Effects of lactic acid bacteria inoculants on the nutrient composition, fermentation quality, and microbial diversity of whole-plant soybean-corn mixed silage.

The mixture of whole-plant soybean and whole-plant corn silage (WPSCS) is nutrient balanced and is also a promising roughage for ruminants. However, few studies have investigated the changes in bacterial community succession in WPSCS inoculated with homofermentative and heterofermentative lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and whether WPSCS inoculated with LAB can improve fermentation quality by reducing nutrient losses. This study investigated the effect of Lactobacillus plantarum (L. plantarum) or Lactobacillus buchneri (L. buchneri) on the fermentation quality, aerobic stability, and bacterial community of WPSCS. A 40:60 ratio of whole-plant soybean corn was inoculated without (CK) or with L. plantarum (LP), L. buchneri (LB), and a mixture of LP and LB (LPB), and fermented for 14, 28, and 56 days, followed by 7 days of aerobic exposure. The 56-day silage results indicated that the dry matter content of the LP and LB groups reached 37.36 and 36.67%, respectively, which was much greater than that of the CK group (36.05%). The pH values of the LP, LB, and LPB groups were significantly lower than those of the CK group (p < 0.05). The ammoniacal nitrogen content of LB was significantly lower than that of the other three groups (p < 0.05), and the ammoniacal nitrogen content of LP and LPB was significantly lower than that of CK (p < 0.05). The acetic acid content and aerobic stability of the LB group were significantly greater than those of the CK, LP, and LPB groups (p < 0.05). High-throughput sequencing revealed a dominant bacteria shift from Proteobacteria in fresh forage to Firmicutes in silage at the phylum level. Lactobacillus remained the dominant genus in all silage. Linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEFSe) analysis identified Lactobacillus as relatively abundant in LP-treated silage and Weissella in LB-treated groups. The results of KEGG pathway analysis of the 16S rRNA gene of the silage microbial flora showed that the abundance of genes related to amino acid metabolism in the LP, LB, and LPB groups was lower than that in the CK group (p < 0.05). In conclusion, LAB application can improve the fermentation quality and nutritional value of WPSCS by regulating the succession of microbial communities and metabolic pathways during ensiling. Concurrently, the LB inoculant showed the potential to improve the aerobic stability of WPSCS.

The structural basis for light acclimation in phycobilisome light harvesting systems systems in Porphyridium purpureum.

Photosynthetic organisms adapt to changing light conditions by manipulating their light harvesting complexes. Biophysical, biochemical, physiological and genetic aspects of these processes are studied extensively. The structural basis for these studies is lacking. In this study we address this gap in knowledge by focusing on phycobilisomes (PBS), which are large structures found in cyanobacteria and red algae. In this study we focus on the phycobilisomes (PBS), which are large structures found in cyanobacteria and red algae. Specifically, we examine red algae (Porphyridium purpureum) grown under a low light intensity (LL) and a medium light intensity (ML). Using cryo-electron microscopy, we resolve the structure of ML-PBS and compare it to the LL-PBS structure. The ML-PBS is 13.6 MDa, while the LL-PBS is larger (14.7 MDa). The LL-PBS structure have a higher number of closely coupled chromophore pairs, potentially the source of the red shifted fluorescence emission from LL-PBS. Interestingly, these differences do not significantly affect fluorescence kinetics parameters. This indicates that PBS systems can maintain similar fluorescence quantum yields despite an increase in LL-PBS chromophore numbers. These findings provide a structural basis to the processes by which photosynthetic organisms adapt to changing light conditions.

Use of Hydrogeochemistry and Isotopes for Evaluation of Groundwater in Qilian Coal Base of China.

