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BACKGROUND: Demulsification using chitosan (CS)‐coated magnetic nanomaterials has garnered significant attention. However, traditional methods for synthesizing chitosan (CS)‐coated magnetic nanomaterials are often contaminated, laborious, and time‐consuming. Moreover, they showed poor demulsification efficiency due to the occupation of free amino groups in CS by crosslinking agents. RESULTS: CS‐coated Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) were synthesized using humic acid (HA) as a bridge. The Fe3O4/HA/CS MNPs are recyclable demulsifiers for hexadecane‐water microemulsions. The impacts of MNP dosage, separation time, and pH on demulsification efficiency were studied comprehensively. Compared with Fe3O4/HA and Fe3O4/CS MNPs, the demulsification efficiency of the Fe3O4/HA/CS MNPs was superior. The pseudo‐second‐order kinetic model and the Sips isotherm best describe the demulsification process. Combined with the influence factors of demulsification efficiency, the demulsification mechanism involves electrostatic interactions between MNPs and oil microparticles. The maximum adsorption capacity for oil by the Fe3O4/HA/CS MNPs was 91.73 mg g−1. CONCLUSION: This research presents a new method for connecting CS to MNPs with a high surface positive charge. As synthesized Fe3O4/HA/CS MNPs is expected to serve as highly efficient and recyclable demulsifiers for emulsified oil wastewater. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is a small bioactive lipid which acts as a potent regulator in various tumor progressions through six G‐protein‐coupled receptors (LPA1–LPA6). Our previous study demonstrated that the LPA‐producing enzyme, autotaxin (ATX), was upregulated in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and ATX high expression levels indicated a poor prognosis. Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma is a type of malignant tumor which originates from epithelial cells. Its progression can be affected by the interaction between cancer cells and normal cells. However, the impact of LPA on the interaction between esophageal epithelial cells and cancer cells in the development of ESCC remains uncertain. Methods: MTS and Edu assays were performed to determine ESCC cell proliferation in culture medium (CM) derived from LPA‐stimulated esophageal epithelial cells (Het‐1a). A wound healing assay, transwell migration and an invasion assay were performed to assess the metastatic ability of ESCC cells. Cytokine array analysis was conducted to detect the differentially secreted cytokines in CM. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases were utilized to uncover the pathways and cytokines that are influenced by LPA in ESCC. Immunohistochemical staining was employed to measure the expression of ATX and CCL2 in early‐stage ESCC. Quantitative real‐time PCR, western blot, enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay and an antibody neutralization assay were employed to measure the mechanism of LPA‐mediated communication between epithelial cells and cancer cells. Results: Functional experiments showed that exposing ESCC cancer cells to CM from LPA‐treated Het‐1a results in promoting proliferation, migration, invasion and epithelial–mesenchymal transition processes. Using cytokine array analysis, we discovered that LPA triggers the release of multiple cytokines from epithelial cells. After screening of the TCGA and GEO databases, CCL2 was identified and found to be correlated with ATX expression in ESCC. Furthermore, CCL2 levels in both mRNA expression and secretion were observed to be upregulated in epithelial cells upon stimulation with LPA. Blocking CCL2 effectively reduced the pro‐migration influence of CM derived from LPA‐treated Het‐1a. Mechanism studies have demonstrated that LPA activated the NF‐κB signaling pathway through LPA1/3, ultimately causing an increase in CCL2 expression and secretion in Het‐1a. Conclusions: Our findings, taken together, demonstrate that CM from LPA‐treated esophageal epithelial cells plays a significant role in promoting the progression of ESCC, with CCL2 acting as the primary regulator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both hydrogen (H2) and copper ions (Cu+) can be used as anti‐cancer treatments. However, the continuous generation of H2 molecules and Cu+ in specific sites of tumors is challenging. Here we anchored Cu2+ on carbon photocatalyst (Cu@CDCN) to allow the continuous generation of H2 and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in tumors using the two‐electron process of visible water splitting. The photocatalytic process also generated redox‐active Cu‐carbon centers. Meanwhile, the Cu2+ residues