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Novel MnCo 2 O 4 -discs and MnCo 2 O 4 -rings were respectively prepared through a facile hydrothermal approach with a post annealing treatment. These MnCo 2 O 4 -discs exhibited battery-type electrochemical response with a high capacity of 296.1C/g at 1 A/g in 2 M of KOH electrolyte. The assembled MnCo 2 O 4 -discs//AC asymmetric supercapacitor delivered a high energy density of 35.8 W h kg−1 at the power density of 927.5 W kg−1. [Display omitted] • Novel MnCo 2 O 4 -discs were hydrothermally prepared with a post annealing treatment. • A high specific capacity of 296.1C/g at 1 A/g was delivered. • Just a little capacity decay over 5000 cycles at a high current density of 6 A/g. • The ASC device delivered an energy density of 35.8 W h kg−1 at 927.5 W kg−1. Herein, porous MnCo 2 O 4 with disc-like (MnCo 2 O 4 -discs) and ring-like (MnCo 2 O 4 -rings) microstructures were respectively synthesized using an initial hydrothermal method at different temperatures and a calcination treatment in air. The electrochemical properties of these MnCo 2 O 4 materials were investigated in three-electrode and two-electrode systems, and as such, MnCo 2 O 4 presented a battery-like electrochemical response. The specific capacity of MnCo 2 O 4 -discs was determined to be 296.1C/g at 1 A/g, superior to 246.3C/g for MnCo 2 O 4 -rings. An asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) was assembled with MnCo 2 O 4 as the cathode and activated carbon (AC) as the anode to evaluate the potential for practical application. The MnCo 2 O 4 -discs//AC ASC exhibited an energy density (E d) of 35.8 W h kg−1 at a power density (P d) of 927.5 W kg−1. For the MnCo 2 O 4 -rings//AC ASC, an inferior E d of 31.4 W h kg−1 under 890.9 W kg−1 was achieved. Furthermore, the two ASCs presented outstanding cyclic performance after 5000 cycles at 6 A/g. The exceptional properties of MnCo 2 O 4 microstructures can be applied to the assembly of ASC devices, which can have promising potential for application in electrochemical energy storage. This synthetic method is straightforward, cost-effective, and can be extended to fabricate similar electrode materials with superior electrochemical performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Avian pathogenic E. coli (APEC) can cause localized or systemic infections, collectively known as avian colibacillosis, resulting in huge economic losses to poultry industry globally per year. In addition, increasing evidence indicates that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play a critical role in regulating host inflammation in response to bacterial infection. However, the role of lncRNAs in the host response to APEC infection remains unclear. Results: Here, we found 816 differentially expressed (DE) lncRNAs and 1,798 DE mRNAs in APEC infected chicken macrophages by RNAseq. The identified DE lncRNA-mRNAs were involved in Toll like receptor signaling pathway, VEGF signaling pathway, fatty acid metabolism, phosphatidylinositol signaling system, and other types of O-glycan biosynthesis. Furthermore, we found the novel lncRNA TCONS_00007391 as an important immune regulator in APEC infection was able to regulate the inflammatory response by directly targeting CD86. Conclusion: These findings provided a better understanding of host response to APEC infection and also offered the potential drug targets for therapy development against APEC infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. This study aimed to evaluate conjunctival vessels in patients with dry eye disease (DED) using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). Methods. This was a cross-sectional, observational clinical study. Twenty-three eyes of 18 patients with DED and 28 eyes of 23 healthy controls were included for examination in this study. The evaluation included the application of an Ocular Surface Disease Index Questionnaire, Schirmer Basic Secretion Test, and anterior OCTA targeting the temporal conjunctiva. AngioTool software was used to quantify the total vessel length and vessel density in the 3 × 3 mm temporal region of interest. Results. Blood vessel density measurements were compared across the OCTA systems. The total vessel length within the conjunctiva of the DED group (4799.34 ± 834.36) exceeded that of the control eye (3864.89 ± 1455.70) group (P < 0.05). However, the difference in vessel density between the two groups was not statistically significant. Conclusion. Measurement and analysis of conjunctival blood vessels using OCTA exhibited robust repeatability. In dry eyes, the total number of conjunctival blood vessels increased in accordance with disease severity. Hypoxia of conjunctival tissue may be an important cause of dry eye disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recent studies have shown that circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) can be used as diagnostic biomarkers for melanoma. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic value of circulating miRNAs for melanoma. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted and the quality of the included literature was evaluated using QUADAS-2 (Quality Assessment for diagnostic accuracy studies), and the diagnostic accuracy was assessed by pooled sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio (PLR), negative likelihood ratio (NLR), diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), and area under the curve (AUC). We used Deeks' funnel plot to evaluate publication bias. Results: The meta-analysis included 10 articles covering 16 studies, and the results showed that circulating miRNAs provide high diagnostic accuracy for melanoma. The overall pooled sensitivity was 0.87 (95% CI: 0.82–0.91), specificity was 0.81 (95% CI: 0.77–0.85), PLR was 4.6 (95% CI: 3.7–5.8), NLR was 0.16 (95% CI: 0.11–0.23), DOR was 29 (95% CI: 18–49), and AUC was 0.90 (95% CI: 0.87–0.92), respectively. Subgroup analysis showed better diagnostic value in miRNA clusters, European population, plasma miRNAs, and upregulated miRNAs compared to other subgroups. Conclusions: The results indicated that circulating microRNAs can be used as a non-invasive biomarker for the diagnosis of melanoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mesenchymal stem cells-derived exosomes (MSC-Exo) are considered to have great potential in the treatment of human diseases. However, the role of MSC-Exo in the process of diabetes with sepsis and the underlying molecular mechanism remain unclear. Human pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (HPMECs) were treated with high glucose (HG) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Cell viability, migration, angiogenesis were analyzed by cell counting kit 8 assay, transwell assay and tube formation assay. Transmembrane electrical resistance (TER) detection and FITC-dextran assay were performed to evaluate cell barrier function. The protein levels of cell permeability-related markers, ferroptosis-related markers, exosomes-related markers, Nrf2 and HO-1 were examined using western bolt (WB) analysis. Besides, the levels of inflammation factors were tested by ELISA, and the levels of ferroptosis-related indicators were examined using corresponding assay kits. Flow cytometry was employed to analyze stem cell markers. The identification of MSC-Exo was performed using transmission electron microscopy, nanoparticle tracking analysis and WB analysis. DIO staining was used to examine the uptake of MSC-Exo by HPMECs. HG treatment suppressed HPMECs viability, migration, angiogenesis and TER, while promoted permeability, inflammation and ferroptosis. LPS treatment aggravated HG-induced HPMECs dysfunction, inflammation and ferroptosis. After HPMECs were co-cultured with MSC-Exo, cell injury induced by HG + LPS could be relieved. Moreover, MSC-Exo treatment enhanced the activity of Nrf2/HO-1 pathway in HG + LPS-induced HPMECs, and Nrf2-silenced MSC-Exo could promote HG + LPS-induced HPMECs injury. MSC-Exo alleviated HG + LPS-induced HPMECs injury via activating Nrf2/HO-1 pathway, confirming that it might be used for the treatment of diabetes with sepsis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Avian pathogenic E. coli (APEC) can cause localized and systemic diseases in poultry, threatening human health via meat or egg contamination and resulting in considerable economic losses to the poultry industry globally. Increasing evidence shows circRNAs were widely involved in various biological processes. However, the role of circRNAs in the host response against APEC infection, especially correlated with the regulation of RIP2, remains unclear. Herein, the RNAseq technology was used to identify the circRNA expression profiles in the overexpression of RIP2 macrophages with or without APEC infection. A total of 256 and 287 differentially expressed (DE) circRNAs were identified in the overexpression of RIP2 group (oeRIP2) vs. the wild-type group (WT) and oeRIP2 + APEC vs. APEC, respectively, whose parental genes were involved in MAPK signalling pathway, Wnt signalling pathway, focal adhesion, tight junction, and VEGF signalling pathways. Specifically, the key circRNAs, such as 5:814443-825127, 10:18922360-18928461, 2:8746306-8750639, and 2:124177751-124184063 might play a critical role in APEC infection and the regulation of RIP2. As a whole, these findings will facilitate understanding the molecular mechanism underlying circRNAs, especially related to the regulation of the RIP2 gene. Meanwhile, the study may offer new ideas to improve host immune and inflammatory response against APEC infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in the body and plays a vital role in colorectal cancer (CRC) cell metabolism. However, limited studies have investigated the clinical and prognostic significance of preoperative serum glutamine levels in patients with colorectal cancer, and the underlying mechanism has not been explored.Methods: A total of 121 newly diagnosed CRC patients between 2012 and 2016 were enrolled in this study. Serum glutamine levels were detected, and their associations with clinicopathological characteristics, systemic inflammation markers, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and prognosis were analysed. In