The Jiangcang Basin is an important mining area of the former Qilian Mountain large coal base in Qinghai Province, and understanding the groundwater circulation mechanism is the basis for studying the hydrological effects of permafrost degradation in alpine regions. In this study, hydrogeochemical and multiple isotope tracer analysis methods are used to understand the chemical evolution and circulation mechanisms of the groundwater in the typical alpine region of the Jiangcang Basin. The diversity of the groundwater hydrochemistry in the study area reflects the complexity of the hydrogeochemical environment in which it is located. The suprapermafrost water and intrapermafrost water are recharged by modern meteoric water. The groundwater is closely hydraulically connected to the surface water with weak evaporation overall. The high δ34 S value of deep groundwater is due to SO4 reduction, and SO4 2- -rich snow recharge with lixiviated sulfate minerals are the main controlling factor for the high SO4 2- concentration in groundwater. According to the multivariate water conversion relationships, it reveals that the river receives more groundwater recharge, suprapermafrost water is recharged by the proportion of meteoric water, which is closely related to the mountainous area at the edge of the basin, while intrapermafrost water is mainly recharged by the shallow groundwater. This study provides a data-driven approach to understanding groundwater recharge and evolution in alpine regions, in addition to having significant implications for water resource management and ecological environmental protection in coal bases of the Tibetan Plateau.

Mechanical Behavior of Anchor Bolts for Shallow Super-Large-Span Tunnels in Weak Rock Mass.

Based on the Xiabeishan No.2 tunnel project of the Hang-Shao-Tai high-speed railway in China, the mechanical behavior of the anchor bolts for shallow super-large-span (SSLS) tunnels in weak rock mass is comprehensively investigated through laboratory tests, numerical simulation, and field tests. Firstly, an eight-month field test is conducted in the Xiabeishan No.2 tunnel, and it is discovered that the blasting vibration created by the construction of the middle pilot tunnel caused serious damage to the temporary support, seriously affecting the development of the bolt axial force and causing great construction risks. Then, the refined finite difference model of the SSLS tunnels is formulated, and a series of field and laboratory tests are conducted to acquire the calculation parameters. By comparing the monitored and simulated bolt axial force, the reliability of the numerical model is verified. Subsequently, the influence of the rock condition, construction scheme and bolt length on the mechanical behavior of anchor bolts is discussed. It is revealed that the rock grade significantly affects the bearing characteristics of anchor bolts. The construction scheme can greatly affect the magnitude and development mode of the bolt axial force, but the final distribution characteristics of the bolt axial force do not change regardless of the construction sequence. The axial force of the anchor bolts grows rapidly with the bolt length when the bolt length is within 18 m; meanwhile, when the bolt length exceeds 18 m, increasing the bolt length has a limited effect on the improvement in the bolt support performance. Finally, some optimization measures are proposed according to the monitoring data and simulation results.

Mechanisms of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells-derived exosomal lncRNA GAS5 in alleviating EMT of HPMCs via Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND: Prolonged peritoneal dialysis (PD) can result in epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and peritoneal fibrosis (PF), which can cause patients to discontinue PD. It is imperative to urgently investigate effective measures to mitigate PF. This study aims to reveal mechanisms of exosomal lncRNA GAS5 derived from human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUC-MSCs) on EMT of human peritoneal mesothelial cells (HPMCs) under high glucose (HG) conditions. METHODS: HPMCs were stimulated with 2.5% glucose. The effects on EMT of HPMCs were observed by using an hUC-MSC conditioned medium (hUC-MSC-CM) and extracted exosomes. After hUC-MSCs were transfected with GAS5 siRNA, exosomes were extracted to act on HPMCs for detecting EMT markers, PTEN, and Wnt/ß-catenin pathway, lncRNA GAS5 and miR-21 expressions in HPMCs. RESULTS: We found that HG could induce the EMT of HPMCs. Compared with the HG group, the hUC-MSC-CM could alleviate the EMT of HPMCs induced by HG through exosomes. Exosomes in the hUC-MSC-CM entered HPMCs, by transferring lncRNA GAS5 to HPMCs, which down-regulates miR-21 and up-regulates PTEN, thus finally alleviating EMT of HPMCs. The Wnt/ß-catenin pathway plays an essential role in alleviating EMT of HPMCs by exosomes in the hUC-MSC-CM. By transferring lncRNA GAS5 to HPMCs, exosomes derived from hUC-MSCs may competitively bind to miR-21 to regulate suppression on target PTEN genes and alleviate EMT of HPMCs through the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway. CONCLUSIONS: Exosomes from the hUC-MSCs-CM could alleviate the EMT of HPMCs induced by HG via regulating lncRNA GAS5/miR-21/PTEN through the Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway.

