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Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignancies worldwide. Ubiquitin‑specific protease 12 (USP12) is specifically upregulated in the tumor tissues of patients with HCC compared with the corresponding adjacent normal tissues. However, the relationship between USP12 and the growth of HCCs is not fully understood. In the present study, USP12 was knocked down in HCC cell lines to investigate its effects on proliferation and apoptosis. The results showed that USP12‑knockdown could inhibit the proliferation and promote apoptosis in HCC cell lines. Flow cytometry analysis also showed that USP12 could induce cell cycle arrest at the G2/M stage. In vivo experiments showed that USP12‑knockdown could suppress tumor growth in mice, and immuno‑blotting revealed that USP12 could induce G2/M arrest through the cyclin dependent kinase 1/cyclinB1 axis, and trigger apoptosis via the p38/mitogen‑activated protein kinase pathway. These data strongly indicate that USP12 is a potential target for the treatment of HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the main challenges faced by wireless sensor network (WSN) localization is the positioning accuracy of the WSN node. The existing algorithms are arduous to use for dealing with the pulse noise that is universal and ineluctable in practical considerations, resulting in lower positioning accuracy. Aimed at this problem and introducing Bregman divergence, we propose in this paper a novel WSN localization algorithm via matrix completion (LBDMC). Based on the natural low-rank character of the Euclidean Distance Matrix (EDM), the problem of EDM recovery is formulated as an issue of matrix completion in a noisy environment. A regularized matrix completion model is established, smoothing the pulse noise by leveraging L1,2-norm and the multivariate function Bregman divergence is defined to solve the model to obtain the EDM estimator. Furthermore, node localization is available based on the multi-dimensional scaling (MDS) method. Multi-faceted comparison experiments with existing algorithms, under a variety of noise conditions, demonstrate the superiority of LBDMC to other algorithms regarding positioning accuracy and robustness, while ensuring high efficiency. Notably, the mean localization error of LBDMC is about ten times smaller than that of other algorithms when the sampling rate reaches a certain level, such as >30%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high variability of sign colors and shapes in uncontrolled environments has made the detection of traffic signs a challenging problem in computer vision. We propose a traffic sign detection (TSD) method based on coarse-to-fine cascade and parallel support vector machine (SVM) detectors to detect Chinese warning and danger traffic signs. First, a region of interest (ROI) extraction method is proposed to extract ROIs using color contrast features in local regions. The ROI extraction can reduce scanning regions and save detection time. For multiclass TSD, we propose a structure that combines a coarse-to-fine cascaded tree with a parallel structure of histogram of oriented gradients (HOG) + SVM detectors. The cascaded tree is designed to detect different types of traffic signs in a coarse-to-fine process. The parallel HOG + SVM detectors are designed to do fine detection of different types of traffic signs. The experiments demonstrate the proposed TSD method can rapidly detect multiclass traffic signs with different colors and shapes in high accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A detailed study of the structural, electronic and absorption properties of crystalline L-serine-L-ascorbic acid (SAA) in the pressure range of 0–300 GPa was performed by density-functional theory (DFT) calculations in this work. Our results show that the compressible crystal of SAA is anisotropic. Furthermore, specific analysis of the variation tendencies of bond lengths and bond angles under different pressures show that the main structural transformations occur at pressures of 40, 50, 70, 100, 130 and 150 GPa, accompanied by repeated formations and disconnections of covalent bonds between O2(P1) and C2(P2) as well as C3(P1) and O1(P2), and a newly formed five-atom ring at 100 GPa. In addition, from 40 to 230 GPa, complex hydrogen bond transformations occur in SAA under compression, while from 240 to 300 GPa, the curve of lattice constants, bond lengths and bond angles of SAA barely changes, suggesting structural stability after 230 GPa. Then, by analyzing the band gap and density of states of SAA, it was found that the crystal undergoes a phase transformation from insulator to semiconductor at 150 GPa and it becomes more sensitive under compression. In addition, a relatively high optical activity with the pressure increases of SAA was seen from the absorption spectra, and two obvious changes of absorption coefficients were also observed at 50 GPa and 130 GPa, respectively, indicating that structural transformations occur here. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and transforming growth factor- ß (TGF-ß) signaling are required for hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation under pathological conditions such as liver metastatic tumor growth. These two signaling pathways are functionally divergent; PDGF signaling promotes proliferation and migration of HSCs, and TGF-ß induces transdifferentiation of quiescent HSCs into myofibroblasts. Although PDGF signaling is implicated in TGF-ß-mediated epithelial mesenchymal transition of tumor cells, the role of PDGF receptors in TGF-ß activation of HSCs has not been investigated. Here we report that PDGF receptor-a (PDGFR-a) is required for TGF-ß signaling of cultured human HSCs although HSCs express both PDGF-a and -ß receptors. PDGFR-a knockdown inhibits TGFß- induced phosphorylation and nuclear accumulation of SMAD2 with no influence on AKT or ERK phosphorylation associated with noncanonical TGF-ß signaling. PDGFR-a knockdown suppresses TGF-ß receptor I (TßRI) but increases TßRII gene transcription. At the protein level, PDGFR-a is recruited to TßRI/TßRII complexes by TGF-ß stimulation. PDGFR-a knockdown blocks TGF-ß-mediated internalization of TßRII and induces accumulation of TßRII at the plasma membrane, thereby inhibiting TGF-ß phosphorylation of SMAD2. Functionally, knockdown of PDGFR-a reduces paracrine effects of HSCs on colorectal cancer cell proliferation and migration in vitro. In mice and patients, colorectal cancer cell invasion of the liver induces upregulation of PDGFR-a of HSCs. In summary, our finding that PDGFR-a knockdown inhibits SMAD-dependent TGF-ß signaling by repressing TßRI transcriptionally and blocking endocytosis of TGF-ß receptors highlights a convergence of PDGF and TGF-ß signaling for HSC activation and PDGFR-a as a therapeutic target for liver metastasis and other settings of HSC activation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the tumor microenvironment, TGF-ß induces transdifferentiation of quiescent pericytes and related stromal cells into myofibroblasts that