Arabidopsis SWR1-associated protein methyl-CpG-binding domain 9 is required for histone H2A.Z deposition.

Deposition of the histone variant H2A.Z by the SWI2/SNF2-Related 1 chromatin remodeling complex (SWR1-C) is important for gene regulation in eukaryotes, but the composition of the Arabidopsis SWR1-C has not been thoroughly characterized. Here, we aim to identify interacting partners of a conserved Arabidopsis SWR1 subunit ACTIN-RELATED PROTEIN 6 (ARP6). We isolate nine predicted components and identify additional interactors implicated in histone acetylation and chromatin biology. One of the interacting partners, methyl-CpG-binding domain 9 (MBD9), also strongly interacts with the Imitation SWItch (ISWI) chromatin remodeling complex. MBD9 is required for deposition of H2A.Z at a distinct subset of ARP6-dependent loci. MBD9 is preferentially bound to nucleosome-depleted regions at the 5' ends of genes containing high levels of activating histone marks. These data suggest that MBD9 is a SWR1-C interacting protein required for H2A.Z deposition at a subset of actively transcribing genes

Effects of Northern Hemisphere Atmospheric Blocking on Arctic Sea Ice Decline in Winter at Weekly Time Scales

In this study, the effects of the Northern Hemisphere atmospheric blocking circulation on Arctic sea ice decline at weekly time scales are examined by defining four key regions based on observational data analysis. Given the regression analysis, the frequently occurring atmospheric patterns related to the sea ice decline in four key sea regions (Baffin Bay, Barents-Kara Seas, Okhotsk Sea and Bering Sea) are found to be Greenland blocking (GB), Ural blocking (UB), western Pacific blocking (PB-W) and eastern Pacific blocking (PB-E), respectively. The results show that the regional blocking frequency is higher (lower) in lower (higher) sea ice winters for each key region. Moreover, composite analysis indicates that blocking evolution is usually accompanied by significant sea ice decline at weekly time scales during the blocking life cycle for each key region. In addition, the intensified surface downward infrared radiation (IR) anomaly and the precipitable water for the entire atmosphere (PWA) in each key region are found to make significant contributions to the positive surface air temperature (SAT) anomaly, which is beneficial for the reduction in sea ice. The approximate quantitative analysis of different surface energy fluxes induced by blocking is also applied. Further analysis shows that the blocking event and the associated changes in SAT and radiation anomalies for each key region lead the sea ice decline by approximately 3~6 days. This result indicates that regional blocking can contribute to regional sea ice decline at weekly time scales through surface warming associated with enhanced water vapor and associated IR variations. Further quantitative estimates indicate that regional blocking can reduce regional sea ice cover (SIC) by 49.6%, 49.4%, 52.2% and 49.5% for Baffin Bay, Barents-Kara Seas, Okhotsk Sea and Bering Sea, respectively, during the blocking life cycle. Finally, a physical process diagrammatic sketch is given to illustrate how blocking affects SIC decline

Study on Serviceability of Transition Section Between Road and Tunnel

The determination of allowable differential settlement in bridge transition is a key problem to prevent vehicle jump at bridge head, but there are few theoretical research achievements in this aspect atroduction home and abroad. In this paper, four different structures of the road surface of The Sanyangchuan tunnel and the lead project are studied. The allowable differential settlement of asphalt pavement is calculated by asphalt pavement-layer system, and the allowable differential settlement is calculated by Ladan Lasse transform

The Linkage of the Large-Scale Circulation Pattern to a Long-Lived Heatwave over Mideastern China in 2018

