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Protocatechuic acid (3, 4-dihydroxybenzoic acid, PCA) is widely used in the pharmaceuticals, health food, and cosmetics industries owing to its diverse biological activities. However, the inhibition of 3-dehydroshikimate dehydratase (AroZ) by PCA and its toxicity to cells limit the efficient production of PCA in Escherichia coli. In this study, a high-level strain of 3-dehydroshikimate, E. coli DHS01, was developed by blocking the carbon flow from the shikimate-overproducing strain E. coli SA09. Additionally, the PCA biosynthetic pathway was established in DHS01 by introducing the high-activity Ap AroZ. Subsequently, the protein structure and catalytic mechanism of 3-dehydroshikimate dehydratase from Acinetobacter pittii PHEA-2 (Ap AroZ) were clarified. The variant Ap AroZR363A, achieved by modulating the conformational dynamics of Ap AroZ, effectively relieved product inhibition. Additionally, the tolerance of the strain E. coli PCA04 to PCA was enhanced by adaptive laboratory evolution, and a biosensor-assisted high-throughput screening method was designed and implemented to expedite the identification of high-performance PCA-producing strains. Finally, in a 5 L bioreactor, the final strain PCA05 achieved the highest PCA titer of 46.65 g/L, a yield of 0.23 g/g, and a productivity of 1.46 g/L/h for PCA synthesis from glucose using normal fed-batch fermentation. The strategies described herein serve as valuable guidelines for the production of other high-value and toxic products. • High-titer DHS-producing strain E. coli DHS01 was constructed as the chassis strain. • Product inhibition was significantly alleviated by the variant Ap AroZR363A based on the elucidation of protein structure. • The PCA tolerance of strain was enhanced by biosensor-assisted adaptive laboratory evolution. • 46.6 g/L PCA with a productivity of 1.46 g/L/h was produced in a 5-L bioreactor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Group H Rotavirus (RVH) is associated with human diarrhea gastroenteritis. The interferon (IFN) response induced by RVH remains unclear. In this study, we first studied the characteristic feature of RVH and found J19 strain of RVH grew less efficiently compared with the G6P1 strain of RVA. Next, we found that infection with the J19 virus resulted in the secretion of IFN-λ1, but not IFN-β, while both IFN-β and IFN-λ1 could inhibit J19 replication significantly in Caco-2 cells. NSP1 played an important role in the suppression of type I and type III IFN response, and NSP5 protein significantly inhibited activation of IFN-λ1. J19 NSP1 suppressed the induction of IFN-β obviously than G6P1 NSP1, while G6P1 NSP1 reduced IFN-λ1 induction to the greatest extent compared with G9P8, Wa, and J19 NSP1s. Our studies reveal the propagation feature of RVH and interferon induction and suppression by group H rotavirus. • J19 strain of RVH grew less efficiently compared with G6P1 strain of RVA. • J19 Infection resulted in the secretion of IFN-λ1, but not IFN-β. • NSP1 played important role in the suppression of type I and type III IFN response. • J19 NSP1 suppressed the induction of IFN-β obviously than G6P1 NSP1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protein disulfide isomerase A4 (PDIA4) is highly expressed in clear cell ovarian carcinoma and lung cancer. Through analysis of TCGA database and CGGA database, we noted that PDIA4 is a key promotor of glioblastoma (GBM). However, the detailed role and molecular mechanism of PDIA4 in GBM remain unclear. In this study, the expression pattern and biological role of PDIA4 in GBM was investigated. PDIA4 was overexpressed in GBM tumor samples and cell lines and positively correlated with pathological grades in glioma patients. In addition, downregulation of PDIA4 promoted apoptosis and inhibited proliferation of GBM. Meanwhile, there was a concurrent decrease in aerobic glycolysis metabolites. Mechanistically, PDIA4 downregulation promoted the apoptosis of GBM cells by increased the expression of apoptosis pathway proteins (caspase 3, caspase 9 and Bax). Downregulation of PDIA4 decreased energy demand and inhibited GBM growth in vitro and in vivo. Besides, such effect also inhibited the PI3K/AKT/m-TOR pathway by inhibiting protein phosphorylation levels of PI3K, AKT and m-TOR. After addition of PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway activator 740Y–P, the effect of PDIA4 knockdown on GBM was reversed. Therefore, we believe that PDIA4 regulates the proliferation via activating the PI3K/AKT/m-TOR pathway and suppression of apoptosis in glioblastoma. It could be used as a potential target for the treatment of GBM. • PDIA4 was overexpressed in GBM tumor samples and cell lines. • Downregulation of PDIA4 could inhibit in vitro and in vivo GBM growth. • Untargeted aqueous-soluble metabolomics of LN229 cells with or without PDIA4 knockdown. • PDIA4 regulated apoptosis in GBM cells via the PI3K/AKT/m-TOR pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A fiber H 2 sensor based on a hybrid FPI and MI probe with PDMS and Pd-WO 3 is reported. • MI and FPI are cascaded to form a vernier spectrum. • The sensor has superiorities of excellent repeatability, rapid response, high sensitivity, and compact structure. • The sensor has impressive potential in the detection of H 2 in narrow places. A hydrogen (H 2) sensor based on hybrid Fabry-Perot interference (FPI) and Michelson interference (MI) with Vernier effect is demonstrated. The optical probe is manufactured by fusing a multimode fiber (MMF) and a double-side hole fiber (DSHF) between a single-mode fiber (SMF) and a hollow core fiber (HCF) filled with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) at the end to form a cascaded FP and MI, which can generate a vernier envelope. by fusing a multimode fiber (MMF) and a double-side hole fiber (DSHF) between a single-mode fiber (SMF) and a hollow core fiber (HCF) filled with PDMS at the end. To accomplish H 2 sensing, palladium-tungstic oxide (Pd-WO 3) powder is attached to the exterior surface of PDMS, which will cause an exothermic redox reaction with H 2. The released heat will lead to the volume expansion of PDMS with remarkable thermal response characteristics, and finally cause the movement of the vernier-like spectral envelope with the variation of H 2 concentration. The sensitivity of the proposed sensor is 2.2 nm/% in the range of 0 %–1% through the H 2 measurement experiment. For H 2 with a concentration of 1 %, it has the response time of 28 s and shows good reversibility in the cyclic experiment. In addition, the sensitivity of temperature and relative humidity (RH) is 0.21 nm/°C and 0.0014 nm/%RH, respectively. The proposed sensor adopts a reflective probe, which is compact in structure and small in volume, and shows fast response and excellent repeatability. It has great advantages in H 2 measurement in narrow spaces and long distances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Host genetic single nucleotide polymorphisms can exert an influence susceptibility to tuberculosis infection. Previous investigations have demonstrated an association between the polymorphism in the ALOX5 gene and a range of diseases, encompassing not only noninfectious conditions like asthma, acute myocardial infarction, and cerebral infarction but also infections caused by various pathogens. However, the relationship between ALOX5 gene polymorphism and susceptibility to tuberculosis has received limited research attention. The ALOX5 gene encodes arachidonic acid 5-lipoxygenase(5-LO), which serves as the initiating catalyst in the generation of the inflammatory mediator leukotriene. Leukotrienes, products derived from the 5-LO pathway, are potent proinflammatory lipid mediators that assume a pivotal role in tuberculosis infections.Consequently, ALOX5 gene variants may be intricately associated with the pathogenesis of tuberculosis. In instances where the host exhibits immunocompromisation, infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis can impact multiple systems. The involvement of multiple systems significantly augments the complexity of treatment and escalates patient mortality rates. Regrettably, the underlying mechanisms driving multisystem tuberculosis pathogenesis remain enigmatic, with clinicians paying scant