Chemically induced vesiculation as a platform for studying TMEM16F activity

Calcium-activated phospholipid scramblase mediates the energy-independent bidirectional translocation of lipids across the bilayer, leading to transient or, in the case of apoptotic scrambling, sustained collapse of membrane asymmetry. Cells lacking TMEM16F-dependent lipid scrambling activity are deficient in generation of extracellular vesicles (EVs) that shed from the plasma membrane in a Ca2+-dependent manner, namely microvesicles. We have adapted chemical induction of giant plasma membrane vesicles (GPMVs), which require both TMEM16F-dependent phospholipid scrambling and calcium influx, as a kinetic assay to investigate the mechanism of TMEM16F activity. Using the GPMV assay, we identify and characterize both inactivating and activating mutants that elucidate the mechanism for TMEM16F activation and facilitate further investigation of TMEM16F-mediated lipid translocation and its role in extracellular vesiculation.

Cardiovascular Risk Reduction in the Workplace With CAMMPUS (Cardiovascular Assessment and Medication Management by Pharmacists at the UBC Site)

Background: Cardiovascular (CV) disease is a leading cause of death despite being largely preventable. Employers increasingly offer preventive health programs in the workplace, and pharmacists are well suited to provide these programs. Objective: To evaluate the impact of a pharmacist-led service on CV risk in University of British Columbia (UBC) employees. Methods: This was a prospective observational pre-and-post design study, with participants as their own controls. Employees >18 years of age in the UBC health plan with a Framingham Risk Score (FRS) ≥10% or ≥1 medication-modifiable CV risk factor were included. Participants received a baseline assessment, individualized consultation for 12 months, and a final assessment by a pharmacist at the UBC Pharmacists Clinic. The primary end point was FRS reduction. Results: Baseline assessment of 512 participants between September 2015 and October 2016 yielded 207 (40%) participants, of whom 178 (86%) completed the 12-month intervention. Participants were 54% female and 55% Caucasian, with an average age of 51 (SD = 9.1) years. FRS at baseline was <10 in 45.8%, 10 to 19.9 in 37.9%, and ≥20 in 16.4% of participants. Over 12 months, significant reductions in average FRS (from 11.7 [SD = 7.7] to 10.7 [SD = 7.3]; P = 0.0017) and other parameters were observed. Significant improvements in quality of life (EQ5D change of 0.031 [95% CI = 0.001, 0.062] P = 0.023) and medication adherence (MMAS-8 change of 0.42 [ P = 0.019]) were also noted. Conclusions and Relevance: UBC employees had improvements in health markers, self-reported quality of life, and medication adherence after receiving a 12-month pharmacist-led intervention. Pharmacists are encouraged to provide CV risk reduction services in workplaces.

A Viral Protein Restricts Drosophila RNAi Immunity by Regulating Argonaute Activity and Stability

The dicistrovirus, Cricket paralysis virus (CrPV) encodes an RNA interference (RNAi) suppressor, 1A, which modulates viral virulence. Using the Drosophila model, we combined structural, biochemical, and virological approaches to elucidate the strategies by which CrPV-1A restricts RNAi immunity. The atomic resolution structure of CrPV-1A uncovered a flexible loop that interacts with Argonaute 2 (Ago-2), thereby inhibiting Ago-2 endonuclease-dependent immunity. Mutations disrupting Ago-2 binding attenuates viral pathogenesis in wild-type but not Ago-2-deficient flies. CrPV-1A also contains a BC-box motif that enables the virus to hijack a host Cul2-Rbx1-EloBC ubiquitin ligase complex, which promotes Ago-2 degradation and virus replication. Our study uncovers a viral-based dual regulatory program that restricts antiviral immunity by direct interaction with and modulation of host proteins. While the direct inhibition of Ago-2 activity provides an efficient mechanism to establish infection, the recruitment of a ubiquitin ligase complex enables CrPV-1A to amplify Ago-2 inactivation to restrict further antiviral RNAi immunity.