promote tumor growth and metastasis. The mechanisms governing myofibroblastic activation remain poorly understood, and its role in the tumor microenvironment has not been explored. Here, we demonstrate that IQ motif containing GTPase activating protein 1 (IQGAP1) binds to TGF-ß receptor II (TßRII) and suppresses TßRII-mediated signaling in pericytes to prevent myofibro-blastic differentiation in the tumor microenvironment. We found that TGF-ßl recruited IQGAP1 to TßRII in hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), the resident liver pericytes. Iqgapl knockdown inhibited the targeting of the E3 ubiquitin ligase SMAD ubiquitination regulatory factor 1 (SMURF1) to the plasma membrane and TßRII ubiquitination and degradation. Thus, Iqgapl knockdown stabilized TßRII and potentiated TGF-ßl transdifferentiation of pericytes into myofibroblasts in vitro. Iqgapl deficiency in HSCs promoted myo-fibroblast activation, tumor implantation, and metastatic growth in mice via upregulation of paracrine signaling molecules. Additionally, we found that IQGAP1 expression was downregulated in myofibroblasts associated with human colorectal liver metastases. Taken together, our studies demonstrate that IQGAP1 in the tumor microenvironment suppresses TßRII and TGF-ß dependent myofibroblastic differentiation to constrain tumor growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitric oxide (NO) regulates the function of perivascular cells (pericytes), including hepatic stellate cells (HSC), mainly by activating cGMP and cGMP-dependent kinase (PKG) via NO/cGMP paracrine signaling. Although PKG is implicated in integrin-mediated cell adhesion to extracellular matrix, whether or how PKG signaling regulates the assembly of focal adhesion complexes (FA) and migration of HSC is not known. With the help of complementary molecular and cell biological approaches, we demonstrate here that activation of PKG signaling in HSC inhibits vascular tubulogenesis, migration/chemotaxis, and assembly of mature FA plaques, as assessed by vascular tubulogenesis assays and immunofluorescence localization of FA markers such as vinculin and vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP). To determine whether PKG inhibits FA assembly by phosphorylation of VASP at Ser-157, Ser-239, and Thr-278, we mutated these putative phosphorylation sites to alanine (VASP3A, phosphoresistant mutant) or aspartic acid (VASP3D, phosphomimetic), respectively. Data generated from these two mutants suggest that the effect of PKG on FA is independent of these three phosphorylation sites. In contrast, activation of PKG inhibits the activity of small GTPase Rac1 and its association with the effector protein IQGAP1. Moreover, PKG activation inhibits the formation of a trimeric protein complex containing Rac1, IQGAP1, and VASP. Finally, we found that expression of a constitutively active Rac1 mutant abolishes the inhibitory effects of PKG on FA formation. In summary, our data suggest that activation of PKG signaling in pericytes inhibits FA formation by inhibiting Rac1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to assess chemical-induced effects on cross-talk among the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonad (HPG), hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA), and hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axes of fish. Adult female zebrafish were exposed to 300 μg/L prochloraz (PCZ) or 100 mg/L propylthiouracil (PTU), and the transcriptional profiles of the HPG, HPA, and HPT axes were examined. Exposure to PCZ decreased plasma testosterone (T) and 17β-estradiol (E2) concentrations and affected HPA and HPT axes by down-regulating corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH) after 12 and 48 h. By using correlation analyses, it was found that the decrease in E2 plasma concentrations caused by PCZ was correlated with the down-regulation of CRH mRNA expression. Exposure to PTU resulted in lesser concentrations of thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3), greater concentrations of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) peptides, and increase in steroidogenic gene expression after 12 and 48 h. Concentrations of FSH and LH were negatively correlated with concentrations of T4 and T3. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that increased steroidogenic gene expression after PTU exposure resulted from a reduction in T4 and T3 concentrations, which resulted in greater secretion of FSH and LH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple myeloma (MM) is bone marrow plasma cell malignancy. A clinical trial utilizing intravenous administration of oncolytic measles virus (MV) encoding the human sodium-iodide symporter (MV-NIS) is ongoing in myeloma patients. However, intravenously administered MV-NIS is rapidly neutralized by antiviral antibodies. Because myeloma cell lines retain bone marrow tropism, they may be ideal as carriers for delivery of MV-NIS to myeloma deposits. A disseminated human myeloma (KAS 6/1) model was established. Biodistribution of MM1, a myeloma cell line, was determined after intravenous infusion. MM1 cells were found in the spine, femurs, and mandibles of tumor-bearing mice. Lethally irradiated MM1 cells remained susceptible to measles infection and transferred MV to KAS 6/1 cells in the presence of measles immune sera. Mice-bearing disseminated myeloma and passively immunized with measles immune serum were given MV-NIS or lethally irradiated MV-NIS-infected MM1 carriers. The antitumor activity of MV-NIS was evident only in measles naive mice and not in passively immunized mice. In contrast, survivals of both measles naive and immune mice were extended using MV-NIS-infected MM1 cell carriers. Hence, we demonstrate for the first time that systemically administered cells can serve as MV carriers and prolonged survival of mice with pre-existing antimeasles antibodies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endothelial injury is a major step in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Accumulated data suggest endothelial progenitor cells can derive from various sources, including the host bone marrow, circulating blood mononuclear cells, as well as resident precursors within the vessel wall. Early experimental animal data supported a haematopoietic origin for vascular precursors, but more recently cells of myeloid lineage have been suggested as precursors of endothelial and smooth muscle cells. However, to date, little evidence exists to support a myeloid lineage-endothelial cell differentiation pathway within the vasculature of human subjects. Here, we undertook two sets of experiments aimed at determining whether (a) blood endothelial outgrowth cells (EOC) had a myeloid lineage and whether (b) chimeric endothelial-like cells within the neovasculature of gender-mismatched cardiac transplant arteriopathy subjects shared common myelomonocytic markers. We show here that in vitro blood-derived EOC and recipient-derived endothelial-like cells participating in vasculogenesis in vivo share some myeloid immunophenotypes. Additionally, these