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During early postnatal development, corticospinal (CS) system stimulation, electrical or transcranial magnetic, is minimally effective in producing muscle contraction, despite having axon terminals that excite spinal neurons. Later, after stimulation becomes more effective, the cortical motor representation develops, and movements the system controls in maturity are expressed. We determined whether development of temporal facilitation (response enhancement produced by the second of a pair of pyramidal tract stimuli, or a higher stimulus multiple of a train of stimuli) correlated with these changes. Facilitation of the monosynaptic CS response was larger in older kittens and adults than younger kittens. When facilitation was strong, strong motor responses were evoked by pyramidal stimulation with small currents and few pulses. With strong facilitation in older kittens, corticospinal axon varicosities colocalize synaptophysin like adults, suggesting a presynaptic mechanism. With effective facilitation, control signals from the cortex can be sufficiently effective to provoke muscle contraction for guiding movements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1 The nature of the cardiorespiratory effects mediated by cannabinoids in the hindbrain is poorly understood. In the present study we investigated whether cannabinoid receptor activation in the rostral ventrolateral medulla oblongata (RVLM) affects cardiovascular and /or respiratory function. 2 Initially, we looked for evidence of CB[sub1] receptor gene expression in rostral and caudal sections of the rat ventrolateral medulla (VLM) using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Second the potent cannnabinoid receptor agonists WIN55,212-2 (0.05. 0.5 or 5 pmol per 50 nl) and HU-210 (0.5pmol per 50nl) or the CB[sub1] receptor antagonist/inverse agonist AM281 (1 pmol per 100 nl) were microinjected into the RVLM of urethane-anaesthetised, immobilised and mechanically ventilated male Sprague- Dawley rats (n =22). Changes in splanchnic nerve activity (sSNA), phrenic nerve activity (PNA). mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) in response to cannabinoid administration were recorded. 3 The CB[sub1] receptor gene was expressed throughout the VLM. Unilateral microinjection of WIN55, 2l2-2 into the RVLM evoked short-latency, dose-dependent increases in sSNA (0.5 pmol; 175±8%. n=5) and MAP (0.5pmol: 26 ±3% n = 8) and abolished PNA (0.5pmol: duration of apnoea: 5.4±0.4s. n = 8). with link change in HR (P<0.005). HU-210. structurally related to Δ[sup9]-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). evoked similar effects when microinjectcd into the RVLM (n = 4). Surprisingly, prior microinjection of AM281 produced agonist-like effects, as well as significantly attenuated the response to subsequent injection of WIN55.212-2 (0.5 pmol. n = 4). 4 The present study reveals CB[sub1] receptor gene expression in the rat VLM and demonstrates sympathoexcitation. hypertension and respiratory inhibition in response to RVLM-administered cannabinoids. These findings suggest a novel link between CB[sub1] receptors in this region of the hindbrain and the central cardiorespiratory effects of cannabinoids. The extent to which these central effects contribute to the cardiovascular and respiratory outcomes of cannabis use remains to he investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genetic variation in the dTDP-L-rhamnose pathway genes (rmlA, rmlB, rmlC and rmlD) in Vibrio cholerae was investigated. The genes are part of the O antigen gene cluster and the aim was to study lateral gene transfer of O antigen gene clusters. The rml genes of an 06 strain were cloned using an Escherichia coil K-12 strain designed for selecting cloned rml genes. Thirty-three strains carrying the known rhamnose-containing O antigens were probed with O6-based rml gene probes, and 19 were positive with from one to all four of the gene probes. Nine rml gene sets from this group were sequenced and found to be in the order rmlBADC, at the 5' end of the gene clusters. A gradient in the level of variation was observed, with highly similar sequences at the 5' end rmlB gene, but very divergent and strain-specific sequences at the 3' end of the rml gene set. The change in level of similarity varied in position, but was always abrupt and coincided with a change in GC content, indicating that the 5' and 3' parts are of different origin, and that recombination within rml genes has occurred. The rml gene sets of two of the strains that did not hybridize with any 06 rml gene probes were also cloned and sequenced. Both gene sets were in the middle of the O antigen gene cluster and were very divergent from each other and all other rml gene sets. This supports the hypothesis that presence of rml genes at the end of the O antigen gene cluster facilitates lateral gene transfer of rml-containing 0 antigen gene clusters in V. cholerae. The sequence relationships make it possible to identify sites of recombination and to distinguish DNA that has long been in V. cholerae and DNA that probably came into the species with the O antigen gene cluster. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the genetic variation of dtDP-L-rhamnose pathway genes in Salmonella enterica. Evidence of O antigen gene transfer; Role of rml genes in serogroup-specific gene subspecies transfer; Determination of gene cluster source.

It is generally accepted that the cohesive zone model is a common and highly effective method for simulating interlaminar damage in multilayer materials or structures. However, difficulties are encountered in identifying the interfacial parameters of the cohesive zone model, since it is time-consuming and expensive to experimentally obtain these parameters. Especially, some engineering materials or components under real engineering conditions cannot be measured directly. In this paper, based on the bilinear traction–separation relation of coupled mixed-mode cohesive law, a machine learning-based approach is constructed to identify the cohesive interfacial parameters by using the general regression neural network. No separate measurements are required, and seven independent interfacial parameters in mixed-mode fracture problems can be conveniently determined through machine learning-based analysis. In this case, only an experimental force–displacement curve is needed. A numerical example under a mixed-mode displacement load is considered to validate the proposed method. The results show that this machine learning-based approach provides an effective and general pathway to identify the interfacial parameters under mixed-mode fracture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional methods of garlic fertilization involve large amounts of balanced fertilizer with equal proportions of N, P, and K, leading to nutrient imbalances, reduced yield and nutritional quality, and elevated risk of environmental pollution. This study for the first time