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The article offers information on the rapid deployment of low-cost renewable energy driven by climate change and the development of advanced photovoltaic (PV) technologies. Topics include the rising efficiency of metal-halide perovskite solar cells (PSCs); their applications in various fields beyond traditional solar plants; and the challenges related to defects and local heterogeneities in perovskite films.

Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) are major signaling hubs in metazoans, playing crucial roles in cell proliferation, migration, and differentiation. However, few tools are available to measure the activity of a specific RTK in individual living cells. Here, we present pYtags, a modular approach for monitoring the activity of a user-defined RTK by live-cell microscopy. pYtags consist of an RTK modified with a tyrosine activation motif that, when phosphorylated, recruits a fluorescently labeled tandem SH2 domain with high specificity. We show that pYtags enable the monitoring of a specific RTK on seconds-to-minutes time scales and across subcellular and multicellular length scales. Using a pYtag biosensor for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), we quantitatively characterize how signaling dynamics vary with the identity and dose of activating ligand. We show that orthogonal pYtags can be used to monitor the dynamics of EGFR and ErbB2 activity in the same cell, revealing distinct phases of activation for each RTK. The specificity and modularity of pYtags open the door to robust biosensors of multiple tyrosine kinases and may enable engineering of synthetic receptors with orthogonal response programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnesium is an important nutrient for plants, but much is still unknown about plant Mg2+ transporters. Combining with the structural prediction of AlphaFold2, we used mutagenesis and 28Mg uptake assay to study the highly conserved "GMN" motif of Arabidopsis thaliana MRS2-1 (AtMRS2-1) transporter. We demonstrated that the glycine and methionine in GMN motif are essential for AtMRS2-1 to transport Mg2+. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant TRANS-ACTING SIRNA3 (TAS3)-derived short interfering RNAs (siRNAs) include tasiR-AUXIN RESPONSE FACTORS (ARFs), which are functionally conserved in targeting ARF genes, and a set of non-tasiR-ARF siRNAs, which have rarely been studied. In this study, TAS3 siRNAs were systematically characterized in rice (Oryza sativa). Small RNA sequencing results showed that an overwhelming majority of TAS3 siRNAs belong to the non-tasiR-ARF group, while tasiR-ARFs occupy a diminutive fraction. Phylogenetic analysis of TAS3 genes across dicot and monocot plants revealed that the siRNA-generating regions were highly conserved in grass species, especially in the Oryzoideae. Target genes were identified for not only tasiR-ARFs but also non-tasiR-ARF siRNAs by analyzing rice Parallel Analysis of RNA Ends datasets, and some of these siRNA-target interactions were experimentally confirmed using tas3 mutants generated by genome editing. Consistent with the de-repression of target genes, phenotypic alterations were observed for mutants in three TAS3 loci in comparison to wild-type rice. The regulatory role of ribosomes in the TAS3 siRNA-target interactions was further revealed by the fact that TAS3 siRNA-mediated target cleavage, in particular tasiR-ARFs targeting ARF2/3/14/15, occurred extensively in rice polysome samples. Altogether, our study sheds light into TAS3 genes in plants and expands our knowledge about rice TAS3 siRNA-target interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant TRANS-ACTING SIRNA3 (TAS3)-derived short interfering RNAs (siRNAs) include tasiR-AUXIN RESPONSE FACTORS (ARFs), which are functionally conserved in targeting ARF genes, and a set of non-tasiR-ARF siRNAs, which have rarely been studied. In this study, TAS3 siRNAs were systematically characterized in rice (Oryza sativa). Small RNA sequencing results showed that an overwhelming majority of TAS3 siRNAs belong to the non-tasiR-ARF group, while tasiR-ARFs occupy a diminutive fraction. Phylogenetic analysis of TAS3 genes across dicot and monocot plants revealed that the siRNAgenerating regions were highly conserved in grass species, especially in the Oryzoideae. Target genes were identified for not only tasiR-ARFs but also non-tasiR-ARF siRNAs by analyzing rice Parallel Analysis of RNA Ends datasets, and some of these siRNA-target interactions were experimentally confirmed using tas3 mutants generated by genome editing. Consistent with the de-repression of target genes, phenotypic alterations were observed for mutants in three TAS3 loci in comparison to wild-type rice. The regulatory role of ribosomes in the TAS3 siRNA-target interactions was further revealed by the fact that TAS3 siRNA-mediated target cleavage, in particular tasiR-ARFs targeting ARF2/3/14/15, occurred extensively in rice polysome samples. Altogether, our study sheds light into TAS3 genes in plants and expands our knowledge about rice TAS3 siRNA-target interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Functionally graded materials (FGMs) are widely applied in aerospace, energy, biology and other fields. Simultaneous determination of the thicknesses of all the graded layers is of great importance in evaluating the quality of an FGM. A model is set up to characterise the ultrasonic waves reflected from an FGM composed of thin layers at normal incidence. The reflection spectrum is derived to simultaneously obtain the thicknesses of the various graded layers. To prove the feasibility of the proposed method, it is applied to measure the layer thicknesses of a prepared Al-Ti bi-layered material specimen without delaminations. An inverse algorithm based on the Gauss-Newton method is introduced to determine the thicknesses by comparing the theoretical and measured reflection spectra. The effects of the frequency bandwidth of the transducer on the thickness convergence zones and the thickness measurement results are investigated. The sensitivity of the proposed method to the thickness parameters is studied. The results indicate that the frequency bandwidth plays an important role in the thickness measurement. The relative thickness errors of the Al layer and the Ti layer in this experiment are -5.28% and +2.77% using 5 MHz and 15 MHz transducers. It is concluded that a combination of reflection spectra and inverse techniques can be employed to simultaneously obtain the graded layer thicknesses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study Design: Retrospective analysis using data from randomized clinical trials.Objective: To compare the occurrence of heterotopic ossification (HO) between two cervical disc prostheses. Clinical outcome and range of motion (ROM) were also evaluated.Summary Of Background Data: Cervical arthroplasty was reported to be able to maintain the segmental ROM. However, controversy exists since the difference of the occurrence of HO concerning cervical prosthesis is still huge.Methods: Patients who underwent anterior cervical discectomy with arthroplasty for a cervical radiculopathy due to a herniated disc from the The Netherlands Cervical Kinematics (NECK) trial (activC; metal endplates with a polyethylene inlay and a keel for primary stability) and the PROCON trial (Bryan; metal-on-polymer with titanium coated endplates without a keel) were analyzed for HO at 12 and 24 months postoperatively. HO was scored according to the McAfee-Mehren classification. Segmental ROM was defined by a custom developed image analysis tool, and global cervical ROM was measured by Cobb's angle. Clinical outcome was evaluated by means of the neck disability index (NDI) as well as physical-component summary (PCS) and mental-component summary (MCS).Results: At 2-year follow-up, the occurrence of HO was 68% in patients treated with the activC prosthesis (severe HO 55%), which was comparable with 85% (P = 0.12) in patients with the Bryan disc (severe HO 44%; P = 0.43). The HO progression was similar between groups. Clinically, the patients had comparable NDI, PCS, and MCS at 2-year follow-up, and comparable improvement of clinical outcomes. The global ROM in the Bryan group (56.4 ± 10.8°) was significantly higher than in the activC group (49.5 ± 14.0, P = 0.044) at 2-year follow-up.Conclusion: In comparison of two cervical disc prostheses the development of HO is independent on their architecture. Although global ROM was higher in the Bryan prosthesis group, this difference was not deemed clinically important, particularly because the clinical condition of patients with and without severe HO was comparable.Level Of Evidence: 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study Design: Retrospective analysis using data from RCTs OBJECTIVE.: This study aimed to report on the incidence of radiological adjacent segment degeneration (ASD) in patients with cervical radiculopathy due to a herniated disc that were randomized to receive cervical arthroplasty or arthrodesis.Summary Of Background Data: Cervical disc prostheses were introduced to prevent ASD in the post-surgical follow-up. However, it is still a controversial issue.Methods: 253 Patients were included in two randomized, double-blinded trials comparing anterior cervical discectomy with arthroplasty (ACDA), with intervertebral cage (ACDF), or without intervertebral cage (ACD) for one-level disc herniation. Neutral lateral radiographs were obtained preoperatively, at 1- and 2-year follow-up after surgery. Radiological ASD was evaluated on X-ray and defined by a decrease in disc height and the presence of anterior osteophyte formation on both the superior and the inferior level in relation to the target level.Results: Radiological ASD was present in 34% of patients at baseline and increased to 59% at two-year follow-up in the arthrodesis groups (ACD and ACDF combined), and to 56% in the arthroplasty group. Progression of radiological ASD was present in 29% of patients in the arthrodesis group and in 31% of patients in the arthroplasty group for 2-year follow-up.Conclusions: Radiological ASD occurs in a similar manner in patients that were subjected to arthrodesis in cervical radiculopathy and in patients that received arthroplasty to maintain motion. Current data tend to indicate that the advantage of cervical prosthesis in preventing radiological ASD is absent.Level Of Evidence: 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The perinuclear theca (PT) is a dense cytoplasmic web encapsulating the sperm nucleus. The physiological roles of PT in sperm biology and the clinical relevance of variants of PT proteins to male infertility are still largely unknown. We reveal that cylicin- 1, a major constituent of the PT, is vital for male fertility in both mice and humans. Loss of cylicin- 1 in mice leads to a high incidence of malformed sperm heads with acrosome detachment from the nucleus. Cylicin- 1 interacts with itself, several other PT proteins, the inner acrosomal membrane (IAM) protein SPACA1, and the nuclear envelope (NE) protein FAM209 to form an 'IAM--cylicins--NE' sandwich structure, anchoring the acrosome to the nucleus. WES (whole exome sequencing) of more than 500 Chinese infertile men with sperm head deformities was performed and a CYLC1 variant was identified in 19 patients. Cylc1- mutant mice carrying this variant also exhibited sperm acrosome/head deformities and reduced fertility, indicating that this CYLC1 variant most likely affects human male reproduction. Furthermore, the outcomes of assisted reproduction were reported for patients harbouring the CYLC1 variant. Our findings demonstrate a critical role of cylicin- 1 in the sperm acrosome--nucleus connection and suggest CYLC1 variants as potential risk factors for human male fertility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phase separation (PS) drives the formation of biomolecular condensates that are emerging biological structures involved in diverse cellular processes. Recent studies have unveiled PS-induced formation of several transcriptional factor (TF) condensates that are transcriptionally active, but how strongly PS promotes gene activation remains unclear. Here, we show that the oncogenic TF fusion Yes-associated protein 1-Mastermind like transcriptional coactivator 2 (YAP-MAML2) undergoes PS and forms liquid-like condensates that bear the hallmarks of transcriptional activity. Furthermore, we examined the contribution of PS to YAP-MAML2-mediated gene expression by developing a chemogenetic tool that dissolves TF condensates, allowing us to compare phase-separated and non-phase-separated conditions at identical YAP-MAML2 protein levels. We found that a small fraction of YAP-MAML2-regulated genes is further affected by PS, which include the canonical YAP target genes CTGF and CYR61, and other oncogenes. On the other hand, majority of YAP-MAML2-regulated genes are not affected by PS, highlighting that transcription can be activated effectively by diffuse complexes of TFs with the transcriptional machinery. Our work opens new directions in understanding the role of PS in selective modulation of gene expression, suggesting differential roles of PS in biological processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Auricularia auricula are rich source of bioactive polysaccharides. Three methods of extraction of polysaccharide from these fungi was studied. These methods included, water-based, ultrasonic-assisted, and enzyme-based extractions. The results showed that the enzyme-based extraction was better than ultrasonic-assisted extraction and water extraction. While abundance of polysaccharide concentration in A. auricula-judae and A. delicata were similar, their yield following enzymebased extractions were higher than that of A. polytricha. The maximum A. auricula-judae polysaccharide concentration in enzyme-assisted extraction was obtained at a pH of 5.0, a temperature of 50°C and 3% cellulase concentration, and the polysaccharide concentration was 52.28 mg/g. The maximum A. delicata polysaccharide concentration (55.16 mg/g) was extracted at a pH of 5.0, a temperature of 50°C and 4% cellulase concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of the fluorine-based reactive ion etch (RIE) process on the structural, electrical, and magnetic properties of NiFe and CoNiFe-plated materials was investigated. Several techniques, including X-ray fluorescence, 4-point-probe, BH looper, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS), were utilized to characterize both bulk film properties such as thickness, average composition, Rs, q, Bs, Ms, and surface magnetic "dead" layers' properties such as thickness and element concentration. Experimental data showed that the majority of Rs and Bs changes of these bulk films were due to thickness reduction during exposure to the RIE process. q and Ms change after taking thickness reduction into account were negligible. The composition of the bulk films, which were not sensitive to surface magnetic dead layers with nano-meter scale, showed minimum change as well. It was found by TEM and EELS analysis that although both before and after RIE there were magnetic dead layers on the top surface of these materials, the thickness and element concentration of the layers were quite different. Prior to RIE, dead layer was actually native oxidation layers (about 2 nm thick), while after RIE dead layer consisted of two sub-layers that were about 6 nm thick in total. Sub-layer on the top was native oxidation layer, while the bottom layer was RIE "damaged" layer