Higher intakes of lysine,threonine and valine are inversely associated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease risk:a community-based case-control study in the Chinese elderly

The associations of individual amino acid with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)risk remained unclear.The present study aimed to investigate the associations between the two in the Chinese elderly.Methods:A community-based health check-up program was conducted in Qingdao,China.NAFLD was diagnosed by ultrasonography accompanied by epidemiological investigation.The dietary intakes of amino acids were investigated with 3-day,24-h dietary records and calculated by Nutrition Calculator software.Restricted cubic spline model was used to evaluate a nonlinear relationship between amino acid intake and NAFLD risk.Results:400 NAFLD subjects were identified,and 400 participants were randomly selected as controls and matched by gender and age(±3 years)Dose-response analysis showed that 1000 mg increment of aromatic amino acids(AAAs)was associated with reduced 16%risk of NAFLD.Dietary increments of 750 mg/d threonine,950 mg/d valine,or 1700 mg/d lysine were associated with a 20%reduction in the NAFLD risk(all P for linearity<0.05).Conclusion:The present study demonstrated that the dietary increases in milk,eggs and deep-sea fish,which are rich in the amino acids,might contribute to protecting against NAFLD in the elderly.

LncRNA ZFAS1 regulates cardiomyocyte differentiation of human embryonic stem cells

Background:Cardiomyocytes derived from human embryonic stem cells(hESCs)are regulated by complex and stringent gene networks during differentiation.Long non-coding RNAs(lncRNAs)exert critical epigenetic regulatory functions in multiple differentiation processes.However,the involvement of lncRNAs in the differentiation of hESCs into cardiomyocytes has not yet been fully elucidated.Here,we identified the key roles of ZFAS1(lncRNA zinc finger antisense 1)in the differentiation of cardiomyocytes from hESCs.Methods:A model of cardiomyocyte differentiation from stem cells was established using the monolayer differentiation method,and the number of beating hESCs-derived cardiomyocytes was calculated.Gene expression was analyzed by quantitative real-time PCR(qRTPCR).Immunofluorescence assays were performed to assess the expression of cardiac troponin T(cTnT)andα-actinin protein in cardiomyocytes.Results:qRT-PCR showed that ZFAS1 expression in the mesoderm was significantly higher than that in embryonic stem cells,cardiac progenitor cells,and cardiomyocytes.Knockdown of ZFAS1 inhibited cardiomyocyte differentiation from hESCs,which was characterized by reduced expression of the cardiac-specific markers cTnT,α-actinin,myosin heavy chain 6(MYH6),and myosin heavy chain 7(MYH7).In contrast,ZFAS1 overexpression remarkably increased the percentage of spontaneously beating cardiomyocytes.In terms of the mechanism,we found that ZFAS1 is an antisense lncRNA at the 5′end of the protein-coding gene ZNFX1.Knockdown of ZFAS1 could increase the mRNA expression level of ZNFX1.Furthermore,qRT-PCR demonstrated that the silencing of ZNFX1 led to an increase in cardiac-specific markers that predicted the promotion of cardiomyocyte differentiation.Conclusion:Altogether,these data suggest that lncRNA-ZFAS1 is required for cardiac differentiation by functionally inhibiting the expression of ZNFX1,which may provide a reference for the treatment of heart disease to a certain extent.

Analytical solutions for characteristic radii of circular roadway surrounding rock plastic zone and their application

In the non-uniform stress field, the surrounding rock plastic zone of the circular roadway shows different shapes under the different confining pressure conditions. Based on the boundary shape characteristics of the plastic zone, the characteristic radii of the plastic zone were proposed, namely the horizontal,longitudinal and medial axis radii, which could reflect the plastic zone shapes characteristics and classify the sizes of the key parts. On the theoretical basis of elastic-plastic mechanics, analytical solutions for the characteristic radii were obtained by theoretical deduction, and the relationships between the characteristic radii and key influencing factors were analyzed. Finally, the evaluation criterion of the circular roadway surrounding rock plastic zone shapes, evaluation criterion of the location of potential hazards caused by the roadway surrounding rock and evaluation critical points of roadway dynamic disasters based on characteristic radii were proposed. This work could provide a theoretical basis for stability analysis of the surrounding rock, support design, and guide the prevention and control of dynamic roadway disasters.

Habitat quality assessment of mining cities based on InVEST model—a case study of Yanshan County,Jiangxi Province

The assessment of the spatiotemporal evolution of habitat quality caused by land use changes can provide a scientifc basis for the ecological protection and green development of mining cities.Taking Yanshan County as an example of a typical mining city,this article discussed the spatial pattern and evolution characteristics of habitat quality in 2000 and 2018 based on the ArcGIS platform and the InVEST model.The conclusions are as below:from 2000 to 2018,the area of farmland and construction land changed the most in the study area.Among them,the area of farmland decreased by 3.48%,and the area of industrial and mining land and construction land increased by 53.25%.Areas of low,relatively low and high habitat quality expanded,and areas of medium and relatively high habitat quality shrank,which is closely related to the distribution of land use.The areas with high habitat degradation degrees appear around cities,mining areas and watersheds,while the areas with low habitat degradation degrees are mainly distributed in the southern woodland.The distribution of cold and hot spots in the habitat quality distribution of Yanshan County presents a pattern of“hot in the south and cold in the north”.The results are of great signifcance to the precise implementation of ecosystem management decisions in mining cities and the creation of a landscape pattern of“beautiful countrysides,green cities,and green mines”.

Hydrogen effect on the mechanical behaviour and microstructural features of a Fe-Mn-C twinning induced plasticity steel

The influences of hydrogen on the mechanical properties and the fracture behaviour of Fe-22Mn-0.6C twinning induced plasticity steel have been investigated by slow strain rate tests and fractographic analysis.The steel showed high susceptibility to hydrogen embrittlement,which led to 62.9%and 74.2%reduction in engineering strain with 3.1 and 14.4 ppm diffusive hydrogen,respectively.The fracture surfaces revealed a transition from ductile to brittle dominated fracture modes with the rising hydrogen contents.The underlying deformation and fracture mechanisms were further exploited by examining the hydrogen effects on the dislocation substructure,stacking fault probability,and twinning behaviour in pre-strained slow strain rate test specimens and notched tensile specimens using coupled electron channelling contrast imaging and electron backscatter diffraction techniques.The results reveal that the addition of hydrogen promotes planar dislocation structures,earlier nucleation of stacking faults,and deformation twinning within those grains which have tensile axis orientations close to<111>//rolling direction and<112>//rolling direction.The developed twin lamellae result in strain localization and micro-voids at grain boundaries and eventually lead to grain boundary decohesion.

Rockburst mechanism and the law of energy accumulation and release in mining roadway: a case study

The rockburst dynamic disasters in the process of deep coal mining become more and more serious.Taking the rockburst occurred in the 23130 working face of Yuejin Coal Mine as the engineering background,we study the characteristics of mining stress feld around roadway,the plastic failure morphological characteristics of surrounding rock and the accumulation/release law of elastic energy before and after burst.An analysis model quantitatively describing the physical process of rockburst in the mining roadway is established,and the calculation method of dynamic release of elastic energy in the physical process of rockburst is educed.The mechanism of rockburst in mining roadway is revealed.The results show that an“L-shaped”stress concentration zone is formed within 100 m of the 23130 working face,and the principal stress ratio of the surrounding rock of the transportation roadway is 2.59–4.26.The change of the direction of the maximum principal stress has a signifcant efect on the burst appearance characteristics.The failure strength of diferent sections of the mining roadway is characterized by the elastic energy release value.With the increase of the working face distance,the elastic energy released by burst failure and the expansion variation of failure boundary radius show a nonlinear variation law that tends to decrease steadily after sharp fuctuation.The closer to the working face,the higher the burst risk.At a distance of 10 m from the working surface,the maximum principal stress reaches its maximum value.The butterfy-shaped failure system generated by the surrounding rock of the roadway has energy self-sustainability,and the elastic energy released by the sudden expansion of the butterfy leaf is enough to cause a burst damage of 1.9 magnitude.This work could provide theoretical support for the prediction and prevention of rockburst.

Accumulation Characteristics and Resistance to Heavy Metal Contamination of Agaricus bisporus Varieties in Shanxi Province,China

In order to evaluate the accumulation characteristics of heavy metals in the cultivars of Agaricus bisporus in Shanxi Province and to select the varieties with high resistances to heavy metal pollution, atomic absorption spectrophotometer and the atomic fluorescence spectrophotometer were used as the determination methods to compare the heavy metal contents and accumulation characteristics of 6 different varieties. The results showed that 3 heavy metal elements （lead, chromium and cadmium） were tested in the 6 varieties of A. bisporus , all of which were contaminated by heavy metals, but basically no beyond the national standards for food safety. In general, these varieties had less quality risk and could be eaten safely. The accumulation characteristics of heavy metals in these varieties were analyzed, and the varieties were screened according to the resistance to heavy metals pollution. The results showed that variety No. 1 and No. 6 were the varieties with strong comprehensive resistance to the 3 types of heavy metal pollution, and variety No. 3 was a species with weak comprehensive ability in resisting heavy metal pollution.

Engagement of N^(6)-methyladenisine methylation of Gng4 mRNA in astrocyte dysfunction regulated by CircHECW2

The N^(6)-methyladenosine(m^(6)A)modification is the most prevalent modification of eukaryotic mRNAs and plays a crucial role in various physiological processes by regulating the stability or function of target mRNAs.Accumulating evidence has suggested that m6A methylation may be involved in the pathological process of major depressive disorder(MDD),a common neuropsychiatric disorder with an unclear aetiology.Here,we found that the levels of the circular RNA HECW2(circHECW2)were significantly increased in the plasma of both MDD patients and the chronic unpredictable stress(CUS)mouse model.Notably,the downregulation of circHECW2 attenuated astrocyte dysfunction and depression-like behaviors induced by CUS.Furthermore,we demonstrated that the downregulation of circHECW2 increased the expression of the methylase WTAP,leading to an increase in Gng4 expression via m^(6)A modifications.Our findings provide functional insight into the correlation between circHECW2 and m^(6)A methylation,suggesting that circHECW2 may represent a potential target for MDD treatment.

Reveal Hydrogen Behavior at Grain Boundaries in Fe-22Mn-0.6C TWIP Steel via In Situ Micropillar Compression Test

In this study,the effect of hydrogen on dislocation and twinning behavior along various grain boundaries in a high-manganese twinning-induced plasticity steel was investigated using an in situ micropillar compression test.The compressive stress in both elastic and plastic regimes was increased with the presence of hydrogen.Further investigation by transmission electron backscatter diffraction and scanning transmission electron microscope demonstrated that hydrogen promoted both dislocation multiplication and twin formation,which resulted in higher stress concentration at twin-twin and twin-grain boundary intersections.

Zircon U-Pb Geochronology of the Cenozoic Granitic Mylonite along the Ailaoshan-Red River Shear Zone:New Constraints on the Timing of the Sinistral Shearing

The Ailaoshan-Red River（ASRR） shear zone in SW China represents an important discontinuity believed to have accommodated eastward extrusion of the Tibetan Plateau in response to the collision of the Indian and Eurasian plates. The onset timing and duration of the ASRR sinistral strike-slip shearing have been hotly disputed. In this paper we present new zircon LA-ICP-MS U-Pb geochronological data from six syntectonic granitic mylonite and leucosomes samples from the ASRR shear zone. Our data reveal a metamorphic age of ~40 Ma, most likely suggesting the maximum age of the shearing initiation. Rocks showing syn-kinematic signatures yield crystallization ages of 38–22 Ma, with inherited components ranging from 716 to 108 Ma. These results, together with existing geological and geochronological data, indicate that the sinistral shearing along the ASRR zone probably began at 40 Ma, mainly activated at 29–22 Ma and lasted at least to ~22 Ma. Our data suggest a continuous extrusion between the Indochina and South China blocks during ~35–17 Ma. The ASRR sinistral shearing has accommodated large scale eastward displacement of the southeastern Tibetan syntaxis, and is likely responsible for the opening of the South China Sea.

SNObase,a database for S-nitrosation modification

S-Nitros(yl)ation is a ubiquitous redox-based post-translational modification of protein cysteine thiols by nitric oxide or its derivatives,which transduces the bioactivity of nitric oxide(NO)by regulation of protein conformation,activity,stability,localization and pro-tein-protein interactions.These years,more and more S-nitrosated proteins were identified in physiological and pathological processes and the number is still growing.Here we developed a database named SNO-base(http://www.nitrosation.org),which collected S-nitrosation targets extracted from literatures up to June 1st,2012.SNObase contained 2561 instances,and provided information about S-nitrosation targets,sites,biological model,related diseases,trends of S-nitrosation level and effects of S-nitrosation on protein function.With SNObase,we did functional analysis for all the SNO targets:In the gene ontology(GO)biological process category,some processes were discovered to be related to S-nitrosation(“response to drug”,“regulation of cell motion”)besides the previously reported related processes.In the GO cellular component category,cytosol and mitochondrion were both enriched.From the KEGG pathway enrichment results,we found SNO targets were enriched in different diseases,which suggests possible significant roles of S-nitrosation in the progress of these diseases.This SNObase means to be a database with precise,comprehensive and easily accessible information,an environment to help researchers integrate data with comparison and relevancy analysis between different groups or works,and also an SNO knowledgebase offering feasibility for systemic and global analysis of S-nitrosation in interdisciplinary studies.

Cubature Formula for Spherical Basis Function Networks

Some mathematical models in geophysics and graphic processing need to compute integrals with scattered data on the sphere.Thus cubature formula plays an important role in computing these spherical integrals.This paper is devoted to establishing an exact positive cubature formula for spherical basis function networks.The authors give an existence proof of the exact positive cubature formula for spherical basis function networks,and prove that the cubature points needed in the cubature formula are not larger than the number of the scattered data.

Characterizing scientific elites:publication and citation patterns of outstanding scientists in biomedicine

Science is principally driven by the efforts of a small fraction of researchers publishing the m ajority of scientific research and garnering the m ajority of citations.The quantitative analysis of outstanding scientists’publication and citation patterns provides a new perspective fo r understanding of scientific talents.The study of outstanding scientists can enhance our understanding of the publication and citation patterns and their scientific careers more generally.Based on 35,315 research papers from the biomedical field,we analyzed the academic productivity and influence characteristics of 244 outstanding scientists in biomedical field.Several interesting patterns are observed as follows:as outstanding scientists’career age increased,(1)their scientific output shows a trend of decreasing after increasing,(2)their academic influence shows a trend of continuous growth,(3)their number of the co-authors in their scientific career first increases and then remains stable,and(4)the number of their research areas first decreases and then increases.