Search

The regulatory mechanism of tautomycetin (TMC) biosynthesis remains largely unknown, although it has been of great interest to the pharmaceutical industry. Our previous study showed that intracellular adenosine triphosphate (inATP) level is negatively correlated with secondary metabolite biosynthesis in various Streptomyces spp. In this study, by exogenous treatment of ATP, we also found a negative correlation between TMC biosynthesis and inATP level in Streptomyces griseochromogenes ( S. griseochromogenes ). However, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. TmcN, a pathway-specific transcriptional regulator of TMC biosynthetic genes, was previously revealed as a large ATP-binding LuxR (LAL) family protein. The predicted amino acid sequence of TmcN shows highly conserved Walker A and B binding motifs, which suggest an ATPase function of TmcN. We therefore hypothesized that the ATPase domain of TmcN may play a role in sensing endogenous pool of ATP, and is thus involved in the ATP regulation of TMC biosynthesis. To test the hypothesis, we first explored the key residue that affects the ATPase activity of TmcN by amino acid sequence alignment and structural simulation. After that, we disrupted tmcN gene in S. griseochromogenes , and the tmcN or site-direct-mutated tmcN were re-introduced to get the complementary and ATPase domain disrupted strains. The transcription level of tmcN , TMC yield, and inATP, as well as the effect of ATP on TMC production of different mutants were evaluated. Deletion of tmcN or site-direct mutation of ATPase domain of TmcN in S. griseochromogenes significantly reduced the TMC production, and it was not affected by exogenous ATP treatment. In addition, a relatively high level of inATP was detected in tmcN deletion and site-direct mutation strains. Our results here suggested that TmcN, especially its ATPase domain, is involved in consuming of endogenous ATP pool and thus plays pivotal role in connecting the primary and secondary metabolite in S. griseochromogenes . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sodium vanadate (Na 0.76 V 6 O 15 ) nanobelts have been successfully synthesized via a facile hydrothermal reaction followed by annealing. The ultra-long nanobelts have a length ranging from several micrometers to several dozens of micrometers. As cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries, the Na 0.76 V 6 O 15 nanobelts exhibit high discharge capacity, excellent cyclic stability and good rate capability. High discharge capacity of 248 and 214 mA h g −1 can be obtained at the current density of 300 and 500 mA g −1 , respectively. Meanwhile, it maintains a stable capacity of 113 mA h g −1 after 200 cycles at a high current density of 2000 mA g −1 with no capacity decay. The superior electrochemical performances may be attributed to the novel nanobelts structure and excellent structural stability of Na 0.76 V 6 O 15 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based upon the typically hydrogen-bonded network, metal–organic cubes, the amino functional group was first introduced onto the surface of the cube to raise the polarizability of the framework by in situ hydrolysis of the precursor 2-amino-4,5-dicyanoimidazole (ADCIm) with octahedral In3+ ions under solvothermal conditions, resulting in a supramolecular network with very high CO2 (135.8 cm3 g−1 at 273 K/1 atm) and H2 (2.03 wt% at 77 K/1 atm) adsorption capacities and an exceptional thermostability range up to 416 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surfactant flooding as a potential enhanced oil recovery technology in depleted reservoirs after water flooding has been documented for several decades and has attracted extensive attention. This research explored the effect of interfacial tension among crude oil and surfactant, injection rate, and permeability on oil recovery in dilute surfactant flooding. The results indicated that the additional oil recovery increased with the reduction of the interfacial tension and the increase of the permeability. The additional oil recovery increased and later decreased with the increase of injection rate. The research is instructive for surfactant flooding application for enhanced oil recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Predicting the basic properties of anti-perovskites X 3 SbP (X = Ca, Sr, Ba) via first-principles. • Theoretical calculation shows that the three materials are stable. • The results show that they are potential solar cell materials, as well as photoelectric materials. In this study, the structure, elastic, electronic and optical properties of anti-perovskites X 3 SbP (X = Ca, Sr, Ba) are theoretically predicted by first-principles. The stability of X 3 SbP is confirmed by the elastic constants, negative formation energy and negative formation enthalpy. From the calculation, we know that Ca 3 SbP, Sr 3 SbP and Ba 3 SbP are direct bandgap semiconductors with bandgap values of 1.52 eV, 1.35 eV and 0.98 eV, respectively. Their energy loss and reflectivity are small in the visible light range, indicating that this kind of materials have small loss and reflected energy of light radiation. In addition, these materials have good light absorption ability in the range of ultraviolet and visible wavelengths. These calculated properties indicate that Ca 3 SbP, Sr 3 SbP and Ba 3 SbP are potential candidates for solar cells, detectors and sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structural, electronic and optical properties of Cs 2 AgSbX 6 (X = I, Br, Cl) were investigated based on first-principles calculation in this paper. The stability of these materials can be determined by the binding energy, formation energy and two tolerance factors. The results indicate that three materials are indirect band gap, with ideal band gap range of materials for photoelectric applications. The bandgap values of Cs 2 AgSbI 6 , Cs 2 AgSbBr 6 and Cs 2 AgSbCl 6 are 0.84 eV, 1.47 eV and 1.87 eV, respectively. Compared with other perovskites, the effective masses of holes of Cs 2 AgSbX 6 are smaller, which is beneficial to the carrier transport and the performance improvement of optoelectronic devices. Moreover, the exploration of optical characteristics reveal the potential utilization of Cs 2 AgSbX 6 in photovoltaic devices. Based on these calculated results, the double-perovskite Cs 2 AgSbX 6 is a potential candidate for photovoltaic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the electronic, mechanical and optical properties of Cs 2 InCoX 6 (X = F, Cl, Br) have been studied by first-principle calculation method. The results show that both Cs 2 InCoCl 6 and Cs 2 InCoBr 6 are brittle while Cs 2 InCoF 6 tends to be ductile. Cs 2 InCoF 6 , Cs 2 InCoCl 6 and Cs 2 InCoBr 6 are direct bandgap semiconductors with bandgap values of 3.002eV, 1.129eV and 0.865eV, respectively. Compared with other commonly used perovskite materials, Cs 2 InCoX 6 (X = F, Cl, Br) material has lower effective mass, which is beneficial to improve carrier transport and photoelectric device performance. In addition, Cs 2 InCoF 6 is more suitable as photodetector and photocatalyst, and the absorption curves of Cs 2 InCoCl 6 and Cs 2 InCoBr 6 are well matched with the spectral irradiance of AM1.5. Because Cs 2 InCoCl 6 has a more suitable band gap, it is a potential candidate for absorbing layer materials in solar cells. (a) Cs 2 InCoX 6 (X = F, Cl and Br) is a stable vacancy ordered double halide perovskite direct band gap semiconductor material.(b) The absorption curves of Cs 2 InCoCl 6 and Cs 2 InCoBr 6 match well with the spectral irradiance of AM1.5. [Display omitted] • The Cs 2 InCoX 6 (X = F, Cl, Br) are stable direct bandgap semiconductors with bandgap values of 3.002eV, 1.129eV and 0.865eV, respectively. • The absorption curves of Cs 2 InCoCl 6 and Cs 2 InCoBr 6 have good match with AM1.5 spectral irradiance. • Cs 2 InCoCl 6 is a good candidate material for solar cell absorption layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • First report the Paleokarst infilled type orebody in the Danchi Fold-and-Thrust belt, South China. • Pre-ore NE-SW shortening and syn -mineralization E-W extension deformations control the ore distribution. • Zn-, Sn-, and Sb-mineralization have taken place in order in the Wuxu district. • Cassiterites U-Pb dating reveals the tin mineralization in the Wuxu district was formed at 91–90 Ma. • Wuxu district have a great potential for tin mineralization. The Danchi fold-and-thrust belt, Guangxi, South China, contains the Mangchang, Dachang, and Wuxu large and giant Sn-polymetallic districts. It hosts more than 1.2 Mt of ore grading 1 % Sn, 6.23 Mt Zn at 2.4 %, and 1.13 Mt Sb at 1.3 %. Wuxu district is one of the Sb-Zn dominated hydrothermal districts without magmatic rocks exposing in the south of the Danchi belt. Recent drilling and exploring mining have identified a partially Sn mineralization associated with