addition, the effect of glutamine depletion on recurrence and metastasis was examined in SW480 and DLD1 human CRC cell lines, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related markers were detected to reveal the possible mechanism.Results: A decreased preoperative serum level of glutamine was associated with a higher T-class and lymph node metastasis (P < 0.05). A higher serum level of glutamine correlated with a lower CEA level (r = - 0.25, P = 0.02). Low glutamine levels were correlated with shorter overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that serum glutamine was an independent prognostic factor for DFS (P = 0.018), and a nomogram predicting the probability of 1-, 3- and 5-year DFS after radical surgery was built. In addition, glutamine deficiency promoted the migration and invasion of CRC cells. E-cadherin, a vital marker of EMT, was decreased, and EMT transcription factors, including zeb1and zeb2, were upregulated in this process.Conclusions: This study elucidated that preoperative serum glutamine is an independent prognostic biomarker to predict CRC progression and suggested that glutamine deprivation might promote migration and invasion in CRC cells by inducing the EMT process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colibacillosis is an acute and chronic avian disease caused by avian pathogenic E. coli (APEC). Previous studies have demonstrated that RIP2 plays a significant role in APEC infection. Moreover, increasing evidence indicates that microRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in host–pathogen interactions and the immune response. However, the role of miRNAs in the host against APEC infection remains unclear. Herein, we attempted to reveal new miRNAs potentially involved in the regulation of the immune and inflammatory response against APEC infection, with a particular focus on those possibly correlated with RIP2 expression, via miRNA-seq, RT-qPCR, Western blotting, dual-luciferase reporter assay, and CCK-8. The results showed that a total of 93 and 148 differentially expressed (DE) miRNAs were identified in the knockdown of RIP2 cells following APEC infection (shRIP2+APEC) vs. knockdown of RIP2 cells (shRIP2) and shRIP2 vs. wild-type cells (WT), respectively. Among those identified DE miRNAs, the biological function of gga-miR-455-5p was investigated. It was found that gga-miR-455-5p regulated by RIP2 was involved in the immune and inflammatory response against APEC infection via targeting of IRF2 to modulate the expression of type I interferons. Additionally, RIP2 could directly regulate the production of the type I interferons. Altogether, these findings highlighted the crucial role of miRNAs, especially gga-miR-455-5p, in host defense against APEC infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a serious emergency in 2020, COVID-19 had a great impact on people's lives. In this paper, short-term and long-term response to emergency supplies needs after the outbreak of COVID-19 in a region is studied. Firstly, a comparative study of different regional resource coordination options in the early stages of COVID-19 is conducted using a multiobjective decision-making approach to arrive at the optimal solution. Then, a system dynamics model is established for the follow-up development of the epidemic, to predict the long-term development trend of the epidemic, and to study the urgency of the needs of different materials in different periods. The results show that time and satisfaction are the two most important indicators in the decision-making of the material deployment programme in the early stages of an outbreak. In the long-term control of the epidemic, the number of patients with minor illnesses generally peaks around 20 days, while the number of patients with severe illnesses generally peaks around 40 days, providing a focus for the supply of supplies at different times in the actual development of the epidemic, in order to better and more effectively control the epidemic and reduce inefficient consumption of supplies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Receptor interacting serine/threonine kinase 2 (RIP2), ubiquitous in many tissue/cell types, is the key regulator of immune and inflammatory responses for many diseases, including avian pathogenic E. coli (APEC), which causes a wide variety of localized or systemic infections. However, the molecular mechanisms by which RIP2 drives its transcriptional program to affect immune and inflammatory response upon APEC infection remains poorly understood. Results: In this study, RNA-seq and bioinformatics analyses were used to detect gene expression and new direct/indirect RIP2 targets in the treatments of wild type HD11 cells (WT), RIP2 knockdown cells (shRIP2), APEC stimulation cells (APEC), and RIP2 knockdown cells combined with APEC infection (shRIP2 + APEC). The results revealed that a total of 4691 and 2605 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened in shRIP2 + APEC vs. APEC and shRIP2 vs. WT, respectively. Functional annotation analysis showed that apoptosis, MAPK, p53, Toll-like receptor, and Nod-like receptor signaling pathways were involved in APEC-induced RIP2 knockdown HD11 cells. By analyzing the enriched pathway and gene networks, we identified that several DEGs, including HSP90AB1, BID, and CASP9 were targeted by RIP2 upon APEC infection. Conclusion: As a whole, this study can not only provide data support for constructing gene networks of RIP2 knockdown with APEC challenge but also provide new ideas for improving the immune and inflammatory response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Avian pathogenic E. coli (APEC) can cause localized or systemic infection, resulting in large economic losses per year, and impact health of humans. Previous studies showed that RIP2 (receptor interacting serine/threonine kinase 2) and its signaling pathway played an important role in immune response against APEC infection. In this study, chicken HD11 cells were used as an in vitro model to investigate the function of chicken RIP2 and the transcription factor binding to the RIP2 core promoter region via gene overexpression, RNA interference, RT-qPCR, Western blotting, dual luciferase reporter assay, CHIP-PCR, CCK-8, and flow cytometry assay following APEC stimulation. Results showed that APEC stimulation promoted RIP2 expression and cells apoptosis, and inhibited cells viability. Knockdown of RIP2 significantly improved cell viability and suppressed the apoptosis of APEC-stimulated cells. Transcription factor NFIB (Nuclear factor I B) and GATA1 (globin transcription factor 1) binding site was identified in the core promoter region of RIP2 from −2300 bp to −1839 bp. However, only NFIB was confirmed to be bound to the core promoter of RIP2. Overexpression of NFIB exacerbated cell injuries with significant reduction in cell viability and increased cell apoptosis and inflammatory cytokines levels, whereas opposite results were observed in NFIB inhibition treatment group. Moreover, RIP2 was up-regulated by NFIB overexpression, and RIP2 silence mitigated the effect of NFIB overexpression in cell apoptosis, inflammation, and activation of NFκB signaling pathways. This study demonstrated that NFIB overexpression accelerated APEC-induced apoptosis and inflammation via up-regulation of RIP2 mediated downstream pathways in chicken HD11 cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endomesodermal cell fate specification and archenteron formation during gastrulation are tightly linked developmental processes in most metazoans. However, studies have shown that in the anthozoan cnidarian Nematostella vectensis , Wnt/β-catenin (cWnt) signalling-mediated endomesodermal cell fate specification can be experimentally uncoupled from Wnt/Planar Cell Polarity (PCP) signalling-mediated primary archenteron invagination. The upstream signalling mechanisms regulating cWnt signalling-dependent endomesoderm cell fate specification and Wnt/PCP signalling-mediated primary archenteron invagination in Nematostella embryos are not well understood. By screening for potential upstream mediators of cWnt and Wnt/PCP signalling, we identified two Nematostella Frizzled homologs that are expressed early in development. NvFzd1 is expressed maternally and in a broad pattern during early development while NvFzd10 is zygotically expressed at the animal pole in blastula stage embryos and is restricted to the invaginating cells of the presumptive endomesoderm. Molecular and morphological characterization of NvFzd1 and NvFzd10 knock-down phenotypes provide evidence for distinct regulatory roles for the two receptors in endomesoderm cell fate specification and primary archenteron invagination. These results provide further experimental evidence for the independent regulation of endomesodermal cell fate specification and primary archenteron invagination during gastrulation in Nematostella. Moreover, these results provide additional support for the previously proposed two-step model for the independent evolution of cWnt-mediated cell fate specification and Wnt/PCP-mediated primary archenteron invagination. [Display omitted] • Endomesoderm specification and gastrulation are tightly linked events in Bilateria. • These processes can be experimentally uncoupled in the cnidarian N. vectensis. • Nematostella primary gut invagination can occur without endomesoderm specification. • NvFzd1 regulates endomesoderm specification and NvFzd10 regulates gut invagination. • These results suggest that the two processes arose independently during evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. This meta-analysis was performed to identify the prognostic value of SLNCR1 in multiple cancer types. Methods. Electronic databases, including PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Medline, BioMed Central, Springer, Science Direct, and China National Knowledge Internet (CNKI), were searched for relevant studies up to August 2021, and the hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated to assess the relationship between SLNCR1 expression and overall survival (OS). Results. 