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Let (M , J , θ) be a complete noncompact pseudo-Hermitian manifold which satisfies the CR sub-Laplacian comparison property. We first obtain local subgradient estimates for positive solutions to the following nonlinear subparabolic equation: u t = Δ b u + a u ln u + b u , on M × [ 0 , + ∞) , where a, b are two real constants. As a application, we derive a priori estimate for positive solutions to the subelliptic equation Δ b u + a u ln u = 0 . Secondly, we deform the pseudo-Hermitian form by the general CR flow on a complete noncompact pseudo-Hermitian 3-manifold. We show that if a pseudo-Hermitian form evolves, then we have a new local subgradient estimate for positive solutions to the equation u t = Δ b u + a u ln u + b u . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methoxy poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(L-lactide) (MPEG-b-PLLA) has a wide range of applications in pharmaceuticals and biology, and its structure and morphology have been thoroughly studied. In the experiment, we synthesized MPEG-b-PLLA with different block lengths using the principle of ring-opening polymerization by controlling the amount of lactic acid added. The thermodynamic properties of copolymers and the crystallization properties of blends were studied separately. The crystallization kinetics of PDLA/MPEG-b-PLA and PLLA/MPEG-b-PLA composite films were studied using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The results indicate that the crystallization kinetics of composite films are closely related to the amount of block addition. The crystallinity of the sample first increases and then decreases with an increase in MPEG-b-PLLA content. These results were also confirmed in polarized optical microscope (POM) and wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) tests. When 3% MPEG-b-PLLA was added to the PDLA matrix, the blend exhibited the strongest crystallization performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The weaving section on the freeway will be an active bottleneck due to vehicles' mandatory or discretionary lane-changing (LC) conflicts. In the early stages of the development of intelligent connected transportation, destination information collection of weaving vehicles is possible, which provides an opportunity to improve performance in weaving traffic. In this paper, a simulation system with coordinated strategies embedded to satisfy the LC needs is presented under the weaving traffic flow. First, an algorithm is proposed to evaluate the balance between the demand for LC vehicles and the available gaps provided in weaving traffic, which can be adjusted by variable speed limit (VSL) and ramp metering strategies. Second, to validate the proposed algorithm, a typical weave section with a merge and a diverge connected through a single auxiliary lane is researched, and a simulation platform based on cellular automata has been developed. The optimal control strategies are obtained by model predictive control (MPC) and taking the minimum travel time as an objective. Third, the advantages of coordinated control strategies are studied and discussed in traffic efficiency improvement and the success of LC proportions under different combinations of weaving ratios and large vehicle traffic mix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Orphaned colonies of Cryptotermes domesticus readily produce replacement reproductives and continue propagation. In this study, we aimed to investigate the production and fecundity of neotenic reproductives in 5-year-old colonies of C. domesticus after orphaning. All 15 experimental colonies were successfully re-established by the neotenic reproductive pair. Three types of neotenic reproductives with various wing-bud lengths were observed: type I with micro wing buds, type II with short wing buds, and type III with long wing buds. Four patterns of pairs made up of these neotenics, namely, type I + type II, type I + type III, type II + type II, and type II + type III, exhibited reproductive capacities similar to those of the primary reproductive pair. We speculated that these neotenic reproductives were derived from various nymphal instars. The 5-year-old colonies had three instars of nymphs, with the majority being in the second instar, followed by the first. Thus, the combination of neotenic reproductives with short wing buds and micro wing buds was the dominant differentiation pathway of the orphaned colonies. After the removal of the original primary reproductive pair, the nymphs matured into neotenic reproductives and took over reproduction in the colony in 107.40 ± 15.18 days. This study highlights the importance of quarantine and routine inspection of wood, as well as the significance of early prevention and control of C. domesticus infestation in wood. Moreover, this study confirms the high differentiation and reproductive capacities of C. domesticus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the bipartite tracking control problem for a family of networked multi-agent systems with periodic disturbances as well as input saturation. A low-computation two-bit-triggered adaptive control strategy is proposed to achieve precise trajectory tracking and maintain the boundedness of the closed-loop signals. Compared with the existing results, first, this paper considers the problems for the coexistence of cooperation and competition in multi-agent systems, which represents a more common situation; secondly, the explosion of complexity issue is avoided without introducing any auxiliary filters, making our result more applicable and less complex; thirdly, a function approximator incorporating Fourier series expansion and a radial basis function neural network is utilized to model time-varying periodic disturbance functions and lastly, unlike traditional event-triggered control, the issue of controlling signal transmission bits is further explored to conserve system transmission resources. The result from a comparative simulation illustrates the advantages of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early diagnosis and intervention of Alzheimer's disease (AD) are particularly important to delay the pathological progression. Although fluorescent probes have been widely employed for investigating and diagnosing AD, their biological applications are significantly restricted due to the low penetration ability of the blood–brain barrier (BBB) in vivo. In this study, we reported the first Golgi-targeted two-photon (TP) fluorescent probe, DCM-DH, for detecting viscosity in the Golgi apparatus. The probe was rationally designed to exhibit superior analytical performance including high sensitivity, specific Golgi-targeting, efficient BBB penetration ability, and deep tissue penetration (247 μm) in the brains of AD model mice. Using the probe, we demonstrated that the fluorescence intensity in the human liver cancer cell (HepG2 cells) was higher than that of human normal liver cell (LO2 cells), and the brain viscosity of AD model mice increased significantly. We anticipate that this competent tool could be easily extended to other AD biomarkers for fundamental research on this detrimental disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the differentially expressed proteins (DEP) between high myopia and moderate myopia on the anterior corneal stroma. Methods: Tandem mass tag (TMT) quantitative proteomics was utilized to reveal proteins. DEPs were screened by the multiple change of more than 1.2 times or less than 0.83 and the P value < 0.05. The DEPs were functional annotated by Gene Ontology (GO) terms. Proteins and protein interaction (PPI) networks were conducted with String online tool. Parallel reaction monitoring (PRM) data processing was used to verify the TMT proteomics results. Results: There are 36 DEPs between high myopia and moderate myopia on the anterior corneal stroma, of which 11 proteins are upregulated, 25 proteins are downregulated. The GO analysis demonstrated keratinocyte migration and structural constituent of cytoskeleton that are significantly changed with most of the proteins decreased in high myopic corneas. Keratin 16 (KRT16) and erythrocyte membrane protein band 4.1-like protein 4B are the only two proteins involved in both functions. The PPI analysis showed keratin type II cytoskeletal 6A (KRT6A) and KRT16 that have