The surface properties and structure of a membrane play a significant role in the ion selectivity during electrodialysis. Recently, polydopamine (PDA) and its related nanomaterials have emerged as ...promising materials to develop composite membranes for higher separation requirements. Previous research has shown that the codeposition of PDA and polyethylenimine (PEI) triggered by Cu2+/H2O2 could facilitate the transport of H+ while rejecting multivalent ions though electrostatic effects. However, the enhanced H+ flux by acid–base pairs is not applicable in a Na+/Mg2+ system. Here we report a facile method to construct monovalent selective membranes through rapid codeposition of PDA/PEI and Mil(53)-Al, followed by cross-linking with trimesoyl chloride (TMC). The positive −NH2 allows us to reject multivalent cations, while porous Mil(53)-Al can accelerate the migration of Na+. The surface morphology and physicochemical properties of the as-prepared composite membranes were studied by SEM, AFM, and XPS analyses, and the electrochemical properties were evaluated by EIS and current–voltage curves. The results demonstrated that a robust skin layer was formed on the commercial cation exchange membrane substrate, endowing the ion-exchange membrane with an increased separation performance for multivalent ions. The monovalent selectivity and ion flux can be tuned by changing the ratio of Mil(53)-Al during the codeposition process. A mass ratio of 0.2–0.4% (w/v) for Mil(53)-Al is the optimum protocol, yielding a membrane with a permselectivity of about 0.3 and an ion flux of about 22.0 and 0.6 mol·cm–2·s–1 for Na+ and Mg2+, respectively. At this condition, the PDA-coated membrane maintains a high monovalent selectivity with enhanced Na+ and Mg2+ flux in single salt solutions. This one-pot method to prepare PDA based membrane provides a new direction to prepare monovalent selective ion-exchange membranes.
The Myanmar jadeite uplift forms an important link between the Indo-Burma Range and the Tagaung–Myitkyina Belt. Two contrasting ages of Jurassic (152.4±1.5Ma of glaucophane from blueschist) and ...Eocene (44.8±1.1 and 45.0±1.3Ma of phengitic muscovites from quartz schists in the uplift) were yielded using 40Ar/39Ar dating. The Jurassic age of the glaucophane, even older than the forming age of the jadeitite from recent relevant literatures, and for the reason of possible excess argon involved, is interpreted as the lower limit of the subduction age. Previous studies correlated this subduction with the Woyla intra-oceanic arc, or the Incertus Arc to the west. The Eocene ages of phengitic muscovites are interpreted as the time of an intra-continental shearing deformation event, against the timing of HP/LT metamorphism as previously suggested. Combined with other studies, it is suggested that the Tagaung–Myitkyina Belt and the Indo-Burma Range belonged to a single belt, which has been separated by the Sagaing Fault, leaving the jadeite uplift straddling along the fault between the Belt and the Range. We propose a rapid exhumation model for the Myanmar jadeitite at ~45Ma, coeval with onset of the Sagaing Fault.
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•Three 40Ar/39Ar ages on schists yield two contrasting ages: Jurassic and Eocene•~152.4Ma on glaucophane interpreted as subduction age•~45.0Ma on phengitic muscovites interpreted as intra-continental deformation age
To characterize nosocomial transmission and rearrangement of the resistance-virulence plasmid between two ST11-K64 carbapenem-resistant hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae (CR-hvKP) strains ...(JX-CR-hvKP-10 and JX-CR-hvKP-9) with low fitness.
Phenotypic tests were used to assess the virulence of JX-CR-hvKP-10 and JX-CR-hvKP-9. Whole-genome sequencing was used to analyze JX-CR-hvKP-10 and JX-CR-hvKP-9 chromosomes and plasmids. Fitness and conjugation experiments were also conducted using these two CR-hvKP isolates.