In this study, the large-scale circulation patterns (a blocking high, wave trains and the western Pacific subtropical high (WPSH)) associated with a wide ranging and highly intense long-lived heatwave in China during the summer of 2018 are examined using both observational data and reanalysis data. Four hot periods are extracted from the heatwave and these are related to anticyclones (hereafter referred to as heatwave anticyclone) over the hot region. Further analysis shows a relationship between the heatwave anticyclone and a synthesis of low, mid- and high latitude circulation systems. In the mid-high latitudes, a midlatitude wave train and a high latitude wave train are associated with a relay process which maintains the heatwave anticyclone. The midlatitude wave train acts during 16⁻21 July, whereas the high latitude wave train takes affect during 22⁻28 July. The transition between the two wave trains leads to the northward movement of the hot region. With the help of a wave flux analysis, it was found that both wave trains originate from the positive North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO+) which acts as an Atlantic wave source. Serving as a circulation background, the blocking situated over the Scandinavia-Ural sector is maintained for 18 days from 14 to 15 August, which is accompanied by the persistent wave trains and the heatwave anticyclone. Additionally, the abnormal northward movement of the WPSH and its combination with the high latitude wave train lead to the occurrence of extreme hot weather in north-eastern China occurring during the summer of 2018

Tropical and Polar Oceanic Influences on the Cold Extremes in East Asia: Implications of the Cold Surges in 2020/2021 Winter

East-Asia winter cooling and the associated atmospheric and oceanic influences were investigated based on the wintertime daily temperature and circulation fields during 1950–2020. Both the case study on the 2020/2021 cold surge and the large-sample clustering in the recent 71 winters extracted similar circulation signatures for East-Asia cooling, which are featured by the blocking-related anticyclonic circulation in North Eurasia, large-scale mid-to-high-latitude wave trains, decrease in the sea surface temperature (SST) in tropical Pacific, and the sea-ice cover (SIC) reduction in the Barents and Kara Seas (BKS). From the joint clustering of Eurasian circulation and temperature, two circulation modes that have a cooling effect on East Asia account for 41% of winter days. One of the two modes is characterized by the cyclonic circulation over Northeast Asia coupled with a southward-extending negative-phase Arctic Oscillation (AO−), whose cooling effect is mainly concentrated in central Siberia. The other cooling mode, featuring an anticyclonic circulation over the Urals and AO+ in middle-to-high latitudes, has a relatively stronger cooling effect on lower latitudes, including Mongolia and North China. In general, the occurrences of the mode with warming/cooling effect on East Asia show an overall downward/upward trend. The two cooling modes are significantly influenced by the La Niña-type SST anomaly and reduced SIC in BKS through large-scale wave trains, of which the tropical oceanic forcing mainly acts as a climatic background. Furthermore, the polar forcing is more tightly bound to internal atmospheric variability. Therefore, the tropical SST tends to exert impact over a seasonal scale, but the SIC influence is more significant below the intraseasonal scale; moreover, the synergy between the tropical and polar oceanic forcing can increase the East-Asia cooling days by 3–4% and cold extremes by 5%, mainly through enhancing the AO-related circulation mode

Tropical and Polar Oceanic Influences on the Cold Extremes in East Asia: Implications of the Cold Surges in 2020/2021 Winter

East-Asia winter cooling and the associated atmospheric and oceanic influences were investigated based on the wintertime daily temperature and circulation fields during 1950–2020. Both the case study on the 2020/2021 cold surge and the large-sample clustering in the recent 71 winters extracted similar circulation signatures for East-Asia cooling, which are featured by the blocking-related anticyclonic circulation in North Eurasia, large-scale mid-to-high-latitude wave trains, decrease in the sea surface temperature (SST) in tropical Pacific, and the sea-ice cover (SIC) reduction in the Barents and Kara Seas (BKS). From the joint clustering of Eurasian circulation and temperature, two circulation modes that have a cooling effect on East Asia account for 41% of winter days. One of the two modes is characterized by the cyclonic circulation over Northeast Asia coupled with a southward-extending negative-phase Arctic Oscillation (AO−), whose cooling effect is mainly concentrated in central Siberia. The other cooling mode, featuring an anticyclonic circulation over the Urals and AO+ in middle-to-high latitudes, has a relatively stronger cooling effect on lower latitudes, including Mongolia and North China. In general, the occurrences of the mode with warming/cooling effect on East Asia show an overall downward/upward trend. The two cooling modes are significantly influenced by the La Niña-type SST anomaly and reduced SIC in BKS through large-scale wave trains, of which the tropical oceanic forcing mainly acts as a climatic background. Furthermore, the polar forcing is more tightly bound to internal atmospheric variability. Therefore, the tropical SST tends to exert impact over a seasonal scale, but the SIC influence is more significant below the intraseasonal scale; moreover, the synergy between the tropical and polar oceanic forcing can increase the East-Asia cooling days by 3–4% and cold extremes by 5%, mainly through enhancing the AO-related circulation mode

