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Several poly (biphenyl piperidine-trifluoroacetophenone) based polymers with different grafting ratios of polar alkyl nitrile side chains are synthesized, named PBPAp-PN-x. The relationship between structure and performance is studied, including conductivity, swelling ratio (SR), morphology, single-cell performance, etc. The SR and conductivity at 80 °C of PBPAp-PN30% are 41.0% and 142.3 mS cm−1, whereas those of PBPAp-PN0% are 77.8% and 155.3 mS cm−1, respectively. Further, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are carried out to microcosmically reveal the mechanism of structure-property relationship, which simulate the number of water molecules (N H2O) and the diffusion coefficients (D). The simulations also indicate polar cyanide groups can form close contacts, which is similar to physical crosslinking to inhibit the swelling of backbone. As a result, the advantage of grafting dipolar molecules in AEMs not only effectively resolves the "trade-off" problem between ionic conductivity and dimensional stability, but also might be a promising application in fuel cells. [Display omitted] • PBP-based AEMs tethered with dipolar molecular side chains were synthesized. • Investigating the effect of intermolecular interaction on the performance of AEMs. • Solving the "trade-off" problem between dimensional stability and ionic conductivity. • Molecular dynamics provides the effect of polar molecules on AEMs performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. This study was designed to establish quality standards of Burnet gels and investigate the effects and mechanism of Burnet gels on steroid-dependent dermatitis (HDD) in guinea pigs. Methods. HPLC was used to determine the content of gallic acid, Gentiopicrin, and paeonol. A total of 48 male guinea pigs were recruited and randomly divided into control group, model group, tacrolimus ointment group, and Burnet gel group (Low, medium, and high concentration). The HDD guinea pig model was established by the 0.5% clobetasol propionate tincture. After HDD model establishment, control group and model group smeared normal saline and the rest of the group with corresponding drugs for three weeks. The contents of IFN-γ, IL-4, and IgE in the guinea pig serum were detected by the ELISA; the protein expression levels of FLG, LOR, and Caspase-14 in the epidermis of guinea pigs were detected by the immunohistochemical and Western blotting method. Results. The content of gallic acid, Gentiopicrin, and paeonol was 0.30 mg/g, 1.06 mg/g, and 0.56 mg/g. Compared with the normal group, the IFN-γ, IL-4, and IgE of guinea pig serum in the model group were significantly increased; the FLG, LOR, and Caspase-14 of guinea pig epidermis in the model group were significantly decreased; compared with the model group, the IFN-γ, IL-4, and IgE of guinea pig serum in the tacrolimus ointment group and Burnet gel group were significantly decreased; the FLG, LOR, and Caspase-14 of guinea pig epidermis in the tacrolimus ointment group and Burnet gel group were significantly increased. Conclusion. Burnet gels can improve guinea pig HDD model, and the mechanism may be related to inhibiting skin inflammation and promoting the formation of epidermal skin barrier. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a dynamic model of piecewise nonlinear system with fractional-order time delay is simplified. The amplitude frequency response equation of the dynamic model of piecewise nonlinear system with fractional-order time delay under periodic excitation is obtained by using the average method. It is found that the amplitude of the system changes when the external excitation frequency changes. At the same time, the amplitude frequency response characteristics of the system under different time delay parameters, different fractional-order parameters, and coefficient are studied. By analyzing the amplitude frequency response characteristics, the influence of time delay and fractional-order parameters on the stability of the system is analyzed in this paper, and the bifurcation equations of the system are studied by using the theory of continuity. The transition sets under different piecewise states and the constrained bifurcation behaviors under the corresponding unfolding parameters are obtained. The variation of the bifurcation topology of the system with the change of system parameters is given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sepsis is a life-threatening complication of infection that rapidly triggers tissue damage in multiple organ systems and leads to multi-organ deterioration. Up to date, prognostic biomarkers still have limitations in predicting the survival of patients with sepsis. We need to discover more prognostic biomarkers to improve the sensitivity and specificity of the prognosis of sepsis patients. Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) receptor 3 (S1PR3), as one of the S1P receptors, is a prospective prognostic biomarker regulating sepsis-relevant events, including compromised vascular integrity, antigen presentation, and cytokine secretion. Until now, no S1PR3-related prognostic gene signatures for sepsis patients have been found. Methods: This study intends to obtain an S1PR3-associated gene signature from whole blood samples to be utilized as a probable prognostic tool for patients with sepsis. Results: We obtained an 18-gene S1PR3-related molecular signature (S3MS) from the intersection of S1PR3-associated genes and survival-associated genes. Numerous important immunity pathways that regulate the progression of sepsis are enriched among our 18 genes. Significantly, S3MS functions greatly in both the discovery and validation cohort. Furthermore, we demonstrated that S3MS obtains significantly better classification performance than random 18-gene signatures. Conclusions: Our results confirm the key role of S1PR3-associated genes in the development of sepsis, which will be a potential prognostic biomarker for patients with sepsis. Our results also focus on the classification performance of our S3MS as biomarkers for sepsis, which could also provide an early warning system for patients with sepsis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stability of the anion exchange polyelectrolytes is closely tied to the durability of anion exchange membrane fuel cells. Given their excellent alkali resistance, ether-free polymer backbones have attracted considerable attention for use in anion-exchange polyelectrolytes. Herein, a series of side-chain-type poly(terphenylene- co -dibenzyl N -(6-bromohexyl)-isatin) copolymers (QAPTDBHI-n) were synthesized via superacid-catalyzed polymerization and a subsequent quaternization reaction. The cyclic cardo groups in the backbones enabled the formation of nanovoids, which facilitated ionic clusters' self-aggregation. The introduction of flexible bibenzyl monomers provided the polymers with a spatially foldable structure, promoting the aggregation of ion clusters and strengthening interchain interactions. Compared with the membrane without flexible monomers, QAPTDBHI-n membranes exhibited higher hydroxide conductivity (>115 mS cm−1 at 80 °C), outstanding mechanical stability (tensile strength: 50.91–60.76 MPa, elongation at break: 14.27%–26.06%), and superior alkali resistance (1 M NaOH at 80°C for >1500 h and <9.5% OH− conductivity loss). Regarding fuel cell performance, the AEMFC based on QAPTDBHI-40 ionomer achieved a peak power density of 1.14 W cm−2 (H 2 –O 2) and 0.86 W cm−2 (H 2 -Air, CO 2 free) at 80 °C due to its higher water uptake, OH− conductivity, and lower phenyl concentration. [Display omitted] • Novel poly(terphenylene- co -dibenzyl N -(6-bromohexyl)-isatin) AEPs were synthesized. • The impact of flexible monomers on AEP performance is elucidated. • Flexible bibenzyl monomer reduces phenyl adsorption of AEIs. • Flexible monomer endows AEP with a spatially foldable structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most half-sandwich metal anticancer complexes are non-fluorescent, which results in an uncertain mechanism of action (MoA). We designed and synthesized eight fluorescent half-sandwich iridium (Ir) and ruthenium (Ru) complexes by introducing rhodamine derivatives into the N^N-chelating ligand. These complexes have features of bio-imaging and anticancer agents and may merit future development as novel anticancer agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Four bichromophoric cyclometalated iridium complexes were synthesized and fully characterized. Their antiproliferative capacity against A549, HepG2 cells and HeLa cells as well as two human normal cells was studied by MTT assay. Rhodamine B modified complexes 2 and 4 were not cytotoxic to A549 cells while both rhodamine 6 g modified complexes 1 and 3 showed greater cytotoxicity than cisplatin. In particular, the antiproliferative activity of complex 3 was about 4.6 times than that of