measured garlic nutrient absorption and mineral elements status in garlic fields. In addition, a garlic-specific fertilizer formula and recommended rate were designed and applied in multiple garlic fields during the 2019–21 growing season. We assessed the performance of garlic-specific fertilizer in terms of yield, quality, and nutrient utilization efficiency. We showed that garlic prefers to absorb N and K, and its absorption of P was much lower. Deficiencies in Cl, Mn, S, and Fe are found in 98.7%, 56.1%, 22.8%, and 11.9% of garlic fields. Compared with farmer fertilization, the garlic-specific fertilizers increased sprout yield by 12.9% to 30.5%, bulb yield by 11.0% to 33.5%, and net income by 18.2% to 45.6%. Furthermore, it improved the nutritional quality [vitamin C (Vc), soluble sugar (SS), and soluble protein] of the garlic and reduced the accumulation of nitrate. The formula of special fertilizer was more in line with the law of garlic nutrient absorption, increasing the nutrient utilization effect, reducing the environmental risks. Application of specific fertilizer increased N, P, and K partial productivity by 26.6% to 50.1%, 82.6% to 116.5%, and 54.6% to 83.3%, respectively. These results suggest that replacing balanced fertilizers in the garlic market with garlic-specific fertilizers can improve garlic farmers' incomes and soil health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the Wilson nonconforming finite element is considered for solving a class of second-order elliptic boundary value problems. Based on an asymptotic error expansion for the Wilson finite element, the global superconvergences, the local superconvergences and the defect correction schemes are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work we present the rapid synthesis of nanocrystals of a fluorescent microporous metal-organic framework using an ultrasonic method, and their utility for selective sensing of organoamines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The results showed that 1669 genes were differentially expressed. • Additionally, 346 differentially expressed miRNAs were identified. • The expression levels of 19 genes and miRNAs were verified by qRT-PCR. Breed improvement is an important genetic process affecting meat quality. Compared with Kazakh cattle, Xinjiang brown cattle have significantly improved carcass quality and meat quality. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the improvements in Xinjiang brown cattle and the differences in beef quality between the two breeds, we used RNA-Seq to study differentially expressed genes and miRNAs and regulatory pathways related to adipogenesis, myogenesis and fibrogenesis in the longissimus dorsi muscles of Xinjiang brown cattle and Kazakh cattle. The results showed that 1669 genes were differentially expressed in the longissimus dorsi muscle tissues of Xinjiang brown cattle and Kazakh cattle; 879 genes were upregulated and 790 genes were downregulated in Xinjiang brown cattle compared to Kazakh cattle. These genes were mainly involved in PPAR signaling, unsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis and vascular smooth muscle contraction. Additionally, 346 differentially expressed miRNAs were identified, of which 265 miRNAs were downregulated and 81 miRNAs were upregulated in Xinjiang brown cattle compared to Kazakh cattle. Association analysis of the differentially expressed genes and miRNAs revealed that 86 differentially expressed miRNAs related to adipogenesis were associated with 31 differentially expressed genes, 76 differentially expressed miRNAs associated with myogenesis were associated with 28 differentially expressed genes, and 54 differentially expressed miRNAs associated with fibrogenesis were associated with 19 differentially expressed genes. miRNA-target gene networks were also constructed. Finally, the expression levels of 19 genes and miRNAs were verified by qRT-PCR. Some differentially expressed genes, including FABP4 , ACTA2 and ACTG2 , were shown to play an important role in beef meat quality. This is the first study to perform transcriptomic analysis of muscle tissues from Xinjiang brown and Kazakh cattle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A six-channel microstrip diplexer with compact size and high isolation is presented. The six-channel diplexer includes two pairs of multimode resonators with a pseudo-interdigital structure and a distributed coupling feeding line. Modal characteristics of the multimode resonator are explained by the even-odd-mode method. The centre frequencies of channel filters can be controlled independently, while bandwidths can be determined by the coupling coefficient and external quality factor. The distributed coupling feeding line has advantages of size reduction and small loading effect. Therefore, each channel filter can be designed independently. Moreover, the distributed coupling feeding line forms the zero degree feeding structure which can bring transmission zeros to realise high isolation. Finally, a six-channel diplexer prototype working at the centre frequencies of 1.8, 2.4, 3.0, 3.8, 4.7 and 5.8 GHz with over 30 dB isolation is fabricated and measured. Simulated and measured results show a good agreement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pluripotency gene regulatory network of porcine induced pluripotent stem cells(piPSCs), especially in epigenetics, remains elusive. To determine the biological function of epigenetics, we cultured piPSCs in different culture conditions. We found that activation of pluripotent gene- and pluripotency-related pathways requires the erasure of H3K9 methylation modification which was further influenced by mouse embryonic fibroblast (MEF) served feeder. By dissecting the dynamic change of H3K9 methylation during loss of pluripotency, we demonstrated that the H3K9 demethylases KDM3A and KDM3B regulated global H3K9me2/me3 level and that their co-depletion led to the collapse of the pluripotency gene regulatory network. Immunoprecipitation-mass spectrometry (IP-MS) provided evidence that KDM3A and KDM3B formed a complex to perform H3K9 demethylation. The genome-wide regulation analysis revealed that OCT4 (O) and SOX2 (S), the core pluripotency transcriptional activators, maintained the pluripotent state of piPSCs depending on the H3K9 hypomethylation. Further investigation revealed that O/S cooperating with histone demethylase complex containing KDM3A and KDM3B promoted pluripotency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because of long-wavelength fluctuations, the nature of solids and phase transitions in 2D are different from those in 3D systems, and have been heavily debated in past decades, in which the focus was on the existence of hexatic phase. Here, by using large scale computer simulations, we investigate the melting transition in 2D systems of polydisperse hard disks. We find that, with increasing the particle size polydispersity, the melting transition can be qualitatively changed from the recently proposed