shear-velocity anomalies in the deep lower mantle. In addition, entrainment from a hydrous dense layer may influence mantle plume dynamics and contribute to variations in the redox conditions of the mantle. The large low-shear-velocity anomalies in the deep lower mantle below 2300 km depth may relate to H2O-induced ferrous iron stability in bridgmanite, according to laser-heated diamond anvil cell experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since their inception, frequency combs generated in microresonators, known as microcombs, have sparked significant scientific interests. Among the various applications leveraging microcombs, soliton microcombs are often preferred due to their inherent mode-locking capability. However, this choice introduces additional system complexity because an initialization process is required. Meanwhile, despite the theoretical understanding of the dynamics of other comb states, their practical potential, particularly in applications like sensing where simplicity is valued, remains largely untapped. Here, we demonstrate controllable generation of sub-combs that bypasses the need for accessing bistable regime. And in a graphene-sensitized microresonator, the sub-comb heterodynes produce stable, accurate microwave signals for high-precision gas detection. By exploring the formation dynamics of sub-combs, we achieved 2 MHz harmonic comb-to-comb beat notes with a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) greater than 50 dB and phase noise as low as − 82 dBc/Hz at 1 MHz offset. The graphene sensitization on the intracavity probes results in exceptional frequency responsiveness to the adsorption of gas molecules on the graphene of microcavity surface, enabling detect limits down to the parts per billion (ppb) level. This synergy between graphene and sub-comb formation dynamics in a microcavity structure showcases the feasibility of utilizing microcombs in an incoherent state prior to soliton locking. It may mark a significant step toward the development of easy-to-operate, systemically simple, compact, and high-performance photonic sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flowering regulation is a reflection of plant self-adaptation to the environment and is the main determinant of plant yield. The quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping of agronomic traits associated with the flowering stage of Agropyron Gaertn. was conducted using a cross-pollinated (CP) hybrid population with a total of 113 plant lines between A. mongolicum Keng Z2098 and A. cristatum (L.) Gaertn. Z1842 under four different environmental conditions and the genetic map constructed of 1,023 single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers. The results showed that 28 QTLs were detected on seven linkage groups. Each QTL explained 0.39–18.46% of the phenotypic variation, with a logarithm of odds (LOD) value ranging from 2.52 to 30.51. Specifically, QTLs were identified for various characteristics: one QTL identified for tiller number (TN), two for plant height (PH), three for days-to-flowering (DTF), five for flag leaf length (FLL), three for flag leaf width (FLW), three for spike length (SL), eight for spike width (SW), one for spikelet number per spike (SNS), and two for flower number per spike (FNS). One stable QTL controlling the SW was detected in two environments at the same loci and was located at 26 cM (Marker29867–Marker26864) on chromosome 5, showing a positive genetic effect. The two QTL enrichment regions suggested that the QTLs might contribute to trait correlation or pleiotropic genes. The identified QTLs potentially offer utility for marker-assisted breeding selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Higher vocational college enforced full-scale blended teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic, which exerted a profound influence on fostering higher vocational college students' creativity. Therefore, drawing on the framework of college ecosystem, the present study aims to explore how the students perceived support and restraint in fostering their creativity in blended learning environment. Semi-structure focus group interviews were conducted with 24 higher vocational college students with three predetermined themes: institution engagement, faculty support, and peer integration. Results revealed that all participants perceived support from school policy and creative climate in the college, technological and emotional support from their faculty, and affective support from their peers. However, discrepancy appeared in participants' perceptions of the support and restraint in the other sub-themes. Participants with top-GPA performance perceived much more support from the blended learning environment but no support from classroom atmosphere and academic theories. In contrast, participants with average or lower academic achievements generally perceived less support or even more constraints in boosting their creativity. The discrepancy may result from the injustice of unfair coverage of resources for all students, lack of blended teaching experiences and students' characteristics. Based on these findings, implications and suggestions were discussed within Chinese higher vocational education context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background: The non-invasive imaging of leukocyte trafficking to assess inflammatory areas and monitor immunotherapy is currently generating great interest. There is a need to develop more robust cell labelling and imaging approaches to track living cells. Positron emission tomography (PET), a highly sensitive molecular imaging technique, allows precise signals to be produced from radiolabelled moieties. Here, we developed a novel leukocyte labelling approach with the PET radioisotope zirconium-89 (89Zr, half-life of 78.4 h). Experiments were carried out using human leukocytes, freshly isolated from whole human blood. Results: The 89Zr-leukocyte labelling efficiency ranged from 46 to 87% after 30–60 min. Radioactivity concentrations of labelled cells were up to 0.28 MBq/1 million cells. Systemically administered 89Zr-labelled leukocytes produced high-contrast murine PET images at 1 h–5 days post injection. Murine biodistribution data showed that cells primarily distributed to the lung, liver, and spleen at 1 h post injection, and are then gradually trafficked to liver and spleen over 5 days. Histological analysis demonstrated that exogenously 89Zr-labelled human leukocytes were present in the lung, liver, and spleen at 1 h post injection. However, intravenously