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Abstract: In this work, hydrophilic and organophilic chemically modified graphene oxide (CMGO) sheets were prepared through a two-step diimide-activated amidation. The hydrophilic and organophilic products were characterized by atomic force microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy. The resulted dispersions are homogeneous and exhibit long-term stability, which will facilitate the combination of CMGO sheets with polymers to yield homogeneous composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this paper, graphene oxide nanosheets (GOS) are functionalized by bovine serum albumin (BSA) via diimide-activated amidation under ambient conditions. The obtained GOS–BSA conjugate is highly water-soluble. Results of atomic force microscopy (AFM), Raman spectra and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis confirm that GOS–BSA conjugate contains both GOS and BSA protein. AFM image shows that GOS are fully exfoliated. Results of cyclic volatammograms show that the protein in the GOS–BSA conjugate retains its bioactivity. The present method may also provide a way to synthesize graphene-based composites with other biomolecules. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Fetal conditions can in principle be affected by the mother's genotype working through the prenatal environment. Methodology/Principal Findings: Genotypes for 1536 SNPs in 357 cleft candidate genes were available from a previous analysis in which we focused on fetal gene effects [1]. After data-cleaning, genotypes for 1315 SNPs in 334 autosomal genes were available for the current analysis of maternal gene effects. Two complementary statistical methods, TRIMM and HAPLIN, were used to detect multi-marker effects in population-based samples from Norway (562 case-parent and 592 control-parent triads) and Denmark (235 case-parent triads). We analyzed isolated cleft lip with or without cleft palate (iCL/P) and isolated cleft palate only (iCP) separately and assessed replication by looking for genes detected in both populations by both methods. In iCL/P, neither TRIMM nor HAPLIN detected more genes than expected by chance alone; furthermore, the selected genes were not replicated across the two methods. In iCP, however, FLNB was identified by both methods in both populations. Although HIC1 and ZNF189 did not fully satisfy our stringency criterion for replication, they were strongly associated with iCP in TRIMM analyses of the Norwegian triads. Conclusion/Significance: Except for FLNB, HIC1 and ZNF189, maternal genes did not appear to influence the risk of clefting in our data. This is consistent with recent epidemiological findings showing no apparent difference between mother to offspring and father-to-offspring recurrence of clefts in these two populations. It is likely that fetal genes make the major genetic contribution to clefting risk in these populations, but we cannot rule out the possibility that maternal genes can affect risk through interactions with specific teratogens or fetal genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Watermarking algorithms provide a way of hiding or embedding some bits of information in a watermark. In the case of watermarking a 3D model, many algorithms employ a so-called indexed localization scheme. In this paper, we propose an optimization framework with two new steps for such watermarking algorithms to improve their capacity and invisibility. The first step is to find an optimal layout of invariant units to improve capacity. The second step is to rearrange the correspondence between the watermark units and the invariant units to improve invisibility. Experimental tests show that by using this framework, the capacity and invisibility of watermarking algorithms can be greatly improved. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A convenient and efficient synthetic method for the construction of 2,3-disubstituted pyrrolamides in moderate to good yields is established. The in situ generated water significantly accelerates the reaction rate. A possible mechanism involving the cascade ring-opening and thermal-induced rearrangement to produce the five-membered ring is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: 3D models are now widely available for use in various applications. The demand for automatic model analysis and understanding is ever increasing. Model segmentation is an important step towards model understanding, and acts as a useful tool for different model processing applications, e.g. reverse engineering and modeling by example. We extend a random walk method used previously for image segmentation to give algorithms for both interactive and automatic model segmentation. This method is extremely efficient, and scales almost linearly with the number of faces, and the number of regions. For models of moderate size, interactive performance is achieved with commodity PCs. We demonstrate that this method can be applied to both triangle meshes and point cloud data. It is easy-to-implement, robust to noise in the model, and yields results suitable for downstream applications for both graphical and engineering models. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Valvular tumors and tumor-like lesions may have similar morphological and clinical characteristics, and may place the patients at a high risk of stroke in different ways. From January 2004 to June 2008, 11 patients underwent surgery for a suspected valvular tumor. Valvular tumor and tumor-like lesions accounted for 0.32% of adult cardiac operations. Five (45.5%) valvular lesions were papillary fibroelastomas, one (9.1%) was myxoma, 2 (18.2%) were organized thrombi, and 3 (27.3%) were calcification lesions. There was a total of 5 (45.5%) atrioventricular valve lesions, 4 arising from the atrial side of the leaflets, and one from the ventricular side. All 5 (45.5%) semilunar valvular lesions were from the aortic valve. One (9.1%) lesion originated from the chorda tendinea of the mitral valve. All leaflet lesions were resected by a simple shave technique, and all the patients recovered favorably. Valvular tumor and tumor-like lesions are rare. Pre-operative differential diagnoses among these valvular lesions pose important clinical implications for appropriate treatment for the underlying diseases. Prompt therapeutic measures in view of the underlying diseases of the valvular lesions are essential to prevent potential embolic events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Study of mating-induced trade-offs between reproduction and survival is conducive to provide evolutionary insights into reproductive strategies and aging. Using RNA sequencing and bioinformatics, we found that mating induced changes of genes and pathways related to reproduction and survival in females of a pine sawfly. Mating induced substantial downregulation on genes associated to immunity, stress response, and longevity. However, mating induced divergent reproductive response, with downregulation on genes related to egg production while upregulation on genes related to egg fertilization. Considering the nature of limited resources in adults, low fecundity and egg protection behavior in this sawfly, we suggest that mating triggers trade-offs between reproduction and survival in this insect and females of this species have evolved specific strategies to adapt to the living conditions, e.g., restrict whole fecundity to ensure higher fertilization and offspring's survival. Investigation of mating-induced trade-offs between reproduction and survival is conducive to provide evolutionary insights into reproductive strategies and aging. Here, we used RNAseq and bioinformatics to reveal mating-induced changes of genes and pathways related to reproduction and survival in female Cephalcia chuxiongica, a pine defoliator with facultative parthenogenesis and long larval dormancy. Results showed that mating induced substantial downregulation on genes and pathways associated to immunity, stress response, and longevity. However, mating induced divergent reproductive response, with downregulation on genes and pathways related to egg production while upregulation on genes and pathways related to egg fertilization. Considering the nature of limited resources in adults, low fecundity, and egg protection behavior in C. chuxiongica, we suggest that mating triggers trade-offs between reproduction and survival in this insect and females of this species may have evolved specific strategies to adapt to the environmental and hosts' conditions, e.g., restrict whole fecundity to ensure higher fertilization and offspring's survival. Moreover, mating induced significant responses on genes and pathways that play important roles in vertebrate reproduction while their function in insects are unclear, such as the progesterone-mediated oocyte maturation pathway; the significant regulation after mating suggests that their function may be evolutionarily conserved in animal kingdom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: All solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells were fabricated using in situ electrochemically polymerized poly(o-phenylenediamine)/MWNTs (PoPD/MWNTs) as a hole transport materiel. The electrochemical behaviors of PoPD/MWNTs indicated that the electron exchange efficiency improves obviously of PoPD after the addition of carbon nanotubes. The PoPD/MWNTs composite film was deposited on the dye anchored porous TiO2 electrode and I–V characterization was performed under simulated AM 1.5 illumination. Fabricated devices for the PoPD/MWNT composites prepared in 0.1g/L MWNTs showed a photoresponse with an open-circuit voltage V OC of 479mV and a short-circuit current density (I SC) of 0.572mA/cm2 with the overall conversion efficiency of 0.13%, higher than those of the cell with only PoPD (i.e., I SC =0.275mA/cm2, V OC =462mV, FF=0.35, η =0.04%). It is obvious that the introduction of MWNTs to PoPD composites could improve the cell performance. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary: Differentiation of naive CD4+ T cells into T helper type 1 (Th1) effector cells requires both T cell receptor (TCR) signaling and cytokines such as interleukin-12 and interferon γ (IFN-γ). Here, we report that a third cytokine signal, mediated by the Janus family tyrosine kinase 3 (Jak3) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 (STAT5) pathway, is also required for Th1 cell differentiation. In the absence of Jak3-dependent signals, naive CD4+ T cells proliferate robustly but produce little IFN-γ after Th1 cell polarization in vitro. This defect is not due to reduced activation of STAT1 or STAT4 or to impaired upregulation of the transcription factor T-bet. Instead, we find that T-bet binding to the Ifng promoter is greatly diminished in the absence of Jak3-dependent signals, correlating with a decrease in Ifng promoter accessibility and histone acetylation. These data indicate that Jak3 regulates epigenetic modification and chromatin remodeling of the Ifng locus during Th1 cell differentiation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Cotesia vestalis (Haliday) is an endoparasitoid of Plutella xylostella (L.) larvae and injects a polydnavirus (CvBV) into its host during oviposition. In this report we describe the characterization of a gene (CvBV805) and its products. CvBV805 is located on the segment S8 of CvBV genome; it has a size of 909 bp and encodes a predicted protein of 125 amino acids. This protein contains an ankyrin repeat domain with a high degree of similarity with IκB-like genes. Gene transcripts were detected in extracts of the host as early as 2 h post-parasitization (p.p.) and continued to be detected through 24 h. Tissue-specific expression patterns showed that CvBV805 might be involved in early host immunosuppression. CvBV805 was detected in parasitized hosts at 12 h p.p. and in rBac-eGFP-CvBV805-infected Tn-5B1-4 cells at 72 h.p.i. by using western blots analysis. The size of the protein expressed in the host hemocytes and infected Tn-5B1-4 cells was 17 kDa and 56 kDa (including eGFP), respectively, which nearly corresponded with the predicted molecular weight (14.31 kDa) of CvBV805, suggesting that the protein did not undergo extensive post-translational modification. The protein was confirmed to be present within the nuclear region in hemocytes of the parasitized P. xylostella larvae at 48 h p.p. using confocal laser scanning microscopy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A new kind of marattialean raches are reported from the coal balls in Coal Seam No.7 in the upper part of the Taiyuan Formation (early Early Permian) from Taiyuan, Shanxi, China and are assigned to the genus Stipitopteris Grand'Eury (Psaroniaceae). The present specimens are different from all six reported species of the genus, and are therefore proposed as a new species: Stipitopteris shanxiensis. The raches of the new species are generally dorsi-ventrally flattened. The main raches usually exhibit scales of different forms on their surface. Beneath the epidermis is a zone of parenchymatous cells, some of which contain tannin-like contents. Inside this is a zone of small sclerenchymatous cells. Inward are the ground tissue and vascular bundles. The vascular bundles are continuous and are in two circles: the outer circle assumes a transversely elliptical shape with the gap and pinna trace, and the inner circle assumes a shallow C-shape with inrolled ends. The ground tissue located at the inner side of the vascular bundle is composed of thicker-walled parenchymatous cells. The cells of the ground tissue are vertically elongated in longitudinal sections. Subordered raches are smaller and have simpler structures than the main raches. The parenchyma zone beneath the epidermis is thinner, usually one to two cells wide and the sclerenchyma zone is usually absent. The scales are poorly developed and there is only one C-shaped vascular bundle. The new species is comparable to the crosiers of Psaroniaceae of the Euramerican Flora in some aspects, for example, it has a dorsi-ventrally flattened rachis and scales on the surface of the rachis. However, the other features and the preservative conditions of the present specimens indicate that they are not crosiers, but fully developed or mature raches. The new species is the first well-studied anatomically-preserved rachis of Psaroniaceae from the Cathaysian Flora and bears significance not only in understanding the anatomy and taxonomy of Psaroniaceae in the Cathaysian Flora, but also in the relationship between the Euramerican Flora and the Cathaysian Flora. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Photolysis of 2,5-dichloro-3,6-bis(dialkylamino)-[1,4]benzoquinone (1) at 254nm or 300–500nm produces the corresponding cyclized products (2) via the electron transfer-proton transfer sequence in a variety of solvents in quantitative yields within 10min. In contrast, photolysis of 2,5-dichloro-3,6-bis(dialkylamino)-[1,4]benzoquinone (1) at >500nm light source affords the elimination products (3) in good yields via the δ-hydrogen abstraction. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The Sr- and Mg-doped LaGaO3 powders with the composition of La0.85Sr0.15Ga0.85Mg0.15O2.85 were synthesized by using glycine–nitrate combustion method. The results show that unsintered powders prepared by glycine–nitrate combustion method contain the main phase (LaGaO3). The samples contain less amount of secondary phases than by the sol–gel method and solid-state reaction method at the same sintering temperature. It will help to obtain LSGM materials with high conductivities .The sizes of synthesized powders are greater than those by the sol–gel method and smaller than those by solid-state reaction method. The sintering shrinkage analysis shows that the sintering temperature of LSGM prepared by glycine–nitrate combustion method is about 1432°C, at least 60°C lower than that by solid-state reaction method. The ionic conductivity increases with the increase of testing temperature. The curve of ln(σT) versus 1/T exists two straight lines. This shows that activation energy of oxygen-vacancy motion at lower temperatures is greater than that at higher temperatures. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: To obtain a nanoscale binder suitable for pigment-based inkjet ink printing on fabrics, a polymer microemulsion with a high content of soft monomer of butyl acrylate (BA) was synthesized via a modified microemulsion polymerization method, where N-methylolacrylamide (NMA) served as the cross-linking monomer and monododecyl maleate (MDM) as the copolymerizable surfactant. The effects of the functional monomers (NMA, MDM), the weight ratios of monomers, and the solid contents on the microemulsion properties were investigated by TEM, DSC, particle size analyzing, and fabric inkjet printing. The results indicated that the microemulsion had a number-average particle diameter less than 50nm and with narrow particle size distribution. It was also found that the glass transition temperatures (T g) of the film formed from the microemulsion could be lower than −30°C. Fabric inkjet printing application of the pigment-based inks formulated with the as-considered optimum microemulsion as a binder and commercial pigment dispersions demonstrated excellent printability of the inks, and good colour fastnesses and softness of the printed fabrics. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this paper we analyze an algorithm which solves the point projection and the “inversion” problems for parametric curves and surfaces. It consists of a geometric second order iteration which converges faster than existing first order methods, and whose sensitivity to the choice of initial values is small. Applications include the ICP algorithm for shape registration. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We give a new, simple algorithm for simultaneous degree elevation and knot insertion for B-spline curves. The method is based on the simple approach of computing derivatives using the control points, resampling the knot vector, and then computing the new control points from the derivatives. We compare our approach with previous algorithms and illustrate it with examples. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A fast convergent formula for the interactional energy between two parallel plates at constant surface potential and constant surface charge is derived by a simple method of the series expansion, and the numerical result of only the first five terms of the series is excellent for the dimensionless surface potential of colloidal particle y0⩽4. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

