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Plants use several pathways to synthesize phosphatidylcholine (PC), the major phospholipid of eukaryotic cells. PC has important structural and signaling roles. One pathway plants use for synthesis is the phospho-base methylation pathway, which forms the head-group phosphocholine through the triple methylation of phosphoethanolamine (PEA) catalyzed by phosphoethanolamine N-methyltransferases (PEAMTs). Our understanding of that pathway and its physiological importance remains limited. We recently reported that disruption of Arabidopsis thaliana PEAMT1/NMT1 and PEAMT3/NMT3 induces severe PC deficiency leading to dwarfism and impaired development. However, the double nmt1 nmt3 knock-out mutant is viable. Here, we show that this is enabled by residual PEAMT activity through a third family member, NMT2. The triple nmt1 nmt2 nmt3 knock-out mutant cannot synthesize PC from PEA and is lethal. This shows that, unlike mammals and yeast, Arabidopsis cannot form PC from phosphatidyl ethanolamine (PE), and demonstrates that methylation of PEA is the sole, and vital, entry point to PC synthesis. We further show that Arabidopsis has evolved an expanded family of four nonredundant PEAMTs through gene duplication and alternate use of the NMT2 promoter. NMT2 encodes two PEAMT variants, which greatly differ in their ability to perform the initial phospho-base methylation of PEA. Five amino acids at the N terminus of PEAMTs are shown to each be critical for the catalysis of that step committing to PC synthesis. As a whole, these findings open new avenues for enzymatic engineering and the exploration of ways to better tune phosphocholine and PC synthesis to environmental conditions for improved plant performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phosphatidylcholine (PC) is a major membrane phospholipid and a precursor for major signaling molecules. Understanding its synthesis is important for improving plant growth, nutritional value, and resistance to stress. PC synthesis is complex, involving several interconnected pathways, one of which proceeds from serine-derived phosphoethanolamine to form phosphocholine through three sequential phospho-base methylations catalyzed by phosphoethanolamine N-methyltransferases (PEAMTs). The contribution of this pathway to the production of PC and plant growth has been a matter of some debate. Although a handful of individual PEAMTs have been described, there has not been any in planta investigation of a PEAMT family. Here, we provide a comparative functional analysis of two Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) PEAMTs, NMT1 and the little known NMT3. Analysis of loss-of-function mutants demonstrates that NMT1 and NMT3 synergistically regulate PC homeostasis, phase transition at the shoot apex, coordinated organ development, and fertility through overlapping but also specific functions. The nmt1 nmt3 double mutant shows extensive sterility, drastically reduced PC concentrations, and altered lipid profiles. These findings demonstrate that the phospho-base methylation pathway makes a major contribution to PC synthesis in Arabidopsis and that NMT1 and NMT3 play major roles in its catalysis and the regulation of PC homeostasis as well as in plant growth and reproduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ras homolog gene family, member A (RhoA) has been reported as essential to the invasion process and aggressiveness of numerous cancers. However, there are only sparse data on the expression and activity of RhoA in clinically localised prostate cancer. In numerous cancers, tumour cells at the invasive front demonstrate more aggressive behaviour in comparison with the cells in the central regions. In the present study, the expression and activity of RhoA was evaluated in 34 paraffin-embedded and 20 frozen prostate tissue specimens obtained from 45 patients treated with radical prostatectomy for clinically localised cancer. The expression patterns of RhoA were assessed by immunohistochemical staining and western blotting. Additional comparisons were performed between the tumour centre, tumour front and distant peritumoural tissue. RhoA activity was assessed by G-LISA. Associations between RhoA expression and the clinical features and outcome of the patients were also analysed. The present study found an increasing gradient of expression from the centre to the periphery of index tumour foci. RhoA expression was significantly increased at the tumour front compared to the tumour centre, which was determined using immunohistochemistry (P=0.001). Increased RhoA expression was associated with poor tumour differentiation in the tumour front (P=0.044) and tumour centre (P=0.039). Subsequent