injected free [89Zr]Zr4+ ion showed retention only in the bone with no radioactivity in the lung at 5 days post injection, which implied good stability of radiolabelled leukocytes in vivo. Conclusions: Our study presents a stable and generic radiolabelling technique to track leukocytes with PET imaging and shows great potential for further applications in inflammatory cell and other types of cell trafficking studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrolytic manganese residue (EMR) is a solid filter residue obtained from manganese carbonate ore during the production of metal manganese. A potential avenue towards large-scale utilisation of EMR is its use in cement preparation. However, the preparation of cement materials using EMR requires high-temperature calcination. In this study, the thermal properties and pyrolysis kinetics of belite–calcium sulfoaluminate cement raw meal were systematically studied using a multiple-heating-rate method based on thermogravimetric analysis and a kinetic model. The kinetic and thermodynamic parameters was studied using non-isothermal Flynn–Wall–Ozawa (FWO), Kissinger–Akahira–Sunose (KAS), Friedman and Kissinger methods. The results showed that from 30 to 1300°C, the pyrolysis reaction of cement raw meal was mainly divided into four steps: the crystalline water removal from calcium sulphate dihydrate and bauxite, the ammonia nitrogen removal from ammonium salts and the calcium sulphate crystal transformation; the decomposition of calcium carbonate and carbon-containing organic matter; the sulphate and carbonate substance decomposition and the clinker mineral phase formation. The average activation energies calculated when using the non-isothermal FWO, KAS, Friedman and Kissinger methods were 244.49, 240.7, 239.24 and 380.60 kJ/mol and the average pre-exponential factors were 1.75 × 1020, 3.65 × 1020, 7.11 × 1021 and 1.55 × 1013 s−1, respectively. Herein, the pyrolysis kinetics of the cement raw meal was divided into two main stages: In stage 1 (α: 0.15–0.8, 524°C–754°C), the mechanism of P2/3 accelerated nucleation in the Mampel Power rule, and the reaction mechanism function was G(α)=α3/2. In stage 2 (α: 0.80–0.95, 754°C–1165°C), during the local conversion of α = 0.2–0.8, when α was <0.5, the chemical reaction mechanism of the R3 phase boundary was noted and the mechanism function was G(α) = 1 − (1−α)1/3; however, when α was >0.5, a random nucleation and subsequent growth mechanism of A6 was noted and the mechanism function was G(α) = [−ln(1 − α)]2/3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Chinese tapertail anchovy, Coilia nasus, is a socioeconomically important anadromous fish that migrates from near ocean waters to freshwater to spawn every spring. The analysis of genomic architecture and information of C. nasus were hindered by the previously released versions of reference genomes with gaps. Here, we report the assembly of a chromosome-level gap-free genome of C. nasus by incorporating high-coverage and accurate long-read sequence data with multiple assembly strategies. All 24 chromosomes were assembled without gaps, representing the highest completeness and assembly quality. We assembled the genome with a size of 851.67 Mb and used BUSCO to estimate the completeness of the assembly as 92.5%. Using a combination of de novo prediction, protein homology and RNA-seq annotation, 21,900 genes were functionally annotated, representing 99.68% of the total predicted protein-coding genes. The availability of gap-free reference genomes for C. nasus will provide the opportunity for understanding genome structure and function, and will also lay a solid foundation for further management and conservation of this important species. Measurement(s) Coilia nasus • Gap-free genome assembly • sequence annotation Technology Type(s) DNBSEQ • Pacbio HiFi Sequencing • Nanopore Sequencing • Hi-C Sample Characteristic - Organism Coilia nasus Sample Characteristic - Environment freshwater Sample Characteristic - Location Taizhou City, Jiangsu Province, China [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Encapsulation technology is a cost-effective method for conserving genetic resources, and it can provide a more stable environment so that plant materials can be stored for a longer period than with direct storage. However, the mechanism underlying this phenomenon is unknown. Therefore, in this study, we compared the hormone changes in encapsulated and nonencapsulated rhizomes stored in three different environments: 25 °C light, 25 °C dark, and 4 °C dark. A plant hormone analysis method based on the LC–MS/MS platform identified a total of 55 endogenous plant hormones distributed among six classes: ABAs, AXs, CKs, GAs, Jas, and SAs. PCA and HCA showed that the hormone profiles of rhizomes in different environments could be classified into three groups: the control group, encapsulation group, and nonencapsulation group. Compared with the control group, AXs (IAA-Asp and IAA-Glc), CKs (2MeScZR and K9G), and GAs (GA19 and GA53) decreased significantly, and ABAs (ABA-GE) and CKs (cZ9G, DZ and mT) increased significantly in all experimental groups. In addition, ABAs (ABA) and CKs (BAP) specifically decreased in the encapsulation group, while in the nonencapsulation group, CKs (BAPR) specifically decreased, and AXs (IAA-Ala) and CKs (tZOG) increased. Comparison of the encapsulation group and nonencapsulation group revealed that AXs (ICAld) and CKs (BAP and pT) specifically increased in the nonencapsulation group, while CKs (BAPR) and JAs (OPC-4 and JA) specifically increased in the encapsulation group. The current study obtained a comprehensive view of the hormone responses to various storage environments and improved our understanding of the mechanisms facilitating the longer storage of encapsulated tissues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ability to image adoptively transferred T cells in the body and to eliminate them to avoid toxicity will be vital for chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy, particularly against solid tumors with higher risk of off-tumor toxicity. Previously, we have demonstrated the utility of somatostatin receptor 2 (SSTR2) for CAR T cell imaging, illustrating the expansion and contraction of CAR T cells in tumor as well as off-tumor expansion. Using intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1)-specific CAR T cells that secrete interleukin (IL)-12 as a model, herein we examined the potential of SSTR2 as a safety switch when combined with the SSTR2-specific