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Objectives: This study aimed to clarify the relationship between Mycoplasma pneumoniae (M. pneumoniae) and Kawasaki disease by conducting an updated systemic review and meta-analysis of published studies. Materials and methods: Studies mentioning M. pneumoniae and Kawasaki disease before October 2022 were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled prevalence was calculated, and the log odds ratio in the random effects model was applied to estimate the pooled prevalence of M. pneumoniae infection in pediatric patients with Kawasaki disease. In addition, the clinical parameters, such as hemoglobin and erythrocyte sedimentation rate, were analyzed. Six studies with a total of 1,859 pediatric patients with Kawasaki disease were enrolled. The focused outcome was the pooled prevalence and clinical parameters. Results: The pooled prevalence of M. pneumoniae infection was statistically significant in pediatric patients with Kawasaki disease. In addition, the values of hemoglobin and erythrocyte sedimentation rate were significantly different between M. pneumoniae-infected and non-M. pneumoniae-infected patients with Kawasaki disease. Other clinical parameters were not significantly different between M. pneumoniae-infected and non-M. pneumoniae-infected patients with Kawasaki disease. Conclusion: The results suggest that M. pneumoniae infection is significantly prevalent in pediatric patients with Kawasaki disease. The lower values of hemoglobin and erythrocyte sedimentation rate in M. pneumoniae-infected patients with Kawasaki disease might be needed to investigate further. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forcing pathways between urban surfaces (impervious and pervious pavers) and near-surface air temperature were measured and investigated with a network of multiple sensors. Utilizing field data measured between April 2021 and May 2022, and assuming that the influential variables follow the basic heat-transfer energy-balance equations, multiple regression-based statistical models were built to predict the surface temperature and near-surface air temperature (0.05 m, 0.5 m, 1 m, 2 m, and 3 m) of one impervious paver site and one pervious paver site in Taipei City, Taiwan. Evaporative cooling was found to be more influential on the pervious paver with a statistically significant influence on the microclimate up to 1.8 m (and up to 0.7 m for the impervious paver), using in situ data with an ambient air temperature higher than 24 °C. The surface temperature is mainly affected by solar shortwave radiation and ambient air temperature. As for near-surface air temperature, ambient air temperature is the most influential factor, followed by surface temperature. The importance of surface temperature indicates the influence of upwelling longwave radiation on the microclimate. The predictive equations show that pervious surfaces can help cities with hot and humid climates fight the changing climate in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land reclamation has a profound impact on coastal environments. On the Chinese coast, the new Xiang'an International Airport has been built on newly reclaimed land. The impact of the massive land reclamation project (finished in 2018) on water quality and coast conditions in a nearby semi-enclosed bay is investigated using remotely sensed data. Factors affecting surface water quality and coast conditions are further analyzed using multiple regression. All water quality and coast condition indices show no long-term trend from 2005 to 2021. The suspended solid concentration (with a maximum value of 96.11 mg/L) is much lower than the threshold of 188 mg/L. When considering variations in sediment concentration, the probability that the concentration reaches the threshold is less than 1 × 10 − 6 %; therefore, suspended solids have little threat to the local oyster-growing industry. The trend of dissolved inorganic nitrogen concentration is steady, implying little alteration to nutrient circulation in the semi-enclosed bay. Within the observation timeframe of 2005–2021, a recent sedimentation trend (surrogated by the normalized difference water index) appears after 2018 but it needs to be confirmed by a longer observation. Statistical models based on multiple regression highlight the following links: (1) the sediment source is outside the bay, (2) the overland runoff from newly claimed land dilutes nutrient concentrations, and (3) the coast conditions are mainly affected by tides and rainfall. Neither actively reclaimed or cumulative reclaimed areas form a direct causal relationship to water quality or coast conditions in the semi-enclosed bay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the aim of revealing the effects of low temperature on the vibration impact comminution performance of wheat bran, the impact dynamic performance of wheat bran at different temperatures was simulated by using LS-DYNA. According to the impact collision relationship between grinding medium and wheat bran, a threecomponent numerical calculation model was established. The impact collision dynamic essence of the model was analyzed, and a solution method based on LS-DYNA was proposed. On this basis, the finite element model of the numerical calculation model was obtained. By adjusting the mechanical parameters of wheat bran in the finite element model, the vibration impact comminution performance of wheat bran at different temperatures were analyzed. It is found that the contact force, contact deformation and comminution energy of wheat bran increase with the decrease of temperature, which indicates that low-temperature comminution of wheat bran is more advantageous than room temperature comminution. However, when the temperature drops from - 40 ℃ to - 80 ℃, the above index parameters almost remain, which indicates that it is more economical to apply low-temperature comminution at the temperature range from - 40 ℃ ~ 0oC. This research provided a foundation for the analysis, prediction and optimization of vibration impact comminution performance of wheat bran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the effect of loxofen sodium tablets on the pain relief of periodontal and pulp syndrome and its influence on the level of inflammatory factors and to investigate the medicinal value of loxofen sodium tablets and to provide reference for the treatment of periodontal and endodontic syndrome is the objective of the study. 102 patients with periodontal endodontic syndrome were randomly divided into treatment group (51 patients) and control group (51 patients). The treatment group was treated with loxofen sodium tablets, while the control group was treated with ibuprofen sustained-release capsules. After treatment, the clinical efficacy, pain score, inflammatory factors levels and adverse incidence of the two groups were recorded. The total effective rate of the treatment group was 78.43 % higher than 58.83 % of the control group (p<0.05). Before treatment, there were no significant differences in pain score and inflammatory factor levels between the two groups (p>0.05). After medication, the improvement of pain in treatment group was better than that in control group (p<0.05). After treatment, the level of inflammatory factors in the treatment group was lower than that in the control group (p<0.05). Loxofen sodium tablet is better than ibuprofen sustained-release capsule in alleviating the pain of periodontal pulp syndrome. Loxofen sodium tablets have obvious effects on improving pain and reducing the level of inflammatory factors in patients and its medication has recommended value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glyphosate (GLY) is a widely used herbicide worldwide, particularly in cultivating genetically modified soybeans