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Municipal sewage sludge poses environmental and health risks, and thus, requires proper disposal using pyrolytic techniques. However, these techniques are hindered by the production of NH 3 and HCN (NO x precursors) by the sludge. Hence, a comprehensive understanding of NH 3 and HCN formation during sludge pyrolysis is required to minimize its NO x footprint. As sludge N mainly occurs in proteins forms, its transformations can be modeled using amino acids. Here, we aimed to the study the mechanism by which carbohydrates influence the formation of NO x precursors during sludge protein pyrolysis at different temperatures using glutamic acid, tyrosine, and histidine as protein models and cellulose and lignin as carbohydrate models. During pyrolysis, the release of NH 3 and HCN was promoted by high temperatures and inhibited by carbohydrates. Despite this inhibitory effect, the results suggested that the release of NH 3 should be considered for samples rich in aliphatic amino acids. For glutamic acid and tyrosine, NO x precursor formation was inhibited by N fixation in coke under the action of volatiles produced during carbohydrate pyrolysis. For glutamic acid, adding cellulose and lignin increased the coke-N content by 25.32% and 44.73% at 700 ℃. For histidine, this effect was ascribed to the ring-opening reactions induced by the free radical products of carbohydrate decomposition and the enhanced transfer of N-containing compounds to tar after ring-opening recombination. Further, heterocyclic-N within tar increased to 69.12% due to lignin-histidine interactions at 700 ℃. The results of this study can assist in regulating sludge protein pyrolysis intended for minimizing the production of NO x precursors. [Display omitted] • Effect of carbohydrates on NH 3 & HCN release upon sludge protein pyrolysis was probed. • NH 3 & HCN release was promoted by high temperatures and inhibited by carbohydrates. • Addition of cellulose and lignin increase coke-N content by 25.32% and 44.73% at 700 ℃. • Content of heterocyclic-N increases to 69.12% due to lignin-histidine interactions. • A plausible mechanism explaining the inhibitory effect of carbohydrates was suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose To evaluate the ratios of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) calculated from diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) between axillary lymph nodes with primary breast tumor lesions in the detection of axillary lymph nodes metastasis in breast cancer patients. Materials and Methods A total of 36 patients with breast tumors and their axillary lymph nodes were included in this study for MR image scan. The ADC values were calculated using DW-MR imaging software. The ADC values and the ADC ratios of axillary lymph nodes in patients with primary breast lesion were compared among benign and metastatic axillary lymph nodes. All the diagnosis were confirmed by histopathological examination. Results The mean ADC value of metastatic lymph nodes was significantly lower than those of benign lymph nodes (0.787 × 10−3 mm2/s ± 0.145 versus 1.043 × 10−3 mm2/s ± 0.257) ( P < 0.05). In addition, ADC ratio of metastatic lymph nodes with breast lesion was significantly lower than those of benign lymph nodes with breast tumor lesions (0.986 ± 0.17 versus 1.375 ± 0.417) ( P < 0.05). Once the ADC ratio was fixed at 0.889 × 10−3 mm2/s, the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were 82.22%, 82.35% and 82.28%, respectively. The cutoff of ADC ratio was at 1.097 × 10−3 mm2/s, the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy can be up to 84.44%, 88.24%, and 86.08%. Conclusion ADC value and ADC ratio could be used as a reliable parameter to detect the axillary lymph nodes metastasis in breast cancer patients, and ADC ratio has a higher accuracy. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2013;38:824-828. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of non-thermal plasma (NTP) on the emission control over PM, THC and NOx of diesel engine is studied in this paper. The results show that the input energy of dielectric barrier discharge reactor and the processed exhaust flow rate are the main factors influencing the emission control effects of NTP. In low-energy window with an input voltage of around 7. 5KV, the emission control effects of NTP is good for NOx, but is poor for PM and THC; while in high-energy window with an input voltage of 10KV, NTP can effectively reduce the emission of PM and THC, but may increase the emission of NOx. Under the same input energy, higher processed exhaust flow rate leads to poorer emission control effect of NTP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A class of hyperchaotic systems has strong noise robustness. When conventional synchronization algorithms are used in this system, however, the convergence rate of synchronization is slow, and the synchronization performances are very sensitive to the parameters of response system. To resolve the problems, synchronization using nonlinear feedback control is proposed. According to Hurwitz stability theory, designing a nonlinear controller can make the real parts of the eigenvalues of the error equation's Jacobian matrix negative. And the absolute values of the eigenvalues are larger, the convergence rate of synchronization is faster. Besides, the theoretical results of parameters insensitivity are given. Finally, numerical simulations are given to verify and test the correctness and effectiveness of the methods we proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exposure of the central nervous system to organophosphorus (OP) nerve agents causes seizures and neuronal cell death. Benzodiazepines