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Beige adipocytes are a distinct type of fat cells with a thermogenic activity that have gained substantial attention as an alternative cellular anti-obesity target in humans. These cells may provide an alternative strategy for the genetic selection of pigs with reduced fat deposition. Despite the presence of beige adipocytes in piglets, the molecular signatures of porcine beige adipocytes remain unclear. Here, white and beige adipocytes from Tibetan piglets were primarily cultured and differentiated. Compared to the white adipocytes, the beige adipocytes exhibited a stronger thermogenic capacity. RNA-sequencing-based genome-wide comparative analyses revealed distinct gene expression profiles for white and beige adipocytes. In addition, two genes, integrin alpha-2 (ITGA2) and calponin 1 (CNN1), which were specifically differentially expressed in porcine beige adipocytes, were further functionally characterized using a loss-of-function approach. Our data showed that both genes were involved in differentiation and thermogenesis of porcine beige adipocytes. Collectively, these data furthered our understanding of gene expression in porcine white and beige adipocytes. Elucidating the genetic basis of beige adipogenesis in pigs will pave the way for molecular design breeding in both pigs and large animal models of human diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of study was to assess the clinical characteristics, survival outcomes of newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM) patients with extramedullary disease (EMD). We retrospectively reviewed and compared the clinical features and outcomes in 226 MM patients with or without EMD at their diagnosis. EMD patients were subsequently divided into bone-related (EMD-B) and soft-tissue related (EMD-S). EMD group was composed of 29.2% of the patients and the incidence of EMD-B and EMD-S was 19.0% and 10.2% respectively. EMD at diagnosis had greater prevalence of IGH/FGFR3 translocation (7.6% vs 2.5%, p = 0.028) and a worse objective response rate (75% vs 88.9%, p = 0.015). The overall survival (OS) of EMD and non-EMD patients were 44 months and 82 months respectively (p < 0.001)，and the progression-free survival were 24 months and 36 months respectively (p = 0.014). Multivariate analysis showed EMD at diagnosis, hypercalcemia, and elevated LDH were independent prognostic factors. Prevalence of anemia, elevated LDH, 1q21 + were greater in EMD-S and OS of EMD-S was significantly poorer (51months vs 26 months, p = 0.0067) compared with EMD-B. Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (auto-HSCT) could partly overcome the adverse effect of EMD. • EMD and EMD-S at diagnosis predict poor prognosis in MM. • EMD and EMD-S had high incidence of IGH/FGFR3 rearrangement and 1q21 + respectively. • Auto-HSCT prolongs both EMD and EMD-S patients' PFS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

LncRNAs, which represent one of the most highly expressed classes of ncRNAs in the brain, are becoming increasingly interesting with regard to brain functions and disorders. However, changes in the expression of regulatory lncRNAs in Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) have not yet been reported. Using microarrays, we profiled the expression of 34834 lncRNAs and 39224 mRNAs in peripheral blood sampled from MDD patients as well as demographically-matched controls. Among these, we found that 2007 lncRNAs and 1667 mRNAs were differentially expressed, 17 of which were documented as depression-related gene in previous studies. Gene Ontology (GO) and pathway analyses indicated that the biological functions of differentially expressed mRNAs were related to fundamental metabolic processes and neurodevelopment diseases. To investigate the potential regulatory roles of the differentially expressed lncRNAs on the mRNAs, we also constructed co-expression networks composed of the lncRNAs and mRNAs, which shows significant correlated patterns of expression. In the MDD-derived network, there were a greater number of nodes and connections than that in the control-derived network. The lncRNAs located at chr10:874695-874794, chr10:75873456-75873642, and chr3:47048304-47048512 may be important factors regulating the expression of mRNAs as they have previously been reported associations with MDD. This study is the first to explore genome-wide lncRNA expression and co-expression with mRNA patterns in MDD using microarray technology. We identified circulating lncRNAs that are aberrantly expressed in MDD and the results suggest that lncRNAs may contribute to the molecular pathogenesis of MDD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Carbon dots (C-dots) are a class of novel fluorescent nanomaterials, which have drawn great attention for their potential applications in bio-nanotechnology. Multicolor C-dots have been synthesized by chemical nitric acid oxidation using the reproducible plant soot as raw material. TEM analysis reveals that the prepared C-dots have an average size of 3.1nm. The C-dots are well dispersed in aqueous solution and are strongly fluorescent under the irradiation of ultra-violet light. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy characterization demonstrates that the O/C atomic ratio for C-dots change to from 0.207 to 0.436 due to the chemical oxidation process. The photo bleaching experiment reveals that the C-dots show excellent photostability as compared with the conventional organic dyes, fluorescein and rhodamine B. The fluorescence intensity of the C-dots did not change significantly in the pH range of 3–10. To further enhance the fluorescence quantum yield, the C-dots were surface modified with four types of passivation ligands, 4,7,10-trioxa-1,13-tridecanediamine (TTDDA), poly-L-lysine (PLL), cysteine and chitosan and the fluorescence quantum yields of the TTDDA, PLL, cysteine and chitosan passivated C-dots were improved 1.53-, 5.94-, 2.00- and 3.68-fold, respectively. Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectra were employed to characterize the surface groups of the C-dots. The bio-application of the C-dots as fluorescent bio-probes was evaluated in cell imaging and ex vivo fish imaging, which suggests that the C-dots may have potential applications in biolabeling and bioimaging. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

(CrNbTiAlV)N x high-entropy nitride films were prepared using magnetron sputtering method. The effect of substrate bias on the microstructure, mechanical, electrochemical, and tribo-corrosion properties of the films was systematically studied. The results show that the microstructure of the film changes from a loose columnar structure to a compact nanocrystal structure with the increase of substrate bias, accompanied by the preferred orientation from (200) to (111). The hardness, modulus and residual stress are positively correlated with increased substrate bias, reaching the maximum values of 35.3 GPa, 353.7 GPa and −6.41 GPa at −156 V, respectively. Under static corrosion, the film deposited under −126 V has the most positive E corr of −0.05 V and the lowest i corr of 0.013 μA/cm2. Under tribo-corrosion, the films deposited at −96 V and −126 V show the lowest coefficient of friction (~0.2) and wear rate (~4.4 × 10−7 mm3·N−1·m−1), respectively. The evolution of microstructure and mechanical property are the main factors affecting the tribo-corrosion behavior of (CrNbTiAlV)N x films. [Display omitted] • (CrNbTiAlV)N x high-entropy films were deposited at various substrate bias by magnetron sputtering. • The structure of the films changed from loose columnar to compact with the increase of substrate bias. • The hardness, modulus and residual stress of the films were positively correlated with increasing bias. • The influencing factors of (CrNbTiAlV)N x films under static corrosion and dynamic tribocorrosion were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Experimental evidences show that the gas ionization induced positive charge accumulation can lead to the field electron emission from carbon nanotubes, partially covered with ethocel thin film and ZnO nanorods. This effect can lead to a novel ionization gas sensing mechanism, which can be used to identify the gaseous chemical composition based on the characteristic resistivity of the gases without strong field effect of field ionization and gaseous breakdown. The hypothesis for illustration is suggested that: (1) the cosmic ray ionization frequency increases 108–1010 times due to the metastable population resulted from the interaction between the gases and the CNTs; (2) the flux of positive charges is converged due to the ZnO nanorods. The resulted positive charge local density is high enough to trigger the field emission. The experimental results are shown to be in consistent with the theoretical expectations, qualitatively. The methodology is advantageous in the context of the ionization gas sensors because its I–V characteristics are linear so that the signals can be sampled more easily than that of the gaseous breakdown critical voltage sampling. Besides, the device does not suffer from the degradation effect in the gaseous breakdown processes and exhibits better repeatability. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Oleosins are hydrophobic plant proteins thought to be important for the formation of oil bodies, which supply energy for seed germination and subsequent seedling growth. To better understand the evolutionary history and diversity of the oleosin gene family in plants, especially angiosperms, we systematically investigated the molecular evolution of this family using eight representative angiosperm species. A total of 73 oleosin members were identified, with six members in each of four monocot species and a greater but variable number in the four eudicots. A phylogenetic analysis revealed that the angiosperm oleosin genes belonged to three monophyletic lineages. Species-specific gene duplications, caused mainly by segmental duplication, led to the great expansion of oleosin genes and occurred frequently in eudicots after the monocot–eudicot divergence. Functional divergence analyses indicate that significant amino acid site-specific selective constraints acted on the different clades of oleosins. Adaptive evolution analyses demonstrate that oleosin genes were subject to strong purifying selection after their species-specific duplications and that rapid evolution occurred with a high degree of evolutionary dynamics in the pollen-specific oleosin genes. In conclusion, this study serves as a foundation for genome-wide analyses of the oleosins. These findings provide insight into the function and evolution of this gene family in angiosperms and pave the way for studies in other plants. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

J. Neurochem. (2012) 121, 228-238. Abstract Amyloid β-protein (Aβ) deposits in brains of Alzheimer's disease patients generate proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines that recruit microglial cells to phagocytose Aβ. Nucleotides released from apoptotic cells activate P2Y2 receptors (P2Y2Rs) in macrophages to promote clearance of dead cells. In this study, we investigated the role of P2Y2Rs in the phagocytosis and clearance of Aβ. Treatment of mouse primary microglial cells with fibrillar (fAβ1-42) and oligomeric (oAβ1-42) Aβ1-42 aggregation solutions caused a rapid release of ATP (maximum after 10 min). Furthermore, fAβ1-42 and oAβ1-42 treatment for 24 h caused an increase in P2Y2R gene expression. Treatment with fAβ1-42 and oAβ1-42 aggregation solutions increased the motility of neighboring microglial cells, a response inhibited by pre-treatment with apyrase, an enzyme that hydrolyzes nucleotides. The P2Y2R agonists ATP and UTP caused significant uptake of Aβ1-42 by microglial cells within 30 min, which reached a maximum within 1 h, but did not increase Aβ1-42 uptake by primary microglial cells isolated from P2Y2R−/− mice. Inhibitors of αv integrins, Src and Rac decreased UTP-induced Aβ1-42 uptake, suggesting that these previously identified components of the P2Y2R signaling pathway play a role in Aβ phagocytosis by microglial cells. Finally, we found that UTP treatment enhances Aβ1-42 degradation by microglial cells, but not in cells isolated from P2Y2R−/− mice. Taken together, our findings suggest that P2Y2Rs can activate microglial cells to enhance Aβ clearance and highlight the P2Y2R as a therapeutic target in Alzheimer's disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the aim of improving fertilizer use efficiency andminimizingthe negative impact on the environment, a new double-coated slow-releasenitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer with water retention was prepared.Wheat straw was introduced into the formulations as the basic coatingmaterial. Specifically, poly(acrylic acid-co-N-hydroxymethyl acrylamide)/wheat straw superabsorbent compositewas used as the outer coating, and wheat straw/sodium alginate blendswas used as the inner coating. The degradation of the superabsorbentcomposite in the soil solution was studied. The impact of the contentof wheat straw on the extent of degradation in cellulase solutionwas also examined. The superabsorbent composite synthesized underthe optimal conditions showed super water absorbency and excellentdegradability. The water-retention property and the nutrient slow-releasebehavior of the product were investigated. The results revealed thatthe product with water-retention and slow-release capacity, beingeconomical, nontoxic in soil, and eco-friendly, could find good applicationin agriculture and horticulture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The clinical significance of glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL) is inconclusive. Objective: This study was conducted to examine the association of GI and GL with clinical cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors including body weight, blood pressure (BP), serum lipids, fasting glucose, insulin and homocysteine over time among the PREMIER participants. Design: PREMIER was an 18-month randomized lifestyle intervention trial, conducted from 2000 to 2002, designed to help participants reduce BP by following the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) dietary pattern, losing weight, reducing sodium and increasing physical activity. GI and GL were estimated from 24 h diet recall data at baseline, 6 and 18 months after intervention. PROC MIXED model was used to examine the association of changes in GI or GL with changes in CVD risk factors. Results: A total of 756 randomized participants, 62% females and 34% African Americans and who averaged 50.0±0.3 years old and 95.3±0.7 kg, were included in this report. Neither GI nor GL changes was associated with changes in any risk factors at 6 months. At 18 months, however, the GI change was significantly and positively associated with total cholesterol (TC) change only (p <0.05, β23.80±12.11 mg/dL or 0.62±0.31 mmol/L) with a significant age interaction. The GL change was significantly associated with TC (p=.02, β0.28±0.15 mg/dL or 0.01±0.00 mmol/L) positively and with low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) changes negatively (p=0.03, β - -0.01±0.00 mg/dL or 0.0090.00 mmol/L), and significant age interactions were observed for both. Conclusion: GI and GL was associated with TC and LDL-C after controlling for energy, fat and fiber intake and other potential confounders and the associations were modified by age. Further investigation into this relationship is important because of its potential clinical impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: The relationship between major depressive disorder (MDD) and dysthymia, a form of chronic depression, is complex. The two conditions are highly comorbid and it is unclear whether they are two separate disease entities. We investigated the extent to which patients with dysthymia superimposed on major depression can be distinguished from those with recurrent MDD. Methods: We examined the clinical features in 1970 Han Chinese women with MDD (DSM-IV) between 30 and 60years of age across China. Logistic regression was used to determine the association between clinical features of MDD and dysthymia and between dysthymia and disorders comorbid with major depression. Results: The 354 cases with dysthymia had more severe MDD than those without, with more episodes of MDD and greater co-morbidity for anxiety disorders. Patients with dysthymia had higher neuroticism scores and were more likely to have a family history of MDD. They were also more likely to have suffered serious life events. Limitations: Results were obtained in a clinically ascertained sample of Chinese women and may not generalize to community-acquired samples or to other populations. It is not possible to determine whether the associations represent causal relationships. Conclusions: The additional diagnosis of dysthymia in Chinese women with recurrent MDD defines a meaningful and potentially important subtype. We conclude that in some circumstances it is possible to distinguish double depression from recurrent MDD. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: To improve fertilizer use efficiency and minimize its negative impact on environment, a slow-release nitrogen and boron fertilizer with water-retention was prepared. Wheat straw was used as skeletal material in copolymerization on which acrylic acid monomer can be grafted to form superabsorbent composite. Urea and borax were introduced to provide nitrogen (N) and boron (B) nutrients, respectively. The product possessed a core/shell structure. Its core was urea in attapulgite and alginate matrix, and the shell was chemically modified wheat straw-g-poly(acrylic acid)/attapulgite (CMWS-g-PAA/APT) superabsorbent composite containing urea and borax. The effects of the amount of cross-linker, initiator, chemically modified wheat straw and attapulgite on water absorbency were investigated and optimized. The water absorbency of superabsorbent synthesized under optimal conditions was 186gg−1 in tap water. Ammonia-selective electrode and inductively coupled plasma results showed that the contents of the nitrogen and boron of the product were 23.3% and 0.65%, respectively. The water retention capacity and the slow-release behavior of N and B of the product were investigated. The results showed that the product with slow-release and water-retention capacity, being economical, nontoxic in soil and environment-friendly, could be found good application in agriculture and horticultural. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Background: Growing evidence shows that the etiological causes and pathological processes underlying major depressive disorder (MDD) and schizophrenia (SCZ) overlap. Our previous study revealed a strong association between the polymorphism ss178077483 in the miRNA-30e precursor (pre-miR-30e) and the risk of SCZ. We thus hypothesized that this SCZ risk allele at the pre-miR-30e gene also confers risk of MDD. Methods: To explore the relationship between miR-30e ss178077483 and MDD, we conducted an association analyses in 1088 MDD patients and 1102 control subjects from the Han Chinese population. We also determined the effects of miR-30e ss178077483 on the development of P300 event-related potential components induced by an auditory odd-ball task. Results: We detected a statistically significant positive association between miR-30e ss178077483 and MDD (allelic P =0.0287; genotypic P =0.0275). Moreover, the P300 latency was associated with miR-30e ss178077483 genotypes and the individuals with the C/T genotype have a longer P300 latency than those carrying the C/C genotype (P =0.009). Limitations: Larger numbers of subjects and different ethnic groups would confirm and strengthen these preliminary findings. Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first evidence to suggest that miRNA polymorphisms may play an important role in MDD susceptibility. These findings also imply that certain miRNAs may be involved in the etiology of MDD. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Functional disconnectivity during the resting state has been observed in subjects with major depressive disorder (MDD), and in subjects at high genetic risk for major depression during task performance. It is hypothesized that functional impairments in certain brain areas are present in patients with MDD and in their first-degree relatives. To test this hypothesis, an analysis of regional homogeneity (ReHo) of the whole brain was performed on 45 subjects. Compared with the control group, subjects with MDD and those at high risk for MDD exhibited significantly decreased ReHo in the right insula and in the left cerebellum. These abnormalities may play an important role in the pathophysiology of depression. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Conventional chemotherapy is still frequently used. Programmed cell death 5 (PDCD5) enhances apoptosis of various tumor cells triggered by certain stimuli and is lowly expressed in leukemic cells from chronic myelogenous leukemia patients. Here, we describe for the first time that recombinant human PDCD5 protein (rhPDCD5) in combination with chemotherapy drugs has potent antitumor effects on chronic myelogenous leukemia K562 cells in vitro and in vivo. The antitumor efficacy of rhPDCD5 protein with chemotherapy drugs, idarubicin (IDR) or cytarabine (Ara-C), was examined in K562 cells in vitro and K562 xenograft tumor models in vivo. rhPDCD5 protein markedly increased the apoptosis rates and decreased the colony-forming capability of K562 cells after the combined treatment with IDR or Ara-C. rhPDCD5 protein by intraperitoneal administration dramatically improved the antitumor effects of IDR treatment in the K562 xenograft model. The tumor sizes and cell proliferation were significantly decreased; and TUNEL positive cells were significantly increased in the combined group with rhPDCD5 protein and IDR treatment compared with single IDR treatment groups. rhPDCD5 protein, in combination with IDR, has potent antitumor effects on chronic myelogenous leukemia K562 cells and may be a novel and promising agent for the treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Previous research suggests that protein intake, particularly plant protein, may benefit blood pressure control. However, very little has been published regarding protein sources in diets of US adults and factors influencing these choices. The purpose of this report is to describe specific sources of animal and plant proteins in diets of PREMIER clinical trial participants at baseline and how the PREMIER intervention, along with participant demographics, affected protein sources. Adult participants (n=809) who completed the 18-month PREMIER lifestyle intervention trial and had at least one diet recall at each of three study visits were included. Participants were recruited from four clinical centers in the Eastern, Southern, and Northeastern regions of United States. The PREMIER trial, conducted from 1999 to 2002, compared the impact on blood pressure of two structured behavioral interventions focusing on the traditional lifestyle modifications for blood pressure control with or without the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension dietary pattern. Protein sources were assessed by two unannounced 24-hour recalls at each of three study visits. Differences in protein sources were mainly related to participant demographics, with relatively moderate impact of the intervention. The top four protein sources for all the study participants were poultry, dairy, refined grains and beef, each contributing approximately 10% to 17% in descending order to the total protein intake at baseline. Animal and plant protein each comprised approximately 66% and 34%, respectively, to the total daily protein intake at baseline, and such overall contribution pattern remained relatively constant over time. However, sex, race, age, and body weight status all influenced contribution patterns from different food groups significantly. These influences significantly impact choice and are essential elements to consider when designing intervention programs to alter protein contributions from animal vs plant sources. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Cyanide (CN) is a powerful poison and rapidly toxic agent. Because of its wide availability and high toxicity, quantification of CN in blood and urine is frequently required in clinical and forensic practice. We present a sensitive and less time consuming method based on solid-supported liquid–liquid extraction (SLE) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) with two-step derivatization for determination of CN in plasma and urine. Buffer solution, 1,3,5-tribromobenzene (internal standard) and benzaidehyde were added to sample to complete the first-step derivatization. Then the analytes were poured onto the column of diatomaceous earth, eluted with n-hexane containing 0.4% of heptafluorobutyryl chloride (HFB-Cl) to complete the second-step derivatization forming the final analyte, heptafluoro-butyric acid-alpha-cyanobenzyl ester. This method was linear (r 2 =0.9988, 0.9993), reproducible (intra-day RSD=4.37–7.24%, 3.19–5.74%; inter-day RSD=5.13–7.63%, 4.31–6.69%), accurate (recoveries=90.58–115.56%, 93.01–114.6%) and sensitive (LOD=0.04, 0.01μg/mL) for plasma and urine, respectively. The total time was about 25min. This method was successfully applied to the analysis of blood sample and urine sample collected from a victim who died as a result of ingestion of potassium cyanide. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We have developed a simple and sensitive method for the simultaneous determination of putrescine, spermidine and spermine in hair as their N-heptafluorobutyryl derivatives by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) in selected ion-monitoring (SIM) mode. After base hydrolysis, hair samples were extracted with solid-phase extraction (SPE) with diatomaceous earth columns, followed by derivatization with heptafluorobutyryl chloride (HFB-Cl) and elution with n-hexane simultaneously. This method was linear (r ≥0.9989), reproducible (intra-day R.S.D.