Search

Deep penetration and downregulation of heat shock protein (HSP) expression in multimodal synergistic therapy are promising approaches for curing cancer in clinical trials. However, free small‐molecule drugs and most drug vehicles have a low delivery efficiency deep into the tumor owing to poor drug penetration and hypoxic conditions at the tumor site. In this study, the objective is to use reactive oxygen species (ROS)‐responsive supramolecular gels co‐loaded with the photosensitizer Zn(II) phthalocyanine tetrasulfonic acid (ZnPCS4) and functionalized tetrahedral DNA (TGSAs) (G@P/TGSAs) to enhance deep tissue and cell penetration and block the HSP90 pathway for chemo‐ photodynamic therapy (PDT) ‐ photothermal therapy (PTT) trimodal synergistic therapy. The (G@P/TGSAs) are injected in situ into the tumor to release ZnPCS4 and TGSAs under high ROS concentrations originating from both the tumor and PDT. TGSAs penetrate deeply into tumor tissues and augment photothermal therapy by inhibiting the HSP90 pathway. Proteomics show that HSP‐related proteins and molecular chaperones are inhibited/activated, inhibiting the HSP90 pathway. Simultaneously, the TGSA‐regulated apoptotic pathway is activated. In vivo study demonstrates efficient tumor penetration and excellent trimodal synergistic therapy (45% tumor growth inhibition). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Predicting soil moisture accurately is the precondition of realizing accurate irrigation and improving the utilization rate of water resource and the necessary step of developing water‐saving agriculture, which can alleviate the water shortage in our agricultural effectively. In order to further improve the accuracy of soil water content prediction, a combined soil water content prediction model based on Autoregressive moving average model (ARIMA model) and back propagation neural network (BP neural network) neural network is proposed. The model considers the linear and nonlinear characteristics of soil water content data, combines them according to the characteristics of the model itself, gives full play to the advantages of ARIMA model and BP neural network. At the same time, two data smoothing methods were used to establish the ARIMA model, and the adaptive moment estimation algorithm (Adam algorithm) and mind evolutionary algorithm (MEA) optimization BP neural network model were used to propose an improved combined prediction model to predict soil water content data. The experimental results show that the average relative error of the improved combinatorial prediction model is 1.51%, which is 4.18%, 0.95% and 3.1% lower than the combinatorial prediction model, BP neural network model and ARIMA model, respectively, and the overall prediction effect is better, which can be used to save agricultural water and provide a strong basis for the development of water‐saving agriculture in China. At the same time, it can also ensure that crop production is increased and the purpose of national food security is guaranteed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The highly expressed oncogenic factor Krüppel‐like factor 5 (KLF5) promotes various cancerous processes, such as cell growth, survival, anti‐apoptosis, migration and metastasis, particularly in lung cancer. Nevertheless, the modifications to KLF5 after translation are poorly understood. Protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5) is considered as an oncogene known to be involved in different types of carcinomas, including lung cancer. Here, we show that the expression levels of PRMT5 and KLF5 are highly expressed lung cancer. Moreover, PRMT5 interacts with KLF5 and facilitates the dimethylation of KLF5 at Arginine 41 in a manner that depends on methyltransferase activity. Downregulation or pharmaceutical suppression of PRMT5 reduces the expression of KLF5 and its downstream targets both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, the dimethylation of KLF5 by PRMT5 promotes the maintenance and proliferation of lung cancer cells at least partially by stabilising KLF5 via regulation of the Akt/GSK3β signalling axis. In summary, PRMT5 methylates KLF5 to prevent its degradation, thereby promoting the maintenance and proliferation of lung cancer cells. These results suggest that targeting PRMT5/KLF5 axis may offer a potential therapeutic strategy for lung cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The definition of scaled p‐norm and its properties are given here. Compared with the norm‐normalized sign function, using scaled p‐norm in the controller design can not only achieve the time‐synchronized stability of non‐linear dynamic systems, but also improve the convergence rate of the system. Besides, the scaled p‐norm is applied to design the consensus protocol for multi‐agent systems, which enables the states of all agents to achieve fast time‐synchronized consensus. The simulation results demonstrate the superiority of this method in improving the convergence rate of the system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale: With the continuous renewal of new psychoactive substances (NPS), the abuse of NPS has seriously harmed social security and public safety. The number of deaths from the abuse of NPS is increasing year by year. Therefore, there is an immediate need to develop an effective method for detecting NPS. Methods: Direct analysis in real‐time tandem mass spectrometry (DART‐MS/MS) was used to detect 11 NPS in blood and urine. The temperature of the ion source was optimized and set to 400°C. The mixture solvent of acetonitrile/methanol (4:1, v/v) was used as the precipitant. SKF‐525 (2‐(diethylamino)ethyl 2,2‐diphenylpentanoate) was selected as the internal standard for quantification. After the pretreatment of the analytes in blood or urine, the supernatant was prepared for instrumental analysis. Results: The results indicated that the correlation coefficients (r2) of all analytes ranged from 0.99 to 1 in the linear range. The recoveries of 11 analytes at three spiked levels ranged between 83.4% and 110.4% in blood and between 81.7% and 108.5% in urine. The matrix effects of 11 analytes ranged between 79.5% and 109.5% in blood and between 85.0% and 109.4% in urine. The relative standard deviations of intra‐day and inter‐day precisions and repeatability were lower than 12.4%, 14.1%, and 14.3% in blood and lower than 11.4%, 13.9%, and 14.3% in