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Metabolic reprogramming precedes most alterations during pathological cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure (HF). Recent studies have revealed that Phosphofructokinase, platelet (PFKP) has a wealth of metabolic and non-metabolic functions. In this study, we explored the role of PFKP in cardiac hypertrophic growth and HF. The expression level of PFKP was elevated both in pathological cardiac remodeling mouse model challenged by transverse aortic constriction (TAC) surgery and in the neonatal rat cardiomyocytes (NRCMs) stimulated by phenylephrine (PE). In global PFKP knockout (PFKP-KO) mice, cardiac hypertrophy was ameliorated under TAC surgery, while overexpression of PFKP by intravenous injection of adeno-associated virus 9 (AAV9) under the cardiac troponin T (cTnT) promoter worsened myocardial hypertrophy and fibrosis. In NRCMs, small interfering RNA (SiRNA) knockdown or adenovirus (Adv) overexpression of PFKP was employed and the intervention of PFKP showed a similar phenotype. Mechanistically, immunoprecipitation combined with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (IP-MS/MS) analysis was used to identify the interacting proteins of PFKP. Eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 subunit beta (EIF2S2) was identified as the downstream target of PFKP. In the PE-stimulated NRCM hypertrophy model and mouse TAC model, knocking down EIF2S2 after PFKP overexpression reduced the synthesis of new proteins and alleviated the hypertrophy phenotype. Our findings illuminate that PFKP participates in pathological cardiac hypertrophy partly by regulating protein synthesis through EIF2S2, which provides a new clue for the involvement of metabolic intermediates in signal transduction., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: This study describes a distinct magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) feature, placing emphasis on fluid-attenuation inversion recovery (FLAIR) and contrast-enhanced T1-weighted (T1C) images for the preoperative differentiation of glioblastoma (GBM) from primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL)., Methods: The preoperative MRI findings of 116 pathologically confirmed glioblastoma (n = 72) and PCNSL (n = 44) were retrospectively reviewed. Two neuroimaging specialists analyzed the MRIs, and image analysis was focused on the presence or absence of a shaping and nonenhancing peritumoral hyperintense gyral lesion on FLAIR imaging (SNEPGF, i.e., hyperintense lesion in a shaping and nonenhancing peritumoral gyral area on FLAIR imaging). The gyral area adjacent to and within 3 cm of the enhanced tumor was defined as the peritumoral gyrus region. The FLAIR hyperintensity lesion were termed as the signal intensity ratio ≥30% compared with contralateral normal gray matter. Then, the differential diagnostic efficacy of SNEFPG sign for GBM and PCNSL was analyzed., Results: The SNEPGF sign was found in 33 GBM cases (33 of 72, 45.8%), and the FLAIR signal intensity and apparent diffusion coefficient value of these area were lower than the peritumoral edema area (P < 0.0001). In 44 PCNSL cases, no SNEPGF sign was found. A slightly higher FLAIR signal intensity was seen in 9 PCNSLs, but uniform and marked enhancement was seen in these areas. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of the differential diagnosis of GBM and PCNSL with SNEPGF sign were 45.8%, 100%, 100%, and 53.0%, respectively., Conclusions: The SNEPGF sign is effective in identifying GBM from PCNSL, especially with high specificity., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Aims: Radiotherapy has become a basic treatment modality for head and neck cancer. However, radiotherapy results in inevitable side effects, particularly radiation sialadenitis, that significantly impairs quality of life. A previous study indicated that nerve growth factor (NGF) has a radio-protective effect, but the mechanism was not determined in salivary glands. In this study, we explored the functional role and mechanism regarding how NGF protects salivary glands against IR-induced damage., Main Methods: Human salivary gland (HSG) cells and C57BL/6 mice were selected to establish an IR-induced salivary gland damage model in vitro and in vivo. Recombinant NGF protein and NGF siRNA and over-expression plasmids were applied to manipulate NGF expression in vitro. AAV-NGF was retrogradely perfused into the submandibular gland (SMG) through the SMG duct to manipulate NGF expression in vitro. Small-molecule inhibitors and siRNAs were applied to inhibit AKT and JNK. Western blotting, quantitative PCR, flow cytometry and histology assays were performed to analyse the functional role and mechanism of NGF., Key Findings: Our study demonstrated that NGF expression was upregulated following radiotherapy both in human HSG cells and mouse SMG tissues. NGF could reduce IR-induced HSG cell apoptosis, and AAV-mediated gene therapy could restore the salivary flow rate and protect the salivary gland against IR-induced apoptosis in vivo. Mechanistically, NGF protects salivary glands from IR-induced apoptosis by de-phosphorylating JNK kinase rather than promoting AKT phosphorylation., Significance: The current study findings indicated that the modulation of the NGF pathway might prevent IR-induced salivary hypo-function., (Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

