Constructing CoAl-LDO/MoO3-x S-scheme heterojunctions for enhanced photocatalytic CO2 reduction.

Converting CO2 into chemicals and fuels by solar energy can alleviate global warming and solve the energy crisis. In this work, CoAl-LDO/MoO3-x (LDO/MO) composites were successfully prepared and achieved efficient CO2 reduction under visible light. The CoAl-layered double oxides (CoAl-LDO) evolved from CoAl-layered double hydroxide (CoAl-LDH) exhibited a more robust structure, broader light absorption, and improved CO2 adsorption ability. The local surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect excited by nonstoichiometric MoO3-x broadened the photo-response range of CoAl-LDO/MoO3-x. In addition, constructing step-scheme (S-scheme) heterojunctions could simultaneously optimize the migration mechanism of photogenerated electrons and holes, and retain carriers with strong redox ability. Therefore, the production rates of CO and CH4 on the optimal LDO/MO composite were 7 and 9 times higher than the pristine CoAl-LDH, respectively. This work hybridizes oxidation photocatalysts and LDO-based materials to optimize the charge separation and migration mechanisms, which guides the modification of LDO-based materials.

A fast forward algorithm of azimuthal gamma imaging logging while drilling.

Logging while drilling (LWD) technology can evaluate the formation interface and stratigraphic properties around the borehole in real time, so as to adjust the drilling trajectory and effectively improve the reservoir encounter rate. Fast forward algorithm can be used with LWD, by comparing the fast forward results with the actual gamma LWD results, it can distinguish the formation interface more accurately. Fast forward algorithm also can provide a theoretical basis for geosteering and azimuthal gamma logging interpretation. In this paper, based on the spatial distribution law of gamma rays and The Monte Carlo N-particle code (MCNP)-driven spatial sensitivity function, a 3D fast forward method of gamma ray LWD is proposed. Compared with the traditional algorithms, the new method can realize the fast simulations of gamma ray logging in four sectors, which enables fast azimuthal imaging. The comparison shows that whether in vertical wells or high-angle wells, the results of the proposed method are in high agreement with the MCNP fine simulations. In addition, the new method improves the calculation speed by tens of thousands of times with comparable accuracy. Finally, the gamma logging-while-drilling data of a highly deviated well in a field case verifies the accuracy and applicability of the method. The algorithm can meet the requirements of LWD for fast forward modeling of azimuthal natural gamma ray logging, which is expected to be applied to geosteering and logging interpretation of high angle and horizontal wells.

An unexpected all-metal aromatic tetranuclear silver cluster in human copper chaperone Atox1.

Metal clusters, such as iron-sulfur clusters, play key roles in sustaining life and are intimately involved in the functions of metalloproteins. Herein we report the formation and crystal structure of a planar square tetranuclear silver cluster when silver ions were mixed with human copper chaperone Atox1. Quantum chemical studies reveal that two Ag 5s1 electrons in the tetranuclear silver cluster fully occupy the one bonding molecular orbital, with the assumption that this Ag4 cluster is Ag4 2+, leading to extensive electron delocalization over the planar square and significant stabilization. This bonding pattern of the tetranuclear silver cluster represents an aromatic all-metal structure that follows a 4n + 2 electron counting rule (n = 0). This is the first time an all-metal aromatic silver cluster was observed in a protein.

The Root Nodule Microbiome of Cultivated and Wild Halophytic Legumes Showed Similar Diversity but Distinct Community Structure in Yellow River Delta Saline Soils.

Symbiotic associations between leguminous plants and their nodule microbiome play a key role in sustainable agriculture by facilitating the fixation of atmospheric nitrogen and enhancing plant stress resistance. This study aimed to decipher the root nodule microbiome of two halophytic legumes, Sesbania cannabina and Glycine soja, which grow in saline soils of the Yellow River Delta, China, using PacBio's circular consensus sequencing for full-length bacterial 16S rRNA gene to obtain finer taxonomic information. The cultivated legume Glycine max was used for comparison. We identified 18 bacterial genera and 55 species in nodule samples, which mainly classified to Proteobacteria, and rhizobial genus Ensifer was the predominant group. The three legumes showed similarity in operational taxonomic unit (OTU) diversity but distinction in OTU richness, indicating that they harbor similar bacterial species with different relative contents. The results of principal coordinates analysis and ANOSIM tests indicated that G. soja and G. max have similar nodule bacterial communities, and these communities differ from that of S. cannabina. Wild legumes S. cannabina and G. soja both harbored a higher number of rhizobia, while G. max possessed more non-rhizobial bacteria. These differences could be associated with their adaptability to saline-alkali stress and revealed clues on the nodule endophytes with relative importance of culturable rhizobial symbionts.

Genome-wide identification, subcellular localization and gene expression analysis of the members of CESA gene family in common tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.).

