Ultrastable actinide endohedral borospherenes.

Since the discovery of the first all-boron fullerenes B, metal-doped borospherenes have received extensive attention. So far, in spite of theoretical efforts on metalloborospherenes, the feasibility of actinide analogues remains minimally explored. Here we report a series of actinide borospherenes AnB (An = U, Th; n = 36, 38, and 40) using DFT-PBE0 calculations.

Cyclophilin D deficiency attenuates mitochondrial perturbation and ameliorates hepatic steatosis.

Unlabelled: Physiological opening of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP) is indispensable for maintaining mitochondrial function and cell homeostasis, but the role of the mPTP and its initial factor, cyclophilin D (CypD), in hepatic steatosis is unclear. Here, we demonstrate that excess mPTP opening is mediated by an increase of CypD expression induced hepatic mitochondrial dysfunction. Notably, such mitochondrial perturbation occurred before detectable triglyceride accumulation in the liver of high-fat diet-fed mice.

Association between structural and functional brain alterations in drug-free patients with schizophrenia: a multimodal meta-analysis.

Background: Neuroimaging studies have shown both structural and functional abnormalities in patients with schizophrenia. Recently, studies have begun to explore the association between structural and functional grey matter abnormalities. By conducting a meta-analysis on morphometric and functional imaging studies of grey matter alterations in drug-free patients, the present study aims to examine the degree of overlap between brain regions with anatomic and functional changes in patients with schizophrenia.

Square transition-metal carbides MC (M = Mo, W) as stable two-dimensional Dirac cone materials.

Searching for new two-dimensional (2D) Dirac cone materials has been popular since the exfoliation of graphene. Herein, based on density functional theory, we predict a novel family of 2D Dirac cone materials in square transition-metal carbides MC (M = Mo, W) which show inherent stability confirmed by phonon spectrum analysis and ab initio molecular dynamics calculations. The Dirac point, located exactly at the Fermi level, mainly arises from the hybridization of M-d and C-p orbitals which gives rise to an ultrahigh Fermi velocity comparable to that of graphene.

Support vector machine-based classification of first episode drug-naïve schizophrenia patients and healthy controls using structural MRI.

Although regional brain deficits have been demonstrated in schizophrenia patients by structural MRI studies, one important question that remains largely unanswered is whether the complex and subtle deficits revealed by MRI could be used as objective biomarkers to discriminate patients from healthy controls individually. To address this question, a total of 326 right-handed participants were recruited, including 163 drug-naïve first-episode schizophrenia (FES) patients and 163 demographically matched healthy controls. High-resolution anatomic data were acquired from all subjects and processed via Freesurfer software to obtain cortical thickness and surface area measurements.

Association between structural and functional brain alterations in drug-free patients with schizophrenia: a multimodal meta-analysis.

Background: Neuroimaging studies have shown both structural and functional abnormalities in patients with schizophrenia. Recently, studies have begun to explore the association between structural and functional grey matter abnormalities. By conducting a meta­-analysis on morphometric and functional imaging studies of grey matter alterations in drug-free patients, the present study aims to examine the degree of overlap between brain regions with anatomic and functional changes in patients with schizophrenia.

New Mechanisms of Resistance to MEK Inhibitors in Melanoma Revealed by Intravital Imaging.

Targeted therapeutics that are initially effective in cancer patients nearly invariably engender resistance at some stage, an inherent challenge in the use of any molecular-targeted drug in cancer settings. In this study, we evaluated resistance mechanisms arising in metastatic melanoma to MAPK pathway kinase inhibitors as a strategy to identify candidate strategies to limit risks of resistance. To investigate longitudinal responses, we developed an intravital serial imaging approach that can directly visualize drug response in an inducible RAF-driven, autochthonous murine model of melanoma incorporating a fluorescent reporter allele (tdTomatoLSL).

Social support and care needs of the disabled elderly population: An empirical study based on survey data from Beijing, China.

In order to describe and examine differences in social support and care needs among disabled Chinese elderly, the current study used stratified sampling to survey local residents of Beijing age 60 or over in the districts of Xicheng, Chaoyang, and Tongzhou in 2016. Structured in-person interviews were conducted with a 7-domain questionnaire. Multiple logistic regressions were used to compare social support and care needs among functioning, partially disabled, and completely disabled elderly.

