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Liquid‒liquid phase separation (LLPS) is a ubiquitous process in which proteins, RNA, and biomolecules assemble into membrane‐less compartments, playing important roles in many biological functions and diseases. The current knowledge on the biophysical and biochemical principles of LLPS is largely from in vitro studies; however, the physiological environment in living cells is complex and not at equilibrium. The characteristics of intracellular dynamics and their roles in physiological LLPS remain to be resolved. Here, by using single‐particle tracking of quantum dots and dynamic monitoring of the formation of stress granules (SGs) in single cells, the spatiotemporal dynamics of intracellular transport in cells undergoing LLPS are quantified. It is shown that intracellular diffusion and active transport are both reduced. Furthermore, the formation of SG droplets contributes to increased spatial heterogeneity within the cell. More importantly, the study demonstrated that the LLPS of SGs can be regulated by intracellular dynamics in two stages: the reduced intracellular diffusion promotes SG assembly and the microtubule‐associated transport facilitates SG coalescences. The work on intracellular dynamics not only improves the understanding of the mechanism of physiology phase separations occurring in nonequilibrium environments but also reveals an interplay between intracellular dynamics and LLPS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The incidence of type 2 diabetes is high, and the existing metformin hydrochloride (MH) tablets of 250 mg cannot meet the demands of the Chinese drug market. This study aimed to evaluate the bioequivalence and safety of generic formulations of MH tablets (test formulation [T], 250 mg/tablet) and innovative products (reference formulation [R], 250 mg/tablet) under fasting conditions. This was an open‐label, single‐dose, 2‐period, 2‐sequence crossover, single‐center, randomized phase I clinical trial. T and R were considered bioequivalent if the adjusted geometric mean ratios (GMRs) and 90% confidence intervals of the area under the curve (AUC) and maximum concentration (Cmax) were within the range of 0.8‐1.25. Thirty‐five participants completed the trial. The T/R adjusted GMRs (95.7% for Cmax, 98.7% for AUC0→t, 98.8% for AUC0→∞) were within the acceptable bioequivalence range of 80%‐125%. No serious adverse events or suspected or unexpected serious adverse reactions occurred during this trial. The study findings confirmed that generic MH is a well‐tolerated and bioequivalent alternative to innovative products under fasting conditions in healthy Chinese participants. (www.chinadrugtrials.org.cn; registration no. CTR20190356) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transboundary Mekong River spans China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam, and provides critical ecosystem services that support millions of people across the river basin. However, the exploitation of its water resources for state‐led development, especially in the realm of hydropower development, not only threatens the livelihoods and food security of communities across the river basin, but also reveal the challenges of governing the Mekong River as a transboundary commons. In focusing on how environmental injustice is produced through hydropower development and the power dynamics within hybrid governance arrangements in the Mekong River Basin, this paper seeks to examine how a grounded perspective of environmental justice may be understood in this context by linkages between the principles of environmental justice and the Mekong literature in three ways. First, the production of, and challenges against distributive injustice in the Mekong River Basin must engage with a strong tradition of scalar analysis in the field of transboundary water governance, particularly in understanding how a politics of scale underlies contestations around the Mekong River. Second, the principle of justice as recognition can be situated within a body of literature that interrogates the politics of knowledge that runs through Mekong water governance, although the co‐production of knowledge types must be acknowledged. Finally, a recent body of literature questioning the legality of dam‐building and public participation around Mekong hydropower dams are closely tied to issues of procedural justice, and reveal the importance of recognizing plurality in ideas around transparency and accountability. This article is categorized under:Human Water > Water GovernanceHuman Water > Water as Imagined and RepresentedHuman Water > Value of Water [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To characterize alpha-fetoprotein (AFP)-producing gastric cancer (AFPGC) at the single-cell level and to identify regulatory factors for AFP expression and malignancy. Methods: ScRNA-seq was performed on two tumors collected from patients with AFPGC. InferCNV and sub-clustering were applied to identify typical AFPGC cells, followed by AddModuleScore, pathway enrichment, Pseudo-time, and Scenic analyses. Data from a gastric cancer (GC) cohort were collected for conjoint analysis. The analytical results were verified by cell experiments and immunohistochemistry. Results: AFPGC cells are similar to hepatocytes in transcriptome and transcriptional regulation, with kinetic malignancy-related pathways, compared to the common malignant epithelium. In addition, compared to common GC cells, malignancy-related pathways, such as epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and angiogenesis, were upregulated in AFPGC. Mechanistically, Dickkopf-1 (DKK1) was found to be associated with AFP expression and malignant phenotype upon combining our scRNA-seq data with a public database, which was further verified by a series of in vitro experiments and immunohistochemistry. Conclusion: We demonstrated the single-cell characteristics of AFPGC and that DKK1 facilitates AFP expression and malignancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mean-field treatment (MFT) is frequently applied to approximately predict the dynamics of quantum optics systems. It simplifies the system Hamiltonian by neglecting the quantum statistics of certain modes that are driven strongly by lasers or couple weakly with other modes. However, the neglected quantum correlations between different modes result in unanticipated quantum effects and might lead to significantly distinct system dynamics. Here, a general and systematic theoretical framework based on perturbation theory in company with MFT is provided to capture these quantum effects. The form of nonlinear dissipation and parasitic Hamiltonian as well as their relationship to the nonlinear coupling rate are predicted. Furthermore, the indicator is also proposed as a measure of the accuracy of mean-field treatment. As an example, this theory is applied to quantum frequency conversion, in which mean-field treatment is commonly applied, to test its limitation under strong pump and large coupling strength. The analytical results show excellent agreement with the numerical simulations. This work clearly