Reconstructing the biological invasion of noxious invasive weed and invasion risk assessment in China.

Invasive alien plants (IAPs) present a severe threat to native ecosystems and biodiversity. Comprehending the potential distribution patterns of these plant invaders and their responses to climate change is essential. , native to the Americas, has become an aggressively invasive species since its introduction to China in the 1930s.

NINJ1: A Novel Sepsis Severity and Mortality Biomarker.

Background: Multiple cell death modalities are implicated in sepsis pathobiology. However, the clinical relevance of NINJ1, a key mediator of plasma membrane rupture during lytic cell death, in sepsis progression and outcomes has remained poorly explored.

Methods: Circulating NINJ1 levels were measured in 116 septic ICU patients, 16 non-septic ICU controls, and 16 healthy controls.

DNA methyltransferases-associated long non-coding RNA PRKCQ-AS1 regulate DNA methylation in myelodysplastic syndrome.

Introduction: Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is a group of clonal hematopoietic stem cell disorders. DNA hypermethylation is considered to be the key mechanism of pathogenesis for MDS. Studies have demonstrated that DNA methylation can be regulated by the co-effect between long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs).

Pyroptosis in sepsis induced organ dysfunction.

As an uncontrolled inflammatory response to infection, sepsis and sepsis induced organ dysfunction are great threats to the lives of septic patients. Unfortunately, the pathogenesis of sepsis is complex and multifactorial, which still needs to be elucidated. Pyroptosis is a newly discovered atypical form of inflammatory programmed cell death, which depends on the Caspase-1 dependent classical pathway or the non-classical Caspase-11 (mouse) or Caspase-4/5 (human) dependent pathway.

Fault Diagnosis of Medium Voltage Circuit Breakers Based on Vibration Signal Envelope Analysis.

In modern power systems or new energy power stations, the medium voltage circuit breakers (MVCBs) are becoming more crucial and the operation reliability of the MVCBs could be greatly improved by online monitoring technology. The purpose of this research is to put forward a fault diagnosis approach based on vibration signal envelope analysis, including offline fault feature training and online fault diagnosis. During offline fault feature training, the envelope of the vibration signal is extracted from the historic operation data of the MVCB, and then the typical fault feature vector is built by using the wavelet packet-energy spectrum.

Hygroscopic Tunable Multishape Memory Effect in Cellulosic Macromolecular Networks with a Supramolecular Mesophase.

Tunable multishape memory polymers offer intriguing opportunities for memorizing multiple temporary shapes with tunable transition temperatures from one material composition. However, such multishape memory effects have been exclusively correlated with the thermomechanical behaviors of polymers, significantly limiting their applications in heat-sensitive scenarios. Here we report a nonthermal tunable multishape memory effect in covalently cross-linked cellulosic macromolecular networks, which spontaneously organize into supramolecular mesophases by water evaporation induced self-assembly.

A pilot study on pyroptosis related genes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of non-small cell lung cancer patients.

Objective: To investigate the GSDMD, CASP1, CASP4 and CASP5 expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of non-small cell lung cancer patients and analyze their clinical significance.

Methods: 71 non-small cell lung cancer patients were selected as the study group and 50 healthy individuals as the control group. The GSDMD, CASP1, CASP4 and CASP5 expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of the two groups were detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR.

Validation of reference genes for the normalization of the RT-qPCR in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of septic patients.

Objective: To screen and validate reference genes suitable for gene mRNA expression study in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) between septic patients and healthy controls (HC).

Methods: Total RNA in PBMCs was extracted and RT-qPCR was used to determine the mRNA expression profiles of 9 candidate genes, including ACTB, B2M, GAPDH, GUSB, HPRT1, PGK1, RPL13A, SDHA and YWHAZ. The genes expression stabilities were assessed by both geNorm and NormFinder software.

Mechanism and intervention of murine transfusion-related acute lung injury caused by anti-CD36 antibodies.

Anti-CD36 Abs have been suggested to induce transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI) upon blood transfusion, particularly in Asian populations. However, little is known about the pathological mechanism of anti-CD36 Ab-mediated TRALI, and potential therapies have not yet been identified. Here, we developed a murine model of anti-CD36 Ab-mediated TRALI to address these questions.

Atomic-Scale Engineering of CuO-Au Interfaces over AuCu Single-Nanoparticles.

A face-centered tetragonal (fct) AuCu particle with a size of 7.1 nm and an Au/Cu molar ratio of 1/1 was coated by a silica shell of 6 nm thickness. Segregation of Cu atoms from the metal particle under an oxidative atmosphere precisely mediated the CuO-Au interfacial structure by simply varying the temperature.

Increased Dp71 in ischemia-reperfusion injured rat heart exerts anti-apoptotic role via enhancing Bcl-2.

For the first time, increased Dp71 in ischemia-reperfusion injured rat heart were identified, both Dp71 mRNA and protein reached its peak expression 8 h after reperfusion. In HO stimulated H9c2 cells, Dp71 mRNA and protein gradually increased and reached a peak at 16 h. Enhanced Dp71 in H9c2 could resist HO-induced cell apoptosis, while Dp71 depletion accelerated the apoptosis induced by HO Enhanced Bcl-2 expression and Bcl-2∕Bax protein expression ratio was identified in Dp71 overexpressed H9c2 cells, while knocking down Dp71 significantly decreased the Bcl-2 and Bcl-2∕Bax protein expression ratio.

