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From whole organisms to individual cells, responses to environmental conditions are influenced by genetic makeup, where the effect of genetic variation on a trait depends on the environmental context. RNA-sequencing quantifies gene expression as a molecular trait, and is capable of capturing both genetic and environmental effects. In this study, we explore opportunities of using allele-specific expression (ASE) to discover cis-acting genotype-environment interactions (GxE)-genetic effects on gene expression that depend on an environmental condition. Treating 17 common, clinical traits as approximations of the cellular environment of 267 skeletal muscle biopsies, we identify 10 candidate environmental response expression quantitative trait loci (reQTLs) across 6 traits (12 unique gene-environment trait pairs; 10% FDR per trait) including sex, systolic blood pressure, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Although using ASE is in principle a promising approach to detect GxE effects, replication of such signals can be challenging as validation requires harmonization of environmental traits across cohorts and a sufficient sampling of heterozygotes for a transcribed SNP. Comprehensive discovery and replication will require large human transcriptome datasets, or the integration of multiple transcribed SNPs, coupled with standardized clinical phenotyping.

The thermodynamic behaviors of a system living in a curved space-time are different from those of a system in a flat space-time. We have investigated the thermodynamics for a system consisting of relativistic massless bosons. We show that a strongly curved metric will produce a large enhancement of the degrees of freedom in the formulae of energy and entropy of the system, as a comparison to the case in a flat space-time. We are mainly concerned with its implications to holography, including the derivations of holographic entropy and holographic screen.

C26H42N4O15Ni, triclinic, P1̅ (no. 2), a = 6.9662(8) Å, b = 9.0381(10) Å, c = 13.4863(15) Å, α = 71.430(1)°, β = 79.568(1)°, γ = 85.621(1)°, V = 791.44(15) Å3, Z = 1, Rgt(F) = 0.0377, wRref(F2) = 0.1312, T = 293(2) K.

We discuss two different integration methods for radar-based quantitative precipitation estimation (QPE): the echo intensity integral and the rain intensity integral. Theoretical analyses and simulations were used to test differences between these two methods. Cumulative rainfall calculated by the echo intensity integral is usually greater than that from rain intensity integral. The difference of calculated precipitation using these two methods is generally smaller for stable precipitation systems and larger for unstable precipitation systems. If the echo intensity signal is sinusoidal, the discrepancy between the two methods is most significant. For stratiform and convective precipitation, the normalized error ranges from −0.138 to −0.15 and from −0.11 to −0.122, respectively. If the echo intensity signal is linear, the normalized error ranges from 0 to −0.13 and from 0 to −0.11, respectively. If the echo intensity signal is exponential, the normalized error ranges from 0 to −0.35 and from 0 to −0.30, respectively. When both the integration scheme and real radar data were used to estimate cumulative precipitation for one day, their spatial distributions were similar.

Li1.27Cr0.2Mn0.53O2 layered cathodic materials were prepared by a nanomilling-assisted solid-state process. Whole-pattern refinement of X-ray diffraction (XRD) data revealed that the samples are solid solutions with layered α-NaFeO2 structure. SEM observation of the prepared powder displayed a mesoporous nature composed of tiny primary particles in nanoscale. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) studies on the cycled electrodes confirmed that triple-electron-process of the Cr3+/Cr6+ redox pair, not the two-electron-process of Mn redox pair, dominants the electrochemical process within the cathode material. Capacity test for the sample revealed an initial discharge capacity of 195.2 mAh·g−1 at 0.1 C, with capacity retention of 95.1% after 100 cycles. EIS investigation suggested that the high Li ion diffusion coefficient (3.89 × 10−10·cm2·s−1), caused by the mesoporous nature of the cathode powder, could be regarded as the important factor for the excellent performance of the Li1.27Cr0.2Mn0.53O2 layered material. The results demonstrated that the cathode material prepared by our approach is a good candidate for lithium-ion batteries.

C20H24O17Y2, monoclinic, P21/c (no. 14), a = 10.347(2) Å, b = 12.314(3) Å, c = 10.090(2) Å, β = 93.967(3)°, V = 1282.5(5) Å3, Z = 2, Rgt(F) = 0.0292, wRref(F2) = 0.0579, T = 296(2) K.

Abstract: Philanthropy provides substantial support for science and research—does it do the same for technology and invention? We match patenting outcomes in the United States with philanthropic organizations as listed in the Candid database and find that at least 0.2% of U.S. patenting since 1976 received philanthropic support. After matching philanthropic patents to non-philanthropic patents based on technology, time, and the number of inventors, we find that philanthropic invention is more likely to be done by smaller teams and U.S. based inventors and less likely to rely on science research and non-U.S. prior art. Renewal rates are not significantly different from non-philanthropic patents and philanthropic patents are not more likely to be in underserved areas of technology. Philanthropic supported patents receive significantly fewer future prior art citations, thus implying that philanthropy supported patents are not exceptionally valuable.

