Morphological Redescription and SSU rDNA-based Phylogeny of Two Freshwater Ciliates, Uronema nigricans and Lembadion lucens (Ciliophora, Oligohymenophorea), with Discussion on the Taxonomic Status of Uronemita sinensis

Liu, Mingjian, Li, Lifang, Qu, Zhishuai, Luo, Xiaotian, Al-Farraj, Saleh A., Lin, Xiaofeng, Hu, Xiaozhong (2017): Morphological Redescription and SSU rDNA-based Phylogeny of Two Freshwater Ciliates, Uronema nigricans and Lembadion lucens (Ciliophora, Oligohymenophorea), with Discussion on the Taxonomic Status of Uronemita sinensis. Acta Protozoologica 56 (1): 17-37, DOI: 10.4467/16890027AP.17.003.6967, URL: https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/cb3bc4f7-739f-32f8-92cd-7da31a838cb6

Comprehensively Surveying Structure and Function of RING Domains from Drosophila melanogaster

Using a complete set of RING domains from Drosophila melanogaster, all the solved RING domains and cocrystal structures of RING-containing ubiquitin-ligases (RING-E3) and ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme (E2) pairs, we analyzed RING domains structures from their primary to quarternary structures. The results showed that: i) putative orthologs of RING domains between Drosophila melanogaster and the human largely occur (118/139, 84.9%); ii) of the 118 orthologous pairs from Drosophila melanogaster and the human, 117 pairs (117/118, 99.2%) were found to retain entirely uniform domain architectures, only Iap2/Diap2 experienced evolutionary expansion of domain architecture; iii) 4 evolutionary structurally conserved regions (SCRs) are responsible for homologous folding of RING domains at the superfamily level; iv) besides the conserved Cys/His chelating zinc ions, 6 equivalent residues (4 hydrophobic and 2 polar residues) in the SCRs possess good-consensus and conservation- these 4 SCRs function in the structural positioning of 6 equivalent residues as determinants for RING-E3 catalysis; v) members of these RING proteins located nucleus, multiple subcellular compartments, membrane protein and mitochondrion are respectively 42 (42/139, 30.2%), 71 (71/139, 51.1%), 22 (22/139, 15.8%) and 4 (4/139, 2.9%); vi) CG15104 (Topors) and CG1134 (Mul1) in C3HC4, and CG3929 (Deltex) in C3H2C3 seem to display broader E2s binding profiles than other RING-E3s; vii) analyzing intermolecular interfaces of E2/RING-E3 complexes indicate that residues directly interacting with E2s are all from the SCRs in RING domains. Of the 6 residues, 2 hydrophobic ones contribute to constructing the conserved hydrophobic core, while the 2 hydrophobic and 2 polar residues directly participate in E2/RING-E3 interactions. Based on sequence and structural data, SCRs, conserved equivalent residues and features of intermolecular interfaces were extracted, highlighting the presence of a nucleus for RING domain fold and formation of catalytic core in which related residues and regions exhibit preferential evolutionary conservation

Damping torque coefficient analysis of PMSG‐based WT with VSG control considering wind turbine dynamics

Abstract This paper expands the damping torque coefficient analysis (DTCA) for studying the small‐signal stability of permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG)‐based wind turbine (WT) under virtual synchronous generator (VSG) control with consideration of WT dynamics. Firstly, the typical VSG is implemented in the grid‐side voltage source converter (GSVSC), which enables selfsynchronization without phase‐locked loop (PLL). The maximum power point track (MPPT) algorithms are utilized to give the power reference for VSG. Then, the corresponding inertia and damping support can be provided by the kinetic energy of PMSG. Based on the established model, the DTCA is analytically conducted to not only reveal the key factors that influence the WT stability but also provide guidance for parameter tuning. As a result, it is important to find that the WT dynamics impair the damping and even lead to system instability. Moreover, the minimum value of VSG damping control parameter is analytically given to ensure the system stability under any load below the rated wind speed. Finally, the case studies considering one single PMSG connected to a large grid with and without inclusion of WT dynamics are performed and compared to demonstrate the accuracy of the proposed model and evaluate the applications of DTCA

Chinese Adults Believe that Only Children Are Lonely. But Chinese Young Adults Who Are Only Children Report Less Loneliness than Young Adults with Siblings

A common stereotype about only children in China is that they are lonelier than children who grow up with siblings. However, little research has documented whether large numbers of Chinese actually believe in this stereotype and whether the stereotype is even true for youth. PRC graduate student trainees Shengjie Lin and Yidan Wang, along with faculty scholar Toni Falbo, and colleagues found that young Chinese adults do indeed believe that only children experience more loneliness than those who grew up with siblings. But this belief does not match the reality in which youths with siblings report more loneliness than only children. The mismatch between stereotype and reality points to the need for counseling professionals, among others, to check their only-child-as-lonely biases and instead focus on the reality of the issues facing their clients.Population Research Cente

Repression of Akt3 gene transcription by the tumor suppressor RIZ1

Abstract RIZ1 has been studied as a tumor suppressor and may play a role in metabolic diseases related to the Western style diet, such as cancer and obesity. The Akt pathway is known to play a role in both cancer and obesity, and a link between Akt and RIZ1 has also been found. To better understand the role of RIZ1 in obesity and cancer, we investigated how RIZ1 regulates the expression of Akt3. We found that overexpression of RIZ1 in HEK293 cells reduced the expression of Akt3 protein. Luciferase reporter activity of Akt3 gene promoter was significantly reduced in cells co-transfected with RIZ1. Recombinant proteins of RIZ1 was able to bind the Akt3 promoter in vitro, and chromatin immunoprecipitation assay also demonstrated the ability of RIZ1 binding to the Akt3 promoter in vivo. Overexpression of RIZ1 increased H3K9 methylation on the Akt3 promoter. These results identify Akt3 as a target of RIZ1 regulation and expand our understanding of the Akt pathway in cancer and obesity

Hypoxia Increases ATX Expression by Histone Crotonylation in a HIF-2α-Dependent Manner

Autotaxin (ATX), the key enzyme that generates lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) from lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC), is involved in tumorigenesis through the ATX-LPA axis and is regarded as a valuable target in tumor therapy. Hypoxia is a major feature of solid tumors and contributes to tumor development with striking alterations in the gene expression profile. Here, we show that hypoxia induces ATX expression in a hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) 2α-dependent fashion in human colon cancer SW480 cells. HIF-2α is directly bound to specific hypoxia response elements (HREs) in the ATX promoter. Under hypoxic conditions, knockout or inhibition of ATX suppressed the migration of SW480 cells, which could be rescued by the addition of LPA, suggesting that the induction of ATX during hypoxia promotes cancer cell migration through the ATX-LPA axis. Further studies showed that ATX expression was induced by HIF-2α through recruiting p300/CBP, which led to crotonylation but not acetylation of histone H3 in the ATX promoter region during hypoxia. Moreover, elevation of cellular histone crotonylation levels could induce ATX expression under normoxic conditions. In conclusion, our findings reveal that ATX is induced in SW480 cells during hypoxia by histone crotonylation in a HIF-2α-dependent manner, while as a novel mechanism of ATX expression regulation, the upregulation of ATX expression by histone crotonylation is not confined to hypoxia

Degradation of Phenol in Wastewater with Ozone Produced by Self-design Ozone Generator

The optimized tube’s structure of the self-design ozone generator was made with the double dielectric inner electrode and small metal cones were embedded in the outside electrode. This ozone generator was used for the degradation of phenol in wastewater. The research was studied from ozone gas flow rate, reaction time, the initial pH and concentration of the phenol in wastewater. In addition, the article also discusses the reaction mechanism of ozone degraded the phenol in wastewater. The results illustrate that the ozone concentration of self-design ozone generator under the pure oxygen flux (1.0 L/min) were 7.06 mg/L, compared with the unoptimized ozone, the optimized ozone generator’s efficiency was improved 56.89%; the phenol removal rate was increased as the initial pH increased in wastewater, when pH was 12, the phenol removal rate was 80.17%; GC-MS analysis was adopted to analyze and determine the phenol intermediates. The results illustrate that the major oxidation degradation products of phenol may be p-benzoquinone benzenequinone, 4-cyclopentene-1, 3-dione and diacetone alcohol

Degradation of Phenol in Wastewater with Ozone Produced by Self-design Ozone Generator

