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Gait recognition is a powerful tool for long-distance identification. However, gaits are influenced by walking environments and appearance changes. Therefore, the gait recognition rate declines sharply when the viewing angle changes. In this work, we propose a novel cross-view gait recognition method with two-way similarity learning. Focusing on the relationships between gait elements in three-dimensional space and the wholeness of human body movements, we design a three-dimensional gait constraint model that is robust to view changes based on joint motion constraint relationships. Different from the classic three-dimensional model, the proposed model characterizes motion constraints and action constraints between joints based on time and space dimensions. Next, we propose an end-to-end two-way gait network using long short-term memory and residual network 50 to extract the temporal and spatial difference features, respectively, of model pairs. The two types of difference features are merged at a high level in the network, and similarity values are obtained through the softmax layer. Our method is evaluated based on the challenging CASIA-B data set in terms of cross-view gait recognition. The experimental results show that the method achieves a higher recognition rate than the previously developed model-based methods. The recognition rate reaches 72.8%, and the viewing angle changes from 36° to 144° for normal walking. Finally, the new method also performs better in cases with large cross-view angles, illustrating that our model is robust to viewing angle changes and that the proposed network offers considerable potential in practical application scenarios.

Porphyromonas gingivalis has been linked to the development and progression of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), and is considered to be a high-risk factor for ESCC. Currently, the commonly used methods for P. gingivalis detection are culture or DNA extraction-based, which are either time and labour intensive especially for high-throughput applications. We aimed to establish and evaluate a rapid and sensitive direct quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) protocol for the detection of P. gingivalis without DNA extraction which is suitable for large-scale epidemiological studies. Paired gingival swab samples from 192 subjects undergoing general medical examinations were analysed using two direct and one extraction-based qPCR assays for P. gingivalis. Tris-EDTA buffer-based direct qPCR (TE-direct qPCR), lysis-based direct qPCR (lysis-direct qPCR) and DNA extraction-based qPCR (kit-qPCR) were used, respectively, in 192, 132 and 60 of these samples for quantification of P. gingivalis. The sensitivity and specificity of TE-direct qPCR was 95.24% and 100% compared with lysis-direct qPCR, which was 100% and 97.30% when compared with kit-qPCR; TE-direct qPCR had an almost perfect agreement with lysis-direct qPCR (κ = 0.954) and kit-qPCR (κ = 0.965). Moreover, the assay time used for TE-direct qPCR was 1.5 h. In conclusion, the TE-direct qPCR assay is a simple and efficient method for the quantification of oral P. gingivalis and showed high sensitivity and specificity compared with routine qPCR.

This study has been carried out to understand the nature of conformational flexibility and electrostatic properties of polyhydroxyl coumarins derivatives. When these compounds present in the active site of S. cerevisiae α-glucosidase, the lactone rings of the molecules are flanking out, while all benzene rings are embedded deep inside the binding cavity. These hydroxyl groups can interact with the surrounding amino acids by hydrogen bonds easily. When the hydroxyl groups at the C9 of benzene ring are replaced by methoxy groups, there is no evident influence on the hydrogen bonding interactions with the surrounding amino acid Asp68 and Lys155. However, their Laplacian values of electron densities of hydroxyl O–H bonds are obviously decreased in the active site, which suggests concentrated electron densities. In general, most of the electron densities of chemical bonds become more depleted after docking with the S. cerevisiae α-glucosidase, implying strong interactions with the surrounding amino acids. For polyhydroxyl coumarin derivatives, the global maximum values of the molecular electrostatic potential on molecular vdW surfaces stem from hydrogen atoms of the hydroxyl groups. However, the values are decreased evidently and stem from the different atoms in both phases while methoxy group is introduced. These fine details at electronic level allow to better understand the exact interactions between natural coumarins derivatives and target protein.

Display Omitted With the increasing of length of the alkyl chain in carboxyalkyl group, B ring of the apigenin derivatives is embedded much more deeply into the binding cavity while carboxyalkyl stretches to the neighboring cavity.The electron density values of the carbonyl in the carboxyl group become higher than the solution status due to the strong molecular interactions.All of the HOMO and LUMO are distributed throughout the whole apigenin ring in solution phase, whereas the disappeared phenomenon happened on the B rings of some molecules (IIVI), leading to higher energy gaps. As one of the most investigated flavonoids, apigenin, is considered to be a strong -glucosidase inhibitor. However, the clinical utility of apigenin is limited due to its low solubility. It was reported that the solubility and biological activity can be improved by introducing sole carboxyalkyl group into apigenin, especially the 7-substitution. With the increase of length of the alkyl chain in carboxyalkyl group, B ring of the apigenin derivative is embedded much more deeply into the binding cavity while the carboxyalkyl stretches to the neighboring cavity. All of the terminal carboxyl groups form hydrogen bonding interactions easily with the surrounding polar amino acids, such as His239, Ser244, Arg312 and Asp349. Thus, the electron density values of the carbonyl in the carboxyl group become higher than the solution status due to the strong molecular interactions. In fact, electron densities of most of the chemical bonds are decreased after molecular docking procedure. On compared with the solution phase, however, dipole moments of most of these molecules are increased, and their vectors are reoriented distinctly in the active sites. It is noticed that all of the Highest Occupied Molecular Orbital (HOMO) and Lowest Unoccupied Molecular Orbital (LUMO) are distributed throughout the whole parent apigenin ring in solution phase, whereas the disappeared situation happened on the B rings of some molecules (IIIV) in the active site, leading to higher energy gaps.