resistant to GLY. However, routine multi-residue analysis does not include GLY due to the complexity of soybean matrix components that can interfere with the analysis. This study presented the development of an aptamer-based chemiluminescence (Apt-CL) sensor for rapidly screening GLY pesticide residue in soybeans. The GLY-binding aptamer (GBA) was developed to bind to GLY specifically, and the remaining unbound aptamers were adsorbed onto gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). The signal was in the form of luminol-H 2 O 2 emission, catalyzed by the aggregation of AuNPs in a chemiluminescent reaction arising from the GLY-GBA complex. The outcomes demonstrated a robust linear relationship between the CL intensity of GLY-GBA and the GLY concentration. In the specificity test of the GBA, only GLY and Profenofos were distinguished among the fifteen tested pesticides. Furthermore, the Apt-CL sensor was conducted to determine GLY residue in organic soybeans immersed in GLY as a real sample, and an optimal linear concentration range for detection after extraction was found to be between 0.001 and 10 mg/L. The Apt-CL sensor exploits the feasibility of real-time pesticide screening in food safety. [Display omitted] • Apt-CL sensor detects 0.01 μg/L to 10 mg/L complying with GLY residue regulations. • Optimal CL signal achieved at a luminol to H 2 O 2 volume ratio of 4:1. • GBA aptamer on AuNPs generates luminol-H 2 O 2 signal specificity for GLY detection. • Apt-CL sensor provides a solution for rapidly screening GLY residues in soybeans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Potassium (K+) transporter genes have important roles in K+ acquisition, allocation and signal transduction. The purpose of this study was to analyze the characteristics of the K+ transporter genes/proteins and to study their expression profiles under K+ deficiency condition in potato (Solanum tuberosum). Strict homology searches were used to find 33 K+ transporter genes located on potato chromosomes 1 to 12. Gene features, protein features and subcellular Localization were analyzed, and 10 segment duplications were identified from these 33 genes. The functions of K+ transporter genes were predicted by phylogenetic analysis and analysis of promoter sequences. After Potassium starvation, 12, 13 and 18 K+ transporter genes were up regulated in roots, stems and leaves, respectively. In addition, the expression of StHAK5, StHAK11 and StKCO2 were up-regulated in potato roots, stems and leaves under phosphate deficiency. Our findings provide a comprehensive view of members of the K+ transporter family involved in the response to K+ starvation growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Electrolytic extraction of rare earths in LiCl-KCl molten salts by co-reduction is an order of magnitude higher than using an active cathode. • The method allows rapid extraction of 99.9 % of cerium in less than 4 h with an actual current efficiency of 97.8 %. The extraction of lanthanides in spent fuel reprocessing plays a key role in the development of nuclear energy. In this work, the extraction of the typical fissionable cerium elements has been studied by electrolytic co-reduction of Al(III) and Ce(III) in LiCl-KCl-CeCl 3 molten salts assisted by KAlCl 4. The electrochemical behavior of the reduction of Al(III) and Ce(III) on a molybdenum electrode was studied by cyclic voltammetry (CV), square wave voltammetry (SWV), and open circuit chronopotentiometry (OCP), and specific peaks of five Al-Ce intermetallic compounds were detected. After 2.7 h of galvanostatic electrolysis at a current density of 0.064 A cm-2, the extraction efficiency and current efficiency of Ce(III) reached 99.9 % and 91.3 % respectively. Potentiostatic electrolysis is slightly more efficient, with 99.9 % Ce(III) extraction in 3.5 h at a current efficiency of 97.8 %. The products of electrolysis are rod-shaped alloys (Al 11 Ce 3 , Al 3 Ce, Al 2 Ce), and the molten salts purified by electrolytic separation are free of impurity signals and can be reused for electrolytic refining. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new series of ligand precursors designed for the synthesis of palladalactams has been developed. These precursors are easily accessible through a one-step reaction involving 2-chloro-N-phenylacetamide and a wide choice of various monophosphines, offering tunable electronic and steric properties within the ligand framework. The stability of both ligand precursors and resulting palladalactams in ambient air enhances their practical applicability. A newly synthesized palladalactam, featuring an electron-donating triethylphosphine moiety on the anionic phosphonium ylide ligand scaffold exhibited promising catalytic activities in the Mizoroki–Heck coupling reaction between aryl chlorides and alkenes. Theoretical calculations further affirmed that the ligand system in the complex is the most electron-donating, forming the strongest Pd–C bond compared to other complexes with alternative phosphine moieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a class of regulatory RNAs with complex roles in healthy and diseased tissues. However, the oncogenic role of circRNAs in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains poorly understood, including the mechanisms by which the circular ubiquitin-binding associated protein 2 (circUBAP2) contributes to tumorigenesis. We analyzed the expression of circUBAP2 in 20 paired samples of HCC and healthy tissue as well as in seven HCC cell lines via quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Functional experiments, such as CCK8 viability assays, colony formation assays, wound healing, transwell assays and flow cytometry, were conducted to assess the effects of circUBAP2 in vitro. To further elucidate the mechanisms by which circUBAP2 acts, we conducted dual-luciferase assays, western blots, RNA pull-down assays and rescue experiments. CircUBAP2 was highly upregulated in most HCC tissues and was associated with poor prognosis. HCC patients with high circUBAP2 expression had greater vascular invasion and worse differentiation. Functionally, circUBAP2 overexpression enhanced HCC cell proliferation, migration and invasion and inhibited apoptosis. Furthermore, we found that circUBAP2 upregulated c-Myc expression by sponging miR-1294, thus contributing to hepatocarcinogenesis. Inhibiting circUBAP2 expression in HCC attenuated the oncogenic effects of c-Myc. These findings suggest that circUBAP2 promotes HCC growth and metastasis. CircUBAP2 may have value as an independent prognostic biomarker or as a new target for the treatment of HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Aims: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a fatal disease characterized by vast molecular heterogeneity. Although major advances in tumour genetics has led to the identification of new biomarkers, the prognosis of patients with HCC remains dismal. Methods: Quantitative reverse‐transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR) and western blot (WB) were used to evaluate meiosis‐specific nuclear structural 1 (MNS1) expression in HCC cells. Immunohistochemistry staining was used to evaluate MNS1 expression in HCC tissues. Clinical significance of MNS1 was evaluated by Cox regression analysis. Transwell assays were conducted to assess cells migration ability. Cell counting kit‐8 and colony formation assays were performed to detect cells proliferation ability. NOD/SCID/γc(null) (NOG) mice model was adopted to investigate functions of MNS1 in vivo. Results: The expression of MNS1, which is elevated in most HCC tissues, correlated with poor survival in HCC patients. Functional experiments revealed the oncogenic role of MNS1, which promotes HCC growth and metastasis through AKT‐dependent modulation of