An electro-hydrodynamics modeling of droplet actuation on solid surface by surfactant-mediated electro-dewetting

We propose an electro-hydrodynamics model to describe the dynamic evolution of a slender drop containing a dilute ionic surfactant on a naturally wettable surface, with a varying external electric field. This unified model reproduces fundamental microfluidic operations controlled by electrical signals, including dewetting, rewetting, and droplet shifting. In this paper, lubrication theory analysis and numerical simulations illustrate how to electrically control the wettability of surface via the charged surfactant. Our numerical results show that electric field promotes dewetting by attracting ionic surfactants onto the transition thin-film region and promotes rewetting by attracting them away from the region.Comment: 16 pages, 13 figure

Classification of colon adenocarcinoma based on immunological characterizations: Implications for prognosis and immunotherapy

Accurate immune molecular typing is pivotal for screening out patients with colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) who may benefit from immunotherapy and whose tumor microenvironment (TME) was needed for reprogramming to beneficial immune-mediated responses. However, little is known about the immune characteristic of COAD. Here, by calculating the enrichment score of immune characteristics in three online COAD datasets (TCGA-COAD, GSE39582, and GSE17538), we identified 17 prognostic-related immune characteristics that overlapped in at least two datasets. We determined that COADs could be stratified into three immune subtypes (IS1–IS3), based on consensus clustering of these 17 immune characteristics. Each of the three ISs was associated with distinct clinicopathological characteristics, genetic aberrations, tumor-infiltrating immune cell composition, immunophenotyping (immune “hot” and immune “cold”), and cytokine profiles, as well as different clinical outcomes and immunotherapy/therapeutic response. Patients with the IS1 tumor had high immune infiltration but immunosuppressive phenotype, IS3 tumor is an immune “hot” phenotype, whereas those with the IS2 tumor had an immune “cold” phenotype. We further verified the distinct immune phenotype of IS1 and IS3 by an in-house COAD cohort. We propose that the immune subtyping can be utilized to identify COAD patients who will be affected by the tumor immune microenvironment. Furthermore, the ISs may provide a guide for personalized cancer immunotherapy and for tumor prognosis

Metabolic network reconstruction of Chlamydomonas offers insight into light-driven algal metabolism

A comprehensive genome-scale metabolic network of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, including a detailed account of light-driven metabolism, is reconstructed and validated. The model provides a new resource for research of C. reinhardtii metabolism and in algal biotechnology

Construction of a cross-species cell landscape at single-cell level.

Individual cells are basic units of life. Despite extensive efforts to characterize the cellular heterogeneity of different organisms, cross-species comparisons of landscape dynamics have not been achieved. Here, we applied single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to map organism-level cell landscapes at multiple life stages for mice, zebrafish and Drosophila. By integrating the comprehensive dataset of > 2.6 million single cells, we constructed a cross-species cell landscape and identified signatures and common pathways that changed throughout the life span. We identified structural inflammation and mitochondrial dysfunction as the most common hallmarks of organism aging, and found that pharmacological activation of mitochondrial metabolism alleviated aging phenotypes in mice. The cross-species cell landscape with other published datasets were stored in an integrated online portal-Cell Landscape. Our work provides a valuable resource for studying lineage development, maturation and aging

Potent Neutralization of Influenza A Virus by a Single-Domain Antibody Blocking M2 Ion Channel Protein

Influenza A virus poses serious health threat to humans. Neutralizing antibodies against the highly conserved M2 ion channel is thought to offer broad protection against influenza A viruses. Here, we screened synthetic Camel single-domain antibody (VHH) libraries against native M2 ion channel protein. One of the isolated VHHs, M2-7A, specifically bound to M2-expressed cell membrane as well as influenza A virion, inhibited replication of both amantadine-sensitive and resistant influenza A viruses in vitro, and protected mice from a lethal influenza virus challenge. Moreover, M2-7A showed blocking activity for proton influx through M2 ion channel. These pieces of evidence collectively demonstrate for the first time that a neutralizing antibody against M2 with broad specificity is achievable, and M2-7A may have potential for cross protection against a number of variants and subtypes of influenza A viruses

Recent advances in hydrothermal carbonisation:from tailored carbon materials and biochemicals to applications and bioenergy