12 studies with a total of 1155 patients with 9 different types of cancers were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled HR indicates that high SLNCR1 expression represented poorer prognosis of cancer (HR = 2.11, 95% CI: 1.59–2.80, I2 = 0%, P < 0.00001). Additionally, high SLNCR1 expression was correlated with TNM stage (odds ratio (OR): 1.72, 95% CI: 1.08–2.74, I2 = 62%, P = 0.02), lymph node metastasis (LNM) (OR:2.42, 95% CI: 1.61–3.64, I2 = 55%, P < 0.0001), and distant metastases (DM) (OR: 2.30, 95% CI: 1.50–3.55, I2 = 27%, P = 0.0002). However, no evidence was found for a relationship between SLNCR1 expression and clinical features such as tumor size (OR: 1.71, 95% CI: 0.93–3.14, I2 = 71%, P = 0.09), age (OR: 0.86, 95% CI: 0.68–1.08, I2 = 0%, P = 0.19), or gender (OR: 1.07, 95% CI: 0.64–1.81, I2 = 55%, P = 0.79). Conclusion. Our findings found that high SLNCR1 expression was associated with poor OS, advanced tumor stage, tumor size, LNM, and DM in multiple cancers, indicating that SLNCR1 may serve as a potential prognostic biomarker for cancer patients in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. Melanoma is the most aggressive form of skin cancer. Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is a diagnostic and prognostic marker of melanoma. However, whether ctDNA mutations can independently predict survival remains controversial. This meta-analysis assessed the prognostic value of the presence or change in ctDNA mutations in melanoma patients. Methods. We identified studies from the PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases. We estimated the combined hazard ratios (HRs) for overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) using either fixed-effect or random-effect models based on heterogeneity. Results. Sixteen studies including 1,781 patients were included. Both baseline and posttreatment detectable ctDNA were associated with poor OS (baseline detectable vs. undetectable, pooled HR = 1.97, 95% CI = 1.64–2.36, P < 0.00001 ; baseline undetectable vs. detectable, pooled HR = 0.19, 95% CI = 0.11–0.36, P < 0.00001 ; posttreatment detectable vs. undetectable, pooled HR = 2.36, 95% CI = 1.30–4.28, P = 0.005). For PFS, baseline detectable ctDNA may be associated with adverse PFS (baseline detectable vs. undetectable, pooled HR = 1.41, 95% CI = 0.84–2.37, P = 0.19 ; baseline undetectable vs. detectable, pooled HR = 0.43, 95% CI = 0.19–0.95, P = 0.04) and baseline high ctDNA and increased ctDNA were significantly associated with adverse PFS (baseline high vs. low/undetectable, pooled HR = 3.29, 95% CI = 1.73–6.25, P = 0.0003 ; increase vs. decrease, pooled HR = 4.48, 95% CI = 2.45–8.17, P < 0.00001). The baseline BRAFV600 ctDNA mutation-positive group was significantly associated with adverse OS compared with the baseline ctDNA-negative group (pooled HR = 1.90, 95% CI = 1.58–2.29, P < 0.00001). There were no significant differences in PFS between the baseline BRAFV600 ctDNA mutation-detectable group and the undetectable group (pooled HR = 1.02, 95% CI = 0.72–1.44, P = 0.92). Conclusion. The presence or elevation of ctDNA mutation or BRAFV600 ctDNA mutation was significantly associated with worse prognosis in melanoma patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CoNi LDH nanostructures with large specific surface areas were prepared through a facile sonochemical approach in the solutions with different pH values. The CoNi LDH exhibited battery-type electrochemical response with the highest capacity of 740.8C/g at 1 A/g in 2 M of KOH electrolyte. The assembled CoNi LDH//AC hybrid supercapacitor delivered the highest energy density of 35.6 W h kg−1 at the power density of 781.1 W kg−1. [Display omitted] • CoNi LDH nanostructures with large surface area were sonochemically prepared. • A high specific capacity of 740.8C/g at 1 A/g was delivered. • Just a little capacity decay over 5000 cycles at a high current density of 8 A/g. • The HSC device delivered an energy density of 35.6 W h kg−1 at 781.1 W kg−1. Fabricating battery-type electrode materials with large specific surface area and mesopores is an efficient method for enhancing the electrochemical performance of supercapacitors. This method may provide more active sites for Faradic reactions and shorten the ion-diffusion paths. In this study, the CoNi layered double hydroxides (LDHs) with the morphology of nanoflowers and nanoflakes were prepared in solutions with pH values of 7.5 (CoNi LDH-7.5) and 8.5 (CoNi LDH-8.5) via a simple sonochemical approach. These CoNi LDHs possessed large specific surface areas and favourable electrochemical properties. The CoNi LDH-7.5 delivered a specific capacity of 740.8C/g at a current density of 1 A/g, surpassing CoNi LDH-8.5 with 668.1C/g. The hybrid supercapacitor (HSC) was assembled with activated carbon as the anode and CoNi LDH as the cathode to assess its practical application potential in the field of electrochemical energy storage. The CoNi LDH-7.5//AC HSC achieved the highest energy density of 35.6 W h kg−1 at a power density of 781.1 W kg−1. In addition, both HSCs exhibited little capacity decay over 5,000 cycles at a high current load of 8 A/g. These electrochemical properties of CoNi LDHs make them promising candidates for battery-type electrode materials. The current sonochemical method is simple and can be applied to the preparation of other LDHs-based electrode materials with favourable electrochemical performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A predator-prey model with nonlinear cross-diffusion is investigated. • The extension of cross diffusion parameters brings new biological significance. • Appearance of Turing instability depends on cross-diffusion negative coefficient. • Bifurcation near trivial and non-trivial equilibrium is derived. • Numerical simulations illustrate and supplement our theoretical analysis. A nonlinear reaction cross-diffusion predator-prey system under Neumann boundary condition is considered. Negative diffusion coefficients with local accumulation effect of prey are introduced. Firstly, the criteria for local asymptotic stability of the positive homogeneous steady state with or without cross-diffusion are discussed. Moreover, the conditions for diffusion-driven instability are obtained and the Turing regions in the plane of cross-diffusion coefficients is achieved. Secondly, the existence and multiplicity of spatially nonhomogeneous/homogeneous steady-state solutions are studied by virtue of the Lyapunov–Schmidt reduction. Finally, to clarify the theoretical results, some numerical simulations are carried out. One of the most interesting finding is that Turing instability in the model is induced by the negative diffusion coefficients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

RDX/aluminum composites were prepared by the spray-drying method with F2602 as a binder. The morphology and covering effect of composites were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The effect of the processing parameters on the morphology of the samples was investigated. The impact sensitivity and thermal decomposition behavior of RDX/aluminum composites were also measured and analyzed. Optimal morphology of samples was achieved when the inlet temperature, nitrogen flow rate, and suspension feed flow rates were 80°C, 473 L·h-1, and 4.5 mL·min-1, respectively. In addition, RDX/aluminum composites with the same content were prepared by a coverage-mixing method for comparative analysis. Experimental results showed that the thermal sensitivity and the impact sensitivity of RDX/aluminum composites prepared by the spray-drying method were significantly lower than those of RDX/aluminum composites prepared by the coverage-mixing method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heart failure (HF) is a syndrome with multiple clinical phenotypes affecting around 1%–2% of adult population worldwide, and about 230 million Chinese are affected by cardiovascular diseases. The important role of pro-inflammatory plasma cytokines with HF has been demonstrated in different populations. The aim of this study was to investigate importance of pro-inflammatory cytokines in Chinese HF patients. In all, 134 HF patients were enrolled in this study and further classified in to four clinical distinct groups according to New York Heart Association classification criteria (NYHA-I: n = 34, NYHA-II: n = 35, NYHA-III: n = 22 and NYHA-IV: n = 43). Sixty-eight healthy Chinese were enrolled as controls. Plasma levels of tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), TNF-receptor 1 (TNFRI), TNF-receptor 2 (TNFRII), interleukin 6 (IL-6), soluble IL-6 receptor (sIL-6R), C-reactive protein (CRP), soluble cluster of differentiation 14 (sCD14) and interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β) were quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Plasma levels of all parameters investigated in this study remained comparable among healthy controls and NYHA-I group. Plasma levels of TNF-α, TNFRI, TNFRII, IL-6, sIL-6R, CRP, sCD14 and IL-1β were significantly higher in NYHA-III and NYHA-IV clinical categories compared to other HF phenotype (NYHA-I and NYHA-II). Interestingly, TNFR-II levels were significantly higher in NYHA-II compared to NYHA-I. No significant difference of plasma sIL-6R was observed among various clinical categories. In conclusion, plasma levels of pro-inflammatory molecules are elevated in severe HF patients and may be used as possible biomarkers for accessing severity of HF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Denote by B˙⁎α,ϕ(Ω) the intrinsic Orlicz-Besov space, where α∈R, ϕ is a Young function, and Ω⊂Rn is a domain. For α∈(-n,0) and optimal ϕ, via John domains, we establish criteria for bounded domains Ω⊂Rn supporting an Orlicz-Besov Poincaré inequality. ‖u-uΩ‖Ln/|α|(Ω)≤C‖u‖B˙⁎α,ϕ(Ω)  ∀u∈B˙⁎α,ϕ(Ω). This extends the known criteria for bounded domains supporting Sobolev-Poincaré inequality and its fractional analogue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SmBaCo 2−x−y Mn x Mg y O 5+δ (x = 0.5, 1, 1.5 and y = 0.05, 0.1) samples are synthesized by sol-gel method. The influence of different substitution of Mn and Mg for Co on crystal structures, thermal expansion coefficient (TEC), electrical conductivities and electrochemical performances have been investigated. The generation of the secondary phase BaMnO 3 is suppressed with Mg 2+ increasing. Demonstrated by temperature-dependent X-ray diffraction from 25 °C to 700 °C, the structure of SmBaCo 0.4 Mn 1.5 Mg 0.1 O 5+δ in high temperature is stable. The TEC of SmBaCo 1.45 Mn 0.5 Mg 0.05 O 5+δ , SmBaCo 0.95 MnMg 0.05 O 5+δ , SmBaCo 0.45 Mn 1.5 Mg 0.05 O 5+δ and SmBaCo 0.4 Mn 1.5 Mg 0.1 O 5+δ are 15.77 × 10 −6 K −1 , 16.20 × 10 −6 K −1 , 12.19 × 10 −6 K −1 and 12.58 × 10 −6 K −1 , respectively, which are much lower than those of cobalt-based layered perovskites and more compatible with the thermal expansion of SDC electrolyte. Although the electrochemical performances of SmBaCo 2−x−y Mn x Mg y O 5+δ (x = 0.5, 1, 1.5 and y = 0.05, 0.1) decrease slightly with Mn increasing, the polarization resistances of the SmBaCo 1.45 Mn 0.5 Mg 0.05 O 5+δ and SmBaCo 0.4 Mn 1.5 Mg 0.1 O 5+δ are 0.17 Ω cm 2 and 0.30 Ω cm 2 at 800 °C, respectively, which can meet the electrochemical performance requirements of cathode materials. Among the samples, the SmBaCo 1.45 Mn 0.5 Mg 0.05 O 5+δ and SmBaCo 0.4 Mn 1.5 Mg 0.1 O 5+δ show better tradeoff properties between TEC and electrochemical performance as cathode materials for IT-SOFCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Conventional clinical PET scanners typically have an axial field of view (AFOV) of 15–30 cm, resulting in limited coverage and relatively low photon detection efficiency. Taking advantage of the development of long-axial PET/CT, the uEXPLORER PET/CT scanner with an axial coverage of 194 cm increases the effective count rate by approximately 40 times compared to that of conventional PET scanners. Ordered subset expectation maximization (OSEM) is the most widely used iterative algorithm in PET. The major drawback of OSEM is that the iteration process must be stopped before convergence to avoid image degradation due to excessive noise. A new Bayesian penalized-likelihood iterative PET reconstruction, named HYPER iterative, was developed and is now available on the uEXPLORER total-body PET/CT, which incorporates a noise control component by using a penalty function in each iteration and finds the maximum likelihood solution through repeated iterations. To date, its impact on lesion visibility in patients with a full injected dose or half injected dose is unclear. The goal of this study was to determine a proper protocol for routine 18F-FDG uEXPLORER total-body PET/CT scans. Results: The uEXPLORER total-body PET/CT images reconstructed using both OSEM and HYPER iterative algorithms of 20 tumour patients were retrospectively reviewed. The quality of the 5 min PET image was excellent (score 5) for all of the dose and reconstruction methods. Using the HYPER iterative method, the PET images reached excellent quality at 1 min with full-dose PET and at 2 min with half-dose PET. The PET image reached a similar excellent quality at 2 min with a full dose and at 3 min with a half dose using OSEM. The noise in the OSEM reconstruction was higher than that in the HYPER iterative. Compared to OSEM, the HYPER iterative had a slightly higher SUVmax and TBR of the lesions for large positive lesions (≥ 2 cm) (SUVmax: up to 9.03% higher in full dose and up to 12.52% higher in half dose; TBR: up to 8.69% higher in full dose and up to 23.39% higher in half dose). For small positive lesions (≤ 10 mm), the HYPER iterative had an obviously higher SUVmax and TBR of the lesions (SUVmax: up to 45.21% higher in full dose and up to 74.96% higher in half dose; TBR: up to 44.91% higher in full dose and up to 93.73% higher in half dose). Conclusions: A 1 min scan with a full dose and a 2 min scan with a half dose are optimal for clinical diagnosis using the HYPER iterative and 2 min and 3 min for OSEM. For quantification of the small lesions, HYPER iterative reconstruction is preferred. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC), an extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC), constitutes an animal health and a potential zoonotic risk. Most studies focus on the response of a single tissue to APEC infection. Understanding interactions among lymphoid tissues is of importance in controlling APEC infection. Therefore, we studied bone marrow, bursa, and thymus transcriptomes because of these tissues' crucial roles in development of pre-lymphocytes, B cells, and T cells, respectively. Using lesion scores of liver, pericardium, and air sacs, infected birds were classified as either resistant or susceptible. Little difference in gene expression was detected in resistant birds in bone marrow versus bursa or thymus, while there were large differences between tissues in susceptible birds. Phagosome, lysosome and cytokine interactions were strongly enhanced in thymus versus bone marrow in susceptible birds, and T cell receptor (TCR), cell cycle, and p53 signaling were significantly decreased. B cell receptor (BCR) was also significantly suppressed in bursa versus bone marrow in susceptible birds. This research provides novel insights into the complex developmental changes in gene expression occurring across the primary lymphoid organs and, therefore, serves as a foundation to understanding the cellular and molecular basis of host resistance to APEC infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Many randomized clinical trials have demonstrated that epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors ( EGFR- TKIs) are advantageous over standard chemotherapy, either as front-line treatment or as further management of patients with EGFR mutation-positive non-small-cell lung cancer ( NSCLC). However, which subgroup of these patients could benefit more from EGFR- TKIs needs to be further explored. In the present study, we explored the predictive factors in such cohorts of patients who received gefitinib. Methods The study included 95 patients with EGFR mutation-positive advanced NSCLC who received gefitinib treatment. Multivariate analysis of progression-free survival ( PFS) was performed using classification and regression tree ( CART) analysis to assess the effect of specific variables on PFS in subgroups of patients with similar clinical features. Results The median PFS in patients with EGFR mutation-positive advanced NSCLC who received gefitinib treatment was 13.3 months (95% confidence interval 9.4-17.2). CART analysis showed an initial split on body mass index ( BMI); subsequently, three terminal subgroups were formed. The median PFS in the three subsets ranged from 8.2 to 15.2 months, in which the subgroup with a BMI less than or equal to 20.8 kg/m2 had the longest PFS (15.2 months). In addition, PFS in the EGFR exon 19 mutation group was better than in the other mutation site group (10.3 vs. 8.2 months). Conclusions BMI and exon 19 mutation may be predictors of PFS in patients with EGFR mutation-positive advanced NSCLC who receive gefitinib treatment. Both active EGFR mutation and patient-specific factors may be used to predict the therapeutic efficacy of EGFR- TKIs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) has major negative impacts on human and animal health. Recent research suggests food-borne links between human and animal ExPEC diseases with particular concern for poultry contaminated with avian pathogenic E. coli (APEC), the avian ExPEC. APEC is also a very important animal pathogen, causing colibacillosis, one of the world’s most widespread bacterial diseases of poultry. Previous studies showed marked atrophy and lymphocytes depletion in the bursa during APEC infection. Thus, a more comprehensive understanding of the avian bursa response to APEC infection will facilitate genetic selection for disease resistance. Four-week-old commercial male broiler chickens were infected with APEC O1 or given saline as a control. Bursas were collected at 1 and 5 days post-infection (dpi). Based on lesion scores of liver, pericardium and air sacs, infected birds were classified as having mild or severe pathology, representing resistant and susceptible phenotypes, respectively. Twenty-two individual bursa RNA libraries were sequenced, each yielding an average of 27 million single-end, 100-bp reads. There were 2469 novel genes in the total of 16,603 detected. Large numbers of significantly differentially expressed (DE) genes were detected when comparing susceptible and resistant birds at 5 dpi, susceptible and non-infected birds at 5 dpi, and susceptible birds at 5 dpi and 1 dpi. The DE genes were associated with signal transduction, the immune response, cell growth and cell death pathways. These data provide considerable insight into potential mechanisms of resistance to ExPEC infection, thus paving the way to develop strategies for ExPEC prevention and treatment, as well as enhancing innate resistance by genetic selection in animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemosensory proteins (CSPs) play important roles in chemical communication by insects, as they recognize and transport environmental chemical signals to receptors within sensilla. In this study, we identified HoblCSP1 and HoblCSP2 from a cDNA library of Holotrichia oblita antennae, successfully expressed them in E. coli and purified them by Ni ion affinity chromatography. We then measured the ligand-binding specificities of HoblCSP1 and HoblCSP2 to 50 selected ligands in a competitive binding assay. These results demonstrated that HoblCSP1 and HoblCSP2 have similar ligand-binding spectra. Both proteins displayed the highest affinity for β-ionone, α-ionone and cinnamaldehyde, indicating that they prefer binding to odorants other than sex pheromones. Additionally, immuno-localization revealed that HoblCSP1 is highly concentrated in sensilla basiconica, while HoblCSP2 is specifically localized to sensilla placodea. In conclusion, HoblCSP1 and HoblCSP2 are responsible for binding to general odorants with slightly different specificities due to their different in vivo environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The canopy volume of fruit trees is an important input for the precise and varying application of pesticides in orchards. The fixed mesh division method is mostly used to calculate canopy volumes with variable target-oriented spraying. To reduce the influence of the working speed on the detection accuracy under a fixed mesh width division, the cuboid accumulation of divided