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Purpose The study aims to evaluate the effect of proper rest during the long-time smartphone reading on DED and asthenopia. Methods Healthy participants over the age of 18 were randomly allocated to three groups and each individual accepted 2h smartphone reading task. After 1h each group took different rest methods: no rest (group A), eye-closed rest for 10mins (group B), eye-closed joint eye drops rest for 10mins (group C). Before and after the reading task, DED and asthenopia were evaluated by the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI), critical flicker frequency (CFF), non-invasive break-up time (NIBUT), fluorescein break-up time (FBUT), corneal fluorescein staining (CFS), and the Schirmer I test (SIT). Results 90 qualified volunteers were recruited, including 29 males and 61 females, aged 22–30 years. After the reading task, all indexes in group A showed the degree of DED and asthenopia were worse than that before reading. Most indexes of DED and asthenopia had no obvious change in group B and group C, especially the CFS results improved (P > 0.05) in group C. Conclusions Our results suggested that taking proper rest during the long-time reading on smartphones may be a convenient and effective prevention strategy for DED and asthenopia.

This study aims to investigate the reliability and efficacy of maximum fluorescein tear break-up time (FTBUTmax) in diagnosing dry eye disease (DED). 147 participants were enrolled in this study. Ocular symptoms were assessed by Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI). The fluorescein tear break-up time (FTBUT) examination, corneal fluorescein staining (CFS), and Schirmer I test were performed on both eyes. Each participant underwent 3 consecutive FTBUT tests, and five types of FTBUT values including FTBUTmax, the minimum FTBUT (FTBUTmin), the first FTBUT (FTBUT1), the average of three FTBUTs (FTBUT123) and the average of the first and second FTBUT (FTBUT12) were recorded. FTBUTmax was larger than the other FTBUT values, but no differences were found among the values of FTBUT1, FTBUT123, FTBUT12 and FTBUTmin. In the ROC analysis, FTBUTmax had the largest or the second largest area under the ROC (AUROC) in all three DED diagnostic criteria, while FTBUTmin had the least AUROC of them. ROC efficacy of FTBUTmax was significantly higher than that of FTBUT123, FTBUT12, FTBUT1 and FTBUTmin in the OSDI criteria and higher than that of FTBUT1 and FTBUTmin in Schirmer I test and CFS tests. FTBUTmax has a close correlation with OSDI, Schirmer I test and CFS, and is an effective tool for the DED diagnosis.

BACKGROUND To evaluate the clinical efficiency of the treatment of dry eye disease (DED) with ocular pain using deproteinized calf blood extract (DCBE) eye drops as compared to 0.3% sodium hyaluronate (SH) eye drops. METHODS This prospective, single-center, masked (double-blind), randomized controlled study included 53 patients divided into two groups: DCBE (n=22) and SH (n=31) group. The DCBE group received DCBE eye drops for 4 weeks, and the SH group received 0.3% SH eye drops for 4 weeks. Corneal fluorescein staining (CFS) scores, tear break up time (TBUT), Schirmer test and the ocular surface disease index (OSDI) scores were evaluated in all patients before treatment, 2 and 4 weeks post-treatment. RESULTS The DCBE group showed better improvement in the OSDI light sensitivity scores and ocular pain scores compared with the SH group (P

The family Macrothelidae Simon, 1892 belongs to the infraorder Mygalomorphae, currently contain two genera and 47 described species from South Europe, Southeast Asia, and Africa. Two new species of the funnel-web spider genus Macrothele Ausserer, 1871 from Yunnan Province, China are described: Macrothele washanensis Wu & Yang, sp. n. (♂♀), and M. wuliangensis Wu & Yang, sp. n. (♂♀). Detailed descriptions, diagnostic illustrations and distribution map are provided. Type specimens are deposited in the Institute of Entomoceutics Research, Dali University (DUIER).