reveals the residual quantum effects neglected by MFT and provides a more precise theoretical framework for nonlinear optics and quantum optics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural genetic diversity in plant germplasm collections provides the genetic variability for crop improvement. To explore this natural genetic variability, over 8,800 accessions within the USDA cultivated peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) germplasm collection were evaluated for several seed quality traits including seed coat color, 100‐seed weight, oil content, and fatty acid composition. After removing contaminated and/or mixed accessions, the remaining 8,466 accessions were used for further data analysis. The mean of 100‐seed weight was 49.44 g with a wide range of 21.84 to 148.36 g (6.8‐fold difference). Six accessions (PI 414995, PI 648234, PI 318740, PI 336978, PI 320059, and PI 578229) with 100‐seed weight >110 g were identified. The mean of oil content was 48.94% with a range of 36.51 to 59.45% (1.6‐fold difference). Seven accessions (PI 471949, PI 472001, PI 497369, PI 442739, PI 343423, PI 161298, and PI 668582) with oil content >58% were identified. The mean of oleic acid was 45.2% with a wide range of 39.99 to 82.08% (2.1‐fold difference). The mean of linoleic acid was 32.56% with a wide range of 2.0 to 46.68% (23.3‐fold difference). Thirty‐seven accessions were identified with >65% oleic acid. Among them, PI 636472 and PI 596800 had the highest level of oleic acid (82.1 and 81.8%, respectively). Significant variation in these traits was also identified between subspecies and among botanical varieties. Some significantly positive and negative correlations among these traits were also determined. The results presented here will be useful for peanut breeders, geneticists, and other users. Core Ideas: The USDA cultivated peanut germplasm collection is maintained at PGRCU, Griffin, GA.Natural genetic diversity exists in this collection.Seed quality traits were evaluated on this collection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The entorhinal cortex is of great importance in cognition and memory, its dysfunction causes a variety of neurological diseases, particularly Alzheimer's disease (AD). Yet so far, research on entorhinal cortex is still limited. Here, we provided the first single‐nucleus transcriptomic map of primate entorhinal cortex aging. Our result revealed that synapse signaling, neurogenesis, cellular homeostasis, and inflammation‐related genes and pathways changed in a cell‐type‐specific manner with age. Moreover, among the 7 identified cell types, we highlighted the neuronal lineage that was most affected by aging. By integrating multiple datasets, we found entorhinal cortex aging was closely related to multiple neurodegenerative diseases, particularly for AD. The expression levels of APP and MAPT, which generate β‐amyloid (Aβ) and neurofibrillary tangles, respectively, were increased in most aged entorhinal cortex cell types. In addition, we found that neuronal lineage in the aged entorhinal cortex is more prone to AD and identified a subpopulation of excitatory neurons that are most highly associated with AD. Altogether, this study provides a comprehensive cellular and molecular atlas of the primate entorhinal cortex at single‐cell resolution and provides new insights into potential therapeutic targets against age‐related neurodegenerative diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article titled "Interplay Between Intracellular Transport Dynamics and Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation" explores the relationship between intracellular dynamics and liquid-liquid phase separation in the cytoplasm. The authors, Hui Li, Xiaosong Chen, and their colleagues, discover that the formation of stress granules (SG) leads to a reduction in intracellular diffusion and active transport. This reduction in diffusion promotes SG assembly, while microtubule-associated transport facilitates SG coalescence. The findings shed light on the complex interplay between intracellular dynamics and phase separation. [Extracted from the article]

Aspirin is a commonly used anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antithrombotic drug. It has attracted attention due to its potential antifungal therapeutic effect; however, the molecular mechanism is poorly understood. Here, the effects of aspirin on the cell wall of Saccharomyces cerevisiae were explored. We observed by scanning electron microscopy that aspirin could damage the cell wall ultrastructure. Meanwhile, a cellular surface hydrophobicity (CSH) assay showed that aspirin increased the hydrophobicity of the yeast cell surface. A drug sensitivity assay indicated that the overexpression of dolichol phosphate mannose synthase 1 (DPM1) reversed the cell wall damage and decreased the CSH induced by aspirin. Importantly, aspirin decreased the expression and enzyme activity of DPM1 in S. cerevisiae. Molecular docking results demonstrated that aspirin could directly bind to the Ser141 site of DPM1. Similarly, we found that aspirin damaged the cell wall and inhibited the expression of DPM1 in Candida albicans. These findings improve the current understanding of the action mode of aspirin and provide new strategies for antifungal drug design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sugars are essential regulatory molecules involved in plant growth and development and defense response. Although the relationship between sugars and disease resistance has been widely discussed, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unexplored. Ring rot caused by Botryosphaeria dothidea (B. dothidea), which severely affects fruit quality and yield, is a destructive disease of apples (Malus domestica Borkh.). The present study found that the degree of disease resistance in apple fruit was closely related to glucose content. Therefore, the gene encoding a hexokinase, MdHXK1, was isolated from the apple cultivar 'Gala', and characterized during the defense response. Overexpression of MdHXK1 enhanced disease resistance in apple calli, leaves and fruits by increasing the expression levels of genes related to salicylate (SA) synthesis (PHYTOALEXIN DEFICIENT 4, PAD4; PHENYLALANINE AMMONIALYASE, PAL; and ENHANCED DISEASE SUSCEPTIBILITY 1, EDS1) and signaling (PR1; PR5; and NONEXPRESSER OF PR GENES 1, NPR1) as well as increasing the superoxide (O2-) production rate and the hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) content. Overall, the study provides new insights into the MdHXK1-mediated molecular mechanisms by which glucose signaling regulates apple ring rot resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Myxoid liposarcoma (MLS) is a common subtype of liposarcoma in children and adolescents and can occur anywhere in the body. Cardiac metastases from MLS are very rare. We report a rare case of postoperative recurrence of MLS in the left thigh with ectopic and metachronous pericardial metastases. Cardiac metastases from MLS are rare, the prognosis is poor, and long-term follow-up of patients after discharge is necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The