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Timely and detailed investigation of dangerous landslides is crucial for preventing catastrophic disasters. On June 29, 2023, the local collapse of the Mengu landslide in the upper reaches of Jinsha River in Qinghai Province, China, drew significant attention due to potential risks. Based on the integrated landslide investigation framework of 'space-air-ground', this study examined the development characteristics of the landslide and gave some conclusions. Optical imagery and InSAR results reveal continuous deformation in the source area of the landslide since the beginning of the monitoring in early 2020. Field surveys indicate that the Mengu landslide developed on an anti-dip slope, and the primary slope deformation mode evolved from toppling to overall shear failures. Landslide deformation is correlated with rainfall, exhibiting accelerated movements during periods of significant short-term precipitation. The high-intensity rainfall event in mid-June was identified as the direct cause of the landslide destruction. The landslide is identified as a retrogressive landslide and is categorized into four stages. Presently, there are three primary trailing-edge sliding boundaries, and the overall risk of failure is not high. However, local sliding at the leading edge poses a high risk. Analysis of GNSS monitoring displacement indicates that the front edge of the landslide is in the initial acceleration stage of deformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salt stress can adversely affect plant seed germination, growth and development, and eventually lead to slow growth and even death of plants. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of different concentrations of NaCl and Na2SO4 stress on the physicochemical properties, enzyme activities, rhizosphere microbial community and seven active components (l-phenylalanine, Protocatechuic acid, Eleutheroside B, Chlorogenic acid, Caffeic acid, Eleutheroside E, Isofraxidin) of Acanthopanax senticosus rhizosphere soil. Statistical analysis was used to explore the correlation between the rhizosphere ecological factors of Acanthopanax senticosus and its active components. Compared with Acanthopanax senticosus under NaCl stress, Na2SO4 generally had a greater effect on Acanthopanax senticosus, which reduced the richness of fungi in rhizosphere soil and adversely affected the content of multiple active components. Pearson analysis showed that pH, organic matter, ammonium nitrogen, available phosphorus, available potassium, catalase and urease were significantly correlated with active components such as Caffeic acid and Isofraxidin. There were 11 known bacterial genera, 12 unknown bacterial genera, 9 known fungal genera and 1 unknown fungal genus significantly associated with the active ingredient. Salt stress had great changes in the physicochemical properties, enzyme activities and microorganisms of the rhizosphere soil of Acanthopanax senticosus. In conclusion, different types and concentrations of salts had different effects on Acanthopanax senticosus, and the active components of Acanthopanax senticosus were regulated by rhizosphere soil ecological factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the last decade, chiral symmetry in atomic nuclei has attracted significant attention and become one of the hot topics in current nuclear physics frontiers. This paper provides a review of experimental studies for nuclear chirality in China. In particular, the experimental setups, chiral mass regions, lifetime measurements, and simultaneous breaking of chirality and other symmetries are discussed in detail. These studies found a new chiral mass region (A ≈ 80), extended the boundaries of the A ≈ 100 and 130 chiral mass regions, and tested the chiral geometry of 130Cs, 106Ag, 80Br and 76Br by lifetime measurements. In addition, simultaneous breaking of chirality and other symmetries have been studied in 74As, 76Br, 78Br, 80Br, 81Kr and 131Ba. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sudden unexplained death (SUD) constitutes a considerable portion of unexpected sudden death in the young. Molecular autopsy has proved to be an efficient diagnostic tool in the multidisciplinary management of SUD. Yet, many cases remain undiagnosed using the widely adopted targeted genetic screening strategies. Here, we investigated the genetic substrates of a young SUD cohort (18–40 years old) from China using whole-exome sequencing (WES), with the primary aim to identify novel SUD susceptibility genes. Within 255 previously acknowledged SUD-associated genes, 21 variants with likely functional effects (pathogenic/likely pathogenic) were identified in 51.9% of the SUD cases. More importantly, a set of 33 candidate genes associated with myopathy were identified to be novel susceptibility genes for SUD. Comparative analysis of the cumulative PHRED-scaled CADD score and polygenetic burden score showed that the amount and deleteriousness of variants in the 255 SUD-associated genes and the 33 candidate genes identified by this study were significantly higher compared with 289 randomly selected genes. A significantly higher genetic burden of rare variants (MAF < 0.1%) in the 33 candidate genes also highlighted putative roles of these genes in SUD. After incorporating these novel genes, the genetic testing yields of the current SUD cohort elevated from 51.9 to 66.7%. Our study expands understanding of the genetic variants underlying SUD and presents insights that improve the utility of genetic screenings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, to determine the tunneling effect on the performance of silicon heterojunction (SHJ) solar cells, we use AFORS-HET software to systematically study the carrier transport mechanism in different forward bias ranges under dark conditions. We confirm that the carrier transport in the p-type SHJ solar cell is determined by the recombination process at lower voltage (V < 0.3 V) and the tunneling current at higher voltage (0.3 < V < 0.6 V). Our results also suggest that the tunneling affected by the interface state density and doping level of a-Si:H influences the performance of devices. Moreover, we propose a new strategy to improve the performance of SHJ solar cells. By optimizing the above parameters, it was possible to increase the efficiency of a-Si:H(n)/c-Si(p)/a-Si:H(p) and a-Si:H(p)/c-Si(n)/a-Si:H(n) SHJ solar cells to 25.40% and 24.45%, respectively, to reduce the influence of the tunneling effect on the device. This work can be a useful reference for solar cell production and preparation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic nonbacterial osteomyelitis (CNO) is an autoinflammatory bone disorder. The origin and development of CNO involve many complex immune processes, resulting in delayed diagnosis and a lack of effective treatment. Although bioinformatics analysis has been utilized to seek key genes and pathways in CNO, only a few bioinformatics studies that focus on CNO pathogenesis and mechanisms have been reported. This study aimed to identify key biomarkers that could serve as early diagnostic or therapeutic markers for CNO. Two RNA-seq datasets (GSE133378 and GSE187429) were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). Weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) and differentially expressed gene (DEG) analysis were conducted to