the Zn-Sb mineralization. These works provide an opportunity to evaluate the potential of tin mineralization in the south of Danchi belt and relationship among Sn, Zn, and Sb mineralization. Structural analysis suggests that the Wuxu district underwent at least three deformational phases since the Triassic. The first NE-SW shortening deformation controlled the structural framework of the Wuxu district and is expressed by NW-verging thrusts and folds, axial-plane cleavages around the core of the Wuxu anticline, transverse joint sets on the limbs of the Wuxu anticline, and dilational zones in the bedding-fractures. Afterward, an E-W extension stress field produced NS-striking normal faults and reactivated pre-existing NNW-striking faults which were expressed by sinistral top-to-the north sense of shear. During this deformation, some low order dilational spaces of the NW-striking faults and bedding-fractures formed and a syn -kinematic deposition of minerals in these hosting structures to form the ore shoots. The NNW-striking faults, axial-plane cleavages, and large dilational jogs controlled the subvertical large veins in the Jianzhupo deposit. The conjugate joints and inter-bedding fractures in the limb of the Wuxu anticlinorium controlled the branching veinlets and stratiform, paleokarst infilled ores in the Bawang deposit. The post-ore EW-striking faults are not obvious and displaced preceding two-phase structures and ores. Three primary paragenetic stages of hydrothermal process have been recognized: (I) Sphalerite dominated + massive pyrrhotite with euhedral pyrite porphyroblasts, (II) Cassiterite + siderite + arsenopyrite dominated with minor scheelite + quartz + fluorite, and (III) Jamesonite + stibnite + sulfosalt + carbonates. Cassiterite U-Pb dating provided a lower intercept age of 90.2 ± 3.1 Ma and 90.6 ± 4.6 Ma for the Jianzhupo and Bawang deposits, respectively. These two ages are consistent with the chronological data of tin-sulfides and ore-related felsic intrusions in the Danchi fold-and-thrust belt, South China. Our studies coupled with previous gravity data suggests a distal magmatic-hydrothermal infilling tin-polymetallic district and indicates that the Wuxu district has great potential for additional tin mineralization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding mechanisms by which a population of beige adipocytes is increased in white adipose tissue (WAT) reflects a potential strategy in the fight against obesity and diabetes. Cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) is very important in the development of the beige phenotype and activation of its thermogenic program. To study effects of cyclic nucleotides on energy homeostatic mechanisms, mice were generated by targeted inactivation of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase 3b (Pde3b) gene, which encodes PDE3B, an enzyme that catalyzes hydrolysis of cAMP and cGMP and is highly expressed in tissues that regulate energy homeostasis, including adipose tissue, liver, and pancreas. In epididymal white adipose tissue (eWAT) of PDE3B KO mice on a SvJ129 background, cAMP/protein kinase A (PKA) and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling pathways are activated, resulting in 'browning' phenotype, with a smaller increases in body weight under high-fat diet, smaller fat deposits, increased β-oxidation of fatty acids (FAO) and oxygen consumption. Results reported here suggest that PDE3B and/or its downstream signaling partners might be important regulators of energy metabolism in adipose tissue, and potential therapeutic targets for treating obesity, diabetes and their associated metabolic disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A large number of studies have demonstrated that autophagy is involved in the infection processes of different pathogens. Autophagy is now recognized as an essential component of innate and adaptive immunity. Several herpesviruses have developed various strategies to evade this antiviral mechanism. Pseudorabies virus (PRV) is a swine herpesvirus with a broad host range that causes devastating disease in infected pigs. In this study, we described the interaction between PRV and autophagy for the first time. PRV infection had a dual effect on the cell autophagy response; during the early period of infection, PRV virions induced autophagy without viral replication, and with viral protein expression, PRV reduced the basal level of autophagy in several permissive cells. We observed that inhibit the level of autophagy could increase the titer of infectious PRV. We also found that the conserved alphaherpesvirus US3 tegument protein may reduce the level of autophagy via activation of the AKT/mTOR pathways in PRV infected cells. These findings suggest that autophagy likely contributes to clearance of PRV, and that the virus has evolved strategies to antagonize this pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Jiaodong Peninsula, China, is one of the largest gold provinces in the world. During a short time interval in the Early Cretaceous, over 5000 t of gold were accumulated there. The mechanisms controlling the focused Au deposition and the origins of massive amounts of auriferous fluids are still controversial. Quartz–sulfide lode mineralization (Linglong-type) and disseminated/stockwork mineralization (Jiaojia-type) are the two major mineralization styles in the Jiaodong Peninsula. Herein, we conducted in situ textural, elemental and oxygen isotopic analyses using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA–ICP–MS) and secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) on quartz from different hydrothermal stages and depths for three representative Linglong-type (Linglong deposit) and Jiaojia-type (Xiadian and Jiangjiayao deposits) gold deposits in the northwestern Jiaodong Peninsula, with the aim to constrain the ore-forming processes. The LA–ICP–MS analysis of individual fluid inclusions was also conducted to unravel the origin of the auriferous fluids. The results show that from the pre-mineralization to the ore-forming stages in the Linglong-type mineralization, the homogenization temperatures and salinities of fluid inclusions and the δ18O quartz values change slightly, but the Al concentrations of quartz decrease continuously. Combined with the coexistence of CO 2 - and H 2 O-rich fluid inclusion endmembers, these trends indicate the increase of pH induced by CO 2 degassing (fluid–fluid unmixing), which led to focused Au deposition. The quartz grains from the Jiaojia-type mineralization typically show a homogeneous texture with well-correlated lithophile elements (e.g., K, Al and Rb), which are distinct from those of the Linglong-type that are characterized by oscillatory zoning with much higher Al concentrations and δ18O quartz values. These phenomena indicate that enhanced fluid–rock interaction occurred in the Jiaojia-type mineralization. In addition, the δ18O quartz values show an increase from deep to shallow depths. In combination with thermodynamic modelling, it suggests decreasing fluid–rock interaction with decreasing depth. The above results corroborate that multiple mechanisms led to the efficient Au deposition in the Jiaodong Peninsula. Fluid–fluid unmixing typically occurred in the Linglong-type mineralization, while fluid–rock interaction was dominant in the Jiaojia-type mineralization. The different mechanisms might render mining challenging due to the changeable locations of favorable Au unloading. The LA–ICP–MS results of fluid inclusions suggest that the ore-forming fluids are metamorphic fluids rather than magmatic–hydrothermal fluids. In combination with the isotopic compositions of ores showing considerable mantle affinities and large-scale mafic underplating occurring beneath the study region, we propose a new genetic model that accounts for the origin of the auriferous fluids. The new model invokes the devolatilization of previously emplaced H 2 O- and Au-rich amphibole cumulates through amphibolite- to granulite-facies metamorphism in the middle–lower crust. It suggests an alternative way to generate the 'orogenic-like' gold deposits. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• DPs induced by γ irradiation were studied by SFE-UHPLC-QTOF MS and GC-MS. • Degradation pathway and isomers' structures were elucidated by MS fragments and DFT. • Toxicity of DPs were graded by prediction consistency of three (Q)SAR tools. • Risk of DPs in lyophilized drug were assessed by comparing exposure and threshold. Gamma-ray irradiation has been widely applied in large-scale industrial pharmaceutical packages sterilization however, high-energy rays may result in degradation of packaging materials comprising polymers and additives. These degradation products (DPs) can migrate into drugs, reducing their efficacy and safety. Therefore, a holistic study about structure elucidation and toxicity assessment of DPs is necessary. In this work, the effect of γ irradiation on rubber closures and additives was investigated by supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) coupled with UHPLC-QTOF MS and GC-MS. Comprehensive DPs were screened and identified by high-resolution mass spectrum and the potential degradation way was proposed. However, as there is no standard present for these DPs, Density-functional theory (DFT) was incorporated to verify degradation way and their structures by analyzing energy barriers and thermodynamic parameters. The initial step of the degradation mechanism was determined and structures and intensity difference of isomers were validated to be consistent experimentally and theoretically. Then based on toxicity prediction consistency by three (Q)SAR tools, the risk of DPs was evaluated and most DPs were negative for carcinogenicity and mutagenicity but positive for developmental toxicity. 7,9-di-tert-butyl-1-oxaspiro [4,5] deca-6,9-dien-2,8-dione was predicted to be carcinogenic in consensus which should be focused on in the further leachable study. Finally, risk assessment in the simulated lyophilized drug showed that exposure of all DPs was within the threshold. The present work addresses the structure elucidation of DPs, especially Irganox 1076, and helps to access a deeper insight into the safety evaluation of rubber closures with more confidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Quartz in carbonatite-related REE deposits has distinguishable compositions. • The composition of quartz exhibits systematic, spatial variation in REE deposits. • Quartz can be used as an indicator in the exploration of REE deposits. Quartz is a common gangue mineral in many magmatic-hydrothermal ore deposits (e.g., porphyry, epithermal and skarn deposits) and its trace element composition was widely used to constrain ore genesis. Quartz is also a common phase in carbonatite-related rare earth element (REE) deposits, but its geochemical characteristics and significance for ore genesis have not previously been documented in this environment. In this contribution, we report in-situ LA-ICP-MS trace element compositions of quartz from seven carbonatite-related REE deposits, namely the Maoniuping, Lizhuang and Dalucao deposits in the Mianning-Dechang REE metallogenic belt, SW China and the Miaoya, Taipingzhen, Huangshuian and Huanglongpu deposits in the Qinling REE metallogenic belt, Central China. Rare earth element mineralization in these deposits is associated with well-developed hydrothermal systems in which the dominant REE minerals, bastnäsite, parisite, and monazite, are intergrown with aegirine-augite, arfvedsonite, calcite, fluorite, barite, and quartz. The results show that quartz grains from the carbonatite-related REE deposits are characterized by low budgets of trace elements, of which Al is generally less than 50 ppm whereas others are generally less than 10 ppm. In general, the trace element concentrations in quartz from different deposits are similar (the total concentration is commonly <50 ppm), and are distinguishable from those of quartz in other magmatic-hydrothermal systems. The low concentration of trace elements in carbonatite-related REE deposits is controlled by the unusual nature of carbonatitic magmas and their derived fluids, and thus can be used for defining the affinity of hydrothermal REE systems that are of unknown origin. Significantly, the trace element chemistry of quartz samples collected from a cross-section in the open pit of the Maoniuping REE deposit displays a systematic spatial variation such that the concentrations of Al, Ti, Na, and K decrease with increasing distance of the samples from carbonatites. This spatial variation correlates well with the variation of physio-chemical conditions during the evolution of ore-forming fluids. This implies that the geochemistry of quartz can be used as a vector detecting the concealed carbonatite intrusions in carbonatite-related REE deposits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Based on density functional theory and time-dependent density functional theory, we systematically studied the infrared spectra, ultraviolet spectra, electron hole, active sites and total transition dipole moments of glucose and fructose molecules • The optical rotation properties of glucose and fructose are explained in detail. • The theoretical study on the molecular structure and properties of glucose and fructose is of great significance for drug research and development, the preparation of biofuels and the protection of related metals. Glucose and fructose are closely related to people's life and production. Based on density functional theory, the B3LYP/6-311++G(d, p) and B3LYP/6-311 + G(d, p) levels of theory are adopted to optimize the structure and calculate the frequency of glucose and fructose molecules by adding B3LYP-D3(BJ) dispersion correction in this paper. The first 50 excited states of glucose and fructose molecules are calculated in SMD solvent model by using time-dependent density functional theory and B3LYP / def2-TZVP level of theory. It is verified that the selected method and basis set are reasonable by comparing the theoretical spectrum with the experimental spectrum. It is found that the plane structure of glucose molecule is more distorted than that of fructose molecule. The stretching vibration of C O bond of fructose is more intense than that of glucose. The absorption peak of fructose at 209.70 nm is characterized by n → σ* transition and is in the tail absorption band, other absorption peaks are all in the far ultraviolet absorption band, and it shows the transition characteristics of σ → σ*. According to the electron-hole analysis, the excitation of the 27th, 34th, 36th and 46th excited states belongs to local excitation, the excitation of the 29th excited state belongs to Rydberg excitation, and the other excited states belong to charge transfer excitation. The optical rotation mechanism of sugar molecules is explained by the direction of the transition dipole moment. O16 of glucose and O24 of fructose were electrophilic site respectively. The active product is 5-hydroxyethyl furfural (5-HMF) by oxidation of 5-hydroxymoms. This study could provide a theoretical basis for drug development, biofuel preparation and metal protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the structural, elastic, electronic and optical properties of double-perovskite halides Rb 2 CuBiX 6 are studied using first-principles calculations based on density functional theory. The results show that Rb 2 CuBiX 6 (X = Br, Cl) have thermodynamic and mechanical stability according to the tolerance factor, binding energy, formation energy and Born-Huang stability criterion. The B/G value and Poisson's ratio indicate that Rb 2 CuBiX 6 is a flexible material. Rb 2 CuBiBr 6 and Rb 2 CuBiCl 6 are indirect bandgap semiconductors with bandgap values of 1.11 eV and 1.43 eV, respectively. In addition, the effective masses of electrons of Rb 2 CuBiX 6 are much smaller than that of other perovskite compounds, indicating that they have better carrier mobility. In the visible light range, Rb 2 CuBiX 6 has good dielectric properties and excellent light absorption properties. Therefore, Rb 2 CuBiX 6 has great potential in photovoltaic application due to their suitable bandgap values and excellent optical properties. • The bandgap values of Rb 2 CuBiX 6 (X = Br, Cl) are very suitable for photosensitive materials of solar cells. • The Rb 2 CuBiX 6 can be a potential candidate for excellent light absorbing material. • Rb 2 CuBiX 6 is the structural and thermodynamic stabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The microstructure, impact resistance, pull-off adhesion strength, and corrosion resistances of duplex epoxy/enamel coating applied on steel plates are investigated experimentally. In comparison with those of individual epoxy and enamel coatings, the duplex coating has lower adhesion strength, higher impact resistance, higher short-term and long-term corrosion resistances both in 3.5 wt% NaCl solution and saturated Ca(OH) 2 solution with various chloride concentrations. This is because the outer epoxy fills the micro pores in the inner enamel. Impact induced damage significantly reduces the corrosion resistances of epoxy and duplex coatings but has little effect on the corrosion resistance of enamel coating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objective Patients presenting with refractory postinfectious cough may respond to glucocorticosteroids but it is unclear whether airway eosinophilic inflammation exists in those patients. We aimed to determine the airway inflammation and causes of subacute cough following acute upper respiratory tract infection (AURTI). Methods One hundred and sixteen patients with persistent cough lasting 3-8 weeks after upper respiratory tract infection were evaluated with differential cell count in induced