Pyroptosis is a type of programmed lytic cell death mechanism associated with the activation of inflammasomes and inflammatory caspases, proteolytic cleavage of gasdermin proteins (GSDMA-E and PJVK), resulting in the formation of pores in cellular membranes such as plasma membrane and mitochondrial membranes. Here, I show that GSDMC expression was increased, GSDME (DFNA5) and PJVK (DFNB59) expression were decreased in uterine corpus endometrial carcinoma (UCEC) cells compared to normal endometrial cells. Total percentage of patients affected by mutations in gasdermin family of genes was the highest in UCEC compared to other cancer types. The highest mutation percentage among the members of the protein family was observed for GSDME which also showed the most significant difference in the mRNA expression among other family members between tumor and normal samples, possibly pointing to its relatively higher importance in the pathogenesis of UCEC. Gasdermin family of genes (except GSDMA) had higher transcript levels in serous endometrial adenocarcinoma than in endometrioid endometrial adenocarcinoma, demonstrating the histotype-dependent expression of the most of gasdermin genes in UCEC. Transcript levels of certain gasdermin family members also differed based on residual tumor status and histologic tumor grade; however, the expression of any gasdermin genes did not change depending on menopause status. This study suggests that a better mechanistic understanding of pyroptotic cell death in uterine corpus endometrial carcinoma might help identify novel therapeutic targets for the management of this gynecological malignancy.

Objective: Describe antibiotic utilization pre- and post-widespread utilization of highly effective CFTR modulator therapy at a single pediatric CF center. Design: In October 2019, the United States Food and Drug Administration approved elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor (ETI), a highly effective CFTR modulator therapy, for people with CF (pwCF). We performed a single-center, retrospective review of PO and IV antibiotics prescribed for pulmonary exacerbations (PEx) between 1/1/2017 and 12/31/2022. Results: Of the 193 pwCF included, 69 (36%) received a course of IV antibiotics in the pre-ETI period compared to 44 (23%) in the post-period. Oral antibiotic courses decreased from 174 (90%) to 141 (73%) individuals. The median combined IV and PO treatment courses per individual decreased from 3 to 2. The percent of individuals treated for resistant organisms including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (46% to 32%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (40% to 28%) also decreased from the pre- and post-ETI period. Conclusions: This single center experience indicates a dramatic decrease in PO and IV antibiotics used to treat PEx among pwCF in the post-ETI period.

Hemorrhoids are the most common perianal disease, but current observational studies have yielded inconsistent results in investigating the etiology. Our further exploration of the etiology will help prevent the disease. We conducted a two-sample bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis using publicly available genome-wide association studies (GWAS) statistics from multiple consortia. The inverse-variance weighted (IVW) method was used for the primary analysis. We applied four complementary methods, including weighted median, weighted mode, MR-Egger regression, and Cochrane’s Q value, to detect and correct the effects of horizontal pleiotropy. Genetically determined constipation (OR = 0.97, 95% CI: 0.91-1.03, P = 0.28) and diarrhea (OR = 1.00, 95% CI: 0.99-1.01, P = 0.90) did not have a causal effect on HEM but stool frequency (OR = 1.28, 95% CI: 1.05-1.55, P = 0.01), waist-to-hip ratio adjusted for BMI (OR = 1.11, 95% CI: 1.06-1.64, P = 1.59×10 -5), and order Burkholderiales (OR = 1.09, 95% CI = 1.04–1.14, p = 1.63×10 -4) had a causal effect on. Furthermore, we found a significant causal effect of constipation on HEM in the reverse MR analysis (OR = 1.21, 95% CI: 1.13-1.28, P = 3.72×10 -9). The results of MR-Egger regression, Weighted Median, and Weighted Mode methods were consistent with those of the IVW method. Horizontal pleiotropy was unlikely to distort the causal estimates, as indicated by the sensitivity analysis. Our MR analysis reveals a causal association between stool frequency and waist-to-hip ratio with HEM, despite variations in results reported by observational studies. Unexpectedly, we found a relationship between the order Burkholderiales in the gut flora and HEM, although the mechanism is unclear.