Mechanisms and Influence Factors of Downhole Electrical Heating-Assisted Steam-Assisted Gravity Drainage Production.

Approximately 70% steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) wellpairs have entered into the production phase in China, while due to the fluvial sedimentation environment with strong reservoir heterogeneity, only 53% of the horizontal well section develops a steam chamber. In order to massively recover the bypassed oil and expand the steam chamber along the horizontal section, downhole electrical heating was proposed, and its mechanisms of high temperature-induced rock mechanics change and influence factors are investigated in this study using laboratory experiments and electrical steam hybrid numerical simulation. It is found that the electrical heating-assisted SAGD has four key mechanisms, namely, localized temperature elevation, development of a fixed point steam chamber, localized oil gravity drainage, and petrophysical property improvement.

Fabrication of monodisperse gold-copper nanocubes and AuCu-cuprous sulfide heterodimers by a step-wise polyol reduction.

Monodisperse gold-copper nanocubes and AuCu-cuprous sulfide (CuS) heterodimers were fabricated by a step-wise polyol reduction with the aid of oleylamine and 1-dodecanethiol. The geometric configuration was mediated by simply varying the Cu/Au atomic ratio: Au-Cu cubes with sizes of 6.4 and 4.

Experimental and Numerical Investigation on Oil Displacement Mechanism of Weak Gel in Waterflood Reservoirs.

The production performance of waterflood reservoirs with years of production is severely challenged by high water cuts and extensive water channels. Among IOR/EOR methods, weak gel injection is particularly effective in improving the water displacement efficiency and oil recovery. The visualized microscopic oil displacement experiments were designed to comprehensively investigate the weak gel mechanisms in porous media and the numerical simulations coupling equations characterizing weak gel viscosity induced dynamics were implemented to understand its planar and vertical block and movement behaviors at the field scale.

The Emerging Role of Ferroptosis in Sepsis.

Ferroptosis is a novel form of cell death characterized by the iron-dependent accumulation of lipid peroxides and is different from other types of cell death. The mechanisms of ferroptosis are discussed in the review, including System Xc-, Glutathione Peroxidase 4 pathway, Ferroptosis Suppressor Protein 1 and Dihydroorotate Dehydrogenase pathway. Ferroptosis is associated with the occurrence of various diseases, including sepsis.

On-treatment HBV RNA dynamic predicts entecavir-induced HBeAg seroconversion in children with chronic hepatitis B.

Background: Hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) seroconversion is an important intermediate outcome in HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B patients. This study aimed to explore whether hepatitis B virus (HBV) RNA serum levels can predict HBeAg seroconversion treated with entecavir.

Methods: Serum samples from HBeAg-positive children previously treated with entecavir were retrospectively analyzed.

Characterization of the complete plastid genome of Rchb., a monotypic genus of Pogostemoneae, Lamiaceae.

Rchb. is a monotypic genus of Lamiaceae. In this study, the complete plastid genome of the species (Link) Kuntze was sequenced and assembled.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi promote lead immobilization by increasing the polysaccharide content within pectin and inducing cell wall peroxidase activity.

The mechanism by which arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi immobilize lead (Pb) within the cell wall is unclear. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the mechanism by which AM fungi immobilize Pb within the cell wall by measuring the Pb content in the cell wall, the polysaccharide and the uronic acid contents of different cell wall fractions, and the activity of cell wall peroxidase. Mycorrhizal-associated Medicago truncatula had higher shoot and root biomass than nonmycorrhizal-associated M.

Hydrops fetalis associated with anti-CD36 antibodies in fetal and neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia: Possible underlying mechanism.

Objectives: In the present study, we asked whether anti-CD36 antibodies impair the maturation of erythropoietic stem cells to mature red blood cells (RBCs), leading to anaemia and hydrops fetalis (HF).

Background: Recent studies have shown the importance of anti-CD36 antibodies in the development of Fetal/Neonatal Alloimmune Thrombocytopenia (FNAIT). In comparison to other types of antibody-mediated FNAIT, anti-CD36 antibodies are frequently associated with anaemia and HF.

Integrated Analysis of Long Non-Coding RNA and mRNA Expression Profile in Myelodysplastic Syndromes.

Background: Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a heterogeneous group of myeloid malignancies. The incidence of MDS is gradually increasing, but the pathogenesis is still not very clear. Studies have shown that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play a critical role in both oncogenic and tumor-suppressive pathways.

Extinction debt in local habitats: quantifying the roles of random drift, immigration and emigration.

We developed a time-dependent stochastic neutral model for predicting diverse temporal trajectories of biodiversity change in response to ecological disturbance (i.e. habitat destruction) and dispersal dynamic (i.

Pregenomic RNA: How to assist the management of chronic hepatitis B?

Pregenomic RNA (pgRNA) is an emerging serological marker for chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. While pgRNA is principally the template for viral proteins and viral DNAs, additional novel functions for the serum pgRNA have recently been described. These results extend for pgRNA a regulatory function in the viral life cycle and potentially a role in pathogenesis.

Experimental studies on effects of temperature on oil and water relative permeability in heavy-oil reservoirs.

A heavy-oil sample derived from a block of Venezuelan oil was used to investigate effects of temperature on relative permeability to oil and water. Measurements of relative permeability were based on one-dimensional core-flow simulated systems using an unsteady-state technique at different temperatures, and then impact rules of temperature dependency were discussed. Both water and heavy oil in cores were reconfigured under the consideration of actual reservoir conditions.