Polymerization-induced emission and selective detection to Fe3+/ Fe2+ of triazine-containing polyureas.

In this study, four polyureas with triazine moiety (PUAs) were successfully synthesized through the polymerization of triazine-containing diamine and diisocyanate. The intramolecular aggregation of triazine rings and urea groups along the macromolecular backbone gives PUAs a significant polymerization-induced emission (PIE). Among the four PUAs, PUA-LP shows a significant fluorescent emission at 450 nm, compared to non/weak fluorescent 2,4-diamino-6-phenyl-1,3,5-triazine and L-Lysine diisocyanate ethyl ester monomers. Additionally, the external factors such as solution concentration, excitation wavelength, and precipitants also play a crucial role in the fluorescence of PUAs. As expected, PUA-LP can selectively recognize and detect Fe3+/Fe2+ ions even in the presence of 12 other metal ions and 10 anions. The limit of detection of PUA-LP to Fe3+/Fe2+ is as low as 1.02 µM (0.06 mg/L) and 0.86 µM (0.05 mg/L), respectively, and far below 0.3 mg/L of the allowable national standard for drinking water by WHO. Furthermore, the quenching mechanism of Fe3+/Fe2+ to PUA-LP is attributed to static quenching caused by the coordination of Fe3+/Fe2+ ions with a coordination ratio of 2:1. Based on PIE, the fluorescent PUA-LP was made into an observable and portable testing paper for detecting Fe3+/Fe2+ ions. Finally, we measured the recovery rate of the actual tap water samples and compared the performance of PIE-active PUA-LP with the other reported fluorescent probes to Fe3+/Fe2+ ions.

The necroptosis-related signature and tumor microenvironment immune characteristics associated with clinical prognosis and drug sensitivity analysis in stomach adenocarcinoma.

PURPOSE: Necroptosis plays an important role in the tumorigenesis, development, metastasis, and drug resistance of malignant tumors. This study explored the new model for assessing stomach adenocarcinoma (STAD) prognosis and immunotherapy by combining long noncoding RNAs associated with necroptosis. METHODS: Patient clinical data and STAD gene expression profiles were curated from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Immune-related genes were sourced from a specialized molecular database. Perl software and R software were used for data processing and analysis. Necroptosis-related lncRNAs in STAD were pinpointed via R's correlation algorithms. These lncRNAs, in conjunction with clinical data, informed the construction of a prognostic lncRNA-associated risk score model using univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses. The model's prognostic capacity was evaluated by Kaplan-Meier survival curves and validated as an independent prognostic variable. Further, a nomogram incorporating this model with clinical parameters was developed, offering refined individual survival predictions. Subsequent analyses of immune infiltration and chemosensitivity within necroptosis-related lncRNA clusters utilized an arsenal of bioinformatic tools, culminating in RT-PCR validation of lncRNA expression. RESULTS: Through rigorous Cox regression, 21 lncRNAs were implicated in the risk score model. Stratification by median risk scores delineated patients into high- and low-risk cohorts, with the latter demonstrating superior prognostic outcomes. The risk model was corroborated as an independent prognostic indicator for STAD. The integrative nomogram displayed high concordance between predicted and observed survival rates, as evidenced by calibration curves. Differential immune infiltration in risk-defined groups was illuminated by the single sample GSEA (ssGSEA), indicating pronounced immune presence in higher-risk patients. Tumor microenvironment (TME) analysis showed that cluster-C3 had the highest score in the analysis of the three TMEs. Through the differential analysis of immune checkpoints, it was found that almost all immune checkpoint-related genes were expressed differently in various tumor clusters. Among them, CD44 expression was the highest. By comparing all drug sensitivities, we screened out 29 drugs with differences in drug sensitivity across different clusters. Risk score gene expression identification results showed that these lncRNAs were abnormally expressed in gastric cancer cell lines. CONCLUSIONS: This investigation provides a robust methodological advance in prognosticating and personalizing immunotherapy for STAD, leveraging quantitatively derived tumor cluster risk scores. It posits the use of necroptosis-related lncRNAs as pivotal molecular beacons for guiding therapeutic strategies and enhancing clinical outcomes in STAD.

