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Flexible perovskite solar cells (FPSCs) have gained considerable attention for potential applications in portable and wearable electronics. However, the design principles governing FPSCs remain incompletely understood. In this study, two critical factors—thermal conductivity and elastic modulus—that significantly influence the thermal and mechanical stabilities of FPSCs are identified. Achieving stress‐less conditions is crucial for enhancing the performance of FPSCs. To address this, a liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) is employed as a buffer interlayer to effectively mitigate residual thermal stress. This is achieved by improving the thermal conductivity of the electron transport layer from 0.76 to 1.07 W mK−1 and softening the perovskite layer, reducing the Young's modulus from 50 to 42 GPa. The optimized thin films are utilized in both rigid and flexible PSCs, resulting in efficiencies of 24.5% and 22.8%, respectively. Remarkably, these devices demonstrated excellent thermal stability, with unpackaged LCE rigid PSCs retaining 85.6% of their initial efficiency after 504 h of aging at 85 °C. Moreover, robust mechanical stability in FPSCs is exhibited, with 88.4% of the original efficiency retained after 5400 bending cycles. This investigation elucidates the profound impact of thermal conductivity and Young's modulus on the efficiency and stability of flexible electronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) with excellent photoelectric properties have attracted much attention in recent years. However, the solution manufacturing of PSCs inevitably introduces a large number of defects (both bulk and surface defects), which seriously affect the performance of PSCs. Defect passivation from additive engineering is an effective and simple strategy. Among these additives, polymers are increasingly attracting attention due to their excellent properties, such as adjustable structures, multiple functional groups, excellent stability, and low cost, which can further promote the commercialization of PSC technology. However, the application of polymers in PSCs have encountered some obstacles due to a lack of systematic studies, such as unelucidated interactions between polymers and perovskites, the frequent trial‐and‐error process used in material selection, and the lack of effective guidelines. In this review, the application of polymers in various layers of PSCs devices is first summarized. Then, three main roles of polymers in PSCs are summarized, including crystallization regulation, the mechanical stability enhancement of flexible perovskite solar cells (FPSCs), and their use as undoped hole transport materials (HTMs). More importantly, machine learning (ML) is proposed to design and select polymers as passivators and HTMs for PSCs. Finally, promising guidelines and recommendations are provided for the commercialization of PSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fe-based metal organic framework-derived Fe x-1 O x /C modified rGO microwave absorbers were obtained by two-step method, the introduction of magnetic component endows the absorbers with much better microwave absorption performances. [Display omitted] Component tailoring, especially for the conductive substrates-based composites, acts as a significant role in optimizing the electromagnetic (EM) parameters and improving the EM response capability. Here, Fe-based metal oxides modified rGO microwave absorbers with component evolution were fabricated through hydrothermal treatment and subsequent pyrolysis process. The synergistic effects of the dielectric loss (multi-relaxations) and the magnetic loss (resonance and eddy current) are found to be effective in promoting the microwave absorption property of Fe x-1 O x /C/rGO absorbers. As the thermal treatment temperature reaches 500 °C, the as-prepared composite sample shows ideal microwave absorption performance, where the reflection loss value is −25.94 dB, and the effective bandwidth reaches 5.84 GHz at 1.9 mm. In addition, CST simulation was employed to analyze the microwave absorption capability in the actual far field. When the scattering angle is 0° and 20°, the radar cross section (RCS) reduction of S-500/PEC layers is 8.11 dB m2 and 8.80 dB m2, respectively. This study exhibits the importance of component tailoring in enhancing the performances of substrates-based microwave absorption materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To overcome the acquired resistance and the significant side-effects of the reported drugs, four new ruthenium(II) complexes with alkynyl (Ru1, Ru2, Ru3, Ru4) were designed and synthesized. Ru1, Ru2, Ru3 and Ru4 were characterized by ESI-MS, 1H NMR, 1H–1H COSY NMR and elemental analysis. Compared with Ru2, Ru3, Ru4 and cisplatin, the anti-tumor experiments in vitro and vivo confirmed that Ru1 could most effectively inhibit tumor growth. In the experiments of safety evaluation in vivo, Ru1 could avoid any detectable side-effects compared with cisplatin. DNA binding experiments and cell cycle experiments showed that Ru1 exhibited the strongest DNA binding ability and interfered with the cell cycle by inserting DNA to inhibit tumor growth. The study demonstrated that Ru1 had the