MultipleCutaneousMyxofibrosarcoma on the Right Arm：Clinicopathological Features andDifferential Diagnosis

Bicuspid aortic valve is the most common congenital heart defect. Transthoracic echocardiogram is the initial tool to assess and diagnose this condition, however, transesophageal echocardiogram with 3D modalities, including transillumination have a better anatomical and functional evaluation of the valve, allowing to classify the bicuspid aortic valve according to the position of the raphe and assess the main vessels for complications or exclude other cardiovascular diseases.

Most scientist agree that subjective tinnitus is the pathological result of an interaction of damage to the peripheral auditory system and central neuroplastic adaptations. Here we investigate such tinnitus related adaptations in the primary auditory cortex (AC) 13 days after noise trauma induction of tinnitus by quantifying the density of the extracellular matrix (ECM) in the AC of Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus). The ECM density has been shown to be relevant for neuroplastic processes and synaptic stability within the cortex. We utilized a mild monaural acoustic noise trauma in 9 gerbils to induce tinnitus and a sham exposure in 3 control animals. Tinnitus was assessed by a behavioral response paradigm. Four of the trauma animals did show tinnitus 13 days after trauma (T), the remaining 5 trauma (NT) and the 3 control animals (C) did not show the percept. The ECM density 13 days after trauma was quantified using immunofluorescence luminance of Wisteria floribunda lectin-fluoresceine-5-isothiocyanate (WFA-FITC) on histological slices of the primary AC, relative to the non-auditory brainstem as a reference area. We found that the WFA-FITC luminance of the AC of NT animals was not significantly different from that of C animals. However, we found a significant increase of luminance in T animals’ ACs compared to NT or C animals’ cortices. This effect was found exclusively on the AC side contralateral to the trauma ear. These results point to a process of stabilization of synaptic connections in primary AC, which may be involved in the chronic manifestation of tinnitus.

Background: Systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) is currently considered as a potential new inflammatory marker, but its association with internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis has been poorly studied. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate whether there is a correlation between SII and the risk of stroke in patients with ICA stenosis or occlusion. Methods: A total of 302 participants (180 patients were symptomatic and 122 were asymptomatic) were enrolled in this study. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine independent risk factors for symptoms in patients with ICA stenosis. Additional subgroup analyses were performed according to degree of ICA stenosis. Results: Multivariate regression analysis showed SII (OR=1.001, 95%CI: 1.000-1.002, P=0.035) and ICA stenosis (OR=1.993, 95%CI: 1.436-2.767, P<0.001) were independently associated with symptoms in patients with ICA stenosis. Further analysis was performed using the SII quartile, with the first quartile as the reference, and the highest quartile SII level was significantly associated with symptomatic ICA (P=0.022). Trend test (P=0.004) showed a dose-response relationship between SII and the risk of symptoms in patients with ICA stenosis. In the stenosis degree analysis subgroup, SII was independently associated with symptoms in patients with severe stenosis and occlusion, while no correlation was observed in patients with moderate stenosis. Conclusions: Elevated SII levels were independently associated with symptoms in patients with ICA stenosis. Our findings suggest that SII may serve as a potential biomarker for symptomatic development in patients with severe ICA stenosis or occlusion.