ultrasensitive monitoring strategy of zearalenone (ZEN) is essential and desirable for food safety and human health. In the present study, a coupling of gold nanoparticles-DNA barcode and direct competitive immunoassay-based real-time polymerase chain reaction signal amplification (RT-IPCR) for ZEN close to the sensitivity of PCR-like levels is described and evaluated. RESULTS: The RT-IPCR benefited from the use of a DNA barcode and RT-PCR detection strategy, thus resulting in ultrasensitive and simple detection for ZEN. Under the optimal RT-IPCR, the linear range of detection was from 0.5 to 1000 pg mL-1 and the limit of detection was 0.5 pg mL-1, which was 400-fold lower than the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The detection procedure was simplified and the detection time was shortened. The specificity, accuracy and precision of the RT-IPCR confirmed a high performance. ZEN-positive contamination levels were from 0.056 to 152.12 ng g-1 by the RT-IPCR, which was demonstrated to be highly reliable by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. CONCLUSION: The proposed RT-IPCR could be used as an alternative for detecting ZEN with satisfactory ultrasensitivity, simplicity, low cost and high-throughput. The present study could provide a strategy for the ultrasensitive detection of the small molecule with a simple and practical approach, which has significant appeal and application prospects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The incidence of acute and chronic wound diseases is rising due to various reasons. With complicated pathogenesis, long course, difficult treatment and high disability, wound diseases have become a major burden for patients, their families, and society. Therefore, the focus of research is to identify new ideas and methods for treatment. Fat grafting has gained increased attention because of its effectiveness in wound treatment, and further analysis has uncovered that the stem cells derived from fat may be the main factor affecting wound healing. We summarize the function of adipose stem cells and analyze their possible mechanisms in tissue repair, helping to provide new ideas for the treatment of wound healing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Harmonic leakage inductance occupies a high proportion in the synchronous inductance of fractional slot concentrated winding permanent magnet synchronous motor (FSCW‐PMSM), and the synchronous inductance determines the operating performance of the motor. To calculate the harmonic leakage inductance and synchronous inductance of the FSCW‐PMSM fed by inverters, two‐dimensional finite element analysis and the analytical method are used to study the influence of time‐harmonic current on the harmonic leakage inductance of the three‐phase FSCW‐PMSM in this study, and the influence mechanism is revealed. The relationship between the time‐harmonic magnetic field and space harmonic magnetic field is obtained, and the harmonic leakage coefficient and the working harmonic coefficient with different slot‐pole combinations are investigated. The results show that the time‐harmonic current can reduce the harmonic leakage inductance and increase the magnetising inductance, but has little effect on the synchronous inductance under the unsaturated condition. A prototype was manufactured and tested to verify the accuracy of the analysis model. The research results provide beneficial help for the design of the three‐phase FSCW‐PMSM fed by inverters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Northern Thailand's Chiang Khong district, which lies along the banks of the Mekong River and the Thai‐Lao border, an community‐based environmental movement under the leadership of the Rak Chiang Khong conservation group emerged in response to processes that have appropriated territories traditionally used by locals for state‐led economic exploitation. The Rak Chiang Khong has put up fierce opposition to large‐scale development projects such as the China‐led navigation project, which planned to blast ecologically and culturally significant rapids, and hydropower dam development along the Mekong River. As a result, local‐level governance arrangements of the transboundary commons in Chiang Khong have shifted to counter threats both within and beyond the borders of Thailand. Through adapting fishing arrangements, engaging in community‐led research and establishing village conservation zones, overlapping forms of territorialisation have emerged in response to socio‐ecological changes to the river. These new forms of territorialisation are produced by complex configurations of political, cultural, and ecological histories, politicaleconomic changes, and transboundary dynamics. These territorial strategies have been key towards reclaiming the transboundary commons of the Mekong River for riparian communities, and providing a deeper understanding of the values that drive community involvement in the transboundary environmental governance of the Mekong River. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The most pressing challenges for light‐driven hydrogel actuators include reliance on UV light, slow response, poor mechanical properties, and limited functionalities. Now, a supramolecular design strategy is used to address these issues. Key is the use of a benzylimine‐functionalized anthracene group, which red‐shifts the absorption into the visible region and also stabilizes the supramolecular network through π–π interactions. Acid–ether hydrogen bonds are incorporated for energy dissipation under mechanical deformation and maintaining hydrophilicity of the network. This double‐crosslinked supramolecular hydrogel developed via a simple synthesis exhibits a unique combination of high strength, rapid self‐healing, and fast visible‐light‐driven shape morphing both in the wet and dry state. As all of the interactions are dynamic, the design enables the structures to be recycled and reprogrammed into different 3D objects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The most pressing challenges for light‐driven hydrogel actuators include reliance on UV light, slow response, poor mechanical properties, and limited functionalities. Now, a supramolecular design strategy is used to address these issues. Key is the use of a benzylimine‐functionalized anthracene group, which red‐shifts the absorption into the visible region and also stabilizes the supramolecular network through π–π interactions. Acid–ether hydrogen bonds are incorporated for energy dissipation under mechanical deformation and maintaining hydrophilicity of the network. This double‐crosslinked supramolecular hydrogel developed via a simple synthesis exhibits a unique combination of high strength, rapid self‐healing, and fast visible‐light‐driven shape morphing both in the wet and dry state. As all of the interactions are dynamic, the design enables the structures to be recycled and reprogrammed into different 3D objects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An operationally simple radical difluoroalkylation/trifluoromethylation and alkynylation of unactivated alkenes under