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Background: Computed tomography (CT) is the usual modality for diagnosing stroke, but conventional CT angiography reconstructions have limitations. Methods: A phantom with tubes of known diameters and wall thickness was scanned for wall detectability, wall thickness, and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) on conventional and spectral black-blood (SBB) images. The clinical study included 34 stroke patients. Diagnostic certainty and conspicuity of normal/abnormal intracranial vessels using SBB were compared to conventional. Sensitivity/specificity/accuracy of SBB and conventional were compared for plaque detectability. CNR of the wall/lumen and quantitative comparison of remodeling index, plaque burden, and eccentricity were obtained for SBB imaging and high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (hrMRI). Results: The phantom study showed improved detectability of tube walls using SBB (108/108, 100% versus conventional 81/108, 75%, p < 0.001). CNRs were 75.9 ± 62.6 (mean ± standard deviation) for wall/lumen and 22.0 ± 17.1 for wall/water using SBB and 26.4 ± 15.3 and 101.6 ± 62.5 using conventional. Clinical study demonstrated (i) improved certainty and conspicuity of the vessels using SBB versus conventional (certainty, median score 3 versus 0; conspicuity, median score 3 versus 1 (p < 0.001)), (ii) improved sensitivity/specificity/accuracy of plaque (≥ 1.0 mm) detectability (0.944/0.981/0.962 versus 0.239/0.743/0.495) (p < 0.001), (iii) higher wall/lumen CNR of SBB of (78.3 ± 50.4/79.3 ± 96.7) versus hrMRI (18.9 ± 8.4/24.1 ± 14.1) (p < 0.001), and (iv) excellent reproducibility of remodeling index, plaque burden, and eccentricity using SBB versus hrMRI (intraclass correlation coefficient 0.85–0.94). Conclusions: SBB can enhance the detectability of intracranial plaques with an accuracy similar to that of hrMRI. Relevance statement: This new spectral black-blood technique for the detection and characterization of intracranial vessel atherosclerotic disease could be a time-saving and cost-effective diagnostic step for clinical stroke patients. It may also facilitate prevention strategies for atherosclerosis. Key points: • Blooming artifacts can blur vessel wall morphology on conventional CT angiography. • Spectral black-blood (SBB) images are generated from material decomposition from spectral CT. • SBB images reduce blooming artifacts and noise and accurately detect small plaques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To realize efficient P removal and resource utilization of steelmaking slag, a synthetic slag with appropriate basicity was produced by co-processing the practical dephosphorization slag and basic oxygen furnace slag. The selective leaching behavior and dissolution kinetics of P were investigated. The results indicated that the P dissolution efficiency and reaction rate were significantly influenced by the variety in stirring rate and pH. However, the decreasing solid/liquid ratio and particle size can significantly enhance the reaction rate, while exerting a slight impact on the P dissolution efficiency. The leaching temperature had less influence on both P dissolution efficiency and reaction rate. Under the optimal leaching conditions, the leaching reaction of the P-condensed phase primarily occurred within the initial 3 min, and, finally, the P dissolution efficiency reached 87.5%, with an extremely low dissolved amount of Fe. After leaching, the Fe-rich residue consisted of massive Fe2O3, MgO, and MnO, with only 0.32% P2O5. This residue can be used as a raw material or flux in steel plants. Furthermore, it was found that the selective leaching of P was controlled by diffusion through the product layer, with the apparent activation energy of 5.80 kJ/mol. The empirical equation has been established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of rare earth elements (Ce and Y) additions with the same content (0.3 wt.%, mass fraction) on microstructure evolution and mechanical properties of the Al-11.0Zn-3.1Mg-1.22Cu-0.1Sr-0.2Zr-0.1Ti alloy (base alloy) were investigated. The addition of Ce and Y refined the grain size and led to aging precipitates, which were dominated by the fine and compactly distributed GP (Guinier Preston) zones and the formed η′ (MgZn2) phase, improving the tensile properties of the alloy. The Ce-containing alloy possessed the highest tensile strength and elongation of 768.5 MPa and 8.0%, respectively. Meanwhile, the large atomic radius and low electronegativity of Ce and Y led to the discontinuous distribution of grain boundary precipitates (GBPs) and the broadening of the precipitate-free zones (PFZs) in the alloys, resulting in the improvement of intergranular corrosion resistance (IGC) of the rare earth modified alloys compared with the base alloy, with the best results for the Y-containing alloys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to its challenging manufacturing and intricate morphology, the aluminum alloy transmission intermediate shell used in vehicle transmission has been the focus of many academic studies. In this study, the three-dimensional cutting model is condensed to a two-dimensional cutting model and utilized to simulate the finishing process of an aluminum alloy workpiece using the finite element modeling program DEFORM-3D. Through orthogonal testing and range analysis, the impact of integral end mill side edge parameters on cutting performance was investigated. It is determined that tool chamfering has a greater impact on cutting performance than tool rake and relief angles, that chamfering width has the most impact on cutting force, and that chamfering angle has the greatest impact on cutting temperature. The workpiece's surface roughness is tested during a cutting experiment, and an analysis of the data reveals that the finite element simulation model is accurate and the orthogonal test method is reasonable. The tool chamfer has a greater impact on roughness than the tool rake angle and relief angle. The tool settings are further optimized using the firefly method. By examining the data, it is determined that the prediction model is correct and the optimization model is reasonable. The cutting efficiency is higher and the surface quality is better when the chamfer width is 0.17 mm and the chamfer angle is 7.3° or 18.3°. Therefore, optimizing the side edge parameters of the integral end mill during the finishing process of a thin-walled aluminum alloy shell has practical technical value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: In situ Raman spectroscopy study of the cation regulation for interfacial water on Au@Pd core–shell nanoparticle surface during hydrogen evolution reaction process. Direct spectral evidence reveals new strategies to optimize the structure of interfacial water by the adjusting of radius and valence of the cation in the electrolyte. The optimized structure of interfacial water will improve the charge transfer efficiency between the water and electrode increasing the performance of the hydrogen evolution reaction. Interfacial water molecules are the most important participants in the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Hence, understanding the behavior and role that interfacial water plays will ultimately reveal the HER mechanism. Unfortunately, investigating interfacial water is extremely challenging owing to the interference caused by bulk water molecules and complexity of the interfacial environment. Here, the behaviors of interfacial water in different cationic electrolytes on Pd surfaces were investigated by the electrochemistry, in situ core–shell nanostructure enhanced Raman spectroscopy and theoretical simulation techniques. Direct spectral evidence reveals a red shift in the frequency and a decrease in the intensity of interfacial water as the potential is shifted in the positively direction. When comparing the different cation electrolyte systems at a given potential, the frequency of the interfacial water peak increases in the specified order: Li+ < Na+ < K+ < Ca2+ < Sr2+. The structure of interfacial water was optimized by adjusting the radius, valence, and concentration of cation to form the two-H down structure. This unique interfacial water structure will improve the charge transfer efficiency between the water and electrode further enhancing the HER performance. Therefore, local cation tuning strategies can be used to improve the HER performance by optimizing the interfacial water structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of 5-methylcytosine (m5C) in tumor initiation and progression has been increasingly recognized. However, the precise association between the regulation of m5C and the progression, metastasis, and prognosis of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) has not yet been fully explored. Data from 545 HNSCC patients obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database were analyzed. Unsupervised cluster analysis was conducted using the expression levels of m5C regulatory genes. Additionally, gene set variation analysis (GSVA), single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA), and Cox regression analysis were utilized. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), colony formation assay, transwell experiments and western blots were performed in the HNSCC cell line UM-SCC-17B to assess the expression and functional role of one of the novel signatures, CNFN. Significant expression differences were found in m5C regulatory genes between tumor and normal tissues in HNSCC. Two distinct m5C modification patterns, characterized by substantial prognostic differences, were identified. Cluster-2, which exhibited a strong association with epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), was found to be associated with a poorer prognosis. Based on the m5C clusters and EMT status, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified. Using DEGs, an 8-gene signature (CAMK2N1, WNT7A, F2RL1, AREG, DEFB1, CNFN, TGFBI, and CAV1) was established to develop a prognostic model. The performance of this signature was validated in both the training and external validation datasets, demonstrating its promising efficacy. Furthermore, additional investigations using RT-qPCR on clinical specimens and experimental assays in cell lines provided compelling evidence suggesting that CNFN, one of the genes in the signature, could play a role in HNSCC progression and metastasis through the EMT pathway. This study highlighted the role of m5C in HNSCC progression and metastasis. The relationship between m5C and EMT has been elucidated for the first time. A robust prognostic model was developed for accurately predicting HNSCC patients' survival outcomes. Potential molecular mechanisms underlying these associations have been illuminated through this research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) have demonstrated efficacious clinical outcomes for many patients with various types of solid cancers, including melanoma, gastrointestinal cancer, lung cancer, and head and neck cancer. Currently, the majority of clinical trials require that patients did not receive systemic therapy right before tumor tissue resection to avoid the interference of chemotherapy in the ex vivo TIL expansion. The primary disadvantage of this strategy is limiting the accessibility of TIL therapy for many eligible cancer patients. Over the past decade, substantial progress has been made for ex vivo expansion technologies in T cells. In this study, we investigated the possibility of enrolling patients who underwent chemotherapy prior to surgical resection. We collected seventeen tumor tissues from treatment naive cases, and five from cases that underwent chemotherapies. Cancer indications enrolled in this study were colorectal and lung cancers from both primary and metastatic sites, such as liver and brain. TILs from these tumors were expanded ex vivo to 2.1E8 (total viable lymphocytes counts) on average, with an overall success rate of 90.9%. Subsequently, TIL phenotypes and cytokine production were analyzed using flow cytometry and ELISA, respectively. We demonstrated functional TIL expansion from tumor tissues despite chemotherapy prior to surgical resection. We observed no significant phenotypic or functional differences between groups with and without chemotherapy. TIL expansion rate and characteristics were similar regardless of chemotherapy prior to resection, thereby providing a possibility to recruit patients with the most recent chemotherapy history in TIL therapy trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ruthenium exhibits comparable or even better alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction activity than platinum, however, the mechanistic aspects are yet to be settled, which are elucidated by combining in situ Raman spectroscopy and theoretical calculations herein. We simultaneously capture dynamic spectral evidence of Ru surfaces, interfacial water, *H and *OH intermediates. Ru surfaces exist in different valence states in the reaction potential range, dissociating interfacial water differently and generating two distinct *H, resulting in different activities. The local cation tuning effect of hydrated Na+ ion water and the large work function of high-valence Ru(n+) surfaces promote interfacial water dissociation. Moreover, compared to low-valence Ru(0) surfaces, high-valence Ru(n+) surfaces have more moderate adsorption energies for interfacial water, *H, and *OH. They, therefore, facilitate the activity. Our findings demonstrate the regulation of valence state on interfacial water, intermediates, and finally the catalytic activity, which provide guidelines for the rational design of high-efficiency catalysts. Here, the authors simultaneously capture dynamic Raman spectral evidence of Ru surfaces, interfacial water, *H and *OH intermediates, and the interactions between them, demonstrating the regulation of Ru valence state on interfacial water and intermediates for catalytic activity improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many cell types migrate in response to naturally generated electric fields. Furthermore, it has been suggested that the external application of an electric field may be used to intervene in and optimize natural processes such as wound healing. Precise cell guidance suitable for such optimization may rely on predictive models of cell migration, which do not generalize. Here, we present a machine learning model that can forecast directedness of cell migration given a timeseries of previous directedness and electric field values. This model is trained using time series galvanotaxis data of mammalian cranial neural crest cells obtained through time-lapse microscopy of cells cultured at 37 °C in a galvanotaxis chamber at ambient pressure. Next, we show that our modeling approach can be used for a variety of cell types and experimental conditions with very limited training data using transfer learning methods. We adapt the model to predict cell behavior for keratocytes (room temperature, ~ 18–20 °C) and keratinocytes (37 °C) under similar experimental conditions with a small dataset (~ 2–5 cells). Finally, this model can be used to perform in silico studies by simulating cell migration lines under time-varying and unseen electric fields. We demonstrate this by simulating feedback control on cell migration using a proportional–integral–derivative (PID) controller. This data-driven approach provides predictive models of cell migration that may be suitable for designing electric field based cellular control mechanisms for applications in precision medicine such as wound healing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The decay width of the D s ∗ meson is dominated by the electromagnetic mode D s ∗ → D s γ , and it is thus the longest-lived charged vector meson. In light of this point, we perform the first QCD LCSRs calculation of D s ∗ → ϕ helicity form factors and discuss the experiment potential of discovering exclusive D s ∗ weak decays. The main result is the partial decay widths, which read as Γ D s ∗ → l ν = 2.44 × 10 - 12 GeV , Γ D s ∗ → ϕ l ν = (3. 28 - 0.71 + 0.82) × 10 - 14 GeV , Γ D s ∗ → ϕ π = (3. 81 - 1.33 + 1.52) × 10 - 14 GeV and Γ D s ∗ → ϕ ρ = (1. 