β‐catenin. β‐Catenin expression was crucial for MNS1's oncogenic effects. MNS1 indirectly translocated β‐catenin from the cytoplasm to the nucleus via the MNS1‐GSK3β axis. Conclusions: MNS1 promotes HCC growth and metastasis via activating PI3K/AKT signalling and may serve as an important prognostic biomarker as well as potential novel therapeutic target for HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypertension is among the leading global risks for premature death. As the risks substantially increase along with the elevated blood pressure, a small reduction of blood pressure could have prevented numerous cardiovascular events in general population. Evidence has shown that dietary intervention is a cost-effective strategy that has been broadly advocated in the published guidelines. However, the implementation could be limited by different food cultures. This review details the mechanisms of each dietary intervention approach, evidence, and the implications in Asian populations, and the perspective of future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Isolated systolic hypertension (ISH) is the most common type of essential hypertension in the elderly and young adults. With rapid industrialization and population aging, the prevalence of ISH in Asia will rise substantially. Asian populations have distinct epidemiological features, risk factors and are especially vulnerable to ISH. There is a pressing need for Asian countries to formulate their unique strategies for control of ISH. In this review, we focus on the (1) epidemiology and pathophysiology, (2) risk factors and impact on outcomes, and (3) treatment goal and strategy for ISH in Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrologic models such as the USEPA Stormwater Management Model (SWMM) are commonly used to assess the design and performance of green infrastructure (GI). To accurately represent GI performance models used in design need to be able to address both the hydrology/hydraulics of the catchment and the GI unsaturated (vadose) zone hydrology. While hydrologic models, such as SWMM, address the need for catchment hydrology/hydraulics, they often simplify the unsaturated zone hydrology. This paper presents a methodology utilizing existing components of SWMM to represent unsaturated zone hydrology in an accessible format that does not require adjustments to the SWMM source code. The methodology simulated the unsaturated soil water movement by considering flow caused by differences of soil matric head and flow caused by gravity between soil layers with finite depth/length. The flow flux related to the soil matric head is a function of soil water diffusivity (D) and the soil moisture gradient, where D can be represented by a pump curve in SWMM. The flow flux related to gravity was controlled by unsaturated hydraulic conductivity (K) only and was also simulated by a pump. The methodology was compared to another variably saturated model, HYDRUS, with theoretical soils (with single layers of sand, loam, silt, and clay, as well as dual-layer scenarios). Field data was used to compare the methodology to HYDRUS and the SWMM LID (Low Impact Development) module. In all comparisons the presented methodology and HYDRUS delivered similar results for the vadose zone response to a storm event, while the LID module of SWMM exhibited slower water movement. The results showed that under natural conditions, the approximation of the presented methodology yielded satisfactory results to simulate flow through the unsaturated vadose zone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study on small-molecule inhibitor targeting orphan nuclear receptor chicken ovalbumin upstream promoter–transcription factor II (COUP-TFI) for prostate cancer treatment. It mentions that through blocking COUP-TFII's oncogenic activity in prostate cancer, the inhibitor efficiently exerted a potent antitumor effect in xenograft mouse models and patient-derived xenograft models.

The Zika virus (ZIKV) life cycle involves multiple steps and requires interactions with host factors. However, the inability to systematically identify host regulatory factors for ZIKV has hampered antiviral development and our understanding of pathogenicity. Here, using a bioactive compound library with 2,659 small molecules, we applied a high-throughput and imaging-based screen to identify host factors that modulate ZIKV infection. The screen yielded hundreds of hits that markedly inhibited or potentiated ZIKV infection in SNB-19 glioblastoma cells. Among the hits, URMC-099, a mixed-lineage kinase 3 (MLK3) inhibitor, significantly facilitated ZIKV replication in both SNB-19 cells and the neonatal mouse brain. Using gene silencing and overexpression, we further confirmed that MLK3 was a host restriction factor against ZIKV. Mechanistically, MLK3 negatively regulated ZIKV replication through induction of the inflammatory cytokines interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-8, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-γ), and monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1) but did not modulate host interferon-related pathways. Importantly, ZIKV activated the MLK3/MKK7/Jun N-terminal protein kinase (JNK) pathway in both SNB-19 cells and neonatal mouse brain. Together, these findings reveal a critical role for MLK3 in regulating ZIKV infection and facilitate the development of anti-ZIKV therapeutics by providing a number of screening hits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two methods are proposed to evaluate the uniformity of planar textures (UoPT) and the uniformity of pitches (UoP) of cholesteric liquid crystals (CLCs). First, the real-time monitoring of UoPT and UoP of an area in CLCs is feasible by measuring the degree of linear polarisation (DoLP) of the output linearly polarised lights passing through the same CLC area. Second, the UoPT and the UoP can be evaluated by directly observing the uniformity of the transmission colour across the entire CLC sample sandwiched between two polarisers. The method that uses liquid crystals (LCs) (Δε < 0) to distinguish low DoLP values caused by non-UoPT or non-UoP in chiral azobenzene-doped LCs is also proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the effects of fluoride exposure on the microglial morphology and the expression of inflammatory cytokines in the cerebral cortex of mice, thirty-six ICR male mice were randomly divided into groups and given different doses of sodium fluoride (0, 25, and 50 mg/L NaF). After 50 days, the microglial morphology and the expression of interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were detected using immunohistochemistry (IHC) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In our results, the degeneration of pyramidal cells and glial cells was one of the most obvious pathological changes in the fluoride-exposed brains. Compared to the control group, the number of ramified, intermediate, and amoeboid microglia was significantly elevated in the NaF treatment groups. Additionally, the ELISA results showed that 50 mg/L NaF dramatically increased the expression of IL-6, IL-1β, TGF-β, and TNF-α when compared to the control group. These findings suggest that NaF can promote morphological changes of activated microglia and the release of inflammatory factors in the cortex, which may be one of the mechanisms of fluoride-induced nerve damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple approach to enable water-management agencies employing free data to create a single set of water quality predictive equations with satisfactory accuracy is proposed. Multiple regression-derived equations based on surface reflectance, band ratios, and environmental factors as predictor variables for concentrations of Total Suspended Solids (TSS) and Total Nitrogen (TN) were derived