=3.4–15.5%, inter-day R.S.D.=2.6–14.6%), accurate (recoveries=67.8–94.6%) and sensitive (LOD=0.05–1.0ng). The method was successfully applied to the analysis of 36 hair samples from 14 healthy men and 22 healthy women. Results showed that the levels of hair polyamines were 4.39–12.15μg/g for putrescine, 3.89–27.91μg/g for spermidine, and 0.81–15.15μg/g for spermine. Either in the male or female group, the most abundant hair polyamine was spermidine, followed by putrescine and spermine, while the mean levels of the three polyamines in hair samples were all found to be higher in men than in women. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• We monitored leaf gas exchange of three Tibetan Plateau conifers for three years. • Photosynthesis was maximized during post-growing season due to drought alleviation. • Transpiration efficiency was minimized in summer due to high VPD. • Inhibition mechanisms of VPD on transpiration efficiency varied among species. • Contribution of photosynthate to next-year growth is related to stomatal behavior. Different stomatal behaviors among species under drought conditions may affect species-specific seasonal variations in photosynthesis and water use efficiency (WUE), and could enable species to follow differing growth strategies. Here we monitored leaf gas exchange, intra-annual radial growth, leaf stoichiometry, and microclimate of three conifers with contrasting stomatal behaviors (isohydric Picea wilsonii and Pinus tabuliformis vs. anisohydric Juniperus przewalskii) over three growing seasons, and collected tree-ring records of the monitored species, on the cold and arid northeastern Tibet Plateau. We used these data to assess the species-specific seasonal variations in net photosynthetic rate (A n), transpiration efficiency (TE) and intrinsic water use efficiency (WUEi), and their impacts on growth. Our observations show that the A n of all three conifers was greatest in autumn. This peak was closely related to increasing stomatal conductance following alleviation of drought stress, rather than to variations in leaf nitrogen concentrations. WUEi of the three conifers did not exhibit a regular seasonal pattern, but TE was significantly lower in summer than in spring and autumn, due to the regulation by vapor pressure deficit (VPD). Increasing summer VPD reduced TE mainly by increasing transpiration rate for J. przewalskii and by decreasing A n for the isohydric conifers. The increases of A n from summer to autumn were much greater for the two isohydric Pinaceae plants than for J. przewalskii. This was consistent with the growth-climate relationships, in which the autumn drought in the previous year limited radial growth of the isohydric conifers more strongly than in the anisohydric conifer. Therefore, we suggest that the growth of isohydric species may profit more from the photosynthates accumulated during the previous post-growing season in the cold and arid Tibetan Plateau. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For most safety-critical applications, the achievement of both high strength and high toughness is one of the key requirements for structural materials. However, strength and toughness are generally mutually exclusive. Here, we report a selective-laser-melted Al–Mg–Sc–Zr alloy with a good combination of strength and toughness, which is comparable to those of 7075-T651 high-strength wrought Al alloy. Despite the brittle crack associated with order-induced planar slip due to secondary Al 3 (Sc,Zr) nano-precipitates, the fracture toughness was effectively improved via diverse intrinsic/extrinsic toughening mechanisms associated with its ultrafine and heterogeneous microstructure. The present work provides a potent strategy for fabricating high-strength and high-toughness Al-based alloys. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacterial leaf streak caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzicola (Xoc) is a devastating disease of rice worldwide, including China. The second messenger c -di-GMP plays an important role in the transduction of intercellular signals. However, little is known about the function of EAL domain protein in c -di-GMP that regulates the virulence in Xoc. In this study, the function of EAL domain protein encoded by pde (FE36_09715) gene in the regulation of c -di-GMP was investigated. Results of this study, showed that the deletion of pde gene led to a significant reduction in the virulence of Xoc and was positively related to the reduction of exopolysaccharides production, biofilm formation, and flagellar motility. However, these significantly impaired properties from the ∆ pde mutant strain were partially recovered in the complementary strain. In addition, the deletion of pde gene in Xoc strain YM15 had no visible effect on the colony morphology, amylase, and protease activities of Xoc. It is concluded that, as a regulator for the c -di-GMP level, the pde gene plays an important role in partial biological processes in Xoc and is essential for its virulence. • Bacterial leaf streak caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzicola is a devastating disease of rice. • pde gene plays an important role in the virulence of Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzicola. • pde gene is positively related to reductions of exopolysaccharides production, biofilm formation, and flagellar motility. • Deletion of pde gene had no visible effect on colony morphology, amylase, and protease activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: High-quality and stable PS@TiO2 core–shell microsphere colloidal crystals were prepared by electrostatic colloid stabilization combined with two-substrate vertical deposition method. The polyelectrolyte stabilized colloids self-assembled into face-centered cubic arrays with the (111) face perpendicular to the substrate. These colloidal crystals are gifted with high mechanical stability toward the flow of solution. Structure-property correlations were made using scanning electron microscopy and UV–vis–NIR spectroscopy. Optical spectra showed the presence of an L-stopband peak in the photonic band structure. Besides, these PS@TiO2 colloidal crystals can be used as templates to fabricate the nonspherical macro-porous materials, and complete band gaps can be more easily obtained from such structure than from their spherical counterparts due to their lower symmetries. This work will hold the promise of enhanced photonic band gap materials. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Neuroinflammation is a common feature of age-related brain disorders including AD, PD and cerebral ischemia. • The proinflammatory enzyme 5-LOX is a novel vital player in the development of age-related brain pathology. • Inhibition of 5-LOX activation exerts antiinflammatory and neuroprotective effects. • 5-LOX acts as an emerging therapeutic target for age-related brain disorders. Neuroinflammation is a common feature of age-related brain disorders including Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD) and cerebral ischemia. 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX), a proinflammatory enzyme, modulates inflammation by generating leukotrienes. Abnormal activation of 5-LOX and excessive production of leukotrienes have been detected in the development of age-related brain pathology. In this review, we provide an update on the current understanding of 5-LOX activation and several groups of functionally related inhibitors. In addition, the modulatory roles of 5-LOX in the pathogenesis and progression of the age-related brain disorders have been comprehensively highlighted and discussed. Inhibition of 5-LOX activation may represent a promising therapeutic strategy for AD, PD and cerebral ischemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Liujiang cranium is the most complete and well-preserved late Pleistocene human fossils ever unearthed in south China. Because the endocranial cavity is filled with hard stone matrix, earlier studies focused only on the exterior morphology of the specimen using the traditional methods. In order to derive more information for the phyletic evaluation of the Liujiang cranium, high-resolution industrial computed tomography (CT) was used to scan the fossil, and the three-dimensional (3D) brain image was reconstructed. Compared with the endocasts of the hominin fossils (Hexian, Zhoukoudian, KNM-WT 15000, Sm 3, Kabwe, Brunn 3, Predmost) and modern Chinese, most morphological features of the Liujiang brain are in common with modern humans, including a round brain shape, bulged and wide frontal lobes, an enlarged brain height, a full orbital margin and long parietal lobes. A few differences exist between Liujiang and the modern Chinese in our sample, including a strong posterior projection of the occipital lobes, and a reduced cerebellar lobe. The measurement of the virtual endocast shows that the endocranial capacity of Liujiang is 1567 cc, which is in the range of Late Homo sapiens and much beyond the mean of modern humans. The brain morphology of Liujiang is assigned to Late Homo sapiens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: : Few studies have investigated differences in bone health and associated lifestyle factors between urban and rural populations in countries, such as China, undergoing rapid nutrition transition. Such a study may help to identify risk factors of osteoporosis and provide evidence for future preventive strategies. Objective: : To determine primarily whether differences in bone mineral content (BMC) and bone mineral density (BMD) exist between urban and rural Chinese men and women and secondly whether any urban–rural differences could be explained by body size or lifestyle factors. Methods: : In total, 490 men and 689 women aged 50–70 were included in the study. 