The ‘urbanising village’ is a uniquely Chinese urban form that emerged during the period of rapid urbanisation in the reform era. The absence of state governance in rural areas relegates considerable decision-making power to village collectives, and the social capital inherited from traditional rural villages may remain in place after villages are urbanised. To explore the role of social capital and its mobilisation in solving the land use challenges posed by the urbanisation of rural settlements, we analysed the growth processes of Huanggang village as a typical example of a ‘collective-led’ self-organised urbanising village in Shenzhen. Qualitative analysis using semi-structured interviews and abundant secondary data provides credible evidence that defining property rights through land titling is not the only way to achieve orderly development, safe and sanitary living conditions and efficient land use in informal settlements. Social capital, measured by networks, norms and trust passed down among long-term acquaintances in rural villages, plays an important role in the development of communities. Village collectives can unite villagers and mobilise their social, cultural and material capital to compensate for the absence of formal governance institutions and government-provided community services. The implications of these findings suggest a new strategic pathway for managing urbanising villages in China and informal settlements in other developing countries.

Selenium is an essential micronutrient for human beings, but millions of people around the world suffer from Se deficiency. Soil fertilization and foliar fertilization are two major agronomic pract...

The activity of 5′-adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is inversely correlated with the cellular availability of glucose. When glucose levels are low, the glycolytic enzyme aldolase is not bound to fructose-1,6-bisphosphate (FBP) and, instead, signals to activate lysosomal AMPK. Here, we show that blocking FBP binding to aldolase with the small molecule aldometanib selectively activates the lysosomal pool of AMPK and has beneficial metabolic effects in rodents. We identify aldometanib in a screen for aldolase inhibitors and show that it prevents FBP from binding to v-ATPase-associated aldolase and activates lysosomal AMPK, thereby mimicking a cellular state of glucose starvation. In male mice, aldometanib elicits an insulin-independent glucose-lowering effect, without causing hypoglycaemia. Aldometanib also alleviates fatty liver and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis in obese male rodents. Moreover, aldometanib extends lifespan and healthspan in both Caenorhabditis elegans and mice. Taken together, aldometanib mimics and adopts the lysosomal AMPK activation pathway associated with glucose starvation to exert physiological roles, and might have potential as a therapeutic for metabolic disorders in humans.

Purpose: To investigate the efficacy of intense pulsed light (IPL) combined with deproteinized calf blood extract (DCBE) eye drops for dry eye disease (DED) patients with nociceptive ocular pain. Methods: In this prospective, one-center, interventional study, 23 subjects with DED and ocular pain were treated with a combination of IPL and DCBE eye drops for four sessions at a four-week interval. Subjective and objective assessments on nociceptive pain and dry eye were examined and analyzed. Results: The visual analog scale (VAS), ocular surface disease index, ocular pain assessment survey (OPAS), patient health questionnaire-9 items, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD-7), Athens insomnia scale, corneal fluorescein staining score, meibomian gland secretion quality, and expressibility scores were significantly reduced after the treatment. Tear break-up time and Schirmer I test increased significantly. The brand density of corneal nerves and neuropeptide substance P also significantly increased. OPAS, GAD-7, meibomian gland secretion quality, and expressibility scores were essential factors affecting the VAS changes. Conclusions: IPL combined with DCBE drop therapy was effective for DED patients with ocular pain. With such treatment, both DED symptoms and the sensation of ocular pain may be improved.

Abundant ion-channels, including various perceptual receptors, chloride channels, purinergic receptor channels, and water channels that exist on the ocular surface, play an important role in the pathogenesis of dry eye. Channel-targeting activators or inhibitor compounds, which have shown positive effects in in vivo and in vitro experiments, have become the focus of the dry eye drug research and development, and individual compounds have been applied in clinical experimental treatment. This review summarized various types of ion-channels on the ocular surface related to dry eye, their basic functions, and spatial distribution, and discussed basic and clinical research results of various channel receptor regulatory compounds. Therefore, further elucidating the relationship between ion-channels and dry eye will warrant research of dry eye targeted drug therapy.