One novel chiral copper(II) complex was successfully synthesized from the reaction of chiral 1,3-thiazolidine-2-thione ligand with CuCl2 in dichloromethane in the presence of Et3N and DMAP at room temperature. Its unique crystal structure was unambiguously disclosed by X-ray analysis. The crystal is tetragonal, space group I4(1), space group a=15.0875(11), b=15.0875(11), c=19.362(3) A˚, α=90, β=90, γ=90°, V=4407.4(8) A˚3, Z=8, ρcalc=1.639 mg cm−3. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A phosphorus-containing epoxy resin, bis(3-t-butyl-4-glycidyloxyphenyl-2,4-di-t-butylphenyl)resorcinol diphosphate, was synthesized and subsequently cured with non-phosphorus containing amines, and/or novel phosphorus-containing aromatic or polyoxyalkylene amines. Chemical structures of these materials were characterized with FTIR, NMR, elemental analysis, and amine titration. The introduction of soft –P–O– linkage, polyoxyalkyene, or hard aromatic group into the backbones of the synthesized phosphorus-containing amines provides epoxy polymers with high phosphorus contents and tailored flexibility. Thermal analysis of differential scanning calorimeter and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) reveals that these resulted epoxy polymers possess moderate Tgs and thermal stability. Furthermore, high char yields in TGA analysis and high limited oxygen index values indicate that these phosphorus-containing epoxy polymers possess excellent flame retardant properties. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: GLP-1R agonists can exhibit a direct renoprotective effect in patients with diabetic nephropathy (DN) beyond the hypoglycemic effect, but the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. Recent studies have suggested that high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) contributes to the development and progression of DN. In this study, we assessed whether GLP-1R agonists acts through HMGB1 and explored its downstream signaling pathways in DN. Methods: Rat glomerular mesangial cells (GMCs) were divided into four groups: normal control (NG), normal control with 10 nmol/L exendin-4 treatment (GLP-1 analog) (NGE), high glucose (HG), and high glucose with 10 nmol/L exendin-4 treatment (HGE) groups. GMCs were transfected with GLP-1R-siRNA using Lipofectamine TM2000 and divided as HG, HGE, HGE + GLP-1R-siRNA, or HGE + scrambled siRNA. FN and type IV collagen (COL-IV) were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). GLP-1R, HMGB1, TGF-β1, phosphorylated and total extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK), c-Jun NH2-terminal kinases (JNK), p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases (p38MAPK), and NF-κB p65 were measured by western blot analysis. Results: FN and COL-IV were higher in the HG group than NG group (P<0.05). Compared with NG group, the level of GLP-1R was decreased, HMGB1 and TGF-β1 were increased in the HG group (P<0.05). Additionally, NF-κB p65, the phosphorylation levels of ERK, JNK, and p38MAPK were all significantly elevated in the HG group (P<0.05). However, all these effects were reversed by Exendin-4 treatment (P<0.05), except phosphorylated p38MAPK (P>0.05). Moreover, the protective effects of Exendin-4 were abolished by GLP-1R knockdown (P<0.05). Conclusion: These results suggest that GLP-1 receptor agonists attenuates the ECM secretion of GMCs induced by high glucose. The potential mechanism involves it binding to and activating GLP-1R, which prevents ECM production by inhibiting HMGB1 and its signaling pathways. Disclosure: W. Gu: None. M. Shi: None. H. Zhang: None. Funding: National Natural Science Foundation of China (81200595, 81400807, 81700723) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: ELABELA (ELA), an endogenous ligand for apelin receptor (APJ), is decreased in plasma of DKD patients. The effects of ELA on relieving diabetic renal lesion have not been reported. This study was performed to explore the protective impact and potential mechanisms of ELA on DKD via β-arrestins. Methods: Sixteen eight-week-old male db/db mice were randomly divided into diabetic nephropathy group (db/db group) and intervention group (db/db+ELA group) with administration of ELA (5mg ∙ kg-1 ∙ day-1) for 8 weeks. 8 age-matched male db/m mice were recognized as normal control group (db/m group). Both db/db and db/m group received equivalent normal saline injection for 8 weeks. Body weights and blood glucose levels were measured once a week. After 8 weeks, blood and urine samples were collected. Serum creatinine and urinary albumin to creatinine ration (UACR) were examined. The kidneys were taken after sacrificing mice. The morphology change of kidney tissues were assessed by HE and PAS staining. The expression of β-Arrestin1/2 was detected by immunohistochemistry. The levels of fibronectin (FN), collagen type IV (Col-IV) and β-arrestin1/2 in kidney tissues were examined by western blotting. Results: (1) With the intervention of ELA, UACR, serum creatinine and the ratio of kidney weight to body weight of db/db mice were significantly decreased (P<0.05). (2) Compared with db/m mice, db/db mice exhibited renal tubular epithelial cells edema, decreased ratio of non-lumen area to total area, thickened basement membrane and increased glycogen accumulation, however, those pathological abnormality were mitigated by ELA. (3) The levels of FN, Col-IV and β-Arrestin-1/2 in db/db mice were higher than db/m mice, while ELA treatment suppressed the expression of FN, COL-IV and β-Arrestin-1/2 (P<0.05). Conclusions: ELA may play a role in protection from diabetic kidney damage via down-regulating the expression of β-Arrestin-1/2 and inhibiting the secretion of extracellular matrix. Disclosure: M. Shi: None. Y. Chen: None. H. Zhang: None. Funding: National Natural Science Foundation of China (81700723) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a common disease in pregnant women, which mechanisms remain unclear. Apelin-APJ system contributes to the energy homeostasis in middle and terminal pregnancy. Elabela (ELA) is another endogenous ligand of apelin receptor (APJ), which is expressed highly in the placenta. Few studies have focused on the role of ELA in GDM and the association between ELA and inflammatory cytokines. In this study we mainly compare the concentrations of serum Elabela between 33 diabetes pregnant women (GDM group) with 33 healthy pregnant women (control group). The inflammatory biomarkers including IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α were measured and evaluated the relationship with ELA. There were significant differences in serum Elabela (P<0.05), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), one-hour glucose, two-hour glucose in the OGTT (P<0.001), HOMA-IR (P<0.001), cytokine IL-1β(P<0.05) between GDM group and control group. ELA had significant correlations with FPG (r=-0.254, P=0.039), fasting insulin (r=-0.258, P=0.036), HOMA-IR (r=-0.275, P=0.026), and IL-1β (r=-0.789, P=0.000). And stepwise multiple linear regression analysis presented IL-1β and FPG most significantly affected the ELA levels. This study showed that decreased ELA levels were significantly associated with increased glucose levels and insulin resistance in GDM, which might be mediated by inflammatory factors, such as IL-1β. Serum ELA levels might be a clinical biomarker for GDM. Disclosure: Y. Chen: None. M. Shi: None. H. Zhang: None. Funding: National Natural Science Foundation of China (81200595, 81400807) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immune checkpoint inhibitors provide a