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Abstract Background α‐1,6 Fucosyltransferase (FUT8) appears to play an essential role in the pathogenesis of renal fibrosis. However, it remained unknown whether FUT8 also contributed to renal fibrosis in immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN). In the present study, we explored the association of serum FUT8 activity with renal tubulointerstitial injury in IgAN patients. Methods Serum FUT8 activity was measured in 135 IgAN patients and 68 healthy controls from January 2016 to December 2018. The relationships of serum FUT8 activity with clinical and pathological features were analyzed. Results Relative to healthy controls, IgAN patients had significantly higher serum FUT8 activity and upregulation of renal FUT8 protein (p 12.2 pmol/h/ml, n = 95). The high serum FUT8 activity group had a higher Oxford T score, increased inflammatory cell infiltration, more severe fibrosis and poor renal function (p

Physical exercise has beneficial effect on anxiety disorders, but the underlying molecular mechanism remains largely unknown. Here, it is demonstrated that physical exercise can downregulate the S‐nitrosylation of gephyrin (SNO‐gephyrin) in the basolateral amygdala (BLA) to exert anxiolytic effects. It is found that the level of SNO‐gephyrin is significantly increased in the BLA of high‐anxiety rats and a downregulation of SNO‐gephyrin at cysteines 212 and 284 produced anxiolytic effect. Mechanistically, inhibition of SNO‐gephyrin by either Cys212 or Cys284 mutations increased the surface expression of GABAAR γ2 and the subsequent GABAergic neurotransmission, exerting anxiolytic effect in male rats. On the other side, overexpression of neuronal nitric oxide synthase in the BLA abolished the anxiolytic‐like effects of physical exercise. This study reveals a key role of downregulating SNO‐gephyrin in the anxiolytic effects of physical exercise, providing a new explanation for protein post‐translational modifications in the brain after exercise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid urbanization has increased the areas of urban forests that store considerable soil carbon (C). Different soil C fractions may show distinctive contents and spatial patterns in view of their contrasting sensitivities to various drivers. However, current studies on soil C fractions are mostly limited to natural ecosystems and little is known about the large‐scale patterns and drivers of soil C fractions in urban forests. Based on a field survey of urban forests across a north–south transect in eastern China, we analysed the spatial variations and main drivers of topsoil (surface layer, 0–10 cm; subsurface layer, 10–20 cm) C fractions (i.e., soil organic C, SOC; soil inorganic C, SIC; particulate organic C, POC; mineral‐associated organic C, MAOC). Our results showed that topsoil contents of POC, MAOC and SOC changed non‐linearly with latitude, with lowest values occurring in the cities in the warm temperate region. In contrast, SIC content showed the highest values in the warm temperate region. POC instead of MAOC was found to be a major fraction of SOC in urban forests. The spatial variation in topsoil POC content was mainly explained by mean annual temperature, soil clay and silt content, and park age. The spatial variation in MAOC content was mainly explained by soil clay and silt content, mean annual precipitation, mean annual temperature and park age. In contrast, the spatial variation in SIC content was mainly explained by mean annual precipitation and soil pH. These findings demonstrate distinct features of different soil C fractions in urban forests and provide useful implications for urban soil carbon management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gold nanoclusters exhibiting concomitant photothermy (PT) and photoluminescence (PL) under near‐infrared (NIR) light irradiation are rarely reported, and some fundamental issues remain unresolved for such materials. Herein, we concurrently synthesized two novel rod‐shaped Au nanoclusters, Au52(PET)32 and Au66(PET)38 (PET = 2‐phenylethanethiolate), and precisely revealed that their kernels were 4 × 4 × 6 and 5 × 4 × 6 face‐centered cubic (fcc) structures, respectively, based on the numbers of Au layers in the [100], [010], and [001] directions. Following the structural growth mode from Au52(PET)32 to Au66(PET)38, we predicted six more novel nanoclusters. The concurrent synthesis provides rational comparison of the two nanoclusters on the stability, absorption, emission and photothermy, and reveals the aspect ratio‐related properties. An interesting finding is that the two nanoclusters exhibit concomitant PT and PL under 785 nm light irradiation, and the PT and PL are in balance, which was explained by the qualitative evaluation of the radiative and non‐radiative rates. The ligand effects on PT and PL were also investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering the harsh environment of the port, automated straddle carriers, characterized by their large size, tall frame, and high center of gravity, may experience instability during steering and transportation due to inaccurate state estimation. Thus, this paper explores state estimation techniques for automated straddle carriers utilizing smart sensors which are capable of data measurement and processing. First, using the steering principles and lateral characteristics of automated straddle carriers, a dynamic linear model is established based on Newton's second law of motion. Then, in order to enhance the reliability and flexibility of state estimation, a distributed smart sensor network structure is introduced. In addition, considering the challenge of unknown-but-bounded noise and the precision demands of the considered automated straddle carrier, a modified distributed set-membership estimation algorithm is proposed and is derived sufficient conditions for the existence of the estimation set for the considered automated straddle carriers. Finally, the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed method are demonstrated by performance analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During a survey of culturable fungi in the coastal areas of China, three new species of Penicillium sect. Lanata-Divaricata were discovered and studied with a polyphasic taxonomic approach, and then named as P. donggangicum sp. nov. (ex-type AS3.15900T = LN5H1-4), P. hepuense sp. nov. (ex-type AS3.16039T = TT2-4X3, AS3.16040 = TT2-6X3) and P. jiaozhouwanicum sp. nov. (ex-type AS3.16038T = 0801H2-2, AS3.16207 = ZZ2-9-3). In morphology, P. donggangicum is unique in showing light yellow sclerotia and mycelium, sparse sporulation, restricted growth at 37 °C, irregular conidiophores, intercalary phialides and metulae, and pyriform to subspherical conidia. P. hepuense is distinguished by the fast growth on CYA and YES and slow growth on MEA at 25 °C, weak or absence of growth at 37 °C, biverticillate and monoverticillate penicilli, and ellipsoidal conidia. P. jiaozhouwanicum is characterized by abundant grayish-green conidia en masse and moderate growth at 37 °C, the appressed biverticillate penicilli and fusiform, smooth-walled conidia. These three novelties were further confirmed by the phylogenetic analyses based on either the combined BenA-CaM-Rpb2 or the individual BenA, CaM, Rpb2 and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences.