reacted with H2O2 (the obstacle to the photocatalytic process) to accelerate the two‐electron process of water splitting and cuprous ion (Cu+) generation, in which the Cu2+ residue promoted a pro‐oxidant effect with glutathione through metal‐reducing actions. Both H2 and Cu+ induced mitochondrial dysfunction and intracellular redox homeostasis destruction, which enabled hydrogen therapy and cuproptosis to inhibit cancer cell growth and suppress tumor growth. Our research is the first attempt to integrate hydrogen therapy and cuproptosis using metal‐enhanced visible solar water splitting in nanomedicine, which may provide a safe and effective cancer treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Tiller number per plant—a cardinal component of ideal plant architecture—affects grain yield potential. Thus, alleles positively affecting tillering must be mined to promote genetic improvement. Here, we report a Tiller Number 1 (TN1) protein harbouring a bromo‐adjacent homology domain and RNA recognition motifs, identified through genome‐wide association study of tiller numbers. Natural variation in TN1 affects its interaction with TIF1 (TN1 interaction factor 1) to affect DWARF14 expression and negatively regulate tiller number in rice. Further analysis of variations in TN1 among indica genotypes according to geographical distribution revealed that low‐tillering varieties with TN1‐hapL are concentrated in Southeast Asia and East Asia, whereas high‐tillering varieties with TN1‐hapH are concentrated in South Asia. Taken together, these results indicate that TN1 is a tillering regulatory factor whose alleles present apparent preferential utilization across geographical regions. Our findings advance the molecular understanding of tiller development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND Gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar) is one of the most important pests in the world. Emamectin benzoate (EMB) is widely used in the control of agricultural and forestry pests. Here, we explored the sublethal effects of EMB on gypsy moths in order to better understand the toxicological mechanism of EMB. RESULTS: The sublethal concentration of EMB exposure significantly decreased the larvae body weight. To further explore the mechanism, indicators related to digestion and nutrient metabolism were detected. The results showed that EMB exposure caused midgut damage, reduced the activities of digestive enzymes and changed the content of sugar and amino acids. Moreover, the expression of insulin/phosphoinositide‐3‐kinase (PI3K)/forkhead box protein O (FoxO) pathway and sugar metabolism‐related genes was abnormal. The expression of insulin receptor (InR), chico, PI3K, and protein kinase B (Akt) significantly reduced, and that of phosphatase and tensin homologue (PTEN) and FoxO increased. The expression of glycogen phosphorylase (GP) was upregulation and that of glycogen synthase (GS), trehalase (TRE) and trehalose‐phosphate synthase (TPS) were downregulation. All results indicated that EMB inhibits the growth of gypsy moth by inducing midgut injury, digestive dysfunction and nutrient metabolism disorder. In addition, EMB caused midgut injury may be related to apoptosis or a collateral effect of the damage in other tissues, and more extensive and deeper research is still needed to investigate the detailed mechanism. CONCLUSION: Our finding strengthens the understanding of the sublethal effect of EMB, and provides a theoretical basis for the application of EMB in the prevention and control of gypsy moth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Panicle number (PN) is one of the three yield components in rice. As one of the most unstable traits, the dynamic change in tiller number (DCTN) may determine the final PN. However, the genetic basis of DCTN and its relationship with PN remain unclear. Here, 377 deeply re‐sequenced rice accessions were used to perform genome‐wide association studies (GWAS) for tiller/PN. It was found that the DCTN pattern rather than maximum tiller number or effective tiller ratio is the determinant factor of high PN. The DCTN pattern that affords more panicles exhibits a period of stable tillering peak between 30 and 45 days after transplant (called DT30 and DT45, respectively), which was believed as an ideal pattern contributing to the steady transition from tiller development to panicle development (ST‐TtP). Consistently, quantitative trait loci (QTL) expressed near DT30−DT45 were especially critical to the rice DCTN and in supporting the ST‐TtP. The spatio‐temporal expression analysis showed that the expression pattern of keeping relatively high expression in root at 24:00 (R24‐P2) from about DT30 to DT45 is a typical