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SUMMARY: Histone 2B ubiquitination (H2Bub) and trimethylation of H3 at lysine 4 (H3K4me3) are associated with transcription activation. However, the function of these modifications in transcription in plants remains largely unknown. Here, we report that coordination of H2Bub and H3K4me3 deposition with the binding of the RNA polymerase‐associated factor VERNALIZATION INDEPENDENCE2 (VIP2) to FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC) modulates flowering time in Arabidopsis. We found that RING domain protein HISTONE MONOUBIQUITINATION1 (HUB1) and HUB2 (we refer as HUB1/2), which are responsible for H2Bub, interact with ARABIDOPSIS TRITHORAX1 (ATX1), which is required for H3K4me3 deposition, to promote the transcription of FLC and repress the flowering time. The atx1‐2 hub1‐10 hub2‐2 triple mutant in FRIGIDIA (FRI) background displayed early flowering like FRI hub1‐10 hub2‐2 and overexpression of ATX1 failed to rescue the early flowering phenotype of hub1‐10 hub2‐2. Mutations in HUB1 and HUB2 reduced the ATX1 enrichment at FLC, indicating that HUB1 and HUB2 are required for ATX1 recruitment and H3K4me3 deposition at FLC. We also found that the VIP2 directly binds to HUB1, HUB2, and ATX1 and that loss of VIP2 in FRI hub1‐10 hub2‐2 and FRI atx1‐2 plants resulted in early flowering like that observed in FRI vip2‐10. Loss of function of HUB2 and ATX1 impaired VIP2 enrichment at FLC, and reduced the transcription initiation and elongation of FLC. In addition, mutations in VIP2 reduced HUB1 and ATX1 enrichment and H2Bub and H3K4me3 levels at FLC. Together, our findings revealed that HUB1/2, ATX1, and VIP2 coordinately modulate H2Bub and H3K4me3 deposition, FLC transcription, and flowering time. Significance Statement: Flowering at appropriate time is a critical trait for environmental adaption for plant pollination, and seed production. Here, we show that H2Bub, H3K4me3, and VIP2 coordinately modulate the transcription process and flowering time in Arabidopsis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of heterogeneous asymmetric catalysts has attracted increasing interest in synthetic chemistry but mostly relies on the immobilization of homogeneous chiral catalysts. Herein, a series of chiral metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have been fabricated by anchoring similar chiral hydroxylated molecules (catalytically inactive) with different lengths onto Zr‐oxo clusters in achiral PCN‐222(Cu). The resulting chiral MOFs exhibit regulated enantioselectivity up to 83 % ee in the asymmetric ring‐opening of cyclohexene oxide. The chiral molecules furnished onto the catalytic Lewis sites in the MOF create multilevel microenvironment, including the hydrogen interaction between the substrate and the chiral −OH group, the steric hindrance endowed by the benzene ring on the chiral molecules, and the proximity between the catalytic sites and chiral molecules confined in the MOF pores, which play crucial roles and synergistically promote chiral catalysis. This work nicely achieves heterogeneous enantioselective catalysis by chiral microenvironment modulation around Lewis acid sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of heterogeneous asymmetric catalysts has attracted increasing interest in synthetic chemistry but mostly relies on the immobilization of homogeneous chiral catalysts. Herein, a series of chiral metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have been fabricated by anchoring similar chiral hydroxylated molecules (catalytically inactive) with different lengths onto Zr‐oxo clusters in achiral PCN‐222(Cu). The resulting chiral MOFs exhibit regulated enantioselectivity up to 83 % ee in the asymmetric ring‐opening of cyclohexene oxide. The chiral molecules furnished onto the catalytic Lewis sites in the MOF create multilevel microenvironment, including the hydrogen interaction between the substrate and the chiral −OH group, the steric hindrance endowed by the benzene ring on the chiral molecules, and the proximity between the catalytic sites and chiral molecules confined in the MOF pores, which play crucial roles and synergistically promote chiral catalysis. This work nicely achieves heterogeneous enantioselective catalysis by chiral microenvironment modulation around Lewis acid sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymer semiconductor with bulk heterojunction (BHJ) structure has attracted increasing attention to fabricate highly efficient photoelectrode for converting solar energy and water