mild conditions has been developed. Through this protocol, a series of CF2/CF3-substituted linear alkynyl ketones were synthesized via a unique 1,2-alkynyl radical migration. Notably, no transition-metal catalyst is needed in the developed reaction system, and excellent functional group compatibility was observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Northwestern China has a wealth of endemic species, which has been hypothesized to be affected by the complex paleoclimatic and paleogeographic history during Quaternary. In this paper, we used Gymnocarpos przewalskii as a model to address the evolutionary history and current population genetic structure of species in northwestern China. We employed two chloroplast DNA fragments (rps16 and psbB‐psbI), one nuclear DNA fragment (ITS), and simple sequence repeat (SSRs) to investigate the spatial genetic pattern of G. przewalskii. High genetic diversity (cpDNA: hS = 0.330, hT = 0.866; ITS: hS = 0.458, hT = 0.872) was identified in almost all populations, and most of the population have private haplotypes. Moreover, multimodal mismatch distributions were observed and estimates of Tajima's D and Fu's FS tests did not identify significantly departures from neutrality, indicating that recent expansion of G. przewalskii was rejected. Thus, we inferred that G. przewalskii survived generally in northwestern China during the Pleistocene. All data together support the genotypes of G. przewalskii into three groups, consistent with their respective geographical distributions in the western regions—Tarim Basin, the central regions—Hami Basin and Hexi Corridor, and the eastern regions—Alxa Desert and Wulate Prairie. Divergence among most lineages of G. przewalskii occurred in the Pleistocene, and the range of potential distributions is associated with glacial cycles. We concluded that climate oscillation during Pleistocene significantly affected the distribution of the species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the fourth-order compact finite difference scheme, new extrapolation cascadic multigrid methods for twodimensional Poisson problem are presented. In these new methods, a new extrapolation operator and a spline interpolation operator are used to provide a better initial value on refined grid. Numerical experiments show the new methods have higher accuracy and better efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of novel bis‐benzothiazole derivatives with head‐to‐head orientation were designed, synthesized, and evaluated for their anti‐proliferative activities on U937, HL60, and HeLa cells. A significant part of the targets exhibited considerable in vitro anticancer activity, and some of them were more potent than the reference 5‐FU. Molecular modeling, fluorescence, and viscosimetry studies revealed that these compounds could bind into the minor groove of DNA. Amongst them, the most active compound 7 with IC50 in a range of 6.76 to 8.67 μM against the tested three cell lines, which was 1.46–2.47 and 3.48–4.93 times more potent than 5‐FU and Hoechst 33258, respectively, warrant further investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Millimeter wave (mmWave) communications have been considered as a key technology for future 5G wireless networks since it can provide orders-of-magnitude wider bandwidth than current cellular bands. To overcome the severe propagation loss of the mmWave channel, an economic and energy-efficient analogue/digital hybrid precoding and combining transceiver architecture is widely used in mmWave massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems. The digital precoding/combining layer offers more freedom than pure analogue one and enables multi-stream transmission. In this study, the authors consider the problem of codebook-based joint hybrid precoder and combiner design for multi-stream transmission in mmWave MIMO systems. The authors propose to jointly select an analogue precoder and combiner pair for each data stream successively, which can maximise the channel gain as well as suppress the interference between different data streams. Then, the digital precoder and combiner are computed based on the obtained effective baseband channel to further mitigate the interference and maximise the sum-rate. Both fully-connected and partially-connected hybrid beamforming structures are investigated. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed algorithms exhibit prominent advantages in combating interference between different data streams and offer satisfactory performance improvements compared with the existing codebook-based hybrid beamforming schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the authors deal with the problem of detecting a range-spread target with a high velocity. First, they prove that the mixer output consists of several sinusoidal signals. Then, the matched signal of a noisy mixer output is defined in terms of the energy concentration of the noisy high-resolution range profile (HRRP). Consequently, the matched ambiguity function (MAF) of a noisy mixer output is obtained. Based on the MAF, a range-spread target detector, referred to as MAFdetector (MAF-D), is proposed. The MAF-D uses a single noisy HRRP and thus can detect the target with a high translational velocity and a high rotational velocity. Experimental results, conducted by the recorded radar data, show that the proposed detector outperforms the conventional detectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel time delay-frequency matched filter (t-f-MF) of a mixer output is presented in this study and it is used to design a new range-spread target detector in the background of white Gaussian noise. First, the mixer output of a target is proved to be composed of several sinusoidal signals, and then the matched signal of the mixer output is constructed. Next, the authors use the matched signal to obtain the t-f-MF of a mixer output. The energy of the t-f-MF for the target signal concentrates around zero frequency, whereas that for the white Gaussian noise spreads over the entire frequency domain. According to this, the authors design a range-spread target detector that is capable of detecting a target with high velocity. The proposed detector is evaluated by measured radar data. Experimental results show that the proposed detector outperforms the conventional detectors. The results also show that the detector is robust against the target gesture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of surface hydroxyl species generated by partially reduced Ni-containing phyllosilicate structures (Ni/SiO2P) in promoting the water-gas-shift (WGS) reaction and methane suppression was investigated. To analyze the effect of the surface hydroxyl species, Ni/SiO2P catalysts reduced at various temperatures were employed. All the Ni/SiO2P catalysts showed enhanced catalytic performances and methane suppression compared to the conventional Ni/SiO2 catalyst. As revealed by diffuse-reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS), methane suppression could be attributed to the inhibition of the formation of nickel subcarbonyl species, and the promotion of WGS