Packaging of InGaN stripe-shaped light-emitting diodes

We demonstrate the fabrication of InGaN/GaN stripe-shaped light-emitting diodes (LEDs) in flip-chip packaging (FC-LED) and vertically mounted packaging (VM-LED). Compared to conventionally packaged LEDs, these packaging schemes enhance light output and emission divergence in ways favorable for general lighting applications. The FC-LED can sustain efficiency at high current operations due to effective heat sinking, while the VM-LED excels at light extraction efficiency due to the exposure of two large emission surfaces. Together with the properties of low luminous exitance and emission uniformity, the stripe-shaped LEDs are ideal for the assembly of luminaires. An LED light tube comprising a continuous linear array of 10 stripe-shaped LED chips has been assembled. The optical performance of the light tube is compared to another light tube assembled with conventional square-shaped LED chips (with and without external diffuser) by confocal microscopy. It is found that emission uniformity of the stripe-shaped LED tube is significantly improved, with a threefold increase in illumination area, without efficiency loss associated with diffusers.

[Outcomes of pregnancy among women with alpha-thalassemia minor: A retrospective study of Pingguo county in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region]

Objective: To investigate the association between the value of α-thalassemia minor and the outcomes in pregnant women. Methods: A total of 445 pregnant women with α-thalassemia minor were selected as thalassemia group in the Pingguo County Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Guangxi from January 2011 to December 2015, with ratio of 1∶4 healthy pregnant women was randomly recruited as non-thalassemia group. Clinical characteristics and pregnancy outcomes of the two groups were retrospectively analyzed using methods including t test, χ(2) test, and logistic regression model and ROC curve. Results: There were no significant differences noticed in factors as age, BMI, gestational age and educational level of the two groups. Hemoglobin of the thalassemia group was significantly lower than that of the non-thalassemia group (P<0.001). Differences on parity, ethnicities or occupation were statistically significant. Results from univariate analysis showed that the proportions of low birth weight, small for date infant and 1 min Apgar score<7 were higher in the thalassemia group, but the ratio of adverse pregnancy outcomes was comparable on parameters as preterm birth, stillbirth, macrosomia. Findings from the unconditional logistic regression showed that pregnancy complicated with α-thalassemia minor appeared a risk for both newborns with low birth weight (aOR=2.29, 95%CI: 1.32-3.95) and small for date infant (aOR= 2.11, 95%CI: 1.16-3.84). The ROC curve showed that α-thalassemia minor combined with multiple indicators presented a certain predictive value on neonatal birth weight. Conclusion: Pregnancy complicated with α-thalassemia minor was likely to increase the risk of birth weight loss in newborns, suggesting that prenatal care for pregnant women with thalassemia be strengthened, in order to reduce the incidence of adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Effect of enhanced homestead food production and aquaculture on dietary intakes of women and children in rural Cambodia: A cluster randomized controlled trial

The Cambodian diet is low in nutrient-dense animal-source foods. Enhanced homestead food production (EHFP) and aquaculture, which increase availability of nutrient-dense foods, are promising interventions to improve dietary intake. This study examined the effect of EHFP with or without aquaculture on dietary intake and prevalence of inadequate intake of select nutrients among women and children living in rural Cambodia, compared to controls. In a registered, cluster randomized controlled trial in Prey Veng, Cambodia, 10 households in each of 90 villages (n = 900) were randomized by village to receive EHFP, EHFP plus aquaculture, or control. After 22-month intervention, 24-hr dietary recalls (24HRs) were collected from mothers aged 18-50 years (n = 429) and their children aged 6 months-7 years (n = 421), reported by their mothers. Usual intake distributions (generated using 24HRs and repeat 24HRs on a subsample) were used to estimate prevalence of inadequate intake. Compared to controls, women in the EHFP group had significantly higher zinc (+1.0 mg/d) and Vitamin A (+139 retinol activity equivalents/d) intakes, and women in the EHFP plus aquaculture group had significantly higher iron (+2.7 mg/d), Vitamin A (+191 retinol activity equivalents/d), and riboflavin (+0.17 mg/d) intakes. Women in the EHFP plus aquaculture group also had significantly lower prevalence of inadequate iron (-7%, at 10% bioavailability), Vitamin A (-19%), and riboflavin (-17%) intakes, compared to controls. No significant differences in intakes or nutrient adequacy were observed among children or between EHFP and EHFP plus aquaculture groups. The biological importance of the small differences in nutrient intakes among women remains to be established.

