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Sea cucumber-derived fungi have attracted much attention due to their capacity to produce an incredible variety of secondary metabolites. Genome-wide information on Aspergillus micronesiensis H39 obtained using third-generation sequencing technology (PacBio-SMRT) showed that the strain contains nonribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS)-like gene clusters, which aroused our interest in mining its secondary metabolites. 11 known compounds (1–11), including two γ-aromatic butenolides (γ-AB) and five cytochalasans, were isolated from A. micronesiensis H39. The structures of the compounds were determined by NMR and ESIMS, and comparison with those reported in the literature. From the perspective of biogenetic origins, the γ-butyrolactone core of compounds 1 and 2 was assembled by NRPS-like enzyme. All of the obtained compounds showed no inhibitory activity against drug-resistant bacteria and fungi, as well as compounds 1 and 2 had no anti-angiogenic activity against zebrafish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The safety and efficacy of cold snare polypectomy (CSP) compared to those of cold endoscopic mucosal resection (CEMR) have been reported. This meta-analysis compared the efficacy and safety of CEMR and CSP. Methods: PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases were systematically searched to identify randomized controlled trials comparing the efficacy and safety of CEMR and CSP in removing 3–10 mm polyps. The outcomes assessed included complete resection rate, intraoperative bleeding rate, delayed bleeding rate, perforation, and polyp removal time. The results are reported as risk ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) derived from a Mantel-Haenszel random-effects model. Results: Seven studies comprising 1,911 polyps were included in the analysis. The complete resection rate of CEMR was comparable to that of CSP (RR: 1.01, 95% CI: 0.99–1.04, p = 0.32). Comparable results were also demonstrated for intraoperative bleeding rate (polyp-based analysis: RR: 1.22, 95% CI: 0.33–4.43, p = 0.77), delayed bleeding rate (polyp-based analysis: RR: 1.34, 95% CI: 0.44–4.15, p = 0.61), and polyp removal time (mean difference: 28.31 s, 95% CI: −21.40–78.02, p = 0.26). No studies reported cases of perforation. Conclusion: CEMR has comparable efficacy and safety to CSP in removing 3–10 mm polyps. Further randomized controlled trials with long-term follow-up are warranted to compare and validate efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to study the adsorption effect of peanut shell as adsorbent on dye wastewater in industry, the optimum adsorption conditions of peanut shell for methylene blue were explored in this article. The decolorized peanut shell was activated by zinc chloride and the adsorption rate of methylene blue dye was improved. Through the research of different conditions such as pH value, contact time, adsorption temperature, initial dye concentration and adsorbent dosage, the optimal adsorption conditions of methylene blue dye were obtained. The adsorption effect achieved was the best at pH 10. Kinetics, thermodynamics, adsorption isotherm properties of the adsorption of methylene blue onto the peanut shell activated by zinc chloride were studied. The adsorption satisfied the Freundlich isothermal adsorption equation and the adsorption process was exothermic. The present adsorption system is a heterogeneous adsorption. The adsorption of methylene blue onto peanut shell accorded with a quasi-second-order adsorption kinetics. This adsorption was a physicochemical adsorption. Finally, the involved adsorption materials prepared were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and infrared spectroscopy. This method can effectively adsorb the methylene blue pollutants in water and solves the problem of the environmental pollution caused by the direct discharge of dye wastewater, which has certain economic and social benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, with the development of China's industry, the pollution problem of heavy metal wastewater in the country has become increasingly serious. In this paper, peanut shells modified with zinc chloride were selected as an adsorbent for the adsorption of Ag+ , and the optimal conditions for this adsorption were investigated. The results showed that the best adsorption effect was achieved at pH 4.0, an initial concentration of 250 μg/mL of Ag+ , a dosage of 0.10 g of peanut shell, a contact time of 40 min, and a temperature of 20°C. The prepared materials were also characterized by scanning electron microscopy and an X-ray diffraction analyzer. It was found that the skeleton did not change after the peanut shell treatment: the pores became larger; and the peanut shells had good adsorption capacity for Ag+ after being modified with zinc chloride. The kinetic, thermodynamic, and isothermal properties of the adsorption process were analyzed, showing that the adsorption conforms to the quasisecond-order kinetic equation and to the Freundlich adsorption isotherm. By this method, the heavy metal Ag+ in wastewater can be absorbed at low cost and with high efficiency, providing protection to the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To update evidence‐based data comparing the efficacy and safety of high‐dose dual therapy (HDDT) and bismuth‐containing quadruple therapy (BQT) in eradicating Helicobacter pylori infection through meta‐analysis. Methods: Multiple databases were systematically searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published up to May 18, 2023. Dichotomous data were evaluated using risk ratio (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Subgroup analysis, sensitivity analysis, risk of bias assessment, and quality of evidence evaluation were performed. Results: Twenty RCTs containing 7891 subjects were included in the analysis. There was no statistically significant difference in H. pylori eradication rate between HDDT and BQT in the intention‐to‐treat (ITT) analysis (86.31% vs 84.88%; RR 1.02, 95% CI 1.00–1.04, P = 0.12). In the per‐protocol (PP) analysis, the eradication rates for HDDT and BQT were 90.27% and 89.94%, respectively (RR 1.01, 95% CI 0.99–1.03, P = 0.44). Adverse events were significantly lower with HDDT than with BQT (RR 0.44, 95% CI 0.38–0.51, P < 0.00001). Patient adherence was significantly different between the two groups (RR 1.01, 95% CI 1.00–1.03, P = 0.02). Subgroup analysis based on antibiotic combinations within the BQT group showed a significantly higher eradication rate for HDDT than for BQT only when BQT used amoxicillin combined with clarithromycin (P = 0.0009). Conclusions: HDDT showed comparable efficacy with BQT for H. pylori eradication, with fewer adverse effects and higher compliance. Due to regional differences, antibiotic resistance rates, and combined BQT antibiotics, more studies are needed for further validation and optimization of HDDT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The superficial medial collateral ligament (sMCL) of the human knee joint has functionally separate anterior and posterior fiber bundles. The two bundles are alternatively loaded as the knee flexion angle changes during walking. To date, the two bundles are usually not distinguished in knee ligament simulations because there has been little information about their material properties. In this study, we conducted quasi-static tensile tests on the sMCL of matured porcine stifle joints and obtained the material properties of the anterior bundle (AB), posterior bundle (PB), and whole ligament (WL). AB and PB have similar failure stress but different threshold strain, modulus, and failure strain. As a result, we recommend assigning different material properties (i.e., modulus and failure strain) to the two fiber bundles to realize biofidelic ligament responses in human body models. However, it is often inconvenient to perform tensile tests on AB and PB. Hence, we proposed a microstructural model-based approach to predict the material properties of AB and PB from the test results of WL. Such obtained modulus values of AB and PB had an error of 2% and 0.3%, respectively, compared with those measured from the tests. This approach can reduce the experimental cost for acquiring the needed mechanical property data for simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the evolving landscape of global education, understanding the intricacies of