strong connections. Immunoglobulin lambda variable 8–61(IGLV8-61) and nicotinamide phosphoribosyl transferase (NAMPT) have consistent results with the TMT. Conclusions: The high myopic corneas have 36 DEPs compared to the moderate myopic corneas on the anterior corneal stroma. Keratinocyte migrations and structural constituent of cytoskeleton are weakened in high myopic corneas, which may partly account for the lower corneal biomechanics in high myopic eyes. The lower expressed KRT16 plays important roles in high myopic corneas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our objective was to provide a method for selecting reference beam model and evaluating the dosimetric accuracy of volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) plans delivered on three Elekta beam-matched linacs during radiation oncology. Beam data was measured on three beam-matched linacs including Synergy1, Synergy2 and VersaHD. For eighteen lung and esophagus cases, fifty-four plans were generated using VMAT technique with three linac beam models respectively for point dose measurement and three-dimensional dose measurement. Each VMAT plan was executed sequentially on three linacs respectively. Measurement results were compared with treatment planning system (TPS) calculation results for all VMAT plans. Among three beam-matched linacs, discrepancy in beam output factor, percentage depth dose at 5 cm, 10 cm, 20 cm depth and MLC leaf offset are all within 1% except 20 × 20 cm2 and 30 × 30 cm2 field sizes, and discrepancy in beam profile is all within 2%. With comparison between measurement result and TPS calculation result, the absolute dose deviations are within the range of ± 3%, and the gamma passing rates are all over 95% for all VMAT plans, which are within the tolerance of clinical acceptability. Compared with all plans delivered on Synegy1 and VersaHD, the point dose discrepancy between measured results and TPS calculated results for plans delivered on Synergy2 is smallest, and the gamma passing rate between measured results and TPS calculated results for plans delivered on Synergy2 is highest. The beam-matched linacs demonstrate good agreement between measurement result and TPS calculation result for VMAT plans. The method can be used for selecting reference beam model for VMAT plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The branched poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(lactic acid)-glucose (PEG-b-PLLA-g-glucose) copolymers were synthesized by using CDI as the bonding agent. There is a significant inhibition between PEG segments and PLLA segments in PEG-b-PLLA-g-glucose copolymers. When the weight fraction of PLLA is low, the PEG segment as the diluting agent increases the flexibility and chain diffusion ability of PEG-b-PLLA-g-glucose copolymers, and also improves the formation of the α-form for the extensive melting process of the PLLA matrix. The initial decomposition temperature (T5%) of PEG-b-PLLA-g-glucose copolymers was significantly reduced, due to the enhanced transesterification of the PLLA segment at both ends under the low melting PEG to promote the thermal degradation of copolymers. When the PLLA content reaches a certain level, due to the PEG segment as a plasticizer to enhance the interaction between PLLA chains, T5% is slightly improved during the heating process. With an increase of the branched PEG-b-PLLA grafted segments, the morphological structure and surface morphology of PEG-b-PLLA-g-glucose copolymers changed from the spherical micelles and irregular surfaces to tightly fused circular lamellas and corrugated dense surfaces, respectively. This work provides a potential theoretical basis for broadening PLLA application by the crystallization behaviors and morphologies of the branched PEG-b-PLLA copolymers with various architectures and different compositions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: As components of white adipose tissue, porcine intramuscular (IM) and subcutaneous (SC) adipocytes undergo similar differentiation and adipogenesis processes. However, the adipogenic capacity of IM adipocytes is weaker than that of SC adipocytes. Identifying key regulators underlying this difference between IM and SC adipocytes will benefit pig breeding. Results: In this study, we used BGISEQ-500 sequencing technology to analyze the expression of small RNAs in primary cultured IM and SC adipocytes on day 8 after adipogenic induction, and found 32-fold higher miR-196b-3p expression, as well as 8-fold lower miR-450b-3p expression in IM adipocytes than in SC adipocytes. Functional studies revealed that miR-196b-3p inhibits adipogenesis by targeting CD47 via the AMPK signaling pathway, and its effect was attenuated by the specific p-AMPKα activator AICAR. We also found that miR-450b-3p promotes adipogenesis by targeting SIRT1 via the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, and its effect was weakened by the Wnt/β-catenin signaling activator LiCl. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that miR-196b-3p and miR-450b-3p are novel key regulatory factors that play opposite roles in porcine adipogenesis, helping us decipher the regulatory differences between porcine IM and SC fat deposition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The thermotolerant yeast is beneficial in terms of efficiency improvement of processes and reduction of costs, while Saccharomyces cerevisiae does not efficiently grow and ferment at high-temperature conditions. The sterol composition alteration from ergosterol to fecosterol in the cell membrane of S. cerevisiae affects the thermotolerant capability. Results: In this study, S. cerevisiae ERG5, ERG4, and ERG3 were knocked out using the CRISPR–Cas9 approach to impact the gene expression involved in ergosterol synthesis. The highest thermotolerant strain was S. cerevisiae ERG5ΔERG4ΔERG3Δ, which produced 22.1 g/L ethanol at 37 °C using the initial glucose concentration of 50 g/L with an increase by 9.4% compared with the wild type (20.2 g/L). The ethanol concentration of 9.4 g/L was produced at 42 ℃, which was 2.85-fold of the wild-type strain (3.3 g/L). The molecular mechanism of engineered S. cerevisiae at the RNA level was analyzed using the transcriptomics method. The simultaneous deletion of S. cerevisiae ERG5, ERG4, and ERG3 caused 278 up-regulated genes and 1892 down-regulated genes in comparison with the wild-type strain. KEGG pathway analysis indicated that the up-regulated genes relevant to ergosterol metabolism were ERG1, ERG11, and ERG5, while the down-regulated genes were ERG9 and ERG26. S. cerevisiae ERG5ΔERG4ΔERG3Δ produced 41.6 g/L of ethanol at 37 °C with 107.7 g/L of corn liquefied glucose as carbon source. Conclusion: Simultaneous deletion of ERG5, ERG4, and ERG3 resulted in the thermotolerance improvement of S. cerevisiae ERG5ΔERG4ΔERG3Δ with cell viability improvement by 1.19-fold at 42 °C via modification of steroid metabolic pathway. S. cerevisiae ERG5ΔERG4ΔERG3Δ could effectively produce ethanol at 37 °C using corn liquefied glucose as carbon source. Therefore, S. cerevisiae ERG5ΔERG4ΔERG3Δ had potential in ethanol production at a large scale under supra-optimal temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The traffic in the weaving region is subject to lane-changing turbulence, which results in a significant impact on traffic safety, reduces traffic efficiency, and creates traffic bottlenecks. To mitigate the negative effect of the weaving, vehicles are distributed in each segment located inside and upstream of the weaving region by a lane-changing advisory using Connected Autonomous Vehicle (CAV) technology, called segment-base lane-changing control (SLDC), and a heuristic optimization algorithm is applied to obtain the proportion of CAVs to be assigned to each segment. Further, to decrease volume variation on the mainline, the ramp metering (RM) control strategy is coordinated and applied to ensure the lane-changing process in the weaving region. Conditions of different traffic demands are analyzed using the cellular automata traffic simulation based on a typical one-sided ramp motorway weaving region. Results indicated that the proposed CAV distribution algorithm and SLDC-RM coordination control strategy could improve traffic efficiency and reduce traffic conflicts. The coordination control is better than SLDC when the occupancy of the