are commonly used to treat seizures induced by OPs. However, it is known that soman-induced seizures are particularly resistant to benzodiazepine treatment, as compared with other OPs. This study investigated the effect of soman on γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurotransmission in acute rat hippocampal slices and the surface expression of GABA receptors in cultured rat hippocampal neurons. Results showed that GABA-mediated inhibitory post synaptic currents (IPSCs) are significantly reduced by soman in a concentration-dependent manner in acute rat hippocampal slices. Furthermore, confocal microscopic and cell-based ELISA assays revealed that soman caused rapid internalization of GABA receptors in cultured rat hippocampal neurons. The effect of soman on GABAR endocytosis was not due to inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) because (1) the acetylcholine muscarinic receptor antagonist atropine did not block soman-induced GABAR endocytosis; and (2) physostigmine, at concentrations that completely inhibit AChE activity, did not cause GABAR endocytosis. Moreover, blocking of the N-methyl- d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors by 2-amino-5-phosphonovalerate (APV) had no effect on soman-induced GABAR endocytosis, suggesting that the soman effect was not secondary to glutamate receptor over activation. Regardless of the exact mechanism, the observation that soman induces rapid GABAR endocytosis may have significant implications in the development of effective countermeasures against soman-induced seizures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The electromagnetic and microwave absorption properties of the composites employing FeSi alloy powders with different particle sizes as absorbent and paraffin as matrix were investigated. The results showed that the particle size had significant influence on the electromagnetic and microwave absorption properties of the composites in the 2–7GHz frequency range. By decreasing the particle size of FeSi alloy powders, both the complex permittivity and permeability of the composites increased to a certain extent. In addition, the microwave absorption properties were improved, and the frequency of absorption peak shifted towards lower frequency range. In other words, the micron-grade FeSi alloy powders with smaller particle size were more suitable to be used as absorbent in measured frequency region. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: To prevent serious electromagnetic interference, a single-layer wave-absorbing coating employing complex absorbents composed of carbonyl-iron powder (CIP) and carbon black (CB) with epoxy resin as matrix was prepared. The morphologies of CIP and CB were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM), respectively. The electromagnetic parameters of CIP and CB were measured in the frequency range of 2–18GHz by transmission/reflection technology, and the electromagnetic loss mechanisms of the two particles were discussed, respectively. The microwave absorption properties of the coatings were investigated by measuring reflection loss (RL) using arch method. The effects of CIP ratio, CB content and thickness on the microwave absorption properties were discussed, respectively. The results showed that the higher thickness, CIP or CB content could make the absorption band shift towards the lower frequency range. Significantly, the wave-absorbing coating could be applied in different frequency ranges according to actual demand by controlling the content of CIP or CB in composites. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The complex permittivity, permeability and microwave-absorbing properties of rubber composites filled with carbonyl iron are measured at frequencies from 2-18 GHz. The results indicate that the reflection loss peak shifts towards low frequency region with increasing layer thickness or increasing weight concentration. The minimum reflection loss value of −23.06 dB was obtained at 3.3 GHz for the composites with 80% wt. These results show that the composites possess good microwave absorbing ability in both low- and highfrequency bands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: To solve more and more serious electromagnetic interference problem, one thin microwave absorbing sheet employing carbonyl-iron powder (CIP) and chlorinated polyethylene (CPE) was prepared. The pattern, static magnetic properties and phase of CIP were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), respectively. The electromagnetic parameters of CIP were measured in the frequency range of 2–18GHz, and the electromagnetic loss mechanisms of the powder were discussed. The microwave absorption properties of composite sheets with different thicknesses and CIP ratios in matrix were investigated by measuring reflection loss (RL) in 2–18GHz frequency range using the arch method. The results showed that appropriate CIP content and thickness could greatly improve microwave absorption properties in lower frequency range. For the sample with the weight ratio (CIP:CPE) of 16:1 and 1.5mm thickness, the bandwidth (RL below −10dB) achieved 1.1GHz (2–3.1GHz), and the minimum reflection loss value was obtained −13.2dB at 2.2GHz. This suggested that CIP/CPE composites could be applied as thin microwave absorbers in S-band (2–4GHz). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A rapid and sensitive bioassay based on liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) for the simultaneous determination of four isomeric escin saponins (escin Ia, escin Ib, isoescin Ia and isoescin Ib) in human plasma has been developed and validated. Sample preparation of plasma after addition of telmisartan as internal standard (I.S.) involved solid-phase extraction (SPE) on C18 cartridges. Separation was based on reversed phase chromatography using gradient elution with methanol–acetonitrile (50:50, v/v) and 10mM ammonium acetate solution (pH 6.8). MS/MS detection in the positive ion mode used multiple reaction monitoring of the transition at m/z 1113.8→807.6. Stability issues with the four saponins required the addition of formic acid to plasma samples prior to storage at −80°C and analysis within 30 days. The method was linear at concentrations up to 10ng/mL with correlation coefficients>0.996 for all analytes. The lower limit of quantitation (LLOQ) for all four saponins was 33pg/mL. Intra- and inter-day precisions (as relative standard deviation) were all <15% and accuracies (as relative error) in the range −5.3% to 6.1%. The method was successfully applied to a pharmacokinetic study of escins in healthy volunteers after oral administration of sodium aescinate tablets containing 60mg escin saponins. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Mutations of GABAAR have reportedly led to epileptic encephalopathy and neurodevelopmental disorders. We have identified a novel de novo T292S missense variant of GABRA1 from a pediatric patient with grievous global developmental delay but without obvious epileptic activity. This mutation coincidentally occurs at the same residue as that of a previously reported GABRA1 variant T292I identified from a pediatric patient with severe epilepsy. The distinct phenotypes of these two patients prompted us to compare the impacts of the two mutants on the receptor function and to search for suitable therapeutics. In this study, we used biochemical techniques and patch-clamp recordings in HEK293 cells overexpressing either wild-type or mutated rat recombinant GABAARs. We found that the α1T292S variant significantly increased GABA-evoked whole-cell currents, shifting the dose–response curve to the left without altering the maximal response. In contrast, the α1T292I variant significantly reduced GABA-evoked currents, shifting the dose–response curve to the right with a severely diminished maximum response. Single-channel recordings further revealed that the α1T292S variant increased, while the α1T292I variant decreased the GABAAR single-channel open time and open probability. Importantly, we found that the T292S mutation-induced increase in GABAAR function could be fully normalized by the negative GABAAR modulator thiocolchicoside, whereas the T292I mutation-induced impairment of GABAAR function was largely rescued with a combination of the GABAAR positive modulators diazepam and verapamil. Our study demonstrated that α1T292 is a critical residue for controlling GABAAR channel gating, and mutations at this residue may produce opposite impacts on the function of the receptors. Thus, the present work highlights the importance of functionally characterizing each individual GABAAR mutation for ensuring precision medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following publication of the original article [1], the authors reported errors in Figure 4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: One of the transduction mechanisms for the chemoreception of fat has been proposed to involve the inhibition of delayed rectifying potassium (DRK) channels by polyunsaturated free fatty acids (PUFAs). In the present study we have compared the responsiveness of fungiform taste receptor cells (TRCs) to fatty acids in obesity-prone (Osborne–Mendel; O–M) and obesity-resistant (S5B/Pl) rat strains using patch clamp recording. TRCs from S5B/Pl rats were markedly more responsive to PUFAs than those from O–M, yet with identical inhibition constants. Moreover, addition of PUFAs to subthreshold concentrations of saccharin enhanced preference for the mixture in two-bottle preference tests compared to the saccharin alone in S5B/Pl but not O–M rats. The correlation between electrophysiological and behavioral effects of PUFAs suggested that differences in fatty acid-sensitive DRK expression may underlie the phenotypic differences between S5B/Pl and O–M rats. Consistent with this hypothesis, O–M rats exhibit a greater DRK current density and express quantitatively more DRK channels as assayed using quantitative real-time PCR. No differences were found when comparing expression of fatty acid activated two pore domain potassium channels. We propose that the ratio of fatty acid-sensitive DRK channels to fatty acid-insensitive DRK channels may be important to contributing to overall peripheral fatty acid sensitivity and in that way influence the strength of the resulting chemosensory response to fat. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Activation of N-methyl-D-aspartate subtype glutamate receptors (NMDARs) is required for long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD) of excitatory synaptic transmission at hippocampal CA1 synapses, the proposed cellular substrates of learning and memory. However, little is known about how activation of NMDARs leads to these two opposing forms of synaptic plasticity. Using hippocampal slice preparations, we snowed that selectively blocking NMDARs that contain the NR2B subunit abolishes the induction of LTD but not LTP. In contrast, preferential inhibition of NR2A-containing NMDARs prevents the induction of LTP without affecting LTD production. These results demonstrate that distinct NMDAR subunits are critical factors that determine the polarity of synaptic plasticity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The a-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid (AMPA) subtype of glutamate receptors is subject to functionally distinct constitutive and regulated clathrin-dependent endocytosis, contributing