maytansine-octreotate conjugate PEN-221. Constitutive secretion of IL-12 led to continuous expansion of CAR T cells after rapid elimination of tumors, causing systemic toxicity in mice with intact MHC expression. Treatment with PEN-221 rapidly reduced the abundance of CAR T cells, decreasing the severity of xenogeneic graft-versus-host disease (GvHD), and prolonged survival. Our study supports the development of SSTR2 as a single genetic marker for CAR T cells that is readily applicable to humans both for anatomical detection of T cell distribution and an image-guided safety switch for rapid elimination of CAR T cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ‘Kyoho’ grape (Vitaceae, Plantae) has large ears, plenty of flesh, and rich nutrition and is planted across a large area in China. There are few reports on this variety in winemaking, especially on the dynamic changes of fungi in the wine fermentation broth. In this study, we used the ‘Kyoho’ grapes as raw materials and adopted a high throughput to analyze dynamic changes in fungal species composition of the natural fermentation broth at four time points: day 1 (D1P), day 3 (D3P), day 5 (D5P), and day 15 (D15P). Changes in fungal metabolic pathways and dominant yeasts were also analyzed. A total of 78 families, 110 genera, and 137 species were detected, in the natural fermentation broth samples. Forty-nine families, 60 genera, and 72 species were found in the control check (CK). A total of 66 differential metabolic pathways were enriched; of those, 41 were up-regulated compared to CK, such as CDP-diacylglycerol biosynthesis I (PWY 5667), chitin degradation to ethanol (PWY 7118), and the super pathway of phosphatidate biosynthesis (PWY 7411). Changes in fungal metabolic pathways were in line with the dynamic changes of dominant yeast species in the whole process of fermentation. Pichia kluyveri, P. membranifaciens, and Citeromyces matritensis are the dominant species in the later stages of natural fermentation. These yeast species may play vital roles in the ‘Kyoho’ wine industry in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The shaking table is an important test equipment for studying the seismic resistance of structures. Its vibration form has developed from single-axis single-degree-of-freedom to three-direction six-degree-of-freedom, and the control algorithm has undergone a development process from traditional control to intelligent algorithm control. Investigation and research were conducted on domestically built vibration tables; important indicators such as table size, frequency range, and maximum acceleration of typical domestic vibration tables were summarized; the merits and shortcomings of each control algorithm were compared and analyzed; the construction form and loading method of the vibration table substructure test and the construction and control technical difficulties of the vibration table array system are summarized; the application situation of the shaking table system is classified and discussed; and the structure types scaled down that have been completed in the domestic shaking table test are summarized. It can provide reference for the construction and development of a shaking table in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep learning has achieved state-of-the-art results in various image classification and image segmentation tasks. However, due to the lack of well-labeled datasets, the insufficiency of deep feature extraction, and the complexity of the distribution of shadows on remote sensing images, popular deep neural networks still fall short on satisfactory shadow detection from remote sensing images. Inspired by the brain's mechanism for processing visual signals, this paper proposes a new Dual-stream Shadow Detection Network (DSSDN) that is specifically designed for detecting shadows on remote sensing images. In DSSDN, the pooling stream extracts high-level features by merging multiple atrous pooling feature maps after the encoder, while the residual stream maintains low-level features and carries out the interaction of dual-stream features. This network is also featured with three new sub-modules. We manually labeled 1724 remote sensing images with shadows to form a new dataset for training and testing of DSSDN. In the quantitative contrast experiment on this dataset, DSSDN reaches the lowest Balanced Error Rate (BER) at 6.6% across all compared models and networks. In the qualitative analysis, the detected shadows of DSSDN also show best contours and details in comparison with results from other approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To create an organism, it is vital to assemble enough cells of the various differentiated types with the correct spatial arrangement within the embryo. Circadian clocks development is closely correlated with all cellular differentiation. However, the expression of its emergence during mammalian development are not fully understood. To determine whether embryonic development is influenced by circadian rhythm, it is necessary to observe the ontogeny of the circadian clock gene. We first measured the expression of key circadian genes in whole embryos and maternal major tissues of 25 female mice using RT-PCR and immunohistochemical analysis. Our results indicated that mouse embryos begin to express key circadian genes and have the capacity to express active circadian regulatory cycles during development. But circadian molecular rhythms can't be built in embryo. At E15, the expression of Bmal1, Clock and Per1 mRNA in whole embryo were increased, especially Per1. In the meanwhile, immunohistochemical analysis shows a small number of PER1 positive cells were observed in the bottom of right atrium. From E16 to E17, CLOCK and PER1 positive cells were observed in the airway smooth muscle, the wall of left atrium and skeletal muscle of body wall. It is interesting that CLOCK and PER1 positive cells could not be detected in the liver. By using RT-PCR, we continue to observe the expression of myogenic regulatory factor in embryos and also analyse the relationship of embryo development and maternal rhythms. From E12, the expression of myogenin increased quickly. The expression of Tcap at E15 significantly increased. myogenin may play a direct role in contributing Tcap expression. The expression of MAZ is always the highest than myogenin and Tcap in embryos. MAZ may concern with the development of skeletal muscle. The clock gene is a positive regulator of myogenesis and the development of organ. In contrast to embryonic tissues, circadian