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Metal sulfides are interesting materials for utilization as anodes in Li-ion Batteries (LIBs). However, the poor conductivity and huge volume change during the discharge/charge cycles severely limit their potential application. In the present work, a sheet-on-fiber structure of In2S3@N-doped carbon (In2S3@N-Carbon) is designed through a hydrothermal method, and the materials were characterized by methods of scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. When applied to LIBs, In2S3@N-Carbon shows better electrochemical performances in comparison to pristine In2S3. In2S3@N-Carbon retains a reversible capacity of 485 mA h g−1 after 200 cycles at 0.1 A g−1, which is significantly higher than that (34.6 mA h g−1) of pure In2S3. The enhanced electrochemical properties of In2S3@N-Carbon nanocomposite are attributed to the N-doped carbon fibers, which enhances the conductivity and relaxes the volume expansion of electrodes. This study provides a rational design of nanostructure for high-performance anode materials.

The rapid development of modern electronics has accelerated the demand for stretchable components with high thermal management capability because increasing the power density and miniaturization of electronic devices generate greater heat. However, stretchable electronics with enhanced heat dissipation have been rarely reported. In this study, a stretchable laminated nanocomposite-based conductor with both robust electric conductivity and enhanced thermal management capability was fabricated. With the optimized GNRs and BNNS contents, this conductor exhibited a thermal conductivity enhancement of 266%, leading to a decrease in the working temperature from 57.4 °C to 29.2 °C. Even under 100% strain, the fluctuation of the equilibrium operational temperature was within 10%. Moreover, the conductor showed outstanding electric performance under 200% strain with an R/R0 value of 1.46. Whether stretched and tested in a Moebius-belt shape or under hard-environmental conditions such as in seawater, crude oil, and even integrated in a wireless charging circuit, the significant reliability of this conductor was recorded. Thus, our results are promising to provide a practical approach for the fabrication of stretchable electronic devices working in high temperature environments associated with extreme thermal stresses and under extreme circumstances such as sea rescue operations and marine oil pollution remediation.

In this paper, we study the multiplicity of subharmonic solutions of the nonlinear differential equation of the forced relativistic oscillators. By using the generalized Poincare-Birkhoff fixed point theorem, we prove that the equation has infinite subharmonic solutions provided that g satisfies at most linear growth condition.

Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs, typically MoS2) have shown great promise as anodes for high-performance lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) due to the layered structure. However, the low electric and ionic conductivities and the large volume expansion of MoS2 during lithiation inevitably result in a fast capacity decrease and limited cycling life. In this work, a unique sheet-on-tube micro/nanostructure was designed and realized to tackle the above mentioned drawbacks. In detail, MoS2 nanosheets are perpendicularly anchored on the N-doped carbon microtubes (NCMs) by a facile approach. NCMs was selected as the support to prevent aggregation of MoS2 nanosheets, and serve as the pathway for electron conduction, as well as a media to alleviate the volume change of MoS2 during lithiation/delithiation. Due to the advantageous structure, the MoS2@NCMs show significantly enhanced lithium storage properties in comparison to pure MoS2. The design strategy and mechanism demonstrated in this work is potentially useful for developing high-capacity electrode materials for LIBs.

Transmembrane TNF-α (tmTNF), a transmembrane form of TNF-α, was reported overexpressed in approximately 84% of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients and has emerged as a valid candidate biomarker for targeting TNBC. Paclitaxel is a first-line chemotherapeutic agent for the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer, but suffers from low water solubility, resulting in its low bioavailability. To achieve site-specific delivery of the anticancer chemotherapeutic drug (paclitaxel) on TNBC, we developed tmTNF-α monoclonal antibody (mAb)-conjugated paclitaxel (PTX) nanoparticles (NPs) (tmTNF-α mAb-PTX NPs) as potential nanocarriers. This targeted delivery-therapy nanocarriers was conducted by using an emulsification-evaporation method. tmTNF-α mAb-PTX NPs displayed favorable physicochemical properties. Compared with the control groups, tumor growth in human MDA-MB-231 xenograft mice was suppressed significantly by tmTNF-α mAb-PTX NPs. TmTNF-α mAb-PTX NPs exerts anti-tumor effects via promoting apoptosis and regulating mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) / protein kinase B (AKT)/ mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) cascade, as well as AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and nuclear factor Kappa-B (NF-κB) pathways. Moreover, tmTNF-α mAb-PTX NPs can inhibit the process of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in TNBC to suppress tumor progression and metastasis. Together, the novel tmTNF-α mAb-PTX NPs based targeted drug delivery system is a potentially highly effective approach for treating TNBC.

The pore-water status, including adsorptive and capillary water, in expansive clay with different dry densities was investigated under the effect of temperature and saline solution via the...

This study investigated the changes of phosphorus (P) fractions, bacterial community and their response to available P or carbon (C):P during composting with different rock phosphate (RP) addition levels. Results showed that adding RP at 10% or 15% promoted the rise of temperature, maturity and Olsen P accumulation in composting, which had a higher amount of RP solubilization than other groups. Available P changed bacterial composition and decreased diversity in composts. RP solubilization efficiency was negatively correlated to C:P ratio and the highest (22.7%) when 10% RP was added, in which bacterial community changed from "function redundancy" to "intensive P-solubilization". Low C:P ratio (〈300) increased the RP solubilization ratio especially within 135-160. Therefore, this study proposed that adding P-rich substrates to decrease C:P ratio could regulate P-solubilizers' activity for increasing RP solubilization efficiency during composting.