Micronucleus-specific histone H1 is required for micronuclear chromosome integrity in Tetrahymena thermophila.

Histone H1 molecules play a key role in establishing and maintaining higher order chromatin structures. They can bind to linker DNA entering and exiting the nucleosome and regulate transcriptional activity. Tetrahymena thermophila has two histone H1, namely, macronuclear histone H1 and micronuclear histone H1 (Mlh1).

Novel method for quantitative and real-time measurements on engine combustion at varying pressure based on the wavelength modulation spectroscopy.

The wavelength modulation spectroscopy (WMS) technique has been demonstrated as a powerful and indispensable tool for quantitative and real-time measurements on the combustion process of various industrial devices. However, the varying pressure occurred in the aero-engine combustor significantly affects the accuracy and efficiency of the WMS technique. To address this issue, this work reports a novel method named WMS pressure correction model, which can enable fast signal processing in the measurements at varying pressure.

microRNA‑96 regulates the proliferation of nucleus pulposus cells by targeting ARID2/AKT signaling.

The aberrant proliferation of nucleus pulposus (NP) cells has been reported to be implicated in the pathogenesis of intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD). Previous studies have demonstrated that microRNAs (miRNAs), which are a group of small noncoding RNAs, are critical regulators of cell proliferation in various pathologies. However, the role of miRNA‑96 (miR‑96) in the proliferation of NP cells remains to be determined.

Early treatment with Resolvin E1 facilitates myocardial recovery from ischaemia in mice.

Background And Purpose: An appropriate inflammatory response is necessary for cardiac healing after acute myocardial infarction (MI). Resolvin E1 (RvE1) is an anti-inflammatory and pro-resolution lipid mediator derived from eicosapentaenoic acid. Here we have investigated the effects of RvE1 on the recovery of cardiac function after MI in mice.

Effects of climate warming on net primary productivity in China during 1961-2010.

The response of ecosystems to different magnitudes of climate warming and corresponding precipitation changes during the last few decades may provide an important reference for predicting the magnitude and trajectory of net primary productivity (NPP) in the future. In this study, a process-based ecosystem model, Carbon Exchange between Vegetation, Soil and Atmosphere (CEVSA), was used to investigate the response of NPP to warming at both national and subregional scales during 1961-2010. The results suggest that a 1.

[Effect of corticosterone on lissencephaly 1 expression in developing cerebral cortical neurons of fetal rats cultured in vitro].

Objective: To investigate the effect of corticosterone on the expression of the neuronal migration protein lissencephaly 1 (LIS1) in developing cerebral cortical neurons of fetal rats.

Methods: The primary cultured cerebral cortical neurons of fetal Wistar rats were divided into control group, low-dose group, and high-dose group. The neurons were exposed to the medium containing different concentrations of corticosterone (0 μmol/L for the control group, 0.

Macrophage-Restricted Shp2 Tyrosine Phosphatase Acts as a Rheostat for MMP12 through TGF-β Activation in the Prevention of Age-Related Emphysema in Mice.

Persistent activation of macrophages in lungs plays a critical role in the production of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) that contributes to the destruction of alveolar walls, a hallmark for pulmonary emphysema. Dysregulated TGF-β1 signaling has been an essential determinant in the elevation of MMPs during the development of emphysema. Nevertheless, the mechanism for this MMP-dependent pathogenesis has yet to be clearly investigated.

Identification and functional analysis of a new glyphosate resistance gene from a fungus cDNA library.

Glyphosate is a widely used broad spectrum herbicide; however, this limits its use once crops are planted. If glyphosate-resistant crops are grown, glyphosate can be used for weed control in crops. While several glyphosate resistance genes are used in commercial glyphosate tolerant crops, there is interest in identifying additional genes for glyphosate tolerance.

Propagation characteristics of pulverized coal and gas two-phase flow during an outburst.

Coal and gas outbursts are dynamic failures that can involve the ejection of thousands tons of pulverized coal, as well as considerable volumes of gas, into a limited working space within a short period. The two-phase flow of gas and pulverized coal that occurs during an outburst can lead to fatalities and destroy underground equipment. This article examines the interaction mechanism between pulverized coal and gas flow.

