A small interfering RNA inhibits lung fibroblast-myofibroblast differentiation via simultaneously knockingdown CELF1 and activating RIG-I signalling.

Fibroblast-myofibroblast differentiation plays a key role in the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis. Integrating RNA interference and RNA immunostimulation functions to treat diseases is a promising new potential therapy. Here, we report that an elevated expression of CUGBP Elav-Like Family Member 1 (CELF1), an RNA-binding protein, positively correlates with lung fibroblast-myofibroblast differentiation in fibrotic lung tissues.

Cut-off voltage influencing the voltage decay of single crystal lithium-rich manganese-based cathode materials in lithium-ion batteries.

The voltage decay of Li-rich layered oxide cathode materials results in the deterioration of cycling performance and continuous energy loss, which seriously hinders their application in the high-energy-density lithium-ion battery (LIB) market. However, the origin of the voltage decay mechanism remains controversial due to the complex influences of transition metal (TM) migration, oxygen release, indistinguishable surface/bulk reactions and the easy intra/inter-crystalline cracking during cycling. We investigated the direct cause of voltage decay in micrometer-scale single-crystal LiMnNiCoO (SC-LNCM) cathode materials by regulating the cut-off voltage.

The Influence of Al and Nb on the Low Oxygen Pressure Pre-Oxidation Behavior of Fe-35Ni-20Cr-xAl-yNb Alloys at 1000 °C.

To investigate the impact of Al and Nb elements on the formation of a protective oxide layer on the surface of Fe-35Ni-20Cr-xAl-yNb (x = 0, 2, 4, 6 wt.%; y = 0, 1, 2 wt.%) alloys, their oxidation behavior was examined at 1000 °C, 10 atm.

HSD17B13 liquid-liquid phase separation promotes leukocyte adhesion in chronic liver inflammation.

The rs72613567:TA polymorphism in 17-beta hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 13 (HSD17B13) has been found to reduce the progression from steatosis to metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH). In this study, we sought to define the pathogenic role of HSD17B13 in triggering liver inflammation. Here, we demonstrate that HSD17B13 forms liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) around lipid droplets in the livers of MASH patients.

Synergistic Protecting-Etching Synthesis of Carbon Nanoboxes@Silicon for High-Capacity Lithium-Ion Battery.

Silicon (Si) is considered as the most likely choice for the high-capacity lithium-ion batteries owing to its ultrahigh theoretical capacity (4200 mA h g) being over 10 times than that of traditional graphite anode materials (372 mA h g). However, its widespread application is limited by problems such as a large volume expansion and low electrical conductivity. Herein, we design a hollow nitrogen-doped carbon-coated silicon (Si@Co-HNC) composite in a water-based system via a synergistic protecting-etching strategy of tannic acid.

Visibility graph-based segmentation of multivariate time series data and its application.

In this paper, we propose an efficient segmentation approach in order to divide a multivariate time series through integrating principal component analysis (PCA), visibility graph theory, and community detection algorithm. Based on structural characteristics, we can automatically divide the high-dimensional time series into several stages. First, we adopt the PCA to reduce the dimensions; thus, a low dimensional time series can be obtained.

Projective Synchronization of Delayed Uncertain Coupled Memristive Neural Networks and Their Application.

In this article, the authors analyzed the nonlinear effects of projective synchronization between coupled memristive neural networks (MNNs) and their applications. Since the complete signal transmission is difficult under parameter mismatch and different projective factors, the delays, which are time-varying, and uncertainties have been taken to realize the projective synchronization of MNNs with multi-links under the nonlinear control method. Through the extended comparison principle and a new approach to dealing with the mismatched parameters, sufficient criteria have been determined under different types of projective factors and the framework of the Lyapunov-Krasovskii functional (LKF) for projective convergence of the coupled MNNs.

Influence of season and conditions of surrogate sows on efficiency of somatic cell cloning production.

This study was focused on the effects of ovary acquisition season, embryo transfer season, and conditions of surrogate sows on cloning efficiency, with the objective of improving the production of cloned pigs. The statistical analysis documented that cloning efficiency was highest when ovary extraction and embryo transfer occurred in the spring, and lowest when such operations occurred in the autumn. This was evidenced by the higher number of recovered oocytes (3.

Transcriptome Analysis of Leg Muscles and the Effects of on Proliferation and Differentiation of Myoblasts in Haiyang Yellow Chickens.

Skeletal muscle growth and development from embryo to adult consists of a series of carefully regulated changes in gene expression. This study aimed to identify candidate genes involved in Haiyang Yellow Chickens' growth and to understand the regulatory role of the key gene (arachidonate 5-lipoxygenase) in myoblast proliferation and differentiation. In order to search the key candidate genes in the process of muscle growth and development, RNA sequencing was used to compare the transcriptomes of chicken muscle tissues at four developmental stages and to analyze the effects of gene interference and overexpression on myoblast proliferation and differentiation at the cellular level.

Mitochondrial folate metabolism-mediated α-linolenic acid exhaustion masks liver fibrosis resolution.

Sustainable TGF-β1 signaling drives organ fibrogenesis. However, the cellular adaptation to maintain TGF-β1 signaling remains unclear. In this study, we revealed that dietary folate restriction promoted the resolution of liver fibrosis in mice with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.

The optimum economic nitrogen rate of blended controlled-release nitrogen fertilizer for rice in the Chanoyu watershed in the Yangtze River Delta, China.

Introduction: The application of controlled-release nitrogen fertilizer (CRN) has become an important production method to achieve high crop yield and ecological safety. However, the rate of urea-blended CRN for rice is usually determined by conventional urea, and the actual rate is still unclear.

Methods: A five-year field experiment was carried out in the Chaohu watershed in the Yangtze River Delta to study rice yield, N fertilizer utilization efficiency (NUE), ammonia (NH3) volatilization and economic benefit under the four urea-blended CRN treatments with a 4:3:3 ratio applied at one time (60, 120, 180, 240 kg/hm2, CRN60, CRN120, CRN180, CRN240), four conventional N fertilizer treatments (N60, N120, N180, N240) and a control without N fertilizer (N0).

Effects of Partial Replacement of Nitrogen Fertilizer with Organic Fertilizer on Rice Growth, Nitrogen Utilization Efficiency and Soil Properties in the Yangtze River Basin.

Cake fertilizer and dairy manure were used as experimental materials to carry out a 9-year (2012-2020) field experiment in the main rice production areas in the Yangtze River basin. Different fertilization modes were used (no fertilization, CK; chemical fertilizer application alone, HY; reduced fertilization with chemical fertilizer application, RF; cake fertilizer replacement of nitrogen fertilizer, CFR; and dairy manure replacement of nitrogen fertilizer, DMR). Changes in the total rice yield, yield components, absorption of nitrogen, soil pH, organic matter, total nitrogen, and soil bulk density under different fertilization treatments were analyzed.

Chelation-Assisted formation of carbon nanotubes interconnected Yolk-Shell Silicon/Carbon anodes for High-Performance Lithium-ion batteries.

As a viable replacement to commercial graphite anodes, silicon (Si) anodes have gained much attention from academics because of their considerable theoretical specific capacity and appropriate reaction voltage. Nevertheless, some limitations still exist in developing silicon anodes, including significant volume expansion and poor electrical conductivity. Herein, the carbon nanotubes (CNTs) interconnected yolk-shell silicon/carbon anodes (YS-Si@CoNC) were prepared via the chelation competition induced polymerization (CCIP) approach.

Responses of Rhizosphere Bacterial and Fungal Communities to the Long-Term Continuous Monoculture of Water Oat.

As an cultivated aquatic vegetable, the long-term continuous monocropping of water oat results in the frequent occurrence of diseases, the deterioration of ecological system and decreased quality of water oat. In this study, real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) and Illumina high-throughput sequencing were used to determine the dynamic changes in bacterial and fungal communities in rhizosphere soil under continuous cropping of water oat for 1, 5, 10, 15 and 20 years (Y1, Y5, Y10, Y15 and Y20), and soil properties and enzyme activities were also determined. Results showed that the contents of soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), alkali-hydrolyzable nitrogen (AN), available phosphorus (AP) and the activities of four soil enzymes increased in Y5 and Y10 and then decreased in Y15 and Y20.