Background and Aims Renal Fanconi syndrome (RFS) is characterized by generalized dysfunctions of renal proximal tubular (PT) transport. The causes of FS can be inherited or acquired, the latter of which mostly includes drugs, heavy metals, monoclonal light chains (LC), and primary Sj gren’s syndrome (pSS). We intended to observe the clinico-pathological features of RFS with different etiologies. Method From January 2012 to September 2018, all the patients diagnosed as RFS in our hospital were enrolled. Their clinicopathological records were retrospectively reviewed. The diagnosis of RFS was defined as existence of ≥ 3 of the following five items alone or ≥ 2 items combined with an evidence of PT damages in kidney pathology: (I) normoglycemic glycosuria; (II) generalized aminoaciduria; (III) hypophosphatemia and hyperphosphaturia; (IV) hypouricemia and hyperuricosuria; (V) proximal RTA. Results: 1. Clinical characteristics We identified 150 RFS patients, with an average age of (45.9±14.2) years old and male: female ratio 1.3:1. They presented with different degrees of PT dysfunctions and the most common were hypophosphatemia (83.2%) and aminoaciduria (80.6%). Their mean eGFR levels were 76.3 (4.5-188.6) ml/min/1.73m2 with 73.5% had proteinuria. 2. Renal pathological features 47 RFS patients received kidney biopsy and the most common pathological diagnosis was interstitial nephritis. They all presented with different degrees of proximal tubule atrophy, defective brush border, interstitial edema and fibrosis. 3. Etiology-related clinicopathologic features The most common causes of our RFS were LC (14.0%), drugs (13.3%), and pSS (9.3%). Compared to pSS associated RFS, LC associated RFS patients showed a higher prevalence of bone involvement, more severe proteinuria and less severe hypokalemia (P < 0.05) despite similar eGFR levels. Specific renal pathological features were seen in different etiology groups, including crystalline formation and increased lysosomes in PT cells under electron microscope in LC associated RFS, and CD21 positive ectopic germinal center formation in renal interstitum in parts of the pSS associated RFS. Conclusion We identified 150 RFS with different etiologies and they showed etiology-specific patterns of PT dysfunctions and renal pathologic changes.

Background and Aims Congenital solitary kidney – one category of congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT) may combine with other system malformations such as reproductive, cardiac, skeletal system, and so on. Our study analysed the clinical characteristics among congenital solitary kidney patients and their reproductive system malformations. And further work about probable pathogenic genes was explored. Method The information of CAKUT patients who were indicated by Doppler ultrasound was collected. The clinical and imaging features including reproductive system abnormalities were retrospectively reviewed in patients with congenital solitary kidney. In patients with Mayer-Rokitansky- Küster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome, a disorder of congenital agenesis of uterus and vagina, whole exome sequencing was performed. Rare variants in CAKUT-related genes were analysed. Trio analysis was conducted to identify de novo mutations. Results We identified 209 patients with congenital solitary kidney from July 20, 2017 to July 19, 2020 among 1160 CAKUT patients in Peking Union Medical College Hospital. There were 152 females. The average age of congenital solitary kidney patients was 35.26±18.42 years when they were diagnosed. 53.2% showed different degrees of proteinuria and hematuria. Serum creatinine elevating was proved 13.1% and 40% in women and men separately. Among 81 females who also had a gynecological ultrasound report, 88.9% combined with genital malformation, oblique vaginal septum syndrome 48.7%, the Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome 22.2%, malformed uterus 23.5%, vaginal atresia and other genital malformation 7%. Congenital heart disease, complete transposition of viscera, and scoliosis were also found in some patients with congenital solitary kidney. Furthermore, based on the whole exome data of 443 patients with MRKH syndrome, seven function-lost mutations were confirmed. And also two De nove mutations (NOTCH2 (NM_024408.3: c.703A>T(p.Thr235Ser), ESRRG (NM_001243512.1:c.-169-8delT)), one homozygous patients with parents heterozygous (NM_133433.3:c.8084C>T(p.Thr2695Me) were identified as possible pathogenic genes caused CAKUT. Conclusion We should be aware of reproductive system malformations in CAKUT patients. Whole exome sequencing may suggest common pathogenic genes between the two kinds of diseases.

Aarskog-Scott syndrome (AAS) is most commonly inherited as an X-linked recessive genetic disease caused by FGD1 mutations. AAS patients are most frequently male, and the clinical manifestations of facial abnormalities, skeletal deformities, and abnormal genitalia comprise a characteristic triad of diagnostic features. The results on the clinical and molecular analysis of a family that reveals a novel FGD1 gene frameshift mutation in an 11-year-old boy displaying bilateral cryptorchidism associated with hypogonadism are reported here. This patient exhibited a characteristic triad of diagnostic features of ASS, including short stature, facial abnormalities, joint laxity, and typical scrotal fold. Whole-exome sequencing revealed the novel hemizygous mutation c.500delA in exon 3 of the patient's FGD1 gene, resulting after a frameshift in the Tyr167 residue, while his mother is heterozygous of the same variant. Further in silico studies were performed to identify the pathological consequence of this gene mutation. Thus, our study shows that frameshifts disrupting the RhoGEF gene domain of FGD1 represent the most prevalent causal mutations underlying AAS and expand the phenotypic and mutational spectra of this disease. Improved understanding of the phenotypic and pathological heterogeneity accompanying FGD1 mutation can greatly enhance the clinical prognostic capabilities in the future and aid genetic counseling for AAS patients.