535 of them were from urban Shanghai and 644 from surrounding rural areas. Anthropometric measurements were conducted and spine lumber 1–4 BMC measurements were determined by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). Information on socioeconomic status, medical history, smoking and drinking habits and physical activity were collected. Results: : Urban men and women had significantly higher spine BMC, BMD and bone area than their rural counterparts (P <0.01). After controlling body size, the differences between urban–rural spine BMC and BMD remained in women (P <0.001), but were no longer significant in men. The urban and rural differences of BMC and BMD in women could not be explained by including the lifestyle factors such as income, intake of milk, vitamin D and calcium, total physical activity level, walking and social activity. Conclusion: : This study found the significant differences in both spine BMC and BMD between urban and rural men and women in Shanghai, China. This difference could be explained by the body size in men; however, it remained unexplained in women after adjusting for body size and certain lifestyle risk factors. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer is a kind of renascent herb that belongs to the genus Panax in the family Araliaceae. It is a traditional Chinese precious herbal medicine with a long history of medicinal use. Ginsenoside Rb3 is one of the important active ingredients in ginseng and has important physiological activity in the treatment of many diseases. In this study, we screened and systematically analyzed the candidate genes related to ginsenoside Rb3 synthesis through bioinformatics methods; discussed the functions, expression patterns, and interactions of the genes related to ginsenoside Rb3 synthesis; and finally, selected seven genes, mainly PgRb3, that directly contribute to the synthesis of ginsenoside Rb3. This study provides a reference for revealing the expression rules of ginsenoside Rb3 synthesis-related genes and elucidating the regulatory mechanism of methyl jasmonate, lays a theoretical foundation for the research of ginsenoside Rb3 synthesis, and provides theoretical and technical support for the factory production of ginsenoside monomer saponins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The soil fungus Fusarium spp, is the main cause of apple replant disease in China. The M9T337 apple rootstock was used to investigate the molecular responses to Fusarium solani infection using transcriptome analysis. We identified 667 differentially expressed genes in F. solani -infected rootstocks, of which 543 were up-regulated and 124 were down-regulated. These differentially expressed genes included receptor kinases, transcription factors, and genes involved in the production and transport of metabolites. In particular, secondary metabolites can enhance plant resistance to pathogens while P450s and UDP-glycosyltransferase play a unique roles in the defense response. • The molecular responses of apple root to Fusarium solani infection was reached using RNA-seq. • DEGs function was analyzed in different process of defense responses, such as receptor kinases, transcription factors, and genes involved in the production and transportation of metabolites. • The secondary metabolites, can enhance plant resistance to pathogen, are important in defence response. • P450s and UDP-glycosyltransferase plays an unique role in defence response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• DFC in DMN and SMN differed between depressed-BD and euthymic-BD. • The hyperconnectivity in DMN and SMN may be a state feature of depressed BD. • Euthymic BD had abnormalities in frontal-striatal-thalamic circuit compared to HCs. This study aims to identify how the large-scale brain dynamic functional connectivity (dFC) differs between mood states in bipolar disorder (BD). The authors analyzed dFC in subjects with BD in depressed and euthymic states using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rsfMRI) data, and compared these states to healthy controls (HCs). 20 subjects with BD in a depressive episode, 23 euthymic BD subjects, and 31 matched HCs underwent rsfMRI scans. Using an existing parcellation of the whole brain, we measured dFC between brain regions and identified the different patterns of brain network connections between groups. In the analysis of whole brain dFC, the connectivity between the left Superior Temporal Gyrus (STG) in the somatomotor network (SMN), the right Middle Temporal Gyrus (MTG) in the default mode network (DMN) and the bilateral Postcentral Gyrus (PoG) in the DMN of depressed BD was greater than that of euthymic BD, while there was no significant difference between euthymic BD and HCs in these brain regions. Euthymic BD patients had abnormalities in the frontal-striatal-thalamic (FST) circuit compared to HCs. Differences in dFC within and between DMN and SMN can be used to distinguish depressed and euthymic states in bipolar patients. The hyperconnectivity within and between DMN and SMN may be a state feature of depressed BD. The abnormal connectivity of the FST circuit can help identify euthymic BD from HCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liver X receptor (LXR) activation can achieve satisfactory anti-atherosclerotic activity, but can also lead to the development of fatty liver and hypertriglyceridemia. In contrast, Notch inhibition can suppress both atherosclerosis and the hepatic accumulation of lipids. In the present study, we sought to assess whether combining LXR ligand agonists (T317) with Notch receptor inhibitors (DAPT) would lead to enhanced anti-atherosclerotic activity while overcoming the adverse events associated with LXR ligand agonist therapy. The impact of the combined T317 + DAPT therapeutic regimen on atherosclerosis, fatty liver development, and hypertriglyceridemia was assessed using ApoE deficient (ApoE−/−) mice. The results of this analysis suggested that DAPT was able to improve the anti-atherosclerotic activity of T317 without reducing the stability of lesion plaques while simultaneously reducing blood lipids in treated ApoE−/− mice. This combination T317 + DAPT treatment was also linked with a significant upregulation of ABCA1 and the stimulation of reverse cholesterol transport (RCT), as well as with decreases in the levels of intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and p-p65, and with altered M1/M2 macrophage proportions within atherosclerotic plaques. Importantly, DAPT was also able to reduce T317-mediated lipid accumulation within the liver owing to its ability to reduce SREBP-1 expression while simultaneously increasing that of Pi-AMPKα and PPARα. Together, our results suggest that administering Notch receptor inhibitors to ApoE−/− mice may be an effective means of enhancing the anti-atherosclerotic activity of LXR ligand agonists while simultaneously limiting associated fatty liver and hypertriglyceridemia development in these animals. Unlabelled Image • Inhibition of Notch1 enhances the anti-atherosclerotic effects of LXR agonists. • Inhibition of Notch1 decreases LXR agonists-induced fatty liver. • LXR agonist plus Notch1 inhibitor may represent a therapy on atherosclerosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Raw materials are only indoor air and zinc plate. • Porous ZnO rich in mesopores. • Proposed formation mechanism. • 90% absorption of ultraviolet light and 65% absorption of visible light. We report a facile method for preparing ZnO nanosheet-assembly film by cold plasma. The