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced macrophage activation is a prototype of innate immune response. Although key effector proteins in LPS signaling pathway have been revealed, the map of dynamic protein interactions and phosphorylation as well as the stoichiometry of protein complexes are lacking. Here we present a dynamic map of protein interactions and phosphorylation in MyD88, TRAF6 and NEMO complexes obtained by SWATH-MS. The comprehensive MS measurement leads to quantification of up to about 3,000 proteins across about 21-40 IP samples. We detected and quantified almost all known interactors of MyD88, TRAF6 and NEMO. By analyzing these quantitative data, we uncovered differential recruitment of IRAK family proteins to LPS-induced signaling complexes and determined the stoichiometry of the Myddosome complex. In addition, quantitative phosphoproteomics analysis identified a number of unreported high-confidence phosphosites on the key proteins in LPS signaling pathway. Collectively, data of dynamic protein interactions and phosphorylation presented by this study could be a resource for further study of the LPS signaling pathway.

This study was desgined to find a reliable and convenient indicator (a modified Schirmer test) to improve the accuracy of assessing tear secretion and diagnosing dry eye. This is a prospective continuous study on 180 volunteers. Schirmer test I without anesthesia was performed once on both eyes to determine the value of normal Schirmer test. The values of tear secretion were recorded in each minute. Examined individuals also underwent other examinations: the standard patient evaluation of eye dryness (SPEED), the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI), fluorescein stain, tear film breakup time (BUT), and Meibomian gland (MG)grading. The participants were divided into two groups: dry eye (DE) groupand non-dry eye (ND) group. The mean age was 39.41±14.05 years in DE group and 37.62±13.17 in ND group. The value of 2-minute Schirmer test, rear 3-minute Schirmer test, rear 4-minute Schirmer test and 5-minute Schirmer test was 5.36±4.63, 5.57±2.11, 7.21±4.13 and 10.93±6.30 respectively in DE group. And these indicators was 8.25±6.80, 2.73±2.31, 7.36±3.42, 11.84±6.16 in ND group. The rear 4-minute ST has significant correlation with OSDI and SPEED in DE group (r =-0.242/-0.183) and in ND gruop(r =-0.316 /-0.373). Meanwhile, rear 4-minute ST had stronger connection with fBUT(r =0.159) and MG (r =-0.162) in DE gruop. And rear 4-minute ST also had higher accuracy in diagnosing severe dry eye and borderline dry eye.The rear 4-minute Schirmer test may be a supplement indicator in assessing tear secretion and diagnosing dry eye.