Background: Secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC) plays an important role in cancer development. The roles of SPARC in the liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC) are unclear.Methods: GEPIA2 and UALCAN were used to analyze the SPARC mRNA expression levels in LIHC based on the TCGA database. The GEO database was used to verify the analysis results. Immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis was used to investigate the SPARC protein levels in LIHC tissues. The Kaplan–Meier (KM) plotter was used to analyze the correlation between SPARC and prognosis. The serum SPARC levels were measured by ELISA. CCK8 and murine xenograft models were used to investigate the effect of SPARC on the liver cancer growth in vitro and in vivo. SPARC-correlated genes were screened by LinkedOmics.Results: Based on the TCGA and GEO databases, the analysis showed that the SPARC mRNA expression levels were increased in tumor tissues and peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) from LIHC compared to normal controls. The IHC analysis showed an increased level of SPARC in LIHC tissues compared to adjacent non-tumor tissues. However, we found that the serum SPARC levels were lower in LIHC than those in healthy controls. The KM plotter showed that there was no significant correlation between the SPARC mRNA levels and overall survival. However, in sorafenib-treated LIHC patients, the high SPARC expression predicts favorable prognosis. Furthermore, the endogenous SPARC overexpression promotes liver cancer cell proliferation in vitro and tumor growth in vivo, while there was no significant effect of exogenous SPARC treatment on liver cancer cell proliferation. Function enrichment analysis of SPARC-correlated genes indicated a critical role of interaction with an extracellular matrix in SPARC-promoting cancer cell proliferation.Conclusion: SPARC mRNAs were increased in LIHC tumor tissues, and SPARC overexpression may promote the liver cancer growth. Further studies are needed to clarify the potential prognostic value of SPARC, both in tissues and in circulation.

Substitution by artificial ovary is a promising approach to restore ovarian function, and a decellularized extracellular matrix can be used as a supporting scaffold. However, biomimetic ovary fabrication and immunogenicity requires more investigation. In this study, we proposed an effective decellularization protocol to prepare ovarian scaffolds, which were characterized by few nuclear substances and which retained the extracellular matrix proteins. The ovarian tissue shape and 3-dimensional structure were well-preserved after decellularization. Electron micrographs demonstrated that the extracellular matrix fibers in the decellularized group had similar porosity and structure to those of native ovaries. Semi-quantification analysis confirmed that the amount of extracellular matrix proteins was reduced, but the collagen fiber length, width, and straightness did not change significantly. Granulosa cells were attached and penetrated into the decellularized scaffold and exhibited high proliferative activity with no visible apoptotic cells on day 15. Follicle growth was compromised on day 7. The implanted artificial ovaries did not restore endocrine function in ovariectomized mice. The grafts were infiltrated with immune cells within 3 days, which damaged the artificial ovary morphology. The findings suggest that immune rejection plays an important role when using artificial ovaries.

This paper studies the α-consensus value of a cooperative game with payoffs of triangular intuitionistic fuzzy numbers and gives the formation mechanism of the α-consensus value, as well as some properties. Using the extended Hukuhara difference of triangular intuitionistic fuzzy numbers, the α-consensus value of the triangular intuitionistic fuzzy cooperative game is obtained. Furthermore, we study the condition of the α-consensus value satisfying the individual rationality, which makes the α-consensus value of the cooperative game more practical in real problems. Finally, a numerical example is given to illustrate the validity and applicability of the α-consensus value of the triangular intuitionistic fuzzy cooperative game proposed in this paper.