In situ structure of the red algal phycobilisome-PSII-PSI-LHC megacomplex.

In oxygenic photosynthetic organisms, light energy is captured by antenna systems and transferred to photosystem II (PSII) and photosystem I (PSI) to drive photosynthesis1,2. The antenna systems of red algae consist of soluble phycobilisomes (PBSs) and transmembrane light-harvesting complexes (LHCs)3. Excitation energy transfer pathways from PBS to photosystems remain unclear owing to the lack of structural information. Here we present in situ structures of PBS-PSII-PSI-LHC megacomplexes from the red alga Porphyridium purpureum at near-atomic resolution using cryogenic electron tomography and in situ single-particle analysis4, providing interaction details between PBS, PSII and PSI. The structures reveal several unidentified and incomplete proteins and their roles in the assembly of the megacomplex, as well as a huge and sophisticated pigment network. This work provides a solid structural basis for unravelling the mechanisms of PBS-PSII-PSI-LHC megacomplex assembly, efficient energy transfer from PBS to the two photosystems, and regulation of energy distribution between PSII and PSI.

Comprehensive analysis of immune-related lncRNAs and their clinical relevance in gastric adenocarcinoma.

Increasing evidence has demonstrated that lncRNA plays a significant role in the immunity regulation of gastric adenocarcinoma. However, the immune-related lncRNAs and the prognostic value in immunotherapies remain largely unexplored. We collected immune-related lncRNA and the associated pathways of gastric cancer from the ImmLnc database. The cox regression model is used to analyze the prognostic value of these lncRNAs. Gastric cancer is further divided into different subtypes based on these lncRNAs. Tumor microenvironment analysis, functional enrichment analysis, and genomic alteration analysis are performed for different subtypes. Furthermore, chemotherapeutic and immunotherapeutic sensitivity are also analyzed among different subtypes. Nine lncRNAs are identified as significant regulators of the immune pathway of gastric cancer. Gastric cancer can be classified into 5 subtypes based on these lncRNAs. Tumor microenvironment analysis shows that cluster C3 has the highest immune score and C5 has the lowest score. Functional analysis shows that these subtypes are enriched with distinct biological processes. Genomic analysis shows that LAMA2 mutation is a protective factor in C3 but a risk factor in C5. Furthermore, these subtypes are found to respond distinctly to the same chemotherapeutic and immunotherapeutic drugs. In this study, we analyzed the immune-related lncRNA and identified the crucial role in the regulation of immune properties, biological processes, and immunotherapeutic sensitivity. These findings can improve our understanding of the epigenetic immunoregulation of lncRNA and advance the research of immunotherapy.

One-Step Synthesis of 3D Pore-Structured Adsorbent by Cross-Linked PEI and Graphene Oxide Sheets and Its Application in CO2 Adsorption.

In this study, a one-step method of polyethylenimine (PEI) cross-linking graphene oxide (GO) was used to prepare a 3D pore-structured adsorbent with abundant amine groups for chemisorption of CO2. The cross-linking of PEI with GO sheets and the vacuum freeze-drying step are the keys to the formation of the 3D pore structure. The results of characterization analysis revealed that the as-prepared adsorbent had a 3D porous structure rich in amine groups. Besides, the adsorption/desorption test showed that the prepared adsorbent has excellent and stable adsorption performance, and the maximum CO2 adsorption capacity is 2.18 mmol/g at 343 K and 10 vol % CO2. Moreover, the adsorption kinetics analysis indicated that the adsorption process was dominated by homogeneous adsorption, and the adsorbent had a strong affinity with CO2. Finally, the correlation analysis shows that the kinetic constants obtained by the Avrami model simulation can be effectively used for the actual CO2 adsorption process design.