Background Approximately 70 % of individuals allergic to birch pollen (Bet v 1.01 [Bet]) develop a secondary food allergy (e.g. hazelnut: Cor a 1.04 [Cor]), due to allergen cross-reactivity. However, standard immunotherapy for type I allergies often does not improve the food allergy sufficiently. We analyzed the allergen-specific and cross-reactive suppressive capacity of primary human regulatory T cells (Treg) induced by autologous IL-10-modulated dendritic cells (IL-10 DC) in vitro and in vivo. Methods CD4 + T cells of patients with birch pollen and associated hazelnut allergies were differentiated into Bet-specific or non-specific induced Treg (iTreg). After Bet- or Cor- specific restimulation the phenotype, proliferation and suppressive capacity of iTreg subsets were analyzed. iTreg function was further investigated in humanized mouse models of airway and intestinal allergy, generated by engraftment of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from allergic donors into immunodeficient animals. Results After IL-10 DC priming and allergen-specific restimulation (Bet or Cor) non-specific control iTreg remained anergic, whereas Bet-specific iTreg proliferated extensively and exhibited a regulatory phenotype (enhanced expression of CTLA-4, PD-1, TNFR2, IL-10). Accordingly, activated Bet-specific iTreg displayed a high capacity to suppress Bet- and Cor-induced responder T H2 cell responses in vitro, indicating induction of both allergen-specific (birch) and cross-reactive tolerance (hazelnut). In vivo, the beneficial effect of Bet-specific iTreg was verified in humanized mouse models of allergic airway and intestinal inflammation, resulting in reduced allergen-induced clinical symptoms and immune responses. Conclusion Human IL-10 DC-induced iTreg facilitate allergen-specific and cross-reactive tolerance. Therefore, they are potential candidates for regulatory cell therapy in allergic and autoimmune diseases.

In recent years, deep learning has made significant advancements in the computer-aided diagnosis for potentially life-threatening pneumothorax, especially with the rise of public pneumothorax diagnosis competitions using thousands of manually annotated chest X-rays. This review demonstrates the quick evolution of deep learning in pneumothorax diagnosis, offering innovative approaches to enhance accuracy, mitigate bias, and advance medical image segmentation. These investigations leverage deep learning, particularly the U-Net architecture with various backbones like ResNet34, achieving notable Dice coefficients up to 0.8574. They also compare deep learning frameworks to human radiologists, revealing similar diagnostic confidence. Innovative techniques like UNet++ improve segmentation accuracy by incorporating change maps and fusing outputs from different semantic levels. Notably, they emphasize AI pneumothorax detection enhancement through in-image annotations targeting the pleural separation, achieving an AUROC rating of 0.877 while mitigating bias from factors like thoracic tubes. This underscores the importance of high-quality in-image localization data for AI algorithm training. Additionally, Ens4B-UNet, a novel semantic segmentation model combining four U-Net architectures with pre-trained backbones, achieves a Dice similarity coefficient of 0.8608 on a challenging dataset. A two-stage deep learning approach secures the second position in a pneumothorax segmentation challenge, leveraging transfer learning and model architecture redesign (PTXNet) for a significant Dice coefficient boost of 18.76%. The Kim-Monte Carlo methodology employs small artificial neural networks for precise pneumothorax localization, outperforming conventional CNNs. Finally, an end-to-end deep learning framework featuring a fully convolutional DenseNet demonstrates competitive segmentation and diagnostic performance.

Objective: To investigate self-stigma’s influence on schizophrenia patients’ quality of life and its mediated impact by various factors. Methods: This study adopted a cross-sectional design and randomly selected 170 hospitalized patients with schizophrenia for evaluation. The assessment tools included the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Self-Esteem Inventory (SEI), Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness Scale (ISMI), Schizophrenia Quality of Life Scale (SQLS), Coping Questionnaire for Schizophrenia Patients (CQSP), and Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS). Correlation analysis, regression analysis, and mediation analysis were used to test the correlation and mediation effects. Results: Self-stigma had a significant impact on quality of life (T = 8.13, p = 0.00). Self-esteem (T = -2.11, p = 0.04) and coping strategies, specifically problem-solving (T = -2.58, p = 0.01) and avoidance (T = 4.65, p = 0.00), have a greater impact on self-stigma. When self-stigma is used as a mediator, the problem-solving factor in coping strategies has an indirect effect on quality of life, which is significant (AB = -0.16, P = 0.02), while the avoidance factor in coping strategies has a direct effect on quality of life, which is significant (C’ = 0.54, p < 0.001), and an indirect effect, which is also significant (AB = 0.25, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Self-stigma has a significant impact on quality of life. Clinical work to improve the quality of life of patients with schizophrenia should focus on self-stigma and factors that affect self-stigma, especially self-esteem and coping strategies.

