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The pathogenesis of schizophrenia (SCZ) is heavily influenced by genetic factors. Ring finger protein 4 (RNF4) and squamous cell carcinoma antigen recognized by T cells 3 (SART3) are thought to be involved in nervous system growth and development via oxidative stress pathways. Moreover, they have previously been linked to SCZ. Yet the role of RNF4 and SART3 in SCZ remains unclear. Here, we investigated how these two genes are involved in SCZ by studying their variants observed in patients. We first observed significantly elevated mRNA levels of RNF4 and SART3 in the peripheral blood in both first-episode (n = 30) and chronic (n = 30) SCZ patients compared to controls (n = 60). Next, we targeted-sequenced three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in SART3 and six SNPs in RNF4 for association with SCZ using the genomic DNA extracted from peripheral blood leukocytes from SCZ participants (n = 392) and controls (n = 572). We observed a combination of SNPs that included rs1203860, rs2282765 (both in RNF4), and rs2287550 (in SART3) was associated with increased risk of SCZ, suggesting common pathogenic mechanisms between these two genes. We then conducted experiments in HEK293T cells to better understand the interaction between RNF4 and SART3. We observed that SART3 lowered the expression of RNF4 through ubiquitination and downregulated the expression of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (NRF2), a downstream factor of RNF4, implicating the existence of a possible shared regulatory mechanism for RNF4 and SART3. In conclusion, our study provides evidence that the interaction between RNF4 and SART3 contributes to the risk of SCZ. The findings shed light on the underlying molecular mechanisms of SCZ and may lead to the development of new therapies and interventions for this disorder.

ObjectivesTo evaluate serial tissue Doppler cardiac imaging (TDI) in the evolution of bronchopulmonary dysplasia-associated pulmonary hypertension (BPD-PH) among extremely preterm infants.DesignProspective observational study.SettingSingle-center, tertiary-level neonatal intensive care unit.PatientsInfant born

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a chronic neuronal loss of dopamine and drugs used for its management has several limitations. The present report determines the effect of exercise on mitochondrial autophagy against PD. Parkinson’s disease was induced by 15 doses of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP; 30 mg/kg, i.p.) for 3 weeks, on five consecutive days in a week. Exposure of exercise was provided for 40 min for a period of 2 weeks after PD confirmation. Assessment of behaviour was performed to evaluate the effect of exercise on motor function and cognitive function in PD rats. Levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and inflammatory cytokines were assessed in PD rats using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Expression of myocyte-specific enhancer factor 2D (MEF2D) and NADH dehydrogenase 6 (ND6) was estimated in PD rats. Exposure to exercise ameliorates the altered motor function and cognitive function in PD rats. There was a reduction in ROS and cytokine levels in the brain tissue of the exercise group compared to the negative control group. Exercise ameliorates the altered expression of apoptotic proteins and mRNA expression of MEF2D and ND6 in the brain tissue of MPTP induced PD rats. In conclusion, data of study reveal that exercise protects the mitochondrial autophagy in PD rats by reducing inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress.

Various C1 feedstocks and lower hydrocarbons (C2-C4) can be produced from CO2 hydrogenation, which is an important way to utilize excess CO2 and provide alternative fuel options for dwindling fossil fuels. Herein, a novel two-bed catalytic system was developed to increase the yield of liquid range hydrocarbons, where the first catalytic bed was composed of In2O3-ZrO2 (13 wt. In %)/HZSM-5 and the second bed was a desilicated HZSM-5 placed downstream from the first bed. A maximum hydrocarbon selectivity was found to be about 86% with 7.2% CO2 conversion at 533 K, while conversion increased up to 19.3% with 71.2% hydrocarbon selectivity at 623 K while keeping the pressure at 4.0 MPa. The selectivity of longer liquid range hydrocarbons (C8-C12) was increased from 29.2% to 42.4% using the oligomerization process in which the produced lower olefins from the first bed were oligomerized to enhance the liquid range hydrocarbon over desilicated HZSM-5. Additionally, a comparative study was carried out to examine the effect of desilication over HZSM-5 having different silica-to-alumina ratios of 24 and 59. Moreover, detailed characterizations were carried out before and after the desilication of the HZSM-5 to correlate catalytic activities with physical and chemical properties of the catalysts. The results suggest that a two-bed catalytic system is a promising option to increase the yield of liquid range hydrocarbons from methanol-mediated CO2 hydrogenation while there was a negligible effect on CO2 conversion due to the second bed.

Abstract Background Exercise preconditioning (EP) is essential for preventing ischemic stroke. Recent studies have shown that EP exerts neuroprotective effects in the cerebral ischemia‐reperfusion injury model. Nonetheless, there have been few reports on the relationship between EP and the Th17/Treg balance. Moreover, it is unclear whether the JAK2/STAT3 pathway is responsible for the neuroprotective effect of EP. Therefore, we aimed to explore the impact of EP, other than the anti‐inflammatory and antiapoptotic functions, on the Th17/Treg balance via the JAK2/STAT3 pathway in a middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO)‐induced model. Results Fifty rats were randomly allocated into five groups, including the sham group (n = 10), EP+sham group (n = 10), MCAO group (n = 10), EP+MCAO group (n = 10), and EP+MCAO+JAK2/STAT3 pathway agonist (coumermycin A1, CA1) group (n = 10). The results indicated that EP alleviated neurological deficits, reduced infarct volume, and ameliorated neuronal apoptosis induced by MCAO. Additionally, the MCAO‐induced Th17/Treg imbalance could be rectified by EP. The decreased levels of IL‐10 and Foxp3 and increased IL‐17 and RORα in the MCAO group were reversed by EP treatment. Regarding inflammation, EP reduced the concentrations of IL‐6 and IL‐17 and elevated those of IL‐10 and TGF‑β. The neuroprotective effects of EP were accompanied by decreased phosphorylation of JAK2 and STAT3. Furthermore, CA1 pretreatment diminished all the beneficial effects of EP partially. Conclusion Our findings suggest that EP contributes to attenuating neuronal apoptosis, Th17/Treg imbalance, and inflammation induced by MCAO via inhibiting the JAK2/STAT3 pathway, indicating its therapeutic potential in ischemic stroke.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common malignant tumors of the digestive system worldwide. This study aimed to explore the effects of Polysaccharide of L. casei SB27 in colon cancer and its possible mechanisms.Colon cancer was induced by giving dextran sulfate sodium and Azoxymethane. HCT-116 cells were used in to in vitro model in this experiment.Polysaccharide of L. casei SB27 reduced colon cancer in DSS + AOM-induced mice. Polysaccharide of L. casei SB27 reduced colon cancer prognosis in vitro model. Polysaccharide of L. casei SB27 reduced Short-chain fatty acids by Bacillus coli. Polysaccharide of L. casei SB27 promoted A mitochondrial damage by Calcium ion entry. Polysaccharide of L. casei SB27 induced HINT2/MCU signaling pathway. IP showed that HINT2 protein interlinked MCU protein. Polysaccharide of L. casei SB27 suppressed HINT2 Ubiquitination. The regulation of HINT2 affected the effects of L. casei SB27 Polysaccharide on colon cancer Prognosis and A mitochondrial damage by Calcium ion entry in vitro model.In conclusion, the present report demonstrated that Polysaccharide of L. casei SB27 reduced colon cancer cell Prognosis through A mitochondrial damage by up-regulation of HINT2. Polysaccharide of L. casei SB27 might be used for colon cancer treatment and could be helpful for personalized treatment.

As an active microwave imaging sensor, Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) has become one of the main means of Earth observation owing to its unique technical advantages of all-day, all-weather operation and long working distance. As such, it plays a very important role in military and civilian fields. With the development of SAR remote-sensing technology, high-resolution, high-quality SAR images are produced continuously. However, manual detection and recognition of targets of interest is time-consuming and laborious, so the development of Automatic Target Recognition (ATR) technology is a matter of urgency. The typical SAR ATR system primarily comprises three stages: detection, discrimination, and classification/recognition. The detection and discrimination stages are the basis of the SAR ATR system, and research on SAR applications in the radar field has been conducted by researchers around the world. For single-channel SAR images, target detection and discrimination from simple scenes yield good results. However, in complex scenes, the clutter scattering intensity is relatively high, the clutter background is heterogenous, the target scattering intensity is relatively weak, and the target distribution is dense. These factors continue to make accurate SAR target detection and discrimination difficult. In this paper, we summarize the recent research progress on singlechannel SAR target detection and discrimination methods for complex scenes, analyze the characteristics and problems associated with various methods, and consider the future development trend of single-channel SAR target detection and discrimination methods for complex scenes.

Abstract The application of endophytic bacteria, particularly members of the genus Bacillus, offers a promising strategy for the biocontrol of plant fungal diseases, owing to their sustainability and ecological safety. Although multiple secondary metabolites that demonstrate antifungal capacity have been identified in diverse endophytic bacteria, the regulatory mechanisms of their biosynthesis remain largely unknown. To elucidate this, we sequenced the entire genome of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens GKT04, a strain isolated from banana root, which showed high inhibitory activity against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense race 4 (FOC4). The GKT04 genome consists of a circular chromosome and a circular plasmid, which harbors 4,087 protein‐coding genes and 113 RNA genes. Eight gene clusters that could potentially encode antifungal components were identified. We further applied RNA‐Seq analysis to survey genome‐wide changes in the gene expression of strain GKT04 during its inhibition of FOC4. In total, 575 upregulated and 242 downregulated genes enriched in several amino acid and carbohydrate metabolism pathways were identified. Specifically, gene clusters associated with difficidin, bacillibactin, and bacilysin were significantly upregulated, and their gene regulatory networks were constructed. Our work thereby provides insights into the genomic features and gene expression patterns of this B. amyloliquefaciens strain, which presents an excellent potential for the biocontrol of Fusarium wilt.