attention to this aspect. Although the protein encoded by the ALOX5 gene represents a pivotal enzyme that catalyzes the metabolism of arachidonic acid into LXA4, and thereby plays a significant role in the inflammatory response during tuberculosis infection, studies investigating ALOX5 gene polymorphism and its association with susceptibility to multisystem tuberculosis in the Chinese Han population are exceptionally scarce. Therefore, the primary objective of this study is to comprehensively examine the correlation between ALOX5 gene polymorphisms and susceptibility to tuberculosis within the Chinese Han population, with particular emphasis on multisystemic tuberculosis. A case‒control study design was employed, encompassing 382 individuals with pulmonary tuberculosis and 367 individuals with multisystemic tuberculosis as the case groups, along with 577 healthy controls.Whole blood DNA was extracted from all patients and healthy controls. Subsequently, three tag polymorphisms (rs2029253, rs7896431, rs2115819) within the ALOX5 gene were selectively identified and genotyped. After adjusting for age and sex, the presence of allele A at rs2029253 exhibited a pronounced association with an elevated risk of TB susceptibility when compared to the tuberculosis group and healthy control group. (ORa: 2.174, 95% CI: 1.827–2.587; Pa<0.001, respectively). Notably, the rs2029253 AG genotype and AA genotype displayed a significantly increased susceptibility to tuberculosis (ORa: 2.236, 95% CI: 1.769–2.825; Pa <0.001 and ORa: 4.577, 95% CI: 2.950–7.100; Pa <0.001, respectively) compared to the GG genotype. Moreover, in the analysis utilizing genetic models, rs2029253 also exhibited a markedly heightened susceptibility to tuberculosis in additive models, dominant models, and recessive models (Pa <0.001). Conversely, no significant association was observed between rs7896431, rs2115819, and tuberculosis. In the subgroup analysis, when comparing the pulmonary tuberculosis group with the healthy control group, we observed no significant disparities in the distribution frequencies of alleles, genotypes, and gene models (additive model, dominant model, and recessive model) for the three tag SNPs, with P-values were >0.05 after adjusting for age and sex. Additionally, we noted that the presence of allele A at rs2029253 was linked to an increased susceptibility to tuberculosis in the multisystemic tuberculosis group relative to the healthy control group (ORa: 2.292, 95% CI: 1.870–2.810; Pa<0.001). Similarly, the rs2029253 AG genotype, AA genotype, and gene models, including the additive model, dominant model, and recessive model, demonstrated a significantly elevated risk of tuberculosis susceptibility. The polymorphism in the ALOX5 gene is associated with susceptibility to multisystemic tuberculosis in the Chinese Han population. • ALOX5 SNP is associated with multisystemic TB susceptibility. • rs2029253 was associated with an increased risk of multisystemic TB infection. • ALOX5 SNP may not be associated with the susceptibility to pulmonary TB. • The study population was the Chinese Han population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Drosophila Trf4-1 (DmTrf4-1) is a polyadenylation polymerase or terminal nucleotidyl transferase (PAP/TENT) that has been reported to add poly(A) tails to snRNAs in nucleus or mRNAs in cytoplasm. Here, we found that the loss of Trf4-1 resulted in the reduction of mRNAs and primary miRNAs (pri-miRNAs) in both Drosophila S2 cells and adult flies. Interestingly, the role of Trf4-1 in transcription is independent of its PAP/TENT activity. Moreover, using the chromatin immunoprecipitation assay, we uncovered that the loss of Trf4-1 led to abnormal RNA polymerase II accumulation and reduced H3K4me3 binding in promoter regions. Thus, our study indicates a positive role of Trf4-1 in the transcription of mRNAs and pri-miRNAs. Highlights • Drosophila Trf4-1 regulates the transcription of primary miRNAs as well as mRNAs. • The role of DmTrf4-1 in transcription is independent of its PAP/TENT activity. • Loss of DmTrf4-1 leads to abnormal RNA polymerase II accumulation and reduced H3K4me3 binding in promoter regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract For g-C 3 N 4 -NiS 2 heterojunction catalysts (Fig. A), the photogenerated electron in the CB of g-C 3 N 4 could rapidly transfer to the NiS 2 , the unsaturated S atoms as active sites bond strongly H+ in solution, and the bound H+ protons are easily reduced to H 2. On the other hand, he photogenerated holes in valence band of g-C 3 N 4 are quickly quenched by TEOA sacrificial agent. In this way, effective separation of photogenerated electron holes can be achieved. So the presence of NiS 2 can significantly improve the photocatalytic activity of hydrogen production of g-C 3 N 4 (Fig. B), and its performance is much higher than noble metal Pt as a co-catalyst. Abstract A series of noble-metal-free NiS 2 -loaded g-C 3 N 4 hybrid composites were prepared via simple hydrothermal method. Benefited from the wider spectral response range and the effective separation of photoelectron-holes of g-C 3 N 4 -NiS 2 heterojunction catalysts, as well as the rich unsaturated active S atoms on the NiS 2 with S 2 2−, the composite catalysts has prominent photocatalytic performance for H 2 evolution. Remarkably, the optimal composite photocatalysts achieved an average hydrogen production rate as high as 715.83 μmol/h/g in 3 h under visible-light irradiation, which is 2.75 times as high as that of precious metal Pt (259.5 μmol/h/g) as a co-catalyst. Besides, the composite catalyst still shows prominent photocatalytic performance for H 2 evolution after three continuous photocatalytic reaction cycles for 9 h. This study provided a facile method to build a low-cost but effective metal sulfide co-catalyst for hydrogen production under visible light irradiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Let α > 0 , H = (− Δ) α + V (x) , V (x) belongs to the higher order Kato class K 2 α (R n). For 1 ≤ p ≤ ∞ , we prove a polynomial upper bound of ‖ e − i t H (H + M) − β ‖ L p , L p in terms of time t for all integers α and 2 α ≥ [ n 2 ] + 1 if α is not an integer. Both the smoothing exponent β and the growth order in t are almost optimal compared to the free case. The main ingredients in our proof are pointwise heat kernel estimates for the semigroup e − t H. We obtain a Gaussian upper bound with sharp coefficient for integral α and a polynomial decay for fractional α. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Subjective task value (STV) trends in three domains from G9 to G11 were tracked. • We identified three differential joint STV trajectories across domains. • Changes of STVs in one domain shaped one another to form STV hierarchies. • STV trajectories impacted long-term STEM aspirations and participation. • Gender differences in STEM fields were affected by gendered STV trajectories. Abstract This study used variable- and pattern-centered approaches to better capture the impact of adolescents' joint developmental trajectories of subjective task values (STVs) in three domains (Finnish, math and science, and social subject) from grades 9 to 11 on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) aspirations at four years postsecondary school and STEM participation at six years postsecondary school (N = 849 Finnish youth; 52.1% female; 99% native Finnish). Results showed that while adolescents' average STVs in different domains remained stable, three differential joint STV trajectories emerged across domains. Individual changes of STVs in one domain shaped STVs in other domains to form unique relative STV hierarchies within subgroups that impacted long-term STEM aspirations and participation. Gender differences in STV trajectory profile distributions partially explained the overall underrepresentation of women in STEM fields. This study is among the first to incorporate multiple domains and explore how STVs fluctuate over time in both homogeneous and heterogeneous fashions. These findings underscore the importance of examining heterogeneity in motivational trajectories across domains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Myocardial infarction (MI) is defined as the irreversible death of heart muscle that occurs secondary to prolonged lack of oxygen