Integrated single-cell RNA-seq analysis reveals the vital cell types and dynamic development signature of atherosclerosis

Introduction: In the development of atherosclerosis, the remodeling of blood vessels is a key process involving plaque formation and rupture. So far, most reports mainly believe that macrophages, smooth muscle cells, and endothelial cells located at the intima and media of artery play the key role in this process. Few studies had focused on whether fibroblasts located at adventitia are involved in regulating disease process.Methods and results: In this study, we conducted in-depth analysis of single-cell RNA-seq data of the total of 18 samples from healthy and atherosclerotic arteries. This study combines several analysis methods including transcription regulator network, cell-cell communication network, pseudotime trajectory, gene set enrichment analysis, and differential expression analysis. We found that SERPINF1 is highly expressed in fibroblasts and is involved in the regulation of various signaling pathways.Conclusion: Our research reveals a potential mechanism of atherosclerosis, SERPINF1 regulates the formation and rupture of plaques through the Jak-STAT signaling pathway, which may provide new insights into the pathological study of disease. Moreover, we suggest that SRGN and IGKC as potential biomarkers for unstable arterial plaques

Multiscale bilateral filtering to detect 3D interest points

The detection of 3D interest points is a central problem in computer graphics, computer vision, and pattern recognition. It is also an important preprocessing step in the analysis of 3D model matching. Although studied for decades, detecting 3D interest points remains a challenge. In this study, a novel multiscale bilateral filtering method is presented to detect 3D interest points. This method first simplifies repeatedly the input 3D mesh to form k multiresolution meshes. For each mesh, on the basis of the computed saliency of the mesh vertex, the bilateral filtering is used to remove the noise of the mesh saliencies and the global contrast to normalise the saliencies, and then the interest points are extracted on the basis of the normalised saliency. The proposed method then gathers and clusters all interest points detected on the k multiresolution meshes, and the centres of these clusters are treated as the final interest points. In this method, both the spatial closeness and the geometric similarities of the mesh vertices are considered during the bilateral filtering process. The experimental results validate the effectiveness of the proposed method to detect 3D interest points. This method is also tested the potential to distinguish 3D models

The routine utilization of dental care during pregnancy in eastern China and the key underlying factors: a Hangzhou City study.

OBJECTIVES: Oral diseases are associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. The routine utilization of dental care (RUDC) during pregnancy is an effective way to improve pregnant women's oral health, and thus safeguard the health of their babies. As China has one fifth of the world's population, it is especially meaningful to encourage RUDC there. However, the status of RUDC in China and the key underlying factors are largely unknown. METHODS: This cross-sectional survey investigated the current status of RUDC during pregnancy and the key underlying factors in Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province, eastern China. We collected participants' demographics, individual oral-hygiene behaviors, individual lifestyle, oral-health conditions and attitudes, and also their RUDC during pregnancy. Binary Logistic Regression Analysis was used to analyze the key underlying factors. RESULTS: Only 16.70% of the participants reported RUDC during pregnancy. The percentage of RUDC was significantly lower among pregnant women with the following characteristics: aged 30 or less, an annual household income under $8,000, brushing once a day or less, never flossing or rinsing the mouth, paying no attention to pregnancy-related oral-health knowledge, and being dissatisfied with one's individual dental hygiene behavior. CONCLUSIONS: RUDC during pregnancy is very low in eastern China and is greatly influenced not only by a woman's age, annual income, individual hygiene behavior, but also by her attention and attitudes to oral health. To improve this population's access to and use of dental care during pregnancy, appropriate programs and policies are urgently needed

Study of AlGaN/GaN Vertical Superjunction HEMT for Improvement of Breakdown Voltage and Specific On-Resistance

A GaN-based vertical superjunction high electron mobility transistor (SJ HEMT) with a composite structure (CS-SJ HEMT) is proposed and analyzed by Silvaco TCAD to improve the breakdown voltage and specific on-resistance (RonA). In this paper, CS-SJ HEMT is compared with SJ HEMT with traditional structure (TS-SJ HEMT), SJ HEMT with only particular doping pillars (DP-SJ HEMT) and SJ HEMT with only special P-gate (SP-SJ HEMT). The particular doping pillars mean the doping concentration of n-pillar increases with a gradient from top to bottom, and the concentration of p-pillar is the same as the middle of n-pillar, which reduces the RonA by only 4%. The special P-GaN cap layer can reduce the RonA by 10%, and it can even increase the on-state current in the saturation region. The CS-SJ HEMT combines both doping pillars and special P-gate structures, and the RonA can be reduced by 14%. By the optimized design, the RonA can be reduced by 30% with BV = 2580 V, or the RonA can be reduced by 21% with BV = 2720 V. These results show that the composite structure of SJ HEMT contributes to improving the BV and RonA and propose a useful approach for improving the vertical HEMTs