Cellulose-synthase proteins (CESAs) are membrane localized proteins and they form protein complexes to produce cellulose in the plasma membrane. CESA proteins play very important roles in cell wall construction during plant growth and development. In this study, a total of 21 NtCESA gene sequences were identified by using PF03552 conserved protein sequence and 10 AtCESA protein sequences of Arabidopsis thaliana to blast against the common tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) genome database with TBLASTN protocol. We analyzed the physical and chemical properties of protein sequences based on some software or on-line analysis tools. The results showed that there were no significant variances in terms of the physical and chemical properties of the 21 NtCESA proteins. First, phylogenetic tree analysis showed that 21 NtCESA genes and 10 AtCESA genes were clustered into five groups, and the gene structures were similar among the genes that are clustered into the same group. Second, in all of the 21 NtCESA proteins the conserved zinc finger domain was identified in the N-terminus, transmembrane domains were identified in the C-terminus and the DDD-QXXRW conserved domains were also identified. Third, gene expression analysis results indicated that most NtCESA genes were expressed in roots and leaves of seedling or mature tissues of tobacco, seeds and callus tissues. The genes that clustered into the same group share similar expression patterns. Importantly, NtCESA proteins that are involved in secondary cell wall cellulose synthesis have two extra transmembrane domains compared with that involved in primary cell wall cellulose biosynthesis. In addition, subcellular localization results showed that NtCESA9 and NtCESA14 were two plasma membrane anchored proteins. This study will lay a foundation for further functional characterization of these NtCESA genes.

A Review of the Functional and Anatomical Default Mode Network in Schizophrenia.

Schizophrenia is a severe mental disorder characterized by impaired perception, delusions, thought disorder, abnormal emotion regulation, altered motor function, and impaired drive. The default mode network (DMN), since it was first proposed in 2001, has become a central research theme in neuropsychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia. In this review, first we define the DMN and describe its functional activity, functional and anatomical connectivity, heritability, and inverse correlation with the task positive network. Second, we review empirical studies of the anatomical and functional DMN, and anti-correlation between DMN and the task positive network in schizophrenia. Finally, we review preliminary evidence about the relationship between antipsychotic medications and regulation of the DMN, review the role of DMN as a treatment biomarker for this disease, and consider the DMN effects of individualized therapies for schizophrenia.

Short-term Effects of Risperidone Monotherapy on Spontaneous Brain Activity in First-episode Treatment-naïve Schizophrenia Patients: A Longitudinal fMRI Study.

It is unclear whether abnormal spontaneous neural activation patterns found in chronic schizophrenia patients (CSP) are part of the pathogenesis of disease, consequences of chronic illness, or effects of antipsychotic treatment. We performed a longitudinal resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study in 42 treatment-naïve first-episode schizophrenia patients (FESP) at baseline and then after 8-weeks of risperidone monotherapy, and compared the findings to 38 healthy volunteers. Spontaneous brain activity was quantified using the fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF) and regional homogeneity (ReHo) and compared between patients and controls. Pretreatment, patients exhibited higher fALFF in left caudate compared with controls. After treatment, patients had elevated fALFF in bilateral putamen and right caudate, and increased ReHo in right caudate and left putamen. Greater increase of fALFF in the left putamen correlated with less improvement in positive symptoms. Thus, abnormalities of spontaneous neural activity in chronic schizophrenia is at least partly due to a medication effect. The observed post-treatment increase in striatal intrinsic activity may reflect counter-therapeutic functional adaptation to dopamine D2 receptor occupancy required for medication effects on psychosis.

Vasoactive intestinal peptide administration after stroke in rats enhances neurogenesis and improves neurological function.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) on neurogenesis and neurological function after cerebral ischemia. Rats were intracerebroventricular administered with VIP after a 2h middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) and sacrificed at 7, 14 and 28 days after MCAO. Functional outcome was studied with the modified neurological severity score. The infarct volume was evaluated via histology. Neurogenesis, angiogenesis and the protein expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were measured by immunohistochemistry and Western blotting analysis, respectively. The treatment with VIP significantly reduced the neurological severity score and the infarc volume, and increased the numbers of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) immunoreactive cells and doublecortin immunoreactive area in the subventricular zone (SVZ) at 7, 14 and 28 days after ischemia. The cerebral protein levels of VEGF and VEGF expression in the SVZ were also enhanced in VIP-treated rats at 7 days after stroke. VIP treatment obviously increased the number of BrdU positive endothelial cells in the SVZ and density of cerebral microvessels in the ischemic boundary at 28 days after ischemia. Our study suggests that in the ischemic rat brain VIP reduces brain damage and promotes neurogenesis by increasing VEGF. VIP-enhanced neurogenesis is associated with angiogenesis. These changes may contribute to improvement in functional outcome.