The accessory sec system consisting of seven conserved components is commonly distributed among pathogenic Gram-positive bacteria for the secretion of serine-rich-repeat proteins (SRRPs). Asp1/2/3 protein complex in the system is responsible for both the O-acetylation of GlcNAc and delivering SRRPs to SecA2. However, the molecular mechanism of how Asp1/2/3 transport SRRPs remains unknown. Here, we report the complex structure of Asp1/2/3 from Streptococcus pneumoniae at 2.9 Å. Further functional assays indicated that Asp1/2/3 can stimulate the ATPase activity of SecA2. In addition, the deletion of asp1/2/3 gene resulted in the accumulation of a secreted version of PsrP with an altered glycoform in protoplast fraction of the mutant cell, which suggested the modification/transport coupling of the substrate. Altogether, these findings not only provide structural basis for further investigations on the transport process of SRRPs, but also uncover the indispensable role of Asp1/2/3 in the accessory sec system., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest These authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The forkhead-box transcription factors of O subfamily (FOXO) play important roles in regulation of various biological functions. We cloned foxo1, foxo3, foxo4, and foxo6 from Xenopus tropicalis (hereafter X. tropicalis), and examined their expression in embryos and adult tissues. Maternal transcripts of foxo1 and foxo3 genes are detected within the animal half of the early embryo, their zygotic transcripts show distinct patterns. At late tailbud stages, foxo1 expression is observed mainly in eye, brain, branchial arches, and pronephros. In addition to eye, brain, branchial arches and pronephros, foxo3 expression is also evident in heart and somites. Foxo4 expression was not detected in oocytes. At late tailbud stages, foxo4 is mainly expressed in eye, brain, branchial arches and otic vesicle. Foxo6 expression was not detectable until stage 36, with a specific expression in nasal pits. Obvious expression of foxo1, foxo3 and foxo4, but not foxo6, is detected by RT-PCR both in oocytes and in embryos at examined stages. The expression of foxo1, foxo3 and foxo4 is observed in all tested adult tissues including heart, muscle, liver, lung, stomach and small intestine, while foxo6 is only detectable in stomach and small intestine. The differential expression pattern of foxo genes suggests that they exert distinct functions during embryonic development and in various organs of X. tropicalis., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest There are no declared conflicts of interest relevant to this study., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Carboxysome, encapsulating an enzymatic core within an icosahedral-shaped semipermeable protein shell, could enhance CO 2 fixation under low CO 2 conditions in the environment. The shell of Halothiobacillus neapolitanus α-carboxysome possesses two 38% sequence-identical pentameric proteins, namely CsoS4A and CsoS4B. However, the functions of two paralogous pentameric proteins in α-carboxysome assembly remain unknown. Here we report the crystal structure of CsoS4B at 2.15 Å resolution. It displays as a stable pentamer, each subunit of which consists of a β-barrel core domain, in addition to an insertion of helix α1 that forms the central pore. Structural comparisons and multiple-sequence alignment strongly indicate that CsoS4A and CsoS4B differ from each other in interacting with various components of α-carboxysome, despite they share a similar overall structure. These findings provide the structural basis for further investigations on the self-assembly process of carboxysome., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