interpersonal dynamics in academic settings across different linguacultures is paramount for building effective multicultural teaching environments. This study investigates the usage of T/V pronominal forms of address within teacherstudent interactions in Chinese and Russian academic contexts. It aims to reveal similarities and differences in the usage of pronominal forms of address in the two linguacultural contexts and unveil the impact of sociocultural factors, namely power and solidarity, on their choice. The data were obtained from a parallel questionnaire survey with the participation of 360 students (260 Chinese mainland students and 100 Russian students) and an interview with 30 students from each country. Employing a comprehensive dual-methodology approach, this study combines quantitative analyses of T/V forms of address frequencies with qualitative insights on their pragmatics, appropriateness, and students' preferences from interviews. The findings revealed distinct T/V form usage strategies in Chinese and Russian academic discourse. They showed that Chinese teachers predominantly use the T form for students, while students use both V and T forms for teachers. Conversely, Russian settings show a prevalence of the reciprocal V form in teacher-student interactions, with some limited usage of the T form by teachers with students. The results underscore the significance of hierarchical relationships, the demonstration of power distance, and, at the same time, solidarity in the Chinese context, while Russian students and teachers emphasise reciprocal formality in relationships and maintain boundaries. We suggest that different types of interaction between teachers and students in two cultural contexts are due to differences in the sociocultural organisation of society and cultural values. The study provides insights for educators and researchers navigating linguistic and cultural diversity in academic contexts and contributes to effective interaction in a multicultural educational environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The amoxicillin dose used in dual therapy to eradicate Helicobacter pylori varies across studies and the optimal amoxicillin dose for vonoprazan‐based dual therapies remains unclear. We aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of low‐ and high‐dose amoxicillin in vonoprazan–amoxicillin dual therapy. Materials and Methods: A comprehensive systematic review was conducted by searching databases from inception to October 2023. All trials that evaluated the effectiveness and safety of vonoprazan–amoxicillin dual therapy for eradicating H. pylori were included. Pooled eradication rate, incidence of adverse events, relative risks, and 95% confidence intervals are presented. Results: Eighteen studies with 12 low‐dose amoxicillin (VLA) and 13 high‐dose amoxicillin (VHA) arms were included. The pooled eradication rates were 82.4% and 86.8% for VLA therapy, and 86.0% and 90.9% for VHA therapy by the intention‐to‐treat and per‐protocol analyses, respectively. In the subgroup analysis stratified by duration, the eradication rates achieved in 7 days, 10 days, and 14 days treatments with VLA and VHA dual therapies were 80.8%, 84.2%, 83.1%, and 67.3%, 88.8%, 87.5%, respectively. In the four randomized controlled trials that directly compared VLA and VHA dual therapies, the efficacy was not statistically different in the intention‐to‐treat (76.9% vs 81.4%, p = 0.337) and per‐protocol (81.6% vs 84.0%, p = 0.166) analyses. Additionally, the incidence of adverse events (p = 0.965) and compliance (p = 0.994) were similar in both groups. Conclusion: VLA therapy demonstrated comparable efficacy and safety to VHA therapy, along with regional differences. An appropriately extended treatment duration may be critical for therapeutic optimization of vonoprazan–amoxicillin treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Large language models (LLMs) are promising medical counseling tools, but the reliability of responses remains unclear. We aimed to assess the feasibility of three popular LLMs as counseling tools for Helicobacter pylori infection in different counseling languages. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted between November 20 and December 1, 2023. Three large language models (ChatGPT 4.0 [LLM1], ChatGPT 3.5 [LLM2], and ERNIE Bot 4.0 [LLM3]) were input 15 H. pylori related questions each, once in English and once in Chinese. Each chat was conducted using the “New Chat” function to avoid bias from correlation interference. Responses were recorded and blindly assigned to three reviewers for scoring on three established Likert scales: accuracy (ranged 1–6 point), completeness (ranged 1–3 point), and comprehensibility (ranged 1–3 point). The acceptable thresholds for the scales were set at a minimum of 4, 2, and 2, respectively. Final various source and interlanguage comparisons were made. Results: The overall mean (SD) accuracy score was 4.80 (1.02), while 1.82 (0.78) for completeness score and 2.90 (0.36) for comprehensibility score. The acceptable proportions for the accuracy, completeness, and comprehensibility of the responses were 90%, 45.6%, and 100%, respectively. The acceptable proportion of overall completeness score for English responses was better than for Chinese responses (p = 0.034). For accuracy, the English responses of LLM3 were better than the Chinese responses (p = 0.0055). As for completeness, the English responses of LLM1 was better than the Chinese responses (p = 0.0257). For comprehensibility, the English responses of LLM1 was better than the Chinese responses (p = 0.0496). No differences were found between the various LLMs. Conclusions: The LLMs responded satisfactorily to questions related to H. pylori infection. But further improving completeness and reliability, along with considering language nuances, is crucial for optimizing overall performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The determination of phosphorus in rain water is of great significance. In this paper the optimum conditions of phosphorus molybdenum blue spectrophotometric method for the determination of phosphorus content were obtained. At the maximum absorption wavelength 690 nm, the apparent molar absorptivity is e690 nm = 1.44 × 104 L·mol-1·cm-1. Beer's law is followed over the range of 0.02-1.8 µg·mL-1 for phosphorus(V) content. Bismuth(III) and antimony(III) as the sensitizer has a sensitization effect on the phosphomolybdenum blue photometry. The addition of both simultaneously increases the sensitivity by 71.3%. The present method has been used for the determination of phosphorus in water samples. The recovery of method is between 99.20 - 100.1% and the relative standard deviation is between 1.31-1.33% for eleven determination. The results determined by the present method were in agreement with those of atomic absorption spectrometry. This method can avoid the harm of organic reagent to human body and to environmental pollution without organic solvent extraction. This method does not need heating with room temperature color development. Compared with other methods, it has the advantages that the operation is simple, fast and the sensitivity is high. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To enhance the productivity and quality of optical-grade liquid silicone rubber (LSR) and an optical convex lens simultaneously, uniform vulcanization of the molding material is required. However, little has been reported on the uniform vulcanization of LSR in the heated cavity. This paper presents a conformal heating channel to enhance the temperature uniformity of the mold surface in the LSR injection molding. The curing rate of an optical convex lens was numerically investigated using Moldex3D molding simulation software. Two different sets of soft tooling inserts, injection mold inserts with conventional and conformal heating channels, were fabricated to validate the simulation results. The mold surface temperature uniformity was investigated by both numerical simulation and experiment. In particular, both a thermal camera and thermocouples were employed to measure the mold surface temperature after LSR injecting molding. It was found that the uniformity of the mold surface for LSR injection mold with the conformal heating channel was better. The average temperature of the mold surface could be predicted by the heating oil temperature according to the proposed prediction equation. The experimental results showed that the