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Since hydrate resources play a part of the stratigraphic framework structure in sediments, establishing a safe and economic method for hydrates exploitation remains the primary challenge to this day. Among the proposed methods, the spontaneous displacement of CH4 from hydrate cages by CO2 seems to be a perfect mechanism to address gas production and CO2 storage, especially in today's strong demand for carbon reduction and replacing clean energy. After extensive lab researches, in the past decade, injecting a mixture of CO2 and small molecule gas has become a key means to enhance displacement efficiency and has great potential for application. However, there is a lack of in-depth research on gas flow in the reservoir, while the injected gas always passes through low-saturated hydrate areas with high permeability and then occurs gas channel in a short term, finally resulting in the decreases in gas production efficiency and produced gas quality. Therefore, we explored a new injection-production mode of alternate injection of N2 and CO2 in order to fully coordinate the advantages of N2 in enhanced hydrate decomposition and CO2 in solid storage and heat compensation. These alternate "taking" and "storing" processes perfectly repair the problem of the gas channel, achieving self-regulation effect of CH4 recovery and CO2 storage. The 3-D experimental results show that compared to the mixed gas injection, CH4 recovery is increased by >50% and CO2 storage is increased by >70%. Additionally, this alternate injection mode presented a better performance in CH4 concentration of produced gas and showed outstanding N2 utilization efficiency. Further, we analyzed its self-adaptive gas flow mechanism and proposed an application model of "one injection and multiple production". We look forward to this study accelerating the application of CO2-CH4 replacement technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's rural revitalization strategy has expanded non-agricultural employment opportunities for rural residents. This has directly raised farmers' incomes and household expenditures, which in turn has contributed to the upgrading of industrial structure. Using provincial data for 2012–2021, our study investigates how this employment transition affects industrial development. The effect of rural residents' consumption expenditures on this relationship is also explored through a linkage model to help measure the extent of the impact. This study further explores the regional differences in this effect and its robustness. The findings suggest that non-farm employment significantly contributes to industrial structural upgrading. However, this effect is not consistent across regions. Moreover, rural residents' consumption plays a pivotal role in this relationship. Governments should therefore encourage more non-farm jobs, stimulate domestic demand and use rural consumption as a key growth catalyst, especially after the demographic dividend disappears. It is also important to take into account regional nuances in policy formulation and make adjustments to cater for these differences to prevent any potential imbalances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methane (CH4) is an important greenhouse gas, but its behavior and influencing factors over geological time scales are not sufficiently clear. This study investigated the Late Paleozoic Ice Age (LPIA), which is thought to have experienced an interval of rapid warming at ca. 304 Ma, that may have been analogous to modern warming. To explore possible causes of this warming event, we investigated ancient alkaline lakes in the Junggar Basin, northwestern China. Results show that microbial CH4 cycling here was strong, as evidenced by carbonate d13C (d13Ccarb) values of >5‰, ~+0.6‰ offsets between pristane d13C (d13CPr) and phytane d13C (d13CPh) values, a 3ß-methylhopane index of 9.5% ± 3.0%, and highly negative d13C values of hopanes (-44‰ to -61‰). Low sulfate concentrations in the alkaline lakes made methanogenic archaea more competitive than sulfate-reducing bacteria, and the elevated levels of dissolved inorganic carbon promoted methanogenesis. Biogenic CH4 emissions from alkaline lakes, in addition to CO2, may have contributed to rapid climate warming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In addition to the temperature and pressure conditions, the pore fluid composition and migration behavior are also crucial to control hydrate decomposition in the exploitation process. In this work, to investigate the effects of these factors, a series of depressurization experiments were carried out in a visible one-dimensional reactor, using hydrate reservoir samples with water saturations ranging from 20% to 65%. The results showed a linear relationship between gas production rates and gas saturations of the reservoir, suggesting that a larger gas-phase space was conducive to hydrate decomposition and gas outflow. Therefore, the rapid water production in the early stage of hydrate exploitation could release more gas-phase space in the water-rich reservoir, which in turn improved the gas production efficiency. Meanwhile, the spatiotemporal evolution of pore fluids could lead to partial accelerated decomposition or secondary formation of hydrates. In the unsealed reservoir, the peripheral water infiltration kept reservoir at a high water saturation, which hindered the overall production process and caused higher water production. Importantly, depressurization assisted with the N2 sweep could displace the pore water rapidly. According to the results, it is recommended that using the short-term N2 sweep as an auxiliary means in the early stage of depressurization to expand the gas-phase space in order to achieve the highest production efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shale oil is becoming increasingly important in the global energy market, but its accumulation mechanism is not fully understood. We present novel and direct fluid inclusion data from the Lower Permian Fengcheng Formation, Mahu Sag, Junggar Basin, northwest China. Shortite veins in this source rock contain abundant two-phase gas-liquid hydrocarbon inclusions and coeval aqueous inclusions. The inclusions have highly variable degrees of bubble filling (5-80 vol% vapor) and homogenization temperature differences between oil and aqueous inclusions (-50 °C), which demonstrate that fluid (oil-gas-water) immiscibility occurred at high pressures. The hydrocarbon inclusions record different levels of fluid overpressure (32.9--43.0 MPa), with a paleopressure coefficient of 1.3--1.7. Episodic fluid overpressure release resulted in shale oil accumulation, with faults/fractures acting as important migration pathways. Oil from deeper and more mature source rocks within the Fengcheng Formation was expelled upward to the shale oil reservoir. These processes are common and important in shale oil systems. These results show that the accumulation of unconventional hydrocarbons occurs pervasively within the reservoirs, and fluid displacement is critical in exploration and exploitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gaussian process (GP) regression is a exible, nonparametric approach to regression that naturally quantifies uncertainty. In many applications, the number of responses and covariates are both large, and a goal is to select covariates that are related to the response. For this setting, we propose a novel, scalable algorithm, coined VGPR, which optimizes a penalized GP log-likelihood based on the Vecchia GP approximation, an ordered conditional approximation from spatial statistics that implies a sparse Cholesky factor of the precision matrix. We traverse the regularization path from strong to weak penalization, sequentially adding candidate