cisplatin. Thus, complex 3 was used for stability and pH sensitivity studies. The results indicated that the complex not only had rich fluorescence properties under acidic conditions, but also showed good stability. Further, interaction of complex with bovine serum albumin (BSA) has been investigated by UV−vis, fluorescence, synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy. The complexes have a certain ability to bind the BSA. Interestingly, these complexes can catalyze the reaction of the coenzyme NADH to NAD+, which is consistent with the apparent growth of ROS in cells. In addition, complex 3 can cause S phase arrest in the cell cycle, induce apoptosis, and affect mitochondrial membrane potential changes. Localization experiments of intracellular complexes by confocal microscopy suggested that these complexes enter cancer cells through energy dependence and specifically target the lysosomes, thus resulting in the damage of lysosomes. Graphical abstract Synthesis and characterization of four rhodamine-modified bichromophoric cyclometalated iridium(III) complexes. Flow cytometry and confocal microscopy were used to study the specific anti-proliferative ability, subcellular localization of the complexes, the way the complex entered the cell and the lysosomal damage. Image 1 Highlights • Synthesis and characterization of four rhodamine-modified bichromophoric cyclometalated iridium (III) complexes, and by introducing the fluorophore-rhodamine, the fluorescence intensity of the complex is adjustable, and the fluorescence intensity is stronger under acidic conditions. • By adjusting the ligand, complexes 1 and 3 have better anticancer activity than cisplatin. • The complex can be successfully localized in lysosomes and further affect apoptosis by disrupting lysosomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface photovoltage inversion was found in PbI microcrystals, manifested as a significant increase in the absolute value of surface barrier height under sub-bandgap illumination. The corresponding surface states located at 0.43 eV above the valence band was detected, and the magnitude of photovoltage inversion was found to increase with increasing applied field strength. Besides, transient surface photovoltage responses and the time constants of the relaxation showed a dependence on the wavelength of illumination. When irradiated with 518-632 nm, the exciton together with the lead ion vacancy caused the population of holes in the surface state; while under 700-nm light irradiation, holes depopulation occurred on the surface. Transient surface photovoltage results show that the relaxation of the sub-bandgap surface photovoltage is exponential with long time constant. The different charge transportation processes agree well with the photocatalytic degradation of MO experiments under different wavelength irradiation. It is revealed that the exciton and the surface states could significantly affect the movement of photogenerated charge carriers, which lead to different degradation results of MO. These findings demonstrate a model involving photostimulated population of surface states for the study of surfaces of wide energy gap semiconductors, which shows the highly selective control of photogenerated charge carriers' behaviors by tuning the wavelength of irradiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a new model for improving the pointing accuracy of a telescope. The Denavit–Hartenberg (D–H) convention was used to perform an error analysis of the telescope's kinematics. A kinematic model was used to relate pointing errors to mechanical errors and the parameters of the kinematic model were estimated with a statistical model fit using data from two large astronomical telescopes. The model illustrates the geometric errors caused by imprecision in manufacturing and assembly processes and their effects on the pointing accuracy of the telescope. A kinematic model relates pointing error to axis position when certain geometric errors are assumed to be present in a telescope. In the parameter estimation portion, the semi-parametric regression model was introduced to compensate for remaining nonlinear errors. The experimental results indicate that the proposed semi-parametric regression model eliminates both geometric and nonlinear errors, and that the telescope's pointing accuracy significantly improves after this calibration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To achieve high-performance anion exchange membranes (AEMs) with superior conductivity and stability, a series of novel poly(biphenyl piperidinium) (PBP-n-Pip) membranes are synthesized by tethering cationic groups to the backbone utilizing flexible hydrophobic alkyl spacers with various lengths. All of the membranes exhibit excellent film-forming ability and tensile strength (42.34–53.49 MPa). Well-defined microphase separation is confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The PBP-6-Pip membrane exhibits the conductivity of 117.1 mS cm−1 at 80 °C due to the most excellent microphase-separated morphology and highest water uptake. The long-term alkali resistance of AEMs can be improved by extending the length of the flexible alkyl chains appropriately. After immersion in 2 M NaOH at 80 °C for 1500 h, the initial conductivity of PBP-6-Pip with intermediate spacer chains and PBP-8-Pip with longer spacer chains both remains above 84%. Furthermore, the PBP-6-Pip membrane with the highest conductivity achieves a peak power density of 307 mW cm−2 at 80 °C in the H 2 /O 2 single fuel cell. A long-term life test of this MEA shows a voltage decay rate of 2.87 mV/h over 40 h of operation under 0.2 A cm−2 at 60 °C. [Display omitted] • AEMs based on cyclic quaternary ammonium oniums were synthesized. • Hydrophobic spacers support to construct microphase separations efficiently. • After immersed in 2 M NaOH for 1500 h, the ionic conductivity remained at 86.37%. • The single cell achieves the high peak power density of 307 mW cm−2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hippocampal atrophy is found in many psychiatric disorders that are more prevalent in women. Sex differences in memory and spatial skills further suggest that males and females differ in hippocampal structure and function. We conducted the first meta-analysis of male–female difference in hippocampal volume (HCV) based on published MRI studies of healthy participants of all ages, to test whether the structure is reliably sexually dimorphic. Using four search strategies, we collected 68 matched samples of males' and females' uncorrected HCVs (in 4418 total participants), and 36 samples of male and female HCVs (2183 participants) that were corrected for individual differences in total brain volume (TBV) or intracranial volume (ICV). Pooled effect sizes were calculated using a random-effects model for left, right, and bilateral uncorrected HCVs and for left and right HCVs corrected for TBV or ICV. We found that uncorrected HCV was reliably larger in males, with Hedges' g values of 0.545 for left hippocampus, 0.526 for right hippocampus, and 0.557 for bilateral hippocampus. Meta-regression revealed no effect of age on the sex difference in left, right, or bilateral HCV. In the subset of studies that reported it, both TBV (g = 1.085) and ICV (g = 1.272) were considerably larger in males. Accordingly, studies reporting HCVs corrected for individual differences in TBV or ICV revealed no significant sex differences in left and right HCVs (Hedges' g ranging from + 0.011 to − 0.206). In summary, we found that human males of all ages exhibit a larger HCV than females, but adjusting for individual differences in TBV or ICV results in no reliable sex difference. The frequent claim that women have a disproportionately larger hippocampus than men was not supported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: The gene and cDNA sequence encoding PAL from Chinese medicinal plant Rhus chinensis were cloned and analyzed, furthermore the biochemical properties, kinetic parameters, differential expression and key sites were studied. Abstract: Rhus chinensis is a well-known Chinese medicinal plant. Phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) is the first enzyme of phenylpropanoid pathway. Several recent studies suggested that PAL also play an important role in plant-aphid interaction. In this study, both the cDNA and the genomic sequence encoding PAL from Rhus chinensis (designated as RcPAL) were cloned and analyzed. The 3,833 bp gene contained a 1,342 bp intron and two extrons. The ORF was 2,124 bp and predicted to encode a 707-amino acid polypeptide. The results of real-time PCR showed that RcPAL expressed in all tested tissues and followed the order: stems > young leaves > petioles > roots > seeds > mature leaves. RcPAL was successfully expressed in E. coli with the pET-28a-RcPAL recombinant vector. The recombinant protein exhibited a high level of PAL activity. Biochemical properties and kinetic parameters of recombinant RcPAL were further studied. The results showed that the optimal temperature and pH for RcPAL activity were 45 °C and 9.0, and the K and K values were 7.90 mM and 52.31 s, respectively. The active sites and substrate selectivity site were also investigated with site-directed mutagenesis methods, suggesting that Phe is responsible for the substrate selectivity. To our knowledge, this was the first full-length PAL gene cloned and characterized from the family Anacardiaceae so far. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the present study was to describe the occurrence of orofacial, particularly dental injuries in basketball, and to survey the athletes’ awareness concerning the use of mouthguards during basketball training and competition. A pilot questionnaire was designed and tested with basketball players. Two hundred and thirty-six male athletes were surveyed. Seventy-seven players were professional players. Exactly 80.6% professionals and 37.7% semi-professional athletes had an experience of oral soft tissue laceration and dental injuries in basketball practice. The difference between the two groups is significant. The incidence of dental and oral injuries was related to the length of training time. About 59% of the athletes ranked the risk of orofacial and dental injury in basketball as medium. Although the awareness of mouthguards among the basketball players was very high (80.1%), only one of them had used the custom-made mouthguard. Most of the athletes gained the knowledge about mouthguards from foreign players (33.5%), media (24.8%) and teammates/classmates (24.3%). The influence of dentists was very weak. Athletes should be informed about the high risk of oral injuries when participating in contact sports. Dentists should play a more significant role in the program of promoting mouthguard use to prevent the occurrence of oral injury in sport participation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Describes the design and application of 60mer oligonucleotide microarray in SARS coronavirus detection. Diagnostic capability of the microarray; Results indicating that the genome of SARS coronavirus can be detected in parallel by the 60mer oligonucleotide microarray which can improve the positive ratio of the diagnosis.

Looks at developments in DNA chip technology. Various synonyms of DNA chip; Functions of a DNA chip; Principle of the DNA chip technology; Future applications of the DNA chip.

In this work, we focus on Mg–Fe–O and Mg–Ni–O with Mg-rich compositions as positive-electrode materials for magnesium rechargeable batteries, and prepare them by a thermal decomposition of precipitates obtained by a solution method. It is indicated from X-ray diffraction patterns that the Mg–Fe–O and Mg–Ni–O samples have the spinel and rocksalt structures, respectively. X-ray absorption near edge structures indicate that Fe and Ni are trivalent and divalent, respectively, in the Mg-rich oxides. From charge/discharge cycle test, it is demonstrated that the Mg–Fe–O shows higher discharge capacity than the other and then has good cycle performance while keeping a discharge capacity over 100 mA h g–1. To gain deeper understanding on a relationship between the electrode properties and the crystal structure of the Mg–Fe–O, the crystal structure is investigated by a Rietveld refinement using a synchrotron X-ray diffraction profile and an analysis on total correlation functions. It is indicated from these studies that a vacant octahedral site in the spinel structure is partially occupied by the excess Mg in the synthesized sample. This structural feature might result in a stable charge/discharge cycle performance of the Mg-rich Mg–Fe–O. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. This study used network pharmacology and molecular docking technology to elucidate the mechanism of action of Shishiwei Wendan Decoction against lung adenocarcinoma. Methods. By using the world's largest TCM System Pharmacology Database and Analysis Technology Platform (TCMSP) system to conduct in-depth mining analysis and data collection of the main active components of the medicinal components in Shishiwei Wendan Decoction and using the human gene card database (GeneCards), Human Mendelian Inheritance Online System (OMIM), and Human Disease-Related Gene and Mutation Information Database (DisGeNET) to collect the pathogenic targets of lung adenocarcinoma and build a PPI network; for the core drug targets, use GO enrichment analysis and KEGG pathway analysis; use Cytoscape software to build relevant network maps; and use AutoDock to achieve molecular docking. Results. Shishiwei Wendan Decoction screened 144 active ingredients and 384 drug targets; 7680 lung adenocarcinoma disease targets were obtained, including 380 targets for Shishiwei Wendan Decoction in the treatment of lung adenocarcinoma. GO enrichment analysis demonstrated 2,299 downstream genes, and key target genes were closely related to nutrient levels, membrane rafts, and protein serine/threonine kinase activity; KEGG functional enrichment analysis yielded 179 related pathways, including tumor necrosis factor signaling pathway which is related to the target gene. Molecular docking showed that the core active ingredients and key targets could be well combined. Conclusion. Through the network pharmacology analysis and molecular docking experiments of Shishiwei Wendan Decoction against lung adenocarcinoma, it is found that Shishiwei Wendan Decoction has multidimensional effects on the treatment of lung adenocarcinoma, and it is the first Shiwei Wendan Decoction to treat lung adenocarcinoma. Decoction in the treatment of lung adenocarcinoma provides biointellectual support and the oretical support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, five naphthalimide-modified half-sandwich iridium and ruthenium complexes ([(η5-Cpx)Ir(NˆN)Cl]PF 6 , [(η6-p-cym)Ru(NˆN)Cl]PF 6) have been presented. The anticancer activities of the complexes against various cancer cell lines were investigated, among them, complexes 2 and 4 showed better anticancer activity than cisplatin, and their anticancer activity is better than complex 5 without fluorophore. In addition, a series of biological tests of complex 2 were performed using flow cytometry, the results indicated that the complex could induce cell death in a variety of ways. By changing of the ligands, the complexes exhibited different photophysical properties, and the mechanism of action of the complexes entering the cell and inducing apoptosis are different. Moreover, complex 2 successfully targeted mitochondria, while complex 4 targeted lysosomes, causing mitochondrial damage and lysosomal damage to induce apoptosis. Excitingly, complex 2 has good antimetastatic ability to cancer cells. Furthermore, complexes 2 and 4 did not have a significant effect on the NADH binding reaction, but they had a moderate binding ability to BSA. Synthesis and characterization of five naphthalimide-modified half-sandwich iridium and ruthenium complexes. Flow cytometry and confocal microscopy were used to study the specific antiproliferative ability, complex induces cell death by selectively targeting mitochondria or lysosomes, and has antimetastatic ability to cancer cells. Image 1 • The complex has fluorescent properties and different excitation and emission wavelengths. • The complex has different targeting properties and anti-cancer mechanisms. • The complexes is easy to track and study the intracellular behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nurudea zhengii Ren was identified by aphid morphological characteristics as well as the gall shape and host plant species, and placed in the tribe Fordini (Hemiptera, Aphididae, Eriosomatinae). Here, its whole genome was firstly sequenced by a genome-skimming method and its mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) was assembled to examine its genetic variation and phylogenetic position. The complete mitogenome of Nurudea zhengii is 15,392 bp in length, and consists of 13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNAs, two rRNAs and one D-loop region. The gene order follows the mitogenomes of the other Rhus gall aphids, and similarly has an AT bias with the content of 83.9%. The majority strand is A-skewed and C-skewed, and shows opposite skewness for G-skewed in the minority strands. The ratios of nonsynonymous to synonymous substitution rates of protein-coding genes are lower than one except for ATP8, which indicated that ATP8 was undergoing positive selection. Phylogenetic analysis among the Rhus gall aphids based on 13 protein-coding genes and two rRNA genes showed that N. zhengii was sister to N. shiraii, and then clustered with N. yanoniella as a group with high support value. The two species, N. shiraii and N. yanoniella, share the same host plant Rhus chinensis, while the host of N. zhengii is R. hypoleuca. However, the phylogenetic relationship indicated that the taxa sharing the same host plant were not absolutely clustered as the closest taxa at least at species level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sepsis continues to overwhelm hospital systems with its high mortality rate and prevalence. A strategy to reduce the strain of sepsis on hospital systems is to develop a diagnostic/prognostic measure that identifies patients who are more susceptible to septic death. Current biomarkers fail to achieve this outcome, as they only have moderate diagnostic power and limited prognostic capabilities. Sepsis disrupts a multitude of pathways in many different organ systems, making the identification of a single powerful biomarker difficult to achieve. However, a common feature of many of these perturbed pathways is the increased generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which can alter gene expression, changes in which may precede the clinical manifestation of severe sepsis. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate whether ROS-related circulating molecular signature can be used as a tool to predict sepsis survival. Here we created a ROS-related gene signature and used two Gene Expression Omnibus datasets from whole blood samples of septic patients to generate a 37-gene molecular signature that can predict survival of sepsis patients. Our results indicate that peripheral blood gene expression data can be used to predict the survival of sepsis patients by assessing the gene expression pattern of free radical–associated -related genes in patients, warranting further exploration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The serrated flow behavior of Zr61.7Al8Ni13Cu17Sn0.3 bulk metallic glass with different aspect ratios was investigated. For the samples with aspect ratios below 2.0, the serrated flow behavior changes from uniform to nonuniform with increasing aspect ratios. The histograms of normalized stress drop magnitude all exhibit a peak shape and the mean stress drop magnitude increases with increasing aspect ratios. The serrated flow behavior is special and can be divided into two stages for the sample with aspect ratio of 2.5. At the first stage, the serrations exhibit a nonuniform behavior and the histogram of normalized stress drop magnitude exhibit a peak shape. At the second stage, the serration size increases significantly and the histogram of normalized stress drop magnitude exhibits a sporadic behavior. The reason for the appearance of the complex serrated flow behavior may probably be attributed to the complex interaction of multiple shear bands formed during the deformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scanning mirrors appear to be key components in optoelectronic systems for line-of-sight (LOS) stabilization. For improving the angular accuracy of a scanning mirror based on the eddy current displacement sensor measurement, an angular error-correction method is proposed and demonstrated. A mathematic angular error model with physical parameters was developed, and the cross-validation method was employed to determine the reasonable order of the Maclaurin series used in the error model, which increased the exactitude and robustness of the correction method. The error parameters were identified by accurately fitting the calibrated angular errors with the error model, which showed excellent error prediction performance. Based on the angular calculation model corrected by the error model, the closed-loop control system was established to obtain accurate deflection angles. Experimental results show that within the deflection angle of ±1.5 deg, the angular accuracy was improved from 0.28 deg to less than 1.1 arcsec, and the standard deviation for six measurements was less than 1.2 arcsec, which indicates that the angle correction method was effective in improving the linearity of the eddy current sensors and reducing the influence of manufacturing and installation errors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Direct numerical simulation combined with a one-way coupled Lagrangian particle tracking technique is employed to investigate dilute particle-laden turbulent flows in open square ducts with a free surface. The focus is on examining the influence of the mean cross-stream secondary flow on particle transport near the wall, free surface, and across the duct cross section. Based on the duct half-width and mean friction velocity, a shear Reynolds number of Reτ = 300 is considered, with the corresponding particle Stokes numbers ranging from St+ = 0.31 to 260. The results reveal that particle concentration near the sidewalls is lower than that near the bottom wall, and the minimum particle concentration is observed at the free surface. Along the bottom wall centerline orientated upward, particle concentration gradually decreases. An exception to this is in the vicinity of the free surface where a slight increase is observed for the heavier particles (St+ ≥ 25), and the amplitude of this increase gradually declines as the Stokes number increases. In the streamwise direction near the free surface, heavier particles tend to preferentially concentrate in regions where the instantaneous transverse secondary flow velocity is negative. As the Stokes number increases, the position of the maximum streamwise velocity for heavier particles is closer to the free surface, and the rotation centers of inner and outer secondary particle motions gradually disappear. The streamwise root mean square velocity for the lightest St+ = 0.31 particles is higher than that for particles with higher inertia in the middle region of the free surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatitis C virus (HCV)-induced human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression may be due to a complex multi-step processes. The developmental mechanism of these processes is worth investigating for the prevention, diagnosis and therapy of HCC. The aim of the present study was to investigate the molecular mechanism underlying the progression of HCV-induced hepatocarcinogenesis. First, the dynamic gene module, consisting of key genes associated with progression between the normal stage and HCC, was identified using the Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis tool from R language. By defining those genes in the module as seeds, the change of co-expression in differentially expressed gene sets in two consecutive stages of pathological progression was examined. Finally, interaction pairs of HCV viral proteins and their directly targeted proteins in the identified module were extracted from the literature and a comprehensive interaction dataset from yeast two-hybrid experiments. By combining the interactions between HCV and their targets, and protein-protein interactions in the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes database (STRING), the HCV-key genes interaction network was constructed and visualized using Cytoscape software 3.2. As a result, a module containing 44 key genes was identified to be associated with HCC progression, due to the dynamic features and functions of those genes in the module. Several important differentially co-expressed gene pairs were identified between non-HCC and HCC stages. In the key genes, cyclin dependent kinase 1 (CDK1), NDC80, cyclin A2 (CCNA2) and rac GTPase activating protein 1 (RACGAP1) were shown to be targeted by the HCV nonstructural proteins NS5A, NS3 and NS5B, respectively. The four genes perform an intermediary role between the HCV viral proteins and the dysfunctional module in the HCV key genes interaction network. These findings provided valuable information for understanding the mechanism of HCV-induced HCC progression and for seeking drug targets for the therapy and prevention of HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming at the problem of two motors system of a large optical telescope, a feedforward friction compensated linear active disturbance rejection control (FFLADRC) algorithm is proposed in this article. The algorithm consists of a friction compensated linear active disturbance rejection control (FLADRC) and two nonlinear tracking differentiators (NTDs). The FLADRC realizes the control of the two motors system by decoupling and compensates the friction. The NTDs are used to generate reference position, velocity, and acceleration signals. First, a mathematical model of the two motors system is established. Second, the FFLADRC algorithm is derived using the idea of decoupling. Third, the parameters tuning method of the FFLADRC is given. Fourth, the stability and synchronization mechanisms of the algorithm are analyzed. Finally, the experiments are carried out on a large optical telescope. In the experiments, single motor control, master–slave control, cross-coupling control, and FFLADRC are compared. The results show that FFLADRC has the minimum synchronization error and tracking error, which verifies