Enhancing stability of liposomes using high molecular weight chitosan to promote antioxidative stress effects and lipid-lowering activity of encapsulated lutein in vivo and in vitro.

Lutein is an antioxidant with multiple beneficial functions. However, its therapeutic potential is hampered by its low water solubility and bioavailability. The goal of this study is to compare the stability of lutein-loaded liposomes (Lu-lip) and low (LC)/high molecular weight (HC) chitosan-coated Lu-lip, along with their antioxidant capacity using H2O2-induced HepG2 cells and their lipid-lowering activity using high-fat diet mice. Both LC and HC reduced the lutein degradation rate by 17.5 % and 26.72 % in a challenging environment at pH 6 and T = 4 °C. Compared to LC, the HC coating improved the size- and zeta-potential-stability of Lu-lip at 5 < pH < 7, with the best performance at pH 6. The HC coating prolonged the lutein release profile, increased the cellular uptake of Lu-lip, and reduced the reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and the H2O2-induced necrotic cell ratios by increasing the activities of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px). Animal experiments have shown that oral administration of LC and HC coated Lu-lip can significantly reduce body weight levels, total triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), and non-high-density lipoprotein (n-HDL-C) in high-fat diet mice while significantly increasing the levels of CAT, SOD and GSH-Px in the liver of mice. LC and HC coated Lu-lip can reduce fat accumulation in the liver and epididymal adipose tissue.

Impact of continuous pharmaceutical care led by clinical pharmacists during transitions of care on medication adherence and clinical outcomes for patients with coronary heart disease: a prospective cohort study.

Objectives: The study aimed to explore the impact of a continuous pharmaceutical care (CPC) program during care transitions on medication adherence and clinical outcomes for patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted from April 2020 to February 2021. Patients diagnosed with CHD were selected and divided into intervention (CPC) and usual care (UC) groups by nurses at equal intervals based on admission time. The intervention group received CPC services provided by clinical pharmacists (including medication reconciliation, disease education, medication guidance, lifestyle counseling, and follow-up services) and usual care. The UC group received only routine medical care. The study compared medication adherence, clinical indicators (low-density lipoprotein cholesterol [LDL-C], blood pressure [BP], glycated hemoglobin [HbA1c] control rates), the incidence of adverse drug reactions (ADRs), and readmission rates (overall, major adverse cardiovascular events [MACEs]-related, and CHD risk factors-related) at admission and 1, 3, and 6 months after discharge between the two groups. Results: A total of 228 patients with CHD completed the study, including 113 patients in the CPC group and 115 patients in the UC group. There were no significant differences (p > 0.05) in both groups in demographic and clinical characteristics at baseline. A total of 101 drug-related problems were identified in the CPC group (an average of 0.89 per person). The CPC group showed significantly higher medication adherence at 1, 3, and 6 months after discharge than the UC group (p < 0.05). At 3 and 6 months after discharge, the intervention group had significantly higher control rates of LDL-C (61.11% vs. 44.64% at 3 months, 78.18% vs. 51.43% at 6 months), and BP (91.15% vs. 77.39% at 3 months, 88.50% vs. 77.19% at 6 months). The CPC group had higher HbA1c control rates (53.85% vs. 34.21% at 3 months, 54.05% vs. 38.46% at 6 months) than the UC group. However, the differences were not statistically significant. The incidence of ADRs 6 months after discharge was significantly lower in the CPC group than in the UC group (5.13% vs. 12.17%, p < 0.05). The CPC group had a lower overall readmission rate (13.27% vs. 20.00%), MACE-related readmission rate (5.31% vs. 12.17%), and readmission rate related to CHD risk factors (0.88% vs. 2.61%) 6 months after discharge compared to the UC group. However, these differences were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Conclusion: CPC led by clinical pharmacists during care transitions effectively improved medication adherence, safety, and risk factor control in patients with CHD.

