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Leaf is an important organ of photosynthesis in plants, and leaf color has an important influence on photosynthesis. However, the molecular mechanisms of leaf color regulation are still unclear. In this study, we identified a rice (Oryza sativa) temperature sensitive albino trans-green (tag) mutant, which showed albino leaves at the seedling stage, and gradually turned green. Map-based cloning showed that TAG is a Novel allele gene of OsBT3, encoding an adenine nucleotide transport protein. Compared with the allele mutants of sla and wsl2, tag displayed some new phenotypes, such as it was a low-temperature-sensitive albino trans-green mutant with serious DNA damage in the albino leaves, and the PSI photosynthetic efficiency and photosynthesis of it were enhanced significantly in mature stage. Besides, we also found TAG was also localized in chloroplasts and played an important role on chloroplast development. Moreover, we newly discovered that TAG is highly expressed in L3U, which is induced by low temperature, and in situ hybridization results showed TAG expressed in the shoot apical meristem, leaf primordium and vascular bundle. Taken together, the above new results provide deeper clues to explain the molecular mechanisms by which TAG regulates chloroplast development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study was to evaluate the ability of a modified passive deflation needle to reduce the apical voids during the intra-canal iRoot SP sealer injection. A modified passive deflation injection needle was designed. Forty 20°-curved and twenty S-shaped single-canal resin block models were allocated into six groups. Each group was mechanically prepared to #25/04 or #25/06 file; then the root canals were injected with iRoot SP sealer using a modified needle or a normal plastic needle. Radiographs were taken to measure the length of apical void in each specimen. Similarly, twenty single-canal extracted premolars were collected and randomly divided into four groups. Each group was prepared to #25/04 or #25/06 file; then the root canals were injected with iRoot SP sealer using a modified needle or a normal plastic needle. Roots were then scanned using micro-computed tomography (micro-CT), and the volume of voids in root canals was analyzed and compared among groups. Statistical analysis demonstrated that the length and the volumetric percentage of voids were much lower in the modified needle group in both resin block root canal models and extract teeth than the normal plastic needle group (P < 0.05). The modified passive deflation needle can efficiently reduce apical voids during the intra-canal iRoot SP sealer injection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DEAD-box helicase 53 (DDX53) is a member of the DEAD-box protein family of RNA helicases. Unlike other family members that are responsible for RNA metabolism, the biological function of DDX53 and its impact on the human condition are unclear. Herein, we found a full-length DDX53 deletion mutation in a hereditary spastic paraplegia-like (HSP-like) patient with lower extremity spasticity, walking disorder, visual impairment, and lateral ventricular white matter lesions. Bioinformatic analysis revealed that DDX53 was mainly expressed in the cerebellar cortex and may function as a tissue-specific RNA helicase. Transcriptome analysis showed that the expression of multiple brain-associated genes involved in synapse organization, neuron function, and neuromuscular junctions was affected by DDX53 depletion. Moreover, RNA immunoprecipitation sequencing (RIP-seq) analysis showed that DDX53 interacted with 176 genes, and 96 of these genes were associated with the execution of neurofunction, particularly in the regulation of cell projection organization and nervous system development. Collectively, although a more specified cell or animal model is required to fully understand the functional role of DDX53 in the human brain, we report for the first time that the patient with DDX53 defects exhibits HSP-like symptoms and that DDX53 is essential for maintaining neuronal function, with loss-of-function mutation in DDX53 potentially leading to HSP due to impaired RNA metabolism in the nervous system. Key messages: DDX53 deficiency was first reported to be associated with HSP disorder. DDX53 exhibited minimal impact on mitochondrial function. DDX53 impaired RNA metabolism in the nervous system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Horizontally ordered arrangement TiO2 nanotubes with various crystalline phases were prepared by electrostatic spinning, pulsed laser deposition and annealing at different temperatures. The morphology, microstructure, crystal structure and spectral absorption of the nanotubes were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and ultraviolet–visible absorption spectroscopy. Then, ordered TiO2 nanotubes in various crystal phases were deposited to gold interdigital electrodes with a spacing of 100 μm to prepare photodetectors, and their photoelectric performance were examined and compared. The findings revealed that TiO2 nanotubes that were annealed at 500 °C had a greater anatase content (93.8%), displayed a shorter response-recovery time (8.8 and 2.2 s, respectively) and a higher responsivity (70.2 μA/W) to UV light with a wavelength of 365 nm (optical power density of 4.9 mW/cm2, bias voltage of 3 V). Finally, the UV response mechanism and advantages of horizontally ordered arrangement TiO2 nanotubes with different crystalline phases are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a serious problem in the central nervous system