| 1. |
- Fenstermacher, M.E., et al.
(author)
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DIII-D research advancing the physics basis for optimizing the tokamak approach to fusion energy
- 2022
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In: Nuclear Fusion. - : IOP Publishing. - 0029-5515 .- 1741-4326. ; 62:4
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- DIII-D physics research addresses critical challenges for the operation of ITER and the next generation of fusion energy devices. This is done through a focus on innovations to provide solutions for high performance long pulse operation, coupled with fundamental plasma physics understanding and model validation, to drive scenario development by integrating high performance core and boundary plasmas. Substantial increases in off-axis current drive efficiency from an innovative top launch system for EC power, and in pressure broadening for Alfven eigenmode control from a co-/counter-I p steerable off-axis neutral beam, all improve the prospects for optimization of future long pulse/steady state high performance tokamak operation. Fundamental studies into the modes that drive the evolution of the pedestal pressure profile and electron vs ion heat flux validate predictive models of pedestal recovery after ELMs. Understanding the physics mechanisms of ELM control and density pumpout by 3D magnetic perturbation fields leads to confident predictions for ITER and future devices. Validated modeling of high-Z shattered pellet injection for disruption mitigation, runaway electron dissipation, and techniques for disruption prediction and avoidance including machine learning, give confidence in handling disruptivity for future devices. For the non-nuclear phase of ITER, two actuators are identified to lower the L-H threshold power in hydrogen plasmas. With this physics understanding and suite of capabilities, a high poloidal beta optimized-core scenario with an internal transport barrier that projects nearly to Q = 10 in ITER at ∼8 MA was coupled to a detached divertor, and a near super H-mode optimized-pedestal scenario with co-I p beam injection was coupled to a radiative divertor. The hybrid core scenario was achieved directly, without the need for anomalous current diffusion, using off-axis current drive actuators. Also, a controller to assess proximity to stability limits and regulate β N in the ITER baseline scenario, based on plasma response to probing 3D fields, was demonstrated. Finally, innovative tokamak operation using a negative triangularity shape showed many attractive features for future pilot plant operation.
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| 2. |
- Campbell, PJ, et al.
(author)
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Pan-cancer analysis of whole genomes
- 2020
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In: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1476-4687 .- 0028-0836. ; 578:7793, s. 82-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Cancer is driven by genetic change, and the advent of massively parallel sequencing has enabled systematic documentation of this variation at the whole-genome scale1–3. Here we report the integrative analysis of 2,658 whole-cancer genomes and their matching normal tissues across 38 tumour types from the Pan-Cancer Analysis of Whole Genomes (PCAWG) Consortium of the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). We describe the generation of the PCAWG resource, facilitated by international data sharing using compute clouds. On average, cancer genomes contained 4–5 driver mutations when combining coding and non-coding genomic elements; however, in around 5% of cases no drivers were identified, suggesting that cancer driver discovery is not yet complete. Chromothripsis, in which many clustered structural variants arise in a single catastrophic event, is frequently an early event in tumour evolution; in acral melanoma, for example, these events precede most somatic point mutations and affect several cancer-associated genes simultaneously. Cancers with abnormal telomere maintenance often originate from tissues with low replicative activity and show several mechanisms of preventing telomere attrition to critical levels. Common and rare germline variants affect patterns of somatic mutation, including point mutations, structural variants and somatic retrotransposition. A collection of papers from the PCAWG Consortium describes non-coding mutations that drive cancer beyond those in the TERT promoter4; identifies new signatures of mutational processes that cause base substitutions, small insertions and deletions and structural variation5,6; analyses timings and patterns of tumour evolution7; describes the diverse transcriptional consequences of somatic mutation on splicing, expression levels, fusion genes and promoter activity8,9; and evaluates a range of more-specialized features of cancer genomes8,10–18.
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| 3. |
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| 4. |
- Chen, M., et al.
(author)
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A highly stable optical humidity sensors based on nano-composite film
- 2019
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In: Sensors and actuators. B, Chemical. - : Elsevier. - 0925-4005 .- 1873-3077. ; 287, s. 329-337
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We report a highly stable humidity sensor based on nanocomposite film obtained by depositing Au nanoparticles on the surface of 3-mercaptopropionic acid (MPA) capped CdTe quantum dots (QDs) and then modifying NaOH (CdTe@Au/NaOH). The CdTe@Au/NaOH film will form compound salts that can be dissolved or crystallized with humidity changes, resulting in a significant absorption variation of green light, which is very benefit for water vapor detection. In this study, we systematically investigated the influence on the performance of humidity sensing by varying the thickness of Au layer as well as the concentration of NaOH. Our results show that the quickest response-recovery time (˜less than 30 s) was found in the sensing film with the Au layer thickness of 20 nm and NaOH concentration of 1M, which can be ascribed to the combined effects of the better morphology and the yield of compound salts. The repeatable response and recovery measurements demonstrate that the designed sensors exhibit an ultralow humidity detection level with fast response-recovery time, high stability and reproducibility at room temperature. The simplicity, low fabrication cost, and wide working range of the humidity sensor will pave the way for its application in environments and gas detection.
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| 5. |
- Gu, S. L., et al.
(author)
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beta-Sitosterol blocks the LEF-1-mediated Wnt/beta-catenin pathway to inhibit proliferation of human colon cancer cells
- 2023
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In: Cellular Signalling. - : Elsevier BV. - 0898-6568. ; 104
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the LEF-1-mediated Wnt/beta-catenin pathway for its biological functions and prognostic value in colon cancer (CC). Furthermore, the potential molecular mechanism of beta-sitosterol in CC was investigated in vitro.Methods: Clinical information and gene expression profiles from CC patients were obtained based on Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) databases. In addition, we applied R software "Limma" package for the differential analysis of LEF-1 between cancer and para-carcinoma tissue samples. Kaplan-Meier (KM) survival analysis was adopted for analyzing whether LEF-1 was of prognostic significance. Moreover, gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was adopted for pathway enrichment analysis and visualization. In addition, CCK8, plate cloning, scratch and high-content screening (HCS) imaging assays were performed to examine the therapeutic efficacy of beta-sitosterol in human CC HCT116 cells. siRNA technology was employed to knock down LEF1 expression in HCT116 cells. qRT-PCR and Western-blot (WB) analysis were carried out to analyze the HCT-116 mRNA and protein expression levels, respectively.Results: LEF-1 was up-regulated within CC and acted as an oncogenic gene. LEF-1 up-regulation predicted the dismal prognostic outcome and activated the Wnt/beta-catenin pathway. beta-sitosterol effectively suppressed HCT116 cells proliferation and invasion. For the mechanism underlying beta-sitosterol, beta-sitosterol was found to significantly down-regulate LEF-1 gene and protein expression and disrupt Wnt/beta-catenin pathway transmission in HCT116 cells. After suppressing LEF-1 expression, its downstream targets including C-myc, Survivin and CCND1 were also down-regulated.Conclusion: According to our results, LEF-1 down-regulation can effectively block Wnt/beta-catenin pathway, inhibit CC cell growth and migration. Collectively, beta-sitosterol can be used to treat CC, which can provide anti-tumor activity by targeting LEF-1.
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| 6. |
- Klionsky, Daniel J., et al.