The impact of RNA interference of the subolesin and voraxin genes in male Amblyomma hebraeum (Acari: Ixodidae) on female engorgement and oviposition

Reducing or replacing the use of chemical pesticides for tick control is a desirable goal. The most promising approach would be to develop vaccines that protect hosts against tick infestation. Antigens suitable for the development of anti-tick vaccines will likely be those essential for vital physiological processes, and in particular those directly involved in feeding and reproduction. In this study genes from Amblyomma hebraeum Koch that encode for subolesin and voraxin were studied in male ticks by RNA interference (RNAi). Males (unfed or fed) were injected with dsRNA of (1) subolesin, (2) voraxin, (3) subolesin plus voraxin or (4) injection buffer, after which they were held off-host overnight and then allowed to feed on rabbits together with normal female A. hebraeum. Females that fed together with male ticks injected with subolesin or subolesin + voraxin dsRNA had a higher rate of mortality, weighed substantially less and produced a smaller egg mass than the controls. However, females feeding with males injected with voraxin dsRNA alone were not significantly different from the controls with respect to mortality, engorged weight or fecundity. However, as assessed by semi-quantitative RT-PCR, voraxin was not silenced in this study, the reasons for which remain unknown. The results of this study suggest that A. hebraeum subolesin is worthy of further testing as a candidate tick vaccine antigen.This research was supported by most generous grants from NSERC Canada (STPG Program) and from the Alberta Science and Research Investments Program (ASRIP) to WRK, the Oklahoma Agricultural Experiment Station (project 1669) and the Walter R. Sitlington Endowed Chair for Food Animal Research (KM Kocan, Oklahoma State University). V Naranjo was funded by Consejería de Educación, JCCM, Spain and AD Smith gratefully acknowledges the Province of Alberta for the award of a Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Scholarhip (Master’s).Peer reviewe

Recombination–deletion between homologous cassettes in retrovirus is suppressed via a strategy of degenerate codon substitution

Transduction and expression procedures in gene therapy protocols may optimally transfer more than a single gene to correct a defect and/or transmit new functions to recipient cells or organisms. This may be accomplished by transduction with two (or more) vectors, or, more efficiently, in a single vector. Occasionally, it may be useful to coexpress homologous genes or chimeric proteins with regions of shared homology. Retroviridae include the dominant vector systems for gene transfer (e.g., gamma-retro and lentiviruses) and are capable of such multigene expression. However, these same viruses are known for efficient recombination–deletion when domains are duplicated within the viral genome. This problem can be averted by resorting to two-vector strategies (two-chain two-vector), but at a penalty to cost, convenience, and efficiency. Employing a chimeric antigen receptor system as an example, we confirm that coexpression of two genes with homologous domains in a single gamma-retroviral vector (two-chain single-vector) leads to recombination–deletion between repeated sequences, excising the equivalent of one of the chimeric antigen receptors. Here, we show that a degenerate codon substitution strategy in the two-chain single-vector format efficiently suppressed intravector deletional loss with rescue of balanced gene coexpression by minimizing sequence homology between repeated domains and preserving the final protein sequence

Inhibition of Neutrophil Function by Two Tick Salivary Proteins▿

The saliva of hematophagous arthropods contains potent anti-inflammatory and antihemostatic activities that promote acquisition of the blood meal and enhance infection with pathogens. We have shown that polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) treated with the saliva of the tick Ixodes scapularis have reduced expression of β2 integrins, impaired PMN adherence, and reduced killing of Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease. Here we describe two Ixodes proteins that are induced upon tick feeding and expressed predominantly in the salivary glands. Using saliva harvested from ticks with reduced levels of ISL 929 and ISL 1373 through targeted RNA interference knockdown, as well as purified recombinant proteins, we show the effects of these proteins on downregulation of PMN integrins and inhibition of the production of O2− by PMN in vitro. Mice immunized with ISL 929/1373 had increased numbers of PMN at the site of tick attachment and a lower spirochete burden in the skin and joints 21 days after infection compared to control-immunized animals. Our results suggest that ISL 929 and ISL 1373 contribute to the inhibition of PMN functions shown previously with tick saliva and support important roles for these inhibitory proteins in the modulation of PMN function in vivo

The final model of multivariate logistic regression analysis to analyze the key factors underlying the routine utilization of dental care (RUDC) during pregnancy.