resulting in high disability and mortality with complex pathophysiological mechanisms. Oxidative stress is one of the main secondary reactions of SCI, and its main pathophysiological marker is the production of excess reactive oxygen species. The overproduction of reactive oxygen species and insufficient antioxidant capacity lead to the occurrence of oxidative stress and neuroinflammation, and the dysregulation of oxidative stress and neuroinflammation leads to further aggravation of damage. Oxidative stress can initiate a variety of inflammatory and apoptotic pathways, and targeted antioxidant therapy can greatly reduce oxidative stress and reduce neuroinflammation, which has a certain positive effect on rehabilitation and prognosis in SCI. This article reviewed the research on different types of antioxidants and related treatments in SCI, focusing on the mechanisms of oxidative stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the extended scattering matrix method, the authors explore the interference of edge states in the nanoribbon resonant structure with the relativistic quasiparticles in the quantum limit. By varying the chemical potential in the gated region, the structure of the junction, and the number of the scattering impurities/defects, the scattering coefficients of the edge states can be tuned efficiently. In particular, the Fabry–Pérot like interference in the present structure has been found and the phase accumulated highly depends on both the modes propagating vertically to the interface and the modes propagating along the interface. The feature is fundamentally different from the case of the conventional material where the longitudinal resonant states of the narrow constriction give rise to a clear conductance dips. These results are crucial and useful for engineering nanoelectronic devices based on the relativistic quasiparticles systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the non-equilibrium Green's function theory, the quantum transport characteristics in zigzag graphene nanoribbons with triangular patterned structure have been explored. The results show that the local states caused by the patterned structure can cause the coupling between the edge states of graphene nanoribbons, which leads to the sharp destruction of the step structure of the tunneling conductance of the structure. For a certain incident energy and patterned structure, we can obtain a fully polarized spin current in antiferromagnetic nanoribbons. In addition, in the low-energy region, the different orientations of triangular patterned structure can also modulate the tunneling conductance of the structure. The proposal is experimentally feasible and will be helpful for exploring the design of graphene nanoribbon-based electronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MoO3 is an excellent and greatly concerned gas-sensitive material, especially for ethanol detection. In this study, MoO3 nanoparticles were prepared by thermal evaporation and mechanical grinding. The MoO3 nanoparticles were characterized by scanning electron microscopy(SEM), X-ray diffraction(XRD), Raman spectroscopy, Ultraviolet–visible (UV-Vis) absorption spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra. Ethanol gas sensor based on MoO3 nanoparticles has the same optimum working temperature(180 °C) under the background of nitrogen and air, and the sensitivity is 350 and 71, respectively, when the ethanol concentration is 100 ppm. By comparing the sensitivity and current increase corresponding to the increase of ethanol concentration from 3 ppm to 5000 ppm, it is concluded that the gas-sensitive response of MoO3 to ethanol gas in the background of nitrogen and air is dominated by lattice oxygen and adsorbed oxygen ions, respectively, and the gas-sensitive performance based on lattice oxygen response is significantly better than that based on adsorbed oxygen ion response. This work is helpful to further study the gas sensing mechanism of MoO3 and similar metal oxides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prussian blue analogs (PBAs) are multifunctional precursors for the synthesis of a series of transition metal nanomaterials. In this study, high-performance supercapacitor hybrid electrode materials [(Fe, Ni) S2] are obtained by a facile hydrothermal sulfidation method, where the Fe–Ni PBA is introduced as the precursor. The nanocube structure which is similar to the Fe–Ni PBA precursor is remained and delivers the structure with a large number of cracks, resulting in a larger specific surface area and good conductivity. The (Fe, Ni) S2 electrode material possesses a high specific capacitance of 1249.1 F g−1 at the current density of 1 A g−1, good rate capability (915.31 F g−1 at 20 A g−1), and the excellent cyclic stability (retention rate of 91.6%) after 5000 cycles. The two-electrode system condition test shows that the energy density of ASD reached 39.97 Wh kg−1 when the power density is 0.85 kW kg−1 including the material is a potential supercapacitor electrode material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This systematic review aims to summarize the current developments of fluorescence and chemi/bioluminescence imaging based on the molecular fluorophores for in vivo imaging in the second near-infrared window. Methods and results: By investigating most of the relevant references on the web of science and some journals, this review firstly begins with an overview of the background of fluorescence and chemi/bioluminescence imaging. Secondly, the chemical and optical properties of NIR-II dyes are discussed, such as water solubility, chemostability and photo-stability, and