Porphyromonas gingivalis has been linked to the development and progression of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), and is considered to be a high-risk factor for ESCC. Currently, the commonly used methods for P. gingivalis detection are culture or DNA extraction-based, which are either time and labour intensive especially for high-throughput applications. We aimed to establish and evaluate a rapid and sensitive direct quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) protocol for the detection of P. gingivalis without DNA extraction which is suitable for large-scale epidemiological studies. Paired gingival swab samples from 192 subjects undergoing general medical examinations were analysed using two direct and one extraction-based qPCR assays for P. gingivalis. Tris-EDTA buffer-based direct qPCR (TE-direct qPCR), lysis-based direct qPCR (lysis-direct qPCR) and DNA extraction-based qPCR (kit-qPCR) were used, respectively, in 192, 132 and 60 of these samples for quantification of P. gingivalis. The sensitivity and specificity of TE-direct qPCR was 95.24% and 100% compared with lysis-direct qPCR, which was 100% and 97.30% when compared with kit-qPCR; TE-direct qPCR had an almost perfect agreement with lysis-direct qPCR (κ = 0.954) and kit-qPCR (κ = 0.965). Moreover, the assay time used for TE-direct qPCR was 1.5 h. In conclusion, the TE-direct qPCR assay is a simple and efficient method for the quantification of oral P. gingivalis and showed high sensitivity and specificity compared with routine qPCR.

The study aims to investigate whether Long non-coding RNA (LncRNA)-UCA1 can regulate the progression of Parkinson's disease (PD) by mediating a-synuclein (SNCA) expression.PD mouse model was first constructed by intraperitoneal injection of MPTP. SH-SY5Y cells were treated with MPP+ for inducing in vitro PD model. Expression levels of lncRNA-UCA1 and SNCA in brain tissues extracted from PD mice and MPP+-induced SH-SY5Y cells were detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Protein expression of SNCA was accessed by Western blot. After transfection of pcDNA-NC+DMSO, pcDNA-UCA1+DMSO, pcDNA-NC+α-amantin or pcDNA-UCA1+α-amanitin in SH-SY5Y cells, SNCA expression was detected. Cell viability and SNCA expression were determined after UCA1 overexpression or knockdown in SH-SY5Y cells. Neuronal apoptosis in MPP+-induced SH-SY5Y cells was detected by flow cytometry after the UCA1 knockdown.UCA1 and SNCA were highly expressed in brain tissues extracted from PD mice and MPP+-induced SH-SY5Y cells. UCA1 overexpression remarkably upregulated mRNA and protein expressions of SNCA in SH-SY5Y cells. Higher viability was seen after the UCA1 knockdown in MPP+-induced SH-SY5Y cells. UCA1 knockdown remarkably inhibited caspase-3 activity and decreased MPP+-induced neuronal apoptosis in SH-SY5Y cells.LncRNA-UCA1 promotes the occurrence and progression of PD by upregulating SNCA expression.

To explore the role of microRNA-217 in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and its underlying mechanism.MicroRNA-217 expression in 48 NSCLC tissues and paracancerous tissues were detected by qRT-PCR (quantitative Real-time polymerase chain reaction). The relationship between microRNA-217 expression and prognosis of NSCLC patients was analyzed. Target gene of microRNA-217 was predicted by bioinformatics method and further verified by luciferase reporter gene assay. Cell proliferation, cell cycle and apoptosis were detected after altering microRNA-217 expression in NSCLC cells. The effect of microRNA-217 on regulating PI3K pathway was detected by Western blot.MicroRNA-217 was downregulated in NSCLC tissues than that of paracancerous tissues. Shorter overall survival (OS) was observed in NSCLC patients with lower expression of microRNA-217 than those with higher expression. Overexpressed microRNA-217 remarkably inhibited proliferation and cell cycle, whereas induced apoptosis of NSCLC cells. AKT3 was screened out to be the target gene of microRNA-217. Western blot results demonstrated that microRNA-217 upregulated AKT3 and PI3K pathway-related genes.Downregulated microRNA-217 promotes the occurrence and progression of NSCLC through upregulating AKT3 via PI3K pathway.

