Formation of visual memories controlled by gamma power phase-locked to alpha oscillations

Neuronal oscillations provide a window for understanding the brain dynamics that organize the flow of information from sensory to memory areas. While it has been suggested that gamma power reflects feedforward processing and alpha oscillations feedback control, it remains unknown how these oscillations dynamically interact. Magnetoencephalography (MEG) data was acquired from healthy subjects who were cued to either remember or not remember presented pictures. Our analysis revealed that in anticipation of a picture to be remembered, alpha power decreased while the cross-frequency coupling between gamma power and alpha phase increased. A measure of directionality between alpha phase and gamma power predicted individual ability to encode memory: stronger control of alpha phase over gamma power was associated with better memory. These findings demonstrate that encoding of visual information is reflected by a state determined by the interaction between alpha and gamma activity

Proteomic Analysis of eIF5B Silencing-Modulated Proteostasis.

Protein translational machinery is an important component of the proteostasis network that maintains cellular proteostasis and regulates aging and other cellular processes. Ample evidence indicates that inhibition of translation initiation factor activities enhances stress resistance in model organisms. Eukaryotic translation initiation factor 5B (eIF5B) acts by joining the pre-40S subunit with the 60S ribosomal unit to form an 80S-like complex during protein translational initiation. Reduced eIF5B expression may disrupt proteostasis and trigger cellular processes associated with stress responses. In this study, the physiological effects of altered eIF5B expression were examined in 293T and HepG2 cells. Cells with eIF5B-knockdown (eIF5B-KN) grew more slowly than control cells, and had a lower level of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), increased resistance to oxidative stress and enhanced autophagy. Proteomic analysis showed that eIF5B knockdown resulted in upregulation of 88 proteins and downregulation of 130 proteins compared with control cells. The differentially expressed proteins were associated with diverse cellular processes including amino acid metabolism, RNA processing and protein metabolism, and DNA synthesis. Autonomous downregulation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway was identified as confirmed by western blotting and qPCR. We proposed that deactivation of MAPK pathway modulated proteostasis and induced prolonged S-phase of the cell-cycle, contributing to the slow growth of eIF5B-KN cells. eIF5B silencing also inactivated the mTOR pathway, downregulated glutamine transporters, enhanced autophagy, and decreased 28S rRNA and 5.8S rRNA expression levels which were reversed by restoration of eIF5B expression. Taken together, these results suggest that eIF5B silencing provides a negative feedback to deactivate MAPK signaling, leading to reduced cell growth. These findings provide a useful resource to further biological exploration of the functions of protein synthesis in regulation of proteostasis and stress responses

A novel synergistic covalence and complexation bridging strategy based on multi-functional biomass-derived aldehydes and Al(III) for engineering high-quality eco-leather

8 figures.-- Supplementary material available.-- © 2022. This manuscript version is made available under the CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 license https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/To get rid of the chrome pollution faced by the leather industry, we explored a novel engineering high-quality eco-leather technology based on the synergistic interactions between biomass-based aldehydes and Al(III). Firstly, dialdehyde xanthan gum (DXG) was prepared to covalently crosslink with the collagen fibers (CFs) via Schiff-base linkages under alkaline conditions, endowing the leather with a shrinkage temperature (Ts) of 80 °C and opening channels for the subsequent penetration of Al species (AL). Secondly, and for this latter purpose, the DXG-tanned leather was acidified to release part of the DXG from the leather according to the dynamic nature of the Schiff-base. Containing suitable oxygen-containing groups (OGs) with excellent complexation capabilities, the released DXG served as masking agents for AL, facilitating the penetration of AL into the inner CFs network for further complexation crosslinking. Consequently, a denser crosslinking network was constructed in the leather, and the crust leather exhibited higher Ts (82.2 °C), improved mechanical (tensile strength: 13.4 N/mm2, tear strength: 53.3 N/mm) and organoleptic properties than those of the DXG crust or AL crust leathers. This demonstrates that this synergistic covalence and complexation bridging strategy is a sustainable option to substitute highly restricted chrome tanning agent for eco-leather production.This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (22108297), the National Key Research and Development Program (2020YFE0203800), and the Science and Technology Innovation Key Project of Sinolight Corporation (ZQ2021YY05). Javier Remón is grateful to the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities for the awarded Juan de la Cierva (JdC) fellowship (IJC2018-037110-I).Peer reviewe