microvascular chimeric cells show no evidence of tetraploidy or cell fusion. Copyright © 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the theory of evidence, two kinds of uncertainty coexist, nonspecificity and discord. An aggregate uncertainty (AU) measure has been defined to include these two kinds of uncertainty, in an aggregate fashion. Meyerowitz et al. proposed an algorithm for calculating AU and validated its practical usage. Although this algorithm was proven to be absolutely correct by Klir and Wierman, in some cases, it remains too complex. In fact, when the cardinality of the frame of discernment is very large, it can be impossible to calculate AU. Therefore, based on Klir's and Harmanec's seminal work, we give some justifications for restricting the computation of AU(Bel) to the core of the corresponding belief function, and we also propose an algorithm to calculate AU(Bel), the F-algorithm, which reduces the computational complexity of the original algorithm of Meyerowitz et al. We prove that this algorithm gives the same results as Meyerowitz's algorithm, and we outline conditions under which it reduces the computational complexity significantly. Moreover, we illustrate the use of the F-algorithm in computing AU in a practical scenario of target identification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract??Per-test fault diagnosis has become an effective methodology for the identification of complex defects. In this paper, we improve a recent per-test technique by applying additional diagnosis on the outputs of the circuit. The new method does not require additional information than the existing method, but incorporates more evidence to support the true defective sites by using both failing tests and failing outputs information, hence diagnosis quality can be improved. We present the procedure of the new method and give a theoretical analysis. We show that this method can very well address several drawbacks of the previous work. The experimental results on benchmark circuits demonstrate that the new method can significantly improve diagnostic quality compared to other recent results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lewis acid doped polyanilines are prepared by doping of polyaniline base with Lewis acids. Polyaniline base and Lewis acid doped polyanilines are characterized by physical and spectral methods. They are used as catalysts for the first time for acetalization of carbonyl compounds. The catalyzed acetalization of benzaldehyde with propane-1,2-diol is conducted in excellent yields with simple and more environmentally benign procedure. The use of these doped lewis acid catalysts is feasible because of being ecofriendly, their easy preparation, easy recovery, reusability, and good activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On-chip integrated network, the so-called network-on-chip (NoC), is becoming a promising communication paradigm for the next-generation embedded core-based system chips. The reuse of the on-chip network as test access mechanism has been recently proposed to handle the growing complexity of testing NoC-based systems. However, the NoC reuse is limited by the on-chip routing resources and various constraints. Therefore, efficient test-scheduling methods are required to deliver feasible test time while meeting all the constraints. In this paper, the authors propose a comprehensive approach to test scheduling in NoC-based systems. The proposed scheduling algorithm is based on the use of dedicated routing path that is suitable for nonpreemptive test. The algorithm is improved by incorporating both preemptive and nonpreemptive tests. In addition, BIST, precedence, and power constraints were taken into consideration. Experimental results for the ITC'02 system-on-chip benchmarks show that the nonpreemptive scheduling based on dedicated path can efficiently reduce test application time compared to previous work, and the improved method provides a practical solution to the real-world NoC-based-system testing with both preemptive and nonpreemptive cores. It is also shown that various constraints can be incorporated to deliver a comprehensive test solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the framework of evidence theory, ambiguity is a general term proposed by Klir and Yuan in 1995 to gather the two types of uncertainty coexisting in this theory: discord and nonspecificity. Respecting the five requirements of total measures of uncertainty in the evidence theory, different ways have been proposed to quantify the total uncertainty, i.e., the ambiguity of a belief function. Among them is a measure of aggregate uncertainty, called AU, that captures in an aggregate fashion both types of uncertainty. But some shortcomings of AU have been identified, which are that: 1) it is complicated to compute; 2) it is highly insensitive to changes in evidence; and 3) it hides the distinction between the two types of uncertainty that coexist in every theory of imprecise probabilities. To overcome the shortcomings, Klir and Smith defined the TU1 measure that is a linear combination of the AU measure and the nonspecificity measure N. But the TU1 measure cannot solve the problem of computing complexity, and brings a new problem with the choice of the linear parameter δ. In this paper, an alternative measure to AU for quantifying ambiguity of belief functions is proposed. This measure, called Ambiguity Measure (AM), besides satisfying all the requirements for general measures also overcomes some of the shortcomings of the AU measure. Indeed, AM overcomes the limitations of AU by: 1) minimizing complexity for minimum number of focal points; 2) allowing for sensitivity changes in evidence; and 3) better distinguishing discord and nonspecificity. Moreover, AM is a special case of TU1 that does not need the parameter δ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel design methodology for test pattern generation in built-in self-test (BIST) is proposed. Experimental results are presented to demonstrate how a fault in the test pattern generator (TPG) itself can have serious consequences, a problem that has not been investigated. A solution is presented here, where the faults and errors in the generator itself are detected during the test in the TPG itself. This provides several major advantages, including the ability to distinguish between TPG and circuit under test (CUT) faults. In addition, this will ensure that there is no loss of fault coverage for the CUT caused by a fault in the TPG. Two different design methodologies are presented: The first guarantees all single fault/error detection, the second capable of detecting multiple faults and errors. The proposed linear feedback shift registers (LFSRs) do not have additional hardware overhead. Importantly, the test patterns generated have the potential to achieve superior fault coverage for both stuck-at and transition faults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a new scan built-in self-test (BIST) approach for determining failing vectors for fault diagnosis. This approach is based on the application of