Background and Aims Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF), as the most common antiviral drug, can cause both proximal tubular transportation dysfunctions and eGFR decline. The relationship between them is not clear due to lack of clinical data from large cohorts, especially in the Chinese population. In this study, we summarized the characteristics of proximal tubular injuries and eGFR decline in the cohort of HIV-infected patients treated with TDF, and explore the the impact of tenofovir on tubular transporters in vitro. Method We enrolled HIV-infected patients treated with TDF, who were regularly followed up in our hospital from Sep 1, 2001 to August 31, 2019. Their baseline and follow-up clinical data were collected. Proximal tubular dysfunction was defined as meeting two or more of the following criteria: hypophosphatemia, hypouricemia, low carbon dioxide binding capacity, positive urine glucose with normal plasma glucose level, and positive urine protein. Rapid deterioration of renal function was defined as the annual decline rate of eGFR exceeding 5ml/min/1.73m2. We also used human renal proximal tubular epithelial cell line (HK2) to further investigate the impact of tenofovir on transporters including SGLT2, NaPi-IIa, and URAT1 through immunofluorescence. Results A total of 375 HIV-infected patients receiving TDF were enrolled, mainly males (90.1%), with a median follow-up duration of 34(17, 58) months. The most common clinical manifestations were proteinuria (20.3%) and hypophosphatemia (12.3%). The prevalence of proximal tubular injury was 6.7%, which was significantly associated with low body weight, but was not associated with age, TDF course, baseline viral load, or baseline CD4+ T lymphocyte count. Their eGFR levels at the end of the follow-up were significantly lower than the baseline levels (104.6±15.2 vs. 110.6±14.2 ml/min/1.73m2, P Conclusion Among the HIV-infected Chinese patients treated with TDF, 6.7% had proximal tubular dysfunction and 23.6% showed accelerated annual decline rate of eGFR (≥ 5 ml/min/1.73m2 per year).

Background: This meta-analysis aims to summarize the studies of lncRNAs dysregulation in individual acute kidney injury (AKI) and identify the potential lncRNA biomarkers of AKI.Research design and...

Glyphosate is a broad-spectrum herbicide that impairs testosterone synthesis in mammals. Leydig cells (LCs), the primary producers of testosterone, demonstrate rhythmic expression of circadian clock genes both in vivo and in vitro. The nuclear receptor NR1D1 is an important clock component that constitutes the subsidiary transcriptional/translational loop in the circadian clock system. Nr1d1 deficiency resulted in diminished fertility in both male and female mice. However, whether NR1D1 is involved in the glyphosate-mediated inhibition of testosterone synthesis in LCs remains unclear. Here, the involvement of NR1D1 in glyphosate-mediated inhibition of testosterone synthesis was investigated both in vitro and in vivo. Glyphosate exposure of TM3 cells significantly increased Nr1d1 mRNA levels, but decreased Bmal1, Per2, StAR, Cyp11a1, and Cyp17a1 mRNA levels. Western blotting confirmed elevated NR1D1 and reduced StAR protein levels following glyphosate exposure. Glyphosate exposure also reduced testosterone production in TM3 cells. In primary LCs, glyphosate exposure also upregulated Nr1d1 mRNA levels and downregulated the mRNA levels of other clock genes (Bmal1 and Per2) and steroidogenic genes (StAR, Cyp17a1, Cyp11a1, and Hsd3b2), and inhibited testosterone synthesis. Moreover, glyphosate exposure significantly reduced the amplitude and shortened the period of PER2::LUCIFERASE oscillations in primary LCs isolated from mPer2Luciferase knock-in mice. Four weeks of oral glyphosate upregulated NR1D1 at both the mRNA and protein levels in mouse testes, and this was accompanied by a reduction in StAR expression. Notably, serum testosterone levels were also drastically reduced in mice treated with glyphosate. Moreover, dual-luciferase reporter and EMSA assays revealed that in TM3 cells NR1D1 inhibits the expression of StAR by binding to a canonical RORE element present within its promoter. Together, these data demonstrate that glyphosate perturbs testosterone synthesis via NR1D1 mediated inhibition of StAR expression in mouse LCs. These findings extend our understanding of how glyphosate impairs male fertility.