Investigation on self-absorption at reduced air pressure in quantitative analysis using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

The self-absorption at reduced air pressure for quantitative analysis of Mn and Cu elements in steel using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy was investigated. The calibration curves of Mn and Cu elements at the air pressures of 100, 80, 50, 20, and 1 kPa were studied. The results show that, the nonlinearity of calibration curves which caused by self-absorption effects at atmosphere could be significantly improved by reducing the air pressure to 1 kPa, and the coefficients of determination (R²) of linear calibration curves of Mn and Cu lines are all higher than 0.99. The further study explored that the reason for the improvement was that the induced plasma became low density and the self-absorption coefficient was close to 1 when the air pressure reduced to 1 kPa.

Flexible Free-Standing III-Nitride Thin Films for Emitters and Displays

The majority of a GaN light-emitting diode (LED) is released from its sapphire substrate through selective-area laser lift-off to form a freely suspended light emitter. By virtue of being suspended in air without supporting substrates, the ultrathin crystalline and crack-free film possesses flexibility and bendability. The free-standing LEDs benefit from significant relaxation of strain, evident from red-shifting of the E2(high) phonon frequencies as measured by Raman spectroscopy toward those of strain-free free-standing GaN substrates. The phonon frequencies remain invariant upon bending of the film; this indicates that the properties of the flexible device will not be dependent on the bending curvatures. The observation of pronounced spectral blue-shifts from the photoluminescence (PL) spectrum from the flexible regions further confirms the occurrence of strain relaxation in the quantum wells. Being free-standing and thus lacking a direct heat-sinking pathway, emissions from the different regions of the suspended film can be affected by thermal effects to different extents, which are investigated by long-wave infrared thermometry. Heat accumulation is determined to be most severe at the far end of the flexible stripe at higher currents, leading to reduced efficiencies and electroluminescence (EL) spectral red-shifts. Based on this architecture, a monolithic 3 × 4 dot-matrix microdisplay prototype is demonstrated, comprising three adjacent flexible stripe emitters with four individually addressable pixels on each stripe. This proof-of-concept demonstration opens up new opportunities for GaN optoelectronics for a wide range of flexible display and visual applications.

Activation of HIPK2 Promotes ER Stress-Mediated Neurodegeneration in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Persistent accumulation of misfolded proteins causes endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, a prominent feature in many neurodegenerative diseases including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Here we report the identification of homeodomain interacting protein kinase 2 (HIPK2) as the essential link that promotes ER-stress-induced cell death via the IRE1α-ASK1-JNK pathway. ER stress, induced by tunicamycin or SOD1(G93A), activates HIPK2 by phosphorylating highly conserved serine and threonine residues (S359/T360) within the activation loop of the HIPK2 kinase domain. In SOD1(G93A) mice, loss of HIPK2 delays disease onset, reduces cell death in spinal motor neurons, mitigates glial pathology, and improves survival. Remarkably, HIPK2 activation positively correlates with TDP-43 proteinopathy in NEFH-tTA/tetO-hTDP-43ΔNLS mice, sporadic ALS and C9ORF72 ALS, and blocking HIPK2 kinase activity protects motor neurons from TDP-43 cytotoxicity. These results reveal a previously unrecognized role of HIPK2 activation in ER-stress-mediated neurodegeneration and its potential role as a biomarker and therapeutic target for ALS. VIDEO ABSTRACT.