urine, respectively. Conclusion: The method established for the detection of 11 NPS could meet the needs for the rapid screening of NPS samples. The DART‐MS/MS method has the advantages of being efficient, fast, and green. Therefore, it may become a promising technology for the detection of NPS in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phytopharmaceuticals have attracted a lot of attention due to their multicomponent and multiple targets. The natural phenolic chemicals known as flavonoids are found in a wide variety of plants, fruits, vegetables, and herbs. Recently, they have been found to have modulatory effects on anxiety disorders, with current research focusing on the modulation of neurotransmitters. There has not yet been a review of the various natural flavonoid monomer compounds and total plant flavonoids that have been found to have anxiolytic effects. The study on the anti‐anxiety effects of plant‐derived flavonoids on neurotransmitters was reviewed in this paper. We, therefore, anticipate that further study on the conformational interaction underlying flavonoids' anti‐anxiety effects will offer a theoretical framework for the creation of pertinent treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stretchable polymer semiconductors are an essential component for skin‐inspired electronics. However, the lack of scalable patterning capability of stretchable polymer semiconductors limits the development of stretchable electronics. To address this issue, photo‐curable stretchable polymer blends consisting of a high‐mobility donor–acceptor conjugated polymer and an elastic rubber through thiol–ene chemistry are developed. The thiol–ene reaction can selectively cross‐link the rubber with alkene or vinyl groups without damaging the electronic properties of the conjugated polymer. The conjugated polymer chains embedded in the elastic polymer matrix induce a semi‐interpenetrating polymer network (SIPN). The thiol–ene‐cross‐linked network provides great solvent resistance and enhances stretchability for the embedded conjugated polymer. The well‐defined patterned film with a feature size of ≈10 µm can be obtained using UV light at 365 nm through conventional photolithography processes. Furthermore, the SIPN‐based transistors show increased mobilities from 0.61 to 1.18 cm2 V−1 s−1 when applying the strain from 0% to 100%. Moreover, the hole mobility can still maintain at 0.87 cm2 V−1 s−1 after 1000 strain‐and‐release cycles at the strain of 25%. This study sheds light on the molecular design of photo‐curable polymer semiconductors for the mass production of stretchable circuits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arabidopsis thaliana heme oxygenase‐1 (AtHO‐1), a metabolic enzyme in the heme degradation pathway, serves as a prototype for study of the bilin‐related functions in plants. Past biological analyses revealed that AtHO‐1 requires ferredoxin‐NADP+ reductase (FNR) and ferredoxin for its enzymatic activity. Here, we characterized the binding and degradation of heme by AtHO‐1, and found that ferredoxin is a dispensable component of the reducing system that provides electrons for heme oxidation. Furthermore, we reported the crystal structure of heme‐bound AtHO‐1, which demonstrates both conserved and previously undescribed features of plant heme oxygenases. Finally, the electron transfer pathway from FNR to AtHO‐1 is suggested based on the known structural information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Melatonin has an inhibitory effect on preeclampsia (PE). This study was launched to explore the way that melatonin regulated trophoblast migration, invasion, and pyroptosis in PE and to provide new ideas for the diagnosis and treatment of PE. Methods: Expression levels of melatonin receptors (MT1 and MT2), microRNA (miR)‐520c‐3p, SETD7, and HtrA1 in placental tissues and HTR8/SVneo cells were measured by RT‐qPCR and Western blot. Scratch, Transwell, and Western blot assays were performed to detect migration, invasion, and pyroptosis of hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R)‐treated HTR8/SVneo cells. Dual‐luciferase reporter assay was utilized to verify the targeting relationship between miR‐520c‐3p and SETD7. ChIP experiment was conducted to detect the enrichment of H3K4me3 and SETD7 in HtrA1 promoter. Results: Low expression of MT1, MT2, and miR‐520c‐3p and high expression of SETD7 and HtrA1 were observed in the placental tissues of PE patients and H/R‐treated HTR8/Svneo cells. A high concentration of melatonin promoted migration and invasion and inhibited pyroptosis of PE cell models. Knockdown of miR‐520c‐3p, overexpression of SETD7, or overexpression of HtrA1 impaired migration and invasion and accelerated pyroptosis of H/R‐treated HTR8/SVneo cells, but these outcomes could be reversed by treatment with 1000 μM melatonin. miR‐520c‐3p targeted SETD7 which promoted histone methylation in the promoter region of HtrA1. Conclusion: Melatonin may inhibit HtrA1 transcription through the miR‐520c‐3p/SETD7 axis to promote trophoblast invasion and migration and reduce trophoblast pyroptosis in PE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phospholipid molecular species (PMS) in the muscular tissue of the swimming crab (Portunus trituberculatus) are extracted and quantified using aminopropyl coated silica‐based solid‐phase extraction (SPE) and hydrophilic interaction chromatography‐mass spectrometry (HILIC‐MS), respectively. Once the lipidomics profile is acquired, the contents of PMS are semiquantitatively determined using linear regression models. It is found that in swimming crab, phosphatidylcholine (PC, 14.30 mg g−1) is the most abundant phospholipid class, followed by phosphatidylethanolamine (PE, 8.20 mg g−1), phosphatidylinositol (PI, 1.60 mg g−1), and phosphatidylserine (PS, 9.83 mg g−1). The nutritional eicosapentaenoic acid and/or docosahexaenoic acid structured phospholipids exist in swimming crabs, such as PC 18:0/20:5, PE 18:1/20:5 and 16:0/22:6, PI 18:0/20:5. Besides, plasmalogens are detected, such as PC o‐16:0/22:6 and PE o‐18:0/20:5. Finally, this method is validated to be efficient and accurate in terms of linearity (correlation coefficients, R2 0.9976 to 0.9993), sensitivity (limit of detection, LOD, 0.22–0.33 µg mL−1), precision (relative standard deviation, RSDintra‐day ≤ 4.11%), and recovery (78% to 85%, RSD ≤ 5.79%). In conclusion, swimming crab is rich