Search

Due to its excellent ionic conductivity and electronic insulation, β/β″-alumina is widely used as a solid electrolyte in molten salt electrochemical cell and alkali metal thermoelectric convertor (AMTEC). In this article, nano-3mol% Yttrium partial stabilized zirconia (3YSZ) toughened β″-alumina solid electrolytes (BASEs) were fabricated by surface modification of β/β"-alumina precursor particles with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) - Zirconium (IV)/Yttrium (III) complex. The performance of BASEs with 0-10 wt% amount of nano-3YSZ addition (Zr-BASE) was systematically investigated on their phase composition, density, microstructure, bending strength, and conductivity. It was found that nano-3YSZ grains were intergranular and uniformly distributed in BASE matrix even at as low as 3 wt% amount of addition, which resulted in higher density, more homogeneous microstructure, higher Weibull modulus, higher characteristic strength and increased grain boundary resistance of Zr-BASE than those of BASE without 3YSZ addition. Zr-BASE with 5 wt% amount of nano-3YSZ addition demonstrated good conductivity (0.071 S•cm−1 at 300 °C, 0.33 S cm−1 at 600 °C) and higher characteristic strength (283 MPa). The obtained results indicated that surface modification by EDTA-Zr(IV)/Y(III) complex advantaged in the preparation of better performance BASEs with a small amount of nano-3YSZ addition. Image 1 • EDTA complex surface modification was used to uniformly adding nano-3YSZ to BASE. • Zr-BASE was obtained with higher mechanical strength and medium ion conductivity. • BASE with 5 wt% 3YSZ addition showed better ion conductivity and mechanical strength. • EDTA complex was good at preparing better performance BASE with low 3YSZ addition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By using ERA-I reanalysis data and the reforecast and forecast data of NCEP CFSv2, the inter-decadal shift in the stratospheric polar vortex boundary in winter and autumn in the Northern Hemisphere since the 1980s is analyzed, and the ability of CFSv2 to simulate the polar vortex boundary is evaluated. The results show that from 1980 to 2017, the Arctic polar vortex retreated northward in North America and expanded southward in Eurasia in winter, but the polar vortex expanded in North America and retreated in Europe in autumn. The polar vortex expanded significantly from the 1980s to the 2000s and retreated in the 2010s in Asia. In winter, the retraction of the polar vortex occurred mainly in the 1990s in North America, and the expansion of the polar vortex occurred mainly in the 2000s in Europe and in the 1990s in Asia. In autumn, the southern expansion of the polar vortex boundary in North America mainly occurred in the 1990s, the retraction of the polar vortex in Eurasia occurred in the 2010s. The overall trend of the winter polar vortex boundary and area simulated by CFSv2 is consistent with that simulated by the ERA-I data in the 1980–2010s, especially for the expansion trend in North America and Asia in the 2010s. The simulation of the boundary and area of the polar vortex by the CFSv2 in autumn is poorer than that in winter; the simulation of the overall trends in the polar vortex boundary and area change is poor. • At present, there are few studies on changes of the polar vortex boundary in autumn. • In winter, the Arctic polar vortex retreated northward in North America and expanded southward in Eurasia. • In this paper we analyzed and evaluated the simulation level of the stratospheric polar vortex shift events. • The simulation of the boundary and area of the polar vortex by the CFSv2 in autumn is poorer than that in winter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Autologous tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (Tils) immunotherapy is a promising treatment in patients with advanced hepatocellular cancer. Although Tils treatment has shown great promise, their persistence and the efficacy after adoptive-transfer are insufficient and remain a challenge. Studies have demonstrated that IL-15 and Akt inhibitor can regulate T cell differentiation and memory. Here, we constructed S-15 (Super human IL-15), a fusion protein consisting of human IL-15, the sushi domain of the IL-15 receptor α chain and human IgG-Fc. Herein we compared the effects of S-15 with IL-2 or in combination with Akti on the expansion and activation of Tils. Methods: Hepatocellular cancer tissues were obtained from 6 patients, Tils were expanded using IL-2, IL-2/S-15, IL-2/Akti or in combination IL-2/S-15/Akti. At day 10, anti-CD3 antibody was added to the culture media and expanded to day 25. The composition, exhaustion and T-cell differentiation markers (CD45RA/CCR7) were analyzed by flow cytometry. Results: We found that IL-2/S-15/Akti expanded Tils and showed the highest percentage of central memory CD45RA−CCR7+ phenotype prior to anti-CD3 antibody activation and after anti-CD3 antibody activation. T cells cultured with IL-2/S-15/Akti exhibited a mixture of CD4+, CD8+, and CD3+CD4−CD8− T cells; S-15 in combination with Akt inhibitor downregulated the expression of PD-1+Tim-3+ on Tils and decreased the Tregs in Tils. Additionally, the Tils expanded in the presence of the Akt inhibitor and S-15 showed enhanced antitumor activity as indicated by the increase in IFN-γ producing tumor infiltrating CD8+ T cells and without comprising the Tils expansion. Conclusion: Our study elucidates that IL-2/S-15/Akti expanded Tils and represent a viable source for the cellular therapy for patients with hepatocellular cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Direct dimethyl ether fuel cell is a promising electricity generator due to its highly theoretical energy density, low toxicity, zero NO x and SO x emission, and low fuel crossover from anode to cathode. So far, tremendous investigations have been mainly focused on the development of highly active anode catalysts; while limited efforts were made on the comprehensive operation optimization, especially for the operating temperature and anode composition. Besides, the recent investigations usually used high Pt group metal loading at anode (>3.7 mg PGM cm−2), which is against the current tendency of decreasing Pt-based metal dosage. Herein, we particularly investigate the effects of operating temperatures and Pt/Ru ratios on the DDMEFC performance in a practical reactor with low anode PGM loading (1 mg PGM cm−2) using saturated DME aqueous solution as anode fuel. At 110 °C, the anode Pt 1 Ru 1 /C and Pt 2 Ru 1 /C catalysts demonstrate the superior current density of ∼117 mA cm−2 and 145 mA cm−2 at 0.5 V. Particularly, the high Pt/Ru ratios present better maximum power density than low Pt/Ru ratios at low temperatures, e.g. 80 °C, but inversely deliver worse performance at high temperatures. This interesting phenomenon is likely due to the temperature-dependent rate determining step transfer. Image 1 • The direct dimethyl ether fuel cell with low anode PGM loading is investigated. • The operating temperatures and anode Pt/Ru ratios are particularly studied. • Superior cell performance with respect to anode PGM loading is obtained. • The rate determining step is found to be influenced by operating temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Nonaqueous HEMA-DEGDA gelation system is developed to form Li-BASE green body. • Plasticizer is successfully used to eliminate cracks and warpage in the green body. • Perfect gelcast of Li-BASE is obtained with mechanical strength of 17 MPa. • Sintered gelcast of Li-BASE exhibits good mechanical and electrical properties. A novel non-aqueous gelcasting system based on the polymerization of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) with low toxicity is applied to the fabrication of lithium stabilized beta alumina solid electrolyte (Li-BASE). Triethanolamine and polyethylene glycol (MW. 1000) are used as dispersant and plasticizer, respectively. Effects of dispersant concentration, solids loading and plasticizer concentration on the rheological behavior of the suspensions are investigated and optimized. Cracking and warpage phenomena in the gelcast green body during drying process are discussed. Green body gelcast from the optimized suspension shows homogeneous microstructure with a relative density of 59.4 % and a bending strength of 17 MPa. Properties, including the relative density, phase composition, microstructure, bending