potential to be an exciting new drug candidate for glioblastoma treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of perovskite solar cells have recently developed rapidly compared to crystalline silicon solar cells. To have an effective way to control the crystallization of perovskite thin films is the key for achieving good device performance. However, a paradox in perovskite crystallization is from the mismatch between nucleation and Oswald ripening. Usually, the large numbers of nucleation sites tend to weak Oswald ripening. Here, we proposed a new mechanism to promote the formation of nucleation sites by reducing surface energy from 44.9 mN/m to 36.1 mN/m, to spontaneously accelerate the later Oswald ripening process by improving the grain solubility through the elastic modulus regulation. The ripening rate is increased from 2.37 Åm ⋅ s−1 to 4.61 Åm ⋅ s−1 during annealing. Finally, the solar cells derived from the optimized films showed significantly improved PCE from 23.14 % to 25.32 %. The long‐term stability tests show excellent thermal stability (the optimized device without encapsulation maintaining 82 % of its initial PCE after 800 h aging at 85 °C) and an improved light stability under illumination. This work provides a new method, the elastic modulus regulation, to enhance the ripening process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of perovskite solar cells have recently developed rapidly compared to crystalline silicon solar cells. To have an effective way to control the crystallization of perovskite thin films is the key for achieving good device performance. However, a paradox in perovskite crystallization is from the mismatch between nucleation and Oswald ripening. Usually, the large numbers of nucleation sites tend to weak Oswald ripening. Here, we proposed a new mechanism to promote the formation of nucleation sites by reducing surface energy from 44.9 mN/m to 36.1 mN/m, to spontaneously accelerate the later Oswald ripening process by improving the grain solubility through the elastic modulus regulation. The ripening rate is increased from 2.37 Åm ⋅ s−1 to 4.61 Åm ⋅ s−1 during annealing. Finally, the solar cells derived from the optimized films showed significantly improved PCE from 23.14 % to 25.32 %. The long‐term stability tests show excellent thermal stability (the optimized device without encapsulation maintaining 82 % of its initial PCE after 800 h aging at 85 °C) and an improved light stability under illumination. This work provides a new method, the elastic modulus regulation, to enhance the ripening process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ammonium persulphate (APS) was used as a novel additive for blending modification of Polyvinylidene Fluoride (PVDF) membrane in this study. The addition of APS changed the macroscopic and micro-structure of membrane, as the small scaly aggregates appeared and hydrophilicity increased slightly. Comparing with blank membrane, the specific surface area of PVDF membrane was reduced from 19.98 m 2 /g to 7.95 m 2 /g, and the total adsorption average pore size of membrane was increased from 89.82 nm to 253.58 nm when 0.7% of APS was added. During the short term filtration, the pure water flux of blank membrane was reduced by 61% and 81% after the first and second testing cycle, respectively. As a comparison, it was only reduced by 39% and 60% for 0.7% APS modified membrane. The effluent turbidity values of those modified membranes were all lower than that of blank membrane. During the long term operation in MBR, the filtration time of 0.7% APS modified membrane lasted for 21 days including 2 operational cycles. Comparing with modified membrane, the filtration time of blank membrane only lasted for 19 days, which included 3 times of membrane cleaning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Rumination behavior is a crucial indicator of cattle health and welfare. The timely monitoring and analysis of this behavior can provide valuable insights into the physiological status of the animals. Distinguishing from manual observation and wearable devices, this study proposes a method using video technology for monitoring cattle rumination behavior. This method aims to track physiological indicators during rumination, including chewing count, rumination duration, and chewing frequency. This approach can help livestock managers promptly understand the health status of cattle. Furthermore, this research method offers a new perspective for the construction of smart farming, providing technical support for the intelligent transformation of the livestock industry. Cattle rumination behavior is strongly correlated with its health. Current methods often rely on manual observation or wearable devices to monitor ruminating behavior. However, the manual monitoring of cattle rumination is labor-intensive, and wearable devices often harm animals. Therefore, this study proposes a non-contact method for monitoring cattle rumination behavior, utilizing an improved YOLOv8-pose keypoint detection algorithm combined with multi-condition threshold peak detection to automatically identify chewing counts. First, we tracked and recorded the cattle's rumination behavior to build a dataset. Next, we used the improved model to capture keypoint