weaving region reaches 25 veh/km/ln, also the effects with different proportions of connected vehicles are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Statins are the first line of choice for the treatment for atherosclerosis, but their use can cause myotoxicity, a common side effect that may require dosage reduction or discontinuation. The exact mechanism of statin-induced myotoxicity is unknown. Previous research has demonstrated that the combination of idebenone and statin yielded superior anti-atherosclerotic outcomes. Here, we investigated the mechanism of statin-induced myotoxicity in atherosclerotic ApoE−/− mice and whether idebenone could counteract it. After administering simvastatin to ApoE−/− mice, we observed a reduction in plaque formation as well as a decrease in their exercise capacity. We observed elevated levels of lactic acid and creatine kinase, along with a reduction in the cross-sectional area of muscle fibers, an increased presence of ragged red fibers, heightened mitochondrial crista lysis, impaired mitochondrial complex activity, and decreased levels of CoQ 9 and CoQ 10. Two-photon fluorescence imaging revealed elevated H 2 O 2 levels in the quadriceps, indicating increased oxidative stress. Proteomic analysis indicated that simvastatin inhibited the tricarboxylic acid cycle. Idebenone treatment not only further reduced plaque formation but also ameliorated the impaired exercise capacity caused by simvastatin. Our study represents the inaugural comprehensive investigation into the mechanisms underlying statin-induced myotoxicity. We have demonstrated that statins inhibit CoQ synthesis, impair mitochondrial complex functionality, and elevate oxidative stress, ultimately resulting in myotoxic effects. Furthermore, our research marks the pioneering identification of idebenone's capability to mitigate statin-induced myotoxicity by attenuating oxidative stress, thereby safeguarding mitochondrial complex functionality. The synergistic use of idebenone and statin not only enhances the effectiveness against atherosclerosis but also mitigates statin-induced myotoxicity. [Display omitted] • Statin treatment induces reduced coenzyme Q synthesis in mouse muscles, leading to elevated oxidative stress. • ROS caused by statin cause a vicious cycle of damage and lead to myotoxicity. • Idebenone inhibits oxidative stress and ameliorates statin-induced myotoxicity. • Combining idebenone with statin may offer a better option for atherosclerosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the biomechanical proteins different between low myopic corneas and moderate to high myopic corneas. A total of 27 myopic corneas were used for the Tandem Mass Tag (TMT) proteomics analysis. Differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were clustered with fold changes > 1.20 or < 0.83 and p < 0.05. Proteins and Proteins Interactions (PPIs) were conducted to find hub proteins; Uniprot database was to screen proteins with biomechanical functions, and Parallel Reaction Monitoring (PRM) was performed to verify the TMT results. Pearson analysis was used to reveal the correlations between myopic degrees and biomechanical proteins. The Immunofluorescence (IF) staining was used to observe the protein distributions. In total, 34 DEPs were observed between moderate myopic corneas and low myopic corneas; 103 DEPs were observed between high myopic corneas and low myopic corneas, 20 proteins overlapped. The PPIs analysis showed keratin 2, keratins 10 and PRSS1 were hub proteins. The Uniprot function analysis suggested keratin 2 and keratin 10 exhibited biomechanical functions. The PRM demonstrated keratin 2 and keratin 10 levels were significantly lower in moderate and high myopic corneas, which was consistent with the TMT proteomics results. IF staining also demonstrated keratin 2 and keratin 10 were less distributed in moderate and high myopic corneas than in low myopic corneas. The levels of biomechanical proteins keratin 2 and keratin 10 are significantly lower in moderate and high myopic corneas than in low myopic corneas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphene displays extraordinary electronic, optical, and mechanical properties, generating substantial scientific interest and presenting vast potential across various applications. Raman spectroscopy is a versatile tool for identifying and characterizing the chemical and physical properties of newly discovered carbon-based materials like graphene, carbon nanotubes, and their artificial lattices. The Raman-active vibrational modes of graphene-related materials are sensitive to structural, electrical, and interfacial modifications. This sensitivity allows Raman spectroscopy to effectively study the interaction between graphene and other materials, such as molecules and bio-related samples, towards biosensing applications. This review summarizes the recent advances in Raman spectroscopy applied to graphene and its related materials, encompassing perspectives from fundamental research to practical applications, especially bio-related applications. • Raman spectroscopy is a versatile tool to characterize graphene and its derivatives. • The Raman modes of graphene are sensitive to material modifications. • This sensitivity makes Raman spectroscopy a useful tool for biosensing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

LGALS12, also known as galectin12, belongs to the galectin family with β-galactoside-binding activity. We previously reported that LGALS12 is an important regulator of adipogenesis in porcine adipocytes in vitro, but its value in pig breeding needed to be explored in vivo. In this study, we used CRISPR/Cas9 to construct porcine fetal fibroblasts (PFFs) with a 43 bp deletion in LGALS12 exon 2. Using these PFFs as donor cells, a LGALS12 knockout pig model was generated via somatic cell nuclear transfer. Primary cultures of porcine intramuscular (IM) and subcutaneous (SC) adipocytes were established using cells from LGALS12 knockout pigs and wild-type pigs. A comparison of these cells proved that LGALS12 deficiency suppresses cell proliferation via the RAS-p38MAPK pathway and promotes lipolysis via the PKA pathway in both IM and SC adipocytes. In addition, we observed AKT activation only in IM adipocytes and suppression of the Wnt/β-catenin only in SC adipocytes. Our findings suggest that LGALS12 deficiency affects the adipogenesis of IM and SC adipocytes through different mechanisms. LGALS12 deficiency affects the adipogenesis of porcine intramuscular and subcutaneous adipocytes through different mechanisms. [Display omitted] • LGALS12 deficiency pig model was constructed. • LGALS12 deficiency suppressed porcine adipocytes proliferation and differentiation. • LGALS12 affected lipogenesis of porcine IM & SC adipocytes by different pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored how leader–member exchange (LMX) affects employee turnover intention through the mediation of relational and organizational identification, and through the moderating role of leader competence in the relationship between LMX and relational identification. Study 1 explores the indirect effect of LMX on employee turnover intention through relational and organizational identification by analyzing data collected from 210 employees in China at two points in time. Study 2 explores the moderating role of leader competence in the relationship between LMX and relational identification by analyzing data collected from 872 employees in China. The results show that LMX affected employee turnover intention through the serial mediation of relational and organizational identification, and that leader competence moderated the relationship between LMX and relational identification. Our findings provide implications for research on employee turnover intention and identification. Limitations and future research directions are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) is overexpressed in a broad range of human tumors but remains difficult to study. Herein, we report a novel two-photon fluorescent probe with NIR emission for NQO1 detection. The probe demonstrated superior analytical performance with a large Stokes shift and deep tissue penetration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The work zone with lane closure will be an active bottleneck due to vehicles' mandatory lane-changing conflicts. The