using a hybrid forward-selection method that considers both p-value and Variance Inflation Factor (VIF) in the forward-selection process. Landsat TM, ETM+, and OLI/TIRS images were jointly utilized with environmental factors, such as wind speed and water surface temperature, to derive the single set of equations. Through splitting data into calibration and validation groups, the coefficients of determination are 0.73 for TSS calibration and 0.70 for TSS validation, respectively. The coefficients of determination for TN calibration and validation are 0.64 and 0.37, respectively. Among all chosen predictor variables, ratio of reflectance of visible red (Band 3 for Landsat TM and ETM+, or Band 4 for Landsat OLI/TIRS) to visible blue (Band 1 for Landsat TM and ETM+, or Band 2 for Landsat OLI/TIRS) has a strong influence on the predictive power for TSS retrieval. Environmental factors including wind speed, remote sensing-derived water surface temperature, and time difference (in days) between the image acquisition and water sampling were found to be important in water-quality quantity estimation. The hybrid forward-selection method consistently yielded higher validation accuracy than that of the conventional forward-selection approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An iridium photoredox catalyst in combination with phenanthroline-supported palladium catalyst catalyzes decarboxylative alkenylation of tertiary and secondary aliphatic carboxylic acids with vinyl arenes to deliver β-alkylated styrenes with Z-selectivity. A broad scope of aliphatic carboxylic acids, including amino acids, exhibit as amenable substrates, and external oxidant is not required. The reaction proceeds by synergistic utilization of both energy-transfer and electron-transfer reactivity of iridium photoredox catalyst merging with palladium-catalyzed hydride elimination and insertion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Induction of interferons (IFNs) is a central event of antiviral innate immunity. As crucial posttranscriptional regulators, microRNAs (miRNAs) are important for IFN-mediated host defense. Although screening has indicated a substantial number of miRNAs to be differentially expressed after IFN stimulation, the detailed mechanisms of these miRNAs in the antiviral response are underexplored and of great significance. Here, we show that hsa-miR-1225-3p is specifically down-regulated by type I IFN through the IFN/JAK/STAT signaling pathway. Silencing endogenous miR-1225-3p inhibited infection by multiple IFN-susceptible viruses, including hepatitisCvirus, Sendai virus, and Newcastle disease virus. In contrast, overexpression of miR-1225-3p impaired the antiviral effect of IFNs and facilitated viral infection. Regarding the mechanism, we identified growth factor receptor--bound protein 2--associated binding protein 3 (GAB3) as a direct target of miR-1225-3p. GAB3 expression was up-regulated by IFN, and overexpression of GAB3 demonstrated potent antiviral effects through enhancing IFN response and virus-triggered innate immune activation. Taken together, our findings reveal the biological function of miR-1225-3p for the first time and propose a novel antiviral regulation pathway in which miRNA and GAB3 participate. This study contributes to the understanding of hostmiRNAparticipation in antiviral processes of IFN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Decarboxylative borylation of aryl and alkenyl carboxylic acids with bis(pinacolato)diboron was achieved through N-hydroxyphthalimide esters using tert-butyl isonicotinate as a catalyst under base-free conditions. A variety of aryl carboxylic acids possessing different functional groups and electronic properties can be smoothly converted to aryl boronate esters, including those that are difficult to decarboxylate under transition-metal catalysis, offering a new method enabling use of carboxylic acid as building blocks in organic synthesis. Mechanistic analysis suggests the reaction proceeds through coupling of a transient aryl radical generated by radical decarboxylation with a pyridine-stabilized persistent boryl radical. Activation of redox active esters may proceed via an intramolecular single-electron-transfer (SET) process through a pyridine-diboron-phthalimide adduct and accounts for the base-free reaction conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Advances in cervical cancer management for childbearing women have led to less radical approaches. Use of fertility-sparing treatment to treat small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (SCNEC) is challenging owing to the aggressive nature of the disease, even in early stage disease.Case Presentation: A 25-year-old nulligravida woman presented with malodorous vaginal discharge and was diagnosed to have an exophytic cervical SCNEC. A magnetic resonance image scan showed no evidence of parametrial invasion or distant metastasis. Clinical staging allocated her to stage IB1 disease. She underwent radical abdominal trachelectomy for reproductive purpose. Preoperative and postoperative chemotherapy with ifosfamide/etoposide/cisplatin combining gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist were administered. She had a spontaneous, uneventful pregnancy and successfully delivered a term baby via cesarean section 7 years after treatment.Conclusion: To our knowledge, we describe the first success in offering a fertility-preserving multimodality strategy to present favorable oncologic, reproductive, and obstetric outcomes in a fertile woman of stage I SCNEC. Individualized multimodality therapy may be utilized in specific patients with early-stage cervical cancer to preserve their fertility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We fabricate n-channel silicon bulk FinFET with silicon nitride (Si3N4) high- \kappa , silicon nitride/silicon dioxide dual- \kappa , and silicon dioxide (SiO2) low- \kappa spacers, and compare their performance using measurements and TCAD simulations. While all the three devices show similar dc performance, the ac and transient performance of low- \kappa spacer FinFET is better due to lower parasitic capacitance ( {C}_{\mathrm {par}} ). We show that {C} _{\mathrm {par}} in SiO2 spacer FinFET is about half of that with Si3N4 spacer. When the gate length is scaled, the contribution of C \mathrm {par} compared with the intrinsic capacitance ( C \mathrm {ox} ) increases. For FinFET with Si3N4 spacers, C \mathrm {par}/C \mathrm {ox} increases from 36% at 30-nm gate length to 105% when the gate length is scaled to 10 nm, while for FinFET with SiO2 spacers, the ratio changes from 19% to 55% making the latter more suitable for scaling. For SiO2 spacer FinFET, inverter delay is about 13% and 25% lower than Si3N4 spacer FinFET for gate lengths of 30 and 10 nm, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Gga-miR-21 is abundantly expressed in chicken pre-adipocytes, but its role is unclear. The present study investigated the role of gga-miR-21 in chicken pre-adipocyte proliferation. Cell proliferation assay and gene expression analysis of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) showed that the gga-miR- 21 mimic inhibited pre-adipocyte proliferation. In contrast, the gga-miR-21 inhibitor enhanced pre-adipocyte proliferation. The subsequent investigation identified Kruppel-like factor 5 (KLF5) mRNA as a target of ggamiR- 21. The gga-miR-21 mimic inhibited KLF5 3'UTR reporter activity and decreased endogenous KLF5 expression in primary pre-adipocytes. KLF5 knockdown using RNAi had a similar effect to that of the gga-miR- 21 mimic on cell proliferation. The promoting effect of the gga-miR-21 inhibitor on pre-adipocyte proliferation was partially attenuated by KLF5 knockdown. Taken together, our results demonstrated that miR-21 inhibits chicken pre-adipocyte proliferation, at least in part, by targeting KLF5. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, cervical cancer is the most common malignancy affecting women. The main treatment methods for this type of cancer include conization or hysterectomy procedures. Sulforaphane (SFN) is a natural, compound-based drug derived from dietary isothiocyanates which has previously been shown to possess potent anti-tumor and chemopreventive effects against several types of cancer. The present study investigated the effects of SFN on anti-proliferation and G2/M phase cell cycle arrest in cervical cancer cell lines (Cx, CxWJ, and HeLa).We found that cytotoxicity is associated with an accumulation of cells in the G2/M phases of the cell-cycle. Treatment with SFN led to cell cycle arrest as well as the down-regulation of Cyclin B1 expression, but not of CDC2 expression. In addition, the effects of GADD45 gene activation in cell cycle arrest increase proportionally with the dose of SFN; however, mitotic delay and the inhibition of proliferation both depend on the dosage of SFN used to treat cancer cells. These results indicate that SFN may delay the development of cancer by arresting cell growth in the G2/M phase via down-regulation of Cyclin B1 gene expression, dissociation of the cyclin B1/CDC2 complex, and up-regulation of GADD45βproteins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the corn straw after removing the lignin was grafted with 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid (AMPS) to prepare sulfonated cellulose. The grafting copolymerization between the sulfonated cellulose and acrylic acid (AA) was performed using potassium persulfate and N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide as the initiator and crosslinking agent, respectively, to prepare corn straw-co-AMPS-co-AA hydrogels. The structure and properties of the resulting hydrogels were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and dynamic rheometry. The effects of initiator, crosslinker, monomer neutralization degree, and temperature on the swelling ratio of the hydrogels were studied. The water retention, salt resistance, and recyclability of the corn straw-co-AMPS-co-AA hydrogels were also investigated. The optimum water absorptivity of the corn straw hydrogels was obtained at a polymerization temperature of 50 °C with 1.2% crosslinker, 1:7 ratio of the pretreated corn straw and AA, 2% initiator, and 50% neutralized AA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose and implement three-dimensional (3-D) ring-scanning equipment for near-infrared (NIR) diffuse optical imaging to screen breast tumors under prostrating examination. This equipment has the function of the radial, circular, and vertical motion without compression of breast tissue, thereby achieving 3-D scanning; furthermore, a flexible combination of illumination and detection can be configured for the required resolution. Especially, a rotation-sliding-and-moving mechanism was designed for the guidance of source- and detectionchannel motion. Prior to machining and construction of the system, a synthesized image reconstruction was simulated to show the feasibility of this 3-D NIR ring-scanning equipment; finally, this equipment is verified by performing phantom experiments. Rather than the fixed configuration, this addressed screening/diagnosing equipment has the flexibilities of optical-channel expansion for spatial resolution and the dimensional freedom for scanning in reconstructing optical-property images. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obesity is associated with insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes; molecular mechanisms that promote energy expenditure can be utilized for effective therapy. Src-associated in mitosis of 68 kDa (Sam68) is potentially significant, because knockout (KO) of Sam68 leads to markedly reduced adiposity. In the present study, we sought to determine the mechanism by which Sam68 regulates adiposity and energy homeostasis. We first found that Sam68 KO mice have a significantly reduced body weight as compared to controls, and the difference is explained entirely by decreased adiposity. Interestingly, these effects were not mediated by a difference in food intake; rather, they were associated with enhanced physical activity. When they were fed a high-fat diet, Sam68 KO mice gained much less body weight and fat mass than their WT littermates did, and they displayed an improved glucose and insulin tolerance. In Sam68 KO mice, the brown adipose tissue (BAT), inguinal, and epididymal depots were smaller, and their adipocytes were less hypertrophied as compared to their WT littermates. The BAT of Sam68 KO mice exhibited reduced lipid stores and expressed higher levels of Ucp1 and key thermogenic and fatty acid oxidation genes. Similarly, depots of inguinal and epididymal white adipose tissue (WAT) in Sam68 KO mice appeared browner, their multilocular Ucp1-positive cells were much more abundant, and the expression of Ucp1, Cidea, Prdm16, and Ppargc1a genes was greater as compared to WT controls, which suggests that the loss of Sam68 also promotes WAT browning. Furthermore, in all of the fat depots of the Sam68 KO mice, the expression of M2 macrophage markers was up-regulated, and that of M1 markers was down-regulated. Thus, Sam68 plays a crucial role in controlling thermogenesis and may be targeted to combat obesity and associated disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There remains a great need for effective therapies for lung cancer, the majority of which are non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC). Here, we report the identification of a novel candidate therapeutic target, LUNX, as a molecule overexpressed in primary NSCLC and lymph node metastases that is associated with reduced postoperative survival. Functional studies demonstrated that LUNX overexpression promoted lung cancer cell migration and proliferation by interactions with the chaperone protein 14-3-3. Conversely, LUNX silencing disrupted primary tumor growth, local invasion, and metastatic colonization. The finding that LUNX was expressed on cell membranes prompted us to generate and characterize LUNX antibodies as a candidate therapeutic. Anti-LUNX could down-regulate LUNX and reduce lung cancer cell proliferation and migration in vitro. Administered in vivo to mice bearing lung cancer xenografts, anti-LUNX could slow tumor growth and metastasis and improve mouse survival. Together, our work provides a preclinical proof of concept for LUNX as a novel candidate target for immunotherapy in lung cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proteus mirabilis isolates commonly have decreased susceptibility to imipenem. Previously, we found P. mirabilis hfq mutant was more resistant to imipenem and an outer membrane protein (OMP) could be involved. Therefore, we investigated the role of this OMP in carbapenem susceptibility. By SDS-PAGE we found this OMP (named ImpR) was increased in hfq mutant and LC-MS/MS revealed it to be the homologue of Salmonella YbfM, which is a porin for chitobiose and subject to MicM (a small RNA) regulation. We demonstrated that ImpR overexpression resulted in increased carbapenem MICs in the laboratory strain and clinical isolates. Chitobiose induced expression of chb (a chitobiose utilization operon). Real-time RT-PCR and SDS-PAGE were performed to elucidate the relationship of hfq, impR, chb and MicM in P. mirabilis. We found MicM RNA was decreased in hfq mutant and chbBC-intergenic region (chbBC-IGR) overexpression strain (chbIGRov), while impR mRNA was increased in hfq mutant, micM mutant and chbIGRov strain. In addition, mutation of hfq or micM and overexpression of chbBC-IGR increased ImpR protein level. Accordingly, chitobiose made wild-type have higher levels