Transcriptomic Signature of the SHATTERPROOF2 Expression Domain Reveals the Meristematic Nature of Arabidopsis Gynoecial Medial Domain.

Plant meristems, like animal stem cell niches, maintain a pool of multipotent, undifferentiated cells that divide and differentiate to give rise to organs. In Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), the carpel margin meristem is a vital meristematic structure that generates ovules from the medial domain of the gynoecium, the female floral reproductive structure. The molecular mechanisms that specify this meristematic region and regulate its organogenic potential are poorly understood.

2D Confined-Space Assisted Growth of Molecular-Level-Thick Polypyrrole Sheets with High Conductivity and Transparency.

Herein, the use of a 2D soft template system composed of hundred-nanometer-thick water/ethanol mixed layers sandwiched by lamellar bilayer membranes of a self-assembled amphiphilic molecule to produce ultrathin polyprrole (PPy) with a uniform thickness as thin as 3.8 nm and with large dimensions (>2 μm(2)) is presented. The obtained PPy nanosheets exhibit regioregularity with ordered chain alignment where the polymer chains in the nanosheets produced are well aligned with a clear interchain spacing as confirmed by small-angle X-ray scattering measurement.

Dietary α-Linolenic Acid, Marine ω-3 Fatty Acids, and Mortality in a Population With High Fish Consumption: Findings From the PREvención con DIeta MEDiterránea (PREDIMED) Study.

Background: Epidemiological evidence suggests a cardioprotective role of α-linolenic acid (ALA), a plant-derived ω-3 fatty acid. It is unclear whether ALA is beneficial in a background of high marine ω-3 fatty acids (long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids) intake. In persons at high cardiovascular risk from Spain, a country in which fish consumption is customarily high, we investigated whether meeting the International Society for the Study of Fatty Acids and Lipids recommendation for dietary ALA (0.

Periodic Paralysis as a New Phenotype of Resistance to Thyroid Hormone Syndrome in a Chinese Male Adult.

Context: A majority of patients with resistance to thyroid hormone (RTH) are asymptomatic, whereas some patients show signs of hyperthyroidism, or hypothyroidism, or both. Thyrotoxic periodic paralysis is the most common form of acquired periodic paralysis. However, it has not been reported in a patient with RTH up to now.

Carbon Nanotube/Cu Nanowires/Epoxy Composite Mats with Improved Thermal and Electrical Conductivity.

Polymer composites with carbon nanofillers have been regarded as a promising candidate for electronic package materials. The challenge for such materials is to increase the electrical and thermal conductivity of the composites. Herein, we reported an epoxy composite film with high thermal and electrical conductivity that were prepared by loading high volume fraction of well-dispersed multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs, around 50 nm in diameter, 1-10 µm in length) and copper nanowires (Cu NWs, 60-70 nm in diameter, 1-5 µm in length) in epoxy matrix.

Fully Converting Graphite into Graphene Oxide Hydrogels by Preoxidation with Impure Manganese Dioxide.

Potassium permanganate (KMnO4) has been proved to be an efficient oxidant for converting graphite into graphite oxide, but its slow diffusion in the interlayer of graphite seriously restricts the production of graphene oxide (GO). Here, we demonstrate that the preoxidation of graphite by impure manganese dioxide (MnO2) in a mixture of concentrated sulfuric acid (H2SO4) and phosphorus pentoxide (P2O5) can efficiently improve the synthesis of GO when KMnO4 is employed as the oxidant. The prepared honey-like GO hydrogels possess a high yield of single-layer sheets, large sizes (average lateral size up to 20 μm), wide ranges of stable dispersion concentrations (from dilute solutions, viscous hydrogels, to dry films), and good conductivity after reduction (~2.

Homochiral metal phosphonate nanotubes.

A new type of homochiral metal-organic nanotubular structures based on metal phosphonates are reported, namely, (R)- or (S)-[M(pemp)(H2O)2][M = Co(II) (1), Ni(II) (2)] [pemp(2-) = (R)- or (S)-(1-phenylethylamino)methylphosphonate]. In these compounds, the tube-walls are purely inorganic, composed of metal ions and O-P-O bridges. The cavity of the nanotube is hydrophilic with one coordination water pointing towards the center, while the outer periphery of the nanotube is hydrophobic, decorated by the phenylethyl groups of pemp(2-).

Exposure of Human Prostaspheres to Bisphenol A Epigenetically Regulates SNORD Family Noncoding RNAs via Histone Modification.