two-stage process to the Kosterlitz-Thouless-Halperin-Nelson-Young scenario with significantly enlarged stability range for hexatic phase. Moreover, re-entrant melting transitions are found in high density systems of polydisperse hard disks, which were proven impossible in 3D polydisperse hard-sphere systems. These suggest a new fundamental difference between phase transitions in polydisperse systems in 2D and 3D. The hard disk model is generally applied to study melting in two dimensional colloidal solids, which for idealized 2D systems proceeds through a solid to hexatic - hexatic to fluid process, but impurities perturb the hexatic phase for real systems. The paper reports Monte Carlo and molecular dynamics simulations of a 2D system of polydisperse hard disks, finding that increasing polydispersity decreases stability of hexatic phase, and that even for polydisperse systems there are re-entrant transitions at high density, which is not observed for 3D systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High levels of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mROS) are linked to cancer development, which is tightly controlled by the electron transport chain (ETC). However, the epigenetic mechanisms governing ETC gene transcription to drive mROS production and cancer cell growth remain to be fully characterized. Here, we report that protein demethylase PHF8 is overexpressed in many types of cancers, including colon and lung cancer, and is negatively correlated with ETC gene expression. While it is well known to demethylate histones to activate transcription, PHF8 demethylates transcription factor YY1, functioning as a co-repressor for a large set of nuclear-coded ETC genes to drive mROS production and cancer development. In addition to genetically ablating PHF8, pharmacologically targeting PHF8 with a specific chemical inhibitor, iPHF8, is potent in regulating YY1 methylation, ETC gene transcription, mROS production, and cell growth in colon and lung cancer cells. iPHF8 exhibits potency and safety in suppressing tumor growth in cell-line- and patient-derived xenografts in vivo. Our data uncover a key epigenetic mechanism underlying ETC gene transcriptional regulation, demonstrating that targeting the PHF8/YY1 axis has great potential to treat cancers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A compact microstrip ultra-wide stopband low pass filter using multimode resonators is presented. It consists of a narrow width microstrip line with high impedance and three multimode resonators. The characteristics and equivalent circuits of the multimode resonator are investigated. Owing to the strong slow-wave and bandstop effects, the multimode resonator can be implemented to achieve an ultra-wide stopband and size reduction. At the 3 dB cut off frequency of 1.8 GHz, the measured stopband of the low pass filter with 15 dB suppression is from 2.83 to 24 GHz. The physical size of the proposed low pass filter is 0.09λg × 0.11λg. The presented simulation and measurement results are in good agreement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A compact microstrip ultra-wide stopband low pass filter using multimode resonators is presented. It consists of a narrow width microstrip line with high impedance and three multimode resonators. The characteristics and equivalent circuits of the multimode resonator are investigated. Owing to the strong slow-wave and bandstop effects, the multimode resonator can be implemented to achieve an ultra-wide stopband and size reduction. At the 3 dB cut off frequency of 1.8 GHz, the measured stopband of the low pass filter with 15 dB suppression is from 2.83 to 24 GHz. The physical size of the proposed low pass filter is 0.09λg × 0.11λg. The presented simulation and measurement results are in good agreement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluates the effect of a low-voltage electrical stimulation (ES) on the tenderness of yak longissimus muscle (LM). Samples from 16 yak bulls were divided into four treatment groups: normal chilling (NC), ES and chilling (ES & C) for 72 s (ES &C 72 s), ES & C for 90 s (ES & C 90 s), and ES & C for 108 s (ES & C 108 s). The temperature, the pH, the glycogen content, the Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF), the myofibril fragmentation index (MFI), and the muscle ultrastructure were determined during the course of postmortem aging. ES caused a rapid decrease in the pH to form a high-temperature and low-pH environment. The glycogen content gradually decreased with aging. The WBSF value of the ES & C groups was significantly lower than for the NC group (p < .05). The MFI values of ES & C groups after 24 hr postmortem aging were significantly higher than for the NC group. We concluded that ES improved yak meat tenderness during postmortem aging and that the different duration time by ES indicated different effects, and its affect was remarkable in the ES & C 90 s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural defects such as nano inclusions and nanocracks are inevitable in dielectric materials. When materials are subjected to mechanical loading, the strain gradient around crack tips and inclusions would become large and induce significant flexoelectric fields. In contrast to classical crack-inclusion problems, the interactions between these flexoelectric fields may locally change the electromechanical behaviors of materials and result in some interesting phenomena. To better understand the crack-inclusion interactions in flexoelectric solids, in this work, we use a collocation mixed finite element method to model and analyze the flexoelectric fields around the crack tip and inclusion. On the basis of the J-integral, we analyze how the flexoelectric effect affect the interaction energy between nanocracks and nearby nano inclusions. This work proposes a new coupling mechanism in crack-inclusion problems and may inspire future experiments in flexoelectric solids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a new way of regulating protein adsorption by using a pH-responsive polymer. According to the theoretical results obtained from the molecular theory and kinetic approaches, both thermodynamics and kinetics of protein adsorption are verified to be well controlled by the solution pH. The kinetics and the amount of adsorbed proteins at equilibrium are greatly increased when the solution environment changes from acid to neutral. The reason is that the increased pH promotes the dissociation of the weak polyelectrolyte, resulting in more charged monomers and more stretched chains. Thus the steric repulsion within the polymer layer is weakened, which effectively lowers the barrier felt by the protein during the process of adsorption. Interestingly, we also find that the kinetics of protein desorption is almost unchanged with the variation of pH. It is because although the barrier formed by the polymer layer changes along with the change of pH, the potential at contact with the surface varies equally. Our results may provide useful insights into controllable protein adsorption/desorption in practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