Brain Iron Metabolism, Redox Balance and Neurological Diseases

The incidence of neurological diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and stroke, is increasing. An increasing number of studies have correlated these diseases with brain iron overload and the resulting oxidative damage. Brain iron deficiency has also been closely linked to neurodevelopment. These neurological disorders seriously affect the physical and mental health of patients and bring heavy economic burdens to families and society. Therefore, it is important to maintain brain iron homeostasis and to understand the mechanism of brain iron disorders affecting reactive oxygen species (ROS) balance, resulting in neural damage, cell death and, ultimately, leading to the development of disease. Evidence has shown that many therapies targeting brain iron and ROS imbalances have good preventive and therapeutic effects on neurological diseases. This review highlights the molecular mechanisms, pathogenesis and treatment strategies of brain iron metabolism disorders in neurological diseases

Effect of β-cyclodextrin on the hemocompatibility of heparin-modified PMP hollow fibrous membrane for Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO)

In this paper, modified membranes containing β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) and heparin coatings were prepared on the surface of poly-4-methyl-1-pentene (PMP) hollow fibrous membrane using the high strength adhesion of polydopamine (PDA). In this paper, β-CD was added to increase the hemocompatibility of the PMP hollow fibrous membranes and the stability of the heparin coating. The uniformity of the heparin coating with β-CD addition was better than that of the groups without β-CD. After seven days of saline rinsing, the surface of the modified membranes with β-CD addition still had a large amount of heparin present, which was more stable compared to the control group. After surface modification, the modified membrane changed from hydrophobic to hydrophilic. Importantly, the protein adsorption, platelet adhesion, and hemolysis rates of the modified membranes were significantly reduced compared with the pristine membranes. The APTT values were also significantly increased. The results showed that the modified membranes with the addition of β-CD had better hydrophilicity, can maintain the stability of heparin coating for a long time, and finally showed good hemocompatibility

Assessing the Fire-Modified Meteorology of the Grassland and Forest Intersection Zone in Mongolia Using the WRF-Fire Model

Climate change is already significantly affecting the frequency of wildfires in most regions of the world, and the risk of wildfires is expected to amplify further with global warming. Accordingly, there is growing concern about the mechanisms and impacts of extreme fires. In this study, a coupling of the Weather Research and Forecasting model and the Rothermel Fire model (WRF-Fire) is employed to reproduce the spread of fire within the national boundary of inner Mongolia from 21 to 27 May 2009. Simulations were run with or without feedback from fire-to-atmosphere models, and the study focused on how the energy flux of simulated fires changes the local meteorological environment. The coupled simulation could reproduce the burned area well, and the wind speed was the dominant factor in the fire spread, with a maximum value no more than 6.4 m/s, when the terrain height changes little and the proportion of grassland is low. After the feedback, the propagation speed of the fire accelerated, accompanying the release of latent and sensible heat, and local circulation formed near the front of the fire, leading to a convergence and divergence zone in the downwind area. It is worth noting that during a period of more than 140 h of simulation, the area of the fire field increased by 17% from ignition time. Therefore, considering the fire–atmosphere interaction is necessary for accurately predicting fire behavior