emerging Connected Autonomous Vehicle (CAV) technology provides opportunities for vehicle motion planning to improve traffic performance. However, the literature using CAV technology mainly focuses on single-lane lane-changing control in the merging area. The algorithm dealing with multi-lane lane-changing control is absent. In this paper, a simulation system with a lane-changing optimal strategy embedded for the multi-lane work zone is presented under the heterogeneous traffic flow. First, the road upstream of the work zone is divided into several segments, and an optimal multi-lane lane-changing algorithm is designed. It is recommended that CAVs, on the closure lane and the merged lane, change lanes on each segment to balance traffic distribution and minimize traffic delay. Second, to validate the algorithm proposed, a typical three-lane freeway with one-lane closed for the work zone is researched, and the simulation platform based on cellular automata is developed. Third, the advantages of multi-lane control strategies are studied and discussed in traffic efficiency improvement and collision risk reduction by comparing previous lane-changing control algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ochrobactrum spp. are non-fermenting, Gram-negative bacilli that are regarded as emerging human pathogens of low virulence that can cause infections. The first identified case of Ochrobactrum intermedium was reported in 1998 in a liver transplantation patient with liver abcess. There are no reports of infections in pediatric patients. Here, we report the first case of O. intermedium bacteremia in a pediatric patient.Case Presentation: A two and a half years old male was admitted with fever, chills and nausea. He had been diagnosed as pineoblastoma and underwent surgical resection and chemotherapy. O. intermedium was isolated from his blood cultures and identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS), however, the Vitek II automated system failed to identify the organism. Then the pathogen was confirmed by 16S rDNA sequencing and average nucleotide identity result (ANI) confirmed the precise identification of O. intermedium at genomic level. In addition, the patient recovered well after antibiotic combined therapy.Conclusions: This, to our knowledge, is the first case of O. intermedium bacteremia in a pediatric patient with malignant tumor. Traditional biochemical identification methods such as API 20NE or VITEK2 system cannot differentiate O. anthropi and O. intermedium. MALDI-TOF may be a promising tool for rapid identification of microorganisms such as O. intermedium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porcine fat deposition is an important economic trait of pig breeds, and understanding the gene regulatory network in adipocytes is essential for modern pig breeding. In a previous study, we demonstrated that miR-29a negatively regulates the differentiation of porcine adipocytes. In this study, we investigated the roles of miR-29b/c in porcine adipocytes and the underlying mechanisms. Using EdU staining and the CCK-8 assay, we observed that transfection with the miR-29b/c agomir promoted the proliferation of porcine intramuscular (IM) and subcutaneous (SC) adipocytes by altering the expression of cell-cycle-related genes. According to the results of oil red O staining and western blot analysis, transfection with the miR-29b/c agomir suppressed the differentiation of porcine SC and IM adipocytes via the AKT/PKA/MAPK signalling pathway. Furthermore, we proved that miR-29b/c regulates porcine adipocytes by directly targeting the 3ʹ-untranslated region (3ʹUTR) of CTRP6 using a dual-luciferase reporter assay. Finally, co-transfection with miR-29b/c and CTRP6 partially restored the changes of phenotype and gene expression induced by miR-29b/c overexpression in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Taken together, our data demonstrate that both miR-29b and miR-29 c negatively regulate porcine adipogenesis by targeting CTRP6, which furthers our understanding of the gene network that regulates fat deposition in pigs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ring-finger protein 126 (RNF126), an E3 ubiquitin ligase, plays crucial roles in various biological processes, including cell proliferation, DNA damage repair, and intracellular vesicle trafficking. Whether RNF126 is modulated by posttranslational modifications is poorly understood. Here, we show that PARP1 interacts with and poly(ADP)ribosylates RNF126, which then recruits the PAR-binding E3 ubiquitin ligase CHFR to promote ubiquitination and degradation of RNF126. Moreover, RNF126 is required for the activation of ATR-Chk1 signaling induced by either irradiation (IR) or a PARP inhibitor (PARPi), and depletion of RNF126 increases the sensitivity of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells to PARPi treatment. Our findings suggest that PARPi-mediated upregulation of RNF126 protein stability contributes to TNBC cell resistance to PARPi. Therefore, targeting the E3 ubiquitin ligase RNF126 may be a novel treatment for overcoming the resistance of TNBC cells to PARPi in clinical trials. • RNF126 physically interacts with PARP1 in vivo. • PARP1 promotes RNF126 polyubiquitylation and enhance its ubiquitination-proteasome-dependent degradation. • E3 ligase CHFR interacts with PARylated RNF126 and promotes its ubiquitination and degradation. • Depletion of RNF126 inhibited ATR-Chk1 pathway activation and conferred sensitivity of TNBC cells to PARP inhibitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inter-fractional tumor variance would lead to insufficient dosage or overdose in tumor region during lung cancer radiotherapy. However, previous works have not considered influence of inter-fractional tumor amplitude variance at treatment position due to lack of effective evaluation method during radiotherapy, especially for lung tumor within the lower lobe. Our objective was to investigate inter-fractional tumor baseline shift and amplitude variance due to respiratory motion with 4DCBCT simulation and guidance during stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy (SABR) for lung tumor. Subject included 19 patients with lung tumor within the lower lobe. 4DCBCT-simulated images at treatment position were acquired sequentially to determine internal tumor volume (ITV) and reference tumor motion at simulation process. Compared with reference tumor motion, 95 4DCBCT-guided images were acquired during each treatment to evaluate inter-fractional tumor baseline shift and amplitude variance, which were − 0.0 ± 1.3 mm and − 0.2 ± 1.4 mm in left–right(LR) direction, 0.9 ± 2.3 mm and 0.4 ± 2.9 mm in superior-inferior (SI) direction, 0.1 ± 1.5 mm and − 0.4 ± 2.0 mm in anterior–posterior (AP) direction. ITV margin were 3.5 mm, 7.5 mm and 5.3 mm in LR, SI and AP directions with van Herk's (Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 52(5):1407–1422, 2002) formula. 4DCBCT simulation and guidance is a reliable method to evaluate inter-fractional tumor variance during SABR for lung tumor within the lower lobe. ITV margin of 3.5 mm, 7.5 mm and 5.3 mm in LR, SI and AP directions would ensure greater tumor coverage during SABR for lung tumor within the lower lobe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article investigates how to exploit the cooperative mechanism between non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) user pairs to enhance the security of the mobile-edge computing (MEC) system. Considering the different delay requirements of Internet of Things (IoT) users, we propose a two-slot hybrid cooperative NOMA security (THCNS) scheme that utilizes the cooperative interference between NOMA user pairs to enhance the security of offloading. In the first time slot, the interference to the eavesdropper comes from the task signals (TSs) transmitted by the two users, while in the second time slot comes from jamming signal (JS) transmitted by the user who has completed the offloading tasks. The weighted sum secrecy outage probability (wSOP) and secrecy computation probability (SCP) are utilized to measure the security performance of users in the proposed scheme. To confirm the feasibility and applicability of the proposed scheme, we analyze the impact of some key parameters on users’ security, including the users’ local computation time and offloading