areas (CADAs), which is a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) online detection method for a fruit tree canopy volume based on dynamic mesh division, is proposed in this paper. In the method, the area is divided according to the number of unilateral nozzles of the sprayer in the canopy height direction of the fruit tree, and the mesh width is dynamically adjusted according to the change in the working speed in the moving direction of the sprayer. To verify the accuracy and applicability of the method, the simulation canopy and peach tree canopy detection experiments were carried out. The test results show that the CADA method can be used to calculate the contour and volume of the canopy. However, detection errors easily occur at the edge of the canopy, resulting in a detection error of 8.33% for the simulated canopy volume. The CADA method has a good detection accuracy under different moving speeds and fruit tree canopy sizes. At a speed of 1 m/s, the detection accuracy of the canopy volume reaches 99.18%. Compared with the existing canopy volume calculation methods based on the alpha-shape algorithm and canopy meshing-profile characterization (CMPC), the detection accuracy of the CADA method is 2.73% and 7.22% better, respectively. This method can not only reduce the influence of the moving speed on the detection accuracy of the canopy volume, but also improve the detection accuracy. Thus, this method can provide theoretical support for the research and development of target-oriented variable spraying control systems for orchards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) have potential applications in the restoration of fertility, regenerative medicine, and animal biotechnology. In this study, we present the induction of iPSCs from mouse Sertoli cells (SCs) by introducing four factors-Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, and c-Myc. As early as day 3 after induction, expression of these factors was detected and typical embryonic stem-like cells began to form. On day 18, these exogenous genes were silenced and colonies were selected according to morphological characteristics. The iPSCs induced from SCs, termed SCiPSCs, strongly expressed pluripotent markers, showed a normal karyotype, and had proliferation and differentiation characteristics similar to those of embryonic stem cells (ESCs), both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, exposure of SCiPSCs to nitric oxide (NO) allowed them to maintain pluripotency through the activation of the pluripotent genes Oct4 and Sox2 and upregulation of Nanog expression. Moreover, NO prevented SCiPSCs from undergoing apoptosis by activating the antiapoptotic genes Bcl2 and Bcl2lll, downregulating the proapoptotic genes Bak1 and Casp7, and blocking the activation of the proapoptotic gene Bac. These effects were reversed by exposure to l-NG-monomethylarginine ( l-NMMA), a NO inhibitor. These data demonstrate that iPSCs can be generated from SCs and that the self-renewal and pluripotency of SCiPS cells can be maintained in the presence of NO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To reveal grain physio-chemical and proteomic differences between two barley genotypes, Zhenong8 and W6nk2 of high- and low- grain-Cd-accumulation, grain profiles of ultrastructure, amino acid and proteins were compared. Results showed that W6nk2 possesses significantly lower protein content, with hordein depicting the greatest genotypic difference, compared with Zhenong8, and lower amino acid contents with especially lower proportion of Glu, Tyr, Phe and Pro. Both scanning and transmission electron microscopy observation declared that the size of A-type starch molecule in W6nk2 was considerably larger than that of Zhenong8. Grains of Zhenong8 exhibited more protein-rich deposits around starch granules, with some A-type granules having surface pits. Seventeen proteins were identified in grains, using 2-DE coupled with mass spectrometry, with higher expression in Zhenong8 than that in W6nk2; including z-type serpin, serpin-Z7 and alpha-amylase/trypsin inhibitor CM, carbohydrate metabolism, protein synthesis and signal transduction related proteins. Twelve proteins were less expressed in Zhenong8 than that in W6nk2; including barley trypsin inhibitor chloroform/methanol-soluble protein (BTI-CMe2.1, BTI-CMe2.2), trypsin inhibitor, dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR), pericentrin, dynein heavy chain and some antiviral related proteins. The data extend our understanding of mechanisms underlying Cd accumulation/tolerance and provides possible utilization of elite genetic resources in developing low-grain-Cd barley cultivars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Many randomized studies have shown that epidermal growth factor receptor ( EGFR-) tyrosine kinase inhibitors ( TKIs) are apparently advantageous over standard chemotherapy in non-small-cell lung cancer ( NSCLC) patients with EGFR active mutation in front-line treatment. But which subgroup of advanced NSCLC could benefit from EGFR- TKIs in the second-or third-line setting remains elusive. To explore predictive factors of advanced NSCLC patients with the unknown status of EGFR mutation treated by gefitinib in the second-or third-line setting, we used classification and regression tree ( CART) analysis to screen which patients would benefit more. Methods One hundred and fifty-five patients with advanced NSCLC previously unsuccessfully treated with platinum-based chemotherapy were included in this study. Patients received gefitinib as part of the Expanded Access Program of the China Charity Federation between 2 March 2005 and 11 May 2011. Multivariate analysis of progression-free survival ( PFS) was performed using CART analysis. This method uses recursive partitioning to assess the effect of specific variables on PFS, thereby ultimately generating groups of patients with similar clinical features on PFS. Results The median PFS in patients with NSCLC who were treated with gefitinib after prior chemotherapy was 16 months (95% confidence interval [ CI] 13.44-18.56). CART was performed with an initial split on adenocarcinoma differentiation, and four terminal subgroups were formed. The median PFS of the four subsets ranged from 12 to 42 months. Conclusions Adenocarcinoma differentiation, brain metastasis and prior thoracic radiotherapy are predictors of PFS in previously treated NSCLC patients. CART can be used to identify homogeneous patient populations in clinical practice and future clinical trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proteins are fundamental components of all living systems and critical drivers of biological functions. The large-scale study of proteins, their structures and functions, is defined as proteomics. This systems-wide analysis leads to a more comprehensive view of the intricate signaling transduction pathways that proteins engage in and improves the overall understanding of the complex processes supporting the living systems. Over the last two decades, the development of high-throughput analytical tools, such as microarray technologies, capable of rapidly analyzing thousands of protein-functioning and protein-interacting events, has fueled the growth of this important field. Herein, we review the most recent advancements in microarray technologies, with a special focus on peptide microarray, small molecule microarray, and protein microarray. These technologies have become prominent players in proteomics and have made significant changes to the landscape of life science and biomedical research. We will elaborate on their performance, advantages, challenges, and future directions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The gas-phase kinetics of H-abstraction reactions ofmonomethylhydrazine(MMH) by OH radical was investigated by second-order multireferenceperturbation theory and two-transition-state kinetic model. It wasfound that the abstractions of the central and terminal amine H atomsby the OH radical proceed through the formation of two hydrogen bondedpreactivated complexes with energies of 6.16 and 5.90 kcal mol–1lower than that of the reactants, whereas the abstractionof methyl H atom is direct. Due to the multireference characters ofthe transition states, the geometries and ro-vibrational frequenciesof the reactant, transition states, reactant complexes, and productcomplexes were optimized by the multireference CASPT2/aug-cc-pVTZmethod, and the energies of the stationary points of the potentialenergy surface were refined at the QCISD(T)/CBS level via extrapolationof the QCISD(T)/cc-pVTZ and QCISD(T)/cc-pVQZ energies. It was foundthat the abstraction reactions of the central and two terminal amineH atoms of MMH have the submerged energy barriers with energies of2.95, 2.12, and 1.24 kcal mol–1lower than thatthat of the reactants respectively, and the abstraction of methylH atom has a real energy barrier of 3.09 kcal mol–1. Furthermore, four MMH radical–H2O complexes werefound to connect with product channels and the corresponding transitionstates. Consequently, the rate coefficients of MMH + OH for the H-abstractionof the amine H atoms were determined on the basis of a two-transition-statemodel, with the total energy Eand angular momentum Jconserved between the two transition-state regions. Inunits of cm3molecule–1s–1, the rate coefficient was found to be k1= 3.37 × 10–16T1.295exp(1126.17/T) for the abstraction of thecentral amine H to form the CH3N•NH2radical, k2= 2.34 × 10–17T1.907exp(1052.26/T) for the abstraction of the terminal amine H to form the trans-CH3NHN•H radical, k3= 7.41 × 10–20T2.428exp(1343.20/T)for the abstraction of the terminal amine H to form the cis-CH3NHN•H radical, and k4= 9.13 × 10–21T2.964exp(−114.09/T) forthe abstraction of the methyl H atom to form the C•H2NHNH2radical, respectively. Assuming thatthe rate coefficients are additive, the total rate coefficient ofthese theoretical predictions quantitatively agrees with the measuredrate constant at temperatures of 200–650 K, with no adjustableparameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little research has examined water requirements of entire irrigated urban landscapes integrating different types of plants. Three landscape treatments