Testosterone is produced by Leydig cells (LCs) and undergoes diurnal changes in serum levels in rats, mice, and humans, but little is known in goats. The present study revealed that goat serum testosterone levels displayed diurnal rhythmic changes (peak time at ZT11.2). Immunohistochemical staining showed that BMAL1, a circadian clock protein, is highly expressed in goat LCs. ELISA revealed that both hCG (0-5 IU/ml) and 22R-OH-cholesterol (0-30 μM) addition stimulated testosterone synthesis in primary goat LCs in a dose-dependent manner. Treating goat LCs with hCG (5 IU/ml) significantly increased intracellular cAMP levels. Additionally, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis revealed that the circadian clock (BMAL1, PER1, PER2, DBP, and NR1D1) and steroidogenesis-related genes (SF1, NUR77, StAR, HSD3B2, CYP17A1, CYP11A1, and HSD17B3) showed rhythmic expression patterns in goat LCs following dexamethasone synchronization. Several Bmal1-Luc circadian oscillations were clearly observed in dexamethasone-treated goat LCs transfected with the pLV6-Bmal1-Luc plasmid. BMAL1 knockdown significantly downregulated mRNA levels of PER2, NR1D1, DBP, StAR, HSD3B2, SF1, NUR77, and GATA4, and dramatically decreased StAR and HSD3B2 protein levels and testosterone production. In contrast, BMAL1 overexpression significantly increased the mRNA and protein expression levels of StAR and HSD17B3 and enhanced testosterone production. Reporter assays revealed that goat BMAL1, or in combination with mouse CLOCK, activated goat HSD17B3 transcription in vitro. These data indicate that BMAL1 contributes to testosterone production by regulating transcription of steroidogenesis-related genes in goat LCs, providing a basis for further exploring the underlying mechanism by which the circadian clock regulates ruminant reproductive capability.

Pea protein is a functional ingredient as well as a structure builder in meat substitution products, and the addition of calcium and inclusion of emulsified oil may improve product textural properties. In the present study, O/W emulsions prepared with pH12-shifting (pH12) and high-intensity ultrasound (US) treated pea protein were imbedded into the pea protein isolate (PPI) gel matrix with or without CaCl2, and the effects on rheological, textural, and water-binding properties of the composite hydrogels were investigated. The addition of 5–20 mM CaCl2 significantly enhanced the elastic modulus and textural properties of the hydrogels (16% protein, w/v) especially with the presence of 10% emulsified oil (v/v) stabilized by pH12 or US modified PPI (P

Bronchial mucoepidermoid carcinoma is a rare malignancy with varied disease courses.The symptoms are non-specific and mostly related to infection and airway obstruction secondary to the tumor.Bronchial mucoepidermoid carcinoma is difficult to be distinguished from pneumonia,tracheobronchitis,chronicobstructive pulmonary disease,asthma,and other respiratory diseases in its early stage.The age of onset is mostly between 20 and 55 years,and the disease is rarely seen in children.Confirmation of bronchial mucoepidermoid carcinoma depends on bronchoscopy and pathological biopsy,and this disease is often missed and misdiagnoed.

The global COVID-19 epidemic has spread rapidly around the world and has already caused the death of more than one million people. As there is yet no vaccine, it is urgent to develop effective strategies to treat COVID-19 patients. Here, we used a mouse-adapted SARS-CoV-2 infection model to explore potential therapeutic targets for SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia. Global gene expression analysis of infected mouse lungs revealed dysregulation of genes associated with NAD+ metabolism, immune response and cell death, similar to that in COVID-19 patients. We therefore investigated the effect of treatment with NAD+ and found that the pneumonia phenotypes, including excessive inflammatory cell infiltration and embolization in SARS-CoV-2 infected lungs were significantly rescued by boosting NAD+ levels. Most notable, cell death was suppressed substantially (>65%) by NAD+ supplementation. Thus, our in vivo mouse study supports trials for treating COVID-19 patients with NAD+ or its precursors.

Long terminal repeat retrotransposons (LTR-RTs) contribute a large fraction of many sequenced plant genomes and play important roles in genomic diversity and phenotypic variations. LTR-RTs are abundantly distributed in plant genomes, facilitating the development of markers based on LTR-RTs for a variety of genotyping purposes. Whole-genome analysis of LTR-RTs was performed in Cleistogenes songorica. A total of 299,079 LTR-RTs were identified and classified as Gypsy type, Copia type, or other type. LTR-RTs were widely distributed in the genome, enriched in the heterochromatic region of the chromosome, and negatively correlated with gene distribution. However, approximately one-fifth of genes were still interrupted by LTR-RTs, and these genes are annotated. Furthermore, four types of primer pairs (PPs) were designed, namely, retrotransposon-based insertion polymorphisms, inter-retrotransposon amplified polymorphisms, insertion site-based polymorphisms, and retrotransposon-microsatellite amplified polymorphisms. A total of 350 PPs were screened in 23 accessions of the genus Cleistogenes, of which 80 PPs showed polymorphism, and 72 PPs showed transferability among Gramineae and non-Gramineae species. In addition, a comparative analysis of homologous LTR-RTs was performed with other related grasses. Taken together, the study will serve as a valuable resource for genotyping applications for C. songorica and related grasses.

