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Undesired ice accumulation can lead to serious negative impacts on daily life and equipment safety. Slippery liquid-infused surfaces (SLISs) have been widely studied for their low ice adhesion strength (τ ice ). However, the lack of durability, weak robustness, and complex preparation process hinder the application of SLISs. In this work, robust oil-infused porous surface (RIPS) was obtained by a facile one-step method, which used epoxy resin (E44) as a substrate and contained fumed silica and silicone oil. The RIPS-6 displays outstanding anti-icing/deicing ability, superior liquid repellency, good self-cleaning performance, and excellent mechanical robustness. At −5 °C, the water droplet remained unfrozen after 7200 s. τ ice was only 6.9 kPa at −20 °C and remained below 15 kPa during 10 icing cycles. Furthermore, the mixture of E44 and fumed silica enhanced the mechanical properties including the hardness (4 H) and abrasion resistance of RIPS-6. The icephobicity can be remained (τice < 40 kPa) even after 150 cycles of sandpaper abrasion at 2.5 kPa. The anti-icing and deicing coating with excellent mechanical stability and durability significantly improves the practical application possibility of the coating in harsh environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) is a serine/threonine phosphatase that serves as a key regulator of cellular physiology in the context of apoptosis, mitosis, and DNA damage responses. Canonically, PP2A functions as a tumor suppressor gene. However, recent evidence suggests that inhibiting PP2A activity in tumor cells may represent a viable approach to enhancing tumor sensitivity to chemoradiotherapy as such inhibition can cause cells to enter a disordered mitotic state that renders them more susceptible to cell death. Indeed, there is evidence that inhibiting PP2A can slow tumor growth following radiotherapy in a range of cancer types including ovarian cancer, liver cancer, malignant glioma, pancreatic cancer, and nasopharyngeal carcinoma. In the present review, we discuss current understanding of the role of PP2A in tumor radiotherapy and the potential mechanisms whereby it may influence this process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coupling piezoelectric effect with local surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) for visible-light-driven photocatalytic hydrogen evolution is of great significance to realize the high-efficiency solar energy conversion. In this work, Ni/Mn 0.2 Cd 0.8 S plasmon piezo-photocatalysts were constructed by combining plasma metal Ni with structural distortion-enhanced Mn 0.2 Cd 0.8 S for piezo-photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. The influence of integrating plasma Ni with piezoelectric Mn 0.2 Cd 0.8 S on the photocatalytic performance was investigated together with the wavelength dependent experiments. Under simultaneous illumination and ultrasound, the optimized 1.5 wt%-Ni/Mn 0.2 Cd 0.8 S displayed ultrahigh piezo-photocatalytic hydrogen evolution rate of 72.38 mmol g−1 h−1, which was approximately 11.8 and 25.0-fold that of Mn 0.2 Cd 0.8 S and CdS, respectively. The significantly enhanced performance was assigned to the coupling of piezoelectric and LSPR effect, through which the internal piezoelectric polarization field generated by Mn 0.2 Cd 0.8 S could change the local contact characteristics of Mn 0.2 Cd 0.8 S and Ni interface, decreasing the degree of upward bending of the band and reducing the Schottky barrier height, thus promoting the interfacial transfer of plasmon hot electrons for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. This work provides a reliable reference for developing high-performance plasmonic piezo-photocatalysts materials based on piezoelectric and LSPR effect. [Display omitted] • Ni/Mn 0.2 Cd 0.8 S plasmonic piezo-photocatalysts were constructed. • Introducing Mn2+ significantly enhanced the piezoelectric polarization of Mn 0.2 Cd 0.8 S. • Local electromagnetic field over Mn 0.2 Cd 0.8 S could be enhanced by the plasma Ni. • Coupling piezoelectric and LSPR effectively decreased the Schottky barrier height. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photonic neuromorphic computing is a competitive paradigm to overcome the bottleneck of von Neumann architectures. Incoherent and coherent synaptic networks are two popular schemes realizing photonic weighting functions. Previous works have proved the distributed feedback (DFB) laser with an intracavity saturable absorber (DFB‐SA) can behavior like a spiking neuron. However, the compatibility with the incoherent synaptic architecture has not yet been demonstrated. Here the neuron‐like dynamics of a DFB‐SA laser subject to single‐wavelength and multiple‐wavelengths incoherent optical injections are experimentally demonstrated. The results show that, for the DFB‐SA laser subject to single‐wavelength incoherent injection, the neuron‐like dynamics including threshold, temporal integration, and refractory period are achieved. Besides, the range of injection wavelength that leads to a successful neuron‐like response is identified. For the DFB‐SA laser with four‐wavelength incoherent optical injection, the neuron‐like dynamics can also be achieved. In addition, the effect of wavelength interval is also considered. The logic XOR operation and Iris recognition tasks are successfully implemented. Furthermore, the feasibility of a cascaded system for the DFB‐SA lasers with four‐wavelengths incoherent optical injection is demonstrated. This work provides a feasible scheme for the system integration of photonic spiking neurons and incoherent synaptic networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Visual obstacle avoidance is widely applied to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and mobile robot fields. A simple system architecture, low power consumption, optimized processing, and real‐time performance are extremely needed due to the limited payload of some mini UAVs. To address these issues, an obstacle avoidance system harnessing the rate encoding features of a photonic spiking neuron based on a Fabry–Pérot (FP) laser is proposed, which simulates the monocular vision. Here, time to collision is used to describe the distance of obstacles. The experimental results show that the FP laser excites ultra‐fast spike responses in real time for the following cases, facilitating the generation of control commands by motor neurons to realize accurate decision‐making. Four cases of mobile obstacle avoidance scenarios, including "Constant velocity approach", "Approach and retreat", "The motion state involving stays", and "Approach with different velocities", and obstacle avoidance problems with multiple stationary obstacles appearing simultaneously are experimentally analyzed. The system exhibits a spike response rate of up to 5 GHz. This work proves the feasibility of applying the ultra‐fast photonic obstacle avoidance system to UAVs and other fields in the future and highlights the potential of photonic neuromorphic processor platforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The large-scale integration of wind power and solar power makes the flexibility transformation of traditional thermal power units necessary. In this paper, a flexibility transformation nonlinear programming model considering wind and solar consumption is proposed. To compute the original complicated programming problem efficiently, the generalized Benders decomposition algorithm is used. The original complicated programming problem, which involves month dimension in long-term scheduling and hour dimension in short-term scheduling, is decomposed into one flexibility transformation investment master problem and twelve operation sub-problems. In addition, considering the instability of wind and solar resources, the agglomerative hierarchical clustering algorithm is applied to cluster the typical scenarios. A case study is constructed to verify the validity and applicability of the presented model, and the results are derived. The results show that the model can realize the efficient consumption of wind and solar power while meeting the power demand and the economy, and it is suitable for finding the optimal solution to various parameter settings. Reasonable unit flexibility transformation can also further reduce the total costs, alleviate the curtailment of wind and solar power. The sensitivity of constructed model is also analyzed. Reasonable wind and solar subsidies can promote enterprises to transform the thermal power units and indirectly increase wind and solar consumption. Research in this paper can provide a scientific reference for deciding the flexibility transformation and selecting the flexibility transformation strategy of thermal power units. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Radiation-induced lung injury (RILI) often occurs during clinical chest radiotherapy and acute irradiation from accidental nuclear leakage. This study explored the role of monophosphoryl lipid A (MPLA) in RILI. Materials and Methods: The entire thoracic cavity of C57BL/6N mice was irradiated at 20 Gy with or without pre-intragastric administration of MPLA. HE staining, Masson trichrome staining, and TUNEL assay were used to assess lung tissue injury after treatment. The effect of irradiation on the proliferation of MLE-12 cells was analyzed using the Clonogenic assay. The effect of MPLA on the apoptosis of MLE-12 cells was analyzed using flow cytometry. Expression of γ-H2AX and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers in MLE-12 cells was detected by immunofluorescence and Western blot, respectively. Results: MPLA attenuated early pneumonitis and late pulmonary fibrosis after thoracic irradiation and reversed radiation-induced EMT in C57 mice. MPLA further promoted proliferation and inhibited apoptosis of irradiated MLE-12 cells in vitro. Mechanistically, the radioprotective effect of MPLA was mediated by exosomes secreted by stimulated macrophages. Macrophage-derived exosomes modulated DNA damage in MLE-12 cells after irradiation. MPLA promoted the polarization of RAW 264.7 cells to the M1 phenotype. The exosomes secreted by M1 macrophages suppressed EMT in MLE-12 cells after irradiation. Conclusion: MPLA is a novel treatment strategy for RILI. Exosomes derived from macrophages are key to the radioprotective role of MPLA in RILI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optical bistability in telecom-band lasers has attracted significant attention because of its immense potential for applications in the fields of optical communications and optical computing. In this paper, we report on an experimental investigation of the statistical properties of a 1.55- μ m bistable VCSEL. The VCSEL exhibits mode switching at a current of 5.41 mA and 4.15 mA when the pump continuously increases and decreases, respectively. Both of these switching exhibit a bistable region, indicating a polarization bistability induced by the gain saturation. By calculation of second-order autocorrelation functions with injection current, we identify different regions associated with the dynamics of different dominant modes. In particular, the statistical analysis reveals more properties of the bistable laser, such as the intensity fluctuations induced by different kinds of noise. • Polarization-resolved lasing curves exhibit a bistable region, indicating a polarization bistability induced by the gain saturation. • The second-order correlation function reveals different kinds of noise around the bistable region. • The modal impurity properties further indicate the polarization dynamics of the laser. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) have been widely used based on their ordered pore structure, inherent porosity, high specific surface area and excellent stability. Herein, the active two-dimensional COF (named HDU-25) photocatalyst was preformed by the solvothermal method, and the structure and morphology were characterized and analyzed. The effects of key factors on rhodamine B (RhB) degradation by HDU-25 were evaluated. The results showed that under suitable conditions, HDU-25 exhibited an excellent photocatalytic degradation rate of 99.9% for persulfate-assisted photocatalytic degradation of RhB, and HDU-25 also had superior stability and reusability. In addition, the mechanism of RhB degradation was investigated using free radical capture experiments and electron spin resonance (ESR) experimental analysis. The intermediates were detected by high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS), and possible degradation pathways were suggested. The results of this research highlight the potential of HDU-25 photocatalysts to degrade organic dyes in wastewater. [Display omitted] • An active two-dimensional covalent organic framework HDU-25 was synthesized for PS-assisted photocatalytic degradation of RhB. • The effect of various factors was studied, and the degradation efficiency of RhB could be as high as 99.9% under suitable conditions. • The degradation efficiency of HDU-25 remained efficient and stable after 5 repeated uses. • The intermediate products were detected by HPLC-MS, and the possible degradation pathways of HDU-25 were proposed. • HDU-25 is a promising material for the removal of dye wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a glycophyte plant, pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) is widely cultivated worldwide, but its growth is susceptible to salinity damage, especially at the seedling stage. Here, we conducted a study to determine the physiological and transcriptional differences between two genotype seedlings (P300 and 323F3) with contrasting tolerance under salt stress. The P300 seedlings were more salt-tolerant and had higher K+ contents, higher antioxidase activities, higher compatible solutes, and lower Na+ contents in both their roots and their leaves than the 323F3 seedlings. During RNA-seq analysis of the roots, more up-regulated genes and fewer down-regulated genes were identified between salt-treated P300 seedlings and the controls than between salt-treated 323F3 and the controls. Many ROS-scavenging genes and several SOS pathway genes were significantly induced by salt stress and exhibited higher expressions in the salt-treated roots of the P300 seedlings than those of 323F3 seedlings. Moreover, biosynthesis of the unsaturated fatty acids pathway and protein processing in the endoplasmic reticulum pathway were deeply involved in the responses of P300 to salt stress, and most of the differentially expressed genes involved in the two pathways, including the genes that encode mega-6 fatty acid desaturases and heat-shock proteins, were up-regulated. We also found differences in the hormone synthesis and signaling pathway genes in both the P300 and 323F3 varieties under salt stress. Overall, our results provide valuable insights into the physiological and molecular mechanisms that affect the salt tolerance of pepper seedlings, and present some candidate genes for improving salt tolerance in pepper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbazole is one of the typical heterocyclic aromatic compounds (NSO-HETs) observed in polluted urban atmosphere, which has become a serious environmental concern. The most important atmospheric loss process of carbazole is the reaction with OH radical. The present work investigated the mechanism of OH-initiated atmospheric oxidation degradation of carbazole by using density functional theory (DFT) calculations at the M06-2X/6-311++G(3df,2p)//M06-2X/6-311+G(d,p) level. The rate constants were determined by the Rice–Ramsperger–Kassel–Marcus (RRKM) theory. The lifetime of carbazole determined by OH was compared with other typical NSO-HETs. The theoretical results show that the degradation of carbazole initiated by OH radical includes four types of reactions: OH additions to "bend" C atoms, OH additions to "benzene ring" C atoms, H abstractions from C-H bonds and the H abstraction from N-H bond. The OH addition to C1 atom and the H abstraction from N-H bond are energetically favorable. The main oxidation products are hydroxycarbazole, dialdehyde, carbazolequinone, carbazole-ol, hydroxy-carbazole-one and hydroperoxyl-carbazole-one. The calculated overall rate constant of carbazole oxidation by OH radical is 6.52 × 10−12 cm3 molecule−1 s−1 and the atmospheric lifetime is 37.70 h under the condition of 298 K and 1 atm. The rate constant of carbazole determined by OH radical is similar with that of dibenzothiophene oxidation but lower than those of pyrrole, indole, dibenzofuran and fluorene. This work provides a theoretical investigation of the oxygenated mechanism of NSO-HETs in the atmosphere and should help to clarify their potential health risk for determining the reaction pathways and environmental influence of carbazole. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Changes found in protein expression and phosphorylation modification in mouse liver post Babesia microti infection. • Monitoring found the regulated lipid metabolism related proteins in liver responded to B. microti infection. • We assessed the regulation strategy of growth and development related proteins in the liver recovery period post-infection. • A variety of immune function related proteins play an important role in the liver of infected mice. Babesia microti is a tick-borne protozoan parasite that infects the red blood cells of mice, humans, and other mammals. The liver tissues of BALB/c mice infected with B. microti exhibit severe injury. To further investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying liver injury and liver self-repair after B. microti infection, data-independent acquisition (DIA) quantitative proteomics was used to analyse changes in the expression and phosphorylation of proteins in liver tissues of BALB/c mice during a B. microti infection period and a recovery period. The expression of FABP1 and ACBP, which are related to fatty acid transport in the liver, was downregulated after infection with B. microti , as was the expression of Acox1, Ehhadh and Acaa1a, which are crucial rate-limiting enzymes in the process of fatty acid β oxidation. The phosphorylation levels of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and Hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) were also downregulated. In addition, the expression of PSMB9, CTSC, and other immune-related proteins was increased, reflecting an active immune regulation mechanism in the mice. The weights of mice infected with B. microti were significantly reduced, and the phosphorylation levels of IRS-1, c-Raf, mTOR, and other proteins related to growth and development were downregulated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Fusarium ear rot (FER) caused by Fusarium verticillioides is a major disease of maize that reduces grain yield and quality globally. However, there have been few reports of major loci for FER were verified and cloned. Result: To gain a comprehensive understanding of the genetic basis of natural variation in FER resistance, a recombinant inbred lines (RIL) population and one panel of inbred lines were used to map quantitative trait loci (QTL) for resistance. As a result, a total of 10 QTL were identified by linkage mapping under four environments, which were located on six chromosomes and explained 1.0–7.1% of the phenotypic variation. Epistatic mapping detected four pairs of QTL that showed significant epistasis effects, explaining 2.1–3.0% of the phenotypic variation. Additionally, 18 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified across the whole genome by genome-wide association study (GWAS) under five environments. Compared linkage and association mapping revealed five common intervals located on chromosomes 3, 4, and 5 associated with FER resistance, four of which were verified in different near-isogenic lines (NILs) populations. GWAS identified three candidate genes in these consistent intervals, which belonged to the Glutaredoxin protein family, actin-depolymerizing factors (ADFs), and AMP-binding proteins. In addition, two verified FER QTL regions were found consistent with Fusarium cob rot (FCR) and Fusarium seed rot (FSR). Conclusions: These results revealed that multi pathways were involved in FER resistance, which was a complex trait that was controlled by multiple genes with minor effects, and provided important QTL and genes, which could be used in molecular breeding for resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Targeting CDK4/6 has been identified as an effective therapeutics for treatment of cancer. We herein reported the discovery of a series of 6-(2-(methylamino)ethyl)-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-1,6-naphthyridin-2-amine derivatives as CDK4/6 inhibitors against cancer. Compound 3c , which displayed high potency and selectivity on CDK4/6 (IC 50 = 0.710/1.10 nM) over a variety of other kinases, possessed desirable antiproliferative activities, excellent metabolic properties, and favorable pharmacokinetic characters. In MCF-7, Colo-205, and A549 xenograft models, compound 3c exhibited significant tumor growth inhibitions with low toxicities, which could be a promising drug candidate for further development. Image 1 • Compound 3c exhibited high potency on CDK4 and CDK6. • Compound 3c showed high selectivity over a variety of other kinases. • Compound 3c possessed desirable antiproliferative activities. • Compound 3c had excellent metabolic properties and good pharmacokinetic profiles. • Compound 3c reduced tumor growth on MCF-7, Colo-205, and A549 xenograft models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: We lay the foundation for further research on maize resistance to Fusarium verticillioides cob rot by identifying a candidate resistance gene. Fusarium verticillioides ear rot is the most common type of maize ear rot in the Huanghuaihai Plain of China. Ear rot resistance includes cob and kernel resistance. Most of the current literature concentrates on kernel resistance, and genetic studies on cob resistance are scarce. We aimed on identifying the QTLs responsible for F. verticillioides cob rot (FCR) resistance. Twenty-eight genes associated with 48 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified (P < 10−4) to correlate with FCR resistance using a whole-genome association study. The major quantitative trait locus, qRcfv2, for FCR resistance was identified on chromosome 2 through linkage mapping and was validated in near-isogenic line populations. Two candidate genes associated with two SNPs were detected in the qRcfv2 region with a lower threshold (P < 10−3). Through real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR, one candidate gene was found to have no expression in the cob but the other was expressed in response to F. verticillioides. These results lay a foundation for research on the resistance mechanisms of cob and provide resources for marker-assisted selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we construct a fully connected multi-layer photonic spiking neural network (PSNN) based on excitable vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers with an embedded saturable absorber (VCSELs-SA) equipped with the modified supervised backpropagation (BP) algorithm. Different from the traditional BP algorithm, our proposed modified BP algorithm is based on optical spikes, and its activation function exploits the excitable characteristic of VCSELs-SA. It is demonstrated that this BP PSNN can be competent in linearly inseparable problems by correctly solving the exclusive or (XOR) problem. Thus, a three-layer fully connected BP PSNN is designed to perform the prediction of Human immunodeficiency virus-1 protease (HIV-1 PR) cleavage sites and achieves 91.95% classification accuracy with the modified BP algorithm, which could be a useful tool in helping to find effective inhibitors of HIV PR to fight against acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). These results demonstrate the validity of our modified BP algorithm in dealing with nonlinear classification problems in PSNNs, which is helpful for supervised learning in the photonic neuromorphic computing architecture for future neuromorphic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The slippery liquid-infused porous surface has been concerned for their excellent icephobicity. However, unavoidable lubricant consumption can result in the failure of anti-icing/deicing properties. Traditional coatings cannot escape the choice between anti-icing/deicing property and mechanical performance. This paper reports mechanically robust liquid-embedded coating (MRLC) with anti-icing/deicing durability. The MRLC is prepared by a facile one-step method via adding silica and silicone oil in the process of co-curing PDMS and epoxy resin. The prepared MRLC-5–5–80 have excellent anti-fouling, self-cleaning, anti-icing/deicing and anti-frost properties in high humidity and low temperature environment. This surface remained free of liquid residue and ice within 30 min in supercooled water droplet impact test. In addition, this coating exhibited a low τ ice (5.48 kPa) and excellent durability. The PDMS polymer and fumed silica serve as oil storage reservoir for the coating to ensure durability, and the anti-icing/deicing durability can be restored by self-replenishing and external-replenishing. More importantly, the coating guarantees anti-icing/deicing durability while possessing excellent mechanical robustness. The liquid repellency and anti-icing/deicing performance still prevailed after various mechanical damages. This method opens the door for production of durable and mechanically robust for various anti-icing/deicing practical applications. [Display omitted] • The mechanically robust liquid-embedded coating (MRLC) with anti-icing/deicing durability is prepared by a facile one-step method. • The prepared MRLC-5–5-80 with low ice adhesion strength have excellent anti-fouling, self-cleaning, anti-icing, dynamic anti-icing and anti-frost properties. • The MRLC-5–5-80 surface remained free of liquid residue and no ice nucleation appeared on the surface within 30 min at low temperature and high humidity environment in simulated freezing rain droplet impact test. • The prepared MRLC-5–5-80 guarantees anti-icing/deicing durability while possessing excellent mechanical robustness. The liquid repellency and anti-icing performance still prevailed after various mechanical damages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A continuous time delay-diff erence model (CTDDM) has been established that considers continuous time delays of biological processes. The southern Atlantic albacore ( Thunnus alalunga) stock is the one of the commercially important tuna population in the marine world. The age structured production model (ASPM) and the surplus production model (SPM) have already been used to assess the albacore stock. However, the ASPM requires detailed biological information and the SPM lacks the biological realism. In this study, we focus on applying a CTDDM to the southern Atlantic albacore ( T. alalunga) species, which provides an alternative method to assess this fishery. It is the first time that CTDDM has been provided for assessing the Atlantic albacore ( T. alalunga) fishery. CTDDM obtained the 80% confidence interval of MSY (maximum sustainable yield) of (21 510 t, 23 118t). The catch in 2011 (24 100 t) is higher than the MSY values and the relative fishing mortality ratio ( F/ F) is higher than 1.0. The results of CTDDM were analyzed to verify the proposed methodology and provide reference information for the sustainable management of the southern Atlantic albacore stock. The CTDDM treats the recruitment, the growth, and the mortality rates as all varying continuously over time and fills gaps between ASPM and SPM in this stock assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Byur dMar Nyer lNga Ril Bu (BdNlRB) is a classic Tibetan medicine prescription for treating " white vein disease". Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a chronic degenerative disease of the central nervous system, characterized by distinct "white vein disease". In the absence of effective drugs for AD, BdNlRB may be a possible treatment for AD. To verify the therapeutic effect and possible mechanism of the proved Tibetan medicine BdNlRB on Alzheimer's disease. 60 APP/PS1 double transgenic AD mice (Mt) and 60 Aß1-40 protein-induced AD mice (Mi) were divided into 3 groups according to the dose of BdNlRB : BdNlRB -100, BdNlRB -200 and BdNlRB -400, with 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg*weight, respectively. The mice were administrated by gavage for 8 weeks. The cognitive ability of mice was detected by Morris Water Maze, the expression of Aß protein, p-tau and microglia was detected by immunofluorescent staining, the protein expression in the hippocampus was detected by proteomics, and the abundance of fecal intestinal flora was detected by 16S RNA. The learning ability and memory ability of Mi mice were significantly improved after BdNlRB administration. The learning ability of Mt mice was significantly improved, while the memory ability was not improved after BdNlRB administration. After the treatment with low and medium doses of BdNlRB , the expression of p-tau decreased significantly (the rate of decrease in BdNlRB -100 and BdNlRB -200 groups was 8.05% and 12.7%, respectively), and the number of microglia increased (39.3% and 31.6%, respectively). BdNlRB significantly affected the protein expression in the hippocampus of Mt mice. 382 proteins in different expression in all three groups mainly involved in amino acid synthesis, fatty acid degradation, glutamine metabolism, synaptic vesicular cycle and oxidative phosphorylation, PPAR signaling pathway and Fc gamma-mediated phagocytosis were activated. Meanwhile, the administration of BdNlRB can regulate the intestinal flora of Mt mice, which reduces the abundance of Muribaculum and uncultured bacteroidales bacterium , and improves the abundance of Ruminococcus-1 and Ruminiclostridium-9. The oral administration of BdNlRB significantly improved the cognitive ability of AD mice, and neuroinflammation and intestinal flora regulation were the possible mechanisms. [Display omitted] • Two animal models of Alzheimer's disease were used to study the drug on gut flora. • BDNLRB can effectively improve the learning ability of the two AD models. • P-Tau decreased and microglia increased significantly after BDNLRB administration. • Muribaculum, Ruminococcus-1 and Ruminiclostridium-9 were affected by BdNlRB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We proposed a Sudoku solver based on photonic spiking neural network (SNN) consisting of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers with an embedded saturable absorber (VCSELs-SA). Here, N 2 neurons are adopted to solve the N × N Sudoku puzzle with a unique solution. Values in Sudoku are temporally spike-encoded in different spiking times. The result is also achieved according to the spike timing information. In a network, for these VCSELs-SA belong to the same row or column or quadrant, they are inhibitory connected., i.e., from X polarization (XP) mode to Y polarization (YP) mode. Otherwise, they are excitatory connected, i.e., from XP mode to XP mode. Polarization mode competition (PMC) mechanism of VCSEL-SA is utilized to ensure the priority of inhibition behavior. With numerical simulations, 3 × 3 Sudoku puzzle is successfully solved with the help of inhibitory dynamics of VCSEL-SA. The results are represented by the output spike timing of XP mode of each VCSEL-SA. Furthermore, the photonic SNN is also extended to solve 4 × 4 Sudoku puzzle. This work may be interesting for the brain-inspired photonic neuromorphic information processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hardware implementation of reservoir computing (RC), which could reduce the power consumption of machine learning and significantly enhance data processing speed, holds the potential to develop the next generation of machine learning hardware devices and chips. Due to the existing solution only implementing reservoir layers, the information processing speed of photonics RC system are limited. In this paper, a photonic implementation of a VMM-RC system based on single Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser (VCSEL) with two Mach Zehnder modulators (MZMs) has been proposed. Unlike previous work, both the input and reservoir layers are realized in the optical domain. Additionally, the impact of various mask signals, such as Two-level mask, Six-level mask, and chaos mask signal, employed in system, has been investigated. The system's performance improves with the use of more complex mask(t). The minimum Normalized mean square error (NMSE) can reach 0.0020 (0.0456) for Santa-Fe chaotic time series prediction in simulation (experiment), while the minimum Word Error Rate (WER) can 0.0677 for handwritten digits recognition numerically. The VMM-RC proposed is instrumental in advancing the development of photonic RC by overcoming the long-standing limitations of photonic RC systems in reservoir implementation. Linear matrix computing units (the input layer) and nonlinear computing units (the reservoir layer) are simultaneously implemented in the optical domain, significantly enhancing the information processing speed of photonic RC systems.