Knockdown of FOXA1 enhances the osteogenic differentiation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells partly via activation of the ERK1/2 signalling pathway.

BACKGROUND: The available therapeutic options for large bone defects remain extremely limited, requiring new strategies to accelerate bone healing. Genetically modified bone mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) with enhanced osteogenic capacity are recognised as one of the most promising treatments for bone defects. METHODS: We performed differential expression analysis of miRNAs between human BMSCs (hBMSCs) and human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs) to identify osteogenic differentiation-related microRNAs (miRNAs). Furthermore, we identified shared osteogenic differentiation-related miRNAs and constructed an miRNA-transcription network. The Forkhead box protein A1 (FOXA1) knockdown strategy with a lentiviral vector was used to explore the role of FOXA1 in the osteogenic differentiation of MSCs. Cell Counting Kit-8 was used to determine the effect of the knockdown of FOXA1 on hBMSC proliferation; real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) and western blotting were used to investigate target genes and proteins; and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining and Alizarin Red staining (ARS) were used to assess ALP activity and mineral deposition, respectively. Finally, a mouse model of femoral defects was established in vivo, and histological evaluation and radiographic analysis were performed to verify the therapeutic effects of FOXA1 knockdown on bone healing. RESULTS: We identified 22 shared and differentially expressed miRNAs between hDPSC and hBMSC, 19 of which were downregulated in osteogenically induced samples. The miRNA-transcription factor interaction network showed that FOXA1 is the most significant and novel osteogenic differentiation biomarker among more than 300 transcription factors that is directly targeted by 12 miRNAs. FOXA1 knockdown significantly promoted hBMSC osteo-specific genes and increased mineral deposits in vitro. In addition, p-ERK1/2 levels were upregulated by FOXA1 silencing. Moreover, the increased osteogenic differentiation of FOXA1 knockdown hBMSCs was partially rescued by the addition of ERK1/2 signalling inhibitors. In a mouse model of femoral defects, a sheet of FOXA1-silencing BMSCs improved bone healing, as detected by microcomputed tomography and histological evaluation. CONCLUSION: These findings collectively demonstrate that FOXA1 silencing promotes the osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs via the ERK1/2 signalling pathway, and silencing FOXA1 in vivo effectively promotes bone healing, suggesting that FOXA1 may be a novel target for bone healing.

Identification of origin and runoff of karst groundwater in the glacial lake area of the Jinsha River fault zone, China.

Karst groundwater plays important roles as a water supply and in sustaining the biodiversity and ecosystems of the eastern Qinghai-Xizang Plateau. Owing to the stratigraphic structure, high tectonic activity, and changeable climate of the region, the recharge source, runoff path, and dynamic characteristics of karst groundwater are highly complex, which poses challenges with regard to the protection of water resources and ecology. This study identified the origin and flow processes of karst groundwater in the glacial lake area of the Jinsha River fault zone using satellite remote sensing, hydrochemical and isotope analyses, and flow measurements. Results showed that active faults control the distribution of glacial lakes and the recharge, runoff, and discharge of karst groundwater. Glacial lake water is an important source of karst groundwater in the Jinsha River fault zone area. Specifically, glacial lake water continuously recharges the karst system via faults, fractures, and karst conduits, thereby maintaining the relative stability of karst spring flows. Through hierarchical cluster analysis, two main runoff conduits of karst water were distinguished: one along the Dingqu Fault and the other along the Eastern Zhairulong Fault, which together account for 59% of the total regional karst groundwater flow. The elevation difference between the recharge and discharge areas of the main karst springs is > 1000 m. Groundwater runoff is fast and residence time in the aquifer is short. The dissolution of calcite and dolomite mainly occurs during transit through the groundwater system, and cation exchange is weak. Therefore, the regional karst springs are predominantly HCO3-Ca·Mg type. To protect regional karst water resources and ecology, the monitoring and protection of glacial lakes should be strengthened.

Case Report: Coexistence of Anti-Glomerular Basement Membrane Disease, Membranous Nephropathy, and IgA Nephropathy in a Female PatientWith Preserved Renal Function.