expression pattern of cloned tiller genes, and the candidate genes with R24‐P2 can facilitate the prediction of PN. Moreover, gene OsSAUR27 was identified by an integrated approach combining GWAS, bi‐parental QTL mapping and transcription. These findings related to the genetic basis underlying the DCTN will provide the genetic theory in making appropriate decisions on field management, and in developing new varieties with high PN and ideal dynamic plant architecture. Significance Statement: We reported the patterns and genetic basis of dynamic change in tiller and panicle development in rice using a diverse germplasm population and the GWAS analysis. The results provided the genetic evidence that the tiller development pattern with ideal dynamic plant architecture plays an important role in determining the rice PN, and suggested the novel genetic view in considering the appropriate field management and developing the new rice varieties with ideal dynamic plant architecture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genetic studies on cold tolerance at the reproductive stage in rice could lead to significant reductions in yield losses. However, knowledge about the genetic basis and adaptive differentiation, as well as the evolution and utilization of the underlying natural alleles, remains limited. Here, 580 rice accessions in two association panels were used to perform genome‐wide association study, and 156 loci associated with cold tolerance at the reproductive stage were identified. Os01g0923600 and Os01g0923800 were identified as promising candidate genes in qCTB1t, a major associated locus. Through population genetic analyses, 22 and 29 divergent regions controlling cold adaptive differentiation inter‐subspecies (Xian/Indica and Geng/Japonica) and intra‐Geng, respectively, were identified. Joint analyses of four cloned cold‐tolerance genes showed that they had different origins and utilizations under various climatic conditions. bZIP73 and OsAPX1 differentiating inter‐subspecies evolved directly from wild rice, whereas the novel mutations CTB4a and Ctb1 arose in Geng during adaptation to colder climates. The cold‐tolerant Geng accessions have undergone stronger selection under colder climate conditions than other accessions during the domestication and breeding processes. Additive effects of dominant allelic variants of four identified genes have been important in adaptation to cold in modern rice varieties. Therefore, this study provides valuable information for further gene discovery and pyramiding breeding to improve cold tolerance at the reproductive stage in rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Type 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) are a subset of ILCs with critical roles in immunoregulation. However, the possible role of ILC2s as immunotherapy against allograft rejection remains unclear. Here, we show that IL‐33 significantly prolonged islet allograft survival. IL‐33‐treated mice had elevated numbers of ILC2s and regulatory T cells (Tregs). Depletion of Tregs partially abolished the protective effect of IL‐33 on allograft survival, and additional ILC2 depletion in Treg‐depleted DEREG mice completely abolished the protective effects of IL‐33, indicating that ILC2s play critical roles in IL‐33‐mediated islet graft protection. Two subsets of ILC2s were identified in islet allografts of IL‐33‐treated mice: IL‐10 producing ILC2s (ILC210) and non‐IL‐10 producing ILC2s (non‐ILC10). Intravenous transfer of ILC210 cells, but not non‐ILC10, prolonged islet allograft survival in an IL‐10‐dependent manner. Locally transferred ILC210 cells led to long‐term islet graft survival, suggesting that ILC210 cells are required within the allograft for maximal suppressive effect and graft protection. This study has uncovered a major protective role of ILC210 in islet transplantation which could be potentiated as a therapeutic strategy. Synopsis: This study reveals a major protective role of the IL‐33/ILC2 axis in islet transplantation that could be potentiated as a therapeutic strategy. Adoptive transfer of ex vivo expanded IL‐10‐producing ILC2s (ILC210) significantly prolonged allograft survival. IL‐33 significantly prolonged islet allograft survival by increasing numbers of ILC2s and regulatory T cells in vivo.IL‐33 treatment induced a long‐term accumulation of ILC2s in islet graft associated with a persistent increase of IL‐33 in islet graft tissue.Expansion of ILC210 was induced by IL‐33 and IL‐2/IL‐2 antibody complex in vivo and in vitro. ILC210 prolonged islet allograft survival in an IL‐10-dependent manner.ILC210 migration into the islet allograft was necessary for maximum graft protection. The phenotypic stability of locally