Search

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common respiratory disorder. Multiple organs, especially the central nervous system (CNS), are damaged, and dysfunctional when intermittent hypoxia (IH) occurs during sleep for a long time. The quality of life of individuals with OSA is significantly impacted by cognitive decline, which also escalates the financial strain on their families. Consequently, the development of novel therapies becomes imperative. IH induces oxidative stress, endoplasmic reticulum stress, iron deposition, and neuroinflammation in neurons. Synaptic dysfunction, reactive gliosis, apoptosis, neuroinflammation, and inhibition of neurogenesis can lead to learning and long-term memory impairment. In addition to nerve injury, the role of IH in neuroprotection was also explored. While causing neuron damage, IH activates the neuronal self-repairing mechanism by regulating antioxidant capacity and preventing toxic protein deposition. By stimulating the proliferation and differentiation of neural stem cells (NSCs), IH has the potential to enhance the ratio of neonatal neurons and counteract the decline in neuron numbers. This review emphasizes the perspectives and opportunities for the neuroprotective effects of IH and informs novel insights and therapeutic strategies in OSA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This experiment was conducted to study the effects of Astragalus polysaccharide (APS) on intestinal antioxidant capacity, immunity, structural integrity, and permeability of hybrid crucian carp (control group, Astragalus polysaccharide stress group (APs), and salt and alkali stress group (SAs)) under saline-alkali environment. The results showed that the CAT activity, MDA activity, and total antioxidant capacity in the APs group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P < 0.05). At 6 h, the activity of intestinal GPX in the SAs group was significantly higher than that in the control group and APs group (P < 0.05). At 48h, the activity of C3 in the APs group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P < 0.05). At 24 h, the content of C4 in the APs group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P < 0.05). At 72 h, the ACP and the AKP activity in the APs group and the SAs group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P < 0.05). Inflammatory cells infiltrated the folds in both the APs and SAs groups. At 72 h, the gene expression levels of claudin 7, claudin 12, claudin c, and ZO-1 in the APs group and SAs group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05). At 72 h, the expression of inflammation-related genes in the APs group and SAs group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P < 0.05). In conclusion, APS, as an additive, can alleviate the damage of intestinal physical barrier and immune barrier caused by salt-alkali stress to hybrid crucian carp, including up-regulation of genes for inhibiting inflammation and tight junction and alleviating oxidative stress, thus maintaining the integrity of intestinal structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute type A aortic dissection may originate from a primary intimal tear located in the ascending aorta and often extends retrogradely into the aortic root. How to prevent bleeding in the aortic root and eliminate false lumen is very important in aortic dissection. We have developed a modified anastomotic technique that involves inverting adventitial and graft into aorta and reinforcing with a felt strip on the external border of the aortic wall. Since 2020, 45 consecutive patients with type A aortic coarctation have undergone this aortic root reconstruction procedure, to date, none have been reopened for bleeding or remnant dissection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whereas oncogenes can potentially be inhibited with small molecules, the loss of tumour suppressors is more common and is problematic because the tumour-suppressor proteins are no longer present to be targeted. Notable examples include SMARCB1-mutant cancers, which are highly lethal malignancies driven by the inactivation of a subunit of SWI/SNF (also known as BAF) chromatin-remodelling complexes. Here, to generate mechanistic insights into the consequences of SMARCB1 mutation and to identify vulnerabilities, we contributed 14 SMARCB1-mutant cell lines to a near genome-wide CRISPR screen as part of the Cancer Dependency Map Project1–3. We report that the little-studied gene DDB1–CUL4-associated factor 5 (DCAF5) is required for the survival of SMARCB1-mutant cancers. We show that DCAF5 has a quality-control function for SWI/SNF complexes and promotes the degradation of incompletely assembled SWI/SNF complexes in the absence of SMARCB1. After depletion of DCAF5, SMARCB1-deficient SWI/SNF complexes reaccumulate, bind to target loci and restore SWI/SNF-mediated gene expression to levels that are sufficient to reverse the cancer state, including in vivo. Consequently, cancer results not from the loss of SMARCB1 function per se, but rather from DCAF5-mediated degradation of SWI/SNF complexes. These data indicate that therapeutic targeting of ubiquitin-mediated quality-control factors may effectively reverse the malignant state of some cancers driven by disruption of tumour suppressor complexes.DCAF5 has a quality-control function for SWI/SNF complexes and promotes the degradation of incompletely assembled SWI/SNF complexes in the absence of SMARCB1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Currently, the cause of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is unknown, and the effectiveness of current drug treatments is unsatisfactory. In March 2019, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved risankizumab, a humanized immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1) monoclonal antibody targeting the p19 subunit of interleukin (IL)-23, for the treatment of PsA in adults. This study aimed to conduct a meta-analysis of double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trials to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of risankizumab in moderate-to-severe PsA. Methods: We conducted a thorough search of relevant databases from the establishment of the databases to October 1, 2023. We conducted a meta-analysis using Stata 12.0 and utilized I2 and Egger tests to assess heterogeneity and publication bias among the studies. Bias assessment was performed using the risk bias map and bias risk summary diagram generated by Revman5.4 software. The review protocols were registered on PROSPERO (CRD42023451894) and adhered to the preferred reporting item of system evaluation (PRISMA) guideline. Results: Six randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving 5038 patients with PsA treated with either risankizumab or placebo were included in the analysis. At 24 weeks, the risankizumab group demonstrated a significantly higher American College of Rheumatology-20 (ACR20) response rate compared to the placebo group (RR 1.760, 95% CI 1.568–1.977, P < 0.001). Additionally, the risankizumab group showed a significantly higher Minimal Disease Activity (MDA) response rate compared to the placebo group (RR 1.827, 95% CI 1.048–3.184, P < 0.05). The risankizumab group also exhibited improvement in Short Form 36 Questionnaire (SF-36) score (SMD 0.51, 95% CI 0.33–0.69, P < 0.001), with significantly lower Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index (HAQ-DI) score (SMD − 0.27, 95% CI − 0.37 to − 0.17, P < 0.001) and higher Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue (FACIT-F) score (SMD 0.27, 95% CI 0.20–0.35, P < 0.001) compared to the placebo group. Moreover, the risankizumab group had a significantly lower Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score (SMD − 6.12, 95% CI − 10.02 to 2.23, P < 0.001). A study by Mease et al. indicated that patients receiving risankizumab generally demonstrated numerical improvements in the Leeds Enthesitis Index (LEI), although the small sample size limits the evidence. Further research is necessary to provide evidence-based guidelines. There were no significant differences in the incidence of serious adverse events (SAE) and serious treatment-emergent adverse events (STEAE) between the risankizumab and placebo groups (RR 0.76, 95% CI 0.45–1.28, P = 0.31; RR 0.99, 95% CI 0.49–1.99, P = 0.97, respectively), and the overall incidence of adverse events (AE) was not comparable (RR 1.10, 95% CI 0.63–1.94, P = 0.73). Conclusion: Risankizumab showed superior efficacy across multiple outcome measures compared to placebo, with no significant increase in adverse events. Our findings endorse risankizumab as an excellent treatment option for PsA, offering valuable insights for clinicians and patients when choosing appropriate therapeutic interventions. Trial Registration: Retrospectively registered (CRD42023451894, 16 August 2023). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carassius auratus gibelio, commonly known as crucian carp, is the main species of freshwater aquaculture in China. Due to high-density aquaculture and environmental pollution, various diseases continue to emerge, especially the diseases caused by pathogenic bacteria have seriously restricted the development of freshwater aquaculture. Among these, Aeromonas hydrophila (AH) is the one of the most serious fish disease causing economic losses among fish farmers. An in-depth understanding of the crucian carp's immune system and its genes involved in the response to bacterial infection is necessary for disease control. In this study, the breeding period was divided into the control group (C group) and the Bacillus licheniformis (B. licheniformis) group (BL group). After 4 weeks of culture, the crucian carp was infected with AH and divided into the control group (Cg group) and the B. licheniformis group (BLg group). After the 72-h challenge, the Illumina-based paired-end sequencing approach to analyze the transcriptome profile of the crucian carp gut following AH infection. A total of 472.05 million valid reads were found from the four intestinal samples and 403.18 million reads were mapped successfully, of which 243.34 million were unique. About GO enrichment analysis, significant differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were more in biological process (406 DEGs), regulation of transcription, DNA-templated (345 DEGs), and signal transduction (304 DEGs). In the cell components, membrane (1913 DEGs) and integral component of membrane (1789 DEGs) had a higher number of significantly different genes. In the molecular function, metal ion binding (780 DEGs), ATP binding (535 DEGs), transferase activity (491 DEGs), and nucleotide binding (482 DEGs) have a large number of significantly different genes. Regarding the KEGG enrich analysis section, this study is arranged in ascending P-value order, andthe most significant signaling paths are lysosome, glucose metabolism, cycline cycline receiver interaction, and phagosome. Among them, the cycline cycline receiver interaction has the highest difference in significant genes. In addition, 5 immune-related genes were selected for real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR analysis to verify the RNA-seq data, and the results showed that the expression of all 5 genes was upregulated, which was consistent with the results of our RNA-seq analysis. After analysis, it was found that B. licheniformis can alleviate the inflammatory response and protect the fish body. Our results provide a reference for further analysis of the antagonism and mitigation mechanism of B. licheniformis against AH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the effect and safety of foot baths with Tangbi Waixi Decoction (TW) in treating patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN). Methods: It is a multicenter double-blinded randomized controlled trial. Participants with DPN were recruited between November 18, 2016 and May 30, 2018 from 8 hospitals in China. All patients received basic treatments for glycemic management. Patients received foot baths with TW herbal granules either 66.9 g (intervention group) or 6.69 g (control group) for 30 min once a day for 2 weeks and followed by a 2-week rest, as a therapeutic course. If the Toronto Clinical Scoring System total score (TCSS-TS) ⩾6 points, the patients received a total of 3 therapeutic courses (for 12 weeks) and were followed up for 12 weeks. The primary outcome was change in TCSS-TS score at 12 and 24 weeks. Secondary outcomes included changes in bilateral motor nerve conduction velocity (MNCV) and sensory nerve conduction velocity (SNCV) of the median and common peroneal nerve. Safety was also assessed. Results: Totally 632 patients were enrolled, and 317 and 315 were randomized to the intervention and control groups, respectively. After the 12-week intervention, patients in both groups showed significant declines in TCSSTS scores, and significant increases in MNCV and SNCV of the median and common peroneal nerves compared with pre-treatment (P<0.05). The reduction of TCSS-TS score at 12 weeks and the increase of SNCV of median nerve at 24 weeks in the control group were greater than those in the intervention group (P<0.05). The number of adverse events did not differ significantly between groups (P>0.05), and no serious adverse event was related with treatment. Conclusion: Treatment of TW foot baths was safe and significantly benefitted patients with DPN. A low dose of TW appeared to be more effective than a high dose. (Registry No. ChiCTR-IOR-16009331). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A gram-stain-negative, aerobic, rod-shaped bacterium strain CJK-A8-3T was isolated from a polyamine-enriched seawater sample collected from the Changjiang River estuary of China. The colonies were white and circular. Strain CJK-A8-3T grew optimally at 35 °C, pH 7.0 and 1.5% NaCl. Its polar lipids contained phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidic acid, unidentified glycolipids, and a combination of phospholipids and glycolipids. The respiratory quinone was ubiquinone-10, and its main fatty acids were C16:0, 11-methyl C18:1ω7c and Summed Feature 8 (including C18:1ω7c/C18:1ω6c). The phylogenetic tree based on 16S rRNA genes placed strain CJK-A8-3T in a new linage within the genus Devosia. 16S rRNA gene sequence of strain CJK-A8-3T showed identities of 98.50% with Devosia beringensis S02T, 98.15% with D. oryziradicis, and 98.01% with D. submarina JCM 18935T. The genome size of strain CJK-A8-3T was 3.81 Mb with the DNA G + C content 63.9%, higher than those of the reference strains (60.4–63.8%). The genome contained genes functional in the metabolism of terrigenous aromatic compounds, alkylphosphonate and organic nitrogen, potentially beneficial for nutrient acquirement and environmental remediation. It also harbored genes functional in antibiotics resistance and balance of osmotic pressure, enhancing their adaptation to estuarine environments. Both genomic investigation and experimental verification showed that strain CJK-A8-3T could be versatile and efficient to use diverse organic nitrogen compounds as carbon and nitrogen sources. Based on phenotypic, chemotaxonomic, phylogenetic and genomic characteristics, strain CJK-A8-3T was identified as a novel Devosia species, named as Devosia aquimaris sp. nov. The type strain is CJK-A8-3T (= MCCC 1K06953T = KCTC 92162T). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a genetic algorithm together with DFT computations, the stable isomers of Lin+1Fn (n = 2 ~ 17) are obtained. It is found that the Li3F2 is a planar structure, and starting at n = 3, Lin+1Fn adopt three-dimensional configurations with a terminal Li atom or vacancy of F atom. As the cluster sizes increase, the geometries of Lin+1Fn develop, first with cube-like and tubular structures, then forming cage-like arrangements, and eventually favoring rock-salt configurations. The Lin+1Fn (n = 3, 5, 8, 11, 13 and 15) are especially stable and magic number clusters. Low ionization potentials are acquired for Lin+1Fn due to the weakly bonded odd electrons of Li atoms. Particularly, the AIP/VIP for Li14F13 and Li17F16 are only 2.68/2.75 eV and 2.77/2.97 eV, respectively, which indicate that they can be looked as superalkali clusters. Meanwhile, the particularly large hyperpolarizabilities (3237157.14 a.u. and 716489.10 a.u.) for these two isomers are also obtained. According to the electronic structure analysis, Li atoms donate their 2s electrons to the 2p orbitals of F atoms, forming Li–F ionic bonds. Additionally, the spectral properties and the reactivities for the magic number clusters are further investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease characterized by the accumulation of leukocytes and inflammatory mediators within the synovial tissue. Leukocyte counts are proposed to play a role in the pathogenesis of RA. However, the causality remains unclear. To investigate the causal relationship between various leukocytes and RA by implementing two-sample univariable Mendelian Randomization (MR) and multivariable MR. MR analysis was performed using respective genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary statistics for the exposure traits (eosinophil counts, neutrophil counts, lymphocyte counts, monocyte counts, basophil counts, and white blood cell counts) and outcome trait (RA). Summary statistics for leukocytes were extracted from the Blood Cell Consortium meta-analysis and INTERVAL studies. Public GWAS information for RA included 14,361 cases and 43,923 controls. Inverse variance weighted, weighted median, MR-Egger regression, MR pleiotropy residual sum and outlier, and multivariable MR analyses were performed in MR analysis. Univariable MR found elevated eosinophil counts (OR 1.580, 95% CI 1.389–2.681, p = 1.30 × 10–7) significantly increased the risk of RA. Multivariable MR further confirmed that eosinophil counts were a risk factor for RA. Increased eosinophils were associated with higher risk of RA. Further elucidations of the causality and mechanisms underlying are likely to identify feasible interventions to promote RA prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mo13 is a magic number cluster of Mon and can effectively activate N2 in ammonia synthesis, but its ground-state structure is not determined. The possible stable isomers of Mo13 are obtained by using global searching method (genetic algorithm) and further optimized at the level of BP86/def2-TZVP. The results indicate that Mo13 prefers to adopt open or layer-type structures due to the stronger 4d-5 s orbital hybridization. The most stable structure of Mo13 is a seriously deformed icosahedron and it is nearly degenerated in energies with the isomer of cage-like one. Both these two isomers are with high stabilities, and thus the electronic structures, bonding characters, spectral properties, reactive activities and the external filed response for these two isomers are systematically explored. This work provides many important information for distinguishing these two isomers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mo13 is a magic number cluster of Mon and can effectively activate N2 in ammonia synthesis, but its ground-state structure is not determined. The possible stable isomers of Mo13 are obtained by using global searching method (genetic algorithm) and further optimized at the level of BP86/def2-TZVP. The results indicate that Mo13 prefers to adopt open or layer-type structures due to the stronger 4d-5 s orbital hybridization. The most stable structure of Mo13 is a seriously deformed icosahedron and it is nearly degenerated in energies with the isomer of cage-like one. Both these two isomers are with high stabilities, and thus the electronic structures, bonding characters, spectral properties, reactive activities and the external filed response for these two isomers are systematically explored. This work provides many important information for distinguishing these two isomers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is concerned with the zero-relaxation limits for periodic smooth solutions of the non-isentropic Euler–Maxwell system in a three-dimensional torus prescribing the well/ill-prepared initial data. The non-isentropic Euler–Maxwell system can be reduced to a quasi-linear symmetric hyperbolic system of one order. By observing a special structure of the non-isentropic Euler–Maxwell system, we are able to decouple the system and develop a technique to achieve the a priori H s estimates, which guarantees the limit for the non-isentropic Euler–Maxwell system as the relaxation time τ → 0 . We realize that the convergence rate of the temperature is the same as the other unknowns in the L ∞ (0 , T 1 ; H s) , but the convergence rate of the temperature is slower than the velocity in L 2 (0 , T 1 ; H s) . The zero-relaxation limit presented here is the transport equation coupled with the drift–diffusion system. However, the limit of the isentropic Euler–Maxwell system is the classical drift–diffusion system. This shows the essential difference between the isentropic and non-isentropic Euler–Maxwell systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is a frequent type of hemorrhagic stroke. Numerous studies have suggested that inflammation plays an important role in the injury and recovery of ICH. β2-microglobulin (β2M) is an inflammatory indicator with an unclear association with ICH development. This study aimed to explore the role of β2M in the outcome of patients with ICH after 3 months of ICH onset. Methods: The β2M and other baseline information of 231 patients with ICH were assessed (83 females and 148 males). We followed up with all patients 3 months after ICH onset, and severe disability or a worse outcome was our main focus. We collected the serum β2M levels, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and modified Rankin scale (mRS) scores, and other relevant baseline information of each patient. We used multiple regression analysis to explore the association between β2M levels and follow-up outcomes. Results: Our results indicated that the β2M level of the good outcome (2.35 ± 0.84 mg/l) group was significantly lower than that of the poor outcome group (3.06 ± 1.71 mg/l) (P < 0.001). Further multiple regression analysis showed that β2M was regarded as a risk factor that was closely associated with the poor outcome 3 months after ICH onset (odds ratio = 2.26, 95% confidence interval = 1.22–4.19, P = 0.009). Further correlation analysis revealed that β2M was significantly correlated with NIHSS scores (r = 0.187, P = 0.004) and follow-up mRS scores (r = 0.25, P < 0.001). Conclusion: β2M was a risk factor for early outcome after ICH onset, and high β2M level was associated with short-time poor prognosis of ICH patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, through analysis of the genome of Eleutherococcus senticosus (ES). 228 AP2/ERF genes were identified and classified into 5 groups AP2 (47 genes), ERF (108 genes), RAV (6 genes), DREB (64 genes), and soloist (3 genes). According to the AP2/ERF classification of Arabidopsis thaliana, the ES AP2/ERF proteins were subdivided into 15 groups. The gene structure and motifs of each group of AP2/ERF in ES were highly similar, which confirmed the conservation of AP2/ERF genes. The ES AP2/ERF genes were unevenly distributed on chromosomes, and a total of four pairs of tandem repeats, and 84 co-linear gene pairs were found, so the AP2/ERF genes expanded in a fragment replication manner, and dominated by pure selection during evolution. By analyzing the transcriptome data of ES under different drought stress conditions, 87 AP2/ERF genes with differential expression were obtained, of which 10 genes with highly significant differences were further analyzed and screened for qRT-PCR validation. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the AP2/ERF gene of Eleutherococcus senticosus, and the bioinformatics analysis and experimental validation provided valuable information about them, which is of great significance for further research on the molecular mechanisms of ES in response to drought stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the role of tracheal wall injury in the development of benign airway stenosis in rabbits. Prospective study. We injured the tracheal walls of 28 New Zealand white rabbits using four different methods. Experimental group: Group A (n = 7, mild injury of tracheal mucosa by ordinary brush under bronchoscopy); Group B (n = 7, severe injury of tracheal mucosa by nylon brush under tracheotomy); Group C (n = 7, tracheal cartilage was injured by vascular clamp after tracheotomy); Group D (n = 7, the tracheal cartilage was injured with vascular forceps and the tracheal mucosa was injured with a nylon brush after tracheotomy). Bronchoscopy was performed on each experimental rabbit at 1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks after operation. High-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) and endobronchial optical coherence tomography (EB-OCT) were performed at 4 weeks, and the rabbits were sacrificed after the examination. Their gross and histological findings were comparatively determined whether the experimental rabbit stenosis was established. No airway stenosis was observed in group A. In group B, 28.57% of experimental rabbits developed tracheal stenosis (granulation tissue proliferation was observed in rabbits No. 2 and No. 6 at 1, 2 and 3 weeks after operation, and the tracheal scar contracture was observed in No.6 rabbit at 4 weeks after operation). Fourteen rabbits in group C and group D had tracheal stenosis caused by granulation tissue proliferation at 1, 2 and 3 weeks after operation. At the fourth week after operation, 71.43% of experimental rabbits had tracheal stenosis due to granulation tissue hyperplasia, 7.14% of experimental rabbits had tracheal stenosis due to scar contracture and granulation hyperplasia, and 21.43% of experimental rabbits had tracheal stenosis due to scar contracture. EB-OCT scan showed that the cartilage layer with low signal reflection band was discontinuous. The injury of cartilage is the key factor of benign airway stenosis. Acute injury of airway mucosa alone is unlikely to cause airway stenosis, but combined with cartilage injury may aggravate airway stenosis. EB-OCT can clearly identify the airway layers of rabbits, which is helpful to evaluate the damage of tracheal cartilage and mucosa. The diagnostic potential of this technique makes EB-OCT a promising approach for the study and monitoring of airway diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemical modifications of RNA have key roles in many biological processes1–3. N7-methylguanosine (m7G) is required for integrity and stability of a large subset of tRNAs4–7. The methyltransferase 1–WD repeat-containing protein 4 (METTL1–WDR4) complex is the methyltransferase that modifies G46 in the variable loop of certain tRNAs, and its dysregulation drives tumorigenesis in numerous cancer types8–14. Mutations in WDR4 cause human developmental phenotypes including microcephaly15–17. How METTL1–WDR4 modifies tRNA substrates and is regulated remains elusive18. Here we show, through structural, biochemical and cellular studies of human METTL1–WDR4, that WDR4 serves as a scaffold for METTL1 and the tRNA T-arm. Upon tRNA binding, the αC region of METTL1 transforms into a helix, which together with the α6 helix secures both ends of the tRNA variable loop. Unexpectedly, we find that the predicted disordered N-terminal region of METTL1 is part of the catalytic pocket and essential for methyltransferase activity. Furthermore, we reveal that S27 phosphorylation in the METTL1 N-terminal region inhibits methyltransferase activity by locally disrupting the catalytic centre. Our results provide a molecular understanding of tRNA substrate recognition and phosphorylation-mediated regulation of METTL1–WDR4, and reveal the presumed disordered N-terminal region of METTL1 as a nexus of methyltransferase activity.Structures of the human METTL1–WDR4 complex are revealed, providing molecular insights into substrate recognition, modification and catalytic regulation by the N7-methylguanosine methyltransferase complex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on covalent organic framework (COF) 1,3,5-tris-(4-formylphenyl)benzene-benzidine (TFPB-BD) in situ grown on Fe3O4 hollow microspheres and combined with gas chromatography-flame thermionic detector, a rapid and simple stir bar sorptive-dispersive microextraction method was developed for the determination of five triazole pesticides (paclobutrazol, hexaconazole, flusilazole, propiconazole, and tebuconazole). The synthesized TFPB-BD/Fe3O4 microspheres were characterized by transmission electron microscope, vibrating sample magnetometer, and thermogravimetric analysis, which showed that the material has strong magnetism and higher load capacity of COF. Under optimal conditions, the extraction equilibrium could be achieved within 9 min with detection limits of 0.17–1.48 μg L−1 (S/N = 3) and a linear range of 5–1000 μg L−1. The developed method was applied to the determination of trace triazole pesticides in apples, pears, and cabbages with recoveries from 81 to 117%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Rare Metals is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The stable isomers of (LiF)n (n = 2∼18) are obtained by using genetic algorithm combined with DFT calculations. Both the (LiF)2 and (LiF)3 are planar structures, and from n = 4, the three-dimensional structures become more energy favored. The cage-like isomers are dominated for n = 4∼12. However, (LiF)9 and (LiF)15 adopt tubular configurations, while (LiF)16 and (LiF)18 form rock-salt structures. (LiF)n (n = 2, 4, 6, 9, 12 and 15) can be considered as magic number clusters and particularly stable. There is small vertical electron affinity but large vertical ionization potential for (LiF)n. The electronic structure analysis indicates that Li atoms transferred their 2 s electrons to the 2p orbitals of F atoms, and thus form strong Li-F ionic bonds. The IR, Raman and UV–Vis spectra are also acquired. Both the electrostatic potential and the dual descriptor suggest that the locations of Li and F atoms are the optimal reaction sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, nanosized Co3O4 particles with nanosheet and octahedron morphologies were prepared through one-step hydrothermal method and template-free process. The morphology can be easily regulated through the precursor concentration and reaction time. The binder-free carbon cloth @Co3O4 octahedral electrodes delivered a reversible capacity of 507 mAh g−1 after 100 cycles at a current density of 300 mA g−1 and also exhibited superior rate performance. The kinetic behavior of CC@ Co3O4 octahedral electrodes was investigated and the results implied the capacitive process played the main role at higher cycle rates. The unique octahedral morphology with a greater area of (111) planes and high surface area may contribute to the superior electrochemical performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the effects of dietary administration of two indigenous Bacillus (A: basal control diet; B: 0.15 g/kg of Bacillus subtilis; C: 0.1 g/kg of Bacillus subtilis and 0.05 g/kg of Bacillus licheniformis; D: 0.05 g/kg of Bacillus subtilis and 0.1 g/kg of Bacillus licheniformis; E: 0.15 g/kg of Bacillus licheniformis) on the digestive enzyme activities, intestinal morphology, intestinal immune and barrier-related genes relative expression levels, and intestinal flora of Rhynchocypris lagowskii. The results showed that the fold height, lamina propria width, and muscle layer thickness of midgut and hindgut in group C were significantly higher than that of group A (P < 0.05). The activities of protease, amylase, and lipase in group C were significantly higher than those of group A (P < 0.05). The relative expression levels of IL-1β and IL-8 in the intestine of group C were significantly downregulated, and the relative expression levels of IL-10 and TGF-β were significantly upregulated (P < 0.05). The relative expression levels of Claudin-2 in group A significantly increased and the relative expression levels of Claudin-4 in group A significantly reduced compared with other groups (P < 0.05). The relative expression levels of ZO-1 in groups C and D were significantly higher than those of other groups (P < 0.05). The Bacillus in the intestine of group C has the highest relative abundance among all groups. Overall, it can generally be concluded that dietary supplementation of indigenous Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus licheniformis (group C) can improve the intestinal morphology, digestion, and absorption enzyme activities, enhance intestinal mucosal immunity and barrier function, and maintain the intestinal microbial balance of R. lagowskii. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microplastics (MPs) and chemical pollutants usually coexist in aquatic environments. The bioaccumulation and metabolism of pollutants in aquatic organisms can be influenced by MPs. In this study, the bioaccumulation of triclosan (TCS) in tilapia tissues was determined, and metabolomics in the liver, gills, and gut were investigated after 10-day exposure to micro-sized polystyrene (PS) and TCS in water. The results showed that TCS bioaccumulated in various tissues, with the highest average concentration of 2728 ± 577 ng g−1 in the gut. The log bioaccumulation factors (BAFs) for TCS in these tissues were in the range of 0.99–3.56. Compared to the TCS treatment alone, MPs showed enhancement on the bioaccumulation of TCS in tilapia skin, liver, gut, gills, and stomach tissues in the TCS plus MP exposure. Especially in the skin and liver, the TCS concentrations were up to 2.06 and 1.38 times higher in the co-exposure of TCS and MPs, respectively. Based on the metabolomic analysis, MPs mainly disturbed the lipid and energy metabolism in tilapia fish. The altered metabolites between treatment with TCS alone and TCS + MPs were consistent, indicating that TCS has stronger disturbance in lipid and energy metabolism than MPs. This implies that the metabolism influence by the mixture of MPs and compounds is complicated in fish tissues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presence of benzothiazoles (BTHs) and organic ultraviolet filters (UV filters) in aquatic ecosystems has emerged as a significant environmental issue, requiring urgent and efficient determination methods. A new, rapid, and sensitive determination method using gas chromatography triple quadrupole mass spectrometer (GC–MS/MS) was developed for the simultaneous extraction and analysis of 10 commonly used BTHs and 10 organic UV filters in surface water, wastewater, sediment, and sludge. For aqueous samples, solid-phase extraction (SPE) method was employed with optimizing of SPE cartridge type, pH, and elution solvent. For solid samples, ultrasonic extraction-solid-phase extraction purification (UE-SPE) and pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) methods were compared. And extraction conditions for ultrasonic extraction method (extraction solvents and extraction times) and PLE method (extraction temperatures and extraction cycles) were optimized. The limits of quantification for the 20 target compounds in surface water and wastewater were 0.01–2.12 ng/L and 0.05–6.14 ng/L, while those for sediment and sludge with UE-SPE method were 0.04–5.88 ng/g and 0.22–6.61 ng/g, respectively. Among the 20 target compounds, the recoveries ranged from 70 to 130% were obtained for 16, 15, 15, and 15 analytes in the matrix-spiked samples of surface water, wastewater, sediment, and sludge with three levels, respectively. And the precision was also acceptable with relative standard deviation (RSD) below 20% for all analytes. The developed methods were applied for the determination and quantification of target compounds in surface water, sediment, wastewater, and sludge samples collected from two wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and the Pearl River in Guangzhou, China. BTHs were frequently detected in surface water and wastewater, while UV filters were mainly found in sediment and sludge. Benzotriazole (BT) and 2-hydroxybenzothiazole (2-OH-BTH) were the two major BTHs in influent wastewater and surface water, respectively, with concentrations up to 966 and 189 ng/L. As for sediment and sludge, 2-(2′-hydroxy-5′-octylphenyl)-benzotriazole (UV-329) was a predominant chemical, detected at concentrations of 111 and 151 ng/g, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The material accumulation during roasting in the practical production causes the hypoxia of the internal materials, leading to the relatively lower vanadium recovery than that in theoretical studies. This work aims to solve the problem of material hypoxia through the Na2O2-briquetting roasting route. The vanadium slag and Na2O2 powders were mixed, briquetted, and roasted at various parameters. The generated phases and their distributions were analyzed using X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and electron probe microanalysis. The analyzing results showed that Fe2O3, Fe3O4, Mg0.165Mn0.835O, CaTiO3, and Na3VO4 were generated during roasting. The solid–solid reaction between V2O5 and Na2O was described using the vacancy-mediated diffusion mechanism. Na+ (or V5+), in the Na2O (or V2O5) layer, jumped and diffused through the Na+ (or V5+) vacancies (in the Na3VO4 layer) to the Na3VO4/V2O5 (or Na3VO4/Na2O) interface. Na+ (or V5+) reacted with V2O5 (or Na2O) and O2 decomposed from Na2O2 or transported from the air to generate Na3VO4. The roasted mixture was leached in an aqueous solution to study the effects of the roasting variables on the vanadium leaching recovery. The vanadium leaching recovery was very sensitive to the roasting variables, it showed very complicated relationships with the Na/V molar ratio, temperature, time, and briquetting pressure. The maximum vanadium leaching recovery of 95.57 pct was achieved when the Na/V molar ratio, temperature, time, and pressure were optimized as 3/1, 850 °C, 2.5 hours, and 5 MPa, respectively. The leaching solution containing vanadium was processed via precipitation and calcination to gather vanadium. The obtained compound was identified as V2O5 with a purity of 96.84 pct, based on the high consistency of diffraction peaks between the present work and that of the joint committee on powder diffraction standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to assess the prognostic value of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computer tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) in patients with relapsed multiple myeloma (MM). Fifty-one consecutive patients with relapsed MM were enrolled in this retrospective study. 18F-FDG parameters based on the Italian Myeloma Criteria for PET Use (IMPeTUs) and clinical data were analyzed for overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). The Cox proportional risk model was used for univariate and multivariate analysis, and Kaplan-Meier survival curves were used for survival analysis. The median length of follow-up was 20 months (IQR, 5–29 months), the median PFS for the entire cohort was 8 months (IQR, 3–17 months) and the median OS was 21 months (IQR, 8–49 months). Multivariate survival analysis demonstrated that the Deauville score of BM > 3 [HR 2.900, 95% CI (1.011, 8.319), P = 0.048] and the presence of EMD [HR 3.134, 95% CI (1.245, 7.891), P = 0.015] were independent predictors of poor PFS. The presence of EMD [HR 12.777, 95% CI (1.825, 89.461), P = 0.010] and the reduced platelets count [HR 7.948, 95% CI (1.236, 51.099), P = 0.029] were adversely associated with OS. 18F-FDG PET/CT parameters based on IMPeTUs have prognostic significance in patients with relapsed MM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is widely known that mold is one of important indices in assessing the quality of stored wheat. First, mold will decrease the quality of wheat kernels; the wheat kernels infected by mold can produce secondary metabolites, such as aflatoxins, ochratoxin A, zearalenone, fumonisins and so on. Second, the mycotoxins metabolized by mycetes are extremely harmful to humans; once the food or feed is made of by those wheat kernels infected by mold, it will cause serious health problems on human beings as well as animals. Therefore, the effective and accurate detection of wheat mold is vitally important to evaluate the storage and subsequent processing quality of wheat kernels. However, traditional methods for detecting wheat mold mainly rely on biochemical methods, which always involve complex and long pretreatment processes, and waste part of wheat samples for each detection. In view of this, this paper proposes a type of eco-friendly and nondestructive wheat mold detection method based on ultra weak luminescence. The specific implementation process is as follows: firstly, ultra weak luminescence signals of the healthy and the moldy wheat subsamples are measured by a photon analyzer; secondly, the approximate entropy and multiscale approximate entropy are introduced as the main classification features separately; finally, the detection model has been established based on the support vector machine in order to classify two types of wheat subsamples. The receiver operating characteristic curve of the newly established detection model shows that the highest classification accuracy rate can reach 93.1%, which illustrates that our proposed detection model is feasible and promising for detecting wheat mold. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Probiotics, as live microorganisms that improve intestinal microbial balance, have been implicated in the modulation of neurodegenerative diseases via the microbiome–gut–brain axis by improving gut dysbiosis. This review examines the association between probiotics and neurocognitive function in age-related dementia. Methods: We searched MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science and Cochrane library for in vivo studies using equivalent combinations of "probiotics" and "dementia" as per PRISMA. From the 52 in vivo studies identified, 5 human and 22 animal studies with comparable quantitative outcomes on neurocognitive/behavioural function were meta-analysed by forest plots, subgroup analysis and meta-regression. The analysis of biomarkers, risk of bias and publication bias were also performed. Results: In elderly humans, probiotics correlates with a non-significant difference of neurocognitive function in Mini-Mental State Examination, but with significant improvement only in those diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. In animals, probiotics significantly improved neurocognitive function as measured by Morris Water Maze, Y-Maze, and Passive Avoidance. Further analysis by subgrouping and meta-regression found that the probiotics-neurodegeneration association is age dependent in humans but is neither dose dependent nor duration dependent in animals or humans. Analysis of biomarkers suggested that the neurocognitive effect of probiotics is associated with an altered gut microbiome profile, downregulated proteinopathic, inflammatory and autophagic pathways, and upregulated anti-oxidative, neurotrophic, and cholinergic pathways. Conclusion: Overall, we report promising results in animal studies but limited evidence of probiotics leading to neurocognitive improvement in humans. More research into probiotics should be conducted, especially on live biotherapeutic products for targeted treatment of gut dysbiosis and age-related dementia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel ratiometric electrochemical sensor was developed based on a carbon cloth electrodeposited with silver nanoparticles and drop-coated by covalent organic framework (COF-LZU1) for simultaneous determination of bisphenol A (BPA) and bisphenol S (BPS). Carbon cloth exhibited a significantly larger electrochemical active area than common glassy carbon electrodes (27.5 times). Silver nanoparticles not only provided a stable reference signal but also enhanced electroactivity for the oxidation of BPA and BPS. COF-LZU1 with good adsorption performance and large periodic π-arrays promoted the enrichment of BPA and BPS to further increase the current response. Compared with the traditional single-signal electrochemical sensor, the developed ratiometric sensor exhibited better reproducibility and a wider linear range for BPA and BPS from 0.5 to 100 μM with a limit of detection of 0.15 μM. Furthermore, the developed sensor showed excellent stability and superior anti-interference ability. The real sample analysis for BPA and BPS has been successfully carried out in mineral water, electrolyte drink, tea, juice, and beer with recoveries of 88.3–111.7%. The developed ratiometric sensor is expected to be a candidate for the preparation of other electrochemical sensors and the analysis of additional practical samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Variable curvature friction pendulum bearings (VCFPB) effectively reduce the dynamic response of storage tanks induced by earthquakes. Shaking table testing is used to assess the seismic performance of VCFPB isolated storage tanks. However, the vertical pressure and friction coefficient of the scaled VCFPB in the shaking table tests cannot match the equivalent values of these parameters in the prototype. To avoid this drawback, a real-time hybrid simulation (RTHS) test was developed. Using RTHS testing, a 1/8 scaled tank isolated by VCFPB was tested. The experimental results showed that the displacement dynamic magnification factor of VCFPB, peak reduction factors of the acceleration, shear force, and overturning moment at bottom of the tank, were negative exponential functions of the ratio of peak ground acceleration (PGA) and friction coefficient. The peak reduction factors of displacement, acceleration, force and overturning moment, which were obtained from the experimental results, are compared with those calculated by the Housner model. It can be concluded that the Housner model is applicable in estimation of the acceleration, shear force, and overturning moment of liquid storage tank, but not for the sliding displacement of VCFPBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we consider the compressible Navier–Stokes–Maxwell equations with a non-constant background density in R 3 . We first show the existence and uniqueness of the non-trivial equilibrium (steady-state) of the system when the background density is a small variation of certain constant state, then we prove the asymptotic stability of the steady-state once the initial perturbation around the steady-state is small. Furthermore, by establishing the time-decay estimates for the corresponding linearized homogeneous equations, we artfully derive the time-algebraic convergence rates. The proof is based on the time-weighted energy method but with some new developments on the weight settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), one of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons with potential carcinogenic, mutagenic and teratogenic toxicity, have been widely concerned. Herein, we report a simple and rapid co-precipitation method for the synthesis of magnetic covalent organic framework (Fe3O4/COF-DQTp) adsorbent for BaP removal. The magnetized COF-DQTp was characterized by fourier transform infrared, X-ray diffractometer, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller, vibrating sample magnetometer, transmission electron microscopy, high angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy image and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy elemental mapping. Under the optimized adsorption conditions, the adsorption efficiency was as high as 99% and the maximum adsorption capacity is 19 mg/g in 10 min. The adsorption kinetics shows that adsorption of BaP onto Fe3O4/COF-DQTp follow pseudo-second order kinetic model. Moreover, the prepared Fe3O4/COF-DQTp has good reusability and is a potential material for the adsorption of BaP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, and yellow-pigmented bacterium, designated A3-108T, was isolated from seawater of the West Pacific Ocean. Cells were non-motile and rod-shaped, with carotenoid-type pigments. Strain A3-108T grew at pH 6.0–8.5 (optimum 6.5) and 15–40 °C (optimum 28 °C), in the presence of 0.5–10% (w/v) NaCl (optimum 1.0%). It possessed the ability to produce H2S. Based on the 16S rRNA gene analysis, strain A3-108T exhibited highest similarity with Aureisphaera salina A6D-50T (90.6%). Phylogenetic analysis shown that strain A3-108T affiliated with members of the family Flavobacteriaceae and represented an independent lineage. The principal fatty acids were iso-C15:0, iso-C17:0 3-OH, iso-C15:1 G, and summed feature 3 (C16:1ω7c and/or C16:1ω6c). The sole isoprenoid quinone was MK-6. The major polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, one unidentified aminophospholipid, one unidentified aminolipid and one unidentified lipid. The ANIb, in silico DDH and AAI values among the genomes of strain A3-108T and three reference strains were 67.3–71.1%, 18.7–22.1%, and 58.8–71.4%, respectively. The G + C content was 41.0%. Distinctness of the phylogenetic position as well as differentiating chemotaxonomic and other phenotypic traits revealed that strain A3-108T represented a novel genus and species of the family Flavobacteriaceae, for which the name Luteirhabdus pelagi gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed (type strain, A3-108T = CGMCC 1.18821T = KCTC 82563T). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glycosyltransferase gene family 1, also known as uridine diphosphate glycosyltransferase (UGT), is the largest glycosyltransferase family in plants, playing a vital role in their growth and development. In this study, 244 UGT genes with conserved PSPG motifs were identified in the genome of Quercus robur L. The collinearity analysis results showed that tandem repeat was the main way of UGT genes expansion in Q. robur, with 21 groups of 55 tandem repeat genes. UGT genes were divided into 15 subgroups A–P; group K was lost, and the gene structure and conserved domain of the same subgroup were basically the same. Cis-element analysis showed that upstream 2,000 bp promoter sequence of UGT genes contained light response elements, plant hormone response elements, and stress-related cis-elements, which indicated that UGT genes of Q. robur might be regulated by various metabolic pathways. In particular, some UGTs in group L of Q. robur contained a conserved promoter structure. The expression pattern analysis results demonstrated that UGT genes of groups B, D, E, and I were differentially expressed under Tortrix viridana L. stress. The expression of UGTs in group E decreased under stress, the expression of group L increased, and that of genes in groups D and B were different. The functions of UGT genes in E and L groups are relatively conservative, and their functions may also conserve among species. The study results have a particular reference value for further research on the function of Q. robur UGT genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grain storage plays a vital part in social stability as well as people's daily lives. By virtue of its unique storage advantages, wheat has become one of the most important grain reserves in the world. Wheat kernels continue consuming their own energy to maintain lives during the whole process of storage, which will lead to deterioration of their edible qualities as well as may be infected by certain mold provided that the surrounding conditions are suitable. Thus, establishing an efficient and accurate method to assess wheat kernel's storage status is necessary for the sake of shaping a shelter to human beings as well as animals. For that reason, various wheat aging and wheat moldy detection methods have been summarized in this chapter. Up to now, study of aging and mold detection in wheat kernels can be divided into conventional chemical techniques and newly proposed physical detection methods. This review has analyzed in detail the limitations of conventional technologies, and then probes into some promising physical technologies for better detecting stored status of wheat kernels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider stability problems for the compressible viscous and diffusive magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equations arising in the modeling of magnetic field confinement nuclear fusion. In the first part, we investigate the Cauchy problem to the barotropic MHD system. With the help of the techniques of anti-symmetric matrix and an induction argument on the order of the space derivatives of solutions in energy estimates, we prove that smooth solutions exist globally in time near the non-constant equilibrium solutions. We also obtain the asymptotic behavior of solutions when the time goes to infinity. The result shows that gradients of both the velocity and the magnetic field converge to the equilibrium solutions with the same norm ‖ · ‖ H s - 3 , while the density converge with stronger norm ‖ · ‖ H s - 1 . In the second part, the initial value problem to the full MHD system is studied. By means of the techniques of choosing a non-diagonal symmetrizer and elaborate energy estimates, we prove the existence and uniqueness of global solutions to the system when the initial data are close to the non-constant equilibrium states. We find that both the density and temperature converge to the equilibrium states with the same norm ‖ · ‖ H s - 1 . These phenomena on the charge transport show the essential relationship of the equations between the barotropic and the full MHD systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider the problem of the boundedness of maximal operators on BMO on shapes in R n . We prove that for bases of shapes with an engulfing property, the corresponding maximal function is bounded from BMO to BLO , generalising a known result of Bennett for the basis of cubes. When the basis of shapes does not possess an engulfing property but exhibits a product structure with respect to lower-dimensional shapes coming from bases that do possess an engulfing property, we show that the corresponding maximal function is bounded from BMO to a space we define and call rectangular BLO . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel Gram-negative, nonspore forming, nonmotile, and short-rod-shaped aerobic bacterium, designated DY48A3-103T, was isolated from a seawater sample collected from the West Pacific Ocean. Strain DY48A3-103T showed oxidase-positive and catalase-positive activities. Growth was observed at 10–37 °C (optimum 30 °C), at pH 6.5–9.5 (optimum 8.0) and in 1–11% NaCl (optimum 3%, w/v). 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis exhibited 96.3%, 96.1%, 96.0%, and 94.9% sequence similarity to the type strains Rhodophyticola porphyridii MA-7-27T, Nioella sediminis JS7-11T, N. nitratireducens SSW136T, and Jannaschia helgolandensis DSM 14858T, respectively. Strain DY48A3-103T and the type strains of phylogenetically related species have 61.7–75.4% AAI values, which fell into to the genus boundary range (60–80% AAI). Phylogenetic trees based on the 16S rRNA gene sequences and the genome sequences of strain DY48A3-103T revealed that it was affiliated to the members of the family Rhodobacteraceae. The G+C content was 65.4%. The sole isoprenoid quinone was Q-10. The predominant polar lipids were phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylglycerol. Major fatty acids were summed feature 8 (comprising C18:1ω7c and/or C18:1ω6c), C19:0 cyclo ω8c, and C16:0. On the basis of the phenotypic, chemotaxonomic, and genomic properties, strain DY48A3-103t is proposed to represent a novel genus and a novel species, Alterinioella nitratireducens gen. nov., sp. nov., in the family Rhodobacteraceae. The type strain is DY48A3-103T (= KCTC 72738T = MCCC 1K04322T). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We studied the application of a mobile terminal application program in endotracheal tube (ETT) cuff pressure measurement to improve the implementation rate of scientific ETT cuff pressure measurement and to ensure that the pressure falls within the recommended range. A pre-post controlled study lasting for 18 months was undertaken in a 40-bed general intensive care unit (GICU). This included a 6-month baseline period (baseline group) and a 6-month intervention period (intervention group). The mobile terminal application program was applied to monitor the cuff pressure of endotracheal intubation as an intervention measure during the intervention period. ETT pressure was the main outcome measure, while gender, age, causes for ICU admission, sedation score, duration of prior intubation, size of ETT, and number of VAP patients were secondary outcomes. ETT cuff pressure was monitored 742 times in both the baseline group and the intervention group. A total of 56.9% of the cuff pressure measurements in the baseline group were within the recommended range, while 78.4% of measurements in the intervention group were within the recommended range, reflecting a statistically significant difference (P < 0.05). The application of the mobile terminal application program used for ETT cuff pressure measurement could improve the percentage of ETT cuff pressure measurements falling within the recommended range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyglutamine (polyQ) expansion of proteins can trigger protein misfolding and amyloid-like aggregation, which thus lead to severe cytotoxicities and even the respective neurodegenerative diseases. However, why polyQ aggregation is toxic to cells is not fully elucidated. Here, we took the fragments of polyQ-expanded (PQE) ataxin-7 (Atx7) and huntingtin (Htt) as models to investigate the effect of polyQ aggregates on the cellular proteostasis of endogenous ataxin-3 (Atx3), a protein that frequently appears in diverse inclusion bodies. We found that PQE Atx7 and Htt impair the cellular proteostasis of Atx3 by reducing its soluble as well as total Atx3 level but enhancing formation of the aggregates. Expression of these polyQ proteins promotes proteasomal degradation of endogenous Atx3 and accumulation of its aggregated form. Then we verified that the co-chaperone HSJ1 is an essential factor that orchestrates the balance of cellular proteostasis of Atx3; and further discovered that the polyQ proteins can sequester HSJ1 into aggregates or inclusions in a UIM domain-dependent manner. Thereby, the impairment of Atx3 proteostasis may be attributed to the sequestration and functional loss of cellular HSJ1. This study deciphers a potential mechanism underlying how PQE protein triggers proteinopathies, and also provides additional evidence in supporting the hijacking hypothesis that sequestration of cellular interacting partners by protein aggregates leads to cytotoxicity or neurodegeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chalcone Isomerase (CHI) catalyzes the biosynthesis of flavonoids and secondary metabolism in plants. Currently, there is no systematic analysis of CHIs gene family in Fagaceae which is available. In this study, twenty-two CHI proteins were identified in five species of the Fagaceae family. The CHI superfamily in Fagaceae can be classified into three subfamilies and five groups using phylogenetic analysis, analysis of physicochemical properties, and structural prediction. Results indicated that serine (Ser) and isoleucine (Ile) residues determine the substrate preferred by active Type I Fagaceae CHI, and the chalcone isomerase-like (CHIL) of Fagaceae had active site residues. Adaptive analysis of CHIs showed that CHIs are subject to selection pressure. The active CHI gene of Fagaceae was located in the cytoplasm, and it had the typical gene structure of CHI and contains four exons. All the twenty-two identified CHIs had the conserved domain motif 3, and the different groups had their own structural characteristics. In the process of fatty acid binding protein (FAP) evolution to CHIL and CHI, the physical and chemical properties of proteins also had significant differences in addition to changes in protein functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previously, we found that the inward diffusion of oxygen from the atmosphere to the interior of vanadium slag (V-slag) has a significant influence on the roasting reaction and may possibly be the dominant mechanism of this reaction. However, the existing reaction mechanism does not reflect the role of oxygen in calcification roasting. In view of this, the proposed study aims to verify the influence of oxygen using the diffusion couple technology, and propose the reaction equations involving oxygen describing the calcium vanadate formation from the surface to the interior of V-slag. The V-slag/CaO diffusion couples were prepared by vacuum hot-pressing, and diffusion experiments were performed under different oxygen partial pressures at a temperature of 1083 K. First, the surfaces in contact with the atmosphere (S(xz)) during roasting were analyzed by electron probe microanalysis (EPMA), Fourier transform-infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Then, the diffusion couple was cut along a direction perpendicular to the V-slag/CaO interface and S(xz). The interior surface (S(xy)) was also analyzed by EPMA, FT-IR, and XRD. At S(xz), new phases were clearly observed in the vicinity of V-slag/CaO interface and characterized mainly as CaV2O6, Ca2V2O7, and Ca3V2O8. Moreover, the diffusion thickness of those new phases increased with the oxygen partial pressure. At S(xy), although relatively weak diffraction peaks and absorption bands of CaV2O6, Ca2V2O7, and Ca3V2O8 were detected, no distinct new phases were observed near the V-slag/CaO interface. Considering that the diffusion capacities of Ca and V at S(xz) and S(xy) cannot be evaluated based on the diffusion thickness, the use of interdiffusion coefficient was proposed to quantify the difference among the diffusion capacities. The average interdiffusion coefficients of Ca and V at S(xz) calculated as 1.02 × 10−8 and 0.91 × 10−8 cm2 s−1, respectively, were practically a hundred times these at S(xy). Following the conclusion that the calcium vanadate formation was governed by the inward oxygen diffusion, new reaction equations for describing the formation mechanism of calcium vanadate in calcification roasting were proposed. These equations, derived from the vacancy mechanism, express that the hoses and calcium vanadate are generated by Ca2+, V2O5, and O2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article we consider a Cauchy problem for the full compressible Navier–Stokes–Maxwell system arising from viscosity plasmas. This system is quasilinear hyperbolic–parabolic. With the help of techniques of symmetrizers and the smallness of non-constant equilibrium solutions, we establish that global smooth solutions exist and converge to the equilibrium solution as the time approaches infinity. This result is obtained for initial data close to the steady-states. As a byproduct, we obtain the global stability of solutions near the equilibrium states for the full compressible Navier–Stokes–Poisson system in a three-dimensional torus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is concerned with the periodic problem to the two-fluid non-isentropic Euler–Maxwell (N-E-M) equations. The equations arises in the modeling of magnetic plasma, in which appear two physical parameters, the mass of an electron m e and the mass of an ion m i . With the help of methods of asymptotic expansions, we prove the local-in-time convergence of smooth solutions to this problem by setting m e = 1 and letting m i → + ∞ . Moreover, when the initial data are near constant equilibrium states, by means of uniform energy estimates and compactness arguments, we rigorously prove the infinity-ion-mass convergence of the system for all time. The limit system is the one-fluid N-E-M system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The leaf beetle Aulacophora lewisii (family Chrysomelidae, order Coleoptera) is a common insect pest of cucurbitaceous vegetables. In this study, the complete genome sequence of a novel virus from a single leaf beetle was determined using metagenomic sequencing and rapid amplification of cDNA ends. A homology search and phylogenetic analysis suggested that the new virus belongs to the genus Iflavirus, family Iflaviridae, and it was tentatively named "Aulacophora lewisii iflavirus 1" (ALIV1). ALIV1 has a single positive-stranded RNA genome of 9655 nucleotides in length (excluding the polyA tail) that is predicted to encode typical conserved domains of iflaviruses, including two picornavirus-like capsid protein domains, a helicase domain, and an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) domain. Sequence comparisons showed that the full genome sequence of ALIV1 is most similar to that of Brevicoryne brassicae picorna-like virus, with 42.4% sequence identity, and it shares 60% sequence identity in the coat protein region with its closest homolog, Watson virus. The average coverage of the ALIV1 sequence was approximately 5000X, suggesting that it might actively replicate in the host. Phylogenetic analysis based on deduced amino acid sequences suggested that ALIV1 is closely related to Dinocampus coccinellae paralysis virus. To the best of our knowledge, ALIV1 is the first virus discovered in A. lewisii and is also the first iflavirus identified in a member of the genus Aulacophora. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Acupuncture & Tuina Science is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)