BACKGROUND In chronic kidney disease (CKD), determining energy expenditure is the precondition for recommending energy intake in nutrition management. OBJECTIVES We aimed to develop and validate a resting energy expenditure (REE) equation for patients with CKD. METHODS This cross-sectional study enrolled 300 patients with CKD (stages 3-5) according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. Stepwise linear regression analysis was used to derive a new REE equation (eREE-CKD) according to actual REE (aREE) measured using indirect calorimetry in the development dataset. The eREE-CKD value was then validated with aREE in the validation dataset and compared with values from existing equations obtained in general populations, namely, the Harris-Benedict, Mifflin, WHO, and Schofield equations in terms of bias, precision, and accuracy. RESULTS The eREE-CKD equation: eREE-CKD (kcal) = (1 if male; 0 if female) × 106.0 - [1 if diabetes mellitus (DM); 0 if non-DM] × 51.6 - 4.7 × age (y) + 13.1 × weight (kg) + 645.5 (R2 = 0.779).The bias, precision, and accuracy (percentage of estimates that differed >20% from the measured REE) of the eREE-CKD equation were -0.4 (IQR: -29.8, 23.8) kcal, 98.4 (IQR: 79.5, 116.6) kcal, and 5.4%, respectively with indirect calorimetry as the reference method. Both bias and precision of the eREE-CKD were significantly better than the Harris-Benedict, WHO, and Schofield equations (P

Cross‐technology communication (CTC) enables data communication between heterogeneous wireless devices, which becomes the focus of current research. Due to the difference of communication ...

Immature Sertoli cell (SC) proliferation determines the final number of mature SCs and further regulates spermatogenesis. Accumulating evidence demonstrated that microRNAs (miRNAs) play an important role in SC proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. However, the effect and molecular mechanism of miRNA on bovine immature SC remain to be poorly understood. In this study, miRNA sequencing of testes collected in mature (24-mo old) and immature (neonatal) bulls was conducted to determine the miRNA expression profiles. MicroRNA-34b was one of the differentially expressed miRNAs and was selected for in-depth functional studies pertaining to SC growth. The results showed that miR-34b mimic transfection in primary Sertoli cells (PSC) inhibited cell proliferation and induced cell cycle arrested at G2 phase and decreased the expression of cell cycle-related genes such as CCNB1, CDK1, CDC25C, and C-MYC. MicroRNA-34b overexpression also leads to increased cell apoptosis, with proapoptotic genes P53 and BAX upregulated, while antiapoptotic gene BCL2 decreased. However, miR-34b knockdown had the opposite effects. Through a combination of transcriptome sequencing, bioinformatics analysis, dual-luciferase reporter assay, and Western blotting, mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase1 (MAP2K1), also known as MEK1, was identified as a target of miR-34b. In addition, PSC proliferation inhibition was mediated by cell cycle arrest and apoptosis with MAP2K1 interference. Overexpression of MAP2K1 effectively reversed the miR-34b-repressed PSC cell growth. Moreover, both miR-34b overexpression and MAP2K1 knockdown decreased the protein levels of P-ERK1/2, while MAP2K1 overexpression showed opposite effects. In summary, data suggest that miR-34b regulates PSC proliferation and apoptosis through the MEK/ERK signaling pathway. These data provide a theoretical and experimental framework for further clarifying the regulation of cell growth in PSC of bovine.

Background: Although hemangioma in the genitourinary system occurs relatively infrequently, bladder hemangioma has arisen during medical research. We describe two rare cases of urinary bladder hemangioma (UBH), in which was confirmed histopathology followed by Immunohistochemistry (IHC) and review the literature on the diagnosis and treatment of patients with this disease to raise awareness of urinary bladder hemangioma and appropriate management.Case presentation: A 41-year-old Chinese female presented with a sudden onset of painless gross hematuria for one month, Multi-Slice spiral computed tomography urography in the urological system showed the anterior and superior wall thickening of the bladder, multiple nodules and masses, exhibited multiple punctate calcifications and marked uneven enhancement. The second case is a 30-year-old female who was asymptomatic and incidentally founded a large bladder tumor during a routine examination from outside hospital, magnetic resonance imaging scan confirmed a 6.2cm x 6.9cm x 5.2cm soft tissue mass arising from the right anterior and superior wall of the bladder, which suggested the possibility of a benign bladder tumor. Postoperative pathology confirmed the diagnosis of urinary bladder hemangioma. The radical cystectomy was performed with open-methods surgery associated with an abdominal wall ostomy of the ileal outlet tract for case 1. And case 2 finally underwent a Laparoscopic partial cystectomy. Hematuria resolved postoperatively and no evidence of tumor recurrence in three year follow-ups for case 1. Postoperative urinary and pelvic ultrasonography showed no signs of recurrence in three months follow-ups for case 2.Conclusion: Urinary bladder hemangioma is a benign non-urothelial tumor that rarely occurred in pediatric and adolescent patients . Clinical and radiological examinations are not adequate for an accurate diagnosis. Careful histopathological and immunohistochemical studies are required to establish the correct diagnosis. There is no ‘gold standard’ treatment for UBH, treatment options are varied for individuals with favorable follow-ups.