sputum, spirometry and methacholine bronchial challenge testing. Results In patients with subacute cough, sputum eosinophilia (median 8.5%,3.0-73.0%) was identified in 35 (33.6%) patients, 22 (18.5%) without bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) were diagnosed as non-asthmatic eosinophilic bronchitis (NAEB), 13 (14.3%) of whom with BHR were diagnosed as cough variant asthma (CVA). Cough in patients with sputum eosinophilia improved after treatment with corticosteroids. Compared with postinfectious cough (PIC) and NAEB, CVA had significantly higher median eosinophil count in induced sputum (0.5% vs 7.5% vs 20.0%, P < 0.01). MMEF in CVA was significantly lower than PIC and NAEB ( P < 0.05). The common causes of subacute cough following acute upper respiratory tract infection (AURTI) were PIC (37.8%), NAEB (18.5%), CVA (14.3%) and upper airway cough syndrome (UACS) (10.1%). Atopic cough (AC) (5.2%) and gastroesophageal reflux-related cough (GERC) (3.4%) were less common in subacute cough following AURTI, while 9 (7.8%) patients had unexplained cough. Conclusion Subacute cough following AURTI can be attributed to different entities, eosinophilic airway inflammation is common. Induced sputum should be considered when evaluating patients with subacute cough following acute upper respiratory tract infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, five different simulated oils were obtained, and their viscosities and interfacial tension between simulated oil and surfactant aqueous solution were measured. The core displacement experiments were carried out to explore the effect of oil properties on oil recovery in dilute surfactant flooding. Single-core experimental results indicated that a relatively low oil/water interfacial tension level might have a bigger contribution to improve oil recovery, despite a favorable mobility control being of importance. Parallel cores experimental results illustrated that the higher the permeability contrast, the lower the oil/water interfacial tension that was required to mobilize the low-permeability core. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Oxytocin (OT) is a neuropeptide elaborated by the hypothalamic paraventricular (PVN) and supraoptic (SON) nuclei. Magnocellular OT neurons of these nuclei innervate numerous forebrain regions and release OT into the blood from the posterior pituitary. The PVN also harbors parvocellular OT cells that project to the brainstem and spinal cord, but their function has not been directly assessed. Here, we identified a subset of approximately 30 parvocellular OT neurons, with collateral projections onto magnocellular OT neurons and neurons of deep layers of the spinal cord. Evoked OT release from these OT neurons suppresses nociception and promotes analgesia in an animal model of inflammatory pain. Our findings identify a new population of OT neurons that modulates nociception in a two tier process: (1) directly by release of OT from axons onto sensory spinal cord neurons and inhibiting their activity and (2) indirectly by stimulating OT release from SON neurons into the periphery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neuropathic pain was regarded as a main form of chronic pain condition that remains difficult to treat. Conventional pharmacotherapy for neuropathic pain responsed vary and side effects limited their compliance. These prompted us to find new alternatives. In this study, we investigated the effect of troxerutin on treatment of CCI-induced neuropathic pain. Results showed that troxerutin significantly reversed mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia. In L4–6 spinal cord, troxerutin reduced the expression of INF-γ, IL-1β, TNF-α, and activation of NF-κB(p65). Immunofluorescence results showed that troxerutin significantly inhibited microglia activation induced by CCI surgery. Further, troxerutin treatment significantly induced AMPK activation and inhibited CCI-induced SIRT1 decrease. However, AMPK inhibitor compound C and SIRT1 inhibitor EX527 inhibited analgesic effect of troxerutin in CCI mice. This demonstrated the involvement of AMPK/SIRT1 pathway in anti-allodynic effect of troxerutin in CCI mice. Troxerutin could be developed as a potential therapeutic agent for neuropathic pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Atherosclerosis is a major cause of coronary artery disease, which is characterized by cellular lipid accumulation. Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) is a key enzyme in lipid metabolism. Studies have shown that macrophage-derived LPL exhibits proatherogenic properties, and plays a major role in lipid accumulation in macrophages. Evidence suggests that oxidative stress can effectively enhance macrophage LPL production. Betulinic acid (BA) is a pentacyclic lupane triterpene with a potent antioxidant activity. In this study, we investigated whether BA affects the expression of macrophage LPL and how it regulates cellular lipid accumulation. Methods and results We revealed that BA downregulated H 2 O 2 -simulated macrophage LPL protein, mRNA levels and its activity in both concentration- and time-dependent manners. Furthermore, BA decreased LPL-involved total cholesterol and triglyceride levels in macrophages. In addition, cellular lipid staining by Oil Red O showed that BA decreased cellular lipid droplet deposition. Next, we confirmed that pretreatment with BA decreased H 2 O 2 -induced production of intracellular reactive oxygen species in a concentration-dependent manner. Further studies demonstrated that BA inhibited H 2 O 2 -induced membrane translocation of PKC, phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and c-Fos. Finally, the induction of LPL production and activity by H 2 O 2 was abolished by BA, inhibition of PKC or ERK or depletion c-Fos, respectively. Conclusions BA, through its role of antioxidant activity, attenuated macrophage-derived LPL expression and activity induced by oxidative stress, and effectively reduced cellular lipid accumulation, likely through inhibition of the pathways involving PKC, ERK and c-Fos. These effects of BA may contribute to its mitigation of atherosclerosis and help develop BA as a therapeutic compound in treatment of atherosclerosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copper isotopes have been successfully applied to many fields in geochemistry, and in particular, as a strongly chalcophile element, the isotope systematics of Cu can be potentially applied as a proxy for crust–mantle and core–mantle differentiation processes. However, to date, the Cu isotopic composition of distinct silicate reservoirs in the Earth, as well as the behaviour of Cu isotopes during igneous processes and slab dehydration are not well constrained. To address these issues, here we report high-precision (±0.05‰; 2SD) Cu isotope data for 132 terrestrial samples including 28 cratonic peridotites, 19 orogenic peridotites, 70 basalts (MORBs, OIBs, arc basalts and continental basalts) and 15 subduction-related andesites/dacites sourced worldwide. The peridotites are classified into metasomatized and non-metasomatized groups, based upon their rare earth element (REE) patterns and the presence or lack of minerals diagnostic of metasomatism (e.g., phlogopite). The metasomatized peridotites span a wide range of δ 65 Cu values from −0.64 to +1.82‰, in sharp contrast to the non-metasomatized peridotites that exhibit a narrow range of δ 65 Cu from −0.15 to +0.18‰ with an average of + 0.03 ± 0.24 ‰ (2SD). Comparison between these two groups of peridotites demonstrates that metasomatism significantly fractionates Cu isotopes with sulfide breakdown and precipitation potentially shifting Cu isotopes towards light and heavy values, respectively. MORBs and OIBs have homogeneous Cu isotopic compositions ( + 0.09 ± 0.13 ‰ ; 2SD), which are indistinguishable from those of the non-metasomatized peridotites within uncertainty. This suggests that Cu isotope fractionation during mantle partial melting is limited, even if sulfides are a residual phase. Compared with MORBs and OIBs, arc and continental basalts are more heterogeneous in Cu isotopic composition. In particular, basalts that were collected from a traverse across the Kamchatka arc over a distance of 200 to 400 km from the trench show a large range of δ 65 Cu from −0.19 to +0.47‰, and samples with higher Ba/Nb ratios tend to be isotopically more heterogeneous. The large Cu isotopic variations in arc and continental basalts most probably reflect the involvement of recycling crustal materials in their sources. Collectively, the dataset obtained in this study suggests that the bulk silicate Earth (BSE) has an average δ 65 Cu value of + 0.06 ± 0.20 ‰ (2SD). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objective The triplet of airway infection, inflammation and bronchial wall destruction associated with excessive matrix metalloproteinases ( MMP) release and imbalance of tissue inhibitor metalloproteinase-1 ( TIMP-1) is implicated in bronchiectasis. We sought to determine the associations between sputum MMP ( MMP-8, MMP-9) and TIMP-1 and the severity of bronchiectasis; the utility of MMP in predicting risks of future bronchiectasis exacerbations ( BE); and the changes in MMP levels during BE. Methods We recruited 102 patients with stable bronchiectasis and 22 healthy subjects. For bronchiectasis patients, baseline measurements consisted of sputum inflammation and MMP measurements, bacterial culture, spirometry and chest high-resolution computed tomography ( HRCT). Bronchiectasis patients were followed up for 1 year to determine the frequency of BE. Changes in MMP levels during BE were assessed in 36 bronchiectasis patients. Results Sputum MMP-8, MMP-9 and MMP-9/ TIMP-1 ratio in bronchiectasis patients were significantly increased compared with healthy subjects. MMP-8 and MMP-9 levels, but not TIMP-1, were positively correlated with clinical measures, including HRCT scores, spirometry and B ronchiectasis S everity I ndex. Seventy-nine bronchiectasis patients were included in survival analyses of BE. Lower levels of baseline MMP-9 were associated with reduced risks of and a longer time to the first BE during follow-up. MMP-8 and MMP-9, but not TIMP-1 or MMP-9/ TIMP-1 ratio, were significantly heightened during BE. Conclusions Sputum MMP might be useful biomarkers for the assessment of bronchiectasis severity and the prediction of future risks of BE. Our results provide the rationales for the future clinical application of MMP inhibitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently pseudorabies outbreaks have occurred in many vaccinated farms in China. To identify genetic characteristics of pseudorabies virus (PRV) strains, we obtained the genomic sequences of PRV strains HeN1 and JS, which were compared to 4 PRV genomes and 729 partial gene sequences. PRV strains isolated in China showed marked sequence divergence compared to European and American strains. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that for the first time PRV can be divided into 2 distinct clusters, with Chinese strains being genotype II and PRVs isolated from other countries being genotype I. Restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis confirmed differences between HeN1 and Bartha strains, as did the presence of unique insertion/deletion polymorphisms and microsatellites. This divergence between the two genotypes may have been generated from long-term, independent evolution, which could also explain the low efficacy of the Bartha vaccine in protecting pigs infected with genotype II PRV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over 1400 electron probe and 700 ion probe microanalyses were performed on eleven mineral separates to evaluate their potential as reference materials for in situ Li isotopic determination. Our results suggest the homogenous distributions of major elements, Li and its isotopes for each sample. Hence, these samples are suitable to be used as reference materials for in situ measurements of Li abundance and Li isotopes by secondary ion mass spectrometry ( SIMS) or laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry ( LA- ICP- MS). These samples have the advantage of mitigating probable matrix effects during calibration owing to the wide range of compositions. The effect of composition on the δ7 Li of olivine measured by SIMS is a linear function of composition, with δ7 Li increasing by 1.0‰ for each mole per cent decrease in forsterite component. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understandingentropic contributions to ordering transitions is essential for thedesign of self-assembling systems with tunable hierarchical structures.Herein, we report entropy-mediated precise interfacial organizationof Janus nanoparticles in the flexible–semiflexible block copolymersand the resulted optical properties of this heterogeneous materialby combining coarse-grained molecular dynamics and a finite differencetime domain technique. We find that the stiffness of the semiflexibleblock can regulate the off-center distribution of symmetric Janusnanoparticles with respect to phase interfaces, featured by a roughly35% deviation from the interface to the utmost extent. Our simulationsreveal how entropic and enthalpic effects in this multiphase mediacontribute to the self-assembled morphologies and, in particular,can lead to novel chain stiffness-induced entropy effects that canbe harnessed to tailor the interfacial organization of Janus nanoparticlesin the scaffold of block copolymers. Furthermore, the combinationof techniques allows us to determine how changes of the interfacialnanostructures affect the optical properties of the nanocomposite.The findings enable the applications of polymer chain stiffness inprecise control over the interfacial assembly of nanoparticles inheterogeneous materials and provide guidelines for facilitating thedesign of photonic crystals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, an all-optical microwave oscillator is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. Via cascaded stimulated Brillouin scattering effects, the second-order Stokes wave can be obtained. A microwave envelope can be generated by beating the continuous wave and the second-order Stokes wave. The functions of microwave envelope detection and feedback modulation are implemented by using cross-gain modulation of a semiconductor optical amplifier, further, the Vernier effect is used to improve the microwave signal. The second Brillouin-selective sideband amplification is employed to enhance oscillation frequency. In this reported scheme, the electrical microwave devices such as high-Q electrical bandpass filter and electro-optic modulator are not required in the microwave oscillation feedback loop. This all-optical microwave oscillator can shake off the electronic block. Meanwhile, the frequency of the generated microwave signal is twice the Stokes frequency shift of the stimulated Brillouin scattering. Furthermore, it can also result in phase noise reduction that only one laser source is used here. Finally, coupled cavities are used to suppress the harmonic presentation. The experimental results show that the all-optical microwave oscillator can generate a single-mode-microwave-oscillation signal with a frequency of 21.66 GHz. The phase noise value at 10 kHz frequency offset is − 90 dBc/Hz. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structural, elastic, electronic and optical properties of K 2 CuBiX 6 (X ​= ​Br, Cl) are studied by the first principle calculation in this paper. Their structural and thermodynamic stabilities are guaranteed by the formation energy, binding energy and Born-Huang criterion. The results of elastic constants show that the two materials are ductile and can be applied in foldable optoelectronic devices. Besides, The calculated bandgap values are 1.03 ​eV and 1.44 ​eV for K 2 CuBiBr 6 and K 2 CuBiCl 6 , respectively, which is just in the ideal energy gap range of semiconductors. K 2 CuBiX 6 has very small effective mass advantageous to carrier transport. In addition, the optical properties analysis shows that K 2 CuBiX 6 has excellent light absorption properties in ultraviolet–visible wavelength. Due to their suitable bandgaps and good light absorption, K 2 CuBiX 6 has a promising application in solar cells and other optoelectronic devices. In this study, the perovskites K 2 CuBiX 6 (X ​= ​Br, Cl) are proposed as functional materials in solar cells. [Display omitted] • The K 2 CuBiX 6 (X ​= ​Br, Cl) are very suitable for photosensitive materials of solar cells. • The K 2 CuBiX 6 can be a potential candidate for excellent light absorbing material. • The K 2 CuBiX 6 is the structural and thermodynamic stabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors have retracted this article. After publication the authors discovered that they were unable to repeat their results. In this article the authors concluded that silencing the rab31 gene inhibits hedgehog pathway activation, but in the repeated experiments the authors found that the Hedgehog pathway was not activated when the rab31 gene was over-expressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, hierarchical three-dimensional (3D) β-Na0.33V2O5 microspheres have been synthesized for the first time by a simple solvothermal reaction with subsequent annealing treatment. The hierarchical microspheres are self-assembled from nanosheet subunits during the solvothermal process. Simultaneously, various hierarchical microspheres with different subunits can be produced by altering the solvothermal solution. After annealing in air, the solvothermal product can be converted into β-Na0.33V2O5 with a well-retained structure. As cathode materials for lithium ion batteries, the as-prepared 3D microspheres exhibit high capacity and good rate capability. The