in health‐beneficial phospholipids, such as eicosapentaenoic acid and/or docosahexaenoic acid structured phospholipids and plasmalogens, and the muscular tissue is proved to be of high nutritional value. Practical Applications: The study introduces a potential method for the lipidomics screening of polyunsaturated phospholipid molecular species in food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale: The objective of this study was to develop, optimize, and validate a method for the determination and quantification of 17 hypoglycemic drugs in fingerprints using ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography/tandem hybrid triple quadrupole linear ion trap mass spectrometry (UHPLC/QTRAP‐MS/MS). We also aimed to apply the present method to the fingerprints collected from patients with hyperglycemia. Methods: The scheduled multiple reaction monitoring information‐dependent acquisition‐enhanced product ion (SMRM‐IDA‐EPI) scanning mode was utilized. The chromatographic system consisted of an Acquity UHPLC® BEH C18 column (3.0 × 100 mm, 1.7 μm) and a mobile phase of 0.01% (v/v) formic acid in water and methanol. Analytes were extracted via a precipitation protein procedure. The method was validated in accordance with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidance and applied to the analysis of fingerprint deposits from subjects who had taken the drugs. Results: The limits of detection (LODs) and the lower limits of quantification (LLOQs) of 17 hypoglycemic drugs were 0.001 to 0.020 and 0.002 to 0.050 ng/fingerprint, respectively. The correlation coefficients (r) for the calibration curves were > 0.99 in the range of 0.050–50.000 ng/fingerprint. The matrix effect and recovery of 17 hypoglycemic drugs at three concentrations ranged from 81.1 to 117.3% and 80.0 to 109.6%, respectively. The validation data (intra‐ and inter‐day combined) for accuracy ranged from 85.5 to 117.2%, the CV (%) data were ≤19.7%. All analytes were found to be stable stored in the autosampler (4°C) for 24 h. This validated method was successfully applied to detect hypoglycemic drugs in fingerprints from patients with hyperglycemia. Conclusions: A quantification method for hypoglycemic drugs in fingerprints was developed, optimized, and validated. This sensitive method could be used for drug monitoring and providing reference information in forensic investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recently proposed intelligent reflecting surface (IRS) is considered as a promising technology to combat the propagation distance problem in the future communications. However, due to the lack of quantitative analysis and IRS selection scheme from the perspective of symbol error rate (SER) performance, the performance analysis method of asymptotically tight approximation SER is proposed. Firstly, a communication system model aided by an IRS is established. Then, through the reasonable reconstruction between the reflection coefficient and the link coefficient of IRS, the SNR on the forwarding link of IRS satisfies the harmonic mean form. Finally, based on the calculation method of moment generating function (MGF), the asymptotically tight approximation SER formula of the system with simple structure is derived. The simulation results show that, the asymptotically tight approximation SER formula can accurately describe the system SER performance under the low SNR condition. Before the number of IRS reflection unit increases to a certain value, the system SER performance can be effectively improved. Compared with the AF multi‐relay system, IRS aided system has the slightly better SER performance only in the case of low SNR. Our work will provide the important theoretical basis for the IRS selection in practical communications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chlorophyll biosynthesis regulator GENOMES UNCOUPLED 4 (GUN4) is conserved in nearly all oxygenic photosynthetic organisms. Recently, GUN4 has been found to be able to bind the linear tetrapyrroles (bilins) and stimulate the magnesium chelatase activity in the unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Here, we characterize GUN4 proteins from Arabidopsis thaliana and the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 for their ability to bind bilins, and present the crystal structures of Synechocystis GUN4 in biliverdin‐bound, phycocyanobilin‐bound, and phytochromobilin‐bound forms at the resolutions of 1.05, 1.10, and 1.70 Å, respectively. These linear molecules adopt a cyclic‐helical conformation, and bind more tightly than planar porphyrins to the tetrapyrrole‐binding pocket of GUN4. Based on structural comparison, we propose a working model of GUN4 in regulation of tetrapyrrole biosynthetic pathway, and address the role of the bilin‐bound GUN4 in retrograde signaling. PDB Code(s): 7E2R, 7E2S, 7E2T and 7E2U; [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interactions between charged amino acids significantly influence the structure and function of proteins. The encoded charged amino acids Asp, Glu, Arg, and Lys have different number of hydrophobic methylenes linking the backbone to the charged functionality. It remains to be fully understood how does this difference in the number of methylenes affect protein structure stability. Protein secondary structures are the fundamental three‐dimensional building blocks of protein structures. β‐Sheet structures are particularly interesting, because these structures have been associated with a number of protein misfolding diseases. Herein, we report the effect of charged amino acid side chain length at two β‐strand positions individually on the stability of a β‐hairpin. The charged amino acids include side chains with a carboxylate, an ammonium, or a guanidinium group. The experimental peptides, fully folded reference peptides, and fully unfolded reference peptides were synthesized by solid phase peptide synthesis and analyzed by 2D NMR methods including TOCSY, DQF‐COSY, and ROESY. Sequence specific assignments were performed for all peptides. The chemical shift data were used to derive the fraction folded population and the folding free energy for the experimental peptides. Results showed that the fraction folded population increased with increasing charged amino acid side chain length. These results should be useful for developing functional peptides that adopt the