variation was present for Bmal1, Clock and Per1 at maternal tissues. Our results indicate that circadian clock genes seem to function differently in different tissues of embryo and maternal mice. Synchrony does not occur during embryo development despite exposure to maternal rhythms. But development of embryo may be affected by maternal tissues of mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here a stable glycogen accumulating organisms (GAOs) system was operated by anaerobic–aerobic mode in the sequencing batch reactor. We focused on the metabolic mechanisms of PHAs storage from GAOs. Our system showed the classic characteristic of glycogen accumulating metabolism (GAM). Glycogen consumption was followed by acetic acid uptake to synthesize poly-β-hydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) during the anaerobic period, and glycogen was synthesized by PHAs degradation in the aerobic stage. Microbial community structure indicated that Candidatus Contendobacter was the most prevalent GAOs. We found that the ethylmalonyl-CoA (EMC) pathway was the crucial pathway supplying the core substance propionyl-CoA for poly-β-hydroxyvalerate (PHV) synthesis in Candidatus Contendobacter. All genes in EMC pathway were mainly located in Candidatus Contendobacter by gene source analysis. The key genes expression of EMC pathway increased with Candidatus Contendobacter enrichment, further validating that propionyl-CoA was synthesized by Candidatus Contendobacter predominantly via EMC pathway. Our work revealed the novel mechanisms underlying PHV synthesis through EMC pathway and further improved the intercellular storage metabolism of GAOs. Key points: We observed GAM characteristic in the GAOs enrichment system. Metagenome-based analysis revealed that Candidatus Contendobacter was the dominant GAOs. The EMC pathway was a novel propionyl-CoA synthesis pathway for PHV in Candidatus Contendobacter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our previous study clarified the carcinogenic properties of arginine-specific mono-ADP-ribosyltransferase 1 (ART1), which results in a critical post-translational modification that changes the structure and function of proteins and is widely involved in important processes. This study provides, for the first time, a comprehensive transcriptomic analysis of colorectal cancer cells with ART1 silencing by Illumina RNA-Seq and related verification experiments. Lentiviral infection was used to construct a CT-26 cell line with stable knockdown of the ART1 gene, and a whole transcriptome sequencing technique was performed to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs). GO and KEGG classification/enrichment analyses and verification experiments were performed to determine the role of ART1 in the progression of colorectal cancer. A total of 5552 DEGs, GO functions and KEGG pathways with the highest enrichment, various SNPs, and diverse splicing patterns were identified. Importantly, knockdown of ART1 affected the splicing of certain key genes related to tumor cell growth and downregulated the expression of the key gene PTBP1 for alternative splicing. The overall attenuation of the endoplasmic reticulum unfolded protein response (UPR) signaling pathway caused by the inhibition of mono-ADP-ribosylation of GRP78 could disrupt UPR signaling, leading to the occurrence of apoptosis to impede tumorigenesis. ART1, which is clustered in organelles, may promote the development of colorectal cancer by participating in a variety of new mechanisms, including endoplasmic reticulum stress regulation and alternative splicing, and may be a good clinical drug target for targeted therapy of CRC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The molybdenum disulphide (MoS2) nanoparticles have been widely applied as solid lubricants. In this article, hollow core-shell MoS2 nanoparticles with flower-like surface were prepared by a two-step solvothermal method, which were characterized by X-ray diffraction, nitrogen adsorption–desorption isotherm, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The friction and wear properties of the prepared hollow core-shell MoS2 nanoparticles in oils were investigated using a ball-on-disk tribotester. The results showed that the prepared hollow core-shell MoS2 nanoparticles could significantly improve the friction-reducing and antiwear properties of the oils. It was found that the friction coefficient was reduced by 43.80% and the wear was decreased by as much as 8 times after adding the hollow MoS2 into oils. The lubrication mechanism of the fabricated hollow MoS2 nanoparticles in oils was interpreted as that the hollow MoS2 nanoparticles were exfoliated into layer-opened fragments with the formation of ultrathin nanosheets, which were beneficial to the formation of the tribofilm on rubbing surfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aberrant mechanical factor is one of the etiologies of the intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration (IVDD). However, the exact molecular mechanism of spinal mechanical loading stress-induced IVDD has yet to be elucidated due to a lack of an ideal and stable IVDD animal model. The present study aimed to establish a stable IVDD mouse model and evaluated the effect of aberrant spinal mechanical loading on the pathogenesis of IVDD. Eight-week-old male mice were treated with lumbar spine instability (LSI) surgery to induce IVDD. The progression of IVDD was evaluated by μCT and Safranin O/Fast green staining analysis. The metabolism of extracellular matrix, ingrowth of sensory nerves, pyroptosis in IVDs tissues were determined by immunohistological or real-time PCR analysis. The apoptosis of IVD cells was tested by TUNEL assay. IVDD modeling was successfully produced by LSI surgery, with substantial reductions in IVD height, BS/TV, Tb.N. and lower IVD score. LSI administration led to the histologic change of disc degeneration, disruption of the matrix metabolism, promotion of apoptosis of IVD cells and invasion of sensory nerves into annulus fibrosus, as well as induction of pyroptosis. Moreover, LSI surgery activated Wnt signaling in IVD tissues. Mechanical instability caused by LSI surgery accelerates the disc matrix degradation, nerve invasion, pyroptosis, and eventually lead to IVDD, which provided an alternative mouse IVDD model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) is the only curable therapy for multiple myeloma (MM), while its success primarily relies on mobilization to obtain sufficient hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HPC). Although