into hydrogen, thanks to its high photocurrent output and positive onset potential beyond 0.6 V. However, BHJ‐based photoelectrodes demonstrate poor anticorrosion against irradiation in aqueous environment, thus the photoelectrochemical (PEC) stability is a very intractable problem to solve. Herein, an inside and outside integrated modification method is developed to help BHJ‐based photocathode withstand PEC erosion during hydrogen production in acidic solution. The obtained BHJ (PBDB‐T:ITIC:PC71BM)‐based photocathode with surface carbon protective layer allows sustained and fast PEC hydrogen evolution (an average photocurrent density up to 13.5 mA cm−2) for a duration up to 15 h, which is among the best results of BHJ‐based photocathodes. The internal modification with fullerene derivative of PC71BM boosts the photogenerated electron transfer to balance against relative fast hole transfer, which largely alleviates electron accumulation and improves PEC intrinsic stability as a result. The surface carbon layer effectively resists the permeation of aqueous electrolyte without hindering interfacial charge transfer. This metal‐free protective method is very promising toward construction of highly robust BHJ‐based photoelectrodes for sustainable water splitting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sluggish hole transfer and the resulting pronounced charge recombination hinder the efficiency of photocatalytic overall water splitting. Herein, we present Si quantum dots (SiQDs) as hole transporter to construct SiQDs/Cu-doped ZnIn 2 S 4 heterojunction photocatalysts (Cu 0.48 SZ) for overall water splitting. Under visible light illumination, Cu 0.48 SZ exhibits highly stable overall water-splitting activity of 210 μmol g−1 h−1 H 2 and 97 μmol g−1 h−1 O 2 with an apparent quantum yield (AQY) of 2.57 % at 420 nm. Results demonstrate that the synergy of SiQDs and Cu doping enhances carrier-separation efficiency and reduce surface kinetic barriers, leading to high photocatalytic performance. The presence of SiQDs effectively accelerates the transfer of photoexcited holes and avoids the self-oxidation of ZnIn 2 S 4 , favoring water oxidation. The Cu doping increases the electron density around the S atoms of ZnIn 2 S 4 and thus promotes water reduction. This work extends the application of SiQD S as efficient hole transporter for photocatalytic overall water splitting. [Display omitted] • SiQDs on ZIS facilitates the efficient transfer of photogenerated holes for water oxidization. • The Cu doping-induced charge redistribution of neighboring S atoms promotes the HER reaction. • SiQDs and Cu doping reduce the surface HER and OER kinetic barriers synergistically. • Achieve high overall water splitting activity and apparent quantum yield (2.57 % at 420 nm). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mitochondria play a role in the occurrence, development, drug resistance, metastasis, and other functions of cancer and thus are a drug target. An acid-activated mitochondria-targeting drug nanocarrier with redox-responsive function was constructed in the present study. However, whether this vector can precisely delivery paclitaxel (PTX) to enhance therapeutic efficacy in drug-resistant lung cancer is unknown. Results: Acid-cleavable dimethylmaleic anhydride (DA) was used to modify pluronic P85-conjugated mitochondria-targeting triphenylphosphonium (TPP) using disulfide bonds as intermediate linkers (DA-P85-SS-TPP and DA-P-SS-T). The constructed nanocarriers demonstrated enhanced cellular uptake and selective mitochondrial targeting at extracellular pH characteristic for a tumor (6.5) and were characterized by extended circulation in the blood. TPP promoted the targeting of the DA-P-SS-T/PTX nanomicelles to the mitochondrial outer membrane to decrease the membrane potential and ATP level, resulting in inhibition of P-glycoprotein and suppression of drug resistance and cancer metastasis. PTX was also rapidly released in the presence of high glutathione (GSH) levels and directly diffused into the mitochondria, resulting in apoptosis of drug-resistant lung cancer cells. Conclusions: These promising results indicated that acid-activated mitochondria-targeting and redox-responsive nanomicelles potentially represent a significant advancement in cancer treatment. Graphic Abstarct: [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of clan paintings reveals a shift in perspective from art aesthetics to cultural connotations to cultural identity, yet literature seldom discusses the relationship between art