time, transmit power, task allocation coefficients of two time slots. The analysis results indicate that the proposed scheme is more suitable for the case where the wiretap channel outperforms the main channel, and it can enhance the system security when selecting the optimal parameters. Finally, the numerical simulation results reveal how the analysis parameters affect the security performance of users and validate the theoretical analysis, it provides good insights about how to design parameters of IoT users to enhance their security performance in MEC system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chinese domestic pig breeds are reputed for pork quality, but their low ratio of lean-to-fat carcass weight decreases production efficiency. A better understanding of the genetic regulation network of subcutaneous fat tissue is necessary for the rational selection of Chinese domestic pig breeds. In the present study, subcutaneous adipocytes were isolated from Jiaxing Black pigs a Chinese indigenous pig breed with redundant subcutaneous fat deposition and Large White pigs a lean-type pig breed with relatively low subcutaneous fat deposition. The expression profiles of mRNAs and lncRNAs were compared by RNA-seq analysis to identify biomarkers correlated with the differences of subcutaneous fat deposition between the two breeds. Results: A total of 1058 differentially expressed genes and 221 differentially expressed lncRNAs were identified in subcutaneous adipocytes between Jiaxing Black and Large White pigs, which included 275 up-regulated mRNAs, 783 down-regulated mRNAs, 118 up-regulated lncRNAs and 103 down-regulated lncRNAs. Gene Ontology and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses revealed that the differentially expressed genes and differentially expressed lncRNAs were mainly involved in the immune response, cell fate determination, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway and MAPK signaling pathway, which are known to be related to adipogenesis and lipid metabolism. The expression levels of differentially expressed genes and differentially expressed lncRNAs according to the RNA-seq data were verified by quantitative PCR, which showed 81.8% consistency. The differences in MAPK pathway activity between Jiaxing Black and Large White pigs was confirmed by western blot analysis, which revealed elevated p38 phosphorylation in Jiaxing Black pigs. Conclusions: This study offers a detailed characterization of mRNAs and lncRNAs in fat- and lean-type pig breeds. The activity of the MAPK signaling pathway was found to be associated with subcutaneous adipogenesis. These results provide new targets for further investigation of the molecular mechanisms regulating subcutaneous fat deposition in pigs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to identify the corneal metabolic biomarkers for moderate and high myopia in human. We enrolled 221 eyes from 221 subjects with myopia to perform the femtosecond laser small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) surgery. Among these, 71 eyes of 71 subjects were enrolled in the low myopic group, 75 eyes of 75 subjects in the moderate myopic group and 75 eyes of 75 subjects in the high myopic group. The untargeted metabolomics analysis was performed to analyze the corneal tissues extracted during the SMILE surgery using an ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) coupled to a quadrupole time-of-flight (Q-TOF) mass spectrometry (MS). The one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to identify the different metabolites among the three myopic groups, the orthogonal partial least-squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) model was used to reveal the different metabolites between moderate myopia and low myopia, and between high myopia and low myopia. The Venn gram was used to find the overlapped metabolites of the three datasets of the different metabolites. The stepwise multiple linear regression analysis was used to determine the metabolic molecules associated with manifest refractive spherical equivalents (MRSE). The Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) analysis was performed to reveal the corneal biomarkers for moderate and high myopia. The hub biomarker was further selected by the networks among different metabolites created by the Cytoscape software. A total of 1594 metabolites were identified in myopic corneas. 321 metabolites were different among the three myopic groups, 106 metabolites were different between high myopic corneas and low myopic corneas, 104 metabolites were different between moderate myopic corneas and low myopic corneas, and 30 metabolic molecules overlapped among the three datasets. The multivariate linear regression analysis revealed the myopic degree was significantly influenced by the corneal levels of azelaic acid, arginine-proline (Arg-Pro), 1-stearoyl-2-myristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine, and hypoxanthine. The ROC curve analysis showed that azelaic acid, Arg-Pro and hypoxanthine were effective in discriminating low myopia from moderate to high myopia with the area under the curve (AUC) values as 0.982, 0.991 and 0.982 for azelaic acid, Arg-Pro and hypoxanthine respectively. The network analysis suggested that Arg-Pro had the maximum connections among these three biomarkers. Thus, this study identified azelaic acid, Arg-Pro and hypoxanthine as corneal biomarkers to discriminate low myopia from moderate to high myopia, with Arg-Pro serving as the hub biomarker for moderate and high myopia. • Azelaic acid, arginine-proline and hypoxanthine are changed in moderate and high myopic corneas than low myopic corneas. • Azelaic acid, arginine-proline and hypoxanthine are corneal metabolic biomarkers for moderate and high myopia. • Arginine-proline is the hub corneal metabolic biomarker for moderate and high myopia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emerging connected autonomous vehicle (CAV) technologies provide an opportunity to the vehicle motion control to improve the traffic performance. This study simulated and evaluated the CAV-based speed and lane-changing (LC) control strategies at the expressway work zone in heterogeneous traffic flow. The control strategies of CAV are optimized by the multi-layer control structure based on model predictive control. The heterogeneous traffic flow composed of human-driven vehicles and CAVs is constructed based on cellular automata by the proposed Expected Distance-based Symmetric Two-lane Cellular Automate (ED-STCA) LC model and CAV car-following model. The six control strategies composed of variable speed limits (VSL), LC and their coordinated control strategies are experimented. The average travel time and throughput are selected to assess the advantages and disadvantages of each strategy under each combination of vehicles' arrival rates and CAV mixed ratios. The numerical results show that: (i) the effect of the control strategy on the traffic is not obvious under free flow, and the control strategy may worsen the traffic under medium traffic. (ii) Early lane-changing control (ELC) is better than late lane-changing control (LLC) under medium traffic, and LLC is better under heavy traffic. (iii) ELC + VSL is the best choice under heavy traffic and the mixed rate of CAVs is high. The simulation results obtained in the paper would provide some practical references for transportation agencies to manage the traffic in work zone under networking environment in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analyzing the characteristics of group behavior, leader-follower model which adopts dynamic group floor field to represent the attraction in a group is used to model pedestrian group behavior. Pedestrian choice model of vertical walking facilities based on support vector machine (SVM) with the effect of group behavior is established. Fusing pedestrian choice model of vertical walking facilities and leader-follower model into a cellular automata (CA)-based pedestrian simulation model, we simulate the pedestrian choice process for vertical walking facilities with the effect of group behavior. The simulation results indicate that with the effect of group behavior, the choice results of some pedestrians are changed, and the efficiency of pedestrians passing is reduced. To some extent, the efficiency of pedestrians passing is improved with the mean distribution of luggage in each group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