overlapping intervals of test vectors to the circuit under test, and it is especially suitable for faults that are detected by a relatively small number of pseudorandom test patterns. Two multiple-input signature registers are used in an interleaved fashion to generate intermediate signatures, thereby obviating the need for multiple test sessions. The knowledge of failing and fault-free intervals is used to obtain a set S of candidate failing vectors that includes all the actual (true) failing vectors. We propose a signature-analysis method based on overlapping sections and the principle of superposition to effectively prune the candidate set. We present analytical results to determine an appropriate interval length and the degree of overlap, as well as upper and lower bounds on the size of S. We also determine a lower bound on the number of true failing vectors through a simple graph model. Finally, we present experimental results for the ISCAS'89 benchmark circuits to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed scan-BIST diagnosis approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on the proposal for the design and implementation of the Digital Audio Broadcasting transmitter prototype. Inclusion of personal computer controller in the proposed transmitter; Development of personal computer platform; Capacity of the transmitter.

This research proposed a temperature-controlled friction stir spot weld bonding process as a solution to the issues of adhesive carbonization and weld impurities in the traditional combination of friction stir spot welding and adhesive bonding. A comprehensive investigation was conducted, including the establishment of a simulation model using the DFLUX subroutine to analyze the welding temperature field and the implementation of an overflow groove to separate the weld from the adhesive. The microstructure and mechanical properties of the joint were examined in the joint of welding before and after the adhesive curing process. The results demonstrated significant improvements in the failure load of the hybrid joints, with increases of 57.4 % and 27.7 %, compared to the welding joint. Additionally, the failure mechanism of the hybrid joint was elucidated by analyzing the fracture morphology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Common Portland cement was used as the main matrix material and cementations material, fly ash as admixture, 30 % wt hydrogen peroxide as foaming agent and other additives to prepare cement based condensate porous material. The optimum amount of foaming agent was determined by water absorption and release experiment, and the metal fiber was added to the material to enhance the water collecting performance. As the amount of foaming agent increased, water absorption increased, water release rate decreased, the optimum content of foaming agent was 2.73 %, the material had better water absorption and water release performance, and the addition of metal fiber could obviously improve the water collection performance of cement-based porous condensate material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a combination of first-principles calculations and an extended Hückel tight binding model this letter reports on the origin of the low Gilbert damping in half metals. This approach enables the prediction of the lower limit for the magnetization relaxation in a wide variety of material systems relevant for future spintronic applications. For the two model systems Co2MnGe and Co2MnSi minimal damping parameters of 1.9×10-4 and 0.6×10-4 are predicted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rectangular features have been widely used in different cascade-based object detection areas. Previous rectangular features contain no relationship of different colour channels, which makes the previous rectangular features weak in expressing objects with colour contrast. To overcome this shortcoming, a series of rectangular features called split-level colour Haar-like (SC-Haar-like) features are proposed. There are different colour channels in the SC-Haar-like features, and the different colour channels have close relationship with each other based on the split-level structure. The experiments on face detection show that the SC-Haar-like features outperform previous rectangular features in terms of detection rate and false alarm rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multitarget tracking in video surveillance is challenging because the appearance features of the target are often unreliable in complicated scenes. To solve the problem, we propose a multitarget tracking method using multifeature model with acceleration feature. First, an acceleration feature descriptor is derived from the histograms of the optical flow features according to the background difference. Our approach filters and normalizes the descriptors of consecutive frames to establish acceleration feature models. Then, the multifeature models of target templates are initialized by combining acceleration and multiple spatial feature models. Second, we implement data association based on the tracklet confidence by integrating the acceleration and multiple spatial feature affinities. As a result, the optimal associated pairs between target tracklets and detections are solved by the Hungarian algorithm. Finally, our tracking system updates the multifeature models of target templates online depending on the reliability of the tracklets, and the trajectories of multiple targets are output. Experiments conducted on the challenging multiple object tracking benchmark confirm the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coumarins are generally considered to be produced by natural plants. Fungi have been reported to produce coumarins, but their biosynthetic pathways are still unknown. In this study, Fusarium oxysporum GU-7 and GU-60 were isolated from Glycyrrhiza uralensis, and their antioxidant activities were determined to be significantly different. Abundant dipeptide, phenolic acids, and the plant-derived coumarins fraxetin and scopoletin were identified in GU-7 by untargeted metabolomics, and these compounds may account for its stronger antioxidant activity compared to GU-60. Combined with metabolome and RNA sequencing analysis, we identified 24 potentially key genes involved in coumarin biosynthesis and 6 intermediate metabolites. Interestingly, the best hit of S8H, a key gene involved in hydroxylation at the C-8 position of scopoletin to yield fraxetin, belongs to a plant species. Additionally, nondestructive infection of G. uralensis seeds with GU-7 significantly improved the antioxidant activity of seedlings compared to the control group. This antioxidant activity may depend on the biological characteristics of endophytes themselves, as we observed a positive correlation between the antioxidant activity of endophytic fungi and that of their nondestructively infected seedlings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Rhodiola plants are used as a natural remedy in the western world and as a traditional herbal medicine in China, and are valued for their ability to enhance