Evaluating the Genetic Background Effect on Dissecting the Genetic Basis of Kernel Traits in Reciprocal Maize Introgression Lines.

Maize yield is mostly determined by its grain size. Although numerous quantitative trait loci (QTL) have been identified for kernel-related traits, the application of these QTL in breeding programs has been strongly hindered because the populations used for QTL mapping are often different from breeding populations. However, the effect of genetic background on the efficiency of QTL and the accuracy of trait genomic prediction has not been fully studied. Here, we used a set of reciprocal introgression lines (ILs) derived from 417F × 517F to evaluate how genetic background affects the detection of QTLassociated with kernel shape traits. A total of 51 QTL for kernel size were identified by chromosome segment lines (CSL) and genome-wide association studies (GWAS) methods. These were subsequently clustered into 13 common QTL based on their physical position, including 7 genetic-background-independent and 6 genetic-background-dependent QTL, respectively. Additionally, different digenic epistatic marker pairs were identified in the 417F and 517F ILs. Therefore, our results demonstrated that genetic background strongly affected not only the kernel size QTL mapping via CSL and GWAS but also the genomic prediction accuracy and epistatic detection, thereby enhancing our understanding of how genetic background affects the genetic dissection of grain size-related traits.

XIST as a valuable biomarker for prognosis and clinical parameters in diverse tumors: a comprehensive meta- and bioinformatics analysis.

Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) X inactivate-specific transcript (XIST) has been found dysregulated in a variety of human tumors and influenced the clinicopathologic characteristics in cancer patients. Therefore, we systematically searched relevant literature that has identified the correlation of lncRNA XIST expression and clinical outcomes of tumor patients and conducted this meta-analysis to elucidate the clinical prognostic value of long noncoding RNA XIST in human tumors. A comprehensive literature search was performed from PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, and Cochrane library databases up to August 1, 2019. Pooled hazard ratios (HRs) or odds ratios (ORs) with a 95% confidence interval (95% Cl) were calculated to evaluate the prognosis, as well as the clinicopathological parameters of XIST, respectively. We also further validated this meta-analysis using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) dataset. The outcome revealed that XIST overexpression in tumor tissue was interacted to a poor overall survival (OS) (HR=0.52, 95% CI: 0.44-0.61, p<0.0001), disease-free survival (DFS) (HR=0.50; 95% CI: 0.36-0.69, p<0.0001), tumor type (digestive system malignancies, HR=0.53; 95% CI: 0.44-0.63, p<0.0001); nondigestive system malignancies, HR=0.48; 95% CI: 0.34-0.67, p<0.0001), lymph node metastasis(LNM) (OR=0.61, 95% CI: 0.37-1.00; p=0.048), differentiation (OR=1.46; 95% CI: 0.94-2.29; p=0.096), distant metastasis (DM) (OR=0.48, 95% CI: 0.31-0.75; p=0.001), tumor size (OR=0.59, 95% CI: 0.38-0.92; p=0.019), and tumor stage (OR=2.36; 95% CI: 1.62-3.43; p<0.001). XIST could have potential value in early diagnosis and result in prediction and provide a novel view for the therapeutic target in clinical application.

ZmBSK1 positively regulates BR-induced H2O2 production via NADPH oxidase and functions in oxidative stress tolerance in maize.

Brassinosteroid (BR) has been indicated to induce the production of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in plants in response to various environmental stimuli. However, it remains largely unknown how BR induces H2O2 production. In this study, we found that BR treatment significantly raised the kinase activity of maize (Zea mays L.) brassinosteroid-signaling kinase 1 (ZmBSK1) using the immunoprecipitation kinase assay. ZmBSK1 could modulate the gene expressions and activities of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidases (EC 1.6.3.1) to modulate BR-induced H2O2 production. BR could enhance the interaction between ZmBSK1 and maize calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase (ZmCCaMK), a previously identified substrate of ZmBSK1. The BR-induced phosphorylation and kinase activity of ZmCCaMK are dependent on ZmBSK1. Moreover, we showed that ZmBSK1 regulated the NADPH oxidase gene expression and activity via directly phosphorylating ZmCCaMK. Genetic analysis suggested that ZmBSK1-ZmCCaMK module strengthened plant tolerance to oxidative stress induced by exogenous application of H2O2 through improving the activities of antioxidant defense enzyme and alleviating the malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulation and electrolyte leakage rate. In conclusion, these findings provide the new insights of ZmBSK1 functioning in BR-induced H2O2 production and the theoretical supports for breeding stress-tolerant crops.

