A Fast and Effective Microfluidic Spraying-Plunging Method for High-Resolution Single-Particle Cryo-EM.

We describe a spraying-plunging method for preparing cryoelectron microscopy (cryo-EM) grids with vitreous ice of controllable, highly consistent thickness using a microfluidic device. The new polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-based sprayer was tested with apoferritin. We demonstrate that the structure can be solved to high resolution with this method of sample preparation.

AFLP assessment of genetic variability and relationships in an Asian wild germplasm collection of Dactylis glomerata L.

Orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.), an excellent perennial and cool season forage species distributed in most temperate regions, has been cultivated widely in Western China. Amplified fragment length polymorphism markers were employed to determine the genetic variability and population structure among 41 indigenous orchardgrass accessions from Central Asia and Western China.

Long Noncoding RNA LINC00673 Is Activated by SP1 and Exerts Oncogenic Properties by Interacting with LSD1 and EZH2 in Gastric Cancer.

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have emerged as important regulators in a variety of human diseases, including cancers. However, the biological function of these molecules and the mechanisms responsible for their alteration in gastric cancer (GC) are not fully understood. In this study, we found that lncRNA LINC00673 is significantly upregulated in gastric cancer.

LincRNAFEZF1-AS1 represses p21 expression to promote gastric cancer proliferation through LSD1-Mediated H3K4me2 demethylation.

Background: Although the prognosis of gastric cancer patients have a favorable progression, there are some patients with unusual patterns of locoregional and systemic recurrence. Therefore, a better understanding of early molecular events of the disease is needed. Current evidences demonstrate that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) may be an important class of functional regulators involved in human gastric cancers development.

The Pseudogene DUXAP8 Promotes Non-small-cell Lung Cancer Cell Proliferation and Invasion by Epigenetically Silencing EGR1 and RHOB.

Recently, the non-protein-coding functional elements in the human genome have been identified as key regulators in postgenomic biology, and a large number of pseudogenes as well as long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been found to be transcribed in multiple human cancers. However, only a small proportion of these pseudogenes has been functionally characterized. In this study, we screened for pseudogenes associated with human non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) by comparative analysis of several independent datasets from the GEO.

Functional effector memory T cells contribute to protection from superinfection with heterologous simian immunodeficiency virus or simian-human immunodeficiency virus isolates in Chinese rhesus macaques.

Many studies have revealed a protective effect of infection of an individual with an immunodeficiency virus against subsequent infection with a heterologous strain. However, the extent of protection against superinfection conferred by the first infection and the biological consequences of superinfection are not well understood. Here, we report that a rhesus monkey model of mucosal superinfection was established to investigate the protective immune response.

Insight into the genetic variability analysis and cultivar identification of tall fescue by using SSR markers.

Background: Genetic diversity of 19 forage-type and 2 turf-type cultivars of tall fescue ( Schreb.) was revealed using SSR markers in an attempt to explore the genetic relationships among them, and examine potential use of SSR markers to identify cultivars by bulked samples.

Results: A total of 227 clear band was scored with 14 SSR primers and out of which 201 (88.

Hepatotoxicity with Vismodegib: An MD Anderson Cancer Center and Research on Adverse Drug Events and Reports Project.

Background: On 30 January 2012, the US FDA approved vismodegib (Erivedge, Genentech, CA, USA) for the management of both metastatic and locally advanced basal cell carcinoma.

Objective: Our objective was to identify evidence of hepatotoxicity with vismodegib in the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) in treated patients in two National Cancer Institute Comprehensive Cancer Centers.

Methods: FAERS was searched for reports dated 1 January 2009 through 31 December 2015 using terms including hedgehog pathway and vismodegib and hepatic-related terms such as liver, jaundice, and hepatitis, among others.

N-Myc overexpression increases cisplatin resistance in neuroblastoma via deregulation of mitochondrial dynamics.

N-Myc is a global transcription factor that regulates the expression of genes involved in a number of essential cellular processes including: ribosome biogenesis, cell cycle and apoptosis. Upon deregulation, N-Myc can drive pathologic expression of many of these genes, which ultimately defines its oncogenic potential. Overexpression of N-Myc has been demonstrated to contribute to tumorigenesis, most notably for the pediatric tumor, neuroblastoma.

Differential activation of RAW 264.7 macrophages by size-segregated crystalline silica.

Background: Occupational exposure to crystalline silica is a well-established occupational hazard. Once in the lung, crystalline silica particles can result in the activation of alveolar macrophages (AM), potentially leading to silicosis, a fibrotic lung disease. Because the activation of alveolar macrophages is the beginning step in a complicated inflammatory cascade, it is necessary to define the particle characteristics resulting in this activation.

Incidental mutations occur frequently during transposon mutagenesis.

Transposon mutagenesis and subsequent phenotype-driven screening have been extensively used to annotate gene function and uncover the mechanisms of biological phenomena. During this process, the resulting phenotypic differences are specifically attributable to the disrupted genes. In this study, the complementation of the mini-Tn10 transposon-disrupted gene gntP did not restore the germination ability of the Bacillus thuringiensis MT1518-1 mutant to the wild-type level.

Complete genome sequence of Fictibacillus arsenicus G25-54, a strain with toxicity to nematodes.

Root-knot nematodes (RKNs) can infect almost all crops and cause huge economic losses in agriculture worldwide. An in-depth understanding of bacteria with nematicidal activity is essential for an effective and environmentally friendly control of RKNs. Fictibacillus arsenicus G25-54, a gram-positive and spore-forming bacterium isolated from a submerged sand bank, shows nematicidal activity against free-living Caenorhabditis elegans and RKNs.

Low-cost superior solid-state symmetric supercapacitors based on hematite nanocrystals.