identify the genes associated with CNO. Then, the autoinflammatory genes most associated with CNO were identified based on the GeneCards database and a CNO prediction model, which was created by the LASSO machine learning algorithm. The accuracy of the model and effects of the autoinflammatory genes according to receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were verified in external datasets (GSE7014). Finally, we performed clustering analysis with ConsensusClusterPlus. In total, eighty CNO-related genes were identified and were significantly enriched in the biological processes regulation of actin filament organization, cell–cell junction organization and gamma-catenin binding. The main enriched pathways were adherens junctions, viral carcinogenesis and systemic lupus erythematosus. Two autoinflammatory genes with high expression in CNO samples were identified by combining an optimal machine learning algorithm (LASSO) with the GeneCards database. An external validation dataset (GSE187429) was utilized for ROC analysis of the prediction model and two genes, and the results indicated good efficiency. Then, based on consensus clustering analysis, we found that the expression of UTS2 and MPO differed between clusters. Finally, the ceRNA network of lncRNAs and the small molecule compounds targeting the two autoinflammatory genes were predicted. The identification of two autoinflammatory genes, the HCG18/has-mir-147a/UTS2/MPO axis and signalling pathways in this study can help us understand the molecular mechanism of CNO formation and provides candidate targets for the diagnosis and treatment of CNO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evidentiary value of DNA profiles varies depending upon the context in which the DNA was found. Linking a DNA profile to a particular cellular phenotype in mixtures may aid in assessing its evidentiary relevance and value. We report the development of two dual-function high-resolution messenger RNA (mRNA) sequencing assays that can each identify the presence of 6 body fluids/tissues (blood, semen, saliva, vaginal secretions, menstrual blood, skin) and, via coding region SNPs (cSNPs) present in the body fluid–specific mRNA transcripts, directly associate particular body fluids with their specific DNA donors in mixtures. The original blood, semen, and saliva (BSS) assay contains 23 cSNPs for blood, semen, and saliva, while the expanded 6F (all 6 fluids/tissues) assay encompasses the BSS assay and also contains 23 additional cSNPs for vaginal secretions, menstrual blood, and skin. Software tools were developed to infer the identity of the body fluids present as well as providing the corresponding cSNP genotypes. Concomitant genomic DNA assays (BSS-d and 6F-d), required to genotype the same cSNPs from persons of interest/inferred contributors to the body fluid mixture, were also developed. Body fluid specificity was demonstrated by the ability to identify the body fluid origin of single-source and two-fluid admixtures. The discriminatory power (European Caucasians) for all body fluids is 0.957–0.997, with linkage disequilibrium considered. Reciprocal body fluid admixtures (mixture pairs with the same two donors but reversed body fluid types) were used to demonstrate the ability to identify the body fluid source of origin as well as associate the donor of each of the two fluids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sudden unexplained death (SUD) can affect apparently healthy adolescents and young adults with no prior clinical symptoms and no clear diagnostic findings at autopsy. Although primary cardiac arrhythmias have been shown to be the direct cause of death in the majority of SUD cases, the genetic predisposition contributing to SUD remains incompletely understood. Currently, molecular autopsy is considered to be an effective diagnostic tool in the multidisciplinary management of SUD, but the analysis focuses mainly on the coding region and the significance of many identified variants remains unclear. Recent studies have demonstrated the strong association between human disease and genetic variants in untranslated regions (UTRs), highlighting the potential role of UTR variants in the genetic predisposition to SUD. In this study, we searched for UTR variants with likely functional effects in the exome data of 45 SUD cases. Among 244 genes associated with cardiac diseases, three candidate variants with high confidence of pathogenicity were identified in the UTRs of SCO2, CALM2 and TBX3 based on a rigorous filtering strategy. A functional assay further validated the effect of these candidate variants on gene transcriptional activity. In addition, the constraint metrics, intolerance indexes, and dosage sensitivity scores of genes affected by the candidate variants were considered when estimating the consequence of aberrant gene expression. In conclusion, our study presents a practical strategy for UTR variant prioritization and functional annotation, which could improve the interpretation of molecular autopsy findings in SUD cohorts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rumex gmelinii Turcz. (RGT) is a medicinal plant of the genus Rumex, family Polygonaceae. Our research group isolated an endophytic fungus, Plectosphaerella cucumerina (Strain J-G) from RGT, which could significantly promote host growth when co-cultured with host seedlings. In this study, we used transcriptome analysis and verification experiments to explore the molecular mechanisms underlying this growth-promoting effect. We found that, during co-culture with Strain J-G, the expression of genes encoding key enzymes in amino acid metabolism and carbohydrate synthesis and metabolism were up-regulated in RGT tissue culture seedlings, providing additional substrate and energy for plant growth. In addition, the expression of genes encoding the responser of RGT seedlings to hormones, including auxin and cytokinin, were significantly enhanced, promoting plant growth and development. Furthermore, RGT seedling defense systems were mobilized by Strain J-G; therefore, more secondary metabolites and substances involved in stress resistance were produced, ensuring normal plant growth and metabolism. The research showed Strain J-G significantly promote the accumulation of biomass and effective components of RGT, which provide basis for its application. This research also provides a reference method for the study of growth-promoting mechanism of endophytic fungi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cleidocranial dysplasia (CCD) is a rare genetic disorder affecting bone and cartilage development. Clinical features of CCD comprise short stature, delayed ossification of craniofacial structures with numerous Wormian bones, underdeveloped or aplastic clavicles and multiple dental anomalies. Several studies have revealed that CCD development is strongly linked with different mutations in runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2) gene. Objective: Identification and functional characterization of RUNX2 mutation associated with CCD. Methods: We performed genetic testing of a patient with CCD using whole exome sequencing and found a novel RUNX2 frameshift mutation: c.1550delT in a sporadic case. We also compared the functional activity of the mutant and wild-type RUNX2 through immunofluorescence microscopy and osteocalcin promoter luciferase assay. Results: We found a novel