Phenotypic tests indicated that both JX-CR-hvKP-10 and JX-CR-hvKP-9 were multidrug-resistant and hypervirulent K. pneumoniae. Whole-genome sequencing and clinical information demonstrated that the super large resistance-virulence fusion plasmid pJX10-1 formed precisely by the fusion of pJX9-1 and pJX9-2 via the nosocomial transmission. Interestingly pJX9-1 itself was also a classic resistance-virulence fusion plasmid by way of the blaKPC-carrying resistance plasmid and pLVPK-like virulence plasmid. Compared with classic K. pneumoniae ATCC700603, fitness analysis revealed no significant difference in growth was observed between JX-CR-hvKP-10 and JX-CR-hvKP-9.
Nosocomial transmission and rearrangement of a blaKPC-harboring plasmid and a pLVPK-like virulence plasmid with a low fitness cost in ST11 K. pneumoniae enhances drug resistance and virulence simultaneously. Thus, active surveillance of this hybrid plasmid is needed to prevent these efficient resistance-virulence plasmids from disseminating in hospital settings.
•Nosocomial transmission and rearrangement of a blaKPC-harboring plasmid and a pLVPK-like virulence plasmid with a low fitness cost in ST11 K. pneumoniae enhances drug resistance and virulence simultaneously.•ST11-K64 CR-hvKP is evolving.•Rearrangement of the blaKPC-harboring plasmid and the pLVPK-like virulence plasmid can enhance the environmental adaptability of CR-hvKP, and promote its spread and prevalence.
Optic Atrophy 1 (OPA1), a mitochondrial inner protein, is involved in both mitochondrial fusion dynamic and cell apoptosis. OPA1 Exon4b (OPA1-Exon4b) was reported to be downregulated in ...hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the relationship between OPA1-Exon4b and HCC remains unclear. Here we demonstrated that OPA1-Exon4b is related with migration using genome-wide transcriptome profiling. OPA1-Exon4b overexpression suppresses the migration and invasion, and cellular ATP production in HCC cells. The inhibition of migration and invasion by OPA1-Exon4b overexpression could be rescued by ATP addition, showing that OPA1-Exon4b suppresses the migration and invasion by decreasing ATP. We further demonstrated OPA1 overexpression induces the enlargement of mtDNA nucleoids in HCC cells. Thus, our study demonstrated a key role of OPA1-Exon4b to regulate the migration and invasion in HCC, which could provide a new prospect for the clinical diagnosis and therapy of HCC.
•OPA1-Exon4b relates with migration.•OPA1-Exon4b OE suppresses migration and invasion.•OPA1-Exon4b on migration and invasion is dependent on ATP.•OPA1 OE induces mtDNA nucleoids enlargement.
Histone acetylation is a vital mechanism for the post-translational modifications of chromatin components. Histone acetyltransferases (HATs) are critical elements that determine histone acetylation ...and regulate chromatin dynamics and gene expression. While histone acetyltransferases have been well studied in mammals and Drosophila melanogaster, information from agriculturally important insect pests is still limited. In our effort to understand the epigenetic mechanisms regulating development in the brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens (Stål) (Hemiptera: Geometroidea), a major rice pest in many parts of Asia, two full-length cDNA sequences encoding HAT members of the GNAT and MYST family, namely NlElp3 and NlMof, respectively, were isolated and structurally and phylogenetically characterized. The NlElp3 contains an open reading frame (ORF) of 1656bp encoding a protein of 551 amino acids. The NlMof contains a 1353bp ORF encoding a protein of 450 amino acids. Sequence analysis showed that NlElp3 contains GNAT-type HAT domain and Radical SAM domain, and NlMof contains chromodomain and MOZ-SAS acetyltransferase domain. Multiple sequence alignments showed that NlElp3 and NlMof have high amino acid sequence identity with other insect homologues. Expression analysis of the NlElp3 and NlMof revealed significant differences in mRNA expression levels among N. lugens developmental stages, suggesting that HAT activities of NlElp3 and NlMof may be controlled, at least in part, by their developmental regulation. Remarkably, the mRNA expression levels of NlElp3 and NlMof in female adults were significantly higher than that in male adults, supporting an important role for both genes in female reproductive function in N. lugens.