cold plasma is generated on zinc plate by indoor air dielectric barrier discharge. After 240 seconds discharge and drying, a film of Zn 5 (OH) 8 (NO 3) 2 · 2H 2 O nanosheets form on the zinc plate. ZnO nanosheet-assembly film is then obtained by calcining the Zn 5 (OH) 8 (NO 3) 2 · 2H 2 O film at 250 ∘C for 1 h. ZnO nanosheets are composed of single-crystal nanoparticles with size of 30–50 nm and abundant large mesopores. The porous ZnO nanosheet-assembly film with a band gap of 3.24 eV absorbs 90% of the ultraviolet light (in range from 300 to 370 nm) and 65% of the visible light. The film deposition rate by this method is as high as 0.36 µm s − 1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• First-episode patients with TLR4SNP rs1927911-GG had higher scores of anxiety (physical symptoms) and anxiety (somatic). • First-episode patients with TLR4SNP rs11536889-GG and rs11536889-G had lower suicide scores and higher psychomotor retardation scores. • First-episode patients with TLR4SNP rs7873784-G had higher scores of anxiety (physical symptoms) and anxiety (psychological). At present, the etiology and pathogenesis of major depressive disorder(MDD) are still unclear. Some studies have shown that toll-like receptor 4 may play an important role in MDD. However, little is currently known about the association between TLR4 single gene polymorphisms (SNPs) and depressive symptoms and antidepressant efficacy.The aim of this study is to analyze whether TLR4 SNPs are associated with depressive symptoms and antidepressant efficacy. The study consisted of 438 patients with first-episode depression. We analyzed three TLR4 SNPs (rs1927911, rs11536889, and rs7873784) and obtained the baseline and 6-week scores using the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD17) and its five-factor model. Allelic and genotypic association tests between TLR4 SNPs and HAMD17 total and cluster scores were performed with UNPHASED, while chi-square tests to analyze the association between TLR4 SNPs and response to antidepressants were performed with SPSS. Patients with the rs1927911-GG genotype exhibited higher scores of anxiety (physical symptoms) and anxiety (somatic). Patients with rs1927911-G also exhibited higher anxiety (physical symptoms) and anxiety (somatic) scores. Patients with rs11536889-GG had significantly lower suicide scores and higher psychomotor retardation scores. Patients with rs11536889-G also had significantly lower suicide scores and higher psychomotor retardation scores. Patients with rs7873784-G had higher anxiety (physical symptoms) and anxiety (psychological) scores. There was no significant difference between antidepressant efficacy and TLR4 gene polymorphisms. These findings provide evidence that TLR4 plays an important role in anxiety, suicide, and other symptoms in patients with MDD. No relationship was found between TLR4 gene polymorphisms and antidepressant efficacy in this study. Further research is needed on gene polymorphisms and the expression of TLR4 in patients with MDD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Patients with BD showed significant decreased GMV and increased fALFF values in the bilateral superior frontal gyrus and right superior frontal gyrus. • Significantly reduced fALFF values in the lingual gyrus were observed in the patients with BD. • Significant negative correlations were observed between GMV values in the left SFG and vocabulary memory. We used fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF) and gray matter volume (GMV) jointly to explore the mechanism of brain function and structure in unmedicated patients with bipolar disorder (BD). Thirty first episode drug-naive patients with and thirty healthy controls (HCs) were recruited in this study; All the subjects underwent Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scanning and performed the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS), all the patients with MDD finished the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD17). Data Processing and Analysis for Brain Imaging (DPABI) and SPM8 were used to find potential differences in fALFF and GMV between the two groups. A Pearson correlation model was used to analyze associations of functional and morphometric changes with clinical symptoms and cognitive tests. Compared to healthy controls, the BD group had significantly reduced fALFF values in the lingual gyrus and increased fALFF values in the bilateral superior frontal gyrus and superior frontal gyrus. With regards to VBM, patients with BD showed significant GMV decreases in the bilateral superior temporal gyrus, bilateral superior frontal gyrus, right superior frontal gyrus, right parahippocampal gyrus and precuneus. Additionally, we found an overlap of brain regions focused on the left SFG. Significant negative correlations were observed between abnormal GMV values in the left SFG and vocabulary memory. The superior frontal gyrus was the site of the most robust and reliable abnormality, with an overlap of abnormal structural and functional MRI features that play an important role in pathology in BD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacterial leaf streak of rice (BLS), caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzicola (Xoc), is an increasingly serious disease in southwestern China. This study aimed to evaluate the response of the native rice variety Hongyou-4 (HY4) to two different transcription activator-like effectors (TALEs) genotypes of Xoc. HY4 was significantly susceptible to Xoc strain 13T19 and resistant to Xoc strain YM15. Transcriptomic analysis of HY4 leaves inoculated with the two Xoc TALEs genotypes revealed 1339 and 1219 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in rice inoculated with Xoc strain 13T19 (HY.Q) and Xoc strain YM15 (HY.R), respectively, compared to the control. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) for expression of 10 randomly selected genes was used to verify the RNA-Seq data. Gene ontology (GO) analysis of the transcriptomic data showed DEGs of defense-related genes were predominantly assigned to 11 GO terms, with nine terms showing differential expression in HY4 after inoculation with the two Xoc genotypes. KEGG pathway clustering analysis revealed DEGs involved in plant-pathogen interactions and secondary metabolite pathways of phenylpropanoid biosynthesis were down-regulated in HY.Q compared to HY.R. Four transcription factors including bZIP, GLK, MADS, and MYB families, three resistance genes, and the TalAM2 effector target gene OsSWEET13, were differentially expressed in HY4 inoculated with the two Xoc TALEs genotypes. These data clarify the mechanism of interactions between rice and different TALE genotypes of Xoc , and can help reveal disease-related metabolic pathways, molecular regulatory networks, and candidate genes involved in rice responses to TALEs of Xoc. • Transcriptome profiles of a rice HY4 responding to two Xoc strains 13T19 and YM15 was described. • A local rice variety Hongyou-4, which is of good yield and quality was used. • TAL gene numbers in these two strains are different, implying TAL genes virulence in rice. • We identified 4 transcription factors (TFs), 3 resistance gene and the TalAM2 effector target gene OsSWEET13. • The mechanism of interactions between rice and different TALEs genotypes Xoc was revealed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fat deposition, which influences pork production, meat quality and growth efficiency, is an economically important trait in pigs. Numerous studies have demonstrated that stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD), a key enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of saturated fatty acids into monounsaturated fatty acids, is associated with fatty acid composition in pigs. As SCD was observed to be significantly induced in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes differentiation, we hypothesized that it plays a role in porcine adipocyte differentiation and fat deposition. In this study, we revealed that SCD is highly expressed in adipose tissues from seven-day-old piglets, compared to its expression in tissues from four-month-old adult pigs. Moreover, we found that SCD and lipogenesis-related genes were induced significantly in differentiated porcine adipocytes. Using CRISPR/Cas9 technology, we generated SCD-/- porcine embryonic fibroblasts (PEFs) and found that the loss of SCD led to dramatically decreased transdifferentiation efficiency, as evidenced by the decreased expression of known lipid synthesis-related genes, lower levels of oil red O staining and significantly lower levels of triglyceride content. Our study demonstrates the critical role of SCD expression in porcine