U-turn behavior of vehicle is one of the main causes of urban traffic congestion and accidents. A collaborative U-turn merging control algorithm is studied with collision avoidance and delay minimization for vehicles under Cooperative Vehicle Infrastructure System (CVIS) environment. Two control strategies, zip merging and platoon merging control, are proposed. The applicability of these two strategies is compared from the perspective of efficiency and driving comfort. The cellular automaton simulation system composed of a two-way four-lane traffic flow with a U-turn facility in middle of road is established with cooperative control algorithm imbedded. The influence of cooperative U-turn merging behaviors on traffic performance is evaluated by analyzing the arrival rates of main lane and U-turn vehicles and their relationship between one another. The simulation results show that the arrival rate of vehicles on target lane has a great impact on traffic delay. The cooperative control can improve the traffic flow only in the condition that the arrival rate of vehicles on target lane is less than 0.7. It provides some practical references for transportation agencies to meet efficiency requirements of the U-turn section when they apply cooperative control strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: High‐fluorescent cells (HFCs) that are detected with an automated hematology analyzer may be useful for the detection of tumor cells; however, the diagnostic ability of HFCs for differentiating malignant pleural effusion is limited. The aim of this study was to investigate the diagnostic value of the combined detection of HFCs with the tumor marker carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) for the identification of malignant hydrothorax. Methods: A total of 115 pleural effusions were collected. HFCs, including the relative counts (HF‐BF%) and absolute counts (HF‐BF#), were analyzed using the BF mode of a Sysmex XN9000 hematology analyzer. Simultaneously, the CEA level from the same patient was measured by an electrochemiluminescence method. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was employed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of HFCs separately or combined with CEA analysis for malignant diseases. Results: The levels of HF‐BF#, HF‐BF%, and CEA in the malignant effusion group were significantly higher than those in the benign control group. The diagnostic value of the HF‐BF# and HF‐BF% for malignant pleural effusion was low to moderate, and the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.663 and 0.715, respectively. The CEA detection showed a moderate diagnostic ability, and the AUC was 0.832. The AUC for the combined methods was 0.860 and 0.890, respectively. The cutoff levels of the HF‐BF#, HF‐BF%, and CEA levels were 29.5 × 106/L, 5.6/100 WBC, and 4.795 ng/mL, respectively. Conclusions: The combined detection of high‐fluorescent cells with the BF mode and CEA testing may be a good indication for malignancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the effects of long intergenic noncoding RNA‐erythroid prosurvival (lincRNA‐EPS) on periodontal inflammation mediated by inflammasomes and to explore its mechanism. Experimental periodontitis was induced in KO (lincRNA‐EPS−/−) and WT (lincRNA‐EPS+/+) mice to compare the periodontal bone loss and inflammation by using micro‐computed tomography, immunofluorescence staining and haematoxylin and eosin staining. The expression and activation of cysteinyl aspartate‐specific proteinase‐11 (caspase‐11) and NOD‐like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasomes, as well as nuclear factor‐kappa B (NF‐κB) activation in mouse gingival fibroblasts (MGFs), were measured by real‐time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, Western blotting, enzyme‐linked immunosorbent and lactate dehydrogenase assays. MGFs were transfected with overexpression plasmids to assess the biological functions of lincRNA‐EPS. RNA pull‐down and immunoprecipitation experiments were performed to identify the interacting protein of lincRNA‐EPS. LincRNA‐EPS‐expressing lentivirus was locally administered to inflamed periodontal tissues to evaluate its salvage function in periodontitis. The absence of lincRNA‐EPS increased bone loss and expression of myeloperoxidase, interleukin‐1α (IL‐1α) and IL‐1β in the inflammatory periodontium. LincRNA‐EPS KO MGFs exhibited increased expression and activation of caspase‐11/NLRP3 inflammasome components than WT MGFs under lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation. The expression and activation of these molecules were inhibited in lincRNA‐EPS overexpressed MGFs. Mechanistically, lincRNA‐EPS directly bound to transactive response DNA‐binding protein 43 (TDP43) in the nucleus of MGFs, and TDP43 knockdown exerted a similar inhibitory effect on NF‐κB activation and the inflammasomes as lincRNA‐EPS overexpression. Locally injecting lincRNA‐EPS‐expressing lentivirus weakened the periodontal damage. LincRNA‐EPS inhibits the LPS‐induced production and activation of caspase‐11 and NLRP3 inflammasomes by suppressing the activation of the NF‐κB signalling pathway via interacting with TDP43, thereby alleviating periodontitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

External insulin administration is an effective way for patients with diabetes mellitus to regulate their blood glucose. Multiple daily injections (MDIs), sensor-augmented pump (SAP) and artificial pancreas (AP) are widely adopted approaches in insulin therapy. With the increasing popularity of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) sensors, a large number of data-enabled learning and control algorithms have been developed for MDI, SAP and AP. In this paper, we perform a systemic review concerning the state-of-the-art methodologies that are developed for MDI, SAP and AP with feedback from CGM data or other available data, from a systems and control perspective. The review characterizes the traditional learning and control methods developed for the MDI, SAP and AP, including run-to-run control, proportional–integral–derivative control, fuzzy logic control and model predictive control, as well as the discussions on the roles of machine learning technologies in MDI, SAP and AP. Finally, potential future directions on the algorithm architecture design, a unified control framework for MDI, SAP and AP algorithm design and practical usage of the MDI, SAP and AP are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to study the effect of crossing pedestrians on traffic performance at crosswalk without signal control, the work develops a game theory-based description of pedestrian–vehicle interactions, considering the decision-making uncertainty. The hybrid strategy of the game is obtained. The relevant parameters of the game model are calibrated by collected video data. The cellular automaton simulation system composed of a two-way four-lane traffic flow and pedestrian flow is constructed with the game model imbedded for identifying the effect of crossing pedestrians on traffic performance. The influencing factors are identified with their correlation analyzed by numerical simulation of different traffic conditions. According to the simulation results, the arrival rate of pedestrians has a great impact on traffic volume and pedestrian delay. The severity of conflicts between vehicles and pedestrians is classified and the causes are identified by analyzing the arrival rate of pedestrians and vehicles, respectively, and their relationship between one another. In addition, the threshold of traffic flow and pedestrian flow causing traffic conflicts and delay is proposed, also including the threshold of pedestrian arrival rate which will induce force crossing behaviors. The results show that the proposed model reconstructs the traits of traffic and pedestrian flow and their conflicts phenomenon at crosswalks. It provides some practical references for transportation agencies to meet pedestrians time-cost and comfort needs in crossing streets when they design pedestrian crossing facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