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► We cloned the full-length cDNAs encoding Elp3 and Mof in Nilaparvata lugens. ► NlElp3 and NlMof are differentially expressed throughout N. lugens development. ► Both genes may play an important role in female reproductive function in N. lugens.
This paper proposes a modified temporary over-production inertial control. It consists of two parts: the deceleration phase and the acceleration phase. In the deceleration phase, the reference active ...power maintains constant first. Then it starts to decrease linearly with the decrease of the rotor speed when the DFIG has released half of the available energy stored in the rotating masses. In the acceleration phase, the reference active power switches to the mean value of mechanical power and electromagnetic power under maximum power point tracking control. Compared with the temporary over-production inertial control, the modified temporary over-production inertial control is simplified with one parameter and there is no over-speed. Moreover, the performance of the second frequency dip is improved with less power reduction. The simulation results show that the modified temporary over-production inertial control has the same ability to arrest the frequency nadir as temporary over-production inertial control while improving the performance of the second frequency dip.
Cervical cancer (CC) is the second serious health threat in women worldwide. LncRNA (
antisense RNA 1)
has been observed to abnormally express in human cancers. However, the expression pattern, ...clinical significance and molecular mechanism of ZFAS1 have not been thoroughly studied in CC.
qRT-PCR was performed to examine the differential expression of ZFAS1 in CC tissues and adjacent normal cervical tissues. Gain- and loss-of-function experiments were constructed to test the functional role of ZFAS1 in CC by CCK-8, colony formation, transwell and xenograft models assays. Luciferase reporter, RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP), methylated RNA immunoprecipitation (MeRIP), RNA pull-down assays were used to reveal the underlying mechanisms.
We found that ZFAS1 was significantly upregulated in CC tissues. Elevation of ZFAS1 correlated with advanced FIGO stage, lymph node and distant metastasis, and also indicated poor overall survival in patients with CC. Functional experiments demonstrated that ZFAS1 promoted CC cell proliferation, migration and invasion in vitro, and facilitated tumor growth and metastasis in vivo. Mechanistic investigation revealed that ZAFS1 sequestered miR-647, and this RNA-RNA interaction is regulated by METLL3-mediated m
A modification.
Our findings elucidate the functional roles of ZFAS1 and its m
A modification in CC cells and indicate that ZFAS1 may be a promising target for CC treatment.
Macrophage polarization contributes to the mechanisms of treating knee osteoarthritis (KOA). In previous studies, fire needling acupuncture has been shown to affect KOA favorably. However, the ...mechanism of fire needling acupuncture on macrophage polarization is not well-defined. Thus, this study was conducted to determine that fire needling acupuncture exerts a therapeutic role in KOA by modulating macrophage polarization.
Thirty mice were allocated at random into three groups of ten. The groups were labeled as "control", "model", and "fire needling acupuncture". Each group consisted of ten mice. From the second day of intra-articular injection MIA, the right "xiyan" (EX-LE5), "dubi" (ST35), "liangqiu" (ST34), and "xuehai" (SP10) acupoints were manipulated once every other day for two weeks in the fire needling acupuncture group. Mechanical withdrawal threshold and weight distribution were evaluated for behavioral testing in each group. The synovial morphology was monitored by HE staining. Pathological morphology was observed by HE staining, Saf-O staining, and toluidine blue staining. The polarization of macrophages in synovial tissue was detected using immunofluorescence (F4/80, CD86, and CD206).
Fire needling acupuncture increased the percentage weight-bearing difference and the mechanical withdrawal threshold, and improved synovial inflammation and cartilage damage in MIA-induced KOA mice. F4/80 and CD86 expression were downregulated by fire needling acupuncture, but CD206 was increased.
Fire needling acupuncture decreases pain behaviors in KOA mice and improves synovial membrane injury and pathological cartilage damage. The macrophage polarization is involved in the mechanism of fire needling acupuncture's amelioration of articular cartilage damage.
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