with very high fluorine concentration. Two in-situ RIE approaches were also proposed and tested to remove such damaged sub-layers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plants can serve as a good form of coastal protection against wave wash. A series of physical experiments was conducted with various flexible plant arrangements under regular wave parameters, and the composite wave heights were measured both ahead of and behind the plants. Goda's method was used to resolve incident and reflected waves from the composite waves, from which the wave transmission coefficient and the dissipated energy ratio were obtained. It was observed that the wave transmission coefficient decreased with increasing relative number of plant rows, increasing relative density of plants, and increasing relative wave height and wave steepness. The wave transmission coefficient increased with an increasing wave period T < 2.00 s; however, it decreased with an increasing wave period T ≥ 2.00 s. In contrast, the dissipated energy ratio was disproportionate to the wave transmission coefficient. Dimensional analysis and the least squares method were used to obtain the wave transmission coefficient and the dissipated energy ratio formulas, and they agreed well with the experimental data. This study provided insight into plant revetment engineering at the coastal zone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploring the migration behaviors of selenium in granite is critical for the safe disposal of radioactive waste. The matrix diffusion and sorption of 75Se(IV) (analogue for 79Se) in granite were systematically studied to set reliable parameters in this work. Through-diffusion and batch sorption experiments were conduct with four types of Beishan granite. The magnitudes of the obtained apparent diffusion coefficient (Da) values are of the following order: monzogranite > granodiorite-2 > granodiorite-1, which is opposite to the sequence of the Kd values obtained from both the diffusion model and batch sorption experiments. The EPMA results of the granitic flakes showed that there was no obvious enrichment of Se(IV) on quartz, microcline and albite. Only biotite showed a weak affinity for Se(IV). Macroscopic sorption behaviors of Se(IV) on the four types of granite were identical with the sequence of the granitic biotite contents. Quantitative fitting results were also provided. XPS and XANES spectroscopy data revealed that bidentate inner-sphere complexes were formed between Se(IV) and Fe(III). Our results indicate that biotite can be representative of the Se(IV) sorption in complex mineral assemblages such as granite, and the biotite contents are critically important to evaluate Se(IV) transport in granite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reliability evaluation of high reliability and long life equipment is widely concerned in recent decades. Enough failure samples of these kinds of equipment are not easy or economic to obtain in reliability test, in addition, experience information is sometimes inaccurate or uncertainty. To overcome the deficiency in traditional method which requires large numbers of samples, a quantitative analysis model of equipment reliability evaluation is proposed in this paper in view of the few failure data of equipment life tests. GERT network is introduced to describe the kinds of working states of the equipment system, and random process of equipment state transition choice after stress impact of single component. Considering the uncertainty and inaccuracy of the statistical data and experience information, the parameters of GERT network are represented by interval grey number. The system equivalent transfer function could be obtained by GERT matrix solving algorithm, and the reliability evaluation of equipment system can be realized. The case study results show that the equipment reliability evaluation Grey-GERT model based on small samples would save much time with little accuracy losing. Besides, the study provides a new thinking for reliability accelerated life test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pituicytoma is a rare tumor of the sellar and suprasellar regions, arising from the pituicytes, which are specialized glial cells in the neurohypophysis and infundibulum. Due to its rarity, ambiguity persists over the diagnosis, management and prognosis of pituicytoma. The current study presents a case series of three patients, each with a histopathological diagnosis of pituicytoma. A summary of the clinical manifestations, radiological characteristics, histopathological features, treatment strategies and prognoses are presented. In addition, 78 cases of pituicytoma, identified in a search of the published literature in Pubmed, are profiled. Pituicytoma typically presents with dysfunction of the optic nerve and pituitary. The radiological characteristics are nonspecific; diagnosis is typically made on the basis of histopathological results. The tumor is slow growing and benign and is amenable to surgical treatment by gross total resection; subsequent tumor recurrence is rare. A definitive assessment of prognosis requires an extended follow-up in a larger cohort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway performs a central role in tumorigenesis and is constitutively activated in many malignancies. As a novel dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitor currently undergoing evaluation in a phase I/II clinical trial, NVP-BEZ235 indicates a significant antitumor efficacy in diverse solid tumors, including colorectal cancer (CRC). Autophagy is a catabolic process that maintains cellular homeostasis and reduces diverse stresses through lysosomal recycling of the unnecessary and damaged cell components. This process is also observed to antagonize the antitumor efficacy of PI3K/mTOR inhibitor agents such as NVP-BEZ235, via apoptosis inhibition. In the present study, we investigated anti-proliferative and apoptosis-inducing ability of NVP-BEZ235 in SW480 cells and the crosstalk between autophagy and apoptosis in SW480 cells treated with NVP-BEZ235 in combination with an autophagy inhibitor. The results revealed that, NVP-BEZ235 effectively inhibit the growth of SW480 cells by targeting the PI3K/mTOR signaling pathway and induced apoptosis. The inhibition of autophagy with 3-methyladenine or chloroquine inhibitors in combination with NVP-BEZ235 in SW480 cells enhanced the apoptotic rate as componets to NVP-BEZ235 alone. In conclusion, the findings provide a rationale for chemotherapy targeting the PI3K/mTOR signaling pathway presenting a potential therapeutic strategy to enhance the efficacy of dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitor NVP-BEZ235 in combination with an autophagy inhibitor in CRC treatment and treatment of other tumors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The synthesis of landomycin D, the disaccharide congener of landomycins, detailing the assembly of the 2-deoxy-sugar units onto the angucycline aglycon is described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Esophageal cancer is one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide. Although, surgery, radio- and chemotherapy are used to treat the disease, the identification of new drugs is crucial to increase the curative effect. The aim of the present study was to examine the chemotherapeutic sensitizing effect of nimotuzumab (h-R3) and cisplatin cytotoxic drugs cisplatin (DDP) and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) on esophageal carcinoma cells with two different epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expressions. The expression of EGFR was detected in the human EC1 or EC9706 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cell line using immunohistochemistry. The inhibitory effect of DDP and 5-FU alone or