Objectives
This study aimed to investigate the attention network function of spider phobics before and after attentional bias modification (ABM) through conduction of an emotional attention network ...test (eANT).
Methods
Scores from an eANT, an approach–avoidance task, and various scales were used to examine the training effect of a single ABM session among participants (30 individuals with spider phobia and 30 controls).
Results
At baseline, alertness scores in response to spider images were higher in the phobia group than in the control group (x̄ = 51.81 vs. 30.35 ms). After ABM, this score decreased in the phobia group, indicating their lower susceptibility to distraction by images of spiders. However, ABM training did not considerably alleviate their fear of and avoidance behavior toward spiders.
Conclusion
This study elucidates the (1) vigilance–avoidance pattern among individuals with spider phobia when encountering spider‐related stimuli and (2) change in underlying attentional mechanisms after ABM training.
► GSK-3β inhibitor suppresses CD40 expression on LPS-stimulated osteoblasts. ► GSK-3β inhibitor suppresses proinflammatory cytokines production by LPS-induced osteoblasts. ► GSK-3β inhibitor ...represses LPS-induced activation of NF-κB rather than STAT-1α. ► β-Catenin physically interacts with NF-κBp65. ► Suppression of NF-κB and inflammatory response by GSK-3β inhibitor is mediated by β-catenin.
Bone-forming osteoblasts have been recently reported capable of expressing the critical co-stimulatory molecule CD40 upon exposure to bacterial infection, which supports the unappreciated role of osteoblasts in modulating bone inflammation. Recent studies highlight the anti-inflammatory potential of glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) inhibitors; however, their effect on osteoblasts remains largely unclear. In the present study, we showed that treatment with SB216763, a highly specific GSK-3β inhibitor, resulted in a dose-dependent decrease in the mRNA and protein expression of CD40, as well as production of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6, TNF-α and IL-1β, in the Porphyromonas gingivalis-lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated murine osteoblastic-like MC3T3-E1 cells. Furthermore, inhibition of GSK-3β remarkably represses the LPS-induced activation of the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway by suppressing IκBα phosphorylation, NF-κBp65 nuclear translocation, and NF-κBp65 DNA binding activity. Closer investigation by immunoprecipitation assay revealed that β-catenin can physically interact with NF-κBp65. The negative regulation effect of GSK-3β inhibitor on CD40 expression is mediated through β-catenin, for siRNA of β-catenin attenuated the GSK-3β inhibitor-induced repression of NF-κB activation and, consequently, the expression of CD40 and production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in LPS-stimulated MC3T3-E1 cells. Thus our results elucidate the molecular mechanisms whereby GSK-3β inhibitor prevents the LPS-induced CD40 expression on osteoblasts and provide supportive evidence of the potential role of GSK-3β inhibitors in suppressing the immune function of osteoblasts in inflammatory bone diseases.
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Nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots (N-CQDs) were successfully synthesized using rice residue and glycine as carbon and nitrogen sources by one-step hydrothermal method. High quantum ...yield (23.48%) originated from the effective combination of nitrogen with various functional groups (CO, NH, CN, COOH and COC). The N-CQDs showed a fluorescence with the wavelength varied from 420 to 500 nm and the maximum emission wavelength being at 440 nm. N-CQDs have been importantly applied as probe to detect Fe3+ and tetracycline (TCs) antibiotics with remarkable performance. Using the linear relationship between fluorescence intensity and Fe3+ concentration, the N-CQDs could be employed as a simple, efficient sensor for ultrasensitive Fe3+ detection ranging from 3.32 to 32.26 µM, with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.7462 µM. The N-CQDs showed the applicability to detect TCs. The detection limits of tetracycline, terramycin and chlortetracycline were 0.2367, 0.3739 and 0.2791 µM, respectively. The results of TC by fluorescence method in real water samples were in good agreement with standard Ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) method. The N-CQDs have various potential applications including sensitive and selective detection of Fe3+ and TCs, and cellular imaging with low cytotoxicity, good biocompatibility and high permeability.