the role of Pegfilgrastim (PEG), a novel PEGylated form of the recombinant G-CSF filgrastim (FIL), in mobilization has been demonstrated, it remains unclear whether this approach is cost-effective in MM treatment. Here, we performed a real-world analysis to evaluate the efficacy and cost of PEG for mobilization in a cohort of MM patients, of which 53% carried high-risk cytogenetic abnormalities. A total of 91 patients who received either a single dose of PEG (6 or 12 mg, n = 42) or multiple dosing of 10 μg/kg/day FIL (n = 49) after chemotherapy for HPC mobilization were included. The yield of MNCs and CD34+ cells per milliliter of blood collected via apheresis was significantly greater in the PEG group than that in the FIL group (P = 0.014 and P = 0.038). Mobilization with PEG yielded significantly higher median number of collected CD34+ cells than FIL (5.56 vs. 4.82 × 106/kg; P = 0.038). Moreover, the average time-to-recovery of leukocytes and platelets after transplantation was markedly shorter in the PEG group than that in the FIL group (leukocyte, 11.59 ± 1.98 vs 12.93 ± 2.83 days, P = 0.019; platelet, 12.86 ± 2.62 vs 14.80 ± 5.47, P = 0.085). However, the total cost of mobilization and apheresis using PEG or FIL was comparable (P = 0.486). Of note, mobilization with 12 mg PEG further shortened time-to-recovery of leukocytes (10.64 ± 0.51 vs. 12.04 ± 2.26 days, P = 0.05) and platelets (10.60 ± 2.89 vs. 13.33 ± 2.35 days, P = 0.031) compared with 6 mg PEG. Our results support a notion that PEG (especially 12 mg) combined with chemotherapy is a cost-effective and convenient regimen of mobilization, which might improve the outcome of ASCT in MM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new family of A-stable Runge-Kutta methods with equation-dependent (EDRK) coefficients for the numerical solution of stiff differential equations is investigated. The newly constructed four-stage EDRK methods are of algebraic order five. The linear stability properties are analyzed. Numerical experiments are carried out to show the efficiency of the new methods compared with the existing codes in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new optimized three-derivative Runge–Kutta type methods with vanishing phase-lag and its first derivative for the numerical integration of Schrödinger equation are derived in this paper. We present the error analysis in terms of the asymptotic expressions of the local errors. Numerical results are reported to show the efficiency and robustness of the new methods for the numerical integration of the Schrödinger equation with the Woods–Saxon potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A family of modified two-derivative Runge–Kutta (MTDRK) methods for the integration of the Schrödinger equation are obtained. Two new three-stage and fifth order TDRK methods are derived. The numerical results in the integration of the radial Schrödinger equation with the Woods–Saxon potential are reported to show the high efficiency of our new methods. The results of the error analysis are illustrated by the resonance problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regenerated cellulose fibers were successfully wet-spun from a cellulose/NaOH/thiourea/urea aqueous solution by an efficient extrusion dissolution method. The structure changes of these regenerated cellulose fibers that occurred during wet spinning process had been investigated by field-emission scanning electron microscope, carbon nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (13C-NMR), attenuated total reflection infrared spectroscopy and the corresponding two-dimensional spectroscopy, wide-angle-X-ray-diffraction, small-angle-X-ray scattering (SAXS), tensile testing, and thermogravimetric analysis. Results revealed that higher crystallinity and orientation were obtained because of the improved post-processing, while the annealed fiber exhibited lower crystallinity and orientation, owing to a disruption of some oriented crystallites and heat shrinkage during hot air drawing process. SAXS results indicated that the microvoid in the cellulose fibers were smaller with the spinning process, and the pore structure had a more significant impact on the mechanical properties of the regenerated cellulose fibers. Moreover, an increased tensile strength (2.40 cN/dtex) and elongation at break (8.20%) in dry state were obtained in regenerated cellulose fibers due to heat treatment process. Therefore, the structure development contributed toward the improvement of the tensile strength, modulus and thermal stability of the regenerated cellulose fibers during spinning process. On the other hand, a simple, environmentally friendly pathway was proposed for cellulose regeneration, which could significantly affect the cellulose regeneration in current industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regenerated cellulose fibers were successfully prepared through dissolving cotton linters in NaOH/thiourea/urea aqueous solution at −2 °C by a twin-screw extruder and wet-spinning process at varying precipitation and drawing conditions. The dissolution process of an optimized 7 wt% cellulose was controlled by polarizing microscopy and resulted in a transparent and stable cellulose spinning dope. Rheological investigations showed a classical shear thinning behavior of the cellulose/NaOH/thiourea/urea solution and a good stability towards gelation. Moreover, the mechanical properties, microstructures and morphology of the regenerated cellulose fibers were studied extensively by single fiber tensile testing, X-ray diffraction, synchrotron X-ray investigations, birefringence measurements and field-emission scanning electron microscopy. Resulting fibers demonstrated a smooth surface and circular cross-section with homogeneous morphological structure as compared with commercial viscose rayon. At optimized jet stretch ratio, acidic coagulation composition and temperature, the structural features and tensile properties depend first of all on the drawing ratio. In particular the crystallinity and orientation of the novel fibers rise with increasing draw ratio up to a maximum followed by a reduction due to over-drawing and oriented crystallites disruption. The microvoids in the fiber as analysed with SAXS were smaller and more elongated with increasing drawing ratio. Moreover, a higher tensile strength (2.22 cN/dtex) was obtained in the regenerated fiber than that of the viscose rayon (2.13 cN/dtex), indicating higher crystallinity and orientation, as well as more elongated and orientated microvoid in the regenerated fiber. All in all, the novel extruder-based method is beneficial with regard to the dissolution temperature and a simplified production process. Taking into account the reasonable fiber properties from the lab-trials, the suggested dissolution and spinning route may offer some prospects as an alternative cellulose processing route. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new family of one-parameter equation dependent Runge-Kutta-Nyström (EDRKN) methods for the numerical solution of second-order differential equations are investigated. The coefficients of new three-stage EDRKN methods are obtained by nullifying up to appropriate order of moments of operators related to the internal and external stages. A fifth-order EDRKN method that is dispersive of order six and dissipative of order five and a fourth-order EDRKN method that is dispersive of order four and zero-dissipative are derived. Phase analysis shows that there exist no explicit EDRKN methods that are P-stable. Numerical experiments are reported to show the high accuracy and efficiency of the new EDRKN methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to investigate the genetic diversity and genetic status of Secale cereale L. subsp. segetale Zhuk., a weedy rye found in China, gliadin spectra of 90 S. cereale subsp. segetale populations were analyzed using the A-PAGE. The results showed a total of 34 bands were detected in all populations with eight common bands, one common band in γ-zone and seven common bands in ω-zone. The polymorphic bands taken on 76.5 %. All bands in α-, β- zone were polymorphic. The number of bands in each population ranged from 11 to 23. Each population showed unique electrophoretic pattern. The average Shannon index to four electrophoretic zones was 1.455. The highest Shannon index was found for the population 90R17, and α-, β-, γ- and ω-zone's index detected 0.711, 1.156, 0.640 and 4.408 respectively. The lowest Shannon index was found for the population 89R55, and in α-, β-, γ- and ω-zone showed 0.000, 0.899, 0.322, and 2.709, respectively. The nearest genetic distance (0.027) was found between 90R16 and 90R35 (two Yining region's populations), and the farthest genetic distance (0.569) was observed between 90R39 and 90R24, 90R34 (all from different regions). At Nei's distance of 0.25, S. cereale subsp. segetale populations were clustered into five groups. AMOVA analysis indicated 14.0 % of the total genetic variation resided among populations, 86.0 % occurred within populations, and zero showed among regions. The abundant genetic diversity of implied elite genes that can be used in population diagnostics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2) is a widely existed endocrine disrupting chemical in water environment. Kisspeptins act as indispensable regulators through GPR54 in the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis. This study aimed to provide further understanding of the effect of EE2 on HPG axis. Molecular cloning and tissue distribution of kiss genes and GPR54s were performed in Gobiocypris rarus. The mRNA expression profiles of kiss1, kiss2, GPR54s and GnRHs were detected in G. rarus brain and/or gonad following 3- and 6-days EE2 (1, 5, 25 and 125 ng/L) exposure. Results showed that kiss genes and GPR54s were highly expressed in brain and gonad. Both kiss1 and kiss2 were increased in female brain and suppressed in male brain following EE2 exposure. GnRHs were inhibited in a concentration-dependent manner in male brain following 3-days EE2 exposure. In gonad, GPR54b was almost suppressed in all of EE2 concentrations. The present findings suggest that EE2 impacts the genes expression of Kiss/GPR54-GnRH system in G. rarus, thereby probably disturbing the neuroendocrine homeostasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Delta-like ligand 4 (DLL4), one of the five Notch signaling ligands in mammals, has an important function in proliferation, invasion, metastasis, progression, and angiogenesis of malignancies. This study aimed to investigate DLL4 expression level in early-stage cervical carcinoma and to evaluate its clinical significance. We used fresh frozen and paraffin-embedded cervical cancer tissues to analyze DLL4 expression and its clinical significance. DLL4 expression at both mRNA and protein levels in cervical cancer tissues was significantly higher than that in normal cervical tissues. High DLL4 protein level was clearly correlated with high International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage ( P = 0.044), lymphovascular space involvement (LVSI) ( P = 0.015), pelvic lymph node metastasis (PLNM) ( P = 0.001), and recurrence ( P < 0.001). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses demonstrated that DLL4 overexpression was strongly associated with lymph node metastasis (odds ratio, 2.790; 95 % CI, 1.344-5.791; P = 0.006). Moreover, survival analysis revealed that DLL4 expression was an independent factor of unfavorable overall survival (hazard ratio, 2.130; 95 % CI, 1.108-4.097; P = 0.023) and disease-free survival (hazard ratio, 1.965; 95 % CI, 1.085-3.560; P = 0.026) in patients with cervical cancer. Overall, our data indicate that high DLL4 expression predicts pelvic lymph node metastasis and poor survival in cervical cancer. Therefore, DLL4 may be a potential clinical diagnostic marker for patients with early-stage cervical cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The vinegar pei harbors complex bacterial communities. Prior studies revealing the bacterial diversity involved were mainly conducted by culture-dependent methods and PCR-DGGE. In this study, 454 pyrosequencing was used to investigate the bacterial communities in vinegar pei during the acetic acid fermentation (AAF) of Tianjin Duliu aged vinegar (TDAV). The results showed that there were 7 phyla and 24 families existing in the vinegar pei, with 2 phyla ( Firmicutes, Protebacteria) and 4 families ( Lactobacillaceae, Acetobacteracae, Enterobacteriaceae, Chloroplast) predominating. The genus-level identification revealed that 9 genera were the relatively stable, consistent components in different stages of AAF, including the most abundant genus Lactobacillus followed by Acetobacter and Serratia. Additionally, the bacterial community in the early fermentation stage was more complex than those in the later stages, indicating that the accumulation of organic acids provided an appropriate environment to filter unwanted bacteria and to accelerate the growth of required ones. This study provided