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a ubiquitous endocrine disruptor exerting lifelong effects on gene expression in rodent prostate cancer (PCa) models. Here, we aimed to determine whether epigenetic events mediating the action of BPA on human prostaspheres enriched in epithelial stem-like/progenitor cells is linked to PCa. We performed genome-wide transcriptome and methylome analyses to identify changes in prostaspheres treated with BPA (10 nM, 200 nM, and 1000 nM) or estradiol-17β (E2) (0.

Crystallographic structure of a small molecule SIRT1 activator-enzyme complex.

SIRT1, the founding member of the mammalian family of seven NAD(+)-dependent sirtuins, is composed of 747 amino acids forming a catalytic domain and extended N- and C-terminal regions. We report the design and characterization of an engineered human SIRT1 construct (mini-hSIRT1) containing the minimal structural elements required for lysine deacetylation and catalytic activation by small molecule sirtuin-activating compounds (STACs). Using this construct, we solved the crystal structure of a mini-hSIRT1-STAC complex, which revealed the STAC-binding site within the N-terminal domain of hSIRT1.

Circulating Very-Long-Chain Saturated Fatty Acids and Incident Coronary Heart Disease in US Men and Women.

Background: Circulating very-long-chain saturated fatty acids (VLCSFAs) may play an active role in the origin of cardiometabolic diseases.

Methods And Results: We measured 3 VLCSFAs (C20:0, C22:0, and C24:0) in plasma and erythrocytes using gas-liquid chromatography among 794 incident coronary heart disease (CHD) cases who were prospectively identified and confirmed among women in the Nurses' Health Study (NHS; 1990-2006) and among men in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study (HPFS; 1994-2008). A total of 1233 CHD-free controls were randomly selected and matched to cases in these 2 cohorts.

Graphitic carbon nitride nanosheet electrode-based high-performance ionic actuator.

Ionic actuators have attracted attention due to their remarkably large strain under low-voltage stimulation. Because actuation performance is mainly dominated by the electrochemical and electromechanical processes of the electrode layer, the electrode material and structure are crucial. Here, we report a graphitic carbon nitride nanosheet electrode-based ionic actuator that displays high electrochemical activity and electromechanical conversion abilities, including large specific capacitance (259.

Nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain 2 receptor is expressed in platelets and enhances platelet activation and thrombosis.

Background: Pattern recognition receptor nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain 2 (NOD2) is well investigated in immunity, but its expression and function in platelets has never been explored.

Method And Results: Using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and Western blot, we show that both human and mouse platelets express NOD2, and its agonist muramyl dipeptide induced NOD2 activation as evidenced by receptor dimerization. NOD2 activation potentiates platelet aggregation and secretion induced by low concentrations of thrombin or collagen, and clot retraction, as well.

Gamma oscillations precede interictal epileptiform spikes in the seizure onset zone.

Objective: To investigate the generation, spectral characteristics, and potential clinical significance of brain activity preceding interictal epileptiform spike discharges (IEDs) recorded with intracranial EEG.

Methods: Seventeen adult patients with drug-resistant temporal lobe epilepsy were implanted with intracranial electrodes as part of their evaluation for epilepsy surgery. IEDs detected on clinical macro- and research microelectrodes were analyzed using time-frequency spectral analysis.

Reexamination of chlorophyllase function implies its involvement in defense against chewing herbivores.

Chlorophyllase (CLH) is a common plant enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of chlorophyll to form chlorophyllide, a more hydrophilic derivative. For more than a century, the biological role of CLH has been controversial, although this enzyme has been often considered to catalyze chlorophyll catabolism during stress-induced chlorophyll breakdown. In this study, we found that the absence of CLH does not affect chlorophyll breakdown in intact leaf tissue in the absence or the presence of methyl-jasmonate, which is known to enhance stress-induced chlorophyll breakdown.

AMG 580: a novel small molecule phosphodiesterase 10A (PDE10A) positron emission tomography tracer.

Phosphodiesterase 10A (PDE10A) inhibitors have therapeutic potential for the treatment of psychiatric and neurologic disorders, such as schizophrenia and Huntington's disease. One of the key requirements for successful central nervous system drug development is to demonstrate target coverage of therapeutic candidates in brain for lead optimization in the drug discovery phase and for assisting dose selection in clinical development. Therefore, we identified AMG 580 [1-(4-(3-(4-(1H-benzo[d]imidazole-2-carbonyl)phenoxy)pyrazin-2-yl)piperidin-1-yl)-2-fluoropropan-1-one], a novel, selective small-molecule antagonist with subnanomolar affinity for rat, primate, and human PDE10A.

Ranolazine effectively suppresses atrial fibrillation in the setting of heart failure.

Background: There is a critical need for safer and more effective pharmacological management of atrial fibrillation (AF) in the setting of heart failure (HF).