SUMMARY
Lignin is an important component of plant cell walls and plays crucial roles in the essential agronomic traits of tea quality and tenderness. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the ...regulation of lignin biosynthesis in tea plants remain unclear. CsWRKY13 acts as a negative regulator of lignin biosynthesis in tea plants. In this study, we identified a GRAS transcription factor, phytochrome A signal transduction 1 (CsPAT1), that interacts with CsWRKY13. Silencing CsPAT1 expression in tea plants and heterologous overexpression in Arabidopsis demonstrated that CsPAT1 positively regulates lignin accumulation. Further investigation revealed that CsWRKY13 directly binds to the promoters of CsPAL and CsC4H and suppresses transcription of CsPAL and CsC4H. CsPAT1 indirectly affects the promoter activities of CsPAL and CsC4H by interacting with CsWRKY13, thereby facilitating lignin biosynthesis in tea plants. Compared with the expression of CsWRKY13 alone, the co‐expression of CsPAT1 and CsWRKY13 in Oryza sativa significantly increased lignin biosynthesis. Conversely, compared with the expression of CsPAT1 alone, the co‐expression of CsPAT1 and CsWRKY13 in O. sativa significantly reduced lignin accumulation. These results demonstrated the antagonistic regulation of the lignin biosynthesis pathway by CsPAT1 and CsWRKY13. These findings improve our understanding of lignin biosynthesis mechanisms in tea plants and provide insights into the role of the GRAS transcription factor family in lignin accumulation.
Significance Statement
Silencing of CsPAT1 expression in tea plants and heterologous overexpression in Arabidopsis and Oryza sativa demonstrated that CsPAT1 positively regulates lignin accumulation. CsPAT1 indirectly regulates the promoter activity of CsPAL and CsC4H through its interaction with CsWRKY13, facilitating lignin biosynthesis in tea plants. Our findings provide new insights into the role of the GRAS transcription factor family in the regulation of lignin accumulation in tea plants and other plant species.
The quasi‐two‐day waves (QTDWs) with westward‐propagating wavenumbers 2 (W2), 3 (W3), and 4 (W4) during the boreal summers were statistically examined using TIMED/SABER temperature observation ...datasets during 2002–2019 with a 6‐day two‐dimensional least‐squares fitting window. The W4 (W3) and W2 QTDWs were observed at ∼67–73 km and ∼30–40°N, and ∼89–95 km and ∼20–30°N, respectively. The W4 mode occurred 57 times over the past 18 years compared to 43 (52) times for the W3 (W2) QTDWs. The W4 QTDW reached maximum amplitudes of ∼9–10 K during 2006, 2009, and 2017, whereas W3 and W2 QTDWs attained maximum amplitudes of ∼8 K during 2017 and 2012. In addition, W4, W3, and W2 occurred more frequently with periods of 41–44 hr, 47–53 hr, and 44–50 hr, respectively. QTDW events with longer periods took place later than those events with shorter periods. Statistically, the W4 (W2) QTDW events were significantly more frequent during days 195–210 (165–180). In contrast, the W3 QTDW tended to occur during days 180–195 but was only slightly less frequent during days 195–210 and 210–225. Diagnostic analysis of the modern‐era retrospective analysis for research and applications ‐2 reanalysis dataset indicates that the attribution variations of the QTDWs, including their amplitudes and periods, were intimately related to the corresponding variabilities of the background zonal wind.