RUNX2 frameshift mutation, c.1550delT (p.Trp518Glyfs*60). Both mutant RUNX2 and wild-type RUNX2 protein were similarly confined in the nuclei. The novel mutation caused abrogative transactivation activity of RUNX2 on osteocalcin promoter. Conclusions: We explored a novel RUNX2 deletion/frameshift mutation in a sporadic CCD patient. This finding suggests that the VWRPY domain may play a key role in RUNX2 transactivation ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiac arrhythmia is currently considered to be the direct cause of death in a majority of sudden unexplained death (SUD) cases, yet the genetic predisposition and corresponding endophenotypes contributing to SUD remain incompletely understood. In this study, we aimed to investigate the involvement of Coenzyme Q (CoQ) deficiency in SUD. First, we re-analyzed the exome sequencing data of 45 SUD and 151 sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) cases from our previous studies, focusing on previously overlooked genetic variants in 44 human CoQ deficiency-related genes. A considerable proportion of the SUD (38%) and SIDS (37%) cases were found to harbor rare variants with likely functional effects. Subsequent burden testing, including all rare exonic and untranslated region variants identified in our case cohorts, further confirmed the existence of significant genetic burden. Based on the genetic findings, the influence of CoQ deficiency on electrophysiological and morphological properties was further examined in a mouse model. A significantly prolonged PR interval and an increased occurrence of atrioventricular block were observed in the 4-nitrobenzoate induced CoQ deficiency mouse group, suggesting that CoQ deficiency may predispose individuals to sudden death through an increased risk of cardiac arrhythmia. Overall, our findings suggest that CoQ deficiency-related genes should also be considered in the molecular autopsy of SUD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sudden unexplained death (SUD) takes up a considerable part in overall sudden death cases, especially in adolescents and young adults. During the past decade, many channelopathy- and cardiomyopathy-associated single nucleotide variants (SNVs) have been identified in SUD studies by means of postmortem molecular autopsy, yet the number of cases that remain inconclusive is still high. Recent studies had suggested that structural variants (SVs) might play an important role in SUD, but there is no consensus on the impact of SVs on inherited cardiac diseases. In this study, we searched for potentially pathogenic SVs in 244 genes associated with cardiac diseases. Whole-exome sequencing and appropriate data analysis were performed in 45 SUD cases. Re-analysis of the exome data according to the current ACMG guidelines identified 14 pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants in 10 (22.2%) out of the 45 SUD cases, whereof 2 (4.4%) individuals had variants with likely functional effects in the channelopathy-associated genes SCN5A and TRDN and 1 (2.2%) individual in the cardiomyopathy-associated gene DTNA. In addition, 18 structural variants (SVs) were identified in 15 out of the 45 individuals. Two SVs with likely functional impairment were found in the coding regions of PDSS2 and TRPM4 in 2 SUD cases (4.4%). Both were identified as heterozygous deletions, which were confirmed by multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification. In conclusion, our findings support that SVs could contribute to the pathology of the sudden death event in some of the cases and therefore should be investigated on a routine basis in suspected SUD cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, the pedicle screw is the most commonly used internal fixation device. However, there are many kinds of common posterior pedicle screw insertion techniques performed to reconstruct the lumbar stability. Therefore, spinal surgeons often face a difficult choice. The stress distribution of internal fixation system is an important index for evaluating safety. Unfortunately, little had been known about the difference of stress distribution of screw-rod systems that established by Roy-Camille, Magerl and Krag insertion techniques. Here, combination of finite element analysis and model measurement research was adopted to evaluate the difference of stress. Following different pedicle screw insertion techniques, three lumbar posterior surgery models were established after modeling and validation of the L1–S1 vertebrae finite element model. By analyzing the data, we found that stress concentration phenomenon was in all the postoperative models. Roy-Camille and Magerl insertion techniques led to the great stress on screw-rod systems. Then, fresh frozen calf spines were selected as a model for subsequent measurements. Fitted with a specially designed test pedicle screw, L5–L6 vertebrae were selected to repeat and verify the results of the finite element analysis. With the aid of universal testing machine and digital torque wrench, models simulated flexion, extension, lateral bending and rotation. Finally, the strain value was captured by the strain gauge and was then calculated as the stress value. Krag and Magerl were found to be the safer choice for pedicle screw insertion. Overall, our combination method obtained the reliable result that Krag insertion technique was the safer approach for pedicle screw implantation due to its relatively dispersive stress. Therefore, without the consideration of screw size, pedicle fill, bone density, and bone structures, we recommend the Krag insertion technique as the first choice to reconstruction of lumbar stability. Additionally, the combination method of finite element analysis and strain gauge measurement can provide a feasible way to study the stress distribution of spinal internal fixation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Tibetan–Yi Corridor, located on the eastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau, is the main route of the people of the plateau. Human settlement and diffusion along the corridor have played a pivotal role in shaping the genetic architecture of Sino-Tibetan-speaking (STs) populations in China. In this study, five STs groups (Chengdu Tibetan, Chengdu Han, Muli Tibetan, Lugu Lake Mosuo and Xichang Yi) settling in the Tibetan–Yi Corridor were genotyped via AGCU InDel 50 kit on the capillary electrophoresis platform to decrypt the genetic landscape and phylogenetic relationship of STs populations and investigate the forensic characteristics. Allele frequency distributions of all autosomal insertion/deletion polymorphisms (InDels) in studied groups comply with Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium. The combined power of discrimination values are 0.9999999999999999998, 0.9999999999999999995, 0.9999999999999999999, 0.999999999999999993 and 0.99999999999999999994, respectively, and all the combined probability of exclusion values exceed 0.9990. Forensically relevant statistics implied that these InDels could be used for individual identification and as a promising alternative to STR profiling in paternity testing. Typical population comparisons showed strikingly high homogeneity among studied STs people, indicating complicated genetic admixture among populations in the Tibetan–Yi Corridor. The STs groups in the Tibetan–Yi Corridor keep close genetic affinity with geographically or linguistically close populations, and the genetic components of investigated populations arose from a mixture of multiple ancestral gene pools (resulting from the admixture from the ancestral Highland Tibetans and ancestral Lowland indigenous populations). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Culturally diverse Tibetans (Ü-Tsang, Kham and Ando) harboring a unique molecular mechanism that allows them to successfully adapt to hypoxic environments in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau have been a subject of great interest in medical genetics, linguistics, archeology and forensic science. However, forensic characteristics and genetic variations of the Y-chromosomal 27-marker haplotype included in the Yfiler Plus system in the Ü-Tsang and Kham Tibeto-Burman-speaking Tibetans remain unexplored. Thus, we genotyped 27 Y-STRs in 230 Shigatse Ü-Tsang Tibetans (SUT) and 172 Chamdo Kham Tibetans (CKT) to investigate the forensic characterization and genetic affinity of Chinese Tibetan Highlanders. The haplotype diversities were 0.999962028 in SUT and 0.999796002 in CKT. Forensic diversity measures indicated that this 27-Y-STR amplification system is appropriate for routine forensic applications, such as identifying and separating unrelated males in deficiency paternity cases, male disaster victims and missing person identification and determining male components in sexual assault cases. Moreover, the genetic relationships among 63 worldwide populations (16,282 individuals), 16 Asian populations, and 21 Chinese populations were analyzed and reconstructed using principal component analysis, multidimensional scaling plots and a phylogenetic tree. Considerable genetic differences were observed between Tibetan populations and other geographically/ethnically diverse populations (Han Chinese). Our studied SUT and CKT have a genetically closer relationship with Gansu Ando Tibetans than with other Asians. In total, our analyses indicated that subpopulation structures exist among Asian and Chinese populations, and population-specific reference databases should be established for forensic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In present study, forensic parameters based on the population data of nineteen autosomal short tandem repeats (STRs) loci were estimated in Chinese Han populations from three riverfront areas of Yangtze Basin in Eastern China. The combined power of discrimination (CPD) were 0.9999999999999999999999883, 0.9999999999999999999999846 and 0.9999999999999999999999863, respectively. The combined power of exclusion (CPE) were 0.999999992248957, 0.999999989800400 and 0.999999989799819, respectively. Furthermore, the genetic relationships among our studied populations and 32 previously investigated populations residing in other areas of China were also analyzed based on pairwise genetic distances (FST). The multidimensional scaling (MDS) plot and phylogenetic tree indicated that our studied populations were majorly clustered with the Han populations along the Yangtze Basin and populations to the north of it. In summary, our results supported that the 19 autosomal STR loci, which were polymorphic and informative in forensic identification, could also be applied in population genetics studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genetic characterization of ethnically and geographically diverse populations via short tandem repeats (STRs) is relevant to various fundamental and applied areas of forensic genetics, population studies, and even molecular anthropology. In the present study, genetic polymorphisms of 15 autosomal STR loci were firstly obtained from 918 individuals (495 Nakhis and 423 Yis) residing in the foothills of the Himalayas. The cumulative powers of discrimination and probabilities of exclusion in the two studied ethnic groups were both larger than 0.999999999999999982 and 0.9999961, respectively. Genetic similarities and differences among 61 populations were subsequently investigated by pairwise Cavalli-Sforza genetic distance, multidimensional scaling plots, principal component analysis, and phylogenetic relationship reconstruction. Both Nakhi and Yi had the genetically close relationships with Yunnan Bai and distinct relationships with Xinjiang Turkic-speaking populations (Uyghur and Kazakh) and Vietnamese. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pearl River Delta, known as the Chinese “South Gate”, locates adjacent to Hong Kong and Macao, and across the sea from the Southeast Asian region. Herein, 4325 unrelated Han Chinese individuals residing in the Pearl River Delta region were recruited and genotyped with 23 autosomal STRs (the expanded CODIS core loci plus D6S1043, Penta D and Penta E). No evidence of deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium after Bonferroni correction was observed. The combined match probability and combined power of exclusion were 1.7829 × 10−28 and 0.9999999996, respectively. Next, population comparisons among ethnically, linguistically, and geographically diverse populations (11 Chinese populations based on genotypes of same 23 autosomal STRs, 46 Chinese nationwide populations based on allele frequency distributions of 19 autosomal STRs and 51 worldwide populations on the basis of 20 autosomal STRs) were performed via Structure, MDS, PCA and neighbor-joining tree. Genetic heterogeneities among Chinese nationalities along ethno-linguistic boundaries (Turkic-speaking, Tibeto-Burman-speaking, and Chinese-speaking populations) and geographic divisions (North-Han and South-Han) have been illustrated by first two autosomal microsatellite datasets. The results from worldwide population genetic relationship exploration based on 20 autosomal STRs demonstrated that genetic affinity has existed within ethnical and geographical close populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the original article, Figs. 2, 3b, and 4b were published incorrectly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interpreting mixed DNA samples containing material from multiple contributors has long been considered a major challenge in forensic casework, especially when encountering low-template DNA (LT-DNA) or high-order mixtures that may involve missing alleles (dropout) and unrelated alleles (drop-in), among others. In the last decades, extraordinary progress has been made in the analysis of mixed DNA samples, which has led to increasing attention to this research field. The advent of new methods for the separation and extraction of DNA from mixtures, novel or jointly applied genetic markers for detection and reliable interpretation approaches for estimating the weight of evidence, as well as the powerful massively parallel sequencing (MPS) technology, has greatly extended the range of mixed samples that can be correctly analyzed. Here, we summarized the investigative approaches and progress in the field of forensic DNA mixture analysis, hoping to provide some assistance to forensic practitioners and to promote further development involving this issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The direct neurotoxicity of HIV and neurotoxicity of combination antiretroviral therapy medications both contribute to the development of neuropathic pain. Activation of satellite glial cells (SGCs) in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) plays a crucial role in mechanical and thermal hyperalgesia. The P2Y12 