Identification of Potential Core Genes Associated With the Progression of Stomach Adenocarcinoma Using Bioinformatic Analysis.

PURPOSE: Stomach adenocarcinoma (STAD) is one of the most frequently diagnosed cancer in the world with both high mortality and high metastatic capacity. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate novel therapeutic targets and prognostic biomarkers that can be used for STAD treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We acquired four original gene chip profiles, namely GSE13911, GSE19826, GSE54129, and GSE65801 from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). The datasets included a total of 114 STAD tissues and 110 adjacent normal tissues. The GEO2R online tool and Venn diagram software were used to discriminate differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Gene and Genome (KEGG) enriched pathways were also performed for annotation and visualization with DEGs. The STRING online database was used to identify the functional interactions of DEGs. Subsequently, we selected the most significant DEGs to construct the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and to reveal the core genes involved. Finally, the Kaplan-Meier Plotter online database and Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA) were used to analyze the prognostic information of the core DEGs. RESULTS: A total of 114 DEGs (35 upregulated and 79 downregulated) were identified, which were abnormally expressed in the GEO datasets. GO analysis demonstrated that the majority of the upregulated DEGs were significantly enriched in collagen trimer, cell adhesion, and identical protein binding. The downregulated DEGs were involved in extracellular space, digestion, and inward rectifier potassium channel activity. Signaling pathway analysis indicated that upregulated DEGs were mainly enriched in receptor interaction, whereas downregulated DEGs were involved in gastric acid secretion. A total of 80 DEGs were screened into the PPI network complex, and one of the most important modules with a high degree was detected. Furthermore, 10 core genes were identified, namely COL1A1, COL1A2, FN1, COL5A2, BGN, COL6A3, COL12A1, THBS2, CDH11, and SERPINH1. Finally, the results of the prognostic information further demonstrated that all 10 core genes exhibited significantly higher expression in STAD tissues compared with that noted in normal tissues. CONCLUSION: The multiple molecular mechanisms of these novel core genes in STAD are worthy of further investigation and may reveal novel therapeutic targets and biomarkers for STAD treatment.

BIOMASS YIELD 1 regulates sorghum biomass and grain yield via the shikimate pathway.

Biomass and grain yield are key agronomic traits in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor); however, the molecular mechanisms that regulate these traits are not well understood. Here, we characterized the biomass yield 1 (by1) mutant, which displays a dramatically altered phenotype that includes reduced plant height, narrow stems, erect and narrow leaves, and abnormal floral organs. Histological analysis suggested that these phenotypic defects are mainly caused by inhibited cell elongation and abnormal floral organ development. Map-based cloning revealed that BY1 encodes a 3-deoxy-D-arabino-heptulosonate-7-phosphate synthase (DAHPS) that catalyses the first step of the shikimate pathway. BY1 was localized in chloroplasts and was ubiquitously distributed in the organs examined, particularly in the roots, stems, leaves, and panicles, which was consistent with its role in biomass production and grain yield. Transcriptome analysis and metabolic profiling revealed that BY1 was involved in primary metabolism and that it affected the biosynthesis of various secondary metabolites, especially flavonoids. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that BY1 affects biomass and grain yield in sorghum by regulating primary and secondary metabolism via the shikimate pathway. Moreover, our results provide important insights into the relationship between plant development and metabolism.

iTRAQ-Based Quantitative Proteomic Analysis Reveals Proteomic Changes in Mycelium of Pleurotus ostreatus in Response to Heat Stress and Subsequent Recovery.