β‐1,3‐glucan recognition proteins (βGRPs) function as pattern recognition receptors in the innate immune response against invading pathogens. In the present study, we obtain full‐length cDNA clones for two novel putative βGRPs: TpβGRPc and TpβGRPd from the ghost moth Thitarodes pui (Lepidoptera: Hepialidae). Phylogenetic analysis shows a small distinct lineage, βGRP clade 4, consisting of T. pui βGRPs including TpβGRPa and TpβGRPb that have been identified previously. TpβGRPc and TpβGRPd, comprising 488 and 229 amino acids, have calculated molecular masses of 52 596 and 24 589 Da, respectively. TpβGRPc is 85.52% identical in sequence to TpβGRPa. TpβGRPb and TpβGRPd share the same deletion start site located at the conserved residue Pro 43, although TpβGRPd exhibits a much larger deletion of up to approximately 270 residues covering both the N‐ and C‐terminal regions. Affinity purification, associated with subsequent peptide sequencing, confirms the constitutive occurrence of TpβGRPa and TpβGRPc of similar size (approximately 65 kDa) in sixth‐instar larval haemolymph. These two βGRPs show clear binding affinities to curdlan, an insoluble β‐1,3‐glucan. A quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction analysis reveals the high‐level constitutive expression of TpβGRPc and TpβGRPd in the fat body of mid‐instar larvae, which are found to be susceptible to fungal pathogens in field investigations. Remarkable induction of both TpβGRPs occurs in response to haemocoelic challenge with entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana. The results of the present study suggest that TpβGRPs may contribute to the detection and control of fungal infections. We clone cDNAs for two novel clade IV β‐1,3‐glucan recognition proteins (βGRPs) from the Tibetan Plateau ghost moth Thitarodes pui.TpβGRP‐a and TpβGRP‐c of approximately 65 kDa exist in sixth‐instar larval haemolymph, showing clear binding affinities for β‐1,3‐glucan.Gene expression of Tpβrp‐c and Tpβrp‐d can be regulated by developmental signals, as well as Beauveria bassiana infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract We previously demonstrated that β6 knockout mice showed impaired wound repair in corneal debridement and keratectomy wounds. In the current investigation, we continued our examination of integrin αvβ6 in order to determine if it was required for the initiation of wound healing in a corneal wound model that normally heals in a fibrotic manner. A full-thickness corneal incision was made in C57BL/6 J wild type (WT) and C57BL/6-Itgb6 KO (β6−/−) mice. The mice were observed at 3, 7, 14, and 28 days post-incision. The morphology of corneal restoration was observed in tissue sections stained with hemotoxilin and eosin (H&E). In addition, indirect-immunofluorescence (IF) was performed on sections and/or whole mounts to evaluate the immunolocalization of α-smooth muscle actin (SMA) and thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1). H&E staining revealed that the corneas in β6−/− mice healed slower than those in WT mice, with an obvious delay in the restoration of the stromal matrix and epithelium. In sections at 3 and 7 days, SMA and TSP-1 were greatly reduced in the β6−/− mice as compared to WT, but peaked at 28 days after incision. Whole mount SMA IF results were consistent with those from sections. Therefore, the initiation of fibrosis was inhibited by the lack of αvβ6; however, there appeared to be an alternate mechanism that initiated fibrosis 7–14 days later. Localization of TSP-1 correlated with expression of SMA whether wound healing was delayed or initiated immediately after wounding. Highlights • β6−/− mouse corneas healed slower than WT mice. • SMA and TSP-1 was greatly reduced in β6−/− mouse corneas at early time points. • At later time points SMA and TSP-1 increased and peaked 28 days post-incision. • The initiation of fibrosis was inhibited by the lack of αvβ6. • An alternate mechanism in β6−/− mice initiated fibrosis 7–14 days later than in WT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Abstract The discovery of two-dimensional electron gases at LaAlO 3 /SrTiO 3 heterointerface makes it a promising candidate for new generation of nano-devices. Further enhance of interfacial transport properties is the main challenge. To increase the limit of interfacial carrier densities of two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) of well-studied LaAlO 3 /SrTiO 3 heterostructure from 0.5 to 1 e− per unit cell, we replaced substrate SrTiO 3 by KNbO 3 to acquire the +1/+1 interface with one extra electron donor and less localized valence electrons. First-principles calculations are used to study (La B O 3) m /(KNbO 3) 6.5 (B = Al, Ga; m = 2–8) heterostructures. The studied heterostructures all show n -type metallic state without critical thickness, and the distribution of charge densities of different monolayers can be modulated by the polarization effect of KNbO 3. The interfacial carrier density of studied heterostructures perform one order of magnitude larger than LaAlO 3 /SrTiO 3 because of the increased intrinsic carrier limit. With the increase of La B O 3 (B = Al, Ga) layer thickness, the interfacial carrier density rises up to 1.26 × 1014 cm−2, and the electron effective masses decrease monotonically, resulting in higher carrier mobility and around 6 times larger electrical conductivity. This work proved an effective approach for tuned interfacial 2DEG and future device engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dormancy is one of the least understood phenomena in plant biology; however, bud/corm dormancy is an important economic trait in agricultural/horticultural breeding. In this study, we isolated an ABA biosynthesis gene, GhNCED, from the transcriptome database of corm dormancy release (CDR), and characterized its negative role in regulating CDR. To understand transcriptional regulation of GhNCED, yeast one-hybrid screening was conducted and GhTCP19 was identified and shown to regulate GhNCED expression directly. An in planta assay showed that GhTCP19 negatively regulates GhNCED expression. GhTCP19 is dramatically induced by exogenous cytokinins (CKs) and is induced during CDR. Silencing of GhTCP19 in dormant cormels delayed CDR, resulting in higher expression of GhNCED and ABA levels. Meanwhile, endogenous CK biosynthesis and signaling were inhibited in GhTCP19 -silenced cormels. Taken together, our results reveal that GhTCP19 is a positive regulator of the CDR process by repressing expression of an ABA biosynthesis gene (GhNCED), promoting CK biosynthesis (GhIPT) and signal transduction (GhARR) as well as inducing cyclin genes. This study expands our knowledge on CDR which is mediated by TCP family members. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • RNAi can be initiated by injection or ingestion of dsRNA in Coptotermes formosanus. • Gene silencing of cellulases led to reduced enzyme activity and weight. • ds CfEG could serve as a cellulase inhibitor or active ingredients in termite bait. Abstract Termites obtain energy and nutrition from wood and wood-related materials by utilizing endogenous and symbiotic cellulases. Endoglucanase is one of the key cellulases in cellulose digestion. Previous studies have shown that the inhibition of the cellulase enzyme system would be a plausible approach for termite control. In the present study, we studied the effect of RNAi on termites by targeting a conserved region of five endoglucanase genes from Coptotermes formosanus (CfEG s). Both dsRNA injection and oral delivery resulted in significant gene silencing of CfEG s and consequently led to mortality, reduced enzyme activity, and reduced weight compared to control worker termites. An injection dose of 150 ng and a feeding dose of 2 μg/cm2 provided for the best RNAi efficiency. ds CfEG was further combined with flufenoxuron, an insect growth regulator used to manage/suppress subterranean termites, and when fed to workers, caused a lower enzyme activity compared to the ds CfEG - or flufenoxuron-only treatment. The weight loss (∼0.598 mg) and mortality (∼28%) observed in the combined ds CfEG and flufenoxuron treatment differed significantly from those observed in the flufenoxuron-only treatment (∼0.208 mg and ∼16%, respectively). Although the effects of these ds CfEG treatments on mortality were insufficient to serve as termiticides, ds CfEG s could be used in combination with other treatments to increase efficacy. This study provides a research basis for the use of RNAi