β‐conformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article investigates the control issue for systems subjected to unmatched disturbances and unknown control direction simultaneously. A class of adaptive nonlinear disturbance observer is developed to estimate the unmatched disturbances precisely and then extended to the general high‐order form. The proposed method guarantees the stability of the second‐order and high‐order system under unknown control direction and robustness against the unmatched disturbances with the help of the sliding mode technique. The application in the integrated missile guidance and control (IGC) system design demonstrates the validity of the proposed control method. Herein, the cause of unknown control direction and the influence of the time‐vary control gain on the missile are discussed in detail. Also, the Monte Carlo campaign is run to show the superiority of the developed control strategy compared with the existing IGC method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although in a series of studies, arginine peptides had shown the ability to promote the targeting delivery efficacy, the relationship between the transfection efficiency and the length of the poly‐l‐arginine chain had seldom been reported. This study was aimed to explore whether the chain length of poly‐l‐arginine grafted on chitosan had a great significance on the transfection efficiency of entering the cells. Herein, arginine and arginine peptide modified chitosan were synthesized as gene vectors (CS‐Arg and CS‐5Arg) and then the chemical structures were characterized by using 1H NMR. The CS‐Arg and CS‐5Arg were combined with plasmids by electrostatic interactions to form stable particles. The morphology features, Zeta potentials, and buffering capacity of the complex particles were analyzed. Afterward, the combination ability with DNA and the protection ability to DNase I were studied, and the gene transfection efficiency and cellular uptake were investigated in vitro. The results showed that the gene transfection efficiency of the chitosan was significantly enhanced by arginine‐graft modification. However, there were no significant differences between the CS‐Arg and the CS‐5Arg. The molecular simulation results indicated that the guanidine groups of grafted arginine were shielded by chitosan molecule and the guanidine groups contributed little to the gene transfection efficiency. The results demonstrated that the increased chain length of grafted arginine had no significantly enhanced effect on the transfection efficiency, which could provide convincing evidence for the construction and application of arginine and chitosan derivatives as gene vectors, and could promote the development of gene delivery system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering the significance of lncRNA/miRNA axis in explaining atherosclerosis (AS) progression, this investigation was intended to clarify whether lncRNAs XIST/SNHG5 would regulate AS aetiology by sponging miR‐155, an AS‐promoting molecule. We altogether recruited 367 patients who were examined by coronary angiography, and meanwhile, human coronary artery endothelial cells (HCAECs) were purchased to establish cells models via ox‐LDL treatment. The study results indicated that lowly expressed XIST/SNHG5 and highly expressed miR‐155 were frequently detectable among AS patients who showed severe stenosis and possessed high triglyceride (TG), low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL‐C) and high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein (hs‐CRP) levels. Besides, HCAECs treated by ox‐LDL released large amounts of inflammatory cytokines, and their apoptosis rate was also raised. Moreover, expressions of XIST and SNHG5 declined markedly within ox‐LDL‐treated HCAECs, whereas miR‐155 expression significantly ascended. Transfection of pcDNA‐XIST and pcDNA‐SNHG5 both reduced the expression of TNF‐α, IL‐6, IL‐8 and IL‐1β within HCAECs and also dampened the apoptotic tendency of HCAECs. Co‐treatment of pcDNA‐XIST and pcDNA‐SNHG5 produced a larger effect on HCAEC activity than pcDNA‐XIST or pcDNA‐SNHG5 alone. Furthermore, miR‐155, modified by XIST and SNHG5, was capable of reversing the impacts of XIST and SNHG5 on HCAEC activity. Eventually, CARHSP1 was activated by XIST and SNHG5, and its overexpression dwindled impacts of miR‐155 mimic on proliferation and inflammation response of HCAECs. In conclusion, targeting XIST and SNHG5 might be an ideal alternative in delaying AS progression, allowing for their repression of downstream miR‐155. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The outbreak of the infection of 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-‐19) has become a challenging public health threat worldwide. Limited data are available for pregnant women with COVID‐19 pneumonia. We report a case of a convalescing pregnant woman diagnosed with COVID‐19 infection 37 days before delivery in the third trimester. A live birth without severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) infection was performed successfully via the vagina. The findings from our case indicate that there is no intrauterine transmission in this woman who developed COVID‐19 pneumonia in late pregnancy. Highlights: The newborn was delivered by vaginal delivery, different from most of the cases.The results showed that intrauterine vertical transmission was not observed in our case.Our finding will be helpful for formulating the principles of obstetric treatment for pregnant women with COVID‐19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Aims/Introduction: Patients with diabetes frequently develop orthostatic hypotension (OH). The present study was designed to examine the relationship of blood pressure (BP) circadian rhythms and outcomes in diabetes with OH. Materials and Methods: In the present study, 173 inpatients with type 2 diabetes were enrolled. Patients were divided into an OH group and a non‐OH group according to the BP changes detected in the supine and standing position. Then, 24‐h ambulatory BP was monitored. Patients were followed up for an average of 45 ± 10 months post‐discharge. Outcomes – death and major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events, including heart failure, myocardial infarction and stroke – were recorded. Results: There were 61 patients (35.26%) in the OH group and 112 patients (64.74%) in the non‐OH group. In the OH group, the