and kinship culture. Taking the murals of ancestral hall architecture in Guangzhou as an example, this paper utilizes text mining to identify factors influencing its decorative art. It reveals the traditional rites' artistic expression through dimensions of characters' demeanor and the transmission of content values, offering a fresh perspective for heritage value research. Findings: (1) themes and implications are mostly oriented towards positive value transmission, transitioning from idealistic layman life to the realism of lower-class existence, emphasizing humanization; (2) the extroverted portrayal of characters contrasts with the dignified, restrained etiquette of traditional rites, with some characters' portrayal and facial expressions exuding approachability; (3) murals conveying positive emotions are mostly related to longevity, auspiciousness, fortune, and heroic deeds, while those conveying negative emotions mainly involve elderly male figures, reflecting a content bias related to characters; (4) historical allusion murals with complex content reduce the emotional resonance and arousal efficiency of the viewer; (5) incomplete mural content increases negative emotions in perceivers, highlighting the impact of mural preservation on emotional resonance. To delve into the formation of clan painting art, it is essential not only to interpret the diversity of its patterns but also to demonstrate the representation of its social attributes in decorative art. The formation of clan painting decorative art exhibits kinship cultural attributes, epitomizing the essence of traditional ceremonial thought. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the features of high porosity, high water content, and tunable viscoelasticity, hydrogels have attracted numerous attentions in the promotion of wound closure. However, the lack of abilities to adapt the wounds of complex shapes and prevent postoperative adhesion limits their therapeutic outcomes in wound healing. To address the above challenges, the supramolecular chitin-based (SMCT) hydrogels are created via the host–guest pre-assembly strategy of β-cyclodextrin (βCD) and adamantane (Ad). The reversible host–guest crosslinks endow the SMCT hydrogels with highly dynamic networks, which can better accommodate irregularly shaped wounds compared with the covalent chitin-based hydrogels with similar mechanical properties. In addition, the SMCT hydrogels show rapid in vivo degradability (degradation time ≈ 2 days) due to the enzyme-triggered degradability of chitin, which do not need to be removed from the wounds after service and thus avoid the secondary damage to skin during dressing change. Owing to the hydrophobic cavity of βCD, the SMCT hydrogels can facilitate the load and release of curcumin with anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antioxidative activities, thereby significantly improving the wound healing efficiency. This work provides valuable guidance to the design of self-adaptive and fast-degradable hydrogels that hold great potential for enhancing the wound healing in skin and other tissues. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highly efficient photocathode with onset potential beyond 0.6 V is very desirable in order to construct photoelectrochemical (PEC) device for stand‐alone overall water splitting. In this work, it is reported a nonfullerene PBDB‐T:ITIC bulk heterojunction (BHJ) based photocathode delivering unprecedented positive onset potential of 0.8 V and optimal photocurrent density of −11.7 mA cm−2 at 0 V in pH 1 solution. The yielded high ideal ratiometric power‐saved efficiency (Φsaved,ideal) of 4.1% is a record among the previous organic photocathodes. When the electrolyte pH moves to neutral, the Φsaved,ideal is still to be 3.2%, yet being twice more than the currently reported highest value. Pairing with TiOx, the hole transport layer of CuOx with more efficient charge carrier transportation and hole extraction ability excels MoO3 and NiOx, contributing to the highly efficient solar hydrogen production in both acidic and neutral solutions. Premixing the BHJ blend precursor with an anti‐oxidative agent is proved to be a beneficial strategy to improve the PEC stability by suppressing the photo‐oxidation degradation of organic polymer materials. Subsequently a conceptual PEC cell comprising of tandem CuOx/BHJ/TiOx/Pt photocathode and BiVO4/NiFeOx photoanode with a high solar‐to‐hydrogen efficiency up to 1.1% is fabricated in neutral solution without assistance of extra bias. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • The probe exhibited good selectivity towards hydrogen polysulfide among other biological species. • The probe can detect hydrogen polysulfide within 10 min. • HQO-PSP has the ability of mitochondrial-targeting. • HQO-PSP can be applied not only at the level of living cells but also to mouse tissues. Abstract Hydrogen polysulfide (H 2 S n) has attracted increasing attention since H 2 S n instead of H 2 S has been shown to be the actual signaling molecule in physiological and pathological processes. Thus, developing accurate and sensitive assays for H 2 S n detection is urgently needed in biological science. In this work, we developed a red emitting mitochondria-targeting fluorescent probe, HQO-PSP, that is capable of tracking H 2 S n. With low cytotoxicity, good selectively and high sensitively, HQO-PSP was able to detect H 2 S n in living cells. Furthermore, we also demonstrated that HQO-PSP could also be successfully applied to recognize H 2 S n in living tissues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An array of coupled cavities, each of which contains a triangle-down-level atom, is investigated. An effective Hamiltonian can be achieved under the strong classical driving. We can control the transition between Mott-insulator and superfluid states by the classical driving. The frequency conversion in one site has the same effects of nonlinear in BH hamiltonian which can induce insulator-superfluid states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evolution of the early atmosphere was driven by changes in its chemical composition, which involved the formation of some critical gases. In this study, we demonstrate that nitrous oxide (N2O) can be produced from Miller's early atmosphere (a mixture of CH4, NH3, H2, and H2O) by way of photocatalysis. Both NH3 and H2O were indispensable for the production of N2O by photocatalysis. Different conditions related to seawater and reaction temperature are also explored. N2O has a strong greenhouse gas effect, which is more able to warm the Earth than other gases and offers a reasonable explanation for the faint young Sun paradox on the early Earth. Moreover, the decomposition of N2O into N2 and O2 can be boosted by soft irradiation, providing a possible and important origin of atmospheric O2 and N2. The occurrence of O2 propelled the evolution of the atmosphere from being fundamentally reducing to oxidizing. This work describes a possible vital contribution of photocatalysis to the evolution of the early atmosphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is known that evolutionarily new genes can rapidly evolve essential roles in fundamental biological processes. Nevertheless, the underlying molecular mechanism of how they acquire their novel transcriptional pattern is less characterized except for the role of cis-regulatory evolution. Epigenetic modification offers an alternative possibility. Here, we examined how histone modifications have changed among different gene age groups in Drosophila melanogaster by integrative analyses of an updated new gene dataset and published epigenomic data. We found a robust pattern across various datasets where both the coverage and intensity of active histone modifications, histone 3 lysine 4 trimethylation and lysine 36 trimethylation, increased with evolutionary age. Such a temporal correlation is negative and much weaker for the repressive histone mark, lysine 9 trimethylation, which is expected given its major association with heterochromatin. By further comparison with neighboring old genes, the depletion of active marks of new genes could be only partially explained by the local epigenetic context. All these data are consistent with the observation that older genes bear relatively higher expression levels and suggest that the evolution of histone modifications could be implicated in transcriptional evolution after gene birth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The gradual loss of certain good cultural genes in the traditional ritual system is, to some extent, driven by the value orientation of the art of ancestral hall decoration. This article uses wall paintings as a medium to uncover significant variables affecting the decorating of ancestral hall murals and to analyze the culturally formative relationships underlying their art from a ceremonial perspective. It depends on textual excavation. The analysis demonstrates that: (1) the 521 murals generally transmit positive content; (2) the shift in the painted figures' seating and grooming from formal to