NADC34-like porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) has become endemic in some provinces of China and caused huge economic losses to local pig industry. The increased reports of NADC34-like PRRSV outbreaks in vaccinated pig herds suggest the limited protection of immunization with commercial vaccines. In this study, we evaluated a commercial PRRSV vaccine that has been widely used in China against the challenge of JS2021NADC34 PRRSV, a highly pathogenic Chinese NADC34-like strain isolated in 2021. The vaccinated pigs developed PRRSV-specific antibody responses, as shown by IDEXX ELISA results. After JS2021NADC34 PRRSV challenge, the vaccinated pigs had low level of viremia but suffered pathological lesions in lungs and lymphoid tissues. The viral antigens were also detected in the above tissues of the vaccinated pigs by immunohistochemistry staining. One out of five pigs in vaccinated group died at 13 days postchallenge. The above results suggested that the commercial PRRSV vaccine could not provide complete protection to the NADC34-like PRRSV infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The accumulation and storage of maternal mRNA is crucial for oocyte maturation and embryonic development. PATL2 is an oocyte-specific RNA-binding protein, and previous studies have confirmed that PATL2 mutation in humans and knockout mice cause oocyte maturation arrest or embryonic development arrest, respectively. However, the physiological function of PATL2 in the process of oocyte maturation and embryonic development is largely unknown. Here, we report that PATL2 is highly expressed in growing oocytes and couples with EIF4E and CPEB1 to regulate maternal mRNA expression in immature oocytes. The germinal vesicle oocytes from Patl2-/- mice exhibit decreasing maternal mRNA expression and reduced levels of protein synthesis. We further confirmed that PATL2 phosphorylation occurs in the oocyte maturation process and identified the S279 phosphorylation site using phosphoproteomics. We found that the S279D mutation decreased the protein level of PATL2 and led to subfertility in Palt2S279D knock-in mice. Our work reveals the previously unrecognized role of PATL2 in regulating the maternal transcriptome and shows that phosphorylation of PATL2 leads to the regulation of PATL2 protein levels via ubiquitin-mediated proteasomal degradation in oocytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We numerically calculate the wave function of two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) for use in 2DEG transport theory and study the electron transport in ZnMgO/ZnO heterostructures. For strongly confined 2DEG, the temperature dependence of the electron mobility is satisfactorily explained using 2DEG transport theory. The interface roughness and ionized impurity scatterings play important roles in the electron transport at low and moderate temperatures. At room temperatures polar optical phonon scattering is the most important scattering mechanism. For heterostructures having two parallel conduction paths in the 2DEG at the ZnMgO/ZnO interface and in the ZnO thick layer, the electron transport is contributed by the two paths. We calculate the mobility for the respective conduction paths, and then combine the two mobility components to fit the experimental data. The theoretical calculations are in good agreement with the experimental data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protein and fat oxidation are important factors that influence the quality of bovine liver. The objectives of this study were to investigate the degree of oxidation changes in bovine livers during 90d at different temperatures (−20°C, −10°C, 0°C, 10°C, and 20°C), and to develop Arrhenius models to predict its degree of oxidation.Carbonyl, thiobarbituric acid (TBA), peroxide value (POV) as oxidation attributes of bovine liver during storage were measured at different time and the changes were kinetically modeled using the Arrhenius equation. The activation energies of carbonyl, (TBA) and (POV) were 27.48, 55.48, and 58.94 KJ/mol, respectively. The determination coefficients (R2) were above 0.97 for all. In addition, volatile compounds in bovine liver and consumer acceptance of bovine liver pate with bovine liver as the final product were also measured. Among the volatile compounds, The content of aldehydes and ketones in bovine livers stored at different temperatures increased significantly (p < 0.05). Consumer acceptance of bovine liver indicates that consumers prefer bovine liver paste made from bovine liver stored at lower temperatures (below 0°C). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dynamic strain response due to the passing trains is one of the most important indexes in the design and maintenance of long-span steel-truss arch railway bridges. The strain influence line (IL) and dynamic load factor (DLF) are used to characterize the vehicle-induced strain response of bridge members. Temperature effects on ILs and DLFs of strain response due to high-speed trains in various bridge structural members are investigated. An adaptive finite impulse response (FIR) filter is implemented to obtain the strain IL and DLF for the response of various structural members of the Dashengguan Yangtze River Bridge using data from strain sensors that are part of the bridge structural health monitoring (SHM) system. Relationships between the strain ILs and DLFs and temperature are obtained for various members. The analysis reveals that (1) the DLFs for the short hangers require further study; (2) the effect of temperature on the ILs of each member in the subject bridge can be described by polynomials; and (3) the DLFs of the majority of the structural members are not related to temperature. Recommendations to improve the design, maintenance, and long-term monitoring of steel-truss arch bridges are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The preparation of substituted phenols via a direct carbonyl desaturation is an intrinsic challenging task in modern synthetic chemistry. Herein, we develop a modular catalytic protocol for the synthesis of substituted phenols via the direct dehydrogenative aromatization of simple cyclohexanones in a metal‐free manner. A broad variety of substrates bearing an assortment of functional substituent groups are compatible with this protocol. Preliminary mechanistic investigations revealed that the reaction underwent a hydride leaving mechanism in the presence of a catalytic amount of tetrabutylammonium iodide. The current approach features simple operation, low reagent cost and green conditions. Insight gained from our studies is expected to advance general efforts towards the green synthesis of structurally diverse phenols via readily available raw materials, offering an alternative strategy for the carbonyl desaturation in organic synthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the