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Enqi Zheng, Deshuang Xiao Hernia Vascular Surgery, The First People’s Hospital of Wenling, Wenling, Zhejiang, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Deshuang Xiao, Hernia Vascular Surgery, The First People’s Hospital of Wenling, No. 333 Chuan’an South Road, Chengxi Street, Wenling, 317599, Zhejiang, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-057689668595, Email xiaodeshuang456@126.comBackground: Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are strong modulators of tumor pathology. Herein, our goal was to examine the plasma hsa_circ_0052184 content among colorectal cancer (CRC) patients, and assess its association with patient clinicopathological profile and diagnostic values.Methods: Overall, we collected 228 presurgical CRC and 146 normal plasma samples from The First People’s Hospital of Wenling. Circulating hsa_circ_0052184 levels were assessed via qRT-PCR, and the diagnostic prediction was conducted with the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve.Results: Relative to healthy controls, CRC patients exhibited markedly enhanced circulating hsa_circ_0052184 levels, which were closely correlated with advanced stage of disease and worse outcome. Based on our uni- (UA) and multivariate assessments (MA), elevated hsa_circ_0052184 levels were a stand-alone predictor of poor prognosis. The ROC curve depicted an area under the curve (AUC) for CRC diagnosis to be 0.9072.Conclusion: Circulating hsa_circ_0052184 is a potential bioindicator of CRC outcome.Keywords: hsa_circ_0052184, diagnostic biomarker, colorectal cancer

The preparation of K0.5Na0.5NbO3 (KNN) ceramics with submicron grain size and higher density was accomplished by adjusting the high energy ball milling process’s parameters, considerably enhancing the preparation efficiency and the electrical properties of ceramics. Different rotation speed of high energy ball milling have a significant impact on the electrical properties and microstructure of ceramics, but little impact on the phase structure of ceramics. Pure KNN ceramics can be obtained at 325–800 rpm of milling speed, showing a typical orthorhombic symmetry at room temperature with an average grain size of 0.21 μm at the milling speed of 600 rpm and sintering temperature of 1140 °C. It also has a good electric characteristics and increased energy storage density at the rotation speed of 600 rpm, i.e., the total energy storage density (Wtol = 3.79 J/cm3) were 91% greater than the KNN by traditional methods, it can be mainly ascribed to the large Pmax (62 µC/cm2) and dielectric breakdown strength (EDBS = 110 kV/cm). Moreover, the dielectric and ferroelectric properties of the optimized KNN ceramics exhibit strong dependence on the particle size of the initial powders. This results shown that the optimization milling speed of high energy ball milling are helpful to achieve dense ceramics with outstanding electrical properties, thus significantly enhancing the preparation efficiency and the energy storage properties of KNN-based ceramics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid development of miniaturization and refinement of modern electronic components has led to higher requirements for nanosized powders. The barium strontium titanate (Ba1-xSrxTiO3, BST) nanopowders with fine grains, uniform particle size and high purity have broad application prospects. Herein, BST nanopowders were synthesized via nonhydrolytic sol-gel method and the effects of different processing parameters on structure were investigated systematically by using X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, laser particle size analyser and thermogravimetric mass spectrometry. In the first step, different dispersants, dispersant concentration and calcination temperature were selected for synthesis of Ba0.6Sr0.4TiO3 powder to find optimal conditions. In the second step, these optimal conditions were used to synthesize BST powders, but different (Ba+Sr)/Ti and Ba/Sr molar ratios were used to find those that can enable preparation of single phase cubic perovskite powder. Therefore, this study showed how the processing parameters can be systematically tuned with the idea to obtain ultra-fine single phase BST nanoparticles.

Recently, global science has shown an increasing open trend, however, the characteristics of research integrity of open access (OA) publications have rarely been studied. The aim of this study is to compare the characteristics of retracted articles across different OA levels and discover whether OA level influences the characteristics of retracted articles.

Skeletal muscle is not only the largest organ in the body that is responsible for locomotion and exercise but also crucial for maintaining the body’s energy metabolism and endocrine secretion. The trimethylation of histone H3 lysine 27 (H3K27me3) is one of the most important histone modifications that participates in muscle development regulation by repressing the transcription of genes. Previous studies indicate that the RASGRP1 gene is regulated by H3K27me3 in embryonic muscle development in pigs, but its function and regulatory role in myogenesis are still unclear. In this study, we verify the crucial role of H3K27me3 in RASGRP1 regulation. The gain/loss function of RASGRP1 in myogenesis regulation is performed using mouse myoblast C2C12 cells and primarily isolated porcine skeletal muscle satellite cells (PSCs). The results of qPCR, western blot analysis, EdU staining, CCK-8 assay and immunofluorescence staining show that overexpression of RASGRP1 promotes cell proliferation and differentiation in both skeletal muscle cell models, while knockdown of RASGRP1 leads to the opposite results. These findings indicate that RASGRP1 plays an important regulatory role in myogenesis in both mice and pigs.