brightness. Thirdly, the bioimaging based on NIR-II fluorescence emission is outlined, including the in vivo imaging of polymethine dyes, donor − acceptor − donor (D − A − D) chromophores, and lanthanide complexes. Fourthly, we demonstrate the chemi/bioluminescence in vivo imaging in the second near-infrared window. Fifthly, the clinical application and translation of near-infrared fluorescence imaging are presented. Finally, the current challenges, feasible strategies and potential prospects of the fluorophores and in vivo bioimaging are discussed. Conclusions: Based on the above literature research on the applications of molecular fluorescent and chemi/bioluminescent probes in the second near-infrared window in recent years, this review weighs the advantages and disadvantages of fluorescence and chemi/bioluminescence imaging, and NIR-II fluorophores based on polymethine dyes, D − A − D chromophores, and lanthanide complexes. Besides, this review also provides a very important guidance for expanding the imaging applications of molecular fluorophores in the second near-infrared window. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spontaneous migration of atomic hydrogen species from metal particles to the surface of their support, known as hydrogen spillover, has been claimed to play a major role in catalytic processes involving hydrogen. While this phenomenon is well established on reducible oxide supports, its realization on much more commonly used non-reducible oxides is still challenged. Here we present a general strategy to enable effective hydrogen spillover over non-reducible SiO2 with aid of gaseous organic molecules containing a carbonyl group. By using hierarchically-porous-SiO2-supported bimetallic Pt-Fe catalysts with Pt nanoparticles exclusively deposited into the micropores, we demonstrate that activated hydrogen species generated on the Pt sites within the micropores can be readily transported by these oxygenate molecules to Fe sites located in macropores, leading to significantly accelerated hydrodeoxygenation rates on the latter sites. This finding provides a molecule-assisted approach to the rational design and optimization of multifunctional heterogeneous catalysts, reminiscent of the role of molecular coenzymes in bio-catalysis. Spontaneous migration of H-atoms from metal particles to a nonreducible oxide support is generally limited by thermodynamics. Here, small oxygenate molecules are found to act as effective H-carriers to promote this process and lead to much improved hydrodeoxygenation rates on Pt-Fe/SiO2 catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cervical cancer (CC) is one of the most frequently diagnosed tumors in female. miR-122 has been proved to be dominant in CC. The particular role of miR-122 in CC is unclear. Thus, we attempted to investigate the prognostic role of miR-122 in CC. We used the database of Kaplan–Meier curve plot. Growth and apoptosis of C33A cells were detected by CCK-8, colony formation assay, transwell assays and flow cytometry analysis. The target gene of miR-122 was identified using bioinformatics, q-PCR, western blot and luciferase assay. It showed that CC patients with overexpression of miR-122 have a better prognosis in the Kaplan–Meier plot database analysis. Overexpressed miR-122 inhibited the malignant growth and induced apoptosis of CC. miR-122 targeting of RAD21 cohesin complex component (RAD21) was identified using bioinformatics, Q-PCR, western blot and luciferase assay analyses. Moreover, we found miR-122 conduct its functions via RAD21 via the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Importantly, overexpression of RAD21 restored the roles of miR-122 in CC. Our data suggested that miR-122 could block malignant growth and promoted apoptosis by targeting RAD21 in CC. Our finding indicates miR-122 could potentially participate in the pathogenesis and be a biomarker or the potential therapeutic target of CC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermoelectric materials convert thermal energy into electricity directly. Constructing nanostructured composite architectures can be an effective strategy to develop thermoelectric performance. SnSe/Ti3C2 composite materials were synthesized through the electrostatic self-assembly method followed by spark plasma sintering. The interfaces introduced by Ti3C2 can scatter carriers effectively, thus increasing the Seebeck coefficients (S), finally, a high absolute S value of ~ 296.2 µV K−1 was obtained at 773 K. At the same time, the high-density interfaces of SnSe/Ti3C2 composites enhance the phonon scattering, a low lattice thermal conductivity klat of 0.54 W m−1 K−1 was obtained. Benefit from the elevated Seebeck coefficient and decreased thermal conductivity, a ZT of 0.1 was obtained at 773 K along the pressing direction, compared with the pure SnSe, the thermoelectric performance improved by 68%. This research will provide a new way for the development of the thermoelectric properties of polycrystalline SnSe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Immunotherapy is a valuable option for cancer treatment, and the curative effect of anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapy correlates closely with PD-L1 expression levels. Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of PD-L1 expression is feasible using 68Ga-NOTA-Nb109 nanobody. 68Ga-NOTA-Nb109 was generated by radionuclide (68Ga) labeling of Nb109 using a NOTA chelator. To facilitate clinical trials, we explored the optimal dose range of 68Ga-NOTA-Nb109 in BALB/c A375-hPD-L1 tumor-burdened nude mice and C57-hPD-L1 transgenic MC38-hPD-L1 tumor-burdened mice by administration of a single intravenous dose of 68Ga-NOTA-Nb109 and confirmed the dose in cynomolgus monkeys. The biodistribution data of cynomolgus monkey PET images were extrapolated to estimate the radiation dose for the adult male and female using OLINDA2.1 software. Results: 68Ga-NOTA-Nb109 was stable in physiologic media and human serum. Ex vivo biodistribution studies showed rapid and specific uptake in A375-hPD-L1 or MC38-hPD-L1 tumors. The estimated ED50 was approximately 5.4 µg in humanized mice. The injected mass (0.3–100 µg in nude mice and approximately 1–100 µg in humanized mice) greatly influenced the general biodistribution, with a better tumor-to-background ratio acquired at lower doses of Nb109 (0.3–10 µg in nude mice and approximately 1 µg in humanized mice), indicating maximum uptake in tumors at administered mass doses below the estimated ED50. Therefore, a single 15-μg/kg dose was adopted for the PET/CT imaging in the cynomolgus monkey. The highest specific and persistent uptake of the tracer was detected in the spleen, except the levels in the kidney and urine bladder, which was related to metabolism and excretion. The spleen-to-muscle ratio of the tracer exceeded 10 from immediately to 4 h after administration, indicating that the dose was appropriate. The estimated effective dose was calculated to yield a radiation dose of 4.1 mSv to a patient after injecting 185 MBq of 68Ga-NOTA-Nb109. Conclusion: 68Ga-NOTA-Nb109 showed specific accumulation in hPD-L1 xenografts in ex vivo biodistribution studies and monkey PET/CT imaging. The dose escalation distribution data provided a recommended dose range for further use, and the safety of the tracer was confirmed in dosimetry studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mg10Ni-MoS2 composites were synthesized, and the amount of molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) and ball milling time was optimized to obtain rapid initial kinetics with high conversion yield at room temperature in simulated seawater. The microstructures and H2 generation thermodynamics were comprehensively investigated to demonstrate the main influential factors on excellent initial hydrolysis performance. Mg10Ni-5 wt%MoS2-15 min can generate 493.3 mL·g-1 H2 at 298 K with 58% yield in 20 s. The H2 generation capabilities of Mg10Ni-5 wt% MoS2-15 min are 569 mL·g-1 H2 and 67%, which are higher than those of Mg10Ni (495 mL·g-1 H2, 56%) in 2 min. The lowest hydrolysis activation energy (18.74 kJ·mol-1) can be achieved by Mg10Ni-5 wt%MoS2, which means low energy consumption. Mg10Ni with higher specific surface area (4.04 m2⋅g-1) than that of Mg10Ni-5wt.%MoS2-15 min (0.78 m2⋅g-1) presents worse H2 generation performance, indicating that higher specific surface area is the secondary determinant for superior initial hydrolysis kinetics and higher conversion yield compared with the added MoS2. The added MoS2 with specific morphologic structure can provide auxiliary mass transfer paths, which shorten the transfer distance and destroy the continuous colloidal layer. Mg-rich alloys optimized for rapid and efficient H2 production performance are expected to be applied large-scale H2 generators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The as-cast magnesium–nickel–cerium (Mg–Ni–Ce) alloys with nominal component (Mg–10 wt% Ni)1−xCex (x = 0, 5, 10, 15 wt%) are optimized by high-energy ball milling (HEBM). Expandable graphite (EG) and molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) have been introduced as surface catalysis to form (Mg10Ni)95Ce5–5 wt% EG–5 wt% MoS2 composite. The synergetic effects of HEBM and catalysts on H2 production of (Mg10Ni)95Ce5 are comprehensively studied. The thermodynamics are studied by H2 generation curves fitting. The HEBM 0Ce, 5Ce, 10Ce and 15Ce alloys at 291 K can generate 530, 747, 720 and 487 mL g−1 H2 with conversion yields of 59%, 87%, 89% and 64% in initial 15 min, respectively. The addition of surface catalysts EG–MoS2 can further enhance the initial hydrogen generation rate and the final conversion yield within short period at room temperature. 773 mL g−1 H2 corresponding to 95% conversion yield can be obtained by HEBM (Mg10Ni)95Ce5–EG–MoS2 within 1 min at 291 K. The synergetic effects of HEBM and EG–MoS2 can promote rapid initial generation rate and high conversion yield of hydrolysis hydrogen generation of (Mg10Ni)95Ce5–EG–MoS2 composite. This work indicates a promising way to synthesize Mg-based alloys with rapid initial hydrolysis H2 generation kinetics and high conversion yield within a short period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultrasound-assisted regeneration of powdered activated carbon (PAC) saturated with 4-chlorophenol (4-CP) was investigated in this work. The variables, i.e., acoustic frequency, density levels, regenerating solution species, spent PAC mass, and the number of repeated cycle, were optimized. The UV–Vis spectra, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET), and pore structure analysis were used to characterize the regenerated PAC as compared to the virgin and spent PAC. The adsorption experiments indicated that the adsorption kinetics of 4-CP fitted well with the pseudo-second-order model, and the main chemisorption process was nonlinear and heterogeneous. The desorption results showed that the optimized regenerated conditions were identified as 40 kHz of frequency, 0.18 W/mL of sonication intensity, 0.1 M NaOH and 50% (v/v) ethyl alcohol mixture of regeneration solution, and 1 g/L of saturated PAC mass. Under this condition, the regeneration efficiency reached up to 86.81%. Hydroxylated oxidation products especially benzoquinone