Listeriolysin O (LLO) is a cholesterol-dependent cytolysin that mediates escape of L. monocytogenes from phagosomes and enables the bacteria to grow within the host. LLO is a versatile tool allowing Listeria to trigger several cellular responses. In this study, rapid phosphorylation of ERK1/2 on Caco-2 cells caused by Listeria infection was demonstrated to be highly dependent on LLO activity. The effect could be strongly induced by adding purified recombinant LLO alone and could be inhibited by exogenous cholesterol. Lack of the PEST sequence, known to tightly control cytotoxicity of LLO, did not affect ERK1/2 activation. However, the recombinant non-cytolytic LLOT515AL516A, with mutations in the cholesterol-binding motif, was unable to trigger this response. Recombinant LLON478AV479A, which lacks most of the cytolytic activity, also failed to activate ERK1/2 phosphorylation, and this effect could be rescued when the protein concentration reached a cytolytic level. Infection with an LLO-deficient mutant (Δhly) or the mutant complementing LLOT515AL516A abrogated the capacity of the bacteria to activate ERK1/2. However, infection with the Δhly mutant complementing LLON478AV479A, which retained partial pore-forming ability and could grow intracellularly, was capable of triggering ERK1/2 phosphorylation. Collectively, these data suggest that ERK1/2 activation by L. monocytogenes depends on the permeabilization activity of LLO and more importantly correlates with the cholesterol-binding motif of LLO.

Additional file 1: Supplement Figure. Association between HGS or LMI and adjusted hazard of mortality.

Supplementary_Table_1 for The Peritoneal Dialysis Telemedicine-assisted Platform Cohort (PDTAP) Study: Design and methods by Tiantian Ma, Zhikai Yang, Shaomei Li, Huaying Pei, Jinghong Zhao, Yi Li, Zibo Xiong, Yumei Liao, Zhanzheng Zhao, Jing Xiao, Ying Li, Qiongzhen Lin, Zhaoxia Zheng, Liping Duan, Gang Fu, Shanshan Guo, Wenbo Hu, Yulin Li, Fuyun Sun, Nan Zhao, Qin Wang, Tianrong Ji, Beiru Zhang, Rui Yu, Li Hao, Guiling Liu, Li Zuo, Huiping Zhao, Caili Wang, Lirong Deng, Hongyu Chen, Li Li, Yulan Shen, Yong Zhang, Lihua Wang, Yan Yan, Zhigang Ma, Yingping Li, Xianchao Zhang, Xuejian Wang, Yirong Liu, Xinying Gao, Zhonggao Xu, Li Zhang, Shutong Du, Cui Zhao, Xiaoli Chen, Hongyi Li, Yingli Yue, Shanshan Chen, Yingchun Ma, Yuanyuan Wei, Jingwei Zhou, Jie Lv, Yingdong Zheng, Sainan Zhu, Minghui Zhao and Jie Dong in Peritoneal Dialysis International

Additional file 1: Figure S1. Effects of HS on the phenotype and physiological traits of C. songorica seedlings. (a) Phenotype of C. songorica at different time points under heat treatment. (b)-(g) Leaf RWC, MDA content, Pro content, Fv/Fm, rETRmax and quantum yield II. (h)-(i) Leaf temperature and soil temperature. Bars with different letters indicate significant differences at P ≤ 0.05 (Duncan’s test). Figure S2. GO enrichment of DEGs in the shoots and shoots of C. songorica under HS. Red bar, DEGs in the shoots; green bar, DEGs in the roots. Figure S3. Summary of identified TFs encoded by DEGs in C. songorica upon HS. Figure S4. KOG function classification of conserved DEGs; Figure S5. KEGG pathway enrichment of co-expression genes; Figure S6. Phylogenetic tree of HSF proteins in five species: C. songorica (yellow), rice (green), B. distachyon (blue), Z. mays (purple) and Arabidopsis (red). The tree was generated with IQTREE software via the ML method; Figure S7. Distribution and synteny analysis of C. songorica HSF genes. In the Fig., the 20 C. songorica chromosomes are shown as different coloured partial circles, and the chromosome numbers are indicated at the top of each bar. The coloured links indicate HSF syntenic regions in the C. songorica HSF gene family; Figure S8. Distribution and synteny analysis of HSF genes between C. songorica and rice. In the Fig., the 20 C. songorica chromosomes are shown as different coloured partial circles, and the chromosome numbers are indicated at the top of each bar. The coloured links indicate HSP syntenic regions in the C. songorica and rice HSF gene families. Chr1 to Chr12 belong to rice, whereas subgenome A and subgenome B represent the 20 chromosomes of C. songorica

Metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) nanomembranes hold a great potential for electronic devices. In this work, tubular SnO2 nanomembranes were fabricated by the rolled-up technology and investigated as the sensing element for chemiresistive gas sensors. Due to the high accessibility to both surfaces of nanomembranes and the large amount of adsorbed oxygen species, the sensor based on SnO2 nanomembranes displayed high and fast response for selective detection of acetone, as well as good repeatability, stability and low detection limit of ppb-level. The very good sensing performances derived from the tubular nanomembrane structure suggests a new platform that can be used for chemical gas sensors. This work will drive the integration of tubular MOS nanomembranes into a real microsensor based on the lab-in-tube concept.

Graphene/metal oxide (MO) nanocomposites hold great promise for application as anodes in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). However, the restacking of graphene during subsequent processing remains a challenge to overcome for enhanced lithium storage properties. Herein, the fabrication of sandwich-architecture carbon-riveted graphene/SnO2 nanorods, in which the SnO2 nanorods are confined in the nanospaces formed by the carbon layers on graphene, by a two-step hydrothermal process followed by thermal treatment, is reported. Electrochemical tests show that the carbon-riveted nanolayers significantly improve the lithium storage performance of graphene/SnO2 . The nanocomposite displays a high reversible capacity of 815 mAh g-1 after 150 cycles at 100 mA g-1 and high cycling stability at 1000 mA g-1 . This work provides an efficient way to manipulate graphene/MO-based nanocomposites for LIBs with improved performance.