combined with h-R3 on EC1 or EC9706 cell proliferation was detected using an MTT assay. Flow cytometry and the TUNEL assay were used to determine the effect of single or combined drug treatment on cell apoptosis. The results showed that the expression of EGFR was low in EC1 cells but high in EC9706 cells. The inhibitory effect of the single use of h-R3 on EC1 or EC9706 cell proliferation was decreased. The inhibitory effect between single use of h-R3 alone and combined use of the chemotherapy drugs showed no statistically significant difference (P>0.05) on the EC1 cell growth rate, but showed a statistically significant difference (a=0.05) on EC9706 cell growth rate. The results detected by flow cytometry and TUNEL assay showed that the difference between single use of h-R3 alone and the control group was statistically significant with regard to the EC1 apoptosis rate effect (P<0.05), but not statistically significant for EC9706 (P>0.05). However, statistically significant differences were identified in the apoptotic rate of EC9706 cells between the h-R3 combined chemotherapy group and single chemotherapy group (P<0.05), but not on in the EC1 chemotherapy group (P>0.05). In conclusion, the sensitization effect of h-R3 on chemotherapy drugs is associated with the expression level of EGFR in EC1 or EC9706 cells. The cell killing effect of the combined use of h-R3 with DDP and 5-FU showed no obvious synergistic effect compared to the single-drug group, but only an additive effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IgG4 antibodies are evolving as an important class of cancer immunotherapies. However, human IgG4 can undergo Fab arm (half molecule) exchange with other IgG4 molecules in vivo. The hinge modification by a point mutation (S228P) prevents half molecule exchange of IgG4. However, the experimental confirmation is still expected by regulatory agencies. Here, we report for the first time the extensive analysis of half molecule exchange for a hinge-modified therapeutic IgG4 molecule, pembrolizumab (Keytruda) targeting programmed death 1 (PD1) receptor that was approved for advanced melanoma. Studies were performed in buffer or human serum using multiple exchange partners including natalizumab (Tysabri) and human IgG4 pool. Formation of bispecific antibodies was monitored by fluorescence resonance energy transfer, exchange with Fc fragments, mixed mode chromatography, immunoassays, and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. The half molecule exchange was also examined in vivo in SCID (severe combined immunodeficiency) mice. Both in vitro and in vivo results indicate that the hinge modification in pembrolizumab prevented half molecule exchange, whereas the unmodified counterpart anti-PD1 wt showed active exchange activity with other IgG4 antibodies or self-exchange activity with its own molecules. Our work, as an example expected for meeting regulatory requirements, contributes to establish without ambiguity that hinge-modified IgG4 antibodies are suitable for biotherapeutic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of compound Radix Sophorae Flavescentis on the proliferation of esophageal carcinoma TE-8 cells and to elucidate the mechanisms involved. For this purpose, we incubated TE-8 cells in medium containing various concentrations (0, 0.0125, 0.025, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.4 and 0.8 mg/ml) of the compound Radix Sophorae Flavescentis injection and its effects on the proliferation of TE-8 cells were examined by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. In addition, we observed the morphological changes and measured the expression levels of apoptosis-related genes (caspase-3, Bcl-2 and Bax) in the cells treated with different doses of the compound (low-dose group, 0.05 mg/ml; medium-dose group, 0.2 mg/ml; and high-dose group, 0.8 ng/ml) by reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). The apoptotic index of the cancer cells treated with different doses of the compound was determined by TUNEL assay. Our results revealed that compared with the control group (untreated cells), the proliferation of the cancer cells treated with the compound was significantly inhibited (P≤0.05); the inhibition of the proliferation of the cancer cells occurred in a dose-dependent manner. Compared with the control group, the apoptotic rate of the cells in the low-dose, medium-dose and high-dose groups increased significantly (P<0.05) in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, compared with the control group, the mRNA expression of caspase-3 and Bax increased significantly in the cells treated with the compound. However, the mRNA expression of Bcl-2 markedly decreased (P<0.05). With the gradual increase in the drug concentration, the mRNA expression levels of caspase-3, Bcl-2 and Bax in the cancer cells were altered in a dose-dependent manner. In conclusion, our data demonstrate that compound Radix Sophorae Flavescentis injection significantly enhances the expression of pro-apoptotic genes in esophageal carcinoma TE-8 cells by increasing apoptosis and inhibiting cell proliferation. Thus, this study provides a theoretical basis for the clinical treatment of esophageal carcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An ultrafast and low-power all-optical tunable metamaterial-induced transparency is realized, using polycrystalline barium titanate doped gold nanoparticles and multilayer tungsten disulfide microsheets as nonlinear optical materials. Large nonlinearity enhancement is obtained associated with quantum confinement effect, local-field effect, and reinforced interaction between light and multilayer tungsten disulfide. Low threshold pump intensity of 20 MW/cm² is achieved. An ultrafast response time of 85 ps is maintained because of fast carrier relaxation dynamics in nanoscale crystal grains of polycrystalline barium titanate. This may be useful for the study of integrated photonic devices based on two-dimensional materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The massive death of nerve cells and the inflammatory microenvironment resulting from the release of reactive oxygen species after spinal cord injury (SCI) hinders the subsequent reconstruction of motor function. Owing to complex pathological changes, combination therapy is a potential new way to treat SCI. In this study, a novel multifunctional hydrogel containing an MXene-Au complex was constructed, and neural stem cells (NSCs) loaded in the hydrogel were combined with electrical stimulation to promote the recovery of motor function after SCI in rats. The constructed MAu-GelMA hydrogel had good reactive oxygen species-scavenging ability, electrical conductivity, and antibacterial ability. Simultaneously, electrical stimulation promoted the proliferation and differentiation of NSCs into nerve cells and promoted the establishment of synaptic connections between neurons. In the rat SCI model, combined treatment using MAu-GelMA hydrogel carrying NSCs and electrical stimulation reduced the formation of cavities and glial scars, enhanced neuronal differentiation and myelin regeneration of NSCs in the injured area, and promoted the recovery of motor function after SCI. In conclusion, in this study, we constructed a novel multifunctional hydrogel capable of carrying NSCs, which upon combining with electrical stimulation during treatment, effectively promoted the recovery of motor function in rats with SCI, thereby providing a new combination therapy strategy for SCI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnesium (Mg) homeostasis is critical for maintaining many biological processes, but little information is available to comprehend the molecular mechanisms regulating Mg concentration in rice (Oryza sativa). To make up for the lack of information, we aimed to identify