Introduced in the literature in 1913 by Bergius, who at the time was studying biomass coalification, hydrothermal carbonisation, as many other technologies based on renewables, was forgotten during the "industrial revolution". It was rediscovered back in 2005, on the one hand, to follow the trend set by Bergius of biomass to coal conversion for decentralised energy generation, and on the other hand as a novel green method to prepare advanced carbon materials and chemicals from biomass in water, at mild temperature, for energy storage and conversion and environmental protection. In this review, we will present an overview on the latest trends in hydrothermal carbonisation including biomass to bioenergy conversion, upgrading of hydrothermal carbons to fuels over heterogeneous catalysts, advanced carbon materials and their applications in batteries, electrocatalysis and heterogeneous catalysis and finally an analysis of the chemicals in the liquid phase as well as a new family of fluorescent nanomaterials formed at the interface between the liquid and solid phases, known as hydrothermal carbon nanodots

Identification and fine mapping of Bph33, a new brown planthopper resistance gene in rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Abstract Background Host-plant resistance is the most desirable and economic way to overcome BPH damage to rice. As single-gene resistance is easily lost due to the evolution of new BPH biotypes, it is urgent to explore and identify new BPH resistance genes. Results In this study, using F2:3 populations and near-isogenic lines (NILs) derived from crosses between two BPH-resistant Sri Lankan rice cultivars (KOLAYAL and POLIYAL) and a BPH-susceptible cultivar 9311, a new resistance gene Bph33 was fine mapped to a 60-kb region ranging 0.91–0.97 Mb on the short arm of chromosome 4 (4S), which was at least 4 Mb distant from those genes/QTLs (Bph12, Bph15, Bph3, Bph20, QBph4 and QBph4.2) reported before. Seven genes were predicted in this region. Based on sequence and expression analyses, a Leucine Rich Repeat (LRR) family gene (LOC_Os04g02520) was identified as the most possible candidate of Bph33. The gene exhibited continuous and stable resistance from seedling stage to tillering stage, showing both antixenosis and antibiosis effects on BPH. Conclusion The results of this study will facilitate map-based cloning and marker-assisted selection of the gene

RCC2 Expression Stimulates ER-Positive Breast Tumorigenesis

Objective. Regulator of chromosome condensation 2 (RCC2) has been reported to be involved in the regulation of cell cleavage. This study investigated the effect of RCC2 expression on breast tumorigenesis. Methods. MCF-7 cells originating from estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer were transfected with anti-RCC2 siRNA or RCC2-expressing plasmids. Cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and cytokine production in the transfected cells were examined using the CCK-8 assay, wound healing assay, and flow cytometry, respectively. PCR array was used to investigate the tumorigenic pathway of RCC2 in MCF-7 cells transfected with the anti-RCC2 siRNA. MCF-7 cells were also transfected with lentivirus-containing anti-RCC2 short hairpin RNA and were injected into BALB/c nude mice to generate tumor-bearing mice. Tumor growth in the mouse model was examined using magnetic resonance imaging by diffusion-weighted imaging analysis. Results. Western blotting and immunohistochemistry detected significantly increased expression of RCC2 in ER + breast tumor tissues compared with breast fibroadenoma samples. Inhibiting RCC2 expression decreased cell migration and stimulated apoptosis in MCF-7 cells, while overexpressing RCC2 stimulated cell migration and inhibited apoptosis. The inhibition of RCC2 expression significantly decreased breast tumor growth and IL-6 levels in the tumor-bearing mice. PCR array demonstrated that inhibiting RCC2 expression significantly decreased the expression of IGF1 and TWIST1, two well-known tumor-enhancing genes, in MCF-7 cells; conversely, overexpressing RCC2 increased the expression levels of these two genes in the transfected cells. This result was verified in the mouse model following inhibition of RCC2 expression in MCF-7 cells. Additionally, estradiol-17β suppressed MCF-7 cell apoptosis, stimulated cell proliferation and cell migration, and increased RCC2, IGF1, and TWIST1 expression. The siRNA-mediated inhibition of RCC2 expression alleviated the inhibitory effects of estrogen on apoptosis in MCF-7 cells, while overexpressing RCC2 enhanced the estrogen-driven inhibition of apoptosis. Modifying RCC2 expression had no impact on MCF-7 cell proliferation in the presence or absence of estradiol-17β. Conclusions. Our results suggest that estrogen-induced RCC2 expression prompts IGF1, TWIST1, and IL-6 expression, stimulates cell migration, and inhibits apoptosis to contribute to ER + breast tumorigenesis