L-amino acids represent the most common amino acid form, most notably as protein residues, whereas D-amino acids, despite their rare occurrence, play significant roles in many biological processes. Amino acid racemases are enzymes that catalyze the interconversion of L- and/or D-amino acids. McyF is a pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP) independent amino acid racemase that produces the substrate D-aspartate for the biosynthesis of microcystin in the cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa PCC7806. Here we report the crystal structures of McyF in complex with citrate, L-Asp and D-Asp at 2.35, 2.63 and 2.80 Å, respectively. Structural analyses indicate that McyF and homologs possess highly conserved residues involved in substrate binding and catalysis. In addition, residues Cys87 and Cys195 were clearly assigned to the key catalytic residues of "two bases" that deprotonate D-Asp and L-Asp in a reaction independent of PLP. Further site-directed mutagenesis combined with enzymatic assays revealed that Glu197 also participates in the catalytic reaction. In addition, activity assays proved that McyF could also catalyze the interconversion of L-MeAsp between D-MeAsp, the precursor of another microcystin isoform. These findings provide structural insights into the catalytic mechanism of aspartate racemase and microcystin biosynthesis., (Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Aims: This study aims to investigate the pathophysiological role and mechanism of pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) deletion in ovarian damage., Methods: Female PEDF-knockout mice and their wild-type littermates were used in this study. Relevant tests were performed at 8-10 weeks or 32 weeks of age., Key Findings: Compared to the wild-type mice, the PEDF-knockout mice showed diminished ovarian reserve (DOR), worse ovum quality after injection to induce controlled ovarian stimulation, increased serum follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) level and an follicle stimulating hormone/luteinizing hormone (FSH/LH) ratio. Moreover, severe ovarian oxidative damage was found in ovaries of PEDF-knockout mice that mainly manifested as an accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), NF‑E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) pathway activation, significantly upregulated expression of ROS-generating genes. Correspondingly, the PEDF-knockout mice exhibited lipid metabolism disorder and insulin resistance, which mainly manifested as obesity, abdominal fat accumulation, adipocyte enlargement, severe ectopic fat deposition, dyslipidemia, changes in adipokine levels, hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, impaired glucose tolerance, impaired insulin tolerance and significantly declined protein kinase B (Akt) phosphorylation levels., Significance: Loss of PEDF leads to ovarian oxidative damage accompanied by DOR in mice, this is related to PEDF deficiency induced severe insulin resistance and lipid metabolism disorder. Therefore, PEDF may be a potential target for the treatment of diseases related to ovarian oxidative damage., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae monothiol glutaredoxin Grx3 plays a key role in cellular defense against oxidative stress and more importantly, cooperates with BolA-like iron repressor of activation protein Fra2 to regulate the localization of the iron-sensing transcription factor Aft2. The interplay among Grx3, Fra2 and Aft2 responsible for the regulation of iron homeostasis has not been clearly described. Here we solved the crystal structures of the Trx domain (Grx3 Trx ) and Grx domain (Grx3 Grx ) of Grx3 in addition to the solution structure of Fra2. Structural analyses and activity assays indicated that the Trx domain also contributes to the glutathione S-transferase activity of Grx3, via an inter-domain disulfide bond between Cys37 and Cys176. NMR titration and pull-down assays combined with surface plasmon resonance experiments revealed that Fra2 could form a noncovalent heterodimer with Grx3 via an interface between the helix-turn-helix motif of Fra2 and the C-terminal segment of Grx3 Grx , different from the previously identified covalent heterodimer mediated by Fe-S cluster. Comparative affinity assays indicated that the interaction between Fra2 and Aft2 is much stronger than that between Grx3 and Aft2, or Aft2 toward its target DNA. These structural and biochemical analyses enabled us to propose a model how Grx3 executes multiple functions to coordinate the regulation of Aft2-controlled iron metabolism., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Aflatoxin-oxidase (AFO), a newly discovered oxidase isolated from Armillariella tabescens, was reported to perform aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) detoxification through breaking the bisfuran ring of AFB1. However, based on sequence alignment, we found that AFO shares high sequence identities with dipeptidyl peptidase III (DPP III) family members. To understand the functions of AFO, we determined its crystal structures in the absence and presence of zinc, copper