High temperature is a key limiting factor for mycelium growth and development in Pleurotus ostreatus. Thermotolerance includes the direct response to heat stress and the ability to recover from heat stress. To better understand the mechanism of thermotolerance in P. ostreatus, we used morphological and physiological analysis combined with an iTRAQ-based proteomics analysis of P. ostreatus subjected to 40°C for 48 h followed by recovery at 25°C for 3 days. High temperature increased the concentrations of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) indicating that the mycelium of P. ostreatus were damaged by heat stress. However, these physiological changes rapidly returned to control levels during the subsequent recovery phase from heat stress. In comparison to unstressed controls, a total of 204 proteins were changed during heat stress and/or the recovery phase. Wherein, there were 47 proteins that responded to both stress and recovery conditions, whereas 84 and 73 proteins were responsive to only heat stress or recovery conditions, respectively. Furthermore, quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) confirmed differential expression of nine candidate genes revealed that some of the proteins, such as a mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), and heat shock protein (HSP), were also regulated by heat stress at the level of transcription. These differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) in mycelium of P. ostreatus under heat stress were from 13 biological processes. Moreover, protein-protein interaction analysis revealed that proteins involved in carbohydrate and energy metabolism, signal transduction, and proteins metabolism could be assigned to three heat stress response networks. On the basis of these findings, we proposed that effective regulatory protein expression related to MAPK-pathway, antioxidant enzymes, HSPs, and other stress response proteins, and glycolysis play important roles in enhancing P. ostreatus adaptation to and recovery from heat stress. Of note, this study provides useful information for understanding the thermotolerance mechanism for basidiomycetes.

Effects of Hydrogen Bond Acceptor Ability of Solvents on Molecular Self-Assembly of Sulfadiazine Solvates.

The solvate formation of sulfadiazine (SDZ) was systematically studied in the 4 selected solvents with the aids of experiment and simulation methods. The intermolecular interactions between solute and solvent molecules in different solid states were analyzed and compared through their single crystal structures, and the solution behavior of SDZ was discussed using molecular dynamics simulations. The results indicated that SDZ was easy to form solvates with the solvents having strong hydrogen bond acceptor ability, which determined the formation of hydrogen bonding synthon. Furthermore, the SDZ molecules conformation and packing were compared in various crystal structures. In addition, the desolvation processes of SDZ solvates were studied to investigate the role of solvent in different solvate structures.

Preparation and comparison of tacrolimus-loaded solid dispersion and self-microemulsifying drug delivery system by in vitro/in vivo evaluation.

This study aimed to compare the dissolution and the intestinal absorption of tacrolimus in self-microemulsifying drug delivery system (SMEDDS) and solid dispersion (SD). Poloxamer 188 SD was prepared by the combination of the solvent evaporation method and the freeze drying method. Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) SD was prepared by the solvent evaporation method combined with the vacuum drying method. The formation of SD was confirmed by SEM images which showed new solid phases. The SMEDDS was composed of oil (Labrafil M1944 CS 28%), surfactant (Cremophor EL 48%) and co-surfactant (Transcutol P 24%). The self microemulsion formed by the SMEDDS upon aqueous media had spherical droplets with a hydrodynamic size of 46.0±3.2nm. The dissolution of tacrolimus from SD and SMEDDS was performed in sink and non-sink conditions with various pH. As revealed by the DSC and FT-IR, the tacrolimus was molecularly or amorphously dispersed in the SMEDDS and SD. The in vivo intestinal absorption study in rats showed that both SMEDDS and SD improved the absorption of tacrolimus over the raw tacrolimus while the SMEDDS exhibited lower absorption rate constant (Ka) and apparent permeability coefficients (Papp) than the SD. The self-prepared SD with poloxamer 188 or HPMC had comparable intestinal absorption as compared with Prograf®. The tacrolimus-loaded SMEDDS and SD would be further compared by in vivo pharmacokinetic study.