(author)
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Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy
- 2012
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In: Autophagy. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1554-8635 .- 1554-8627. ; 8:4, s. 445-544
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In 2008 we published the first set of guidelines for standardizing research in autophagy. Since then, research on this topic has continued to accelerate, and many new scientists have entered the field. Our knowledge base and relevant new technologies have also been expanding. Accordingly, it is important to update these guidelines for monitoring autophagy in different organisms. Various reviews have described the range of assays that have been used for this purpose. Nevertheless, there continues to be confusion regarding acceptable methods to measure autophagy, especially in multicellular eukaryotes. A key point that needs to be emphasized is that there is a difference between measurements that monitor the numbers or volume of autophagic elements (e.g., autophagosomes or autolysosomes) at any stage of the autophagic process vs. those that measure flux through the autophagy pathway (i.e., the complete process); thus, a block in macroautophagy that results in autophagosome accumulation needs to be differentiated from stimuli that result in increased autophagic activity, defined as increased autophagy induction coupled with increased delivery to, and degradation within, lysosomes (in most higher eukaryotes and some protists such as Dictyostelium) or the vacuole (in plants and fungi). In other words, it is especially important that investigators new to the field understand that the appearance of more autophagosomes does not necessarily equate with more autophagy. In fact, in many cases, autophagosomes accumulate because of a block in trafficking to lysosomes without a concomitant change in autophagosome biogenesis, whereas an increase in autolysosomes may reflect a reduction in degradative activity. Here, we present a set of guidelines for the selection and interpretation of methods for use by investigators who aim to examine macroautophagy and related processes, as well as for reviewers who need to provide realistic and reasonable critiques of papers that are focused on these processes. These guidelines are not meant to be a formulaic set of rules, because the appropriate assays depend in part on the question being asked and the system being used. In addition, we emphasize that no individual assay is guaranteed to be the most appropriate one in every situation, and we strongly recommend the use of multiple assays to monitor autophagy. In these guidelines, we consider these various methods of assessing autophagy and what information can, or cannot, be obtained from them. Finally, by discussing the merits and limits of particular autophagy assays, we hope to encourage technical innovation in the field.
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| 7. |
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| 8. |
- Shang, Q., et al.
(author)
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Association Between Osteopontin Gene Polymorphisms and Cerebral Palsy in a Chinese Population
- 2016
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In: Neuromolecular Medicine. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1535-1084 .- 1559-1174. ; 18:2, s. 232-238
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Cerebral palsy (CP) is a neurological disorder affecting movement and posture that develops as a complication of prenatal, perinatal, and postnatal brain injury. Such non-progressive brain injury is often accompanied by neonatal encephalopathy and inflammation. The widely expressed soluble cytokine osteopontin (OPN) plays an important role in inflammation and neurological protection. Therefore, it is of great interest to study the relationship between CP and genetic variants of OPN. To explore the genetic association between OPN gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and CP in the Chinese Han population, five SNPs (rs2853744, rs2853749, rs11728697, rs4754, and rs1126616) were genotyped among 715 CP patients and 658 healthy controls using the MassArray platform. Statistical analysis was performed using the online SHEsis program, and Bonferroni correction was applied as necessary. We found an association between rs1126616 and global CP (corrected allelic P = 0.0006 and genotypic P = 0.0011 after Bonferroni correction). The other SNPs were not statistically associated with CP or any of its subgroups. By testing a relatively large sample size, our study demonstrates that the OPN gene SNP rs1126616 is statistically associated with CP. We suspect that the OPN gene might be a susceptibility factor for CP.
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| 9. |
- Sun, H., et al.
(author)
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Effect of early prophylactic low-dose recombinant human erythropoietin on retinopathy of prematurity in very preterm infants
- 2020
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In: Journal of Translational Medicine. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1479-5876. ; 18:1
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Very preterm infants are at risk of developing retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). Recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) is routinely used to prevent anemia in preterm infants; however, the effect of rhEPO on ROP development is still controversial. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of early prophylactic low-dose rhEPO administration on ROP development in very preterm infants. Methods: A total of 1898 preterm infants born before 32weeks of gestation were included. Preterm infants received rhEPO (n = 950; 500 U/kg, rhEPO group) or saline (n = 948, control group) intravenously within 72h of birth and then once every other day for 2weeks. Results: The total incidence of ROP was not significantly different between the two groups (10.2% vs. 13.2%, p = 0.055). Further analysis showed that rhEPO group had lower rates of type 2 ROP than the control group (2.2% vs. 4.1%, RR 0.98; 95% CI 0.96–1.00; p = 0.021). Subgroup analysis found that rhEPO treatment significantly decreased the incidence of type 2 ROP in infant boys (1.8% vs. 4.3%, p = 0.021) and in those with a gestational age of 28–296/7weeks (1.1% vs. 4.9%, p = 0.002) and birth weight of 1000–1499g (1.2% vs. 4.2%, p = 0.002). There was a small increasing tendency for the incidence of ROP in infants with a gestational age of < 28weeks after rhEPO treatment. Conclusions: Repeated low-dose rhEPO administration has no significant influence on the development of ROP; however, it may be effective for type 2 ROP in infant boys or in infants with gestational age > 28weeks and birth weight > 1500g. Trial registration The data of this study were retrieved from two clinical studies registered ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT 02036073) on January 14, 2014, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02036073; and (NCT03919500) on April 18, 2019. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03919500. © 2020, The Author(s).
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| 10. |
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| 11. |
- Ariyawansa, Hiran A., et al.
(author)
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Fungal diversity notes 111–252—taxonomic and phylogenetic contributions to fungal taxa
- 2015
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In: Fungal diversity. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1560-2745 .- 1878-9129. ; 75, s. 27-274
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This paper is a compilation of notes on 142 fungal taxa, including five new families, 20 new genera, and 100 new species, representing a wide taxonomic and geographic range. The new families, Ascocylindricaceae, Caryosporaceae and Wicklowiaceae (Ascomycota) are introduced based on their distinct lineages and unique morphology. The new Dothideomycete genera Pseudomassariosphaeria (Amniculicolaceae), Heracleicola, Neodidymella and P s e u d o m i c ros p h a e r i o p s i s ( D id y m e l l a c e a e ) , P s e u d o p i t h o m y c e s ( D i d y m o s p h a e r i a c e a e ) , Brunneoclavispora, Neolophiostoma and Sulcosporium (Halotthiaceae), Lophiohelichrysum (Lophiostomataceae), G a l l i i c o l a , Popul o c re s c e n t i a a nd Va g i c o l a (Phaeosphaeriaceae), Ascocylindrica (Ascocylindricaceae), E l o n g a t o p e d i c e l l a t a ( R o u s s o e l l a c e a e ) , Pseudoasteromassaria (Latoruaceae) and Pseudomonodictys (Macrodiplodiopsidaceae) are introduced. The newly described species of Dothideomycetes (Ascomycota) are Pseudomassariosphaeria bromicola (Amniculicolaceae), Flammeascoma lignicola (Anteagloniaceae), Ascocylindrica marina (Ascocylindricaceae) , Lembosia xyliae (Asterinaceae), Diplodia crataegicola and Diplodia galiicola ( B o t r yosphae r i a cea e ) , Caryospor a aquat i c a (Caryosporaceae), Heracleicola premilcurensis and Neodi dymell a thai landi cum (Didymellaceae) , Pseudopithomyces palmicola (Didymosphaeriaceae), Floricola viticola (Floricolaceae), Brunneoclavispora bambusae, Neolophiostoma