to various forms of synaptic plasticity. In HEK293 cells transiently expressing GluR1 or GluR2 mutants containing domain deletions or point mutations in their intracellular carboxyl termini (CT), we found that deletion of the first 10 amino acids (834-843) selectively reduced the rate of constitutive AMPA receptor endocytosis, whereas truncation of the last 15 amino acids of the GluR2 CT, or point mutation of the tyrosine residues in this region, only eliminated the regulated (insulin-stimulated) endocytosis. Moreover, in hippocampal slices, both insulin treatment and low-frequency stimulation (LFS) specifically stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation of the GluR2 subunits of native AMPA receptors, and the enhanced phosphorylation appears necessary for both insulin- and LFS-induced long-term depression of AMPA receptor-mediated excitatory postsynaptic currents. Thus, our results demonstrate that constitutive and regulated AMPA receptor endocytosis requires different sequences within GluR CTs and tyrosine phosphorylation of GluR2 CT is required for the regulated AMPA receptor endocytosis and hence the expression of certain forms of synaptic plasticity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel image encryption and adaptive embedding algorithm is proposed by combining 4D memristive hyperchaos, parallel compressive sensing (PCS) and slant transform (ST). • A lossy transform domain-based embedding method is designed to embed the unquantized cipher data into the host image to improve the decrypted quality and robustness of the algorithm. • The frequency-domain information of plain image is associated with the encryption process. Therefore, the proposed encryption algorithm has good plaintext sensitivity. • There is no need to transmit the quantization parameters as secret keys to decrypter. Additionally, the generated visually meaningful image has the same size as the plain image. It does not increase the storage space and transmission cost. [Display omitted] A novel image encryption and adaptive embedding algorithm is proposed in this paper by combining 4D memristive hyperchaos, parallel compressive sensing (PCS) and slant transform (ST). This work dedicates to balancing the performance of existing visually meaningful image encryption algorithms which embed cipher image into host image in spatial or transform domains. First, the 2D discrete wavelet transform (DWT) is adopted to sparse the plain image. Then the sparse matrix after threshold processing is encrypted and compressed through Arnold scrambling and parallel compressive sensing to obtain the cipher data. Next the noise visibility function (NVF) is utilized to find the sub-images suitable for embedding in host image. After that the unquantified cipher data are randomly embedded in them by ST-based embedding method with block-wise manner and the final visually meaningful cipher image is obtained. To withstand the chosen-plaintext attacks (CPA) and the known-plaintext attacks (KPA), the frequency-domain information of plain image is used to control the 4D memristive hyperchaos to generate the scrambling matrix. Additionally, the experimental results and comprehensive analyses demonstrate that compared with the existing related algorithms, the proposed encryption algorithm has good visual security, decryption quality and superior robustness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy conservation was crucial for operating one industrial power device unit, because the better energy management was beneficial for decreasing the cost during the operation. On the other hand, in a carbon-neutral context, decreasing the Greenhouse gas (GHG) emission was as important as the energy conservation. In this paper, the direct method of the evaluation on the fuel consumption for the energy management was investigated. The fuel consumption factor for the energy conservation was studied in terms of ten different types of the single fuel consumption factor, the average value of the single fuel consumption factor, and the total fuel consumption factor. The result showed that the maximum of the fuel consumption factor was from the backpressure in the turbine part. The fuel consumption factor decreased from 12.65 g/kWh to 9.23 g/kWh after the optimization during the operation. The effect for the energy conservation could reach over 80%, and the cost saving for the optimization could be over 4.65 million US dollars for one year on one power station in China. the goal on the analysis of the fuel consumption factor was controlling the use of the coal, and thus also controlling the CO2 emission. • The fuel consumption factor was proposed and studied. • The optimization for the energy conservation was investigated. • The carbon neutral context for the carbon emission was discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A new two-dimensional chaotic system (2D-LACM) is designed based on two one-dimensional chaotic systems through dynamic modulation technique, which has more complex chaotic properties and better ergodicity than those of the improved chaotic maps in Refs [10] and [32]. • A visually meaningful image cryptosystem is designed utilizing the newly designed chaotic system, which can reduce the possibility of cipher image being attacked. • The plain image containing secret messages can be encrypted into a noisy-like image, and dynamically embedded into a cover image by the discrete cosine transform which does not require additional storage space or transmission bandwidth. • The proposed cryptosystem in this paper has larger keyspace, higher secret key sensitivity and better anti-cropping property. In addition, the generated steganographic image has a well visual effect. With the