and hydroquinone were formed during ultrasound regeneration. Ultrasound mainly acted on surface functionalities, mesopores, and macropores of PAC through the hydroxyl radical oxidization resulted from the cavitation effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) has been reported in more than 40% of patients with cirrhosis in clinical practice. HE changes mitochondrial dysfunction. Mitochondrial dynamics and autophagy are important for maintaining and removing damaged mitochondria. We used molecular biology and morphology methods to evaluate changes in mitochondrial dynamics and autophagy of the substantia nigra (SN) and prefrontal cortex (PFC) in HE. In this study, we observed that HE increased mitochondrial dynamics and autophagy in the SN, which was not seen in the PFC. HE stimulated dynamin-related protein 1 (DRP1) transformation from the cytosolic to the mitochondria within SN cells, which increased mitochondrial fission and the number of mitochondria. The fusion protein L-OPA1 (long isoforms of OPA1) was increased in the SN of HE mice. HE also increased the levels of autophagy proteins PINK1/PARKIN and P62/LC3-B in the SN, which can selectively remove damaged mitochondria and cell, respectively. Additionally, we used electron microscopy to directly observe changes in mitochondrial morphology in the SN of HE mice and found the number of mitochondria was increased. However, there were no significant changes in the fission, fusion or autophagy proteins in PFC-purified mitochondrial proteins in HE mice. The number of mitochondria also did not show alterations in the PFC of HE mice compared with that in a sham group. These results illustrate that mitochondria can protect themselves by changing the dynamics and autophagy in the SN of HE mice. Changes in the mitochondrial dynamics and autophagy related to HE can help repair damaged mitochondria and provide a further understanding of the mechanisms of hepatic encephalopathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Menkes disease (MD) is a fatal X-linked multisystem disease caused by mutations in ATP7A. In this study, clinical and genetic analysis was performed in 24 male MD patients. Development delay, seizures, kinky coarse hair, and dystonia were found in 24, 22, 24, and 24 patients, respectively. Serum ceruloplasmin/copper tested in 19 patients was low. Abnormal classic features of MD presented in the MRI/MRA of 19 patients. Seventeen mutations of ATP7A were identified in 22 patients. Twelve were novel mutations including three small deletion/insertion, one missense mutation, two nonsense mutations, three splicing-site mutations, and three gross deletions. Twenty-two patients were genetically diagnosed; neither point mutation nor deletion/duplication was found in two of them. c.2179G > A found in five patients might be a hot-spot mutation. Prenatal molecular diagnosis was performed for five unrelated fetuses (1 female and 4 male), which found four fetuses to be wild type and one male carried the same mutation as the proband. This study of the largest sample of Chinese MD patients examined to date discovered the unique phenotype and genotype spectrum in Chinese patients with 12 novel mutations of ATP7A, and that c.2179G > A might be a hot-spot mutation in MD patients. Five successful prenatal diagnosis contributed important information for MD families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hedgehog signaling is an evolutionarily conserved pathway which is essential in embryonic and postnatal development as well as adult organ homeostasis. Abnormal regulation of Hedgehog signaling is implicated in many diseases including cancer. Consequently, substantial efforts have made in the past to develop potential therapeutic agents that specifically target the Hedgehog signaling for cancer treatment. Here, we review the therapeutic agents for inhibition of the Hedgehog signaling and their clinical advances in cancer treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought stress is a major constraint to the production and yield stability of soybean ( Glycine max L. Merrill). Transgenic breeding offers new opportunities for developing drought-resistant varieties. However, soybean is much more difficult to transform than other species; so in our previous studies, several drought-related genes, which were identified from the transcriptome profiles of Glycine soja, were first heterologous expressed in Arabidopsis or alfalfa ( Medicago sativa L.) for function characterization. Among these genes, GsWRKY20 shows effective roles in drought tolerance. In this study, to breed high drought-tolerant soybean cultivar, GsWRKY20 was overexpressed in soybean under the control of the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter. We found that transgenic soybean overexpressing GsWRKY20 showed greatly enhanced tolerance to drought stress compared with the non-transformed plants. Under drought stress conditions, lower relative membrane permeability and malondialdehyde (MDA) content were observed in transgenic soybean, indicating a less degree of membrane injury of transgenic plants. Higher antioxidant enzyme activity and more free proline content were observed in transgenic soybean, which help plants to resist drought stress. GsWRKY20 overexpressing soybean plants have lower stomatal density, faster stomatal closure and so exhibited lower stomatal conductance, which reduced water loss under drought stress conditions. GsWRKY20 overexpressing soybean plants exhibited higher yields under drought stress conditions, with higher plant height, longer root, and higher seed yield at the adult developmental stage. In conclusion, the