We present a facile method for the fabrication of hematite nanocrystal-carbon cloth (FeO-CC) composite. Hierarchical manganite is chosen as the sacrificial precursor, that does not contribute to the component of final iron oxide but can be in situ dissolved by the acid produced from the Fe hydrolysis. This method effectively enhances the specific surface area and conductivity of hematite (FeO) by attaching FeO nanocrystals (around 5 nm) firmly on the surface of carbon fibers.

Identification and Characterization of -Like Genes in Regulation of Ray Floret Development in .

, one of the most economically important ornamental crops worldwide, is well-known for the elaborate and complex inflorescence which is composed of both bilaterally symmetrical ray florets and radially symmetrical disc florets. Despite continuing efforts, the molecular mechanisms underlying regulation of the two flower types are still unclear so far. -like proteins have been shown to control flower symmetry or regulate flower-type identity in several angiosperm plant lineages.

An entomopathogenic bacterium strain, Bacillus thuringiensis, as a biological control agent against the red palm weevil, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae).

Background: The red palm weevil (RPW), Rhynchophorus ferrugineus, is an invasive wood-boring insect that damages palms and sugarcane. Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is an entomopathogenic bacterium which has been modified into various strains and widely used in pest management. The aim of this study was to evaluate the susceptibility of RPW to the HA strain of Bt.

Hysteretic Noisy Chaotic Neural Networks for Resource Allocation in OFDMA System.

This paper addresses two-stage resource allocation in the orthogonal frequency division multiplexing access system. In the subcarrier allocation stage, hysteretic noisy chaotic neural network (HNCNN) with a newly established energy function is proposed for subcarrier allocation to improve the optimization performance and reduce the computational complexity. Activation functions with both anticlockwise and clockwise hysteretic loops are applied to the HNCNN.

Key Intermediates in Ribosome Recycling Visualized by Time-Resolved Cryoelectron Microscopy.

Upon encountering a stop codon on mRNA, polypeptide synthesis on the ribosome is terminated by release factors, and the ribosome complex, still bound with mRNA and P-site-bound tRNA (post-termination complex, PostTC), is split into ribosomal subunits, ready for a new round of translational initiation. Separation of post-termination ribosomes into subunits, or "ribosome recycling," is promoted by the joint action of ribosome-recycling factor (RRF) and elongation factor G (EF-G) in a guanosine triphosphate (GTP) hydrolysis-dependent manner. Here we used a mixing-spraying-based method of time-resolved cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) to visualize the short-lived intermediates of the recycling process.

Curative Effects of Dendritic Cells Combined with Cytokine-Induced Killer Cells in Patients with Malignant Pericardial Effusion.

BACKGROUND To determine the effects of dendritic cells (DCs) and cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells in patients with malignant pericardial effusion. MATERIAL AND METHODS All patients underwent pericardial puncture and indwelling catheter insertion. After pericardial drainage, the 16 patients in the treatment group received an infusion of 20 mL DCs and CIK cells (>1.

LncRNA HOXA11-AS Promotes Proliferation and Invasion of Gastric Cancer by Scaffolding the Chromatin Modification Factors PRC2, LSD1, and DNMT1.

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNA) have been implicated in human cancer but their mechanisms of action are mainly undocumented. In this study, we investigated lncRNA alterations that contribute to gastric cancer through an analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas RNA sequencing data and other publicly available microarray data. Here we report the gastric cancer-associated lncRNA HOXA11-AS as a key regulator of gastric cancer development and progression.

Distinct HIV-1 Neutralization Potency Profiles of Ibalizumab-Based Bispecific Antibodies.

Background: Preexposure prophylaxis using antiretroviral agents has been shown to effectively prevent human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) acquisition in high-risk populations. However, the efficacy of these regimens is highly variable, which is thought to be largely due to the varying degrees of adherence to a daily intervention in the populations. Passive immunization using broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) against HIV-1, with their relatively long half-life and favorable safety profile, could provide an alternative to daily preexposure prophylaxis.

Structure and assembly model for the Trypanosoma cruzi 60S ribosomal subunit.

Ribosomes of trypanosomatids, a family of protozoan parasites causing debilitating human diseases, possess multiply fragmented rRNAs that together are analogous to 28S rRNA, unusually large rRNA expansion segments, and r-protein variations compared with other eukaryotic ribosomes. To investigate the architecture of the trypanosomatid ribosomes, we determined the 2.5-Å structure of the Trypanosoma cruzi ribosome large subunit by single-particle cryo-EM.

Determination of the ribosome structure to a resolution of 2.5 Å by single-particle cryo-EM.

With the advance of new instruments and algorithms, and the accumulation of experience over decades, single-particle cryo-EM has become a pivotal part of structural biology. Recently, we determined the structure of a eukaryotic ribosome at 2.5 Å for the large subunit.

Rational design of MnO@MnO hierarchical nanomaterials and their catalytic activities.

Hierarchically structured materials have special properties and possess potential in applications in the catalytic and electrochemical fields. Herein, two kinds of hierarchical core-shell nanostructures, lavender-like α-MnO@α-MnO and balsam pear-like α-MnO@γ-MnO, were prepared by a facile room-temperature method using α-MnO nanowires as a backbone under acidic and alkaline conditions, respectively. When being used as a catalyst for dimethyl ether combustion, α-MnO@γ-MnO exhibited a better performance than α-MnO@α-MnO (T = 171 vs.

Complete genome sequence of Bacillus thuringiensis serovar alesti BGSC 4C1, a typical strain with toxicity to Lepidoptera insects.

Bacillus thuringiensis serovar alesti was used to control caterpillars from 1970s. Here we reported the complete genome of BGSC 4C1, the type strain of this serovar. It has a circular chromosome and six plasmids.