ion, and employed HPLC to test if AFO could cleave the substrates of DPP III. Our structures reveal that AFO contains the classic DPP III activity center and the HPLC results further confirm that AFO possesses the dipeptidyl peptidase activity. Therefore, AFO should belong to DPP III family. Interestingly, unlike reported classic DPP III structure that has a large domain movement upon substrate binding, the AFO structures all adopt the closed conformation, independent of substrate binding. This conformation characteristic of AFO may be related to its enzyme activities. Taken together, our results demonstrate that AFO is a dual activity enzyme with both aflatoxin-oxidase and dipeptidyl peptidase activities and its unique conformation feature expands our understanding on the mode of reaction for this enzyme family., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Recent studies suggest that ribosome-binding protein 1 (RRBP1) is involved in multiple diseases such as tumorigenesis and cardiomyopathies. However, its function during embryonic development remains largely unknown. We searched Xenopus laevis database with human RRBP1 protein sequence and identified two cDNA sequences encoding Xenopus orthologs of RRBP1 including rrbp1a (NM&#95;001089623) and rrbp1b (NM&#95;001092468). Both genes were firstly detected at blastula stage 8 with weak signals in animal hemisphere by whole mount in situ hybridization. Evident expression of rrbp1 was mainly detected in cement gland and notochord at neurula and tailbud stages. Heart expression of rrbp1 was detected at stage 36. RT-PCR results indicated that very weak expression of rrbp1a was firstly detected in oocytes, followed by increasing expression until stage 39. Differently, very weak expression of rrbp1b was firstly observed at stage 2, and then maintained at a lower level to stage 17 followed by an intense expression from stages 19-39. Moreover, both expression profiles were also different in adult tissues. This study reports Xenopus rrbp1 expression during early embryonic development and in adult tissues. Our study will facilitate the functional analysis of Rrbp1 family during embryonic development., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

CXCL10 is a chemokine with potent chemotactic activity for immune and non-immune cells expressing its receptor CXCR3. Previous studies have demonstrated that CXCL10 is involved in myocardial infarction. However, the role of CXCL10 in cardiac microvascular endothelial cell (CMEC) regulation and related mechanisms remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the effects of CXCL10 on the CMEC migration and explored its potential molecular mechanism by wound healing, cell proliferation and viability analysis. Furthermore, migration-related signaling pathways, including FAK, Erk, p38 and Smad, were examined by Western blotting. We found that CXCL10 significantly promotes CMEC migration under normal conditions and during hypoxia/ischemia. However, no significant differences in CMEC proliferation and viability were observed with or without CXCL10 treatment. CXCL10-mediated CMEC migration was greatly blocked by treatment with an anti-CXCR3 antibody. Although CXCL10 treatment promoted phosphorylation and activation of the FAK, Erk, and p38 pathways during hypoxia/ischemia, CXCL10-mediated CMEC migration was significantly blocked by p38 and FAK inhibitors, but not by an Erk inhibitor. Furthermore, CXCL10-mediated FAK activation was suppressed by the p38 inhibitor. These findings indicated that the CXCL10/CXCR3 pathway promotes the migration of CMECs under normal conditions and during hypoxia/ischemia in a proliferation-independent manner, at least in part, through regulation of the p38/FAK pathways., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Gastric cancer (GC) is a malignant cancer with poor prognosis. This study aims to investigate the roles of homeobox A10 (HOXA10) in GC and the correlations between HOXA10/CD44 expression and GC prognosis. Based on qRT-PCR and Western Blot analyses in 50 pairs of fresh GC samples and adjacent normal samples, it is identified that HOXA10 was significantly up-regulated in GC tissues at mRNA and protein levels. Cell proliferation, migration, and invasion were enhanced in GC cells with overexpressed HOXA10, while inhibited in cells with silenced HOXA10. Through IPA software, HOXA10 was predicted to interact with CD44 via MSN, which was preliminarily confirmed by using Western Blot. Through immunohistochemistry and tissue microarray (N=264), it is found that HOXA10 expression was significantly correlated with tumor size (P=0.011) and CD44 expression (P<0.001), while CD44 expression was significantly correlated with tumor size (P<0.001), depth of tumor invasion (P<0.001), lymph