covariates based on the gradient of the log-likelihood and deselecting irrelevant covariates via a new quadratic constrained coordinate descent algorithm. We propose Vecchia-based mini-batch subsampling, which provides unbiased gradient estimators. The resulting procedure is scalable to millions of responses and thousands of covariates. Theoretical analysis and numerical studies demonstrate the improved scalability and accuracy relative to existing methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite a lack of mutations, accumulating evidence supports an important role for the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in ovarian tumorigenesis. However, the molecular mechanism that contributes to the aberrant activation of the Wnt signaling cascade in ovarian cancer has not been fully elucidated. Here, we found that protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor type R (PTPRR) suppressed the activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in ovarian cancer. We performed an shRNA-based biochemical screen, which identified PTPRR as being responsible for tyrosine dephosphorylation of β-catenin on Tyr-142, a key site controlling the transcriptional activity of β-catenin. Of note, PTPRR was down-regulated in ovarian cancers, and ectopic PTPRR re-expression delayed ovarian cancer cell growth both in vitro and in vivo. Using a proximity-based tagging system and RNA-Seq analysis, we identified a signaling nexus that includes PTPRR, -catenin, β-catenin, E-cadherin, and AT-rich interaction domain 3C (ARID3C) in ovarian cancer. Immunohistochemistry staining of human samples further suggested that PTPRR expression is inversely correlated with disease prognosis. Collectively, our findings indicate that PTPRR functions as a tumor suppressor in ovarian cancer by dephosphorylating and inactivating β-catenin. These results suggest that PTPRR expression might have utility as a prognostic marker for predicting overall survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fractal image compression coding algorithm is a novel image compression technology; however, the long encoding time and unacceptable image reconstruction quality remain the primary obstacles in practical application. The purpose of this study is to improve the coding quality from the perspective of grey level transform and feature extraction. In this study, a novel orthogonal sparse fractal coding algorithm based on image texture feature is proposed. The authors define a normalised version as the new grey description feature of the image block so that two improved methods are scientifically combined in theory and algorithm. First, orthogonal sparse grey level transform based on sparse decomposition improves image reconstruction quality and decoding speed. Then, the similarity measure matrix, which stores the variance feature between range blocks and domain blocks, is used to reduce redundancies and encoding time. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm in this study can obtain better image reconstruction quality and speed up encoding time significantly as compared to the conventional fractal coding schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To study the role of heart and neural crest derivatives expressed 1 (HAND1) and cystathionine-beta-synthase (CBS) in the maintenance of cardiac architecture following high fat dietinduced obesity. Methods: Mouse models of initial and critical heart disease were established by continuous feeding of high fat diet for 7 and 12 months, respectively. The expression of HAND1 and CBS were assayed using immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. Results: Obesity led to mild and severe forms of heart disease which were confirmed through histological imaging. Initial obesity resulted in cardiac tissue remodeling along with initial degeneration, while critical obesity resulted in tissue hardening. The expression of HAND1 was upregulated 4.3 folds in the mild form of cardiac failure, relative to marginal expression pattern of HAND1 in control tissue. However, as the disease progressed, the expression of HAND1 was limited in serve form of cardiac failure. Moreover, the expression of cystathionine beta-synthase (CBS) was upregulated 3.7-fold in the initial form of heart failure, but was subsequently reduced in serve form of heart disease. Conclusion: These results reveal that in high fat diet-induced cardiac stress, the over-expressions of HAND1 and CBS at the initial stages induce extensive alterations in cardiac architecture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autophagy, an innate cellular destructive mechanism, plays crucial roles in plant development and responses to stress. Autophagy is known to be stimulated or suppressed by multiple molecular processes, but the role of phytohormone signaling in autophagy is unclear. Here, we demonstrate that the transcripts of autophagy-related genes (ATGs) and the formation of autophagosomes are triggered by enhanced levels of brassinosteroid (BR). Furthermore, the BR-activated transcription factor brassinazole-resistant1 (BZR1), a positive regulator of the BR signaling pathway, is involved in BR-induced autophagy. Treatment with BR enhanced the formation of autophagosomes and the transcripts of ATGs in BZR1-overexpressing plants, while the effects of BR were compromised in BZR1-silenced plants. Yeast one-hybrid analysis and chromatin immunoprecipitation coupled with quantitative polymerase chain reaction revealed that BZR1 bound to the promoters of ATG2 and ATG6. The BR-induced formation of autophagosomes decreased in ATG2- and ATG6-silenced plants. Moreover, exogenous application of BR enhanced chlorophyll content and autophagosome formation and decreased the accumulation of ubiquitinated proteins under nitrogen starvation. Leaf chlorosis and chlorophyll degradation were exacerbated in BZR1-silenced plants and the BR biosynthetic mutant dim but were alleviated in BZR1- and BZR1-1D-overexpressing plants under nitrogen starvation. Meanwhile, nitrogen starvation-induced expression of ATGs and autophagosome formation were compromised in both BZR1-silenced and dim plants but were increased in BZR1- and BZR1-1D-overexpressing plants. Taken together, our results suggest that BZR1-dependent BR signaling up-regulates the expression of ATGs and autophagosome formation, which plays a critical role in the plant response to nitrogen starvation in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology Earth System Model version 3 (NESM v3) has been developed, aiming to provide a numerical modeling platform for cross-disciplinary earth system studies, project future Earth's climate and environment changes, as well conduct subseasonal-to-seasonal prediction. While the previous model version NESM v1 simulates well the internal modes of climate variability, it has no vegetation dynamics and suffers considerable radiative energy imbalance at the top of the atmosphere and surface, resulting in large biases in the global mean surface air temperature, which limit its utility to simulate past and project future climate changes. The NESM v3 upgraded the atmospheric and land surface model components and improved physical parameterization and conservation of coupling variables. Here we describe the new version's basic features and how the major improvements were made. We demonstrate the v3 model's fidelity and suitability to address the global climate variability and change issues. The 500-year PI experiment shows negligible trends in the net heat flux at the top of atmosphere and the Earth surface. Consistently, the simulated global mean surface air temperature, land surface temperature and sea surface temperature (SST) are all in a quasi-equilibrium state. The conservation of global water is demonstrated by the stable evolution of the global