Metformin, the most prescribed antidiabetic medicine, has shown other benefits such as anti-ageing and anticancer effects1–4. For clinical doses of metformin, AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) has a major role in its mechanism of action4,5; however, the direct molecular target of metformin remains unknown. Here we show that clinically relevant concentrations of metformin inhibit the lysosomal proton pump v-ATPase, which is a central node for AMPK activation following glucose starvation6. We synthesize a photoactive metformin probe and identify PEN2, a subunit of γ-secretase7, as a binding partner of metformin with a dissociation constant at micromolar levels. Metformin-bound PEN2 forms a complex with ATP6AP1, a subunit of the v-ATPase8, which leads to the inhibition of v-ATPase and the activation of AMPK without effects on cellular AMP levels. Knockout of PEN2 or re-introduction of a PEN2 mutant that does not bind ATP6AP1 blunts AMPK activation. In vivo, liver-specific knockout of Pen2 abolishes metformin-mediated reduction of hepatic fat content, whereas intestine-specific knockout of Pen2 impairs its glucose-lowering effects. Furthermore, knockdown of pen-2 in Caenorhabditis elegans abrogates metformin-induced extension of lifespan. Together, these findings reveal that metformin binds PEN2 and initiates a signalling route that intersects, through ATP6AP1, the lysosomal glucose-sensing pathway for AMPK activation. This ensures that metformin exerts its therapeutic benefits in patients without substantial adverse effects.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the therapeutic effect of intense pulsed light (IPL) therapy with optimal pulse technology (OPT) on meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) with and without ocular Demodex infestation. METHODS: This prospective study included 150 patients with MGD who were divided into Demodex-infested (DI) and non-infested (control) groups according to Demodex counts determined by epilating eyelashes to evaluate. Each patient underwent three OPT treatment sessions at 3-week intervals. Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), intraocular pressure (IOP), Demodex counts, Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) score, conjunctival congestion, tear meniscus height (TMH), tear breakup time (TBUT), Schirmer I test (SIT), corneal and conjunctival fluorescein staining scores, meibomian gland (MG) macrostructure, lid margin abnormality, MG expressibility, and meibum quality were assessed before the first treatment as baseline and at 1, 2, and 3 months (M1, M2 and M3, respectively) after treatment. RESULTS: The incidence of Demodex infestation was 59.15% (84/142) at baseline and the final Demodex eradication rate at M3 was 83.3% (70/84). Corneal staining and conjunctival congestion showed slower improvement in the DI group than in the control group at M1 and M2 (P0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This new-generation IPL with OPT treatment results in greater improvement in MG expressibility and meibum quality in MGD patients with Demodex infestation than in those without, but not for corneal staining.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of smartphone reading on the ocular surface and to compare the various effects of different screens and light conditions on the ocular surface. One hundred nineteen volunteers were randomly divided into: light + organic light‐emitting diode (OLED), light + electronic ink (eINK), dark + OLED, and dark + eINK. Ocular surface examinations, including noninvasive break‐up time (NIBUT), noninvasive keratograph tear meniscus height (NIKTMH), ocular redness, fluorescein break‐up time (FBUT), corneal fluorescein staining, meibomian gland assessment, Schirmer I Test, and blinking frequency, were performed before and after a reading task. Symptoms were evaluated using the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) and Computer Vision Syndrome Questionnaire (CVS‐Q). NIBUT and FBUT were decreased statistically significantly after participants read on an OLED screen for 2 hours compared with the baseline in light and dark environments, whereas no statistically significant decrease was observed on an eINK screen. NIKTMH was statistically significantly decreased after reading on an OLED screen in light and dark settings, and the eINK screen had a lesser effect on NIKTMH. An obvious increase in the ocular redness, OSDI and CVS‐Q scores was observed after reading on an OLED screen, whereas the eINK screen had a lesser effect on these indicators. Blink rate increased gradually in OLED subgroups during the reading task, whereas no statistically significant difference was observed in the eINK subgroups. Our research suggested that reading on an OLED screen can cause ocular surface disorder and obvious subjective discomfort, whereas reading on an eINK screen can minimize ocular surface disorder in both dark and light environments.

To explore the role of the corneal sensory nerves in Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) keratitis, the synergistic effect between the sensory neurons and macrophages in calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) release, and the functional mechanisms of CGRP-mediated transformation of macrophages to the M2 phenotype.Corneal nerve loss, macrophage recruitment, and CGRP expression were evaluated. To explore the synergistic effect between the sensory neurons and macrophages, RAW 264.7 cells were challenged with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), then trigeminal ganglion (TG) sensory neurons were isolated and co-incubated with macrophages, and CGRP expression was tested. To investigate the biological function of cornea neuron-initiated immune responses mediated by CGRP, BIBN 4096BS was used to inhibit CGRP in vivo and α-CGRP was used to simulate CGRP in vitro. The expressions of inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-10), M1 (CD80/CD86), M2 (CD163/CD206) macrophage markers, and signal transducers (PI3K/AKT) were detected.P. aeruginosa infection induced corneal nerve loss, macrophage recruitment, and CGRP up-expression. CGRP was co-localized with macrophages. Co-culture showed that sensory neurons and macrophages can mediate CGRP release. More CGRP was released when the two types of cells were combined to respond to LPS. BIBN 4096BS promoted pro-inflammatory cytokines and inhibited the anti-inflammatory cytokines and signal transducers, while, α-CGRP inhibited the pro-inflammatory cytokines and M1 markers and promoted the anti-inflammatory cytokine, M2 markers, and signal transducers.P. aeruginosa infection induces corneal sensory neuron activation, macrophage recruitment, and CGRP up-expression. The synergistic effect between the sensory neurons and macrophages promotes CGRP release. CGRP inhibits corneal inflammation and promotes the transformation of macrophages to the M2 phenotype through the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

