Highlights • NRG1 protects against OGD-induced cortical neuronal apoptosis. • NRG1-mediated neuroprotection is blocked by neutralizing NRG1 and ErbB4 inhibition. • GABA receptor agonists have no ...synergistic effect with NRG1. • NRG1-mediated neuroprotection is partly blocked by GABA receptor antagonists. • The NRG1 neuroprotection against brain ischemia is abolished in PV-ErbB4−/− mice.
Understanding how flowering phenology responds to warming and cooling (i.e., symmetric or asymmetric response) is needed to predict the response of flowering phenology to future climate change that ...will happen with the occurrence of warm and cold years superimposed upon a long-term trend. A three-year reciprocal translocation experiment was performed along an elevation gradient from 3200 m to 3800 m in the Tibetan Plateau for six alpine plants. Transplanting to lower elevation (warming) advanced the first flowering date (FFD) and transplanting to higher elevation (cooling) had the opposite effect. The FFD of early spring flowering plants (ESF) was four times less sensitive to warming than to cooling (by −2.1 d/°C and 8.4 d/°C, respectively), while midsummer flowering plants (MSF) were about twice as sensitive to warming than to cooling (−8.0 d/°C and 4.9 d/°C, respectively). Compared with pooled warming and cooling data, warming alone significantly underpredicted 3.1 d/°C for ESF and overestimated 1.7 d/°C for MSF. These results suggest that future empirical and experimental studies should consider nonlinear temperature responses that can cause such warming-cooling asymmetries as well as differing life strategies (ESF vs. MSF) among plant species.
Soil pH buffering capacity (pHBC) plays a crucial role in predicting acidification rates, yet its large-scale patterns and controls are poorly understood, especially for neutral-alkaline soils. Here, ...we evaluated the spatial patterns and drivers of pHBC along a 3600 km long transect (1900 km sub-transect with carbonate-containing soils and 1700 km sub-transect with non-carbonate-containing soils) across northern China. Soil pHBC was greater in the carbonate-containing soils than in the non-carbonate-containing soils. Acid addition decreased soil pH in the non-carbonate-containing soils more markedly than in the carbonate-containing soils. Within the carbonate soil sub-transect, soil pHBC was positively correlated with cation exchange capacity (CEC), carbonate content and exchangeable sodium (Na) concentration, but negatively correlated with initial pH and clay content, and not correlated with soil organic carbon (SOC) content. Within the non-carbonate sub-transect, soil pHBC was positively related to initial pH, clay content, CEC and exchangeable Na concentration, but not related to SOC content. Carbonate content was the primary determinant of pHBC in the carbonate-containing soils and CEC was the main determinant of buffering capacity in the non-carbonate-containing soils. Along the transect, soil pHBC was different in regions with different aridity index. Soil pHBC was positively related to aridity index and carbonate content across the carbonate-containing soil sub-transect. Our results indicated that mechanisms controlling pHBC differ among neutral-alkaline soils of northern China, especially between carbonate- and non-carbonate-containing soils. This understanding should be incorporated into the acidification risk assessment and landscape management in a changing world.
This paper reports a microfluidic system that enables the characterization of tumor cell electrical properties where cells were aspirated through a constriction channel (cross-section area smaller ...than that of biological cells) with cellular impedance profiles measured and translated to specific membrane capacitance (Cspecific membrane) and cytoplasm conductivity (σcytoplasm). Two batches of H1299 cells were quantified by the microfluidic platform with different constriction channel cross-section areas, recording no differences with statistical significance (p<0.001) in both Cspecific membrane (1.63±0.52 vs. 1.65±0.43μF/cm2) and σcytoplasm (0.90±0.19 vs. 0.92±0.15S/m), and thus confirming the reliability of the microfluidic platform. For paired high- and low-metastatic carcinoma strains 95D (ncell=537) and 95C cells (ncell=486), significant differences in both Cspecific membrane (2.00±0.43 vs. 1.62±0.39μF/cm2) and σcytoplasm (0.88±0.46 vs. 1.25±0.35S/m) were observed. Statistically significant difference only in Cspecific membrane (2.00±0.43 vs. 1.58±0.30μF/cm2) was observed for 95D cells (ncell=537) and 95D CCNY-KD cells with single oncogene CCNY down regulation (ncell=479, CCNY is a membrane-associated protein). In addition, statistically significant difference only in σcytoplasm (0.73±0.17 vs. 1.01±0.17S/m) was observed for A549 cells (ncell=487) and A549 CypA-KD cells with single oncogene CypA down regulation (ncell=597, CypA is a cytosolic protein). These results validated the developed microfluidic platform for Cspecific membrane and σcytoplasm quantification and confirmed the feasibility of using Cspecific membrane and σcytoplasm for tumor cell classification.