to a median follow-up period of 52 months, the rate of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) relapse was increased in patients with higher RhoA expression at the tumour front when compared with patients with lower RhoA expression (62.5 vs. 35.0%), although the difference was not significant (P=0.09). There was no association between RhoA expression and the PSA level or pathological stage in the present study. In conclusion, RhoA expression was increased at the tumour front and was associated with poor tumour differentiation in the tumour front and tumour centre, indicating the potential role of RhoA in prostate cancer. RhoA expression may also act as a prognostic factor in prostate cancer. The present data provide a foundation for novel therapeutic approaches by targeting RhoA in prostate cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prostate cancer (PCa) remains a major cause of mortality among males in western countries, with little change in mortality rates observed over the past 25 years. Despite recent advances in therapy, treatment options for metastatic castration-resistant disease remain limited. In terms of chemotherapy, only the combination of docetaxel and prednisone has been shown to improve survival in these patients, but duration of response to therapy is short. There is a continuing unmet need for new systemic interventions that act either alone or synergistically with chemotherapy in patients with progressive PCa. Angiogenesis plays a critical role in tumor growth and metastasis in PCa. Several strategies have been used to target angiogenesis; however, it is becoming increasingly apparent that current anti-angiogenic therapies frequently achieve only modest effects in clinical settings. The RhoA/Rho kinase (ROCK) pathway plays a crucial role in the process of angiogenesis in PCa, and studies have demonstrated that ROCK inhibitors decrease VEGF-induced angiogenesis and tumor cell growth. However, further research is required to fully elucidate the molecular mechanisms involved in this pathway, and the potential value of modulating these mechanisms in the treatment of PCa. This study reviews the current understanding of the role of the RhoA/ROCK pathway in the process of angiogenesis in PCa, and the potential of this pathway as a therapeutic target in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report on the theoretical analysis of locally resonant sonic band gaps (BGs) in a phononic crystal (PC) structure constituted by a square array of inclined cylindrical dots deposited on a thin homogeneous plate. Based on an efficient finite element method (FEM), we show that the PC plate with inclined dots can lower Lamb wave BGs due to a weak localized resonance of the edge of the upper surface of the inclined dots. The BGs can be effectively shifted by changing the value of the incline. The total displacement fields are computed to explain how the inclined dot induces the lowering of the locally resonant BGs. Transmission power spectra (TPS) are calculated to demonstrate the existence of the BGs and it matches well with the band structure. BGs evolution as a function of geometrical parameters of the PC plate with inclined dot is also studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

2-(2'-Hydroxyphenyi)benzoxazole (HBO) derivatives represent an important class of luminescent materials, as they can undergo excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ES1PT). The material's ESIPT properties are dependent on the ratio of two different retainers, whose interconversion is poorly understood. By using HBO derivative 4, the rotational energy barrier of 2- (2',6'-hydroxyphenyl)benzoxazole is determined to be 10.5 kcal/mol by variable-temperature NMR. Although a HBO derivative typically exhibits two rotamers with O--H--O (e.g., la) and N--H--O bonding (e.g., lb), correlation of NMR with fluorescence data reveals that the retainer with N--H--O bonding is predominant in the solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arsenic is a ubiquitous environmental poison that inhibits root elongation and seed germination to a variable extent depending on the plant species. To understand the molecular mechanisms of arsenic resistance, a genetic screen was developed to isolate arsenate overly sensitive (aos) mutants from an activation-tagged Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) population. Three aos mutants were isolated, and the phenotype of each was demonstrated to be due to an identical disruption of plastidial LIPOAMIDE DEHYDROGENASE1 (ptLPD1), a gene that encodes one of the two E3 isoforms found in the plastidial pyruvate dehydrogenase complex. In the presence of arsenate, ptlpd1-1 plants exhibited reduced root and