transferred ILC210 was an important factor in determining the fate of islet grafts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A boiler‐turbine unit is a primary module for coal‐fired power plants, and an effective automatic control system is needed for the boiler‐turbine unit to track the load changes with the drum water level kept within an acceptable range. The aim of this paper is to develop a nonlinear tracking controller for the Bell‐Åström boiler‐turbine unit. A Takagi‐Sugeno fuzzy control system is introduced for the nonlinear modeling of the Bell‐Åström boiler‐turbine unit. Based on the Takagi‐Sugeno fuzzy models, a nonlinear tracking controller is developed, and the proposed control law is comprised of a state‐feedforward term and a state‐feedback term. The stability of the closed‐loop control system is analyzed on the basis of Lyapunov stability theory via the linear matrix inequality approach and Schur complement. Moreover, model uncertainties are also considered, and it is proved that with the proposed control law the tracking error converges to zero. To assess the performance of the proposed nonlinear state‐feedback state‐feedforward control strategy, a nonlinear model predictive control strategy and a linear strategy are presented as comparisons. The effectiveness and the advantages of the proposed nonlinear state‐feedback state‐feedforward control strategy are demonstrated by simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: Hypoxia‐induced damage is one of the key factors associated with islet graft dysfunction. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) could be used to enhance the therapeutic effect of islet transplantation due to their paracrine potential such as exosomes. In this study, we investigated whether exosomes from human umbilical cord‐derived MSC‐conditioned medium (hu‐MSC‐CM) could increase the survival and function of neonatal porcine islet cell clusters (NICCs) exposed to hypoxia. Methods: Neonatal porcine islet cell clusters were cultured with hu‐MSC‐CM, with or without exosomes, and native medium RPMI‐1640 (Control) under hypoxic conditions (1% O2). The effects of exosomes on NICCs viability and function in vitro were examined by FACS, the Loops system, and the Extracellular Flux assay, respectively. Results: Compared with NICCs cultured in RPMI‐1640 medium and hu‐MSC‐CM without exosomes, the survival ratio, viability, and function increased in NICCs cultured in hu‐MSC‐CM with exosomes. Conclusions: This study found that hu‐MSC‐CM could protect NICCs from hypoxia‐induced dysfunction, and exosomes played an important role in hypoxic resistance, suggesting a potential strategy to improve islet transplantation outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sufficient absorption to incident solar illumination, long exciton diffusion length, and efficient dissociation are extremely critical factors to guarantee an acquirement of high power conversion efficiency (PCE) in solar cells, including perovskite solar cells (PSCs). In this work, Au@poly(4‐styrenesulfonate) (PSS) core–shell tetrahedra nanostructures, synthesized by seed mediated growth method, are incorporated into PSCs for the first time to improve light absorption of methylammonium lead iodide via surface plasmon resonance effect. Both the use of Au tetrahedra core and the introduction of ultrathin PSS shell are beneficial for generating a strong local field and preventing from exciton quenching at the surface of nanoparticles (NPs). With an optimal concentration of Au@PSS tetrahedra NPs, the PCE achieves 16.53%, showing a significant improvement factor of 18.83% compared to the reference device without NPs. Analyses indicate that in addition to promotion of light absorption of active layer over the broad wavelength range, the Au@PSS tetrahedra NPs also increase exciton dissociation and charge transfer efficiency by enhancing the recombination resistance inside PSCs and reducing photoluminescence intensity and exciton/carrier lifetime of perovskite films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ion mobility and ion density are key physical parameters in research of ion flow field of high‐voltage DC (HVDC) transmission lines. The Gerdien tube is one of the practical tools that can be utilised in situ measurement of ion mobility and ion density of coronated lines. The mobility spectrum, connecting the ion mobility and ion density, is an effective approach in analysis of the characteristics of corona ions and the effects of environmental factors on them. In previous studies, single measurement‐electrode Gerdien tube is frequently used to get the mobility of one single ion via graphical method or the total ion density when the tube is operating