The sympathetic nervous system-catecholamine-uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) axis plays an essential role in non-shivering adaptive thermogenesis. However, whether there exists a direct effector that physically connects catecholamine signalling to UCP1 in response to acute cold is unknown. Here we report that outer mitochondrial membrane-located AIDA is phosphorylated at S161 by the catecholamine-activated protein kinase A (PKA). Phosphorylated AIDA translocates to the intermembrane space, where it binds to and activates the uncoupling activity of UCP1 by promoting cysteine oxidation of UCP1. Adipocyte-specific depletion of AIDA abrogates UCP1-dependent thermogenesis, resulting in hypothermia during acute cold exposure. Re-expression of S161A-AIDA, unlike wild-type AIDA, fails to restore the acute cold response in Aida-knockout mice. The PKA-AIDA-UCP1 axis is highly conserved in mammals, including hibernators. Denervation of the sympathetic postganglionic fibres abolishes cold-induced AIDA-dependent thermogenesis. These findings uncover a direct mechanistic link between sympathetic input and UCP1-mediated adaptive thermogenesis.

Introduction Pterygium is a common chronic ocular surface condition in ophthalmology.At present, the main treatment modality is surgical resection. Although the recurrence rate can be controlled to varying degrees, some patients can still develop serious complications, such as scleral melting, corneal melting, and even corneal perforation.We report a case of severe corneal and scleral melting after pterygium surgery treated with a bandage lens. Patient information A 60-year-old male who developed corneoscleral melting after pterygium surgery. Diagnosis This patient was diagnosed with corneoscleral melting. Interventions This patient was treated with a bandage lens and eye drops. Outcomes He was treated with a bandage lens, and the tear break-up time (BUT) was prolonged. After 12 days the cornea and sclera were completely cured and the bandage lens was removed after one month. Conclusion After pterygium surgery, various factors affect the occurrence of serious complications of autolysis. Mainly on ocular parts, such as the cornea and sclera, a bandage lens can stabilize the ocular surface tear film and prolong the tear break-up time (BUT), effectively prevent corneoscleral melting and promote corneoscleral cure.

Urban informality and informal settlements, as research concepts rooted in the global south, have the potential to reveal the relationship between property improvement, tenure security, uneven distribution of resources and asymmetric power relations embedded in urban studies. Investigations of urban villages in China are also inspired by these ideas. The present study of the Ningmeng Apartment project in Shuiwei Village, Shenzhen, China, aims to contribute to these exciting research fields by (1) offering a new governmental mechanism – government-backed informal formalizing of informality – that can strengthen perceived tenure security; (2) investigating a new approach to regenerating problematic urban villages; and (3) revealing a new social-psychological effect underlying the operation of urban informality: perceived formal informality. These three dimensions can be interpreted as government-backed methods of laundering the grey, ways in which state actors use informal operations to strengthen the perceived tenure security and upgrade the spatial quality of informal properties to achieve governmental goals. Based on these three academic contributions, interactions between rule-breaking innovations and a pre-innovation environment emerge from the examination of the Ningmeng project. Such interactions may reflect the experience of China during its post-1978 reform and may inspire new policy practices in other developing countries.