transgenic soybean generated in this study could be used for farming in arid and semi-arid areas that are prone to extremely severe drought stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radiotherapy (RT) is one main method for the treatment of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), and the radioresistance is the predominant cause of patients with local recurrence. The previous results of gene microarray and subsequent verification showed that NRAGE might be involved in radiation resistance of ESCC cells. In this study, we reestablished human esophageal carcinoma radioresistant cell lines TE13R120 and ECA109R60 with gradient dose irradiation as previously reported, respectively. NRAGE expression was high in TE13R120 and ECA109R60 cells and was correlative with ionizing radiation (IR) resistance in clinic. However, the radiosensitivity of TE13R120 cells had a remarkable increase detected by colony formation assays after siRNA against NRAGE (siNRG) transfection into TE13R120 cells. Compared with TE13 cells, an increasing number of TE13R120 cells with NRAGE overexpression in S phase and a lower ratio in G2/M were observed by flow cytometry method (FCM). Intriguingly, the above changes were partially reversed in TE13R120 cells treated with siNRG. More importantly, the ectopic subcellular localization of NRAGE mediated nuclear translocation of β-catenin which may be one reason of IR resistance of esophageal carcinoma cell. These data indicate that NRAGE extremely may be a pivotal factor involved in Wnt/β-catenin signal pathway, mediating nuclear translocation of β-catenin and then facilitating the formation of radioresistance of ESCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To guide the potential applications of topological insulator, we provide a theoretical investigation for a finite temperature and an arbitrary length scale Josephson junction in the Furusaki-Tsukada formula. We have shown theoretically that a large degree of control over the generated critical supercurrent can be obtained by changing directions of the magnetizations in ferromagnet. The special importance for experimental measurements is the asymmetric character, oscillatory feature arising in the Fermi energy window, and energy shift phenomenon unveiled by a top gate voltage, which are independent of magnetization amplitude. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of heat treatment on the microstructure, electrical conductivity, and tensile strength of deformation-processed Cu-7Cr in situ composites produced by thermo-mechanical processing was investigated. The Cr fibers in the Cu-7Cr in situ composite underwent coarsening, break-up, and spheroidization after exposure to elevated temperatures. The conductivity and tensile strength of the in situ composite first increased with increasing isochronal heat treatment temperature, reached a peak value, and decreased at higher temperatures. The isothermal heat treatment temperature was determined to be 625 °C. The Z ( Z is an optimization parameter to evaluate the service performance of deformation-processed Cu-based in situ composites) value of the deformation-processed Cu-7Cr in situ composite, at η = 7 ( η is a cumulative cold deformation strain) after the heat treatment at 625 °C for 1 h, reached the peak value of 3.46 × 10 MPa % International Annealed Copper Standard (IACS). The isochronal heat treatment time was determined to be 1 h. The following combination of conductivity and tensile strength of the deformation-processed Cu-7Cr in situ composite with a cumulative cold deformation strain of eight after isochronal aging treatments for 1 h could be attained respectively as (i) 76.0% IACS and 889 MPa; (ii) 76.8% IACS and 876 MPa; or (iii) 77.5% IACS and 779 MPa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the study, we investigate the Josephson supercurrent of a superconductor/normal metal/superconductor junction on the surface of a topological insulator, where a gate electrode is attached to the normal metal. It is shown that the Josephson supercurrent not only can be tuned largely by the temperature but also is related to the potential and the length of the weak-link region. Especially, the asymmetry excess critical supercurrent, oscillatory character, and plateau-like structure have been revealed. We except those phenomena that can be observed in the recent experiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A bifunctional probe 1 with iminocoumarin scaffold demonstrated different responses for Cu and Hg. In fluorescence mode of probe 1, the intensity at 528 nm was quenched severely upon the addition of Cu or Hg. Meanwhile, a new fluorescence band at 574 nm appeared in the case of Hg. In its UV-Vis absorption mode, significant hypochromic shift for Cu and bathochromic shift for Hg occurred, which are in agreement with the observation of distinct color changes. In addition, probe 1 can be used for the construction of a molecular logic gate with NOR and INHIBIT logic functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cu-7Cr-0.07Ag alloys were prepared by casting and directional solidification, from which deformation-processed in situ composites were prepared by thermo-mechanical processing. The microstructure, mechanical properties, and electrical properties were investigated using optical microscopy, scanning electronic microscopy, tensile testing, and a micro-ohmmeter. The second-phase Cr grains of the directional solidification Cu-7Cr-0.07Ag in situ composite were parallel to the drawing direction and were finer, which led to a higher tensile strength and a better combination of properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Muscle-eye-brain (MEB) disease is a congenital muscular dystrophy (CMD) phenotype characterized by hypotonia at birth, brain structural abnormalities and ocular malformations. To date, few MEB cases have been reported in China where clinical recognition and genetic confirmatory testing on a research basis are recent developments. Here, we report the clinical and molecular genetics of three MEB disease patients. The patients had different degrees of muscle, eye and brain symptoms, ranging from congenital hypotonia, early-onset severe myopia and mental retardation to mild weakness, independent walking and language problems. This confirmed the expanding phenotypic spectrum of MEB disease with varying degrees of hypotonia, myopia and cognitive impairment. Brain magnetic resonance imaging showed cerebellar cysts, hypoplasia and characteristic brainstem flattening and kinking. Four candidate genes ( POMGnT1, FKRP, FKTN and POMT2) were screened, and six POMGnT1 mutations (four novel) were identified, including five missense and one splice site mutation. Pathogenicity of the two novel variants in one patient was confirmed by POMGnT1 enzyme activity assay, protein expression and subcellular localization of mutant POMGnT1 in HeLa cells. Transfected cells harboring this patient's L440R mutant POMGnT1 showed POMGnT1 mislocalization to both the Golgi apparatus and endoplasmic reticulum. We have provided clinical, histological, enzymatic and genetic evidence of POMGnT1 involvement in three unrelated MEB disease patients in China. The identification of novel POMGnT1 mutations and an expanded phenotypic spectrum contributes to an improved understanding of POMGnT1 structure-function relationships, CMD pathophysiology and genotype-phenotype correlations, while underscoring the need to consider POMGnT1 in Chinese MEB disease patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transport characteristics of relativistic electrons through graphene-based d-wave superconducting double barrier junction and ferromagnet/ d-wave superconductor/normal metal double junction have been investigated based on the Dirac-Bogoliubov-de Gennes equation. We have first presented the results of superconducting double barrier junction. In the subgap regime, both the crossed Andreev and nonlocal tunneling conductance all oscillate with the bias voltage due to the formation of Andreev bound states in the normal metal region. Moreover, the critical voltage beyond which the crossed Andreev conductance becomes to zero decreases with increasing value of superconducting pair potential α. In the presence of the ferromagnetism, the MR through graphene-based ferromagnet/ d-wave superconductor/normal metal double junction has been investigated. It is shown that the MR increases from exchange splitting h=0 to h= E (Fermi energy), and then it goes down. At h= E, MR reaches its maximum 100. In contrast to the case of a single superconducting barrier, Andreev bound states also manifest itself in the zero bias MR, which result in a series of peaks except the maximum one at h= E. Besides, the resonance peak of the MR can appear at certain bias voltage and structure parameter. Those phenomena mean that the coherent transmission can be tuned by superconducting pair potential, structure parameter, and external bias voltage, which benefits the spin-polarized electron device based on the graphene materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To delineate the phenotype and genotype in Chinese children with type I Alexander disease (AxD) and the parental origin of de novo glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) mutations. Twenty-two children with clinically diagnosed type I AxD were followed up for 1.66-6.62 years. Allele-specific PCR was used for the analysis of parental origin of the allele harboring the de novo mutation. Phenotype of these patients were consistent with type I AxD described in other population, with developmental delay (motor delay in 81.82%, cognitive delay in 63.64%), macrocephaly (100%), seizures (95.45%), paroxysmal deterioration (27.27%) and typical brain magnetic resonance imaging (100%). Progression was slower than reported. At 8.55 years of age (5.29-13.25), all patients who underwent the second follow-up were alive. Eleven heterozygous missense mutations of GFAP were identified in 21 patients, with three novel mutations. Reported hot spot mutations, p.R79, p.R239 and p.R88, were also identified in Chinese patients. Mutations were de novo in all but one case. The mother of a proband was demonstrated to be a presymptomatic patient with type II AxD with a p.R79H mutation. Ninety percent of de novo mutations were on the paternal allele demonstrated by allele-specific PCR. This is the largest follow-up study on Chinese children with AxD. The phenotypes of these patients are consistent with reports in other populations. GFAP mutations were identified in 95.46% of Chinese children with clinically diagnosed type I AxD. Our data suggested a male germ-line transmission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the transfer-matrix method, the charge transport properties of the electrons through a ballistic graphene-based quantum tunneling junctions with the inhomogeneous spin-orbit interactions (SOIs) have been investigated theoretically. In sharp contrast to the conventional normal metal/2D electron gas/normal metal junctions and the graphene-based double junctions with a big incident energy, the normal transmission coefficient monotonically decreases with the length of middle region in the limit of a vanishing Rashba SOI term. While only the Rashba SOI exists, the