trend of the average temperature of five sensor modes was consistent with the simulation results. The error rate of the simulation results was about 8.31% based on the experimental result for the LSR injection mold with the conformal heating channel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liquid silicone rubber (LSR) techniques are experiencing exponential growth, particularly in the field of high technology due to the low-temperature flexibility, superior heat stability, chemical resistance, and aging resistance of LSR components. Enhancing the curing rate of LSR parts in liquid silicone rubber injection molding is an important research topic. In this study, an injection mold with high energy efficiency of vulcanization for the liquid silicone rubber injection molding of a fisheye lens was developed and implemented. The LSR injection mold has a conformal heating channel (CHC) and conformal cooling channel (CCC) simultaneously. The function of CHC is to enhance the curing rate of a fisheye lens in the LSR injection molding to meet the requirements of sustainable manufacturing. The curing rates of a fisheye lens were numerically examined using the Moldex3D molding simulation software. It was found that the curing rate of the fisheye optical lens cured by injection mold with CHC was better than that of the injection mold with a conventional heating channel. The curing efficiency could be increased by about 19.12% when the heating oil temperature of 180 °C was used to cure the fisheye optical lens. The simulation results showed that the equation y = −0.0026x3 + 1.3483x2 − 232.11x + 13,770 was the most suitable equation for predicting the curing time (y) through the heating oil temperature (x). It was found that the trend of the experimental results was consistent with the simulation results. In addition, the equation y = −0.0656x2 + 1.5827x − 0.894 with the correlation coefficient of 0.9974 was the most suitable equation for predicting the volumetric shrinkage of the fisheye optical lens (y) through the heating oil temperature (x). The volume shrinkage of the fisheye optical lens cured by injection mold with CHC was very similar to that of the injection mold with a conventional heating channel. The maximum volume shrinkage of the fisheye optical lens cured at 180 °C was about 8.5%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the evaluation of combination therapy for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations, comparing osimertinib monotherapy to osimertinib plus chemotherapy. Topics include the efficacy of the combination therapy in prolonging progression-free survival, the associated risks and toxicities, and the consideration of the FLAURA2 trial results in the context of overall survival benefits.

Accelerated eutrophication is one of the most serious problems confronting freshwater systems worldwide. More effective methods to reduce nutrients from eutrophic water with high nitrogen but low carbon source are now urgently needed. In this study, the methods of floating plant remediation and aerobic denitrification were combined for seeking an effective strategy. Four aerobic denitrifying bacteria were adopted. Each strain was co-cultured with Eichhornia crassipes, and then the effects of different combinations on the removal of nitrogen and phosphorus were compared. Meanwhile, their impacts on the growth and physiological characteristics of plants were also measured. The results showed that the association of aerobic denitrifying bacteria with E. crassipes was effective in enhancing the simultaneous removal of nitrogen and phosphorus. E. crassipes helped bacteria to eliminate the accumulation of nitrites under the condition of limited carbon sources. Cooperation between Rhizobium rosettiformans and E. crassipes exhibited the best remediation performance. The four aerobic denitrifying bacteria increased the plant growth and phosphorus content, and had different effects on the plant root activity, leaf chlorophyll, leaf soluble sugar and leaf soluble protein concentration. Although the overall nutrients removal efficiency was greatly improved by the synergic association, the percentage contribution of plant uptake remained constant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study reports a new methodology for right heart imaging by ultrasound in mice under right ventricular (RV) pressure overload. Pulmonary artery constriction (PAC) or sham surgeries were performed on C57BL/6 male mice at 8 wk of age. Ultrasound imaging was conducted at 2, 4, and 8 wk postsurgery using both classical and advanced ultrasound imaging modalities including electrocardiogram (ECG)-based kilohertz visualization, anatomical M-mode, and strain imaging. Based on pulsed Doppler, the PAC group demonstrated dramatically enhanced pressure gradient in the main pulmonary artery (MPA) as compared with the sham group. By the application of advanced imaging modalities in novel short-axis views of the ventricles, the PAC group demonstrated increased thickness of RV free wall, enlarged RV chamber, and reduced RV fractional shortening compared with the sham group. The PAC group also showed prolonged RV contraction, asynchronous interplay between RV and left ventricle (LV), and passive leftward motion of the interventricular septum (IVS) at early diastole. Consequently, the PAC group exhibited prolongation of LV isovolumic relaxation time, without change in LV wall thickness or systolic function. Significant correlations were found between the maximal pressure gradient in MPA measured by Doppler and the RV systolic pressure by catheterization, as well as the morphological and functional parameters of RV by ultrasound. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This study investigated whether programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in peripheral blood can serve as a predictive biomarker for immunotherapy efficacy in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods: We employed a negative enrichment method to isolate CTCs. We identified PDL1 + CTCs as PD-L1+/40,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI)+/CD45-circulating tumor cells through an immunofluorescence method. Tumor tissue PD-L1 expression was determined by immunohistochemical staining. The correlation between CTC PD-L1 expression and patients' prognostic features was estimated through the Kaplan-Meier method. Results: CTCs released a higher detection rate of PD-L1 expression than tumor tissues (53.0% vs. 42.1%). No correlation was observed between them. Forty-nine NSCLC patients received anti-PD-1/PD-L1 immunotherapy (three with combined anti-PD-1/PD-L1 and cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen-4 (CTLA-4), two with four cycles of combined immune checkpoint inhibitors [ICIs] plus chemotherapy and ICI monotherapy for maintenance). Patients with PD-L1 expression on tissue or CTCs had a median progression-free survival (mPFS) of 5.6 months (n = 36, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.6-7.5 months), significantly longer than those without PD-L1 detection (n = 9, mPFS of 1.4 months, 95% CI 1.3-1.5 months, log-rank p = 0.032). The multivariable Cox proportional-hazard model suggested that the tissue or CTC PD-L1 expression was associated with a lower risk of progression (hazard ratio 0.45, 95% CI 0.21-0.98, p = 0.043). Conclusions: CTCs and tumor tissues reveal heterogeneous expression of PD-L1 in NSCLC patients. Patients with baseline PD-L1 expression on CTCs or tissue showed prolonged mPFS and may help to identify the subsets of patients who potentially benefit from immunotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liquid silicone rubber (LSR) parts have some distinct characteristics such as superior heat stability, low-temperature flexibility, aging resistance, and chemical resistance. From an industrial standpoint, the uniform vulcanization temperature of LSR is an important research point. However, the uniformity of the vulcanization temperature of LSR has been limited since the layout of the cartridge heater incorporated in the conventional steel mold does not follow the profile of the mold cavity. Metal additive manufacturing can be used to make LSR injection molds with conformal heating channels and conformal cooling channels simultaneously. However, this method is not suitable for a mold required to develop a new LSR product. In this study, a cost-effective approach was proposed to manufacture an LSR injection mold for the pilot run of a