definite survival benefit for patients with driver‐negative advanced non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but predictors of efficacy are still lacking. There may be a relationship between immune inflammatory state and tumor immune response. We explored the relationship of serum neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) with infiltrating cells in the tumor tissues of patients with NSCLC as well as their relationship with the therapeutic efficacy of programmed cell death protein 1 (PD‐1) inhibitors. Serum myeloperoxidase (MPO)‐double‐stranded DNA (dsDNA) was detected as a marker of NET serum concentration. T cells were detected by immunohistochemical staining, and neutrophils were counted by MPO immunofluorescence staining. Of the 31 patients with NSCLC, a longer progression‐free survival after PD‐1 inhibitor treatment was associated with higher levels of CD3+ T cells, a lower neutrophil : CD3+‐T‐cell ratio (NEU/CD3+) and lower neutrophil : CD8+‐T‐cell ratio (NEU/CD8+) in tumor tissues. Patients with higher serum NETs were more likely to develop progressive disease after treatment (P = 0.003) and to have immune‐related adverse events (IrAEs) as well as higher NEU/CD3+ and NEU/CD8+. The combined model of serum NETs, CD8+ T cells, and tumor proportion score (TPS) significantly improved the prediction of PD‐1 inhibitor efficacy [P = 0.033; area under the curve (AUC) = 0.881]. Our results indicate that serum NETs are effective predictors of PD‐1 inhibitor response and reflect the tissue neutrophil‐to‐lymphocyte ratio and IrAE levels. The combined model of serum NETs, CD8+ T cells, and TPS is a powerful tool for predicting the efficacy of PD‐1 inhibitor treatment in patients with NSCLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endothelial pro-inflammatory activation is pivotal in cardiac ischemia–reperfusion (I/R) injury pathophysiology. The dried flower bud of Edgeworthia gardneri (Wall.) Meisn. (EG) is a commonly utilized traditional Tibetan medicine. However, its role in regulating endothelium activation and cardiac I/R injury has not been investigated. Herein, we showed that the administration of EG ethanolic extract exhibited a potent therapeutic efficacy in ameliorating cardiac endothelial inflammation (p < 0.05) and thereby protecting against myocardial I/R injury in rats (p < 0.001). In line with the in vivo findings, the EG extract suppressed endothelial pro-inflammatory activation in vitro by downregulating the expression of pro-inflammatory mediators (p < 0.05) and diminishing monocytes' firm adhesion to endothelial cells (ECs) (p < 0.01). Mechanistically, we showed that EG extract inhibited the nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), extracellular regulated protein kinase (ERK), and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways to attenuate EC-mediated inflammation (p < 0.05). Collectively, for the first time, this study demonstrated the therapeutic potential of EG ethanolic extract in alleviating I/R-induced inflammation and the resulting cardiac injury through its inhibitory role in regulating endothelium activation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

T-cell lymphoma is a highly invasive tumor with significant heterogeneity. Invasive tissue biopsy is the gold standard for acquiring molecular data and categorizing lymphoma patients into genetic subtypes. However, surgical intervention is unfeasible for patients who are critically ill, have unresectable tumors, or demonstrate low compliance, making tissue biopsies inaccessible to these patients. A critical need for a minimally invasive approach in T-cell lymphoma is evident, particularly in the areas of early diagnosis, prognostic monitoring, treatment response, and drug resistance. Therefore, the clinical application of liquid biopsy techniques has gained significant attention in T-cell lymphoma. Moreover, liquid biopsy requires fewer samples, exhibits good reproducibility, and enables real-time monitoring at molecular levels, thereby facilitating personalized health care. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the current liquid biopsy biomarkers used for T-cell lymphoma, focusing on circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA), circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), circulating tumor cells (CTCs), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA, antibodies, and cytokines. Additionally, we discuss their clinical application, detection methodologies, ongoing clinical trials, and the challenges faced in the field of liquid biopsy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale: Synucleinopathies, including Parkinson's disease (PD), multiple system atrophy (MSA), and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), share a distinct pathological feature, that is, a widespread accumulation of α‐synuclein (α‐syn) in the brain. There is a significant clinical unmet need for disease‐modifying treatments for synucleinopathies. Recently, a seaweed‐derived mixture of oligosaccharides sodium oligomannate, GV‐971, was approved for Phase 2 clinical trials for PD. This study aimed to further evaluate the therapeutic effects of GV‐971 on synucleinopathies using cellular and animal models and explore its associated molecular mechanisms. Methods: α‐Syn aggregation was assessed, in vitro and ex vivo, by ThT assay. A dopaminergic neuron cell line, Prnp‐SNCAA53T mice, and brain slices from PD and DLB patients were used to determine the efficacy of GV‐971 in ameliorating α‐syn pathology. Measurements of motor functions, including pole, cylinder, and rotarod tests, were conducted on Prnp‐SNCAA53T mice 4 weeks after intragastric administration of GV‐971 (200 mg day−1 kg−1). Results: GV‐971 effectively prevented α‐syn aggregation and even disassembled pre‐aggregated α‐syn fibrils, in vitro and ex vivo. In addition, GV‐971 was able to rescue α‐syn‐induced neuronal damage and reduced release of extracellular vesicles (EVs), likely via modulating Alix expression. In the Prnp‐SNCAA53T mouse model, when treated at the age of 5 months, GV‐971 significantly decreased α‐syn deposition in the cortex, midbrain, and cerebellum regions, along with ameliorating the motor dysfunctions. Conclusions: Our results indicate that GV‐971, when administered at a relatively early stage of the disease process, significantly reduced α‐syn accumulation and aggregation in Prnp‐SNCAA53T mice. Furthermore, GV‐971 corrected α‐syn‐induced inhibition of EVs release in neurons, contributing to neuronal protection. Future studies are needed to further assess GV‐971 as a promising disease‐modifying therapy for PD and other synucleinopathies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To verify the hypothesis that an enriched environment (EE) alleviates sleep deprivation‐induced fear memory impairment by modulating the basal forebrain (BF) PIEZO1/calpain/autophagy pathway. Methods: Eight‐week‐old male mice were housed in a closed, isolated environment (CE) or an EE, before 6‐h total sleep deprivation. Changes in fear memory after sleep deprivation were observed using an inhibitory avoidance test. Alterations in BF PIEZO1/calpain/autophagy signaling were detected. The PIEZO1 agonist Yoda1 or inhibitor GsMTx4, the calpain inhibitor PD151746, and the autophagy inducer rapamycin or inhibitor 3‐MA were injected into the bilateral BF to investigate the pathways involved in the memory‐maintaining role of EE in sleep‐deprived mice. Results: Mice housed in EE performed better than CE mice in short‐ and long‐term fear memory tests after sleep deprivation. Sleep deprivation resulted in increased PIEZO1 expression, full‐length tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TrkB‐FL) degradation, and autophagy, as reflected by increased LC3 II/I ratio, enhanced p62 degradation, increased TFEB expression and nuclear translocation, and decreased TFEB phosphorylation. These molecular changes were partially reversed by EE treatment. Microinjection of Yoda1 or rapamycin into the bilateral basal forebrain induced excessive autophagy and eliminated the cognition‐protective effects of EE. Bilateral basal forebrain microinjection of GsMTx4, PD151746, or 3‐MA mimicked the cognitive protective and autophagy inhibitory effects of EE in sleep‐deprived mice. Conclusions: EE combats sleep deprivation‐induced fear memory impairments by inhibiting the BF PIEZO1/calpain/autophagy pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Real-world multinational e-commerce companies, such as Amazon and eBay, serve in multiple countries and regions. Some markets are data-scarce, while others are data-rich. In recent years, cross-market recommendation (CMR) has been proposed to bolster data-scarce markets by leveraging auxiliary information from