Key Points
The W3 and W4 quasi‐two‐day waves (QTDWs) show clear amplitude and period variations in the middle atmosphere during the boreal summers
The W4 QTDW dominates the QTDW behaviors during boreal summers with the largest amplitude of ∼9–10 K
The periods of QTDWs are relatively stable during early and middle stages of the boreal summers but become longer during late boreal summers
The anomalous strengthening of the stratospheric Aleutian High during the early boreal winter of 2016/2017 led to a rare Canadian stratospheric warming (CSW) event, during which the extent of the ...wind reversal in the Arctic region is the strongest among CSWs since 2001. Unlike sudden stratospheric warmings, the polar vortex during this CSW is merely distorted, not displaced off the pole or split into two pieces, and the polar mean temperature only has a modest increase of a few kelvins. Using the Aura satellite Microwave Limb Sounder measurements, an exceptionally strong 12‐day wave (12DW) with westward zonal wavenumber 1 is captured in the mesospheric water vapor mixing ratio during the recovery phase of this CSW. Further diagnostic analysis suggests that the baroclinic/barotropic instability related to this CSW triggers the 12DW in the Arctic stratosphere, and meridional advection plays a leading role in the modulation of 12DW on mesospheric water vapor.
Plain Language Summary
During the last few decades, it has been widely reported that sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) has a significant impact on the whole atmosphere. At the same time, another type of warming event called Canadian stratospheric warming (CSW), which is caused by the amplification of the stratospheric Aleutian High, has received little attention. During the early boreal winter of 2016/2017, the strengthening of the stratospheric Aleutian High led to an unusual CSW event, during which the normal eastward zonal mean flow reversed to westward. Such wind reversal in the polar region during CSW events is very rare (3 times during 1978–2000; Manney et al., 2001,
https://doi.org/10.1029/2001gl012973
). Based on satellite observations and reanalysis data, we explore the response of planetary waves to CSW for the first time and find an unexpectedly strong 12‐day wave in mesospheric water vapor during the November 2016 CSW. The results indicate that CSW can also profoundly influence the mesospheric composition and dynamics, which is similar to those due to SSW events, although the anomaly in the background atmosphere induced by the CSW is only confined to the lower and middle stratosphere.
Key Points
Unusual Canadian stratospheric warming (CSW) occurred in November 2016, which caused the strongest wind reversal for CSWs since 2001
A strong 12‐day planetary wave with westward zonal wavenumber 1 is observed in the mesospheric water vapor during this CSW
Wave reconstruction shows that the modulation of the 12‐day wave on the mesospheric water vapor is mainly driven by meridional advection
The specified dynamics Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model with thermosphere and ionosphere extension (SD‐WACCM‐X) was utilized to explore migrating tidal variabilities that occurred during the ...2002, 2010, and 2019 Antarctic sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) events. All migrating tides show prominent day‐to‐day variations in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere regions, which can be mainly attributed to each Antarctic SSW event. The westward propagating diurnal tide with zonal wavenumber 1 (DW1) and the westward propagating semidiurnal tide with zonal wavenumber 2 (SW2) show a distinct reduction and an increase during each Antarctic SSW event, respectively. Specifically, the westward propagating terdiurnal tide with zonal wavenumber 3 (TW3) shows an unexpected decrease, which is opposite to the behaviors of TW3 reported during Arctic SSW events. We conclude that the unexpected decrease in TW3 may be mainly caused by the nonlinear interaction between DW1 and SW2, in which DW1 may play a major role. In the ionosphere, the TW3 amplitudes also show a decrease during each Antarctic SSW event, which is in consistency with decreasing tidal amplitudes in the neutral atmosphere. Our study demonstrates that TW3 is also a considerable source for short‐term ionospheric variability during Antarctic SSW events.