mean precipitation, sea surface salinity (SSS) and sea water salinity. The sea ice extents (SIEs), as a major indication of high latitude climate, also maintain a balanced state. The simulated spatial patterns of the mean outgoing longwave radiation, SST, precipitation, SSS fields are realistic, but the model suffers from a cold bias in the North Atlantic, a warm bias in the Southern Ocean and associated deficient Antarctic sea ice area, as well as a delicate sign of the double ITCZ syndrome. The estimate radiative forcing of quadrupling carbon dioxide is about 7.24 W m-2, yielding a climate sensitivity feedback parameter of -0.98 W m-2 K-1, and the equilibrium climate sensitivity is 3.69 K. The transient climate response from the 1 pct/year increasing CO2 experiment is 2.16 K. The model's performance on internal modes and responses to external forcing during the historical period will be documented in an accompanying paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have previously reported that epoxyeicosatrienoic acid (EET) has multiple beneficial effects on vascular function; in addition to its antiapoptotic action, it increases insulin sensitivity and inhibits inflammation. To uncover the signaling mechanisms by which EET reduces cardiomyopathy, we hypothesized that EET infusion might ameliorate obesity-induced cardiomyopathy by improving heme oxygenase (HO)-1, Wnt1, thermogenic gene levels, and mitochondrial integrity in cardiac tissues and improved pericardial fat phenotype. EET reduced levels of fasting blood glucose and proinflammatory adipokines, including nephroblastoma overexpressed (NOV) signaling, while increasing echocardiographic fractional shortening and O2 consumption. Of interest, we also noted a marked improvement in mitochondrial integrity, thermogenic genes, and Wnt 1 and HO-1 signaling mechanisms. Knockout of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α coactivator-1α (PGC-1α) in EETtreated mice resulted in a reversal of these beneficial effects including a decrease in myocardial Wnt1 and HO-1 expression and an increase in NOV. To further elucidate the effects of EET on pericardial adipose tissues, we observed EET treatment increases in adiponectin, PGC-1α, phospho-AMP-activated protein kinase, insulin receptor phosphorylation, and thermogenic genes, resulting in a "browning" pericardial adipose phenotype under high-fat diets. Collectively, these experiments demonstrate that an EET agonist increased Wnt1 and HO-1 signaling while decreasing NOV pathways and the progression of cardiomyopathy. Furthermore, this report presents a portal into potential therapeutic approaches for the treatment of heart failure and metabolic syndrome. NEW & NOTEWORTHY The mechanism by which EET acts on obesity-induced cardiomyopathy is unknown. Here, we describe a previously unrecognized function of EET infusion that inhibits nephroblastoma overexpressed (NOV) levels and activates Wnt1, hence identifying NOV inhibition and enhanced Wnt1 expression as novel pharmacological targets for the prevention and treatment of cardiomyopathy and heart failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have previously reported that epoxyeicosatrienoic acid (EET) has multiple beneficial effects on vascular function; in addition to its antiapoptotic action, it increases insulin sensitivity and inhibits inflammation. To uncover the signaling mechanisms by which EET reduces cardiomyopathy, we hypothesized that EET infusion might ameliorate obesity-induced cardiomyopathy by improving heme oxygenase (HO)-1, Wnt1, thermogenic gene levels, and mitochondrial integrity in cardiac tissues and improved pericardial fat phenotype. EET reduced levels of fasting blood glucose and proinflammatory adipokines, including nephroblastoma overexpressed (NOV) signaling, while increasing echocardiographic fractional shortening and O2 consumption. Of interest, we also noted a marked improvement in mitochondrial integrity, thermogenic genes, and Wnt 1 and HO-1 signaling mechanisms. Knockout of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α) in EETtreated mice resulted in a reversal of these beneficial effects including a decrease in myocardial Wnt1 and HO-1 expression and an increase in NOV. To further elucidate the effects of EET on pericardial adipose tissues, we observed EET treatment increases in adiponectin, PGC-1α, phospho-AMP-activated protein kinase, insulin receptor phosphorylation, and thermogenic genes, resulting in a "browning" pericardial adipose phenotype under high-fat diets. Collectively, these experiments demonstrate that an EET agonist increased Wnt1 and HO-1 signaling while decreasing NOV pathways and the progression of cardiomyopathy. Furthermore, this report presents a portal into potential therapeutic approaches for the treatment of heart failure and metabolic syndrome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By means of finite differences and partial fraction decomposition, we establish two binomial transformations, that extend, with four free parameters, the recent results due to Prodinger (2010) and Dahlberg-Ferdinands-Tefera (2010). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most mineralized porphyries associated with large to giant oxidized porphyry Cu deposits show an affinity with high Sr/Y rocks, while barren or weakly mineralized granitoids show typical low Sr/Y features. The Aktogai giant porphyry Cu deposit occurs in the Koldar pluton and provides a good natural laboratory in which to investigate this relationship, while determining the petrogenesis of the pluton and its mineralization. Zircon U-Pb dating, mineral chemistry, whole rock geochemistry and Sr-Nd-Pb and zircon Hf-O isotopic analyses were carried out on the pre-ore granodiorite (the major component of the Koldar pluton) and on the mineralized granodiorite porphyry. Zircon U-Pb ages indicate that the pre-ore granodiorite and mineralized granodiorite porphyries were emplaced at 345 and 328 to 331 Ma, respectively. Distinctly higher apatite SO3 contents in the granodiorite porphyry relative to the granodiorite suggest an increase in fO2 during the petrogenesis of the mineralized porphyries (>NNO+1). Although all rocks share similar geochemical characteristics (calc-alkaline, strong depletion in Nb, Ta and Ti, and enrichment in LREE and LILE), the pre-ore Koldar pluton has normal arc related magmatic features [low Sr/Y and (La/Yb)N, high Y and YbN], while the granodiorite porphyries and diorite (trace component of Koldar pluton) exhibit high Sr/Y and (La/Yb) N, low Y and YbN features. All samples show similar Sr-Nd-Pb-Hf-O isotopic compositions [(87 Sr/86 Sr)i = 0.70369 to 0.70413, εNd (t) = 3.6 to + 5.6, (206 Pb/204 Pb)i = 18.16 to 19.32, zircon εHf (t) = + 11.8 to + 15.9, and δ18O = + 3.8 to + 5.9‰], and very young whole rock T2DM (Nd) (640 - 680 Ma) and zircon TDM C (Hf) (320 - 590 Ma) values, suggesting that they were probably derived from partial melting of juvenile lower crust. Geochemical patterns and partial melt modeling indicate that the high Sr/Y rocks were probably formed by partial melting of eclogitized, thickened lower crust, while the Koldar pluton formed by partial melting of normal thick lower crust. We propose that pre-ore low Sr/Y rocks were probably generated earlier via subduction of Junggar-Balkhash oceanic crust, and that the high Sr/Y rocks were formed later by partial melting of sulfide-enriched, thickened juvenile lower crust. High oxygen fugacity and the high melting temperature of the high Sr/Y rocks ensured that all sulfide was dissolved in the magma, which intruded the previously emplaced low Sr/Y pluton and resulted in significant mineralization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyber Physical Social Sensing makes mobile social networks (MSNs) popular with users. However, such attacks