pigmentatum and Sulcosporium thailandica (Halotthiaceae), Pseudoasteromassaria fagi (Latoruaceae), Keissleriella dactylidicola (Lentitheciaceae), Lophiohelichrysum helichrysi (Lophiostomataceae), Aquasubmersa japonica (Lophiotremataceae) , Pseudomonodictys tectonae (Macrodiplodiopsidaceae), Microthyrium buxicola and Tumidispora shoreae (Microthyriaceae), Alloleptosphaeria clematidis, Allophaeosphaer i a c y t i s i , Allophaeosphae r i a subcylindrospora, Dematiopleospora luzulae, Entodesmium artemisiae, Galiicola pseudophaeosphaeria, Loratospora(Basidiomycota) are introduced together with a new genus Neoantrodiella (Neoantrodiellaceae), here based on both morphology coupled with molecular data. In the class Agaricomycetes, Agaricus pseudolangei, Agaricus haematinus, Agaricus atrodiscus and Agaricus exilissimus (Agaricaceae) , Amanita m e l l e i a l b a , Amanita pseudosychnopyramis and Amanita subparvipantherina (Amanitaceae), Entoloma calabrum, Cora barbulata, Dictyonema gomezianum and Inocybe granulosa (Inocybaceae), Xerocomellus sarnarii (Boletaceae), Cantharellus eucalyptorum, Cantharellus nigrescens, Cantharellus tricolor and Cantharellus variabilicolor (Cantharellaceae), Cortinarius alboamarescens, Cortinarius brunneoalbus, Cortinarius ochroamarus, Cortinarius putorius and Cortinarius seidlii (Cortinariaceae), Hymenochaete micropora and Hymenochaete subporioides (Hymenochaetaceae), Xylodon ramicida (Schizoporaceae), Colospora andalasii (Polyporaceae), Russula guangxiensis and Russula hakkae (Russulaceae), Tremella dirinariae, Tremella graphidis and Tremella pyrenulae (Tremellaceae) are introduced. Four new combinations Neoantrodiella gypsea, Neoantrodiella thujae (Neoantrodiellaceae), Punctulariopsis cremeoalbida, Punctulariopsis efibulata (Punctulariaceae) are also introduced here for the division Basidiomycota. Furthermore Absidia caatinguensis, Absidia koreana and Gongronella koreana (Cunninghamellaceae), Mortierella pisiformis and Mortierella formosana (Mortierellaceae) are newly introduced in the Zygomycota, while Neocallimastix cameroonii and Piromyces irregularis (Neocallimastigaceae) ar e i n t roduced i n the Neocallimastigomycota. Reference specimens or changes in classification and notes are provided for Alternaria ethzedia, Cucurbitaria ephedricola, Austropleospora, Austropleospora archidendri, Byssosphaeria rhodomphala, Lophiostoma caulium, Pseudopithomyces maydicus, Massariosphaeria, Neomassariosphaeria and Pestalotiopsis montellica.
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| 12. |
- Chen, DS, et al.
(author)
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Single cell atlas for 11 non-model mammals, reptiles and birds
- 2021
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In: Nature communications. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2041-1723. ; 12:1, s. 7083-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The availability of viral entry factors is a prerequisite for the cross-species transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Large-scale single-cell screening of animal cells could reveal the expression patterns of viral entry genes in different hosts. However, such exploration for SARS-CoV-2 remains limited. Here, we perform single-nucleus RNA sequencing for 11 non-model species, including pets (cat, dog, hamster, and lizard), livestock (goat and rabbit), poultry (duck and pigeon), and wildlife (pangolin, tiger, and deer), and investigated the co-expression of ACE2 and TMPRSS2. Furthermore, cross-species analysis of the lung cell atlas of the studied mammals, reptiles, and birds reveals core developmental programs, critical connectomes, and conserved regulatory circuits among these evolutionarily distant species. Overall, our work provides a compendium of gene expression profiles for non-model animals, which could be employed to identify potential SARS-CoV-2 target cells and putative zoonotic reservoirs.
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| 13. |
- Kong, P. P., et al.
(author)
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Superconductivity in Strong Spin Orbital Coupling Compound Sb2Se3
- 2014
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In: Scientific Reports. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2045-2322. ; 4, s. 6679-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Recently, A(2)B(3) type strong spin orbital coupling compounds such as Bi2Te3, Bi2Se3 and Sb2Te3 were theoretically predicated to be topological insulators and demonstrated through experimental efforts. The counterpart compound Sb2Se3 on the other hand was found to be topological trivial, but further theoretical studies indicated that the pressure might induce Sb2Se3 into a topological nontrivial state. Here, we report on the discovery of superconductivity in Sb2Se3 single crystal induced via pressure. Our experiments indicated that Sb2Se3 became superconductive at high pressures above 10 GPa proceeded by a pressure induced insulator to metal like transition at similar to 3 GPa which should be related to the topological quantum transition. The superconducting transition temperature (T-C) increased to around 8.0 K with pressure up to 40 GPa while it keeps ambient structure. High pressure Raman revealed that new modes appeared around 10 GPa and 20 GPa, respectively, which correspond to occurrence of superconductivity and to the change of T-C slop as the function of high pressure in conjunction with the evolutions of structural parameters at high pressures.
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| 14. |
- Lumbers, R. T., et al.
(author)
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The genomics of heart failure: design and rationale of the HERMES consortium
- 2021
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In: Esc Heart Failure. - : Wiley. - 2055-5822. ; 8:6, s. 5531-5541
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aims The HERMES (HEart failure Molecular Epidemiology for Therapeutic targets) consortium aims to identify the genomic and molecular basis of heart failure. Methods and results The consortium currently includes 51 studies from 11 countries, including 68 157 heart failure cases and 949 888 controls, with data on heart failure events and prognosis. All studies collected biological samples and performed genome-wide genotyping of common genetic variants. The enrolment of subjects into participating studies ranged from 1948 to the present day, and the median follow-up following heart failure diagnosis ranged from 2 to 116 months. Forty-nine of 51 individual studies enrolled participants of both sexes; in these studies, participants with heart failure were predominantly male (34-90%). The mean age at diagnosis or ascertainment across all studies ranged from 54 to 84 years. Based on the aggregate sample, we estimated 80% power to genetic variant associations with risk of heart failure with an odds ratio of >1.10 for common variants (allele frequency > 0.05) and >1.20 for low-frequency variants (allele frequency 0.01-0.05) at P < 5 x 10(-8) under an additive genetic model. Conclusions HERMES is a global collaboration aiming to (i) identify the genetic determinants of heart failure; (ii) generate insights into the causal pathways leading to heart failure and enable genetic approaches to target prioritization; and (iii) develop genomic tools for disease stratification and risk prediction.
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| 15. |
- Sun, L. Y., et al.
(author)
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Variants of the OLIG2 Gene are Associated with Cerebral Palsy in Chinese Han Infants with Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy
- 2019
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In: Neuromolecular Medicine. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1535-1084 .- 1559-1174. ; 21:1, s. 75-84
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Cerebral palsy (CP) is a leading cause of neurological disability among young children. Congenial and adverse perinatal clinical conditions, such as genetic factors, perinatal infection, and asphyxia, are risk factors for CP. Oligodendrocyte transcription factor (OLIG2) is a protein that is expressed in brain oligodendrocyte cells and is involved in neuron repair after brain injury. In this study, we employed a Chinese Han cohort of 763 CP infants and 738 healthy controls to study the association of OLIG2 gene polymorphisms with CP. We found marginal association of the SNP rs6517135 with CP (p=0.044) at the genotype level, and the association was greatly strengthened when we focused on the subgroup of CP infants who suffered from hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) after birth, with p=0.003 (OR=0.558) at the allele level and p=0.007 at the genotype level, indicating a risk-associated role of the T allele of the SNP rs6517135 under HIE conditions. The haplotype CTTG for rs6517135-rs1005573-rs6517137-rs9653711 in OLIG2 was also significantly associated with the occurrence of CP in infants with HIE (p=0.01, OR=0.521). Our results indicate that in the Han Chinese population, the polymorphisms of OLIG2 were associated with CP, especially in patients who had suffered HIE injury. This finding could be used to develop personalized care for infants with high susceptibility to CP.