The coexistence of anti-glomerular basement membrane (GBM) disease, idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN), and IgA nephropathy in one patient is a very rare case, which has not yet been reported. Whether the three diseases are correlated and the underlying mechanism remain unknown. Herein, we report a 48-year-old female patient that was admitted because of proteinuria and abnormal renal function, which was diagnosed as anti-GBM disease, idiopathic membranous nephropathy, and IgA nephropathy by renal biopsy. The patient received treatment including high-dose methylprednisolone pulse therapy, plasma exchange, and intravenous infusion of both cyclophosphamide (CTX) and rituximab. In the follow-up, the titer of the anti-GBM antibody gradually decreased, renal function was restored, and urinary protein was reduced, without significant adverse effects.

Bioinformatics-Guided Analysis Uncovers AOX1 as an Osteogenic Differentiation-Relevant Gene of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells.

Background: The available therapeutic options of bone defects, fracture nonunion, and osteoporosis remain limited, which are closely related to the osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs). Thus, there remains an urgent demand to develop a prediction method to infer osteogenic differentiation-related genes in BMSCs. Method: We performed differential expression analysis between hBMSCs and osteogenically induced samples. Association analysis, co-expression analysis, and PPI analysis are then carried out to identify potential osteogenesis-related regulators. GO enrichment analysis and GSEA are performed to identify significantly enriched pathways associated with AOX1. qRT-PCR and Western blotting were employed to investigate the expression of genes on osteogenic differentiation, and plasmid transfection was used to overexpress the gene AOX1 in hBMSCs. Result: We identified 25 upregulated genes and 17 downregulated genes. Association analysis and PPI network analysis among these differentially expressed genes show that AOX1 is a potential regulator of osteogenic differentiation. GO enrichment analysis and GSEA show that AOX1 is significantly associated with osteoblast-related pathways. The experiments revealed that AOX1 level was higher and increased gradually in differentiated BMSCs compared with undifferentiated BMSCs, and AOX1 overexpression significantly increased the expression of osteo-specific genes, thereby clearly indicating that AOX1 plays an important role in osteogenic differentiation. Moreover, our method has ability in discriminating genes with osteogenic differentiation properties and can facilitate the process of discovery of new osteogenic differentiation-related genes. Conclusion: These findings collectively demonstrate that AOX1 is an osteogenic differentiation-relevant gene and provide a novel method established with a good performance for osteogenic differentiation-relevant genes prediction.

DeepTI: A deep learning-based framework decoding tumor-immune interactions for precision immunotherapy in oncology.

BACKGROUND: Increasing evidence suggests the immunomodulatory potential of genes in oncology. But the identification of immune attributes of genes is costly and time-consuming, which leads to an urgent demand to develop a prediction model. METHOD: We developed a deep learning-based model to predict the immune properties of genes. This model is trained in 70% of samples and evaluated in 30% of samples. Furthermore, it uncovers 60 new immune-related genes. We analyzed the expression perturbation and prognostic value of these genes in gastric cancer. Finally, we validated these genes in immunotherapy-related datasets to check the predictive potential of immunotherapeutic sensitivity. RESULT: This model classifies genes as immune-promoted or immune-inhibited based on the human PPI network and it achieves an accuracy of 0.68 on the test set. It uncovers 60 new immune-related genes, most of which are validated in the published literature. These genes are found to be downregulated in gastric cancer and significantly associated with the immune microenvironment in gastric cancer. Analysis of immunotherapy shows that these genes can discriminate between responder and non-responder. CONCLUSION: This model can facilitate the identification of immune properties of genes, decoding tumor-immune interactions for precision immunotherapy in oncology.