The novel long noncoding RNA RP11-357H14.17 acts as an oncogene by promoting cell proliferation and invasion in diffuse-type gastric cancer.

Current evidence indicates that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play pivotal roles in human cancers. The present study aims to assess differentially expressed lncRNAs related to diffuse-type gastric carcinoma (DGC). Next-generation RNA sequencing was carried out to detect aberrantly expressed lncRNAs in DGC. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was performed to evaluate RP11-357H14.17 gene expression levels in DGC cell lines/tissues comparatively with normal gastric epithelial cell lines and adjacent normal tissues. The associations of RP11-357H14.17 expression levels with the clinicopathological features were also analyzed. The regulatory effects of RP11-357H14.17 on the biological behaviors of DGC cells were evaluated by MTT, colony formation assays, flow cytometry for apoptosis, wound healing assay, and transwell migration and invasion assays. RP11-357H14.17 expression was remarkably increased in DGC tissues and cell lines compared with normal gastric epithelial cells and adjacent normal tissues. High levels of RP11-357H14.17 were associated with increased tumor size, deeper depth of invasion, lymphatic metastasis, and advanced pathological stage. Further experiments demonstrated that the DGC cells MGC-803 transfected with si-RP11-357H14.17 showed reduced cell proliferation, migration, invasion, enhanced G1 phase arrest and cell apoptosis. These findings suggest that the novel lncRNA RP11-357H14.17 is associated with poor prognosis, and may serve as a potential prognostic biomarker and target for new antineoplastic therapies in human DGC.

Calibration of a Land Subsidence Model Using InSAR Data via the Ensemble Kalman Filter.

The application of interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) has been increasingly used to improve capabilities to model land subsidence in hydrogeologic studies. A number of investigations over the last decade show how spatially detailed time-lapse images of ground displacements could be utilized to advance our understanding for better predictions. In this work, we use simulated land subsidences as observed measurements, mimicking InSAR data to inversely infer inelastic specific storage in a stochastic framework. The inelastic specific storage is assumed as a random variable and modeled using a geostatistical method such that the detailed variations in space could be represented and also that the uncertainties of both characterization of specific storage and prediction of land subsidence can be assessed. The ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF), a real-time data assimilation algorithm, is used to inversely calibrate a land subsidence model by matching simulated subsidences with InSAR data. The performance of the EnKF is demonstrated in a synthetic example in which simulated surface deformations using a reference field are assumed as InSAR data for inverse modeling. The results indicate: (1) the EnKF can be used successfully to calibrate a land subsidence model with InSAR data; the estimation of inelastic specific storage is improved, and uncertainty of prediction is reduced, when all the data are accounted for; and (2) if the same ensemble is used to estimate Kalman gain, the analysis errors could cause filter divergence; thus, it is essential to include localization in the EnKF for InSAR data assimilation.

A new zonation algorithm with parameter estimation using hydraulic head and subsidence observations.

Parameter estimation codes such as UCODE_2005 are becoming well-known tools in groundwater modeling investigations. These programs estimate important parameter values such as transmissivity (T) and aquifer storage values (Sa ) from known observations of hydraulic head, flow, or other physical quantities. One drawback inherent in these codes is that the parameter zones must be specified by the user. However, such knowledge is often unknown even if a detailed hydrogeological description is available. To overcome this deficiency, we present a discrete adjoint algorithm for identifying suitable zonations from hydraulic head and subsidence measurements, which are highly sensitive to both elastic (Sske) and inelastic (Sskv) skeletal specific storage coefficients. With the advent of interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR), distributed spatial and temporal subsidence measurements can be obtained. A synthetic conceptual model containing seven transmissivity zones, one aquifer storage zone and three interbed zones for elastic and inelastic storage coefficients were developed to simulate drawdown and subsidence in an aquifer interbedded with clay that exhibits delayed drainage. Simulated delayed land subsidence and groundwater head data are assumed to be the observed measurements, to which the discrete adjoint algorithm is called to create approximate spatial zonations of T, Sske , and Sskv . UCODE-2005 is then used to obtain the final optimal parameter values. Calibration results indicate that the estimated zonations calculated from the discrete adjoint algorithm closely approximate the true parameter zonations. This automation algorithm reduces the bias established by the initial distribution of zones and provides a robust parameter zonation distribution.