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.

Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite that infects a variety of mammals, including humans. An effective vaccine for this parasite is therefore needed. In this study, RH strain T. gondii rhoptry protein 17 was expressed in bacteria as a fusion with glutathione S-transferase (GST) and the recombinant proteins (rTgROP17) were purified via GST-affinity chromatography. BALB/c mice were nasally immunised with rTgROP17, and induction of immune responses and protection against chronic and lethal T. gondii infections were investigated. The results revealed that mice immunised with rTgROP17 produced high levels of specific anti-rTgROP17 IgGs and a mixed IgG1/IgG2a response of IgG2a predominance. The systemic immune response was associated with increased production of Th1 (IFN-γand IL-2) and Th2 (IL-4) cytokines, and enhanced lymphoproliferation (stimulation index, SI) in the mice immunised with rTgROP17. Strong mucosal immune responses with increased secretion of TgROP17-specific secretory IgA (SIgA) in nasal, vaginal and intestinal washes were also observed in these mice. The vaccinated mice displayed apparent protection against chronic RH strain infection as evidenced by their lower liver and brain parasite burdens (59.17% and 49.08%, respectively) than those of the controls. The vaccinated mice also exhibited significant protection against lethal infection of the virulent RH strain (survival increased by 50%) compared to the controls. Our data demonstrate that rTgROP17 can trigger strong systemic and mucosal immune responses against T. gondii and that ROP17 is a promising candidate vaccine for toxoplasmosis.

Acute lung injury (ALI) is the leading cause of death in intensive care units. Extracellular histones have recently been recognized to be pivotal inflammatory mediators. Heparin and its derivatives can bind histones through electrostatic interaction. The purpose of this study was to investigate 1) the role of extracellular histones in the pathogenesis of ALI caused by acid aspiration and 2) whether N-acetyl-heparin (NAH) provides more protection than heparin against histones at the high dose. ALI was induced in mice via intratracheal instillation of hydrochloric acid (HCl). Lethality rate, blood gas, myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, lung edema and pathological changes were used to evaluate the degree of ALI. Heparin/NAH was administered intraperitoneally, twice a day, for 3 days or until death. Acid aspiration caused an obvious increase in extracellular histones. A significant correlation existed between the concentration of HCl aspirated and the circulating histones. Heparin/NAH (10 mg/kg) improved the lethality rate, blood gas, MPO activity, lung edema and pathological score. At a dose of 20 mg/kg, NAH still provided protection, however heparin tended to aggravate the injury due to hemorrhagic complications. The specific interaction between heparin and histones was verified by the binding assay. In summary, high levels of extracellular histones can be pathogenic in ALI caused by acid aspiration. By neutralizing extracellular histones, heparin/NAH can offer similar protection at the moderate doses. At the high dose, NAH provides better protection than heparin.

The 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic impacts the learning and teaching experiences of faculty, students, and school staff at all levels of education around the world. While most schools face the challenges of closing down campuses, moving courses online, and relying on technology tools to deliver instructional activities, as one of the few countries with a regular semester schedule, universities in Taiwan have different experiences handling the current situation. This reflective essay aims to share the countermeasures that the Center of Teaching and Learning Development (CTLD) and Digital Learning Center (DLC) at National Taiwan University (NTU) took to keep everything going commonly during the uncommon time. The pandemic impact was discussed from the interrelationships of university policy, course, and instructor. We used Bloom's cognitive, psychomotor, and affective domains of knowledge to guide the implementation of related actions. Based on our learned lessons and reflections, we provide five suggestions regarding future precautions to other educational institutions.

It was previously thought that the odorant binding proteins (OBPs) in the sensillum lymph might serve as carriers, which could carry lipophilic odorant molecules to olfactory receptors. In this study, two novel OBP genes of the scarab beetle Holotrichia oblita were screened using an antennal cDNA library. The full cDNA of HoblOBP3 and HoblOBP4 was cloned using reverse transcription PCR and rapid amplification of the cDNA ends. Homology modeling of both OBPs was performed using SWISS-MODEL on-line tools. Next, the two OBPs were expressed in Escherichia coli and purified using Ni ion affinity chromatography. The ligand-binding properties of HoblOBP3 and HoblOBP4 in 42 ligands respectively were measured using the fluorescence probe N-phenyl-naphthylamine (1-NPN). The results obtained from competitive binding assays demonstrated that HoblOBP4 showed a broader range of binding affinities to the test compounds, while HoblOBP3 displays more specific binding affinity. Furthermore, other OBPs and CSPs were expressed in Escherichia coli and purified using Ni ion affinity chromatography. Binding curves were measured for binary mixtures of OBPs and CSPs using 1-NPN, and the Scatchard plots exhibited "J"-like nonlinear correlation trends in some samples. In addition, competitive binding assays of the HoblOBP1 and HoblOBP2 mixtures and of the HoblOBP2 and HoblOBP4 mixtures with representative compounds unexpectedly demonstrated good affinity, which revealed extreme differences that were only obtained using the individual proteins. In the immunocytochemical analysis, colocalization of HoblOBP1 and HoblOBP2, and of HoblOBP2 and HoblOBP4, was detected in the sensilla basiconica and sensilla placodea, respectively. All of these results suggested that HoblOBP1 and HoblOBP2, as well as HoblOBP2 and HoblOBP4, may serve as heterodimers in the sensillum lymph.