as a counter. To enable it to obtain the ion mobility spectrum, a method is devised by the analysis of graphical method and the transition phenomenon in current–voltage characteristics of the tube. Furthermore, the method is applied to the raw data of current–voltage characteristics published in the literatures. The ion mobility spectra are obtained and compared with those having been reported. By doing this, the method is validated. This new approach makes applications of Gerdien tubes more advantages in experimental researches of ion flow field of HVDC transmission lines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: Neonatal pig islet‐like cell clusters (NICC) are an attractive source of insulin‐producing tissue for potential transplantation treatment of type 1 diabetic patients. However, a considerable loss of NICC after their transplantation due to apoptosis resulted from islet isolation and instant blood‐mediated inflammatory reaction remains to be overcome. Methods: EGM2 medium depleted with hydrocortisone and supplemented with 50 mmol/L isobutylmethylxanthine, 10 mmol/L nicotinamide, and 10 mmol/L glucose was used to culture NICC at day 1, the day after isolation and changed every other day. NICC cultured with EGM2 or control Ham's F‐10 medium were collected at day 7 of culture for the following assays. The viability of NICC was evaluated by AO/EB staining and FACS. Static assay and oxygen consumption rate analysis were performed to assess the function of NICC. Insulin and glucagon gene expression were measured by real‐time PCR. Tubing loops model and TUNEL assay were performed to confirm the apoptosis‐resistant ability of NICC cultured with modified EGM2 medium. Serum starvation and hypoxia treatment were used to test the tolerant capability of NICC in the microenvironment of hypoxia/nutrient deficiency in vitro. The molecules involved in apoptosis pathways in NICC were analyzed by Western blotting. Results: Compared with Ham's F‐10 medium, culturing NICC with EGM2 medium led to increased number and viability of NICC with higher stimulation index, upregulated gene expression of both insulin and glucagon, and enhanced mitochondria function. Furthermore, fewer modified EGM2 medium cultured NICC were found under apoptosis when evaluated in an in vitro tubing loop model of IBMIR. Moreover, EGM2 medium cultured NICC demonstrated much less apoptotic cells under either serum starvation or hypoxia condition than their Ham's F‐10 medium cultured counterparts. The enhanced capability of EGM2 cultured NICC to resist apoptosis was associated with their elevated protein levels of anti‐apoptotic Bcl‐2 family member Mcl‐1. Conclusion: Culturing NICC with EGM2 provides a simple and effective approach not only to increase NICC yield, viability, and maturation but also to enhance their resistance to apoptosis to preserve the initial graft mass for successful islet xenotransplantation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Electrospun poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) nanofibers were collected on aluminum foil across a gap with widths that varied in size from 2 to 10 mm. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images on fiber bundles showed that in all cases, fibers in the gap were macroscopically aligned across the gap. However, single fiber selected area electron diffraction (SAED) patterns and polarized Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectra demonstrated that fibers deposited across the gap were also highly aligned at the molecular level with the polymer backbones oriented along the fiber axis and that the extent of molecular orientation increased with the gap width. A possible explanation for this observation is based on the repulsion of similarly charged nanofibers and the simultaneous attraction of these fibers to the oppositely charged gap edges. This provides a plausible model for understanding the deposition kinetics and subsequent molecular orientation as a function of gap size when electrospinning using this method of fiber collection. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2016, 54, 617-623 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of pyrene/phenanthrene-fused furan derivatives ( 1- 8) were synthesized by a simple condensation reaction between pyrene-4,5-diketone/phenanthrenequinone and substituted phenol/naphthol in the presence of trifluoromethanesulfonic acid in 1,2-dichlorobenzene heated at reflux. The formed compounds can emit strong blue light in organic solvents. Additionally, the self-assembly behaviors of two of the compounds ( 3 and 5) were studied through re-precipitation method and the resulting nanostructures were characterized by UV/Vis, fluorescence spectra, and field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). The findings showed that the shape and size of compounds 3 and 5 could be tuned by the ratio of THF and hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) solution in water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The MAPKs are activated by a variety of cellular stimuli to participate in a series of signaling cascades and mediate diverse intracellular responses. One potential target of the MAPKs is Op18/stathmin, a molecule that acts as an integrator of diverse cell signaling pathways and regulates the dynamics of microtubules, which are involved in modulating a variety of cellular processes, including cell cycle progression and cell growth. Our study focused on the regulation of the MAPK-mediated Op18/stathmin signaling pathway, which is triggered by the Epstein- Barr virus-encoded latent membrane protein 1 ( LMP1) oncogene in nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells. The results showed that the activity of MAPK, which was induced by LMP1, varied with cell cycle progression; LMP1 upregulated phosphorylation of ERK during the G1/ S phase, but negatively regulated phosphorylation of ERK during the G2/ M phase. We found that the regulation of Op18/stathmin signaling by LMP1 was mainly mediated through ERK. The inhibition of LMP1 expression attenuated the interaction of ERK with Op18/stathmin and promoted microtubule depolymerization. These findings indicate the existence of a new cell cycle-associated signaling pathway in which LMP1 regulates ERK-mediated Op18/stathmin signaling. ( Cancer Sci 2012; 103: 993-999) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phaeochromocytomas (PCCs) are neuro-endocrine tumours of the adrenal medulla that are usually benign, but approximately 10% of patients develop metastases. Malignant PCCs can only be diagnosed with certainty if metastases are present. Here we describe adrenal tumours generated in a Pten conditional knock-out (KO) mouse model. We characterized the molecular alterations in these tumours and compared them with human PCC. Thirty-two of 41 (78%) male Psa-Cre;Pten-loxP/loxP mice presented adrenal tumours that were shown to be PCC by histology and by immunohistochemical staining for enzymes in the catecholamine biosynthetic pathway. In 6 of 17 investigated mice, histological and immunohistochemical evidence was obtained for the presence of PCC lung metastases. Array comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) analysis of the primary tumours showed loss of chromosomes 6 and 19, which are syntenic to human 3p and 11q. Another frequent alteration found was gain of chromosome 15, which is syntenic to human chromosome 5. The molecular aberrations in the mouse model corresponded to the alterations found in a subtype of human PCC, suggesting that the PCC of the Pten KO mice might be representative of human PCC. The mouse model should allow further studies into the pathogenesis of human malignant PCCs and into therapeutic strategies for these tumours. Copyright © 2008 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) encoded latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1) plays an important role in the carcinogenesis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). The tumor suppressor p53 is an important transcription factor. The mutation of the p53 gene is the frequent alteration in most of tumors, but nearly 100% wild-type p53 gene is found in NPC biopsy. Here, our study testified that SV40 T-antigen transformed nasopharyngeal epithelial cells contained free, wild-type p53. Moreover, LMP1 regulated p53 both at transcriptional and translational level. Furthermore, the mechanism of p53 accumulation mediated by LMP1 from post-translational level-phosphorylation and ubiquitination were determined. Therefore, the effects of EBV LMP1 on p53 may potentially contribute to EBV-associated pathogenesis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary: The Sca-1 surface glycoprotein is used routinely as a marker for haematopoietic stem cell enrichment. Two allelic genes, Ly-6A and Ly-6E , encode this marker and appear to be differentially regulated in haematopoietic cells and haematopoietic stem cells. The Sca-1 protein has been shown to be expressed at a greater frequency in these cells from Ly-6A strains of mice. To study the specific expression pattern and haematopoietic regulation of the Ly-6A gene, we constructed a 14 kb cassette from a genomic Ly-6A fragment, inserted a lacZ reporter gene and created transgenic mice. We found that the Ly-6A lacZ transgene was expressed in the haematopoietic tissues and predominantly in the T-lymphoid lineage. Some expression was also found in the B-lymphoid