new optical lens. A rapid tool with low vulcanization energy consumption channels was proposed, which was incorporated with both a conformal heating channel (CHC) and conformal cooling channel (CCC) simultaneously. The function of the CHC was to vulcanize the LSR in the cavity uniformly, resulting in a shorter cycle time. The function of the CCC was to keep the LSR in a liquid state for reducing runner waste. It was found that the equation of y = −0.006x3 + 1.2114x2 − 83.221x + 1998.2 with the correlation coefficient of 0.9883 seemed to be an optimum trend equation for predicting the solidification time of a convex lens (y) using the vulcanizing hot water temperature (x). Additionally, the equation of y = −0.002x3 + 0.1329x2 − 1.0857x + 25.4 with the correlation coefficient of 0.9997 seemed to be an optimum prediction equation for the solidification time of a convex lens (y) using the LSR weight (x) since it had the highest correlation coefficient. The solidification time of a convex lens could be reduced by about 28% when a vulcanizing hot water temperature of 70 °C was used in the LSR injection mold with CHC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) fragmentation patterns contain important molecular information linked to tissues of origin. We explored the possibility of using fragmentation patterns to predict cytosine-phosphate-guanine (CpG) methylation of cfDNA, obviating the use of bisulfite treatment and associated risks of DNA degradation. This study investigated the cfDNA cleavage profile surrounding a CpG (i.e., within an 11-nucleotide [nt] window) to analyze cfDNA methylation. The cfDNA cleavage proportion across positions within the window appeared nonrandom and exhibited correlation with methylation status. The mean cleavage proportion was ~twofold higher at the cytosine of methylated CpGs than unmethylated ones in healthy controls. In contrast, the mean cleavage proportion rapidly decreased at the 1-nt position immediately preceding methylated CpGs. Such differential cleavages resulted in a characteristic change in relative presentations of CGN and NCG motifs at 5' ends, where N represented any nucleotide. CGN/NCG motif ratios were correlated with methylation levels at tissue-specific methylated CpGs (e.g., placenta or liver) (Pearson's absolute r > 0.86). cfDNA cleavage profiles were thus informative for cfDNA methylation and tissue-of-origin analyses. Using CG-containing end motifs, we achieved an area under a receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.98 in differentiating patients with and without hepatocellular carcinoma and enhanced the positive predictive value of nasopharyngeal carcinoma screening (from 19.6 to 26.8%). Furthermore, we elucidated the feasibility of using cfDNA cleavage patterns to deduce CpG methylation at single CpG resolution using a deep learning algorithm and achieved an AUC of 0.93. FRAGmentomics-based Methylation Analysis (FRAGMA) presents many possibilities for noninvasive prenatal, cancer, and organ transplantation assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tup1 , a conserved transcriptional repressor, plays a critical role in the growth and development of fungi. Here, we identified a BsTup1 gene from the plant pathogenic fungus Bipolaris sorokiniana. The expression of BsTup1 showed a more than three-fold increase during the conidial stage compared with mycelium stage. Deletion of BsTup1 led to decrease hyphal growth and defect in conidia formation. A significant difference was detected in osmotic, oxidative, or cell wall stress responses between the WT and Δ BsTup1 strains. Pathogenicity assays showed that virulence of the Δ BsTup1 mutant was dramatically decreased on wheat and barely leaves. Moreover, it was observed that hyphal tips of the mutants could not form appressorium-like structures on the inner epidermis of onion and barley coleoptile. Yeast two-hybrid assays indicated that BsTup1 could interact with the BsSsn6. RNAseq revealed significant transcriptional changes in the Δ BsTup1 mutant with 2369 genes down-regulated and 2962 genes up-regulated. In these genes, we found that a subset of genes involved in fungal growth, sporulation, cell wall integrity, osmotic stress, oxidation stress, and pathogenicity, which were misregulated in the Δ BsTup1 mutant. These data revealed that BsTup1 has multiple functions in fungal growth, development, stress response and pathogenesis in B. sorokiniana. • BsTup1 was an important regulatory factor for growth, stress response, and infection of host plants in Bipolaris sorokiniana. • BsTup1 played a determinative role in conidiogenesis and appressorium formation in Bipolaris sorokiniana. • BsTup1 could interact with the BsSsn6 in Bipolaris sorokiniana. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The formation of diploid gametes through chromosome doubling is a major mechanism of polyploidization, diversification, and speciation in plants. Unfavorable climate conditions can induce or stimulate the production of diploid gametes during meiosis. Here, we demonstrated that heat shock stress (38°C for 3 or 6 h) induced 2n pollen formation, and we generated 42 triploids derived from heat shock-induced 2n pollen of Populus canescens. Meiotic analysis of treated pollen mother cells revealed that induced 2n pollen originated from the complete loss of meiosis II (MII). Among the 42 triploids, 38 triploids derived from second division restitution (SDR)-type 2n pollen and 4 triploids derived from first division restitution-type 2n pollen were verified using simple sequence repeats (SSR) molecular markers. Twenty-two differentially expressed genes related to the cell cycle were identified and characterized by expression profile analysis. Among them was POPTR_0002s08020g (PtCYCA1;2), which encodes a type A Cyclin CYCA1;2 that is required for the meiosis I (MI) to MII transition. After male flower buds were exposed to heat shock, a significant reduction was detected in PtCYCA1;2 expression. We inferred that the failure of MI-to-MII transitions might be associated with downregulated expression of PtCYCA1;2, leading to the formation of SDR-type 2n pollen. Our findings provide insights into mechanisms of heat shock-induced 2n pollen formation in a woody plant and verify that sensitivity to environmental stress has evolutionary importance in terms of polyploidization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The human parasite Trypanosoma brucei contains a motile flagellum that determines the plane of cell division, controls cell morphology, and mediates cell-cell communication. During the cell cycle, inheritance of the newly formed flagellum requires its correct positioning toward the posterior of the cell, which depends on the faithful segregation of multiple flagellum-associated cytoskeletal structures including the basal body, the flagellar pocket collar, the flagellum attachment zone, and the hook complex. A specialized group of four microtubules termed the microtubule quartet (MtQ) originates from the basal body and runs through the flagellar pocket collar and the hook complex to extend, along the flagellum attachment zone, toward the anterior of the cell. However, the physiological function of the MtQ is poorly understood, and few MtQassociated proteins have been identified and functionally characterized. We report here that an MtQ-localized protein named NHL1 interacts with the microtubule-binding protein TbSpef1 and depends on TbSpef1 for its localization to the MtQ. We show that RNAi-mediated knockdown of NHL1 impairs the segregation of flagellum-associated cytoskeletal structures, resulting in mispositioning of the new flagellum. Furthermore, knockdown of NHL1 also causes misplacement of the cell division plane in dividing trypanosome cells, halts cleavage furrow ingression, and inhibits completion of cytokinesis. These findings uncover a crucial role for the MtQassociated protein NHL1 in regulating basal body segregation to promote flagellar inheritance in T. brucei. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultrasonic welding (UW) is a joining of plastics through the use of heat generated from high-frequency mechanical motion, which is known as an efficient process in many applications, such as textile, packaging, or automotive. UW of thermoplastics has been widely employed in industry since no polymer degradations are found after UW. However, the trial-and-error approach is frequently used to study optimum UW process parameters for new 3C plastic power cases in current industry, resulting in random efforts, wasted time, or energy consumption. In this study, Taguchi methods are used to study optimum UW process parameters for obtaining high weld strength of a plastic power case. The most important control factor influencing the weld strength is amplitude, followed by weld pressure, hold time, and trigger position. The optimum UW process parameters are amplitude of 43.4 µm, weld pressure of 115 kPa, hold time of 0.4 s, and trigger position of 69.95 mm. Finally, the confirmation experiments are performed to verify the optimum process parameters obtained in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cytokinesis in the early divergent protozoan Trypanosoma brucei occurs from the anterior cell tip of the new-flagellum daughter toward the nascent posterior end of the oldflagellum daughter of a dividing biflagellated cell. The cleavage furrow ingresses unidirectionally along the preformed cell division fold and is regulated by an orphan kinesin named kinesin localized to the ingressing furrow (KLIF) that localizes to the leading edge of the ingressing furrow. Little is known about how furrow ingression is controlled by KLIF and whether KLIF interacts with and cooperates with other cytokinesis regulatory proteins to promote furrow ingression. Here, we investigated the roles of KLIF in cleavage furrow ingression and identified a cohort of KLIF-associated cytoskeletal proteins as essential cytokinesis regulators. By genetic complementation, we demonstrated the requirement of the kinesin motor activity, but not the putative tropomyosin domain, of KLIF in promoting furrow ingression. We further showed that depletion of KLIF impaired the resolution of the nascent posterior of the old-flagellar daughter cell, thereby stalking cleavage furrow ingression at late stages of cytokinesis. Through proximity biotinylation, we identified a subset of cytoskeleton-associated proteins (CAPs) as KLIF-proximal proteins, and functional characterization of these cytoskeletal proteins revealed the essential roles of CAP46 and CAP52 in positioning the cleavage furrow and the crucial roles of CAP42 and CAP50 in promoting cleavage furrow ingression. Together, these results identified multiple cytoskeletal proteins as cytokinesis regulators and uncovered their essential and distinct roles in cytokinesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fused filament fabrication (FFF) is a three-dimensional printing process that uses a continuous filament of thermoplastic materials to manufacture physical model layer by layer. The wax injection mold (WIM) with conformal cooling channel (CCC) can be fabricated swiftly and economically using a FFF system. However, roundness of the CCC inside the rapid soft tooling fabricated by FFF depends on the process parameters significantly. According to the practical experience, the inside of CCC is easy to accumulate limescale when roundness of the CCC is low. This drawback will result in a reduction in the cooling efficiency because of reduction in the volumetric flow rate of the coolant. To enhance the roundness of the CCC inside the WIM fabricated by FFF, the Taguchi methods were used to investigate the optimum process parameters for fabricating WIM and CCC with better roundness simultaneously. It was found that the most important control factor affecting the roundness of the CCC is the printing temperature, followed by fan speed, print speed, and travel speed. The optimum process parameters for fabricating CCC with better roundness are printing temperature of 160 °C, fan speed of 4,050 rpm, printing speed of 40 mm/s, and moving speed of 50 mm/s. Two pairs of WIM with CCC were fabricated using both conventional process parameters and optimum process parameters. The effectiveness of the optimization process parameters obtained in this study was demonstrated using wax injection molding processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The formation dip angle is an important characteristic parameter that reflects underground structures, and it is widely used in seismic exploration and geological interpretation. However, the routine dip angle calculation method suffers from the problems of artifact interference and insufficient accuracy, which restricts the development of fine exploration technology. More accurately obtaining the formation dip angle has become a general concern. To solve these problems, this paper proposes a method for calculating the formation dip angle using deep learning. The dip angle calculation is considered a regression problem. By establishing a database of synthetic seismic data and dip data tags, data-driven fitting of nonlinear functional relationships between the seismic data and dip angles are achieved, and intelligent dip calculations are realized. The method is verified using the synthetic sedimentary model and actual data and is compared with the mainstream dip angle calculation method in the industry. The results show that this method more realistically reflects the undulating characteristics of a structure with both high accuracy and anti-interference ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on COVID-19 has been prevalent for more than 8 months, and million patients have recovered from COVID-19 and the possible long-term outcomes with regard to physical, psychological, and social aspects in patients who recovered from COVID-19 are not yet fully understood. Topics include the COVID-19-recovered patients can develop impairment in multiorgan systems, and the COVID-reportedly experience mental and social stress due to the infection and being stigmatized by society.

In this study, the stress and deformation rules of the double-row fiber-reinforced plastic sand pipes under the two loading methods of single-pipe and double-pipe loading were discussed. First, the indoor full-scale test was used to analyze the single-tube pipe top loading. The 90° measurement point of the loaded pipe and the 270° measurement point of the adjacent pipe were the most unfavorable positions for the stress of the pipeline. Through investigating the influence of cover soil height, load level, and compaction on the mechanical index of the most unfavorable load-bearing measuring point of the pipeline, the height of the overburden is found to be the most significant factor affecting the double-pipe stress system. Second, the numerical calculation model of the stress of the double-row pipeline was established to analyze the stress and deformation of the pipe culvert when the spacing of the double pipe was changed. The results indicated the critical spacing equivalent to the stress of the single pipe was 2.5D. Finally, the numerical method was also used to optimize the parameter of the geogrid at the top of the pipe in the most unfavorable stress state of the double pipe with 550-mm pipe spacing and double-loaded mode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the beginning of 2020, scientific conferences around the globe have evolved quickly to adapt to a virtual or hybrid format when in-person meetings were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. With the digital platforms now in place to enable virtual participation, interaction with scientific content in a digital format will likely become a new norm of the scientific conference experience. Digital enhancements of scientific presentations and posters may help bridge the gap of communication in a virtual format and may extend the reach of scientific content. This article provides a brief overview of common types of digital enhancements and summarizes insights from two conference organizers from their conversations at the "InformED" podcast. Researchers, conference organizers, and medical communication and publishing professionals will continue to optimize the digital enhancements and explore innovations to maximize the value of scientific content disseminated at virtual and hybrid scientific conferences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms has been applied widely to assimilate nutrients and coexisted with blooming cyanobacteria (mainly Microcystis aeruginosa) in many eutrophic lakes. But the effect of E. crassipes on hepatotoxic microcystins production in cyanobacteria still needed to be made clear. In this study, the effect of E. crassipes on DNA damage and transcription of microcystin biosynthetic genes in M. aeruginosa were first investigated and the links between microcystins production and other biochemical characteristics in M. aeruginosa were also explored. Results showed that the relative transcript levels of mcyA and mcyB in M. aeruginosa under stress of E. crassipes were stimulated briefly and then soon inhibited, while that of mcyD was motivated fleetingly and then kept at same level as controls. The accumulation of DNA damage in M. aeruginosa was exacerbated at state of energy limitation resulted from stress of E. crassipes and then triggered death via apoptosis. The transcription of microcystin biosynthetic genes in M. aeruginosa was not completely regulated by oxidative stress. It needed active photosynthetic electron transfer which could be blocked by E. crassipes. Furthermore, poor repair of oxidative DNA damage in M. aeruginosa inhibited the expression of microcystin biosynthetic genes under exposure of E. crassipes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human infection of orthohantavirus can cause potentially fatal diseases, such as hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) caused by Hantaan virus (HTNV) in Eurasia. Exosomes are new carriers for information exchange between cells. Cumulative findings suggest that exosomes released from parental infected cells can block or promote viral infection in recipient cells, but the role of exosomes in hantavirus infection is poorly understood. In our study, we identified the exosomes derived from HTNV‐infected human vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs) (Exo‐HV) and found the antiviral properties of Exo‐HV in the uninfected recipient cells. High‐throughput sequencing revealed the distinctly expressed miRNAs transcriptomes in Exo‐HV. MiR‐145‐5p, one of the abundant miRNAs packaged into Exo‐HV, was found to be able to transferred to recipient cells and functioned by directly targeting M RNA of HTNV 76‐118 and inducing type I interferon (IFN‐I) response, thus, blocking the viral replication. Concluding, this study indicated that exosomes released by HTNV‐infected HUVECs were able to transfer active molecules, miR‐145‐5p as a proving sample, to mediate novel anti‐HTNV activity in the neighboring uninfected cells, which will help us to explore new strategies for the treatment of infectious disease utilizing exosomes with miRNA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Structure learning of Bayesian networks has always been a challenging problem. Nowadays, massive-size networks with thousands or more of nodes but fewer samples frequently appear in many areas. We develop a divide-and-conquer framework, called partition-estimation-fusion (PEF), for structure learning of such big networks. The proposed method first partitions nodes into clusters, then learns a subgraph on each cluster of nodes, and finally fuses all learned subgraphs into one Bayesian network. The PEF method is designed in a flexible way so that any structure learning method may be used in the second step to learn a subgraph structure as either a DAG or a CPDAG. In the clustering step, we adapt hierarchical clustering to automatically choose a proper number of clusters. In the fusion step, we propose a novel hybrid method that sequentially adds edges between subgraphs. Extensive numerical experiments demonstrate the competitive performance of our PEF method, in terms of both speed and accuracy compared to existing methods. Our method can improve the accuracy of structure learning by 20% or more, while reducing running time up to two orders-of-magnitude. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Microcystic meningioma (MCM) appears similar to atypical meningioma(AM) as per conventional diagnostic imaging. However, considering their different recurrence rate and prognosis, accurate differential diagnosis is essential for determine the appropriate treatment strategy. The aim of the study was to differentiate MCM from AM by diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), in order to provide the basis for accurate preoperative diagnosis. Methods: The preoperative clinical data, conventional MRI and DWI data of 15 MCM and 30 AM cases were retrospectively analyzed. The average apparent diffusion coefficient (ADCmean), minimum ADC (ADCmin) and normalized ADC (nADC) between MCM and AM were compared using two sample t-tests. The value of ADCmean, ADCmin and nADC in the differential diagnosis of MCM and AM were calculated by the receiver operating curve (ROC) analysis. Results: The ADCmean (1.06 ± 0.10 vs 0.80 ± 0.11 × 10−3 mm2/s; P < 0.001), ADCmin (0.99 ± 0.10 vs 0.74 ± 0.12 × 10−3 mm2/s; P < 0.001) and nADC (1.45 ± 0.17 vs 1.07 ± 0.17; P <.0001) were significantly higher in MCM compared to AM. ADCmean of 0.91 × 10−3 mm2/s showed an optimum area under the ROC curve of 0.967 ± 0.022, and distinguished between MCM and AM with 86.67% sensitivity, 100% specificity and 88.89% accuracy. In addition, its positive and negative predictive values were 96.29% and 77.78% respectively. Conclusions: DWI can differentially diagnose MCM and AM, and ADCmean is a potential quantitative tool that can improve preoperative diagnosis of both tumors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Calcium is a necessary trace element in the human body, and its low or high content in the human body is not appropriate. It is very meaningful to study the level of calcium in the human body and to determine calcium content in blood. As people take calcium through food, the determination of calcium content in certain tea and calcium supplements is of great significance. In this study, a new method for the determination of calcium was established using dibromo-p-methylsulfonazo as a chromogenic agent. In this article, the optimal conditions for the color reaction of Ca2+ with dibromo-p-methylsulfonazo were established. In a hydrochloric acid medium, Ca2+ and dibromo-p-methylsulfonazo form a blue complex. At 624 nm maximum absorption wavelength, the apparent molar absorptivity for the determination of calcium is 3.32 × 104 L·mol−1·cm−1. Beer's law is applied for 0–0.60 μg/mL. The method has already been used in the determination of calcium in blood serum, whole blood, tea leaf, and calcium fudge with satisfactory results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fault diagnosis of piezoelectric sensor patches is very important for the stability of the vibration control system and fault-tolerant control technology. In order to improve the accuracy of fault self-diagnosis of piezoelectric sensor patches, singular value decomposition (SVD) and Hilbert marginal spectrum method are proposed to extract multiple features of each IMF component and conduct feature fusion, and a support vector machine (SVM) based on particle swarm optimization (PSO) is designed for fault identification of different eigenvalues. In the experiment, the broken and degumming piezoelectric patches are simulated. Firstly, under the excitation of the square wave signal with no noise signal, when the SVD value and the maximum amplitude of Hilbert marginal spectrum are used as the fusion eigenvalue together, the diagnostic results show that the recognition accuracy can reach 95%, compared with the recognition accuracy of 70% and 80%, respectively, when the two are used as eigenvalues alone; the recognition result under fusion eigenvalue is obviously better than that of the latter. Secondly, in order to highlight the effectiveness of this method, the aforementioned experiment is conducted under the excitation of the square wave signal interfered by 0.5 dBW–1 dBW noise signal. The experimental results show that the fault recognition of the fused eigenvalue under different noise intensity signals is still superior to that of the single eigenvalue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mesocellular foams (MCF) silica nanometer mesoporous molecular sieve was successfully synthesized by hydrothermal route. This method used poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(propyl glycol)-block-poly(ethylene glycol) as template, tetraethyl orthosilicate as silica source and 1, 3, 5-trimethylbenzene as pore-expanding agent to prepare nano mesoporous MCF in acidic medium. The MCF mesoporous material was characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared (IR) spectroscopy, low temperature nitrogen adsorption-desorption at 77 K, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The effects of pH, temperature, adsorbent dosage, cefalexin dosage and contact time on the immobilization of cefalexin were studied. Under the optimized conditions, MCF has