Publications by authors named "HaiJun Liu"

The phycobilisome (PBS) captures light energy and transfers it to photosystem I (PSI) and photosystem II (PSII). Which and how many copies of protein subunits in PBSs, PSI, and PSII remain unbound in thylakoids are unknown. Here, quantitative mass spectrometry (QMS) was used to quantify substantial pools of free extrinsic subunits of PSII and PSI.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Identifying transcriptional cis-regulatory elements (CREs) and understanding their role in gene expression are essential for the precise manipulation of gene expression and associated phenotypes. This knowledge is fundamental for advancing genetic engineering and improving crop traits.

Results: We here demonstrate that CREs can be accurately predicted and utilized to precisely regulate gene expression beyond the range of natural variation.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

In this paper, a 3.2-3.6 GHz two-stage Doherty power amplifier (PA) module is proposed for fifth-generation (5G) massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) base stations.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Rationale: Brucella neuropathy is a rare clinical condition, particularly in nonendemic areas, where it often presents with nonspecific symptoms such as fever and headaches, leading to frequent misdiagnoses. In these regions, Brucella antibodies are not routinely tested, and the positive rate of blood cultures is relatively low during the early stage of the disease. In addition, the low culture-positive rate of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) means that many neurobrucellosis diagnoses rely on peripheral blood cultures or Brucella antibodies, which is not rigorous.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

In this work, the strong connection between the channel and the barrier layer of AlGaN channel heterostructures has been investigated in detail. Unlike GaN as a channel material, AlGaN channel layers significantly influence the transport characteristics and quality of AlGaN barrier layers with increasing Al composition. Furthermore, the stress mechanism in the growth of the AlGaN layer has been thoroughly discussed.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

A time-lapse live embryo monitoring system provides a powerful approach to recording dynamic developmental events of cultured embryos in detail. By obtaining continuous short-interval images, blastocyst formation can be predicted and embryos can be selected. The objective of this study was to investigate the morphokinetic parameters of fishing cat-domestic cat interspecies somatic cell nuclear transfer (iSCNT) embryos from one-cell to blastocyst stages, and in particular, the cleavage patterns of the first division in iSCNT and IVF embryos, as these play a central role in euploidy.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Maize, a cornerstone of global food security, has undergone remarkable transformations through breeding, yet further increase in global maize production faces mounting challenges in a changing world. In this Perspective paper, we overview the historical successes of maize breeding that laid the foundation for present opportunities. We examine both the specific and shared breeding goals related to diverse geographies and end-use demands.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a central nervous system degenerative disease with a stealthy onset and a progressive course characterized by memory loss, cognitive dysfunction, and abnormal psychological and behavioral symptoms. However, the pathogenesis of AD remains elusive. An increasing number of studies have shown that oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) and oligodendroglial lineage cells (OLGs), especially OPCs and mature oligodendrocytes (OLGs), which are derived from OPCs, play important roles in the pathogenesis of AD.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: (), one of the most prevalent blue-green algae in aquatic environments, produces microcystin by causing harmful algal blooms (HAB). This study investigated the combined effects of nutrients and cyanobacterial subpopulation competition on synthesizing microcystin-LR.

Method: In varied nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations, cyanobacterial coculture, and algicidal DCMU presence, the growth was monitored by optical density analysis or microscopic counting, and the microcystin production was analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography-UV.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Photosystem II (PSII) splits water in oxygenic photosynthesis on Earth. The structure and function of the CSM-type PSII-LHCII (light-harvesting complex II) megacomplexes from the wild-type and PsbR-deletion mutant plants are studied through electron microscopy (EM), structural mass spectrometry, and ultrafast fluorescence spectroscopy [time-resolved fluorescence (TRF)]. The cryo-EM structure of a type I CSM megacomplex demonstrates that the three domains of PsbR bind to the stromal side of D1, D2, and CP43; associate with the single transmembrane helix of the redox active Cyt ; and stabilize the luminal extrinsic PsbP, respectively.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Embryonic stem cells can self-organize into structures similar to blastocysts, which are important for studying early development and potential therapies.
  • Researchers identified key factors influencing blastoid formation, focusing on the gene Nr1h2, which is critical for its development and operation across multiple species.
  • Activation of Nr1h2 not only promotes blastoid creation but also enhances their ability to implant in the uterus and contribute to both embryonic and extraembryonic tissues, highlighting its broad regulatory role in early embryonic development.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Kernel dehydration rate (KDR) significantly influences maize harvesting and kernel quality, but its mechanisms are not fully understood.
  • Researchers discovered a quantitative trait locus (QTL) called qKDR1, which regulates the expression of a peptide gene, RPG, that produces a micropeptide (microRPG1) impacting KDR through ethylene signaling pathways.
  • Knockout experiments showed that loss of microRPG1 leads to quicker KDR, while overexpression or applying the micropeptide slows it down, providing insight for future maize breeding strategies.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • * In the study, researchers deleted a part of the protein subunit ApcE (specifically the linker domain LD3) which led to a mutated PBS structure with a bicylindrical core similar to one from another species.
  • * The mutation compromised the energy transfer efficiency between PC and APC, increased susceptibility to light damage, and impaired binding with orange carotenoid protein (OCP), demonstrating the important role of the tricylindrical core in PBS
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third deadliest cancer in the world, with a high incidence, aggressiveness, poor prognosis, and resistant to drugs. 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) is the most commonly used drug for the chemotherapeutic of CRC, however, CRC is resistant to 5-FU after a period of treatment. Therefore, there is an urgent need to explore the underlying molecular mechanisms of CRC resistance to 5-FU.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates the presence of an electric field in twisted-bilayer molybdenum disulfide (MoS) and its connection to local polar domains using advanced imaging techniques and computational methods.
  • It uncovers the formation of in-plane topological vortices in structured patterns at different twist angles, particularly at small angles and a 30° twist, which generates intricate chiral vortex designs.
  • The research emphasizes that manipulating the twist in 2D bilayers opens up new possibilities for controlling electric polar vortices at a very small scale.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The prediction of total ionospheric electron content (TEC) is important for space weather and communication, and deep learning models are commonly used for this purpose.
  • Hyperparameter optimization is a major challenge in enhancing the predictive performance of these models, and the Beluga Whale Optimization (BWO) algorithm is a method employed for this optimization.
  • This paper introduces an improved version of BWO called FAMBWO, which shows faster convergence and better solutions, and presents an automated machine learning framework (FAMBWO-MA-BiLSTM) for TEC prediction that outperforms traditional optimization methods.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The Northern Goshawk Optimization (NGO) algorithm is effective but struggles with local optima and slow convergence, prompting the development of the Multi-Strategy Improved Northern Goshawk Optimization (MSINGO) algorithm to address these issues.
  • MSINGO incorporates innovative strategies like cubic mapping and weighted stochastic mutation to enhance its optimization capabilities.
  • Comparative experiments showed MSINGO outperformed five well-known and six newer algorithms in most scenarios, proving its effectiveness in various engineering applications.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • A new toolkit has been created to facilitate whole genome alignment, processing, and analysis as long-read sequencing technologies advance, making individual complete genomes more accessible.
  • This toolkit supports various formats and offers features like alignment-based variant calling and visualization, enabling effective population-level genome analysis.
  • Developed in Rust for efficiency and safety, the software is free and open-source, available on GitHub, and capable of handling large datasets of numerous genomes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