integrating different types of plants--woody, herbaceous perennial, turf--and putative water use classifications--mesic, mixed, xeric--were grown in large drainage lysimeters. Each landscape plot was divided into woody plant, turf, and perennial hydrozones and irrigated for optimum water status over 2 years and water use measured using a water balance approach. For woody plants and herbaceous perennials, canopy cover rather than plant type or water use classification was the key determinant of water use relative to reference evapotranspiration (ETo) under well-watered conditions. For turf, monthly evapotranspiration (ETa) followed a trend linearly related to ETo. Monthly plant factors (Kp) for woody plants, perennials, and turf species under well-watered conditions in this study ranged from 0.3 to 0.9, 0.2 to 0.5, and 0.5 to 1.2, respectively. Adjusted Kp for each hydrozone was calculated based on landscaped area covered by plant types as a percent of total area, and landscape factor (K1) was calculated based on adjusted Kp for each landscape treatment. Overall, K1 relative to ETo ranged from 0.6 to 0.8 for three water use classifications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wild barley germplasms are a treasure trove of useful genes and provide rich sources of genetic variation for crop improvement. We carried out a hydroponic and pot evaluation of diverse germplasms in response to drought stress using 47 Tibet annual wild barley genotypes. Our results from the hydroponic experiment showed that SPAD (soil-plant analyses development analyses, based on chlorophyll meter readings), plant height, and biomass of shoot/root were significantly reduced in plants exposed to drought stress (exposure of plant roots to air for 6 h daily for a period of 7 days) compared with control plants. There were significant differences among the 47 wild barley genotypes in terms of the reduction in these growth parameters, with variation coefficients and diversity indexes ranging from 23.2 to 49.1% and 1.46 to 1.62, respectively, suggesting a rich genetic diversity among the tested accessions. Genotypes XZ5 and XZ150 showed the least reduction, indicating their high tolerance to drought stress, while genotypes XZ54 and XZ147 showed the greatest reduction, and drought stress symptoms appeared rapidly and severely in these latter genotypes. The trends in the different responses of these genotypes to drought stress were fairly consistent in both the hydroponic and the two pot selection experiments, with XZ5 and XZ150 screened as drought-resistant genotypes and XZ54, XZ147 as drought-sensitive ones. Significant genotypic differences in leaf soluble sugar content and water use efficiency in response to drought stress were also observed in pot experiment two, with the drought-tolerant genotype XZ5 showing a markedly higher recovery and the two drought-sensitive genotypes XZ54 and XZ147 showing a markedly lower recovery than the control plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lactic acid, traditionally considered as a metabolic waste product arising from glycolysis, has undergone a resurgence in scientific interest since the discovery of the Warburg effect in tumor cells. Numerous studies have proved that lactic acid could promote angiogenesis and impair the function of immune cells within tumor microenvironments. Nevertheless, the precise molecular mechanisms governing these biological functions remain inadequately understood. Recently, lactic acid has been found to induce a posttranslational modification, lactylation, that may offer insight into lactic acid's non-metabolic functions. Notably, the posttranslational modification of proteins by lactylation has emerged as a crucial mechanism by which lactate regulates cellular processes. This article provides an overview of the discovery of lactate acidification, outlines the potential "writers" and "erasers" responsible for protein lactylation, presents an overview of protein lactylation patterns across different organisms, and discusses the diverse physiological roles of lactylation. Besides, the article highlights the latest research progress concerning the regulatory functions of protein lactylation in pathological processes and underscores its scientific significance for future investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protein acetylation is one of the extensively studied post-translational modifications (PTMs) due to its significant roles across a myriad of biological processes. Although many computational tools for acetylation site identification have been developed, there is a lack of benchmark dataset and bespoke predictors for non-histone acetylation site prediction. To address these problems, we have contributed to both dataset creation and predictor benchmark in this study. First, we construct a non-histone acetylation site benchmark dataset, namely NHAC, which includes 11 subsets according to the sequence length ranging from 11 to 61 amino acids. There are totally 886 positive samples and 4707 negative samples for each sequence length. Secondly, we propose TransPTM, a transformer-based neural network model for non-histone acetylation site predication. During the data representation phase, per-residue contextualized embeddings are extracted using ProtT5 (an existing pre-trained protein language model). This is followed by the implementation of a graph neural network framework, which consists of three TransformerConv layers for feature extraction and a multilayer perceptron module for classification. The benchmark results reflect that TransPTM has the competitive performance for non-histone acetylation site prediction over three state-of-the-art tools. It improves our comprehension on the PTM mechanism and provides a theoretical basis for developing drug targets for diseases. Moreover, the created PTM datasets fills the gap in non-histone acetylation site datasets and is beneficial to the related communities. The related source code and data utilized by TransPTM are accessible at https://www.github.com/TransPTM/TransPTM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The density of contour feathers is an important trait as it is closely related to heat dissipation in birds. Thus, identification of the major genes that control this trait will be useful to improve heat tolerance in chicken. So far, no GWAS study for the density of contour feathers in birds has been previously published; therefore, this study was aimed to identify genomic regions controlling the density of contour feathers. A total of 1252 hens were genotyped, using the 600 K Affymetrix Axiom Chicken Genotyping Array. The association analyses were performed using the GenABEL package in the R program. In brief, 146 significant SNP markers were mainly located on chromosome 1 and were identified to associate with the density of contour feathers in the current GWAS analysis. Moreover, we identified several within/nearby candidate genes (SUCLA2, DNAJC15, DHRS12, MLNR, and RB1) that are either directly or indirectly involved in the genetic control of the density of contour feathers in chicken. This study laid the foundation for studying the mechanism that underlies the density of chicken feathers. Furthermore, it is feasible to shear the back feathers of live chickens and measure the density of the feathers to improve heat tolerance in breeding practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, RNA-seq gene expression data were obtained for three different immune tissues (bone marrow, thymus, and bursa) at two time points from birds with three phenotypes (non-infected, resistant, and susceptible birds). A total of 380 significant differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were commonly expressed in each of the three tissues in the contrast of susceptible vs. non-infected birds at 5 days post-infection (dpi) and 106 significant DEGs were shared in susceptible vs. resistant birds at 5 dpi. For the co-expressed DEGs, a relatively high consistency in expression pattern was identified in the three tissues for the two contrasts. These co-expressed DEGs were involved in the biological process of response to stimulus, regulation of cell proliferation, signal transduction, and immune system. Moreover, three gene networks were identified for the co-expressed DEGs, showing the activation of the humoral immune response, cell survival, growth and death were the concordant response for the three lymphocyte tissues. Several potential biomarker genes, HPGD, PROX1, FOSL2, E2F1, and ANP32A were found, which may have critical functions in resistant birds to resist APEC infection. Taken together, this study provides a novel insight that may elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying host response to systemic APEC infection, as well as enhances the probability of advancement in biomedical research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Conventional PET/CT imaging reconstruction is typically performed using voxel size of 3.0–4.0 mm in three axes. It is hypothesized that a smaller voxel sizes could improve the accuracy of small lesion detection. This study aims to explore the advantages and conditions of small voxel imaging on clinical application. Methods: Both NEMA IQ phantom and 30 patients with an injected dose of 3.7 MBq/kg were scanned using a total-body PET/CT (uEXPLORER). Images were reconstructed using matrices of 192 × 192, 512 × 512, and 1024 × 1024 with scanning duration of 3 min, 5 min, 8 min, and 10 min, respectively. Results: In the phantom study, the contrast recovery coefficient reached the maximum in matrix group of 512 × 512, and background variability increased as voxel size decreased. In the clinical study, SUVmax, SD, and TLR increased, while SNR decreased as the voxel size decreased. When the scanning duration increased, SNR increased, while SUVmax, SD, and TLR decreased. The SUVmean was more reluctant to the changes in imaging matrix and scanning duration. The mean subjective scores for all 512 × 512 groups and 1024 × 1024 groups (scanning duration ≥ 8 min) were over three points. One false-positive lesion was found in groups of 512 × 512 with scanning duration of 3 min, 1024 × 1024 with 3 min and 5 min, respectively. Meanwhile, the false-negative