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| 16. |
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| 17. |
- Wang, Y. G., et al.
(author)
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The Association Study of IL-23R Polymorphisms With Cerebral Palsy in Chinese Population
- 2020
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In: Frontiers in Neuroscience. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 1662-4548 .- 1662-453X. ; 14
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Cerebral palsy (CP) is a syndrome of non-progressive motor dysfunction caused by early brain development injury. Recent evidence has shown that immunological abnormalities are associated with an increased risk of CP. Methods: We recruited 782 children with CP as the case group and 770 healthy children as the control group. The association between IL-23R single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs; namely, rs10889657, rs6682925, rs1884444, rs17375018, rs1004819, rs11805303, and rs10889677) and CP was studied by using a case-control method and SHEsis online software. Subgroup analysis based on complications and clinical subtypes was also carried out. Results: There were differences in the allele and genotype frequencies between CP cases and controls at the rs11805303 and rs10889677 SNPs (Pallele = 0.014 and 0.048, respectively; Pgenotype = 0.023 and 0.008, respectively), and the difference in genotype frequency of rs10889677 remained significant after Bonferroni correction (Pgenotype = 0.048). Subgroup analysis revealed a more significant association of rs10889677 with CP accompanied by global developmental delay (Pgenotype = 0.024 after correction) and neonatal encephalopathy (Pgenotype = 0.024 after correction). Conclusion: The present results showed a significant association between IL-23R and CP, suggesting that IL-23R may play a potential role in CP pathogenesis.
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| 18. |
- Xia, L., et al.
(author)
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Autophagy-Related Gene 7 Polymorphisms and Cerebral Palsy in Chinese Infants
- 2019
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In: Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 1662-5102. ; 13
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Cerebral palsy (CP) is a group of non-progressive motor impairment syndromes that are secondary to brain injury in the early stages of brain development. Numerous etiologies and risk factors of CP have been reported, and genetic contributions have recently been identified. Autophagy has an important role in brain development and pathological process, and autophagy-related gene 7 (ATG7) is essential for autophagosome biogenesis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the genetic association between ATG7 gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and CP in Han Chinese children. Six SNPs (rs346078, rs1470612, rs11706903, rs2606750, rs2594972, and rs4684787) were genotyped in 715 CP patients and 658 healthy controls using the MassArray platform. Plasma ATG7 protein was determined in 73 CP patients and 79 healthy controls. The differences in the allele and genotype frequencies of the rs1470612 and rs2594972 SNPs were determined between the CP patients and controls (p(allele) = 0.02 and 0.0004, p(genotype) = 0.044 and 0.0012, respectively). Subgroup analysis revealed a more significant association of rs1470612 (p(allele) = 0.004, p(genotype) = 0.0036) and rs2594972 (p(allele) = 0.0004, p(genotype) < 0.0001) with male CP, and more significant differences in allele and genotype frequencies were also noticed between CP patients with spastic diplegia and controls for rs1470612 (p(allele) = 0.0024, p(genotype) = 0.008) and rs2594972 (p(allele) < 0.0001, p(genotype) = 0.006). The plasma ATG7 level was higher in CP patients compared to the controls (10.58 +/- 0.85 vs. 8.18 +/- 0.64 pg/mL, p = 0.024). The luciferase reporter gene assay showed that the T allele of rs2594972 SNP could significantly increase transcriptional activity of the ATG7 promoter compared to the C allele (p = 0.009). These findings suggest that an association exists between genetic variants of ATG7 and susceptibility to CP, which provides novel evidence for the role of ATG7 in CP and contributes to our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of this neurodevelopmental disorder.
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| 19. |
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| 20. |
- Zhang, Z. X., et al.
(author)
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Multimode transmission in complementary plasmonic structures at terahertz frequencies
- 2010
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In: Applied Physics Letters. - : AIP Publishing. - 0003-6951 .- 1077-3118. ; 96:7
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A three-dimensional subwavelength structure with periodic complementary metal patterns operating in the terahertz range has been proposed and fabricated. The device clearly exhibits three transmission modes under normal incidence, where experimental results obtained by terahertz time domain spectroscopy and simulated results agree very well with each other. The multimode transmission characteristics are found to arise from both localized coupling of fields between the interacting layers and propagating surface waves due to Bloch excitations on the surface of the periodic structure.
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| 21. |
- Zhao, Q., et al.
(author)
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Retention of C-14-labeled multiwall carbon nanotubes by humic acid and polymers: Roles of macromolecule properties
- 2016
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In: Carbon. - : Elsevier BV. - 0008-6223. ; 99, s. 229-237
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Developing methods to measure interactions of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with soils and sediments and understanding the impact of soil and sediment properties on CNT deposition are essential for assessing CNT environmental risks. In this study, we utilized functionalized carbon-14 labeled nanotubes to systematically investigate retention of multiwall CNTs (MWCNTs) by 3 humic acids, 3 natural biopolymers, and 10 model solid-phase polymers, collectively termed macromolecules. Surface properties, rather than bulk properties of macromolecules, greatly influenced MWCNT retention. As shown via multiple linear regression analysis and path analysis, aromaticity and surface polarity were the two most positive factors for retention, suggesting retention was regulated by pi-pi stacking and hydrogen bonding interactions. Moreover, MWCNT deposition was irreversible. These observations may explain the high retention of MWCNT in natural soils. Moreover, our findings on the relative contribution of each macromolecule property on CNT retention provide information on macromolecule selection for removal of MWCNTs from wastewater and provide a method for measuring CNT interactions with organic macromolecules. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
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| 22. |
- Bi, D., et al.
(author)
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Association of COL4A1 gene polymorphisms with cerebral palsy in a Chinese Han population
- 2016
-
In: Clinical Genetics. - : Wiley. - 0009-9163. ; 90:2, s. 149-155
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The basement membrane (BM) is an extracellular matrix associated with overlying cells and is important for proper tissue development, stability, and physiology. COL4A1 is the most abundant component of type IV collagen in the BM, and COL4A1 variants can present with variable phenotypes that might be related to cerebral palsy (CP). We postulated, therefore, that variations in the COL4A1 gene might play an important role in the etiology of CP. In this study, six single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the COL4A1 gene were genotyped among 351 CP patients and 220 healthy controls from the Chinese Han population. Significant association was found for an association between CP and rs1961495 (allele: p = 0.008, odds ratio (OR) = 1.387, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.088–1.767) and rs1411040 (allele: p = 0.009, OR = 1.746, 95% CI = 1.148–2.656) SNPs of the COL4A1 gene. Multifactor dimensionality reduction analysis suggested that these SNPs had interactive effects on the risk of CP. This study is the first attempt to investigate the contribution of polymorphisms in the COL4A1 gene to the susceptibility of CP in a Chinese Han population. This study shows an association of the COL4A1 gene with CP and suggests a potential role of COL4A1 in the pathogenesis of CP. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd
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| 23. |
- Bi, D., et al.