information on the cattle. By constructing the rumination motion curve from the keypoint information and applying multi-condition threshold peak detection, we counted the chewing instances. Finally, we designed a comprehensive cattle rumination detection framework to track various rumination indicators, including chewing counts, rumination duration, and chewing frequency. In keypoint detection, our modified YOLOv8-pose achieved a 96% mAP, an improvement of 2.8%, with precision and recall increasing by 4.5% and 4.2%, enabling the more accurate capture of keypoint information. For rumination analysis, we tested ten video clips and compared the results with actual data. The experimental results showed an average chewing count error of 5.6% and a standard error of 2.23%, verifying the feasibility and effectiveness of using keypoint detection technology to analyze cattle rumination behavior. These physiological indicators of rumination behavior allow for the quicker detection of abnormalities in cattle's rumination activities, helping managers make informed decisions. Ultimately, the proposed method not only accurately monitors cattle rumination behavior but also provides technical support for precision management in animal husbandry, promoting the development of modern livestock farming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The elite bull plays an extremely important role in the genetic progression of the dairy cow population. The previous results indicated the potential positive relationship of large scrotal circumference (SC) with improved semen volume, concentration, and motility. In order to improve bull's semen quantity and quality by selection, it is necessary to estimate the genetic parameters of semen traits and their correlations with other conformation traits such as SC that could be used for an indirect selection. In this study, the genetic parameters of seven semen traits (n = 66,260) and nine conformation traits (n = 3,642) of Holstein bulls (n = 453) were estimated by using the bivariate repeatability animal model with the average information-restricted maximum likelihood (AI-REML) approach. The results showed that the estimated heritabilities of semen traits ranged from 0.06 (total number of motile sperm, TNMS) to 0.37 (percentage of abnormal sperm, PAS) and conformation traits ranged from 0.23 (pin width, PW) to 0.69 (hip height, HH). The highest genetic correlations were found between semen volume per ejaculation (SVPE), semen concentration per ejaculation (SCPE), total number of sperm (TNS), and TNMS traits that were 0.97, 0.98, 1.00, and 0.99, respectively. Phenotypic correlations between SC and SVPE, SCPE, TNS, and TNMS were 0.35, 0.35, 0.48, and 0.42, respectively. In summary, the moderate or high heritability of semen traits indicates that genetic improvement of semen quality by selection is feasible, where SC could be a useful trait for indirect selection or as correlated information to improve semen quantity and production in the practical bull breeding programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Our previous research identified the Kruppel like factor 6 (KLF6) gene as a prospective candidate for milk production traits in dairy cattle. The expression of KLF6 in the livers of Holstein cows during the peak of lactation was significantly higher than that during the dry and early lactation periods. Notably, it plays an essential role in activating peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) signaling pathways. The primary aim of this study was to further substantiate whether the KLF6 gene has significant genetic effects on milk traits in dairy cattle. Results: Through direct sequencing of PCR products with pooled DNA, we totally identified 12 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the KLF6 gene. The set of SNPs encompasses 7 located in 5′ flanking region, 2 located in exon 2 and 3 located in 3′ untranslated region (UTR). Of these, the g.44601035G > A is a missense mutation that resulting in the replacement of arginine (CGG) with glutamine (CAG), consequently leading to alterations in the secondary structure of the KLF6 protein, as predicted by SOPMA. The remaining 7 regulatory SNPs significantly impacted the transcriptional activity of KLF6 following mutation (P < 0.005), manifesting as changes in transcription factor binding sites. Additionally, 4 SNPs located in both the UTR and exons were predicted to influence the secondary structure of KLF6 mRNA using the RNAfold web server. Furthermore, we performed the genotype-phenotype association analysis using SAS 9.2 which found all the 12 SNPs were significantly correlated to milk yield, fat yield, fat percentage, protein yield and protein percentage within both the first and second lactations (P < 0.0001 ~ 0.0441). Also, with Haploview 4.2 software, we found the 12 SNPs linked closely and formed a haplotype block, which was strongly associated with five milk traits (P < 0.0001 ~ 0.0203). Conclusions: In summary, our study represented the KLF6 gene has significant impacts on milk yield and composition traits in dairy cattle. Among the identified SNPs, 7 were implicated in modulating milk traits by impacting transcriptional activity, 4 by altering mRNA secondary structure, and 1 by affecting the protein