receptor expressed in SGCs of the DRG is involved in pain transmission. In this study, we explored the role of the P2Y12 receptor in neuropathic pain induced by HIV envelope glycoprotein 120 (gp120) combined with ddC (2′,3′-dideoxycytidine). A rat model of gp120+ddC-induced neuropathic pain was used. Peripheral nerve exposure to HIV-gp120+ddC increased mechanical and thermal hyperalgesia in gp120+ddC-treated model rats. The gp120+ddC treatment increased expression of P2Y12 receptor mRNA and protein in DRG SGCs. In primary cultured DRG SGCs treated with gp120+ddC, the levels of [Ca2+]i activated by the P2Y12 receptor agonist 2-(Methylthio) adenosine 5′-diphosphate trisodium salt (2-MeSADP) were significantly increased. P2Y12 receptor shRNA treatment inhibited 2-MeSADP-induced [Ca2+]i in primary cultured DRG SGCs treated with gp120+ddC. Intrathecal treatment with a shRNA against P2Y12 receptor in DRG SGCs reduced the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, decreased phosphorylation of p38 MAPK in the DRG of gp120+ddC-treated rats. Thus, downregulating the P2Y12 receptor relieved mechanical and thermal hyperalgesia in gp120+ddC-treated rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A nanoscale refractive index sensor based on plasmonic interference is proposed in this paper. The sensor has a rather simple and compact design, and the refractive index of materials under sensing can be retrieved from spectral shifting. Additionally, in order to pursue high accuracy and sensitivity in refractive index measurements, spectral analysis and structure optimization are adopted for sensor design. It indicates that the optimal sensor exhibits linear response to refractive index changes with a high sensitivity as ~1160 nm/refractive index unit. We believe the proposed design can be potentially applied for high-throughput measurements and rapid in-site detections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) accounts for more than 90% of all cases of diabetes mellitus (DM). Diabetic neuropathic pain (DNP) is a common complication of T2DM. Sinomenine is a natural bioactive component extracted from the Sinomenium acutum and has anti-inflammatory effects. The aim of our study was to investigate the effects of sinomenine on DNP mediated by the P2X receptor in dorsal root ganglia (DRG). The mechanical withdrawal threshold (MWT) and thermal withdrawal latency (TWL) in T2DM rats were lower than those of control rats. MWT and TWL in T2DM rats treated with sinomenine were higher compared with those in T2DM rats. The expression levels of the P2X protein and mRNA in T2DM rat DRG were higher compared with those of the control, while those in T2DM rats treated with sinomenine were significantly lower compared with those of the T2DM rats. Sinomenine significantly inhibited P2X agonist ATP-activated currents in HEK293 cells transfected with the P2X receptor. Sinomenine decreased the phosphorylation and activation of P38MAPK in T2DM DRG. Therefore, sinomenine treatment may suppress the up-regulated expression and activation of the P2X receptor and relieve the hyperalgesia potentiated by the activation of P38MAPK in T2DM rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A polarization-controlled tunable plasmonic lens which can generate different multi-focal combinations with exciting sources of left and right circular polarizations is proposed in this paper. Both position and intensity of each focal point can be adjusted by modulating the structure of the plasmonic lens. It is believed that the polarization-controlled tunable plasmonic multi-focal lens can be potentially used for optical switches and multi-channel couplers in future logic photonic and plasmonic systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) participate in physiological and pathophysiological processes. Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) accounts for more than 90 % of all cases of diabetes mellitus (DM). Diabetic neuropathic pain (DNP) is a common complication of T2DM. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of lncRNA NONRATT021972 small interference RNA (siRNA) on DNP mediated by the P2X receptor in dorsal root ganglia (DRG). These experiments showed that the expression levels of NONRATT021972 in DRG were increased in the T2DM rat model (intraperitoneal injection of STZ with 30 mg/kg). The concentration of NONRATT021972 in T2DM patient serum was higher compared to control healthy subjects. The mechanical withdrawal threshold (MWT) and thermal withdrawal latency (TWL) in T2DM rats were lower compared to control rats. MWT and TWL in T2DM rats treated with NONRATT021972 siRNA were higher compared with those in T2DM rats. The expression levels of the P2X protein and messenger RNA (mRNA) of T2DM rat DRG were higher compared to the control, while those in T2DM rats treated with NONRATT021972 siRNA were significantly lower compared to T2DM rats. The level of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in the serum of T2DM rats treated with NONRATT021972 siRNA was significantly decreased compared with T2DM rats. NONRATT021972 siRNA inhibited the phosphorylation and activation of ERK1/2 in T2DM DRG. Thus, NONRATT021972 siRNA treatment may suppress the upregulated expression and activation of the P2X receptor and reduce the hyperalgesia potentiated by the pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF-α in T2DM rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The X chromosome has a special mode of inheritance, and is thus a rich resource for population studies. In this study, the allele frequencies and forensic statistics of the 19 X chromosomal short tandem repeat loci were evaluated in 500 Uyghur individuals from Aksu Prefecture in northwest China. We further aimed to study whether the Uyghur populations located in various regions of Xinjiang share similar allele and haplotype frequency distributions, as they have experienced genetic exchanges. Population comparisons, PCA and MDS were performed for the Uyghurs and 27 populations and the results indicate that the Uyghur minority in Aksu has a relatively close phylogenetic relationship with East Asians, especially the Kazakh minority. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) participates in signal transmission by acting on P2X receptors, and the P2X receptor is involved in the pathophysiological changes of ischemic injury. The PC12 cell line is a popular model system to study sympathetic neuronal function. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are highly expressed in the nervous system and serve as regulatory RNAs. In this study, the effects of NONRATT021972 lncRNA siRNA on P2X-mediated PC12 neuronal injury after exposure to oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) were investigated. Our results showed that the viability of PC12 cells cultured with OGD or the P2X agonist BzATP was significantly decreased. Treatment with NONRATT021972 siRNA reversed the decreased viability of PC12 cells under OGD conditions. The upregulated P2X mRNA and protein levels in PC12 cells under OGD conditions or BzATP treatment were significantly decreased when pretreated with NONRATT021972 siRNA. Moreover, NONRATT021972 siRNA treatment effectively suppressed the increase in [Ca] induced by OGD or P2X agonists (ATP or BzATP) in PC12 cells. Therefore, treatment with NONRATT021972 siRNA may decrease sympathetic neuronal injury induced by ischemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies showed that the upregulation of the P2X receptor in cervical sympathetic ganglia was involved in myocardial ischemic (MI) injury. The dysregulated expression of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) participates in the onset and progression of many pathological conditions. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a small interfering RNA (siRNA) against the NONRATT021972 lncRNA on the abnormal changes of cardiac function mediated by the up-regulation of the P2X receptor in the superior cervical ganglia (SCG) after myocardial ischemia. When the MI rats were treated with NONRATT021972 siRNA, their increased systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), heart rate (HR), low-frequency (LF) power, and LF/HF ratio were reduced to normal levels. However, the decreased high-frequency (HF) power was increased. GAP43 and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) are markers of nerve sprouting and sympathetic nerve fibers, respectively. We found that the TH/GAP43 value was significantly increased in the MI group. However, it was reduced after the MI rats were treated with NONRATT021972 siRNA. The serum norepinephrine (NE) and epinephrine (EPI) concentrations were decreased in the MI rats that were treated with NONRATT021972 siRNA. Meanwhile, the increased P2X mRNA and protein levels and the increased p-ERK1/2 expression in the SCG were also reduced. NONRATT021972 siRNA treatment inhibited the P2X agonist BzATP-activated currents in HEK293 cells transfected with pEGFP-P2X. Our findings suggest that NONRATT021972 siRNA could decrease the upregulation of the P2X receptor and improve the abnormal changes in cardiac function after myocardial ischemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) participate in physiological processes that maintain cellular and tissue homeostasis, and thus, the dysregulated expression of lncRNAs is involved in the onset and progression of many pathological conditions. Research has indicated that the genetic knockout of some lncRNAs in mice resulted in peri- or postnatal lethality or developmental defects. Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a major cause of peripheral neuropathy. Our studies showed that the expression levels of lncRNA uc.48+ in the diabetic rat dorsal root ganglia (DRG) and the DM patients' serum samples were increased. It suggested that lncRNA uc.48+ was involved in the pathophysiological process of DM. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of lncRNA uc.48+ small interfering RNA (siRNA) on diabetic neuropathic pain (DNP) mediated by the P2X receptor in the DRG. The values of the mechanical withdrawal threshold (MWT) and thermal withdrawal latency (TWL) were measured by the von Frey test and Hargreaves' test, respectively. The levels of P2X protein and messenger RNA (mRNA) in the DRG were detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), immunohistochemistry, and western blotting. The experiments showed that the MWT and TWL values in DM rats were lower than those in the control rats. The MWT and TWL values in DM rats treated with lncRNA uc.48+ siRNA were increased compared to those in DM rats, but there was no significant difference between the DM rat group and the DM + scramble siRNA group. The levels of P2X protein and mRNA in the DM DRG were higher than those in the control, while the levels of P2X protein and mRNA in the DG of DM rats treated with uc.48+ siRNA were significantly decreased compared to those in DM rats. The expression levels of TNF-α in the DRG of DM rats treated with uc.48+ siRNA were significantly decreased compared to those in the DM group. The phosphorylation and activation of ERK1/2 in the DM DRG were decreased by uc.48+ siRNA treatment. Therefore, uc.48+ siRNA treatment may alleviate the DNP by inhibiting the excitatory transmission mediated by the P2X receptor in DRG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) acts on P2X receptors to initiate signal transmission. P2X receptors play a role in the pathophysiological process of myocardial ischemic injury. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) participate in numerous biological functions independent of protein translation. LncRNAs are implicated in nervous system diseases. This study investigated the effects of NONRATT021972 small interference RNA (siRNA) on the pathophysiologic processes mediated by P2X receptors in stellate ganglia (SG) after myocardial ischemic injury. Our results demonstrated that the expression of NONRATT021972 in SG was significantly higher in the myocardial ischemic (MI) group than in the control group. Treatment of MI rats with NONRATT021972 siRNA, the P2X antagonist brilliant blue G (BBG), or P2X siRNA improved the histology of injured ischemic cardiac tissues and decreased the elevated concentrations of serum myocardial enzymes, creatine kinase (CK), CK isoform MB (CK-MB), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) compared to the MI rats. NONRATT021972 siRNA, BBG, or P2X siRNA treatment in MI rats decreased the expression levels of P2X immunoreactivity, P2X messenger RNA (mRNA), and P2X protein, interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and phosphorylated p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) in the SG compared to MI rats. NONRATT021972 siRNA treatment prevented the pathophysiologic processes mediated by P2X receptors in the SG after myocardial ischemic injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic inflammation plays a major role in development of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). C-reactive protein (CRP) and inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin 1β (IL-1β) are directly involved in the occurrence of insulin resistance. Increased extracellular ATP levels can amplify the inflammatory response in vivo via the P2X receptor. The present study aimed to assess the relationship between P2X receptor expression in human peripheral blood monocytes and plasma levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, and CRP in T2DM patients. The results showed the association of increased P2X receptor expression of monocytes with high serum CRP, TNF-α, and IL-1β levels. TNF-α and IL-1β levels were lowest in healthy subjects; in T2DM patients, these inflammatory markers were less abundant in individuals with normal CRP levels compared to those with high CRP contents. In contrast, IL-10 levels in T2DM patients with high CRP levels were dramatically decreased. P2X receptor expression in monocytes from T2DM patients with high CRP levels was significantly increased in comparison with healthy individuals and T2DM patients with normal CRP levels. These findings indicated that P2X receptor in peripheral blood monocytes may be involved in the pathological changes of T2DM, particularly affecting patients with high CRP levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the precise function of Cullin1 (CUL1) in colorectal cancer (CRC). Methods: Immunohistochemistry was performed to test the expression of CUL1 on a CRC tissue microarray containing the tumor and corresponding normal tissues. Simultaneously, the correlation of CUL1 expression with clinicopathological parameters and survival was evaluated. CUL1 was over-expressed or knocked down in HCT116 and SW480 cells, then the cell proliferation, migration and invasion assays in vitro and in vivo were performed. Results: In this study, we found that CUL1 expression was significantly up-regulated in CRC compared with normal colon tissues. High CUL1 expression was positively associated with lymph node metastasis ( P = 0.007) and tumor diameter ( P = 0.052). Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that high CUL1 expression was an independent unfavorable prognostic factor for CRC patients (HR = 13.9, 95 % confidence interval = 5.89-32.6, P < 0.001). Moreover, we found that CUL1 over-expression induced CRC cell proliferation and the growth of xenografts in nude mice via the changing of cell-cycle proteins. In addition, increased CUL1 expression in CRC cells significantly promoted cell migration and invasion abilities in vitro and peritoneal metastasis in vivo through inducing high expression of MMPs. Conclusion: Our findings imply that CUL1 may serve as promising prognostic markers in CRC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been reported that miR-21 is upregulated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and overexpressed miR-21 plays a key role in promoting cell cycle progression, reducing cell death and favoring angiogenesis and invasion. Overexpression of hepatocellular carcinoma, downregulated 1 (HEPN1) exhibits an antiproliferative effect on HepG2 cells, suggesting that silencing of HEPN1 may contribute to carcinogenesis of hepatocytes. In silico analysis revealed that HEPN1 may be a potential target of miR-21. Using quantitative reverse transcription PCR and Western blot, we found that HEPN1 was strikingly downregulated in both mRNA (fold change was 33.5, P < 0.0001) and protein levels in human HCC tumor tissues, in comparison with the adjacent non-tumor tissues. More importantly, the expression level of HEPN1 was inversely correlated with the expression of miR-21 in HCC ( R = 0.442, P < 0.0001). The combination between the 3′ untranslated region (UTR) of HEPN1 with miR-21 was experimentally verified by a miRNA luciferase reporter approach. The suppressed cell proliferation upon stimulation of miR-21 inhibitor could be partially abolished by knocking down HEPN1, so inhibition of miR-21 expression in HCC cells profoundly suppressed cell proliferation partially by upregulating HEPN1 expression. Taken together, the current study suggested an underlying mechanism that miR-21 directly target HEPN1 and inhibit its expression during the carcinogenesis of HCC. HEPN1 may thus be a candidate as a therapeutic target for patients with HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Protein p21 is a cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor, which plays important roles in cell cycle arrest, senescence, and apoptosis. Interestingly, the nuclear and cytoplasmic p21 executes various functions in the cell. In this study, we investigated the prognostic impact of subcellular p21 expression in gastric cancer (GC). Methods: Expressions of subcellular p21 was assessed by immunohistochemistry using a tissue microarray in a training cohort and it went into a second testing cohort and finally to a validating cohort. Prognostic and predictive role of subcellular p21 expression status was evaluated. We also studied the roles of subcellular p21 in GC cell migration and invasion. Results: Nuclear and cytoplasmic p21 protein levels were significantly reduced and increased in GC lesions compared with adjacent non-cancerous tissues, respectively. Low nuclear p21 or high cytoplasmic p21 expression significantly correlated with shorter overall survival (OS), as well as with clinicopathologic characteristics in patients. Multivariate regression analysis showed that low nuclear and high cytoplasmic p21 expression, separately and together, were independent negative markers of OS. Finally, we found that nuclear p21 inhibits but cytoplasmic p21 promotes cell migration and invasion abilities. Conclusions: These findings suggest that nuclear and cytoplasmic p21 protein expression in tumor are novel candidate prognostic markers in resectable human gastric carcinoma, and they exert distinct roles in cell migration and invasion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CD133 has been identified as a potential cancer stem cell (CSC) marker in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the clinical and prognostic significance of CD133 in NSCLC remains controversial. In this study, a meta-analysis with a total number of 13 studies was performed to clarify the association between CD133 expression and clinical outcomes in publications up to June 2013. Odds ratios (ORs) and their 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) were used to assess the association between CD133 expression and the clinicopathological characteristics of NSCLC. Hazard ratios (HRs) and their 95 % CI were used to quantify the predictive ability of CD133 on NSCLC prognosis. Analysis of these data showed that CD133 expression was not associated with any clinicopathological parameters except for histology (pooled OR = 1.35, 95%CI = 1.04-1.76, P = 0.024) and tumor differentiation (pooled OR = 3.19, 95%CI = 1.10-9.21, P = 0.032). Simultaneously, we also found that positive CD133 expression was not associated with disease-free survival (DFS) (pooled HR = 1.76, 95 % CI = 0.87-3.57, P = 0.114, random-effect) but was associated with overall survival (OS) (pooled HR = 2.06, 95 % CI = 1.08-3.91, P = 0.027, random-effect). Overall, it is appropriate to regard CD133 expression as a potential prognostic factor for the OS of NSCLC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on interferometric microscopy, we develop a quantitative interferometric microscopic cytometer with expanded principal component analysis (PCA) phase retrieval method to obtain phase distributions of numerous biological samples with spatial resolution ~1.5 μm. The expanded PCA method realizes high-speed phase imaging from multiple microscopic interferograms captured by CCD camera when the biological samples are scanned in the field of view. This method is a time-domain algorithm which calculates faster than traditional frequency-domain algorithms and overcomes drawbacks induced by fast Fourier transform. The potential of this phase detecting system for studying biological systems is demonstrated with simulations and phase measurement of red blood cells in experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we presented a novel integrated microfluidic perfusion system to generate multiple parameter fluid flow-induced shear stresses simultaneously and investigated the effects of distinct levels of fluid flow stimulus on the responses of chondrocytes, including the changes of morphology and metabolism. Based on the electric circuit analogy, two devices were fabricated, each with four chambers to enable eight different shear stresses spanning over four orders of magnitude from 0.007 to 15.4 dyne/cm 2 with computational fluid dynamics analysis. Chondrocytes subjected to shear stresses (7.5 and 15.4 dyne/cm 2) for 24 h reoriented their cytoskeleton to align with the direction of flow. Meanwhile, the collagen I, collagen II and aggrecan expression of chondrocytes increased in different ranges, respectively. Furthermore, interleukin-6 as a proinflammatory cytokine can be detected at shear stress of 7.5 and 15.4 dyne/cm 2 in mRNA level. These results indicated that fluid flow was beneficial for chondrocyte metabolism at interstitial