A Novel Interpolation Fingerprint Localization Supported by Back Propagation Neural Network

In view of people's increasing demand for location-aware service, high-accuracy indoor localization has been considered the top priority of location-based service (LBS), therefore, the compact and cost-effective ZigBee technology with low power dissipation will undoubtedly be taken as one of the options for indoor localization within small area. As the accuracy cannot satisfy the application requirement, traditional localization ZigBee-based algorithm is abandoned gradually. This paper proposes a novel ZigBee-based indoor fingerprint localization algorithm and optimizes it through back propagation neural network (BPNN) interpolation method. Simulation result shows that this algorithm can significantly reduce the number of fingerprints and improve localization accuracy

Effects of Electroacupuncture on PGC-1α Expression in Brown Adipose Tissue

The inducible coactivator PGC-1α plays master regulator in mitochondrial biogenesis and thermogenesis in brown adipose tissues (BATs). BAT is a natural antiobesity organ which dissipates chemical energy in the form of heat through specialized mitochondrial protein UCP-1. Eletroacupuncture (EA) has been widely used as an alternative treatment for obesity and its related disorders such as type 2 diabetes. The molecular mechanism of electroacupuncture on treatment of obesity is still unclear. We hypothesized that electroacupuncture induced PGC-1α expression to increase the energy expenditure in BAT. Rats were randomly divided into control group and electroacupuncture treatment group. We investigated the effects of electroacupuncture at Zusanli (ST36) acupoint on the expressions of PGC-1α and its associated genes in the BAT of rats using real-time PCR and western blotting. We found that electroacupuncture effectively induces the expression of PGC-1α and UCP-1 by 4-fold and 5-fold in the BAT of rats, respectively. Our results indicated that the molecular mechanism of electroacupuncture for the treatment of obesity may be, or at least partially, through induction of both PGC-1α and UCP-1 expressions to increase energy expenditure in BAT

Demethyleneberberine Protects against Hepatic Fibrosis in Mice by Modulating NF-κB Signaling

Demethyleneberberine (DMB) is an essential metabolite of Berberine (BBR) in vivo. Recent reports have revealed multiple novel therapeutic applications of BBR. However, the pharmacological activities of DMB remain to be elucidated. This study aimed to demonstrate the hepatoprotective and anti-fibrotic effects of DMB both in vitro and in vivo. Here we showed that DMB protects against thioacetamide (TAA)-induced hepatic fibrosis in mice and exhibits a higher safety profile as compared to BBR. Flow cytometry and Western blotting analysis showed that DMB is able to suppress the activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and induce cell apoptosis through the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) cascade. Immunohistochemical (IHC) and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) analysis indicated that DMB also has inhibitory effects on collagen synthesis and is able to increase collagen degradation by blocking the transforming growth factor β 1 (TGF-β1)-Smad signaling and reducing the expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitors of MMP (TIMPs). These findings indicate that DMB has the potential to attenuate hepatic fibrosis via suppressing HSC activation

Nucleic Acid Based Logical Systems

Society for Analytical Chemists of Pittsburgh; National Instrumentation Program (NIP) of China; National Key Scientific Program of China [2011CB911000]; NSFC [NSFC 21221003, NSFC 21327009]; China National Instrumentation Program [2011YQ03012412]; National Institutes of Health [GM079359, CA133086]Researchers increasingly visualize a significant role for artificial biochemical logical systems in biological engineering, much like digital logic circuits in electrical engineering. Those logical systems could be utilized as a type of servomechanism to control nanodevices in vitro, monitor chemical reactions in situ, or regulate gene expression in vivo. Nucleic acids (NA), as carriers of genetic information with well-regulated and predictable structures, are promising materials for the design and engineering of biochemical circuits. A number of logical devices based on nucleic acids (NA) have been designed to handle various processes for technological or biotechnological purposes. This article focuses on the most recent and important developments in NA-based logical devices and their evolution from in vitro, through cellular, even towards in vivo biological applications