the best effect on the drug immobilization. The maximum immobilization amount of cefalexin in MCF nano-mesoporous material is 498.8 mg/g. The behavior of adsorption of cefalexin by MCF belongs to multilayer heterogeneous adsorption, which accords with the Freundlich adsorption isotherm. In the adsorption process, all the ΔH0, ΔS0 and Gibbs free energy change ΔG0 are less than zero, indicating that the adsorption process is spontaneous, exothermic entropy decreasing reaction at ordinary temperature. Kinetic investigation showed that the adsorption process of cefalexin on MCF belongs to the pseudo-second-order kinetic process. The release laws of composite material cephalexin-MCF in the simulated body fluid, gastric and intestinal fluid were investigated, respectively. The maximum cumulative release rate in simulated body fluid was 99.4% at 18 h. The maximum cumulative release rate in the simulated gastric juice was 48.7% at 6 h and in the simulated intestinal fluid the maximum cumulative release rate of 61.9% was achieved at 8 h. These release processes satisfy the zero-order ordered kinetic process. Behavior of the adsorption of cefalexin by MCF belonged to multilayer heterogeneous adsorption, according with the Freundlich adsorption isotherm. Kinetic investigation showed that the adsorption process of cefalexin onto MCF belonged to the pseudo-second-order kinetic process. The maximum immobilization amount of cefalexin in MCF nano-mesoporous material was 498.8 mg/g. In the adsorption process, all the ΔH0, ΔS0 and Gibbs free energy change ΔG0 are less than zero, indicating that the adsorption process was spontaneous, exothermic entropy decreasing reaction at ordinary temperature. Good sustained release effect of cefalexin in MCF was achieved in simulated body fluid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SBA-15 mesoporous molecular sieve was prepared using triblock copolymer poly (ethylene glycol)-block-poly (propylene glycol)-block (poly ethylene glycol) as the template, tetraethyl orthosilicate as the silica source in acidic medium. Through toluene/water two-phase interface, nano Ag2S guest has been synthesized. By thermal diffusion method, (SBA-15)-Ag2S host-guest nanocomposite material was prepared. The results of powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) showed that the silver sulfide assembled did not destroy the molecular sieve skeleton and the host-guest nanocomposite prepared still maintained good crystallinity. Infrared spectra showed that the host molecular sieve skeleton in the composite material was intact. Transmission electron microscopic results showed that the pores of SBA-15 after loading of Ag2S were obvious and not damaged. The nitrogen adsorption-desorption results at 77 K showed that the guest has already partly occupied the molecular sieve pores, which led to the decrease in the pore volume and specific surface area to some extent. UV-Vis reflection spectra showed that Ag2S molecules were well assembled into SBA-15 and the molecules presented a highly dispersed state. The luminescent research results showed that the (SBA-15)-Ag2S nanocomposites after the encapsulation have luminescent phenomena and the luminescence is stronger than that of the Ag2S. The (SBA-15)-Ag2S nanocomposites have obvious emission peaks at 425 nm, which has a potential applied prospect as a light emitting diode etc optical material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mesocellular foam silica was prepared by a hydrothermal synthesis protocol. The surface and pore structure of mesocellular foam silica were characterized by low temperature nitrogen adsorption isotherms, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. The methylene blue was adsorbed by the synthetic mesocellular foam silica; the optimized adsorption conditions were evaluated and the maximum adsorption capacity of methylene blue by mesocellular foam silica was determined to be 215.5 mg g−1. The kinetics of the adsorption of methylene blue by mesocellular foam silica were in accordance with a quasi-second-order kinetic equation. The results were analyzed by Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherm models. The adsorption of methylene blue on mesocellular foam silica was shown to follow the Freundlich adsorption isotherm model. The Gibbs free energy change during adsorption showed that this process was spontaneous. The enthalpy change in the process was –28.868 J·mol−1 K−1, indicating that the adsorption is exothermic. The negative value of entropy –49.296 J·mol−1 K-1 shows that the system disorder decreases due to adsorption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trypanosoma brucei possesses a motile flagellum that determines cell morphology and the cell division plane. Inheritance of the newly assembled flagellum during the cell cycle is controlled by the Polo-like kinase homolog TbPLK, which also regulates cytokinesis initiation. How TbPLK is targeted to its subcellular locations remains poorly understood. Here we report the trypanosome-specific protein BOH1 that cooperates with TbPLK to regulate flagellum inheritance and cytokinesis initiation in the procyclic formof T. brucei. BOH1 localizes to an unusual sub-domain in the flagellum-associated hook complex, bridging the hook complex, the centrin arm and the flagellum attachment zone. Depletion of BOH1 disrupts hook-complex morphology, inhibits centrin-arm elongation and abolishes flagellum attachment zone assembly, leading to flagellum mis-positioning and detachment. Further, BOH1 deficiency impairs the localization of TbPLK and the cytokinesis regulator CIF1 to the cytokinesis initiation site, providing a molecular mechanism for its role in cytokinesis initiation. These findings reveal the roles of BOH1 in maintaining hookcomplex morphology and regulating flagellum inheritance, and establish BOH1 as an upstream regulator of the TbPLK-mediated cytokinesis regulatory pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research in developmental psychology has traditionally focused on parents' roles as agents of emotion socialization in their children's socioemotional development. By contrast, little longitudinal research has examined sociocultural mechanisms shaping parents' own emotional development. Immigrant parents are an ideal population in which to examine these processes and advance conceptual models of culture and continuing emotional development in adulthood. Using developmental functionalism and bioecological models of development as theoretical frameworks, the present study examined how immigrant parents' and children's cultural orientations were prospectively related to parents' self-reported emotional expressivity in the family context. Chinese American immigrant parents (n = 210) with elementary-aged children were assessed at two time points approximately 2 years apart. Path analyses using longitudinal panel models indicated that immigrant parents' cultural orientation in various cultural domains (language, social relationships, media) prospectively predicted their emotional expressivity in the family context. Parents' emotional expressivity was also predicted by children's cultural orientation and by discrepancies between their own and their children's cultural orientations. Our results underscore pathways through which immigrants' interactions with the family and broader sociocultural context can contribute to continued emotional development in adulthood. We discuss implications of our findings for developmentally informed approaches to the study of culture and emotion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current methods to detect placental vascular pathologies that monitor Doppler ultrasound changes in umbilical artery (UA) pulsatility have only moderate diagnostic utility, particularly in late gestation. In fetal mice, we recently demonstrated that reflected pressure waves propagate counter to the direction of flow in the UA and proposed the measurement of these reflections as a means to detect abnormalities in the placental circulation. In the present study, we used this approach in combination with microcomputed tomography to investigate the relationship between altered placental vascular architecture and changes in UA wave reflection metrics. Fetuses were assessed at embryonic day (E)15.5 and E17.5 in control C57BL6/J mice and dams treated with combination antiretroviral therapy (cART), a known model of fetal growth restriction. Whereas the reflection coefficient was not