Identification of non-specific lipid transfer protein-1 as a calmodulin-binding protein in Arabidopsis

AbstractAlthough non-specific lipid transfer proteins (nsLTPs) are widely present in plants, their functions and regulations have not been fully understood. In this report, Arabidopsis nsLTP1 was cloned and expressed to investigate its binding to calmodulin (CaM). Gel overlay assays revealed that recombinant nsLTP1 bound to CaM in a calcium-independent manner. The association of nsLTP1 and CaM was corroborated using CaM–Sepharose beads to specifically isolate recombinant nsLTP1 from crude bacterial lysate. The CaM-binding site was mapped in nsLTP1 to the region of 69–80 amino acids. This region is highly conserved among plant nsLTPs, implicating that nsLTPs are a new family of CaM-binding proteins whose functions may be mediated by CaM signaling

Some Advice about the Water Strategy of China to Keep the Water Balance in 2025

Water resource is crucial for human survival. And fresh-water is the constraint for the development of China. In order to realize the sustainable development, we build three mathematical models for determining an effective, feasible and cost-efficient water strategy to meet the projected water demand of China in 2025. These models are as following: model of the cost of water transfer, model of the water price and the model of desalination plant construction cost. All the models are based on the forecast of the water demand and supply of China in 2025. Based on the result of these models, we propose some advice about the water strategy to meet the water demand of China in 2025, such as: building desalination plants in the coastal provinces which are lack of water, carrying out the inter-basin water transfer projects in the middle of China, setting a reasonable water price based on the market economy and et al

Case Report: Whole-exome sequencing identified two novel COMP variants causing pseudoachondroplasia

Pseudoachondroplasia (PSACH) is a rare, dominant genetic disorder affecting bone and cartilage development, characterized by short-limb short stature, brachydactyly, loose joints, joint stiffness, and pain. The disorder is caused by mutations in the COMP gene, which encodes a protein that plays a role in the formation of collagen fibers. In this study, we present the clinical and genetic characteristics of PSACH in two Chinese families. Whole-exome sequencing (WES) analysis revealed two novel missense variants in the COMP gene: NM_000095.3: c.1319G>T (p.G440V, maternal) and NM_000095.3: c.1304A>T (p.D435V, paternal-mosaic). Strikingly, both the G440V and D435V mutations were located in the same T3 repeat motif and exhibited the potential to form hydrogen bonds with each other. Upon further analysis using Missense3D and PyMOL, we ascertained that these mutations showed the propensity to disrupt the protein structure of COMP, thus hampering its functioning. Our findings expand the existing knowledge of the genetic etiology underlying PSACH. The identification of new variants in the COMP gene can broaden the range of mutations linked with the condition. This information can contribute to the diagnosis and genetic counseling of patients with PSACH

Wave In in auditory brainstem response suggests a high possibility of a high jugular bulb

BackgroundWave In, which refers to the negativity between waves I and II in auditory brainstem response (ABR), is an electrophysiological phenomenon observed in previous studies. The term “high jugular bulb” (HJB) describes a jugular bulb that is located in a high position in the posterior aspect of the internal acoustic canal. The present study aimed to explore the correlation between wave In and the possibility of a HJB.MethodsThis retrospective study included a cohort of pediatric patients diagnosed with profound hearing loss who were enrolled in a government-sponsored cochlear implantation program at an academic medical center between January 2019 and December 2022. The analysis involved examining the results obtained from the ABR test and high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) of the temporal bone in the patients. The position of the jugular bulb was classified according to the Manjila and Semaan classification.ResultsA total of 221 pediatric patients were included in the study. Twenty-four patients, with a median age of 3 years and a range of 1–7 years, showed significant bilateral (n = 21) or unilateral (n = 3) wave In (mean latency: right ear, 2.16 ms ± 0.22 ms; left ear, 2.20 ms ± 0.22 ms). The remaining 197 patients showed an absence of ABR. The HRCT images revealed that 18 of the 24 patients (75%) had HJB, but only 41 of the 197 patients who lacked ABR (20.8%) showed signs of HJB. The ratio difference was considered statistically significant based on the chi-squared test (χ2 = 32.10, p < 0.01). More than 50% of the HJBs were categorized as type 4 jugular bulbs, which are located above the inferior margin of the internal auditory canal.ConclusionABR wave In in pediatric patients with profound hearing loss suggests a high possibility of HJB. The physiological mechanism underlying this correlation needs further investigation

Free approximation of transport properties in organic system using Stochastic Random Matrix Theory