Here we present a field measurement of ClNO2 (nitryl chloride) and N2O5 (dinitrogen pentoxide) by a state-of-the-art instrument at a regional site in Pearl River Delta during a photochemical pollution season from Sept. 26th to Nov. 17th, 2019. Three patterns of air masses are sampled during this campaign, including the dominating air masses from north and northeast urban regions (Type A), the southeast coast (Type B) and the South China Sea (Type C). The concentration of ClNO2 and N2O5 were observed much higher in Type A and B than those in Type C, indicated the urban nighttime chemistry is more active than the background marine regions. Two key parameters that regulating ClNO2 formations, N2O5 uptake coefficient and ClNO2 production yield, were estimated by measured parameters, and the performance of the previously derived parameterizations were assessed. We find the ClNO2 formation was limited by the N2O5 uptake rather than N2O5 source at this site. By examining the relationship of particulate chloride and other species, we implied that anthropogenic emissions (e.g., biomass burning) rather than sea salt particles dominate the origin of particulate chloride, despite the site is only about 100 km away from the ocean.  Model simulations showed the chloride radical liberated by ClNO2 photolysis during the next day had a small increase in concentrations of OH, HO2 and RO2 radicals, as well as minor contributions to RO2 radical and O3 formation (<5 %, on daytime average) in all the three types of air masses. Relative higher contributions were observed in Type A and B. The overall low contributions of ClNO2 to ozone pollution are consistent with those reported recently from wintertime observations in China (included Shanghai, Beijing, Wangdu and Mt. Tai). This may be attributed to: (1) Relative low particle mass concentration limited ClNO2 formation; (2) Other reactions channels had larger radical formation rate during the ozone pollution episodes and weakened the ClNO2 contribution indirectly. The results provided scientific insights into the role of nighttime chemistry in photochemical pollution under various scenarios in coastal areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a progressive form of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The diagnostic gold standard for detecting NASH still relies upon an invasive pathological biopsy. There is, therefore, a need to identify non-invasive diagnostic markers. Oxidative stress mediates fatty liver progression to NASH. Imbalanced iron metabolism produces many reactive oxygen species (ROS). Ceruloplasmin is associated with oxidase and iron metabolism-related activities. The current study aimed to determine whether there was a correlation between ceruloplasmin levels and NASH and whether such a relationship may be associated with altered iron metabolism in NASH patients. Methods: A total of 135 NAFLD patients were enrolled in this study. A pathological biopsy confirmed that 60 of those patients had NAFLD activity scores (NAS) 5, while the remaining 75 had NAS

In the past decades, the application of organ fertilizer in agricultural soils has attracted wide attention. However, few studies have carefully explored the effects of humic acid organic fertilizer on soil microbial colonies, soil enzyme activities, and soil fertility. To provide a better growing environment for crops, we explore the best regulation mode of humic acid organic fertilizer in the farmland in the Songnen Plain Heilongjiang province. Through field experiment, we selected paddy as the test objective and applied humic acid organic fertilizer. Under the condition of water-saving irrigation, five fertilization levels were set up, which were NPK (local nitrogen level, 110 kg.hm-2 pure nitrogen), NPKH1 (450 kg.hm-2 humic acid organic fertilizer + 77 kg.hm-2 nitrogen), NPKH2 (750 kg.hm-2 humic acid organic fertilizer + 55 kg.hm-2 nitrogen), NPKH3 (1050 kg.hm-2 humic acid organic fertilizer + 33 kg.hm-2 nitrogen) and PKH (1500 kg.hm-2 humic acid organic fertilizer). The effects of different humic acid organic fertilizers on soil microbial colonies, soil enzyme activities, and soil fertility were discussed. The results showed that humic acid organic fertilizer could effectively change the structure of soil microbial colonies, soil enzyme activities, and soil fertility. Compared with NPK treatment, the bacteria, fungi, and actinomycete, urease, and catalase in PKH, NPKH3, NPKH2, and NPKH1 treatments increased, and significantly different under 0-10 cm layer conditions (PNPKH3>NPKH2>NPKH1>NPK. Therefore, the application of humic acid organic fertilizer was an effective measure to improve soil fertility and increase the amount of soil colony structure and enzyme activities.