data-rich markets. Previous CMR algorithms have employed techniques such as sharing market-agnostic parameters or incorporating inter-market similarity to optimize the performance of CMR. However, the existing approaches have several limitations: (1) They do not fully utilize the valuable information on item co-occurrences obtained from data-rich markets (such as the consistent purchase of mice and keyboards). (2) They ignore the issue of negative transfer stemming from disparities across diverse markets. To address these limitations, we introduce a novel attention-based model that exploits users' historical behaviors to mine general patterns from item co-occurrences and designs market-specific embeddings to mitigate negative transfer. Specifically, we propose an attention-based user interest mining module to harness the potential of common items as bridges for mining general knowledge from item co-occurrence patterns through rich data derived from global markets. In order to mitigate the adverse effects of negative transfer, we decouple the item representations into market-specific embeddings and market-agnostic embeddings. The market-specific embeddings effectively model the inherent biases associated with different markets, while the market-agnostic embeddings learn generic representations of the items. Extensive experiments conducted on seven real-world datasets illustrate our model's effectiveness. 1 1 Our codes and checkpoints are available at https://github.com/laowangzi/ACMR. Our model outperforms the suboptimal model by an average of 4.82%, 6.82%, 3.87%, and 5.34% across four variants of two metrics. Extensive experiments and analysis demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed model in mining general item co-occurrence patterns and avoiding negative transfer for data-sparse markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With Graph: Figure 3 (a) Mean vertical displacement velocities throughout the NCP derived from the Sentinel-1A (S1A) data by using persistent scatterer interferometric synthetic aperture radar (PS-InSAR), (b) statistics of the subsidence rates at persistent scatterer (PS) points, (c) changes in the area with subsidence over 50 mm from 2016 to 2018, and (d) changes in the maximum subsidence rates from 2016 to 2018: PP, CP, and LP represent the piedmont alluvial-proluvial plain, central alluvial-lacustrine plain, and littoral plain, respectively. Replace Graph: Figure 3 (a) Mean vertical displacement velocities throughout the NCP derived from the Sentinel-1A (S1A) data by using persistent scatterer interferometric synthetic aperture radar (PS-InSAR), (b) statistics of the subsidence rates at persistent scatterer (PS) points, (c) changes in the area with subsidence over 50 mm from 2016 to 2018, and (d) changes in the maximum subsidence rates from 2016 to 2018: PP, CP, and LP represent the piedmont alluvial-proluvial plain, central alluvial-lacustrine plain, and littoral plain, respectively. Recent Ground Subsidence in the North China Plain, China, Revealed by Sentinel-1A Datasets. [Extracted from the article]

T-cell clonality testing is integral to the diagnostic work-up of T-cell malignancies; however, current methods lack specificity and sensitivity, which can make the diagnostic process difficult. The recent discovery of a monoclonal antibody (mAb) specific for human TRBC1 will greatly improve the outlook for T-cell malignancy diagnostics. The anti-TRBC1 mAb can be used in flow cytometry immunophenotyping assays to provide a low-cost, robust, and highly specific test that detects clonality of immunophenotypically distinct T-cell populations. Recent studies demonstrate the clinical utility of this approach in several contexts; use of this antibody in appropriately designed flow cytometry panels improves detection of circulating disease in patients with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, eliminates the need for molecular clonality testing in the context of large granular lymphocyte leukemia, and provides more conclusive results in the context of many other T-cell disorders. It is worth noting that the increased ability to detect discrete clonal T-cell populations means that identification of T-cell clones of uncertain clinical significance (T-CUS) will become more common. This review discusses this new antibody and describes how it defines clonal T-cells. We present and discuss assay design and summarize findings to date about the use of flow cytometry TRBC1 analysis in the field of diagnostics, including lymph node and fluid sample investigations. We also make suggestions about how to apply the assay results in clinical work-ups, including how to interpret and report findings of T-CUS. Finally, we highlight areas that we think will benefit from further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A FePt(B, Ag, C) granular film was formed from post-annealed B4C(1.0 nm)/FePt(Ag, C) layers at a substrate temperature of 470 °C for 2 min. The 6 nm thick FePt(B, Ag, C) film demonstrates high perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (Ku = 2.83 × 107 erg/cm3 at 100 K) and out-of-plane coercivity (Hc = 38.0 kOe at 100 K). The Ku and out-of-plane Hc are respectively increased from 38% and 46% between 350 K and 50 K. The sample with a thickness of 8 nm also shows a similar trend for magnetic properties; however, the tiny magnetization kink which may come from rare Fe-B or disordered FePt grains was observed in the easy axis loop. The intrinsic (ΔHint = 12.6 kOe) and extrinsic switching field distribution (ΔHext = 1.62 kOe) were characterized by major and minor loops to correlate the microstructural grains. The coupled FePt grains grown on a single MgTiON grain were observed in a high-resolution transmission electron microstructure (HRTEM) image. This small intergranular exchange coupling was defined by estimating the magnetic cluster size (46.6 nm) from ΔHext and the average grains size (28.2 nm) from TEM images. The temperature dependence of coercivity was fitted to further understand the magnetization reversal process. The lower microstructural parameter was evidenced in the imperfect grain morphology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Median nerve injury is rarely associated with the humeral shaft fracture. Sixty two year old woman with a displaced humeral shaft fracture, developed a symptomatic carpal tunnel syndrome after plating with a screw protruding medially. 16 months later, the implants were removed and the symptoms gradually improved without carpal tunnel release surgery. A double crush syndrome resulted due to the proximal compression by the medially protruding screw and the distal compression by carpal tunnel. The proximal decompression produced by removal of the screw led to relief of the symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a serious complication of diabetes. Numerous reports have validated that circular RNAs (circRNAs) participate in DR progression. This study aimed to elucidate the role and potential mechanism of circRNA zinc finger protein 532 (circZNF532) in DR. Methods: The levels of circZNF532, miR-1243, and coactivator associated arginine methyltransferase 1 (CARM1) in DR patients and human retinal microvascular endothelial cells (hRMECs) were determined by quantitative real-time PCR and western blot. Colony formation assay, transwell assay, tube formation assay and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were used to assess the biological function of hRMECs. The binding relationship between miR-1243 and circZNF532/CARM1 was verified by dual-luciferase reporter and RNA immunoprecipitation assays. Results: circZNF532 and CARM1 levels were increased, while miR-1243 level was reduced in DR patients and high glucose (HG)-stimulated hRMECs. In terms of mechanism, miR-1243 competitively bound to circZNF532 and CARM1. Down-regulation of circZNF532 restrained HG-induced hRMECs proliferation, migration, invasion, angiogenesis and inflammation via regulating miR-1243. In addition, miR-1243 inhibited HG-triggered hRMECs progression via targeting CARM1. Conclusion: circZNF532 facilitated HG-induced angiogenesis and inflammation in hRMECs via modulating the miR-1243/CARM1 pathway, suggesting that circZNF532 might be a potential biomarker for DR treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Anteromedial cortex-to-cortex reduction is a key parameter for stable reconstruction of the fracture fragments during the intertrochanteric fracture fixation. This paper introduces the oblique fluoroscopic projection as a novel method to evaluate the quality of anteromedial cortical apposition.Methods: Three proximal femur specimens were marked with steel wires along five anatomic landmarks: Greater trochanter, Lesser trochanter, Intertrochanteric line, Anterolateral tubercle and the Anteromedial cortical line. After obtaining the standard femoral neck AP and lateral fluoroscopic images, the C-arm was rotated by every 5°increments until a clear tangential view of the antero-medial-inferior corner cortex was observed. 