basic information of bacterial patterns in vinegar pei and relevant changes during AAF of TDAV, and could be used as references in the following study on the implementation of starter culture as well as the improvement of AAF process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two exponentially fitted two-derivative Runge-Kutta pairs for the numerical integration of the Schrödinger equation are presented in this paper. The asymptotic expressions of the local errors for large energies are given. The numerical results in the integration of the radial Schrödinger equation with the Woods-Saxon potential and the Lennard-Jones potential show the high efficiency of our new methods when compared with some famous optimized codes in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In colorectal surgery, eradicating the fistula and maintaining continence are still complex challenges for a colorectal surgeon. A minimally invasive method using a novel device was performed to consecutively treat 14 patients with anal fistula from August 2008 to November 2009. After a follow-up period of 36 months, 13 patients achieved successful closure of their fistula tracts, and recurrence occurred only in one patient. Recurrence was due to the delay of dressing change. No patient had interference with continence, and no major intra- and postoperative complications were identified. Using the novel device with invasive methods can be a promising alternative for managing anal fistulas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate the genetic diversity within the genus Agropyron Gaertn. and investigate phylogenetic relationships of species in the genus, 103 populations collected from northern China, including 18 A. desertorum, 12 A. mongolicum, four A. michnoi, and 69 A. cristatum populations, were analyzed using 29 polymorphic simple sequence repeat (SSR) primers mapped on the wheat genome. Mean number of polymorphic alleles in A. cristatum, A. desertorum, A. mongolicum, and A. michnoi was 10.41, 8.66, 6.69 and 4.52, respectively, and were significantly different ( P < 0.01). The mean genetic diversity in A. cristatum, A. desertorum, A. mongolicum, and A. michnoi was 0.76, 0.71, 0.63 and 0.62, respectively, and were significantly different ( P < 0.05). The largest genetic distance (1.06) among the 103 populations was found between Z1593 and Z1994, two A. cristatum populations, and the smallest genetic distance (0.02) was observed between Z605 and Z618, also two A. cristatum populations. The AMOVA analysis showed 12.0 % of the total variation resided among species, and 88.0 % resided within species. The unweighted pair group method with arithmetic average phenogram indicated the populations from the same species and similar eco-geographical regions had close genetic relationship. Furthermore, populations of A. desertorum, A. mongolicum and A. michnoi were distinguished from populations of A. cristatum using the principal coordinate analysis. The results obtained using SSR markers suggest that A. desertorum, A. mongolicum and A. michnoi should be offspring species of A. cristatum sharing the same basic genome from the counterpart. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bisphenol A (BPA), a wide distributed endocrine-disrupting chemical, has attracted many attentions. To explore the effect of BPA on hepatic metabolic pathways in Gobiocypris rarus, full-length cDNAs of pregnane X receptor ( PXR) and two sulfotransferases ( SULT1 ST4 and SULT1 ST6) were firstly isolated and characterized. We detected tissues distribution of PXR, CYP3A, SULT1 ST4 and SULT1 ST6 in adult G. rarus. Then we investigated hepatic transcript profiles of these four genes in adult G. rarus exposed to BPA at concentrations of 5, 15, and 50 µg/L for 14 and 35 days. It demonstrates that these four genes are all highly expressed in liver of both male and female adult G. rarus. In response to BPA, sexual dimorphism of expression patterns for PXR, CYP3A, and SULT1 ST6 shows in G. rarus, which includes increase of mRNA levels in females and decrease of mRNA levels in males in both exposure durations of 14 and 35 days. SULT1 ST6 mRNA demonstrates high responsiveness to BPA in both genders and we recommended SULT1 ST6 as a candidate biomarker for BPA exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Much evidence indicates that microRNAs could play potential roles as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers of human cancers, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The present meta-analysis aimed to systematically evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of circulating microRNAs for HCC. Eligible studies were identified through multiple search strategies and assessed for relevance and quality. Results from different studies were pooled using random-effects models. The quality of each study was scored with the revised quality assessment of diagnostic accuracy studies tool. The summary receiver operator characteristic (SROC) curve and other measures were used to assess the overall performance of microRNA-based assays. Evidence of heterogeneity was evaluated using the I test. Meta-regressions were conducted to analyze potential sources of heterogeneity. Deeks' test was used to test for potential publication bias. Thirty studies from 13 publications, including 1,314 patients with HCC and 1,407 controls, comprised healthy individuals and patients with hepatitis B/C or cirrhosis, were included in this meta-analysis. For diagnostic meta-analysis, the overall pooled results were as follows: sensitivity was 0.80 (95 % CI 0.74-0.84), specificity was 0.81 (95 % CI 0.74-0.87), positive likelihood ratio was 4.2 (95 % CI 3.0-6.0), negative likelihood ratio was 0.25 (95 % CI 0.19-0.38) and diagnostic odds ratio was 17 (95 % CI 10-29). The area under the SROC curve was 0.86 (95 % CI 0.84-0.90). Subgroup analyses suggested that multiple microRNAs had much better accuracy than single microRNA. Our findings suggest that circulating microRNAs show significant potential as diagnostic markers of HCC, particularly when using multiple microRNAs. However the results of this meta-analysis justify larger, more rigorous studies to confirm our conclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Field experiments were conducted in the 2008-2009 soybean and winter wheat-growing seasons to assess soil respiration (SR) and nitrous oxide (NO) emission as affected by enhanced UV-B radiation and straw incorporation. The SR rate was measured using a soil CO flux system; the NO flux was measured using a