title method, the key intermediate (VIII) of the luteinizing hormone receptor antagonist LUF5771 can be prepared in high yields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to investigate the expression levels of Yes-associated protein (YAP) in different grades of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) tissues and vocal cord polyps tissues, and to investigate any correlations with clinical factors. The expression of YAP in 128 cases of LSCC and 10 cases of vocal cord polyps tissues was tested using immunohistochemistry. YAP was primarily present in the nucleus of LSCC and controls, whereas phosphorylated YAP expression was present in the cytoplasm. The results indicated that YAP expression was upregulated in LSCC samples compared with vocal cord polyps tissues. YAP expression was positively correlated with the malignant degree of LSCC (P<0.01) and a high level of YAP expression in LSCC tissues was correlated with pathological type, lymphatic metastasis and clinical stage. The present study provided evidence for the expression and localization of YAP in LSCC and vocal cord polyps tissues. Thus, YAP may be involved in the occurrence and development of LSCC as an oncogene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute kidney injury (AKI) often occurs as a result of ischemia-reperfusion (IR). Previous studies have demonstrated that inflammation is an important contributor to AKI. Atorvastatin (ATO) possesses anti-inflammatory properties and has been demonstrated to exert protective effects against renal IR injury (IRI). However, the underlying mechanism requires further study. In the present study, a rat model of renal IRI was successfully established. Consistent with the results of a previous study, ATO significantly attenuated IRI, which was supported by a decrease in serum creatinine and an increase in creatinine clearance rate, as well as alleviated pathological alterations in renal tubular cells. There are two types of activated macrophages: Proinflammatory M1 and anti-inflammatory M2 macrophages, which have been demonstrated to exert contributory and protective effects on IRI, respectively. The present study demonstrated that treatment with ATO significantly decreased M1 macrophage density and increased M2 macrophage density, as compared with the IR group. In addition, it is well known that M1 macrophages can be induced by T helper 1 cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interferon (IFN)-γ, whereas M2 macrophages can be induced by peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-γ. The present study indicated that ATO treatment significantly decreased the expression levels of TNF-α and IFN-γ, and increased PPAR-γ expression. In conclusion, ATO may ameliorate renal IRI by promoting M1-M2 transition. Furthermore, ATO-mediated macrophage polarization in rats with renal IRI may be associated with the downregulation of TNF-α and IFN-γ, and the upregulation of PPAR-γ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DNA methylation is a major regulatory mechanism of gene expression. The aim of the present study was to test the association of transforming growth factor β2 (TGFB2) and B cell lymphoma 2-like 11 (BCL2L11) gene methylation with the risk of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC). Using bisulfite pyrosequencing technology, DNA methylation levels of TGFB2 promoter and BCL2L11 gene-body CpG cytosines were measured in 90 LSCC tissues and 90 adjacent normal tissues. Analysis of variance and paired sample t-test were used to determine the association of gene methylation and the risk of LSCC. Our results revealed that there were no differences in TGFB2 and BCL2L11 methylation levels between the LSCC tissues and the paired normal tissues (P>0.05). Further breakdown analyses demonstrated that the association results of the two gene methylation levels and LSCC remained unchanged with the age, smoking history, histological differentiation or clinical stage of the LSCC patients (all adjusted P>0.05). In conclusion, there is no association of TGFB2 promoter and BCL2L11 gene-body methylation with the risk of LSCC in males. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the era of mobile internet, Location Based Services (LBS) have developed dramatically. Seamless Indoor and Outdoor Navigation and Localization (SNAL) has attracted a lot of attention. No single positioning technology was capable of meeting the various positioning requirements in different environments. Selecting different positioning techniques for different environments is an alternative method. Detecting the users' current environment is crucial for this technique. In this paper, we proposed to detect the indoor/outdoor environment automatically without high energy consumption. The basic idea was simple: we applied a machine learning algorithm to classify the neighboring Global System for Mobile (GSM) communication cellular base station's signal strength in different environments, and identified the users' current context by signal pattern recognition. We tested the algorithm in four different environments. The results showed that the proposed algorithm was capable of identifying open outdoors, semi-outdoors, light indoors and deep indoors environments with 100% accuracy using the signal strength of four nearby GSM stations. The required hardware and signal are widely available in our daily lives, implying its high compatibility and availability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preimplantation embryo arrest (PREMBA) is a common cause of female infertility and recurrent failure of assisted reproductive technology. However, the genetic basis of PREMBA is largely unrevealed. Here, using whole-exome sequencing data from 606 women experiencing PREMBA compared with 2,813 controls, we performed a population and gene-based burden test and identified a candidate gene, karyopherin subunit α7 (KPNA7). In vitro studies showed that identified sequence variants reduced KPNA7 protein levels, impaired KPNA7 capacity for binding to its substrate ribosomal L1 domain-containing protein 1 (RSL1D1), and affected KPNA7 nuclear transport activity. Comparison between humans and mice suggested that mouse KPNA2, rather than mouse KPNA7, acts as an essential karyopherin in embryonic development. Kpna2-/- female mice showed embryo arrest due to zygotic genome activation defects, recapitulating the phenotype of human PREMBA. In addition, female mice with an oocyte-specific knockout of Rsl1d1 recapitulated the phenotype of Kpna2-/- mice, demonstrating the vital role of substrate RSL1D1. Finally, complementary RNA (cRNA) microinjection of human KPNA7, but not mouse Kpna7, was able to rescue the embryo arrest phenotype in Kpna2-/- mice, suggesting mouse KPNA2 might be a homologue of human KPNA7. Our findings uncovered a mechanistic understanding for the pathogenesis of PREMBA, which acts by impairing nuclear protein transport, and provide a diagnostic marker for PREMBA patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pigmentation is a variable trait of insects that help in adapting to the external natural environment. It plays an important role in concealment, mimicry, sex selection signals, and immune responses. Ectropis grisescens is the main lepidopteran pest in the tea gardens of China. The use of body color to simulate tea branches is a key characteristic of E. grisescens larvae that aids in predator evasion. However, no study has reported melanization in E. grisescens. In the present study, the E. grisescens tyrosine hydroxylase (EgTH) gene was cloned and characterized. The phylogenetic tree and stage expression profiles revealed that EgTH may be involved in the melanin pathway. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated targeted mutagenesis of EgTH was conducted to understand its functional role in pigmentation; it was revealed that the intensity of the black pigment systemically and proportionally decreased in the cuticle of the mutant larvae but did not disappear. Importantly, the mutation had no effect on the pigmentation of sclerotized tissues including the crochets, spiracles, claws, ocelli and mouth parts. This study provides the first evidence that CRISPR/Cas9-mediated EgTH knockout induces marked body pigmentation defects that can be visualized in the larvae. It was also demonstrated that another gene or pathway with a function similar to that of EgTH could be present. Additionally, EgTH might be not involved in the pigmentation of sclerotized tissues in E. grisescens. Further, EgTH mutations do not lead to embryonic death in insect species. Thus, the present study provides new insights into the function of insect TH genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A two-degree-of-freedom vibro-impact system having symmetrical rigid stops and subjected to periodic excitation is investigated in this paper. By introducing local maps between different stages of motion in the whole impact process, the Poincare map of the system is constructed. Using the Poincare map and the Gram-Schmidt orthonormalization, a method of calculating the spectrum of Lyapunov exponents of the above vibro-impact system is presented. Then the phase portraits of periodic and chaotic attractors for the system and the corresponding convergence diagrams of the spectrum of Lyapunov exponents are given out through the numerical simulations. To further identify the validity of the aforementioned computation method, the bifurcation diagram of the system with respect to the bifurcation parameter and the corresponding largest Lyapunov exponents are shown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The association between aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) exposure and oxidative stress was extensively examined in 84 adolescents from an area at high risk for hepatocellular carcinoma in China. Plasma level of aflatoxin B1–albumin adducts (AAAs) was associated with AFB1 excretion in urine (r = 0.394, P r ≥ 0.479, P hOGG1 levels in peripheral leukocytes (r ≥ 0.308, P ≤ 0.005). Similarly, AAA was significantly associated with both the urinary excretion of 8-OHdG (r ≥ 0.259, P ≤ 0.018) and the 8-OHdG and hOGG1 levels in peripheral leukocytes (r ≥ 0.313, P ≤ 0.004). In addition, urinary 8-OHdG was correlated with both the level of DNA 8-OHdG (r ≥ 0.24, P ≤ 0.05) and the expression of hOGG1 in peripheral leukocytes (r ≥ 0.429, P r ≥ 0.366, P r ≥ 0.258, P ≤ 0.018) but also the expression of hOGG1 in peripheral leukocytes (r = 0.485, P r = 0.334, P = 0.002) and between HPLC–ECD and flow cytometry assays for 8-OHdG in leucocytes (r = 0.395, P < 0.001). Significant associations were observed between AAA and PCC and liver function indices (alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase). These findings suggest significant contribution from AFB1 exposure to oxidative stress and subsequent repair among adolescents that may impose substantial risk for hepatocarcinogenesis in adulthood in this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contact activation in inflamed tissues induces generation of the serine protease plasmin. Here we demonstrate that plasmin activates macrophages, key regulators of the inflammatory response. The plasmin-mediated stimulation of macrophages leads to cytokine induction, which depends on the proteolytic activity of the enzyme and proceeds via a receptor complex composed at least of annexin A2 and S100A10. Down-regulation of the expression of either annexin A2 or S100A10 by antisense oligodeoxynucleotides abolished the plasmin-induced expression of proinflammatory cytokines, whereas that by the positive control LPS remained unaffected. Further downstream, plasmin activates JAK signaling resulting in STAT3 activation, Akt-dependent NF-κB activation, and phosphorylation of the p38 MAPK and ERK1/2. By activation of these signaling pathways plasmin induces the expression and release of the proinflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-6. Pharmacological inhibitors of JAK, p38 and NF-κB revealed that these signaling pathways are indispensable for the plasmin-mediated induction of the TNF-α and IL-6 genes. By contrast, activation of the ERK1/2 appears to be essential only for the expression of the IL-6 gene. In conclusion, our data show that the serine protease plasmin is a potent proinflammatory activator of human macrophages acting via the annexin A2 heterotetramer and multiple downstream signaling pathways. Thus, plasmin generated at the sites of inflammation will profoundly affect macrophage function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new class of cationic amphiphiles was synthesized and characterized for their transfection activity in mouse lung by intratracheal delivery. These cationic compounds, consisting of a backbone of the bis(2-hydroxy-3-alkiammonio)propyl methylamine with various alkyl chains (C12 to C18) linked to two amine groups, undergo temperature and concentration dependent transition from liposomes to micelles. They are highly soluble in water and readily form complexes with DNA, depending on the chain length of the alky group in the compounds. We compared luciferase gene expression in lungs of CD-1 mice that received 25 mg compacted pCMV-Luc plasmid using the cationic amphiphiles in 30 ml water via intratracheal or intranasal administration. Intratracheal administration of pCMV- Luc complexed with the cationic amphiphiles resulted in various levels of luciferase gene expression in the lung 24hr post gene delivery. Transfection activity is primarily determined by the structure of the compounds, less by the N/P ratio. Compounds exhibited an optimal transfection activity in the lung are different from those exhibiting the highest activity in A549 lung epithelial cells. While transfection activity is comparable to standard transfection reagent such as DOTAP/Cholesterol liposomes in cell culture, the activity of the cationic amphiphiles with optimal structure is 50–100 folds higher for intratracheal transfection in the