To investigate the value of prognostic nutrition index (PNI) and systemic immunoinflammatory index (SII) for predicting pathological responses of patients with advanced gastric cancer (GC) after neo-adjuvant chemotherapy (NACT). The clinicopathological data of 326 patients with advanced GC who received NACT in Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University (The First People's Hospital of Changde City) from January 2017 to December 2021 were retrospectively collected. The SII and PNI of patients were calculated.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Motor neuron disease (MND), specifically amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder linked to immune responses involving cells like monocytes/macrophages and T cells.
  • A 56-year-old male was diagnosed with ALS after experiencing progressive limb weakness and sensory issues, alongside a proposed diagnosis of Sjögren's syndrome when he reported dry mouth and a bitter taste.
  • The study suggests incorporating Sjögren's syndrome screening in ALS evaluations and emphasizes the need for further research into the immune mechanisms underlying both conditions for better diagnosis and treatment options.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The study investigated the bacterial diversity during the maize wet-milling steeping process, identifying a rich microbial community consisting of 16 phyla and 290 genera in steeping liquor compared to unsteeped maize.
  • As steeping progressed, Lactobacillus became the dominant bacterium, replacing other genera, leading to enhanced starch yields through the use of thermophilic and acidophilic microbial consortia.
  • Combining the microbial consortium with sodium hydroxide (SO) increased starch yield to 66.4%, while also altering maize structure by disrupting the protein matrix and freeing starch granules, highlighting a more eco-friendly steeping method.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Classic genome-wide association studies (GWAS) investigate links between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and specific traits but often struggle to yield reliable results due to confounding factors like environmental influences and complex genetics.
  • Advanced GWAS models have been developed to improve the detection of true genotype-phenotype associations by offering more flexibility and better statistical power, yet they remain underutilized in comparison to traditional methods.
  • This review aims to summarize the benefits of these advanced models and encourage plant biologists to adopt them for more effective GWAS in studying complex traits.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Perfluorinated and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are recognized as emerging contaminants that may harm human health and the environment, leading to increased interest in studying their toxicity.
  • Machine learning (ML) is being utilized in toxicity studies of PFASs to develop prediction models and improve understanding of their toxicological effects, marking a significant trend in environmental toxicology.
  • The review covers various applications of ML in PFAS toxicity research, discusses challenges in current methodologies, and offers guidance for future studies to enhance understanding of PFASs' health impacts.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The study addresses the urgent need for effective air filtration by developing biomass-based membranes that efficiently filter air pollutants.
  • The membrane, made from a mix of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), gelatin (GA), and cellulose nanocrystals (CNC), achieved a remarkable 97.65% filtration efficiency for PM2.5 due to its unique structure and electrostatic properties.
  • Importantly, this composite membrane maintained good mechanical strength and stability over time, while also being produced without the use of harmful organic solvents, promoting a more environmentally friendly approach.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Nitrogen is a crucial nutrient for crop growth, particularly for winter wheat in the North China Plain, where its yield has significantly increased over the past 20 years.
  • A field experiment tested five different nitrogen application rates to assess their impact on crop yield and efficiency during the 2017-2019 winter wheat seasons.
  • The study found that applying 200 kg N per hectare maximized crop yield and nutrient efficiency, recommending a balanced distribution of nitrogen during key growth stages for optimal results.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF