Search

Abstract Clinical deployment of oligonucleotides requires delivery technologies that improve stability, target tissue accumulation and cellular internalization. Exosomes show potential as ideal delivery vehicles. However, an affordable generalizable system for efficient loading of oligonucleotides on exosomes remain lacking. Here, we identified an Exosomal Anchor DNA Aptamer (EAA) via SELEX against exosomes immobilized with our proprietary CP05 peptides. EAA shows high binding affinity to different exosomes and enables efficient loading of nucleic acid drugs on exosomes. Serum stability of thrombin inhibitor NU172 was prolonged by exosome-loading, resulting in increased blood flow after injury in vivo. Importantly, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy PMO can be readily loaded on exosomes via EAA (EXOEAA-PMO). EXOEAA-PMO elicited significantly greater muscle cell uptake, tissue accumulation and dystrophin expression than PMO in vitro and in vivo. Systemic administration of EXOEAA-PMO elicited therapeutic levels of dystrophin restoration and functional improvements in mdx mice. Altogether, our study demonstrates that EAA enables efficient loading of different nucleic acid drugs on exosomes, thus providing an easy and generalizable strategy for loading nucleic acid therapeutics on exosomes.

Copyright of Rare Metals is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Rare Metals is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Trichlorfon, one of the most widely used organophosphate insecticides, is commonly employed in aquaculture and agriculture to combat parasitic infestations. However, its inherent instability leads to rapid decomposition into dichlorvos (DDVP), increasing its toxicity by eightfold. Therefore, the environmental effects of trichlorfon in real-world scenarios involve the combined effects of trichlorfon and its degradation product, DDVP. In this study, we systematically investigated the degradation of trichlorfon in tap water over time using HPLC and LC–MS/MS analysis. Subsequently, an experiment was conducted to assess the acute toxicity of trichlorfon and DDVP on goldfish (Carassius auratus), employing a 1H NMR-based metabolic approach in conjunction with serum biochemistry, histopathological inspection, and correlation network analysis. Exposure to trichlorfon and its degradation product DDVP leads to increased lipid peroxidation, reduced antioxidant activity, and severe hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity in goldfish. Based on the observed pathological changes and metabolite alterations, short-term exposure to trichlorfon significantly affected the liver and kidney functions of goldfish, while exerting minimal influence on the brain, potentially due to the presence of the blood–brain barrier. The changes in the metabolic profile indicated that trichlorfon and DDVP influenced several pathways, including oxidative stress, protein synthesis, energy metabolism, and nucleic acid metabolism. This study demonstrated the applicability and potential of 1H NMR-based metabonomics in pesticide environmental risk assessment, providing a feasible method for the comprehensive study of pesticide toxicity in water environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In the midst of digital transformation, schools are transforming their classrooms as they prepare students for a world increasingly automated by new technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI). During curricular implementation, it has not made sense to teachers to teach AI as a stand-alone subject as it is not a traditional discipline in schools. As such, subject matter teachers may need to take on the responsibility of integrating AI content into discipline-based lessons to help students make connections and see its relevance rather than present AI as separate content. This paper reports on a study that piloted a new lesson package in science classrooms to introduce students to the idea of AI. Specifically, the AI-integrated science lesson package, designed by the research team, provided an extended activity that used the same context as an existing lesson activity. Three science teachers from different schools piloted the lesson package with small groups of students and provided feedback on the materials and implementation. Findings: The findings revealed the teachers' perceptions of integrating AI into science lessons in terms of the connection between AI and science, challenges when implementing the AI lesson package and recommendations on improvements. First, the teachers perceived that AI and science have similarities in developing accurate models with quality data and using simplified reasoning, while they thought that AI and science play complementary roles when solving scientific problems. Second, the teachers thought that the biggest challenge in implementing the lesson package was a lack of confidence in content mastery, while the package would be challenging to get buy-in from teachers regarding curriculum adaptation and targeting the appropriate audience. Considering these challenges, they recommended that comprehensive AI resources be provided to teachers, while this package can be employed for science enrichment programs after-school. Conclusions: The study has implications for curriculum writers who design lesson packages that introduce AI in science classrooms and for science teachers who wish to contribute to the development of AI literacy for teachers and the extension of the range of school science and STEM to students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Rare Metals is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Solute transport and mixing at channel-flow–porous media interfaces are strongly influenced by velocity and turbulence structures near porous media, and such coupled channel-flow–porous media systems are commonly observed in nature. However, the effects of pore-scale flows on solute transport in the coupled systems are currently unclear. In this study, we combine particle image velocimetry experiments and large eddy simulations to resolve the pore-scale flow characteristics over and within a porous bed. Then, we perform solute transport simulations by coupling the pore-scale flow fields with a particle-tracking model and show that the pore-scale flows inherent to porous media structure control solute transport. Pore-scale flow properties such as preferential downward–upward flows and vortices occurring near the channel-flow–porous media interface are shown to exert dominant control over interfacial mass exchange and solute transport. To clarify the effects of pore-scale flows on reach-scale transport, we conduct macroscale transport modeling with a spatially averaged stream-wise velocity profile. Because the profile-based model does not incorporate important pore-scale flow features, it significantly overestimates mass transfer into the porous bed, thereby exacerbating late-time tailings in breakthrough curves. Finally, a spatial Markov model, a type of upscaled stochastic transport model, is shown to effectively capture the pore-scale interfacial transport mechanisms via a velocity transition matrix. Our findings confirm that solute transport through channel-flow–porous media interfaces is controlled not only by interfacial turbulent-mixing profiles but also by detailed pore-scale flow structures. Article Highlights: We demonstrate the effects of pore-scale flows on solute transport in coupled turbulent channel-flow–porous media systems Pore structure near the interface exerts dominant control over interfacial mass exchange and solute transport Spatial Markov model effectively upscales the effects of pore-scale flows on solute transport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Li4Ti5O12 is considered as a safe and stable anode material for high-power lithium-ion batteries due to its "zero-strain" characteristic during the charge/discharge. However, the intrinsically low electronic conductivity leads to a deterioration in high-rate performance, impeding its intensive application. Herein, the Li4Ti5O12/rutile TiO2 (LTO/RT) heterostructured nanorods with tunable oxide phases have been in-situ fabricated by annealing the electrospun nanofiber precursor. By constructing such a heterostructured interface, the as-prepared sample delivers a high capacity of 160.3 mAh·g−1 at 1 C after 200 cycles, 125.5 mAh·g−1 at 10 C after 500 cycles and a superior capacity retention of 90.3% after 1,000 cycles at 30 C, outperforming the heterostructure-free counterparts of pure LTO, RT and the commercial LTO product. Density Functional Theory calculation suggests a possible synergistic effect of the LTO/RT interface that would improve the electronic conductivity and Li-ion diffusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) offers a practical solution to current global greenhouse effect by converting excessive CO2 into value-added chemicals or fuels. Noble metal-based nanomaterials have been considered as efficient catalysts for the CO2RR owing to their high catalytic activity, long-term stability and superior selectivity to targeted products. On the other hand, they are usually loaded on different support materials in order to minimize their usage and maximize the utilization because of high price and limited reserve. The strong metal-support interaction (MSI) between the metal and substrate plays an important role in affecting the CO2RR performance. In this review, we mainly focus on different types of support materials (e.g., oxides, carbons, ligands, alloys and metal carbides) interacting with noble metal as electrocatalysts for CO2RR. Moreover, the positive effects about MSI for boosting the CO2RR performance via regulating the adsorption strength, electronic structure, coordination environment and binding energy are presented. Lastly, emerging challenges and future opportunities on noble metal electrocatalysts with strong MSI are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: 6-Shogaol, an active phenolic compound from ginger (Zingiber officinale), can inhibit the growth of a variety of human cancer cells. Nevertheless, its underlying molecular mechanisms in cervical cancer remain unclear. In this study, we systematically examine the inhibitory effect of 6-shogaol on cervical cancer in vitro and in vivo. Methods: Cell proliferation was assessed by CCK8 assay and colony formation assay in HeLa and SiHa cells. We analyzed cell cycle and apoptosis through flow cytometry. GFP-LC3 puncta and transmission electron microscopy were used to observe autophagic bodies. Wound-healing assay and transwell assay were used for evaluating the migration of cells. Western blot was applied to detect protein expression levels. Results: 6-Shogaol could suppress cell proliferation and migration, cause cell cycle arrest in the G2/M phase in HeLa and SiHa cells. Moreover, 6-shogaol triggered the apoptosis process through the mitochondrial pathway by downregulating the expression levels of p-PI3K, p-Akt and p-mTOR. Further research indicated that the induction of apoptosis by 6-shogaol was remarkably decreased after the treatment of ROS scavenger and PI3K agonist. Additionally, 6-shogaol increased the number of LC3-positive puncta and autophagic bodies per cell in both HeLa and SiHa cells. Pretreatment of cells with Bafilomycin A1, an autophagy inhibitor, accelerated 6-shogaol mediated cell apoptosis, suggesting that induction of autophagy by 6-shogaol is suppressive to apoptosis. Furthermore, in vivo data revealed that 6-shogaol significantly inhibited tumor growth and cell proliferation in tumor tissues. Conclusion: These findings suggested that 6-shogaol could be developed as a functional food ingredient, which is potentially used as therapeutic agents for patients with cervical cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To propose a novel classification and scoring system called the posterior ligament-bone injury classification and severity score (PLICS) that offers a quantitative score to guide the need for posterior stabilization in addition to anterior reconstruction for subaxial cervical fracture dislocations (SCFDs). Methods: A total of 456 patients with SCFDs were prospectively included. Patients with PLICS ≥ 7 together with extremely unstable lateral mass fracture (EULMF) were classified as high-risk group, and the other patients were classified as low-risk group. For patients in the low-risk group, anterior-only reconstruction was performed; for patients in the high-risk group, additional posterior lateral mass fixation and fusion was performed after anterior reconstruction. Clinical outcome evaluation included using the visual analogue score (VAS), the Neck Disability Index (NDI), and the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) impairment scale. The change in the local sagittal alignment kyphosis Cobb angle was also recorded. Results: A total of 370 patients (81.1%) completed the minimal 12-month follow-ups, including 321 patients of low-risk group and 49 patients of high-risk group. Compared with the average VAS score preoperatively, the score at 12-month follow-up was significantly improved (from 6.1 + 0.3 to 1.1 + 0.2 in the low-risk group, P < 0.001; from 6.4 + 0.2 to 1.4 + 0.2 in the high-risk group, P < 0.001). The average NDI score at the 12-month follow-up was statistically low in the low-risk group (8.8 + 2.5 vs 13.8 + 3.4, P = 0.034). At least more than one grade improvement in the ASIA scale was observed in 80.5% of all patients. The local kyphosis Cobb angle at the injured segment averaged improved in both groups. Conclusion: A PLICS score ≥ 7 together with EULMF can be the threshold for posterior stabilization in addition to anterior reconstruction for the patients with SCFDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The microstructure and dry sliding wear performance of as-cast TiCp/Ti- 1100-0.5Nb composite at 25 °C, 500 °C and 600 °C were systematically investigated. Results show that the solidification matrix microstructure is the typical Widmanstätten structure. The eutectic TiC particles are uniformly distributed in the matrix in the form of feathery, long rod and strip-like shapes. Meanwhile, the interface between TiC and titanium matrix is clear and without any reaction. The wear rate of TiCp/Ti-1100- 0.5Nb at 600 °C and 500 °C is reduced by 95.8% and 79.9%, respectively, compared with that of the value of 51.8×10-6 mm³·mm-1 at 25 °C. The friction coefficient of the steady-state period at 25 °C, 500 °C, 600 °C is 0.48, 0.8, 1.2, respectively, and the variation extent of the friction coefficient at elevated temperatures is greater than at 25 °C. The wear mechanism is changed from the mixture of adhesive wear and abrasive wear to mild oxidation wear with rising temperature. It can also be concluded that the composite possesses excellent high temperature wear resistance. The highwear resistance of the composite is attributed to the Fe2O3 and TiO2. The presence of Fe2O3 and TiO2 reduces the wear rate, increases the friction coefficient, and also improves the range-ability of the friction coefficient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Previous reports revealed a correlation between psychological problems and spinal surgery. There is a lack of knowledge on the effect of anxiety on the percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic discectomy (PTED) outcome at the two year follow-up. The purpose of this study is to investigate changes in anxiety after PTED among patients with lumbar disc herniation (LDH), to compare the effect of anxiety on the prognosis using propensity score matching analysis, and to identify the related parameters of anxiety. Methods: A total of 145 patients with LDH requiring PTED surgery were included. Twenty-six LDH patients with anxiety were matched with 26 control patients utilizing propensity score matching analysis. The demographic and peri-operative data were collected and analyzed. A correlation analysis was utilized. Results: Both groups achieved significant improvements in visual analogue scale (VAS) scores for pain, Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) scores for neurological deficit, and 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) scores and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) scores for quality of life. A statistical difference was detected between the pre-operative and the post-operative Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale scores in the anxiety cohort. However, the difference between the anxiety group and the control group was statistically significant in the aforementioned parameters. The VAS, JOA, ODI and the SF-36 scores, and the disease duration were associated with pre-operative anxiety. Conclusion: PTED may provide significant improvements in clinical outcomes and symptoms of anxiety. A negative impact on the patient's prognosis may be caused by the presence of anxiety. Pain severity, neurological deficit, disease duration, and quality of life were associated with anxiety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human casein kinase 1 delta (CK1δ) and epsilon (CK1ε) are members of a conserved family of abundant, ubiquitously expressed serine/threonine kinases that regulate multiple cellular processes including circadian rhythm and endocytosis. Here, we have investigated the localization and interactomes of endogenously tagged CK1δ and CK1ε during interphase and mitosis. CK1δ and CK1ε localize to centrosomes throughout the cell cycle, and in interphase cells to the nucleus, and in both a diffuse and punctate pattern in the cytoplasm. Also, for the first time, they were detected at the midbody during cell division. Mass spectrometry analysis identified a total of 181 proteins co-purifying with a Venus multifunctional (VM)-tagged CK1δ and/or CK1ε. GTPase-activating protein and VPS9 domain-containing protein 1 (GAPVD1), a protein required for efficient endocytosis, was consistently one of the most abundant interacting partners. We demonstrate that GAPVD1 is a substrate of CK1δ/ε with up to 38 phosphorylated residues in vitro and in vivo. Wildtype and a phosphomimetic mutant of GAPVD1, but not a phospho-ablating mutant, were able to rescue defects in transferrin and EGF internalization caused by loss of endogenous GAPVD1. Our results indicate that GAPVD1 is an important interacting partner and substrate of CK1δ/ε for endocytosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Activated macrophages switch from oxidative phosphorylation to aerobic glycolysis, similar to the Warburg effect, presenting a potential therapeutic target in inflammatory disease. The endogenous metabolite itaconate has been reported to regulate macrophage function, but its precise mechanism is not clear. Here, we show that 4-octyl itaconate (4-OI, a cell-permeable itaconate derivative) directly alkylates cysteine residue 22 on the glycolytic enzyme GAPDH and decreases its enzyme activity. Glycolytic flux analysis by U13C glucose tracing provides evidence that 4-OI blocks glycolytic flux at GAPDH. 4-OI thereby downregulates aerobic glycolysis in activated macrophages, which is required for its anti-inflammatory effects. The anti-inflammatory effects of 4-OI are replicated by heptelidic acid, 2-DG and reversed by increasing wild-type (but not C22A mutant) GAPDH expression. 4-OI protects against lipopolysaccharide-induced lethality in vivo and inhibits cytokine release. These findings show that 4-OI has anti-inflammatory effects by targeting GAPDH to decrease aerobic glycolysis in macrophages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artistic augmentation of photographs with water droplets aims at generating aesthetic yet realistic images, and thus differs from traditional augmented reality in two aspects. One difference lies in the adoption of a new image as the environment map in order to render reflected or refracted effects on the surface of inserted water droplets. The other difference is in modeling of water droplets including hanging droplets and resting droplets. These differences raise two research challenges: 1) how to adjust the brightness and colors of the new environment map to maintain visual consistency between the new environment map and the original input image; 2) how to model hanging and resting droplets aesthetically. This paper proposes a framework that addresses these two challenges and demonstrates the effectiveness of our framework by generating example augmented images. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proton magnetic resonance–based metabolomics analysis was performed to determine the global metabolite changes in pathogenic bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 following exposure to quorum sensing (QS) inhibitor hordenine. Pyocyanin inhibition assay confirmed that hordenine exhibited potent QS inhibitory activity. A total of 40 metabolites were assigned by PMR spectra. Hordenine treatment resulted in the destruction of QS system in P. aeruginosa PAO1 by downregulating the expressions of genes involved in QS. The synthesis of antioxidant enzymes was repressed and the oxidative stress was enhanced due to the dysfunctional QS system of P. aeruginosa PAO1. The enhanced oxidative stress induced by the dysfunctional QS system of P. aeruginosa PAO1 altered the membrane components, enhanced membrane permeability, and disturbed energy metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and nucleotide metabolism, and would ultimately attenuate the pathogenicity of P. aeruginosa PAO1. Hordenine may have promising potential for controlling nosocomial pathogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