16 - 0.39 + 0.42) × 10 - 13 GeV . We show that these channels are promising in the near future, serving as the first experimental observation of weak decays of a vector meson, and would open up a new playground for precision test of the standard model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aluminum alloy high-speed milling is commonly utilized in the aircraft, aerospace, mold, and other sectors, and its cutting force characteristics will have an important impact on the final machining quality of parts. The cutting force characteristics of high-speed milling of an aluminum alloy workpiece using a ball end milling cutter were investigated in this research. A three-dimensional finite element dynamic simulation model was developed for the high-speed milling of ball-end milling cutters. Firstly, the benefit of tool axis vector inclination angle in multi-axis machining was discussed, and the inclination angle of the tool axis vector in multi-axis machining was characterized more precisely. The three-dimensional model of the ball-end milling cutter was established according to the actual machining, and in order to simulate the machining process, it was put into a finite element analysis system. The rotation and intermittent cutting of the tool were considered in the simulation process, which was in good agreement with the actual machining process. In a finite element simulation environment, the cutting force under 25 groups of rake inclination angles was simulated, and verification milling tests on a five-axis machine were carried out. According to the results, the general trend of the maximum cutting force in all directions was in good agreement with the experimental results. Finally, the range of the rake inclination angle with less cutting force and more stable cutting force in multi-axis machining was given. The results also confirmed the reliability of the simulation results, and provided a reference for the finite element simulation of other metal cutting processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exercise benefits M2 macrophage polarization, energy homeostasis and protects against obesity partially through exercise-induced circulating factors. Here, by unbiased quantitative proteomics on serum samples from sedentary and exercised mice, we identify parvalbumin as a circulating factor suppressed by exercise. Parvalbumin functions as a non-competitive CSF1R antagonist to inhibit M2 macrophage activation and energy expenditure in adipose tissue. More importantly, serum concentrations of parvalbumin positively correlate with obesity in mouse and human, while treating mice with a recombinant parvalbumin blocker prevents its interaction with CSF1R and promotes M2 macrophage polarization and ameliorates diet-induced obesity. Thus, although further studies are required to assess the significance of parvalbumin in mediating the effects of exercise, our results implicate parvalbumin as a potential therapeutic strategy against obesity in mice. Exercise increases energy expenditure and suppresses obesity, but the effector mechanisms are not still unclear. Here the authors profile serum proteomics in exercised mice to find reduced parvalbumin levels that correlate with increased M2 macrophage and suppressed diet-induced obesity to hint parvalbumin as a potential therapy target against obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, with the rapid development of Internet technology, the large-scale popularization of smart phones, tablet computers and other intelligent terminal devices, and the gradual enrichment of 3G, 4G and other mobile network resources, the digital and mobile online guiding method is more and more accepted by people. At the same time, there are still many problems in online education, such as poor learning effect, enterprise profit difficulties and so on. At present, with the rapid development of higher education in China, the scale of higher education has achieved unprecedented growth, but there are also many problems, among which the more prominent problem is the unbalanced development of regional higher education. Therefore, it is necessary to adjust the regional structure of higher education so that higher education can become an inexhaustible driving force for regional development and promote the benign interaction and coordinated development between higher education and the region. The core idea of distributed communication system is to establish multiple call servers to provide services for users. The whole system adopts fully distributed structure, and a certain number of servers are deployed in each node of the network. The bearing capacity of the server is expanded to facilitate customers to access the communication network. Users can use the services provided by such a communication system anytime and anywhere, and realize real mobile communication. Based on the remote sensing deep learning method and the principle of distributed communication, this paper constructs intelligent online guiding network regional planning based on the remote sensing edge-driven distributed communication system with soft computing. Theough the modelling and simulation, the designed systen is proven to be effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-ferrous metal smelting activities have always been considered as one of the foremost anthropogenic sources of potentially toxic elements (PTEs). The enrichment factor (EF) and pollution load index (PLI) were used to evaluate the pollution level of soil PTEs; positive matrix factorization (PMF), correlation analysis, and geostatistics were utilized to quantify the sources of soil PTEs; and potential ecological risk (PER) and human health risk (HHR) of different sources from farmland, construction land, and natural land were quantifiably determined via combined PTE sources with PER and HHR assessment models. Taking the smelting area of Daye City as an example, the evaluation results of EF and PLI showed that the soil PTE pollution in the study area was serious, especially Cd and Cu. And four sources were quantitatively allocated as agricultural practices (12.14%), traffic emissions (23.07%), natural sources (33.46%), and industrial activities (31.33%). For PER, industrial activities were the largest contributor to PER, accounting for 55.66%, 56.30%, and 55.36% of farmland, construction land, and natural land, respectively, and Cd was the most dangerous element. In terms of HHR, industrial activities were also the cardinal contributors under the three land use types. Children were exposed to serious non-carcinogenic risks under three land use patterns and slight carcinogenic risk in construction land (1.06E − 04). Significantly, the carcinogenic risk of children in farmland (9.06 × 10−5) was very close to the threshold (1 × 10−4), which requires attention. Both non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risk for adults were all at acceptable levels. The health risks (carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks) of children from four different sources were distinctly higher than those of adults. Consequently, strict management and control of industrial activities should be given priority, and the management of agricultural practices should not be ignored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on in vitro data that BV enhanced efficacy in three molecular subtypes of CD30 + DLBCL, we supposed that BV was able to kill CD30 + tumor cells of DLBCL. D Left and upper panels indicate T-cell activation score and immune escape score, respectively, stratified by 117 CD30 + DLBCL and 268 CD30-DLBCL. 1 A Prevalence of gene mutations in 55 lymphoma-associated genes, along with the P value for the difference in prevalence between 172 CD30 + DLBCL and 464 CD30-DLBCL. CD30 + DLBCL showed higher score in both T-cell activation and immune escape than CD30-DLBCL ( I P i = 0.004 and I P i < 0.001, Fig. [Extracted from the article]

Understanding the structure and dynamic process of water at the solid–liquid interface is an extremely important topic in surface science, energy science and catalysis1–3. As model catalysts, atomically flat single-crystal electrodes exhibit well-defined surface and electric field properties, and therefore may be used to elucidate the relationship between structure and electrocatalytic activity at the atomic level4,5. Hence, studying interfacial water behaviour on single-crystal surfaces provides a framework for understanding electrocatalysis6,7. However, interfacial water is notoriously difficult to probe owing to interference from bulk water and the complexity of interfacial environments8. Here, we use electrochemical, in situ Raman spectroscopic and computational techniques to investigate the interfacial water on atomically flat Pd single-crystal surfaces. Direct spectral evidence reveals that interfacial water consists of hydrogen-bonded and hydrated Na+ ion water. At hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) potentials, dynamic changes in the structure of interfacial water were observed from a random distribution to an ordered structure due to bias potential and Na+ ion cooperation. Structurally ordered interfacial water facilitated high-efficiency electron transfer across the interface, resulting in higher HER rates. The electrolytes and electrode surface effects on interfacial water were also probed and found to affect water structure. Therefore, through local cation tuning strategies, we anticipate that these results may be generalized to enable ordered interfacial water to improve electrocatalytic reaction rates.Interfacial water consists of hydrogen-bonded water and Na·H2O, its structure changes at hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) potentials, and when structurally ordered it aids interfacial electron transfer, resulting in higher HER rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colorectal cancer (CRC), a common malignant tumor of the digestive tract, has a high incidence and mortality rate. Several recent studies have found that aging is associated with the increasing risk of cancer. Nevertheless, the expression status and function of age-related genes in CRC is still not well understood. In the study, we comprehensively analyzed the gene expression data of CRC patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Age-related differential expression genes (age-related DEGs) in tumor tissues compared with normal tissues of CRC were further identified. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses of age-related DEGs were performed by clusterProfiler of R. Afterwards, we used the STRING database to map the protein–protein interaction network of DEGs. We constructed prognostic model through univariate and multivariate COX regression analyses, and further evaluated their predictive power. The prognostic gene signature-related functional pathways were explored by gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). The weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was used to identify key module associated with two prognostic gene signatures. Finally, we used the Metascape to perform functional enrichment analysis of genes in the key module. A total of 279 age-related DEGs were identified from the TCGA database. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis showed that the age-related DEGs were enriched in the Modulation of chemical synaptic transmission and Neuroactive ligand–receptor interaction. Moreover, we established a novel age-related gene signature (DLX2 and PCOLCE2) for overall survival in CRC, which was further predicted in both the training and validation sets. The results of GSEA demonstrated that numerous disease-related pathways were enriched in the high-risk group. We identified 43 genes related to the DLX2 and PCOLCE2 by the WGCNA co-expression network. We also found that these 43 genes were enriched in the cancer-related pathways. To sum up, the study identified an age-related gene signature for predicting the prognosis of CRC patients, which is conducive to the identification of novel prognostic molecular markers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Direct laser deposition (DLD), as a popular metal additive manufacturing process, shows advantages of technical flexibility and high efficiency to gain a high-performance alloy steel component. However, during the processing of DLD, the deposited steel layer is affected by the subsequent layer depositing. The DLD block shows different microstructure and mechanical properties at the bottom, middle and top of the deposited parts. To date, there are few research works about the effects of inter-layer interval time and laser power on the microstructure evolution and mechanical properties of the deposited layers. In this study, the idle time and laser power layer by layer during DLD of 12CrNi2 steel were controlled to cause the deposited layers to maintain a high cooling rate, while the bottom deposited layer was subjected to a weak tempering effect. Results show that a high proportion of martensite is produced, which improves the strength of the deposited layer. Under the laser scanning strategy of laser power 2,500 W, scanning velocity 5 mm·s−1, powder feeding rate 11 g·min−1, overlap rate 50%, and a laser power difference of 50 W and a 2 min interval, the tensile strength of the deposited layer of 12CrNi2 steel is in the range of 873–1,022 MPa, and the elongation is in the range of 16.2%–18.9%. This study provides a method to reduce the tempering effect of the subsequent deposition layers on the bottom layers, which can increase the proportion of martensite in the low-alloy high-strength steel, so as to improve the yield strength of the alloy steel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Esophageal cancer (EC) is a type of aggressive cancer without clinically relevant molecular subtypes, hindering the development of effective strategies for treatment. To define molecular subtypes of EC, we perform mass spectrometry-based proteomic and phosphoproteomics profiling of EC tumors and adjacent non-tumor tissues, revealing a catalog of proteins and phosphosites that are dysregulated in ECs. The EC cohort is stratified into two molecular subtypes—S1 and S2—based on proteomic analysis, with the S2 subtype characterized by the upregulation of spliceosomal and ribosomal proteins, and being more aggressive. Moreover, we identify a subtype signature composed of ELOA and SCAF4, and construct a subtype diagnostic and prognostic model. Potential drugs are predicted for treating patients of S2 subtype, and three candidate drugs are validated to inhibit EC. Taken together, our proteomic analysis define molecular subtypes of EC, thus providing a potential therapeutic outlook for improving disease outcomes in patients with EC. Proteomics can aid in the identification of molecular subtypes in cancers. Here, the authors perform proteomic profiling of 124 paired oesophageal cancer and adjacent non-tumour tissues and identify two subtypes that are associated with patient survival for therapeutic targeting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plants belonging to family Paeoniaceae are not only economically important ornamental plants but also medicinal plants used as an important source of traditional Chinese medicine. Owing to the complex network evolution and polyploidy evolution of this family, its systematics and taxonomy are controversial and require a detailed investigation. In this study, three complete chloroplast genomes of sect. Paeonia, one of the sections of Paeonia, were sequenced and then analysed together with 16 other published chloroplast genomes of Paeoniaceae species. The total lengths of the chloroplast genomes of these species were 152,153–154,405 bp. A total of 82–87 protein-coding genes, 31–40 tRNA genes and 8 rRNA genes were annotated. Bioinformatics analysis revealed 61–74 simple sequence repeats (SSRs) in the chloroplast genomes, most of which have A/T base preference. Codon usage analysis showed that A/U-ending codons were more positive than C/G-ending codons, and a slight bias in codon usage was observed in these species. A comparative analysis of these 19 species of Paeoniaceae was then conducted. Fourteen highly variable regions were selected for species relationship study. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the species of sect. Paeonia gathered in one branch and then divided into different small branches. P. lactiflora, P. anomala, P. anomala subsp. veitchii and P. mairei clustered together. P. intermedia was related to P. obovata and P. obovata subsp. willmottiae. P. emodi was the sister to all other species in the sect. Paeonia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: MicroRNAs (miRs) are known to participate in sepsis; hence, we aim to discuss the protective effect of miR-499-5p targeting sex-determining region Y-related high-mobility-group box 6 (Sox6) on sepsis-induced lung injury in mice. Methods: The sepsis-induced lung injury model was established by cecal ligation and puncture. The wet/dry weight (W/D) ratio, miR-499-5p, Sox6, Caspase-3 and Caspase-9 expression in lung tissues of mice were tested. Lung injury score, collagen fibers and the degree of pulmonary fibrosis in lung tissues were determined. Further, the cell apoptosis in lung tissues was measured. The inflammatory factors contents and oxidative stress indices in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and lung tissues were detected via loss- and gain-of-function assays. The targeting relation between miR-499-5p and Sox6 was verified. Results: W/D ratio and Sox6 were increased while miR-499-5p was decreased in lung tissues of sepsis-induced lung injury mice. Restored miR-499-5p or depleted Sox6 alleviated lung tissues