adipocyte differentiation and paves the way for identifying it as the promising candidate gene for less fat deposition in pigs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Adsorption experiment of CO 2 /CH 4 mixture on 13X was studied by swing platform. • Swing have adverse effect on adsorption purification of natural gas. • Adsorption purification model under quiescent and swing conditions was established. • Effects of different parameters on natural gas purification at swing were analyzed. • Decreasing tilt angle and rate, increasing L/D, D and inlet reduce adverse effect. Removing CO 2 from CH 4 /CO 2 mixture gas is significantly important in natural gas upgrading and greenhouse gas emission control. In order to improve the separation effect, the influence of swing on removing CO 2 from offshore natural gas by the adsorption was studied systematically by experiment and simulation. Firstly, the adsorption experiment was carried out under the quiescent condition, single direction swing with a frequency of 0.12 Hz, bidirectional coupling swing with a frequency of 0.12 Hz and quiescent condition with a tilting angle of 20° by the swing experiment platform. The results indicated that the swing of the adsorber can reduce the adsorption purification effect, and which is not caused by the decrease of the adsorbent performance. Then, the adsorption purification model was established and the validity of the model was verified by experiments. Finally, the effects of tilting angle and L/D ratio of the porous zone, inlet flow rate of the mixture gas, particle diameter of adsorbent, and gas inlet distribution of the adsorber on adsorption purification under the quiescent and swing conditions were studied in detail. The results showed that decreasing the tilting angle of the porous zone and inlet flow rate of the mixture gas, or increasing the L/D ratio of the porous zone, the particle diameter of the adsorbent and the inlet amounts of the adsorber can reduce the adverse effect of swing on purification of natural gas. It is of great significance to improve the effect of adsorption purification of natural gas under swing condition by changing the adsorption conditions and structure of the adsorber. The research will provide a certain guidance for removing CO 2 from offshore natural gas by adsorption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, using in situ self‐assembly‐induced fluorescence quenching (i.e., intermolecular quenching denoted herein) of a photothermal agent (PTA) to enhance its photothermal efficiency has proven to be a successful photothermal therapy (PTT) strategy. But to the best of current knowledge, using simultaneous intra‐ and intermolecular fluorescence quenching of a PTA to additionally increase its photothermal efficacy has not been reported. Herein, employing a click condensation reaction and a rationally designed PTA Biotin‐Cystamine‐Cys‐Lys(Cypate)‐CBT (1), a "smart" strategy is developed of intracellular simultaneous intra‐ and intermolecular fluorescence quenching and applied it to largely increase the photothermal efficacy of the agent both in vitro and in vivo. After being internalized by biotin receptor‐overexpressing cancer cells, 1 is reduced by intracellular glutathione to initiate a CBT‐Cys condensation reaction (intramolecular quenching) and self‐assembly (intermolecular quenching) to form the nanoparticles 1‐NPs (simultaneous intra‐ and intermolecular fluorescence quenching). Experimental results indicate that 1‐NPs have higher fluorescence quenching efficiency than the control PTAs [Thiazole‐Lys(Cypate)‐Benzothiazole]2 (1‐Dimer, intramolecular quenching), and nanoparticles of Cystamine‐Cys(Fmoc)‐Lys(Cypate)‐CBT (1‐Fmoc‐NPs, intermolecular quenching). It is envisioned that, by replacing the biotin group on 1 with other targeting warheads, the "smart" strategy is ready to increase the photothermal therapeutic efficiency of their corresponding diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought is one of the most typical and serious natural disasters, which occurs frequently in most of mainland China, and it is crucial to explore the evolution characteristics of drought for developing effective schemes and strategies of drought disaster risk management. Based on the application of Cloud theory in the drought evolution research field, the cloud transformation algorithm, and the conception zooming coupling model was proposed to re-fit the distribution pattern of SPI instead of the Pearson-III distribution. Then the spatio-temporal evolution features of drought were further summarized utilizing the cloud characteristics, average, entropy, and hyper-entropy. Lastly, the application results in Northern Anhui province revealed that the drought condition was the most serious during the period from 1957 to 1970 with the SPI12 index in 49 months being less than −0.5 and 12 months with an extreme drought level. The overall drought intensity varied with the highest certainty level but lowest stability level in winter, but this was opposite in the summer. Moreover, drought hazard would be more significantly intensified along the elevation of latitude in Northern Anhui province. The overall drought hazard in Suzhou and Huaibei were the most serious, which is followed by Bozhou, Bengbu, and Fuyang. Drought intensity in Huainan was the lightest. The exploration results of drought evolution analysis were reasonable and reliable, which would supply an effective decision-making basis for establishing drought risk management strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increases in climate extremes and their impacts have attracted global attention recently. In this study, the change-point years of precipitation extremes (PEs) and drought extremes (DEs) were investigated by Moving t-Test at 500 stations across the six regions in China. The detailed temporal change processes of them were demonstrated by the cumulative deviation method based on the data from nine typical stations. The results showed that: 1) DEs were more significantly and widely increased than PEs, the stations with increasing trends of PEs and DEs accounted for greater than 52.6% and 61.6% of the total, respectively; 2) increasing trends of DEs were mainly distributed in the east of Hu Huanyong Line. In this area, the increasing change-point years of DEs often occurred in the early 1980s in the south of the Yangzi River, while occurred in the 1990s in the north of the Yangzi River; 3) increasing trends of PEs were mainly distributed in Qing-Tibet Platen, Northwest China, and the southeastern area of Hu Huanyong Line. In these areas, the increasing change-point years of PEs often occurred around 1990 in the southeast of Hu Huanyong Line, while often occurred in the early 1980s in Qing-Tibet Platen. The results indicated that the area in the southeast of Hu Huanyong Line was under the threats of both PEs and DEs, this may produce severe impacts on agriculture, environment, water resources management, human society, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• δ13CH 4 reflected the methanogenic pathway changes during temperature increase. • The decline link was found in Methanomicrobiaceae and Firmicutes affiliated families. • Microbial redundancy was the main reason to ensure the δ13CO 2 stability. Process fluctuation caused by temperature modification of anaerobic digestion is routinely monitored via operational parameters, such as pH and gas production, but these parameters are lagging on microbial community performance. In this study, 13C isotope fractionation in CH 4 and CO 2 of biogas together with microbial community dynamics were applied to evaluate process stability in response to temperature increment. Results showed that the weakening correlated links between Firmicutes affiliated families and Methanomicrobiaceae were found regarding temperature increase. In contrast, Methanosarcinaceae and Methanobacteriaceae strengthened their links with multiple bacterial groups. This suggests that the 13C isotope fractionation in CH 4 can predict the collapse of certain microbial interconnections and process instability, the new reinforced microbial links directly reflect the microbial community redundancy for maintaining function of syntrophic populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beige adipose tissue has been considered to have potential applications in combating obesity and its related metabolic diseases. However, the mechanisms of acute cold-stimulated beige formation still remain largely unknown. Here, transcriptional analysis of acute cold-stimulated (4 °C for 4 h) subcutaneous white adipose tissue (sWAT) was conducted to determine the molecular signatures that might be involved in beige