GLay provides Cytoscape users an assorted collection of versatile community structure algorithms and graph layout functions for network clustering and structured visualization. High performance is ...achieved by dynamically linking highly optimized C functions to the Cytoscape JAVA program, which makes GLay especially suitable for decomposition, display and exploratory analysis of large biological networks. Availability: http://brainarray.mbni.med.umich.edu/glay/ Contact: sugang@umich.edu
To assist in the absorption of renewable energy, coal-fired power plants need to operate over a wide range of loads, which exacerbates the challenge of the time delay in the wet desulphurization ...process. Therefore, this paper proposes a new control structure based on frequency retrofit and a corresponding model predictive controller to change the traditional idea of wet desulphurization control. This structure provides faster control actions, thus reducing time delay directly. And it makes the original discrete control variable continuous, enabling most control methods. The field application to the wet flue gas desulphurization system reveals the practical prospects of the proposed control structure and simulations have been conducted to verify the merits of the proposed control scheme based on data collected from a 1000 MW power plant.
Objectives. This study aims to investigate the association between waist circumference (WC) and cardiovascular death in patients with permanent pacemakers (PPMs). Methods. This is a retrospective ...cohort study that enrolled patients who underwent PPM implantation in Fuwai Hospital from May 2010 to April 2014, according to the BIOTRONIK Home Monitoring database. The WC was treated as sex-specific quartiles, and patients were divided into three groups according to body mass index (BMI): normal (≤22.9 kg/m2), overweight (23–24.9 kg/m2), and obese (≥25 kg/m2). Cox proportional hazards models were used to calculate hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals for cardiovascular death according to WC and BMI in patients. Results. 492 patients with PPMs implantation were analyzed (mean age: 71.9 ± 10.8 years; 55.1% men (n = 271)). Data showed that after a mean follow-up 67.2 ± 17.5 months, 24 (4.9%) patients had experienced cardiovascular death and 71 (14.4%) were cases of all-cause mortality. Men in the third quartile of WC had an HR of 10.67 (Model 4, 95% CI: 1.00–115.21, p trend = 0.04) for cardiovascular death. However, the association disappeared in female patients (Model 4, HR = 3.99, 95% CI: 0.37–42.87, p trend = 0.25). There was no association between BMI and cardiovascular death or all-cause mortality in both male and female patients. Conclusions. Abdominal obesity was associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular death in patients with PPMs, and this relationship was only in male patients.
Breast cancer (BC) is one of the most common malignant tumors, affecting a significant number of women worldwide. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been reported to play important roles in tumorigenesis. The ...aim of this study was to determine the roles of miR-182-5p in BC progression.
The expressions of miR-182-5p and phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) were measured in BC tissues and cells by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction or Western blot. Cell proliferation and invasion were detected by cell counting kit-8 assay and trans-well assay, respectively. The interaction between miR-182-5p and PTEN was probed by bioinformatics analysis, luciferase activity, and RNA immunoprecipitation. A murine xenograft model was established to investigate the role of miR-182-5p in BC progression
.
An abundance of miR-182-5p was noted in BC tissues and cells. High expression of miR-182-5p was associated with poor survival. Abrogation of miR-182-5p inhibited cell proliferation and invasion in BC cells. Interestingly, PTEN was indicated as a target of miR-182-5p, and its restoration reversed miR-182-5p-mediated promotion of proliferation and invasion of BC cells. Moreover, depletion of miR-182-5p suppressed tumor growth via up-regulating PTEN expression in the murine xenograft model.
MiR-182-5p exhaustion blocked cell proliferation and invasion by regulating PTEN expression, providing a novel therapeutic avenue for treatment of BC.
genes, which form a plant-specific transcription factor family, play an important role in plant growth and development and stress responses. However, the functions of
genes in soybean (
) remain ...largely unknown. Here, 117
genes distributed on 20 chromosomes were identified in the soybean genome and were classified into 11 subfamilies. Of the soybean
genes, 80.34% did not have intron insertions, and 54 pairs of genes accounted for 88.52% of duplication events (61 pairs). RNA-seq analysis demonstrated that most
were expressed in 14 different soybean tissues examined and responded to multiple abiotic stresses. Results from quantitative real-time PCR analysis of six selected
suggested that
was significantly upregulated under drought and salt stress conditions and abscisic acid and brassinosteroid treatment; therefore, this gene was selected for further study. Subcellular localization analysis revealed that the GmGRAS37 protein was located in the plasma membrane, nucleus, and cytosol. Soybean hairy roots overexpressing
had improved resistance to drought and salt stresses. In addition, these roots showed increased transcript levels of several drought- and salt-related genes. The results of this study provide the basis for comprehensive analysis of
genes and insight into the abiotic stress response mechanism in soybean.