Over the last few decades, the agricultural industry has witnessed significant advancements in autonomous systems, primarily aimed at improving efficiency while reducing environmental impact. The critical role of complete coverage path planning cannot be overstated in this context. It involves determining an optimal path for tasks such as harvesting, mowing, and spraying, taking into account various factors like land topography, operational requirements, and robot characteristics. Our previous approach introduced a tree-based exploration method to generate potential solutions, coupled with an optimization process to select the best ones, considering field complexities and robot characteristics. Yet, despite its strengths, it had certain limitations, notably in computational time and number of examined driving directions. In this paper, we present a novel hybrid method that combines the comprehensive coverage benefits of our original approach with the computational efficiency of the Fields2Cover algorithm. Besides combining our previous approach and Fieds2Cover strengths for optimizing coverage area, overlaps, non-working path length and overall travel time, it significantly improves the computation process, enhances the flexibility of trajectory generation. It also takes into account the working trajectory inclinations for more advanced optimization to address soil erosion and energy consumption. In an effort to support this innovative approach, we have also created and made available a public dataset. This dataset includes both 2D and 3D representations of thirty agricultural fields located in France. This resource not only illustrates the effectiveness of our approach but also provides an invaluable data for future research in complete coverage path planning within the context of modern agriculture.

Aiming at the problem of weak yawing controllability of solar-powered Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) with low-speed and high aspect-ratio Blended Wing Body (BWB) configuration, based on the large-scale aerodynamic characteristics of the biomimetic swallow tail, the influence of different opening methods and angles of the swallow tail on the aerodynamic characteristics and stability and controllability of an UAV was derived. The mechanism of the higher yawing control efficiency of the differential throttle compared to the conventional rudder is analyzed in order to significantly decrease the control efficiency at small throttle. We innovatively propose a yawing control method combining the opening of the swallow tail to a moderately separation state of local airflow and we validate it for the case of the landing control of a solar-powered UAV. The flight dynamics mode characteristics show that this control method has little impact on the lateral-directional stability of the UAV and that the control efficiency can be reserved to the same level of cruise state. Therefore, the control law of cruise state can be applied to landing state with swallow tail open directly, which enhances the lateral-directional control ability of the UAVs in a simple but efficiently way. Flight simulation and flight test results show that the proposed bionic control method of the swallow tail combined with differential throttle can effectively enhance the landing control ability of the UAVs, improve the response speed, and reduce the trajectory error.

Magic mushrooms are fungi that produce psilocybin, a compound with breakthrough status for treatment of mental health disorders. Wood-degrading species of Psilocybe, such as P. subaeruginosa and relatives, have high concentrations of psilocybin but are discouraged for clinical production due to a temporary paralytic side effect known as Wood Lover’s Paralysis, the cause of which is unknown. We studied P. subaeruginosa over its partial distribution in Australia based on genomic analyses of 89 isolates to investigate population structure and species boundaries, examine allelic diversity at psilocybin loci, and test its centre of origin. Psilocybe subaeruginosa is structured by geography in Australia, but geographically separated populations are fully sexually compatible. Allelic diversity among populations, such as at mating compatibility loci, is likely a result of genetic drift and minimal gene flow since differentiation from a shared ancestor. Movement of woodchips, mulch, or plants has most likely spread genotypes of P. subaeruginosa locally within Australia and to the northern hemisphere. Species from the northern hemisphere, namely P. azurescens and P. cyanescens, clustered among Australian populations, indicating shared ancestry and supporting a hypothesis these taxa are conspecific with P. subaeruginosa. We identified high allelic diversity in genes of the psilocybin metabolic pathway and haplotypes of P. subaeruginosa with either one or two putatively functional paralogs of psiH, however the functionality of this gene duplication is yet to be determined. Our study provides insights into the evolutionary history and species boundaries of P. subaeruginosa, which has a centre of origin in Australasia.