are rampant as malicious URLs are spread covertly through quick response (QR) codes to control compromised accounts in MSNs to propagate malicious messages. Currently, there are generally two types of methods to identify compromised accounts in MSNs: one type is to analyze the potential threats on wireless access points and the potential threats on handheld devices’ operation systems so as to stop compromised accounts from spreading malicious messages; the other type is to apply the method of detecting compromised accounts in online social networks to MSNs. The above types of methods above focus neither on the problems of MSNs themselves nor on the interaction of sensors’ messages, which leads to the restrictiveness of platforms and the simplification of methods. In order to stop the spreading of compromised accounts in MSNs effectively, the attacks have to be traced to their sources first. Through sensors, users exchange information in MSNs and acquire information by scanning QR codes. Therefore, analyzing the traces of sensor-related information helps to identify the compromised accounts in MSNs. This paper analyzes the diversity of information sending modes of compromised accounts and normal accounts, analyzes the regularity of GPS (Global Positioning System)-based location information, and introduces the concepts of entropy and conditional entropy so as to construct an entropy-based model based on machine learning strategies. To achieve the goal, about 500,000 accounts of Sina Weibo and about 100 million corresponding messages are collected. Through the validation, the accuracy rate of the model is proved to be as high as 87.6%, and the false positive rate is only 3.7%. Meanwhile, the comparative experiments of the feature sets prove that sensor-based location information can be applied to detect the compromised accounts in MSNs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Females can differentially deposit the immune factor lysozyme into eggs based on conditions of local breeding density and laying order. Materials: We collected 80 eggs from Great Cormorants (Phalacrocorax carbo) and then analyzed whether the level of lysozymes in the eggs is related to breeding density and laying order. Results: Between clutches, the level of lysozyme in eggs is positively related to breeding density; while within a clutch, the level of lysozyme is positively related to the laying order. Conclusion: When parents breed under conditions of high density, they allocate more lysozymes to their offspring, a trait adaptive to the local environment. That the increase in the level of lysozymes is a function of the laying order seems a necessary condition to mitigate the hierarchy among siblings for improving the survival of the entire clutch. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mechanisms for electroacupuncture (EA) in disease treatments are still enigmatic. Here, we studied whether hippocampus was involved in the protection of EA stimulation on myocardial ischemia injury. Acute myocardial ischemia (AMI) model was produced. EA stimulation at heart meridian from Shenmen (HT7) to Tongli (HT5) was applied to rats 3 times a day for continuous three days. Coronary occlusion related tachycardia and hypotension, indicated by heart rate, mean arterial pressure, and rate pressure product, were apparently impaired after AMI injury. By contrast, EA stimulating could ameliorate the impairments of heart function (P < 0.05). Interestingly, lesion of CA1 region of hippocampus abolished the protection of EA. Neuronal activity in CA1 area was affected by AMI. As evidenced, cell counts, cell types, and frequency of the discharged neurons were facilitated after AMI, while EA stimulation attenuated the abnormalities. Furthermore, c-Fos expression was significantly facilitated in CA1 area after AMI, which was reduced by EA stimulation. Correlations were established between c-Fos expression and cell counts of discharged neurons, as well as between heart function and cell counts of discharged neurons. Taken together, EA stimulation at heart meridian protects against heart dysfunction induced by AMI possibly through suppressing the neuronal activity in CA1 region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Welding and joining of titanium aluminides is the key to making them more attractive in industrial fields. The purpose of this review is to provide a comprehensive overview of recent progress in welding and joining of titanium aluminides, as well as to introduce current research and application. The possible methods available for titanium aluminides involve brazing, diffusion bonding, fusion welding, friction welding and reactive joining. Of the numerous methods, solid-state diffusion bonding and vacuum brazing have been most heavily investigated for producing reliable joints. The current state of understanding and development of every welding and joining method for titanium aluminides is addressed respectively. The focus is on the fundamental understanding of microstructure characteristics and processing-microstructure-property relationships in the welding and joining of titanium aluminides to themselves and to other materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The JmjC domain-containing H3K4 histone demethylase jumonji AT-rich interactive domain 1B (JARID1B) (also known as KDM5B and PLU1) is overexpressed in breast cancer and is a potential target for breast cancer treatment. To investigate the in vivo function of JARID1B, we developed Jarid1b-/- mice and characterized their phenotypes in detail. Unlike previously reported Jarid1b-/- strains, the majority of these Jarid1b-/- mice were viable beyond embryonic and neonatal stages. This allowed us to further examine phenotypes associated with the loss of JARID1B in pubertal development and pregnancy. These Jarid1b-/- mice exhibited decreased body weight, premature mortality, decreased female fertility, and delayed mammary gland development. Related to these phenotypes, JARID1B loss decreased serum estrogen level and reduced mammary epithelial cell proliferation in early puberty. In mammary epithelial cells, JARID1B loss diminished the expression of key regulators for mammary morphogenesis and luminal lineage specification, including FOXA1 and estrogen receptor α. Mechanistically, JARID1B was required for GATA3 recruitment to the Foxa1 promoter to activate Foxa1 expression. These results indicate that JARID1B positively regulates mammary ductal development through both extrinsic and cell-autonomous mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insulin-producing cells (IPCs) in the Drosophila brain produce and release insulin-like peptides (ILPs) to the hemolymph. ILPs are crucial for growth and regulation of metabolic activity in flies, functions analogous to those of mammalian insulin and insulin-like growth factors (IGFs). To identify components functioning in IPCs to control ILP production, we employed genomic and candidate gene approaches. We used laser microdissection and messenger RNA sequencing to characterize the transcriptome of larval IPCs. IPCs highly express many genes homologous to genes active in insulin-producing β-cells of the mammalian pancreas. The genes in common encode ILPs and proteins that control insulin metabolism, storage, secretion, β-cell proliferation, and some not previously linked to insulin production or β-cell function. Among these novelties is unc-104, a kinesin 3 family gene, which is more highly expressed in IPCs compared to most other neurons. Knockdown of unc-104 in IPCs impaired ILP secretion and reduced peripheral insulin signaling. Unc-104 appears to transport ILPs along axons. As a complementary approach, we tested dominant-negative Rab genes to find Rab proteins required in IPCs for ILP production or secretion. Rab1 was identified as crucial for ILP trafficking in IPCs. Inhibition of Rab1 in IPCs increased circulating sugar levels, delayed development, and lowered weight and body size. Immunofluorescence labeling of Rab1 showed its tight association with ILP2 in the Golgi of IPCs. Unc-104 and Rab1 join other proteins required for ILP transport in IPCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An unexpected hydroxyphosphinylation of 3-cyclopropylideneprop-2-en-1-ones with phosphines has been observed. This method provides a unique regio- and stereoselective synthesis of highly functionalized 1-dialkylphinyl-3-oxo-(1Z)-alkenyl cyclopropanols with important potentials. The reaction displays an unusual mechanistic feature--a highly selective cleavage of C--P σ bonds in phosphines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