different between groups at E15.5, it was 27% higher at E17.5 in cART-treated mice compared with control mice. This increase in reflection coefficient corresponded to a 36% increase in the total number of vessel segments, a measure of overall architectural complexity. Interestingly, there was no difference in UA pulsatility index between groups, suggesting that the wave reflections convey information about vascular architecture that is not captured by conventional ultrasound metrics. The wave reflection parameters were found to be associated with the morphology of the fetoplacental arterial tree, with the area ratio between the UA and first branch points correlating with the reflection coefficient. This study highlights the potential for wave reflection to aid in the noninvasive clinical assessment of placental vascular pathology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modeling is a model-based learning process, which is repeated through formation, use, modification and elaboration. It is one of the significant factors influencing classroom teaching effect and students' learning results. The paper-pencil test and interview were used to study the modeling ability of 91 senior high school students in xi 'an middle School of Shaanxi province, China. The research results of students' modeling ability showed that: (1) students' modeling ability is generally low. The ability level of each modeling process is relatively low. Only the model construction ability can reach level 3, and the model selection ability, model validity ability and model application ability can only reach level 2. The model deployment ability can only reach level 1. (2) Students paper-pencil test scores and average modeling ability on voltaic cell theme were significantly correlated with each modeling ability (**p<0.01). The students with high modeling ability usually had good academic performance. Judging from the relationship among the five modeling abilities, selection ability was basis of construction ability, validity ability, application ability. However, there is no correlation between the selection and deployment ability, which suggesting that if students cannot understand the limitation and application range of the voltaic cell, they cannot effectively optimize and improve its existing model. (3) The modeling process of students have the characteristics of interpreting by a single factor. It is difficult for students to fully explain the reasons from the connection and extension relationship between factors and the overall structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To proliferate, the parasitic protozoan Trypanosoma brucei undergoes binary fission in a unidirectional manner along the cell's longitudinal axis from the cell anterior toward the cell posterior. This unusual mode of cell division is controlled by a regulatory pathway composed of two evolutionarily conserved protein kinases, Polo-like kinase and Aurora B kinase, and three trypanosome-specific proteins, CIF1, CIF2, and CIF3, which act in concert at the cytokinesis initiation site located at the distal tip of the newly assembled flagellum attachment zone (FAZ). However, additional regulators that function in this cytokinesis signaling cascade remain to be identified and characterized. Using proximity biotinylation, co-immunofluorescence microscopy, and co-immunoprecipitation, we identified 52 CIF1-associated proteins and validated six CIF1-interacting proteins, including the putative protein phosphatase KPP1, the katanin p80 subunit KAT80, the cleavage furrow--localized proteins KLIF and FRW1, and the FAZ tip--localized proteins FAZ20 and FPRC. Further analyses of the functional interplay between CIF1 and its associated proteins revealed a requirement of CIF1 for localization of a set of CIF1-associated proteins, an interdependence between KPP1 and CIF1, and an essential role of katanin in the completion of cleavage furrow ingression. Together, these results suggest that CIF1 acts as a master regulator of cytokinesis in T. brucei by recruiting a cohort of cytokinesis regulatory proteins to the cytokinesis initiation site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Metabolic syndrome patients exhibit impaired cholesterol efflux capacity. Previous studies have shown a positive association between aortic stiffness and metabolic syndrome. However, it is unknown whether cholesterol efflux capacity participates in the process of aortic stiffness. This study sought to determine the effect of metabolic syndrome on aortic stiffening, and to investigate the effectiveness of aortic wraps on aortic compliance and the underlying mechanisms. Methods In a swine model of metabolic syndrome, we compared the cholesterol efflux capacity and aortic compliance responding to diet modifications and aortic wrap applications. Results Metabolic syndrome induced by high cholesterol diet significantly decreased cholesterol efflux capacity and aortic compliance. Elastic aortic wrap application increased aortic compliance and partially restored cholesterol efflux capacity via ATP binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) pathway. Conclusions Cholesterol efflux plays a role in aortic stiffening. Elastic aortic wrap application could be a potential treatment for aortic stiffness related to metabolic syndrome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deals with the use of optical emission and absorption spectroscopy and double Langmuir probe diagnostics to measure plasma parameters of an expanding magnetized hydrogen plasma jet. Details of plasma source and expansion; Determination of rotational temperature; Local excitation of argon and helium spectral lines.

The unicellular protozoan Trypanosoma brucei has a single flagellum that is involved in cell motility, cell morphogenesis, and cell division. Inheritance of the newly assembled flagellum during the cell cycle requires its correct positioning, which depends on the faithful duplication or segregation of multiple flagellum-associated cytoskeletal structures, including the basal body, the flagellum attachment zone, and the hook complex. Along the flagellum attachment zone sites a set of four microtubules termed the microtubule quartet (MtQ), whose molecular function remains enigmatic. We recently reported that the MtQ-localized protein NHL1 interacts with the microtubulebinding protein TbSpef1 and regulates flagellum inheritance by promoting basal body rotation and segregation. Here, we identified a TbSpef1- and NHL1-associated protein named SNAP1, which co-localizes with NHL1 and TbSpef1 at the proximal portion of the MtQ, depends on TbSpef1 for localization and is required for NHL1 localization to the MtQ. Knockdown of SNAP1 impairs the rotation and segregation of the basal body, the elongation of the flagellum attachment zone filament, and the positioning of the newly assembled flagellum, thereby causing mis-placement of the cell division plane, a halt in cleavage furrow ingression, and an inhibition of cytokinesis completion. Together, these findings uncover a coordinating role of SNAP1 with TbSpef1 and NHL1 in facilitating flagellum positioning and cell division plane placement for the completion of cytokinesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a key role in a variety of biological processes, such as the perception of abiotic stress, the integration of different environmental signals, and the activation of stress response networks. Salt stress could induce an increased ROS accumulation in plants, disrupting intracellular redox homeostasis, leading to posttranslational modifications (PTMs) of specific proteins, and eventually causing adaptive changes in metabolism. Here, we performed an iodoTMT-based proteomic approach to identify the sulfenylated proteins in B. napus root responsing to salt stress. Totally, 1 348 sulfenylated sites in 751 proteins were identified and these proteins were widely existed in different cell compartments and processes. Our study revealed that proteins with changed abundance and sulfenylation level in B. napus root under salt stress were mainly enriched in the biological processes of ion binding, glycolysis, ATP binding, and oxidative stress response. This study displays a landscape of sulfenylated proteins response to salt stress in B. napus root and provides some theoretical support for further understanding of the molecular mechanisms of redox regulation under salt stress in plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]