strength and ionic conductivity, of Li-BASEs sintered from green body formed by gelcasting and cold isostatic press are evaluated. Results show that gelcasting forming technique performs well in preparing BASE ceramics with high Weibull modulus and ionic conductivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pancreatic cancer is an aggressive and malignant tumor with an exceedingly high mortality rate. The quality of life and survival rates of pancreatic cancer patients with metastasis are poor compared with those without metastasis. Thus far, no effective treatment strategy has been established for metastatic pancreatic cancer patients. Therefore, an appropriate therapeutic method based on the elimination of metastatic pancreatic cancer is critical to improve patient outcome. Tumor-targeted vaccines have been widely discussed in recent studies and enabled important breakthroughs in the treatment of pancreatic cancer by preventing the escape of tumor cells from immune surveillance and activating the immune system to eliminate cancer cells. T cells can be activated by the stimulation of tumor-targeted vaccines, but to mount an effective immune response, both immune checkpoint inhibitors and positive costimulatory molecules are required. In this review, we discuss potential tumor-targeted vaccines that can target pancreatic cancer, elaborate the probably appropriate combination of vaccines therapy and evaluate the underlying benefits as well as obstacles in the current therapy for metastatic pancreatic cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pancreatic cancer is currently one of the most lethal diseases. In recent years, increasing evidence has shown that reprogrammed metabolism may play a critical role in the carcinogenesis, progression, treatment and prognosis of pancreatic cancer. Affected by internal or external factors, pancreatic cancer cells adopt extensively distinct metabolic processes to meet their demand for growth. Rewired glucose, amino acid and lipid metabolism and metabolic crosstalk within the tumor microenvironment contribute to unlimited pancreatic tumor progression. In addition, the metabolic reprogramming involved in pancreatic cancer resistance is also closely related to chemotherapy, radiotherapy and immunotherapy, and results in a poor prognosis. Reflective of the key role of metabolism, the number of preclinical and clinical trials about metabolism-targeted therapies for pancreatic cancer is increasing. The poor prognosis of pancreatic cancer patients might be largely improved after employing therapies that regulate metabolism. Thus, investigations of metabolism not only benefit the understanding of carcinogenesis and cancer progression but also provide new insights for treatments against pancreatic cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is prone to distant metastasis and is expected to become the second leading cause of cancer-related death. In an extremely nutrient-deficient and hypoxic environment resulting from uncontrolled growth, vascular disturbances and desmoplastic reactions, pancreatic cancer cells utilize "metabolic reprogramming" to satisfy their energy demand and support malignant behaviors such as metastasis. Notably, pancreatic cancer cells show extensive enhancement of glycolysis, including glycolytic enzyme overexpression and increased lactate production, and this is caused by mitochondrial dysfunction, cancer driver genes, specific transcription factors, a hypoxic tumor microenvironment and stromal cells, such as cancer-associated fibroblasts and tumor-associated macrophages. The metabolic switch from oxidative phosphorylation to glycolysis in pancreatic cancer cells regulates the invasion–metastasis cascade by promoting epithelial–mesenchymal transition, tumor angiogenesis and the metastatic colonization of distant organs. In addition to aerobic glycolysis, oxidative phosphorylation also plays a critical role in pancreatic cancer metastasis in ways that remain unclear. In this review, we expound on the intracellular and extracellular causes of the enhancement of glycolysis in pancreatic cancer and the strong association between glycolysis and cancer metastasis, which we expect will yield new therapeutic approaches targeting cancer metabolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The regional climate of the Tibetan Plateau (TP) was simulated by dynamically downscaling reanalysis data and the Community Climate System Model version 4 (CCSM4) and comparing trends of temperature and precipitation with gridded observations. Then, future CCSM4 projections under high and low emission scenarios were downscaled and compared with CCSM4 projections. Observations showed a marked upward trend in temperature and precipitation since 1979. The spatiotemporal distribution of temperature and precipitation in the TP were well represented by the reanalysis data. Downscaled simulations of ERA-Interim and CCSM4 were able to reproduce the spatial distribution of temperature in the TP; however, a cold bias was apparent in the central and western regions. Compared with precipitation observations, the downscaled CCSM4 simulation showed markedly different precipitation trends. Future climate projections indicated that temperatures will increase markedly in the TP, especially under the high emission RCP8.5 scenario. Under RCP4.5, both CCSM4 and the downscaled simulation projected a 1.5 °C increase in annual temperatures during 2006–2050, while under RCP8.5, the downscaled simulation projected an increase greater than 2.5 °C, and CCSM4 projected an increase of 2.0 °C. Emission scenarios had no apparent impact on projections of future precipitation. Therefore, to mitigate warming over the TP, reducing greenhouse gas emission should be a priority. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epidermal growth factor receptor kinase substrate 8 (EPS8) plays critical roles in a variety of solid tumors. However, the biologic functions and clinical significance of EPS8-like 3 (EPS8L3), an EPS8-related protein, in liver cancer remain unclear. To measure EPS8L3 expression in liver cancer cell lines, reverse transcription-quantitative PCR and western blot analyses were performed. The correlation between 338 patients with liver cancer and various clinicopathological factors obtained from the Oncomine database were evaluated using the χ2 test. Survival of patients with different expression of EPS8L3 was determined using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis with a log rank test, and Cox regression analysis was performed to estimate the prognostic significance of EPS8L3 expression. Additionally, cell proliferation and migration were determined using Cell Counting Kit-8 and wound healing assays. The results revealed that EPS8L3 expression was significantly upregulated in liver cancer tissues and cell lines (P<0.01), and that the expression of EPS8L3 was closely associated with grade (P=0.024) and mortality (P=0.011). Furthermore, survival analysis suggested patients with high EPS8L3 expression exhibited shorter survival compared with those with low EPS8L3 expression. Cox regression analysis indicated that EPS8L3 could be regarded as a prognostic biomarker in patients with liver cancer (hazard ratio, 1.58; 95% confidence interval, 1.085–2.301; P=0.017). Additionally, in vitro assays revealed that EPS8L3 depletion significantly inhibited liver cancer cell proliferation and migration, and reduced the levels of phosphorylated PI3K and AKT in the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Collectively, the results of the present study, for the first time to the best of our knowledge, demonstrated that EPS8L3 serves as an oncogene in liver cancer development; therefore, EPS8L3 may be a valuable prognostic predictor for patients with liver cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A complex model used to estimate apple stress according to grasping speed is proposed. • The apple 3D layered finite element model with viscoelastic property is established. • Dynamic grasping process with characteristics of speed and energy input is simulated. • Apple skin will be more vulnerable than other tissues above grasping speed of 3 mm/s. This study focuses on establishing apple viscoelastic finite element complex model to estimate apple stress variation during grasping with its own characteristics of constant velocity and continuous energy input. The deformation resistance of apple is calculated by MATLAB based on apple viscoelastic Burgers model and stage dynamic characteristics of grasping process, and used for defining the load function in ANSYS. Then, the layered solid model consisted by skin, flesh, core of apple is established in ANSYS and simulation carries out. Solution results of designed model show that maximum equivalent stress and maximum deformation of apple are 0.42 MPa and 0.72 mm respectively at grasping velocity of 3 mm/s, after that apple skin starts to have grasping damage prior to the flesh and core of apple due to plastic deformation occurring. Lastly, the actual experiment to verify the reliability of designed model was carried out. This study proposes an effective complex model to estimate apple stress from the perspective of grasping velocity by general finite element software. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In this study, investigations of sintering behavior and properties were performed on lithium-stabilized Na-β''-alumina (LiSBA) ceramics with and without 15 wt% 8 mol% Y 2 O 3 stabilized ZrO 2 (8YSZ) addition synthesized by solid phase reaction. Changes of phase composition, relative density, and grain size in the ceramics sintered at different temperature were analyzed. It was shown that phase transformation in sintering ceramics was controlled by relationship between the Na 2 O evaporation and Li+ ions stabilization, while microstructure evolution was controlled by pore-boundary interaction. LiSBA with YSZ addition (Zr-LiSBA) showed more significant variation of β'' phase fractions, slower grain growth and faster densification with increasing sintering temperature, which were caused by enhanced Na 2 O evaporation and gas transport by oxygen ion conductor ZrO 2 as well as the drag effect by second phase particles of YSZ in Zr-LiSBA ceramics. Zr-LiSBA specimens sintered at optimized condition achieved higher Vickers microhardness and intermediate Na+ ion conductivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 3D hierarchical CoWO 4 /Co 3 O 4 structure, with the synergetic effect of diverse materials, large specific surface area and fast transmission of electrons and ions is synthesized by a facile and efficient microwave hydrothermal method. We found that CoWO 4 and 3D CoWO 4 /Co 3 O 4 exhibit four pairs of redox peaks, which were discussed systematically. The hybrid electrode shows excellent specific capacitance of 1728 F g −1 at current density of 2.7 mA cm −2 (1 A g −1 ) with superior rate capability and satisfactory cycling stability (85.9% capacitance preserved after 5000 cycles). The asymmetric supercapacitors assembled with CoWO 4 /Co 3 O 4 and activated carbon exhibit high energy density (57.8 Wh kg −1 ) and power density (6000 W kg −1 at 40.64 Wh kg −1 ), with remarkable cycle life. The above results indicate that the ordered CoWO 4 /Co 3 O 4 nanowire arrays synthesized by this approach would be a promising candidate for practical application of high-performance supercapacitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanisms governing variations in autumn precipitation are complicated and influenced by a number factors. This paper analyses the characteristics of autumn precipitation in China and investigates the influence of Asian polar vertex contraction on rainfall deficits in China and relevant mechanisms. Autumn precipitation decreased significantly from 1961 to 2012 in mid- and southern China, and the area of the Asia polar vortex (AAV) has decreased significantly since 1988. Asian polar vertex contraction is found to be an important factor in these autumn rainfall deficits in China through the following mechanism. Asian polar vertex contraction causes anomalously high geopotential heights in East Asia (from 25°N to 55°N) and low heights north of 65°N in the upper and lower troposphere, weakening meridional gradients in geopotential height. In the upper troposphere, the westerly and northerly winds are strengthened over high latitudes and westerly winds and the subtropical westerly jet are weakened over the East Asian mid-latitudes. In the lower troposphere, westerly winds are strengthened over high latitudes, westerly winds are weakened in East Asia and along the southern periphery of the Tibetan Plateau, and northerly winds in mid- and southern China are clearly strengthened. Hence, autumn rainfall decreases in mid- and southern China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accumulating researches identify microRNA-26a (miR-26a) as a tumor suppressor in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). F-box protein 11 (FBXO11), a predicted target gene of miR-26a, is an E3 ubiquitin ligase and a type II methyltransferase, and functions as a key regulator of tumor initiation and progression. This study was aimed to investigate the regulatory role of miR-26a in FBXO11 expression and explored the clinical significance as well as functional role of FBXO11 in HCC. The expression levels of miR-26a were prominently downregulated in HCC tissues compared to matched tumor-adjacent tissues. MiR-26a inversely regulated FBXO11 abundance in HCC cells. Hereby, miR-26a could directly target 3′UTR of FBXO11 mRNA to suppress its expression. Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database (GSE54236 and GSE45436) and our data demonstrated that the expression of FBXO11 was up-regulated in HCC tissues. The level of FBXO11 mRNA was inversely correlated with miR-26a expression in HCC specimens. High FBXO11 expression was positively correlated with large tumor size, venous infiltration and advanced tumor stage of HCC patients. Clinical prognostic analysis illustrated that high FBXO11 expression predicted a poor survival of HCC patients. In vitro , FBXO11 knockdown inhibited cell proliferation, colony formation, migration and invasion of HCC cells. Additionally, miR-26a overexpression showed a consistent effect with FBXO11 knockdown on these malignant behaviors of HCC cells. Notably, FBXO11 restoration reversed the inhibitory effect of miR-26a on HCC cell proliferation, colony formation, migration and invasion. In summary, these results indicated that miR-26a regulation of FBXO11 exhibited an oncogenic role in HCC. Inhibition of FBXO11 might serve as a therapeutic target for HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phomopsis asparagi is a fungal pathogen that causes destructive stem blight disease in garden asparagus worldwide. The host-pathogen interactions and molecular mechanisms of its pathogenicity are poorly understood. In this study, a protoplast transformation approach mediated by polyethylene glycol (PEG) was established for P. asparagi, and green fluorescent protein (GFP) expression transformants were successfully obtained. The transformants were mitotically stable when grown on potato dextrose agar (PDA) plates amended with 100 μg mL−1 of hygromycin B after five successive subcultures without selective pressure. All of the analysed transformants were further confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification with primers specific to the hygromycin B phosphotransferase (hph) gene and Southern blotting. Moreover, these transformants showed similar pathogenicity on garden asparagus spears compared with the wild type, although a difference in growth rate was observed in oatmeal agar (OA) plates. These GFP expression transformants will serve as useful tools for investigating host penetration and the invasive growth of this devastating fungal pathogen, as well as defining the nature of the host-pathogen interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The humidity property of the lithium stabilized Na-β"-alumina (LSBA) sensing material was investigated in detail on a resistivity-type sensor prepared by pasting LSBA powder on a ceramic substrate with Ag interdigitated electrodes through ac and dc analysis. Results from ac complex impedance analysis suggested that LSBA powder based sensor was highly sensitive to humidity with a six order magnitude impedance difference as relative humidity (RH) changed from 11.3% to 93.6% and good stability in 30 days. The response time and recovery time of the sensor were short at lower RH circumstance, which were 42 s and 48 s at 52.8% RH, respectively. Evidences from dc variation, ac dielectric loss and ac complex impedance spectra under different RH circumstance