lesions found in group of 192 × 192 with duration of 3 min and 5 min, 512 × 512 with 3 min and 1024 × 1024 with 3 min and 5 min were 5, 4, 1, 4, and 1, respectively. The reconstruction time and storage space occupation were significantly increased as the imaging matrix increased. Conclusions: PET/CT imaging with smaller voxel can improve SUVmax and TLR of lesions, which is advantageous for the diagnosis of small or hypometabolic lesions if with sufficient counts. With an 18F-FDG injection dose of 3.7 MBq/kg, uEXPLORER PET/CT imaging using matrix of 512 × 512 with 5 min or 1024 × 1024 with 8 min can meet the image requirements for clinical use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mollusca, a phylum of highly rich species, possess vivid shell colours, but the underlying molecular mechanism remains to be elucidated. DNA methylation, one of the most common epigenetic modifications in eukaryotes, is believed to play a vital role in various biological processes. However, analysis of the effects of DNA methylation on shell colouration has rarely been performed in molluscs, limiting the current knowledge of the molecular mechanism of shell colour formation. Results: In the present study, to reveal the role of epigenetic regulation in shell colouration, WGBS, the "gold standard" of DNA methylation analysis, was first performed on the mantle tissues of Yesso scallops (Patinopecten yessoensis) with different shell colours (brown and white), and DNA methylomes at single-base resolution were generated. About 3% of cytosines were methylated in the genome of the Yesso scallop. A slight increase in mCG percentage and methylation level was found in brown scallops. Sequence preference of nearby methylated cytosines differed between high and low methylation level sites and between the brown- and white-shelled scallops. DNA methylation levels varied among the different genomic regions; all the detected regions in the brown group exhibited higher methylation levels than the white group. A total of 41,175 DMRs (differentially methylated regions) were detected between brown and white scallops. GO functions and pathways associated with the biosynthesis of melanin and porphyrins were significantly enriched for DMRs, among which several key shell colour-related genes were identified. Further, different correlations between mRNA expression levels and DNA methylation status were found in these genes, suggesting that DNA methylation regulates shell colouration in the Yesso scallop. Conclusions: This study provides genome-wide DNA methylation landscapes of Yesso scallops with different shell colours, offering new insights into the epigenetic regulatory mechanism underlying shell colour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heart failure (HF) is a syndrome with multiple clinical phenotypes affecting around 1%–2% of adult population worldwide, and about 230 million Chinese are affected by cardiovascular diseases. The important role of pro-inflammatory plasma cytokines with HF has been demonstrated in different populations. The aim of this study was to investigate importance of pro-inflammatory cytokines in Chinese HF patients. In all, 134 HF patients were enrolled in this study and further classified in to four clinical distinct groups according to New York Heart Association classification criteria (NYHA-I: n = 34, NYHA-II: n = 35, NYHA-III: n = 22 and NYHA-IV: n = 43). Sixty-eight healthy Chinese were enrolled as controls. Plasma levels of tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), TNF-receptor 1 (TNFRI), TNF-receptor 2 (TNFRII), interleukin 6 (IL-6), soluble IL-6 receptor (sIL-6R), C-reactive protein (CRP), soluble cluster of differentiation 14 (sCD14) and interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β) were quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Plasma levels of all parameters investigated in this study remained comparable among healthy controls and NYHA-I group. Plasma levels of TNF-α, TNFRI, TNFRII, IL-6, sIL-6R, CRP, sCD14 and IL-1β were significantly higher in NYHA-III and NYHA-IV clinical categories compared to other HF phenotype (NYHA-I and NYHA-II). Interestingly, TNFR-II levels were significantly higher in NYHA-II compared to NYHA-I. No significant difference of plasma sIL-6R was observed among various clinical categories. In conclusion, plasma levels of pro-inflammatory molecules are elevated in severe HF patients and may be used as possible biomarkers for accessing severity of HF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jasmine, a recently domesticated shrub, is renowned for its use as a key ingredient in floral tea and its captivating fragrance, showcasing significant ornamental and economic value. When cultivated to subtropical zone, a significant abiotic stress adaptability occurs among different jasmine varieties, leading to huge flower production changes and plantlet survival. The bZIP transcription factors (TFs) are reported to play indispensable roles in abiotic stress tolerance. Here, we performed a genome-level comparison of bZIPs using three-type jasmine genomes. Based on their physicochemical properties, conserved motif analysis and phylogenetic analysis, about 63 bZIP genes were identified and clustered in jasmine genomes, noting a difference of one member compared to the other two types of jasmines. The HTbZIP genes were categorized into 12 subfamilies compared with A. thaliana. In cis-acting element analysis, all genes contained light-responsive elements. The abscisic acid response element (ABRE) was the most abundant in HTbZIP62 promoter, followed by HTbZIP33. Tissue-specific genes of the bZIPs may play a crucial role in regulating the development of jasmine organs and tissues, with HTbZIP36 showing the most significant expressions in roots. Combined with complicated protein interactions, HTbZIP62 and HTbZIP33 might play a crucial role in the ABA signaling pathway and stress tolerance. Combined with RT-qPCR analysis, SJbZIP37/57/62 were more sensitive to ABA response genes compared with other bZIPs in DJ amd HT genomes. Our findings provide a useful resource for further research on the regulation of key genes to improve abiotic stress tolerance in jasmine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conformal integration of the electronic skin on the non‐developable surface is in great demand for the comprehensive tactile sensing of robotics and prosthetics. However, the current techniques still encounter obstacles in achieving conformal integration of film‐like electronic skin on non‐developable surfaces with substantial curvatures for contact pressure detection and tactile mapping. In this paper, by utilizing the 3D printing technology to prepare the 3D electrode array in the structural component following its surface curvature, and covering it with a molded functional shell to form the pressure sensitive iontronic interface, a device is proposed to achieve high‐sensitive pressure detection and high‐fidelity tactile mapping on a complicated non‐developable surface, called structural electronic skin (SES). The SES is prepared in a 3D printed fingertip with 46 tactile sensing units distributed on its curved surface, achieving the integration of both structural and tactile functions in a single component. By integrating the smart fingertip into a dexterous hand, a series of demonstrations are presented to show the dead‐zone free pressure detection and tactile mapping with high sensitivity, for instance, 2D pulse wave monitoring and robotic injection in a medical robot, object recognition and compliant control in a smart prosthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the functions of Holothuria leucospilota Fas-associated death domain (HLFADD) in the innate immune-related signalling pathways were investigated. The results showed that over-expression of HLFADD in HEK293T cells could activate the transcription factors NF-κB and activator protein-1 (AP-1), and induce the secretion of downstream pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6, IL-8 and IL-18, suggesting the involvement of the sea cucumber FADD in activating the NF-κB and c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase-dependent pathways. On the other hand, HLFADD could down-regulate the activations of NF-κB and AP-1 that induced by over-expression of H. leucospilota myeloid differentiation factor 88 (HLMyD88), which is supposed to be mediated through its interaction with HLMyD88 to keep the MyD88-dependent TLR signalling at a proper magnitude. The interaction of HLFADD and HLMyD88 were further supported by a co-immunoprecipitation assay. Moreover, HLFADD could activate transcription factor IFN regulatory factor-3 and induced the secretion of downstream IFN-α and IFN-β, indicating that the sea cucumber FADD may also activate the antiviral IFN signalling pathway. In summary, our study may give new insights on the functions of sea cucumber FADD in the innate immune-related signalling pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dual-specificity phosphatase (DUSP) family plays an important role in response to adverse external factors. In this study, the DUSP5 from Epinephelus coioides, an important marine fish in Southeast Asia and China, was isolated and characterized. As expected, E. coioides DUSP5 contained four conserved domains: a rhodanese homology domain (RHOD); a dual-specificity phosphatase catalytic domain (DSPc); and two regions of low compositional complexity, indicating that E. coioides DUSP5 belongs to the DUSP family. E. coioides DUSP5 mRNA could be detected in all of the examined tissues, and was mainly distributed in the nucleus. Infection with Singapore grouper iridovirus (SGIV), one of the most important pathogens of marine fish, could inhibit the expression of E. coioides DUSP5. The overexpression of DUSP5 could significantly downregulate the expression of the key SGIV genes (MCP, ICP18, VP19, and LITAF), viral titers, the activity of NF-κB and AP-I, and the expression of pro-inflammatory factors (IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α) of E. coioides, but could upregulate the expressions of caspase3 and p53, as well as SGIV-induced apoptosis. The results demonstrate that E. coioides DUSP5 could inhibit SGIV infection by