levels (0.007 and 0.046 dyne/cm 2), but induced an increase in fibrocartilage phenotype with increasing magnitude of stimulation. Moreover, a moderate level of flow stimulus (7.5 dyne/cm 2) could also result in detrimental cytokine release. This work described a simple and versatile way to rapidly screen cell responses to fluid flow stimulus from interstitial shear stress level to pathological level, providing multi-condition fluid flow-induced microenvironment in vitro for understanding deeply chondrocyte metabolism, cartilage reconstruction and osteoarthritis etiology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Matrix elasticity exerts considerable influence on the phenotype of terminally differentiated chondrocytes via physical cues. The Yes-associated protein (YAP) transcription co-activator is recognized as a key mediator that may be involved in the nuclear transduction of physical cues controlling cellular behavior and function. However, whether substrate elasticity in the regulation of the chondrocyte phenotype is associated with YAP remains unclear. In this work, we developed micropatterned substrates with varying stiffnesses to investigate the function of YAP and its related Hippo pathway kinases in the regulation of chondrocyte phenotype on soft and stiff substrates. We found that the phenotypic variation of chondrocytes in response to substrate stiffness is concomitant with the changes in YAP localization. The downregulation of YAP expression helps to maintain the chondrogenic phenotype while inhibiting chondrocyte proliferation. Furthermore, the change in the chondrocyte phenotype response to LATS1 kinase inactivation in the Hippo pathway varies significantly between soft and stiff substrates. We also found that LATS1 kinase inactivation promotes chondrocyte dedifferentiation only on stiff substrate. Collectively, these findings reveal that YAP may be involved in the changes that occur in chondrocytes cultured on substrates with different stiffnesses and that these changes do not entirely depend on the Hippo pathway kinase LATS1. Importantly, our findings indicate that YAP inactivation is conducive to the maintenance of the chondrogenic phenotype, thereby providing new insight into articular cartilage repair and regeneration mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we report the influence of Co-doping on the electronic band structure, dielectric and magnetic properties of LaBiFeCoO ceramics. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy investigation shows that Co dopant can shift the valence band spectrum and core-level lines of constituent elements towards higher bind energy regions simultaneously increase the concentration of oxygen vacancies in ceramics. The effects of dopant are discussed with focus given to the Co-doping induced enhancement of electrical conductivity and resistive switching phenomena. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the authors' carelessness, we used mistakenly images in Fig. 5B(B1) for P2X7 immunoreactivity in MI group(the second on the upper left) and MI+BBG group (The first one on the upper left). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The multifunctional protein JWA was previously identified as a novel regulator of focal adhesion kinase (FAK/PTK2) in suppressing cancer cell adhesion, invasion and metastasis. JWA is downregulated in gastric cancer (GC) and a prognostic and predictive biomarker for resectable GC. However, the value of FAK combined with JWA for GC patients as a biomarker has not been studied. Here we evaluated the roles of FAK alone and combined with JWA in GC patients treated with surgery alone or combined with adjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy. Methods: Two tissue microarrays were constructed of specimens from resected GC ( n = 709 in total) for detection of FAK and JWA expression by immunohistochemistry. Correlations between both proteins and clinicopathological features as well as prognostic and predictive values were evaluated. Results: Compared with adjacent non-cancerous tissues, FAK protein levels were remarkably up-regulated in GC lesions ( P < 0.001). High FAK alone or combined with low JWA expression significantly correlated with worse overall survival (OS) (both P < 0.001 in two cohorts). Simultaneously, JWA plus FAK expression was a more valuable prognostic biomarker than JWA or FAK alone. Moreover, the patients with high FAK only or combined with low JWA had significant benefit from adjuvant fluorouracil-leucovorin-oxaliplatin (FLO) therapy compared with those with surgery alone ( P = 0.003); however, the cases with adjuvant fluorouracil-leucovorin-cisplatin (FLP) therapy did not show these effects. Conclusion: FAK plus JWA may serve as a more prognostic and predictive biomarker for GC than each separately with a potential clinical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the original version of this article "lncRNA NONRATT021972 siRNA Decreases Diabetic Neuropathic Pain Mediated by the P2X3 Receptor in Dorsal Root Ganglia", which we have published in Mol Neurobiol (2017) 54:511–523. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the authors' carelessness, we mistakenly used similar images between the Fig. 1b on the expression of P2Y12 protein (upper) and Fig. 5a on the expression of phospho-p38 MAPK (p-p38 MAPK) protein (upper). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to study the infection mechanism of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), which causes porcine epidemic diarrhea, a highly contagious enteric disease, we combined quantum dot labeled method, which could hold intact infectivity of the labeled viruses to the largest extent, with the single particle tracking technique to dynamically and globally visualize the transport behaviors of PEDVs in live Vero cells. Our results were the first time to uncover the dynamic characteristics of PEDVs moving along the microtubules in the host cells. It is found that PEDVs kept restricted motion mode with a relatively stable speed in the cell membrane region; while performed a slow-fast-slow velocity pattern with different motion modes in the cell cytoplasm region and near the microtubule organizing center region. In addition, the return movements of small amount of PEDVs were also observed in the live cells. Collectively, our work is crucial for understanding the movement mechanisms of PEDV in the live cells, and the proposed work also provided important references for further analysis and study on the infection mechanism of PEDVs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following the observation of candidate chiral doublet bands in 78,80Br, triaxial deformations with corresponding configurations in odd-odd bromine isotopes have been investigated using adiabatic and configuration-fixed constrained triaxial relativistic-mean-field calculations with an aim of finding the boundary of chirality in the chain of Br isotopes. Several minima with triaxial deformation and the proper particle-hole configuration were obtained in 74,76,78,80,82Br, where the chiral doublet bands have the possibility of occurrence. Furthermore, the possible existence of multiple chiral doublet (MχD) bands is demonstrated in 74,76,78,80,82Br. Experiments to explore the chirality and MχD properties of Br isotopes are conducted to verify the predictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]