98 cases of intertrochanteric hip fractures were enrolled from April 2018 to October 2019. After fixation with the nails, the intra-operative anteromedial cortex reduction quality was evaluated from the AP, the true lateral, and the new anteromedial oblique fluoroscopic images. The fluoroscopic results were compared with the post-operative 3D-CT reconstruction images.Results: The specimen study showed that internal rotation of the C-arm to approximately 30 ° can remove all the obscure shadows and clearly display the antero-medial-inferior cortical tangent line. Clinically,the positive, neutral and negative apposition of different cortices via intra-operative fluoroscopic images showed79, 19 and 0 cases of medial cortical apposition in AP views; 2, 68 and 28 cases of anterior cortices in lateral views;and 22, 51 and 25cases of anteromedial cortical apposition in oblique views respectively. The post-operative 3D-CT reconstruction images revealed that the final anteromedial cortical contact was noted in 62 cases (63.3%), and lost in 36 cases (36.7%). The overall coincidence rate between intra-operative fluoroscopy and post-operative 3D-CT was 63.3% (62/98) in AP view,79.6% (78/98) in lateral view, and 86.7% (85/98) in oblique view(p < 0.001). Negative cortical apposition in oblique view was highly predictive of a final loss of cortical support on 3D CT (24/25 cases, 96%).And non-negative cortical apposition in oblique view was highly associated with true cortical support on 3D CT images (61/73 cases, 83.6%) (p < 0.001).Conclusions: Besides the AP and lateral projections, an anteromedial oblique view of 30° certifies to be a very useful means for evaluation of the fracture reduction quality of anteromedial cortical apposition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Groundwater resources have been exploited and utilized on a large scale in the North China Plain (NCP) since the 1970s. As a result of extensive groundwater depletion, the NCP has experienced significant land subsidence, which threatens geological stability and infrastructure health and exacerbates the risks of other geohazards. In this study, we employed multi-track Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) datasets acquired by the Sentinel-1A (S1A) satellite to detect spatial and temporal distributions of surface deformation in the NCP from 2016 to 2018 based on multi-temporal interferometric synthetic aperture radar (MT-InSAR). The results show that the overall ground displacement ranged from −165.4 mm/yr (subsidence) to 9.9 mm/yr (uplift) with a standard variance of 28.8 mm/yr. During the InSAR monitoring period, the temporal pattern of land subsidence was dominated by a decreasing tendency and the spatial pattern of land subsidence in the coastal plain exhibited an expansion trend. Validation results show that the S1A datasets agree well with levelling data, indicating the reliability of the InSAR results. With groundwater level data, we found that the distribution of subsidence in the NCP is spatially consistent with that of deep groundwater depression cones. A comparison with land use data shows that the agricultural usage of groundwater is the dominant mechanism responsible for land subsidence in the whole study area. Through an integrated analysis of land subsidence distribution characteristics, geological data, and previous research results, we found that other triggering factors, such as active faults, precipitation recharge, urbanization, and oil/gas extraction, have also impacted land subsidence in the NCP to different degrees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A parachute tricuspid valve is a very rare congenital cardiac anomaly. Its morphological features and clinical implications have not been sufficiently described so far. The purpose of the present systematic review is to disclose the morphological and clinical characteristics of parachute tricuspid valve, and to discuss its diagnostic methods, treatments and patients' outcomes.Main Body: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) statement guidelines were followed in this systematic review. Publications were systematically searched in the PubMed, Highwire Press, and the Cochrane Library databases. By comprehensive retrieval of the pertinent literature published between 1979 and 2019, 13 reports were collected with 14 patients recruited into this study. Their ages ranged from neonate to 52 years old with a median age of 23 years. Tricuspid valve regurgitation of a less-than-severe degree was seen in 6 (60%) patients, tricuspid valve stenosis was present in 3 (30%) patients and normally functioning tricuspid valve was noted in 1 (10%) patient. All patients had a single papillary muscle in the right ventricle. The chordae tendineae could be normal in length and thickness, or elongated, or shortened and thickened. Forty percent of the patients were asymptomatic or with only mild symptoms and did not need a surgical or interventional therapy, and 6 (60%) patients were indicated for a surgical/interventional treatment due to their severe presenting symptoms, associated congenital heart defects, and the resultant severe right ventricular inflow obstruction and (or) tricuspid stenosis. Patients' outcomes varied depending on the substantial status of the patients with a survival rate of 70% and mortality rate of 30%.Conclusion: A few patients with a parachute tricuspid valve are asymptomatic or only with mild symptoms and a surgical or interventional treatment is not required. The surgical/interventional indications for parachute tricuspid valve patients are their severe presenting symptoms, associated congenital heart defects, and the resultant severe right ventricular inflow obstruction and (or) tricuspid stenosis. The survival rate of this patient setting is satisfactory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Splenic cysts are rare, and their treatment remains challenging. A 66-year-old man scheduled to undergo surgical treatment for a pulmonary neoplasm was found with abdominal computed tomography and ultrasonography to have multiple cysts in the body of the spleen. He underwent pulmonary wedge resection, and histological examination showed that the lesion of the left lung was an adenocarcinoma. The patient recovered without complications after the operation. Because the splenic cysts were small and caused no abdominal symptoms, the patient was advised to undergo careful follow-up. Large splenic cysts warrant surgical treatment, whereas careful follow-up is recommended for small asymptomatic splenic cysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Severe trauma could induce sepsis due to the loss of control of the infection, which may eventually lead to death. Accurate and timely diagnosis of sepsis with severe trauma remains challenging both for clinician and laboratory. Combinations of markers, as opposed to single ones, may improve diagnosis. We compared the diagnostic characteristics of routinely used biomarkers of sepsis alone and in combination, trying to define a biomarker panel to predict sepsis in severe patients. This prospective observational study included patients with severe trauma (Injury severity score, ISS = 16 or more) in the emergency intensive care unit (EICU) at a university hospital. Blood samples were collected and plasma levels of procalcitonin (PCT), C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and serum amyloid A (SAA) were measured using commercial enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits. A total of 100 patients were eligible for analysis. Of these, 52 were diagnosed with sepsis. CRP yielded the highest discriminative value followed by PCT. In multiple logistic regression, SAA, CRP, and PCT were found to be independent predictors of sepsis. Bioscore which was composed of SAA, CRP, and PCT was shown to be far superior to that of each individual biomarker taken individually. Therefore, compared with single markers, the biomarker panel of PCT, CRP, and SAA was more predictive of sepsis in severe polytrauma patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aims of the study were first to explore the adaptive leisure activities of classified nursing model from the perspective of nurse-patient interactive care, and to explore its impact on the physical and mental health of patients with colon cancer. Methods: From September 2017 to March 2022 as the observation time node, 82 patients with colon cancer who met the established inclusion and exclusion