JARID1B (also known as KDM5B or PLU1) is a member of the JARID1 family of histone lysine demethylases responsible for the demethylation of trimethylated lysine 27 in histone H3 (H3K4me3), a mark for actively transcribed genes. JARID1B is overexpressed in several cancers, including breast cancer, prostate cancer, and lung cancer. In addition, JARID1B is required for mammary tumor formation in syngeneic or xenograft mouse models. JARID1B-expressing melanoma cells are associated with increased self-renewal character. Therefore, JARID1B represents an attractive target for cancer therapy. Here we characterized JARID1B using a homogeneous luminescence-based demethylase assay. We then conducted a high throughput screen of over 15,000 small molecules to identify inhibitors of JARID1B. From this screen, we identified several known JmjC histone demethylase inhibitors, including 2,4-pyridinedicarboxylic acid and catechols. More importantly, we identified several novel inhibitors, including 2-4(4-methylphenyl)-1,2-benzisothiazol-3(2H)-one (PBIT), which inhibits JARID1B with an IC50 of about 3 μM in vitro. Consistent with this, PBIT treatment inhibited removal of H3K4me3 by JARID1B in cells. Furthermore, this compound inhibited proliferation of cells expressing higher levels of JARID1B. These results suggest that this novel small molecule inhibitor is a lead compound that can be further optimized for cancer therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CuCl-catalyzed cyclization-dimerization reactions of 3-cyclopropylideneprop-2-en-1-ones provide an interesting route to benzofuran-7(3aH)-one derivatives with one highly strained three-membered ring and one four-membered ring via intramolecular cycloisomerization, sequential bimolecular [4 + 2] cycloaddition, opening of the oxa-bridge, and ring contraction. Furthermore, the reaction was monitored by NMR experiments to unveil some key intermediates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The redescriptions and illustrations of three species, Isometrus (Isometrus) maculatus (DeGeer, 1778), Lychas mucronatus (Fabricius, 1798) (Buthidae), and Liocheles australasiae (Fabricius, 1775) (Hemiscorpiidae) from Hainan Island, China are presented. Distribution data and updated key of Hainan scorpions are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The integrals involving multivariate q-Laguerre polynomials and then auxiliary ones are studied. In addition, the representations of q-Hermite polynomials by q-Laguerre polynomials and their related integrals are given. At last, some generalized integrals associated with generalized q-Hermite polynomials are deduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report in this paper an interesting sequential reaction involving sequential Sonogashira coupling, propargyl-allenyl isomerization, [4 + 2] cycloaddition and aromatization reaction, which provides a facile method for the synthesis of a variety of polycyclic isoindoline derivatives from easily accessible starting materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a new battery/ultracapacitor hybrid energy storage system (HESS) is proposed for electric drive vehicles including electric, hybrid electric, and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. Compared to the conventional HESS design, which uses a larger dc/dc converter to interface between the ultracapacitor and the battery/dc link to satisfy the real-time peak power demands, the proposed design uses a much smaller dc/dc converter working as a controlled energy pump to maintain the voltage of the ultracapacitor at a value higher than the battery voltage for the most city driving conditions. The battery will only provide power directly when the ultracapacitor voltage drops below the battery voltage. Therefore, a relatively constant load profile is created for the battery. In addition, the battery is not used to directly harvest energy from the regenerative braking; thus, the battery is isolated from frequent charges, which will increase the life of the battery. Simulation and experimental results are presented to verify the proposed system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insulin resistance, with adipose tissue dysfunction, is one of the hallmarks of metabolic syndrome. We have reported a metabolic syndrome-like phenotype in heme oxygenase (HO)-2 knockout mice, which presented with concurrent HO-1 deficiency and were amenable to rescue by an EET analog. Apo A-I mimetic peptides, such as L-4F, have been shown to induce HO-1 expression and decrease oxidative stress and adiposity. In this study we aimed to characterize alleviatory effects of HO-1 induction (if any) on metabolic imbalance observed in HO-2 KO mice. In this regard, HO-2(-/-) mice were injected with 2 mg/kg/day L-4F, or vehicle, i.p., for 6 weeks. As before, compared toWT animals, the HO-2 nullmice were obese, displayed insulin resistance, and had elevated blood pressure. These changes were accompanied by enhanced tissue (hepatic) oxidative stress along with attenuation of HO-1 expression and activity and reduced adiponectin, pAMPK, and LKB1 expression. Treatment with L-4F restored HO-1 expression and activity and increased adiponectin, LKB1, and pAMPK in the HO-2(-/-) mice. These alterations resulted in a decrease in blood pressure, insulin resistance, blood glucose, and adiposity. Taken together, our results show that a deficient HO-1 response, in a state with reduced HO-2 basal levels, is accompanied by disruption of metabolic homeostasis which is successfully restored by an HO-1 inducer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insulin resistance, with adipose tissue dysfunction, is one of the hallmarks of metabolic syndrome. We have reported a metabolic syndrome-like phenotype in heme oxygenase (HO)-2 knockout mice, which presented with concurrent HO-1 deficiency and were amenable to rescue by an EET analog. Apo A-I mimetic peptides, such as L-4F, have been shown to induce HO-1 expression and decrease oxidative stress and adiposity. In this study we aimed to characterize alleviatory effects of HO-1 induction (if any) on metabolic imbalance observed in HO-2 KO mice. In this regard, HO-2(-/-) mice were injected with 2 mg/kg/day L-4F, or vehicle, i.p., for 6 weeks. As before, compared toWT animals, the HO-2 nullmice were obese, displayed insulin resistance, and had elevated blood pressure. These changes were accompanied by enhanced tissue (hepatic) oxidative stress along with attenuation of HO-1 expression and activity and reduced adiponectin, pAMPK, and LKB1 expression. Treatment with L-4F restored HO-1 expression and activity and increased adiponectin, LKB1, and pAMPK in the HO-2(-/-) mice. These alterations resulted in a decrease in blood pressure, insulin resistance, blood glucose, and adiposity. Taken together, our results show that a deficient HO-1 response, in a state with reduced HO-2 basal levels, is accompanied by disruption of metabolic homeostasis which is successfully restored by an HO-1 