casual represents the fading of ceremonial concepts; (3) The control of economic costs may be a possible explanation for the large number of figures in crouching, skirting, and side-lying postures in wall paintings; (4) The fact that the colors employed in the garments of the figures from the Ming and Qing dynasties don't follow the folk color scheme demonstrates that the creative production at that time was not constrained by a lot of ritualistic considerations. The study concludes that the absence of an educational component in the arts is a contributing factor to the diluted nature of traditional rituals in modern China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new method of ratiometric fluorescence detection of moxifloxacin (MOX) was developed based on carbon quantum dots (CQDs). Through a one-step hydrothermal method using soluble starch and acetic acid buffer solution as precursors, blue fluorescent CQDs with excitation wavelength-dependence were prepared. MOX could combine with CQDs to form a CQDs/MOX through hydrogen bonding. The absorption spectrum of CQDs/MOX and the fluorescence emission spectrum of CQDs overlapped to a certain extent, which allowed for fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) formation between CQDs/MOX and CQDs. For MOX detection, as the MOX concentration increased, the intensity of the fluorescence emission peak of CQDs decreased gradually, the intensity of the fluorescence emission peak of CQDs/MOX increased gradually, and the fluorescence emission peaks of CQDs and CQDs/MOX both had a red-shift. Based on the FRET system between CQDs and CQDs/MOX, a new method for ratiometric fluorescence detection of MOX was established. This method was more effective for MOX detection in the concentration range 3.3 × 10−7 to 2 × 10−6 M. Our method had high sensitivity and selectivity, and the limit of detection was 2.59 nM. The recovery rate of simulated water samples was 98.37–101.15%, which showed that this method was feasible for MOX analysis of actual water samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ferrihydrite (Fh) has been demonstrated as an effective interfacial layer for photoanodes to achieve outstanding photoelectrochemical (PEC) performance for water oxidation reaction owing to its unique hole‐storage function. However, it is unknown whether such a hole‐storage layer can be used to construct highly efficient photocathodes for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). In this work, we report Fh interfacial engineering of amorphous silicon photocathode (with nickel as HER cocatalyst) achieving a photocurrent density of 15.6 mA cm−2 at 0 V vs. the reversible hydrogen electrode and a half‐cell energy conversion efficiency of 4.08 % in alkaline solution, outperforming most of reported a‐Si based photocathodes including multi‐junction configurations integrated with noble metal cocatalysts in acid solution. Besides, the photocurrent density is maintained above 14 mA cm−2 for 175 min with 100 % Faradaic efficiency for HER in alkaline solution. Our results demonstrate a feasible approach to construct efficient photocathodes via the application of a hole‐storage layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ferrihydrite (Fh) has been demonstrated as an effective interfacial layer for photoanodes to achieve outstanding photoelectrochemical (PEC) performance for water oxidation reaction owing to its unique hole‐storage function. However, it is unknown whether such a hole‐storage layer can be used to construct highly efficient photocathodes for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). In this work, we report Fh interfacial engineering of amorphous silicon photocathode (with nickel as HER cocatalyst) achieving a photocurrent density of 15.6 mA cm−2 at 0 V vs. the reversible hydrogen electrode and a half‐cell energy conversion efficiency of 4.08 % in alkaline solution, outperforming most of reported a‐Si based photocathodes including multi‐junction configurations integrated with noble metal cocatalysts in acid solution. Besides, the photocurrent density is maintained above 14 mA cm−2 for 175 min with 100 % Faradaic efficiency for HER in alkaline solution. Our results demonstrate a feasible approach to construct efficient photocathodes via the application of a hole‐storage layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While both periodic narrowband noise and white noise are significant sources of interference in the detection and localization of partial discharge (PD) signals in power cables, existing research