An amperometric needle-type electrochemical glucose sensor intended for tear glucose measurements is described and employed in conjunction with a 0.84 mm i.d. capillary tube to collect microliter ...volumes of tear fluid. The sensor is based on immobilizing glucose oxidase on a 0.25 mm o.d. platinum/iridium (Pt/Ir) wire and anodically detecting the liberated hydrogen peroxide from the enzymatic reaction. Inner layers of Nafion and an electropolymerized film of 1,3-diaminobenzene/resorcinol greatly enhance the selectivity for glucose over potential interferences in tear fluid, including ascorbic acid and uric acid. Further, the new sensor is optimized to achieve very low detection limits of 1.5 ± 0.4 μM of glucose (S/N = 3) that is required to monitor glucose levels in tear fluid with a glucose sensitivity of 0.032 ± 0.02 nA/μM (n = 6). Only 4–5 μL of tear fluid in the capillary tube is required when the needle sensor is inserted into the capillary. The glucose sensor was employed to measure tear glucose levels in anesthetized rabbits over an 8 h period while also measuring the blood glucose values. A strong correlation between tear and blood glucose levels was found, suggesting that measurement of tear glucose is a potential noninvasive substitute for blood glucose measurements, and the new sensor configuration could aid in conducting further research in this direction.
Introduction
Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is associated with interstitial lung disease (ILD) and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). This study aimed to explore the prevalence, clinical features, ...hemodynamic characteristics and prognosis of different severity of ILD in a cohort of patients with SSc-associated precapillary pulmonary hypertension (SSc-PH) and investigate the differences between SSc-PAH and idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH) patients.
Method
SSc-PH patients and IPAH patients, admitted to Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital (August 1, 2008–January 31, 2020) and diagnosed by right-sided heart catheterization (RHC) or echocardiography, were retrospectively included. SSc-PH patients had a baseline chest high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT), and PH classification was based on the extent of ILD. Clinical, pulmonary function, hemodynamic characteristics and survival data were extracted.
Results
The study included 45 SSc-PH patients (60% had coexisting ILD and 77.8% were SSc-Group 1 PH/SSc-PAH without ILD or with mild ILD, 22.2% were SSc-Group 3 PH/SSc-PH with severe ILD) and 52 IPAH patients. SSc-PH with ILD had lower arterial oxygen partial pressure (PaO
2
) than those without ILD. Hemodynamic characteristics and survival rates were comparable between SSc-PAH with mild ILD and those without ILD. SSc-Group 3 PH had lower pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) and more severe restrictive ventilatory dysfunction than SSc-Group 1 PH, but the survival rate was equally poor. SSc-PAH had a poorer prognosis than IPAH patients despite the better hemodynamic characteristics.
Conclusions
ILD was common in SSc-PH patients. Careful phenotyping of PH in SSc-PH patients is very important as it is imperative to recognize its impact on clinical course, treatment and survival.
Key Points
• ILD was common in Chinese SSc-PH patients.
• SSc-PH patients with ILD had lower PaO
2
than those without ILD.
• Hemodynamic characteristics and survival rates were similar in SSc-PAH patients with mild ILD and those without ILD.
• Patients in SSc-Group 3 PH had lower pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) and more severe restrictive ventilatory dysfunction than those in SSc-Group 1 PH, but the survival rate was equally poor. SSc-PAH patients had a poorer prognosis than IPAH patients despite their better hemodynamic characteristics.