(author)
-
The association between sex-related interleukin-6 gene polymorphisms and the risk for cerebral palsy
- 2014
-
In: Journal of Neuroinflammation. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1742-2094. ; 11
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: The relationship between genetic factors and the development of cerebral palsy (CP) has recently attracted much attention. Polymorphisms in the genes encoding proinflammatory cytokines have been shown to be associated with susceptibility to perinatal brain injury and development of CP. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a proinflammatory cytokine that plays a pivotal role in neonatal brain injury, but conflicting results have been reported regarding the association between IL-6 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and CP. The purpose of this study was to analyze IL-6 gene polymorphisms and protein expression and to explore the role of IL-6 in the Chinese CP population. Methods: A total of 753 healthy controls and 713 CP patients were studied to detect the presence of five SNPs (rs1800796, rs2069837, rs2066992, rs2069840, and rs10242595) in the IL-6 locus. Of these, 77 healthy controls and 87 CP patients were selected for measurement of plasma IL-6 by Luminex assay. The SHEsis program was used to analyze the genotyping data. For all comparisons; multiple testing on each individual SNP was corrected by the SNPSpD program. Results: There were no differences in allele or genotype frequencies between the overall CP patients and controls among the five genetic polymorphisms. However, subgroup analysis found significant sex-related differences in allele and genotype frequencies. Differences were found between spastic CP and controls in males for rs2069837; between CP with periventricular leukomalacia and controls in males for rs1800796 and rs2066992; and between term CP and controls in males for rs2069837. Plasma IL-6 levels were higher in CP patients than in the controls, and this difference was more robust in full-term male spastic CP patients. Furthermore, the genotype has an effect on IL-6 synthesis. Conclusions: The influence of IL-6 gene polymorphisms on IL-6 synthesis and the susceptibility to CP is related to sex and gestational age.
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| 24. |
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| 25. |
- Collins, P., et al.
(author)
-
The LHCb VELO upgrade
- 2011
-
In: Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A. - : Elsevier BV. - 0168-9002 .- 1872-9576. ; 636, s. S185-S193
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The LHCb experiment at the LHC plans to massively increase its data taking capabilities by running at a higher luminosity with a fully upgraded detector around 2016. This scheme is independent of (but compatible with) the plans for the SLHC upgrades. The silicon detector will be upgraded to provide a 40 MHz readout and to be able to cope with the increased radiation environment. This paper describes the options currently under consideration. A highlight of the R&D so far undertaken is a beam test during summer 2009 using the Timepix chip to track charged particles. Preliminary results are presented, including a measurement of the resolution achieved by the 55 mu m pitch pixel array of better than 9.5 mu m for perpendicular tracks and 55 mu m for angled tracks.
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| 26. |
- Han, Kun, et al.
(author)
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Enhanced Metal-Insulator Transition in Freestanding VO2 Down to 5 nm Thickness
- 2021
-
In: ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1944-8244 .- 1944-8252. ; 13:14, s. 16688-16693
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Ultrathin freestanding membranes with a pronounced metal-insulator transition (MIT) have huge potential for future flexible electronic applications as well as provide a unique aspect for the study of lattice-electron interplay. However, the reduction of the thickness to an ultrathin region (a few nm) is typically detrimental to the MIT in epitaxial films, and even catastrophic for their freestanding form. Here, we report an enhanced MIT in VO2-based freestanding membranes, with a lateral size up to millimeters and the VO2 thickness down to 5 nm. The VO2 membranes were detached by dissolving a Sr3Al2O6 sacrificial layer between the VO2 thin film and the c-Al2O3(0001) substrate, allowing the transfer onto arbitrary surfaces. Furthermore, the MIT in the VO2 membrane was greatly enhanced by inserting an intermediate Al2O3 buffer layer. In comparison with the best available ultrathin VO2 membranes, the enhancement of MIT is over 400% at a 5 nm VO2 thickness and more than 1 order of magnitude for VO2 above 10 nm. Our study widens the spectrum of functionality in ultrathin and large-scale membranes and enables the potential integration of MIT into flexible electronics and photonics.
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| 27. |
- He, N., et al.
(author)
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Highly Compact All-Solid-State Beam Steering Module Based on a Metafiber
- 2022
-
In: ACS Photonics. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 2330-4022. ; 9:9, s. 3094-3101
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Optical phased arrays occupy the predominant position in the solid-state light detection and ranging; however, their applications are limited by high insertion loss, complex control, and the need for tunable lasers. Here, by assembling a quadratic silicon metalens onto the end face of a single-mode fiber array to form a metafiber, we propose an all-solid-state beam steering module. With the introduction of the flat metalens, the module is highly compact, and the field of view may be extremely wide. A large field of view up to about 60° is testified experimentally based on a one-dimensional module. The application for parking space monitoring is also demonstrated based on a two-dimensional module. The beam steering module can be switched between the scanning mode and the flash mode compatibly and can also be extended to a larger scale with a higher scanning precision by increasing the size of the fiber array and scaling the metalens. The presented scheme featured with high compactness, high performance, and good compatibility provides a distinctive beam steering candidate for light detection and ranging or optical wireless communication applications.
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| 28. |
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| 29. |
- Hu, X., et al.
(author)
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Trace validation against loca transients performed on fix-II facility
- 2013
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In: 2013 21st International Conference on Nuclear Engineering. - : ASME Press. - 9780791855805
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- As a latest developed computational code, TRACE is expected to be useful and effective for analyzing the thermal-hydraulic behaviors in design, licensing and safety analysis of nuclear power plant. However, its validity and correctness have to be verified and qualified before its application into industry. Lossof- coolant accident (LOCA) is a kind of transient thermal hydraulic event which has been emphasized a lot as a most important threat to the safety of the nuclear power plant. The FIX-II experiments were performed to produce experimental data for understanding the initial stage of LOCA and so as to verify the computational codes. In the present study, based on FIX- II LOCA tests, simulation models for the tests of No. 3025, No. 3061 and No. 5052 which correspond to different LOCA cases were developed to validate the TRACE code (version 5.0 patch 2). The predictions of the TRACE code including the pressure in the primary system, the mass flow rate in certain key parts, and the temperature in the core were compared with the experimental data. The results show that TRACE model can well reproduce the transient thermalhydraulic behaviors under different LOCA situations. In addition, sensitivity analysis are also performed to investigate the influence of particular models and parameters, including counter current flow limitation (CCFL) model and choked flow model on the results, which show that both the models have significant influence on the outcome of the model.
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| 30. |
- Jin, S. C., et al.
(author)
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Mutations disrupting neuritogenesis genes confer risk for cerebral palsy
- 2020
-
In: Nature Genetics. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1061-4036 .- 1546-1718. ; 52:10
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Whole-exome sequencing of 250 parent-offspring trios identifies an enrichment of rare damaging de novo mutations in individuals with cerebral palsy and implicates genetically mediated dysregulation of early neuronal connectivity in the etiology of this disorder. In addition to commonly associated environmental factors, genomic factors may cause cerebral palsy. We performed whole-exome sequencing of 250 parent-offspring trios, and observed enrichment of damaging de novo mutations in cerebral palsy cases. Eight genes had multiple damaging de novo mutations; of these, two (TUBA1AandCTNNB1) met genome-wide significance. We identified two novel monogenic etiologies,FBXO31andRHOB, and showed that theRHOBmutation enhances active-state Rho effector binding while theFBXO31mutation diminishes cyclin D levels. Candidate cerebral palsy risk genes overlapped with neurodevelopmental disorder genes. Network analyses identified enrichment of Rho GTPase, extracellular matrix, focal adhesion and cytoskeleton pathways. Cerebral palsy risk genes in enriched pathways were shown to regulate neuromotor function in aDrosophilareverse genetics screen. We estimate that 14% of cases could be attributed to an excess of damaging de novo or recessive variants. These findings provide evidence for genetically mediated dysregulation of early neuronal connectivity in cerebral palsy.