Methods And Results: This study investigates the electrophysiological, antiarrhythmic, and proarrhythmic effects of a clinically relevant concentration of ranolazine (5 μmol/L) in coronary-perfused right atrial and left ventricular preparations isolated from the hearts of HF dogs. HF was induced by ventricular tachypacing (2-6 weeks at 200-240 beats per minute; n=17).

Conductive polymer nanocomposites with hierarchical multi-scale structures via self-assembly of carbon-nanotubes on graphene on polymer-microspheres.

A novel and highly conductive 3-dimensional (3D) hierarchical multi-scale structure is formed by a new, simple, facile, and water-based method that enables practical production of conductive carbon nanofiller/polymer composites. More specifically, the π-π interaction between CNTs and graphene oxide (GO) is exploited to disperse conductive but non-polar CNTs with amphiphilic GO sheets to form a stable aqueous colloidal solution. Aqueous-dispersible latex-polystyrene microspheres are then added to enable the self-assembly processes of anchoring CNTs on GO and wrapping microspheres with GO-stabilized CNTs for the formation of an intriguing 3D hierarchical multi-scale structure.

Fabrication and application of flexible graphene silk composite film electrodes decorated with spiky Pt nanospheres.

A free-standing graphene silk composite (G/S) film was fabricated via vacuum filtration of a mixed suspension of graphene oxide and silk fibres, followed by chemical reduction. Spiky structured Pt nanospheres were grown on the film substrate by cyclic voltammetry electrodeposition. The electrical and mechanical performance of a single graphene coated silk fibre was investigated.

Bisphenol A promotes human prostate stem-progenitor cell self-renewal and increases in vivo carcinogenesis in human prostate epithelium.

Previous studies in rodent models have shown that early-life exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) reprograms the prostate and enhances its susceptibility to hormonal carcinogenesis with aging. To determine whether the human prostate is similarly sensitive to BPA, the current study used human prostate epithelial stem-like cells cultured from prostates of young, disease-free donors. Similar to estradiol-17β (E2), BPA increased stem-progenitor cell self-renewal and expression of stem-related genes in a dose-dependent manner.

Dantrolene improves survival after ventricular fibrillation by mitigating impaired calcium handling in animal models.

Background: Resistant ventricular fibrillation, refibrillation. and diminished myocardial contractility are important factors leading to poor survival after cardiac arrest. We hypothesized that dantrolene improves survival after ventricular fibrillation (VF) by rectifying the calcium dysregulation caused by VF.

Nanowire templated semihollow bicontinuous graphene scrolls: designed construction, mechanism, and enhanced energy storage performance.

Graphene scrolls have been widely investigated for applications in electronics, sensors, energy storage, etc. However, graphene scrolls with tens of micrometers in length and with other materials in their cavities have not been obtained. Here nanowire templated semihollow bicontinuous graphene scroll architecture is designed and constructed through "oriented assembly" and "self-scroll" strategy.

Performance assessment in airway management training for nonanesthesiology trainees: an analysis of 4,282 airway procedures performed at a level-1 trauma center.

Background: Although the use of an anesthesiology "airway" rotation to train the nonanesthesiologist is commonly employed, little data exist on the utility, clinical exposure, and outcomes of these programs.

Methods: A prospectively collected observational dataset of airway procedures completed by trainees in a 4-week, anesthesiology-based, airway rotation at an academic, level-1 trauma center from July 2010 to September 2012 was reviewed. Prospectively defined data points were collected through an online data tool and included patient demographics, location, date, best laryngoscopic view, and attempt details.

Loss of collectrin, an angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 homolog, uncouples endothelial nitric oxide synthase and causes hypertension and vascular dysfunction.

Background: Collectrin is an orphan member of the renin-angiotensin system and is a homolog of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2, sharing ≈50% sequence identity. Unlike angiotensin-converting enzyme 2, collectrin lacks any catalytic domain. Collectrin has been shown to function as a chaperone of amino acid transporters.

A microfluidic system for cell type classification based on cellular size-independent electrical properties.

This paper presents a microfluidic system enabling cell type classification based on continuous characterization of size-independent electrical properties (e.g., specific membrane capacitance (C(specific membrane)) and cytoplasm conductivity (σ(cytoplasm)).

Serum lipid abnormalities are not associated with apoB 3' VNTR polymorphism in nephrotic children.

Apolipoprotein B (apoB) gene 3' variable number of tandem repeat (VNTR) is highly variable, and therefore can be an informative marker for associative analysis of lipid metabolism. This is the first report focusing on a possible association of apoB VNTR polymorphism with nephrotic hyperlipidemia. Genomic DNA was extracted from 500 children with primary nephrotic syndrome (PNS) and 500 healthy controls.