MIMO Antenna Polynomial Weighted Average Design Method of Downward-Looking Array SAR

MIMO antenna polynomial weighted average design method of downward-looking array SAR was proposed from the angle of surveying and mapping in this paper, in order to solve the ill-posed problem that an equivalent virtual array can be implemented by a variety of physical transmitter-receiver arrays for bistatic MIMO linear array. For wave band, resolution, elevation precision, and working height concerned by the applications of surveying and mapping, the length of equivalent virtual array and actual physical array meeting the needs of large scale topographical mapping was solved. Then array numbers and position vectors of MIMO downward-looking array SAR of real aerial mapping platform were optimized. According to this design, some simulation experiments and comparisons were processed. The results proved the rationality and effectiveness of this array configuration by comparing the differences of 3D imaging results and the original simulation scene, counting mean and standard deviation of elevation reconstruction error eliminating the influence of shadow areas, and counting the probability of elevation reconstruction error within half a resolution of the whole scene and individual building area

Analysis of bacterial fatty acids by flow modulated comprehensive two dimensional gas chromatography with parallel flame ionization detector/mass spectrometry

Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC×GC) offers an interesting tool for profiling bacterial fatty acids. Flow modulated GC×GC using a commercially available system was evaluated, and different parameters such as column flows and modulation time were optimized. The method was tested on bacterial fatty acid methyl esters (BAMEs) from Stenotrophomonas maltophilia by using parallel flame ionization detector (FID)/mass spectrometry (MS). The GC×GC plots obtained for a reference sample of bacterial fatty acid esters and a bacteria sample (S. maltophilia) were very similar to those obtained by using thermal modulated GC×GC. The parallel FID/MS set-up is useful since the MS allows identification and confirmation, while the FID allows comparison of the relative fatty acid composition with existing databases. The data show that flow modulated GC×GC-FID/MS method can be applied in a routine environment and offers interesting perspectives for chemotaxonomy of bacteria

Evaluation of automated sample preparation, retention time locked GC-MS and automated data analysis for the metabolomic study of Arabidopsis species

One of the most critical parameters in GC-MS application to metabolimic studies is the sample preparation. Often a combination of oximation and silylation is used and this method is applicable to acids (e.g. fatty acids), sterols, amines, amino acids, sugars, etc. Automation of the derivatisation process enhances repeatability and the time between sample preparation and analysis can be kept short and constant. For analysis, retention time locked (RTL) gas chromatography/mass spectrometry was used. For data analysis, AMDIS deconvolution followed by 2 multivariate statistical approaches were used and compared. Arabidopsis thaliana, a popular model organism in plant biology and genetics, was used for testing. The data analysis software allowed the detection of several features that were up- or downregulated in the different species

Defect in Ser312 phosphorylation of Tp53 dysregulates lipid metabolism for fatty accumulation and fatty liver susceptibility: Revealed by lipidomics

The Tp53 gene is a well-known tumour suppressor, mutation of which (e.g. prevention of Ser312 phosphorylation) induces deletion or expression of an inactive p53 protein to increase the susceptibility of tumour occurance. However, the role of Tp53 gene in maintaining metabolic homeostasis for regulating physio-pathological activities is still not well-understood. This study aimed to use the lipidomics study as a systematic approach to understand the relationship between the phenotypic effects of Tp53 mutation on lipid-related endogenous metabolites. Plasma and liver samples from mice carrying a Tp53 Ser312 to Ala mutation and wild type mice were collected, lipids were extracted by liquid–liquid extraction method and analyzed by the RPLC-LTQ-FTMS for the lipidomics study. Our results indicated that defect in Ser312 phosphorylation of Tp53 leads the lipid disturbance (e.g. triacylglycerols) for fatty accumulation and fatty liver susceptibility, which is with preference of females. Histological observation by staining with haematoxylin and eosin further validated our lipidomics findings. To our conclusion, fatty liver occurrence may have different phenotypes, one of which is strongly linked with the Tp53 mutation and is susceptible in females. Lipidomics as a technique to detect a great number of endogenous compounds provides precise metabolic information that may further help improve personalized diagnosis of Chronic hepatic diseases

Circ_0040039 May Aggravate Intervertebral Disk Degeneration by Regulating the MiR-874-3p-ESR1 Pathway

The functional alteration of nucleus pulposus cells (NPCs) exerts a crucial role in the occurrence and progression of intervertebral disk degeneration (IDD). Circular RNAs and microRNAs (miRs) are critical regulators of NPC metabolic processes such as growth and apoptosis. In this study, bioinformatics tools, encompassing Gene Ontology pathway and Venn diagrams analysis, and protein–protein interaction (PPI) network construction were used to identify functional molecules related to IDD. PPI network unveiled that ESR1 was one of the most critical genes in IDD. Then, a key IDD-related circ_0040039-miR-874-3p-ESR1 interaction network was predicted and constructed. Circ_0040039 promoted miR-874-3p and repressed ESR1 expression, and miR-874-3p repressed ESR1 expression in NPCs, suggesting ESR1 might be a direct target of miR-874-3p. Functionally, circ_0040039 could enhance NPC apoptosis and inhibit NPC growth, revealing that circ_0040039 might aggravate IDD by stabilizing miR-874-3p and further upregulating the miR-874-3p-ESR1 pathway. This signaling pathway might provide a novel therapeutic strategy and targets for the diagnosis and therapy of IDD-related diseases