The optimized tube’s structure of the self-design ozone generator was made with the double dielectric inner electrode and small metal cones were embedded in the outside electrode. This ozone generator was used for the degradation of phenol in wastewater. The research was studied from ozone gas flow rate, reaction time, the initial pH and concentration of the phenol in wastewater. In addition, the article also discusses the reaction mechanism of ozone degraded the phenol in wastewater. The results illustrate that the ozone concentration of self-design ozone generator under the pure oxygen flux (1.0 L/min) were 7.06 mg/L, compared with the unoptimized ozone, the optimized ozone generator’s efficiency was improved 56.89%; the phenol removal rate was increased as the initial pH increased in wastewater, when pH was 12, the phenol removal rate was 80.17%; GC-MS analysis was adopted to analyze and determine the phenol intermediates. The results illustrate that the major oxidation degradation products of phenol may be p-benzoquinone benzenequinone, 4-cyclopentene-1, 3-dione and diacetone alcohol

Additional file 1 of Leaf photosynthetic characteristics of waxy maize in response to different degrees of heat stress during grain filling

Additional file 1: Figure S1. The conditions for temperature treatments. A: The photo of intelligent greenhouses; B: Average daytime and nighttime temperatures for each day during the gradient temperature treatment that lasted 15 days. Figure S2. Effect of HS during grain-filling stage on Chlorophyll fluorescence parameters of waxy maize leaves. A, B: ETR, apparent electron transfer rate; C, D: qP, photochemical quenching; E, F: NPQ, non-photochemical quenching; G, H: Fv/Fm, PSII primary maximum light energy use efficiency. T0, control; T1, mild HS; T2, moderate HS; T3, severe HS. Error bars denote standard errors from three replicates, and different letters at the same sampling date indicate significant difference at P <0.05. Figure S3. Effect of HS during grain-filling stage on soluble protein and sugar content of waxy maize leaves. A, B: soluble protein; C, D: soluble sugar. T0, control; T1, mild HS; T2, moderate HS; T3, severe HS. Error bars denote standard errors from three replicates, and different letters at the same sampling date indicate significant difference atP <0.05. Figure S4. Correlation analysis between waxy maize yield and various physiological indexes of leaves under different degrees of HS during grain filling. Chl, chlorophyll content; Pn, photosynthetic rate; Gs, stomatal conductance; Tr, transpiration rate; Ci, intercellular CO2 concentration; ETR, electron transfer rate; qP, photochemical quenching; NPQ, non-photochemical quenching; Fv/Fm, the photosystem II primary maximum light energy use efficiency; RuBPCase, ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase; PEPCase, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase; SP, soluble protein; SS, soluble sugar; MDA, malondialdehyde; ROS, reactive oxygen species; SOD, superoxide dismutase; POD, peroxidase; CAT, catalase; APX, ascorbate peroxidase; IAA, auxin; ABA, abscisic acid. Table S1. List of primer sequences used in this study

Fig. 3 in Morphological Redescription and SSU rDNA-based Phylogeny of Two Freshwater Ciliates, Uronema nigricans and Lembadion lucens (Ciliophora, Oligohymenophorea), with Discussion on the Taxonomic Status of Uronemita sinensis

Fig. 3. Photomicrographs of Uronema nigricans from life (A–E, in bright field illumination) and after protargol (F–M) staining. (A–C) Right ventrolateral views of representative individuals, with cell in C slightly depressed. Arrow in A shows contractile vacuole, while in C indicates macronucleus. (D) View of caudal portion of another cell, arrow points to caudal cilium. (E) Different body sizes, showing conspicuous apical plate. (F, G) Ventral views of stained individuals, indicating the structure of scutica. (H, I) Portion views of oral apparatus, revealing the number of kinety rows in M2 (two rows in H and three rows in I). (J, K) Ventral (J) and dorsal (K) view of a representative individual to show the ciliature and nuclear apparatus. Arrow in J points to basal body of caudal cilium, arrow in K indicating the apical plate. (L, M) Left ventrolateral (L) and right dorsolateral (M) view of another stained individual to show the ciliature and oral apparatus. Scale bars: 15 μm (A, B); 30 μm (E).Published as part of Liu, Mingjian, Li, Lifang, Qu, Zhishuai, Luo, Xiaotian, Al-Farraj, Saleh A., Lin, Xiaofeng & Hu, Xiaozhong, 2017, Morphological Redescription and SSU rDNA-based Phylogeny of Two Freshwater Ciliates, Uronema nigricans and Lembadion lucens (Ciliophora, Oligohymenophorea), with Discussion on the Taxonomic Status of Uronemita sinensis, pp. 17-37 in Acta Protozoologica 56 (1) on page 23, DOI: 10.4467/16890027AP.17.003.6967, http://zenodo.org/record/836437