β-Glucosidase activity assays constitute an important indicator for the early diagnosis of neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis and qualitative changes in medicinal plants. The drawbacks of the existing methods are high consumption of both time and reagents, complexity in operation, and requirement of expensive instruments and highly trained personnel. The present study provides a simplified, highly selective, and miniaturized glucometer-based strategy for the detection of β-glucosidase activity. Single-factor experiments showed that optimum β-glucosidase activity was exhibited at 50 °C and pH 5.0 in a citric acid-sodium citrate buffer when reacting with 0.03 g/mL salicin for 30 min. The procedure for detection was simplified without the need of a chromogenic reaction. Validation of the analytical method demonstrated that the accuracy, precision, repeatability, stability, and durability were good. The linear ranges of β-glucosidase in a buffer solution and rat serum were 0.0873-1.5498 U/mL and 0.4076-2.9019 U/mL, respectively. The proposed method was free from interference from β-dextranase, snailase, β-galactosidase, hemicellulase, and glucuronic acid released by baicalin. This demonstrated that the proposed assay had a higher selectivity than the conventional dinitrosalicylic acid (DNS) assay because of the specificity for salicin and unique recognition of glucose by a personal glucose meter. Miniaturization of the method resulted in a microassay for β-glucosidase activity. The easy-to-operate method was successfully used to detect a series of β-glucosidases extracted from bitter almonds and cultured by Aspergillus niger. In addition, the simplified and miniaturized glucometer-based assay has potential application in the point-of-care testing of β-glucosidase in many fields, including medical diagnostics, food safety, and environmental monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global spread of Zika virus (ZIKV) and its unexpected association with congenital defects necessitates the rapid development of a safe and effective vaccine. Here we report the development and characterization of a recombinant chimeric ZIKV vaccine candidate (termed ChinZIKV) that expresses the prM-E proteins of ZIKV using the licensed Japanese encephalitis live-attenuated vaccine SA14-14-2 as the genetic backbone. ChinZIKV retains its replication activity and genetic stability in vitro, while exhibiting an attenuation phenotype in multiple animal models. Remarkably, immunization of mice and rhesus macaques with a single dose of ChinZIKV elicits robust and long-lasting immune responses, and confers complete protection against ZIKV challenge. Significantly, female mice immunized with ChinZIKV are protected against placental and fetal damage upon ZIKV challenge during pregnancy. Overall, our study provides an alternative vaccine platform in response to the ZIKV emergency, and the safety, immunogenicity, and protection profiles of ChinZIKV warrant further clinical development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the isothermal oxidation kinetics and oxidation behavior of GH586 superalloy from 800 to 1000 °C were investigated. The oxide scale morphologies of the surfaces and the cross sections after oxidation were characterized by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) equipped with energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). The results show that the growth of the oxide scales on the surface of superalloy GH586 obeys a parabolic law with the activation energy of 241.4 kJ·mol from 800 to 1000 °C. The dense oxide scale formed at 800 °C is mainly composed of CrO, NiCrO and a small amount of TiO. At 900 °C, the oxide scale is divided into two layers: the outer layer with multiple cracks is mainly composed of CrO and TiO, while the inner is a layer of dense CrO. Under the oxide scale, aluminum-rich oxides along the grain boundaries are generated by the internal oxidation. At 1000 °C for 100 h, cracks throughout the whole oxide film accelerate the oxidation rate of Ni-based superalloy GH586 and large blocks of TiO in the oxide scale are generated, resulting in the spallation of oxide scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Datura metel L. ( D. metel) is one well-known folk medical herb with wide application and also the most abused plants all over the world, mainly for spiritual or religious purpose, over-dosing of which often produces poisonous effects. In this study, mice were orally administered with the extract of D. metel once a day at doses for 10 mg/kg and 40 mg/kg for consecutive 4 days, H NMR based metabolomics approach aided with histopathological inspection and biochemical assays were used for the first time to study the psychoactive and toxic effects of D. metel. Histopathological inspection revealed obvious hypertrophy of hepatocytes, karyolysis and karyorrhexis in livers as well as distinct nerve cell edema, chromatolysis and lower nuclear density in brains. The increased tissue level of methane dicarboxylic aldehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), decreased tissue level of glutathione (GSH) along with increased serum level of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) suggested brain and liver injury induced by D. metel. Orthogonal signal correction-partial least squares-discriminant analysis (OSC-PLS-DA) of NMR profiles supplemented with correlation network analysis revealed significant altered metabolites and related pathway that contributed to oxidative stress, energy metabolism disturbances, neurotransmitter imbalance and amino acid metabolism disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the influence of the long non-coding RNA LINC00312 on bladder cancer (BC) cell invasion and metastasis by targeting miR-197-3p. BC and corresponding adjacent tissues were collected. LINC00312 and miR-197-3p were measured, and their correlation was detected through quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). BC cell line T24 was transfected and grouped (five groups) according to different transfection conditions. A scratch test was applied to analyze cell migration, and a Transwell assay was used to test cell invasion ability. Western blotting was to measure matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2, MMP-9, and the tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 2 (TIMP2) protein levels. qRT-PCR indicated that LINC00312 expression was lower but miR-197-3p expression was higher in BC tissues compared with adjacent tissues; LINC00312 was negatively correlated with miR-197-3p. The migration test revealed that the downregulation of miR-197-3p and overexpression of LINC00312 inhibited cell migration and invasion abilities, while the overexpression of miR-197-3p and the upregulation of LINC00312 promoted cell migration and invasion. BC cells with downregulated miR-197-3p or upregulated LINC00312 had low MMP-2 and MMP-9 levels but high TIMP2. LINC00312 inhibited BC cell invasion and metastasis through mediating miR-197-3p. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Target tracking is one of the important applications of wireless sensor networks (WSNs). Most of the existing approaches assume that the nodes are dense enough and ignore the coverage holes which are very common in WSNs because of random deployment of the sensor nodes, block of obstacles, etc. Besides, predicting the target's location of the next time instance is unwise because of the quite a lot random factors. In this paper, we propose a novel target tracking approach without any predicting, called k-nearest neighbors tracking ( k-NNT), to tackle the problems of energy efficiency, continuity and coverage holes. In k-NNT, only the k-nearest neighbors keep active and track the target when more than k nodes can sense the target; the k′ -nearest neighbors work when there are only k′ nodes ( k′ < k) can sense the target. A sophisticated rotation mechanism is designed to improve the continuity of the tracking process. In the worst case, none of the nodes can sense the target, i.e., the target enters into the coverage holes, and then k-NNT recovers by the Round Up mode (RU mode). The nodes on the perimeter of the coverage hole always keep active for a time threshold t and sense the around environment to find the target in time. Once a node finds the target, the RU mode is over and the irrelevant nodes turn into inactive mode. A series of simulation show that k-NNT performs superiorly compared with several existing approaches in terms of tracking accuracy, continuity and energy efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: Using map-based cloning of Tril gene, we identified a homeodomain-leucine zipper gene involved in the initiation of multicellular trichomes (including the spines of fruit) in cucumber. Abstract: Fruit spines are a special type of trichome that impacts the quality and appearance of cucumber ( Cucumis sativus L.) fruit. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that the trichome- less ( tril) mutant originating from European greenhouse cucumber has a completely glabrous phenotype on cotyledons, hypocotyls, young leaves, fruits, and fruit stalks. Genetic analysis revealed that tril was inherited as a recessive allele at a single locus. Using 1058 F individuals derived from a cross between cucumber tril mutant CGN19839 and the micro- trichome ( mict) mutant 06-2, tril was mapped to chromosome 6, and narrowed down to a 37.4 kb genomic region which carries seven predicted genes. Genetic and molecular analyses revealed that gene Cucsa.045360 is a possible candidate gene for the differentiation of epidermal cells to trichomes. It is a member of the class IV homeodomain-leucine zipper (HD-Zip IV) family and encodes homeodomain and START domain, sharing 66.7 % predicted amino acid sequence identity to PROTODERMAL FACTOR2 ( PDF2) and 35.0 % to GLABRA2 ( GL2) of Arabidopsis. The homeobox domain had changed amino acid sequence because of an insertion in tril mutant. The results of genetic analysis and transcriptome profiling indicated that the Tril gene had an epistatic effect on the Mict gene in trichome development. Phenotypes of the tril mutant such as glabrous fruits and female flowers at every node could be used in developing new cultivars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trichomes on plants, similar to fine hairs on animal and human bodies, play important roles in plant survival and development. They also represent a useful model for the study of cell differentiation. Although the regulatory gene network of unicellular trichome development in Arabidopsis thaliana has been well studied, the genes that regulate multicellular trichome development remain unclear. We confirmed that Cucumis sativus (cucumber) trichomes are multicellular and unbranched, but identified a spontaneous mutant, trichome- less ( tril), which presented a completely glabrous phenotype. We compared the transcriptome profilings of the tril mutant and wild type using the Illumina HiSeq 2000 sequencing technology. A total of 991 genes exhibited differential expression: 518 were up-regulated and 473 were down-regulated. We further identified 62 differentially expressed genes that encoded crucial transcription factors and were subdivided into seven categories: homeodomain, MADS, MYB, and WRKY domains, ethylene-responsive, zinc finger, and other transcription factor genes. We further analyzed the tissue-expression profiles of two candidate genes, GLABRA2- like and ATHB51- like, using qRT-PCR and found that these two genes were specifically expressed in the epidermis and trichomes, respectively. These results and the tril mutant provide useful tools to study the molecular networks associated with multicellular trichome development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clustering algorithms play an important role in data mining no matter whether they are used as a stand-alone tool or as a preprocessing step for further analysis on the data. With the arrival of the information era, the speed of data generation is faster and faster. As a result, clustering algorithms, such as OPTICS, that can only be operated on the static dataset can't meet the new requirements. Motivated by the demand of clustering analysis on dynamic datasets efficiently, in this paper, we propose an incremental clustering algorithm (ICA) based on OPTICS. The result of ICA is a cluster-ordering structure which is some similar to the result of OPTICS. In ICA, we delete the parameters ɛ and MinPts that should be preset by users in OPTICS and reachability- distance is also replaced by Distance which is easier to compute and understand. As a result, ICA is much more efficient compared with OPTICS. In addition, we propose a method named automatically extract technique to extract the clusters from the cluster-ordering structure based on the users' needs. Our performance evaluation through a series of experiments demonstrates the effectiveness and efficiency of our algorithm. Specially, we present a detailed comparison of ICA and OPTICS and the results illustrate that ICA is much more suitable for clustering the dynamic datasets, i.e., some new data objects are added into the datasets as time goes on. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a severe neuropsychiatric complication due to acute or chronic liver failure. In this work, an acute thioacetamide induced HE mice model was established to investigate the metabolic events in the onset of HE (OHE) and the protective role of taurine (TAU). Sera for biochemical evaluation, and livers and cortexes for histopathological inspection and NMR-based metabolomic investigation were collected. Principal component analysis and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis were performed to excavate differential metabolites of OHE, and explore the protective role of TAU. Metabolites pathway analysis was performed on significant metabolites selected based on loading/S-plots and fold change plots to identify biologically meaningful metabolic patterns and relevant pathways. The most affected pathways in OHE mice were those along the liver-brain axis: among them, the alanine, aspartate and glutamate metabolism was the most important. TAU showed better performance in improving the disturbed metabolism in the cortex than in the liver of OHE mice. This pilot study based on metabolomics approach and pathway analysis should help to understand HE systematically, and to develop new therapy for HE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Powdery mildew is one of the most important diseases of cucumber ( Cucumis sativus L.). For many years, researchers have studied and attempted to isolate resistance genes for this disease for breeding powdery mildew-resistant cucumber. In this study, bulked segregant analysis and an initial quantitative trait loci (QTLs) analysis based on a local linkage map were performed using an F population. A major locus on the long arm of chromosome 5 was identified for powdery mildew resistance and named pm5.1. For fine mapping of the pm5.1 locus, BCF and BCF populations that segregated only at the target genomic region were developed by marker-assisted selection. The location of the pm5.1 locus was confirmed by QTL analysis using a subset of the BCF population and was delimited in a 1.8-cM interval between flanking markers UW065011 and UW065190. Using the large BCF ( n = 480) and BCF ( n = 483) populations, pm5.1 was mapped to a ~170-kb region between markers UW065021 and UW065094. Based on the annotations for the genes in this region, a MLO-like gene was identified as the most likely candidate for the pm5.1. Sequence alignment analysis of the MLO-like genes from susceptible and resistant cucumber lines revealed two types of mutations in this candidate gene that may result in recessive resistance to powdery mildew in the resistant cucumber lines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim:Sevoflurane postconditioning (SpostC) has been shown to protect the heart from ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. In this study, we examined whether SpostC affected autophagic flux in myocardial tissues that contributed to its cardioprotective effects in rats following acute I/R injury.Methods:SD rats underwent 30 min of left anterior descending coronary artery ligation followed by 120 min of reperfusion. The rats were subjected to inhalation of 2.4% (v/v) sevoflurane during the first 5 min of reperfusion, and chloroquine (10 mg/kg, ip) was injected 1 h before I/R. Myocardial infarct size was estimated using TTC staining. Autophagosomes in myocardial tissues were detected under TEM. Expression of LC3B-II, beclin-1, p62/SQSTM1, cathepsin B, caspase-3 and cleaved PARP was assessed using Western blot analysis. Plasma cardiac troponin I was measured using ELISA. Cardiomyocyte apoptosis was evaluated with TUNEL staining.Results:I/R procedure produced severe myocardium infarct and apoptosis accompanied by markedly increased number of autophagosomes, as well as increased levels of LC3B-II, beclin-1 and p62 in myocardial tissues. SpostC significantly reduced infarct size, attenuated myocardial apoptosis, restored intact autophagic flux and improved the lysosomal function in myocardial tissues. Administration of chloroquine that blocked autophagic flux abrogated the cardioprotective effects of SpostC.Conclusion:SpostC exerts its cardioprotective effects in rats following I/R injury via restoring autophagic flux in myocardial tissues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Fractures of distal radius are common injury in all age groups. Cast treatment with or without close reduction is a viable option. However, the results are often unsatisfactory with restricted function. The open reduction and internal fixation often results in extensive soft tissue dissection and associated high rates of infect and delayed/nonunion. The distractor/external fixator have reported good functional and anatomical results but the incidence of pin traction infection nerve injury and cosmedic deformity are high. We introduced a modified operative technique for minimally invasive plate osteosynthesis (MIPO) for distal radial fracture and evaluated the functional outcomes and complications. Materials and Methods: 22 distal radial fractures (10 left, 12 right) were treated using the MIPO technique and two small incisions with a palmar locking plate from August 2009 to August 2010. The wrist function was assessed according to Dienst wrist rating system, and postoperative complications were recorded. Results: According to Dienst wrist rating system, 13 patients showed excellent results, 6 cases showed good results and 3 patients had moderate results. No patient had poor results. Thus, the excellent and good rate was 86.4%. One patient had anesthesia in the thenar eminence and this symptom disappeared after 3 months. One patient had delayed healing in the proximal wrist crease. Two patients had mild pain on the ulnar side of the wrist and two patients had limited wrist joint function. Conclusion: The MIPO technique by using two small palmar incisions is safe and effective for treatment of distal radial fractures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three kinds of bulk-type ultrafine TiSn/TiNi (TiSn represents TiSn, TiSn, and TiSn or TiSn) composites with homogeneous eutectic microstructure were prepared by arc melting. The composites exhibit high damping capacity (tan δ greater than 1 × 10) and enhanced mechanical strength (the highest fracture strength is 2.15 GPa). The damping capacity originates from TiNi and TiSn, while the eutectic contributes to the mechanical strength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sevoflurane postconditioning has been proven to protect the hearts against ischemia/reperfusion injury, manifested mainly by improved cardiac function, reduced myocardial specific biomarker release, and decreased infarct size. This study is to observe the effects of sevoflurane postconditioning on