Rice quality and yield traits response to fertilizers under varying field conditions were obtained in our previous study. A better understanding of the intrinsic mechanism of fertilization in regulating rice quality and yield supports field operations and recommendations. This study investigated the potential role of humic acid and bean cake fertilizers as opposed to traditional nitrogen fertilizer (urea) in regulating rice quality and yield traits under water-saving conditions by identifying the quality and yield indicators. Results demonstrated that the application of humic acid and bean cake fertilizers affected the quality and yield compared with the traditional nitrogen fertilizer (urea), which alleviated the deterioration of rice quality and yield caused by excessive fertilizer amounts. The conclusions are that the addition of humic acid and bean cake fertilizers can improve grain quality.

ObjectiveTo analyze the epidemiological characteristics and spatial correlation distribution of mushroom poisoning in Yunnan Province from 2005 to 2019, and provide scientific evidence for the control and prevention strategy.MethodsData of mushroom poisoning incidents from 2005 to 2019 was collected from the China Information System for public health emergency report and management. The epidemiological characteristics of time, place of occurrence, spatial correlation, and types of poisonous mushrooms were described.ResultsFrom 2005 to 2019, Yunnan Province reported a total of 316 events of mushroom poisoning, the number of cases was 2 009, the number of deaths was 472, and the case fatality rate was 23.49%(472/2 009). The peak of poisoning incidents was from June to August each year, accounting for 83.86%(265/316) of the total number of incidents. Mushroom poisoning incidents occurred in all 16 prefectures in Yunnan Province. Wenshan, Chuxiong, Lincangy and Honghe were high-incidence areas. Among 129 counties, 91 counties reported mushroom poisoning incidents. Homes were the main place where mushroom poisoning occured, accounting for 84.49%(267/316) of the total number of poisoning incidents. The incidence of mushroom poisoning in rural areas was higher than that in urban areas, accounting for 87.97%(278/316). Picking and eating by mistake (78.80%, 249/316) was the main cause of poisonous mushroom poisoning. The main types of poisoning were Amanita exitialis (27.53%, 87/316), Russula subnigricans Hongo (17.09%, 54/316) and Heimioporus retisporus (13.29%, 42/316).ConclusionMushroom poisoning was the main cause of death from food poisoning incidents in Yunnan Province. In the "hot spot" areas where mushroom poisoning incidents occurred, prior to the high-incidence season, various forms of food safety and health education and food safety supervision of mushroom poisoning should be focused on rural areas and high risk mushroom species. Meantime, the ability of rural primary medical institutions should be improved to treat poisonous mushroom poisoning.

OsPR10a is one of the well known pathogenesis-related genes in rice, and is induced by multiple plant hormones and pathogens. However, the underlying transcriptional regulation mechanisms in response to different signals and their crosstalks are still largely unknown. In order to find new players participated in the activation of OsPR10a, we systematically analyzed the basal expression patterns as well as the expression responses of a 2.5 kb OsPR10a promoter in rice transgenic plants after phytohormone and pathogen stimulations. In agreement with the native gene expression, the OsPR10a promoter can drive glucuronidase (GUS) gene expressing in spots of leaf cells, leaf trichomes, lemmas and paleae, germinating embryos, calli and root tips. The leaf expression of OsPR10a::GUS was dramatically increased upon jasmonic acid (JA) and cytokinin (CK) treatments, or challenges of the pathogen Magnaporthe grisea and Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae. Thus, the OsPR10a promoter reported here can faithfully reflect its native gene expression. The effects of several JA and CK responsive OsWRKY genes on the regulation of OsPR10a promoter were then inspected by luciferase transient expression assay, and the JA inducible OsWRKY10 transcription factor was found as a new positive regulator of OsPR10a. However, the key transcription factors of JA and CK signaling pathways, OsMYC2 and B-type response regulators, were not responsible for the activation of OsPR10a promoter. Our findings provided new insights into the regulation of OsPR10a expression during plant-hormone/pathogen interactions, and the OsPR10a reporter system can be useful to unravel novel regulators from both pathogen and host.

Thermal properties of flax roves untreated and treated were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry and thermal gravity analyzer in order to understand their thermal behavior in more detail and to evaluate the effect of scouring processing on the thermal behavior. Flax roves were treated with six kinds of methods including biological scouring, one bath, two bath, bleaching, alkali scouring, and industry chemical scouring as standards. Results showed that all treatments improved thermal stability of flax roves. The results indicated that glass transition temperature (Tg) decreased after scouring besides the sample by directly bleaching. It is more difficult to determine the endothermic peak of flax treated by chemical scouring in industry because it takes a very flat course. A distinct endothermic peak was observed for the untreated flax rove, while a distinct exothermic peak in different temperature interval was revealed for other four treated flax rove samples. For thermogravimetric analysis, thermal degradation of flax roves studied consists of three regions of the initial, main, and char decomposition, and the third stage consists of secondary weight loss and carbonization for flax roves with biological scouring, one-bath and two-bath. Besides, different residue left indicates that the bio-scoured flax roves are lost with volatile products and does not contribute to char formation. These results provide valuable preferences for mechanism and top value added application of bio-scouring in flax roves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Circadian clocks in plants, animals, fungi, and in photosynthetic bacteria have been well-described. Observations of circadian rhythms in non-photosynthetic Eubacteria have been sporadic, and the molecular basis for these potential rhythms remains unclear. Here, we present the published experimental and bioinformatical evidence for circadian rhythms in these non-photosynthetic Eubacteria. From this, we suggest that the timekeeping functions of these organisms will be best observed and studied in their appropriate complex environments. Given the rich temporal changes that exist in these environments, it is proposed that microorganisms both adapt to and contribute to these daily dynamics through the process of temporal mutualism. Understanding the timekeeping and temporal interactions within these systems will enable a deeper understanding of circadian clocks and temporal programs and provide valuable insights for medicine and agriculture.

The present study explored the conversion rate in individuals with Attenuated Psychosis Syndrome (APS) and potential predictor for transition in China. Sixty-three participants were identified as APS were followed up six months later. The results showed that 17% of individuals with APS converted to psychosis. The converters exhibited poorer emotional experience and expression than the non-converters at baseline. A further binary logistic regression analysis showed that emotional experience could predict the transition (Wald = 4.18, p = 0.041, 95% CI = 1.04~6.82). The current study suggested an important role of emotional processing in the prediction of the development of full-blown psychosis.

The MLO (Mildew Locus O) gene family encodes plant-specific proteins containing seven transmembrane domains and likely acting in signal transduction in a calcium and calmodulin dependent manner. Some members of the MLO family are susceptibility factors towards fungi causing the powdery mildew disease. In tomato, for example, the loss-of-function of the MLO gene SlMLO1 leads to a particular form of powdery mildew resistance, called ol-2, which arrests almost completely fungal penetration. This type of penetration resistance is characterized by the apposition of papillae at the sites of plant-pathogen interaction. Other MLO homologs in Arabidopsis regulate root response to mechanical stimuli (AtMLO4 and AtMLO11) and pollen tube reception by the female gametophyte (AtMLO7). However, the role of most MLO genes remains unknown. In this work, we provide a genome-wide study of the tomato SlMLO gene family. Besides SlMLO1, other fifteen SlMLO homologs were identified and characterized with respect to their structure, genomic organization, phylogenetic relationship, and expression profile. In addition, by analysis of transgenic plants, we demonstrated that simultaneous silencing of SlMLO1 and two of its closely related homologs, SlMLO5 and SlMLO8, confer higher level of resistance than the one associated with the ol-2 mutation.The outcome of this study provides evidence for functional redundancy among tomato homolog genes involved in powdery mildew susceptibility. Moreover, we developed a series of transgenic lines silenced for individual SlMLO homologs, which lay the foundation for further investigations aimed at assigning new biological functions to the MLO gene family.

First identified in May 2014 in China’s Sichuan Province, initial cases of H5N6 avian influenza virus (AIV) infection in humans raised great concerns about the virus’s prevalence, origin, and development. To evaluate both AIV contamination in live poultry markets (LPMs) and the risk of AIV infection in humans, we have conducted surveillance of LPMs in Guangdong Province since 2013 as part of environmental sampling programs. With environmental samples associated with these LPMs, we performed genetic and phylogenetic analyses of 10 H5N6 AIVs isolated from different cities of Guangdong Province from different years. Results revealed that the H5N6 viruses were reassortants with hemagglutinin (HA) genes derived from clade 2.3.4.4 of H5-subtype AIV, yet neuraminidase (NA) genes derived from H6N6 AIV. Unlike the other seven H5N6 viruses isolated in first 7 months of 2014, all of which shared remarkable sequence similarity with the H5N1 AIV in all internal genes, the PB2 genes of GZ693, GZ670, and ZS558 more closely related to H6N6 AIV and the PB1 gene of GZ693 to the H3-subtype AIV. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that the environmental H5N6 AIV related closely to human H5N6 AIVs isolated in Guangdong. These results thus suggest that continued reassortment has enabled the emergence of a novel H5N6 virus in Guangdong, as well as highlight the potential risk of highly pathogenic H5N6 AIVs in the province.

In order to function optimally within our environment, we continuously extract temporal patterns from our experiences and formulate expectations that facilitate adaptive behavior. Given that our memories are embedded within spatiotemporal contexts, an intriguing possibility is that mnemonic processes are sensitive to the temporal structure of events. To test this hypothesis, in a series of behavioral experiments we manipulated the regularity of interval durations at encoding to create temporally structured and unstructured frameworks. Our findings revealed enhanced recognition memory (d’) for stimuli that were explicitly encoded within a temporally structured versus unstructured framework. Encoding information within a temporally structured framework was also associated with a reduction in the negative effects of proactive interference and was linked to greater recollective recognition memory. Furthermore, rhythmic temporal structure was found to enhance recognition memory for incidentally encoded information. Collectively, these results support the possibility that we possess a greater capacity to learn and subsequently remember temporally structured information.

Betalains have high nutritional value and bioactivities. Red pulp pitaya (Hylocereus polyrhizus) is the only fruit containing abundant betalains for consumer. However, no information is available about genes involved in betalain biosynthesis in H. polyrhizus. Herein, two cDNA libraries of pitaya pulps with two different coloration stages (white and red pulp stages) of Guanhuahong (H. polyrhizus) were constructed. A total of about 12 Gb raw RNA-Seq data was generated and was de novo assembled into 122,677 transcripts with an average length of 1,183 bp and an N50 value of 2008. Approximately 99.99% of all transcripts were annotated based on seven public databases. A total of 8,871 transcripts were significantly regulated. Thirty-three candidate transcripts related to betalain biosynthesis were obtained from the transcriptome data. Transcripts encoding enzymes involved in betalain biosynthesis were analyzed using RT-qPCR at the whole pulp coloration stages of H. Polyrhizus (7-1) and H. Undatus (132-4). Nine key transcripts of betalain biosynthesis were identified. They were assigned to four kinds of genes in betalain biosynthetic pathway, including tyrosinase, 4, 5-DOPA dioxygenase extradiol, cytochrome P450 and glucosyltransferase. Ultimately, a preliminary betalain biosynthetic pathway for pitaya was proposed based on betalain analyses and gene expression profiles.

To investigate whether aberrant interactions between brain structure and function present similarly or differently across probands with psychotic illnesses (schizophrenia (SZ), schizoaffective disorder (SAD), and bipolar I disorder with psychosis (BP)) and whether these deficits are shared with their first-degree non-psychotic relatives. A total of 1199 subjects were assessed, including 220 SZ, 147 SAD, 180 psychotic BP, 150 first-degree relatives of SZ, 126 SAD relatives, 134 BP relatives and 242 healthy controls. All subjects underwent structural MRI (sMRI) and resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) scanning. Joint independent analysis (jICA) was used to fuse sMRI gray matter (GM) and rs-fMRI amplitude of low frequency fluctuations (ALFF) data to identify the relationship between the two modalities. Joint ICA revealed two significantly fused components. The association between functional brain alteration in a prefrontal-striatal-thalamic-cerebellar network and structural abnormalities in the default mode network (DMN) was found to be common across psychotic diagnoses and correlated with cognitive function, social function and Schizo-Bipolar Scale (SBS) scores. The fused alteration in the temporal lobe was unique to SZ and SAD. The above effects were not seen in any relative group (including those with cluster-A personality). Using a multivariate fused approach involving two widely used imaging markers we demonstrate both shared and distinct biological traits across the psychosis spectrum. Further, our results suggest that the above traits are psychosis biomarkers rather than endophenotypes.