indicated that high humidity sensitivity of the LSBA sensor originated not only from the water molecules absorbed on the surface but also from the Na + ions in the conduction slab of the LSBA crystal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The garden asparagus stem blight caused by filamentous fungus Phomopsis asparagi exposes a serious threat on asparagus production globally. However, to present, we understand poorly about the molecular mechanisms of fungal pathogenicity. To facilitate functional genomics research of P. asparagi, here we developed a highly efficient and stable Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation approach which yielded 150-200 transformants per 1 × 10 conidia. Our results indicated that 25 °C, acetosyringone concentration of 150 μmol/L, and 72 h were recommended as optimal co-cultivation conditions for the transformation. Using this transformation approach, we constructed a T-DNA insertion mutant library containing 1253 strains. Twenty randomly selected T-DNA insertion mutants were able to grow on 0.2 × PDA selective media after five successive subcultures without selective pressure, indicating that the exogenous T-DNA was stably integrated into the P. asparagi genome. We confirmed several randomly selected mutants using PCR with primers specific to the hph gene. Southern blots suggested that three out of the five selected mutants have a single T-DNA insertion. Interestingly, multiple mutant candidates with growth defects were obtained from the growth assay. Moreover, several mutants were selected for further analysis on the T-DNA flanking sequences through TAIL-PCR analysis. A sequence comparison of total junction fragments implied that the insertion of T-DNA within P. asparagi genome appeared to be a random event. The transformation technology and genetic resources developed here will facilitate studies of pathogenic mechanisms in this devastating filamentous fungal pathogen of garden asparagus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies indicate that spontaneous low-frequency fluctuations (LFFs) of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signals are driven by the slow (<0.1 Hz) modulation of ongoing neuronal activity synchronized locally and across remote brain regions. How regional LFFs of the BOLD fMRI signal are altered during anesthetic-induced alteration of consciousness is not well understood. Using rs-fMRI in 15 healthy participants, we show that during administration of propofol to achieve loss of behavioral responsiveness indexing unconsciousness, the fractional amplitude of LFF (fALFF index) was reduced in comparison to wakeful baseline in the anterior frontal regions, temporal pole, hippocampus, parahippocampal gyrus, and amygdala. Such changes were absent in large areas of the motor, parietal, and sensory cortices. During light sedation characterized by the preservation of overt responsiveness and therefore consciousness, fALFF was reduced in the subcortical areas, temporal pole, medial orbital frontal cortex, cingulate cortex, and cerebellum. Between light sedation and deep sedation, fALFF was reduced primarily in the medial and dorsolateral frontal areas. The preferential reduction of LFFs in the anterior frontal regions is consistent with frontal to sensory-motor cortical disconnection and may contribute to the suppression of consciousness during general anesthesia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A new arc and friction stir hybrid welding process was successfully developed to join aluminum to steel. • Optimizing the BC-MIG welding process parameters could reduce the thickness of brittle intermetallic compound layer to within 1.5 μm. • The hybrid welded joints provided superior mechanical properties with fractures in the aluminum base metal. • The relationship between microstructure, mechanical strength and fracture mechanism was analyzed. In this study, arc and friction stir hybrid welding (AFSHW) was proposed to weld aluminum-steel dissimilar metals in attempt to realize high quality joining. Firstly, an interlayer was produced on galvanized steel by using bypass current-metal inert gas welding (BC-MIG), and then an aluminium plate was jointed via Friction stir lap welding (FSLW). The effects of tool pin length and FSLW times on the microstructure and mechanical properties of dissimilar joints were fully investigated by means of Optical Microscopy (OM), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD), and mechanical testing. The results show that as pin length increased, joint strength tended to increase and then decrease, and the tensile failure partially occurred at aluminium base metal. However, with additional number of FSLW, joint strength would be reduced, which was attributed to attenuated dislocation density and strain concertation in dissimilar joint. The research outcomes will provide a new welding method to obtain sound Al-Fe dissimilar metal joint, and benefit to a better understanding of Al-Fe joining mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to develop a composite biomarker that can accurately measure the sequential biological stages of Alzheimer's disease (AD) on an individual level. We selected 144 subjects from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative 2 datasets. Ten biomarkers, from brain function and structure, cerebrospinal fluid, and cognitive performance, were integrated using the event-based probabilistic model to estimate their optimal temporal sequence (Soptimal). We identified the numerical order of the Soptimal as the characterizing Alzheimer's disease risk events (CARE) index to measure disease stage. The results show that, in the Soptimal, hippocampal and posterior cingulate cortex network biomarkers occur first, followed by aberrant cerebrospinal fluid amyloid-β and p-tau levels, then cognitive deficit, and finally regional gray matter loss and fusiform network abnormality. The CARE index significantly correlates with disease severity and exhibits high reliability. Our findings demonstrate that use of the CARE index would advance AD stage measurement across the whole AD continuum and facilitate personalized treatment of AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Boron, nitrogen co-doped graphene (BNG) is facilely synthesized by the two-step thermal annealing of graphene in the presence of melamine and boric acid, which is served as a novel support to enhance the catalytic properties of noble metal catalysts for the methanol oxidation reaction (MOR). It is revealed that the BNG support has more defect sites due to the co-doping of boron and nitrogen, so that uniformly dispersed Pt nanoparticles with average size of 2.3 nm are anchored on the surface of BNG support. The BNG supported Pt (Pt/BNG) catalyst exhibits excellent activity and improved stability towards the MOR, which is mainly attributed to the synergetic effects of boron and nitrogen co-doping into graphene support. It is revealed that nitrogen and boron co-doping produces more oxygen-containing species, which accelerates the methanol oxidation by the so-called bifunctional mechanism. Moreover, the boron doping weakens the adsorption energy of poisoning intermediates on Pt surface by lowering the d-band center of Pt, facilitating the oxidative removal of poisoning intermediates and methanol oxidation. The boron and nitrogen co-doping of graphene opens up a new strategy for the catalyst performance optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The controlled synthesis of noble metal alloy nanocrystals with anistropic structures is significant for their applications in catalysis, sensing, imaging and biomedicine. This article reports the facile and high-yield synthesis of multi-branched PtNi alloy nanourchins. The synthesis is achieved by the co-reduction of Pt and Ni acetylacetonates through modulating the heating rate of reduction process, which can completely tune the growth kinetics of Pt alloy nanocrystals. Thus obtained PtNi alloy nanourchins exhibit excellent catalytic performance for methanol oxidation and oxygen reduction reactions, which is over 10 times higher than a conventional Pt/C catalyst. In addition, the PtNi alloy nanourchins are highly stable during the long-term operation. It is proposed that the anistropic structure and the alloying effect contribute synergistically to the improvement of catalytic properties. The synthetic strategy