inducer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We employ the moment representations for Al-Salam-Carlitz polynomials and show how to deduce bilinear, trilinear, and multilinear generating functions for Al-Salam-Carlitz polynomials. Moreover, we obtain two terminating generating functions for Al-Salam-Carlitz polynomials by the method of moments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The manganese (III) acetate-mediated free radical cyclization of diarylmethvlenecyclopropa[b]naphthalenes with nudeophiles such as carboxylic acid and sulfonic acid provides an efficient method for the synthesis of 1,2-benzanthracenes in moderate to good yields under mild conditions. In addition, after several steps of simple and routine operations, the obtained 1,2-benzanthracenes bearing an acetoxy group could be easily converted to structurally more sophisticated 1,2-benzanthracene derivatives, which are not easily accessible yet potentially useful candidates for materials science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aberrations in epigenetic processes, such as histone methylation, can cause cancer. Retinoblastoma binding protein 2 (RBP2; also called JARID1A or KDM5A) can demethylate tri- and dimethylated lysine 4 in histone H3, which are epigenetic marks for transcription- ally active chromatin, whereas the multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) tumor suppressor promotes H3K4 methylation. Previous studies suggested that inhibition of RBP2 contributed to tumor suppression by the retinoblastoma protein (pRB). Here, we show that genetic ablation of Rbp2 decreases tumor formation and prolongs survival in Rb1+/- mice and Menl-defective mice. These studies link RBP2 histone demethylase activity to tumorigenesis and nominate RBP2 as a potential target for cancer therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An interesting sequential three-component reaction provides a facile synthesis of selenium/sulfur-substituted 3-oxabicyclo[4.2.0]octa-1(8),5-diene and tetrahydro-1H-isochromene from lithium alkylselenolates or alkylthiolates, 1-alkynylphosphine oxides, and aldehydes. The sequential reaction proceeds via a conjugate addition/condensation/elimination process to form the allene intermediate, which subsequently underwent [2 + 2] or [4 + 2] cyclization reaction to afford bicyclic frameworks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractWe examined the hypothesis that vascular and renal dysfunction caused by angiotensin II (Ang II) through increased levels of blood pressure, inflammatory cytokines, and oxidative stress in Sprague–Dawley rats can be prevented by lentiviral-mediated delivery of endothelial heme oxygenase (HO)-1. We targeted the vascular endothelium using a lentiviral construct expressing human HO-1 under the control of the endothelium-specific promoter VE-cadherin (VECAD-HO-1) and examined the effect of long-term human HO-1 expression on blood pressure in Ang II-mediated increases in blood pressure and oxidant stress. A bolus injection of VECAD-HO-1 into the renal artery resulted in expression of human HO-1 for up to 6–9 weeks. Sprague–Dawley rats were implanted with Ang II minipumps and treated with lentivirus carrying either the HO-1 or green fluorescent protein. Renal tissue from VECAD-HO-1-transduced rats expresses human HO-1 mRNA and proteins without an effect on endogenous HO-1. Infusion of Ang II increased blood pressure (p< 0.001) but decreased vascular relaxation in response to acetylcholine, endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and phosphorylated eNOS (peNOS) levels, and renal and plasma levels of adiponectin (p< 0.05); in contrast, plasma tumor necrosis factor-α and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 levels increased. Ang II-treated animals had higher levels of superoxide anion and inducible nitric oxide synthase and increased urinary protein and plasma creatinine levels. Lentiviral transduction with the VECAD-HO-1 construct attenuated the increase in blood pressure (p< 0.05), improved vascular relaxation, increased plasma adiponectin, and prevented the elevation in urinary protein and plasma creatinine in Ang II-treated rats. Endothelial-specific expression of HO-1 also reduced oxidative stress and levels of inflammatory cytokines resulting in increased expression of the anti-apoptotic proteins phosphorylated AKT, phosphorylated AMP-activated protein kinase, peNOS, and eNOS. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that endothelial-specific increases in HO-1 expression attenuate Ang II hypertension and the associated vascular dysfunction that is associated with increases in adiponectin and peNOS and reductions in oxidative stress and levels of inflammatory cytokines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Similar to genetic alterations, epigenetic aberrations contribute significantly to tumor initiation and progression. In many cases, these changes are caused by activation or inactivation of the regulators that maintain epigenetic states. Here we review our current knowledge on the KDM5/JARID1 family of histone demethylases. This family of enzymes contains a JmjC domain and is capable of removing tri- and di- methyl marks from lysine 4 on histone H3. Among these proteins, RBP2 mediates drug resistance while JARID1B is required for melanoma maintenance. Preclinical studies suggest inhibition of these enzymes can suppress tumorigenesis and provide strong rationale for development of their inhibitors for use in cancer therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To aid crystal-plasticity finite-element (CPFE) simulation for the forming of micro-components, a VGRAIN system has been developed to generate the microstructure of materials. Based on Voronoi tessellation and probability theory, grains and grain boundaries for micro-materials can be generated. A gamma-distribution function with three physical parameters of a material, which are the average, minimum, and maximum grain sizes, is used to describe the grain-size distribution of the material and a numerical method has been developed to link the gamma-distribution variables and the physical parameters of the material. The distribution of generated virtual gains using the developed VGRAIN system is compared with that of microstructural-examination data for a number of engineering materials, close agreements being obtained for the cases studied. Grain orientations, which are defined using two angles, related to the global coordinate system, have been assigned in the VGRAIN system according to probability theory. The crystal orientations for the virgin and deformed materials are represented using pole figures, so that the grain orientation before and after deformation can be compared and analyzed. The generated virtual microstructure, with grain-orientation information, is then input the commercial FE solver, ABAQUS/CAE, for further pre-processing for CPFE micro-forming simulation. A crystal-viscoplasticity material model for face-centered cubic metals is implemented in the FE code through the used-defined sub-routine, VUMAT/UMAT. CPFE analyses have been carried out to investigate the grain-size and orientation effects on the distortion of formed micro-pins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heme oxygenase (HO) plays a critical role in attenuating the production of reactive oxygen species through its ability to degrade heme in an enzymatic process that leads to the production of equimolar amounts of carbon monoxide and biliverdin/bilirubin and the release of free iron. The present review examines the beneficial role of HO-1 (inducible form of HO) that is achieved by increased expression of this enzyme in renal tissue. The influence of the HO system on renal physiology, obesity, vascular dysfunction, and blood pressure