superior electrochemical performance is attributed to the unique three-dimensional hierarchical microstructures, which mimic the advantages of nano- and micro-structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objective Aetiologies of bronchiectasis in mainland China and their comparisons with those in western countries are unknown. We aimed to investigate bronchiectasis aetiologies in Guangzhou, southern China, and to determine ethnic or geographic differences with reports from western countries. Methods Consecutive patients with steady-state bronchiectasis were randomly recruited. Past history was meticulously extracted. Patients underwent physical examination, saccharine test, humoral immunity assays, gastroesophageal reflux scoring and sputum culture. Fiberoptic bronchoscopy, total immunoglobin E ( IgE) and A spergillus fumigatus-specific IgE measurement, 24-h gastroesophageal pH monitoring and miscellaneous screening tests were performed, if indicated. This entailed comparisons on aetiologies with literature reports. Results We enrolled 148 patients (44.6 ± 13.8 years, 92 females), most of whom had mild to moderate bronchiectasis. Idiopathic (46.0%), post-infectious (27.0%) and immunodeficiency (8.8%) were the most common aetiologies. Miscellaneous aetiologies consisted of asthma (5.4%), gastroesophageal reflux (4.1%), aspergillosis (2.7%), congenital lung malformation (2.0%), Kartagener syndrome (1.4%), rheumatoid arthritis (1.4%), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (0.7%), Young's syndrome (0.7%), yellow nail's syndrome (0.7%), eosinophilic bronchiolitis (0.7%) and foreign bodies (0.7%). No notable differences in clinical characteristics between idiopathic and known aetiologies were found. Ethnic or geographic variations of aetiologies were overall unremarkable. Conclusions Idiopathic, post-infectious and immunodeficiency constitute major bronchiectasis aetiologies in Guangzhou. Clinical characteristics of patients between known aetiologies and idiopathic bronchiectasis were similar. Ethnicity and geography only account for limited differences in aetiologic spectra. These findings will offer rationales for early diagnosis and management of bronchiectasis in future studies and clinical practice in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although viral infections are a major cause of exacerbations in patients with chronic airway diseases, their roles in triggering bronchiectasis exacerbations in adults remain unclear. Therefore, we prospectively investigated the incidence and clinical impacts of viral infection in adults with bronchiectasis exacerbations.Methods: The study cohort of 119 adults with bronchiectasis was followed up prospectively for 12 months. Nasopharyngeal swabs and sputum samples were assayed for 16 respiratory viruses, using polymerase chain reaction assays. Symptoms, spirometry, quality of life, bacterial cultures, and inflammatory markers were assessed during steady-state bronchiectasis and exacerbations.Results: A total of 100 exacerbations were captured from 58 patients during 1-year follow-up. Respiratory viruses were found more frequently in nasopharyngeal swabs and sputum during bronchiectasis exacerbations (49 of 100, 49.0%) than during steady state (11 of 58, 18.9%; P < .001). The most common viruses found in patients experiencing exacerbations were coronavirus (19 of 65, 39.2%), rhinovirus (16 of 65, 24.6%), and influenza A/B viruses (16 of 65, 24.6%). Virus-positive exacerbations were associated with a greater increase in markers of systemic and airway inflammation (serum IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α; sputum IL-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α) compared with virus-negative exacerbations, but the differences in spirometric indexes, quality of life, and bacterial density were unremarkable. In receiver operating characteristics analysis, serum interferon-γ-induced protein 10 yielded an area under curve of 0.67 (95% CI, 0.53-0.77; P = .018). Furthermore, a greater proportion of patients with virus-positive exacerbations received IV antibiotics.Conclusions: Prevalence of viral infections, detected by polymerase chain reaction assay, is higher in cases of bronchiectasis exacerbations than in steady-state bronchiectasis, suggesting that respiratory viruses play crucial roles in triggering bronchiectasis exacerbations. The potential mechanisms of virus-induced bronchiectasis exacerbations merit further investigations.Trial Registry: ClinicalTrials.gov; No.: NCT01801657; www.clinicaltrials.gov. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction The decline of testosterone has been known to be associated with the prevalence of erectile dysfunction ( ED), but the causal relationship between sex hormones and ED is still uncertain. Aim To prove the association between sex hormones and ED, we carried out a prospective cohort study based on our previous cross-sectional study. Methods We performed a prospective cohort study of 733 Chinese men who participated in Fangchenggang Area Males Health and Examination Survey from September 2009 to December 2009 and were followed for 4 years. Erectile function was estimated by scores of the five-item International Index of Erectile Dysfunction ( IIEF-5) and relative ratios ( RRs) were estimated using the Cox proportional hazards regression model. Main Outcome Measures Data were collected at follow-up visit and included sex hormone measurements, IIEF-5 scores, physical examination, and health questionnaires. Results Men with the highest tertile of free testosterone ( FT) (RR = 0.21, 95% confidence interval [ CI]: 0.09-0.46) and the lowest tertile of sex hormone-binding globulin ( SHBG) ( RR = 0.38, 95% CI: 0.19-0.73) had decreased risk of ED. In young men (aged 21-40), a decreased risk was observed with the increase of FT and bioavailable testosterone ( BT) (adjusted RR and 95% CI: 0.78 [0.67-0.92] and 0.75 [0.62-0.95], respectively). Total testosterone ( TT) ( RR = 0.89, 95% CI: 0.81-0.98) was inversely associated with ED after adjusting for SHBG, while SHBG ( RR = 1.04, 95% CI: 1.02-1.06) remained positively associated with ED after further adjusting for TT. Men with both low FT and high SHBG had highest ED risk (adjusted RR = 4.61, 95% CI: 1.33-16.0). Conclusions High FT and BT levels independently predicted a decreased risk of ED in young men. Further studies are urgently needed to clarify the molecular mechanisms of testosterone acting on ED. Luo Y, Zhang H, Liao M, Tang Q, Huang Y, Xie J, Tang Y, Tan A, Gao Y, Lu Z, Yao Z, Jiang Y, Lin X, Wu C, Yang X, and Mo Z. Sex hormones predict the incidence of erectile dysfunction: From a population-based prospective cohort study (FAMHES). J Sex Med 2015;12:1165-1174. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale Diosgenin (Dgn), a structural analogue of cholesterol, has been reported to have the hypolipidemic and antiatherogenic properties, but the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. Given the key roles of macrophages in cholesterol metabolism and atherogenesis, it is critical to investigate macrophage cholesterol efflux and development of atherosclerotic lesion after Dgn treatment. Objective This study was designed to evaluate the potential effects of Dgn on macrophage cholesterol metabolism and the development of aortic atherosclerosis, and to explore its underlying mechanisms. Methods and Results Dgn significantly up-regulated the expression of ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) protein, but didn't affect liver X receptor α levels in foam cells derived from human THP-1 macrophages and mouse peritoneal macrophages (MPMs) as determined by western blotting. The miR-19b levels were markedly down-regulated in Dgn-treated THP-1 macrophages/MPM-derived foam cells. Cholesterol transport assays revealed that treatment with Dgn alone or together with miR-19b inhibitor notably enhanced ABCA1-dependent cholesterol efflux, resulting in the reduced levels of total cholesterol, free cholesterol and cholesterol ester as determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. The fecal 3 H-sterol originating from cholesterol-laden MPMs was increased in apolipoprotein E knockout mice treated with Dgn or both Dgn and antagomiR-19b. Treatment with Dgn alone or together with antagomiR-19b elevated plasma high-density lipoprotein levels, but reduced plasma low-density lipoprotein levels. Accordingly, aortic lipid deposition and plaque area were reduced, and collagen content and ABCA1 expression were increased in mice treated with Dgn alone or together with antagomiR-19b. However, miR-19b overexpression abrogated the lipid-lowering and atheroprotective effects induced by Dgn. Conclusion The present study demonstrates that Dgn enhances ABCA1-dependent cholesterol efflux and inhibits aortic atherosclerosis progression by suppressing macrophage miR-19b expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study on delineation of six-minute walk distance (6MWD) test to assess exercise tolerance in Chinese adults suffering from clinically stable bronchiectasis and factors that are associated with reduced 6MWD. Topics discussed include identification of lower levels of 6MWD in older age patients, increased quality of life in patients with high 6MWD, lower 6MWD due to cystic bronchiectasis and perceived dyspnea and reduced diffusing capacity being 6MWD's independent factors.