Nanocomposite of graphene/α-Fe 2 O 3 (G/α-Fe 2 O 3 ) nanospindles was synthesized by a simple hydrothermal assembly method followed by thermal treatment. The α-Fe 2 O 3 nanospindles were evenly enwrapped by the graphene nanosheets. When evaluated as an anode for Li-ion batteries (LIBs), the G/α-Fe 2 O 3 nanocomposite showed enhanced cycling performance and rate capability compared to pure α-Fe 2 O 3 . G/α-Fe 2 O 3 retained a reversible capacity of 607 mAh g −1 after 100 cycles at 100 mA g −1- , which is far higher than that (160 mAh g −1 ) of α-Fe 2 O 3 . The superior electrochemical performance of G/α-Fe 2 O 3 can be attributed to the protection effect of graphene nanosheets to accommodate the volume change of α-Fe 2 O 3 during lithiation/delithiation.

Freshwater ecosystems encompass all inland water bodies, in which riverine and nonriverine freshwaters are linked through hydrological connectivity within a catchment. However, riverine and nonriverine freshwaters have often been assessed separately and their interdependence and connection has not been considered appropriately in prevailing freshwater conservation planning. To address the representation and persistence of freshwater ecosystems in conservation assessment, we integrated riverine and nonriverine freshwater wetlands as broad-scale conservation surrogates and incorporated longitudinal, lateral and vertical connectivity rules in a conservation planning for the freshwater wetlands in the North China Plain (NCP). We also considered interbasin connectivity by incorporating conservation features of key transferring nodes of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project (SNWD) in the NCP to safeguard their unique ecosystem services of regulating interbasin freshwater. Three scenarios (i.e., 2D, 3D and interbasin scenario) were developed by incorporating different multiple conservation targets, and their spatial priorities and cost-efficiency in freshwater conservation were compared. We applied systematic conservation framework and modified Marxan to accommodate these multidirectional and interbasin connectivity targets in our freshwater conservation assessment. The results indicated that the existing conservation system covered approximately 20% of the freshwater wetlands in the NCP, and there were still considerable conservation gaps that need to be filled. The optimal scenarios could substantially improve the representation, complementarity and persistence for the conservation of freshwater ecosystems, but would not significantly increased overall costs. The framework developed by our research has the potential to facilitate further application of systematic methods in freshwater conservation and rehabilitation planning at multiple scales.

In this paper, we look for periodic solutions of planar Hamiltonian systems $$\left \{ \textstyle\begin{array}{l} x'=f(y)+p_{1}(t,y),\\ y'=-g(x)+p_{2}(t,x). \end{array}\displaystyle \right . $$ By using the Poincare-Birkhoff twist theorem, we prove the existence and multiplicity of periodic solutions of the given system when f satisfies an asymmetric condition and the related time map satisfies an oscillating condition.

Background Transcription factors act as important regulators of transcription networks. Basic leucine zipper (bZIP) transcription factors have been shown to be involved in multiple biological processes in plants. However, no information is available for the bZIP family in Cleistogenes songorica, which is an important xerophytic and allotetraploid grass in desert grasslands. Results In this study, 86 CsbZIPs were identified in the allotetraploid C. songorica genome. For location analysis, CsbZIPs were distributed evenly across two subgenomes of C. songorica. Phylogenetic tree analysis among three species indicated that CsbZIPs were evolutionarily more closely related to OsbZIPs than AtbZIPs. Syntenic and phylogenetic analyses confirmed that the CsbZIPs were mainly expanded by whole-genome duplication events. Furthermore, it was determined that rice and C. songorica might have undergone purified selection during their long evolutionary history by calculating the Ks values and Ka/Ks ratios of orthologous gene pairs. By analysing the expression patterns of CsbZIPs in different tissues and under abiotic stresses, 21 CsbZIP genes were differentially expressed between chasmogamous (CH) and cleistogamous (CL) flowers, including two FLOWERING LOCUS D (FD) genes. In shoots and roots, 79.1 and 87.2% of the CsbZIP genes, respectively, displayed transcript changes under at least one stress treatment, such as heat, cold, drought and salt. Strikingly, 17 common CsbZIP genes showed differential expression under stress response and during CL flowering. Co-expression network, GO annotation and real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) analyses revealed a close relationship between CL flowering-associated genes and abiotic stress-related genes. Conclusions BZIP TFs were comprehensively analysed and identified in allotetraploid C. songorica. Our results provide insights into the evolutionary history of the bZIP family in C. songorica and provide abiotic stress-responsive and CL-associated candidate CsbZIP genes for potential applications in the genetic improvement of plants.