Modeling and forecasting daily movement of ambient air mean PM2.5 concentration based on the elliptic orbit model with weekly quasi-periodic extension: a case study.

Nowadays, the issue of air pollution has continuously been a global public health concern. Modeling and forecasting daily movement of ambient air mean PM2.5 concentration is an increasingly important task as it is intimately associated with human health that the air pollution has unignorable negative effects in reducing air quality, damaging environment, even causing serious harm to health. It is demonstrated that daily movement of mean PM2.5 concentration approximately exhibits weekly cyclical variations as daily particle pollution in the air is largely influenced by human daily activities. Then, based on weekly quasi-periodic extension for daily movement of mean PM2.5 concentration, the called elliptic orbit model is proposed to describe its movement. By mapping daily movement of mean PM2.5 concentration as one time series into the polar coordinates, each 7-day movement is depicted as one elliptic orbit. Experimental result and analysis indicate workability and effectiveness of the proposed method. Here we show that with the weekly quasi-periodic extension, daily movements of mean PM2.5 concentration at the given monitoring stations in Xiangtan of China are well described by the elliptic orbit model, which provides a vivid description for modeling and prediction daily movement of mean PM2.5 concentration in a concise and intuitive way.

Human mesenchymal stem cells enhance autophagy of lung carcinoma cells against apoptosis during serum deprivation.

Currently, some evidence suggests that human multipotential mesenchymal stems cells (hMSCs) aid tumor growth and metastasis. Nutrient deprivation and oxygen deficiency are representative characteristics of solid tumor microenvironment during the cancer development. Because the effects of hMSCs on tumors under stressful conditions have not been determined, we investigated the survival mechanisms used by stressed stromal cells on A549 and SPC-1 lung carcinoma cell lines in vitro and in vivo. An indirect culture system was used to investigate the effects of hMSCs on viability and apoptosis in starved carcinoma cells and focused on the role of autophagy in regulating the survival of carcinoma cells. The results showed that A549 and SPC-1 cells had higher viability when co-cultured with hMSCs and that this was mainly attributed to decreased apoptosis. Autophagosomes were analyzed using GFP-LC3 and electron microscopy, which showed that autophagy was significantly activated in the starved co-culture groups. However, the inhibition of autophagy by the autophagic inhibitor 3-MA significantly abrogated the apoptosis reduction in either single groups or co-culture groups under serum deprivation, which implied that the hMSCs protected against apoptosis by enhancing autophagy in lung carcinoma cells in vitro. We also observed that hMSCs promoted tumor initiation and growth in vivo. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that hMSCs can protect carcinoma cells from nutrient deprivation-induced apoptosis and promote tumor initiation and growth, and, interestingly, autophagy plays an important role in the survival of cancer cells.

Vasoactive intestinal peptide increases VEGF expression to promote proliferation of brain vascular endothelial cells via the cAMP/PKA pathway after ischemic insult in vitro.

Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) enhances angiogenesis in rats with focal cerebral ischemia. In the present study, we investigated the molecular mechanism of the proangiogenic action of VIP using an in vitro ischemic model, in which rat brain microvascular endothelial cells (RBMECs) are subjected to oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD). Western blotting and immunocytochemistry were carried out to examine the expression of VIP receptors and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in cultured RBMECs. The cell proliferation was assessed by the MTT assay. Cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and VEGF levels were measured by using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The cultured RBMECs expressed VPAC1, VPAC2 and PAC1 receptors. Treatment with VIP significantly promoted the proliferation of RBMECs and increased OGD-induced expression of VEGF, and this effect was antagonized by the VPAC receptor antagonist VIP6-28 and VEGF antibody. VIP significantly increased contents of cAMP in RBMECs and VEGF in the culture medium. The VIP-induced VEGF production was blocked by H89, a protein kinase A (PKA) inhibitor. These data suggest that treatment with VIP promotes VEGF-mediated endothelial cell proliferation after ischemic insult in vitro, and this effect appears to be initiated by the VPAC receptors leading to activation of the cAMP/PKA pathway.

Extraordinary metabolic stability of peptides containing α-aminoxy acids.

The metabolic stability of peptides containing a mixed sequence of α-aminoxy acids and α-amino acids is significantly improved compared to peptides composed of only natural α-amino acids. The introduction of an α-aminoxy acid into peptide chain dramatically improves the stability of the amide bonds immediately before and after it. These peptides containing α-aminoxy acids represent excellent structural scaffold for the design of metabolically stable and biologically active peptides.