Bioelectrochemical systems (BESs) are promising technologies for energy and product recovery coupled with wastewater treatment, and the core microbial community in electrochemically active biofilm in BESs remains controversy. In the present study, 7 anodic communities from 6 bioelectrochemical systems in 4 labs in southeast, north and south-central of China are explored by 454 pyrosequencing. A total of 251,225 effective sequences are obtained for 7 electrochemically active biofilm samples at 3% cutoff level. While Alpha-, Beta- and Gamma-proteobacteria are the most abundant classes (averaging 16.0-17.7%), Bacteroidia and Clostridia are the two sub-dominant and commonly shared classes. Six commonly shared genera i.e. Azospira, Azospirillum, Acinetobacter, Bacteroides, Geobacter, Pseudomonas and Rhodopseudomonas dominate the electrochemically active communities and are defined as core genera. A total of 25 OTUs with average relative abundance >0.5% were selected and designated as core OTUs, and some species relating to these OTUs have been reported electrochemically active. Furthermore, cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry tests show that two strains from Acinetobacter guillouiae and Stappia indica, bacteria relate to two core OTUs, are electrochemically active. Using randomly selected bioelectrochemical systems, the study presented extremely diverse bacterial communities in anodic biofilms, though, we still can suggest some potential microbes for investigating the electrochemical mechanisms in bioelectrochemical systems.

Preclinical studies show that GABA exerts anti-diabetic effects in rodent models of type 1 diabetes. Because little is known about its absorption and effects in humans, we investigated the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of GABA in healthy volunteers. Twelve subjects were subjected to an open-labeled, three-period trial involving sequential oral administration of placebo, 2g GABA once, and 2g GABA three times/day for seven days, with a 7-day washout between each period. GABA was rapidly absorbed (Tmax: 0.5~1 h) with the half-life (t1/2) of 5 h. No accumulation was observed after repeated oral GABA administration for 7 days. Remarkably, GABA significantly increased circulating insulin levels in the subjects under either fasting (1.6-fold, single dose; 2.0-fold, repeated dose; p

Central to quantum theory is the concept of complementarity. In this essay, we argue that complementarity is also central to the emerging field of quantum cognition. We review the concept, its historical roots in psychology, and its development in quantum physics and offer examples of how it can be used to understand human cognition. The concept of complementarity provides a valuable and fresh perspective for organizing human cognitive phenomena and for understanding the nature of measurements in psychology. In turn, psychology can provide valuable new evidence and theoretical ideas to enrich this important scientific concept.

B cells are central to adaptive immunity and their functions in antibody responses are exquisitely regulated. As suggested by recent findings, B cell differentiation is mediated by intracellular membrane structures (including endosomes, lysosomes and autophagosomes) and protein factors specifically associated with these membranes, including Rab7, Atg5 and Atg7. These factors participate in vesicle formation/trafficking, signal transduction and induction of gene expression to promote antigen presentation, CSR/SHM, and generation/maintenance of plasma cells and memory B cells. Their expression is induced in B cells activated to differentiate and further fine-tuned by immune-modulating microRNAs, which coordinates CSR/SHM, plasma cell differentiation and memory B cell differentiation. These short non-coding RNAs would individually target multiple factors associated with the same intracellular membrane compartments and collaboratively target a single factor in addition to regulate AID and Blimp-1. These, together with regulation of microRNA biogenesis and activities by endosomes and autophagosomes, show that intracellular membranes and microRNAs, two broadly relevant cell constituents, play important roles in balancing gene expression to specify B cell differentiation processes for optimal antibody responses.

The cerebellum has been repeatedly implicated in gene expression, rodent model and post-mortem studies of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). How cellular and molecular anomalies of the cerebellum relate to clinical manifestations of ASD remains unclear. Separate circuits of the cerebellum control different sensorimotor behaviors, such as maintaining balance, walking, making eye movements, reaching and grasping. Each of these behaviors has been found to be impaired in ASD, suggesting that multiple distinct circuits of the cerebellum may be involved in the pathogenesis of patients’ sensorimotor impairments. We will review evidence that the development of these circuits is disrupted in individuals with ASD and that their study may help elucidate the pathophysiology of sensorimotor deficits and core symptoms of the disorder. Preclinical studies of monogenetic conditions associated with ASD also have identified selective defects of the cerebellum and documented behavioral rescues when the cerebellum is targeted. Based on these findings, we propose that cerebellar circuits may prove to be promising targets for therapeutic development aimed at rescuing sensorimotor and other clinical symptoms of different forms of ASD.