Development of a Fast and Sensitive Glucose Biosensor Using Iridium Complex-Doped Electrospun Optical Fibrous Membrane

Polystyrene electrospun optical fibrous membrane (EOF) was fabricated using a one-step electrospinning technique, functionalized with glucose oxidases (GOD/EOF), and used as a quick and highly sensitive optical biosensor. Because of the doped iridium complex, the fibrous membrane emitted yellow luminescence (562 nm) when excited at 405 nm. Its luminescence was significantly enhanced with the presence of extremely low concentration glucose. The detection limit was of 1.0 × 10^–10 M (S/N = 3), superior to that of reported glucose biosensor with 1.2 × 10^–10 M. A linear range between the relative intensity increase and the logarithm of glucose concentration was exhibited from 3.0 × 10^–10 M to 1.3 × 10^–4 M, which was much wider than reported results. Notably, the response time was less than 1 s. These high sensitivity and fast response were attributed to the high surface-area-to-volume of the porous fibrous membrane, the efficient GOD biocatalyst reaction on the fibers surface, as well as the fast electron or energy transfer between dissolved oxygen and the optical fibrous membrane

Simultaneous Discrimination of Single-Base Mismatch and Full Match Using a Label-Free Single-Molecule Strategy

Identification of single-base mismatches has found wide applications in disease diagnosis, pharmacogenetics, and population genetics. However, there is still a great challenge in the simultaneous discrimination of single-base mismatch and full match. Combined with a nanopore electrochemical sensor, a shared-stem structure of molecular beacon was designed that did not need the labeling, but achieved an enhanced signal-to-background ratio of ∼10⁴, high thermodynamic stability to bind with target sequences, and a fast hybridization rate. Fully matched and single-base mismatched sequences were simultaneously discriminated at the single-molecule level, which is expected to have potential applications ranging from the quick detection, early clinical diagnostics to point-of-care research

Highly Selective, Naked-Eye, and Trace Discrimination between Perfect-Match and Mismatch Sequences Using a Plasmonic Nanoplatform

A plasmonic nanoplatform to perform an enzyme-free, naked-eye, and trace discrimination of single-base mutation from fully matched sequence is reported. The nanoplatform showed great potential to enhance catalytic hairpin assembly (CHA) amplification efficiency and biocatalytic activity of hemin/G-quadruplex (DNAzyme). When human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) DNA biomarker was used as the model analyst, a naked-eye detection with high selectivity and high sensitivity down to 10^–17 M in whole serum was achieved by observing red-to-blue color change. Single-base mismatch and two-base mismatch were detected at the low concentrations of 10^–11 and 10^–8 M, respectively. The naked-eye detection based on the enzyme-free plasmonic nanoplatform is expected to have potential applications ranging from quick detection and early diagnostics to point-of-care research

A Nonenzymatic Hairpin DNA Cascade Reaction Provides High Signal Gain of mRNA Imaging inside Live Cells.

Enzyme-free signal amplification has enabled sensitive in vitro detection of biomolecules such as proteins and nucleic acids. However, monitoring targets of interest in live cells via enzyme-free amplification is still challenging, especially for analytes with low concentrations. To the best of our knowledge, this paper reports the first attempt to perform mRNA imaging inside live cells, using a nonenzymatic hairpin DNA cascade reaction for high signal gain, termed a hairpin DNA cascade amplifier (HDCA). In conventional nucleic acid probes, such as linear hybridization probes, mRNA target signaling occurs in an equivalent reaction ratio (1:1), whereas, in HDCA, one mRNA target is able to yield multiple signal outputs (1:m), thus achieving the goal of signal amplification for low-expression mRNA targets. Moreover, the recycled mRNA target in the HDCA serves as a catalyst for the assembly of multiple DNA duplexes, generating the fluorescent signal of reduced MnSOD mRNA expression, thus indicating amplified intracellular imaging. This programmable cascade reaction presents a simple and modular amplification mechanism for intracellular biomarkers of interest, providing a significant boost to the search for clues leading to the accurate identification and effective treatment of cancers