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| 31. |
- Li, Liang Xing, et al.
(author)
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Experimental investigation on the dynamic characteristics of molten droplets and high-temperature particles falling in coolant
- 2010
-
In: 6TH INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON MULTIPHASE FLOW, HEAT MASS TRANSFER AND ENERGY CONVERSION. - : AIP. - 9780735407442 ; , s. 292-299
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This paper presents the dynamic characteristics of molten droplets and hot particles at the very beginning of their falling into coolant pools, which are of importance to the subsequent interactions such as fragmentation of the droplets in coolants. The falling course of a single droplet or a single hot particle was recorded by a high-speed camera and a curve of velocity vs. time was obtained. Emphasis was placed on the effects of the droplet's size and temperature, the coolant's temperature and properties, and the droplet's physical properties on the moving behavior. Tests with hot particles were also performed for a comparison with the droplets. The results for the all cases showed that the velocity of a falling droplet/particle decreased rapidly but rebounded shortly, at the beginning of droplet/particle falling in the coolant. Following such a V-shaped evolution in velocity, the droplet/particle slows down gradually till a comparatively steady velocity. An increase in either coolant temperature or droplet temperature results in a larger velocity variation in the "J-region", but a smaller deceleration after it moves out of the "J-region". The elevated volatility of a coolant leads to a steeper deceleration in the "J-region" and beyond. The bigger size of a particle leads to a greater velocity variation in the "J-region" and terminal velocity. A high melting point and thermal conductivity as well as lower heat capacity contribute to dramatic variation in the "J-region" and low terminal velocity.
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| 32. |
- MacDonald, Amy M., et al.
(author)
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Maternal and child biomonitoring strategies and levels of exposure in western Canada during the past seventeen years : The Alberta Biomonitoring Program
- 2022
-
In: International journal of hygiene and environmental health. - : Elsevier BV. - 1438-4639 .- 1618-131X. ; 244
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The Alberta Biomonitoring Program (ABP) was created in 2005 with the initial goal of establishing baseline levels of exposure to environmental chemicals in specific populations in the province of Alberta, Canada, and was later expanded to include multiple phases. The first two phases focused on evaluating exposure in pregnant women (Phase One, 2005) and children (Phase Two, 2004–2006) by analyzing residual serum specimens. Phase Three (2013–2016) employed active recruitment techniques to evaluate environmental exposures using a revised list of chemicals in paired serum pools from pregnant women and umbilical cord blood. These three phases of the program monitored a total of 226 chemicals in 285 pooled serum samples representing 31,529 individuals. Phase Four (2017–2020) of the ABP has taken a more targeted approach, focusing on the impact of the federal legalization of cannabis on the exposure of pregnant women in Alberta to cannabis, as well as tobacco and alcohol using residual prenatal screening serum specimens. Chemicals monitored in the first three phases include herbicides, neutral pesticides, metals, metalloids, and micronutrients, methylmercury, organochlorine pesticides, organophosphate pesticides, parabens, phthalate metabolites, perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), phenols, phytoestrogens, polybrominated compounds, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxins and furans, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and tobacco biomarkers. Phase Four monitored six biomarkers of tobacco, alcohol, and cannabis. All serum samples were pooled. Mean concentrations and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for the chemicals detected in ≥25% of the sample pools. cross the first three phases, the data from the ABP has provided baseline exposure levels for the chemicals in pregnant women, children, and newborns across the province. Comparison within and among the phases has highlighted differences in exposure levels with age, geography, seasonality, sample type, and time. The strategies employed throughout the program phases have been demonstrated to provide effective models for population biomonitoring.
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| 33. |
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| 34. |
- Qiao, Y. M., et al.
(author)
-
An association study of IL2RA polymorphisms with cerebral palsy in a Chinese population
- 2022
-
In: Bmc Medical Genomics. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1755-8794. ; 15:1
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background Cerebral palsy (CP), the most common physical disability of childhood, is a nonprogressive movement disorder syndrome. Eighty percent of cases are considered idiopathic without a clear cause. Evidence has shown that cytokine abnormalities are widely thought to contribute to CP. Methods An association between 6 SNPs (rs12244380, rs2025345, rs12722561, rs4749926, rs2104286 and rs706778) in IL2RA (interleukin 2 receptor subunit alpha) and CP was investigated using a case-control method based on 782 CP cases and 778 controls. The allele, genotype and haplotype frequencies of SNPs were assessed using the SHEsis program. Subgroup analyses based on complications and clinical subtypes were also conducted. Results Globally, no differences in genotype or allele frequencies for any SNPs remained significant after Bonferroni correction between patients and controls, except rs706778, which deviated from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium and was excluded from further analyses. However, subgroup analysis revealed a significant association of rs2025345 with spastic tetraplegia (P genotype = 0.048 after correction) and rs12722561 with CP accompanied by global developmental delay (P allele = 0.045 after correction), even after Bonferroni correction. Conclusions These findings indicated that genetic variations in IL2RA are significantly associated with CP susceptibility in the Chinese Han population, suggesting that IL2RA is likely involved in the pathogenesis of CP. Further investigation with a larger sample size in a multiethnic population is needed to confirm the association.
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| 35. |
- Shah, S, et al.
(author)
-
Genome-wide association and Mendelian randomisation analysis provide insights into the pathogenesis of heart failure
- 2020
-
In: Nature communications. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2041-1723. ; 11:1, s. 163-
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Heart failure (HF) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. A small proportion of HF cases are attributable to monogenic cardiomyopathies and existing genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have yielded only limited insights, leaving the observed heritability of HF largely unexplained. We report results from a GWAS meta-analysis of HF comprising 47,309 cases and 930,014 controls. Twelve independent variants at 11 genomic loci are associated with HF, all of which demonstrate one or more associations with coronary artery disease (CAD), atrial fibrillation, or reduced left ventricular function, suggesting shared genetic aetiology. Functional analysis of non-CAD-associated loci implicate genes involved in cardiac development (MYOZ1, SYNPO2L), protein homoeostasis (BAG3), and cellular senescence (CDKN1A). Mendelian randomisation analysis supports causal roles for several HF risk factors, and demonstrates CAD-independent effects for atrial fibrillation, body mass index, and hypertension. These findings extend our knowledge of the pathways underlying HF and may inform new therapeutic strategies.
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| 36. |
- Shi, K., et al.
(author)
-
Near-Field Radiative Heat Transfer Modulation with an Ultrahigh Dynamic Range through Mode Mismatching
- 2022
-
In: Nano Letters. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1530-6984 .- 1530-6992. ; 22:19, s. 7753-7760
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Modulating near-field radiative heat transfer (NFRHT) with a high dynamic range is challenging in nanoscale thermal science and engineering. Modulation depths [(maximum value - minimum value)/(maximum value + minimum value) × 100%] of ≈2% to ≈15.7% have been reported with matched modes, but breaking the constraint of mode matching theoretically allows for higher modulation depth. We demonstrate a modulation depth of ≈32.2% by a pair of graphene-covered SU8 heterostructures at a gap distance of ≈80 nm. Dissimilar Fermi levels tuned by bias voltages enable mismatched surface plasmon polaritons which improves the modulation. The modulation depth when switching from a matched mode to a mismatched mode is ≈4.4-fold compared to that when switching between matched modes. This work shows the importance of symmetry in polariton-mediated NFRHT and represents the largest modulation depth to date in a two-body system with fixed gap distance and temperature.