criteria were regarded as the research objects through the random number table as the grouping tool. The two groups of patients were named as the research group and the control group, with 41 patients in each group. The control group implemented routine nursing measures, and the research group implemented classified nursing mode and adaptive leisure activity mode. The two groups of patients received 4 weeks of nursing intervention. With the help of self-rating anxiety scale, self-rating depression scale, self-care ability evaluation scale and health status survey brief form, the two groups of patients were compared before intervention and at the end of the 4th week after intervention. Results: After the intervention, the anxiety score (t = 6.656, p < 0.001) and depression score (t = 4.851, p < 0.001) of the research group were lower than those of the control group, and the difference was statistically significant. After the intervention, the self-concept (t = 4.845, p < 0.001), self-responsibility (t = 6.071, p < 0.001), self-care skills (t = 3.341, p < 0.001), health knowledge (t = 3.698, p < 0.001) and total score (t = 9.246, p < 0.001) of the research group were higher than those of the control group, and the difference was statistically significant. After the intervention, physical functioning (t = 8.141, p < 0.001), bodily pain (t = 6.083, p < 0.001), general health (t = 9.424, p < 0.001), role-physical (t = 8.057, p < 0.001), role-emotional (t = 13.252, p < 0.001), mental health (t = 12.565, p < 0.001), social functioning (t = 10.813, p < 0.001) and vitality score (t = 12.890, p < 0.001) of the research group were higher than those of the control group, with significant differences. Conclusion: Interactive care through adaptive leisure nursing improves mental well-being, self-management, and psychosocial functioning in elderly colon cancer patients, promoting overall health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The response mechanism of E. faecalis TV4 under fluoride exposure. • Growth inhibition effect of fluoride on E. faecalis. • Fluoride changed the energy mechanism pathway of E. faecalis. Enterococcus faecalis is one of the main components of symbiotic bacteria in the intestine of silkworm (Bombyx mori L.). The abundance of E. faecalis in the intestine of silkworm is affected by fluoride exposure. However, the response mechanism of E. faecalis toward fluoride remains largely unknown. In this study, a strain of E. faecalis (named TV4), which is a symbiotic bacteria of silkworm, was isolated and characterized. Inhibition assay showed that fluoride can significantly inhibit the growth of the TV4 strain (P < 0.05) after culture for 4 h. Finally, Illumina X-Ten platform was used to investigate the response mechanism of E. faecalis TV4 under fluoride exposure. We found that the TV4 strain demonstrated significant changes in its carbohydrate transport and metabolism and energy metabolism. The transcriptome sequencing results revealed that 237 genes were differentially expressed for TV4 grown after fluoride exposure, i.e., 92 genes were differentially up-regulated and 145 genes were differentially down-regulated. Many of the down-regulated genes were involved in cell carbohydrate transport and metabolism and energy production, whereas the up-regulated genes were mostly related to ethanolamine utilization and amino acid synthesis and metabolism. Our results revealed that strain TV4 reduced its carbohydrate metabolism and energy metabolism and increased ethanolamine utilization and amino acid metabolism to adapt and survive under fluoride exposure. This study enhances our understanding about the response mechanism of E. faecalis after fluoride exposure and has important implications for investigations on the three-way interaction among fluoride, symbiotic bacteria and silkworm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The subduction and close of the Mesozoic Bangong–Nujiang Ocean (BNO) led to a collision of the Lhasa and Qiangtang blocks, which formed the backbone of the Tibetan Plateau (the largest and highest plateau on Earth). However, the detailed subduction processes (in particular, the oceanic subduction processes) within the BNO are still not clear. Here, we focus on the plutonic complex of the oceanic arc in the Bangong–Nujiang suture (BNS) and report field observations on zircon U–Pb ages, Lu–Hf isotopes, and the Al-in-hornblende barometry of quartz diorites from the Lameila pluton in western Tibet. Zircon from the quartz diorites yielded a LA-ICP-MS U–Pb age of 164 Ma. The zircon showed very positive εHf(t) values from 10.5 to 13.9, suggesting the Lameila pluton was likely sourced from the depleted-mantle wedge, which is in contrast with contemporary (164–161 Ma) volcanic rocks in the region that had negative εHf(t) values of −7.4 to −16.2 and a magma source from partial melting of subducted sediments. The Lameila pluton showed a temperature-corrected Al-in-hornblende pressure of 3.9 ± 0.8 kbar, corresponding to an emplacement depth of 13 ± 3 km. Therefore, the thickness of the Jurassic oceanic arc crust must have doubled since the initial growth of the oceanic arc on the BNO crust, with a crustal thickness of 6.5 km during the Middle Jurassic. In combination with previous works on volcanic rocks, this study further supports a two-subduction zone model in association with the BNO during the Middle Jurassic, namely, a north-dipping BNO–Qiangtang subduction zone and an oceanic subduction zone within the BNO. The latter oceanic subduction zone produced the depleted-mantle-derived Lameila pluton and the subducted sediment-derived volcanic rocks in the fore arc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Parasitic insects are well-known biological control agents for arthropod pests worldwide. They are capable of regulating their host's physiology, development and behaviour. However, many of the molecular mechanisms involved in host-parasitoid interaction remain unknown. Results: We sequenced the genomes of two parasitic wasps (Cotesia vestalis, and Diadromus collaris) that parasitize the diamondback moth Plutella xylostella using Illumina and Pacbio sequencing platforms. Genome assembly using SOAPdenovo produced a 178 Mb draft genome for C. vestalis and a 399 Mb draft genome for D. collaris. A total set that contained 11,278 and 15,328 protein-coding genes for C. vestalis and D. collaris, respectively, were predicted using evidence (homology-based and transcriptome-based) and de novo prediction methodology. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the braconid C. vestalis and the ichneumonid D. collaris diverged approximately 124 million years ago. These two wasps exhibit gene gains and losses that in some cases reflect their shared life history as parasitic wasps and in other cases are unique to particular species. Gene families with functions in development, nutrient acquisition from hosts, and metabolism have expanded in each wasp species, while genes required for biosynthesis of some amino acids and steroids have been lost, since these nutrients can be directly obtained from the host. Both wasp species encode a relative higher number of neprilysins (NEPs) thus far reported in arthropod genomes while several genes encoding immune-related proteins and detoxification enzymes were lost in both wasp genomes. Conclusions: We present the annotated genome sequence of two parasitic wasps C. vestalis and D. collaris, which parasitize a common host, the diamondback moth, P. xylostella. These data will provide a fundamental source for studying the mechanism of host control and will be used in parasitoid comparative genomics to study the origin and diversification of the parasitic lifestyle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dominance hierarchy, the dominance ranking of members in a community, is determined by the relative population fitness of coexisting species. Climate change can shift dominance hierarchies depending on how species respond to changing climate, but ecological mechanisms underlying such shifts remain largely unknown. Specifically, dominance hierarchy shifts under climate change have rarely been linked to eco‐evolutionary responses to thermal extremes, which we consider in this study.We conducted an 8‐year field survey to link extreme high‐temperature events to the shift in dominance hierarchy of two worldwide cereal aphid species (Rhopalosiphum padi and Sitobion avenae), which may respond rapidly through evolutionary or plastic responses to thermal extremes due to their short generation duration, clonal structure and high thermal sensitivity. To further understand the mechanism involved in this change in species' dominance, we characterised aphid heat tolerance and demography of the two species