night‐time systolic BP and night‐time diastolic BP were higher, the blood BP rhythms were predominantly of the riser type (67.21%). OH was as an independent marker of riser type circadian rhythm (adjusted odds ratio 4.532, 95% confidence interval 2.579–7.966). In the OH group, the incidence rates of mortality, and major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events were increased significantly compared with those in the non‐OH group (11.48 vs 2.68%, P = 0.014; 37.70 vs 8.93%, P < 0.01). Conclusions: In patients who had type 2 diabetes diagnosed with OH, the BP circadian rhythm usually showed riser patterns, and they had increased rates of mortality, and major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microporous organic networks (MONs) have been considered as an ideal substrate to stabilize active metal nanoparticles. However, the development of highly water-dispersible hollow MONs nanostructures which can serve as both the reducing agent and stabilizer is highly desirable but still challenging. Here we report a template-assisted method to synthesize hollow microporous organic network (H-MON) spheres using silica spheres as hard template and 1,3,5-triethynylbenzene as the building blocks through a Glaser coupling reaction. The obtained water-dispersible H-MON spheres bearing sp- and sp2-hybridized carbon atoms possess a highly conjugated electronic structure and show low reduction potential; thus, they can serve as a reducing agent and stabilizer for electroless deposition of highly dispersed Pd clusters to form a Pd/H-MON spherical hollow nanocomposite. Benefitting from their high porosity, large surface area, and excellent solution dispersibility, the as-prepared Pd/H-MON hollow nanocomposite exhibits a high catalytic performance and recyclability toward the reduction of 4-nitrophenol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND Elimination of selectable marker genes ( SMGs) is important for the safe assessment and commercial use of transgenic plants. The destructive and invasive Colorado potato beetle ( CPB) poses a serious threat to potato production. In response to this need, selectable marker-free transgenic potato lines expressing cry3A were developed to control the damage and spread of CPB. RESULTS We simultaneously introduced cry3A and npt II genes harboured in different plasmids into the potato genome using the Agrobacterium-mediated cotransformation method. Four selectable marker-free transgenic potato ( CT) lines expressing cry3A were developed by self-crossing segregation and molecular analyses, including Southern blot, western blot and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay ( ELISA) assays. CT lines were used in a resistance bioassay against CPB in the laboratory and field. In the laboratory, CT lines exhibited high resistance to CPB, and 100% mortality of first-instar larvae occurred 6 days after infestation. In the field, untransformed plant leaves were almost entirely consumed, with an average of 155 larvae present per plant 25 days after inoculation. However, CT lines showed no damage symptoms, with approximately 2.5 larvae surviving per plant. CONCLUSION We successfully eliminated SMGs from the transgenic potato lines expressing cry3A in order to decrease CPB damage, control the spread of this pest eastwards and alleviate the concern regarding the safe assessment of regulatory requirements. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structural, mechanical, and electronic properties of four orthorhombic noble-metal nitrides TMN2 (TM = Ru, Rh, Os, and Ir) (space group of Pnnm, No: 58) under 100 GPa were investigated through the first-principles calculation using the generalized gradient approximation within the plane-wave pseudopotential density-functional theory. The obtained equilibrium structures are in excellent agreement with other experimental and theoretical results. The calculated formation energy indicates that the nitrides are thermodynamically metastable but mechanically stable at zero pressure. The calculated B/ G ratio indicated RhN2 possesses a ductile nature at 0 GPa, while RuN2, OsN2, and IrN2 are prone to brittleness under pressures of around 20.8, 20.0, and 4.3 GPa, respectively. Then, we calculated the partial and total densities of states. The results show that these four noble-metal nitrides are metallic and the order of metallicity from high to low is: RhN2 > IrN2 > RuN2 > OsN2. Through the charge-density distributions, we find that strong covalency is present in the interstitial dinitrogen units for the four orthorhombic compounds. The calculated hardness of orthorhombic RuN2, RhN2, OsN2, and IrN2 are 13.66, 11.54, 16.33, and 17.92 GPa, respectively. Through the quasiharmonic Debye model, we also investigated the thermodynamic properties of these four compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interaction between a novel anionic gemini surfactant containing a triazine ring, denoted as C8-G, and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) has been investigated in aqueous solution. The surface tension vs log. molar concentration plots of the individual surfactants and their mixtures were measured at different temperatures (298, 303, 308, and 313 K) by the drop volume method. The surface properties and the interaction parameters of the adsorption monolayer and the mixed micelle were obtained from the plot. The results showed that the CMC of the C8-G/CTAB mixture reached a minimum value of 3.20 × 10 mol/L when α (the mole fraction of C8-G in the mixed system) was 0.7 at 308 K, and the minimum γ was 28.1 mN/m obtained for the molar ratio of 0.9 at 308 K. Interaction between the two components was strongest ( $$\left| {\beta^{\sigma } } \right| = 14.158,\;\left| {\beta^{\text{m}} } \right| = 11.851$$ ) when α was 0.7 at 303 K. All the C8-G/CTAB mixtures exhibited synergism in both surface tension reduction efficiency and mixed micelle formation except when the mole fraction of C8-G ( α) was 0.1, 0.5 and 0.9 at 313 K, and became greatest for the molar ratio of 0.7 at 303 K. The C8-G/CTAB mixtures exhibited synergism in surface tension reduction effectiveness for all the complex ratios at 303 K, α = 0.1, 0.3, 0.9 at 308 K and α = 0.7 at 313 K, whereas the other surfactant mixtures did not show this synergism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Songbirds in seasonal environments often adjust their breeding