The induction of wheat male fertile lines by using the chemical hybridizing agent SQ-1 (CHA-SQ-1) is an effective approach in the utilization of heterosis; however, the molecular basis of male fertility remains unknown. Wheat flag leaves are the initial receptors of CHA-SQ-1 and their membrane structure plays a vital role in response to CHA-SQ-1 stress. To investigate the response of wheat flag leaves to CHA-SQ-1 stress, we compared their quantitative proteomic profiles in the absence and presence of CHA-SQ-1. Our results indicated that wheat flag leaves suffered oxidative stress during CHA-SQ-1 treatments. Leaf O2-, H2O2, and malonaldehyde levels were significantly increased within 10 h after CHA-SQ-1 treatment, while the activities of major antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase, catalase, and guaiacol peroxidase were significantly reduced. Proteome profiles of membrane-enriched fraction showed a change in the abundance of a battery of membrane proteins involved in multiple biological processes. These variable proteins mainly impaired photosynthesis, ATP synthesis protein mechanisms and were involved in the response to stress. These results provide an explanation of the relationships between membrane proteomes and anther abortion and the practical application of CHA for hybrid breeding.

Studying the neural basis of human social interactions is a key topic in the field of social neuroscience. Brain imaging studies in this field usually focus on the neural correlates of the social interactions between two participants. However, as the participant number further increases, even by a small amount, great difficulties raise. One challenge is how to concurrently scan all the interacting brains with high ecological validity, especially for a large number of participants. The other challenge is how to effectively model the complex group interaction behaviors emerging from the intricate neural information exchange among a group of socially organized people. Confronting these challenges, we propose a new approach called Cluster Imaging of Multi-brain Networks (CIMBN). CIMBN consists of two parts. The first part is a cluster imaging technique with high ecological validity based on multiple functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) systems. Using this technique, we can easily extend the simultaneous imaging capacity of social neuroscience studies up to dozens of participants. The second part of CIMBN is a multi-brain network (MBN) modeling method based on graph theory. By taking each brain as a network node and the relationship between any two brains as a network edge, one can construct a network model for a group of interacting brains. The emergent group social behaviors can then be studied using the network’s properties, such as its topological structure and information exchange efficiency. Although there is still much work to do, as a general framework for hyperscanning and modeling a group of interacting brains, CIMBN can provide new insights into the neural correlates of group social interactions, and advance social neuroscience and social psychology.

Though cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) in peppers is associated with the orf507 gene, definitive and direct evidence that it directly causes male sterility is still lacking. In this study, differences in histochemical localization of anther cytochrome c oxidase between the pepper CMS line and maintainer line were observed mainly in the tapetal cells and tapetal membrane. Inducible and specific expression of the orf507 gene in the pepper maintainer line found that transformants were morphologically similar to untransformed and transformed control plants, but had shrunken anthers that showed little dehiscence and fewer pollen grains with lower germination rate and higher naturally damaged rate. These characters were different from those of CMS line which does not produce any pollen grains. Meanwhile a pollination test using transformants as the male parent set few fruit and there were few seeds in the limited number of fruits. At the tetrad stage, ablation of the tapetal cell induced by premature programmed cell death occurred in the transformants and the microspores were distorted and degraded at the mononuclear stage. Stable transmission of induced semi-male sterility was confirmed by a test cross. In addition, expression of orf507 in the maintainer lines seemed to inhibit expression of atp6-2 to a certain extent, and lead to the increase of the activity of cytochrome c oxidase and the ATP hydrolysis of the mitochondrial F1Fo-ATP synthase. These results introduce the premature programmed cell death caused by orf507 gene in tapetal cells and semi-male sterility, but not complete male sterility.

Evaluating the affordance–control interpretation of the relationship between performance and object estimation has been proposed by psychophysical and psychonomic studies. This study examined the weight estimation–performance relationship. Individuals with visual impairment or blindness put shots that varied in weight among five scales. In Experiment 1, only the perceived weight was a significant performance constraint. In Experiment 2, the weight was perceived as heavier when the participants’ actions were manipulated through cognitive interpretation. The increase in perceived weight appeared to be related to performance and intrinsically scaled to the action, even when the action was only mental rather than physical. The study’s findings suggest that bodily experience and action are the basis for physical judgments and likely underlie other basic cognitive interpretations of sensory stimuli. This suggestion goes hand in hand with the biofunctional approaches which assume direct experience of the integrated wholeness of one's body is fundamental for developing other kinds of awareness. Different perspectives from oriental philosophy and psychology are also discussed.