Copper plays a crucial role in the heterogenous dissociation of chlorothiophenols (CTPs) to form chlorothiophenoxy radicals (CTPRs), which is the initial and critical step in the formation of polychlorinated thianthrenes/dibenzothiophenes (PCTA/DTs). Here, first-principles calculations were performed to investigate the activity of Cu(111) surface towards the formation of adsorbed 2-CTPR from 2-CTP. The interaction between 2-CTP and Cu(111) surface was explored to find stable adsorption configurations. Besides, the decomposition routes of 2-CTP on the Cu(111) surface were further explored. Moreover, the effects of water on the formation of absorbed 2-CTPR on the Cu(111) surface were examined. Our results demonstrate that the flat adsorption of 2-CTP on the surface with adsorption energy in the range of -33.21 kcal/mol to -28.37 kcal/mol is more stable than the vertical adsorption with adsorption energy ranging from -23.53 kcal/mol to -13.38 kcal/mol. The Cu(111) surface catalyzes the conversion of 2-CTP into the adsorbed 2-CTPR with a modest energy barrier of 9.46 kcal/mol. Furthermore, water molecules exhibit stronger catalytic activity in this process with a decreased energy barrier of 5.87 kcal/mol through "water bridge" and hydrogen bonding. Specifically, the water accepts the hydrogen atom from 2-CTP and donates another hydrogen to the surface via "water bridge". This research provides a molecular-level understanding of the heterogeneous formation of PCTA/DTs by fly ash, suggesting novel approaches for control strategy and legislation of dioxin analogues., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Central nervous system (CNS)-resident cells such as microglia, oligodendrocytes and astrocytes are gaining increasing attention in respect to their contribution to CNS pathologies including multiple sclerosis (MS). Several studies have demonstrated the involvement of pro-inflammatory glial subsets in the pathogenesis and propagation of inflammatory events in MS and its animal models. However, it has only recently become clear that the underlying heterogeneity of astrocytes and microglia can not only drive inflammation, but also lead to its resolution through direct and indirect mechanisms. Failure of these tissue-protective mechanisms may potentiate disease and increase the risk of conversion to progressive stages of MS, for which currently available therapies are limited. Using proteomic analyses of cerebrospinal fluid specimens from patients with MS in combination with experimental studies, we here identify Heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor (HB-EGF) as a central mediator of tissue-protective and anti-inflammatory effects important for the recovery from acute inflammatory lesions in CNS autoimmunity. Hypoxic conditions drive the rapid upregulation of HB-EGF by astrocytes during early CNS inflammation, while pro-inflammatory conditions suppress trophic HB-EGF signaling through epigenetic modifications. Finally, we demonstrate both anti-inflammatory and tissue-protective effects of HB-EGF in a broad variety of cell types in vitro and use intranasal administration of HB-EGF in acute and post-acute stages of autoimmune neuroinflammation to attenuate disease in a preclinical mouse model of MS. Altogether, we identify astrocyte-derived HB-EGF and its epigenetic regulation as a modulator of autoimmune CNS inflammation and potential therapeutic target in MS., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

In real-world complex systems, heterogeneous components often interact in complex connection patterns and could be schematized by a formalism of multilayer network. In this work, the synchronization characteristics of multilayer network composed of semiconductor lasers (SLs) are investigated systematically. It is demonstrated that the interplay between different layers plays an important role on the synchronization patterns. We elucidate that the performance of cluster synchronization could be facilitated effectively with the introduction of disjoint layer symmetry into network topology. Intertwined stability of clusters from different layers could be decoupled into independent, and the parameter spaces for stable synchronization are extended significantly. The robustness of our proposed regulation scheme on operation parameters is numerically evaluated. Furthermore, the generality of presented theoretical results is validated in networks with more complex topology and multiple layers.

Developing and planting salt-tolerant plants has become a promising way to utilize saline-alkali land resources and ensure food security. Root-associated microbes of salt-tolerant plants have been shown to promote plant growth and alleviate high salt stress, yet very little is known about the salt resistance mechanisms of core microbes in different niches. This study characterized the microbial community structures, assembly processes, and functional profiles in four root-related compartments of two salt-tolerant plants by amplicon and shotgun metagenomic sequencing. The results showed that both plants significantly altered the microbial community structure of saline soils, with greater microbial alpha diversity in the rhizosphere or rhizoplane compared with bulk soils. Stochastic process dominated the microbial assembly processes, and the impact was stronger in Suaeda salsa than in S. glauca , indicating that S. salsa may have stronger resistance abilities to changing soil properties. Keystone species, such as Pseudomonas in the endosphere of S. glauca and Sphingomonas in the endosphere of S. salsa , which may play key roles in helping plants alleviate salt stress, were identified by using microbial co-occurrence network analysis. Furthermore, the microbiomes in the rhizoplane soils had more abundant genes involved in promoting growth of plants and defending against salt stress than those in bulk soils, especially in salt-tolerant S. salsa . Moreover, microbes in the rhizoplane of S. salsa exhibited higher functional diversities, with notable enrichment of genes involved in carbon fixation, dissimilar nitrate reduction to ammonium, and sulfite oxidation. These findings revealed differences and similarities in the microbial community assembly, functional profiles and keystone species closely related to salt alleviation of the two salt-tolerant plants. Overall, our study provides new insights into the ecological functions and varied strategies of rhizosphere microbes in different plants under salt stress and highlights the potential use of keystone microbes for enhancing salt resistance of plants., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Tang, Zhan, Han, Wang, Dong and Zhang.)