pathology, reduced lung injury score, collagen fibers, the degree of pulmonary fibrosis, TUNEL positive cells, Caspase-3 and Caspase-9 protein expression and inflammatory factors contents in BALF and lung tissues as well as oxidative stress response in lung tissues of sepsis-induced lung injury mice. miR-499-5p targeted Sox6. Conclusion: High expression of miR-499-5p can attenuate cell apoptosis in lung tissues and inhibit inflammation of sepsis-induced lung injury mice via depleting Sox6, and it is a potential candidate marker and therapeutic target for sepsis-induced lung injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asphalt binder is the main material for road pavement and building construction. It is a complex mixture composed of a large number of hydrocarbons with different molecular weights. The study of asphalt binders and asphalt concretes from a molecular perspective is an important means to understand the intricate properties of asphalt. Molecular dynamics simulation is based on Newton's law and predicts the microscopic performance of materials by calculating the intra- and intermolecular interactions. The asphalt binder can be divided into four components: saturates, aromatics, resins, and asphaltenes (SARA). A new molecular model of asphalt was proposed and verified in this study. Eight molecules selected from the literature were used to represent the four components of asphalt. The AMBER Cornell Extension Force Field was applied in this study to model building and the calculation of properties. The density of the asphalt model was calculated and compared with experimental results for validity verifications. The results show that the purposed model can be used to calculate the microscopic properties of the asphalt binder because the density of the model is close to the real value in the field. Besides, the proportions of different molecules in the model were adjusted to predict the relationship between the asphalt binder density and the hydrocarbon ratios and heteroatom contents of the molecular model. Moreover, the glass transition temperature of the asphalt binder model is predicted by the simulation of the heating process. The range of the glass transition temperature is determined by calculating the relationship between specific volume and temperature, and the calculated range is close to the experimental value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous substrates have been identified for Type I and II arginine methyltransferases (PRMTs). However, the full substrate spectrum of the only type III PRMT, PRMT7, and its connection to type I and II PRMT substrates remains unknown. Here, we use mass spectrometry to reveal features of PRMT7-regulated methylation. We find that PRMT7 predominantly methylates a glycine and arginine motif; multiple PRMT7-regulated arginine methylation sites are close to phosphorylations sites; methylation sites and proximal sequences are vulnerable to cancer mutations; and methylation is enriched in proteins associated with spliceosome and RNA-related pathways. We show that PRMT4/5/7-mediated arginine methylation regulates hnRNPA1 binding to RNA and several alternative splicing events. In breast, colorectal and prostate cancer cells, PRMT4/5/7 are upregulated and associated with high levels of hnRNPA1 arginine methylation and aberrant alternative splicing. Pharmacological inhibition of PRMT4/5/7 suppresses cancer cell growth and their co-inhibition shows synergistic effects, suggesting them as targets for cancer therapy. Arginine methyltransferases (PRMTs) are involved in the regulation of various physiological and pathological conditions. Using proteomics, the authors here profile the methylation substrates of PRMTs 4, 5 and 7 and characterize the roles of these enzymes in cancer-associated splicing regulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Structural and electronic properties of magnesium zinc oxide alloy with different Mg content and different configurations are studied by density functional theory. The energy track of rocksalt and wurtzite phases of MgZnO with different Mg content indicates that below 63% the wurtzite phase is energetically stable and above 63% the rocksalt phase is stable. Distribution of Mg in the MgZnO alloy is important to understand the phase segregation. By analyzing the distribution of Mg in the MgZnO alloy, we find that the energy required for two Mg to stay together is slightly larger than that for two Mg to stay apart, meaning that Mg has the potential to be uniformly distributed in the MgZnO alloy. By comparing with other dopants, we find that Mg introduces smaller lattice distortion. The corresponding electronic properties are studied by analyses of the density of state and the band structure. From the decomposed-projected band structure, we find that the energy level of O 2p orbitals is modulated to lower energy by introducing Mg, indicating that the enlargement of the band gap is partly caused by the subsidence of the valence band. For comparison, Cd modulates O 2p orbitals to a higher energy level, consistent with the presence of a narrow band gap. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structural and optoelectronic properties of a MoS2-based heterostructure with a MoS2 monolayer stacked on a ZnO monolayer (g-ZnO) are calculated by first-principle simulations. MoS2/g-ZnO is a typical type II, indirect-bandgap van der Waals heterostructure. With the coupling interaction in the MoS2/g-ZnO heterostructure, the bandgap reduces with respect to both individual sheets, resulting in broadening of the absorption edges towards visible and near-infrared regions. For application in water splitting, the energy levels of the conduction-band minimum and valence-band maximum of the heterostructure are respectively high enough for water reduction and low enough for water oxidation, making this a promising functional material. For the MoS2 monolayer, the photocatalyst efficiency is limited by the high recombination rate of photogenerated electron–hole pairs. On the contrary, for the MoS2/g-ZnO van der Waals heterostructure, a large built-in electric field is formed at the interface, effectively facilitating separation of photogenerated electron–hole pairs and promoting its photocatalytic efficiency. This indicates that such MoS2/g-ZnO van der Waals heterostructures possess great prospects for application in photocatalytic and photovoltaic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genomic profiling studies have demonstrated that bladder cancer can be divided into two molecular subtypes referred to as luminal and basal with distinct clinical behaviors and sensitivities to frontline chemotherapy. We analyzed the mRNA expressions of signature luminal and basal genes in bladder cancer tumor samples from publicly available and MD Anderson Cancer Center cohorts. We developed a quantitative classifier referred to as basal to luminal transition (BLT) score which identified the molecular subtypes of bladder cancer with 80–94% sensitivity and 83–93% specificity. In order to facilitate molecular subtyping of bladder cancer in primary care centers, we analyzed the protein expressions of signature luminal (GATA3) and basal (KRT5/6) markers by immunohistochemistry, which identified molecular subtypes in over 80% of the cases. In conclusion, we provide a tool for assessment of molecular subtypes of bladder cancer in routine clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Life history theory predicts that animals often produce fewer offspring of larger size and indicate a stronger trade-off between the number and size of offspring to cope with increasing environmental stress. In order to evaluate this prediction, we tested the life history characteristics of Bufo minshanicus at eight different altitudes on the eastern Tibetan Plateau, China. Our results revealed a positive correlation between female SVL and clutch size or egg size, revealing that larger females produce more and larger eggs. However, high-altitude toads seem to favor more offspring and smaller egg sizes when removing the effect of female SVL, which is counter to theoretical predictions. In addition, there was an overall significantly negative relationship between egg size and clutch size, indicative of a trade-off between egg size and fecundity. Therefore, we suggest that higher fecundity, rather than larger egg size, is a more effective reproductive strategy for this species of anuran living at high-altitude environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sarcomatoid clear-cell renal cell carcinomas (sRCC) are associated with dismal prognosis. Genomic alterations associated with sarcomatoid dedifferentiation are poorly characterized. We sought to define the genomic landscape of sRCC and uncover potentially actionable therapeutic targets. We assessed the genomic landscape of sRCC using targeted panel sequencing including patients with microdissected sarcomatoid and epithelial components. Along with common genomic alterations associated with clear-cell histology, we found that Hippo was one of the most frequently altered pathways in these tumours. Hippo alterations were differentially enriched in sRCC compared to non-sRCC. Functional analysis showed that Hippo members mutations were associated with higher nuclear accumulation of YAP/TAZ, core effectors of the Hippo pathway. In a NF2-mutant sRCC model, YAP1 knockdown and NF2 reconstitution suppressed cell proliferation, tumour growth and invasion, both in vitro and in vivo. Overall, we show that Hippo pathway alterations are a feature of sRCC, and enable the exploration of the Hippo pathway as a novel potential therapeutic target. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sesquiterpanes are ubiquitous components of crude oils and ancient sediments. Liquid saturated hydrocarbons from simulated pyrolysis experiments on immature organic-rich mudstone collected from the Lower Cretaceous Hesigewula Sag were analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). C14 bicyclic sesquiterpanes, namely, 8β(H)-drimane, 8β(H)-homodrimane, and 8α(H)-homodrimane were detected and identified on basis of their diagnostic fragment ions (m/z 123, 179, 193, and 207), and previously published mass spectra data, and these bicyclic sesquiterpanes presented relatively regular characteristics in their thermal evolution. The ratios 8β(H)-drimane/8β(H)-homodrimane, 8β(H)-homodrimane/8α(H)-homodrimane, and 8β(H)-drimane/8α(H)-homodrimane all show a clear upward trend with increasing temperature below the temperature turning point. Thus, all these ratios can be used as evolution indexes of source rocks in the immature–low-maturity stage. However, the last two ratios may be more suitable than the first ratio as valid parameters for measuring the extent of thermal evolution of organic matter in the immature–low-maturity stage because their change amplitude with increasing temperature is more obvious. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to Bergmann's rule, in endothermic species, body sizes of individuals tend to be larger in colder climates compared to those in warmer climates. Some ectotherms, including amphibians, have also been found to conform to this rule. However, the validity of this rule is disputed, as it is uncertain whether Bergmann's clines are generally applicable to all anuran species. Here we studied altitudinal variation in mean body size, egg size, age, and growth rate in Bufo minshanicus across six altitudes in the eastern Tibetan Plateau. Our results showed that mean body size increased with increasing altitude, which is consistent with Bergmann's rule. Toads from higher altitudes also tended to have faster growth rates and older mean ages of reproductively mature adults, but did not have larger egg sizes. We suggest that, as growth rate is positively correlated with altitude, and it contributes to body size variation more than mean age does, then this explains why this species follows Bergmann's rule. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of AM60-1Ce-xCa (x=0, 0.5, 1.5, 2.5) magnesium alloys were prepared by gravity casting method and analyzed by means of XRD, DSC and SEM. The effects of Ca on normal temperature mechanical properties and high temperature creep behavior of alloys were characterized by tensile and constant creep test. Microstructure analysis indicated that Ca was preferentially combined with Al in the alloy to form the high melting point Al2Ca phase at the grain boundary. The addition of Ca can refine the crystal grains and reduces the content of ß-Mg17Al12 phase. With the increase of Ca content in the alloy, Al2Ca phases at the grain boundary gradually changed to the network of lamellar structure, and replaced the ß-Mg17Al12 phase as the main strengthening phase gradually. The creep resistance of the alloy continuously increases because the high-temperature stable phase Al2Ca firmly nailed at grain boundaries impedes the sliding of grain boundaries. However, when the addition of Ca was more than 1.5%, mechanical properties of the alloy started to decrease, which was probably due to the large amount of irregularly shaped Al2Ca phases at the grain boundary. Experimental results show that the optimal addition amount of Ca is 1.5wt.%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) can only analyze volatile molecular compounds, and it has limitations when applied to determine the complex components of crude oils and hydrocarbon source rocks. Based on Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR-MS) and GC/MS analyses, the molecular compositions of NSO compounds in extracts from the Permian Dalong Formation, Sichuan Basin and the Permian Lucaogou Formation, Junggar Basin in China were compared. Analyses of types of heteroatoms present (S1, S2, S3, OS, OS2, O2S, NS, and NOS compounds) suggest that marine shales from the Dalong Formation are mainly composed of carboxylic acids (O2 compounds) with a high abundance of fatty acids, indicating a marine phytoplankton organic source. However, lacustrine shales from the Lucaogou Formation are dominated by pyrrolic compounds (N1 compounds) with abundant dibenzocarbazole. It suggests that the organic source materials may be derived from lower aquatic organisms and lacustrine algae. Overall, FT-ICR-MS has potential for applications in analyses and determination of depositional environments and organic sources in petroleum geology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors did not respond to any correspondence from the editor about the wording of this retraction notice. Additional concerns were raised about the quality of Western blots presented in the article, but the authors did not respond to the request to provide raw data. [Extracted from the article]

Numerous efforts have been made to characterize forest carbon (C) cycles and stocks in various ecosystems. However, long-term observation on each component of the forest C cycle is still lacking. We measured C stocks and fluxes in three permanent temperate forest plots (birch, oak and pine forest) during 2011-2014, and calculated the changes of the components of the C cycle related to the measurements during 1992-1994 at Mt. Dongling, Beijing, China. Forest net primary production in birch, oak, and pine plots was 5.32, 4.53, and 6.73 Mg C ha a, respectively. Corresponding net ecosystem production was 0.12, 0.43, and 3.53 Mg C ha a. The C stocks and fluxes in 2011-2014 were significantly larger than those in 1992-1994 in which the biomass C densities in birch, oak, and pine plots increased from 50.0, 37.7, and 54.0 Mg C ha in 1994 to 101.5, 77.3, and 110.9 Mg C ha in 2014; soil organic C densities increased from 207.0, 239.1, and 231.7 Mg C ha to 214.8, 241.7, and 238.4 Mg C ha; and soil heterotrophic respiration increased from 2.78, 3.49, and 1.81 Mg C ha a to 5.20, 4.10, and 3.20 Mg C ha a. These results suggest that the mountainous temperate forest ecosystems in Beijing have served as a carbon sink in the last two decades. These observations of C stocks and fluxes provided field-based data for a long-term study of C cycling in temperate forest ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sensor array calibration methods tailored to uniform rectangular array (URA) in the presence of mutual coupling and sensor gain-and-phase errors were addressed. First, the mutual coupling model of the URA was studied, and then a set of steering vectors corresponding to distinct locations were numerically computed with the help of several time-disjoint auxiliary sources with known directions. Then, the optimization modeling with respect to the array error matrix (defined by the product of mutual coupling matrix and sensor gain-and-phase errors matrix) was constructed. Two preferable algorithms (called algorithm I and algorithm II) were developed to minimize the cost function. In algorithm I, the array error matrix was regarded as a whole parameter to be estimated, and the exact solution was available. Compared to some existing algorithms with the similar