Biorhythm including neuron firing and protein-mRNA interaction are fundamental activities with diffusive effect. Their well-balanced spatiotemporal dynamics are beneficial for healthy sustainability. ...Therefore, calibrating both anomalous frequency and amplitude of biorhythm prevents physiological dysfunctions or diseases. However, many works were devoted to modulate frequency exclusively whereas amplitude is usually ignored, although both quantities are equally significant for coordinating biological functions and outputs. Especially, a feasible method coordinating the two quantities concurrently and precisely is still lacking. Here, for the first time, we propose a universal approach to design a frequency-amplitude coordinator rigorously via dynamical systems tools. We consider both spatial and temporal information. With a single well-designed coordinator, they can be calibrated to desired levels simultaneously and precisely. The practical usefulness and efficacy of our method are demonstrated in representative neuronal and gene regulatory models. We further reveal its fundamental mechanism and optimal energy consumption providing inspiration for biorhythm regulation in future.
As a promising luminescent nanomaterial, carbon dots (CDs) have received tremendous attention for their great potential in biomedical applications, owing to their distinctive merits of ease in ...preparation, superior optical properties, good biocompatibility, and adjustable modification in structure and functionalities. However, most of the reported CDs exhibit insufficient excitation and emission in red/near-infrared (R/NIR) regions, which significantly limits their practical applications in biomedical assays and therapy. In the latest years, extensive studies have been performed to produce CDs with intensified R/NIR excitation and emission by designed reactions and precise separations. This review article summarizes state-of-the-art progress towards design and manufacture of CDs with long-wavelength or multicolor emissions, involving their synthetic routes, precursors, and luminescence mechanisms. Meanwhile, the applicable availability of CDs in bioimaging, sensing, drug delivery/release, and photothermal/photodynamic therapy, is systematically overlooked. The current challenges concerning feasible controls over optical properties of CDs and their new opportunities in biomedical fields are discussed.
The synthesis, optical properties, and biomedical applications of carbon dots with red or near-infrared emissions are summarized. Display omitted
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide. Intense efforts have been made to elucidate the pathogeny, but the molecular mechanisms of HCC are still not well ...understood. To identify the candidate genes in the carcinogenesis and progression of HCC, microarray datasets GSE19665, GSE33006 and GSE41804 were downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, and function enrichment analyses were performed. The protein-protein interaction network (PPI) was constructed and the module analysis was performed using STRING and Cytoscape. A total of 273 DEGs were identified, consisting of 189 downregulated genes and 84 upregulated genes. The enriched functions and pathways of the DEGs include protein activation cascade, complement activation, carbohydrate binding, complement and coagulation cascades, mitotic cell cycle and oocyte meiosis. Sixteen hub genes were identified and biological process analysis revealed that these genes were mainly enriched in cell division, cell cycle and nuclear division. Survival analysis showed that BUB1, CDC20, KIF20A, RACGAP1 and CEP55 may be involved in the carcinogenesis, invasion or recurrence of HCC. In conclusion, DEGs and hub genes identified in the present study help us understand the molecular mechanisms underlying the carcinogenesis and progression of HCC, and provide candidate targets for diagnosis and treatment of HCC.
•Association between Quantity or Quality of public open space and mental health was studied.•Four specific attributes were audited: activity, environment, amenities, and safety.•Analyses suggest that ...POS quality is crucial for residents’ mental wellbeing.•Activity and environment attributes were associated with better mental health.•Findings may help urban planners develop evidence-based approach to healthy cities.
Public open space (POS) is a component of the urban built environment that is considered crucial for people’s mental health. Most studies, however, have focused on the quantity of POS, and those investigating the association between POS quality and mental health are limited. Through a 2018 survey of 590 residents and 160 POSs in Zhuhai, this study explored the association between both the quantity and quality attributes of POS and residents’ mental health in urban China. We employed an audit tool (POST) to measure POS quality and decomposed it into four attributes: activity, environmental quality, amenities, and safety. The statistical analyses suggest that POS quality is important for positive mental wellbeing, while, among the four attributes, activity and environment attributes are significantly associated with better mental health. The findings not only shed light on the potential mechanism of POS’ impact on mental health, but also help urban planners and policymakers develop an evidence-based approach to healthy cities.
Molecular dynamics was employed to study the inhibition mechanism of vinyl lactam‐based kinetic hydrate inhibitors (KHIs). By comparing the inhibition functions of the same KHIs at different initial ...locations, we found that the KHI molecules on the surface of hydrate nuclei could obviously prolong the hydrate induction time and exhibited the best inhibition effect. The impacts of KHIs on the methane migration and the arrangement of H2O molecules were analyzed at the molecular level. A gas‐adsorbing mechanism for KHIs (i.e., the KHIs with an excellent gas adsorption ability could reduce the supersaturation of methane in the aqueous solution, reinforce the migration resistance of methane to the nucleus, and further inhibit the hydrate growth) was proposed. In addition, the conformations of KHI polymer molecules in the aqueous solution are closely related to their inhibitory effect, that is, stretched skeletons and well‐organized structures would maximize their inhibitory effect.