Key Points
TW3 amplitudes show an unexpected decrease in the neutral atmosphere during Antarctic sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) events as revealed by SD‐WACCM‐X
The decrease in TW3 is likely due to the weakness of DW1 and derived from nonlinear wave‐wave interactions
The simultaneous decrease in the TW3 amplitudes in the ionosphere indicates neutral‐ion coupling through tides during Antarctic SSW events
A rare minor sudden stratospheric warming is observed in the Antarctic polar region during September 2019, which results in the enhancement of a westward wavenumber 1 quasi‐6‐day wave (Q6DW) in the ...mesopause region. The impacts of this Q6DW event to the ionosphere are then comparatively investigated with multiple data sets, including the ground‐based total electron content (TEC) from geostationary BeiDou satellite receivers and F2 layer maximum frequency (foF2) from ionosondes ranging from 20 to 40°N over eastern Asia. Besides, the global TEC maps from the International Global Navigation Satellite Systems Service (IGS) are also utilized to study the longitudinal variations. The ground‐based TEC and foF2 observations clearly shows planetary wave (PW) signals with a similar period as those in the mesosphere, which are further verified to be westward with zonal wavenumber 1 by IGS TEC maps. The ground‐based TEC and foF2 also show that the peak of the ionospheric response is at around 1,200–1,400 LT and 25°N over eastern Asia with maximum amplitudes of ∼9 TECU and ∼1.5 MHz, respectively, which are also well captured by IGS TEC maps. Nevertheless, the wave amplitudes exhibited by ground‐based TEC are 2–3 times larger than that in IGS TEC. Besides, the IGS TEC map shows that the ionospheric oscillations at different longitudes peak in the equatorial ionospheric anomaly crest region at similar solar local time, but with significant variabilities in their amplitude. Our analysis shows that the ground‐based ionospheric observations and IGS TEC maps generally exhibit consistent latitudinal structures on the neutral‐ion coupling through PWs.
Key Points
Ground‐based ionospheric observations show maximum planetary wave (PW) responses near the Equatorial Ionization Anomaly crest over eastern Asia
Total Electron Content maps and ground‐based ionospheric data sets show consistent results on neutral‐ion coupling through PWs
Ionospheric responses to PWs exhibit clear longitudinal variations
Although research shows that second language (L2) learners have major difficulties in developing their productive vocabulary skills, little research has been conducted on how to facilitate productive ...mastery of learned words. With this in mind, this study investigated the effects of task type and repetition frequency on improving receptive word knowledge to productive mastery. The 146 university students enrolled in an EFL course were assigned to four groups, each doing a different form of vocabulary exercises (multiple-choice, gap-filling, sentence translation and sentence writing) for 12 successive weeks. The 18 targets the participants knew receptively were divided into three sets that were repeated two, four and six times respectively. Productive knowledge of the targets was measured two weeks after the treatment. The results showed that (1) productive tasks contributed to significantly higher scores than receptive tasks regardless of repetition frequency, and some forms of productive tasks were more effective than others, and (2) repetition helped to promote the students’ performance across tasks, but its effects started declining after the first several retrievals.
In green chemical synthesis, biofilms as biocatalysts have shown great promise. Efficient biofilm‐mediated biocatalysis requires the modulation of biofilm formation. Optogenetic tools are ideal to ...control biofilms because light is noninvasive, easily controllable, and cost‐efficient. In this study, a gene circuit responsive to near‐infrared (NIR) light was used to modulate the cellular level of bis‐(3′‐5′) cyclic dimeric guanosine monophosphate (c‐di‐GMP), a central regulator of the prokaryote biofilm lifestyle, which allowed the regulation of biofilm formation by using NIR light. The engineered biofilm was applied to catalyze the biotransformation of indole into tryptophan in submerged biofilm reactors and NIR‐light‐enhanced biofilm formation resulted in an approximately 30 % increase in tryptophan yield, which demonstrates the feasibility of the application of light to modulate the formation and performance of catalytic biofilms for chemical production. The c‐di‐GMP‐targeted optogenetic approach to modulate catalytic biofilms showcases applications for biofilm‐mediated biocatalysis.
Bugs on film: A near‐IR‐light‐responsive, tryptophan‐producing Escherichia coli biofilm is engineered by introducing a near‐IR‐light‐responsive bis‐(3′‐5′) cyclic dimeric guanosine monophosphate (c‐di‐GMP) synthase and the genes that encode tryptophan synthase. In submerged biofilm reactors, near‐IR light enhances biofilm formation to result in an approximately 30 % increase in tryptophan yield.