supply, which has resulted in millions of death worldwide. This study was conducted with aims of investigating how microRNA-212 (miR-212) and the inhibition of aquaporin-9 (AQP9) through the activation of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/Akt) signaling pathway plays a role in the prevention of MI. The relationship between miR-212 and AQP9 was determined with the use of bioinformatics combined with the dual luciferase reporter gene assay. Next, the MI model was established and the cardiomyocytes were transfected with different mimic, inhibitor and siRNAs to investigate the specific activity of miR-212, AQP9 and the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in MI. The expression of miR-212, AQP9, PI3K, Akt, VEGF, Bax, and B cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), along with cell apoptosis were determined using reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), Western blot analysis and flow cytometry. Based on the results, AQP9 was verified as the direct target gene of miR-212. MI led to a decrease in miR-212 expression and an increase in AQP9 expression. It was also found that miR-212 activated the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in MI through the inhibition of AQP9 expression. The overexpression of miR-212 or silencing AQP9 decreased cardiomyocytes apoptosis. These findings indicated that the overexpression of miR-212 inhibited AQP9 by activating the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, thus decreasing cardiomyocytes apoptosis, promoting vascular regeneration and alleviating ventricular remodeling in rats with MI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An anthracene-based rare earth coordination polymer (CP) [Tb 2 Cl 2 (adip)(NMP) 3 (H 2 O)] (1) was prepared by solvothermal assembling of Tb3+ and 5,5′-(anthracene-9,10-diyl)diisophthalic acid (H 4 adip, NMP = N -methylpyrrolidone) and possesses a 3D framework and ligand-based blue emission. 1 could be used as a fluorescent probe to detect 2-thiazolidinethione-4-carboxylic acid (TTCA) and temperature with excellent selectivity, sensitivity and anti-interference ability. Between 0 and 10 μM concentration range of TTCA, the fluorescence quenching constant (K sv) of 1 reaches 9.78 × 104 M−1 with the limit of detection of 92.6 nM. 1 could also be used as a temperature sensor within 0–60 °C. The maximum relative sensitivity (S r) was calculated as 5.74% °C−1 at 60 °C and the temperature resolution (δT) is 0.013–0.003 °C corresponding to the above ambient temperature range. The sensitivities of 1 have reached the best level of reported chemical sensors so far. In addition, the mechanisms of fluorescence quenching were studied. [Display omitted] • A complex 1 based on 5,5′-(anthracene-9,10-diyl)diisophthalic acid was obtained. • 1 shows good sensitivity to 2-thiazolidinethione-4-carboxylic acid (TTCA) and temperature. • The limit of detection (LOD) for TTCA is 92.6 nM. • The maximum relative sensitivity (S r) for temperature is calculated as 5.74% °C−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural killer lysin (NK-lysin), produced by cytotoxic T lymphocytes and natural killer cells, is a cationic antimicrobial peptide that has a broad antimicrobial spectrum, including bacteria, viruses, and parasites. Nevertheless, the implication of NK-lysin in the protection against bacterial infection is not aware in common carp. In this study, six different NK-lysin genes ( nkl1 , nkl2 , nkl3 , nkl4 , nkl5 and nkl6 ) were identified in the common carp genome. Each of the mature peptides of common carp NK-lysin has six well-conserved cysteine residues, and shares a Saposin B domain, characteristic of saposin-like protein (SALIP) family. The gene nkl1 contains 5 extrons and 4 introns, and nkl2 , nkl3 , nkl4 or nkl5 contains 4 extrons and 3 introns, however, the nkl6 has 3 extrons and 2 introns. By quantitative real-time PCR, nkl2 transcripts were predominantly expressed in spleen of healthy common carp, while elevated mainly in gill and spleen upon Aeromonas hydrophila infection. The recombinant NK-lysin-2 purified from Pichia pastoris shows antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus (Gram-positive), and Escherichia coli M15, Aeromonas hydrophila , as well as Edwardsiella tarda (Gram-negative), the latter two are important pathogens of aquaculture. Our results indicate that NK-lysin in common carp might play an important role in fish immune response by enhancing antibacterial defense against bacterial pathogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

N-doping for the preparation of functional carbon materials is a trending research topic. In this study, N-rich biochar (BC) was prepared by calcining naturally N rich shrimp shells under oxygen-limiting environment, and the calcining temperatures were controlled. BC were activated with 5% hydrochloric acid solutions and then post-modified with ball-milling to obtain a series of novel adsorbents (MBCs). All samples were characterized by SEM, BET, FT-IR, XRD, XPS, TG, and element analysis. Surface area, pore volume, and other surface functional groups were significantly improved after acidizing and ball-milling. The adsorption capacities for MB were MBC350 > MBC500 > MBC650 >BC350 > BC650 > BC500, and the equilibrium adsorption capacities were 575.01 mg/g, 506.52 mg/g, 424.59 mg/g, 113.31 mg/g, 93.53 mg/g and 86.25 mg/g, respectively. The excellent adsorption performance of MBCs for MB was ascribed to Lewis acid-base interaction, π-π interaction, electrostatic interaction and van der Waals, and the quinone group and pyridinic-N on the surface of the MBCs are identified as the major active sites. Taken together, ball-milled shrimp shell biochar is a promising material for cation dye adsorption. [Display omitted] • N-rich biochar was prepared by Shrimp shell with natural sources of nitrogen. • Biochar pyrolysis at 350 °C (BC350) possess highest pyridinic-N of all samples. • Ball-milled biochar (MBC350) exhibited fast removal rate (99.0%) in initial 15 min. • Lewis acid-base interaction and π-π interaction constitute the main sorption force. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research and development of high-efficiency low-temperature disinfection technology in all aspects of cold-chain food has begun to receive attention. This paper aims to develop low temperature acidic electrolyzed water (LT-AEW) disinfectant. The anti-freezing temperature, disinfection efficiency and practical application effect were evaluated in detail. The results had shown that the freezing point of AEW can be reduced to −18 °C by adding 25% CaCl 2 , 20% NaCl, 30% ethylene glycol (EG) and 35% propylene glycol (PG). At the low temperature (−1, −10 and −18 °C), the bactericidal efficiencies of all EG-acidic electrolyzed waters (EG-AEWs) with different EG contents were close. The reason is that although the low temperature environment will reduce the sterilization efficiency of EG-AEW, the addition of EG can promote the increase of HClO content in EG-AEW, thus increasing the sterilization efficiency. As long as the HClO content reached 35.2, 50.8 and 64.3 mg L−1, the killing logarithm (KL) value had achieved 4.50, 4.49 and 5.07 log 10 (CFU mL−1). Finally, the KL values of EG-AEW against Escherichia coli on the corrugated board and stainless-steel board both exceeded 3 log 10 (CFU mL−1) at the low temperature, which indicates that EG-AEW can be applied in food cold chain. • A low temperature acidic electrolyzed water (LT-AEW) is studied for the first time. • The freezing point of ethylene glycol AEW (EG-AEW) can reach to −18 °C. • The killing logarithm of EG-AEW against E. coli is 5.07 log 10 (CFU mL−1) at −18 °C. • EG-AEW can effectively sterilize E. coli on corrugated and stainless-steel board. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interleukin-8 (IL-8), a CXC-type chemokine, plays a key role in acute inflammation by recruiting neutrophils in mammals. In the present study, the open reading frame (ORF) of IL -8, encoding 99 amino acids was cloned in mandarin fish, and its function in inflammation was investigated. The IL-8 contains four conserved cysteine residues, with the first two forming the CXC signature motif. The genomic sequence of mandarin fish IL -8 has four exons and three introns, a typical gene organization of the CXC chemokine. Bioactive recombinant IL-8 (rIL-8) exhibited a chemotactic effect on head kidney leukocytes in vitro , and activates the transcription of the inflammatory genes, IL -8 and IL -1β. When mandarin fish was challenged intraperitoneally with the pathogenic bacterium Flavobacterium columnare G 4 , the steady-state protein level of IL-8 was up-regulated in trunk kidney and head kidney. These results suggest that IL-8 is a functional CXC chemokine in mandarin fish, and plays a key role in the inflammatory responses towards bacterial infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nonlocal Fokker–Planck equations for a class of stochastic differential equations with non-Gaussian α -stable Lévy motion in Euclidean space are studied. The existence and uniqueness of weak solution are obtained with rough drift. The solution is shown to be smooth on spatial variable if all derivatives of the drift are bounded. Moreover, the solution is jointly smooth on spatial and time variable if we assume further that the drift grows like a power of logarithm function at infinity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a Fabry-Perot pressure sensor using a corrugated diaphragm and angle polished fiber is proposed. A SU-8 structure using two step of lithography is formed to fix the polished fiber, which helps control the cavity length precisely. The fabrication process is described. The characteristics of both pressure and temperature are tested. Also the temperature compensation is realized. Experimental results show that the sensor has high sensitivity and good linearity over the pressure range of 0–0.1 MPa. The sensitivity (change in cavity/loaded pressure) is 705.64 μm/MPa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the quantitative unique continuation property of some higher order elliptic operators. We prove a lower bound for nontrivial solutions of the equation ( − Δ ) m u + V ( x ) u = 0 , m ∈ N , V ( x ) is bounded. The bound shows that nontrivial solutions can not decay faster than e − | x | 4 / 3 ln ⁡ | x | at infinity. Moreover, we obtain an improved lower bound of nontrivial solutions for a special forth order elliptic operators in dimension 2, the bound is shown to be essentially sharp by constructing a Meshkov-type example. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Liaohe Delta in China is an ecologically and commercially important wetland system under threat from sea level rise and marsh subsidence. Sediments deposited in coastal marshes could offer wetlands a potentially important means for adjusting surface elevation with rising sea level, yet coastal wetland stability in Liaohe Delta is not well understood due to limited data from long-term experiments. In this study, wetland surface elevation and vertical accretion were measured from 2011 to 2015 using a surface elevation table (SET) and feldspar marker horizons in two Phragmites and two Suaeda marshes receiving Liaohe River water. The analysis shows that the Phragmites marshes exhibited higher rates of marsh accretion and elevation change than the Suaeda marshes. The two Phragmites marsh sites had average surface elevation change rates at 8.8 and 9.3 mm yr −1 , vertical accretion at 17.4 and 17.6 mm yr −1 , and shallow subsidence at 8.6 and 8.3 mm yr −1 . The average rates of elevation change, vertical accretion, and shallow subsidence at two Suaeda marsh sites were 5.8 and 6.3 mm yr −1 , 13.6 and 14.8 mm yr −1 , and 7.8 and 8.5 mm yr −1 , respectively. The trends suggest that coastal marshes in Liaohe Delta are experiencing changes in average soil elevation that range from a net increase of 0.3 mm y −1 to 6.9 mm y −1 relative to averaged sea level rise in Bohai Sea reported by the 2016 State Oceanic Administration People's Republic of China projection (2.4–5.5 mm y −1 ), which indicated that the four wetland sites would adjust to the sea level rise and even continue to gain elevation, especially for the Phragmites sites. Nevertheless, the vulnerability of coastal wetlands in Liaohe Delta need further assessment considering the accelerated sea level rise, the high rate of subsidence, and the declining sediment delivery owing to anthropogenic activities such as dam constructions in the river basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strip rolling is currently the main steel production process. The vertical vibration of the rolling mill caused by the large reduction ratio and high rolling speed reduces the qualification rate of strip products, and even damages the rolling equipment. In this paper, a new particle damping absorber (PDA) is designed to suppress the vertical vibration of the mill. The adaptive genetic algorithm (AGA) is used to optimize the basic parameters of PDA. Considering the nonlinear stiffness between the roll and the rolling stock, a four-degree-of-freedom vertical vibration model of the roll system with the PDA is established. The amplitude-frequency characteristic equations of the primary resonance and the internal resonance are solved by using the multi-scale method. The static bifurcation of the primary resonance of the system is investigated based on the singularity theory. The effects of parameters on vibration are analyzed. The control effect of the vibration absorber is investigated experimentally, and it is found that the experimental results are basically consistent with the theoretical analysis, which verifies the reliability of the established vibration model. The results show that the PDA can effectively suppress the vertical vibration of the roll. It provides some theoretical guidance for the research on vibration suppression of rolling mills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemokines are a large family of chemotactic cytokines. Based on the arrangement of the first two cysteine residues, chemokines are divided into four groups, one of which is the CC chemokine group. In this study, we characterized a CC chemokine, CsCCL21, from half-smooth tongue sole ( Cynoglossus semilaevis ), and analyzed its activity. CsCCL21 contains two conserved N-terminal cysteine residues in a NCCL motif and is phylogenetically related to the CCL19/21/25 subgroup of CC chemokines. CsCCL21 was constitutively expressed in nine tissues and significantly upregulated by bacterial and viral infection. The recombinant CsCCL21 (rCsCCL21) induced migration of peripheral blood leukocytes. When the two conserved cysteine residues in the NCCL motif were mutated, the chemotactic activity of rCsCCL21 was abolished. rCsCCL21 enhanced the resistance of tongue sole against bacterial infection, but the mutant protein with NCCL mutation lacked this antibacterial effect. Taken together, these results suggest that CsCCL21 is a functional CC chemokine with the ability to recruit leukocytes and is involved in antibacterial immunity in a manner that requires the conserved NCCL motif. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The function of intact long-type DupA protein in Helicobacter pylori was analyzed using immunoblotting and molecular biology techniques in the study. After cloning, expression and purification, ATPase activity of DupA protein was detected. Antibody was produced for localization and interaction proteins analysis. The dupA -deleted mutant was generated for adhesion and CagA protein translocation assay, susceptibility to different pH, IL-8 secretion assay, cytotoxicity to MKN-45 cells and proteins-involved apoptosis analysis. DupA protein exhibited an ATPase activity (129.5 ± 17.8 U/mgprot) and located in bacterial membrane, while it did not involve the adhesion and CagA protein delivery of H. pylori . DupA protein involved the urease secretion as the interaction proteins. The wild type strain had a stronger growth in low pH than the dupA -deleted mutant ( p < 0.001). IL-8 productions from GES-1 cells infected with the wild type strain were significantly higher than from those with the mutant ( p < 0.001). The amounts of vital MKN-45 cells were decreased and the numbers of apoptotic cells were increased with the wild type strain, compared to those with the mutant after 12 h ( p < 0.05). The increase of cleaved Caspase-3 and Bax was significantly higher and the decrease of Bcl-2 was more obvious in MKN-45 cells exposed to the wild type strain than that exposed to the mutant after 6 h. We demonstrate that