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| 37. |
- Tian, Q., et al.
(author)
-
Super-Large-Scale Hierarchically Porous Films Based on Self-Assembled Eye-Like Air Pores for High-Performance Daytime Radiative Cooling
- 2022
-
In: Small. - : Wiley. - 1613-6810 .- 1613-6829. ; 18:51, s. 2205091-
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Metal-free polymer daytime radiative cooling coatings with hierarchical eye-like air pores are proposed and fabricated with a super-large-scale film-stretching method. The hierarchically porous film (HPF) can be further coated with polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) micro-hemispheres, forming coated HPF (cHPF), which do not dramatically change the optical or thermal properties. The cHPF is slightly better with a lower solar absorptivity (2.4%) and a higher thermal emissivity over the atmospheric transparency window (90.1%). The low solar absorptivity is due to the strong scattering of the hierarchical eye-like air pores, while the molecular vibrations and the focusing effect of the PMMA micro-hemispheres contribute to the high emissivity. An average mid-day temperature reduction of 7.92 °C is achieved relative to the air temperature, and the average cooling power reaches 116.0 W m−2, which are much better than the cooling performances of the commercial cooling cushion. During the day, the cHPF-covered simulated building is up to 6.47 and 4.84 °C cooler than the ambient and the white painted counterpart, respectively. The film is durable and resistant to chemical etching, and very promising to use globally, especially in warm and tropical regions.
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| 38. |
- Wang, Fang, et al.
(author)
-
Emerging contaminants: A One Health perspective
- 2024
-
In: Innovation. - 2666-6758. ; 5
-
Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Environmental pollution is escalating due to rapid global development that often prioritizes human needs over planetary health. Despite global efforts to mitigate legacy pollutants, the continuous introduction of new substances remains a major threat to both people and the planet. In response, global initiatives are focusing on risk assessment and regulation of emerging contaminants, as demonstrated by the ongoing efforts to establish the UN's Intergovernmental Science-Policy Panel on Chemicals, Waste, and Pollution Prevention. This review identifies the sources and impacts of emerging contaminants on planetary health, emphasizing the importance of adopting a One Health approach. Strategies for monitoring and addressing these pollutants are discussed, underscoring the need for robust and socially equitable environmental policies at both regional and international levels. Urgent actions are needed to transition toward sustainable pollution management practices to safeguard our planet for future generations.
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| 39. |
- Xia, L., et al.
(author)
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Combined analysis of interleukin-10 gene polymorphisms and protein expression in children with cerebral palsy
- 2018
-
In: Frontiers in Neurology. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 1664-2295. ; 9:MAR
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Interleukin-10 (IL-10) is an important anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive cytokine, and it has indispensable functions in both the onset and development of inflammatory disorders. The association between persistent inflammation and the development of cerebral palsy (CP) has attracted much attention. Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether IL-10 gene polymorphisms and plasma protein expression are associated with CP and to analyze the role of IL-10 in CP. Methods: A total of 282 CP patients and 197 healthy controls were genotyped for IL-10 polymorphisms (rs1554286, rs1518111, rs3024490, rs1800871, and rs1800896). Among them, 95 CP patients and 93 healthy controls were selected for plasma IL-10 measurement. Results: The differences in the rs3024490 (p = 0.033) and rs1800871 (p = 0.033) allele frequencies of IL-10 were determined between CP patients and controls. The frequencies of allele and genotype between CP patients with spastic tetraplegia and normal controls of IL-10 polymorphisms showed significant differences for rs1554286, rs151811, rs3024490, rs1800871, and rs1800896 (pallele = 0.015, 0.009, 0.006, 0.003, and 0.006, pgenotype = 0.039, 0.018, 0.027, 0.012, and 0.03, respectively). The plasma IL-10 protein level in CP patients was higher than normal controls (9.13 ± 0.77 vs. 6.73 ± 0.63 pg/ml, p = 0.017). IL-10 polymorphisms and protein association analysis showed that the TT genotype had higher plasma IL-10 protein levels compared to the GG + GT genotype at rs3024490 (11.14 ± 7.27 vs. 7.44 ± 6.95 pg/ml, p = 0.045, respectively) in CP cases. Conclusion: These findings provide an important contribution toward explaining the pleiotropic role of IL-10 in the complex etiology of CP. © 2018 Xia, Chen, Bi, Song, Zhang, Wang, Zhu, Shang, Xu, Wang, Xing and Zhu.
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| 40. |
- Xing, Frank Z., et al.
(author)
-
High-frequency news sentiment and its application to forex market prediction
- 2021
-
In: Proceedings of the 54th Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, HICSS 2021. - 1530-1605. - 9780998133140 ; 2020-January, s. 1583-1592
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Financial news has been identified as an important alternative information source for modeling market dynamics in recent years. While most of the attention goes to stock markets, the foreign exchange (Forex) market, in contrast, is much less studied. Most of the existing text mining research for the Forex market combine news sentiment with other text features, making the contribution of each factor unclear. To this end, we want to study the role of news sentiment exclusively. In particular, we propose a FinBERT-based model to extract high-frequency news sentiment as a 4-dimensional time series. We examine the efficacy of this news sentiment for Forex market prediction without involving any other semantic feature. Experiments show that our model outperforms alternative sentiment analysis approaches and confirm that news sentiment alone may have predictive power for Forex price movements. The sentiment analysis method seems to have a big potential to improve despite that the current predictive power is still weak. The results deepen our understanding of financial text processing systems.
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| 41. |
- Xing, M., et al.
(author)
-
Validation of trace code against ROSA/LSTF test for SBLOCA of pressure vessel upper-head small break
- 2014
-
In: 2013 21st International Conference on Nuclear Engineering, ICONE 2013. - : ASME Press. - 9780791855812
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- OECD/NEA ROSA/LSTF project tests are performed on the Large Scale Test Facility (LSTF). LSTF is a full-height, fullpressure and 1/48 volumetrically-scaled two-loop system which aims to simulate Japanese Tsuruga-2 Westinghouse-type 4-loop PWR. ROSA-V Test 6-1 simulates a pressure vessel (PV) upper-head small break loss-of-coolant accident (SBLOCA) with a break size equivalent to 1.9% of the volumetrically scaled cross-sectional area of the reference PWR cold leg. By building a TRACE calculation model of LSTF and PV upper-head, the paper dedicated to assess the effect of different modeling options and parameters on simulating thermal hydraulic behaviors of TRACE code. The results show that TRACE code well reproduce the physical phenomena involved in this type of SBLOCA scenarios. Almost all the events in the experiment are well predicted by the model based on TRACE code. In addition, the sensitivity of different models and parameters are investigated. For example, the code slightly overestimated the break mass flow from upper head which could affect the accuracy of the results significantly. The rising of core exit temperature (CET) is significantly influenced by the bypass flow area between downcomer and hot leg.
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| 42. |
- Xing, X. J., et al.