strategy according to spatial or temporal changes in breeding conditions. Here we investigate how horned larks Eremophila alpestris, a multi-brooded songbird on the Tibetan Plateau, responded to the changing risk of nest predation and food availability across breeding attempts. We showed that both nest concealment and food supply increased with plant growth, and horned larks adjusted their breeding strategies accordingly. First they selected nest-sites where predator density was low, which enhanced nest survival. Second, clutch size increased with improving breeding conditions. They did not adopt an 'egg-size' strategy as egg size did not change with laying sequence or breeding attempt. Instead, they adopted the 'brood survival (feeding later-hatched nestlings more)' and 'brood reduction (feeding early-hatched nestlings more)' strategies during early and later attempts. Moreover, nestlings' growth varied with breeding attempt: more energy was invested into the growth of body mass during the first attempt but more energy was expended on the growth of linear structures during later attempts. This difference in energy allocation reflected changing food availability. We suggest that temporal changes of environmental factors are also the important force driving the evolution of avian breeding strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A three-dimensional (3D), macroporous and highly conductive graphene foam (GF) was synthesized by atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition (CVD). The morphologies of the GF were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The structure of the GF was investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy. The GF prepared by CVD was then transferred onto ITO coated glass, acting as an electrode, to detect dopamine (DA) and ascorbic acid (AA) by electrochemical methods. The results show that the GF exhibits high selectivity for the detection of DA and AA. It also shows high sensitivity for detection of DA with the lower detection limits of ∼2.0 nM in the linear response up to ∼10 µM. This demonstrates the free-standing GF provides a promising platform as a 3D biosensing material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel nonviral gene vectors of alkaline amino acids such as arginine- (Arg), histidine- (His), and lysine- (Lys) modified chitosans (AAA-CSs) are developed to simulate the components of viral envelopes to enhance transfection efficiency. The structures of the modified chitosans are characterized using 1H NMR spectroscopy. Acid-base titration results indicate that the modified chitosans exhibit strong buffering capacity. The morphology of the AAA-CSs/pDNA complexes is observed by use of transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. The complexes are spherical nanoparticles with a mean size around 100 nm. Zeta potential tests reveal that the complexes are positively charged and their zeta potentials vary from +0.1 to +19.5 mV. The MTT assay and agarose gel electrophoresis demonstrate that the AAA-CSs are non-cytotoxic and have excellent DNA condensation and protection abilities. Cellular uptake investigation of the AAA-CSs/pDNA complexes demonstrates that Arg-CS and His-CS have better cellular internalization property than the unmodified chitosan. The in vitro gene transfection is evaluated in HEK293 and NIH3T3 cell lines and in vivo transfection is carried out in tibialis anterior muscles. The results reveal that the arginine-modified chitosan could significantly enhance gene-transfection efficiency both in vitro and in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 60 GHz power amplifier for direct-conversion transceiver using standard 90 nm CMOS technology is reported.The power amplifier comprises three cascaded common-source stages with inductive load and inter-stage matching. To increase the saturated output power ( Psat) and power-added efficiency (PAE), the output stage adopts a two-way power dividing and combining architecture. Instead of the area-consumed Wilkinson power divider and combiner, miniature low-loss LC power divider and combiner are used. This in turn results in further Psat and PAE enhancement. Over the 57 ∼ 64 GHz frequency band of interest, the power amplifier consumes 44.4 mW and achieves power gain ( S21) of 12.04 ± 1 dB, input-port input return loss ( S11) of −6 to −9.4 dB, output-port input return loss ( S22) of −10.4 to −26.4 dB, and reverse isolation (S12) of −29.2 to −30.6 dB. At 60 GHz, the power amplifier achieves Psat of 11.4 mW and maximum PAE of 15.8%. To the authors' knowledge, this is the best PAE ever reported for a 60 GHz CMOS power amplifier. In addition, the measured output 1-dB compression point (OP1 dB) is 6 dBm at 60 GHz. These results demonstrate that the proposed power amplifier architecture is very promising for 60-GHz short-range communication systems. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 55:1155-1160, 2013; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/mop.27522 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

N-carboxymethyl chitosan ( NCMC) was synthesized with the modification of chitosan; the substitution degree was measured by titration. The biocompatibility and degradability of the NCMC were studied in vivo and the results showed that the NCMC was nontoxic and biocompatible. The in vivo degradation rate of NCMC in musculature was faster than that in subcutaneous tissue due to the relatively high lysozyme concentration. The NCMC was used as biomaterial to heal deep second-degree burn wounds. The wound size reduction, histological examination, and the quantification of transforming growth factor-β1, tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-8 protein levels, and Smad3 gene expression were measured to evaluate the healing effects. The results demonstrated that the NCMC was efficient in accelerating wound healing via activating transforming growth factor-β1/ Smad3 signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY Coupled steel plate shear wall (C-SPSW) consists of two or more steel plate shear walls interconnected by coupling beams at the floor levels. In this study, a six-story C-SPSW prototype building was designed. A 40% scale C-SPSW specimen, which is representative of the bottom two-and-half-story substructure of the prototype, was cyclically tested using Multi-Axial Testing System at the National Center for Research on Earthquake Engineering in 2009. In addition to a constant vertical force representing the gravity load effects, cyclic increasing displacements and the corresponding overturning moments transmitted from the upper stories were computed online and simultaneously applied on the substructural specimen. This paper firstly introduces the designs of the prototype C-SPSW and the test specimen. Then, the test results and the numerical simulation are discussed in detail. Test results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed column capacity design method, which aims at limiting the plastic hinge formation within the bottom quarter height of the bottom column. Test and analytical results suggest that the coupling beam rotational demands can be estimated as the design story drifts when the formation of desirable plastic mechanism of the C-SPSW is expected. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