Detection of community structures in complex networks is a common challenge in the study of complex networks. Recently, various methods have been proposed to discover community structures at different scales. Here, the multiscale methods based on Potts spin model for community detection are described and compared in the analysis of community structures of several networks. We give a critical analysis of the multiscale methods, showing a kind of limitation that the methods may suffer from when the community size difference is very broad, the breakup of (large) communities will appear before the merger of (small) communities disappears. In particular, we give the explicit expressions for the critical points of the merger and breakup of communities and derive the sufficient conditions (in the form of upper limits) that indicate when the Potts model methods suffer from the limitation. We apply the theoretical results to model networks and show that the method using the configuration null model (i.e., a random graph model as comparison that has the same degree distribution as the network under study) may not recover the full structure of the model network, whereas the method using the Erdös-Rényi null model will do so. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

HDGFRP2 (HRP-2) belongs to the Hepatoma-derived growth factor (HDGF)-related proteins (HRPs) family, which are characterized by a conserved HATH/PWWP domain at a well-conserved region of the N-terminus. However, the cellular function of HRP-2 remains unknown. In this study, we showed for the first time that HRP-2 is frequently overexpressed in human HCC tissues at mRNA and protein levels. We further showed that HRP-2 can promote HCC cells growth in vitro and xenograft tumors in vivo. Using protein affinity purification methods, we searched for functional partners of HRP-2, and found that HRP-2 interacts with various proteins known to be involved in transcription elongation and processing. Furthermore, we demonstrate HRP-2 interacts and co-localizes with RNA processing regulator IWS1, and positively regulated the mRNA level of Cyclin D1. Together, our study suggests HRP-2 may act as an mRNA processing co-factor to promote cells growth by regulating the mRNA of key oncogenes, which can be explored further for cancer treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To understand the characteristics of the nebkhas in barchan interdune areas, isolated barchan dunes at the southeast margin of the Badain Jaran Desert in China and Nitraria tangutorun nebkhas in the interdune areas were selected, and the morphometric parameters, spatial patterns, and granulometric characteristics of the nebkhas in various interdune zones were compared. According to the locations relative to barchan dunes, the interdune areas were divided into three zones: the windward interdune zone (Zw), the leeward interdune zone (Zl), and the horn interdune zone (Zh). The zone that is proximal to barchan dunes and has never been disturbed by barchan dunes was also selected (Zi). The morphometric parameters were measured through a satellite image and field investigation. The population density and spatial patterns were analyzed using the satellite image, and surface sediment samples of the nebkhas and barchan dunes were collected for grain size analysis. The morphometric parameters of Nitraria tangutorun nebkhas in the interdune zones differ significantly. The nebkhas in Zh are larger than those observed in the other zones, and the nebkhas are the smallest in Zl. In all of the zones, the long-axis orientation of the nebkhas is perpendicular to the prevailing wind direction. The population density of the nebkhas in Zw is relatively higher, whereas the density in Zh and Zl becomes obviously lower. The spatial distribution of nebkhas in all of the zones can be categorized as a dispersed pattern. The sediments of the nebkhas are coarsest in Zh and finest in Zl. In addition, the sediments of the nebkhas in all of the zones are finer than those of barchan dunes. The amount of sand captured by the nebkhas in the interdune areas is approximately 20% of the volume of barchan dunes. The variations of the nebkhas' sizes, spatial pattern and sediment are subjected to migration, flow field and sand transport of barchan dunes and sand accumulation with plant growth in the interdune areas, which suggest complex mutual interactions between barchan dunes and the nebkhas in the interdune areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Potassium vanadate K 0.25 V 2 O 5 has been successfully prepared by a facile sol–gel route and its electrochemical performance has been investigated. It is interesting that the as-prepared K 0.25 V 2 O 5 exhibits the unique layer-by-layer stacked flake-like structure. Due to the novel tunneled crystal structure, the long-term cycling stability and high-rate capability of K 0.25 V 2 O 5 are reported here for the first time. High specific discharge capacities of 256, 217, 180, 144, and 116 mA h g −1 can be achieved at the current densities of 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1000 mA g −1 , respectively. Moreover, the K 0.25 V 2 O 5 compound demonstrates excellent long-term cycling stability with a capacity fading rate of only 0.023% per cycle over 500 cycles at 500 mA g −1 . The superior electrochemical performance suggests that the tunneled structure K 0.25 V 2 O 5 could be a potential cathode candidate for rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the effects of melt-rock interaction on Li isotope fractionation, we report in situ Li concentrations and δ7Li of olivine (Ol), orthopyroxene (Opx), and clinopyroxene (Cpx) for six peridotite xenoliths from the eastern North China Craton. These xenoliths contain two lherzolites, two Cpx-rich lherzolites, and two wehrlites and are variably metasomatized. Lithium isotope zonation is observed in most peridotite minerals. The majority of Cpx grains display isotopically light cores with lower Li concentrations than the heavy rims. However, the Opx grains show a different style of zonation from Cpx, where higher Li concentrations in the cores are associated with much lighter δ7Li. Olivines in most peridotites have a restricted range of Li concentration and δ7Li within individual grains, whereas the olivines in a lherzolite show isotopically light cores (210.3) with high Li concentrations (2.3 ppm) and heavy rims (5.5) with low Li concentrations (1.7 ppm). These Li isotopic variations in mineral phases may reflect the combined effects of diffusion driven kinetic fractionation of Li isotopes during melt/fluid-peridotite interactions and slow cooling. Intersample heterogeneity of Li isotopes is also apparent. Olivine with forsterite (Fo) content of 91.3 in one lherzolite sample has "normal" mantle-like Li concentrations (1.1~2.4 ppm) and light δ7Li (210.3~5.5), while Ol with Fo content of 89.7 in another lherzolite has slightly high Li concentrations (2.0~3.0 ppm) but similar δ7Li (1.6~6.4) relative to normal mantle. Olivines in Cpx-rich lherzolites have lower Fo contents (83.8-87.5), higher Li concentrations (1.4~4.5 ppm), and heavier δ7Li (5.0~22.0) than those in lherzolites and normal mantle. The δ7LiOl value correlates positively with Li concentration and negatively with Fo from lherzolites to Cpx-rich lherzolites, indicating a reaction between lherzolites and melts with isotopically heavy Li- and Fe-rich signatures. By contrast, olivines in wehrlites have extremely lower Fo contents (82.2~83.2) and higher Li concentrations (2.4~4.2 ppm) than those in normal mantle, while their δ7Li values are within the range of normal mantle, reflecting metasomatism of the peridotites by asthenospheric melt. Overall, the large intragrain and intersample variations in Li concentrations and isotopic compositions reflect kinetic isotope fractionation during multiple metasomatisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection upregulates genes of the suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS) family, which utilize a feedback loop to inhibit type I interferon dependent antiviral signaling pathway. Here, we reconstituted RSV nonstructural (NS) protein expression plasmids (pNS1, pNS2, and pNS1/2) and tested whether NS1 or NS2 would trigger SOCS1 and SOCS3 protein expression. These NS proteins inhibited interferon- (IFN-) α signaling through a mechanism involving the induction of SOCS1 and SOCS3, which appeared to be different