The grounding circulation current of sheath and armor of single-core AC submarine cables is high during operation, which can easily cause insulation damage and faults. Traditional methods that only monitor the amplitude of grounding circulation current is difficult to detect defects in the cables, so further research is needed on the mathematical mechanism and detection methods of grounding circulation current. A mathematical model for the capacitance and impedance coupling of a single-core submarine cable was established, and the influence of factors such as active power, length of armor stripping section, armor resistivity, armor magnetic permeability and grounding resistance on the grounding circulation current was analyzed. A method for identifying abnormal grounding circulation current of submarine cables based on the combination of amplitude and phase was proposed.

Farmland habitats are witnessing steep declines in biodiversity. One rapidly declining farmland species is the Ortolan Bunting. In Finland, a staggering 99% of the population has been lost during the past 30 years. Changes in the breeding habitats have been proposed as a reason for the decline, although hazards during migration and wintering may also play a role. We gathered a 19-year data set of Finnish Ortolan Buntings and studied which spatial characteristics, habitat features, and climate factors might explain the population growth rate at the singing-group level. As explanatory variables we used region, density of small-scale landscape structures, proportion of agricultural area in the landscape, diversity of crop types, proportion of bare ground, and temperature and precipitation of previous breeding season. The only region with a marginally positive growth rate was North Ostrobothnia, where the species often occupies newly established fields. High crop type diversity mitigated the declines by perhaps providing a wide array of feeding, hiding and nesting places. Bare ground benefited Ortolan Buntings by perhaps providing an easy access to food. The last Ortolan Buntings occurred in landscapes dominated by interconnected agricultural land which, we think, reflects the species’ sociability and avoidance of forested areas. We suggest that agricultural intensification and the following potential reduction in food availability may be a cause of the decline of Ortolan Bunting. As general conservation measures, such as promoting set-aside land or field margins, have been inadequate, either in effect or in extent of application, it is evident that work remains. Northern populations of Ortolan Bunting should be targeted for further studies on feeding and breeding ecology as well as for urgent conservation actions, such as increasing crop type diversity and bare ground. Promoting more multi-functional and agro-ecologically managed agricultural landscapes would benefit a wider range of farmland species as well.

Breast cancer is the primary cause of cancer-related mortality among women. Most deaths from breast cancer are caused by the disease coming back or spreading to other regions of the body. Only around a quarter to a third of women with advanced breast cancer will make it to their fifth year. EMT, invasion, loss of cell-to-cell adhesion, phenotypic change, extravasation, tumor microenvironment, and secondary-site colonization are all steps in the chain of events that constitutes breast cancer metastasis. The distant stromal cell undergoes epigenetic change to become a secondary tumor. The longest non-coding RNAs, or LncRNAs, have estimated base-pair lengths between 200 nt and 100 kb and are one of the most important epigenetic regulators. Important for breast cancer metastasis, lncRNA acts as a sponge for miRNA, degrades or silences particular mRNA, or interferes with enzymes and microprocessor subunits involved in miRNA production. LncRNA also modulates cell signaling pathways and affects the expression of numerous genes known to be involved in the spread of breast cancer. The purpose of this review is to offer a better knowledge of the function of lncRNA in the control of breast cancer metastasis. We also provided a brief overview of some of the most important lncRNAs that control the genes and signaling pathways that drive breast cancer invasion and metastasis.