Thesis: S.M., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Chemistry, 2014.Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.Includes bibliographical references (pages 44-48).The proposed research is a study and application of Stochastic analysis- Random Matrix Theory(RMT) to fast calculate the transport properties of large static systems with relatively large disorder in mesoscopic size. As a major topic of Random Matrix Theory(RMT), free convolution managed to approximate the distribution of eigenvalues in an Anderson Model.So the next step is trying to expand RMT to approximate other quantities, such as transmission probability, conductivity and etc. Due to the eigenvectors' shifts, RMT works well only for small disorder. System with larger disorder requires to take in account of the changes in eigenvectors directly or through other approximations of the eigenvectors.by Wanqin Xie.S.M

Application of Random Matrix Theory coupled with Neural Networks improved decomposition onto defected system

Thesis: Ph. D. in Physical Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Chemistry, 2017.Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.Includes bibliographical references (pages 72-77).This thesis is about the study and application of a stochastic optimization algorithm - Random Matrix Theory coupled with Neural Networks (RMT-RNN) to large static systems with relatively large disorder in mesoscopic systems. It is a new algorithm that can quickly decompose random matrices with real eigenvalues for further study of physical properties, such as transmission probability, conductivity and so on. As a major topic of Random Matrix Theory (RMT), free convolution has managed to approximate the distribution of eigenvalues in the Anderson Model. RMT has proven to work well when looking for the transport properties in slightly defect system. Systems with larger disorder require to take in account of the changes in eigenvectors as well. Hence, combined with parallelizable Neural Network (RNN), RMT-RNN turns out to be a great approach for eigenpair approximation for systems with large defects.by Wanqin Xie.Ph. D. in Physical Chemistr

Internalization of B Cell Receptors in Human EU12 μHC+ Immature B Cells Specifically Alters Downstream Signaling Events

It has been recognized for a long time that engagement of B cell antigen receptors (BCRs) on immature B cells or mature B cells leads to completely opposite cell fate decisions. The underlying mechanism remains unclear. Here, we show that crosslinking of BCRs on human EU12 μHC+ immature B cells resulted in complete internalization of cell surface BCRs. After loss of cell surface BCRs, restimulation of EU12 μHC+ cells showed impaired Ca2+ flux, delayed SYK phosphorylation, and decreased CD19 and FOXO1 phosphorylation, which differ from those in mature Daudi or Ramos B cells with partial internalization of BCRs. In contrast, sustained phosphorylation and reactivation of ERK upon restimulation were observed in the EU12 μHC+ cells after BCR internalization. Taken together, these results show that complete internalization of cell surface BCRs in EU12 μHC+ cells specifically alters the downstream signaling events, which may favor receptor editing versus cell activation

Metabolomics Analysis Reveals Dynamic Accumulation of Sugar and Acid during Stem Development of <i>Brassica juncea</i>

The composition and content of sugar and acid are important indicators of organ development and the quality of horticultural products. B. juncea is an important vegetable in the cruciferous family, with a swollen fleshy stem as the edible organ. Elucidating the characteristics of sugar and acid accumulation during stem expansion of stem mustard and its regulatory mechanism could enhance stem quality. In this study, physiological indicators such as dry matter content, sugar–acid content and related enzyme activities were measured in eight stages of the tumorous stem. The results showed that the sugar and sucrose contents initially increased and then decreased during stem development: Sucrose exhibited a positive correlation with sucrose synthase and sucrose phosphate synthase, while acid content was highly positively correlated with malate dehydrogenase. Further analysis of the dynamic patterns of sugar and acid metabolite contents using metabolomics showed that 1097 metabolites were detected, including 229 organic acids and derivatives, 109 lipids, and other metabolites. Metabolic pathway enrichment analysis showed that metabolites were significantly enriched in organic acids, amino acids, glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, starch, and sucrose metabolism. Analysis of the sugar pathway and the tricarboxylic acid cycle revealed obvious differences in the content and type of metabolites, with most upregulated metabolites in S3 and S4. The expression patterns of enzyme genes associated with the biosynthesis and accumulation of sugar and acid metabolites were found based on differentially expressed genes at different developmental stages, and gene expression levels were verified by qPCR, which showed that the expression patterns of enzyme genes associated with this pathway were highly consistent with the metabolite accumulation. These results suggest that amino acids, sugars, and acids play a critical role in regulating the development of tumorous stems. Results of the present study offer a theoretical basis to improving the quality of mustard by using a metabolomics approach to determine the dynamics of metabolites and related regulatory enzymes during development and the correlation between these levels, which provides novel insights into the potential mechanisms underlying sugar and acid metabolism