regulation is reviewed, and the clinical potential of increased levels of HO-1 protein, HO activity, and HO-derived end products of heme degradation is discussed relative to renal disease. The use of pharmacological and genetic approaches to investigate the role of the HO system in the kidney is key to the development of therapeutic approaches to prevent the adverse effects that accrue due to an impairment in renal function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was designed to investigate the effect of increased levels of HO-1 on hypertension exacerbated by diabetes. Diabetic spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) and WKY (control) animals were treated with streptozotocin (STZ) to induce diabetes and stannous chloride (SnCl2) to upregulate HO-1. Treatment with SnCl2 not only attenuated the increase of blood pressure (p<0.01), but also increased HO-1 protein content, HO activity and plasma adiponectin levels, decreased the levels of superoxide and 3-nitrotyrosine (NT), respectively. Reduction in oxidative stress resulted in the increased expression of Bcl-2 and AKT with a concomitant reduction in circulating endothelial cells (CEC) in the peripheral blood (p<0.005) and an improvement of femoral reactivity (response to acetylcholine). Thus induction of HO-1 accompanied with increased plasma adiponectin levels in diabetic hypertensive rats alters the phenotype through a reduction in oxidative stress, thereby permitting endothelial cells to maintain an anti-apoptotic environment and the restoration of endothelial responses thus preventing hypertension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glycosyltransferases (GTs; EC 2.4.x.y) constitute a large group of enzymes that form glycosidic bonds through transfer of sugars from activated donor molecules to acceptor molecules. GTs are critical to the biosynthesis of plant cell walls, among other diverse functions. Based on the Carbohydrate-Active enZymes (CAZy) database and sequence similarity searches, we have identified 609 potential GT genes (loci) corresponding to 769 transcripts (gene models) in rice (Oryza sativa), the reference monocotyledonous species. Using domain composition and sequence similarity, these rice GTs were classified into 40 CAZy families plus an additional unknown class. We found that two Pfam domains of unknown function, PF04577 and PF04646, are associated with GT families GT61 and GT31, respectively. To facilitate functional analysis of this important and large gene family, we created a phylogenomic Rice GT Database (http://ricephylogenomics.ucdavis.edu/cellwalls/gt/). Through the database, several classes of functional genomic data, including mutant lines and gene expression data, can be displayed for each rice GT in the context of a phylogenetic tree, allowing for comparative analysis both within and between GT families. Comprehensive digital expression analysis of public gene expression data revealed that most (∼80%) rice GTs are expressed. Based on analysis with Inparanoid, we identified 282 ‘rice-diverged’ GTs that lack orthologs in sequenced dicots (Arabidopsis thaliana, Populus tricocarpa, Medicago truncatula, and Ricinus communis). Combining these analyses, we identified 33 rice-diverged GT genes (45 gene models) that are highly expressed in above-ground, vegetative tissues. From the literature and this analysis, 21 of these loci are excellent targets for functional examination toward understanding and manipulating grass cell wall qualities. Study of the remainder may reveal aspects of hormone and protein metabolism that are critical for rice biology. This list of 33 genes and the Rice GT Database will facilitate the study of GTs and cell wall synthesis in rice and other plants. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The fuel efficiency and performance of novel vehicles with electric propulsion capability are largely limited by the performance of the energy storage system (ESS). This paper reviews state-of-the-art ESSs in automotive applications. Battery technology options are considered in detail, with emphasis on methods of battery monitoring, managing, protecting, and balancing. Furthermore, other ESS candidates such as ultracapacitors, fly-wheels and fuel cells are also discussed. Finally, hybrid power sources are considered as a method of combining two or more energy storage devices to create a superior power source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By mining DNA microarray data bases at GenBank™, we identified up-regulation of membrane type 1 matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) in human primary and metastatic prostate cancer specimens as compared with nonmalignant prostate tissues. To explore the role of up-regulated MT1-MMP in early stage cancer progression, we have employed a three-dimensional cell culture model. Minimally invasive human prostate cancer cells (LNCaP) were transfected with Mu-green fluorescent protein (GFP) chimeric cDNA as compared with GFP cDNA, and morphologic and phenotypic changes were characterized. GFP-expressing LNCaP cells formed multicellular spheroids with cuboidal-like epithelial morphology, whereas MT1-GFP-expressing cells displayed a fibroblast-like morphology and a scattered growth pattern in type I collagen gels. Cell morphologic changes were accompanied by decreased epithelial markers and enhanced mesenchymal markers, consistent with epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. MT1-MMP-induced morphologic change and cell scattering were abrogated by target inhibition of either the catalytic domain or the hemopexin domain. We further demonstrated that MT1-MMP-induced phenotypic changes were dependent upon up-regulation of Wnt5a, which has been implicated in epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. We conclude that MT1-MMP plays an important role in early cancer dissemination by converting epithelial cells to migratory mesenchymal-like cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider the multiple-access communication problem in a distributed setting for both the additive white Gaussian noise channel and the discrete memoryless channel. We propose a scheme called Distributed Rate Splitting to achieve the optimal rates allowed by information theory in a distributed manner. In this scheme, each real user creates a number of virtual users via a power/rate splitting mechanism in the M-user Gaussian channel or via a random switching mechanism in the M-user discrete memoryless channel. At the receiver, all virtual users are successively decoded. Compared with other multiple-access techniques, Distributed Rate Splitting (DRS) can be implemented with lower complexity and less coordination. Furthermore, in a symmetric setting, we show that the rate tuple achieved by this scheme converges to the maximum equal rate point allowed by the information-theoretic bound as the number of virtual users per real user tends to infinity. When the capacity regions are asymmetric, we show that a point on the dominant face can be achieved asymptotically. Finally, when there is an unequal number of virtual users per real user, we show that differential user rate requirements can be accommodated in a distributed fashion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proprotein convertases play an important role in tumorigenesis and invasiveness. Here, we report that a dibasic amino acid convertase, furin, directly cleaves proMMP-2 within the trans-Golgi network leading to an inactive form of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2). Co-transfection of COS-1 cells with both proMMP-2 and furin cDNAs resulted in the cleavage of the N-terminal propeptide of proMMP-2. The molecular mass of cleaved MMP-2 (63 kDa), detected in both cell lysates and conditioned medium, is between the intermediate and fully