Summary Fructose-1,6-bisphosphate (FBP) aldolase links sensing of declining glucose availability to AMPK activation via the lysosomal pathway. However, how aldolase transmits lack of occupancy by FBP to AMPK activation remains unclear. Here, we show that FBP-unoccupied aldolase interacts with and inhibits endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-localized transient receptor potential channel subfamily V, inhibiting calcium release in low glucose. The decrease of calcium at contact sites between ER and lysosome renders the inhibited TRPV accessible to bind the lysosomal v-ATPase that then recruits AXIN:LKB1 to activate AMPK independently of AMP. Genetic depletion of TRPVs blocks glucose starvation-induced AMPK activation in cells and liver of mice, and in nematodes, indicative of physical requirement of TRPVs. Pharmacological inhibition of TRPVs activates AMPK and elevates NAD+ levels in aged muscles, rejuvenating the animals’ running capacity. Our study elucidates that TRPVs relay the FBP-free status of aldolase to the reconfiguration of v-ATPase, leading to AMPK activation in low glucose., Graphical Abstract, Highlights • TRPV cation channels are required for glucose starvation-induced AMPK activation • FBP-unoccupied aldolase inhibits Ca2+ release of TRPVs at the ER-lysosome contact • The decrease of the local Ca2+ allow TRPV proteins to interact with v-ATPase • TRPVs interact with and alter v-ATPase to initiate activating complex for AMPK, Falling levels of glucose, and consequentially fructose-1,6-bisphosphate (FBP), are sensed by glycolytic enzyme aldolase. Li et al. demonstrate that FBP-unoccupied aldolase binds to and inhibits ER-localized TRPV channels, with the decreased calcium at the ER-lysosome contact enabling the channel proteins to interact with lysosomal v-ATPase to allow for AMPK activation.

Tanshinone IIA is a derivative of phenanthrene-quinone isolated from Danshen, a widely used Chinese herbal medicine. It has antioxidant properties, cytotoxic activities against multiple human cancer cells, inducing apoptosis and differentiation of some human cancer cells. The purpose of this study is to confirm its anticancer activity on human glioma cells, and to elucidate mechanism of its activity. Human glioma cells were tested in vitro for cytotoxicity, colony formation inhibition, BrdU incorporation after treatment with tanshinone IIA. Its effect of apoptosis induction was detected through EB/AO staining, cell cycle analysis and the expressions of ADPRTL1 and CYP1A1 genes, the differentiation induction effect was investigated through morphology, mRNA and protein expressions of GFAP and nestin genes by RT-PCR and immunocytochemistry. Tanshinone IIA demonstrated a dose- and time-dependent inhibitory effect on cell growth, IC(50) was 100 ng/ml, and it significantly inhibited colony formation and BrdU incorporation of human glioma cells. After treatment with 25-100 ng/ml of tanshinone IIA, the apoptotic cells increased significantly (P0.01), the cells in G(0)/G(1) phase increased (P0.01), and decreased in S phase, ADPRTL1 and CYP1A1 mRNA expression increased 1-2 folds. The cells treated with 100 ng/ml tanshinone IIA demonstrated astrocytes or neuron-like morphology, GFAP mRNA and protein expressions increased, nestin mRNA and protein expressions decreased significantly. The findings in this study suggested that tanshinone IIA exhibited strong effects on growth inhibition and induction of apoptosis and differentiation in human glioma cells. It might serve as a novel promising differentiation-inducing and/or therapeutic agent for human gliomas, and need to be investigated further.

Okra [Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench] was grown at various highly dense (HD) plant populations for destructive harvest, and compared with control plants grown at spacings of 90 × 23 cm and harvested repeatedly by hand. Our objectives were to identify a HD plant arrangement and an optimum harvest timing to maximize marketable fruit yield per hectare with a single destructive harvest, and to evaluate the potential for regrowth of cut plants followed by one or more subsequent harvests. Within HD treatments, marketable fruit weight per hectare tended to increase as the plant population density increased. Spacings of 30 × 30 cm and wider were not dense enough for the destructive harvest system due to a low marketable yield potential. Wide spacings did favor regrowth of cut plants in two experiments, but total marketable yields were still highest with the highest plant populations tested. Delaying destructive harvest until many overmature fruit were present did not consistently affect marketable fruit yield, but always decreased the proportion (by weight) of marketable fruit to total harvested fruit. Overall, percentages of marketable yield obtained by destructive harvests of plots with HD plant populations were low relative to the cumulative marketable yield from control plots. The lack of concentrated fruit set in okra remains a limiting factor for destructive harvest. However, the labor-saving potential of this system should stimulate further research.