intact long-type DupA protein located in membrane as ATPase is a true virulence factor associated with duodenal ulcer development involving the IL-8 induction and urease secretion, while it inhibits gastric cancer cell growth in vitro by activating the mitochondria-mediated apoptotic pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multinary selenides, Sn 4 In 5 Sb 9 Se 25 (1) and Sn 6.13 Pb 1.87 In 5.00 Sb 10.12 Bi 2.88 Se 35 (2) were synthesized by solid-state sintering reactions. These compounds were initially observed resulting from the exploratory synthesis of multinary selenides in In–Sn–Sb–Se systems. Sn 4 In 5 Sb 9 Se 25 crystallizes in a monoclinic lattice with a ​= ​31.820(2) Å, b ​= ​4.0241(3) Å, c ​= ​19.703(2) Å, β ​= ​114.246(5)°, and V ​= ​2300.4(3) Å3; space group C2/m (No. 12); Z ​= ​2. Sn 6.13 Pb 1.87 In 5.00 Sb 10.12 Bi 2.88 Se 35 crystallizes in a monoclinic lattice with a ​= ​31.6883(5) Å, b ​= ​4.0709(1) Å, c ​= ​26.5406(4) Å, β ​= ​105.710(1)°, and V ​= ​3295.8(2) Å3; C2/m (No. 12); Z ​= ​2. The structures of both compounds are constructed with two building units of NaCl100-type [ M 2 x − 4 2 + M 4 3 + Se 2 x + 2 ] ∞ 1 and NaCl111-type [ M 2 y − 2 3 + Se 3 y − 3 ] ∞ 2. The structural anisotropy leads to a columnar or layered shape and strongly preferred orientation along [010] direction upon two compounds. These materials exhibit black color comprising a semiconducting property. Band gaps observed in electrical conductivity measurements are 0.66 ​eV and 0.62 ​eV for compound 1 and 2 , respectively. UV–vis–NIR spectroscopy and the electronic band structure calculations at the density functional theory (DFT) level indicate the results of the semiconducting behaviors. Measurements of Seebeck coefficient indicates p-type semiconductors for both compounds. New multinary chalcogenides: Sn 4 In 5 Sb 9 Se 25 and Sn 6.13 Pb 1.87 In 5.00 Sb 10.12 Bi 2.88 Se 35 , with complex crystal structures have been successfully synthesized via a combination of single-crystal X-ray diffraction and tuning chemical composition. Their physical properties are reported herein. Both materials consist of similar units and imply a new homologous series. [Display omitted] • New multinary chalcogenides: Sn 4 In 5 Sb 9 Se 25 and Sn 6.13 Pb 1.87 In 5.00 Sb 10.12 Bi 2.88 Se 35 have been successfully synthesized. • Both materials contain similar building units with different sizes. • Electronic band structure calculations are studied and indicate semiconducting behaviors for both compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The long time behavior of solutions of 2D quasi-geostrophic equations with damping on the whole space is studied. The existence of the global attractor in is proved. New difficulties come from nonlocal terms and the Banach space . We overcome them by using commutator estimates and positivity inequalities associated with fractional Laplacian. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights: [•] Linking contextual and psychological factors to individual differences in STEM. [•] Expectancy–value theory and its application to understanding individual choices. [•] Intellectual aptitude and motivational beliefs affect individual’s STEM outcomes. [•] The influence of educational experiences on intellectual aptitude and motivations. [•] Suggestions for advancing current knowledge through future research. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A novel open-framework cadmium selenite bromide, [Cd10(SeO3)8Br4]·HBr·H2O (1), has been obtained by a solid-state reaction at 450°C, and the structure has been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Compound 1 crystallizes in Pbcm of the orthorhombic system: a=10.882(3), b=16.275(5), c=18.728(6)Å, V=3317(2)Å3, R1/wR2=0.0411/0.0659. Compound 1 is characteristic of a novel 3-D open-framework structure, composing ∞ 2[CdSeO3] layers and the pillars of edge-shared CdO3Br2 square pyramids. The lattice water molecules and the HBr molecules locate in the voids of the framework. Optical absorption spectrum of 1 reveals the presence of an optical gap of 1.65eV. Solid-state photoluminescent study indicates that compound 1 exhibits strong violet emission. TG–DSC measurement shows that compound 1 is thermally stable up to 200°C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various primate species, including golden snub-nosed monkeys, Rhinopithecus roxellana , form highly complex multilevel social systems. Breeding bands of snub-nosed monkeys maintain stability even though multiple one-male units (OMUs) within a band do not appear to engage in affiliative behaviours among units. As such, female dispersal within breeding bands may be a key factor related to social stability in these complex social systems. However, how individual and group behaviours influence both the formation of this complex social system and the maintenance of social stability within it remain to be fully elucidated. In the current study, based on 16 years of accumulated data, we investigated female dispersal in a wild population of golden snub-nosed monkeys in the Qinling Mountains of China. Using social network analysis and dynamic social modelling, we found that male take-over had no influence on the dominance rank of an OMU, whereas the number of breeding females within an OMU had a significant positive effect on rank. Both the number of breeding females and the number of females entering an OMU had significant positive effects on eigenvector centrality of an OMU. Female dispersal between OMUs decreased the clustering coefficient and reduced the risk of subgroup formation. In addition, female kinship matrices between units were not significantly correlated with association behaviour patterns. Thus, this study sheds light on the internal mechanisms that drive social stability in a complex primate social system. • One-male units in a golden snub-nosed monkey band showed few affiliative behaviours. • Multiple females dispersed among units during the 16-year study period. • Social network analysis showed that female dispersal can maintain social stability. • Female dispersal, not male take-over, affected unit hierarchical rank. • Female kinship did not influence association patterns among one-male units. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Abstract background: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a major human pathogen that is responsible for various gastroduodenal diseases. We investigated the prevalence of H. pylori virulence markers in a region at high risk of gastric cancer. Methods: One hundred and sixteen H. pylori strains were isolated from patients with gastroduodenal diseases. cagA, the cagA 3′ variable region, cagPAI genes, vacA, and dupA genotypes were determined by PCR, and some amplicons of the cagA 3′ variable region, cagPAI genes and dupA were sequenced. Results: cagA was detected in all strains. The cagA 3′ variable region of 85 strains (73.3%) was amplified, and the sequences of 24 strains were obtained including 22 strains possessing the East Asian-type. The partial cagPAI presented at a higher frequency in chronic gastritis (44.4%) than that of the severe clinical outcomes (9.7%, p < 0.001). The most prevalent vacA genotypes were s1a/m2 (48.3%) and s1c/m2 (13.8%). Thirty-six strains (31.0%) possessed dupA and sequencing of dupA revealed an ORF of 2449-bp. The prevalence of dupA was significantly higher in strains from patients with the severe clinical outcomes (40.3%) than that from chronic gastritis (20.4%, p = 0.02). Conclusion: The high rate of East Asian-type cagA, intact cagPAI, virulent vacA genotypes, and the intact long-type dupA may underlie the high risk of gastric cancer in the region. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Background: Surgical stress may cause excessive inflammation and lead to microcirculatory dysfunction. The hypothesis of this study was that early microcirculatory dysfunction may result in anaerobic glycolysis and lead to elevated blood lactate levels in patients admitted to surgical intensive care units. Methods: This prospective observational study enrolled adult patients admitted to surgical intensive care units after general surgery or thoracic surgery. We measured blood lactate levels before the operation and at 1 h and 24 h after the operation. We obtained images of sublingual microcirculation using a sidestream dark field video microscope and analyzed them employing automated analysis software. Results: A total of 31 patients completed the study. Perioperative total and perfused small vessel densities were lower in patients with a blood lactate level ≥3 mmol/L. We observed a significant correlation between the total small vessel density at 1 h and the blood lactate level at 24 h (r = −0.573; P = 0.001). In addition, we saw a significant correlation between the perfused small vessel density at 1 h and the blood lactate level at 24 h (r = −0.476; P = 0.008). Conclusions: Early total and perfused small vessel density may be used as an early predictor or therapeutic goal for critically ill surgical patients in further studies. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The 126 most frequently cited articles published in the adsorption field between 1900 and 2011 were identified and characterized using the Science Citation Index (Expanded). The data analyzed cover a range of publication years, journals, Web of Science categories, authors, institutions, countries/territories, life citation cycle curves, and characteristics of frequently cited articles. The 126 most-frequently-cited articles were each cited an average of 1014 times, ranging from 502 to 9922 citations per article from 1918 to 2006; 80% of these articles were published after 1970. Fifty-five journals were represented, led by the Journal of the American Chemical Society, and followed by Science and Nature. Three categories out of the 35 Web of Science categories constituted 60% of the citations. The three categories were: physical chemistry, multidisciplinary chemistry, and multidisciplinary sciences. Thirteen of the authors contributed three or more articles. Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the University of Washington led the list of 107 institutions, while the United States led the list of 17 countries/territories, comprising more than half of the articles. Collaboration among the top authors was a frequent occurrence, while inter-institutional collaboration and national collaboration was not obvious among the topmost articles. Moreover, the citation patterns as a function of time varied widely among the topmost articles. As evidenced by citation life cycles, the well known BET and Langmuir isotherms have received considerable attention during the study period, and will probably continue to be popular in the adsorption field. Some emerging hotspots are likely to receive particular attention in the near future; these include the new family of “M41S” materials, pseudo-second-order kinetic models, and the nudged elastic band method. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this paper we consider the long time behavior of solutions of a version of gKdV equation on the real line. The existence of the global attractor in is proved when the force f belongs to . Moreover, we investigate the change of the attractor according to the change of f and the coefficient γ of damping term. Finally, several numerical experiments confirm all the theoretical conclusions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: While many studies have been focused on CYP2C9*2 and *3 there was a lack of large full gene sequencing on CYP2C9, and this study was designed to fill this gap. We used direct sequencing to systematically screen genetic polymorphisms of the CYP2C9 gene including the 5’ -flanking region (2kb), all exons and their adjoining intron regions and the 3’ UTR in 400 unrelated healthy Chinese Han volunteers. A total of 27 different CYP2C9 polymorphisms were identified, 3 of which were novel, including one in intron 6, a synonymous variant (1137T>C, Tyr379Tyr), and a deletion mutation in the 3''UTR (1739-1740ATdel), which potentially influences the stability of CYP2C9 mRNA. We identified CYP2C9*1, *2, *3, *8, *11, and *31, of which alleles *8 was identified for the first time in Chinese population while *11 first in Asian. This is the first systematic screening of genetic polymorphisms of CYP2C9 in the Chinese Han population. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Neuregulins are growth factors that signal via the ErbB3 and ErbB4 receptors. Here we show using immunohistochemistry that they are often expressed in the nucleus of a range of tumour types including soft tissue and breast. The Neuregulin 1 type I-β3 (NRG1-β3) isoform localises to two sub-nuclear compartments in animal cells, nucleoli and spliceosomes. We used NRG1-β3 tagged with photoactivatable GFP and demonstrated that this re-localised from nucleoli to spliceosomes over 90min. Tyrosine kinase activity was not required for retaining the NRG1-β3 within the nucleus. Mutation of the lysines 14 and 16 or 15 and 16 together prevented nucleolar uptake while four positively charged residues were identified which were required for spliceosome uptake. Molecular modelling suggests that three of these may form a binding site. We showed using a kinome array that NRG1-β3 and a mutant exclusively localising to spliceosomes increased phosphorylation and/or expression of the HER4 and HER2 receptors. Using a transcriptomic analysis the same two constructs induced expression of several messenger RNAs and we confirmed the increased expression at the protein level of the most highly induced, Heat Shock Protein 70B′. These results suggest that Neuregulin activates receptor signalling in spliceosomes leading to altered gene expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper reports a fully discretized scheme for the Cahn–Hilliard equation. The method uses a convexity-splitting scheme to discretize in the temporal variable and a nonconforming finite element method to discretize in the spatial variable. And, the scheme can preserve the mass conservation and energy dissipation properties of the original problem. Some typical phase transition phenomena are also observed through the numerical examples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In Trypanosoma brucei the GPI-anchored variant surface glycoprotein (VSG) represents ∼90% of cell surface protein and a major proportion of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) biosynthetic output. We identified four trypanosomatid-specific genes encoding candidate ER-resident proteins; all were required for normal proliferation. For Tb11.01.2640 and Tb11.01.8120, an increase in VSG abundance was found on silencing, while the protein products localized to the ER; we designated these ERAP32 and ERAP18 for ER-associated protein of 32kDa and 18kDa. Silencing ERAP32 or ERAP18 did not alter expression levels of ISG65 or ISG75, the major surface trans-membrane domain proteins. Surface biotinylation or immunoflorescence did not identify intracellular VSG accumulation, while FACS and fluorescence microscopy indicated that the cells were not increased in size, arguing for increased VSG density on the cell surface. Therefore, ERAP32 and ERAP18 are trypanosome-specific ER-localized proteins with a major role in VSG protein export and, contrary to current paradigms, VSG is not saturated on the cell surface. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We report the experimental demonstration of colloidal crystal deposited on the end face of fiber. Wet chemical etching technique was employed to fabricate a cavity in one side of the fiber while keeping the coating intact. The fiber with cavity was immersed in the PMMA colloidal dispersions and self-assembled colloidal crystal formed in the bottom of the cavity. The resulted sample was characterized structurally by emission scanning electronic microscope (SEM) and optically by transmission spectra analyzer. A moderately transmission dip of ∼4 dB at ∼1542 nm wavelength coincides with the photonic band gap expected for the 690 nm PMMA microspheres. The theoretical calculation agrees very well with the experimental results. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Quaternary chalcogenides InSn2Bi3Se8 and In0.2Sn6Bi1.8Se9 were synthesized on direct combination of their elements in stoichiometric ratios at T>800°C under vacuum. Their structures were determined with X-ray diffraction of single crystals. InSn2Bi3Se8 crystallizes in monoclinic space group C2/m (No. 12) with a=13.557(3)Å, b=4.1299(8)Å, c=15.252(3)Å, β=115.73(3)°, V=769.3(3)Å3, Z=2, and R1 /wR2 /GOF=0.0206/0.0497/1.092; In0.2Sn6Bi1.8Se9 crystallizes in orthorhombic space group Cmc21 (No. 36) with a=4.1810(8)Å, b=13.799(3)Å, c=31.953(6)Å, V=1843.4(6)Å3, Z=4, and R1/wR2/GOF=0.0966/0.2327/1.12. InSn2Bi3Se8 and In0.2Sn6Bi1.8Se9 are isostructural with CuBi5S8 and Bi2Pb6S9 phases, respectively. The structures of InSn2Bi3Se8 and In0.2Sn6Bi1.8Se9 feature a three-dimensional framework containing slabs of NaCl-(311) type with varied thicknesses. Calculations of the electronic structure and measurements of electrical conductivity indicate that these materials are semiconductors with narrow band gaps. Both compounds show n-type semiconducting properties with Seebeck coefficients −270 and −230μV/K at 300K for InSn2Bi3Se8 and In0.2Sn6Bi1.8Se9, respectively. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this study, we developed a human prostatic epithelial cell line BPH-1-AR stably expressing AR by lentiviral transduction. Characterization by immunoblot and RT-PCR showed that AR was stably expressed in all representative BPH-1-AR clones. Androgen treatment induced a secretory differentiation phenotype in BPH-1-AR cells but suppressed their cell proliferation. Treatments with AR agonists induced transactivation of a transfected PSA-gene promoter reporter in BPH-1-AR cells, whereas this transactivation was suppressed by an AR antagonist flutamide, indicating that the transduced AR in BPH-1-AR cells was functional. Finally, we utilized BPH-1-AR cells to evaluate the androgenic activities and growth effects of five newly developed non-steroidal compounds. Results showed that these compounds showed androgenic activities and growth-inhibitory effects on BPH-1-AR cells. Our results showed that BPH-1-AR cell line would be a valuable in vitro model for the study of androgen-regulated processes in prostatic epithelial cells and identification of compounds with AR-modulating activities. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary: Fibrillin microfibrils have essential roles in elastic fiber formation and elastic tissue homeostasis, as well as transforming growth factor-β sequestration. A role for fibrillin microfibrils in tissue elasticity has been implied by their ability to increase periodicity from 56 to 150 nm. In this study, we found that microfibril periodicity and structure are dependent on the ionic strength of the buffer and Ca2+ concentration; we then used these properties of the microfibril to trap conformation intermediates. Transmission electron microscopy imaging of microfibrils with a range of periodicities between 56 and 154 nm revealed a gross conformational change in the interbead region that accommodates the length change. At periodicities below 85 nm, four thin filaments are visualized in the interbead region, but at periodicities greater than 85 nm, two thick filaments are seen. The diameter of the bead remains almost constant at all periodicities, but there is a decrease in stain-exclusion above 85 nm periodicity, which is likely to correspond to a decrease in bead mass. Additionally, we identified eight molecules in cross-section through a microfibril, allowing us to understand microfibril organization in three dimensions. In conclusion, when microfibrils extend, there is a large molecular rearrangement within the interbead region, and this highlights a possible role for Ca2+ in stabilizing the microfibril architecture and moderating extension in vivo. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A ball-type automatic balancer, which consists of several balls moving on a circular orbit, can effectively reduce the imbalance vibrations of an optical-disk drive. Under proper working conditions, the balls can counter-balance the imbalance of a disk by positioning the appropriate angles relative to the mass center of the disk. These particular positions are referred to as the perfect balancing positions. The proper working conditions depend on the stability of the perfect balancing positions. Much work has been done to determine the stability of the equilibrium positions numerically for some specific values of the system parameters. This paper, in contrast, analytically studies the stability characteristics of the equilibrium positions under several conditions. A theoretical model of an optical-disk drive packed with a two-ball automatic balancer is constructed first. The governing equations of the theoretical model are derived using Lagrange''s equations. The closed-form formulae and the existence conditions for the equilibrium positions are presented. Experiments are conducted to verify the theoretical model. The stability of each equilibrium position is determined by Routh''s criterion. Finally, general guidelines on the stability of the equilibrium positions are proposed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The Sugarcane yellow leaf virus (SCYLV) P0, a member of the highly heterologous proteins of poleroviruses, is a suppressor of posttranscriptional gene silencing (PTGS) and has additional activities not seen in other P0 proteins. The P0 protein in previously tested poleroviruses (Beet western yellows virus and Cucurbit aphid-borne yellows virus), suppresses local, but not systemic, PTGS induced by both sense GFP and inverted repeat GF using its F-box-like domain to mediate destabilization of the Argonaute1 protein. We now report that the SCYLV P0 protein not only suppressed local PTGS induced by sense GFP and inverted repeat GF in Nicotiana benthamiana, but also triggered a dosage dependent cell death phenotype in infiltrated leaves and suppressed systemic sense GFP-PTGS. Deletion of the first 15 N-terminal amino acid residues of SCYLV P0 abolished suppression of both local and systemic PTGS and the induction of cell death. In contrast, only systemic PTGS and cell death were lost when the 15 C-terminal amino acid residues were deleted. We conclude that the 15 C-terminal amino acid residue region of SCYLV P0 is necessary for suppressing systemic PTGS and inducing cell death, but is not required for suppression of local PTGS. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A series of lithium europium double tungsto-molybdate phosphors LiEu(WO4)2− x (MoO4) x (x=0, 0.4, 0.8, 1.2, 1.6, 2.0) have been synthesized by solid-state reactions and their crystal structure, optical and luminescent properties were studied. As the molybdate content increases, the intensity of the 5 D 0→7 F 2 emission of Eu3+ activated at wavelength of 396nm was found to increase and reach a maximum when the relative ratio of Mo/W is 2:0. These changes were found to be accompanied with the changes in the spectral feature, which can be attributed to the crystal field splitting of the 5 D 0→7 F 2 transition. As the molybdate content increases the emission intensity of the 615nm peak also increases. The intense red-emission of the tungstomolybdate phosphors under near-UV excitation suggests them to be potential candidate for white light generation by using near-UV LEDs. In this study the effect of chemical compositions and crystal structure on the photoluminescent properties of LiEu(WO4)2− x (MoO4) x is investigated and discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Two isostructural metal chalcogenides, Hg2Te2Br2 (1) and Hg2Te2I2 (2), were obtained by solid-state reactions and structurally characterized. Compounds 1 and 2 crystallize in the acentric space group P43212 of the tetragonal system with eight formula units in a cell: a=10.2388(9), c=14.480(2)Å, V=1518.0(3)Å3, R 1/wR 2=0.0670/0.1328 for 1 and a=10.711(3), c=15.025(8)Å, V=1724(1)Å3, R 1/wR 2=0.0637/0.1233 for 2. Both compounds are characterized by a three-dimensional (3-D) framework structure, which is composed by interconnected left-handed helices formed by both tetrahedral and trigonal Hg atoms. Optical absorption spectra of 1 and 2 reveal the presence of sharp optical gaps of 2.06 and 1.85eV, respectively, suggesting that both materials are semiconductors. TG-DTA measurements show that both compounds are thermally stable up to 200°C. The composition of both compounds is well confirmed by the semiquantitative microscope analyses. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this paper, a novel approach has been introduced to predict the disulfide-bonding state of cysteines in proteins by means of a linear discriminator based on their dipeptide composition. The prediction is performed with a newly enlarged dataset with 8114 cysteine-containing segments extracted from 1856 non-homologous proteins of well-resolved three-dimensional structures. The oxidation of cysteines exhibits obvious cooperativity: almost all cysteines in disulfide-bond-containing proteins are in the oxidized form. This cooperativity can be well described by protein’s dipeptide composition, based on which the prediction accuracy of the oxidation form of cysteines scores as high as 89.1% and 85.2%, when measured on cysteine and protein basis using the rigorous jack-knife procedure, respectively. The result demonstrates the applicability of this new relatively simple method and provides superior prediction performance compared with existing methods for the prediction of the oxidation states of cysteines in proteins. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Extraordinarily high concentrations of Zn (300–500 μg/[g fresh tissue]) are often found in the digestive tract tissue of common carp Cyprinus carpio, and most of the Zn is bound to membrane protein located on plasma membranes that are attached to basal laminae. To isolate the Zn-binding protein, the basolateral plasma membranes were separated from the extracellular matrix by treating the nuclei/cell debris fraction of the tissue with collagenase type IV and Arg–Gly–Asp (RGD) peptide. The Zn-binding protein was isolated from the separated plasma membranes by immobilized metal affinity chromatography and affinity chromatography on laminin–Sepharose. A 43 kDa protein was bound by the laminin–Sepharose and specifically eluted with tirofiban (a mimic of RGD). Affinity chromatography on wheat germ agglutinin and concanavalin A–Sepharose showed that the 43 kDa protein is a glycoprotein. The 43 kDa protein was labelled with 65Zn and became incorporated into liposomes at a high efficiency. Liposomes containing this protein were bound to laminin–Sepharose or reconstituted basement membrane. We propose that the Zn-binding protein is a cell surface receptor involved in the adhesion of cells to laminin. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The dihydropyridine receptors (DHPR) are L-type voltage-gated calcium channels that regulate the flux of calcium ions across the cell membrane. Here we present the three-dimensional (3D) structure at ∼27 A˚ resolution of purified skeletal muscle DHPR, as determined by electron microscopy and single particle analysis. Here both biochemical and 3D structural data indicate that DHPR is dimeric. DHPR dimers are composed of two arch-shaped monomers ∼210 A˚ across and ∼75 A˚ thick, that interact very tightly at each end of the arch. The roughly toroidal structure of the two monomers encloses a cylindrical space of ∼80 A˚ diameter, which is then closed on each side by two dome-shaped protein densities reaching over from each monomer arch. The dome-shaped domains have a length of ∼80–90 A˚ and a maximum height of ∼45 A˚. Small orifices punctuate their exterior surface. The 3D structure disclosed here may have important implications for the understanding of DHPR Ca2+ channel function. We also propose a model for its in vivo interactions with the calcium release channel at the junctional sarcoplasmic recticulum. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

At present, accuracies of secondary structural prediction scarcely go beyond 70–75%. Secondary structural comparison is carried out among sequence-identified proteins. The results show natural wobble between different secondary structural types is possible in homologous families, and the best prediction accuracy will rarely be 100%. Besides shortcoming of the prediction approaches, secondary structural wobble is found to be responsible for nearly all secondary structural prediction limits. Only average 73.2% of amino acid residue is conserved in secondary structural types. The wobble allows α-class/coil and β-class/coil transitions but not direct α-class/β-class transition. Propensity values representing the statistical occurrence of 20 amino acid residues in secondary structural wobbles are given. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this paper we study the critical exponents of the Cauchy problem in Rn of the quasilinear singular parabolic equations: ut = div(&z.sfnc;∇u&z.sfnc;m − 1∇u) + ts&z.sfnc;x&z.sfnc;σup, with non-negative initial data. Here s ≥ 0, (n − 1)/(n + 1) < m < 1, p > 1 and σ > n(1 − m) − (1 + m + 2s). We prove that pc ≡ m + (1 + m + 2s + σ)/n > 1 is the critical exponent. That is, if 1 < p ≤ pc then every non-trivial solution blows up in finite time, but for p > pc, a small positive global solution exists. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

During pregnancy, various physiological changes occur that can alter the pharmacokinetics of antiepileptic drugs, such as lamotrigine (LTG). Anticipating the change in LTG dose required to achieve a pre-pregnancy target concentration is challenging. This study aimed to develop a refined population pharmacokinetic (PopPK) model of LTG in pregnant women with epilepsy (WWE) to identify factors explaining the variability in pharmacokinetics and to establish a model-informed individualized dosing regimen. On that basis, a coarsened model containing only clinical variables was also developed to examine its predictive performance compared to the refined model. In total, 322 concentration-time points from 51 pregnant WWE treated with LTG were employed to establish a refined PopPK model that included endogenous estrogen profiles, variants of candidate genes encoding LTG-metabolizing enzymes and -transporter proteins, and other clinical variables and a coarsened model that included only clinical variables, respectively. Data from an additional 11 patients were used for external validation of these two models. A nonlinear mixed-effect modeling approach was used for PopPK analysis of LTG. The standard goodness-of-fit method, bootstrap, normalized prediction distribution errors and external evaluation were adopted to estimate the stability and predictive performance of the candidate models. Akaike information criterion (AIC) was used to compare the goodness of fit between these two models. A lower AIC indicates a better fit of the data and the preferred model. Recommended dosing regimens for pregnant WWE were selected using Monte Carlo simulation based on the established optimal model. In the refined PopPK model, the population mean of apparent LTG clearance (CL/F) in pregnant WWE was estimated to be 2.82 L/h, with an inter-individual variability of 23.6%. PopPK analysis indicated that changes in estrogen profile during pregnancy were the predominant reason for the significant variations in LTG-CL/F. Up to the 3rd trimester, the concentration accumulation effect of E2 increased LTG-CL/F by 5.109 L/h from baseline levels. Contrary to effect of E2, E3 as the main circulating estrogen in pregnancy with a peak value of 34.41 ng/mL is 1000-fold higher than that in non-pregnancy reduced LTG-CL/F by 1.413 L/h. In addition, the UGT2B7 rs4356975 C > T and ABCB1 rs1128503 A > G variants may contribute to a better understanding of the inter-individual variability in LTG-CL/F. LTG-CL/F was 1.66-fold higher in UGT2B7 rs4356975 CT or TT genotype carriers than in CC genotype carriers. In contrast, ABCB1 rs1128503 GG genotype carriers had only 71.9% of the LTG-CL/F of AA or AG genotype carriers. In the coarsened PopPK model, the gestational age was a promising predictor of changes in LTG-CL/F. When comparing these two models, the refined PopPK model was favored over the coarsened PopPK model (AIC = −30.899 vs. −20.017). Monte Carlo simulation based on optimal PopPK model revealed that the LTG dosage administered to carriers of the UGT2B7 rs4356975 CT or TT genotype required a 33–50% increase to reach the pre-pregnancy target concentration, and carriers of the ABCB1 rs1128503 GG genotype required a 33–66% lower dose of LTG than carriers of the ABCB1 rs1128503 AA or AG genotype. Changes in estrogen profile during pregnancy was a better predictor of variations in LTG-CL/F than gestational age. The developed model based on estrogen profile and pharmacogenetics can serve as a foundation for further optimization of dosing regimens of LTG in pregnant WWE. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]