shoot growth and enhanced anthocyanin accumulation compared with wild-type plants. The ptlpd1-1 plants accumulated the same amount of arsenic as wild-type plants, indicating that the aos phenotype was not due to increased arsenate in the tissues but to an increase in time innate sensitivity to the poison. Interestingly, a ptlpd1-4 knockdown allele produced a partial aos phenotype. Two loss-of-function alleles of ptLPD2 in Arabidopsis also caused elevated arsenate sensitivity, but the sensitivity was less pronounced than for the ptlpd1 mutants. Moreover, both the ptlpd1 and ptlpd2 mutants were more sensitive to arsenite than wild-type plants, and time LPD activity in isolated chloroplasts from wild-type plants was sensitive to arsenite but not arsenate. These findings show that the ptLPD isoforms are critical in vivo determinants of arsenite-mediated arsenic sensitivity in Arabidopsis and possible strategic targets for increasing arsenic tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rhG-CSF) modulates donor T cell function in hemopoietic stem cell transplantation. The effects of rhG-CSF on the activation of CD4+ T cells have been poorly investigated. We investigated whether rhG-CSF mobilization influenced the activation and proliferation capacity of CD4+ T cells. Cell treatment with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) plus ionomycin or the CD3 mAb OKT3 plus intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) at 37°C for 6 h induced a dramatic increase in CD25, CD69 and MEM148 epitope exposure. rhG-CSF mobilization decreased CD25, CD69 and MEM148 epitope expression on activated CD4+ T cells compared with cells before mobilization. The transcription factor Jun activation domain-binding protein 1 (JAB1) plays a role in the activation of CD4+ T cells, and the rhG-CSF mobilization changed the level of nuclear JAB1 protein. rhG-CSF mobilization also decreased the adhesion of CD4+ T cells to ICAM-1, but had no effect on the levels of donor CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells. Overall, these data suggest the rhG-CSF mobilization can influence CD4+ T cell activation through LFA-1/ICAM-1 costimulatory signaling in HSC transplantation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines transposing sequences between fetal and adult hemoglobins. Recombinant analysis of the adult hemoglobin/fetal hemoglobin systems; Relationship between allosteric, sliding interface and effects of allosteric regulator in promoting oxygen release; Differences in tetramer-dimer dissociation constants of adult and fetal tetramers.

The western population of the red‐crowned crane Grus japonensis in mainland China has been decreasing in the past few decades and wild population enhancement programmes have been launched in this country. First, 14 captive‐bred red‐crowned cranes were released into the core area of Yancheng National Nature Reserve for Rare Birds (YNNR), one of the most important wintering areas of this species, in 2013 (seven individuals) and 2015 (seven individuals) and then 8 more captive‐bred cranes were released into YNNR from February 2022 to February 2023. We used satellite positioning and drone monitoring to study the status of released cranes. The results showed that two individuals (No. BJZ001 and BJZ008) from the first group of released cranes were found breeding in 6 of 7 years in the YNNR from 2017 to 2023. Three individuals (No. WNNR022, WNNR025 and WNNR026) from the second group of released cranes were recorded breeding in YNNR in 2023. All released cranes lived in the YNNR year round and did not migrate with wild cranes. Raccoon dogs, Nyctereutes procyonoides, were first recorded as red‐crowned crane nest predators in the YNNR. Although these released cranes breed successfully in the YNNR, nestlings might face the threat of predators in non‐traditional breeding areas. Further research is needed to determine whether offsprings of released individuals migrate with wild cranes and if breeding in their original wintering grounds is truly beneficial for population growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The western population of the red‐crowned crane Grus japonensis in mainland China has been decreasing in the past few decades and wild population enhancement programmes have been launched in this country. First, 14 captive‐bred red‐crowned cranes were released into the core area of Yancheng National Nature Reserve for Rare Birds (YNNR), one of the most important wintering areas of this species, in 2013 (seven individuals) and 2015 (seven individuals) and then 8 more captive‐bred cranes were released into YNNR from February 2022 to February 2023. We used satellite positioning and drone monitoring to study the status of