Facile synthesis and versatile topological transformation of mono-cleavable symmetric starlike terpolymers.

A straightforward strategy involving a RAFT process and ring-opening polymerization was used to construct symmetric reduction-responsive amphiphilic A(2m)B(2n)C(2) (m≈n≈ 3) starlike terpolymers with precise microstructure, which could be efficiently converted into thiol-functionalized telechelic stars, degraded A(m)B(n)C miktoarm stars and comblike-linear multiblock copolymers via postmodification.

Molecular basis underlying the S5-dependent reproductive isolation and compatibility of indica/japonica rice hybrids.

The S5 locus regulates spikelet fertility of indica/japonica hybrid rice (Oryza sativa). There are three alleles at the S5 locus, including an indica allele (S5i), a japonica allele (S5j), and a wide-compatibility allele (S5n). This study analyzed the molecular basis for S5-dependent reproductive isolation and compatibility of indica/japonica rice hybrids. Three S5 alleles were expressed at extremely low levels, and only in the ovary. S5n was more similar to S5i in both RNA and protein expression profiles. The S5 locus was not essential for embryo sac development, although deleterious interactions between S5i and S5j resulted in reduced rates of spikelet fertility. The yeast two-hybrid system was used to test direct interactions between S5-encoded proteins. The results indicated that the S5i- and S5j-encoded eukaryotic aspartyl proteases formed both homodimers and heterodimers, whereas the S5n-encoded aspartyl protease was incapable of dimerization. Site-directed mutagenesis revealed that a single amino acid difference between S5i- and S5j-encoded aspartyl proteases (phenylalanine/leucine at residue 273) was primarily responsible for embryo sac abortion. The S5 locus may have promoted the subspeciation of indica and japonica, but it also enables gene flow between them.

A history of the prevalence and control of contagious bovine pleuropneumonia in China.

Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP), caused by Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides small colony type, was once the most damaging infectious animal disease in China, second only to rinderpest. Between 1949 and 1989, 178,570 cattle died of CBPP, causing estimated losses of 356 million RMB (1RMB=approx. £0.094, US$0.15, €0.11 at 27th January 2011). In 1956, in an effort to control the disease, a virulent strain of the causative organism (Ben-1) was attenuated by multiple passages in rabbits. The resultant vaccine achieved a high protection rate in cattle with a duration of immunity of 28 months. Vaccines were also prepared in sheep to increase the antigen yield and then in Tibetan sheep because it caused fewer adverse reactions in yaks and related species. The last CBPP infected animal was identified in 1989 since when no more cases have occurred. In 1992, vaccination of cattle was stopped. In 2008 China submitted an application to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) to be declared CBPP-free.

Assessing hydrofracing success from earth tide and barometric response.

Identifying fracture pathways and connectivity between adjacent wells is vital for understanding flow characteristics, transport properties, and fracture characteristics. In this investigation, a simple, straightforward methodology is presented for assessing hydrofracing success and identifying possible fracture connectivity between neighboring boreholes, using water-level barometric response and tide signatures of individual fractures in a crystalline-rock setting. Water levels and barometric pressure heads were collected at two wells 27 m apart both prior to, and after, hydrofracing one of the wells at the fractured-rock research site in Floyd County, Virginia. Vastly different barometric and tidal signatures existed at the two wells prior to hydrofracing as well EX-1 had no discernable fractures, while W-03 was connected to an identified fault-zone aquifer and produced a notable water-level earth tide and barometric signatures. After hydrofracing EX-1, new fractures were induced and the resulting water-level tidal signature and barometric efficiencies were nearly identical to the W-03 well. Aquifer testing conducted from both wells verified this connectivity along the fault-zone aquifer. The small phase difference between the tidal responses in the two wells can be accounted for by the calculated differences in transmissivity and casing diameter.