is simple, low cost, high yield and up-scalable, which offer a valuable approach to synthesizing metal alloynanocrystals with structural anisotropies, and is promising in designing novel materials for both electrocatalytic and other applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advanced neuroimaging studies have identified brain correlates of pathological impulsivity in a variety of neuropsychiatric disorders. However, whether and how these spatially separate and functionally integrated neural correlates collectively contribute to aberrant impulsive behaviors remains unclear. Building on recent progress in neuroeconomics toward determining a biological account of human behaviors, we employed resting-state functional MRI to characterize the nature of the links between these neural correlates and to investigate their impact on impulsivity. We demonstrated that through functional connectivity with the ventral medial prefrontal cortex, the δ-network (regions of the executive control system, such as the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex) and the β-network (regions of the reward system involved in the mesocorticolimbic pathway), jointly influence impulsivity measured by the Barratt impulsiveness scale scores. In control nondrug-using subjects, the functional link between the β- and δ-networks is balanced, and the δ-network competitively controls impulsivity. However, in abstinent heroin-dependent subjects, the link is imbalanced, with stronger β-network connectivity and weaker δ-network connectivity. The imbalanced link is associated with impulsivity, indicating that the β- and δ-networks may mutually reinforce each other in abstinent heroin-dependent subjects. These findings of an aberrant link between the β- and δ-networks in abstinent heroin-dependent subjects may shed light on the mechanism of aberrant behaviors of drug addiction and may serve as an endophenotype to mark individual subjects' self-control capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is a chronic systemic disease involved in many organs and tissues. As only limited autoantigens have been found since the beginning of this century, the aim of this study was to reveal new candidate autoantigens of IgG4-RD. Methods: Multiple cell lines including HT-29, EA.hy926, HEK 293 and HepG2 were used to test the binding ability of circulating autoantibodies from IgG4-RD sera. The amino-acid sequence was then analyzed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight tandem (MALDI-TOF/TOF) mass spectrometry. After the cloning and expression of recombinant putative autoantigen in a bacterial expression system, the corresponding immuno assay was set up and utilized to observe the prevalence of serum autoantibodies in a large set of confirmed clinical samples. Results: One positive autoantigen was identified as prohibitin. ELISA analysis showed that a majority of patients with IgG4-RD have antibodies against prohibitin. Anti-prohibitin antibodies were present in the sera of patients with definite autoimmune pancreatitis (25/34; 73.5%), Mikulicz’s disease (8/15; 53.3%), retroperitoneal fibrosis (6/11; 54.5%), other probable IgG4-RD (26/29; 89.7%) and Sjögren’s syndrome (4/30; 13.3%) but not in apparently healthy donors (1/70; 1.4%). Conclusions: An association between prohibitin and patients with some IgG4-RD was observed, although the results were quite heterogeneous among different individuals within autoimmune pancreatitis, Mikulicz’s disease and retroperitoneal fibrosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Behçet’s disease (BD) is a chronic inflammatory disease with multisystem involvement, and it is listed as a rare disease in the United States but is common in the Middle East, China, and Japan. The aim of this study was to identify novel autoantigens in Chinese patients with BD. First, the candidate autoantigens were screened by Western blotting, and the sequences of putative antigens were identified by LC-MALDI-TOF/TOF mass spectrometry. Next, the screened protein was cloned, expressed and purified. Then, an optimized ELISA was developed, and the serological criteria were evaluated using a large number of confirmed patients. One antigen with a molecular weight of approximately 28 kDa was identified as electron transfer flavoprotein subunit beta (ETFB). Positive reactivity was detected in recombinant human ETFB sera from 38 of 92 BD patients (41 %) and 1 of 90 healthy controls (1 %). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective The aim of this study was to identify candidate pathogenic autoantigens of Behçet’s disease (BD) in pathogen-stimulated target cells. Methods First, three cell lines were used as target cells to screen autoantibody. Second, selected target cells were simulated with pathogens. Third, western blotting was used for detecting the auto-antigens in cell extracts. Next, immunoprecipitation was performed and the amino-acid sequences of target antigens were analyzed by LC-MALDI-TOF/TOF. Then, the potential target antigen was expressed, purified, and immunologically confirmed. And finally, an ELISA kit was developed and clinically validated through the assessments of 456 clinical samples with BD. Results One antigen with a molecular weight of approximately 27-kDa was identified as heat shock protein 27 (HSP27). The reactivity of serum IgG against recombinant human HSP27 was detected in 52 of 91 BD patients (57%), 66 of 92 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients (72%), 32 of 90 Sjogren syndrome (SS) patients (36%), 22 of 92 systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients (24%) and 0 of 91 healthy controls (HC). The reactivity of BD serum IgG antibodies against HSP27 was significantly higher than SLE ( P < 0.0001) SS ( P < 0.0001) and HC ( P < 0.0001). Conclusions This study identified HSP27 as a candidate endothelial cell autoantigen of BD, which is interesting and probably worth further exploration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective This study is intended to screen potential antigen for Behcet’s disease (BD) by using human microvascular endothelial cells (HUVEC). Methods Following cell-based indirect immunofluorescence assay with sera from BD patients, proteins extracted from HUVEC were separated and detected by Western blotting. Then the target protein was identified by LC-MALDI-TOF/TOF, the recombinant target protein was expressed, purified and then used as coating antigen to test the prevalence of autoantibodies in patient’s sera. Results The Western blotting result showed that some patients’ sera could react with a protein band with about 30 kDa of molecular weight, which was further identified as prohibitin by mass spectrometry. The prevalence of serum antibodies against recombinant human prohibitin was detected in 16 of 58 BD patients (28%) but none in healthy controls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Ti and Ca were introduced as trappers of P in Cu-alloyed MG-Si. • The effects of trapper on the segregation behavior of P were discussed. • The difficulty about the removal of P-enriched phases by aqua regia was studied. • The mechanism of P removal was investigated. Titanium (Ti) and calcium (Ca), as trappers, were introduced into copper-alloyed metallurgical grade silicon (MG-Si). The effects of trappers on the segregation behavior and removal efficiency of phosphorus (P) were investigated. It was found that P tended to enrich in the TiSi 2 and CaCu 2 Si 2 phases, and quenching above the eutectic temperature of Si-Cu alloy is conducive to the P removal. The corrosion process of the P-enriched phases indicated that Ca addition was in favour of P removal, while Ti addition was opposite. The results suggested that though the addition of Ti and Ca could effectively enrich P in the Si-Cu alloy, the acid sensitivity of P-enriched phases would affect the P removal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite efforts to control fungal contamination, some mycotoxins, including deoxynivalenol, zearalenone, aflatoxin, and ochratoxin, are ubiquitous in the rural China. The purpose of this study was to establish a simple method for noninstrumental detection of these residues by a multianalyte dot enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The multianalyte dot enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was simple, inexpensive, and fast and is expected to have broad