has focused nearly exclusively on white noise suppression. This paper addresses this issue by proposing a new signal extraction method for effectively detecting random PD signals in power cables subject to complex noise environments involving both white noise and periodic narrowband noise. Firstly, the power cable signal was decomposed using complete ensemble empirical mode decomposition with adaptive noise (CEEMDAN), and the periodic narrowband noise and frequency aliasing in the obtained signal components were suppressed using singular value decomposition. Then, signal components contributing significantly to the PD signal were determined according to the cross-correlation coefficient between each component and the original PD signal, and the PD signal was reconstructed solely from the obtained significant components. Finally, the wavelet packet threshold method was used to filter out residual white noise in the reconstructed PD signal. The performance of the proposed algorithm was demonstrated by its application to synthesized PD signals with complex noise environments composed of both Gaussian white noise and periodic narrowband noise. In addition, the time-varying kurtosis method was demonstrated to accurately determine the PD signal arrival time when applied to PD signals extracted by the proposed method from synthesized signals in complex noise environments with signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) values as low as −6 dB. When the SNR was reduced to −23 dB, the arrival time error of the PD signal was only one sampling point. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemotherapeutic drugs frequently encounter multidrug resistance. ATP from mitochondria helps overexpression of drug efflux pumps to induce multidrug resistance, so mitochondrial delivery as a means of "repurposing" chemotherapeutic drugs currently used in the clinic appears to be a worthwhile strategy to pursue for the development of new anti-drug-resistant cancer agents. TPP-Pluronic F127-hyaluronic acid (HA) (TPH), with a mitochondria-targeting triphenylphosphine (TPP) head group, was first synthesized through ester bond formation. Paclitaxel (PTX)-loaded TPH (TPH/PTX) nanomicelles exhibited excellent physical properties and significantly inhibited A549/ADR cells. After TPH/PTX nanomicelles entered acidic lysosomes through macropinocytosis, the positively charged TP/PTX nanomicelles that resulted from degradation of HA by hyaluronidase (HAase) in acidic lysosomes were exposed and completed lysosomal escape at 12 h, finally localizing to mitochondria over a period of 24 h in A549/ADR cells. Subsequently, TPH/PTX caused mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization (MOMP) by inhibiting antiapoptotic Bcl-2, leading to cytochrome C release and activation of caspase-3 and caspase-9. In an A549/ADR xenograft tumor model and a drug-resistant breast cancer-bearing mouse model with lung metastasis, TPH/PTX nanomicelles exhibited obvious tumor targeting and significant antitumor efficacy. This work presents the potential of a single, nontoxic nanoparticle (NP) platform for mitochondria-targeted delivery of therapeutics for diverse drug-resistant cancers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Sulfur mustard (SM) is a chemical warfare agent that was applied in a series of military conflicts and still poses a severe threat to civilians and military personnel. Although the cellular and molecular mechanisms of SM toxicity are still not fully understood, oxidative stress has been considered as the initial vital process for damage. Polydatin, the product of resveratrol and glucose, is a promising candidate for the treatment of oxidative stress-related diseases. However, its effects on SM-induced hepatic injury remain unknown. Thus, we investigated the protective effects of polydatin against SM-induced hepatic injury and its possible mechanism. We found that treatment with polydatin remarkably improved the survival rate of mice bear subcutaneously injected with SM. Polydatin decreased the SM-induced increase of serum aminotransferase levels and ameliorated hepatic pathological damage. We also found that indexes of oxidative stress were improved in mouse liver samples and L02 cells. Meanwhile, changes in the Sirtuin family after treatment with SM were explored in mice and cells since polydatin is a potent activator of Sirt1 and Sirt3. Polydatin significantly increased the expression of Sirt1, HO-1, and NQO1; and the nuclear translocation of Nrf2 in mouse liver and L02 cells. Furthermore, we