activity was attributed to the involvement of surface hydroxyl species (Ni-OH, 3626 cm-1, and Si-OH, 3740 cm-1). The Ni/SiO2P catalyst reduced at 600 °C showed exceptionally superior performance to the other catalysts in the water-gas-shift reaction in terms of turnover frequency (2.79 s-1) and hydrogen formation rates (492.63 mmol H2g-1 s-1) at 375 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Palladium nanoparticles (PdNPs) are of great importance as catalytic materials. Their synthesis has been widely studied and interest in their properties is growing. Bio-based methods might be a greener option for designing the PdNPs with reduced environmental impacts. This study reports the synthesis of PdNPs by utilising the aqueous extract of medicinally important Eucommia ulmoides (E. Ulmoides) bark which functions as both reducing and capping agent in moderate reaction conditions. Reduction potential of E. Ulmoides bark aqueous extract was about -0.08 V vs. saturated calomel electrode by open-circuit voltage method and the rich polyphenolics was confirmed by cyclic voltammetry, which helps to reduce palladium ions to PdNPs. The characterisation through high-resolution transmission electron microscopic, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction infer that the as-synthesised PdNPs were spherical in shape with a face cubic crystal structure. The results from dynamic light scattering suggest the PdNPs have the narrow size distribution with an average size of 12.6 nm. The lower zeta potential (-25.3 mV) and the Fourier transform infrared spectra indicate that the as-synthesised PdNPs keep remarkably stable for a long period due to the capped biomolecules on the nanoparticle surface. This method for synthesis of PdNPs is simple, economic, non-toxic and efficient. The PdNPs show excellent catalytic activity for the electro-catalytic oxidation of hydrazine and the catalytic reducing degradation of p-aminoazobenzene, a model compound of azo-dyes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: As plasma contains procoagulant microparticles (MPs), removing MPs by 75-nm nanofiltration may decrease plasma in vitro thrombogenicity while maintaining the hemostatic activity from coagulation factors.Study Design and Methods: We defined conditions to nanofilter leukoreduced plasma on a 75-nm hollow-fiber membrane filter. Plasma quality was assessed by coagulation, immunochemical, and electrophoretic assays. MP removal was evaluated by biophysical (flow cytometry, dynamic light scattering, nanoparticle tracking analysis, and tunable resistive pulse sensing) and functional (thrombin generation assay [TGA; Technothrombin], prothrombinase [Zymuphen MP-activity], tissue factor [Zymuphen MP-TF], and procoagulant phospholipid-dependent clotting time [STA-Procoag-PPL] assays) methods. Spiking experiments using platelet MPs were performed to determine extent of removal by nanofiltration.Results: Freshly collected leukoreduced, but not previously frozen, plasma could be readily nanofiltered on a 0.01-m2 75-nm nanofilter under conditions preserving protein and lipoprotein profile, coagulation factor content, and global coagulation activity (prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time). Biophysical methods confirmed an extensive removal of MPs during nanofiltration. All functional assays indicated a marked reduction of plasma in vitro thrombogenicity. There was no thrombin generation in nanofiltered plasma tested by TGA assay with "RC-low phospholipid concentration" reagent, while it was similar to that of starting and leukoreduced plasma samples when using "RC-high phospholipid concentration" reagent. More than 9 log of MPs were removed by nanofiltration.Conclusion: Nanofiltration of 75 nm efficiently removes MPs and decreases in vitro thrombogenicity of plasma without affecting the protein content or the hemostatic activity of coagulation factors. Studies are needed to evaluate the impact of MP removal on in vivo thrombogenic risks and hemostatic efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The efficient scan moving target indication (MTI) mode is implemented in the wide-area ground MTI systems for the purpose of wide-area surveillance. However, because of the scanning movement of the radar antenna, it is difficult to acquire enough coherent pulses in a single azimuth direction in the Doppler beam sharpening (DBS), so the sharpening ratio is greatly limited. To mitigate this problem, a combined super-resolution algorithm with aperture extrapolation for DBS imaging is proposed to enhance the sharpening ratio in this study. In this algorithm, aperture extrapolation technique is utilised to increase the data length in azimuth direction and the amplitude and phase estimation of a sinusoid, which can acquire accurate spectral estimation with much lower side lobes and narrower spectral peaks, is applied to replace the fast Fourier transform to perform the Doppler analysis. In this way, the sharpening ratio in the new algorithm could be enhanced by one time. Experimental results on simulation data and real data verify the effectiveness of the new super-resolution algorithm, and demonstrate that the proposed algorithm can provide sharp and clear scene information with lower side lobes and narrower peaks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A CuII complex of a pyridine- and amide-containing copolymer (Cu- P1) exhibits effective activity toward phenol hydroxylation in 50 % aqueous methanol solution at apparent pH 8.0 and 25 °C. The complex shows significant first-order rate accelerations of 4.2 × 105 and 1.4 × 105 relative to phenol autoxidation in air and in the presence of 20 m M H2O2, respectively. The reaction mechanisms with H2O2 and air are different on the basis of (a) the different activity profiles for Cu binding, (b) the different deuterium kinetic isotope effects (2.8 in 20 m M H2O2 and 1.2 aerobically), and (c) the formation of a dinuclear substrate-(Cu- P1) complex with H2O2 but a mononuclear one aerobically. The mechanism in the presence of H2O2 is consistent with that of the type-3 dicopper tyrosinase. Although oxidized di-CuII tyrosinase can only use H2O2 for phenol hydroxylation, CuII- P1 can use either air or H2O2 for this process. The studies herein introduce a versatile chemical system for the further exploration of Cu-oxygen chemistry and other types of metal-centered chemistry and for the aerobic degradation of aromatic compounds in environmental and green chemistry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atraphaxis has approximately 25 species and a distribution center in Central Asia. It has been previously used to hypothesize an origin from montane forest. We sampled 18 species covering three sections within the genus and sequenced five cpDNA spacers, atpB- rbcL, psbK- psbI, psbA- trnH, rbcL, and trnL- trnF. BEAST was used to reconstruct phylogenetic relationship and time divergences, and S-DIVA and Lagrange were used, based on distribution area and ecotype data, for reconstruction of ancestral areas and events. Our results appear compatible with designation of three taxonomic sections within the genus. The