Wnt/β-catenin signaling components and mechanisms in bone formation,homeostasis,and disease

Wnts are secreted,lipid-modified proteins that bind to different receptors on the cell surface to activate canonical or non-canonical Wnt signaling pathways,which control various biological processes throughout embryonic development and adult life.Aberrant Wnt signaling pathway underlies a wide range of human disease pathogeneses.

Chemical and boron isotopic compositions of tourmaline in the Longtoushan hydrothermal gold deposit, Guangxi, China:implications for gold mineralization

The Longtoushan hydrothermal gold deposit is located in the southwestern region of the Dayaoshan Uplift.Tourmaline is widespread in the Longtoushan gold deposit and is mainly distributed in the rhyolite porphyry and associated cryptoexplosive breccia. The spatial distribution of tourmaline enrichment is similar to that of the gold orebody. Feldspar has been largely replaced by tourmaline in the rhyolite porphyry and cryptoexplosive breccia.Electron microprobe analysis revealed that tourmalines in the Longtoushan deposit belong mainly to the alkali group and partly to the X-vacant group; they mostly fell in the schorl-dravite series field. Two distinct sets of dominant substitutions were observed: MgFe_(-1) and Al□(NaR2+)-1,where R = Fe, Mg. In addition, minor substitutions include(CaMg)(NaAl)_(-1) and FeAl_(-1). The calculated d11 B value for the mineralizing fluids ranged from-12.8 to-9.7%,which is typical of S-type granites, and boron-enriched fluids predominantly derived from rhyolitic melt. Part of the tourmaline from the rhyolite porphyry crystallized during the magmatic-hydrothermal stage, whereas most tourmalines from the deposit formed in the post-magmatic hydrothermal stage. The tourmalines were deposited from a relatively reduced and acidic fluid system, and the gold predominantly precipitated during the post-magmatic hydrothermal stage in the Longtoushan deposit.

New conflict representation model in generalized power space

The study on alternative combination rules in Dempster- Shafer theory （DST） when evidences are in conflict has emerged again recently as an interesting topic, especially in data/information fusion applications. The earlier researches have mainly focused on investigating the alternative which would be appropriate for the conflicting situation, under the assumption that a conflict is identified. However, the current research shows that not only the combination rule but also the classical conflict coefficient in DST are not correct to determine the conflict degree between two pieces of evidences. Most existing methods of measuring conflict do not consider the open world situation, whose frame of discernment is incomplete. To solve this problem, a new conflict representa- tion model to determine the conflict degree between evidences is proposed in the generalized power space, which contains two parameters： the conflict distance and the conflict coefficient of inconsistent evidences. This paper argues that only when the con- flict measure value in the new representation model is high, it is safe to say the evidences are in conflict. Experiments illustrate the efficiency of the proposed conflict representation model.

Mechanoresponsive MiR-138-5p Targets MACF1 to Inhibit Bone Formation

Mechanical stimuli play an essential role in maintaining bone remodeling and skeletal integrity.Meanwhile,bone can respond to the changes of mechanical condition to adjust its mass and architecture.Clinical studies discover that bedridden patients showed osteoporotic T-scores and low bone mineral density,and long-term immobilized patients presented reduced markers of bone formation.However,as bone formation mediated by osteoblast differentiation is a complex process,the underlying molecular mechanism of mechanical stimuli regulating bone formation is still unclear.Recent evidences show that microRNAs(miRNAs)are involved in mechanical stimuli regulating bone formation or osteoblast differentiation.Nevertheless,no direct evidence identifies mechanoresponsive miRNA in both human and animal bones,and clarifies its mechanoresponsive role under different mechanical conditions(e.g.mechanical unloading,reloading,loading).In the current study,we screened for differentially expressed miRNAs in bone specimens of bedridden patients with fractures,then identified that the expression of miR-138-5p,but not the other miRNAs,altered withbedridden time and was negatively correlated with the expression of the bone formation marker genes Alp(alkaline phosphatase).Moreover,miR-138-5p was up-regulated with reduced bone formation during unloading and down-regulated with increased bone formation during reloading in hind4imb unloaded mice.In addition,miR-138-5p was verified to be responsive to different mechanical unloading condition and cyclic mechanical stretch condition in primary osteogenic cells,respectively.Further in vitro data suggested that mechanoresponsive miR-138-5p directly targeted microtubule actin crosslinking factor 1(MACF1)to inhibit osteoblast differentiation.In vivo,we constructed an osteoblastic miR-138-5p transgenic mice model(TG138)with the Runx2promoter,and found that overexpression miR-138-5p supressed bone formation.Moreover,osteoblast-targeted inhibition of miR-138-5p sensitized bone anabolic response to mechanical loading in TG138 mice.Predominantly,the osteoblast-targeted inhibition of miR-138-5p could counteract bone formation reduction induced by hind limb unloading.Taken together,the mechanoresponsive miR-138-5p inhibited bone anabolic response for developing a novel bone anabolic sensitization strategy.

New probabilistic transformation of imprecise belief structure

The case when the source of information provides precise belief function/mass, within the generalized power space, has been studied by many people. However, in many decision situations, the precise belief structure is not always available. In this case, an interval-valued belief degree rather than a precise one may be provided. So, the probabilistic transformation of imprecise belief function/mass in the generalized power space including Dezert-Smarandache （DSm） model from scalar transformation to sub-unitary interval transformation and, more generally, to any set of sub-unitary interval transformation is provided. Different from the existing probabilistic transformation algorithms that redistribute an ignorance mass to the singletons involved in that ignorance pro- portionally with respect to the precise belief function or probability function of singleton, the new algorithm provides an optimization idea to transform any type of imprecise belief assignment which may be represented by the union of several sub-unitary （half-） open intervals, （half-） closed intervals and/or sets of points belonging to [0,1]. Numerical examples are provided to illustrate the detailed implementation process of the new probabilistic transformation approach as well as its validity and wide applicability.

Mechanical Sensitive Molecule MACF1 Promotes Osteoblast Differentiation

The decreased osteoblast differentiation associated with reduced bone formation is one main cause of microgravityinduced bone loss.Our previous studies have demonstrated that microtubule actin crosslinking factor 1(MACF1)is downregulated in association with the decreased osteoblast differentiation and bone formation under simulated microgravity conditions.These findings suggest that MACF1 is sensitive to mechanical condition and may be critical for osteoblast differentiation and bone formation.To verify this hypothesis,current study investigates the role and mechanism of MACF1 in regulatingosteoblast differentiation by adopting MACF1 knockdown(MACF1-KD)osteoblasts.The results showed that MACF1 knockdown suppressed mineralized nodules formation,alkaline phosphatase(ALP)activity,osteogenic gene expression andβ-catenin signaling transduction.Moreover,we used RNA sequencing(RNA-seq)and chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing(ChIP-seq)to investigate further mechanism.Interestingly,we found that MACF1 sequesterd repressors of osteoblast differentiation in cytoplasm.In conclusion,MACF1 is sensitive to mechanical condition and plays key role in activatingβ-catenin signaling transduction and sequestering repressors of osteoblast differentiation,which further promotes osteoblast differentiation.

Sulfate reduction behavior in pressure-bearing leachate saturated zone

Attention should be paid to the sulfate reduction behavior in a pressure-bearing leachate saturated zone.In this study,within the relative pressure range of 0–0.6 MPa,the ambient temperature with the highest sulfate reduction rate of 50℃ was selected to explore the difference in sulfate reduction behavior in a pressure-bearing leachate saturated zone.The results showed that the sulfate reduction rate might further increase with an increase in pressure;however,owing to the effect of pressure increase,the generated hydrogen sulfide (H_(2)S) could not be released on time,thereby decreasing its highest concentration by approximately 85%,and the duration extended to about two times that of the atmospheric pressure.Microbial community structure and functional gene abundance analyses showed that the community distribution of sulfate-reducing bacteria was significantly affected by pressure conditions,and there was a negative correlation between disulfide reductase B(dsrB) gene abundance and H_(2)S release rate.Other sulfate reduction processes that do not require disulfide reductase A (dsrA) and dsrB genes may be the key pathways affecting the sulfate reduction rate in the pressure-bearing leachate saturated zone.This study improves the understanding of sulfate reduction in landfills as well as provides a theoretical basis for the operation and management of landfills.

The Post-meiotic Deficicent Anther1 (PDA1) gene is required for post-meiotic anther development in rice

To understand the molecular mechanism of male reproductive development in the model crop rice,we isolated a complete male sterile mutant post-meiotic deficient anther1 （pda1） from a γ-ray-treated rice mutant library.Genetic analysis revealed that the pda1 mutant was controlled by a recessive nucleus gene.The pda1 mutant anther seemed smaller with white appearance.Histological analysis demonstrated that the pda1 mutant anther undergoes normal early tapetum development without obvious altered meiosis.However,the pda1 mutant displayed obvious defects in postmeiotic tapetal development,abnormal degeneration occurred in the tapetal cells at stage 9 of anther development.Also we observed abnormal lipidic Ubisch bodies from the tapetal layer of the pda1 mutant,causing no obvious pollen exine formation.RT-PCR analysis indicated that the expression of genes involved in anther development including GAMYB,OsC4 and Wax-deficient anther1 （WDA1） was greatly reduced in the pda1 mutant anther.Using map-based cloning approach,the PDA1 gene was finely mapped between two markers HLF610 and HLF627 on chromosome 6 using 3,883 individuals of F2 population.The physical distance between HLF610 and HLF627 was about 194 kb.This work suggests that PDA1 is required for post-meiotic tapetal development and pollen/microspore formation in rice.

Geochronology and Geochemistry of the Granites from the Longtoushan Hydrothermal Gold Deposit in the Dayaoshan Area,Guangxi:Implication for Petrogenesis and Mineralization

The gold mineralization in the Longtoushan hydrothermal gold deposit is concentrated within the contact zone of the granitic complex. Whole rock geochemistry and in-situ U-Pb and Hf isotopic data were used to constrain the genesis and age of the granites and related Cu-Au mineralization in the Longtoushan Deposit. The granites mainly consist of the granite porphyry, rhyolite porphyry, porphyritic granite and quartz porphyry. LA-ICP-MS U-Pb dating of zircons from the granite porphyry, rhyolite porphyry and quartz porphyry indicates that they intruded from ca. 94 to 97 Ma. These intrusions exhibit similar trace element characteristics, i.e., right-dipping REE patterns, depletion of Ba, Sr, P and Ti, and enrichment of Th, U, Nd, Zr and Hf. The εHf(t) values of zircons from the granite porphyry, rhyolite porphyry and quartz porphyry range from-26.81 to-8.19,-8.12 to-5.33, and-8.99 to-5.83, respectively, suggesting that they were mainly derived from the partial melting of the Proterozoic crust. The Cu-Au mineralization is mainly related to the rhyolite porphyry and porphyritic granite, respectively. The Longtoushan granites were most likely formed in a post-collisional extensional environment, and the deposit is a part of the Late Yanshanian magmatism related mineralization in the Dayaoshan area and its adjacent areas.