static chamber-gas chromatograph technique. The results showed that in the soybean and winter wheat-growing seasons, enhanced UV-B radiation significantly decreased the SR rates and that straw incorporation increased the SR rates compared to the control treatment. The combined treatment of UV-B and straw incorporation had no obvious influence on the SR rates. Enhanced UV-B radiation, straw incorporation, and the combination treatment increased the temperature sensitivity of SR in the soybean-growing season. The study also showed that NO emissions were reduced by enhanced UV-B radiation and that straw incorporation had no significant effects on the mean NO emission fluxes in the soybean and winter wheat-growing seasons. Our findings suggest that enhanced UV-B radiation may lead to a decrease in SR and in NO emissions, straw incorporation may increase SR, and the combined treatment may have no significant influence on SR and NO emissions from soybean-winter wheat rotation systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Follicle stimulating hormone β (FSHβ) of Japanese flounder ( Paralichthys olivaceus) plays a key role in the regulation of gonadal development. This study aimed to investigate molecular genetic characteristics of the FSHβ gene and elucidate the effects of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of FSHβ on reproductive traits in Japanese flounder. We used polymerase chain reaction single-strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) and sequencing of the FSHβ gene in 60 individuals. We identified only an SNP (T/C) in the coding region of exon3 of FSHβ. The SNP (T/C) did not lead to amino acid changes at the position 340 bp of FSHβ gene. Statistical analysis showed that the SNP was significantly associated with testosterone (T) level and gonadosomatic index (GSI) ( P < 0.05). Individuals with genotype TC of the SNP had significantly higher serum T levels and GSI ( P < 0.05) than that of genotype CC. Therefore, FSHβ gene could be a useful molecular marker in selection for prominent reproductive trait in Japanese Flounder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A label-free fluorescence method based on self-assembled DNA nanopompom has been developed for miRNA-21 detection. In the presence of miRNA-21, three DNA hairpin probes with split G-quadruplex assemble the DNA nanopompom. Based on the isothermal toehold-mediated DNA strand displacement reaction, the target miRNA can be catalytically recycled and trigger three DNA hairpin probes to self-assemble the DNA nanopompom and release the G-quadruplex. The formation of the G-quadruplex increases the fluorescence emission intensity of thioflavin. For thioflavin-based miRNA-21 detection, the excitation and emission wavelengths are set to 425 nm and 490 nm, respectively. The limit of detection for miRNA-21 is 0.8 pM according to F/F0 = 0.0031 × CmiRNA-21 + 1.0382 (R2 = 0.9978). This sensing system provides a low-cost, effective, and convenient method for miRNA detection, which holds great potential in biochemical diagnosis and clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the majority of thyroid cancer patients are easily treatable, those with anaplastic or poorly differentiated recurrent thyroid carcinomas have a very poor prognosis with a median survival of less than a year. Previously, we have shown a significant correlation between ICAM-1 overexpression and malignancy in thyroid cancer, and have pioneered the use of ICAM-1 targeted CAR T cells as a novel treatment modality. For clinical translation of this novel modality, we designed CAR T cells possessing micromolar rather than nanomolar affinity to ICAM-1 to avoid cytotoxicity in normal cells with basal levels of ICAM-1 expression. Herein, we report the automated process of CAR T cell manufacturing with CliniMACS Prodigy (Miltenyi Biotec) using cryopreserved peripheral blood leukocytes from apheresis collections. Using Prodigy, thawed leukopak cells were enriched for CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, subjected to double transduction using lentiviral vector, and expanded in culture for a total of 10 days with a final yield of 2–4 × 109 cells. The resulting CAR T cells were formulated for cryopreservation to be used directly for infusion into patients after thawing with no further processing. We examined cross-reactivity of CAR T cells toward both human and murine ICAM-1 and ICAM-1 expression in human and mouse tissues to demonstrate that both efficacy and on-target, off-tumor toxicity can be studied in our preclinical model. Selective anti-tumor activity in the absence of toxicity provides proof-of-concept that micromolar affinity tuned CAR T cells can be used to target tumors expressing high levels of antigen while avoiding normal tissues expressing basal levels of the same antigen. These studies support the initiation of a phase I study to evaluate the safety and potential efficacy of micromolar affinity tuned CAR T cells against newly diagnosed anaplastic and refractory or recurrent thyroid cancers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the assistance of molecular docking and 3D-QSAR models established previously, structurally identical 18F- and 125I-labeled benzyloxybenzene derivatives were designed to achieve the early detection of Aβ plaques by PET/SPECT imaging. In competition binding assay, ligands 7a and 12a displayed high binding affinities to Aβ42 aggregates with Ki values of 19.5 nM and 23.9 nM, respectively. Specific plaque labeling was observed on the in vitro autoradiography of brain sections from AD patients and Tg mice. In biodistribution, [125I]7a, [18F]7a, [125I]12a and [18F]12a all exhibited high initial brain uptakes (>5% ID/g at 2 min). [125I]7a and [125I]12a cleared fast from the normal brain regions, while corresponding [18F]7a and [18F]12a showed slow washout rates. Dynamic microPET/CT and microSPECT/CT imaging data in normal ICR mice were in accordance with in vivo biodistribution results. In vivo metabolism results indicated that the different clearance profiles between the structurally identical 18F- and 125I-labeled tracers could be attributed to different biochemical characteristics of the radiometabolites. Radioiodinated benzyloxybenzene derivatives exhibited good in vivo biostability in brain. Ex vivo autoradiography further confirmed the strong in vivo Aβ labeling ability of [125I]7a. These new fluorinated and iodinated benzyloxybenzenes can develop into PET/SPECT dual imaging agents targeting Aβ plaques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]