formation. Histological analysis confirmed the appearance of beige adipocytes in acute cold-treated sWAT. The RNA-sequencing data revealed that 714 genes were differentially expressed (p-value < 0.05 and fold change > 2), in which 221 genes were upregulated and 493 genes were downregulated. Gene Ontology (GO) analyses showed that the upregulated genes were enriched in the GO terms related to lipid metabolic process, fatty acid metabolic process, lipid oxidation, fatty acid oxidation, etc. In contrast, downregulated genes were assigned the GO terms of regulation of immune response, regulation of response to stimulus, defense response, etc. The expressions of some browning candidate genes were validated in cold-treated sWAT and 3T3-L1 cell browning differentiation. In summary, our results illustrated the transcriptional response of sWAT to acute cold exposure and identified the genes, including Acad11, Cyp2e1, Plin5, and Pdk2, involved in beige adipocyte formation in mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There are many public health issues to resolve regarding rare diseases, including a lack of data from large-scale studies. The objective of this study was to explore fundamental data for a list of rare diseases in China, based on a hospitalization summary reports (HSRs) database. The Target Rare Diseases List (TRDL) 2017 was generated using an expert consensus method in which experts listed diseases according to research priorities. Using codes of the 10th revision of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-10) and key search terms of rare diseases in English and Chinese, data were obtained from HSRs of 96 hospitals, covering a population of over 15 million in China from 2014 to 2015. We extracted and analyzed information on demographics, hospitalizations, and readmissions.Results: A total 281 rare diseases were included in the TRDL 2017. Altogether, 106,746 hospitalizations for a rare disease were captured from 1 January 2014 to 31 December 2015, accounting for 0.69% of inpatients during the same period. The top 10 rare diseases with most cases on the TRDL 2017 were thalassemia, idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension, pulmonary Langerhans cell histiocytosis, moyamoya disease, motor neuron disease, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, systemic sclerosis, hepatolenticular degeneration, coarctation of the aorta, and transposition of the great arteries. Among the 24 cities in the database, the five cities with the most types of the rare disease were Beijing, Changsha, Guangzhou, Shanghai, and Chengdu, with 191, 162, 143, 141, and 133 types, respectively. The five cities with most cases of the 281 rare diseases were Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Nanning, and Chengdu. The age distribution of rare diseases was 52% for the age group 25-64 years, and 27% of cases in the age group of 0-14 years were among children. The 10 highest readmission rates ranged from 35 to 65%.Conclusions: This study provided the TRDL 2017 and descriptive analysis of 281 rare diseases in a hospitalized population. Our study reveals important fundamental information that will be useful in national policy making and legislation; registry implementation; and diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of rare diseases in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synthesizing high-performance electrode materials plays a vital role in fabricating advanced supercapacitors. Heteroatom doping has been proved to be effective in enhancing the electrochemical properties of carbon-based electrodes. Herein, we report an O, P co-doped porous carbon (PC) originated from waste biomaterials, cicada sloughs. The PC possesses meso-/microporous structure with a large specific surface area (1945 m2·g−1) and a high O, P co-doping ratio of 18 wt.%. These superior factors together enable it to deliver high specific capacitance (295 F·g−1 in 6 M KOH and 291 F·g−1 in 1 M H2SO4), good cycling stability (100% capacitance retention after 10000 cycles in 1 M H2SO4) and rate performance. Therefore, from the respects of environment friendliness and cost effectivity, obtaining heteroatom doped carbons from the nature might be better compared to pyrolyzing heteroatom-containing chemicals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Changes in climate extremes have become a hot issue in the research field of climate change recently. Many studies have reported that climate extremes have occurred more frequently and with increasing intensity in recent decades. In this study, thresholds of precipitation and drought extremes were determined by the cumulative distribution function, and their spatiotemporal changes over the past half-century in China were analyzed by relative change rate. The results show that: (1) precipitation extremes increased in all regions except North China, while increasing trends of drought extremes were detected in all regions except Northwest China and the Qing–Tibet Plateau; (2) the maximum change rates in frequency of precipitation extremes were found in Northwest China and the Qing–Tibet Plateau, with values of 16.13% and 8.12%, and the maximum change rates in frequency of drought extremes were in Southwest and Southeast China, whose increases in intensity of drought extremes were also the maximum; (3) variation in precipitation extremes showed a relatively mixed pattern with higher heterogeneity compared to that of drought extremes; and (4) changes in precipitation and drought extremes relate to mid-intensity, lower-intensity, and annual precipitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The essential requirement of the lymphotoxin beta receptor (LTβR) in the development and maintenance of peripheral lymphoid organs is well recognized. Evidence shows that LTβR is involved in various cellular processes; however, whether it plays a role in maintaining the cellular function of intestinal porcine enterocytes (IPEC-J2), specifically during porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) infection, remains unknown. In this study, we generated LTβR null IPEC-J2 cells using CRISPR/Cas9 to examine the importance of LTβR in cell proliferation, apoptosis, and the response to PEDV infection. Our results showed that the lack of LTβR leads to significantly decreased cell proliferation, potentially due to S phase arrest in LTβR−/− IPEC-J2 cells. Label-free digital holographic microscopy was used to record the three-dimensional morphology of both cell types for up to 72 hours and revealed significantly increased numbers of LTβR−/− cells undergoing apoptosis. Furthermore, we found that PEDV-infected LTβR−/− null IPEC-J2 cells exhibited significant suppression of nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NFκB) target genes (interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8) and mucosal barrier integrity-related genes (vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM1) and IL-22), which may explain why LTβR−/− cells are more susceptible to PEDV infection. Collectively, our data not only demonstrate the key role of LTβR in intestinal porcine enterocytes, but also provide data for the improved understanding of the cellular response to PEDV infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DNA methylation plays a pivotal role in biological processes by affecting gene expression. However, how DNA methylation mediates phenotype difference of skeletal muscle between lean-, obese-, and mini-type pigs remains unclear. We systematically carried out comparative analysis of skeletal muscle by integrating analysis of genome-wide DNA methylation, mRNA, lncRNA and miRNA profiles in three different pig breeds (obese-type Tongcheng, lean-type Landrace, and mini-type Wuzhishan pigs). We found that the differentially methylated genes (DMGs) were significantly associated with lipid metabolism, oxidative stress and muscle development. Among the identified DMGs, 253 genes were related to body-size and obesity. A set of lncRNAs and mRNAs including UCP3, FHL1, ANK1, HDAC4, and HDAC5 exhibited inversely changed DNA methylation and expression level; these genes were associated with oxidation reduction, fatty acid metabolism and cell proliferation. Gene regulatory networks involved in phenotypic variation of skeletal muscle were related to lipid metabolism, cellular movement, skeletal muscle development, and the p38 MAPK signaling pathway. DNA methylation potentially influences the propensity for obesity and body size by affecting gene expression in skeletal muscle. Our findings provide an abundant information of epigenome and transcriptome that will be useful for animal breeding and biomedical research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]