of ImpR protein and are more resistant to carbapenems. Hfq- and MicM-complemented strains restored wild-type MICs. Mutation of both impR and hfq eliminated the increase in carbapenem MICs observed in hfq mutant and ImpR-complementation of hfq/impR double mutant resulted in MICs as hfq mutant, indicating that the ImpR-dependent decreased carbapenem susceptibility of hfq mutant. These indicate MicM was antisense to impR mRNA and was negatively-regulated by chbBC-IGR. Together, overexpression of ImpR contributed to the decreased carbapenem susceptibility in P. mirabilis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optical trapping of core-shell magnetic microparticles is experimentally demonstrated by using cylindrical vector beams. Second, we investigate the optical trapping efficiencies. The results show that radially and azimuthally polarized beams exhibit higher axial trapping efficiencies than the Gaussian beam. Finally, a trapped particle is manipulated to kill a cancer cell. The results make possible utilizing magnetic particles for optical manipulation, which is an important advantage for magnetic particles as labeling agent in targeted medicine and biological analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On the SiO2/Si(100) substrates, Bi3 gLao.1Ti2.9Vo.1O12 (BLTV) ferroelectric thin films were deposited to form a metal-ferroelectric-metal (MFM) structures and improved by the low temperature supercritical carbon dioxide fluid (SCCO2) post-treatment process. The dielectric and ferroelectric characteristics of the as-deposited BLTV thin films were measured and investigated by the XPS, C-V, and J-E measurement. From the measured results, after the SCCO2 post-treatment, the capacitance, leakage current density, coercive field, and remnant polarization of the BLTV thin films were all improved obviously. Finally, the mechanism concerning the dependence of electrical properties of the ferroelectric thin films was also investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Commensal bacteria are crucial to maintain immune homeostasis in mucosal tissues and disturbances in their ecology can affect disease susceptibility. Here, we report evidence that commensal bacteria shape the efficiency of immune surveillance in mucosal tissues. Antibiotic-treated (Abt) mice were more susceptible to development of engrafted B16/F10 melanoma and Lewis lung carcinoma, exhibiting a shortened mean survival time with more numerous and larger tumor foci in the lungs. The defective antitumor response of Abt mice was independent of dehydration caused by antibiotics. Host defenses relied upon intact commensal bacteria with no class specificity. Mechanistic investigations revealed a defective induction of the γδT17 cell response in lungs of Abt mice; here, more aggressive tumor development was observed, possibly related to a reduction in IL6 and IL23 expression there. Adding normal γδT cells or supplementing IL17 restored the impaired immune surveillance phenotype in Abt mice. Overall, our results demonstrated the importance of commensal bacteria in supporting the host immune response against cancer, defined an important role for γδT17 responses in the mechanism, and suggested deleterious effects of antibiotic treatment on cancer susceptibility and progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The degradation model and the remaining useful life (RUL) prediction are two key metrics for machine health prognostics. However, the precision of RUL prediction highly depends on the validity of the degradation model. Consequently, the uncertainty of RUL prediction based on the two‐phase degradation process may cause the estimated product reliability to differ from its actual value and lead to a faulty predictive maintenance strategy. However, recent studies have rarely compared the RUL predictions based on two‐phase and single‐phase degradation models. In this study, a real‐time RUL prediction approach was developed for a two‐phase linear Wiener degradation process. A two‐phase Wiener degradation model was proposed along with an estimation method for the change point and model parameters. Based on a state‐space model and Markov chain Monte Carlo, the drift coefficient of the degradation model was updated, and a real‐time RUL prediction model was developed. To examine whether the two‐phase Wiener degradation model was incorrectly assumed to be single‐phase, a case study was conducted to analyze RUL prediction based on the original and incorrect models. The results demonstrated that to obtain a more accurate RUL prediction, a sufficient number of samples should be used in addition to updating the drift coefficient of the degradation model when new measurement data are available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a self-aligned sidewall microcrystalline-silicon (\muc\-Si) dual channel, comprising a sub-50-nm channel width, a novel 3-D stackable maskless embedded metal-gate thin-film-transistor nanowire device was fabricated on top metal using a tungsten gate-stack and trilayered oxide/nitride/oxide gate dielectric. The results of using a charge-transferring mechanism based on the solution-phased pH of a phosphate buffer solution and vascular endothelial growth factor showed that \muc\-Si surfaces exhibit high potential for use in bioelectronics. The device exhibits long-term reliability regarding bioelectronic probing and is as reliable as the commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay when conducting a targeted, 100-day therapy for ovarian cancer. Thus, the proposed device exhibits potential for use in label-free, economical, and highly reliable lab-on-chip 3-D applications. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The design scheme of the source-and-detector arrangement of a ring-scanning-based near-infrared optical imaging system prior to the mechanical and optical construction is demonstrated. In terms of the effectiveness and efficiency of design, through the computation of image reconstruction for varied imaging configurations, the influences of the source-and-detector arrangement on the resulting images are evaluated and a formula to estimate the scanning time is provided. The basic idea of our design is to divide circular scanning into several zones, each of which includes n sources and l detectors; i.e., m zones and n sources along with l detectors per zone are defined in the design. Comparison is made among different imaging configurations where their contrast-to-noise ratio measures are evaluated and contrast-and-size detail resolution curves are depicted. Results show that the 2Z3S or 3Z3S configuration is the optimal design in terms of the time consumption of a complete scanning and the resolution of reconstructed optical-property images. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hfq is a bacterial RNA chaperone involved in the riboregulation of diverse genes via small noncoding RNAs. Here, we show that Hfq is critical for the uropathogenic Proteus mirabilis to effectively colonize the bladder and kidneys in a murine urinary tract infection (UTI) model and to establish burned wound infection of the rats. In this regard, we found the hfq mutant induced higher IL-8 and MIF levels of uroepithelial cells and displayed reduced intra-macrophage survival. The loss of hfq affected bacterial abilities to handle H2O2 and osmotic pressures and to grow at 50°C. Relative to wild-type, the hfq mutant had reduced motility, fewer flagella and less hemolysin expression and was less prone to form biofilm and to adhere to and invade uroepithelial cells. The MR/P fimbrial operon was almost switched to the off phase in the hfq mutant. In addition, we found the hfq mutant exhibited an altered outer membrane profile and had higher RpoE expression, which indicates the hfq mutant may encounter increased envelope stress. With the notion of envelope disturbance in the hfq mutant, we found increased membrane permeability and antibiotic susceptibilities in the hfq mutant. Finally, we showed that Hfq positively regulated the RpoS level and tolerance to H2O2 in the stationary phase seemed largely mediated through the Hfq-dependent RpoS expression. Together, our data indicate that Hfq plays a critical role in P. mirabilis to establish UTIs by modulating stress responses, surface structures and virulence factors. This study suggests Hfq may serve as a scaffold molecule for development of novel anti-P. mirabilis drugs and P. mirabilis hfq mutant is a vaccine candidate for preventing UTIs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ex vivo expansion of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) may be a promising strategy to overcome the clinical problem of limited cell numbers. As the culture medium is the key for the cell characteristics, the effects of different culture media on EPCs were investigated in the present study. Rat bone marrow mononuclear cells were cultured in different media, including M-199 media with 20% fetal bovine serum (FBS) and bovine pituitary extract (M1); M-199 media with 10% FBS, 20 ng/ml vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and 10 ng/ml basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF; M2) or epidermal growth medium (EGM)-2MV media. The cell morphology and biological functions, such as proliferation, adhesion, migration, tube formation and nitric oxide (NO) production were subsequently assayed in vitro. Moreover, endothelial biomarkers and apoptosis were also analyzed. The results showed that endothelial-like cells appeared in all of the culture systems. First-passage cells, namely early EPCs, tended to form colonies in M2 and EGM-2MV media but showed a fusiform shape in M1 media. The 3rd or 4th generation EPCs, namely late EPCs, cultured in EGM-2MV media exhibited increased adhesion, migration, tube formation and NO production as compared with EPCs in M1 or M2 media. Furthermore, late EPCs cultured in EGM-2MV expressed higher levels of endothelial cell markers, such as von Willibrand factor (vWF)and CD31, but relatively greater levels of apoptosis were observed. In conclusion, cell culture conditions, for example the medium used, affects the biological properties of bone marrow-derived early and late EPCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complex variable reproducing kernel particle method (CVRKPM) of solving two-dimensional variable coefficient advection—diffusion problems is presented in this paper. The advantage of the CVRKPM is that the shape function of a two-dimensional problem is formed with a one-dimensional basis function. The Galerkin weak form is employed to obtain the discretized system equation, and the penalty method is used to apply the essential boundary conditions. Then the corresponding formulae of the CVRKPM for two-dimensional variable coefficient advection—diffusion problems are obtained. Two numerical examples are given to show that the method in this paper has greater accuracy and computational efficiency than the conventional meshless method such as reproducing the kernel particle method (RKPM) and the elementfree Galerkin (EFG) method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major cause of severe liver disease. Interferon (IFN)/ribavirin treatment remains the standard therapeutic regimen for HCV infection in most countries. IFN-stimulated genes are believed to contribute to antiviral effects. However, emerging evidence suggests that microRNAs (miRNAs), a class of noncoding small RNAs, are involved in the control of viral infection. Here, we systematically profiled the hepatocyte expression of a set of 750 miRNAs in response to alpha interferon (IFN-) and interleukin-28B (IL-28B) treatments. The anti-HCV activity of differentially expressed miRNAs was evaluated using cell culture-derived HCV in vitro. The results demonstrate that let-7b had a significant anti-HCV effect by inhibiting HCV replication and viral protein translation in human hepatoma cells. In particular, we show that the inhibition of let-7b attenuated the anti-HCV effects of IFN- and IL-28B. Furthermore, we show that the host factor insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA-binding protein 1 (IGF2BP1) is a target of let-7b. IGF2BP1 was required for HCV replication, and its expression was downregulated by IFN- and IL-28B. Deletion of the wild-type seed region of let-7b abolished its antiviral activity. Finally, we demonstrate that other let-7 family miRNAs were able to inhibit HCV and to suppress IGF2BP1 expression. In conclusion, we provide an example of a host miRNA regulated by type I and type III IFNs that inhibits HCV replication and infectivity by targeting host targets. These results highlight the important role of miRNAs in the host antiviral immune response and provide a novel candidate for anti-HCV therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Oral colon targeted drug delivery system (OCTDDS) is desirable for the treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC). In this study, we designed a partially oxidized sodium alginate-chitosan crosslinked microsphere for UC treatment. Dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) was used to study the formation and enzyme response of gel beads from a molecular perspective. The formed gel beads have a narrow particle size distribution, a compact structure, low cytotoxicity and great colon targeting in vitro and in vivo. Animal experiments demonstrated that gel beads promoted colonic epithelial barrier integrity, decreased the level of pro-inflammatory factors, accelerated the recovery of intestinal microbial homeostasis in UC rats and restored the intestinal metabolic disorders. In conclusion, our gel bead is a promising approach for the treatment of UC and significant for the researches on the pathogenesis and treatment mechanism of UC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyanobacteria are important players in the global carbon cycle, accounting for approximately 25% of global CO2 fixation. Their CO2-concentrating mechanisms (CCMs) are thought to play a key role in cyanobacterial calcification, but the mechanisms are not completely understood. In Synechocystis sp. strain PCC 6803, a single Ca2+/H+ exchanger (Slr1336) controls the Ca2+/H+ exchange reaction. We knocked out the exchanger and investigated the effects on cyanobacterial calcification and CCMs. Inactivation of slr1336 significantly increased the calcification rate and decreased the zeta potential, indicating a relatively stronger Ca2+-binding ability. Some genes encoding CCM-related components showed increased expression levels, including the cmpA gene, which encodes the Ca2+-dependent HCO3- transporter BCT1. The transcript level of cmpA in the mutant was 30 times that in wild type. A Western blot analysis further confirmed that protein levels of CmpA were higher in the mutant than the wild type. Measurements of inorganic carbon fluxes and O2 evolution proved that both the net HCO3- uptake rate and the BCT1 transporter supported photosynthetic rate in the slr1336 mutant were significantly higher than in the wild type. This would cause the mutant cells to liberate more OH- ions out of the cell and stimulate CaCO3 precipitation in the microenvironment. We conclude that the mutation of the Ca2+/H+ exchanger in Synechocystis promoted the cyanobacterial calcification process by upregulating CCMs, especially the BCT1 HCO3- transporter. These results shed new light on the mechanism by which CCM-facilitated photosynthesis promotes cyanobacterial calcification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to propose an objective contrast-and-size detail (CSD) analysis for near infrared diffuse optical tomography (NIR DOT), of which the concept is derived from the subjective contrast detail (CD) analysis. We define a measure for numerical CSD analysis based on the resolution estimation of contrast and size. Following that, the contrast-and-size map of resolution can be calculated and displayed for each corresponding image in the map; furthermore, a CSD resolution curve can be plotted by calculating the average value of the projection corresponding to the physical quantity/axis (size or contrast). To provide some worked examples about the proposed CSD analysis evaluating the imaging performance of different reconstruction methods, Tikhonov regularization and edge-preserving regularization with different weighting functions were employed. Results suggested that using edge-preserving regularization with the generalized Lorentzian weighting function is the most attractive for the estimation of absorption-coefficient images. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports a versatile nano-sensor technology using "top-down" poly-silicon nanowire field-effect transistors (FETs) in the conventional Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS)-compatible semiconductor process. The nanowire manufacturing technique reduced nanowire width scaling to 50 nm without use of extra lithography equipment, and exhibited superior device uniformity. These n type polysilicon nanowire FETs have positive pH sensitivity (100 mV/pH) and sensitive deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) detection ability (100 pM) at normal system operation voltages. Specially designed oxide-nitride-oxide buried oxide nanowire realizes an electrically Vth-adjustable sensor to compensate device variation. These nanowire FETs also enable non-volatile memory application for a large and steady Vth adjustment window (>2 V Programming/Erasing window). The CMOS-compatible manufacturing technique of polysilicon nanowire FETs offers a possible solution for commercial System-on-Chip biosensor application, which enables portable physiology monitoring and in situ recording. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ornithine decarboxylase antizyme 3 (Oaz3) is expressed in spermatids, makes up the antizyme family of Oaz genes with Oaz1 and Oaz2, and was proposed to encode a 22 kDa antizyme protein involved in polyamine regulation similar to the 22 kDa OAZ1 and OAZ2 proteins. Here we demonstrate however that the major product encoded by Oaz3 is a 12 kDa protein, p12, which lacks the antizyme domain that interacts with ornithine decarboxylase. We show that p12 does not affect ornithine decarboxylase levels, providing an explanation for the surprising observation made in Oaz3 knock-out male mice, which do not display altered testis polyamine metabolism. This suggested a novel activity for Oaz3 p12. Using immuno-electron microscopy we localized p12 to two structures in the mammalian sperm tail, viz. the outer dense fibers and fibrous sheath, as well as to the connecting piece linking head and tail. We identified myosin phosphatase targeting subunit 3 (MYPT3), a regulator of protein phosphatase PP1ß, as a major p12-interacting protein, and show that MYPT3 is present in sperm tails and that its ankyrin repeat binds p12. We show that MYPT3 can also bind protein phosphatase PP1γ?2, the only protein phosphatase present in sperm tails, and that p12- MYPT3 interaction modulates the activity of both PP1ß and PP1?2. This is, to our knowledge, the first demonstration of a novel activity for an Oaz-encoded protein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A commissioning unit with an energy management system (EMS) was developed to be used together with facility monitoring and control systems (FMCS). This paper describes the testing of the new coupling system, in which a detailed management program is embedded for real time control decision making. First, a survey was conducted to evaluate the current power consumption of the facility systems, and found that HVAC is the most energy intensive system. Then a case study was performed, while the plant was in operation, to demonstrate the feasibility of the new coupling system, and a 9.6% chiller efficiency increase and total 23.2% annual energy saving for the chillers were reached, by optimizing the part load ratio condition of chillers and pumps. The results from in situ experiments show that applying this energy management system to the IT industry is feasible. A better custom-made FMCS with EMS, and full scale testing to greatly increase the overall energy efficiency, is recommended. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Ras GTPases were long thought to function exclusively from the plasma membrane (PM). However, a current model suggests that Ras proteins can compartmentalize to regulate different functions, and an oncogenic H-Ras mutant that is restricted to the endomembrane can still transform cells. In this study, we demonstrated that cells transformed by endomembrane-restricted oncogenic H-Ras formed tumors in nude mice. To define downstream targets of endomembrane Ras pathways, we analyzed Cdc42, which concentrates in the endomembrane and has been shown to act downstream of Ras in Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Our data show that cell transformation induced by endomembrane-restricted oncogenic H-Ras was blocked when Cdc42 activity was inhibited. Moreover, H-Ras formed a complex with Cdc42 on the endomembrane, and this interaction was enhanced when H-Ras was GTP bound or when cells were stimulated by growth factors. H-Ras binding evidently induced Cdc42 activation by recruiting and/or activating Cdc42 exchange factors. In contrast, when constitutively active H-Ras was restricted to the PM by fusing to a PM localization signal from the Rit GTPase, the resulting protein did not detectably activate Cdc42 although it activated Raf-1 and efficiently induced hallmarks of Ras-induced senescence in human BJ foreskin fibroblasts. Surprisingly, PM-restricted oncogenic Ras when expressed alone could only weakly transform NIH 3T3 cells; however, when constitutively active Cdc42 was coexpressed, together they transformed cells much more efficiently than either one alone. These data suggest that efficient cell transformation requires Ras proteins to interact with Cdc42 on the endomembrane and that in order for a given Ras protein to fully transform cells, multiple compartment-specific Ras pathways need to work cooperatively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The photodissociation dynamics of CH3I from 277 to 304 nm is studied with our mini-TOF photofragment translational spectrometer. A single laser beam is used for both photodissociation of CH3I and REMPI detection of iodine. Many resolved peaks in each photofragment translational spectrum reveal the vibrational states of the CH3fragment. There are some extra peaks showing the existence of the hot-band states of CH3I. After careful simulation with consideration of the hot-band effect, the distribution of vibrational states of the CH3fragment is determined. The fraction σ of photofragments produced from the hot-band CH3I varies from 0.07 at 277.38 nm to 0.40 at 304.02 nm in the I* channel and from 0.05 at 277.87 nm to 0.16 at 304.67 nm in the I channel. Eint/Eavlof photofragments from ground-state CH3I remains at about 0.03 in the I* channel for all four wavelengths, but Eint/Eavldecreases from 0.09 at 277.87 nm to 0.06 at 304.67 nm in the I channel. From the ground-state CH3I, the quantum yield Φ(I*) is determined to be 0.59 at 277 nm and 0.05 at 304 nm. The curve-crossing probability Pccfrom the hot-band CH3I is lower than that from the ground-state CH3I. The potential energy at the curve-crossing point is determined to be 32 740 cm−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]