Sensitive determinations of Cu, Pb, Cd, and Cr elements in aqueous solutions using chemical replacement combined with surface-enhanced laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

In this study, chemical replacement combined with surface-enhanced laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (CR-SENLIBS) was for the first time applied to improve the detection sensitivities of trace heavy metal elements in aqueous solutions. Utilizing chemical replacement effect, heavy metal ions in aqueous solution were enriched on the magnesium alloy surface as a solid replacement layer through reacting with the high chemical activity metallic magnesium (Mg) within 1 minute. Unitary and mixed solutions with Cu, Pb, Cd, and Cr elements were prepared to construct calibration curves, respectively. The CR-SENLIBS showed a much better detection sensitivity and accuracy for both unitary and mixed solutions. The coefficients of determination R² of the calibration curves were above 0.96, and the LoDs were of the same order of magnitude, i.e., in the range of 0.016-0.386 μg/mL for the unitary solution, and in the range of 0.025-0.420 μg/mL for the mixed solution. These results show that CR-SENLIBS is a feasible method for improving the detection sensitivity of trace element in liquid sample, which definitely provides a way for wider application of LIBS in water quality monitoring.

The Arabidopsis B-box protein BZS1/BBX20 interacts with HY5 and mediates strigolactone regulation of photomorphogenesis

Plant growth is controlled by integration of hormonal and light-signaling pathways. BZS1 is a B-box zinc finger protein previously characterized as a negative regulator in the brassinosteroid (BR)-signaling pathway and a positive regulator in the light-signaling pathway. However, the mechanisms by which BZS1/BBX20 integrates light and hormonal pathways are not fully understood. Here, using a quantitative proteomic workflow, we identified several BZS1-associated proteins, including light-signaling components COP1 and HY5. Direct interactions of BZS1 with COP1 and HY5 were verified by yeast two-hybrid and co-immunoprecipitation assays. Overexpression of BZS1 causes a dwarf phenotype that is suppressed by the hy5 mutation, while overexpression of BZS1 fused with the SRDX transcription repressor domain (BZS1-SRDX) causes a long-hypocotyl phenotype similar to hy5, indicating that BZS1's function requires HY5. BZS1 positively regulates HY5 expression, whereas HY5 negatively regulates BZS1 protein level, forming a feedback loop that potentially contributes to signaling dynamics. In contrast to BR, strigolactone (SL) increases BZS1 level, whereas the SL responses of hypocotyl elongation, chlorophyll and HY5 accumulation are diminished in the BZS1-SRDX seedlings, indicating that BZS1 is involved in these SL responses. These results demonstrate that BZS1 interacts with HY5 and plays a central role in integrating light and multiple hormone signals for photomorphogenesis in Arabidopsis.

Quantitative analysis of multiple sclerosis patients' preferences for drug treatment: a best-worst scaling study

BACKGROUND

With recent developments in drug therapy for multiple sclerosis (MS), new treatment options have become available presenting patients with complex treatment decisions.

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this study was to elicit patients' preferences for different attributes of MS drug therapy.

METHODS

A representative sample of patients with MS across Canada (n=189) participated in a best-worst scaling study to quantify preferences for different attributes of MS drug therapy, including delaying progression, improving symptoms, preventing relapse, minor side effects, rare but serious adverse events (SAEs), and route of administration. Conditional logit models were fitted to estimate the relative importance of each attribute in influencing patients' preferences.

RESULTS

A latent-class analysis revealed heterogeneity of preferences across respondents, with preferences differing across five classes. The most important attributes of drug therapy were the avoidance of SAEs for three classes and the improvement of symptoms for two other classes. Only a smaller group of patients demonstrated a specific preference for avoiding SAEs, and route of administration.

CONCLUSION

This study shows that preferences for drug therapy among patients with MS are different, some of which can be explained by experiences with their disease and treatment. These findings can help to inform the focus of interactions that healthcare practitioners have with patients with MS, as well as further drug development.

saRNA-guided Ago2 targets the RITA complex to promoters to stimulate transcription

Small activating RNAs (saRNAs) targeting specific promoter regions are able to stimulate gene expression at the transcriptional level, a phenomenon known as RNA activation (RNAa). It is known that RNAa depends on Ago2 and is associated with epigenetic changes at the target promoters. However, the precise molecular mechanism of RNAa remains elusive. Using human CDKN1A (p21) as a model gene, we characterized the molecular nature of RNAa. We show that saRNAs guide Ago2 to and associate with target promoters. saRNA-loaded Ago2 facilitates the assembly of an RNA-induced transcriptional activation (RITA) complex, which, in addition to saRNA-Ago2 complex, includes RHA and CTR9, the latter being a component of the PAF1 complex. RITA interacts with RNA polymerase II to stimulate transcription initiation and productive elongation, accompanied by monoubiquitination of histone 2B. Our results establish the existence of a cellular RNA-guided genome-targeting and transcriptional activation mechanism and provide important new mechanistic insights into the RNAa process.

A non-synonymous single-nucleotide polymorphism associated with multiple sclerosis risk affects the EVI5 interactome

Despite recent progress in the characterization of genetic loci associated with multiple sclerosis (MS) risk, the ubiquitous linkage disequilibrium operating across the genome has stalled efforts to distinguish causative variants from proxy single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Here, we have identified through fine mapping and meta-analysis EVI5 as the most plausible disease risk gene within the 1p22.1 locus. We further show that an exonic SNP associated with risk induces changes in superficial hydrophobicity patterns of the coiled-coil domain of EVI5, which, in turns, affects the EVI5 interactome. Immunoprecipitation of wild-type and mutated EVI5 followed by mass spectrometry generated a roster of disease-specific interactors functionally linked to lipid metabolism. Among the exclusive binding partners of the risk variant, we describe the novel interaction with sphingosine 1-phosphate lyase (SGPL1)-a key enzyme for the creation of the sphingosine-1 phosphate gradient, which is relevant to the pathogenic process and therapeutic management of MS.

Whispering gallery mode lasing in optically isolated III-nitride nanorings

III-nitride nanorings fabricated from a combination of hybrid-nanosphere-lithography and laser lift-off processes is demonstrated. Being formed on an interfacial metallic layer optically coupling between the optical ring and its substrate is eliminated, maximizing optical confinement of whispering gallery resonant mode within the ring cavity. The tapered cross-sectional profile also promotes coupling of emitted light into resonant modes. Optically pumped lasing with a dominant peak at 421.5 nm is observed at room temperature, with threshold energy density of ∼6.5  mJ/cm2. Etch-induced sidewall roughness causes scattering of light at the interface to diminish confinement, and is also responsible for the mode-splitting effect according to finite-difference time-domain simulations.

A ribonucleoprotein complex protects the interleukin-6 mRNA from degradation by distinct herpesviral endonucleases

During lytic Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) infection, the viral endonuclease SOX promotes widespread degradation of cytoplasmic messenger RNA (mRNA). However, select mRNAs escape SOX-induced cleavage and remain robustly expressed. Prominent among these is interleukin-6 (IL-6), a growth factor important for survival of KSHV infected B cells. IL-6 escape is notable because it contains a sequence within its 3' untranslated region (UTR) that can confer protection when transferred to a SOX-targeted mRNA, and thus overrides the endonuclease targeting mechanism. Here, we pursued how this protective RNA element functions to maintain mRNA stability. Using affinity purification and mass spectrometry, we identified a set of proteins that associate specifically with the protective element. Although multiple proteins contributed to the escape mechanism, depletion of nucleolin (NCL) most severely impacted protection. NCL was re-localized out of the nucleolus during lytic KSHV infection, and its presence in the cytoplasm was required for protection. After loading onto the IL-6 3' UTR, NCL differentially bound to the translation initiation factor eIF4H. Disrupting this interaction, or depleting eIF4H, reinstated SOX targeting of the RNA, suggesting that interactions between proteins bound to distant regions of the mRNA are important for escape. Finally, we found that the IL-6 3' UTR was also protected against mRNA degradation by the vhs endonuclease encoded by herpes simplex virus, despite the fact that its mechanism of mRNA targeting is distinct from SOX. These findings highlight how a multitude of RNA-protein interactions can impact endonuclease targeting, and identify new features underlying the regulation of the IL-6 mRNA.