[Vasoactive intestinal peptide enhances angiogenesis after focal cerebral ischemia].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) on angiogenesis after focal cerebral ischemia. METHODS: Focal cerebral ischemia was induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) for 120 min in adult SD rats with intracerebroventricular VIP administration at the beginning of reperfusion. Immunohistochemistry was performed to assay BrdU immunoreactive endothelial cells, expressions of VEGF, flt-1 and flk-1 in the ischemic zone, and the protein expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the brain was measured using Western blotting. RESULTS: Immunohistochemical staining revealed significantly increased BrdU immunoreactive endothelial cells on the margins of the ischemic lesion in rats treated with VIP as compared with that in the control rats (P<0.05). VIP significantly increased the number of VEGF immunoreactive cells and flt-1- and flk-1-positive endothelial cells in comparison with the control group (P<0.01). Western blotting showed that VIP treatment resulted in significantly increased VEGF protein level in the ipsilateral hemisphere (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: VIP enhances angiogenesis in the ischemic brain by increasing the expressions of VEGF in the brain tissue and its receptors flt-1 and flk-1 in the endothelial cells.

[Vasoactive intestinal peptide attenuates apoptosis and iNOS protein expression induced by cerebral ischemia in the rat].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the neuroprotective action of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) on ischemia and reperfusion in the rat. METHODS: VIP was given via intracerebroventriclar injection after a 2 hour transient middle cerebral artery occlusion using filament model. The infarct volume was investigated with TTC stain. Apoptosis in the ischemic boundary zone were evaluated with TUNEL stain. Western blotting were used to analyze the iNOS protein expression as well. RESULTS: After VIP injection, the relative infarct volume of rats was significantly reduced by approximately 28% campared to that of the control groups at 1 day (P < 0.05). The number of TUNEL positive cells was significantly decreased in the ischemic boundary zone, and then the expression of iNOS was remarkablely decreased as well (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: VIP has a neuroprotective effect on cerebral ischemia and reperfusion. The mechanism seems to involve decreasing the apoptosis and down-regulating the iNOS expression.

[Neuroprotective effects of vasoactive intestinal peptide against rat cerebral ischemia].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the neuroprotective effect of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) in rat ischemic brain injury. METHODS: VIP was administered via intracerebroventricular injection in SD rats prior to focal cerebral ischemia by intraluminal occlusion of the middle cerebral artery. The infarct volume was assessed with TTC staining, and immunohistochemistry was performed to analyze the S100beta expression in the cerebral tissue, with the serum concentrations of S100beta detected by double-antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: After VIP injection, the relative infarct volume in the rats with cerebral ischemia was significantly reduced by 32.3% as compared with the volume in the control group on day 1 (P<0.05), and the number of S100beta-positive cells was significantly decreased in the cerebral tissue (P<0.05). The injection also resulted in significantly decreased serum S100beta concentrations in the rats (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: VIP injection can reduce the infarct volume in rats with focal cerebral ischemia, suggesting the neuroprotective effect of VIP in brain ischemia possibly by reducing S100beta overexpression.

[Primary exploration on immune associated genome of patients with Pi-Qi deficiency syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the abnormal change of immune function in patients with Pi-Qi deficiency Syndrome, and to explore the genomic mechanism of its genesis by cDNA chip techniques. METHODS: The cross probe was made by extracting and microamplifying the total RNA and mRNA of peripheral white blood cells (WBC) in healthy subjects and patients with chronic gastritis and ulcerative colitis, which were labeled by Cy3 and Cy5 respectively. Then equal quantity of the two labeled probes were mixed and hybridized with cDNA chip, fluorescent signal of the chips were scanned with scanner. Data obtained were analyzed for comparing the difference of the expressive levels of immune associated genome in peripheral WBC in healthy subjects with those in patients. RESULTS: Expressions of CD9, CD164, PF4 and RARB gene in WBC of patients, both gastritis and colitis, were down-regulated while those of IGKC, DEFA1 and GNLY were up-regulated. CONCLUSION: The genesis of Pi-Qi deficiency syndrome has its immune associated genomic basis, and the immune functions are disordered in patients with that syndrome.

Primary exploration on immune associated genome of patients with Pi-Qi deficiency syndrome / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the abnormal change of immune function in patients with Pi-Qi deficiency Syndrome, and to explore the genomic mechanism of its genesis by cDNA chip techniques.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The cross probe was made by extracting and microamplifying the total RNA and mRNA of peripheral white blood cells (WBC) in healthy subjects and patients with chronic gastritis and ulcerative colitis, which were labeled by Cy3 and Cy5 respectively. Then equal quantity of the two labeled probes were mixed and hybridized with cDNA chip, fluorescent signal of the chips were scanned with scanner. Data obtained were analyzed for comparing the difference of the expressive levels of immune associated genome in peripheral WBC in healthy subjects with those in patients.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Expressions of CD9, CD164, PF4 and RARB gene in WBC of patients, both gastritis and colitis, were down-regulated while those of IGKC, DEFA1 and GNLY were up-regulated.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The genesis of Pi-Qi deficiency syndrome has its immune associated genomic basis, and the immune functions are disordered in patients with that syndrome.</p>