node metastasis (P<0.001), distant metastasis (P=0.001), UICC stage (P<0.001), histological differentiation (P<0.001), and HOXA10 expression (P<0.001). Additionally, the over-all survival and disease-free survival of HOXA10(+)/CD44(+) patients were dramatically decreased in comparison with that of HOXA10(+)/CD44(-), HOXA10(-)/CD44(+), or HOXA10(-)/CD44(-) patients (P<0.001), suggesting that the combinatory expression of HOXA10 and CD44 was correlated with poor GC prognosis. In conclusion, HOXA10 and CD44 might play roles in GC tumorigenesis, metastasis, and invasion. HOXA10(+)/CD44(+) expression might serve as a prognostic biomarker for GC, which needs more studies to validate., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

The homeostasis of intracellular diadenosine 5',5″'-P(1),P(4)-tetraphosphate (Ap4A) in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is maintained by two 60% sequence-identical paralogs of Ap4A phosphorylases (Apa1 and Apa2). Enzymatic assays show that, compared to Apa1, Apa2 has a relatively higher phosphorylase activity towards Ap3A (5',5″'-P(1),P(3)-tetraphosphate), Ap4A, and Ap5A (5',5″'-P(1),P(5)-tetraphosphate), and Ap4A is the favorable substrate for both enzymes. To decipher the catalytic insights, we determined the crystal structures of Apa2 in the apo-, AMP-, and Ap4A-complexed forms at 2.30, 2.80, and 2.70Å resolution, respectively. Apa2 is an α/β protein with a core domain of a twisted eight-stranded antiparallel β-sheet flanked by several α-helices, similar to the galactose-1-phosphate uridylyltransferase (GalT) members of the histidine triad (HIT) superfamily. However, a unique auxiliary domain enables an individual Apa2 monomer to possess an intact substrate-binding cleft, which is distinct from previously reported dimeric GalT proteins. This cleft is perfectly complementary to the favorable substrate Ap4A, the AMP and ATP moieties of which are perpendicular to each other, leaving the α-phosphate group exposed at the sharp turn against the catalytic residue His161. Structural comparisons combined with site-directed mutagenesis and activity assays enable us to define the key residues for catalysis. Furthermore, multiple-sequence alignment reveals that Apa2 and homologs represent canonical Ap4A phosphorylases, which could be grouped as a unique branch in the GalT family., (Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Fibroins serve as the major building blocks of silk fiber. As the major component of fibroin, the fibroin heavy chain is a considerably large protein comprising N-terminal and C-terminal hydrophilic domains and 12 highly repetitive Gly-Ala-rich regions flanked by internal hydrophilic blocks. Here, we show the crystal structure of the fibroin N-terminal domain (FibNT) at pH 4.7, revealing a remarkable double-layered anti-parallel β-sheet with each layer comprising two FibNT molecules entangled together. We also show that FibNT undergoes a pH-responsive conformational transition from random coil to β-sheets at around pH 6.0. Dynamic light scattering demonstrates that FibNT tends to oligomerize as pH decreases to 6.0, and electron microscopy reveals micelle-like oligomers. Our results are consistent with the micelle assembly model of silk fibroin and, more importantly, show that the N-terminal domain in itself has the capacity to form micelle-like structures in response to pH decrease. Structural and mutagenesis analyses further reveal the important role of conserved acidic residues clustered in FibNT, such as Glu56 and Asp100, in preventing premature β-sheet formation at neutral pH. Collectively, we suggest that FibNT functions as a pH-responsive self-assembly module that could prevent premature β-sheet formation at neutral pH yet could initiate fibroin assembly as pH decreases along the lumen of the posterior silk gland to the anterior silk gland., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Glutathione transferases (GSTs) are ubiquitous detoxification enzymes that conjugate hydrophobic xenobiotics with reduced glutathione. The silkworm Bombyx mori encodes four isoforms of GST Omega (GSTO), featured with a catalytic cysteine, except that bmGSTO3-3 has an asparagine substitution of this catalytic residue. Here, we determined the 2.20-Å crystal structure of bmGSTO3-3, which shares a typical GST overall structure. However, the extended C-terminal segment that exists in all the four bmGSTOs occupies the G-site of bmGSTO3-3 and makes it unworkable, as shown by the activity assays. Upon mutation of Asn29 to Cys and truncation of the C-terminal segment, the in vitro GST activity of bmGSTO3-3 could be restored. These findings provided structural insights into the activity regulation of GSTOs., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