applications in the food processing industry in rural China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The zinc finger protein A20 is an important negative regulator of inflammation; polymorphisms in the corresponding gene, TNFAIP3, have been reported to be associated with several inflammation diseases. However, only a few studies have focused on the relationship between TNFAIP3 polymorphisms and acute pancreatitis (AP). Methods: We enrolled 201 healthy controls and 190 acute pancreatitis patients (including 47 systemic inflammatory response syndrome patients) for this study and used DNA sequencing to investigate polymorphisms in the TNFAIP3 promoter. The functional effects of these variants on transcriptional activity, A20 expression, NF-κB activity, and TNF-α and IL-1β levels, after in vitro lipopolysaccharide stimulation, were assessed. Results: Two SNPs (rs59693083 and rs5029924) in the TNFAIP3 promoter were selected based on bioinformatic analysis. Neither of these SNPs was associated with susceptibility to AP; however, acute pancreatitis patients who possessed the T allele of rs5029924 were more likely to experience systemic inflammatory response syndrome. Moreover, rs5029924 was found to affect TNFAIP3 promoter activity. After lipopolysaccharide stimulation, the expression of A20 protein significantly decreased, while the activity of NF-κB and the production of TNF-α and IL-1β significantly increased in whole blood leukocytes from subjects with the T allele. Conclusion: The rs5029924 polymorphism in the TNFAIP3 promoter may alter the risk of systemic inflammatory response syndrome in acute pancreatitis patients by influencing the expression of A20 protein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Protection of river ecosystem in ecological fragile areas. • A comprehensive indicator system is constructed. • A novel multidimensional similarity cloud model is developed. • The fuzziness of river health is fully considered. • Random impacts of sampling and environmental factors are effectively reduced. Rivers provide the basis for sustainable socio-economic development, but increasingly intense human activities poses a threat to river health. To comprehensively investigate the river health in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China, the Lhasa River is selected as study area, and a comprehensive indicator system incorporating ecosystem integrity (physical habitat, water quantity and quality, aquatic life) and non-ecological performance (social services) is constructed. The random impacts of sampling methods and environmental factors on the accuracy of monitoring data are effectively reduced by the wavelet noise reduction. Combined weights of river health indicators are calculated using the minimum deviation principle. A novel multidimensional similarity cloud model (MSCM) is then developed for assessing river health with fuzzy monitoring data. Results show that the upper reaches of Lhasa River is healthy in terms of ecosystem integrity and non-ecological performance. And the health level exhibits significant spatial variability influenced by urban construction and water conservancy projects, with decreasing health level from upper to lower reaches. 52% of the sampling sites are at excellent or healthy levels, 40% are subhealthy, and 8% are unhealthy in the Lhasa River. Accordingly, recommendations and measures are proposed to improve river health level and explore sustainable water-management policies in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Identification and quantification of salt-adulterated honeysuckle are studied. • The accuracy of qualitative identification is as high as 100%. • SiPLS-VIP scheme showns potential value in model optimization. • The proposed method is fast, nondestructive and low cost. The quality of honeysuckle is typically degraded seriously by unscrupulous mixing with adulterating substances, especially salt. This study proposes a model based on fourier-transform mid-infrared (Mid-IR) spectroscopy and diode-array near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy in combination with chemometric techniques for the identification and quantification of salt-adulterated honeysuckle. For model training, Mid-IR and NIR spectra of 72 sample batches (including 32 batches of salt-free samples and 40 batches of salt-adulterated samples) were collected. After that, honeysuckle sample authentication was performed using the partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) model based on NIR spectroscopy data. This model was optimized after processing by 28 types of pretreatment schemes, possessed of 100% correct authentication of salt-free and salt-adulterated sample at 0.5%-20% (W/W) levels. Subsequently, PLS regression models were built for quantify salt adulteration levels. These models were optimized by the synergy interval PLS (SiPLS) and backward interval PLS (BiPLS) algorithms. The SiPLS-optimized mid-IR-based PLS model demonstrated the lowest values of two error metrics, namely, a root-mean-square error of estimation (RMSEE) of 2.38%, and a root-mean-square error of prediction (RMSEP) of 3.14%. Then, optimal PLS models were obtained through applying several variable selection methods, including variable importance for projection (VIP), competitive adaptive reweighted sampling (CARS), the successive projection algorithm (SPA), and uninformative variable elimination (UVE). The results indicated that the SiPLS-VIP multi-dimensional analysis methods showed a maximum RMSEP reduction of 1.02% in comparison with models constructed using the BiPLS or SiPLS algorithms alone. In general, the proposed multi-dimensional analysis methods show a great potential to complement existing methodologies for rapid and effective salt adulteration detection in honeysuckle samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Abnormalities of functional connectivity in the default mode network (DMN) recently have been reported in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI), Alzheimer''s disease (AD) or other psychiatric diseases. As such, these abnormalities may be epiphenomena instead of playing a causal role in AD progression. To date, few studies have investigated specific brain networks, which extend beyond the DMN involved in the early AD stages, especially in aMCI. The insula is one site affected by early pathological changes in AD and is a crucial hub of the human brain networks. Currently, we explored the contribution of the insula networks to cognitive performance in aMCI patients. Thirty aMCI and 26 cognitively normal (CN) subjects participated in this study. Intrinsic connectivity of the insula networks was measured, using the resting-state functional connectivity fMRI approach. We examined the differential connectivity of insula networks between groups, and the neural correlation between the altered insula networks connectivity and the cognitive performance in aMCI patients and CN subjects, respectively. Insula subregional volumes were also investigated. AMCI subjects, when compared to CN subjects, showed significantly reduced right posterior insula volumes, cognitive deficits and disrupted intrinsic connectivity of the insula networks. Specifically, decreased intrinsic connectivity was primarily located in the frontal–parietal network and the cingulo-opercular network, including the anterior prefrontal cortex (aPFC), anterior cingulate cortex, operculum, inferior parietal cortex and precuneus. Increased intrinsic connectivity was primarily situated in the visual–auditory pathway, which included the posterior superior temporal gyrus and middle occipital gyrus. Conjunction analysis was performed; and significantly decreased intrinsic connectivity in the overlapping regions of the anterior and posterior insula networks, including the bilateral aPFC, left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, and anterior temporal pole was found. Furthermore, the disrupted intrinsic connectivity was associated with episodic memory (EM) deficits in the aMCI patients and not in the CN subjects. These findings demonstrated that the functional integration of the insula networks plays an important role in the EM process. They provided new insight into the neural mechanism underlying the memory deficits in aMCI patients. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Depressive symptoms often coexist with memory deficits in older adults and also are associated with incident cognitive decline in the elderly. However, little is known about the neural correlates of the association between depressive symptoms and memory deficits in nondemented elderly. Fifteen amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) and 20 cognitively normal (CN) subjects completed resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (R-fMRI) scans. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to test the main effects of the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) and Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test delayed recall (RAVLT-DR) scores, and their interaction on the intrinsic amygdala functional connectivity (AFC) network activity. Severer depressive symptoms and memory deficits were found in the aMCI group than in the CN group. Partial correlation analysis identified that the RAVLT-DR scores were significantly correlated with the AFC network in the bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), dorsomedial and anterior prefrontal cortex, posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), middle occipital gyrus, right inferior parietal cortex, and left middle temporal gyrus (MTG). The GDS scores were positively correlated with the AFC network in the bilateral PCC and MTG, and left DLPFC. The interactive effects of the GDS and RAVLT-DR scores on the AFC network were seen in the bilateral PCC, MTG, and left DLPFC. These findings not only supported that there were interactive neural links between depressive symptoms and memory functions in nondemented elderly at the system level, but also demonstrated that R-fMRI has advantages in investigating the interactive nature of different neural networks involved in complex functions, such as emotion and cognition. Hum Brain Mapp , 2011. © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Recently, resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (R-fMRI) has emerged as a powerful tool for investigating functional brain organization changes in a variety of neurological and psychiatric disorders. However, the current techniques may need further development to better define the reference brain networks for quantifying the functional connectivity differences between normal and diseased subject groups. In this study, we introduced a new clustering-based method that can clearly define the reference clusters. By employing group difference information to guide the clustering, the voxels within the reference clusters will have homogeneous functional connectivity changes above predefined levels. This method identified functional clusters that were significantly different between the amnestic mild cognitively impaired (aMCI) and age-matched cognitively normal (CN) subjects. The results indicated that the distribution of the clusters and their functionally disconnected regions resembled the altered memory network regions previously identified in task fMRI studies. In conclusion, the new clustering method provides an advanced approach for studying functional brain organization changes associated with brain diseases. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The in situ ion exchange method has been employed to prepare carbon nanotubes (CNT) supported Pt electrode, in which CNT is functionalized with two-step oxidation, namely electrochemical oxidation and chemical oxidation. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) confirms that two-step oxidation produces more carboxylic acid groups. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) shows that Pt nanoparticles are highly dispersed on the CNT surface. Electrochemical measurements show that the resultant Pt/CNT electrode treated by two-step oxidation exhibits the largest electrochemical surface area and the highest activity for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) among the investigated electrodes. This can be attributed to the fact that the two-step oxidation treatment produces more carboxylic acid groups which is the determining factor for Pt loading and dispersion via ion-exchange. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Long non-coding RNA LINC00657 has a critical role in multiple cancers. The aim of the present study was to investigate the regulatory effect of LINC00657 in pancreatic cancer (PC) and reveal its molecular mechanism of function. The expression levels of LINC00657 and microRNA (miR)-520h were detected by reverse transcription-quantitative PCR in PC tissues and cell lines. MTT, wound healing and Transwell assays were used to detect cell viability, migration and invasion, respectively. Dual-luciferase reporter assay was utilized to examine the relationship between LINC00657 and miR-520h and that between miR-520h and cyclin-dependent kinases regulatory subunit 1 (CKS1B). Western blotting was performed to detect CKS1B expression. The expression levels of LINC00657 and CKS1B were enhanced and miR-520h expression level was reduced in PC tissues and cell lines compared with adjacent normal tissues or HPDE6 cells. LINC00657 knockdown decreased the viability, migration and invasion of PC cells. Additionally, LINC00657 targeted miR-520h and negatively modulated miR-520h expression. Furthermore, miR-520h overexpression inhibited the viability, migration and invasion of PC cells. In addition, miR-520h targeted CKS1B and reversely regulated CKS1B expression. miR-520h inhibition and CKS1B overexpression alleviated the inhibition effect of LINC00657 knockdown on the viability, migration and invasion of PACA-2 PC cells. In conclusion, the results of the present study demonstrated that LINC00657 knockdown repressed the viability, migration and invasion of PC cells via targeting the miR-520h/CKS1B axis, which may offer a future target for PC therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The 5 kDa N-terminal fragment of 43 amino acids of human growth hormone (GH) shows a specific and significant in-vivo insulin-like activity. This isoform can be easily obtained by solid phase synthesis methods. Our objective in this study is to describe this procedure in detail and to provide structural information of the protein. Methods: Solid phase synthesis was employed for the synthesis of the 5 kDa GH isoform. Circular dichroism and limited proteolysis have been carried out to provide structural information about the folded state of the protein in solution. Surface plasmon resonance was used to compare the structural equivalence between the synthetic protein and a proteolytic homologue at an antibody binding level. For this purpose, a murine monoclonal antibody specific for the 5 kDa isoform was generated and characterised employing this and several other GH isoforms. Results: Circular dichroism and proteolysis results suggested that the C-terminal segment of the 5 kDa protein folds in an α-helix. The comparison of the synthetic product to its proteolytic homologue at an antibody binding level suggested structural equivalency. A highly specific antibody against the 5 kDa GH isoform was generated with null cross-reactivity for 17, 20 and 22 kDa isoforms. Kinetic data on the interaction with the synthetic 5 kDa GH was obtained. Conclusions: The structure of the protein appears to be different in comparison to when it is included within the 22 kDa GH isoform. Finally, a highly specific antibody has been generated. The possible significance of the 5 kDa protein as a potential agent for obesity-related diseases is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Polypeptide N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase 14 (GalNAc-T14, EC 2.4.1.41) belongs to a large subfamily of glycosyltransferases residing in the Golgi apparatus. N-Acetylgalactosaminyltransferases (GalNAc-Tases) catalyze the first step in the O-glycosylation of mammalian proteins by transferring N-acetyl-d-galactosamine (GalNAc) to peptide substrates. Here, the cloning, expression, purification, and polyclonal antibody preparation of GalNAc-T14 were described. A full-length GalNAc-T14 cDNA was inserted in a prokaryotic expression plasmid pGEX-4T-1 at the EcoRI and XhoI restriction sites. pGEX-4T-T14 was highly expressed in Escherichia coli (E. coli) BL21(DE3) cells after induced by isopropyl-β-d-thiogalactoside (IPTG). The expressed GST-GalNAc-T14 fusion protein was purified by GSTrap FF chromatography and then used as antigen to immunize rabbits. The obtained antiserum was precipitated by 50% saturated ammonium sulfate and then purified by DEAE–Sepharose FF chromatography. To confirm the activity and specificity of the GalNAc-T14 antibody, we constructed the plasmid pFLAG-GalNAc-T14 to transfect transiently HEK 293T cells. Transiently expressed FLAG-GalNAc-T14 was identified by Western blot analysis with GalNAc-T14 antibody and FLAG monoclonal antibody, respectively. The production of the polyclonal antibody against GalNAc-T14 provides a good tool for studying the biofunctions of GalNAc-T14. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) is known to inhibit cell proliferation and induce apoptosis in IGF-dependent and IGF-independent manners, but the mechanism underlying IGF-independent effects is not yet clear. In a yeast two-hybrid assay, IGFBP-3 was used as the bait to screen a human fetal liver cDNA library for it interactors that may potentially mediate IGFBP-3-regulated functions. N-Acetylgalactosaminyltransferase 14 (GalNAc-T14), a member of the GalNAc-Tases family, was identified as a novel IGFBP-3 binding partner. This interaction involved the ricin-type beta-trefoil domain of GalNAc-T14. The interaction between IGFBP-3 and GalNAc-T14 was reconfirmed in vitro and in vivo, using GST pull-down, co-immunoprecipitation and mammalian two-hybrid assays. Our findings may provide new clues for further study on the mechanism behind the IGF-independent effects of IGFBP-3 promoting apoptosis. The role of GalNAc-T14 as an intracellular mediator of the effects of IGFBP-3 need to be verified in future studies. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The first-line chemotherapies for patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer (PC) are 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and gemcitabine therapy. However, due to chemoresistance the prognosis of patients with PC has not been significantly improved. Mitochondria are essential organelles in eukaryotes that evolved from aerobic bacteria. In recent years, many studies have shown that mitochondria play important roles in tumorigenesis and may act as chemotherapeutic targets in PC. In addition, according to recent studies, mitochondria may play important roles in the chemoresistance of PC by affecting apoptosis, metabolism, mtDNA metabolism, and mitochondrial dynamics. Interfering with some of these factors in mitochondria may improve the sensitivity of PC cells to chemotherapeutic agents, such as gemcitabine, making mitochondria promising targets for overcoming chemoresistance in PC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Local contrast enhancement is used to enhance the green pepper image overall intensity. • SEEDS is used to construct super-pixel blocks of the enhanced image. • Four saliency maps are obtained and fused to the final saliency map by the manifold ranking. • The recognition accuracy and recall rate of green pepper is 83.6% and 81.2% respectively. In order to solve the problem of the recognition of green pepper harvesting robot in the near color background, a target recognition method based on manifold ranking is proposed in this paper. After pepper image enhancement by the local contrast enhancement algorithm, super-pixels extracted via energy-driven sampling (SEEDS) is used to construct super-pixel blocks of the enhanced image, the upper, lower, left and right boundary query nodes are used to query the boundary of the super pixel block image respectively. Then the manifold ranking is used to sort the image boundaries to obtain four saliency maps, and the final saliency map is obtained by fusion. Finally, the noise is removed by morphological operations and the contour of green pepper target is obtained to realize the recognition of green pepper in complex environment. Compared with classification and regression tree (CART), conditional random fields (CRF) and threshold, the proposed method can effectively identify the green pepper target, with the recognition accuracy of 83.6% and recall rate of 81.2%. The performance index is obviously better than the other three methods, which can meet the requirements of the actual operation of the harvesting robot. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grid model construction is one of the preconditions for computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation. As many environmental accidents or unfavorable incidents occur in complex real terrain circumstances, corresponding grid model generation algorithm for scenario simulation has become a hot research field. The digital elevation model (DEM) is common for three-dimensional terrain modeling. DEM data usually consist of a certain number of geodetic coordinates, however, CFD preprocessing platform can't identify geodetic coordinates directly. In this paper, firstly an algorithm of coordinate transformation was proposed, which could convert geodetic coordinates to Cartesian coordinates in the form of length (x), width (y) and height (z). Secondly, another algorithm that generates a complex real terrain grid model was recommended based on the algorithm mentioned previously, which could import converted terrain data into a gridding platform for constructing the CFD terrain grid model. Experiments' results showed that the terrain grid algorithm obtained through the combination of the two algorithms is highly geometrically consistent with real terrain. The algorithm provided by this study could give a more reliable and convenient basis for the application of CFD fine simulation in real complex terrain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• TBBPA and metabolites were first identified and quantified simultaneously in vivo. • Six TBBPA metabolites were identified in vivo , two of which were first detected. • The distribution of TBBPA metabolites in tissues of fish was first studied. • Methanol/water and methylene dichloride/n-hexane were promising extraction. Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) is extensively used as brominated flame retardant. TBBPA and some of its metabolites had been identified as endocrine disrupter with potential health risk. Understanding the distribution characters of TBBPA and its metabolites in fish is essential to evaluate the potential impacts of TBBPA on aqueous ecosystem. This study developed a simple method to identify and quantify TBBPA and its metabolites simultaneously in tissues of alult zebrafish by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography couple with Orbitrap high resolution mass spectrometry(UHPLC-Orbitrap-HRMS). Six TBBPA metabolites were identified in liver, kidney, gill and muscle of adult zebrafish exposed to water containing different TBBPA levels, two of them, 1,3-dibromo-2‑methoxy‑5-vinylbenzene and 2,6-dibromo-4-nitrophenol were first detected. TBBPA and its metabolites were mainly distributed in the livers and kidneys of zebrafish. The levels of TBBPA and metabolites reached maximum on exposed day 3, then decreased gradually in liver and kidney. TBBPA oxidative cleavage products and TBBPA-monosulfate were the dominant metabolites. UHPLC-Orbitrap-HRMS provided an effective solution to study the distribution and metabolite characters of TBBPA in aquatic organisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cell membrane proteins are believed to play a critical role in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. However, few membrane autoantigens have been linked with Behçet's disease. Here, a cell-chip was performed to identify autoantibody target cells, and the suspected autoantigens were detected using immunoblotting. The amino acid sequences of the detected proteins were determined using LC-MALDI-TOF/TOF. Putative proteins were recombinantly expressed and purified, and a corresponding ELISA was developed and clinically validated using real clinical samples. It was found that a 36-kDa membrane protein - annexin A2 - was detected in approximately one-third of the patients' blood circulation. The immunohistochemistry results showed that annexin A2 was highly expressed in vascular endothelial cells. Moreover, vascular involvement was significantly higher in the anti-annexin A2 antibody-positive group versus the anti-annexin A2 antibody-negative group among all the clinical samples analyzed, indicating that annexin A2 is a novel endothelial cell membrane antigen involved in Behçet's disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]