Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells Induce Podocyte Injury Through Increasing Reactive Oxygen Species in Lupus Nephritis

The expansion of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) has been documented in murine models and patients with lupus nephritis (LN), but the exact role of MDSCs in this process remains largely unknown. In this study, we investigated whether MDSCs are involved in the process of podocyte injury in the development of LN. In toll-like receptor-7 (TLR-7) agonist imiquimod-induced lupus mice, we found the severe podocyte injury in glomeruli of lupus mice and significant expansion of MDSCs in spleens and kidneys of lupus mice. The function of TLR-7 activated MDSCs was enhanced including the increased generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in vivo and in vitro. Moreover, the ROS production of MDSCs induced podocyte injury through activating the p-38MAPK and NF-kB signaling. Furthermore, we verified that podocyte injury was indeed correlated with expansion of MDSCs and their ROS secretion in LN of pristane-induced lupus mice. These findings first indicate that the podocyte injury in LN was associated with the increased MDSCs in kidney and MDSCs may be a promising therapeutic target of LN in the future

The gut microbiome in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease

The gut microbiota may play a role in cardiovascular diseases. Here, the authors perform a metagenome-wide association study on stools from individuals with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and healthy controls, identifying microbial strains and functions associated with the disease

Modelling the effect of plastic sheet curing on early age temperature development in concrete pavement

Prediction of the temperature development at an early age is a good starting point to assess the development of the restrained thermal stress and thermal cracking in rigid pavements. This paper presents a numerical early age concrete pavement temperature prediction model. It enables to evaluate the effect of various paving conditions, such as paving time, curing method, air temperature, wind speed, and the concrete placement temperature, on the early age concrete pavement performance. A critical review of current heat flux models at the pavement surface covered with a plastic sheet is presented. An extension of existing models to quantify the effect of the plastic sheet curing method is introduced, based on the energy balance method. The numerical implementation procedure for the proposed temperature prediction model is solved by the finite difference method. The temperature prediction model was verified with field measured data of two test sections. The predicted temperature shows a satisfying match with field measured data. Lastly, the effect of plastic sheet curing and its duration on the development of the pavement temperature was analysed by the proposed theoretical model.Pavement Engineerin

Laser-induced selective activation of polyimide for robust electroless plating

The fabrication of conductive copper patterns on polyimide substrates has garnered growing research interest due to its potential applications. This paper presents a novel approach to electroless metallization on polyimide substrates, utilizing a laser-induced selective activation (LISA) process. By using a nanosecond pulsed laser, the polyimide surface is modified to form a special layer with microporous structures. This modification enhances the stability of electroless plated metallic structures on the polyimide surface, resulting in superior mechanical stability under repeated bending and harsh environments.</p

Involvement of a dihydrodipicolinate synthase gene (FaDHDPS1) in fungal development, pathogenesis and stress responses in Fusarium asiaticum

Abstract Background Dihydrodipicolinate synthase (DHDPS) is an allosteric enzyme, which catalyzes the first unique step of lysine biosynthesis in prokaryotes, higher plants and some fungi. To date, the biological roles of DHDPS in filamentous fungi are poorly understood. Results In this study, on the basis of comparative genome resequencing, a DHDPS gene was found to be specific in Fusarium asiaticum, named FaDHDPS1, which showed high amino acid identity to that of entomopathogenic fungus. Subcellular localization of the FaDHDPS1-GFP fusion protein was mainly concentrated in the cytoplasm of conidia and dispersed in the cytoplasm during conidial germination. To reveal the biological functions, both deletion and complementation mutants of FaDHDPS1 were generated. The results showed that the FaDHDPS1 deletion mutant was defective in conidiation, virulence and DON biosynthesis. In addition, deletion of FaDHDPS1 resulted in tolerance to sodium pyruvate, lysine, low temperature and Congo red. Conclusion Results of this study indicate that FaDHDPS1 plays an important role in the regulation of vegetative differentiation, pathogenesis and adaption to multiple stresses in F. asiaticum

Chloroplast genome and phylogenetic analysis of Grewia biloba

Grewia biloba is a potential medicinal and ornamental resource, and this study is the first to assemble the chloroplast genome of this species using high-throughput sequencing data. The chloroplast genome of G. biloba has a typical composition for higher plant chloroplasts, containing one large single-copy region of 86,978 bp and one small single-copy region of 20,140 bp, which are separated by a pair of inverted-repeat regions of 25,473 bp. The chloroplast genome of this species encodes 130 genes, including 84 protein-coding genes, 38 tRNA genes and 8 rRNA genes. A maximum-likelihood phylogenetic tree was constructed based on sequence information of the chloroplast genomes. The chloroplast genome of G. biloba will provide valuable genetic information for evolutionary research and utilization of this species

Full-scale experimental investigation on the performance of seamless asphalt plug joint through mixture design and structural enhancements

The seamless asphalt plug expansion joint integrates a traditional asphalt plug joint (APJ) with an overlying continuous asphalt concrete layer, preventing block failure of the asphalt plug joint and enhancing driving comfort. However, typical damages such as fatigue cracking, rutting, and permanent deformation often occur in the upper asphalt layer. This is attributed to the inadequate stiffness of the lower joint plug mastic, particularly under high temperatures and heavy loads. To extend the service life of asphalt plug expansion joints under such conditions and enhance their durability, efforts were made to bolster the performance of the lower asphalt plug joint mixture and improve anti-rutting performance. This study involved: (1) Qualifying APJ mixture requirements under high temperature and heavy load by focusing on two critical material properties: good rutting resistance and permanent deformation resistance. High temperature rheological properties of these binders were examined through temperature scanning tests and multi-stress creep recovery tests (MSCR). (2) Exploring the impact of binder-aggregate ratios and specimen molding methods (standard compaction, paving vibration and pre-mixing) on the bonding strength and rutting resistance of the APJ mixture. This analysis was conducted using pull-off tests and dynamic stability tests. (3) Development of a novel APJ featuring dowel bars to enhance vertical deflection resistance and joint horizontal movement. Comprehensive laboratory tests showcased the modified joint structure's resilience after numerous test cycles, demonstrating exceptional resistance to bending and vertical deformation. The significant findings from this research provide valuable insights for optimal material selection, appropriate joint design, and installation guidelines for seamless asphalt plug expansion joints