The collective dynamics in neural networks is essential for information processing and has attracted much interest on the application in artificial intelligence. Synchronization is one of the most dominant phenomenon in the collective dynamics of neural network. Here, we propose to use the spiking dynamics and collective synchronization of coupled photonic spiking neurons for noisy image segmentation. Based on the synchronization mechanism and synchronization control, the noised pattern segmentation is demonstrated numerically. This work provides insight into the possible application based on the collective dynamics of large-scale photonic networks and opens a way for ultra-high speed image processing.

Spiking neural networks (SNNs) offer powerful computation capability due to its event-driven nature and temporal processing. However, it is still limited to shallow structure and simple tasks due to the training difficulty. In this work, we propose a deep convolutional residual spiking neural network (DCRSNN) for text classification tasks. In the DCRSNN, the feature extraction is achieved via a convolution SNN with residual connection, using the surrogate gradient direct training technique. Classification is performed by a fully-connected network. We also suggest a hybrid photonic DCRSNN, in which photonic SNNs are used for classification with a converted training method. The accuracy of hard and soft reset methods, as well as three different surrogate functions, were evaluated and compared across four different datasets. Results indicated a maximum accuracy of 76.36% for MR, 91.03% for AG News, 88.06% for IMDB and 93.99% for Yelp review polarity. Soft reset methods used in the deep convolutional SNN yielded slightly better accuracy than their hard reset counterparts. We also considered the effects of different pooling methods and observation time windows and found that the convergence accuracy achieved by convolutional SNNs was comparable to that of convolutional neural networks under the same conditions. Moreover, the hybrid photonic DCRSNN also shows comparable testing accuracy. This work provides new insights into extending the SNN applications in the field of text classification and natural language processing, which is interesting for the resources-restrained scenarios.

We introduce a supervised learning algorithm for photonic spiking neural network (SNN) based on back propagation. For the supervised learning algorithm, the information is encoded into spike trains with different strength, and the SNN is trained according to different patterns composed of different spike numbers of the output neurons. Furthermore, the classification task is performed numerically and experimentally based on the supervised learning algorithm in the SNN. The SNN is composed of photonic spiking neuron based on vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser which is functionally similar to leaky-integrate and fire neuron. The results prove the demonstration of the algorithm implementation on hardware. To seek ultra-low power consumption and ultra-low delay, it is great significance to design and implement a hardware-friendly learning algorithm of photonic neural networks and realize hardware-algorithm collaborative computing.

The development of immunotherapy, especially immune-checkpoint inhibitors targeting PD-1/PD-L1, has improved the outcomes of patients with esophageal cancer. However, not all population derives benefit from the agents. Recently, kinds of biomarkers were introduced to predict the response to immunotherapy. However, the effects of these reported biomarkers are controversial and many challenges remain. In this review, we aim to summarize the current clinical evidence and provide a comprehensive understanding of the reported biomarkers. We also discuss the limits of the present biomarkers and propose our own opinions on which viewers' discretion are advised., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Wang, Wang, Huang, Han and Zhang.)

The transition from traditional logistics to green and low-carbon logistics is crucial and inevitable due to the pressure of climate change and sustainable development in China. Meanwhile, technological innovation is perceived as an important factor affecting the development of the logistics industry. To explore the impacts of technological innovation and other factors and to propose proper policies based on the results, this study utilizes a generalized estimating equations (GEE) regression model to analyze panel data of 30 provinces during 2001-2019. Firstly, the entropy weight method is applied to calculate the green logistics development level based on an index system considering green factors. Secondly, a GEE model which considers the correlation among different observations is used to investigate the impacts of crucial factors on the green logistics development level. Moreover, regional heterogeneity is also analyzed in this paper by comparing the regression results of the Eastern region, Central region, and Western region. Based on the above analysis, several conclusions are drawn: (1) In terms of the average green logistics development levels, the Eastern region ranks 1st, the Central region ranks 2nd, and the Western region ranks 3rd. (2) GEE regression model is proved effective in our sample. (3) For the full sample, technological innovation, trade openness, and logistics infrastructure positively affect the green logistics development level; while, government regulation and energy intensity negatively influence the green logistics development level. (4) Regional heterogeneity is confirmed in our sample. Related policy recommendations are proposed based on our regional regression results. Take the Eastern region as an example, the local governments in the Eastern region should upgrade the manufacturing industry, reduce government financial investment in the transportation sector, and enhance environmental control expenditure in the transportation sector., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune, neurological disease, commonly presenting with a relapsing-remitting form, that later converts to a secondary progressive stage, referred to as RRMS and SPMS, respectively. Early treatment slows disease progression, hence, accurate and early diagnosis is crucial. Recent advances in large-scale data processing and analysis have progressed molecular biomarker development. Here, we focus on small RNA data derived from cell-free cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), cerebrospinal fluid cells, plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells as well as CSF cell methylome data, from people with RRMS ( n = 20), clinically/radiologically isolated syndrome (CIS/RIS, n = 2) and neurological disease controls ( n = 14). We applied multiple co-inertia analysis (MCIA), an unsupervised and thereby unbiased, multivariate method for simultaneous data integration and found that the top latent variable classifies RRMS status with an Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristics (AUROC) score of 0.82. Variable selection based on Lasso regression reduced features to 44, derived from the small RNAs from plasma (20), CSF cells (8) and cell-free CSF (16), with a marginal reduction in AUROC to 0.79. Samples from SPMS patients ( n = 6) were subsequently projected on the latent space and differed significantly from RRMS and controls. On contrary, we found no differences between relapse and remission or between inflammatory and non-inflammatory disease controls, suggesting that the latent variable is not prone to inflammatory signals alone, but could be MS-specific. Hence, we here showcase that integration of small RNAs from plasma and CSF can be utilized to distinguish RRMS from SPMS and neurological disease controls., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Needhamsen, Khoonsari, Zheleznyakova, Piket, Hagemann-Jensen, Han, Gierlich, Ekman and Jagodic.)

Background: Liver metastases are a major contributor to the poor immunotherapy response in colorectal cancer patients. However, the distinctions in the immune microenvironment between primary tumors and liver metastases are poorly characterized. The goal of this study was to compare the expression profile of multiple immune cells to further analyze the similarities and differences between the microenvironments of liver metastases and the primary tumor., Methods: Tissues from 17 patients with colorectal cancer who underwent resection of primary and liver metastases was analyzed using multispectral immunofluorescence. The expression of multiple immune cells (CD8, Foxp3, CD68, CD163, CD20, CD11c, CD66b, CD56, PD-L1, INF-γ, Ki67 and VEGFR-2) in the tumor center (TC), tumor invasive front (< 150 µm from the tumor center, TF) and peritumoral region (≥ 150 µm from the tumor center, PT) was evaluated via comparison. The expression of CD68 and CD163 in different regions was further analyzed based on the cell colocalization method. In addition, different immune phenotypes were studied and compared according to the degree of CD8 infiltration., Results: The expression trends of 12 markers in the TF and TC regions were basically the same in the primary tumor and liver metastasis lesions. However, in comparison of the TF and PT regions, the expression trends were not identical between primary and liver metastases, especially CD163, which was more highly expressed in the PT region relative to the TF region. In the contrast of different space distribution, the expression of CD163 was higher in liver metastases than in the primary foci. Further analysis of CD68 and CD163 via colocalization revealed that the distribution of macrophages in liver metastases was significantly different from that in the primary foci, with CD68 - CD163 + macrophages predominating in liver metastases. In addition, among the three immunophenotypes, CD163 expression was highest in the immune rejection phenotype., Conclusions: The immune cells found in the primary tumors of colorectal cancer differed from those in liver metastases in terms of their spatial distribution. More immunosuppressive cells were present in the liver metastases, with the most pronounced differential distribution found for macrophages. CD68 - CD163 + macrophages may be associated with intrahepatic immunosuppression and weak immunotherapeutic effects., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