secondary structure of KLF6. These findings provided valuable molecular insights for genomic selection program of dairy cattle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, nanosized ZnFe 2 O 4 with different morphologies were prepared by electrospinning method. The choice of initial parameters, such as PVP concentration, metal salt concentration, electrostatic voltage, calcination temperature and calcination rate, were investigated to prepare desired morphologies. The as-prepared samples exhibited various shapes of nano-particle, nano-rods, nano-beads and nano-fiber. The relationship between microstructure and electromagnetic properties was discussed in detail. It has been found that the saturation magnetization of ZnFe 2 O 4 ferrite not changed significantly with the various morphologies and the values were nearly 13 emu/g. However, the coercivity was varied with the different morphologies, and the maximum value of 48.79 Oe was observed in the ZnFe 2 O 4 nano-fiber. Moreover, the magnetic loss capacity of ZnFe 2 O 4 was improved with the enhancement of the morphology anisotropy. The various shaped ZnFe 2 O 4 can be promising lightweight microwave absorbers and it is significant to develop novel microwave absorption mechanism of ZnFe 2 O 4 ferrite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Proton pump inhibitor (PPI) abuse poses an overwhelming threat to the allocation of medical resources and places a heavy burden on global medical expenses. In this study, we put forward our prospective prescription review system and evaluated the effects of this system on clinical outcomes, rational medication use and costs related to PPIs. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted in which the included patients were divided into a preintervention group (2019.10–2020.09) and a postintervention group (2020.10–2021.09). To reduce the bias of patients' baseline characteristics, the propensity score matching (PSM) method was employed. The primary endpoints were the incidence of stress ulcers (SUs), the improvement and cure rates of gastrointestinal haemorrhage, the defined daily dose (DDD), the drug utilization index (DUI) and the DDD/100 patient-days. The secondary endpoints included the types of unreasonable medication orders for PPIs, the PPI utilization rate and PPI costs. Results: A total of 53,870 patients were included to evaluate the secondary endpoints, and 46,922 patients were paired by PSM and assessed to evaluate the primary endpoints. The number of PPIs used and PPI costs were significantly lower in the postintervention group than in the preintervention group (P < 0.001). The rationality evaluation results showed that the frequency of PPI use and the number of drug interactions were significantly higher in the preintervention group than in the postintervention group (P < 0.01). The proportion of patients taking oral PPIs was significantly increased in the postintervention group (29.30% vs. 34.56%, p < 0.01). For the utilization of PPIs both for prevention and treatment, the DUI and DDD/100 patient-days were substantially decreased in the postintervention group (P < 0.001 and P < 0.05, respectively). The incidence of SUs in the postintervention group was 44.95%, and that in the preintervention group was 51.93% (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The implementation of the prospective prescription review system on rational PPI use correlated with reduced PPI costs, more rational PPI medication use and better clinical outcomes, and this system is worthy of long-term implementation for further improvement of rational drug use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Discovering estrus biomarkers is of utmost importance to develop an easy, reliable, and accurate estrus detection method in dairy cows. The proteomics approach is an attractive and powerful tool and recently has been used to explore proteomic alterations in a variety of bodily fluids to identify the relative biomarkers. Milk produced by dairy cows is a complex biofluid consisting of hundreds of different components that may be a good source for biomarker discovery. In this study, the proteomics approach was performed on milk sampled from estrus and non-estrus dairy cows to identify potential biomarkers of estrus, which may be helpful for further development of an easy and reliable estrus detection method in dairy cows. Efficient reproductive management of dairy cows depends primarily upon accurate estrus identification. However, the currently available estrus detection methods, such as visual observation, are poor. Hence, there is an urgent need to discover novel biomarkers in non-invasive bodily fluids such as milk to reliably detect estrus status. Proteomics is an emerging and promising tool to identify biomarkers. In this study, the proteomics approach was performed on milk sampled from estrus and non-estrus dairy cows to identify potential biomarkers of estrus. Dairy cows were synchronized and timed for artificial insemination, and the cows with insemination leading to conception were considered to be in estrus at the day of insemination (day 0). Milk samples of day 0 (estrus group) and day −3 (non-estrus group) from dairy cows confirming to be pregnant were collected for proteomic analysis using the tandem mass tags (TMT) proteomics approach. A total of 89 differentially expressed proteins were identified, of which 33 were upregulated and 56 were downregulated in the estrus milk compared with the non-estrus milk. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis showed that acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase α (ACACA), apolipoprotein B (APOB), NAD(P)H steroid dehydrogenase-like (NSDHL), perilipin 2 (PLIN2), and paraoxonase 1 (PON1) participated in lipid binding, lipid storage, lipid localization, and lipid metabolic process, as well as fatty acid binding, fatty acid biosynthesis, and fatty acid metabolism, and these processes are well documented to be related to estrus regulation. These milk proteins are proposed as possible biomarkers of estrus in dairy cows. Further validation studies are required in a large population to determine their potential as estrus biomarkers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the key factor driving the efficiency and stability of semiconductor devices is vital. To date, the key factor influencing the long‐term stability of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) remains unknown because of the many influencing factors. In this work, through machine learning, the influences of five factors, including grain size, defect density, bandgap, fluorescence lifetime, and surface roughness, on the efficiency and stability of PSCs have been revealed. It is found that the bandgap has the greatest influence on the efficiency, and the surface roughness and grain size are most influential to the long‐term stability. A mathematical model is given to predict efficiency based on fluorescence lifetime and bandgap. Guided by the model, four groups of experiments are conducted to confirm the machine‐learning predictions and a PSC with 23.4% efficiency and excellent long‐term stability is obtained, as manifested by retention of 97.6% of the initial efficiency after 3288 h aging in the ambient environment, the best stability under these conditions. This work shows that machine learning is an effective means to enrich semiconductor physical models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, the structure of potato oxidized hydroxypropyl starch (OHS) was analyzed. Carrageenan (CA) was used as a reinforcing agent for the development of biodegradable food packaging materials. Broccoli leaf polyphenol/soybean protein isolate/hydroxypropyl methylcellulose composite nanoparticles (SPH NPs) were used to reinforce OHS/CA (OC) films, and their physicochemical, structural, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and biodegradable properties were characterized. The OHS had high transparency, low gelatinization temperature (GT), and easy film formation. Intermolecular hydrogen bonds were formed between the SPH NPs and the OC film matrix, but did not change the crystal structure of the matrix. Furthermore, the incorporation of SPH NPs improved the smoothness, densification, and thermal stability of the OC films. Since SPH NPs occupied the pores of the film matrix, the degree of swelling, light, and moisture-blocking properties were improved, causing the films to gradually turn red, yellow and dark. Notably, the tensile strength of the film was significantly increased from 11.06 MPa to 13.61 MPa at a concentration of 3% SPH NPs. The SPH NP 3 -loaded films showed scavenging activity up to 67.62% and 75.45% against DPPH and ABTS free radicals, with good inhibitory activity against S. aureus and E. coli. More importantly, the composite film was almost completely degraded after 45 d of burial in the soil, and it can regulate the soil microbial community. Consequently, OHS composites can be used as a potentially versatile and environmentally friendly film-forming material for food packaging. [Display omitted] • Oxidized hydroxypropyl starch had high transparency and easy film formation. • The composite films exhibited strong robust, water-resistant, UV-blocking, thermal stability. • Electrostatic interaction and hydrogen bonding were formed between nanoparticles and film matrix. • The composite films displayed strong antibacterial, antioxidant and biodegradable properties. • The composite nanoparticle film offers eco-friendly strategy for the preparation of active packaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bovine herpesvirus 1(BoHV-1) is an important bovine pathogen that causes great economic loss to cattle farms worldwide. The virus-productive infection in bovine kidney (MDBK) cells results in ATP depletion. The mechanisms are not well understood. Mitochondrial fatty acid β-oxidation (FAO) is an important energy source in many tissues with high energy demand. Since carnitine palmitoyl-transferase 1 A (CPT1A) is the rate-limiting enzyme of FAO, we investigated the interactions between virus-productive infection and CPT1A signaling. Here, we found that virus-productive infection at the later stage significantly decreased CPT1A protein levels in all the detected cells, including MDBK, A549, and Neuro-2A cells, differentially altered the accumulation of CPT1A proteins in the nucleus and cytosol, and re-localized the protein in the nucleus. Etomoxir (ETO), an irreversible inhibitor of CPT1A, inhibited viral replication and partially interfered with the ability of BoHV-1 to alter CPT1A accumulation in the nucleus but not in the cytosol. Furthermore, ETO consistently reduced RNA levels of two viral regulatory proteins (bICP0 and bICP22) and protein expression of virion-associated proteins during productive infection, further supporting the important roles of CPT1A signaling in BoHV-1 productive infection. These data, for the first time, suggest that CPT1A is potentially involved in BoHV-1 productive infection. • BoHV-1 productive infection has effects on CPT1A protein expression and subcellular localization. • CPT1A signaling plays an important role in BoHV-1 productive infection. • BoHV-1 infection-induced nuclear accumulation of CPT1A was iterupted by CPT1A-specific inhibitor Etomoxir. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Aims Enhanced hepatic gluconeogenesis is an important cause of hyperglycemia in type 2 diabetes. However, the regulatory mechanisms underlying disordered hepatic gluconeogenesis remains largely unclear. In the present study, we investigated the potential role of hepatic neuregulin 4 (Nrg4) in the regulation of gluconeogenesis in mice. Main methods Microarray analysis was performed in primary mouse hepatocytes treated with or without 8-Br-cAMP. Primary mouse hepatocytes transfected with Nrg4 overexpressing or shRNA adenovirus were used to detect the expressions of the key gluconeogenic genes and glucose output. Hepatic Nrg4 expression levels were measured in fasted C57/BL6 mice, obese ob / ob mice, diabetic db / db mice and Goto-Kakisaki (GK) rats. Pyruvate tolerance test was performed and gluconeogenic gene expressions were detected 7 days after Nrg4 shRNA adenovirus was injected into male C57BL/6 and db / db mice. Key findings Microarray analysis revealed that Nrg4 expression was significantly induced by 8-Br-cAMP in primary mouse hepatocytes, along with the upregulation of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) and glucose-6-phosphatase (G6Pase). Adenovirus-mediated overexpression or knockdown of Nrg4 in primary mouse hepatocytes increased or decreased PEPCK and G6Pase expressions as well as hepatic glucose production. Hepatic Nrg4 expression was induced by fasting in normal C57/BL6 mice, and markedly upregulated in obese ob / ob mice, diabetic db / db mice and GK rats. Hepatic Nrg4 knockdown in C57BL/6 and db / db mice improved pyruvate tolerance, with the downregulation of PEPCK, G6Pase, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α). Significance Hepatic Nrg4 plays a crucial role in the regulation of gluconeogenesis and may be a therapeutic target of type 2 diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reverse transcriptase-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) is a reliable technique for measuring and evaluating gene expression during variable biological processes. To facilitate gene expression studies, normalization of genes of interest relative to stable reference genes is crucial. The western flower thrips Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), the main vector of tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV), is a destructive invasive species. In this study, the expression profiles of 11 candidate reference genes from nonviruliferous and viruliferous F. occidentalis were investigated. Five distinct algorithms, geNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper, the ΔCt method, and RefFinder, were used to determine the performance of these genes. geNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper, and RefFinder identified heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), heat shock protein 60 (HSP60), elongation factor 1 α, and ribosomal protein l32 (RPL32) as the most stable reference genes, and the ΔCt method identified HSP60, HSP70, RPL32, and heat shock protein 90 as the most stable reference genes. Additionally, two reference genes were sufficient for reliable normalization in nonviruliferous and viruliferous F. occidentalis. This work provides a foundation for investigating the molecular mechanisms of TSWV and F. occidentalis interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Glioblastoma stem cells (GSCs) play an important role in the progression and recurrence of malignant glioblastoma because of their potential for self-renewal, multilineage differentiation and tumor initiation. A disintegrin and metalloproteinase 17 (ADAM17) is responsible for the proteolytic cleavage of Notch within its extracellular domain leading to the activation of Notch signaling, which is involved in the formation and maintenance of GSCs. Here, we show that glioma cells expressing the stem cell marker CD133 coexpress higher levels of ADAM17 than matched CD133-glioma cells. Knockdown of the ADAM17 gene in U87 GSCs down-regulated the expression of CD133, inhibited secondary neurosphere formation and induced multi-lineage differentiation. Furthermore, knockdown of ADAM17 inhibited Hes1 and Hes5 and activated Notch1 expression, which may explain the ADAM17 shRNA-induced suppression of self-renewal and differentiation of U87 GSCs. Our results suggest that ADAM17 may maintain the stemness of GSCs by promoting their self-renewal and inhibiting their differentiation via Notch signaling. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]