Acidity measurement of iron ore powders using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy with partial least squares regression

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) with partial least squares regression (PLSR) has been applied to measuring the acidity of iron ore, which can be defined by the concentrations of oxides: CaO, MgO, Al₂O₃, and SiO₂. With the conventional internal standard calibration, it is difficult to establish the calibration curves of CaO, MgO, Al₂O₃, and SiO₂ in iron ore due to the serious matrix effects. PLSR is effective to address this problem due to its excellent performance in compensating the matrix effects. In this work, fifty samples were used to construct the PLSR calibration models for the above-mentioned oxides. These calibration models were validated by the 10-fold cross-validation method with the minimum root-mean-square errors (RMSE). Another ten samples were used as a test set. The acidities were calculated according to the estimated concentrations of CaO, MgO, Al₂O₃, and SiO₂ using the PLSR models. The average relative error (ARE) and RMSE of the acidity achieved 3.65% and 0.0048, respectively, for the test samples.

Ultralow-threshold electrically injected AlGaN nanowire ultraviolet lasers on Si operating at low temperature

Ultraviolet laser radiation has been adopted in a wide range of applications as diverse as water purification, flexible displays, data storage, sterilization, diagnosis and bioagent detection. Success in developing semiconductor-based, compact ultraviolet laser sources, however, has been extremely limited. Here, we report that defect-free disordered AlGaN core-shell nanowire arrays, formed directly on a Si substrate, can be used to achieve highly stable, electrically pumped lasers across the entire ultraviolet AII (UV-AII) band (∼320-340 nm) at low temperatures. The laser threshold is in the range of tens of amps per centimetre squared, which is nearly three orders of magnitude lower than those of previously reported quantum-well lasers. This work also reports the first demonstration of electrically injected AlGaN-based ultraviolet lasers monolithically grown on a Si substrate, and offers a new avenue for achieving semiconductor lasers in the ultraviolet B (UV-B) (280-320 nm) and ultraviolet C (UV-C) (<280 nm) bands.

p-Type dopant incorporation and surface charge properties of catalyst-free GaN nanowires revealed by micro-Raman scattering and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

Micro-Raman scattering and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were employed to investigate Mg-doped GaN nanowires. With the increase of Mg doping level, pronounced Mg-induced local vibrational modes were observed. The evolution of longitudinal optical phonon-plasmon coupled mode, together with detailed X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy studies, show that the near-surface region of nanowires can be transformed from weakly n-type to p-type with the increase of Mg doping.

Prognostic factors associated with clear cell sarcoma in 14 Chinese patients

PURPOSE. To identify prognostic factors associated with clear cell sarcomas in 14 Chinese patients. METHODS. Medical records of 7 men and 7 women (mean age, 36 years) with histologically confirmed clear cell sarcoma of tendons and aponeuroses were reviewed. Patient demographics, tumour characteristics, and treatment modalities were retrieved. Prognostic factors associated with favourable 5-year survival were determined. RESULTS. The most affected sites were the thigh (n=5) and the foot (n=4); the mean time from symptom onset to diagnosis was 9.5 months. The tumour stage at diagnosis was IIA in 8 patients, IIB in 2, and III in 4. The mean tumour size was 4.5 cm in diameter. One patient was lost to follow-up. For the remaining 13 patients, the mean time to disease-related mortality was 2.5 years. Nine patients had distant metastases; the most common sites were lungs and pleura (n=7), followed by distant lymph nodes (n=4), bone (n=2), pericardium (n=2), and brain (n=1). All patients underwent surgical excision. Three women and one man (mean age, 27 years) attained 5-year disease-free survival. All had stage IIA tumours at diagnosis. Their mean tumour size was 1.75 cm in diameter, which was significantly smaller than that of all patients (4.5 cm). Tumour size of ≤ 2.5 cm in diameter (p=0.004) and stage IIA tumour at diagnosis (p=0.04) were significant prognostic factors for 5-year survival. CONCLUSION. Tumour size of ≤ 2.5 cm and early stage tumour are associated with 5-year disease-free survival. Early detection is crucial for the prognosis of clear cell sarcomas.