P(II) proteins are highly conserved signal transducers in bacteria, archaea, and plants. They have a large flexible loop (T-loop) that adopts different conformations after covalent modification or binding to different effectors to regulate the functions of diverse protein partners. The P(II) partner PipX (P(II)interaction protein X), first identified from Synechococcus sp. PCC 7942, exists uniquely in cyanobacteria. PipX also interacts with the cyanobacterial global nitrogen regulator NtcA. The mutually exclusive binding of P(II) and NtcA by PipX in a 2-oxoglutarate (2-OG)-dependent manner enables P(II) to indirectly regulate the transcriptional activity of NtcA. However, the structural basis for these exclusive interactions remains unknown. We solved the crystal structure of the P(II)-PipX complex from the filamentous cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. PCC 7120 at 1.90 Å resolution. A homotrimeric P(II) captures three subunits of PipX through the T-loops. Similar to P(II) from Synechococcus, the core structure consists of an antiparallel β-sheet with four β-strands and two α-helices at the lateral surface. PipX adopts a novel structure composed of five twisted antiparallel β-strands and two α-helices, which is reminiscent of the P(II) structure. The T-loop of each P(II) subunit extends from the core structure as an antenna that is stabilized at the cleft between two PipX monomers via hydrogen bonds. In addition, the interfaces between the β-sheets of PipX and P(II) core structures partially contribute to complex formation. Comparative structural analysis indicated that PipX and 2-OG share a common binding site that overlaps with the 14 signature residues of cyanobacterial P(II) proteins. Our structure of PipX and the recently solved NtcA structure enabled us to propose a putative model for the NtcA-PipX complex. Taken together, these findings provide structural insights into how P(II) regulates the transcriptional activity of NtcA via PipX upon accumulation of the metabolite 2-OG., (Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Glutaredoxins (Grxs) are a ubiquitous family of proteins that reduce disulfide bonds in substrate proteins using electrons from reduced glutathione (GSH). The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae Grx6 is a monothiol Grx that is localized in the endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi compartments. Grx6 consists of three segments, a putative signal peptide (M1-I36), an N-terminal domain (K37-T110), and a C-terminal Grx domain (K111-N231, designated Grx6C). Compared to the classic dithiol glutaredoxin Grx1, Grx6 has a lower glutathione disulfide reductase activity but a higher glutathione S-transferase activity. In addition, similar to human Grx2, Grx6 binds GSH via an iron-sulfur cluster in vitro. The N-terminal domain is essential for noncovalent dimerization, but not required for either of the above activities. The crystal structure of Grx6C at 1.5 A resolution revealed a novel two-strand antiparallel beta-sheet opposite the GSH binding groove. This extra beta-sheet might also exist in yeast Grx7 and in a group of putative Grxs in lower organisms, suggesting that Grx6 might represent the first member of a novel Grx subfamily., ((c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

SnO2/TiO2 nanotubes composite photocatalysts with different SnO2 contents were successfully synthesized by means of a simple solvothermal process. The synthesized products were characterized physically by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM). The composite photocatalysts can not only make the target pollutant, methylene blue (MB), adsorbed at a high concentration level around the surface of the composites but also decrease the recombination rate of electron-hole pairs so as to achieve good photocatalytic performance. The effect of SnO2 contents on the photocatalytic activities of the composites was also investigated. The results showed that the SnO2/TiO2 nanotubes composite photocatalyst with 5 wt.% SnO2 loading had the highest photocatalytic efficiency.

The degree of malignancy in brain glioma needs to be assessed by MRI findings and clinical data before operations. There have been previous attempts to solve this problem with a fuzzy rule extraction algorithm based on fuzzy min-max neural networks. We utilize support vector machines with floating search method to select relevant features and to predict the degree of malignancy. Computation results show that the feature subset selected by our techniques can yield better classification performance. In contrast with the base line method, which generated two rules and obtained 83.21% accuracy on the whole data set, our method generates one rule to yield 88.21% accuracy.