released cranes. The results showed that two individuals (No. BJZ001 and BJZ008) from the first group of released cranes were found breeding in 6 of 7 years in the YNNR from 2017 to 2023. Three individuals (No. WNNR022, WNNR025 and WNNR026) from the second group of released cranes were recorded breeding in YNNR in 2023. All released cranes lived in the YNNR year round and did not migrate with wild cranes. Raccoon dogs, Nyctereutes procyonoides, were first recorded as red‐crowned crane nest predators in the YNNR. Although these released cranes breed successfully in the YNNR, nestlings might face the threat of predators in non‐traditional breeding areas. Further research is needed to determine whether offsprings of released individuals migrate with wild cranes and if breeding in their original wintering grounds is truly beneficial for population growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have developed a new 2D c-MOF (Cu-TBC) via coordination polymerization of a highly conjugated tribenzocoronene-type organic ligand (6OH-TBC) and Cu2+, which exhibits excellent stability and performance as the electrode for a supercapacitor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Xray single crystals of these two inclusion complexes, [ZnH2O4L2]·4amino1naphthalene sulfonate2L 1,3bis4pyridyl propane, 1, and [ZnH2Obipy2]·4amino1naphthalene sulfonateNO3 bipy 4,4bipyridine, 2were achieved by the reaction of ZnNO32and 4amino1naphthalene sulfonate to 1,3bis4pyridyl propane and 4,4bipyridine, respectively. As inclusion complexes, the cationic components of 1and 2were formed by two infinite zigzag chains, while, 4amino1naphthalene sulfonate made up the anionic parts of these two complexes. Thus, the whole molecules of these two complexes are neuter. Numous hydrogen bonds could be found in these two inclusion complexes, which help them to form threedimensional solidstate packing structure architectures. © 2008 WILEYVCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Curcumin, the active chemical of the Asian spice turmeric, exhibits anticancer activity in several human cancer cell lines. We previously have proved that curcumin was a new member of the histone deacetylases (HDAC) inhibitors, while constitutive nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) is believed to be a crucial event for enhanced proliferation and survival of malignant cells. Here, we investigate the effect of curcumin on the activation of NF-κB signal molecule in Raji cells to explore its relationship with HDACs or p300/CREB binding protein (CBP). Curcumin presented striking proliferation inhibition potency on Raji cells in vitro, with the IC50 value for 24 hr being 25 µmol/l. Significant decreases in the amounts of p300, HDAC1 and HDAC3 were detected after treatment with curcumin. These suppressing effects were more pronounced when the administered dose increased. The protection degradation of HDAC1 and p300 by MG-132 could be partially reversed by curcumin. Furthermore, curcumin could also prevent degradation of IκBα and inhibit nuclear translocation of the NF-κB/p65 subunit, as well as expression of Notch 1, induced by tumour necrosis factor-α. The results suggest that the depressive effect of curcumin on NF-κB signal transduction pathway may be mediated via the various components of the HDACs and p300/Notch 1 signal molecules, and may represent a new remedy for acute leukaemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid urbanization and economic development of China has led to a dramatic increase in nitrogen oxide (NO2) emissions, causing serious atmospheric nitrogen pollution and relatively high levels of nitrogen deposition. However, despite the importance of nitrogen deposition, dry deposition processes in forested areas are still insufficiently represented in current global and regional atmospheric chemistry models, which constrains our understanding and prediction of spatial and temporal patterns of nitrogen transport in forest ecosystems in South China. The offline 1-D community Noah land surface model with multi-parameterization options (Noah-MP) is coupled with the WRF-Chem dry deposition module (WDDM) and is applied to further understand and identify the key processes that affect forest canopy dry deposition. The canopy stomatal resistance mechanism and the nitrogen-limitings scheme for photosynthesis in Noah-MP-WDDM are modified to improve the simulation of reactive nitrogen oxide dry deposition velocity. This study finds that the combined improved stomatal resistance mechanism and nitrogen-limitings scheme for photosynthesis (BN-23) agrees better with the observed NO2 dry deposition velocity, with mean bias reduced by 50.1%, respectively. At the same time, by comparing the different