DNA methylation is the most studied epigenetic mark involved in regulation of gene expression. For low input samples, a limited number of methods for quantifying DNA methylation genome-wide has been evaluated. Here, we compared a series of input DNA amounts (1-10ng) from two methylome library preparation protocols, enzymatic methyl-seq (EM-seq) and post-bisulfite adaptor tagging (PBAT) adapted from single-cell PBAT. EM-seq takes advantage of enzymatic activity while PBAT relies on conventional bisulfite conversion for detection of DNA methylation. We found that both methods accurately quantified DNA methylation genome-wide. They produced expected distribution patterns around genomic features, high C-T transition efficiency at non-CpG sites and high correlation between input amounts. However, EM-seq performed better in regard to library and sequencing quality, i.e. EM-seq produced larger insert sizes, higher alignment rates and higher library complexity with lower duplication rate compared to PBAT. Moreover, EM-seq demonstrated higher CpG coverage, better CpG site overlap and higher consistency between input series. In summary, our data suggests that EM-seq overall performed better than PBAT in whole-genome methylation quantification of low input samples.

Background: Endocapillary hypercellularity (ECHC) is commonly seen in class IV lupus nephritis (LN), the most common and severe LN in children. Factors influencing early complete remission (CR) in pediatric class IV LN have been poorly described. We investigated the relationship between ECHC levels and early CR in pediatric class IV LN., Methods: Patients with newly, simultaneously diagnosed systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and class IV LN by renal biopsy from 2012 to 2021 were studied. In this retrospective study, two pathologists who were blind to clinical information reviewed all pathological data retrospectively and classified glomerular lesions according to the revised criteria of the International Society of Nephrology and the Renal Pathology Society (ISN/RPS). The demographics, baseline clinical characteristics, laboratory parameters, renal histopathological findings, treatment regimen and CR at 6 months after immunosuppressive therapy were analyzed. ECHC was categorized as: > 50% (group A), 25-50% (group B) and < 25% (group C). CR was defined as absence of clinical symptoms, 24-hour urinary protein < 0.15 g, and normal levels of serum creatinine and albumin., Results: Sixty-four patients were identified: 23, 15 and 26 in groups A, B and C, respectively. Group A had significantly higher levels of D-dimer, urine protein, and SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI) than groups B and C. Group C had a markedly higher estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) than groups A and B. A substantially greater proportion of patients in group A had glomerular microthrombi and basement membrane thickening than in groups B and C. At 6 months post treatment, CR was achieved in 19 (82.6%), 5 (33.3%) and 11 (42.3%) in groups A, B and C, respectively (p < 0.05, group A vs groups B and C). Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that ECHC and urine protein levels were significantly associated with CR., Conclusion: ECHC and urine protein levels may be valuable biomarkers for predicting early CR in pediatric class IV LN., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

As an important stochastic process, quantum Bernoulli noises has a very important physical background and is an important research object in the field of quantum information. In this paper, we review local quantum Bernoulli noises and local quantum mutual entropy, then introduce quantum channel measurement with local quantum Bernoulli noises. On this basis, we give the channel structure between two systems, and prove the completely positivity of this quantum channel. We also give a channel application on the local quantum mutual entropy., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

In order to investigate the effect of remifentanil combined with propofol on awakening of craniotomy for tumor, a retrospective analysis is conducted. 86 patients who underwent craniotomy for brain tumor in our hospital from July 2020 to December 2021 are chosen to observe the quality of awakening, hemodynamic parameters, and the occurrence of adverse reactions. All patients are divided into group A ( n = 43) and group B ( n = 43) according to the use of anesthesia drugs. The intraoperative awakening quality and the hemodynamic parameters during different periods of the two groups are compared. The experimental results show that the incidence of postoperative adverse reactions in group B is significantly lower than that in group A ( P < 0.05). It is clearly evident that remifentanil combined with protocol has good intraoperative wake-up effect in craniotomy for tumor and maintain the hemodynamic stability of patients. Also, it can obtain high wake-up quality and effectively reduce postoperative adverse reactions., Competing Interests: The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest regarding the publication of this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Qiang Zhou et al.)

Chlorophenols (CPs) and phenol are abundant in thermal and combustion procedures, such as stack gas production, industrial incinerators, metal reclamation, etc., which are key precursors for the formation of polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs). CPs and phenol can react with H or OH radicals to form chlorophenoxy radicals (CPRs) and phenoxy radical (PhR). The self-condensation of CPRs or cross-condensation of PhR with CPRs is the initial and most important step for PCN formation. In this work, detailed thermodynamic and kinetic calculations were carried out to investigate the PCN formation mechanisms from PhR with 2-CPR/3-CPR. Several energetically advantageous formation pathways were obtained. The rate constants of key elementary steps were calculated over 600~1200 K using the canonical variational transition-state theory (CVT) with the small curvature tunneling (SCT) contribution method. The mechanisms were compared with the experimental observations and our previous works on the PCN formation from the self-condensation of 2-CPRs/3-CPRs. This study shows that naphthalene and 1-monochlorinated naphthalene (1-MCN) are the main PCN products from the cross-condensation of PhR with 2-CPR, and naphthalene and 2-monochlorinated naphthalene (2-MCN) are the main PCN products from the cross-condensation of PhR with 3-CPR. Pathways terminated with Cl elimination are preferred over those terminated with H elimination. PCN formation from the cross-condensation of PhR with 3-CPR can occur much easier than that from the cross-condensation of PhR with 2-CPR. This study, along with the study of PCN formation from the self-condensation 2-CPRs/3-CPRs, can provide reasonable explanations for the experimental observations that the formation potential of naphthalene is larger than that of 1-MCN using 2-CP as a precursor, and an almost equal yield of 1-MCN and 2-MCN can be produced with 3-CP as a precursor.