reperfusion-induced ventricular arrhythmias and reactive oxygen species generation in Langendorff perfused rat hearts. Compared with the unprotected hearts subjected to 25 min of global ischemia followed by 30 min of reperfusion, exposure of 3% sevoflurane during the first 15 min of reperfusion significantly improved cardiac function, reduced cardiac troponin I release, decreased infarct size and attenuated reperfusion-induced ventricular arrhythmia. Further analysis on arrhythmia during the 30 min of reperfusion showed that, sevoflurane postconditioning decreased both the duration and incidence of ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation. In the meantime, intracellular malondialdehyde and reactive oxygen species levels were also reduced. These above results demonstrate that sevoflurane postconditioning protects the hearts against ischemia/reperfusion injury and attenuates reperfusion-induced arrhythmia, which may be associated with the regulation of lipid peroxidation and reactive oxygen species generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high-density consensus map was constructed based on the GY14 × PI 183967 map from an inter-subspecific cross and the extended S94 × S06 map from an intra-subspecific cross. The consensus map was composed of 1,369 loci, including 1,152 SSR loci, 192 SRAP loci, 21 SCAR loci and one STS locus as well as three gene loci of fruit external quality traits in seven chromosomes, and spanned 700.5 cM, of which 682.7 cM (97.5%) were covered by SSR markers. The average genetic distance and physical interval between loci were 0.51 cM and ~268 kbp, respectively. Additionally, the physical position of the sequence-associated markers aligned along the assembled cucumber genome sequence established a relationship between genetic maps and cucumber genome sequence and to a great extent validated the order of markers in individual maps and consensus map. This consensus map with a high marker density and well-ordered markers is a saturated and reliable linkage map for genetic analysis of cucumber or the Cucurbitaceae family of plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high-temperature deformation behavior and processing map of 7050 aluminum alloy were investigated by tensile tests conducted at various temperatures (340, 380, 420, and 460 °C) with various strain rates of 10, 10, 10, and 0.1 s. The results show that the instability region with a peak power dissipation efficiency of 100 % occurs at the low deformation temperature region of 340 °C to 380 °C and high strain rates (>10 s). The 7050 aluminum alloy exhibited a continuous dynamic recrystallization domain with power dissipation efficiency of 35% to 60 % in the deformation temperature range of 410 °C to 460 °C and the strain rate range of 10-10 s. The domain with a power dissipation efficiency of 35 % to 50 % occurring at high deformation temperatures and strain rates was interpreted to represent dynamic recovery. Dynamic recovery and continuous dynamic recrystallization provide chosen domains for excellent hot workability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of the treatment of traumatic hemothorax by closed pleural drainage using a central venous catheter (CVC), compared with using a conventional chest tube. Methods: A prospective controlled study with the Ethics Committee approval was undertaken. A total of 407 patients with traumatic hemothorax were involved and they were randomly assigned to undergo closed pleural drainage with CVCs ( n=214) or conventional chest tubes ( n=193). The Seldinger technique was used for drainage by CVC, and the conventional technique for drainage by chest tube. If the residual volume of the hemothorax was less than 200 ml after the daily volume of drainage decreased to below 100 ml for two consecutive days, the treatment was considered successful. The correlative data of efficacy and safety between the two groups were analyzed using t or chi-squared tests with SPSS 13.0. A P value of less than 0.05 was taken as indicating statistical significance. Results: Compared with the chest tube group, the operation time, fraction of analgesic treatment, time of surgical wound healing, and infection rate of surgical wounds were significantly decreased ( P<0.05) in the CVC group. There were no significant differences between the two groups in the success rate of treatment and the incidence of serious complications ( P>0.05), or in the mean catheter/tube indwelling time and mean medical costs of patients treated successfully ( P>0.05). Conclusions: Management of medium or large traumatic hemothoraxes by closed thoracic drainage using CVC is minimally invasive and as effective as using a conventional large-bore chest tube. Its complications can be prevented and it has the potential to replace the large-bore chest tube. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two alkaloid triterpenoids formulated as CHNO ( 1) and CHNO ( 2) were isolated from the timer tree Aphanamixis grandifolia. The structure of 1 and 2 was determined by IR, HRESIMS, 1D, and 2D-NMR. Compound 1 was confirmed by X-ray single crystal diffraction. Compound 1 crystallizes in the monoclinic, space group C with unit cell parameters a = 53.195(4) Å, b = 7.6339(8) Å, c = 11.202(2) Å, β = 94.6520(2)°. Intermolecular hydrogen bonding and π-π stacking were presented in the molecular packing of 1. The absolute configurations of 1 and 2 were established by comparison of experimental circular dichroism properties with their electronic circular dichroism predicted by molecular modeling DFT calculations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The disadvantages of the poor mechanical properties of polylactic acid (PLA) limit its ability to be used in a wide number of applications. Melt blending of PLA and thermoplastic polyester elastomer (TPEE) has been performed in an effort to toughen the PLA without significant losses in modulus and ultimate tensile strength. In order to enhance the compatibility of PLA and TPEE, a diisocyanate compound was used as a reactive modifier. The thermal and mechanical properties, miscibility and phase morphologies of the blends were investigated. A blend of PLA and TPEE with a modifier does not lead to an important drop in tensile strength and modulus whereas the elongation at break is characterized by a significant increase (above 300%), compared with that of neat PLA and PLA/TPEE. The blends of PLA/TPEE/Modifier were found by thermal and fractured surface analysis to be an immiscible system with the addition of a modifier. However, the relative ductility of PLA/TPEE/Modifier is 34 times higher than that of neat PLA. The brittle fracture of neat PLA was transformed into a ductile fracture by the addition of a modifier. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented in response to an article on the generation of PPAR mono-allelic knockout pigs via nuclear transfer cloning that was published in a previous issue.