human resistance to stress or fatigue and to promote longevity. Due to the morphological similarities among different species, the identification of the genus remains somewhat controversial, which may affect their safety and effectiveness in clinical use. Results: In this paper, 47 Rhodiola samples of seven species were collected from thirteen local provinces of China. They were identified by their morphological characteristics and genetic and phytochemical taxonomies. Eight bioactive chemotaxonomic markers from four chemical classes (phenylpropanoids, phenylethanol derivatives, flavonoids and phenolic acids) were determined to evaluate and distinguish the chemotaxonomy of Rhodiola samples using an HPLC-DAD/UV method. Hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and principal component analysis (PCA) were applied to compare the two classification methods between genetic and phytochemical taxonomy. Conclusions: The established chemotaxonomic classification could be effectively used for Rhodiola species identification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two binary systems of nonionic surfactant Triton X-100 and imidazolium ionic liquid surfactants with different carbon chain: C12mimBr (1-dodecyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide) and C14mimBr (1-tetradecyl-3-methylimidazoliumbromide) have been studied in this paper. The micellization and surface properties of the binary systems were determined by surface tension and conductivity methods, respectively. The critical micelle con-centration (CMC), the maximum surface excess (Γmax), minimum area per molecule (Amin) and surface pressure at the CMC (ΠCMC) β single and mixed systems were obtained. Ru-bingh's theory was used to calculate the composition of the mixtures, and the molecular interaction parameter β. Negative value of p indicates synergism in mixed micelle formation. The order of absolute value of β and average β: Cm12mimBr/Triton X-100 > C14mimBr/Triton X-100. The values of AG0m and AG0ads have also been calculated, and both of them were found to be negative in all pure and mixed surfactants, indicating the spontaneity of micellization and adsorption of the surfactants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accumulation and effects of BDE-47 and two analogues, 6-OH-BDE-47 and 6-MeO-BDE-47, on ontogeny and profiles of transcription of genes along the hypothalamus–pituitary–thyroid (HPT) axis of zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos exposed from 4 h post fertilization (hpf) to 120 hpf were investigated. The 96 h-LC50 of the most toxic compound, based on teratogenicity, was 330 μg of 6-OH-BDE-47/L. 6-OH-BDE-47 significantly down-regulated expression of mRNA of thyroid stimulating hormone receptor (TSHR), thyroid hormone receptors (TRs, including TRα and TRβ), sodium/iodide symporter (NIS), and transthyretin (TTR) while up-regulating expression of thyroglobulin (TG) and thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH). Spontaneous movement was affected by 1 mg of 6-OH-BDE-47/L or 5 mg of 6-MeO-BDE-47/L. BDE-47 did not alter activity of larvae at any concentration tested. 6-MeO-BDE-47 significantly up-regulated expression of mRNA of TRH, TRα, TRβ and NIS. Both 6-OH-BDE-47 and 6-MeO-BDE-47 affected the thyroid hormone pathway. BDE-47 and 6-MeO-BDE-47 were accumulated more than 6-OH-BDE-47. 6-MeO-BDE-47 was transformed into 6-OH-BDE-47, but BDE-47 was not transformed into it. In summary, the synthetic brominated flame retardant, BDE-47, did not elicit the adverse effects caused by the other two analogues and appeared to have less toxicological relevance than the two natural product analogues 6-OH- and 6-MeO-BDE-47. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genetic diversity is the raw material for germplasm enhancement. Landraces and wild species relatives of potato, which contain a rich gene pool of valuable agronomic traits, can provide insights into the genetic diversity behind the adaptability of the common potato. The diploid plant, Solanum stenotomum (Sst), is believed to have an ancestral relationship with modern potato cultivars and be a potential source of resistance against disease. Sequencing of the Sst genome generated an assembly of 852.85Mb (N50 scaffold size, 3.7Mb). Pseudomolecule construction anchored 788.75Mb of the assembly onto 12 pseudochromosomes, with an anchor rate of 92.4%. Genome annotation yielded 41,914 high-confidence protein-coding gene models and comparative analyses with closely related Solanaceae species identified 358 Sst-specific gene families, 885 gene families with expansion along the Sst lineage, and 149 genes experiencing accelerated rates of protein sequence evolution in Sst, the functions of which were mainly associated with defense responses, particularly against bacterial and fungal infection. Insights into the Sst genome and the genomic variation of cultivated potato taxa are valuable in elaborating the impact of potato evolution in early landrace diploid and facilitate modern potato breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The prognosis of patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) of pancreatic head remains poor, even after potentially curative R0 resection. The aim of this study was to develop an accurate model to predict patients' prognosis for PDAC of pancreatic head following pancreaticoduodenectomy. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 112 patients with PDAC of pancreatic head after pancreaticoduodenectomy in Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital between 2014 and 2018. RESULTS: Five prognostic factors were identified using univariate Cox regression analysis, including age, histologic grade, American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) Stage 8th, total bilirubin (TBIL), CA19-9. Using all subset analysis and multivariate Cox regression analysis, we developed a nomogram consisted of age, AJCC Stage 8th, perineural invasion, TBIL, and CA19-9, which had higher C-indexes for OS (0.73) and RFS (0.69) compared with AJCC Stage 8th alone (OS: 0.66; RFS: 0.67). The area under the curve (AUC) values of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve for the nomogram for OS and RFS were significantly higher than other single parameter, which are AJCC Stage 8th, age, perineural invasion, TBIL, and CA19-9. Importantly, our nomogram displayed higher C-index for OS than previous reported models, indicating a better predictive value of our model. CONCLUSIONS: A simple and practical nomogram for patient prognosis in PDAC of pancreatic head following pancreaticoduodenectomy was established, which shows satisfactory predictive efficacy and deserves further evaluation in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Toxicity tests of chemicals have mainly focused on the partial life-cycle evaluation of model animals. Limited information is available for the evaluation of effects of chemicals from a whole-life-stage exposure perspective. The objective of this study was to perform a whole-life-stage characterization in the basic biology of Daphnia magna (D. magna) and