Because the breast is seen as a symbol of beauty, sexuality, and motherhood, a woman diagnosed with breast cancer has extreme emotional stress during the inquiry, diagnosis, and treatment processes. The breast has several symbolic and sexual functions in addition to its fundamental function of nourishing infants. Numerous serum proteins and naturally occurring oncogenic genes have been investigated as possible biomarkers for breast cancer (BC) as cutting-edge molecular technologies like microarray and RNA/DNASeq have advanced. Small, non-coding microRNAs have emerged as key regulators in oncogenesis pathways and as potential non-invasive biomarkers for clinical diagnosis. This emerging chemical for cancer detection and prognosis belongs to a new family of noninvasive biomarkers. Insights into the principles of tumor growth and the identification of potential early powerful noninvasive indicators for early diagnosis of breast cancer may result from a better knowledge of the role of miRNAs in carcinogenesis. Recent clinical research has shown that miRNAs may be found in bodily fluids including serum and plasma, suggesting that they might be used as noninvasive biomarkers of illness. In this review, we compile the latest data demonstrating miRNAs' value as an innovative early diagnostic and prognostic tool. Here, we present the clinical use and applicability of miRNAs in breast cancer, which might inform future early stage detection techniques.

Objective The purpose of this research was to summarize what is currently known about the role of microRNAs in breast cancer and their possible clinical use based on articles published in peer-reviewed publications up to March 2014. Results MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a kind of tiny RNA that typically range in length from 21 to 25 nucleotides. It is already common knowledge that microRNAs (miRNAs) play a crucial role in almost every cellular activity in the body, from development to tumorigenesis. MiRNAs in the bloodstream have been demonstrated to be appealing, readily detectable tumor biomarkers in a number of investigations. Breast cancer is among the most frequent forms of the disease. Different subtypes have been shown to have varying therapeutic responses, metastatic potential, and medication resistance in clinical trials. MicroRNAs may be useful in several aspects of breast cancer care, including diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. Conclusion To choose the most appropriate treatment for each patient, molecular understanding is essential. MicroRNAs have promising use in cancer treatment.

Background Anthracycline treatment often causes cardiotoxicity in breast cancer patients. Imaging and cardiac biomarkers are now used as criteria for cardiotoxicity. However, new biomarkers to aid in early detection are needed. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of tiny, non-coding RNA molecules with a significant function in controlling how genes are expressed. Several microRNAs (miRNAs) have been linked to cardiovascular illness and are being studied as indicators for cardiotoxicity caused by cancer treatments. Methods Medline/PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Scopus, Lilacs, Web of Science, and Embase were all searched systematically, and they will remain open until April 2020. Included were cohort studies reporting miRNA biomarkers in breast cancer patients with and without anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity. In addition, we looked through miRTarBase for miRNA-target interactions that have been verified in the lab. Results Only five of the 209 studies that were found met the requirements for inclusion. Two population-based cohorts confirmed the validity of Let-7f, miR-1, miR-20a, miR-126, and miR-210. In the epirubicin-cardiotoxicity group, compared to the non-cardiotoxicity group, the levels of the pro-angiogenic miRNAs let-7f, miR-20a, miR-126, and miR-210 were considerably lower. Although alterations in miR-1 levels have been debated in doxorubicin-treated breast cancer patients with cardiotoxicity, they have been demonstrated to give diagnostic and prognostic information in the context of myocardial infarction. Target genes for let-7f, miR-1, miR-20a, miR-126, and miR-210 were used to compile a cardiotoxicity-related reactome pathway. Conclusion In breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy with anthracyclines, the evidence suggests that let-7f, miR-1, miR-20a, miR-126, and miR-210 are linked to cardiotoxicity.

Scalable single use adherent cell-based biomanufacturing platforms are part of solutions to realize the full potential of cell and gene therapies. Here, we reported the development of an innovative fixed bed bioreactor platform for the scale-up of adherent cell culture. The bioreactor platform is centered on a packed bed of woven polyethylene terephthalate mesh discs that are vertically stacked and sandwiched between two fluid guide plates. Computational fluid dynamics modeling was used to direct the design and development of bioreactor series, targeting uniform flow with minimal shear stress. Residence time distribution measurements revealed that a pulse injected dye tracer solution passed through the bioreactors with great uniformity and narrow distribution of residence time, mimicking plug flow. Periodic media sampling with an offline analyzer showed that there was minimal gradient of four important metabolites (glucose, glutamine, lactate, and ammonia) across the bioreactor throughout cell growth. The bioreactor platform was further validated in automated cell harvesting with ~96% efficiency and ~98% viability, as well as linear scalability, in terms of both operational parameters and performance, for cell culture and adeno-associated virus vector production. Finally, mathematic models based on oxygen uptake rates were developed and proven effective to model cell growth curves and estimate biomass in real-time. This study shows that this innovative fixed bed bioreactor platform enables linearly scalable adherent cell-based biomanufacturing with high productivity.