generic stem and crown ages were Eocene, approximately 47 Ma, and Oligocene 27 Ma, respectively. The origin of Atraphaxis is confirmed as montane, with an ancestral area consisting of the Junggar Basin and uplands of the Pamir-Tianshan-Alatau-Altai mountain chains, and ancestral ecotype of montane forest. Two remarkable paleogeographic events, shrinkage of the inland Paratethys Sea at the boundary of the late Oligocene and early Miocene, and the time intervals of cooling and drying of global climate from 24 (22) Ma onward likely facilitated early diversification of Atraphaxis, while rapid uplift of the Tianshan Mountains during the late Miocene may have promoted later diversification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In high-resolution radar systems, stretch processing technique is generally used to process the returned signals of a range-spread target. Consequently, this results in mixer outputs that consist of several linear frequency modulation components with a small frequency rate (FR). The authors define an FR function to transform a signal from the time domain into the FR domain and discuss the FR range of a discrete signal. Then an interesting phenomenon is found in the FR domain, that is, the mixer output is concentrated in a low FR region, while the Gaussian noise spreads over the entire FR region. Therefore, a range-spread target detector has been proposed that regards the integration of the values in a vicinity of zero FR as the test statistic. This detector uses a single mixer output and thus has the ability to detect the target with a high velocity. Finally, the proposed detector is evaluated by recorded radar data. Experimental results show that the proposed detector outperforms the detectors using the high-resolution range profile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To examine diagnostic characters and test phylogenetic relationships between Salsola arbusculiformis and the closely similar S. laricifolia, characters were examined from previous reports and herbarium specimens, and sequences of nrDNA ITS and cpDNA psbB- psbH were compared for these species as well as other representative taxa of Salsoleae. Our results 1) confirm most of the morphological differences highlighted in previous studies, such as those of leaf size, bracts, bracteoles, style, fruiting perianth, and anther appendages; 2) show that S. arbusculiformis is a typical Irano-Turanian species, mainly distributed from Iran and Turkmenistan to westernmost China (Tacheng, Ili, and Bole regions, Xinjiang), while S. laricifolia is a central Asian floristic element mainly distributed from east Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan to northern China (north Xinjiang, inner Mongolia, Ningxia and Gansu provinces), and Mongolia; and 3) strongly support their sister relationship, with samples from five different populations clustering together for each of the two species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims Using high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging ( HR- MRI), we aimed to investigate the abnormalities of intracranial artery in relation to cerebral small-vessel diseases ( SVD)-related ischemic stroke and white matter lesions ( WMLs). Methods Routine cranial MRI and HR- MRI were performed on consecutive patients with a SVD-related acute deep brain infarct ( DBI) in the territory of middle cerebral artery ( MCA), patients with SVD-related WMLs, and age-matched controls. The presence and distribution of MCA plaque and the area of MCA lumen and wall were comparatively analyzed among the groups. Results A total of 2340 image slices of 260 vessels in 130 subjects (57 with an acute DBI, 28 with WMLs, and 45 control subjects) were analyzed. In the patients with a DBI, eccentric plaques were identified in 26 vessels ipsilateral and 24 vessels contralateral to the ischemic lesions. Superior-wall plaques of MCA were observed more frequently ipsilateral than contralateral to the infarcts (69.2% vs. 37.5%, P = 0.025). Compared to the controls, larger outer-wall boundary area ( P ≤ 0.017) and wall area ( P < 0.001) were observed in the patients, while larger lumen was only observed in the WMLs group ( P < 0.001). Conclusions Middle cerebral artery superior-wall plaques are associated with acute DBIs, while MCA lumen dilation is associated with WMLs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A method to optimize the notches of water-cooled white-beam mirrors over the entire photon energy range is proposed. A theoretical method is used to quantitatively evaluate the influence of the thermal load on the thermal deformation of a mirror. The result of theoretical calculations and finite-element analysis are consistent, which proves the feasibility of the method. The root mean square of the curvatures of the thermal deformation of the white-beam mirror over the entire photon energy range can be minimized. This method greatly simplifies the design work of water-cooled white-beam mirrors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metaeritrichium has been considered monotypic and endemic to China in traditional taxonomic treatments. However, our examinations of specimens and bibliography, combined with field observations, reveal that Metaeritrichium microuloides is conspecific with Actinocarya acaulis. Metaeritrichium is therefore treated as a synonym of Actinocarya. We also clarify the typification of Actinocarya acaulis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the genetic differences in Chinese large-flowered chrysanthemum ( Chrysanthemum× morifolium Ramat.) cultivars, we selected 40 typical and stable cultivars on which to carry out cytological studies using karyotype analysis. The results showed that 67.5% of these cultivars were hexaploid-based aneuploid and that the proportion of hexaploid decreased with passing time. Moreover, 35% of the cultivars had 1-4 satellite chromosome(s). The probability of satellite chromosomes rose with increasing chromosome number. Most of the karyotypes were 2A and 2B. The probability of types 2A and 2C also increased with increasing ploidy of the cultivars. The mean of long-/short-arm ratio and the variation of long-/short-arm ratio were positively correlated ( r2 = 0.72). There was no obvious difference in the asymmetry coefficient of karyotypes, but the discrepancy in the variance of karyotype asymmetry index and relative length of chromosomes was quite distinct. In terms of karyotype parameters, the petal types of chrysanthemums were classified to five groups as flat, tubular, spoon, abnormal, and anemone. We did not observe any obvious orderliness among flower head types. Considering the relationship between karyotype parameters and phenotypic characters, variation of long-/short-arm ratio and asymmetry coefficient of karyotypes had the greatest relevance toward most phenotypic characters. The above results indicate that karyotype parameters possess great values for cultivar identification, classification, and genetic analysis in chrysanthemums. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Platelet (PLT) gels exhibit antimicrobial activity useful for wound healing. The nature of the antibacterial component(s) is unknown. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: PLT-poor plasma (PPP), PLT-rich plasma (PRP), PLT gel (PG), and solvent/detergent-treated PLT lysate (S/D-PL) from two donors were evaluated either native or after complement heat inactivation. Materials were spiked at a 10% ratio (vol/vol) with approximately 107-8 colony-forming units/mL with four Gram-positive and four Gram-negative bacteria of the wound flora. Bacterial count was determined by plate assays at time of spiking and after 3 and 48 hours at 31°C. Bacteria growth inhibition tests were also performed. RESULTS: There was no viable Escherichia coli colony for 48 hours after spiking to the plasma and PLT materials from both donors, corresponding to greater than 7.51 to greater than 9.05 log inactivation. Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Staphylococcus aureus were inactivated (approx. 4.7, 7, and 2 log, respectively) 3 hours after spiking to PRP, PPP, or S/D-PL from the first donor but less (1.1, 4.6, and 0.2 log, respectively) in PG, before a regrowth at 48 hours in all materials. Similar data were obtained with the second donor. No plasma and PLT material had antimicrobial activity against Enterobacter cloacae, Bacillus cereus, Bacillus subtilis, and Staphylococcus epidermidis. Complement-inactivated samples had no antimicrobial activity. CONCLUSION: Plasma complement is mostly responsible for the activity of plasma and PLT biomaterials against E. coli, P. aeruginosa, K. pneumoniae, and S. aureus. Activation of the coagulation to prepare PG may reduce antimicrobial activity. These findings may help optimize the control of wound infections by blood biomaterials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clematis sibirica, a woody vine occurring primarily under conifer forests, is widespread in northern Eurasia. In this study, we intend to illustrate how the taxon has responded in the area of the Tianshan and Altai Mountains of Central Asia to the Pleistocene climatic fluctuations. The chloroplast intergenic spacer psbA- trnH was sequenced for 125 individuals from 28 populations, and a total of eight chlorotypes were identified. The presence of definite phylogeographic structure was detected for the species ( NST > GST, P < 0.001), and phylogenetic analysis indicated that the eight chlorotypes were clustered into two divergent lineages. They split at approximately 550-690 ka BP, according to coalescence analysis, coincident with the Pleistocene maximum glacial stage in these mountains, which suggests the restriction of these lineages to separate refugia at that time. Spatial analysis of molecular variance likewise divided the sampled populations into two associations, an Altai and eastern Tianshan group (populations 1-17), and a western Tianshan group (populations 18-28). Low levels of genetic diversity and unimodal mismatch distributions were obtained for both of these groups, suggesting postglacial range expansions. During the course of these expansions, mountain ranges surrounding the Dzungarian Basin probably served as migration corridors. In addition, a contact zone was identified in the central Tianshan and eastern Altai Mountains between the two phylogeographic lineages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study simulates the distributions of 13 endemic and near-endemic genera ( Ammopiptanthus, Sympegma, Iljinia, Elachanthemum, Potaninia, Tugarinovia, Kaschgaria, Sarcozygium, Timouria, Zollikoferia, Stilpnolepis, Synstemon and Tetraena) to indicate areas of plant diversity and conservation importance within the eastern Central Asian desert, and to identify the determinant environmental variables contributing to the spatial distribution patterns. Using known distribution localities and 14 environmental variables, the Maxent and Domain species distribution models were employed to map the patterns of geographic distribution. The power of predictability of the models was tested using the receiver operating characteristic method and the jackknife validation approach, according to the different number of species localities available. The estimated richness and the superimposed potential distributions of 13 genera were used to indicate endemic patterns of distribution. The comparison of Maxent and Domain further identified previously unknown areas of endemism and described the distribution for each taxon. Both observed species occurrence and the species occurrence predicted from the Maxent indicated that the eastern Alashan of Inner Mongolia is the most noticeable endemic area, and the northwestern and northern Tarim Basin of Xinjiang is the secondary center of plant diversity. These regions were then prioritized for conservation importance. Potential evapotranspiration ratio and precipitation seasonality played important roles in driving the observed patterns of endemic distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inotropes and vasopressors are biologically and clinically important compounds that originate from different pharmacological groups and act at some of the most fundamental receptor and signal transduction systems in the body. More than 20 such agents are in common clinical use, yet few reviews of their pharmacology exist outside of physiology and pharmacology textbooks. Despite widespread use in critically ill patients, understanding of the clinical effects of these drugs in pathological states is poor. The purpose of this article is to describe the pharmacology and clinical applications of inotropic and vasopressor agents in critically ill patients. LINKED ARTICLES This article is commented on by Bracht et al., pp. 2009-2011 and De Backer and Scolletta, pp. 2012-2014 of this issue. To view Bracht et al. visit and to view De Backer and Scolletta visit [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Little is known about the composition of middle cerebral artery (MCA) plaques and how they relate to clinical status. Using high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (HR-MRI), we aimed to examine the occurrence of high signal on T1-weighted fat-suppressed images (HST1) of MCA plaques, which are highly suggestive of fresh or recent intraplaque hemorrhage. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the HR-MRI and clinical data of 107 adult patients with high-grade (>70%) MCA stenosis. On HR-MRI, HST1 within an MCA plaque was defined as an area with an intensity >150% of the signal of adjacent muscles. The relationship between HST1 and clinical presentations was analyzed. Results: A total of 109 stenotic MCAs (46 symptomatic and 63 asymptomatic) on 981 image slices were analyzed. HST1 was revealed on HR-MRI in 11 vessels (10.1%, 9 symptomatic and 2 asymptomatic). The occurrence rate of HST1 between symptomatic and asymptomatic MCAs was significantly different (19.6% vs 3.2%, p = 0.01). Interpretation: HST1 within MCA plaque on HR-MRI is associated with ipsilateral stroke. Our results provide new insight into the vascular biology of MCA atherosclerosis. Ann Neurol 2012;71:195-198 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herbal medicinal materials have been used worldwide for centuries to maintain health and to treat disease. However, adulteration of herbal medicines remains a major concern of users and industry for reasons of safety and efficacy. Identification of herbal medicinal materials by DNA technology has been widely applied, started from the mid-1990s. In recent years, DNA barcoding of global plant species using four standard barcodes ( rbcL, matK, trnH- psbA and ITS) has been a major focus in the fields of biodiversity and conservation. These DNA barcodes can also be used as reliable tools to facilitate the identification of herbal medicinal materials for the safe use of herbs, quality control, and forensic investigation. Many studies have applied these DNA barcodes for the identification of herbal medicinal species and their adulterants. The present article reviews efforts in the identification of herbal medicinal materials using the standard DNA barcodes and other DNA sequence-based markers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pathogenicity islands (PAIs), a distinct type of genomic island (GI), play important roles in the rapid adaptation and increased virulence of pathogens. 89K is a newly identified PAI in epidemic Streptococcus suis isolates that are related to the two recent large-scale outbreaks of human infection in China. However, its mechanism of evolution and contribution to the epidemic spread of S. suis 2 remain unknown. In this study, the potential for mobilization of 89K was evaluated, and its putative transfer mechanism was investigated. We report that 89K can spontaneously excise to form an extrachromosomal circular product. The precise excision is mediated by an 89K-borne integrase through site-specific recombination, with help from an excisionase. The 89K excision intermediate acts as a substrate for lateral transfer to non-89K S. suis 2 recipients, where it reintegrates site-specifically into the target site. The conjugal transfer of 89K occurred via a GI type IV secretion system (T4SS) encoded in 89K, at a frequency of 10 transconjugants per donor. This is the first demonstration of horizontal transfer of a Gram-positive PAI mediated by a GI-type T4SS. We propose that these genetic events are important in the emergence, pathogenesis and persistence of epidemic S. suis 2 strains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on the 2010 revised guidelines for the diagnosis and management of alcoholic liver disease (ALD) in China. It states that the intention of these guidelines is for clinicians to be able to make correct decisions on the treatment and diagnosis of ALD. It adds the risk factors of ALD, which had been identified in overseas and domestic studies, including years of drinking, nutritional status, and accumulated alcohol consumption.

An efficient synthesis of [1,3]oxazino[3,2- f]phenanthridine derivatives via a three-component reaction of phenanthridine, dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate (DMAD), and aromatic aldehydes is described. This novel method is complementary to the classical Huisgen 1,4-dipolar cycloaddition in that it is well-suited to the preparation of [1,3]oxazino[3,2- f]phenanthridines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The microwave (MW) dielectric loss (or quality factor, Q) of BaCo1/3Nb2/3O3 (BCN) ceramics exhibits a strong dependence on sample-processing conditions and is not always consistent with the degree of 1:2 B-site cation ordering. Impedance spectroscopy results reveal that these BCN ceramics exhibit remarkably different electrical properties due to low levels of nonstoichiometry induced during ceramic processing. These compositional changes are difficult to detect by common chemical techniques but can have a significant influence on the electrical properties, and in particular on the extrinsic electrical conduction and Q. The influence of extrinsic conduction induced by ceramic processing should therefore be considered when optimizing Q in MW dielectric ceramics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fourteen graptolite species of the Late Tremadoc and Early Floian are described from the Nanba section in the Yiyang area, Hunan Province. Among them, Paradelograptus onubensis, Kiaerograptus bulmani, K. kutchini and Paratemnograptus isolatus of the Late Tremadoc are first found in China. Based on the current graptolite materials, the correspondingly complete graptolite zones of Upper Tremadocian in China are recognized as follows (in ascending order): the Adelograptus tenellus Zone, the Aorograptus victoriae Zone, the Araneograptus murrayi Zone and the Hunnegraptus copiosus Zone. In the Nanba section, the Hunnegraptus copiosus Zone is overlain directly by the Tetragraptus approximates Zone, there is no hiatus below the base of Floian. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new halogenated sesquiterpenes, (8 β)-10-bromo-3-chloro-2,7-epoxychamigr-9-en-8-ol () and 2-bromo-3-chlorobisabola-7(14),11-diene-6,10-diol (), and one new phytol-derived diterpene, 2,3-epoxyphytyl acetate (), along with cis- and trans-1-methylcyclohexane-1,4-diol ( and ) which were isolated from a natural source for the first time but have been previously synthesized, were isolated from the marine red alga Laurencia composita and characterized. In addition, a known sesquiterpene, pacifenediol (), and the known furanone derivative were also identified. Their structures were established by NMR and mass spectroscopic methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wang Q-s, Li M, Zhang L-y, Jin Y, Tong D-d, Yu Y, Bai J, Huang Q, Liu F-L, Liu A, Lee K-Y & Fu S-b (2010) Histopathology 57, 271–281 Down-regulation of ING4 is associated with initiation and progression of lung cancer Aims: Tumour suppressor ING4 is one of ING family genes, which are involved in cell cycle arrest, gene transcription regulation, DNA repair and apoptosis. ING4 inhibition has been reported in various tumours, including gliomas, breast tumours, and stomach adenocarcinoma. The aim was to evaluate ING4 expression in lung cancers. Method and results: By immunohistochemistry of 246 lung tumour tissues, reduced ING4 nuclear and cytoplasmic expression were both revealed in lung cancer and associated with tumour grade. Interestingly, compared with normal tissues, we found more tumours with ING4 expression in the cytoplasm higher than in the nucleus. Nuclear ING4 inhibition correlated with the tumour stage and lymph node metastasis. Consistent with these findings, semiquantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting demonstrated decreased ING4 mRNA and expression in 100% (50/50) tumour tissues. Furthermore, ING4 expression was lower in grade III than in grades I–II tumours. Reduced ING4 mRNA correlated with lymph node metastasis. Conclusions: Our results indicate that overall inhibition of ING4 expression and ING4 expression higher in cytoplasm than in nucleus of tumour cells may be involved in the initiation and progression of lung cancers, and thus, analysis for ING4 expression may be useful as a clinical diagnostic and prognostic tool for lung cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]