and myeloid lineages. We demonstrated functional haematopoietic stem cell enrichment by sorting for β-galactosidase-expressing cells from the bone marrow. In addition, we found an interesting embryonic expression pattern in the AGM region, the site of the first haematopoietic stem cell generation. Surprisingly, when compared with data from Ly-6E lacZ transgenic mice, our results suggest that the Ly-6A cassette does not improve lacZ marker gene expression in haematopoietic cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Ly-6A and Ly-6E allelic genes encode the Sca-1 protein, which is one of the most widely used markers in haematopoietic stem cell isolation procedures. Identification of the specific gene regulatory elements that direct haematopoietic stem cell specific expression of Sca-1 is of current interest for purposes of stem cell manipulation. Both the Ly-6E and Ly-6A alleles have been examined for regions containing DNase I hypersensitive sites thought to be indicative of transcriptional regulatory elements. In these previous studies, the Ly-6E allele with its flanking regulatory sequences was cloned, and the region responsible for high-level γ-interferon (γ-IFN)-induced expression was localized to a 3′ distal sequence containing two strong DNase1 hypersensitive sites. Because the Ly-6A allele is thought to provide higher levels of expression in haematopoietic stem cells, we isolated over 25 kb of the Ly-6A gene and flanking regulatory regions. We show here that sequences analogous to those in the Ly-6E allele are responsible for high-level γ-IFN-induced expression in vitro. Furthermore, we show that this 3′ distal Ly-6A fragment directs high-level γ-IFN-induced expression from a heterologous promoter, suggesting that it is a potent enhancer that could be useful for expression in haematopoietic stem cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The dysfunction of islet grafts is generally attributed to hypoxia‐induced damage. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are currently thought to effectively protect cells from various risk factors via regulating autophagy. In our study, we investigated if human umbilical cord‐derived MSCs could ameliorate hypoxia‐induced apoptosis in porcine islets by modulating autophagy, and we explored the underlying mechanisms. Methods: Neonatal porcine islet cell clusters (NICCs) were cultured with human umbilical cord‐derived MSC conditioned medium (huc‐MSC‐CM) and RPMI‐1640 medium (control) under hypoxic conditions (1% O2) in vitro. NICCs were treated with 3‐methyladenine (3‐MA) and chloroquine (CQ) to examine the role of huc‐MSC‐CM in regulating autophagy. Finally, the levels of several cytokines secreted by huc‐MSCs were detected by ELISAs, and the corresponding inhibitors were applied to investigate which cytokine mediates the protective effects of huc‐MSC‐CM. The effects of huc‐MSC‐CM on NICCs viability and autophagy were examined using AO/PI staining, flow cytometry analysis, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and confocal fluorescence microscopy analysis. The insulin secretion of NICCs was tested with an insulin immunoradiometric assay kit. Results: Compared to the control, the huc‐MSC‐CM treatment improved the viability of NICCs, inhibited apoptosis, increased autophagic activity and the levels of PI3K class III and phosphorylated Akt, while the ratio of phosphorylated mTOR/mTOR was reduced. These changes were reversed by CQ and 3‐MA treatments. High concentrations of IL‐6 were detected in hu‐MSC‐CM. Furthermore, recombinant IL‐6 pre‐treatment exerted similar effects as huc‐MSC‐CM, and these effects were reversed by a specific inhibitor of IL‐6 (Sarilumab). Conclusions: Our results demonstrated that huc‐MSC‐CM improved islet viability and function by increasing autophagy through the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway under hypoxic conditions. Additionally, IL‐6 plays an important role in the function of huc‐MSC‐CM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel furan ‐ embedded heteroarenes were synthesized by a one ‐ pot condensation reaction between pyrene ‐ 4,5 ‐ diketone/phenanthrenequinone and substituted phenol/naphthol catalyzed by triflic acid. The resulting molecules emit blue light in organic solvents. The self ‐ assembly behaviors of 11 ‐ fluoropyreno[4,5 ‐ b]benzofuran and naphtho[1,2 ‐ b]pyreno[4,5 ‐ d]furan were investigated by a re ‐ precipitation method, which indicated that the shape and size could be tuned by the ratio of THF to a solution of hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide in water. For more details see the Full Paper by J. Xiao et al. on page 14791 ff. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]