Bioinformatics-guided analysis uncovers TIGIT as an epigenetically regulated immunomodulator affecting immunotherapeutic sensitivity of gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND: Immunomodulatory genes play significant roles in the regulation of immunological properties of gastric cancer, but the effect of epigenetic regulation of these genes on the immune properties is unknown. METHOD: I analyzed the methylation-expression correlation among all immunomodulators and compared with the non-immunomodulators. The association between epigenetically regulated immunomodulators (ERI) and tumor microenvironment is evaluated. A key immunomodulator TIGIT is further selected to investigate the potential value in the regulation of immunologic properties. Furthermore, the prognostic value and the immunotherapeutic potential of TIGIT are also explored. RESULT: Four genes are identified as ERIs based on the negative correlation between expression and methylation. Association analysis shows that three ERIs participate in the regulation of the immune microenvironment of gastric cancer. Among these ERIs, TIGIT is identified as a key immunomodulator. TIGIT is found to be significantly associated with immune properties. The high TIGIT expression group tends to display an active immune landscape. TIGIT expression is also found to be associated with survival and immunotherapeutic sensitivity. High TIGIT expression group has a favorable prognosis and is more likely to respond to immunotherapy than the low expression group. CONCLUSION: TIGIT is an epigenetically regulated immunomodulator of gastric cancer which can modify the immune activity and affect immunotherapeutic sensitivity. These findings can promote the research of epigenetic therapies and improve the survival of cancer patients by sensitizing tumors to immune therapies.

Molecular characterization of metabolic subtypes of gastric cancer based on metabolism-related lncRNA.

Increasing evidence has demonstrated that lncRNAs are critical regulators in diverse biological processes, but the function of lncRNA in metabolic regulation remains largely unexplored. In this study, we evaluated the association between lncRNA and metabolic pathways and identified metabolism-related lncRNAs. Gastric cancer can be mainly subdivided into 2 clusters based on these metabolism-related lncRNA regulators. Comparative analysis shows that these subtypes are found to be highly consistent with previously identified subtypes based on other omics data. Functional enrichment analysis shows that they are enriched in distinct biological processes. Mutation analysis shows that ABCA13 is a protective factor in subtype C1 but a risk factor in C2. Analysis of chemotherapeutic and immunotherapeutic sensitivity shows that these subtypes tend to display distinct sensitivity to the same chemical drugs. In conclusion, these findings demonstrated the significance of lncRNA in metabolic regulation. These metabolism-related lncRNA regulators can improve our understanding of the underlying mechanism of lncRNAs and advance the research of immunotherapies in the clinical management of gastric cancer.

LncRNA GAS5 Competitively Combined With miR-21 Regulates PTEN and Influences EMT of Peritoneal Mesothelial Cells via Wnt/ß-Catenin Signaling Pathway.

OBJECTIVE: Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is an important factor leading to peritoneal fibrosis (PF) in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients. The current research aimed to evaluate the effect of long non-coding RNA growth arrest-specific 5 (lncRNA GAS5) in human peritoneal mesothelial cells (HPMCs) EMT and explore the potential molecular mechanisms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: HPMCs were cultured under control conditions or with high glucose (HG). The cells were then treated with lncRNA GAS5, lncRNA GAS5 siRNA, with or without miR-21 inhibitor and PTEN transfection. Expression of lncRNA GAS5, miR-21, α-SMA, Vimentin, E-cadherin, phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome ten (PTEN), Wnt3a, and ß-catenin were measured by real time PCR and Western blotting. Bioinformatics analyses were used to test the specific binding sites between the 3' UTR of the PTEN gene, miR-21, and lncRNA GAS5. Rescue experiments were performed to confirm the lncRNA GAS5/miR-21/PTEN axis in HPMC EMT. RESULTS: We found that HG-induced EMT decreased lncRNA GAS5 and that overexpression of lncRNA GAS5 can attenuate EMT in HPMCs. In addition, lncRNA GAS5 regulated HG-induced EMT through miR-21/PTEN. Cotransfection of miR-21 inhibitors remarkably increased PTEN expression and attenuated EMT in lncRNA GAS5 knockdown HPMCs. Moreover, rescue experiments showed that overexpression of PTEN attenuated the EMT effects of lncRNA GAS5 siRNA in HPMCs. We also confirmed that the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway was stimulated in lncRNA GAS5/miR-21/PTEN-mediated EMT. CONCLUSION: Our research showed that lncRNA GAS5 competitively combined with miR-21 to regulate PTEN expression and influence EMT of HPMCs via the Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway. This study provides novel evidence that lncRNA GAS5 may be a potential therapeutic target for HPMC EMT.