•A microfluidic platform to quantify tumor cell electrical properties was developed.•Electrical differences from paired high and low-metastatic cell lines were observed.•Electrical differences with/without single oncogene regulation were observed.•Correlation between Cspecific membrane and membrane protein expression was located.•Correlation between σcytoplasm and cytosolic protein expression was located.
Background Ultraviolet (UV) exposure results in the production reactive oxygen species. Resveratrol has attracted considerable attentions owing to its natural abundance and multiple biological ...effects.
Objective To investigate the protective effects of resveratrate against damage to human skin induced by repetitive solar simulator ultraviolet radiation (ssUVR).
Materials and methods Fifteen healthy volunteers were enrolled, and six sites on the non‐exposed dorsal skin of each volunteer were marked for study. Sites 1–4 were exposed to ssUVR at a dosage of 1.5 minimal erythema dose for consecutive 4 days. Immediately after each exposure, one test material (resveratrate + antioxidant, antioxidant, resveratrate, vehicle) was applied to one of the four sites. Site 5 and site 6 were marked as positive control site (UVR only) and baseline control site (no treatment, no UVR). L*a*b values were assessed preprocedure and postprocedure. Skin biopsies were taken 24 h after the last irradiation. The specimens were stained to determine the number of sunburn cells and melanin content melanin.
Results On resveratrate treated sites, erythema was barely seen with only slight decrease of L value and insignificant increase of *a value. Furthermore, resveratrate significantly inhibited sunburn cell formation, and decreased Fontana‐Masson staining in skin samples.
Conclusions Resveratrate exerts protective effects against repetitive ssUVR‐induced sunburn and suntan.
To study of premature/early death of autistic patients from the perspective of life course can help families, medical institutions and policy makers better deal with the adverse effects of autism. ...Several studies have shown that autistic patients have a high risk of death, however, the results are still inconsistent. To assess the risk of mortality among the autistic patients, we undertook a comprehensive search of MEDLINE, Web of Science and EMBASE databases. This paper reviewed the studies on the negative disease outcomes of autism spectrum disorders, including the risk of death, causes of death and several research hotspots in this field. Strict inclusion/exclusion criteria were used. Information was extracted from selected papers, tabulated and synthesized. In the study, 15 studies were included, with a total of 216 045 individuals. The main outcome was all-cause mortality in association with autism and the secondary outcome was cause-specific mortality. The results showed that all-cause mortality was hig
Real-time monitoring of flow turbulence is very difficult but extremely important in fluid dynamics, which plays an important role in flight safety and control. Turbulence can cause airflow to detach ...at the end of the wings, potentially resulting in the aerodynamic stall of aircraft and causing flight accidents. Here, we developed a lightweight and conformable system on the wing surface of aircraft for stall sensing. Quantitative data about airflow turbulence and the degree of boundary layer separation are provided in situ using conjunct signals provided by both triboelectric and piezoelectric effects. Thus, the system can visualize and directly measure the airflow detaching process on the airfoil, and senses the degree of airflow separation during and after a stall for large aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles.