Amendment with controlled release urea increases leaf morpho-physiological traits, grain yield and NUE in a double-cropping rice system in southern China.

Background: Understanding of mechanisms that underpin high-yielding cropping systems is essential for optimizing management practices. Currently, the contribution of plant traits such as leaf area, chlorophyll content and intercepted photosynthetically active radiation (PAR ) to yield and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) are not fully understood. In addition, the understanding of how canopy traits are affected by nitrogen (N) management practices is unclear.

Projective quasi-synchronization of coupled memristive neural networks with uncertainties and impulsive effect.

The dynamic behavior of memristive neural networks (MNNs), including synchronization, effectively keeps the robotic stability against numerous uncertainties from the mimic of the human brain. However, it is challenging to perform projective quasi-synchronization of coupled MNNs with low-consumer control devices. This is partly because complete synchronization is difficult to realize under various projective factors and parameter mismatch.

CXCL10-armed oncolytic adenovirus promotes tumor-infiltrating T-cell chemotaxis to enhance anti-PD-1 therapy.

Resistance remains an obstacle to anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) therapy in human cancer. One critical resistance mechanism is the lack of T cell chemotaxis in the tumor microenvironment (TME). CXCL10-CXCR3 signaling is required for T cell tumor infiltration and tumor immunotherapy.

Fraxinellone alleviates kidney fibrosis by inhibiting CUG-binding protein 1-mediated fibroblast activation.

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is a serious threat to human health. In addition, kidney fibrosis is a key pathogenic intermediate for the progression of CDK. Moreover, excessive activation of fibroblasts is key to the development of kidney fibrosis and this process is difficult to control.

Landscape of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein-interacting cells in human tissues.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has become a global pandemic. However, the mechanism of tissue tropism of SARS-CoV-2 remains unclear. Here, recombinant receptor-binding subdomain 1 of spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 (RBD-SD1) was used as a probe to investigate the potential tropism of SARS-CoV-2 in thirty-three types of normal human tissues.

Exponential Synchronization of Delayed Memristor-Based Uncertain Complex-Valued Neural Networks for Image Protection.

This article solves the exponential synchronization issue of memristor-based complex-valued neural networks (MCVNNs) with time-varying uncertainties via feedback control. Compared with the traditional control methods, a more practical and general control scheme with the available uncertain information of the parameters is newly developed for MCVNNs. Our approach considers the proposed neural networks as two dynamic real-valued systems.

Association between gene polymorphisms and partial economic traits in Jinghai Yellow chickens.

The gene is a member of the family and plays an important role in maintaining iron homeostasis in cells. In order to reveal the genetic effects of gene polymorphisms on body weight (BW) traits and reproductive performance in chickens, gene polymorphisms were detected in 363 Jinghai Yellow chickens by PCR-single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) and DNA sequencing methods using three primers. With primer 1, three genotypes (BB, bb, Bb) were detected in the Jinghai Yellow chicken population and two mutations (g.

Maternal lipopolysaccharide exposure results in glucose metabolism disorders and sex hormone imbalance in male offspring.

An adverse intrauterine environment may be an important factor contributing to the development of type 2 diabetes in later life. The present study investigated the longitudinal effects of maternal lipopolysaccharide (LPS) exposure during the third trimester on glucose metabolism and sex hormone balance in the offspring. Pregnant mice were intraperitoneally injected with LPS (50 μg/kg) daily from gestational day (GD) 15 to GD17.

Folic Acid Promotes Wound Healing in Diabetic Mice by Suppression of Oxidative Stress.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of folic acid on impaired wound healing in diabetic mice. Male mice were divided into three groups: group 1, the non-diabetic mice (control); group 2, the streptozotocin (STZ)-induced type 1 diabetic mice; and group 3, the diabetic mice that received a daily dose of 3 mg/kg folic acid via oral gavage. Full-thickness excision wounds were created with 8-mm skin biopsy punches.