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is an epithelial malignancy facilitated by Epstein-Barr Virus infection. Here we resolve the major genetic influences for NPC incidence using a genome-wide association study (GWAS), independent cohort replication, and high-resolution molecular HLA class I gene typing including 4,055 study participants from the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Guangdong province of southern China. We detect and replicate strong association signals involving SNPs, HLA alleles, and amino acid (aa) variants across the major histocompatibility complex-HLA-A, HLA -B, and HLA -C class I genes (P(HLA-A-aa-site-62) = 7.4 × 10(-29); P (HLA-B-aa-site-116) = 6.5 × 10(-19); P (HLA-C-aa-site-156) = 6.8 × 10(-8) respectively). Over 250 NPC-HLA associated variants within HLA were analyzed in concert to resolve separate and largely independent HLA-A, -B, and -C gene influences. Multivariate logistical regression analysis collapsed significant associations in adjacent genes spanning 500 kb (OR2H1, GABBR1, HLA-F, and HCG9) as proxies for peptide binding motifs carried by HLA- A*11:01. A similar analysis resolved an independent association signal driven by HLA-B*13:01, B*38:02, and B*55:02 alleles together. NPC resistance alleles carrying the strongly associated amino acid variants implicate specific class I peptide recognition motifs in HLA-A and -B peptide binding groove as conferring strong genetic influence on the development of NPC in China.

Laboratory diagnosis of acute infection of hepatitis E virus (HEV) is commonly based on the detection of HEV RNA, IgM and/or rising IgG levels. However, the profile of these markers when the patients present have not been well determined. To clarify the extent of misdiagnosed sporadic hepatitis E in the initial laboratory detection, serial sera of 271 sporadic acute hepatitis cases were collected, detected and the dynamics of each acute marker during the illness course were analyzed. 91 confirmed cases of hepatitis E were identified based on the presentation of HEV RNA, IgM or at least 4 fold rising of IgG levels. 21 (23.1%) hepatitis E cases were false negative for the viral RNA and 40 (44.0%) for rising IgG, because occurrence of these markers were confined to acute phase of infection and viremia had already subsided and antibody level peaked when these patients presented. IgM was detected in 82 (90.1%) cases. It is the most prevalent of the three markers, because the antibody persisted until early convalescence. Nine cases negative for IgM were positive for rising IgG and one was also positive for the viral RNA; all of these nine cases showed high avid IgG in their acute phase sera, which indicated re-infection. In summary, it is not practicable to determine the true occurrence of sporadic hepatitis E. Nevertheless, it could be closely approximated by approach using a combination of all three acute markers.

In the title compound, {(C7H11N2)[Ag2(C10H3O8)]}n, the polymeric anion consists of two AgI atoms and a Hbtc3− ligand (H4btc = benzene-1,2,4,5-tetracarboxylic acid). Each AgI atom is coordinated by four O atoms from three different Hbtc3− ligands. The two AgI atoms are bridged by two bidentate carboxylate groups into an Ag2O4 cyclic unit, with an Ag...Ag distance of 2.8189 (3) Å. In this way, the Ag atoms are connected by the Hbtc3− ligands into an extended two-dimensional layer structure. A three-dimensional network is accomplished through O—H...O hydrogen bonds between the anionic layers. The cationic guest Hdmap+ [dmap = 4-(dimethylamino)pyridine] is trapped in the network and adheres to the layer by an N—H...O hydrogen bond.

This paper shows a wind tunnel test bed with parallelogram structure. The three-dimensional model was built by Solidworks after analyzing the movement principle. Then the model was imported to Workbench and carried out modal analysis according to the theory of finite element modal analysis. Finally the first six vibration mode and the natural frequency were got. This result provides theoretical support for the further research of the stability of the structure, and it also provides theoretical basis for the optimal design of the institution.

C13H14N2O6, monoclinic, P21/c (no. 14), a = 3.829(1) Å, b = 20.036(5) Å, c = 8.520(2) Å, β = 93.407(3)°, V = 652.4 Å3, Z = 2, Rgt(F) = 0.0449, wRref(F2) = 0.1150, T = 293 K.

C16H19Cl2N5O6Zn, monoclinic, P21/c (no. 14), a = 7.9152(4) Å, b = 15.4534(7) Å, c = 16.7508(8) Å, β = 94.131(1)°, V = 2043.6 Å3, Z = 4,Rgt(F) = 0.0286, wRref(F2) = 0.0804, T = 296 K.