mutants defective in Mg homeostasis through a forward genetic approach. As a result of the screening of 2,825 M2 seedlings mutated by ion-beam irradiation, we found a rice mutant that showed reduced Mg content in leaves and slightly increased Mg content in roots. Radiotracer 28Mg experiments showed that this mutant, named low-magnesium content 1 (LMGC1), has decreased Mg2+ influx in the root and Mg2+ translocation from root to shoot. Consequently, LMGC1 is sensitive to the low Mg condition and prone to develop chlorosis in the young mature leaf. The MutMap method identified a 7.4-kbp deletion in the LMGC1 genome leading to a loss of two genes. Genome editing using CRISPR-Cas9 further revealed that one of the two lost genes, a gene belonging to the RanBP2-type zinc-finger family that we named RanBP2-TYPE ZINC FINGER1 (OsRZF1), was the causal gene of the low Mg phenotype. OsRZF1 is a nuclear protein and may have a fundamental role in maintaining Mg homeostasis in rice plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here we report the direct asymmetric amination of α-substituted cyclic ketones catalyzed by a chiral phosphoric acid, yielding products with a N-containing quaternary stereocenter in high yields and excellent enantioselectivities. Kinetic resolution of the starting ketone was also found to occur on some of the substrates under milder conditions, providing enantioenriched α-branched ketones, another important building block in organic synthesis. The utility of this methodology was demonstrated in the short synthesis of (S)-ketamine, the more active enantiomer of this versatile pharmaceutical. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study related to catalytic enantioselective fluorination. Topics discussed include electrophilic and nucleophilic fluorination, catalytic enantioselective trifluoromethylation and perfluoroalkylation, catalytic enantioselective monofluoromethylation, difluoromethylation and trifluoromethylthiolation and significance of fluorine and fluorine containing groups in asymmetric catalysis methods.

Copper (Cu) is an essential element that plays a very important role in plant growth and development. Its accumulation in soil is now considered a serious environmental problem endangering agricultural production and human health. In this study, the influence of exogenous nitric oxide (NO) on photosynthesis, Cu, magnesium (Mg), and iron (Fe) contents was studied in tomato seedlings under Cu stress grown in hydroponic culture. The results showed that the addition of sodium nitroprusside (SNP), a donor of exogenous NO, significantly alleviated photosynthetic inhibition in Cu-stressed tomatoes, including the recovery of photosynthetic pigment content and chlorophyll a fluorescence and the improvement of net photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, and transpiration rate. Application of exogenous NO by SNP reduced the excessive accumulation of Cu and recovered Mg and Fe contents in Cu-stressed tomatoes. This positive involvement of exogenous NO in tomato tolerance to Cu stress was further confirmed by addition of 2-(4-carboxyphenyl)-4,4,5,5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl-3-oxide (cPTIO), a specific NO scavenger, which resulted in further reduction of photosynthesis and more severe disturbance of ion homeostasis in Cu-stressed seedlings. These results indicate that rebalance of ion content was involved in alleviation of photosynthesis inhibition in Cu-stressed tomatoes by exogenous NO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrospray ionization (ESI) tandem mass spectrometry coupled with liquid chromatography is a routine technique for identifying and quantifying compounds in complex mixtures. The identification step can be aided by matching acquired tandem mass spectra (MS2) against reference library spectra as is routine for electron ionization (El) spectra from gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). However, unlike the latter spectra, ESI MS2 spectra are likely to originate from various precursor ions for a given target molecule and may be acquired at varying energies and resolutions and have characteristic noise signatures, requiring processing methods very different from El to obtain complete and high quality reference spectra for individual analytes. This paper presents procedures developed for creating a tandem mass spectral library that addresses these factors. Library building begins by acquiring MS2 spectra for all major MS1 peaks in an infusion run, followed by assigning MS2 spectra to clusters and creating a consensus spectrum for each. Intensity-based constraints for cluster membership were developed, as well as peak testing to recognize and eliminate suspect peaks and reduce noise. Consensus spectra were then examined by a human evaluator using a number of criteria, including a fraction of annotated peaks and consistency of spectra for a given ion at different energies. These methods have been developed and used to build a library from >9000 compounds, yielding 230,000 spectra. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanoscale multichannel filter is realized in plasmonic circuits directly, which consists of four plasmonic nanocavities coupled via a plasmonic waveguide etched in a gold film. The feature device size is only 1.35 μm, which is reduced by five orders of magnitude compared with previous reports. The optical channels are formed by transparency windows of plasmon-induced transparencies. A shift of 45 nm in the central wavelengths of optical channels is obtained when the plasmonic coupled-nanocavities are covered with a 100-nm-thick poly(methyl methacrylate) layer. This work opens up the possibility for the realization of solid quantum chips based on plasmonic circuits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a study involving the successful merger of two separate chiral catalytic cycles: a chiral anion phase-transfer catalysis cycle to activate Selectfluor and an enamine activation cycle, using a protected amino acid as organocatalyst. We have demonstrated the viability of this approach with the direct asymmetric fluorination of α-substituted cyclohexanones to generate quaternary fluorine-containing stereocenters. With these two chiral catalytic cycles operating together in a matched sense, high enantioselectivites can be achieved, and we envisage that this dual catalysis method has the potential to be more broadly applicable, given the breadth of enamine catalysis. It also represents a rare example of chiral enamine catalysis operating successfully on α-branched ketones, substrates commonly inert to this activation mode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Almost completely exfoliated natural rubber/butadiene rubber/organophilic montmorillonite (NR/BR/OMMT) nanocomposites were successfully prepared by mechanical blending. The optimal type of OMMT was carefully selected, using characterization by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and the mechanical properties of composites, from three NR/BR/OMMT composites with different kinds of OMMT. The almost completely exfoliated NR/BR/OMMT nanocomposites were confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and XRD. Then a series of NR/BR/OMMT (the optimal organoclay) nanocomposites with various amounts of OMMT were prepared and characterized. The results showed the tensile strength and tear strength of nanocomposite with only 3 parts per hundreds of rubber (phr) of clay were improved by about 90.8 and 54.0% in comparison with the pure NR/BR, respectively and the stress relaxation behavior showed the equilibrium stress was higher than that of the pure sample. The increase of the cure rate index (VC) and reduction of the optimum time (T90) indicated the efficiency of vulcanization was improved. The addition of