Comprising 1011 neurons with 1014 synaptic connections the human brain is the ultimate systems biology puzzle. An increasing body of evidence highlights the observation that changes in brain function, both normal and pathological, consistently correlate with dynamic changes in neuronal anatomy. Anatomical changes occur on a full range of scales from the trafficking of individual proteins, to alterations in synaptic morphology both individually and on a systems level, to reductions in long distance connectivity and brain volume. The major sites of contact for synapsing neurons are dendritic spines, which provide an excellent metric for the number and strength of signaling connections between elements of functional neuronal circuits. A comprehensive model of anatomical changes and their functional consequences would be a holy grail for the field of systems neuroscience but its realization appears far on the horizon. Various imaging technologies have advanced to allow for multi-scale visualization of brain plasticity and pathology, but computational analysis of the massive big data sets involved forms the bottleneck toward the creation of multiscale models of brain structure and function. While a full accounting of techniques and progress toward a comprehensive model of brain anatomy and function is beyond the scope of this or any other single paper, this review serves to highlight the opportunities for analysis of neuronal spine anatomy and function provided by new imaging technologies and the high-throughput application of older technologies while surveying the strengths and weaknesses of currently available computational analytical tools and room for future improvement.

This article reviews advances in decoding methods for brain-machine interfaces. Recent work has focused on practical considerations for future clinical deployment of prosthetics. This review is organized by open questions in the field such as what variables to decode, how to design neural tuning models, which neurons to select, how to design models of desired actions, how to learn decoder parameters during prosthetic operation, and how to adapt to changes in neural signals and neural tuning. The concluding discussion highlights the need to design and test decoders within the context of their expected use and the need to answer the question of how much control accuracy is good enough for a prosthetic.

Phylogenetic inference can be improved by the development and use of better models for inference given the data available, or by gathering more appropriate data given the potential inferences to be made. Numerous studies have demonstrated the crucial importance of selecting a best-fit model to conducting accurate phylogenetic inference given a data set, explicitly revealing how model choice affects the results of phylogenetic inferences. However, the importance of specifying a correct model of evolution for predictions of the best data to be gathered has never been examined. Here, we extend analyses of phylogenetic signal and noise that predict the potential to resolve nodes in a phylogeny to incorporate all time-reversible Markov models of nucleotide substitution. Extending previous results on the canonical four-taxon tree, our theory yields an analytical method that uses estimates of the rates of evolution and the model of molecular evolution to predict the distribution of signal, noise, and polytomy. We applied our methods to a study of 29 taxa of the yeast genus Candida and allied members to predict the power of five markers, COX2, ACT1, RPB1, RPB2, and D1/D2 LSU, to resolve a poorly supported backbone node corresponding to a clade of haploid Candida species, as well as nineteen other nodes that are reasonably short and at least moderately deep in the consensus tree. The use of simple, unrealistic models that did not take into account transition/transversion rate differences led to some discrepancies in predictions, but overall our results demonstrate that predictions of signal and noise in phylogenetics are fairly robust to model specification.

IntroductionThe measurement of health status of the elderly remains one important topic. Self-rated health status (SRH) is considered to be a simple indicator to measure the health status of the old population. But some researchers still take a skeptical view about its reliability. This study aims to investigate the association between self-rated health indicator and health status of the elderly and discuss its subsequent public health implications.MethodsIn a total 1096 people who were 60 years of age or older from 1784 households from a suburban area of Beijing were interviewed using multistage stratified cluster sampling. SRH was measured by a single question please choose one point in this 0-100 scale which can best represent your health today?. The disease status and physical functional status were also obtained. A multiple linear regression was conducted to test the associate between SRH and individual’s disease/functional status.ResultsThe average of SRH scores of the elderly was 72.49±15.64 (on a 1 to 100 scale). The SRH scores declined not only with the severity of self-reported mental/disease status, but also with the decrease of physical functional status. Multiple linear regression showed that after adjustment for other variables, two-week sickness, chronic diseases, hospitalization, and ability of self-care (washing and dressing) were able to explain 35% of the variation in SRH among the elderly. Among them, disease status and self-care ability were the most powerful predictor of SRH. After adjusting other variables, physical functional status could explain only 5% of the variation in SRH.ConclusionSRH reflects the disease/functional health status of the elderly. It is an easy-to-implement variable and it can reduce both recall bias and investigator bias, thus being widely used in health surveys. It is a cost-effective means of measuring the health status. However, the comparability of SRH in different populations should be studied in future