evaluate the effects of a known organophosphate ester (OPE) contaminant, tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TDCIPP), on growth, reproduction, survival, and transcription of genes. The whole-life-stage characterization in growth, reproduction, and survival of D. magna was conducted, and representative sampling time points for the three developmental stages were identified (day 6, day 32, and day 62). Transcriptomic profiles for these three stages were compared, and stage-specific PCR arrays of D. magna were developed. The whole-life-stage exposure to environmentally relevant or greater concentrations of TDCIPP significantly inhibited growth and reproduction of D. magna and decreased survival at the later stage of the exposure experiment (≥32 days). Such adverse effects were not observed in the early stage of the exposure (<32 days), suggesting that short-term toxicity tests, such as the standard 21-day test, might underestimate the environmental risk of TDCIPP. Furthermore, expressions of genes selected at day 6, day 32, and day 62 were significantly changed after TDCIPP exposure, and the changes in the expressions of partial genes were correlated to the inhibitory effects on growth, reproduction, and survival [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Licorice is one of the most generally used herbal medicines in the world; however, wild licorice resources have decreased drastically. Cultivated Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fischer are the main source of licorice at present, but the content of main active components in cultivated G. uralensis are lower than in wild G. uralensis. Therefore, the production of high-quality cultivated G. uralensis is an urgent issue for the research and production fields. In this study, the content of five active components and seven endogenous phytohormones in cultivated G. uralensis (two-year-old) were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), respectively. Furthermore, different concentrations (25-200 mg/L) of exogenous abscisic acid (ABA) were sprayed on the leaves of G. uralensis in the fast growing period. Results showed that ABA, zeatin riboside (ZR), and dihydrozeatin riboside (DHZR) had strong correlation with active components. In addition, the content of five active components increased remarkably after ABA treatment. Our results indicate that ABA is significantly related to the accumulation of active components in G. uralensis, and the application of exogenous ABA at the proper concentration is able to promote the accumulation of main components in G. uralensis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The traditional medicine licorice is the most widely consumed herbal product in the world. Although much research work on studying the changes in the active compounds of licorice has been reported, there are still many areas, such as the dynamic accumulation of secondary metabolites in licorice, that need to be further studied. In this study, the secondary metabolites from licorice under two different methods of stress were investigated by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with hybrid linear ion trap-Orbitrap mass spectrometry (UHPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap-MS). A complex continuous coordination of flavonoids and triterpenoids in a network was modulated by different methods of stress during growth. The results showed that a total of 51 secondary metabolites were identified in licorice under ABA stress. The partial least squares-discriminate analysis (PLS-DA) revealed the distinction of obvious compounds among stress-specific districts relative to ABA stress. The targeted results showed that there were significant differences in the accumulation patterns of the deeply targeted 41 flavonoids and 10 triterpenoids compounds by PCA and PLS-DA analyses. To survey the effects of flavonoid and triterpenoid metabolism under ABA stress, we inspected the stress-specific metabolic changes. Our study testified that the majority of flavonoids and triterpenoids were elevated in licorice under ABA stress, while the signature metabolite affecting the dynamic accumulation of secondary metabolites was detected. Taken together, our results suggest that ABA-specific metabolite profiling dynamically changed in terms of the biosynthesis of flavonoids and triterpenoids, which may offer new trains of thought on the regular pattern of dynamic accumulation of secondary metabolites in licorice at the metabolite level. Our results also provide a reference for clinical applications and directional planting and licorice breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi (Lamiaceae) is the source of the well-known traditional Chinese medicine "HuangQin" (Radix Scutellariae). Natural sources of S. baicalensis are rapidly declining due to high market demand and overexploitation. Moreover, the commercial products of Radix Scutellariae have often been found to contain adulterants in recent years, which may give rise to issues regarding drug efficacy and safety. In this study, we developed valuable chloroplast molecular resources by comparing intraspecific and interspecific chloroplast genome. The S. baicalensis chloroplast genome is a circular molecule consisting of two single-copy regions separated by a pair of inverted repeats. Comparative analyses of three Scutellaria chloroplast genomes revealed six variable regions (trnH-psbA, trnK-rps16, petN-psbM, trnT-trnL, petA-psbJ, and ycf1) that could be used as DNA barcodes. There were 25 single nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs) and 29 indels between the two S. baicalensis genotypes. All of the indels occurred within non-coding regions. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that Scutellarioideae is a sister taxon to Lamioideae. These resources could be used to explore the variation present in Scutellaria populations and for further evolutionary, phylogenetic, barcoding and genetic engineering studies, in addition to effective exploration and conservation of S. baicalensis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Golden cuttlefish Sepia esculenta Hoyle is an economically important cephalopod species. However, artificial hatching is currently challenged by low survival rate of larvae due to abnormal embryonic development. Dissecting the genetic foundation and regulatory mechanisms in embryonic development requires genomic background knowledge. Therefore, we carried out a transcriptome sequencing on Sepia embryos and larvae via mRNA-Seq. 32,597,241 raw reads were filtered and assembled into 98,615 unigenes (N50 length at 911 bp) which were annotated in NR database, GO and KEGG databases respectively. Digital gene expression analysis was carried out on cleavage stage embryos, healthy larvae and malformed larvae. Unigenes functioning in cell proliferation exhibited higher transcriptional levels at cleavage stage while those related to animal disease and organ development showed increased transcription in malformed larvae. Homologs of key genes in regulatory pathways related to early development of animals were identified