A step-change toward a sustainable and chrome-free leather production: Using a biomass-based, aldehyde tanning agent combined with a pioneering terminal aluminum tanning treatment (BAT-TAT)

8 figures, 3 tables.-- Supplementary information available.-- © 2021. This manuscript version is made available under the CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 license https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/The traditional chrome-based leather industry is facing several restrictions due to potential risks to the environment, especially for the formation and release of hazardous and carcinogenic Cr (VI). However, the leather produced from alternative organic tanning agents generally does not meet the market requirements due to the poor fixation of some of the conventional anionic post-tanning materials. Herein, we report on a pioneering, Cr-free strategy to produce high-quality leather. It comprises the use of a carbon-neutral, biomass-based aldehyde (BAT) tanning agent, efficiently fixed in the leather by means of novel terminal aluminum tanning treatment (TAT). In this treatment, Al (III) bonded with the excess oxygen-containing functional groups present in the BAT, post-tanning materials and collagen fibers. As a result, these connections created a robust crosslinking network, leading to leather products with similar (and in some cases superior) properties to those produced with the conventional Cr tanning procedure. For example, the tensile and tear strengths (19.78 N/mm2, 101.47 N/mm) were much higher than those of the Cr leather (7.13 N/mm2 and 43.12 N/mm). Therefore, these outstanding results, along with the carbon-neutral and environmentally-friendly features of our BAT-TAT strategy, are a step-change toward chrome-free leather production, which paves the way to ensuring the viable and sustainable development of the leather industry.This work was financially supported by the National Key R&D Program [grant number 2020YFE0203800] and the National Natural Science Foundation of China [grant numbers 22108297, 52073301]. Javier Remón is grateful to the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities for the Juan de la Cierva (JdC) fellowship [grant number IJC2018-037110-I].Peer reviewe

Amino acid accumulation and autophagy induced in eIF5B knockdown cells.

<p>(A) Quantitative PCR analysis of mRNA expression of essential amino acid transporters; (B) Levels of intracellular amino acids in eIF5B knockdown cells compared with control cells; (C) Protein expression levels of LC3 and p62 following cell culture for 2 h in the presence or absence of 100 nM Baf-A1, as determined by western blotting; (D) Total cell lysates immunoblotted with mTOR, phospho-mTOR (Ser2448), P70S6K and phospho-P70S6K (Thr389) antibodies; (E) RT-PCR analysis of rRNA concentrations using rRNA-specific primers listed in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0168387#pone.0168387.s010" target="_blank">S1 Table</a> (*<i>p</i><0.05; **<i>p</i><0.01; ***<i>p</i><0.001; n = 3).</p

Prolonged S-phase of cell cycle in eIF5B-knockdown cells.

<p>(A) Quantitative PCR analysis of mRNA expression levels of DNA polymerases in the DNA synthesis pathway; (B) Nucleotides accumulated within cells; and (C) Cell numbers in each cell cycle phase as determined by flow cytometry (*<i>p</i><0.05; **<i>p</i><0.01; ***<i>p</i><0.001; n = 3).</p

Characterization of eIF5B-KN1-293T and control cells.

<p>(A) Semi-quantitative RT-PCR analysis of eIF5B mRNA levels; (B) Western blot analysis of eIF5B protein expression; (C) Cellular ROS levels; (D) Survival rates of cells treated with different concentrations of H₂O₂ for 12 h, as determined by trypan blue dye exclusion assay; and (E) Cell growth curves. Data are presented as the mean and standard deviation (*<i>p</i><0.05; **<i>p</i><0.01; ***<i>p</i><0.001; n = 3).</p