also observed that either Sirt1 or Nrf2 knockdown abolished the protective effect of polydatin. Our data indicated that polydatin could provide protection against SM-induced hepatic injury through the Sirt1/Nrf2 pathway, suggesting that polydatin is a novel potential antidote for sulfur mustard. Highlights • Polydatin could improve the survival rate of SM-treated mice. • Sirt1 was significantly reduced after SM-treatment. • Polydatin protects against SM-induced liver injury via Sirt1/Nrf2. • First correlation between polydatin and a chemical warfare agent [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Approximately 80% of lung cancer cases are non–small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). However current diagnostic and therapeutic modalities against NSCLC are ineffective due to incomplete understanding of molecular pathogenesis of NSCLC. Emerging evidence shows that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) can function as biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis. LncRNAs can control transcription, translation, and protein function via diverse mechanisms although they lack the protein coding potential. LncRNAs have attracted intense investigations on their roles in cancer. Mounting evidence indicates that lncRNAs are promising biomarkers in diagnosis and prognosis for NSCLC, especially their presence in body fluids. Herein we will review recent advances in the research that explores the diagnostic and prognostic potentials of lncRNAs in NSCLC. We will also discuss emerging evidence that suggested lncRNAs as therapeutic targets in NSCLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanoparticles based on chitosan hydrochloride (CSH)-hyaluronic acid (HA)-PEG were prepared for delivering curcumin (CUR) (CUR-PNPs) to brain tumor. CUR-PNPs of 245.9 nm and spherical morphology were obtained at optimized CSH/HA/PEG20000/CUR ratios with negative charge of about −27.2 mV and EE of approximately 93.3%. Cytotoxicity studies showed that CUR-PNPs improved drug’s anticancer activity in rat glioma cells (C6). The cellular uptake mechanism study showed active targeting of CUR-PNPs into C6 cells by HA mediated endocytosis. Clathrin-coated pit mediated endocytosis, clathrin-mediated endocytosis and macropincytosis were also identified as the entry pathways of PNPs into C6 cells. Pharmacokinetics of preparations in rats after i.v. administration further proved the superiority of CUR-PNPs (3.98 times greater than the area under the curve of CUR solution). In conclusion, CUR-PNPs might be a promising carrier for the therapy of brain tumors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The root transcriptomic changes of Shanghaijimaocai (tolerant to salinity) and Te'aiqing (sensitive to salinity) were first investigated. • Osmotic stress-related genes might contribute to the difference in salinity tolerance between Shanghaijimaocai and Te'aiqing. • Ionic -related genes, NHX7 , SLAH1 and ALMT13 might contribute to the difference in salinity tolerance between Shanghaijimaocai and Te'aiqing. Pak choi is an important leafy vegetable crop. Salinity is among the most harmful agents that negatively influence the pak choi yield. However, the mechanism of salinity tolerance in pak choi has not been well understood. In this study, the root transcriptomics of two cultivars differing in salinity tolerance, i.e., Shanghaijimaocai (S, tolerant to salinity) and Te'aiqing (T, sensitive to salinity), were investigated under 0 and 100 mM NaCl treatments. A total of 6765, 2454, 2451 and 5798 differentially expressed unigenes (DEUs) were identified in comparison of S 100 /S 0 , T 100 /T 0 , S 0 /T 0 and S 100 /T 100 , respectively. In Shanghaijimaocai is more sensitive to NaCl stress than Te'aiqing in terms of root transcriptomics. Based on GO and KEGG pathway analyses, the expression levels of several osmotic and ionic stress-related genes, including MP3K18 , PYL8 , PP2C15 / 16 / 49 , ARF2 , bHLH112 , bZIP43 , COL5 , CDF1/3 , ERF25/60 , HSFA6 , MYBS3 / 59 / 92 / CCA1 / PHL5 , POD21 , GOLS7 , CIPK4 / 7 / 12 , NHX7 , SLAH1 and ALMT13 , in Shanghaijimaocai were higher than those in Te'aiqing. Therefore, these genes might contribute to the difference in salinity tolerance. Moreover, the physiological shift of peroxidase activity was in accordance with the dynamic transcript profile of relevant unigenes. These findings would be useful for further functional analysis as potential targets to improve resistance to salinity stress via genetic engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DC/DC