OMMT also improved the oil resistance of the NR/BR composite however, the thermal stability was not changed significantly. The outstanding performance of these tire sidewall materials with OMMT reinforcement means that they are good prospects for application in the tire industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of 2 nitrate levels, 14 (CK) and 140 mmol L-1 (T), on the leaf gas exchange variables of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L. cv. Xintaimici) seedlings grown in hydroponic culture were investigated. Photosynthetic light- and CO2-response curves from CK and T seedlings were determined and used for the analysis of photosynthetic capacity. The results showed that nitrate stress resulted in a significant reduction of net photosynthesis of T seedlings compared with CK. At the same time, the apparent quantum yield, light-saturated net photosynthesis, carboxylation efficiency, and CO2-saturated net photosynthesis in nitrate-stressed cucumbers also decreased significantly with the increase of treatment time. At 12 days, the apparent quantum yield, light-saturated net photosynthesis, carboxylation efficiency, and CO2-saturated net photosynthesis in nitrate-stressed cucumbers were 47%, 60%, 64%, and 54% lower than CK, respectively. The relative effect of stomatal resistance on photosynthesis (S%) in nitrate-stressed cucumber seedlings increased significantly during the first 8 days and returned to the level of CK thereafter. This evidence indicates that not only stomatal but also nonstomatal limitations might be involved in the reduction of net photosynthetic rate in nitrate-stressed seedlings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

e-Science promotes global research collaboration based on Grid, hence building a user infrastructure that can facilitate the use of physical Grids to improve the Grid usability and accessibility becomes critical. This paper proposes to use a user-centered design approach to build a user level infrastructure for running Grid-enabled simulations, and reviews associated technologies. In a case study, a user infrastructure formulated by encompassing the user-centered design approach for running quantum mechanical simulation of material properties in a Grid environment is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose a novel method for building recognition from forward looking infrared (FLIR) image sequences with clutter in the background for automatic target recognition (ATR). In the first phase, dynamic feature space is defined, and camera model and multi-scale characteristic views model that are used to predict model's features based on 3D object reference model are introduced. In the second phase, the original image is preprocessed using morphological grayscale filters that respond to the size, shape and orientation of object to suppress the background that contains the non-stationary nature and man-made objects of the clutter image. In the following phase, segmentation for the result of image preprocessing is used to obtain regions of interest (ROIs), and features extraction of ROIs and matching retain ROIs that are closest to predicted features. Lastly, the object is identified by fusing the line features. Experiment results show the algorithm can recognize the object from FLIR image sequences with a complicated background. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recombinant adenoviruses (rAd), widely used as vectors for gene therapy, are generally purified by column chromatography and frequently contain empty capsids and other aberrant forms of virus particles. To determine particle heterogeneity we utilized analytical ultracentrifugation (AUC) in CsCl density gradients. Preparations of three different rAd vectors were assessed. AUC was able to resolve multiple density forms including two empty capsid types in various virus preparations. One unusual density form (form V), was noninfectious and lacked protein VI. AUC was able to quantify empty capsids and monitor their removal during process development. Their relative concentrations were reduced by either addition of an immobilized zinc affinity chromatography (IZAC) step or by extension of the infection time. The Adenovirus Reference Material (ARM), a wild-type Ad5, had 2.2% empty capsids and no other detectable minor particle forms. Finally, AUC was utilized to monitor the thermal instability of the three rAd vectors via the transformations of different density forms. The vector and empty capsids containing protein IX were more stable than those without IX. Together, these results exemplify AUC in CsCl density gradients as a valuable technique for evaluating product particle heterogeneity and stability. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 97: 746–763, 2008 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been recognized that protease-activated receptors (PARs), interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-6 are involved in the pathogenesis of allergic diseases, and that IL-12 plays a role in adaptive immune response. However, little is known of the effect of IL-12 on protease-induced cytokine release from mast cells. In the present study, we examined potential influence of IL-12 on mast cell PAR expression and IL-4 and IL-6 release. The results showed that IL-12 downregulated the expression of PAR-2 and upregulated expression of PAR-4 on P815 cells. It also downregulated expression of PAR-2 mRNA, and upregulated expression of PAR-1, PAR-3 and PAR-4 mRNAs. However, IL-12 enhanced trypsin- and tryptase-induced PAR-2 and PAR-2 mRNA expression. It was observed that IL-12 induced release of IL-4, but reduced trypsin- and tryptase-stimulated IL-4 secretion from P815 cells. PD98059, U0126 and LY294002 not only abolished IL-12-induced IL-4 release but also inhibited IL-12-induced phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase and Akt. In conclusion, IL-12 may serve as a regulator in keeping the balance of Th1 and Th2 cytokine production in allergic inflammation.Immunology and Cell Biology (2007) 85, 558–566; doi:10.1038/sj.icb.7100085; published online 26 June 2007 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Covalent modification by Nedd8 (neddylation) stimulates the ubiquitin-protein isopeptide ligase (E3) activities of Cullins. DCN-1, an evolutionarily conserved protein, promotes neddylation of Cullins in vivo, binds directly to Nedd8, and associates with Cdc53 in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The 1.9Å resolution structure of yeast DCN-1 shows that the region encompassing residues 66-269 has a rectangular parallelepiped-like all -helical structures, consisting of an EF-hand motif N-terminal domain and a closely juxtaposed C-terminal domain with six -helices. The EF-hand motif structure is highly similar to that of the c-Cbl ubiquitin E3 ligase. We also demonstrate that DCN-1 directly binds to Rbx-1, a factor important for protein neddylation. The structural and biochemical results are consistent with the role of DCN-1 as a scaffold protein in a multisubunit neddylation E3 ligase complex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a component-based software framework that can facilitate the development of lifecycle information management systems for consumer products is developed. This software framework can accommodate the management of lifecycle data at all stages, especially data that occur in distribution, usage, maintenance and end-of-life stages, and use them to provide information and knowledge. The software framework is built with software components, based on a component-based concept with reference to a product lifecycle information acquisition and management model proposed within this research study. Two actual lifecycle information management systems are created using the Framework in field trials. This