activated forms of MMP-2 induced by membrane type 1-MMP. Furin-cleaved MMP-2 does not possess proteolytic activity as examined in a cell-free assay. Treatment of transfected cells with a furin inhibitor resulted in a dose-dependent inhibition of proMMP-2 cleavage; recombinant tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2, which binds to the active site of membrane type 1-MMP, had no inhibitory effect. Site-directed mutagenesis of amino acids in the furin consensus recognition motif of proMMP-2(R69KPR72 ↓) prevented propeptide cleavage, thereby identifying the scissile bond and characterizing the basic amino acids required for cleavage. Other experimental observations were consistent with intracellular furin cleavage of proMMP-2 in the trans-Golgi network. The furin cleavage site in other proMMPs was examined. MMP-3, which contains the RXXR furin consensus sequence, was cleaved in furin co-transfected cells, whereas MMP-1, which lacks an RXXR consensus sequence, was not cleaved. In conclusion, we report the novel observation that furin can directly cleave the RXXR amino acid sequence in the propeptide domain of proMMP-2 leading to inactivation of the enzyme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Substrate degradation and cell migration are key steps in cancer metastasis. Membrane-type 1-matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) has been linked with these processes. Using the fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-labeled fibronectin degradation assay combined with the phagokinetic cell migration assay, structure. function relationships of MT1-MMP were studied. Our data indicate that MT1-MMP initiates substrate degradation and enhances cell migration; cell migration occurs as a concurrent but independent event. Using recombinant DNA approaches, we demonstrated that the hemopexin-like domain and a nonenzymatic component of the catalytic domain of MT1-MMP are essential for MT1-MMP-mediated cell migration. Because the cytoplasmic domain of MT1-MMP was not required for MT1MMP-mediated fibronectin degradation and cell migration, it is proposed that cross-talk between the hemopexin domain of MT1-MMP and adjacent cell surface molecules is responsible for outside-in signaling. Employing cDNAs encoding dominant negative mutations, we demonstrated that Rac1 participates in the MT1-MMP signal transduction pathway. These data demonstrated that each domain of MT1-MMP plays a distinct role in substrate degradation and cell migration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traumatic spinal cord injury is a fatal acute event without effective clinical therapies. Following the trauma, immediate neural protection and microenvironment mitigation are vitally important for nerve tissue repair, where stem cell-based therapies could be eclipsed by the deficiency of cells due to the hostile microenvironment as well as the transport and preservation processes. Effective emergency strategies are required to be convenient, biocompatible, and stable. Herein, we assess an emergency cell-free treatment using mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes, which have proven capable of comprehensive mitigation of the inhibitory lesion microenvironment. The clinically validated fibrin glue is utilized to encapsulate the exosomes and in-situ gelates in transected rat spinal cords to provide a substrate for exosome delivery as well as nerve tissue growth. The emergency treatment alleviates the inflammatory and oxidative microenvironment, inducing effective nerve tissue repair and functional recovery. The therapy presents a promising strategy for effective emergency treatment of central nervous system trauma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The long-read amplicon provides a species-level solution for the community. With the improvement of nanopore flowcells, the accuracy of Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) R10.4.1 has been substantially enhanced, with an average of approximately 99%. To evaluate its effectiveness on amplicons, three types of microbiomes were analyzed by 16S ribosomal RNA (hereinafter referred to as "16S") amplicon sequencing using Novaseq, Pacbio sequel II, and Nanopore PromethION platforms (R9.4.1 and R10.4.1) in the current study. We showed the error rate, recall, precision, and bias index in the mock sample. The error rate of ONT R10.4.1 was greatly reduced, with a better recall in the case of the synthetic community. Meanwhile, in different types of environmental samples, ONT R10.4.1 analysis resulted in a composition similar to Pacbio data. We found that classification tools and databases influence ONT data. Based on these results, we conclude that the ONT R10.4.1 16S amplicon can also be used for application in environmental samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plants generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the apoplast in response to pathogen attack, especially following resistance (R) gene-mediated pathogen recognition; however, the mechanisms activating ROS generation remain unknown. Here, we demonstrate that RKN (Meloidogyne incognita) infection rapidly induces ROS accumulation in the roots of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) plants that contain the R gene Mi-1.2 but rarely induces ROS accumulation in the susceptible or Mi-1.2-silenced resistant genotypes. RNK also induces the hypersensitive response, a form of programmed cell death, in Mi-1.2 plants. RKN induces the expression of numerous class-A heat shock factor (HsfA) genes in resistant tomato plants. Silencing HsfA1a compromises Mi-1.2-mediated resistance, apoplastic H2O2 accumulation, and the transcription of whitefly induced 1 (Wfi1), which encodes a respiratory burst oxidase homolog. HsfA1a regulates Wfi1 transcription by binding to the Wfi1 promoter, and silencing of Wfi1 compromises Mi-1.2-mediated resistance. HsfA1a and Wfi1 are involved in Mi-1.2-triggered Hsp90 accumulation and basal defense in susceptible tomato. Thus, HsfA-1aWfi1-dependent ROS signaling functions as a crucial regulator of plant defense responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Bioelectrical-impedance analysis (BIA) is frequently used to estimate dry weight in hemodialysis (HD) patients. However, the clinical prognostic significance of BIA indicators is unclear. As a nutritional index, low phase angle (PA) might be an independent risk factor for predicting death in multiple chronic diseases. We performed this study to find relative influence factors of PA and other clinical prognostic significance. Methods and Study Design: The study involved 87 HD patients, 33 of whom were diabetic and 54 of whom were not. We measured body composition index, body water index and nutritional indicators and collected biochemical criteria. Then, we statistically analyzed the associations of these indices. After 1 year of follow-up, we recorded death, heart failure, hospitalization, cerebrovascular and cardiovascular events and other clinical outcomes. Results: We found a significant difference between the two groups in visceral-fat area, extracellular water/total body water (ECW/TBW) ratio and PA value. Two factors were negatively associated with PA: ECW/TBW ratio and HCO3- before HD. At 1 year, we noted that PA was associated with events such as heart failure or hospitalization. By further stratification and multivariate analysis adjusting for age, sex and months of dialysis, we found that low PA was an independent predictor of heart failure for diabetic HD patients. Conclusions: PA value was lower in Diabetic nephropathy (DN) HD patients, than that in non-DN HD patients. PA was mainly negatively associated with ECW/TBW ratio. It is a useful index for predicting heart failure in diabetic HD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]