maximum of the sum of the transmission coefficient equates to about 0.5, only one half of the value for the case of a big incident energy. It is also found that the conductance can be dominated by the incident energy and the SOI strength. It is anticipated to apply such a phenomenon to design the spin-polarized electron devices based on the graphene materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We show that the angle resolved transmission probability through the graphene-based double junctions with the spin-orbit interactions (SOIs) can be efficiently controlled by the SOIs strength, the parameter of the junctions, and the incident energy of the electron. It is anticipated to apply such a phenomenon to design an electron wavevector filter based on the graphene material by a pure electrical method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focused on the adsorptive behaviors of humic acid onto freshly prepared hydrous MnO2(s) (δMnO2), and investigated the feasibility of employing δMnO2 for humic acid removal from drinking water. Effects of such parameters as molecular mass of humic acid, kinds of divalent cations on adsorptive behaviors and possible mechanisms involved were investigated. This study indicated that humic acid with higher molecular mass exhibited more tendency of adsorbing onto δMnO2 than that with lower molecular mass. Ca2+ facilitated more humic acid adsorption than Mg2+; UV-Vis spectra analysis indicated higher capabilities of Ca2+ coordinating with acidic functional groups of humic acid than that of Mg2+. Additionally, ζ potential characterization indicated that Ca2+ showed higher potential of increasing gz potential of δMnO2 than Mg2+. Ca2+ of 1.0 mmol/L increased ζ potential of δMnO2 from −37 mV (pH 7.9) to +7 mV (pH 7.2), while 1.0 mmol/L Mg2+ increased to lower value as −9 mV (pH 6.5), correspondingly. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra demonstrated the adsorption of humic acid onto δMnO2, showing the important roles of-COO− functional groups and surface Mn-OH in the adsorption of humic acid onto δMnO2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deficiency of citrin, a liver-type mitochondrial aspartate-glutamate carrier (AGC), encoded by the SLC25A13 gene on chromosome 7q21.3, causes autosomal recessive disorders: adult-onset type II citrullinemia (CTLN2) and neonatal hepatitis associated with intrahepatic cholestasis (NICCD). So far, we have described 12 SLC25A13 mutations: 11 were from Japan and one from Israel. Three mutations found in Chinese and Vietnamese patients were the same as those in Japanese patients. In the present study, we identified a novel mutation IVS6+1G>C in a Japanese CTLN2 patient and widely screened 12 SLC25A13 mutations found in Japanese patients in control individuals from East Asia to confirm our preliminary results that the carrier frequency was high in Asian populations. Mutations 851–854del and 1638–1660dup were found in all Asian countries tested, and 851–854del associated with 290-haplotype in microsatellite marker D7S1812 was especially frequent. Other mutations frequently detected were IVS11+1G>A in Japanese and Korean, S225X in Japanese, and IVS6+5G>A in Chinese populations. We found a remarkable difference in carrier rates in China (including Taiwan) between north (1/940) and south (1/48) of the Yangtze River. We detected many carriers in Chinese (64/4169 = 1/65), Japanese (20/1372 = 1/69) and Korean (22/2455 = 1/112) populations, suggesting that over 80,000 East Asians are homozygotes with two mutated SLC25A13 alleles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The seroprevalence of Brucella infection in yaks was surveyed on the Qinghai-Tibet plateau of China in 2010. A total of 621 serum samples was collected from six counties and were tested by serum agglutination test. The results showed that 56 (9%) of the samples were positive for Brucella. The results of the present investigation indicate that brucellosis is common in yaks on the Qinghai-Tibet plateau of China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to evaluate the contribution of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations in oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) deficiency. The complete mitochondrial genomes of 41 families with OXPHOS deficiency were screened for mutations. Mitochondrial functional analysis was then performed in primary and cybrid cells containing candidate mutations identified during the screening. A novel mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase 5 (ND5) m.12955A > G mutation was identified in a patient with exercise intolerance and developmental delay. A biochemical analysis revealed deficiencies in the activity of complex I (NADH:quinone oxidoreductase) and IV (cytochrome c oxidase) of this patient. Defects in complexes I and IV were confirmed in transmitochondrial cybrid cells containing the m.12955A > G mutation, suggesting that this mutation impairs complex I assembly, resulting in reduced stability of complex IV. Further functional investigations revealed that mitochondria with the m.12955A > G mutation exhibited lower OXPHOS coupling respiration and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) generation. In addition, the cytotoxic effects, determined as reactive oxygen species (ROS) and lactate levels in the present study, increased in the cells carrying a higher m.12955A > G mutant load. In conclusion, we identified m.12955A > G as a mitochondrial disease-related mutation. Therefore, screening of m.12955A > G is advised for the diagnosis of patients with mitochondrial disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]