Research was conducted to develop a cultural system that would permit a destructive mechanical okra [Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench] harvest. This paper reports on studies to determine the responses of okra plant architecture to various highly dense (HD) plant populations, and to consider the implications of those responses for destructive mechanical harvest. Growing okra in plant arrangements more densely planted than the control (which was spaced at 90 × 23 cm) did not affect overall plant heights. The position of the first bloom or fruit attachment and of the first marketable fruit attachment tended to become higher on the stem as plant population density increased, especially when comparing plants from the 15 × 15 cm spacing to control plants. The number of marketable fruit per plant was usually unaffected by plant population. Branch number and defruited dry weight per plant decreased as plant population density increased. Plant architecture did not affect the ability of an experimental mechanical harvester to recover marketable fruit from three different okra cultivars grown in a HD arrangement. The lack of concentrated marketable fruit set, rather than plant architecture, was the main limiting factor to the success of densely planted okra for destructive harvest.

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) induced cell death in murine fibrosarcoma L929 cells is a model system in studying programed necrosis (also known as necroptosis). Receptor interacting protein 3 (RIP3), a serine-threonine kinase, is known to play an essential role in TNF-induced necroptosis; however, the phosphorylation events initiated by RIP3 activation in necroptotic process is still largely unknown. Here, we performed a quantitative MS based analysis to compare TNF-induced changes in the global phosphoproteome of wild-type (RIP3(+/+) ) and RIP3-knockdown L929 cells at different time points after TNF treatment. A total of 8058 phosphopeptides spanning 6892 phosphorylation sites in 2762 proteins were identified in the three experiments, in which cells were treated with TNF for 0.5, 2, and 4 h. By comparing the phosphorylation sites in wild-type and RIP3-knockdown L929 cells, 174, 167, and 177 distinct phosphorylation sites were revealed to be dependent on RIP3 at the 0.5, 2, and 4 h time points after TNF treatment, respectively. Notably, most of them were not detected in a previous phosphoproteomic analysis of RIP3-dependent phosphorylation in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated peritoneal macrophages and TNF-treated murine embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs), suggesting that the data presented in this report are highly relevant to the study of TNF-induced necroptosis of L929 cells.

Since the 3-dimension (3D) beamforming technology and the Active Antenna System (AAS) have been extensively employed in Long Term Evolution-Advanced (LTE-A) systems, a cell can be divided into several sectors both horizontally and vertically to improve the performances of the systems. An issue of joint downtilts adjustment and power allocation of two vertical beams is addressed in this paper. The system model is built and a particle swarm optimization (PSO) based beams optimization algorithm is proposed to maximize the cell spectral efficiency, in which the downtilts and powers of the two vertical beams are mapped onto particles and the cell spectral efficiency is defined as the fitness function. By updating the positions and velocities of the particles according to some principles dealing with all constraints, the optimum or suboptimum solution can be obtained. Simulation results show that a high cell spectral efficiency can be achieved with a low complexity by the proposed algorithm.