increasing requirements of the performance in secure communication filed based on chaos, chaotic systems have been gradually developed into higher dimensions. Because the sequence generated by one-dimension chaos, such as Chebyshev map has the problem of weak chaotic properties and uneven distribution, a new two-dimensional chaotic map, called Logistic-Adjusted-Chebyshev map (2D-LACM), is proposed in this paper which enlarges the range of chaotic control parameter, and expands the range of surjection to the entire control parameter interval to make the distribution of the sequence more uniform. Compared with other improved chaotic maps, the proposed 2D-LACM in this paper has more complex chaotic properties and better ergodicity. Next, a visualized image encryption algorithm based on 2D-LACM is proposed (LACM-VIEA), which can encrypt the plain image into a noisy image, and then embed it into a cover image of the same size. In order to demonstrate the security of LACM-VIEA, the algorithm is analyzed in detail from the aspects of key, histogram, visual effect, robustness and anti-plaintext attacks, etc. The final analysis results show that LACM-VIEA has good security performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is currently spreading and mutating with increasing speed worldwide. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a simple, sensitive, and high-throughput (HTP) assay to quantify virus–host interactions in order to quickly evaluate the infectious ability of mutant viruses and to develop or validate virus-inhibiting drugs. Here, we developed an ultrasensitive bioluminescent biosensor to evaluate virus–cell interactions by quantifying the interaction between the SARS-CoV-2 receptor binding domain (RBD) and its cellular receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) both in living cells and in vitro. We have successfully used this novel biosensor to analyze SARS-CoV-2 RBD mutants and evaluated candidate small molecules (SMs), antibodies, and peptides that may block RBD:ACE2 interaction. This simple, rapid, and HTP biosensor tool will significantly expedite the detection of viral mutants and the anti-COVID-19 drug discovery process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper reports an experimental study of the adhesive contact between liquid-bridged hydrogel microparticles. A novel nanomechanical tester has been developed to measure both the force-approach curves at sub-micro resolutions as well as the side-view images between two agarose spheres during pull-off. Meanwhile, the JKR theory has been extended to quantify the work of adhesion at the solid-liquid-vapor interface and Young's modulus of the particles based on the measured parameters. Our research findings show the work of adhesion is independent of the separation speed and, by contrast, Young's modulus exhibits a linear increase. Our study also demonstrates that JKR reconciles with the generalized Hertz theory, which takes capillary force into account for soft microspheres in a relationship that the work of adhesion is equal to twice the surface tension of water. These new findings are essential for developing techniques to quantitatively characterize capillary adhesion of soft particulate materials and potentially to improve the material performance in their applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease has been considered as one of the most important causes of liver disease, and it is a threat to human and animal health worldwide. Interestingly, goose fatty liver can reach 8–10 times the weight of normal liver with no overt pathological symptoms, suggesting that there are some protective mechanisms. Scientists have indicated that gut microbiota participate in the formation of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in human and mammalian animals. However, it is unclear whether gut microbiota and their metabolites contribute to goose fatty liver. The aim of the present study was to investigate the metabolomic analyses of liver and intestinal contents in overfed vs. normally fed geese. The results showed that the formation of goose fatty liver is accompanied by obvious changes in the metabolic profiles of liver and intestinal contents. The intestinal metabolites can affect the formation of goose fatty liver by affecting the metabolisms of glucose and fatty acid, oxidative stress, and inflammatory reactions. These findings provide a basis for future work addressing the relationship between intestinal metabolites and the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. No overt pathological symptoms are observed in the goose liver with severe steatosis, suggesting that geese may host unique protective mechanisms. Gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry-based metabolomics analyses of liver and intestinal contents in overfed vs. normally fed geese (26 geese in each treatment) were investigated. We found that overfeeding significantly changed the metabolic profiles of liver and intestinal contents. The differential metabolites mainly belong to fatty acids, amino acids, organic acids, and amines. The differential metabolites were involved in glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, glycerolipid metabolism, the pentose phosphate pathway, fatty acid degradation, the sphingolipid signaling pathway, and the biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids. Moreover, we determined the biological effects of arachidonic acid (ARA) and tetrahydrocorticosterone (TD) in goose primary hepatocytes and intestinal cells. Data showed that the mRNA expression of arachidonate 5-lipoxygenase (ALOX5) in goose primary intestinal cells was significantly induced by 0.50 mM ARA treatment. Cytochrome P-450 27A1 (CYP27A1) mRNA expression was significantly inhibited in goose primary hepatocytes by 1 µM TD treatment. In conclusion, the formation of goose fatty liver is accompanied by significant changes in the metabolic profiles of liver and intestinal contents, and the changes are closely related to the metabolisms of glucose and fatty acids, oxidative stress, and inflammatory reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is the most lethal disease among female genital malignant tumors. Peptidylarginine deiminase type II(PADI II) has been shown to enhance a variety of cancers carcinogenesis, including ovarian cancer. The purpose of this study was to investigate the biological role of PADI2 in ovarian cancer (OC) and the relative mechanism.Methods: Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA) ( https://gepia.pku.cn/ ) and ONCOMINE ( https://www.oncomine.org/ ) were used to analyze PADI2 Gene Expression data. The survival curve for the PADI2 gene was generated by using the online Kaplan-Meier mapping site ( https://www.kmplot.com/ ). We conducted MTT assay, cloning formation assay and EdU cell proliferation assay to detect the cell activity of PADI2 knockdown A2780 and SKOV3 ovarian cancer cells treated with Olaparib. Cell migration and invasion were observed by would healing and transwell assay. The pathway changes after the treatment of PADI2 were detected by transcriptome sequencing and western blot. The role of PADI2 combined with Olaparib treatment in vivo was studied in nude mouse model bearing ovarian cancer tumor.Results: We investigated the role of PADI2 on EOC in vitro and in vivo. PADI2 was upregulated in ovarian cancer samples and high PADI2 expression was correlated with poor outcome. Downregulating PADI2 suppressed colony formation, proliferation, migration and invasion of A2780 and SKOV3 cells. Furthermore, downregulating PADI2 and Olaparib combination treatment attenuated the viability, migration and invasion of A2780 and SKOV3 cells. We identified differentially expressed genes in A2780-shPADI2 and SKOV3-shPADI2 cell by transcriptome sequencing analysis and verified that downregulating PADI2 and Olaparib combination treatment suppresses EMT and JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway in A2780 and SKOV3 cells in vitro and in vivo.Conclusions: Downregulation of PADI2 and Olaparib combination treatment attenuated the proliferation, migration and invasion of A2780 and SKOV3 cells by inhibiting the EMT through JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid subtype glutamate receptors (AMPARs) mediate the fast excitatory synaptic transmission in the mammalian brain and are important for synaptic plasticity. In particular, the rapid insertion of the GluA1 homomeric (GluA1-homo) AMPARs into the postsynaptic membrane is considered to be critical in the expression of hippocampal CA1 long-term potentiation (LTP), which is important for certain forms of learning and memory. However, how the formation and trafficking of GluA1-homo AMPARs are regulated remains poorly understood. Here, we report that p97 specifically interacts with and promotes the formation of GluA1-homo AMPARs. The association with p97 retains GluA1-homo AMPARs in the intracellular compartment under basal conditions, and its dissociation allows GluA1-homo AMPARs to be rapidly inserted into the postsynaptic membrane shortly after LTP induction. Thus, our results shed lights into the molecular mechanisms by which p97 regulates GluA1-homo AMPARs formation and trafficking, thereby playing a critical role in mediating synaptic plasticity. AMPA receptors mediate excitatory synaptic transmission and are involved in synaptic plasticity. The authors show that p97 interacts with the GluA1 subunit of AMPA receptors, promotes the formation of GluA1 homomeric AMPA receptors, and regulates AMPA receptor trafficking during synaptic plasticity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: CircRNA‐encoded proteins (CEPs) are emerging as new players in health and disease, and function as baits for the common partners of their cognate linear‐spliced RNA encoded proteins (LEPs). However, their prevalence across human tissues and biological roles remain largely unexplored. The placenta is an ideal model for identifying CEPs due to its considerable protein diversity that is required to sustain fetal development during pregnancy. The aim of this study was to evaluate circRNA translation in the human placenta, and the potential roles of the CEPs in placental development and dysfunction. Methods: Multiomics approaches, including RNA sequencing, ribosome profiling, and LC‐MS/MS analysis, were utilised to identify novel translational events of circRNAs in human placentas. Bioinformatics methods and the protein bait hypothesis were employed to evaluate the roles of these newly discovered CEPs in placentation and associated disorders. The pathogenic role of a recently identified CEP circPRKCB119aa in preeclampsia was investigated through qRT‐PCR, Western blotting, immunofluorescence imaging and phenotypic analyses. Results: We found that 528 placental circRNAs bound to ribosomes with active translational elongation, and 139 were translated to proteins. The CEPs showed considerable structural homology with their cognate LEPs, but are more stable, hydrophobic and have a lower molecular‐weight than the latter, all of which are conducive to their function as baits. On this basis, CEPs are deduced to be closely involved in placental function. Furthermore, we focused on a novel CEP circPRKCB119aa, and illuminated its pathogenic role in preeclampsia; it enhanced trophoblast autophagy by acting as a bait to inhibit phosphorylation of the cognate linear isoform PKCβ. Conclusions: We discovered a hidden