in Sepia. Most of them exhibit higher transcriptional levels in cleavage stage than larvae, suggesting their potential roles in embryonic development of Sepia. The de novo assembly of Sepia transcriptome is fundamental genetic background for further exploration in Sepia research. Our demonstration on the transcriptional variations of genes in three developmental stages will provide new perspectives in understanding the molecular mechanisms in early embryonic development of cuttlefish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Strain engineering" has been widely used to tailor the physical properties of layered materials, like graphene, black phosphorus, and transition-metal dichalcogenides. Here, we exploit thermal strain engineering to construct two dimensional (2D) WS2 in-plane heterojunctions. Kelvin probe force microscopy is used to investigate the surface potentials and work functions of few-layer WS2 flakes, which are grown on SiO2/Si substrates by chemical vapor deposition, followed by a fast cooling process. In the interior regions of strained WS2 flakes, work functions are found to be much larger than that of the unstrained regions. The difference in work functions, together with the variation of band gaps, endows the formation of heterojunctions in the boundaries between inner and outer domains of WS2 flakes. This result reveals that the existence of strain offers a unique opportunity to modulate the electronic properties of 2D materials and construct 2D lateral heterojunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To study the effects of superphosphate (SP) on the NH3 and greenhouse gas emissions, vegetatile waste composting was performed for 27 days using 6 different treatments. In addition to the controls, five vegetable waste mixtures (0.77 m3 each) were treated with different amounts of the SP additive, namely, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20% and 25%. The ammonia volatilization loss and greenhouse gas emissions were measured during composting. Results indicated that the SP additive significantly decreased the ammonia volatilization and greenhouse gas emissions during vegetable waste composting. The additive reduced the total NH3 emission by 4.0% to 16.7%. The total greenhouse gas emissions (CO2-eq) of all treatments with SP additives were decreased by 10.2% to 20.8%, as compared with the controls. The NH3 emission during vegetable waste composting had the highest contribution to the greenhouse effect caused by the four different gases. The amount of NH3 (CO2-eq) from each treatment ranged from 59.90 to 81.58 kg/t; NH3 (CO2-eq) accounted for 69% to 77% of the total emissions from the four gases. Therefore, SP is a cost-effective phosphorus-based fertilizer that can be used as an additive during vegetable waste composting to reduce the NH3 and greenhouse gas emissions as well as to improve the value of compost as a fertilizer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to drug-induced potential congestive heart failure and irreversible dilated cardiomyopathies, preclinical evaluation of cardiac dysfunction is important to assess the safety of traditional or novel treatments. The embryos of Nelumbo nucifera Gaertner seeds are a homology of traditional Chinese medicine and food. In this study, we applied the real time cellular analysis (RTCA) Cardio system, which can real-time monitor the contractility of cardiomyocytes (CMs), to evaluate drug safety in rat neonatal CMs and human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPS-CMs). This study showed detailed biomechanical CM contractility in vitro, and provided insights into the cardiac dysfunctions associated with liensinine and neferine treatment. These effects exhibited dose and time-dependent recovery. Neferine showed stronger blocking effect in rat neonatal CMs than liensinine. In addition, the effects of liensinine and neferine were further evaluated on hiPS-CMs. Our study also indicated that both liensinine and neferine can cause disruption of calcium homeostasis. For the first time, we demonstrated the potential cardiac side effects of liensinine or neferine. While the same inhibition was observed on hiPS-CMs, more importantly, this study introduced an efficient and effective approach to evaluate the cardiotoxicity of the existing and novel drug candidates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioconcentrations of tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TDCIPP) in brain, gonad, and liver as well as effects on fecundity and development of zebrafish (Danio rerio) were determined. Zebrafish (1-month old) were exposed to environmentally relevant concentrations of 29 ± 2.1, 600 ± 21, or 6300 ± 130 ng TDCIPP/L. After 120 days of exposure, TDCIPP accumulated in the brain, gonad, and liver with bioconcentration factors of 460, 38, and 87 in females and 26, 55, and 110 in males, respectively. TDCIPP accumulated to a greater extent in brains of females than those of males. Exposure to 6300 ± 130 ng TDCIPP/L resulted in significantly (P < 0.05) fewer eggs being produced, but the histology of the gonad, plasma concentrations of estradiol and 11-ketotestosterone, and expression of genes involved in hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal-liver axis were not significantly (P > 0.05) different between individuals exposed to TDCIPP and the unexposed control fish. Exposure to TDCIPP resulted in shorter body length, lighter body mass, and lower gonadal-somatic index in females. These effects were possibly due to down-regulation of expression of genes along the growth hormone/insulin-like growth factor (GH/IGF) axis. Correlations between the production of eggs and developmental parameters or expression of genes along the GH/IGF axis further suggested that environmentally relevant concentrations of TDCIPP could have adverse effects on reproduction, possibly due to the inhibition of the growth of females. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The synthetic flame retardant tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TDCIPP) has been frequently detected in natural waters, and its maximum concentration ever reported is 377 ng/L. However, information on the adverse effects of environmentally relevant concentrations of TDCIPP on aquatic organisms are totally unknown. In this study, <12-h old water fleas, D. magna, were exposed to concentrations of 0, 65 ± 7.1, 550 ± 33, or 6500 ± 1400 ng/L TDCIPP, and dose- and time-dependent effects on reproduction and development were evaluated. Sequences of genes of D. magna were obtained from the National Center for Biotechnology Information and were used to develop PCR arrays for D. magna. Arrays were then used to study transcriptional responses of D. magna to TDCIPP. Exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations of TDCIPP significantly decreased fecundity as well as length of F0 and F1 generations. Transcriptional responses showed that, of the 155 genes tested, expressions of 57 genes were significantly changed, and some changes occurred following exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations (i.e., 65 ± 7.1 and 550 ± 23 ng/L). Furthermore, pathways related to protein synthesis and metabolism and endocytosis were considered to be significantly affected in a dose- and time-dependent manner and might be responsible for TDCIPP-induced reproductive and developmental toxicities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