the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metallothioneins (MTs) are a class of cysteine-rich metal-binding proteins. Cadmium (Cd) is one of the toxic heavy metal pollutants. In our previous research, the full-length cDNA of MT (Cd specificity) from freshwater crab (Sinopotamon henanense) (Sh MT) was cloned and genetically modified to Sh MT3 by site-directed mutagenesis to enhance the tolerance for Cd2+, however, it was limited in actual Cd2+ adsorption due to instability. Here, Sh MT3-CBM, a novel recombinant fusion protein, was prepared. CBM is a carbohydrate binding module that can specifically bind cellulose while Sh MT3 can effectively chelate Cd2+. The biosorbent Cellulose1- Sh MT3-CBM was obtained by screening suitable cellulose materials. The selective adsorption experiments showed that Cellulose1- Sh MT3-CBM had a preference for Cd2+. In low-concentration Cd2+ solutions, the removal efficiency was >99 %, and the adsorption equilibrium was reached within 15 min. The saturated adsorption capacity of Cellulose1- Sh MT3-CBM for Cd2+ is 180.35 ± 4.67 mg/g (Dry Weight). Regeneration experiments showed that adsorption efficiency was maintained after six cycles. The MTT experiment showed that Cellulose1- Sh MT3-CBM had low cytotoxicity. Meanwhile, Cellulose1- Sh MT3-CBM can preferentially remove Cd2+ in actual water samples and boiler sewage. In this study, an environmentally friendly biosorbent which can adsorb Cd2+ efficiently and quickly was prepared for actual water treatment. [Display omitted] • Sh MT3-CBM was obtained by genetic engineering technology. • Cellulose1- Sh MT3-CBM was obtained by immobilization technology. • In low concentration solution, the removal efficiency reaches >99 %. • Cellulose1- Sh MT3-CBM showed excellent reusability. • Cellulose1- Sh MT3-CBM is non-toxic to cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To develop anion exchange membranes with excellent chemical stability and high performance. A series of quaternary ammonium functionalized (hydrophilic) hydrophobic rigid poly (carbazole-butanedione) (HOCB-TMA-x) anion exchange membranes were prepared, where x represents the percentage content of hydrophobic unit octylcarbazole (OCB). Due to the introduction of hydrophobic rigid unit octylcarbazole and hexyl flexible side chain, the hydrophilic-hydrophobic microstructure of AEMs was developed. The AEMs exhibit excellent overall performance, specifically the low swelling ratio HOCB-TMA-30 membrane exhibits the highest OH− conductivity of 152.9 mS/cm at 80 °C. Furthermore, the ionic conductivity of AEM decreased by only 9.5% after 2250 h of immersion in 1 M NaOH. The maximum peak power density of a single cell with a current density of 4.38 A/cm2 at 80 °C was 1.85 W/cm2. [Display omitted] • A series of poly(carbazole-butanedione) AEMs were prepared. • The effect of hydrophobic unit on the performance of AEMs was investigated. • The membrane showed a maximum OH− conductivity of 152.9 mS/cm at 80 °C. • The introduction of hydrophobic unit improves the overall performance of AEMs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to improve the performance of external disturbance rejection of permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) in speed control, sliding mode control with extended state observer is adopted in this paper. First, an exponential function-based sliding mode reaching law (ESMRL) is developed. The ESMRL can dynamically adapt to the variations of the controlled system, which decrease the reaching time in reaching stage and void chattering in sliding motion stage while maintaining high tracking accuracy of the servo system. Then, an extended state observer (ESO) is introduced to the controller to simultaneously estimate external disturbance and compensate the uncertainties. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed method has better suppression of chattering effect and disturbance rejection ability while ensuring dynamic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Childhood caries have a high relapse rate after full mouth therapy. This study aimed to elucidate the relationship between the microbiome, sugar, and the relapse of childhood caries after therapy. A total of 24 children aged 2–4 years who underwent one caries treatment session participated in this study. Supragingival plaque was collected before therapy and 1 and 7 months after therapy, then sequenced using the 16S rRNA high-throughput approach. We found 11 phyla, 140 genera, and 444 species in 72 samples. The children were divided into relapse-free (n = 13) and relapse (n = 11) groups according to whether they relapsed 7 months after therapy. The bacterial community richness, diversity, structure, and relative abundance of bacterial taxa were significantly different between the two groups 7 months after therapy. The two groups also differed in the relative abundance of bacterial taxa, both before and 1 month after therapy. Bacterial community richness and diversity were lower in the relapse-free group 1 month after therapy. Using different operational taxonomic units between the relapse-free and relapse groups 1 month after therapy, a relapse-risk assessment model was built with 75% accuracy, 0.1905 out-of-bag error, and 66.67% validation accuracy. Patients in the relapse group had higher sugar intake frequencies than those in the relapse-free group during follow-up. Interactions between the microbiome and sugar intake frequency were found through co-occurrence networks. We conclude that the microbiome is significantly different between the relapse-free and relapse groups at the time of relapse. Supragingival plaque collected immediately after therapy can be used to predict the risk of relapse. Furthermore, the correlation between sugar intake frequency and microbiome is associated with the relapse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of (Zr 64.13 Cu 15.75 Ni 10.12 Al 10 ) 100− x Ti x ( x =0–7) bulk metallic glasses were prepared by water-cooled copper mold casting method. The glass forming ability, crystallization behavior, and plasticity of the (Zr 64.13 Cu 15.75 Ni 10.12 Al 10 ) 100− x Ti x alloys with different Ti contents were studied. The reduced glass transition temperature increases with Ti addition and a maximum value of 0.562 is achieved at x =5, indicating that the glass forming ability increases with Ti addition. Compared with that of one crystallization step for the sample without Ti addition, the Ti ( x ≥2) containing alloys exhibit a two-step crystallization behavior. In addition, the initial crystallization temperature decreases from 744 to 684 K as x increases from 0 to 7. Icosahedral quasicrystal phase was found to precipitate in the amorphous matrix in the first crystallization step, implying that strong icosahedral short-range order may exist in the Ti ( x ≥2) containing alloys. Moreover, the (Zr 64.13 Cu 15.75 Ni 10.12 Al 10 ) 100− x Ti x bulk metallic glasses exhibit excellent plasticity, i.e., a plastic engineering strain in compression larger than 80% for x ≤6. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ornithine decarboxylase antizyme (OAZ) has recently emerged as a potential therapeutic target in various malignant tumors because it plays vital roles in cellular functions including proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis and genomic stability. Therefore, there is a significant interest in discovering its function in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Firstly, OAZ1 mRNA was measured by qRT-PCR in 43 cases with CML and 23 controls, and we demonstrated that it is significantly down-regulated in CML patients. To further understand its functions in CML pathogenesis, OAZ1 was overexpressed, and the human leukemia PCR array analysis was used to monitor the expression of key genes commonly involved in leukemia development, classification and therapeutic response. We found several favorable up-regulation factors including CXCL10, DAPK1 and IKZF3. In conclusion, OAZ1 may be a useful therapeutic target in CML due to its potential ability to induce erythroid differentiation and cell apoptosis. These functions were proven to be associated with several gene changes that were directly or indirectly caused by OAZ1. The mechanism of how OAZ1 affects other genes remains to be elucidated. © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metallothionein (MTs) can be used in the prevention and treatment of tumors and diabetes due to its antioxidant properties. However, it is necessary to solve its non-transmembrane properties and further improve its antioxidant activity, increase its fluorescence visualization and enhance its stability to meet practical applications in the biomedical field. Here, we report the preparation of a novel metallothionein-AuNP composite material with high transmembrane ability, fluorescence visualization, antioxidant activity, and stability by genetic modification (introducing transduction peptide