circRNA‐encoded proteome in the human placenta, which offers new insights into the mechanisms underlying placental development, as well as placental disorders such as preeclampsia. Key points: A hidden circRNA‐encoded proteome in the human placenta was extensively identified and systematically characterised.The circRNA‐encoded proteins (CEPs) are potentially related to placental development and associated disorders.A novel conserved CEP circPRKCB119aa enhanced trophoblast autophagy by inhibiting phosphorylation of its cognate linear‐spliced isoform protein kinase C (PKC) β in preeclampsia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Malignant tumors constitute a serious disease that threaten human life, and early diagnosis and metastasis prediction are critical to the choice of treatment plan and the timing of treatment. Integrin αvβ3, which has received broad attention as a molecular marker of the tumor neovasculature, is an important target for monitoring tumorigenesis and progression in molecular imaging research. This study reports a magnetic resonance (MR)/fluorescence dual-mode molecular probe, cRGD-Gd-Cy5.5, which targets the integrin αvβ3 receptor and uses liposomes as carrier. The obtained nanoprobe had a size of 60.08 ± 0.45 nm, with good dispersion in water, a uniform distribution of sizes, desirable stability, and high relaxivity. Its r1 relaxation rate was 10.515 mM−1 s−1, much higher than that of other Gd chelates in clinical use. The probe showed no cytotoxicity at the tested concentrations in vitro, and its ability to target A549 cells and SUNE-1-5-8F cells was preliminarily evaluated through in vitro fluorescence imaging and MR imaging. The results demonstrated that the cRGD-Gd-Cy5.5 nanoprobe had good characteristics, showing desirable stability and biosafety, a high T1 relaxation rate, and strong targeting and binding to tumors with high expression of integrin αvβ3. Therefore, cRGD-Gd-Cy5.5 is a promising agent for the visual monitoring of tumor metastasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are no approved flaviviral therapies and the development of vaccines against flaviruses has the potential of being undermined by antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE). The flavivirus nonstructural protein 1 (NS1) is a promising vaccine antigen with low ADE risk but has yet to be explored as a broad-spectrum therapeutic antibody target. Here, we provide the structural basis of NS1 antibody cross-reactivity through cocrystallization of the antibody 1G5.3 with NS1 proteins from dengue and Zika viruses. The 1G5.3 antibody blocks multi-flavivirus NS1-mediated cell permeability in disease-relevant cell lines, and therapeutic application of 1G5.3 reduces viremia and improves survival in dengue, Zika, and West Nile virus murine models. Finally, we demonstrate that 1G5.3 protection is independent of effector function, identifying the 1G5.3 epitope as a key site for broad-spectrum antiviral development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The effect of PP addition and torrefaction on fungus bran biochar was investigated. • The optimized hybrid biomass exhibited favorable characteristics for pelleting. • PP addition and torrefaction improved combustion index and activation energy. • An ideal biofuel was presented for energy conversion of plastic waste and biomass. This study explored the combustion behavior of co-torrefied biofuel derived from a novel combination of hybrid biomass and plastic waste. With the advanced thermogravimetric-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (TG-FTIR), the effect of waste polypropylene (PP) addition and co-torrefaction pretreatment on the combustion characteristics, reactivity, gaseous product release, and pelletization characteristics of Ca-rich fungus bran (FB) biofuel were systemically investigated. Notably, the presence of PP not only expedited the ignition process but also enhanced the combustion efficiency of the biofuel. In comparison, the co-torrefied hybrid biofuel demonstrated enhanced energy yields, with significant reductions in activation energy, highlighting its potential as an efficient energy source. Torrefaction enriched the biochar structure and led to improved combustion efficiency and a faster burnout rate. Additionally, the torrefaction process also increased biomass calcium content, which resulted in the effective reduction of sulfur dioxide (SO 2) emissions. The incorporation of PP also demonstrated superior biomass binding capabilities and amplified pellet quality, when combined with co-torrefaction. Overall, this research underscored the viability of PP as a complementary fuel for FB. When co-torrefied, the resultant hybrid biofuel not only offered enhanced combustion efficiency but also presented an eco-friendly solution, minimizing SO 2 emissions and acidic rain potential. This research, therefore, heralded an innovative path towards producing superior quality biomass pellets, minimizing storage and transportation costs, and optimizing energy conversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrophysiological techniques, by measuring bioelectrical signals and ion channel activities in tissues and cells, are now widely utilized to study ion channel-related physiological functions and their underlying mechanisms. Electrophysiological techniques have been extensively employed in the investigation of animals, plants, and microorganisms; however, their application in marine algae lags behind that in other organisms. In this paper, we present an overview of current electrophysiological techniques applicable to algae while reviewing the historical usage of such techniques in this field. Furthermore, we explore the potential specific applications