Polychlorinated dibenzo- p -dioxins/dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) and polychlorinated dibenzothiophenes/thianthrenes (PCDT/TAs) are two groups of dioxin-like compounds with oxygen and sulfur substitution, respectively. Chlorophenols (CPs) and chlorothiophenols (CTPs) are direct precursors in PCDD/F and PCDT/TA formation. The formation of chlorophenoxy radicals (CPRs) and chlorothiophenoxy radicals (CTPRs) from chlorophenols (CPs) and chlorothiophenols (CTPs) with O( 3 P) is an important initial step for the formation of PCDD/Fs and PCDT/TAs, respectively. In this paper, the formation of CPRs/CTPRs from the complete series reactions of 19 CP/CTP congeners with O( 3 P) was studied using the density functional theory (DFT) method. The rate constants of each reaction were calculated using canonical variational transition state (CVT) theory along with a small-curvature tunneling (SCT) contribution over a wide temperature range of 600-1200 K. The effect of the chlorine substitution pattern on the structural parameters, thermochemical properties and rate constants in both CPs and CTPs was discussed. This study shows that the reactions between CPs and O( 3 P) can be affected by the chlorine substitution at the para -position, and the reactions between CTPs and O( 3 P) are mostly influenced by both ortho -substitutions. The thiophenoxyl-hydrogen abstraction from CTPs by O( 3 P) is more likely to occur than the phenoxyl-hydrogen abstraction from CPs by O( 3 P). Comparison of the reactivity of CP/CTPs with O( 3 P) with our previous work on CP/CTPs with H and OH shows that the order for phenoxyl-hydrogen abstraction potential is CP + OH > CP + O( 3 P) > CP + H, and the order for thiophenoxyl-hydrogen abstraction potential is CTP + O( 3 P) > CTP + H > CTP + OH., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory demyelinating disease affecting the central nervous system (CNS). Small non-coding RNAs (sncRNAs) and, in particular, microRNAs (miRNAs) have frequently been associated with MS. Here, we performed a comprehensive analysis of all classes of sncRNAs in matching samples of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), plasma, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cells, and cell-free CSF from relapsing-remitting (RRMS, n = 12 in relapse and n = 11 in remission) patients, secondary progressive (SPMS, n = 6) MS patients, and noninflammatory and inflammatory neurological disease controls (NINDC, n = 11; INDC, n = 5). We show widespread changes in miRNAs and sncRNA-derived fragments of small nuclear, nucleolar, and transfer RNAs. In CSF cells, 133 out of 133 and 115 out of 117 differentially expressed sncRNAs were increased in RRMS relapse compared to remission and RRMS compared to NINDC, respectively. In contrast, 65 out of 67 differentially expressed PBMC sncRNAs were decreased in RRMS compared to NINDC. The striking contrast between the periphery and CNS suggests that sncRNA-mediated mechanisms, including alternative splicing, RNA degradation, and mRNA translation, regulate the transcriptome of pathogenic cells primarily in the CNS target organ., Competing Interests: Competing interest statement: F.P. received research grants from Genzyme, Merck KGaA, and Novartis and fees for serving as chair of data monitoring committees in clinical trials with Parexel. T.O. received unrestricted MS research grants and honoraria for lectures or advisory boards from Biogen, Novartis, Sanofi, Merck, and Roche, none of which have relation to this work., (Copyright © 2021 the Author(s). Published by PNAS.)

Ticks are obligate blood-sucking parasitic arthropods. When sucking the blood of hosts, they can also transmit a variety of pathogens to hosts that severely endanger the health of humans and animals. The spermatheca is an organ for the storage and protection of sperm and an important component of the reproductive system of female ticks. The spermatheca content changes dramatically over time after copulation. In particular, some proteins and polypeptide substances can influence the physiological functions of female ticks and promote blood feeding and egg laying by female ticks. To investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying the productive process of Haemaphysalis longicornis, data-independent acquisition (DIA) quantitative proteomics technology was used to perform in-depth research of the dynamic changes in all proteins in the spermatheca of ticks within a short time after copulation to look for key proteins in the spermatheca contents after copulation that affect the reproduction of female ticks in order to provide meaningful information for the comprehensive prevention and control of ticks.

Novel temperature- and pH-responsive ABA-type triblock copolymers, P(DEAEMA- co -MEO₂MA- co -OEGMA)- b -PEG- b -P(DEAEMA- co -MEO₂MA- co -OEGMA), composed of a poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) middle block and temperature- and pH-sensitive outer blocks, were synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). The composition and structure of the copolymer were characterized by ¹H NMR and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). The temperature- and pH-sensitivity, micellization, and the sol⁻gel transitions of the triblock copolymers in aqueous solutions were studied using transmittance measurements, surface tension, viscosity, fluorescence probe technique, dynamic light scattering (DLS), zeta-potential measurements, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of the triblock copolymer, which contains a small amount of a weak base group, ( N , N -diethylamino) ethyl methacrylate (DEAEMA), can be tuned precisely and reversibly by changing the solution pH. When the copolymer concentration was sufficiently high, increasing temperature resulted in the free-flowing solution transformation into a micellar gel. The sol-to-gel transition temperature ( T sol⁻gel ) in aqueous solution will continue to decrease as solution concentration increases.

Background: The molecular pathogenesis of infection by hepatitis B virus with human is extremely complex and heterogeneous. To date the molecular information is not clearly defined despite intensive research efforts. Thus, studies aimed at transcription and regulation during virus infection or combined researches of those already known to be beneficial are needed., Aims: With the purpose of identifying the transcriptional regulators related to infection of hepatitis B virus in gene level, the gene expression profiles from some normal individuals and hepatitis B patients were analyzed in our study., Methods: In this work, the differential expressed genes were selected primarily. The several genes among those were validated in an independent set by qRT-PCR. Then the differentially co-expression analysis was conducted to identify differentially co-expressed links and differential co-expressed genes. Next, the analysis of the regulatory impact factors was performed through mapping the links and regulatory data. In order to give a further insight to these regulators, the co-expression gene modules were identified using a threshold-based hierarchical clustering method. Incidentally, the construction of the regulatory network was generated using the computer software., Results: A total of 137,284 differentially co-expressed links and 780 differential co-expressed genes were identified. These co-expressed genes were significantly enriched inflammatory response. The results of regulatory impact factors revealed several crucial regulators related to hepatocellular carcinoma and other high-rank regulators. Meanwhile, more than one hundred co-expression gene modules were identified using clustering method., Conclusions: In our study, some important transcriptional regulators were identified using a computational method, which may enhance the understanding of disease mechanisms and lead to an improved treatment of hepatitis B. However, further experimental studies are required to confirm these findings., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Formin-like 1 (FMNL1) is a formin-related protein highly expressed in hematopoietic cells and overexpressed in leukemias as well as diverse transformed cell lines. It has been described to play a role in diverse functions of hematopoietic cells such as phagocytosis of macrophages as well as polarization and cytotoxicity of T cells. However, the specific role of FMNL1 in these processes has not been clarified yet and regulation by interaction partners in primary hematopoietic cells has never been investigated. We performed a proteomic screen for investigation of the interactome of FMNL1 in primary hematopoietic cells resulting in the identification of a number of interaction partners. Bioinformatic analysis considering semantic similarity suggested the giant protein AHNAK1 to be an essential interaction partner of FMNL1. We confirmed AHNAK1 as a general binding partner for FMNL1 in diverse hematopoietic cells and demonstrate that the N-terminal part of FMNL1 binds to the C-terminus of AHNAK1. Moreover, we show that the constitutively activated form of FMNL1 (FMNL1γ) induces localization of AHNAK1 to the cell membrane. Finally, we provide evidence that overexpression or knock down of FMNL1 has an impact on the capacitative calcium influx after ionomycin-mediated activation of diverse cell lines and primary cells., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)