TAT, fluorescence tag GFP and increasing sulfydryl groups) and immobilization technology (covalently bonding with AuNPs). The transmembrane activity of modified proteins was verified by immunofluorescence. Increasing the sulfhydryl content within a certain range can enhance the antioxidant activity of the protein. In addition, GFP were used to further simplify the imaging of the metallothionein-AuNP composite in cells. XPS results indicated that AuNPs can immobilize metallothionein through Au S covalent bonds. TGA characterization and degradation experiments showed that thermal and degradation stability of the immobilized material was significantly improved. This work provides new ideas to construct metallothionein composites with high transmembrane ability, antioxidant activity, fluorescence visualization and stability to meet novel applications in the biomedical field. [Display omitted] • TAT- Sh MT3 was obtained by long primer PCR. • TAT- Sh MT3 has about 30 % increase in antioxidant capacity compared to TAT- Sh MT. • TAT- Sh MT3-GFP was obtained by SOE-PCR. • TAT- Sh MT3-GFP + AuNPs was obtained Au S covalent bond. • TAT-ShMT3-GFP + AuNPs has higher stability compared to TAT- Sh MT3-GFP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is associated with overexpression of BCR-ABL1, a nonreceptor tyrosine kinase critical for malignant transformation. We investigated whether non-coding microRNAs (miRNAs) targeting BCR-ABL1 mRNA contribute to the pathogenesis of CML. Indeed, miR-30a targeted BCR-ABL1 and was underexpressed in bone marrow from CML patients. In K562 leukemia cells, overexpression of miR-30a reduced ABL1 and BCR-ABL1 protein expression, decreased proliferation, and arrested cell cycle progression between G1 and S. These findings strongly suggest that miR-30a acts as a tumor suppressor by downregulating ABL1 and BCR-ABL1 expression. Upregulation of miR-30a in hematopoietic cells may have therapeutic efficacy against CML. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Magnetic targeting, a promising therapeutic strategy for localizing systemically delivered drug to target tissue, is limited by magnetic attenuation. To satisfy the need of deep magnetic targeting, a special apparatus in which the magnetic flux density can be focused at a distance from the pole was designed. To test the aggregation property of this apparatus, we observed the accumulation of 500-nm paramagnetic particles as flowing through a tube served as a model of blood vessels. The relationship of the accumulation of the paramagnetic particles, the magnetic flux density, the magnetic field gradient and the fluid velocity was studied by theoretical considerations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The miniaturization of biological and chemical analytical devices by micro-electro-mechanical-systems (MEMS) technology has posed a vital influence on such fields as medical diagnostics, microbial detection and other bio-analysis. Among many miniaturized analytical devices, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) microchip/microdevices are studied extensively, and thus great progress has been made on aspects of on-chip micromachining (fabrication, bonding and sealing), choice of substrate materials, surface chemistry and architecture of reaction vessel, handling of necessary sample fluid, controlling of three or two-step temperature thermocycling, detection of amplified nucleic acid products, integration with other analytical functional units such as sample preparation, capillary electrophoresis (CE), DNA microarray hybridization, etc. However, little has been done on the review of above-mentioned facets of the PCR microchips/microdevices including the two formats of flow-through and stationary chamber in spite of several earlier reviews [Zorbas, H. Miniature continuous-flow polymerase chain reaction: a breakthrough? Angew Chem Int Ed 1999; 38 (8):1055–1058; Krishnan, M., Namasivayam, V., Lin, R., Pal, R., Burns, M.A. Microfabricated reaction and separation systems. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2001; 12:92–98; Schneegaβ, I., Köhler, J.M. Flow-through polymerase chain reactions in chip themocyclers. Rev Mol Biotechnol 2001; 82:101–121; deMello, A.J. DNA amplification: does ‘small’ really mean ‘efficient’? Lab Chip 2001; 1: 24N–29N; Mariella, Jr. R. MEMS for bio-assays. Biomed Microdevices 2002; 4 (2):77–87; deMello AJ. Microfluidics: DNA amplification moves on. Nature 2003; 422:28–29; Kricka, L.J., Wilding, P. Microchip PCR. Anal BioAnal Chem 2003; 377:820–825]. In this review, we survey the advances of the above aspects among the PCR microfluidic devices in detail. Finally, we also illuminate the potential and practical applications of PCR microfluidics to some fields such as microbial detection and disease diagnosis, based on the DNA/RNA templates used in PCR microfluidics. It is noted, especially, that this review is to help a novice in the field of on-chip PCR amplification to more easily find the original papers, because this review covers almost all of the papers related to on-chip PCR microfluidics. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Introduction: The molecular pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is still not clear, and the relationship between gene expression profile for different brain regions has not been studied. Objective: Bioinformatic analysis at the genetic level has become the best way for the pathogenesis research of AD, which can analyze the abovementioned relationship. Methods: In this study, the datasets of AD were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), and Qlucore Omics Explorer (QOE) software was used to screen differentially expressed genes of GSE36980 and GSE9770 and verify gene expression of GSE63060. The Gene Ontology (GO) function enrichment analysis of these selected genes was conducted by Database for Annotation, Visualization, and Integrated Discovery (DAVID), and then the gene/protein interaction network was established by STRING to find the related proteins. R language was used for drafting maps and plots. Results: There were 20 differentially expressed genes related to AD selected from GSE36980 (p = 6.2e−6, q = 2.9422e−4) and GSE9770 (p = 3.3e−4, q = 0.016606). Their expression levels of the AD group were lower than those in the control group and varied among different brain regions. Cellular morphogenesis and establishment or maintenance of cell polarity were enriched, and LRRTM1 and RASAL1 were identified by the integration network. Moreover, the analysis of GSE63060 verified the expression level of LRRTM1 and RASAL1 in Alzheimer's patients, which was much lower than that in normal people aged >65 years. Conclusions: The pathogenesis of AD at molecular levels may link to cell membrane structures and signal transduction; hence, a list of 20 genes, including LRRTM1 and RASAL1,potentially are important for the discovery of treatment target or molecular marker of AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ten half‐sandwich iridium complexes containing lonidamine amide derivatives were synthesized and characterized. Unlike lonidamine, which acts on mitochondria, its iridium complexes successfully targeted lysosomes and induced lysosomal damage. Antiproliferation studies showed that most of the complexes have higher anticancer activity against A549 and HeLa cells than cisplatin. The antitumor activity of complex 6 is 2.69 times that of cisplatin against A549 cells. We also performed antitumor tests on ligands L1 and L5, and proved that they exhibit excellent antitumor activity only after binding to the metal center. The bovine serum albumin (BSA) binding test showed that the complexes had the ability to bind to BSA, and they interact with BSA by a static mechanism. The complexes can also cause changes in mitochondrial membrane potential and can produce active oxygen species better than active control. NADH/NAD+ transformation experiments were used to determine if the production of ROS was caused by the transformation of NADH/NAD+. We also explored the way that the complexes enter cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SiO2 encapsulated composite was successfully synthesized by sol-gel process with tetraethyl orthosilicate as the precursor of SiO2 in neutron condition for the first time. The results of XRD, FT-IR, SEM and TEM characterizations show that the prepared sample had spherical core-shell structure. The average size of the particles was about 474 nm. DSC and TGA results show that the latent heat of melting and solidifying was 109.9 J/g and 100.1 J/g, respectively. The encapsulation ratio and the encapsulation efficiency were 53.45% and 50. 66%, respectively. The thermal energy storage properties and the thermal stability were both higher than those of the samples obtained at pH 3.5 and pH 11.5. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advanced production decline analysis methods have become more economic and efficient options due to technical and time limitations of well-testing operations in shale gas reservoirs. By normalizing rate with material balance pseudo-time, Blasingame type decline analysis can be applied to variable rate/variable pressure drop system, making the methodology more widely applicable. Blasingame decline analysis of variable rate/variable pressure drop case for multi-fractured horizontal well (MFHW) in shale has been less investigated, because of multi-scale storage spaces and multi-flow mechanisms. This article presents a semi-analytical Blasingame decline analysis model incorporating multi-flow mechanisms with shale's modified material balance pseudo-time. Laplace transformation, point source function, numerical discrete method, perturbation method, and Gaussian elimination method were employed to solve the mathematical problem caused by multi-flow mechanisms. Besides, the material balance pseudo-time was modified by considering adsorption and desorption. In this study, a workflow to investigate the effects of properties of hydraulic fracture (fracture half-length, number of fractures and fracture spacing) and multi-flow mechanisms (diffusion and desorption) on production decline behaviors through diagnostic Blasingame type curves is proposed. The results indicate that productivity is greater with a larger scale of fracture treatment, and better desorption of adsorbed gas is also beneficial to production. The decline rates affected by the fracture treatment scale and supplement capacity show two opposite trends, which is caused by interference between the fractures and boundary, respectively. Except that the data in the diffusion early flow period do not match very well, because the use of diffusion coefficient as a constant, the good fitting results on the whole verifies the model's validity and reliability. • A new Blasingame decline model of shale accommodating multi-mechanisms is established. • Effects of fracture and flow mechanism on production behaviors are analyzed. • Simulated result matches well with rate data. • Considering diffusivity as a constant may result in poor fitting result. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies on the neutral and cationic half-sandwich iridium(iii) and ruthenium(ii) complexes showed that the charge and the substitution pattern of the bidentate ligands, as well as the nature of the accompanying counteranion have a significant effect on their biological activities. In this contribution, a series of zwitterionic and cationic half-sandwich iridium(iii) and ruthenium(ii) complexes containing sulfonate groups have been prepared and characterized. The different locations of counteranions between these two kinds of complexes exert great influence on the cytotoxic activity towards cancer cells. The various possible mechanism of actions (MoAs) of the complexes were determined by flow cytometry. This work has shown for the first time the different biological activities between zwitterionic and cationic half-sandwich complexes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Small GTP binding protein Rac1 is a component of NADPH oxidases and is essential for superoxide-induced cell death. Rac1 is activated by guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs), and this activation can be blocked by regulator of chromosome condensation 2 (RCC2), which binds the switch regions of Rac1 to prevent access from GEFs.Methods: Three cancer cell lines with up- or down-regulation of RCC2 were used to evaluate cell proliferation, apoptosis, Rac1 signaling and sensitivity to a group of nine chemotherapeutic drugs. RCC2 expression in lung cancer and ovarian cancer were studied using immunochemistry stain of tumor tissue arrays.Results: Forced RCC2 expression in tumor cells blocked spontaneous- or Staurosporine (STS)-induced apoptosis. In contrast, RCC2 knock down in these cells resulted in increased apoptosis to STS treatment. The protective activity of RCC2 on apoptosis was revoked by a constitutively activated Rac1, confirming a role of RCC2 in apoptosis by regulating Rac1. In an immunohistochemistry evaluation of tissue microarray, RCC2 was over-expressed in 88.3% of primary lung cancer and 65.2% of ovarian cancer as compared to non-neoplastic lung and ovarian tissues, respectively. Because chemotherapeutic drugs can kill tumor cells by activating Rac1/JNK pathway, we suspect that tumors with RCC2 overexpression would be more resistant to these drugs. Tumor cells with forced RCC2 expression indeed had significant difference in drug sensitivity compared to parental cells using a panel of common chemotherapeutic drugs.Conclusions: RCC2 regulates apoptosis by blocking Rac1 signaling. RCC2 expression in tumor can be a useful marker for predicting chemotherapeutic response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to optimize the ion transport capacity and chemical stability, precisely control over the polyelectrolyte structure, and the "windmill" shaped branched poly(aryl piperidine) basic membrane is designed and prepared. Considering the consecutive hydrophobic microphase will unavoidably be a barrier to the ion transport between dispersed hydrophilic ion clusters, the introduction of pendant cyclic ammonium and polar 2-(2-chloroethoxy)ethanol within the membrane can generate highly ordered interconnected ion network domains, supplying a three-dimensional path for ion and water transport. In addition, the presence of terminal hydroxyl groups in polar chain segments enables AEMs to obtain dynamic non-covalent crosslinking effects without additional crosslinking agents, improving the toughness of the membrane, which can be used to fabricate ultrathin self-supported membranes with reduced ohmic resistance. The membrane (TPTP-Pip–OH–20%) exhibits high hydroxide conductivity (143.2 mS cm−1 at 80 °C) and maintains conductivity (87.4% retention for more than 60 days) after testing in 2 M NaOH at 80 °C, showing highly alkaline stability. Besides, the single H 2 –O 2 fuel cell based on TPTP-Pip–OH–20% exhibits a peak power density of 405 mW cm−2 at 80 °C. The novel structural design presents promising solutions for high-performance polyelectrolyte conductive membrane materials, which will benefit many fields involving anion-conducting electrolytes. • The "windmill" shaped branched AEMs were synthesized. • Ion dipole interaction helps to construct highly ordered microphase separation. • The dense hydrogen bond network provided enriches the ion transport path. • Hydroxide conductivity up to 143.2 mS cm−1 at 80 °C. • The single cell achieves the high peak power density of 405 mW cm−2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Charge transfer is important for the performance of a photoelectrochemical cell. Understanding photogenerated charge accumulation and separation is mandatory for the design and optimisation of photoelectrochemical cells. Unique stacked and embedded heterostructure of Sb 2 S 3 /TiO 2 nanotube arrays (NTAs) was fabricated through anodic oxidation with the hydrothermal method. Surface photovoltage spectroscopy, phase spectra and photoluminescence measurements were performed to explore the mechanism by which the inorganic hole transport material CuI affects the charge transfer and photoelectrochemical properties of Sb 2 S 3 /TiO 2 heterostructure NTAs. The interfacial separation and transport of photoinduced charge carriers were also examined by applying current–voltage characteristics ( J – V ), incident-photon-to-current conversion efficiency (IPCE) and Mott–Schottky techniques. Results show that CuI acts not only as a hole-conducting and electron-blocking material but also as a light-absorbing material in the ultraviolet range. Efficient charge transfer processes exist in CuI/Sb 2 S 3 /TiO 2 heterostructure NTAs. The photoelectrochemical performance of CuI/Sb 2 S 3 /TiO 2 heterostructure NTAs is dramatically improved. Under AM 1.5G illumination at 100 mW/cm 2 , the short-circuit current density and open-circuit voltage are 3.51 mA/cm 2 and 0.87 V, respectively. The photoelectric conversion efficiency of CuI/Sb 2 S 3 /TiO 2 heterostructure NTAs (0.95%) is 36% higher than that of Sb 2 S 3 /TiO 2 heterostructure NTAs (0.66%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spermatogenesis consists broadly of three phases: proliferation of diploid germ cells, meiosis, and finally extensive differentiation of the haploid cells into effective delivery vehicles for the paternal genome. Despite detailed characterization of many haploid developmental steps leading to sperm, only fragmentary information exists on the control of gene expression underlying these processes. Here we report that the RFX2 transcription factor is a master regulator of genes required for the haploid phase. A targeted mutation of Rfx2 was created in mice. Rfx2-/- mice are perfectly viable but show complete male sterility. Spermatogenesis appears to progress unperturbed through