In situ cryo-ET structure of phycobilisome-photosystem II supercomplex from red alga.

Phycobilisome (PBS) is the main light-harvesting antenna in cyanobacteria and red algae. How PBS transfers the light energy to photosystem II (PSII) remains to be elucidated. Here we report the in situ structure of the PBS-PSII supercomplex from Porphyridium purpureum UTEX 2757 using cryo-electron tomography and subtomogram averaging. Our work reveals the organized network of hemiellipsoidal PBS with PSII on the thylakoid membrane in the native cellular environment. In the PBS-PSII supercomplex, each PBS interacts with six PSII monomers, of which four directly bind to the PBS, and two bind indirectly. Additional three 'connector' proteins also contribute to the connections between PBS and PSIIs. Two PsbO subunits from adjacent PSII dimers bind with each other, which may promote stabilization of the PBS-PSII supercomplex. By analyzing the interaction interface between PBS and PSII, we reveal that αLCM and ApcD connect with CP43 of PSII monomer and that αLCM also interacts with CP47' of the neighboring PSII monomer, suggesting the multiple light energy delivery pathways. The in situ structures illustrate the coupling pattern of PBS and PSII and the arrangement of the PBS-PSII supercomplex on the thylakoid, providing the near-native 3D structural information of the various energy transfer from PBS to PSII.

Shaking table test on the seismic response of the portal section in soft and hard rock junction.

Tunnel portal sections located in the soft-hard rock junction are vulnerable to the strong earthquake motions in seismically active regions. The main objective of this paper is to investigate the seismic response of tunnel portals located in the soft-hard rock junction. Taking the Baiyunding tunnel in northeast China as a background, a shaking table test with a geometric scaling ratio of 1:30 was built. Details of test setup and procedures are introduced first and then the test results are presented. The discussion of the results is based on the peak ground acceleration (PGA), the longitudinal, the contact stress, and the safety factor. The results show that the soft section of the soft-hard rock junction suffers remarkable damages under strong seismic motions, while the hard rock section is less affected by earthquakes. The increasing soft rock range causes a rise of the forced displacement of tunnel linings, which, together with the seismic inertia force, leads to the increase of the contact stress of the linings, and ultimately resulting in the deterioration of the tunnel seismic safety. To mitigate the seismic damage of tunnel portals in the soft-hard rock junction, rock grouting, bolt support, and other effective reinforced methods should be considered in the seismic design of the soft section.

Long non-coding RNA XIST promotes the proliferation of cardiac fibroblasts and the accumulation of extracellular matrix by sponging microRNA-155-5p.

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is characterized by cardiomyocyte death followed by myocardial fibrosis, eventually leading to heart failure. Long non-coding (lnc)RNA X-inactive specific transcript (XIST) serves a vital role in the regulation of fibrosis. The aim of the present study was to determine whether myocardial fibrosis may be regulated by XIST and to elucidate the underlying mechanism. The relative mRNA expression levels of the target genes were evaluated using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Cell viability and apoptosis were determined using a Cell Counting Kit-8 assay and flow cytometry, respectively. The apoptosis and fibrosis-related protein expression levels were detected using western blot analysis. Finally, the interaction between XIST and microRNA (miR)-155-5p was analyzed using a luciferase reporter assay. XIST-overexpression increased proliferation and the expression level of the fibrosis-related proteins in the human cardiac fibroblast cells (HCFs). XIST directly targeted miR-155-5p and downregulated its expression, while miR-155-5p downregulation abolished the effect of XIST-silencing on cell viability and the expression level of the fibrosis-related proteins in the HCFs. XIST promoted cell proliferation and the expression level of fibrosis-related proteins by sponging miR-155-5p. Therefore, XIST may represent a novel effective target for AMI treatment.