2,2',4,4'-Tetrabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-47), 6-hydroxy-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (6-OH-BDE-47), and 6-methoxy-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (6-MeO-BDE-47) are the most detected congeners of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), OH-BDEs, and MeO-BDEs, respectively, in aquatic organisms. Although it has been demonstrated that BDE-47 can interfere with certain endocrine functions that are mediated through several nuclear hormone receptors (NRs), most of these findings were from mammalian cell lines exposed in vitro. In the present study, embryos and larvae of zebrafish were exposed to BDE-47, 6-OH-BDE-47, and 6-MeO-BDE-47 to compare their accumulation, biotransformation, and bioconcentration factors (BCF) from 4 to 120 hpf. In addition, effects on expression of genes associated with eight different pathways regulated by NRs were investigated at 120 hpf. 6-MeO-BDE-47 was most bioaccumulated and 6-OH-BDE-47, which was the most potent BDE, was least bioaccumulated. Moreover, the amount of 6-MeO-BDE-47, but not BDE-47, transformed to 6-OH-BDE-47 increased in a time-dependent manner, approximately 0.01%, 0.04%, and 0.08% at 48, 96, and 120 hpf, respectively. Expression of genes regulated by the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), estrogen receptor (ER), and mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) was affected in larvae exposed to 6-OH-BDE-47, whereas genes regulated by AhR, ER, and the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) were altered in larvae exposed to BDE-47. The greatest effect on expression of genes was observed in larvae exposed to 6-MeO-BDE-47. Specifically, 6-MeO-BDE-47 affected the expression of genes regulated by AhR, ER, AR, GR, and thyroid hormone receptor alpha (TRα). These pathways were mostly down-regulated at 2.5 µM. Taken together, these results demonstrate the importance of usage of an internal dose to assess the toxic effects of PBDEs. BDE-47 and its analogs elicited distinct effects on expression of genes of different hormone receptor-mediated pathways, which have expanded the knowledge of different mechanisms of endocrine disrupting effects in aquatic vertebrates. Because some of these homologues are natural products, assessments of risks of anthropogenic PBDE need to be made against the background of concentrations from naturally occurring products. Even though PBDEs are being phased out as flame retardants, the natural products remain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TDCPP) is frequently present in indoor dust and can be detected in human milk. In order to evaluate the effects of TDCPP on vertebrate development, zebrafish embryos/larvae were used as an animal model to examine developmental phenotypes and explore possible mechanisms of toxicity by employing microarrays and iTRAQ labeling quantitative proteomics. The results demonstrated that treatment with TDCPP (3 μM) from 0.75 h postfertilization (hpf) inhibited cell rearrangement at 4 hpf, caused delay in epiboly at 5.7 and 8.5 hpf, and led to abnormal development (e.g., short tail, reduced body size) and lethality between 14 and 45 hpf, which might be related with altered expression of genes regulating embryogenesis. Furthermore, trunk curvature was observed as the main phenotype in 96 hpf zebrafish larvae exposed to 1 or 3 μM TDCPP, possibly by changing somite formation and expression of proteins related to fast muscle and cartilage development. Collectively, our results suggest that exposure to TDCPP causes developmental toxicity in vertebrates and warrant the need for studies to evaluate the potential health risks of TDCPP to developing human embryos/infants/children, due to its frequent presence in indoor dust and potential for human exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Administration of endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) is a promising therapy for post-infarction cardiac repair. However, the mechanisms that underlie apparent beneficial effects on myocardial remodeling are unclear. In a porcine model of acute myocardial infarction, we investigated the therapeutic effects of a mixed population of culture modified peripheral blood mononuclear cells (termed hereafter porcine EPC). Porcine EPC were isolated using methods identical to those previously adopted for harvest of EPC in human cell therapy studies. In addition the therapeutic effects of paracrine factors secreted by these cells was evaluated in vitroand in vivo. Intracoronary injection of autologous porcine EPC was associated with increased infarct territory mass and improved regional ventricular systolic function at 2 months compared to control. Treatment with conditioned media derived from autologous EPC was associated with similar improved effects on infarct territory mass and function. Histologic analysis of the infarct territory revealed significantly increased cardiomyocyte size in EPC and conditioned media treated groups, when compared to controls. A paracrine EPC effect was also verified in a pure myocardial preparation in which cardiomyocytes devoid of fibroblast, neuronal and vascular elements directly responded by increasing cell mass when exposed to the same conditioned media. Analysis of conditioned media revealed elevated levels of TGF1 (human 267.3±11.8 pg/ml, porcine 57.1±6.1 pg/ml), a recognized mediator of hypertrophic signaling in the heart. Neutralizing antibodies to TGF1 attenuated the pro-hypertrophic effect of conditioned media, and use of recombinant TGF1 added to fresh media replicated the pro-hypertrophic effects of conditioned media in vitro. These data demonstrate the potential of paracrine factors secreted from endothelial progenitor cells to induce cardiomyocyte hypertrophy contributing to increased infarct territory LV mass, with favorable medium term effects on regional function following myocardial infarction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The principle of solving multiobjective optimization problems with fuzzy sets theory is studied. Membership function is the key to introduce the fuzzy sets theory to multiobjective optimization. However, it is difficult to determine membership functions in engineering applications. On the basis of rapid quadratic optimization in the learning of weights, simplification in hardware as well as in computational procedures of functional-link net, discrete membership functions are used as sample training data. When the network converges, the continuous membership functions implemented with the network. Membership functions based on functional-link net have been used in multiobjective optimization. An example is given to illustrate the method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]