meiosis. However, haploid cells undergo a complete arrest in spermatid development just prior to spermatid elongation. Arrested cells show altered Golgi apparatus organization, leading to a deficit in the generation of a spreading acrosomal cap from proacrosomal vesicles. Arrested cells ultimately merge to form giant multinucleated cells released to the epididymis. Spermatids also completely fail to form the flagellar axoneme. RNA-Seq analysis and ChIP-Seq analysis identified 139 genes directly controlled by RFX2 during spermiogenesis. Gene ontology analysis revealed that genes required for cilium function are specifically enriched in down- and upregulated genes showing that RFX2 allows precise temporal expression of ciliary genes. Several genes required for cell adhesion and cytoskeleton remodeling are also downregulated. Comparison of RFX2-regulated genes with those controlled by other major transcriptional regulators of spermiogenesis showed that each controls independent gene sets. Altogether, these observations show that RFX2 plays a major and specific function in spermiogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a complex disease that is caused by an impairment in the secretion of β-cell insulin and by a peripheral resistance to insulin. Most patients suffering from T2DM and from obesity exhibit insulin resistance in the muscles, liver, and fat, resulting in a reduced response of these tissues to insulin. In healthy individuals, pancreatic islet β-cells secrete insulin to regulate the increase in blood glucose levels. Once these β-cells fail to function, T2DM develops. Despite the progress achieved in this field in recent years, the genetic causes for insulin resistance and for T2DM have not yet been fully discovered. The present study aims to characterize T2DM by comparing its gene expression with that of normal controls, as well as to identify biomarkers for early T2DM. Gene expression profiles were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus, and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified for type 2 diabetes. Furthermore, functional analyses were conducted for the gene ontology and for the pathway enrichment. In total, 781 DEGs were identified in the T2DM samples relative to healthy controls. These genes were found to be involved in several biological processes, including cell communication, cell proliferation, cell shape, and apoptosis. We constructed a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network, and the clusters in the PPI were analyzed by using ClusterONE. Six functional genes that may play important roles in the initiation of T2DM were identified within the network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we report an improved electrochemical aptasensor based on exonuclease III and double-stranded DNA (dsDNA)-templated copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) assisted signal amplification. In this sensor, duplex DNA from the hybridization of ligated thrombin-binding aptamer (TBA) subunits and probe DNA can act as an effective template for the formation of CuNPs on the electrode surface, so copper ions released from acid-dissolution of CuNPs may catalyze the oxidation of ο-phenylenediamine to produce an amplified electrochemical response. In the presence of thrombin, a short duplex domain with four complementary base pairs can be stabilized by the binding of TBA subunits with thrombin, in which TBA subunit 2 can be partially digested from 3′ terminal with the cycle of exonuclease III, so the ligation of TBA subunits and the subsequent formation of CuNPs can be inhibited. By electrochemical characterization of dsDNA-templated CuNPs on the electrode surface, our aptasensor can display excellent performances for the detection of thrombin in a broad linear range from 100 fM to 1 nM with a low detection limit of 20.3 fM, which can also specially distinguish thrombin in both PBS and serum samples. Therefore, our aptasensor might have great potential for clinical diagnosis of biomarkers in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An electrochemical sensor is developed in this work based on the new perovskite-type nanomaterial LaNiTiO-FeO for sensitive determination of o-phenylenediamine (OPD). As-synthesized materials and the surface of as-fabricated electrochemical sensor are characterized by X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscope, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, respectively. The results of characterizations depict that the sample is of nanoscaled complex oxides consisting of perovskite structure and spinel structure, and has good conductive properties. The construction and experimental conditions of the electrochemical sensor are also optimized. The electrochemical properties of OPD at glassy carbon electrode modified with LaNiTiO-FeO are investigated in alkaline solution (NaOH). The new electrochemical sensor exhibits high electrocatalytic activity and stability in NaOH, and a promotion of electrochemical oxidation of OPD at low potentials can be obviously observed. A wide linear range is obtained from 1.0 × 10 to 7.0 × 10 M with a relative low detection limit of 0.15 μM (S/N = 3) under optimal conditions. Furthermore, the sensor exhibits reliable results for the determination of OPD in commercial samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Chromodomain helicase DNA binding protein 5 (CHD5) has recently been identified as a potent tumour suppressor by acting as a master regulator of a tumour-suppressive network. Its inactivation resulted from aberrant methylation in the promoter occurs in several types of human malignancy and is associated with malignant tumour behaviour. In human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), CHD5 gene expression, methylation status and tumour-suppressive function have not been elucidated. Aims In this study, we focused on the epigenetic modification and tumour-suppressive mechanism of CHD5 gene in HCC. Methods CHD5 expression in nine HCC cell lines and 30 pairs of HCC specimens and adjacent non-cancerous tissues were analysed by quantitative reverse transcription PCR and Western blotting. Methylation-specific sequencing and methylation-specific PCR were performed to examine DNA methylation status of the CHD5 promoter in HCC cell lines and samples. The effect of CHD5 restoration on proliferation, colony formation, senescence, apoptosis and tumourigenicity were examined. Results CHD5 expression was sinificantly down-regulated in HCC cell lines and tissues examined, and the −841 to −470 region of CHD5 promoter was hypermethylated in these samples. Treatment with DNA methyltransferase inhibitor 5-aza-2-deoxycytidine resulted in a striking regional demethylation of the −841 to −470 region of CHD5 promoter and an increase in CHD5 expression. The restoration of CHD5 expression inhibited tumour cell proliferation, colony formation and tumourigenicity and caused cellular senescence. Conclusions Our findings demonstrate that CHD5 is a potential tumour suppressor gene epigenetically silenced in HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chromodomain helicase DNA binding protein 5 (CHD5) was previously proposed to function as a potent tumor suppressor by acting as a master regulator of a tumor-suppressive network. CHD5 is down-regulated in several cancers, including leukemia and is responsible for tumor generation and progression. However, the mechanism of CHD5 down-regulation in leukemia is largely unknown. In this study, quantitative reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and western blotting analyses revealed that CHD5 was down-regulated in human leukemia cell lines and samples. Luciferase reporter assays showed that most of the baseline regulatory activity was localized from 500 to 200 bp upstream of the transcription start site. Bisulfite DNA sequencing of the identified regulatory element revealed that the CHD5 promoter was hypermethylated in human leukemia cells and samples. Thus, CHD5 expression was inversely correlated with promoter DNA methylation in these samples. Treatment with DNA methyltransferase inhibitor 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine (DAC) activates CHD5 expression in human leukemia cell lines. In vitro luciferase reporter assays demonstrated that methylation of the CHD5 promoter repressed its promoter activity. Furthermore, a chromatin immunoprecipitation assay combined with qualitative PCR identified activating protein 2 (AP2) as a potential transcription factor involved in CHD5 expression and indicated that treatment with DAC increases the recruitment of AP2 to the CHD5 promoter. In vitro transcription-factor activity studies showed that AP2 over-expression was able to activate CHD5 promoter activity. Our findings indicate that repression of CHD5 gene expression in human leukemia is mediated in part by DNA methylation of its promoter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]