mechanisms of the two processes of canopy stoma resistance and leaf nitrogen-limiting factors, this study also finds that the diurnal changes in dry deposition velocity simulated by each regional model present four sets of distributions. This is mainly due to the different ways that each integrated mechanism handles the opening and closing of stomata at noon and the way the nitrogen-limiting factor acts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Propylene carbonate (PC)-based electrolytes have many desirable advantageous properties compared to the currently used ethylene carbonate (EC)-based electrolytes for lithium ion batteries, however, their poor compatibility with the graphite anode hinders its applications. Here, a facile and effective strategy to make electrochemically compatible PC-based electrolytes by use of a weakly coordinating diethyl carbonate co-solvent to induce PF6- anions into the solvation shell of Li+ to form an anion-induced ion--solvent-coordinated (AI-ISC) structure is reported. Such an AI-ISC structure can lead to an increase of the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital energy level of the electrolyte, therefore considerably improving the reduction tolerance of the PC solvent. Furthermore, by using the film-forming additive (fluoroethylene carbonate, FEC), an electrochemically stable, EC-free PC-based electrolyte, which enables reversible Li+ intercalation on the graphite electrode is obtained. The graphite/LiNi0.5Mn0.3Co0.2O2 pouch cells using this PC-based electrolyte exhibit very similar room-temperature electrochemical performance to those using conventional EC-based electrolytes and excellent low-temperature performance. This work provides a new approach to make EC-free electrolytes with a similar AI-ISC structure but without the need for a high concentration of Li salt of highly concentrated electrolytes, which may bring new insights in the development of advanced electrolyte systems for wide battery applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we theoretically investigate the propagation characteristics of Lamb waves in one-dimensional radial phononic crystal plates with periodic corrugations. The dispersion relations, the power transmission spectra, and the displacement fields of the eigenmodes are calculated by using the finite element method based on two-dimensional axial symmetry models in cylindrical coordinates. The axial symmetry model is validated by three-dimensional finite element model in rectangular coordinates. The effects of the geometrical parameters on the band gaps are further explored numerically. Numerical results show that several complete band gaps with a variable bandwidth exist for Lamb waves in the proposed structures. The formation mechanism of opening the acoustic band gaps is attributed to the coupling between the Lamb modes and the corrugation mode. The band gaps are significantly dependent upon the geometrical parameters such as the corrugation height, the corrugation width, and the plate thickness. Significantly, as the increase of corrugation height, band width shifts, new band gaps appear, the bands become flat, and the corrugation mode plays a more prominent role in the opening of Lamb wave band gaps. These properties of Lamb waves in the radial phononic crystal plates can potentially be applied to optimize band gaps, generate filters, and design acoustic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Complex power electronic conversion devices, most of which have high transmission performance, are important power conversion units in modern aircraft power systems. However, these devices can also affect the stability of the aircraft power system more and more prominent due to their dynamic and nonlinear characteristics. To analyze the stability of aircraft power systems in a simple, accurate and comprehensive way, this paper develops a unified large signal model of aircraft power systems. In this paper, first the Lyapunov linearization method and the mixed potential theory are employed to analyze small signal and large signal stability, respectively, and then a unified stability criterion is proposed to estimate small and large signal stability problems. Simulation results show that the unified large signal model of aircraft power systems presented in this paper can be used to analyze the stability problem of aircraft power systems in an accurate and comprehensive way. Furthermore, with simplicity, universality and structural uniformity, the unified large signal model lays a good foundation for the optimal design of aircraft power systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Component-controllable (Ni, Co)Se2(1-x)S2x (0 ≤ x ≤ 1) acanthospheres on typical biomass carbon