lung. These results demonstrated that these new amphiphiles are promising carriers for lung gene therapy. The study was supported by NIH grant RO1 HL075542.Molecular Therapy (2006) 13, S68–S69; doi: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2006.08.201 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of novel quaternary ammonium Gemini amphiphiles was synthesized as a nonviral carrier for gene delivery. These amphiphiles contain a backbone of the bis(2-hydroxy-3-alkylammonio)propyl methylamine with various alkyl chains (C12 to C18) linked to two terminal amine groups. They were prepared via a bis-menshutkin reaction of the bis(2-hydroxy-3-chloropropyl)methylamine with 5M equiv of a corresponding alkyl amine (saturated or unsaturated, secondary or tertiary amines), or N, N, N′, N′-tetramethyl-1, 6- hexanediamine with octodecyl bromide in ethanol (75–80°C, for 36–48h). Transfection activity of these new amphiphiles was evaluated in culture using murine melanoma BL-6, human embryonic kidney 293, HepG2 and Hela cells. We demonstrate that the transfection activity of the new compounds was dependent on the chain length of the alkyl group. Among the four cell lines tested, compounds with a relative short alky chains exhibited better transfection activity in BL-6, HepG2 and 293 cells. Cell specificity was seen in some compounds exhibiting high activity in one type of cells but minimal activity in the other. The overall transfection activity of the new compounds is comparable to that of standard transfection reagents (DOTAP/DOPE liposomes, PEI) at their optimal N/P ratio. The unique property of these new amphiphiles, especially those with short alkyl chains, is their lack of cytotoxicity to cells.Molecular Therapy (2006) 13, S74–S74; doi: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2006.08.215 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An abstract of the article "Synthesis of Novel Polyhydroxylalkyleneamine for Nonviral Gene Deliver," by Li Qun, Guisheng Zhang and Dexi L is presented.

What is Known and Objectives: The initial tacrolimus dose regimen in paediatric lung transplant recipients is unknown. The present study optimized the initial tacrolimus dose regimen for paediatric lung transplant recipients. Methods: This study was based on a published population pharmacokinetic model of tacrolimus in lung transplant recipients and used Monte Carlo simulations to recommend an initial dose regimen of tacrolimus in paediatric lung transplant recipients. Results: Without voriconazole, the tacrolimus doses recommended for paediatric lung transplant recipients who were not CYP3A5*1 carriers were 0.02, 0.03, and 0.04 mg/kg/day, split into two doses, for weights of 10–16, 16–30, and 30–40 kg, respectively. For paediatric lung transplant recipients who were CYP3A5*1 carriers, the tacrolimus doses of 0.03, 0.04, 0.05, and 0.06 mg/kg/day, split into two doses, were recommended for weights of 10–16, 16–25, 25–30, and 30–40 kg, respectively. With voriconazole, the tacrolimus dose recommended for paediatric lung transplant recipients who were not CYP3A5*1 carriers was 0.02 mg/kg/day, split into two doses, for weights of 10–40 kg. For paediatric lung transplant recipients who were CYP3A5*1 carriers, tacrolimus doses of 0.02 and 0.03 mg/kg/day, split and two doses, were recommended for weights of 10–24 and 24–40 kg, respectively. What is New and Conclusions: This study developed tacrolimus dose regimens for the first time for paediatric lung transplant recipients using Monte Carlo simulation and optimized initial dosage in paediatric lung transplant recipients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tea geometrid Ectropis obliqua Prout (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) is a devastating defoliator through out the tea plantations in China. To explore the putative functions of chemosensilla involved in host selection, the morphology and ultrastructure of antennal and tarsal sensilla in E. obliqua moths were visualized by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Eight types (including 15 subtypes) of sensilla were identified. On antennae, sensilla trichodea (STR I and STR II) were the most abundant sensillum type characterized by porous cuticle and dendrites in the sensillum lymph. Sensilla chaetica (SCH l-SCH III) possessed a terminal pore and thick nonporous wall, with dendrites in the inner lymph cavity. Three subtypes of sensilla basiconica (SBA l-SBA III) and one type of sensilla auricillica were equipped with thin porous cuticular walls and multiple dendrites in the lymph. Sensilla styloconica were equipped with tw o or three dendrites that lacked cuticular pores. Sensilla coeloconica possessed fo u r to seven dendrites and were double walled with spoke channels. Bohm bristles and sensilla squamiformia were also observed on the antennae. On tarsi, tw o subtypes of sensilla chaetica (SCH IV and SCH V) comprised the majority of chemosensilla, and are believed to function in gustatory perception. We summarize the validated functions of related sensilla, and propose potential functions of the corresponding sensilla in E. obliqua. These findings provide a working basis for investigating sensillum function and sensory mechanisms in this pest species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To study microRNA (miR)-20a expression in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and its effects on the proliferation, migration, and invasion of HepG2. Methods: The real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to detect the expression of miR-20a in HCC tissue and normal tissue, as well as in HCC cell lines and normal liver cells. miR-20a mimic and miR negative control (NC) were transfected into HepG2 cells. MTT (3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2-H-tetrazolium bromide) assay was used to detect cell proliferation. Annexin fluorescein isothiocyanate/propidium iodide assay was run to examine the early apoptosis of cells. Transwell chamber assay was carried out to investigate the cell invasion and migration abilities. Results: miR-20a was lowly expressed both in HCC tissues and HCC cell lines. After transfection of exogenous miR-20 mimics, miR-20a expression in HepG2 cells was significantly increased by 61.29% compared to the blank group (P<0.01). MTT assay showed that the growth of HepG2 cells in the miR-20a mimics group was significantly inhibited, and optical density values during the 36-96 hour time period were dramatically decreased compared to the blank group (P<0.01). Apoptosis rates of the miR-20a mimics group were higher than those of the blank and NC groups (both P<0.01). The number of HCC cells after transfection by miR-20a mimics in the G1 and S phases were 15.88% and 7.89%, respectively, which were lower than in the blank and NC groups (both P<0.05). Transwell assay showed that in the miR-20a mimics group the number of cell migration and invasion were 0.459 and 0.501 times that of the blank group (both P<0.01), and the migration and inhibition