Syntaxin13 expression is regulated by mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) in injured neurons to promote axon regeneration

Injured peripheral neurons successfully activate intrinsic signaling pathways to enable axon regeneration. We have previously shown that dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neurons activate the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway following injury and that this activity enhances their axon growth capacity. mTOR plays a critical role in protein synthesis, but the mTOR-dependent proteins enhancing the regenerative capacity of DRG neurons remain unknown. To identify proteins whose expression is regulated by injury in an mTOR-dependent manner, we analyzed the protein composition of DRGs from mice in which we genetically activated mTOR and from mice with or without a prior nerve injury. Quantitative label-free mass spectrometry analyses revealed that the injury effects were correlated with mTOR activation. We identified a member of the soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE) family of proteins, syntaxin13, whose expression was increased by injury in an mTOR-dependent manner. Increased syntaxin13 levels in injured nerves resulted from local protein synthesis and not axonal transport. Finally, knockdown of syntaxin13 in cultured DRG neurons prevented axon growth and regeneration. Together, these data suggest that syntaxin13 translation is regulated by mTOR in injured neurons to promote axon regeneration.

Accuracy improvement on polymer identification using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy with adjusting spectral weightings

A new approach to polymer identification by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) with adjusting spectral weightings (ASW) was developed in this work aiming at improving the identification accuracy. This approach has been achieved through increasing the intensities of specific characteristic spectral lines which are important to polymer identification but difficult to be excited. Using the ASW method, the identification accuracies of all 11 polymers were increased to nearly 100%, while the accuracies of PE, PU, PP and PC were only 98%, 74%, 90% and 98%, respectively, without using the ASW method.

Locked pubic symphysis into the obturator foramen: a rare case presentation and literature review

Locked pubic symphysis is a rare form of pelvic injury. It occasionally occurs after a lateral compression injury of the pelvis. We described an overlapping pubic symphysis dislocation that was locked into the contralateral obturator foramen. To the best of our knowledge, there are about seventeen similar cases reported in the literature. The pubic symphysis was finally reduced by means of a superior pubic ramus osteotomy to unlock the incarcerated pubic body out of the contralateral obturator foramen. As the reduction was unstable, the pubic symphysis was fixed with a reconstruction plate. The patient recovered completely and returned to normal activities within 4months. At 1year's follow-up she reported no discomfort in the pubic symphysis region and was able to void urine normally.

Single-mode whispering gallery lasing from metal-clad GaN nanopillars

An ordered hexagonal closed-packed nanopillar array is fabricated on GaN. A metal coating is then applied to encapsulate the pillars for promoting optical confinement within the cylindrical cavity. Room-temperature lasing at 373 nm is observed under pulsed excitation, at a lasing threshold of 0.42 MW/cm2. With pillar diameters of around 980 nm, the number of modes overlapping the emission spectrum is reduced, giving rise to single-mode whispering gallery stimulated emission. Finite-difference time-domain simulations are carried out for the prediction of resonant frequencies and electric field patterns corresponding to the resonant modes.

Proteomics analysis reveals post-translational mechanisms for cold-induced metabolic changes in Arabidopsis

Cold-induced changes of gene expression and metabolism are critical for plants to survive freezing. Largely by changing gene expression, exposure to a period of non-freezing low temperatures increases plant tolerance to freezing-a phenomenon known as cold acclimation. Cold also induces rapid metabolic changes, which provide instant protection before temperature drops below freezing point. The molecular mechanisms for such rapid metabolic responses to cold remain largely unknown. Here, we use two-dimensional difference gel electrophoresis (2-D DIGE) analysis of sub-cellular fractions of Arabidopsis thaliana proteome coupled with spot identification by tandem mass spectrometry to identify early cold-responsive proteins in Arabidopsis. These proteins include four enzymes involved in starch degradation, three HSP100 proteins, several proteins in the tricarboxylic acid cycle, and sucrose metabolism. Upon cold treatment, the Disproportionating Enzyme 2 (DPE2), a cytosolic transglucosidase metabolizing maltose to glucose, increased rapidly in the centrifugation pellet fraction and decreased in the soluble fraction. Consistent with cold-induced inactivation of DPE2 enzymatic activity, the dpe2 mutant showed increased freezing tolerance without affecting the C-repeat binding transcription factor (CBF) transcriptional pathway. These results support a model that cold-induced inactivation of DPE2 leads to rapid accumulation of maltose, which is a cold-induced compatible solute that protects cells from freezing damage. This study provides evidence for a key role of rapid post-translational regulation of carbohydrate metabolic enzymes in plant protection against sudden temperature drop.