Search

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) enters host by glycoprotein B (gB)-mediated membrane fusion upon receptor-binding to gH/gL-related complexes, causing devastating diseases such as birth defects. Although an X-ray crystal structure of the recombinant gB ectodomain at postfusion conformation is available, the structures of prefusion gB and its complex with gH/gL on the viral envelope remain elusive. Here, we demonstrate the utility of cryo electron tomography (cryoET) with energy filtering and the cutting-edge technologies of Volta phase plate (VPP) and direct electron-counting detection to capture metastable prefusion viral fusion proteins and report the structures of glycoproteins in the native environment of HCMV virions. We established the validity of our approach by obtaining cryoET in situ structures of the vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) glycoprotein G trimer (171 kD) in prefusion and postfusion conformations, which agree with the known crystal structures of purified G trimers in both conformations. The excellent contrast afforded by these technologies has enabled us to identify gB trimers (303kD) in two distinct conformations in HCMV tomograms and obtain their in situ structures at up to 21 Å resolution through subtomographic averaging. The predominant conformation (79%), which we designate as gB prefusion conformation, fashions a globular endodomain and a Christmas tree-shaped ectodomain, while the minority conformation (21%) has a columnar tree-shaped ectodomain that matches the crystal structure of the "postfusion" gB ectodomain. We also observed prefusion gB in complex with an "L"-shaped density attributed to the gH/gL complex. Integration of these structures of HCMV glycoproteins in multiple functional states and oligomeric forms with existing biochemical data and domain organization of other class III viral fusion proteins suggests that gH/gL receptor-binding triggers conformational changes of gB endodomain, which in turn triggers two essential steps to actuate virus-cell membrane fusion: exposure of gB fusion loops and unfurling of gB ectodomain.

To explore the latest feedback from the Chinese capital market on listed companies’ ESG evaluation, we construct a two-way fixed-effects model with a sample of Chinese A-share listed companies from 2018-2020 to empirically investigate the relationship between ESG rating and share price synchronization, and the impact mechanism is also explored from both internal and external perspectives of financial constraints and analyst attention. It is found that, a high ESG rating helps reduce the stock price synchronization, while financial constraints play a partial mediating effect and analyst attention plays a full mediating effect. In addition, the effect is more pronounced among manufacturing firms and non-SOEs. This study enriches the research related to ESG and stock price informativeness, and the findings provide important basis for the long-term benign development of ESG philosophy.

Objective To evaluate the short-term clinical efficacy and safety of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization using HepaSphere microsphere in the treatment of primary hepatocellular carcinoma with HepaSphere microspheres. Methods We retrospectively analyzed 58 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma treated with HepaSphere microspheres (loaded with pirarubicin) from June 2015 to July 2017. We compared the local tumor response by CT or MR. The postoperative complications and liver function changes were compared by relevant examination results and clinical symptoms. Results The liver function showed a transient change after TACE. Postoperative complications were acceptable and could be alleviated after symptomatic support. The average postoperative hospital stay was 1.72 days. According to the mRECIST criteria, the objective response rates (CR+PR) were 81.0%, 75.9%, 65.5%, and the disease control rates (CR+PR+SD) were 96.6%, 93.1%, 87.9% at 1, 3, 6 months after treatment. The one-year survival rate was 93.1%. Conclusion The short-term clinical efficacy and safety of transarterial chemoembolisation using HepaSphere microspheres on unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma are acceptable.

[Introduction] Coal blocking of pulverizing system is a big problem in power plant, especially for coal bunker. At present, there are many types of anti-blocking coal technologies on the market, but there are different opinions on the use effect. This paper aims to find a useful technology to prevent the coal anti-blocking. [Method] The paper studied the coal blocking reasons and same anti-blocking technologies, such as hyperbolic coal hopper, stainless steel hopper, hydraulic split board damper, reasonable design of falling coal pipe etc. The research focused on the technology of rotary blockage clearing machine. [Result] The results show that the technology has obvious effect on solving the problem of coal plugging in the coal bunker. But there are lubricating oil leakage at the joints between the static and dynamic parts, which shall be paid more attention on sealing selection. [Conclusion] The rotary blockage clearing machine technology in various anti-blocking coal technologies has obvious advantages and is worthy of popularization.The prevention of coal plugging in the pulverizing system is a comprehensive project. Regardless of the technology used, it is necessary to strengthen the scientific management of the coal source and coal yard to achieve the control of the moisture and viscosity of the coal into the furnace.

Mn3Ga alloys with different crystal modifications, including a disordered L12-type cubic structure, a D022-tetragonal structure, and a D019-hexagonal structure showing two isomorphic heteromagnetic phases, ε-phase and η-phase, were investigated systematically. We found that the disordered cubic phase and the hexagonal ε-phase can be synthesized with Mn compositions ranging from 70 to 75 at. % by rapid melt-spinning. Moreover, the disordered cubic phase could transform to the tetragonal phase after being subjected to low-temperature postannealing. Most importantly, we found that proper postannealing conditions can enable these different crystal modification phases to transform to the hexagonal η-phase. As a result, the two isomorphic heteromagnetic hexagonal phases are clearly distinguished, and their interesting magnetic and transport properties are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report on the conceptual design and experimental realization of a ternary Heusler-based ferromagnetic martensitic phase transformation alloy Fe48Mn24Ga28 that exhibits asymmetric magnetostructural coupling between the forward austenite-to-martensite and the reverse martensite-to-austenite phase transformations. By tuning the Curie temperature of the high-temperature austenite to be within the thermal hysteresis of the first-order phase transformation, dissimilar change in magnetization can be associated with the forward and reverse phase transformations, respectively. We show that such an asymmetry leads to enlargement of the thermal hysteresis with an applied external magnetic field. Furthermore, partly due to the field-enhanced thermal hysteresis, the magnetic-field-induced martensitic phase transformation is irreversible in such a system. This work suggests the intricate correlation between magnetostructural coupling, thermal hysteresis, and magnetic-field-induced phase transformation, which can be exploited for designing magnetic phase transformation alloys that show extended functionalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]