computation framework, algorithm I can make full use of the potentially linear characteristics of URA's error matrix, thus, the calibration precision was obviously enhanced. In algorithm II, the array error matrix was decomposed into two matrix parameters to be optimized. Compared to algorithm I, it can further decrease the number of unknowns and, thereby, yield better estimation accuracy. However, algorithm II was incapable of producing the closed-form solution and the iteration operation was unavoidable. Simulation results validate the excellent performances of the two novel algorithms compared to some existing calibration algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to simplify the boundary conditions of pavement temperature field, the 'Environment-Surface' system which considered the natural environment and pavement surface was established. Based on this system, the partial differential equations of the one-dimensional heat conduction in the pavement were established on the basis of the heat transfer theory. Furthermore, the function forms of the initial and boundary conditions of the equations were created through the field experiments. The general solution of the pavement one-dimensional heat conduction partial differential equations was acquired by using Green's function, and the explicit expression of pavement temperature field under specific constraint conditions was derived. For the purpose of analysis, the pavement temperatures in different seasons were calculated using the explicit expression of pavement temperature field, and the calculation accuracy was analyzed through the comparison between measured and calculated values. Then, the relationship between fitting accuracy and calculation accuracy of pavement temperatures was analyzed. The analysis results show that: the usage of 'Environment-Surface' system simplifies the calculation of pavement temperature field; the relative error between calculated and measured values is generally less than 7% and is seldom influenced by seasons; there is a positive correlation between the calculation accuracy and the fitting accuracy of pavement surface temperature; high fitting accuracy would result in less error of pavement temperature prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnolia grandiflora is an important medicinal, ornamental and horticultural plant species. The chloroplast (cp) genome of M. grandiflora was sequenced using a 454 sequencing platform and the genome structure was compared with other related species. The complete cp genome of M. grandiflora was 159623 bp in length and contained a pair of inverted repeats (IR) of 26563 bp separated by large and small single copy (LSC, SSC) regions of 87757 and 18740 bp, respectively. A total of 129 genes were successfully annotated, 18 of which included introns. The identity, number and GC content of M. grandiflora cp genes were similar to those of other Magnoliaceae species genomes. Analysis revealed 218 simple sequence repeat (SSR) loci, most composed of A or T, contributing to a bias in base composition. The types and abundances of repeat units in Magnoliaceae species were relatively conserved and these loci will be useful for developing M. grandiflora cp genome vectors. In addition, results indicated that the cp genome size in Magnoliaceae species and the position of the IR border were closely related to the length of the ycf1 gene. Phylogenetic analyses based on 66 shared genes from 30 species using maximum parsimony (MP) and maximum likelihood (ML) methods provided strong support for the phylogenetic position of Magnolia. The availability of the complete cp genome sequence of M. grandiflora provides valuable information for breeding of desirable varieties, cp genetic engineering, developing useful molecular markers and phylogenetic analyses in Magnoliaceae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A drive circuit, with software preprocessing unit, is developed for Multi-quantum-well (MQW) spatial light modulator (SLM). According to the characteristic values of different SLM reflective properties, software preprocessing unit fits the curve of reflectivity spectra for the modulator and generates photoelectric-conversion-controlling signals, which improve the commonality of the drive circuit. A new method of scanning was researched in this paper to substitute the old method of one-step scanning. The new method, that rough-scan is followed by fine-scan, could achieve high scanning speed and high output resolution. Apart from this, it could also effectively reduce the pixel size to be integrated with MQW SLM by flip-chip bonding. SPICE simulation and chip test results show that, the chip could work well, and the swing of drive voltage is from 0 to V DD, the resolution of drive voltage could be up to 256. In a word, this circuit could meet the requirements of MQW SLM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DNA barcoding is a rapidly developing frontier technology that is gaining worldwide attention. Here, seven regions ( psbA-trnH, matK, ycf5, rpoC1, rbcL, ITS2, and ITS) with potential for use as DNA barcodes were tested for their ability to identify 300 samples of 192 species from 72 genera of the family Rutaceae. To evaluate each barcode's utility for species authentication, PCR amplification efficiency, genetic divergence, and barcoding gaps were assessed. We found that the ITS2 region exhibited the highest inter-specific divergence, and that this was significantly higher than the intra-specific variation in the 'DNA barcoding gap' assessment and Wilcoxon two-sample tests. The ITS2 locus had the highest identification efficiency among all tested regions. In a previous study, we found that ITS2 was able to discriminate a wide range of plant taxa, and here we confirmed that ITS2 was also able to discriminate a number of closely related species. Therefore, we propose that ITS2 is a promising candidate barcode for plant species identification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electrokinetic properties of Nd:YAG nanopowder with particles of about 40 nm in diameter were investigated by measuring the zeta potential of a stable YAG (Y3Al5O12) aqueous slurry. Ammonium poly(acrylic acid) polyelectrolyte was used as dispersant to adjust the electrokinetic properties of the Nd:YAG slurry. The effect of the pH of the slurry and of the polyelectrolyte concentration on the stability of the suspension are discussed in this study. The optimal pH value and the amount of dispersant needed to obtain a stable Nd:YAG nanoparticle slurry were determined. Highly consistent Nd:YAG nanoparticle slurries with optimal pH and dispersant concentration were prepared by ball milling. The rheological behavior of Nd:YAG slip with different solid loading (60–70 wt%) has been studied by measuring the viscosity and shear stress as a function of shear rate. Slip with solid loadings of 65 wt% shows near-Newtonian behavior but becomes non-Newtonian with typical shear-thinning behavior above this solid loading value. The density and microstructure of the cast product bears a direct relationship to the state of the slip induced by alternation of the pH and the concentration of the dispersant as well as the solid loading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genomes are organized into high-level three-dimensional structures, and DNA elements separated by long genomic distances can in principle interact functionally. Many transcription factors bind to regulatory DNA elements distant from gene promoters. Although distal binding sites have been shown to regulate transcription by long-range chromatin interactions at a few loci, chromatin interactions and their impact on transcription regulation have not been investigated in a genome-wide manner. Here we describe the development of a new strategy, chromatin interaction analysis by paired-end tag sequencing (ChIA-PET) for the de novo detection of global chromatin interactions, with which we have comprehensively mapped the chromatin interaction network bound by oestrogen receptor α (ER-α) in the human genome. We found that most high-confidence remote ER-α-binding sites are anchored at gene promoters through long-range chromatin interactions, suggesting that ER-α functions by extensive chromatin looping to bring genes together for coordinated transcriptional regulation. We propose that chromatin interactions constitute a primary mechanism for regulating transcription in mammalian genomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The corrosion behavior of a new Mg–9Al–1Zn (AZ91) magnesium alloy containing neodymium (Nd) is investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), immersion tests and electrochemical experiments. The results indicate that Nd decreases the size and volume fraction of the β (Mg17Al12) phase and forms Al2Nd in the alloy. In addition, during corrosion, Nd is incorporated into corrosion film in the form of Nd2O3. AZ91 alloy containing 1.0 wt.