Existing secure and privacy-preserving vehicular communication protocols in vehicular ad hoc networks face the challenges of being fast and not depending on ideal tamper-proof devices (TPDs) embedded ...in vehicles. To address these challenges, we propose a vehicular authentication protocol referred to as distributedaggregate privacy-preserving authentication. The proposed protocol is based on our new multiple trusted authority one-time identity-based aggregate signature technique. With this technique a vehicle can verify many messages simultaneously and their signatures can be compressed into a single one that greatly reduces the storage space needed by a vehicle or a data collector (e.g., the traffic management authority). Instead of ideal TPDs, our protocol only requires realistic TPDs and hence is more practical.
This trend article highlights recent and important progresses in the area of supramolecular polymeric systems from structural control to functional assembly, focusing on supramolecular polymers with ...controllable architectures, covalent polymerization facilitated by supramolecular approaches as well as simultaneous covalent and noncovalent polymerization, and polymer self-assembly with highly ordered structures and unique functions. Future challenges and opportunities for this prosperously developing realm of supramolecular polymeric systems are also discussed.
Display omitted
The interplay between polymer science and supramolecular chemistry leads to formation of various supramolecular polymeric systems. Owing to the dynamic nature of noncovalent interactions, supramolecular polymeric systems may be of abundant supramolecular structures, thus endowed with many fascinating properties and functions such as reversibility, adaptiveness, self-healing, and stimuli-responsiveness. In this trend article, we intend to highlight recent and important progresses in the area of supramolecular polymeric systems from structural control to functional assembly, focusing on supramolecular polymers with controllable architectures, covalent polymerization facilitated by supramolecular approaches as well as simultaneous covalent and noncovalent polymerization, and polymer self-assembly with highly ordered structures and unique functions. It is anticipated that this line of research will reflect the current status and future trends in this prosperously developing realm of supramolecular polymeric systems.
Purpose of Review
The aim of this narrative review was to summarize and critique recent evidence evaluating the association between ultra-processed food intake and obesity.
Recent Findings
Four of ...five studies found that higher purchases or consumption of ultra-processed food was associated with overweight/obesity. Additional studies reported relationships between ultra-processed food intake and higher fasting glucose, metabolic syndrome, increases in total and LDL cholesterol, and risk of hypertension. It remains unclear whether associations can be attributed to processing itself or the nutrient content of ultra-processed foods. Only three of nine studies used a prospective design, and the potential for residual confounding was high.
Summary
Recent research provides fairly consistent support for the association of ultra-processed food intake with obesity and related cardiometabolic outcomes. There is a clear need for further studies, particularly those using longitudinal designs and with sufficient control for confounding, to potentially confirm these findings in different populations and to determine whether ultra-processed food consumption is associated with obesity independent of nutrient content.
Summary
Drought‐induced xylem embolism is a primary cause of plant mortality. Although c. 70% of cycads are threatened by extinction and extant cycads diversified during a period of increasing ...aridification, the vulnerability of cycads to embolism spread has been overlooked.
We quantified the vulnerability to drought‐induced embolism, pressure–volume curves, in situ water potentials, and a suite of xylem anatomical traits of leaf pinnae and rachises for 20 cycad species. We tested whether anatomical traits were linked to hydraulic safety in cycads.
Compared with other major vascular plant clades, cycads exhibited similar embolism resistance to angiosperms and pteridophytes but were more vulnerable to embolism than noncycad gymnosperms. All 20 cycads had both tracheids and vessels, the proportions of which were unrelated to embolism resistance. Only vessel pit membrane fraction was positively correlated to embolism resistance, contrary to angiosperms. Water potential at turgor loss was significantly correlated to embolism resistance among cycads.
Our results show that cycads exhibit low resistance to xylem embolism and that xylem anatomical traits – particularly vessels – may influence embolism resistance together with tracheids. This study highlights the importance of understanding the mechanisms of drought resistance in evolutionarily unique and threatened lineages like the cycads.
Although the accessory proteins are considered non-essential for coronavirus replication, accumulating evidences demonstrate they are critical to virus-host interaction and pathogenesis. Orf9b is a ...unique accessory protein of SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV. It is implicated in immune evasion by targeting mitochondria, where it associates with the versatile adapter TOM70. Here, we determined the crystal structure of SARS-CoV-2 orf9b in complex with the cytosolic segment of human TOM70 to 2.2 Å. A central portion of orf9b occupies the deep pocket in the TOM70 C-terminal domain (CTD) and adopts a helical conformation strikingly different from the β-sheet-rich structure of the orf9b homodimer. Interactions between orf9b and TOM70 CTD are primarily hydrophobic and distinct from the electrostatic interaction between the heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) EEVD motif and the TOM70 N-terminal domain (NTD). Using isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), we demonstrated that the orf9b dimer does not bind TOM70, but a synthetic peptide harboring a segment of orf9b (denoted C-peptide) binds TOM70 with nanomolar K
. While the interaction between C-peptide and TOM70 CTD is an endothermic process, the interaction between Hsp90 EEVD and TOM70 NTD is exothermic, which underscores the distinct binding mechanisms at NTD and CTD pockets. Strikingly, the binding affinity of Hsp90 EEVD motif to TOM70 NTD is reduced by ~29-fold when orf9b occupies the pocket of TOM70 CTD, supporting the hypothesis that orf9b allosterically inhibits the Hsp90/TOM70 interaction. Our findings shed light on the mechanism underlying SARS-CoV-2 orf9b mediated suppression of interferon responses.
PDF