tube (CTs) are successfully fabricated through a simple chemical vapor deposition method. These composites, which are directly used as electrode materials for binder-free supercapacitors, exhibit excellent electrochemical properties and other different characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we present a three-dimensional elastic carbon foam as a current collector and freestanding electrode for Li–S batteries. A sulfur content of approximately 43.93% which was based on the weight of cathode was achieved. The non-additive S cathode with good elasticity shows a first discharge specific capacity of 893 mA h g−1and a specific capacity of 544 mA h g−1after 30 cycles at moderate rates. A coulombic efficiency of 98% over 100 cycles is achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alterations of mitochondrial-encoded subunits of the FoF1-ATP synthase are frequently associated with cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) in plants; however, little is known about the relationship of the nuclear encoded subunits of this enzyme with CMS. In the present study, the full cDNA of the gene TaFAd that encodes the putative FAd subunit of the FoF1-ATP synthase was isolated from the wheat (Triticum aestivum) fertility restorer ‘2114’ for timopheevii cytoplasm-based CMS. The deduced 238 amino acid polypeptide is highly similar to its counterparts in dicots and other monocots but has low homology to its mammalian equivalents. TaFAd is a single copy gene in wheat and maps to the short arm of the group 6 chromosomes. Transient expression of the TaFAd–GFP fusion in onion epidermal cells demonstrated TaFAd's mitochondrial location. TaFAd was expressed abundantly in stem, leaf, anther, and ovary tissues of 2114. Nevertheless, its expression was repressed in anthers of CMS plants with timopheevii cytoplasm. Genic male sterility did not affect its expression in anthers. The expression of the nuclear gene encoding the 20 kDa subunit of Fo was down-regulated in a manner similar to TaFAd in the T-CMS anthers while that of genes encoding the 6 kDa subunit of Fo and the γ subunit of F1 was unaffected. These observations implied that TaFAd is under mitochondrial retrograde regulation in the anthers of CMS plants with timopheevii cytoplasm. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Spontaneous emission property of an asymmetrically graded 480 nm InGaN/GaN quantum well (QW) is investigated via k·p theory. Comparing to rectangular QW, band profiles of the graded QW change into parabolalike due to the variation of internal piezoelectric field along the growth direction, and the spontaneous emission rates of the graded QW are three times larger than rectangular case under various carrier densities. This can be attributed to the fact that the graded QW has much larger matrix element (Me)nmσ(kt) than rectangular QW considering that the wave function overlap of the graded QW is less affected by the quantum confined Stark effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Donor-related cathodoluminescence of p-Al0.11Ga0.89N electron blocking layer (EBL) embedded in a laser structure was investigated by low-energy e-beam scanning along the ridge of a vertical taper both at 82 and 300 K. When e-beam probed the close vicinity of multiquantum well from p-side, an emission at 3.313 eV only appeared at 82 K and represented a prominent increase in intensity with a blueshift up to 23 meV. Besides, its intensity exhibited a linear dependence on quantum well (QW) emission intensity at low QW excitation and a sublinear dependence at high QW excitation. Combined with the annealing behaviors of the emission at elevated temperatures, these results were ascribed to the EBL capture of the holes tunneling from neighboring QW under built-in junction field and the subsequent donor-acceptor pairs transition involving a donor level of 116 meV below conduction band, which was presumably related to nitrogen vacancy (VN). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

InGaN/GaN triangular quantum wells (QWs) are investigated theoretically, and the electron-hole wave-function overlap and optical gain characteristics are analyzed. The strong internal piezoelectric field is taken into account to explain the major difference between the optical properties of triangular QWs and conventional rectangular QWs. Our calculations reveal that triangular QWs, in comparison to rectangular QWs, provide higher electron-hole wave-function overlap and are less affected by the quantum confined Stark effect. Furthermore, triangular QWs exhibit increased optical gain and higher polarization degree, which are beneficial to GaN-based light emitting devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]