- A driving waveform based on the powder charge of a quick-response liquid-powder display (QR-LPD®) was investigated. The charging mechanisms for contact charging and triboelectric charging determine the powder charge of a QR-LPD®. In this letter, driving waveforms containing both charging mechanisms are used for driving a QR-LPD®. As the experimental results indicate, the charge of the powder accumulates according to the image refresh times. The waveform of a pixel voltage with a slight frictional charge achieves a better contrast ratio for a QR-LPD®. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poly( p-dioxanone) (PPDO)/vermiculite (VMT) nanocomposites with exfoliated structure were prepared successfully by in situ intercalative polymerization of p-dioxanone (PDO) in the presence of organo-modified vermiculite (OVMT) with the aid of ultrasonic action. The nano-structure of the nanocomposites was established using X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations. The investigation of crystallization behavior by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and polarized optical microscopy (POM) proved that exfoliated OVMT platelets acted as a template for spherulite growth. The thermal stability of nanocomposites was enhanced than that of pure PPDO. Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) indicated nanoscale OVMT platelets restricted the motion of PPDO segments, which benefitted the increase of storage and loss modulus. The tensile properties showed that nanocomposites were reinforced and toughened significantly by the addition of nanoscale OVMT platelets. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. Cytochrome P450 (CYP) epoxygenases and their arachidonic acid metabolites play a protective role against ischaemia-reperfusion injury. In the present study, we investigated whether endogenous CYP2J3/epoxyeicosatrienoic acid (EET) mediates the cardioprotective effects of ischaemic preconditioning (IPC) and ischaemic post-conditioning (IPost). 2. Male Wistar rats were subjected to two cycles of IPC, consisting of 5 min ischaemia and 5 min reperfusion, followed by 45 min occlusion and 2 h reperfusion; IPost consisted of three cycles of 30 s reperfusion and 30 s re-occlusion at the onset of reperfusion. The selective CYP epoxygenase inhibitor N-methylsulphonyl-6-(2-propargyloxyphenyl)hexanamide (MS-PPOH; 3 mg/kg) was administered 10 min before ischaemia or during ischaemia 10 min before reperfusion started. Cardiac function was measured continuously with a angiocatheter connected to a fluid-filled pressure transducer and myocardial infarct size was assessed by triphenyl tetrazolium chloride staining at the end of the experiment. 3. Subjecting rats to IPC and IPost similarly improved cardiac function and reduced myocardial infarct size. Interestingly, IPost, but not IPC, significantly increased CYP2J3 mRNA (1.75 ± 0.22 vs 1.0; P < 0.05) and protein (1.62 ± 0.22 vs 1.0; P < 0.05), as well as 11,12-EET synthesis compared to I/R (6.2 ± 0.2 vs 2.9 ± 0.2 ng/mg wet weight, respectively; P < 0.01). Administration of MS-PPOH before ischaemia significantly decreased 11,12-EET synthesis in both IPC and IPost compared with I/R rats (2.1 ± 0.2, 3.2 ± 0.3 and 2.9 ± 0.2 ng/mg wet weight, respectively; P < 0.01), but decreased the cardioprotective effects, as evidenced by cardiac function and myocardial infarct size, of IPost only. 4. These data indicate that endogenous activation of CYP2J3/EET may be an essential trigger leading to the protective effects of IPost, but not IPC, in the rat heart. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pain is a multidimensional phenomenon and processed in a neural network. The supraspinal, brain mechanisms are increasingly recognized in playing a major role in the representation and modulation of pain. The aim of the current study is to investigate the functional interactions between cortex and thalamus during nociceptive processing, by observing the pain-related information flow and neuronal correlations within thalamo-cortical pathways. Pain-evoked, single-neuron activity was recorded in awake Sprague-Dawley rats with a Magnet system. Eight-wire microarrays were implanted into four different brain regions, i.e., the primary somatosensory (SI) and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), as well as ventral posterior (VP) and medial dorsal thalamus (MD). Noxious radiant heat was delivered to the rat hind paws on the side contralateral to the recording regions. A large number of responsive neurons were recorded in the four brain areas. Directed coherence analysis revealed that the amount of information flow was significantly increased from SI cortex to VP thalamus following noxious stimuli, suggesting that SI cortex has descending influence on thalamic neurons during pain processing. Moreover, more correlated neuronal activities indicated by crosscorrelation histograms were found between cortical and thalamic neurons, with cortical neurons firing ahead of thalamic units. On basis of the above findings, we propose that nociceptive responses are modulated by corticothalamic feedback during nociceptive transmission, which may be tight in the lateral pathway, while loose in the medial pathway. Synapse 61:335-342, 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) is an effective treatment for Parkinson's disease (PD). In spite of proven therapeutic success, the mechanism underlying the benefits of DBS has not been resolved. A multiple-channel