of electrophysiological technology in harmful algal bloom (HAB) research. The application prospects in the studies of stress tolerance, competitive advantage, nutrient absorption, toxin synthesis and secretion by HAB microalgae are discussed and anticipated herein with the aim of providing novel perspectives on HAB investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main feature of grassland degradation is the change in the vegetation community structure. Hyperspectral-based grassland community identification is the basis and a prerequisite for large-area high-precision grassland degradation monitoring and management. To obtain the distribution pattern of grassland communities in Xilinhot, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China, we propose a systematic classification method (SCM) for hyperspectral grassland community identification using China's ZiYuan 1-02D (ZY1-02D) satellite. First, the sample label data were selected from the field-collected samples, vegetation map data, and function zoning data for the Nature Reserve. Second, the spatial features of the images were extracted using extended morphological profiles (EMPs) based on the reduced dimensionality of principal component analysis (PCA). Then, they were input into the random forest (RF) classifier to obtain the preclassification results for grassland communities. Finally, to reduce the influence of salt-and-pepper noise, the label similarity probability filter (LSPF) method was used for postclassification processing, and the RF was again used to obtain the final classification results. The results showed that, compared with the other seven (e.g., SVM, RF, 3D-CNN) methods, the SCM obtained the optimal classification results with an overall classification accuracy (OCA) of 94.56%. In addition, the mapping results of the SCM showed its ability to accurately identify various ground objects in large-scale grassland community scenes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from a State-III diesel engine are analyzed by thermal desorption-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (TD-GC-MS). Over 90 kinds of VOCs are detected from the exhaust gas of a State-III diesel engine under different speeds and loads. The test results indicate that aromatic hydrocarbons, including benzene, toluene, p-xylene, m-xylene, o-xylene, ethylbenzene, styrene, naphthalene etc. have higher emissions, among which the highest is toluene. Under the same speed with the increase of engine load, the styrene emissions reduces while the emissions of other aromatic hydrocarbons show a trend of fall first and then rise. The emissions of most aromatic hydrocarbons fall with the rise of engine speed at low-medium load range and have only negligible changes with different engine speeds at high load. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Epoxy resin (ER) based double-layer composite coatings were prepared with the thickness of 1.2mm, employing carbonyl iron (CI) and carbon black (CB) as absorbents in the matching layer and absorption layer respectively. Especially, SiO2 was introduced into the matching layer as wave-transmission material to improve the matching impendence. The complex permittivity, complex permeability and absorption properties were investigated in 2–18GHz. With increasing SiO2 content in the matching layer, the reflection loss (RL) was enhanced in the range 2–18GHz. When the coating with the optimized SiO2 and CI weight concentration (SiO2:CI:ER) of 2:5:1, the optimal RL got to −17.3dB and the effective absorption band (RL better than −4dB) reached 5.7GHz. In comparison, the minimum RL value was only −5.9dB and the bandwidth (RL better than −4dB) was just 4.1GHz for the SiO2-free composite coating. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Barium titanate (BT) particles were coated with Co via electroless plating approach, using hydrazine hydrate as a reducing agent. The BT and Co-coated BT particles were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscope (TEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) and vector network analyzer. The results showed that Co coating layer with hcp structure was successfully deposited on the surface of the BT. The magnetic properties of the Co-coated BT were significantly improved. The complex permittivity and permeability of the Co-coated BT were higher than those of BT. Co-coated BT with much thinner absorber thickness achieved better microwave absorption properties in comparison with uncoated BT. The microwave enhancement absorption of Co-coated BT was related to the enhanced dielectric and magnetic losses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drug-dependent neural plasticity related to drug addiction and schizophrenia can be modeled in animals as behavioral sensitization, which is induced by repeated noncontingent or self-administration of many drugs of abuse. Molecular mechanisms that are critical for behavioral sensitization have yet to be specified. Long-term depression (LTD) of α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-isoxazole-4-propionic acid receptor (AMPAR)-mediated synaptic transmission in the brain has been proposed as a cellular substrate for learning and memory. The expression of LTD in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) required clathrin-dependent endocytosis of postsynaptic AMPARs. NAc LTD was blocked by a dynamin-derived peptide that inhibited clathrin-mediated endocytosis or by a GluR2-derived peptide that blocked regulated AMPAR endocytosis. Systemic or intra-NAc infusion of the membrane-permeable GluR2 peptide prevented the expression of amphetamine-induced behavioral sensitization in the rat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]