(author)
-
Enhanced skyrmion motion via strip domain wall
- 2020
-
In: Physical Review B. - : American Physical Society. - 2469-9950 .- 2469-9969. ; 101:21
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- When magnetic skyrmions move under spin-orbit torque in magnetic nanowires, they experience a skyrmion Hall effect, which pushes them towards the nanowire edge where they risk being annihilated; this puts an upper limit on how fast they can be driven. However, the same magnetic multilayer harboring skyrmions can sustain a Neel-type strip domain wall along the nanowire length, potentially keeping the skyrmions separated from the edge. Here we study the interplay between current driven skyrmions and domain walls and find that they increase the annihilation current and allow the skyrmions to move faster. Based on the Thiele formalism, we confirm that the emergent longitudinal repulsive force and the modified energy landscape linked to the domain wall are responsible for the enhanced skyrmion motion. Furthermore, we identify that the longitudinal repulsive force emerges because of the broken axisymmetry in the local magnetization in front of the skyrmion. Our study uncovers key aspects in the interplay between two topological magnetic textures from different homotopy groups and may inspire new device concepts.
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| 43. |
- Xing, X. J., et al.
(author)
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Paving Spin-Wave Fibers in Magnonic Nanocircuits Using Spin-Orbit Torque
- 2017
-
In: Physical Review Applied. - : AMER PHYSICAL SOC. - 2331-7019. ; 7:5
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Recent studies reveal that domain walls in magnetic nanostructures can serve as compact, energy-efficient spin-wave waveguides for building magnonic devices that are considered promising candidates for overcoming the challenges and bottlenecks of today's CMOS technologies. However, imprinting long strip-domain walls into magnetic nanowires remains a challenge, especially in bent geometries. Here, through micromagnetic simulations, we present a method for writing strip-domain walls into bent magnetic nanowires using spin-orbit torque. We employ Y-shaped magnetic nanostructures as well as an S-shaped magnetic nanowire to demonstrate the injection process. In addition, we verify that the Y-shaped nanostructures that incorporate strip-domain walls can function as superb spin-wave multiplexers and that spin-wave propagation along each conduit can be controllably manipulated. This spin-wave multiplexer based on strip-domain walls is expected to become a key signal-processing component in magnon spintronics.
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| 44. |
- Xu, Dongqing, et al.
(author)
-
Convergence of Light and ABA signaling on the ABI5 promoter.
- 2014
-
In: PLoS Genetics. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1553-7390 .- 1553-7404. ; 10:2
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Light is one of the most important environmental cues regulating multiple aspects of plant growth and development, and abscisic acid (ABA) is a plant hormone that plays important roles during many phases of the plant life cycle and in plants' responses to various environmental stresses. How plants integrate the external light signal with endogenous ABA pathway for better adaptation and survival remains poorly understood. Here, we show that BBX21 (also known as SALT TOLERANCE HOMOLOG 2), a B-box (BBX) protein previously shown to positively regulate seedling photomorphogenesis, is also involved in ABA signaling. Our genetic data show that BBX21 may act upstream of several ABA INSENSITIVE (ABI) genes and ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL 5 (HY5) in ABA control of seed germination. Previous studies showed that HY5 acts as a direct activator of ABI5 expression, and that BBX21 interacts with HY5. We further demonstrate that BBX21 negatively regulates ABI5 expression by interfering with HY5 binding to the ABI5 promoter. In addition, ABI5 was shown to directly activate its own expression, whereas BBX21 negatively regulates this activity by directly interacting with ABI5. Together, our study indicates that BBX21 coordinates with HY5 and ABI5 on the ABI5 promoter and that these transcriptional regulators work in concert to integrate light and ABA signaling in Arabidopsis thaliana.
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| 45. |
- Yang, Yizhou, 1992, et al.
(author)
-
A Highly Conductive All-Carbon Linked 3D Covalent Organic Framework Film
- 2021
-
In: Small. - : Wiley. - 1613-6810 .- 1613-6829. ; 17:40
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Here an all-carbon linked 3D covalent organic framework (COF) is introduced by employing a templated surface reaction in a continuous flow (TSRCF). The presented method of synthesis provides spatial control over the reaction chemistry and allows for the creation of ultrasmooth COF films of desired thickness and significant crystallinity. The films show high electrical conductivity (approximate to 3.4 S m(-1)) after being doped with tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ), setting a new record for 3D COF materials. The concurrence of 3D nanosized channels and high conductivity opens up for a number of hitherto unexplored applications for this class of materials, such as high surface area electrodes, electrochemical transistors, and for electronic sensing.
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| 46. |
- Zhang, X. G., et al.
(author)
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The Study on Cracking Strength of AIJs to Release the Early-Age Stress of Mass Concrete
- 2015
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In: Advances in Materials Science and Engineering. - : Hindawi Limited. - 1687-8442 .- 1687-8434. ; 2015
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This paper aims to theoretically and numerically assess the effect of setting artificial-induced joints (AIJs) during construction period of amass concrete structure to release the early-stage thermal stress. With respect to the coupling influences of various factors such as size and boundary of AIJs, an analytical model for its cracking strength on the setting section of mass concrete is proposed based on double-parameter fracture theory. A kind of hyper-finite element analysis (FEA) for many array AIJs in simplified plane pate is also presented by using bilinear cohesive force distribution. The results from the present model and numerical simulation were compared to those of experimental data to prove the efficiency and accuracy of the analytical model and FEA. The model presented in this study for the cracking strength of AIJs provides a simple useful tool to accurately evaluate how many early stress AIJs reduced. The theoretical solution and FEA results could also be significantly contributed to find the "just" and "perfect" release of the temperature stress and to improve the design level of AIJs in mass concrete structure.
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| 47. |
- Zheng, J., et al.
(author)
-
Optofluidic vortex arrays generated by graphene oxide for tweezers, motors and self-assembly
- 2016
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In: NPG Asia Materials. - : Nature Publishing Group. - 1884-4049 .- 1884-4057. ; 8
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Manipulating large numbers of a variety of particles/wires is essential for many lab-on-a-chip technologies. Here we generate a planar array of optofluidic vortices with photothermal gradients from an easy-fabricated graphene oxide (GO) heater to achieve high-throughput and multiform manipulation at low excitation power and low loss. As a tweezer, each vortex can rapidly capture and confine particles without restrictions on shapes and materials. The stiffness of the confinement is easily tuned by adjusting the vortex dimension. As a motor, it can actuate any traps to persistently rotate/spin in clockwise or anti-clockwise mode. As a high-performance 'workshop', this work lays the groundwork for various self-assembly ranging from colloid-based clusters, chains, capsules, shells and ultra-thin films, through particles' surface modification and fusion, to nanowire-based architectures. Furthermore, we can create multiple vortex arrays through fabricating an array of heaters, which enables massively parallel manipulation and distributed operations all on a chip.
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| 48. |
- Zheng, W.T., et al.
(author)
-
Chemical bonding in carbon nitride films studied by X-ray spectroscopies
- 2001
-
In: Diamond and related materials. - 0925-9635 .- 1879-0062. ; 10:9-10, s. 1897-1900
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Carbon nitride films are deposited using dc magnetron sputtering in a N2 discharge. The nature of chemical bonding of the films is investigated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure, and X-ray emission spectroscopy. X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopy spectra show that N1s binding states depend on substrate temperature, in which two pronounced peaks can be observed. The near edge X-ray absorption fine structure at C1s and N1s exhibits a similar absorption profile in the p* resonance region, but the s* resonance is sharper in the N1s spectra. Resonant N K-emission spectra show a strong dependence on excitation photo energies. Compared XPS N1s spectra with recent theoretical calculations by Johansson and Stafstrom, two main nitrogen sites are assigned in which N bound to sp3 hybridized C and sp2 hybridized C, respectively. The correlation of X-ray photoelectron, X-ray absorption, and X-ray emission spectra for N in carbon nitride films is also discussed. © 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
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| 49. |
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