in termiticides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to analyze the effect of U-turn vehicle on traffic performance, the work develops a game theory-based description of drivers’ interactions in U-turn scene, considering the decision-making uncertainty. The hybrid strategy of the game is obtained. The relevant parameters of model are calibrated by collected video data in Changchun, China. A two-way four-lane cellular automaton model with the game model imbedded is constructed for identifying the effect of U-turn vehicle on traffic performance. The influencing factors are identified with their correlation analyzed by numerical simulation of different traffic conditions. According to the simulation results, U-turn traffic has a significant influence on traffic delay in the lane of same direction, compared with opposite direction. The severity of conflict between vehicles is classified and the causes are identified by analyzing the arrival rate of the U-turn vehicle and the conflicting straight vehicle and the relationship with one another. In addition, the threshold of traffic flow causing traffic conflict and traffic delay are proposed. The results show that the proposed models reconstructed the traits of traffic flow and conflict phenomenon in the presence of U-turn vehicles on road section. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: To compare the morphological classification ability of peripheral‐blood leukocytes of the automatic cell morphology analyzers MC‐100i and DI‐60. Methods: (1) MC‐100i and DI‐60 were used to analyze leukocytes in 432 venous blood samples collected from three tertiary hospitals across China. The preclassification results were compared with the results reported by senior morphological experts (postclassification results) to evaluate the accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and consistency of leukocyte preclassification for both instruments. (2) In 200 of the 432 blood samples, morphological experts conducted manual microscopic examination for various types of leukocytes. The correlation between the MC‐100i and DI‐60 leukocyte postclassification results and the expert microscopist results were analyzed. Results: (1) MC‐100i preclassified leukocytes and nucleated red blood cells (RBCs). Compared with the postclassification results, the total leukocyte preclassification accuracy of MC‐100i was 97.16%, while that of DI‐60 was 87.24%. The sensitivity of MC‐100i to abnormal cells (including blasts, promyelocytes, neutrophilic myelocytes, neutrophilic metamyelocytes, reactive lymphocytes, abnormal promyelocytes, plasma cells, abnormal lymphocytes and nucleated RBCs) was 90.24%, which was significantly higher than the 50.72% sensitivity of DI‐60. (2) Comparing the postclassification results with manual microscopy, except for reactive lymphocytes and basophils, the MC‐100i and DI‐60 results had good correlations with various leukocyte types and nucleated RBCs (r > 0.85), and MC‐100i was better than DI‐60 in the recognition of basophils. Conclusion: Both MC‐100i and DI‐60 have good detection ability for five normal types of leukocytes in peripheral blood. MC‐100i has significantly better detection sensitivity for abnormal cells in peripheral blood than DI‐60. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endoluminal interventions have become one of the main options for the treatment of arteriosclerosis obliterans (ASO). To explore the effect of hydration therapy and nursing intervention on the prevention of contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) after interventional treatment of lower extremity ASO. A convenience sampling method was used to select 94 patients who received ASO treatment in our hospital from March 2019 to May 2021 as the study subjects. All patients underwent endovascular interventional therapy and were randomly divided into two groups by the random number table method, with odd numbers entering the observation group (n= 47) and even numbers entering the control group (n= 47). The control group received routine nursing intervention, while the observation group underwent hydration therapy and had a corresponding nursing intervention scheme. The clinical efficacy of the two groups and the incidence of contrast-induced nephropathy after interventional therapy were compared, and an evaluation of satisfaction within the two groups was performed via a questionnaire. The total effective rate of patients in the observation group was higher after hydration treatment (97.87% vs 87.23%, p< 0.05). The blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, and β2 microglobulin levels in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group after the intervention (p< 0.05). Patients in the observation group had higher nursing satisfaction after using preventive measures of hydration therapy combined with nursing interventions (100% vs 89.36%, p< 0.05). Hydration therapy and nursing intervention can effectively prevent CIN after interventional treatment of lower extremity ASO. After interventional therapy, patients had better clinical outcomes, lower biochemical indexes and improved satisfaction evaluations. The therapy is worthy of clinical promotion and application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The C1q/TNF-related protein 6 (CTRP6) is an adipokine involved in diverse biological processes. Formerly, we identified that CTRP6 regulates adipocyte differentiation, fatty acid oxidation and triglyceride accumulation in vitro. However, the effects of CTRP6 on adiposity in vivo have not yet been defined. This study aimed to confirm the involvement of CTRP6 in adipose accumulation and brown adipogenesis by intraperitoneal injection of the CTRP6-shRNA lentivirus into mice (CL mice). CL mice were significantly thinner than the control mice after feeding with a high fat diet (HFD), independent of food intake quantity. These HFD-fed CL mice displayed lower white and brown adipocyte sizes, and serum leptin levels, but an increase in serum adiponectin and insulin sensitivity relative to control mice. Additionally, the brown fat markers, such as UCP1, PRDM16, PGC1α and Cidea were found to be upregulated in the white and brown adipose tissue of the CL mice. These markers were also upregulated in a primary culture of mouse white and brown adipocytes treated with the CTRP6-shRNA lentivirus. Mechanistically, the knockdown of CTRP6 increased p38MAPK phosphorylation, but decreased expression of proteins involved in the Hedgehog signaling pathway (Sufu, Gli2 and Gli3). CTRP6 knockdown also upregulated expression of mitochondrial metabolic factors NRF-1, TFAM, CPT1 and Cyt C . Data from the current study show that CTRP6 knockdown protects against diet-induced obesity and promotes brown adipogenesis by the p38MAPK/Hh signaling pathway in conjunction with the upregulation of brown fat markers and mitochondrial metabolic factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The chiral amines (R,R and S,S)‐1‐amino‐2‐benzyloxycyclopentane and (R and S)‐α‐methylbenzylamine were converted to ammonium (D and L) hydrogen tartrate salts and induced chiroptic effects were investigated following encapsulation in Q[7]. Significant chiroptic differences were observed in ORD and CD spectra for the two amines. The optical spectra were performed as a precursor study to a potential method for enantiomer separation, utilising Q[7] encapsulation in conjunction with enantio‐pure hydrogen tartrates. An enantiomeric excess was achieved for the two antipodes of 1‐amino‐2‐benzyoxycyclopentane but not for those of α‐methylbenzylamine. However, material differences of crystallinity or the formation of a glass were observed for the latter amine induced by the different antipodes of hydrogen tartrate. 1H NMR spectra of aminobenzyloxycyclopentane showed back‐folding of the two rings with complete encapsulation in Q[7], leading to a secondary helical structure observed in CD spectra. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A bandwidth enhancement for metamaterial microstrip antenna is presented for ultra-wideband (UWB) applications. The metamaterial antenna consists of irregular figures etched on the upper patch periodically and a planar metallic ground carved by grid patterned gaps on the bottom patch. The overall dimension of the proposed antenna is [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]