Non-toxic, highly sensitive InP quantum dot (QD) fluorescent immunoassay probes are the promising biomedical detection modalities due to their unique properties. However, InP-based QDs are prone to surface oxidation, and the stability of InP QD-based probes in biocompatible environments remains a crucial challenge because of the contradiction between lattice stress relaxation and thick shell growth. Herein, we developed thick-shell InP-based core/shell QDs by inserting a ZnSeS alloy layer, which effectively facilitated lattice stress relaxation and passivate defect states. The synthesized InP/ZnSe/ZnSeS/ZnS core/alloy shell/shell QDs (CAS-InP QDs) with nanostructure tailoring revealed a larger size, high PLQY and high optical stability. After amphiphilic polymer encapsulation, the aqueous CAS-InP QDs presented an almost constant fluorescence attenuation and stable PL intensity under different temperature, UV radiation and pH solutions. To further improve the sensitivity, the biotin-streptavidin (Bio-SA) system was firstly introduced in the fluorescence-linked immunosorbent assay (FLISA). Consequently, the CAS-InP QDs-based SA-Bio sandwich FLISA realized the detection of C-reactive protein (CRP) with the impressive limit of detection (LOD) of 0.83 ng mL−1. It is believed that stable and sensitive InP QD fluorescent probes will drive the rapid development for future eco-friendly, cost-effective and sensitive in vitro diagnostic kits.

A document by Anastassia Y. Borisova. Click on the document to view its contents.

As a well-conserved histone variant, H2A.Z epigenetically regulates plant growth and development as well as the interaction with environmental factors. However, the role of H2A.Z in response to salt stress remains unclear, and whether nucleosomal H2A.Z occupancy work on the gene responsiveness upon salinity is obscure. Here, we elucidate the involvement of H2A.Z in salt response by analyzing H2A.Z disorder plants with impaired or overloaded H2A.Z deposition. The salt tolerance is dramatically accompanied by H2A.Z deficiency and reacquired in H2A.Z OE lines. H2A.Z disorder changes the expression profiles of large-scale of salt responsive genes, announcing that H2A.Z is required for plant salt response. Genome-wide H2A.Z mapping shows that H2A.Z level is induced by salt condition across promoter, TSS and TES (-1 kb to +1kb), the peaks preferentially enrich at promoter regions near TSS. We further show that H2A.Z deposition within TSS provides a direct role on transcriptional control, which has both repressive and activating effects, while it is found generally H2A.Z enrichment negatively correlate with gene expression level response to salt stress. This study shed light on the H2A.Z function in salt tolerance, highlighting the complex regulatory mechanisms of H2A.Z on transcriptional activity for yielding appropriate responses to particularly environmental stress.

Environmental change is becoming synchronous across sites with frequent emergence of extremes in recent years, with alarming potential impacts on species’ synchronous abundance over large scales. With 23 years of breeding bird survey data across North America, we found that some birds are becoming synchronously rare across sites, while others are becoming synchronously common. We evaluated the relative importance of two co-occurring mechanisms (environment-driven and dispersal-driven) to explain such spatial synchrony in extreme low or high abundance (i.e., tail-dependent synchrony). We found that spatial synchrony in temperature extremes (i.e., tail-dependence in climate) was the major driver for birds’ tail-dependent spatial synchrony up to 250 Km. In addition, temperature extremes and dispersal trait both favored synergistically some species making them synchronously common across sites. In a rapidly changing environment, these findings highlight the importance of considering synchronized climatic extremes to assess species’ tail-dependent spatial synchrony across large scale.