Apigenin is an important flavonoids due to its antidiabetic bioactivity. It was reported experimentally that the 7-substituent derivative of apigenin has higher biological activity than 4′- and 5-substituted derivatives while introducing sole carboxyalkyl group -(CH2)7COOH into the parent structure. Molecular docking studies indicated that the other two derivatives have lower binding affinities than the 7-substituent derivative (-7.52 kcal mol−1), which is considered to be a better inhibitor than the parent molecule. Almost all of the carbon atoms and oxygen atoms are coplaner for all three molecules in solution phase, however, all carboxyalkyl groups bend inside into the parent molecules in the active site, and the jagged geometries of the carbon chains are destroyed correspondingly. In addition, most of the electron densities of the chemical bonds for all molecules are decreased, especially the 7-substituent derivative. In contrast, most of the Laplacian values for three molecules are increased in the active site, which suggests that the charge densities at the bond critical point (bcp) are much more depleted than the solution phase. Dipole moments of derivatives are all increased in the active site, suggesting strong intermolecular interactions. After interacting with the S. cerevisiae α-glucosidase, only the 7-substituent derivative has the lowest energy gap ΔE HOMO-LUMO, which indicates the lowest stability and the highest inhibition activity.

Fruit ripening is a complex developmental process, the details of which remain largely unknown in fleshy fruits. In this paper, the fruit flesh of two peach varieties, "Zhongyou9" (a nectarine; Prunus persica L. Batsch) and its mutant "Hongyu", was analyzed by RNA-seq technology during two stages of ripening at 20-day intervals. One hundred and eighty significant upregulated and two hundred and thirty-five downregulated genes were identified in the experiment. Many of these genes were related to plant hormones, chlorophyll breakdown, accumulation of aroma and flavor volatiles, and stress. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first transcriptome analysis of peach ripening, and our data will be useful for further studies of the molecular basis of fruit ripening.

To investigate the relationship between vitamin A deficiency (VAD), vitamin E deficiency (VED) and infectious diseases.We chose 684 cases of healthy children age 5 months-12 years from our hospital, measured their VA, VE from vein under the light proof condition with high-pressure liquid chromatography. Thereafter, the children who get the acute respiratory tract infection (ARI) or diarrhea two weeks later were registered.After the two weeks trial (N=684 cases), the VA level of children with ARI was lower than that of children without ARI (0.23±0.02 mg/ml/0.33±0.01 mg/ml), p0.05. Moreover, the VE level of children with ARI was significantly lower than that of children without ARI (p0.05). Most interestingly, the proportion of children with diarrhea accompanied with decreased VA level in serum was higher than that of children without diarrhea, indicating that VA level0.2 mg/L more easily affected acute respiratory tract infection.We were able to demonstrate that Children who presented vitamin A deficiency were easier to get the acute respiratory tract infection (ARI) and diarrhea. Children who presented vitamin E deficiency were easier to get the acute respiratory tract infection (ARI). Vitamin A and vitamin E deficiencies are one of the important factors related to occurrences of acute infectious diseases in children.

β-glucosidase is one of the critical enzymes to the type 2 diabetes, which belongs to a large family of glycoside hydrolases. In this article, we attempted to explore the binding modes between two drugs and β-glucosidases by comparing their bonding modes with β-glucosidases from different species. Results showed that the binding orientations and geometrical conformation of synthetic drug (miglitol) and natural product (quercetin) were all different in all active sites, which may be related to the flexibility of the molecules. Compared with the conformations obtained by density functional theory calculations at the B3LYP/6-31G* level, the docking conformations indicated that the -CH2CH2OH group of miglitol and the B ring of quercetin were the most critical groups to the stabilities in the active sites. Finally, protein sequence alignment was performed under default parameters. Although the sequence similarity is not very high between these β-glucosidases, the residues related to the active sites were conservative; especially the one involved in H-bond interactions between three species, namely soil metagenome, Micrococcus antarcticus and termite Neotermes koshunensis.

Defective DNA of tobacco leaf curl virus (TLCV) was identified in TLCV-infected tobacco plants. The defective DNA was cloned and sequenced. The sequence showed it was about half the size of the TLCV DNA-A, and was derived from TLCV DNA-A by a large deletion. The defective DNA contained the intergenic region and part of the AC1 (Rep) gene of TLCV, and also novel open reading frames (ORFs). The immunotrapping tests showed the defective DNA was associated with geminate particles, suggesting it could be encapsidated in virus particles. It was transmitted, along with full-length DNA-A, to tobacco plants by grafting and whitefly (Bemisia tabaci).