converters for fuel cell electric vehicles need not only high boost ratio and high efficiency, but also strong anti-jamming capability. Therefore, it is especially important to devise a control method with strong robustness under the premise of an appropriate topology. In this paper, a simple dual-switch boost converter topology is adopted. We use the state space averaging method to build a small signal model, and based on this model, we propose a feedforward-double feedback control system for continuous conduction mode (CCM) mode. Simulation and experimental results show that the proposed feedforward-double feedback control system improves the robustness of the system while ensuring a high boost ratio and efficiency, and solves the problem of weak output characteristics of fuel cells. The control effect is similar to the sliding mode control, which is known for its robustness, while the rise time of step response is only 1/10 of that of the voltage feedback control system. When the output voltage of the DC/DC converter is 55 V, the DC/DC converter using feedforward-double feedback control system is more robust than the voltage feedback control system under sudden change of load. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sulfur mustard (SM) is a notorious chemical warfare agent that can cause severe acute lung injury (ALI), in addition to other lesions. Currently, effective medical countermeasures for SM are lacking. Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (BMSCs) possess self-renewal and multipotent differentiation capacity. BMSCs can also migrate to inflammation and injury sites and exert anti-inflammatory and tissue repair functions. Here, we report the curative effect of BMSCs on SM-induced ALI in a mouse model. Methods: Mice BMSCs were injected into mice via the tail vein 24 h after SM exposure. The distribution of BMSCs in mice was detected by fluorescence imaging. The therapeutic potential of BMSCs was evaluated by the calculating survival rate. The effects of BMSCs on lung tissue injury and repair assessment were examined by staining with H&E and measuring the lung wet/dry weight ratio, BALF protein level, and respiratory function. The effects of BMSCs on the infiltration and phenotypic alteration of inflammatory cells were analyzed by immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry. The levels of chemokines and inflammatory cytokines were examined using the Luminex Performance Assay and ELISA. RNA interference, western blotting, and ELISA were applied to explore the role of the TLR4 signaling pathway in the anti-inflammatory effects of BMSCs. The extent of tissue repair was analyzed by ELISA, western blotting, and immunohistochemistry. Results: Fluorescence imaging indicated that the lung is the major target organ of BMSCs after injection. The injection of BMSCs significantly improved the survival rate (p < 0.05), respiratory function, and related lung damage indexes (wet/dry weight ratio, total proteins in BALF, etc.) in mice. BMSC administration also reduced the level of pro-inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, and inflammatory cell infiltration, as well as affected the balances of M1/M2 and Th17/Treg. Furthermore, solid evidence regarding the effects of BMSCs on the increased secretion of various growth factors, the differentiation of alveolar epithelial cells, and the enhancement of cell barrier functions was also observed. Conclusion: BMSCs displayed protective effects against SM-induced ALI by alleviating inflammation and promoting tissue repair. The present study provides a strong experimental basis in a mouse model and suggests possible application for future cell therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vasculogenic mimicry (VM) gives rise to tumor neovascularization that is critical for tumor growth and metastasis. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been implicated in diverse and fundamental biological processes. LINC00312 is associated with lung adenocarcinoma. In this study, we found that LINC00312 induced migration, invasion and VM of lung cancer cells by direct binding to the transcription factor Y-Box Binding Protein 1 (YBX1). Moreover, we demonstrated that YBX1 is associated with different fragments within 0–2410 nt 5'region of LINC00312. In addition, LINC00312 is associated with VM in 124 lung adenocarcinoma clinical specimens. The results suggest that LINC00312 is a promising therapeutic and diagnostic target for lung adenocarcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]