ORP4L Extracts and Presents PIP2 from Plasma Membrane for PLC beta 3 Catalysis : Targeting It Eradicates Leukemia Stem Cells

Leukemia stem cells (LSCs) are a rare subpopulation of abnormal hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) that propagates leukemia and are responsible for the high frequency of relapse in therapies. Detailed insights into LSCs' survival will facilitate the identification of targets for therapeutic approaches. Here, we develop an inhibitor, LYZ-81, which targets ORP4L with high affinity and specificity and selectively eradicates LCSs in vitro and in vivo. ORP4L is expressed in LSCs but not in normal HSCs and is essential for LSC bioenergetics and survival. It extracts PIP2 from the plasma membrane and presents it to PLC beta 3, enabling IP3 generation and subsequentCa(2+)-dependent bioenergetics. LYZ-81 binds ORP4L competitively with PIP2 and blocks PIP2 hydrolysis, resulting in defective Ca2+ signaling. The results provide evidence that LSCs can be eradicated through the inhibition of ORP4L by LYZ-81, which may serve as a starting point of drug development for the elimination of LSCs to eventually cure leukemia.Peer reviewe

Mass spectrometry-based metabolomics:a guide for annotation, quantification and best reporting practices

Mass spectrometry-based metabolomics approaches can enable detection and quantification of many thousands of metabolite features simultaneously. However, compound identification and reliable quantification are greatly complicated owing to the chemical complexity and dynamic range of the metabolome. Simultaneous quantification of many metabolites within complex mixtures can additionally be complicated by ion suppression, fragmentation and the presence of isomers. Here we present guidelines covering sample preparation, replication and randomization, quantification, recovery and recombination, ion suppression and peak misidentification, as a means to enable high-quality reporting of liquid chromatography– and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry-based metabolomics-derived data.</p

Insulin Sensitivity Is Reflected by Characteristic Metabolic Fingerprints - A Fourier Transform Mass Spectrometric Non-Targeted Metabolomics Approach

BACKGROUND: A decline in body insulin sensitivity in apparently healthy individuals indicates a high risk to develop type 2 diabetes. Investigating the metabolic fingerprints of individuals with different whole body insulin sensitivity according to the formula of Matsuda, et al. (ISI(Matsuda)) by a non-targeted metabolomics approach we aimed a) to figure out an unsuspicious and altered metabolic pattern, b) to estimate a threshold related to these changes based on the ISI, and c) to identify the metabolic pathways responsible for the discrimination of the two patterns. METHODOLOGY AND PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: By applying infusion ion cyclotron resonance Fourier transform mass spectrometry, we analyzed plasma of 46 non-diabetic subjects exhibiting high to low insulin sensitivities. The orthogonal partial least square model revealed a cluster of 28 individuals with alterations in their metabolic fingerprints associated with a decline in insulin sensitivity. This group could be separated from 18 subjects with an unsuspicious metabolite pattern. The orthogonal signal correction score scatter plot suggests a threshold of an ISI(Matsuda) of 15 for the discrimination of these two groups. Of note, a potential subgroup represented by eight individuals (ISI(Matsuda) value between 8.5 and 15) was identified in different models. This subgroup may indicate a metabolic transition state, since it is already located within the cluster of individuals with declined insulin sensitivity but the metabolic fingerprints still show some similarities with unaffected individuals (ISI >15). Moreover, the highest number of metabolite intensity differences between unsuspicious and altered metabolic fingerprints was detected in lipid metabolic pathways (arachidonic acid metabolism, metabolism of essential fatty acids and biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids), steroid hormone biosyntheses and bile acid metabolism, based on data evaluation using the metabolic annotation interface MassTRIX. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that altered metabolite patterns that reflect changes in insulin sensitivity respectively the ISI(Matsuda) are dominated by lipid-related pathways. Furthermore, a metabolic transition state reflected by heterogeneous metabolite fingerprints may precede severe alterations of metabolism. Our findings offer future prospects for novel insights in the pathogenesis of the pre-diabetic phase

Lipidomics Analysis Reveals Efficient Storage of Hepatic Triacylglycerides Enriched in Unsaturated Fatty Acids after One Bout of Exercise in Mice

Background: Endurance exercise induces lipolysis, increases circulating concentrations of free fatty acids (FFA) and the uptake and oxidation of fatty acids in the working muscle. Less is known about the regulation of lipid metabolism in the liver during and post-exercise

Medium Chain Acylcarnitines Dominate the Metabolite Pattern in Humans under Moderate Intensity Exercise and Support Lipid Oxidation

Background: Exercise is an extreme physiological challenge for skeletal muscle energy metabolism and has notable health benefits. We aimed to identify and characterize metabolites, which are components of the regulatory network mediating the beneficial metabolic adaptation to exercise