Purpose: This study is to compare the clinical and radiographic results of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction with four-stranded autogenous hamstring tendon and two-stranded free tendon Achilles allograft fixed with EndoButton in the femoral tunnel and Intrafix in the tibial tunnel. Materials and methods: 106 patients diagnosed with ACL rupture underwent ACL reconstruction. Autogenous hamstring tendon was used in 33 patients (group I) and free tendon Achilles allografts were used in 32 patients (group II). Median age was 23 years old (20-51) in group I and 22 years old (20-55) in group II. Range of motion, Lachman test, Pivot shift test, IKDC score, Lysholm score and side-to-side difference (SSD) were evaluated preoperatively and at the last follow-up. Tegner activity scale was evaluated before injury and at the last follow-up. Results: The mean follow-up periods were 28.1 months in group I and 31.6 months in group II. Range of motion of the knee was not different from that of the unaffected side in most cases except one flexion deficit in group I and three in group II (n.s.). One in group I and three in group II showed grade two or three laxity on Lachman test at the last follow-up. One in group I and three in group II showed clear positive results on Pivot shift test at the last follow-up. Thirty in group I and 26 in group II were classified to IKDC A or B at the last follow-up (n.s.). Median Lysholm scores were 98 (85-100) in group I and 99 (85-100) in group II at the last follow-up (n.s.). Median Tegner activity scales were 6 (5-9) in group I and 6 (4-9) in group II at the last follow-up (n.s.). The mean SSD at the last follow-up were 1.4 ± 2.0 mm in group I and 1.9 ± 2.4 mm in group II (n.s.). Conclusion: Clinical and radiological outcomes of ACL reconstruction with two-stranded free tendon Achilles allograft were comparable to those of four-stranded autogenous hamstring tendon. This technique is reasonable to accomplish good results without some weaknesses when using allograft with bone block. Level of evidence: Therapeutic randomized controlled prospective study, Level I. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

n anaerobic microorganism termed AN-C16-KBRB was isolated from the bovine rumen and demonstrated cellulolytic activity on a NB agar plate containing azo-carboxymethyl cellulose. The 16S rRNA gene of the strain was 98% similar to that of Clostridiaceae bacterium SK082 (AB298754) as the highest homology. A novel celEdx16 gene encoding a bifunctional endo-/exocellulase (CelEdx16) was cloned by the shotgun method from AN-C16-KBRB, and the enzyme was characterized. The celEdx16 gene had an open reading frame of 1,104-base pairs, which encoded 367 amino acids to yield a protein of molecular mass 40.4 kDa. The amino acid sequence was 53% identical to that of an endoglucanase from Clostridium thermocellum. CelEdx16 was overexpressed in Escherichia coli and purified using Ni-NTA affinity chromatography. The specific endocellulase and exocellulase activities of CelEdx16 were 15.9 and 3.6 × 10 U mg, respectively. The Michaelis-Menten constant ( K values) and the maximal reaction velocities ( V values) of CelEdx16 were 47.1 μM and 9.6 × 10 μmole min when endocellulase activity was measured and 106.3 μM and 2.1 × 10 μmole min when exocellulase activity was assessed. CelEdx16 was optimally active at pH 5.0 and 40°C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tracking speed and accuracy are two most important parameters for a target tracking system. In our study, the proposed target tracking algorithm combines the Harris method and the optical flow method. To improve the tracking speed, the Harris method is initially used to extract some target corner features, and the optical flow method is then used to more accurately match corner features for the subsequent video frames. When the tracked target is rotated or distorted, the barycenter algorithm is employed to compute the barycenter of those matched features of target. To meet the real-time-tracking requirement, a small-zone image searching method and a high speed digital signal processing system are also designed. Our experimental study shows that the method described in this paper has high accuracy of target tracking, and can be applied to the situations of rotated, distorted, and/or shielded targets, although it has a limitation that it is only suitable for smaller targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By employing the technique of integral within an ordered product (IWOP) of operators we recast classical wavelet transform to a matrix element of the squeezing-displacing operator U( μ, s) between the mother wavelet vector 〈 ψ| and the state vector | f〉 to be transformed, i.e., we propose that 〈 ψ| U( μ, s)| f〉 can be considered as a new kind of spectrum for analyzing the quantum state | f〉. In this way we do numerical calculation of wavelet-transform spectrum for the even- and odd-coherent states and then plot their figures, respectively. Thus this kind of spectrum can be used to recognize a variety of quantum optical states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To elucidate the genetic and molecular mechanisms of plant architecture, a Cucumber Lateral Suppressor gene ( CLS) for the lateral branching development in cucumber branching line S06 was cloned and characterized. Full-length cDNA of CLS (EU503217) was isolated by performing rapid amplification of cDNA ends polymerase chain reaction. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the gene CLS is closely related to Lateral Suppressor that encodes transcriptional regulator proteins belonging to GRAS family of known transcription factor. Southern blot analysis revealed that CLS gene has one copy in cucumber genome. The expression patterns revealed that transcripts were detected in all organs, but not in internodes. In addition, the transcript level in male flowers is higher than the female flowers and fruit. Introduction of the Pro35s: CLS overexpression vector into Arabidopsis las plants led to a full complementation of the mutant phenotypes. Moreover, RNA in situ hybridization showed that the pattern of CLS transcript was accumulated in the leaf axils in different developmental stage, which was similar to LAS in Arabidopsis. These results together indicate that CLS may play an important role in cucumber axillary meristem initiation and thus the lateral branch formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mesenchymal stem cells can be isolated from various tissues besides bone marrow and can differentiate into cells of three germ layers. Recent studies indicate that some cells in corneal stroma express stem cell markers and can also differentiate into chondrocytes and neurocytes. This study was carried out to investigate whether mesenchymal stem cells reside in the murine corneal stroma. Corneas of BALB/c mice were treated with collagenase digestion after the epithelium and endothelium were removed. Then the single cells were harvested and further identified by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). After the immunophenotype of passage 2 corneal stroma-derived cells was analyzed by flow cytometry, attempts were made to differentiate these cells into adipocytes and osteocytes using conditioned medium. Following induction, cells were evaluated by RT-PCR, oil red O and Alizarin Red staining. Isolated single cells were of stromal origin, not of epithelial or endothelial. Passage 2 corneal stroma-derived cells exhibited the spindle-shaped morphology and expressed CD29, CD90, CD105, and CD71; but were negative for CD34 and CD45. In addition, these cells showed the potentiality of differentiating into adipocytes and osteocytes, which was confirmed by RT-PCR and staining. This study demonstrates the presence of mesenchymal stem cell-like cells in the murine corneal stroma. Further analysis of these cells will aid elucidation of the mechanisms of some keratopathies, and these cells may be a source for bioengineering of corneal tissue and for cell-based therapeutics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]