rates were 54.1% and 51.4%, respectively. After closing target gene CCND1 in HepG2 cells, the number of cell migration and invasion in the small interfering (si)-CCND1 group were 0.444 and 0.435 times that of the si-NC group (P<0.05); and compared to the si-NC group, the migration and inhibition rates were 55.6% and 56.5%, respectively. Conclusion: miR-20a can inhibit the growth, invasion, and migration of HepG2 cells, and is therefore promising as a new molecular target for diagnosis and therapy of HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indoor positioning based on existing Wi-Fi fingerprints is becoming more and more common. Unfortunately, the Wi-Fi fingerprint is susceptible to multiple path interferences, signal attenuation, and environmental changes, which leads to low accuracy. Meanwhile, with the recent advances in charge-coupled device (CCD) technologies and the processing speed of smartphones, indoor positioning using the optical camera on a smartphone has become an attractive research topic; however, the major challenge is its high computational complexity; as a result, real-time positioning cannot be achieved. In this paper we introduce a crowd-sourcing indoor localization algorithm via an optical camera and orientation sensor on a smartphone to address these issues. First, we use Wi-Fi fingerprint based on the KWeighted Nearest Neighbor (KWNN) algorithm to make a coarse estimation. Second, we adopt a mean-weighted exponent algorithm to fuse optical image features and orientation sensor data as well as KWNN in the smartphone to refine the result. Furthermore, a crowd-sourcing approach is utilized to update and supplement the positioning database. We perform several experiments comparing our approach with other positioning algorithms on a common smartphone to evaluate the performance of the proposed sensor-calibrated algorithm, and the results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm could significantly improve accuracy, stability, and applicability of positioning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Somatostatin receptor 2 (SSTR2) encodes somatostatin receptor that can inhibit the cell proliferation of solid tumors. Promoter hypermethylation is likely to silence the expression of SSTR2. The goal of our study was to investigate the association between SSTR2 promoter methylation and the risk and progression of laryngeal carcinoma. Methods: In the current study, tumor tissues and their adjacent non-tumor tissues were collected from a total of 87 laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) male patients. DNA methylation levels of nine SSTR2 promoter CpGs were measured using the bisulphite pyrosequencing technology. Results: Our results revealed that there was a significantly increased SSTR2 promoter methylation in LSCC tissues than in their adjacent non-cancerous tissues (adjusted P = 0.003). Breakdown analysis by age indicated that the significant association was mainly contributed by patients younger than 60 (adjusted P = 0.039) but not in patients older than 60. Meanwhile, the significant association was observed in the patients with moderately (adjusted P = 0.037) and well differentiated tissues (adjusted P = 0.028), as well as the patients with histological stage IV (adjusted P = 0.031). Multivariate Cox analysis suggested that SSTR2 promoter methylation was an independent prognostic factor of LSCC (HR = 1.127, 95 % CI = 1.034-1.228). Conclusions: In conclusion, SSTR2 promoter hypermethylation might be associated with the risk and progression of LSCC in males. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CYCLOIDEA (CYC)-like genes, belonging to the plant-specific TCP transcription factor family that is named after TEOSINTE BRANCHED1 (TB1) from maize (Zea mays), CYC from Antirrhinum majus, and the PROLIFERATING CELL FACTORS (PCF) from rice (Oryza sativa), have conserved dorsal identity function in patterning floral zygomorphy mainly through specific expression in dorsal petals of a flower. Their expression changes are usually related to morphological diversity of zygomorphic flowers. However, it is still a challenge to elucidate the molecular mechanism underlying their expression differentiation. It is also unknown whether CINCINNATA (CIN)-like TCP genes, locally controlling cell growth and proliferation, are involved in the evolution of floral zygomorphy. To address these questions, we selected two closely related species, i.e. Petrocosmea glabristoma and Petrocosmea sinensis, with distinct petal morphology to conduct expression, hybridization, mutant, and allele-specific expression analyses. The results show that the size change of the dorsal petals between the two species is mainly mediated by the expression differentiation of CYC1C and CYC1D, while the shape variation of all petals is related to the expression change of CIN1. In reciprocal F1 hybrids, the expression of CYC1C, CYC1D, and CIN1 conforms to an additive inheritance mode, consistent with the petal phenotypes of hybrids. Through allele-specific expression analyses, we find that the expression differentiation of these TCP genes is underlain by distinctly different types of regulatory changes. We suggest that highly redundant paralogs with identical expression patterns and interspecific expression differentiation may be controlled by remarkably different regulatory pathways because natural selection may favor different regulatory modifications rather than coding sequence changes of key developmental genes in generating morphological diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Mumps is a seasonal infectious disease, always occurring in winter and spring. In this study, we aim to analyze its epidemiological characteristics, transmissibility, and its correlation with meteorological variables. Method: A seasonal SusceptibleeExposedeInfectious/AsymptomaticeRecovered model and a next-generation matrix method were applied to estimate the time-dependent reproduction number (Rt). Results: The seasonal double peak of annual incidence was mainly in May to July and November to December. There was high transmission at the median of Rt - 1.091 (ranged: 0 to 4.393). Rt was seasonally distributed mainly from February to April and from September to November. Correlations were found between temperature (Pearson correlation coefficient [r] ranged: from 0.101 to 0.115), average relative humidity (r - 0.070), average local pressure (r - -0.066), and the number of new cases. In addition, average local pressure (r - 0.188), average wind speed (r - 0.111), air temperature (r ranged: -0.128 to -0.150), average relative humidity (r - -0.203) and sunshine duration (r - -0.075) were all correlated with Rt. Conclusion: A relatively high level of transmissibility has been found in Xiamen City, leading to a continuous epidemic of mumps. Meteorological factors, especially air temperature and relative humidity, may be more closely associated with mumps than other factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]