from autocrine IFN dependent. NS1 induced both SOCS1 and SOCS3 upregulation, while NS2 only induced SOCS1 expression. The induced expression of SOCS1 and SOCS3 preceded endogenous IFN-signaling activation and inhibited the IFN-inducible antiviral response as well as chemokine induction. Treatments with INF-α and NS proteins both induced SOCS1 expression; however, they had opposing effects on IFN-α-dependent antiviral gene expression. Our results indicate that NS1 and NS2, which induce the expression of SOCS1 or SOCS3, might represent an independent pathway of stimulating endogenous IFN signaling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ASPP2 is an important tumor suppressor protein promoting p53-dependent and-independent apoptosis. However, it has been unclear how ASPP2 protein is regulated. Here, we identified Itch as the E3 ubiquitin ligase for ASPP2. Itch interacts with ASPP2 and mediates its degradation and ubiquitination in vivo. The PPXY motif of ASPP2 interacts with the WW domains of Itch. Yap1 competes with Itch for binding to ASPP2, and prevents Itch-mediated degradation and ubiquitination of ASPP2. Together, these observations reveal that Itch and Yap1 have antagonistic roles in the regulation of ASPP2 protein stability through competing post-translational regulatory mechanism of ASPP2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we report a novel strategy for the controlled synthesis of nanorod assembled multi-shelled cobalt oxide (Co 3 O 4 ) hollow microspheres (HSs). The Co 2 CO 3 (OH) 2 NRs are first vertically grown on the carbon microspheres (CS) to form the core-shelled composites by a low-temperature solution route. The multi-shelled hollow interiors within the Co 3 O 4 microspheres are unconventionally obtained by annealing the as-prepared core–shell structured CS@Co 2 CO 3 (OH) 2 composite in air. When evaluated for supercapacitive performance, the multi-shelled Co 3 O 4 hollow microspheres exhibit high capacitance of 394.4 and 360 F g −1 at the current densities of 2 A g −1 and 10 A g −1 , respectively. The superior electrochemical performance can be attributed to the multi-shelled hollow structures, which facilitate the electrolyte penetration and provide more active sites for the electrochemical reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reduced graphene oxide (rGO) modified vanadium teroxide (V 2 O 3 ) is synthesized by a solvothermal process followed with calcination treatment in a reducing atmosphere. The as-prepared hybrid materials were quite uniform and V 2 O 3 distributed homogeneously in the hybrid composite. The influence of annealing atmospheres to the electrochemical performance of the electrode material was also studied. As an anode material for lithium ion batteries, the V 2 O 3 –rGO composite exhibited higher capacity and better cyclic stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our previous study demonstrated that the melastatin-related transient receptor potential channel 7 (TRPM7) was highly expressed in ovarian carcinomas and its overexpression was significantly associated with poor prognosis in ovarian cancer patients. However, the function of TRPM7 in ovarian cancer is mostly unknown. In this study, we examined the roles of TRPM7 in ovarian cancer cell proliferation, migration and invasion. We found that short hairpin RNA interference-mediated silence of TRPM7 significantly inhibited cell proliferation, colony formation, migration and invasion in multiple ovarian cancer cell lines. Mechanistic investigation revealed that silence of TRPM7 decreased phosphorylation levels of Akt, Src and p38 and increased filamentous actin and focal adhesion number in ovarian cancer cells. Thus, our results suggest that TRPM7 is required for proliferation, migration and invasion of ovarian cancer cells through regulating multiple signaling transduction pathways and the formation of focal adhesions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A priori prediction of supracolloidal architectures from nanoparticle and colloidal assembly is a challenging goal in materials chemistry and physics. Despite intense research in this area, much less has been known about the predictive science of supracolloidal helices from designed building blocks. Therefore, developing conceptually new rules to construct supracolloidal architectures with predictive helicity is becoming an important and urgent task of great scientific interest. Here, inspired by biological helices, we show that the rational design of patchy arrangement and interaction can drive patchy particles to self-assemble into biomolecular mimetic supracolloidal helices. We further derive a facile design rule for encoding the target supracolloidal helices, thus opening the doors to the predictive science of these supracolloidal architectures. It is also found that kinetics and reaction pathway during the formation of supracolloidal helices offer a unique way to study supramolecular polymerization, and that well-controlled supracolloidal helices can exhibit tailorable circular dichroism effects at visible wavelengths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Characteristics of lung function impairment in bronchiectasis is not fully understood. Objectives: To determine the factors associated with lung function impairment and to compare changes in spirometry during bronchiectasis exacerbation and convalescence (1 week following 14-day antibiotic therapy). Methods: We recruited 142 patients with steady-state bronchiectasis, of whom 44 with acute exacerbations in the follow-up were included in subgroup analyses. Baseline measurements consisted of chest high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT), sputum volume, purulence and bacteriology, spirometry and diffusing capacity. Spirometry, but not diffusing capacity, was examined during acute exacerbations and convalescence. Results: In the final multivariate models, having bronchiectasis symptoms for 10 years or greater (OR = 4.75, 95%CI: 1.46–15.43, P = 0.01), sputum culture positive for Pseudomonas aeruginosa (OR = 4.93, 95%CI: 1.52–15.94, P<0.01) and HRCT total score being 12 or greater (OR = 7.77, 95%CI: 3.21–18.79, P<0.01) were the major variables associated with FEV1 being 50%pred or less; and the only variable associated with reduced DLCO was 4 or more bronchiectatic lobes (OR = 5.91, 95%CI: 2.20–17.23, P<0.01). Overall differences in FVC and FEV1 during exacerbations and convalescence were significant (P<0.05), whereas changes in other spirometric parameters were less notable. This applied even when stratified by the magnitude of FEV1 and DLCO reduction at baseline. Conclusion: Significant lung function impairment should raise alert of chest HRCT abnormality and sputum culture positive for Pseudomonas aeruginosa, in patients with predominantly mild to moderate steady-state bronchiectasis. Acute exacerbations elicited reductions in FVC and FEV1. Changes of other spirometric parameters were less significant during exacerbations. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cough hypersensitivity has been common among respiratory diseases. Objective: To determine associations of capsaicin cough sensitivity and clinical parameters in adults with clinically stable bronchiectasis. Methods: We recruited 135 consecutive adult bronchiectasis patients and 22 healthy subjects. History inquiry, sputum culture, spirometry, chest high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT), Leicester Cough Questionnaire scoring, Bronchiectasis Severity Index (BSI) assessment and capsaicin inhalation challenge were performed. Cough sensitivity was measured as the capsaicin concentration eliciting at least 2 (C2) and 5 coughs (C5). Results: Despite significant overlap between healthy subjects and bronchiectasis patients, both C2 and C5 were significantly lower in the latter group (all P<0.01). Lower levels of C5 were associated with a longer duration of bronchiectasis symptoms, worse HRCT score, higher 24-hour sputum volume, BSI and sputum purulence score, and sputum culture positive for P. aeruginosa. Determinants associated with increased capsaicin cough sensitivity, defined as C5 being 62.5 µmol/L or less, encompassed female gender (OR: 3.25, 95%CI: 1.35–7.83, P<0.01), HRCT total score between 7–12 (OR: 2.57, 95%CI: 1.07–6.173, P = 0.04), BSI between 5–8 (OR: 4.05, 95%CI: 1.48–11.06, P<0.01) and 9 or greater (OR: 4.38, 95%CI: 1.48–12.93, P<0.01). Conclusion: Capsaicin cough sensitivity is heightened in a subgroup of bronchiectasis patients and associated with the disease severity. Gender and disease severity, but not sputum purulence, are independent determinants of heightened capsaicin cough sensitivity. Current testing for cough sensitivity diagnosis may be limited because of overlap with healthy subjects but might provide an objective index for assessment of cough in future clinical trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]