sourced from relatively mild (Xinxiang) and hot (Wuhan) locations in a common garden design and compared the same measures in up‐ and down‐selected lines of the two aphid species.We found that accumulation of extreme high‐temperature events (EHTs) affected per capita growth rate of S. avenae but not R. padi, driving a shift in annual relative dominance of these two common species in wheat fields. Furthermore, evidence from common garden tests and artificial thermal selection revealed that evolutionary and plastic changes in thermal tolerance under EHTs were species‐dependent; R. padi evolved higher heat tolerance without reducing fitness while S. avenae did not evolve heat tolerance but showed detrimental transgenerational plastic changes under thermal extremes. Rhopalosiphum padi may take over the dominant position of S. avenae in a warmer future, due to a higher evolutionary potential of heat tolerance and less detrimental plasticity following selection.Field surveys and laboratory experiments together point to a shift in species dominance related to interspecific differences in species' evolutionary rates and transgenerational plasticity of thermal traits during selection events associated with extreme climatic conditions. This study highlights that eco‐evolutionary dynamics can contribute to community responses to natural thermal extremes. A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Vegetative development constitutes a critical phase in plant development, and it is regulated by an evolutionarily conserved miR156‐SPL pathway. Previous studies have shown that miR159 acts to prevent the hyperactivation of miR156 to regulate the timing of vegetative phase change in Arabidopsis.However, whether miR159 integrates into the abscisic acid (ABA) signaling pathway to control vegetative phase change remains unexplored, since miR159 also plays an important regulatory role in ABA response.Here, we show that the expression of ABI5 (ABA INSENSITIVE5), a crucial regulator in the ABA signaling pathway, is significantly elevated in the loss‐of‐function mutant of miR159 (mir159ab). Loss of function in ABI5 (abi5) promotes juvenile‐to‐adult transition, whereas overexpression of ABI5 delays this transition under short‐day conditions. Genetic analyses indicated that the effect of mir159ab on vegetative phase change is ABI5 dependent. Further analysis confirmed that MYB33, a major target of miR159, promotes the transcription of ABI5 by directly binding to its promoter. ABI5 functions upstream of miR156 to promote juvenile development by affecting the expression of genes in the miR156‐SPL pathway.Therefore, our study uncovers a new role of ABI5 in vegetative development in plants, and implies a role of ABA signaling in vegetative development in Arabidopsis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As membrane‐bound extracellular vesicles, exosomes have targeting ability for specific cell types, and the cellular environment strongly impacts their content and uptake efficiency. Inspired by these natural properties, the impacts of various cellular stress conditions on the uptake efficiency of tumor iterated exosomes are evaluated, and low‐pH treatment caused increased uptake efficiency and retained cell‐type specificity is found. Lipidomics analyses and molecular dynamics simulations reveal a glycerolipid self‐aggregation‐based mechanism for the enhanced homologous uptake. Furthermore, these low‐pH reprogrammed exosomes are developed into a smart drug delivery platform, which is capable of specifically targeting tumor cells and selectively releasing diverse chemodrugs in response to the exosome rupture by the near‐infrared irradiance‐triggered burst of reactive oxygen species. This platform exerts safe and enhanced antitumor effects demonstrated by multiple model mice experiments. These results open a new avenue to reprogram exosomes for smart drug delivery and potentially personalized therapy against their homologous tumor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As membrane‐bound extracellular vesicles, exosomes have targeting ability for specific cell types, and the cellular environment strongly impacts their content and uptake efficiency. Inspired by these natural properties, the impacts of various cellular stress conditions on the uptake efficiency of tumor iterated exosomes are evaluated, and low‐pH treatment caused increased uptake efficiency and retained cell‐type specificity is found. Lipidomics analyses and molecular dynamics simulations reveal a glycerolipid self‐aggregation‐based mechanism for the enhanced homologous uptake. Furthermore, these low‐pH reprogrammed exosomes are developed into a smart drug delivery platform, which is capable of specifically targeting tumor cells and selectively releasing diverse chemodrugs in response to the exosome rupture by the near‐infrared irradiance‐triggered burst of reactive oxygen species. This platform exerts safe and enhanced antitumor effects demonstrated by multiple model mice experiments. These results open a new avenue to reprogram exosomes for smart drug delivery and potentially personalized therapy against their homologous tumor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Myositis-specific autoantibodies have defined distinct phenotypes of patients with juvenile myositis (JIIM). We assessed the frequency and clinical significance of anti-melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 (MDA5) autoantibody-associated JIIM in a North American registry. Methods Retrospective examination of the characteristics of 35 JIIM patients with anti-MDA5 autoantibodies was performed, and differences from other myositis-specific autoantibody groups were evaluated. Results Anti-MDA5 autoantibodies were present in 35/453 (7.7%) of JIIM patients and associated with older age at diagnosis, and lower serum creatine kinase and aldolase levels. Patients with anti-MDA5 autoantibodies had more frequent weight loss, adenopathy, arthritis, interstitial lung disease (ILD), and less frequent falling compared with anti-transcriptional intermediary factor 1 (TIF1), anti-nuclear matrix protein 2 (NXP2) and myositis-specific autoantibody/myositis-associated autoantibody-negative patients. They had a different season of diagnosis and less frequent mechanic's hands and ILD compared with those with anti-synthetase autoantibodies. Anti-MDA5 patients received fewer medications compared with anti-TIF1, and corticosteroid treatment was shorter compared with anti-TIF1 and anti-nuclear matrix protein 2 autoantibody groups. The frequency of remission was higher in anti-MDA5 than anti-synthetase autoantibody-positive JIIM. In multivariable analyses, weight loss, arthritis and arthralgia were most strongly associated with anti-MDA5 autoantibody-positive JIIM. Conclusion Anti-MDA5 JIIM is a distinct subset, with frequent arthritis, weight loss, adenopathy and less severe myositis, and is also associated with ILD. Anti-MDA5 is distinguished from anti-synthetase autoantibody-positive JIIM by less frequent ILD, lower creatine kinase levels and differing seasons of diagnosis. Anti-MDA5 has comparable outcomes, but with the ability to discontinue steroids more rapidly and less frequent flares compared with anti-TIF1 autoantibodies, and more frequent remission compared with anti-synthetase JIIM patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Code clone detection is a crucial task in software development and maintenance. While deep learning-based methods have been proposed to tackle this problem, most of them neglect the time and memory consumption issues which can be significant when working with limited computational resources. Given the inability of recurrent neural networks to train in a parallel manner, this paper presents a parallel code clone detection model based on temporal convolutional networks. The proposed method splits the corresponding abstract syntax tree into a set of code statement sequences, utilizes a temporal convolutional neural network to generate representations containing complexity features found in the source code, and finally measures the distance between these representations. The proposed method is evaluated on a real-world dataset for code clone detection, and the experimental results demonstrate that it performs comparably to state-of-the-art methods while requiring significantly less time and memory costs. • Temporal convolutional network achieves similar code clone detection results to sequence neural network with less time and memory costs. • The performance of code clone detection task will increase while the length of token embeddings is increasing. • The recursive structure in the statement encoder can be simplified as a feedforward neural network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]