Abstract Objective The purpose of this study was to establish a reliable, chronic model of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). Methods Wild-type 8-week-old C56BL/6 male mice (n = 120) were equally ...divided into three groups: (1) BAPN group: 0.2% 3-aminopropionitrile fumarate salt (BAPN) drinking water was provided to mice 2 days before surgery until the end of study. Sham aneurysm induction surgery was performed using 5 μL of heat deactivated elastase. (2) Elastase group: mice were given regular drinking water without BAPN. During aneurysm induction surgery, 5 μL of the active form of elastase (10.3 mg protein/mL, 5.9 U/mg protein) was applied on top of the infrarenal abdominal aorta adventitia for 5 minutes. (3) BAPN+elastase group: mice were given BAPN drinking water and the active form of elastase application, as above. On postoperative days 7, 14, 21, 28, and 100, aortic samples were collected for histology, cytokine array, and gelatin zymography after aortic diameter measurement. Results Compared with the elastase group, the BAPN+elastase group had a higher AAA formation rate (93% vs 65%; P < .01) with more advanced AAAs (25 of 42 vs 1 of 40 for stage II and III; P < .001). Aneurysms from the BAPN+elastase group demonstrated persistent long-term growth (221.5% ± 36.6%, 285.8% ± 78.6%, and 801% ± 160% on days 21, 28, and 100, respectively; P < .001), with considerable thrombus formation (54%) and rupture (31%) at the advanced stages of AAA development. Cytokine levels (pro-matrix metalloproteinase 9, interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, chemokine C-C motif ligand 5, triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 1, monocyte chemotactic protein 1, and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1) in the BAPN+elastase group were higher than in the elastase group on day 7. After day 7, cytokine levels returned to baseline, with the exception of elevated matrix metalloproteinase 2 activity. By histology, CD3-positive T cells in the BAPN+elastase group were elevated on days 28 and 100. Conclusions A combination of oral BAPN administration and periaortic elastase application induced a chronic, advanced-stage AAA with characteristics of persistent aneurysm growth, thrombus formation, and spontaneous rupture. Future studies should use this model, especially for examining tissue remodeling during the late stages of aneurysm development.
Vaccinia mature virus requires A26 envelope protein to mediate acid-dependent endocytosis into HeLa cells in which we hypothesized that A26 protein functions as an acid-sensitive membrane fusion ...suppressor. Here, we provide evidence showing that N-terminal domain (aa1-75) of A26 protein is an acid-sensitive region that regulates membrane fusion. Crystal structure of A26 protein revealed that His48 and His53 are in close contact with Lys47, Arg57, His314 and Arg312, suggesting that at low pH these His-cation pairs could initiate conformational changes through protonation of His48 and His53 and subsequent electrostatic repulsion. All the A26 mutant mature viruses that interrupted His-cation pair interactions of His48 and His 53 indeed have lost virion infectivity. Isolation of revertant viruses revealed that second site mutations caused frame shifts and premature termination of A26 protein such that reverent viruses regained cell entry through plasma membrane fusion. Together, we conclude that viral A26 protein functions as an acid-sensitive fusion suppressor during vaccinia mature virus endocytosis.
This paper presents a sleeve-type capacitive power transfer (CPT) system for contactless rotary applications. Sleeve-type capacitive couplers with different coupling arrangements between primary and ...secondary metal sleeves are proposed in this research, which lead to different coupling characteristics with positive, zero, and negative coupling coefficients. The effect of coupling coefficient variations caused by both the power transfer distance and the ratio between the overlapping length and the height of outer sleeves is analyzed. Combining the sleeve-type coupler, the CPT system is developed with a double-sided LC-compensated network and half-bridge inverter. For the CPT systems with positive and negative coupling coefficients, parameter design methods are presented to determine system parameters to achieve zero phase angle (ZPA) condition under the same output power. Then overall system performances of the CPT systems with local maximum positive and local minimum negative coupling coefficients are analyzed and compared by simulation in MATLAB/Simulink and Maxwell. Finally, an experimental prototype is constructed, which has demonstrated a power efficiency of 85.3% at 100.8 W. Simulation and experimental results show that the CPT system with local minimum negative coupling coefficient has clear advantages in increasing transfer distance, reducing voltage on sleeves, suppressing fringing electric field, and improving power density.
PDF