SSR markers are commonly used for many genetic applications, such as map construction, fingerprinting and genetic diversity analysis due to their high reproducibility, levels of polymorphism and abundance. As endogenous, small RNAs, miRNAs have essential roles in plant development and gene expression under diverse stress conditions, including various biotic and abiotic stress conditions. In the present study, we predicted 110 pre-miRNAs sequences from 287 precursor miRNAs and used them as queries for SSR marker development. Among 110 primer pairs, 85 were successfully amplified and examined for transferability to other gramineae and non-gramineae species. The results showed that all 82 primer pairs yielded unambiguous and strong amplification, and across the 23 studied Cleistogenes accessions, a total of 385 alleles were polymorphic. The number of alleles produced per primer varied from 3 to 11, with an average of 4.69 per locus. The expected heterozygosity (He) ranged from 0.44 to 0.88, with an average of 0.74 per locus, and the PIC (Polymorphism Information Content) values ranged from 0.34 to 0.87, with an average of 0.69 per locus. In this study, 1422 miRNA target genes were predicted and analyzed using the GO (Gene Ontology) and KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) databases. The results showed that this miRNA-based microsatellite marker system can be very useful for genetic diversity and marker-assisted breeding studies.

Background Polyamine and ethylene biosynthesis pathway genes are widely involved in the regulation of plant abiotic stresses. For their biosynthesis, both pathways require the same precursor, Synthase Adenosyl Methionine (SAM) enzyme. Whether they function as competitors or collaborators to regulate plant abiotic stress tolerance is still an elusive topic. Genome wide analysis of Cleistogenes songorica polyamine and ethylene pathway gene families was conducted to study their evolutionary relationship. And, using Arabidopsis plants transformed with a polyamine gene SAMDC2 from C. songorica, the expression of key genes from both pathways, and other previously well-studied stress responsive genes was investigated under salt or drought stress. Further, the ABA’s role on this interaction salt stress was also studied. Results 17 polyamine, 12 ethylene and 6 SAM biosynthesis related genes were identified at genome wide level in C. songorica. Phylogenetic analysis revealed close evolutionary similarities between gene families from both pathways. Also, analysis of cis regulatory elements indicated that SAM family genes promoters were rich into both ABA and ethylene related cis regulatory elements. Transcriptomic analysis, qRT-PCR validation, and confirmation using transgenic Arabidopsis showed that polyamine and ethylene key pathway genes can be concurrently expressed during abiotic stresses. Arabidopsis plants expressing a polyamine gene CsSAMDC2 driven by RD29A showed an improved drought and salt stress tolerance, and an increased expression of key polyamine and ethylene pathway genes. These plants maintained higher chlorophyll content and photosynthetic capacity. Morphological analysis of transgenic seedlings showed that leaves of these lines exhibited a more compact architecture following salt stress exposure. Application of ABA on transgenic lines under salt stress further improved the expression of polyamine and ethylene pathway genes. Further, lateral and primary root development were found improved during salt stress and ABA treatments. Interestingly, the expression of ethylene pathway genes was not reversed by exogenous ABA during salt stress treatment. Conclusion In silico and gene functional analysis assays revealed potential evolutionary and functional similarities between polyamine and ethylene pathway gene families. Such findings imply a synergetic interaction between polyamine and ethylene pathways, and the significant role of ABA on this crosstalk.

The analysis of RT-qPCR with lncRNA and their putative target genes (DEG). (DOCX 338â kb)

The abundance of specifically expressed genes and specifically expressed lncRNAs (FPKM). (DOCX 360â kb)

Distribution KEGG Pathways for DEGs in root and shoot. (DOCX 497â kb)

Additional file 2: Table S2. Data extraction table.

Numbers of lncRNAs conserved in C. songorica, Arabidopsis, Brachypodium distachyon and Medicago truncatula and rice (Oryza sativa). (DOCX 1598â kb)

Background Water stress seriously constrains plant growth and yield. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) serve as versatile regulators in various biological regulatory processes. To date, the systematic screening and potential functions of lncRNA have not yet been characterized in Cleistogenes songorica, especially under water stress conditions. Results In this study, we obtained the root and shoot transcriptomes of young C. songorica plants subjected to different degrees of water stress and recovery treatments by Illumina-based RNA-seq. A total of 3397 lncRNAs were identified through bioinformatics analysis. LncRNA differential expression analysis indicated that the higher response of roots compared to shoots during water stress and recovery. We further identified the 1644 transcription factors, 189 of which were corresponded to 163 lncRNAs in C. songorica. Though comparative analyses with major Poaceae species based on blast, 81 water stress-related orthologues regulated to lncRNAs were identified as a core of evolutionary conserved genes important to regulate water stress responses in the family. Among these target genes, two genes were found to be involved in the abscisic acid (ABA) signalling pathway, and four genes were enriched for starch and sucrose metabolism. Additionally, the 52 lncRNAs were predicted as target mimics for microRNAs (miRNAs) in C. songorica. RT-qPCR results suggested that MSTRG.43964.1 and MSTRG.4400.2 may regulate the expression of miRNA397 and miRNA166, respectively, as target mimics under water stress and during recovery. Finally, a co-expression network was constructed based on the lncRNAs, miRNAs, protein-coding genes (PCgenes) and transcription factors under water stress and during recovery in C. songorica. Conclusions In C. songorica, lncRNAs, miRNAs, PCgenes and transcription factors constitute a complex transcriptional regulatory network which lncRNAs can regulate PCgenes and miRNAs under water stress and recovery. This study provides fundamental resources to deepen our knowledge on lncRNAs during ubiquitous water stress. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12870-018-1626-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

The box plot of expression levels of lncRNAs and mRNAs under different conditions in root and shoot, respectively. (DOCX 930â kb)