Hypereutectic Al-Fe alloys are extremely brittle owing to the formation of coarse Fe-rich intermetallics in the Al matrix. In this study, a Ce-rich rare-earth (RE) mixture was introduced to modify an ...Al-5Fe binary alloy, and the crystallization, microstructure, and mechanical properties of the alloy were investigated. The experimental results indicated that the RE addition decreased the temperature of the primary Al3Fe phase, enhanced the temperature of the eutectic transformation, and disturbed the normal crystallization process of eutectic α-Al crystals by decreasing the intrinsic growth along the preferential close-packed (111)Al plane and promoting the growths depending on the sub-closed (200)Al plane. Furthermore, RE addition refined the primary Al3Fe phases and formed Al-Ce eutectics in the as-cast state of the alloy. Fine nodules and rods of the Al4Ce and AlCe phases containing La elements were produced through homogeneous annealing via the decomposition of the Al-Ce eutectics and precipitation of REs from the RE-enriched area. Rolling further broke up the coarser primary Al3Fe phases into short rods and particles and caused the Al-Ce and Al-Fe phases to become uniformly distributed in the Al matrix. A mixed cleavage and dimple fracture was produced by RE modification, annealing, and rolling. The optimized amount of added RE mixture for improving the microstructure and mechanical properties of the alloy was 0.9 wt%.
•RE addition decreased the primary temperature of Al3Fe phase.•RE addition inhibited intrinsic growth of eutectic α-Al along (111) plane.•RE addition promoted the growth of eutectic α-Al along sub-closed (200) plane.•RE addition refined primary Al3Fe phases and formed Al-Ce eutectics.•0.9 wt% RE was optimized for improving microstructure and mechanical properties.
Neuronal atrophy and alterations of synaptic structure and function in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of depression, but the underlying molecular ...mechanisms are largely unknown. The protein kinase Mζ (PKMζ), a brain-specific atypical protein kinase C isoform, is important for maintaining long-term potentiation and storing memory. In the present study, we explored the role of PKMζ in mPFC in two rat models of depression, chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) and learned helplessness. The involvement of PKMζ in the antidepressant effects of conventional antidepressants and ketamine were also investigated. We found that chronic stress decreased the expression of PKMζ in the mPFC and hippocampus but not in the orbitofrontal cortex. Overexpression of PKMζ in mPFC prevented the depressive-like and anxiety-like behaviors induced by CUS, and reversed helplessness behaviors. Inhibition of PKMζ in mPFC by expressing a PKMζ dominant-negative mutant induced depressive-like behaviors after subthreshold unpredictable stress and increased learned helplessness behavior. Furthermore, stress-induced deficits in synaptic proteins and decreases in dendritic density and the frequency of miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents in the mPFC were prevented by PKMζ overexpression and potentiated by PKMζ inhibition in subthreshold stress rats. The antidepressants fluoxetine, desipramine and ketamine increased PKMζ expression in mPFC and PKMζ mediated the antidepressant effects of ketamine. These findings identify PKMζ in mPFC as a critical mediator of depressive-like behavior and antidepressant response, providing a potential therapeutic target in developing novel antidepressants.
In the high-light environment, young leaves accumulate anthocyanins as a photoprotection strategy. However, anthocyanin biosynthesis-related enzymes gene sequence is still unknown in the leaves of ...subtropical forest plants. There are thus few reports on the relationship between the expression level of these genes and photoprotection. In this study, Machilus chinensis and Castanopsis chinensis were taken as plant material in a subtropical forest. Non-full-length nucleotide sequences of chalcone synthase, dihydroflavonol 4-reductase, anthocyanin synthase, and β-tubulin gene were obtained by homologous and electronic cloning. The expression of those genes was verified and analyzed, and some physiological indicators were measured. The anthocyanin content and anthocyanin synthesis-related gene expression in the young leaves of C. chinensis were significantly higher than that of M. chinensis. Although young leaves of M. chinensis did not accumulate anthocyanins, they showed higher antioxidants and nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ). This study indicates that anthocyanins, antioxidants, and NPQ together mediate the positive effects on photoadaptation in young leaves.
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