regulating E. coioides immune-related factors, indicating that DUSP5 might be involved in viral infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photoacoustic microscopy can image many biological molecules and nano‐agents in vivo via low‐scattering ultrasonic sensing. Insufficient sensitivity is a long‐standing obstacle for imaging low‐absorbing chromophores with less photobleaching or toxicity, reduced perturbation to delicate organs, and more choices of low‐power lasers. Here, the photoacoustic probe design is collaboratively optimized and a spectral‐spatial filter is implemented. A multi‐spectral super‐low‐dose photoacoustic microscopy (SLD‐PAM) is presented that improves the sensitivity by ≈33 times. SLD‐PAM can visualize microvessels and quantify oxygen saturation in vivo with ≈1% of the maximum permissible exposure, dramatically reducing potential phototoxicity or perturbation to normal tissue function, especially in imaging of delicate tissues, such as the eye and the brain. Capitalizing on the high sensitivity, direct imaging of deoxyhemoglobin concentration is achieved without spectral unmixing, avoiding wavelength‐dependent errors and computational noises. With reduced laser power, SLD‐PAM can reduce photobleaching by ≈85%. It is also demonstrated that SLD‐PAM achieves similar molecular imaging quality using 80% fewer contrast agents. Therefore, SLD‐PAM enables the use of a broader range of low‐absorbing nano‐agents, small molecules, and genetically encoded biomarkers, as well as more types of low‐power light sources in wide spectra. It is believed that SLD‐PAM offers a powerful tool for anatomical, functional, and molecular imaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scolopendra subspinipes mutilans L. Koch. (SSLK) helps reduce the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) but its effects on rheumatic heart disease (RHD) patients remain unclear. 80 RHD patients were recruited and randomly assigned into SG (to receive SSLK treatment) and CG (to receive placebo) groups, and the intervention lasted for 3 months. The following cardiac indexes were measured, including mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), central venous pressure (CVP), blood lactate, fatigue, shortness of breath, palpitation, and chest pain. ELISA kits were used to analyze creatine kinase isoenzyme (CK-MB), serum troponin T (cTnT), CRP, IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α, malondialdehyde (MDA), and superoxide dismutase (SOD). Relative percentages of CD4+CD25+FoxP3 regulatory (Treg) and CD4+IL-17 T cells were measured using flow cytometry. After 3-month therapy, SSLK intervention improved MAP, HR, CVP, fatigue, palpitation, and shortness breath of CHD patients, reduced the levels of blood lactate, CK-MB, cTnT, CRP, IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, MDA, and increased SOD level (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, SSLK treatment increased the percentages of CD4+CD25+FoxP3 Treg cells and reduced relative percentages of CD4+IL-17 T cells in a dose-dependent way (p < 0.05). Relative percentage of CD4+CD25+FoxP3 Treg cells had negative relationship while CD4+IL17 T cells had positive relationship with CK-MB, cTnT, CRP, and TNF-a (p < 0.01). SSLK ameliorated RHD by affecting the balance of CD4+CD25+FoxP3 Treg and CD4+IL17 T cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lung ultrasound (LU) is increasingly used to diagnose and monitor neonatal pulmonary disorders; however, its role in hemodynamically significant patent ductus arteriosus (hsPDA) has not been elucidated. This prospective study investigated the predictive value of the LU score (LUS) for hsPDA in preterm infants with gestational age (GA) ≤ 25 weeks. Preterm infants with GA ≤ 25 weeks were enrolled in this study. LU was conducted on the fourth day of life (DOL). Six lung regions in every lung were scanned, with each region rated as 0–4 points. The performance of the LUS in predicting hsPDA among infants aged ≤25 weeks was analyzed by plotting the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. A total of 81 infants were included in this study. GA, birth weight (BW), gender, Apgar score, delivery mode, antenatal steroids, meconium-stained amniotic fluid, premature rapture of membrane, and early-onset sepsis were not significantly different, but infants in the hsPDA group had increased LUS (38.2 ± 2.8 vs. 30.3 ± 4.3, p < 0.001) compared with non-hsPDA group. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) value of the LUS on the fourth DOL was 0.94 (95% CI: 0.93–0.99) in predicting hsPDA. The LUS threshold at 33 achieved 89% sensitivity and 83% specificity, with the positive and negative predictive values (PPV and NPV) being 87 and 86%, respectively. The LUS can predict hsPDA in extremely preterm infants at an early stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Avian pathogenic E. coli (APEC) is a common pathogen in the poultry industry, which can cause substantial economic losses. Recently, emerging evidence showed that miRNAs were involved in various viral and bacterial infections. To elucidate the role of miRNAs in chicken macrophages in response to APEC infection, we attempted to investigate the miRNAs expression pattern upon APEC infection via miRNA-seq, and to identify the molecular mechanism of the important miRNAs by using RT-qPCR, western blotting, dual-luciferase reporter assay, and CCK-8. The results showed that a total of 80 differentially expressed (DE) miRNAs were identified in comparison of APEC vs. wild-type group, which corresponded to 724 target genes. Moreover, the target genes of the identified DE miRNAs were mainly significantly enriched in the MAPK signalling pathway, autophagy-bird, mTOR signalling pathway, ErbB signalling pathway, Wnt signalling pathway, and TGF-beta signalling pathway. Remarkably, gga-miR-181b-5p is able to participate in host immune and inflammatory responses against APEC infection via targeting of TGFBR1 to modulate the activation of TGF-beta signalling pathway. Collectively, this study provides a perspective of miRNA expression patterns in chicken macrophages upon APEC infection. These findings provide insight into miRNAs against APEC infection, and gga-miR-181b-5p might be a potential target for treating APEC infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigating the genetic diversity and population structure is important in conserving narrowly distributed plants. In this study, 90 Clematis acerifolia (C. acerifolia) plants belonging to nine populations were collected from the Taihang Mountains in Beijing, Hebei, and Henan. Twenty-nine simple sequence repeats (SSR) markers developed based on RAD-seq data were used to analyze the genetic diversity and population structure of C. acerifolia. The mean PIC value for all markers was 0.2910, indicating all SSR markers showed a moderate degree of polymorphism. The expected heterozygosity of the whole populations was 0.3483, indicating the genetic diversity of both C. acerifolia var. elobata and C. acerifolia were low. The expected heterozygosity of C. acerifolia var. elobata (He = 0.2800) was higher than that of C. acerifolia (He = 0.2614). Genetic structure analysis and principal coordinate analysis demonstrated that C. acerifolia and C. acerifolia var. elobata showed great genetic differences. Molecular variance analysis (AMOVA) demonstrated that within-population genetic variation (68.31%) was the main contributor to the variation of the C. acerifolia populations. Conclusively, C. acerifolia var. elobata had higher genetic diversity than C. acerifolia, and there are significant genetic differences between C. acerifolia and C. acerifolia var. elobata, and small genetic variations within the C. acerifolia populations. Our results provide a scientific and rational basis for the conservation of C. acerifolia and provide a reference for the conservation of other cliff plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zr-doped LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.49 Z r0.01 O 4 and pristine LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 with ordered and disordered structures were prepared by a low-temperature solution combustion synthesis method. The phase compositions, structural ordering and micro-morphologies of the products were characterized by X-ray diffraction, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, inductive coupled plasma, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy measurements. The electrochemical performances of the products were investigated by charge/discharge testing, cyclic voltammetry, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The results indicate that the effects of Zr doping on ordered or disordered LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 are different. Ordered LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.49 Z r0.01 O 4 shows much better cycling stability and rate capability than that of ordered LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 . In contrast, the cycling stability of disordered LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 changes little, and the rate capability decreases after Zr doping. After 200 cycles at 1 C, the capacity retentions of ordered LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.49 Zr 0.01 O 4 and LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 are 95.0% and 78.0%, respectively, while the capacity retentions of disordered LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.49 Zr 0.01 O 4 and LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 are 98.6% and 95.1%, respectively. In particular, the specific capacity of ordered LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.49 Zr 0.01 O 4 is as high as 129.4 mA h/g and retains 94.5% after 100 cycles at 10 C, whereas the specific capacity of ordered LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 is only 103.0 mA h/g and retains 84.0% at the same conditions. The excellent electrochemical performance of ordered LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.49 Zr 0.01 O 4 could be attributed to its better crystallinity, higher lithium diffusion coefficient ( D Li ), and lower polarization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]