single-unit recording technique was used in the present study to investigate basal ganglia (BG) neural responses during behaviorally effective DBS of the STN in a rat model of PD. Rats underwent unilateral dopamine (DA) depletion by injection of 6-hydroxyDA (6-OHDA) into one side of the medial forebrain bundle and subsequently developed a partial akinesia, which was assessed during the treadmill locomotion task. High frequency stimulation (HFS) of the STN restored normal treadmill locomotion behavior. Simultaneous recording of single unit activity in the striatum (STR), globus pallidus (GP), substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNr), and STN revealed a variety of neural responses during behaviorally effective HFS of the STN. Predominant inhibitory responses appeared in the STN stimulation site. Nearly equal numbers of excitatory and inhibitory responses were found in the GP and SNr, whereas more rebound excitatory responses were found in the STR. Mean firing rate did not change significantly in the STR, GP, and SNr, but significantly decreased in both sides of STN during DBS. A decrease in firing rate in the contralateral side of STN provides neural substrate for the clinical observation that unilateral DBS produces bilateral benefits in patients with PD. In addition to the firing rate changes, a decrease in burst firing was observed in the GP and STN. The present study indicates that DBS induces complex modulations of the BG circuit and further suggests that BG network reorganization, rather than a simple excitation or inhibition, may underlie the therapeutic effects of DBS in patients with PD. Synapse 59:445-457, 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A general binomial mixture model is proposed for the species accumulation function based on presence-absence (incidence) of species in a sample of quadrats or other sampling units. The model covers interpolation between zero and the observed number of samples, as well as extrapolation beyond the observed sample set. For interpolation (sample based rarefaction), easily calculated closed-form expressions for both expected richness and its confidence limits are developed (using the method of moments) that completely eliminate the need for resampling methods and permit direct Statistical comparison of richness between sample sets. An incidence based form of the Coleman (random placement) model is developed and compared with the moment based interpolation method. For extrapolation beyond the empirical sample set (and simultaneously, as an alternative method of interpolation), a likelihood based estimator with a bootstrap confidence interval is described that relies on a sequential, AIC-guided algorithm to fit the mixture model parameters Both the moment based and likelihood based estimators are illustrated with data sets for temperate birds and tropical seeds, ants, and trees. The moment based estimator is confidently recommended for interpolation (sample-based rare faction). For extrapolation, the likelihood based estimator performs well for doubling or tripling the number of empirical samples, but it is not reliable for estimating the richness asymptote. The sensitivity of individual based and sample based rarefaction to spatial (or temporal) patchiness is die cussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a research study focusing on the fluid inclusions and ore-forming fluids from the Duolong Ore Concentrated Area in Xizang, Tibet. It discusses the measurement of Homogenization temperature and salinity of multiphase inclusions containing minerals such as hematite and states that irregular forms of several ores are found in the ore bearing rocks including monzonitic granite, granite porphyry and granodiorite porphyry.

The advent of new chronic multineuron recording techniques for examining neural activity in behaving animals has initiated a new phase in the analysis of the neuronal mechanisms that underlie ethanol and other drug self-administration. The technique allows for the simultaneous recording of groups of individual neurons in one or more brain regions during ongoing behavior; therefore, the spatiotemporal patterns of neuronal activity during specific behavioral events can be determined. We have successfully applied this technique to rat models of cocaine and heroin self-administration. Recently, using rats, we have been able to record from neurons in areas of the mesocorticolimbic circuit during ethanol-reinforced operant responding. In this review, we describe the current and future application of this new behavioral neurophysiology to the investigation of the neurobiology of alcohol addiction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An exact peak capturing and essentially oscillation-free (EPCOF) algorithm, consisting of advection-dispersion decoupling, backward method of characteristics, forward node tracking, and adaptive local grid refinement, is developed to solve transport equations. This algorithm represents a refinement of LEZOOM, developed earlier by the senior author. In LEZOOM, a predetermined number of evenly spaced, hidden nodes was zoomed for a sharp front element, while in the EPCOF scheme, a subset of forwardly tracked nodes is zoomed. The number and location of this subset were automated. As a result, the peaks and valleys are captured exactly; and the ancillary problems of spurious oscillation, numerical dispersion, and phase errors are alleviated. Means of checking accumulated mass balance errors are provided. Application of the algorithm to two one-dimensional benchmark problems under a variety of conditions indicated that it completely eliminated peak clipping, spurious oscillation, phase error, and numerical dispersion. It yielded identical results, within the error tolerance, to exact solutions for all 19 test cases. Accumulated mass balance errors are extremely small for all 19 cases. The EPCOF scheme could solve the advective transport problems exactly, within any prescribed error tolerance, using mesh Peclet numbers ranging from 0 to infinity and very large mesh Courant numbers. The size of mesh Courant number is limited only by the accuracy requirement of the dispersion solver. Extension of this approach to multidimensional problems does not pose any conceptual difficulty and should alleviate the grid orientation trouble associated with such problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]