% Nd possesses an outstanding passivation property and excellent corrosion resistance. The corrosion resistance enhancement is attributed to the reduction in the size and volume fraction of the β phase and the incorporation of Nd2O3 in the corrosion film. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The silkworm Bombyx mori is exploited both as a powerful biological model system and also as a tool to convert leaf protein into silk. Silkworm larvae often suffer from viral infections causing heavy losses to the economy of the silk industry. Insects exhibit both humoral and cellular immune responses that are effective against various pathogens like bacteria, fungi, protozoa, etc., but no insect immune response is effective against viral infections. To date, no satisfactory reports are available on antiviral immunity of the silkworm. Some efforts have been made by very few workers to identify and characterize the antiviral proteins in the silkworm. In the present article the mode of viral infection, and the activity of certain antiviral proteins involved in silkworm immunity and also in some other insects are discussed. The investigation will be helpful in understanding the molecular aspects of antiviral immunity, disease control and may form the basis for potential use of silkworm in other fields such as medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effects of Ce on the short-term biocompatibility of Ti–Fe–Mo–Mn–Nb–Zr alloy designed for implant materials were studied by acute toxicity test, hemolytic test, and MTT assay. The elements and their concentration in surface films and extraction media of Ti alloys were investigated with XPS and ICP, respectively. The primary compositions of the surface films of Ti alloys with 0.3% Ce and without Ce were TiO2 and Nb2O5. There were 0.2 mg/l Fe and 0.16 mg/l Mn in the extraction medium of Ti alloy without Ce, while 0.27 mg/l Fe and 0.87 mg/l Mn in the extraction medium of Ti alloy with 0.3% Ce. The concentrations of Fe and Mn in the medium were too low to have any significant effects on human health. There was no sign of cytotoxicity in these tests. The cytotoxicity levels of Ti alloys without Ce and with 0.3% Ce were graded 0 and 1, respectively. The hemolytic degrees of Ti alloys without Ce and with 0.3% Ce were 0.558% and 0.67%, respectively. The cells being incubated in the extraction medium were normal. These phenomena indicated that Ce was innocuous within the concentration range of this study. In addition, the hemolytic ratio and toxicity level of Ti alloy with 0.3% Ce were a little higher than that of Ti alloy without Ce. This meant that Ce would slightly increase the toxicity of Ti alloy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A common difficulty in post genomics biology is that large-scale techniques of data collection often strip away information on the biological context of these data. The result is a massive number of disconnected observations on sequence, structure, and function from which underlying patterns and biological meaning are obscured. One solution is to build computational filters that pick out sufficiently few facts, relevant to a query, that their relationship is immediately apparent and experimentally testable. Typically, these filters rely on mathematics and statistics, and on first principles from physics and chemistry. We show here that evolution itself can be used to filter sequence and structure data in order to identify evolutionarily important amino acids. A general property of these residues is that they form clusters in native protein structures and point to regions where mutations have the greatest biological impact. The result is an accurate method of functional site annotation that is scalable for structural proteomics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pathogenic bacterium Neisseria meningitidis is an important cause of septicemia and meningitis, especially in childhood. The establishment and maintenance of bacteremic infection is a prerequisite for all the pathological sequelae of meningococcal infection. To further understand the genetic basis of this essential step in pathogenesis, we analyzed a library of 2,850 insertional mutants of N. meningitidis for their capacity to cause systemic infection in an infant rat model. The library was constructed by in vitro modification of Neisseria genomic DNA with the purified components of Tn10 transposition. We identified 73 genes in the N. meningitidis genome that are essential for bacteremic disease. Eight insertions were in genes encoding known pathogenicity factors. Involvement of the remaining 65 genes in meningocoocal pathogenesis has not been demonstrated previously, and the identification of these genes provides insights into the pathogenic mechanisms that underlie meningococcal infection. Our results provide a genome-wide analysis of the attributes of N. meningitidis required for disseminated infection, and may lead to new interventions to prevent and treat meningococcal infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CHARGE syndrome, a rare multiple congenital anomaly condition, is caused by haploinsufficiency of the chromatin remodeling protein gene CHD7 (Chromodomain helicase DNA binding protein 7). Brain abnormalities and intellectual disability are commonly observed in individuals with CHARGE, and neuronal differentiation is reduced in CHARGE patient-derived iPSCs and conditional knockout mouse brains. However, the mechanisms of CHD7 function in nervous system development are not well understood. In this study, we asked whether CHD7 promotes gene transcription in neural progenitor cells via changes in chromatin accessibility. We used Chd7 null embryonic stem cells (ESCs) derived from Chd7 mutant mouse blastocysts as a tool to investigate roles of CHD7 in neuronal and glial differentiation. Loss of Chd7 significantly reduced neuronal and glial differentiation. Sholl analysis showed that loss of Chd7 impaired neuronal complexity and neurite length in differentiated neurons. Genome-wide studies demonstrated that loss of Chd7 leads to modified chromatin accessibility (ATAC-seq) and differential nascent expression (Bru-Seq) of neural-specific genes. These results suggest that CHD7 acts preferentially to alter chromatin accessibility of key genes during the transition of NPCs to neurons to promote differentiation. Our results form a basis for understanding the cell stage-specific roles for CHD7-mediated chromatin remodeling during cell lineage acquisition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatitis and hepatocellular carcinoma are serious human diseases. Here, we examined the in vivo and in vitro inhibitory effect of extracts of Qizhu decoction (a traditional Chinese medicine) on hepatitis caused by diethylnitrosamine or hepatitis B virus and on diethylnitrosamine-induced hepatocellular carcinoma. The results showed that both the aqueous and ethanol extracts (QC and QS, respectively) of Qizhu decoction significantly inhibited hepatic inflammation and liver cancer induced by diethylnitrosamine or hepatitis B virus by suppressing NF-κB signaling and decreasing the levels of TNF-α and IL-1β. Both QC and QS inhibited the proliferation and migration of primary cancer hepatocytes by reducing cyclin B1, cyclin D1 and N-cadherin expression and increasing E-cadherin expression. QC and QS also promoted the apoptosis of primary cancer hepatocytes by upregulating caspase-3 and downregulating BCL-2 expression. The knockdown of p65 in NF-κB signaling inhibited the ability of QC and QS to significantly reduce the colony formation ability of liver cancer cells. Additionally, QC and QS might significantly inhibit the DNA replication of hepatitis B virus in vivo and in vitro, and we found that corilagin and polydatin were the active compounds of QC and QS. Taken together, our in vitro findings and our results in C57BL/6 mice showed that extracts of Qizhu decoction might inhibit hepatitis and hepatocellular carcinoma by suppressing NF-κB signaling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]