Moderate Autophagy Inhibits Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Senescence to Stabilize Progressed Atherosclerotic Plaque via the mTORC1/ULK1/ATG13 Signal Pathway.

In order to investigate the effects of autophagy induced by rapamycin in the development of atherosclerosis plaque we established murine atherosclerosis model which was induced in ApoE mice by high fat and cholesterol diet (HFD) for 16 weeks. Rapamycin and 3-Methyladenine (MA) were used as autophagy inducer and inhibitor respectively. The plaque areas in aortic artery were detected with HE and Oil Red O staining.

Relative variations of gut microbiota in disordered cholesterol metabolism caused by high-cholesterol diet and host genetics.

Recent studies performed provide mechanistic insight into effects of the microbiota on cholesterol metabolism, but less focus was given to how cholesterol impacts the gut microbiota. In this study, ApoE Sprague Dawley (SD) rats and their wild-type counterparts (n = 12) were, respectively, allocated for two dietary condition groups (normal chow and high-cholesterol diet). Total 16S rDNA of fecal samples were extracted and sequenced by high-throughput sequencing to determine differences in microbiome composition.

Utility of Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (FISH) to Sub-Classify Low-Grade Urothelial Carcinoma for Prognostication.

BACKGROUND Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) is used widely to detect cancer levels, but its value in urothelial carcinoma remains unclear. The aim of this study was to use FISH to examine the urine specimens of low-grade urothelial carcinoma (UC) patients to determine the possibility of sub-classifying the prognosis of UC. MATERIAL AND METHODS We diagnosed 107 patients with low-grade UC using a UroVysion kit to detect chromosomes 3, 7, 17, and P16 in the urine.

3D Fusion Framework for Infarction and Angiogenesis Analysis in a Myocardial Infarct Minipig Model.

The combination of different modality images can provide detailed and comprehensive information for the prognostic assessment and therapeutic strategy of patients with ischemic heart disease. In this study, a 3D fusion framework is designed to integrate coronary computed tomography (CT) angiography (CTA), 2-deoxy-2-[F]fluoro-D-glucose ([F]DG) positron emission tomography (PET)/CT, and [Ga]-1,4,7-triazacyclononane-1,4,7-triacetic acid-(Arg-Gly-Asp)2 ([Ga]-NOTA-PRGD2) PET/CT images of the myocardial infarction model in minipigs. First, the structural anatomy of the heart in coronary CTA and CT is segmented using a multi-atlas-based method.

Mechanism of modulation through PI3K-AKT pathway about Nepeta cataria L.'s extract in non-small cell lung cancer.

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is regarded as one of the major intractable diseases, which was cured mainly by chemotherapeutics in the clinical treatment at present. But it is still a vital mission for the current medical and researchers that hunting a natural medicine which have little side effects and high-efficiency against the NSCLC on account of the shortcomings on current drugs. Nepeta cataria L.

A novel role for CRTC2 in hepatic cholesterol synthesis through SREBP-2.

Unlabelled: Cholesterol synthesis is regulated by the transcription factor sterol regulatory element binding protein 2 (SREBP-2) and its target gene 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase (HMGCR), which is the rate-limiting enzyme in cholesterol synthesis. Cyclic adenosine monophosphate-responsive element (CRE) binding protein-regulated transcription coactivator (CRTC) 2 is the master regulator of glucose metabolism. However, the effect of CRTC2 on cholesterol and its potential molecular mechanism remain unclear.

miR-134: A Human Cancer Suppressor?

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs approximately 20-25 nt in length, which play crucial roles through directly binding to corresponding 3' UTR of targeted mRNAs. It has been reported that miRNAs are involved in numerous of diseases, including cancers. Recently, miR-134 has been identified to dysregulate in handles of human cancers, such as lung cancer, glioma, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, and so on.

Residues of Salbutamol and Identification of Its Metabolites in Beef Cattle.

Salbutamol, a selective β-agonist, endangers the safety of animal products because of its illegal use in food animals. In this work, residues of salbutamol and its metabolites were investigated to select appropriate targets and marker residues for monitoring the illegal use of salbutamol. Ten metabolites of salbutamol were identified from plasma, urine, liver, and kidney samples; of these, six were newly identified.