‡<p>OR: Odds ratio.</p>§<p>CI: Confidence interval.</p

Magnetic anisotropy of red stratum in Linxia Basin and its environment of sedimentation

Linxia is a district in Gansu Province, locates in the north-east edge of the Tibetan Plateau. Huge thick of Cenozoic red stratum over last 4 -29Ma was reported there, providing valuable geological record to recognize the Plateau uplifting process and climatic evolution during Cenozoic. Of which deposits, red-gray interbeds with paleomagnetic age of 13.07 -7.78Ma are especially very eye-catching. These beds were vividly named as ＂Zebra Layer＂. These interbed layers are nearly horizontal. Because of the gray layers,which are absolutely different from aeolian loess,it is generally accepted as lacustrine sediment： during Late Tertiary,this region was a lake,gray and white layers were formed during deeper water, and the red beds were formed during shallow water, repeating several times formed the above-mentioned across-layers. Through large area inspection in the field, we found that there are still many paleosols with calcium nodules/or layers in the red stratum, which are similar to the later Tertiary Red Clay; These Zebra Layers tilt with the terrain in side-slope of the modern valley. This common geological phenomenon is difficult to be explained by lacustrine sediments. In order to explore the process of its＇ formation, one section from Maomao Ditch （35°40＇11＂N, 103°21 ＇56.8＂E） ,where Zebra Layers follow the terrain tilting in side-slope of the modern valley, was selected for paleotopographic study. Two groups of orientated samples were collected from the Zebra Layers： 1）horizontal layers,and 2）the side-slope layers （50 samples in total）to measure their anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility （AMS）. Meanwhile Quaternary aeolian loess samples from both positions： 1 ）horizontal layers （18 samples）and 2）the side-slope （15 samples）, were also collected for comparison. The overlaying Quaternary loess, no mater samples from horizontal or from side-slope, their minimum axis K3 always focus around 90°, indicating aeolian almost ＂ horizontal bedding＂. The horizontal Zebra Layers display similar K3 characteristics to aeolian loess. However,the AMS result from side-slope samples from Zebra Layers is different. The K3 directions of side-slope Zebra Layers from both red and white samples does not focus, but distribution in general follow the SEE-NWW direction of slope. The results show that： both horizontal and titled ＂Zebra Layers＂ are all likely to be the original deposition, no evidence to support the titled bedding was due to the tectonic movement made the horizontal layers to be titled. These tilted red and white Zebra Layer following modern terrain were unlikely formed in underwater environment,but more likely similar to the overlying loess and paleosols, forming on the ancient terrain which accepted aeolian loess and soil sequence at that time, and as a result of the later water overflowing,the side-slope got gradually thinner from the top to the bottom. That water overflowing downwards slop might also made magnetic particles stirred. So that AMS of these samples do not show the same AMS characteristics as the overlying loess. These gray colors should not be original,but probably due to the beds had ever been soaked （or moisture to much） and deoxidized by water after loess and soils formation. Finally when iron materials were removed away and their colors became gray due to gleying process. The modern gullies or valleys are apparently cut down following the ＂Zebra Layer＂ tilted terrain, suggesting that water system had already been formed and working at least before the ＂ Zebra Layer＂ formation. Today Maomao Ditch, Jiaozi Ditch and Mao Ditch, are all first level of branch of Xia River system, while Xia River is the first level of branch of Yellow River, indicating very likely that the Yellow River for this certain part may also have formed at least 13Ma ago according to paleomagnetic dating

Body mass index is associated with physical performance in suburb-dwelling older chinese: a cross-sectional study.

Physical performance is reported to have various beneficial effects on human health, especially in older individuals. Although such effects are associated with body mass index (BMI), the relationship between BMI and physical performance has not been clarified.We conducted a cross-sectional study of 966 suburb-dwelling Tianjin individuals aged ≥ 60 years (average age 67.5±6.02, men 435, women 531). Mobility, balance, and muscle strength were assessed by walking speed, timed up-and-go test (TUGT), and grip strength, respectively. The subjects were categorized into three groups based on BMI (kg/m2) as follows: normal weight, 18.5 ≤ BMI ≤ 23.9; overweight, 24.0 ≤ BMI ≤ 27.9; and obese, BMI ≥ 28.0.After adjusting for all other variables, relative grip strength decreased when BMI increased in both men and women (P for trend <0.001 and <0.001, respectively). BMI may be negatively associated with TUGT performance in the women only. There was no apparent association between walking speed and BMI in either sex, but after adjusting for age, walking speed was faster when BMI increased in women (P for trend= 0.0162).This study suggests that in older individuals, higher BMI is associated with poor muscle strength in both sexes