Abstract Background Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a prototypic autoimmune disease characterized by the presence of pathogenic autoantibodies associated with polyclonal B cell hyperreactivity. Previous study reported that autophagy-related gene Leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) was likely a susceptible gene for SLE. However, the pathogenic function of LRRK2 in SLE is undefined. Methods Using quantitative PCR, we compared the expression levels of LRRK2 in B cells between SLE patients and healthy controls. The expression levels of LRRK2 in in vitro induced CD19hi B cells and naïve B cells were compared as well based on RNA-seq assay. A pristane-induced lupus-like mouse model was used to explore the effects of LRRK2 on the development of SLE. IgG level, B cell subsets in the spleens and bone marrows and pathological features in the kidneys were compared between wildtype (WT) and Lrrk2 −/− littermates. Results It was obvious that LRRK2 expression was dramatically up-regulated in primary B cells from SLE patients compared to those from healthy controls, as well as in activated CD19hi B cells. More significantly, LRRK2 expression in B cells was positively correlated with system lupus erythematosus disease activity index (SLEDAI), an indicator for disease severity, and serum IgG levels in SLE patients. Negative correlations were observed between LRRK2 expression and serum C3 or C4 levels, two clinical features associated with SLE-related nephritis. LRRK2 deficiency reduced the death rate of pristane treated mice. Decreased levels of total IgG and autoantibody were detected in the serum with less deposition of immune complexes and attenuated pathological symptoms in the kidneys of Lrrk2 −/− mice. Consistent with the reduction in IgG production, the percentages of germinal center B cells and plasma cells decreased significantly as well with LRRK2 deficiency. Conclusions Our study demonstrates that LRRK2 expression is upregulated in B cells from SLE patients with strong correlations to disease severity. LRRK2 deficiency largely attenuates the pathogenic progress of lupus-like features in pristane-induced mice. This is probably achieved through affecting B cell terminal differentiation and subsequent immunoglobulin production.

Herbal medicine is a major part of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), which is evolved as a system of medical practice from ancient China. The use of herbal medicine is mainly based on practice and theories and concepts rooted in ancient philosophy. In the era of evidence-based medicine, it is essential to accurately evaluate herbal remedy with standard/modern medical practice approaches. Tetradium ruticarpum (A. Juss.) Hartley (TR), a medicinal plant with diversify bioactive components, has been broadly used to treat pain and gastrointestinal disorders in TCM. However, TR has also been reported to have potential toxicity by long-term use or excessive doses, though the associated compounds are yet to be identified. TR is usually processed, and/or combined with other herbs in TCM formulas in order to achieve a synergistic effect or reduce its toxicity. Since processing or polyherbal formulation of TR may lead to changes in its chemical composition and contents, quality, efficacy and toxicity, comparison of TR samples before and after processing, as well as its combination with other medicines, would provide useful knowledge of bioactive compounds, efficacy and toxicity of this valuable medicinal plant. Here we reviewed the recent studies about the phytochemistry, pharmacokinetic behaviors and toxicity of TR under various processing or polyherbal formulation conditions, which would expand our understanding of mechanisms of TR’s efficacy and toxicity and be valuable for quality control in industrial manufacturing, future medicinal research, and safety and rational use of TR in TCM.

To investigate the influence of ultraviolet-C (UVC) radiation pretreatment on the sugar metabolism of yellow peaches (cv. Beinong2 × 60–24–7) during storage, the concentrations of soluble sugar (sucrose, fructose, glucose, and sorbitol), and related gene expression were determined. During UVC pretreatment, peaches were subjected to a dose of 4 kJ·m−2 when they were placed at 15 cm under a UVC lamp tube for 10 minutes at 25 °C. Then, they remained at 15 ± 2 °C for 10 days. Peaches stored at 15 ± 2 °C immediately after picking were used as the control group (CG). UVC pretreatment reduced the ethylene production rate and resulted in a significant increase in the accumulation of sucrose during days 2 to 8 of the storage period, followed by a lower concentration of fructose and glucose and the upregulation of PpaSS1. The expression levels of PpaSPS2, PpaSS1, and PpaST3 were significantly correlated with fructose concentration, and those of PpaSPS2 and PpaST2 were significantly correlated with glucose concentration. The enzyme activity of sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS) was positively correlated with PpaSPS2, PpaSS2, and PpaST2. The enzyme activities of sucrose synthase (SS), acid invertase (AI), and neutral invertase (NI) were positively correlated with PpaSS1, PpaST1, and Ppani, respectively. Expressions of PpSPS1 and PpSPS2 in UVC-pretreated peaches were upregulated on storage days 8 and 2, and there was a UVC-induced peak in SPS activity on storage days 4 and 8, which resulted in the rapid accumulation of sucrose. UVC pretreatment could upregulate the gene expression of PpaSS1 on day 2, which could improve and maintain the quality of peaches for consumption.