As a promising midtemperature thermoelectric material with both higher thermoelectric performance and mechanical property, Tellurium Antimony Germanium Silver (TAGS-x), written as (GeTe)x(AgSbTe2)1-x, especially (GeTe)0.85(AgSbTe2)0.15 (TAGS-85), has attracted wide attention. Herein, we innovatively use Nd doping to synergistically decrease the carrier concentration to the optimal level leading to enhanced dimensionless figure of merit, zT. Our density-functional theory calculation results indicate that Nd-doping reduced carrier concentration should be attributed to the enlargement of band gap. The optimized carrier concentration results in an ultrahigh power factor of ~32 μW cm-1 K-2 at 727 K in Ge0.74Ag0.13Sb0.11Nd0.02Te. Simultaneously, the lattice thermal conductivity of Ge0.74Ag0.13Sb0.11Nd0.02Te retained as low as ~0.5 at 727 K. Ultimately, a record-high zT of 1.65 at 727 K is observed in the Ge0.74Ag0.13Sb0.11Nd0.02Te. This study indicates rare-earth Nd doping is effective in boosting the thermoelectric performance of TAGS-85 and approached a record-high level via synergistic effect.

Numerous studies have investigated the relationship between the LRRK2 G2385R variant and clinical characteristics in Parkinson’s disease (PD), but the results have been inconsistent. This study investigated whether the LRRK2 G2385R variant was associated with a unique clinical phenotype of PD in the Asian population, using a meta-analysis. The PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, CNKI, and WANFANG databases were searched until September 2017. The strict selection criteria and exclusion criteria were determined, and mean differences (MD) or odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were used to assess the strength of associations. Statistical analyses and graphics were performed using Review Manager 5.3. Sixteen related case-control studies were included in the meta-analysis. The LRRK2 G2385R carriers significantly more often presented a family history (OR: 1.98; 95% CI: 1.16−3.39; P=0.01) and had a longer disease duration (MD = 0.47, 95% CI: 0.01−0.93, P=0.04) and a higher MMSE score (MD = 1.02, 95% CI: 0.43–1.62 P=0.0007) than LRRK2 G2385R noncarriers. There were no significant differences in sex distribution, age at onset, initial symptoms, motor symptoms, depression, levodopa-equivalent dose, and related complications between LRRK2 G2385R-carrier and LRRK2 G2385R-noncarrier PD patients. Our results suggested that most of the clinical characteristics of PD patients with LRRK2 G2385R mutations are similar to those of LRRK2 G2385R noncarriers among Asian PD patients, except for the more common family history, relatively longer disease duration, and higher MMSE scores in the former group.

Fusion between TMPRSS2 and ERG, placing ERG under the control of the TMPRSS2 promoter, is the most frequent genetic alteration in prostate cancer, present in 40-50% of cases. The fusion event is an early, if not initiating, event in prostate cancer, implicating the TMPRSS2-positive prostate epithelial cell as the cancer cell of origin in fusion-positive prostate cancer. To introduce genetic alterations into Tmprss2-positive cells in mice in a temporal-specific manner, we generated a Tmprss2-CreERT2 knock-in mouse. We found robust tamoxifen-dependent Cre activation in the prostate luminal cells but not basal epithelial cells, as well as epithelial cells of the bladder and gastrointestinal (GI) tract. The knock-in allele on the Tmprss2 locus does not noticeably impact prostate, bladder, or gastrointestinal function. Deletion of Pten in Tmprss2-positive cells of adult mice generated neoplasia only in the prostate, while deletion of Apc in these cells generated neoplasia only in the GI tract. These results suggest that this new Tmprss2-CreERT2 mouse model will be a useful resource for genetic studies on prostate and colon.

This study was designed to investigate whether telomerase was involved in the neuroprotective effect of curcumin and Cur1. Alzheimer's disease is a consequence of an imbalance between the generation and clearance of amyloid-beta peptide in the brain. In this study, we used Aβ1-42 (10 µg/ml) to establish a damaged cell model, and curcumin and Cur1 were used in treatment groups. We measured cell survival and cell growth, intracellular oxidative stress and hTERT expression. After RNA interference, the effects of curcumin and Cur1 on cells were verified. Exposure to Aβ1-42 resulted in significant oxidative stress and cell toxicity, and the expression of hTERT was significantly decreased. Curcumin and Cur1 both protected SK-N-SH cells from Aβ1-42 and up-regulated the expression of hTERT. Furthermore, Cur1 demonstrated stronger protective effects than curcumin. However, when telomerase was inhibited by TERT siRNA, the neuroprotection by curcumin and Cur1 were ceased. Our study indicated that the neuroprotective effects of curcumin and Cur1 depend on telomerase, and thus telomerase may be a target for therapeutic effects of curcumin and Cur1.