software framework can open new horizons for product design which are sustainable and environmentally sensitive. It also contributes to the wider exploration of middleware solutions for implementing next generation consumer products (e.g. smart home appliances) and intelligent products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most conventional motion planning algorithms that are based on the model of the environment cannot perform well when dealing with the navigation problem for real-world mobile robots where the environment is unknown and can change dynamically. In this paper, a layered goal-oriented motion planning strategy using fuzzy logic is developed for a mobile robot navigating in an unknown environment The information about the global goal and the long-range sensory data are used by the first layer of the planner to produce an intermediate goal, referred to as the way-point, that gives a favorable direction in terms of seeking the goal within the detected area. The second layer of the planner takes this way-point as a subgoal and, using short-range sensory data, guides the robot to reach the subgoal while avoiding collisions. The resulting path, connecting an initial point to a goal position, is similar to the path produced by the visibility graph motion planning method, but in this approach there is no assumption about the environment. Due to its simplicity and capability for real-time implementation, fuzzy logic has been used for the proposed motion planning strategy. The resulting navigation system is implemented on a real mobile robot, Koala, and tested in various environments. Experimental results are presented which demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed fuzzy navigation system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objectives] The paper was to study the effects of different herbicides on weed control, agronomic characters and grain quality of Coix lacryma-jobi L. [Methods] Six commonly used herbicides were selected for the trial, including atrazine SC, butachlor SC, monosulfuron WP, MCPA-starane EC, clopyralid AS and tribenuron-methyl WP. [Results] (i) Atrazine, butachlor and monosulfuron had no chemical injury to C. lacryma-jobi L., while clopyralid caused slight chemical injur)', (ii) The fresh weight control effects of atrazine, butachlor and monosulfuron on weeds increased first and then decreased. The initial control effect of MCPA-starane and clopyralid reached more than 90%; the control effect of monosulfuron increased gradually in the late stage, reaching 97% at 60 d post spraying, and the overall control effect was optimal. (iii) Compared with manual weeding, herbicides had no significant effect on plant height of C. lacryma-jobi L. However, compared with no weeding, other herbicides except tribenuron-methyl inhibited plant growth to a certain extent. Herbicides had different effects on main stem diameter, tiller number per plant and grain number per plant of C. lacryma-jobi L. (iv) Different herbicides had no significant effect on 100-grain weight, but had significant effect on yield, (v) Compared with manual weeding, atrazine, butachlor and clopyralid decreased the protein content of C. lacryma-jobi L., and the use of atrazine, butachlor, monosulfuron, MCPA-starane and tribenuron-methyl decreased the fat content of C. lacryma-jobi L.; butachlor and MCPA-starane decreased the glycerol trioleate content of C. lacryma-jobi L. Compared with no weeding, chemical herbicides had no significant effect on the protein content, while atrazine decreased the fat content, and butachlor and MCPA-starane decreased the glycerol trioleate content of C. lacryma-jobi L. [ Conclusions] The use of herbicides significantly increases crop yield compared with no weeding, but has an impact on agronomic characters and grain quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first total synthesis of landomycin A, the longest and most potent antitumor angucycline antibiotic, has been achieved in 63 steps and 0.34% overall yield starting from 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid, 3,5-dimethylphenol, triacetyl d-glucal, and d-xylose, with a convergent linear sequence of 21 steps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Avian metapneumovirus subgroup C (aMPV/C), an important pathogen causing acute respiratory infection in chickens and turkeys, contributes to substantial economic losses in the poultry industry worldwide. aMPV/C has been reported to induce autophagy, which is beneficial to virus replication. Sequestosome 1 (SQSTM1/P62), a selective autophagic receptor, plays a crucial role in viral replication by clearing ubiquitinated proteins. However, the relationship between SQSTM1-mediated selective autophagy and aMPV/C replication is unclear. In this study, we found that the expression of SQSTM1 negatively regulates aMPV/C replication by reducing viral protein expression and viral titers. Further studies revealed that the interaction between SQSTM1 and aMPV/C M2-2 protein is mediated via the Phox and Bem1 (PB1) domain of the former, which recognizes a ubiquitinated lysine at position 67 of the M2-2 protein, and finally degrades M2-2 via SQSTM1-mediated selective autophagy. Collectively, our results reveal that SQSTM1 degrades M2-2 via a process of selective autophagy to suppress aMPV/C replication, thereby providing novel insights for the prevention and control of aMPV/C infection. IMPORTANCE The selective autophagy plays an important role in virus replication. As an emerging pathogen of avian respiratory virus, clarification of the effect of SQSTM1, a selective autophagic receptor, on aMPV/C replication in host cells enables us to better understand the viral pathogenesis. Previous study showed that aMPV/C infection reduced the SQSTM1 expression accompanied by virus proliferation, but the s pecific regulatory mechanism between them was still unclear. In this study, we demonstrated for the first time that SQSTM1 recognizes the 67th amino acid of M2-2 protein by the interaction between them, followed by M2-2 degradation via the SQSTM1-mediated selective autophagy, and finally inhibits aMPV/C replication. This information supplies the mechanism by which SQSTM1 negatively regulates viral replication, and provides new insights for preventing and controlling aMPV/C infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MatCloud provides a high-throughput computational materials infrastructure for the integrated management of materials simulation, data, and computing resources. In comparison to AFLOW, Material Project, and NoMad, MatCloud delivers two-fold functionalities: a computational materials platform where users can do on-line job setup, job submission and monitoring only via Web browser, and a materials properties simulation database. It is developed under Chinese Materials Genome Initiative and is a China own proprietary high-throughput computational materials infrastructure. MatCloud has been on line for about one year, receiving considerable registered users, feedbacks, and encouragements. Many users provided valuable input and requirements to MatCloud. In this paper, we describe the present MatCloud, future visions, and major challenges. Based on what we have achieved, we will endeavour to further develop MatCloud in an open and collaborative manner and make MatCloud a world known China-developed novel software in the pressing area of high-throughput materials calculations and materials properties simulation database within Material Genome Initiative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