Research was conducted to develop a cultural system that would permit a destructive mechanical okra [Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench] harvest. Okra grown at a highly dense (HD) plant population of 25 × 23 cm and destructively harvested by machine was compared with control plants spaced at 90 × 23 cm and repeatedly and non-destructively harvested by hand. The control N fertilization regime was 45 kg·ha-1 of N preplant, followed by one or two topdressings, each with 22 kg·ha-1 of N. Treatments applied to HD plots were designed to be multiples of the control N fertilization levels. Preplant fertilizer was added such that the sum of residual soil N plus the added fertilizer would total to 45, 90, or 135 kg·ha-1 of N for the standard, intermediate, and highest rates, respectively. Topdressing rates were 22, 44, or 66 kg·ha-1 of N for standard, intermediate, and highest, respectively. Topdressing was timed to follow a mechanical harvest of the HD plots. Since there was only one mechanical harvest in the two 1995 studies, topdress N treatments did not affect yields from mechanical harvest in that year. Nitrogen treatments had few effects on fruit yield per hectare of HD okra, even when stem N concentrations equaled or exceeded those of control plants. The highest N rate tended to delay fruit production. Increasing N rates did not affect the marketable fruit yield obtained by mechanical harvest of HD plants expressed as a percentage of the total cumulative marketable fruit yield from control plants. Physiological factors appear to be limiting the potential for densely planted okra in a destructive mechanical harvest system rather than horticultural factors such as N nutrition.

To provide suitable models for human GBM cancer stem cells in vitro and in vivo, and investigate their biological characteristics, a new human GBM cancer stem-like cell line, WJ2, was established in this experiment through serial passages from adherent monolayer culture to nonadherent tumor sphere culture in turns; Its partial biological characteristics were studied through cell proliferation and tumor sphere assay; cell cycle distribution, side population, and CD133 phenotype were analyzed with FCM. The expressions of CD133, Nestin, and GFAP of cancer stem-like cells and xenograft tumor cells were detected with RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry. Biological characterization, side population, CD133 phenotype and CD133 Nestin, BCRP-1, Wnt-1 gene expression revealed the stemness of this cancer stem-like cell line. Tumorigenicity heterotransplanted in nude mice; histopathological characteristics of xenograft tumor, and expressions of CD133, Nestin, and GFAP of xenograft tumor cells indicated that xenograft tumors recapitulated the phenotype and biological characterization of human primary GBM. All findings of this experimental study suggested that WJ(2) cancer stem-like cell line could accurately mimic human GBM cancer stem cell in vitro and in vivo; it would be useful in the cellular and molecular studies as well as in testing novel therapies of CSC-based anti-cancer therapies for human GBM.

Fig fruit latex (FFL) contains significant amounts of polyphenolic compounds and can serve as a source of antioxidants after human consumption. The purpose of this study is to confirm anticancer activity of FFL against human cancer cells and to further elucidate its mechanism of activity. Human glioblastoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, and normal liver cells were used for in vitro tests of FFL effects. Those tests included cytotoxicity, colony formation inhibition, Brdu incorporation, acridine orange/ethidium bromide (AO/EB) staining for apoptotic cells, cell cycle distribution through flow cytometry (FCM), and ADP-ribosyltransferase (NAD+; poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase)-like 1 (ADPERL1) mRNA expression through RT-PCR in response to FFL treatment. After FFL treatment, the proliferation, colony formation, and Brdu labeling indices of cancer cells decreased (P

We are developing a mechanical harvest system for okra [Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench]. Our objective was to identify a high-density (HD) plant arrangement and a harvest timing that would maximize marketable fruit yield per hectare with a destructive harvest. We compared destructively harvested plants grown at spacings of (in cm) 15 × 15, 23 × 23, and 30 × 30 with hand-harvested plants grown at 90 × 23 cm. Within HD treatments, marketable fruit weight increased inconsistently as plant density increased. The 30 × 30-cm spacing was not dense enough. Branching decreased and the position of the first marketable fruit attachment moved up as plant density increased. Delaying destructive harvest until many over-mature fruit were present often did not increase marketable fruit yield and always reduced the proportion of total harvested fruit weight due to marketable fruit. Overall, percentages of marketable yield obtained by destructive harvests of HD plants were low compared to the cumulative marketable yield from control plants. However, the labor-saving potential was high. A prototype machine for harvest of HD okra has been developed, and further testing is planned.