an important role in thermogenesis and energy metabolism. However, the regulatory factors that inhibit BAT activity remain largely unknown. Here, cardiotrophin-like cytokine factor 1 (CLCF1) is identified as a negative regulator of thermogenesis in BAT. Adenovirus-mediated overexpression of CLCF1 in BAT greatly impairs the thermogenic capacity of BAT and reduces the metabolic rate. Consistently, BAT-specific ablation of CLCF1 enhances the BAT function and energy expenditure under both thermoneutral and cold conditions. Mechanistically, adenylate cyclase 3 (ADCY3) is identified as a downstream target of CLCF1 to mediate its role in regulating thermogenesis. Furthermore, CLCF1 is identified to negatively regulate the PERK-ATF4 signaling axis to modulate the transcriptional activity of ADCY3, which activates the PKA substrate phosphorylation. Moreover, CLCF1 deletion in BAT protects the mice against diet-induced obesity by promoting BAT activation and further attenuating impaired glucose and lipid metabolism. Therefore, our results reveal the essential role of CLCF1 in regulating BAT thermogenesis and suggest that inhibiting CLCF1 signaling might be a potential therapeutic strategy for improving obesity-related metabolic disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Established prognostic models of idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN) were limited to traditional modeling methods and did not comprehensively consider clinical and pathological patient data. Based on the electronic medical record (EMR) system, machine learning (ML) was used to construct a risk prediction model for the prognosis of IMN. Methods: Data from 418 patients with IMN were diagnosed by renal biopsy at the Fifth Clinical Medical College of Shanxi Medical University. Fifty-nine medical features of the patients could be obtained from EMR, and prediction models were established based on five ML algorithms. The area under the curve, recall rate, accuracy, and F1 were used to evaluate and compare the performances of the models. Shapley additive explanation (SHAP) was used to explain the results of the best-performing model. Results: One hundred and seventeen patients (28.0%) with IMN experienced adverse events, 28 of them had compound outcomes (ESRD or double serum creatinine (SCr)), and 89 had relapsed. The gradient boosting machine (LightGBM) model had the best performance, with the highest AUC (0.892 ± 0.052, 95% CI 0.840-0.945), accuracy (0.909 ± 0.016), recall (0.741 ± 0.092), precision (0.906 ± 0.027), and F1 (0.905 ± 0.020). Recursive feature elimination with random forest and SHAP plots based on LightGBM showed that anti-phospholipase A2 receptor (anti-PLA2R), immunohistochemical immunoglobulin G4 (IHC IgG4), D-dimer (D-DIMER), triglyceride (TG), serum albumin (ALB), aspartate transaminase (AST), ß2-microglobulin (BMG), SCr, and fasting plasma glucose (FPG) were important risk factors for the prognosis of IMN. Increased risk of adverse events in IMN patients was correlated with high anti-PLA2R and low IHC IgG4. Conclusions: This study established a risk prediction model for the prognosis of IMN using ML based on clinical and pathological patient data. The LightGBM model may become a tool for personalized management of IMN patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exaggerated Type 2 immune responses play critical roles in the pathogenesis of a variety of diseases including asthma, allergy, and pulmonary fibrosis. Recent studies have highlighted the importance of innate type 2 immune responses and innate lymphoid 2 cells (ILC2s) in these disorders. However, the mechanisms that control the development of pulmonary innate type 2 responses (IT2IR) and the recruitment and/or activation of ILC2 cells are poorly understood. In mouse models of pulmonary IT2IR, we demonstrated that phospholipid scramblase-1 (PLSCR1), a type II transmembrane protein that mediates bidirectional and nonspecific translocation of phospholipids between the inner and outer leaflets of the plasma membrane, was a critical regulator of IT2IR in the lung. We further suggested that (a) PLSCR1 bound to and physically interacted with chemoattractant receptor-homologous molecule(CRTH2), which is a G-protein-coupled receptor that is expressed on TH2 cells and on multiple immune cells and is commonly used to identify ILC2 cells, and (b) the effects of PLSCR1 on ILC2 activation and IT2IR were mediated via CRTH2-dependent mechanisms. Overall, our studies demonstrated that PLSCR1 played an essential role in the pathogenesis of ILC2 responses, providing critical insights into biology and disease pathogenesis and identifying targets that can be manipulated in attempts to control IT2IR in chronic diseases such as asthma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All-optical tunable metamaterial-induced transparency is realized using polycrystalline lithium niobate doped with gold nanoparticles and multilayer molybdenum disulfide microsheets as a third-order nonlinear optical material. A low threshold pump intensity of 90 kW cm−2 is obtained based on nonlinearity enhancement associated with the quantum confinement effect, the local-field enhancement effect, and reinforced interaction between photons and the multilayer molybdenum disulfide microsheets. An ultrafast response time of 27.4 ps is maintained owing to the fast relaxation dynamics of bound electrons in the polycrystalline lithium niobate. This work may pave a way for the realization of ultrahigh speed information processing chips based on metamaterials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, an ultrasound/CCl4 system was used to degrade the fluoroquinolone antibiotic, ciprofloxacin, in aqueous solution. The effect of CCl4 concentration and initial solution pH on ciprofloxacin degradation were investigated. The results showed that ciprofloxacin degraded effectively under an ultrasound/CCl4 system, with degradation efficiency increasing from 0.51% to 50.92%, when the CCl4 concentration ranged from 0.0 to 41.4 mmol/L in 40 min. Radical scavenging experiments certified that both •OH and chlorine-containing radicals contributed to ciprofloxacin degradation. Eight intermediates were detected using ultra high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS) method, including three chloro-intermediates. Based on these results, the possible degradation pathways of ciprofloxacin are proposed. Agar diffusion tests with E. coli and S. aureus showed that ciprofloxacin's antibacterial activity was completely removed in 40 min. This study indicates that an ultrasound/CCl4 system can degrade ciprofloxacin and remove its antibacterial activity, and thus is a promising process for treating fluoroquinolone antibiotics in wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Primary-side regulation (PSR) scheme is widely applied in low power applications, such as cell phone chargers, network adapters, and LED drivers. However, the efficiency and standby power requirements have been improved to a high standard due to the new trends of DOE (Department Of Energy) Level VI and COC (Code Of Conduct specifications) V5. The major drawbacks of PSR include poor regulation due to inaccurate feedback and difficulty in acquiring acceptable regulation. A novel adaptive blanking strategy for constant current and constant voltage regulation is proposed in this paper. An accurate model for the sample blanking time related to transformer leakage inductance and the metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) parasitic capacitance is established. The proposed strategy can achieve accurate detection for ultra-low standby power. In addition, numerous control factors are analyzed in detail to eliminate the influence of leakage inductance on the loop stability. A dedicated controller integrated circuit (IC) with a power MOSFET is fabricated to verify the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy. Experimental results demonstrated that the prototype based on the proposed IC has excellent performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]